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Elaine's avatar

You may be right about many of these particulars but you are absolutely wrong about the public not caring that we have a President who is a convicted Felon (amongst other odious things). Half the country would disagree. It SHOULD matter.

I find your snarky comments about President Carter’s gathering in terrible bad taste. Can’t we give this a break and try to focus on how we can solve the problems that we ALL have??

I sincerely appreciate (I mean this) your attention to issues we face. I hope you can give the same careful analysis to what Trump does going forward and not mindlessly give everything a rubber stamp. He may do some good things. He may also do some harm. I’m hoping we can ALL stay awake and stop attacking each other.

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J. Livingston's avatar

Elaine, selective prosecution is beneath the law. Don't be okay with that. Your own post, full of attacks, is an odd invitation for equanimity. As our future First Lady says, be better.

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Elaine's avatar

I don’t believe for a second it was “selective prosecution”. That is a great deception. I’m not okay with what I saw and heard myself on Jan 6th. My post is a plea to stop making EVERYTHING about “woke”, “people with DTDS”, the “bums” (all Democrats of course). Most of what I read here is written from that point of view. My plea is to stop feeding into the divisions and the attacks and to find some common ground. I can’t say that without taking exception to some of what is written.

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LT's avatar

Elaine, through your words I hear the typical, matriarchal, whiny voice lecturing us about “toxic masculinity.” The same voice encouraging men to play in women sports, DEI mandates and dumbing down our institutions like the US military. January 6th, despite your fantasies, remains a riot that got out of hand, to be condemned to be sure, and those guilty were punished…and then some. Your calls for “coming together” is admirable, where were your calls during the Biden reign of incompetence?

Continuing to call Trump a convicted felon, when you know full well it was based on a fixed, kangaroo court findings is offensive and vile. Try taking your own advice.

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Thomas John's avatar

LT, I think you're off base saying "when you know full well..." when just shy of 1/2 the country doesn't believe that it it was fixed. I'm fine that you do - no need to jump on Elaine. Her tone seems pretty level even if she doesn't agree with you.

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Michael Callahan's avatar

Kangaroo court? I thought he was convicted by a jury of his peers; twelve people vetted by his lawyers.

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J. Livingston's avatar

MC: There are very valid reasons a trial court is only the first step in our system of jurisprudence. Trial courts can and do get things wrong. Plus "jury of peers" has become a laughable concept today.

As long pointed out, our current system of government is fit only for a "moral and religious population." (John Adams) We are long past that required threshold for it to work as intended.

We have work to do to try and re-set our original expectation in our current highly diverse value culture. Are you on board? Eg: Is "Thou shalt not steal" religious, moral, ethical or simply relative suggestion today?

How do we best function in a society today, with a wide range of moral and ethical sensibilities, while and still valuing personal freedom? Join the struggle.

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LT's avatar

Sure, I bet even you could find 12 people here in SB as well, what a surprise! BTW, the specific charges against Trump have NEVER been charged against anyone else before or since then. Time will tell on appeal and after Congress investigates this crooked DA and Judge.

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Peter Scott's avatar

LT; here’s a partial list of people who have been charged & convicted for 1st degree falsifying of business records by a jury of their peers.

https://www.justsecurity.org/85605/survey-of-past-new-york-felony-prosecutions-for-falsifying-business-records/

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Elaine's avatar

Hear what you want. This is too ridiculous to warrant a response.

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J. Livingston's avatar

Did you come here for discussion or dictatorial mandates, Elaine?

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Elaine's avatar

Discussion?? Really? I have no dictatorial mandates. My appeal was for a softer tone that allows us to disagree but not be so quick to attack and divide. The election is over. Why make snarky comments about anyone at a funeral for a former President? Give me one good reason that is useful, helpful, healthy? I’m obviously a bad communicator and/or there is no appetite for anything but fingerpiointing, blame and name calling so I’ll bow out. I’m not the enemy and I’m actually quite a nice human but I’m not helping here.

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Julia Gonzales's avatar

JL, I would say for free speech and expressing opinions, which a lot of you just don’t like, you guys are just like middle school bullies.

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J. Livingston's avatar

Elaine, best to live in a world where we can't all get along. Just like the Founders presumed would happen and built in protections knowing we could no all get along.

Not getting along goes back to the original schisms between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, which resonate still today. Both have valid arguments to make and the pendulum between their viewpoints about this country continues to swing today.

Which is why we need to strengthen our now flabby checks and balances that have gone missing in our modern iteration of our "government" (now a unionized and highly partisan multi-million member workforce), and a much freer press.

This is happening. Agreeing "we can't all get along" will be the best agreement of all. Renewing our mutual compact - the US Constitution - on our upcoming 250th birthday may provide the necessary safe space you are looking for, when we can't all get along. Nor should we. And no, you did not see everything that went on on Jan 6 - you saw only carefully culled photo ops.

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Thomas John's avatar

My understanding is that the Founding Fathers knew we all can't get along in a nation and that disagreements were bound to happen all the time and were actually a good thing.

But they believed these differences could be overcome through civic discourse, compromise and a shared commitment to the greater good.

We all might try harder at civic discourse.

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J. Livingston's avatar

Looking forward to hearing the last of OrangemanBad. Right on, TJ.

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LT's avatar

TJ, as our resident hall monitor, you of all people should know, discourse, disagreements and verbal jousting is a healthy part of this site and NOT “lacking here.” Suggest you put on your big boy pants and get over it.

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Steve's avatar

Elaine

Thank you for proving once again that liberalism is a mental disorder.

I don’t want to be mean to you but my goodness wake up!

Have a nice evening

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Elaine's avatar

Once again, a nasty reply proving my point.

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Brent's Journal's avatar

The fire is a reminder of Warren Buffet saying "When the tide goes out, you can tell who is not wearing a bathing suit." The fire showed that the governor, mayor of L.A., head of Water & Power, fire chiefs, California representative to legislature who proposed the fund to oppose Trump as his city burned, and the members of the Californian legislature who voted $50 million to oppose Trump, are all without bathing suits.

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Bill Russell's avatar

But they do have one helluva WOKE program. Or should I say, "They did."

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LT's avatar
Jan 14Edited

In watching the confirmation hearings of Sec. of Defense candidate, Pete Hegseth, we see what the liberal left is so good at. Disruptive, despicable and demented behavior. Unhinged, vile speech coming out of our elected officials against a honorable war hero. Yes, it’s seemingly open season on white, straight, patriotic males. What do we get instead? We get buffoonery such as Gen. Lloyd “chow hall” Austin. No, Sec. Austin is not a brilliant military strategist, but he is of the “right” race, morbidly overweight and a complete moron.

It would seem race and sexual orientation outweighs all other considerations in hiring for key leadership positions. Take a look at LAFD, gay activists making up key roles as chief, DEI administrator and assistant chief. The city of Los Angeles is smoldering, but hey, at least we have rainbow colored fire engines and fire hydrants. It’s all a sham in order to promote “certain groups” over those which are better qualified. LA Mayor, Karen Bass further exemplifies racial politics, corruption and incompetence.

I guess the joke remains on us, the tax paying public?

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LamedVav disavows all vaxes.'s avatar

Thank you, Robert Eringer.

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DLDawson's avatar

“This will be part of Donald Trump’s negotiating stance in pushing Mad Vlad to end the Russian tyrant’s expansionist war on Ukraine – and countering Vlad’s imperialistic intentions for invading nations that were previously part of the Soviet Union.” Wrong again, Putin clearly stated his intentions at the outset of his military incursion into Ukraine, 1) demilitarize Ukraine and 2) deNazify Ukraine…

PS…Trump is not taking Greenland to throttle Putin, it’s about pushing back at the CCP’s silent invasion of the Western world…

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Jan 14
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DLDawson's avatar

Biden was in LA when the fires started. He was due to fly to San Bernardino County that day for the ceremony opening the new parks. Air travel was locked down. Arrangements and logistics are being worked out for Trump‘s visit.

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Jan 14
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DLDawson's avatar

Or Biden could have stayed…who’s in charge? Two presidents?

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Julia Gonzales's avatar

Mr. Eringer, It was exhausting, but I got through your usual lengthy article.

I have to say anyone else who was being inaugurated on January 20, would have insisted that the flags stay at half-staff to honor a previous president. Jimmy Carter was a humble man of integrity, honor, and a great humanitarian. Although I guess trumps ego is more important than honoring a man who served his country honorably.

I also have to mention another thing I noticed. I don’t know if it was intentional or if it’s some sort of dog whistle to all the magas, but you seem to like a chorus line. A lot of your characters are always in a chorus line. Anyway, I noticed the guys in the rear look like mutants, one has one leg and doesn’t even look human, one has three legs, two others legs are a little weird at the joints and look deformed.

As for the land grab that trump is mentioning, I think that’s nothing but a distraction so that no one notices that there’s no deportations and no lower prices. These are supposed to happen on day one, I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

So you think trump is playing games with Putin? He really thinks that he can play Putin. Putin played trump like a fiddle on his first term, and he thinks Putin is his friend, think again.

You mentioned all the people with side effects from the Covid vaccine. Did these people testify before Congress? Did they bring proof of all their side effects, or is it just things that were posted on the right-wing social media?

As for Zuckerberg, It looks like he made a deal with the devil. He is removing fact checking off of Facebook so anyone can say and post whatever they want. So if you see it on Facebook, fact check it yourself. He’s following trump’s orders so magas can post their propaganda freely.

Yes, go ahead and believe Obama was having a bro moment with trump. Obama is a statesman, knows how to act with people they can’t stand.

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Bill Russell's avatar

A much more realistic fiddle playing visual is for a big guy like Trump to play the little guy Putin like a fiddle. Putin's head resting on Trump's left shoulder and Trump holding Putin's feet. Trump's righthand is holding a saw and stroking Putin's feet, symbolic of cutting them off. Do you like that visual, Julia?

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Julia Gonzales's avatar

Actually, Mr. Russel, I do not like the visual, but I can picture it. Violence is trumps style, remember January 6, 2021.

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Bill Russell's avatar

Guiliani discovered enough suspicious activity to make anyone curious about what really happened during the election. I support the January 6th "gang," as you would refer it to. My technical background working with left-leaning engineers, electronic voting system were most-likely tampered with nefarious software. That's a "visual" I can see, but I know you can't see.

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Julia Gonzales's avatar

Mr. Russell, there you go assuming. I have never ever said the January 6 gang. I may have said terrorist, insurrectionists, attackers, but I’ve never said gang. Why is it the right always has evidence, but they can never provide it. Since you have technical background, why are you not able to provide the proof of this nefarious software?

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Thomas John's avatar

I think the wackiness of Eringer's chorus line 'artwork' is a flaw in whatever AI program he's paying for, or using free stuff, to produce the images. There is probably a button to push for 'make a chorus line of this image' or something.

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Julia Gonzales's avatar

Mr. John ,

That sounds logical, but you saw those weird looking dancers, right?

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Bill Russell's avatar

In Los Angeles, the most fire-related calls they receive are homeless encampment fires. In Santa Barbara, keep an eye out for fires while driving, encampment locations off the freeways are a problem area. Residents should pester the city governments to clean them up as a preventative measure, especially now with the high winds and red flag warnings.

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Bill Clausen's avatar

Under Trump's previous four years as president we saw the national debt reduced and Biden reduced it even more. I'm sorry, I just came out of surgery and the drugs are still clouding my mind.

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Thomas John's avatar

exactly.

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Cate wilkins's avatar

BravO! Another fine article delivering truth with humor. Refreshing.

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