TomCat

Bullshit*

 Posted by at 8:44 am  Politics
Dec 302019
 

Fuhrer Drumpfenfarten, aka Bone Spurs, aka Putin’s Pet Pervert will now be known throughout eternity as Trump*.  Therefore is it not appropriate to identify the lame attempts by Barrf, Bought Bitch Moscow Mitch, Faux Noise, and the rest of the criminal Republican Reich to justify those crimes as Bullshit”?

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The New York Times has a comprehensive look this morning at the timeline and actions surrounding the withholding of aid to Ukraine, and I strongly suggest you read it all. But this was the ultimate in political appointees (most with personal and professional ties to Mick Mulvaney) creating rationales to justify whatever Trump wanted: Just ignore the law! Like the political operatives they are, they had little interest in whether there was a valid legal basis for their arguments, they just wanted something that sounded good enough to sell, and came up with something that cemented Trump’s vision of himself as a monarch, unaccountable to anyone:

By late summer, top lawyers at the budget office were developing a proposed legal justification for the hold, based in part on conversations with White House lawyers as well as the Justice Department.

Their argument was that lifting the hold would undermine Mr. Trump’s negotiating position in his efforts to fight corruption in Ukraine.

The president, the lawyers believed, could ignore the requirements of the Impoundment Control Act and continue to hold the aid by asserting constitutional commander in chief powers that give him authority over diplomacy. He could do so, they believed, if he determined that, based on existing circumstances, releasing the money would undermine military or diplomatic efforts.

 

 

Inserted from <Crooks and Liars>

That certainly illustrated the need for more witnesses.  The more we discover, the more pleased I an that Speaker Pelosi [D-CA] is standing up to Bought Bitch Moscow Mitch’s bullshit*!

RESIST!!

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Dec 302019
 

It’s a busy day here in the CatBox, and the year is almost over.  How much I have for the rest of the week will depend on two factors: my health and the availability of good material.  Oh God it’s Monday!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:28 (average 6:39).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Cartoon:

Religious Ecstasy:

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What a wild finish, with ballsy moves by both teams.  It’s a pity that someone had to lose.

Fantasy Football Report:

Here’s the final report of the season from our own fantasy football league.

17Playoffs

Congrats to Vivian, WWWendy, and Patty Monster for winning their games.

Kudos to Vivian, me, and WWWendy for taking the first, second, and third place trophies.  I’ll be in touch with our players in late spring/early summer with reminders for what we need to do for next season.  In the meantime, we desperately need one or three more players for next season.  Colleen?  Pat?  Anyone?  Please?

Thank you all for a great season.  We had a blast!

Short Takes:

From YouTube (Parody Project Channel): 24 MONTHS OF TRUMP’S MESS (2017-18) – a New Year Parody

 

Thanks Don. Frankly, I thing that border wall is a great idea. Build it around Trump*, Bought Bitch Moscow Mitch, pseudo-Christian Pence, Faux Noise, and more!  RESIST!!

From YouTube (NBC News Channel): Australians Flee Devastating Wildfires As Thousands Of Koalas Feared Dead

 

Tears and prayers for our Aussie friends.  This is the cost of ignoring climate change!  RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Abraham. Martin, John & Bobby

 

This one still brings profound sadness. Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

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Dec 292019
 

This is my only article today.  WWWendy is coming to the CatBox for chores and my de-stinking.  We have lots to do.  In addition my Broncos are televised this afternoon.  I did manage to eat a small portion of beans and rice for lunch, a small portion of soup for supper and a small donut for breakfast.  It’s a relief to go a whole day without throwing up for the first time in days!  Go Broncos!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:05 (average 4:53).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Alternet: Republican Senators have not bought into Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s impeachment strategy as the Senate trial looms.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) explained the dynamic during an interview on the Connecticut Network.

“I’ve talked to anywhere from five to 10 of my colleagues who have very severe misgivings about the direction that Mitch McConnell is going in denying a full, fair proceeding with witnesses and documents. My hope is that they will say publicly what Sen. Murkowski did, and really hold Mitch McConnell accountable,” Blumenthal said, as reported by The Hill.

Earlier this week, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) publicly questioned McConnell’s strategy during a Christmas Eve interview with local television station KTUU.

Republicans are consummate liars. I’ll believe this, if and only if they vote against Bought Bitch Moscow Mitch!  RESIST!!

From YouTube (CNN Channel): NYPD stepping up presence in Brooklyn after a series of possible anti-Semitic hate crimes

 

It appears there are more Republican hate criminals in Brooklyn than I thought!  RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past):

 

Ah… the memories!  RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

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Biden Screws the Pooch Again

 Posted by at 7:49 am  Politics
Dec 282019
 

For those who do not know, “screw the pooch” comes from Tom Wolfe’s book, The Right Stuff, and means to commit a grievous, usually fatal, error.  Joe Biden screwed the pooch by claiming that, if subpoenaed, he will refuse to testify in Trump’s* impeachment trial, as run by Bought Bitch Moscow Mitch.

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Returning to the campaign trail after Christmas, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. on Friday stood by his comments that he would not comply with a subpoena to testify at President Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate.

In a meeting with the editorial board of The Des Moines Register, whose endorsement in the Iowa caucuses is coveted by presidential hopefuls, Mr. Biden argued that complying with a subpoena and testifying would essentially allow Mr. Trump to succeed in shifting attention onto Mr. Biden and away from the president’s own actions.

“The reason I wouldn’t is because it’s all designed to deal with Trump doing what he’s done his whole life: trying to take the focus off him,” Mr. Biden told the newspaper. “The issue is not what I did.”

This is all about a diversion,” Mr. Biden added. “And we play his game all the time. He’s done it his whole career.”… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <NY Times>

MSNBC has more.

Joe Biden Stands By Refusing To Testify In Trump Impeachment Trial

 

Here are the problems. First, by refusing to testify Biden would break the law. Second, refusing to testify gives the appearance that he has something to hide. Third, he is giving Bought Bitch Moscow Mitch an excuse to disallow all witnesses.  Fourth, he would be doing exactly what Trump* is doing. How can a casual prospective voter tell the difference?  Even though his reasons for wanting to refuse are spot on, this is NOT the behavior of a winning candidate.

That said, should Democrats be foolish enough to nominate Biden, I will support him 100%.  Biden at his absolute worst is infinitely superior to Trump* at his absolute best.

RESIST!!

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Dec 282019
 

It’s a queasy day here in the CatBox.  I’m just barely in the saddle today, but I did manage to keep half a bowl of cereal down this morning.  Tomorrow is a WWWendy Day, so please expect no more than a Personal Update.  Tomorrow is also a Holy Day in the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb.  My Broncos are playing WWWendy’s team, the Raiders in the afternoon game.  Miracle of miracles, the game will be televised here.  May the divine Orb shine its blessed light on your team, unless they are pirates with patches.  Have a great, safe weekend.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

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

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Daily Kos: Paul Begala, one of Bill Clinton’s most trusted political strategists, has a metaphor to explain how the Biden campaign team views the choice voters should be given in the 2020 race. He calls it “the steaming pile of shit theory,” and he explained it to Ryan Lizza of Politico last week (Why Biden’s Retro Inner Circle Is Succeeding So Far):

“You’re sitting down for breakfast and there’s a steaming pile of shit on your table and you say, ‘Can we get this shit off of my table?’” he told me recently. “And Elizabeth says, ‘I’m going to build you a new house!’ And Bernie says, ‘I’m going to build you a new city!’ And I’m like, no, just get this fucking shit off my kitchen table and we’ll get back to normal life!”

You may think Begala’s theory is overly-vivid or disgustingly crude, but I think it is an accurate metaphor for how Joe Biden and his campaign believe that the only major issue Democratic voters are interested in is getting rid of Trump.

Biden has repeatedly stated that he thinks Trump as president is a temporary disturbance in the American political system. Once the aberration of Trump is gone, Biden believes, the Republican Party will return to “normal” — “have an epiphany” — and the supposed pre-Trump environment of bi-partisan comity and cooperation will return to once again make the nation’s capitol a fun place to reach across the aisle and practice the art of the deal.

The Biden campaign is so full of shit that we know where the steaming pile on the table went. Hillary Clinton partially ignored people’s needs to focus on defeating Trump*. That’s a significant reason why Trump* got close enough for Putin and the KKK to steal the White House for him.  Also, “normal” for the Republican Reich, before Trump* was appointed, was for Bought Bitch Moscow Mitch to steal Obama’s Supreme Court appointment, voter suppression, racism, welfare, and more.  A Republican epiphany is BS!   RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Shocking Testimony About SEAL Pardoned By Trump Leaked To NYT

 

It wouldn’t surprise me, if Trump* makes Gallagher, a monster, who almost equals Trump* in evil, the next appointee for Sec. Def.   RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): graham nash- Chicago

 

I was demonstrating at the Democratic Convention in Chicago 1968. Ah… the memories!  RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

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Dec 262019
 

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I’m out of new things to say about this treasure. Pat followed Politics Plus and commented for quite some time on the now defunct Care2 News Network, where she had been active for years, before she started commenting here at the site. A few months later, she won her first Big Mouth Award for the 78,000th comment in May 2016. She became a daily regular and won her second award for the 85,000th comment in December 2016 and her third for the 93,000th comment in October 2017. She won her fourth for 97,000 in March, 2018. She won her fifth for 101,000 in August 2018, her sixth for 102,000th in October 2018, and her seventh in August 2019. This is her eighth award. She is a progressive activist, an authentic Christian, a proud veteran, and a Michael Moore Fan. If you tell her to go to hell, she’s likely to answer, “I already live there.” The poor girl is still a Texan. On the other hand, she loves her Houston Texans. Her comments are still bright, witty and above all, compassionate. She always greets WWWendy on shower day! I don’t know what else I can say, but please add your kudos with more compliments. She more than deserves it.

RESIST!!

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Dec 262019
 

It’s a queasy day here in the CatBox.  WWWendy ran out of time, so instead of pressure cooking ham and beans for me, she brought me some of her Christmas dinner: standing rib roast and roast potatoes.  They were a bit hard on my stomach, but when it came to her Marion berry cheesecake pie…, I was a ba-a-a-a-ad kitty!  I’ve been paying the price since.  Tomorrow I may run a bit late.  Store to Door is closed for the week, so I’m getting my groceries delivered from Safeway.com.  On the plus side, I have no medical appointments for the rest of the year.  May America dump the Republican Reich in 2020!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:09 (average 5:53).  To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Crooks  and Liars: Chuck Todd was very very Chuck Todd this year. And above, Chuck worries that Democrats are investigating too many things, and therefore have a “PR problem.”

 

Is that media bias or what? If Democrats’ investigate everything Trump* does, except one, that’s one thing too few!  RESIST!!

From VOA News: Her husband’s steady shift to the political right during their 24-year marriage was a source of frustration and embarrassment for liberal Jennifer Merrill, but it wasn’t until the election of Donald Trump — and her husband’s support for the president — that she’d finally had enough.

Merrill moved out and filed for divorce. 

“I just couldn’t see sharing a bed with somebody that agreed with what Trump was doing when I was so against everything that Trump represented,” says Merrill, a book editor for a trade association, and the mother of three children. “He had no sensitivity for how I felt, that I felt so strongly about it, especially when I was going out and doing protests … and he would just laugh about it and continue to defend [Trump]. So that just made me very, very angry.”

If ever there were just cause for divorce, marriage to a Republican is it!  RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): The Who – Won’t Get Fooled Again

 

Ah… the memories!  RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

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