Serious Question

44 Comments

1. 

   seabe on July 16, 2017 at 11:37 am

   Not sure but you better find it since you’re one of the few people I trust to piece together the Russia story (emptywheel being another). Too many contrarians who have too much sunk cost to admit fault (e.g. Greenwald) and loons (e.g. Mensch) and others stuck to narratives (sects of the left) combining together and muddying waters.

   • 

     bowtiejack on July 16, 2017 at 12:40 pm

     “Without the Russian mafia, it is fair to say, Donald Trump would not be president of the United States.”

     https://newrepublic.com/article/143586/trumps-russian-laundromat-trump-tower-luxury-high-rises-dirty
     -money-international-crime-syndicate

     • 

       Oui on July 16, 2017 at 2:02 pm

       In article, the identification ‘Soviet’ changed into ‘Russian’. FYI Odessa is in the Ukraine, a sovereign state after the fall of communism … ask the Governor Saakashvili [!!] who resigned due to corruption of the Poroshenko administration. The circle just widens, corruption has become quite accepted by the wealthy to avoid the tax burden.

       First Bogatin fled the United States after pleading guilty to running what New York officials called one of the largest gasoline bootlegging schemes in the nation.

       Then he emerged as an entrepreneur in post-Communist Poland, founding a successful frozen-fruit exporting business and a private bank, First Commercial Bank of Lublin. He was uncovered by a journalist of Gazeta Wyborcza and, due to a 1927 treaty, extradited to the U.S.

       ○ The Most Dangerous Mobster in the World by ROBERT I. FRIEDMAN | MAY 26, 1998 |

2. 

   MassCommons on July 16, 2017 at 11:44 am

   It’s no accident that in the original definition of the week we use, there’s a day of rest. (Genesis 2:2)

3. 

   ZenLoon on July 16, 2017 at 11:47 am

   Enjoy the day! You’ve more than earned it … sounds like fun!

4. 

   oaguabonita on July 16, 2017 at 11:54 am
5. 

   budr on July 16, 2017 at 11:55 am

   Take some quality family time. You’ve earned it. And if you can spare a few minutes, you might want to take a look at this.

   44 years a Republican, 1 year an Independent, today I’m joining the Democratic Party | Politics Now

   This was not an easy decision to make.  Politics is like one’s religion, you just don’t change it unless you have a moment of clarity and realize you are on the wrong path.  My family’s involvement in the GOP goes all the way back to the mid-1850s and the start of the GOP in Illinois.

   My Mother’s family helped organize the GOP in Illinois.  They were opposed to one human being owning another human being as chattel.  They found slavery morally repugnant and were zealots in advocating its demise. My family has been GOP blue-blood.

   That is how far back my roots run in the GOP.  I have no roots in the Democratic Party.  However, it is time for me to lay some down.

   There are things I don’t like about the Democratic Party.  There are people in the Democratic Party I dislike as much as I dislike Donald Trump.  So, why not remain an independent?  There is a good reason for that.

   In America, if you want to bring about change, if you want to be an agent of change and not a voice in the wilderness you must belong to one of the two political parties.  I was a party faithful for the GOP.  I often turned my nose up and voted for the GOP nominee no matter what.  Some were good men and women, in fact, outstanding men and women.  Others were as dumb as a rock and were still fighting the Civil War. I voted for them anyway.

   There’s more. He has obviously thought pretty hard about his decision.

6. 

   Anonymous on July 16, 2017 at 12:10 pm

   … the decision to prosecute, along with all the supporting arguments, while nominally taken by the FBI, was essentially made by Goldman Sachs itself. The irony is painful: the government, acting against Goldman Sachs, could only manage a civil prosecution. But Goldman Sachs, acting through the government, managed to secure itself a highly-dubious criminal prosecution, complete with an eight-year prison sentence.

   http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2013/08/goldman-sachs-trial-aleynikov/

   • 

     oaguabonita on July 16, 2017 at 12:38 pm

     Without that defined (“All Sophisticated Geniuses”?), how am I supposed to know if I’m being targeted by this bait?

     And no, don’t tell me if I clicked the link, I’d know. “Bait”‘s job is to give me sufficient reason to click the link. Without me knowing whether it’s bait aimed at me, it can’t do that job.

     • 

       Anonymous on July 16, 2017 at 1:21 pm

       Sorry! The “ASG” is Arthur S. Gilroy. I should’ve stuck with AG, but apparently I’m now Team Middle Initial.

       • 

         Don Durito on July 16, 2017 at 1:37 pm

         I was sort of assuming that was what you intended. Good to clarify, though, all the same. Welcome to Team Middle Initial!

       • 

         oaguabonita on July 16, 2017 at 9:57 pm
7. 

   AngryTeacher on July 16, 2017 at 12:29 pm

   I would say your priorities indicate wisdom and, dare I say it, “family values.”  I’m checking this page once today, then turning off the computer and not looking back.

   I would also say that I enjoy the mundane pleasures of life even more in the age of global warming, Trump, and the slow decay of the Republic.  I fear dark days ahead, so I’m cherishing every moment with friends and family.  

   Hope everyone has a lovely Sunday!

8. 

   janicket on July 16, 2017 at 12:54 pm

   You’re not.  Go have fun.  We’ll still be here when you get back.

9. 

   oaguabonita on July 16, 2017 at 12:55 pm

   Get better soon with your excellent healthcare plan, Sen. McCain, so you can hurry back to D.C. and vote to take healthcare away from others

   — Stephanie Thompson (@Stefaniya) July 16, 2017

   h/t digby

   • 

     oaguabonita on July 16, 2017 at 9:59 pm
10. 

    dww44 on July 16, 2017 at 1:03 pm

    You’re entitled to more than just a day of rest, so enjoy.  But you could settle a bit of an ongoing argument over at Balloon-Juice:  whether you did vote for HRC in the general.  I recollect that you said you did, but your confirmation could end that discussion of whom you did and did not support in the general. It seems to matter to a few commenters there.

    • 

      oaguabonita on July 16, 2017 at 1:18 pm

      on record as both voting for Bernie in primary and Hillary in general, though expressing a certain lack of enthusiasm having to do with flawed candidates in each case.

      And who knows? I could be right! It could happen! Stranger things have.

      If not, booman can correct if/when he sees this, gets around to it if he cares to, etc.

      • 

        BooMan on July 16, 2017 at 2:49 pm

        you have a good memory.  

        so, why are people talking about this?  

        • 

          WaterGirl on July 16, 2017 at 3:02 pm

          It all started with me, I think.  I made a comment about an awful article on the Washington Monthly that was all Bernie Bernie Bernie and someone replied that you and Nancy are good but the other two on the weekend aren’t so great.  Then the conversation morphed from there.  if you would like to read the Balloon Juice thread, I can give you the link.

        • 

          oaguabonita on July 16, 2017 at 10:02 pm
    • 

      Anonymous on July 16, 2017 at 1:26 pm

      If anyone doubts that Boo voted for Clinton in the general, they’ve never read him stuff. Or have serious comprehension issues. He would’ve voted for Manchin in the general if the alternative was Trump, and Clinton is no Manchin. Because he’s not a fucking idiot.

      (I personally believe he would’ve voted for Grayson against Trump, too.)

      • 

        seabe on July 16, 2017 at 1:27 pm

        The primary broke too many people’s brains. It’s really annoying.

        • 

          Anonymous on July 16, 2017 at 1:35 pm

          Ha! A thousand times this.

          Last Thursday morning, I freaked out on the phone at a friend of mine, a massive Clinton supporter, for going off on Sanders, whom she now despises more than anyone except Trump, in the morning. And then on Thursday evening I ruined an extended family dinner by shouting at a Sanders supporter for ripping into Clinton.

          At least now they both hate me. So they agree on one thing.

          • 

            seabe on July 16, 2017 at 1:53 pm

            They’re on the internet and they’re loud. Polling shows Sanders favorability among Clinton voters is in high 80’s.

          • 

            oaguabonita on July 16, 2017 at 10:04 pm
          • 

            n1cholas on July 17, 2017 at 8:29 pm

            Any and all Clinton supporters are inherently neoliberalcons. They have to be, because I just said so.

          • 

            Don Durito on July 16, 2017 at 10:55 pm

            The primary, election, and post-election periods have strained a good many friendships (perhaps to the breaking point), I suspect. The whole experience has been a bit irritating to say the least.

    • 

      WaterGirl on July 16, 2017 at 2:25 pm

      I hadn’t seen your comment when I posted essentially the same question below, for the same reason.

    • 

      BooMan on July 16, 2017 at 2:47 pm

      I voted for Bernie in the primary and for Clinton in the general.  

      • 

        Heart of the Rockies on July 16, 2017 at 6:13 pm

        Ditto.

11. 

    Don Durito on July 16, 2017 at 1:22 pm

    Enjoy your day! I imagine we’ll take care of ourselves.

12. 

    WaterGirl on July 16, 2017 at 2:18 pm

    BooMan, I have been away for months, so I have no idea whether this is the case or not, but I have heard that you have stated that you did not vote for Hillary Clinton in the presidential election in November.

    Is that case or did someone confuse a primary vote for the actual election?

    • 

      WaterGirl on July 16, 2017 at 2:24 pm

      oops, hadn’t seen the comment above that asked the same thing for the same reason.

    • 

      BooMan on July 16, 2017 at 2:46 pm

      I voted for Bernie in the primary and Hillary on Election Day.  

      • 

        WaterGirl on July 16, 2017 at 2:48 pm

        Thanks, BooMan!

        I was shocked to hear otherwise and thought it best to go right to the source!

      • 

        janicket on July 16, 2017 at 6:49 pm

        Hey, what are you doing here, man?  Go get away from all this for a day and have fun!

13. 

    jsrtheta on July 16, 2017 at 2:42 pm

    Go Bosox!

    • 

      janicket on July 16, 2017 at 6:50 pm

      Well, they’d better do better in the nightcap than they did in the day game, sigh.

14. 

    rfahey22 on July 16, 2017 at 3:02 pm

    That hurts, man.

15. 

    bogenrim on July 16, 2017 at 5:16 pm

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAgMBIu6iVk

16. 

    MikeInOhio on July 16, 2017 at 8:32 pm

    The truth be known, I didn’t have any time today for you, either.

    So there ya’ go!

    • 

      oaguabonita on July 16, 2017 at 10:06 pm
    • 

      Don Durito on July 16, 2017 at 10:56 pm

      Well played, Mike! Well played.