Feeling frustrated lately? My latest Creative Discourse newsletter:
"Those humors are what drive us to amplify our efforts. Frustration is a fuel we must harness to move forward, rather than a bludgeon from which we should retreat."
https://t.co/acOT1c7fEO
OPINION: The key to winning is to shout very loudly
Political spectacles are as old as politics itself. The problem is when there’s nothing underneath all the noise.
Via @schausmichael@TheNVIndy
https://t.co/NGCZ7SF9sb
"Flippo was louder, more outlandish and more willing to rage-bait than his competition — earning him significant attention from the sort of controversy-driven peddlers of outrage and chaos that make up much of the MAGA establishment."
@schausmichael on the louder you are...
NR’s editorial on the MOU:
“State department official John Negroponte made the droll comment after Richard Nixon’s 1972 Christmas bombing campaign in North Vietnam that ‘we bombed them into accepting our concessions.’
A similar verdict seems appropriate for President Trump’s war on Iran.”
https://t.co/XXvRDnH2Kv
"The United States is conducting an operation to eliminate the threat of Iran’s short-range ballistic missiles"
"...the purpose of this is to destroy that missile capability."
"our mission and our focus is the destruction of their ballistic missile capabilities"
"the objective of this mission is the destruction of their ballistic missile capabilities"
"I’m telling you what the objectives of this operation are. The objectives of this operation are to destroy their ballistic missile capability and make sure they can’t rebuild it, and make sure that they can’t hide behind that to have a nuclear program. That’s the objective of the mission."
-- Marco Rubio, 3/2/26
https://t.co/yNCUakGrmx
Donald Trump being unable to negotiate his way out of a paper bag despite having the most powerful military in the world at his disposal would be an amusingly fitting way for support for his presidency to finally collapse.
On a recent episode of @thedispatch podcast, @JonahDispatch made an insightful point about Trump's handling of the Iran war negotiations:
"The thing I find baffling, is his position vis-à-vis Israel, is that Israel needs to stop attacking Hezbollah in Lebanon, because that makes Iran mad, and Iran wants it to stop. And so in effect, he's using Iran's willingness to participate in a deal, as leverage to make Israel stop, rather than using Israel as leverage against Iran. Let Israel be the bad cop, let Israel be the rogue agent here and say: I'll try to stop them from destroying all of Hezbollah, but you've got to give me something. Instead, he's going to Israel saying: you've got to stop because I need to give Iran something."
"...if Trump's preferred candidates don't fare as well among the broader, swingier, electorate come November, expect the incessant cries of 'fraud' to become the official swan song of Republicans who are unwilling to craft concession speeches."
Good stuff from @schausmichael.
Well, here we are. While this primary election wasn’t a big turnout, and no Republican in CD-2 received a majority of the vote, the Republican candidate advancing to the general election faces a well-positioned Democrat opponent.
It will be an interesting summer and fall, but I believe it’s fair to say that CD-2, for the first time in its history, isn’t a Republican guarantee. What was once a safe prediction may quickly become an expensive one. Why? The fact that the largest block of registered Republican voters in CD-2 is 35.5%.
James Settelmeyer ran a campaign rooted in integrity, energized on the issues, and fueled by a deep passion for the place he calls home. That is something I hope he is proud of.
The candidate I supported did not prevail Tuesday night. However, my longstanding respect for the voters has not changed. It is my hope that the values and culture that built our Original Nevada, Congressional District Two, will still have a strong voice in the U.S. House of Representatives. I look forward to the next 5 months as an election observer, instead of a candidate.
While the results are not what we hoped for, I am deeply grateful to the volunteers, supporters, friends, family, and Nevada leaders who stood by my side every step of the way.
Nevada’s 2nd Congressional District is a truly special place. From Lake Tahoe to West Wendover, our Great Basin communities are filled with hardworking people who care deeply about their families, their neighbors, and the future of our state.
This corner of Nevada raised me, shaped me, and gave me the opportunity to give back to the place I love. Serving the people of Nevada has been one of the greatest honors of my life. Thank you to everyone who believed in this campaign.
OPINION: When hardcore partisans hijack the primary process with mudslinging and extreme views, moderate voters lose out.
"Much of the intraparty squabbles that take place feel particularly idiotic, unnecessary and self-defeating"
@schausmichael@TheNVIndy
https://t.co/fQ6msNKMYW