{"id":26366,"date":"2017-02-17T13:02:18","date_gmt":"2017-02-17T21:02:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=26366"},"modified":"2017-02-17T13:02:18","modified_gmt":"2017-02-17T21:02:18","slug":"open-thread-2172017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2017\/02\/17\/open-thread-2172017\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Thread – 2\/17\/2017"},"content":{"rendered":"

TGIF!  I’m still running on a sleep deficit as humidity remains is 93%, having just dropped below 100% for the first time in three days, so I’m already fighting droopy eyelids.  I hope you all have a peaceful, Republican-free weekend.<\/font><\/p>\n

Jig Zone Puzzle<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

Today’s took me 3:15 (average 5:27).  To do it, click here<\/a>.  How did you do?<\/font><\/p>\n

Short Takes<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

From NY Times<\/a>: <\/font>Harry van Bommel, a left-wing member of the Dutch Parliament, had persuasive allies in convincing voters that they should reject a trade pact with Ukraine \u2014 his special \u201cUkrainian team,\u201d a gleefully contrarian group of \u00e9migr\u00e9s whose sympathies lay with Russia.<\/p>\n

They attended public meetings, appeared on television and used social media to denounce Ukraine\u2019s pro-Western government as a bloodthirsty kleptocracy, unworthy of Dutch support. As Mr. Van Bommel recalled, it \u201cwas very handy to show that not all Ukrainians were in favor.\u201d<\/p>\n

Handy but also misleading: The most active members of the Ukrainian team were actually from Russia, or from Russian-speaking regions of Ukraine, and parroted the Kremlin line.<\/p>\n

The Dutch referendum, held last April, became a battering ram aimed at the European Union. With turnout low, Dutch voters rejected the trade agreement<\/a> between the European Union and Ukraine, delighting Moscow, emboldening pro-Russia populists around Europe and leaving political elites aghast.<\/p>\n

It looks like Trump is not the only traitor Russia manipulates.  Lona, how could Bommel be considered "left wing" by the Times, when he acts like a damned Republican? RESIST<\/strong>!!<\/font><\/p>\n

From YouTube<\/a> (GQ Channel<\/a>): <\/font>Is The Trump White House High? | The Resistance with Keith Olbermann<\/p>\n