Bill Maher from 2/9

Posted by TomCat at 1:05 pm Politics

Feb 102018

It’s that time of week again, and I’m happy to share five fine video clips from Bill’s show last night. Enjoy!

Monologue: Abusive Aides and Military Parades

Trump has posted an ad with the employment service: Pervert Wanted – Whites Only – Nazi’s preferred. A "loose cannon" leading the parade… Love it!

Bari Weiss on #MeToo

I agree with Bill and Bari. The extreme left is guilty of concrete thinking on this issue as the extreme right is about lynching.

Rep. Adam Schiff on the #DemMemo

Bingo! Trump has a newfound love of the FBI. They told him not to release the Nunes memo too. "A systematic undermining of our system of checks and balances": Right on!

25 Things You Don’t Know about Devin Nunes

LOL! Amen to all of the above!

New Rule: Sub-Literate America

Maybe if Daffy Duck tells him to resign… His sub literacy is one of the reasons the Republican Reich backs him so strongly. As long as they keep praising him he does what they say. Therefore, we must:

RESIST THE REPUBLICAN REICH!!

Open Thread – 2/10/2018

Posted by TomCat at 1:04 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 102018

WWWendy is due in ten minutes, so I’ll have to do most of my writing after she leaves at around Noon. I watched the opening ceremony last night, and neither Nambia nor Normay sent teams to Korea.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:44 (average 5:43). To di it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Donald Trump Closer To Ending Russia Probe As Rachel Brand Quits DOJ

I think Rachel Brand was acting in her own self-interest. If it came down to either hamstringing the Mueller investigation for Trump, or refusing to do so, whatever she might do would be a career ending move for her. So when the Republican Reich got Wal-fart to offer her a plumb job, she ducked out of the line of fire and took the money. I know virtually nothing about Noel Francisco. RESIST!!

From The New Yorker: In comments to reporters at the White House on Friday, Donald J. Trump stirred controversy by lavishing an alleged wife beater with praise that he historically has reserved for child molesters and Nazis.

Reporters who heard the President’s comments were taken aback since, in the past, the President had given no indication that he held wife beaters in the same high esteem in which he holds supporters of child abuse and white supremacy.

“We knew that President Trump considered child molesters and Nazis very fine people, but this was the first time he had put wife beaters up there, too,” Tracy Klugian, a member of the White House press corps, said. “We wanted clarification as to whether he considered wife beaters as fine as those other two groups, or finer.”

John Kelly, the White House chief of staff, accused reporters of attempting to drive a wedge between three of the President’s most cherished constituencies.

Dang Andy! Doesn’t the Fuhrer prefer all of the above? RESIST!!

From YouTube (RWW Channel): RWW News: Paul Begley Says Barack Obama Is Leading An Illuminati Plot To Assassinate Trump

Barf Bag Alert!!

This is what Republican Sheeple get to see as a substitute for real News. RESIST!!

Cartoon:

0210Cartoon

Everyday Erinyes #110

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 8:20 am Politics

Feb 102018

Experts in autocracies have pointed out that it is, unfortunately, easy to slip into normalizing the tyrant, hence it is important to hang on to outrage. These incidents which seem to call for the efforts of the Greek Furies (Erinyes) to come and deal with them will, I hope, help with that. Even though there are many more which I can’t include. As a reminder, though no one really knows how many there were supposed to be, the three names we have are Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone. These roughly translate as “unceasing,” “grudging,” and “vengeful destruction.”

Well, we all know that gerrymandering is real and a clear and present danger. But since the time Eldridge Gerry invented it, it’s been a matter of getting into power (at the right time) and then drawing the right maps. But now, something new has been added. The ante is being upped.

Pennsylvania Republicans are willing to go above and beyond to prevent losing. The map they have been using for years has resulted in Pennsylvania sending 5 Democrats and 13 Republicans to Congress … and similar proportions in the two State houses … despite the fact that Trump won the state by less than one point. The (gerrymandering) case went to the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court this year, and the court overwhelmingly said that new maps must be drawn, the current ones being outrageous. In a panic, Republicans sent an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court for a Stay to try to salvage 2018. This request went to Justice Alito. Justice Alito could have asked the rest of the court to look at it. He didn’t. He essentially said, “Nuts” and sent it back.

So we now have maps so obscenely gerrymandered that JUSTICE ALITO won’t keep them even temporarily. Are Pennsylvania Republicans giving up? Are they admitting defeat? Heck no.

THEY ARE TAKING STEPS TO IMPEACH FIVE MEMBERS OF THE PENNSYLVANIA SUPREME COURT.

Fun fact! The five justices [they want] to impeach are the five Democrats on the bench.

State Representative Cris Dush (so many Republicans have names you would think would dissuade them from entering politics) is spearheading this effort. He has submitted an Official Memorandum requesting colleagues to join him. Carolyn Fiddler writing for Daily Kos has done a very professional job of explaining exactly why this is so important to Republicans there … and why they think they can get away with it. Spoiler: It does NOT involve putting country over party.

(As an aside, I hope Cris Dush doesn’t have a sister who married a fellow whose last name is Bag. At least I think I hope that. Ah, what the heck.)

Republicans have the numbers to do this. They need a majority in their House, and they have that. They need a supermajority in their Senate, and they have that too. And, they are not just thinking of 2018. They are thinking of 2021, when a new census will require new maps. Even if they can hold their majorities till then, similar gerrymandered maps will be tossed out by the Supreme Court if it still has its present makeup. Pennsylvania Supreme Court judges are elected … but incumbents only face retention elections, which are gimmes. They also have mandatory retirement at 75. The next Democratic justice to hit 75 will do so in 2022.

The consensus among Pennsylvania residents seems to be that this proposition is all hat and no cattle. But, even if that is the case, it may give other Republicans ideas. It needs, not just to fail, but to fail decisively.

Mitch put the Move On petition, which is also sponsored by Common Cause, into yesterday’s Open Thread, but, in case you missed it, here’s the link again.

Daily Kos has its own petition, which can be reached through the linked Daily Kos story, or HERE

Alecto, Megaera, Tisiphone, I hope you will sit on this guy, but protect yourselves. Dushing has been determined by qualified medical professionals to be damaging and dangerous. If there is not a Democratic candidate running against him, you might try to recruit one. That would be grabbing him by the midterms, all right.

The Furies and I will be back.

Cross posted to Care2 HERE.

Two from the Reich on the Left

Posted by TomCat at 1:07 pm Politics

Feb 092018

I’m sure you know by now, the Reich on the right, the Republican Reich, is virtually always wrong, while the Reich on the left, Robert Reich, is virtually always right. Robert just released two installments of his lecture series on the economy on Inequality Media. Here they are, with brief comments from me.

Understanding Your Split Brain

I’m rather unusual here, because, although I prefer to buy American, whenever I can, have to shop online or by telephone due to physical disability. Even though I have voted against my own self interest (on ballot measures) to achieve the common good, it’s hard to blame others for not doing do. The only way to overcome number three in the video is to elect the people who will pass the laws and institute the policies we need.

What Should Be the Purpose of Corporations

It clear that we need to elect the people who will pass laws and regulations to ditch shareholder capitalism and implement stakeholder capitalism.

To do so, we must…

RESIST THE REPUBLICAN REICH!!

Open Thread – 2/9/2018

Posted by TomCat at 1:06 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 092018

Hopefully, last night was the last muggy night for a while, and I can catch up on some sleep. It’s a strange weekend. WWWendy has student report day at the school, where she works, until late Wednesday evening, so we need to move my shower night to Tuesday next week. To keep my showers from being two and five days apart, we’re also moving shower day to Saturday this and next weekends. So I get destunk early, with no destinking on slow Sunday.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:51 (average 5:55). To do it, click here. Hoe did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (NY Times Channel): President Trump’s Best People

Barf Bag Alert!!

All Trump’s sycophants are either criminals, or, if any are actually are any non-criminals, incompetent. RESIST!!

From YouTube: Lawmakers’ late-night showdown ends with bipartisan budget deal

The Fuhrer has signed it, so it’s a done deal. The problem with having no power, is that we need to do as much good as we can for the most people that we can, whenever we get a rare opportunity to do so, and millions will benefit from the Republican concessions. DREAMers’ status is on hold, because of a court ruling. I hope we can do some good for them. As for all the military spending that we don’t like, we need to take power to change it. RESIST!!

From NY Times: On Wednesday, we learned that during a 2017 background check for the former White House staff secretary Rob Porter, his two ex-wives both told the F.B.I. that he had abused them. His first wife, Colbie Holderness, gave the F.B.I. a photo of her with a black eye, a result, she said, of Porter punching her in the face during a vacation in 2005. Porter’s second wife, Jennifer Willoughby, shared a 2010 emergency protective order she’d received after he punched in the glass on her door while they were separated.

The White House chief of staff John Kelly reportedly knew about these allegations, which are said to be the reason the F.B.I. never gave Porter a full security clearance, ordinarily a prerequisite for his job. Nevertheless, Porter’s past was apparently not considered a problem inside the White House until it became public. This tells us quite a bit about how seriously this administration takes violence against women.

Even after The Daily Mail broke the story, Kelly reportedly urged Porter not to resign, though he did anyway. In the White House briefing room Wednesday, President Trump’s press secretary Sarah Sanders read a statement from Porter calling his ex-wives’ accounts “simply false” and part of a “coordinated smear campaign.” In what was perhaps a rare outbreak of candor by omission, she didn’t bother with a pro forma statement that the White House condemns domestic violence.

Even if you put aside questions of morality — which most people working for Donald Trump have already done — a staff secretary who can’t qualify for a security clearance because of his personal life is a serious security risk. Among other things, such a person could be subject to blackmail.

What people fail to realize is that, in the Republican Reich, a background like Porter’s is not a liability. It’s a prerequisite. RESIST!!

Cartoon:

It’s time for more Olympic Gay Gloves. Vice Fuhrer Pence has already trashed gay US skater Adam Rippon.

Samantha Bee from 2/7

Posted by TomCat at 12:27 pm Politics

Feb 082018

It’s that time of week again, so here are five excellent video clips from Sam’s show last night. Enjoy!!

This Week in Chaos: Nukes

Deploy a low yield nuclear weapon into space, with Trump attached.

This Week in Chaos: Nunes & BIEs

I knew the Nunes memo really sucks, but Trump?!!? Yuck!! Black Identity Extremists: any black person, who does not smile, shuffle, and call any white person in a MAGA hat ‘Massa’.

Racist Roadshow

It’s true that Oregon was originally founded as a "whites only" state. Oregon was also the last state in the nation to give up Jim Crow laws. We’ve changed!

Black History Spotlight: John Robinson

I had never heard of John Robinson. Belated Kudos!

It’s Our Birthday!

Happy broadcast birthday, Sam! It’s been a great two years!

What a treat!

RESIST THE REPUBLICAN REICH!!

The Deal

Posted by TomCat at 12:27 pm Politics

Feb 082018

Obviously, there is one thing about the deal that I don’t like. It does not extend protection for the DREAMers. I have no doubt that the deal will pass the Senate, because Bought Bitch Mitch (R-KY) appears to be keeping his word and has scheduled Immigration for next week. I believe he will, so I have no problem with Senators who vote for it. Paul Lyin’ Ryan (R-WI) has also committed that he will put a bill on the House floor to extend protection for DREAMers, and there’s the rub. We don’t call him Lyin’ Ryan for nothing.

…The vote on Thursday will not complete the budget process — rather, will set the budgetary caps for the next two years and extend the current level of funding through March 23.

That will give congressional appropriators enough time to hash out the exact details of where the money will go.

With that in mind, here’s what’s in the legislation that Congress will vote on Thursday:

Extends of current federal funding through March 23.

Lifts the statutory budget caps for defense and non-defense spending by a combined $296 billion over the next two years.

The defense cap would be increased to $629 billion for fiscal year 2018 and $647 billion for fiscal year 2019 — an increase of $165 over the current caps over the two years.

The nondefense cap would increased to $579 billion for fiscal year 2018 and $597 billion for fiscal year 2019 — an increase of $131 billion billion over the current caps during the two years.

Suspends the debt ceiling until March 1, 2019.

Offers $89.3 billion in additional funding for areas hit by natural disasters in 2017.

$23.5 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Disaster Relief Fund.

$17.39 billion for the US Army Corps of Engineers for projects to prevent future damage.

$28 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development Community Development to help rebuild homes and infrastructure.

The rest would go toward funds within the Small Business Administration, the Department of Defense, Veteran’s Administration, and other agencies to help repair damages.

Extends of certain Medicare provisions, including funding for community health centers, removing a cap on therapy services, funding for rural and Medicare-dependent hospitals, and more.

Extends certain tax provisions and edits to some parts of the tax code — including provisions from the recently passed GOP tax law.

Adds four years of funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The previous funding bill signed in January extended CHIP for six years, so funding will now last 10 years.

Adds funds for agencies above current levels to mitigate the effects of the short-term funding bill. That includes increased funding for the upcoming 2020 Census, Southeastern Power Administration, the F-35A fighter jet program, and more.

It’s seems likely, though not completely clear, that the bill will pass….

Inserted from <Business Insider>

There it is. There is a lot I like, such as dumping the sequester system. It does preserve a deadline of 3/23, if Republicans welch on their promise to DREAMers. But I have not made up my mind let. So I laid it out for you to make up your own minds.

RESIST THE REPUBLICAN REICH!!

Open Thread – 2/8/2018

Posted by TomCat at 12:26 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 082018

I overslept this morning, because I’m overtired from the winter heat wave. Starting tomorrow, temperatures will be seasonal for a few days. I can’t wait for the feeling of snuggling under my covers to stay warm. I spoke with my PCP yesterday afternoon. Megan and I agreed to put my fasting labs and routine appointment off for a month, because the end of flu season is running late, it is more virulent than normal, the vaccine missed the target this year, and it’s airborne. It’s not a good idea for me to expose myself with two routine trips to a place where people with flu routinely hang out. I will, however, be going for my annual cancer screening at Casey Eye Institute on Monday. Coverage of the Winter Olympics has started, and I remain a big-time amateur sports fan.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:39 (average 4:31). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter Resigns After Abuse Allegations Surface

The White House has known about Porter’s predations for over a year, and didn’t care, even when he could not get his security clearance because of them. Republicans tried to keep Porter indefinitely, even after his resignation, but due to publicity and public outcry, today is his last day. It is a dark day for little Donnie Grabatwat, who depends on Porter to help him develop techniques to abuse women, RESIST!!

From The New Yorker: The Pentagon has turned down Donald J. Trump’s request for a grand military parade in Washington, D.C., citing a sudden outbreak of bone spurs that would prevent men and women in uniform from participating.

Harland Dorrinson, a Pentagon spokesman, said that, within an hour of Trump’s request, more than a hundred thousand military personnel complained that they were suffering from acute cases of bone spurs that would make marching in such a parade a painful ordeal.

“In the history of the U.S. military, we have never experienced a bone-spur epidemic of this magnitude,” the spokesman said. “Regrettably, however, we have no choice but to issue thousands of deferments.”

Dang, Andy! That sounds perfectly reasonable to me. I bet the tanks caught bone spurs too! RESIST!!

From Think Progress: Before Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) became chairman in 2015, the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence had a reputation for bipartisanship. With the revelation, reported by CBS News on Thursday, that the committee’s Republican majority staff will soon be separated from the Democratic minority staffers on the committee by a wall — literally, a physical barrier separating public officials from each other — members of both parties are saying Nunes has destroyed any spirit of collaboration the committee once enjoyed.

Is there nothing Nunes won’t do to protect America from the truth about his Fuhrer? RESIST!!

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