Thursday, March 3, 2016

Saturday: four closed caucuses/primaries

[S]o far the primary calendar has been heavily tilted toward open primaries. But there have been four closed elections: the Iowa caucus, the Nevada caucus, and Super Tuesday’s Oklahoma primary and Alaska caucus. Ted Cruz won three of those four closed elections.

So here’s where it potentially gets interesting. Although the media are looking forward to March 15, this Saturday (March 5) there are four Republican primaries/caucuses: Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana and Maine. All are closed.

Then, once the winner-takes-all states begin, a large number of those are closed primaries and caucuses as well (including Florida, for what it’s worth)."

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2016/03/02/so-far-trump-wins-open-primaries-and-cruz-wins-closed-and-the-calendar-is-starting-to-change-toward-more-closed-primaries/

102 comments:

edutcher said...

The WaPo has been pushing this line, but Cruz hasn't been all that good in fundamentalist states, losing out to Carson as well as Trump.

There's a lot of grabbing at straws these days for the Cruzzers as they think if Rubio drops out, his people will go for Cruz (why I have no idea). Now there's talk of the Whigs cutting a deal with the One True Ted.

Can't wait to see how the Cruzzers rationalize that one.

deborah said...

I don't know, Ed, a lot of Evangelicals have voted for Trump, but funnily enough, after Falwell's son endorsed Trump, his district did not go to Trump.

The Reagan Coalition was more than just Evangelicals. Cruz is a hawk, and pro-Zionism, where Trump is not. It will be interesting to see this all play out.

On the other hand, I think Trump has hit pay dirt with 'common-sense conservative.'

ricpic said...

So far Trump has been strongest in the Northeast and the South. The northern New England states of New Hampshire and Vermont have both gone strongly to Trump. Maine should follow that preference. Louisiana, which is much more southern than Texas should follow Alabama and Georgia as Trump states. Just as Kentucky will follow Tennessee into the Trump column. Don't know what Kansas will do. All the prairie states are inscrutable.

Amartel said...

Very interesting and thoughtful article about the cross-over Trump voters here. They are not Reagan Democrats.

Amartel said...

"common sense conservative" = "GOP establishment"
Same willingness to fold, roll over and play dead, compromise all the time, etc. in order to "get [progressive] things done."
Don't fall for it.
See also, "compassionate conservative."
Conservatism IS genuine common sense and compassion.
Reject the hyphenators.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Hey Amartel, lucky for you there isn't a "report abuse" button. That might qualify as abuse.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

I am personally torn between the open versus closed primary systems.

In California we have open primary on everything except the Presidential primaries. In one way I can see this since an open primary could have people from another party crossing over to queer the election. For instance in California, we have more Democrat voters and if they wanted to do so they could cross over and vote for a person who would be a loser for the Republicans. This could also be the same for the Democrats. All the Republicans decide to vote for Bernie Sanders to try to keep Hillary from getting delegates.

On the other hand, independents and others who truly want to vote for the cross over candidate are not allowed. I used to be registered Independent,until the law changed to allow open primary, I was not allowed to vote in any primary for any office in the State or Presidential primaries. Once the actual voting occurs you can cross party lines as you like, but until then I was shut out of having a voice.

Lots of shenanigans in the open primaries can occur. People are shut out of voting for the candidate of their choice in closed primaries.

Torn.

Trooper York said...

After you grasp at straws what do you guys do next?

Put it on a camels back?

edutcher said...

Arsenio Hall, Dennis Rodman support Trump.

This ought to make Troop smile. His theory may well be right.

deborah said...

I don't know, Ed, a lot of Evangelicals have voted for Trump, but funnily enough, after Falwell's son endorsed Trump, his district did not go to Trump.

Which, as I've often said, means endorsements are not always a big deal.

The Reagan Coalition was more than just Evangelicals. Cruz is a hawk, and pro-Zionism, where Trump is not. It will be interesting to see this all play out

Even our own bag, stealth Cruzzer that he sometimes is, is tired of "endless wars", to use his phrase.

I'd also note Rubio is being criticized for his willingness to pick a fight - And make no mistake. Every time this naïve smart aleck chastises Obama for weak leadership and alleged failure to get the job forcefully done in Syria, Libya, Iraq, Yemen and countless elsewheres, the ghost of John Quincy Adams should be hollering in his grave. Stalking the globe for monsters to destroy is exactly what this wanna be little Napoléon is all about.

Amartel said...

Very interesting and thoughtful article about the cross-over Trump voters here. They are not Reagan Democrats.

According to the author.

Steg said...

We have closed primaries in NJ. Our family is all registered Independent. SO, on primary day, we stroll in to the town hall, declare our party, vote, march down to the office, and fill out a change of party form back to registered independent.

Wham, bam, thank you m'am.

(also, I started taking the advice to skip the robot verification. Thanks)

Amartel said...

April, I hear you. Responded in the comment thread for that post. Disgusting chickenshit anonymous-button-pushing silencing of different opinions. Thought that was why we left TOP. Apparently, some people can't hack it outside of an echo chamber. Keep it up and it'll be an echo chamber with just one voice in it. "hello? Hello? Hello?"

edutcher said...

If I didn't say it before, I am definitely in favor of closed primaries.

And, yes, people who try to crash ought to be prosecuted for fraud.

Rabel said...

So the Republican party's hope is that if just over half of the 23% of voters who identify as Republican support a non-Trump candidate they can take whatever part of that 12% sticks with the party's selection and march onward to the White House with a resounding victory in November. Sounds like a plan.

The Dems were right about the Republicans wanting to keep people from voting. They just missed the fact that it's their own voters they hope to suppress.

Meade said...

"Disgusting chickenshit anonymous-button-pushing silencing of different opinions. Thought that was why we left TOP."

Revisionist and false. There has never been silencing of different opinions at TOP.

edutcher said...

I seem to recall comments being turned off.

edutcher said...

For those interested, consider this an endorsement.

In reverse.

Meade said...

"I seem to recall comments being turned off."

Not to silence differing opinions, ed. Be honest — do you truly not understand why commenting needed to be temporarily turned off for a short period in 2013?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Amartel- I don't get the "lets make this a private echo chamber" thing. That's what LGF did years ago., Totally sad and now I see people on our side doing it.

There is real abuse and then attempts to silence dissenting opinion.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

It cannot be easy hosting a blog.

After trying different recipes, eventually you get it right.

deborah said...

Ricpic, love the predictions based on actual logic.

Kansas----Inscrutable prairie state...who here can crack the code?
Kentucky--Trump
Louisiana-Trump
Maine-----Trump

edutcher said...

Meade said...

"I seem to recall comments being turned off.

Not to silence differing opinions, ed. Be honest — do you truly not understand why commenting needed to be temporarily turned off for a short period in 2013?


i can recall no explanation given at the time. And I would have thought we deserved one.

Only, "La, la, la".

bagoh20 said...

Ed, I don't think I ever refereed to "endless wars". I'm a hawk, who actually supports our policing the world when it needs policing. I supported the Iraq war, and still think it was a worthwhile effort that if maintained like we did in Japan, Germany, and Korea would have prevented ISIS, and at least mitigated much of the disaster we see in the middle east today including the looming nuclear Iran. I'm a libertarian hawk, who wants a big ass-kicking military and the smallest possible government in all other areas. I don't know what a "stealth Cruzzer" is, but yes I simply think he would be best for country out of those running, and I expect that Trump would be the worst of the Republicans, but nobody knows. We only have the men's records, Cruz's is short, Trumps is long, and they are the best indication we have of what they would do. I would expect them to do what they always have, but with the power of the Presidency. That's almost always how it goes.

Meade said...

"i can recall no explanation given at the time. And I would have thought we deserved one."

http://althouse.blogspot.com/2013/07/i-had-to-shut-off-access-to-comments.html

ed, at the time, you and everyone else were invited to email me directly with any comments or questions. I received and replied to hundred of emails, many of which were published. I don't remember hearing from you. Anyway, go to that link and click through on "Newer Post" just under "Post A Comment" if you are sincerely interested in trying to understand what was going on back then.

Meade said...

@edutcher:
http://althouse.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-comments-vacation.html

edutcher said...

bagoh20 said...

Ed, I don't think I ever refereed to "endless wars". I'm a hawk

If I'm wrong, my bad.

I know one of the people who dislikes the way things are mentioned it and your name registered.

As for Cruz, his record doesn't ring true for me. I'm waiting to see if the Whigs offer to rally behind him against Trump, as has been suggested in many quarters, and to see what kind of deal is cut (and there will be one).

Trump goes back a long time and there are a lot of switches. What a lot of what Troop has said in his defense has occurred to me and I have said it here and elsewhere even before Troop mentioned it.

We'll see.

Right now the Whigs are flapping around aimlessly, so it's going to be interesting.

Trooper York said...

Having Romney and McCain attack Trump is the answer. It is going to make every Trump voter slap their forehead and say "How could I be so stupid?'

Yep that's the ticket.

edutcher said...

Just saw this on HotAir (since most of the chatter is going the other way) and it kind of vindicates the idea the Whigs are in free fall.

If somebody can explain this one, I'll be glad to listen.

Maybe they want the chaos of a brokered convention.

MamaM said...

Notice also the correlation between the amount of RedBird appearances at Levity and the number of comments being garnered on hot or intensely debated topics at Levity.

Vitality attracts. As does humor, variety, and well-stated opinion.

Meade said...

"Having Romney and McCain attack Trump is the answer."

Did you not vote for them in 2008 and 2012, Trooper? Or were you a Trump supporter even back then?

deborah said...

Amartel @ 1230pm:

Excellent article. I realized what Trump was doing when he went after Jeb in the debate where he became vitriolic and said Bush II lied us into war. That was a big dog whistle for me. I Do Not think W lied us in, I think he was duped by his inner circle. Trump's blowing key dog whistle at target groups. The author is very astute, and Trump brilliant.

The author's prescription is such a downer, man, and will take, like, ages to accomplish :)

Amartel said...

Somebody actually thought that getting Romney to go all Dad is Disappointed was going to make a difference somehow. Speaks to how completely out of touch the GOP e-stab-lishment is. McCain has been insulting alt. Republicans (calling Cruz and Paul "whacko birds," calling Tea Partiers "hobbits") for years so that's no surprise. Plus, Trump said something ill-considered about McCain at the outset of the campaign so, really, this is not a surprise but nor is McCain on the subject of Trump relevant to anybody. At this point it needs to be conceded that the GOP establishment are the alternative Republicans.

Amartel said...

deb-I think it's why a lot of people are giving up and voting for Trump. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Might as well get a slice of the pie before it all goes away completely. And who are these inner circle people who lied us into war? Were they also infesting the inner circle of all those Democrats who also voted for the war, and all the foreign nations who were sure there were WMDs in Iraq? Were they also advising Bill Clinton when he was President? These people really get around!

edutcher said...

Like him or not, Trump is a first rate tactician. We saw that as he neutralized the Ozark Mafia so completely.

With Fiorina gone, it's going to be tough for any nominee other than him to defang the War on Women rap.

Amartel said...

"One way or the other, we are determined to deny Iraq the capacity to develop weapons of mass destruction and the missiles to deliver them. That is our bottom line."
--President Bill Clinton, Feb. 4, 1998

"If Saddam rejects peace and we have to use force, our purpose is clear. We want to seriously diminish the threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program."
--President Bill Clinton, Feb. 17, 1998

"Iraq is a long way from [here], but what happens there matters a great deal here. For the risks that the leaders of a rogue state will use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons against us or our allies is the greatest security threat we face."
--Madeline Albright, Feb 18, 1998

"He will use those weapons of mass destruction again, as he has ten times since 1983."
--Sandy Berger, Clinton National Security Adviser, Feb, 18, 1998

"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs."
Letter to President Clinton, signed by:
-- Democratic Senators Carl Levin, Tom Daschle, John Kerry, and others, Oct. 9, 1998

"Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process."
-Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998

"Hussein has ... chosen to spend his money on building weapons of mass destruction and palaces for his cronies."
-- Madeline Albright, Clinton Secretary of State, Nov. 10, 1999

"There is no doubt that ... Saddam Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to redefine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer-range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies."
Letter to President Bush, Signed by:
-- Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL), and others, Dec 5, 2001

Amartel said...

"We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandate of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and th! e means of delivering them."
-- Sen. Carl Levin (D, MI), Sept. 19, 2002

"We know that he has stored secret supplies of biological and chemical weapons throughout his country."
-- Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002

"Iraq's search for weapons of mass destruction has proven impossible to deter and we should assume that it will continue for as long as Saddam is in power."
-- Al Gore, Sept. 23, 2002

"We have known for many years that Saddam Hussein is seeking and developing weapons of mass destruction."
-- Sen. Ted Kennedy (D, MA), Sept. 27, 2002

"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retains some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capabilities. Intelligence reports indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons..."
-- Sen. Robert Byrd (D, WV), Oct. 3, 2002

"I will be voting to give the President of the United States the authority to use force -- if necessary -- to disarm Saddam Hussein because I believe that a deadly arsenal of weapons of mass destruction in his hands is a real and grave threat to our security."
-- Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Oct. 9, 2002

"There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons and will likely have nuclear weapons within the next five years ... We also should remember we have always underestimated the progress Saddam has made in development of weapons of mass destruction."
-- Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D, WV), Oct 10, 2002

"He has systematically violated, over the course of the past 11 years, every significant UN resolution that has demanded that he disarm and destroy his chemical and biological weapons, and any nuclear capacity. This he has refused to do"
-- Rep. Henry Waxman (D, CA), Oct. 10, 2002

"In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members ... It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons."
-- Sen. Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct 10, 2002

"We are in possession of what I think to be compelling evidence that Saddam Hussein has, and has had for a number of years, a developing capacity for the production and storage of weapons of mass destruction."
-- Sen. Bob Graham (D, FL), Dec. 8, 2002

"Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime ... He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation ... And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction ... So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real..."
-- Sen. John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23, 2003.

Amartel said...

To say nothing of the fact that WMDs were in no way the only justification for war in Iraq.

Trooper York said...

You just put your finger on it Amartel. This is the duopoly. Who is invested in the endless wars. The ones that Ike warned us about back in the day. You remember Ike right? A moderate Republican who came in after an era of liberal Democratic excesses. A pretty conservative guy but still someone who got things done. Someone who wasn't a politician all his life. Who wasn't beholden to the special interests. Trump could do worse for a role model. If he picks somebody like Patreus as his VP he might tap into something pretty strong that is out there in the atmosphere.

The permanent Washington establishment on both sides is freaking out about Trump. They don't control him. So they are selling that. They don't realize it is a feature not a bug.

Many of us supported McCain and Romney even though we had major doubts and reservations. But they were the nominees and won fair and square. Now it is their turn to do the same thing and they refuse.

In what world is that acceptable and a reason to dump Trump? What are they smoking?

Trooper York said...

The Iraq war is history. Just like the Mexican War. You think that is a joke. But the basic causes of the Mexican war are still extant in the year 2016. We are facing an invasion by the Mexicans. They are killing our policemen. Violating our national sovereignty. Pouring drugs into our country. The cartels are committing countless crimes in every state bordering Mexico.

Let's forget about Iraq. Chalk it up to a mistake. One that both parties have a hand in. Give the Kurds and the other ethnic minorities all the guns they need to defend themselves and create a safe haven form the crazies. Even if we need to use limited air power. Bomb the shit out of their oil and cut off their money. But generally leave the ragheads to the ragheads.

Bring our boys home. Put them on the border.

Meade said...

"George Bush made a mistake. We can make mistakes. But that one was a beauty. We should have never been in Iraq. We have destabilized the Middle East," Trump said.
"You call it whatever you want. I will tell you. They lied. They said there were weapons of mass destruction and there were none. And they knew there were none. There were no weapons of mass destruction," Trump ripped Bush.
"I'm sick and tired of him going after my family," Bush responded. "My dad is the greatest man alive in my mind. While Donald Trump was building a reality TV show, my brother was building a security apparatus to keep us safe. And I'm proud of what he did."
"The World Trade Center came down during your brother's reign," Trump reminded Bush.

2 points:
1. Trump seems to think we elect presidents to be kings who reign.
And 2. Trump appeals to supporters who wish to believe Bush lied about WMD in order to use military force against Saddam's regime.

Trump is a fake Republican and a phony conservative.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

What gets me is this idea that Trump is an outsider.

They are all incestuous insider snakes. Look at all those old photos & articles with Romney-Trump schmoozing. We are all being conned - by ALL of them. They are all trying to deliver Hillary on a silver platter with an apple stuffed in her mouth. Sadly, she will not be dead.

Trooper York said...

History will decide who is right. Fifty years from now when things get unclassified we will know who is lying.

Unless of course Hillary had it on her server. Then the Russians and the Chinese can tell us.

Meade said...

"Fifty years from now when things get unclassified we will know who is lying."

Fine. Then let's suspend this election for 50 years.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Nice list, Amartel. Memory holed by most.

Meade said...

"Memory holed by most."

Most of all by Trumper and Troomper.

Amartel said...

Well, Trump thinks the Iraq War is relevant. He goes around saying that Bush lied us into the war, which as Deb puts it, is a dog whistle for Dems, reviving the fiction that the Dems have been feasting off for years. Reviving a lie gives it new life so now the issue is relevant again. I'm just setting the record straight. Of course, we now know Trump supported the Iraq War. He's on record supporting the Iraq War at the time.

Trooper York said...

In the 1950's the political class and all of America was consumed by the thought that Communists had infiltrated our government. Nixon, Ike, Joe McCarthy, the blacklist, Whittaker Chambers and Alger Hiss. The whole magilla was a big mess. Roughly analogous to the Iraq/Iran debacles of the present day.

The Venona project was publicized in 1995 where it was definitively proved that people like Alger Hiss and the Rosenbergs were Russian spies. All of those controversies were settled by actual wiretaps and evidence that the NSA had developed. And you know what? The parties to these controversies are still fighting about it. Lying and claiming stuff that have proven to be false. Everyone else has moved on. It is old news.

That is what will happen in the year 2046. Classified documents will be released after everyone is dead. It won't mean anything. To anyone.

But know if you want to sign on to endless wars in the Middle East then sign on to the Duopoly in either party. They will give you what you want.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I agree with Bagoh. I want to be the police of the world. If we are not, some other nation will take the top spot.

I think we should go straight into ISIS snake pits and kill them all and free those who were taken. We do not fight for good anymore. Instead we sit in movie theaters or in front of computer screens and watch good and evil battle in faux.

Trooper York said...

Trump is signally something. That he is not buying into the neocon idea that we have to be the world policeman. It is a money thing with him. He doesn't see the profit in it. That is why he talked about getting the Japs and the Koreans to pay more of the cost of their defense. Crass. Of course. That is Trump.

He is the intellectual heir of the Pat Buchanan isolationist part of the Republican party. One that will appeal to both sides of the aisle these days. That is why many Bernie voters will give him a second look.

I think Trumps go to it idea for the United States Foreign Policy is this: "What's in it for us?"

If you don't like that vote for Hillary or Cruz or Rubio and endless wars.

Meade said...

Trump was for the war before he was against the war before he was for it again before he is now against it again. Not the right stuff for C in C.

Amartel said...

There's a fly in here again.

Meade said...

"Trump is signally something."

Virtue signalling at its most evil.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Now our Battles are fought so Hillary and Sid Bluementhal can get rich.

Amartel said...

That should be the US Foreign Policy: What's in it for us? Exactly.
At the time there was a very credible argument that keeping terrorists and their collateral damage zombies occupied in the middle east was a good thing, and that forging alliances with the locals was a good thing. It was, in the abstract. Our foreign policy needs to include the presumption that a Dem administration may gain power and undo all the good work that was done at great expense, personal and financial, of the United States.

Trooper York said...

You want to be the police of the world? Your guy wants to do that? Then he should say that. Tell all of the families that have someone in the Army that their lives should be expended to
feed the ego of Bill Kristol and Hillary Clinton. Or do we take a measured approach. Remember the words of George Washington:

"The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is, in extending our commercial relations to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us."

You see get the money. Then tell them to fuck off.

Meade said...

Here's Trooper York 18 months ago:

Trooper York said...
Please I am not casting aspersions on this poor man. He is a victim of forces beyond his control. He went to the Middle East to do good. To help the sick and the destitute. Somehow these fucking Muslim animals got their hands on him and they murdered him in cold blood. While the West does nothing.

I am increasing coming to the conclusion that we need to take Curtis Lemay's strategy to heart. These fuckers want to go back to the Stone Age with their caliphate. I say send them there.
September 15, 2014 at 6:41 PM

Trooper York said...

Trump will run on the idea that we should bomb the shit out of ISIS and get out. That it ain't our business. That if the Russians want to be the kings of Syria then knock yourself out. What is in it for us? Ego? Fuck that noise.

Vulgar crass nasty American Self interest should be our guiding star. Screw everyone else. Treat everyone like Clinton treated the Hutu and the Tusti. There wasn't a worse genocide or evil in history. They didn't give a shit.

I know I can trust Trump to be vulgar crass and nasty in America's self interest.

Marco Rubio would have us in about twenty wars. Cruz the same. Hillary never saw a government she didn't want to destabilize. That's what you get when you buy into what they are selling.

Meade said...

More Trumper York, the anti Neocon:

Trooper York said...
They want death and destruction. Let's give them death and destruction the old fashioned All-American way that made this country the dominant superpower on Earth.

It's time to stop dicking around and letting them think they can get away with attacking us and cutting our throats.

September 15, 2014 at 6:56 PM

Amartel said...

Trump Supported the Iraq War

Meade said...

Storm Trumper:

Trooper York said...
We don't have to kill every Muslim. Just enough to make them think twice before they bring Jihad here.

Of course it is revenge talk. Revenge is good. That is what we used to do when America was on the right path. Hiroshima was revenge for Pearl Harbor. Dresden was revenge for Auschwitz.

These animals only understand power and a boot on their throat. An example must be made. Destroy the caliphate root and branch and sow the site with salt. The old ways are the best ways.

You want to do it without boots on the ground. I agree. You think trying to nation build with a bunch of Medieval douchebags is stupid. I agree. Nobody kills like a pissed off American.

Sand Creek. Dresden. Hiroshima.

This caliphate is concentrating a bunch of jihadists in one spot. A ripe target. Give every mixed up kid who wants to be a suicide bomber his wish come true. Carpet bomb them.

The old ways are the best ways.

We can do it with minimal risk to our people. No more American Body bags. Worry about our people not these animals.

Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam



September 15, 2014 at 8:37 PM

Meade said...

Trumper York, no surrender monkey he:

Trooper York said...
I agree that there are very few Americans left.

It is a new country with a new populace who want to be politically correct instead of being safe.

They would have surrendered to the Japanese. They would have said why should we worry about the Jews. I mean they say the same thing about the women that are being raped and the Christians being murdered right before our eyes.

Just as Sixty said even 911 was not enough. I blame Bush. He had the moment when he had to do what had to be done. Instead he started this "Islam is not to blame" bullshit.

All of the people who blame Bush are right. If he didn't do what had to be done then and there then there is no way a witless secret Muslim like Obama will do anything.


September 15, 2014 at 8:50 PM

Amartel said...

I hope he acts in America's self interest. That would be nice.
But I have no reason to believe he will act otherwise than in his own self interest.
Just like any other Democrat.

Trooper York said...

Nothing I have said is inconsistent.

We should bomb the shit out of ISIS. In fact now that we frack and don't need the oil we should bomb the shit out of most of the Middle East. One and done. Give our friends the guns and bombs and a free hand and get out of Dodge.

The people who go there to help those people are crazy. There is no helping them. The best you can do is contain like crabs in a bucket. If you let them loose and encourage them you get the rapists and crimes that you are getting in Germany and Europe right now. Which is what the duopoly wants. They want to expose you to that so you will buy into us being the policemen of the world. It doesn't work. It has never worked. It didn't work for the Romans. It didn't work for the Spanish. It didn't work for the Brits. Our time to do that is over.

Time to step back and look out for our own people.

Meade said...

"Time to step back and look out for our own people."

And by "our own people" Trooper means People of the Tribe. The Tribe of Trump.

Very beta, Jim. Very beta.

Trooper York said...

I am proud to say I supported Pat Buchanan. He was right.

If he were President instead of Bush we wouldn't be in this mess.

Pat Buchanan was the intellectual heir of Ronald Reagan.

Reagan's greatest mistake was selecting George Bush as his running mate.

Amartel said...

Trump is part of and parcel of the duopoly.

Amartel said...

"Reagan's greatest mistake was selecting George Bush as his running mate."

Nobody's perfect. Sometimes you have to go along to get along.
Now someone will come along and say that Reagan made a lot of mistakes. Stop worshpping Reagan. Etc.
And it's true.
But he was consistently far more right than wrong.

Trooper York said...

He is breaking out of it. Plus they are making him their enemy. The thing about Trump is once you cross him he doesn't forget. He gets even. So he is the only candidate that gives us a glimmer of hope that something could be different.

Not Hillary. Not Rubio. Not even Cruz through ineffectiveness. The only other one who offers a chance for things to change is Bernie and he is too far gone on the Communist side to be effective. Trump is the capitalist agent of change. Bernie is the communist agent of change.

It is Trump or the same old same old. America seems to be voting for change. So far.

Trooper York said...

True.

Reagan was a great President. But taking Bush in was his greatest error.

Recently I started watching this series called "The Americans." It is about Russian spies living undercover in the 1980's.

Last night I saw an episode that dealt with the assassination attempt. It showed how crazy that time was. With Al Haig grasping for power. I think Bush got his hands in then and the influence he got led to his Presidency and his sons Presidency and many of the problems we have now. Without that assassination attempt Bush might have been Henry Wallace. Then he could have been replaced in the second term with a Harry Truman.

I think about that a lot.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Amartel @ 6:00


Sums it up perfectly.

Trooper York said...

Well theres the rub April.

I am sure that Marco Rubio will not work in his self interest.

Right.

Trooper York said...

Or Teddy Cruz.

Yeah that's the ticket. I know he can get everyone to buy what he is selling.

It's worked really well so far. Good luck with that.

Amartel said...

I gotta start watching "The Americans". Repeatedly heard that it's a great show. And it's got Margo Martindale who I loved in Justified.

Amartel said...

Ted's doing quite nicely, thanks, especially given the virtual black out on Fox News (all things Cruz are examined only in light of how they will negatively affect the Rubio campaign) and general contempt from the rest of the media and Trump.

deborah said...

Amartel, respectfully, I don't appreciate quotation dumps. The officials in the second set were parroting false intel. Hillary admits to have never read the pertinent National Intelligence Estimate at the time.

Here is an article purporting that Rumsfeld withheld critical intel from key people:

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/01/iraq-war-wmds-donald-rumsfeld-new-report-213530#ixzz40pNX4o5G

Your quotes are chronological, beginning in the Clinton administration. It was then that Congress voted for the formation of the Iraqi National Congress, a group of Iraqi expats, spear-headed by Ahmed Chalabi.

You might be interested in this tick-tock spanning the INC formation all the way to the time just before we invaded Iraq in 2003. If you wiki the writer, W. Patrick Lang, you will see he has adequate bona fides for you to take what he writes seriously:

http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/files/drinking_the_kool_aid3.pdf

FWIW Trump clawed back the Bush lied rhetoric, but did hold that it was a set-up by his advisors. And finally, I don't have a real problem with the war, but the stunning ineptitude in 'managing' the post-war disintegration of Iraq. Rather than depose Hussein and leave the citizens to find their own way, we had to utterly wreck the place.

Amartel said...

deb, I'm fighting a lie that keeps coming back, over and over, because the media and Democrats need to lay this war at the Republicans' doorstep, like a flaming bag of poo that can never be extinguished. I reject that absolutely and I've got the quotes to prove it. Not apologizing. The infinite dishonest partisanship sickens me, and calling Bush a "dupe" instead of a "liar" doesn't make this lie stink any less. I'll read your links. I'm not afraid of opposing intel. But pardon me if I'm extremely suspicious of trumped up (heh) historical revisionism.

Trooper York said...

The Americans seems to be a pretty good show. We are only through the first five episodes but it has been engrossing so far.

I resisted it for a long time because they always film in my neighborhood. So they are always blocking traffic and stopping my customers from parking. But it has died down now so I guess I can not hold a grudge and watch them.

I have a lot of Trump in my attitude I guess. New York Values so to speak.

deborah said...

Amartel, practically the entire Senate, Left and Right voted for the Authorization for the use of Military Force, and many if not most, knew it was a put-up job. But that's not my point, now is it?

That was a fast reply...is your mind is made up, and you don't want any new sources to challenge your current belief system?

Amartel said...

No, the point you were making was that Bush duped us into war.

I said I'd read and consider the links and I will.

Trooper York said...

I agree with you Amartel. He was the dupee not the dupor. So to speak.

Trooper York said...

By the way there is a whole lot of unprotected sex in the Americans. That Felicity chick is banging everyone left and right. What about Aids? I wonder if that comes up later in the series.

deborah said...

Trooper:

"I am sure that Marco Rubio will not work in his self interest."

That angelic sweetheart? Never!

William said...

You read it here first. Whoever is the next American President is going to have nothing but problems in the Middle East, and whatever he or she does will just make a bigger mess out of things--at least according to the opposition party. There's just no shrewd strategy to handle people who rape eight year olds. Apparently if you kill them or denounce them in harsh terms that just causes other religious minded rapists to take up the cause of jihad. Very perplexing........I don't think Trump will solve the problems in the Middle East, but that is one problem that I would like to hear addressed with bombast and vitriol and not bomfog platitudes. Not that it will do any good.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Here.

You will like this. REason magazine lays out why Romney was wrong to say what he did today.

deborah said...

Am, profound apologies, I missed you saying you would read them.

And I Did Not say Bush duped us, but that he was duped by his advisors who cherry-picked intel that suited their purpose.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Donald Trump whipped the establishment and it is too late for the limp GOP establishment to ask their mommy to step in and rewrite the rules because they were humiliated for their impotence.

If Trump is going to be our nominee, as I believe he is, it is our mission to support Trump and make him the best nominee and president possible.



That's for you, Troop.

edutcher said...

Trooper York said...

Reagan was a great President. But taking Bush in was his greatest error.

Bush was the price of the Rockefeller wing supporting him. It was a fusion ticket.

Amartel said...

Ted's doing quite nicely, thanks

Not from where I stand. TX should have been his winner take all and he should have taken OK (one of the most fundamentalist states in the country) by more than 4.

He should be even with Trump and he isn't and I don't think he gets another chance.

PS Dubya duped nobody. The Lefties needed an excuse to hate the war and invented one. The WMDs were there and some moved to Syria. It was known all along.

As with the Malheur murder, the media didn't want anybody to know what happened.

PPS If anyone wants to ask why I'm defending Dubya, as I've done all along, and still can show some support for trump, remember he's a good tactician.

He eliminated Jeb's threat of bringing in his family the way he neutralized Hillary's attempt to use Willie.

Nice? No, but politics ain't beanbag, as someone noted.

It's why the Lefties and the Whigs hate him.

Amartel said...

Are there any Trooper photobombs in The Americans? Trigger warning, please. J/k. Basic Instinct filmed (all those years ago) in my neighborhood when I was living up on Telegraph Hill in San Fran. Filming trucks kept blocking my driveway and making me wait around to get into my place at night after work. Grr. I resisted going to see it (goddam overpaid hollywood snobs blocking my driveway, get off my lawn, other spiteful noises), but then finally I had to go see how we came out. Fortunately for society at large, no Amartel photobombs. I guess Sharon's crotchbomb was enough bombing for one movie. (I put that one in there just for you.)

Trooper York said...

Actually there might be. In the recent one they went over the Carroll St Bridge and I think I was buying a hot dog.

Look for the fat white guy with the Nixon's the One T-shirt.

ndspinelli said...

The monkey jumped up and down pleading, "Look @ me!!" and it looks like you all ignored. Kudos to all.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Title of the link from Amartel:

Republican Trump backed Iraq war in 2002 interview, says views changed

I think after "Make America Great Again" his secondary slogan could be "Says Views Changed"

bagoh20 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
bagoh20 said...

Everybody criticizes history as if they know what would have happened in the alternative. They imagine a scenario where their preferred history goes without a glitch, and what they want to happen just does without the unintended consequences of real history. Battle plans that never saw the enemy have the greatest success, by generals with faultless strategy, and perfect tactics.

bagoh20 said...

It's most surprising how doing nothing seems to always work out so well. Your neighbor beats his family, and runs a meth lab, but it's not your business. You can do nothing and it will just be fine. It's nice to have the police to call, unless there are none.

edutcher said...

AprilApple said...

Title of the link from Amartel:

Republican Trump backed Iraq war in 2002 interview, says views changed

I think after "Make America Great Again" his secondary slogan could be "Says Views Changed"


Irrelevant.

Tactics. Keep Jeb from injecting family. Worked, too.

Besides, the One True Ted has flipped a couple of flops in his time.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The one true Ed, ;-)

The One True Ted is an actual conservative with minor flips to his flops. The treasure trove of oppo-research awaiting the Amazing Trumpo the Orange "Says Views Changed" will be magnificent.

Sadly, Romney just provided a nice pile of sound bites today.

But yes, we can hold out hope the The Amazing Trumpo the Orange "Says Views Changed" will emerge victorious because he has this amazing PC smashing baseball bat.

edutcher said...

AprilApple said...

The One True Ted is an actual conservative with minor flips to his flops

Bull.

He's a showboat and a phony who has tossed his "principles" on a number of important votes.

Besides, the guy has yet to show he can really win a national election.

4 out of 14 is not a great average.

Besides, I thought you liked Rubio.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

I like who can beat Hillary and who is most conservative. I don't get emotionally involved with any candidates. Rubio was leading most polls for a long time, but I recognize a) Reality - he's not winning any states (ok, 1, but that's not enough) and 2) the gang of 8 and his inability to move away from that in any meaningful way has devastated his candidacy from the get-go. The nation is not in an amnesty/illegal/open border mood.(understatement)

Trump is a bombastic blowhard democrat.

That leaves The One True Ted. I've always liked him. It's bizzaro-world to listen to people who used to sing his praises condemn him for micro-transgressions that are mostly half-truths or false and clearly spun out of the Trump smear machine.

Insert TOP comment from "Beldar" at Insty in "Hillary is OLD CORRUPT AND BORING" THREAD:

the one True Texas love their Cruz, baby.

edutcher said...

If your only reason to hate Trump is because he made sure he didn't incur the wrath of the Ozark Mafia, you're barking up the wrong candidate.

Plenty of people over the years have called Trump a Republican and conservative (CNN, among others).

As for Cruz, Gang of 8 and his willingness to participate in it is one of the reasons I don't trust him. And his flip on Omnibus Spending is hardly a micro-transgression, either. But, as I've said, everything the Cruzzers have said about the Trump people applies to them, only more so.

If we're going for ideological purity, then, why the thing with Rand, he was never really in the running.

Jindal and Walker were better.

If you wish, you might want to peruse this piece It sums up nicely what gives me the creeps about Cruz.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

For the 53rd time, I don't hate Trump.

I do not particularity like him - but I don't hate him. I will also criticize him because he deserves it. I'm not into hero worship. He's not my hero.


I like Rand because he is the ONLY candidate talking about government waste. (He does so on his web site). Nobody wants to take on the massive fraud that is our own government wasting our hard earned dollars and then lying then don't have enough.
insisting we give them more.

CNN called Trump a conservative and that makes it so? All of his past support for Hillary tells me something different.

Trump supported Hillary in 2008 w/ campaign donations.
Trump was angry and mystified that Obama didn't pick Hillary for VP.

@@@@March 3@6:31 PM Stephen Green

"I'd like to ask Donald why you wrote checks to Hillary for President in 2008?"

Four times.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

The Politico is leftist. pro- dems. I think the media are loving the idea of Trump.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

All that Politico "op-ed" tells me is that the leftwing media are more frightened of Cruz.

edutcher said...

From what I've been reading lately, seems they're really scared of Trump.