Their lies do not excuse ours.
As First Lord of the Admiralty in 1915, Winston Churchill had an audacious plan. He would send the world’s most powerful navy up the narrow Strait of Dardanelles to knock the Ottoman Empire out of the war. But generations of peacetime ship captains learned that to lose your ship was a disgrace; after several sinkings, they faltered. Failing to press on through to Istanbul, the subsequent Battle of Gallipoli was a disaster.
That’s our analogy for Republican leadership’s surrender of the high ground in Washington. Alexander Burns and Jonathan Martin summarize their findings in the New York Times:
‘I’ve had it with this guy’
In the days after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol building, the two top Republicans in Congress, Representative Kevin McCarthy and Senator Mitch McConnell, told associates they believed President Trump was responsible for inciting the deadly riot and vowed to drive him from politics.
Mr. McCarthy went so far as to say he would push Mr. Trump to resign immediately: “I’ve had it with this guy,” he told a group of Republican leaders, according to an audio recording of the conversation obtained by The New York Times.
But within weeks both men backed off an all-out fight with Mr. Trump because they feared retribution from him and his political movement. Their drive to act faded fast as it became clear it would mean difficult votes that would put them at odds with most of their colleagues. …
“What he did is unacceptable. Nobody can defend that and nobody should defend it,”
Kevin McCarthy told the group.
Mr. McConnell’s office declined to comment. In a statement on Twitter early Thursday, Mr. McCarthy called the reporting “totally false and wrong.” His spokesman, Mark Bednar, denied that the Republican leader told colleagues he would urge Mr. Trump to leave office. “McCarthy never said he’d call Trump to say he should resign,” Mr. Bednar said.
But the recording tells a different story.
The Werkes continues to appreciate Donald Trump’s sangfroid in the face of withering fire from the networks, academia, and other elites. The man weathered the Russian collusion hoax, authorized and paid for by Hillary Clinton and the Democrat(ic) party, eagerly peddled by the dishonest news media. He was falsely accused of racism. Where the Bushes and Mitt Romney cut their sails to win strange new respect, Trump damned the torpedoes and forged full speed ahead.
If some of my Republican friends now are too willing to believe the absurd it is because Rachel Maddow, Adam Schiff, and the NY Times spread too many lies and, as in the case of Hunter Biden’s laptop, covered up too much truth.
Blaska’s Bottom Line: Yes, McCarthy would have taken considerable “incoming.” May have joined Liz Cheney in the wilderness, as did Churchill after Gallipoli. But might have encouraged a small outbreak of courage that would have spared us Republicans from the Spin & Marty snipe hunt for bamboo ballots, tinfoil hat theories of voting machines somehow jiggered by Hugo Chavez, and the on-going Gableman clown show. We’ve got elections to win and voters to persuade.
Education
Blaska Policy Werkes 
Already knew he was an ahole. Leaked tape released to keep broken minds stewing in anger. I wonder how will this resolve supply chain issues, bring down energy costs, cut inflation, lower rx costs, control the massive invasion of our country at the border, regain control of our ports from foreign entities, resolves colleges and universities price gouging for useless degrees setup by more and more subsidized student loans so faculty and administration can enrich themselves. Just remember opposite of love is not hate it is indifference.
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A classic example of “What-about-ism!” Never mind an unconstitutional insurrection, what about the supply chain?!
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AOC almost died!
Not an insurrection.
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Then why did the insurrectionists chant “Stop the Steal”? “Hang Mike Pence”? and “Where’s Nancy?”
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Why did Charly Manson chant “Helter Skelter”? Was he ever charged as a race war criminal? We’ve rehashed this many times on your blog. No one is changing their minds regarding the “I” word.
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No, they charged Charlie Manson with murder. It was in all the papers.
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About time Dave. After 10 years as a supreme court judge he’s deleting e-mails and documents? Something stinks. The election cannot be changed, but he gets an extension? For what? Time to burn everything? A free trip to Arizona and Mar-a-largo was nothing but a taxpayer rip-off. Vos and Gableman should be perp walked right out of the capital. The pic used in every paper is from 2011 is he trying to hide drinking problem. If this doesn’t end by 5/1 the cops need to raid his office.
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I disagree with you. He was the fricking POTUS, just for safety concerns his every move, communication for Pete’s sake bathroom break was logged and recorded with FBI, CIA, Secret Service and probably others. They have all that information available and for damn sure were monitoring his and everyone else’s in his circle every move in real-time. Meaning, if they had the goods on him, it would already been revealed and he would be arrested not leaked bullcrap and smears . Instead the congressional committee is going to recreate the day turning a fart in the breeze into a well orchestrated event which it was most certainly not. I have no issue with protestors chanting whatever they hell they want, fake prop gallows, ooh spooky. I do have issues what took place afterwards and those people are slowly trickling through the courts systems but our democratic republic was never ever in any danger of being usurped at all what so ever because beyond, chanting and venting anger on federal property there was absolutely no coordinated effort to overthrow things. How were they going to do it? with fists, rope, bear spray, come on.
In the end I will continue vote R only or not vote at all. Meanwhile some 15 months into this administration the country is falling apart at the seams from a rudderless and clueless leadership and one bad policy decision after another but at least the Dems and the triggered can hang their hats on getting the orange man bad once and for all. Orange Dulce !!!!!!
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“our democratic republic was never ever in any danger of being usurped at all what so ever”.
I agree that the riot in-and-of-itself wasn’t a final threat to our republic. Even if they did succeed in hanging Mike Pence, some entity like the military could theoretically restore order. As we have learned in Ukraine, personal weapons are meaningless against a military, so unless the military were in on the insurrection it was not going to succeed… that day.
The actual threat to our democratic republic is the wider premise that the riot was a symptom of: Active attempt to do away with democracy and civil society. That is going stronger than ever. That doesn’t need riots or the military, just pass the laws to more and more secure power away from the democratic will of ALL Americans. If we have democracy we’ll be ok regardless of what a bunch of rioters do (on either “side” or our stupid political divide). But if we don’t, whoever’s in power sure will get to do whatever they want with impunity.
I was just listening to AM 1130 today and marveling at the vigor in which “the other side” is dehumanized with incredibly frequent “analogies” to violence and completely supporting the use of State power as retribution tool against anyone who has the nerve to disagree with politicians. If we can’t publicly disagree with the government anymore without retribution, what kind of democracy do we have?
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You don’t think attempting to overturn an election through violence is securing power away from the democratic will of the people.
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That’s like saying Madison being a “nuclear free zone” changes the laws of physics.
You take things too literally in service of the “Orange Man bad” mantra.
The “I” discussion is predictably not going anywhere. Again.
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Orange Man bad.
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I suppose I wasn’t as clear as I should have been. I do think the Jan. 6 riot was an attempt to overthrow democracy. I just don’t think they had the capacity to be ultimately successful. I think too much focus on just that day and those individuals takes eyes off the big picture that it is a symptom of – the long game.
I’m open to debate on this though, perhaps I’m not seeing the full picture myself.
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Of course they didn’t have the capacity. Doesn’t have to be successful to be an insurrection. The Confederacy also failed.
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Right. Who can forget the guy with a pointy hat and a spear?
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Too funny now this is compared to confederacy and seceding from the union. We may be houses divided but not an even close in comparison. Not one politician was even close to harms way. not a single one. The republic was under 0 threat at all what so ever. Not one iota. But keep seething about a fake narratives that will not help republicans win future elections.15 months will not watch msm or alt righr crap. Turn oof, tune out, be happy.
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Now I understand. Thanks, Balboa, for assuring us that no elected official was in danger. I guess the insurrectionists only wanted to bash capitol police, break a few windows, and smash through a few doors. They would have left Nancy Pelosi and Mike Pence go about their business, right? The chants of “Hang Mike Pence” were an inside joke. Like Charlie Manson’s exhortations, to use your analogy. So you’re telling us that the congress people who were taken to secure locations, the Secret Service spiriting Pence out of the chamber — all an over-reaction! Bunch of scaredy cats! Why are these brave patriots being prosecuted? Balboa cries. After all, they did not succeed in re-installing Trump by force, Balboa argues.
Don’t lecture me about false narratives, traitor.
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And yet we had a secession occur and no one blinks an eye.
Not a mob for a few hours. They created their own STATE for over a month!
Why is there no outrage over the CHAZ secession?
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Plenty of outrage at the Stately Manor. We try to be consistent about lawlessness. You?
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Lawlessness, yes. We both agree on that. Same with 1/6 – lawlessness. That is not the issue.
You’ve never admitted CHAZ was a secession. After I asked you several times. Will you now, finally?
Or will you obfuscate with snark ?
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Of course it was a secession! Why do you condemn it and not January 6?
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Ok you finally said it … you are consistent.
Sorry to Parkay/butter you but I was trolling. I think both events were lawlessness by idiots. Not an “I”. Not a “S”. 1/6 is more concerning as the FBI claims it just magically got past them. It’s bullshit.
The “I” word is only being used to keep Trump out. It’s so transparent.
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David david on a lighter note, how does your victory garden grow. Will you be partaking in the kook and dandy no mow May. Sorry mowed last sunday. Weeds will be sprayed this week.
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“Will you be partaking in the kook and dandy no mow May.”
HeyZeus Alou! Madison Lefties (most, not all) are so easily herded it’s pathetic. Wait’ll they’re up to their @$$e$ with the bloodsucking Ticks that just LUV longer grass.
The only turf on The Gotch’s place is ~ 20 feet/6.1 meters of terrace (the rest is rain garden plantings), and a small patch of side yard. He can mow that with his reel mower in a two (2) minute media time-out.
But let’s indulge these Virtue Signaling addlepates; supply taxpayer-funded Gosh I’m Nice bumper stickers, Look At Me lapel ribbons, and I’m Dialed In wrist bands so everyone knows they’re…welp…you’s get the picture.
The Gotch
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I am growing grass higher this year. And interplanting ajuga, squill, and dutch white clover to existing violets. Think I’ll blog soonly.
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The Swamp still hates Trump but Blaska now has Lesiak on his side. So he has that going for him.
Swamp Republicans vow to get really rich and continue to give us Conservatives like, Paul Ryan, John McCain, Mittens Romney, Tommy Thompson, Cheney, Bush, Bush and Obama who will bring us inflation, massive debt, endless wars we lose, Global Warning and pan sexual third graders.
The choice is clear.
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No to Tommy Thompson! Damn Mitt Romney for warning us about Russia! Throw in Democrat(ic) issues like global warming, inflation, and pansexual 3rd graders to muddy the argument against Republicans. Make Republicans the party of Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lorene Bobbit, Matt Gaetz, and Madison Cawthorn, Mike Gableman, Roger Stone, Sidney Powell, and Tim Ramthun! Nominate the new Aaron Burr for president in 2024. That’s how Republicans will retake the House, Senate and Presidency!
Follow Mark Lemberger’s advice: the cliff is this way!
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There are no Republicans in Washington… for long.
Your nostalgia for Thompson ca. thirty years ago is illustrative. Tommy gave us Tammy (who?). You saying party first, last and above all is how we get a get along/go along herd of unprincipled swamp dwellers in the capitol.
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American heroes? That would be Rep. Liz Cheney along with four notables, including Ukrainian President Zelensky, who will be receiving this year’s JFK Profile in Courage Award for placing “their careers and lives on the line to protect democratic principles”, according to yesterday’s Washington Post. Rep. Cheney dared to challenge 2020 election deniers while facing withering censure.
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I really like how DB is bringing us all together for the 3rd, 4th, maybe 5th time.
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Just like Biden.
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