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Reason Roundup

'Should Police Arrest Sex Workers for Standing Around?' No, of Course Not.

Plus: Censorship in New York, how zoning laws are creating a housing crisis, and more...

Elizabeth Nolan Brown | 1.4.2022 9:30 AM

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(Vuk Valcic/ZUMAPRESS/Newscom)

"Should police arrest sex workers for standing around?" the Los Angeles Times asked yesterday, calling the matter a "thorny question." But this shouldn't be a difficult question at all (only "misogynists and authoritarians" could think it is, Twitter user @seran72 suggests). Sex workers aren't second-class citizens, and they deserve the right to exist in public spaces as much as anyone else does. What's more, vague and open-ended "loitering for prostitution" laws like the one in question are easily used by police for harassment, since they allow arrest merely for existing outside when authorities think you shouldn't.

Thankfully, the tide is starting to turn against such laws, which opponents say are particularly dangerous to transgender women and people of color. (Many refer to them as "walking while trans" laws.) Laws like these don't require any prostitution or even solicitation to prostitution to take place, merely being out in public in a way that authorities determine reflects an intent to sell sex. With such subjective criteria, it's easy to see how they might be abused or used in discriminatory ways.

Last February, New York state repealed its "loitering for the purposes of prostitution" statute. Now California may do the same. A bill to repeal California's law against "loitering for the purpose of engaging in a prostitution offense" passed the legislature last September and awaits Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's approval or rejection.

But opponents of the repeal rely on myths, scare tactics, and paternalism to justify the law. Trotting out the evidence-free assertion that most people selling sex are actually victims being forced into it, they claim that arresting sex workers is the only way to save them—never mind the trauma that can come from arrest, the potential for police abuse, the danger inherent in jails (especially during a pandemic), or the fact that saddling someone with court fees and a criminal record is hardly the basis for expanded opportunities.

The Times article on California efforts to repeal its prostitution loitering law repeats these prohibitionist tropes, after opening with the lurid, lazy, and melodramatic prose so typical of media about sex workers. ("Cold blue light from a convenience store sign spilled onto Star and Dream, not their real names, as they stood on a dark sidewalk in the Mission District, working to sell sex to johns. In a scene repeated daily on dozens of similar 'tracks' across the state, men in cars rolled slowly by the women, who are just past their teenage years but looked young enough to be on their way to a high school dance.")

The sex workers in the article note that the loitering law doesn't help them and is instead used by police to harass them. "I've gotten tickets for just like standing right here," one says. Police "are always looking for a reason to mess with me," says another.

But the Times gives equal space to the voices of people who oppose prostitution and any attempts to decriminalize it, including a former prosecutor who has an upcoming book about her (unsuccessful and unconstitutional) prosecution of the founders of Backpage. And, inexplicably, the article frames the fight over loitering laws as pitting "sex workers against other sex workers and trafficking survivors," despite the fact that no sex workers against repeal are actually quoted and there's ample research suggesting that decriminalization can reduce sex trafficking and keep everyone involved safer.

The bottom line, as San Francisco sex worker Lisseth Sánchez tells the Times, is that "it is absolutely not necessary to arrest people for their own good."


FREE MINDS 

New York lawmaker pushes unconstitutional infringement on social-media speech. Democrats and Republicans are mad at Section 230—the federal communications law that, among other things, shields social media companies from some legal liability for user-generated posts—"because they both want to control the internet in a manner that helps 'their team,'" suggests Mike Masnick at Techdirt. (That's what we've said, too!) "But both approaches involve unconstitutional desires to interfere with 1st Amendment rights. For Republicans, it's often the compelled hosting of speech, and for Democrats, it's often the compelled deletion of speech. Both of those are unconstitutional."

Republicans have passed blatantly unconstitutional social media laws in Texas and Florida. Now Democrats want in on the game in California and New York.

New York state Senator Brad Hoylman "has proudly introduced a hellishly unconstitutional social media bill," notes Techdirt:

Hoylman announces in his press release that the bill will 'hold tech companies accountable for promoting vaccine misinformation and hate speech.' Have you noticed the problem with the bill already? I knew you could. Whether we like it or not, the 1st Amendment protects both vaccine misinformation and hate speech. It is unconstitutional to punish anyone for that speech, and it's even more ridiculous to punish websites that host that content, but had nothing to do with the creation of it.

More details about the bill here.


FREE MARKETS

"Home prices today are 41% higher than the peak of the housing bubble in 2006," notes Michael Hendrix, the Manhattan Institute's director of state and local policy, at Persuasion. Over that same period, median incomes went up just 8.8 percent. What to do?

Get rid of restrictive zoning laws, Hendrix argues:

Pro-housing advocates argue that home prices are artificially high because the supply of homes is dangerously low, thanks to red tape and costly bureaucracy. Less supply and rising demand mean higher prices—it's Economics 101. Indeed, America is nearly 4 million homes short of demand. Zoning rules carve up cities and towns with top-down dictates on what property owners can do with their own land, like mandates for single-family homes on enormous lots with lots of required parking.

"It is illegal on 75% of the residential land in many American cities to build anything other than a detached single-family home," observes The New York Times's Emily Badger. …

The price of housing used to march in lockstep with the cost of construction—pay more and you get a better house. But starting in the 1970s, right when zoning began spreading nationwide, those two prices diverged, with home prices soaring while building costs remained stable. That gap is like a "zoning tax" that falls hardest on the poorest Americans and raises the price of entry to cities with the most jobs and opportunity. Today's housing crisis is the American Dream turned nightmare.


QUICK HITS

American children are starting 2022 in crisis.

I'm not sure that many people fully grasp the depth of it.

????https://t.co/blOe9iRbYh

— David Leonhardt (@DLeonhardt) January 4, 2022

• COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have reached a new peak that's more than double the previous peak:

Bloomberg: U.S. sets new global record for most daily COVID cases, recording 1 million new infections Monday.

Almost double the previous record of 590,000, set just four days ago, and likely a significant under-estimate due to people using at-home tests or not testing at all.

— Andrew Roth (@RothTheReporter) January 4, 2022

• Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D–N.Y.) is threatening to change Senate rules if Republicans block a vote on Democrats' voting bill. "The weaponization of rules once meant to short-circuit obstruction have been hijacked to guarantee obstruction," he suggested yesterday in a Dear Colleague letter. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) called it a "rash, partisan power grab."

• "More Border Patrol Agents died in the line of duty during 2021 than in any other time since the agency's inception," reported Breitbart. Left out of the fearmongering tweet, and the headline about a "historic level of line-of-duty deaths," is that 13 of the 15 agents died due to COVID-19.

• The democracy-is-ending industrial complex churns on…

I don't understand the point of these sorts of columns. They're not actionable. There's this whole segment that wants to "talk more" about authoritarianism -- to what end? Who are you convincing of what? https://t.co/W0vnbDVVtI

— Josh Barro (@jbarro) January 3, 2022

• A victory for Libertarian Party members in Maine, where a federal judge ruled that "Libertarians can nominate candidates under the party banner for the 2022 election, regardless whether their numbers reach the minimum threshold under state law."

• A privacy lawsuit against Amazon can continue. "Amazon.com Inc failed to persuade an Illinois federal judge to toss a lawsuit accusing the company of unlawfully collecting 'facial geometry' scans of employees at fulfillment warehouses as part of COVID-19 wellness checks," notes Reuters. "U.S. District Judge Mary Rowland in Chicago declined to dismiss the proposed class action on Monday, in which a former employee alleged the e-commerce company collected his facial and other data without proper consent under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA)."

• Department of prohibition kills:

New study: Regulations that limited legal opioid prescriptions led to a surge in heroin overdoses. https://t.co/Gd8KS4WY6N

— Sam Dumitriu (@Sam_Dumitriu) January 4, 2022

• COVID is ravaging city jails again. In New York City, the infection rate "has hit a staggering new high – with almost 37% of prisoners recently tested for the virus coming back positive," the New York Daily News reports. "The new numbers — measuring a seven-day test positivity through Sunday — come two weeks after the outgoing city jails commissioner warned of a 'crisis level' of COVID cases bearing down on the population at the troubled Rikers Island complex."

• Are strip club dancers employees or independent contractors? A growing number of lawsuits asks this question. "Nationwide, federal court records show that more than two dozen recent lawsuits have targeted the corporate owners of Jaguars: RCI Hospitality Holdings, a for-profit corporation based in Houston that comprises dozens of strip clubs and topless clubs marketed under various brand names," reports the Texas Observer.

• The fight over Biden's Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission nominations continues.

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.

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NEXT: Defending Armed Self-Defense

Elizabeth Nolan Brown is a senior editor at Reason.

Reason RoundupProstitutionSex WorkSex TraffickingCriminal JusticeDecriminalizationCaliforniaLaw enforcement
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  1. Fist of Etiquette   3 years ago

    Should police arrest sex workers for standing around?

    So suddenly pre-crime is no longer a thing?

    1. Nardz   3 years ago

      Depends on the politics of the preperp

    2. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

      If hookers standing around is pre-crime, are the men who want to pick them up pre-verts?

    3. Fats of Fury   3 years ago

      The woman pictured looks like Prostie the snowtart.

      1. Chumby   3 years ago

        Prostie the Blow-man

        1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

          Blow-Woman.

    4. UK Dogging   3 years ago

      Just legalise it and spend your time doing more fruitful things.

      1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

        Or fruity things.

  2. OpenBordersLiberal-tarian   3 years ago

    "COVID is ravaging city jails again."

    That wouldn't happen if we implement the Koch / Soros / Reason soft-on-crime #EmptyThePrisons(AndJails) agenda.

    #CheapLaborAboveAll

    1. ElvisIsReal   3 years ago

      If we can't keep the virus out of nursing homes or jails (or Antarctic science stations), what chance to do we have to keep it out of the general population?

      1. Zeb   3 years ago

        How the fuck is that even still a question? It's like people are stuck in spring of 2020. It's been obviously impossible to keep it out of anywhere for getting close to 2 years.

        1. ElvisIsReal   3 years ago

          It's only because those dirty Kulaks don't mask up or get their jabs! If only everybody did what the experts say, obviously it would work!

  3. Fist of Etiquette   3 years ago

    Republicans have passed blatantly unconstitutional social media laws in Texas and Florida. Now Democrats want in on the game in California and New York.

    It's almost like governments like to control what people can and can't say. I'm wondering if that's new.

    1. soldiermedic76   3 years ago

      Albeit, the Republican laws say companies can't block people for saying stuff the company doesn't like whereas the Democrats are trying to pass a law that says we will punish you if you let people say stuff we dislike. There are degrees of evil.

  4. shortviking   3 years ago

    “ danger inherent in jails (especially during a pandemic)”

    Stop it

    1. Think It Through   3 years ago

      "transgender woman"

      Stop it.

    2. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

      Why?

      1. R Mac   3 years ago

        Caw

      2. Uilleam   3 years ago

        [on tape] Hi. This is Wilford Brimley. Welcome to Retardation: A Celebration. Now, hopefully with this book, I'm gonna dispel a few myths, a few rumors. First off, the retarded don't rule the night. They don't rule it. Nobody does. And they don't run in packs. And while they may not be as strong as apes, don't lock eyes with 'em, don't do it. Puts 'em on edge. They might go into berzerker mode; come at you like a whirling dervish, all fists and elbows. You might be screaming "No, no, no" and all they hear is "Who wants cake?" Let me tell you something: They all do. They all want cake.

        1. Ajsloss   3 years ago

          #diabetis

          1. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

            Diabetes? Is this from the jail food or something?

      3. JesseAz   3 years ago

        It hasn't stopped the jailing of non violent offenders in D.C. Jails. So you are being selective on who this covers White Mike.

  5. OpenBordersLiberal-tarian   3 years ago

    "COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have reached a new peak that's more than double the previous peak"

    Are we sure those numbers are accurate? After all, Biden vowed to "shut down the virus."

    I guess if the data is legit we can blame Drumpf. And #DeathSantis.

    #DefendBidenAtAllCosts

    1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

      Obviously, COVID case numbers have gone up no more than consumer prices.

      (What is the pandemic equivalent of spittin' tobacco?)

    2. Brian   3 years ago

      I hear he’s going to address the nation. Do you think that’s wise?

      He’s in kind of a pickle, isn’t he? His administration is failing miserably, but his public speaking is yet another opportunity for him to embarrass himself. What’s a geriatric career politician to do?

      1. ElvisIsReal   3 years ago

        Biden has painted himself into a corner because all the ridiculous ways we count covid mean it will never end. Additionally, he's beholden to big Pharma and has been pushing jabs nonstop.

        I don't see how he can navigate this. If I were him I'd simply declare victory and stop testing healthy people. Suddenly learn the difference between "with covid" and "because of covid."

        We could have done that at any point of this thing and it would have been over.

        1. Vernon Depner   3 years ago

          "it will never end."

          Feature, not bug.

      2. Unable2Reason   3 years ago

        I guess fall on his face. Wait...he already did that going up the Air Force 1 steps...never mind.

  6. Fist of Etiquette   3 years ago

    Home prices today are 41% higher than the peak of the housing bubble in 2006...

    Government has made your home more valuable!

    1. R Mac   3 years ago

      Some of our resident lefty idiots actually believe this.

      1. Jerryskids   3 years ago

        Read the real estate section of most any newspaper - rising prices are good, falling prices are bad for this very reason. Most real estate agents work for home sellers, not home buyers, so that's where their focus lies. If you're selling, you want a high price, if you're buying, well, who gives a shit what you want? You probably want to destroy home values in the neighborhood, don't you?

        1. Minadin   3 years ago

          Even the ones working for buyers have a profit motive in having a high sale price - they are paid based on commission, and the commission is typically 4% - 7% of the sale price, split between the buying and selling agents.

      2. Roberta   3 years ago

        It would make sense if you didn't have to live in one.

      3. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

        Especially since we now have more rich people to tax.

    2. Spiritus Mundi   3 years ago

      And subject to higher property taxes. Seems the government has a cui bono interest in your property value.

      1. Zeb   3 years ago

        And people also have an interest in having a lower property value, which everyone always ignores.

  7. Fist of Etiquette   3 years ago

    American children are starting 2022 in crisis.

    I'm not sure that many people fully grasp the depth of it.

    Does the omelette maker care of the egg's fate?

    1. Anomalous   3 years ago

      We won't even get an omelet, just a lot of broken eggs all over the kitchen floor.

    2. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

      Strident progressives either do not have children or they consider kids the property of the state, and thus not personally responsible.

    3. Chumby   3 years ago

      It is a shell game to them.

      1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

        No yoke about that.

  8. Fist of Etiquette   3 years ago

    COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have reached a new peak that's more than double the previous peak...

    If cases is the metric to stoke necessary fear, then cases is the metric we will use.

    1. Spiritus Mundi   3 years ago

      Covid vaccines are safe and effective.

      1. Ajsloss   3 years ago

        "People might mistakenly think the COVID-19 vaccines will completely block infection, but the shots are mainly designed to prevent severe illness, says Louis Mansky, a virus researcher at the University of Minnesota."

        https://news.yahoo.com/why-many-vaccinated-people-getting-050338384.html

        1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

          Better not try that on FB.

        2. Zeb   3 years ago

          Is that what they were designed for, or just how they worked out? Seems like a somewhat dishonest way to state it.

          1. Red Rocks White Privilege   3 years ago

            It's completely dishonest to cover for the fact that the vaccines are basically flu shots and didn't, in fact, eradicate the virus.

          2. Ajsloss   3 years ago

            One man's "dishonesty" is another man's "what we originally said was not what we meant, you people were just too stupid to understand; we're still right, trust us".

            1. Its_Not_Inevitable   3 years ago

              More like "Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia".

      2. Ajsloss   3 years ago

        If you believed the vaccines were supposed to prevent Covid, I'm not sure where you got that idea. We've always been at war with Eurasia.

        1. JasonAZ   3 years ago

          Is your back sore from moving the goal post so far?

          1. Ajsloss   3 years ago

            I didn't move them, Louis Mansky did. I though my sarcasm was clear from the 1984 quote (though, to be sure, I mistakenly said Eurasia when I meant Eastasia).

      3. Unable2Reason   3 years ago

        I generally dip my donuts in Covid vaccine - not as good as coffee though.

    2. Its_Not_Inevitable   3 years ago

      And let's test more people so we can find more cases.

  9. OpenBordersLiberal-tarian   3 years ago

    OMG LOL

    Democratic government is so good for billionaires that we're not even a week into 2022 and already Biden is delivering for his base!

    In 2022 the 10 richest Americans have gained a combined: $41 billion

    #LibertariansForBiden

    1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

      What about the 10 richest government agencies?

      #LibertariansCanBeForBigGovernmentToo

  10. Fist of Etiquette   3 years ago

    Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D–N.Y.) is threatening to change Senate rules if Republicans block a vote on Democrats' voting bill.

    Either he can't see November on the horizon or he thinks this legislation will divert his party's destination.

    1. Minadin   3 years ago

      Does seem like it's either amazingly shortsighted or a setup to an incredibly naked and brash power grab. The Party is capable of either and both.

      1. Hank Ferrous   3 years ago

        He's shortsighted, and stupid. This is 'regulate it' Schumer we're discussing.

        1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

          Except, of course, abortion. And campaign donations, since the Democrats are now in bed with billionaires.

  11. Fist of Etiquette   3 years ago

    Left out of the fearmongering tweet, and the headline about a "historic level of line-of-duty deaths," is that 13 of the 15 agents died due to COVID-19.

    "Unvaxed illegal immigrants" has something for everyone.

    1. Eeyore   3 years ago

      That percentage is crazy high. Makes me try and picture what border patrol agents look like. I see a bunch of 5ft 300lb 80 years olds in my imagination.

      1. Vernon Depner   3 years ago

        5 ft, 300 pound Mexican 45 year old would be your typical border agent.

  12. Fist of Etiquette   3 years ago

    "Libertarians can nominate candidates under the party banner for the 2022 election, regardless whether their numbers reach the minimum threshold under state law."

    I bet this judge is an immigrant from the Free Republic of Liberland.

    1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

      Who has a joint and a buttsex doll under the bench.

      1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

        What does a judge wear under his robe?

        1. Chumby   3 years ago

          Legal briefs

  13. Fist of Etiquette   3 years ago

    A victory for Libertarian Party members in Maine-

    THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS MAINE.

    1. Minadin   3 years ago

      Northern Massachusetts, as we used to call it back in the day.

      1. Nardz   3 years ago

        So it's full of massholes?

        1. Chumby   3 years ago

          Just southern Maine.

    2. Sometimes a Great Notion   3 years ago

      I remember the Maine.

      1. R Mac   3 years ago

        But do you remember the Lusitania?

        1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

          You know who did?

        2. Outlaw Josey Wales   3 years ago

          I remember the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

          1. Outlaw Josey Wales   3 years ago

            Also, the Alamo

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

              The new and improved Alamo, where we remember how a brilliant general executed racist insurrectionists for their defiance of the legitimate government over anti-slavery laws. It was the original 1/6.

              1. Ben of Houston   3 years ago

                Don't give people ideas, Chuck

          2. Unicorn Abattoir   3 years ago

            What about Ella Fitzgerald?

            1. Outlaw Josey Wales   3 years ago

              or Larry Fitzgerald

              1. Fats of Fury   3 years ago

                Or the gay couple, Michael Fitzpatrick and Patrick Fitzmichael.

          3. Fats of Fury   3 years ago

            The song or the boat?

            1. Zeb   3 years ago

              The song was never wrecked.

              1. Unicorn Abattoir   3 years ago

                That would be High and Dry, another Gordon Lightfoot song. Or Triangle. Or the Ghosts of Cape Horn. Or...well, just about any other Gordon Lightfoot song.

        3. Sometimes a Great Notion   3 years ago

          Is that one that killed Leonardo DiCaprio?

        4. Chumby   3 years ago

          Pepperidge Farm remembers.

          1. Ajsloss   3 years ago

            Maybe Pepperidge Farms isn't going to keep it to Pepperidge Farms' self...

            1. Chumby   3 years ago

              Also, the North remembers.

              1. Fats of Fury   3 years ago

                With a little yeast the South shall rise again.

    3. Chumby   3 years ago

      We are in Canada.

      1. Hank Ferrous   3 years ago

        Quebec is nice. Too bad about that trudeau douchebag in ontario.

      2. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

        So we can blame Maine along with Canada, eh?

    4. Vernon Depner   3 years ago

      You must be a Dark Shadows fan.

  14. Fist of Etiquette   3 years ago

    Amazon.com Inc failed to persuade an Illinois federal judge to toss a lawsuit accusing the company of unlawfully collecting 'facial geometry' scans of employees at fulfillment warehouses as part of COVID-19 wellness checks...

    So I guess the deadliest plague in human history is officially dead itself as far as Illinois is concerned.

    1. R Mac   3 years ago

      Amazon employee want to kill your grandma!

      1. Chumby   3 years ago

        Grandma has an amazon position?

        1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

          We would ask grandpa, but we found him in the yard beat to a pulp.

        2. Fats of Fury   3 years ago

          Amazon positions are usually girl on girl.

    2. Fats of Fury   3 years ago

      Fact: You can only persuade an Illinois judge with a big bag of cash.

  15. Fist of Etiquette   3 years ago

    Regulations that limited legal opioid prescriptions led to a surge in heroin overdoses.

    You can't hold people or the policy for which they advocate accountable if the consequences are not what was claimed to be intended. And you certainly can't use unintended consequences to change the policy, especially if it has turned out innocently enough to be highly lucrative.

  16. DWB   3 years ago

    When the talk turns to whores you know who's back!

    Beth, I hear you callin'...

    1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

      Why are all the current full-time Reasonettes one-trick ponys? It's like legal hooking is the only actual libertarian position she holds.

      1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

        One-trick pony? Libertarian position? Are you aspiring to Chumby's title as Pun-Master?

        1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

          Libertarian position? Amazon position? The comments section is getting racier every day.

        2. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

          If only!
          Gosh, Reason Pun-Master. The amount of power one would hold, and all the women... wow.

          1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

            No, that would be Poon-Master, not Pun-Master. The only thing they have in common are groans after the performance.

    2. Fats of Fury   3 years ago

      Indeed, She constructed a giant Dagwood shit sammich between two pieces of sex workers.

  17. Fist of Etiquette   3 years ago

    COVID is ravaging city jails again.

    Arrest more unvaccinated.

  18. Fist of Etiquette   3 years ago

    Are strip club dancers employees or independent contractors?

    Are titty bar stage poles load-bearing?

    1. Chumby   3 years ago

      I believe the structural term is breastwork.

      1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

        Does that term apply whether or not the house is "bawdy?"

    2. Anomalous   3 years ago

      Are titty bar stage poles load-bearing?

      No, that would be the seats in the champagne room.

    3. Chumby   3 years ago

      The talent sometimes takes a load.

      1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

        The sex workers in the article note that the loitering law doesn't help them and is instead used by police to harass them. "I've gotten tickets for just like standing right here," one says.

        If she, like, says 'like', like, every, like, other word, like, maybe she's saying she likes a load kept in her mouth. Like, Wow!

    4. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

      Who cares? Are their bodies at least an 8 and their faces at least a 6?

      1. Vernon Depner   3 years ago

        oh...at least AN 8. You scared me for a second.

  19. Fist of Etiquette   3 years ago

    The fight over Biden's Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission nominations continues.

    NOT COMMUNIST ENOUGH

  20. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

    Here's a bit of foreshadowing about what could happen here if Trump loses again in 2024:

    https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/03/africa/south-africa-parliament-fire-suspect-intl/index.html

    1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

      Ohhh, CNN opinion. That's definitely not going to be Democratic Party propaganda.

      1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

        Did they suggest yet that holding the 2024 election might be too dangerous, and we should postpone in the name of "safety"?

    2. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

      Also, are you claiming that you guys have been treating the working class like South African blacks during apartheid?

    3. Idaho Bob   3 years ago

      Funny, that didn't happen during the deadly insurrection last year.

      Also interesting is how the race or the political leanings of the arsonist in SA are not mentioned in the CNN article. Wonder why?

      1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

        Foreshadowing.

        1. Nardz   3 years ago

          Collectivistjeff is a virus

          1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

            Have you murdered those progressives yet, like you keep promising to?

            1. R Mac   3 years ago

              You’re still alive.

              1. Uilleam   3 years ago

                Unfortunately. I thought the coof was particularly lethal to fatties hiding in their parents' basement?

                1. Chumby   3 years ago

                  He has been socially distancing. Due to others not wanting to be near him.

      2. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

        “Funny, that didn't happen during the deadly insurrection last year.”

        Well, the rioters were interrupted before they were finished.

        1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

          One side armed with guns and the other with flags and a fire extinguisher.
          But somehow the protesters were the real danger.

        2. Idaho Bob   3 years ago

          Do you actually believe the shit you say? Or is it a lame attempt at trolling?

          1. JesseAz   3 years ago

            Him, Jeff, and Sarc think being full on leftists makes them libertarian as long as they occasionally say some regulation they don't agree with.

          2. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

            It was said jokingly.

          3. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

            But, in all seriousness, do you claim you _know_ what the rioters would have stopped at if unopposed in their rioting?

            1. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

              Fisticuffs? Because no matter how you lie about it, the protesters weren't armed.

        3. JesseAz   3 years ago

          The unarmed ones who vastly committed no violence?

    4. damikesc   3 years ago

      Only one party is able to commit arson and be applauded.

      1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

        Oh I don't think they would be applauded. But I am sure that on Jan. 6, 2025, when Trump is declared the loser yet again, you'll be first in line to throw Molotov cocktails at the Capitol.

        1. Nardz   3 years ago

          Collectivistjeff is threatening you and your family

        2. damikesc   3 years ago

          "Oh I don't think they would be applauded."

          They were during 2020. And the group behind them got shit tons of money to keep doing it. And our VP helped raise money to bail them out of jail for the few punished at all.

          "But I am sure that on Jan. 6, 2025, when Trump is declared the loser yet again, you'll be first in line to throw Molotov cocktails at the Capitol."

          Why would I waste alcohol or gasoline on the fucking Capitol?

          1. JesseAz   3 years ago

            It is amazing Jeff chose Molotov's in his example as it was used in many of the BLM riots and not once at the J6th riot.

        3. JesseAz   3 years ago

          It is amazing watching you decry 1 million dollars in damage, no victims from the protestors, and 800 arrests... then largely ignore 2 billion in damages, dozens of people murdered, and violent people released with minimal charges for the BLM riots.

          Almost like you have an agenda...

    5. R Mac   3 years ago

      Not a lefty folks.

      1. Nardz   3 years ago

        Collectivistjeff uses its right hand to molest young children

      2. damikesc   3 years ago

        Yup, total individualist. He's more libertarian than all others.

    6. Zeb   3 years ago

      Foreshadowing is a literary device, it doesn't exist in real life. And that's a ridiculous stretch.

      1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

        I don't think it's a ridiculous stretch.

        1. Zeb   3 years ago

          OK, I suppose it's plausible that some weirdo could start a fire in congress or something. Also could plausibly happen if Democrat X loses in 2024.

  21. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

    Well, attempts at "non-partisan" redistricting failed in NY.

    https://www.politico.com/states/new-york/albany/story/2022/01/03/cuomo-pledged-to-end-partisan-gerrymandering-his-plan-just-failed-its-biggest-test-1403705

    I'm not a big fan of the whole "independent commission" approach, because it tends to lead to outcomes like this. But I do think this is an issue that third parties like the Libertarian Party could get behind. After all neither party wants to give up its power to choose its own voters in the districts, so it is an issue in which Team Red and Team Blue largely agree, and so only an outside party can offer an alternative. It can be part of a broader agenda associated with democratic reforms more generally, including different experimentations with voting methods (ranked choice voting, etc.), expanding the size the House, etc. It is an unmet opportunity that is waiting to be seized.

    1. JimboJr   3 years ago

      Speaking of NY failures:

      https://nypost.com/2022/01/01/nyc-considering-race-in-distributing-life-saving-covid-treatment/

      "NYC will consider race when distributing life-saving COVID treatments"

      "The race-based approach in treatment has already begun to have real-world consequences. One Staten Island doctor said he filled two prescriptions for Paxlovid this week and was asked by the pharmacist to disclose the race of his patients before the treatment was authorized."

      “The … DOHMH is committed to improving health outcomes for all New Yorkers by explicitly advancing racial equity and social justice. Racial equity does not mean simply treating everyone equally, but rather, allocating resources and services in such a way that explicitly addresses barriers imposed by structural racism (i.e. policies and institutional practices that perpetuate racial inequity) and White privilege,” it read.

      Looks like the racists are at it again. Before they wanted to do it with the vax, now the treatment. How does it feel to be on the same team as open racists? People that put their political, race based ideology, above actual data. Distribution should be, and should always have been, based on risk: Age, obesity, comorbidities. Period. To attempt inserting race to combat "white privilege" is anti-science and frankly immoral. How does it feel to be on the wrong side of history (and science)?

      1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

        Umm, JoJo and GayJay are not "open racists".

        How does it feel to be on the same side as David Duke, Oath Keepers, QAnon, "there's microchips in the vaccine" crowd?

        1. Nardz   3 years ago

          You've murdered over a hundred million people

          1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

            It's a bit early in the morning for you to start drinking, don't you think?

            1. Nardz   3 years ago

              Collectivistjeff, as part of the hivemind that is the totalitarian left, has taken part in all the atrocities and mass democide leftists committed the last hundred years.

        2. JimboJr   3 years ago

          "How does it feel to be on the same side as David Duke"

          As the strongest supporter of CRT in the commentariat, you are the closest person here to David Duke. There are many dead KKK wizards that couldn't do what you and your pals have been able to accomplish through your beloved CRT, they would be proud of you

          1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

            And by "strongest supporter" what you mean is "someone who doesn't think it should be outright banned". Got it.

            You all really have a problem with black/white thinking. Either one must ban CRT, or one must believe every word. No middle ground.

            Kinda fits with the conspiratorial QAnon influence among your tribe, doesn't it?

            1. JimboJr   3 years ago

              No one banned CRT. They banned assigning characteristics to children based on their race or immutable characteristics. You would know that if you:

              - actually read any of the bills
              - were arguing in good faith

              But neither are true

              1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                Oh, plenty of people around here do want it banned. Like your QAnon buddies.

                1. damikesc   3 years ago

                  Well, many people think teaching racism is a bad idea. Glad to know you do not seem to be of that mindset.

                  1. Red Rocks White Privilege   3 years ago

                    The fat fuck literally parrots whatever his lefty neighbors happened to tell him, and then he gets pissy when people here point that out.

                    I guarantee he has to constantly reassure these people, "Oh don't worry, I'm not like these bad libertarian capitalists, I agree with a lot of what you say here!"

                2. Uilleam   3 years ago

                  This response right here is all anyone needs in order to understand that fat jeff's only purpose on this site is to gaslight. He's a dishonest troll, a third rate political hack, and probably mildly retarded.

                  1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                    I await your devastating critique of Jesse, ML, R Mac, and the rest of the right-wing Mean Grrlz who only come here to troll and gaslight and push propaganda for Team Red.

                    1. JesseAz   3 years ago

                      Lol. Jeff is flailing again.

                      Weird how the 3 you mentioned have recently called out the right on the debt limit bill. Each of us said j6 riots were wrong, but the reaction to it is worse.

                      You defend blm riots, defend the shooting of an unarmed trespasser, Defend jailing of non violent protestors, are quite frankly a racist, and push critical theory like 2+2=5.

                    2. R Mac   3 years ago

                      What Team Red propaganda have I pushed, Lying Jeffy?

            2. damikesc   3 years ago

              "You all really have a problem with black/white thinking."

              But you said it was racist to oppose NY's proposed plan to take into account race with medical treatments. In case you, like most others, don't really read what you write.

              1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                But you said it was racist to oppose NY's proposed plan to take into account race with medical treatments. In case you, like most others, don't really read what you write.

                Oh, I see you are now pulling a Jesse and trying to stuff words into my mouth. I said absolutely nothing about any plan to prioritize vaccines based on race.

                1. damikesc   3 years ago

                  Oh, you don't read. Got it.

                  Look at the post immediately above your "Umm, JoJo and GayJay are not "open racists".

                  How does it feel to be on the same side as David Duke, Oath Keepers, QAnon, "there's microchips in the vaccine" crowd?" post.

                  It was about...NY's policy. Not CRT. Literally not in the slightest.

                  THAT was what you replied to with your "YOU MUST BE A RAYCIST!" nonsense.

                  Ken's description of you is levels too generous.

                  1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                    I repeat: I said absolutely nothing about any plan to prioritize vaccines based on race. That you think that I am defending whatever it is NY came up with is you abjectly lying.

                    1. JesseAz   3 years ago

                      You ignored it when it was linked to you. Like you've ignored all evidence of CRT being in schools before today. You continue to deny reality in order to gaslight and hide what the left is doing.

                2. JesseAz   3 years ago

                  No, he is repeating what you've said in the past. Both directly and what you've implied.

                  You and sarc love pretending that every post you have has no history of posts behind it. It is amazing to watch.

            3. JesseAz   3 years ago

              You constantly misrepresent CRT and deny it is happening. You spent months saying it wasn't taught in schools despite all the evidence linked to you. You are nothing but an ignorant leftist who intentionally lies Jeff.

              Do you find it weird that CRT has led to people deciding to self segregate based on race? It leads people to believe they can't achieve success on their own merits? That it tells people to identify first and foremost on racial connotations instead of as an individual?

              Remove your damn moniker as individualist. You're a collectivist.

            4. JesseAz   3 years ago

              Can you find one person here that supports QAnon, believes vaccines have microchips, or the other lies you tell about people while crying people misrepresent you.

              The funny thing is a dozen people here will say you have said something, because you have. Yet you feel free to make up lies about anyone who has pointed out what you've said in the past or your logical inconsistencies.

        3. Fats of Fury   3 years ago

          David Duke, like you, supported Joe Biden.

        4. Zeb   3 years ago

          Did JoJo and GayJay promote distributing treatments and vaccines based on race?

          1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

            No, they didn't, and good for them.

            1. JesseAz   3 years ago

              Weird how people have to twist your arm to get these answers.

      2. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

        But your real purpose with this inflammatory comment is to show off your supposedly gigantic Internet penis by virtue-signaling to your tribe how much of a tuff-guy Internet warrior you can be by launching these ad-hominem attacks against a hated member of the out-group. I gotta tell ya, though, that if you want to be the guy who trolls and attacks me all the time, you have some stiff competition with Jesse. If anyone is a supposed "fifty-center" around here, it's him. He is on these comment boards continually. He literally will follow me, and others, around, from article to article, responding to every comment I make with some bullshit attack or whataboutism. So if you want to take up the mantle of Reason's Right-Wing Attack Dog Because He Is Over-Compensating For Being Kinda Stupid And For Having A Small Penis, you have some 'stiff' competition there.

        1. JimboJr   3 years ago

          Your evidence free, dishonest, bad faith style of argumentation deserves ridicule and I dont feel you get enough of it. Also you outright support the left, and they are currently the biggest threat to this country. That is all

          1. damikesc   3 years ago

            Yeah, but there is not enough mockery in existence to hit what he warrants.

            1. Joe Brandon   3 years ago

              ^

          2. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

            You are mad that I construct cogent arguments and you can't argue your way out of a paper bag without resorting to insults and all sorts of fallacies. I understand your jealousy, believe me. It is just embarrassing to see it on full display. Maybe some self-esteem sessions with your librul therapist can help you work through these issues.

            1. damikesc   3 years ago

              "You are mad that I construct cogent arguments"

              WHERE? Not here for sure.

            2. JesseAz   3 years ago

              Cite on cogent arguments?

              You outright deny what you've said, you created random nonsensical situations like bears in trunks when your arguments are failing, and produce fallacy after fallacy. You can see the same in the earlier thread.

              You've attempted insulting more people in this discussion than anyone else has dummy.

              1. R Mac   3 years ago

                Lol, I forgot all about that bears in trunks incident. That was hilarious.

            3. JimboJr   3 years ago

              "You are mad that I construct cogent arguments"

              If anything ever deserved a "Cite?" it is sure as fuck this. Evidence significantly lacking

            4. JimboJr   3 years ago

              Also for about 2 weeks straight I basically backhanded every pathetic attempt you made at arguing over CRT, you got embarrassed daily, with cites (that you ran away from)

              "you can't argue your way out of a paper bag without resorting to insults and all sorts of fallacies"

              careful big boy, you're projecting and its obvious 🙂

              1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                As is typical, you used the right-wing definition of CRT, which is "any discussion of race that makes right-wingers sad". So your "takedowns" were disingenuous goalpost-shifting. And congratulations, your team won the narrative war on the meaning of CRT. Now, large numbers of people believe that CRT means just mere discussions of racism in anything but the classical sense of the word, whether it be "structural racism" or "disparate impact" or anything else that isn't directly tied to the image of a KKK Grand Wizard burning crosses on lawns.

                Me: Perhaps we should discuss why prisons have disproportionate numbers of black people...
                You and the Right-Wing Mob: GET YOUR CRT GARBAGE OUT OF HERE, YOU RACIST!!!!!

                It's just ridiculous. But whatevs, we can't even have a serious discussion on the topic anymore because some right-winger will come along and demand it be banned because IT'S THAT CRT AGAIN.

                1. JesseAz   3 years ago

                  Baby jeffrey... those you cal the right wing are the ones who have cited their beliefs with actual primary resources while you pushed a leftist narrative that it wasn't being taught.

                2. R Mac   3 years ago

                  There was fucking video of the Detroit superintendent saying CRT is part of their curriculum that was cited to you repeatedly that you completely ignored you lying sack of shit.

        2. Uilleam   3 years ago

          [on tape] Hi. This is Wilford Brimley. Welcome to Retardation: A Celebration. Now, hopefully with this book, I'm gonna dispel a few myths, a few rumors. First off, the retarded don't rule the night. They don't rule it. Nobody does. And they don't run in packs. And while they may not be as strong as apes, don't lock eyes with 'em, don't do it. Puts 'em on edge. They might go into berzerker mode; come at you like a whirling dervish, all fists and elbows. You might be screaming "No, no, no" and all they hear is "Who wants cake?" Let me tell you something: They all do. They all want cake.

        3. Zeb   3 years ago

          Where were the ad hominem attacks? How is it not just plain racist to consider race when deciding who gets treatment or not?

          1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

            Oh gee, how about HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE ON THE SAME TEAM WITH RACISTS, HUH?????

            1. JesseAz   3 years ago

              But you are on that team. The left has been on that team for 150 years. They still applaud segregation and focus on race as the primary attribute of an individual.

            2. Zeb   3 years ago

              It's a factual claim, not an ad- hominem argument. It may be false, perhaps you don't support the positions many here seem to think you do. But it is a claim about your actual beliefs and positions, not an irrelevant personal attack.
              "Chemjeff supports racism" is not ad hominem argumentation, but a claim about a fact that may or may not be true. "Chemjeff is a racist, so we shouldn't listen to anything he says on other topics" would be an example of ad hominem.

              1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                Oh c'mon Zeb. You are going to nitpick this? The entire PREMISE of the "question" was a supposition that I pal around with racists. That is the ad hominem.

                perhaps you don't support the positions many here seem to think you do.

                What do you think, Zeb? Do you think I am some crazy left-wing AOC-worshipping BernieBro progressive who loves the Green New Deal, loves CRT, adores Pelosi, voted for Biden, loves taxes, hates guns? The right-wing circle-jerks around here repeat their lies so often that it becomes "accepted wisdom" merely by force of repetition. They are proof positive that we truly live in a post-modern, post-truth world: reality is socially constructed, and truth is what your circle of friends all agree on, nothing more.

                1. R Mac   3 years ago

                  Getting slapped around by Zeb now? Ouch.

    2. Red Rocks White Privilege   3 years ago

      I'm not a big fan of the whole "independent commission" approach, because it tends to lead to outcomes like this.

      No, it just depends on how serious the commission happens to take its mandate.

      In New Mexico, it resulted in a gerrymandered map designed by a commission dominated by members from Albuquerque and favoring Democrats. In Colorado, it resulted in a new competitive district and kept the representative status quo elsewhere, and led the state's Dems to whine that they lost the chance to create a literal Hispanic ethno-district in the northern Denver suburbs.

      1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

        I agree that the 'independent commission' approach is probably better than the status quo ante, but IMO it is not that big of an improvement overall. I would like to see other models and experiments of how to address redistricting. Or - and this is radical - why even have districts at all?

        1. Ben of Houston   3 years ago

          I will say that having districts (when done properly) does give fair representation to different groups. After all, if it's just proportional to the population (like everyone voting for everyone), then cities control all the representatives. However, with districts, you have some city districts and some rural/farming districts. So while they might be in the minority, the farmers would have a say when one side needed a swing vote.

        2. Red Rocks White Privilege   3 years ago

          Uh, because that would make them like Senators, and that's not the purpose of the House?

  22. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

    "Democrats and Republicans are mad at Section 230—the federal communications law that, among other things, shields social media companies from some legal liability for user-generated posts—"because they both want to control the internet in a manner that helps 'their team,'"

    The White house and the Democratic Party have been raping the first amendment by openly pressuring companies to censor and cancel people who disagree with it.
    Being the primary victims the Republicans are vociferously against this.

    The Reasonistas meanwhile pretend that it's all same-same.

    1. damikesc   3 years ago

      "This guy pushed an old lady out of the way of an out-of-control bus. This other guy pushed an old lady INTO the path of an out-of-control bus. They both are guilty of pushing old ladies around traffic." Reason writers.

      1. R Mac   3 years ago

        Nice.

        1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

          Maybe. What are the races of the guy and the lady?

          1. Ajsloss   3 years ago

            And vax status.

          2. mad.casual   3 years ago

            "This guy pushed Rosa Parks into the back of the bus. This other guy pushed Rosa Parks into the front of the bus."

            Does really convey the linguistic and cultural slipperiness of the issue better.

      2. Fats of Fury   3 years ago

        Is this glass half empty or half full?

        https://www.flickr.com/photos/66890686@N02/46727106754/in/dateposted-public/

    2. mad.casual   3 years ago

      "Section 230 is important because Congress is trying to violate the 1A."

      Note that long after Reason gave up on the "1A of the internet!" bullshit, the overt and deceptive conflation persists.

      Hey Reason, Section 230 violates the 1A prima facie several different ways. Get a clue.

  23. Mickey Rat   3 years ago

    ""because they both want to control the internet in a manner that helps 'their team,'" suggests Mike Masnick at Techdirt. (That's what we've said, too!) "But both approaches involve unconstitutional desires to interfere with 1st Amendment rights. For Republicans, it's often the compelled hosting of speech, and for Democrats, it's often the compelled deletion of speech. Both of those are unconstitutional."

    Again, Section 230 was intended to provide liability protection for "good faith" moderation on open platforms. It was not intended for to provide for liability protection for platform owner deleting content they simply do not like, especially given the arbitrary and constantly changing terms of service of these platforms. They can have unlimited moderation, or they can have liability protection. They cannot have both.

    1. R Mac   3 years ago

      Come on man! Good faith means faith in left wing narratives.

    2. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

      “to provide for liability protection for platform owner deleting content they simply do not like”

      Section 230 wasn’t needed for rights already provided by the First Amendment.

      1. JesseAz   3 years ago

        No law is needed to provide a constitutional right dummy.

      2. Mickey Rat   3 years ago

        Then what was 230 needed for?

        What is the rationale for its existence?

        Rolling Stone has 1st Amendment protections, but it was not a freedom of the press violation to hold it liable for libel and defamation in the UV rape hoax

        1. JesseAz   3 years ago

          Mike isn't the sharpest.

        2. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

          For the content they _do_ publish. To make it clear who is liable for what is said in user-created content. To make it feasible to post user-created content at scale, where reading each post before posting it is not possible because of that scale.

          1. Mickey Rat   3 years ago

            There was no liability for the platform if the platform did not moderate. The intent was to allow some moderation for illegal and grossly offensive content without incurring liability, not to give them carte blanche to moderate content for petty reasons without liability.

            1. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

              Facebook, Twitter, etc. all have actual customers: their advertisers. Those customers want the platforms to be pleasant, free of crap, and attractive to users who will spend money on the advertised goods and services.

              That requires moderation.

              Those social media sites are private businesses, and they are private businesses whose purpose is not to please you, or facilitate your politics.

    3. mad.casual   3 years ago

      Again, Section 230 was intended to provide liability protection for "good faith" moderation on open platforms.

      Disagree in fact, not sentiment. Between Cubby v. Compuserve and Oakmont v. Prodigy it's clear that the motivations for S230 were to protect moderators from knowingly spreading harmful disinformation and to punish open platforms for not moderating.

  24. JimboJr   3 years ago

    Man there sure are a lot of things the authoritarian, "data-driven" (lmao) leftists are coming around to that the "conspiracy"-minded right wingers figured out after a very short period of time. Maybe it was a bad idea to label all their ideas as misinformation, only to come to the same conclusion after decimating the economy through bad COVID policy. Not to mention the countries mental health. Probably best to keep these things fresh, as a daily reminder how wrong the CDC, Fauci, and the scientologists were about everything.

    - Purposefully lied about masks not working, even though at the time they DID think they were life saving
    - Cited the shoddiest of studies on why masks DO work that has been widely discredited as their main reason to keep masking kids
    - Repeated the lie from China that the virus came from a wet market and not the lab it obviously came from.
    - called the vast amount of info on the lab leak misinformation, conspiracy
    - Said we were not involved in GOF in any way with said lab (FOIA emails proved this was an absolute lie, and Fauci was involved in funding and knew GOF was happening)
    - Suggested distributing vaccines based on race rather than risk (age, comorbidities) despite knowing this would actually harm more people...but racial justice!
    - Said it was absolutely essential to lock down, distance, and mask, but then supported racial justice protests where people were on top of one another with no masks...when we had minimal therapeutics and no vax available
    - Media widely echoed a number of false stories including "hospitals cant treat GSWs because people took too much horse medicine" despite this being a fabrication that wasnt looked into by the journos
    - Fearmongering based on CASES! for months and months while every rational person knew the only important thing to focus on was death and significant hospitalization.
    - Essentially denying natural immunity works and the only real protection is the vax.

    These people have burned every possible bridge of credibility and deserve what they get

    1. damikesc   3 years ago

      They have come to that realization because THEY...the sainted ones who followed all the rules...are now getting COVID. As everybody knew they'd inevitably get. And they do not want people like me to blast them as inbred yokels who are ruining the country. You know, like they did to people like me for months.

    2. docduracoat   3 years ago

      I agree with every word you said

    3. JimboJr   3 years ago

      Oh forgot!!

      Fauci just also dropped a "you need to distinguish between WITH and BECAUSE OF covid" which I can only imagine is a straight up troll at this point.

      1. ElvisIsReal   3 years ago

        He's got some amazing interviews the last few days. In addition to the one about with/because of covid, he admitted the PCR tests don't tell you if you're infectious.

        https://simulationcommander.substack.com/p/falling-down-the-rabbit-hole

        "#PCR doesn't measure replication competent virus...it doesn't give you any indication of whether or not you're transmissible."

    4. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

      Or maybe the Democrats decided that enough voters have tired of panic porn.

      1. ElvisIsReal   3 years ago

        That is what happened. The poll numbers are cratering and they need to walk this back ASAP after passing their mail-in ballot scheme.

  25. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

    The democracy-is-ending industrial complex churns on…
    Josh Barro
    @jbarro
    I don't understand the point of these sorts of columns. They're not actionable. There's this whole segment that wants to "talk more" about authoritarianism -- to what end? Who are you convincing of what?"

    I don't understand why a purported libertarian in a purported libertarian magazine is attempting to handwave away all the horrifically anti-democratic things we've seen go down in the last two years.

    1. R Mac   3 years ago

      Yeah, found this particular take so odd, that I feel like I have to be missing something?

    2. damikesc   3 years ago

      I love how "How about you Feds leave people the hell alone and allow states to handle more things?" is the "authoritarian" view.

  26. Commenter_XY   3 years ago

    ENB...Glad to see you back. Happy New Year.

    Hope you are enjoying Motherhood. Congrats on Baby Brown.

    1. Nardz   3 years ago

      ENB is a parasite

      1. Zeb   3 years ago

        Meh, who isn't?

        1. Nardz   3 years ago

          Non leftists

      2. Chumby   3 years ago

        She has a pair of sites. One of them is noticeably smaller than the other and it makes her self conscience.

        1. mad.casual   3 years ago

          That explains the clown makeup.

  27. Longtobefree   3 years ago

    "COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have reached a new peak that's more than double the previous peak..."

    Which proves -
    Vaccine mandates don't work
    Mask mandates don't work
    Quarantines of the healthy don't work
    Joe Biden didn't end the pandemic
    The Communist Chinese Virus is just another form of the flu

    1. Ajsloss   3 years ago

      It would work if ALL people just did what they're told! (fingers in ears and foot stomping)

    2. Commenter_XY   3 years ago

      Don't worry! Joe said he would shut down the virus. It just takes him a little longer to get warmed up, and remember why he is awake.

      1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

        And get his Jello Pudding and Boost for breakfast.

    3. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

      Proves nothing of the sort. The statement you are quoting makes no distinction between omicron and delta variants. The vaccines have pulled off a miracle in reducing sickness, hospitalization, and death from delta.

      1. Red Rocks White Privilege   3 years ago

        There's nothing miraculous about how a vaccine works, goofy.

        What IS notable is the new narrative that these vaccines are only supposed to "reduce severe illness," not prevent actual infection. Imagine the argument that the polio vaccine is only supposed to "prevent severe paralysis" or the smallpox vaccine is only supposed to prevent "severe skin outbreaks" and you'll get an idea of how disingenuous these assholes are.

  28. Sevo   3 years ago

    Jeeze, yesterday it's the Dutch showing us how to respond to tin-pot-dictator Wu-flu rules and now the EU is showing some sense regarding energy!

    "Europe Seeks Green Label for Certain Gas and Nuclear Projects"
    [...]
    "The European Union is planning to allow some natural-gas and nuclear energy projects to be classified as sustainable investments in a proposal that sparked immediate criticism from the Greens.
    The European Commission wants to give a temporary green label to gas projects that replace coal and emit no more than 270 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour, according to a draft regulation seen by Bloomberg News..."
    https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-01/europe-seeks-green-label-for-certain-gas-and-nuclear-projects

    1. Hank Ferrous   3 years ago

      Did I read somewhere, two new nuclear power plants? I despise the EU, but this is intelligent if they are serious about providing energy for a large population.

    2. Rev. Arthur L. Kuckland   3 years ago

      Germany is closing 6 nuclear power plants "to shift to renewable"
      In reality this is a windfall for putins oil

      1. Sevo   3 years ago

        Betting the Poles and Czechs have the electrical order books warmed up.

  29. Sevo   3 years ago

    Wanna bet how a MAGA tat scores?

    "U.S. Military To Screen Out Recruits With White Supremacist Tattoos"
    [...]
    "The U.S. Department of Defense has updated its screening process, as new recruits will now have to face scrutiny about membership in extremist organizations and “questionable tattoos” that might suggest affiliation with such groups.
    In a 21-page report detailing the Pentagon’s plan to fight extremism within its ranks, the Defense Department outlined efforts to ensure “only the best-qualified recruits are selected for services.” The January 6 Capitol attack—which included some retired and active service members—was the catalyst for the report..."
    https://upolitics.com/news/u-s-military-to-screen-out-recruits-with-white-supremacist-tattoos/

    Showing up at a BLM riot is totes OK.

    1. Rev. Arthur L. Kuckland   3 years ago

      The US military is now a political joke of a department. I expect recruitment to drop by 10% in the next 5 years, and 50% in the next 10 to 15.

      1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

        Mohr drones!

  30. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

    Is civil war near?

    https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/04/next-us-civil-war-already-here-we-refuse-to-see-it

    I disagree with the stacking-Supreme-Court type nonsense, but I do think there is a point here. We do need radical reform of our institutions. Maybe it is time to look at a different type of governance structure.

    1. R Mac   3 years ago

      Tulpa?

      1. MT-Man   3 years ago

        Jeff does seem bit nutty today so I'd agree.

        1. Fats of Fury   3 years ago

          So were my turds.

    2. damikesc   3 years ago

      "According to a University of Virginia analysis of census projections, by 2040, 30% of the population will control 68% of the Senate. Eight states will contain half the population. The Senate malapportionment gives advantages overwhelmingly to white, non– college educated voters."

      Seems like a comical lack of knowledge of basic
      civics is a huge problem. If you actually write and believe this, there is nothing you think that is worthy of any consideration.

      "What the American left needs now is allegiance, not allyship."

      WE. ARE. NOT. AUTHORITARIANS. Promise. Totally not.

      1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

        How is the analysis incorrect?

        1. damikesc   3 years ago

          How is the analysis that the House of body of Congress that represents STATES does not represent people (the House does that) incorrect?

          You mean outside of the whole "ignoring the founding of the country and just wishing it was how you wish? Why not complain that gravity makes gas usage in heavy trucks excessive and that we should just repeal gravity to save on gas?

          1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

            For Jeff and others on the left (or with utopian collective visions) states, like the Constitution, are anachronistic impediments to a brighter curated future.

        2. Cronut   3 years ago

          It's incorrect because it misrepresents the structure and function of Congress, specifically the Senate.

          1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

            Saying that "30% of the population will control 68% of the Senate" says nothing about which body the Senate is *supposed* to represent. It is an empirical observation based on a model, not a statement of purpose.

            1. Cronut   3 years ago

              It's an empirical statement based on an incorrect model. If your model is incorrect then so are your conclusions.

              1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                Well, that is a different argument, evaluating whether the model is correct or not. You're shifting the goalposts.

                ASSUMING THE MODEL IS CORRECT, simply stating "30% of the population will control 68% of the Senate" says nothing about which body the Senate is *supposed* to represent and therefore does not make any sort of misrepresentation about the "structure and function of Congress". That was the original contention.

                Now, why do you think the model is incorrect?

                1. damikesc   3 years ago

                  "ASSUMING THE MODEL IS CORRECT, simply stating "30% of the population will control 68% of the Senate" says nothing about which body the Senate is *supposed* to represent"

                  ...then why mention it?

                  The writer did not mention how it does not represent gingers properly either. It wasn't meant to do THAT, but the writer avoided that. Why?

                2. Red Rocks White Privilege   3 years ago

                  Well, that is a different argument, evaluating whether the model is correct or not. You're shifting the goalposts.

                  If you're basing your argument on the model, then the model's accuracy is hand-in-hand with your assertion, whether you want it to be or not.

                  No one should take rhetorical questions based on bullshit assumptions seriously, nor should anyone indulge your mental masturbation just to make you feel good about yourself.

                3. Cronut   3 years ago

                  It's not a different argument. Just because you can't reach the goal posts, doesn't mean I moved them.

                  1. Red Rocks White Privilege   3 years ago

                    He really needs to emulate Sebastian Janikowski, rather than the average geek who can't kick a ball ten yards and gets mad when people who don't have his educational credentials make more money than he does.

                    1. Cronut   3 years ago

                      This is why jeff likes CRT so much. It allows him to make statements that are objectively wrong on the facts, and then claim that anyone pointing out that he is wrong is just proof that he's right.

                  2. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

                    Whatever. It is not an incorrect statement. You just don't like the IMPLICATIONS of the statement.

                    1. Red Rocks White Privilege   3 years ago

                      The implications don't mean shit if your model is garbage.

                      Prove your model is accurate, and then you can talk.

                    2. JesseAz   3 years ago

                      This is jeff realizing he is an idiot.

            2. Commenter_XY   3 years ago

              chem, this is US civics 101. Seriously.

            3. damikesc   3 years ago

              "Saying that "30% of the population will control 68% of the Senate" says nothing about which body the Senate is *supposed* to represent."

              Seriously...are you ACTUALLY this stupid?

              Complaining that a body that was designed to represent STATES...not people...does not represent people is idiotic and asinine.

              That you do not see this is...well, it is not surprising. Cannot lie.

              "It is an empirical observation based on a model, not a statement of purpose."

              "This body does not do what it is not meant to do...ERGO CIVIL WAR!!"

              Good God, I'd be embarrassed to post this stuff.

              1. Chumby   3 years ago

                Fat Jeff will be riding into battle mounted on his Little Rascal motorized scooter.

            4. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

              Then why say it?

        3. JesseAz   3 years ago

          Senate represents the States dummy. Not population.

          Please learn basic civics.

        4. Fats of Fury   3 years ago

          The United States of America. Hmmmm what could that possibly mean?

    3. damikesc   3 years ago

      Also, I am shocked...really, totally shocked...that chemjeff is fellating the Left again. He never does that.

      1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

        Yup, there are only two options:
        1. Believe the left is evil
        2. Fellate the left

        That's it, only two options

        You either want to murder AOC, or you want to embrace her. That's it.

        1. damikesc   3 years ago

          "HOW DARE YOU NOTICE THAT I TEND TO SIDE WITH THE LEFT ON EVERY ISSUE, EVEN WHEN THE ARTICLE DOES NOT KNOW WHAT THE FUCK IT IS TALKING ABOUT?

          BOAFFFF SIDEZZZZ!"

          1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

            Hey dumbass, hating on the right is not the same as siding with the left. Those with an IQ above room temperature, and those who are not perpetually blinded by tribalist nonsense, are able to recognize this. You, not so much.

            1. damikesc   3 years ago

              "Hey dumbass,"

              Your family's nickname for you is not relevant here.

              "hating on the right is not the same as siding with the left."

              You also fellate the Left, but that is neither here nor there.

              "Those with an IQ above room temperature,"

              Why are you speaking for others?

            2. JesseAz   3 years ago

              literally above you say anyone who supports the right in any manner, or attacks the left by proxy, supports qanon and vaccine microchip conspiracies.

              You are such a hypocrite.

              And no, you don't attack just the right, you actively support the left as you do above with CRT and other acts.

        2. Red Rocks White Privilege   3 years ago

          Goddamn, the projection in your posts could reach Pluto.

        3. Fats of Fury   3 years ago

          You either want to murder AOC, or you want toembrace her suck her dick. We know what you choose.

          1. Commenter_XY   3 years ago

            Wait....she has a dick? No wonder she went to the drag bar.

            1. Fats of Fury   3 years ago

              She has scads of dicks following her on social media and of course the press.

    4. Hank Ferrous   3 years ago

      The left-leaning media and punditry are as bad as the far righties w/ their cascading bs narrative about oncoming unavoidable civil war and the end of democracy. The self-anointed clerisy, chattering class, and other 'professionals' who have zero practical experience surely like to utter pronouncements and predictions upon that about which they have no knowledge. Marche is an excellent example of this.

      1. I, Woodchipper   3 years ago

        I've seen a lot of articles and opinion pieces recently out there claiming that if somehow Trump is re-elected democratically by the people again it will be the "eNd oF DeMoCracY!!!"

      2. HorseConch   3 years ago

        The problem with the left is that they portray themselves as being the voice of moderation. The far-right are a pretty fringe group. All these hardcore left views are held by a relatively small minority with a huge media voice.

    5. Cronut   3 years ago

      "Do the math: the federal system no longer represents the will of the American people."

      The federal system was not designed to represent the will of the people, and this article is stupid.

      1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

        Yes it was, just indirectly and diffusely. That is why we have a House, with members elected by the people, and why we have a Senate, with members which (originally) were elected by state legislatures, which themselves were elected by the people.

        I'm not opposed to thinking about different models for how governance ought to occur. Why not have a more parliamentary-style system?

        1. Nobartium   3 years ago

          Well, for one, parliament style systems reward, even more so than our own, partisan loyalty.

          1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

            They also permit a broader range of parties to govern in coalitions.

            1. I, Woodchipper   3 years ago

              this is america

              1. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

                These go to 11.

            2. Nobartium   3 years ago

              In almost every parliament out there, it's still one major party directing other smaller ones to get on board with the agenda. Furthermore, in parliament systems, nobody gives a fuck who the MP is, because they represent the party, not the district.

        2. damikesc   3 years ago

          So, you want a total Constitutional Convention?

          Got it.

          I bet you won't like it, given that Republican led states are, at this moment, one state from passing anything they want.

    6. Brian   3 years ago

      Maybe we could try a relatively limited federal government, which leaves most of the political decisions to the states. That way, instead of trying to force one agenda on the entire country, with all the conflict that entails, people could focus on creating the societies they wanted in their own local communities and states, and focus federal policy on leaving people free to do that.

      1. Nardz   3 years ago

        Collectivistjeff is a totalitarian leftist. It can tolerate neither personal consequences nor allowing others to be.
        It has explicitly rejected live and let live, and forced us all to kill or be killed.

    7. JesseAz   3 years ago

      Jeff is fully on board with the leftists J6th remembrance week.

      Anyone notice that Jeff's entire argumentation and belief system is in a make belief world of what ifs?

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

        Anyone notice that Jeff's entire argumentation and belief system is in a make belief world of what ifs?

        Entirely contrived to promote a Progressive agenda.

        Why the fuck would anyone propose to change the nature of the Senate in defiance of the Constitution when the larger individual states could propose to split into smaller states and apply for statehood as was done in the past?

        Oh, because then those big states would lose their disproportional power in the House and there is no advantage in solving their imaginary problem in a way that would dilute their power. It is always about consolidating power with Progressives.

  31. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

    So, what does MTG do all day?

    https://www.cnn.com/2022/01/03/politics/marjorie-taylor-greene-twitter-permanent-ban/index.html

    She was kicked off of her committees after all.

    Seems like all she does is sponsor bills to impeach Biden, and whore herself out to friendly media outlets.

    1. MP   3 years ago

      Sexist.

    2. damikesc   3 years ago

      So, she's a more useful Maxine Waters. Got it.

      Again, they will dislike, a lot, when the GOP decides to toss several Dems off of their committees. And the Dems will have no place to cry or whine about it.

      ...also, cannot figure out why people think CNN is a partisan shithole of a "news" network...

      1. JesseAz   3 years ago

        Do you find it strange Jeff finds no issue with the majority party kicking off a minority party member from all committees?

    3. R Mac   3 years ago

      Not a lefty folks.

    4. Hank Ferrous   3 years ago

      She's a loon. But there are others, and I don't see you complaining about them. Then, twitter only suspends one broad ideology, generally speaking, so your in-group fits in.

      1. damikesc   3 years ago

        Hell, she was banned permanently...for quoting official government reports.

        They also banned the guy who INVENTED mRNA for making shit up about them...because code monkeys in Silicon Valley are the real medical experts.

        1. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

          the guy who INVENTED mRNA

          LOL, no one "invented" mRNA. It is naturally occurring.

          And even when it comes to mRNA delivery technology, he is not the sole inventor. He was one of many. But he tends to gloss over that fact.

          1. damikesc   3 years ago

            Yes, Twitter code monkeys certainly know more than he.

            You're aware that he makes Fauci look like a shit-throwing monkey.

            ...then again, most any practicing medical professional does.

          2. JesseAz   3 years ago

            No, he states that fact in every interview. Again, you seemed to dismiss an interview you didn't spend 10 minutes listening to, because Dr Malone clearly states how he was involved in mRNA vaccine technology in the first 15 minutes of the interview. So as general you posit theories based on zero evidence because you are intellectually lazy and full of cognitive bias.

    5. Unicorn Abattoir   3 years ago

      whore herself out to friendly media outlets

      I'll believe that when ENB writes an article about her.

      1. I, Woodchipper   3 years ago

        please, the term is 'sex worker'

        1. Unicorn Abattoir   3 years ago

          I thought it was 'Senior Editor'

          1. Chumby   3 years ago

            The penis mightier than the s word.

    6. Brian   3 years ago

      'It is bizarrely anti-feminist': AOC is roasted for saying any Republican who criticizes her 'just wants to date me' after being caught enjoying Florida and is accused of 'using sex to deflect from her COVID hypocrisy'

      https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10361641/amp/AOC-roasted-saying-Republicans-criticize-just-wants-date-caught-maskless.html

      1. Fats of Fury   3 years ago

        Maybe they want to carbon date her. She looks a lot older than she claims.

        1. I, Woodchipper   3 years ago

          she's part equine

    7. JesseAz   3 years ago

      Glad to see Jeff is just fully dropping the mask that he isn't a leftist this morning. The shocking thing is he hasn't linked to his usual DailyBeast today which was his most cited source the last few months.

      1. soldiermedic76   3 years ago

        Remember when Jeff, Mike and Sarc stated they would go after the Democrats as hard as they did the Republicans once the Democrats were in power? Pepperidge Farms remembers.

        1. JesseAz   3 years ago

          Yeap. Even have statements from sarc he actually does but everybody misses those comments.

        2. chemjeff radical individualist   3 years ago

          I did? I never said that. I'm pretty open in stating that I am not neutral, that I hate Team Red more than Team Blue.

          1. soldiermedic76   3 years ago

            Rewriting history again I see.

          2. soldiermedic76   3 years ago

            And you only openly admit it now because everyone has pointed out how dishonest you always have been. You can hardly deny the fact that you are a leftist at this point. But you still try to claim you're a libertarian while sucking authoritarian leftist cock any chance you get.

    8. Fats of Fury   3 years ago

      Maybe she could marry her brother and get all her committee assignments back.

  32. MP   3 years ago

    CASES!!! ... cases Cases CAses CASes CASEs CASES!!!

    Somebody want to clue ENB in that even a substantive portion of the MSM literati have backed away from this metric?

    1. JimboJr   3 years ago

      seems like she gets her talking points delivered a week late?

    2. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

      All she did was report factual information. She didn’t say to quake in fear or anything like that.

    3. I, Woodchipper   3 years ago

      The OMIGOD variant is clearly nothing more than a mild cold with long term side effects of public freakout and systemic oppression.

    4. Chumby   3 years ago

      Twitter must not have yet.

  33. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

    'The bottom line, as San Francisco sex worker Lisseth Sánchez tells the Times, is that "it is absolutely not necessary to arrest people for their own good."'

    What? The whole purpose of the modern progressive state is to do things to us for our own good. Sanchez sounds like an alt-right Trumpster.

    1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

      Wait, you're against being forced to do things "for your own good," yet you support zoning?

      You are aware that zoning laws are not voluntary and can be imposed by Majority Mob Rule or Minority Elite Rule upon people in areas without zoning?

      It happened in my County 30 years ago, when County Commissioners voted on it behind locked doors, with police snipers on the rooftop to deal with outdoor peaceful protesters who were against it. Just as the Wall was coming down and Communism was dying in Eastern Europe and Russia, it sprouted up right at home.

  34. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

    "Get rid of restrictive zoning laws, Hendrix argues"

    Piss off. People voluntarily (and eagerly) seek out neighborhood character. Those who want to live in or next to a 5 story condo building can do so. Those who prefer a neighborhood of single family houses can pay for that. Just because my neighbor decides to subdivide his house into apartments--or into an auto repair shop and all-night tap room--does not give him the right to void the contract that we all bought into. And government agencies do not have that right, either.

    1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

      Wait, couldn't you say that about the repeal of any law?

      For the record, I haven't signed shit to the effect of what you're supporting, nor has anyone else I know of, and you might say the same thing if you want to do some renovation that someone else doesn't like.

      1. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

        Did you ever buy a house? I hope you were at least vaguely aware of whatever zoning applied to that property, and to the surrounding properties. Did you actually put any value, subjectively and financially to that zoning?

        As for things like renovations or alterations, again you have choices. I have lived in developments with severe deed restrictions (and with byzantine association rules). I prefer not to, and so found my current place to fit my preferences.

        1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

          No, but if I did buy a house, I would say that if my neighbor painting Van Gogh's Starry Night on the side of his house somehow reduces my property values, then a house is not a very good investment.

          I say a house is a pile of stuff with a cover over it. If it has equity, fine, but, unlike you, I don't expect others to change their house plans or give up their private property rights for the sake of my equity.

      2. Red Rocks White Privilege   3 years ago

        Which is pretty much irrelevant if you live in a McMansion-type suburb that has an HOA, which has become increasingly common the last 20-30 years for new developments.

        The irony of post-WW2 suburbia is that most of those homes were actually designed to encourage renovations, alterations and additions, as long as they met certain code parameters. Carports could be converted to garages, garages in to bedrooms or guest rooms, basements in to finished areas, family rooms, kitchen expansions, or office spaces added on to the structure.

        The trend towards HOAs in new developments speaks to a general low-trust mindset that some asshole is going to tack on some ungainly-looking addition reminiscent of one of Daniel Lebiskind's architectural eyesores, or paint their home in some stupid color combination like hot pink and forest green, rather than the modest changes that most people did to their homes in the 60s and 70s.

        1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

          HOAs are like BDSM clubs. Consenting adults who want them can have them in a free society, but for me, like Daffy Duck said: "I can't stand pain! It hurts me!"

    2. I, Woodchipper   3 years ago

      Coase solved all this but nobody reads him.

      1. mad.casual   3 years ago

        Whaddyamean? His work proved that carbon tax schemes were infallible!

  35. Earth-based Human Skeptic   3 years ago

    'Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D–N.Y.) is threatening to change Senate rules if Republicans block a vote on Democrats' voting bill. "The weaponization of rules once meant to short-circuit obstruction have been hijacked to guarantee obstruction," he suggested yesterday in a Dear Colleague letter. Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) called it a "rash, partisan power grab."'

    Or maybe call it fortifying the (D) senate voting.

    1. damikesc   3 years ago

      He intends to use 1/6 as a cudgel for this move.

      In case anybody thought they obsession over that mostly peaceful protest was anything but pure political demagoguery.

  36. Rev. Arthur L. Kuckland   3 years ago

    ENB with hookes reminds me of the scene in Metalocalypse where pickles challange squizgar to come up with a topic that isn't about guitars

  37. Red Rocks White Privilege   3 years ago


    I don't understand the point of these sorts of columns. They're not actionable. There's this whole segment that wants to "talk more" about authoritarianism -- to what end? Who are you convincing of what?

    Barro can't be this obtuse. The whole point of articles like this, which are notably parroting many of the same shibboleths, is for the left to establish a narrative that "democracy" is threatened, so vote for Democrats. It's to try and sway independents back in to the Democratic camp while motivating the base to promote balloting measures that make it easier for them to win elections.

    This is why they've been freaking out over anti-ballot harvesting measures, producing scary-sounding articles over "Republican dark money" orgs and gerrymandering while indulging in the very same thing, whining about the "toxic, divisive" political divide despite only supporting political comity when it advances their own agenda and ideology rather than for its own sake, asserting that Republicans shaking off their political apathy against government and running for local boards are going to use their position to steal elections and pretend racism in America never happened, and making dumb predictions that the US is going to be run by a right-wing dictatorship by 2030.

    There is literally nothing these people write that's done in good faith. It's all in the service of their own power and ideology.

  38. Red Rocks White Privilege   3 years ago

    I recommend doing a brief run through David Leonhardt's feed outside of the tweet that ENB posted. What's notable is that the chaos in schools that I cited in the Denver area a few weeks ago isn't just happening there, and it's not just a bunch of dumb teenagers doing dumb things promoted on ChinkTok for laughs.

    The left-liberal bureaucrat class and their media mouthpieces absolutely obliterated the well-being of kids in the service of promoting their coronapanic and pushing the "new normal" where everyone needed to have the same constant free-floating anxiety that marks the mental state of left-liberal urbanite neurotics. Is it any surprise that a rotten tree produces rotten fruit?

  39. I, Woodchipper   3 years ago

    "sex workers" please. They're called whores.

    I agree with the point but enough with the proggie euphemisms.

    1. Red Rocks White Privilege   3 years ago

      I prefer more traditional euphemisms like "ladies of the evening," "soiled doves," "laundresses," and "Roxanne."

    2. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

      Oh, so, dispense with the “proggie euphemism” and go right for the derogatory label, instead. Sure, that’s neutral.

      1. I, Woodchipper   3 years ago

        Yes. Being whore is not a positive thing. Everyone knows that and has known that throughout all of human history.

        1. Red Rocks White Privilege   3 years ago

          White Mike, like his lefty boos, deliberately muddles the distinction between "tolerance" and "acceptance."

          1. Nardz   3 years ago

            It goes beyond 'acceptance' straight to 'promotion'

            1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

              When maids, butlees, servers, bank tellers, and members of Monastic Orders get paid $200 an hour, then we can talk about morality, dignity, exploitation, and comparative advantage. Not before.

        2. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

          Everyone does not agree. ENB, for one, clearly does not agree with you.

          Libertarians consider prostitution a victimless crime, that should not be illegal.

          1. I, Woodchipper   3 years ago

            we were talking about the term 'whore' vs. 'sex worker'. Of course being a whore should be legal. Doesn't mean we shouldn't disparage and discourage it and try to pretend that whoring is just another regular job or even a noble endeavor .

            1. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

              So, what is your basis for being so against prostitution?

              Concern for the prostitute? I guess not, since you are calling them “whores”.

              Your personal religious beliefs, that they are being sinful?

              1. R Mac   3 years ago

                Dee’s admitting she’s a whore, and Woodchipper hurt her feelings about it.

        3. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

          We know?

          As George Carlin observed, If getting paid is all right and fucking is all right, then why isn't getting paid to fuck?

      2. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

        Both you and I, Woodchipper say the word "whore" like it's a bad thing! What is it, all the Consonants scrunched together in a tight spot?

        I say: "Yay, Whores!" 🙂

    3. Rev. Arthur L. Kuckland   3 years ago

      I'm going to open my own casino with booze and blackjack and hookes, you know what forget the blackjack

      1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

        And I'll just have a Madonna*, so you'll save on liquor expenses when I patronize your establishment.

        *A Madonna is just a Shirley Temple without the cherry. 😉

  40. damikesc   3 years ago

    "COVID-19 cases in the U.S. have reached a new peak that's more than double the previous peak"

    Shocking that Biden's plan to shut down the virus failed so magnificently.

    1. Eeyore   3 years ago

      None of the current virus is licensed to practice infecting people. It is all undocumented black market covid.

      1. mad.casual   3 years ago

        There are no illegal viruses. Just illegal virus immigration laws.

  41. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

    Gettr suspended right-wing extremists account:

    https://twitter.com/andrewrcraig/status/1478239136679145473?s=21

    1. I, Woodchipper   3 years ago

      Let me guess. He's a right wing extremist who criticized China, the CCP, or possibly the CEO of GETTR who is part of the CCP....

      1. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

        Let’s google it:

      2. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

        https://www.thedailybeast.com/jason-millers-free-speech-social-media-platform-gettr-boots-white-nationalist-nicholas-fuentes

      3. Mike Laursen   3 years ago

        https://www.newsweek.com/right-wing-social-site-bans-controversial-term-reaction-1663084

  42. Mother's Lament   3 years ago

    What makes them 'extremists', Mike? Why were they banned?

    I realize that you're trying to crow about something, but it's not clear what.

  43. Chumby   3 years ago

    Actual sex worker made a series of YT videos:

    https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCNIqxcUUI_-3Lr4OirxElYg

    1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

      And you gotta log in. Damn! And XTube shutting down made me think the Internet wasn't forever! 🙂

  44. Sevo   3 years ago

    "Here’s what’s ahead for California businesses in 2022"
    [...]
    "Clogged supply chains. Hiring struggles. New mask rules. A virus that trampled over return-to-work schedules. Last year was chaotic for many businesses across California.
    What does 2022 hold? Layered on top of pandemic uncertainty is the question of what California legislators might do for — and to — businesses..."
    https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Here-s-what-s-ahead-for-California-businesses-16747136.php?cmpid=gsa-sfgate-result

    Given that nearly all of those disasters are a result of government meddling, CA business owners look forward to the new activity with the same anticipation as we do toward earthquakes, floods and fires.

    1. I, Woodchipper   3 years ago

      California business can look forward to getting fucked good and hard yet again. Year after year.

      "Why are all these businesses leaving for Texas?" It's a mystery. Just one of those things I guess...

    2. Eeyore   3 years ago

      If you can get flood, fire, and earthquake insurance - why isn't government insurance a thing? Seems like government is the most destructive force in the world.

      1. The Encogitationer   3 years ago

        Government would outlaw it, of course.

  45. Newsom's Laundress   3 years ago

    Welcome back, Mama Nolan Brown!!

  46. Vernon Depner   3 years ago

    Vox just posted an honest-elections-will-destroy-democracy piece, too.
    https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/22814025/democracy-trump-january-6-capitol-riot-election-violence

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