Democrats “weaponize fear” says far right troll who once warned of immigrants bringing infectious diseases into our country

I don’t have any time right now, as I’m in the middle of something, but I wanted to share this video of Fox News personality Laura Ingraham, a woman who once warned that our nation was under attack by diseased immigrant hoards, accusing Democrats of “weaponizing fear” by sharing actual facts concerning a real public health emergency.

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116 Comments

  1. Posted February 27, 2020 at 11:24 pm | Permalink

    Just a reminder. Donald Trump made us more susceptible to coronavirus by slashing public health funding and shutting down a government office charged with pandemic preparedness. here, from Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, is one more example. “President Obama set up anti-pandemic programs in 47 vulnerable countries, as a way to protect against something just like Coronavirus breaking out across the world,” Murphy said. “Experts begged Trump to keep them open. He closed 37 of them.”

  2. Posted February 27, 2020 at 11:26 pm | Permalink

    This is what happens when you elect people who don’t understand or appreciate the role of government or the importance of science.

  3. Posted February 27, 2020 at 11:27 pm | Permalink

  4. iRobert
    Posted February 27, 2020 at 11:59 pm | Permalink

    It’s amazing how much power the Democrats have. They seem to control the media in every country around the world except Fox News here in the US. I’m so proud of Fox News for somehow resisting the magical power the Democratic Party globally.

  5. iRobert
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 12:09 am | Permalink

    I’m so proud of Fox News for somehow resisting the magical power the Democratic Party has globally.

    Also, what’s with this weaponizing of the word weaponizing? Are we as a culture going to go through the entire encyclopedia placing the word weaponizing in front of each entry?

  6. iRobert
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 7:39 am | Permalink

    Laura Ingraham, FF, EOS, HW and I all think it’s a real fine thing what the President has done. Real fine. Now please Mr. President, wish the whistleblower into the cornfield. Please Mr. President….into the cornfield.

  7. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 8:55 am | Permalink

    List two or more “actual facts” from the segment.

  8. Eel
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 9:25 am | Permalink

    Fox News complaining about the weaponization of fear. That’s a good one. 

  9. iRobert
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 9:26 am | Permalink

    Laura Ingraham isn’t going to air any actual facts uttered by anyone she is trying to make look bad.

    She could have covered the actual complaints Democrats have made about the Administration’s handling of pandemic readiness, but of course she didn’t. Her purpose is to characterize Dens as never having legitimate complaints or concerns.

    The Trump Administration has been downsizing US readiness for mobilizing against the spread of communicable disease. True?

    The Trump Administration has been issuing contradictory proclamations regarding COVID-19. True?

  10. iRobert
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 9:29 am | Permalink

    You don’t have to answer those questions, HW. I realize you think the stuff Trump’s done is real good…real fine. We’re not thinking any bad thoughts about you, Mr. President. What you done is real good. Now, please wish the whistleblower into the cornfield.

  11. iRobert
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 9:31 am | Permalink

    You’re a bad man ,Mark! You’re a very bad man! And you’ve been thinking bad thoughts about the President!

  12. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 9:34 am | Permalink

    Are you sure money spent on pandemic preparedness is well spent? No corruption involved. You’re sure.

  13. iRobert
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 9:41 am | Permalink

    I’m sure it’s mostly a giveaway of taxpayers money to businesses owned by pals of the decision makers, as is the standard nowadays in the US. The taxpayers never get a good deal. Trump and his corrupt pals are not only no exception, they’ve taken that sort of cronyism to new heights. The emoluments clause is “phony” according to your hero, Trump.

    It would make sense to eliminate select cronyism if it wasn’t just for selecting other cronies.

  14. iRobert
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 9:45 am | Permalink

    A benefit of not eliminating positions associated with preparedness would have been having certain individuals who actually know their subject and know they’re responsible for preparedness. That often inspires responsible action.

    Having a gutted Administration with an absurd spoiled child at the helm has a less desired result.

  15. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 9:46 am | Permalink

    If Trump is stopping cronyism why do you say he is the cronyist? Trying to understand the logic.

  16. John Galt
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 9:47 am | Permalink

    The caravan of diseased rapist criminals was real. I heard that George Soros recruited each of them personally, to make sure he had the most prolific and diseased rapists. This is totally different. This is make-believe. The fake news is taking a regular (although 30 times for deadly) cold and turning it into a way to delegitimize the administration of the bone-spur-laden reality television personality that the Lord Jesus Christ personally put into office. (Jesus, by the way, could have given him the popular vote, and ensured that crowds had showed up for his inauguration, but he had other things to focus on, like calling Paula White to heaven.) The Coronavirus is as bogus as all the evidence – and there’s a lot of it – that Donald Trump attempted to cheat in order to help Jesus keep him in the White House. Where’s the crime in that? He was HELPING JESUS! 

  17. iRobert
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 9:50 am | Permalink

    But, like you, EOS and FF, I don’t want to think any bad thoughts about the President. What he done is real good. He’s a real fine boy.

    Mark’s a bad man! He’s a very bad man! And he’s been thinking bad thoughts about the President.

    I don’t want to be wished into the cornfield. It’s a good life.

  18. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 9:54 am | Permalink

    Look how fast the argument devolves. It would be good for dems if coronavirus spreads in the USA.

  19. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 9:55 am | Permalink

    Good if the economy crashes. Any way to Get Trump.

  20. iRobert
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 9:57 am | Permalink

    Hyborian Warlord: “If Trump is stopping cronyism why do you say he is the cronyist? Trying to understand the logic.”

    He reduced readiness and claims it’s to eliminate cronyism. I think there is a cronyism component, but greater readiness is still an aspect as well.

    He only reduced the readiness to shift cronyism to his own favored cronies. That’s all he’s been doing from day one.

    It’s like the Ann Arbor massage parlors that were shut down years ago only to immediately replace them with phony karaoke clubs. Just switching out one prostitution ring for another. But the dumb people of Ann Arbor bought it as a clean-up of prostitution.

  21. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 10:00 am | Permalink

    So how does misspending money which you said you are sure of improve readiness? You don’t see the contradiction?

  22. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 10:01 am | Permalink

    “shift cronyism to his own favored cronies. That’s all he’s been doing from day one.”

    Such as?

  23. iRobert
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 10:01 am | Permalink

    I am just messing with you, HW. And really I’m trying to mess with EOS more. He’s the one who seems most afraid of thinking bad thoughts about the President.

    As far as the economy crashing, I’m with you, HW. I’d prefer it doesn’t, even if that means Trump gets re-elected. I’m already uncomfortable with how crazy most Americans have gotten. I don’t want to see how much worse they’d can get with a collapsing economy.

  24. Sad
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 10:06 am | Permalink

    I thought you wanted to close the borders HW? Isn’t that what we’re seeing happening? Or do you like globalism now?

    Putting in Pence in charge should help.

    Ha-ha

  25. iRobert
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 10:08 am | Permalink

    I don’t want to see how much worse they’ll certainly get with a collapsing economy.

    Trump’s even his own crony. His businesses are making far more money since he’s become president. He’s directed business to his hotels. That’s one.

    I’ll see if I can save myself a lot of trouble and find a pre-compiled list of individuals and companies who have benefitted from the cronyism of the Trump Administration.

  26. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 10:08 am | Permalink

    Why did you think that? So many bad assumptions around here. It’s bizarre.

  27. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 10:09 am | Permalink

    Last one directed to Sad.

  28. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 10:10 am | Permalink

    You do that, iRobert.

  29. EOS
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 10:10 am | Permalink

    Russia, Russia, Russia didn’t work so not it’s Virus, Virus, Virus. And of course, it’s all Trump’s fault.

    Maybe Obama had such a great plan developed for all types of emergencies that nothing else needs to be done? Do you think that Obama was ill prepared?

    At this point, there is nothing to be done. If you are sick, stay home. If you get really sick, put on a mask and go to a hospital. If you are not sick, wash your hands frequently and avoid crowds.

    This virus will run its course and then the Dems will need something else to blame on Trump.

    I’m the first to admit that Trump isn’t perfect. I wish the Reps or a 3rd party had run a candidate that could have been elected. I hope they are working on developing someone for the next election in 4 years.

  30. Eel
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 10:12 am | Permalink

    DEMOCRATS: There’s a likely pandemic heading our way. We need to be prepared.

    REPUBLICANS: You’re weaponizing fear! You only want to hurt Donald Trump! You love disease! You want people to die! 

  31. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 10:13 am | Permalink

    Huh!

    https://capitolfax.com/2019/11/07/while-chicago-hotels-boomed-one-suffered-a-steep-decline/

    While Chicago hotels boomed, one suffered a steep decline
    Thursday, Nov 7, 2019

    * Keep in mind that this was happening at the same time that Chicago hotels were booming…

    Profits [at the Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago] fell 89 percent from 2015 to 2018, from $16.7 million to $1.8 million, according to documents filed with Cook County, Ill. Trump’s hotel struggled even as other Chicago hotels held steady or thrived.

    “Performance of [the Trump hotel] is clearly disassociated from that of its competitive set,” the company’s lawyers said in a letter to the county seeking to lower the hotel’s taxes.

    The lawyers said the problem was a reaction to Trump’s politics. They even quoted a line from a 2018 Washington Post article, in which one small-time investor described the effect of Trump’s candidacy on his buildings thusly: “Then the Embarrassment came.”

    Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago, which prides itself on indulgent luxury, is trying to keep up by cutting costs. In a presentation to investors, obtained by The Post, the company described leaving jobs open, cutting back on gifts for high rollers and children, and buying cheaper housekeeping supplies.

  32. Frosted Flakes
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 10:18 am | Permalink

    I just hope for Trump’s sake that Mark does not develop a sore throat. That is where I draw the line!

  33. Anonymous
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 10:46 am | Permalink

    Don. Jr was just on Fox & Friends accusing Democrats of hoping coronavirus “comes here and kills millions of people so that they can end Donald Trump’s streak of winning.”

  34. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 10:56 am | Permalink

    That’s your best hope. Somehow the CIA doesn’t seem to be so good at assassinating presidents anymore.

  35. EOS
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 11:03 am | Permalink

    We have experienced viral pandemics about 3 times every 100 years.

    We all survived the H1N1 flu pandemic in 2009. Some estimates believe 200 million were infected and nearly 400,ooo died. I don’t recall anyone blaming Obama and also don’t recall this amount of hype from the media.

    And for the record, if nearly all the MSM agree on a particular topic, it’s only because they are all controlled by a handful of individuals.

  36. Anonymous
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 11:06 am | Permalink

    By “individuals” he means Jews.

  37. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 11:09 am | Permalink

    Yeah, individuals equate to their ethno-religious group.

  38. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 11:18 am | Permalink

    So all whites are lynchers, all blacks are muggers, all latinos are coke smugglers, all asians are disease vectors, did I leave anyone out? Fill me in on your classification system.

  39. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 11:40 am | Permalink

    Can’t forget about all men, all women, every denomination, socio-economic status… How many ways do you divide us?

  40. Sad
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 11:43 am | Permalink

    http://www.hewillnotdivide.us

  41. Frosted Flakes
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 11:44 am | Permalink

    Strange comment Anonymous.

    Do guys remember when IL used to always accuse EOS of being a Holocaust denier? When asked for his evidence he had none. I think IL conceded with a “fair enough”. What sort of person is proved to be a false accuser and responds with “fair enough”—as if that is an apology?

    So Anonymous, what is your evidence that EOS has resentment/ ill will against “the Jews”?

  42. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 11:52 am | Permalink

    Tattered white flag on Shia’s site sure makes it look like he surrendered a long time ago. The anons taking control of his installation no matter where he went must have finally pushed him over the edge. The irony is he was correct: Trump would not divide us.

  43. Meta
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 12:03 pm | Permalink

    CNBC: “Trump chief of staff Mulvaney suggests people ignore coronavirus news to calm markets”

    https://www.cnbc.com/2020/02/28/trump-chief-of-staff-mulvaney-suggests-people-ignore-coronavirus-news-to-calm-markets.html

  44. I bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 12:09 pm | Permalink

    Aloha, mortality rate for this flu is between 2 and 4%. Nearly 20% for those over 80 and 10% for those over 60.
    China quarantined close to a million folks to contain outbreak. Japan is hunkering down closing schools and banning large public gatherings—contemplating canceling Olympics. 8 trillion in wealth vaporized so far. Individuals binging reinfected with 0 understanding of consequences. Thanks to the botched return of folks to California we can count on outbreaks throughout the US in next couple of weeks.
    Don’t worry be happy its just the flu.

  45. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 12:13 pm | Permalink

    How many can we count on, ‘I bet’?

    How do you know the President’s travel restrictions haven’t saved our ass already?

  46. iRobert
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 12:16 pm | Permalink

    From The Nation:

    The GOP’s Crony Capitalism Is Racing Full-Steam Ahead

    https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/the-gops-crony-capitalism-is-racing-full-steam-ahead/

  47. Posted February 28, 2020 at 12:19 pm | Permalink

    From USA Today:

    Trump’s model for America is corrupt, autocratic crony capitalism. Like in Russia.

    https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/01/10/trump-brings-russia-style-corruption-to-america-column/2824578001/

  48. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 12:22 pm | Permalink

    That’s all over the place. Better to quote the best information you think the article has.

  49. Posted February 28, 2020 at 12:35 pm | Permalink

    From The Nation: “Education Secretary Betsy DeVos was held in contempt of court and fined for failing to stop collecting on loans owed by students who were defrauded by the for-profit Corinthian Colleges.”

  50. Posted February 28, 2020 at 12:39 pm | Permalink

    From The Nation: “Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin’s efforts to secure millions of dollars in tax breaks that happen to benefit his friend, the onetime junk-bond king and convicted tax cheat Michael Milken. And note the reports that a $33 million federal contract to provide courthouse and cell-block security was channeled toward a company in which Trump’s younger brother, Robert, has a financial interest.”

  51. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 12:41 pm | Permalink

    https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/secretary-devos-approves-new-methodology-providing-student-loan-relief-borrower-defense-applicants

    Secretary DeVos Approves New Methodology for Providing Student Loan Relief to Borrower Defense Applicants

    While courts continue to deliberate, DeVos moves forward with ensuring harmed students receive relief

    DECEMBER 10, 2019

    New Borrower Defense Relief Methodology Policy Statement

    WASHINGTON –Today, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced the Department has implemented a new methodology for assessing borrower defense to repayment (BDR) claims, many of which were left behind by the previous administration. The new methodology relies on publicly available earnings data and a scientifically robust statistical methodology to determine harm.

    “Despite the mess we inherited from the previous administration, we committed from day one to getting this right for students and taxpayers,” said Secretary DeVos. “We cannot tolerate fraud in higher education, nor can we tolerate furiously giving away taxpayer money to those who have submitted a false claim or aren’t eligible for relief. This new methodology treats students fairly and ensures that taxpayers who did not go to college or who faithfully paid off their student loans do not shoulder student loan costs for those who didn’t suffer harm.”

  52. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 12:43 pm | Permalink

    Because of promises made by the prior administration, and damages likely caused to those borrowers by the Department’s continuous efforts to use Corinthian Colleges, Inc. (CCI) institutions as an example, the Department will award no less than 10% relief to all eligible CCI Borrower Defense applicants, regardless of program earnings.

    Hundreds of claims adjudicated utilizing the new methodology, mostly consisting of Corinthian and ITT borrowers, will be released this week. FSA will also resume notifying borrowers that their loans are ineligible for relief under the 2016 BDR regulation based on the following factors:

    Borrowers did not have Direct Loans related to the claim.
    Borrowers were not part of the pre-identified class of Corinthian Colleges for whom approval was provided in advance.
    Borrowers did not make an allegation or provide sufficient evidence that the institution violated an applicable state law.
    For example, borrowers who submitted a claim stating that their teacher was unfair or that they have not found a job they like are not eligible for relief under the applicable BDR provision.

  53. Posted February 28, 2020 at 12:53 pm | Permalink

    Nearly three years into the Administration, we now have a promise from DeVos that things will be different. Wow! I’ll hold my breath. Almost three years to make a promise…the easy part. Now let’s see if they actually follow through, of if this is just another example of Trump’s people blowing smoke up everyone’s ass.

  54. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 12:54 pm | Permalink

    That doesn’t sound good about Robert Trump but at least he “is exclusively a passive investor, has no management role whatsoever, is not an officer or director, and his name has never been used or mentioned by Certipath in any solicitation for a government contract, whether state or federal,” Nigriny added.

    Bit of a molehill compared to what is coming out about the dems though, huh?

  55. Posted February 28, 2020 at 12:56 pm | Permalink

    From The NYT:

    Trump’s Corruption: The Definitive List

    https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/28/opinion/trump-administration-corruption-conflicts.html?auth=login-facebook

  56. Posted February 28, 2020 at 12:58 pm | Permalink

    From the NYT article above:

    “Scott Pruitt, the former E.P.A. head, asked his staff members to contact Republicans donors with the goal of helping his wife find a job. Pruitt also rented a condo on Capitol Hill for $50 a night, well below market value, from the wife of an energy lobbyist whose project the E.P.A. approved last March. Pruitt’s many scandals led to his resignation in July.”

  57. Posted February 28, 2020 at 12:59 pm | Permalink

    From the NYT article above:

    “Elaine Chao, the transportation secretary, used interviews with Chinese and Chinese-American media to raise her father’s profile. He is a shipping magnate whose business transports goods between the United States and Asia, and he sat next to her during the interviews.”

  58. Posted February 28, 2020 at 1:01 pm | Permalink

    From the NYT article above:

    “Cabinet officials make unethical stock trades.
    Several Trump officials — current and former — have traded stocks while serving in top government positions. In some cases, they appear to have made policy decisions benefiting the companies in which they owned a stake.

    Tom Price, Trump’s first secretary of health and human services, epitomized this form of corruption. Trump chose him despite his history of using his seat in Congress to make money. Price had a long record of putting the interests of drug companies above those of taxpayers and patients — and then investing in those drug companies on the side.

    Brenda Fitzgerald, the former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, committed a more mild version of this sin. She purchased shares in food, drug and tobacco companies after taking charge of an agency that regulates them — and that aims to reduce smoking. After her purchases became public, she resigned.”

  59. Posted February 28, 2020 at 1:03 pm | Permalink

    From the NYT article above:

    (…Wilbur Ross, Trump’s commerce secretary, has mixed government business and his own business in multiple ways. He held on to investments — and then appears to have lied to government ethics officials about those investments. He shorted the stock of a company about which he appeared to have advance notice of bad news. He also met with the chief executive of Chevron, even though his wife owned a substantial investment — which, according to Forbes, “put himself at risk of violating a criminal conflict-of-interest law.”)

  60. Posted February 28, 2020 at 1:05 pm | Permalink

    From the NYT article above::

    “Trump officials have made a habit of billing American taxpayers for their personal travel. Ryan Zinke, Trump’s secretary of the interior, chartered a $12,000 flight to fly out of Las Vegas, where he had given a 12-minute speech to a hockey team owned by a businessman who donated to his congressional campaign.

    David Shulkin, the secretary of veterans affairs, charged taxpayers for a trip to Europe that included stopovers at Wimbledon and Westminster Abbey, plus a river cruise for him and his wife. The resulting outcry appears to have played a role in his departure.”

  61. Posted February 28, 2020 at 1:07 pm | Permalink

    From the NYT article above:

    “Zinke, the interior secretary, spent $139,000 in taxpayer money on new doors for his office. Carson, the secretary of health and human services, picked out a dining set for his office that cost $31,000 — and then gave Congress contradictory explanations for the purchase and blamed it on his wife. Pruitt ordered a $43,000 soundproof phone booth installed in his office and appears to have violated federal law by failing to inform Congress about it.”

  62. Posted February 28, 2020 at 1:08 pm | Permalink

    From the NYT article above:

    “Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, looked into whether he could use a military plane to fly him to Europe for his honeymoon. Later, he used military planes for several trips. The Treasury Department’s inspector general concluded that Mnuchin broke no laws by doing so, but criticized Mnuchin’s insufficient explanation for why he needed to spend $800,000 on the trips.”

  63. Posted February 28, 2020 at 1:15 pm | Permalink

    Are any of the claims in the NYT article false?

    These are what are called cronies. I’ll continue to see if I might put together some more detailed lists of examples showing how corrupt and self-dealing this Administration is.

    You, FF and EOS really shouldn’t fear speaking the truth about Trump. It doesn’t actually undermine your argument that a shadow government (The White Hats) is actually running the country while this Administration of cronies and self-dealers provide the facade. They are also the fall guys, by the way. Trump is going to be the ultimate fall guy for whatever their plans are ultimately. It may not be as nefarious as I fear. But I don’t think we have any way of knowing. The evidence so far does not look good.

  64. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 1:22 pm | Permalink

    Probably all bad stuff by others in the administration but why are you all in a tizzy about when when you never cared about it before? All your major dems are directly fucked when it comes to corruption. A Baltimore mayor just got three years a minute ago for money laundering through book sales. That is nothing compared to what Durham is dealing with.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/former-baltimore-mayor-catherine-pugh-to-be-sentenced-in-healthy-holly-scandal/2020/02/26/6a20c9dc-58c6-11ea-9b35-def5a027d470_story.html

  65. iRobert
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 1:31 pm | Permalink

    HW: “never cared about it before?”

    I have always cared about it. It’s made me a very unpopular person in politics and government, though I did make good friends with the minority of folks who stay clean, and ethical.

    I don’t fault you, or FF, or EOS for choosing to vote for Trump over the Democrats. I just don’t see any reason to turn a blind eye to anything.

  66. I bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 1:35 pm | Permalink

    Aloha, web site with the raw numbers reported by WHO. Not sure if they understand how it has spread through Italy yet. I see the Pope has developed a “respiratory “ issue causing him to cancel public events. After the Iranian VP (they understand how the disease got to Iran) is the Pope the 2nd high profile victim?

    https://www.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6

    I see the Dow is about to drop below 25000. Unfilled margin calls are going to start pilling up.

  67. Posted February 28, 2020 at 1:47 pm | Permalink

    People might be surprised to learn there are cases confirmed in London, Ontario and Chicago already. Are you still hiding in the Bahamas, Wobblie? Is there a hammock I can use?

  68. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 1:50 pm | Permalink

    I don’t think I’ve heard one critique from you of the dems and their high amplitude blatant corruption. Not much anyway. Them and their cronies they put in charge of the intelligence agencies. The only thing is I’m not sure which is the crony and which is the cron-er in the dem/alphabet agency morass. If Clapper, Comey, Brennan, etc. in cooperation with dem leaders (plus repubs) illegally spied and lied to destroy a President then how is that not about the biggest political scandal of all time? How could it be seriously said that Trump is increasing cronyism?

  69. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 2:05 pm | Permalink

    Is it known in what form Putin is helping Sanders? And Gabbard for that matter. He seems to interfere on behalf of everyone the dems/alphabets are desperate to stop; funny.

  70. Frosted Flakes
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 2:21 pm | Permalink

    iRobert, I accept that Trump is not a saint. I am not going to spend a bunch of time trying to track the kickbacks and hookups. I glanced at your examples and none of them grab my attention much. It seems so small to me. I agree with HW. The potential weaponizing of the law/ intelligence agencies and the media to circumvent democracy seems like, potentially, the biggest story of our lifetimes. People turning away from the redflags should be ridiculed.

  71. I bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 2:24 pm | Permalink

    Aloha HW you need to ask JB for all the ways Putin directs his puppets. iRobert, high 80s yesterday, weather moved in last night and cooling off some, Worrying about my wife who is traveling back to states today. She is oc when it comes to keeping her hands away from face, washes her hands frequently (years of working with very bad things in labs)
    and respects peoples personal space. But airplanes are rough places.
    I don’t have a personal memory, but my older sister remembers the summer time polio quarantines. Folks will freak out now, and so we must recognize that up to 70% are going to become infected. I want to know more about those who have evidently become “reinfected”.

  72. Anonymous
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 3:49 pm | Permalink

    We actually don’t know what reinfected means. The CDC test kits don’t pass normal validation studies. This means that all positive controls test positive, all negative controls test negative, and then and only then can the test on the patient sample be interpreted with confidence as positive or negative. It’s called science. Unfortunately, that has not been the case for the this test. One set of controls has been not working properly, so the CDC has just been ignoring that. Maybe the person was continuously infected? We’ll never know. At least the NYS lab called them out on it.

  73. iRobert
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 4:31 pm | Permalink

    HW: “I don’t think I’ve heard one critique from you of the dems and their high amplitude blatant corruption.”

    I’m the one person on this blog who most often agrees with your criticisms of the corruption of US intelligence agencies. I am very familiar with it and have even grappled with it first hand.

    A lot more people would probably agree with you if they didn’t fear being ostracized by nitwits who call everyone “conspiracy theorists.”

    I have no doubt many in the intelligence agencies feel they have the right to interfere with domestic politics.

    Trying to sabotage Trumps election or attempting to fabricate false information on him wouldn’t even make the top ten of horrible things US intelligence agents have been involved in during my lifetime.

  74. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 5:39 pm | Permalink

    Bad thing to be ostracized by nitwits?

  75. Frosted Flakes
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 5:42 pm | Permalink

    iRobert,

    Amongst “spygaters”, for lack of a better term, it is usually said that they spied on Trump because they hate him. What if it had nothing to do with hate or even Trump? What if, for example, it was discovered that multiple candidates were being spied upon? What if the list of “worse things” the intelligence community has done, as you said, were partially dependent upon controlling past elections? Or what if controlling this past election would have been the gateway which enabled “worse things” like more phony pretexts for phony wars….

    I think it is hard to rank how bad this might be….Which is saying a lot…

  76. iRobert
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 6:34 pm | Permalink

    I’d say it is at least part of a pattern. But like you say, it may have simply been one small part of a larger and ongoing operation which maintains certain control over public elections. There is certainly massive interference and manipulation that takes place in regard to every presidential selection process that I’ve ever observed at any distance. Very intense manipulation is something that is very predictable when involving such important decisions. Predicting the precise details of strategies live-time is much more difficult though.

  77. iRobert
    Posted February 28, 2020 at 6:53 pm | Permalink

    HW: “Bad thing to be ostracized by nitwits?”

    A lot of people are very concerned with seeming level-headed, even if that means never voicing some very real suspicions they have. Some people are so intent on appearing level-headed that they’ll attack others for taking any risks in sharing their suspicions, or just some simple questions.

    I spent much of my life looking for trouble, some might say pathologically. I found plenty of trouble. It’s not only out there, but it’s in far more abundance than the vast majority of people would imagine. It was at times extremely stressful and even traumatic. One consequence has been that I’ve lost my fear of public opinion, almost entirely. That has a real down side to it. But it also is very freeing.

    Few people have put themselves through the crazy things I have. So I do still feel some compassion for them being timid when it comes to voicing their more bold thoughts or suspicions. So, yeah, I kinda get it that the fear of being ostracized by nitwits keeps many people silent on many topics.

  78. Jean Henry
    Posted February 29, 2020 at 8:57 am | Permalink

    “The potential weaponizing of the law/ intelligence agencies and the media to circumvent democracy seems like, potentially, the biggest story of our lifetimes. People turning away from the redflags should be ridiculed.” –FF, who does exactly this every day.

  79. Posted February 29, 2020 at 9:10 am | Permalink

    Talk about “weaponizing fear”….

  80. I bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted February 29, 2020 at 9:33 am | Permalink

    Aloha, concerning bio-weapons, one story in circulation is, this is a US weapon that was deployed at a multinational conference in Wuhan at the beginning of December. evidently US military personnel attended conference. Wuhan also evidently has a center of islamic study that regularly has people traveling to Qom in Iran (why virus spread to Iran so quickly). If it was a weapon much more likely Israeli I think. After all they are saying they will have a vaccine in another week, while most US scientists think it will take at least a year to come up with one.
    China clearly has taken this virus very seriously and basically shut the country down. That may save millions of Chinese lives, at the cost of a US recession.
    The next two quarters profits and the election is to important to worry about the old and infirm who will die—not surprising for a culture that has already decided to sacrifice our grandkids.
    But hey hope and prayers will solve all our problems.

  81. Frosted Flakes
    Posted February 29, 2020 at 9:49 am | Permalink

    Jean Henry,

    Please continue to keep me updated on what I should discuss, with what tone, and at what rate.

    #controlfreak

  82. I bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted February 29, 2020 at 10:13 am | Permalink

    Aloha, some good news. We evidently signed a peace treaty with the Taliban. Will the military industrial complex let it stick past the election? Lets hope the troops come home instead of being redeployed to one of the other war fronts.

  83. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted February 29, 2020 at 10:37 am | Permalink

    Thanks President Obama! We all know Trump could never bring peace and prosperity so props, dawg.

  84. Tommy Vietor by proxy
    Posted February 29, 2020 at 2:16 pm | Permalink

    Just incredible to watch this asshole scold the media and politicians about inciting #coronavirus panic when his tweets were the primary source of fear and disinformation during the ebola outbreak.

  85. Jean Henry
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 1:19 am | Permalink

    What I said:”“The potential weaponizing of the law/ intelligence agencies and the media to circumvent democracy seems like, potentially, the biggest story of our lifetimes. People turning away from the redflags should be ridiculed.” –FF, who does exactly this every day.

    Hpw FF responded: Jean Henry,
    Please continue to keep me updated on what I should discuss, with what tone, and at what rate.
    #controlfreak

    –Huh???? Should I be “worried about your mental health” FF?

  86. Jean Henry
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 1:26 am | Permalink

    Today in the slide towards tyranny:

    The Trump administration has launched an obscure but dangerous effort to undermine this system, and to dictate both the appropriate circumstances for commencing adjudication and the rules that govern how disputes with agencies are resolved. If the Trump administration’s strategy works, it will have steered the federal bureaucracy further toward an authoritarian future in which all executive-branch policy making must bend to the whims of a single individual, the president.”

    https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/02/trumps-quiet-power-grab/607087/CxGkqVfeSWNYfhdo7o1a6eiHBlP-5SIxoxS2_viE

  87. Jean Henry
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 1:30 am | Permalink

    If anyone is interested in why Trump supporters seem to live in a political upside down where everything the assert is the opposite of what we know to be true, here’s something to listen to carefully.
    http://www.pbs.org/wnet/amanpour-and-company/video/one-of-the-largest-disinformation-campaigns-ever-conducted/

  88. Jean Henry
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 1:32 am | Permalink

    https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/03/the-2020-disinformation-war/605530/

  89. Frosted Flakes
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 4:39 am | Permalink

    Tommy Vietor by proxy
    Posted February 29, 2020 at 2:16 pm | Permalink
    Just incredible to watch this asshole scold the media and politicians about inciting #coronavirus panic when his tweets were the primary source of fear and disinformation during the ebola outbreak.

    How exactly was/ is the “fear” being quantified and traced back to Trump’s tweets? In 2014 Trump had roughly 2.5m followers and his Ebola tweets have been retweeted about 5k times over 6 years. Compare that to Chris Murphy tweeting criticisms of Trump’s corona virus response. Murphy has 1/3rd as many followers (as Trump had in 2014) and yet his criticisms have yielded 3 times more retweets in a week. One of Chris Murphy’s criticisms of Trump’s Corona virus response yielded 167k likes in a week compared to Trump’s 5k likes.

    Similarly, Vietor has 1/5th the followers of Trump in 2014 and yet his tweet which claims that Trump’s Ebola tweets had some kind of huge effect on public opinion have double the likes in a week.

    Just curious….

  90. Frosted Flakes
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 5:04 am | Permalink

    Jean,

    I Interpreted your brief statement as saying: “FF should not ridicule people daily for turning away from redflag.”

    Apparently I should have interpreted your brief statement differently? (Don’t worry you don’t come across as overly focused on petty things.)

  91. Lynne
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 7:37 am | Permalink

    Interesting. JH voices an opinion and FF somehow interprets it as controlling? Typical.

  92. Anonymous
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 9:02 am | Permalink

    The fear doesn’t have to be weaponized. It’s real. Let’s say the government asks people to voluntarily self-quarantine. Who’s going to do that if that means the loss of a job that they need just to get by. Let’s say the government asks people to self-report illness and seek help. Who’s going to go to the urgent case for symptoms of a mild cold and run up a huge bill? Let’s say the government exercises it’s right to put people into mandatory quarantine. Who’s going to pay the costs of the quarantine. The facility will likely be private. It may not be in your insurance network, presupposing that you have insurance coverage. There is a transport bill. There is a hospital bill. There is a bill from the physician who sees you. There is a bill from the radiologist who will read your xray. There is a bill from the lab that tests you. The facility will likely be private. It may not be in your insurance network, presupposing that you have insurance coverage. Then what if the government acts within its powers to halt public assembly? Will they be acting in good faith for the public benefit? It is a contentious election year. It’s hard to run a challenger’s campaign if there can be no campaign rallies. What, how, and when will alarming public news be released through the vice-president’s office? Will elections be delayed? Will we use an unproven system of remote balloting without validation? Will the elections be canceled?

  93. John Galt
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 9:33 am | Permalink

    I won’t be satisfied until Trump actually fucks an American flag to completion.

  94. EOS
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 9:36 am | Permalink

    The reported cases will likely diminish when the weather warms, similar to other influenza and cold viruses. It won’t likely affect the upcoming election.

    It will return during the next flu season. Within a year or two, the annual flu vaccine will be formulated to include SARS-Corona virus as an antigen.

    Meanwhile, stay home if you are sick. Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently.

  95. Jean Henry
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 11:54 am | Permalink

    No FF— I’m suggesting that everyday you turn away from red flags that our democracy is at risk from the politicization of independent bleaches of government and executive overreach because of your partisan allegiances.

    Jesus you are dense.

  96. Jean Henry
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 11:55 am | Permalink

    John Galt FTW
    Thank you.

  97. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 12:04 pm | Permalink

    “No FF— I’m suggesting that everyday you turn away from red flags that our democracy is at risk from the politicization of independent bleaches of government and executive overreach because of your partisan allegiances.”

    That’s amazing you think that and have no problem with the biggest scandal of all time against the President. Total weaponization of spy agencies against the American people by dems and old guard repubs.

  98. Jean Henry
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 12:09 pm | Permalink

    Anonymous makes very good points. I have bronchitis right now and probably have low blood oxygen but am not going to the doctor because last year when I had the same, I was hospitalized until my lungs cleared and it cost me $3 grand. My inability to clear my lungs efficiently likely relates to an chronic illness I have, though no one is sure exactly because gut doctors and lung doctors don’t really work together or care about what the other is doing, especially since they can just throw me in the hospital every once and a while and wait for it to pass. It’s likely there is an anti-inflammatory out there that will work for me but they tend to cost $600 a month and/or require you to ‘try’ again all the cheaper alternatives that you know don’t work before the insurance company will approve the one you actually need. It’s all a hot mess. And I’m not that sick. Mostly annoyed and it’s not fun having a cold in any public space these days.

    So yeah, we need a health care system that doesn’t force people to make bad choices that in the end could cost more for everyone in the system.

    But if everyone is sick and self-quarantined then it’s unlikely that will happen. This pandemic could be the impetus for real change or the barrier to it. I don’t know.

  99. Jean Henry
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 12:14 pm | Permalink

    Meanwhile learn to wash your damn hands properly. (Scrub with soap for 2x the alphabet song (60 seconds) getting under finger nails, between fingers and up forearms before rinsing and cut your nails.
    Oh and don’t let your kids play with this:
    JELL-O Play Monster Edible Slime Gelatin Dessert Kit (14.8 oz Tin) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H8KFMR6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_MZ-wEbGCN37NE

  100. Frosted Flakes
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 12:36 pm | Permalink

    Yes, Jean. I figured that out.

    I misinterpreted your brief statement.

    And you failed to figure out how I misinterpreted you when it became obvious there was a miscommunication. I’m not sure that is a piece of evidence that you are smart, however.

    Generally speaking I am open to all arguments that our democracy is under assault. It helps if the argument has substance but I don’t think it is ever a bad thing when you guys offer your weak arguments either.

  101. Sad
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 12:41 pm | Permalink

    Peggy Noonan on the plague-

    Early signs are not encouraging. The messaging early this week was childish—everything’s under control, everything’s fine. The president’s news conference Wednesday night was not reassuring. Stock market down? “I think the financial markets are very upset when they look at the Democratic candidates standing on that stage making fools out of themselves.” “The risk to the American people remains very low.” “Whatever happens we’re totally prepared.” “There’s no reason to panic, because we have done so good.”

    It was inadequate to the task.

    I wonder if the president understands what jeopardy he’s in, how delicate even strong economies are, and how provisional good fortune is.

    If you want to talk about what could make a progressive win the presidency it couldn’t be a better constellation than this: an epidemic, an economic downturn, a broad sense of public anxiety, and an incumbent looking small. Especially if the progressive says he stands for one big thing, health care for everyone.

  102. Frosted Flakes
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 12:43 pm | Permalink

    Regarding “partisan allegiance”: Again, I do not belong to a party and my voting record would likely surprise you.

    You are part of the full of shit/ ignorant crowd. It transcends party lines but it seems to mostly be located amongst privileged establishment Dems at this point in time.

  103. iRobert
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 6:36 pm | Permalink

    Mayor Pete dropped out of the presidential race

  104. Sad
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 6:59 pm | Permalink

    Oh well.

    Still impressed that he dropped out so early. Smart man.

    Will he endorse Bernie?

  105. iRobert
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 7:01 pm | Permalink

    I’m sure he won’t be endorsing Sanders. I wonder if he’ll be endorsing anyone until a single frontrunner emerges.

  106. iRobert
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 7:23 pm | Permalink

    Klobuchar is under a lot of pressure from the party to drop out now too.

  107. Jean Henry
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 7:37 pm | Permalink

    My guess is that Mayor Pete negotiated support for Biden or Bernie in exchange for a plum assignment post election. Or is in the process of doing so. There’s not much future for a gay Democrat in Indiana politics. It makes the most sense for him to go team Biden. He hates Klobuchar and there’s little point in joining team Warren though I’d love it if he did. Bernie is a possibility if Bernie wants to signal a move towards the center for the general, which he’s already in the process of doing (saying movement instead of revolution and actively stopping ppl from using the R word) and which he must do soon. A lot of bro’s would be mad as hell. But more would accept the necessity and even more would be comforted by sign of any concession to the plurality. Also those fickle but forceful millennials are simply not voting in the necessary numbers to allow Bernie to stay far left and win.

  108. Jean Henry
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 8:18 pm | Permalink

    If Warren drops before the MI primary, I’m going to let my kids tell me who to vote for. My son is visiting his sister in Brooklyn for the weekend before. It will give them something to talk about. So almost certainly Bernie. Both leading candidates have strong negatives for me. I have friends who are advocates for various progressive causes who strongly believe Bernie will lose not just the presidency but much more certainly the house majority. It directly impacts their ability to get any legislation passed. BUT they are also inside the beltway people and there is a great degree of myopia there. Biden seems almost certainly a better bet in terms of getting elected and holding the house seats given which are up for grabs. But he is seriously discombobulated in his speech and seems just not on top of it enough– plus Anita Hill. Bernie is the less cynical and more hopeful vote. So many of my younger friends (I have many) adore him and support him. So I would vote for their choice in spite of my belief that they will be sorely disappointed with the result. Part of me wants to vote absentee just to not have to choose. Oh well. I want my kids to feel hopeful. Maybe Bernie can offer them that.

    The other day my son told me how much he liked the song “American Pie”‘ even though it’s cheezy’. He heard it on some gaming platform and thought it was about Trump at first. This time feels a lot like 1971, doesn’t it?

  109. Jean Henry
    Posted March 1, 2020 at 9:12 pm | Permalink

    Ok so the tales coming out of Iran are making me really nervous about this thing for the first time. This was shared by a prof of public health whom I respect. https://twitter.com/aliostad/status/1233668766124400640?s=20

    “Coronavirus epidemy in Iran has past the crisis level. The country is imploding – law and order to disappear in the next days. A number of officials already died and mass infection among hospital staff and police forces reported.
    The regime hid the initial cases since:
    1) it was just before election and needed high turnout
    2) due to political need, did not stop flights to china
    3) source seems to becleric students from china arrived in Qom
    4) did not close religious shrines
    5) instead of providing information on the gravity of the risks to the public, played down and resorted to the same tactic of rhetoric “we will fight and beat it”

    Now it has spread everywhere. The world now has an example on what failure to contain the virus can do.
    In the below, I will bring some examples of what is going on, and alleged reports. In the lack of official reports, there is really no way to confirm or deny any of below:
    An MP who was elected during the election two weeks ago has died. He was from the province of Gilan
    There is a video of him spreading when he was just infected.
    A hardline film maker tweeted just before election the he has flu and he wished he had Corona to show off.
    He has passed away now.
    A number of graves being dug seems to be related to high casualty of Coronoa in the province of Gilan (second after Qom)
    An airline staff collapsing in the airport. It is reported that he passed away.
    This morgue ambulance was reported to have been abandoned after carrying a victim of Coronavirus in Mazandaran province with no official reported infections #irancoronavirus
    A clinic in the south of Iran has been torched by angry locals after allegedly 10 Corona patients were transferred to this centre
    PLEASE SOMEONE HELP IRAN. WE NEED INTERNATIONAL EFFORT.
    I will carry on tweeting as the situation develops. I am not reporting many other pieces of information since not confirmed by multiple sources but I fear they are true.
    Out of 100 MPs tested, 5 were positive (5% obviously)
    One of President’s deputies Masoumeh Ebtekar been infected
    Meanwhile, there is a denial going on by the religious base of the regime. This person is licking the shrine to prove that the shrine has a healing power

  110. John Brown
    Posted March 2, 2020 at 7:14 am | Permalink

    Expect Agent Orange to cancel the election, “for public safety”.

  111. iRobert
    Posted March 2, 2020 at 1:40 pm | Permalink

    Senator Klobuchar is out. She’s going to endorse Biden.

  112. Dave Morris
    Posted March 2, 2020 at 5:16 pm | Permalink

    18 confirmed infections in the Seattle area. As of 2:00pm today, 6 have died.

    King County is buying a motel to isolate patients. I don’t see how they are going to contain this.

    The interview with the epidemiologist in the linked article below is a bit unnerving…

    https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/02/covid-vaccine/607000/

  113. I bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted March 3, 2020 at 3:07 am | Permalink

    Aloha JH, no it does not feel anything like 1971. We had an angry aroused citizenry. Now everyone is “virtually” aroused and angry, but I see very little constructive work occurring.
    It is probably much more like 1951. Wars-red scares, enforced conformity, control of information and news, acceptance of the American Exceptionalism paradigm.
    No 1971 was hopeful. Activism and resistance was on the rise. There would soon be no place for the ambivalent or the complacent. The regime would be brought down by the people withholding legitimacy to the government and the politicians would get in tune by 75 and throw Nixon out. It was not electoral victories that ejected the corrupt war mongering regime.
    Unless there is an electoral Democratic wave in November, I dont see this population doing anything beyond “sheltering in place” for another four years.
    Will Joe be the one to lead that wave?

  114. Sad
    Posted March 3, 2020 at 4:49 am | Permalink

    Joe Biden?

    I thought HW said he was going to be indicted and swept away for corruption?

    What gives HW?

  115. Jean Henry
    Posted March 3, 2020 at 5:36 am | Permalink

    Wobblie– There are many active resistance movements, especially among the youth, especially around climate action. If anything they’d be slowed by a Bernie victory because they’d think they’d won. Just you wait. And Nixon was re-elected in 1972, albeit on a promise to get us out of the war eventually, so I don’t know what you are talking about. 1975 is not 1971.

    All the ills of a populist campaign are being realized as I hear Berners saying they;d vote Trump before Biden if he wins. This bullshit about the DNC stealing the election is happening again. It’s amazing how Berner’s can not believe that half the country is not ready for what they offer. And it;s really the far left Berner’s who are driving it. Bernie isnt that different then the other candidates. The difference he expresses won’t make it through the legislative process. It’s aspirational. And it won’t make it through the legislative process for the same reason he is not winning by a landslide now. Because it’s not that popular. We are not electing a King. He needs to start sending a strong unifying and hopeful message soon if he wants to win. No doubt that will infuriate his leftist base, whom he never really represented anyway. I’m not sure he can because he;s run on oppositional tactics within the party and otherwise for so long.

    I’m voting Warren on the 10th, even if she drops out. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/31/2020-dream-candidate-elizabeth-warren-democrats

  116. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted March 3, 2020 at 9:58 am | Permalink

    All in good time, Sad. All in good time. I think it is funny that is your candidate now. Bumbling, fumbling, sleepy, creepy Joe. It’s him or the communist.

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