I was in Colorado in early May 2024, spending some time in Denver and more time in Estes Park, plus driving between the two. I will simply say that I experienced a very wide range of weather while I was there, sometimes during a single day.
Don Bacon, a Republican representative, called for Steve Witkoff’s immediate dismissal. “For those who oppose the Russian invasion and want to see Ukraine prevail as a sovereign & democratic country, it is clear that Witkoff fully favors the Russians,” the Nebraska lawmaker wrote on X.
“He cannot be trusted to lead these negotiations. Would a Russian paid agent do less than he? He should be fired.”
Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican wrote that the leak represented “a major problem” and “one of the many reasons why these ridiculous side shows and secret meetings need to stop”. He urged that the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, be allowed to “do his job in a fair and objective manner”.
Democratic representative Ted Lieu went further, calling Witkoff an “actual traitor,” and adding: “Steve Witkoff is supposed to work for the United States, not Russia.”
I was posing those questions as an extension of lj's mention of climate change forcing people to move, thus the conflicts over land and resources. In that case, it will mostly be "I have to leave" with a good amount of crossing national boundaries.
I wouldn't expect someone going from Alabama to Texas to lose their sense of Americanness, at least not simply because of that move.
(If things had really gone to sh*t and someone was moving from what used to be Alabama to what used to be Texas, Americanness might not mean much anymore.)
So what happens to nationalism if many more people are either moving from place to place or or at least relocating from where they were raised? Does it become stronger among the relatively few who stay put? How do they handle being outnumbered by "the others"? Do the movers become citizens of the world?
There's going to be conflict over land and resources. How will the lines be drawn? How rapidly do those lines shift? How large will the factions or coalitions of factions be?
Thinking about the future feels like forming the basis of a dystopian sci-fi novel. I might update my resume to tailor it to a position as a warlord.
They screw up and, in trying to fix or cover up their screw-up, they screw up even further. But I suppose it all starts with Pro Bono's "And, separately, the whole case is a crock," which is the original screw-up.
On another somewhat related subject, I wonder if there's such a thing as MAGA fatigue. By that, I don't mean the fatigue that I would guess most of the people commenting here feel after dealing with all the bullsh*t the MAGAts produce. I mean fatigue among the MAGA faithful.
Being in that state of mind has to be exhausting, doesn't it?
I've been reading about this for a little while. I already moved a good chunk of my retirement holdings from stock funds to bond and money-market funds. I was already up well enough and am getting closer to retirement, so it wasn't too radical a step.
Even without the bubble speculation, the indices were staring to make my spidey senses tingle. The AI-bubble stuff I've been reading just pushed me out of complacency.
The Larry Summers thing is interesting. First, he can go piss up a rope for all I care (or, as my mother used to say, "sh*t in his hat"). I have no interest in defending him. That said, in his communications with Epstein after Epstein's conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor, he told Epstein he didn't want to be within a million miles of Donald Trump.
Because Summers worked for two Democratic presidents, was president of Harvard, and was a fellow at the Center for American Progress, he's easily associated with Democrats and "The Left." That likely will make him a target for Trump, the GOP, and MAGA.
The wrinkle is that he preferred associating with a known pedophile than with Donald Trump. That's not exactly flattering.
The point I was making is what I was referring to, so yes. I know what point I was trying to make. You have a different point.
And I don't think it matters one iota what I say on a blog. It has nothing to do with anything other than sharing thoughts with a small number of people. I'm not helping or hurting the Democrats one bit, so I'm not concerned about electoral strategy or legislative maneuvering or anything like that when I complain about politics here.
The man would have been 77 on election day if he had run again. Can’t we let the olds retire?
Again, my point wasn't "how dare he retire?" It was, given that he was retiring, why oppose Dem legislation? Maybe there was a reason, but it wasn't to keep his seat in the senate to maintain a majority for the Dems.
I have no problem with everything else you wrote, Michael Cain. Points taken.
The point being, wj, that he wasn't securing a seat for the Democrats by voting with Republicans on critical issues, but that probably won't get through the radical centrism or whatever it is that makes you want to defend the guy.
If you don't care about what's good for congressional Democrats, that's one thing, but it doesn't have to mean you can't recognize the point of view of congressional Democrats or the people who vote for them.
Manchin screwed his own party not long before deciding not to run for another term and his senate seat is now held by a Republican. How is that supposed to be good for Democrats?
It seems there is always a faction of Democrats who find a way to take two steps back as soon as the party manages one step forward. It's too easy to be the lesser of two evils when the greater evil is evil itself.
The exit polling is broken down in what may be too many different ways at the link. The long and short of it is that being white, older, male, and less educated made someone more likely to have voted for Ciattarelli.
One interesting point is that they asked people if they were concerned about political violence. Not enough people weren't concerned to be statistically meaningful, so the vote breakdown on the "No" side was "N/A."
There's a drop-down where you can get exit polling for the elections in other states.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.
On “Open Thread”
I was in Colorado in early May 2024, spending some time in Denver and more time in Estes Park, plus driving between the two. I will simply say that I experienced a very wide range of weather while I was there, sometimes during a single day.
"
Pseudo-class. Sounds like me when I have to wear a suit and tie.
On “Am I missing something?”
Pontius Pilate was known to be an Antifa wanna-be after none of the kids from Occupy Wall Street wanted him hanging around.
On “An openish thread featuring the comedy stylings of Steve Witkoff”
The worst part about what Frum describes was apparent in real time - as it was happening - to anyone who hadn't drunk the bitter tRump Kool-Aid.
(Also, too, I have a comment awaiting approval.)
(ed. It's up!)
"
People have noticed.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/26/republicans-steve-witkoff-leaked-call-russia-ukraine
Sounds not good for old Stevie Boy.
"
I should re-read that transcript whenever I'm suffering from imposter syndrome.
On “The surprising philosophy behind Palantir”
At the time I was watching "Succession," I thought the icky uber-rich kooks being portrayed were caricatures. Now I think they were understated.
On “Shabana burns the cakes”
I was posing those questions as an extension of lj's mention of climate change forcing people to move, thus the conflicts over land and resources. In that case, it will mostly be "I have to leave" with a good amount of crossing national boundaries.
I wouldn't expect someone going from Alabama to Texas to lose their sense of Americanness, at least not simply because of that move.
(If things had really gone to sh*t and someone was moving from what used to be Alabama to what used to be Texas, Americanness might not mean much anymore.)
"
So what happens to nationalism if many more people are either moving from place to place or or at least relocating from where they were raised? Does it become stronger among the relatively few who stay put? How do they handle being outnumbered by "the others"? Do the movers become citizens of the world?
There's going to be conflict over land and resources. How will the lines be drawn? How rapidly do those lines shift? How large will the factions or coalitions of factions be?
Thinking about the future feels like forming the basis of a dystopian sci-fi novel. I might update my resume to tailor it to a position as a warlord.
"
A percentage basis? You guys really know how to kill a joke.
"
I'll bet that in the last 1000 years England has seen more immigration than in the previous 500,000,000 years.
On “Your quest begins now!”
the faithful remain observant
That Fox-viewing data doesn't support my speculation, but TV-viewing habits don't necessarily reflect whether motivation/enthusiasm has waned.
I continue to watch my favorite sports teams even when they aren't doing so well, but I don't care as much.
Still, I'd prefer that Fox viewership was dropping, so ... crap.
"
They screw up and, in trying to fix or cover up their screw-up, they screw up even further. But I suppose it all starts with Pro Bono's "And, separately, the whole case is a crock," which is the original screw-up.
On another somewhat related subject, I wonder if there's such a thing as MAGA fatigue. By that, I don't mean the fatigue that I would guess most of the people commenting here feel after dealing with all the bullsh*t the MAGAts produce. I mean fatigue among the MAGA faithful.
Being in that state of mind has to be exhausting, doesn't it?
"
How enlightening, Charles. Sheesh...
On “Pop!”
I've been reading about this for a little while. I already moved a good chunk of my retirement holdings from stock funds to bond and money-market funds. I was already up well enough and am getting closer to retirement, so it wasn't too radical a step.
Even without the bubble speculation, the indices were staring to make my spidey senses tingle. The AI-bubble stuff I've been reading just pushed me out of complacency.
On “Your quest begins now!”
The Larry Summers thing is interesting. First, he can go piss up a rope for all I care (or, as my mother used to say, "sh*t in his hat"). I have no interest in defending him. That said, in his communications with Epstein after Epstein's conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor, he told Epstein he didn't want to be within a million miles of Donald Trump.
Because Summers worked for two Democratic presidents, was president of Harvard, and was a fellow at the Center for American Progress, he's easily associated with Democrats and "The Left." That likely will make him a target for Trump, the GOP, and MAGA.
The wrinkle is that he preferred associating with a known pedophile than with Donald Trump. That's not exactly flattering.
"
Her previous experience appears to have been as a real estate lawyer who did work for Trump previously.
Well, sure, but she looked really good doing it. That's the most important thing.
"
Is the client list no longer on Pam Bondi's desk? Or was it never there, which is why she never actually said it was (wink, wink)?
Is it still a Democratic hoax? Or does it incriminate a slew of prominent Democrats and their donors? What if it it's BOTH? That would be wild!
On “Spelunking for fun and profit”
"No. The point being that..."
The point I was making is what I was referring to, so yes. I know what point I was trying to make. You have a different point.
And I don't think it matters one iota what I say on a blog. It has nothing to do with anything other than sharing thoughts with a small number of people. I'm not helping or hurting the Democrats one bit, so I'm not concerned about electoral strategy or legislative maneuvering or anything like that when I complain about politics here.
The world doesn't care.
"
The man would have been 77 on election day if he had run again. Can’t we let the olds retire?
Again, my point wasn't "how dare he retire?" It was, given that he was retiring, why oppose Dem legislation? Maybe there was a reason, but it wasn't to keep his seat in the senate to maintain a majority for the Dems.
I have no problem with everything else you wrote, Michael Cain. Points taken.
"
The point being, wj, that he wasn't securing a seat for the Democrats by voting with Republicans on critical issues, but that probably won't get through the radical centrism or whatever it is that makes you want to defend the guy.
If you don't care about what's good for congressional Democrats, that's one thing, but it doesn't have to mean you can't recognize the point of view of congressional Democrats or the people who vote for them.
"
Manchin screwed his own party not long before deciding not to run for another term and his senate seat is now held by a Republican. How is that supposed to be good for Democrats?
"
There might be multiple petards to hoist them. Epstein emails are less than helpful. Remember when Epstein was the GOP's hobby horse?
On “When virtues become vices”
It seems there is always a faction of Democrats who find a way to take two steps back as soon as the party manages one step forward. It's too easy to be the lesser of two evils when the greater evil is evil itself.
On “Still I Rise”
From here:
https://www.cnn.com/election/2025/exit-polls/new-jersey/general/governor/0
18-44 31% 45 or older 69%
Sherrill 67% 51%
Ciattarelli 32% 48%
The exit polling is broken down in what may be too many different ways at the link. The long and short of it is that being white, older, male, and less educated made someone more likely to have voted for Ciattarelli.
One interesting point is that they asked people if they were concerned about political violence. Not enough people weren't concerned to be statistically meaningful, so the vote breakdown on the "No" side was "N/A."
There's a drop-down where you can get exit polling for the elections in other states.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.