George Rebane
[This article, sans update, was published here in the 25oct23 issue of The Union.]
Recently I attended a luncheon sponsored by a local Republican club that featured as speaker one of the party’s eight candidates for US Senate. She gave a barnburner talk outlining all the familiar iniquities of the Democrats both in Sacramento and Washington. Specifically, she reprised the Democrats’ work in
- Always raising taxes;
- Issuing more stifling regulations;
- Mismanaging the economy;
- Indoctrinating Neo-Marxism in the media, education, and entertainment;
- Watering down critical curricula in our schools – dumbing down students;
- Rewarding criminals and punishing victims;
- Promoting trans-gendering in schools, denying parental rights to raise their children;
- Maintaining wide open borders for illegal alien entry;
- Projecting foreign policy weakness, inviting bad actors to make war;
- Etc, etc.
The problem with her enthusiastic rhetoric was that her Republican audience knew all that stuff, and most could have given that speech themselves. What was sorely missing, and has been missing for years at such gatherings, is recognition of the dire straits the party is in, and what would be required for its resurgence in California.
Recounting the above list yet one more time is nothing but imitating a long-playing echo chamber which might be of interest to those conservatives who don’t pay attention to what is going on in the country and the world. The problem is that most of those folks don’t show up at such luncheons and meetings.
So, the Republican Party, irrelevant statewide and nationally chaotic, continues to ignore the fact that it can right none of the liberal and woke wrongs without first regaining its stature as a recognized can-do political force in the country. Endlessly repeating and pointing out the passing signposts to socialism has done nothing to change the direction of the country, and doing the same thing over and over again only confirms the definition of ignorance.
If Republicans are not putting their energies into planning and making progress on the party’s road to resurgence, then the rest of it will only be an ongoing stream of empty rhetoric growing weaker with the passing years.
[27oct23 update] An added thought. Given how other states are adopting our public policy insanities, California’s cancer has been aggressively metastasizing across the land. The reason is clear and hangs on ‘other people’s money’ that can best be understood in light of what Garrett Hardin (q.v.) taught us about the behavior of commons (more here and here). California has been very successful in taxing ‘the rich’, regulating the bejeezus out of everyone, and getting the feds to pony up every time we get our tit in a wringer, that it seems like a good idea for the folks in Ohio and Nebraska to copy. As our snowballing national debt attests, with everyone piling on, this commons awaits its inevitable fate.
rebanesruminations.com 
376 responses to “The Reprobate Republicans (updated 27oct23)”
My goodness – we should all welcome Hanging Chad. Another butt-stupid lefty that thinks illegal acts by the govt are no big deal. If he thinks the govt having to lay out some dough to repay the legal labor that uncovered govt illegality is expensive, he should consider the cost of a corrupt govt. That’s assuming he has the intelligence to consider anything.
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I didn’t say anything about fraud. What I am saying is the system so loose you can’t tell if there is fraud or not. That’s a problem for election integrity and faith in elections.
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Pssha
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Barry
So you are saying the whole system is at fault. If true that would affect both the Dems and Repubs. What evidence do you have that Trump would have won the election?
Also how come all those lawsuits failed in court Gregory? Show me one that didn’t.
Read the link. Will respond tomorrow.
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Will respond tomorrow, uh tomorrow was only 22 minutes from your post so lame as shit oh great ponytail of ignorance –
I gotta say i enjoy the Ukrainians videos of our gear at work slaying the commie bastards.
CLICK CLICK BOOM was a song i blasted cursing in the summer!
https://currently.att.yahoo.com/news/ukrainian-air-assault-troops-post-101051660.html
😉
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Here’s the summation of the well written Time article affirming the results of the election.
“As I was reporting this article in November and December, I heard different claims about who should get the credit for thwarting Trump’s plot. Liberals argued the role of bottom-up people power shouldn’t be overlooked, particularly the contributions of people of color and local grassroots activists. Others stressed the heroism of GOP officials like Van Langevelde and Georgia secretary of state Brad Raffensperger, who stood up to Trump at considerable cost. The truth is that neither likely could have succeeded without the other. “It’s astounding how close we came, how fragile all this really is,” says Timmer, the former Michigan GOP executive director. “It’s like when Wile E. Coyote runs off the cliff–if you don’t look down, you don’t fall. Our democracy only survives if we all believe and don’t look down.”
Democracy won in the end. The will of the people prevailed. But it’s crazy, in retrospect, that this is what it took to put on an election in the United States of America.”
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Another quote from the article
“Trump addressed the crowd that afternoon, peddling the lie that lawmakers or Vice President Mike Pence could reject states’ electoral votes. He told them to go to the Capitol and “fight like hell.” Then he returned to the White House as they sacked the building. As lawmakers fled for their lives and his own supporters were shot and trampled, Trump praised the rioters as “very special.”
It was his final attack on democracy, and once again, it failed. By standing down, the democracy campaigners outfoxed their foes. “We won by the skin of our teeth, honestly, and that’s an important point for folks to sit with,” says the Democracy Defense Coalition’s Peoples. “There’s an impulse for some to say voters decided and democracy won. But it’s a mistake to think that this election cycle was a show of strength for democracy. It shows how vulnerable democracy is.”
“
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“Our democracy only survives if we all believe and don’t look down”
….so many are looking down now though!
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Ummm. State legislatures have the power to appoint electors. It’s in the constitution. Lol
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So Barry does that mean they can ignore the will of the voters?
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“…does that mean they can ignore the will of the voters? ”
My yes – we certainly shouldn’t ignore the will of the voters!!
Kinda depends – doesn’t it, Paul?
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“…does that mean they can ignore the will of the voters? ”
No more than is customary. Meaning if it’s the legistlature that is making the decision, they get to make the decision. Voters will get another crack at their legisators soon enough.
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So Scott, Gregory and probably Barry
So then the fake delegates that favored Trump could have replaced the legitimate ones and swung the election in Trumps and it would have been OK with you.
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“The Trump team helped prepare fake certificates in seven states that Trump lost: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. In many cases, these certificates falsely stated that the electors were their state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors. Those phony certificates were then submitted to the National Archives and Congress. A watchdog group published some of the fake certificates. ”
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/what-know-fake-electors-trump-indictment-2020-election-rcna98013
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Lt. Punchy, there were no “fake delegates”. There were alternate slates of electors that were ultimately not submitted.
The ‘watchdog group’ is lying. So is NBC News.
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Who chose the ” alternate slate of delegates ” Gregory?
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Who do you think, chose them, Lt. Punchy?
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Gregory
No doubt Trumpers. It was orchestrated by Trump as was the break in of the Capital that was intended to disrupt the process of Biden becoming President.
Why do you think Trump sent his love to those who overcame the police and smashed in doors and windows.
“We love you, you’re very special.” he is quoted as saying.
Also he said this, justifying the riot:
“These are the things and events that happen when a sacred landslide election victory is so unceremoniously & viciously stripped away.”
https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/07/politics/trump-history-comments-trnd/index.html
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Lt. Punchy
When were the alternate claims made?
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Yes. The state legislatures can ignore the will of the voters for electors. The Constitution was intentionally drafted in such a manner by the founding fathers. The Constitution plenary powers over the presidential election.
The Supreme Court has described the constitutional authority of the state legislatures to determine the manner of choosing electors as “plenary.” See McPherson v. Blacker, 146 U.S. 1, 35 (1892); see also Bush v. Gore, 531 U.S. at 104. It has even noted that, “whatever provisions may be made by statute, or by the state constitution, to choose electors by the people, there is no doubt of the right of the legislature to resume the power at any time.” McPherson, 146 U.S. at 35.
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Will Trump’s immigration plan plan help or hurt him in the upcoming election?
“In a public reference to his plans, Mr. Trump told a crowd in Iowa in September: “Following the Eisenhower model, we will carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history.” The reference was to a 1954 campaign to round up and expel Mexican immigrants that was named for an ethnic slur — “Operation Wetback.”
Sweeping Raids, Giant Camps and Mass Deportations: Inside Trump’s 2025 Immigration Plans https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/11/us/politics/trump-2025-immigration-agenda.html?unlocked_article_code=1.-Ew.kEhc.n5AadDed2Kkz&smid=nytcore-android-share
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Like a lot (most?) of Americans, Paul thinks our govt is a democracy. It is not. We have a republic. The president is elected by the electoral college, not mob rule. Our laws are overseen by the Constitution, but state by state differences are allowed for.
The left is quite happy to over-rule the voters if it suits them. When prop 13 was passed in CA, the Dems declared that the voters had “thrown a temper tantrum” and have been trying to undo the law ever since. When the prop was passed in CA to deny illegals many public benefits, the Dems rushed to the courts to have it overturned. The left pushes for democracy only when they are sure the voters do democracy “correctly”.
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So Barry who makes the decision to replace the electors? The State legislators I presume. What then was the purpose of then Trump presenting alternate electors?
Thank you for your thoughtful answer to my questions.
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Scott
Was it not a ” rush to the courts”that overturned Roe V Wade? How is that different than what you claim happened wih Prop 13?
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‘Who do you think, chose them, Lt. Punchy?’
“No doubt Trumpers. It was orchestrated by Trump as was the break in of the Capital that was intended to disrupt the process of Biden becoming President.”
Punch, they were on the ballots. What you saw as the “process of Biden becoming President” was seen by most of us as an election.
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Alternate would be presented to the state legislatures to be sent to DC instead of the electors from the election.
It has already happened.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1876_United_States_presidential_election
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So Barry this had not happened as of Jan 6 and I assume would have to be voted on by the state legislatures. Also there are no assurances it would pass. Either way it could be a long process with lots of debate.
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Barry
The example you cited in your link was resolved by the Congress not State Legisators so it has no relevance to the 3000 election
“To address the resulting constitutional crisis, Congress established the Electoral Commission, a majority of which were Republicans, which awarded all twenty votes (and thus the presidency) to Hayes.”
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Barry
The example you cited in your link was resolved by the Congress not State Legisators so it has no relevance to the 3000 election
Sometimes all you can do is laugh…..
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typo
2020 election
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The dems shitholes are worse than Venezuela and the illegals are going back. LOL –
Chicago migrants are beginning to move back to Venezuela as the city runs out of resources to house and support illegal immigrants.
The Chicago Tribune reported on the account of Michael Castejon, who migrated with his wife and stepdaughter from Venezuela to find a better life. However, after several months, the family suffered from homelessness, a lack of job opportunities and no access to better education. By early November, they had requested tickets back to their home country.
“The American Dream doesn’t exist anymore,” Castejon said. “There’s nothing here for us.”
https://www.foxnews.com/media/chicago-migrants-return-venezuela-winter-nothing-here?dicbo=v2-IAwqxnG
😉
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Paul. Trump asked congress to resolve the election as well. Nothing illegal there.
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Barry
Do you have actual proof that the election was rigged?
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here you go, Punch!
https://time.com/5936036/secret-2020-election-campaign/
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Yes. Go back and re-read the thousands of posts by me and others in answer to that very question which you endlessly ask of everyone.
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But you give no factual base for your contention Barry. What states specifically are you referring to. How many votes were affected? What facts can you provide. To you and others it’s just an idea. tThere were over 50 investigations and dozens of lawsuits that came up with nothing. And none of them flipped any votes. Show me the individual states Barry.
The Time article ended by saying “Trump addressed the crowd that afternoon, peddling the lie that lawmakers or Vice President Mike Pence could reject states’ electoral votes. He told them to go to the Capitol and “fight like hell.” Then he returned to the White House as they sacked the building. As lawmakers fled for their lives and his own supporters were shot and trampled, Trump praised the rioters as “very special.”
It was his final attack on democracy, and once again, it failed. By standing down, the democracy campaigners outfoxed their foes.”
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Eye roll.
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Talk about willfully wallowing in ignorance oh great ponytail of ignorance @ 924 as if time is a real news org anymore. Just another putin party parrot like you. LOL But but but 51 intel agencies said the shrillary dirty trick was true. ROFLOL
😉
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Nobody cares Paul. Trump is winning in almost all battleground states way outside the margin for error. Prediction. Biden drops out, because he can’t win. Couldn’t win fairly last time. Time to litigate the present and stop dwelling in the past my friend. https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls
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from Paul – “He told them to go to the Capitol and “fight like hell.” Then he returned to the White House as they sacked the building. As lawmakers fled for their lives and his own supporters were shot and trampled, Trump praised the rioters as “very special.”
Hilarious! You forgot the burning and looting of the White House!
Such a fanciful tale – I’m sure it will have added embellishments as its re-telling echos throughout our land.
The Day Of The MAGA Rebellion! Cast of thousands! Coming to a theater near you!
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MAGA mouth breathers are still trying to convince us that Biden didn’t win the election “fairly”.
But it’s the Republicans that can’t win an election fairly and haven’t done so for probably a couple of decades 😂
I always like to watch the audience when Trump explains that he’s running against Obama in the upcoming election, and when he heaps praise on the likes of Victor Orban and spews rhetoric more suitable to a Duterte.😂
And how about that Jenna Ellis video deposition that was leaked today? Can you say conspiracy?😂
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“MAGA mouth breathers are still trying to convince us that Biden didn’t win the election “fairly”.”
Could you name any?
Anyone who claims that – “…the Republicans that can’t win an election fairly and haven’t done so for probably a couple of decades” – is on the same hallucinogenics that Paul is on 24/7 – I wouldn’t even think of trying to convince you the sun rises in the east.
Have a nice trip!
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“Individual” Jeff, so you think the $419 million Zuckerbucks buying county election offices for the 2020 election wasn’t a thumb on the scales?
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“And how about that Jenna Ellis video deposition that was leaked today? Can you say conspiracy?😂”
The Ellis testimony was hearsay.
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Can you explain Gregory what laws were broken by Zuck and in detail how the elections were illegally affected?
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Zuck off, Lt. Punch.
We’ll put you down as a Zuckbucks denier.
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https://nypost.com/2021/10/13/how-mark-zuckerberg-helped-dems-sway-the-2020-election/
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re Gregory 10:08 – Doncha just love all the blather from the left and Dems about how “we need to get money out of politics”?
Like all of their deeply held beliefs, it’s total BS.
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scotto 1053a
Ummm… no. Don’t love the disingenuous blather. They’re a pain in the ass.
Like P*lline’s entire three part at 1140a.
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Calling Leftenant Punchy…
Just trying another salutation on for size.
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