292 Comments

I predict that irrespective of the outcome of today’s elections shit will carry on same as before

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Shit might hit the fan tho,, for Fauci and a few others... take the good with the bad

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I'd love to think that Fauci get what he deserves, but that chances of that happening are tiny, even with republicans holding both houses

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Rand thinks he has a case.

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I am sure he has a case. I don't have any confidence that he will be able to prosecute it, even with republicans in control.

They will call for forgiveness. They will say "Mistakes were made", and no one will pay, and the drug companies will keep their profits, and the dead will rot and the many of the living will suffer.

I don't want to believe this but I do.

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founding

We don't need to prosecute the case to learn the lesson. The lesson is that the NIH's number one job in a pandemic is to test repurposed generic medicines for possible benefit, since there is no profit motive for anyone else to test them.

The cardinal sin from Fauci was not doing that job. Fauci and Collins proudly talked about how smart they were because they were approaching the pandemic with a public-private partnership focus. In doing so, they did what they thought was best but they were simply terribly wrong. Pfizer didn't even take money from the Feds because of all the strings and because of the very high potential profits. That profit motive alone was sufficient to drive their efforts. It didn't need federal subsidies.

But repurposed generic drugs did, and it is a failing that NIH didn't start testing them until April 2021. Instead, we argued there was no good data to know the real answers and that data on ivermectin from brown people overseas wasn't to be trusted. Now we have positive data from folks at Duke and Vanderbilt on ivermectin but it's too late to matter.

But we don't have to make that mistake next time, and we don't have to incriminate Fauci to point out this failing in a way that can result in us not doing the same thing ever again.

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The bigger they are, the harder they get screwed when they fall.

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Fauci--come to Coeur d'alene. Baseball bat waiting to be placed in your forehead.

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Classy.

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Nov 9, 2022·edited Nov 9, 2022

You're an ass. Couer d'Alene is a beautiful little city.

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Fauci did the best he could under difficult circumstances. And please don't forget Operation Warp Speed. That wasn't Fauci, but his political master.

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CV was fauci's 3rd blunder of bloody consequences. Don't forget his first foray into profit and politics over medicine and science: AIDS

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Everybody forgets about his disaster with AIDS. It is not everyday you go against the research and say it is a communicable disease.

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Nov 9, 2022·edited Nov 9, 2022

this is where i part ways with the shit lib left

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Right there with you.

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Read RFK Jr's book "The Real Anthony Fauci", and get back to us.

Trump sucked in many ways, not least of which was his failure to get rid of Fauci and confront the medical/pharma cabal. Im willing to accept that maybe his hands were tied in ways we aren't aware of but that may be giving him too much credit. It seems, however that you've just pointed at him for some partisan whataboutism along with your weak defense of Fauci.

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Considering I now have Parkinson's as a result of Fauci's assholery, I don't agree.

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Happened to a neighbor. Happen to have a study I could refer her to?

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Blame the man behind the curtain. Nothing to see here, masks and the vaccines work!

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Trump pedophile with Fauci mass murderer. perfect storm.

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you are kidding, right?

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Um. What?

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Fauci should be masked, vaccinated, boosted, locked down and distanced for life.

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Things can always get worse

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Do they ever get better?

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Yes

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They did, in 1946, for many, but not all, people.

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'32 was a good year

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But not much worse...

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The times they are a changin'.

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Now with constant show trials!

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Sorrifily ... I agree.

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This is hands down the best prediction for election '22 I've heard so far. Also for every other election, pretty much.

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Very sad.. frustrating.

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There won't be meaningful change until frustration turns to anger on a wide scale. By that time much will have been lost.

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yep, the time for a tax revolt to prevent all this crap was about 30 years ago. a tax revolt now will prevent the hell we will live in 20 or 30 years from now.

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Nov 9, 2022·edited Nov 9, 2022

Yeah. Except that's actually the very definition of US politics (on the national scale, and mostly on local as well at this point). Has been since, basically, since I started voting in the late 80's? I recently gave up voting (as of 2020). Post covid, even the stench of the Greens makes me gag.

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yeah, agree that things will be more or less the same as it ever was...deep state chugs along regardless

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Even those guys can be surprised by events. No one runs this planet.

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And until Citizens United is overturned... won’t happen IMO

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LOL... and you honestly believe Citizens United changed ANYthing? You honestly believe banks, corps, and the MIC (that's medical industrial complex) didn't rule BEFORE Citizens United?

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Citizens United just made their job a little easier. Anything that contributes to centralization of power is bad in my book.

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Doesn't work with Android

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Not very inclusive.

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Will it run on my Kaypro?

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You have a Kaypro? Classic!

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And compatible with my Atari 2600. Happy happy joy joy lol. Meanwhile back in cali dance naked in the rain! This would be a call to laughing wet people dancing naked, obviously. 3 days with rain here SE of San Jose. And I shall dance when, where and clothed as I choose. Sometimes it is so dam* hard to find a chuckle. Discussing late 70's or early 80's personal computers did provide one of those. I paid under 60usd for the 2600 taking employee discount during Warner Bros fiasco that lost them a few billion and Atari hit the ropes. Volunteering for 1st round of layoffs put my walkaway cash at near 40k usd so I followed grrlfriend to Brussels for a year.

*dam is an obstruction in above ground water flow that provides a place where water gathers.

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Yeah, I downloaded the app only to learn that chat doesn't work.

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Um, I'm on android... r

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You're commenting , not chatting.

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Yup.

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They need a version that works on PCs where we do almost all our interaction with Substack. I only have an Android phone in any case, but to use this feature as a plug to get people to download their app instead of just supporting it on the PC where we all are anyway is lousy. I am sure Rumble would share their technology to help them.

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Agreed. I hate typing on my phone. I prefer the spread of a laptop

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Matt doesn't need us old farts, it seems.

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I'm already half in the bag on "Democracy itself."

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Is democracy over yet?

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death to apple

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It’s not working on my iPhone.

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founding

I’m doing what I do every election and play a drinking game. Every time they say a, is, the, or or, it’s a shot.

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Double shots when they say Cayuga county

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founding

OK. But drink water on each “denier”.

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You must be hammered.

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founding

Tomorrow: EZ gives tequila reviews, and hydration advice.

Ok. The day after tomorrow.

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founding

Disclaimer: Be safe. Don’t drive!

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Good call. Bien dicho. I’ve transitioned from Pinot noir to water, but I’ll still fall asleep way before this macana is over.

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W. C. Fields used to say his excuse (among so many) was that "you should avoid water, because fish 'fornicate' in that!"

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will Stacey Abrams please go away now?

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And take Beto O’Rourke with her. Maybe they could get a real job like the rest of us.

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Not possible due to politics becoming a career. WTF and I do know how to fix that little issue.

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Wanna get really drunk? Take a slug each time someone posts "Doesn't work".

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So Matt, if everything the media and the democrats are saying about the Republicans is hyperbole and fear mongering, which is as a minimum partly true, is the only real truth that both parties are controlled by the same companies and billionaires?

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This line of thought is similar to mine, that in reality both parties are very controlled by corporate interests.

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You know, here we are, all watching our fellow Americans vote. I rejoice in the process of elections and our democracy. Cheers to that.

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Republicans appear poised to control the House; too early to say how Senate will go.

Question: will Republicans, whatever the election outcome, use their newfound power to oppose Biden's warmongering?

I doubt it

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What happened to repeal ObamaCare? Who passed the Patriot Act. Republicrats are a criminal enterprise

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Uh-huh.

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Is the chat function only available on iphones because matt wants to limit chat to fanboys with no minds of their own?

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Apple's market share is about 16%. Someone, please urgently break this to Matt.

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It's Substack's decision. I have uploaded and deleted the Substack app a few times. It kind of sucks.

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So all in all Matt thinks Substack Chat still trumps YouTube Chat?

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Nov 9, 2022·edited Nov 9, 2022

Not sure if you are poking at Matt or Apple users or both. In Matt's case, I'm sure the reason is technical and not the desire for an echo chamber.

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Neither. The app is poorly designed. That isn’t Matt’s fault, he had nothing to do with it. If anyone is to blame, it’s Substack. I think it could be improved, and yes, it’s a technical issue.

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Hammond B3 with twin Leslie speakers. HEAVEN in an echoing way. You tube chat is not at all similar.

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The political ads this year have been some of the cringiest shit I've seen in a while

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founding

One advantage of a non competitive state is the lack of friggin ads. Damn it.

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Am I the only one using a desk top computer and not a phone?

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you're not alone.

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Probably

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I think Biden uses a desktop also. OK, just kidding!

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Biden uses a Veep. (nasty tinged chuckle)

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No you are not. Dell bizbox and no cellular signals reach my home on Lost Valley Ranch, San Jose, CA. Land lines are only 100k usd for materials and a lot of work to string 6+ miles of line. Cogit ergo sum! Et nolte carborundum also.

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Is the chat available on the web? I have no interest in installing an app on my phone.

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At east you didn't install the app (begrudgingly) onl to learn this chat feature isn't available on your device. Bummer.

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The keyboard is completely dysfunctional though, so maybe for the best.

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Ditto that

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where's matt & walter?

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Nov 9, 2022·edited Nov 9, 2022

ABC News says election denial started with Donald Trump questioning Joe Biden's presidency. As if the former's presidency wasn't questioned (and sabotaged) by crooked Hillary 4 years before that.

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Why am I reading so many messages from Android users complaining it doesn't work for them??

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Correct

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Where are you Matt?

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Matt probably thinks Apple has about 100% of the smartphone market.

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Matt's trying something new and engaging with his readers. It's not his fault that Substack has inexplicably released an incomplete app.

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100% agree

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Is that you, Matt?

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Nov 9, 2022·edited Nov 9, 2022

bjd is just a troll

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You're a little delusional?

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Oh, I see -- you're his spokesperson. Pardon me!

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I don't know what you're seeing, but it seems like it may not be real. Have you considered an anti-psychotic?

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Why mess with all that when I have you?

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founding

US versus Russia war likely -- one of direct results of the Russia-gate hoax.

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Well that's news to me. Sseems like what he's been saying publicly until a couple days ago was the opposite of what you claim.

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None of that supports your original claim, and WaPo? Establishment rag tells you what the establishment wants you to believe.

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Nov 9, 2022·edited Nov 9, 2022

The establishment (MIC branch) wants endless war for profit. I'm sure they prefer to take Russia down a few notches, but that is definitely secondary to that sweet $$$$

Regarding Biden, whatever he supposedly said privately to Zelensky before invasion doesn't mean much when since invasion he has not seemed the least bit interested in concessions to Russia, which will be required if we don't want this going nuclear.

A couple days ago he all the sudden calls for talks.

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Polls always show voters hating Congress but liking “their” congresscritter. Seems like the usual red states are voting red and the usual blue states voting blue. The electorate is disgusted with the status que but continues to vote for the status quo.

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The only exciting out coming (from my point of view) would be many incumbents that don’t represent their constituents getting voted out.

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Why are Democrats so much more emotional about elections? Geesh... they are suicidal again.

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Blood level toxicity peaked within 10 of starting the drinking game, and permanent blindness threatens.

Thanks PBS.

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Works for me.

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Sigh. Another Android user here. Oh well.

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USMNT World Cup roster drops tomorrow. Am I in the right chat?

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so what... Heating is not optional.

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God I wish I had something witty to say.

Thank you for all you do, you make the world a brighter place ☆

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Come on Matt. A lot of us don't use iphone

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It’s not Matt. It’s Substack. Android app is not yet complete.

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It’s Substack app issue IMO. I have an iPhone, and the app, couldn’t get on there.

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Matt, i need it on my computer, but thats ok. I feel so lucky to be able to read your commentary. Keep up the wonderful writing. Proud to be a subscriber

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I'm seeing the chat on my laptop. If this goes through, I guess I'm participating!

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There’s no chat function that I can see on the app, I did just get a notification from Matt somewhere in cyberspace tho

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Lol good question. Are we in the right place?

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Turns out you have to install an app - see the reminder above.

Reminder to Substack subscribers, I’m on the Substack App tonight, in a chat on the App.

Guess I'll sit this one out and check in after it's over.

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Indeed, you are, otherwise, you would not be able to see your comment above ^ .

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How does this shit work?

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Good question. I think an app is required (isn't one for everything now? - sigh)

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It’s in the tabs icon at the bottom of the app screen

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Hope the hang overs are manageable folks!! lol

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Why waste time on anything as pointless as the mid-term election? Nothing will change, the rethugs aren't gonna cut off money to the Ukraine boondoggle no matter what they say just as if by some remote chance the dims kept a majority in both houses they won't do anything about abortion, gun control or any of their 'talking points' cos if they did there would be nothing to sell credulous voters next time.

Until & unless the two party uniparty system is abolished everything will continue to get worse as the current mess keeps politicians happy, employed and richer than the rest of us.

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My initial thoughts on this election have apparently been proven accurate. I have long suspected that "So called" polling data, is in reality nothing more than so much spin that is generated by profit driven public opinion labs (I worked in the NIU Public Opinion laboratory in Dekalb Illinois back in 1986-87 as an undergrad). The accuracy of most of these polls are ridiculously poor, and have been for over twenty years. In election after election the vote counts and actual results bear minimal resemblance to those predicted by polling. These questionable polls fill one very important need for the political parties and the media outlets that blast them all over the airwaves and internet however, and that is the (often false) impression that one political candidate or another is going to win even though there is in fact no data that has been collected that would support these spurious claims. Sampling populations with dense partisan concentrations make producing such misleading data fast and simple. The effect this false data has on voter deliberations is nebulous at best, but I'm willing to bet that the effect isn't anything positive. Bottom line, people need to learn to ignore polls.

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And for those of us who try to fight off the plague of apps? What are we, chopped liver?

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Both sides are bought by corporate interests. Get money out of politics or corruption and corporate greed will continue to run this country into the ground. Profits before people. Not a model for a free democracy!

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100% agree.

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If the US follows Florida, never again will the Deep State baby murdering Democrats ever again win an election.

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The babies that are being murdered, are also part of the deep state?

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The Deep State Babies are like the Muppet Babies. They're the children of security state officials who get jobs at their parents' agencies fresh out of college. This is completely based on their own proven merit despite having no work or life experience and is definitely not nepotism.

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Gonna re-share this over here in this thread because it's just too damn hilarious:

NYT's "5 Ways to Soothe Election Stress." Not a joke, or at least they didn't mean it as one:

- Try five-finger breathing

- Cool down.

- Move.

- Breathe like a Baby

- Limit your Scrolling

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1590118240654696449

Stay safe tonight, kiddos 🤣

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Does anyone see a Red Wave??

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I’m guessing a mild red wave. Would be a bigger red wave if Trump didn’t back weaker (but loyal to him) candidates. Trump handed Georgia and therefore the Senate to Democrats in 2020, and he continues to damage the party he claims to represent. He flew to Ohio yesterday to support JD Vance and just talked about himself. I just hope the Trump zombies don’t screw up the best chance the Republicans have to shift the narrative in a generation. Trump was a Democrat most of his life. He’s like Crist- it’s about him, not the Party. So let’s wake up, push Trump aside and move forward.

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The stage is being set tonight for Desantis to take the MAGA mantle. Unfortunately, for the MAGA agenda, Desantis is an establishmentarian in populist clothing. So, when he gets the MAGA mantle, the movement will be over - in terms of posing a threat to the Establishment and meritocracy. It will flail around without any real power or potential like left-populism post Huey Long.

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Nov 9, 2022·edited Nov 9, 2022

Just to clarify, I've never believed Trump was "for real" either. I suspect he was meant to be the bogeyman that scared enough of the populace into going along with the transition to technocratic authoritarianism. It's worked beautifully- if that's the case. All that's left now is to make an example of enough of the MAGA believers to codify that transition.

(Edit to add). Though I think it was underestimated how much support Trump would generate. And putting down the monster they created is going to be messier than they would like.

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founding

Shitfaced and hovering. Shitfaced without any of the election drinking rules. Just shitfaced because what's coming down the pike is the Ph.D course in autocracy. Swore to god I wouldn't pay attention to the races and yet see that Rubio will win,: not terribly surprising. Truly amazed at Matt's apparent indifference or qualified amusement to some of the true degenerates running for office this year. It seems the danger is more some transexual reading stories to kids in libraries than a certifiable idiot /GOP tool running becoming senator in Georgia. I live upstate NY. MAGA country. Not because they lost their jobs overseas and therefore turned against the Dems. They've always hated the Dems since that communist FDR started all those social welfare programs, Like Social Security, which they have never refused. And have never returned a COVID relief check. Who cares. As the historian Antony Beevor writes in his jaw dropping telling of the battle of Berlin 1945, the graffiti was scrawled, "Enjoy the war. The peace will be terrible." As it will be here. Is this hyperbole? Not certain. It took the Roman empire at least 400+ years to collapse. Just recently read that Jefferson gave the new republic 20 years. So, all things considered, we did fine. Another historical blip.

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Dear Matt -- Apple's market share is about 16%.

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I predict that Substack will sell its user data to China

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It might just get hacked, judging from this subset of Substack just trying to use a chat function. How good Could their security be?

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LOL

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ok so we all know that we're all here....

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Lancing our virtual salutes to the airless digital space...

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Honleigh

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Was “the big lie” on the drinking game list?

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