The conversation is always better at the kidsâ table anyway.
Our motto:
Beneath each of these individual categories, so many of these folks have one thing in common: theyâre Authoritarian Followers. Falling in line behind an Authoritarian Leader is what they naturally crave. So theyâre willing to overlook a great deal in order to embrace the âstrong leader.â
Dr. Bob Altemeyer, who has spent decades doing rigorous academic work studying authoritarianism, and in particular authoritarian followers (and authored numerous academic works on the subject as well as the excellent book âThe Authoritarians,â which summarizes his work for a non-academic audience), had this to say while the primaries were still underway, but when it was pretty clear Trump was winning the GOP contest:
I would not say that all of the people trying to carry Donald Trump to the presidency are authoritarian followers. But they likely compose his hard core base. Furthermore, many authoritarian followers presently support Senator Ted Cruz for religious reasons. You can expect most of them to slide into the Trump ranks once Cruz drops out of the race. By summer, the vast majority of authoritarian followers in the United States will likely be for Trump.
He goes on to list the key attributes of Authoritarian Followers, according to his decades of researchâŚand they fit Trump supporters almost too perfectly.
Dr. Bob concludes, as you do (and I agree) that weâre not going to change the minds of very many of these authoritarian followers. He notes that defeating them may be difficult, but itâs not complicated: âOthers can outvote them.â
To say the least.
One more time: He is a Minority President. They are a minority.
There are a lot more of us and theyâve pissed just about all of us off. People donât just think Trump is a kind of bad idea, they fucking hate him just like we do. There is no gray area with Trump.
We will turn out like Dallas Co. did in '06, and we will take Congress back. Failure is not an option.
âI am particularly concerned about the effect on lower-income people in rural areas.â
English-to-Dogwhistle translator:
âIf weâre not careful, some actual white people like you might get hurt, but donât worry, I know who really matters and who doesnât and Iâm on the case.â
Sheâs never going to go over to the side of the Progressives in this nation, but at least she had the courage to say no today to a nightmare on all our streets.
You are over-thinking it. They won because 2-3% of the dumb-ass, bottom-feeder retards who know nothing about anything and dislike politics because they donât understand it got fooled.
Shorter Collins: I must appear moderate before complete capitulation. Besides, I am running for Governor in Maine and I would love the moderate look.
No shit. Collins is always concerned, but not enough to affect her vote.
Yes!
Well, that settles it then. The New Winner of the Bret Stephens Uncertainty Award.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters ahead of the vote that it is âimpossibleâ for the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office to score the proposal after a series of amendments. She echoed press secretary Sean Spicer, who said Wednesday that too many âvariablesâ are âunknownâ to predict its effects accurately.
The bullshit machine is running at a very high rate of speed. Quelle surprise. Thanks, âHuck,â youâve sent another one of your unemployable children to the White House.
Despite its bewildering array of natural diversity, the casual observer should never be fooled:
GOP taxonomy boils down to the single species Homo partisan.
Some specimens chronically assume the classic mating posture to alpha males (see: âChristie, Chrisâ).
Others display mock aggression before abruptly exposing their haunches (see: âMcCain, Johnâ).
Many engage in an elaborate and coy dance, often lasting days, before yielding (see: âRyan, Paulâ).
But in the end, the species simply cannot overcome its biological urge to put party before country.
Everything else is just minor variation in plumage, habitat, and diet.
Depends on how much the House GOP handcuffed them with their scoring request.
By setting up high risk pools that arenât part of the exchanges, they have set things up for lower premiums with Trumppcare versus ACA. Allowing states to exempt themselves from some of the ACA-mandated coverage would also allow lower premiums.
Lower premiums, while keeping the tax credits more or less where they were, would likely mean that the CBOâs estimate of the number insured would be much higher than for the initial Trumppcare plan.
The tides come in, the tides go out. Sometimes they are high, sometimes low. You canât predict that.
"If they somehow repeal Obamacare, even the supporters who lose coverage will say, âat least they kept their promise.â
âOne more time: He is a Minority President. They are a minority.â
Preach it, Sister tena!
How much courage does it take to say mealy-mouth shit about a bill you will never have to vote on?
You answered your own question.
A narcissist addicted to winning (which we really canât see) and adulation (which we can) can only measure success through âvictory,â no matter how pyrrhic. Thus the necessity of tallying a Day 100 (or thereabouts) achievement.
In this case, it may well likely be his signature achievement; browbeating a bunch of wantonly ignorant and preternaturally cruel cowards into signing their political death warrants.
Hats Off to Hair FĂźhrer. Or would that be Heads Off. Regardless: Skoal!
ETA @drtv: Donât listen to @tena. She just says stuff cuz itâs true.