TomCat

Open Thread – 1/28/2018

Posted by TomCat at 10:58 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 282018

It was a warm clear night, and the natives partied under my window all night, waking me several times. WWWendy is due momentarily, and we have lots of chores to complete, so this is my only article today.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:42 (average 5:41). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (SNL Channel): George W. Bush Returns Cold Open

Crawford Caligula was the worst Resident in US history… until now! RESIST!!

From YouTube (Parody Project Channel): I REALLY HAD TO CUT YOU OFF – Parody of Somebody That I Used to Know

The idea being married to a Republican goose-stepper is a cruel nightmare!! RESIST!!

From Daily Kos: But Trump cannot talk about anything without attacking it, be it human, animal, plant, mineral, or noun.

It wasn’t until I became a politician that I realized how nasty, how mean, how vicious, and how fake the press can be—as the cameras start going off in the background.

Self-fulfilling prophesy much?

That statement brought uncomfortable laughs, that were very quickly overtaken by hissing and boos from the predominantly human audience.

It couldn’t happen to a more deserving asshole! RESIST!!

Cartoon:

Bill Maher from 1/26

Posted by TomCat at 1:03 pm Politics

Jan 272018

It’s that time of week again, and I’m happy to share four fine video clips from Bill’s show last night. Enjoy!

Monologue: Mueller and Mulligans

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Mulligan…

Roger McNamee: Brain Hacking

What McNamee describes is emotion hacking, not brain hacking. Brain hacking could not work on Republicans. Trying would be like ball hacking a eunuch.

I’m With Hair

"I’d call Trump a cunt, but he lacks depth and warmth." Classic!

New Rule: Snide and Prejudice

Trump would never hate the Irish. Some of them are orange.

Those were good ones.

RESIST THE REPUBLICAN REICH!!

Open Thread – 1/27/2018

Posted by TomCat at 1:03 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 272018

I actually had a fairly good night’s sleep last night, but I have felt groggy all day. I obviously need more.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:45 (average 7:00). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MoveOn Channel): The Muslim Ban One Year Later

Amen! Throw terrorists out of the country! How? Keep the Muslims, and expel Republicans! RESIST!!

From Share Blue: Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee’s finance chair Steve Wynn have more in common than just being casino owners and friends.

They are both sexual predators, according to recent allegations against Wynn.

(Trump admitted to being a sexual predator in the infamous”Access Hollywood” tape that surfaced in 2016.)

The Wall Street Journal reports multiple women faced sexual harassment and rape at the hands of Wynn, who now leads fundraising efforts for the Republican Party.

In 2005, a manicurist left Wynn’s office in tears, telling colleagues Wynn forced her to have sex. Former employees told the WSJ about a culture of sexual abuse and fear, one noting that “everybody was petrified.”

Mirroring Republican efforts from just three months ago, many people are now calling on Republicans to return money from an accused sexual predator.

When news of Weinstein’s sexual harassment broke, the RNC released the following statement:

During three-decades worth of sexual harassment allegations, Harvey Weinstein lined the pockets of Democrats to the tune of three quarters of a million dollars. If Democrats and the DNC truly stand up for women like they say they do, then returning this dirty money should be a no brainer.

Now that not only a Republican donor, but Trump’s hand-picked finance chair, is accused of similar behavior, will Republicans make the same demand of their own members?

I’m taking bets. Five to one on IOKIYAR!! Instead, they will invite him to attend one of the Fuhrer’s pervert parties. RESIST!!

From The Palmer Report: Donald Trump has learned nothing from the mistakes that took down Richard Nixon, and now we know that Trump hasn’t learned anything from the mistakes he got called out on yesterday, either. Just twenty-four hours after Trump’s odds of avoiding prison took a nosedive with the news that he had tried (and failed) to illegally fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller, now Trump is reacting to the fallout by trying (and apparently once again failing) to illegally fire someone else too.

Trump just told his advisers to fire Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, according to reports from CNN, MSNBC and other sources. His advisers have apparently talked him out of the move. Because Rosenstein has control of Mueller’s Trump-Russia investigation, firing Rosenstein would also be an illegal act of obstruction of justice. In other words, Trump is still trying to run from his mounting list of crimes by trying to commit even more crimes.

Moreover, Trump is acting as tepidly and indecisively as ever, as his staff keeps talking him out of the illegal orders he’s giving. Instead his advisers keep ratting him out, by telling Mueller that Trump was trying to fire him, and by telling the media that Trump is trying to fire Rosenstein. This also further demonstrates that Trump’s actions are growing more erratic by the day, as he can’t even decide which coverup crime he wants to commit next.

This looks like the penultimate struggles of a doomed and desperate dictator! RESIST!!

Cartoon:

Republicans want space-based nuclear weapons platforms.

The Republican No Dream Plan

Posted by TomCat at 12:59 pm Politics

Jan 262018

The Republican Party donned their sheets and hoods for the official unveiling of the Republican No Dream Plan. It begins with offering a path to citizenship for 1.8 million Dreamers that is too vague and too far in the future to be realistic. That’s the best part. Next, Republicans set their crosses afire.

It looks like the official White House “immigration deal” is to allow Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients to stay in the U.S. in exchange for Stephen Miller’s white supremacist wishlist:

The White House presented Congress Thursday with an immigration reform plan that would satisfy a key Democratic demand—offering a path to citizenship for 1.8 million undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children—in exchange for dramatic restrictions on immigration going forward and a $25 billion fund for border security.

In a call with Republican Hill staffers Thursday afternoon, a senior White House official outlined a one-page framework. The official called the new proposal “a compromise position that we believe… will get 60 votes in the Senate” and “a framework that ultimately will lead to passage of a law.”

The official told Republican staffers that the White House proposal would establish a $25 billion trust fund for a border defense system, including a wall along the Mexican border—a key campaign promise made by President Donald Trump that he has repeatedly indicated must be included in a final deal. That money would also go toward technology and security at the Canadian border.

The framework also eliminates the visa lottery and curbs U.S. migration by extended families, a fundamental change to existing immigration policy. New citizens would be able to sponsor their immediate families—spouses and children—to legally enter the country, but other relatives would be excluded.

The White House’s demands—let’s be honest, Miller’s demands—take a sledgehammer to American values. Not to mention, wasn’t Mexico supposed to pay for that wall? “Dead on arrival,” tweeted United We Dream. “We reject a plan that would terrorize, detain and deport the rest of the immigrant community, specially those in the border.”…

Inserted from <Daily Kos>

Here’s a local news report from Phoenix, Arizona with Dreamers’ response to the Republican proposal.

The Dreamers oppose the plan, because they cannot, in good conscience, accept citizenship at that cost of deporting their families and destroying their communities. So far, Republicans are refusing to negotiate in good faith.

RESIST THE REPUBLICAN REICH!!

Open Thread – 1/26/2018

Posted by TomCat at 12:59 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 262018

I’m, feeling very tired, because I slept poorly last night. It was a combination of the extreme muggy weather and having a lot on my mind. Please pardon my brevity. On the plus side, Carrie emailed me to tell me she has Barry home from the hospital with a catheter and a special diet. The the cause of the problem, was not his kidneys. It was a prostate problem, and they are waiting for analysis by a Urologist. They appreciate your prayer and support and say thank you.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:39 (average 5:28). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (Media Matters Channel): The Trump / Fox echo chamber

Barf Bag Alert!!

Faux Noise is the Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda. The White House is the Republican Reichsministry of Perversion. RESIST!!

From YouTube (Inequality Media Channel): How We Can Lower Drug Prices (When Big Pharma Pulls the Strings)

Democrats have tried repeatedly to pass all three of Reich’s suggestions. Republicans have obstructed every attempt. RESIST!!

From The New Yorker: One day after Donald J. Trump offered to testify under oath for the special counsel, Robert Mueller, a newly discovered video of Trump lying under oath has sent shock waves through Washington.

In the video, which experts believe was recorded approximately one year ago, Trump places his left hand on a Bible and raises his right hand before uttering a stream of falsehoods.

“The video shows him lying in front of what appears to be a substantial number of witnesses, including his wife and a Supreme Court Justice,” Davis Logsdon, a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School, said. “It does raise questions about what, exactly, testifying under oath means to him.”

Too true, Andy. Afterward he lied about inauguration crowd sizes. RESIST!!

Cartoon:

0126Cartoon

Samantha Bee from 1/24

Posted by TomCat at 12:56 pm Politics

Jan 252018

It’s that time of week again, so here are three excellent video clips from Sam’s show last night. Enjoy!!

We Need to Talk About Stephen Miller

Who is Stephen Miller? He is the epitome of Republican diversity policy.

Apology Race Part 1

Sorry Sam! 400 people could not keep up with apologizing for what the Fuhrer does day to day.

Apology Race Part 2

I stand by my previous comment.

Thanks Sam!

RESIST THE REPUBLICAN REICH!!

Open Thread – 1/25/2018

Posted by TomCat at 12:55 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 252018

It’s another busy day. I overslept and got a late start. I met with the Community Services Manager here to put in an application for a room in the Alder, a building in the neighborhood that is finishing a complete remodel like the one starting here. If one of their units will fit my size needs, and their handicapped shower will fit my disability needs, I should know next week and can plan to move in late April or May. What a pain!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:47 (average 5:34). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (Media Matters Channel): Dobbs calls for purges of non-Trump loyalists in DOJ/FBI

Barf Bag Alert!!

Dobbs is getting even more disgusting as time passes! RESIST!!

From YouTube (Inequality Media Channel): Welcome to Class! In Focus: How to Ignite Social Change

The Reich on the left is Right! Everybody in the US needs to see this. Please spread it around. RESIST!!

From The New Yorker: Amid reports that Donald Trump might soon be summoned to appear before Robert Mueller, the White House doctor wrote a note on Wednesday indicating that Trump was too sick to talk to the special counsel.

“Donald Trump is not well,” Dr. Ronny Jackson wrote.

The doctor’s note offered a laundry list of ailments afflicting Trump, including flu-like symptoms, upset stomach, headaches, dizziness, confusion, and what Jackson called a “wartime foot injury that appears to be acting up.”

Jackson acknowledged in the note that his current assessment of Trump’s health was at odds with the robust picture he painted last week, but added, “Every patient is entitled to a second opinion, and this is mine.”

Dang Andy! Do you think it’s a case of Raving Bullshititis? RESIST!!

Cartoon:

0125Cartoon

On Shooting Senate Democrats

Posted by TomCat at 1:24 pm Politics

Jan 242018

When Senate Democrats agrees to end the Republican Shutdown without passing a fix for dreamers, my initial action was anger. I considered the Senators who voted against ending the Republican Shutdown heroes and still do. How those Democrats who voted for the deal were not traitors, and the did not abandon the Dreamers. They employed what they considered the best strategy, so before we consider shooting them (in jest), we should see how it works out.

[L]iberal Democrats and progressive activists reacted angrily on Monday after a majority of Senate Democrats voted to enable the federal government to reopen after a three-day shutdown. “It’s morally reprehensible and it’s political malpractice,” Ezra Levin, a former Capitol Hill staffer who co-founded the anti-Trump Indivisible Group, declared. “Schumer led the [Senate] caucus off the cliff.” Markos Moulitsas, the founder of the Daily Kos, accused the Senate Democrats of aiding Republican efforts to block an immigration deal that would protect the Dreamers.

The critics’ arguments merit serious consideration. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s promise to take up immigration legislation when the spending bill expires in three weeks hardly amounted to a firm commitment to extend legal protections for the Dreamers, which will begin to lapse at the start of March. “The idea that they are gonna take a pinky-swear promise from Senator McConnell after he’s broken so many promises, it’s political malpractice—it’s absurd to believe that,” Levin said. “The only answer is that [they] aren’t actually interested in fighting for the Dreamers.”

That last comment was unfair. In their pursuit of a legislative deal for the Dreamers, Schumer and other Democratic senators took the highly contentious step of shutting down the government. If McConnell doesn’t follow through on his promises, they may well do the same thing again in three weeks’ time. Reopening the government was a tactical move, not a betrayal of the Dreamers. Whether it was the right tactical move won’t be clear for a while, but it was certainly a defensible one, especially in view of the broader political environment.

Progressives worry that Schumer and his colleagues will capitulate again in February, which could happen. But a number of things will be different then. For one thing, they will already have assured six years of funding for chip, the public health-insurance program that serves six million children. As my colleague Amy Davidson Sorkin pointed out yesterday, the inclusion of long-term funding in the new short-term spending resolution amounts to a “solid victory” for Democrats… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <The New Yorker>

I urge you to click through and finish the New Yorker article for an in depth explanation of their assertion.

One thing that the article does not cover is that, while the polls taken at the time of the shutdown blamed Republicans more than Democrats, Democrats were getting more blame for it with each passing day. In addition, voters favored ending the shutdown over holding out for an immediate fix for Dreamers by an almost two to one margin.

Continuing the shutdown had no chance of success for Dreamers, because Republicans are happy to let Americans suffer.

RESIST THE REPUBLICAN REICH!!

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