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Stephen Moffat was excellent as a show-runner for the Dr. Who franchise and he returns to pen the latest Christmas Day special.

IO9

Returning Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies might have pioneered modern Doctor Who holiday specials—Christmassy monsters, high spectacle, an occasional amount of Kylie Minogue—but it’s arguable that it was his successor, Steven Moffat, that really nailed the balancing act of what a good Doctor Who Christmas story should be.

Have a Merry Holiday and a Happy Christmas – and open thread away.

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Rep. Victoria Spartz said she is refusing to do her duty as a House Republican and instead wants to join forces with the fake group known as Doge.

Instead of caucusing with Republicans she wants to play in the sandbox with Elon and Vivek.

Edith Olmsted at TNR reports,“Representative Victoria Spartz’s move could threaten the Republicans’ House majority.”

The Indiana Republican went on CNN and began spewing gibberish to Pamela Brown on Tuesday.

SPARTZ: And I mean, there are a lot of different frustrations.

People have to decide.

And we’ll decide as a conference. Honestly, I still work with Republicans very close. I still work and visited people that will be appointed administration and had a lot of meetings.

So I’m going to ensure that my Republicans are going to be great again. My colleague said, we’ll take mediocre. I really would hope we will be more than mediocre.

So I’m working with people. But I just don’t need to go there, like they give you one minute for grievances.

It’s not where decisions are made, in the committees.

It’s sad. It’s a sad reality.

It should be made there.

But it’s not made there. But we’ll see.

I mean, people have to make decisions.

And we’ll decide as a team. And I’ll support the team.

I just want to make sure that we do something to change the processes and status quo. This institution is totally broken and not serving the people.

How does a district elect a person like this? Well, it is Indiana.

At least she admits the MAGA GOP is a circus full of freaks.

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Sen.Ron Johnson was speaking at a Heritage Foundation event about one of his favorite subjects – junk science and quack medicine. RoJo was ranting about how everything involving COVID was corrupt and that Big Pharma was quashing reports that supported hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin in order to get quick approval for their evil vaccine that kept millions of people alive, when he said this doozy (emphasis mine):

The fact that they sabotage early treatment, I mean, truthfully, I was working with Novartis. They were all excited about trials on hydroxychloroquine. That just ended in my conversations, is just, you know, radio silence after the end of April. It’s like somebody turned a switch going, we’re not looking at early treatment. You know, then they went and sabotage, you know, ivermectin. You know, you’re not a horse. I mean, why did they do it? Well, if you had an effective therapy, you can’t get an emergency use authorization on a vaccine. Okay. Again, this was, this was corrupt. This was sinister and hundreds of thousands of people, you know, doctors have said this. I’m not a doctor, probably lost their lives lacking early treatment. So people need to understand that that’s what we need to hold people accountable to.

Someone needs to follow RoJo around so that when he says something stupid like this that even with Ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, over a million Americans died.

But what makes this all the more egregious is that RoJo is saying this crap even after the study that supposedly supported hydroxychloroquine was thoroughly debunked and retracted on scientific and ethical grounds:

But scientists immediately raised concerns about the paper, noting the sample size of only 36 patients and the unusually short peer-review time: The paper was submitted on 16 March 2020 and published 4 days later. On 24 March, scientific integrity consultant Elisabeth Bik noted on her blog that six patients who were treated with hydroxychloroquine had been dropped from the study—one of whom had died, and three of whom had transferred to intensive care—which potentially skewed the results in the drug’s favor. Larger, more rigorous trials carried out later in 2020 showed hydroxychloroquine did not benefit COVID-19 patients.

[…]

The retraction notice states Elsevier and the International Society of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, which co-own the journal, decided to retract the paper because of ethical issues, “as well as concerns raised by three of the authors themselves regarding the article’s methodology and conclusion.”

For the next four years, at least, we would be better off taking everything the Republicans say with a grain of salt and lots and lots of Vitamin C. And be ready to wear a facemask again, or still. It won’t hurt.

Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) claims, without evidence, that “hundreds of thousands of people … probably lost their lives” because they didn’t have access to hydroxychloroquine or ivermectin. He baselessly claims scientists “sabotaged” the drugs because it would have slowed down… pic.twitter.com/DbwzVrvvCE

— Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) December 18, 2024

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In the six weeks since Donald Trump won the presidential election, Europe has been bracing for a U.S. administration that could strain traditional transatlantic alliances.

That sense of uncertainty has just been turbocharged by a disruptive new force: multibillionaire Elon Musk, who has made it clear he intends to leave his mark on politics and policy not only in Washington but in Europe as well.

On Friday, as U.S. lawmakers were racing to avert a looming government shutdown, Musk used his social media platform X to tout his strong support for a far-right political party in Germany that is looking to increase its clout in the wake of this month’s meltdown of the three-party ruling coalition of Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

“Only the AfD can save Germany,” Musk wrote, using the German initials for Alternative for Germany, the party best known for its stridently anti-immigrant stance, longtime ties to neo-Nazis and the “extremist” designation that Germany’s domestic intelligence service has given its youth wing.

The world’s richest man had previously made provocative statements about German politics, but the timing of his latest remarks — coinciding with signals he intends to leverage his Trump administration position leading an advisory commission on government efficiency into a wide-ranging role in the new U.S. administration — stirred unease not only in Germany but across Europe.

Establishment parties and governments elsewhere on the continent are feeling vulnerable after a series of anti-system jolts, including the ouster this month of France’s prime minister, Michel Barnier, in a heavy blow to President Emmanuel Macron, who appointed him.

Mainstay organizations including the European Union and NATO also are watching and worrying over the potential for destabilizing moves by Trump that could include protracted trade disputes and a withdrawal of crucial U.S. military support for Ukraine as it seeks to fight off a nearly three-year-old full-scale invasion by Russia.

Musk’s foray into German politics came just after far-right British politician Nigel Farage, who for years has been a fixture in Trump’s orbit, declared this week that the South African-born Tesla and Space X magnate was considering a historically large contribution to his Reform U.K. party — prompting calls for swift action to tighten Britain’s rules on political donations, which are already far stricter than those in the United States.

In Germany, Europe’s economic powerhouse and political center of gravity, Musk’s commentary roiled the political establishment — and drew expressions of glee from supporters of the AfD, whose nationalist-populist message has helped it make inroads this year in state and European Parliament elections.

The party hopes to mount a strong challenge to Friedrich Merz, the frontrunner to replace Scholz in a national vote expected in February, but other leading political blocs have already declared they would not accept the AfD as a coalition partner.

AfD’s leader Alice Weidel quickly thanked Musk for his online vote of confidence, declaring: “You are perfectly right!”

In a video posted on X shortly after the billionaire’s accolade landed, she said the AfD “is indeed the one and only alternative for our country — our last option, if you ask me!”

Scholz has been something of a punching bag for his opponents across the political spectrum over Germany’s floundering economy, but the Musk broadside prompted some of his chief rivals to come to his defense — often with acid commentary about Musk.

“We usually hear that Elon Musk is this gifted wunderkind, but when I hear these comments, I have to doubt that,” Alexander Throm of the center-right Christian Democratic Union, which is leading opinion polls in advance of February’s vote, told the public broadcaster Deutsche Welle.

Another Christian Democratic politician, lawmaker Dennis Radtke, branded Musk’s remarks as interference in German elections. Speaking to the Handelsblatt daily, he called the comments “threatening, irritating and unacceptable.”

Rare agreement came from a leading politician in what is considered the most leftist party in Germany’s political mix. “He’s not really contributing anything, policywise,” Clara Buenger of the Left Party said of Musk.

“He doesn’t really know how political discussions work in Germany,” she said.

Scholz himself adhered at least in part to his typical low-key political style in responding to this episode. Without naming Musk, he pointed out that Germany’s political system allows for freedom of expression, which “also applies to multibillionaires.”

But the chancellor used sharper than usual language, for him, to challenge Musk’s characterization of the AfD as a national savior. Freedom to speak out, he said pointedly, “also means that you’re allowed to say things which aren’t correct, and aren’t good political advice.”

Musk also had jeered at the collapse of the governing coalition, and at one point tweeted in German that the chancellor was a “fool.” Scholz responded at the time that the remark was “not very friendly.”

The billionaire entrepreneur-turned-efficiency expert has opined previously about the AfD, expressing his bafflement at the mainstream unease it prompts within Germany over echoes of the country’s Nazi past.

The country has legal prohibitions on use of Third Reich-style language and symbols, and there has been more than one case involving prosecution of an AfD figure for flouting those laws.

“They keep saying ‘far right,’ but the policies of AfD that I’ve read about don’t sound extremist,” Musk posted in June. “Maybe I’m missing something.”

In the United States, Trump’s elevation of Musk has prompted little opposition from within his own Republican party. In Europe, however, there is considerably more wariness.

After British politician Farage was pictured posing this week with Musk at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, and Farage confirmed that a potentially huge donation from Musk to his party could be in play — $100 million, according to at least one British report — some British lawmakers and transparency advocates urged that measures be put in place to prevent such an unprecedentedly large infusion of foreign cash.

While Britain curtails how much political parties are allowed to spend on elections, there is no ceiling on donations from within the United Kingdom. Musk could get around that with the British registration of the British arm of X.

“It’s crucial that U.K. voters have trust in the financing of our political system,” the chief executive of Britain’s Electoral Commission, Vijay Rangarajan, told the Guardian newspaper. “The system needs strengthening.”

Musk has made clear his disdain for Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the left-leaning Labor Party, and has often voiced criticism of British policies on immigration and policing.

Farage, for his part, cites Trump as a populist role model, and shares the president-elect’s antipathy toward bodies such as the European Union. His Reform party picked up about 14% of the vote in June elections, its strongest showing ever.

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The BBC is being pressured to play a song vying for Christmas number one that tears into Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Labour party’s decision to slash winter fuel payments. Because of course austerity is always the solution! Via The Daily Express:

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With Republicans failure to pass a spending bill after Elon Musk and Donald Trump destroyed the bipartisan deal from the government Thursday, the Demented One is now claiming it’s Biden’s problem because he’s president.

Oh, and the MAGATs will help President Biden pass it if they can? Suuure, we believe you.

Trump destroys things and then blames others for the problems he causes. That’s always been his MO.

Outside of the MAGA cult, nobody believes this for a second. Speaker Johnson came out after the Thursday vote failed and blamed Democrats for his issues because speaking the truth would get him thrown out of the leadership position sooner rather than later.

Fox News and others will follow traitor Trump’s lead and blame the Democrats for not bowing down to Donald’s demands, while excusing all 38 Republicans who voted against the Trump-backed spending bill

Republicans don’t know how to govern. Mandate? Are you kidding me?

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Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries had a bipartisan spending deal worked out a couple of days ago so the government wouldn’t shut down.

In the blink of an eye, Elon Musk and Demented Donald attacked the MAGATs, so they scuttled the bill.

The Deluded One even demanded that the debt ceiling be suspended for two years so he didn’t have to deal with it.

Those fuckwits needed a two-thirds majority to pass the bill since they didn’t follow proper procedures.

How in the hell was that ever going to be possible?

Trump has not been sworn in yet, and it’s already a clown car circus freak show.

I hate Xitter now, but Thursday evening has been hilarious, along with Bluesky.

Watters: 38 Republicans voted against it… The Democrats are about to shut the government down.. pic.twitter.com/8T0406W2sz

— Acyn (@Acyn) December 20, 2024

Jeffries: In our nation’s history, 25% of our nation’s debt was accumulated during the four years of the former president, 25%. How dare you lecture America about fiscal responsibility ever. pic.twitter.com/I9bj8fu6SE

— Acyn (@Acyn) December 19, 2024

Lawler: Every single Democrat except two voted to shut the government down.

Collins: So, did 38 House Republicans. One is sitting right here.

Lawler: Totally different reasons.

Collins: But you still voted the same way

Lawler: 197 Democrats voted against this

Collins: But… pic.twitter.com/uxRFwy6QN3

— Acyn (@Acyn) December 20, 2024

Watters: What have you guys been doing for the last 85 days?

Mace: I’ve been filing a lot of bills.

Watters: Who’s in control? Republicans have the house so what has the Republican party been doing for the last 85 days.. pic.twitter.com/wL0QfVmtk9

— Acyn (@Acyn) December 20, 2024

Speaker Mike Johnson blames Democrats for killing second government funding planhttps://t.co/khfSR4IOsZ pic.twitter.com/hY8OhlFBPH

— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) December 20, 2024

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Congressman Jared Moskowitz is blunt most of the time. But after President-elect Musk pushed GOPers to abandon the budget deal, Moskowitz had zero Fs left to give.

The Florida congressman told Republicans to “put on their big boy pants,” watch the hilarious clip above. In the clip, the Florida representative blasted his GOP peers, saying:

“All I’ve heard for the last couple weeks about this giant mandate, landslide, trifecta, put on your big boy pants. Pass your own bill. We’re only here because you guys can’t agree among yourselves.”

More of this, please!

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On CNN today, Chairman James Comer claimed he never said the FBI informant who just pled guilty for making false bribery allegations about the Bidens was crucial in proving the Bidens were corrupt.

A few days ago Alexander Smirnov pled guilty to providing false information regarding Burisma and the Bidens that Republicans used repeatedly to claim the Bidens were engaged in a massive bribery scheme. Since Trump was so corrupt these MAGAts tried to smear Biden with the same brush.

CNN’s Pamela Brown played video of Rep. Jordan and Comer promoting this informant as crucial to their case.

COMER on FOX News: Speaker McCarthy had a phone call with Director Ray. He demanded that they turn over this document. This is a very crucial piece of our investigation.

JORDAN on FOX News: The most corroborating evidence we have is that 1023 form from this highly credible, confidential human source.

MAGA is built on a foundation of lies. Watch Gomer Comer squirm and try to slither his way out of admitting he said what he said right before his eyes.

Try not to laugh too hard.

BROWN: And even your colleague Jason Smith, we should point out, tweeted that the informant’s phony testimony, now phony we know, to the FBI was a smoking gun.

Do you regret playing this FBI informant up at the time at all, even if you say you didn’t ultimately rely on him?

COMER: I didn’t play it up, and we asked everyone.

BROWN: But you said it was a crucial part of the investigation.

COMER: Well, it was. Everything was a crucial part of this. I think the bank records are the most crucial part that show the Bidens took in $27 million from our adversaries around the world. They took in $8 million in loans that they never repaid back. That’s $35 million, and according to the Irish whistleblowers, they never paid a penny of taxes on it.

That’s the crucial part of the investigation. We would interview anyone that claimed they had information. Christopher Wray said this guy was credible. Chuck Grassley wanted us to interview the guy.

That’s why McCarthy said that. That’s why Jim Jordan said that.

I never said he was a crucial part of the investigation.

BROWN: We just played it on Fox.

Waaaah, they made me interview him. Waaah.

Everything is crucial.

Comer and Jordan used this corrupt FBI informant like a hammer against the head of President Biden and his son.

Is it too much to ask for the Chairman to admit he got played?

Of course it is.

Rep. Comer is another lying liar caught in a lie on national television.

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Senator Rand Paul expressed his support for Elon Musk to control the new Congress in 2025, when he Xitted that he would love to see President Elon Musk become Speaker of the House.

The Speaker of the House need not be a member of Congress . . .

Nothing would disrupt the swamp more than electing Elon Musk . . . think about it . . . nothing’s impossible. (not to mention the joy at seeing the collective establishment, aka ‘uniparty,’ lose their ever-lovin’…

— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 19, 2024

That’s a sure fire-way to destroy the House of Representatives entirely.

Musk is actually acting more like a president, and Trump being reduced to his VP, and Republicans seem to be fine with that. Why govern when they can just hand the power to the oligarchs?

Sen. Rand Paul is cosigning every demented cabinet choice Trump has made so far.

It’s time to put the intelligence community on notice: Reform is not just necessary — it’s here. I proudly support @TulsiGabbard. https://t.co/YaVA94B32F

— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 18, 2024

Proud to support @RobertKennedyJr for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Finally, someone to detox the place after the Fauci era. Get ready for health care freedom and MAHA! pic.twitter.com/45ATzyr6iF

— Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) December 18, 2024

Sen. Paul is also supporting Kash Patel as FBI Director.

The above video I posted was from Paul’s disastrous interview with Rachel Maddow from 2010.

He’s been a hack ever since he joined Congress. What is happening now is a Rand Paul wet dream, birthed first by his father, Ron Paul. Destroy government, destroy democracy, hand the keys of power over to the oligarchs.