{"id":40753,"date":"2020-08-15T10:33:28","date_gmt":"2020-08-15T17:33:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=40753"},"modified":"2020-08-15T10:33:28","modified_gmt":"2020-08-15T17:33:28","slug":"open-thread-8-15-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2020\/08\/15\/open-thread-8-15-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Thread – 8\/15\/2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s a steamy day, here in the CatBox.  Portland is under an Excessive Heat Warning today and tomorrow with temperatures of 100\u00b0+ both days.  With my O2<\/sub> concentrator acting like a space heater, and when the sun hits my big windows in the afternoon, the A\/C unit is hard pressed to keep it in the 80\u00b0s inside.  Tomorrow WWWendy is coming to destink the foul TomCat, change my pain patch, goop, and help with chores.  Therefore please expect no more than a Personal Update from me tomorrow.  Have a fine day!<\/font><\/p>\n

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

Today’s took me 3:03 (average 4:40).  To do it, click here<\/a>.  How did you do?<\/font><\/p>\n

Cartoon<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

It’s Republican SOP!<\/font><\/p>\n

Trump* Virus Update<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

\"0815TrumpVirusMap\"<\/font><\/p>\n

US Cases: 5,478,009
US Deaths: 171,568
Plus the many plague murder victims Republicans are hiding<\/font><\/strong> <\/p>\n

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

From ProPublica<\/a>: <\/font>Guards in an immigrant detention center in El Paso sexually assaulted and harassed inmates in a \u201cpattern and practice\u201d of abuse, according to a complaint filed by a Texas advocacy group urging the local district attorney and federal prosecutors to conduct a criminal investigation.<\/p>\n

The allegations, detailed in a filing first obtained by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune, maintain that guards systematically assaulted at least three people in a facility overseen by Immigration and Customs Enforcement \u2014 often in areas of the detention center not visible to security cameras. The guards told victims that no one would believe them because footage did not exist and the harassment involved officers as high-ranking as a lieutenant. <\/p>\n

According to the complaint filed with the Department of Homeland Security\u2019s Office of Inspector General<\/a> and shared with prosecutors, several guards \u201cforcibly\u201d kissed and touched the intimate parts of at least one woman. She faces deportation next week \u2014 meaning investigators could lose a key witness. Her attorneys have requested that immigration officials pause her deportation pending a review of the matter. <\/p>\n

The best defense that those Republican perverts have is that they were following the example of their Fuhrer.  RESIST<\/strong>!!<\/font> <\/p>\n

From NY Times<\/a>: <\/font>President Trump\u2019s top two officials at the Department of Homeland Security are illegally serving in their positions, with appointments that violated the laws governing who can fill Senate-confirmed posts, according to a report released Friday<\/a> by the Government Accountability Office. <\/p>\n

Chad F. Wolf, the acting secretary of homeland security, and Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, his deputy at the sprawling agency, are serving in violation of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, which specifies orders of succession when senior officials resign, according to the G.A.O., Congress\u2019s nonpartisan watchdog. <\/p>\n

The report said the improper appointments began after Kirstjen Nielsen was forced out of office as the department\u2019s secretary in April 2019. <\/p>\n

\u201cBecause the incorrect official assumed the title of acting secretary at that time, subsequent amendments to the order of succession made by that official were invalid,\u201d the Government Accountability Office said on Friday. The agency said that Mr. Wolf and Mr. Cuccinelli \u201care serving under an invalid order of succession.\u201d <\/p>\n

Should anyone be surprised that Republicans are not following the rules? The Republican SOP that rules and laws are for others, not them, has been in force for decades.  RESIST<\/strong>!!<\/font> <\/p>\n

From YouTube<\/a> (a blast of protest): <\/font>Bruce Springsteen & Joe Grushecky \u261c\u2764\u261e That\u00b4s What Makes Us Great (ANTI-TRUMP-SONG 2017 )<\/p>\n