stevenkesslar

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.

I would say I am green with envy, Sis. But that would be a bad pun. And besides, I am never jealous of my Dearest and Most Darlingest Sister In Cock. I always want the best for you. When people inquire as to your tastes in penis, I always know the right thing to say. Give her an inch, and she'll take a mile. 😁

It couldn't happen to a lovelier woman. You are gracious, charming, and kind-hearted. You are the woman I have always wanted to be. Congratulations.

Oh my God! I am so honored! Why, swear to God, just yesterday I was bitching and moaning to my devoted and darling Sister In Cock @Suckrates that I never win anything. And now this! The Green Giant Peas Prize. Since I am the winner, do I get to suggest what I get for my award? I'll even share it with you and my sister. If she is not too busy with Mamdani.

Okay, now I will do a total Steven Kesslar free range mind dump. The only connection in what you wrote to what I am about to say is the idea of a surprise weird sex thing. I saw the movie Conclave last night. Every year there seems to be a movie like this. All the trappings of an Oscar winner - from serious topic to A list actors - that just falls flat. My point here is about the plot and the ending. So if you don't want spoilers don't read. Turns out that in the course of a fictional conclave that lasts only a few days two of the top candidates are disqualified because of a sex scandal and a financial scandal that was only discovered during the conclave. Then somebody who nobody even knew was a cardinal turns up, completely unknown, and ends up becoming pope. Then, as if they wasn't enough of a massive suspension of disbelief, turns out he is actually a woman - maybe. At least it turns out he has ovaries which he apparently did not know about until his 30's. Huh? If there is any connection of my point to Trump, I guess it is that Trump turns out to be more authentic than Hollywood. At least with Trump one third of voters really believe him. And close to half of voters believed him enough to vote for him. Even though it seems to be a very bad and fake act to me, and over half of all voters, for the last decade. Turns out we had an actual conclave within a year of the film. If the reporting of the secret voting is correct, turns out two top candidates entered the conclave. And one of them won and is now pope. Which is what we would expect. I guess there just was not enough drama in reality for Hollywood. Conclave actually won Best Adapted Screenplay, which really blows my mind. I'm all for movies about Terminators or Martians or Dinosaurs. Or whatever fun fantasy Hollywood wants to dream up. But it seems like if they want to roll out their top honors for a film that is based in reality, maybe it should be the tiniest bit realistic? I guess not. Honestly, instead of the Nobel or FIFA Peace Prize I'd give Trump the Best Adapted Screenplay award. He is pretty good at just making up lies and grift and scandal as he goes along. And it is all very real.

We're both right. You are right that Trump is surrounded by people far more competent than he is who are doing serious institutional damage nonstop. That said, even those people are often whacko and unable to get the job done. Did Elon Musk really reinvent government, or make it more efficient? Ha ha ha. He fired good people and stole data. And is making an even bigger fortune off Trump at his day job. As soon as Musk started to bleed out government he lost popularity fast. Americans don't like sick cruel butchers like Elon. He hates his own queer child. Sick fuck. It was interesting that in January 2025 the cruel sick fuck called Elon was actually popular among young Zoomer men, according to polls. That lasted maybe a month or two. The same young men who looked up to him at first decided very quickly that he was not their kind of guy, the polls suggested at the time. And then the cruel sick fuck was gone. Granted, you are right that Project 2025 and the Heritage Foundation has much better staying power. Real damage is being done. That said, I'll use FDR as a once in a century example. He remained in power for over a decade. He had a working class winning majority so strong that he transformed institutions forever/ FDR built a political coalition that was dominant for about half a century, until Reagan put an end to it. Reagan was much more transformational than Trump has been. By comparison, Trump is just a petty crook and celebrity whore. The verdict is out on how much irreversible damage Trump can do. My guess is this is the moment in history which will be looked back on with this headline: China wins, America loses. Trump is destroying or at least weakening many of the things that have made America great. And the whole rest of the world, including China, knows it. But that is not because Trump is some evil genius. He is a child. And Biden was borderline senile, as it turns out. So we have had weak leadership for over a decade. The long and historic effect may be that it gave China a clear lane to zoom right on ahead. That's what we get for electing a man child. Twice. By less than 50 % of the vote both time.

Are you secretly a Politico reporter in disguise, my Dearest and Darlingest Sister In Cock? The President Who Never Grew Up Instead of focusing on governing, Trump spends his days chasing entertainment, attention and renovation projects that reflect a presidency stuck in adolescence. That article is actually lighthearted compared to your list. In a way, it's a shame that Trump focuses on being a child, rather than being an adult who governs. But as your list spells out, it's actually probably a good thing. Every moment he spends being a celebrity whore or having an opulent Great Gatsby party is a moment he can't fuck something else up permanently. Whether he renames it or not, the White House will now forever more be the out of scale Trump monstrosity. Why does he need everything to be so big, Sis? 🤔 I will say this is Trump's defense. His lack of interest in the real affordability problems of the working class is also a good thing, in a way. He won for the same reason lots of people did after a few years of seemingly intolerable inflation: the action is in the reaction. People hated Bidenflation. But now a majority of Americans clearly don't feel Trump has lowered prices as promised. Tariffs, anyone? So go ahead and be a child, Donald. Better that than he seriously fucks things up even more by getting more bad laws passed. The massive tax cuts to himself and his billionaire donors and pals are more than enough, as he throws millions off health care insurance. So much for affordability. Maybe in my lifetime we will get a Democratic President who actually governs like an adult and deals with affordability. I can make a great argument that Biden was even more tone deaf than Trump. Or maybe it was just his age. He insisted on crowing about "Bidenomics" even though everyone with a political brain, like David Axelrod, said he should shut the fuck up. To his credit, Biden did produce expanded Obamacare premium subsidies and child tax credits that helped tens of millions of working class voters. And maybe some of those voters now realize they'd rather have those things than Trump's crimes and misdemeanors. Oh well. Maybe it will get fixed in 2028. Clinton and Obama did better. Clinton never got the Holy Grail of universal health care passed. But in retrospect it was a golden age for the working class. It was right after Clinton, under W, that millions of factory jobs went away. Under Clinton, sound working class homeownership and working class wealth creation (largely through owning a home) hit record levels for working class Americans of all races. Had that continued, rather than Bush letting the subprime mortgage predators in and the factory jobs out, maybe we never would have had Trump. Obama (and Pelosi) did get the Holy Grail of Obamacare passed. But I think part of the problem is Obama could never figure out, or he didn't have the power to enact, an FDR-type New Deal that addressed the fundamental problems of wage stagnation and shitty job creation that replaced stable working class incomes. Trump, our Child Criminal POTUS, clearly is not up to the task. I'd rather he party, cheat, and lie away until he dies of a fat attack or leaves office once again highly unpopular. Maybe some other Democrat will eventually do better.

Great question. Who the heel knows? I'm surprised that in this Gallup poll it is is still around 50/50 favorable. I have seen other polls that show SCOTUS as net unfavorable. Clearly right now conservatives are lovin it. And Democrats don't. We'll see if they can manage to maintain any sense of balance. I was worried that do to same sex marriage what they did to abortion. They haven't. At least not yet. Since Democrats basically have no power in the executive and legislative branches, and SCOTUS is seeming more and more like a Trump rubber stamp, it is definitely setting the stage for a reaction back toward Democrats. That reaction has clearly already started. If and when we have Democrats in charge again, it would not surprise me to see a right wing SCOTUS resist what Democrats can do. It already happened under Biden - like student loan forgiveness.

Jesus Fucking Christ. How did you know Mamdani was the top? Were you in on it, too? And may I remind you my beloved Justin actually enjoyed giving Trump a hand job? Whereas Trump had an obviously hard time getting it up? There. I ruined your whole weekend. Fucking Americans! So sorry.

Trump, Mamdani make love — not war Fact: You've been awful quiet today, Sis. Fact: Mamdani and Trump made love. Fact: It happened behind closed doors. Fact: My Dearest And Darlingest Sister In Cock @Suckrates has been quite open about how she'd like to get it on with New York's hot new Mayor. Or perhaps she's just had something to chew over today? Inquiring minds want to know, Sis. I mean, it fits in thematically, after all. Trump and Mamdani got it on around affordability. And my Sis and I have always been cheap whores. 🤔 Seriously, kudos to both Mamdani and Trump. What it proves is that Mamdani is actually quite politically adept. Who knew? And Trump is once and always a media whore. Is my Beloved Sis guilty of having a sordid three way? I'd say the jury is hung. Which makes it even better for you, Sis. 💞

I hate to be harsh. But you liberal whiners disgust me. Traitors! Perhaps some of YOU need to be hung. Then again, perhaps some of you are. 😉 The Middle Class Is Buckling Under Almost Five Years of Persistent Inflation Even the Wall Street Journal is now betraying our President, as he makes America great again. All this proves to me is that Trump is a man of his word. He has gotten prices down. Why are you traitors whining about it?

Okay. Time for a little fun online sleuthing. Who is Bubba? Here is what Epstein's brother said: And here is what the Wikipedia description of Get Hard says: I think it was a joke about Trump having to go to prison for some strange reason. Maybe something to do with Putin? Who could imagine such a thing? Trump is just winning and winning and winning, and making America greater than ever. And this is what he gets in return!

You forgot rape. Then again, he only does that to women. As far as we know. Then again, who's Bubba?

I'd be surprised if there is anything in those files about Trump that is much worse than what we already know. And what his loyal followers could care less about. It does seem like Muller 2.0. I read in one article that Trump was surprised that Mueller let him off the hook, basically, after such a thorough investigation. I thought that was largely Kabuki. By that I mean I think it was an honest investigation. And if Mueller had found something truly shell shocking - like a video of Putin handing Trump money or a video of Trump fucking Russian hookers - he would have gone after Trump. I think we know Trump learned to hide his tracks well from Roy Cohn, among others. He for sure knows how the media works, and how they can go after you or make you famous. So while we may get more smoke, I very much doubt we will get a smoking gun on Trump. It still hurts Trump. While he's explaining, he's losing. Poor thing!

If I didn't grow up with you at an all girls boarding school sucking the cocks of hot young boys, I would swear to God you are Marjorie Taylor Greene, Sis. You even look a bit like her, truth be told. It would be nice if Republicans just tore their assholes apart while Democrats focus on - wait for it - health care and affordability for Americans. Chuck Schumer right now is an example of no good deed going unpunished. While a lot of Democrats, maybe a majority of Democrats, despise him for not fighting hard enough - even if it is a battle Democrats simply do not have the votes to win - it is also true that ending the shutdown and hammering on things that help working class people right now may save the asses of Democrats in swing states that need centrist voters. Centrist voters are not into fighting and shutdowns. Schumer made a prediction months ago, I think during the first fight where the Democrats caved, based on his experience of Trump 1.0. He said when Trump's disapproval rating got to 55 % Republicans would start to split and work with Democrats. Trump's disapproval rating is at 54.7 %. And here we go.

This is diverting the subject from Epstein. And you probably won't agree with this article. But the question could be, WHY are Democrats wasting time on anything other than the direct and immediate needs of working class voters? Especially the ones in the middle who decide who wins? Both Nevada senators spurned their party. They were reading the room. Once a Democratic stronghold, Nevada’s shifting economy — and shrinking patience — are fueling a Republican revival. I agree with that article, and with Rosen and Cortez Masto. Rule #1 for any politician is survival. How does it help matters if Nevada replaces two Democratic Senators with two Republican ones? I think it is correct that of all the swing states Nevada is the one swinging the most Republican, for the reasons stated. And it is all about the working class just getting by. Trump appealed to that with no tax on tips. I think it is true that these people don't want to hear about fight Trump or shutdowns that hurt them or democracy. They want to hear about how you are going to help the working class. Period. The good news to me is that we can have our Mamdani and eat it too, so to speak. I know you'd like a big slice of Mamdani, SIs. 😂 In NYC I hope the Mamdani Zoomers govern well and have some success and don't just create some new example of what the right will label a socialist hellscape. But while that is happening if Democrats can get the votes they can do much more centrist economic things for the people in the middle in Nevada and Missouri - if we can ever win Claire McCaskill's seat back.

I'll take it in a different (rambling) direction and bring Chuck Schumer along for the ride. We could have and perhaps should have had a "the torch has passed" moment around 2023 or so. Smart pundits were thinking there could be a fight to replace Pelosi. And certainly there would be a big fight for the Democratic POTUS nomination. Pelosi, no surprise, organized quiet institutional change among insider institutionalists like Jeffries. Biden just hung on. Oh well. In hindsight, it's easy to argue that too many old people holding on to power for too long cost Democrats the election in 2024. The irony is that Trump is hardly young and fresh. And electing a Black Asian American woman POTUS would have been a fresh idea. Nevertheless, I say this for two reasons. A lot of Zoomers had a deep distaste for Biden that rubbed off on Harris. And many of these newer folks, even if they are not young, are the vanguard for a Sandernista/AOC/Mamdani style economic populism on the left. Less ICE, more child tax credits and ACA subsidies. We'll never know what would have happened if the torch had passed. But we do know it would have matched Trump's right-wing economic populism with some kind of left-wing economic populism that at least knew what it stood for. Our version of Mexico's AMLO. My simple mind keeps thing anything good Hecho en Mexico can work here. It seems clear this is the direction the Democratic Party is going. And wants to go. The action is in the reaction. After eight years of Trump "fight like hell" will be in the Democratic DNA in 2028. Just like eight years of Obama led the GOP to Trump. Mamdani is a big canary in a big apple mine. Slaughtered the metaphor. But you know what I mean. So my point is that this moment right now may be as close as we get to a "the torch has passed" moment. Pelosi is exiting. And there was just a long and good article in Politico about how Schumer is fading, perhaps not by choice. There is speculation that he may not even run again. And if he does AOC may kick his ass. The days when Schumer was the young dynamo who took out two decades of Al D'Amato seem to have ended. Long ago. Pelosi was a fighter, for sure. But she was as much of an institutionalist as you can get. As is Schumer. As was Biden. As was Harris. Although she was in the junior leagues and couldn't quite make the step up. This does not mean that it is inevitable that Democrats will nominate a died in the wool economic populist in 2028. But I do think whoever we do nominate will run as a fighter. And they will have to at least embrace economic populism.

In fairness, my full on MAGA niece, who loves Broadway, might make a different selection. [TUPTIM, spoken] The King is pleased! (sung) He is pleased with me! My Lord and Master Declares he's pleased with me— What does he mean? What does he know of me This lord and master? When he has looked at me what has he seen? Something young Soft and slim Painted cheek Tap'ring limb Smiling lips All for him Eyes that shine Just for him— So he thinks Just for him! Though the man may be My Lord and Master Though he may study me As hard as he can The smile beneath my smile He'll never see He'll never know, I love another man He'll never know, I love another man The poor piece of shit. Probably nobody ever loved him, and never will. Certainly not Melania.

Maybe if Mayor Pete runs you could be his running mate. It would add to diversity to the ticket. 😉