Open Thread–5/10/2020

Posted by TomCat at 8:33 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

May 102020

It’s a busy day here in the CatBox. WWWendy will be here within the hour. Tomorrow is a chemo infusion day. I have to be in the lobby for the TriMet Lift Bus at 6:22. Happy Holiday!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 2:40 (average 4:51). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Trump* Virus Update:

0510TrumpVirusMap

Cases: 1,349,538
Deaths: 80,098
Recovered: 238,081

To all Moms!:

Short Takes:

From NY Times: “History is written by the winners,” William Barr, the attorney general, said Thursday when asked how he thought future generations would assess his decision to drop all criminal charges against Michael Flynn, President Trump’s former national security adviser, who had pleaded guilty twice to breaking the law. “So it largely depends on who’s writing the history.”

In service to Mr. Trump, Mr. Barr is abusing his power not to write, but to erase, some of the most important lessons of American history.

The Watergate scandal, with its revelations of how dangerous a renegade White House could be, led to reforms meant to ensure an independent Justice Department, one faithful to the law rather than to the Oval Office.

The nation had seen firsthand how much harm a president with no respect for the rule of law could do — particularly when he used the Justice Department, under a compliant attorney general, to protect allies, punish adversaries and cover up wrongdoing.

Click through for an extensive expose of crimes Barff has committed on behalf of his beloved criminal Fuhrer Trump*. RESIST!!

From YouTube (SNL Channel): Virtual Graduation Cold Open

It’s hard to believe that even one student voted for him. The LiMu Emu would have been a far better choice than Trump*! Where is Booth, when you need him? RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Wild World

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!

Indefinite Detention for Republicans’ Enemies

Posted by TomCat at 10:54 am Politics

Mar 312020

On September 11, 2001, I was standing in the lunchroom of my company, watching the TV. Knowing that I was a political blogger, a group of coworkers asked me how I thought our government would react. Knowing that GW Bush, aka Crawford Caligula, had criticized his father for “’not finishing the job in Iraq’, I predicted that he would use 9/11, a terrorist act perpetuated by Saudis, as an excuse to attack Iraq. Also, knowing that Bush was trying to establish the Fourth Reich, I predicted that he would use 9/11 as an excuse to crack down on US civil liberties. The un-PATRIOT Act was a down payment for that. The failure of the Fourth Reich (Katrina and Republican Recession of 2008) killed that attempt. Therefore, I’m not surprised that, since criminal Fuhrer Trump* is now trying to establish the Fifth Reich, he has directed Barrf to set up indefinite detention for Republicans’ enemies.

As the US continues its scrambling response to the coronavirus outbreak, it has closed borders, quarantined some neighborhoods, and shut down businesses in a number of the most populous states.

Behind the scenes, federal and state governments have also been pushing for a series of draconian measures to respond to the virus, which would disproportionately affect asylum seekers, people embroiled in the justice system and even those seeking an abortion.

The efforts have already had a striking impact on civil liberties, and bear hints of a 2020 version of the US government response to the 9/11 attacks in 2001, which ultimately led to the Patriot Act, a sweeping piece of legislation that allowed, among other things, the government to collect citizens’ phone data, in an unprecedented encroachment on personal rights.

Amid the indisputable need to contain the coronavirus outbreak, many of the measures have civil rights advocates concerned. With the Trump administration’s poor record on openness and on freedom – seen especially in its treatment of undocumented workers – there is a real risk of Covid-19 having a permanent impact on society.

One of the most troubling efforts is a government proposal that would allow it to detain people indefinitely without trial during national emergencies. The justice department sent a request for the move to Congress around 20 March, in response to the coronavirus outbreak… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <The Guardian>

Virus power-grab? Trump admin seeks ‘sweeping’ powers to detain without trial during pandemic

In short, as is their history, Republicans are trying to use public fear to get extraordinary power, and when they have succeeded, they have invariably abused that power. There is a special word for anyone who concedes acceding to Barrf’s demand for his criminal Fuhrer Trump*: fool!

RESIST!!

Open Thread–2/19/2019

Posted by TomCat at 8:43 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 192020

It’s an exhausted day here at the CatBox, so this is my only article today. Yesterday, they started my test an hour early. The nurse inserted my IV in a very small vein, and the pain I felt when the anesthesiologist shot the Jungle Juice was extreme and intense for the minute or two it took to knock me out. I was done and ready to go home at 12:30. WWWendy’s school had told her she could leave an hour early at 2:30. But both of her co-workers called in sick, so they let her go an hour late at 4:30, and she hit rush hour traffic. She did not get to the hospital until after 5:30, and it was after 6:30, before she got me home. None of this was her fault, and I am blessed to have her. I have a very sore throat and raging heartburn. I have a tumor growing where the esophagus meets the stomach, partially blocking the passage. Food gets hung up there, and when it can’t go down, it comes up. The doctor said it looks malignant, but we won’t know for sure until the lab results from the biopsies come back. The pictures he took are sitting on WWWendy’s dashboard. I’ll scan and post them for you tomorrow, as tonight is a WWWendy night. Those are not the results I wanted to get. ARGH! I just can’t catch a break these days. Happy Hump Day to all!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:07 (average 6:13). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From The Borowitz Report: In an apparently successful attempt to get under the skin of Donald Trump, former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has purchased Greenland from Denmark.

In an official statement released on Tuesday, the Prime Minister of Denmark, Mette Frederiksen, would not disclose the price that Bloomberg paid for Greenland but indicated that it was an “all-cash offer.”

“Mr. Bloomberg has a lot of money,” Frederiksen added.

News of Bloomberg’s purchase of Greenland reportedly infuriated Trump, who immediately ordered his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to make an offer to buy the Faroe Islands from Denmark.

Andy, is it true that Fuhrer Drumpfenfarten* was so pissed that he went to Nambia for a Hamburder? RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Lawrence & Rachel Question Reports That Barr May Leave DOJ Over Trump Tweets

I so wish Barrf would quit that I can taste it, but if you believe it, we really do need to talk about that bridge I’m selling. RESIST!!

From YouTube (Robert Reich Channel): How Democrats Clean Up the Messes Left by Republicans with Robert Reich

Of course the Reich on the left, Robert Reich, is right, and the Reich on the Right, the Republican Reich, is shitting all over America with their welfare for billionaires. This is NOT Trump. The Republican Reich had done this for years, and I have been calling them on it for years too. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Ricky Nelson – Travelin’ Man 1961

I danced the cha cha to this, when I was 13. Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Resign Barrf!

Posted by TomCat at 8:46 am Politics

Feb 172020

Never in the history of the Unites States has there ever been a party so criminal as today’s Republican Reich, under mayhem’s mad maniac, Fuhrer Donald Trump. And never gas there been an Attorney General more corrupt than William Barr, aka Barrf! He truly deserves to be disbarred, or in his case, disBarrfed!

More than 1,100 former federal prosecutors and Justice Department officials called on Attorney General William P. Barr on Sunday to step down after he intervened last week to lower the Justice Department’s sentencing recommendation for President Trump’s longtime friend Roger J. Stone Jr.

They also urged current government employees to report any signs of unethical behavior at the Justice Department to the agency’s inspector general and to Congress.

“Each of us strongly condemns President Trump’s and Attorney General Barr’s interference in the fair administration of justice,” the former Justice Department lawyers, who came from across the political spectrum, wrote in an open letter on Sunday. Those actions, they said, “require Mr. Barr to resign.”… [emphasis added]

Inserted from <NY Times>

I recommend following the link to read the letter.

1,100+ former prosecutors and other DOJ officials call on Attorney General Barr to resign

I’ve never seen anything like this before. However, I think the best we can hope for is to indict, try, convict and jail this vile Republican criminal, after we defeat his Fuhrer and take the White House. Thanks in advance to those prosecutors who blow the whistle on Barrf and/or resign in the face of this Republican perversion of justice.

RESIST!!

Open Thread–2/16/2020

Posted by TomCat at 7:52 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 162020

It’s a busy day here in the CatBox. WWWendy if coming to de-stink the rancid TomCat and help with chores, including the preparation of what I need for my day trip to the hospital on Tuesday. I hope your day is fully Republican-free. If not, flush!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:09 (average 5:05). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Daily Kos: Moscow Mitch McConnell went on Fox News to chortle and gloat over the 395 bills the Democratic House has passed in the last year that he’s refusing to consider.

“It is true,” the Senate majority leader said. “They’ve been on full left-wing parade over there, trotting out all of their left-wing solutions that are going to be issues in the fall campaign. They’re right. We’re not going to pass those.” Like making sure state and local governments have enough funding to secure the 2020 election and legislation ensuring that people’s health care is protected. You know, crazy “full left-wing parade,” unlike his Senate that’s cranking out extremist, unqualified judges and voting on forced-birther bills that can’t even pass in the Senate.

At the same time Bought Bitch Midnight Moscow Mitch’s beloved criminal Fuhrer Trump* is whining about how the House of Representatives get nothing done, because they spend all their time persecuting him. The only solution is to dump every Republican dawg catcher, the Nazi Republican Fuhrer, and every Republican in between. Every Republican in office is one Republican too many! RESIST!!

From Raw Story: Appearing in MSNBC’s “AM Joy” former lead prosecutor Glenn Kirschner hammered Attorney General Bill Barr of a pattern of deceit and perjury that began with his Senate confirmation hearings and continues to this day.

Speaking with host Joy Reid about Barr’s ABC interview admission that he is unhappy with Donald Trump’s tweets and that he doesn’t let them influence him, the prosecutor called him out.

“Bill Barr is not to be believed,” Kirschner explained. “You know, from day one, Joy, at his confirmation hearing he lied — he committed perjury. [Sen.] Kamala Harris asked him, did anybody at the White House including the president ask you to open an investigation or suggest you should open an investigation? What did he say? ‘You know, I’m grappling with the word suggest.’”

First, Barrf should be impeached. Then, Barrf should be disbarrfed! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): The Marcels – Blue Moon

This was the first 45 RPM record I ever owned. Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread–2/12/2020

Posted by TomCat at 9:04 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Feb 122020

It’s another sickly day, here in the CatBox. I could not keep breakfast down, but eventually the burn eased off enough for me to work. It’s a WWWendy day, and it’s been so muggy here, that I need de-stinking in the worst way. Happy Hump Day!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 5:08 (average 7:14). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

I made this cartoon when Crawford Caligula was Resident. Republicans are even worse on jobs now.

Short Takes:

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Entire Roger Stone Prosecution Team Quits Case In Protest

Now that criminal Fuhrer Trump knows he can get away with abusing his power, he’s setting off on a new crime spree. And whenever the AG hears his master’s voice, Barrf Barrfs! Kudos to the prosecutor who quit DOJ! I hope the Democratic President rehires him in Jan. RESIST!!

From YouTube: Bloomberg’s ‘stop-and-frisk’ comments resurface

Even if Bloomberg were not a proven racist, as the tape demonstrates so clearly, he should not be allowed to buy a chance to win the Democratic Nomination. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Van Morrison – Brown Eyed Girl (Original Version)

Vote Blue!!

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Open Thread–1/27/2019

Posted by TomCat at 8:54 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 272020

I’m not feeling too well this morning. I kept my breakfast and all yesterday’s meals down, but I’m suffering from a pretty severe case of Republicosis that has sent me to the throne nine times in the past twenty four hours, including twice in the middle of the night. My poor butt is so raw, it feels like Trump’s* must after a session with Putin [R-RU]. On the plus side, I put my foot down to Medical Mayhem this week. My next appointment is my cardiac stress test next Monday. Oh God! It’s Monday!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 5:01 (average 7:00). To do it click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

SCROTUS = Republican anti-Constitutional VD

Short Takes:

From Nation of Change: Democracy 21, a non-profit organization that aims to
combat the influence of private money in politics, has filed a complaint against
Attorney General William Barr for failure to comply with the Department of
Justice norms, rules and standards of conduct…

…Democracy 21’s complaint gives a detailed list of actions Barr has
taken since last year:

Barr testified before Congress, without any
substantiation, that FBI and Justice Department officials engaged in
“spying” on the Trump campaign during the 2016 presidential
election.

Barr sent a letter to Congress mischaracterizing the
Mueller report ahead of its release, leaving it as the only information
available to the public about the report for almost a month. Barr then
refused Special Counsel Mueller’s request to release the summaries included
in the report and held a press conference hours before the release of the
full report where he continued to mischaracterize it.

Barr failed to recuse himself from overseeing matters
being consideration by DOJ and related to the whistleblower complaint
about President Trump’s call with the Ukrainian President, in which Trump
mentioned Barr by name five times.

Kudos to Democracy 21. They picked a most worthy target in Barrf! I hope DOJ’s Office of Professional Responsibility and Departmental Ethics Office act on it. RESIST!!

From YouTube (538 Channel): ‘Sometimes going negative is a necessary evil’: Nate Silver

I tend to disagree. While it may be adventageous for a Democratic candidate to reveal facts about a Democratic rival, it must be done with dignity and respect, because we all need to unite behind our nominee. When attacking Republicans, no such restrictions apply, since for every decency and courtesy we have extended them in recent years, they have returned pure evil, and nothing but. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): Stuck in the Middle with you – Stealers Wheel

Ah… Lona’s memories! Thanks, Lona! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Open Thread – 1/18/2020

Posted by TomCat at 8:51 am Blog News, Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 182020

It’s another crappy day, here in the CatBox, and I ALMOST went back to bed. Oh well, I get the camera in my gut in less than a month now. Tomorrow is a High Holy Day in the Church of the Ellipsoid Orb, the Festival of Conference Finality. May the Orb shine it’s blessed light on your team, if it has survived. I’ll be out of the saddle on Sunday and Monday. Sunday is a WWWendy Day and we have a very stinky TomCat and lots of chores to manage. Please expect no more than a Personal Update or Open Thread. On Monday I have an appt. with my cardiologist. If you remember, a few weeks back, I was telling my PCP about my heartburn, when an acid bubble came up my esophagus. I put up my hand to my chest, winced, and lowered my head in pain. Megan freaked out. She slapped on the EKG stickers, and once she realized I wasn’t having a heart attack, she insisted I make an appointment with Lisa. That was set back a few weeks ago, because TriMet Lift was two hours plus late and could not pick me up until well after my appointment time. So Monday I hope to publish a Personal Update, and an MLK Day article, prepared a day in advance. I hope to be back in the saddle Tuesday. Have a great weekend.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:24 (average 4:27). I’m amazed I beat the average. To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Alternet: In the past, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine was among the most popular Republicans in New England — a region of the United States that has become increasingly Democratic in recent years. Collins, first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1996, was reelected by 17% in 2002, 23% in 2008 and 38% in 2014. But that was before Donald Trump became president, and according to polling by Morning Consult, Collins now enjoys 42% approval and 52% disapproval — making her the most unpopular politician in the U.S. Senate.

During the first quarter of 2017, according to Morning Consult, Collins enjoyed 67% approval in Maine. But the last quarter of 2019 found her overtaking Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in terms of unpopularity.

It could not have happened to a more deserving bitch (apologies to female dawgs)! Maine… Vote Blue!! RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): President Donald Trump Picks Jeffrey Epstein Lawyers For Impeachment

How much do you want to bet that Barrf and the Republican Reich had Epstein killed to cover up their own crimes? Of course Fuhrer Trump* would pick pervert-friendly lawyers. Birds of a feather… RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from the past): –

Ah… the memories! RESIST!!

Vote Blue!!

Older Entries Newer Entries