I think that JH's analysis is spot on. He's an instrument because his views are such an outlier. Anyone who wants to do anything that keeps the US and its money out of the mix gets a big thumbs up. That is almost where his imaginary line is. He gets some accidental alignment with other small thinkers on big issues, but his insular position is an advantage to the outside world.

much like libertarianism, rand paul lives in an imaginary world. he's just stupid and works in bad faith. from time to time he tries to cement his bonafides as a libertarian by harping on something small in that he willfully misinterprets. ron wyden is able to critique similar stuff in much better ways that deal in reality and includes approaches such as 'oversight' and 'legislating'. I've waxed poetic in the past on my thoughts on this supposed cold war 2.0, NSA spying both internal and external, etc etc Paul just attaches himself to these things for political gain and headlines. he isn't really interested in actually taking the time to work through policies that WOULD work, he just likes to criticize policies that don't and take stands.

I do have to say that the more visibility that Paul get, the less I understand why his constituents keep sending him back to DC. My only thought is that he weaseled his way in there, and now it is a scare tactic, because he is the incumbent, that something bad will happen like Hilary and Nancy will stop by and take your guns.

https://poll.qu.edu/new-jersey/release- ... aseID=2563

Menendez lead at 6 in a Quinnipiac poll

JUburton wrote:https://poll.qu.edu/new-jersey/release-detail?ReleaseID=2563

Menendez lead at 6 in a Quinnipiac poll

Polls always inflate 3rd party candidates at this point in the cycle, but I'd like to see a survey that includes the Libertarian and Green candidates. There are 8 in total on the ballot for the race, and I'm curious to know who is going to benefit more from that. This is the kind of race where 5%+ is going to vote 3rd party.

jerseyhoya wrote:

JUburton wrote:https://poll.qu.edu/new-jersey/release-detail?ReleaseID=2563

Menendez lead at 6 in a Quinnipiac poll

Polls always inflate 3rd party candidates at this point in the cycle, but I'd like to see a survey that includes the Libertarian and Green candidates. There are 8 in total on the ballot for the race, and I'm curious to know who is going to benefit more from that. This is the kind of race where 5%+ is going to vote 3rd party.

He's losing the independent vote 37-33 in this poll. If he loses more of his share to the 3rd party candidates than the GOP candidate he could be in serious trouble.

liberal rag Weekly Standard calls for Trump's impeachment

Thanks to TCC, I also saw that the standard has an article which deep fries Devin Nunes. Maybe it is become a champion of the left (lol). Its a long, and slightly boring read all driving to the conclusion. It was interesting perspective.

Hunter rips 'new' DOJ: 'We’re excited about going to trial'

This is a familiar arc. Very similar to Collins. Playbook says that he folds his cards no later then the mid-day meal tomorrow.

“We’re excited about going to trial with this, frankly,” Hunter said. “This is modern politics and modern media mixed in with law enforcement that has a political agenda. That’s the new Department of Justice.”

“This is the Democrats’ arm of law enforcement, that’s what’s happening right now," Hunter continued. "It’s happening with [President] Trump, it’s happening with me. We’re going to fight through it and win."

"Let them expose themselves for what they are: a politically motivated group of folks,” he added. “I’m not worried. I’m looking forward to it."

Zoiks, Don got some screen time on Fox to say that he tweeted about the payments he made, so it is nothing illegal. I need to see mote then the teaser, but wtf? Then again, it was to influence the election guided by DJT.

Flip the script!

OBAMA! Like screaming fire in a theater. Obama campaign did pay a fine for late filing of FEC documents. Reported as not uncommon, but the amount was large. It also is not the crime Don wants you to believe it is. Seems a little different overall unless you routinely mistake a golf ball for an ear of corn.

In one case, a representative of the candidate missed a filing deadline; they rightly were fined (amount aside).

In the other case, the candidate, himself, directed campaign funds to be used as hush money to his gumares for the "principal purpose of influencing an election".

I'd say the situations are fucking night and day.

100th SHS presser. It was hot garbage where the only answers were essentially 'we are great' & 'el presidente did nothing wrong'.

Asked if he [Trump] knew of the payments, he said:

“Later on I knew. Later on. But you have to understand, what he did -- and they weren’t taken out of campaign finance, that’s the big thing. That’s a much bigger thing. Did they come out of the campaign? They didn’t come out of the campaign, they came from me. And I tweeted about it. You know, I put -- I don’t know if you know but I tweeted about the payments. But they didn’t come out of campaign. In fact, my first question when I heard about it was did they come out of the campaign because that could be a little dicey. And they didn’t come out of the campaign and that’s big. It’s not even a campaign violation.”

First of all, I do not believe a word of what he says. Second, wasn't his first stance that he did not have an affair with the women and that there was never any payments made to them? Finally, if the payments were made by Trump, personally, why would there be a need to further defend the payments as "not even a campaign violation"? That kind of statement would normally be called a guilty conscience but I'm not sure he has a conscience.

If they didn't come out of the campaign, I'm pretty comfortable that Mike Cohen might've raised that as a defense at trial instead of, you know, pleading guilty.

The fact that Ainsley Earhardt didn't push back on that absurd statement is Exhibit 1000000000 in why Fox News isn't actual journalism.

It didn't come out of the campaign, but that's part of what makes it a crime.

It's not just Paul's geopolitical views that make him a russian puppet. He's been running interference for Trump since the beginning. I have classes in a few minutes, so I'm not going into it now.

Besides, knowing what everyone knows about Trump at this point, working with Trump on disabling NATO and advancing the interests of Russia is pretty much the same thing as being in Russia's pocket, at least in terms of practice.

jerseyhoya wrote:It didn't come out of the campaign, but that's part of what makes it a crime.

I've been out of it mostly for the past two days, but could you explain this or link me to something that does. Just want to be informed.

Graham says nah to stopping Kavanaugh nomination process.

Thought this would be the time they took a stand too! Shucks.

Nancy Pelosi says impeachment talks are not on the table, Dems are hilariously weak. Does anyone doubt if it was Obama he would have been impeached yesterday? The Republicans play by a completely different set of rules and that’s why they win.

Your under thinking the value of candidates defending Trump. It will e available with even more authority soon enough.