Quote from: K-Dog on Feb 05, 2026, 05:59 AMThere are actually Fox news viewers who think the 'Dems' made up the Epstein files from whole cloth.

Eh. People can be, hell are sometimes LOOKING for reasons to just....BEIEVE.

Doomers and Planet X. Yellowstone going BOOM. Covid conspiracies. Heavens Gaters, Branch Davidians, etc etc. People are looking for something to believe in, and some fall for...whatever....easier than others.

Quote from: KDogTo be molded into that shape a person must be made from very very soft clay.

Such are Americans nowadays. How long, or at what point, did we happily become unthinking silly sucker voter people?

Quote from: K-DogWhich begs the question.  Do you want to be bamboozeled, and be happy, or be in the know and be miserable.

I've been in the know and banned from every doomer website I ever showed up at. For daring to be both happy, and in the know maybe?

Quote from: K-DogAmerica prefers happy.  No doubt about it.  I obviously prefer misery.

I prefer happy as well. Being in the know took a little work. But I stayed happy all the way through the work!

THENATIONALNEWS.COM • 2026-02-05

Deaths in US immigration detention reach highest level on record

The number of deaths in ICE custody rose to 30 in the 2025 calendar year, surpassing all previous annual totals since records began in the early 2000s. The figure marks a sharp increase from recent years and comes as the average daily number of people held in immigration detention has also climbed to its highest level since before the pandemic.

Actually, there were 32 in 2004 so the headline isn't quite accurate.

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CBSNEWS.COM • 2026-02-05

Republicans pan Democrats' demands for ICE reform in DHS funding, with little time to reach deal

Thune, a South Dakota Republican, called Democrats' demands "unrealistic and unserious," while saying they aren't "even willing to engage in a negotiation and discussion to try and reach a result."

At least the Dems gave a starting point.  The Reps could come back with their own proposal if they were serious about negotiating.  They don't because Trumpolini doesn't want to accept ANY of the proposed limitations.  They also won't publish because they want to do all the negotiating behind closed doors.

Looks like we'll have a long shutdown.

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Quote from: K-Dog on Feb 05, 2026, 06:22 AMSometimes when people say these sort of things, believing them is a good idea.  Bannon's goal is to normalize the idea so when it happens it is no big deal.

Quite the creative redefinition of what an ICE agent is supposed to do.  But as an ICE agent will kill their mother for a $50 K bonus, we can be sure good times will be had by all.

Trumpolini is fully aware of how poorly he is doing in the polls.  His only chance to keep the CONressional majority is to scare enough people away from voting or outright confiscate the voting machines and fix the numbers.  Election Day is nearly certain to be complete mayhem.

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DEMOCRACYDOCKET.COM • 2026-02-04

Steve Bannon says ICE will 'surround the polls' as Trump doubles down on taking over elections

Steve Bannon said Tuesday that the federal government is planning to send Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers to patrol polling stations during this year's midterm elections.


Sometimes when people say these sort of things, believing them is a good idea.  Bannon's goal is to normalize the idea so when it happens it is no big deal.

Quite the creative redefinition of what an ICE agent is supposed to do.  But as an ICE agent will kill their mother for a $50 K bonus, we can be sure good times will be had by all.

Quote10 states higher in the rankings

Not bad considering there are 50 states, but current ratings are of no interest to me.  The state rating has fallen.  I was educated in Minnesota when it was higher in the ratings.  At the time of my high school graduation it may have been #1.  Goldilocks time.

Also you have to look at the fact that minorities have not and are not getting the same quality of education.  Prior to present times Minnesota was mostly white, and in that case the ratings handicap resulting from minority inequalities is exaggerated because the % of minorities was actually small.  This skewed the state rating down because the minorities were only being educated to the average US level of competence.  Not below, which makes raw accusations of racism problematic.  Not without merit, but problematic.

I ate out last night.  The restaurant I ate at had Fox news playing.  The blatant lies were over the top, and if America was better educated they would not be taken in by lies presented as easily.  I was amazed.  An entire show dedicated to hating the 'Dems' and nothing else.  No dreams of shiny cities on hills, no dreams of a better life, just pure hate and upper class control of a blissfully ignorant audience presented by talking heads making $200K a year.  Heads who would lie their ass off for a dime.

There are actually Fox news viewers who think the 'Dems' made up the Epstein files from whole cloth.  To be molded into that shape a person must be made from very very soft clay.  Which begs the question.  Do you want to be bamboozeled, and be happy, or be in the know and be miserable.

America prefers happy.  No doubt about it.  I obviously prefer misery.

AXIOS.COM • 2026-02-05

Read: Dems outline 10 demands to GOP in ICE funding fight

 "Federal immigration agents cannot continue to cause chaos in our cities while using taxpayer money that should be used to make life more affordable for working families," Schumer and Jeffries say in the letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Not a bad list of rules, but also not one Der Fuehrer will likely agree to.  So it's the starting point for negotiations, where it remains to be seen how long they'll drag out another goobermint shutdown?  After that, will the rules they agree to be adhered to?


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Quote from: K-Dog on Feb 04, 2026, 05:59 PMAnd if the entire country had the education standards of Minnesota we would not be having these problems.

Maybe. If Minnesota had the education standards of the 10 states higher in the rankings they would know how many others were even better. Maybe the Feds picked on Minnesota because they were scared to tackle the 10 states with the higher standards?

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings/education

Ahhhhh yeah, this guy who is supposed to be some kind of MESA smart savant does not know this part of the Constitution.

QuoteSection 4: Elections

The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every Year, and such Meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by Law appoint a different Day.

There is almost no wiggle room here, States run the elections and while congress (not Trump) can alter the elections, changing the place can't fly.  It can't even get off the ground --> because that would cut States out of elections entirely, <-- and the way this part of the constitution is written the States have to be in the game.  The coup de grâce of my argument is actually the last part 'except as to the Places of chusing Senators' because that means the States must clearly participate.  Prior to that my argument was only airtight and logical.

Given that the actual place can't be changed, there are other logical implications.  The upshot of which is that the most Congress can do is change rules, but the actual election process belongs to the States.  States do the counting.  If States don't do the counting you are back to not having States participate which you can't do.  The most 'Congress' can do is check counting.  Congress could dispute, but not suppress the State count. 

Congress does not include the executive branch, and as the president is the Commander in Chief, Congress cannot order the military to do anything.  Congress can decide how big the military is, but congress can't command it. 

The Executive is clearly not part of the voting process.

Apparently Mr. Mensa can't read.  He must be so smart he does not have to.
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And I think Kustler is in the Epstein files.  But that so far is only an opinion.  Orlov too.  <-- Private Diner joke.
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And if the entire country had the education standards of Minnesota we would not be having these problems.

POLITICO.COM • 2026-02-05

Steve Bannon calls for Trump to deploy ICE and military troops to polling sites

After the 2020 presidential election, Trump considered signing an executive order that would have directed the military to seize voting machines, but he ultimately never followed through on the threat. He told The New York Times in an interview last month that he "should have" used the National Guard to seize election boxes, but did not say whether he would consider doing so in the future.

Any bets on whether Trumpolini dispatches the military to SEIZE the voting machines when the polls close in Nov?  What's the over-under on this?

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