Politics Plus

Please pardon my brevity.  It’s one of those days.  I’m as busy as a hooker at a Republican pseudo-Christian convention.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:44 (average 5:53).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Donald Trump Hand-Picked Acting-AG Raises New Obstruction Questions (20 min.)

I hope someone is filing a legal action to prevent Whitaker from keeping the office. RESIST!!

From NY Times: What now seems an eternity ago, the conservative law professor Steven Calabresi published an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal in May arguing that Robert Mueller’s appointment as special counsel was unconstitutional. His article got a lot of attention, and it wasn’t long before President Trump picked up the argument, tweeting that “the Appointment of the Special Counsel is totally UNCONSTITUTIONAL!”

Professor Calabresi’s article was based on the Appointments Clause of the Constitution, Article II, Section 2, Clause 2. Under that provision, so-called principal officers of the United States must be nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate under its “Advice and Consent” powers.

He argued that Mr. Mueller was a principal officer because he is exercising significant law enforcement authority and that since he has not been confirmed by the Senate, his appointment was unconstitutional. As one of us argued at the time, he was wrong. What makes an officer a principal officer is that he or she reports only to the president. No one else in government is that person’s boss. But Mr. Mueller reports to Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general. So, Mr. Mueller is what is known as an inferior officer, not a principal one, and his appointment without Senate approval was valid.

But Professor Calabresi and Mr. Trump were right about the core principle. A principal officer must be confirmed by the Senate. And that has a very significant consequence today.

It means that Mr. Trump’s installation of Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general of the United States after forcing the resignation of Jeff Sessions is unconstitutional. It’s illegal. And it means that anything Mr. Whitaker does, or tries to do, in that position is invalid.

Click through for much more.  If it was legal, Republicans would not do it. RESIST!!

From The New Yorker: Donald J. Trump warned on Wednesday that a caravan of Democratic women was heading toward Washington, D.C., with the explicit goal of invading the nation’s capital.

Speaking at a press conference at the White House, Trump acknowledged that he had failed in his bid to stop the caravan, which is on schedule to arrive in Washington on January 3, 2019.

“The Democrats are responsible for sending this caravan, and, frankly, it’s a disgrace,” he said. “They are sending some dangerous women.”

Elaborating on the threat posed by the caravan, Trump said, “Some of these women have fought in wars. They have fired guns. One of them is a mixed-martial-arts specialist. These are women who will kick your ass without hesitating.”

Amen Andy! May the caravan keep growing! RESIST!!

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Store to Door delivered my groceries earlier.  They screwed them up so badly, that I’m trying to get ahold of WWWendy to make an emergency stop on the way here tonight.  Keep your eyes on DOJ.  Jeff Sessions (R-KKK) just resigned.  Tomorrow, please expect no more than a Personal Update.  I have a routine semi-annual appointment with my Pulmonologist.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:05 (average 5:27).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (Oregonian Channel): Kate Brown talks to reporters after re-election

Here in Oregon, I got everything I wanted, except for 1 House Seat that is perennially red. RESIST!!

From YouTube (Robert Reich Channel): Robert Reich: It’s Time for Medicare for All

Of course the Reich on the left, Robert Reich, is right, and the Reich on the right, the Republican Reich, wants to push Granny off a cliff. We can pass it in the House next year. The Republicans will vote it down in the Senate and be on record for doing so. RESIST!!

From Alternet: President Donald Trump sent out a celebratory tweet Tuesday night after it became clear that his party would maintain control of the U.S. Senate — but completely ignoring the fact that Democrats have won control of the House of Representatives.

As CNN’s Wolf Blitzer was giving the president for the win, Jake Tapper cut in to throw cold water on the celebration.

"Let’s just cut through that for a second," Tapper said. "He just lost the House."

"But he did manage to hold on to the Senate," said Blitzer.

"I know. And mavel tov," said Tapper. "But the bottom line is: This is not a good night for President Trump. The Democrats have just retaken the House, and they’re going to have subpoena power, and they’re going to make his life a living hell."

I can’t wait! RESIST!!

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One day to go.  It’s hard to imagine anything else I can say or do, except to harass people to vote, and I just got a text from my last friend, who hadn’t, that he has.  Wendy and I had a hard day yesterday, and I’m feeling extremely tired.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:51 (average 5:32).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Religious Agony:

I’m afraid I have to report Pat for Puddy Tat abuse.  Her team beat me up.  We missed the winning field goal, that was easily within range, on the last play of the game!  ARGH!

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Georgia Democrats Respond To Brian Kemp’s Claim Of Attempted Voter Hack

With the Republican propensity for projection, you can be confident that Kemp, not Democrats, attempted the hack. Why else would he have intentionally left the system in GA vulnerable? RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From YouTube (CNN Channel): Democrats hold advantage in final CNN midterm poll

Projections like this help stimulate enthusiasm, but only one person can make the projection real. YOU! RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From The New Yorker: Backtracking from his earlier suggestion that the military should fire upon migrants if they throw rocks, Donald J. Trump said on Saturday that he was ordering the military to respond to rocks with either paper or scissors.

Speaking at a rally in Pensacola, Florida, Trump said that the decision about whether to use paper or scissors to retaliate against rocks would ultimately be left up to military commanders at the border.

“If rocks come flying at them, they should go ‘paper, scissors’ until they have an answer,” Trump said.

He issued a stern warning to the migrants approaching the border, telling them, “The United States military sees your rocks and is raising you paper or scissors.”

Dang Andy! Only Republicans are dumb enough to think scissors can beat rocks. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

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It’s a chilly muggy day, here at the CatBox.  Tomorrow is a WWWendy day.  It’s also a holy day in the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb.  The Texans are visiting my Broncos.  The game will not be televised here.  I’m afraid Pat and I get to be foes for an afternoon.  May the Orb shine its blessed light on your team, unless they are named after Ted Cruz’ state.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 6:01 (average 8:37).  To do it, click here.  How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Secret Waiver Clears Possible Donald Trump Russia Rod Rosenstein Replacement

Frankly, Putin’s Pervert does not play close enough attention to the nuts and bolts of governance and is not bright enough to have come up with this scam on his own. He is the effect of the Republican Reich, not the cause. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

Also from YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Barack Obama Stumps For Stacey Abrams In Georgia

I had almost forgotten what it was like to have a President! For 1 1/2 hours of Obama campaigning in Florida, click here. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From Daily Kos: This is a wonderful development. Green Party candidate Angela Green has just pulled out of the race and is asking her supporters to vote for Democrat Kyrsten Sinema.

The Kyrsten Sinema/Martha McSally race is one of the most hotly contested in the country. RealClearPolitics has it as a tie.  NBC News/Marist shows Green polling at 6%. If those 6% go to Sinema, that might make this race winnable.

In any event, Sinema’s chances have just vastly improved. One thing is for certain, election night is going to be a nailbiter.

Thanks and Kudos to Angela Green. If only Traitor Jill Stein had done the same in 2016 instead spouting Russian propaganda on Kremlin TV! RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

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