Trump is the quintessential SuperSpreader

and I'm not even talking about Covid, although that too.

I'm talking about his well-known, well-used, and self-confessed strategy of starting a rumor or talking point, and then "phoning it in" to the Press--literally--often disguised as another, eg, John Barron. Then, when it is published, citing it to spread it. Soon, it becomes "everyone says" followed shortly by "everyone knows" and ultimately, "you know."

He was a master at amplifying his own message, long before Twitter or any digital social media existed.

And that is exactly, precisely how, right now, there are millions of people who believe that this election was "stolen" from him. There weren't even TWO people who independently started this rumor, much less thousands or millions. One person, Trump, seeded it. He's been tilling the soil, warning of how the election would be rigged. He's been laying the fertilizer on nice and thick. And then he took that seed and shoved it down into that rich, fertile soil, and started watering it daily. Some say it grew like Kudzu.

And thus we arrive at a point where elected officials--Serious People--state that they must take an action--contest the election--because they can't ignore what millions of people believe happened: rigged election.

I know that we here all know and understand that Trump does this. But it would have been a good reminder for the rest of the populace. How many of them know Trump's history with this tactic? Our side needs to learn how to message more effectively. And do it over, and over, and over again. And then repeat. Once more for good measure. Aw hell, once more won't hurt. Can you hear me now?

Put Your F**kin' Mask On

Remember these? 10 years ago, seems like forever

I want that world back.

What happens between Jan 4th and when the 2 GA senators are seated?

Won't there be 2 vacant (R) seats, and how might that impact anything that may arise during that time, in terms of a vote?

Will Trump "pocket veto" the omnibus spending bill?

All he has to do is nothing and the clock runs out on this Congress.

He vetoed the defense bill already, so Congress has time to override that.

Thoughts?

ETA: Maddow segment on this:
https://twitter.com/MaddowBlog/status/1341943787896135680

FSB Officer Inadvertently Confesses Murder Plot to Navalny

Not sure if this has been posted, and I'm still reading it...

https://.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2020/12/21/if-it-hadnt-been-for-the-prompt-work-of-the-medics-fsb-officer-inadvertently-confesses-murder-plot-to-navalny/

It took about six years, but Trump has finally won his feud with Smokey the Bear

AI authors a holiday story

If Toomey gets his way, then all stops must be pulled out for GA election

Donate all our "stimulus" money to elect two new Dem senators so that we can undo this madness!

If we compromise now--with the hope of future pandemic relief--but then fail to win GAx2, it's game over.

ETA: is it possible that the Toomey provision cannot be easily undone or circumvented even with a willing Senate?

Trump and his game of shells

Most of us have heard forever about how ubiquitous the use of "LLCs" aka "Shell" companies is within the Trump Org. If Trump is master of anything, it is of the use of this strategy of nesting shells within shells, a veritable matroiyeshka of shells, all for the purpose of hiding things--sources of income, how funds are used, who is involved, etc.

Investigators who have been tasked with looking into Trump financial matters inevitably run into this bramble patch--and have a helluva time trying to unravel it.

The good news is that Congress just passed a veto-proof bill that includes a provision outlawing *anonymous* LLCs--and best of all, it is retroactive, meaning that Trump is going to keep a lot of lawyers gainfully employed (assuming he decides the law applies to him and thus must comply) going through his maze of paperwork and filling in the blanks. Gotcha, Donald!

Want to know the real reason Trump had been threatening to veto this Defense Spending bill? This right here is why. So sad that it passed with a veto-proof majority!