Friday Talking Points -- The Honeymoon Is Over
Let's start with some good news today, shall we?
Donald Trump's second-term honeymoon phase now seems to officially be over. As new polling continues to roll in (in advance of his 100-day mark next week), it seems to all be telling pretty much the same story. Trump is now in a neck-and-neck race for "fastest slide into disapproval ever" -- with himself. Only one other president in modern times has seen his job approval numbers with the public go underwater this fast, and his name was also Donald Trump (in his first term). It depends on the poll, but in some he's already worse than he was at this point in 2017. No other president was even in negative territory at this point, it bears mentioning.
When you dive into the details, it gets even worse for Trump. He's down on job approval, in poll after poll. When you average them together, he's down anywhere from six to eight points. He's even down by 11 points in a poll from Fox News -- that's how bad things have gotten. He's now even registering underwater in polling on immigration, which was seen as his strongest point during the campaign (more on this in a moment...).
Trump's worst numbers are on the other subject he was seen as strong on during the campaign: the economy. He's underwater by an average of almost 12 points, and that Fox poll had him down 18 points on the issue. On inflation, it's even worse. If you count up just the polls since Trump's "Liberation Day" tariff announcement, he's down by an average of over 19 points -- and that Fox poll shows him down a whopping 26 points on the issue. When asked directly about tariffs, the news is the worst of all for Trump:
Overall, 64 percent of Americans disapprove of the president's efforts to raise import taxes, compared with 34 percent who approve, according to the poll conducted over the past week. The findings show that tariffs are one of the least popular issues so far in Trump's presidency.
Opposition has been rising among households, businesses and investors to Trump's newest tariffs, which include a 10 percent duty on all imports and up to 145 percent on Chinese goods. At the same time, consumers and business owners say they're feeling increasingly downbeat about the economy, and economists are warning that a recession is more likely this year. The University of Michigan Survey of Consumers reported Friday that consumer sentiment fell for the fourth straight month in April, with Americans expecting prices to rise 6.5 percent in the next year, the highest since 1981.
Meanwhile, the value of the U.S. dollar and the stock market have both fallen sharply this year, with the S&P 500 this month posting its largest four-day loss on record, amid fears of a growing trade war.
Things aren't exactly about to get any better for Trump either. Three CEOs visited him this Monday and informed him of the grim fact that if he didn't back down on his insanely-high tariffs on China, their stores (Target, Walmart, and Home Depot) would soon be on the evening news in a big way:
"The big box CEOs flat out told him the prices aren't going up, they're steady right now, but they will go up," an administration official familiar with the meeting told Axios. "And this wasn't about food. But he was told that shelves will be empty."
According to a separate official briefed on the meeting, Trump was told that if he doesn't change course, the impact could be noticeable in as little as two weeks.
Since then, Trump has been desperately trying to bluster on the China subject, but China is simply not playing ball. Trump keeps saying he's in trade negotiations with China (or even that the Chinese leader Xi has called him up on the phone), while China politely calls him a liar and says there are no negotiations taking place, period.
This means within a very short time frame ("as little as two weeks"), Trump is going to have to blink by unilaterally reducing his 145 percent tariff on China, or watch news stories of empty shelves at the big stores every single night on television. What do you think that's going to do to his public opinion polling?
Trump already blinked in a big way this week, after his tantrum against the chair of the Federal Reserve tanked the stock market (again) on Monday. Trump then got a talking-to from his aides and then had to pretend that he had never threatened to fire Jerome Powell and that the media was responsible (for, you know, reporting Trump's own words).
Also on deck for some negative press is the White House budget proposal, details of which are already leaking. This will likely be publicly released next week, which should provide a bonanza of opportunities for Democrats to highlight the changes Trump wants to make and how they will affect Americans everywhere. It will be a "target-rich environment," as the military likes to say:
The Trump administration, which has made clear that it aims to slash government spending, is preparing to unveil a budget proposal as soon as next week that includes draconian cuts that would entirely eliminate some federal programs and fray the nation's social safety net.
The proposed budget for the 2026 fiscal year would cut billions of dollars from programs that support child care, health research, education, housing assistance, community development and the elderly, according to preliminary documents reviewed by The New York Times. The proposal, which is being finalized by the White House's Office of Management and Budget, also targets longstanding initiatives that have been prized by Democrats and that Republicans view as "woke" or wasteful spending.
. . .
Among the most prominent programs that could be eliminated is Head Start, which provides early education and child care for some of the nation's poorest children.
Documents reviewed by The Times show the White House is considering a $12.2 billion cut, which would wipe out the program. The budget document says Head Start uses a "radical" curriculum and gives preference to illegal immigrants. A description of the program also criticizes it for diversity, equity and inclusion programming and the use of resources that encourage toddlers to welcome children and families with different sexual orientations.
Head Start -- and a multitude of other programs that will be getting the budget axe -- are not programs that only help Democratic voters, it is worth pointing out. Plenty of people in deep red states also get these benefits. As Democrats will soon also be pointing out, hopefully.
The budgetary pain is already manifesting itself. Here's a story that flew under most people's radar this week:
[Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders's] relationship with Trump is now being tested after devastating storms swept through Arkansas in March, damaging hundreds of homes. The state badly needs aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to recover, Sanders has said.
FEMA denied a request for emergency aid after the March tornadoes, which Sanders appealed last week. On Monday, Arkansas's congressional delegation joined her in lobbying the White House for assistance, a rare instance of pushback against the president from Republican officials who are typically staunch supporters.
Can't wait to see how this all plays out during this year's hurricane season, eh?
This is all on top of all the other assorted chaos that's been happening. Here is the best roundup of it all from the past week (the full article goes on at even greater length, we should mention):
The International Monetary Fund reduced growth forecasts for the United States to just 1.8 percent this year, down from 2.8 percent last year, in large part because of Trump's trade war. After saying it would reach 90 trade deals in 90 days, the administration has yet to negotiate even one. The CEOs of Walmart, Target and Home Depot warned the president that his tariffs would lead to empty shelves, as Axios first reported -- part of what caused Trump's latest surrender on China. Markets were pleased, but Americans have been deeply shaken. A Gallup poll found a record number of people saying their personal financial situation is deteriorating. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found only 37 percent of Americans approve of Trump's handling of the economy, lower than it ever was during his first term. Fox News found that Trump is lower in public esteem than any other president has been at the 100-day mark in more than a quarter-century.
Trump's cruelty, by contrast, exceeds that of all others. The Gothamist, a publication of New York Public Radio, carried a heartbreaking account this week of migrant children at shelters in New York facing an immigration judge alone because the Trump administration has cut off the funding that provides them with lawyers. The judge explained why the United States wants to deport a group that "included a 7-year-old boy, wearing a shirt emblazoned with a pizza cartoon, who spun a toy windmill." The Gothamist report went on: "There was an 8-year-old girl and her 4-year-old sister, in a tie-dye shirt, who squeezed a pink plushy toy and stuffed it into her sleeve. None of the children were accompanied by parents or attorneys, only shelter workers who helped them log on to the hearing."
In foreign affairs, Trump is proposing the most odious appeasement in Europe since Neville Chamberlain abandoned the Sudetenland. He is demanding Ukraine surrender the 20 percent of its country, including Crimea, that Vladimir Putin has seized, and abandon any hope of joining NATO. When Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky understandably protested, Trump dismissed him as a man with "no cards to play." Putin continues some of his most savage attacks of the war (Russian strikes on Kyiv early Thursday killed at least 12 people and wounded about 90 others) in expectation that Trump will force Ukraine to give up even more. "Vladimir, STOP!" Trump pleaded in a Truth Social post on Thursday morning. (Trump simultaneously resumed his attacks on our former friend and ally Canada, saying it "would cease to exist" as a country without U.S. support.)
. . .
Th[e] largely illegal destruction of federal functions continues to pile up casualties and proposed casualties: Food-safety inspections. Efforts to make infant formula safer. Milk testing. Weather balloons. Monitoring of IVF treatment safety. Data on maternal health. The administration has even tried to sell off the Montgomery, Alabama bus station where Freedom Riders were attacked in 1961; it now houses the Freedom Rides Museum. Republican Rep. Austin Scott of Georgia proposed a plan that would sharply cut what the federal government spends on Medicaid. Happily, after a disastrous quarter for Tesla (net income fell 71 percent, largely because of its CEO's antics), Musk said he would "significantly" reduce his time spent on his government work, calling the cost-slashing effort "mostly done." His boss is apparently moving on. "He was a tremendous help," Trump said on Wednesday, in an unmistakable shift to the past tense.
Poor Elon. It seems his car company has recently had (we can't resist) some sort of metaphorical chainsaw taken to it. Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy, eh?
The silver lining in this tsunami of bad news is that the weaker Trump gets politically, the more vulnerable he becomes. Public approval for Trump is already tanking, and the more Democrats show some leadership in resisting it all the lower Trump's numbers are going to go. There's already a very strong spirit of resistance out there (even if the news media hasn't been adequately covering it), as shown by another nationwide series of rallies last weekend. People are angry about the state of things, and they are looking for politicians who show the same level of outrage as they do.
Nowhere is this more apparent than on the legal battles being waged over Trump "disappearing" people by whisking them away to foreign prisons to serve indeterminate sentences without being convicted of any crime whatsoever. Last week, in the middle of the night, the Supreme Court granted an emergency stay which ordered the Trump administration to stop flying people out of the country before they had been given an adequate chance to make their case in a courtroom, in front of an American judge.
The Supreme Court isn't the only court Trump has been getting smacked down by either. In case after case after case (after case after case after case after case after case -- and that's just one week's worth of adverse rulings, mind you), judges -- many of them appointed by Republicans, mind you -- are ruling against Trump's lawless behavior. And now apparently (this news broke while we were writing all of this) the F.B.I. has arrested a judge in retaliation for doing something Trump didn't like. So it looks like this is all going to get a lot worse before it gets better.
Can't wait to see what the next 100 days has in store for us all....
This week, Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois announced he would not be seeking re-election next year.
Normally, this type of announcement wouldn't rise to the level of a Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week award, but we decided to give one to Durbin anyway, for three reasons.
First, Durbin's announcement came early in the midterm election cycle. He didn't hem and haw until the last minute. This is important, because it allows the race for his successor to unfold with plenty of time for the candidates to become known and to make their case to the public. When an announcement of this type happens only a few months before the primaries, it leads to a frantic sprint with little time to build up a campaign chest, and doing so is really nothing more than selfishness and an outsized ego. Durbin, to his credit, did not not take this route and instead announced with plenty of time for any candidate to jump in and make their case.
Second, Durbin is not some backbencher in the Senate. He is currently the Senate's minority whip, which makes him the second-highest-ranking Democrat in the chamber (second only to Minority Leader Chuck Schumer). Durbin is setting an admirable example of "passing the torch" here, by not endlessly clinging to power. Durbin always saw himself as eventually becoming the lead Democrat in the chamber, but he has voluntarily realized that this is simply never going to happen. This is an incredibly hard decision to make. So Durbin deserves full credit from walking away from his seat of power in Washington voluntarily.
And lastly, Dick Durbin is 80 years old. If he won another term, he would be 88 years old before that term was over (he was born in November). So Durbin is setting another example by stepping down -- the full version of that quote is actually: "passing the torch to a younger generation." Unlike some senators we could mention, who continue running for office no matter how old they get (to the point of being non compos mentis by the time they die in office), Durbin will retire and spend his remaining years watching someone younger take his seat. This is possibly the most impressive of all three of these reasons, since even if senators don't make it to a key leadership position it is still incredibly hard for them to voluntarily give up the power they have accrued in Washington for any reason. Durbin isn't going to hang around forever, instead he will graciously step aside and let someone else take his place.
For all three reasons, Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin is this weeks' Most Impressive Democrat Of The Week this week. Thank you for setting such a good example, Senator Durbin.
[Congratulate Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin on his Senate contact page, to let him know you appreciate his efforts.]
As we mentioned earlier, there are two ways to approach what Donald Trump is attempting to do with his mass deportation schemes. And this week, California Governor Gavin Newsom showed Democrats what the wrong way to do it was.
Newsom, up until very recently, has always had a political persona of a true political leader. He hasn't hesitated to get out in front on a contentious issue, even when a majority of the public hasn't been on his side. For instance, he famously was the first elected official in the entire country to issue marriage licenses to gay couples -- years before the Supreme Court's ruling made it legal nationwide.
But he is tarnishing his own political legacy, now that he is seriously eyeing a run for the White House. He made an argument this week that runs completely counter to his past leadership examples, and he is just flat-out wrong on it.
Newsom's point was that Donald Trump has (so far) been pretty popular on the immigration issue. It's been a real strong point for him, if not his strongest point. But rather than attack Trump in order to weaken him in the eyes of the public on his strongest point, Newsom advised just ignoring the whole thing in order to focus on issues Trump is weaker on (like the economy). Here's how he put it, speaking of the case of the immigrant wrongly sent to a hellhole of a prison in El Salvador:
"This is the distraction of the day -- the art of distraction," [California Governor Gavin] Newsom said. He noted the [Trump] administration describes this as an "80-20 issue" -- i.e., 80 percent of Americans are generally on its side -- and added: "They want to have this conversation. Don't get distracted by distractions. We're all perfect sheep."
This is nothing short of timidity in the face of wrongdoing. Or cowardice (take your choice). And coming from Newsom, it is unbelievably disappointing.
Newsom should know -- down in his bones -- that public opinion is not static. It is not set in stone. It can be changed by politicians who show leadership. One politician's strong point can be flipped to become a weak point when others make the case against it -- in a big way, sometimes.
This is especially true on Trump's deportation policies, because while the public generally does support deportation in a general and generic way, those opinions change when they are presented with individual cases. When the question becomes: "Should people who have been in America for more than 10 years without committing any crimes be deported?" or: "Should immigrants who are married to an American citizen or have American children be deported?" or: "Should people who came here before they were 18 be given a path to citizenship?" then public opinion shifts. And that's before we even get into the specifics of what Trump actually did. Because "disappearing" people with no due process at all is not popular at all.
Democrats -- like Senator Chris Van Hollen, who went to El Salvador and shamed their government into allowing him to meet with the immigrant at the heart of the case -- should instead frame the issue on their terms. The issue is whether people in America have fundamental rights guaranteed to them by our Constitution or not. The issue is due process, or the lack thereof. The issue isn't deportation in general, but specific cases of injustice that have impacted real people.
Recent polling has shown that the public is strongly on the side of judges, in any showdown between them and the president. Presidents should have to follow a judicial ruling even when they do not agree with it, period. Because that is the American system of government. One recent poll specifically asked about the most extreme example imaginable: "Suppose that the Supreme Court issues a ruling that the president disagrees with because he believes that the ruling would prevent him from protecting the country against terrorist attacks. Should the president follow the ruling or ignore the ruling?" Even in that case -- the ticking-time bomb scenario, one might call it -- a full 69 percent of the public said the president should follow the ruling. Other polling shows similar results. So the public is already on the side of following the law and not on the side of a president simply making the law up as he goes along.
Democratic pushback on Trump (combined with lots of media attention on the one case) is taking its toll as well. Trump's recent polling slump isn't just happening on the economy:
President Donald Trump's approval ratings on immigration, relatively strong in the early weeks of his second term, have dipped into negative territory, according to a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, a sign that his administration's hard-line and, in some cases, legally dubious enforcement tactics are losing public support.
A majority of Americans, 53 percent, disapprove of Trump's handling of immigration, with 46 percent approving, a reversal from February when half of the public voiced approval of his approach. Negative views have ticked up across partisan groups over the past two months, with 90 percent of Democrats, 56 percent of independents and 11 percent of Republicans now disapproving of the way the president has managed one of his core policy issues.
That is what an opposition party can do, if they tackle the issue directly and frame their case in the most effective way.
Which Newsom really should know, since he used to do so on a regular basis on multiple issues where public opinion wasn't yet in his corner.
So for his advice to other Democrats to just back down from this fight, we have to say that Gavin Newsom was easily the Most Disappointing Democrat Of The Week this week.
[Contact California Governor Gavin Newsom on his official contact page, to let him know what you think of his actions.]
Volume 793 (4/25/25)
We didn't have anywhere else to put it, so we have to begin with a story guaranteed to put a smile on everyone's face. Well, it's not so much a story as a series of heartwarming photos.
It seems it's not as hard to get into the White House Press Corps as you might think. In fact, all you have to do is be cute as a button and wander into it. The White House fence is probably the most heavily-guarded in the world, but occasionally things slip through. This week, a cat named Sophie did so, and wound up charming members of the press. Sophie's owner was contacted (Sophie was helpfully wearing a collar) and came to pick her up, but not before a whole bunch of adorable photos were snapped by press photographers. If you could use a smile this week, we strongly encourage you to check these photos out.
With that out of the way, let's move on to our talking points.
From the beginning, we've been against tyranny
These first two are a continuation of what we were saying about Newsom, really. Here is how Democrats should properly frame the issue.
"This week, America marked the beginning the celebration of our 250th birthday, since it was the 250th anniversary of the first battles of the Revolution, at Lexington and Concord. We mark the actual birth of our nation from when the Declaration of Independence was created, of course. Our founding document was essentially a list of grievances Americans had with the King of England, which showed the world the reasons why we were declaring our independence from him. Two of these grievances are relevant to what is happening right now in America: 'For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury,' and: 'For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offenses.' Back then, our Founders considered such actions tyranny, and they stood strongly against such injustices."
Due process for everyone
Or you can take a slightly different historical tack. Either one works, really.
"Or perhaps you prefer the words of the United States Constitution. After the Civil War, amendments were ratified which expanded the rights guaranteed in our Bill of Rights to clarify that all the evils of slavery should never again be allowed to happen in America. The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution lays out one very basic human right -- that the government cannot 'deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law,' as well as guaranteeing 'any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.' Republicans are now trying to fool everyone into thinking that the human rights in the Constitution are somehow only reserved for U.S. citizens, but that is simply not true. Note that it says any person and does not limit this (as it does elsewhere) to just American citizens. Due process is a fundamental right for everyone, which is why disappearing people to foreign prisons without any due process should be highly offensive to every American, period. We either all have rights, or we don't. You can't have it any other way because that's what our country stands for."
100 days of chaos
Democrats need to hammer home how exhausting and incoherent this has all been, before Trump tries to take a victory lap next week.
"Has it really only been 100 days? Wow. It feels like it's been a lot longer than that! It's exhausting just trying to keep track of all the chaos coming from the White House these days. With the most incompetent presidential cabinet in American history, sometimes you just don't know where to look. What with the economy tanking right before our eyes to America retreating from the world stage and making both Russia and China stronger with every misstep, it's just one broken promise after another. I don't know how much more of this chaos this country can take -- if that was only 100 days' worth, I wonder how low Trump's approval rating will be in another 100 days."
China yawns as Trump begs
It's pretty obvious who is going to win this "Who will lose face?" contest, at this point.
"Donald Trump thought he'd prove he was the biggest bully on the playground with his ill-conceived trade war. He thought slapping insanely-high tariffs on China would cause their leader to call him up and beg him for a trade deal. But he miscalculated in a big way. Now he's reduced to lying about whether China has even called the White House up (which they haven't). China is content to sit back and watch as things get more and more dire here. If the CEOs of Target, Walmart, and Home Depot are right, within just a few short weeks American consumers will start to be faced with empty shelves when they go shopping. Small businesses are collapsing daily, since they cannot survive Trump's trade war. Prices are going to skyrocket. In the end, it won't be China who begs for an end to the trade war, but Trump. He miscalculated badly, and the only question at this point is how long it's going to take before he admits it and reverses course."
Trump doesn't care about you
These are just a few examples. There will be plenty of others soon, after the White House releases their budget proposal.
"Donald Trump doesn't care about you. He just doesn't. He talks big about how much he supports coal mining, and then he turns right around and spits in the miners' faces. He just cut two-thirds of the staff of the agency that provides free black lung testing, and will be shuttering dozens of their offices nationwide -- leaving only two of them to monitor more than 100 mines in Kentucky alone. Firefighters? Trump doesn't care about you either -- he's been firing people willy-nilly in the offices which provide health and safety services to the nation's firefighters. Even Sarah Huckabee Sanders -- who used to work in Trump's White House -- can't get FEMA to care about people devastated by tornadoes in her state. Trump wants to get rid of FEMA entirely -- which shows he doesn't care about any of the people who will be threatened by hurricanes or any other disaster that happens from now on. You're on your own, folks, because Donald Trump does not care about you at all."
Don't forget to turn out the lights!
The chaos is so unrelenting we had to relegate this story to just a talking point (when in any normal situation it would be the top story of the week).
"Pete Hegseth took control of the Pentagon and hired his own handpicked team to help him run it. But in the past few weeks, they've all either been fired for no reason or just threw up their hands and quit. Meanwhile, the news broke that Hegseth hasn't just been sharing national security secrets with random journalists, but also his wife and other close friends and family members -- on an unsecured phone line. If anyone else in the military was responsible for such a serious breach of secrecy, they'd either be fired, lose their security clearance, or be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Hegseth's chief of staff just quit, and news reports are filled with stories of utter chaos and total meltdown. Things have gotten so bad Hegseth's own supporters are even calling on him to step down. At this point, it seems like there should be a memo on the bulletin board of Hegseth's office which reads: 'Will the last top aide to leave please turn out the lights?' Most of Trump's disastrous cabinet picks are incompetent, but to have this vacuum at the top of the nation's military is downright dangerous."
Secure? Hardly.
This one's not quite as alarming as that last one, but it is funnier.
"Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem apparently can't even keep her own most valuable possessions secure. Noem just had her purse stolen in a restaurant, which seems like a pretty serious breach of security to me. In her handbag was: her passport, her departmental security badge, her driver's license, her medication, blank checks, and her apartment keys. Oh, and $3,000 cash as well. And we're entrusting the nation's security to this woman? I don't know about you, but that doesn't exactly fill me with a sense of security."
-- Chris Weigant
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Cross-posted at: Democratic Underground
'For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury,' and: 'For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offenses.'
wow, I had a general sense that the rights and grievances of the Declaration applied, but i'd forgotten how pertinent the specific clauses were.
after 3 rounds and 102 selections, Shedeur Sanders, the consensus second best QB in the NFL draft, still hasn't been picked. it's such weird news even trump weighed in.
And now apparently (this news broke while we were writing all of this) the F.B.I. has arrested a judge in retaliation for doing something Trump didn't like. So it looks like this is all going to get a lot worse before it gets better.
Can't wait to see what the next 100 days has in store for us all....
ICE just deported three American citizens.
Poll that.
It seems it's not as hard to get into the White House Press Corps as you might think. In fact, all you have to do is be cute as a button and wander into it.
Somebody had to save her from the resident old man who likes to grab 'em.
I am once again mystified that CW has awarded MIDOW to a Democrat for making a statement. Actions speak louder than words and MIDOW are those Democrats who actively RESIST.
'Reps. Yassamin Ansari of Arizona, Maxine Dexter of Oregon, Maxwell Frost of Florida and Robert Garcia of California arrived Sunday in the Central American nation to investigate the condition of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who had lived in the United States for more than a decade. The Trump administration deported him, a move that administration officials have said in court filings was done in error.
...
Rep. Garcia said he and Frost sent a letter last week to House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., requesting that an official delegation go to El Salvador to investigate Abrego Garcia’s condition and push for his return, but received no response. Ansari said more Democrats would be traveling to El Salvador in the coming days and weeks.'
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/more-democratic-lawmakers-visit-el-salvador-to-see-abrego-garcia-wrongly-deported-by-trump-administration
Another MIDOW:
'Progressive icon and former U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee declared victory Saturday as the new mayor of troubled Oakland ... Lee, 78, is a Black female trailblazer who represented the city in Congress for over two decades before retiring last year...'
https://apnews.com/article/oakland-california-mayor-barbara-lee-195b9204ed98d28b4d5ce9fcba6aaad1
At least a dishonorable mention goes to the AZ Democratic Party.
'Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego threatened to cut off fundraising support because they disagree with the Arizona Democratic Party chairman's choice for party director, the party's new leader alleges in an open letter to political elders.
Robert Branscomb II's letter drew immediate pushback from all five of the state's top elected Democrats and ignited concerns that public finger-pointing lays bare the p'
https://eu.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/arizona/2025/04/21/arizona-democrats-expose-internal-party-conflict/83179164007/
MDDOW should always go to anyone who "leaves the party", especially one who shits on it as he goes.
'News of the departure was not received well by the Florida Democratic Party, who accused Pizzo of constantly disparaging the party and getting in fights with other members. Chair Nikki Fried called him “one of the most ineffective and unpopular Democratic leaders in recent memory” and said his exit was “one of the best things to happen to the party in years.”'
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/24/florida-pizza-democrats-unaffiliated-departure-legislature-00308629
Excellent post, thanks for this. I have to say that, although I've been following the story or stories, Point #6 really is appalling.
This is the SECRETARY OF DEFENSE. In charge of defending our country from military attack. In charge of the incredible soldiers and weapons of the US armed forces. In charge of ... nothing, because he is incapable of doing the job. When was the last time a Secretary of Defense could credibly have been accused of actually being INCOMPETENT at his/her job?
Never, that's when. No matter what party or platform a US president comes from, no matter if we like or dislike his/her policies and outlook, it has been inconceivable that that president's Secretary of Defense would be a conceited jerk with zero grasp of his job and its responsibilities.
Our only consolation is that, one, we're not actually at war just now; and two, he seems like he's about to lose his job, finally. How likely is it that his replacement will also be incompetent? Oh, dear....
@Rusty,
i have another most disappointing nomination, although it's a little less disappointing due to the courts having something resembling a backbone.
at least for the time being, Mayor Adams is still a Democrat, and is horribly disappointing.
Poet [2]- From what I have seen many NFL teams said that Sanders gave the worst pre-draft interview of any player they had ever interviewed.
@steedo,
well, sitting for an interview is a skill. even weirder if nobody properly coached him how to do one.
It seems to me that the most important talking point for the Dems right now is branding the coming recession as The Trump Recession. Fat Donny would probably prefer something bigger like The Donald J Trump Depression and I would be generous enough to give him that, but it might not be snappy enough for the talking heads. I'll leave that to the marketing pros. It'll be disastrous if they allow the media (or Short Fingers) to name it something else. They need to get ahead of this now and they need to be unified. It's 100% Donold's fault and he needs to own it for all eternity.
The reddit opinion on Shedeur Sanders, for what it's worth, is he is the 2025 Tebow. They think he is over hyped by the media and though good a bit too much ego to be molded into a franchise QB and not worth the distraction in the locker room.
My team, the 9ers, seem to be going all out on defense...
I just saw a photo from the pope's funeral and, of course, Big Orange could not be bothered to wear a black suit. So, let's see. Fat Donny, President Musk, that ISIS guy from El Salvador, and Child Rock can where any inappropriate outfit they like, but Ukrainian President Zelenskyy wears his commander-in-chief uniform during the Russian invasion and the MAGA cult freaks out. It's worse than Scientology. Where is Anonymous?
Speedo
12
Wished I’d thought of this instead of just stealing it:
Sanders has something in common with Donald Trump — both of them talked themselves out of being drafted.
John from C. [14]
How about "The Trump Slump"?
And now apparently (this news broke while we were writing all of this) the F.B.I. has arrested a judge in retaliation for doing something Trump didn't like. So it looks like this is all going to get a lot worse before it gets better.
THIS is just DRIPPING with irony.. :D
Woke progressive Democrats have been HYSTERICAL for years, telling us that "NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW" as they gleefully persecuted PRESIDENT Trump with their constant lawfare.....
NOW we come to find out that, as far as woke progressive Democrats are concerned, woke progressive Democrat judges who aid and abet the escape of a FEDERAL FELON CRIMINAL.... **IS** above the law and can commit crimes with impunity and no repercussions...
I wish I could say I was surprised at the BLATANT hypocrisy...
But I can't... :eyeroll:
i vote for calling the economy the Donald J Dumpsterfire.
got to give Donald credit though, in spite of some weird eugenics language he nailed the Shedeur Sanders situation as a whole. whatever the reason and whatever the outcome, the NFL has pooped itself in failing to draft the kid prior to round five.
I always liked Trumpocalypse.
JL,
i vote for calling the economy the Donald J Dumpsterfire.
To paraphrase Austin Powers...
"It's amazing how 2025 sounds NOTHING like 2017.."
I always liked Trumpocalypse.
.... complete with the exact same name-calling...
:^/
CW,
And now apparently (this news broke while we were writing all of this) the F.B.I. has arrested a judge in retaliation for doing something Trump didn't like.
Actually.. If we ARE discussing the facts and objective reality, the woke progressive Democrat judge was NOT arrested for doing something PRESIDENT Trump didn't like..
The woke progressive Democrat judge was arrested for aiding and abetting the escape of a dangerous and violent FEDERAL FELON ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ...
Having said that, I guess that aiding and abetting the escape of a violent and dangerous felon COULD be construed as something PRESIDENT Trump didn't like, so... There is that..
On the OTHER hand, woke progressive Democrats got all hysterical about PRESIDENT Trump's alleged white collar jaywalking-ish type "felonies", so the blatant hypocrisy is still present and accounted for...
:D
Due process for everyone
During the Odumbo years, 75% of illegal immigrant criminals who were deported received NO "Due Process" as woke progressive Democrats define "Due Process" in the here and now..
During the Bill Clinton years, *90%* of illegal immigrant criminals who were deported without ANY "Due Process" as woke progressive Democrats define "Due Process" in the here and now.
"If you're a illegal immigrant criminal, you will be deported. If you plan to enter the US illegally, your chances of getting caught and being deported just went way up. The actions I am taking are not only lawful, they are the kinds of actions taken by every single Republican President and every single Democrat President for the past half century."
I bet ya'all are thinking that PRESIDENT Trump said that...
Ya'all would be wrong..
Barack Hussein Odumbo said that... :eyeroll:
Trump's administration so far is a dumpster fire. there are plenty of more colorful names for it, but that's what it is, and the public is starting to notice.
Well it seems the TDS chatbot troll is not gonna change. It's just shocking!
Whiny baby snowflake Fat Donny ass-licker can't tolerate commenters offering up possible names for the coming recession and has to complain to CW about "name-calling" as if the yellow card is a negotiation. More of its endless boring "own the libs" game. The chatbot has a well documented reading comprehension issue, so it probably didn't understand when CW said he's not interested in its whataboutism games.
Then it moves on to lying and making up numbers. Red card please.
There was no reason for Putin to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days. It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently. - Big Orange
. . . or maybe Vlad thinks Putin's bitch is a dipshit and he can do whatever he wants because he's dealing with an amateur who believes that The Performance Art of the Deal matters outside of reality TV. LOL
nypoet22
13
well, sitting for an interview is a skill. even weirder if nobody properly coached him how to do one.
In regards to his interview with the Giants, I had heard he took a FaceTime call with someone during the in-person interview with Coach Daboll and rather than dismiss that call allowed it to continue unabated. Now, if I was a betting man, I would wager that call was with "Daddy," the only coach he has apparently ever known. Admitted pure conjecture on my part, but it makes perfect sense in context. :)
John From Censornati
14
Fat Donny would probably prefer something bigger like The Donald J Trump Depression and I would be generous enough to give him that, but it might not be snappy enough for the talking heads.
Heh. The only thing missing is the ® symbol and Trump devising a way to make money for himself every time it is used. ;)
MtnCaddy
17
Heh. I'ma steal it too. :)
John M from Ct.
18
John from C. [14]
How about "The Trump Slump"?
Well, that is rather catchy, John (not to be confused with the other John).
Here's hoping it is just a "slump" and not a:
Flamin' Hot CHEETOS® Trump Dumpster Fire. :)
nypoet22
20
i vote for calling the economy the Donald J Dumpsterfire.
Wait, what!? As I have explained before, I respond to these in real time as I read them, and I hereby affirm under penalty of perjury (fingers not crossed in any way whatsoever) that I posted my name before I read yours.
So what we have here is a simple case of "great minds" or however that old saying goes. ;)
Imagine the score if Detroit wasn't getting rebounds. :)
Thank God that there’s a second half because the first was forgettable.
God have mercy on me I just read a couple TDS chat box troll’s comments for the first time in months.
Shorter is always better, so there is that.
ALL CAPS and boldification* attempting to change opinion into fact, check.
No link(s) to back up his assertion of fact(s), check.
Whataboutism, check.
Matter of time before he earns the red card. He doesn’t have anything else to offer Weigantia and CW, you won’t attract any new Weigantians because of your loyalty to someone I’ve never met in my six years here.
Thank God there’s a fifth game because three out of the first four games were forgettable.
Michale
19
Woke progressive Democrats have been HYSTERICAL for years, telling us that "NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW" as they gleefully persecuted PRESIDENT Trump with their constant lawfare.....
You are demonstrably confusing "persecution" with "prosecution," as Your Worship is a 34-time convicted felon as well being found liable in multiple courtrooms for monetary and punitive damages against multiple plaintiffs for instances of fraud, defamation, and sexual battery/assault that a judge has adjudicated to be "rape."
Regardless anyone's political ideology, no one in America is above the law... or at least no one actually should be.
NOW we come to find out that, as far as woke progressive Democrats are concerned, woke progressive Democrat judges who aid and abet the escape of a FEDERAL FELON CRIMINAL.... **IS** above the law and can commit crimes with impunity and no repercussions...
You'd have a point if CW had actually posted the sentiment that you invented on his behalf, but he didn't make any such claim... so you don't.
I wish I could say I was surprised at the BLATANT hypocrisy...
I wish I could say I was surprised that you have (again) invented words for somebody else that they never said, but that would be an outright fabrication.
Michale
22
.... complete with the exact same name-calling...
A person who prolifically practices name-calling taking issue with those who are name-calling. NOW that is the very definition of "BLATANT hypocrisy." Heh.
Having said that, I guess that aiding and abetting the escape of a violent and dangerous felon COULD be construed as something PRESIDENT Trump didn't like, so... There is that..
Obviously.
On the OTHER hand, woke progressive Democrats got all hysterical about PRESIDENT Trump's alleged white collar jaywalking-ish type "felonies", so the blatant hypocrisy is still present and accounted for...
No one is above the law, and it's false equivalency to claim that the commission of multiple felonies is "jaywalking-ish" or even "jaywalking." Also, a perp pronounced guilty of 34 felony counts is no longer an "alleged" criminal.
@kick,
we could just shorten it to 'trumpsterfire'
Having said that, I guess that aiding and abetting the escape of a violent and dangerous felon COULD be construed as something PRESIDENT Trump didn't like, so... There is that..
On the other hand, the fact that Trump has personally ordered the multiple pardons, commutations, immediate dismissal of pending cases and the release from prison of a plethora of violent and dangerous admitted and convicted felons and perpetrators for their crimes in connection with J6, I would say there is ample evidence that he's demonstrably not above assisting thousands of them so Trump definitely does appear to like it when it suits his own personal agenda.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/granting-pardons-and-commutation-of-sentences-for-certain-offenses-relating-to-the-events-at-or-near-the-united-states-capitol-on-january-6-2021/
nypoet22
37
we could just shorten it to 'trumpsterfire'
With or without the product placement of Flamin' Hot CHEETOS ®? Heh... just kidding. It's perfect. :)
Chris,
Why do I think I've seen Sophie somewhere before. She looks awfully familiar for some reason... :-)
nypoet22 [1] -
Yeah, those phrases have been running through my head all week...
-CW
Kick [3] -
Poll that
Yeah, and the absolutely callous response from Rubio et al on the Sunday shows, too...
-CW
Kick [4] -
OK, now that was funny!
-CW
italyrusty [5] -
yeah, I did consider the 4 House Dems, but had to admit I was a little disappointed they didn't get to see him, when Van Hollen did. Of course, that's not their fault, it's the ES government's fault, but even so...
They tried (actively, not just sitting back and doing noting), and deserved recognition for that alone, I agree with you on that.
-CW
italyrusty [6] -
Yeah, Lee was on the list too, but while I love her and totally celebrated her win, I thought "oh, it's just a mayor's race, it doesn't rise to the level of a MIDOTW"
But I am glad to see someone else noticed!
:-)
-CW
italyrusty [7] -
I didn't have the bandwidth to dig into who is more believable in the AZ Dem meltdown this week, sorry.
I was disappointed it got so ugly so fast, though, I will say that.
-CW
italyrusty [8] -
OK, hadn't even heard of this one, I will check it out, thanks...
-CW
John M from Ct. [9] -
yeah, I thought of Al Haig, but he wasn't actually SecDef at the time...
Excellent points all around.
-CW
(cont'd)
It seems like Trump's just waiting for everything to calm down for a few weeks before he dumps Hegseth. That's what it seems like to me... he's got a real thing about not giving the media "scalps" but he also realizes when other people are dragging his numbers down...
-CW
John From Censornati [14] -
Yeah, I've heard "the Trump Slump" too, which is kinda catchy...
-CW
BashiBazouk [15] -
9ers?
Ah, but how have the Ravens been doing? I haven't been keeping up... inquiring minds want to know...
heh
-CW
MtnCaddy [17] -
HAH! Ok, that was pretty funny, gotta admit! Cadet Bone Spurs, and all that...
:-D
-CW
JMfC [18] -
OK, there we go!
:-)
-CW
nypoet22 [20] -
Sometimes you truly do live up to your moniker. That is an excellent suggestion!
(ha!)
(still aren't following NFL draft, sorry...)
:-)
-CW
MtnCaddy [21] -
Another contender!
:-)
-CW
Michale [22] -
You mean like this:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/andrew-tate-tristan-trump-us-romania-rape-human-trafficking-charges/
?
-CW
nypoet22 [37] -
OK, I gotta admit, that's pretty snappy! Trumpsterfire! I like it...
:-)
-CW
No Sunday night concerts anymore?
I probably posted this already, but hey...
best thing (worldwide) that came out of COVID:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LH0-WXUFY2k
"goin' to Chicago..."
-CW
No Sunday night concerts anymore?
Not since interest around here waned ... too few music lovers.
That and the fact that most official YouTube channels feature digitally pitch corrected/autotuned vocals. The demise of authentic vocals - even those of our favourite artists from decades ago when their songs are officially uploaded to YouTube anew - is well underway and has become standard operating procedure in the music industry as a whole. It's all too depressing.
Liz on [59]
I had no idea what you were talking about here, so I looked up 'autotune'. Wow, am I out of touch with today's music scene, I find. 'Photoshop for the human voice' is one phrase I found evocative of autotune's properties: perfect pitch, everytime, no matter how irregular the actual singer was.
Almost all of the music I listen to is imported from old CDs of my own collection, or from tag sales, and my taste runs more to mid/late 20th C. than today's stuff. So I think I've missed the new sounds coming from the autotune revolution.
Plus, I'm kind of tone-deaf in that I've never understood what singing on or off key sounds like!
I don't use YouTube. Do you know if Apple Music, where I occasionally buy old albums, also uses autotune on classic songs?
Hi John ... gotta run now but will be back late tonight! This is an incredibly important subject for discussion.
@CW,
"trumpsterfire" actually seemed a little too snappy to be original, and sure enough a quick google search uncovered somebody who thought of it well before i ever did.
https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Trumpster-Fire-Cartoon-Anthology/dp/0998393754
JL
CW,
You mean like this:
What like what?? Could you be more specific??
Well, the Democrat MS-13 Caucus is at it again.. :eyeroll:
Woke progressive Democrats’ fervent defense of Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a completely and utterly disgraceful betrayal of American voters, revealing their completely and utterly reckless disregard for law and order.
Despite clear evidence of Garcia’s alleged ties to MS-13, the gang that PRESIDENT Trump has designated a terrorist organization, along with accusations of domestic abuse and human smuggling, Democrats have shamelessly championed him as the "wrongly deported Maryland man”..
Their cynical campaign, amplifies by the Left Wing media, seeks to undermine PRESIDENT Trump’s deportation policies through lawfare and LYING to the American people in a vain attempt to sway public opinion.
But a new CBS News poll exposes the complete and utter FAILURE... AGAIN...
A MAJORITY of Americans approve of PRESIDENT Trump’s deportation program. MOST American voters recognize it's success in slashing border crossings to historic lows, as evidenced by just 7,000 encounters in March 2025.
MS-13 GangBanger Garcia, far from a “legal resident,” was deported to El Salvador in March 2025, a move Democrats distorted to paint PRESIDENT Trump as heartless.
Yet, their poster child’s criminality (MS-13 membership, a 2021 domestic violence complaint, and 2022 human trafficking) undermines their narrative.
The poll shows 75% of Americans reject detaining legal residents by mistake, but Garcia’s lack of legal status renders their outrage complete and utter bullshit.
CNN’s Harry Enten noted 56% of American voters support deporting all illegal immigrants, aligning with PRESIDENT Trump’s mandate.
Democrats’ obsession with Garcia over American safety is indefensible, prioritizing political stunts over the will of voters who back Trump’s resolute leadership.
This is ya'all's Democrat MS-13 Caucus at work..
http://mfccfl.us/ms13Caucus.jpg
:eyeroll:
Pictures of Democrat Party Protectees that have been arrested and deported..
http://mfccfl.us/DemocratProtectees.jpg
:eyeroll:
Do ya'all REALLY wonder why ya'all lost the 2024 election???
Asking for a friend.. :^/
Democrats REALLY need to understand how bad they are getting mauled on their 20% support of protecting Illegal Immigrant Criminals..
Until they do, they will remain in the political wilderness...
I'm just sayin'....
Donald Trump Demands Investigations Into Negative Approval Rating Polls
What a snowflake!
Can't wait to see what the next 100 days has in store for us all....
ICE just deported three American citizens.
Poll that.
ICE Deports 3 U.S. Citizen Children Held Incommunicado Prior to the Deportation
It's not factually accurate..
ICE deported 3 ILLEGAL immigrant criminals.. The illegal immigrant criminals had their children with them and the ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIMINALS made the decision to take their children with them..
This is the problem with all the hysterical bullshit that permeates Weigantia in the here in now..
NONE OF IT is factually accurate..
ICE deported 3 ILLEGAL immigrant criminals.. The illegal immigrant criminals had their children with them and the ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIMINALS made the decision to take their children with them..
And, if ICE had decided to say NO to the mothers, that their children would stay here, then the hysterical Democrat headline would read:
ICE KIDNAPS 3 US CHILDREN!!!!
It's what happens when Democrats swallow hysterical bullshit instead of actually learning the facts. :eyeroll:
ICE deported 3 ILLEGAL immigrant criminals..
At least one was not a criminal. But the first quoted paragraph says it all:
“I think they’re following orders that they need to remove a certain amount of people by day and they don’t care, honestly,” Cañizares said.
Sánchez is not a criminal and has a strong case on humanitarian grounds for allowing her to stay in the U.S., Cañizares said, but ICE isn’t taking that into consideration when it has to meet what the lawyer said were deportation benchmarks.
Has anyone told these jack booted thugs that the statute of limitations is likely longer than a presidential term?
At least one was not a criminal. But the first quoted paragraph says it all
Not factually accurate.
A woke progressive Democrat rag SAYS that one is not a criminal. But it's the same woke progressive Democrat rag that says US CHILDREN WERE DEPORTED...
So, their credibility is shot from the get-go....
I'm just sayin'...
Donald Trump Is Already Ruining Christmas
Santa’s helpers are freaking out that steep tariffs on Chinese imports will prevent toys, trees, and decorations from arriving in the US on time for the December holiday.
Bah humbug...
A woke progressive Democrat rag SAYS that one is not a criminal. But it's the same woke progressive Democrat rag that says US CHILDREN WERE DEPORTED...
Which was true, children born in the US were deported. Of course, if you disagree, you could get off your lazy ass and come up with a link that proves she had a criminal charge against her or at the very least was in the legal system that would likely end in a criminal charge. Or just stick with the low effort ad hominems and continue the propaganda...
"Shame on President Trump for tearing apart hardworking immigrant families. We should be focusing on MS-13!!"
-Senator Chris Vab Hollen, 2017
Hypocrisy.. It's not a bug in Democrat programming. It's a feature..
:eyeroll:
Which was true, children born in the US were deported.
WITH THEIR MOTHERS at the insistence of their mothers....
ICE didn't deport any children.. Their mothers decided to deport the children..
When the CONTEXT is clear, then there is no issue..
you could get off your lazy ass and come up with a link that proves she had a criminal charge
It's not relevant to my point so I have no need to do that..
Or just stick with the low effort ad hominems and continue the propaganda...
And the personal attacks start up again.. :eyeroll:
Bashi, quit being a jerk...
WITH THEIR MOTHERS at the insistence of their mothers....
That has not been proven and there is quite a bit of evidence they were neither asked or given a choice...
It's not a personal attack if it's true...
Further... Whether she is a criminal or not is not central to my point..
It's YOU who is making the claim she is not an ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIMINAL..
The onus is on you back u your claim with some facts...
It's not a personal attack if it's true...
Oh really???
Is that the consensus of all Weigantians???
That, if it's factually accurate, it is NOT a personal attack??
Is that what we are going with??
The onus is on you back u your claim with some facts...
I posted a link backing it up...
Instead of backing up your position, you tossed an ad hominem trying to discount a press report that you disagreed with. Either prove there are lies or disinformation in that report or you are a lazy assed propagandist...
76
It is factually accurate that you offered up your children to attract a certain type of Swinger. Whether or not you regard that as a personal attack depends on whether you have any shame left in you.
Bash
I posted a link backing it up...
You posted a link to a woke progressive Democrat rag that is PROVEN to spew fact-less propaganda...
As such, it's useless in the FACTS department
Cad,
It is factually accurate that you offered up your children to attract a certain type of Swinger.
That is NOT factually accurate. Even Bash and JL have told you that... :eyeroll:
Quit being such a jerk, Cad....
You posted a link to a woke progressive Democrat rag that is PROVEN to spew fact-less propaganda...
Proven, eh? Certainly not by you... Let's see this proof?
Bash,
Proven, eh? Certainly not by you... Let's see this proof?
Your woke progressive Democrat rag claimed children were deported..
That is not factually accurate..
MOTHERS were deported and they demanded to take their children with them..
They were probably hoping that would allow them to avoid deportation...
Very crappy mothers, putting their own needs ahead of their children's welfare...
But that's to be expected from ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIMINALS...
And just to anticipate your response..
I don't have to provide you proof..
*I* know it's factually accurate and YOU will never accept any facts that prove it's factually accurate...
So, providing you "proof" is an exercise in futility..
And I don't do that kind of exercise any more..
Your woke progressive Democrat rag claimed children were deported..
And they were...
MOTHERS were deported and they demanded to take their children with them..
Not according to the report. Got anything that backs up that is wrong?
But that's to be expected from ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIMINALS...
Still having a hard time with the difference between criminal and immigration law?
And I don't do that kind of exercise any more..
Because it's too hard for you, proving you are a lazy assed propagandist. Or you know that the proof is not out there which would make you just a run of the mill propagandist...
"Look, I started on the Border Patrol in 1984. I've been at this for over 40 years. I've worked for six presidents, starting with Ronald Reagan. Every president I've ever worked for took border security seriously because you can't have national security if you don't have strong border security. We've gotta know who's coming, what's coming, where its coming and why its coming in, right?"
Even President Obama and President Clinton addressed border security to some extent. But Biden is the first president in the history of this nation who came into office and unsecured the border on purpose.
When 96% less people are coming across the border, how many women are NOT being sexually assaulted by the cartels? How many children are NOT dying making that journey? How many women and children are NOT being sex-trafficked into this country? How many known and suspected terrorists are NOT making it into this nation? How many pounds of fentanyl is NOT getting into this country to kill young Americans?"
-Border Czar Tom Homan
Because it's too hard for you, proving you are a lazy assed propagandist.
Could you please quit being a jerk, Bash?? :eyeroll:
So, which is it? Are you too lazy to back your shit up or does proof not exist?
As long as you continue to be a jerk, I will not engage.
Aww...reduced to playing the victim, your favorite roll...
Joe owns a liquor store.
Joe's liquor store is robbed.
The police ask Elon Musk to assist in the investigation.
Elon Musk investigates and, based on video footage, Elon Musk determined who robbed Joe's liquor store.
Joe demands that Elon Musk be arrested.
Joe is an idiot.
DOGE orders major cut to AmeriCorps funding, imperiling agency’s work
How is this making America better? Cutting funding for after school tutoring, supporting veterans and organizations that provide crucial support after hurricanes and natural disasters. Seems to make this country considerably worse...
No judge would recognize an administrative warrant. They have this administrative warrant, which is basically one ICE agent authorizing another ICE agent to detain someone. So I don't think there's a crime here, I think she has she has immunity. She can decide how a person leaves her courtroom.- Newsmax judicial analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano
Basement Biden's and Headboard Harris' refusal to fully support legislation banning Congress members from trading stocks using insider information simply proves that the Democrat Party is only out to make a buck..
Senator Josh Hawley’s PELOSI Act (Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments) Act, reintroduced on April 21, 2025, seeks to prohibit lawmakers and their spouses from holding, buying, or selling stocks during their tenure, allowing only diversified mutual funds, ETFs, or U.S. Treasury bonds.
PRESIDENT Trump has vowed to “absolutely” sign such a ban, recognizing its necessity to curb corruption, as he stated in a Time Magazine interview, citing Nancy Pelosi’s massive stock market gains as a prime example of abuse.
Yet, millionaire woke progressive Democrats, despite lip service from figures like Hakeem Jeffries et al, have historically dragged their feet, failing to advance similar proposals under Basement Biden’s and Headboard Harris' junta.
Senator Hawley’s bill, aptly named after Pelosi’s profiteering, mandates compliance within 180 days, with violators surrendering profits to the U.S. Treasury and facing fines up to 10% of wrongful transactions.
This is a direct response to politicians exploiting non-public information, eroding faith in governance.
American voters deserve representatives who prioritize THEIR interests, amd not woke progressive Democrats' own personal enrichment.
Woke progressive Democrats’ reluctance to champion this reform exposes their complicity in a system that favors elites over constituents. Favors making money over the welfare of their constituents.
While PRESIDENT Trump and Senator Hawley fight for transparency, woke progressive Democrat’ inaction shields the status quo and protect those who are only out for their own enrichment, undermining the integrity of Congress and betraying voters who demand accountability.
This is NOT a partisan issue..
EVERY patriotic American should support this legislation.
S.58 - Preventing Elected Leaders from Owning Securities and Investments (PELOSI) Act
https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/58
However, the cult-following "I WILL NOT LISTEN to any fact that contradicts my Dear Leader" guy...that guy, NOBODY wants. OK? So just... here is your test... this is the difference between a yellow card and red...Don't be a jerk. - CW
Hmm CW. That sounds exactly like the TDS chatbot troll that is currently flooding the comment section with sewerage once again.
79
Hey Einstein I read your Swinger ad myself! A cho’mo is a cho’mo is a cho’mo.
here in america, the prosecution always has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. until and unless someone is convicted of something, regardless of whether or not they are a citizen, they are entitled to the legal presumption of innocence. that doesn't mean we have to THINK they're innocent, but it does mean they're entitled to be treated as innocent by the authorities.
"no person" doesn't mean just citizens, nor even just legal residents. "no person," means NO person.
The woke progressive Democrats’ unwavering support for Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan is a blatant, unequivocal and shameful betrayal of justice, emboldening a dangerous mindset that places rogue judges above the law.
Dugan’s arrest by the FBI on April 18, 2025, for obstructing a federal proceeding and aiding undocumented Mexican national Eduardo Flores-Ruiz (a violent federal criminal) in evading arrest at the Milwaukee County Courthouse, exposes her flagrant disregard for her oath.
By escorting Flores-Ruiz through a OFFICIAL USE ONLY jury door to dodge immigration agents, Dugan actively facilitated his attempted escape, only thwarted by his misstep.
Yet, woke progressive Democrats like Rep. Jamie Raskin and Sen. Dick Durbin defend her, decrying her arrest as “Trump’s authoritarian bullying” without addressing her criminal act. Governor Tony Evers falsely claimed PRESIDENT Trump defied courts, ignoring that PRESIDENT Trump’s administration adheres to legal processes.
This is another stark divide. This is another one of those 80/20 issues where PRESIDENT Trump and patriotic Americans are on the 80% side of the issue and woke progressive Democrats are clinging to the 20% fringe by champion lawlessness by exalting Dugan’s hubris.
Their hypocrisy—preaching “no one is above the law” while excusing a judge’s aiding and abetting and undermines public safety and the judiciary’s integrity.
Raskin’s and Durbin’s silence on Dugan’s actions, coupled with Evers’ reckless rhetoric, fuels a judicial rebellion that threatens the rule of law.
Woke progressive Democrats’ defense of Dugan’s blatant and unequivocal crime is a political and moral blunder, proving they prioritize ideology over accountability.
And the people here who lie and try to say the detainer was not legally binding is a joke...
It's also interesting to note that Dugan's CRIME is the EXACT same crime that was mostly charged with the 6 Jan rioters..
So, woke progressive Democrats' blatant hypocrisy is blinding and obvious..
6 Jan rioters committed an "INSURRECTION!!!" while this moron woke progressive Democrats simply violated a judicial admin rule.. :eyeroll:
HYPOCRISY. It's not a bug in Democrat programming. It's a feature."
JL,
here in america, the prosecution always has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. until and unless someone is convicted of something, regardless of whether or not they are a citizen, they are entitled to the legal presumption of innocence. that doesn't mean we have to THINK they're innocent, but it does mean they're entitled to be treated as innocent by the authorities.
Yea, that's the argument *I* used when ya'all were hysterical about PRESIDENT Trump being a criminal..
Funny how ya'all didn't buy it then..
You expect me to buy it now?? :D
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime,
Well, then I guess it's a GOOD THING that no one here is talking about a CAPITAL or INFAMOUS crime, eh? :D
Yea, that's the argument *I* used when ya'all were hysterical about PRESIDENT Trump being a criminal..
if it was good enough for you then, why isn't it good enough now? (and just to be clear, i wasn't saying he was a criminal, just that he had in fact done the things that they had accused him of doing, irrespective of whether or not there would be legal consequences)
JL,
if it was good enough for you then, why isn't it good enough now?
I am perfectly happy with the argument and honored that ya'all finally conceded that I was dead on ballz accurate.. :D
Keep that hypocrisy coming!! :D
I am happy with the argument because it is completely irrelevant to THIS issue because we're not talking about a "CAPITAL" or "INFAMOUS" crime..
Interesting article about Portland Oregon and woke progressive Democrats' efforts to decriminalize hard drugs.. I used to live in Oregon and can attest to Portland's former beauty..
Woke progressive Democrats’ reckless and utterly moronic push to decriminalize hard drugs, as exemplified by Oregon’s disastrous Measure 110, has unleashed a catastrophic fentanyl crisis that’s turned Portland into a 3rd world shithole war zone.
Passed in late 2020, this ill-conceived and utterly moronic law decriminalized small amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine, flooding streets with cheap, hyper-potent drugs—fentanyl at less than a dollar a pill while letting addiction services lag.
Rolling Stone’s April 27, 2025, report details the fallout: overdose deaths spiked, with 87,000 U.S. fatalities in a year ending September 2024, and Portland’s downtown became a haven for addicts and dealers. The city’s overdose calls surged, with paramedics like Justin de Jesus reviving the same users repeatedly, only for them to chase “the good stuff” again. Homicides, retail theft, and homelessness soared, with 456 street deaths in 2023 alone.
WHO COULD HAVE POSSIBLY figured out that de-criminalized hard drugs would result in MORE drug deaths!!!????
It BOGGLES the mind!!??? :eyeroll:
Woke progressive Democrats’ utterly moronic and naive belief in harm reduction—naloxone handouts, needle exchanges—enabled addiction, ignoring fentanyl’s 50-times-stronger grip and deadly cuts like xylazine.
The woke progressive Democrats' experiment, lauded as progressive, ignored the facts and ignored the objective reality.
Mexican cartels exploited the policy, flooding Interstate 5 with fentanyl, while Portland’s business district crumbled, losing 2,600 businesses and 30% office occupancy.
Governor Tina Kotek’s 90-day emergency in January 2024 and Measure 110’s repeal were too late. Woke progressives Democrats’ refusal to enforce accountability fueled the chaos.
Their ideology blinded them to the human toll, leaving communities like Portland’s Clinton Triangle to beg for federal intervention.
Get that?? City leaders had to BEG PRESIDENT Trump's FBI to help..
Woke progressive Democrats’ failure to prioritize public safety over woke progressive utopian fantasies is a betrayal of every American struggling in this crisis.
Which is EXACTLY why Democrats got so badly shellacked in 2024..
And why they continue to wander the political wilderness...
Aww, ain't that cute. Trying to toss an ad hominem at my city but too chicken to even back it up with a link to which you found it. Yawn.
Hint: it lists Rolling Stone so that is not where you found it...
All right.. Since there are a lot of changes going on here in Weigantia, I am going to do something COMPLETELY out of character..
I am going to give woke progressive Democrats some honest and sincere advice on how to get out of the political wilderness..
I feel comfortable doing this because I know that woke progressive Democrats are too filled with hate and bigotry to listen to the sound advice.
Democrats. You’re lost in the political wilderness. If you want to find your way back, you need to wake up and deal with the objective reality.
Your own Gavin Newsom’s interview with The Hill nailed it. Ya'all have blatantly refused to take a deep long look in the mirror and give an open and honest assessment of your 2024 election disaster, where Kamala Harris tanked due to voter perceptions of extreme social views on immigration and trans issues, as Blue Rose Research confirmed.
Ignoring this, you'all have slid into the tried-and-failed knee-jerk resistance to Trump’s second term instead of addressing your own structural flaws.
That’s a new recipe for more losses in 2026.
The path out of the wilderness for woke progressive Democrats should start with a brutal and honest autopsy.
David Shor’s data shows you’re bleeding non-white and working-class voters those of which are CORE to ya'all's post-WWII coalition. These groups now distrust you and see you as too far Left for America which is, inarguably, center-right nation.
To win back trust you need to run unorthodox NON PROGRESSIVE candidates in tough districts. People who can speak to economic pain points like inflation and trade, where PRESIDENT Trump’s vulnerabilities lie. His trade wars are, in theory, souring voters. Hit him there relentlessly.
Stop letting a vocal and violent minority drag you into cultural quagmires. Blue Rose found woke progressive Democrats lost ground on Social Security and education. Issues that were once Democrat's owned.
Reclaim them by focusing on bread-and-butter concerns, not divisive social stances. Trans support is a completely and utterly LOSING stance for Democrats.
The 2026 Senate map is brutal for woke progressive Democrats. Just one GOP seat in a Harris-won state (Maine) and slim-to-none shots in North Carolina or Ohio.
House gains are limited too; only three GOP districts backed Harris. Overperforming in specials won’t cut it without broader appeal.
Don’t bank on Hate Trump/American vote or normal midterm trends to save you. Anyone with more than 2 brain cells to rub together will tell you that NOTHING is "normal" anymore.
Reflexive resistance has completely and utterly FAILED for eight years.
"Failed... Failed.. IMPRESSIVELY failed..."
-NASA Doctor, ARMAGEDDON
Get strategic, prioritize economic messaging, and shed the woke progressive baggage.
If ya'all don't.. Then 2026 and 2028 will make 2024 look like a fun family picnic by comparison...
There... That's my Weigantian Good Deed for the day... :D
@bashi[103],
i assume you're referring to posts [64,93,97 & 102]
i'm concerned too, those 4 posts do read more like automated paraphrase than original opinion. if that's not the case, there definitely have to be some links to where the information came from, because otherwise it's just too suspicious. multiple 10+ paragraph, uncredited paraphrases are close enough to copy-paste that CW might pull out the red card for trying to circumvent the rules he's set out.
JL
JL,
i'm concerned too, those 4 posts do read more like automated paraphrase than original opinion.
So... you are saying that those opinions are NOT my "original" opinions???
:eyeroll:
It's ironic that you didn't include #104 in that personal attack..
Which simply proves that the ONLY problem here is the CONTENT and not the style.. :eyeroll:
nypoet22-
Aww, come on, he had to do some find and replace to get the gratuitous dumb slurs in...Practically an original work...Heh.
JL,
So basically you are asking me to post in a manner that will make it easier to rebut and defeat my post.
Wow. Talk about being lazy. Hahaha
So basically you are asking me to post in a manner that will make it easier to rebut and defeat my post.
Posting your source is "lazy" as it makes it easier to "rebut" your post? Epic self-own you have there...
It's ironic that you didn't include #104 in that personal attack..
why would it be ironic? that statement suggests 104 was auto-paraphrased. i'm not quite sure why you'd want to imply that, but I concede that it is possible. this is not a personal attack by any stretch, just a serious concern. as a teacher i'm just very accustomed to reading text that obviously wasn't written by the person handing it in. (the actual reason why I didn't include 104 was that i hadn't refreshed the page prior to writing; that post also reads suspiciously.)
So basically you are asking me to post in a manner that will make it easier to rebut and defeat my post.
bashi has long been asking you to reveal your sources. if you won't or can't, that makes the information easier to rebut, not harder. while impeaching a source purely based on its bias is a form of ad-hominem argument (and thus a fallacy), the complete lack of citation for one's information, even when specifically asked for, is a failure to put forth a complete argument, and therefore legitimate grounds to dismiss the conclusion as invalid.
JL
A citation is not appropriate because there is no single citation.. My comments are an amalgation of my own personal experience and a culmination of different sources read throughout the day.
Instead of worrying so much about WHERE my information comes from and actually addressing the facts of the information...
The ONLY reason one would want the source is to impeach the source. And, as you say, that is a fallacy argument..
Having said that, if you want me to list ALL the sources that go into my comments...
You need but to ask.. :)
Having said that, if you want me to list ALL the sources that go into my comments...
you're right, a post as long as the five in question really should have multiple citations (I think you well know they can easily be linked using the a=href"" code, and are just not interested in doing so because it might interfere with your ability to post the kind of volume that CW has specifically asked you not to). that's what CW does for his columns, after all; friday's column had nearly fifty supporting links embedded. if you're going to post that much stuff, it's just basic consideration to let everyone know where it all came from.
JL
Instead of worrying so much about WHERE my information comes from and actually addressing the facts of the information...
We first have to confirm they are facts. Your history there is not outstanding to say the least. Then to see what you left out, as you have history of taking parts of an article out of context to make a point that is then contradicted 2/3 down the page. Not all posters here link to their source and that's a personal choice but when you pull the "not factually accurate" card, you dam better back that shit up. To do otherwise is rhetorically weak and feeble...
You like to boast about being a "big dog" and yet big dogs are rarely barky. It's those little yappy dogs that never shut up. Which dog is closer to your posting habits? Just saying...
Michale
64
Well, the Democrat MS-13 Caucus is at it again.. :eyeroll:
You might want to ponder sometime if the standard operational procedure (SOP) of inventing names that don't exist and composing fake quotes and ascribing them to those who never said them gives one a solid foundation on which to argue; however (spoiler alert) it doesn't.
Woke progressive Democrats’ fervent defense of Kilmar Abrego Garcia is a completely and utterly disgraceful betrayal of American voters, revealing their completely and utterly reckless disregard for law and order.
It is repetitive false equivalency to endlessly compare the defense of the rule of law and due process as outlined in the United States Constitution as being the defense of any one single person.
Despite clear evidence of Garcia’s alleged ties to MS-13, the gang that PRESIDENT Trump has designated a terrorist organization, along with accusations of domestic abuse and human smuggling, Democrats have shamelessly championed him as the "wrongly deported Maryland man”..
If the evidence is so dang clear, then it should be a mystery to anyone with two bumping brain cells why any president would flat out ignore the laws outlined (in multiple places) in the Constitution in favor of lawless imprisonment.
Their cynical campaign, amplifies by the Left Wing media, seeks to undermine PRESIDENT Trump’s deportation policies through lawfare and LYING to the American people in a vain attempt to sway public opinion.
When your "deportation policies" include your own admitted accidental deportation of a person and those policies are in direct violation of the laws contained in the United States Constitution coupled with multiple courts including a 9-0 opinion out of the Supreme Court of the United States ordering you to facilitate the rectification of your administration's admitted mistake but you choose to ignore that in favor of trying a person in the court of public opinion rather than obeying orders, I'd say the cynicism is all yours.
But a new CBS News poll exposes the complete and utter FAILURE... AGAIN...
Your love/hate relationship with CBS News and polls is again duly noted. If only you hadn't repetitively discounted ad nauseam the validity of those sources, people might have to consider your points as valid, but you have... so why should they?
MS-13 GangBanger Garcia, far from a “legal resident,” was deported to El Salvador in March 2025, a move Democrats distorted to paint PRESIDENT Trump as heartless.
*laughs* Nope. Trump needs no help in that department. You have simply confused "heartless" with "lawless."
Yet, their poster child’s criminality (MS-13 membership, a 2021 domestic violence complaint, and 2022 human trafficking) undermines their narrative.
Incorrect. The person whom you and your GOP ilk cannot stop yourself from repeatedly trying in the public forum as if it's the equivalent of due process as mandated by the Constitution has never been tried and convicted of any of those charges. On the other hand, the wannabe king who refuses to follow multiple Court orders actually is a convicted felon.
CNN’s Harry Enten noted 56% of American voters support deporting all illegal immigrants, aligning with PRESIDENT Trump’s mandate.
If only you hadn't repeatedly pissed all over CNN as archived herein, people would have to consider your source, but you have... so they don't.
Democrats’ obsession with Garcia over American safety is indefensible, prioritizing political stunts over the will of voters who back Trump’s resolute leadership.
No offense, but the obsession with Garcia seems to be your hangup, as archived herein. Voters against lawless deportation of anyone from all Parties in America who support the rule of law believe that no one man should be able to lawlessly deny due process and become unto himself judge and jury... least of all a convicted felon who has demonstrated in multiple ways that he has no concept whatsoever regarding the rule of law.
This is ya'all's Democrat MS-13 Caucus at work..
If you have to repetitively create fiction in order to make a point, the point you're reinforcing over and over is likely not the one for which you were intending.
Michale
65
Do ya'all REALLY wonder why ya'all lost the 2024 election???
After posting that and similar sentiments over a thousand times as archived, you need never wonder why anyone would consider you a monotonous repetitive troll.
Democrats REALLY need to understand how bad they are getting mauled on their 20% support of protecting Illegal Immigrant Criminals..
Facts to support the statistic? Don't bother; it's invented bullshit.
Your standard operational trolling and repetitive false equivalency confusing protecting criminals with supporting due process as outlined in the U.S. Constitution are again duly noted.
Have you considered the fact that with every one of your posts in support of Donald Trump's lawless deportation in direct violation of the laws in the Constitutional, it's you who is supporting lawlessness? Rhetorical question.
BashiBazouk
66
What a snowflake!
Wait, what!? That's not fair to snowflakes. Trump is ever the quintessential victim. Why do you suppose people such as Trump constantly assume the role of victim?
Since you asked, I'll tell you. ;)
Why would anyone constantly make themselves out to be the victim? It serves as a counterbalance to their feelings of guilt. Constantly proclaiming yourself as victim when obviously you are not is done repeatedly to restore a feeling of innocence. Once you have (again) played the victim card (lather, rinse, repeat ad nauseam), you have restored your own feelings of innocence and freed yourself up to continue your hostile aims. It's notoriously cyclical.
The victim's logic is that they are persecuted and have therefore earned their bad/lawless behavior. Trump and his ilk are the living embodiment of perpetual victimhood. Since they're forever in a state of grievance, they believe they've earned their sense of entitlement to do whatever the hell they want... laws/rules be damned.
When your basic instinct is to just cheat, lie, and disparage, you naturally have need of a cover. Hence, you're the eternal victim being persecuted by the media, the opposing Party, the "deep state," you name it.
That's the basics of the Trumpian-type eternal victimhood and the ridiculous notion that someone is entitled and/or has earned the right to be a dick.
Michale
67
It's not factually accurate..
Exactly right. Poll that. See how many Americans support a person reporting to ICE as they've been doing regularly and then again reporting as ordered and being held incommuncado and then deported.
Poll that.
ICE deported 3 ILLEGAL immigrant criminals.. The illegal immigrant criminals had their children with them and the ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIMINALS made the decision to take their children with them..
Did they? Prove it. Otherwise, the only thing you've proven is your ability to spin a news article in order to fit your invented bullshit.
This is the problem with all the hysterical bullshit that permeates Weigantia in the here in now..
NONE OF IT is factually accurate..
I agree you post repetitive "hysterical bullshit."
Michale
90
Since "Joe" is total fiction, maybe the guy who invented him in order to spin his own political agenda fits his description of Joe because police would obviously never ask a private citizen to investigate "Joe" because it would totally invalidate the entire investigation. Duh.
I decide to take a week off from being online and come back to some craziness on here. Michale is still doing the same crap he's always done, but that isn't a shock to anyone.
One thing that I have come to realize of those who cannot stop lying regardless of the subject matter is this: Any accusations they make should always be read as a confession. Any complaint of how mistreated they are is simply just their being held accountable for their actions.
Of his many posts for this article, I have to say that #64 is almost perfect in showcasing Michale's dishonesty and spin.
Despite clear evidence of Garcia’s alleged ties to MS-13, the gang that PRESIDENT Trump has designated a terrorist organization, along with accusations of domestic abuse and human smuggling, Democrats have shamelessly championed him as the "wrongly deported Maryland man”..
"Despite clear evidence of Garcia's alleged ties to MS-13"??? WTF is this? You have indisputable proof of mere accusations against Garcia, is that what you meant?!?! Or are you using "clear" to mean "see thru" or "invisible"... as in there is NO EVIDENCE tying Garcia to MS-13 whatsoever?
MS-13 was designated a terrorist organization by Trump and not by intelligence agencies that we rely on to identify all other terrorist organizations? Thanks for pointing that out for us... it sounds perfectly normal.
"...along with accusations of domestic abuse and human smuggling"
Accusations of domestic abuse that were never signed by the victim supposedly making the complaint to confirm the accusations? So no ACTUAL accusations of domestic abuse were ever filed is what you are saying. Yet, you still are labeling him as being guilty of abusing his partner.
So why have you accused me of going after your family members when I state that you posted an admission to having incestuous sexual relations with your children online? I did not accuse you of anything that you did not claim to have done. You already posted your confession online. By your standards for Garcia, I wouldn't need to only use your confession against you... I could claim you raped local livestock as well and it would be OK to post.
And Garcia is guilty of "human smuggling" and "human trafficking" based off traffic stop conducted by TN State Patrol??? I know that you were never a police officer, despite your over two and a half decades of claiming that you were one, because you would know that the officer would have no reason to make such a claim unless someone in the vehicle was holding up a sign in one of the windows that said, "HELP, I'M BEING KIDNAPPED" and that was why the van was pulled over! No mention of anyone claiming that they were being held against their wishes in the officer's report. It is also very odd that the TN officer then let the suspected human trafficker go with just a warning about obeying the speed limit and never mentioned a word about NOT SMUGGLING HUMAN BEINGS THRU HIS STATE!!! AMAZING!
And it was not Democrats who first shamelessly championed Garcia as the "wrongly deported Maryland man", it was Trump's own DOJ that acknowledged in court filings that THEY HAD MADE A MISTAKE!!! Whoops!
You just cannot tell the truth when it comes to your God, Donald Jojo Trump! Pitiful. Just pitiful.
Kick [#115]
Great minds think alike, obviously! I started working on that this morning, took a break and didn't bother to refresh the screen when I came back to it...so I got a chuckle at seeing that you'd already covered Michale's #64 posting. It just never ends with him, I guess.
Just wanted to say, "HI!". Talk to ya soon
R
I found [104]:
https://unherd.com/newsroom/to-win-midterms-democrats-must-confront-2024-failures/
quite by accident I should add - I was just casually reading an article, and kinda went, hmm, I think maybe i've seen this before, and sure enough, there it is, presumably fed through some sort of paraphrasing software to avoid a word-for-word comparison. it's the same article though.
go figure. here's [97]:
https://spectator.org/is-wisconsin-judge-hannah-dugan-above-the-law/
[64,93] do seem to be mash-ups from RCP and associated sites, but certainly copy-paraphrased rather than cited to support original opinions.
John on [60],
Do you know if Apple Music, where I occasionally buy old albums, also uses autotune on classic songs?
Digital pitch correction came on the scene around 1998 when its use began as a vocal 'effect' where there was an artistic intention to make the voice sound robotic or like a vox box. Cher's 'Believe' is often referred to as the premiere use of the new technology. Since then, the music industry has worked hard to make digital pitch "correction" the industry standard for reasons that have more to do with the big money game than with anything else.
Fast forward a quarter century and the music industry has been wildly successful in achieving its goal of making all singers sound the same by digitally calibrating their voices to A440Hz standard pitch, equal temperament and removing most or all of what makes a great singer's voice great. Digital pitch correction is, in fact, NOT a vocal effect. Vocal effects are used to enhance a vocal but they do not change the pitch of the voice. Digital pitch correction (manual or auto) actually changes the pitch of what was sung. It makes the voices of great singers sound less great while making the voices of singers who have poor pitch accuracy naturally sound better than they actually are. In other words, it levels the playing field where all singers, great ones and mediocre ones, sound the same.
I could go on for years but, for now, let me just say that when an older album is re-released (re-mastered and remixed) these days, it is more than likely that the vocals will be heavily pitch-calibrated if not outright auto-tuned. The reason given for this sacrilege is that 'they' want to create a more modern sound from an older album that will be more 'in tune' with what younger consumers of music want to hear.
Queen's debut album was recently re-released and uploaded to Queen's official YouTube channel and they heavily pitch corrected Freddie's voice. There ought to be a law against this kind of destruction of one of the greatest voices if not the greatest voice of the seventies and early eighties. If it can be done to Freddie's voice, then no great artist is immune.
When older songs are now officially uploaded anew to YouTube and other digital platforms, they are generally pitch corrected, often heavily so bordering on autotune.
If you would like to learn more about all of this, then you should subscribe to Fil Henley of Wings of Pegasus and his YouTube Channel and take a look at some of his vocal analysis videos. Here is one that still stands out to me as one of the most important analyses he has done: Billy Joel at the Grammys
ListenWhenYouHear
121
Kindly locate your nearest Chief of Police, perform his Miranda, notify he is a proxy and ask what he's willing to proffer in my stead. *grins*
Love you, Russ! :)
nypoet22
122
I found [104]
[link deleted]
Full Disclosure: Yes, sir. It was definitely posted on Real Clear:
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/authors/michael_baharaeen/
I had also found it myself and knew full well that the cut-and-paste spammer was (obviously) still cutting and pasting the work of others and attempting to claim it was his own.
But wait... there's more!
And that's practically everything he's flooding the board with is nicked and copied from other sources. #Pathetic #Plagiarism #OAF (Opinions aren't facts)
nypoet22
123
quite by accident I should add - I was just casually reading an article, and kinda went, hmm, I think maybe i've seen this before, and sure enough, there it is, presumably fed through some sort of paraphrasing software to avoid a word-for-word comparison. it's the same article though.
I admit I found it on purpose... just didn't share the links like I regularly used to do.
Good work. :)
nypoet22
124
go figure. here's [97]:
[link deleted]
Have you discovered the pattern?
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/2025/04/28/is_wisconsin_judge_hannah_dugan_above_the_law_645557.html
nypoet22
125
[64,93] do seem to be mash-ups from RCP and associated sites, but certainly copy-paraphrased rather than cited to support original opinions.
Yes, the pattern is Real Clear! You win a... prize.
Liz from [126]
Thanks so much for the info. I'll take a look at the Billy Joel article when I get some time.
I guess I'll have to look into the status of any albums or songs I come across online these days, to see if they are 'original' to their first release, or have been remixed more recently. Gah, more work for Mother.
Thanks again.
The board spammer's [85] is multiple copied and pasted paragraphs made to look like they are one single quote, but they are actually a cut-and-paste post wherein words from the article are incorrectly mashed into the quote and thereby constitute a misquote:
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/white-house-touts-100-day-illegal-immigration-crackdown-after-biden-unsecured-border-purpose
You are very welcome, John. But, fair warning, you are about to enter a very, very deep rabbit hole of pitch correction and autotune, lip-syncing and 'live' performances that today mean ONLY that the artist is alive on stage and moving around. I attended an Eagles concert a couple of years ago only to learn afterward that Don Henley was probably lip-syncing to pre-recorded vocals - that were pitch-corrected, no less!!! - to at least one their classic songs. See Fil's objective analysis on this: This changes everything
What has been and is happening in the music industry to destroy great singers and their great natural voices (and by natural, I mean unedited by digital pitch correction) all for the sake of the money game and making those voices sound 'modern' is infinitely depressing for anyone who loves authentic music.
If we don't fight back - especially against the retroactive/posthumous digital pitch correction of our favourite artists from decades ago, then we are in real danger of losing not only the great human voices of the singers we have loved for so long to oblivion but the track we are currently on will impede the very emergence of great singers who are naturally pitch accurate (ie. singers who can actually sing!)
@liz,
it's a slippery slope sometimes. sound engineers have been tweaking pitch and other aspects of vocal performances for half a century at least, and the more subtle tweaks really do enhance great performances rather than detracting. I would say it's part of the art of music technology to integrate the different parts in a performance without obtrusion on the character of each part. pitch isn't sacrosanct, the key is using the available tools in moderation.
JL
I mean how else could Neil Young sound so good?