Politics Plus

It’s a cold day here in the CatBox, as Portland us under a freezing fog watch.  That often brings black ice.  I’m sure glad I don’t have to go out today.  Oh God It’s Monday!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:33 (average 5:06).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube: The Seekers – A World of our Own

Ah the memories… A world of our one is one in which atmospheric carbon is decreasing, and every Republican politician is unemployed. RESIST!!

From NY Times: European leaders have long been alarmed that President Trump’s words and Twitter messages could undo a trans-Atlantic alliance that had grown stronger over seven decades. They had clung to the hope that those ties would bear up under the strain.

But in the last few days of a prestigious annual security conference in Munich, the rift between Europe and the Trump administration became open, angry and concrete, diplomats and analysts say.

A senior German official, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorized to speak on such matters, shrugged his shoulders and said: “No one any longer believes that Trump cares about the views or interests of the allies. It’s broken.”

The most immediate danger, diplomats and intelligence officials warned, is that the trans-Atlantic fissures now risk being exploited by Russia and China.

I have no doubt that Putin’s pervert is pushing Europe away to align with Russia. RESIST!!

From Willamette Week: In an interview this week, U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) offered a new reason he might not run for president: fear that if he doesn’t seek reelection to the Senate, that could provide an opening for Republicans.

It sounds a little odd in a state that has elected precisely one Republican to statewide office since 2002.

Merkley told the NW Labor Press that he’s still weighing his options.

“Because others may run,” he explained. “The Republicans may get an opportunity to have a strong candidate. And I cannot let an Oregon Senate seat go to someone who is fighting for the privileged and powerful.”

Oregon does not allow a name to appear on the ballot for two different offices.

I’d like to see Jeff become better known before making a Presidential run in a year in which he does not have to give up his Senate seat to run. Assuming we win in 2020, 2028 would be a good year for it. RESIST!!

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It’s another dank sticky day here at the CatBox.  I slept poorly last night and feel tired.  I’m also suffering from the lack of Orb light.  Tomorrow, WWWendy will be here and we have a full slate of tasks, so please expect no more than a Personal Update with no links messages on Care2.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:01 (average 5:05).  To do it, click here.  Hoe did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (Jeff Merkley Channel): Merkley Supports Plan to Strengthen Social Security

That’s my Senator! Oregon leads the way! Scrap the cap! RESIST!!

From Alternet: Leftist scholar Noam Chomsky has a message for voters who refused to cast their ballots for Hillary Clinton to prevent Donald Trump from winning the White House: You made a “bad mistake.”

On both moral and practical levels, Chomsky told Al Jazeera‘s Medhi Hasan, the choice was clear.

“Do you vote against the greater evil if you don’t happen to like the other candidate?” asked Chomsky, who spoke out during the election against Trump’s candidacy—and in fact predicted his rise six years ago. “The answer to that is yes.”

With an argument similar to the one made by political scientist Adolph Reed prior to the election, Chomsky insists that voters did not have to ignore Clinton’s serious shortcomings in order to recognize Trump as the much more serious threat.

We’re not talking about a mere liberal here. He’s a Democratic Socialist that is well to the left of Bernie. His criticisms of Hillary were often used as ammo by the fools on the left that helped elect Trump. I didn’t like Hillary either, but once nominated, I supported her, fought for her and voted for her? Why? Putting one’s brain on hold during elections is a very foolish thing to do.  Vote Blue!  RESIST!!

From Think Progress: Late Friday afternoon, a flurry of activity by Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s office pulled back the curtain on their case against Donald Trump confidant Roger Stone, who last month was arrested in his Florida home and charged with lying to federal prosecutors, witness tampering, and obstruction of justice.

In documents submitted to the U.S. district court, the special counsel’s office detailed some of the evidence against Roger Stone, acknowledging for the first time they possess direct communications between Stone and Russian operatives known collectively as Guccifer 2.0, as well as WikiLeaks.

The communications were gathered in connection to an indictment that Robert Mueller brought against 12 Russian intelligence operatives last year. Those individuals, who were all members of Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate, or GRU, operated under aliases including DCLeaks and Guccifer 2.0.

The only chance that Stone has to save his own ass is to flip on his Fuhrer and partner in treason. He should have learned from Manafart that, to the Fuhrer, loyalty is a one way street. RESIST!!

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Valentines Day has arrived once again.  I gave WWWendy her gift last night.  It’s one that I’ll never get to see.  I hope you all have a purrrrfect day!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:10 (average 4:55).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (Late Show Channel): The Best (And Worst) Valentine’s Day Gifts

If I had the button, the light would go out, as soon as I got into the bed. The cinnamon rolls looked good. RESIST!!

From YouTube (CNN Channel): Visitors find racially offensive book in congressman’s office

Like most Republican lawmakers, Ferguson loves to study the basis for Republican ideology and policy. RESIST!!

From The New Yorker: In his first interview since being found guilty on all counts in his U.S. trial, the Mexican drug lord Joaquín (El Chapo) Guzmán called himself the victim of a “phony witch hunt.”

The former cartel leader made his blistering comments in a phone call to the television program “Fox & Friends,” whose hosts appeared surprised that he had somehow gained access to a phone and was able to get through to them.

“It was a phony witch hunt,” El Chapo said, of his trial. “It was a phony, rigged witch hunt, and the charges against me were fake news and a disgrace.”

Questioned whether he had worked in concert with other drug lords to bring narcotics into the United States, El Chapo said, “There was no collusion. And there was no evidence of collusion, because there was no collusion.”

Dang, Andy! I bet he’s waiting for a pardon from the Fuhrer. RESIST!!

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It worked with GW, but wouldn’t with Trump.  He’d enjoy it too much.

It’s warmer here in the CatBox, and the weather is wet and muggy.  I’m feeling a little under the weather with a mild case of Republicosis.  That has made it a shitty day.  I got my order into Store to Door, and it’s a big one this week.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 5:15 (average 7:14).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (Robert Reich Channel): Robert Reich: What is Inequality of Place?

In other words poor, white voters too stupid to understand that changing conditions, decayed infrastructure and Republican greed killed their jobs, not the Blacks and Latinos suffering in mega-cities, are the Reich on the right, the Republican Reich. The Reich on the left, Robert Reich, is right. RESIST!!

From YouTube (CNN Channel): BBC cameraman attacked at Trump rally

It’s not Trump. The criminal hatred, displayed by the Republican Reich, has been evident for years. Trump just reflects their image. RESIST!!

From Alternet: On Thursday, members of Congress from both parties announced they had a tentative working deal on border security.

And President Donald Trump’s allies are already trashing the deal as no good.

“By the way, on this new so-called compromise,” said [Faux Noise delinked] Fox News host Sean Hannity. “I’m getting details. $1.3 billion? That’s not even a wall, a barrier.” Referencing Trump’s rally in El Paso, Hannity added, “Any Republican that supports this garbage compromise, you will have to explain — look at this crowd, look at the country.”

“From the details I have seen,” tweeted [Nazi delinked] Hannity’s fellow right-wing commentator Laura Ingraham, “the word ‘principle’ shouldn’t be used to describe this deal.”

The anger was not just limited to Fox News. House Freedom Caucus chairman Mark Meadows (R-NC) raged against the agreement as well.

“This does not represent a fraction of what the president has promised the American people,” Meadows told the Washington Post. “I don’t speak for the president but I can’t imagine he will be applauding something so lacking.”

Under the agreement, Congress would provide $1.3 billion to construct 55 miles of bollard fencing, with restrictions to protect local communities and environments, $1.7 billion for port of entry security and humanitarian aid, and a 17 percent cut to the number of detention beds for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

By all accounts, it is an evenly balanced compromise that forces Democrats and Republicans to make concessions and gives both part of what they wanted. But that will not fly with the hardliners in Trump’s camp.

The devil is in the details. Frankly, I think Democrats may have been too generous, but I’m always willing to negotiate, if Republicans negotiate in good faith. If they are, it’s the first time in years.  Assuming it passes, a shutdown becomes a nationally obvious Republican problem, again. RESIST!!

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