23 Comments

What a moving tribute to your father in law; I’m so sorry for your loss. I hope you take plenty of time tomorrow to be with your family. We can all survive a shortened mailbag article.

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Why hasn’t Biden visited Nashville, Waukesha, or East Palestine?

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Jill Biden to attend Nashville shooting vigil Wednesday

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In light of Trump's recent indictment, do you think Mitch McConnell is kicking himself for having found a loophole to acquit Trump in his 2nd impeachment? If he hadn't pushed the "you can't impeach someone who is already out of office" idea so hard, do you think Trump would have been impeached, found guilty, and barred from holding public office again? And how much time/money/grief would that have saved, for the whole country to be able to move forward and leave Trump behind?

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Trump was indicted. The indictment has not been unsealed yet. I think the charges will be a surprise, maybe for threatening a DA or inciting violence over this case, or even trying to influence a grand jury. The actual fraud case does not seem to be a slam dunk deal. Trumps reaction was very predictable and probably excessive and that will be easy to prove.

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As things have developed, I now will include obstruction of justice as a very possible charge.

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My dad was a computer programmer. He worked for IBM. Back in the 1960's. I was born in 1963. I started writing programs at the age of 12. I started on a remote terminal and then moved up to a TRS80 in jr high school and then on from there. I had a voice activated automated house in 1992 on a 386 platform and a bunch of microphones ,("Lights On" , and the lights came on, or I moved a chair and made a noise, and the lights all went off for no reason), my wife hated. that so I shut it off. I am now 60 years old. Almost 50 years of computer literacy, I know of what I speak. GPT is clearly the same old thing that all programmers know. GIGO. That means, garbage in, garbage out. That was clear back when computing at a large scale started back in 1950 , bad data input, means bad data output, and that should still be clear today. You get nothing out, that you did not put in to begin with. Chat GPT is just as dark and sad, and racist, as the internet is.

The internet is now stupid, if I looked up X-ray on Google, I would first get results for Zebra, if there was a trending news story about some Zebra. The past , even last week, is dead on the internet. How can you actually learn anything from that output? What would show up? X-rays or Zebras or just learn about the latest Tik-Tok challenge?

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So the Federal Reserve says we need 4% unemployment to keep down inflation. 4% who want a job and need a job, but we do want them to get a job. Fine. So who is going to support those 4% who our policies require to not have a job? Are we intentionally trying to make criminals? How these can these 4% survive without some major federal funding? And how does this fit in with the Republican idea that people without jobs are just lazy? And who should pay for that? The Fed? Any system that makes full employment a bad thing is a broken system. Period.

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Are there any MAGA Republicans that are embarrassed by the fact that their 'leader' seems to be saying that the Republican Party is so unclever that the Democrats have been able to outsmart them in numerous separate states and separate elections? I'd be ashamed to admit that I was beaten so many times because someone was smarter than me.

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As always for the Don, no one is smarter than him, he only loses when others cheat. Which is why he thinks everyone cheats. That is great circular logic. I cannot lose in a fair fight, therefor all fights I lose are fixed against me. Heads I win, tails you lose. There is a very good reason that current Republicans are against all intellectuals, Thinking is bad!

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How do you think this country can move from tearful “thoughts and prayers” to policy and action? Why do we as a country tolerate the “collateral damage” of young children being murdered in schools, which are supposed to be safe places? Why does the abstract “right” to own as many weapons of war as one wants trump the victims’ right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?

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Who do you think will replace Senator Dianne Feinstein?

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Keep in mind that the Republican Party in California is so weak it cannot get any candidates for statewide office elected.

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When will the Texas Democratic Party matter again?

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When Texans remember what Jesus said. It is starting to happen in a few small ways already. MTG said that Jesus would not have been crucified if he was well armed. He was, and asked his followers to stand down. That is an important point if you actually read the Bible and not just thump it. Jesus would be alive today if he had an AK47? I guess she did not read the Bible well. Many of the Trumpers also praise religion and have not a clue about the teachings of most religions.

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Chris, what do you think happens to the Republican party if Trump is the nominee in 2024 and loses again to President Biden? Even though he would be older, it doesn't seem to me that he would go away quietly. Are we so sure he won't run again in 2028 if he loses in 2024?

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What is the cost to become a paid subscriber?

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Sorry to read about your father-in-law. Sounds like a great guy.

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What is your opinion on Biden? I like him and he's got an extraordinary amount of good legislation accomplished, especially considering the razor thin make up of the Congress. But, his age is obviously a concern and Harris is so unlikable that I don't think she could win if Biden were not to run. But, she'd have the name recognition and the positioning to be the nominee. Which, IMO, is the only reason she got the VP in the first place.

What are Biden's options to 1. Successfully win another term 2. Quietly push Harris aside 3. Set up a successor or a bench of successors to follow him or get the nomination if he decides not to run?

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On a continued thread from his question—Why do people dislike Kamala Harris so much? Do you think any of the critics are motivated by racism or misogyny? What specifically has she done to merit so much rancor?

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While I can't speak for others or their reasons for disliking Harris. To me she seems the ultimate opportunist. Willing to do or say whatever is politically expedient.

She (IMO) dated Willie Brown to get in with the political crowd in San Francisco. She took a cheap shot at Biden during the debates. She ran a horrible presidential campaign. But, the real proof for me is her staff or lack their of. There are plenty of very reputable stories out there of how she mistreats and uses her staff as scapegoats to avoid any accountability on her part. These stories seem valid due to the fact she has such high turn over in many top postions of her staff. Telling me she must be a gem to work for. Finally when I see her being interviewed her answers to tough questions are never answers. She gives the political double talk and gobbly gook that I hate in politicans. Those are my reasonings.

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Do you ever get disheartened by the trolls who seem to have nothing better to do with their time?

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I'm reading "The Long Alliance" and it's insane to me Democrats once had 60 seats in the senate. Do you think either side will have that big a majority in the senate again?

Also, very excited for the new book. Are you planning a book tour?

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