Mr.TaterSalad

Here's the difference between me, many on the left, and the Christian Right. I am not religious and don't try to impose my agnostic nature on others and neither do many others on the left. Sure, people on the left have tried to have the word God removed from the dollar bill and the Ten Commandments or other religious markers taken off of public buildings, and I agree with them that we should because the state should not be endorsing any religion. But we aren't trying to make Christianity or any religion our national religion, we aren't trying to strip away a woman's right to choose, we aren't calling gay marriage an abomination and trying to block marriage equality, we aren't against adoption rights for gay/lesbian couples, we aren't refusing to bake cakes for wedding ceremonies involving LGBTQ individuals, etc. While we are pushing for equity on the left, we aren't trying to legislate morality in near the same way the Christian Right is. Removing the Ten Commandments from a public government space isn't even comparable to telling a gay couple they are an abomination and cannot marry whom them love (not saying you think it is either). Furthermore, while there will never be conclusive evidence as to what Jesus looked like, there are historians and scholars who believe he quite possibly could have been a brown-skinned Jew given the region he was born in. It is probable that his biological parents were darker in complexion given they were from Nazareth and what people living in that region looked like at the time. It's highly unlikely that Jesus was the pasty white Barry Gibb look-a-like you see hanging on the cross at Church. And if we did get definitive evidence that he was brown skinned or that he looked like a sandy haired, blue eyed Swede, I wouldn't care one way or the other and neither would most people on the left. I'll tell you who would care a lot more than me or anyone on the left, the Christian Right. Why, because they've staked their claim on Jesus, who he was, and what he looked like. They've staked their claim on white grievance, ethnocentrism, and casting judgement on others who aren't like them. That doesn't sound like deep love to me, that sounds more like living in a world of fools.

I agree that legal challenges would have (probably) prevented the seizure of voting machines from happening in the manner proposed. But the mere fact that it was being proposed and the reasoning behind it are really, truly terrifying. Every day he remained in power after the 2020 election concluded it felt like another day we inched or jumped closer to being like Belarus or Hungary.

Another reason, among many others, why we are being rated as a backsliding democracy. Even if the specific report I cited doesn't reference the Antrim County situation, it's certainly feels like another box checked on the backslide down the democratic scale.

For those that were appointed or elected that were the good actors, like the Antrim County Clerk Sheryl Guy in this case, it's likely they will go after them in the next election or when they are up for a reappointment. You'll never see another VP like Pence nominated to run with Trump again. I would be shocked that the VP vetting process for Trump in 2024 doesn't include questions about the 2020 elections results and overturning/tampering with future elections. We're a backsliding democracy thanks to the MAGA movement according to at least one report I read out of a European think tank.

That's a terrifying amount of power for the President to think he has an and even more terrifying act for him to attempt to do. There was no evidence of wrong doing in Antrim County, MI and when they did a hand recount of all the ballots Trump picked up 12 votes out of 15,692 total votes tabulated.

I didn't realize the MAGA movement (of which the Christian Right belongs) embraced the Arab community and Americans of the Muslim faith. Last I heard they were all in for the MAGA Muslim Travel Ban and banning people from certain Arab states (Libya, Syria, Yemen). When I want to start banning Arab people from the Middle East and people of Muslim faith from coming to America like MAGA did get back to me. Considering the geographic region he lived in, it's highly probable that Jesus was an Arabic Jew and considering MAGA's (of which the Christian Right belongs) warm embrace of Arab people, what makes you think they'd be tolerant of brown-skinned Jesus?

Another Biden economic win! Are you tired of winning yet?

The Christian Right also seemingly has no problem donating billions of dollars and making a cottage industry of the very God they claim to support while millions go hungry or without adequate medical care. They do this by propping up grifters like Billy Graham, Benny Hinn, Pat Robertson, Creflo Dollar, Jim and Tammy Faye Baker, Jimmy Swaggert, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Kenneth Copeland, and their mega churches with their tides and monetary donations. Imagine if all the money that went into building Joel Osteen's $10.5 million home and his mega church went to feeding and clothing the poor. Instead, when Hurricanes hit the Houston area Jesus hustler Joel Osteen closed his doors at the Lakewood Church to those in need.

When it comes to helping the poor and those in need the Christian Right are bootstrappers through and through. They are some of the most vocal opponents of public assistance programs like TANF benefits, SNAP, WIC, free/reduced school lunch programs, SChip for children's healthcare, Medicaid expansion, Obamacare with preexisting protection previsions, woman's healthcare initiatives, universal healthcare programs, mental health reforms, student debt forgiveness, and more. They are also proponents of Social Security privatization and ending Social Security altogether. They also worship a man who goes on profanity laced tirades, runs scam charities for veterans, and bilks people out of their money with a fraudulent real estate college/courses. Lest we not forget they oppose marriage for LGBTQ individuals and basic rights for them. The Christian Right denounces Christianity every single day when they selectively live by the words of the Bible and selectively quote it as well. Some of my favorite Bible versus include. Proverbs 14:31 Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him. Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. Matthew 19:24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Job 34:17 Can he who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the just and mighty One? Is he not the One who says to kings, ‘You are worthless,’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’ who shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?

Don't forget they also get to determine what language you speak in America too and they get to tell you to get out if you don't speak English. Pretty good gig they got going.

If Jesus was actually real and if he came back to Earth and MAGA saw that he actually looked more like what we think of as a modern day Arab/Middle Eastern person then he does a lily white guy they'd flip their lid.

Why doesn't Boris have the strident fan base that MAGA man has? Is it because the UK lacks a Fox News, OAN, Newsmax, Rush Limbaugh, Dan Bongino equivalent? Don't these people view the BBC as fake news?

Let's just hope this amounts to some accountability this time. Many of us got hyped up by the Russia Investigation and little in the way of accountability measures came from that. The January 6th Committee will continue to get stonewalled by the Trump inner circle I fear. I do have hope that both the Southern District of NY and Prosecutors in GA will be able to advance things forward though.

Not to get too far into the weeds of technicalities, but didn't the Rams win that trade because they appeared in a Super Bowl and the Titans didn't? Isn't the Super Bowl what we're all after here?

That's why in my original post I mentioned 2 of the 3 Eagles picks, #15 and #16. I too don't think it would be realistic to expect all 3 1sts from the Eagles given the lack of an elite QB prospect in this draft. To answer my own question on taking 2 1sts and a future pick from the Eagles in exchange for #2 overall, I would probably pass on the deal. I think that Hutch and Thib are game changing playemakers on the edge and will help us get after the QB and disrupt offensive drives. We have zero playmakers on this defense and ranked in the bottom 5 in sacks, QB hurries, and pressure. Improving the front of the defensive line by acquiring game wrecking playmakers will make the back 7-8 look better. I know this team needs talent all around, but we eventually have to acquire playmakers and game changers at some positions. We have a chance to do that this year on the edge and so I don't think I'd pass that opportunity up.

If the Eagles called you up and said they would trade you picks #15 and #16 plus a future pick for #2 overall would you do it?

So twice in one year I have had two individuals that I was highly critical of either prove me wrong or begin to do so. One is obviously Jim Harbaugh and the other is Matt Stafford. I won't say that Stafford has completely proved me wrong yet as I feel he needs to win next week against Tampa Bay to do so. But yeah, he is on his way to proving that he can indeed take a team deep into a playoff run and potentially a Super Bowl. He's proving that his salary and cap hit overall won't hold a team back from being a contending team. He has had a nice season and finally looked really good in a playoff game beating up on Arizona. I still hope overall that we maximize our draft position and will route for the Rams to lose. That said, I understand Stafford is making me look like Fredo with my take on him being a guy that couldn't get his team over the playoff hump.

I see the concern with GB receivers, but if we're signing him to be a #3, big play/deep ball threat guy to help strech the field and the price is right, I think it's worth a convo.

No one knows what will be passed, but I think given their legislative track record, pro birth Republicans would likely push something like that. I do believe once Roe and Griswold are overturned that Republican controlled states will start to impose, as Texas is already doing, strict penalties against having abortions that will be up to and including jail time. There are many pro birth advocates and pro birth elected officials that have been pushing for criminal penalties on abortion. Once Roe and Griswold no longer stand in the way it will be the wild west in America.

I was looking at pending free agents and it's obviously still too early to speculate who will and won't be available. However, going off the pending list, there are a couple of names, if they become available, I would love to see the Lions target. I was looking at cutting Flowers and Vatai to save on the cap and make two "splash" or high priced signings to replace them and then fill out the rest of free agency with moves on mid to lower level players. Top Tier Players Carleton Davis: Starting CB/Tampa Bay. Davis is a guy who could become our new #1 CB and be opposite Amani Oruwariye. Marcus Williams: Starting FS/New Orleans. Williams could be a cap casualty in New Orleans and is a guy who could become our new starting FS or SS depending on where we want to slide Tracy Walker. This would also allow us to cut Will Harris and move on from yet another lousy Quinn draft pick. Jessie Bates III: Starting SS/Cincinnati. Cincinnati has the cap space to resign Bates and he's been a very good starter for them, so I assume they will. However, if he became available, I'd put him and Marcus Williams at the top of my list of players to target and would sign one of the two if both were available. Tier-Two Free Agents Marquez Valdez-Scantling: WR/Green Bay. Much like Tyrell Williams was supposed to be, Valdez-Scantling can be our new big play, deep ball specialist. He'll never be a volume receiver, but I think utilizing him as a downfield threat and in big play situations opposite St. Brown and whomever we draft (assuming we do) would be a nice pickup for this team. I wonder if he walks from Green Bay if Rodgers goes. I would assume he wouldn't want to stick around a rebuilding GB team without Aaron Rodgers. Kenny Young: Left ILB/Denver. Young could potentially slide into the left side and replace Derrick Barnes. Young is a solid starter who, from what I've read and seen of him, can cover in space and run and chase guys down given his speed and athleticism. Unlike the big, plodding LB's on Bob Quinn's past, Young fits the new mold of an NFL LB with speed and athleticism.

Yes but King himself was if not a democratic socialist, a sympathizer judging by his words and actions. Hypothetical yes, but if you looked at how King viewed the world and where he stood on social and economic issues, including his praise of democratic socialism, it's very probable he would have voted for Sanders. We know King voted for Johnson and was a key supporter of his anti-poverty programs in The Great Society.

Cousin Eddie was supposed to be the person you laughed at, not the person you elected President.

Oh gotcha, apologies then on my end.

No it isn't. Republican Governors and State Legislatures, along with pro birth advocates and leaders on the religious right have pushed for things like abstinence only education, limiting discussion in school around birth control, opposed handing out condoms in school to students, opposed morning after pills, and more. Wisconsin: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Republicans block vote on birth control education Missouri: Kansas City Star: ‘Do you believe in birth control at all?’ Missouri Senate moves closer to floor fight Georgia: Macon Telegraph: Many Georgia school districts tell students: No sex until marriage The Hill: Abstinence-only education making a comeback under Trump ALEC: Contraception Mandate Once Again Up Before Supreme Court