Watch Rand Paul's Response to President Obama's Syria Speech

In a speech to the nation tonight, President Obama made his case for keeping the threat of force against Syria on the table. A little while later, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), one of the most outspoken congressional critics of Obama's push for strikes in Syria, offered his response. Watch below: 

Comments

[Goldwin Smith]

Pre-emptive Godwin: Weimar Germany was a parliamentary republic with multiple parties and proportional representation. Hell of a lot of good that did in the end.

[Sevo]

"Pre-emptive Godwin: Weimar Germany was a parliamentary republic with multiple parties and proportional representation. Hell of a lot of good that did in the end."

Democratic processes, as they are largely employed now, are poor measures of public choice; most allow votes without any skin in the game.
Given that the issue can be corrected, I still don't see democracy as a workable basis for government; democracy MUST be limited by a constitution.

[Tony]

Indeed. A libertarian autocracy would be much better.

[OldMexican]

Re: Tony,

Indeed. A libertarian autocracy would be much better.

Up is down. Liberty is slavery. Slavery is bliss.

You are truly the living proof of the socialists' personal issues with concepts and semantics.

An autocracy cannot be libertarian, by definition and by concept.

[Tony]

Yet no democracy has ever or will ever choose a libertarian government--especially one that is reasonably representative of the people.

Hence your constant disparaging of democracy and, thus, implicit preference for a totalitarian state formed by strict, immutable principles (as they all have been ostensibly--mediated by some mustachioed dictator or another, of course).

[Drax the Destroyer]

It's easy to assume that "The People" will never choose a libertarian government (the older I get the more of on oxymoron that sounds), when you know most of them are "educated" by the feel-good achieve-nothing propagandized top-down shithouse of American Public "schools." Of course the people won't be for freedom when they are told their whole lives that work is hard and should be avoided, all the brown people of the world want to kill us, and anyone who wants to keep his money is a monster on par with Charles Manson. There is no democracy worth a shit that foists this kind of "education" on its people.

[Tony]

Jesus where did you go to school? I went to a decent suburban public school and I learned about math, science, history, and literature, mostly. I must visit one of these indoctrination camps someday.

[OldMexican]

Re: Tony,

I certainly did not have to endure the Amerikan Pulbic Skool Seistem Dat Teeches To Red An Writ. I feel sorry for you.

[Cytotoxic]

No you only think you learned.

[Cytotoxic]

all the brown people of the world want to kill us

Every school I went to shoved the multicultural relativism down our throats. I think you are making this up.

[OldMexican]

Re: Tony,

Yet no democracy has ever or will ever choose a libertarian government

Non-sequitur. Big time.

Leaving that aside - I already know you're very keen on non-sequiturs - the fact that democracies are not libertarian should give you concern, not joy. Democracies have a historical penchant for autocracy and warmongering, be it in Russia, Germany, and even the cradle of Democracy: Greece.

Hence your constant disparaging of democracy and, thus, implicit preference for a totalitarian state

Now you're begging the question. But again, there is NO evidence that democracy does NOT lead to autocracy - history shows that it indeed does - whereas the very CONCEPT of libertarianism excludes autocracy, because you have to have a willing populance to accept an autocrat. Such people cannot be libertarian by any stretch of the imaginantion.

[Rasilio]

"An autocracy cannot be libertarian, by definition and by concept."

And yet such systems have been proposed and described in fiction.

For example, Jerry Pournelle, a strongly libertarian hard sci fi author includes one in his Falkenbergs Legion series

[JWatts]

Wasn't that actually a Constitutional Monarchy?

[David Emami]

I realize you're just trolling, but to take your comment seriously...

Who controls a thing, and what that thing can do, are separate questions. Governmental power can range from the Khmer Rouge's hive-like "angkar" to anarchy, and control can range from a psychotic dictator to a well-informed electorate. We hope that a government answerable to an electorate will be less likely to be oppressive and genocidal, but (as pointed out above) that's at best a correlation, not a guarantee.

So, if by "libertarian autocracy" you mean one man with absolute, unquestioned control of a government that has the power to do absolutely nothing, then sure, I'd be fine with that, just as I'd be fine with someone drunk out of their gourd getting behind the wheel of one of those coin-operated kiddie rides they used to have in front of supermarkets. Certainly I'd prefer it to a duly and fairly-elected government with the power to round people up and put them in death camps.

Not I anticipate such a choice ever arising, to be sure.

[Tony]

But it wouldn't be doing absolutely nothing, it would be imposing a strict set of immutable policies on people who in all likelihood oppose them. Just because those policies might involve a lot of doing nothing doesn't mean they aren't choices with consequences. You all seem to want a dictatorship of first principles. Who you would choose to embody those is not important, though interesting.

[OldMexican]

Re: Tony,

But it wouldn't be doing absolutely nothing, it would be imposing a strict set of immutable policies on people who in all likelihood oppose them.

Guys, understand one thing: For Tony, the eleuterophobe, freedom is an imposition, not a state of things.

"Slavery is good!" - Tony.

[DesigNate]

Not giving is taking, da comrade?

[Adam]

The word "autocracy" does not mean what you think it means.

[John C. Randolph]

"Libertarian autocracy" is a contradiction in terms. All the time you've been here blowing smoke, and you haven't even learned that?

The brain-damage inflicted on you by government indoctrination institutions is nothing short of tragic.

-jcr

[JWatts]

To be fair, Tony claims that his brain damage isn't a fault of the public school system.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Tony!

Psh.

[Francisco d Anconia]

He seems very comfortable. Makes him look trustworthy.

[Cyto]

His hair and makeup are a major upgrade. As Nixon proved against Kennedy, the package matters more than what is in it.

[Lyle]

Yep, it's why beltway Republicans were/are desperate to make Rubio a Presidential contender.

[VG Zaytsev]

Meh, it's no different than people quoting JFK in the 80s - which both sides did.

[JeremyR]

Why? He looks like Homer Simpson. Not good looking at all, and he's not going to age well.

[A Secret Band of Robbers]

The Nixon package contained Nixon.

[Cytotoxic]

...makeup?

[AdamJ]

He is very good at arguing a point without sounding like a living taking point. He seems very genuine, which is why I wish he'd ditch the Regan shit. Regan is totally fucked out as an inspriration among the Republican Party, not going to win over any independents.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Reagan won more Democrat and Independent votes than any Republican in history.

[lap83]

Exactly, Reagan endeared himself to people. He was articulate, witty and not a typical establishment country club Republican. If anything, the GOP has been looking for anyone but another Reagan. They can't get away from their country club Republicans of choice.

[Hyperion]

Well, he is the best president since... Reagan.

But, his expansion of Nixons WOD is still pretty bad.

[darius404]

He was articulate, witty

Not to mention clean and bright.

[ant1sthenes]

Yeah, because he was Reagan. No one's saying he should carry himself more like Reagan or communicate more like Reagan, but invoking the name of a guy that young people don't even remember as a talisman doesn't really help.

[ant1sthenes]

*shouldn't

[Bill Dalasio]

As others point out, unless your independents are Greens, it's simply not the case that Reagan hurts Republicans with independents. Moreover, before worrying about winning over independents, a Republican has to worry about winning over Republicans. And nothing gives Republicans the warm fuzzies like Ronald Reagan.

[Cascadian Ephor Xenocles]

Alt text: Do I make you randy, baby?

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't like that Rand concedes a point that Obama has yet to prove to the public: that the alleged chemical weapons attack was launched by the Syrian government.

[AdamJ]

Public seems 99% sold. Better to not sound like a conspiracy guy. I'm not 100% sold, as no amount of lies from our executive, military, and intelligence apparatus would surprise me, but he did better to stay away from that point.

[VG Zaytsev]

Agreed. People with a lower profile should be questioning that point.

[Anonymous Coward]

Not that I've seen, but even leaving that point aside, and even conceding it, what about Barry's newest pirouette? Two weeks ago, Assad was worse than Hitler and absolutely must be punished for his transgressions against the world and Barry's imperial majesty.

Now, Barry will withhold the cruise missiles of GREAT JUSTICE if Assad hands over his sarin to Russia (likely in exchange for more conventional weapons and a few SAMs). So what happened? Did Assad suddenly become not so bad as previously thought?

[VG Zaytsev]

No, Kerry spoke off the cuff when answering a question and couple days ago and Putin call them on the bullshit.

[Anonymous Coward]

More like off his hinges. Obama painted himself into a corner. Meanwhile, Putin moves in, plays the peacemaker, comes off smelling like a rose, and wins the eternal gratitude of Syria.

Meanwhile, Obama backpedals, gets embarrassed by Great Britain, and unites Congress against him.

Obama is clearly a man who plays ahead by at least three moves.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

wins the eternal gratitude of Syria.

The eternal gratitude of Assad perhaps -- remains to be seen if that has anything to do with what Syria thinks in the future.

[Anonymous Coward]

Fair enough. Who knows what may happen tomorrow? But at last check, Assad's government is winning.

[Marshall Gill]

Look, if Syria hands over it's entire stockpile of chemical weapons, it will never be able to rebuild them. We are talking early Twentieth Century technology, here.

[Anonymous Coward]

Chemical weapons are like ROADZ. Only governments have the resources, personnel, and knowledge to manufacture such deadly substances.

[Hyperion]

ROADZ kill more people.

[PapayaSF]

But how, exactly, is that handover going to happen? The Al Qaeda types are going to observe a ceasefire while a bunch of foreigners head for Assad's most secure and secret weapons depots, and fill scores or hundreds of trucks with chemical weapons, so they can rumble down the road to some ships at Latakia? What are the odds of that happening in the next, oh, two months?

[JWatts]

Look, if Syria hands over it's entire stockpile of chemical weapons, it will never be able to rebuild them.

Did Syria even agree to handing over the equipment to make chemical weapons? My guess is they haven't.

They'll give over their current stock to the Russians to "guard". Meanwhile, they'll quickly pack up all their non-replaceable equipment and disburse it to a safe location. By the time the diplomatic process grinds forward, it will be impossible to take out the manufacturing side without a ground invasion.

So, Assad/Putin to Obama: Check.

[Francisco d Anconia]

I don't like that Rand concedes a point that Obama has yet to prove to the public: that the alleged chemical weapons attack was launched by the Syrian government.

That point is irrelevant. Whether it was the Syrian government or a false flag has NO bearing on the fact that it's none of our business. They can be eating each other's babies for all I care, it's not our job to fix it.

[Sevo]

Exactly.
Don't argue the irrelevancies; deal with what matters.

[Anonymous Coward]

My fellow Americans, for nearly seven decades, the United States has been the anchor of global security. This has meant doing more than forging international agreements -- it has meant enforcing them. The burdens of leadership are often heavy, but the world is a better place because we have borne them.

My dude/fellow American, what part of TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE, do you not understand?

[Francisco d Anconia]

...FUCK YEAH!

[Hyperion]

We fully believe in and respect the idea of sovereign nations. Well... you know, unless they aren't us and they do something we don't like.

[Emmerson Biggins]

Holy shit. He really said that. I thought you were onionizing at first. What an arrogant mother fucker.

[JWatts]

Well now the President addressed that very point:

America is not the world's policeman. Terrible things happen across the globe, and it is beyond our means to right every wrong. But ... I believe we should act. That's what makes America different.

Wait. What?

[AdamJ]

Pretty good, although I'd love to hear a speech without Regan or Israel being brought up. Rand has come out as the most rational voice over the last year, but the progs will still see him as a knuckle-dragging Christ-loving redneck. Nothing you can do about that I guess.

[Hyperion]

The progs are hopeless, you really cannot cure stupid.

[Hyperion]

But they are probably only about 15% of the population, about the same as libertarian leaning independents, Repubs, and those of us who actually claim to be libertarian.

The difference is, is that through 40 years of activism and screaming the loudest, that small 15% of the population(the progs) have taken over practically every single aspect of the country, from education to every facet of government, the media, entertainment, etc., etc., while us liberty lovers just sat around enjoying our lives and forgetting about that tree of liberty thing.

[RannedPall]

+1 Freedom fries

[PapayaSF]

Sad but true.

[ant1sthenes]

He doesn't help that when he talks about the rebels killing Christians, as opposed to religious minorities. Save that for the Kentucky crowd.

[Heroic Mulatto]

That, ladies and gentlemen, was Presidential timber.

[VG Zaytsev]

You can say that again.

[db]

Too bad squirrels don't have the vote.

[Bill Dalasio]

I agree. Paul's addresses sound more presidential than anything I've seen from the last three actual presidents. He sounds like a guy who's thinking through the issues and decisions rather than trying to rile up the crowd or gain your sympathy.

[Heroic Mulatto]

That, ladies and gentlemen, was Presidential timber.

[Ted S.]

Reason server squirrels for President!

(They can't be any worse than any recent President.)

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Class warfare unites New York City

Bill de Blasio's campaign message, often characterized as "class warfare," seems to have united New Yorkers across the income spectrum. He actually did slightly worse with the most downscale cohorts (where there was more support for also-ran John Liu who ran to his left) than with the more upscale ones, but he won across the board.

Now of course we have a truncated scale problem here. I've heard some folks say that $200,000 doesn't make you rich in New York. That's a mistake. The median household income in New York City is $51,270. If you're earning over four times as much as the median family in your city, you're pretty rich. But NYC has an extreme fractual inequality situation, and the gap between the $200k crowd and the $2 million is very real to folks languishing with "mere" six-figure incomes. De Blasio's campaign has proposed raising taxes on marginal income above $500,000 a year. Only a very narrow slice of the city has that much money?too narrow a slice to show up in the exit poll. What you do see in the exit poll is that this idea of soaking the very rich unites a broad spectrum of New Yorkers whose economic circumstances vary quite a bit.

Envy is a winner in a Democratic primary? What a surprise.

[VG Zaytsev]

The great irony of that is that without the financial sector being centered there, NYC would be a bigger uglier version of Detroit.

So by all means, chase those capitalist bastards outta there.

[Irish]

Earlier today Slate assured me that New York was built by 'building things' and 'manufacturing' so they don't need to worry about driving out the mutual fund managers and investment bankers.

That's great, Slate! How many of those jobs are left and are they ever coming back? Because if not, you seem pretty beholden for your livelihood to those dirty capitalists.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

NYC is an excellent port so it's never going to become Detroit or Cleveland. Drive out finance and it becomes more like New Orleans.

[VG Zaytsev]

New Orleans is the gateway to the Mississippi-Missouri River basin.

NYC is the gateway to the Hudson valley.

Huge difference.

Plus the east coast has numerous great natural ports, Boston, Providence, Philly, Baltimore.

[Anonymous Coward]

Hampton Roads is the second or third largest container port on the East Coast.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

"Technically Norfolk has more gross tonnage"

[elfprince13]

Dunno about Philly and Baltimore, but Boston and Providence quite possibly harbor even more wacky left wing sentiment, per capita, than NYC.

[Irish]

True. I also think New York will have an unbelievable amount of tourist revenue just due to the importance of the city, Broadway, etc. Cleveland and Detroit never had those advantages. It doesn't change the hilarity of Salon writers basically arguing that a city that is largely dependent on a massive financial district would do just fine without that financial district.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Quite so; the New Orleans comparison was not supposed to be entirely positive.

NO should have been demolished, not rebuilt, after Katrina (at least the parts below sea level). Hollowed out shells of cities with poor, dependent populations are a problem, not something we want to encourage.

[Sevo]

"NO should have been demolished, not rebuilt, after Katrina (at least the parts below sea level)."

Nope, just denied insurance.

[PapayaSF]

Exactly. Build below sealevel in a hurricane zone if you want, just don't come whining to the taxpayer when you're underwater.

[Hyperion]

It doesn't change the hilarity of Salon writers basically arguing that a city that is largely dependent on a massive financial district would do just fine without that financial district

Keep in mind, these are the same people who believe we are better off with a small group of political elite, who have never worked an honest day in their lives and whose strongest skill is lying to get elected, trying to engineer an economy and socially engineer peoples lives. IOW, besides being willfully ignorant, they're stupid.

[Bill Dalasio]

Except, what do you think drives a lot of the tourism? Yeah, tourists flock to NY because it has great night life, world class shopping, terrific theater, etc. But, the nightlife and the shopping, at the very least, and probably the culture, are there because rich people in finance, or their significant others, patronize them.

There's a reason the state of New York City's economy is highly correlated with the quality of the bonus season on Wall Street.

[Ted S.]

Why do people flock to Branson, MO?

[Bill Dalasio]

I doubt that many really do. It's just that it's Branson, MO you're talking about. A modest surge of tourists equals the town's population.

[DesigNate]

Because hillbillies have money too and Branson is closer and cheaper for most of them?

[Bill Dalasio]

New York's port became valuable because the Erie Canal connected it with the Great Lakes. After that, it was valuable because it was the biggest. There as VGZ notes, there are a lot of other ports on the east coast and a lot of them are already more built up than New York's.

[Bill Dalasio]

One problem with that. Over half the wage and salary income made in New York (well, strictly, Manhattan, although I don't think taking the numbers to the city at large would change much) is made in financial services. Now, add on that all the people working law, all the people working in business services, all the people working in IT, whose companies and work are basically supporting financial services. New York without financial services would be like New Orleans without tourism and shipping.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

$200K living in Manhattan or one of the trendy neighborhoods IS barely enough to get by.

And you don't want to be living in one of the other neighborhoods as an outsider. No sir.

[Hyperion]

200K is not even rich in Maryland. 51K here is almost dirt poor.

How the hell can anyone live in NYC when teeny tiny apartments go for 3K a month and everything is ultra expensive, along with crushing tax rates? I don't see how it's possible without some sort of subsidy. Maybe one person could barely survive on it.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Indeed. I was shocked by the differences in CoL moving from the Burgh to NoVa, coupled with the difference in tax rates for my new bracket.

I'm wondering where the hell all the immigrant McDonalds workers live. They can't possibly be commuting from the District, can they?

[Hyperion]

I'm wondering where the hell all the immigrant McDonalds workers live

Section 8 housing and lot of other subsides is my only guess.

Any decent neighborhood in Baltimore will average around $1500 a month for a 2 bedroom apartment. DC and NOVA are even more expensive.

So if you make $400 a week working at McDonalds and there were 6 people working that job living in one apartment, they still couldn't pay the rent and eat. They must either be living in very undesirable places or it's lots of government subsidies. Not sure how else to explain it.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Another difference: I'd say about 80% of the ads on talk radio in Pittsburgh were for government agencies or other government propaganda information. The remaining time was split about evenly between charities and predatory industries like PI lawyers and Cash4Gold scams.

Here, you have normal business ads and a new creature I'd never heard before, the industry-lobby-promoting ad. Today I heard thrice a message about how much freight rail does for America and how we should be grateful. My guess is they have some business before a committee this week.

[Apatheist ?_??]

8100 (6*400*4-1500) seems pretty easy for 6 people to live off after rent. Hell just two people, 1700(2*400*4-1500) is comfortable. How expensive is food there?

[Apatheist ?_??]

I'm gonna assume you meant $400 a month wages.

[Hyperion]

No, that's not what I meant, I just totally spaced that. I think I was thinking an average family with both adults working a McDonalds job and with maybe one or 2 kids. I just fucked it up.

[Hyperion]

Heh, my math is worstest tonight.

Food is not expensive here, IMHO. Not compared to when I lived in the Midwest. But there's major port here and lots of competition, so maybe that's it.

Ok, let's say a couple working at McDonalds and they make $400 a week. That's tops 350 take home, each. So $700 week x 4. That's only $2800 a month. You have $1300 left after rent. That's assuming you make $10 an hour. You couldn't pay $1500 rent and survive on that. If you had no kids, you may barely squeak by. Remember that you need food, transportation, and have to pay utilities and other costs. I don't think that would be possible.

[Apatheist ?_??]

Having lived off of around $200 a month on food during law school that still seems easy without the kids. Certainly not barely squeaking by.

[Rock Action]

Living in NoVa now? What are you doing?

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Getting the fuck away from academia. Not working for fedgov either, before you make any accusations.... 🙂

[Rock Action]

Ah, too many co-eds at the gym? Cool. Nope, no accusations other than I'm pissed you're not in our fantasy league. BTW, auto-draft has been a boon to people this year. Ugh.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

It was lame anyway.

Last year you and I were the only ones who talked at all.

sloopy cares more about his wife and kids than he cares about fantasy football.

[Rock Action]

It was lame anyway.

The co-eds? Because I went back again and I'm finding them entertaining.

[Apatheist ?_??]

I participated! Sloopy kinda kicked you out. Don't worry, I memorialized you in my team name.

[Rock Action]

Well, Boooo on that. Tulpa Tulpa Tulpa Tulpa.

We'll have to cornhole in VA sometime. Should be visiting in the fall.

Peace, RA.

[Rock Action]

You and heller both did. We gotta get this shit going again.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Don't worry, I memorialized you in my team name.

I can barely imagine.

But it's probably best for everyone. Even Shane knew when to ride off into the sunset rather than cause domestic troubles.

[Apatheist ?_??]

Eh if there was a vote I wouldn't have kicked you out. I'd prefer active members.

[BakedPenguin]

...auto-draft has been a boon to people this year. Ugh.

Now, now, don't be bitter, RA.

[Anonymous Coward]

Career grad student?

[Killazontherun]

Give Denkins II and his enablers a few terms, he'll have Manhattan turned into the world's largest trash barge before you know it.

[Tony]

Raising taxes by a degree that will harm absolutely nobody's lifestyle--for the purpose of funding important public services--sure beats guillotines, except in terms of flair.

[SIV]

the progs will still see him as a knuckle-dragging Christ-loving redneck

Why give a shit what progs think?

[Rock Action]

Legit presidential candidate.

[Warren]

Meh. I'm with him, but I wasn't inspired. A six minute speech needs to be eloquent from start to finish.

[Killazontherun]

I thought it was so so as well. Rhetoric and timbre not bad except in the section he did a Q&A to his selfie which was pretty icky. However, it didn't really spark for me. Also, don't mention Reagan, don't mention any president within living memory of the audience. World history is not defined by American presidents, they are almost always caught up in events, not directing them. Show a broader scope of awareness of historical and cultural forces, what anti-intellectual philistines refer to as conspiracy theories, then just who sat his ass down on the furniture at 1600 Penn. Avenue.

[Plopper]

I'm bored, and VG Zaytsev is a gerontophile who would allow the seniors to copulate. Why is he in favor of abuse of the elderly?

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Ban Gray Marriage NOW

[Hyperion]

Maybe we should set a legal age that is too old for sex and have the government to regulate that. If you are over the age it's a sex crime. Create a huge new agency to enforce it.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Putting Viagra on Schedule I should take care of it.

[Killazontherun]

Do you really want to be on Hugh Hefner's shit list? The man has ties to organized crime, a harem of Amazon assassins, and four out of the last five heavy weight boxing champions owe him favors.

[VG Zaytsev]

...and VG Zaytsev is a gerontophile

Of course I am, I'm 98 years old.

What's your excuse for being a pedophile?

[Plopper]

I make pedometers for a living.

[XM]

What is up with the tan? Rand looks like raccoon.

[Plopper]

The still shot before you press play makes it look like he's a lobster... then the video itself makes it look like he has some sort of horrible spray on tan.

[Plopper]

Also... I'm worried his hair isn't quite presidential enough.

[A Secret Band of Robbers]

I'm not seeing it.

[Plopper]

Then your monitor isn't properly calibrated. I know mine is, I just calibrated it with a meter the other day.

But seriously, you can tell he has a tan except around his eyes where he must have been wearing sunglasses or something.

[A Secret Band of Robbers]

Yeah, I do have f.lux turned on.

[Killazontherun]

He needs to grease it down like a doo wop era spic in the middle of a well choreograph knife fight.

I had to shave my own 'stache today. Too bushy. I was going for the thin little Spaniard one like the singer in the Danger! High Voltage video, but I could never control it. Got to be a real Wilford Brimley kind of affair. My facial hair is like barbed wire. Hurt like a motherfucker when pressed down against a coffee mug.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Racist!

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

I believe he was outside in the sun giving a speech in DC today.

[Hyperion]

How could he have got a tan in DC today. It wasn't over 90 outside, or not much over...

[Hyperion]

Maybe he got into the orange ones stash of self tan lotion?

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

"I thought you said you was bringing a white boy home! I don't see a white boy! I see a damn fool!"

[Hyperion]

I can probably recognize almost any quote from Seinfeld now, as many times as I've watched every season.

[Troy muy grande boner]

Those books in the background are the lamest props ever. Well, if you've eer been stuck in a law library. Like a fed 2nd. and a pacific reporter.

[A Secret Band of Robbers]

Originally, he had copies of Atlas Shrugged: Just the Train Wreck and the Part Where Dagny Shoots a Guy, the Aquasuttapitaka, and a manual on 3D printing handguns, but just before it aired, someone said, "Whoa, we need to move these."

[PapayaSF]

+1

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

On June 15, 2015 life will find a way again: Jurassic Park IV: 'Jurassic World' given the green light

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Aren't they into the Cretaceous yet?

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Mammoths. Next time definitely mammoths.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

And cockroaches the size of Emanuel Lewis.

[A Secret Band of Robbers]

Whatever it takes to get my Neanderthal rom com.

[Hyperion]

What about the Cambrian explosion. I want a movie about that.

Giant Trilobites!

[Killazontherun]

I can collect some serious XP running those over with my hot pink dune buggy.

[Whahappan?]

OT: Thank Zod that vile piece of shit Spitzer lost the primary for NYC Comptroller. I know it's too much to ask for, but can he fade into obscurity now?

[Hyperion]

Evil assholes don't really die. You have to actually kill them with some sort of stake through the heart. We just haven't figure out the right one for nanny politicians yet, since they won't seem to die willingly. Then they turn into zombie nannies and live under your yard.

[PapayaSF]

And Weiner can slink away, as well.

[darius404]

With his tail between his legs?

[PapayaSF]

I knew there was a joke in there somewhere....

[Cytotoxic]

Today is a great day!

[TheJohnnyAppleseedOfCrack]

Sorry to threadjack, but while people are reacting to other peoples reactions to what the blowhard-in-chief had to say tonight, Colorado just had a significant recall election. 2 state senators were up for recall, 1 has already conceded (ie got voted out) and the other is down by 14%.
I'm not gonna sf a link, so just google colorado recall.

[Plopper]

I can grow crack?

[Hyperion]

I heard about that. So are you saying that one of them actually got recalled?

Because I read an article today where the progs in CO were laughing about this and saying it's going to be a great victory for them and the gun control crowd when this fails.

[Irish]

It looks like the progs are going to lose both. They're already claiming voter suppression because the Colorado Libertarians got a law about mail ballots overturned. Apparently the law forced libertarian candidates off the ballot because it requires that election petitions be submitted within 10 days of the election being set. This is contradicted by the state constitution that says you must submit ballots within 15 days of the election being set.

In other words, Democrats drafted a law that was directly contradicted by the Colorado State Constitution and are claiming evil voter fraud because they were too incompetent to write a law that was actually..well..legal.

[Hyperion]

The Brady Act is unconstitutional also, but it's still been there since 1994, and no one has done shit about it. I don't know what part of 'shall not be infringed' that these assholes don't understand.

[Ted S.]

It's overruled by the Fuck You, That's Why Amendment.

[JWatts]

There was a segment on the Colorado recalls on NPR last night. The segment showed typical NPR bias. The argument was that recalls should only be for corruption and that recalling a candidate for making an unpopular vote wasn't what they were intended for.

Which is a reasonable argument and one I would have bought 20 years ago. But now I'm old enough to know that if this were Republican's being recalled, NPR's slant would have been completely different.

They had one clip of someone in favor of the recall and it was a very short clip. The segment made it sound like both recalls were going to fail. I should have known that allusion was complete BS.

[Derpetologist]

Bullshit is often dramatic and inspiring and reason is often dull and depressing.

I still prefer reason.

[Irish]

John Morse, Senate President in Colorado, has officially been recalled over his support of gun control. Senator Giron also looks like he will be recalled.

"I've grown up in the age of Columbine and the Aurora theater shooting, and John Morse has stood up to the NRA," said Sachin Mathur, a freshman at Colorado College, who is a Democrat from Castle Rock. "He did what was right."

This is awesome. As if he alone has lived through the era of Columbine and Aurora and pro-gun people have never heard of either event.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

I'm still confused how Columbine could have happened when we had a national ban on Assault Weapons.

[Hyperion]

Clearly because we didn't ban all guns. Except in the case of politicians and their pig goons who need guns and are responsible enough to use them. Anytime something doesn't work, it's only because we failed to go far enough.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

KOCHTOPUS!

On the conservative side, some late money has been arriving to augment the NRA funds from Americans for Prosperity, a group associated with the billionaires David and Charles Koch. But it is unlikely that the right will match the left in total spending. Too many GOP office holders are nervous about the precedent that would be set by a successful recall. As recall organizer Tim Knight told Charles C.W. Cooke of National Review magazine: "The Republicans don't want anything to do with us because they think, 'Next they'll recall us'."

[Hyperion]

The Republicans don't want anything to do with us because they think, 'Next they'll recall us'.

Then stop voting for stupid shit that violates peoples rights.

I am all in favor of recalling lots of big government Republicans. Can we start with some US senators?

[VG Zaytsev]

Can't, except for 2nd amendment remedies.

[darius404]

I've read that the Dems are outspending the opposition by 3-to-1.

http://hereandnow.wbur.org/201.....l-election

[Goldwin Smith]

You Know Who Else ignored public opinion, stood up to powerful people and groups and thought what he did was right?

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

Jesus?

[Gene]

Frank Zappa?

[Hyperion]

Man, did the left ever get blind sided by that one. Read my comment above...

[Irish]

Look at my comment about them claiming voter fraud due to a mail ballot law getting overturned in court.

I like that the Democrats flat out admit that their constituents are too lazy to make it to the polls or to be expected to educate themselves about where their polling location is.

"How can our constituents be expected to go to the POLLS to VOTE!?! There might be something good on T.V.!"

[Hyperion]

Look at my comment about them claiming voter fraud due to a mail ballot law getting overturned in court

I saw it.

"How can our constituents be expected to go to the POLLS to VOTE!?! There might be something good on T.V.!"

Clearly another case of racism here, nothing else can explain it.

[A Secret Band of Robbers]

Good news. I like Colorado too much to cede it to the californitards without a fight.

[SIV]

Soylent Eggs

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Al Gore stopped in Ms. McCreary's classroom as part of a quick tour of the school's crumbling physical structure.

After looking at the peeling paint on the windows, Mr. Gore chatted with students.

Just as Mr. Gore was about to leave, 11-year-old Hessam Akhlaghpour of Clifton piped up to tell the vice president he had heard him talking on CBS' 60 Minutes about how people in his native Tennessee would hypnotize chickens for amusement.

"Tell us how to do it," Hessam said. Mr. Gore laughed and started backing toward the door.

"No, really, tell us how to do it," Hessam insisted, like a mini-Mike Wallace.

So the vice president, after warning the kids "not to try this at home," told them: Hold a chicken's head on the ground. Take a finger or a stick and draw circles around the chicken's head.

"He'll try to follow the stick and, in no time, he'll go "cluck, cluck' and he's out," Mr. Gore said.

Hessam said he was satisfied with the explanation.

"I was just curious," he said.

[Hyperion]

Made from plants. And this is Gates biggest contribution to mankind now?

Once a visionary and great man, now turned into a blithering fool by progs and greenies.

Do those things taste like eggs, and do they have any damn protein in them? Those are important questions.

[SIV]

Soylent Soy-lent Soybeans-Lentils + people I'm sure they are mostly protein.

Probably lacking saturated fat which is the whole reason for eating tasty real eggs.

[VG Zaytsev]

Why???

Just today I bought 3 dozen eggs for $4.20; about $.12 each.

[Archduke Trousersenthusiast]

That's a mighty omelette.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

This Colorado news makes me happy. Let's all savor the yummy delicious progtard tears

annyp
A Canuck, eh!
1523 Fans
5 minutes ago (12:24 AM)
Every day the US is leaving the 21st Century to return to the good old wild west. The intelligent people of your country as leaving for better places to live with more opportunities and less stress. Other countries do have guns but also have sensible laws. Imagine being able to go to school, a theatre, a restaurant, go jogging or just walking, and not to have to worry about getting shot. US citizens are experiencing that elsewhere. So enjoy your life back to the good old days, that never really existed.

Mandark
65 Fans
5 minutes ago (12:23 AM)
The rural areas of Colorado will remain as such--the urban areas of Colorado will always hold sway. It's a matter of numbers.

The fact that the election was that close in a red-neck part of Colorado is telling. Your days are numbered. Education and good sense will always trump ignorance and backward thinking.

At least you have your guns and religion to cling to.

Bitter clingers!

[Irish]

Every day the US is leaving the 21st Century to return to the good old wild west. The intelligent people of your country as leaving for better places to live with more opportunities and less stress.

Really? Because the people in this country seem to always be moving to the states that actually have less strict gun control laws.

Don't let facts get in the way of the narrative, bucko!

magine being able to go to school, a theatre, a restaurant, go jogging or just walking, and not to have to worry about getting shot.

Considering that 85% of America has murder rates pretty much identical to Denmark, I'd say that this is already the experience of most Americans, you deluded nitwit.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Pueblo and Colorado Springs are redneck?

I wonder if that commenter realizes that in order to recall a Democrat, you have to vote them into office first.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

More, more!

huhwatjusay
468 Fans
23 minutes ago (12:15 AM)
Colorado voted to undermine the overwhelming (90+%) of the nation that favors responsible gun legislation. Shame on those who couldn't allow the people's voice to be heard in favor of the lobbyists. Absolutely nothing today will change the laws already passed in Colorado, The NRA... they can take pleasure in the fact that they have a brief victory eating their sour grapes. The nation favors legislation just like those laws passed in Colorado. Fanatics in Colorado cost the state $ needlessly when the Senate President had only one year left and would be term limited out. Just what exactly do these fanatics have against Democracy?

Yeah, who do these gun nuts think politicians work for? The people?!

[Irish]

It's hilarious that they keep trotting the 90% number out, but those 90% don't seem to vote.

They're probably being suppressed!

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

There were some polls showing that level of support for background checks.

Which of course has nothing to do with the magazine limits and semiauto rifle bans that precipitated this incident.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

hey can take pleasure in the fact that they have a brief victory eating their sour grapes.

It always comes back to Aesop with these characters.

[Apatheist ?_??]

Um, it was a vote. Isn't that "the people" using democracy?

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

It's only democracy if the plebes vote the right way.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

One more:

gwithc
I don't talk to trolls, only at them
348 Fans
32 minutes ago (12:08 AM)
Very sneaky creepublican tactics once again.

No mail in ballots and extreme voter intimidation being reported.

Sounds like un-American creepublicans defending what they THINK the second amendment says!!

Urrrgghhh! Getting off my ass to go the polling place is too hard!

[Irish]

It also wasn't the Republicans. The mail in ballots were kicked off because the law was ruled unconstitutional by a lawsuit brought by the state Libertarians.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

I think finding that out would induce even more apoplexy.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Republicans who smoke pot.

[Killazontherun]

BuleriaChk
Old White Guy, NOT Republican
232 Fans
44 seconds ago (12:58 AM)
Colorado votes to legalize pot and eliminate gun control.

[Hyperion]

It's almost enough to make me want to move there.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

I believe it was the fascist Elizabeth Warren who mocked a Republican candidate for being for marijuana legalization and against gun control. She something to the effect that Republicans want you 'armed and stoned.'

Let's hope Dem candidate continue to make their authoritarianism more and more obvious moving forward.

[Hyperion]

I doubt that once the mask has slipped this far, that there is any way to put it back on.

[Killazontherun]

I like it that she is the face of the people I hate the most. She is the antithesis of fun.

[Tulpa (LAOL-VA)]

Old Cherokee taboo: no smoke peace pipe when carry firestick.

[Killazontherun]

I should have been asleep an hour ago, this has me too happy.

[Snark Plissken]

Who is leaving the US because they are worried about guns? Certainly not why I left. Opportunities, yes, but that's a different story. And I'd certainly not want my kid attending a public school in the US.

[Hyperion]

I would guess that if any are leaving because of other reasons besides opportunities, it's because of the government. I don't think anyone is leaving because of guns, including the idiot in that post.

[Hyperion]

I've heard that if we can actually collect enough proglodyte tears that it is possible to use them to achieve the ever allusive cold fusion. We need to try harder!

[Hyperion]

Also, the elusive cold fusion, which is even harder to find...

[Irish]

Yeah, but can elusive cold fusion make references to Shakespeare in the way allusive cold fusion can? I think not.

[VG Zaytsev]

It's the end of democracy 🙁

[Hyperion]

Democracy is only democracy when we win and can take away more of your freedoms.

/proglotards

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Haha, even Jon Stewart could not resist mocking these losers.

[triclops]

The world is right again; Andrew Sullivan has returned to hero worshipping the president and claiming everything he does is a masterstroke of genius. He hung on to his Syria objections far longer than I expected, but I knew this speech would overwhelm him.
I do wonder why many people think it was an effective speech. Obama never explained how this will actually deter anything, nor how his plan would improve the situation in Syria. All he said was"really bad stuff happened, and as World Police, we must attack the bad guys, and everything will work out. Trust me. Also, we are not world police and I hate war. Eat Snacky Smores".

[Adam]

Apparently, the opposition in Syria isn't really all that great, which we knew, but it may be even worse than we though.

[Suthenboy]

He made it back alive and they didnt eat him, so it is better than I thought.

[Suthenboy]

Also worth mentioning that the rebel groups in Libya are the same types. Iraq and Afghanistan are eaten up with that shit also. The pits of hell.

A geologist I used to know who worked in Iran before the Shah fell used to say "Those people are NOT civilized."

[Rufus J. Firefly]

How can anyone see anything wrong with this response?

Much more compelling than Obama's muddled plea.

[Killazontherun]

I don't give even a minute of my time to Barry, so could only critique Rand by my own standards.