D. Hocking

Flake more often follows up his tough talk with falling in and voting the party line. Has Collins shown any independence since she folded for the Tax vote due to some vague promises she got regarding health care which were soon shown to be illusory? While I do think whoever Trump chooses will be worse than Kennedy, he did spend the last couple of weeks being the fifth vote on some decisions that would make Scalia smile from heaven (or elsewhere). He also announced his retirement to make sure Trump has time to get a replacement before in the midterms.

Yes- Gorsuch is not as far right as Scalia (some people say more), he is relatively young. Trump will have no problem finding a young replacement that is to the right of Kennedy. Then there are all the young judges that he appointed to the lower courts that we will be feeling this for decades.

I have not read the opinion so should not be rambling, but I have seen a few comments that they laid the ground work to have private sector unions challenged in the same way. I am not sure how they will close this Pandora's box, and I am being Captain Obvious saying this, but the need and/or desire to get the big money donations has steamrolled any effective operating government where the elected officials are doing things for the needs of the constituents versus the needs of the donors.

You are not the only one to notice this, always so gracious in his victories:

Thanks- I think I might hold off. I probably watch too much TV as it is, and cutting out 8 to 10 hours by not watching Legion might not be a bad thing.

How did the season end? Did it remain weird for the sake of being weird or would you recommend it? I liked season 1, but two seasons of weirdness without a sign of a little more coherency might be a bit much.

Interestingly (and inconsistently) they were able to find statements affected the neutrality in the bakery case just last week. I am not sure how they could not find bias in all of Trump's statements. I am also not sure how they could not find a racial bias in the gerrymandering case. Who knows if they would have gotten anywhere, but I really wish they would have fought harder to get the Garland nomination through. I think they were too confident Hillary would get to chose the next justice and did not think it was worth the fight.

I would be curious to see how many of the GOP actually think the Wall is a waste of time and money, but will not say that out loud. Not only would it be ineffective, but also has consequences for the wildlife that migrate through there. Because we have someone who can never be man enough to admit he is wrong, and it is something that works with his fear mongering and the bogeyman he uses at his campaign rallies,it is going to take time and effort and resources away from things that might be beneficial. Nice with all that is going on, Trump can take time to tweet about Jimmy Fallon and belittle a restaurant (even though Mar a Largo is the place that has had health code violations in the last few years). As much as I cannot stand Sarah Sanders, I think she should have been allowed to eat there (although can understand why she was asked to leave, with a number of the staff being gay, and Sarah being pretty vocal of her approval of the bakery case), but Trump should not be using his power to try to belittle a small business. He does like to use his twitter influence to hurt business of people he does not care and endorse the books and products of his favorite cheerleaders. I also don't agree with what Maxine Waters said about harassing people, but this does not seem like a good response and only exacerbates the rhetoric. He never arises above the situation, but finds a way to reach a new bottom. Also, while I am not sure I agree with Maxine, she did not mention harm and she specifically mentioned confronting cabinet members not his supporters in general. Trump enhanced what she said in a rather reckless manner.

Besides the lying and tweeting his own version of facts, mocking people he disagrees with, his seeming admiration of a number of dictators, his increasingly blatant attempt to dehumanize people south of the border by lumping them all as gang-members and using terms such as infestation, his lack of interest of anyone who is not his base, his increasing need for the campaign rallies where he is the center of a cheering crowd where he says things to get large applause even if they are false and possibly going to further whip up fear or hate, his turning a blind eye of the corruption of Scott Pruitt because he is getting down what he wants (even if it really is the exact opposite purpose of the agency he is heading), etc.. he really is not that bad.

That is good to hear. I had a friend whose husband's family is up there and I know there were talks of lay-offs and shut downs, but that was a couple of years ago. It could have been just that mine or just a bad stretch. It also seems like the peaks and valleys come and go a little more quickly now, although my family has now been gone long enough and know fewer people there that I don't have as good of a feel for what is happening up there.

There really are not many times this can be taken as a compliment are there - at least defensively.

If not there should be, and for some reason I see a yellow lab or golden retriever involved. - would be very 1980's Disney.

I want to wait a few more games before I judge how Joe is really feeling, but that Joe/Eddie at the top of the order might not be a bad thing.

My sister has friends with parents still up there, and she does hear a lot of pro-Trump when she does go out to the bar. They are hoping he will bring the mines back to their former glory. So much more is automated now, that even if the mines are at full strength, it is not going to bring back things like they were pre-1980. Plus, I cannot imagine any corporation investing their profits in the mining towns like they did in the past. That profit would need to go to the CEOs and the shareholders.

Hopefully if enough of the other players hit, Dozier can relax a bit and get some hits. I feel like I have seen Mauer nail a pitcher hard more than anyone.

Is this some sort of analogy about the team?

At this point, I think even bringing up this Cris Carter might improve the offense.

I bet you missed the days when you were a kid and a washing machine was a simple rock and a river. [i am going to pretend the hamster comment never happened).

I wonder how much of his front lawn performance art this morning was due to knowing Manafort was getting his bond revoked and would soon be going to jail. Also, the rumors of Cohen flipping have become more pronounced.

Trump this morning on the White House lawn talking about the dictator who has terrorized his people and murdered to stay in power: “He speaks and his people sit up and [pay] attention. I want my people to do the same”

Now that you mention it, this year might be more like 2011 than 2016, or a combination of both. Not that makes me feel any better. Mauer and Morneau were 23 and 25 in 2006. I am not sure I appreciated how young they were when they became key players.

Listening to Sessions is almost like hearing Jesus himself speak - it is uncanny. I also read that the passage he quoted was sometimes used to justify slavery. Funny that Sessions would be familiar with that. Also,since we are supposedly not a theocracy, should the AG be using the bible for his argument? "I would cite you to the Apostle Paul and his clear and wise command in Romans 13 to obey the laws of the government because God has ordained the government for his purposes," Sessions said. "Orderly and lawful processes are good in themselves. Consistent, fair application of law is in itself a good and moral thing and that protects the weak, it protects the lawful. Our policies that can result in short-term separation of families are not unusual or unjustified." https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/14/politics/jeff-sessions-immigration-policy-defense-biblical/index.html?utm_content=2018-06-14T23%3A06%3A05&utm_term=image&utm_source=twCNN&utm_medium=social This mural is one of the first things you see in one of the detention center. I guess there are other presidential murals as well, but that does not make this less creepy. The quote is from his "Art of the Deal" book. I am sure treating these kids like this and probably permanently estranging some of them from their families is not going to come back and bite us down the road. Besides, according to Sessions, Jesus says its ok (I guess technically Paul).

but I bet you could kick bigfoot's ass. http://wickedhorror.thunderroadinc.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Six-Million-Dollar-Man-Bigfoot.jpg

This has had good results in the past. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoLs0V8T5AA (6 Million really seems like a bargain for this now.)

Wow - that statement is cold. (edit - missed wsnydes more timely comment before I replied.)