First off, if Tehran really had “sleeper cells” in the US one would think that they would’ve already tried to avenge the Ayatollah’s death and every day that goes by since then seems to foreclose the possibility that they’re going to sacrifice themselves in a suicide bombing in a crowded mall or whatever. Setting aside that obviously deranged Senegalese asshole shooting up the bar in Austin killing three people – a horrible crime that hasn’t even definitely connected to the war – there hasn’t even been any “lone wolf” attacks by say some hard-line American Shi’ites loyal to the regime.

Then, as already noted here, unlike last year ICE hasn’t been parading a wave of arrests of Iranian immigrants whose petty bullshit crimes – if they even committed any – had nothing to do with terrorism or Tehran’s regime. Put it all together and it would seem that, per usual, the Fox chyron screaming “THREAT OF IRANIAN SLEEPER CELLS IN US HOMELAND” is just the usual fear porn.

But hey why not set the narrative of pre-blaming Dems for refusing to fund DHS just in case something happens? The fact that K$H Patel fired the FBI agents in charge of monitoring Iranian threats leaves a weak spot, as does that the shutdown doesn’t affect ICE, who are supposed to be tracking them down as well, is potential weak spot so the GOP might as well go on offense. It’s not like there’s any political cost to telling their voters to be afraid of foreign Muslims with funny names.

Joni’s senioritis does however kind of deflate the vigor from her performance. She’s just not hungry.

Not like Randy Fine. This fat fuck is HUNGRY. And he’s eager for more clout in far right politics.