Tonight on The Independents: Ron Paul vs. the NSA, Chris Christie vs. the Drug War, Jim Epstein vs. the Port Authority, Plus Ask a Communist, Snorting Smarties, and Rob Ford's Jamaiccent

INDEPENDENTS ASSEMBLE! Tonight at 9 pm on your favorite new cable television news talk show, former congressman and three-time presidential candidate Ron Paul will deliver his verdict on President Barack Obama's lukewarm "reforms" of the surveillance state (I will give you a wild guess). Paul will also talk about how Edward Snowden should be treated back home, and how a certain senatorial son of his might galvanize the growing anti-surveillance sentiment in the country.

"Progressive messaging expert" Richard Fowler will be on the Party Panel alongside former congressman Rick Lazio (R-NY) to talk about New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's pivot against the drug war during his second inauguration today, and also Patrick J. Kennedy's panicky pivot away from alcohol-prohibition comparisons. Eligible for further discussion will be death penalty cruelty in Ohio, and Toronto Mayor Rob Ford's superior approval ratings to those of Barack Obama. 

Also on the show will be beloved Reasoner Jim Epstein, to talk about his great piece from earlier today on how the real villain in Chris Christie's bridge scandal is the sprawling and corrupt bureaucratic mess, the New York-New Jersey Port Authority, which is a classic case of Progressive-era anti-corruption "reform" that ended up exacerbating the underlying problem. 

Not convinced yet? How about a round of "Ask the Communist" with Rolling Stone property-appropriator Jesse Myerson? Or a follow-up Kmele Foster-led round of "Is it Racist?" starring ASU frat-douches, Rob Ford's latest Jamaican-accented drinking binge, and the Twitter feed Yes, You're Racist. Send your hi-fives and sucker-punches to @IndependentsFBN and they may get used on air.

Comments

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Not convinced yet? How about a round of "Ask the Communist" with Rolling Stone property-appropriator Jesse Myerson?

A lot of us felt like you give the smug douche a free pass last time. We'd appreciate it if you, Kennedy, and Kmele were a bit more aggressive in demolishing his Marxoid nonsense this time around.

Ceterum autem censeo Washingtonium esse delendam.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Will someone put him in his place for his smug attempt at understanding Smith?

God, that guy is intellectually insufferable.

[MJGreen]

I'd appreciate it if they stop giving him airtime. I'm sure he knows he's an idiot. He just wants attention.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

Wendy Davis: "empowerment" and the poor little woman; "struggle" and the man
Davis sez her opponent for TX gov, Greg Abbott, hasn't struggled or "hasn't walked a day in [her] shoes".

Abbott is paralyzed - freak accident involving a falling oak tree.

[Sevo]

..."or "hasn't walked a day in [her] shoes".[...] Abbott is paralyzed"

So Andrea Bocelli gives a recital in SF years ago and the reviewer doesn't seem to get around to doing any research at all.
The review gripes that 'he never opens his eyes, like he's singing to the back of his eyelids.'
And the editor didn't catch it either; it went to print.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

Ah, our intellectually and morally superior media and leftist politicians...

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Can you link that travesty?

[Sevo]

Rufus,
It's at least 15 years ago, so I doubt it was ever digitized.
It took several days of apologies by the entire 'living' section of the paper before it blew over. Bocelli was gracious.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Ah.

[Sevo]

Rufus,
I checked back to page 15 under a couple of subjects; no go. Really am sorry not to find it in 'print'; it was one of the most jaw-dropping things I ever saw in real print.
If I hadn't seen the L-to-E and the apologies, I was ready to believe it was some hoax.

[Sevo]

Oh, and I'm not really surprised the critic did what he (and it was a "he") could to make it disappear or at least keep it from being easily found.
I wouldn't have put it in my CV.

[General Butt Naked]

We're not surprised Republicans have attempted to undermine Wendy Davis' campaign by calling her past into question ? we have seen similar attacks launched against women candidates before.

Yeah, opponents never dig into a man's past to find inconsistencies and improper behavior. Never ever.

The recent personal attacks on Wendy Davis and her family are blatant attempts to thwart her campaign and undermine her success?

Ummmm, yeah that's usually the point of negative ads. Does this person honestly believe that not only should (democratic) female candidates be given a free pass from male opponents, but their opponents should actively help them succeed in being elected?

[Sevo]

Ya know, Obo could have accomplished all sorts of things if those darn members of the opposing party didn't oppose anything he wanted!

[Longtorso, Johnny]

Solipsism

[Notorious G.K.C.]

You know, Texas knows what it's like to be with a guy named Jeff Davis for a few years, then try to put the relationship behind you.

[Acosmist]

Amazing.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Sure, at first he seemed nice, but he was really into bondage in a big way.

[Almanian!]

+nice

Er...NOT nice. Perhaps "clever" would be a better word.....

/slave to propriety

[Irish]

You know, Texas knows what it's like to be with a guy named Jeff Davis for a few years, then try to put the relationship behind you.

This is awesome.

[seguin]

We're not surprised Republicans have attempted to undermine Wendy Davis' campaign by calling her past into question ? we have seen similar attacks launched against women candidates before..

Yeah, like 2008...what was that lady's name? She had a talking buttplug.

[Whahappan?]

"Stand up Chuck!"

[Spawn of Nyarlathotep]

I don't know whether it's been covered yet, but apparently Ezra Klein's out at WaPo and now Volokh's in. Go, Bezos, go!

[All-Seeing Monocle]

I see I'm not the only one who didn't scan the PM links.

I didn't see any mention of Klein getting fired in a grandiose ceremony of public humiliation, which is a bit disappointing. Still, awesome overall.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

It was covered and discussed.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

What time does this show go on? Can I watch it livestream?

[Sevo]

They give that twerp another free pass starting at 9: Eastern.

[Raven Nation]

There's a short ReasonTV clip on that girl in NJ & the way marijuana helps medically. In addition to the human interest angle, the medical-science side is astounding.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Holy shit, check out this link Myerson tweeted at a guy he was arguing with on Twitter.

http://kasamaproject.org/news-.....communists

He thinks these are good rebuttals to critics of communist regimes and Marxism.

[Longtorso, Johnny]

Quote massive death tolls without regards to demographics or consistency. 3 million famine deaths? 7 million? 10 million? 100 million deaths total? You need not worry about anyone checking your work, which is good for you seeing that you probably haven't done any.

Presumably he denies Mao's 100mil deaths, etc....

[montana mike]

What's a few million either way...now 50 million were talking real numbers.

[Episiarch]

Switch a few words around and that could be addressed to an anti-capitalist. Holy shit, I shouldn't be astounded by the level of projection and (I'm going to call this) mirroring, mirroring being when someone accuses an opponent of the exact same tactics they use, it's just that the side/TEAMs are flipped, but otherwise, the tactics/techniques/slant are identical.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

This is just flat out evil. It's hand waving away the deaths of tens of millions of people and attempting to create a false moral equivalency with capitalism so that communism might be tried again.

Really, evil is the only way I can describe that level of mendacity and historical revisionism for the purpose of unleashing totalitarianism on the world again.

[Episiarch]

But, Serious, it's fashionable in a all the right circles. I mean, think of how risque it is to refer to yourself as a Communist! Millions dead? What's that? This is a fashion statement.

[Virginian]

There's a house I drive by every morning. Always had two flags out front. Standing side by side, same height. The Stars and Stripes, and the defunct flag of the Republic of South Vietnam. Always wondered what his story is. How he got out. If he left anyone behind. What he thinks of commmie apologists.

[Almanian!]

Growing up, a guy from Cambodia and his wife/little, tiny daughter moved to my mid-Michigan, podunk farm town. Early 80's. Bo was his name - he went to our church, and worked at one of the used-car dealers I sold auto parts to.

I never, ever, ever had the heart to ask him "WHAT WAS IT LIKE IN CAMBODIA! ZOMFG IT MUST HAVE BEEN SOOOOO EXOTIC!" He never offered anything up...

Why he ended up in my little shithole, I'll never know. Was just glad to have made his acquaintance. Quite a man....

[Ted S.]

I had a classmate in college from Cambodia named Bo. A couple of times he did Cambodian food for all of us Russian majors, and when I commented that it was quite spicy, his response was, "This is mild."

[Virginian]

Local Vietnamese resturant is aweomse, because in addition to food, has awesome beer selection. I ordered something new last time I was there.

Me: "I'm going to try this *points to menu item*"
Waiter: "OK. That's pretty spicy."
Me: "That's cool, I like spicy food."
Waiter: "OK cool. Want me to make it Vietnamese spicy?"
Me: "No, we'll go with white guy spicy."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CG2cux_6Rcw

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

6. Constantly talk about George Orwell. Quote from Animal Farm or 1984. Do not worry about the fact that Orwell never set foot in the Soviet Union and both of those books are novels.

Yeah, Orwell totally didn't experience Stalinism while in Spain. 1984 and Animal Farm came out of nowhere!

26. Communist leaders were 'paranoid' for devoting so much time to security against counter-revolution. Ignore the mountains of evidence, including the restoration of capitalism in the East Bloc, that this threat was indeed real.

They clearly didn't crackdown hard enough on toes wreckers and Kulaks! Gulags were the right way to go!

[Virginian]

The threat was real, just like the threat to Hitler that culminated in the attempted assassination via bomb was real. There's always plenty of people willing to overthrow tyrants.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Yes, but the argument is basically excusing the atrocities of the Great Purge, Cultural Revolution, and Year Zero as justified since some people wanted to overthrow the Party.

Again, pretty fucking evil.

[Virginian]

Indeed. It's basically saying that *nerd alert* the destruction of Alderaan was totally ok because the Rebel Alliance sought the downfall of the Empire.

[Sevo]

"They clearly didn't crackdown hard enough on toes wreckers and Kulaks! Gulags were the right way to go!"

What that retard forgot is that the "restoration of capitalism" is what the people WANTED.
It took Soviet tanks to deny their desires.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Myerson, you sir are in dire need of a second head.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWHNA_j7h5A

Those are not even tips but a collection of derps.

[Irish]

Quote massive death tolls without regards to demographics or consistency. 3 million famine deaths? 7 million? 10 million? 100 million deaths total? You need not worry about anyone checking your work, which is good for you seeing that you probably haven't done any.

If you switched those numbers around a little, this could read exactly like a Holocaust denier.

In fact, they basically are Holocaust deniers.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

I like how that argument supposes their side will look better if it turns out only 50 million people died from the Great Leap Forward instead of 80 million.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

I like how the burden of proof is others.

[Rufus J. Firefly]

on.

[Irish]

Well, if you're claiming millions of people died, the burden of proof should be on you.

It's just that it's already been completely proven that millions of people were killed by all of these governments, so at this point they're quibbling over whether it's 80 million or 100 million as if that really matters.

[Almanian!]

this

[Rufus J. Firefly]

Or they will tu quoque it and claim capitalism killed just as many!

[Almanian!]

MARKET FAYLYOOR!!!

[Irish]

11. Constantly attack 'Communist' regimes for actions that occur in capitalist regimes up to this very day.

I love this one. By making this argument, they can basically handwave away the millions who starved to death during the Holodomor by saying "Well, one homeless guy starved to death in New York 5 years ago!"

Totalitarian sympathizers always do this. They say that if something happens in a capitalist society, it isn't Communism/Fascism's fault when it happens 1,000,000 times worse in their system. If police use too much force in a capitalist society, that justifies mass executions in the Soviet Union.

[GILMORE]

Dear fucking god.

Internet Stalinists. Just what we need. I need Elwood to drive a car through their little knitting circle.

That is possibly the most disgusting series of comments I've ever seen. Apparently the whole 'mass murder' thing has been dialectic-ed away already, any any further discussion of it is entirely the product of brainwashing by the bourgeoisie. One guy even went as far to propose the Mao-ism of, "No investigation, no right to speak." should be understood as a *priority to restrict free speech unless its been approved by committee*. The committee being, the most *educated* in the theory. Jesus, Stalinism is basically a bunch of assholes with Tenure given guns.

Because free speech? First Problem, there. WrongThink.

[Derpetologist]

Speaking of insufferable Western communists, I proudly present Maoist Rebel News- "Did Mao Really Kill Millions in the Great Leap Forward?"

YES YOU FUCKING IMBECILE!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e8CXWEAf-w

[Raven Nation]

Worse than we thought:

http://www.amazon.com/Maos-Gre.....0802779239

One critic of the book was pissed off because:

"Dik?tter omits Mao's achievements in improving social stability, economic growth and living standards by 1956."

[Virginian]

"Dik?tter omits Mao's achievements in improving social stability, economic growth and living standards by 1956."

I love the bullshit that falls from their mouths.

Every single fucking time Communism has been tried, people have fled. Until the Party sets up a wall to keep the People inside the People's State.

Every. Fucking. Time.

[Raven Nation]

Yep. A lot of people justified Stalin on that basis. Of course, if they were going to be consistent they would stop criticizing Bush b/c of the prescription drug plan, etc.

[Corning]

improving social stability, economic growth and living standards by 1956.

Year three and four under the Khmer Rouge were much better then year zero and one.

[Raven Nation]

And the "social stability" argument is crap. As I tell my students, I could pretty much guarantee safety in America: armed troops in every classroom, place of work, and dwelling space.

[OldMexican]

"Progressive messaging expert" Richard Fowler

A cute name for professional bullshit artist.

[Virginian]

So the last governor of VA has been indicted for accepting gifts. Also his wife. This is a totally nonpartisan indictment, and has nothing to do with ensuring that the establishment patsy the Inner Party wishes to run against Mark Warner has a clear run to an awesome concession speech.

The current governor of VA is Terry McAuliffe.

The first governor of VA was Patrick Henry.

*raises glass* to the Republic, dead these many years.

Any chance Colorado overturns their gun laws? I think I might like it there. Or have the socialists ruined it permanently?

[Cytotoxic]

I don't live in CO, but that state seems to be in flux. I remember some CO pols got thrown out over gun laws.

[Raven Nation]

Girlfriend lives in CO. It's kind of in flux, but it's more an issue of being a purple state with the blue areas tending to be solid blue & red areas solid red.

The gun laws did result in some recalls but the much bigger issue was a major gun manufacturer (can't remember name) shutting down all their operations & moving of state.

Also, the marijuana legalization issue is really just happening (rather than being argued about) in places on the western slope (e.g around Aspen, etc.). If I was going to move to CO (which I might), I would seriously consider the western side of the Rockies rather than the Denver area.

[Virginian]

I'd miss Shenandoah though. Like, a lot. Been doing some hikes recently. Winter is great, the hordes from down DC/NOVa way don't come up until the spring.

[Raven Nation]

I understand that. Lot of great hiking in CO though e.g.

http://www.coloradowilderness......photos.htm

[Dry_Gin_Wet_Farts]

The current governor of VA is Terry McAuliffe.

The first governor of VA was Patrick Henry.

*raises glass* to the Republic, dead these many years.

From Henry to McAuliffe, similar to how prime rib becomes a turd floating in your toilet the next day.

[Sevo]

From the comments:
"Stalin's personal inquiry into this ended up in automatic appeals and liberation for tens of thousands of people who were falsely accused."
Awestruck!

[Sevo]

BTW, I'm pretty sure even the Russians have given up repeating lies of this sort. It takes a willfully deluded westerner to come up with lies of this magnitude.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

But the appeals came too late because they were all dead.

[Sevo]

Naah. They couldn't find 'em in the gulag. You ever see those people? Filthy, no pride, why they stink so much you can't get close enough to identify 'em!

[Palin's Buttplug]

The Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. ?

Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, once viewed as a rising star in the GOP, and his wife were indicted Tuesday on federal corruption charges accusing the couple of accepting tens of thousands of dollars in loans, shopping sprees, money for their daughter's wedding ? and even a joyride in a Ferrari ? from the owner of a company that makes health supplements.

The 14-count indictment portrays the former governor as deeply entrenched in credit card debt even before he took office and willing to accept lavish gifts from Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams, who hoped the first couple's endorsement for his products would yield big profits for his company.

McDonnell appeared Tuesday night at a hastily called news conference in Richmond to strongly deny any wrongdoing and denounce what he said was an "unjust overreach" by federal prosecutors.

http://www.ajc.com/ap/ap/gener.....ted/ncww8/

[Sevo]

Palin's Buttplug|1.21.14 @ 8:48PM|#
"The Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va. ?
Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, once viewed as a rising star in the GOP, and his wife were indicted Tuesday on federal corruption charges accusing the couple of accepting tens of thousands of dollars in loans, shopping sprees, money for their daughter's wedding ? and even a joyride in a Ferrari"

Yeah, dipshit, and your fave lying bastard continues to get a pass, right?

[Palin's Buttplug]

Jesus wants the McDonnell's to have nice things and be out of debt. The US Attorney needs to understand how conservatives think.

[darius404]

NEEDS MOAR CHRISTFAG.

[Francisco d Anconia]

INDEPENDENTS ASSEMBLE!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Covered already, dummy.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Fuck that. Welch doesn't get to steal my shtick.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I don't think you want to get into who stole whose shtick.

[Francisco d Anconia]

But you said Team Stossel. I said Independents.

Are you retarded?

Is the word "assemble" your Intellectual Property?

[Diggit]

INDEPENDENTS, UNZIP!

[Fist of Etiquette]

Now that's catchy.

[Francisco d Anconia]

Now I'm definitely stealing that.

[SweatingGin]

Ahhh! Cavuto!

... And ipad autocorrected Cavuto to Cavity.

[Derpetologist]

He's the Swedish chef of communist propaganda!

Yaymon farskor de hurr de hurskdedoo, yaymon forskar deerpah door DERP! DERP! DERP!

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

[Cytotoxic]

Chris Christie vetoed some legislation regarding phoning in ODs right? Did he also veto medical MJ? What a joke.

[Fist of Etiquette]

"Sinking beneath the weight..."

[Episiarch]

Did Kennedy steal those earrings from Cleopatra's tomb?

[Bam!]

Chandelier earrings.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Both parties? The corpulent one really was talking out of his lard ass.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Oh, Chris, so unaware of the way the winds would be blowing.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Obama said he was against the drug war, which of course means he's not against the drug war.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Yo governor's so fat, when he gets the munchies he eats an entire Dorito's factory.

[General Butt Naked]

He's so fat that when he sits around the governor's mansion he sits AROUND the governor's mansion.

He's so fat he was sworn in on a Betty Crocker cookbook by Chef Boyardee.

[Fist of Etiquette]

You're like school on Saturday.

[General Butt Naked]

I'm the breakfast club?

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Alanis Morrisette would call that ironic.

[SweatingGin]

DON'T TALK SHIT ABOUT MY ALCOHOL

[Fist of Etiquette]

Uh, marijuana leads to pregnant teenagers and terrorists.

[Fist of Etiquette]

DRUG COURTS! Doing good things (sending business to drug rehabs).

[SweatingGin]

Lazio: rule people with a hammer.

[Bam!]

Income inequality doesn't hurt anyone, dipshit.

[Episiarch]

Dude needs to realize that fucking with Kmele is a bad move.

[Fist of Etiquette]

He didn't say redistribute the wealth because that phrase doesn't test well.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

The Magical Multiplier Effecf strikes again!

[All-Seeing Monocle]

Well, that is simple economics, I'll give him that.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Obama needs some of that Ford bling around his neck.

[SweatingGin]

"Sweaty as ever"

Thanks, Kennedy.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

So is the concept of opportunity cost not considered a part of 'basic economics'?

[Episiarch]

What is "Toronto"?

[Paul.]

Canada's largest shopping mall.

[SweatingGin]

I have a video for that!

Why are you closed?

[Archduke von Pantsfan]

ROB FORD!!!

[All-Seeing Monocle]

It's pronounced "Felch".

[Fist of Etiquette]

HOLY SHIT WELCH DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO PRONOUNCE HIZZONER?

[Paul.]

Rob Ford's what?

[Dry_Gin_Wet_Farts]

Out for a rip?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Okay, there is limited time to deal with each issue and they spend time talking about hats? DISCIPLINE, KENNEDY.

[All-Seeing Monocle]

That second sentence is a lot more enticing sans the comma.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Put your boner away, pervert. The comma is there.

[Bam!]

She seems a little bit more hyper than usual. Needs some medical marijuana to counter that hyperactivity.

[All-Seeing Monocle]

Every time I see her she seems a bit more hyper than usual.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I have to be honest with everyone. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is on Epix3 right now.

[Episiarch]

I own it.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

It's on Netflix streaming, so you can watch it any time.

[Fist of Etiquette]

So is The Independents. You just have to search for it.

[Paul.]

Negative... Netflix has removed movies from its stream. If you don't have it on a hard drive or a disk in your house, you don't own it.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Is Ron Paul on another plane of existence right now? Is he God?

[Bam!]

He has a channel, apparently.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

What would God need with a starship?

[Episiarch]

Ron brings the smackdown.

[Fist of Etiquette]

They promised Snowden he would be welcomed as a liberator.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Kmele is all about what Ron Paul is saying right now.

[All-Seeing Monocle]

Did he just call them clowns? Fuck yeah!

[Episiarch]

Yes he did. If Ron were to refer to "clown shoes" I might pass out.

[Fist of Etiquette]

ASK HIM ABOUT THE NEWSLETTERS, FOSTER.

[Episiarch]

I think Ron might be the only guy Kennedy has never interrupted.

[All-Seeing Monocle]

Even Kennedy won't butt in on this.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Hey man, you don't talk to the Doctor, you listen. The man's enlarged my mind. He's a poet-warrior in the classic sense.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Do Ron and Rand even talk to each other?

[Episiarch]

I know that I try to talk to my parents as little as possible, so I'm just going to assume Rand Paul is the same.

[Irish]

Not since Rand wrote those newsletters when he was 15 years old.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I already did a newsletters joke. Only one newsletters joke per thread.

[Ted S.]

Irish's jokes are actually funny.

[Fist of Etiquette]

That doesn't weigh into the situation.

[Bobarian]

Yours was first, I'll give you that...

[Bam!]

If you could graph the concepts Ron Paul talks about, the number of nodes in the graph would grow exponentially with the duration of his monologue.

[SweatingGin]

That was two amazingly fast outfit/earring changes there.

[Episiarch]

Either Kennedy just admitted she's a hermaphrodite or she's confused at how her genitals work.

[All-Seeing Monocle]

Maybe she just knows some moves that we don't.

[Derpetologist]

John Candy communist brainwashing scene:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qLzQ4uOvio

[Thane ? the booty]

for cytotoxic

[SweatingGin]

^ good explanation, I should have checked back.

[Thane ? the booty]

BTW, you wondered aloud the other day about what database the NSA was using for all the text messages it has picked up; I pointed out Apache Accumulo as a potential option (it was originally developed by the NSA). You might be interested in checking it out.

[SweatingGin]

Cool, will check.

[Thane ? the booty]

N.B., I haven't checked on whether Mozilla ships the US Gov's root certificates; I'm taking Sweaty G's word for it.

[SweatingGin]

I haven't checked lately, I'm sure they used to.

http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/a...../included/

Lots of governments, including China. Lots of other places I didn't expect (RSA). Don't see dod, actually.

[General Butt Naked]

Is the livestream of this working for anyone?

It's super slow for me. I think Kenedy's earrings are clogging the tubez.

[All-Seeing Monocle]

This one is working for me
http://www.zenex.tv/foxbusiness11

[General Butt Naked]

Sweet. It's working great so far.

If I had to watch that Edward Jones commercial again, I was gonna cancel my (nonexistence) subscription.

[SIV]

Did you catch the "buy patent troll stock" commercial? They didn't pitch anything about licensing their IP, just suing over it.

[Bam!]

Black panelist looks a bit like Donald Glover from Community.

[Episiarch]

So Matt wants a Hunger Games day?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Day of death? That was the plot to The Purge. I think. I kind of fell asleep.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Not to self: Do not piss off Kennedy or her family

[Fist of Etiquette]

Unless, of course, Kennedy, YOU GET IT WRONG.

[General Butt Naked]

You get more appeals as a death penalty inmate and life in prison is worse than death...

/tulpa

[Episiarch]

At least Kennedy is honest that the death penalty is about vengeance and not justice.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Honest question: what's the difference in your opinion?

[Episiarch]

If it's vengeance, then it is simple bloodthirstiness. If someone is ok with the government killing people for vengeance, even knowing how much the government often fucks up, lies, railroads, and more, then such a person doesn't give a fuck about justice or that an innocent person might get killed.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

Right, making the person suffer for personal satisfaction is vengeance.

But simply killing the person who robbed you of a loved one like a wife or a son doesn't sound like it's incompatible with the concept of justice, which I feel is ultimately about balance.

[Diggit]

Epi doesn't know the difference between revenge and justice, because he can't comprehend the concept of justice.

[Episiarch]

I'm confused by how so many of you seem to be unable to comprehend the important part of my point, even though I've reiterated it multiple times:

Are you ok with the government killing people? Are you ok with the government killing people knowing the government's track record at evidence, justice, politically motivated prosecutions, and, well, everything?

Because if you are, you do not care if there is very high likelihood--possibly a guarantee--that innocents will be killed.

[Idle Hands]

So how is that any different from vengeance? I thought we were discussing whether justice and vengeance were one in the same.

[montana mike]

I used to be okay with the death penalty because some people deserve it given the heinous nature of their acts.

I changed my mind for the exact reasons you point out in your last 2 paragraphs, epi and I can't abide an innocent person being deprived of their life in my name. I just can't because like you I'm sure innocent people died. In that case as a society we are no better than Mao or Stalin.

[Cyto]

There are plenty of people who deserve much worse than execution. What they deserve doesn't really enter into it.

The question is what are we going to authorize the state to do? Killing people who are safely in custody shouldn't be on that list.

Now, if any of those folks who deserve much worse things should commit those transgressions against those I love - well, there's a good chance that they'd prefer jail.

[Idle Hands]

If people felt that the system didn't dole out what they deemed proper, they would pay it back themselves in spades. Which does happen from time to time.

[Idle Hands]

I always thought of them as one and the same, except you have a third party get you your pound of flesh, much safer. I think it is in that social contract I signed, but I don't remember.

[The Bearded Hobbit]

Vengeance is perforated bowels, or whatever it was that Kennedy mentioned.

Justice is a life for a life.

Just saying; not a death penalty advocate.

... Hobbit

[General Butt Naked]

She was channeling Nancy Grace there for a minute.

[Bam!]

Surprising amount of support on the panel for televising state murders.

[Paul.]

Haven't seen the episode, but is this another case of "shove it down people's throats, then they'll be agin it"?

[Notorious G.K.C.]

That works wonders.

I reality, people who get off on public executions will watch them, and people who are offended will watch...The Independents or something.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Why are they giving PBS exclusive rights to Welch's Day of Death?

[General Butt Naked]

What was that dude's name that used to liveblog stossel with us?

Crystal method? Something meth?

What happened to him? He was cool.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Fiscal Meth.

[Fist of Etiquette]

And I always thought he was either your or my alter ego.

[kibby]

Because it would put a halt (for a few hours, at least) to those irritating fundraising drives they're always airing.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Catch the rolling heads in this handy PBS tote bag!

[The Bearded Hobbit]

First time watching and I catch the death penalty argument. Meh.

Will switch back when the commercials end.

... Hobbit

[Archduke von Pantsfan]

What's the over/under on how many times he knocks Kimi out of a race?

Popular Japanese racer Kamui Kobayashi is back in Formula One with the Caterham team -- and fan power has helped him return to the grid.
After losing his drive with the Sauber team at the end of 2012, Kobayashi turned to crowdfunding and asked fans to donate cash in an online campaign to help him pay for a seat in F1.
The 27-year-old explained on the "Support Kamui" website that he was too late to find a drive ahead of the 2013 season but pledged: "I will save all the money for 2014."

[Fist of Etiquette]

The Topical Storm seems to come earlier every show.

[Irish]

I blame global warming.

[Bam!]

I get the impression if Kennedy didn't have a camera crew, she'd still be running around on the streets like this.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Urban myth alert.

[Episiarch]

Nasal maggots? Is that why NutraSweet smells so bad?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Put Foster's nose Smartie on eBay.

[Bam!]

What daily duty does the queen have?

[All-Seeing Monocle]

"5 bucks says he eats it."

[Bam!]

Seriously: Kennedy is more hyper today.

[kibby]

She is. The best part of that is watching Matt & Kmele react to her.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

I knew a kid in high school who railed crushed-up Jolly Ranchers, and then blood immediately gushed from his nose. He also sometimes smoked grass. As in, clippings of the ornamental variety instead of the fun stuff.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

Not that he didn't also partake of the real stuff, but, yeah. Something something gateway drug.

[Episiarch]

I think we all prayed for boobs for all the girls, to be honest.

[Episiarch]

Wow, Jesse is defensively smug. Disgusting.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Alternate game title: I'm an Idiot and I Can Prove It.

[Paul.]

"self-identified communist" and an occupy wall st. regular duuude.

So, is there any question left that Occupy Wall Street is a pro-government pep-rally? No?

Then shut the fuck up.

[SweatingGin]

Kennedy's ear rings don't pay for themselves.

[Fist of Etiquette]

SELFLESS STATE RUN NEW AGENCIES.

[Bam!]

Since when has NPR ever confronted anyone?

[OldMexican]

Never, but the guy obviously thinks that parroting the government line is the same as "confronting our overlords."

[SweatingGin]

NSA deputy director "interview" they ran a few weeks ago is an example of that non-confrontational aspect.

[SweatingGin]

No, NPR basically sucks. Amazingly poor journalism.

[Fist of Etiquette]

If the commies took it, then you already own it, Kennedy.

[Episiarch]

Empire builders are capitalists? Slavers are capitalists?

[Somalian Road Corporation]

Don't forget how rape and racism are somehow inherent to capitalism.

[montana mike]

Somalia begs to differ.

[Calidissident]

I've never gotten this. Imperialism and slavery existed for thousands of years before capitalism did. Any economic system that is remotely free-market by definition cannot have slavery, and a true free market would not have any initiation of force whatsoever. On top of that, communist states basically enslaved their entire populations and many of them engaged in imperialism as well.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

Maybe I'm just a humorless funhater but I don't see anything of value of joking and laughing around in a political argument with a communist. I like this Kmele fellow though.

[SweatingGin]

Need a basketball game style announcer booming out a KKKKKKKKKMMMMMMMEEEEEEELLEEEE!!!!

[Bam!]

Instead of a lightning round, have the communist pick a single topic and beat him until he dies.

[Fist of Etiquette]

But the receipt isn't notarized.

[Fist of Etiquette]

All the good parts of Communism and none of that unfortunate byproduct.

[kibby]

Because obviously wishing hard enough will make that happen.

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

I was hoping somebody would ask why he thinks his intentions matter. You are creating a system that is just begging for abuse and horrific outcomes.

[OldMexican]

"Capitalism turned my mom into a prostitute!"

Or something like it.

[Paul.]

Hey, the commie just advocated for more guns... just not in your hands.

[Episiarch]

"My system is failed, but so is yours because I say so!"

[OldMexican]

Oh, was the tu quoque wielded with gusto by this knave!

[The Rt. Hon. Serious Man, Visc]

So capitalism has failed because...

[OldMexican]

Kennedy never gave him the chance to expain why! Now we'll never know!
Woe is us!

[Bam!]

Because fuck you. That's why.

*runs up to his room, crying; slams door*

[BiMonSciFiCon]

Everything he described he wanted, capitalism has delivered.

Also, capitalism is voluntary exchange. Slavery is not voluntary exchange.

[Fist of Etiquette]

That's Epstein?

[kibby]

Whoa, is this guy sixteen?

[Paul.]

Not yet.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

He looks young enough to be in a position of power as an Obama administration apparatchik.

[kibby]

No, he needs to grow a patchy, terrible beard for that job.

[Paul.]

He is an Obama administration apparatchik.

[Episiarch]

Jim Epstein tried to get out of this interview by bringing a note that he was sick, signed "Epstein's mother". It didn't work because Mr. Foster saw right through it.

[All-Seeing Monocle]

Ironic since he's clearly more of a Horshack.

[Episiarch]

The real question is whether Kennedy is a Sweathog.

[Fist of Etiquette]

A both slush fund and enforcement arm.

[Paul.]

Golden rule of government: When the government wants to create an agency that's "above politics" be afraid, be very afraid.

[The Bearded Hobbit]

1. I generally don't watch talking head shows.
2. I generally don't watch TV with commercials.

However. . .

This was a cool show (what I saw of it). You guys actually let the commie talk and didn't rip his head off.

Is this normal for talk shows?

... Hobbit

[Paul.]

No.

[Fist of Etiquette]

If you live in New York or New Jersey you don't think that privatization or deregulation is a good thing.

[Paul.]

They get the government they deserve, good and hard.

[Ted S.]

I live in New York, and didn't vote for any of the scumbags we've currently got in office, thank you very much.

[Episiarch]

Ted, you're just supposed to lie down and enjoy the REGION WAR and collectivism. Didn't you get the memo?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Isn't there a Girls marathon on somewhere?

[Episiarch]

It's on the TiVo. I'm saving it for masturbation later.

[Bobarian]

I always thought of it as a method of preventing masturbation?

[Paul.]

HBO, 24/7.

I've only seen like one episode and I'm not sure whether to respect Lena Dunham or just write her off all together.

[Paul.]

Or both.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

Speaking of region war, I'm glad that Florida seized the crown from Arizona as the Most Racist and Terrible State, because I was getting really tired of hearing it all the time.

[Paul.]

And yet there, you remain.

[SweatingGin]

"Should be some journalism on it" (port authority corruption)

Not to worry Matt, Salon's nationalized media will get right on it. Maybe the Port authority Manager's Union will put out a newsletter looking deeper into what they do.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

Also I could give less of a fuck about this fucking bridge closure "scandal" with all the actual scandals like the Sinaloan cartel hilarity, Fast and Furious, Benghazi, Libya, drug war, dronewar, star chamber due-process-free assassination of American citizens, etc., etc., etc.

Christie's just another scumbag socialist with an R next to his name. Which means he'll probably be getting his "turn" to lose in 2016 judging from how the Republicans have been doing things. But, come on.

[Bam!]

Puppets. Why'd it have to be puppets.

[Dry_Gin_Wet_Farts]

No shit. Puppets? Why the silly shit? Why don't people take libertarians seriously?

Can we spend more than 38 seconds on a topic? Other than that, I like the show.

[Dry_Gin_Wet_Farts]

Much to my surprise, this comment ended up in your "hate mail" segment. You left out the part where I said I like the show. (You also left off the last question mark).

To Kmele's comment that "Jim Henson is an American hero", I would say that as creator of Sesame Street, he was effectively on the government dole, which makes him a whore, not a hero. Fuck Big Bird and Jim Henson's corpse.

Now, how about spelling out libertarian principles like non-agression and self-ownership, and how they would save this country from its ultimate demise? You can be funny and entertaining without being silly.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Was that Boomhauer?

[SweatingGin]

"It was probably in one of my drunken stupors"

[Paul.]

Serial question: How much has Rob Ford grown government?

[Episiarch]

If they're not stoned, they're furries.

[All-Seeing Monocle]

Bearded Hobbit checked out at the right moment.

[Episiarch]

AIGGHHH LOU DOBBS

[Fist of Etiquette]

AH! Lou Dobbs.

[Bam!]

Snow does not warrant a "News Alert", Mr. Dobbs.

[Paul.]

What's a "Lou Dobbs"?

[Fist of Etiquette]

I'm not hearing any live streaming.

[kibby]

Can the puppets please become a thing that happens all the time? I don't care if I'm the only one crying from laughing so hard. STOP OTHERING ME.

[Bam!]

They brought the communist back.

[Sevo]

So did anyone land on the Marxist twit, or did they give him a pass again?

[Somalian Road Corporation]

I'd call it a pass with some brief objections. Some people here will probably disagree, but I don't think that communism is a laughing matter and the format of this show simply doesn't address things seriously or in depth.

Not that you can't laugh at communism, but, well, this isn't how I would have done it, that's for sure.

[Sevo]

Yeah, that's sort of the reason TV gets a pass; what is addressed seriously isn't worth diddly and the stuff that's laughed-off is what needs serious examination.
Haven't watched it yet; not likely I ever will.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Apparently the live stream is a Smarties commercial.

[Derpetologist]

Occupy commmies raise a cuckus; trash talk libertarians.

[Derpetologist]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-H47tHjR5oA

[Fist of Etiquette]

Wealth gets transferred through economic transactions.

[All-Seeing Monocle]

But it has the treasury secretary's signature, therefore the gubmint should distribute everything.

[Bam!]

Structureless after party panel is better than constantly interrupted structured broadcast panel.

Though my stream keeps dying, and that doesn't happen with broadcast.

[All-Seeing Monocle]

Same.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I don't not agree with you.

[Sevo]

Needs two more negatives to confuse me.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I really don't think the communist has thought this through.

[Bam!]

It feels like he can't follow a train of thought. He just leaps from one thought to another.

[Paul.]

Throw the word "Capitalist" in as often as possible, and boom, instant argument against that which you disagree.

[kibby]

Pretty sure that's the definition of communism.

[Somalian Road Corporation]

Jesus Christ the commie can't even support Snowden. Tits on a bull.

[All-Seeing Monocle]

We're all in agreement on civil liberties. Except for the liberty to not have the fruits your labor taken from you.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Communism would be great except for human nature.

[Sevo]

See O-care for an illustration; you can't fool enough people for enough time to make it work.
It takes guns.

[Paul.]

Human nature would be greate except for communism.

To wolves and a sheep voting on what video to rent, or something.

[All-Seeing Monocle]

"Pick a good category" -- now that's a sign-off.

[Archduke von Pantsfan]

ROADZ!

[Raymond Luxury Yach-t]

That was innaresting

[BigT]

" the format of this show simply doesn't address things seriously or in depth"

If a goal of this show is to inform or attract others to libertarianism it is a failure. Except for Kmele's occasional wisdom it's pure smug snark. Many disciples here enjoy it, but the audience will be shrinking as we tire of shallow sniping.