You're missing the point. I'm Catholic and support gay marriage in the Church. So do most millennials in the Church. Because they're liberal, not "growing more conservative", which had been the subject motivating my initial comment.
Charlie - I love your daily podcasts, but I especially enjoy the new Thursday sessions with Ben Wittes. You two are a superb team. You ask wonderful questions and Ben answers them with calmness, reason, and a strategic vision of how the rule of law should function. I learn more from 40 minutes with you two than I do reading a dozen articles on the subject. Many, many thanks!
It simply isn't true that people become more "conservative", unless you cherry pick one particular issue or another to misrepresent the reality. Millennials believe in climate change, a guaranteed living wage, social security, Medicare, they support legal weed and want to see gay marriage in the Catholic Church.
It took the catholic church over 200 years to get on board with the earth moving around the sun. Millennials might not want to suspend respiration in anticipation.
But that isn't the point in question, first of all. Also, Millennials aren't intimidated by cynicism. They're not afraid to do the right thing, even if older Americans don't really know how.
They can do the right thing all they want to, but I don't see that rapidly moving the Catholic Church. And while I have no dog in that particular fight, I can't see why it matters to anyone who isn't catholic who the catholic church will or won't marry. To my mind it is just one of many religious sects that is stuck in the past and is constitutionally protected to be so.
That wasn't the point. Millennials support gay marriage in the Catholic Church. Because millennials are liberal. Not "growing more conservative", which had been the topic motivating my comment.
For the love of god, can intelligent commentators please stop saying that this deal is a victory for the Biden administration‽
Do you know why I can confidently bet my life on the fact that Democrats lost? Because the "deal" maintains the status quo.
Here's my summary of the status quo:
1) 1-2 x per Presidential Administration, the U.S. government hits the (arbitrary) debt ceiling.
2) Republicans can be insanely fiscally irresponsible when they're in power, by passing tax-cuts for uber-milionaires and billionaires, and by slashing revenue positive law-abiding funding for things like IRS tax cheat enforcement measures
3) When a Republican administration hits the debt ceiling, Dems don't use the law to force Republicans to cut spending on their pet projects.
4) But when a Democratic administration hits the debt ceiling, not only are they expected to negotiate with Republican fiscal terrorism, they view ANYTHING that gets the debt ceiling raised as a political win.
5) In the process, Republicans get to both extort concessions in exchange for not destroying the economy AND they get to claim that the fiscal concessions prove their political financial credentials, even though they are literally proposing no responsible alternative.
6) And democrats end up looking like irresponsible spenders in the process.
7) Rinse and repeat.
I'm sorry but one would have to be completely delusional to look at this deal as a victory.
And that's ignoring the fact the Biden administration did nothing 2 years ago to challenge th debt ceiling law for violating the 14th amendment which would have given the Biden administration two years to allow the challenge to work its way through the courts.
And that's ignoring the fact that Obama was such a terrible negotiator that when he STARTED his debt ceiling negotiations he told Republicans that 14th amendment challenges were off the table.
Let us know when the Ds had an majority large enough to decisively dump the Rs during the past 20 years. Did not exist even during Obama. The deal is a victory because it takes the debt limit away from Congress until AFTER the next election. If the Ds get a filibuster proof majority in the Senate and an equally large percentage in the House in 2024, then you can complain about how "bad" the deal is.
Have you actually heard of any political analysts who think there's a hope in hell that will ever happen?
Nope. Senate structure gives Repubiicans a huge advantage.
Fun quiz, how long did the Obama administration control both houses of Congress? I'll give you a hint, look at the timing DEMOCRATS inflicted on themselves by expelling Franken on bullshit MAGA accusations.
Sorry to say that if you're fine with the status quo, you're as politically naive as the Democrats.
Thank you for calling me a child. I am after all only 71, 72 in 4 months. And, to be blunt, I've seen people as naive as you about politics and real life for decades. Politics is COMPROMISE, so is real life. Much as you'd like it, no one party will ever get everything they want. Even that superb politician and New Dealer FDR had to compromise within the party and without. A true representative will try to do his/her best for their constituents, but the sad truth is that NO ONE will always get what they want. The only thing that mattered this week was making certain there was no default. And Biden accomplished that in spades, which is why MAGA Rs (and regular Rs) are so ticked at the deal. The so-called prog Ds are moaning and groaning because they didn't get what they wanted. Tough. I've seen far too many Ds like them make a godawful mess of the party (and I've been a registered D since I was eligible to vote in the 70s) by misreading what the public really was like. I suggest you read articles on Politicususa.com and Daily Kos.com for liberal analyses of what is actually in that bill. Biden not only averted a shutdown/crisis this year - he neutered the MAGA threat until after the election, and also spared us future fights. As Politicususa says: "If Democrats take back the House in 2024 and keep the Senate and the White House, they will roll back anything that they don’t like in the current deal, and it will be like McCarthy’s debt limit antics never happened." https://www.politicususa.com/2023/06/01/biden-outsmarted-republicans-and-he-knows-it.html. “Politics is the art of the possible, the attainable — the art of the next best.” ― Otto von Bismarck And it always will be.
Has anyone considered that Trump's attempts to move his cases to Federal Court are an effort to make them easier to pardon? Trump would clearly pardon himself and DeSantis has indicated that he would pardon Trump as well. But can a President overturn a state conviction? That may be why they are trying to get them held as Federal trials.
Another part is that it will be a lot easier to claim that it was some biased federal jury rather than a jury of Georgians. They already did that spin on the NYC jury that decided he had sexually assaulted a woman.
FL is a perfect storm in a plethora of ways. I live in the northeast, which I think makes a difference. There is a kind of exodus taking place which includes people fleeing the area for "better" weather, in that the govt will keep bailing out hurricane damage, right wingers searching for a RW utopia and the confluence of both. FL has turned dark red and is turning darker red. People from the northeast are going right past NC (voted for Obama), SC (tried to secede) and GA (rational gov, 2 dem sens) and going right to FL. It would be pointless for the DNC to throw money at it. It's gone.
I am kind of tired of "Jack Smith now knows this" and "Jack Smith now knows that." all I can think of is 20 months of "Robert Mueller now knows this" and "Robert Mueller now knows that." So we will eventually get a damning report and piles of evidence of obstruction, and an explanation from Merrick Garland why it will not lead to a prosecution. the only difference seems to be that others have learned not to lie to the FBI about what they know so that they get prosecuted but never Trump. The type of stuff that Trump did before 2016 will get you prosecuted in New York. After that all of his criminality is "political."
That Steve Schale piece is terrific, even though it had me close to swearing more than once. A Bulwark Podcast or even a Thursday Night Bulwark with Steve Schale AND James Carville would be an instant classic. Food for thought.
"In a message posted on the conservative social media platform Gettr on Wednesday night, Bannon called on Greene and Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio—who also voted in line with party's leaders—to "Both Face Primary Challenges from Real MAGA."
-----
The attitude expressed by Mr Bannon is nothing new - from either side of the aisle. For years now both the MAGA Right and Progressive Left have functioned under a similar guideline: "You've been by my side for years now, but you just said/did something antithetical to our movement. You are no longer an ally and we will bury you."
The bottom line is that political extremists of any ilk do not function from a place of reason. All they seem to know and care about is *today's* fight, the past is the past and it has no bearing on the current ideological battle. It all seems to boil down to where one stands right now only, what you have previously said or done is immaterial.
After listening to your and Michael Steele’s podcast, I am completely and totally depressed. You guys are right, an ankle bracelet on Trump plays great with his base and support. Are we done? How can an attacking Republican candidate for nomination whittle away at Trump’s support? I think Christie has the willingness, but I’m not sure he can be effective. I would love to hear from the Bulwark how a campaign can successfully attack Trump. Please, I need a lifeline...
One positive outcome of the debt ceiling vote is that it shows if anything else meaningful gets done in the House it'll require Dem votes to make it happen, and this really weakens the Freedom Caucus's power as well as Kevin's. Maybe he can get GOP majority votes for messaging bills that have zero chance of becoming law, but other than that look for basically a do nothing Congress from now 'til next election.
You're missing the point. I'm Catholic and support gay marriage in the Church. So do most millennials in the Church. Because they're liberal, not "growing more conservative", which had been the subject motivating my initial comment.
Charlie - I love your daily podcasts, but I especially enjoy the new Thursday sessions with Ben Wittes. You two are a superb team. You ask wonderful questions and Ben answers them with calmness, reason, and a strategic vision of how the rule of law should function. I learn more from 40 minutes with you two than I do reading a dozen articles on the subject. Many, many thanks!
Evil stoops and picks up luck.
It simply isn't true that people become more "conservative", unless you cherry pick one particular issue or another to misrepresent the reality. Millennials believe in climate change, a guaranteed living wage, social security, Medicare, they support legal weed and want to see gay marriage in the Catholic Church.
It took the catholic church over 200 years to get on board with the earth moving around the sun. Millennials might not want to suspend respiration in anticipation.
But that isn't the point in question, first of all. Also, Millennials aren't intimidated by cynicism. They're not afraid to do the right thing, even if older Americans don't really know how.
They can do the right thing all they want to, but I don't see that rapidly moving the Catholic Church. And while I have no dog in that particular fight, I can't see why it matters to anyone who isn't catholic who the catholic church will or won't marry. To my mind it is just one of many religious sects that is stuck in the past and is constitutionally protected to be so.
That wasn't the point. Millennials support gay marriage in the Catholic Church. Because millennials are liberal. Not "growing more conservative", which had been the topic motivating my comment.
Re: Ryan Goodman's article, "If the glove fits, you must convict."
Re: Debt Ceiling Deal
For the love of god, can intelligent commentators please stop saying that this deal is a victory for the Biden administration‽
Do you know why I can confidently bet my life on the fact that Democrats lost? Because the "deal" maintains the status quo.
Here's my summary of the status quo:
1) 1-2 x per Presidential Administration, the U.S. government hits the (arbitrary) debt ceiling.
2) Republicans can be insanely fiscally irresponsible when they're in power, by passing tax-cuts for uber-milionaires and billionaires, and by slashing revenue positive law-abiding funding for things like IRS tax cheat enforcement measures
3) When a Republican administration hits the debt ceiling, Dems don't use the law to force Republicans to cut spending on their pet projects.
4) But when a Democratic administration hits the debt ceiling, not only are they expected to negotiate with Republican fiscal terrorism, they view ANYTHING that gets the debt ceiling raised as a political win.
5) In the process, Republicans get to both extort concessions in exchange for not destroying the economy AND they get to claim that the fiscal concessions prove their political financial credentials, even though they are literally proposing no responsible alternative.
6) And democrats end up looking like irresponsible spenders in the process.
7) Rinse and repeat.
I'm sorry but one would have to be completely delusional to look at this deal as a victory.
And that's ignoring the fact the Biden administration did nothing 2 years ago to challenge th debt ceiling law for violating the 14th amendment which would have given the Biden administration two years to allow the challenge to work its way through the courts.
And that's ignoring the fact that Obama was such a terrible negotiator that when he STARTED his debt ceiling negotiations he told Republicans that 14th amendment challenges were off the table.
Why‽
Let us know when the Ds had an majority large enough to decisively dump the Rs during the past 20 years. Did not exist even during Obama. The deal is a victory because it takes the debt limit away from Congress until AFTER the next election. If the Ds get a filibuster proof majority in the Senate and an equally large percentage in the House in 2024, then you can complain about how "bad" the deal is.
Oh sweet summer child.
Have you actually heard of any political analysts who think there's a hope in hell that will ever happen?
Nope. Senate structure gives Repubiicans a huge advantage.
Fun quiz, how long did the Obama administration control both houses of Congress? I'll give you a hint, look at the timing DEMOCRATS inflicted on themselves by expelling Franken on bullshit MAGA accusations.
Sorry to say that if you're fine with the status quo, you're as politically naive as the Democrats.
Thank you for calling me a child. I am after all only 71, 72 in 4 months. And, to be blunt, I've seen people as naive as you about politics and real life for decades. Politics is COMPROMISE, so is real life. Much as you'd like it, no one party will ever get everything they want. Even that superb politician and New Dealer FDR had to compromise within the party and without. A true representative will try to do his/her best for their constituents, but the sad truth is that NO ONE will always get what they want. The only thing that mattered this week was making certain there was no default. And Biden accomplished that in spades, which is why MAGA Rs (and regular Rs) are so ticked at the deal. The so-called prog Ds are moaning and groaning because they didn't get what they wanted. Tough. I've seen far too many Ds like them make a godawful mess of the party (and I've been a registered D since I was eligible to vote in the 70s) by misreading what the public really was like. I suggest you read articles on Politicususa.com and Daily Kos.com for liberal analyses of what is actually in that bill. Biden not only averted a shutdown/crisis this year - he neutered the MAGA threat until after the election, and also spared us future fights. As Politicususa says: "If Democrats take back the House in 2024 and keep the Senate and the White House, they will roll back anything that they don’t like in the current deal, and it will be like McCarthy’s debt limit antics never happened." https://www.politicususa.com/2023/06/01/biden-outsmarted-republicans-and-he-knows-it.html. “Politics is the art of the possible, the attainable — the art of the next best.” ― Otto von Bismarck And it always will be.
Has anyone considered that Trump's attempts to move his cases to Federal Court are an effort to make them easier to pardon? Trump would clearly pardon himself and DeSantis has indicated that he would pardon Trump as well. But can a President overturn a state conviction? That may be why they are trying to get them held as Federal trials.
I think that's a big part of it.
Another part is that it will be a lot easier to claim that it was some biased federal jury rather than a jury of Georgians. They already did that spin on the NYC jury that decided he had sexually assaulted a woman.
I'm not interested in the views of convict and criminal defendant Steve Bannon.
FL is a perfect storm in a plethora of ways. I live in the northeast, which I think makes a difference. There is a kind of exodus taking place which includes people fleeing the area for "better" weather, in that the govt will keep bailing out hurricane damage, right wingers searching for a RW utopia and the confluence of both. FL has turned dark red and is turning darker red. People from the northeast are going right past NC (voted for Obama), SC (tried to secede) and GA (rational gov, 2 dem sens) and going right to FL. It would be pointless for the DNC to throw money at it. It's gone.
I am kind of tired of "Jack Smith now knows this" and "Jack Smith now knows that." all I can think of is 20 months of "Robert Mueller now knows this" and "Robert Mueller now knows that." So we will eventually get a damning report and piles of evidence of obstruction, and an explanation from Merrick Garland why it will not lead to a prosecution. the only difference seems to be that others have learned not to lie to the FBI about what they know so that they get prosecuted but never Trump. The type of stuff that Trump did before 2016 will get you prosecuted in New York. After that all of his criminality is "political."
DEI initiatives have become performative, perfunctory and occasionally punitive examples of brown-washing.
That Steve Schale piece is terrific, even though it had me close to swearing more than once. A Bulwark Podcast or even a Thursday Night Bulwark with Steve Schale AND James Carville would be an instant classic. Food for thought.
"In a message posted on the conservative social media platform Gettr on Wednesday night, Bannon called on Greene and Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio—who also voted in line with party's leaders—to "Both Face Primary Challenges from Real MAGA."
-----
The attitude expressed by Mr Bannon is nothing new - from either side of the aisle. For years now both the MAGA Right and Progressive Left have functioned under a similar guideline: "You've been by my side for years now, but you just said/did something antithetical to our movement. You are no longer an ally and we will bury you."
The bottom line is that political extremists of any ilk do not function from a place of reason. All they seem to know and care about is *today's* fight, the past is the past and it has no bearing on the current ideological battle. It all seems to boil down to where one stands right now only, what you have previously said or done is immaterial.
fnord
"The only people we hate more than the Romans are the fucking Judean People's Front."
And maybe those members of the uppity new sect of Christianity, what with their peace, love and compassion crap.
fnord
Too true. The vote last night in the House was a textbook example of our Political Horseshoe in action. Thank God that the Center held again.
After listening to your and Michael Steele’s podcast, I am completely and totally depressed. You guys are right, an ankle bracelet on Trump plays great with his base and support. Are we done? How can an attacking Republican candidate for nomination whittle away at Trump’s support? I think Christie has the willingness, but I’m not sure he can be effective. I would love to hear from the Bulwark how a campaign can successfully attack Trump. Please, I need a lifeline...
One positive outcome of the debt ceiling vote is that it shows if anything else meaningful gets done in the House it'll require Dem votes to make it happen, and this really weakens the Freedom Caucus's power as well as Kevin's. Maybe he can get GOP majority votes for messaging bills that have zero chance of becoming law, but other than that look for basically a do nothing Congress from now 'til next election.
Predicted headline on Wednesday, November 6th, 2024: "Trump joins Tara Reade in self-imposed Russian exile".
And I will help him pack.