US Politics Thread |OT| SAD TRUMP

[benjipwns]

The Congressperson that always gets stories is Sheila Jackson Lee, she regularly wins or comes close on that "worst Congressperson to work for" list and barely any of her staffers stay beyond a term, iirc she's the one who lives a block from her office and has a car drive her back and forth with it regularly idling outside for hours on end

2014:

Texas representative Sheila Jackson Lee, voted one of the top three meanest by House staffers five times. Former aides tell of excessive workloads, brutal criticism, and callous comments toward a disabled staffer (who is suing Lee). She got seven times as many votes as North Carolina’s Virginia Foxx.

fake just before i post edit, found a story with a bunch of this: http://dailycaller.com/2011/03/02/congressional-bosses-from-hell-sheila-jackson-lee/

Not surprisingly, Jackson Lee has one of the highest staff turnover rates in Washington. Over the last ten years, at least 39 staffers have left within one year. Over that time, Lee has employed at least nine chiefs of staff, eight legislative directors, and 18 schedulers or executive assistants, according to records of federal disclosure forms published by the website Legistorm. Nine staffers left within two months, 25 within 6 months.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Yet another staffer remembers requesting a meeting early on in her tenure to ask how best to serve the congresswoman. Jackson Lee’s response: “What? What did you say to me? Who are you, the Congresswoman? You haven’t been elected. You don’t set up meetings with me! I tell you! You know what? You are the most unprofessional person I have ever met in my life.” With that, Jackson Lee hung up the phone.

According to the same staffer, Jackson Lee “would always say, ‘What am I a prostitute? Am I your prostitute? You can’t prostitute me.’”

Capitol Hill is famous for its demanding, insensitive bosses. Yet even by the harsh standards of Congress, Sheila Jackson Lee stands out. She may be the worst boss in Washington. “It’s like being an Iraq War veteran,” says someone who worked for her. Strangers may say, “‘oh I know what you’ve been through.’ No, you really don’t. Because until you’ve experienced it…. People don’t tell the worst of the stories, because they’re really unbelievable.”

For some, a job in Jackson Lee’s office proved not just emotionally but physically perilous. One staffer recalls a frank conversation with his doctor, who told him he needed to quit. “It’s your life or your job,” the doctor told him, warning that the stress and long hours were wreaking havoc on his body.

Only a few on staff fought back. One of Jackson Lee’s drivers became so frustrated with her abuse the person pulled the car over and demand she stop: “She’s screaming and swearing. ‘M.F.’ everything. Finally I slammed on the brakes and told her to get the hell out of my car. I’m like ‘I can’t drive with you like this. Either get out, or you can calm down.’ And she’s like ‘you need to go or get fired.’ I’m like, ‘that’s fine. But I’m either leaving without you or you can calm down,’” the staffer said.

Jackson Lee then threatened to call the police and claim she was being held hostage in the car. But she finally did calm down when the staffer called her bluff, offering to flag down a Capitol Police officer to explain the situation.

“I am a queen, and I demand to be treated like a queen,” Jackson Lee once said, and apparently she wasn’t kidding. Her employees describe waiting for their boss for hours on end, sometimes late into the night, while she attends events or even sits in her office watching TV.

Jackson Lee’s designated driver picks her up at her apartment one block from her office each morning and waits for her outside wherever she goes throughout the days and nights.

“Whatever time she told me to be there, I would always show up at least 20 minutes late, and expect to wait at least 45 minutes,” said one of Jackson Lee’s drivers. By the end of this person’s tenure, “She was making me wait in the car, sometimes upwards of five to seven hours per day.” With the car running for heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer, it began to wear down the car’s engine. “My mechanic friend said, you know, your car looks like you’ve driven it twice the miles you have,” the source said.

One woman who interviewed for a job in Jackson Lee’s office arrived at 5:00 p.m. but ended up waiting for hours. “I sat there, no kidding, from 5:00 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. They had me waiting, and this was just for the interview. Her staffers there kept telling me to be patient, that she puts everyone through the ringer…She actually went out to dinner while I was sitting there waiting for an interview,” the woman said. A Lee staffer called the woman at 11:15 p.m. after she’d just arrived home to beg her to come back. The congresswoman was finally ready.

It wasn’t just staffers who have been made to wait. Ray LaHood, the secretary of transportation, cooled his heels for an hour and a half in her office before leaving. “He was there to address transportation issues – getting funding to Houston. So I was just shocked that she would let him leave,” a former staffer said. Jackson Lee was waiting for a chance to appear in front of the C-SPAN cameras on the House floor.

“I would have to wait for hours,” says Gladys Quinto, a former staffer whom Jackson Lee instructed to write a memo about why she was incompetent in front of other staffers. “I missed the last metro once. My roommate had to come pick me up.”

Nathan Williams, who quit his job when Jackson Lee threw a cell phone at him, told the Houston Chronicle in 2002, “I don’t think I ever got home before 11 o’clock at night.”

Her former drivers say the congresswoman demanded they run red lights and drive on highway shoulders around traffic. This caused at least one accident. As Jackson Lee was yelling at a staffer to drive faster she turned too sharply, smashing the side of her car into a wall.

Jackson Lee’s requests don’t stop at the end of a normal working day. “In the middle of the night, people had to go get her garlic. She’ll call you at two in the morning for garlic because she takes them as supplements,” a former staffer said. Jackson Lee’s garlic runs were confirmed by other staffers, too, though no one could remember the exact brand of the supplement. The deputy chief of staff “would have to go get it, and he would have to go drop it off. It was some kind of a multi-vitamin,” another former staffer said.

Jackson Lee demanded a meeting with a top Treasury aide, even though she did not sit on any of the committees with jurisdiction over financial matters. As her car pulled up outside the Treasury, Jackson Lee told her driver to park directly outside the door.

Due to the proximity of the Treasury Department’s headquarters to the White House, Secret Service officers told the driver not to park there. After an argument with the agents, who kept telling the driver to back off, Jackson Lee finally emerged from the building.

As the car drove away, a Secret Service van flashed its lights behind them. “Keep driving,” Jackson Lee told her staffer. Ultimately, the driver pulled over in defiance of the boss’s wishes. At this point, Jackson Lee emerged from the car, screaming, “I’m Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee! Who do you think you are?” to a team of Secret Service agents.

Jackson Lee accused the “white” agent at the gate of racism, claiming she wouldn’t have to deal with “this stuff” when Barack Obama became president.

[close]

“She is very strange in who she insults and how. For some reason, it seemed like she was racist against African Americans,” another said.

Later that day, a skinny young black man with his hair pulled back in a ponytail walked into Miller’s office and asked Stephens for a favor. Could he borrow a knife to cut a birthday cake?

Stephens, who’d seen the man working in Jackson Lee’s office, was happy to help, with only the request to “make sure you bring it back, that’s our only one.”

He laughed. “We would never leave a knife around when the congresswoman was here,” he said.

[Optimus]

What is going on in that speech, why is he focusing so much on some dude that sells pillows, has he gone completely senile? Jesus dude, hire a speech writer ffs, this improvisation thing isn't working for you.

It's posts like these that make me think you don't follow American politics very closely

I see Trump speak I change the channel, I don't think he'll even make some profound point and I already know he's a moron so it's completely pointless, the only reason I watched this is because of the clickbait tweet tbh.

You see unlike liberals I don't need to watch everything he says so that I can later obsessively virtue signal about how much I hate him to other liberals on the internet.

[Optimus]

Dave Rubin annihilated

Wow, a 6 minute video trying to do some kind of comedy (?) about a monologue that "destroys" someone based on claims with zero evidence and half-truths. Great stuff! For the record Dave Rubin does challenge the people he interviews from the little I've seen, he just doesn't scream at them like a hysterical harpy like Kasparian does. I don't agree with Rubin politically on pretty much anything aside from free speech but his behaviour is far more civilized and commendable than that loud idiot's.

[benjipwns]

Trump's improvisation is way better than his speechifying really. He basically does a stand up routine type set bragging about himself and insulting the media/Democrats with different inserts for local things and whoever happens to be there. Then he bolts. The crowds eat it up even when he runs long seemingly unable to stop.

Because honestly, it's way better than the speeches that the morons he's there to campaign for would give.

Many Presidents in modern memory actually do this same kind of speech, but just obviously more structured, when they go out campaigning for others. Like W. or Obama had like their four or five points that were consistent, something about terrorism or tax cuts or Obamacare maybe, etc. Crack some jokes about the place and the candidate, tell a random story, say how important the candidate is, then bolt.

Trump just likes to wing one, right off the cuff, Robin Williams style.

[Brehvolution]

Wow, a 6 minute video trying to do some kind of comedy (?) about a monologue that "destroys" someone based on claims with zero evidence and half-truths.

That's ben shapiro's whole shtick.

[Mandark]

I don't agree with Rubin politically on pretty much anything aside from free speech

Didn't he threaten a libel suit against Mother Jones for calling him "far right"?

[benjipwns]

speaking of

Jordan Peterson, Ben Shapiro, Eric Weinstein, and Dave Rubin LIVE!
63 waiting

The Rubin Report
Scheduled for Jun 29, 2018, 1:15 PM
Jordan Peterson, Ben Shapiro, and Eric Weinstein join Dave for a panel discussion.

[benjipwns]

https://twitter.com/RubinReport/status/875813739588706304

https://twitter.com/RubinReport/status/875820678741716993

[Mandark]

Something I wish I'd thought of back in the Wank Dad thread: has anyone ever asked Jordan Peterson to analyze the story of Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady?

Odds are he's not familiar with it, but it'd be amazing to see him either shoehorn it into his philosophy, or to denounce an Arthurian fable for being feminist propaganda.

[benjipwns]

does it got any swamp witches or desiccated castles? if not, who would even want

[Assimilate]

Something I wish I'd thought of back in the Wank Dad thread: has anyone ever asked Jordan Peterson to analyze the story of Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady?

Odds are he's not familiar with it, but it'd be amazing to see him either shoehorn it into his philosophy, or to denounce an Arthurian fable for being feminist propaganda.

I love how keyboard warriors think you're smarter than this guy. It's astonishing. And it's time for this thread to come back.

[Mandark]

does it got any swamp witches or desiccated castles? if not, who would even want

It has a witch but she's in a forest, like the vast majority of witches in traditional stories.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

As much as the swamp witch thing shows that Peterson didn't do all the reading, the trope of the witch in the untamed forest, away from civilization, really does carry a message in line with Peterson's "chaotic feminine," more than anything I can think of outside Pandora/Eve.

[close]

[Flannel Boy]

https://twitter.com/RubinReport/status/875813739588706304

https://twitter.com/RubinReport/status/875820678741716993

All four elements--boom! If he's considered a public figure he must prove actual malice (this is not the case in Canada). Also, fair comment and criticism is a defense.

edit: those are old posts.

[Mandark]

Yeah, it just came up cause Opty was talking about how he agreed with Rubin on free speech.

More recently Rubin was also egging on Candace Owens to sue the Guardian for libel for whateverthefuck.

[agrajag]

 

It figures Opty would be a Rubim fanboy: both have the combined intellect of a bag of potatoes. Keep getting triggeted, Snowflaketimus.

[benjipwns]

speaking of

Jordan Peterson, Ben Shapiro, Eric Weinstein, and Dave Rubin LIVE!
63 waiting

The Rubin Report
Scheduled for Jun 29, 2018, 1:15 PM
Jordan Peterson, Ben Shapiro, and Eric Weinstein join Dave for a panel discussion.

oh shit you guys forgot to remind me

[benjipwns]

Started streaming 32 minutes ago

AND BEN SHAPIRO ISN'T EVEN THERE YET?!? THIS IS WHY HE NEVER SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN MORE THAN ONE SHIRT

[benjipwns]

"i think that's a key part of what we do, it's about getting to the truth and having the discussion, not about people winning or losing" - Dave Rubin

gotta say though, he is totally on top of keeping Weinstein's glass filled with water and accessible

[benjipwns]

they're seriously talking about the merits of "Mr., Mrs. and Ms."

and that instantly got them a $50 donation

[agrajag]

That's all an invertebrate like Rubin is good for

[benjipwns]

he's got a classy bottle for it too, that he probably filled up from his sink, or at least i hope he did

[benjipwns]

i really have no idea what they're supposed to be talking about or why, it's just Eric Weinstein rambling about random things while Dave Rubin practices his "i'm listening intently" face and Peterson looks like he's getting ready for a nap

probably a better question is why i'm watching this let alone posting about it

[agrajag]

i really have no idea what they're supposed to be talking about or why, it's just Eric Weinstein rambling about random things while Dave Rubin practices his "i'm listening intently" face and Peterson looks like he's getting ready for a nap

probably a better question is why i'm watching this let alone posting about it

You do it so we won't have to. The country thanks you for your brave sacrifices

 

[Mandark]

don't encourage him

[benjipwns]

I just left it playing as background noise but stopped paying any kind of close attention.

But if Dave Rubin wasn't keeping up on the water filling his existence on this "panel" would be entirely unnecessary as Peterson and Weinstein have gone into professor panel mode where they're just going back and forth until Rubin gets visibly antsy and interjects with something stupid and both of them ignore him and discuss what they want to.

[agrajag]

But Benji, Optimus told us Rubin isn't useless and challenges his guests

[benjipwns]

HE SHOULD BE PUSHING BACK

spoiler (click to show/hide)

except Weinstein and Peterson are doing that themselves quite a bit

[close]

[seagrams hotsauce]

Rubin is hilarious because his name also functions as verb to describe the grift he's got on the suckers who buy into his bullshit

[benjipwns]

Weinstein keeps tossing out "now, i'm on the left much more" or similar statements before he mostly just says the same kind of things

Rubin tried to interject a joke but they talked over him and he sat back and sighed

the debate they're having now and actually disagreeing most so far over is about internal academia type stuff like the publishing debate and Rubin looks totally baffled

now i'm invested in how this is becoming Rubin's personal hell with people he considers heroes, i need a camera on him close up at all times and an audio feed of just his mic

AND BEN SHAPIRO STILL ISN'T HERE YET

[Brehvolution]

Maybe Putin actually helped get Obama elected instead?

[agrajag]

Eric Weinstein is the managing director of Thiel Capital, da fuq did you expect.

What a clash of the minds:

Rubin - Koch money
Weinstein - Thiel money
Peterson - Prager U money

[benjipwns]

What if Putin actually helped get Obama elected instead?

PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER

[Brehvolution]

If putin really wanted a divided America, that would be a good start.

[agrajag]

If putin really wanted a divided America, that would be a good start.

Let's dispel this fiction once and for all that Barack Obama doesn't know what he's doing. He knows exactly what he's doing; he's undergoing a systematic effort to change this country and make America more like the rest of the world.

[benjipwns]

https://twitter.com/marcorubio/status/1012647839376248833

[Brehvolution]

I'm surprised trump doesn't say it more often.

[benjipwns]

Eric Weinstein just complained about people using the term "college intellectual", said it was offensive and stupid. Great Rumbler's identity finally uncovered?!?

[benjipwns]

Peterson going on Dr. Oz in September

[agrajag]

Peterson going on Dr. Oz in September

He did slim down a lot since his clean-shaven fedora days

[Great Rumbler]

Eric Weinstein just complained about people using the term "college intellectual", said it was offensive and stupid. Great Rumbler's identity finally uncovered?!?

Hey hey, I let a lot of things slide on this forum, but suggesting that I would willingly engage with Jordan Peterson is way over the line, buddy!

[Assimilate]

Dave Rubin is terrible. He needs to stop. I wish Peterson and everyone else would cut him off.

[agrajag]

Dave Rubin is terrible. He needs to stop. I wish Peterson and everyone else would cut him off.

According to benji, they do

[benjipwns]

Hey hey, I let a lot of things slide on this forum, but suggesting that I would willingly engage with Jordan Peterson is way over the line, buddy!

I believe you, I was just hoping to get an answer about if Rubin's water was filtered or if it had a bunch of nasty lime.

[Assimilate]

Dave Rubin is terrible. He needs to stop. I wish Peterson and everyone else would cut him off.

According to benji, they do

No, i mean completely blacklist him.

[agrajag]

Why would they do that?  He has a popular show that gives them a platform.

[benjipwns]

[Assimilate]

Why would they do that?  He has a popular show that gives them a platform.

He's not that popular. His platform is considerably smaller than Peterson/sam harris, and it's nowhere close to Joe Rogan.

Rubin is obnoxious, he thinks he's on the same level as some of his guests. And something about the way he speaks really fucking irks me.

[zomgee]

I really cannot take this right now.

[benjipwns]

I really cannot take this right now.

Lincoln was elected to unite a country and stop slavery. Democrats smeared him; went to war against him; assassinated him. Now, their target is Trump

[Mandark]

Odd days of the month: Democrats were the party of slavery and the KKK and they killed Lincoln!

Even days: Confederate imagery is cool, the Civil War was really about tariffs.

[BlueTsunami]

Ok the quick cut from Trump being sworn in to what Dinesh considers a typical liberal screaming noooo got me

[team filler]

https://twitter.com/ItheMissingLink/status/1012758710043590656

[VomKriege]

Ok the quick cut from Trump being sworn in to what Dinesh considers a typical liberal screaming noooo got me

The Lincoln a like grazing wheat with his hand like he's in Gladiator or 300 is also

[Nintex]

https://twitter.com/ItheMissingLink/status/1012758710043590656

I don't think a prank call is even necessary. Anyone can call Trump and he will just randomly start ranting and raving about things.
What probably worries people more though that it is Kushner who's the phone operator because that used to be Kelly's job.

Kelly was to arrange who could speak to Trump and not just have his friends waddle into the oval office or call him.
All checks and balances that were in place (limited Twitter time, the hope Hicks filter, John Kelly) have seemingly vanished.

Now who's going to patch Trump through to the REEEE discord? 

[benjipwns]

sad, just like with Hillary's final days:

[benjipwns]

https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/1012716347657211905

[Nola]

In fact, the government readily admitted that the plan all along was precisely what came to pass: parents scrambling while in government detention to track down their kids.

"The way I understand the process -- that was my reference to the black hole -- is the person gets out of custody for the conviction they are serving, they then go into ICE detention to pursue immigration- and asylum-related matters, but their child is somewhere else. ... And there is no procedure or mechanism for that parent to reunite with their child, absent hiring lawyers or pursuing it on their own," Judge Dana Sabraw asked the attorney, according to the hearing transcript. "Is that correct?"

"I think that is correct," Justice Department attorney Sarah Fabian replied. "At that point the separation has occurred because of the prosecution. And that person then, when released from criminal custody, is being taken into ICE custody. At that point, again, the separation has already occurred. The minor is in ORR custody. The only release from ORR (Office of Refugee Resettlement) custody is subject to the TVPRA (law), so subject to a finding of a suitable custodian. And until -- while that individual remains in custody they are not going to be a suitable custodian, nor is there the ability to detain them together because they are then in ICE custody

https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/29/politics/family-separations-reunification-never-plan-court/index.html

Not that we didn't already know this was likely the case, still.

[Great Rumbler]

https://twitter.com/GovMikeHuckabee/status/1012716347657211905

What a weak troll.

[Nola]

Looks like the RNC is going full Rovian and trying to frame Trump's party as the torch bearers of civility.

[Great Rumbler]

C I V I L I T Y