#and yet people get reelected

[idkimnotreal]

so in democracy 4 i can’t get reelected in brazil if i don’t solve brazil’s criminality problem...

buddy. that’s not how brazil works.

[reasonsforhope]

Kamala Harris just announced that her vice president will be Minnesota governor Tim Walz. Based on the coverage so far I'm really reassured by this decision.

The Washington Post did an obviously great job of making a prepared article for each option, considering how long an article they had up 7 minutes after the announcement.

((Okay technically it's not an official announcement yet it's "according to three people familiar with the pick, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a decision that is not yet public." But listen. I am 99% sure this is a weather balloon. (Meaning: a deliberate leak to gauge reaction.) Because the sheer weakness or incompetence on the part of the Harris campaign that it would take for three people to all confirm that within a few hours hours of each other and the planned announcement it is massive.))

-via The Washington Post, August 6, 2024

Honestly this decision, from everything I've read and can tell, looks like it's brilliant politics.

Important Context: The vice president(ial candidates)'s job in an election is not to be similar to the president. The vice president's job on the ballot is very, very much specifically to be different from the president. Why? So they can cover each others' weaknesses. Especially regionally.

(Sidenote: I feel a bit ridiculous saying this. But genuinely if you want to get a stronger understanding of how US elections really work. Go watch seasons 6 and 7 of The West Wing. Genuinely, a lot of politicians have said - especially back in its day - that that was the most accurate depiction of an election they'd ever seen. Also specifically features an entire arc about a contested Democratic primary convention, so also very good if you're interested in understanding weird nominating convention shenanigans.)

From the article:

"Harris’s choice for a running mate was among the most closely watched decisions of her fledgling campaign, as she sought to bolster the ticket’s prospects for victory in November and rapidly find someone who could be a governing partner. In picking Walz, she has selected a seasoned politician with executive governing experience and signaled the importance of Midwestern battleground states such as Wisconsin and Michigan.

Walz’s foray into politics came later in life: He spent more than two decades as a public school teacher and football coach, and as a member of the Army National Guard, before running for Congress in his 40s. In 2006, he defeated a Republican to win Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District--a rural, conservative area--and won reelection five times before leaving Congress to run for governor.

Walz was first elected governor in 2018 and handily won reelection in 2022. Though little-known outside his state, Walz emerged publicly as one of the earliest names mentioned as a possible running mate for Harris, and in the ensuing days he made the rounds on television as an outspoken surrogate for the vice president...

“These are weird people on the other side. They want to take books away, they want to be in your exam room. … They are bad on foreign policy, they are bad on the environment, they certainly have no health care plan, and they keep talking about the middle-class,” Walz told MSNBC in July. “As I said, a robber baron real estate guy and a venture capitalist trying to tell us they understand who we are? They don’t know who we are.”

Walz also has faced criticism from Republicans that his policies as governor were too liberal, including legalizing recreational marijuana for adults, protecting abortion rights, expanding LGBTQ protections, implementing tuition-free college for low-income Minnesotans and providing free breakfast and lunch for schoolchildren in the state.

But many of those initiatives are broadly popular. Walz also signed an executive order removing the college-degree requirement for 75 percent of Minnesota’s state jobs, a move that garnered bipartisan support and that several other states have also adopted.

“What a monster. Kids are eating and having full bellies, so they can go learn, and women are making their own health-care decisions,” Walz said sarcastically in a July 28 interview with CNN when questioned whether such policies would be fodder for conservative attacks, later adding: “If that’s where they want to label me, I’m more than happy to take the [liberal] label.”

Walz also spoke at a kickoff event in St. Paul for a Democratic canvassing effort, casting Trump as a “bully.”

“Don’t lift these guys up like they’re some kind of heroes. Everybody in this room knows--I know it as a teacher--a bully has no self-confidence. A bully has no strength. They have nothing,” Walz said at the event, sporting a camouflage hunting hat and T-shirt.

Walz has explained that he felt some Democrats’ practice of calling Trump an existential threat to democracy was giving him too much credit, which prompted his decision to denounce the GOP nominee instead as being “weird.”

“I do believe all those things are a real possibility, but it gives him way too much power," Walz said on CNN’s “State of the Union” regarding the Democrats’ rhetoric. “Listen to the guy. He’s talking about Hannibal Lecter, shocking sharks, and just whatever crazy thing pops into his mind.”

If Walz is elected vice president, under state law, Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (D) would assume the governorship for the rest of his term. Minnesota Senate president Bobby Joe Champion, a Democrat, would become lieutenant governor."

-via The Washington Post, August 6, 2024

--

This guy. Sounds like. fucking Moderate swing-state/rural/Midwestern/southern/"heartland"/working class white voter catnip. He sounds like he's also a very smart politician and strong campaigner. And he's apparently genuinely a good guy with a good record, too.

He sounds like he's going to do a really good job of appealing to voters in several of the big deal swing states without being from any of them specifically. Which means it doesn't feel like pandering to one of the states involved (and thereby spurning the others), which is also great.

(Also he was the one who started "weird" @ conservatives and I think we should take that seriously as a very good political instinct/move. Judging in large part by how it has so clearly hit an actual nerve with conservatives like so little else. Also hugely relevant: that post going around about how part of why conservatives are so upset about "weird" is because in the Midwest, "weird" specifically also implies anti-social or harmful behavior.)

Officially feeling more optimistic about Trump not winning in November

[nobodyfamousposts]

More Norm Antics

Just a reminder that I am horrible and this is pretty much crack and to not be taken seriously.

“I wish Marinette was evil!”

“Uh…you suuuure you wanna wish for that?”

“YES!”

“It is the first year of Her Most Imperial, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, in her successful takeover of the world—with fashion!”

Nadja Chamack sounded strangely unconcerned with the news she was announcing, smiling cheerfully from the TV acting as the sole source of light and sound in Lila’s underground bunker.

Lila didn’t care about her. She was more concerned with the images behind the anchorwoman, which were apparently of Marinette’s coronation as Empress of the World and her giving a speech to the crowd.

And by “concerned”, what was really meant was “completely enraged”.

“WHAT THE HELL, NORM?!”

“Whaaaaaaat?” The genie whined. “She’s evil, isn’t she?”

“I didn’t mean for her to be a ‘Villain With Good Publicity’!” Lila shouted.

“You might want to keep it down. Don’t want people outside the bunker to hear you, after all. Calm your tush and all that.”

“I AM CALM! What I want are ANSWERS!”

He sighed, annoyed. “The wish was for her to be evil, and you can’t get more evil than politics.”

“So why is SHE queen of the world while I’M hiding in a bunker?” She demanded.

He stared back blankly.

“Uh…you want a list?”

Seeing she was about to blow her top and likely get them both caught by her screaming, Norm sighed again before proofing a script into hand, then putting on glasses and reading from the script.

“Apparently since she’s always been evil, she took over her lycée class and soon enough the school. Chloe Bourgeois has been a non-issue since her dad lost his reelection campaign and was quickly revealed for fraud and embezzlement, so the former ’Princess’ became a ‘Pauper’. Then Marinette turned Paris into the central fashion capital of the world—or at least more than it already apparently was in this universe. And once her parents sent her off to Dictator School, she graduated early and took over the world to enforce universal fashion sense with an iron fist.”

Lila gaped.

“You can’t be serious!”

Dictator School? Since when was there even a thing? Why hadn’t she known about it sooner?

“As her first decree,” Nadja continued from the television, regaining their attention. “Hawk Moth and all his allies shall be taken into custody and executed for their crimes.”

Both girl and genie stared at the screen.

“This can’t be happening!” Lila exclaimed. “There’s no way they can know I was involved!”

But sure enough, Lila’s photograph and name appeared on the screen.

“If you or anyone you know has any information on the criminal, please contact local law enforcement.” Nadja continued darkly.

Norm blinked.

“You sided with that fruitcake?”

This was bad! This was horrible! The absolute worst!

Lila took a deep breath to calm herself.

“No! No wait! It’s okay! This is fine!” Lila insisted, starting to smirk. “Ladybug’s a goody goody! There’s no way she would just sit by and let Marinette take over the world. No doubt Ladybug will do her ‘hero’ thing and stop Marinette. And since this is my wish, she won’t even know that this isn’t the real Marinette so she’ll be the one in trouble. Or better yet, they’ll destroy each other. Either way, the problem will be solved, so I still win!”

“Next segment will show Her Most Imperial coronate the Miraculous Protectors. People the Imperial has chosen to defend her empire and the world.”

Miraculous? No. No way. There was no way Marinette would have the Miraculous!

But sure enough, an image on the screen appeared of several of the classmates being bequeathed with titles and…were those really the Miraculous?

“How did she get those?!” Lila demanded.

Had she defeated Ladybug?

But then that meant she was right and Ladybug was probably dead or imprisoned so yay there, but it also meant now Marinette had all of the Miraculous and all the power and there would be no one to protect Lila from her!

No, no wait. There was Ladybug on screen. Appearing quite quite well and vexingly alive.

This was the absolute worst! Marinette had everything! The Miraculous! The entire WORLD in her hands! Even Adrien, as he has been presented on screen earlier at Marinette’s side as an official Consort of all things! Appearing quite happily so, for someone being bound to a tyrant.

And most infuriatingly, she couldn’t even have the small satisfaction of Ladybug’s defeat to make this situation at least a little better, as rather than cowering in defeat, it seemed that Ladybug had joined the regime as she stood at the head of the group, giving a speech to the masses.

“—I will do my utmost to find and eliminate the last of the criminals that sought to do harm to the city of Paris and the world!”

The crowd erupted in cheers and a few calls to “burn the witch!”

Lila gaped at the screen

“Sooo….no Ladybug fix then?” Norm asked.

She stared, unmoving.

“Also…not sure how to tell you this, but your bunker isn’t well stocked and you’re out of hot water for showers.” Norm added, scrubbing his back with a bath brush.

Lila twitched.

________________

“Okay, this time it’s bound to work!”

“Uh. Maybe you should stop making wishes about the pig-tailed girl?”

“No! I just need her to do something evil but not world-dominatingly evil for others to see and despise her for! So just take away any restraint and make her horrible!”

“Okay.”

Lila found herself cowering in a bathroom.

Marinette’s voice sweetly came from the other side of the locked door.

“Open the door, Lila~!”

“N-no!”

“YOU LOCKING DOORS, LILA?!”

An axe started slamming into the door.

“YOU LOCKING DOORS?!”

Lila screamed.

She had thought that wishing Marinette to be horrible would cause her to act out more blatantly against Lila and lead everyone to turn against her. She hadn’t thought that it would make her go full blown murder!

It was like something out of some old horror movie.

As if to further illustrate that point, Norm poofed in. Holding a carton of movie theater popcorn and wearing 3-D glasses.

“Wow, the 3-D effect really makes it look real.”

“That’s because it IS real!” Lila hissed at him, barely able to be heard over the sound of the axe being slammed into the door. “Now undo it!”

“You sure? I mean, at least this way everyone will know she’s evil. Once they find your body, of course.”

IF they found her body went unsaid.

“There’s no point in everyone knowing she’s horrible if I’m dead!” She snapped. “UNDO IT!”

Norm shrugged and snapped his fingers.

[pikablu410]

His Mayoral Duties

“Mayor Bradley! How do you feel now that you’ve just won a second term in office with a surprise landslide victory?!” A man with a microphone asked.

“I’m honored the people of Stocksville have chosen me to lead them again. I’m excited to get back in my office and make changes for the better.” The man confidently said, adjusting his casual yet sleek blue suit. He combed over his curls with his hand to make sure they weren’t frizzled.

“Mayor! To what do you contribute to such a meaningful success?” A blonde woman in a red suit nearly jumped out of the crowd. She, of course, was talking about how a black man, like himself, was the first to win a reelection as mayor in Stocksville.

“I think my policies speak for themselves. Our economy is doing better, crime is at an all time low and people are content with their lives in the city.” The mayor confidently responded.

“And mayor, what do you have to say to those who believe your victory was the result of fraud?” A man asked before being pushed back into the crowd.

If the people had known him personally, or had studied his body language, they would’ve known Scott staggered for a brief moment before responding. “I ask that they wait for the voting office to put out their data, and, for now, work with me in making progress towards a better Stocksville.” He smiled.

“How could they have known?! I was completely certain it would be a secret-” A man with shaggy brown hair walked back and forth before being interrupted by Scott.

“Just shut up! I know my office isn’t rigged with cameras or mics I’m not aware of. There’s no way it could’ve gotten out.” He said, leaning forward onto his desk. 

“Then how would they have known we used dark ma-” Scott almost literally zipped the man’s lips this time.

“Roger. There is absolutely, assuredly, zero reason for people to believe we did anything suspicious other than their own conspiratorial beliefs. We have done nothing wrong, and there’s no proof otherwise.”

Roger wiped the sweat from his neck, “Well…”

Scott glared, “Roger.”

“I’m not saying I kept the book, but-”

“Roger!” Scott growled. A rarity for him.

“What if I need a demon for a hot chick or something? You never know.” Roger, now much more casually, admitted.

“If by ‘demon’ you mean ‘advice’ then sure, but you definitely don’t mean what you said literally, right?” Scott said, with a thick emphasis on the sarcasm.

“Relax Brandon, there’s nothing to worry about. I’m like, ninety-nine percent sure there’s no negative side effects.” Roger started, “You did do what the de- what the advice told you to do, right?”

Brandon sighed, pulling out the greasy takeout bag, “Yeah, I bought a burger after I won. I really don’t get how this was equivalent to whatever that…advice did.” 

He took a large bite out of the burger, finding the taste divine. Scott quickly took another, and then a sip of his soda.

“Woah, slow down their champ. Just because you won doesn’t mean you can’t get sick from eating like that.” Roger advised, but it seemed Brandon wasn’t listening.

“Mmph, sorry,” Scott swallowed the last of his burger, “I don’t know why, but that was the best burger I’ve ever had from McTasties.” Finishing his soda and the fries, Scott went on, “I think I’m gonna get another. They must’ve changed their recipe or something!” 

Roger noticed how Scott wiped the grease onto his blue suit, which, thanks to the dark color, didn’t detract much from it. However, he thought back to how Brandon got pissed off when he spilled water onto a similar suit. 

“Yeah, I’m gonna head home. Call me if you need anything not politics related.” Roger said, the drawstrings of his green and gray hoodie flipping through the air. 

Despite his calm demeanor, Roger was still thinking about his friend’s behavior. Just what was it that they had summoned the night before?

“Destiny! Two more orders of McTasties double cheeseburgers. One with fries and one with onion rings. Of course I want two milkshakes!” Scott said over his newly installed desk microphone. He had gotten tired of constantly walking down to ask her to order him more food. 

“Right away Mayor Bradley. Oh, city council wanted me to notify you that they’re meeting for ordinance 5507 in 10 minutes.” Destiny replied.

Scott smiled and thanked Destiny. He slowly sat up from his chair and walked over to his mirror. His stomach bulged against the white undershirt and blue suit he adorned. A ketchup stain marked the white and a grease one the blue suit. It had been a stressful…2 weeks in office. Scott hadn’t taken the time to think about how he had gained weight so quickly, or how fast time had gone by. 

Regardless, Scott decided to head down to the council room and wait for his colleagues there. 

Opening his doors, he found an unwanted surprise.

“Scott! I really need to talk to you ri-” Roger nearly shouted.

“Can it wait? I have McTasties and a council meeting waiting for me downstairs?” Scott replied, rolling his eyes.

“I really don’t think you should. I’m not sure how much longer you have?” Roger panicked, welcoming himself into Scott’s office.

Raising an eyebrow, Scott now fully entered the conversation, “What, do I have a disease or something?” “You might as well! You know that ‘advice’ we summoned the other night?” Roger asked, using his hands to sign quotation marks in the air, “Well, apparently that deal was just its way to get ahold of you.”

“Wait, you mean I’m possessed?” Scott scoffed at his own words.

“Basically! It’s like an infection,” Roger opened the book Scott had berated him for 2 weeks ago, “The longer you don’t treat it, the more it affects you. This weight you’ve gained isn’t natural.” Roger poked Scott’s belly to emphasize his point, Scott smacking his friend’s hand away.

“So what, I've gained a few pounds. I’ve been stressed and cooped up in this office, I’ll be fine.” Scott said, stifling a belch.

Roger looked at his friend with glazed eyes, “You’ve barely done anything but eat McTasties and watched how the media is praising your election.”

Scott didn’t want to admit it, but as he looked at the greasy takeout wrappers on the floor, Roger was right. He hadn’t done much other than eat and pass a few laws that were already in the works before he was elected. But then, a lightbulb.

Well, a buzz on his desk microphone.

“Mayor Bradley. City council is meeting in 5 minutes now. Also, your McTasties is here.” Destiny rang.

Now with a smug look, Scott smiled at Roger, “I’m actually in the process of passing a new city ordinance right now. And you’re making me late. Now if you’ll excuse me.”

Scott then headed down the hall and towards the city council. Roger looked at the book and sighed. At least this wasn’t going to ruin his life. He hoped.

Entering the city council meeting room with his two bags of McTasties, Scott settled in before the last of the council members arrived. Immediately digging into one of the cheeseburgers and fries, the other city council members stared in shock. 

“Uhm, Mayor Bradley. Mayor Bradley!” An older council member nearly shouted.

“Hmm? What is it?” Scott replied, licking ketchup off of his fingers.

“We’re starting our meeting…is it truly necessary for you to eat your lunch during our meeting?” The older man inquired.

“Oh, I’m almost done with it,” Scott casually replied, sucking down his milkshake, making a loud slurping sound in the process, “You all should try it sometime. Now, where were we?” 

The following months saw historic change for Stocksville. Probably in the most insipid way possible. Ordinance 5507 gave more freedom to “inexpensive food companies” that was cited to help “impoverish citizens attain a more consummate meal.” 

In reality, Scott just wanted more McTasties near city hall and his house, both of which now had 2 within a block. 

Not that Scott walked to the fast food restaurant, but it certainly alleviated the weight on his employees. Though, it didn’t relieve weight in other areas. Within those months, the Bradley office staff had all put on at least 70 pounds of fat. Dozens upon dozens of McTasties orders came to the office each day, a majority of them coming from Scott himself. 

Speaking of the mayor, he had gone up 3 suit sizes in the several months following ordinance 5507, which of course was followed by ordinance 5508, 5509 and 5512. All of which gave the McTasties company more power in Stocksville. 

None of this caused the Bradley office any concern because, like Scott, they had all become addicted to the greasy junk. Seemingly overnight, the town had transformed into some Las Vegas for greasy restaurants. A competitor, Patty’s Burgers, was on the rise and produced even more restaurants for Scott- for the Stocksville citizens to order from. 

Though, not all hope was lost for the town.

“Scooooooottttt!” A man with shaggy brown hair shouted down the hall. The guards were too fat and lazy to stop him from bursting into Scott’s office. “Scott, I’ve found out how to solve this- what the hell happened to you?!” 

The mayor’s first response with a burp, followed by him trying to sit upright in his chair.

“Do you mind, URP, Roger? I’m trying to eat my pre-lunch snack?” Scott replied, taking a chomping bite out of a burger that looked much too large for human consumption. 3 more bags were filled with food next to him on the desk, Roger being able to tell they were filled because he couldn’t take a step in the office without his legs brushing up against an empty one.

“How fucking fat have you gotten? Do you realize what this is all from? That “advice?”” Roger, again, emphasized the word advice.

Scott slurped down a soda before literally dumping a carton of fries into his gaping maw. “What, the fucking demon? Yeah, whatever. Like anyone believes that shit.” He let out a very noticeable fart before going back to chowing down on a burger.

Roger noticed his friend’s new dialect. “Dude, since when did you swear? I thought you had to uphold an image or something.” 

“Yeah, what-fucking-ever. People are so happy with all the McTasties, and now Patty’s! Who cares if I fucking swear!” Scott said with a little too much enthusiasm, finding himself wedged between his office chair, “Damn, this thing is getting old.” “Uhh, yeah. Anyways, I’ve figured out how to stop all this and get back to normal. All you have to do is eat some vegetables and fruit, lose a bit of weight and the possession should slowly go away. If that doesn’t work we’ll need a priest and-” “Bro, you’re actually still on this possession thing? I told you, I’m in complete control.” Scott said, taking a final bite out of his burger. 

Then, a squeak was heard, followed by a snap and then Scott falling to the ground. Rips could be heard behind the desk as the mayor sat behind his desk.

“Fuck…that actually felt kinda good.” Scott mumbled to himself.

Roger, however, was much more worried, “Dude! Are you alright?!” He went behind Scott’s desk to help his friend up.

He immediately noticed that one of the buttons on his suit had burst off from the fall, leaving a portion of Scott’s belly wide open to the public. As he helped heft his friend up, Roger noticed that Scott’s pants were now torn at his thighs, exposing a significant amount of cellulite. After helping Scott up, the fat man waddled to the mirror in his office. 

“Damn, I don’t look too bad.” Scott admired himself. Roger hadn’t taken the time to notice in his rush to save his friend, but as his friend looked on in the mirror, he really saw how far Scott’s appearance had fallen. The once well-shaved man now had a scruff that was forming a goatee, and the same furry situation could be said for his now-exposed belly. His suit was tattered with stains, and had torn in places Scott hadn’t even noticed. 

“Scott I really think you should reconsider-”

“Roger, my time in office has been incredibly successful. Employment is at an all time low. People who were starving in the streets now have homes and food! Public transportation goes all over the city and our economy is thriving and healthy. All because I’ve invested in McTasties and fast food restaurants.” Scott went on, looking over the city, then back at Roger, “Don’t think I haven’t noticed your extra weight too.” He poked Roger in his belly, to which the pale man sheepishly backed off.

“Just listen to me dude, I think something is really wrong. I mean, how did you even convince the city council to get all of this done? Aren’t they notorious for stopping all your ideas?” Roger asked.

Scott smiled devilishly, braggin, “They attributed it to my “charisma.” They’ve really fallen for me.” He walked over to Roger and put his arm around his friend, “Look me in the eyes when I tell you this, Roger.”

Listening to his friend, Roger looked into Scott's eyes, but they weren’t Scott’s. They glowed a deep red, and were almost…hypnotizing.

“Go get yourself some McTasties on your way home. Tell them it’s on me, they’ll cover it.” Scott ordered, very persuasively. 

Roger couldn’t help but slowly nod his head and turn around to leave Scott’s office. He could really go for a McTasties burger.

The next month saw Mayor Bradley’s only roadblock in his reign of ordinances. A group called “Alternatives for Health” rose to political distinction as a, you guessed it, alternative to Scott’s campaign. Not that there would be an election any time soon, but they aimed to rally support against all of the fast food-centric regulations that had recently been put in place. Lobbying Scott’s office near daily, they would’ve annoyed the hell out of any other group in office.

But, by this point, Scott’s staff had grown too fat and tired to care. 

“URRRRRP, Desti-URRRRRRP. Destiny, where’s m’ damn order of fries?” A sweaty, double-chinned, bearded face mumbled over the desk microphone. When there wasn’t a response in 5 seconds, he repeated himself. “Destiny! URRRRRP, I need m’ afta’noon snack!” 

“It’s, URP, on its way now. Sorry, thought it was for me.” A voice that was distinctly deeper than it was 4 months ago replied. 

Just then, several bags of greasy food then came elevated up through a small nightstand-like desk. Grumbling as he slowly stood up from a wider chair, the fat mayor waddled to the bags of food. Not bothering to waddle back to his desk, he plopped his fat ass down on the ground and started devouring the food. 

“God…this ain’t gonna be enough…it’s sho good…gonna need more…” Scott trailed off, plowing through the food like he had the littered takeout bags in his office. Sweat poured down his barely clothed body, pooling into the rolls that were made from hours of eating. A white wifebeater and black basketball pants were what Scott adorned, since nothing else fit and he had to keep up “public decency,” whatever the hell that was.

A voice annoyingly came through his microphone desk.

“Mayor you, URRRRRP, have a visitor.” Destiny rang.

Grumbling again, the mayor heaved his beanbag-esq belly off the ground and waddled back to his oversized chair.

“Send ‘em up!” Scott said, farting as he settled back into his chair. Just moving across the room had gotten him drench in his own salty perspiration. He rubbed his hairy, sweaty belly to coax out more gas before his visitor arrived. Though, he figured he already knew who it was.

“URRRP, Scott, I got more sco-URRRRRP-op on that health group.” Roger barged in. The trip to McTasties a month ago had treated Roger well. Some might’ve said a little too well. But Scott said it hadn’t treated him well enough, and sent his friend back for more.

“Good man! Whadda they want? URRRRRRP” Scott belched out, not bothering to stop eating. 

Pulling out a bunch of graphs and research papers, Roger messily placed them all over Scott’s desk.

“So basically, URRRRP, ‘scuse me. Basically they’re tryna’ prove that bein’ fat is bad. Apparently it raises your chance for “heart disease” and “cholesterol related illnesses” but I haven’t heard of anyone hospitalized for those things recently.” Roger explained.

Scott’s brain was still trying to process the papers in front of him. Months ago these would’ve made sense, but for some reason he could barely comprehend the words. Words like ‘arthritis,’ ‘artery,’ and ‘high fructose’ were hard to read. Almost like he was realizing his descent into slobdom, Scott almost put the pieces together.

That was, until Roger shoved the straw to a milkshake in his mouth.

“Ya looked starved. Thank god I brought more McTasties.” Roger said, with Scott eagerly reaching for the bags with his sausage arms. 

Roger rubbed his own exposed, pale belly that pushed out underneath his green hoodie. Surprisingly, the same hoodie from 4 months ago still fit the growing lard boy, but he was too addicted to the junk most of Stocksville ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner to be bothered to notice.

“So,” Scott pause for a monumental fart, “Heh, that was a nice one. Anyways, what’re we talkin’ about?” 

“This, uh, health group.” Roger explained.

“Oh yeah, how do we get rid of them? They’re gettin’ in the way of me buildin’ more McTasties.” Scott shoveled another handful of onion rings into his mouth. Roger couldn’t even tell what was grease and what was sweat on the man’s face.

“Jus’...lemme handle it.” Roger smiled, with Scott appreciating the simple reply. “How’s the move goin’?” 

Processing the question, Scott remembered he had ordered the leanest of his staff to move his home necessities to his office. 

“Awesome dude! I got a TV and internet, so I’m basically set. All I need is a personal McTasties and I’d never have to leave.” Scott replied, his rolls and moob jiggling as he went to wipe sweat from his forehead. 

“Sounds like the next ordinance at city council.” Roger smirked.

Scott belched and threw an empty milkshake cup into the trash pile that littered the room. “Oh, I disbanded that. They all got too lazy to come. So now they put their trust in me to make the laws.”

Roger’s eyes perked up at those words. “You’re just telling me now?!” Scott let out more gas and continued to eat, “Sorry, forgot I guess.” 

Roger went over to Scott and leaned against his a fat roll.

“My friend, it’s a good thing you’ve started moving; I don’t think you’ll be leaving your office for a while.”

“Whaddare they sayin’? M’ fuckin’ tits r’ blockin’ m’ vision.” A fat blob of a man whined. 

“Hold on Scott I gotta turn up the volume.” A less fat, but still incredibly massive, man replied. The less fat man placed a milkshake in between the blobbish man’s moobs, with the latter eagerly sucking down the contents of the cup.

“Roge-URRRRRRRRRRRP. Whaddare they sayin’ damnit!” Scott whined again, finishing the milkshake in record time. 

Roger smirked and smacked Scott’s immense belly, “You’ve got no opposition m’ friend. You’re running unopposed next election.” 

The wide man forgot to mention how he had gotten a few of the skinnier interns to infiltrate Alternatives for Health’s own office and sneak McTasties into their diet. A combination of this and tactically cutting off their funding so fast food was all they could afford spiraled to a quick downfall of their opposing organization. Scott let out a fart from the pressure on his belly, smiling nonetheless. “Thas…URRRRRRPP…fuckin’ awesome.” He unabashedly stated. 

“Still it’ll be Stocksville’s first mayor who’s a human blob. And I don’t think it’ll be the last.” Roger stated, planting a kiss on Scott’s greasy lips.

Scott let out more gas, drool and more greasy getting into his beard, “Huh? Did ‘m new order come yet?” Scott had gotten a one-track mind. Which might have been a good thing had he not been corrupted with greasy takeout. The naked blob of a man now never left his office. Not that he could, given his recent immobility in the past month. His thighs were as thick as a hog plumped for a Christmas dinner, leading to an ass that was as large as his belly just months ago. Whenever the man moved, either to let out gas, to try to see the TV, or, recently, to pleasure himself, his entire body jiggled as if shockwaves were sent through him.

Arms hung uselessly at his sides, sitting on rolls upon rolls of fat. His face was basically just his unkept goatee, his several chins, greasy, and sweat. Oh christ the sweat. It was as if Scott had constantly come back from a workout at the gym, but his workout was simply processing thoughts and eating his McTasties meals. It got tangled in his hairy body and made the entire office smell like a sports locker room.

“Scott, ‘m back with your pre-pre-brunch snack!” Roger reassured the massive man. 

Roger hadn’t faired much better after being ‘convinced’ by Scott to try McTasties. He was also shirtless, but wore underwear that had definitely seen better days. Just their yellow coloring and greasy stains were enough to paint a detailed picture. His gut rested over these underwear, looking like a dad who had recently gotten divorced and hit the liquor store too much, though with a more jiggly belly. He looked like Scott did just months ago, which didn’t bode well for his future. “Anything I can get for ya while I’m up babe?” Roger asked, opening his phone to see the news about Alternatives for Health.” The two had started dating because of what Scott again contributed to his “charisma.” They were basically inseparable now, Roger serving at Scott’s beck and call.

“Actually, fuck, yeah.” Scott said through mouthfuls of food, “Call in ‘n intern an’ suck me off.” Giving a knowing smile, Roger leaned against his massive boyfriend’s belly. He slowly got on his belly and crawled under Scott’s massive belly. They had done this enough times that Roger knew where to go in the sweaty expanse.

As an intern walked in and started to feed Scott, the immense man started to let out some affirming swears. Roger knew he found his goal.

“URP, Mayor Bradley, what will you do to, uh, ya know, make sure our city stays great?” An interviewer asks over a video call.

“I’ll, uhm, URRRRRRRRP, uh, yeah.” Scott replied.

They were all too fat to do professional interviews in-person anymore. Not that it mattered. They only had one choice anyways. Thank god they weren’t doing this in-person anyways. Scott barely fit in frame on the Zoom call. He barely fit in his office anymore. An amalgamation of sweaty, hairy fat. 

“Great response, babe.” Roger egged his boyfriend on. He was nearing immobility too, struggling to get up and feed Scott nowadays. The interns took care of that for them.

The interviewer, clearly struggling to paint Mayor Bradley in a good light, asked another question. “To what do you contribute your, URRRRRP, successes.”

Scott nearly went cross-eyed. He let out a far that was audible on camera before responding. “More, URRRRRRRRRP, McTasties. Thas what’ll do!” He slurred.

The interviewer smiled and said, “Excellent idea!” 

“They should, PFFFFFFFFFTTTTT, vote fa’ me jus’ ‘cus ‘m hot.” Scott gobbled down multiple burgers after the interview. Grease splattered all over him, and the walls. And his rolls. And his tits.

“That’s a gr-URRRRRRRRRRP-great idea babe!” Roger continued to egg on the massive man. 

It was a wonder nobody realized how their demon, oh sorry, ‘advice’, had caused all of this. Roger didn’t do a very good job at hiding the evidence once he got a bite of McTasties.

If anyone had the brains to realize what was going on, they’d know their mayor hadn’t any.

That was okay, though. A quick bite of McTasties would fix their worries. Thank god they were expanding to other cities nearby.

[palestinegenocide]

The exquisite choreography of hosting a war criminal at the White House

The grisly farce that is the Biden administration’s support for Israeli war crimes became even more grotesque this week.

Netanyahu is coming to Washington in a few days. Democrats believe overwhelmingly that Netanyahu is carrying out a genocide– nearly 39,000 Palestinians deaths with thousands more under the rubble. So some Dems will boycott Netanyahu’s speech to the Congress, but the Democratic Party leadership is rolling out the welcome mat.

Netanyahu is to meet at the White House with the president who has provided Israel with endless munitions to carry out the war. And though many expect Biden to drop out of the presidential race,the New York Times says Biden won’t do so before he meets with Netanyahu, because Biden does not want to give the far-right-wing prime minister who has repeatedly bossed Democratic presidents the “satisfaction” of seeing Biden when he’s a lame duck.

Though if you think Kamala Harris will stand up for human rights and U.S. interests if she becomes president—think again, she is going to meet Netanyahu too, the White House assured the press.

Why meet with this war criminal at all? To answer that, consider who are the most important voters in the Biden debate right now: the donors who are the last shoe to drop on Biden’s reelection hopes, pulling their money to pressure the president to get out of the race.

Many of these donors now in rebellion are big Israel supporters. Michael Moritz the latest billionaire to put it to Biden has been in solidarity with Israel. Reid Hoffman who organized a concerned donors call with Kamala Harris calls Israeli forces a model.

While another group of 75 donors almost all of whom want Biden out is reported by CNBC to include as leaders Ari Emanuel and his brother Zeke. Ari Emanuel said that Israel’s war is “justified” in May 2024, and has said that he loves the country. Of course, there are Dem donors who don’t care about Israel. But the power map is clear.

It’s not like Trump is any different. The top Republican donor is thought to be Miriam Adelson, the Israeli doctor, and she is reportedly spending millions to stake Trump to a promise to allow Israeli annexation of the West Bank.

Just as Adelson’s late husband Sheldon, once the biggest Republican donor, asked Trump to move the embassy to Jerusalem and trash the Iran deal, and Trump followed through, in utter contempt for the Palestinian people and world leaders.

So our Middle East policy is up for bid by billionaire zealots. This is what a liberal democracy looks like.

In any just order, the U.S. would have nothing to do with Israel. The country is committing flagrant war crimes in Gaza, killing journalists and athletes and other civilians with complete impunity.

And the International Court of Justice last week issued (yet another) ruling saying that the settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank are violations of international law.

Back in December 2016 the Obama administration after 8 years of being walked over by Netanyahu allowed the U.N. Security Council to issue the same determination, in a resolution on which Obama abstained, that condemned the occupation. President-elect Trump called the Russians to try and stop the resolution but it went through. And of course nothing came of it. The Biden administration has never followed through on the landgrab, and the ethnic cleansing.

Al Jazeera graphic showing Israeli land seizures at a 25 year high in West Bank.

The Knesset passed a resolution this week saying there must never be a Palestinian state; that would be an “existential threat” to Israel.

Netanyahu repeated the claim of Jewish supremacy in his response to the International Court of Justice.

The Jewish people are not occupiers in their own land, including in our eternal capital Jerusalem nor in Judea and Samaria, our historical homeland. No absurd opinion in the Hague can deny this historical truth or the legal right of Israelis to live in their own communities in our ancestoral home.

The Biden administration is incapable of condemning these racists. “It’s like pulling teeth to get you to say something on this,” a reporter complained in the State Department this week after the Knesset’s attack on a Palestinian state.

Antony Blinken was unable to say a critical word about Netanyahu during a fawning interview in Aspen (by NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly) in which he used a football metaphor to claim the U.S. was doing something to stop the genocide. “I believe we’re inside the 10-yard line and driving toward the goal line in getting an agreement that would produce a ceasefire, get the hostages home, and put us on a better track to trying to build lasting peace and stability.”

And keep the bombs flowing, as Israel bombs hospitals and refugee camps…

Netanyahu should be persona non grata in Washington. But he will be welcomed with open arms.

As a former Biden official Tariq Habash said on a webinar this week, our policy is “rooted in anti-Palestinian racism”– in the dehumanization and erasure of Palestinians.

Habash quit the Biden administration in January. Let’s hope that his courage and honesty are infectious.

[qqueenofhades]

https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2024/02/white-house-israel-gaza-palestinian-state/677554/

i think this is a pretty decent article in general, but this is a passage i particularly want to highlight:

"The U.S. can’t force Israel to do anything it regards as anathema to its interests. All Washington can do is lay down its own markers, including open recognition of a Palestinian state and a clear warning to Israel that its rejectionism will do significant damage to bilateral relations. The bear hug of support that Biden has provided for Israel over Gaza, at times with no international backing, cannot be gratis. The U.S. has a right, indeed a responsibility, to demand Israeli cooperation on this indispensable priority. Failing that, Washington will have to reevaluate the merits of America’s special relationship with Israel.

That is unlikely to happen before the U.S. election. But Biden might be more willing to apply the full weight of American influence on Israel if he wins a second term. Historically, second-term presidents—freed from the domestic political constraints of seeking reelection—tend to take on such issues with more determination. And if Biden really believes that U.S. interests—and ultimately Israel’s future—rest on the creation of a Palestinian state and normalization with Saudi Arabia, he could act decisively."

like i can't see any scenario where Biden's re-election would make the current situation worse! idk why it's so hard for some people to get!

I mean... yeah. I literally said the other day that Biden would be much more likely to go MORE left in a second term, because he's always gone more left when he's been pushed before, he wouldn't have to face the general electorate again, and because he's already in such a precarious position right before the election (which again, NETANYAHU KNOWS and is using to his advantage in attempting to get Trump back in). There's also the fact that literally nothing, no cause whatsoever for anyone anywhere, would be helped by Trump being elected instead. But that's apparently "baseless fearmongering" for Online Leftists who resent it when reality intrudes on their glorious revolution fantasies and/or anyone points out the basic real-world consequences of their rhetoric, so...

We've already seen that Biden can be successfully pressured, in four short months, to make drastic changes to decades of long-standing US/Israeli policy. There's no reason except sheer brainrot and terminally online idiocy to think that re-electing him will make the current situation worse (and on the other hand, as noted, many reasons to think that now he will be able to act more forcefully and without the worries of being sabotaged in an election year). Yet for the Schrodinger's Imperialists who think all Western and American influence is Always Bad, but Acktually Good when it relies on being used as magical thinking to instantly solve major global/geopolitical crises with literal millennia of roots and sources, this is just really hard, I guess. GENOCIDE JOE. There, that's easier.

[zvaigzdelasas]

21 Oct 23

President Joe Biden is making a new case to the American public for shipping arms, ammunition and other military supplies to the wars in Ukraine and Israel. His argument: many of those supplies are made in America — and that’s good for American jobs.[...]

That argument — which namechecked 2024 battleground states Pennsylvania and Arizona — comes as Biden makes a reelection pitch centered on his efforts to create jobs and revitalize domestic manufacturing in sectors such as clean energy and semiconductor fabrication. [...] And now that message includes arms manufacturing. The administration is pushing to ramp up the defense industrial base to pump out more artillery shells, missiles and other weapons for the U.S. and allies. The newest aid proposal, released Friday, includes $61.4 billion for Ukraine, of which $30 billion is for direct Ukrainian military aid.[...]

For Democrats who have been eager to see Biden more actively selling the war supply effort to weary voters, the made-in-America angle is a welcome sign of political vigor. They acknowledge, though, that it is not a sure-thing political wager. “To anybody that actually wants to, in good faith, make the decision, it’s certainly a really important and, I think, persuasive argument that this is about American jobs. It’s about helping actually bolster our entire defense manufacturing enterprise,” said Rep. Pat Ryan (D-N.Y.). “But I fear, and past behavior has shown, the MAGA extremists aren’t actually making this decision in good faith. They’re making it based on Russian propaganda that’s been propagated by Trump and everybody else.”[...]

While Biden’s message might resonate with some voters, it’s not getting much traction with House Republicans who oppose more aid [to Ukraine] at least not yet. Interviews with House GOP lawmakers on Friday showed that even those who feel Ukraine aid is justified aren’t buying Biden’s argument.[...]

Ukraine has been striking Russian logistics hubs using Lockheed Martin’s Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, or GMLRS, that are partially made in Lufkin, Texas — a city of 34,000 people that saw its paper mill and foundry close over the last two decades.

It’s represented by Republican Rep. Pete Sessions, a Ukraine aid supporter, who said Friday that the U.S. has an obligation to protect Ukraine under its post-Cold War security commitments. [...]

The U.S. has awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System launchers that fire GMLRS and are made in Camden, Ark., a town of about 10,000 people that’s 100 miles south of Little Rock. Republican Rep. Bruce Westerman, who represents Camden, said critics of government spending can be surprised to know some of that spending is going back to communities like his. “I actually had some constituents text me last night and say $100 billion is a lot of money to give away, and I made the point that a lot of that equipment is made in my district,” Westerman said. [...]

A bigger driver for House Republicans to back Ukraine aid may ultimately be whether they can extract border security concessions from Biden and Senate Democrats. Biden’s supplemental request includes $13.6 billion for security efforts at the U.S.-Mexico border. Republicans are also seeking border policy changes from the administration, and see a Ukraine funding request as an opportunity for leverage. “I’d be really surprised if Republicans wanted to let Russia win more than they wanted our own border secure,” Crenshaw said. “So I think that is the grand bargain that needs to happen.”

[klaineccfanficlibrary]

Do you know of any fics that are being regularly updated? Like current fics where the next chapter is being upload every tot days? I miss having a new chapter of a fic to look forward to reading 🥲🥲 please and thanks ♡♡

One way to check is to go on A03 and in work search, select the relationship you want - "Blaine anderson/Kurt Hummel" and you can select Works in Progress. Currently here are a handful updating regularly, if i don't mention your fic, please feel free to let me know. ~Jen

Undiscovered By @heartsmadeofbooks chap 1/?

All Blaine Anderson needs is a little help to put himself through school. That’s all. But he’s going to get so much more than he hoped for when he meets Kurt Hummel, the successful, sexy workaholic who in turn needs someone to make the loneliness disappear.

~~~~~

Klueless by @kurtsascot chap 4/22

It’s 1995. Kurt’s a senior at McKinley High, and he’s looking to lose his virginity and get his love life in order before he goes off to college.

Unfortunately, Blaine, the pretentious son of Burt’s ex-wife, is in Lima to intern for Burt’s congressional reelection campaign, and Kurt is stuck dealing with him until the election is over.

~~~~~

14 Stones of A curse by Anna_Timberlake @shame-is-a-wasted-emotion chap 5/15

“It's the only way to break the curse, Kurt. Believe me.”

These were the words that had driven 29-year-old Kurt Hummel to take a long break from his prestigious job at Vogue.com and travel approximately 3300 miles. He didn't know if it was true. But if it was, will he be able to break the long impending curse of his soulmate? Welcome to the journey of Kurt Hummel discoverying his past self and his soulmate.

Soulmates and fantasy- AU and reincarnation.

~~~~~

Falling for you By @bitbybitwrites chap 4/5

Doctor!blaine, florist!Kurt, Dadfic, Christmas

~~~~~

And longer fic, updating weekly/monthly:

Sonder by @gleefulpoppet chap 77/?

 Kurt is one of the most respected and talked about men in the fashion industry and business world. His app Style•Revolution is the fastest-growing app in history, still rising after three years. Recently, he moved the company to Seattle to be at the heart of the newest technology epicenter in the United States. Yet, with all his success, experience keeps teaching him to be wary of people’s motives who want to be close to him, and he wonders if he’ll be alone forever. Or maybe this city has plans for him that he can’t imagine when his gaze locks with a mysterious, honey-hazel-eyed busker.

~~~~~

Out of Eden By @wowbright chap 64/75 est

As a gay Mormon, Kurt Hummel has decided to go the rest of his life without falling in love. But toward the end of his two years as a missionary in Germany, Elder Anderson moves into his apartment—and Kurt's best-laid plans fall apart.

~~~~~

Head over Feet By @spaceorphan18 chap 8/15

After Kurt and Blaine broke up the second time, they went their separate ways, living their separate lives in New York City. Fifteen years later, a retirement party brings them back together into each other's orbit, with surprising, for both of them, consequences. Are they able to fit each other into their already complicated and messy lives? And are these newfound feelings real? Or just echoes of a past relationship?

~~~~~

The Queen's Passageway By @coffeegleek Part 4 of one shots of Everybody's Naked & There's a Country to Run verse

This is an expansion upon the one-shot, Passage Ways, chapter 12 of One-Shots in the Everybody’s Naked & There’s a Country To Run verse. You don't have to know the verse to read it.

[liskantope]

I've been feeling devastated about last week's disaster of a debate (among other political developments) and see it as evidence that Biden was never a fit candidate for reelection. And at this point I really don't think he has it in him to stick out a job like the presidency all the way until 2029. But I think a lot of people are really overreacting in terms of what kind or variety of weakness it exposed in Biden. I'm a little stunned by how many people -- not generally Republicans or anti-leftists or leftists who have a bias against Biden already, but moderate-left-ish types such as Scott Alexander and Kat Rosenfield -- who seem convinced of things like that the debate shockingly but obviously "proved" that Biden is completely senile, has a clinical level of dementia, is unfit to be president right at this moment (let alone for 4.5 more years), obviously isn't acting as president but must be sitting around dazed while others do the work for him, that the Biden team's insistence that Biden is fundamentally fit has now glaringly been exposed as a complete lie, etc.

One particular narrow range of skills was on display at the debate, and I'm not sure exactly what succinct term to use for it, but it was something like "smooth articulation ability", and it's something I think about a lot as a communicator in my own professional context. There have always been certain mental states I get into (often triggered by stress or sleep deprivation) where words and sentences don't come out as clearly, get caught up in the moment on the wrong beat and get sidetracked, and struggle to get wrapped up without becoming run-ons that lack in a conclusion, where I mumble and stammer easily, and where I have trouble recalling particular words and phrases on the fly, and these contrast dramatically with my moments where the opposite is the case. This especially affects my teaching: it used to fairly often be the case that I had "bad days" where I could tell right from the start of the 75-minute class period that I wasn't going to be able to form thoughts as well as on my "good days". With more experience I've gradually learned how to minimize the "bad days", but I'm still prone to it if I'm not careful. Yet, even at my worst moments of this, it says nothing about my knowledge of the topic I'm teaching about, nor about my fitness in general. It's a very narrow aspect of my mental abilities.

Now one could point out that a huge part of being a politician is being a absolute world-class "smooth articulator". And that's true, and Biden certainly was once, and clearly old age has eroded his ability at this. But it's kind of beside the point when someone is suggesting that stumbling a lot at a debate is evidence of having dementia and being too old for one's job, other than that our being accustomed to politicians being extremely skilled at articulation is obfuscating the fact that for a typical person (whether old and senile or not), having to express one's ideas on the fly in the style of a presidential debate is incredibly difficult. I believe the great majority of adult humans -- including those who are dismissing Biden now, including a lot of the very intelligent and generally articulate among us, including myself -- would probably not be able to do much better than Biden did at that debate if we were placed in his position, and it doesn't say much about our ability to make decisions in the role of US president or about our dementia status.

All that said, what matters most in a presidential debate is the vibes each candidate gives off, and Biden definitely gave off "doddering old man" vibes in just about the worst way possible, which will certainly make a lot of people not feel okay about voting for him, whether or not they've seriously reflected on his capability of performing the actual non-public tasks required of a president.

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

In the wake of the horrific attempt to shoot Donald Trump, Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen of Axios reported Monday that advisers close to the former president say he “plans to seize his moment by toning down his Trumpiness” and by “dialing up efforts to unite a tinder-box America.”

Because Trump has suddenly stared death in the face, the report suggested, he has attained benevolence toward his political foes, which will manifest itself at this week’s GOP convention with a “unifying” display. As Tucker Carlson told Axios: “Getting shot changes a man.”

Tell that to Trump himself. Only a few hours after that report appeared, Trump uncorked a new rant on Truth Social that left zero doubt that he remains fully committed to the range of positions that make Trump and his movement such a profound threat to democratic stability in this country—the very same ones that have done so much to bring about the “tinder box” that Axios imagines he is now preoccupied with addressing.

This led some to chortle that media predictions of a Trump “pivot”—a stock joke at this point—have imploded yet again. But it should occasion something else too. If media figures are so eager to depict Trump as unifying, then let’s lay down a hard metric: Before such claims are made, the absolute minimum threshold he must clear is fully renouncing the authoritarian designs he is threatening to inflict on this country and its people if reelected president.

Needless to say, that’s not going to happen.

Here’s Trump’s full rant:

“As we move forward in Uniting our Nation after the horrific events on Saturday, this dismissal of the Lawless Indictment in Florida should be just the first step, followed quickly by the dismissal of ALL the Witch Hunts—The January 6th Hoax in Washington, D.C., the Manhattan D.A.’s Zombie Case, the New York A.G. Scam, Fake Claims about a woman I never met (a decades old photo in a line with her then husband does not count), and the Georgia “Perfect” Phone Call charges. The Democrat Justice Department coordinated ALL of these Political Attacks, which are an Election Interference conspiracy against Joe Biden’s Political Opponent, ME. Let us come together to END all Weaponization of our Justice System, and Make America Great Again!”

Note that Trump is positioning himself as a “Uniting” figure (when he capitalizes words, you know he’s branding himself) while also reiterating that every single legal proceeding he faces is entirely illegitimate. And note especially his evocation of “the January 6th Hoax,” which really means that Trump remains fully committed to pardoning the January 6 rioters—and to canceling the ongoing prosecution of himself for insurrection-related crimes.

Those positions are irredeemably incompatible with any stated goal of unifying the country, at a very fundamental level. They embody the notion that there was nothing whatsoever wrong with trying to cling to power illegitimately, through violent means, in defiance of the votes and political aspirations of a majority of his fellow Americans. They also embody the idea that he and his movement should not be subject to the same laws that the rest of us are. Trump is telegraphing that he won’t back off any of that in the slightest.

The effort to assassinate Trump was an abomination and the enemy of the rule of law. Yet it’s also true that Republicans are cynically trying to exploit the shooting: Many have blamed it on the message from Democrats that Trump poses a fundamental threat to democracy, self-rule, and the American experiment, claiming this incited the shooting. Clearly, as Brian Beutler aptly notes, the game is to remove from the political agenda something that’s both true and politically damaging to Trump: that he actually does threaten all those things.

Worse, Trump advisers plainly want journalists to accept the premise in his tweet-rant: that the real threat to national stability is the continued effort to hold Trump and his movement accountable for their crimes against democracy; that moving past all these crimes—which Trump would do by voiding all of them, including his own—is itself the true precondition for achieving national healing.

There are signs this scam may have some success. First, some media coverage is already slipping into a subtle fallacy. The GOP argument right now is that Democrats are depicting Trump as an existential threat to the country and this inspired the shooting. It’s not lost on news organizations that Trump too constantly depicts Democrats in similar terms: He regularly says that electing them will mean “we won’t have a country” and that a Democratic victory will only be achieved via illegitimate means. News accounts have been pointing out that both sides offer a version of this message about the other.

But these accounts often don’t make it clear that in making this charge, only one side—the Democrats—is doing so while remaining broadly faithful to what the facts actually do dictate. Indeed, Democrats are remaining faithful to what Trump and his allies are saying in their own words. Trump has not just vowed to pardon the insurrectionists and treat ongoing prosecutions of himself as a dead letter but also has refused to say he’ll accept the results of the election and has vowed to prosecute his opponents without cause, even as his allies promise to ferociously unleash the state on designated enemies of MAGA.

News accounts should make it clear that it actually is not beyond the pale for Democrats to charge that Trump poses a foundational threat to republican governance. Nor is it beyond the pale to charge that MAGA is the only major faction in American life that valorizes political violence and sees its utilization in service of Trump and his goals as good. After all, this is precisely what it means to vow to pardon the January 6 rioters and to perpetually hail them as patriots and heroes. A media failure to clarify all this will help him pose as a post-shooting unifier.

What’s more, as the Axios story suggests, the idea that Trump is pivoting to “unity” will be very hard for some media figures to resist. Taking note of this temptation, Tim Miller joked: “Can we wait to actually see some evidence before declaring him Mandela now?”

I propose we go further, by insisting on the following: No calling Trump a “unifier” until he renounces plans to pardon the January 6 rioters and prosecute his opponents, stops casting the application of the law to himself and his movement as inherently corrupt, repudiates his threat to terminate parts of the Constitution, unequivocally commits to accepting the election results, and tells his allies to stop planning to treat any election loss as illegitimate in advance. And that’s just a start.

As Trump’s new rant makes clear, he has no intention of doing any such thing. If and when he doesn’t, the idea of Trump as unifying figure will again be unmasked as what it’s always been, every time such “pivots” are promised: a sick joke that merits nothing but mockery, derision, and contempt.

[ohara-n-brown]

More and more my fear of what will happen in November grows.

We're told that Biden is the lesser of both evils which is objectively true.

But the highest academics of our generation are being assaulted and mass arrested on the campuses they attend. Snipers are pointed at student protests and city buses are being used to carry buds fulls of peaceful protestors to jail.

All while Biden turns a blind eye and openly condemns them.

And yet.. we expect those people to vote for this man. You are asking people to openly hand their vote to a man that's squashing freedom of speech and endangering their lives. Under the threat that 'it could be worse'.

And then when people ask 'So once Biden is re-elected, what are we going to do to stop him from aiding fascism?' - it's crickets. No one has an answer for that. It's just 're-elect him please :)'

Like seriously what the fuck are we gonna do??? What's gonna happen when we re-elect him and then the next month he sends another billion dollar aid package to Israel?

This isn't a post saying 'Don't vote for Biden'. It's a post saying 'How are you going to convince these students to vote for a man that's facilitating the violation of their rights'.

This is a post asking 'Okay, when he DOES get reelected, what the fuck are we planning to do to get him to stop aiding Israel.'

Like seriously, what the fuck is the gameplan here? Vote for him, let him aid Israel, protest, then get arrested while he publicly condemns us AGAIN? Rinse and repeat?

I need answers. I've asked multiple times and never get an answer besides "but trump would be worse-" GIRL DUH. Not what I'm asking.

Can we stop and think for a second. What the fuck are we gonna do.

[spade-riddles]

Off-topic, but Spade, why isn’t Trump in prison? I am starting to really worried about him actually getting reelected and us slipping further into fascism. With Taylor’s influence and power I hope she speaks up again as we get closer. 

He has not had his sentencing date yet for the New York conviction. It is now in September.

One glass is half full part of the very corrupt Supreme Court ruling yesterday is ... according to some legal people I follow ... the judge in one of his many other cases will now hold hearings leading up to the election. The hearings will include calling witnesses to detail Trumps crimes so the judge can determine what are 'official' acts of the Presidency. So his dirty laundry will be aired in detail leading up to the election.

[song-witch]

Make You Feel

Pairing: Taylor Sloane (Ingrid Goes West) x Jess Thayer (Rough Night)

Word Count: 3,126

Warnings: Age Gaps (Jess is 34, Taylor is 25), Pre-Smut, Slight Choking, Spanking, Daddy Kink, Possessiveness, hints of Jealousy, Angst | 18+, Minors DNI

Summary: With a private charity event set to help Jess in the upcoming election, Taylor decides there's not enough fun at the party. It's no more than a publicity stunt, after all.

A/N: This was written for and inspired by @cthulhus-curse! This is our little rarepair and I love them dearly.

Jess sighed upon taking another sip from her martini. She had been listening to this man blabber on for upwards of an hour, yet he hadn’t said a single thing to spark her interest. Had this appearance not been so crucial to her reelection, she thinks she might’ve left hours ago. She probably wouldn’t have shown up in the first place if she were entirely honest.

It was something she hated about being in the public eye. She had to be so conscientious of what she said and did, and even then, it would still be picked apart by people who hated her. Years of self-criticism led to her hard exterior, it was critical as a politician. That didn’t mean she liked it, though.

So she continued to attend these… publicity stunts, for lack of a better term. It was part of the job and for the pretty penny she was paid, she would continue to deal with arrogant, old white men. Even if she was fairly certain she would get wrinkles at the ripe age of 34.

Forcing her mind back to the conversation, Jess swallowed harshly, nodding her head. “I hate to cut this sort, gentlemen, but I do have others to attend to.” The short-haired blonde gave a very fake laugh to accompany her words, as if it would lessen the blow of her leaving. The woman smiled as she stood, allowing their words to filter in and out of her head once again, pushing her way out of the circle she was in.

Filtering through the people who lingered about was easy enough, stepping out into the small, thankfully empty, balcony. Jess set her glass down on the railing, inhaling the sweet crispness of the fall air, her eyes watching the still-setting sun. Despite the fact that it was nearing 8 pm, the sky was painted something akin to a Bob Ross painting, with deep oranges and pinks.

She was thankful for the cool breeze and her cropped hair, meaning all of the wind hit her, rather than her hair. Jess paid no attention to the clicking of heels, knowing there were only a handful of people brave enough to follow her outside. “Fancy seeing you here, miss senator.” And yet, of the ones she expected, the soft Californian Valley Girl of her girlfriend was the least expected.

“Seeing as how we were both invited, fancy is not the word I would use to describe you following me.” Without looking back, Jess brought her glass to her lips, sipping the vodka-based drink. The chill of the air was more present than the one of her lemon drop martini, though she was hardly complaining as she finished it off. “Stalker is more your style.”

“Well excuse me for wanting to make sure my senator girlfriend is okay.” The blonde scoffed, moving to stand next to the older woman. She shivered in her short black number, jacket long forgotten in some coat closet, Malibu Sunset clenched tightly in her hand. Rather than wrap her arms around the taller one as she would in the privacy of their home, she instead sidled up next to her, their arms just barely touching as she set her glass next to the other’s.

Jessica only scoffed, shaking her head. “Stalker.” She whispered with a coy smirk, dropping her elbows to lean against the railing, finally looking at the younger woman. Heels that she insisted on wearing, even though Jess had said otherwise multiple times. It had led to the younger nearly being bent over her knee, only being saved by a call from her Uber driver of all people. She would be the first to say they accentuated her legs, though.

Sweeping up her legs that seemed to go on for much longer than miles, she resisted the urge to reach out and tug her dress down, the material barely reaching midthigh. The material wasn’t an issue. She rather liked seeing the girl in short, silk dresses. The issue was not only how short it was, but how she seemed to parade around, knowing her tits and ass were out. Jess had found it funny at first, given the fact that they were attending a “high-end charity, cocktail event,” whatever that was supposed to mean. As the night progressed, though, the cockiness of the younger woman had only fueled the rage she spent hours mustering away.

“You love it.” Taylor Sloane’s teasing pulled her out of her self-induced reverie, a shit-eating smirk accompanying her features. Her hair waved behind her in the breeze, the sun giving the slight tan she had developed over the summer a soft glow accentuated by her makeup. The angle she was leaning against the railing at made it more than easy to look down her dress, hardly anything covered.

“I don’t love being stalked.” Both had had their fair share of creepy paparazzi on more than one occasion. It wasn’t something they talked about often, though the thought hung heavy in the air. Reaching for her glass, Jess took a long look at the woman, clearing her throat. “And put your tits away.”

Taylor smiled cheekily, seemingly leaning forward even more. It was as if she were trying to get on Jess’ already high-strung nerves, though two could play at that game. “I thought you liked them, Daddy.” She emphasized the final word, a smirk playing on her lips.

“Shut. Up.” Jess held the glass tighter in her grip, turning away from the woman. She left without another word, leaving the younger behind to fix herself. It would still be hours before they would be home, though they were both certain they would see each other again. The moods the two would be in, however, were a lot less certain.

᠃ ⚘᠂ ⚘ ˚ ⚘ ᠂ ⚘ ᠃

Jess watched as the younger posed against the wall, some man taking photos of her. She knew Taylor was doing it on purpose; the fact that they had made eye contact multiple times was more than enough of an indicator. Yet still, it pissed the senator off beyond comparison, barely thinking it over before she was marching up to the young woman. “What the fuck are you doing?”

“Taking pictures. What does it look like I’m doing?” Taylor only rolled her eyes, continuing to pose. She bent forward, much like she had earlier, barely any fabric hiding her tits. A smirk was thrown Jess’ way, a kiss at the man.

“That’s enough. I can take it from here.” Jess reached for the phone, shooing the man away in a move that was less than polite. She pocketed the girl’s phone, stopping the impromptu photo session within seconds. “Let me ask again, what the fuck are you doing?”

“Like I said, taking pictures.” Taylor scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Sure, she had asked a rando to take her pictures in an attempt to get the woman to her, though she wasn’t impressed it had backfired so quickly. She rolled her eyes, blowing air from her pursed lips.

“Taking pictures like a slut?” Jess scoffed, fixing the woman with a glare. Taylor had a tendency to brat out, especially when she wanted attention, though this was unusual, even for her. “We’re at a charity event and you’re slutting yourself out for a random man?”

“Oh please, I wasn’t slutting myself out. You’re just jealous.” Taylor rolled her eyes, reaching up to play with a strand of her hair. She knew she was in trouble, even before they had left the house. Why not play it up a bit? The only thing that could happen would be another punishment, and she was more than willing to pay that price.

“Jealous of what?” Jessica pressed, stepping closer to the woman. Their chests were nearly touching, the world around them fading to soft blurs. In this moment it was only them and the tension between them. She would’ve found it hot if they were at home, though she was far more fed up than amused.

“Jealous of the fact that I’m getting more attention than you.” The word ‘bitch’ mumbled under her breath, squinting her eyes at the woman. She knew those words would do it, by the way the older woman’s body tensed. She took a step closer, their noses now practically touching.

“Quit being a fucking brat.” Jess spit out as she grabbed the dirty blonde’s wrist, stopping her from walking away. As the number of warnings she got went up, the patience the senator had got lower. She was lucky they were at a very public, very important event, or she’d have been bent over hours ago.

“Then quit being a fucking bitch.” Taylor snarled right back, with possibly more venom than needed. She didn’t care, though. There was no reason for Jess to be as pushy as she was. Why couldn’t she take photos to post later if she wanted to?

“Excuse me?” The older grasped her wrist harder as she tried to walk away again, this time not letting her grip loosen. She was shocked to hear those words, especially after the talk they had earlier. Jess glanced around them, assuring they weren’t being watched, before pulling the girl closer. “Would you like to say that again? And watch your fucking attitude.”

“Then you,” Taylor met the woman with the same intensity, the pointer on her free hand coming up to poke at the woman’s chest, “stop being a fucking bitch.” She crossed her arms over her chest, meeting the same intensity that the other woman held. She was fed up. All of her attempts to gain her attention had gone to waste, shrugged off as if she were nothing.

“Let’s go.” Jess would be damned if anyone saw them, too focused on taking care of the girl to even care. She dragged her to the bathroom, practically throwing her inside the small room. “Fucing brat.” The short-haired woman snarled, turning to face the door. She inhaled deeply before turning around, ignoring the ‘what the fuck’ thrown at her.

Jessica locked the door behind her, a sense of cockiness filling her as she did. Taylor would face the consequences of her actions, publicity be damned. “You have about two seconds to apologize before I give you something to whine about.” Her hand almost immediately threaded through the younger’s hair, settling at the base of her skull and pulling upwards.

“Apologize for what? I wasn’t the one being a bitch.” Taylor scoffed, yanking her head back in an attempt to have her hair dropped. It didn’t work and only encouraged the older to pull harder, which in turn made the younger struggle just slightly against her grasp.

“I said: apologize, whore.” Jess grasped her hair harder, a gasp pulled from the younger woman’s throat. She knew how easy it was to rile up the blonde and vice versa. If she wanted to be a bitch, two could play that game.

“Fucking bitch.” Taylor spit at the woman’s heeled feet, actually spit, a flame in her eye that wouldn’t go away. She practically snarled, rolling her eyes and tossing her hair back, effectively pulling the older woman’s hand out of her hair.

“Watch your fucking mouth.” The words just barely resonated with the blonde before her head jerked to the side, falling to her knees, pain blooming throughout her cheek. The same hand that had slapped her, Taylor knew due to the warmth and slight buzzing that seemed to connect them, pulled her face back over and up, not giving her time to even react to the hit. Fire blazed behind her eyes as they stared up at Jess, her chest heaving.

“Cunt.” The speed at which two fingers were forcefully shoved down the younger’s throat was enough to make her choke, the acrylics of the older woman’s nails easily hitting the back of her throat. Despite the fact that Taylor was the best little cocksucker Jess had found, and she had had her fair share of free trials, she loved how easily it was to make her gag. The sound she made was enough by itself to turn her on, though the feeling was exquisite too.

“You keep running that goddamn mouth thinking I’m not going to do anything, huh?” Jess raised both of her eyebrows as her face tilted down just slightly, fixing the younger with a questioning look. Her hand followed where the blonde whipped her head back and forth in an attempt to dislodge her fingers. Even as Taylor’s hands came up to grasp her wrist and push it away, she continued to press forward.

“What? Too dumb to say anything back?” The taller woman faked sympathy, pouting condescendingly. She pushed her fingers forward before pulling them out, a sense of pride filling her as she watched the girl bend forward, hair falling in front of her face as she coughed. With a coo, Jess squatted, reaching through a curtain of blonde hair to tilt her chin up, meeting a pair of rage, and lust, filled eyes.

Taylor glared at the older though her vision swam with a mix of tears and arousal, grinding her teeth together. “Fuck. You.” The influencer spat through her teeth, her chest heaving. She knew she was going to be punished, if Jess’ earlier threats weren’t obvious enough, the unmistakable anger on her face was more than enough to send any man to their knees.

Jess’ nose twitched, her throat tightening as her hand traveled down the blonde’s neck, easily closing against it. “You just don’t fucking learn, do you?” She stood, not letting go of the younger as she did so, instead pulling her up and allowing her to dangle for a moment before dragging her towards the sink. The woman was thrown over the porcelain, her head bouncing off said counter with a resounding thud.

Taylor whimpered at the pain spiraling through her head, attempting to stand and reach for her head, only to be stopped by the politician. Jess easily grabbed the younger’s wrists, holding them behind her back, her free hand pressing down between her shoulder blades. “Don’t even fucking think about it, slut.”

“Ow.” The dirty blonde half whimpered, half moaned against the sink, squirming in her place. She was more than aware of the senator’s hands pushing the skirt of her dress up, a spank accompanying the motion. “What the fuck!” She yelped, though more from shock than pain.

“You wanna act like a fucking slut, you get punished like a fucking slut.” Was all Jess said as her free hand tugged the girl’s lacy thong down, bending over to pick it up and study it for a second. “Fucking pathetic. Getting off on your punishment. Whore.” The cropped-haired woman shoved them in the pocket of her pants, before another slap against the younger’s behind rang out through the room.

“Stop!” Taylor pushed her hips forward, trying to escape the slaps against her ass. It was futile, even if she didn’t want to admit it. Her hands were held behind her and there was no way she could squirm away, not with how high her heels were. It would most likely lead to her toppling over and she didn’t want to hit her head for a second time that night.

“You don’t get a say in this, bitch. So I suggest you start counting before I start over.” Jess threatened, her hand coming down yet again. She waited for Taylor to yelp out the word one, mere seconds before her hand came down again. She never hit the same spot twice, alternating both cheek and power with each hit. It had the younger crying by the twelfth hit, a mess of tears and whimpers.

Jess’ hand came down hard on the blonde’s ass, the sharp resounding slap of skin on skin reverberating through the small bathroom. She waited, curling her fingers until her nails dug into the soft flesh they rested on. “If you sto-” The woman was cut off by a wail from the younger, her form shaking with poorly hidden sobs.

“N-nineteen!” Taylor nearly screamed, rocking between her feet under the other’s harsh gaze. Her entire body shook with how hard she was sobbing, a mixture of tears and snot running down her face. She hardly even cared about how smudged she knew her makeup would be, able to see globs of black streaked across her cheeks, another product of her punishment, no doubt.

“Good.” Was all Jess said before her hand came down one last time, landing squarely on the girl’s already sensitive sit spot. She couldn’t care less about how loud they were being, far more focused on beating the brat out of the girl bent over in front of her. She watched with satisfaction as the girl yelped, her body quivering with the way she sunk against the sink. “Number.”

Taylor grasped at the faucet, her knuckles white with how strong she was holding it as tears continued to fall down her cheeks. “T-” She was cut off by a sob, pressing her face against her arm. It took her another sob before she spit the word out. “Twenty.”

“Good girl, Taylor.” Jess gently pulled the girl off of the sink, gathering her in her arms before sitting on the floor. Taylor clung to her almost instantly, her face slotting against her neck, fists grasping at her shirt. “It’s all done, baby. You’re okay.” The older woman murmured against her ear, holding her tight against her body.

“Good girl, Tay. You’re my good girl.” Jess hushed the girl, running her fingers through the loose curls cascading down her back. The younger continued to sob, her entire body flinching with how violent they were. Jess rocked back and forth just slightly, attempting to soothe her in any way possible. “My good girl, taking her punishment so well. Such a good girl.”

The short-haired woman swayed until the younger’s sobs subsided, though she didn’t let her go right away. “Look at me, Tay.” Jess prompted softly, using the hand still carding through long hair to gently tilt her head back. She waited until the dirty blonde did so, smiling softly at the girl. “You’re such a good girl, Taylor, even if you were acting up today. Now, you’re gonna get your Uber and I’ll meet you at home, okay baby girl?”

"Okay.” Taylor hiccuped softly, pushing her chin back into the woman’s neck. Neither of them cared about how much time passed, sitting on the floor of the bathroom, merely basking in each other. Jess ultimately had to force the younger up, helping her clean her makeup before sending her off, a kiss against her lips as a silent promise that she wouldn’t be long.

[kp777]

By Jessica Corbett

Common Dreams

July 16, 2024

"Let's see which politicians are for unions and which ones are all talk," said the Texas Democrat.

As former U.S. President Donald Trump's new running mate and a union leader's speech spark discussions about the Republican Party and organized labor, one Democratic congressman on Tuesday suggested a test to see who is actually pro-worker.

Rep. Greg Casar, a Texas Democrat with a history of advocating for workers, called for holding a vote on the Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act when his colleagues in Congress return to Capitol Hill next week.

"If Republicans wanna talk like they're pro-worker, then let's have a vote on the PRO Act next week," Casar said on social media. "Let's see which politicians are for unions and which ones are all talk. Dems are ready to vote, how about you guys?"

Introduced by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), the PRO Act "expands various labor protections related to employees' rights to organize and collectively bargain in the workplace." The vast majority of its co-sponsors are Democrats.

"Dems are ready to vote, how about you guys?"

Casar specifically called out House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who on Tuesday wrote for Compact Magazine about International Brotherhood of Teamsters general president Sean O'Brien's Monday night speech at the Republican National Convention (RNC), acknowledging that it "came as something of a shock."

Hawley called the speech "a watershed moment" and said that "Republicans have a chance to turn the corner on labor." He also took the opportunity to highlight some of his own positions, such as more sick days for rail workers. The senator left out that he has backed "right-to-work" laws that ban union security clauses in collective bargaining agreements and opposed the PRO Act.

O'Brien—who responded by saying that Hawley "is 100% on point"—had, as The Washington Post's Lauren Kaori Gurley put it, "showered praise" on the senator during his speech. The Teamsters leader also stressed the need for pro-worker reforms.

"Labor law must be reformed," O'Brien said. "Americans vote for a union but can never get a union contract. Companies fire workers who try to join unions and hide behind toothless laws that are meant to protect working people but are manipulated to benefit corporations. This is economic terrorism at its best. An individual cannot withstand such an assault. A fired worker cannot afford corporate delays and these greedy employers know it. There are no consequences for the company, only the worker."

He declared that "we need corporate welfare reform. Under our current system, massive companies like Amazon, Uber, Lyft, and Walmart take zero responsibilities for the workers they employ. These companies offer no real health insurance, no retirement benefits, no paid leave, relying on underfunded public assistance. And who foots the bill? The individual taxpayer. The biggest recipients of welfare in this country are corporations, and this is real corruption. We must put workers first."

O'Brien was invited to speak at the RNC by Trump, who on Monday secured enough delegates to become the Republican nominee and announced U.S. Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) as his running mate—creating a ticket that Liz Shuler, president of the AFL-CIO, called "a corporate CEO's dream and a worker's nightmare."

Teamsters spokesperson Kara Deniz told the Post that the union leader requested to speak at the Democratic National Convention next month but has not yet received an invitation.

Unlike the Teamsters, several major labor groups endorsed Biden for reelection over a year ago. The Democrat describes himself as "the most pro-union President leading the most pro-union administration in American history"—and he has mostly avoided angering organized labor, other than working with Congress to block a national rail strike in December 2022.

Biden became the first sitting president in history to walk a picket line when he rallied with United Auto Workers members in September. The UAW endorsed him in January, when the group's president, Shawn Fain, sharply criticized Trump and warned that "rarely as a union do you get so clear of a choice between two candidates."

O'Brien struck a much different tone on Monday, praising the ex-president and "characterizing both parties as ambivalent about unions with room to improve," as Post reporter Jeff Stein pointed out on social media. In addition to Sanders, Stein highlighted, "there are 48 Senate sponsors of the PRO Act. They all caucus with the Democratic Party. Zero are Republicans."

Only Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.)—who ditched the Democratic Party shortly after the 2022 election—have joined with the chamber's Republicans to oppose the PRO Act. In the GOP-controlled House, the bill is backed by every Democrat but just three Republicans: Reps. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (Ore.), Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), and Christopher Smith (N.J.).

"On June 21, 2023, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions chaired by Sen. Bernie Sanders passed the PRO Act 11-10," Warren Gunnels, the panel's majority staff director, noted Tuesday. "Every Democrat on the committee voted yes. Every Republican on the committee voted no."

Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) said, "To the Republicans at the RNC who want to appear to support American labor, here's an idea: Come join us to pass the PRO Act."

[battleangel]

Truth, Justice & Northrup Grumman

Four genocides are happening right now:

Palestine/Gaza

Sudan

Congo

Tigra

Last 3 are in Africa so no mainstream news coverage.

US is funding the 1st one because of Zionism (Israel).

There is a 3 front war coming due to US presidential election being next November: Palestine (siding with Israel, Russia (siding with Ukraine), Iran (siding with Israel vs Iran & Palestine).

Biden is asking for $100 billion -- $60 billion for Israel & $40 billion for Ukraine.

He refuses to say how long the US engagements in Israel & Ukraine would be or to give any kind of timetable yet he is demanding 100 billion US dollars fund the genocide in Palestine & the war in Ukraine.

Biden is already openly threatening Iran using very bellicose statements that they had better stay out of Palestine and essentially doing everything he can to start WW3.

Biden is already making an argument that wars in Palestine & Ukraine are good for the US economy in trying to get Congress to approve the $100 billion in aid to Israel & Ukraine.

He claimed that US weapons manufacturing plants that make the weapons in the Israeli and Ukrainian conflicts would be responsible for creating 15k+ US jobs.

It is the Iraq War all over again.

Trumped up, contrived, fake as fuck, only happening to prop up sagging presidential approval ratings, to assure reelection & to drum up jingoism, nationalism & virulent blind patriotism that leads to nihilistic militarism, warmongering, national bloodlust & endless empire building on the corpses of young men, some idealistic, many black brown & poor, endlessly exploited by the capitalist war machine.

Ads to Be All You Can Be while Uncle Sam pays for college education that should be free when student loans literally just went back into repayment will coincide nicely with the aggressive push for WW3.

American jobs. American corpses. American mothers weeping for their dead sons.

Caskets draped in US flags for 21 year old boys.

18 year olds dying in a country they've never visited for no fucking reason.

Hamas is the enemy. Russia is the enemy. Iran is the enemy.

Go die for your country.

Go die for Biden.

Go die to build Americas empire.

Go kill people you've never even met.

Go pull a trigger when your only experience with guns is Call of Duty.

Go destroy your innocence.

Go make your parents proud.

Go risk your life for $30k.

Go risk your life for the VA to treat you like shit if you manage to survive.

Go risk your life so you can have your college education paid for.

Go get PTSD and night terrors.

Go be a man.

Go fight for your country.

Go get permanently injured and disabled.

Go be a wounded warrior.

Go for the propaganda.

Go so people can "Thank you for your service."

Go for free burgers at Applebees on Veterans Day.

Go so you can see your best friend in your squad get blown to smithereens in front of you.

Go to see civilians used as gun fodder and pregnant women used as shields.

Go to see toddlers killed and babies exploded.

Go so you can be given orders that will kill you just so your CO can look good.

Go to get endlessly hazed, bullied, harrassed and almost killed by your fellow Marines so you can get a fancy certcomm later.

Go so you can add "US veteran Armed Forces" to your LinkedIn.

Go endlessly traumatize yourself as an infantryman for noone to hire you once the "conflict" is over and you come home.

Go so you can see endless horrors in war then have endless difficulties "transitioning to a civilian career" once you get home.

Go for the death squads and rape parties.

Go to be captured by the enemy and tortured.

Go to be a prisoner of war.

Go so your weeping mother can be handed a folded flag at your burial to be put inside a glass case.

Go so you can fill the burial plots at military cemeteries across the country.

Go so Biden gets reelected and Trump gets reinstated on twitter.

Go for the chevrons and the stripes.

Go to get pinned.

Go for the trauma and nightmares.

Go so your VA benefits can get cut later.

Go so you can blow your brains out in a VA parking lot since theres still a waiting list to see a psychiatrist for your PTSD, depression, suicidal ideation, insomnia and night terrors.

Go for the sleep demon paralysis.

Go for the disfigurement.

Go for the IEDs.

Go for the bombs on the side of the road.

Go to drive a Humvee.

Go for the Nazi dress blues and shining saber.

Go for valor.

Go for courage.

Go to brag at future Christmas dinners and family parties.

Go to be a dutiful son.

Go because America needs her sacrificial lambs.

Go to be a colonizer.

Go to build empires.

Go to liberate people by destroying their country.

Go to be dehumanized in boot camp.

Go to be broken down and never built back up.

Go to be hazed by the biggest fraternity in the world, the United States military.

Go for the toxic masculinity, stay for the lifelong traumatization.

Go to be a stone cold killer.

Go to kill without blinking or thinking.

Go for the brainwashing and endless conditioning.

Go for the psychological torture.

Go for the pseudosexual sadomasochistic ritualistic tortures and humiliations of boot camp.

Go for the endless mindless roll calls.

Go for the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli.

Go to lose your humanity.

Go to have your sensitivity shredded in a blender.

Go to assert your manhood.

Go because the NFL had fighter jets fly over the stadium during Sunday Night Football.

Go because youre proud to be an American.

Go because its The American Way.

Go because of Pat Tillman.

Go because its what tough guys do.

Go because you cant find a job anyway.

Go because you can make a career out of it.

Go because of Modern Warfare III.

Go because of the Star Spangled Banner.

Go because of the Stars and Stripes.

Go because of the Pledge of Allegiance.

Go for the bald eagle.

Go for Reagan and the shining city on the hill.

Go for Dubya.

Go for the rockets red glare and the bombs bursting in air.

Go for the Super Bowl honoring you at half time.

Go for the proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Go for the home of the free and the land of the brave.

Go for spacious skies and amber waves of grain.

Go for purple mountains majesty above the fruited plains.

Go to crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.

Go for the blood on your hands.

Go to blow someones brains out.

Go to rape a local girl.

Go to vent some steam.

Go for the myth and to build your own mystique.

Go to build a persona.

Go to reinvent yourself.

Go for GI Joe.

Go for Captain America.

Go to be superman.

Go to be a boy scout.

Go for truth, justice and the American Way.

Go to spray nerve gas on a local population.

Go to commit war crimes.

Go for the genocide.

Go for chemical warfare.

Go for psychological warfare.

Go for espirit de corps.

Go for teen spirit.

Go for Northrop Grumman and Raytheon.

Go for Lockeed Martin.

Go for Skunkworks.

Go for the CIA.

Go because pain is weakness leaving the body.

Go to get your head shaved and humanity stripped away.

Go be a cog in the machine.

Go because you havent done anything for your country today.

Go for the military industrial complex.

Go so your father can Friday Night Lights you and vicariously live through your military experience.

Go to be a neighborhood small town hero.

Go to get your head blown off so your high school gymnasium can be named after you.

Go to be a local dead celebrity.

Go to be honored at your hometowns Memorial Day Parade next year.

Go for the NFL to have a collective moment of silence for you and the other dead boys before kickoff.

Go to be thanked in a random celebrity PSA.

Go for free pancakes at IHOP on Veterans Day.

Go to fulfill your fathers warped sense of manhood, masculinity and being a man.

Go to continue the US history of violence and patrimony.

Go for the blood.

Go for the foreign pussy.

Go for the horrors.

Go for the viscera.

Go for the spilled intestines.

Go for the agonizing screams.

Go for the panic attacks and endless insomnia.

Go be a paranoid android.

Go because you havent earned your freedom.

Go to write your name in future US history books.

Go to cotinue the endless cycle of war, terror and violence.

Go for the injustice and genocide.

Go for the inhumanity.

Go for bootcamp graduation.

Go for the framed picture in your dress blues.

Go to be brave and strong.

Go to be fearless.

Go to be John Wayne.

Go for Oppenheimer.

Go for 9/11.

Go for America.

Go because We're number 1!

Go for a US flag waving on a Ford pickup truck.

Go for a Budweiser commercial with galloping horses and amber waves of grain.

Go for the Korean War.

Go for Lyndon B. Johnson.

Go for Richard Nixon.

Go for General Dwight Eisenhower.

Go for the Department of Defense.

Go for the Vietnam War.

Go for Emperor Hirohito.

Go for Hitler, Mussollini and Stalin.

Go for General Franco.

Go for Lenin.

Go for Mao.

Go for Admiral Yamamoto.

Go for Pearl Harbor.

Go for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Go for Ferdinand being assassinated.

Go for the Hundred Years War.

Go for the Spanish Inquisition.

Go for Columbus.

Go for the Founding Fathers.

Go for the sweet land of liberty.

Go for the land where my fathers died.

Go for the Pilgrims pride.

Go for General Washingtons apotheosis in the rotunda as a American god.

Go to deify yourself as a war hero.

Go to make yourself a comic book character.

Go so Ben Affleck can play you in a war movie.

Go for Blackhawk Down.

Go for Napoleon Bonaparte.

Go for Ridley Scott.

Go to be a gladiator.

Go for Julius Ceasar.

Go because Rome was built in a day.

Go for Christendom.

Go for Alexander the Great.

Go for manifest destiny.

Go for militaristic expansionism.

Go for your corpse to be found on the side of the road in a foreign country you cant even find on a fucking map.

Go so your Humvee can be exploded.

Go to terrorize the local populace.

Go to put on the armor of God and breastplate of righteousness.

Go be a christian soldier.

Go climb Jacobs Ladder.

Go be a soldier of the cross.

Go to be baptized in the blood.

Go wade in the water.

Go for the homesickness and depression.

Go for the drugs and alcoholism.

Go for the panic attacks and anxiety disorders.

Go have your sensitivity, vulnerability and innocence destroyed.

Go to be violated.

Go for the smell of napalm in the morning.

Go for Apocalypse Now.

Go for the victory formation.

Go for the mushroom cloud.

Go for the blitzkrieg.

Go for Army vs Navy.

Go to be politely saluted by strangers at airports.

Go to be a commissioned officer.

Go for the honorable discharge.

Go help Biden beat Trump.

Go help the Democrats look tough.

Go help the Army go viral on TikTok.

Go so Sexyy Red names her baby after you.

Go be used and abused.

Go for Saving Private Ryan and Tom Hanks.

Go for Schindlers List.

Go for Braveheart and Mel Gibson.

Go to remeber the Alamo!

Go for General Custer and Henry Fonda.

Go for John Ford and John Wayne.

Go for Green Berets.

Go for The Last Samurai and Tom Cruise.

Go for Gundam and Neon Genesis Evangelion.

Go for Star Blazers and the Battleship Yamato.

Go to rape comfort girls.

Go for Voltron.

Go to transform like Optimus Prime.

Go for the Gram.

Go for the likes.

Go for the follows.

Go for the LinkedIn reactions.

Go for a pinned tweet.

Go to blow up on the for you page.

Go for virality.

Go for the silver play button on Youtube.

Go for the blue checkmark and verified account.

Go for the clout.

Go to be respected and admired.

Go to be shipped home to your mother in a pine box.

Go to prove youre a man and unafraid.

Go to be a Roman gladiator in the arena.

Go to slay the dragon.

Go to be King Arthur.

Go for the Sorcerers Stone.

Go for the key to the Euphrates River.

Go for the Sword in the Stone.

Go to be a Knight of the Round Table.

Go for the Queen of England.

Go for King and Country.

Go for your rightful place on Mount Rushmore.

Go for E Pluribus Unum.

Go for the Iliad.

Go for The 300.

Go for Thermopylae.

Go to bring down the walls of Jericho.

Go for Numbers 31:18 -- "Kill all the boys and all the women who have slept with a man. Only the young girls who are virgins may live; you may keep them for yourselves."

[tomorrowusa]

J.D. Vance is so awful that I'm starting to think that Trump chose him as "impeachment insurance" – if Republicans indeed win the November election.

Maybe the devil put the Trump-Vance ticket together...

He said that every person in attendance for his speech believed “something that’s a little crazy.” In his case, he said, “I believe the devil is real and that he works terrible things in our society. That’s a crazy conspiracy theory to a lot of very well-educated people in this country right now.” Vance made these remarks at a September 2021 gathering of the Teneo Network, an invitation-only group of young conservatives that counts elected officials, pro athletes, financial executives and media figures among its members. Vance joined Teneo six years ago. ProPublica and Documented obtained a video recording of his 30-minute speech and question-and-answer session, which has not been previously reported. [ ... ] According to tax records, the Teneo Network’s chairman is Leonard Leo, the legal activist who built a pipeline of lawyers who interpret the Constitution based on the “original intent” of the framers or the meaning of the words in the text when they were written. One of the most influential conservatives of the past three decades, Leo helped confirm all six conservative justices currently serving on the U.S. Supreme Court. Leo-aligned judges have pushed to restrict abortion rights and rein in the government’s power to regulate corporations. Leo has said he views the Teneo Network as a way to extend his influence beyond the judiciary to industries including finance, media, government and Silicon Valley. The network identifies and cultivates conservative leaders in “other areas of American culture and American life where things are really messed up right now,” as Leo put it in a Teneo video.

Leonard Leo is behind the effort to pack the judiciary with far right judges. Of course he has connections to Project 2025.

Adding Vance to the ticket bolsters the connections between Leo’s network and the Trump 2024 campaign. It also strengthens ties between Trump’s reelection bid and the Project 2025 blueprint, which outlines plans for a second Trump administration, including firing thousands of career civil servants, shuttering the Department of Education and replacing ambitious goals to combat climate change with ramped-up fossil fuel production. In a recent TV interview, Vance said the document contained “some good ideas” but claimed that “most Americans couldn’t care less about Project 2025” and that the Trump campaign wasn’t affiliated with it.

If people "don't care" about Project 2025 it's because they don't know about it yet. d'oh!

And yes, Project 2025 is filled with old Trump administration staffers/officials and people who worked in Trump campaigns. Saying there's no affiliation with the Trump campaign is like having a paramour and claiming there's no relationship because the couple isn't married.

J.D. is a fanboy of Alex Jones who spreads vicious conspiracy theories about the 2012 Sandy Hook school massacre.

Shortly before he spoke at the Teneo conference, Vance drew criticism when he tweeted that “Alex Jones is a far more reputable source of information than Rachel Maddow.” Jones, founder of the online show Infowars, gained a following with his promotion of conspiracy theories about the Sept. 11 terrorist attack. More recently, judges in several states ordered him to pay $1.5 billion to the families of the victims of the Sandy Hook school shooting, which Jones had called a hoax.

Don't think that Trump and his apprentice can't get elected just because they have bizarre extremist ideas. Remember 2016?

Trump has basically chosen Vance as his successor. Permit Trump-Vance to win and you help make America Russia.