TomCat

Surrounding the Rat

Posted by TomCat at 12:36 pm Politics

Dec 212016

I have written about Rick Snyder, Crimefuhrer of the Republican Totalitarian Managed Plutocracy of Snyderstan on at least forty two occasions from 2009 through today, so I’ve had more that ample opportunity to whet my appetite for surrounding him, criminal charges, indictments, trials and a nice prison cell. At long last, it looks like we’re surrounding the rat.

A criminal investigation into this city’s water crisis reached into the top ranks of supervision over Flint on Tuesday as Michigan officials announced felony charges against two former state-appointed emergency managers, accusing them of fixating on saving money rather than on the safety of residents.

The managers, who were appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder to lead Flint out of fiscal distress, were charged over their roles in the public health crisis prompted by the city’s switch to a new water source, as well as the delays in responding to residents’ complaints as they suffered the devastating effects.

Announcing the charges at a banquet center not far from the Flint River, Bill Schuette, the state’s attorney general, described “a fixation on finances and balance sheets” as at the root of what happened in Flint, where the water has been tied to the lead poisoning of children and the deaths of 12 people from Legionnaires’ disease.

“All too prevalent in this Flint water investigation was a priority on balance sheets and finances rather than health and safety of the citizens of Flint,” said Mr. Schuette, a Republican who is seen as a possible candidate for governor in 2018…

From <NY Times>

Rachel Maddow covered the story in two segments. In the first she provides background and talks about the charges.

In the second,Rachel discusses the likelihood that they will charge Snyder.

Unlike King Midas, whatever Snyder touches turns to shit. Indict the SOB.

Open Thread – 12/21/2016

Posted by TomCat at 12:35 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 212016

Today is the shortest day of the year (except for Lona, who sometimes lives upside down and bass ackwards. We wish our Pagan friends a Cool Yule. Today is a Wendy day, and I’m trying to write quickly, because she may come early, depending on what time she returns from Lost Wages. I gave her $2 to bet for me, so I expect to be independently wealthy by tomorrow. Happy Hump Day to al!!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:10 (average 5:11). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Fantasy Football Update:

Here’s the latest from the playoffs of our own fantasy football league.

15Playoffs

Congrats to Jack, Pam,k Robb and Vivian for winning and making it to the semifinals. Rob, Squatch, Patty Monster, and Dusty have games to determine 5th – 8th places. Seth and I have been kicked to the curb for the season.

Short Takes:

From YouTube (TYT Channel): Operation Democratic Backbone

I agree. Here’s the link to Operation Backbone.

From KP Daily Funnies: The Daily Show – Donald Trump’s Christmas (NOT HOLIDAY) Yule Log

They could not have been more appropriate.

From NY Times: President Obama announced on Tuesday what he called a permanent ban on offshore oil and gas drilling along wide areas of the Arctic and the Atlantic Seaboard as he tried to nail down an environmental legacy that cannot quickly be reversed by Donald J. Trump.

Mr. Obama invoked an obscure provision of a 1953 law, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which he said gives him the authority to act unilaterally. While some presidents have used that law to temporarily protect smaller portions of federal waters, Mr. Obama’s declaration of a permanent drilling ban on portions of the ocean floor from Virginia to Maine and along much of Alaska’s coast is breaking new ground. The declaration’s fate will almost certainly be decided by the federal courts.

While I appreciate what he has done the courts are still so packed with Republican cretins that I have little hope that it will survive. Nevertheless, we must RESIST!!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

1221Cartoon

A College Grade of F-

Posted by TomCat at 12:26 pm Politics

Dec 202016

I Trust you understand that the Electoral College had two functions in our former Republic. The first is to certify the election of the voters’ choice for President. The second is to act as a hedge against the certification os a President who is unfit for office, especially one in thrall to a foreign power. In both cases, the Electoral College has failed miserably. We can and must abolish the Electoral College. The term Manchurian Candidate is now officially an anachronism. Our Electoral College is certifying a Siberian Candidate.

By overwhelming majorities, Americans would prefer to elect the president by direct popular vote, not filtered through the antiquated mechanism of the Electoral College. They understand, on a gut level, the basic fairness of awarding the nation’s highest office on the same basis as every other elected office — to the person who gets the most votes.

But for now, the presidency is still decided by 538 electors. And on Monday, despite much talk in recent weeks about urging those electors to block Donald Trump from the White House, a majority did as expected and cast their ballots for him — a result Congress will ratify next month.

And so for the second time in 16 years, the candidate who lost the popular vote has won the presidency. Unlike 2000, it wasn’t even close. Hillary Clinton beat Mr. Trump by more than 2.8 million votes, or 2.1 percent of the electorate. That’s a wider margin than 10 winning candidates enjoyed and the biggest deficit for an incoming president since the 19th century… [emphasis added]

From <NY Times>

I encourage you to click through to read the remainder if this editorial.

Chris Hayes interviewed Anna Galland of MoveOn.org:

Yes, we need to come together to resist!.

Keith Olbermann offers some sage advice.

He said to keep reminding all that Trump lost the election. He said to stop appeasing the cretins that supported Trump. They are too stupid to be appeased. He said we should never call Trump President.

Trump is not President elect. It is resident to be!

Not My President!

RESIST!!

Open Thread – 12/20/2016

Posted by TomCat at 12:25 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 202016

Store to Door is closed for the holidays, so I have a Safeway.com grocery delivery coming this morning. It includes the food for Christmas (Holiday, if you're a Republican) dinner, so it's a big order, Unlike Store to Door, Safeway doesn't help. (I wouldn't 't expect them to do so.) Therefore I expect to be quite pooped by the time everything is stowed. We are now Reich -1 month. Cry havoc and unleash the dawgs of war! Cats too! Later: They're all put away.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today's took me 3:08 (average 5:12). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (Full Frontal Channel): A Very Special Legislative Session

She makes a good point. However, it's difficult for me, because I have already flushed all my Republicans, except for the one that snuck in as Oregon Secretary of State, because billionaires financed a fake scandal publicized by a late massive ad buy.

From Think Progress: On Monday, ThinkProgress reported that, after receiving pressure from the Trump organization, the Embassy of Kuwait moved a major event to the Trump International Hotel.

Kuwait’s National Day celebration, scheduled to take place at the Four Seasons prior to the election, will now take place at the Trump International Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue, a source direct with knowledge of the arrangements told ThinkProgress.

Several legal experts say that the allegations would constitute a violation of the Constitution. Larry Tribe, a Harvard Law Professor and one of the nation’s foremost constitutional scholars, called the scenario a “paradigm impeachable offense.”

It is clearly impeachable, but we need the votes to impeach!

Win 2018! Impeach 2019!

From TPM: Eric and Donald Trump Jr. are behind a newly-founded non-profit that is hosting a charity event over inauguration weekend offering top-tier donors access to the President-elect and themselves, the Center for Public Integrity reported Monday.

An invitation for the Opening Day Foundation’s “Opening Day 2017” event, first reported by TMZ, offered donors who spend $250,000 or more a “private reception and photo opportunity with President Donald J. Trump,” as well as other prizes. Those who fork over $500,000 or more would also receive a “multi-day hunting and/or fishing excursion” with Trump’s adult sons, according to the invitation.

Unlike many of my friends, I am a meat eater, and in my youth, I hunted for food, although never for trophies. I have always objected to trophy hunting, To celebrate Trump's Fascist coup by murdering a trophy animal is without merit and should be stopped, unless the trophy animal is the Fuhrer itself. After weeks of disinfecting, the tangerine pelt would make an excellent cat box liner. Winking smile

Cartoon:

1220Cartoon \

The Fuhrer, the Reich and the Fall of the Republic

Posted by TomCat at 12:27 pm Politics

Dec 192016

Like many others, I have been comparing the beliefs, methods and policies of Fuhrer Drumpfenfarten and his Republican Reich to Hitler’s third Reich. Famous writer Paul Krugman validated the comparison and added that we should also find lessons in the decline and fall of the Roman Republic.

Many people are reacting to the rise of Trumpism and nativist movements in Europe by reading history — specifically, the history of the 1930s. And they are right to do so. It takes willful blindness not to see the parallels between the rise of fascism and our current political nightmare.

But the ’30s isn’t the only era with lessons to teach us. Lately I’ve been reading a lot about the ancient world. Initially, I have to admit, I was doing it for entertainment and as a refuge from news that gets worse with each passing day. But I couldn’t help noticing the contemporary resonances of some Roman history — specifically, the tale of how the Roman Republic fell.

Here’s what I learned: Republican institutions don’t protect against tyranny when powerful people start defying political norms. And tyranny, when it comes, can flourish even while maintaining a republican facade.

On the first point: Roman politics involved fierce competition among ambitious men. But for centuries that competition was constrained by some seemingly unbreakable rules. Here’s what Adrian Goldsworthy’s “In the Name of Rome” says: “However important it was for an individual to win fame and add to his and his family’s reputation, this should always be subordinated to the good of the Republic … no disappointed Roman politician sought the aid of a foreign power.”… [emphasis added]

From <NY Times>

Krugman has much more to say, and I strongly encourage you to click through to read it all. Krugman concludes that we need to recognizes how bad thing are: that Democracy is on the edge.

Resist!!

Open Thread – 12/19/2016

Posted by TomCat at 12:26 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 192016

Although I caught a nap yesterday afternoon, I slept poorly last night and feel tired today. Unfortunately I have a community meeting here in the building during my normal nap time this afternoon. The bad weather is forecast to end at noon.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:25 (average 5:00). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Religious Agony:

1218Broncos3-Patriots16

Short Takes:

From YouTube (TYT Channel): Elizabeth Warren Paving Way To Impeach Trump

I fully agree that this law "has to happen", but before the Republican Criminal Congress would do it, Satan’s demon team will win the Stanley Cup in a home game. The Constitution is about to become more violated than a $2.00 hooker.

From National Popular Vote: Please Sign the White House Petition Asking President Obama to Support a National Popular Vote for President Before He Leaves Office.

I predict that, as soon as the results are certified on Friday, the uselessness of the Electoral College will have been proven.

From The New Yorker: After having difficulty persuading prominent entertainers to participate at the event, the Trump transition team announced on Sunday that the Russian President Vladimir Putin would sing at Donald J. Trump’s Inauguration next month.

In a brief statement from the Kremlin, Putin said, “I will be most delighted to perform for my comrade.”

The choice of Putin raised eyebrows in Washington, since the Russian, while famous for invading neighboring countries and imprisoning political opponents, is not particularly well known as a singer.

The Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway pushed back against such criticism during an appearance on CNN. “If we limited ourselves to people who had talent and experience, that would disqualify half of our Cabinet,” she said.

Andy, Will Putin (R-RU) be accompanied by the KKKhorus Girls?

Cartoon:

The Worst Media the Fuhrer Could Bribe

Posted by TomCat at 7:57 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 182016

As a rule, most of us would agree that the media did an absolutely atrocious job of reporting on future Fuhrer Drumpfenfarten. There were a number of reasons for this. One is that Faux Noise is the Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda. Another is self-interest. A horserace brings in more advertising dollars that a blowout. Another is that the Fuhrer lied faster than anyone could fact- check. But, it confused me that when I watched local news, they seldom challenged even his most blatant lies. Why? They became the worst media the Fuhrer could bribe.

President-elect Donald Trump has long positioned himself at odds with the media, lashing out at reporters and outlets that dared to criticize him or shine light on his numerous scandals. His vitriol toward the press became so intense on the campaign trail that reporters covering his rallies began to fear for their safety.

The Trump campaign also sought out allies, like Fox News’ Sean Hannity, to counteract the media’s attempt at straightforward coverage with airtime unencumbered by tough questions (over $31 million in free airtime, in fact). Now it seems Hannity wasn’t the only one. The campaign struck a deal with Sinclair Broadcast Group for similarly uncritical coverage, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner reportedly told a group of business executives in Manhattan Friday.

Sinclair got more access to Trump and the campaign and, in return, broadcast Trump interviews without commentary to its television stations across the country, six people who heard Kushner’s remarks told Politico.

“Kushner highlighted that Sinclair, in states like Ohio, reaches a much wider audience — around 250,000 listeners — than networks like CNN, which reach somewhere around 30,000.”A Trump spokesperson told Politico the Sinclair deal included interviews running across every affiliate and that the campaign had sought to disseminate information through other media companies with affiliates, like Hearst.

Sinclair Broadcast Group owns or has partnerships with 173 television stations, on 482 channels, in 81 U.S. markets, according to its website [media whores delinked]…

From <Think Progress>

The Sinclair station here in Portland is KATU, the ABC affiliate. Tomorrow IK intend to call them and ask them why I should support their advertisers when they profit from prostituting their profession to the Nazi Nincompoop!

RESIST!!

Open Thread – 12/18/2016

Posted by TomCat at 7:56 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Dec 182016

It trying to finish as much as I can get done before Wendy arrives to scrub and polish the stinky TomCat, do some light housework, and have lunch, before she heads off to Lost Wages.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:47 (average 5:48). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (SNL Channel): Donald Trump Christmas Cold Open

The "humor" is the way it dovetails with reality.

From The New Yorker: Organizers of a massive Inauguration protest announced on Saturday that they intend to surround the White House on January 20th in order to prevent President Barack Obama from leaving.

According to Harland Dorrinson, the organizer of the protest, after the plans for the demonstration were announced, between eighty and ninety million Americans expressed an initial interest in participating.

“People really seem to like this idea,” he said.

He acknowledged that people were still planning to petition the Electoral College, but added, “This idea has a much better shot at success.”

Dang Andy!! If only it were true!

From NY Times: The Patriot News Agency website popped up in July, soon after it became clear that Donald J. Trump would win the Republican presidential nomination, bearing a logo of a red, white and blue eagle and the motto “Built by patriots, for patriots.”

Tucked away on a corner of the site, next to links for Twitter and YouTube, is a link to another social media platform that most Americans have never heard of: VKontakte, the Russian equivalent of Facebook. It is a clue that Patriot News, like many sites that appeared out of nowhere and pumped out pro-Trump hoaxes tying his opponent Hillary Clinton to Satanism, pedophilia and other conspiracies, is actually run by foreigners based overseas.

But while most of those others seem be the work of young, apolitical opportunists cashing in on a conservative appetite for viral nonsense, operators of Patriot News had an explicitly partisan motivation: getting Mr. Trump elected.

I saw this site several times in the run-up to the election. TRNN referenced it, and Jill Stein supports linked to it directly. This is more proof that protest voters allowed themselves to be fooled into helping create the Fifth Reich.

Cartoon:

1218Cartoon

Trump wants a do over for Muslims.

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