Sunday’s Forum
Steven L. Taylor
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Sunday, October 20, 2024
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52 comments
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About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor Emeritus of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
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Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker and the rest of you, I don’t know why you’re here, tonight I can report to you that the State of our Nation is strong. . . and Arnold Palmer had a massive cock.
People come up to me and they say, ‘Sir, sir, what do you mean when you say massive cock?’ And I say, don’t think pepperoni. Pepperoni, you slice it up, it goes on pizza. But they don’t put pepperoni on pizza, they put cats and dogs. And other things.
Not pepperoni! Get that pepperoni out of here! Arnold Palmer, he had a prick like a mortadella. Like a whole mortadella. The whole thing! You’ve seen them, the ones they haven’t started slicing yet!
In the schools if a boy goes in with a huge bone, they chop it off! In the nurse’s office! He goes in a boy with a beautiful, lovely, perfect cock, and he comes out a girl!
If I had that schlong Melania would love me so much. All night long she’d be saying, ‘Sir, sir, please give me your mortadella.’ That’s a funny word mortadella. Morta-dell-la. Not many people know this, but I know this, it’s Eye-talian. Do you think Stormy Daniels could even handle a mortadella dick? She was a porn star so she had a looooot of big weiners in her, but a mortadella? I don’t think so.
They tell me, sir, don’t talk about cocks. Don’t talk about cocks. Talk about the immigrants eating parrots and iguanas. And those little baby turtles. But I weave, I don’t wander, never wander, I weave.
You know who else has massive cocks? Bulls. That’s why we have to stop these crazy Marxist windmills. Save the cows! If I wasn’t president that Indian woman who says she’s Black, she was never Black, suddenly she’s black, there would be no cows! No cows! And the bulls would all be wondering, ‘what am I gonna do? I have a bull cock as big as Arnold Palmer had, such a lovely cock. And balls, too, I assume.
If the late, great Hannibal Lecter, he was a great, great man, a great American, if he’d had Arnold Palmer’s man meat he wouldn’t need Fava beans! He’d eat for the rest of his life.
You see how I connected it all together? They all said, no cocks tonight, Mr. President, sir, the greatest president ever and no one has ever been treated so badly. In Chynnuh they don’t even have mortadella. Chopsticks! My good friend Vladimir Putin, he has a very big one, he showed it to me. And it tasted great. But not on pizza. Never on pizza!
God bless America. But really, God? How big is his cock?
Harris’ is bigger than Trump’s by any measurement.
In the early 1980s I subscribed to the news magazine, US News and World Report. Some political gossip they reported was Florida Republicans trying to get Arnold Palmer or Jack Nicklaus to run for state wide office.
The Paula Hawkins days……
@Michael Reynolds:
This seems less disgusting and more coherent than we’ve come to expect from the beloathed Felon.
@Michael Reynolds:
You really outdid yourself with this one.
Idaho, Kansas, and Missouri actually argue in federal court that mifepristone should be banned because it’s creating a shortage of pregnant teenagers:
New Abortion Pill Suit Wants to Force More Teenagers to Get Pregnant
Politico man, what a disgrace of journalism. Their top line story this morning is ‘The Threat Remains” in relation to his efforts to overturn this election if he loves. They go thru all the steps he might take, illegal or bordering on illegal, along with mentioning threats of violence and intimdation, culminating in another potentially couple. Terrifying stuff. You know what they don’t say – how about a declaritve paragraph or five on how all of these potential maneavuers make tfg manifestly unfit for office and anyone voting for this guy or assisting him illegally on a local or state level guy is aiding and abetting massive criminality to overturn a presidential election and they should be jailed for such acts. How about saying that.
Another thing in Politico this morning relating to tfg’s specchio yesterday wrt Arnold Palmer’s Johnson, they note he made a “raunchy joke,” not that it was manifestly unpresidential, and in another article noted that he “appeared energetic,” which I don’t know why that would be part of headline and how that would even be decided much less be a thing, except of course as countervailing narrative to the whole tfg is too exhuasted now to do interviews, which Politico itself reporter on. So they’re trying countervail their own reporting in tfg’s favor. Apparso energetic as a thing to report on, give me a break. And that’s on top of an earlier news article this week where they came out with “Dems ground operation in PA in dissaray.” Yeah, the key bellweather state in the election and they just happen to an anonymously sourced article about how the Dems are screwing up there. Fucking Politico.
On a brighter note I started a new job this past week as an Accounting Manager at a country club. My only relatable reference of note or experience with country clubs comes from Caddyshack, and this place has all encoutremonts and amenties from the movie – golf course, tennis courts, pool, indoor and outdoor bars and restaurants, pro shop, gym, locked rooms, well healed members, so it should be interesting. So yeah, I’m Caddyshackin it!
@clarkontheweekend:
No gophers and dynamite?
@Stormy Dragon: For profit Christian adoption services need babies to sell to the highest bidder. Fewer teenage pregnancies means less profit!
Misery lawmakers are just thinking of the loss of campaign funds.
I just made an omelet using this recipe. It’s a bit of work so early in the morning, but the results, IMO, were worth it.
Skip to 3:18 if you don’t want to hear the pre-recipe commentary.
I didn’t use a broiler to finish it. Just placed the lid back n the pan to let trapped heat and any steam finish off the top. I also added a filling* before the egg set completely, as is my usual MO.
*Browned onions, turkey slices chopped into bits, and some cheese. It all went on top of a toasted flour tortilla.
I’m going to throw some thoughts out there.
Most commenters believe Trump is suffering cognitive decline
I don’t disagree
Many commenters think Trump backing out of interviews is a sign of his knowing he will lose next month.
How would Trump know he is going to lose? Polling. Who’s going to tell Trump the polling numbers? His advisors
But don’t his advisors know Trump ignores or attacks anyone who has views different than his own. Another common belief of commenters here.
Even if told bad numbers, is Trump’s cognitive abilities strong enough to realize he will lose. He’s in mental decline, right?
Trump has lost his mind but can still think clearly at the same time. Isn’t that contradictory? Just some thoughts.
I don’t know that much about Arnold Palmer, but a little surfing comfirms the little I did know. Married a woman before he was famous and remained married to her for 45 years until her death. Enlisted in the military (Coast Guard) and served three years. Overcame his fear of flying by obtaining a personal pilots license, not an easy task by any means. So, at the very least, an OK guy.
His family does not deserve to have him become the butt of foul and vulgar jokes, one’s that, at least for a time, will overwhelm the memories of his accomplishments. But as soon as Trump opened his foul mouth, it was inevitable.
@Bill Jempty: Cognitive decline is not a all or nothing process. It is not a sudden drop of the curtain. It is gradual, and there are often things that remain while other things disappear. Glen Campbell was able to sing his songs after much else was gone. There is a very touching video of Tony Bennett remembering Lady Gaga’s name when she comes on stage; she nearly breaks into tears. The process advances with halts and stops. That’s why the early stages are hard to recognize. Sadly, it is relentlessly progressive, though. Being partially intact is common.
@MarkedMan:
Out of all Palmer’s achievements, the one Trump focuses on is his penis size. Of course, that’s the only thing that matters to Trump.
Last night in Nice.
Today we went in search of two local delicacies. Socca is a sort of chickpea pancake. Pissaladiére is a carmelized onion and supposedly anchovy and black olive pizza-ish slice, served cold. We walked a considerable distance and stood in a considerable line. And it was formidable! Oh la la!
No, it wasn’t.
It really, really wasn’t. Why do people pretend to like crap food just because it’s the local specialty? Socca is baked in a wood fire oven and tastes like nothing. Like nothing. It’s just a tasteless crust. It is simply, objectively true that a Dorito is many times better.
As for the ‘unmissable’ pissaladiére, first, no anchovies, second, one half of an olive, and the crust is dull and lifeless. There is no there, there. It is not good. Microwave pizza is better. If you had lived on pissaladiére you’d think you’d died and gone to food heaven if you were served a day old slice of Domino’s.
What the hell is wrong with people? Pretending to like shitty food does not make you a gourmet.
We had an excellent meal at Rotonde and an excellent meal at a sidewalk cafe last night. And maybe we’ll get lucky again, tonight, but all the people on Trip Advisor raving about these ‘delicacies,’ just STFU. Stop engaging in this Emperor’s New Clothes conspiracy of dishonesty. You know it’s crap. You are allowed to say it’s crap. It doesn’t matter that it’s from a cute little hole in the wall on a quaint Old Nice street. It’s not delicious, bargain street food, it’s just nothing.
Stop encouraging people to feed you flavorless pan scrapings. The French know how to cook, FFS, they aren’t some lost aboriginal tribe we have to patronize. This is France, home of magnificent wines and cheeses, home office of bread and patisserie.
All that aside, I love Nice. I would up stakes and move here tomorrow if the French would have me, even if Trump loses. What a gorgeous place. There is not a city in the US with the possible exception of San Francisco, to equal it.
Dr. T bait
If America had 6 parties, which would you belong to?
For what’s worth, my results place me in the New Liberal Party. Interestingly, the profile of NLP members tracks closely with how I’d describe myself politically.
EDIT: To get to 6 we’d need to start with multi-member legislative districts.
Today is Kamala Harris’s 60th birthday.
How much does being a black woman cost Harris in the race. I think it is a big deal to a lot of Trump supporters. It seems like more and more Trump demeans her intelligence, now not even hesitating in calling her stupid, even goi ng so far as to call her mentally impaired. She’s a former prosecutor, AG and senator for California, and a sitting VP. And someone who kicked his ass in a debate. No sane person could look ate her and think she is dumb. But I think it plays into the hands of many of his supporters. Some of them, like Trump himself, see a black woman and think she should be cleaning homes.
Harris is doing only slightly better than Biden was before he bowed out. Yet she has run a very good campaign, with no major slip ups. Trump has been a total train wreck. I wish it were different, but IMO a black woman is the ideal demo for Trump to run against.
@Sleeping Dog:
Same here, NLP. And apparently I’m a college educated White woman living in the South. And I seem to have had a drastic cut in income.
@Sleeping Dog: Slightly closer to ALP than Progressive but I’d vote for anyone running in either party, even gave a few bucks to John Tester and Sherrod Brown.
@Sleeping Dog: It put me with the radical far left Progressive Party. It needs one more question: “Do progressives often just annoy the shit out of you on a personal level? Even when they’re right, do you just want to smack them in the nose with a rolled up newspaper because they will do everything they possibly can to avoid winning?”
Also, apparently foreign policy is just not a thing.
On the election forum, Scott mentioned standing in line behind people who are just looking at the ballots for the very first time, and how long it takes. It reminded me of an experience that I’m having frequently. I’m currently disabled and unable to work full-time, so I’m doing part-time tutoring. This requires me to make a lot of photocopies of materials. Printing and copying is expensive at places like FedEx and Office Depot these days, so I usually head to the place where it’s still cheap: my local library.
Almost invariably, I end up standing in line behind an older person who cannot figure out how to use the copier. They stare at it for very long time, occasionally pushing buttons and muttering when nothing happens. I sometimes try to gently ask if I can help or if they would like me to get a librarian, and they usually respond that they can figure it out themselves. Thus, what should be merely a five-minute copy job usually turns into 20 minutes, while the person in front of me either: a) finally figures it out on their own; b) decides to go get a librarian for help; or c) gives up and leaves.
I realize that at this point in my life, I’m much closer to being a senior citizen than a young person, and there’s already technology that I don’t understand. But I hope I never get to the point where I’m holding up a line because I stubbornly don’t want to ask for help.
Trump briefly worked the fry cooker at a Philadelphia-area McDonald’s today. Why in hell is he so obsessed with a summer job Harris had 41 years ago?
For those of you who think he’s lost weight: No. He’s as obese as ever.
@CSK:
He’s intent on combating Harris on this because it shows she actually had a middle-class upbringing. It proves she’s authentic, and if there’s anything a fraud like Trump actually fears, it’s being shown up as a fraud by someone who can actually connect to the majority of Americans.
I worked at Wendy’s full-time from mid-1984 through the end of 1985, when I decided flipping burgers was not setting my life on a course for success and joined the Air Force. And yet, my tenure manning the griddle and serving up Frostys has never shown up on any resume I have ever created. I guess maybe fry cook experience isn’t really relevant to IT work.
@Sleeping Dog: I ended up New Liberal Party, too, but I was dead center of the bottom LH quartile of the graph. It would be interesting to know if that tells something about one’s biases or is simply where FTFNYT decided to place the dots for every quartile.
@Sleeping Dog: I’m American Labor Party.
@CSK:
This will prove to be Trump’s “Dukakis in the tank” moment. Look at these photos/memes already:
https://x.com/Ty22Best/status/1848073757065105814
https://x.com/olivialarinaldi/status/1848072721621803189
https://www.nbcnews.com/video/trump-serves-fries-at-mcdonald-s-in-pennsylvania-222223429788
None of those photos are photo shopped. None are AI.
Someone at his campaign (Trump himself, I’m certain) thought this was a good idea as a way of trolling Harris.
The rejoinder is so easy… “While Trump is obsessed with a job in had in college 41 years ago, I’m focused on the future of the American people, including reproductive rights, immigration reform, and strengthening the economy. He’s looking backward. We”re looking forward. We’re not going back.”
How did he think this would help him? He looks like a clown, next to a clown. There isn’t much upside.
@Lucysfootball: 47% of the voters will vote for Trump or any other sociopathic goon who comes along for the tax breaks, the deregulation, and the right to shout “nKKKLANG, nKKKLANG, nKKKLAAAANNNGGG” while walking down the street. You can’t fix this problem. Additionally, to 47% of the voters, it’s not even a problem. Using your vote to make the wisest decisions possible is the best that any of us can do.
And if you live in a disproportionately partisan area, you’re pretty much limited your vote being most important on local issues. I would guess that roughly 80% of us have no real ability to sway the election and are just along for the ride until the one or two percent of least informed and least involved voters decide whether they’re going to vote at all.
duplicate comment removed
@Mikey: @EddieInCA:
This is all so pathetically asinine. When I was in high school, and college, I worked summers for my father or in the local public library. Both were good jobs, but they had absolutely no relevance to the career I was pursuing after I got my Ph.D. in English Literature. So why would I even mention them on a cv or resume? And, FFS, every American kid has or has had a summer job, except maybe Trump.
@Sleeping Dog:
The problem I always have with polls like this is responding to something like “It is the responsibility of the federal government to see to it that everyone has health care coverage”.
I believe that everyone in our society has a right to receive reasonable health care. I don’t have an opinion on whether the process of provisioning that health care should be based on federal health insurance. So do I agree or disagree with the above statement?
@EddieInCA:
https://x.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1848112978224136548
https://x.com/mpdillon/status/1848101444097823165
thread
https://x.com/BuxMontNews/status/1848043376723017888
etc more in this thread above
Above link picks up at middle of thread, it starts here:
https://x.com/BuxMontNews/status/1848013178623361358
Trump: Kamala needs to PROVE she had a summer job at McDonalds 40 years ago!
Media: We’d better get on this right now!
Non Idiot: Why would anyone lie about working at McDonalds?
Media: Don’t know but we need to know. Afterall, do we want someone who lies about this to hold the nuclear codes?
@charontwo:
I put more on this in the vulgarian thread by mistake.
@MarkedMan:
So, the opposite of Trump in almost every way? Might be nice if his family pointed that out, too.
If you like Trump, you’ll love his Mickey D’s stunt. Otherwise you won’t give a shit.
@CSK: The email this morning with the link to the Dem phone bank system said, “Happy 60, Kamala! We All Pitched In To Get You A New Office” with a picture of the Oval Office.
6 minutes of Rick Wilson
“Substack“
@Michael Reynolds: Is it possible that you got an unrepresentative sample or does only one restaurant in Nice make this?
It could also be that the dish is simply not to your taste. Everyone raves about galbijjim in Korea; personally, I wouldn’t cross the street to have it.
@CSK:
I think he’s angry that a Black woman isn’t working a service job, and is instead pretending to be his equal. The word “uppity” might come up, along with a word starting with the letter n. Was she a nepo-baby?
At the risk of triggering Lounsbury, I think it’s been clear for quite some time that Trump has various issues with women, Black folks and dogs. The dogs bit is weird, but he uses “like a dog” as an insult all the time.
I think any weird behavior from him can usually be explained as either victimhood or bigotry or a hatred of dogs.
@Stormy Dragon:
I opted for neutral on that statement. I opted for neutral on 2 or 3 others also.
@charontwo: Southampton has McDonald’s? I had no idea. Perhaps that’s why the community is named Lower Southampton?
@Lucysfootball: Ayup.
@just nutha:
I did that too, but I suspect that was interpreted as a more right wing position when it’s actually an even more left wing position that contemplates the elimination of health insurance. Because polling tied to policy often uses prompts where what the pollster meant to ask isn’t what they actually asked.
@Sleeping Dog:
Apparently Luddite’s a progressive. Well, I guess that’s better than the heartless homicidal sociopath I was labeled (accurately, AFAICT) by a certain DA in the late 70’s. Who knew?
In this Mythbusters ep, they test how much nasal secretions spread by contact.
This is way pre-pandemic, so they assume the common cold rather than the trump virus. I remember having been taught something rather similar in junior high school biology. This is one reason I fully believed COVID could be transmitted by contact.
BTW, I’m sure it does get transmitted that way too. It’s just that the airborne transmission is very effective and harder to guard against.
@Michael Reynolds:
Monkey see, monkey do.
Monkey see in social media, monkey overdo.
@Flat Earth Luddite: Taking the test a second time, my score moved downrange on the chart. Even though my dot was right next to the “new liberals” dot, FTFNYT declared me a progressive. Apparently because the dot marks the extreme fringe of each zone. Confusing.
@Sleeping Dog: According to your link I am the closest to the progressive party. Apparently I’m too economically liberal to be part of the new liberal party.
@Gustopher: For sure..
@Matt: @Matt:
Way down in the lower left, so AOC and Elizabeth Warren are my peeps.
@Matt: @Matt:
Way down in the lower left, so AOC and Elizabeth Warren are my peeps.
As an engineer, I have too much experience designing stuff guided by formal standards to see government regulation as a bad thing. And with a STEM background, I know too much science to think AGW is a Chinese hoax.