TomCat

Quid Pro Quo is a Smoking Gun

Posted by TomCat at 10:02 am Politics

Oct 232019

We had no doubt that Resident Donald Trump, aka Putin’s Puppet, is a quid pro quo kind of felon. After everything else Trump has done for Putin, we watched him and Erdogan carve up the spoils of Syrian Kurdistan yesterday. How much quo does Putin get, anyway? But Trump wanted to be on the receiving end of the equation too, so he threatened Ukraine, making that nation’s survival contingent on manufacturing dirt on a Trump political rival. Yesterday, Bill Taylor offered so much proof that quid pro quo is a smoking gun.

The top US diplomat in Ukraine, Bill Taylor, testified Tuesday that he had been told President Donald Trump would withhold military aid to the country until it publicly declared investigations would be launched that could help his reelection chances — including into former Vice President Joe Biden, according to a copy of Taylor’s opening statement obtained by CNN.

Taylor said he was told that “everything” Ukraine wanted — from a one-on-one meeting between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to hundreds of millions in security aid — was dependent on publicly announcing an investigation that included Burisma, the company that hired Biden’s son Hunter, and Ukraine’s alleged involvement in the 2016 election.

Taylor’s explosive testimony is likely to add fuel to Democrats’ impeachment inquiry into Trump and Ukraine, with Democratic lawmakers leaving the closed door session before three House committees declaring Taylor’s testimony was damning for the President. The testimony also undercuts White House assertions that there was no “quid pro quo” tying security assistance with the opening of an investigation, as Taylor says he was told repeatedly that the two were linked.

The opening statement from Taylor — 15 pages long — adds a detailed and meticulous accounting of the meetings Taylor had with senior US officials in which he says he learned how Trump and his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani were pushing Ukraine to open an investigation into the Bidens and the 2016 election…

Inserted from <CNN>

Please click through for much mort info.

Of course, nobody can flesh out a story as well as Rachel Maddow does.

Diplomat Worried Trump Would Stiff Ukraine After Leveraging Favor

To read the full text of Bill Taylor’s opening statement, click here.

Trump, Pence, Pompeo, Barrf, Perry, and Giuliani are ALL clearly guilty!

As you can see, that gun isn’t just smoking. There’s a forest fire in that gun.

RESIST!!

Open Thread – 10/23/2019

Posted by TomCat at 10:01 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Oct 232019

It’s another busy day here in the CatBox. I had CCC install two six foot wands that I bought for my vertical blinds today. Now I can change the orientation of the slats without having to stretch and strain, and now I can open them (slide them aside) by myself. WWWendy is coming this evening do de-stink the putrid TomCat and help with chores. Happy Hump Day Hugs for all.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:45 (average 5:40). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Save the poor elephant! Make the Republican Party use a pile of poo as their mascot!

Short Takes:

From YouTube (Robert Reich Channel): Robert Reich: The NRA 6-Part Strategy to Stop Gun Laws

Of course the Reich on the left, Robert Reich, is right. The Reich on the Right, the Republican Reich, are Ammosexuals. They goose-step in lock-step with the NRA. Their plan is to increase the profits for gun manufacturers, no matter how many children they help kill to do it! All six of Robert’s points are spot-on. RESIST!!

From YouTube (CNN Channel): Lindsey Graham defends Trump’s ‘lynching’ tweet

Is there a nurse in the house? If so, would you please insert Saguaro suppositories into Putin’s Puppet and Lindsey Poo? RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Joan Baez – The Green Green Grass Of Home

In my youth, I used to change the word “touch”. Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Who Won the Election… Eh?

Posted by TomCat at 10:24 am Politics

Oct 222019

The US has a northern neighbor, where fortunately, voters are considerably better informed than their willfully ignorant counterparts here in the US. Yesterday Canadians went to the polls and reelected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Would be Crime Minister, Andrew Scheer, gained ground through disingenuous campaigning, but he did gain ground.

The Liberals are projected to win 157 seats, 13 short of a majority, and will find it harder to pass legislation in Mr Trudeau’s second term.

The opposition Conservatives are expected to win the popular vote but have not translated that into seats.

They are projected to take 121, up from the 95 they held before.

The good news for Trudeau – and the bad

Where it went wrong for the Conservatives

Results and reaction as it happened

Although Monday night’s results saw a sharp decline in seats for the country’s left-leaning New Democratic Party (NDP), its leader, Jagmeet Singh, could become the kingmaker.

The NDP is projected to take 24 seats in the 338-seat parliament…

Inserted from <BBC>

Please click through for much more.

Fortunately the progressive NDP had agreed to work with the Liberals. Although Trudeau will have a minority government, the Liberals and NDP will have a functional majority. As long as they work together, Scheer’s Tories will be powerless to block them.

Here’s a video report.

Trudeau’s Liberal Party wins Canada’s general election

Kudos to Canada!

Fortunately we have an expert here at the site to flesh out my report. For starters, I’d like our resident Sasquatch to explain the ‘Speech from the Throne’ to us.

RESIST!!

Open Thread – 10/22/2019

Posted by TomCat at 10:23 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Oct 222019

It’s a busy muggy day, here in the CatBox. I prepared my grocery order for the week and the Fantasy Football Report. The day’s low and high are only 5° apart, and the humidity is 97%. Will anyone else be be watching the Gastros play Bought Bitch Moscow Mitch’s team tonight? Resistance hugs to all!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:48 (average 6:42). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Fantasy Football Report:

Here’s the news from our own fantasy football league.

Scores:

7Scores

Congrats to WWWendy, Vivian, and me for winning our games. WWWendy has the weeks high score.

Standings:

7Standings

Kudos to Vivian and WWWendy for leading the league.

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Lawrence On ‘The Clear And Present Danger Of Mark Esperanto’

The more the possibility of impeachment and removal increases, the more I worry about one thing. Mike Pence is just as evil as Trump, but he knows how to pay attention to detail… for ill. He could fool more voters than Trump. RESIST!!

From YouTube (CNN Channel): Netanyahu loses grip on Israeli politics after a decade

Great news! I hope that Benny Gantz is successful at forming a government. I hope Butcher Bibi [R-IS] has a quick transition from government to prison. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Linda Ronstadt – Long Long Time

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread – 10/21/2019

Posted by TomCat at 8:26 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Oct 212019

It’s a slow news day, here in the CatBox, and most of what is happening is just more of the SOS. In addition, I’m feeling tired and sluggish, so I’m taking a partial day off, and this is today’s only article.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:27 (average 3:54). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

I was one of them.

Short Takes:

From YouTube (Vox Channel): The problem with the endangered species list

With Republicans in charge, all species are endangered, including us. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Arlo Guthrie – City of New Orleans

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

From NY Times: Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, wants more than control over a wide swath of Syria along his country’s border. He says he wants the Bomb.

In the weeks leading up to his order to launch the military across the border to clear Kurdish areas, Mr. Erdogan made no secret of his larger ambition. “Some countries have missiles with nuclear warheads,” he told a meeting of his governing party in September. But the West insists “we can’t have them,” he said. “This, I cannot accept.”

With Turkey now in open confrontation with its NATO allies, having gambled and won a bet that it could conduct a military incursion into Syria and get away with it, Mr. Erdogan’s threat takes on new meaning. If the United States could not prevent the Turkish leader from routing its Kurdish allies, how can it stop him from building a nuclear weapon or following Iran in gathering the technology to do so?

The US has 50 nuclear weapons in Turkey. The USAF should remove them from Incirlik Air Base in Turkey and not notify Trump of their intent to do so, Otherwise Erdogan [R-TU] might go to Putin [R-RU] and ask him to order Trump to hand them over. RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Bill Maher from 10/18

Posted by TomCat at 10:30 am Politics

Oct 202019

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

Neil deGrasse Tyson: Letters From an Astrophysicist

For your sake, I hope Neil has never studied Uranus. As a Christian, Neil’s perspective on the relationship between religion and science is fine with me. Science and my faith do not conflict. Unfortunately, Bill; is as evangelically atheist in his proselytizing as most Republicans are evangelically pseudo-Christian in theirs.

Ambassador Susan Rice: Tough Love

You know how it is. All those National Security Advisors look alike. However, there’s a hell of a difference in how they act! I agree with her that we will have a terrorist resurgence, thanks to Trump and his Republican enablers. I agree with mandatory national service, but make it longer than 6 months, and trade it for education.

New Rule: Prickstarter

I agree that Trump squeezes quarters so hard that the eagle shits. The orangutan should have sued Bill for libel. The bet is a great idea Bill. He might leave, when defeated, just to win the bet! But ‘Prickstarter’? All the money in Fort Knox couldn’t start growing that prick to an inch long.

The channel did did not include Bill’s Monologue this week, but here’s a video of the show that does include it.

Real Time With Bill Maher 10/18/19

I don’t know how long this will last, because it is not the “official” video, but while it works, the opening monologue is hilarious. As anticipated, it didn’t last long.

RESIST!!

Open Thread – 10/20/2019

Posted by TomCat at 10:29 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Oct 202019

It’s another hectic day here in the CatBox. First, I checked a link in a political article. I always do for two reasons. I don’t want to infect the blog with malware, and I don’t want to infect you with malware. Emsisoft detected the malware, and it took almost an hour to remove it. As big a pain as that is, I’m glad I caught it. The blogger has removed the article as soon as I contacted them. Then I spent over an hour finding an obscure setting in Amazon Prime Video. It’s a Holy Day in the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb. My Broncos already had their butts reamed this week. May the divine Orb shine it’s blessed light on your team far better than it did for my Broncos.

Jig Zone Puzzle: Jig Zone did not post a Daily Puzzle today, so I found one I don ‘t recognize as a substitute.

This Puzzle took me 4:11 (average 6:46). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Consequential Week In Impeachment Inquiry

If you think last week was consequential, wait until this week is over! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Simon & Garfunkel – Scarborough Fair (Full Version) Lyrics

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

From NPR: President Trump announced that he’s dropping his plan to host next year’s Group of Seven meeting of the leaders of the world’s biggest economies at his Miami-area golf club.

In a series of late-night tweets on Saturday, Trump blamed the reversal [tweeting twit delinked] on what he described as “Media & Democrat Crazed and Irrational Hostility,” following bipartisan claims that he’s exploiting his presidency for personal profit.

I do love it, when Trump experiences such a costly and embarrassing defeat. RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread – 10/19/2019

Posted by TomCat at 11:04 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Oct 192019

It’s a busy day here in the CatBox. WWWendy will be here shortly to destink the decaying TomCat. She said to thank all who wished her a safe trip and welcomed her home, when she returned. We have lots to do. This is my only article today. I’ll put the Bill Maher videos up tomorrow. Weekend hugs to all. I’ll finish this later.

I’m de-stunk and WWWendy is cooking. My Pepcid didn’t come today. That stinks!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:51 (average 4:45). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From The New Yorker: Calling it a “once-in-a-lifetime incredible deal,” Donald Trump on Friday offered recently-escaped isis fighters a group rate at the Trump National Doral Miami.

“I am giving isis a group rate that entitles them to the full run of the golf course, the spa, you name it,” he said. “This is going to make the isis people very, very happy.”

The fighters can qualify for the group rate by presenting proof of isis membership and their recently freed status, Trump said.

Trump declined to say whether he would extend the same group rate to Kurdish fighters in Syria. “I’m not a fan of the Kurds,” he said. “Where were the Kurds in 1776 when George Washington took control of the British airports?”

Really, Andy? Do you think he’ll give the Squad a free stay,or at least a steep discount, so those fighters [R-Daesh] will have targets? RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Trump Syria Deal: ‘A Colossal Mistake At Every Possible Level’

“Cleaned-out” reflects the Republican wet-dream for the violent ethnoc cleansing near our border with Mexico. The terms of the so-called cease fire is what Erdogan planned to do weeks before the invasion. It was NOT Trump’s idea and he and his lackeys, Pence and Pompeo, did nothing to bring it about. He set the house on fire and is bragging about putting it out, while it’s still burning. RESIST!!

From YouTube and YouTube (Full Frontal Channel): Canada, It’s Voting Time

Canada, Don’t Make America’s Mistakes

Canadians, Vote Orange!! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!, except in Canada!

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