Hi, it's me, the one who got in trouble with her employer for describing herself as a 'bleeding-heart, tax-and-spend liberal democrat' on my Facebook page.
2
I did terribly on this quiz--I don't know anymore if that is a good thing or a bad thing.
But I did already vote. We have mail ballots in Utah and there were some significant referendum measures on the ballot--one to end gerrymandering and another to allow medical marijuana--which the LDS church elders first opposed, then approved, and then the state legislature said it intended to pass a much more inclusive bill than the referendum measure.
Mitt Romney is back running for Orin Hatch's Senate seat--78% of Utah voters and Hatch's wife wanted him to retire. Hatch is partially responsible for the opioid crisis, which is big here, and was so friendly to Big Pharma that he was referred to as "Orin Pharmaceutical Hatch."
I suppose Romney is one small step in a better direction, but Mitt has shunned his more liberal Massachusetts governor politics, and while he is critical of Trump, he has allied himself with big polluter interests here. Hard to figure out, because poor quality air is a big problem here, and the Utahns in my neighborhood are strong on taking care of the environment.
The good news is Trump is very unpopular here in UT (57% said Trump should not run again), but the Utahans here ( pop 3 mil.) just can't quite bring themselves to vote for Democrats--yet. I am 1 of the 20% of the state who registered Democratic, and I get lots of lonely emails from Democratic candidates in North Dakota (pop 755K) and South Dakota (pop 870K).
Too many small pop. red states.
8
Thank God I missed some otherwise I would call myself one of the politically obsessed or possessed. I just want Trump and the GOP out. I have simple wants, or so I think. (Until Trump I was apolitical and just did my duty as far as researching candidates and issues prior to voting.)
I can't even imagine there still being a 38% supporting base for our Fearful Leader who is hiding behind 7000-15000 troops for when 1400-1500 ragtag exhausted, impoverished, refugees arrive at our border with their families and some with just the clothes on their backs.
I am thinking Trump fears poverty even more than minorities as none of them will be carrying bags of big bucks to donate to Trump Org.
Trump thinks of them as the ravaging hordes under the legendary Genghis Khan. Imagine have a silly, scared little boy like Cadet Bone Spurs in charge of a nuclear button. He has to stop playing with our U.S. soldiers like this too as in politicizing our military now that he has politicized our Supreme Court. Baby Boy Trump is afraid there are evil Democrats lurking in this caravan as well.
Head check time for our president! He is unfit and unqualified as well as evil and demented.
16
There are times when it does not matter whether a majority or a minority of people have the commanding ruling voice. If the ruling voice is indecent and immoral, selfish and sadistic....then the ruling few or the many......are totally wrong.
What's the difference between a Christian and an atheist.....and the difference between separation of church and state?
Blessed be those that believe in His name: who are born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
I had to force myself to go on after imagining what it would be like to have one's face stomped all over with golf spikes, and was therefore not surprised that kicking a puppy was even a viable option.
Are we "winning" yet?
9
It's been an exhausting run up to the midterm elections.
The latest reckless stunt. So a desperate Trump finally gets his big military parade. Yet another photo op.
Misuse of active duty military. Misappropriation of military funds. A migrant group whose numbers already dwindled to half or more. False claims this scenario is a conspiracy of Democrats!
What's next? He'll put troops in voting precincts to prevent Democrats from voting?
11
As a preface to this comment, I know nothing about Jim Renacci.
However, any attempt to bring the parties together, even if it's for bipartisan breakfasts, opens dialogue. We need more of this, it's how the parties worked together back when our government was functional.
3
I did poorly. I guess my no longer obsessive focus on our feckless politicians is paying off. You seriously cannot make these absurdities up, which is what reinforces my promise to ignore it all.
2
As the saying goes, you can't make this stuff up.
10
I'm disappointed, Gail, that you missed this opportunity to highlight Texas's incumbent Senator's race. Ted Cruz, the man with the $1000+ ostrich skin boots, used-car-salesman profile and orating voice that is an unceasing whine modulated only by volume, what my dad used to say sounded "like he talks through his nose." Ted, the guy who cost the American taxpayer $24B with his long-winded siege of the Senate during which he read Dr. Seuss's "Green Eggs and Ham" as germane to his costly shutdown of the government. Had the good Dr. been around, I am convinced Mr. Cruz would have heard from the author, and hardly in a good way.
Oh, and I only got 11 out of 14 right.
8
Why, why, WHY did I get correct answers on eleven of these? I never thought I'd say this, but I really need to stop paying so much attention.
11
Making fun of others doesn't address the border, the economy or healthcare. This is the Democrat's problem: they exhibit great bonhomie while feverishly deriding their common enemy; relishing each turn of phrase when it lands particularly on target. But, beyond agreeing fully and fervently that those other than themselves are the problem, they have no answers. Think high school lunchroom/cafeteria.
Beeper812....Republicans have a healthcare solution ?
There were 40 million Americans without health insurance before the ACA showed up; the number of uninsured dropped by at least 15 million American citizens, pre-existing conditions are no longer rejected by vulture capitalist insurers and there's lifetime cap on your cancer coverage anymore thanks to the Democratic Party ?
The Republicans tried for years to obliterate the AC humanity.
The 2018 economy is simply continuing on the positive glide path established by Barack Obama, except with more tax and 0.1% tax welfare which will boomerang in due time.
Fear, loathing, deficits, voter suppression, pollution and millionaire welfare don't pave the roads, educate our children, help the climate, create a decent society or make healthcare affordable.
Lay off the Republican ayahuasca; context, history and reality matters.
28
Beeper,
The origin of modern hyper-partisan politics is a direct result of Newt Gingrich's early 1990's explicit direction to Republicans to cut off association and cooperation with their Democratic counterparts. Prior to that time, the parties co-mingled, socialized, largely worked together for the benefit of the greater good.
It was his Machiavellian scheme, built upon by his "divide and conquer" sycophants that brought us to this precipice.
14
Try telling Trump not to "make fun of others." A great columnist like Gail Collins has a right to point out the foibles and ridiculous statements of politicians, both Democrats and Republicans.
6
Dear Gail, I know it’s not possible to mention Seamus in every one of your columns/quizzes, but surely there could have been a mention of the Duncan Hunter family’s high-flying pet rabbit (sadly, nameless) whose $250 plane ticket was listed under “campaign expenses” by the California GOP congressman. Then again, I know the NYT holds you to a limited number of column inches, which must be frustrating, given the level of grifting, incompetence and general outrageousness on display in the Trump administration.
So much malfeasance, so little space!!
23
I only got one wrong, because I looked at the right answer and thought "Nah, that's too crazy." I need a vacation, preferably on a desert isle.
24
Well Gail, unfortunately I did an excellent job. It's too bad my brain is filled with gutless wonders gibberish. I did a little checking, starting with Greg Walden, Oregon district #2. He's not my rep but I have a dislike for him ao I love to bother his office waifs. His teevee com'l talks about how he'll protect pre existing conditions, but Greg, you had a beer i9n the Rose arden with tRump?
Greg introduced a bill as did many of the old, white beer drinkers, they all wrote bills about their health care efforts which never got out of committee, none of them. It's their cover.
They are sickening and we pay each one $176,000 a year and gold plated health care with a zero co-pay. They don't want us to have anything, they despise all of us. Especially all those babies, once they're born they can all take a hike, no food for you! That the republican party
18
Great job, Gail! Can you add these two questions to your Midterm Pop Quiz? We're hoping to see a great sea change in American history on Tuesday 6 November.
1. Is Donald Trump a fake human-being created by aliens?
a. Trump looks just like the Cardiff Giant
b. Trump speaks in dog-whistles
c. He says stones thrown by migrants will be "considered rifles".
2. Why do red-meat Americans love Trump's rallies?
a. They get plenty of bread and circuses from their tin-hat god
b. They pretend everyone on every ticket is Trump
c. They don't know any better
2
I was relieved to get three wrong answers. That means I still have a little bit of a sane life, i.e. I haven't read or watched EVERY story about the mud-wrestling mid-terms.
6
Look at the bright side. Only a few days to go before the 2020 election becomes the most important election in the history of the nation.
2
11 out of 14...and I'm a Canadian!
12
Twelve out of fourteen will make me "great at that vote watching party." I went to the candidate forum. I submitted my ballot the morning after getting it in the mail. I wrote letters to the editor. I sent money to United We Dream. I've been nice to the door-knockers. I let the phone go to voicemail. I am so done with this election that the thought of dragging it out one more second, even for a party, makes me feel physically ill. Turning on the TV or radio comes with an unacceptable risk of hearing Trump's voice and I will not willingly subject myself to that, not ever.
Cheerful! Go Blue!
11
The real problem, Professor Collins, is that the real problems cannot be assuaged with the knowledge that comes from "Pop" quizzes. Their depth is as shallow as the instructors who give them. Real knowledge can be better measured with the "Blue" books, in which your learners can respond with some depth of knowledge, showing our understanding, or lack thereof.
We also found Pop quizzes not very popular with our populace. If you are going to maintain your academic standing Prof Collins, you best better mind your assessments of what your readers know, less they wonder about yours.
1
Who buys a thousand dollar pen? I can't believe there's really a market for luxury pens. I'm glad the lawyer lost it. That's what you get for spending $1,000 on pen. Although, it would have been funnier if Ken Paxton had actually kicked a puppy. He who would pick a pocket would kick a puppy.
7
My boss has a thousand dollar pen. Oh, and he's a lawyer.
3
It wouldn't amuse the puppy. Or me, for that matter, were it factual. Abusing the defenseless is sociopathic and even the thought of it sickens me.
Apologies, Andy. I realize you were kidding, but as a dog foster I encounter the horrors people commit against animals. Usually I find your comments both insightful and on mark, so please forgive me for this "admonishment".
Oh, and $1,000 pens are ludicrous. It reminds me an old sitcom (can't remember which) where one guy is bragging about his $10,000 Rolex and his friend asks if it has a calculator/stopwatch/alarm. The Rolex owner replied "No, it just tells time". The Timex guy said "Mine does, and I paid $20 for it".
4
For a number of years I taught a government class to High School students. I must admit, especially those seventh period classes, keeping adolescents engaged when discussing checks and balances was always challenge---and at times, my students responses in class and on tests, called into question my teaching abilities. However, after reading Ms. Collins electoral multiple choice tests, every student I taught, came out of my class with more knowledge and sense of what our government is about than the candidates currently running for public office and for that matter, those now sitting on Congress.
11
I think it is sad that I (or anyone) gets any of them right, but that is the wacko state of our politics. (for now)
Soon some sanity will come back when Democrats are swept back into office.
22
Gail, "North Dakota Tough", is a new buzz phrase up there now, so that one was easy. The "Meth Lab of Democracy." got me, I didn't know any politician was that ignorant, and the one about the siblings has even been on Inside Edition, so again, easy.
3
There are a few spots in AZ, like Quartzite for instance, that make area 51 or Roswell look like Main St, Mayberry, so I wouldn't discount Sinema's statement offhand like that.
7
13 0f 14 - but I am still certain that I heard the current occupant of the White House introduce "whatshisname."
8
9 of 14. Guess my suspension of disbelief is not as complete as I thought.
7
This reader did pretty well just through picking the most outrageous possible answer. In any case Gail never fails in her noble mission to educate and entertain. As for Senator Menendez - while cleared of any wrongdoing he no doubt deserves the opprobrium he's received for attempted influence peddling, though he's likely the squeakiest clean major politico to come out of New Jersey in a couple of generations or more.
6
Lust and fetishes lurk in our politics, from the little circles and finger tip touches of Trump's hands, to confiscating budgets for travel and decorating, to immediate gifts handed to special interests that violate the standard 90 day period for comment and review! Trump declares himself more powerful than the constitution, and the lies and exaggerations and name calling and racist dog whistles and scapegoating and make-believe and credit taking and tough talking is chaos confused as strength.
All Trump does is deflect and deny--by lying--and by ignoring the need for common sense gun safety measures, the AR-15 is clearly a fetish of white male domestic terrorists, by destroying healthcare through raising its costs and reducing its benefits, by supporting abusers for a party line vote.
And now, people walking are "an invasion" and the Army, which will not, is told to shot anyone throwing rocks--yet no immigrant seeking asylum has thrown rocks!
19
15 of 14. Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter of CA issued a partial-retraction and clarification on his comments about his opponent and his grifting of campaign funds …
“It’s really not relevant that he’s an Islamist terrorist sympathizer seeking to infiltrate Congress, because there already are so MANY Democrats seeking to justify Islamist terrorism and to destroy Israel who already have succeeded at infiltrating Congress.”
“Mistresses are expensive.”
“I used the wrong card (hehe).”
16 of 14. Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Rep. Joe Crowley has offered his own wisdom on the little kicks that life regularly presents …
“I should have taken up Lou Ferrigno on his offer to sculpt my Irish legs and teach me a few words of Spanish.”
“Hey, it’s only Queens and the Bronx.”
“Not running, so knock it off on the anti-Ocasio-Cortex fliers.”
17 of 14. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi ruminates over the broad range of Democratic messages during this Midterm season …
“Republicans are trying to take away our healthcare.”
“Republicans are trying to take away our healthcare.”
“Republicans are trying to take away our healthcare.”
18 of 14. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer makes a play for Democratic senatorial relevance …
“Remember me? I was relevant. But nobody recognized me anymore until I got this American Express Card …”
“I’m offended that nobody sent ME a pipe-bomb that didn’t work.”
“Democrats have a better chance of taking the Senate than people think.” Uh-huh.
All that effort, only to be foiled by a rescission of carriage-returns.
Bad news for millions, Richard: Republicans ARE trying to take away our healthcare. Out my way Mr Heller promised at a town hall meeting, in front of cameras and everything, that he could not support or vote for
TrumpDoesn'tCare because it would take away healthcare coverage for "hundreds of thousands of Nevadans," was threatened by Trump with a loss of campaign funds if he didn't vote for TrumpDoesn'tCare, then did vote for TrumpDoesn'tCare. He deserves to be sent home to Reno to sit on that big pile of money the Koch Bros, et al., gave him and try to figure out where it all went wrong.
5
The indictment is for securities - stocks and bonds - fraud, not security - safety - fraud.
5
Ahhhh! Remember the good old days when we chuckled when a candidate hitched a dog to the roof of his car. Those were the days.
53
Point taken. But after the initial disbelief of his actions, who could chuckle about what amounted to animal abuse?
2
"You got 13 out of 14 right.
Wow. You're better informed than a number of candidates for the U.S. Senate."
And I'm not even American - People from all over the world are watching this election. Scary times.
36
Imagine, we live here with these maniacs. The GOP has lost its mind
9
9 out of 14. I guess I need to read the NYT more often. Will I qualify for a reduced renewal rate next month?
5
With my degree in hand from the univ. of southern north dakota i done right fine by this here quiz.
14
Scott Wagner is my favorite. We all want a governor who will stomp on people with spiked shoes. It reminds us of Germany in the 1930s. Ah the nostalgia.
39
"Knock, knock."
"Who's there?"
"The caravan."
"The caravan who?"
"We're refugees from Central America escaping violence and persecution. It is too dangerous for us to live in our homes. We are poor, and tired, and hungry. Many of us have small children with us and we are begging for buses. We are trying to reach the southern border of the United States to request political asylum, which we understand you would consider under international and federal laws? Will you hear our pleas?"
"We have amassed thousands of army personnel at the border to stave off your 'invasion' -- and make no mistake about it, you are invaders. We are not here to help a bunch of pathetic and whining losers like you get some free ride in America, even though you wouldn't. Besides, there's an election next week, and we have to cater to certain voters. And you think we're a nation of immigrants? That's a lie. Fake news. We've always been white ... well ... except at the very beginning, before we were even here. But that's past us now."
"We are not from the Middle East, and what if we were? We are not riddled with disease. Can't you hear our cries?"
"Scram. We don't even want to have to look at you."
Sorry there's no "punch" line. There's only shame and sorrow for a country that once invited immigrants for their diversity, their skills, and their strong work ethic, and the country we could be now, if only we had the capacity to foster less bigotry and fear and more compassion and courage.
32
"Sorry there's no "punch" line. There's only shame and sorrow for a country that once invited immigrants for their diversity, their skills, and their strong work ethic, and the country we could be now, if only we had the capacity to foster less bigotry and fear and more compassion and courage."
I copied this comment because of the phrase "strong work ethic." I know. I know why my orchard farmer father took to hiring Mexican immigrants (they were legal) back in the late 70s. His father and grandfather hired local poor whites to do the work required. The nation's prosperity caught up to his area sometime in the 60s and 70s and the locals didn't really want to pick peaches in the humid, hot orchards. Guess who would do these tasks and work hard at it? The Mexicans. Since picking apples and peaches were piece work (by the bushel), the Mexicans' paychecks set records with their skill and energy harvesting these orchard products.
That's just one example of "their strong work ethic." Ask any midwest landscape contractor who he hires for labor.
17
I'm usually pretty good at Gail's quizzes, but this cycle is so strange that it is hard to even narrow down the choices on some questions. It's impossible to satirize the bizarre
25
Only eight correct out of fourteen? Yikes, I do not know if that is a good sign that I am rightfully focused on trying to oust said GOP candidates in my state, to whit Nunes (dream on), or a bad sign that I have retreated into my Blue Bubble as a means of self-preservation. Perhaps, that is not so bad after all.
Sometimes we have to do a little denial work, however....just enough to assuage the profound angst and downright fear after living for just short of two years subjected by an unhinged and inept president and a self-serving, downright mean Republican Congress. Yes, Mr. McConnell, I am looking at you...
But denial is just one step in the unwanted task of grieving over the possibility of losing a democracy which is meant to be rooted in ethics, morality, justice, and equality. There's bargaining...been there. Depression...worked myself out of that one. Anger...intend to stay there to fight this group of scary clowns in DC. (I'm of Sicilian ancestry, and I have to say it is motivating.) Then the final...acceptance. That for me certainly does not mean today's unacceptable, corrupting political paradigm. The beginning of acceptance will happen, God willing, if/when we win the House this Tuesday. The full and glorious last hurdle will be in 2020 when we send Trump packing and back to his Golden Tower. Now wouldn't that be lover-ly!
14
Bad score today.
I've definitely been spending too much time hiding under the bed.
37
My question: How is it that Republicans can hold the Senate when their president, based on only 21 months in office, will easily go down as the worst and most divisive president in American history?
44
Actually, and I hope everyone will cut me a break, I didn’t know the answers to three of them. But they involved Republicans, so I chose the answer that made be shake my head at the absurdity, adding a scoop of ethical blindness mixed with bumbling arrogance, and a dash of violence. Got all three.
35
Well, okay Gail, this was a hard test. I mean, I don't even know where North Dakota is. I assume it's north of South Dakota, wherever that is. But I was having a Kavanaugh moment. He didn't remember much of anything either, during his college years, (let alone his prep school years), but he's now on the Supreme Court Bench. So you should accord me at least that much.
Bob Menendez is a personal one for me, as I, uh, live here, but I'll just tell you that the Hugin ads all ignore the fact that Hugin is going to have to swear personal allegiance to trump, as all former Republican candidates, who are now trump party candidates, have been forced to do. Hey, if McConnell worships trump, Hugin is going to worship trump. To bring readers up to date, as I am sure is *not* required, but just in case there are trump idiots who have audited your course, trump is a lying, traitorous, egomaniacal, fascist lunatic. We don't vote for candidates who support him.
Hopefully we'll begin to return to a rational democracy on Tuesday. The little trumpkins in our trumpland will just have to learn how to live in a democracy. If they took your test, I hope that they learned something from it.
23
Also on the ballot this Tuesday, November 6:
Republican (row on your ballot)
More tax cuts for overworked, underpaid millionaires
Less Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps for non-millionaires
A national celebration of the the world's greatest healthcare rip-off in the world - America 'free-market' healthcare - twice the price; half the efficacy !!
Less contraception and more forced birthing for those frisky females
More 'beautiful' clean filthy, fatal coal
Less fuel-efficient cars, more pollution and global warming catastrophes
Shorter, sicker, debt-laden lives for the non-rich
More homophobia, transphobia, racism, misogyny and Christian ill will
A vote of confidence for the Matryoshka-Doll-In-Chief
The elimination of the separation of powers principle
A gun under every pillow and an AR-15 for every high school graduate
Free premature deaths and funerals for all
Elimination of the 14th and 15th Amendments for citizens with questionable pigmentation
Elimination of that pesky 19th Amendment and those uppity female voters
Full restoration of the 1787 one-white-man-one-vote principle that Made America Great in the first place
Replacement of the United States Constitution with the New Testament
'Thoughts and prayers'
Noah's Ark
D (row on your ballot)
Democracy
Representative government
Healthcare
Infrastructure
Campaign corruption reform
Adults in charge
Contraception
Facts
Tax the 0.1% tax-dodging class
Female rights
Planet Earth
VOTE
Flush the Trump-GOP Toilet
62
Gee, it's even worse than we thought (yikes !)
This is like script readings from the cast in A Series of Unfortunate Events - with Count Olaf cloned a couple hundred times.
31
This was my worst score so far. But I've never been more proud of not being able to detect which asinine statement went with which asinine candidate.
Ionesco couldn't have concocted a more absurd series of comments, which is sad when you realize that they're being made by people who are supposed to represent the serious concerns of American citizens.
Maybe it means that the dumbing down of America is approaching the saturation point. I suppose a sinking tide lowers all ships, and we can't sink any lower than our president has dragged us.
There is at least a small chance that a miracle will happen, and Democrats will gain enough seats to thwart Republican insanity. But to do that, voters will have to stop believing Republican campaign ads that do nothing but castigate Democrats as the spawn of the devil (or Nancy Pelosi, which is worse), and are eager to turn over the country to undocumented terrorists at their earliest opportunity.
Come to think of it, they couldn't do a worse job.
81
A passel of scared acolytes
Too frightened to protect our rights
Hands ready to take
Honesty a fake
Legislators the DA indicts.
Impeach Trump for acts of high treason
Is utterly beyond their reason
They bow and kowtow
At the tweetster’s bowwow,
Flattery’s always in season.
73
You may not notice my comment was in verse before it was garbled.
38
Larry....the NYT website formatting gods have unilaterally decided to muck up your Shabbos.
Shabbat Shalom !
46
Yes, coders don't read. It's all Twitter to them (I've been there). Readers understand the structure of textual presentation. Nevertheless, your post is great, Larry.
28