stevenkesslar

And a fine rant it was, my beloved Sister In Cock. Happy well hung holiday to you, too! At first I thought you were doing a parody rant like I would do. Then I took you to be serious. Either way, you are right. Affordability is a real problem. And a lot of people, including both Republican and Democratic leaders, are acting as if it is not. They believe their own BULLSHIT. Or they feel powerless to do anything, even if they are one of those elected people everyone is feeling more contempt for. The nephew I described above said something interesting, that I think is why you are right both ways. He is involved in these discussions, as part of his consulting firm's work, about the impact tariffs will have on auto prices. His view, which I see as a serious position that makes the whole MAGA thing look like it has a point, is that some increases in price are necessary. That way more cars can be made in more factories here, as opposed to Mexico. By more living wage American factory workers (But not immigrants, got help us.) Now, let's forget about the fact that the massive loss of factory jobs pretty much happened when a Republican, W, was President. And that it was these best in class huge consulting firms and the Romney moderates like my nephew who thought offshoring those auto factories to Mexico or China to lower prices was just a swell idea. That was then, this is now. Did I mention we literally were having this discussion in his brand new luxury state of the art SUV? In a red state, or course. He said the winner of the game, meaning auto companies and suppliers, will be the companies that absorb the tariffs in lower profits and raise prices LAST. Which makes sense, as a business strategy. And I have no doubt a lot of that is happening. Which is why tariffs have not already raised prices more. But the whole arguments starts with the premise that people who already feel hit by higher rent and high mortgage rates and all the past and present inflation in the decade are now going to have to handle more expensive cars. In addition to losing health care subsidies. All based on the unfounded notion that car companies will hire people, not robots or AI. If the strategy even works at all. I think the best experts are right in saying at least half the affordability crisis is housing, period. Rent, or mortgage rates. That helped Mamdani get elected, for sure. But if there is a second, it has to be cars and auto loans and gas prices. And Trump has lowered gas prices, to his credit. But anyone who wants to buy a car is going to pay more, sooner or later. And car prices are already going up thanks to tariffs, although they are disguising them in things like much higher destination charges. Did I mention that in December 2025 we have about 70,000 FEWER manufacturing jobs in the US than in January, when America got on a fast track to become great again? One year in we have higher car prices and fewer factory jobs. Was THAT the plan? So I agree with your word, Sis. BULLSHIT. It's all bullshit. And frankly I think the people planning these moves, including my very smart nephew who I respect, are out of touch. They drive lovely cars and live in lovely homes, and they are very out of touch. Like me they read FRED reports and know lots of data. But they don't know, or even talk to, the average working class iffy 2024 Trump voter, I suspect. I asked my nephew if he thought all these higher car prices would cause a political backlash. He said no, basically. It is happening already, less than a year in. I think smart Republicans who are listening to voters and polls know they are in trouble. They may be wrapped up in their own BULLSHIT. But voters, especially working class swing voters who will decide the outcome, are not. The question, again, is what the fuck are Democrats going to do about it? Try to elect Joe Manchin so he can promote coal mining or other things that enrich his family? While he whines about how we can't afford child tax credits or health care subsidies? Rant over. Feliz Navidad.

Therein lies the rub. Trump said it best himself. To put it bluntly, how important is it really that a gross man with a gross penis tried to prove something about how he is not gross and disgusting, like even Epstein said? Who cares if the gross piece of shit who is our POTUS raped the girl before he shot her on 5th Ave? His bat shit crazy supporters will believe any lie and swallow his shit whole. She was a Marxist like AOC from some other shit hole probably. Who cares? It is who some of his supporters - maybe most - are. It is what they do. @lookin would refer us to studies on "authoritarian followers." He is right. I make a distinction that I find both honest and helpful, which I will put in family terms. I have a niece who falls into the borderline bat shit crazy category above. I have almost no respect for anything she believes. And I would not believe a word she says about politics. She makes it easy because she says things are not true, racist, arrogant, or all three all the time. As my niece would say, if Trump killed or even deported someone they were probably the type of person who respected Michelle Obama or Oprah Winfrey. Why do we want THOSE people in OUR country? I also have a nephew I deeply admire who I view as a pragmatic right-of-center Romney type guy. Much like my Reagan Republican Dad was. Those people tolerate Trump. And I think it is true that if Romney had won in 2012, Trump in 2016 would never have happened. But pragmatic conservatives know the difference between a loser like Romney, as Trump keeps pointing out. And a winner like Trump, as Trump keeps pointing out. This nephew calls himself an independent. Since that is now the politically correct thing to say for respectable moderates who vote for Trump. Is there anything Trump could do that would cause a permanent break with my nephew? Probably not. Unless some moderate Democrat were the alternative. Which "she's for us/them" Kamala Harris was not. At this point I just write both of these individuals and the types they represent off as lost causes in 2026 or 2028. Conservatives do of course have the right to be conservatives - bat shit crazy or not. And there are more conservatives in the US than liberals like me. The real game is affordability. And I think that was true in 2016 and 2018 and 2020 as well. Trump's polls in his first term were never lower than when he and his party tried to kill Obamacare. Because it was and still is a conservative Holy Grail that matters much more than whether Trump raped or shot some 15 year old Marxist bitch who deserved to die because she came from some shit hole. Right? Well, whatever people think about that 15 year old bitch like AOC or the Muslim bitch from Minnesota, they don't like their health care being cut. See Election Results, 2018 and 2020. And now our piece of shit POTUS and his party are doing it again. Even rapist pedophiles can be dumb as rocks, it turns out. Moderate Republicans know kicking millions off health care or making them pay a lot more - Happy New Year! - is a political disaster. But what the fuck are they supposed to do? I mean, they are only members of Congress. Until they get blown away by angry voters in November, at least. So we are stuck, at least until November 2026. I blame it on Democrats. Meaning us, since I am a lifelong Democrat. We ignored the working class too much for too long. And had there been no inflation in Biden's term maybe that would have been okay. But high rent and pricey gas pissed enough Latinos and Blacks and Asians off that even they said something else is better than Biden. Even Trump. The math is very simple. Every poll says inflation hurt the working class a lot, and also annoyed them. Democrats had child tax credits that were mildly popular, especially among the tens of millions of working class families that got them. And Obamacare subsidies. Democrats themselves (thanks, Joe Manchin!) took the child tax credits away. And now the Republicans are taking the health care subsidies away. Good paying jobs, anyone? Good luck, even if you are a recent Stanford grad. Democrats should focus on one thing: the working class. What do they want? This did work in our very own back yard, as i will keep repeating. In a place called Mexico. AMLO and now Sheinbaum focused government on one thing: what will help the Mexican working class? They raised wages and literally put money in the hands of the poor. And they are wildly popular. And Trump is less popular in Mexico than anywhere else on the planet. There's a lesson for Democrats there. And there I go, being long winded. Speaking of Mexico, Feliz Navidad!

Got it. But, seriously. Was there ever even a question? I mean, we all know Trump's ego is boundless. But even he'd probably admit that the Canadian leader was hotter. Although I guess with Carney we have to say Canada is a bit older and wiser,

There is a (maybe) interesting point this brings up. Depending on how much you want to believe theories in the media. A summary of a lot of what I consider really good reporting goes like this. In the 2016 election, Trump had a ton of fun. He really enjoyed campaigning. And he did well enough to lose the popular vote but eek out an electoral college win. In the 2020 election, Trump was miserable. COVID was raging and no part of that was fun for him. He lost. In the 2024 election, Trump was having fun again. And he won. I believe this, which is more a theory based on reporting than a fact. Trump would probably say he is an A++++++ mood all the time. (Except when Satan doesn't let him fuck him or JD won't blow him. But that's South Park.) My conclusion is that when you get an asshole who is cruel and 98.3 % ego and 1.7 % policy and execution, this is what we should expect. He does great when he only has to promise to end a war in 24 hours, and lower prices magically. When he actually is held accountable for his failures he is just fucking miserable. And we all pay with his cruelty.

Of course not, Sis. There are no rules or standards. God can do whatever God wants. Trump is better than God. Why shouldn't Trump be like God?

Can't you liberals just for once respect what our leader is doing to make America great - and affordable- again? Trump has not done a great job. He has done an A+++++++++++++ job. I don't even know how you grade the tremendous job he is about to do making health care premiums more affordable. It is sure worth having a party of billionaire donors with in the new Trump Ballroom.

Guns, social media, bad tattoos, and conservatives who kill people. All of my favorite things. Sorry, Julie, but I guess you are no longer needed. 🙃

Nothing that a big hug and a big cock won't cure, Sis. Well, a big cock at least. 😉 I agree with you about Elaine and Dylan. I was moved by all five of the finalists, plus some others. I was actually surprised that I ended up liking a few of the social media and "influencers" types. Since I basically view Tik Tok as crap. Some of it was the Mom thing. Granted, dancing with your kids on a counter is superficial. But I grew to like a few of those types who were Moms. Who I would normally just dismiss if all I saw was some insipid video they did. Alix Earle was an interesting example of authenticity. She would top my list of "stars" I started out viewing as plastic social media types. But by the last few episodes she was tearing up. You may disagree, but it seemed real to me. She was probably the best dancer, but not the most moving person. So what was interesting to me is that by the end of the season I actually got the feeling there was a heart beating in there somewhere. Some of the other influencers, like Charli D'Amelio who won several seasons back, just seemed plastic through and through to me. But you are absolutely correct that they are all performers, and the show is all about performance. And our Boy Wonder from Down Under sure did that well.

Oh sis, You are such a lush! I love it! So since you are a DWTS fan, I'm curious. Who did you think came off as genuine this season? Or, stately a little differently, who moved you? Dane and I have a thing where every single time someone uses the word journey on that show - like "this journey has deepened me forever" - we look at each other and laugh. We both think it is a bullshit word. That said, it actually is a good word to describe what a lot of the stars go through. There was a lot of emotion this season. As I said already, I thought several of the contestants this season were quite moving. Did you?

Oh my dearest. I won't take it the wrong way. I'll just take him. You don't want him anyway. So I can have my prize all to myself. But, your comment was interesting. My buddy Dane and I have a tradition of watching every episode of DWTS together for, I don't know, a decade maybe. And we would have both agreed with you about Robert the first few episodes this season. We commented on how pretty and also how shallow and fake his performative side seemed. I think part of it is that he does perform for kids constantly on TV in his Australian zoo gig. And he has since he was a young child. So there is this superficial feel about him at first. "Hey kids, look what really cool animal I have for you!" I assume you are not a DWTS fan. This is what makes the show so interesting and fun, apart from the beautiful dancing which I love anyway. It changes people who do it. This season in particular there were a handful of contestants who really shone as having these kind of awakenings that just touch your heart. Mostly about how they find strength and confidence and talent in themselves they did not know they had. And Robert was one of them. I miss my Dad every day. Even though I can happily say I got to spend a ton of time with him I will always cherish in his golden years. So what would it be like to miss a Dad that you never actually even know, but who is admired and loved by millions? That's what this kid went through. It became obvious how deeply he felt that pain. There is nothing inauthentic about it. By the end of the season Dane and I were in tears watching this. Not just Robert. Several of the other contestants were just very moving to watch in similar ways. DWTS is actually one of my Trump era coping mechanisms. To me, it is the opposite of everything Trump and MAGA represent. Like embracing diversity. And embracing talent rather than loyalty. Even though I know many MAGA folk (including Dane's sister) love the show, too. I guess that's a good thing. Even people who disagree about very basic norms can at least agree about and appreciate some things. Anyhoo, that was all TMI. Robert says hi, by the way. 😉

Well, almost Sis. Since this has basically become a music video thread, I'll share another one. I finally watched the Dancing With The Stars finale last night. If you haven't seen it and don't want to know who won, stop reading. I have a DWTS viewing buddy so we had to wait until we both had time to watch it together. Happily I was able to avoid learning who won until last night. And the guy I wanted to win got the prize. So I want Robert Irwin for my Peas Price. And I'm not sharing him with you, Sis. I love you to death. But every relationship has limits. On a serious note, on the subject of peace, those of you who follow the show know how emotional that moment was. Derek Hough, the judge who was the dancing pro who partnered with Robert's sister Bindi when she won the DWTS trophy exactly a decade ago, broke down and was almost unable to express his love and respect when he judged this dance. What he said is the world needs more of the Irwin family right now. It's true. The Mom is actually from Oregon, even thoughts it's mostly a Down Under love story. It just shows that love and compassion, and respect for Mom and family, is universal. Not exactly what the Trump family exudes. But I'm glad we have Robert and his Mom.

I was a bit of the class clown on this one. I had lots of discussions with people and posted here about Alan Lichtman's Keys system, which he had used to call almost every Presidential election correctly in advance. In his system, incumbency is an advantage. And a divisive intraparty fight to select a nominee is toxic. In general, I think those keys all make common sense. And they work most of the time in Presidential elections. I think history shows that. But it turns out almost for a fact that 2024 was an exception. Not only in the US, but all over the world. Incumbency in a time of inflation was a huge negative. And incumbent parties all over the world suffered big electoral losses. A related problem is that Democrats tried to stage a coronation. Nice try. But it just didn't work. I'll expand on that below. Trump is doing no better because he made promises about lowering prices that he has not kept. And now we are on the verge of a health insurance affordability disaster. In 2024 Harris was, in effect, the DEI candidate. She never won a primary in 2020. While we will never know for a fact, my impression is Jim Clyburn - who saved Biden's ass in 2020 - pushed hard for him to select Harris as Veep. Or maybe it was just the obvious point that Biden is a White man and Harris is a Black woman. Whatever the motivation, she had to jump in and run the race of a lifetime quickly after a painfully awkward period where it became obvious Biden was old and going to lose. Obvious to everyone but him. The whole thing was inept. She was arguably the least inept part of it. To her credit, she built massive momentum and goodwill. The "joy" part was real to me. But she was exciting not because of what she said but because of who she was. It was identity politics at a time lots of people were reacting against identity politics. Nothing about it felt like Obama in 2008, to make an obvious comparison. He rose out of nowhere because everything about him resonated with the issues and dynamics of that moment. In 2008, at the time and in retrospect, it was as if America wanted to rise to the occasion. In 2024 lots of voters were just pissed. And Trump was a "fuck you" vote. As the OP noted, "joy" didn't work so well with young men who had voted for Biden in 2020 and were pissed about the price of rent. Harris's excuse in her book is it least partly right: she just didn't have enough time. But she did not run the race of a lifetime. The interesting "woulda should coulda" is if Biden had followed through on his promise and resigned. Maybe there could have been an artful campaign to make the heir apparent the seamless winner. No primary. Just a resignation and a better coronation process, with messages and policies attuned to the time. Maybe that could have worked, had it been done better. It was a close race. But Harris tried the "kitchen table" stuff again and again. And nothing she said or did could get her over the hump. She did not have the wind at her back. And they did nail her to the cross on identity politics by making her the "us/them" candidate. One huge lesson to me is that politics is not a coronation. It is a fight over ideas and people and priorities. And it gets very bloody sometimes. The risk in 2024 is that Democrats could have had a fight that was so bloody and divisive that it crippled us, had Biden stepped aside and we had a primary. But instead we got a stage managed campaign that just didn't resonate well enough. In retrospect, it just looks like a big mistake. Republicans had a messy primary in which Trump fought hard and prevailed. Democrats had no primary and moaned about democracy. Huh? It is no shocker that for independents the whole thing just didn't connect to how they felt in their gut. We will not have that problem in 2028. And I don't think Harris will be the nominee. The issues and priorities that will resonate in 2028 are already becoming obvious. And Democrats really do have to decide whether they want identity politics, or a fight for the working class. Those are not either/or. And as a Gay man I am basically an identity politics guy. But the working class is less interested in democracy or same sex marriage right now, and more interested in how unaffordable shit is. And that includes the Black and Latino and Asian American working class. That is what worked well for Obama in 2008. Whatever the color of our skin, we are all Americans. Obama aced that, as a candidate and as a two term POTUS. Republicans may be fooling themselves into believing that they have cracked that code. But they have not. They are hurting the working class, of all races. And people feel it. The Democrat who fights and focuses like a laser on the working class, persuasively, will prevail.

And Trump has bigger and better things to worry about. Like deporting Jerome Powell. This is treason. Tariffs are driving inflation, Powell says This guy belongs in Venezuela. Or worse, Europe. Ugh!

This is why our love and mutual admiration has endured all the trials and tribulations of life, and cock sucking. The feeling is mutual, Sis.

Oh, my Sister. You know how I love you. This reminds me of our young and adventurous days as teen girls in boarding school. When we first learned the joys of sucking boys' cocks in the locker room bathroom after gym class. You precious sweet thing. You always wanted more! I, on the other hand, still remember the first time I sucked Billy Crenshaw's 13" cock. During which I seem to have ingested a full gallon of his sperm. Or something like that. But when it was over, I asked myself: "Is that all there is?" Is that all there is to sucking Billy Crenshaw's 13" cock and ingesting a gallon of his sperm?" As you know, my precious, I have been sucking cock ever since. You know what they say. Break out the booze and have a ball. 😉 Speaking of preferences, I like Sandra's version better than Peggy's.