Will you join me in drinking to oblivion as American democracy ends on Tuesday night.

[jal]

Jim
I thought we were talking about the specific speech. None of that is in the CPAC speech.
Everything you mentioned is against my beliefs. I have said that many times but I haven't seen any of that in the YouTube video

[JimHow]

I disagree Jacques.
In the first 30 seconds he brags that the Florida Supreme Court went from the most liberal in the country to the most conservative in his term.
And there are the numerous tired, predictable right wing references to college professors, the left wing media, the Tucker Carlson talking points.
I’d have to go through the whole half hour again to answer your questions, once is enough for me.
In the end, it just wasn’t a good speech, even if you’re looking for conservative red meat. I think Orange Head is going to eat this lightweight alive. He’d better have his “full armor of God” on nice and tight when he’s up there against the big man.

[JimHow]

How about Klobuchar-Whitmer.

[jal]

I agree it wasn't a great speech. I said before he has the personality of a sock
I don't believe he will run against Trump
I don't believe he will run with Trump
If he runs it will be because Trump decides not to
Left wing media, College professors, cancel culture in academia, just because Tucker Carlson mentions these doesn't mean they don't exist, I don't think they are an exaggeration or are dismissed by the voters
Prosecutors who are tough on crime? Please? After the Chesa Boudin recall and the almost recall of George Gascon? Is this what we are for now? I know you oppose strong sentences, I do too but to go from there to the Chesa Boudin model of abandoning our cities to criminals? The NYTimes has an article about bicycle theft in Burlington VT today, this is a result of these policies. A better balance can be found.
Florida court more conservative? He's a Republican governor, what do you expect? I don't like it but this is is the system, I accept it.

[DavidG]

Jacques, my flat earth and anti-vax comments were a general condemnation of that particular species of far right wingnut. Not DeSantis specifically. And though he did tell people to get vaccinated, his prohibition against companies requiring employees to be vaccinated was a public policy failure.

[jal]

Fair enough David.
Public policy in the US (and probably everywhere on the planet from Sweden to China and New Zealand) during Covid was all about trial and error in my opinion. That is for another debate altogether and I won't go into it.

[tim]

Timmy McCracken, the most liberal BWEer on this site, by the way, thinks Mike Pence is the cat's meow.

Ha, well I don't think I am the most liberal BWEer here, and I despise Pence's policy positions. I just praise what he did on 1/6, and specifically not leaving the capitol when it was under attack, and insisting on working with Democrats to quickly reconvene and do the proper thing all while death threats against him are being chanted inside the building by the supporters of his running mate. He is one of the few Republicans that rejected the leader of his party to his own political peril.

[s*d*r]

Great dialogue.

So who should the Blues choose to run in 2024?

Interesting take: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/10/opin ... -2024.html

[JimHow]

The Dems have a strong bench.
I am just so impressed by Whitmer, she's in my top tier.

[jal]

Two problems with Whitmer that may come back to hurt her.
Calling women “people with periods”. Jeez! That's enough to make every centrist cringe.
She may have a problem with her handling of Covid. Not claiming she was right or wrong, like I said before, public policy during Covid was anything but clear cut, she may have a problem nevertheless.
In my opinion, she also ran against a lightweight Trump supported nominee in Tudor Nixon, not as clear cut a victory as it seems.
That said, I will vote for her against any Republican (yes including my Ronnie, lol)

[jal]

And for the record, I like Klobuchar and Buttigieg, I also like Val Demings a lot even if she just lost to Marco Rubio in the FL Senate race. I think a Klobuchar Demings ticket can really resonate with voters.
Let's just hope we don't end up with the tired grumpy old men Biden vs Trump

[stefan]

Klobuchar was my choice last time around. I was sorry that Biden did not choose her as his running mate.

[Blanquito]

Great thread. One question on every Republican’s mind: can any GOPer really beat Trump in a primary?

No way, I say. Trump is still beating Ronnie by double digits in polls and the OrangeSack gets wackos and off-the-gridders to come out and vote like never before. Trump rallies are like Trekkie conventions from the 80’s, leavened with some WWF, a biker rally, and Married with Children (I saw the aftermath of one in Colorado and man it was a sight to behold). I don’t think any politician has ever had such a direct line to the tinfoil hat crowd like Trump and there are far more of these nut jobs than I think any of us ever dared to imagine.

But if Biden & Co can “win” the midterm with 8% inflation and a global recession looming, he (and nearly any other Dem) would have to be favored over a rematch with Trump I think. But now that we’re gearing up for 2024, a question on every Democrat’s mind: will Biden run again (I say yes) and if he does, does he get a serious, non-Jerry-Brown category primary challenge?

[JimHow]

I’m so sad to see Kari Lake defeated, she had such a bright, positive future in American democracy.

I think it will be Biden vs Orange again, Patrick.

[Racer Chris]

Kari Lake not only defeated, but tossed into the dustbin of history.

However I've gotta say, Liz Cheney is da Man! (even according to Josh Hawley apparently)
She would make a great Speaker of the House under the current circumstances.
All it would take is all the democrats and a few republicans to vote for her.

[Blanquito]

Kari Lake not only defeated, but tossed into the dustbin of history.

However I've gotta say, Liz Cheney is da Man! (even according to Josh Hawley apparently)
She would make a great Speaker of the House under the current circumstances.
All it would take is all the democrats and a few republicans to vote for her.

Great idea, I wish we lived in a world where such a scenario was even remotely possible.

[JimHow]

Hey my man Bill Cohen is calling for a non-Congress-member to be Speaker:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/29/opin ... -vote.html

[robert goulet]

I've been doing some heavy fasting in the past two months, with the exception of the recent BWE festivities in DC. All evidence is that the great American democratic experiment is coming to a screeching end at about midnight on Tuesday, as the crazies assume power. It looks like it is going to be every bit as bad as we expected, and now likely even worse. I have a fairly light schedule on Wednesday, I think I am going to take the Tuesday night opportunity to uncork one of my 2015 Figeacs in the name of science as we watch the horror unfold over the course of the evening. I'm sure it will lube up some "enlightened" commentary as the numbers roll in.

Perfect wine to alter in the crazies for its borderline undrinkable

I had it 6mos. ago....hopefully your experience is different.

[JimHow]

I drank it, Bobby G. It sucked. I got 10 more bottles in the cellar.

[marcs]

Kari Lake not only defeated, but tossed into the dustbin of history.

However I've gotta say, Liz Cheney is da Man! (even according to Josh Hawley apparently)
She would make a great Speaker of the House under the current circumstances.
All it would take is all the democrats and a few republicans to vote for her.

Great idea, I wish we lived in a world where such a scenario was even remotely possible.

Thank god this won’t happen. Amazing how brainwashed people are, looking to the Cheney family to “save democracy”

Was the 2015 Figeac really as awful as described above?

[JimHow]

Ha actually it wasn’t that bad, I just thought I had scored a deal at 11 bottles at like $160 each. It wasn’t a $160 bottle of wine.

[Blanquito]

The end of democracy as we know it is one thing, but our beloved Chateau Figeac going modern is the real travesty.

[Blanquito]

Kari Lake not only defeated, but tossed into the dustbin of history.

However I've gotta say, Liz Cheney is da Man! (even according to Josh Hawley apparently)
She would make a great Speaker of the House under the current circumstances.
All it would take is all the democrats and a few republicans to vote for her.

Great idea, I wish we lived in a world where such a scenario was even remotely possible.

Thank god this won’t happen. Amazing how brainwashed people are, looking to the Cheney family to “save democracy”

Nah, not brainwashing, just a sad reflection of how far the GOP has strayed from sanity, decency, common sense, honesty, class, integrity, kindness, fairness, etc.