Brent EubanksFeb 5, 2023
Tokyo Sand 

Let me get this straight. Republicans spent Friday cosplaying machismo by encouraging their supporters to shoot down the Chinese spy balloon, which was 11 miles up in the atmosphere, a balloon so large it could hold an entire football stadium inside of it. No consideration of the danger of their useless bullets falling back to earth.

Meanwhile, Biden had already given the order to the military to shoot it down when it was safe to do so back on *Wednesday.* They had already jammed their signals so it couldn’t send any info back to China, and instead was collecting info on the satellite.

So as usual, we have Republicans acting like idiots, encouraging actions that posed danger to the American people, all the while hoping to “stick it to Biden,” when in actuality, Biden had already handled the situation days before by involving the military who had neutralized the threat and then ultimately shot down the balloon over the waters past South Carolina.

Vote blue, people. #news

Feb 5, 2023 at 12:55amWeb
Show threadEarthlingFeb 5, 2023

@dhstokyo

The GOP became a group of freaky clowns. Probably, some of them one can hire now for a performance on a fair between fake weight lifters and wizards.
😜

Show threadJoeMcconFeb 5, 2023

@Raven47 @dhstokyo

During the summer, I travel around to VFW halls and drug rehab centers with a bear wrestling act. This year I'll let one of the bears stay home , and I'll take a GOP politician along, instead.

Show threadtienle47Feb 5, 2023

@dhstokyo Perfect summary.

100% underscores the entire M.O. for the Republicans: no plan how to solve even simple problems, much less complex problems.

All the R's know how to do is screech, wave their arms like fools and resort to violence.

Show threadTokyo Sand Feb 5, 2023
@tienle47
And because they rush to look like they’re in front of the story, they only end up demonstrating how little they know about the complexities of the situation.
Show threadMidwest BobFeb 5, 2023
@tienle47 @dhstokyo And lower taxes for the wealthy.
Show threadJim PruittFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo
Show threadTofu GolemFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo
Show threadDoreen32128 ready to rumble!Feb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo Great post! Followed!
Show thread@pennyivyFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo First I heard of it I assumed it was being tracked and handled correctly. Some people are intentionally ignorant.
Show threadJust A GuyFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo Sounds like you have a firm understanding.
Show threadInfinite CyclistFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo thing is when they propose aggressive acts like that, 38% of voters cheer in approval.
Show threadTokyo Sand Feb 5, 2023
@InfiniteCyclist I’m aware. All the more reason to keep talking to the other 62% and make sure they vote.
Show threadReading RatchetFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo Example #4,654,636,098 of Why Republicans Are Never And Will Never Be The Grownups In The Room 🤪
Show threadOregon Animal LoverFeb 5, 2023

@dhstokyo

So well said.👏

Show threadEvan AshcroftFeb 5, 2023

@dhstokyo

Yes, but I felt really really owned 🙃.

Show threadTokyo Sand Feb 5, 2023
@CrashTack LOL
Show threadAmericanist4UFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo \
Just think of the real possibility the balloon only had weather tracking equipment. Would it not look extremely stupid for it to be shot down? I say we show greater strength, not melting over a big air balloon. The GOPers are back to their tic-tac-toe BS while Biden is playing grand master level chess.!
Show threadStevens R MillerFeb 5, 2023

@Americanist4u @dhstokyo

Shooting it down over shallow water in area cleared by FAA was the right move. If the Chinese had control over it, they could have brought it down for us to inspect and confirm it was a research craft. They didn't do that, so either it was out of control (and therefore a hazard) or they didn't want us to inspect it (and therefore we had a right to take action against a possible threat).

Yes, the Repubs were just pawing and snorting, same as always.

Show threadAmericanist4UFeb 5, 2023
@stevensrmiller @dhstokyo
It was the right move politically. It 'deflated' the Biden is weak false narrative with little immediate and internal downside. The spying business is all BS. More valuable data was collected by shooting it down than by leaving the thing alone, making our strategic calculations less predictable to the adversary.
Show threadbona fide bustaFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo you want to vote for landlords?
Show threadKenny MayneFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo well said
Show threadJoe HeafnerFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo Biden is a leader. Republicans aren’t leaders.
Show threadThaiis Thei 𓁟Feb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo https://www.nasa.gov/scientificballoons
Scientific Balloons

NASA.gov brings you the latest images, videos and news from America's space agency. Get the latest updates on NASA missions, watch NASA TV live, and learn about our quest to reveal the unknown and benefit all humankind.

NASA
Show threadKansas GrantFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo Beyond all that, I think it also was smart to wait to shoot it down over water because that reduced the damage to the instrument payload, which will make it much more valuable for the NSA forensic folks to analyze.
Show threadJason Fink Photography 📸Feb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo I'm going to enjoy this so much more if it was, in fact, just a weather balloon that went off course. These people really thought China was trying to start WW3 with a balloon.
Show threadStellaFeb 5, 2023
@JasonFink_photography @dhstokyo I am not sure that anything that negates their narrative will be believed unfortunately. There is money and power in drama politics. The template has been set and it works.
Show threadTokyo Sand Feb 5, 2023
@stellina @JasonFink_photography I never worry about trying to educate the MAGA crowd. Instead, I aim to reach everyone else.
Show threadKevin Karhan Feb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo or rather: whatever you do, don't vote GOP'ers...
Show threadRoseFromNJ/PhillyFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo Seriously, IKR!! 🙄
Show threadAutisticMumTo3Feb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo
The Republicans thought they could use the situation to make Biden look weak & useless & just ended up making themselves look stupid
Show threadTokyo Sand Feb 5, 2023
@AutisticMumTo3 As per usual
Show threadAutisticMumTo3Feb 6, 2023
@dhstokyo
Yep
Show threadPeggy StuartFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo Not to mention the fact (since revealed) that we’ve had these balloons before when TFG was in charge, and HE DID NOTHING! So….
Show threadPaul BrownjohnFeb 5, 2023

@dhstokyo

Yes the number of people killed by spent rounds fired into the air runs to several hundreds every single year

Show threadTokyo Sand Feb 5, 2023
@Paulos_the_fog This is me shaking my head in resignation. Not much you can do with some folks.
Show thread⁰FisherTX14Feb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo
I think the military guided it to that location. Doesn't seem like the best path to China heading East from Kansas.
Show threadAuntie MameFeb 5, 2023
@FisherTX14 @dhstokyo Winds over the US blow west-to-east.
Show thread⁰FisherTX14Feb 5, 2023
@ymasumac @dhstokyo
Wouldn't it have some kind of guidance if it were trying to monitor ICBM launch sites? They wouldn't just launch from China and hope for the best.
Show threadAuntie MameFeb 5, 2023
@FisherTX14 @dhstokyo Likely, yes. But once the Pentagon got its sights on it, they jammed the signals. That would explain its eastward drift over the US.
Show thread⁰FisherTX14Feb 5, 2023
@ymasumac @dhstokyo
The downing site in shallow water seemed planned. I hope they don't disclose if they did guide it. They were already prepared with laser blinding and all kinds of jamming.
Show threadAuntie MameFeb 5, 2023
@FisherTX14 @dhstokyo I’m glad to see NORAD works, tracking and notifying. They wanted it down over water where it couldn’t hurt anyone, and that shallow water is the continental shelf, even better, close to shore for easier recovery. Biden said the Pentagon wanted to wait, so as soon as it cleared the coast, down it went. I don’t think we’ll learn everything about this contraption, likely most info to remain classified.
Show threadTokyo Sand Feb 5, 2023
@ymasumac @FisherTX14 NORAD - It’s not just for tracking Santa 😆
Show threadAndrewFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo I find it interesting that the right wing fear over the balloon was acting like it was collecting information from them, specifically. the balloon is clearly spying on YOU and YOUR CHILDREN and not like... Minuteman silos and random sigint
Show threadMark Brown 🌴🌊♻️Feb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo let's face it. Republican leaders and their voters are fucking stupid
Show thread📎🖐️ Alan Taylor 🎬 📚Feb 5, 2023

@dhstokyo

Yes. Plus. Downing into the waters that are shallow enough to retrieve it. #balloon

Adults again...#voteblue2024

Show threadTT🇺🇦🇹🇼🇪🇹🇭🇹☪Feb 5, 2023

@dhstokyo Blindly voting Blue or Independent or siding with Biden isn't for clear-eyed Americans.

3 Chinese #Spy balloons invading #USA during Trump Administration doesn't change the fact that ALL 5 recent @POTUS lack(ed) commensurate #Risk maturity + DECISIVE #Security #Leadership.

Hence, #RussiaUkraineWar+#ChineseSpyBallon🔴https://bit.ly/3HZXXZb #GOP #Democrats @WhiteHouse▼

#iTHiNKLabs 2023: Episode 252

Show threadmick tobinFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo mate i suspect thats why they used a aim and not a chain gun
Show threadmick tobinFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo
Show threadStarry Starry KnightFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo Wait til you see the #TikTok entry in the Macy's parade... 🤩
Show threadCheryl StrebergerFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo and now the GOP complaining about how long it took Biden to deal with it ..
Show threadJosep✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻BLM🇺🇸🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿Feb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo and add to this that THREE Chinese balloons spied over the US during Trump’s administration and nothing (nothing!) was done.
Show threadKatQFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo Like Fox News, the Republican Party is of entertainment value only. No one can honestly believe they represent reality.
Show threadDOWFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo lotta satellites are up there. Who draws the line of how low it can be before being shot down?
Show threadJeffrey RobinsonFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo When the GOP schmucks said, shoot it down now, they completely disregarded the danger to civilians on the ground and regular air traffic in the air beneath the debris zone of the balloon. Then, when the USAF shot it down over the ocean, the GOP objected to air space and airports in the area being shut down. These people are clowns and should not be put in any position of authority. Ever!
Show threadAuntie MameFeb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo the joy of being out of the country AND not watching cable news is that I didn’t hear nonsense about people trying to shoot it down with a gun. 🙄
Show threadDon Hawkins - W7DAHFeb 5, 2023

@dhstokyo

It gets worse for the MAGAs and the Republican’ts. It is being reported now that 3 such Chinese balloons were allowed to pass over, unimpeded, during Mango Mussolini’s reign of terror.

https://twitter.com/edkrassen/status/1622213229878419456?s=46&t=0MKZoulkDZGns8vSYs75rw

Ed Krassenstein on Twitter

“BREAKING: After Republicans & Trump spent days attacking Joe Biden for not shooting down the Chinese Spy Balloon, it turns out that 3 Spy Balloons passed over the US during the Trump Administration. Guess who didn't shoot them down! Tune in at 830AM ET https://t.co/loxWJlLhX1”

Twitter
Show threadDoug 🇨🇦🌈Feb 5, 2023
@dhstokyo
Also, Republicans are busy writing laws about what you can do, who you can be, what you can read, what entertainment you can watch and anything else they can think of. You know which political system tries to control everything people do? Communists. Republicans have become the new communists. And Nazi's. But it's communism their base has been trained to fear the most.