Let me just say that such comments reflect poorly on the commenters and are not worthy of inclusion in Chris's excellent and reality-based political blog.

In future, I hope that the name-calling and other personal attacks which have resumed of late, generally speaking, will abate, once and for all, and this place can be a forum for lively and fun debate on the issues of our times.

Unintentionally hilarious.

Anyone who deigns to claim the ridiculous sentiment posted directly above is hereby and henceforth put on formal notice.

Three Things:

* You can most assuredly rest secure in the knowledge (obvious lack thereof) that your "profound ignorance" is on full display if you seriously believe that was done "unintentionally."

* You've never known half of me half as well as you've prattled on about.

* Your time would be better spent paying far less attention to that which doesn't amount to a "hill of beans" and a shit-ton more measurable periods to your own obvious "BULLSHIT MOUNTAIN".

Let that be a lesson, of sorts. :)

You may have noticed that I also didn't go off on an expletive-infused, name-calling rant, either.

Yes, I definitely was not noticing what you didn't do, but you definitely and unequivocally meet (or exceed) that apt description of "profound ignorance" that I borrowed if you're under the mistaken impression that anyone who regularly reads the comments section of this blog is not already infinitely aware that you'll "go off on an expletive-filled, name-calling rant" whenever it pleases yourself and just generally ignore whatever rules you please while simultaneously presuming to peach ad nauseam at everyone else.

As for your claim of "expletive-infused," well you've definitely got me there *laughs* because I did "say" the hard-hitting words "horseshit" and "bullshit" and other similar non-expletives (crap) as I decidedly deemed necessary to describe that mountain of cut-and-paste dung you posted -- and not for the first time -- contrary to those rules you preach to everyone else but refuse to follow yourself.

Good thing I did not YELL at everyone anything like this:

So, let me get this straight ...

Comey is abdicating his responsibility because he doesn't publically respond to and refute every GOD-DAMNED ASININE THING TRUMP SAYS!?

~ Elizabeth Miller

https://www.chrisweigant.com/2017/03/06/comey-needs-to-clear-the-air/#comment-96012

Elizabeth Miller would have needed her smelling salts... oh, wait!

So, to recap: Yes, you caught me, I definitely failed to notice that you "didn't go off;" I was undoubtedly focused on what you definitely did doo [not a typo] and was "compelled" (your word) to comment with my opinion of that pure unadulterated ordure you posted contrary the rules you cannot stop yourself from ignoring. :)

I posted some facts, and you neither attempted to "just refute them on the merits" nor did you "leave it at that."

You may have noticed that I also didn't go off on an expletive-infused, name-calling rant, either. Ahem. Let that be a lesson, of sorts. ;)

What movie is that from?

It is so disappointing that juvenile name-calling has become - strike that - has remained so rampant around here to the point of drowning out simple yet cogent debate on the actual issues.

Your posting of (more of) that massive pile of horseshit nutjob opinion littered with choice propaganda pure rubbish from that hack you worship isn't "cogent debate." It's bordering on plagiarism and definitely against the forum rules, which for some reason I (still) cannot fathom, you have always appeared to believe the board's rules should apply to everyone else except YOU.

I don't come to this blog to read massive amounts of excerpts of another journalist's opinion who is not named Chris Weigant. If you can't post a few paragraphs and then a link to this one-sided propagandist shill's moronic opinion regarding world affairs, you are not granted an automatic license to then spam this forum with that crap in order to display both your and his "profound ignorance on the topic." Props to JL for that one.

If you don't like the opinions or facts that are presented here on any given issue, then just refute them on the merits, if you can and leave it at that.

I posted some facts, and you neither attempted to "just refute them on the merits" nor did you "leave it at that" or follow any of the board mothering rules that you post for everyone else to follow with the exception (obviously) of Elizabeth Miller.

Going forward, you post more ignorant bovine dung, and I will refer to it as moose poop. Post a shit-ton of equine excrement, and I'll refer to it as horseshit.

Your source is a one-sided ignorant propagandist windbag on a myriad of subjects, and that has been my opinion of him every time you've posted his bullshit. If you cannot stop yourself and you insist on breaking the board rules and posting those massive piles of horseshit of his, then suck it up buttercup because we calls them the way we sees them around here, and that is a special kind of "bone deep" ignorance.

If you don't like the opinions or facts that are presented here on any given issue, then just refute them on the merits, if you can and leave it at that.

Yeah, he’s THAT bad. I’ll be back later to address some of your posts…

If this guy is so worthy of YOUR adoration why is he ashamed to write for the public? Is it because you’re paying for his crap and he doesn’t want anyone but his chumps, er, subscribers commenting on his work? Please tell me you’re not paying for this propagandist!

Putting abortion rights on the ballot is a winner, and candidates who support abortion rights are winners -- a clear message for the 2024 elections, where it will be on the ballot in various ways in many other states.

Truer words were never spoken. And, if there ever was a time that called for putting all of your eggs in one basket, then this is surely it! It's one of those overarching issues that may even trump the economy if the full agenda and battle plan of Republicans becomes more widely known.

The more Trump and Republicans are forced to talk about abortion rights and what their real plans are, the better it is for women and their reproductive rights, not to mention Democratic candidates.

Time would be better spent helping me come up with a winning message for Biden in 2024 ...

Two things:

* You particularly need help if you presume to tell me (or anyone else reading this blog) how their time would be "better spent."

* After your prolific prattling on and on with the regurgitation of uninformed asinine right-wing propaganda spew, I can inform you without hesitation that you would be the last (or dang near it) person to which Joe Biden would listen "to come up with a winning message."

The IDF fully withdraws from Gaza ASAP, Hamas releases all remaining hostages (with no release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails) and a permanent ceasefire to be enforced by the international community.

Let Hamas own the destruction and devastation that is now Gaza and let them deal with it. The Biden administration could condition any further military aid to Israel on this plan being put into effect.

A Sensible Way Out

Questions, comments, insults?

Time would be better spent helping me come up with a winning message for Biden in 2024 ...

Sorry, Caddy ... but I am compelled to post another Bradley excerpt ...

Yes, you should apologize for posting paragraph upon paragraph of this utter asinine BS.

No, you are not really compelled but definitely rude as hell to post this claptrap on another man's blog... against his rules of which you are well aware.

Who here is ignorant enough to believe the asinine assertion that "Biden dreams of defending democracy by having Trump tossed off the ballot..."?

Rhetorical question. That's both ridiculous and laughable... for obvious reasons.

I've only read three articles and i'm already convinced bradley's views are a grade-a pile of ivory tower tree-vomit.

Not fair to ivory towers or tree-vomit.

not that i'm unbiased or anything, but he's just so completely wrong about everything. even trump.

Yep. :)

It's a snippet from William Bradley's latest missive, er ... Christmas message!

It's pure propaganda bullshit, and you posting this BS (again) proves your (continued) gullibility for this obvious propagandist.

It succinctly reveals how and why Biden needs to change his message and shake up his campaign if he hopes to get re-elected in 2024 ... assuming it isn't too late to make such significant course corrections and have the voters believe you!

It reveals how gullible you are if you seriously believe 2023 is too late for politics in late 2024! Nevertheless, you sure believe whatever drivel this idiot drools, no matter what or when he spews it. It says a lot about you... not a whole lot about reality, however.

Actually, stripping away the dodgy language, the reality is that we’re not committed to phasing out or even phasing down fossil fuels.

~ Elizabeth Miller's right-wing shill

Utter BS.

During Biden's first week in office, he issued an Executive Order that instructed the Department of the Interior to pause all new lease sales on public lands and waters while it reviewed how to adjust the program. That was followed by 14 Republican-led states and multiple Western oil drillers suing regarding the Executive Order and a Trump-appointed federal judge in Louisiana issuing an injunction to block it.

I could go on showing you a multitude of ways this so-called "journalist" you seem to worship is full of bull, but it would obviously be better if you would "crack a book" and stop reading this disingenuous one-sided propagandist nut job.

The US has just produced more oil in the past year than any nation in history. Not surprising, since Joe Biden, breaking his campaign pledge to do the opposite, approved more fossil fuel development on public lands than Donald Trump.

~ Elizabeth Miller's right-wing shill

Canada is setting records too, but this is disingenuous bullshit on its face considering world events and demand for production. Unlike OPEC nations, the oil output of the United States (and also Canada) is largely set by the free market. Do I seriously need to explain this to you? The COVID years (non) demand versus the recovery following? Hot war and how it affects the world's production?

Your lousy source prattles on and on as if Biden has a dial in the Oval Office and turning it to full throttle just for pure unadulterated shits and giggles.

In the real world, the spike in output in the United States has also been driven by more efficient operations of oil companies. Energy firms have (not secretly) mastered ways to squeeze more and more oil out of the soil without dramatically increasing drilling. Shale oil, new drilling techniques; does any of this reality mean anything to you and your right-wingnut propagandist shill?

It doesn't seem like it. :)

"It didn’t help that Israeli forces killed more children in the first week of their retaliation for the Hamas horrors of 10/7 than Russian forces killed in the entire Ukraine War."

Caddy, what part of this assertion by Bradley do you find to be in error?

More still, I completely understand where you on Ukraine and Joshua on Israel and Ukraine are coming from.

Israel sits in a nearly impossible position - literally and figuratively and every other way, too. While it has every right to defend itself - especially in the wake of the horrors of 10-7, it doesn't seem to learn lessons of the past very well. Of course, neither does the US. But, what are ya gonna do.

As for my, ah, nonsense Re Ukraine ... I've never said that I blame Biden for Putin's war in Ukraine. The line that I've often repeated is that by taking any discussion of Ukraine's wish to be in NATO off the negotiating table in the weeks - if not decades, ahem - leading up to the invasion, Biden made sure that we'd never find out if war could have been prevented if those sorts of negotiations had been decidedly on the table, as Zelensky himself even seemed ready to discuss early on.

Of course, the other point I may have tried to make, once or twice, is that it was pretty wild speculation to think that Ukraine could win an all out war with Russia, even with the support of US/NATO as has been clearly shown over the course of the last couple of years.

Also, the US thought it could 'win' this war by bringing Russia to its knees, economically speaking - a complete failure and why we are where we are today on the Ukraine file. Oh, I know, I know ... time is not on Russia's side. Is that what's called the fog of war? :-)

Ukraine would have been in quite a strong negotiating position - despite all of its internal troubles - if it had accepted its role as being neutral between Russia and US/NATO and if US/NATO hadn't been pushing for its inclusion in NATO just up to the point of never being accepted into the club. That disingenuousness on the part of Biden and his neo-con pals is what really sticks in my craw.

Both Kick and nypoet22 suggested Kevin McCarthy, which is entirely appropriate, but we just gave him Biggest Loser, so we don't want to pile on too much....

Pile on while you can, CW, since Kevin "I never quit" McCarthy is definitely quitting because he's absolutely the worst. We just calls them like we see them. ;)

I thought I told you already that Bradley doesn't publish in any public forum, anymore. He writes specifically for people who have followed his journalism and blog when it was running and who are currently on his email list. I think he may be working on a book! :)

In other words, there is no link ... just my exerpts here, from time to time.

The area was dominated roughly the same number of years by the Canaanites and by the Muslims, with the Ottoman Empire a distant third.

Mind you the Palestinians have never missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity. That two state solution every one’s talking about was repeatedly turned down by Arafat and others. On the other hand, in 1948 the Israelis buy any definition engaged in ethnic cleaning of the Palestinians and are doing so to this day in the West Bank, so there’s that.

"Even many NATO allies are abandoning the Biden administration on this catastrophe.

That’s news to me! Please specify which NATO countries.

…the world outside the bubble of the U.S./NATO orbit refused to follow Washington’s lead on anti-Russian sanctions.

Serbia, Mexico and Brazil announced at the start of the invasion that they wouldn’t participate in sanctions against Russia. Yes, India and China are buying deeply discounted Russian fossil fuels and the bad guys in Iran and North Korea aren’t participating in sanctions, either. But this short list is far short of being “the Global South.”

"It didn’t help that Israeli forces killed more children in the first week of their retaliation for the Hamas horrors of 10/7 than Russian forces killed in the entire Ukraine War.

It’s statements like this that really killed his credibility! Almost two years of Russia bombing of civilian targets (with unknown casualties) along with
https://www.rferl.org/amp/russia-children-taken-ukraine/32527298.html>700,000 Ukrainian children kidnapped, versus a total of 20,000 and counting how do you begin to believe this statement?

With multiple “surefire” US strategies to win the Ukraine War having predictably failed…

Two years in and this is the first and only time I’ve read something like this. Where did he get this notion?

…and the Western media canonization of corrupt-turned-plucky Ukraine and its Churchill-meets-Chauncey Gardener leader…

Once again, Zelenskyy campaigned (and won) on reducing corruption aaand improving ties to the West. And just like the Ukrainian military has risen far beyond expectations, so has Zelenskyy. He’s the polar opposite of the delightful Chauncey Gardener character. All former Soviet satellite countries had/have a problem with corruption so I don’t get why you’re obsessed about it.

Suffice to say, you have yet to post anything to dispel my perception of your profound ignorance on the topic, which for me is quite personally existential.

You know I love you, Elizabeth, so please take the following in that spirit:

This quote may seem a tad brutal but I bet that Joshua was being restrained in his response. I believe this because both Joshua (Israel) and I (Ukraine) are connected to countries currently dealing with existential threats to their very existence.

For almost two years I’ve spent a lot of times responding to your “It’s all Biden fault” nonsense, collecting and summarizing many hours of research. IMO you have yet to engage with nor otherwise respond to my arguments.

A few days later you repeat the same nonsense — appearing as though you never saw my response. Rince and repeat…

This is frustrating as hell. Of course you read books. Just the ones that don’t contradict your beliefs? That provide new information?

Do you remember when I made a joke about pogroms and Joshua jumped down my throat? My first reaction was Yeah, fuck off. It’s just a joke and Joshua is just being politically correct, which I despise. But I researched pogroms and learned that they were often fatal to Jews and in fact ethnic cleansing.

And with this new information that I learned I changed my mind and that tasteless joke will not pass my lips again.

On a different subject, you never need apologize for posting long excerpts. The douche formerly known as Michale used to do it all the time. I read your latest [48] and find a lot that I disagree with and I shall take it apart shortly.

Then maybe we could all enjoy some relative peace and tranquility!

We should be capable of expressing views on this subject without trading insults or losing our tempers. But, if we're not, then it's probably best to withdraw permanently from discussion on this issue and just, well, hope for the best.

My sincere apologies, I must withdraw from this conversation before I completely and utterly lose my temper. Suffice to say, you have yet to post anything to dispel my perception of your profound ignorance on the topic, which for me is quite personally existential. As shallow and inadequate as it is, this Howard Jacobson response to October 7 is the best I can offer before withdrawing to hug my children for dear life.

Have a good night,

JL

This is a blog. A blog with comments. Comments that are not at all comprehensive analyses.

I think we've had this discussion before ...

What is clear to see, though, is the vast deficiency of Israeli intelligence, along with the use by the IDF of those 2000 lb dumb bombs that are about as indiscriminate as you can get. It's also pretty clear what the current Israeli government is up to in Gaza and where it is bound to end.

And, the current military strategy has no political component for what does come after the demolition of the Gaza territory and for what will become of its Palestinian inhabitants.

As I understand it, Netanyahu does not believe in the two state solution and has no intention of stopping the building of Jewish settlements in a future Palestinian homeland.

Where does that leave Israel?

The truth about Gaza is plain enough for everyone to see.

You can share your opinions and still not detract from the spirit of the holiday. Bradley's pieces are not easy to read, not in the least. Mostly because they are full of inconvenient truths. They are not impossible to debate and argue against, either. I just prefer that it be done in a civil way.

I am very afraid that how Israel is going about the impossible task of destroying the military capability of Hamas and how the Biden administration is supporting it is going to blowback on the US in ways I don't care to even imagine. 

in the spirit of the holiday, i'm not going to share my opinions on this excerpt.

JL

Hey, Caddy, a very, very Happy Christmas Eve to you! If I had to do this on a smartphone, in the dark or nude, then I'd never tap anything out. Heh.

Don’t knock it ‘til you try it, sister.

(thinking)

Although the optics here can…can…what’s the phrase? Oh yeah — the optics can objectively suck.

I suppose that’s a matter of taste, of preference. I’m 1.80m and hover around 100 kilos, and I wanna get it down around 90. Whatever.

Thanks for that and for helping me get through to the Bradley Archives. I will listen to Ron Tabak tomorrow for Christmas and maybe whisper a little prayer. G’Nite

"It became increasingly evident last year, as discussed in the “We Are/Are Not the World” pieces, that the US had much less influence across the world than most Americans imagined. Despite right-wing post-Soviet Russia lacking the ideological appeal of its (much bloodier) left-wing Soviet Russian predecessor — and the Western media canonization of corrupt-turned-plucky Ukraine and its Churchill-meets-Chauncey Gardener leader — the world outside the bubble of the U.S./NATO orbit refused to follow Washington’s lead on anti-Russian sanctions.

"There’s a Methodist church in Bethlehem that does a nativity scene every year. This year it’s a Palestinian baby in rubble."

What negotiators say in public is quite routinely what’s not being said in private.

Gotta give the man props Joe has huevos grandes. He kept Trump’s promise and got us out of a two decade war. Cleanup on isle Trump. Losing thirteen was the unfortunate price we paid to get a hundred people out of there.

NOW. Instead of the half century of America vociferously standing by and shielding Israel. Nothing but agreement and “democracy blah blah blah”…and UN vetos. Consider:

(1) What Joe is saying publicly now tells us that what he’s saying that what he’s saying privately must be considerably harsher. This mirrors the same trend in world opinion (and pressure)

(2) is getting harsher and harsher. You know, the death and destruction part.

We ALL know that this slaughter is urgent and unacceptable. But this is how this process goes.

Nickels and Dimes - PRiSM

Alone

In the dark.

Completely Full Monty naaa — whoops! Cain’t go there this would be the first time I saw anybody get banned from this place. ;D

Short version:
The optics objectively suck. But this looks like shrewd strategic move that’s needed.

Why do you think Biden's poll numbers are so bad?

:
And, what do think of Biden approving the development of more fossil fuels on public lands than Trump drill-baby-drill did! Biden didn't even attend COP28. I know, I know, he sent his vice president. I guess she gets to do a lot of his dirty work. Heh.

On the face of it it sucks, eh? But upon further review Joe allowed us to be completely energy independent when NOW it’s critical he do so.

In little more than his first year in office, Russia starts (read:escalates) and all that oil and natural gas, which Putin thought would cow their European customers. That’s NINE WARS since the Putin2000 campaign managed a victory. Ahem. Ukraine is just the latest and NATO is just his excuse.

But I digress.

Russia’s four to five million barrel daily output is 20% of the world’s demand. I promise you that these cheap energy resources are going off line before 2030.

ANY kind of hiccup in supply and prices go up. The Russian twenty-some percent going bye bye is waaay more than a hiccup, no?

So if Joe isn’t doing this distasteful thing NOW then we enter a parallel universe…

(Twilight Zone theme begins)

…a place where gasoline/petrol or whatever y’all call it is…

Ten dollars a gallon aka three dollars Canadian per liter! That means that even a recently deceased Trump would kick Joe out of office.

I wish he had a direct line to the oval office but, he's been there and done that and it's doubtful Biden would even listen.

Would you like to read more? :)

He writes in a brutally honest manner - lately, it's not been a ton of laughs but it certainly is reality-based!

I mean, is he even alive. Did the Mossad or maybe the Rooskies um, take him out? I could see that. It’s a Robert Ludlum novel that half writes itself.

Don’t understand why I couldn’t find him on Google the two or three times, now. Must not have…my mind right, ya’know?

Biden has handled this very badly. Which is a big reason for his lousy poll numbers.

What's worse is that I can almost feel in my bones another big terror attack in the US over what Bibi and his IDF have been up to. Most of the world, I'm guessing will say that the US had it coming. I won't be one of those but I sure will understand the sentiment.

All of which makes me very, very sad.

not that i'm unbiased or anything, but he's just so completely wrong about everything. even trump.

I’d love to Elizabeth. Please post a link!

My dead Dad visited me in a dream that was set in heaven.

regarding the presence of the divine, i think it's something one has to "feel" since it's also something there's no possible way to prove or disprove.

Agreed! For the record I started as a Catholic, took a class from an Atheist Philosophy Professor and became what my BFF termed a “ militant atheist“ in that I enjoyed conversations with Christian students — with NO malice and the firm belief that neither would convince the other, I just wanted their views.

After a half dozen years worth of minor miracles in my life I concluded that there must be a God and this God hath been looking over this unworthy individual.

Along the way I discovered and joined the Church of Religious Science/Science of Mind. I’d summarize it’s main philosophy as “Gods and religions throughout history ALL “work” complete with miracles small and large…because people sincerely believe.

Oh yeah, when my Dad croaked in 1999 he subsequently visited me and the rest of my family (it was set in heaven) whence he assured us that the afterlife is just dandy. And, yep I “feel” the reality of the Divine. Different paths still lead to the same mountaintop.

I hate people trying to “convert” me so I myself don’t care what anyone else thinks or believes. Reminds me of a Genesis song from my all-time favorite album “The Lamb lies down on Broadway”…

I never trust a man who shouts what he’s found

There’s no need to sell when you’re Homeward bound.

Elizabeth, where’s the link? Once again I googled this name and came up with a Senator/NBA player and a California Chef.

Who the bleep is this and will you ever post I link so I can check him out for myself?

It's a snippet from William Bradley's latest missive, er ... Christmas message! (And, no, he has no plans to open up his expansive email list to include new admirers. Sorry.) It succinctly reveals how and why Biden needs to change his message and shake up his campaign if he hopes to get re-elected in 2024 ... assuming it isn't too late to make such significant course corrections and have the voters believe you!

"There’s always the recently concluded UN global climate summit in Dubai, heralded by former Secretary of State John Kerry, the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate — who negotiated 2015’s fabled and failed Paris Accords — as an important success.

"The US has just produced more oil in the past year than any nation in history. Not surprising, since Joe Biden, breaking his campaign pledge to do the opposite, approved more fossil fuel development on public lands than Donald Trump. With Biden pushing liquefied natural gas, which is worse than coal, as his replacement for piped Russian natural gas, US national policy is to drive forward to one-third of fossil fuel production on the planet by 2030."

If he can't make a persuasive case against this crew of Republicans - with Trump at the helm, no less!!! - on any given issue, then he has no business running again.

Of course, making a persuasive case for Biden's re-election will necessarily mean reversing course on a number of issues with the environment, Ukraine and Israel at the top of that list!

"my new order" was apparently a collection of speeches, so it's unlikely more than a few pages at a time were required.

regarding the presence of the divine, i think it's something one has to "feel" since it's also something there's no possible way to prove or disprove.

JL

Couldn’t argue with that CRS. But Ivana’s claim that TFG kept Hitler literature by his bedside, while unlikely, is certainly more likely. Especially if they contained illustrations or pictures. :D

I seriously doubt that the man has EVER read a single book, cover to cover, in his whole life!!

"Freedom is just another word for noting left to lose".