My pleasure, Friend!

Frankly, I think any movie buff would enjoy the TCM podcasts. Ben Mankiewicz is a very affable host, and the topics (Pam Greer, Peter Bogdanovich, John Ford)are much more interesting than folks might think. Even the disasters (Bonfire of the Vanities, Cleopatra) are fascinating.

"(Cleopatra) did not do so well in its own time because it was so elaborate and costly they could not recoup the costs ... "

TCM has got a wonderful annual podcast series. They pick one subject, and Host Ben Mankiewicz does a half dozen episodes or so on the inside history. Topics have included Lucille Ball, The Bonfire of the Vanities, Pam Grier, John Ford, and ...

Cleopatra, which was written and directed by Ben's great uncle Joseph Mankiewicz.

The opening statement for the Cleopatra podcast is harrowing: when Ben would visit his great uncle's house, there were posters of every single movie he'd been involved with ... Except Cleopatra. The podcast tells why.

You'd enjoy it!

" Killing the shooter was staged?"

Why would it need to be staged?

It's just collateral damage as far as Trump is concerned. If somebody has to die, fine. Heck, he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue; why not in Butler?

" After the midterms- you STILL won't do anything."

What a riot.

Trump will get impeached.

Again.

Secret Service huddled photographers into the ideal angle.

SS violated its own protocol, allowing the target to return to vulnerability.

A flag on a crane was lowered AFTER the first shot.

Multiple folks informed security of the guy on the roof. They ignored the information.

The blood streak on Trump's right cheek isn't blood spatter, it's an arc made by a human hand.

No attending physician has ever made any statement on the record, ever. That's NEVER HAPPENED in our lifetimes.

Workers at the hospital, already under HIPPA rules, had to sign an additional NDA.

Ear cartilage was either undamaged, or miraculous regrew for the first time in recorded history.

NONE of these issues have been addressed, much less resolved.

" Clarence Thomas would be rounding up escaped slaves and collecting the bounty on them."

And at bargain prices!

You might even say Clearance prices!

Nor will Musk!

"a special corporate tax on companies where the CEO earns more than 250 times the salary of the median worker."

Oh...Oprah's not gonna like that!

"When your State says its going to give all its electoral votes to the winner of the popular vote ....thats actually taxes without representation."

That's not how math maths.

"At one point they were friends but had a falling out roughly a couple of decades ago."

You're joking, right?

What flavor is that Kool-Aid?

"Self-inflicted wound"

Until they infect someone else.

"File this thread under "blaming the victim"!"

...for ignoring the truth, and being reckless to the humans around him.

At least finish the sentence honestly.

"Where's the incentive to have kids?"

On the 1040.

Childless couples subsidize parents and children all the time.

" Why do lefties work so hard to DEFEND fraud. "

Did you miss the part about the last time around, the Trump administration lying about the level of fraud in a blue state?

Wouldn't a reasonable person believe that's a central tenant affecting this claim?

Tell us: do you watch the "news" outlets that are afraid to tell you the truth? Or did you know the truth, and are purposefully leaving out a very salient fact?

"We've all known it and some even have tried to address it but..."

Trump tore up that agreement. Longtime negotiators were overjoyed when it was signed: it gave the US unprecedented access to the supply chain. My guess is neither you, nor Trump knew that fact.

"...efforts to deal with it have fallen short."

Unilaterally reneging on a deal will do that.

The biggest loophole in the entire Tax code is GRATs. Grantor annuity trusts. It makes a mockery of the inheritance tax. Wealthy folks with last names like Adelson and Buffett can pass unlimited amounts to family members by setting up a GRAT, and then ... Disclaiming it! Sheldon Adelson saved $2.3 billion that way.

And the reason Congress doesn't repeal it? Because, as one wag put it, every single person affected is "a member of the political donor class".

"not activity that may generate subjects of taxation"

So...fertility clinics don't have to pay income taxes???

"We had this discussion"

Since you opted not to answer my direct question, I'll assume both ignorant AND malevolent.

Biden's pardons were AFTER Trump directly threatened folks with lawfare.

But you knew that. Heck, we all lived through it. And now you're trying to gaslight about the timeline.

"We had this discussion back when Biden pardoned 5 family members (including Hunter), Gen Milley, Fauchi and every member of the J6 committee - All for the purpose of "preventing politically motivated attacks" and "unjustified" prosecution."

AFTER Trump threatened such prosecution.

I'll ask you as well: Do the news outlets you follow believe you can't handle the truth?

Or do you know Trump threatened weaponizing the DOJ against his political enemies BEFORE Biden pardoned them, and you're gaslighting about the actual sequence of events...?

Ignorant, or Malevolent? I'll be a gentleman, and let you choose.

"Trump said he would prosecute them for their crimes"

What a riot.

Jerome Powell, victim of lawfare, saw charges against him fail due to lack of ANY wrongdoing.

When the question is What did he do?> and the answer is That's what's we're investigating...that's LAWFARE.

Trump, otoh, had 91 clear actions which neither you nor I could legally do.

"Trump was charged by Democrats on 4 different lawfare crim3s after he left office"

Nonsense. You've never been able to name A SINGLE TRUMP INDICTMENT for actions you or I could do without fear of legal repercussions.

Now you're claiming FOUR??? Name them.

"they face an equation no other entity faces, including other quasi-governmental entities."

From Truth or Fiction:
Is USPS Losing Money Because of a 2006 Pension Law? - Truth or Fiction?

The law requires the Postal Service, which receives no taxpayer subsidies, to prefund its retirees' health benefits up to the year 2056. This is a $5 billion per year cost; it is a requirement that no other entity, private or public, has to make.

"Where do the Unions get their money?"

From Union members, who all have the option to "not" have any portion of their dues go to ANY political activity.

And btw...ORGANIZING falls under that category.

"This just points to government fragility."

Two things: One, they face an equation no other entity faces, including other quasi-governmental entities.

And remind me: What's the final "S" stand for???

" A pre emptiness 14 year pardon of his son is total above the board with you?"

Before, or after Trump publicly threatened lawfare?

(checks notes ... )

After, I see.

Why did you leave out that most important part? Were you unaware because you watch news sources who won't tell you the truth? Or did you know the truth, and you were leaving out the lynchpin on purpose?