The Republican-controlled US Senate advanced president Donald Trump’s sweeping tax-cut and spending bill in a key procedural vote late on Saturday, raising the odds that lawmakers will be able to pass his “big, beautiful bill” in the coming days.
The measure, Trump’s top legislative goal, passed its first procedural hurdle in a 51 to 49 vote, with two Republican senators voting against it.
The result came after several hours of negotiation as Republican leaders and vice president JD Vance sought to persuade last-minute holdouts in a series of closed-door negotiations.
The procedural vote, which would start debate on the 940-page megabill to fund Trump’s top immigration, border, tax-cut and military priorities, began after hours of delay.
It then remained open for more than three hours of standstill as three Republican senators – Thom Tillis, Ron Johnson and Rand Paul – joined Democrats to oppose the legislation. Three others – Senators Rick Scott, Mike Lee and Cynthia Lummis – negotiated with Republican leaders into the night in hopes of securing bigger spending cuts.
In the end, Wisconsin Senator Johnson flipped his no vote to yes, leaving only Paul and Tillis opposed among Republicans.
Trump on social media hailed the “great victory” for his “great, big, beautiful bill.”
The megabill would extend the 2017 tax cuts that were Trump’s main legislative achievement during his first term as president, cut other taxes and boost spending on the military and border security.
But the controversial bill has caused division, with Elon Musk, the billionaire Trump donor again coming out in strong opposition to the House version of the bill, denouncing the Senate draft on his social media platform, X, on Saturday.
“The latest Senate draft bill will destroy millions of jobs in America and cause immense strategic harm to our country!” Musk wrote above a comment from a green energy expert who pointed out that the bill raises taxes on new wind and solar projects.
“Utterly insane and destructive,” Musk added. “It gives handouts to industries of the past while severely damaging industries of the future.”
[…]
The nonpartisan congressional budget office has said that under the House-passed version of the bill, some 10.9 million more people would go without healthcare and at least 3 million fewer would qualify for food aid. The CBO has not yet publicly assessed the Senate draft, which proposes steeper reductions. Top income-earners would see about a $12,000 tax cut under the House bill, while the package would cost the poorest Americans $1,600, the CBO said.
Attribution: Big beautiful bill by John Darkow, Columbia Missourian
now immersed in Hiaasen’s latest perfect summer reading (if you don’t mind being confronted with disgusting rightwing nutballs and a bit of raunch here and there) touted by amazon as follows:
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the bestselling author of Squeeze Me comes a wildly entertaining Florida caper—a razor-sharp send-up of modern American life, packed with misfits and mayhem.
“No satirist arrived at our dystopian moment better prepared than Carl Hiaasen.” —Slate
“[Carl Hiaasen’s] reality with a side of escapism is a blessing for our fragile minds at this time.” —Samantha Irby in The Atlantic
Welcome to Fever Beach, where the sun blazes, the politics are unhinged, and the characters are as volatile as a summer storm.
[…]
… uncover a tangle of corruption and conspiracy led by a plastic-surgery-loving billionaire couple and a clueless congressman with delusions of grandeur.
[…said congressman IMO seems to be a caricature of a certain former GOPer rep from nw FL…]
In his most outrageous and deliciously funny novel yet, Hiaasen delivers a gleefully chaotic portrait of contemporary madness.
Thank you, Jack
Lovely selection. Saint-Saens is so melodic
“It is not generally realized that he was the most remarkable child prodigy in history, and that includes Mozart.”
The “Elton John” of his era?
Or the Liszt…. As in “Liszt-o-Mania”.
During the Dreyfus affair when anti-Semitism was rife among opponents of Alfred Dreyfus, it was rumoured that Saint-Saëns, who had contributed money for Dreyfus’s defence, was really surnamed “Kahn”. Indeed, some early 20th-century music historians such as Gdal Saleski reported that Saint-Saëns was of partial Jewish origin. In fact Saint-Saëns had no Jewish ancestry, which did not stop the Nazis from banning his music during their regime in Germany.
Several hours of my life wasted trying to get the troubleshooting tools to load and still not run. Oh how Verizon has failed. Still without internet. Phone service is limited.
I know being retired gives me more time to let the television run, but that now means I actually see commercials. Over the air is nothing like what it was twenty years ago. I am catching up on shows I missed in the eighties. Not being a tv watcher probably saved my sanity. Being old I will now mush my brain.
The reason I am wat hing is I sprained my knee and am leg up and rest. No internet so my other option for entertainment is the idiot box.
This is painfully created on cell phone.
Aww, Blue Bronc. We miss you. Get well and get all fixed up real soon.
The remaining rock is not stable, just like him.
[Dodo]…has made no secret of his fondness for Mount Rushmore and his desire to join its rock-star lineup.
Hang in there BlueBronc. I’ve been there, ESPECIALLY with Verizon. I’ve found it works great until you make any change, no matter how small, and everything falls apart for two weeks.
That would be an idiot among giants.
Memes Of The Week in 30 seconds. Aliens, Take Me Please
Star witness against Kilmar Abrego García was due to be deported. Now he’s being freed.
Jose Ramon Hernandez Reyes is a three-time felon who has been released early from federal prison to a halfway house in exchange for his cooperation in the case.
By Maria Sacchetti
The Trump administration has agreed to release from prison a three-time felon who drunkenly fired shots in a Texas community and spare him from deportation in exchange for his cooperation in the federal prosecution of Kilmar Abrego García, according to a review of court records and official testimony.
Jose Ramon Hernandez Reyes, 38, has been convicted of smuggling migrants and illegally reentering the United States after having been deported. He also pleaded guilty to “deadly conduct” in the Texas incident, and is now the government’s star witness in its case against Abrego.
The government illegally deported Abrego to a notorious megaprison in El Salvador in March, and stonewalled for weeks after the Supreme Court ordered the Trump administration to facilitate his return to the United States. Officials flew the Maryland resident back into the country this month, but only after a grand jury had indicted him on charges of migrant smuggling, in part because of Hernandez’s testimony.
…
So instead of going after the criminals among undocumented immigrants, the Blondi DOJ is freeing them to go after face saving bullshit.
[…]
While informants are an important investigative tool for the government, the information they provide is infamously unreliable. Innocent people spend decades incarcerated for crimes they did not commit. Many have spent years on death row awaiting an opportunity to prove their innocence and secure their freedom. False informant testimony is a leading cause of wrongful convictions.
Rewarding informants for acting as a witness for the government may seem like common sense, but time and again, this technique has led to drastic consequences that call into question the very integrity of the justice system. Because of the plethora of wrongful convictions and government misconduct, there are calls to make the use of “incentivized witnesses” more transparent as well as create a process for meaningfully validating information offered by an informant — who, if we consider the circumstances, has every reason to game the system.
[…]
What Is an Incentivized Witness?
An incentivized witness is someone who testifies on behalf of the government against another person or group in exchange for an expected benefit. This benefit may include favorable treatment in the person’s own criminal case, money, or other goods or consideration. This, however, does not include citizens who come forward on their own with information about a crime, even if for a reward. These people are known as “good Samaritans.” We are not talking about good Samaritans when it comes to incentivized witnesses.
[continues]
BB, until Verizon does its thing, is there any way you can use voice to text on that cell phone of yours and save overworking your finger/thumb and patience?
Speaking of taking me away…
If you believe in UFOs or ESP or even general sense that there is a God who will respond to your prayers, you’re far more likely to believe in conspiracy theories than not. Sort of across the board. And what we also found was that people who believed in conspiracy theories were also more likely to believe in a host of other kinds of things.
America’s political divide is psychological, not ideological
Political scientist J. Eric Oliver on how ‘intuitionism’ is rebelling against ‘rationalism’
The pendulum swings. Rationalism was invented to remedy Dark Ages’ hocus-pocus.
It didn’t work.
It’s like as if every now and then the dark ages decides to come down on us for a decade or two.
gop voters…..that’s some Dark Ages shit right there.
it’s just that Americans are incredibly intellectually lazy is the problem.
it was the football
oh, and the American phenomenon where if somebody is wrong about something they get mad at you for them being wrong
Conspiracy theories exist because people conspire, it is human nature. We know there are groups of people who make major decisions that affect our lives. The Trump White House is one big conspiracy, but so too was the Obama White House.
Most “conspiracy theories” are attempts to read the tea leaves and make sense of the world around us. Given our limited knowledge of the world, it is no wonder that most of our theories are wrong.
Just a thought.
BTW, what “true” theories do you have that just might be batshit crazy?
Jack
The Trump White House is one big conspiracy, but so too was the Obama White House.
false equivalence
and not directly in response to your comment, but in general, the phrase “conspiracy theory” is broadly misused as you rightly note, “conspiracy” implies one or more people planning something, 1 billion monkeys making dumb assertions off of the top of their heads online does not always equal a conspiracy theory
The American crisis in one word is “ego”
it must be noted in these types of discussions that companies like “Meta” in particular, and certainly YouTube, which is a Google property, exploit human psychological vulnerabilities with the use of algorithms to push salacious content that leads to increased engagement and ad-revenue
so yes, people are dumber than they used to be because Big Tech is enabling it
listen, Kamala obviously isn’t the leader we were all hoping she would be that not withstanding we needed responsible stewardship into this next phase of societal reality, not Trump handing the keys to the kingdom to that sector’s worst actors
Booth writes in his introduction, “Although this book can be read just as a record of the absurd things people have believed, an epic phantasmagoria, a cacophony of irrational experiences, I hope that by the end some readers will hear some harmonies and perhaps also sense a slight philosophical undertow, which is the suggestion that it may be true.”
Senator Tillis (NC) is not seeking reelection, so he’s going against Taco Don. NC Dems, get ready.
It not false equivalence, You just don’t agree with the decisions of one set of conspirators and you do with the other. But your beliefs are irrelevant to the fact that both were conspiring to change the world toward their shared vision of where it should be. Maybe you agree with that vision, maybe you don’t but the mechanics and the process of both, are the same. It may be, in your world, one side is filled with patriots and the other “evil conspirators”. But in reality, they both conspire to create their vision.
Jack
“conspiracy” implies criminality and is not synonymous with “cooperation” and the Obama administration was not overtly corrupt and antagonistic to the Constitution and core institutions like trumpco is, false equivalence
people believe a lot of dumb bullshit now and it’s not a sign of benevolent objectivity to entertain nonsense
There are real world health consequences to people not getting vaccinated, for example
erosion of due process rights for non-citizens leads to the erosion of them for citizens, which is exemplified by US citizens being kidnapped by ICE in the last month
and Obama didn’t run crypto scams, sell Chinese phones and counterfeit guitars, and sell energy policy to the oil companies for $1 billion on camera, and shake down media companies for compliance and payouts, and sic domestic terrorists on serving politicians leading to their murders and attacks by hammers…
false equivalence
Obama also didn’t bomb Iran and then offer to pay to reconstitute the program he just claimed to destroy.
i’ll meet you halfway and agree that Obama‘s political ascendance was partly a phenomenon of “cult of personality”, luckily he wasn’t the evil charlatan that Trump is, but if you were to assert that Obama’s rise was a contributing factor to the political environment that gave us Trump, I might even agree with that also, but that’s a different discussion
and in defense of Obama Dems, of which I was not one by the way, it seems like cult of personality is the only way to get elected in this country, Obama’s nomination is one time Democrats did something right politically
it’s funny, Jack. I might’ve been slightly over critical of Obama during the administration, but I wasn’t deliberately trying to undermine his presidency. I was trying to engage in that civic duty of holding one’s government accountable and for all of my criticisms, a week into trump-hell version1, I was like “can we please go back to Obama?”
I suppose the Obama administration was too liberal for middle America if “too liberal” means believing people of color and gays are deserving of dignity and legal protection, I will make that concession also 🤷♂️
oh, and that every American deserves some kind of healthcare access, for some reason that concept really offends rich people, explain that psychology for me that’s a mystery I have
Yes, I get it, you agree with the Obama conspiracy but not Trump. But 50% of the people out there think you are wrong. so far your ranting hasn’t changed any minds. That I can tell.
What is the old saw about “doing the same thing and expecting different results”.
Whatever our squabbles, I thought it was sweet that you voted for Kamala and encouraged your family to also, so thank you ❤️
what “true” theories do you have that just might be batshit crazy?
Hillary was right about the vast right-wing conspiracy.
It’s too bad the interview she gave to Matt Lauer that morning was misconstrued and lied about by a vast number of right-wing conspirators.
50% of the people out there think you are wrong
That’s how I know I’m right 😊
conservatives wanna put 2025 reality into a 18th century legal box and it’s just not gonna fit Jack. It’s just not gonna fit! now I am ranting! 😜
and to be clear and not facetious what I mean by that is, it’s hard to rectify a document created by people who believed Black people equated to 3/5 of a citizen and that women shouldn’t have the right to vote with a global society over 200 years later that almost universally rejects that but the way the Supreme Court is enabling Trump is rooted in that logic and whatever term they’re calling it this week I don’t know… “strict originalism”. “original intent”, “historical traditions”, so if that is the argument you are making I will agree with that too 😊
OK, I got a little facetious sorry
listen, Democrats are nerds, and the bully came and punched them in the face and took their ball and they still don’t know what to do because they are nerds
The bully is not giving back the ball
The bully will pop that ball before he’d give it back
“erosion of due process rights for non-citizens leads to the erosion of them for citizens, which is exemplified by US citizens being kidnapped by ICE in the last month”-anon
In the remaining states, Trump’s order can go into effect 30 days after Friday’s ruling, pending any further legal action. That order limits birthright citizenship to those who are U.S. citizens or in the country with legal permanent residency, excluding those on visitor and temporary visas, as well as undocumented immigrants.
*I was born here, as were generations before of my family. But I’m in one of those states, so is my birth certificate any good?
We now have different rules for different states. Was the Civil War just litigated and did the Confederates just win? Are we still the “United”States of America?
Anon
Conspiracy is what the outsiders do, at least according to the insiders. Insiders cooperate, outsiders conspire. But it is the same thing. And many times with the same legality.
BTW, Trump and the Republicans aren’t the only hucksters after your money, donating through Act Blue opens you up to a different group of hucksters. The local failed governor candidate teamed up with a couple of Democratic aids to form a group to reach out and educate people on how to organize. A good idea IMO. The problem, when I researched them, they didn’t even know how to put up a basic web site. I emailed them pointing this out and their reply demonstrated their cluelessness. They didn’t even understand how cheap and easy it is to look professional these days. IMO they bought a mailing list from Act Blue and are trying to get in on the gravy train.
Jack
The only mensch among the oligarchials.
“Nothing extraordinary has occurred at Berkshire; a very long runway, simple and generally sound decisions, the American tailwind and compounding effects produced my current wealth,” Buffett said in a statement. “My will provides that about 99½% of my estate is destined for philanthropic usage.”
if you want me to lose an argument, make me defend entrenched Democrats
there is some hip young talent, and they are being frozen out by impotent navel-gazers
so I will make this admonition to my fellow hyper liberals: if Gavin Newsom becomes some kind of legitimate contender, don’t undermine him with the premise that Democrats can do better because no they can’t
God is coming down with a whole new set of tablets.
Gavin Newsome recently pass a critical leadership test with the LA disturbances, not that that means he is qualified. Rudy Giuliani did much the same on 911 and look at him now. But he did look like a leader.
Jack
I was being aspirational. There ain’t gonna be no 2028 presidential election, if there is it’ll be a Russian style one.
they’ve broken so many laws in six months, Imagine how long the list will be in 2028. Once again, they can’t afford to give up power.
Just did trailer for my next long video
Lazy Man’s ribs drop Thursday just in time for July 4.
The secrets are so scandalous the Barbecue Grill snobs will call 911.
But the cops? They’ll want seconds.
🔥 Preview the madness
Another musical prodigy. Facing adversity.
🪙 Plain Thoughts: Stealing Upward Since Forever
i am watching “the Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry” starting Jim Broadbent and Penelope Wilton on Prime, about an unhappily married old man walking across England to see his unrequited past love in hospice. It’s as sweet as you’d expect a Jim Broadbent movie to be, despite the premise 👍
Strike One:
First, a top official with the United Nations’s nuclear watchdog told CBS News that Iran’s production capabilities would be able to enrich weapons-grade uranium within a few months, in the event Iran’s government orders production of a nuclear-tipped missile.
Strike Two:
Then, The Washington Post revealed that U.S. intelligence sources intercepted a call between top Iranian officials commenting on the strikes and describing them as less destructive than Tehran was expecting.
Craig – I really like the TMix clips or reels or whatever the kids are calling them.
The Senate’s rewritten domestic policy bill faces new hurdles after the parliamentarian advised senators Sunday that several provisions violate the chamber’s strict rules for budget reconciliation bills.
Two provisions added to the bill just days ago — and tailored specifically to boost Medicaid payments to Alaska and Hawaii — have been ruled to violate the Senate’s Byrd rule. That limits what can pass through the reconciliation process with a simple majority.
GOP leaders had hoped the Medicaid provisions focused on non-contiguous states, along with other Alaska-friendly changes, would be enough to win the vote of Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). She had voiced concerns over deep cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The parliamentarian also ruled against provisions that sought to block implementation of two Biden-era regulations that seek to make it easier for older adults and individuals with disabilities to enroll in Medicaid and maintain coverage.
*So, certain states can’t get a carve out on Medicaid cuts. They come for us all. Will that get Murkowsi to vote NO? Susan Collins said she might vote NO, but we know how Collins operates. It’ll be a YES.
Senator Tillis from NC really went off on the bill. He should re-enlist; no reason Adolf should think he has power over everything. (Apparently, this means they are still planning to have elections, if they are threatening to primary Repugz.) Too bad Yertle doesn’t seem to be having a political deathbed conversion. What’s he got to lose by standing up for folks in Kentucky? Just an awful, miserable being.
Did they put fencing up around the Treasury building to keep peasants out? It’s the upper-crust who are thieving weasels.
If Dodo can’t obliterate Iran’s nuclear program, maybe he can’t obliterate our democracy either.
No Senate vote tonight. I only expected the Dems to use their 10 hours of debate times, but the Republicans are using their time, too. At least for now, they don’t have the votes to pass this stinker. Think I’ll call Susan Collins, again. Yeah, I’m calling Repugz who aren’t my Senators.
*Ah, I saw Tillis unloading and thought Repugz would debate in public, but no. They are just going to run out their allotted 10 hours and go harass the NO voters into submission , privately. I called Collins & encouraged her to vote NO.
Two firefighters were killed Sunday and another was wounded when they were ambushed by sniper fire while responding to a blaze in a northern Idaho mountain community, as crews endured a barrage of gunfire over several hours that the governor called a “heinous” assault. No arrests were announced.
N@zis, again?
Susan Collins said she might vote NO, but we know how Collins operates. It’ll be a YES.
lol spot on, every time
“ Two firefighters were killed…”
Do you not think it was a good idea for the cops and firefighters to join a coalition with the anti-government kooks?? I can’t believe it’s not working out 😑
Jack, delightful
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/28/republicans-tax-and-spending-bill
Attribution: Big beautiful bill by John Darkow, Columbia Missourian
now immersed in Hiaasen’s latest perfect summer reading (if you don’t mind being confronted with disgusting rightwing nutballs and a bit of raunch here and there) touted by amazon as follows:
Thank you, Jack
Lovely selection. Saint-Saens is so melodic
Added today’s Jack to our Sunday Serendipity playlist.
Click Play All on the page for quite a concert.
Very interesting. Thank you, Jack.
The “Elton John” of his era?
Or the Liszt…. As in “Liszt-o-Mania”.
Several hours of my life wasted trying to get the troubleshooting tools to load and still not run. Oh how Verizon has failed. Still without internet. Phone service is limited.
I know being retired gives me more time to let the television run, but that now means I actually see commercials. Over the air is nothing like what it was twenty years ago. I am catching up on shows I missed in the eighties. Not being a tv watcher probably saved my sanity. Being old I will now mush my brain.
The reason I am wat hing is I sprained my knee and am leg up and rest. No internet so my other option for entertainment is the idiot box.
This is painfully created on cell phone.
Aww, Blue Bronc. We miss you. Get well and get all fixed up real soon.
The remaining rock is not stable, just like him.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/06/27/us/mount-rushmore-trump.html
Hang in there BlueBronc. I’ve been there, ESPECIALLY with Verizon. I’ve found it works great until you make any change, no matter how small, and everything falls apart for two weeks.
That would be an idiot among giants.
Memes Of The Week in 30 seconds. Aliens, Take Me Please
This one pisses me off. WaPo
So instead of going after the criminals among undocumented immigrants, the Blondi DOJ is freeing them to go after face saving bullshit.
popo, yeah, that’s what I figured was the reason they finally let abrego come back. they made a deal with an “incentivized witness.” pisses me off too.
https://www.criminallegalnews.org/news/2022/sep/15/government-snitches-rake-millions-their-testimony-leading-cause-wrongful-convictions/
BB, until Verizon does its thing, is there any way you can use voice to text on that cell phone of yours and save overworking your finger/thumb and patience?
Speaking of taking me away…
https://delawareliberal.net/2025/06/29/dl-open-thread-sunday-magazine-june-29-2025/
https://plus.flux.community/p/americas-political-divide-is-psychological
God is a conspiracy theory.
The pendulum swings. Rationalism was invented to remedy Dark Ages’ hocus-pocus.
It didn’t work.
It’s like as if every now and then the dark ages decides to come down on us for a decade or two.
gop voters…..that’s some Dark Ages shit right there.
it’s just that Americans are incredibly intellectually lazy is the problem.
it was the football
oh, and the American phenomenon where if somebody is wrong about something they get mad at you for them being wrong
Conspiracy theories exist because people conspire, it is human nature. We know there are groups of people who make major decisions that affect our lives. The Trump White House is one big conspiracy, but so too was the Obama White House.
Most “conspiracy theories” are attempts to read the tea leaves and make sense of the world around us. Given our limited knowledge of the world, it is no wonder that most of our theories are wrong.
Just a thought.
BTW, what “true” theories do you have that just might be batshit crazy?
Jack
false equivalence
and not directly in response to your comment, but in general, the phrase “conspiracy theory” is broadly misused as you rightly note, “conspiracy” implies one or more people planning something, 1 billion monkeys making dumb assertions off of the top of their heads online does not always equal a conspiracy theory
The American crisis in one word is “ego”
it must be noted in these types of discussions that companies like “Meta” in particular, and certainly YouTube, which is a Google property, exploit human psychological vulnerabilities with the use of algorithms to push salacious content that leads to increased engagement and ad-revenue
so yes, people are dumber than they used to be because Big Tech is enabling it
listen, Kamala obviously isn’t the leader we were all hoping she would be that not withstanding we needed responsible stewardship into this next phase of societal reality, not Trump handing the keys to the kingdom to that sector’s worst actors
The Secret History of the World
Senator Tillis (NC) is not seeking reelection, so he’s going against Taco Don. NC Dems, get ready.
It not false equivalence, You just don’t agree with the decisions of one set of conspirators and you do with the other. But your beliefs are irrelevant to the fact that both were conspiring to change the world toward their shared vision of where it should be. Maybe you agree with that vision, maybe you don’t but the mechanics and the process of both, are the same. It may be, in your world, one side is filled with patriots and the other “evil conspirators”. But in reality, they both conspire to create their vision.
Jack
“conspiracy” implies criminality and is not synonymous with “cooperation” and the Obama administration was not overtly corrupt and antagonistic to the Constitution and core institutions like trumpco is, false equivalence
people believe a lot of dumb bullshit now and it’s not a sign of benevolent objectivity to entertain nonsense
There are real world health consequences to people not getting vaccinated, for example
erosion of due process rights for non-citizens leads to the erosion of them for citizens, which is exemplified by US citizens being kidnapped by ICE in the last month
and Obama didn’t run crypto scams, sell Chinese phones and counterfeit guitars, and sell energy policy to the oil companies for $1 billion on camera, and shake down media companies for compliance and payouts, and sic domestic terrorists on serving politicians leading to their murders and attacks by hammers…
false equivalence
Obama also didn’t bomb Iran and then offer to pay to reconstitute the program he just claimed to destroy.
i’ll meet you halfway and agree that Obama‘s political ascendance was partly a phenomenon of “cult of personality”, luckily he wasn’t the evil charlatan that Trump is, but if you were to assert that Obama’s rise was a contributing factor to the political environment that gave us Trump, I might even agree with that also, but that’s a different discussion
and in defense of Obama Dems, of which I was not one by the way, it seems like cult of personality is the only way to get elected in this country, Obama’s nomination is one time Democrats did something right politically
it’s funny, Jack. I might’ve been slightly over critical of Obama during the administration, but I wasn’t deliberately trying to undermine his presidency. I was trying to engage in that civic duty of holding one’s government accountable and for all of my criticisms, a week into trump-hell version1, I was like “can we please go back to Obama?”
I suppose the Obama administration was too liberal for middle America if “too liberal” means believing people of color and gays are deserving of dignity and legal protection, I will make that concession also 🤷♂️
oh, and that every American deserves some kind of healthcare access, for some reason that concept really offends rich people, explain that psychology for me that’s a mystery I have
Yes, I get it, you agree with the Obama conspiracy but not Trump. But 50% of the people out there think you are wrong. so far your ranting hasn’t changed any minds. That I can tell.
What is the old saw about “doing the same thing and expecting different results”.
Whatever our squabbles, I thought it was sweet that you voted for Kamala and encouraged your family to also, so thank you ❤️
Hillary was right about the vast right-wing conspiracy.
It’s too bad the interview she gave to Matt Lauer that morning was misconstrued and lied about by a vast number of right-wing conspirators.
That’s how I know I’m right 😊
conservatives wanna put 2025 reality into a 18th century legal box and it’s just not gonna fit Jack. It’s just not gonna fit! now I am ranting! 😜
and to be clear and not facetious what I mean by that is, it’s hard to rectify a document created by people who believed Black people equated to 3/5 of a citizen and that women shouldn’t have the right to vote with a global society over 200 years later that almost universally rejects that but the way the Supreme Court is enabling Trump is rooted in that logic and whatever term they’re calling it this week I don’t know… “strict originalism”. “original intent”, “historical traditions”, so if that is the argument you are making I will agree with that too 😊
OK, I got a little facetious sorry
listen, Democrats are nerds, and the bully came and punched them in the face and took their ball and they still don’t know what to do because they are nerds
The bully is not giving back the ball
The bully will pop that ball before he’d give it back
“erosion of due process rights for non-citizens leads to the erosion of them for citizens, which is exemplified by US citizens being kidnapped by ICE in the last month”-anon
https://www.newsweek.com/map-states-birthright-citizenship-allowed-2091844
In the remaining states, Trump’s order can go into effect 30 days after Friday’s ruling, pending any further legal action. That order limits birthright citizenship to those who are U.S. citizens or in the country with legal permanent residency, excluding those on visitor and temporary visas, as well as undocumented immigrants.
*I was born here, as were generations before of my family. But I’m in one of those states, so is my birth certificate any good?
We now have different rules for different states. Was the Civil War just litigated and did the Confederates just win? Are we still the “United”States of America?
Anon
Conspiracy is what the outsiders do, at least according to the insiders. Insiders cooperate, outsiders conspire. But it is the same thing. And many times with the same legality.
BTW, Trump and the Republicans aren’t the only hucksters after your money, donating through Act Blue opens you up to a different group of hucksters. The local failed governor candidate teamed up with a couple of Democratic aids to form a group to reach out and educate people on how to organize. A good idea IMO. The problem, when I researched them, they didn’t even know how to put up a basic web site. I emailed them pointing this out and their reply demonstrated their cluelessness. They didn’t even understand how cheap and easy it is to look professional these days. IMO they bought a mailing list from Act Blue and are trying to get in on the gravy train.
Jack
The only mensch among the oligarchials.
https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/warren-buffett-announces-6-billion-donations-foundations-123308846?
if you want me to lose an argument, make me defend entrenched Democrats
there is some hip young talent, and they are being frozen out by impotent navel-gazers
so I will make this admonition to my fellow hyper liberals: if Gavin Newsom becomes some kind of legitimate contender, don’t undermine him with the premise that Democrats can do better because no they can’t
God is coming down with a whole new set of tablets.
Gavin Newsome recently pass a critical leadership test with the LA disturbances, not that that means he is qualified. Rudy Giuliani did much the same on 911 and look at him now. But he did look like a leader.
Jack
I was being aspirational. There ain’t gonna be no 2028 presidential election, if there is it’ll be a Russian style one.
they’ve broken so many laws in six months, Imagine how long the list will be in 2028. Once again, they can’t afford to give up power.
Just did trailer for my next long video
Lazy Man’s ribs drop Thursday just in time for July 4.
The secrets are so scandalous the Barbecue Grill snobs will call 911.
But the cops? They’ll want seconds.
🔥 Preview the madness
Another musical prodigy. Facing adversity.
🪙 Plain Thoughts: Stealing Upward Since Forever
i am watching “the Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry” starting Jim Broadbent and Penelope Wilton on Prime, about an unhappily married old man walking across England to see his unrequited past love in hospice. It’s as sweet as you’d expect a Jim Broadbent movie to be, despite the premise 👍
seems like a recent release
I will put that on our list, anon. 👍
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-iran-call-nuclear-program-damage-b2779221.html
Strike One:
First, a top official with the United Nations’s nuclear watchdog told CBS News that Iran’s production capabilities would be able to enrich weapons-grade uranium within a few months, in the event Iran’s government orders production of a nuclear-tipped missile.
Strike Two:
Then, The Washington Post revealed that U.S. intelligence sources intercepted a call between top Iranian officials commenting on the strikes and describing them as less destructive than Tehran was expecting.
Craig – I really like the TMix clips or reels or whatever the kids are calling them.
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/29/megabill-byrd-alaska-megabill-parliamentarian-00431730
The Senate’s rewritten domestic policy bill faces new hurdles after the parliamentarian advised senators Sunday that several provisions violate the chamber’s strict rules for budget reconciliation bills.
Two provisions added to the bill just days ago — and tailored specifically to boost Medicaid payments to Alaska and Hawaii — have been ruled to violate the Senate’s Byrd rule. That limits what can pass through the reconciliation process with a simple majority.
GOP leaders had hoped the Medicaid provisions focused on non-contiguous states, along with other Alaska-friendly changes, would be enough to win the vote of Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska). She had voiced concerns over deep cuts to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The parliamentarian also ruled against provisions that sought to block implementation of two Biden-era regulations that seek to make it easier for older adults and individuals with disabilities to enroll in Medicaid and maintain coverage.
*So, certain states can’t get a carve out on Medicaid cuts. They come for us all. Will that get Murkowsi to vote NO? Susan Collins said she might vote NO, but we know how Collins operates. It’ll be a YES.
Senator Tillis from NC really went off on the bill. He should re-enlist; no reason Adolf should think he has power over everything. (Apparently, this means they are still planning to have elections, if they are threatening to primary Repugz.) Too bad Yertle doesn’t seem to be having a political deathbed conversion. What’s he got to lose by standing up for folks in Kentucky? Just an awful, miserable being.
Did they put fencing up around the Treasury building to keep peasants out? It’s the upper-crust who are thieving weasels.
If Dodo can’t obliterate Iran’s nuclear program, maybe he can’t obliterate our democracy either.
No Senate vote tonight. I only expected the Dems to use their 10 hours of debate times, but the Republicans are using their time, too. At least for now, they don’t have the votes to pass this stinker. Think I’ll call Susan Collins, again. Yeah, I’m calling Repugz who aren’t my Senators.
*Ah, I saw Tillis unloading and thought Repugz would debate in public, but no. They are just going to run out their allotted 10 hours and go harass the NO voters into submission , privately. I called Collins & encouraged her to vote NO.
https://apnews.com/article/coeur-dalene-idaho-shooting-57e4143642c5a0e98d134051a7147a89
Two firefighters were killed Sunday and another was wounded when they were ambushed by sniper fire while responding to a blaze in a northern Idaho mountain community, as crews endured a barrage of gunfire over several hours that the governor called a “heinous” assault. No arrests were announced.
N@zis, again?
lol spot on, every time
“ Two firefighters were killed…”
Do you not think it was a good idea for the cops and firefighters to join a coalition with the anti-government kooks?? I can’t believe it’s not working out 😑
NEW THREAD by Craig our fearless leader