If you want people to vote "in person" you have to come up with effective incentives. So, being of the lefty sort, here's my "litmus test" (LOL!):
Voting should be a national holiday (three day weekend). There should be a precinct on every block....we should increase dramatically the membership of the House of Representatives. First past the post rules should be abandoned. End the Senate filibuster. Expand the Court...tax the rich, expropriate the expropriators...one big union, one big strike....wait, wait...stop me before I go over the edge into "unpopular" policy positions.
Sorry to hear that. Best wishes for a turnaround in your situation. I would suggest fulminating against the 200,000 or so real actual fire breathing marxist activists in this country (out of a population of some 342,000,000) might ease your stress a bit. On the other hand, I have read polls that seem to indicate a growing affinity for "socialist" ideas, especially among the gen Z cohort. Ah, the young.
"They didn’t say Harris was uniquely evil, which is the sort of parody I typically expect to see at blogs like LGM."
Oh, FFS. The debate about whether or not Biden should stay in the race vs. dropping out was intense at LGM. Once Biden dropped out, they were all in for Harris (as was I). Your characterization is simply beyond fanciful. How did Harris do? Well, she did fairly well given a couple basic headwinds. This is from that paroday site, LGM. Read it and ponder.
"I have yet to see a single “conservative” political group do anything of the sort."
Nobody wants to get on a bandwagon that might just turn out to be a fad, ya' know, because being tainted with something deemed "liberal" would simply be unforgivable, and that is the most important thing in politics!
"Yet another liberal bona fide: liberals know what people want and need better than they know themselves."
As opposed to conservatives whose overriding political beliefs amount to the position that people acceed to what conservatives demand, and don't really care what people want or need.
LOL....can we call this a "fad"? It's been a conservative attribute since the French Revolution.
"Just for openers, conservatism is a check on fads with shaky to no basis in the real world."
LOL! You mean like cutting taxes will raise revenue? Tariffs will revise domestic manufacturing? The Voting Rights Act is "reverse discrimination" or can be dismissed as simply a "fad"?
You can't be serious. Given your idiosyncratic definition of "conservatism" I guess I could just as well argue that Mao, Stalin, Lenin, et al weren't "real (small c) communists. Indeed, there are no True Scotsmen.
I had that epiphany in 1968. The GOP took up the Lost Cause banner and combined it with their feed the rich ideology to embark on the road to fascism. Protestors gunned down at Kent State, now Minneapolis. I don't know about you, but I detect a pattern.
Are we really to get our panties in a bunch based on the (cherry picked) actions of a small number of anti-fascist demonstrators? THEY ARE NOT THE ONES STEALING OUR LIBERTY!!!!
The minor property damage and a bit of unwelcome noise that constitutes the alleged "unlawful behavior" on the part of the demonstrators does not come within a billion parsecs of the lawless violence being unleashed by our government upon its own citizens. A dyed in the wool glibertarian should be up in arms about this (ya' know, small government, FREEDUMB, yadda' yadda')....but all we get is the sanewashing of fascism.
Don't overlook the fact that Kirk supped deep from the financial side of the wingnut rage machine. He was very well connected with big time funding doners. The grift...it's always there. Othewise Kirk would just be another wingnut hater with an insignificant following....a more polished turd, if you will.
Putin left Trump virtually speechless....given Trump's gonoerrhea mouth, quite a feat if you ask me. I wonder if the KGB hacked the Epstein files.
That Ukrainians will continue to die trying to deal with these monsters is absolutely enraging.
On “Open Thread”
I give you today's Republican Party.....https://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2026/06/off-the-deep-end
"
If you want people to vote "in person" you have to come up with effective incentives. So, being of the lefty sort, here's my "litmus test" (LOL!):
Voting should be a national holiday (three day weekend). There should be a precinct on every block....we should increase dramatically the membership of the House of Representatives. First past the post rules should be abandoned. End the Senate filibuster. Expand the Court...tax the rich, expropriate the expropriators...one big union, one big strike....wait, wait...stop me before I go over the edge into "unpopular" policy positions.
On “What’s wrong with liberalism?”
"my life is shit"
Sorry to hear that. Best wishes for a turnaround in your situation. I would suggest fulminating against the 200,000 or so real actual fire breathing marxist activists in this country (out of a population of some 342,000,000) might ease your stress a bit. On the other hand, I have read polls that seem to indicate a growing affinity for "socialist" ideas, especially among the gen Z cohort. Ah, the young.
"
"They didn’t say Harris was uniquely evil, which is the sort of parody I typically expect to see at blogs like LGM."
Oh, FFS. The debate about whether or not Biden should stay in the race vs. dropping out was intense at LGM. Once Biden dropped out, they were all in for Harris (as was I). Your characterization is simply beyond fanciful. How did Harris do? Well, she did fairly well given a couple basic headwinds. This is from that paroday site, LGM. Read it and ponder.
https://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2026/05/the-non-strategists-fallacy-autopsy
"
"I have yet to see a single “conservative” political group do anything of the sort."
Nobody wants to get on a bandwagon that might just turn out to be a fad, ya' know, because being tainted with something deemed "liberal" would simply be unforgivable, and that is the most important thing in politics!
"
"Yet another liberal bona fide: liberals know what people want and need better than they know themselves."
As opposed to conservatives whose overriding political beliefs amount to the position that people acceed to what conservatives demand, and don't really care what people want or need.
LOL....can we call this a "fad"? It's been a conservative attribute since the French Revolution.
"
"Just for openers, conservatism is a check on fads with shaky to no basis in the real world."
LOL! You mean like cutting taxes will raise revenue? Tariffs will revise domestic manufacturing? The Voting Rights Act is "reverse discrimination" or can be dismissed as simply a "fad"?
You can't be serious. Given your idiosyncratic definition of "conservatism" I guess I could just as well argue that Mao, Stalin, Lenin, et al weren't "real (small c) communists. Indeed, there are no True Scotsmen.
But thanks for the retort. It's good to be back.
"
The only "real problems" conservatives identify are those that might trim their position in society or their power. It is a philosphy of arrogance.
"
There is a lot to say for the liberalism(s). There are many. There is nothing good to say for the conservatism(s).
Ezra gets taken to the woodshed regularly. Thanks for adding to the pile, lj.
On “Separated by a common language”
Doesn’t look good for Labor. I’m beginning to believe British politics are more ‘effed up than ours.
Yay Seahawks!
On “Xi and China’s military: an off the wall theory”
Hitler, Mao, and Stalin employed similar, albeit a bit more drastic approach to reforming their officer corps. Results vary.
On “Moving towards Epiphany”
I had that epiphany in 1968. The GOP took up the Lost Cause banner and combined it with their feed the rich ideology to embark on the road to fascism. Protestors gunned down at Kent State, now Minneapolis. I don't know about you, but I detect a pattern.
On “Where are the 5 words?”
...thought I'd pass this on to those of you who like to assess our current political travails in light of wider themes:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/05/opinion/west-europe-america-lost.html?unlocked_article_code=1.rE8.064G._2GkKn5zEX4W&smid=url-share
Resillience is not a catchy tune, but is might be the way to go.
"
Are we there yet?
https://outsidethebeltway.com/has-the-constitution-failed/
Are we really to get our panties in a bunch based on the (cherry picked) actions of a small number of anti-fascist demonstrators? THEY ARE NOT THE ONES STEALING OUR LIBERTY!!!!
jfc
"
The minor property damage and a bit of unwelcome noise that constitutes the alleged "unlawful behavior" on the part of the demonstrators does not come within a billion parsecs of the lawless violence being unleashed by our government upon its own citizens. A dyed in the wool glibertarian should be up in arms about this (ya' know, small government, FREEDUMB, yadda' yadda')....but all we get is the sanewashing of fascism.
Come on folks....perspective, please.
What does Portland think of this?
https://www.npr.org/2025/10/02/nx-s1-5558406/oregon-officials-and-residents-say-portland-isnt-war-ravaged
"
"I told you so". LOL. Been sayin' that since 1967.
https://paulwaldman.substack.com/p/we-were-right
On “Kuzushi and Charlie Kirk”
Don't overlook the fact that Kirk supped deep from the financial side of the wingnut rage machine. He was very well connected with big time funding doners. The grift...it's always there. Othewise Kirk would just be another wingnut hater with an insignificant following....a more polished turd, if you will.
On “The Schadenfreude Express”
a ray of light in the darkness:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/25/us/politics/fbi-agent-assault-dc.html?unlocked_article_code=1.hE8.V1Iz.ZBnpGYTcsOAn&smid=url-share
"
It's hard to have much sympathy for John Bolton.
....even a blind squirrel....
for you anti-fascists out there...read this:
https://medium.com/@carmitage/i-researched-every-attempt-to-stop-fascism-in-history-the-success-rate-is-0-a665e2e048a2
are we approaching the precipice or well past it?
"
It's hard to have much sympathy for John Bolton.
....even a blind squirrel....
for you anti-fascists out there...read this:
https://medium.com/@carmitage/i-researched-every-attempt-to-stop-fascism-in-history-the-success-rate-is-0-a665e2e048a2
are we approaching the precipice or well past it?
"
It's hard to have much sympathy for John Bolton.
....even a blind squirrel....
for you anti-fascists out there...read this:
https://medium.com/@carmitage/i-researched-every-attempt-to-stop-fascism-in-history-the-success-rate-is-0-a665e2e048a2
are we approaching the precipice or well past it?
"
He can't be wrong about everything all the time... :)
Yes, based on his public utterances, he is demonstrably able to do so.
On “Giving Away the Store”
Putin left Trump virtually speechless....given Trump's gonoerrhea mouth, quite a feat if you ask me. I wonder if the KGB hacked the Epstein files.
That Ukrainians will continue to die trying to deal with these monsters is absolutely enraging.
On “A New Gilded Age”
wj,
Was Ted Kaczynski not both smart and clever? Just spit balling here.
"
Thank your lucky stars that Strump hasn't razed the White House and replaced it with a garish casino.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.