Support NeoGAF

[IggyChooChoo]

lol @ Zinke minting *personalized coins* of himself. What an utterly bizarre thing.

Where did he even get the ideas for the flag and the coin? Does he have some lackey who looks this stuff up? Is a Westerosi sigil next?

 

[Chumly]

The courts have already ruled that the CSR payments were unconstitutional as they usurped the power of the Congress to appropriate funds. Most spending in Obamacare was mandatory and they didn’t exist because of executive action. The Obama administration continued paying them out while the ruling was appealed with the admin defending the CSR spending.

Now the Trump admin will drop the appeal but the court has also ruled that the 18 or so AG’s who sued to keep them in place can take over the appeal/defense of the CSR payments moving forward.

Wasn't it just a single Court that ruled that? Where republicans thought they would get a favorable ruling? People only quote the one judge but did we think that the appeals court and Supreme Court were going to uphold the ruling?

 

[Wilsongt]

Where did he even get the ideas for the flag and the coin? Does he have some lackey who looks this stuff up? Is a Westerosi sigil next?

While looking through some regulations to repeal, his staff probably found that nugget, asked if he wanted repealed, and he said nope.

 

[Aaron Strife]

I'm a bit confused if this is a good thing or a bad thing, TBH

Translation:

“I have decided I can not win a primary”

 

[Blader]

Do you guys think we were more likely to elect a Dem to replace Collins in the Senate, or more likely to elect a Dem to replace LePage as governor?

And also, now that I think of it, why would that distinction matter since they're both statewide elections anyway?

 

[Kusagari]

Do you guys think we were more likely to elect a Dem to replace Collins in the Senate, or more likely to elect a Dem to replace LePage as governor?

And also, now that I think of it, why would that distinction matter since they're both statewide elections anyway?

Whichever race Collins chose to run for, we were going to lose.

So I don't think it really matters.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Senate seat would have been the bigger win. Collins as governor with a Dem legislature would have been nearly indistinguishable from a moderate Dem imo.

Oh well. Even though I’d still prefer Democrats picking up her seat, there’s quite a gap between Collins and the next most liberal GOP senator.

 

[nature boy]

Translation:

“I have decided I can not win a primary”

Won't Bannon have a candidate to run against her?

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

He got to hurt the ACA and soon JCPOA, he’s like an abuser who can be try to be nice for a brief moment after he beats his wife.

This is so accurate that it’s barely an analogy. He vented his spleen and now he feels better.

 

[Aaron Strife]

Won't Bannon have a candidate to run against her?

Sure, but her Senate re-election is in 2020.

Even if she does somehow get dislodged in a primary (doubt it), losing a gubernatorial primary would have looked even worse for her if she decided to run for re-election. Same reason why Vitter retired from Congress after losing the gubernatorial election, which by all counts would have been an easy win for any other Republican.

Anyway Cook made some House ratings changes, all but one in our favor.

AZ-2 McSally Lean R -> Tossup
AZ-9 Open (Sinema) Safe D -> Likely D
CA-48 Rohrabacher Lean R -> Tossup
CA-50 Hunter Safe R -> Likely R
IA-1 Blum Lean R -> Tossup
KS-2 Open (Jenkins) Likely R -> Lean R
KY-6 Barr Safe R -> Likely R
MI-8 Bishop Likely R -> Lean R
NY-11 Donovan Safe R -> Likely R
PA-7 Meehan Likely R -> Lean R
UT-4 Love Safe R -> Likely R
VA-7 Brat Safe R -> Likely R

Puts a few on the board that I would have never considered like Hunter and Brat.

tbh I feel like with the healthcare stuff Trump is inviting a wave. He doesn’t care about political prospects for the GOP Congressmembers, but just because he defied the rules (to an extent) doesn’t mean they can too.

 

[Ogodei]

No threat in Arizona 9, certainly not in 2018.

 

[Aaron Strife]

No threat in Arizona 9, certainly not in 2018.

Yeah that just seems to be out of caution. I always see a Likely rating as “keep an eye on this one” compared to Lean suggesting the other party winning it wouldn’t be terribly surprising and obviously a Tossup going either way.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

We're on the road to 435 at this rate.

 

[Snowman Prophet of Doom]

As it seems there is decent legal standing for ending the CSRs, it is difficult to get TOO upset about it, but the reasons for doing it are obscure to me.

 

[tbm24]

Sooo I may not understand what this speech is supposed to be, but why is it so religious?

 

[BoogieWoogie]

Trump says he met with "the president of the Virgin Islands," which is, in fact, himself.

There's just no end to his stupidity.

https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/918846256407031808

 

[Rebel Leader]

Sooo I may not understand what this speech is supposed to be, but why is it so religious?

Because its the "value family voters"

A religious group

 

[Wilsongt]

Sooo I may not understand what this speech is supposed to be, but why is it so religious?

It's a summit attended by the whose whose of anti-LGBTQ individuals.

 

[Hubbl3]

Sooo I may not understand what this speech is supposed to be, but why is it so religious?

I'm assuming it's Trump? If so, the Republican base loves religious pandering even if in reality they all shit on the principles they supposedly believe in.

 

[Zolo]

Because its the "value family voters"

A religious group

Yeah. It's pandering to the audience. How many donations has Trump actually given of his wealth to the church?

 

[tbm24]

Because is the "value family voters"

A religious group

Ah, I regret listening for this long. Starting to feel sick hearing this shit.

 

[CrimzonSamurai]

There's just no end to his stupidity.

https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/918846256407031808

A more clever, yet just as crude, President would have knowingly used this as a euphemism for masturbation.

 

[tbm24]

I gotta say, why do Christians want holiday colors and Santa related themes associated with Christmas?

 

[BoogieWoogie]

I gotta say, why do Christians want holiday colors and Santa related themes associated with Christmas?

You should watch Kirk Cameron's Saving Christmas!

 

[balladofwindfishes]

That movie pulls the "Santa = Satan" stuff with one of its characters.

I've never watched the movie, just YouTube reviews.

 

[Aaron Strife]

I gotta say, why do Christians want holiday colors and Santa related themes associated with Christmas?

Because modern Christians are Pharisees

 

[AntraxSuicide]

Sure, but her Senate re-election is in 2020.

Even if she does somehow get dislodged in a primary (doubt it), losing a gubernatorial primary would have looked even worse for her if she decided to run for re-election. Same reason why Vitter retired from Congress after losing the gubernatorial election, which by all counts would have been an easy win for any other Republican.

Anyway Cook made some House ratings changes, all but one in our favor.

AZ-2 McSally Lean R -> Tossup
AZ-9 Open (Sinema) Safe D -> Likely D
CA-48 Rohrabacher Lean R -> Tossup
CA-50 Hunter Safe R -> Likely R
IA-1 Blum Lean R -> Tossup
KS-2 Open (Jenkins) Likely R -> Lean R
KY-6 Barr Safe R -> Likely R
MI-8 Bishop Likely R -> Lean R
NY-11 Donovan Safe R -> Likely R
PA-7 Meehan Likely R -> Lean R
UT-4 Love Safe R -> Likely R
VA-7 Brat Safe R -> Likely R

Puts a few on the board that I would have never considered like Hunter and Brat.

tbh I feel like with the healthcare stuff Trump is inviting a wave. He doesn’t care about political prospects for the GOP Congressmembers, but just because he defied the rules (to an extent) doesn’t mean they can too.

How many districts are in the tossup category held by Republicans?

 

[whyamihere]

Sure, but her Senate re-election is in 2020.

Even if she does somehow get dislodged in a primary (doubt it), losing a gubernatorial primary would have looked even worse for her if she decided to run for re-election. Same reason why Vitter retired from Congress after losing the gubernatorial election, which by all counts would have been an easy win for any other Republican.

Anyway Cook made some House ratings changes, all but one in our favor.

AZ-2 McSally Lean R -> Tossup
AZ-9 Open (Sinema) Safe D -> Likely D
CA-48 Rohrabacher Lean R -> Tossup
CA-50 Hunter Safe R -> Likely R
IA-1 Blum Lean R -> Tossup
KS-2 Open (Jenkins) Likely R -> Lean R
KY-6 Barr Safe R -> Likely R
MI-8 Bishop Likely R -> Lean R
NY-11 Donovan Safe R -> Likely R
PA-7 Meehan Likely R -> Lean R
UT-4 Love Safe R -> Likely R
VA-7 Brat Safe R -> Likely R

Puts a few on the board that I would have never considered like Hunter and Brat.

tbh I feel like with the healthcare stuff Trump is inviting a wave. He doesn’t care about political prospects for the GOP Congressmembers, but just because he defied the rules (to an extent) doesn’t mean they can too.

Here's the link if people wanted to read why

vpap.org/offices/house-of-delegates-42/elections/

 

[balladofwindfishes]

I gotta say, why do Christians want holiday colors and Santa related themes associated with Christmas?

Because the Christian Christmas is kind of boring. You need folklore and pagan traditions thrown in because the pagans knew how to party.

 

[sc0la]

No, the fucking democrats in the state will nominate two candidates, a former janitor at Goldman Sachs and someone who once smelled Jill Stein’s hair and they will split the vote and I’m sure Scott Baio will get elected in Maine.

No one has done more to clean up Wall Street than Dirk Stegman CPJ

 

[Kemal86]

Two weeks away from buying my own insurance for the first time (lost my job-provided insurance in May), so the last 24 hours have been pretty miserable.

 

[HamPster PamPster]

A more clever, yet just as crude, President would have knowingly used this as a euphemism for masturbation.

Late night jokes write themselves these days. Easiest job in the world!

 

[cartoon_soldier]

How many districts are in the tossup category held by Republicans?

http://cookpolitical.com/ratings/house-race-ratings

 

[RumbleHumble]

I gotta say, why do Christians want holiday colors and Santa related themes associated with Christmas?

To put it extremely reductively, it's part of the distinctly American fusion of Protestantism, Republican Party values, and Capitalism. Many "evangelicals" in the US subtextually see the consumerism inherent to the Santa/Holiday bullshit as not only an inherent good, but something that God himself wants celebrated because of the gift giving at the Epiphany (which is actually celebrated as a separate day). Therefore such bullshit should be shoved down the throats of everyone else in order to encourage consumerism and make God, the US, and the Republican party happy.

 

[chadskin]

Trump retweets Bill O'Reilly, who was accused by five women of sexual harassment.

 

[Wilsongt]

Trump retweets Bill O'Reilly, who was accused by five women of sexual harassment.

Yeah, but look at all that money Weinstein gave to Democrats and how many sexual predators there are in librul elitish Hollywood!

 

[BoosterDuck]

Trump retweets Bill O'Reilly, who was accused by five women of sexual harassment.

but Bill's a rapist though

 

[Ogodei]

Funny thing is Puritanism was opposed to Christmas back during the English Civil War, and during Cromwell's reign they banned the more festive and secular parts of Christmas entirely, replaced by a solemn Christmas Day mass.

Speaking of Christmas, Jon Favreau is pitching the idea that Democrats should allow the GOP to shut down the government unless CSRs are restored and the dreamers are protected this December.

 

[Emerson]

That's exactly what they should do. The GOP can't blame the Dems when they control the entire government. The Democrats hold literally all the leverage on this particular issue.

 

[IggyChooChoo]

To put it extremely reductively, it's part of the distinctly American fusion of Protestantism, Republican Party values, and Capitalism. Many "evangelicals" in the US subtextually see the consumerism inherent to the Santa/Holiday bullshit as not only an inherent good, but something that God himself wants celebrated because of the gift giving at the Epiphany (which is actually celebrated as a separate day). Therefore such bullshit should be shoved down the throats of everyone else in order to encourage consumerism and make God, the US, and the Republican party happy.

I've known some evangelicals who were extremely opposed to the non-religious elements of Christmas (tree, gifts, Santa, Jingle Bells, etc). Maybe things have shifted over the past decade.

 

[RumbleHumble]

I've known some evangelicals who were extremely opposed to the non-religious elements of Christmas (tree, gifts, Santa, Jingle Bells, etc). Maybe things have shifted over the past decade.

Contemporary Evangelicals are less "Christian" and more "Republican" these days. Kirk Cameron's "Saving Christmas", while a deplorable film, is a perfect example of what modern evangelical culture means nowadays in the US. It's also a decent explanation as to what happened to Evangelicals that made them the most solid voting block for Trump per polling.

 

[Mark Andrew]

I’m fairly confident you’ll have the votes in the Senate to keep the Iran deal. Not as informed on the House dynamics, but it seems a harder sell there.

 

[Vixdean]

I mean, I hope there's enough level headed Republicans in the Senate to realize that a war with Iran with this President isn't the best idea. But who knows, these people are fucking psychopaths.

 

[Randolph Freelander]

Speaking of Christmas, Jon Favreau is pitching the idea that Democrats should allow the GOP to shut down the government unless CSRs are restored and the dreamers are protected this December.

As he has done before. I tweeted at him that I do not support that, a government shutdown should be off limits. He has said himself that shutdowns are the domain of Republicans, as they don't believe in government, where as Democrats do. Do not turn shutdowns into another justification for "both sides" bellyaching.

Fight for DACA and the Dream Act, fight for ACA, but leave government up and running.

 

[RustyNails]

I mean, I hope there's enough level headed Republicans in the Senate to realize that a war with Iran with this President isn't the best idea. But who knows, these people are fucking psychopaths.

Tom Cotton will rally the psychos toward decertification. Remember this guy backchannelled threats to Iran while Obama was implementing the deal.

 

[RumbleHumble]

Tom Cotton will rally the psychos toward decertification. Remember this guy backchannelled threats to Iran while Obama was implementing the deal.

That fucker is a monster. I mean, they're all monsters. But listening to Tom Cotton speak is like nails on chalkboard.

 

[Emerson]

As he has done before. I tweeted at him that I do not support that, a government shutdown should be off limits. He has said himself that shutdowns are the domain of Republicans, as they don't believe in government, where as Democrats do. Do not turn shutdowns into another justification for "both sides" bellyaching.

Fight for DACA and the Dream Act, fight for ACA, but leave government up and running.

Holding out on their votes is literally the only leverage Democrats have to fight for the things you want them to fight for. They can't put a Dream Act up for votes if the Republican leaders don't want to. Why on earth should Democrats vote to fund the government if the terms of the deal implicitly include kicking out DACA recipients and destroying the ACA?

Democratic leadership not only should fight it, they have an obligation to.

 

[Randolph Freelander]

Holding out on their votes is literally the only leverage Democrats have to fight for the things you want them to fight for. They can't put a Dream Act up for votes if the Republican leaders don't want to.

Democratic leadership not only should fight it, they have an obligation to.

Not by shutting down the entire government. No way. That's off limits. That's crap that Republicans do (and blame Democrats for anyway). Don't hand them a loaded gun that they can legitimately use against you.

 

[kirblar]

Not by shutting down the entire government. No way. That's off limits. That's crap that Republicans do (and blame Democrats for anyway). Don't hand them a loaded gun that they can legitimately use against you.

Yup. I'm all for fighting fire w/ fire w/ the fillibuster/blue slips, but we cannot go there.

 

[Wilsongt]

That's exactly what they should do. The GOP can't blame the Dems when they control the entire government. The Democrats hold literally all the leverage on this particular issue.

Sure they can, and they have and people believe them.

The moron population, anyway.