Reason.com - Free Minds and Free Markets
Reason logo Reason logo
  • Latest
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Subscribe
    • Crossword
  • Video
  • Podcasts
    • All Shows
    • The Reason Roundtable
    • The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie
    • The Soho Forum Debates
    • Just Asking Questions
    • The Best of Reason Magazine
    • Why We Can't Have Nice Things
  • Volokh
  • Newsletters
  • Donate
    • Donate Online
    • Donate Crypto
    • Ways To Give To Reason Foundation
    • Torchbearer Society
    • Planned Giving
  • Subscribe
    • Reason Plus Subscription
    • Print Subscription
    • Gift Subscriptions
    • Subscriber Support

Login Form

Create new account
Forgot password

Reason Roundup

McConnell Won't Block Debt Ceiling Increase, Says He Wants Democrats To 'Proudly Own It'

Plus: A Japanese billionaire will spend 12 days in space, Rep. Peter Meijer is resigned to a second political act for Donald Trump, and more...

Eric Boehm | 12.8.2021 9:30 AM

Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL
Media Contact & Reprint Requests
dreamstime_xl_11518301 | Photo 11518301 / Bill © Frankljunior | Dreamstime.com
(Photo 11518301 / Bill © Frankljunior | Dreamstime.com)

Congressional showdowns over the debt limit are nothing new, but this time around there's a unique wrinkle. The House approved a bill on Tuesday night with what was essentially a party-line vote that paves the way for Congress to avoid a possible default on the national debt in the coming weeks. Here's the tricky part: "The measure would create a special pathway—to be used only once, before mid-January—for the Senate to raise the debt limit by a specific amount with a simple majority vote, allowing Democrats to steer clear of a filibuster or other procedural hurdles so that Republicans would have no means to block it," The New York Times reports.

The upshot, assuming this deal holds up long enough to avert the December 15 deadline for raising the debt limit, is that there won't be another showdown like this before the midterm elections next November.

Both parties stand to gain something from that. Democrats, who hold the majority in both chambers of Congress, are freed from having to deal with the debt limit again before the midterms. But the terms McConnell has agreed to, Politico reports, "would require Democrats to raise the debt ceiling to a specific number rather than suspend it for a length of time, such as through the election." That means you can expect to hear a lot of attack ads next year talking about how Democrats voted to raise the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion or $2 trillion or whatever the final total ends up being.

"So I believe we've reached here a solution to the debt ceiling issue that's consistent with Republican views of raising the debt ceiling for this amount at this particular time and allows the Democrats to proudly own it, which they're happy to do," McConnell said at a press conference on Tuesday, according to the Wall Street Journal. You can almost hear him winking as you read those last few lines.

What does it mean for the federal government's fiscal situation? Nothing good.

Raising the debt limit is often compared to making payments on a credit card. But that metaphor is only half right. Yes, the real problem is the spending—spending that both parties have approved, of course. Once you've agreed to borrow money to pay for something, you have to pay those bills.

But raising the debt limit is more like applying for more credit cards to cover the existing credit card bills you've already rung up. To drop the metaphor: It means authorizing the Treasury to keep borrowing to pay for spending that Congress already approved even though it did not provide a means for how to pay for it.

In the real world, credit card companies would eventually stop letting you have new credit to cover the cost of old credit. So far, America has been able to take advantage of a nearly unlimited supply of credit. If that ever changes, it'll be a huge problem.

Relatedly, it now looks like President Joe Biden's big domestic spending proposal—the Build Back Better (BBB) plan—won't be seriously considered by the Senate until next year. It's yet another big spending bill that will rely heavily on future borrowing.

Early read from Senate Ds walking out of lunch is that Jan. 15 is starting to become the new deadline to pass BBB

More are talking about the need to avoid a sudden lapse of payments from the child tax credit

— Joseph Zeballos-Roig (@josephzeballos) December 7, 2021


FREE MINDS

Rep. Peter Meijer (R–Mich.) was one of 10 Republicans to vote in favor of impeaching President Donald Trump after the January 6 riot, just three days after he was sworn into Congress as Justin Amash's replacement. Tim Alberta, whose work is always must-read material, profiles one of the most interesting members of Congress for Politico:

Meijer says he's "pretty much" resigned to Trump winning his party's nomination in 2024, and worries that the odds of Trump returning to the White House are growing stronger as Biden's presidency loses steam. Meijer knows the strain Trump's candidacy might place on a system that nearly buckled during the last election cycle. What's worse: Meijer sees Trump inspiring copycats, some of them far smarter and more sophisticated, enemies of the American ideal who might succeed where Trump failed.

"The real threat isn't Donald Trump; it's somebody who watched Donald Trump and can do this a lot better than he did," Meijer says.

The powerlessness in his voice when he says this is unnerving. In the space of a year, he transformed from a political romantic to an emboldened survivor to a daunted skeptic. He tried to force a reckoning on his party; now the reckoning is coming for Republicans like him.

Read the whole thing.


FREE MARKETS

Fashion tycoon Yusaku Maezawa is the world's latest space tourist. He blasted off from Kazakhstan on Wednesday morning and plans to spend 12 days living in the International Space Station (ISS).

LOOK: Billionaire Yusaku Maezawa blasts off from Kazakhstan for a 12-day trip as Japan's first space tourist.

Joining him are his assistant, and cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin. Maezawa plans to wire cash to Twitter followers while in orbit https://t.co/PQCc4O71e8 #前澤宇宙旅行 pic.twitter.com/gsVULKiExb

— Bloomberg Originals (@bbgoriginals) December 8, 2021

Going with Maezawa is producer Yozo Hirano, who plans to film the trip. ABC News reports that Maezawa has "compiled a list of 100 things to do in space after asking the public for ideas." He is the first space tourist to visit the ISS since 2009.

Dreams come true.

— Yusaku Maezawa (MZ) (@yousuckMZ) December 8, 2021


QUICK HITS

• Thank you to everyone who contributed to Reason's annual webathon! This year's fundraiser was the largest in our history, with more than $630,000 donated by a record number of individual supporters. We are endlessly grateful.

Aiight, so as the gong prepares to mark the end of @Reason's Webathon, we *just* beat last year's all-time record, with $520,878 in total donations. But! There's still another $13,000 to go that will be doubled by a donor prepared to match. WE CAN DO THIS!https://t.co/T7CL3QF9bX

— Matt Welch (@MattWelch) December 8, 2021

• Despite the war in Afghanistan coming to an end, the Pentagon will get another budget increase: from $740 billion to $768 billion.

• Sen. Joe Manchin's (D–W.Va.) opposition to the Build Back Better proposal seems to be hardening:

>@Sen_JoeManchin, speaking at @WSJ CEO Council Summit, says "the unknown" of inflation "is much greater than the need" to do Build Back Better right now.

Says reconciliation "should never have been used for major policy change."

— Julie Tsirkin (@JulieNBCNews) December 7, 2021

• Congress dropped a proposal to require women to register for the draft from this year's National Defense Authorization Act.

• A third dose of the Pfizer vaccine seems to be effective against the new omicron variant, the company says.

• Don't like COVID policies where you live? Move somewhere else, says economist Bryan Caplan. (This is true for non-COVID policies too.)

• You might want to stock up now on your favorite holiday drinks.

• A student at Virginia Tech has been suspended for booing a referee and the school's assistant athletic director at a soccer game.

Start your day with Reason. Get a daily brief of the most important stories and trends every weekday morning when you subscribe to Reason Roundup.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

NEXT: Thank You for Supporting Reason's Record-Setting 2021 Webathon

Eric Boehm is a reporter at Reason.

Reason RoundupGovernment SpendingDebt CeilingCongressMitch McConnellJanuary 6Space
Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL
Media Contact & Reprint Requests

Hide Comments (448)

Editor's Note: As of February 29, 2024, commenting privileges on reason.com posts are limited to Reason Plus subscribers. Past commenters are grandfathered in for a temporary period. Subscribe here to preserve your ability to comment. Your Reason Plus subscription also gives you an ad-free version of reason.com, along with full access to the digital edition and archives of Reason magazine. We request that comments be civil and on-topic. We do not moderate or assume any responsibility for comments, which are owned by the readers who post them. Comments do not represent the views of reason.com or Reason Foundation. We reserve the right to delete any comment and ban commenters for any reason at any time. Comments may only be edited within 5 minutes of posting. Report abuses.

  1. Fist of Etiquette   4 years ago

    ...Says He Wants Democrats To 'Proudly Own It'

    The political repercussions will be devastating, I'm sure.

    1. Chumby   4 years ago

      I’m not Trump worked well in 2020.

      I’m not a Democrat may yield results in 2022 and beyond.

      Locking out the big brother class via a government shutdown doesn’t make for good copy.

      1. Beatriz Rowe   4 years ago

        My pay at least $300/day. My co-worker says me! I’m really amazed because you really help people to have ideas how to earn money. Thank you for your ideas and I hope that you’ll achieve more and receive more blessings.ffq I admire your Website I hope you will notice me & I hope I can also win your paypal giveaway.

        Visit Now ..............Extreme-Earning

        1. Bernadette Lesperance   4 years ago

          Seriously I don’t know why more people haven’t tried this, I work two shifts, 2 hours in the day and 2 in the evening…FWh And i get surly a check of $12600 what’s awesome is I m working from home so I get more time with my kids.

          Try it, you won’t regret it........VISIT HERE

      2. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

        "I’m not a Democrat may yield results in 2022 and beyond"

        Shrike, White Mike, Sqrlcasmic and chemjeff chant that mantra every day here, despite plenty of evidence to the contrary.

        1. SQRLSY One   4 years ago

          EVERYONE who does NOT open their yeast-infected Chthonic Cunt WIDE-WIDE open, for the Great Whitish-Orangish Pumpkin-Father's orange member, is a Demon-Crap or a Communist!!! It is KNOWN, dammit! 'Cause MarxistMammaryBahnFuhrer SAID so!

          1. Azathoth!!   4 years ago

            He’s a real Sqrlsy Man,
            Sitting in his squirrely Land,
            Spewing out his squirrely plans,
            To no one
            Doesn’t see that he’s ignored
            His squirrly rants just leave all bored
            Recycled whining is adored
            By no one.
            Sqrlsy Man, Please Listen
            Go into the kitchen,
            Sqrlsy man, the oven is right there at hand
            Stick your head, in deeply
            Hit the gas, not meekly
            Sqrlsy Man just let it take you away
            He’s a real Sqrlsy Man
            Cooling in his squirrely land
            Whining all his squirrely plans
            To no one.

            1. R Mac   4 years ago

              A+++

            2. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

              A taste of his own medicine, except your poem is coherent and rhymes.

            3. Make Democrats Extinct   4 years ago

              I love it. We can only hope the shit eater really offs himself. He has to know deep down that he is loathsome and no one could ever love him.

          2. Sevo   4 years ago

            TDS-addled spastic asshole gets flagged.

        2. Chumby   4 years ago

          White Mike will always be a (Dee)

          1. R Mac   4 years ago

            Do I need to give her a nickname that starts with “B”?

            1. Chumby   4 years ago

              Or

              White Mike (D)ee

      3. ElvisIsReal   4 years ago

        Why not? "I'm not Bush" worked in 2008, just like "I'm not Clinton" worked in 2000.

    2. Moonrocks   4 years ago

      Does he not realize the same media that will vilify Republicans for blocking the debt ceiling increase will vilify Republicans just as hard for any negative public reaction to increasing the deb ceiling? Was he this stupid the whole time or is he just having a Biden moment?

      And Fuck Joe Biden.

      1. Union of Concerned Socks   4 years ago

        FJB!

    3. CE   4 years ago

      ...the terms McConnell has agreed to, Politico reports, "would require Democrats to raise the debt ceiling to a specific number rather than suspend it for a length of time, such as through the election." That means you can expect to hear a lot of attack ads next year talking about how Democrats voted to raise the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion or $2 trillion or whatever the final total ends up being.

      "Here's a blank check, but you can only use it once, so pick the number wisely"

      1. daveca   4 years ago

        Bitch MxmcConmans part of the problem.

        "They" could have Blue Slipped Obozo Care which cost us over $8 Trillion dollars.

        The Ahole RINOS were against it before they voted for it.

        "Bowg Sidez" are to blame.

  2. Fist of Etiquette   4 years ago

    The upshot, assuming this deal holds up long enough to avert the December 15 deadline for raising the debt limit, is that there won't be another showdown like this before the midterm elections next November.

    A one-time only performance. Sold-out show.

  3. Fist of Etiquette   4 years ago

    Fashion tycoon Yusaku Maezawa is the world's latest space tourist.

    We're all going to be wearing those skintight white space pants, the silver triangle space tunics and large space belts.

    1. Fist of Etiquette   4 years ago

      Joining him are his assistant...

      "Take this down: Dog beds for bras; litter boxes for hats. I want to see it on the catwalk before spring."

      1. Moonrocks   4 years ago

        Giving Derelicte a run for its money.

    2. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

      Maezawa plans to wire cash to Twitter followers while in orbit.

      So why doesn't Reason Magazine just follow him on Twitter and stop hitting us up for donations?

      1. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

        "Funded Exclusively by Billionaires" doesn't look good on the masthead.

        Rich Uncle Charles already pays 99.99% of the costs. They need the donees for the pretense of grassroots funding.

        1. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

          So we are the real "cocktail party" they need?

          Hmmm...we should use that as leverage and turn this ship around from the Niagara Falls it faces.

  4. Rich   4 years ago

    Meijer sees Trump inspiring copycats, some of them far smarter and more sophisticated, enemies of the American ideal who might succeed where Trump failed.

    May one suppose Meijer *names* a "copycat" or two in his essay?

    1. Don't look at me!   4 years ago

      The copycats are never as good as the original.

      1. Red Rocks White Privilege   4 years ago

        Oh, I don't know about that. Augustus was a far better politician than Caesar ever accomplished.

        Meijer is right in the assessment that Trump isn't the one to be concerned about. What he fails to accept is that populism is part of the GOP brand right now and has been since 2008, and instead of harnessing that angst and frustration with the cultural and economic oligarchs allied with the Democrats, he's wringing his hands that the party nominee might not be happy with being a graceful election loser, during a period where the Dems are staring at an electoral menstrual wave.

        Meijer's been in the military and ought to know damn well that a Fabian strategy only works if you eventually plan on attacking the enemy when he's vulnerable. The Dems are vulnerable, but Meijer and the rest of the NeverTrump faction of the GOP are worrying that they might have to actually get their hands dirty to get the party's political agenda moving forward.

    2. Zeb   4 years ago

      Where do they get "enemies of the American ideal"? What do they think Trump was trying to do?
      I have no love for Trump, but he really wasn't trying to do anything outside of the normal range of American politics as far as I could see.

      1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   4 years ago

        If your American ideal is based on CRT, safetyism, and submission to global eco-socialism, then pretty much everyone outside your grievance studies department is an enemy.

        1. Jerryskids   4 years ago

          The American ideal at this point is to erase the American ideal.

          1. Gray_Jay   4 years ago

            Nailed through the board again.

            Trump was an amalgam of Dick Gephardt's policies, and Huey Long's showmanship. Pretty telling that a Reagan-era Democrat is portrayed as an enemy of the American Ideal.

            1. The Great Negro   4 years ago

              What was liberal 40 years ago in now fascist.

            2. ThomasD   4 years ago

              "Trump was an amalgam of Dick Gephardt's policies, and Huey Long's showmanship. "

              I'm stealing that.

      2. Idaho Bob   4 years ago

        This is the gaslighting commonly used to vilify Trump and his supporters. I often hear "wrong side of history" when Trumpsters are discussed by the progs.

        And like you, I don't not understand the hate aimed at Trump and his followers.

        1. JesseAz   4 years ago

          A lot of it currently from the non DNC side, but from the never trumper side, is them realizing how idiotic they were now that they see the results of Biden's policies.

          1. CE   4 years ago

            If Biden won't even double down in Afghanistan, what's a neocon to do?

      3. JesseAz   4 years ago

        He went against the deep state often and that is wrong. His entire first impeachment had witnesses saying his phone call was wrong because he went against long term ideas of the department (see Vindman as an example).

        1. HorseConch   4 years ago

          Trump is an asshole, a grifter, and very abrasive. He's also very smart, and was MUCH better the the current pants shitter. I think intraparty conflict is great when there's some actual basis for it. Poor little Peter, though, is just like Cheney and Romney. Their opposition is only for political gain, but will likely cause political loss for them. There is plenty to dig at Trump for, being a colossal threat to freedom sure as hell isn't one.

          1. Red Rocks White Privilege   4 years ago

            Poor little Peter, though, is just like Cheney and Romney. Their opposition is only for political gain,

            Yeah, there's a definite strain of "controlled opposition" with these guys, and that's why people like Greene, Boebert, and Gaetz end up getting elected. Boebert's been getting a lot of attention lately because of her feud with that bulbhead Omar, but the bottom line is that she was elected PRECISELY because her "fuck you" attitude is a giant thumb in the eye of the state's left-liberal, overeducated neoyuppie class and their media allies in the Denver metro area. She's the embodiment of the Western Slope's loathing of the Front Range specifically, and the media there can't quite grasp that.

          2. Gray_Jay   4 years ago

            "Trump is an asshole, a grifter, and very abrasive"

            Troll-In-Chief. But his shit worked. Sans Trump's efforts, we'd still be in Afghanistan. And no other President within my memory, would go walk into North Korea and talk with Un. Or get his son in law to get the Saudis and Israelis playing nicer than they ever really have.

            1. R Mac   4 years ago

              “Or get his son in law to get the Saudis and Israelis playing nicer than they ever really have.”

              The fact that this was ignored, and most of the country doesn’t even know it happened, is to me one of the signs that we’ve passed a tipping point in the media being STRICTLY propagandists.

              1. ElvisIsReal   4 years ago

                Exactly.

          3. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

            Trump is an asshole, a grifter, and very abrasive

            I think even his biggest fans would agree with this. I think it's part of his schtick.

            That's why it always makes me laugh when the drones call Trump supporters "cultists" because they supposedly don't see that. While in fact Trump being an absolute dick to the highly arrogant media and political classes was his biggest selling point.

            I always disliked Trump before he got elected. I'm not a fan of the New York attitude to begin with, and thought he was a sleezy, loudmouthed P.T. Barnum who made his money welching on loans. Which he was.
            However, I hated Hillary even more, so I thought "Can't be worse" when he got elected.

            By the end of the first year though my attitude did a 180, and by the beginning of 2020 I realized he was the most libertarian and best US president since Coolidge.

            1. Red Rocks White Privilege   4 years ago

              I think even his biggest fans would agree with this. I think it's part of his schtick.

              I haven't heard any Trump voter deny that he's a loud-mouthed carny asshole. That was the whole point of why he won the nomination.

              1. HorseConch   4 years ago

                He got more done while fighting the entire establishment + media in 1 term than anyone we've seen in my lifetime did in 2 terms of helpful swamp/media.

            2. ThomasD   4 years ago

              Pretty much my experience with Trump as well.

      4. Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2   4 years ago

        Where do they get "enemies of the American ideal"?

        Are you kidding?

        Self determination by election? Democracy? Peaceful transfer of power by will of the people?

        The US Constitution. Read it.

        1. Zeb   4 years ago

          Oh, that's right, I forgot how Trump seized power in a coup and is now president for life.

          1. Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2   4 years ago

            He ordered the Georgia SoS to "find" him 11,000 votes in order to win the states electoral votes. He supported a violent coup attempt to nullify the vote certification. He called our free press the "enemy of the people".

            Trump is an enemy of democracy and liberty.

            1. R Mac   4 years ago

              Nobody believes your lies, pedo.

            2. Uilleam   4 years ago

              Take your democracy and shove it.

            3. JesseAz   4 years ago

              Find doesn't mean generate.

              They did find 5000 double votes alone in a facial audit.

            4. Earth-based Human Skeptic   4 years ago

              Now do 2016.

              1. Mike Laursen   4 years ago

                That made no sense as a rejoinder.

                How does anything that happened in 2016 undo Trump’s post-electoral corrupt, anti-Democratic behavior in 2021?

                1. R Mac   4 years ago

                  It shows what a dishonest hypocrite people like you are.

                2. Make Democrats Extinct   4 years ago

                  No such behavior took place. You’re just democrat filth.

            5. Red Rocks White Privilege   4 years ago

              He called our free press the "enemy of the people".

              It's not like he was wrong there. The press is hardly "free" and is largely a mouthpiece for the DNC.

              1. R Mac   4 years ago

                And clearly the enemy of many people that don’t toe the line.

            6. Zeb   4 years ago

              He called our free press the "enemy of the people".

              I have a hard time seeing how he's wrong there.

              The rest is a fairly questionable interpretation of events.

              1. Cyto   4 years ago

                Free press.... Hahahahahaha...

                "SUV injured several"

                "Attacked with bleach and a noose at 2 am in -20 weather in downtown Chicago by 2 MAGA Trump supporters"

                Lines of college boys waiting to hang rape

                16 year old Christian Trump supporter attacks elderly Indian leader

                Intelligence assets in the Kremlin say Trump is working directly with Putin

                There is no inflation

                The laptop is Russian Disinformation

                Half million dollar amateur paintings are not bribes

                These are all lies that they not only told... But have not renounced or even acknowledged. They lie about all things, great and small.

                And now they are in a full court press to make sure that nobody has the ability to question their lies.

                I would say "enemy of the people" undersells it by a wide margin.

            7. Brian   4 years ago

              “ He called our free press the "enemy of the people".”

              The same people who call Trump an enemy of the first amendment because he labeled the press enemies have literally thrown Julian Assange in prison where they want to keep him for the rest of his life because he dared to treat the Clinton emails like the Pentagon Papers.

              Hypocrites.

              1. Cyto   4 years ago

                They raided the owner and 2 other reporters from Project Veritas, seizing information on sources and donors. All under the pretext of a diary that they turned over to police along with all information about the source of the diary.

                This is double bad.... A direct attack on the press as well as a confirmation of the veracity of the diary.... A diary which purportedly contains accusations of child molestation by the President of the united states.

                1. JesseAz   4 years ago

                  Don't forget "and then leaked the privileged documents to the NYT."

              2. Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2   4 years ago

                Reality Winner was wrongly imprisoned by the Trumpists.

                1. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

                  The other day you said that Winner "incriminated Trump".
                  When we asked you how, you first misdirected and lied about Manafort, and then ran away.

                  You want to explain yourself now? What did Winner say that had incriminated Trump?

                2. JesseAz   4 years ago

                  She admitted to releasing classified documents. How was she wrongly imprisoned?

                  1. Red Rocks White Privilege   4 years ago

                    No kidding. I respect Snowden for what he exposed (and that was FAR more scandalous and substantive than anything Winner revealed), but it's stupid to deny that if he had been caught, he would have been thrown in prison for releasing classified information, probably for life due to who he specifically embarrassed.

                3. Sevo   4 years ago

                  turd lies; it’s all he ever does. turd is a pathological liar, entirely too stupid to remember which lies he posted even minutes ago, and also too stupid to understand we all know he’s a liar.
                  If anything he posts isn’t a lie, it’s totally accidental.
                  turd lies; it’s what he does. turd is a lying pile of lefty shit who should fuck off and die.

              3. Mike Laursen   4 years ago

                It was wonderful how Trump, most libertarian President ever, pardoned Assange, Winner, and Snowden.

                1. JesseAz   4 years ago

                  This let's you ignore all the other libertarianish acts he did follow through on huh? A nirvana fallacy?

                2. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

                  Not pardoning Assange and Snowden was indeed Trump's second biggest mistake.

                3. Brian   4 years ago

                  It is wonderful how the media stands up for them. Oh wait…

                  1. Mike Laursen   4 years ago

                    I’ll be really explicit, because you aren’t getting my point: both sides.

            8. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

              "He ordered the Georgia SoS to "find" him 11,000 votes"

              You're deliberately miswording that, and you know it. What he actually said has been pointed out to you a million times already.

              This is why everyone knows you're an Open Societies fifty-center, Shrike. Because you keep peddling lies that you know are lies, but fit the Democratic Party narrative.

              1. Sevo   4 years ago

                "...You're deliberately miswording that, and you know it. What he actually said has been pointed out to you a million times already..."

                turd lies and if that's not clear to you, you are Mike, Tony, sarc, jeff shitlord, asshole joe, queen asshole, MG, or one of several other masochistic pieces of lying lefty shit who show up to get their faces wiped with their bullshit and insulted in the bargain.
                What sort of mental malfunctions makes those assholes do so?

            9. Make Democrats Extinct   4 years ago

              Good, we’re a republic. Not a democracy.

              Now go kill yourself, as you are a pedophile.

            10. Make Democrats Extinct   4 years ago

              Trump was fine. You however, are a pedophile traitor.

        2. Uilleam   4 years ago

          I think maybe you should take your own advise.

        3. JesseAz   4 years ago

          Because sending ths IC to gen up false investigations is a peaceful transfer? FBI seeking and instigating grounds for a special prosecutor on false charges is a peaceful transfer? Open federal workers declaring themselves the resistance is a peaceful transfer?

        4. Sevo   4 years ago

          turd lies; it’s all he ever does. turd is a pathological liar, entirely too stupid to remember which lies he posted even minutes ago, and also too stupid to understand we all know he’s a liar.
          If anything he posts isn’t a lie, it’s totally accidental.
          turd lies; it’s what he does. turd is a lying pile of lefty shit who should fuck off and die.

      5. Social Justice is neither   4 years ago

        Well he did call out the marxist rioters and called for peaceful protest instead of violent revolution so as a Democrat you can see why he's confused.

        1. Make Democrats Extinct   4 years ago

          Yep. Libertarians and conservatives are peaceful. Leftist democrats are vicious violent, rioting, looting, raping, murderous traitors.

      6. I, Woodchipper   4 years ago

        Zeb, I couldn't agree more.

        The collective Trump freakout is the biggest political overreaction of all time.

        1. Sometimes a Great Notion   4 years ago

          I disagree on the overreaction description, if they had the same level of outrage but directed it at Trump's executive order taxation scheme, that be a tepid reaction from a people who rebelled under the idea, "No taxation without representation". Misdirected who be my adjective.

          1. Sevo   4 years ago

            "...Trump's executive order taxation scheme,..."
            Got a link for this claim?

            1. Sevo   4 years ago

              Still waiting; perhaps it didn't happen?

      7. daveca   4 years ago

        Then youre too short sighted...

        Typical for Nickel - Per Trolls

      8. Fats of Fury   4 years ago

        The American ideal is now made in China.
        This guy fits right in with the Stupid Party. He's the one who replaced Amash who was rejected by the same voters for his TDS.

    3. MT-Man   4 years ago

      Peter Meijer seems about as republican as the lincoln project.

      1. Mike Laursen   4 years ago

        What makes someone a _true_ Republican? Is it falling in line behind Donald Trump?

        1. R Mac   4 years ago

          Caw caw!

          1. Don't look at me!   4 years ago

            You have to be caw-causian.

            1. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

              "Racism is the real caws" - t. Mike

        2. JesseAz   4 years ago

          Having Republican ideals instead of just being the kind foil to democrats. See Jennifer rubin.

        3. I, Woodchipper   4 years ago

          you can start with 1. not playing for the democrats

        4. MT-Man   4 years ago

          What makes someone a true Mike Laursen?

          1. CE   4 years ago

            that's easy, he has the membership card

          2. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

            Sealioning. To be a true White Mike you need to specialize in sealioning

            1. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

              Even though we two can be foils on some or even many topics, I have to give you credit and thank you for exposing me to the unfamiliar concept of "sealioning."

              When I first saw the term, I thought maybe "sealioning" was a way for John McAfee to add some kink to his whale-humping trysts. 😉

              I'm glad the lure of the cringe-y and forbidden led me to learn something new and you are the hook-baiter who made it possible. Much obliged on the new knowledge. 🙂

              Now that I know what "sealioning" is, I can say I've encountered it before on other forums, including from Theists and Religionists on Atheist forums. They always do this to make us out as the bad guy and themselves out as the martyr.

              I would always politely provide recommended sources and encourage them to explore further and fortunately didn't get ensnared in the drama that usually followed.

              Rest assured, I'd never do anything like "sealioning" in a Theist or Religionist Forum or house of worship. There are simply too many of those, sources of knowledge on any subject are abundant and growing, and there is only one life in the Natural Universe to live. Whenever I ask for a citation, it is always for something so bizarre, I wonder if any source would have it. It's a better use of time and energy to let absurdity and atrocity makes their ways to me, as they usually do.

              As always, Kyle delivered. Me, I just lay in wait.

              1. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

                Yeah, we fight and will continue to fight about atheism and QAnon, but I don't dislike you.

                Unlike weasels like Mike and sarcasmic, you came by your positions honestly and argue in good faith. You don't try to lie, gaslight or misrepresent when we argue.

                1. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

                  The feeling's mutual. With a few obvious exceptions we probably all share, it makes no sense to dislike someone online whom you've never met, even when disagreements get heated.

                  Now, please don't get the harpoon gun yet, I do have something else I really need to learn and I don't always keep up with every thread:

                  I looked up "Caw Caw" in the Urban Dictionary and found 3 pages of results. Which of these meanings, if any, is the meaning used on the Comments? And what is the back-story behind "Caw Caw?"

                  Inquiring (and fun-loving) minds want to know...

                  1. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

                    I think it was R Mac that originally coined it years ago.

                    He, Ken and few others believe that the person posting as White Knight/Mike Laursen is actually a nasty old woman (an old crow/bird) who used to post as Dee Something.

                    R Mac used to post "Caw Caw", whenever White Mike start harrassing people, and then expanded it to whenever White Mike said something stupid.

                    Resident punster Chumby started riffing off that and you know the rest.

                    1. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

                      Thanks again. I figured it was either a meme or an inside joke.

                      Now I know.

                      And Knowing Is Half The Battle G.I. JOE
                      https://youtu.be/wmwLL-goh7A

                      The More You Know
                      https://youtu.be/Zmvt7yFTtt8

              2. Mike Laursen   4 years ago

                That’s nonsense. There is nothing wrong with asking people to back up their assertions with references.

                1. Make Democrats Extinct   4 years ago

                  Just stop. We know your game.

              3. Mike Laursen   4 years ago

                Want to stop “sealioning”, stop repeating the dame ridiculous baseless assertions every day.

                1. Make Democrats Extinct   4 years ago

                  Or you could just go away. You’re incapable of intelligent, honest, rational discussion.

          3. Mike Laursen   4 years ago

            Wow! That was a brilliant retort!

            1. R Mac   4 years ago

              Haha Dee. Everyone except sarc thinks you’re a joke.

            2. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

              You sound super mad, Mike.

            3. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

              Hey, Mike! Just wanted to point out that I am not an Eskimo, I have no desire for sealion blubber or flesh and as long as anyone doesn't block my way to work, stores, or play, we are good. ;] 🙂

          4. JesseAz   4 years ago

            Gaslighting piece of shit ignorant shit stain?

          5. Fats of Fury   4 years ago

            HO2 and a fire extinguisher.

        5. Make Democrats Extinct   4 years ago

          It involves not being a racist, Marxist piece of shit. So basically, not being like you.

      2. Gray_Jay   4 years ago

        This. Reason should probably cozy up to him a little more, in case Charles starts getting cold feet.

    4. Overt   4 years ago

      I have said this for a long time: Trump was the Brothers' Gracchi. He showed how to harness the populist mob against the elites. But like the Gracchi, that was ultimately not enough, and the levers of government could ultimately derail their agenda.

      The next major player was Julius Caesar. He saw the importance of populism, but knew that he needed something more: the military. His heir, Augustus then replaced the bureaucracy, thus completing the dismantling of the republic.

      I don't know that the only three levers are Public, Military and Bureaucracy...even the latter seems to be splintering a bit. There is certainly a burgeoning Police State in our government- the combined entities of the Department of Homeland Security who possess quasi-military abilities to target the enemies of a would-be dictator. It would not surprise me if America's Caesar came from our intelligence apparatus. We'll know in 10 - 15 years, unfortunately.

      1. R Mac   4 years ago

        “We'll know in 10 - 15 years, unfortunately.”

        At the speed our institutions are crumbling from corruption and incompetence, this might be the long estimate. We haven’t even made it through the first year of Biden’s administration.

      2. I, Woodchipper   4 years ago

        Augustus did not replace the bureaucracy, not even close.

        1. Overt   4 years ago

          Oh yes he did...he just did it by "packing" the bureaucracy, as the Democrats intend to do with the courts:

          " In accordance with his general policy Augustus did not interfere with the old republican offices and magistrates, but allowed them to remain as undisturbed as possible...But the emperor did not generally use these magistrates to carry out the details of his administration. This was performed by other officers appointed by himself."

          "“To enable more men to take part in the administration of the State, he devised new offices: the charge of public buildings, of the roads, of the aqueducts, of the channel of the Tiber, of the distribution of grain to the people, as well as the prefecture of the city, a board of three for choosing Senators, and another for reviewing the companies of the knights whenever it should be necessary. He appointed censors, an office which had long been discontinued. He increased the number of praetors."

          https://factsanddetails.com/world/cat56/sub368/entry-6265.html

          1. ThomasD   4 years ago

            This. The early Empire retained all the trappings of the Republic, but they were almost entirely neutered of any actual power or authority.

      3. Red Rocks White Privilege   4 years ago

        It would not surprise me if America's Caesar came from our intelligence apparatus. We'll know in 10 - 15 years, unfortunately.

        Maybe. It's not an accident that the Dems have been HEAVILY recruiting political candidates and consultants from the spook community. So it would have to be a traitor to that class to constitute a Caesar. The American federal bureaucracy is about as close to a landed gentry class as we have in this country, and they typically suffer NO consequences for their fuckups or malfeasance.

        Don't forget that Marius came after the Gracchi, and what really began the acceleration of the conflict over the Republic's future was Marius paying the legions out of his own pocket.

      4. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

        "I have said this for a long time: Trump was the Brothers' Gracchi."

        Great analogy. He really was. The political establishment and the DNC are acting exactly like Optimates right now.

    5. JesseAz   4 years ago

      They are prepping to use "trump-like" throughout the election, especially against DeSantis. They tried to use it on Youngkin. That's their only play right now. Continue the narrative that Trump was existentially bad and any GOP candidate is Trumplike.

      Meijer is showing to be from the Rubin/Amash wing of being friendly opposition more than actual opposition. The "I want to be in the NYT" wing of the party.

      1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   4 years ago

        It works for the typical hairless ape, who can only perceive (and respond to) in-tribe and out-tribe. Anyone out is an existential threat.

      2. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

        Exactly, Meijer is shopping for post political work. A few boards, a couple of commissions, etc, who would like a token conservative with intact bureaucratic connections.

    6. R Mac   4 years ago

      Meijer comes from a very rich family. Maybe that’s where the last donation match came from?

  5. Fist of Etiquette   4 years ago

    Thank you to everyone who contributed to Reason's annual webathon!

    Hopefully not too many of those bigger donations came with conditions.

    1. Don't look at me!   4 years ago

      You can only attach so many strings to a $10 bill.

      1. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

        And no telling what you'll catch if you drag it through Rev. Artie's trailer park! 😉

    2. Overt   4 years ago

      You know, my donations always link directly to my "Overt" username. I never add conditions to my donation, but I was pleasantly surprised when Dalmia was shown the door, and my comments were very always very clear that she was terrible. I like to hope that being a Torchbearer (hahahaha!) had an influence. But more likely she was getting SO bad that the real heavyweights had taken notice.

      1. Fats of Fury   4 years ago

        They quickly replaced her with Fiona Harrigan, or maybe that's Dalmia's nom de plume.

    3. CE   4 years ago

      I prefer to just buy NFTs of the Reason staff's artwork in auctions.

  6. Fist of Etiquette   4 years ago

    Despite the war in Afghanistan coming to an end, the Pentagon will get another budget increase: from $740 billion to $768 billion.

    Well, they do have a lot of equipment to replace.

    1. TrickyVic (old school)   4 years ago

      Well, I've heard the $5,000 wrench now costs $15,000.

    2. daveca   4 years ago

      Yeah after F-Tard Biden gave it to ISIS.

      FJB

    3. Fats of Fury   4 years ago

      Most of the costs will go to medals the joint chief's will pin on each other.

  7. Fist of Etiquette   4 years ago

    Sen. Joe Manchin's (D–W.Va.) opposition to the Build Back Better proposal seems to be hardening...

    I give you the Senate's most effective Republican.

    1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   4 years ago

      Odds on when Manchin flips parties?

      1. HorseConch   4 years ago

        Maybe he and Rand Paul will join Bernie as the most unlikely trio of Indepedents.

        1. HorseConch   4 years ago

          Independents.

        2. Chumby   4 years ago

          King Anus is also an (I).

          1. TrickyVic (old school)   4 years ago

            Apparently being an (I) means you can identify as a party of your choosing for presidential elections.

          2. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

            King Anus? Now that's a name that could apply to so many. Please be specific.

            1. HorseConch   4 years ago

              Is that the commander of Colonel Angus?

            2. Fats of Fury   4 years ago

              The "g" is silent.

            3. Chumby   4 years ago

              Angus King

              King, Angus

              King, Anus

              Indy senator from Maine.

        3. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

          As you have probably seen here and other forums elsewhere, Libertarians are Inde-pedantics.

      2. Anomalous   4 years ago

        I'll take the over on January 3, 2023.

  8. Commenter_XY   4 years ago

    LOL, I think Team D is about to find out that the most dangerous word in the English language is 'Yes' = Team D will be forced to vote to increase the debt limit by a specific dollar amount

    We'll see if Senator McConnell is correct in his assessment of how the American people will see it. I won't bet against him.

    1. JesseAz   4 years ago

      And the media will ignore it, the ignorant will claim it was not the Dem's fault, it was republican spending in response, and we will have idiots like Jeff/Mike/Sarc rushing to both sides.

      McConnel did nothing of consequence here except allow a large increase to the debt.

      1. Commenter_XY   4 years ago

        I don't think he really had a lot of choice, JesseAZ. His options here are limited.

    2. I, Woodchipper   4 years ago

      no one cares about the debt ceiling and no election will ever hinge on the candidate's position on the debt ceiling.

    3. CE   4 years ago

      And when the specific dollar amount they raise it is another 30,000,000,000,000 dollars, and no one bats an eyelash, what then?

      1. Fats of Fury   4 years ago

        Then we change our name to The United States of Latin America,

        1. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

          With a Comstitutional Banana Pudding Republic as our form of Government. (Mad props to Chumby for that one!)

  9. creech   4 years ago

    The Democrats will make the 2024 race about Donald Trump whether or not Trump is the presidential nominee of the GOP.
    Because President Kamala Harris will be running for re-election (of sorts), the GOP primary field will be crowded with folks eager to take her on. Trump can certainly win the nomination in a crowded field if he so chooses. Maybe if Rand Paul does well, Trump will pick him for V.P. and Paul becomes president when old man Trump keels over? One can wish, eh?

    1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   4 years ago

      But what about JFK Jr?

      1. HorseConch   4 years ago

        Don't think that plane will fly anymore.

        1. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

          That doesn't stop QAnoners from believing in JFKJr's Second Coming, with The Orange Man as his St. Peter.

      2. Mike Laursen   4 years ago

        He flew upside down to close to the sun.

        1. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

          "But, Mama Jackie O, that's where the fun is!..."

  10. Fist of Etiquette   4 years ago

    Congress dropped a proposal to require women to register for the draft from this year's National Defense Authorization Act.

    More like No Dame Accountability Act. Am I right, fellas?

    1. Don't look at me!   4 years ago

      Missed an opportunity to pay them at 70%.

      1. Fist of Etiquette   4 years ago

        This guy gets it.

    2. JesseAz   4 years ago

      Can they register to make us some sandwiches?

      1. Make Democrats Extinct   4 years ago

        I support that.

    3. Longtobefree   4 years ago

      Does not the equal right clause then require the draft to be eliminated for men?

      (and how can they exempt only women when the supreme court has clearly ruled than men are women?)

    4. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

      So I guess Laci Green won't be suitin' up and bootin' up to go fight and die in "The Sandbox?"

  11. Gaear Grimsrud   4 years ago

    Hello. I miss Rufus.

    1. Idaho Bob   4 years ago

      Gave me the sads.

    2. Overt   4 years ago

      Wait...what happened to Rufus?

      1. Red Rocks White Privilege   4 years ago

        I think he mostly comments over at Glibs now. He still used to show up from time to time up until around this past spring.

        1. Red Rocks White Privilege   4 years ago

          The one commenter I'm really curious about is John. Dude just dropped off the face of the earth.

          1. Gray_Jay   4 years ago

            I wish him well. The longer I comment here, the more I've come to appreciate his perspective on several issues.

            1. Red Rocks White Privilege   4 years ago

              For all the shit he got from some people about not knowing what he was posting about, he was far more well-read than anyone else on the board. Pretty much any major argument of his was based on information he had picked up from books he'd gone through.

              1. Overt   4 years ago

                John was a consummate curmudgeon. He'd take you to task when you disagreed but never take it personally, or expect you to take it personally. Like drunks in a bar, you shout at each other and have beers the next day.

                1. Gray_Jay   4 years ago

                  Oh, John took shit personally. In as much as you can tell in text.

                  But he never took it personally, if you get what I mean. He and I told each other to go fuck yourself on a few occasions---he really didn't like the idea that Persian Gulf War 2.0 was a titanic waste of lives and money---but yeah, it was exactly like an earnest, heartfelt drunken argument in a bar with cronies.

                  He convinced me on a lot of criminal justice issues I'd thought settled before I talked with him. (And actually picked up some experience of my own trying to guide people, and having friends who also did and do, through the criminal justice system.) And as Red said, usually the guy had some decent source or basis for his stated opinion.

        2. Overt   4 years ago

          Ok. Yeah he and I really tag teamed during the beginning of the lockdowns. He was impacted, and I sympathized a lot because I have nephews and nieces who lost their life savings by having the temerity to start a small business prior to the pandemic.

          As long as he is ok, I'm happy. I don't post at Glibs as much, but hadn't seen him there when lurking, either.

      2. Fats of Fury   4 years ago

        Rufus commented here just the other day. I welcomed him back but he didn't respond.

  12. Fist of Etiquette   4 years ago

    A third dose of the Pfizer vaccine seems to be effective against the new omicron variant, the company says.

    Sucking Fist of Etiquette's cock well is effective against all the variants, Fist of Etiquette says.

    1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   4 years ago

      Precious bodily fluids?

    2. Cyto   4 years ago

      This is deserved derision.

      They are spewing nonsense.

      This is not how antigen-antibody binding works.

      Plus.... They likely already have the mRNA designed for an Omicron specific vaccine.

      They are just trying to get us to pay for 100 million doses of the old stuff so we can pay for 600 million doses of the new stuff too.

      1. ThomasD   4 years ago

        "They are just trying to get us to pay for 100 million doses of the old stuff so we can pay for 600 million doses of the new stuff too."

        Doubtful they have the latter. The former is 100% spot on.

        The spike protein really cannot change too much and the virus still function reliably, so what has been (somewhat) effective will continue to be effective against most any infectious variant.

    3. CE   4 years ago

      and by "effective", they mean the symptoms are mild. which they already are, even without the third dose.

  13. JesseAz   4 years ago

    School in LA bribed students to get vaccinated without telling their parents. California law requires parental consent. Bonus, school named after Obama.

    https://www.dailywire.com/news/ca-mom-claims-school-bribed-son-with-pizza-to-get-vaccine-told-him-not-to-tell-her

    1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   4 years ago

      School board to mother about her child: You didn't build that!

    2. I, Woodchipper   4 years ago

      Murderous rage, that's how I'd feel if they had done this to my kid.

      1. Cyto   4 years ago

        Parents think they have a right to decide their child's medical care. They don't.

        1. Gray_Jay   4 years ago

          Abortion kicked that barn door open some time ago.

          1. ThomasD   4 years ago

            Indeed. That abortion was ostensibly* all about "keeping government out of private health matters" notwithstanding.

            *In reality it is always and everywhere about preferred outcomes.

      2. Make Democrats Extinct   4 years ago

        That’s how I feel about a large number of democrats every day. We can’t survive their continued existence if they’re allowed to remain in America.

        Something has to happen. It’s us or them.

  14. Overt   4 years ago

    McConnel's actions are an important reminder that if the Republicans can sell us out and not be held responsible, they will do it. They are tantamount to relying on the French to keep an attacking enemy at bay. Sometimes, they're all you got, but if that is the strategy you are banking on, you need to earnestly step up the search for a plan B.

    In many ways this is the natural consequence of our polarized society. If the Republicans DID stick to their guns and filibustered the debt ceiling, they would have never gotten any credit for it. Even if that is what libertarians ostensibly want, any article on this site would be filled with, "Yeah, but the GOP is still reckless with the budget at other times." So if the GOP doesn't get credit for opposing the Democrats and if they can at least shift more blame on the Democrats, then this is indeed the rational play.

    That is, it is the rational play if your game is "be the majority party in government." People need to understand that the Dems and GOP aren't playing "Let's responsibly govern the country." They are playing "Be the majority party in government." Sometimes, getting the latter means doing some of the former. But most of the time they can get the latter without doing much of the former at all. Remember that.

    1. Commenter_XY   4 years ago

      Plan B = Win elections

    2. JesseAz   4 years ago

      If the Republicans DID stick to their guns and filibustered the debt ceiling, they would have never gotten any credit for it. Even if that is what libertarians ostensibly want, any article on this site would be filled with, "Yeah, but the GOP is still reckless with the budget at other times."

      In full agreement here. McConnel bent the knee for a fake belief that this will be pinned on the dems. It won't be, and people will forget.

      So if the GOP doesn't get credit for opposing the Democrats and if they can at least shift more blame on the Democrats, then this is indeed the rational play.

      And that's where I disagree.

      a) short term memory of the voters, this is happening 10 months away
      b) Media will claim a lot of the debt was caused by tax cuts and try to shift blame
      c) Democrats don't even care about the debt
      d) as you said above, both sides will be repeated ad nauseum

      McConnel should have simply said no. Force them to use reconciliation.

      1. JesseAz   4 years ago

        this = election in a)

      2. Overt   4 years ago

        Shutting down the government is, unfortunately, a narrative changer. McConnel knows that the narrative is that the Dems are self destructing. He is not going to change that narrative.

        1. JesseAz   4 years ago

          Is it though? Very few people outside of federal workers felt the last shut down. Even with Obama trying his hardest to make people feel it. He closed down funded federal parks. That was basically the extent of the shut down outside the beltway.

          Who honestly do you know is up in arms about the last shut down? Just the media.

          Give people 6 months of a shut down, let them realize how ridiculous the claims of the media and the democrats are.

          1. Gray_Jay   4 years ago

            "Just the media.

            Give people 6 months of a shut down, let them realize how ridiculous the claims of the media and the democrats are."

            Honestly, the media's enough. Until such a hypothetical shutdown causes Medicare checks to stop, and EBT cards to stop working...

            1. JesseAz   4 years ago

              Medicare is a debt, as people already paid in. Same with SS. Current tax revenues are greater than outstanding payments on the debt. And they are required to pay debt first.

          2. CE   4 years ago

            Social security checks could be automated. The rest is just a nuisance to most people.

            1. JesseAz   4 years ago

              From 2011.

              https://money.cnn.com/2011/02/23/news/economy/shutdown_social_security/index.htm

              Checks did not stop. They have priority in spending.

              1. CE   4 years ago

                yeah, I'm aware of that. I mean furlough all the workers and just send the checks automatically (which are actually just direct deposits).

          3. Overt   4 years ago

            *I* would be there agreeing with you. But that should not be confused with the general public. By and large the public does not like shut downs. And this has consistently held true, especially among the independents that both sides covet.

            1. CE   4 years ago

              We're paying 4 trillion bucks a year for 6 trillion dollars worth of government, we don't expect them to do nothing.

            2. JesseAz   4 years ago

              Less than a third of people now trust the media. Let them continue to garner distrust.

    3. R Mac   4 years ago

      “People need to understand that the Dems and GOP aren't playing "Let's responsibly govern the country." They are playing "Be the majority party in government."”

      Except, while the Republicans will unfortunately do little of what they say if they do achieve that power, the current Democrat party is doing, and will continue to do, things MUCH worse than just not responsibly governing the country.

      Look at exactly what the Democrats have been doing over the last 5+ years as they’ve solidified their complete control over the IC, and given more power to their progressive caucus. This country has become a Banana Republic, and much of the crazy things they’re doing, they’re doing right out in the open, and few people care.

      I mean, FFS, we have people still being held as political prisoners almost a year after January 6th, and not even this so called libertarian publication gives a shit. Imagine what they’ll be able to get away with in another five years?

      1. Cyto   4 years ago

        You, me, and like 53 other people in this country see it.

    4. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

      "McConnel's actions are an important reminder that if the Republicans can sell us out and not be held responsible, they will do it."

      You're completely misreading this.

      See my comment here:

      https://reason.com/2021/12/08/mcconnell-wont-block-debt-ceiling-increase-says-he-wants-democrats-to-proudly-own-it/?comments=true#comment-9247443

      Suffice it to say, the alternative to this was not refusing to increase the debt ceiling. The alternative was to insist that Manchin and Sinema pass the BBB budget reconciliation bill--in order to raise the debt ceiling.

      The Republicans stopping the Democrats from raising the debt ceiling wasn't one of the options. It just saves the Democrats from having a food fight before they raise the debt ceiling anyway, and--most importantly--it means that the BBB budget reconciliation bill probably won't get passed. And that's why McConnell did this.

    5. NOYB2   4 years ago

      In many ways this is the natural consequence of our polarized society.

      To the contrary, it's a natural consequence of the fact that the vast majority of Americans want free crap and are going to vote for anybody who gives them free crap. That's why Republicans have not cut back government meaningfully: voters would skewer them. The best voters let Republicans do is drag their feet on additional government handouts.

      People need to understand that the Dems and GOP aren't playing "Let's responsibly govern the country."

      Thanks for illustrating the typical idiocy of the American voter again: you want to be governed, by the federal government no less. May you get what you want, good and hard. You really deserve no better.

  15. Earth-based Human Skeptic   4 years ago

    "Meijer says he's "pretty much" resigned to Trump winning his party's nomination in 2024, and worries that the odds of Trump returning to the White House are growing stronger as Biden's presidency loses steam. Meijer knows the strain Trump's candidacy might place on a system that nearly buckled during the last election cycle. What's worse: Meijer sees Trump inspiring copycats, some of them far smarter and more sophisticated, enemies of the American ideal who might succeed where Trump failed."

    Democracy good and hard. Really, really hard.

  16. Fist of Etiquette   4 years ago

    Don't like COVID policies where you live? Move somewhere else, says economist Bryan Caplan. (This is true for non-COVID policies too.)

    The grass is always regulated a different shade of green on the other side of the fence.

    1. MT-Man   4 years ago

      I love how flippant he makes that sound, it's not easy for everyone to do that.

    2. Earth-based Human Skeptic   4 years ago

      Even better: if you don't like individual liberties and capitalism, move somewhere else.

    3. Eeyore   4 years ago

      I keep moving there and those mother fuckers keep following me.

  17. JesseAz   4 years ago

    Democrat mayor of st Louis on state Ag letting schools know they have to follow the law regarding masks and vaccines.

    Tishaura O. Jones
    @tishaura
    Please help us! Our Attorney General @Eric_Schmitt is literally trying to kill us!

    Ag response

    Eric Schmitt
    @Eric_Schmitt
    You’re the mayor of the murder capital of the United States, violent crime rages on and you want to defund the police and yet you’re obsessed with the forced masking of 5 year olds.

    Your administration and priorities are a total disaster.

    1. Gaear Grimsrud   4 years ago

      Cool

    2. Chumby   4 years ago

      They live in a state of Misseri

      1. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

        Show me. Oh, wait...

  18. Earth-based Human Skeptic   4 years ago

    "Going with Maezawa is producer Yozo Hirano, who plans to film the trip. ABC News reports that Maezawa has "compiled a list of 100 things to do in space after asking the public for ideas." He is the first space tourist to visit the ISS since 2009."

    At least 50 of those are NSFW.

    1. Rev. Arthur L. Kuckland   4 years ago

      Nsfg not safe for gravity

  19. Earth-based Human Skeptic   4 years ago

    "Despite the war in Afghanistan coming to an end, the Pentagon will get another budget increase: from $740 billion to $768 billion."

    MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!

  20. Fist of Etiquette   4 years ago

    You might want to stock up now on your favorite holiday drinks.

    Why not add the Volstead Act on top of all the other golden oldies being replayed these days.

    1. JesseAz   4 years ago

      Sarc hardest hit?

      1. Union of Concerned Socks   4 years ago

        Sterno's still widely available.

    2. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

      From the story in The Washington Pissed:

      The company is seeing strong sales, but Quincey said supply chain problems are “a bit like whack-a-mole” during a recent third quarter earnings call. He described shipping, freight and labor problems; ingredient shortages; as well as freak and unexpected challenges — a plastics factory in Brazil bursting into flames or the rising cost of natural gas causing a global shortage of CO2, which gives soda its bubbles.

      Wait a damn minute! How can there be a shortage of CO2 if that is what is the cause of Global Warming/Climate Change? Couldn't they just tap the reservoir which is found in the enitre atmosphere of the Earth?

      1. Eeyore   4 years ago

        I believe the most common source of commercial CO2 is from burning natural gas. That costs less then trying to separate the gas from the air. Fun that it is everywhere, but can't be reused.

        1. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

          Actually, it could be re-used, it's called plant life, but that's too easy for Eco-Wackos.

    3. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

      Shhhh!...

      Between Nanny Statists and their product liability lawyers, Islamists triumphant abroad and at home via The Squad, and The Southern Baptist Convention needing a shiny thingy to distract from their sexual abuse scandals, The Return of Volstead could easily happen! Yikes!

  21. Earth-based Human Skeptic   4 years ago

    "A student at Virginia Tech has been suspended for booing a referee and the school's assistant athletic director at a soccer game."

    Was the student from the oppressor class, and the others from victim classes? How are we supposed to react?

    1. Don't look at me!   4 years ago

      That’s right! How can we decide if we don’t know what color skin everyone has?

  22. Fist of Etiquette   4 years ago

    A student at Virginia Tech has been suspended for booing a referee and the school's assistant athletic director at a soccer game.

    Toxic masculinity, even in service of the home team, cannot be tolerated. Read your Title IX.

  23. JesseAz   4 years ago

    D.C. jails holding the J6 political prisoners were finally forced to allow House reps to tour the facilities. D.C. officials attempted to end the tour prior to getting to the old run down part of the prison housing said prisoners. Some of the findings;

    Inmates claim they aren’t allowed to see their lawyers or family members
    They aren’t allowed to get a haircut unless they are vaccinated. Some use Nair hair remover on their heads. Some keep their hair long.
    Some of the J6 political prisoners claimed their cells were infested with rats and bedbugs when they first arrived.
    They claimed the U.S. Marshals Service came through several days before the Green-Gohmert visit to paint and scrub dirt and mold from the showers. There were still visible signs of dirt and mold in the shower section.
    One inmate told Greene his toilet doesn’t work. He has to wait until he is let out of his cell to use a restroom.
    The inmates aren’t allowed to attend religious services so they hold their own.
    Several inmates need medical attention. One has a broken finger. A seventy-one-year-old inmate, Lonnie Leroy Coffman, who hasn’t seen a doctor, watched as his lower forearm has turned purple and his thumb turned black. The other inmates suggested that if anyone can be released, it should be Lonnie.

    https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/kevindowneyjr/2021/12/07/reps-greene-and-gohmert-finally-met-the-j6-political-prisoners-what-they-saw-isnt-pretty-n1539714

    1. JesseAz   4 years ago

      Meanwhile BLM linked activist given 1 year time served and 3 years probation for planting explosive materials.

      https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/pittsburgh-man-gets-probation-for-planting-explosives-after-2020-riots/ar-AARA3ZI

    2. Don't look at me!   4 years ago

      Maybe, if the rest of him turns black, they will let him out.

      1. Cyto   4 years ago

        Painful, poignant and insightful.

    3. R Mac   4 years ago

      And still nothing from this wretched rag.

  24. Rev. Arthur L. Kuckland   4 years ago

    Phiser also said the first 2 doses were effictive and 100% safe

  25. JesseAz   4 years ago

    Very blue Fairfax Va wants to tax you for rain hitting your property.

    https://justthenews.com/government/local/wrain-tax-fairfax-va-eyes-assessing-taxpayers-rain-their-roofs-driveways-parking

    1. Enjoy Every Sandwich   4 years ago

      It doesn't appear to be included yet, but I can easily see them extending this to the fucking property taxes we pay on our automobiles. "Your car is an impervious surface..."

    2. Rev. Arthur L. Kuckland   4 years ago

      If you try to walk they'll tax your feet

      1. CE   4 years ago

        rain, rain, rain, I don't mind.....

        cuz I'm the Taxman, yeah, the Taxman.

    3. Minadin   4 years ago

      Stormwater sewer taxes based on impervious surfaces are fairly common for commercial properties in many places. Residential properties in the suburbs typically have so much more 'green' space than hard paving that runoff isn't much of an issue.

      A new class of paving products that have been in development for years, and is just starting to come into more widespread commercial use, is permeable paving - a hard surface that you can drive or park or walk on, but doesn't produce runoff when it rains.

      Some of the local authorities that impose these 'rain' taxes have been struggling to figure these new surfaces out. Or rather, how to tax them, at least.

      1. JesseAz   4 years ago

        Just because it is common doesn't make it reasonable.

        1. Overt   4 years ago

          That said, it seems like a more reasonable tax than straight up property taxes- as long as the taxes are solely used for sewer costs. It is essentially the same as funding highways with a gas tax. The people consuming the service (sewers and cars) are generally the ones paying the tax.

          1. JesseAz   4 years ago

            Property taxes are far less invasive. How do they estimate square footage of non permeable materials without being on your property?

            1. Chuck P. (The Artist formerly known as CTSP)   4 years ago

              Satellite imagery overlaid by the plat map.

  26. Lord of Strazele   4 years ago

    Machin also said this:

    Sen. Joe Manchin III said Sunday he was open to repealing Trump-era tax cuts to pay for a social spending bill that progressives want in exchange for their support on infrastructure.

    Mr. Manchin suggested one clear way to ensure the “human infrastructure” component was paid for was by raising taxes through repealing former President Donald Trump’s signature tax law.

    “I didn’t vote for the 2017 tax cuts under President Trump,” said Mr. Manchin. “I thought they were weighed in too much towards the high end, if you will, I think we need to make some adjustments.”

    "There’s a lot of need out there, whether it be child tax credits … helping those kids have a start in life, whether it be fixing a lot of the human infrastructure that has fallen by the wayside,” Mr. Manchin said. “You know, helping middle-class hardworking people have a chance to get ahead and enjoy the American dream.”

    1. Commenter_XY   4 years ago

      You might want to take a look at the IRS income data recently released for 2018, 2019. You'd find that the overwhelming majority of the rate reduction benefit went to the lowest three income quintiles.

      1. Lord of Strazele   4 years ago

        Who benefited most from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act?

        High-income individuals were the most likely to see tax savings, while low-income and middle-class families saw mixed results.

        88.2% of taxpayers claimed the standard deduction in 2018.

        The higher standard deduction wasn’t enough to offset the loss of personal exemptions for some families.

        Businesses appear to have saved the most from the Trump tax cuts; corporate income tax collected by the IRS decreased by 22.4% from 2017 to 2018.

        Middle-class Americans saw mixed results as most of the benefits accrued to the highest earners.

        https://www.policygenius.com/taxes/who-benefited-most-from-the-tax-cuts-and-jobs-act/

        1. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

          "High-income individuals were the most likely to see tax savings, while low-income and middle-class families saw mixed results."

          Since people who make more than $87,044 pay 87% of all income taxes received by the government, it shouldn't surprise anybody that tax cuts favor wealthier households.

          https://taxfoundation.org/publications/latest-federal-income-tax-data/

          Meanwhile, the benefits of keeping money in private hands rather than giving it to the government to redistribute remain what they are--regardless of your disgusting class envy.

          1. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

            Does Lord of Strazele not understand that cutting taxes evenly across the board means that 87% of the benefit would go to people who make more than $87,044 a year?

            I remember seeing a Dilbert cartoon, where the boss was coming down hard on them for absenteeism--because 40% of the time people called in sick it was on a Monday or a Friday.

            I'm getting that vibe from Strazele.

        2. Don't look at me!   4 years ago

          So raising taxes will help them somehow?

          1. Lord of Strazele   4 years ago

            I guess we'll find out when the tax cut for ordinary Americans expires. Good old Republicans.

            1. Don't look at me!   4 years ago

              You are all kinds of messed up.

              1. Sevo   4 years ago

                Linked before, but this explains a whole lot:
                "Bonhoeffer‘s Theory of Stupidity"
                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww47bR86wSc&t=2s

            2. Spiritus Mundi   4 years ago

              Shouldn't effect them at all because you just claimed ordinary americans didnt get a tax cut.

        3. JesseAz   4 years ago

          A careful analysis of the IRS tax data, one that includes the effects of tax credits and other reforms to the tax code, shows that filers with an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $15,000 to $50,000 enjoyed an average tax cut of 16 percent to 26 percent in 2018, the first year Republicans’ Tax Cuts and Jobs Act went into effect and the most recent year for which data is available.

          Filers who earned $50,000 to $100,000 received a tax break of about 15 percent to 17 percent, and those earning $100,000 to $500,000 in adjusted gross income saw their personal income taxes cut by around 11 percent to 13 percent.

          https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/584190-irs-data-prove-trump-tax-cuts-benefited-middle-working-class-americans-most

          Sorry Stroodle, you're ignorant as usual.

        4. JesseAz   4 years ago

          The higher standard deduction wasn’t enough to offset the loss of personal exemptions for some families.

          For a policy genius they sure don't understand how standardized deductions work...

          If they had more personal exemptions than the standard, they can choose to itemize their deductions.

          Do you only find idiots to quote?

          1. Spiritus Mundi   4 years ago

            Birds of a feather....

        5. Commenter_XY   4 years ago

          Math and reading aren't your strong suits, are they LOS?

      2. Sevo   4 years ago

        "You might want to take a look at the IRS income data recently released for 2018, 2019. You'd find that the overwhelming majority of the rate reduction benefit went to the lowest three income quintiles."

        Dunno which muted asshole you're replying to, but an attempt to use facts with any one of them is wasted; feelz or nothing.
        The shit needs to fuck off and die.

      3. I, Woodchipper   4 years ago

        get rid of income tax. problem solved

      4. R Mac   4 years ago

        This is all been shown to sir strudel before. He doesn’t care. He’s here to lie for his cause.

    2. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

      Do you have a link for this?

      1. Lord of Strazele   4 years ago

        I know you're tripping but don't worry he said this earlier in the year in March or June.

      2. Lord of Strazele   4 years ago

        https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/jun/27/joe-manchin-pitches-15t-in-social-spending-trump-t/

        1. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

          That link you just gave me--isn't that about his support for the infrastructure bill-- back in June?! That's not support for social spending in the BBB budget reconciliation bill.

          This is what you wrote:

          "Sen. Joe Manchin III said Sunday he was open to repealing Trump-era tax cuts to pay for a social spending bill that progressives want in exchange for their support on infrastructure."

          ----Lord of Strazele

          Where's the link to that statement on Sunday?

          1. Lord of Strazele   4 years ago

            It's in that link. I copied and l pasted all of that. Read the whole article from the link. Manchin was open to undoing parts of the Trunp tax law to pay for human infrastructure. Straight out of his mouth.

            1. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

              Human infrastructure?!

              That's fucking ridiculous.

              Because Manchin was willing to tolerate a certain amount of social spending in the infrastructure bill in order to get a bunch of money for infrastructure projects in West Virginia--particularly wanted by his supporters among the United Mine Workers and the AFL-CIO--that does not mean he supports creating whole new entitlements and the expansion of entitlement spending in the BBB budget reconciliation bill. For goodness' sake!

              His opposition to entitlement spending has been part of the center of his opposition to the BBB bill since the beginning.

              1. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

                Here's what Manchin said yesterday:

                "Manchin indicated that he is still waiting on final text before making a decision on whether to support the Democrats’ $1.7 trillion proposal. But he reiterated his unease about the state of the economy . . . .

                While Democrats have brought down the price tag of the social spending bill to $1.7 trillion from $3.5 trillion, the West Virginia Democrat said Democratic leadership only changed the amount of time the policies would last.

                “One goes for three years, one goes for one year … one might go for the full 10 years, do they not intend for those programs to last the full 10 years?” Manchin asked. “Well if you don’t intend for that to happen, what’s the real cost? Because we’re either going to debt-finance it if we’re not going to pay for it or come back and change the tax code again.”

                ----Politico, December 7, 2021

                https://www.politico.com/news/2021/12/07/manchin-warning-inflation-social-spending-523913

                You seem to be suggesting that Manchin is in favor of the entitlement spending in the BBB budget reconciliation bill, but the reasons he cites for opposing it seem to be the same reasons cited by people who oppose it.

                That part in bold--is all about his opposition to increasing entitlement spending. If you don't understand the difference between increasing entitlements indefinitely and a one time shot in the arm via in the infrastructure bill, then you need to go work on that.

                Meanwhile, Politico is using some interesting language there, but when they write, "Manchin indicated that he is still waiting on final text before making a decision on whether to support the Democrats’ $1.7 trillion proposal", that sounds to me like another way of saying he hasn't decided to support it.

                It looks to me like he's taking a knee and running out the clock.

                1. Sevo   4 years ago

                  Ken, after thinking on it is seems your advice was correct; I muted most of the lefty shits who repeat the same lies over and over.
                  You cannot reason with stupid people; their stupidiy is a condition of their being. Shitlord is among the most stupid of the lot, and obviously a loser, envious of those who aren't, besides.

                  1. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

                    I don't think he understands what's being said half the time.

                    In this case, he genuinely doesn't seem to understand the difference between entitlement spending and the infrastructure bill--and why Manchin would support one but not the other.

                    I still can't tell if it's just that his opinions cloud his judgement so thoroughly that he can't see things clearly. I'm not sure he's a lost cause yet.

                    1. Lord of Strazele   4 years ago

                      You're describing yourself. It's a fact that Manchin said he was willing to pay for BBB by revisiting Trump's tax law because he was of the opinion that Trump's tax law was "weighed in too much towards the high end, if you will, I think we need to make some adjustments.”

                      These opinions were expressed on a Sunday in June 2021.

                      Just accept it.

                    2. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

                      You're quoting words like "social infrastructure" because that was how the progressives were trying to sell some of the social spending programs that were in the infrastructure bill at that time. They had to pull ALL of that social spending out of the infrastructure bill to get it passed--with a handful of Republicans on board. All of the social welfare programs that the Republican senators who backed it wouldn't accept were stripped out of the infrastructure bill.

                      Manchin was always in favor of the infrastructure bill (because the AFL-CIO and the UMW were in favor), but as soon as that social spending was stripped out of the infrastructure bill and put in the BBB budget reconciliation bill, he opposed the BBB budget reconciliation bill--and he's done so ever since. If all of this is because you believe that Manchin secretly supports the expansion of entitlement spending in the BBB budget reconciliation bill, you're wrong. His opposition to it is the only reason we're talking about this.

                    3. Sevo   4 years ago

                      "...I'm not sure he's a lost cause yet."

                      Your optimism exceeds mine.

                    4. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

                      Here are progressives talking about it:

                      "Due almost entirely to their own self-interest and devoted service to those who fund their campaigns, Democratic Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema have managed to either kill or mortally wound multiple elements of the social infrastructure bill that would have dramatically improved the lives of millions. Many of those items had already been removed from the standard infrastructure bill, on the promise they would be included in the second bill. This was a lie."

                      https://truthout.org/articles/social-infrastructure-bill-has-been-gutted-progressives-may-not-let-it-pass/

                      Manchin and Sinema are a huge part of the reason that social welfare spending was stripped out of the infrastructure bill, and their opposition to that social spending is the main reason why the BBB budget reconciliation bill hasn't been passed. If someone is telling you otherwise, they are either lying to you or they are ignorant. Either way, they're wrong on the facts.

                    5. Sevo   4 years ago

                      "You're quoting words like "social infrastructure"..."

                      This is representative of the reasons it's easy to see this asshole as a steaming pile of lefty shit. That phrase means absolutely nothing and he spouts it as if it alone should change your mind!

                    6. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

                      The progressive media used that term to try to get people to accept a bunch of entitlements under the guise of infrastructure. It was just a marketing gimmick.

                      At the very least, taking the term "social infrastructure seriously is exposing himself as a propaganda victim. Serious people never took that term seriously.

                    7. damikesc   4 years ago

                      Doesn't BBB cut taxes for the wealthiest of the wealthy in blue states?

            2. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

              "It's in that link."

              ----Lord of Strazele

              The link you gave me was from June.

              You claimed he said this on Sunday.

              "Sen. Joe Manchin III said Sunday he was open to repealing Trump-era tax cuts to pay for a social spending bill that progressives want in exchange for their support on infrastructure.

              ----Lord of Strazele

              So, if I understand this now, that statement wasn't made on Sunday, it was made months and months ago about a completely different bill--that didn't expand entitlement programs or create any new ones?

          2. R Mac   4 years ago

            June, last Sunday. Potato, pototo.

    3. JesseAz   4 years ago

      Manchin, like stroodle, is often ignorant of basic facts.

      “I didn’t vote for the 2017 tax cuts under President Trump,” said Mr. Manchin. “I thought they were weighed in too much towards the high end, if you will, I think we need to make some adjustments.”

      See:

      https://thehill.com/opinion/finance/584190-irs-data-prove-trump-tax-cuts-benefited-middle-working-class-americans-most

  27. OpenBordersLiberal-tarian   4 years ago

    "Congress dropped a proposal to require women to register for the draft from this year's National Defense Authorization Act."

    Principled feminist Elizabeth Nolan Brown is undoubtedly furious. After all, feminism literally just means treating men and women (and nonbinary adults) equally.

    #LibertariansForDraftEquity

    1. Commenter_XY   4 years ago

      OBL, can we get a list of your laws, pretty please? 🙂

      1. OpenBordersLiberal-tarian   4 years ago

        At this point there are really only two.

        OBL's First Law, as you probably know, describes the striking contrast between Democratic economic messaging ("make the rich pay their fair share," "drink billionaire tears") and Democratic economic reality ("put us in control and billionaires will get MUCH richer").

        OBL's Second Law states that a substantial portion (but not 100%) of the Democratic base is aware of OBL's First Law. The Second Law is confirmed by virtually any Reason.com comment by "Tony" or "American Socia1ist."

        1. CE   4 years ago

          What about laws governing immigration policy during a pandemic, and on which issues libertarians should choose their allies for?

  28. JesseAz   4 years ago

    Meijer says he's "pretty much" resigned to Trump winning his party's nomination in 2024, and worries that the odds of Trump returning to the White House are growing stronger as Biden's presidency loses steam.

    Another feckless republican fake libertarian who can't separate personality from policy. If he thinks trumps actions and policies were more harmful than plans under Biden, he isnt a libertarian. Biden has been more harmful in every aspect. He is crying from emotion and not reason. So Reason promotes him.

    1. Zeb   4 years ago

      I don't know how you can say that Trump was an authoritarian monster, but that whatever is going on now is normal and OK with a straight face.
      I'd really like to see someone other than Trump challenge in 2024, but if the Rs can't come up with another plausible candidate, he still less awful than Biden/Harris.

      1. Don't look at me!   4 years ago

        My dogs would be better than the two idiots we have now. And I suspect one of my dogs isn’t the smartest dog around.

      2. sarcasmic   4 years ago

        Especially since the current administration has continued the previous administration's policies on immigration and trade.

        1. JesseAz   4 years ago

          I mean, the immigration situation is exactly the same this year as last year.... are you honestly ignorant to reality?

        2. Uilleam   4 years ago

          How can you be this stupid?

          1. sarcasmic   4 years ago

            I was responding to "I don't know how you can say that Trump was an authoritarian monster, but that whatever is going on now is normal and OK with a straight face."

            The current administration has continued the bad of the previous administration, and thrown a bunch of worse on top of it.

            How is that stupid? Ohhhhh. You didn't say that what I said was stupid. You said I'm stupid. I guess that makes you smart or something.

            1. Mike Laursen   4 years ago

              Saying that _you_ are stupid is more fun because it earns Mean Girls Clique Points™️, accepted at shopping malls across America and Canada.

              1. sarcasmic   4 years ago

                If he wants to be cool he can just ask me to mute him. Then he can join the ranks of the Sarcastrated. Them's the really cool kids.

                1. Uilleam   4 years ago

                  It was an honest question. It's tiresome, reading yours and Mike's posts, which typically add nothing of value to the conversation, and are usually filled with straw men or irrational responses. Once in a while you seem to actually care about liberty and aren't a complete shill like Mike. So if you're not stupid, why do you continue to spout nonsense?

                  1. sarcasmic   4 years ago

                    Looks to me like you don't have a reply to what I said, that you can only talk about me as a person. Just like the people I have on mute. Just ask if you want to join the Sarcastrated. I'll be happy to put you on mute and never reply to any of your posts again.

                    1. R Mac   4 years ago

                      MUTE HIS ASS!!!

              2. Uilleam   4 years ago

                Your posts are almost always so completely incoherent and/or obvious gaslighting that no one takes you seriously. That is why posters on here typically just tell you to piss off or mute you. Not because we are all big meanies that hate you, although that might be true as well.

                1. sarcasmic   4 years ago

                  What does that have to do with Biden continuing Trump's policies on trade and immigration?

                  1. JesseAz   4 years ago

                    Because he didn't continue Trump's policies you idiot. He was forced to keep remain in mexico by the courts. Deportations are down 90%

                    https://www.dailywire.com/news/deportations-have-dropped-90-percent-with-biden-in-office

                    He has encouraged immigration illegally with his rhetoric.

                    Again. Are you honestly this stupid?

              3. MT-Man   4 years ago

                The TM came out looking interesting.

                1. Mike Laursen   4 years ago

                  It's a TM emoji.

            2. JesseAz   4 years ago

              and thrown a bunch of worse on top of it.

              Added only after your stupidity was called out.

        3. CE   4 years ago

          Especially since the current administration has continued the previous administration's policies on immigration and trade.

          Almost like Ken predicted last year, based on Biden's campaign website.

      3. JesseAz   4 years ago

        That's why I continue to state you need to separate policy, what actually effects you, from appearance, what Trump accels at but distracts against the former from.

        1. Zeb   4 years ago

          I agree. It's amazing how difficult it is to get many people to look at things that way, though.
          Trump said some nasty things at some point, so he's a horrible racist. But it doesn't matter that Biden actually pushed for policies throughout his career as a legislator that actually put tons of black men in prison and exacerbated the problems of persistent poverty.

          1. Chuck P. (The Artist formerly known as CTSP)   4 years ago

            Don't let Biden off that easy. The escalation of the War on Drugs directly funneled money to the worst of the worst in organized crime. Gang murders and absolute terror for inner city dwellers are a direct result of the policies he championed. It created the racial disparities they now use to justify enacting horrible social programs to mitigate.

            1. Zeb   4 years ago

              Yes, that was not meant to be exhaustive of all the horrible things Biden has done that have racially disparate outcomes.

    2. MT-Man   4 years ago

      Agreed on many parts and if he's not more worried over Biden and his stronger in my thoughts bully tendencies then I worry about him.

  29. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

    "Relatedly, it now looks like President Joe Biden's big domestic spending proposal—the Build Back Better (BBB) plan—won't be seriously considered by the Senate until next year."

    ----Eric Boehm

    I'd accuse him of burying the lede, but he deserves some credit for mentioning this at all. Other media outlets are doing far worse.

    McConnell may deserve credit for killing the Build Back Better budget reconciliation bill with this maneuver. It's important to understand that Congress deciding not to raise the debt ceiling and cut spending instead was NOT the alternative to this. The alternative to giving the Democrats a way to raise the debt ceiling--over the nay votes of every Republican--was for the progressives to include a provision in the Build Back Better budget reconciliation bill to raise the debt ceiling. That way, moderate Democrats like Machin and Sinema would be forced to choose between letting the government default on its debt or voting for Build Back Better budget reconciliation bill.

    While it's true that, from a political perspective, this maneuver will force the Democrats to go on record raising the debt ceiling by however many trillion--while every Republican votes against it--and the Democrats will be exposing themselves to scorn ahead of the midterms for doing that. However, that isn't really the primary outcome here. Maybe Boehm doesn't like the optics of that because he wants the Republicans to do badly come 2022. From a libertarian capitalist perspective, however, killing the Build Back Better budget reconciliation bill, with all its Green New Deal and its practically unrepealable socialist entitlement spending, is by far the most important outcome of this.

    The progressives can no longer force moderate Democrats to choose between passing a big chunk of the Green New Deal and all its socialist entitlement spending, on the one hand, or, on the other hand, letting the U.S. government default on its debts. If the progressives really wanted to hold the moderate Democrats' feet to the fire, and force the government to default (or force the Fed to buy up treasuries before they defaulted), I suspect Manchin's and Sinema's resolve would crumble before the progressives decided to stop being stupid. The Congressional Progressive Caucus are positively confirmed morons when it comes to the economic consequences of their actions.

    We appear to have dodged a bullet here.

    1. sarcasmic   4 years ago

      You forgot to say progressives are terrible people.

      1. JesseAz   4 years ago

        Just entirely broken at this point.

      2. I, Woodchipper   4 years ago

        progressives ARE terrible people.

        1. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

          It's extremely important that they hear about what horrible people they are, too. Part of it is that the media is unwilling to pop their bubbles about their "good intentions", but part of it is that their "good intentions" are a big part of what makes them such horrible people. Two weeks ago, progressives were flooding the airwaves bemoaning that an innocent man was acquitted of murder charges--because acquitting this innocent man sent the wrong message to racists. This is just one example, but, yes, if progressives' opposition to racism drives them to call for convicting innocent people of murder because of the message it sends, they are truly horrible people--and their good intentions are partially to blame. They really need to be disabused of the idea that their good intentions someone justify their horrible behavior. Rubbing their faces in what horrible people they are is absolutely warranted.

        2. sarcasmic   4 years ago

          Or maybe they're just terribly misguided. There's a saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Do you think progressives wake up every morning and think "What's the most evil thing I can do today?" I don't. I think they actually believe they're doing the right thing. If you want change then you need to convince them that their ideas, no matter how well intentioned, have terrible results. Calling them names and dehumanizing them isn't going to help anything. It will only get them to think of you the same way and then double-down on their terrible policies and ideas.

          1. Uilleam   4 years ago

            No one has been able to change your mind. Trying to is the very definition of lost causes.

            1. sarcasmic   4 years ago

              You think I'm a progressive? Seriously? If so then either the troll campaign has worked, you don't read anything I write, or you're terminally stupid.

              1. R Mac   4 years ago

                “you don't read anything I write,”

                You intentionally don’t write anything about your real positions so you can keep up with your schtick.

              2. JesseAz   4 years ago

                90% of your posts are redirecting criticism of the left to the right.

                You are literally handwaving away the authoritarianism of the left above as it being caused by them being sweet good intentioned authoritarians.

                You've called all racists as being on the right.

                You call anyone who disagrees with you a trump cultist.

                You disagree with self defense and how much it sucked Rittenhouse was not charged with manslaughter.

                You're full of it. You have very few libertarian takes at this point, literally only covid vaccine mandates, even though you constantly attack conservatives over the same no mandate stance.

              3. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

                "you don't read anything I write"

                You spend 50% of your time here attacking anyone who criticizes progressives or the Democrats, and 50% attacking anyone who says anything nice about the Republicans or Trump. What are we supposed to think?

                Maybe you're the one that doesn't remember anything that you write.

                1. Fats of Fury   4 years ago

                  You have the numbers wrong. He spends 50% of his time, unmuting, reading, sometimes responding, muting again then crowing about his mute list. I also coined the name sarcastrated specifically for him. Peek a Boo.

                  1. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

                    I stand corrected.

            2. sarcasmic   4 years ago

              Oh, and great way to add value to the conversation. Bravo.

              1. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

                He's absolutely right though.

          2. JesseAz   4 years ago

            Why are you and the other idiot white mike so lenient to authoritarianism done under the guise of good intentions? What the actual hell?

          3. Chuck P. (The Artist formerly known as CTSP)   4 years ago

            Calling them names and dehumanizing them isn't going to help anything

            Calling them names helps my lower my blood pressure. I have observed very little 'dehumanizing' by anti-progressives at reason. Idiot, evil, Marxist, prog, cunt, fucktard, etc., are all very human affectations.

            The ones who I see use actual dehumanizing terms are Joe Friday, SPB, Tony, and sarcasmic when he goes hyperbolic right.

            They put on a sanctimonious act, but the epithets spring to their fingertips when they get distracted by rage. Without provocation, Joe Friday referred to the unvaccinated as cockroaches and rats just last week.

            1. R Mac   4 years ago

              “Idiot, evil, Marxist, prog, cunt, fucktard, etc., are all very human affectations.”

              Lol.

              “Without provocation, Joe Friday referred to the unvaccinated as cockroaches and rats just last week.”

              Can’t remember if it was him, but someone did it again just yesterday or Monday.

              1. Chuck P. (The Artist formerly known as CTSP)   4 years ago

                I believe it was someone reposting Joe's comment from last week, but the pestilence spreading accusations have been in vogue for 18 months already.

                I have been struggling to decide if 'shitweasel' is dehumanizing or just clever imagery. Weasels are not vermin, pests or herd animals and don't evoke a creature that needs to be exterminated. It is just damned funny to imagine a critter clever enough to get up close and personal without being noticed yet so obtuse as to steal only feces.

                1. R Mac   4 years ago

                  Shitweasel is definitely acceptable.

        3. sarcasmic   4 years ago

          “Political tags — such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth — are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire. The former are idealists acting from highest motives for the greatest good of the greatest number. The latter are surly curmudgeons, suspicious and lacking in altruism. But they are more comfortable neighbors than the other sort.”

          ― Robert A. Heinlein

          Calling them names and showering them with hate isn't going to turn them into surly curmudgeons. Quite the opposite.

          1. JesseAz   4 years ago

            You do that literally daily dummy.

    2. CE   4 years ago

      McConnell keeps winning by giving up? Is he French?

  30. Sevo   4 years ago

    Commie shown the door:
    "Biden bank cop nominee withdraws after pushback from moderate Dems"
    [...]
    "President Joe Biden’s choice for a key role policing the nation's banks withdrew her nomination Tuesday after facing pushback from several moderate Democrats, a rare defeat for the president on one of his personnel choices.
    Saule Omarova’s nomination as comptroller of the currency also met with fierce resistance from Republicans and business groups over her advocacy for a dominant role for government in finance, views that didn’t sit well with some Democrats either.
    Her confirmation process became increasingly unpleasant, with some GOP lawmakers suggesting that the Soviet-born academic had communist sympathies, an allegation she has vigorously denied..."
    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/biden-bank-cop-nominee-withdraws-after-pushback-from-moderate-dems/ar-AARzPK7?ocid=uxbndlbing

    She pitched policies wherein the government would run the banks, but denies 'communist sympathies'! Sorta like turd and sarc really aren't lefty shits

    1. DONALD TRUMP is my poobah   4 years ago

      See Dan? Sevo’s perfectly willing to take Trump’s cock up his arse and give him a sweet sweet soapy reacharound. And he’s like 95 years old. That takes commitment Dan. These Reason commentators have it. You don’t.

      1. Sevo   4 years ago

        Stuff your TDS up your ass, commie shit, your head wants company.

      2. R Mac   4 years ago

        Is this supposed to be funny?

        1. JesseAz   4 years ago

          Sarc has never been funny.

    2. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

      This was a big deal!

      And it shows which way the wind is blowing.

      Biden can't get nominees confirmed by Democrats!

      She was awful.

      1. Sevo   4 years ago

        "...She was awful."

        Biden's handlers must have assumed he had been coronated to have offered up a confirmed commie like that.

        1. R Mac   4 years ago

          A. Literal. Communist.

    3. I, Woodchipper   4 years ago

      she was actually a Stalinist. Not just using an epithet here. She was a real Stalinist. Her plans were Stalinist. Her views were Stalinist.

      Unbelievable. This is where it's come to.

    4. CE   4 years ago

      But Politifact said the claims against Omarova were "Mostly False". Why doesn't Biden stick to his guns?

      https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2021/nov/19/blog-posting/biden-nominee-explores-idea-eliminating-private-ac/

      The headline and story use words like "demand," and "vowed," to give the impression that she said that she would eliminate private bank accounts in her position as comptroller of the currency. She has not done that...

      She called her paper a thought experiment. She did not demand that this happen. The conference occurred more than six months before she was nominated.

      1. CE   4 years ago

        and the whole campaign against her was misleading, according to the paper trying to kill democracy in darkness:

        https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/10/20/saule-omarova-occ-fintech-banks/

        Saule Omarova, President Biden’s pick to head the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, shouldn’t be a controversial nominee. The Cornell University law professor is a well-respected scholar of the financial system with both government and private-sector experience, including a stint in the Treasury Department during the George W. Bush administration. She is, moreover, a woman of color and an immigrant...

        But instead of attracting bipartisan support to oversee regulation of the nation’s largest banks, Omarova is mired in nasty controversies over her education in the Soviet Union and her most innovative ideas about how to reform banking.

        1. CE   4 years ago

          The italics tag is not including the last paragraph somehow.

          "Innovative ideas" -- who could oppose that kind?

          1. Chuck P. (The Artist formerly known as CTSP)   4 years ago

            Except what was written is actually her most innovative ideas about how to reform banking which is grammatically unsound.

            It reminds of an Amazon review for a 'most excellent wireless charging device'. Did the WaPo not bother to edit the foreign operative that provided the talking points?

  31. DONALD TRUMP is my poobah   4 years ago

    Uh oh… looks like someone has gone Deep State

    “Lyin’ Dan Crenshaw: Lie after lie after lie because they know something psychologically about the conservative heart: We’re worried about what people are going to do to us, what they’re going to infringe upon us — that’s the nature of conservatism," Crenshaw said during an appearance at an event hosted by the Texas Liberty Alliance PAC last week.

    Look Dan I don’t know what kind of Soros’ buttlug mind control implant you now have in your neck, but speaking personally I think that i and, oh, 75% of the Reason commenters here would gladly take Donald Trump’s massive dick up their arse pronto. I mean, just look at Mark Meadows. He writes a book, tells us something hilarious about Dear Leader, Dear Leader tells him he’s wrong, Mark Meadows retracts. I mean, come on Deep State Dan, that’s the kind of commitment we need in this country. Not your namby pamby Navy Seals bullshit. Let’s all sit back and reflect on what is really important here: the chiseled physique of the smartest snd sexiest man on the planet— Dear Leader.

    1. Rev. Arthur L. Kuckland   4 years ago

      Copy paste from a random source followed by retarded commentary that doesn't hold up against reality... This is a sarc sock isn't it?

      1. sarcasmic   4 years ago

        It's Tulpa.

        1. Red Rocks White Privilege   4 years ago

          No, it's AmSoc. He's been pathetically trying to imitate OBL's masterful parody for several years now.

          1. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

            No it's definitely sarcasmic. Misspells the same words regularly. Similar grammatical tics too.

            AmSoc, or at least it's current iteration with the '1' in the name is Shrike.

            1. Chuck P. (The Artist formerly known as CTSP)   4 years ago

              This particular sock tried to convince me it was KAR when it first showed up and I called out sarc, but KAR had mediocre grammar and never used language like 'pronto' and 'namby pamby' that date the writer to someone who grew up watching Bugs Bunny cartoons. I would suspect a Jeffy because of the vitriol, but neither of them are remotely funny. White Mike is probably old enough, but too dumb. SQLFKR is perfectly willing to push Trumptator fan-fiction under his regular handle.

              Referring to Sevo as old and the phrase 'chiseled physique' is a clincher.

            2. R Mac   4 years ago

              Good thing if it is sarc: he’ll definitely fuck up by forgetting to change names and out himself.

      2. Sevo   4 years ago

        I don't think so. The style nearly screams "commie shit"

    2. Sevo   4 years ago

      Make your family proud and the world a better place; fuck off and die, commie shit.

  32. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

    Twenty students in Arizona are going on a hunger strike--because Kyrsten Sinema won't advance whatever derivation of H.R.1.

    Election reform legislation is stymied in the U.S. Senate, where three major voting rights bills this year have been blocked from advancing to a debate by Republican filibusters. In Arizona, a group of activists has launched a campaign to break through Senate obstruction and protect access to the ballot box. On Nov. 5, 20 college students and young people at the Arizona Capitol began an indefinite hunger strike to compel the Biden administration and Senate Democrats to change the Senate’s rules in order to pass the Freedom To Vote Act before the end of the year.

    ----Sludge, December 7, 2021

    https://readsludge.com/2021/12/07/arizona-students-launch-hunger-strike-to-pass-voting-rights-bill/

    While some of you may be thinking that progressive activists starving themselves to death is a solution, rather than a problem, am I reading this right that they're only on a hunger strike until the end of the year? That's like three weeks away!

    Kyrsten Sinema should really consider switching parties at this point. The Republican establishment is nowhere near as intolerant towards bisexuals as they may have been in the past, and it's not like the Democratic party would be MORE opposed to Sinema if she were a Republican.

    What's the upside of remaining a Democrat at this point, when the Democrat activists in Sinema's own party--in her own state--are streaming themselves harassing her while she's on the toilet and launching hunger strikes against her?

    How could being a Republican be any worse?

    1. Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2   4 years ago

      Sinema is pro-liberty for her vag. Kind of a deal killer to join the GOP.

      1. Sevo   4 years ago

        turd lies; it’s all he ever does. turd is a pathological liar, entirely too stupid to remember which lies he posted even minutes ago, and also too stupid to understand we all know he’s a liar.
        If anything he posts isn’t a lie, it’s totally accidental.
        turd lies; it’s what he does. turd is a lying pile of lefty shit.

      2. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

        Tell us your position on pedophilia again, Shrike.

    2. Sevo   4 years ago

      "...While some of you may be thinking that progressive activists starving themselves to death is a solution, rather than a problem, am I reading this right that they're only on a hunger strike until the end of the year? That's like three weeks away!..."

      Like watermelons and nukes, these people are not serious. They have no desire to actually suffer for their claimed 'principles', just make a show.

    3. I, Woodchipper   4 years ago

      She's not even bisexual. She is one of those chicks who claimed to be bisexual in college because it made them cool.

      1. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

        Republicans have room for those, too. And what's the upside of being a Democrat in her mind? This ain't George W. Bush's party anymore.

    4. R Mac   4 years ago

      Unless Reason starts covering the political prisoners from January 6th, I’m going on a hunger strike.

      Until dinner, at least.

  33. Carl Cameron   4 years ago

    Thank you to everyone who contributed to Reason's annual webathon! This year's fundraiser was the largest in our history, with more than $630,000 donated by a record number of individual supporters.

    CIA? WEF?

  34. Earth-based Human Skeptic   4 years ago

    Hey, you ass hats at Reason! You can't put up a red meat article like the taxidermy business suit and not have functional comments!

    1. Longtobefree   4 years ago

      Someone might mention dead animals or 'guns that kill deer' in commenting on that article, so no comments at all.

      1. Longtobefree   4 years ago

        It does seem strange that their site degrades at the same time they beg for more free money.

      2. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

        Mebbe it's cuz tha Venn Diagram circles of deer hunters and those who like Chawin' Terbacky have too much overlap.

    2. Sevo   4 years ago

      The "Where's My Stuff" thread has a non-functioning comments feature, and it's been up since the weekend.

    3. CE   4 years ago

      The cops undoubtedly just wanted to arrest the taxidermist as a kind of trophy they could mount on their wall.

  35. I, Woodchipper   4 years ago

    Despite the war in Afghanistan coming to an end, the Pentagon will get another budget increase: from $740 billion to $768 billion.

    We will always be at war with the next Oceana

  36. Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2   4 years ago

    Elon Musk: "The Government Is Simply The Biggest Corporation, With A Monopoly On Violence And Where You Have No Recourse"

    https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2021/12/07/elon_musk_the_government_is_simply_the_biggest_corporation_with_a_monopoly_on_violence.html

    1. Sevo   4 years ago

      turd lies; it’s all he ever does. turd is a pathological liar, entirely too stupid to remember which lies he posted even minutes ago, and also too stupid to understand we all know he’s a liar.
      If anything he posts isn’t a lie, it’s totally accidental.
      turd lies; it’s what he does. turd is a lying pile of lefty shit.

      1. Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2   4 years ago

        Sevo shit-posts. It is all he ever does. It is all he knows how to do.

        1. Sevo   4 years ago

          turd lies; it’s all he ever does. turd is a pathological liar, entirely too stupid to remember which lies he posted even minutes ago, and also too stupid to understand we all know he’s a liar.
          If anything he posts isn’t a lie, it’s totally accidental.
          turd lies; it’s what he does. turd is a lying pile of lefty shit, who needs to fuck off and die.

          1. Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2   4 years ago

            Sevo shit-posts. It is all he ever does. It is all he knows how to do.

            1. Sevo   4 years ago

              turd lies; it’s all he ever does. turd is a pathological liar, entirely too stupid to remember which lies he posted even minutes ago, and also too stupid to understand we all know he’s a liar.
              If anything he posts isn’t a lie, it’s totally accidental.
              turd lies; it’s what he does. turd is a lying pile of lefty shit, who needs to fuck off and die.

    2. I, Woodchipper   4 years ago

      it's more accurate to call it the 'biggest gang'

      1. CE   4 years ago

        butt with a better pension plan for former gang members

    3. Brian   4 years ago

      …and ownership isn’t proportional to risk taking. Totes awesome.

    4. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

      And Musk loves his cut of the mouse take.

    5. sarcasmic   4 years ago

      That was good. They link to the entire thing. Think I'll give it a listen.

    6. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

      "Think of the government essentially as a corporation in the limit.

      The government is simply the biggest corporation, with a monopoly on violence and where you have no recourse."

      And vice versa.

      I've been saying for a while now that the modern multinational conglomerate isn't a private LLC as we understand them. They're forms of government and are at the same time becoming integrated with government. It's time for libertarians to update their ideas about what constitutes a business or a government.

      Entities like Blackrock and Alphabet weren't a thing fifty years ago, and it's ridiculous and downright dangerous that we continue regard them like Jim's Plumbing & Heating or Cincinnati Meat Packing.

      Particularly Alphabet which has become integrated with the Federal Government.

  37. I, Woodchipper   4 years ago

    A third dose of the Pfizer vaccine seems to be effective against the new omicron variant, the company says.

    Big surprise. I guess that's that then, no more need to question any of this.

    1. Longtobefree   4 years ago

      Any vaccine that generates federally mandated purchase will always be effective.

    2. Don't look at me!   4 years ago

      .. seems to be effective…

      Science!

    3. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

      Well, I got them all. I'll go where the evidence leads...and get another shot when and if needed....Still waiting on my 5G antennae to sprout...and that urge to buy MicroSoft...and the latest QAnon rant that the vaccine came from Madonna's milk-bath made of hormones of sacrificed children that she uses to stay eternally young.../sarc 😉 🙂

  38. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

    "President Biden warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that the U.S. and its allies would meet a military invasion of Ukraine with strong economic penalties, moves to bolster Ukrainian defenses and fortify support for Eastern European nations."

    https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-russian-president-putin-start-call-11638894107?

    This seems like a weak response to me--especially after Biden capitulated on Nord Stream 2.

    Others are reporting that Biden has an agreement to shut down Nord Stream 2 with the Germans if Russia invades the Ukraine. Threats are an embarrassing strategy for anything. You shouldn't even threaten to punish your kids if they do something wrong--or they lose respect for you. You just punish them when they do something wrong.

    It works that way with everything. Threatening to fire subordinates if they do something again is a loser. It makes you a loser. Don't be too afraid if someone threatens you in a bar. The people you need to be worried about don't make threats. Putin is probably laughing his head off at Biden right now. You don't threaten to shut down Nord Stream 2. You just do it.

    If he wants it back on, maybe you tell him to pull his troops back from the border.

    For all Putin knows right now, Germany is only willing to go along with Biden's threats. The follow through is the question, and it's the only thing that matters. Threats cost nothing.

    1. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

      "C'mon, Man! Stop or I'll shit in my Depends! Don't make me get Corn-Pop after your ass!"

    2. Spiritus Mundi   4 years ago

      The best response would be to close the Bosporus starit. Keeping Russia from getting into or out of the black sea.

      1. Lord of Strazele   4 years ago

        How about closing off Europe to Russia? That's where this is going if Putin continues on this path. The Ukrainians used to like Putin and now they hate him. Putin has burned that bridge which explains why he's now threatening a full scale war of invasion and conquest. Putin lost Ukraine and they aren't coming back.

        1. MT-Man   4 years ago

          Legitimately curious how would you close off Europe to someone who may force you into conflict and may not care about using the nuclear option and may or may not trigger china to make moves during all this?

        2. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

          On a more serious note, the most effective, peaceful, Libertarian, Free-Market-oriented solution to Russian Revanchism would be to re-open our Keystone Pipeline, keep up with "Drill, Baby, Drill!", and become the alternate oil supplier for Europe.

          Russia wouldn't have near the toe-hold on Europe if the U.S. could supply oil cheaper and with existing shipping infrastructure instead of building a new pipeline through Europe.

          1. daveca   4 years ago

            Libertarians do go for pipelines...

            1. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

              Smoking the pipe, laying the pipe, and filling the pipe...and keeping the InterToobz free! Gotta love it!

      2. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

        Close the Bosporus so they won't be prosperous...I like the way you think. 🙂

    3. Gray_Jay   4 years ago

      "Others are reporting that Biden has an agreement to shut down Nord Stream 2 with the Germans if Russia invades the Ukraine..."

      LOL No. Not unless the Germans enjoy freezing this winter. Past years, we might have been able to make up the difference with LNG shipments. [Inspector Clouseau Voice]"Not anymore."[/Clouseau]

      Don't make threats you can't follow through on. You only look weaker when you do.

      1. Ken Shultz   4 years ago

        Exactly.

        And they have a new leader in Germany, too! He's brand spankin' new--and he's making these commitments?

        How much you wanna bet Biden is overselling this?

        Anyway, here's the story:

        "WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials have told members of Congress they have an understanding with Germany about shutting down the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline if Russia invades Ukraine, a senior congressional aide told Reuters on Tuesday.

        The White House said Germany had made commitments about the Nord Stream 2 pipeline that runs from Russia to Germany under the Baltic Sea in the event of aggressive acts by Russia."

        ----Reuters, December 7, 2021

        https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-nordstream/u-s-has-understanding-with-germany-to-shut-nord-stream-2-pipeline-if-russia-invades-ukraine-congressional-aide-idUSKBN2IM27L

        I do not find that threat to be especially credible. If Biden could really get the new German government to do that, he'd probably have done it already. They're putting up a brave face--because threats don't cost a thing. We'll see how happy Germans are to pay through the nose for heat this winter if and when it comes time to shut down the pipeline.

        1. Sevo   4 years ago

          It needs pointing out that the Germans have themselves to blame here; shutting down the nuke and fossil-fueled generation stations was a sop to the Greens at a cost to all Germans.

        2. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

          Again, we become the cheaper supplier of fuel for Europe and they are no longer beholden to Ivan, The Revanchist Russian Bear...Of course, this means getting Geritol Man out of The Oval Office.

          1. Gray_Jay   4 years ago

            Still not going to be cheaper than Brent, or the lignite they used to mine. But LNG shipments could serve as a limit for just how bad the Russians can abuse them.

            To do that though, you actually need to try and exploit your resources of the stuff, so...yeah.

    4. Cyto   4 years ago

      That is what diplamats would call "giving them the green light".

  39. Sarah Palin's Buttplug 2   4 years ago

    Libertarians Should Not Support either Major Political Party | Opinion
    NICK GILLESPIE , HOST, "THE REASON INTERVIEW"

    https://www.newsweek.com/libertarians-should-not-support-either-major-political-party-opinion-1656516

    1. sarcasmic   4 years ago

      Good read. He's right.

      1. MT-Man   4 years ago

        I think from an abstract thought that's correct, but there's a whole lot more that really puts a challenge to that thought many times.

      2. JesseAz   4 years ago

        Ahh yes, the continued rolling over and getting nothing accomplished. The Amash view of libertarianism.

        You always were worthless.

        1. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

          Putting their big "L's" onto libertarianism.

    2. Don't look at me!   4 years ago

      Independent thinkers always do as they are told.

    3. Sevo   4 years ago

      turd lies; it’s all he ever does. turd is a pathological liar, entirely too stupid to remember which lies he posted even minutes ago, and also too stupid to understand we all know he’s a liar.
      If anything he posts isn’t a lie, it’s totally accidental.
      turd lies; it’s what he does. turd is a lying pile of lefty shit.

  40. Bill Godshall   4 years ago

    By urging libertarians to not support either GOP or Democrat candidates, Gillespie is campaigning for the Democrats, who successfully sued to prevent the Green Party's presidential candidate Jill Stein from appearing on the ballot last year in the swing states where Biden purportedly barely beat Trump.

    Meanwhile, had NO Libertarian Party candidate appeared on the ballot in those key swing states, Trump would have won last year's election.

    Nobody should be surprised that Gillespie has gone ALL in for Biden, Harris, Schumer, Pelosi, other Dems, their left wing media propagandists, open borders, labor unions, BLM/CRT, Antifa, transgender rights supremacists and Chinese dominance.

    1. JesseAz   4 years ago

      It's not even that. His position is stupid to a fault.

      Getting 2% of the national vote and getting 0 done through either party is not some kind of win.

      The most libertarian actions we had in the House was when the Freedom Caucus first rose up after the Tea party wave. It has been downgraded and corrupted since then, but more was done during that period. Tax breaks occurred under trump. Regulations were attempted to be reduced but grew at the slowest rate in decades. These are actual accomplishments instead of the 2 post offices Amash was able to name.

      The stance that nothing should be accomplished is better than minor accomplishments is asinine.

      1. Sevo   4 years ago

        Gillespie joins sarc and Brandyshit as fence-sitters, with infantile IQ incapable of differentiating between the NSDAP and the SPD.
        Fuck 'em all with a running rusty chainsaw.

      2. CE   4 years ago

        or the stance that both sides are bad, so it doesn't matter if the side that is twice as bad as the other wins.

    2. CE   4 years ago

      "Meanwhile, had NO Libertarian Party candidate appeared on the ballot in those key swing states, Trump would have won last year's election."

      Facts not in evidence. Swing state voters already know they live in swing states. And LP voters hail from both the left and the right.

      1. Bill Godshall   4 years ago

        Wrong. Just as the vast majority of Greens vote Democrat if no Green candidate is on the ballot, Libertarians are far more likely to vote for a freedom loving Republican than a socialist Democrat (if no Libertarian candidate is on the ballot),

        That's also why the Democrats sued to block the Green Party candidate (from appearing on the ballot) in all swing states.
        But the GOP almost never sues to block the Libertarian candidate from the ballot in swing states.

  41. Unicorn Abattoir   4 years ago

    A third dose of the Pfizer vaccine seems to be effective against the new omicron variant, the company says.

    Well, if the company says so...

    Pfizer violation tracker

    3.3 Billion for unapproved promotion of medical products
    1.1 Billion for false claims act violations
    100 Million for drug safety violations.

  42. CE   4 years ago

    What's with the auto-play video? I'm here to read, not watch TV automatically.

    And get off my lawn.

    And what's with the comments not working on the other articles? The taxidermist puns practically write themselves.

    1. The Encogitationer   4 years ago

      Don't worry about the auto0lay vdeo. Sen. Josh Hawley will outlaw it at the first opportunity.

  43. CE   4 years ago

    "Maezawa plans to wire cash to Twitter followers while in orbit..."

    Somehow I doubt he's going to use an actual wire.

    Maybe he should just telegraph his intentions.

    1. Sevo   4 years ago

      Must be lost in translation - his handle is "yousuckMZ"?

  44. Bill Godshall   4 years ago

    I was shocked to read that half of Americans support Biden's unscientific and disastrous totalitarian covid vaccine mandate for everyone who works at companies with more than 100 employees. In sum, half of Americans want ALL Americans to be stripped of the basic freedoms enshrined in our US Constitution.

    Half of Americans Back Biden’s Vaccine-or-Test Mandate for Private Sector, WSJ Poll Finds
    Fifty percent of voters in The Wall Street Journal’s poll said they support the requirements for companies with 100 or more employees, while 47% oppose them
    By Sabrina Siddiqui
    Dec. 7, 2021 1:01 pm ET
    https://www.wsj.com/articles/wsj-poll-biden-covid-19-vaccine-11638899917?mod=Searchresults_pos8&page=1

    WASHINGTON—Half of Americans support President Biden’s Covid-19 vaccine requirements for private-sector employers, and a slim majority backs other state and local mandates, a new Wall Street Journal poll finds.

    Fifty percent of voters said they support Mr. Biden’s vaccine requirements for the private sector, which direct companies with 100 or more employees to require workers to either get vaccinated or tested weekly, while 47% oppose them. A slightly larger share of voters support state and local vaccine mandates for public safety workers, such as police officers, firefighters and first responders, with 55% in favor and 44% opposed.

    Voters were also divided on whether the Covid-19 vaccine should be mandatory for school-aged children, with more people in favor of requiring vaccines for older children. Fifty-one percent of respondents said they would support schools requiring that children 12 and older get vaccinated, while 45% said they were opposed to the idea. Voters were evenly split, 48%-48%, on whether schools should mandate vaccines for children ages 5 to 11.

    The findings come after the Biden administration’s vaccine-or-test mandate for private employers, which is slated to go into effect Jan. 4, was temporarily blocked by a court last month amid legal challenges. Mr. Biden’s separate vaccine mandate for healthcare workers was also blocked by courts.

    Mr. Biden has also mandated vaccines for federal employees and contractors, as well as U.S. service members. Many large businesses, including Walt Disney Co. and meatpacker Tyson Foods Inc., hospital groups, and colleges and universities, have already implemented Covid-19 vaccine requirements.

    1. Bill Godshall   4 years ago

      The Biden administration has underscored the urgency of getting vaccinated amid the emergence of the Omicron variant, which had been identified in 16 states as of Sunday, and it encouraged people to get booster shots.

      Roughly 63.8% of the eligible U.S. population is fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 71.5% of adults, or 185 million people, are fully vaccinated, and nearly 47 million people have received a booster dose, which has so far been authorized for use in adults.

      California is the only state that has thus far unveiled plans to add the Covid-19 vaccine to the list of required vaccinations for K-12 schools, pending full authorization by the Food and Drug Administration.

      The Journal poll found that respondents with children in the household were more likely to oppose vaccine mandates in schools. People with children under the age of 18 oppose a school vaccine requirement for adolescents by a 7-point margin and a requirement for children ages 5 to 11 by a 14-point margin. By contrast, voters without a child in the home were more receptive to vaccine requirements at schools. These respondents favored rather than opposed a requirement for adolescents by a margin of 14 points, and they favored a requirement for children ages 5 to 11 by 9 points.

      Among parents, 52% of respondents who identified as fathers said they favor a requirement in schools that children ages 12 and up be vaccinated, compared with 40% of mothers. Both a majority of mothers and fathers said they would oppose schools requiring children ages 5 to 11 to be vaccinated.

      The Journal poll found that partisan divides remain when it comes to perceptions of vaccine mandates more broadly. Twenty percent of Republicans said they favor Mr. Biden’s vaccine requirements for larger employers, compared with 41% of independents and 88% of Democrats. Senate Republicans are backing a legislative maneuver to roll back that vaccine requirement, though the measure is unlikely to pass the Democratic-controlled House, and with only one Democratic senator currently on board, Republicans don’t have enough support to override a presidential veto.

      Republicans were also more likely than independents or Democrats to oppose vaccine requirements for public safety workers and the prospect of schools mandating the vaccine for children, the poll found. A majority of independents oppose Mr. Biden’s vaccine-or-test mandate for private companies, while a majority of independents support state or local vaccine mandates for public safety workers, the Journal poll found.

      “Most everything regarding Covid has become very polarized by party,” said Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio, whose firm conducted the survey with the firm of John Anzalone, a Democratic pollster. “The mandates particularly become very polarized.”

      A majority of Americans are confident in the Covid-19 vaccines’ safety. Sixty-five percent of Republican voters said the vaccines are either very or somewhat safe, and 67% of independent voters and 93% of Democrats said the same. A total of 75% of respondents said the vaccines are very or somewhat safe, compared with 16% who said it is not safe at all.

      Among the respondents, 40% of people who said they aren’t vaccinated said the vaccines are very effective or somewhat effective. And 28% of unvaccinated respondents said the vaccines are either very safe or somewhat safe.

      Mr. Anzalone, the Democratic pollster, said the findings show that some voters could still be persuaded to get vaccinated despite the partisan divide.

      “There’s a universe of the unvaccinated who believe it’s safe and effective,” Mr. Anzalone said. “They want it done on their own timeline, if you will…and Omicron may be the catalyst that helps people get to the pharmacy to get it done.”

      The Wall Street Journal Poll was conducted by the firms ALG Research and Fabrizio, Lee & Associates, who surveyed 1,500 registered voters from Nov. 16-22. Half the respondents were interviewed on their cellphones. One quarter were reached by text on their cellphones and completed an internet survey. One quarter of respondents were interviewed by landline phone. The margin of error for the full sample was plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.

      Write to Sabrina Siddiqui at Sabrina.Siddiqui@wsj.com

      1. MT-Man   4 years ago

        I'm always curious where they get their respondents from? California, New York, WA or Florida, Texas? What's the distribution on the respondents to truly understand the margin of error.

      2. daveca   4 years ago

        But wait...it was DEMOCRATS sky screaming
        " dont politicize the virus".

        Gdamn hyocrites.

        And, yes, FJB.

        Abe cant stand to listen to his BS...

        https://thepeoplescube.com/peoples-blog/caption-this-lincoln-listens-to-biden-s-speech-t22520.html

  45. Dillinger   4 years ago

    >>Both parties stand to gain something from that.

    there is one party, and we are not invited.

  46. Dillinger   4 years ago

    also, Brandon tilting @Putin is like Billy Martin tilting @Steinbrenner

  47. raspberrydinners   4 years ago

    This the same McBitch that raised it 2 trillion during Trump's term for handouts to the wealthy? That same one?

    1. Dillinger   4 years ago

      >>handouts to the wealthy

      still thinks (D) is the party for the poor?

      1. daveca   4 years ago

        Yes, they Party while making us Poor!

        Fvck the Poor!

        https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MqkT4B-9MGk

        1. Dillinger   4 years ago

          lol I'm wearing my DK shirt today

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DztRkVKU5M

          1. daveca   4 years ago

            classic...

          2. EISTAU Gree-Vance   4 years ago

            Lol. And here I thought you only liked crappy hippie music, dill.

      2. CE   4 years ago

        and still thinks that tax revenues fell after the tax cuts.

    2. Mother's Lament   4 years ago

      "Because that was somehow Trump and McConnell's fault... Nancy Pelosi who??"

      I see Tony took the same civics classes on how government works as Shrike.

      1. daveca   4 years ago

        I think Tonys taking something much stronger than Civics.

        Try Fentanyl, Tony. I hear its " safe and effective."

  48. Sevo   4 years ago

    Not that Biden cares what a judge rules, but:
    "Judge blocks last remaining Biden admin COVID vaccine rule"
    [...]
    "(Reuters) - A federal judge on Tuesday blocked the last of the Biden administration's COVID-19 vaccine mandates for businesses, saying the government exceeded it authority with a requirement that millions of employees of federal contractors be inoculated.
    The ruling was the latest setback for President Biden, who announced a series of measures in September aimed at increasing vaccination rates to fight the pandemic that continues to kill more than 1,000 Americans daily.
    "Abuse of power by the Biden administration has been stopped cold again," Republican South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who joined the lawsuit, said in a statement...."

  49. daveca   4 years ago

    "Im a fraud, and frauds cant be too long without MONEY."

    Bitch Mc Connell, the Turtle..

    Adapted from the movie The Frog Prince.

  50. NOYB2   4 years ago

    I’m hoping that Meijer, however, will not have a second act in politics, or anywhere else of consequence.

  51. atisang   4 years ago

    gray stone
    https://atisang.com/blog/Persian-Newsletter/P303-gray_stons.html
    https://atisang.com/blog/Persian-Newsletter/P302-attractive-suggestions-for-choosing-a-cabinet-stone.html

  52. atisang   4 years ago

    green marble
    https://atisang.com/blog/Persian-Newsletter/P295-green-marble.html
    https://atisang.com/blog/Persian-Newsletter/P292-sang-divar.html

  53. atisang   4 years ago

    https://atisang.com/shop/3269-night-marble/
    persian silk marble
    https://b2n.ir/m74650

  54. atisang   4 years ago

    https://b2n.ir/m54371
    marble stone
    https://b2n.ir/759577

  55. atisang   4 years ago

    https://atisang.com/crystal
    stone
    https://b2n.ir/s19365

  56. atisang   4 years ago

    https://b2n.ir/r95360
    stone faced
    https://b2n.ir/b96510

  57. atisang   4 years ago

    https://atisang.com/building-stone/
    https://atisang.com/onyx-stone
    building-stone

  58. atisang   4 years ago

    https://atisang.com/article/slab/
    https://atisang.com/Granite/
    Granite stone

Please log in to post comments

Mute this user?

  • Mute User
  • Cancel

Ban this user?

  • Ban User
  • Cancel

Un-ban this user?

  • Un-ban User
  • Cancel

Nuke this user?

  • Nuke User
  • Cancel

Un-nuke this user?

  • Un-nuke User
  • Cancel

Flag this comment?

  • Flag Comment
  • Cancel

Un-flag this comment?

  • Un-flag Comment
  • Cancel

Latest

How the NCAA Helped Trump Score Big on Transgender Issues

Billy Binion | 7.2.2025 5:34 PM

Under the 'Big, Beautiful Bill,' Car Companies Won't Be Fined for Failing To Hit Arbitrary Fuel Efficiency Goals

Joe Lancaster | 7.2.2025 5:15 PM

The 'Big, Beautiful Bill' Keeps Most of Joe Biden's Energy Subsidies

Jeff Luse | 7.2.2025 4:44 PM

Florida Plans To Deputize 9 National Guardsmen as Immigration Judges To Increase Deportations

Autumn Billings | 7.2.2025 4:08 PM

The Tax Bill Rewards States for Higher Rates of Food Stamp Fraud

Eric Boehm | 7.2.2025 3:25 PM

Recommended

  • About
  • Browse Topics
  • Events
  • Staff
  • Jobs
  • Donate
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media
  • Shop
  • Amazon
Reason Facebook@reason on XReason InstagramReason TikTokReason YoutubeApple PodcastsReason on FlipboardReason RSS

© 2024 Reason Foundation | Accessibility | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

r

Do you care about free minds and free markets? Sign up to get the biggest stories from Reason in your inbox every afternoon.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

This modal will close in 10

Reason Plus

Special Offer!

  • Full digital edition access
  • No ads
  • Commenting privileges

Just $25 per year

Join Today!