From Pine View Farm

Political Theatre category archive

Swamp Song 0

Via Juanita Jean.

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All the News that Fits 0

Thom recalls being told outright by a broadcasting exec, “We don’t carry liberals.”

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The Implodatron 0

Image of White House in wreckage as Donald Trump tweets,


Click for the original image.
Via Job’s Anger.

Link fixed.

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. . . as Amended 0

Image of the Cconstitution with

Via Job’s Anger.

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Da Mooch 0

Well, that didn’t take long.

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Running the Numbers 0

There’s no delusion like self-delusion.

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Putting the “Fun” in Dysfunction 0

Man says, series of speech balloons,


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Raising the Tone 0

Donald Trump with arms around Scarmucici's shoulders saying,

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Sanctifying Stupid 0

Warning: Language.

Aside:

Paul said, “Faith is the evidence of things unseen.”

He did not say that it is the disproof of things seen.

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“Not Political Footballs” 0

In the far western corner of Virginia, there is an annual event called the Remote Area Medical Expedition at Wise. Doctors, dentists, nurses, and many other volunteer their time to treat persons who otherwise have no access to health care.

In The Roanoke Times, Dr. Ralph Northam, current Virginia Lieutenant Governor, writes eloquently of his experience there this year. Here’s a bit:

Both federal and state policymakers should also not lose sight of the enormous stress this (Trumpcare–ed.) debate is putting on millions of Virginians. A woman I met at Wise underscored this to me after I diagnosed her daughter.

She was scared, but not about her plan for treatment. She was scared her daughter would be unable to get health insurance because she now had a pre-existing condition. This is a mother and child. These are our friends, our neighbors. They are not political footballs.

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A Worst Class Scout 0

Jack Ohman preview the new Donald Trump Memorial Edition Boy Scout Handbook.

View the video at its original location.

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Political Hacks 0

El Reg reports on how easy it is to hack American voting machines. A snippet:

This year at the DEF CON hacking conference in Las Vegas, 30 computer-powered ballot boxes used in American elections were set up in a simulated national White House race – and hackers got to work physically breaking the gear open to find out what was hidden inside.

In less than 90 minutes, the first cracks in the systems’ defenses started appearing, revealing an embarrassing low level of security. Then one was hacked wirelessly.

“Without question, our voting systems are weak and susceptible. Thanks to the contributions of the hacker community today, we’ve uncovered even more about exactly how,” said Jake Braun, who sold DEF CON founder Jeff Moss on the idea earlier this year.

I do not think that the manufacturers are consciously enabling easy hacking. Rather time and again experience has demonstrated that, in manufacturing, security is often an afterthought. For example.

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Symptomology 0

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Colludal Suspension 0

Title:  Secret Photo of Donnie Jr.'s Meeting with the Russian.  Image:  Picture lampooning Donald Truupm, Jr.'s, collusion, including images of Boris Badenov and Natasha Fatale.

The one ray of hope is this: These persons, however malignant they may be and certainly are, however protected they have been by their (illusion of) wealth, are truly and fundamentally stupid.

Via Job’s Anger.

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The Week That Was . . . . 0

c

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Loyalty Oafs 0

At Above the Law, James Goodnow contrasts Donald Trump’s conception of loyalty with ethical lawyers’ (no, that is not an oxymoron) loyalty to their clients. It’s an interesting take on the concept of loyalty and worth the three minutes it takes to read.

Here’s a bit:

There appear to be only two things that can secure one’s place in the Trump administration. The first option, and by far the best if you can swing it, is to be related to him. Trump’s family members seem to be largely immune to Trump’s ups and downs. If you can’t get an invitation to Thanksgiving dinner at Mar-a-Lago, the only other sure bet seems to be blind, unquestioning loyalty to whatever version of reality the president is pitching on a given day. Scaramucci, Kellyanne Conway, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, and Stephen Miller are the four horsemen of the fact-pocalypse, seemingly willing to commit to anything and everything that serves the interests of the commander-in-chief, and equally willing to fall on their swords when Trump changes his mind a day or two later. All four are, in Trump’s view of the world, loyal.

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So Much Winning 0

Dick Polman looks back over this week in the Trumpling. A snippet:

The death of the (ACA–ed.) repeal crusade — thanks to Republican dissenters Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, and John McCain (at this point, what can Trump do to him?) — marks a great day for America. McCain, casting the pivotal No and atoning for his tendency to talk rebellion and vote tribally, did a big favor for the many Republicans colleagues who hated Mitch McConnell’s craven repeal manuevers but hesitated about voting No. The big lesson last night is that the Republican Senate doesn’t fear or respect Trump; in the end, it opted to humiliate him.

Indeed, humiliation turns out to be the theme of the week. Finally, we’re starting to see some pushback, on virtually all fronts . . . .

Follow the link for his list of fronts.

By the by, I must admit that I am pleasantly surprised the John McCain finally did something McMavericky. It’s been a long time coming.

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The Days of Whine and Poses 0

Donald Trump holding smartphone saying,

Via Juanita Jean.

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“Trump’d” 0

Jackie covers stories you may have missed.

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Divining Rod 0

In a remarkable and perceptive post, Josh Marshall struggles with Donald Trump’s fatal attraction. A snippet:

What is difficult to understand, what requires some explanation is the way Trump is able to destroy those around him. Not once or twice but again and again, repeatedly, in a pattern so consistent that it becomes more inexplicable over time as new victims appear insensible to the unmistakeable pattern they have seen unfold along with us.

This may be unremarkable with the toadies and acolytes. But Trump is able to take people of some apparent substance and attainment and destroy them as well. The key though is that he doesn’t destroy them. In his orbit, under some kind of spell, he makes them destroy themselves. It is always a self-destruction. He’s like a black hole. But for this there’s no ready explanation. Because what is the power? The force?

Follow the link for his answer.

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