John Smith

I know many people who are pretty far right who think they them selves are centrists, so from their perspective the actual center looks pretty far left. Anyone who disagrees that the alt-right has hijacked the party needs to look at their party's nominee and how he got there and who his advisors are. Though you could argue that the alt-right did not hijack the party, it's just who and what the party has become. I don't believe Kasich is as moderate as he is made out to be. I just think that next to those other candidates he looked the most reasonable.

Trump wants earnings and profits to be repatriated at a 10% tax rate? Currently if you earn profits overseas, depending on your organizational structure, you pay the us tax rates adjusted by credits for foreign tax paid. If the rate was 10% that absolutely incentivizes companies to push operations overseas and move profits to low tax jurisdictions. Make America great again indeed.

Ok, I just read a story on the Bundy trial out in Oregon...is Bundys attorney really named Marcus Mumford? Or is that some sort of LATimes joke?

I would imagine most of Trumps supporters feel that they are in the other basket, even those who advocate overtly racist messages, because it's not racist to them, it's just normal talk.

saw Lydia Loveless last night in Champaign. She has a temper A guy wouldn't stop talking and she chewed him out a couple of times, then when he called for Freebird that was it and she chucked a beer at him.

I think part of her strategy is to try and unite a bit. She calls out the alt-right and is trying to get the moderates to work with her against trump. The hard core trumpers will never come to her or work with her, so she has to cull them from the herd and woo the moderates. She probably f'd up with her statement, but I think it will be a short term thing because, well trump will talk and be himself, and if the debate moderators are on point Hillary will wreck him.

Both are F'ups. Clinton could have phrased it better and Romney missed a golden opportunity. Had he used the stats correctly he could have sold the idea that 47% of the people who file taxes (primarily the working poor) pay $0. And used that as a stepping off point for economic arguments. Instead he tossed the crowd the red meat they came for and pushed the lazy waiting for a handout crowd are never boring for us story. With Clinton she said it better a couple of weeks ago and should have stuck to that approach. It may have cost Romney the election, we shall see with Clinton, Though I don't

WTF is wrong with the governor of Kentucky? His speach at the values voter summit was seriously f'd up. Why did the media take 4 days to discuss this? Or did I miss something? They were probably to busy speculating on who will replace dying Hillary on the ballot, or maybe Clintons deplorable a comment, perhaps they were still talking Ckinton Foundation? Or Bill's sex life or some thing negative and Clinton related. Anything but the governor of a state saying bloodshed may be needed if Clinton Wins. Fucking irresponsible idiot. I expect that sort of talk from idiots in bars, not from elected

To me the point of the "controversy" completely ignores his message and has shifted the conversation to the mode of delivery. That way if the method of delivery is delegitimizef, then the message is delegitimized. How often has the conversation been "yes he has the right to do that, but..." His right is not in disputed even to his detractors.

I actually have more of a problem with people cheering way before the song ends.

And Trump would have the best plan for Aleppo. His plans would dwarf all other Aleppo plans

I find it funny that when the Dallas Morning News endorses a Democrat for the first time in 80 some years, they suddenly become a liberal rag. the endorsement is a scathing take down of Trump, the comments on the article range from well reasoned to pure comedic gold.

Ringo sold his copy of the White Album #00000001 for $790,000. Nice return.

Anthrax best of

The Castle is a great venue. Really good sound for its size, and they always have a steady stream of top notch talent coming through.

Right now I listen to my iPod. Occasionally I'll hit up Spotify or Pandora

Just finished the latest two from Sturgill Simpson.

Gene Wilder was 83

Hillary should have done a mic drop at the end of her speech this afternoon.

It was so long ago that my memory is a bit foggy, but Snowy White was definitely there and they had other back ups on stage, but I can't remember if there were extra singers. The stage was very crowded. The video imagery running during WYWH was fantastic. I'm sure those in altered states had a fairly different experience than I did. The encores were Money and maybe Time? We left as the encores were starting, had to hit the train home.

I saw the Black and Blue tour in Rockford. Molly Hatchet was the third band in the bill. Sabbath had Dio, MH had the guy singing who followed Danny Joe Brown. Decent show regardless.

Pink Floyd - Soldier Field (Animals/Wish you were here tour) Roger Waters - the Wall @the United Center X - Guinness Flaeyd (Sp?) Arlington Park Alice in Chains - Opening for Kiss Keil Center The Popes - Guinness Flaeyd REM - Assembly Hall Champaign (Document Tour) Wilco - Mabels Champaign, IL Jason & The Scorchers - The Dungeon Charleston, IL Pearl Jam - Soldier Field the I hate TIcketmaster Tour Local H - VFW Sullivan IL (Right before PJ Soles came out) Strange location, but fun. Honorable mention AC/DC @ Hirton Field House Normal, IL Back in Bkack tour

Dana Perino had a series of tweets yesterday about polling. Essentially her tweets were a reaction to Fox selling the notion of not trusting the polls (again). They seem pretty honest and take a realistic look at the situation. I would post a link, but I'm on my phone and not very handy with it.

Soooo Trump has hired a new campaign manager. I'll bet he takes the campaign in a whole new direction.