Open Thread – 8/21/2018

Posted by TomCat at 12:36 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 212018

Here in the CatBox, I expect a high in the high 90°. The humidity is 48%. My COPD is acting up and my eyes are burning from the smoke. Trump overload has caused a case of Republicosis. ARGH!!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:21 (average 6:24). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (Oregonian Channel): Portland’s hazy skies as seen from aerial tram

That was yesterday when it was just beginning. Today, it’s much worse. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Donald Trump Claims "I Could Run" Robert Mueller Investigation "If I Want"

Once again, the ogre, whose head is swelled as huge, as his hands, etc. are tiny, has demonstrated his PhD (piled higher and deeper) in Bullshitology! RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From The New Yorker: Vladimir Putin is reportedly “very close” to firing Rudolph Giuliani as Donald J. Trump’s attorney, a source close to the Russian President confirmed on Monday.

According to the source, Putin allowed Trump to hire Giuliani in the first place because “it’s important to let Trump think that he has some autonomy from time to time,” but now the Russian President has apparently determined that “enough is enough.”

Over the next few days, the source indicated, Putin is likely to replace Giuliani with a handpicked successor, Arkady Lubetkin, a criminal-defense attorney who has represented several prominent Russian Mob figures.

Dang Andy! After Meet the Press, Putin (R-RU] does have just cause for doing do. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

Cartoon:

0821Cartoon

Vintage 2012

Open Thread – 8/20/2018

Posted by TomCat at 12:07 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 202018

WWWendy just left, so I feel like Sunday, even though it isn’t. This is my only article today, and I won’t be sending links messages on Care2. The heat and smoke fully are back. After three horrid days, we may get a bit of respite for a few days. I turned on the news and there’s no doubt. Oh God! It IS Monday!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:44 (average 5:03). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube: Giuliani: ‘Truth isn’t truth’

On 1/21/2021, if not sooner, Rudy 9/11 can tell his Fuhrer "Unemployed isn’t unemployed. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From NY Times: As a corporate lawyer, William L. Wehrum worked for the better part of a decade to weaken air pollution rules by fighting the Environmental Protection Agency in court on behalf of chemical manufacturers, refineries, oil drillers and coal-burning power plants.

Now, Mr. Wehrum is about to deliver one of the biggest victories yet for his industry clients — this time from inside the Trump administration as the government’s top air pollution official.

On Tuesday, President Trump is expected to propose a vast rollback of regulations on emissions from coal plants, including many owned by members of a coal-burning trade association that had retained Mr. Wehrum and his firm as recently as last year to push for the changes.

The proposal strikes at the heart of climate-change regulations adopted by the Obama administration to force change among polluting industries, and follows the relaxation of separate rules governing when power plants must upgrade air pollution equipment. Mr. Wehrum, who has led the E.P.A.’s clean air office since November, also helped deliver the changes in several of those rules.

It is now permissible for sheeple to choke and wheeze, while goose-stepping. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From Politico: The team of investigators working on special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation "are looking to impact" this November’s midterm elections, President Donald Trump claimed Monday morning, labeling Mueller’s team a "national disgrace."

Now that’s a case of the obsidian shard calling the ivory gem black. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

Cartoon:

An Extremist with Principles?

Posted by TomCat at 1:19 pm Politics

Aug 192018

Frankly, I can’t stand Don McGahn. On virtually every issue that matters, he is such a rabid extremist that he almost makes Mussolini seem like a progressive. Without his legal assistance during the campaign, Trump could have never stolen the election and become Resident. McGahn has been the guiding force for packing the courts with extremist judges. It is likely that he picked Kavanaugh, as they are like-minded. Nevertheless, it is possible that this extremist may have some principles.

The White House counsel, Donald F. McGahn II, has cooperated extensively in the special counsel investigation, sharing detailed accounts about the episodes at the heart of the inquiry into whether President Trump obstructed justice, including some that investigators would not have learned of otherwise, according to a dozen current and former White House officials and others briefed on the matter.

In at least three voluntary interviews with investigators that totaled 30 hours over the past nine months, Mr. McGahn described the president’s fury toward the Russia investigation and the ways in which he urged Mr. McGahn to respond to it. He provided the investigators examining whether Mr. Trump obstructed justice a clear view of the president’s most intimate moments with his lawyer.

Among them were Mr. Trump’s comments and actions during the firing of the F.B.I. director, James B. Comey, and Mr. Trump’s obsession with putting a loyalist in charge of the inquiry, including his repeated urging of Attorney General Jeff Sessions to claim oversight of it. Mr. McGahn was also centrally involved in Mr. Trump’s attempts to fire the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, which investigators might not have discovered without him.

For a lawyer to share so much with investigators scrutinizing his client is unusual. Lawyers are rarely so open with investigators, not only because they are advocating on behalf of their clients but also because their conversations with clients are potentially shielded by attorney-client privilege, and in the case of presidents, executive privilege….

Inserted from <NY Times>

I disagree with the Times’ assertion that Trump is McGahn’s client. Since his appointment as White House Counsel, McGahn has represented institution, not the man. Therefore, if he see’s Trump doing things that would weaken the Presidency, then his role is to defend the institution, as the following video explains:

Of course, it is also possible that instead of principled action, McGahn just recognizes that Trump’s usefulness to the 0.1% is coming to an end. The 0.1% can say “who us” in feigned wonderment, after they throw the Fuhrer that they defined and they created under the bus.

RESIST!!

VOTE BLUE!!

79 DAYS!!

Open Thread – 8/19/2018

Posted by TomCat at 1:18 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 192018

It’s another very weird day, because WWWendy isn’t here on Sunday. Sunday, for this very stinky TomCat is 7:00 AM tomorrow morning. Because the timing will screw up my day, please expect nothing more that a Personal Update, and I wont be sharing links messages at Care2. The heat and smoke are back, but after mid-week, I should get a few days of temperate weather.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:07 (average 5:05). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Religious Agony:

0818P-Broncos23-Bears24

Actually it wasn’t a bad showing. The Broncos were ahead 23-10, until the last few minutes of the 4th quarter when the only people playing were players with little chance of making the team. The players that matter dominated the Bears.

Short Takes:

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Eve of Destruction * Barry McGuire 1965 HQ

It was one of my favorites then, and sadly, today it fits even better. RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From Alternet: One of the top concerns of Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee regarding President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court Nominee, Judge Brett Kavanaugh, is whether he knew anything about, authorized, or advised the Bush administration on their torture program for detainees in the War on Terror while he served as White House staff secretary.

In 2006, during his confirmation to the D.C. Circuit, Kavanaugh told senators, under oath, that he was "not involved in the questions about the rules governing detention of combatants," and had no knowledge of issues about "the legal justifications or the policies relating to the treatment of detainees," according to NBC News. However, Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) assert that multiple documents and email chains show Kavanaugh was briefed on the issue, implying he was not honest with the Senate…

…According to a press release from Leahy, prior to the meeting on July 24, Republicans were prepared to ask the National Archives to release documents produced during Kavanaugh’s time as White House Staff Secretary for former President George W. Bush. But after the meeting, Republicans refused to do so, allowing a limited release of documents curated by "a lawyer representing the former president."

"In the 44 years I have served in the United States Senate, I have seen 19 nominations to the Supreme Court, including the nomination of every current member of the Court," said Leahy. "I have never before seen the White House, under either a Republican or Democratic president, usurp or direct the parameters of the Judiciary Committee’s document request regarding a Supreme Court nominee. I find it troubling that the White House and Judiciary Committee Republicans are stifling transparency rather than working together to provide the necessary documents for the Senate to do its work. The American people deserve the unvarnished truth about Judge Kavanaugh."

If Kavanaugh, Bush’s torture maven, were not a criminal, that would have disqualified him. Republicans are desperate to put him in a key position to commit new crimes, protecting his Fuhrer as an Injustice on SCROTUS (Republican Unconstitutional VD). RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From Think Progress: A New Jersey school board candidate often made racist comments on Facebook, calling Black people “animals” and “useless wastes of life.” He also frequently made homophobic and transphobic comments, mocked people with disabilities, and disparaged those calling for criminal justice reform.

Richard Jankowski, a 51-year-old candidate in Monroe Township, Gloucester County, made the comments on Facebook from 2013 to 2016, according to a report from the New Jersey Globe. Jankowski’s posts were all public, meaning anyone could see them.

“Glad the legal system finally got it right,” Jankowski wrote in July 2013, a day after George Zimmerman was acquitted of all charges for killing Travyon Martin, a Black unarmed teenager.

What else would you expect from the town’s Republican Party Chairman? RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

Cartoon:

Bill Maher from 8/17

Posted by TomCat at 12:03 pm Politics

Aug 182018

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

Monologue: Omarosa Week

Omarosa has no credibility. She raked in the big bucks defending Trump, until the gravy train dried up. Only then did she flip and try to rake in the big bucks from our side. We need a less hypocritical whistle blower.

Catholic Church Cover-Up

I agree with ordaining women and married priests.

Preet Bharara: Defending Institutions

I have to disagree with Preet. Calling Trump and his Republican Reich traitors is understating the issue, not overstating it.

New Rule: Avatar America

My avatar is a cat, and it is purrrrfect!!

I loved the last clip!

RESIST!!

VOTE BLUE!!

80 DAYS!!

Open Thread – 8/18/2018

Posted by TomCat at 12:02 pm Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 182018

The sun has not hit the window yet, so the CatBox is comfortable. I’ll have to button it up right after the Fantasy Football Draft. My Broncos play the unclothed ones this evening, but it’s not televised here. Have a great weekend.

Only Squatch and I attended the live draft, but she had her war paint on. When I chatted hello, was she ready, and how did she do, she wouldn’t even reply. I guess she wants a puddy tat toe jam. Surprised smile

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:36 (average 4:24). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): John O. Brennan: I Gave Trump A Year To Live Up To The Office. He Didn’t. (24 min.)

This is far too brilliant a talent to lose! If Republicans had to steal the White House for a celebrity, why couldn’t they pick Alec Baldwin? RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From YouTube (RWW Channel): RWW News: John Guandolo Says Brennan, Comey, McCabe, & Strzok Should Be Executed For Treason

Barf Bag Alert!!

Thou shalt not commit TEAbuggery! RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

From The New Yorker: Hours after the Pentagon announced that it would postpone a military parade that Donald J. Trump had requested, Vice-President Mike Pence staged a one-man parade in Trump’s honor.

Explaining his decision to mount the solitary parade, Pence told reporters, “It is the least I can do to pay tribute to the greatness and majesty of Donald Trump, a true American hero.”

Pence acknowledged, however, that marching alone “was a neat way to keep the budget down.”

Straight news again, Andy. Pence loves to goose-step for his Fuhrer! RESIST!! VOTE BLUE!!

Cartoon:

Vintage 2014

Everyday Erinyes #132

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 10:50 am Politics

Aug 182018

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. 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.”

Dr. Stanley Andrisse is an endocrinologist. He is also a professor at Johns Hopkins Medicine. He also holds an Assistant Professorship at Howard University College of Medicine. Somehow he also manages to find time to advocate for formerly incarcerated persons as the executive director of From Prison Cells to PhD, Inc. This organization helps formerly incarcerated people obtain higher education. Why does he do this? Because Dr. Andrisse himself was once incarcerated and lacking education. And he knows what a dead end that can be.

Dr. Andrisse hails from Ferguson, MO. He started selling drugs young. The first time he was arrested, he was 14. By age 17, he was moving a lot of drugs, both across Missouri, and throughout the United States. And he was a bright student. But school was not really his thing, even though he received a football scholarship to Lindenwood University. At that time he made an effort to get out of the drug business. But there were a lot of people in that business who very badly wanted him to stay in it. He did achieve a Bachelor’s degree (which he never got to use). But he didn’t view the experience the same way he views it now.

He now speaks passionately about the transforming power of education.

Education provides opportunities for people with criminal records to move beyond their experience with the penal system and reach their full potential. The more education a person has, the higher their income. Similarly, the more education a person has, the less likely they are to return to prison.

A 2013 analysis of several studies found that obtaining higher education reduced recidivism – the rate of returning to prison – by 43 percent and was four to five times less costly than re-incarcerating that person. The bottom line is education increases personal income and reduces crime.

While Dr. Andrisse was serving his sentence, something happened which, while tragic, gave him a goal and a purpose.

Due to complications of diabetes, my father had his legs amputated. He fell into a coma and lost his battle with Type 2 diabetes. I was devastated. This experience made me want to learn more about how to fight this disease. [emphasis mine]

He applied to six medical graduate programs while incarcerated, and was rejected by five. He credits a mentor on the Admissions Committee of the sixth (Saint Louis University) for his second chance. He graduated near the top of his class, vindicating himself and his mentor and possibly shaming the other five schools.

He has some strong ideas about how to change the system in order to make it easier for others to get the kind of second chance he got. One of those ideas has now come to fruition for students applying to college starting in 2019: The “Common Application,” an online form which enables students to apply to over 800 colleges (not every student to all of them of course), will no longer have questions about students’ criminal past.

But that is not all Dr. Andrisse wants to see happen. Due to the Law Enforcement Act of 1994 (and, yes, that was during a Democratic administration), which (among other things) removed Pell funding from prisons, a consequence was that the majority of institutions offering courses in prisons stopped cold. Most people serving time are not able to afford to take courses without financial aid ($1 per hour for fighting fires doesn’t go very far … and not that many people qualify for the firefighting program. And that’s probably the highest wage a prisoner can earn). The Obama administration established a Second Chance Pell pilot, which has helped over 12,000 people, and which is likely if not certain to be abolished at the end of 2018 by an “administration” which is far less interested in the possibility of saving government money by reducing recidivism than in punishing people. Dr. Andrisse would like to see that Second Chance Pell pilot kept and expanded.

Dr. Andrisse would also like to see questions about drug crimes removed from federal aid forms. So would I. I would also like to see a unicorn trip down from the sky on a rainbow and distribute delicious candy which is free from both sugar and artificial sweeteners. Under the current “administration” the one is probably as likely as the other. Which makes it incumbent on us (not trying to sound like a broken record, for those here who are old enough to remember records) to get out the VOTE in November and to VOTE BLUE NO MATTER WHO and also to VOTE THE WHOLE BALLOT.

Alecto, Megaera, Tisiphone, anyone smart enough to vote Democratic should also be smart enough to see that our country and our lives are determined not just by the people at the top but also by people in AL levels of government. Education has helped Dr. Andrisse come a long, long way. Please help us educate all Democrats and left-leaning voters how important ALL levels of government are … and how critical it is to VOTE.

The Furies and I will be back.

Cross posted to Care2 HERE.

Targeting Witnesses!

Posted by TomCat at 2:06 pm Politics

Aug 172018

When I’m wrong, I say I’m wrong. I thought that Little Donnie Dipshit was stripping security clearances in a tantrum out of pure spite. But Rachel Maddow exposed the true strategy, and whoever conceived it could not be more devious. The Republican Reich is targeting witnesses to make it more difficult for them to testify against Trump.

When President Donald Trump broke with precedent and unilaterally revoked the security clearance of former CIA Director John Brennan, many observers criticized the move as petty and an assault on the freedom of speech of Trump’s critics. But MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow argued Thursday night that something much more sinister may be going on.

She noted that Brennan himself has said that he hasn’t used his security clearance since leaving government except to review his old notes when needing to testify before Congress or in other circumstances.

And Brennan, she noted, is one of the key figures involved in briefing then-President-elect Trump on the Russia investigation during the 2016-2017 transition. Since any potential obstruction of justice charges Trump may eventually face could relate to the information he received then, Brennan may eventually be called to testify about these events. This also applies to many of the other people the White House has said it is reviewing for the potential revocation of security clearances.

And that puts Trump’s new targeting of Brennan and the others in a much darker light.

"He said explicitly that he did it because these people had a role back in the day leading the Russia investigation — what he called the ‘rigged witch hunt,’" Maddow said. "He’s not after his critics — he’s after the witnesses!"… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <Alternet>
Photo Credit: The Daily Beast

Rachel describes it in exquisite detail. Here’s the video (21 min.)

John Brennan had the perfect retort in an op-ed: "Mr. Trump’s claims of no collusion are, in a word, hogwash."

RESIST!!

VOTE BLUE!!

81 DAYS!!

Older Entries Newer Entries