Austin Bombing Suspect Killed, Trump Urges Saudis to Buy More Weapons, Former Playboy Model Sues Tabloid Publisher to Talk About Love Affair With President: A.M. Links

• 

  s_bukley/Newscom

  A suspect in a recent string of bombings in Austin, Texas, was killed during a standoff with police early Wednesday morning. Police say he killed himself with one of his own bombs.

• The art of the (arms) deal: After Congress met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to talk about his country's role in civil war and strife in Yemen, President Trump urged the prince to buy more U.S. weapons and military equipment, saying the Saudi's current $12.5 billion purchase is "peanuts."
• Former model Karen McDougal is suing to be released from a nondisclosure agreement she signed with American Media Inc, parent company of the tabloid The National Enquirer. McDougal alleges that the company—whose chief exec David Pecker is a longtime friend of Donald Trump's—paid her $150,000 in 2016 to keep quiet about a "10-month romantic relationship with Donald Trump" McDougal'd had a decade earlier.
• A European Union plan to tax tech companies on revenue, not profit, could hike the tax burden on companies by hundreds of millions.
• Russia's top court says popular encrypted messaging app Telegram must hand over user data when requested by Russian security services.
• Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for fatally shooting Justine Damond, an Australian woman who had called police to her home to report a sexual assault.

Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

A suspect in a recent string of bombings in Austin, Texas, was killed during a standoff with police early Wednesday morning.

Blew himself up because he didn't trust the coppers to do it right.

[Rufus The Monocled]

Hello.

"Former model Karen McDougal is suing to be released from a nondisclosure agreement..."

They're all unethical, opportunistic scoundrels.

[Conchfritters]

With huge tits.

[Rufus The Monocled]

I'm at an age of wisdom where that shit matters less and less.

Sorta.

[John C. Randolph]

Looks like bolt-ons.

-jcr

[Rebel Scum]

With huge tits.

So, naturally, they are to be forgiven.

[Conchfritters]

Yes, that is verbatim what I said.

[Conchfritters]

Would, would.

[Scarecrow Repair & Chippering]

Those costumes never interested me. All I could ever do is admire the contents while being turned off by the containers.

Let your boobies free!

[mad.casual]

Those costumes never interested me. All I could ever do is admire the contents while being turned off by the containers.

Methinks thou dost protest too much.

[I can't even]

But we should think less of the man who did, did?

[Fist of Etiquette]

...President Trump urged the prince to buy more U.S. weapons and military equipment, saying the Saudi's current $12.5 billion purchase is "peanuts."

All the other terror-enabling states are laughing at you, Saud.

[Fist of Etiquette]

McDougal alleges that the company?whose chief exec David Pecker is a longtime friend of Donald Trump's?paid her $150,000 in 2016 to keep quiet about a "10-month romantic relationship with Donald Trump" McDougal'd had a decade earlier.

She took the money?

[Rufus The Monocled]

And now she's talking to get more.

Rats.

All of them.

[Cyto]

I get the pursuit of the almighty dollar..... but why exactly are they so very eager to brag about having sex with a boorish old fart? I mean, they've played on their sexuality for a long time, so they know how to use it to get what they want... but bragging about banging an old rich guy isn't exactly a turn on for anyone other than old rich guys who don't mind sloppy seconds. Everyone else is just going "yuck!"

It is like those "girlfriends" that Hugh Hefner hired. The guy is in his late 70's and they are giggling about how they have sex with him, despite being 19 years old and at the peak of their hotness.

Bragging about being a hooker isn't exactly bragging....

[loveconstitution1789]

She's hoping for an even bigger pay day.

[damikesc]

Even worse, sex with a boorish old fart from like 2006 or so.

It's not like he was using state resources to pursue this.

I'd say offer it to her as long as she pays the money back plus interest.

[Hail Rataxes]

What on earth makes you think they're bragging about it?

[Cyto]

The whole running from microphone to microphone, finding lawyers to represent them so they can do interviews about it part.

[Leo Kovalensky II]

"whose chief exec David Pecker"

He comes from a long line of Peckers.

[JFree]

She was coerced into submission by the Pecker?

Why isn't this sexual assault?

[Mithrandir]

"A European Union plan to tax tech companies on revenue, not profit, could hike the tax burden on companies by hundreds of millions."

Discouraging technological innovation seems like a great way to keep progressing as a society. Well done EU.

[Jerryskids]

Hiking corporate taxes at the same time the US is lowering them is a great way to MAGA. They're just getting with Trump's program.

[H. Farnham]

I hope the companies create a line item on every invoice and receipt that says "revenue tax". That way consumers actually see that their the ones paying the tax.

[H. Farnham]

they're*

[Rat on a train]

Philadelphia did not like it when retailers added a line for the beverage tax.

[H. Farnham]

Philadelphia consumers or Philadelphia policy makers?

[Citizen X - #6]

Probably both, but for entirely different reasons.

[H. Farnham]

I dunno, I could see both groups being upset about "corporate greed"... bunch of wreckers.

[Rat on a train]

The government. As always they expected to hide from the people how much the city was grabbing. It was a wholesale tax, so they expected retailers to either absorb the increase or raise their price. The people would then complain about those greedy businesses.

[Fist of Etiquette]

A European Union plan to tax tech companies on revenue, not profit, could hike the tax burden on companies by hundreds of millions.

But on the plus side it's a write off.

[Libertarian]

+1 Kramer

[sarcasmic]

Am I the only one who is getting logged off every other time I try to post a comment? This is really fucking annoying.

[loveconstitution1789]

It happened to me. Plus there are two comment blocks rather than the one that normally appears when you comment midforum. Not enough of that donation money being spent on outstanding website operation.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Russia's top court says popular encrypted messaging app Telegram must hand over user data when requested by Russian security services

Here. Have fun decrypting it.

[Shirley Knott]

All such requests should be met with extreme helpfulness ?
here's your requested data, conveniently sorted bitwise.

[sarcasmic]

The world is descending into tyranny

Dude seems to equate democracy with freedom, then lists off a bunch of democratically elected tyrants.

I think he is confused.

[Citizen X - #6]

"A man is no less a slave because he is allowed to choose a new master once in a term of years" - Lysander Spooner

[Leo Kovalensky II]

"then lists off a bunch of democratically elected tyrants"

I'm not sure the either Putin's or Xi's elections can be considered "democratic"

Regarding Putin's election: "So serious opposition candidates were excluded (and one murdered)"

[CE]

Here in the good old free and democratic USA, a serious opposition candidate on the ballot on all 50 states, who had been a 2-term governor of one of them, was excluded from nationally televised debates via collusion by the 2 establishment parties and the TV networks....

[damikesc]

It's one of those "Well, that sucks...what, exactly, are we supposed to do about it?" situations. Does he think we should override the decisions of voters?

[sarcasmic]

I don't know what he thinks. I just think it's ironic to equate democracy with freedom, and then complain when a tyrant is elected. You'd think they might realize that tyranny of the majority is still tyranny.

[Citizen X - #6]

Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor was charged with third-degree murder for and second-degree manslaughter for fatally shooting Justine Damond, an Australian woman who had called police to her home to report a sexual assault.

An unexpected nut-tickle on a blustery Wednesday morning!

[Chipper Morning Baculum]

He was only charged because of his name.

[Conchfritters]

A European Union plan to tax tech companies on revenue, not profit, could hike the tax burden on companies by hundreds of millions.

What will the EU search engine be called once Google and Microsoft tell Europe to go fuck themselves?

[Scarecrow Repair & Chippering]

Eu-niche

[Weigel's Cock Ring]

How's that "global warming" working out?

[Citizen X - #6]

Hey Mikey, congrats on trouncing Shikha in the quarterfinals last night! All that hard work has finally started earning you the recognition you deserve.

[SIV]

Ron Bailey is going to get run down by a self-driving snowmobile.

[Chipper Morning Baculum]

And SIV will probably meet his demise through one of these babies .

[Fist of Etiquette]

Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor was charged with third-degree murder for and second-degree manslaughter for fatally shooting Justine Damond, an Australian woman who had called police to her home to report a sexual assault.

The police chief had to resign! Isn't that punishment enough???

[damikesc]

Did the woman have 4 men to vouch for her? Maybe he felt she was insulting his pride or something...

[Citizen X - #6]

The art of the (arms) deal: After Congress met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to talk about his country's role in civil war and strife in Yemen, President Trump urged the prince to buy more U.S. weapons and military equipment, saying the Saudi's current $12.5 billion purchase is "peanuts."

Trump's lack of fucks to give is almost sort of refreshing in a politician. Previous administrations, for deniability purposes, have been way more circumspect about selling weapons to tyrants.

[Jerryskids]

Or Trump's ignorance is such that he assumed Congress was meeting with the Prince to encourage more strife in Yemen.

[Citizen X - #6]

Based on evidence, i'm not sure that's an entirely ignorant thing to assume.

[Ken Shultz]

"As members of the Austin SWAT team approached, the suspect detonated a bomb inside his vehicle, knocking one of the officers back, and another officer fired at the suspect, he said. Chief Manley said the suspect died during the exchange with police and suffered significant injuries from the blast."

----Wall Street Journal

https://tinyurl.com/y9xzop29

That's from a few hours after ENB's link. It isn't clear whether the "suspect" was killed by the blast or by "another officer" firing at the suspect from that story.

Regardless, I think there are two obvious conclusions that will inevitably be drawn from this incident.

1) Assault weapons need to be banned.

2) We should have voted for Hillary.

[MP]

3) This again highlights how Texans all racist Trumplovers.

[This Machine Chips Fascists]

The city council could have prevented all this mess by declaring Austin a bomb free zone. These slackers ought to be impeached for not implementing common sense explosive controls.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said in a statement that Noor, who for eight months had been on paid administrative leave from the department, was terminated Tuesday. He said he did not make a decision about Noor's employment sooner because he did not want to "interfere with the criminal investigation in this case."

Seems like it couldn't possibly have. It's not like his continued employment forced him to talk to investigators.

[Fist of Etiquette]

[County Attorney Mike] Freeman on Tuesday said the charges would have come sooner had some of Noor's fellow officers cooperated with investigators. Because of some officers' unwillingness to cooperate, Freeman convened a grand jury.

He said that in his 18 years on the job, he had never encountered police officers who were not suspects who refused to "do their duty and come talk to us," he said.

They still have their badges, though.

[Ken Shultz]

"Former model Karen McDougal is suing to be released from a nondisclosure agreement she signed with American Media Inc, parent company of the tabloid The National Enquirer. McDougal alleges that the company?whose chief exec David Pecker is a longtime friend of Donald Trump's?paid her $150,000 in 2016 to keep quiet about a "10-month romantic relationship with Donald Trump" McDougal'd had a decade earlier."

I don't understand why wanting to get out of a contract would be legal grounds for breaking a contract.

Incidentally, I read that Stormy Daniels could owe Trump upwards of $20 million if she talks, which is freaking hilarious. If she breaks the contract, he'll wait until his term is over before he cleans her out.

At some point, the bimbo parade becomes a liability for Trump's critics, too. It might be one thing if Trump were a religious right figure, but Trump sure as hell ain't that. The last time a politician was destroyed, other than the religious right, for skirt chasing was probably Gary Hart. Gennifer Flowers proved the rule.

Even Lewinsky ended up being immaterial, and the extent to which that was a problem, it was because it betrayed issues associated with Democrats, like the abuse of power in the workplace and general feminism. If Trump bangs pr0n stars and floozies, he isn't betraying any of that.

[Ken Shultz]

It's kind of telling that Trump's critics may have been reduced to the bimbo parade, too.

If you want to embarrass Trump at this point, you probably need to show that he's into really fat chicks or something--and didn't we already go down that road with the Piss-gate dossier?

[loveconstitution1789]

The left is about 0-6 to get Trump removed.

Media saying Trump is worse than Hillary didn't work.
The Piss Gate dossier didn't work.
Bimbos trying to break NDAs is not working.
Mueller endless investigation has not worked.
The stuff with Comey didn't work.
The stuff with McCabe didn't work.

[Leo Kovalensky II]

Comparing Trump's accolades to Clinton's in this area... Trump wins in a landslide. Quality over quantity, amirite?

[Ken Shultz]

When you've got as much gold as Trump, there are more gold diggers to choose from.

With apologies to Yakov:

Most red-blooded American guys are looking for a party.
In Soviet Trump, the party comes looking for you!

[loveconstitution1789]

Not so fast. Hillary is 0-8+ in convincing Americans that she is not a scumbag.

Media saying Hillary was better than Trump didn't work.
Hillary going after Paula Jones didn't work.
Hillary going after Gennifer Flowers didn't work.
Hillary going after Juanita Broaddrick didn't work.
Hillary Clinton, while acting as secretary of state, shut down an investigation into an elite pedophile ring in State Department.
Hillary mishandled classified information which would have landed any normal person in jail.
Hillary lied to the FBI which would have landed any normal person in jail.
Hillary allowed US Uranium to be sold to Russia in return for donations to her "charity".
and on and on....

[damikesc]

Trump is certainly plowing a far higher quality of tail.

[Tony]

That's because he doesn't ask permission.

[NotAnotherSkippy]

Neither does clinton.

[loveconstitution1789]

When I grab my wife's sloppy purse, I don't ask permission either.

Come to think of it, when she grabs my junk, she doesn't ask permission.

[BYODB]

I've never really understood how it could be that it's assumed women are so virtueous and disinterested in sex that being paid more than most people make in a decade for sex definitely couldn't be by choice.

No offense, but there is a reason why prostitution is considered 'the worlds oldest trade' bucko. Women know what they're doing, it's society that says that women shouldn't be sexual creatures that seems to drive this repeating narrative.

Normally I laugh at Republicans for that type of shit, but now apparently the party of sexual liberation believes that women don't have enough autonomy to decide to fuck for a living. The only choice a woman is allowed to make on the left is if they should have an abortion or not. That's it. Now, social conservatives are no better but they don't really claim to be now do they?

[loveconstitution1789]

Putting the pussy on a pedestal.

Its why the left's push for "equal rights" is mostly BS. Women not being able to handle things themselves or make their own choices is hardly equal rights for women.

[BYODB]

In fairness, the left doesn't really believe in what most people understand to be 'equality'. Martin Luther Kings idea of a color blind society isn't what the left has in mind. They believe in a society where your race, gender, or other specific traits are what determine your worth.

It is, quite literally, the opposite of what most people tend to think of as 'equality'. But, then again, perhaps 'most people' don't think that either. The soft racism and sexism of low expectations, I believe, is one term for it.

Malcolm X talked about this type of liberal as well, and I must say while I disagree with a great deal of his writing he wasn't wrong about that in particular.

[damikesc]

Note, the women aren't claiming rape.

Now, CLINTON did have women claim he raped them...

[The_Hoser]

Yeah, after an alleged 10 months I think we can assume he had her permission.

[John C. Randolph]

I wouldn't say that the fat groupie chick ended up being immaterial. Lying about that was the reason Clinton got impeached, after all. The fact that he had enough of his cronies in the Senate to keep him in office doesn't make it less significant.

-jcr

[damikesc]

Hell, the Democrats walked over to the WH to applaud him after the impeachment.

To show how seriously they took this stuff.

I mean, the tubby dipshit was the President and the best he could get was a hummer from a tubby chick I would've said no to? He should've been impeached for being a fucking putz. At least non-President Trump was laying pipe with porn stars and Playboy Playmates and all.

[Necron 99]

To be fair, more contracts have been broken by women with three little words, "I'm not happy."

They believe breaking any contract should be as easy as cleaning out a dude's wallet with no fault divorce.

[EscherEnigma]

I don't understand why wanting to get out of a contract would be legal grounds for breaking a contract.
There's a new article up about Loyola University that's relevant here.

[loveconstitution1789]

NSAs are specifically designed that a party or the parties cannot get out of the contract just because they want to.

[loveconstitution1789]

NDAs that is...

[EscherEnigma]

Can't get away from the NSA either, so it still fits.

[loveconstitution1789]

Subconsciously I knew that.

[BYODB]

She can get out of it, it'll just cost her money.

If her information isn't enough to make $20 million to cover her cost, well that's really her fault for signing a document to make some cash that had the stipulation. It sounds like she willingly got paid for something, probably sex or a relationship, and now see's a much bigger payday on the horizon which is almost certainly the reason for the NDA in the first place.

Or, in short, she wants her cake and to eat it too.

[JoeBlow123]

Fucking some porn stars when your wife is knocked up is disgusting. Dude is a 100% scumbag. You guys should stop pretending all his personal character failures don't matter. He exhibits zero good character traits.

[Fist of Etiquette]

On Tuesday, Plunkett said "the facts will show that Officer Noor acted as he has been trained and consistent with established departmental policy."

Does anyone truly doubt this?

[Ken Shultz]

Procedures were followed at Auschwitz, too.

[Citizen X - #6]

It's pretty telling that "he followed departmental rules" is assumed to be sufficient defense for, you know, shooting and killing an innocent person for absolutely no reason.

[John]

The fact that following the rules means that you murder an unarmed woman sitting in her car talking to the police is just too fucking bad I guess. Rules are rules.

There is really nothing left to say about this stuff anymore

[Citizen X - #6]

I've got plenty left to say about this stuff. Spoiler alert: mostly cussing.

[MP]

Wow, you seem to be actually rankled. Four posts about the same headline.

[loveconstitution1789]

Fist is not getting enough website visits to help ENB today.

[Fist of Etiquette]

AM Links is a joke in your town.

[loveconstitution1789]

every town really.

[Leo Kovalensky II]

Get up, get, get, get down.

[sarcasmic]

Officers are trained to put officer safety and total compliance above everything else. They are supposed to err on the side of officer safety. That means they are supposed to shoot first and ask questions later if they feel scared. If they don't start shooting then they risk being fired. Even if the threat isn't real.
Problem is that if they shoot a pretty, white woman, then they are screwed either way. Don't shoot and they risk losing their job. Shoot and they risk criminal charges.
Just like that cop who stayed outside the school. All his training told him to stay outside where it was safe, because officer safety is number one.

If I considered cops to be human beings I might feel sorry for them. But once they pick up that badge they cease to be human.

[Vernon Depner]

We should solve that dilemma by automatically terminating any police officer who shoots and kills someone, regardless of the circumstances. They may shoot to protect their lives, but then their career is over. That takes the possibility of losing their job out of the equation?they're more likely to keep it if they don't shoot.

[loveconstitution1789]

Setting up police to have the same self-defense standards as everyone else would be better. Police can defend themselves if needed but do not have qualified immunity to protect them if they murder someone.

[Vernon Depner]

How do we do that, though? Generally the laws already are the same for police officers as for anyone else. The problem is that they are protected from being investigated, other officers won't cooperate with investigations, prosecutors won't bring cases to grand juries, grand juries won't indict cops, and trial juries are gullible for their excuses and see cops as special. The standards don't matter with such obstacles to them being applied.

[sarcasmic]

Generally the laws already are the same for police officers as for anyone else.

No they're not.They are completely exempt from the law. Only department policy matters.

[Vernon Depner]

They are completely exempt from the law.

That's ridiculous. What they are, in effect, "exempt" from is enforcement of the law.

[CatoTheChipper]

A better idea would be to put a transponder on every armed officer's holster. Whenever his weapon is removed from the holster, it would signal his station. If he's at the station or a practice range, no problem. But, if he's anywhere else, he has to write up a report to explain why he removed his weapon from its holster immediately after his shift ends. And, no overtime for this activity: he does it on his own time.

A competent management system for police would treat these reports like a private industrial management system treats a recordable safety incident. Any time an officer removes his weapon from its holster while on duty is an incident of failure of the police to accomplish their objective: securing law and order for the general public. A competent management system investigates the "near misses" (in this case, whenever the weapon is unholstered without discharge) before sloppy policing become the norm and a catastrophe will eventually ensue.

[Ken Shultz]

The big financial news on tech these days is that regulation on Facebook and other social media platforms is practically inevitable and being priced into the stocks at this point.

I keep being tempted to think this is so absurd that the market is having a big emotional reaction to the Russian meddling and Caimbridge Analytica stories. Facebook has lost about $50 billion in market cap at this point.

From a rational perspective, what kind of regulation are we talking about? That's not a rhetorical question--somebody clue me in. Are we talking about the end of anonymity? Will I need to show a passport to open a social media account in the future?

Are they going to start telling Facebook and Google that they can't sell user data anymore? They're going to tell them what they can and can't sell? How does that impact news sites like this one or at the Washington Post?

Facebook sucks. I hate Facebook, and I hate Google. But this theoretical regulation everyone's talking about seems to be the most futile, cost more than it's worth "solution" since the Drug War. And it's worth keeping the Drug War in mind. After all, if the Drug War has taught us anything, it's that there's no regulation that's so futile, self-defeating, expensive, and destructive that the federal government won't implement it and stand behind it for decades.

[loveconstitution1789]

One goal of certain Nanny-Staters is to end autonomous internet posting. They want all accounts to be linked to actual people and to have a heavy hand of government involved for keeping voices of dissent at bay.

Most, if not all, of the good little news organizations heavily moderate their comments sections. Why don't more news and political websites have free range commenting like Reason?

One of the biggest shocks to media is that they have mostly lost the ability to control what is news and the narrative surrounding that news like in the "good 'ol days".

[sarcasmic]

Why don't more news and political websites have free range commenting like Reason?

Disagreement is intolerant, and tolerant people don't tolerant intolerance.

Reason is intolerant because it tolerates intolerance.

Other news and political websites are tolerant because they censor intolerance.

[Ken Shultz]

"Why don't more news and political websites have free range commenting like Reason?"

Honestly, Reason has a libertarian readership that's more committed to reason than the average audience.

We keep each other in line more than other sites would.

Other sites have had commenting like ours and had to shut it down because the commentariat got so out of control.

Other sites are wall to wall Palin's Buttplug, Tony, and Hinh--of all political persuasions. That's relatively contained by reason around here.

You think they could have a 200 comment thread about abortion as civilized as ours was yesterday somewhere else with a general readership?

[sarcasmic]

The thing about other sites is that because people like PB, T and H are the majority, it is the libertarian views that get censored for being intolerant. After all, what is more intolerant than wanting the government to leave people alone?

[Ken Shultz]

I'm sure that's true. I'd file than under "being unreasonable".

[loveconstitution1789]

That could be. Any time I checked those comments on MSM articles, I didn't really see any rational discussion material. Its all: "I hate you"... "moderated by staff"... "you're stupid"... "moderated by staff".

Maybe nobody but trolls ever went to those comment sections maybe the few people who wanted to discuss things were chased away.

I like Reason because we do discuss things. Some commenters joke more than open up but whatever floats your boat. Its one of the few places to hone your skill at discussing Libertarian topics against lefties and not get banned for dissenting from the narrative. I don't think we really have any hard-right religious conservatives on here to hone Libertarian arguments against that side.

[Cyto]

I'll see your MSM and Reason and raise you a HuffPo. If you want wide-ranging hive-mind discussions filled with vitriol and intolerance, they've got plenty for you.

[BYODB]

Salon is always a great place to become an alcoholic.

[CE]

I think you mean "anonymous", but "autonomous" works for my bots.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Why don't more news and political websites have free range commenting like Reason?

they don't want to catch the Hihnfection.

[Brian]

It's pretty ridiculous. Political parties spend lots of time and money buying and crunching personal information on voters.

I don't see how they can go after Facebook with a straight face. And the fact that politicians aren't called out on this is quite revealing.

[loveconstitution1789]

FB has some 2.2 Billion active monthly users, so you can post a message and reach a shitload of people.

At this point, I think, people are not taking politicians very seriously on anything. This is of course part of the problem because politicians love attention.

[Brian]

"As a politician, allow me to talk and persuade you that we can't have people talking and persuading people so much! Also, let us use political intel to reach out and get out the vote for us so that we can clamp down on all his political intel! And, then, perhaps, we can finally do the good work for the people!" Applause!

[damikesc]

Does the last 2 years finally kill the Progressive dream of candidates having their "Bulworth" moment?

Remember when that fucking awful movie came out and the Left collectively soaked their pants over a politician who "spoke his mind" and all.

Well, we have that.

They definitely don't seem fond of it.

It turns out, a lot of people REALLY like regurgitated and dull talking points spouted off ad nauseum.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

FB has some 2.2 Billion active monthly users, so you can post a message and reach a shitload of people.

If only there weren't 2.2 billion other active monthly users posting messages too.

[Ken Shultz]

"I don't see how they can go after Facebook with a straight face. And the fact that politicians aren't called out on this is quite revealing."

The Republicans in congress are almost as pissed off about Trump winning as the Democrats.

And I really think that's what this is about. They don't want to believe that Trump won because the Republican party voters and the American people chose him.

On the other side of the Atlantic, they don't want to believe that the voters in the UK really want Brexit or that the anti-immigration parties that are doing so well--from Germany to Italy--because that's what people want.

They elitists would rather believe there's a scapegoat because the alternative explanation is that it's all the elitist's fault and the people are rejecting the elite.

[loveconstitution1789]

The RINOs in Congress hate Trump too. Its why they have not repealed ObamaCare nor advanced a bunch of legislation to rollback government. They like government almost as much as Democrats do. They also believe the media about their reelection chances if they cut government.

That leaves very few Republicans and/or conservatives to help roll back parts of government which would make Trump super popular with Americans. Republicans would be even more popular if they cut government as it would set them apart from Democrats.

[Nardz]

At least 50% of the Rs are just a false opposition party, there to give the appearance of choice and democratic opposition. 75% of the Rs, at least, care only about whose cronies get the goods.

Maiden McCain is every bit as evil as Hillary and Pelosi

[Nardz]

*Maidan McCain

[Nardz]

Global Socialists all.

If that sounds to you like National Socialists, but more ambitious... you're not wrong

[loveconstitution1789]

I definitely don't even know what to call them, since the Nazis were not Internationalist socialists like the Comintern.

Global Socialists is a pretty good term.

[BYODB]

Just shorten the term and combine the words like everyone else: Globalist.

[damikesc]

The RINOs in Congress hate Trump too. Its why they have not repealed ObamaCare nor advanced a bunch of legislation to rollback government.

And when they lose Congress, they'll blame Trump. The establishment already is.

"Trump is toxic" --- but, apparently, refusing to pass something you campaigned on for seven damned years (repealing Obamacare) isn't. Nor is fucking BAILING it out, as the Senate seems interested in doing.

Campaigned for years on ending Obama's illegal immigration policy and then whined when Trump said he'd do that.

The GOP is dying because all of their voters are seeing that they don't mean anything they say. Their word means virtually nothing.

[Brian]

When it comes down to it, they just can't embrace the complexity of humanity.

They really think that everyone has the same values and, if they don't, then they ought to. That way, their mentality of forcing everything be into lockstep with the government makes sense.

So, of course, people voting wrongly must be fixed. Never mind people voting was apparently the end all, be all, ultimate justification of any human decision making, right up until they did it wrong.

Their congnitive dissonance is breathtaking.

[Mithrandir]

I've been having similar conversations with my father about Google. He hates that one company has so much control over the flow of information, which I can understand.

The logical question is though, what is a proper solution for this issue that does not have potentially terrible unintended consequences? Is the answer to break Google up into smaller competing companies? Having the government regulate the algorithms that Google uses and the flow of data?

I understand some of the hand-wringing but it seems there aren't too many viable solutions.

[Ken Shultz]

Use alternatives to Google's products.

Opt out.

I've almost done it completely. I've pulled the plug on Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Facebook, with the following exceptions:

1) YouTube (all my fault. Love YouTube).
2) Windows for use with AutoCAD Civil 3D
3) Smart Phone (eelo is due to come out in a couple of months)
4) Maybe 5% of my searches are Google. 95% are through DuckDuck Go
5) Friends and family still want to use Skype. I'm slowly converting them to Jitsi

He can stop using Google's services. That's what he can do.

[Ron]

I now use DuckDuckgo but I must say google gives more results for the4construction materials and info that i need

I have no problem with face book since I only use it to keep in contact with family and friends, i ignore any outside political bs and frankly I can't find the news section

[Ken Shultz]

Google tailors your search results based on the data they collect about you--and there's no doubt that it does a better job of that when you're really looking for something you haven't seen before.

I'm just value my privacy more than the convenience of using Google 95% of the time.

Most of the time, I'm looking for something I already know about. I'm trying to remember where I saw it and get the details. DuckDuck Go results are good enough for that.

I suspect a lot of the time, I got into a habit of looking for website on Google simply because I don't trust my own spelling--and I got used to Google correcting for that. DuckDuck Go does that just as well.

[Ken Shultz]

I keep wanting to make some product recommendations to people who care about privacy, but I'd hate to look like an advertisement.

I will say this. NordVPN is running a special right no, where you get three years of unlimited data for $99. They're based outside of the 14 eyes countries (they're in Panama), and they get some of the highest marks from companies that review these services for the speed and quality of their service. They keep zero server logs.

One thing that's a little quirky, being in central America, they're concerned about extortion and bribery--so, as a policy, they don't reveal anyone in the company online. Some people are weirded out by that. If that's you, find a better service! You don't have to share your browsing habits or data with Google or anyone else if you don't want.

Learn about your options. Use your freedom of choice.

Victim of collision on the open sea.
Nobody ever said life was free
Sink?
Swim?
Go down with the ship?
Use your freedom of choice!

[loveconstitution1789]

Don't create accounts on any of these companies. Browse using Google as anonymous guest. Use DuckDuckGo or some other alternative browser.

NEVER voluntarily link any accounts that you do have. Notice email companies have demanded that you provide an alternate email for "security". Have a junk email that you provide all the email companies as the alternate email that you never use.

There is no reason that you cannot use OP SEC to avoid social media tricks and reap the benefits of technology.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

Is the answer to break Google up into smaller competing companies? Having the government regulate the algorithms that Google uses and the flow of data?

I understand some of the hand-wringing but it seems there aren't too many viable solutions.

All of these solutions are terrible. We've already forgotten the lessons of Microsoft. Microsoft was the dominant tech company. No one could avoid their products. They ruled the world. No one could imagine Microsoft not "owning the internet" from the desktop to all the services on the world wide web.

Funny how things change.

[damikesc]

At this point, I don't see how a monolithically powerful company is much better than a government. And, yes, Microsoft was cut down pretty hard.

So, gut Google. Take away ad sales control. Split off YouTube. Split off ALL of their holdings. Because...you know, fuck them. That's why. Ditto Facebook.

These CEO's always demand more government intervention in everything but THEIR fields. Well, fuck those assholes. Give them what they want for everybody else hard.

If it also kills the CA economy, bonus.

[JFree]

Are they going to start telling Facebook and Google that they can't sell user data anymore?

My guess is they are going to tell Facebook that when someone wants to delete their user data, that Facebook actually has to delete their user data. What they have been doing up to now is basically fraud.

[BYODB]

I suspect outlets like Facebook are more or less required by groups like the NSA to keep that information out there, though. The tendrils run deep and while the government might have a hard time getting facial recognition information on tons of innocent people Facebook has no such limitation since people willing submit the data to them.

[Jerryskids]

Is the FEC investigating Facebook and the Obama campaign after the campaign chair announced that Facebook had given them the huge in-kind contribution of unfettered access to Facebook's analytics that they weren't giving anybody else?

[John]

They will get right on that after they investigate Obama's failing to block foreign donations on his website.

[loveconstitution1789]

You Racist (with a capital "R")

[Rebel Scum]

A European Union plan to tax tech companies on revenue, not profit, could hike the tax burden on companies consumers by hundreds of millions.

[John]

Remember congratulating Putin is the most horrible thing ever!! Right?

http://foreignpolicy.com/2012/.....ction-win/

[loveconstitution1789]

There is a whole BS expectation with World leaders when they win an "election".

It is noted who does not call to congratulate the winner and its usually considered a slight if you don't acknowledge the win. Many countries still consider beefs with other countries over shit like this a real national concern.

We are just never going to see a US president call the Chinese "president" and tell him that he is the authoritarian head of a corrupt and tyrannical regime that should go fuck itself.

[MP]

The long term consequences of the MSM losing their minds can't be good.

[loveconstitution1789]

"The long term consequences of the MSM losing their minds can't be is good."

[MP]

I think there's something to be said for the relationship between the existing stark political divide and the complete loss of faith in the MSM to be remotely impartial. The MSM's inability to act as actual reporters only helps to expand the existing political rifts.

I'm as big a fan of political dysfunction as any libertarian. But there seems to be some possible risks in continue to walk down this road. I'm just not entirely sure I can see them clearly.

[loveconstitution1789]

The road is not clear. One possibility is that a new org will be formed that specializes on objective as possible news. If they hire and bunch of lefty writers and turn partisan then they might be replaced by another company.

Nobody expected FOX news to knock MSM down multiple pegs.

The trick is to get the actual news from a "news" article. The people that like drama focus on the opinion parts of the news. You can focus on the sentence or two of actual news.

Rarely do I see MSM news articles void of any actual news. Even the MSM still hides the facts in a sentence or two that they are referencing. The rest tends to be propaganda.

Even the Nazi propaganda chief Goebbels would include a fact or two. It was the spin that turns it into propaganda. The MSM learned from Goebbels well.

[CatoTheChipper]

High-quality, effective propaganda is always grounded in facts. Not every asserted fact in good propaganda need be genuine, but the vast majority of asserted facts must comport with reality.

[loveconstitution1789]

I would agree with what you say.

Another lesson is that if you lie too much and then that is revealed you might find more skeptics in your target audience. American MSM found that out.

[Ron]

and as usual McCain is all over this issue. that man needs to just go away.

As i recall didn't Obama also congratulate Castro?

[Citizen X - #6]

Whatever, John. 2012 is like 80 million news cycles ago. Who even remembers that far back?

[loveconstitution1789]

Exactly. This Stormy thing is unprecedented in political history.

[Brian]

Obama isn't the president. Trump is. Don't change the subject.

[John]

+1 the 80s called and they want their foreign policy back

[John]

Sort of like how in 2012 only Democrats were smart enough to use Facebook and data analytics but today doing that is evil and all party members must denounce today's enemy of the people Facebook

[Tony]

It's different when a foreign adversary gets involved. You probably used to care about such distinctions.

[Brian]

It's different when democrats lose democracy.

[John]

The UK is a foreign adversary? Cambridge Analytics is in England you half wit.

You can't evokeeo the talking points straight

[Tony]

Just pretend like the president is a Democrat and then you'll empathize with the concerns. Is that so hard?

[Brian]

Yeah but then I have to imagine all the bestest best talking heads declaring it a big nothingburger.

[CE]

Like when the Clinton clan took political donations from China?

[Weigel's Cock Ring]

Texas bomber ID'ed as Mark Anthony Conditt, a 24 year old white male.

If he was a conservative-leaner, we'll all certainly know about it soon enough. And if nothing ever comes out about his ideology, that naturally means that he was an Obamatard and they're covering it up.

[Brian]

I'm pretty sure he's a gun rights activist who wanted to show that guns don't kill people, people do.

[John]

Even if he is not, the media will just lie and say he is.

[Rich]

"the suspect detonated a bomb inside the vehicle, knocking one of our SWAT officers back," Manley said, adding that the officer sustained minor injuries. Another member of the SWAT team fired

Fired at *what*, exactly? Just couldn't resist, I suppose.

[loveconstitution1789]

evidently a military veteran and witness smoking outside near the scene said that he heard two grenade type small explosions and then a pop like a gunshot.

We will find out what happened after 6 months like in Vegas.

I am all for releasing facts and waiting to do so until after a thorough investigation is complete but these "investigations" tend to include police covering their asses which delays releasing facts to the public.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Oh, did they finally find a motive of any sort?

[loveconstitution1789]

No motive that I saw yet.

It looks like the guy did wear a wig when sending the package via FedEx. Not that him going inside was the final straw in figuring out who it was.

This is why the USPS wants packages over x weight to brought inside.

The guys was sloppy and kinda seemed like a Helter Skelter type motive but who knows.

[BestUsedCarSales]

No, I meant for the Las Vegas shooter.

[loveconstitution1789]

Oh. I have not seen a motive for him either.

I tell you what. If it weren't for the price of aluminum going up because of tariffs, I would say there might be a deep state false flag thing brewing.

People trying to start some revolution shit would be attacking decision makers not innocent people.

[Consigliere of the Dark Ones]

"Who was Austin bomb suspect Mark Anthony Conditt? 2012 blog reveals views"

[Tony]

I think it's funny that actual Trump supporters (i.e., many people here but almost zero Republicans in Congress) have decided to accept the fact that he's a serial cheater and probable sexual abuser and say "so what?" Normally you idiots would just invent another reality to cope. Is it that you think the allegations are far too plausible to deny, or that you appreciate that the most religiously devout Americans are all the world's biggest fucking hypocrites anyway and don't care?

[John]

Tell us more abt how horrible it is for an American President to congratulate Putin after an election Tony

http://foreignpolicy.com/2012/.....ction-win/

You seemed to have some strong opinions about that yesterday.

[Tony]

So did Trump's national security team.

[John]

I guess Trump took Obama's advice. Was he wrong to do that?

[Tony]

Obama wasn't suspected of being blackmailed by the Russian oligarchy.

[John]

Why would Russia blackmail Obama? He gave them everything they wanted. The 80s called Tony. Obama made it clear Russia was our friend and let them invade Ukraine and use chemical weapons in Syria.

Obama's entire foreign policy campaign in 2012 was based on the claim that Russia was now our Ally and Mitt Romney and out of date Cold Warrior. Russia would never blackmail Obama. Putin and Obama love each other

[Hail Rataxes]

So, John, do you love Obama now?

[John]

I don't. Russia is an adversary. And that is why we are lucky to have Trump who is checking them in Syria, calling on Europe to rearm against them, rebuilding the military and letting the American petroleum industry drill Putin into bankruptcy. Obama did the opposite of all that.

[Tony]

You are so fucked up John you can't be real.

[Libertarian]

Not by the Democrats, anyway. And why would blackmail be necessary when there is video of Obama telling Russia that he'd have more flexibility after his second election?

[Weigel's Cock Ring]

The leftist way of life is to always accuse others of that which they themselves are guilty.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Is that why he confidently declared that the idea of election interference was silly when he expected Hillary to win?

[loveconstitution1789]

Obama is suspected of far worse.

Obama is suspected of conspiring with Hillary and various other government bureaucrats of spying on Trump's campaign for political gain.

That is just one example of how bad Obama is/was.

[damikesc]

Hey, Tony, how did Bill Clinton lose his charm?

Russians were paying him a LOT for speeches right up until 2015.

Now? Nothing.

Weird, ain't it?

[Brian]

On the other hand, it's totally consistent and not hypocrisy for democrats to bitch about presidential accountability for sexual misdeeds.

[Tony]

Why are you defending this man? Do you really think this is going to end well?

[Brian]

I'm not so much defending Trump as I am mocking your pseudo-concern.

[Tony]

But liberals are going out of their way to make sure everyone knows they don't care where the president puts his cock, all else being equal. It's gross and poor Melania, etc., but isn't the bulk of the hypocrisy with the marriage purity police on the right who still support him? Would they be so evolved if he had a (D) after his name?

[John]

Liberals don't care. That is why you keep talking about it. Tony you are not even funny anymore. Just pathetic

[Tony]

You would care if he had a (D) after his name, though. Go ahead and deny it. You haven't yet.

And by "care" I mean explode with the fury of a thousand volcanoes. Why are we pretending otherwise?

[NotAnotherSkippy]

You mean the way you were concerned when geithner didn't pay his taxes? Daschle? Franken?

Aren't taxes the price we pay for civilization?

Why do you hate children?

[Brian]

So your big problem is that republicans are acting like democrats?

Gee: no hypocrisy there.

[Tony]

No, they're acting like Republicans, the most hypocritical, amoral, power-hungry, anti-intellectual, political party in the civilized world. Look at who they nominated for president.

[Brian]

Who are you to complain about democracy?

[Tony]

If the presidential election resembled democracy, Trump would not be there.

[Brian]

What part of "federal government" isn't democracy now?

[Tony]

The electoral college.

[loveconstitution1789]

Tony|3.21.18 @ 11:17AM|#
The electoral college.

You lefties sure are desperate.

Remember when Obama won because of electoral college votes?

[Tony]

Yeah we've not paid much attention to the abomination of the EC as presidents mostly win both it and the popular vote.

Now that the two worst presidents in history won by losing the popular vote, people are rightly concerned. It was not a slim margin this time either.

[Brian]

When did we all vote to say, "hey, when it's convenient for democrats, let's let them hand-wave away the highest law of the land and decide who wins elections"?

I don't remember that vote.

Unless the constitution isn't democracy now, you might have some serious issues with his line of thinking. Be careful.

[NotAnotherSkippy]

Obama didn't lose the popular vote. Nor did johnson or FDR.

[loveconstitution1789]

Tony does not understand how the American electoral system works.

If the lefties also embraced popular Democracy, Hillary would have never been a candidate nor Obama president.

[Brian]

The constitution is "democracy in chains"... except when it's giving me exactly what I want.

Ok.

[Tony]

I don't know how I'd react if a Democrat won by losing the popular vote. I've never been confronted with that. I'd like to think it would feel pretty shitty.

[Brian]

Based on the hypocrisy so far, you'd say the same thing republicans are now, and then you'd say that they are hypocrites for not liking the result.

Justify the rest with some appeal to "we have to deal with political reality and win, man, to stop the most evil people in the world" and, done.

There: it's not so hard, is it?

[loveconstitution1789]

Tony|3.21.18 @ 11:50AM|#
I don't know how I'd react if a Democrat won by losing the popular vote. I've never been confronted with that. I'd like to think it would feel pretty shitty.

JFK lost the popular vote and won the 1960 election. Alabama voting was so bad that Nixon narrowly squeaked out a popular vote victory.

[Ron]

for all we know Melania may have suggested Trump get his nookie from others, some cultures thats normal and would be understandable considering how gross Trump is

[MP]

Trump is a scumbag. Politicians are hypocrites, particularly conservo-religio-nutbags.

Yawn.

Among the Reason commentariat, why do you believe it's imperative that we get worked up about these long known truths?

[Tony]

I realize it was subtle, but my point was actually that most Reason free-thinking nonpartisan libertarians are sucking more Trump cock than almost any actual Republican actually in office in Washington, who in private conversations will rightly ask "What the fuck is going on and what are we gonna do about this?!"

[Brian]

You and the congressional republicans have a lot in common.

[MP]

I'm not seeing that. There's plenty that the folks here are more than willing to jump on Trump about a variety of his acts of Class A stupid. The biggest divide in these parts is likely over immigration. But Russia and infidelity aren't things that are worth anything more than laughing at how the topics make the Left go completely bonkers.

[Tony]

Curious how the immigration hard-liner "build a wall" types simultaneously don't give a fuck about osmosis between Russia and the US, which unlike the former is actually a directed attempt to destroy America.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

don't give a fuck about osmosis between Russia and the US

You guys didn't give a fuck about it either until Her Inevitability executed the most spectacular failure in US presidential campaign history.

[Tony]

I didn't know about it and neither did you. Now we have Moscow's man in the White House, and you're OK with that because he has an (R) after his name. And it's really as simple as that.

[loveconstitution1789]

Moscow's man in the White House left office on January 20, 2017.

Obama, one of the worst presidents in US history.

[NotAnotherSkippy]

Remind me how much clinton got paid for his russian speeches. Remind me how many millions the clinton foundation got from russian sources. Remind me what that "reset" button was all about again.

Now what were you saying about being a hypocritical russian stooge?

[BYODB]

To ignore the Clinton connections to the Russian government is to be willfully blind. If what Trump did was criminal (and what, exactly, was done again?) than it's certainly true that Hillary Clinton should be in jail. Recall that her organization was receiving money from foreign governments literally while she was Secretary of State. At the very least, any potential connections Trump might have were as a private citizen.

I'll be one of the first people to call for Trump's impeachment if he did something that warrants it, but thus far we have smoke and we have mirrors but no fire whatsoever.

And, let us not forget that the Clinton impeachment is the one where it was determined that lying under oath as President isn't enough to remove you from office. That happened, so trying to paint either him or his wife as a saint is ludicrous at face value. They are corrupt, and everyone knows it. They're just smart enough to bury the bodies an inch below where anyone is willing to dig.

[damikesc]

Remind me how much clinton got paid for his russian speeches.

He should then also explain why those speeches stopped so abruptly in 2016. And why the Clinton Foundation closed shop when it was a totally serious charity for years before.

Nothing suspicious there at all.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

I didn't know about it and neither did you.

Because as "Shattered" reveals, Hillary needed a scapegoat to cover for her miserable failure, as the woman is completely incapable of taking responsibility for anything that goes wrong on her watch.

[DRM]

You seriously want to contend that the way to keep Russian influence out of America was to elect Hillary Reset-Button Clinton?

You see, the thing is, Tony, is that you're a meta-hypocrite. You only care about hypocrisy when it comes from Rs. Your arguments might be plausible coming from a Gary Johnson voter (like myself, 2012 and 2016), but they are blatantly bad-faith, self-serving nonsense coming from you.

But, hey, if you want to keep on exposing yourself as an integrity-free sack of shit, by all means, keep on posting about hypocrisy.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Why would a bunch of libertarians give a damn if Trump was banging porn stars and Playboy bunnies? If anything, they'd probably congratulate him.

[BestUsedCarSales]

They shouldn't. Because cheating on your wife is not behavior to be proud of.

[loveconstitution1789]

Nobody knows the terms of that marriage between Trump and whichever wife. Maybe it was an open marriage. Who knows. If it was open, how is that cheating on your wife?

Marriage does not mean a marital bond between a man and a woman anymore, so who cares.

Libertarians do not seem stupid enough to fall into this sex scandal trap laid by people with TDS. Clinton decided this sex issue and Trump was not even president when these alleged events happened.

[Tony]

Nobody in the fucking universe believes you'd say these words if POTUS had a (D) after his name, so stop wasting everyone's time with your horseshit.

[NotAnotherSkippy]

And nobody in the universe believes that you will ever hold a democrat accountable or hold to an established set of rules.

[BestUsedCarSales]

Do I think it's impeachable? No, probably not at this point. I do think the President should be held to higher standards, but we are well beyond that point, and probably was always a false reality.

But I am saying that it is not to be glamourized. I believe marriage has a meaning, and those in power demonstrating that it is meaningless to them sets a sad standard.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

But I am saying that it is not to be glamourized. I believe marriage has a meaning, and those in power demonstrating that it is meaningless to them sets a sad standard.

Tellingly, the same Hollywood elite that are #resisting Trump now had no problem giving him cameo gigs in TV shows and movies back when he was cheating on his first two spouses, and even gave him his own reality show. Rappers name-dropped him in their songs as the epitome of bling culture.

If the idea of fidelity in marriage has been undermined, it's because of the same cultural gatekeepers who've been telling everyone since the late 60s "it's just sex" and "who are you to judge, you prissy squares". Everyone knew well before Trump even contemplated running for office that he was a skirt-chaser, but it wasn't until he became a Republican that they considered him deplorable. Shit, Bill and Hillary were guests at the man's wedding to Melania.

So while Trump's behavior towards his wives is reprehensible, I can still enjoy the fact that he represents everything his critics once found acceptable.

[loveconstitution1789]

Red Rocks, you describe another big reason the left HATE Trump. They consider him a traitor to their cause. They thought he was one of them.

Even scarier for them is that there are people like Trump among them right now. Conservative-ish people waiting for their chance to undermine the left based on everything they have seen the left do and say.

[loveconstitution1789]

BUCS, do I want all government workers and politicians to live a 'moral' life according to American morals? Sure. I don't want a Communist as President who has 3 current wives and burns the US flag.

Trump had a few wives but is currently married. He has kids. He was a businessman that was successful. He partied. He seems to want to put America first as president.

All pretty American things.

[BestUsedCarSales]

And I'm saying is that you can criticize individual things while being okay with others.

Don't pretend things he does wrong are good even if you like the other things he does. And don't justify bad actions because someone else did something worse. All that is is a race to nihilism.

[Kivlor]

If you had ever learned your Catechism you'd realize it's really not hypocritical Tony. The basis of Christianity is that all men sin, and that our leaders are just as prone to it as anyone else. Even Calvinist loons don't accept the straw man you have built up out of Christendom.

[Tony]

I missed the part where God forgives Republicans, but Democrats, lo, must be impeached and disgraced. Could you educate me--does that extend to when Republicans fuck children?

[Brian]

That was 20 years ago. Everyone evolved.

There, now. That wasn't so hard, was it?

It's not really our fault they normalized disgraceful sexual behavior on he part of presidents at a bad time for you.

[Brian]

If it makes you feel better: they had Bill Clinton's legacy in mind when they did that.

Take that to the bank and cash it.

[Kivlor]

Some people may have evolved, but for traditional Christians nothing really changed. It's wrong to cheat on your wife. It's wrong to sleep around. But the basis of Christianity is that we are all born with the inclination to sin. The fact that a man does sin does not mean he is damned to hell, it means he is human.

If you don't know much about Christianity, it's history and it's traditions, I'd suggest you contact your local Catholic Church, and inquire about RCIA. Or you could pick up some of GK Chesterton's works if you like to read.

[Ken Shultz]

"4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 5And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 6If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. "

----Hebrews 6: 4-6, KJV

Yeah, it's a common misconception that Christians believe that because you're already forgiven for everything, it's okay to do anything you want.

Jesus had to die for your actions. If you accept that, and then turn around and do something that would require him to die again, without pause or regret, then it's like you're crucifying Jesus yourself all over again--but on purpose this time.

These are the kinds of things Christians fear having to answer for on Judgement Day. There's also the admonition in the Lord's prayer, "Forgive us our trespasses--as we forgive those who trespass against us". If we can only expect to be forgiven to the extent that we forgive others, then the burden of needing to forgive other people for what we ourselves have done is another check on our behavior (as well as an encouragement to forgive others).

The straw man Christianity people pick on is sooooooooooo superficial.

[Kivlor]

God's forgiveness extends to all souls who seek it through Christ, according to Christian doctrine. If you're unclear, maybe you should seek out a priest.

If you're looking to learn about Christianity, rather than just making up whatever you want, I'm sure these folks can point you in the right direction.

[Tony]

Just point me out the place where it says Republican politicians are always forgiven even for fucking children while Democrats go straight to hell if they have a Jewy hairstyle.

[Kivlor]

The only people saying such things are the voices in your head Tony.

[Vernon Depner]

I'm with him on opposing the Jew-Fro.

[Brian]

Perhaps it's the part where republicans turned out to be the bad guy last time they tried to persecute someone for their sexual misdeeds.

You make these beds, and then you bitch about them. Make up your mind.

[Tony]

And as I said liberal pundits have been quick to note how little they care about the actual sexual misdeeds. They might occasionally, and correctly, point out how much support Trump has from evangelicals despite the fact that he fucks porn stars on the side and doesn't believe in God.

I for one am focusing on all the positive things to come from this disaster, such as the death of evangelicals as a credible political force in America. Keep it coming, I say.

[loveconstitution1789]

Tony, do you not understand that religious group power in the USA is not going away soon? Just because they are not making a bunch of noise does not mean they are gone.

I guess its like your misunderstanding how gun rights are supported by tens of millions of Americans and some group that power into the NRA.

[Tony]

Nobody but your fellow fuckers of cousins likes you or thinks you deserve to have power. And once Republicans are forced to stop cheating to win, you won't.

[Nardz]

Incest porn too.
Counseling may be in order.

[Red Rocks White Privilege]

Tony brings up cousin-fucking as often as Arthur Kirkland does rural communities. You can tell it all comes from a place of deep self-loathing.

[damikesc]

Tony, show us on the doll where your cousin touched you...

[Brian]

Too bad Hillary died first, but what difference, at this point, does it make?

[damikesc]

And as I said liberal pundits have been quick to note how little they care about the actual sexual misdeeds.

Explains the constant mentions of them.

[NotAnotherSkippy]

Roght mext to the parts where democrats are (along with manslaughter).

[Nardz]

You gotta stop watching so much pedo-porn, man

[loveconstitution1789]

Clinton got impeached for lying under oath.

Clinton hung around with Epstein on the Lolita Express airplane, so who was fucking with kids?

[damikesc]

I missed the part where God forgives Republicans, but Democrats, lo, must be impeached and disgraced.

Did Trump lie under oath?

Because that is why Clinton was impeached.

And the Dems sided with him and applauded him for doing so.

[Tony]

I'm glad you think presidents should be accountable for their crimes.

[damikesc]

I think it's funny that actual Trump supporters (i.e., many people here but almost zero Republicans in Congress) have decided to accept the fact that he's a serial cheater and probable sexual abuser and say "so what?"

I just took off my hair shirt over the outrage. Totally did.

I don't see you obsessing over Democrats who think the Jews run the weather or how high-ups in the Progressive movement seem inordinately fond of an anti-Semitic, bigoted, highly religious crank who hates gays as well.

Is it that you think the allegations are far too plausible to deny, or that you appreciate that the most religiously devout Americans are all the world's biggest fucking hypocrites anyway and don't care?

How dare you stereotyping rubes don't act in a stereotypical way!!!

[DajjaI]

Mark Anthony Conditt was homeschooled and I wouldn't be surprised if he had an autism diagnosis. Same story over and over. What's going on? Because they teach these kids: "There's something wrong with your brain and you're prone to violence if you don't get 'treatment'." Some kids actually believe it. One day he 'forgets' to take his pills and the rest is history.

[Diane Reynolds (Paul.)]

McDougal alleges that the company?whose chief exec David Pecker is a longtime friend of Donald Trump's?paid her $150,000 in 2016 to keep quiet about a "10-month romantic relationship with Donald Trump" McDougal'd had a decade earlier.

If I was having romantic relationships with porn stars and playboy models, I'd want it on every billboard between Burbank and Reseda.

[Citizen X - #6]

[photo of Paul with the legend beneath: "THIS GUY FUCKS"]

[murthy]

this is very sad. affiliate marketing

[murthy]

this is very sad. affiliate marketing