Rich assholes who believe they are smart as a side effect of being rich assholes.

The only reason the DNC couldn’t get Kissinger for this election is that he couldn’t get a weekend pass from hell.

What is America up to now, three admin/clerical jobs per every two doctors? The insurance companies complicate things so much.

If he forgets his appointment or can’t otherwise make it, it can take weeks if not months for a VA doc to see him and, in the meantime, he could lose his benies for like 6 months.

A buddy of mine was injured by an IED in Afghanistan, he lost his right eye. Every year he goes to the VA for his regular checkup and the doctor has to sign some paperwork that he then needs to get notarized. Social Security says they need all that to make sure he’s still disabled… you know, checking that he hasn’t spontaneously regrown an eyeball miraculously and would then be cheating the system I guess. Our benefit system for disabled people is really fucking broken.

Most folks going the full two day journey are in the sleeper cars. The Roomettes are Amtrak’s two person sleeper accommodations and they’re pretty nice (there are larger accommodations available, but the Roomettes are by far the cheapest and most common). There’s also meals included in the sleeper car price and the food on Amtrak is actually not too bad. If you’re traveling alone (or in any amount of people less than four) the dining car attendant will seat you with folks you don’t know, there’s tons to talk about. Lots of people, whether in the sleepers or in coach, bring books and have their tablets or laptops filled up with movies and series. My last trip up to DC I had saved a bunch of podcasts to listen to and finished Dan Simmons “Hyperion” series while I rode.

Joe Biden said as much, out loud, several times.

Also, not for nothing, long distance sleeper trains are actually making a comeback in Europe and Asia… so maybe we’re actually ahead of the curve on this one.

if it actually ran at an acceptable speed.

So, a train service between Chicago and Miami via Washington DC (as Amtrak’s Floridian will take) is just about 1700 miles (about 2700 km). It would take a train traveling at about 235 mph (378 kph) to meet that seven hour target with zero stops along the way. There’s maybe five train services in the world that even get close to that operational speed and they all travel between cities that are like 250 miles (about 400 km) apart.

Do we need high speed rail in the USA? Yes, absolutely. Is a high speed rail route between Miami and Chicago viable? No, not really. (Edit: my phone keeps auto correcting “it” and “is” to “it’s”)

I guess… I am the target market… I take Amtrak from Savannah, GA to Washington DC (about 12 hours) to visit family at least once a year. This new route is basically the same service, but instead of terminating in NYC, it now goes to Chicago (two other trains still follow the route up to NYC). It’s much more comfortable than the bus and way cheaper than flying; it’s usually about $100-120 for a coach seat round trip. Now that I can get a one seat ride all the way to Chicago, because I’ve never been, right now I’m planning a trip there next spring once I get my tax return.

Do they not sell kids joke books in the check out line at the grocery store anymore? Used to be tons of those.

No, you ignorant fool… they needed more scorned establishment Republican figures to support her. Liz Cheney wasn’t powerful enough, that much is clear now. The absolute genius of having our vehemently pro-choice candidate on stage accepting the endorsement of rabidly anti-abortion figures almost payed off. It’s the voters who were wrong!

It’s almost as though -maybe, just maybe- the people who are registered Republicans like the Republican Party.

For this groundbreaking insight, I’ll take my $20k/month consulting fee from the DNC now.

I’m not leaving. All my friends are here. We don’t run from danger.

Well, he’s a Peter Thiel proxy… but Musk is also a Thiel proxy so that can get confusing.

I would volunteer for a campaign (or even just donate) in a heartbeat… but it’s unethical… I’m one of our nation’s poor, underpaid and overworked local news media staffers. To be clear, I’m not a journalist, but the rules preventing any appearance of impropriety apply to me as well. I can’t give up my job to work pro bono on campaigns (and it’s dubious for me to donate). I can’t have the journalists I work with appear to have any kind of hand on this (or any) election.

I beg you, please vote for Harris/Walz… that’s my personal opinion which does not reflect the stance or opinions of my employer or any of our clients/sponsors… which include the Donald Trump for President 2024 campaign and it’s affiliated PAC’s (honestly it’s wild having the fucking Trump campaign being both the reason I cannot but barely afford my bills and the thing getting me close to paying them). Seriously, the years 2016 to 2020 were a living hell for us working in local news. Fear of constant threats if we depicted “dear leader” in any light other than brilliant magnificence. How dare we report on the things Trump said and did if it looked bad in any way. Seriously… it was the most stressed I’ve been in my entire life and I’m a queer atheist living in the deep south. Also, no, I’m not moving… all my stuff and most of my friends are here.

I hate living in a swing state. The campaign ads I’ve gotten this year are fucking insane. I keep telling myself “it’ll be over soon.” Also and yes, yes, yes, I voted for harm reduction/prevention… can I get an early break from all the mailers, texts, emails, and ads?

Leading expert on buttons says to use buttons?

It’s exactly what Big Button wants you to think!!! Wake up sheeple!!!1!1!11

The racist joke was made in October.

Yeah, I’m not expecting anything less than razor thin margins. Either side has it.