Matt Gaetz reported to be leaving the House - Page 5

angrysoba · 1st April 2021, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy

Yeah, I think the GOP wants him to go away rather than circle the wagons around him. Don't you think Gaetz prefers Newsmax to Fox now?

Yeah, maybe. I really don’t know as I never watch either except for clips. I’m just making a joke at Gaetz’s expense. Fox is surely more prestigious and has bigger viewing figures, no?

I just thought it might be funny if instead of getting some kind of sweet deal where he gets his own show like Tucker Carlson, he ends up doing vox pops for Newsmax wandering the streets of Kentucky and asking the denizens “would you vote for multimillionaire succeed story Donald J Trump or doddering geriatric sleepy Joe Biden? Oh and wanna see some nudes?”

Skeptic Ginger · 1st April 2021, 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy

Are you missing the point?

Right. The 2 Senators and 9 House members are all Democrats. Democrats aren't Republicans.

Yes, of course. That's the point. Republicans aren't tolerant of gays.

You missed my edit but no worries. Of course GOP legislators aren't tolerant, they court intolerant voters. That means some of them are going to be closeted gays if they are gay. Just because they court intolerant voters doesn't mean they themselves aren't LGBTQ.

Just like Gaetz is possibly lusting after young girls the way Judge Moore ~~did~~ does.

smartcooky · 1st April 2021, 06:10 PM

Originally Posted by angrysoba

Yeah, maybe. I really don’t know as I never watch either except for clips. I’m just making a joke at Gaetz’s expense. Fox is surely more prestigious and has bigger viewing figures, no?

Yup... the right wing media is a septic tank, and Fox is at the top... because the biggest pieces of **** always float to the top!

Skeptic Ginger · 1st April 2021, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by smartcooky

No, you have misread my post. I'm not anti-gay, I'm very much for the concept that people have the right to be who they are (within the law) without judgement from me or anyone else.

What I am praising is those Republicans pressuring Craig to resign, not because he was gay, but because he committed a criminal act. Performing a sex act in a public area (gay or otherwise) is a crime - if you get caught shagging a woman in a public area, you have been caught committing a crime (just ask actor Hugh Grant)

Unfortunately that standard has long since lapsed - no matter what vile things (including crimes) GOP congress-critters commit these days, their tribe backs their fellow tribe member to the hilt.

I think Craig getting caught (and it was nasty in the GOP hypocritical eye) had a lot more to do with it than his breaking the law. Look how many of the GOP hypocrites break the law.

dudalb · 1st April 2021, 06:12 PM

Originally Posted by angrysoba

I am pretty sure the GOP want Gaetz to go away. I mean, he is leaving the House after all. Isn’t it pretty likely that this was decided by GOP insiders?

“Sorry, we’re going to have to get rid of you. We’ll set up some cable news job for you...”

“Oh really? I’m getting my own show on Fox?”

“Dream on. It’s Newsmax.”

Yes, Goetz is damaged goods at this point. He is now going to compete with Taylor Green as the face of the GOP for the Democrats.

angrysoba · 1st April 2021, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by dudalb

Yes, Goetz is damaged goods at this point. He is now going to compete with Taylor Green as the face of the GOP for the Democrats.

At this rate he could end up GOP nomination favourite.

RecoveringYuppy · 1st April 2021, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by smartcooky

No, you have misread my post. I'm not anti-gay, I'm very much for the concept that people have the right to be who they are (within the law) without judgement from me or anyone else.

This is worth coming back to. Note that I was just asking since I didn't recall you being anti-gay. I should have worded my question to you differently to make it clear I expected your answer would be that you didn't mean to be anti-gay. Sorry, about that.

Stacyhs · 1st April 2021, 06:21 PM

Gaetz is just following in the steps of his hero, Trump, bragging about all the women he's slept with and acting like a high school jerk in the locker room. Same mentality. Why is this surprising to anyone?

angrysoba · 1st April 2021, 06:22 PM

Originally Posted by Stacyhs

Gaetz is just following in the steps of his hero, Trump, bragging about all the women he's slept with and acting like a high school jerk in the locker room. Same mentality. Why is this surprising to anyone?

I don’t think anyone is expressing surprise.

Stacyhs · 1st April 2021, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by angrysoba

I don’t think anyone is expressing surprise.

It was a rhetorical question.

smartcooky · 1st April 2021, 06:40 PM

Originally Posted by Stacyhs

Gaetz is just following in the steps of his hero, Trump, bragging about all the women he's slept with and acting like a high school jerk in the locker room. Same mentality. Why is this surprising to anyone?

Oh yes

https://news.yahoo.com/republicans-w...085759179.html

Gaetz—the Trump-loving, Fox News-grinning, 38-year-old Florida Republican—has a less-than-sterling reputation among his congressional colleagues. More than a half-dozen lawmakers have spoken to these reporters about his love of alcohol and illegal drugs, as well as his proclivity for younger women. It’s well-known among Republican lawmakers that Gaetz was dating a college student—one over the age of consent—in 2018. She came to Washington as an intern.

Norman Alexander · 1st April 2021, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by smartcooky

Oh yes

https://news.yahoo.com/republicans-w...085759179.html

Gaetz—the Trump-loving, Fox News-grinning, 38-year-old Florida Republican—has a less-than-sterling reputation among his congressional colleagues. More than a half-dozen lawmakers have spoken to these reporters about his love of alcohol and illegal drugs, as well as his proclivity for younger women. It’s well-known among Republican lawmakers that Gaetz was dating a college student—one over the age of consent—in 2018. She came to Washington as an intern.

Did she smoke his cigar for him? Wear a blue dress?

carlitos · 1st April 2021, 07:40 PM

I’ll take “songs about inappropriate relationships with 17-year-old girls”for $400, Alex.

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I AGREE

Gord_in_Toronto · 1st April 2021, 07:54 PM

Latest update from The New York Times:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/01/u...epartment.html

Quote:

A Justice Department investigation into Representative Matt Gaetz and an indicted Florida politician is focusing on their involvement with multiple women who were recruited online for sex and received cash payments, according to people close to the investigation and text messages and payment receipts reviewed by The New York Times.

Craig4 · 1st April 2021, 08:04 PM

Today was Republicans playing to an audience of one. It was Republicans not wanting to vote against Trump's golden boy while still wanting to be rid of him. The safe, middle ground was to leak that he shared the videos and communicate that he's got no friends. Republicans who want to be rid of Trump but still fear him can force a nuisance out but not have to vote against Trump's wishes.

Elagabalus · 1st April 2021, 08:26 PM

Originally Posted by carlitos

I’ll take “songs about inappropriate relationships with 17-year-old girls”for $400, Alex.

YouTube Video This video is not hosted by the ISF. The ISF can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website.

I AGREE

******* hell. FINALLY!! What was that? Like 4 tries before someone gets Gaetz's style.

Varanid · 1st April 2021, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by Minoosh

I want a preposition in there, but putting it at the end of the sentence is also jarring and putting it in the middle of the sentence sounds stilted. To wit:

"There’s no age that you can’t be sexy."
"There's no age that you can't be sexy at."
"There's no age at which you can't be sexy."

To avoid the issue I would rephrase: "You can be sexy at any age."

Thank you for that.
There's a reason many publishers frown upon "there are/there is" construction.

smartcooky · 1st April 2021, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by Minoosh

I think your question was answered to your satisfaction long ago. Yes, Gaetz quoted the tweet (the thumb pointing down told me that. The implications of the quote didn't really strike me; the phrase just doesn't sound correct to me. I want a preposition in there, but putting it at the end of the sentence is also jarring and putting it in the middle of the sentence sounds stilted. To wit:

"There’s no age that you can’t be sexy."
"There's no age that you can't be sexy at."
"There's no age at which you can't be sexy."

To avoid the issue I would rephrase: "You can be sexy at any age."

I have a compulsion to smooth out prose; wish someone would pay me to do it again

Gaetz looks like someone trying to project a wholesome image. That always creeps me out.

The highlighted violates Coxon's Law (named after a school teacher friend of mine).

"Never use a preposition to end a sentence with"
- Jim Coxon, Beckenham School, Christchurch c. 1975

Elagabalus · 1st April 2021, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by smartcooky

The highlighted violates Coxon's Law (named after a school teacher friend of mine).

"Never use a preposition to end a sentence with"
- Jim Coxon, Beckenham School, Christchurch c. 1975

I was hoping it was going to be something a little more untoward with a name like Coxon's Law.

smartcooky · 1st April 2021, 09:02 PM

Originally Posted by Elagabalus

I was hoping it was going to be something a little more untoward with a name like Coxon's Law.

Its humour... read that law carefully!

Its actually Coxon's Second Law. Perhaps it might make the nature of his Laws more clear if I quote a couple of others.

First Law: "Splitting infinitives is something to never do"

Third Law: "Redundancy is something to never, never use at any time at all"

Fourth Law: "Do not string too many prepositional phrases together unless you are walking along a path by the road through the valley of the shadow of death"

Fifth Law: "Do not use no double negatives"

I have them all written down somewhere, but those are the only ones I can remember off-hand.

IIRC there were about 20 of them - if I can find them, I might make a post in the humour section

DevilsAdvocate · 1st April 2021, 10:33 PM

Originally Posted by Beelzebuddy

He looks like Heat Miser and Bill Hader had a baby they abandoned in a novelty suit store.

He looks like the love child of Ace Ventura and Ray Liotta attending a "silly suit" costume party at Sigma Chi while trying to memorize the answers to the stolen test questions to get a solid C passing grade. High five. Smirnoff Ice chug. Dick slap! Daddy's rich. Good enough for government work. Sexy at any age.

Elagabalus · 1st April 2021, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by DevilsAdvocate

He looks like the love child of Ace Ventura and Ray Liotta attending a "silly suit" costume party at Sigma Chi while trying to memorize the answers to the stolen test questions to get a solid C passing grade. High five. Smirnoff Ice chug. Dick slap! Daddy's rich. Good enough for government work. Sexy at any age.

Upvote dude!

Elagabalus · 1st April 2021, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by carlitos

That is such a bad feeling. Not as bad as that feeling when you realize that you have a plane ticket and hotel room for a 17 year old on your AMEX, but looking down and realizing that your "spade" flush has two Jacks in it or whatever, just awful.

No AMEX but Apple Pay and Cash App. Close enough?

Arcade22 · 2nd April 2021, 05:23 AM

Originally Posted by Darat

That’s how it is in most countries nothing US specific, the law can’t take into account the vagaries of an individual’s ability to consent to sex so an arbitrary line has to be drawn.

It should be noted that in most countries, if someone is above the age of consent with regards to sex, then it's also legal to bring them across state or provincial borders. If they are paid to travel with them, in a kind of "sugar daddy" style prostitution, it would possibly be illegal even if it might be quite hard to prove in court. That straddles the line between what you could call a legal "transactional relationship" and illegal prostitution.

Segnosaur · 2nd April 2021, 05:33 AM

It may just be coincidence, but Gaetz was the only Republican (actually the only house representative) to vote against a human trafficking bill back in 2017.

https://www.politifact.com/factcheck...-trafficking-/

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JoeMorgue · 2nd April 2021, 06:12 AM

Originally Posted by Segnosaur

It may just be coincidence, but Gaetz was the only Republican (actually the only house representative) to vote against a human trafficking bill back in 2017.

As delicious as that irony would be (and to be 100% clear I'm not saying self interest wasn't a factor in that) that's probably more a case of Gaetz being one of the new wave of pure troll Republicans who "Pointless Contrarian" is one of their primary go-to responses.

It may be that he saw the bill as a personal threat to him (although honestly even he's not so thick as not get that the bill was going to pass anyway) but honestly it's probably more a case of him just being the legislative equivalent to the internet troll who thinks being the lone standout against a popular opinion is somehow inherently noble or useful, the legislative equivalent to the jerkwads online who are the reason you can't say "Water is wet" on the internet without not only someone taking time out of their goddamn day to disagree with you, but acting like they are doing you a favor by doing it.

shemp · 2nd April 2021, 06:29 AM

Originally Posted by smartcooky

The highlighted violates Coxon's Law (named after a school teacher friend of mine).

"Never use a preposition to end a sentence with"
- Jim Coxon, Beckenham School, Christchurch c. 1975

I'm sure Gaetz has ended many sentences with a proposition.

timhau · 2nd April 2021, 06:35 AM

Originally Posted by carlitos

I’ll take “songs about inappropriate relationships with 17-year-old girls”for $400, Alex.

YouTube Video This video is not hosted by the ISF. The ISF can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website.

I AGREE

They got nuthin' on Chucky Lee Byrd.

YouTube Video This video is not hosted by the ISF. The ISF can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website.

I AGREE

eerok · 2nd April 2021, 06:58 AM

Congrats to the GOP for giving us someone else as creepy and punchable as Ted Cruz.

timhau · 2nd April 2021, 07:17 AM

Originally Posted by eerok

Congrats to the GOP for giving us someone else as creepy and punchable as Ted Cruz.

Punchable, yes. Creepy... no. Unless Ted has a lot of teenage/prepubescent skeletons buried somewhere, Gaetz wins the creep contest hands down.

eerok · 2nd April 2021, 07:33 AM

Originally Posted by timhau

Punchable, yes. Creepy... no. Unless Ted has a lot of teenage/prepubescent skeletons buried somewhere, Gaetz wins the creep contest hands down.

Well, Cruz is also creepy in the slimy, faux human sense.

Gaetz has pulled into the lead if it's a contest, though.

Horatius · 2nd April 2021, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy

Yeah, I think the GOP wants him to go away rather than circle the wagons around him. Don't you think Gaetz prefers Newsmax to Fox now?

But consider this - how many times have we seen them circle the wagons around someone who was clearly just as guilty of the same kind of creepy/illegal stuff? Rapey McDrunkface, Judge Hebephile, "President" Trump.

So why abandon this creep now? Why aren't they doubling down on him like they did with everyone else?

The way I figure it, they've got some inside scoop on some things he did that are even worse than what we've heard - so much worse that even the modern GOP realized they couldn't pull off saving this guy.

And that's got to be pretty fracking bad. It will be interesting to see what the FBI and DoJ have to say when they're finally ready to pull the trigger on this guy.

RolandRat · 2nd April 2021, 08:00 AM

Originally Posted by Mumbles

but the guy's in his mid-late 30s - a guy that age really shouldn't be with a high-school age girl.

Do you mean in general or in this specific instance?

carlitos · 2nd April 2021, 08:10 AM

Originally Posted by Elagabalus

No AMEX but Apple Pay and Cash App. Close enough?

Yep - I was thinking of travel costs and maybe gifts. I hadn't even dreamt that he would have directly paid some girl like a sugar daddy thing. What a dope.

I had one friend that used to show us nude photos of his gal pals; it was always creepy and almost never appreciated.

timhau · 2nd April 2021, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by Mumbles

but the guy's in his mid-late 30s - a guy that age really shouldn't be with a high-school age girl.

Originally Posted by RolandRat

Do you mean in general or in this specific instance?

By the half-your-age-plus-seven rule, in general.

RecoveringYuppy · 2nd April 2021, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by Horatius

But consider this - how many times have we seen them circle the wagons around someone who was clearly just as guilty of the same kind of creepy/illegal stuff? Rapey McDrunkface, Judge Hebephile, "President" Trump.

Yeah, that's worth thinking about. Except, I don't think Trump belongs on that list. His base of political supporters explains why he gets a pass from the GOP.

JoeMorgue · 2nd April 2021, 09:15 AM

We're still in a state of Schrödinger's Politics right now.

The Right was completely full of big dickhead energy because they owned the Presidency, the branch of Congress that can actually do anything, the Supreme Court, and the country's top law enforcement and prosecutors. That pretty much has all your escape routes covered.

They don't now so they don't know what they can get away with. Expect a lot of them trying to get a feel for how far they are allowed to go now before the new Mommy and Daddy smack them on the hand.

Lurch · 2nd April 2021, 09:28 AM

Originally Posted by JoeMorgue

We're still in a state of Schrödinger's Politics right now.

The Right was completely full of big dickhead energy because they owned the Presidency, the branch of Congress that can actually do anything, the Supreme Court, and the country's top law enforcement and prosecutors. That pretty much has all your escape routes covered.

They don't now so they don't know what they can get away with. Expect a lot of them trying to get a feel for how far they are allowed to go now before the new Mommy and Daddy smack them on the hand.

Such as McCarthy keeping the creep on the Judiciary Committe (!) until an indictment should come down. In Universe Prime, an active investigation would have a member instantly removed from such an assignment. Especially here because of the conflict involved where the subject of an investigation exercises oversight over the department conducting the investigation.

Mumbles · 2nd April 2021, 09:54 AM

Originally Posted by timhau

By the half-your-age-plus-seven rule, in general.

Not getting drawn into a discussion on specifics. All I'll say is that if that's all it was, I kinda have to lean towards "I don't respect you, but I'm still serious about reducing the number of people in prisons".

And even when I posted it, that didn't sound like all there was - much less now.

dudalb · 2nd April 2021, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by smartcooky

Oh yes

https://news.yahoo.com/republicans-w...085759179.html

Gaetz—the Trump-loving, Fox News-grinning, 38-year-old Florida Republican—has a less-than-sterling reputation among his congressional colleagues. More than a half-dozen lawmakers have spoken to these reporters about his love of alcohol and illegal drugs, as well as his proclivity for younger women. It’s well-known among Republican lawmakers that Gaetz was dating a college student—one over the age of consent—in 2018. She came to Washington as an intern.

One columnist says on reason why Gaetz's political career is probably doomed is that most of his fellow GOP congressmen can't stand him.

1st April 2021, 05:41 PM	#161
angrysoba Philosophile Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Osaka, Japan Posts: 29,608	Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy Yeah, I think the GOP wants him to go away rather than circle the wagons around him. Don't you think Gaetz prefers Newsmax to Fox now? Yeah, maybe. I really don’t know as I never watch either except for clips. I’m just making a joke at Gaetz’s expense. Fox is surely more prestigious and has bigger viewing figures, no? I just thought it might be funny if instead of getting some kind of sweet deal where he gets his own show like Tucker Carlson, he ends up doing vox pops for Newsmax wandering the streets of Kentucky and asking the denizens “would you vote for multimillionaire succeed story Donald J Trump or doddering geriatric sleepy Joe Biden? Oh and wanna see some nudes?”
	__________________ "The thief and the murderer follow nature just as much as the philanthropist. Cosmic evolution may teach us how the good and the evil tendencies of man may have come about; but, in itself, it is incompetent to furnish any better reason why what we call good is preferable to what we call evil than we had before." "Evolution and Ethics" T.H. Huxley (1893)

1st April 2021, 06:10 PM	#163
smartcooky Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Nelson, New Zealand Posts: 17,186	Originally Posted by angrysoba Yeah, maybe. I really don’t know as I never watch either except for clips. I’m just making a joke at Gaetz’s expense. Fox is surely more prestigious and has bigger viewing figures, no? Yup... the right wing media is a septic tank, and Fox is at the top... because the biggest pieces of **** always float to the top!
	__________________ I want to thank the 126 Republican Congress members for providing a convenient and well organized list for the mid-terms. - Fred Wellman (Senior VA Advisor to The Lincoln Project) If you don't like my posts, my opinions, or my directness then put me on your ignore list. This will be of benefit to both of us; you won't have to take umbrage at my posts, and I won't have to waste my time talking to you... simples! !

1st April 2021, 06:12 PM	#165
dudalb Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sacramento Posts: 50,537	Originally Posted by angrysoba I am pretty sure the GOP want Gaetz to go away. I mean, he is leaving the House after all. Isn’t it pretty likely that this was decided by GOP insiders? “Sorry, we’re going to have to get rid of you. We’ll set up some cable news job for you...” “Oh really? I’m getting my own show on Fox?” “Dream on. It’s Newsmax.” Yes, Goetz is damaged goods at this point. He is now going to compete with Taylor Green as the face of the GOP for the Democrats.
	__________________ Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty. Robert Heinlein.

1st April 2021, 06:15 PM	#166
angrysoba Philosophile Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Osaka, Japan Posts: 29,608	Originally Posted by dudalb Yes, Goetz is damaged goods at this point. He is now going to compete with Taylor Green as the face of the GOP for the Democrats. At this rate he could end up GOP nomination favourite.
	__________________ "The thief and the murderer follow nature just as much as the philanthropist. Cosmic evolution may teach us how the good and the evil tendencies of man may have come about; but, in itself, it is incompetent to furnish any better reason why what we call good is preferable to what we call evil than we had before." "Evolution and Ethics" T.H. Huxley (1893)

1st April 2021, 06:22 PM	#169
angrysoba Philosophile Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Osaka, Japan Posts: 29,608	Originally Posted by Stacyhs Gaetz is just following in the steps of his hero, Trump, bragging about all the women he's slept with and acting like a high school jerk in the locker room. Same mentality. Why is this surprising to anyone? I don’t think anyone is expressing surprise.
	__________________ "The thief and the murderer follow nature just as much as the philanthropist. Cosmic evolution may teach us how the good and the evil tendencies of man may have come about; but, in itself, it is incompetent to furnish any better reason why what we call good is preferable to what we call evil than we had before." "Evolution and Ethics" T.H. Huxley (1893)

1st April 2021, 06:08 PM	#162
Skeptic Ginger Nasty Woman Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 87,819	Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy Are you missing the point? Right. The 2 Senators and 9 House members are all Democrats. Democrats aren't Republicans. Yes, of course. That's the point. Republicans aren't tolerant of gays. You missed my edit but no worries. Of course GOP legislators aren't tolerant, they court intolerant voters. That means some of them are going to be closeted gays if they are gay. Just because they court intolerant voters doesn't mean they themselves aren't LGBTQ. Just like Gaetz is possibly lusting after young girls the way Judge Moore ~~did~~ does.

1st April 2021, 06:11 PM	#164
Skeptic Ginger Nasty Woman Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 87,819	Originally Posted by smartcooky No, you have misread my post. I'm not anti-gay, I'm very much for the concept that people have the right to be who they are (within the law) without judgement from me or anyone else. What I am praising is those Republicans pressuring Craig to resign, not because he was gay, but because he committed a criminal act. Performing a sex act in a public area (gay or otherwise) is a crime - if you get caught shagging a woman in a public area, you have been caught committing a crime (just ask actor Hugh Grant) Unfortunately that standard has long since lapsed - no matter what vile things (including crimes) GOP congress-critters commit these days, their tribe backs their fellow tribe member to the hilt. I think Craig getting caught (and it was nasty in the GOP hypocritical eye) had a lot more to do with it than his breaking the law. Look how many of the GOP hypocrites break the law.

1st April 2021, 06:17 PM	#167
RecoveringYuppy Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 10,986	Originally Posted by smartcooky No, you have misread my post. I'm not anti-gay, I'm very much for the concept that people have the right to be who they are (within the law) without judgement from me or anyone else. This is worth coming back to. Note that I was just asking since I didn't recall you being anti-gay. I should have worded my question to you differently to make it clear I expected your answer would be that you didn't mean to be anti-gay. Sorry, about that.

1st April 2021, 06:21 PM	#168
Stacyhs Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: United States Posts: 18,221	Gaetz is just following in the steps of his hero, Trump, bragging about all the women he's slept with and acting like a high school jerk in the locker room. Same mentality. Why is this surprising to anyone?

1st April 2021, 06:36 PM	#170
Stacyhs Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: United States Posts: 18,221	Originally Posted by angrysoba I don’t think anyone is expressing surprise. It was a rhetorical question.

1st April 2021, 06:40 PM	#171
smartcooky Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Nelson, New Zealand Posts: 17,186	Originally Posted by Stacyhs Gaetz is just following in the steps of his hero, Trump, bragging about all the women he's slept with and acting like a high school jerk in the locker room. Same mentality. Why is this surprising to anyone? Oh yes https://news.yahoo.com/republicans-w...085759179.html Gaetz—the Trump-loving, Fox News-grinning, 38-year-old Florida Republican—has a less-than-sterling reputation among his congressional colleagues. More than a half-dozen lawmakers have spoken to these reporters about his love of alcohol and illegal drugs, as well as his proclivity for younger women. It’s well-known among Republican lawmakers that Gaetz was dating a college student—one over the age of consent—in 2018. She came to Washington as an intern.
	__________________ I want to thank the 126 Republican Congress members for providing a convenient and well organized list for the mid-terms. - Fred Wellman (Senior VA Advisor to The Lincoln Project) If you don't like my posts, my opinions, or my directness then put me on your ignore list. This will be of benefit to both of us; you won't have to take umbrage at my posts, and I won't have to waste my time talking to you... simples! !

1st April 2021, 07:12 PM	#172
Norman Alexander Philosopher Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Gundungurra Posts: 9,156	Originally Posted by smartcooky Oh yes https://news.yahoo.com/republicans-w...085759179.html Gaetz—the Trump-loving, Fox News-grinning, 38-year-old Florida Republican—has a less-than-sterling reputation among his congressional colleagues. More than a half-dozen lawmakers have spoken to these reporters about his love of alcohol and illegal drugs, as well as his proclivity for younger women. It’s well-known among Republican lawmakers that Gaetz was dating a college student—one over the age of consent—in 2018. She came to Washington as an intern. Did she smoke his cigar for him? Wear a blue dress?
	__________________ _{...our governments are just trying to protect us from terror. In the same way that someone banging a hornets’ nest with a stick is trying to protect us from hornets. Frankie Boyle, Guardian, July 2015}

1st April 2021, 07:54 PM	#174
Gord_in_Toronto Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 20,586	Latest update from The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/01/u...epartment.html Quote: A Justice Department investigation into Representative Matt Gaetz and an indicted Florida politician is focusing on their involvement with multiple women who were recruited online for sex and received cash payments, according to people close to the investigation and text messages and payment receipts reviewed by The New York Times.
	__________________ "Reality is what's left when you cease to believe." Philip K. Dick

1st April 2021, 08:04 PM	#175
Craig4 Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: I live in a swamp Posts: 22,840	Today was Republicans playing to an audience of one. It was Republicans not wanting to vote against Trump's golden boy while still wanting to be rid of him. The safe, middle ground was to leak that he shared the videos and communicate that he's got no friends. Republicans who want to be rid of Trump but still fear him can force a nuisance out but not have to vote against Trump's wishes.

1st April 2021, 08:32 PM	#177
Varanid Master Poster Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 2,287	Originally Posted by Minoosh I want a preposition in there, but putting it at the end of the sentence is also jarring and putting it in the middle of the sentence sounds stilted. To wit: "There’s no age that you can’t be sexy." "There's no age that you can't be sexy at." "There's no age at which you can't be sexy." To avoid the issue I would rephrase: "You can be sexy at any age." Thank you for that. There's a reason many publishers frown upon "there are/there is" construction.
Varanid Master Poster Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 2,287	__________________ "I love the poorly educated" -- Donald Trump

1st April 2021, 08:44 PM	#178
smartcooky Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Nelson, New Zealand Posts: 17,186	Originally Posted by Minoosh I think your question was answered to your satisfaction long ago. Yes, Gaetz quoted the tweet (the thumb pointing down told me that. The implications of the quote didn't really strike me; the phrase just doesn't sound correct to me. I want a preposition in there, but putting it at the end of the sentence is also jarring and putting it in the middle of the sentence sounds stilted. To wit: "There’s no age that you can’t be sexy." "There's no age that you can't be sexy at." "There's no age at which you can't be sexy." To avoid the issue I would rephrase: "You can be sexy at any age." I have a compulsion to smooth out prose; wish someone would pay me to do it again Gaetz looks like someone trying to project a wholesome image. That always creeps me out. The highlighted violates Coxon's Law (named after a school teacher friend of mine). "Never use a preposition to end a sentence with" - Jim Coxon, Beckenham School, Christchurch c. 1975
	__________________ I want to thank the 126 Republican Congress members for providing a convenient and well organized list for the mid-terms. - Fred Wellman (Senior VA Advisor to The Lincoln Project) If you don't like my posts, my opinions, or my directness then put me on your ignore list. This will be of benefit to both of us; you won't have to take umbrage at my posts, and I won't have to waste my time talking to you... simples! ! Last edited by smartcooky; 1st April 2021 at 08:46 PM.

1st April 2021, 08:50 PM	#179
Elagabalus Philosopher Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 7,012	Originally Posted by smartcooky The highlighted violates Coxon's Law (named after a school teacher friend of mine). "Never use a preposition to end a sentence with" - Jim Coxon, Beckenham School, Christchurch c. 1975 I was hoping it was going to be something a little more untoward with a name like Coxon's Law.
Elagabalus Philosopher Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 7,012

1st April 2021, 09:02 PM	#180
smartcooky Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Nelson, New Zealand Posts: 17,186	Originally Posted by Elagabalus I was hoping it was going to be something a little more untoward with a name like Coxon's Law. Its humour... read that law carefully! Its actually Coxon's Second Law. Perhaps it might make the nature of his Laws more clear if I quote a couple of others. First Law: "Splitting infinitives is something to never do" Third Law: "Redundancy is something to never, never use at any time at all" Fourth Law: "Do not string too many prepositional phrases together unless you are walking along a path by the road through the valley of the shadow of death" Fifth Law: "Do not use no double negatives" I have them all written down somewhere, but those are the only ones I can remember off-hand. IIRC there were about 20 of them - if I can find them, I might make a post in the humour section
	__________________ I want to thank the 126 Republican Congress members for providing a convenient and well organized list for the mid-terms. - Fred Wellman (Senior VA Advisor to The Lincoln Project) If you don't like my posts, my opinions, or my directness then put me on your ignore list. This will be of benefit to both of us; you won't have to take umbrage at my posts, and I won't have to waste my time talking to you... simples! ! Last edited by smartcooky; 1st April 2021 at 09:19 PM.

1st April 2021, 10:33 PM	#181
DevilsAdvocate Philosopher Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,584	Originally Posted by Beelzebuddy He looks like Heat Miser and Bill Hader had a baby they abandoned in a novelty suit store. He looks like the love child of Ace Ventura and Ray Liotta attending a "silly suit" costume party at Sigma Chi while trying to memorize the answers to the stolen test questions to get a solid C passing grade. High five. Smirnoff Ice chug. Dick slap! Daddy's rich. Good enough for government work. Sexy at any age.
	__________________ I don't need to fight to prove I'm right. - Baba O'Riley

1st April 2021, 10:45 PM	#182
Elagabalus Philosopher Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 7,012	Originally Posted by DevilsAdvocate He looks like the love child of Ace Ventura and Ray Liotta attending a "silly suit" costume party at Sigma Chi while trying to memorize the answers to the stolen test questions to get a solid C passing grade. High five. Smirnoff Ice chug. Dick slap! Daddy's rich. Good enough for government work. Sexy at any age. Upvote dude!
Elagabalus Philosopher Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 7,012

1st April 2021, 10:49 PM	#183
Elagabalus Philosopher Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 7,012	Originally Posted by carlitos That is such a bad feeling. Not as bad as that feeling when you realize that you have a plane ticket and hotel room for a 17 year old on your AMEX, but looking down and realizing that your "spade" flush has two Jacks in it or whatever, just awful. No AMEX but Apple Pay and Cash App. Close enough?
Elagabalus Philosopher Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 7,012

2nd April 2021, 05:23 AM	#184
Arcade22 Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 6,823	Originally Posted by Darat That’s how it is in most countries nothing US specific, the law can’t take into account the vagaries of an individual’s ability to consent to sex so an arbitrary line has to be drawn. It should be noted that in most countries, if someone is above the age of consent with regards to sex, then it's also legal to bring them across state or provincial borders. If they are paid to travel with them, in a kind of "sugar daddy" style prostitution, it would possibly be illegal even if it might be quite hard to prove in court. That straddles the line between what you could call a legal "transactional relationship" and illegal prostitution.
	__________________ We would be a lot safer if the Government would take its money out of science and put it into astrology and the reading of palms. Only in superstition is there hope. - Kurt Vonnegut Jr And no, Cuba is not a brutal and corrupt dictatorship, and it's definitely less so than Sweden. - dann Last edited by Arcade22; 2nd April 2021 at 05:27 AM.

2nd April 2021, 05:33 AM	#185
Segnosaur Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Canada, eh? Posts: 17,336	It may just be coincidence, but Gaetz was the only Republican (actually the only house representative) to vote against a human trafficking bill back in 2017. https://www.politifact.com/factcheck...-trafficking-/ Sent from my LM-X320 using Tapatalk
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2nd April 2021, 06:12 AM	#186
JoeMorgue Self Employed Remittance Man Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 31,490	Originally Posted by Segnosaur It may just be coincidence, but Gaetz was the only Republican (actually the only house representative) to vote against a human trafficking bill back in 2017. As delicious as that irony would be (and to be 100% clear I'm not saying self interest wasn't a factor in that) that's probably more a case of Gaetz being one of the new wave of pure troll Republicans who "Pointless Contrarian" is one of their primary go-to responses. It may be that he saw the bill as a personal threat to him (although honestly even he's not so thick as not get that the bill was going to pass anyway) but honestly it's probably more a case of him just being the legislative equivalent to the internet troll who thinks being the lone standout against a popular opinion is somehow inherently noble or useful, the legislative equivalent to the jerkwads online who are the reason you can't say "Water is wet" on the internet without not only someone taking time out of their goddamn day to disagree with you, but acting like they are doing you a favor by doing it.
	__________________ Yahtzee: "You're doing that thing again where when asked a question you just discuss the philosophy of the question instead of answering the bloody question." Gabriel: "Well yeah, you see..." Yahtzee: "No. When you are asked a Yes or No question the first word out of your mouth needs to be Yes or No. Only after that have you earned the right to elaborate." Last edited by JoeMorgue; 2nd April 2021 at 06:32 AM.

2nd April 2021, 06:29 AM	#187
shemp a flimsy character...perfidious and despised Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: People's Democratic Republic of Planet X Posts: 40,804	Originally Posted by smartcooky The highlighted violates Coxon's Law (named after a school teacher friend of mine). "Never use a preposition to end a sentence with" - Jim Coxon, Beckenham School, Christchurch c. 1975 I'm sure Gaetz has ended many sentences with a proposition.
	__________________ If being a twat was a TV show, Trump would be the boxed set. "...just as a magnet attracts iron filings, ~~Trump~~ shemp attracts, and is attracted to, louts." - George Will "[shemp is] a most notable coward, an infinite and endless liar, an hourly promise breaker, the owner of no one good quality." - Shakespeare

2nd April 2021, 06:58 AM	#189
eerok Quixoticist Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: ON Canada Posts: 3,691	Congrats to the GOP for giving us someone else as creepy and punchable as Ted Cruz.
	__________________ "Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future." - Oscar Wilde

2nd April 2021, 07:17 AM	#190
timhau NWO Litter Technician Join Date: May 2004 Location: Looks like Finland. Smells like Finland. Quacks like Finland. Where the hell am I? Posts: 14,512	Originally Posted by eerok Congrats to the GOP for giving us someone else as creepy and punchable as Ted Cruz. Punchable, yes. Creepy... no. Unless Ted has a lot of teenage/prepubescent skeletons buried somewhere, Gaetz wins the creep contest hands down.
	__________________ When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realised that the Lord, in his wisdom, doesn't work that way. I just stole one and asked Him to forgive me. - Emo Philips

2nd April 2021, 07:33 AM	#191
eerok Quixoticist Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: ON Canada Posts: 3,691	Originally Posted by timhau Punchable, yes. Creepy... no. Unless Ted has a lot of teenage/prepubescent skeletons buried somewhere, Gaetz wins the creep contest hands down. Well, Cruz is also creepy in the slimy, faux human sense. Gaetz has pulled into the lead if it's a contest, though.
	__________________ "Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future." - Oscar Wilde

2nd April 2021, 07:38 AM	#192
Horatius NWO Kitty Wrangler Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 29,136	Originally Posted by RecoveringYuppy Yeah, I think the GOP wants him to go away rather than circle the wagons around him. Don't you think Gaetz prefers Newsmax to Fox now? But consider this - how many times have we seen them circle the wagons around someone who was clearly just as guilty of the same kind of creepy/illegal stuff? Rapey McDrunkface, Judge Hebephile, "President" Trump. So why abandon this creep now? Why aren't they doubling down on him like they did with everyone else? The way I figure it, they've got some inside scoop on some things he did that are even worse than what we've heard - so much worse that even the modern GOP realized they couldn't pull off saving this guy. And that's got to be pretty fracking bad. It will be interesting to see what the FBI and DoJ have to say when they're finally ready to pull the trigger on this guy.
	__________________ Obviously, that means cats are indeed evil and that ownership or display of a feline is an overt declaration of one's affiliation with dark forces. - Cl1mh4224rd

2nd April 2021, 08:00 AM	#193
RolandRat Muse Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 999	Originally Posted by Mumbles but the guy's in his mid-late 30s - a guy that age really shouldn't be with a high-school age girl. Do you mean in general or in this specific instance?
RolandRat Muse Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 999

2nd April 2021, 08:10 AM	#194
carlitos "más divertido" Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: USA! USA! Posts: 22,860	Originally Posted by Elagabalus No AMEX but Apple Pay and Cash App. Close enough? Yep - I was thinking of travel costs and maybe gifts. I hadn't even dreamt that he would have directly paid some girl like a sugar daddy thing. What a dope. I had one friend that used to show us nude photos of his gal pals; it was always creepy and almost never appreciated.

2nd April 2021, 09:05 AM	#195
timhau NWO Litter Technician Join Date: May 2004 Location: Looks like Finland. Smells like Finland. Quacks like Finland. Where the hell am I? Posts: 14,512	Originally Posted by Mumbles but the guy's in his mid-late 30s - a guy that age really shouldn't be with a high-school age girl. Originally Posted by RolandRat Do you mean in general or in this specific instance? By the half-your-age-plus-seven rule, in general.
	__________________ When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle. Then I realised that the Lord, in his wisdom, doesn't work that way. I just stole one and asked Him to forgive me. - Emo Philips

2nd April 2021, 09:06 AM	#196
RecoveringYuppy Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 10,986	Originally Posted by Horatius But consider this - how many times have we seen them circle the wagons around someone who was clearly just as guilty of the same kind of creepy/illegal stuff? Rapey McDrunkface, Judge Hebephile, "President" Trump. Yeah, that's worth thinking about. Except, I don't think Trump belongs on that list. His base of political supporters explains why he gets a pass from the GOP.

2nd April 2021, 09:15 AM	#197
JoeMorgue Self Employed Remittance Man Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 31,490	We're still in a state of Schrödinger's Politics right now. The Right was completely full of big dickhead energy because they owned the Presidency, the branch of Congress that can actually do anything, the Supreme Court, and the country's top law enforcement and prosecutors. That pretty much has all your escape routes covered. They don't now so they don't know what they can get away with. Expect a lot of them trying to get a feel for how far they are allowed to go now before the new Mommy and Daddy smack them on the hand.
	__________________ Yahtzee: "You're doing that thing again where when asked a question you just discuss the philosophy of the question instead of answering the bloody question." Gabriel: "Well yeah, you see..." Yahtzee: "No. When you are asked a Yes or No question the first word out of your mouth needs to be Yes or No. Only after that have you earned the right to elaborate."

2nd April 2021, 09:28 AM	#198
Lurch Graduate Poster Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Ottawa Posts: 1,666	Originally Posted by JoeMorgue We're still in a state of Schrödinger's Politics right now. The Right was completely full of big dickhead energy because they owned the Presidency, the branch of Congress that can actually do anything, the Supreme Court, and the country's top law enforcement and prosecutors. That pretty much has all your escape routes covered. They don't now so they don't know what they can get away with. Expect a lot of them trying to get a feel for how far they are allowed to go now before the new Mommy and Daddy smack them on the hand. Such as McCarthy keeping the creep on the Judiciary Committe (!) until an indictment should come down. In Universe Prime, an active investigation would have a member instantly removed from such an assignment. Especially here because of the conflict involved where the subject of an investigation exercises oversight over the department conducting the investigation.