softlynow

No, the best way to change minds is have the issues affect them personally. The other way polling usually moves on issues is the older folks set in their ways die off, and are replaced with people still working out their worldview. One other key way minds "change" is the culture demands that it does, at least publicly. Polling suggested racism was "solved" long ago. Uh huh. Pointing out hypocrisy usually leads to embracing that hypocrisy and turning to whataboutism as a reflex response, in my experience. People like GR are lost causes. They will ride the nuke to its detonation. Correct the record if you like, but don't delude yourself into thinking you're in a real conversation.

Exactly. If we get to the other side of this conversation with the song still uniting us, great. If not, we have to unite behind something new.

Nah. It’s rather comforting that one of the internet’s core functions is in their hands.

To hide their tiny dicks.

Not that I would post 'em anyway, but that file pre-dates my NAS, and all those old paper files are no longer maintained at my firm. Closest comp I can think of is a cupgraded Kristen Bell with a two-pack a day habit who worked harder on maintaining a tan.

Are you referring to the Magellan exception?

She was accused of being a few things, but unfaithful wasn't one of them. Could be that was a two-way street, and neither wanted to go there. But my experience is every last bit of dirty laundry comes out in these kinds of divorces. Every. Fucking. Bit. And it's more annoying to everyone involved than helpful to their case. In divorces these days, adultery is kind of assumed, and usually doesn't mean a damn thing in the property division or maintenance award. Bottom line on this case, probably, but no one mentioned it.

I don't have to assume. Her name has come up in a couple of my criminal cases as witnesses. She's ... popular.

He wanted to have her purchase considered a fraud against their marital estate. He disclaimed approval of the purchase. I could have won on that issue with a simple, "c'mon folks" in closing argument, but you can't pass up that kind of opportunity. I did keep the hand bra pic (his hands) in the chamber. I only showed it to him on the stand, but didn't admit it into evidence. I'm sure the judge would've thought that a bridge too far, what with her nipples peeking through the gaps in his fingers.

I represented a woman who had made such a purchase. The husband complained about the purchase. I made him explain to the jury why he didn’t like the purchase of boobs. For about an hour I talked about boobs and compelled opposing counsel and a judge, both women, to talk about boobs to 12 jurors. Bikini pics were put in evidence and published to the jury on a big tv. In the end everyone had to agree with me that the boobs were a desired addition to the community estate. The judge was amused. So, yeah, complicated sometimes, but it was resolved that boobs were things people liked, and getting more is desirable.

That’s where I get hung up. Somewhere, someone would’ve said the quiet part loudly.

You really think the wimps that win elections as Dems will do any of that shit? Have you not been paying attention? Dem pols are ambitious careerists just like Pubs, sure. But their base is all about process and togetherness and understanding. They talk a big game about retribution, but are way too weak-willed to follow through. I get it, though. Low taxes and your fine with the rest. That’s cool.

To put it in Tom Nichols construction, do you support preserving a constitution? If so, there’s a vote for that. In a two party system your “not supporting rape” choice (neither Dem nor Pub) is nothing more than declaring a tie. Declaring a tie between preservation of the constitution and destruction of it is a fine choice, if you’re ambivalent about the USC.

Tom is right to see past Trump as the only problem in the party. Grifter Conservatives aren’t a new thing. Romney leading the Senate side of things would be a good start, but it’ll take more than one election to clear out the rot. As someone who is not a Never Trumper, just an admirer, I hope Tom and his buddies see this project through for the next decade or so. In every election my number or issue is corruption. It would be nice to have the chance vote out corrupt Dems. Right now the other evil is almost always greater.

Or you don't like losing elections and letting the brutality enablers write the next sad chapter. Street activists aren't above or incapable of taking advice.

Quoting you as a jumping off point, but rambling to follow. I disagree that the phrasing of BLM was intended to seek that response. I do agree that provokes that response, but unintentionally. I think that's the same thing with DTP. It's an inartfully-coined rallying cry. And it's the kind of shit that detracts from the message to the point that a winning issue with the public magically becomes a loser with the electorate in the hands of the talented marketers aligned with the Republican Party. When pressed on issues I'm more aligned, these days, with radicals. But unlike the radicals, I know a losing ad campaign when I see it. You don't win elections by getting the discussion going. Do that shit in off years. Work on changing attitudes in the arts, entertainment, scholarship, etc. You win elections by making people afraid of things and telling them who's to blame for it. "Defund the police" does the opposite of that. Suddenly the police and "law and order" Republicans aren't the bad actors, a potentially lawless future is. It takes a winning issue in police brutality, and makes your party an easy mark for criticism. The people not already voting Dem see police as necessary, maybe even necessary evils, but necessary. You don't agree? Fine, but you aren't picking the next government all of us are. If you don't win elections you don't get your reforms. You want ANY of the DTP policies to have half a chance? WIN. Welcome the Lincoln Projects guys onto the team and fucking WIN. Then go get your reforms passed. Never Trumpers are not going for DTP. Time to regroup and rebrand this reform policy. Biden has signaled he's going to do exactly that.

A person should not believe in an -ism, he should believe in himself.

The film star didn't mention the NDA allegation, Perez Hilton did.

I thought maybe he'd finally started down the actual fascist path when it appeared paramilitary forces had arrived in D.C. Then it was revealed they were simply deputized B.O.P. guards. There's a next move, but it won't be effective enough to make me shiver. These idiots are incompetent wannabe fascists, not the real thing. They lack the will or simply the understanding of the necessity to organize the necessary tools to save their asses and end the republic. They seem to think the white supremacists among the cops, the bikers, the 2nd amendment folks, and whomever (his "tough people"), will spontaneously organize to save their asses. There will be violence, but it won't be enough. I think that was made plain by Mattis and Milley. He will not have military backing for his upcoming coup attempt. Now, are we in the clear once it is put down? Of course not. This is a major fissure in the body politic. It will be there for a competent would be autocrat, from the left or the right, to exploit.

Where is this all leading? The republic's festering wound is now obvious to all, and dramatic law enforcement reform that can only occur through federal action is undeniably necessary. Of course it will not happen under Trump, and is probably a long shot under Biden (though minor reform is likely). But where do y'all see this heading in the short-term? Will people tire of this in days or a couple weeks, like we tire with most things, and demonstrations dwindle to back page level news? Will the consistent escalation from law enforcement keep the energy going into the fall? Til the election? Until we go from crisis to damn near revolution?

His base.

Does this mean that Ann-Margret's not coming?

In The Woodlands and Conroe the mask wearing rate is about 15-20%.

It might work . . . unless, of course, someone comes up with six-minute abs.

I didn’t know the guy, but I had a damned good view of Randy Kinder’s demise.