Republicans on Parade – 6/5/2018

Posted by TomCat at 12:45 pm Politics

Jun 052018

Here is the one hundred twenty-first article in our Republicans on Parade series, featuring individuals who personify what the Republican Party has become. Today’s honoree is Republican white supremacist and Senate candidate, Corey Stewart from Virginia. He is so honored for the Republican way he supports racist hatred of and violence against minorities.

With just a week to go until Virginia’s Senate primary, GOP candidate Corey Stewart — a Prince William County supervisor and former Trump campaign chair — is facing an explosive charge.

On Monday, the conservative Daily Wire posted footage originally uploaded to Stewart’s YouTube account in February 2017, showing him celebrating with Wisconsin congressional candidate Paul Nehlen on inauguration night.

“One of my personal heroes, not from Virginia, but from the great state of Wisconsin, there is Paul Nehlen, who had a lot of courage and took on Speaker Ryan. And I can’t tell you how much I was inspired by you,” he says.

Nehlen, who is running for Paul Ryan’s open seat, is a proud white supremacist and anti-Semite.

A self-described “pro-white” candidate who has appeared on the podcast of Klan leader David Duke, Nehlen has claimed that “the Jews” repeat the themes of “poop, incest, and pedophilia,” mocked the Holocaust, and posted lengthy lists of his critics complete with personal information, noting (incorrectly) that “74 are Jews.”…

…Stewart supports flying the Confederate flag, wants to prosecute local officials who don’t racially profile Latinos, and has implied Republicans who support expanding Medicaid have erectile dysfunction. And, in addition to Nehlen, Stewart has appeared in public with Jason Kessler, the neo-Nazi leader who organized last year’s violent demonstrations in Charlottesville…

Inserted from <Share Blue>

Here’s the video.

It’s hard to find a more typical Republican, or one more worthy of a parade.

RESIST!!

VOTE BLUE!!

Open Thread – 6/5/2018

Posted by TomCat at 12:45 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jun 052018

Last night street noise awakened me around midnight, and that was fortunate. I was up the rest of the night with Republicosis. I’m feeling very tired.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 5:24 (average 10:02). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (Media Matters Channel): How cable news poisons the conversation about abortion

How about fining the Republican Reichsministry of Propaganda, Faux Noise, $100,000 per lie about abortion and use the $millions in raised revenue to fund Planned Parenthood? RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From YouTube (Inequality Media Channel): The Unconstitutional Census Power Grab

The Reich on the left is right. Republicans have more ways to steal elections than dawgs have fleas. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From The New Yorker: In what they believe is a legal masterstroke, lawyers for Donald J. Trump are now claiming that he cannot be impeached because he was never actually elected.

In a lengthy memo sent to the special counsel, Robert Mueller, the lawyers pushed back vehemently against any allegation that Trump was legally elected President.

“Because Russian interference made the election of Donald J. Trump wholly illegitimate, any attempt to remove him from an office that he does not legally hold is clearly impossible,” the memo asserted.

The memo claimed that the Constitution contains “no provision for removing a person from office when that person was installed there by a foreign power.”

Dang Andy! That’s a compelling argument!! RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

Cartoon:

0605Cartoon

Vintage 2011 and equally valid today.

Merkley Rebuffed

Posted by TomCat at 1:03 pm Politics

Jun 042018

From time to time I get a reminder of why I took the time in 2008 to volunteer for the campaign of Jeff Merkley [D-OR], who defeated Goose-step Gordon Smith in the US Senate and is now serving in his second term. Today was one of those days, as Jeff traveled to Texas to stand-up for kids that Republicans had ripped from their parent’s arms and warehoused there.

America’s inhumane immigration system has come under growing scrutiny in recent days after President Donald Trump introduced his new policy of separating migrant children from their families, and when a sitting U.S. senator attempted on Sunday to examine the conditions of one immigrant detention center in Texas—where "hundreds" of children are reportedly being held—facility staff refused to allow him inside and called the police.

"The attorney general’s team and the Office of Refugee Settlement, they don’t want anyone to know what’s going on behind these doors," Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore) said after arriving at the Brownsville, Texas facility, which is run by the Southwest Key Program (SKP), a "non-profit" government contractor.

Merkley didn’t simply arrive at the facility unannounced. As the Oregon senator explains at the outset of his video [click through to see] of the attempted visit, he contacted federal officials and SKP to request access to the detention center, which is a former Walmart with completely blacked-out windows.

After Merkley repeatedly asked officials at the facility to allow him to speak with a supervisor who could give him a tour, local police arrived and questioned the senator about his attempted entry. When a supervisor did finally emerge, he wouldn’t answer Merkley’s questions or provide any information…

From <Common Dreams>

Here’s a brief clip from a local Portland station. The article has a longer one.

Kudos to Jeff for trying to protect children from Republican abuse of power. Oregon leads the way!

Please sign Jeff’s petition opposed to family separation.

RESIST!!

VOTE BLUE!!

Open Thread – 6/4/2017

Posted by TomCat at 1:02 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jun 042018

I still haven’t recovered from my parade, and it’s been very busy here in the CatBox. Yesterday, I was so exhausted that I fouled-up uploading my articles to Care2. Today I’ve been scheduling medical mayhem. I wanted to prepare for the monthly report, but I had to write a letter to the parole board for one of my guys.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:32 (average 4:24). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): President Donald Trump’s Mind-Control Superpowers

The pundits overcomplicate the matter. Trump is a perfect reflection of the beliefs and policies of the Republican Party in the mind of an addled pervert. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From CNN: Former President Bill Clinton said that impeachment hearings would have begun if a Democratic president, instead of Donald Trump, were in power and the Russia investigation was as far along as it is now.

"I think if the roles were reversed — now, this is me just talking, but it’s based on my experience — if it were a Democratic president, and these facts were present, most people I know in Washington believe impeachment hearings would have begun already," Clinton told "CBS Sunday Morning."

Bill should know why! IOKIYAR! RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From Think Progress: For all the horrible things that President Donald Trump says and does from the Oval Office, his own words and deeds may not actually pose the greatest challenge to our democracy. Rather, the real threat to our way of life might be the countless, unnamed, mostly-white Americans who approve of — and feel emboldened by — the illiberal, white-supremacist tinge to the rhetoric that emanates from the White House on a near-daily basis.

Hyperbole? Alarmist, left-wing extremism? Over-the-top balderdash, you say? Not at all. But don’t take my word for it. Instead, allow me to point in the direction of a groaning shelf of scholarly research that suggests the current White House occupant may only be the spear’s tip of America’s unraveling democracy.

The most recent such study comes from political scientists Steven V. Miller at Clemson University and Nicholas T. Davis at Texas A&M University. Their working paper – “White Outgroup Intolerance and Declining Support for American Democracy” – fires a warning shot to signal a budding threat to the nation. Miller and Davis collected and compared polling data compiled between 1995 and 2011 by the World Values Survey and discovered an escalating impulse among some white Americans to embrace “an unwillingness to associate or fraternize with individuals whose cultural, racial, or religious ideas or ways differ” from their own. They identified such attitudes as “socially intolerant,” which they also found to correlate with a willingness to sacrifice democratic notions, such as political compromise or respect for minority rights, if such principles conflicted with their selfish interests.

Miller and Davis, for example, found the percentage of socially intolerant whites doubled from 12.6 percent in 1995 to 24.9 percent in 2011, when the most recent survey figures were available.

Chick through for the rest. I question the willingness of Trump and the Republican Party to cede power, when legally required to do so. They are preparing storm-troopers to help them keep power by force. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

Cartoon:

Poll Results – 6/3/2018

Posted by TomCat at 1:23 pm Blog News, Politics

Jun 032018

Here are the results of our “Which Fuhrer is worse?" poll. Politics Plus Polls are not scientific, because those who respond are not balanced according to demographic categories. Therefore, we do not accurately reflect the makeup of the US population. Nevertheless, our polls are usually factually accurate, and more often than not, they reflect thinking of the majority of those who actually do think.

0603Poll

And here are your comments:

Showing comments 1–11 of 11.

Posted by Patricia M Lasek May 16, 2018 at 2:29 am. From: NY (US)

I voted "Worse". He’s already got his eye on the WH with dreams of upsetting the applecart even more. At least with Dumpster we know he’s just crazy.

Posted by SoINeedAName May 11, 2018 at 10:59 pm. From: MO (US)

I voted "Worse" – because the GOP would be a unified voice.

At least now a small percentage of republicans are embarrassed by the antics and policies of Trump. That would disappear w/ Pence – a well-practiced hate-monger of longstanding.

Posted by Yvonne White May 6, 2018 at 1:22 pm. From: IL (US)

Pence would be just as bad – but more focused…but he doesn’t have that trumpster bandwagon. He can’t fake it like trump, and his stupid "laws" as Gov. are being tossed..so we MIGHT have a chance. Plus, I think he was almost as deep in the election rigging as trump.

Posted by SoINeedAName May 3, 2018 at 3:34 pm. From: MO (US)

All depends on who controls the House & Senate.

GOTV!!!

Posted by Vivian May 2, 2018 at 6:42 pm. From: OK (US)

With all the evidence against Pence and Drumpfenfarten, maybe we would get Schiff! With Ryan stepping down, and all the others with evidence against them, we should have them just about ALL cleaned out! ROTFLAMAO!

Posted by Mitch D. May 2, 2018 at 3:47 pm. From: NJ (US)

Worse, because, as Gene says, he is soooo far too the right, but also because of two other issues:

1- After tDump, the country may just take a time out for a few deep breaths, and he will seem, will appear, more reasonable, certainly less distractible, and calmer.

2- This will give him cover for his bonzo evangelical, "Jesus is talking to me" behind the scenes manipulations. See my posting, at C2, regarding the somewhat quiet, but gathering storm of evangelical, Dominionist politics: http://www.care2.com/news/member/565542931/4102295

Posted by gene May 2, 2018 at 6:08 am. From: MN (US)

Worse. He’s so far to the right of Trump he’s not even in the picture.

Posted by Lona Goudswaard May 1, 2018 at 9:55 pm. From: (NL)

Pence may be worse because he has about the same agenda Drumpf has, only more zealous, but he won’t fill his administration with complete incompetence. His people may actually accomplish what they set out to do: make America white and Christian and have them serve their lords: the 1%.

However, Pence being worse doesn’t mean Drumpf is the better choice and he should stay on, He should go and take Pence with him.

Posted by Pat B May 1, 2018 at 10:50 am.

I find him more sneakier, than dt, who bloviates on a daily basis. He’s more quieter, but certainly not a good choice (unfortunately) for the needs of our Nation right now.

Posted by dave c May 1, 2018 at 10:29 am.

better, as horrible as his policies are…..similar to Rumpenstein, he is not such an arrogant jerk…….although wouldn’t work for anyone, but his cronies either……..I am not sure the Cult of Pence is as large or crazy as the Cult of Trump

Posted by Joanne D May 1, 2018 at 10:20 am.

Well, this is another – I won’t call it a trick question, but definitely a tricky question. I’ve been thinking that Pence would be worse, because he is both a a Dominionist, and an experienced politician who know how sausage is made. But, on reflection, I’m not so sure. What I said is true, but it’s not the whole truth. What he lacks is the populist charisma (I know, I don’t feel it either, but his followers do). He isn’t the Messiah. Only Trump os the Messiah. And that would throw a huge monkey wrench into getting done what he wants to get done. Do I’m going to go with "Just as bad."

I voted worse. While Pence and Trump are virtually identical when it comes to policies, Trump is so flighty that, when he meets resistance, he moves on. Pence is single minded and will persist until he tastes blood. Furthermore Pence will strive to convert the US to a Dominionist Theocracy. Worst of all, if Trump goes down, the average ignorant, apathetic US voter will assume the problem is solved and stick his head back in the sand.

The new poll is up. Enjoy!!

RESIST!!

VOTE BLUE!!

Open Thread – 6/3/2018

Posted by TomCat at 1:22 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jun 032018

Dang! I was made a dishonerary Republican. Surprised smile I got a parade! I had completely forgotten that the Portland Rose Festival Starlight parade, which passes under my window, was last night. I had just fallen asleep when the bands started playing. It was almost midnight when the street cleaners finished up, so I’m pretty pooped today. Here’s a pic:

0603Parade

WWWendy will be here in about 40 minutes, and I hope to finish writing by the time she arrives.

She just left, and I am WAY pooped.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:36 (average 5:17). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (NY Times Channel): Palestinian Medic Killed by Israeli Soldiers at Gaza Protest

What a tragic loss this courageous young woman was when the state of Israel murdered her with the full support of the US Republican Party. I have a reason for calling the war criminal that executed her Butcher Bibi. It’s time to reinstate Nuremburg. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From Washington Post: L’etat, c’est Trump.

For months we’ve heard President Trump’s TV lawyers, as he calls them, bandy about the argument that he — or any president, for that matter — couldn’t have obstructed justice because justice is what he says it is.

In other words, that because, they claim, a president possesses absolute power to cut short a criminal investigation, he cannot by definition be guilty of obstructing it. Or, in the famous Nixonian formulation, as Richard M. Nixon told David Frost, “Well, when the president does it, that means that it is not illegal.”

But as much as the president’s legal team foreshadowed this contention, it was nonetheless breathtaking to see it spelled out, in uncaveated black and white, in a letter from Trump’s legal team to special counsel Robert S. Mueller III.

“A President can also order the termination of an investigation by the Justice Department or FBI at any time and for any reason,” the lawyers, John Dowd and Jay Sekulow, wrote in the January letter, obtained by the New York Times. “Such an action obviously has an impact on the investigation, but that is simply an effect of the President’s lawful exercise of his constitutional power and cannot constitute obstruction of justice.”

Republicans have pushed this absurd Nazi claim for a long time. The last time we saw it was from Fuhrer GW Bush of the Fourth Reich. He claimed to be the unitary executive. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From The New Yorker: President Donald J. Trump made Vice-President Mike Pence watch him issue pardons for several hours to see how it is done, a White House source confirmed.

According to the source, Trump pardoned a number of disgraced political figures and former reality-show cronies for the sole purpose of training Pence in the art of issuing pardons.

After signing pardon after pardon while Pence looked on intently, Trump commanded the Vice-President to sign a “practice pardon” to prove that he “wouldn’t mess anything up,” the source said.

Before trying his hand at issuing a pardon, Pence heaped praise on Trump for the pardoning demonstration he had just given.

Andy is reporting straight news again. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

Cartoon:

A flashback from 2011.

Bill Maher from 6/1

Posted by TomCat at 12:49 pm Politics

Jun 022018

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

Monologue: Tweet Sorrow

Bill called Trump a whiney little bitch, just like Sam called Ivanka a feckless cunt, which is no worse than Trump has talked about several women, using the same word.

Sen. Bernie Sanders

"We need to bring forth an agenda that working people all over this country are going to respond to." Amen!

New Rule: Conspiracy Weary

"His [Trump’s] only experience with Goldwater was in a Russian hotel room." LOL! The only answer is that more sane people than insane people have to vote in EVERY election! AMEN!!

Good show!

RESIST!!

VOTE BLUE!!

Open Thread – 6/2/2018

Posted by TomCat at 12:48 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics, Religion

Jun 022018

We’re having a one day heat wave, so the CatBox is buttoned up with A/C blasting. Yesterday’s trip was interesting. The unit even had a private bath, although a small door and a pipe left too small an opening to get my chair into it. I could have put my hospital bed in the unit, but to do so, I would haveto give up computing, internet, tv, and eating. Anne (my program Manager) was very encouraging and understands my needs better than before. I hope the next is larger. Tomorrow is a WWWendy day, so I hope to get the poll switched and the Monthly Report done early next week.

I just exchanged texts with Nameless. His brother’s condition is still very bleak, but they aren’t giving up. Please keep the prayers coming.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:26 (average 5:47). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (NY Times Channel): Watch: U.S. Allies Denounce President Trump’s Tariffs Decision

With friends like US Republicans, our allies have no need for enemies. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From NY Times: Senator Heidi Heitkamp, the centrist Democrat from North Dakota who is fighting a pitched battle to save her seat, has gotten a lift from an unlikely source: the conservative billionaire Koch brothers.

Americans for Prosperity, the political advocacy group backed by Charles G. and David H. Koch, unveiled a digital ad campaign on Friday thanking Ms. Heitkamp for her support of recently passed legislation that loosened regulations on small and medium-size banks that were swept up in the 2010 Dodd-Frank law passed in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

The ad is the latest evidence that the brothers, often at odds with President Trump, may be moving away from strictly partisan work on behalf of Republicans in favor of initiatives that will advance their libertarian-leaning legislative priorities, including free trade, immigration legislation and access to medicines, regardless of party affiliation.

I would support even this horrid, Koch sucking DINO over a Republican, but we really need to challenge her in the primary. There is apparently nobody running and the primary is 6/12. ARGH!! RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From Alternet: To hear the Religious Right tell it, men like George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison were 18th-century versions of Jerry Falwell in powdered wigs and stockings. Nothing could be further from the truth…

…Here are five founding fathers whose views on religion would most likely doom them to defeat today:

1. George Washington. The father of our country was nominally an Anglican but seemed more at home with Deism. The language of the Deists sounds odd to today’s ears because it’s a theological system of thought that has fallen out of favor. Deists believed in God but didn’t necessarily see him as active in human affairs. The god of the Deists was a god of first cause. He set things in motion and then stepped back.

Washington often employed Deistic terms. His god was a “supreme architect” of the universe. Washington saw religion as necessary for good moral behavior but didn’t necessarily accept all Christian dogma. He seemed to have a special gripe against communion and would usually leave services before it was offered.

Washington was widely tolerant of other beliefs. He is the author of one of the great classics of religious liberty – the letter to Touro Synagogue (1790). In this letter, Washington assured America’s Jews that they would enjoy complete religious liberty in America; not mere toleration in an officially “Christian” nation. He outlines a vision of a multi-faith society where all are free.

“The Citizens of the United States of America have a right to applaud themselves for giving to Mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy: a policy worthy of imitation,” wrote Washington. “All possess alike liberty of conscience and immunities of citizenship. It is now no more that toleration is spoken of, as if it was by the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights. For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance, requires only that they who live under its protection, should demean themselves as good citizens.”

Stories of Washington’s deep religiosity, such as tales of him praying in the snow at Valley Forge, can be ignored. They are pious legends invented after his death.

Republican Supply-side pseudo-Christians, the exact opposite of real authentic Christians, would befoul their pants and accuse Washington of being a damn librul. I shared one of five. Click through for the other four. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

Cartoon:

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