Any law enforcement officer who breaks the law and deliberately allows someone not legally able to have a firearm to get one should be prosecuted. And if the person who gets the firearm uses it in a homicide the charge should be felony murder.
Amanda's piece is lengthy, but it's worth it just so you can find out how Pence manages to convince himself the Lincoln Project was partially responsible for J6.
The details on how refusal to enforce laws led to the environment in which the Colorado Springs shooting could happen are fairly maddening. I'm totally numb to the frequency of these events at this point. I live near Raleigh, where we had some teenager (15-16yo) about a month ago just go wandering along a neighborhood trail shooting at people with a long gun. Killed five people. The story faded into the memory hole without anyone ever even explaining to the public how a teenager got his hands on one of these weapons. This is how we live our lives now.
I am thoroughly delighted to see how Richard Fierro beat the shit out of the shooter. He left him incapacitated, and continued beating the shit out of him. The drag queen stomping him with his stiletto made for a nice exclamation point.
I've been wondering if the real threat to Ole Kevin will come from his left, not his right. The newbies from crossover districts seem to want to *gasp* get something done instead of wasting time on show hearings about Hunter Biden, Dr. Fauci, etc.
It'll be interesting to see if the Democrats can pull together a working coalition in the House that will blunt some of the crazy. Remember: Master Tactician Nancy Pelosi isn't going away; she'll be working from the backbench and mentoring the new leadership.
And yet Ms. Law and Order/Thoughts and Prayers, Lauren Boebert, has just been re-elected. She has paid no price-none- for her behaviors.
And now, after this horrific tragedy she says “This lawless violence needs to end and end quickly”. What will you do to end it Lauren? Words are cheap.
If I were a family member of any of the people killed in that shooting, I would sue the county, the DA and the police into bankruptcy for wrongful death, breach of public duty and anything else my lawyer could come up with. This guy had a bomb a year ago, he should have been in prison.
In a working democratic political system there would be a real chance to elect a Unity Speaker, engineered by moderate GOP and Dem House members. We'd avoid the three ring circus we expect in two years and maybe even lay the path for more political consensus if we could find a consensus Speaker.
But the rules of our democracy won't let is have nice things like a Unity Speaker. Our incentives punish House members who do not put their political party first. Under our system these members will face primary challengers, will have their money shut off by party donors and, if they still get elected, will be forever be considered a traitor. But it doesn't have to be that way. Open primaries have demonstrated the ability to reward those who seek consensus. Sorry to sound like a broken record, but we need to reform our rules, or we will continually slide down this abyss. It maybe a hard thing to do, but what is the alternative: The current status quo!?!?!?!?!
People are really focused on guns and the failure of red flag laws here. But let's be real. This wasn't about guns so much as it was about the hatred the GOP and the right have spread against LGBT people. The shooter targeted an LGBT club, during a drag show, on a day of remembrance for trans victims of violence.
This was terrorism, pure and simple. Cracking down on guns might reduce the fatality rate, but this won't end until these bigots are pushed to the absolute fringe of society. We need to see consequences for the stochastic terrorism pushed by the right-wing media.
I feel like if democrats can just focus on policy and building in-roads with the public, they can win long-term and pull moderates to their side. The mudslinging is going to become (R) vs (R) before too long and staying out of this mess is the best solution.
Having just read Bill Luedder's observations about the former guy's speech detailing the glory of his term vs. the hellscape of Biden's, I have a question. If Trump "completed the wall," as he claims, how come the border is now "totally open"? Must be a pretty lousy wall if two years later it has already failed. Or perhaps the wall works only when he's in charge and will magically re-materialize (along with Mexico's payment for it) if he's elected. Democracy remains in peril and logic has already perished.
Marjorie Taylor Brownshirt is a breathing, walking example of an informal fallacy, claiming to strongly favor freedom (via membership in the so-called Freedom Caucus) whilst acting against freedom in the policies she purports to support.
Speaking of false equivalencies, she compares the "invasion" of our southern border by so many on-white people fleeing fear and starvation to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Have those who are "invading" our southern border used tanks? Bomber aircraft? Missiles? Have they sought out local elected officials and subjected them to arrest, torture, and murder?
Landslide Lauren (Boebert) speaks of thoughts and prayers. What a waste of useful oxygen. We all know who she is. We all know what she does. If she said instead that it was the price we must pay for the freedoms of unfettered gun ownership, at least she would be speaking the truth, as she sees it, and not a lie from wretched lips, going through the motions without any real sense of remorse. Her phony thoughts and prayers are an insult to the families of the mortal victims and those wounded when her every living, breathing pronouncement otherwise is inflammatory, confrontational, and intentionally hurtful to those who legitimately disagree with her on substantive matters of governance. That in fact is the price we must pay for our fundamental freedoms, having to tolerate such divisive and toxic people in the name of allowing all sides to have a voice -- even if some do not deserve the honor or know how to use it maturely and responsibly.
Any law enforcement officer who breaks the law and deliberately allows someone not legally able to have a firearm to get one should be prosecuted. And if the person who gets the firearm uses it in a homicide the charge should be felony murder.
Amanda's piece is lengthy, but it's worth it just so you can find out how Pence manages to convince himself the Lincoln Project was partially responsible for J6.
The details on how refusal to enforce laws led to the environment in which the Colorado Springs shooting could happen are fairly maddening. I'm totally numb to the frequency of these events at this point. I live near Raleigh, where we had some teenager (15-16yo) about a month ago just go wandering along a neighborhood trail shooting at people with a long gun. Killed five people. The story faded into the memory hole without anyone ever even explaining to the public how a teenager got his hands on one of these weapons. This is how we live our lives now.
I am thoroughly delighted to see how Richard Fierro beat the shit out of the shooter. He left him incapacitated, and continued beating the shit out of him. The drag queen stomping him with his stiletto made for a nice exclamation point.
A mere three or so House R's can band together and scuttle any Speaker nomination. May the casualties be numerous in the battle.
I've been wondering if the real threat to Ole Kevin will come from his left, not his right. The newbies from crossover districts seem to want to *gasp* get something done instead of wasting time on show hearings about Hunter Biden, Dr. Fauci, etc.
It'll be interesting to see if the Democrats can pull together a working coalition in the House that will blunt some of the crazy. Remember: Master Tactician Nancy Pelosi isn't going away; she'll be working from the backbench and mentoring the new leadership.
And yet Ms. Law and Order/Thoughts and Prayers, Lauren Boebert, has just been re-elected. She has paid no price-none- for her behaviors.
And now, after this horrific tragedy she says “This lawless violence needs to end and end quickly”. What will you do to end it Lauren? Words are cheap.
If I were a family member of any of the people killed in that shooting, I would sue the county, the DA and the police into bankruptcy for wrongful death, breach of public duty and anything else my lawyer could come up with. This guy had a bomb a year ago, he should have been in prison.
Hey! "Honorable" Representative Boebert: Fuck your "thoughts" and Fuck your "prayers" and FUCK your shit-spewing facehole!!!!!
There. I feel better, now.
In a working democratic political system there would be a real chance to elect a Unity Speaker, engineered by moderate GOP and Dem House members. We'd avoid the three ring circus we expect in two years and maybe even lay the path for more political consensus if we could find a consensus Speaker.
But the rules of our democracy won't let is have nice things like a Unity Speaker. Our incentives punish House members who do not put their political party first. Under our system these members will face primary challengers, will have their money shut off by party donors and, if they still get elected, will be forever be considered a traitor. But it doesn't have to be that way. Open primaries have demonstrated the ability to reward those who seek consensus. Sorry to sound like a broken record, but we need to reform our rules, or we will continually slide down this abyss. It maybe a hard thing to do, but what is the alternative: The current status quo!?!?!?!?!
Gosh, I didn’t see “repeal Obamacare” on the Rs wishlist. Was 40+ times enough?
People are really focused on guns and the failure of red flag laws here. But let's be real. This wasn't about guns so much as it was about the hatred the GOP and the right have spread against LGBT people. The shooter targeted an LGBT club, during a drag show, on a day of remembrance for trans victims of violence.
This was terrorism, pure and simple. Cracking down on guns might reduce the fatality rate, but this won't end until these bigots are pushed to the absolute fringe of society. We need to see consequences for the stochastic terrorism pushed by the right-wing media.
I feel like if democrats can just focus on policy and building in-roads with the public, they can win long-term and pull moderates to their side. The mudslinging is going to become (R) vs (R) before too long and staying out of this mess is the best solution.
Having just read Bill Luedder's observations about the former guy's speech detailing the glory of his term vs. the hellscape of Biden's, I have a question. If Trump "completed the wall," as he claims, how come the border is now "totally open"? Must be a pretty lousy wall if two years later it has already failed. Or perhaps the wall works only when he's in charge and will magically re-materialize (along with Mexico's payment for it) if he's elected. Democracy remains in peril and logic has already perished.
The David Frum piece was so good I restarted my Atlantic subscription. As a good liberal Democrat I’m starting to worry about the company I’m keeping.
And thanks to Amanda for reading Pence’s book so I don’t have to.
One more edit to give a thumbs up for the Bill Lueders’ piece. So much good stuff today, Charlie! I can start giving thanks early.
Kevin is getting what has long been coming for him. And it is glorious
Marjorie Taylor Brownshirt is a breathing, walking example of an informal fallacy, claiming to strongly favor freedom (via membership in the so-called Freedom Caucus) whilst acting against freedom in the policies she purports to support.
Speaking of false equivalencies, she compares the "invasion" of our southern border by so many on-white people fleeing fear and starvation to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Have those who are "invading" our southern border used tanks? Bomber aircraft? Missiles? Have they sought out local elected officials and subjected them to arrest, torture, and murder?
Oh, well. There's that.
Landslide Lauren (Boebert) speaks of thoughts and prayers. What a waste of useful oxygen. We all know who she is. We all know what she does. If she said instead that it was the price we must pay for the freedoms of unfettered gun ownership, at least she would be speaking the truth, as she sees it, and not a lie from wretched lips, going through the motions without any real sense of remorse. Her phony thoughts and prayers are an insult to the families of the mortal victims and those wounded when her every living, breathing pronouncement otherwise is inflammatory, confrontational, and intentionally hurtful to those who legitimately disagree with her on substantive matters of governance. That in fact is the price we must pay for our fundamental freedoms, having to tolerate such divisive and toxic people in the name of allowing all sides to have a voice -- even if some do not deserve the honor or know how to use it maturely and responsibly.