The Biden Presidency - 2020

[RainMaker]

That article downplays the fact that the discord was essentially for white supremacists.

[RainMaker]

Another article on the leaker. Washington Post seems to have stolen most of their information from it.


From Discord to 4chan: The Improbable Journey of a US Intelligence Leak - bellingcat

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Edward64

If the WaPo article is true, won't be long before (if not already) intelligence agencies identify the leaker.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/natio...ked-documents/

That facility sounds just lke one my friend works at. There are several hubs like that around the world, but there is a chance this is some he works with. The one in which he works has become the central classified information hub for the Eastern United States.

[JPhillips]

Remember when GOPers claimed to dislike legislating from the bench? From the Politico story on the 5th Appeals ruling on mifepristone:

Among the policies temporarily blocked by the court’s order: the FDA’s decision to expand mifepristone’s availability until the 10th week of pregnancy; authorization for retail pharmacies to dispense the drug; eliminating the requirement for in-person office visits to obtain a mifepristone prescription and allowing physicians to prescribe the pills via telemedicine; allowing non-physicians to prescribe or administer the drug; and ending a requirement for prescribers to report “non-fatal adverse events” related to mifepristone.

It isn't banned, just impossible to get!

[Edward64]

Biden suggests US government is close to identifying intel leaker

Let's hope Biden is right.

Wonder what the leaker is going through right now. Reaching out to a lawyer, trying to figure out how to get into a Russian embassy and asking for asylum, getting cash to skip to a non-extradition country etc. Sucks to be him knowing that his discord/gaming group has said what they've said already.

And unlike Snowden who did what he did out of principle, this guy seemingly did it to look OG to a small group.

Looking forward to learning more about this idiot.

[Edward64]

Supposedly identified. No pic yet

You're in a lot of trouble Jack.

Identity of the 'man responsible for the Pentagon top secret documents leak' | Daily Mail Online

Jack Teixeira, the leader of the Thug Shaker Central online private chat group, was named by the New York Times as the man behind one of the biggest national security breaches in the last decade.

[Thomkal]

I swear I did not leak any classfied documents to my friends here in my gaming group

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

I swear I did not leak any classfied documents to my friends here in my gaming group

Hey, what's this Dynasty Report entitled "Top Secret Russian Invasion of Ukraine Documents"?

SI

[Ghost Econ]

I'm sure Greg Abbott will try to pardon him.

[molson]

Nobody ever leaks anything cool here. Lame.

[RainMaker]

This is just a straight up bribe.

In 2014, one of Texas billionaire Harlan Crow’s companies quietly bought several lots on a residential street in Savannah, GA.

The seller? Crow’s friend & travel companion Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. ���� pic.twitter.com/4qHmat7YFe

— ProPublica (@propublica) April 13, 2023

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Supposedly identified. No pic yet

You're in a lot of trouble Jack.

Identity of the 'man responsible for the Pentagon top secret documents leak' | Daily Mail Online

They have arreted him. Air National Guard based out of Cape Cod. I had heard the documents were tied to Fort Bragg. It will be interesting to see how and where he ended up with them.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

Hey, what's this Dynasty Report entitled "Top Secret Russian Invasion of Ukraine Documents"?

SI

That is from my identical twin brother, not me.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by molson

Nobody ever leaks anything cool here. Lame.

How to fudge a bank statement and blackjack strategy don't count?

[Swaggs]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

This is just a straight up bribe.

In 2014, one of Texas billionaire Harlan Crow’s companies quietly bought several lots on a residential street in Savannah, GA.

The seller? Crow’s friend & travel companion Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. ���� pic.twitter.com/4qHmat7YFe

— ProPublica (@propublica) April 13, 2023

This is such an enormous story. A SC justice has been bought and paid for, right out in the open. If we are still a nation of laws, there needs to be some kind of consequence here.

I am not so confident that it won't get drowned out by sexier news and even less convinced that the GOP will do the right thing and force him into resigning (as if he has any shame) or impeach him. If the shoe was on the other foot, I don't know that the Dems would give up a seat on the SC, but no way the Republicans will do anything about it while Biden is in charge of choosing a successor.

[cuervo72]

The GOP absolutely won't force him into resigning. Or even acknowledge he did anything wrong. Zero chance.

[GrantDawg]

People on Twitter are shocked that a low-level soldier had access to these type of documents. Really, it is pretty common. How do people think these things get into the hands of Generals and even the President? Some low ranking kid prints them out and brings it to them. A Full Bird Colonel isn't working the printers. And some low ranking grunt is also going to be the one responsible for destroying them after use.

Sent from my SM-S916U using Tapatalk

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

People on Twitter are shocked that a low-level soldier had access to these type of documents. Really, it is pretty common. How do people think these things get into the hands of Generals and even the President? Some low ranking kid prints them out and brings it to them. A Full Bird Colonel isn't working the printers. And some low ranking grunt is also going to be the one responsible for destroying them after use.

Sent from my SM-S916U using Tapatalk

Eh, it's also the low ranking guys that compile most of these reports as well. Colonels and Generals are briefed on them and that's really it.

A bunch of E5s and below will put all the information together, an E6 or E7 will put it into a presentable state, a LT will make sure his name is attached, and a civilian boss will sign off on it. Who actually does the briefing can vary. Our day to day briefings were done by our newest soldiers as training and an experienced E4 or E5/E6 would brief the VIPs

[Edward64]

I think the bigger question is how was he able to take pictures of the TS stuff. Seems like a big miss if electronics are not secured while handling TS stuff?

And the really, really big question is how come all this stuff was floating out there for months without some sort of reaction. I get US didn't know about it but why not (so this doesn't happen again).

[GrantDawg]

Some good questions. My basic understanding is that you aren't allowed to carry any type of electronics in and out of areas where you can access this level of documents. I have no idea what level of search you go through entering/exiting, but there is something. Seems like I remember a time when my friend was station in Norfolk and threre was a security incident. He complained about how much longer it took to get to his work station because they added extra hoops to jump through.
There is going to be some pretty big overall on handling classified documents coming between this and the whole White House people taking documents home thing.

Sent from my SM-S916U using Tapatalk

[Atocep]

Security varies from place to place. There's usually a building you'll enter to badge in that's manned by MPs. That's the point where no electronic devices can go past. All the places I've worked it was voluntary surrender of those things, but that was also the early 2000s.

It's not easy to get the TS/SCI clearance and loss of clearance and arrest is usually a good enough deterant. Everyone does training several times a year on what you can't do, what to watch for, and the consequences of doing shit like this.

The biggest red flag to me in this isn't him having access to the documents or getting a camera past security, it's that he somehow got extended access to these documents by himself. That's what needs answers as that should have set off alarm bells.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

This is such an enormous story. A SC justice has been bought and paid for, right out in the open. If we are still a nation of laws, there needs to be some kind of consequence here.

Absolutely. I cannot agree enough. The extent of corruption here is very, very significant.

[stevew]

I guess it’s bad that I immediately suspected the Clintons when that Cash App guy got murdered.


https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65257806.amp

[JPhillips]

We know Harlan Crow collects things he hates, so isn't the obvious answer here that he hated Clarence Thomas' mother?

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by GrantDawg

Some low ranking kid prints them out and brings it to them. A Full Bird Colonel isn't working the printers. And some low ranking grunt is also going to be the one responsible for destroying them after use.

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking here -- he was probably the low-level grunt who was supposed to be shredding these, and he decided to stuff some into his pockets instead.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by stevew

I guess it’s bad that I immediately suspected the Clintons when that Cash App guy got murdered.


https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65257806.amp

The Clintons? In the sex trafficking pizza parlor? With a stained dress?

Is there a RWNJ Clue? If not, I see a grifting opportunity.

"It's George Soros. At the Drag Queen show. Death by Critical Race Theory."

"Is it one of the Kennedys? On Epstein's island? With a sexy M&M?" Actually, they might believe that one. Hell, I'm not even going to say that one's impossible (though I can't say I've ever tried to determine the fuckability of candy).

SI

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

(though I can't say I've ever tried to determine the fuckability of candy)

SI

You should look into Cadbury Creme Eggs

[Edward64]

Pretty much what you guys said about younger soldiers having access. Giving similar examples how & why.

A 21-year-old with top secret access? It’s not as rare as you think - POLITICO

It’s not uncommon for relatively junior service members to have access to top-secret information, according to DoD officials and experts.

Don't really know Moulton but his analysis below seems an over generalization.

In an interview, Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) said the issue of how military members handle classified information is “obviously something we’re gonna look at.”
:
“Not to take anything away from the severity of this incident and the criminality of this individual, but this is in some ways related to a broader issue that the U.S. military is facing with recruiting young Americans who — through social media or whatever else — feel incredibly entitled.

[sterlingice]

"Feel incredibly entitled" sounds like "I'm old" talk. I don't even know what that means in this context

SI

[Edward64]

She represents the district north of me. Glad she's not my representative.

Access Denied

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on Thursday defended the man arrested in connection with a high-profile investigation into leaked classified documents.

“Jake Teixeira is white, male, christian, and antiwar. That makes him an enemy to the Biden regime. And he told the truth about troops being on the ground in Ukraine and a lot more,” Greene, a member of the Homeland Security Committee, said on Twitter. "Ask yourself who is the real enemy?”

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Pretty much what you guys said about younger soldiers having access. Giving similar examples how & why.

A 21-year-old with top secret access? It’s not as rare as you think - POLITICO

Don't really know Moulton but his analysis below seems an over generalization.

He is definitely painting with a broad brush but some of the response comes off as a lot of "Not All _________" deflection.

Using the paragraph right below the one you highlighted gives more insight into what he was trying to say.

“I’ve seen this problem in other aspects of the military,” he continued. “This really is an issue that sort of seems to be a Gen Z issue where you get some of our youngest members of the military who feel particularly self important and entitled and therefore the rules don’t apply to them.”

Gen Z military members will more important and entitled because they are more important and that importance comes with entitlement. With the smaller force and more importantly the dearth of middle management (E-5s and E-6s and O-4s and O-5s with more than average time in grade), Gen Zers have been placed in positions that those ranks used to occupy. If there is a generational uniqueness in this case it is the rewards for actions like the ones Teixeira is accused of are things like clout and laughs nowadays. In the past, the rewards were money, love and/or sex.

[bob]

Originally Posted by Edward64

re: fixing Social Security (and Medicare) with tax increases, benefits cuts and/or increasing retirement age, the article had some interesting notes.

For increasing retirement age, this is a hint of the GOP starting position. So currently now at 67 (for most) to 70 born in 1978 or later. And also calculation of benefits based on 35 vs 40 years. If I was born in 1978+, I'd think this really sucked.

Social Security: Fixing the entitlement program involves hard choices | CNN Politics

Didn't know about below. Prob offset by lower medical premiums/deductibles. but will have to research more.


Below isn't intuitive to me, I always thought COLAs were a little behind. I looked him up but all I found were podcasts/YT and didn't bother watching it. I'd like to understand his assumptions & logic.

I can't wait for the 1-2-3 screw job I'm going to get of 1) removing the payroll cap, 2) not increasing the max benefit, 3) increasing the retirement age anyway. Likely followed by bonus screw job 4 of means testing by the time I finally get there.

Why do none of these fixes ever look at the current beneficiaries. Why not means test them, or decrease their benefits since they are getting significantly more even adjusting for inflation than beneficiaries were 20 years ago.

[Edward64]

Nice. I think it's time for some sort of IRS or Congressional investigation. In fact, I think they should periodically audit each SCOTUS. Wouldn't be surprise if there are irregularities by others.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/16/clar...tate-firm.html

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas reported on financial disclosure forms that his family has earned thousands of dollars in rental income from a Nebraska real estate firm that has been shuttered since 2006, according to a report by the Washington Post Sunday.

Thomas has reported income from a firm called Ginger, Ltd., Partnership over the last two decades, but in 2006 it was shut down and replaced by a new firm, the report said. The new firm, Ginger Holdings, LLC, is similarly named, but there is no mention of it in Thomas’ records.

I chuckled at below. I guess it could be paperwork error if the $ is a rounding error but that seems to be a pretty big sum for SCOTUS. And for it to occur multiple years ...

In recent years, Thomas reportedly continued to disclose between $50,000 and $100,000 in income from the old firm annually.

Even if the misstatement can be reduced to a paperwork error, it marks the latest question around the justice’s financial practices after a recent ProPublica report revealed Thomas has accepted secret luxury trips from Republican megadonor Harlan Crow for more than two decades in apparent violation of a financial disclosure law.

[Thomkal]

Not sure if this is tied into the leaker or not, but FBI and SDNY and others are going to have a press conference today at 1pm on 3 national security issues. Just in time for Jim Jordan's press conference on crime in NYC to be drowned out. Well done FBI

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

Not sure if this is tied into the leaker or not, but FBI and SDNY and others are going to have a press conference today at 1pm on 3 national security issues. Just in time for Jim Jordan's press conference on crime in NYC to be drowned out. Well done FBI

Jordan's hearing on NY crime in Manhattan has to be one of the wildest political stunts by the House in my lifetime and no one is surprised they're doing it.

If Trump is charged in Georgia I wonder what they're planning for that?

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by Atocep

Jordan's hearing on NY crime in Manhattan has to be one of the wildest political stunts by the House in my lifetime and no one is surprised they're doing it.

If Trump is charged in Georgia I wonder what they're planning for that?

That Georgia has the highest crime rate in the States since the DA took over no doubt!

[Edward64]

Got excited by NPR's title. Finally, the proposal ...

McCarthy outlines debt limit plan in NYSE speech : NPR

Speaker McCarthy outlines GOP debt limit plan, Democrats pan demands as extreme

But no, not a lot details.

The bolded section is interesting. No details on the $ amount in the article but another article said $4.2T spent out of $4.6T (ERROR: The request could not be satisfied. That's a lot of moola left on the table

House GOP debt limit proposal

The speaker said Monday that a "no-strings-attached debt limit cannot pass" and noted that as a Senator, Biden backed attaching spending reforms to legislation to lift the debt ceiling.

McCarthy, R-Calif, said the House would vote "in the coming weeks" on a bill that would raise the debt limit into an unspecified date 2024, reduce federal spending levels to those in place in 2022 and limit the growth of spending over the next 10 years to 1% annually. He pledged the GOP bill would do this "without touching Social Security and Medicare" and ensured that veterans would be taken care of.

McCarthy also said the bill would claw back unspent federal funds earmarked to respond to the pandemic, now that the President signed Republican legislation ending the federal emergency to the public health crisis.

House Republicans also plan to add work requirements for those adults without dependents who are enrolled in federal assistance programs like food stamps. "Incentives matter. And the incentives today are out of whack," McCarthy said.

Democrats have decried plans to change the rules for current federal benefits, warning it would mean more Americans will experience poverty.

[JPhillips]

The claw back won't happen as some GOP states have used that money for tax cuts and police spending.

[GrantDawg]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

That Georgia has the highest crime rate in the States since the DA took over no doubt!

Not Georgia. Fulton County. They won't slam the state, just Atlanta.

[Lathum]

McCarthy stuck to the Trump plan. Say you have something of substance but then when it is time to produce it blame the other side for acting in bad faith. I am 100% certain they will let us default because it makes Biden look bad.

[RainMaker]

Looks like they won't let the Dems replace Feinstein. So no new judges unless she resigns. Just the most incompetent party.

Sen Cornyn says he’s a no on temporarily replacing Sen Feinstein and that he doesn’t believe there are 10 R votes there for it.

— Liz Goodwin (@lizcgoodwin) April 17, 2023

[RainMaker]

Is there a way to remove a Senator before their term is up? Stories have been out for a long time about how Feinstein has dementia. A reporter today mentioned that she introduced herself as Mayor a few times recently. It's pretty clear she is unfit for office and is being used by people. But I genuinely don't know what the process is if a Senator is unfit and doesn't resign.

[Jas_lov]

She should retire but couldn't Shumer also change the rules to let a replacement through with 50 votes. Machin and Sinema might block it but at least try.

[Edward64]

You go Joe. You'll be 82-86 in your 2nd term.

You really are too old for my liking but do believe you are the best insurance vs Trump if he get's the nomination. If he doesn't get the nomination, then you may be in trouble.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/20/bide...next-week.html

President Joe Biden is preparing to make his intention to seek a second term official next week, with advisers planning to launch his re-election campaign as soon as Tuesday, three sources familiar with the plans said.

Even as advisers have said for months that no formal timetable had been settled on to launch Biden’s 2024 campaign, they have long eyed April 25, the anniversary of Biden’s 2020 campaign announcement, as an informal target. And as he did four years ago, Biden would launch his candidacy with a campaign video message, the sources said.

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

She should retire but couldn't Shumer also change the rules to let a replacement through with 50 votes. Machin and Sinema might block it but at least try.

They won't do that so I think they're just stuck. Probably not a good idea to put someone with dementia on such an important committee, but Dems never really care about the courts. They'll be sure to tell us all how we need to vote for them though to prevent nutjob judges from getting nominated.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Edward64

You go Joe. You'll be 82-86 in your 2nd term.

You really are too old for my liking but do believe you are the best insurance vs Trump if he get's the nomination. If he doesn't get the nomination, then you may be in trouble.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/20/bide...next-week.html

Congrats Joe.

President Joe Biden formally announced his bid for reelection Tuesday, setting off a battle to convince the country his record merits another four years in the White House and his age won’t impede his ability to govern.

More than ever, it does bring to the forefront what happens if Biden shows significant cognitive decline leading up to the election. If anyone at his age can stay relatively "sharp", I'd think it would be the POTUS who is challenged daily to use his mental capacities, decision making, doesn't seem to have a bad diet, works out with weights & cardio etc. Hope he has great genes.

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by Rainmaker

Is there a way to remove a Senator before their term is up? Stories have been out for a long time about how Feinstein has dementia. A reporter today mentioned that she introduced herself as Mayor a few times recently. It's pretty clear she is unfit for office and is being used by people. But I genuinely don't know what the process is if a Senator is unfit and doesn't resign.

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

She should retire but couldn't Shumer also change the rules to let a replacement through with 50 votes. Machin and Sinema might block it but at least try.

Schumer can't do that. At issue, to answer Rainmaker's question, is the Constitutional provision on this:

Originally Posted by Article 1, Section 5, US Constitution

Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish its Members for disorderly Behaviour, and, with the Concurrence of two thirds, expel a Member.

A constitutional amendment to change this would of course be an even higher bar.

[RainMaker]

It sounds like they have to hope she resigns, or they've committed a pretty bad own goal. Can't fathom they could expel her because that would go against the norms for Democrats and Republicans are more than happy to have Democrats down a Senator and unable to confirm judges.


What a shitshow this will be if there is a SCOTUS opening.

[JPhillips]

What they could do is change the rules so a 50-50 vote in committee advances to the floor. Sinema may balk at that, but I bet Manchin would let it go through.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

It sounds like they have to hope she resigns, or they've committed a pretty bad own goal. Can't fathom they could expel her because that would go against the norms for Democrats and Republicans are more than happy to have Democrats down a Senator and unable to confirm judges.


What a shitshow this will be if there is a SCOTUS opening.

Even if she resigns they then have to hope the GOP agrees to allow her to be replaced on committees.