Great Expectations
We are one week away from what may be 2024's one and only Presidential debate. Joe Biden is already in Camp David for an intensive prep that will run for seven days. In all important speech events such as the State of the Union address, we seem to always see & hear the other Biden, more coherent and more focused. Let us just say for whatever the reason, it is likely to happen again in the debate.
Donald Trump on the other hand will not be devoting an entire week to prepping for the debate. The Trump campaign has long insisted that his various media interviews and hours-long rallies serve as preparation for a debate. He will still need to reframe the election about the issues rather than his recent conviction or Jan 6th or the 2020 election. I am sure he learned a lot from the last time the two men debated. It has been a long time since we had a president debating a former President.
The rules were set by CNN and were part of the offer Biden made to Trump for a debate. The mic will be muted for one candidate when the other candidate talks. This will be a plus for Trump since he can no longer muffle Biden before Biden makes a gaff. Those who made the rule did it for Biden. There will also be no audience which might cheer on Trump. The moderators are dyed in the wool Biden democrats. They are sure to place character issues above real issues. In addition to the Biden advantage a coin toss was held to allow the winner to choose either the podium they wanted or to have the last say at the end of the debate. Surprise: Biden won, and he chose to be able to pick his podium, thus Trump will get the final word.
Another ingredient going into the debate is a recent poll showing Biden now with the lead by two points. Some have linked it to the news of an improving economy. Others wonder if it is the predicted reaction to Trump's recent conviction. it just occurred to me that we may be seeing a shy voter being polled. I wonder how many being polled are ashamed to say they are going to vote for "a convicted felon."
The candidates will have to be sharp that night. It will be their chance to talk to the undecided middle. They will have to bring their A game.
What are the chances that both deliver?
In other news:
The SCOTUS ruled in favor of a Texas ex-councilwoman who was thrown in jail in an act of political retaliation. Sylvia Gonzalez and her attorneys at the nonprofit "Institute for Justice" sued Castle Hills Mayor JR Trevino and other officials, alleging they plotted to remove her from office as retaliation for criticizing the city manager, thereby violating her First Amendment rights. (AKA lawfare.)
The California Supreme Court on Thursday took the rare step of removing a measure from the November ballot that would have made it harder to raise taxes. Gov Newsom was against the people having that choice. The California Supreme Court with its democrat super majority agreed with him overruling a petition signed by 1 million people.
President Biden's administration approved the sale of $360 million worth of drones, missiles and other military equipment to Taiwan.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg credited former President Trump on Tuesday for the record number of NATO member countries meeting their contribution requirements.
Hunter Biden informed his business associates in late 2013 that a top Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader allegedly asked him to travel to China to talk about future "business opportunities," according to an email obtained and verified by Fox News Digital.
A Hamas squad commander and sniper who took part in the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel was killed in a strike in northern Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Thursday.
Ahigh-level meeting planned between U.S. and Israeli officials regarding Iran's nuclear program was canceled after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized a lack of U.S. military aid, a source told Fox News, while a White House official pushed back on the claim.
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Good morning.
The breakfast , by American painter William McGregor Paxton (1911).
On June 25, McDonald’s will kick off a marketing campaign and a new $5 meal deal, raising the stakes as US restaurants vie to lure back inflation-weary diners. “We’re committed to winning the value war,” Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s US, said in an interview with Bloomberg News.
Poor Paxton, try as he might he never achieved Vermeer's dance with light. I note the lady in the painting appears ready to dump hubby for the maid ... a wise choice.
I’ll bet that she would look quite fetching in an updated maid’s uniform.
My "Great Expectations" - they don't include someone coming from who knows where to be my benefactor, nor anything else unlikely:
1. The Great Debate - 2 old men attempting to outdo each other's attempts to survive amnesia and dementia.
2. A SCOTUS decision on the banning of TicTok
3. The results of the Nov. 5th election, and if "you know who" doesn't win, a flurry of cries that it was rigged and stolen.
4. The news, that will include the Gazan reporter making sure the world knows how many children Israel killed during the past 24 hours but nothing about how many Hamas militants were killed and their weapons found in schools, hospitals and UN facilities.
5. Maybe more gamers answering my Movie Game than the only one I've received so far.
6. A great lunch today that will include absolutely fresh veggies grown by my wife on her mini-farm.
What the DICKENS else could I expect?
Because of something that just happened, I have to add a 7th Great Expectation:
7. That the Edmonton Oilers beat the Florida Panthers on Monday night to win the Stanley Cup, a rare NHL comeback after having been down 3 games to none.
To love someone against all reason.
Are you trying to tell me something?
You do remember the fate of Pip?
Oh, yes, he ends up with Estella, I now realize what you meant by "against all reason".
Watching the game now - on TV here on a sports channel in China - it's Panthers 2 Oilers 1 at the end of the second period,. COME ON OILERS!!!!
And the Oilers blew the chance of making one of the greatest comebacks in sports history. Tomorrow will be declared a day of mourning in hockey-crazy Canada.
There might be a campaign ad for Biden here
"A Happy Meal in every hand!"
Bit of off topic trivia speaking of happy meals.
Know how people are saying I'm older than google?
Are you older than happy meals? They debuted in June 1979.
How about push button phones? They are older than one would think, they debuted on Nov 18th , 1963.
Things that make you go , shit I'm old ......
One day my daughter asked, “Why do you and mom say dial a number?”
I went to the basement and find an old rotary dial, black phone, she was amazed at how primitive it was.
What’s really weird, is that I’m know the same age as old people.
I am old enough to have had a party line growing up, two long and one short ring was our house
And we always had a dime in out pocket to use the telephone booth in an emergency
I'm old enough to remember when nothing bad happened when people didn't lock their home doors and left their keys in the car.
I'm old enough to know when nobody needed a gun to protect themselves and their family.
Can't we go back to those days?
And who would have believed that one day we could take pictures with our phones?
Those Mercury Dimes and Indian Head Nickels now worth more than ever.
Our parents were lucky to use the movie theatre as a babysitter, without any worry.
You mean because the police were respected and allowed to do their job?
As long as people elect Soros backed DAs, we will need guns to defend ourselves.
I wish they would go back to hamburgers for 99 cents.
I'm older than television.
I don't remember the start of WW2, but I remember when it ended.
I don't want to see this debate any more than I want to see this election. But here we are. Hey, Joe, where's the beef?
No one is forcing you to participate.
I am allowed to participate? Thank you for your permission.
Cocoa puffs much?
You're the one who said you didn't want to see either.
Did you forget?
Character matters — especially with the president of the USA. Do you think Reagan would consider Trump fit for office?
Everything is a conspiracy ... I would think having the last word would be more important than podium.
More should be. But Trump's private citizen conviction is minor compared to his wrongdoings as PotUS.
Neither will be stellar. But there is no way to know who will win the debate ... too many variables and opportunities to fuck up.
I thought Mitt Romney was the go-to guy for a character reference. Joe Biden has been trying to revive Reagan but has botched it up so badly that the thrill is gone.
I want to see climate activists jump on stage and paint the podiums orange. But, unfortunately, the debate will be conducted in a vacuum. People aren't allowed in so we won't see the theater of Palestinians attacking Biden, immigration activists attacking Biden, consumer activists attacking Biden, or climate activists doing what they do best.
All the fearmongering and phony outrage targeting Trump won't change the simple fact that this election will be a referendum on Joe Biden. And that's why Trump is running neck and neck with Biden.
He works too.
And of course you missed the point yet again.
The point is that a president who clearly respected the office of the presidency, such as Reagan, would be appalled at the thought of the nation electing Trump to that office. Rightly so.
Nothing is more appalling than what Biden's presidency has been.
Mitt Romney's (and Ronald Reagan's) Republican Party is gone. Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton cannot hold the center any longer. Only the elderly leadership of the Democratic Party is trying to revive the politics of Reagan and Clinton.
Hakeem Jeffries is an Obama Democrat; not a Clinton Democrat. AOC won't be quoting Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton anytime soon. Joe Biden is presiding over the end of an era and seems oblivious to that fact. Trump has moved on to a new chapter. But Biden can't.
Joe Biden has been digging and it hasn't helped him so far. Bidenomics pushed all the neoliberal buttons - and - pissed off the electorate. At some point it becomes easier to just fill in the hole Biden has dug for himself and move on.
Ronald Reagan is deader than dead. Let him drift off to the dusty tomes of history like Abraham Lincoln. Republicans abandoned quoting Reagan to inspire the base when Paul Ryan was picked for VP candidate. That's when Republicans began turning the page to a new chapter. Believe it or not, Paul Ryan made a Trump Presidency possible.
Speaking of oblivious - that explains magats to a T
What's a neoliberal?
whackjob
(A little birdie tweeted and gave me inspiration. Thanks again.)
Yes, Jeffries and Biden are the modern political descendants today of past mainline leaders like Ronald Reagan, Barry Goldwater and John McCain. Which is why the Bushes and the Cheneys and the Romneys of today are supporting President Biden today!
Good that you know yourself
Heard of the Monroe Doctrine? Still pops into the news cycle occasionally. And the Monroe Doctrine is 201 years old. So, dead Presidents are not universally irrelevant. But some Presidential doctrines become obsolete and irrelevant; that's when the dead President is really, really dead.
Reagan's foreign policy doctrine was 'peace through strength'. Which morphed into 'war is good' after the evil empire of the Soviet Union disintegrated. Right now the Republican Party is divided over the Reagan doctrine; there is Republican opposition to supporting NATO and Ukraine. Democrats have rallied around the Reagan doctrine of 'peace through strength'. Joe Biden has been trying to revive Reagan's doctrine which has only led the United States into another unwinnable quagmire.
Reagan's domestic legacy embraced supply-side economic theories advocated by libertarian and neoliberal academic elite. Bill Clinton led Democrats in appropriating much of Reagan's legacy to claim it as a Democrat legacy. Remember that it was Bill Clinton who reduced the size of the Federal government the most since the end of WWII. Remember it was Bill Clinton who boasted about balancing the Federal budget using public/private partnerships and austerity measures. It was Bill Clinton who gifted the government, the Federal budget, and Federal policy to the financial sector. Clinton and Democrats appropriated and embraced the liberal economic theories of libertarians and neoliberals by repealing Glass-Steagall and adopting PAYGO rules. (Also remember that tax and spend was a very big part of the Reagan legacy.)
The electorate doesn't seem impressed by Biden's and Democrats' efforts to continue the Reagan doctrine or Reagan/Clinton legacy.
You might need a medium to find out.
It is Orwelliian double speak for conservative fascism being a lot better for everyone because they are rich benevolent dictators.
MAGA!
Rewrite history/truth much?
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And he wouldn't be appalled at the election of Biden?
Chapter Project 2025?
True
A neoliberal, as the name tells you, is a new liberal. I realize Democrats refuse to believe it but the Federal Government has been controlled by extreme, far left liberals since the inauguration of Ronald Reagan.
Here is a list of resources for those who need to be spoon fed.
Of course the answers to that question won't mean much to someone who doesn't understand economics and the influence of economics on geopolitics. I doubt that a degree in 'women's studies' or 'African American studies' would provide an adequate foundation for understanding what is a neoliberal.
The typical deflection.
If Reagan were evaluating Biden and Trump in terms of demeanor, character, integrity, presidential presentation, desire to do good for the nation, etc. he would pick Biden hands down. If he were evaluating the two on policies, he would pick Trump hands down.
In terms of demeanor, character, integrity, presidential presentation, desire to do good for the nation, etc. Biden is as good as any of our historical presidents. Trump, in contrast, is a lone outlier by far ... no former PotUS is even close to the failure of demeanor, ... , desire to do good for the nation of Trump.
Good, we have at least that minimal agreement. Do you understand that Biden winning on Nov. 5th will make him a lame duck President on Nov. 6th?
Democrats only need Joe Biden to stop a second term for Donald Trump. Biden won't be relevant on Nov. 6th because a win means he can't stop Trump in 2028 and a loss means there's no more need to stop Trump.
The Federal deficit and debt have become so large they can't be ignored. Deficits really do matter again. Both Republicans and Democrats will be pushing for austerity measures; they're gonna take Biden's credit card. Here's the kicker, Democrats' austerity measures have always hinged upon cutting defense spending to protect social spending. And now more Republicans would agree. Most of Biden's first term will likely be dismantled before his second term can end.
Except Buchanon, Andrew Johnson, John Tyler, Harrison, Zack Tyler, Harding
and who can forget or forgive Herbert Hoover?
Yet it's a million times better than the trump regimes epic fail.
Your usual projection and delusion.
+ignorance and arrogance and nuttier than a fruitcake
What makes you think I'll check out your cuckoo for cocoa puffs whack job nonsense?
But which is more important to the electorate? Do people choose based on character or on the performance of past policies?
As I said a year ago, this election was going to be very different from 2020 because Biden was going to have to run on his policies vs the policies from the Trump admin. They both have a record now and I still believe that the majority of people will vote based on their kitchen table issues.
Agree. The people that voted for Trump the last time around knew what they were getting in terms of assholery. Little has changed since then. Maybe Jan 6th and Stormy will change some votors, time will tell. Biden on the other hand now has a record to go on and the move to the left from the centrist he promised us. That along with his constantly blaming Republicans, Maga, Super MAGA, Ultimate MAGA and Super Duper Maga we know where he stands on uniting the nation. Independents and dems with buyers remorse and people that think Trump has finally crossed the line of being able to vote for him will determine the election. It seems the more Joe messes up and the more he shows he can't hold onto a coherent thought the more people are turning to the bad orange man.
The electorate should consider both. And during the primary, character, demeanor, etc. should have been the top concern. Many individuals can enact GOP-favorable policies so it was important to select a nominee with good personal qualities rather than a vindictive, narcissistic, scoundrel who is the only PotUS in our history to attempt to steal a presidential election through fraud, coercion, lying, and incitement.
Now that we are past the primary, my position is that Trump is unacceptable under any circumstances. Biden is undesirable but he is tolerable. Trump is well past the line of unfit.
Which brings up the notion of what the electorate believes. This is more perception than factual (unfortunately). Trump got a lot of credit because the economy was good. He got lucky (just like Clinton got lucky). And that luck continues because the economy is what most people hold as Trump's main superpower. This is beyond naive, but it seems to be a common perception.
What were the Trump regime's epic fails? I realize the bothsiderism easily rolls off the tongue but where's the beef in that comparison?
Did Trump lose a 20 year war? Did Trump revive the Cold War and create a European energy recession? Did Trump try to negotiate with Palestinian terrorists? Did Trump overheat the domestic economy and cause runaway inflation that turned into stagflation? Did a recused Jeff Sessions use the DOJ to persecute Trump's political opponents? Did Trump have a Congress that wanted him to negotiate and provide leadership? Was there any bipartisan support for Trump's agenda like there has been for Biden's agenda? Trump blasted his party and exerted control over his party while President; has Biden done the same?
I'll betcha both Republicans AND Democrats can agree on a list of the Biden reigme's epic fails. So, what the Trump regime's epic fails? Here's your chance.
[✘]
What wrongdoings are you referring to? He was a lot better president than Biden could ever be.
Where were you 1/6?
Top Secret/Classified documents - obstruction of justice
Georgia
Traitor
Faux obtuseness does not make for a good response.
“Faux obtuseness…”
Nothing faux about it, just being a foe seems sufficient…
In what way(s)?
Do tell.
Question is where were you for the Summer of Love Riots? Remember Chaz; remember the destruction and defacing of monuments across the US- including DC; remember the assaults on local, state, and federal officers; remember the assaults on individuals across the US; the blocked traffic; Democrats kneeling and kowtowing to their rampant violent domestic terrorists; Democrats working to make sure those self same terrorists had bail money and their legal representation was paid for?
You mean the same damn thing that Biden did? Except he held his for far, far, far longer than Trump. Unfortunately the FBI/DOJ had no interest in raiding his homes, offices, and university buildings. Public sentiment had to beat Garland and Wray into submission- and when they finally dispatched an FBI team to Biden's residences (under the watchful eye of Biden lawyers) they found even more classified documents. Biden also willingly and knowingly shared classified information with his ghost author that destroyed classified material and evidence. Just because Hur didn't want to be Durhamed by a Democrat appointed federal judge and deal with a jury from a Democrat controlled bastion of stupidity- doesn't mean Garland couldn't still have prosecuted. But Garland is first and foremost a corrupt partisan POS.
Try shit out of luck; as the DA there is fighting for her political life after defrauding taxpayers by hiring her lover (who wasn't even qualified or versed in Georgia law). Guess running on just "getting Trump" to get elected; doesn't remove the need to follow the damn law for some very low intelligent Democrats.
Biden, Hunter, Joe's brother, Garland, Wray, and Blinken are traitors; but you are still going to vote for Biden anyways.
Traitor trump has been convicted of 34 felonies and you're going to vote for him anyways.
You mean 34 misdemeanor charges that were filed after that statute of limitations expired? And didn't the SCOTUS recently rule a jury must come to a unanimous decision for a conviction?
Never in a million years.
Do you think Reagan would consider Biden fit for office?
They now know which podium to have the answers to all of the questions on. They will be just under the first sheet of the supposedly blank note pad on Biden's podium.
Anyone willing to still vote for Biden has no room to talk. Just because Garland is running the most corrupt and partisan DOJ in US history and refuses to prosecute Democrats; much the less Biden. Before you try to bring up Hunter- they offered him a plea deal no one else would ever get from the DOJ. Only a Trump appointed judge caught it when she read it; and an embarrassed Weiss was forced to change his tune and state the plea deal would not grant Hunter immunity from future investigations and charges. Funny how Hunter's defense team sure as hell thought it would. Hunter chose to go to court since it was in Delaware- otherwise known as "Biden country". They were hoping to get a sympathetic TDS driven jury. Instead they overplayed their hand by having Jill and other family members sitting in attendance every day- and the jury balked. Now Biden will have to pardon Hunter after the election- he has nothing to fear win or lose by doing so.
Two TDS driven mighty mental midget hosts from CNN will do everything in their power to coach Biden through the debate. Even if they have to cut Trump off and never let him get a word out edge wise.
And of course you deflect too.
Read before posting:
In your completely biased over the top anti Trump opinion.
The fact you still can't admit Biden is guilty of everything Democrats are trying to pin on Trump tells the whole story.
You condone what the Democrats have done to this country over the last eight years and counting.
You are entitled to your narrow opinion; but that doesn't mean I have to agree to it.
Nor would Reagan.
The fact that you perceive my assessment of Trump based on his being the only PotUS in our history to attempt to steal a presidential election through fraud, coercion, lying, and incitement as "over the top" illustrates how far your perception varies from reality.
You (given what you just wrote) invent shit on a social media forum regardless of what has been written.
Would Reagan approve of Trump as a candidate for the presidency?
Don't be too hard on him, TiG. His comments are improving - they no longer call Biden "Brandon"
Good point.
Can anyone say for sure what the answer is? Can anyone say for sure that given the choice Reagan would vote for Biden?
Probably not based on his age. But it is extremely doubtful that he would disapprove of Biden in terms of demeanor, character, integrity, presidential presentation, desire to do good for the nation, etc. JFK likely would, as I suspect would every other historical PotUS, be appalled that the nation is even considering a person like Trump on those same terms.
For reference:
There is nothing in life on which one can be 100% certain. 100% certainty only exists in formal systems such as arithmetic where all rules are known.
But one can apply a little common sense and historical knowledge to conclude with confidence that Reagan would be appalled that his GOP would nominate a scoundrel like Trump.
This has been explained to you many times now.
We are in an election year. The two likely nominees are Trump and Biden. The comparisons are inevitable. Especially when discussing politics.
Yep. My guess would be Reagan would say "Trump is an asshole and I don't want to vote for him but that Joe, that Joe is a disaster waiting to happen. No, Joe is a disaster that is already happening, I need to vote him out. Nancy, I need to get nose plugs before I vote, this one is a real stinker"
We are in an election year. The two likely nominees are Trump and Biden. The comparisons are inevitable. Especially when discussing politics.
Do the math.
Many people feel that way. I felt that way when Trump went after McCain in 2015 or 2016 comment. I could not believe he became the nominee. But that was then and this is now. Reagan may very well think Trump is an asshat, but would that translate into him supporting Biden for president?
Seems that way at times. Talking about Biden without mentioning Trump is off limits but I have seen plenty of times when people trashing Trump say nothing about Biden and that seems to be OK. Then it becomes both siderism or some other such nonsense
Reagan would not support Biden (i.e. endorse Biden, contribute to his campaign, etc.) because Biden is a D. Would he privately vote for Biden to help ensure Trump does not become PotUS? Too many factors are involved so I would not even speculate.
I could see Reagan publicly opining in a manner similar to Romney's. I can see Reagan making very harsh comments in private along the lines of 'that guy should never be let near the presidency'. But the political calculations he might make are not predictable.
You know that most Trump supporters will trash Biden in defense of Trump and most Biden supporters will trash Trump in defense of Biden. Dishonest whining is pointless.
Better to make thoughtful comments like 5.4.19
Just like millions of others that might end up voting for Trump while holding their noses
One of the two will be elected in 2024. Barring some extreme event (e.g. debilitating illness, death, ...) the next PotUS will be Trump or Biden.
If you do not see them as equivalent then vote for the one you feel is best for the nation. No matter what you do or not do, one of those two will be PotUS so deal with that reality: "one or the other asshole" WILL BE reelected.
Even at times the subject changes in the middle. It seems frowned upon if you say "Biden has a non existent border policy" without saying " but Trump yada yada yada Jan 6th, yada yada, Stormy yada yada"
It seems if the comment can not be refuted the go to is to deflect to the other guy. It is an oft used and obvious tactic that makes discussion of only one candidate regarding a particular issue almost impossible.
There is a "we won" mentality in politics at this time. It matters little who you put in, the only important thing is the other guy was not put in.
I was being hopeful, going to church in a little. Almost impossible, not worth the effort to find out.
You again missed the point entirely.
You wrote:
I quoted that and responded with:
In short, one of the two will be elected no matter what any voter does. There is, in practical terms, no "sure-fire way" for voters to make this happen or to prevent it from happening in 2024. You can hope for a miracle that voters will extemporaneously rally around Haley (or whomever) and vote her in, but that is beyond irrational.
The best people don't want to go through the shit to get there.
So was that a yes or no?
No, I don't think Reagan would consider Biden fit for office.
His policies are a complete and utter disaster.
That alone makes him unfit.
Biden is also guilty of everything Democrats are trying to pin on Trump. The only reason he isn't being charge is the highly partisan and corrupt DOJ/FBI lead by Garland and Wray. Yet the left still acts like Biden is a saint.
I'm sure that Ronald Reagan would have found Donald Trump, along with many other modern politicians, concerning. Reagan would have been far more concerned to discover that the same radical elements that he once needed to send the California National Guard after, were now controlling the federal government.
Everything is a conspiracy
Not necessarily. It was after all Donald Trump who agreed to it all (any time, any place and under any conditions)
But Trump's private citizen conviction is minor compared to his wrongdoings as PotUS.
Securing the border, protecting the American people and raising living standards for all Americans. That is going to be a tough hand to beat.
too many variables and opportunities to fuck up.
That is for sure
I was being sarcastic. There is no conspiracy here.
You give Trump far too much credit. He would authorize work to continue building walls on the border and that would serve as one measure of protecting the nation. He does not have the power nor the brains to raise living standards for all Americans.
Too bad Reagan is not alive to give you and others who would vote for a traitor and a scoundrel who cares only for himself some good old fashioned GOP perspective.