trump9

Liberty In Peril

formerly,

The Llano Ledger

11-24-17

Highly reminiscent of Llano County prosecutors, Sheriff Bill Blackburn and his criminal SS jackbooted bastards in black who continue to egregiously disgrace themselves and the badge, do as they please regardless of the law and Constitution, carefully consider the following. It's appalling. Runs against the grain of everything our formerly great country once stood for. No longer.

What took so long? The American Civil Liberties Union reports:

"The American Civil Liberties Union of the District of Columbia today filed a lawsuit against the District of Columbia, Metropolitan Police Department officers, and D.C. Police Chief Peter Newsham for making unconstitutional arrests, using excessive force, denying arrested people food, water, and access to toilets, and invasive bodily searches of protesters exercising their First Amendment rights on Inauguration Day."

All for exercising their constitutional right to peacefully protest. ... While the criminal jackbooted bastards in blue did all they could to abrogate that right. Rioted themselves in uniform. What a goddamned disgrace. These bastards are traitors.

"The lawsuit was filed on behalf of a legal observer, a photojournalist, and two others arrested that day."

Fascinating, isn't it? Think we don't already live in a de facto fascist police-state, soon to become the Trump nazi's Fourth Reich?

"While the overwhelming majority of Inauguration Day protesters demonstrated peacefully, a small number caused property damage. In response to the vandalism, MPD officers employed a controversial crowd-control tactic known as “kettling,” where officers corralled more than 200 protesters—including many who had broken no laws—by trapping and detaining them for several hours before formally arresting them. Officers also deployed nonlethal crowd-control devices—including pepper spray, tear gas, flash-bang grenades, concussion grenades, and smoke flares—upon protesters and others both on the street and inside the kettle, without warning or threat of harm to officers or other members of the public."

A lawsuit is nowhere near good enough. These jackbooted bastards need to have been arrested, criminally charged, and tried. Not possible when there is no special court or prosecutors dedicated specifically to investigating, prosecuting criminal officers. Since local prosecutors remain in bed with law enforcement, there is absolutely no chance of justice any longer. Certainly, not. ... Not in Nazi America, right, Sheriff?

"The complaint filed by the ACLU of DC also outlines incidents in which MPD officers handcuffed detained individuals so tightly as to cause injury and subjected some individuals to unlawful manual rectal probing."

These criminal SS jackbooted bastards in black not only engaged in physical assault, but sexual assault as well. Clearly, to get their cookies off. F--ked up jackbooted bastards.

“The MPD’s extreme tactics against members of the public, including journalists, demonstrators, and observers, were unjustifiable and unconstitutional,” said Scott Michelman, senior staff attorney for the ACLU of DC. “People from all over the country come to the nation’s capital to exercise their constitutional right to protest. MPD’s wanton and vindictive conduct on January 20 chills free speech, which is a vital part of our democracy.”

Clearly, no longer. Certainly, not in a goddamned fascist police-state. ... Right, Sheriff? Police rioted. Yet, were not held legally accountable for their criminal activity.

"The ACLU of DC’s lawsuit, filed in federal district court in Washington, seeks monetary compensation for the four individuals in an amount to be determined by a jury."

Until criminal officers, their departments, and governmental entities ultimately responsible are brought to their knees financially, this shit will not end. ... Short of an unwanted dreaded second American revolution catastrophically looming. Clearly, there is no justice in a de facto fascist police-state, soon to become the Trump nazi's Fourth Reich.

"Among the plaintiffs in today’s case are New York resident Shay Horse, who was covering the protests as a photojournalist, and Baltimore resident Elizabeth Lagesse, an activist who traveled to D.C. to peacefully protest President Trump’s inauguration. An MPD officer witnessed Horse taking photos to document the protest, then pepper-sprayed him. Lagesse did not participate in any acts of vandalism whatsoever. Both Horse and Lagesse were kettled and subjected to pepper spray, tear gas, and painful handcuffing, and they were denied food, water, and bathroom access for several hours."

Our formerly great country is now little more than a banana republic. Circumstances will certainly worsen as this becomes the Trump nazi's Fourth Reich. ... Right, Sheriff?

"The ACLU of DC also represents D.C. resident Judah Ariel, a legal observer whose neon-green hat clearly marked him as an observer and who was monitoring the conditions of the people trapped in the kettle when he was pepper-sprayed by MPD officers without warning or justification."

Criminal assault by SS jackbooted bastards in black.

"The ACLU of DC is also seeking damages on behalf of Horse and fellow detainee Milo Gonzalez, who were subjected to invasive manual rectal probe searches while in police custody."

Sexual assault by the criminal jackbooted bastards in black. Clearly, perpetrated to get their cookies off, while desperately attempting to intimidate their victims. Intimidation clearly didn't work. Hopefully, taxpayers who are ultimately responsible for out of control criminal officers will wind up getting hellaciously looted. For a boatload of money as a result of this lawsuit.

“I've been documenting protests for years and I've never seen police act like this in America in such an open, blatant way in broad daylight,” Horse said. “So many of us suffered tremendously just for exercising our First Amendment rights to cover the demonstrations or participate in them. With this lawsuit, I want to stand up for all the protesters who were abused and bullied and assaulted and molested.”

Stand tall. Uncommon valor. Continue to peacefully challenge these nazi jackbooted bastards.

"In addition to the constitutional claims under the First, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments, the lawsuit charges MPD violated D.C.’s First Amendment Assemblies Act. That act specifies that tactics that “substantially encircle” protesters are unlawful unless police have probable cause to believe protesters “have committed unlawful acts” and “police have ability to identify those individuals.” The lawsuit also raises claims for assault and battery and false arrest, among others."

... As the revolution doomsday clock strikes ever closer to midnight. Hear the rumble? An unwanted dreaded second American revolution catastrophically looming.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-24-17

Yet, despite the above injustice, those who lawfully protested the Trump nazi's inauguration are now on trial themselves.

NPR reports:

"It's been nearly 11 months since President Trump's inauguration, when major protests took place in the streets of Washington, D.C. Storefronts and vehicles were damaged, and police used pepper spray and other tactics to subdue the protesters. D.C.'s Metropolitan Police made scores of arrests. Eventually, 234 people were arrested and charged with felony rioting. As it stands, 187 people face felony charges of rioting, and seven face misdemeanor riot charges, according to Justice Department spokesman William Miller. Twenty cases have been dropped, and defendants in another 20 cases have pleaded guilty — all but one to misdemeanors."

Goddamned fascist police-state. ... Right, Sheriff? -- Where the goddamned criminal jackbooted bastards in black get to riot themselves with impunity. ... Right, Bill?

"Today, jury selection starts in the first batch of cases to go to trial. Miller says the six defendants in the first group are:

    Jennifer Armento, 38, of Philadelphia
    Michelle Macchio, 26, of Asheville, N.C.
    Oliver Harris, 28, of Philadelphia
    Brittne Lawson, 27, of Aspinwall, Pa.
    Christina Simmons, 20, of Cockeysville, Md.
    Alexei Wood, 27, of San Antonio, Texas"

On trumped up charges. While the criminal jackbooted bastards in black skate, right, Sheriff?

"The defendants, who are represented by different attorneys, could face decades in prison if convicted."

While the criminal SS jackbooted bastards in black skate.

"Each is charged with six felonies: one count of inciting or urging to riot and five counts of destruction of property. They also face two misdemeanor charges, of engaging in a riot and conspiracy to riot. Armento and Harris also are charged with one misdemeanor count of assaulting, resisting or interfering with a police officer."

Hear the rumble?

"The criminal cases are being prosecuted by the Justice Department. In the District of Columbia, the U.S. Attorney's Office functions as both the local and federal prosecutor. Judge Lynn Leibovitz will preside over the cases in D.C. Superior Court."

In a kangaroo court system.

"One of the defendants, Alexei Wood, is a freelance photojournalist and videographer. His attorney told The New York Times that he faces up to 61 years in prison if convicted."

For journalistically covering the protest. Protected by the First Amendment Freedom of the Press.

Yet, there was criminal activity by protesters who indeed needed to be arrested by police:

"Wood livestreamed the protests on Facebook, and his video captures a chaotic scene. A voice that seems to be Wood's occasionally says "Wooo!" amid his narration of events: protesters bashing the windows of a limousine, figures in black charging at a line of police, who have penned in the protesters. As police release what appears to be pepper spray, Wood pulls on a gas mask."

Think this isn't determined prosecution of a reporter for doing his job? Get this:

"As his trial has drawn near, Wood has shared regular updates to social media. "Honestly, rough day y'all," he wrote Tuesday on Instagram. "Trial starts tomorrow! We, the Nov 15th trial block, will not be getting our charges reduced like Dec 11th trial block did. 'Prosecutoral digression.' Yup, so random people put into a trial block just got most of their weight lifted." The "judge found my statements, uttered on my live stream, ARE admissible as statements to conspiracy," Wood added. "This feels terrible."

Fix is apparently in. By a nazi judge in the pocket of out of control law enforcement.

Hear the rumble? An unwanted dreaded second American revolution catastrophically looming. As our formerly great country transforms from the de facto fascist police-state we already live in to the Trump nazi's Fourth Reich. A raucous, boot clicking, goose stepping, treasonous, treacherous, traitorous Sieg Heil!, Sheriff? You and the boys are out of uniform, Bill. No swastika armbands.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-24-17

Republicans are not the only men capable of sexual harassment, impropriety, assault, and/or at the very least, being pigs. A prominent Democratic U.S. Senator is now in the spotlight. Consider the following complaint against Sen. Al Franken by Leeann Tweeden published by and courtesy of KABC Radio:

"By Leeann Tweeden

"In December of 2006, I embarked on my ninth USO Tour to entertain our troops, my eighth to the Middle East since the 9/11 attacks. My father served in Vietnam and my then-boyfriend (and now husband, Chris) is a pilot in the Air Force, so bringing a ‘little piece of home’ to servicemembers stationed far away from their families was both my passion and my privilege.

"Also on the trip were country music artists Darryl Worley, Mark Wills, Keni Thomas, and some cheerleaders from the Dallas Cowboys. The headliner was comedian and now-senator, Al Franken.

"Franken had written some skits for the show and brought props and costumes to go along with them. Like many USO shows before and since, the skits were full of sexual innuendo geared toward a young, male audience.

"As a TV host and sports broadcaster, as well as a model familiar to the audience from the covers of FHM, Maxim and Playboy, I was only expecting to emcee and introduce the acts, but Franken said he had written a part for me that he thought would be funny, and I agreed to play along.

"When I saw the script, Franken had written a moment when his character comes at me for a ‘kiss’. I suspected what he was after, but I figured I could turn my head at the last minute, or put my hand over his mouth, to get more laughs from the crowd.

"On the day of the show Franken and I were alone backstage going over our lines one last time. He said to me, “We need to rehearse the kiss.” I laughed and ignored him. Then he said it again. I said something like, ‘Relax Al, this isn’t SNL…we don’t need to rehearse the kiss.’

"He continued to insist, and I was beginning to get uncomfortable.

"He repeated that actors really need to rehearse everything and that we must practice the kiss. I said ‘OK’ so he would stop badgering me. We did the line leading up to the kiss and then he came at me, put his hand on the back of my head, mashed his lips against mine and aggressively stuck his tongue in my mouth.

"I immediately pushed him away with both of my hands against his chest and told him if he ever did that to me again I wouldn’t be so nice about it the next time.

"I walked away. All I could think about was getting to a bathroom as fast as possible to rinse the taste of him out of my mouth.

"I felt disgusted and violated.

"Not long after, I performed the skit as written, carefully turning my head so he couldn’t kiss me on the lips.

"No one saw what happened backstage. I didn’t tell the Sergeant Major of the Army, who was the sponsor of the tour. I didn’t tell our USO rep what happened.

"At the time I didn’t want to cause trouble. We were in the middle of a war zone, it was the first show of our Holiday tour, I was a professional, and I could take care of myself. I told a few of the others on the tour what Franken had done and they knew how I felt about it.

"I tried to let it go, but I was angry.

"Other than our dialogue on stage, I never had a voluntary conversation with Al Franken again. I avoided him as much as possible and made sure I was never alone with him again for the rest of the tour.

"Franken repaid me with petty insults, including drawing devil horns on at least one of the headshots I was autographing for the troops.

"But he didn’t stop there.

"The tour wrapped and on Christmas Eve we began the 36-hour trip home to L.A. After 2 weeks of grueling travel and performing I was exhausted. When our C-17 cargo plane took off from Afghanistan I immediately fell asleep, even though I was still wearing my flak vest and Kevlar helmet.

"It wasn’t until I was back in the US and looking through the CD of photos we were given by the photographer that I saw this one:

"I couldn’t believe it. He groped me, without my consent, while I was asleep.

"I felt violated all over again. Embarrassed. Belittled. Humiliated.

"How dare anyone grab my breasts like this and think it’s funny?

"I told my husband everything that happened and showed him the picture.

"I wanted to shout my story to the world with a megaphone to anyone who would listen, but even as angry as I was, I was worried about the potential backlash and damage going public might have on my career as a broadcaster.

"But that was then, this is now. I’m no longer afraid.

"Today, I am the news anchor on McIntyre in the Morning on KABC Radio in Los Angeles. My colleagues are some of the most supportive people I’ve ever worked with in my career. Like everyone in the media, we’ve been reporting on the Harvey Weinstein sexual misconduct allegations since they broke, and the flood of similar stories that have come out about others.

"A few weeks ago, we had California Congresswoman Jackie Speier on the show and she told us her story of being sexually assaulted when she was a young Congressional aide. She described how a powerful man in the office where she worked ‘held her face, kissed her and stuck his tongue in her mouth.’

"At that moment, I thought to myself, Al Franken did that exact same thing to me.

"I had locked up those memories of helplessness and violation for a long time, but they all came rushing back to me and my hands clinched into fists like it was yesterday.

"I’m still angry at what Al Franken did to me.

"Every time I hear his voice or see his face, I am angry. I am angry that I did his stupid skit for the rest of that tour. I am angry that I didn’t call him out in front of everyone when I had the microphone in my hand every night after that. I wanted to. But I didn’t want to rock the boat. I was there to entertain the troops and make sure they forgot about where they were for a few hours. Someday, I thought to myself, I would tell my story.

"That day is now.

"Senator Franken, you wrote the script. But there’s nothing funny about sexual assault.

"You wrote the scene that would include you kissing me and then relentlessly badgered me into ‘rehearsing’ the kiss with you backstage when we were alone.

"You knew exactly what you were doing. You forcibly kissed me without my consent, grabbed my breasts while I was sleeping and had someone take a photo of you doing it, knowing I would see it later, and be ashamed.

"While debating whether or not to go public, I even thought to myself, so much worse has happened to so many others, maybe my story isn’t worth telling? But my story is worth telling.

"Not just because 2017 is not 2006, or because I am much more secure in my career now than I was then, and not because I’m still angry.

"I’m telling my story because there may be others.

"I want to have the same effect on them that Congresswoman Jackie Speier had on me. I want them, and all the other victims of sexual assault, to be able to speak out immediately, and not keep their stories –and their anger– locked up inside for years, or decades.

"I want the days of silence to be over forever.

"Leeann Tweeden is morning news anchor on TalkRadio 790 KABC in Los Angeles"

No woman should ever have to put up with this. The following is the Senator's response courtesy of CBS News:

"The first thing I want to do is apologize: to Leeann, to everyone else who was part of that tour, to everyone who has worked for me, to everyone I represent, and to everyone who counts on me to be an ally and supporter and champion of women. There's more I want to say, but the first and most important thing—and if it's the only thing you care to hear, that's fine—is: I'm sorry.

"I respect women. I don't respect men who don't. And the fact that my own actions have given people a good reason to doubt that makes me feel ashamed.

"But I want to say something else, too. Over the last few months, all of us—including and especially men who respect women—have been forced to take a good, hard look at our own actions and think (perhaps, shamefully, for the first time) about how those actions have affected women.

"For instance, that picture. I don't know what was in my head when I took that picture, and it doesn't matter. There's no excuse. I look at it now and I feel disgusted with myself. It isn't funny. It's completely inappropriate. It's obvious how Leeann would feel violated by that picture. And, what's more, I can see how millions of other women would feel violated by it—women who have had similar experiences in their own lives, women who fear having those experiences, women who look up to me, women who have counted on me.

"Coming from the world of comedy, I've told and written a lot of jokes that I once thought were funny but later came to realize were just plain offensive. But the intentions behind my actions aren't the point at all. It's the impact these jokes had on others that matters. And I'm sorry it's taken me so long to come to terms with that.

"While I don't remember the rehearsal for the skit as Leeann does, I understand why we need to listen to and believe women's experiences.

"I am asking that an ethics investigation be undertaken, and I will gladly cooperate.

"And the truth is, what people think of me in light of this is far less important than what people think of women who continue to come forward to tell their stories. They deserve to be heard, and believed. And they deserve to know that I am their ally and supporter. I have let them down and am committed to making it up to them."

The following is Tweeden's response courtesy of the same CBS News report:

"In a press conference Thursday, Tweeden accepted Franken's apology and said that she "wasn't looking for anything" to happen in coming forward with her story.

"Nothing like that is ever funny," she said of Franken's behavior toward her.

"Tweeden said that if the Ethics Committee chooses to investigate Franken, "that's up to them, I'm not demanding that."

"Just as Franken volunteered to cooperate with an ethics investigation in his statement, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, on Thursday also called for the Senate's Select Committee on Ethics to review Franken's conduct.

"Regardless of party, harassment and assault are completely unacceptable—in the workplace or anywhere else," McConnell said in a statement."

Subsequent to the above, a second Franken accuser has stepped forward alleging he grabbed her butt, -- this time after he was in office. Time for desperately needed change. Think those, however, who figuratively live in glass houses should throw stones? CBS News reports:

"President Donald Trump is displaying selective outrage over allegations of sexual harassment against prominent men in politics, as his own tortured past lingers over his response."

Does it ever. Quite a few women have stepped forward to accuse the Trump nazi of the same.

"Trump moved quickly Thursday to condemn accusations against Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken as "really bad," but he has remained conspicuously silent on the more serious claims leveled against Roy Moore, the Republican in Alabama's special Senate race who faces allegations he sexually assaulted teenage girls decades ago."

Galling, isn't it? Hypocrisy reeks.

"Trump has repeatedly declined to follow Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan in calling on Moore to quit the race. Both had said they believe Moore's accusers."

Imagine that. Couldn't be, could it?

"With the nation confronting revelations of sexual impropriety by powerful men in entertainment and politics, Trump is an inconsistent as well as an unlikely critic of alleged offenders."

You think? LOL.

"More than a dozen allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct were leveled against him in the waning days of the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump was caught on tape in conversation with "Access Hollywood" boasting in graphic detail of sexually harassing women. Trump has repeatedly dismissed the allegations against him as fake news, most recently telling reporters on Oct. 16: "It's just fake. It's fake. It's made-up stuff."

Trump is a congenital liar. How do you know he's lying? Watch his lips move.

"That didn't deter Trump from scoring a blow on a reeling detractor."

That detractor being the Senator. Interesting, isn't it? What webs we weave. Kettle calling the pot black.

"Leeann Tweeden, now a Los Angeles radio host, on Thursday accused Franken of forcibly kissing and groping her during a 2006 USO tour. She released a photo showing the comedian turned senator posing in a joking manner with his hands on her chest as she naps wearing a flak vest aboard a military plane."

The photograph is outrageous. Not funny. The Senator, at the very least, is a goddamned jackass.

"In a pair of tweets Thursday night, Trump spotlighted the accusations against Franken, saying the photo "speaks a thousand words."

"The Al Frankenstien picture is really bad, speaks a thousand words. Where do his hands go in pictures 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 while she sleeps? .....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 17, 2017

".And to think that just last week he was lecturing anyone who would listen about sexual harassment and respect for women. Lesley Stahl tape?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 17, 2017"

You should talk, Mr. 'President.' While Franken's appalling behavior was atrocious, at least he didn't grab the woman by the genitals like you boasted in the Access Hollywood piece. Your hypocrisy? Galling. Further indication of your gross unfitness for office.

"Hours before the tweets appeared, Franken moved swiftly to apologize and embrace bipartisan calls for an ethics investigation into his actions. As Trump assailed Franken, Moore was digging in, pledging to fight the accusations against him as the state GOP in Alabama reaffirmed its support for the embattled candidate. Two women have come forward by name accusing Moore of initiating sexual contact with them when they were 14 and 16, respectively."

Our formerly great country has lost itself.

"White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders repeatedly declined Thursday to say whether Trump believed Moore's accusers, even after the president's daughter, Ivanka Trump, told The Associated Press that she had no reason to doubt their claims against him."

Imagine that. Couldn't be, could it? In some cases, the fruit does indeed fall far from the tree.

"He thinks that the people of Alabama should make the decision on who their next senator should be," Sanders said of the president, who dodged questions from reporters on the subject twice earlier in the week. Sanders also refused to say whether Trump was pulling his endorsement of the candidate."

Clearly, no honor among thieves.

Here's where things get interesting. Get this:

"Hours before the allegations became public Thursday, Roger Stone seemed to know they were coming. A Twitter account linked to the former Trump adviser posted a quote from Stone in the early hours Thursday morning that suggests he expected allegations involving the Minnesota Democrat to go public. It said, "QUOTE: Roger Stone says it's Al Franken's "time in the barrel". Franken next in long list of Democrats to be accused of "grabby" behavior."

NPR reports:

"Trump has been accused of sexual assault by numerous women. During the 2016 campaign, NPR tracked more than a dozen incidents in which he was accused of unwanted sexual contact or attempted sexual contact by women over a span of decades."

Yet, Trump's sick sycophants refuse to be confused by the truth.

"Trump's campaign was nearly derailed after the release of a 2005 tape in which he talked about women in vulgar terms, describing acts of sexual assault, in a taped conversation with Billy Bush, then-host Access Hollywood, that leaked a few weeks before last year's election. Trump later said his words "don't reflect who I am" and has dismissed them as "locker room talk."

Bullshit. His victims credibly claim otherwise. In their achingly mindless partisan zeal, his sick sycophants won't be confused by the truth, glaring reality. As won't, Moore's supporters. Fascinating, isn't it?

"Among the women who have accused Trump of assault is Jessica Leeds, who told NPR last year that Trump groped and kissed her during a flight to New York as she tried to fight him off. The alleged incident occurred more than 30 years ago."

His supporters remain oblivious to the truth. Partisanship trumps principle.

"Trump was prompted to make a speech in October 2016 in which he rebutted specifics in some of the published stories, questioning the timing of the allegations about a month before Election Day. He also called his accusers "horrible, horrible liars."

The 'President' remains a congenital liar. What nazi fuhrer isn't?

"And while Trump is publicly criticizing Franken, he has remained mostly silent about the allegations against Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore, neither condemning them nor calling for the Republican to withdraw from the race as several other top party members have."

Trump sorely lacks principle, to say nothing of character.

NBC News reports:

"Speaking of tapes… Here’s NBC’s Ali Vitali: “The president has also had his own troubles with multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. More than a dozen women accused Trump of sexual assault or misconduct in the final months of the 2016 presidential campaign. He has also been caught on tape in a leaked Access Hollywood hot mic moment, saying: ‘I just start kissing them, it’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything,’ he said in the 2005 conversation. ‘Grab 'em by the pussy.’”

Imagine that.

ABC News reports:

"Republican Sen. Susan Collins said sexual misconduct allegations against President Donald Trump that surfaced during the 2016 campaign "remain very disturbing." "President Trump was not my choice for the Republican nominee for president, and I did not support him in part because of the way that all of these reports about how he was treating women," the Maine senator told ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos on "This Week" Sunday. "He is president now and I’m working with him on some issues. But those allegations remain very disturbing."

Because they have yet to be effectively addressed by the Trump nazi who has simply denied all.

"At least 16 women have come forward alleging misconduct by Trump, ranging from sexual assault to harassment to inappropriate behavior. Collins made her remarks after Stephanopoulos asked if she expected that the country will now see real change on sexual harassment with the current wave of allegations against prominent men from Hollywood to Washington, D.C., the senator responded that one problem is that some of the women making the allegations are getting unfairly attacked. "The women who bring forth these allegations are often trashed," Collins said. "They're attacked. Their credibility is undermined ... And that has to stop as well."

Men who do not engage in this abuse need to courageously stand up, strongly support these women, condemn the behavior.

"Stephanopoulos brought up President Trump, saying, "More than a dozen women came forward during the campaign; [Trump] says that every single one of them are lying." "He did say that," Collins said. The Maine Republican also addressed the case of Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore, who has been accused by at least eight women of sexual misconduct or inappropriate behavior, which Moore has repeatedly denied. Collins said she believes Moore’s accusers and hopes Alabama will not elect him to the Senate. "I did not find him to be credible," Collins said of Moore. "As more and more allegations come forward, that adds to the weight of evidence against him ... I hope that the good voters of Alabama decide not to send him to the United States Senate."

NBC News reports:

"Republican Sen. Susan Collins said Sunday that the sexual misconduct, harassment and assault allegations from more than a dozen women against President Donald Trump “remain very disturbing” as a wave of women continue to come forward with claims against powerful men. When asked on ABC’s “This Week” about Trump’s claims that his accusers were all lying, the senior senator from Maine said that she did not support Trump in part because of those very allegations against him. "He did say that [all the women are lying] and President Trump was not my choice for the Republican nominee for president and I did not support him in part because of the way that all of these reports about how he was treating women,” she said."

Yet, many other Republican women continue to blindly support Trump and Moore. Refuse to be confused with the truth. Truly think all the women who have stepped up and accused both Trump and Moore would be discredited in court on the stand? Think so? Believe none of them are credible?

"Collins said that if voters elect Moore, she believes the Senate would have “no choice” but to seat him, but there could be an ethics investigation. "I read his denials, I listened to his radio interview, and I did not find him to be credible," she said. "As more and more allegations come forward, that adds to the weight of evidence against him." "I hope that the good voters of Alabama decide not to send him to the United States Senate," she added."

CBS News reports:

"Several Alabama newspapers are endorsing Democrat Doug Jones in the state's Senate race amid sexual misconduct allegations against Republican Judge Roy Moore, saying Jones is the only candidate left in the race who is worthy of representing Alabama. "A vote for Roy Moore sends the worst kind of message to Alabamians struggling with abuse: 'if you ever do tell your story, Alabama won't believe you.' Or, worse, we'll believe you but we just won't care," the Editorial Board of AL.com wrote Sunday. The board, which made its case in a lengthy piece, urged voters to "reject" Moore and called the accusations against the candidate "horrifying, but not shocking." "Every day new allegations arise that illustrate a pattern of a man in his 30s strutting through town like the cock of the walk, courting and preying on young women and girls. And though Roy Moore has denied the accusations of these women, his own platform and record is hostile to so many Alabamians," the board wrote."

Fascinating, isn't it?

"Members of AL.com's Editorial Board include Tom Bates, who leads Alabama Media Group, which runs AL.com, produces video programming, and publishes The Birmingham News, Birmingham Magazine, Huntsville Times and Mobile's Press-Register; Michelle Holmes, who is vice president of content at Alabama Media Group; and K.A. Turner, who is senior editor of the newspapers published by Alabama Media Group. The board wrote that as a news organization it has investigated the stories of "several" Alabama women who spoke to the organization, as well as to The Washington Post, "about the abuse they say they suffered at the hands of Roy Moore decades ago."

Truly appalling, Moore hasn't done the right thing, walked away.

"On Sunday, the AL.com Editorial Board wrote, "In the American system, proof beyond a reasonable doubt is a consideration for the courtroom, not the ballot box. It is our job as voters to look closely at the candidates and make up our own minds." "Do not let this conversation be muddled. This election has become a referendum on whether we will accept this kind of behavior from our leaders."

Trump has finally spoken out. Came out in support of Moore. NPR reports:

"President Trump is defending Alabama GOP Senate nominee Roy Moore who has been accused by multiple women of sexual assaulting them when they were teenagers and Moore was in his 30s. "I can tell you one thing for sure, we don't need a liberal person in there, a Democrat," the president told reporters shortly before departing the White House to head to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida for Thanksgiving."

Amazing how perverse the thinking of Trump and his supporters has become. No question, the nazi element in our formerly great country prefers a sexual abuser of young girls to a 'liberal' Democrat.

"I've looked at his record — it's terrible on crime, it's terrible on the border, it's terrible on the military," Trump said of Moore's Democratic opponent, former U.S. Attorney Doug Jones."

How so on crime? Because he believes in the rule of law, adherence to civil and constitutional rights and liberties, has a heart, an understanding our undocumented forebears came to this land, stole it from Native Americans, broke every treaty? Remains opposed to needless wars fought only to line the pockets of corporate war profiteers and their bought and paid for shills in both parties?

"Jones is best known for prosecuting KKK members responsible for the 1963 Birmingham church bombing that killed four young black girls, decades after that high-profile crime during the civil rights movement."

Certainly, no bigoted racist like you, Mr. 'President,' and your DOJ sidekick, the achingly racist Sessions nazi.

"When asked about the allegations that Moore pursued multiple teenage girls while he was in his 30s and an assistant district attorney in Alabama, Trump responded that Moore "totally denies it" and pointed out that the allegations are from roughly 40 years ago."

Doesn't mean they're not true. -- Just like the allegations made by so many women against you during the campaign, ole Donny Boy. Conveniently forget? These are political campaigns we're talking about here, not criminal trials, you clueless, self-serving, narcissistic, nazi piece of crap.

"Trump's argument in favor of Moore is similar to one his advisers have begun to make this week — a GOP vote, no matter the person, helps Trump's agenda and is better than a Democratic vote against tax cuts and other priorities — while still not explicitly saying, "Vote for Roy Moore."

Principle means nothing to either major political party. Both remain little more than two sides of the very same coin.

11-24-17

Amazing how lies can continue unabated and no one seems willing to question the deception. The following provides some indication precisely how this may come about. LOL. Texas Standard reports:

"The line between truth and falsehood seems to be growing dimmer with every new story of Russian disinformation or presidential allegation of fake news. it certainly feels like a new era, but in politics, the manipulation of narrative has evolved over the years into a form of high art. So much so in fact, the case can be made that one can lie, simply by telling the truth. And the BBC reports a new term has been coined to describe this phenomenon: paltering. “It’s from the mid-16th century and it means something like to mumble, or to babble,” says Jennifer Mercieca, associate professor of communication at Texas A&M University. The BBC article refers to a recent study done by behavioral scientists at Harvard’s Kennedy School, who were researching negotiation tactics."

Think this doesn't apply to Trump? LOL.

“When people are using really instrumental forms of communication, trying to make deals, or get advantage, or take advantage over other people, what strategies do they use? Do they lie? Do they tell partial truths? Do they admit important facts?” Mercieca says."

Sound familiar? Think it doesn't apply to all politicians, both parties, including Trump? LOL.

"The researchers found that negotiators do all of these things, as well as something they call paltering, in which you tell the truth but not the whole truth. The BBC gives this example of paltering: your mom asks if your homework is completed, and you reply that you just finished an essay on Tennessee Williams. The latter fact is true, but it doesn’t answer the question. You may very well have more homework left to do."

Think Trump isn't a master at this? Virtuoso? LOL.

11-24-17

Religious leaders are beginning to wake up in Alabama. CBS News reports:

"With Alabama's special election just over three weeks away, religious leaders rallied on Saturday against U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore. They took aim at Moore's moral character as he battles several allegations of sexual misconduct. At the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Birmingham, evangelicals gathered to reject the idea that Roy Moore is their kind of Christian. To them, his alleged unwanted advances or assaults against women only add to his unfitness. "Even before these allegations made national headlines, it was clear that Moore's policy agenda endangered the children of Alabama," said Rev. William Barber. "Moore imagines the struggle for equality in America as a story of loss. Think about this."

Believe Moore isn't a racist?

"Those on stage pointed to a phrase Moore used Tuesday night at a revival meeting in Jackson, Alabama. "They started creating new rights in 1965," Moore said. "Today we've got a problem." The 1965 Voting Rights Act was designed to lift barriers erected by states and localities to block minority voters."

Raw nazism ala Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini.

"Comments like that, as Rev. Laughton Hicks said Saturday, is the problem. "Roy Moore is a dedicated servant of and is seriously infected with this false religious virus, this false Christian religious virus as are most white males in Alabama," Hicks said. Moore hasn't been seen in public since he fled from reporters questions on Thursday, but he has sent out his wife and legal staff to argue his case, which many in the Republican party leadership find unconvincing."

Finally, some sanity arising in the religious community. Better late than never.

Along the same lines, NBC News reports:

"The unbearable hypocrisy of Roy Moore's Christian rhetoric
This isn't Christianity, it's an extreme form of Republican religionism.
by Rev. Dr. William Barber / Nov.18.2017 / 9:04 AM ET

"A disturbing pattern has emerged since the Washington Post first reported that four women accused Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore of offenses ranging from the creepy to the criminal. People in Gadsden, Alabama, where Moore worked in the District Attorney’s office three decades ago, say it was “common knowledge” that Moore pursued teenagers when he was in his 30s. Locals told the New Yorker that they recall being told tha[t] the local mall banned Moore for the same reason."

Yet, Moore's supporters won't be confused by the truth. Turn a blind eye to great evil.

"Accusations of criminal assault are difficult to prove in court and the statute of limitations in these cases has since passed. But Republicans outside of Alabama have started to back away from Moore following the allegations; They have chosen to believe the accusers."

The accusers are compelling. Have nothing to gain by stepping forward.

"Moore’s base, on the other hand, continues to support him despite the evidence. For many of them, this is matter of faith. Jerome Cox, the pastor of Greenwood Baptist Church in Prattville, Alabama, told NBC News he would be supporting Moore because "he’s done a lot of good for the state of Alabama... Everything else is for the Lord to sort out."

Sick religion. Seems to have forgotten the brain was designed for thinking, -- not goose stepping.

"This is not Christianity. Rather, it is an extreme Republican religionism that stands by party and regressive policy no matter what. It's not the gospel of Christ, but a gospel of greed. It is the religion of racism and lies, not the religion of redemption and love."

Determined perversion of Christianity.

"It is unlikely that any of Moore’s accusers can definitively prove that he sexually assaulted them 30 years ago (a point the defiant former judge knows well). But even before these allegations made national headlines, it was clear that Moore’s policy agenda endangered the children of Alabama and this nation. This man, who wants to be Alabama’s next Senator, wants to repeal Obamacare, making it health care inaccessible for millions, in Alabama and elsewhere. He has said Islam is a "false religion" homosexual conduct "should be illegal." and curtail equal protection under the law for gay and transgender people. Moore supports a tax plan that would hurt the poor and working poor."

Raw nazism. For new readers: Fascism, nazism, national socialism defined as the pernicious blend of government, business, and religion. 'Justified' by perversion and bastardization of the latter.

"In short, Moore’s political agenda presents a credible threat to millions of vulnerable people in America. Yet Moore claims to be the moral and Christian candidate, using religion as U.S. slave masters did before him to justify actions which fly in the face of Christ's teachings. Like segregationists, Moore imagines the struggle for equality in America as a story of loss. At a revival meeting earlier this week, Moore complained that he was being persecuted. He also lamented the fact that the courts took prayer out of schools in 1962 and made a cryptic and confusing reference to “new rights” created in 1965, the year the Voting Rights Act was signed. Some members of the congregation responded, “Amen!”

Head Honcho wouldn't recognize the religion he founded.

"As one who survived abuse by a stranger in my own childhood, I feel deep empathy for the women who have come forward to name and confront their abuser. At the same time, my soul grieves as a Christian minister for people who are fed such a distorted view of Christianity and racism that they are willing to support Moore no matter what. I have heard the confessions of abusers: I know that people who are broken and hurting in their own souls hurt people and rally others to join them out of deep pain. But I am deeply troubled by Moore’s determination to wrap his own painful policies and pain-causing ways in the theological claim of being like Christ."

False religion. Great evil:

"There is nothing Christian about the policies Moore has supported. They are as immoral as the terrible abuse he so vehemently denies. While he wants to compare his plight to the suffering of Jesus, there is no biblical basis for policies that hurt poor people and children."

No question. No-brainer.

"As well as he knows his Bible, Roy Moore never quotes from the more than 2,000 verses that exhort us to care for the poor, the sick, and the stranger in our midst. He has apparently overlooked the prophet Isaiah, who said to men like Moore in his own day: “Doom to you who legislate evil, who make laws that make victims - laws that make misery for the poor, that rob the destitute of their dignity, exploiting defenseless widows, taking advantage of homeless children” (Is.10:1-4)."

Wake up. You've been bamboozled. Bought the ruse.

"National Republican leaders who claim the moral high ground while renouncing Moore now are like the Republicans who spoke out against white supremacy after Charlottesville, condemning the “hate” but never repenting of white nationalist policy. Their moral outrage rings hollow because it renounces Moore based on his personal patterns but says nothing about the disturbing pattern of his policy agenda."

Precisely, what makes Moore and others who think like him an exigent threat to all civil and constitutional rights and liberties.

"What is happening right now in Alabama matters for the soul of the nation. Anyone who has any influence must help blacks, progressive whites, and Latinos; gay and straight; Christians, Muslims, Jews, and all who want to move our country forward to get out and vote. This is no time to retreat or remain idle. We must stand up for truth in the public square and reclaim our political and faith traditions which have been hijacked. Rev. William J. Barber, II is President of Repairers of the Breach and author of The Third Reconstruction."

Hear the rumble? An unwanted dreaded second American revolution catastrophically looming.

11-24-17

Has to be a first. Can never remember a top general feeling compelled to address the following issue. CBS News reports:

"The top U.S. nuclear commander said Saturday he would push back against President Trump if he ordered a nuclear launch the general believed to be "illegal," saying he would hope to find another solution. Air Force Gen. John Hyten, commander of the U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM), told an audience at the Halifax International Security Forum in Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Saturday that he has given a lot of thought to what he would say if Mr. Trump ordered a strike he considered unlawful."

Bet he did.

"I think some people think we're stupid," Hyten said in response to a question about such a scenario. "We're not stupid people. We think about these things a lot. When you have this responsibility, how do you not think about it?"

No question. Certainly, true. Could very well quickly result in the end of civilization. Since 1945 until January 20, 2017, the population of the United States did not question an American president would indeed do the right thing. Clearly, no longer.

"Hyten explained the process that would follow such a command. As head of STRATCOM, Hyten is responsible for overseeing the U.S. nuclear arsenal. "I provide advice to the president, he will tell me what to do," Hyten added. "And if it's illegal, guess what's going to happen? I'm going to say, 'Mr. President, that's illegal.' And guess what he's going to do? He's going to say, 'What would be legal?' And we'll come up options, with a mix of capabilities to respond to whatever the situation is, and that's the way it works. It's not that complicated."

Hard to believe it's that simple. Especially, when an out of control narcissistic lunatic resides in the Oval Office.

"Hyten said he has been trained every year for decades in the law of armed conflict, which takes into account specific factors to determine legality -- necessity, distinction, proportionality, unnecessary suffering and more. Running through scenarios of how to react in the event of an illegal order is standard practice, he said."

Imagine that. Comforted by this assurance?

"If you execute an unlawful order, you will go to jail. You could go to jail for the rest of your life," Hyten said."

General? You may not even remain alive long enough after a full fledged nuclear exchange to worry about that. At the same time, been common knowledge decades the president has about thirty minutes to make a decision once an aggressor launches missiles. Seemed also to be understood the United States would not launch a preemptive nuclear attack. With Trump in office, this has changed.

11-24-17

Nazis don't like to get called on their bullshit. Take it quite personally. Doesn't your heart bleed? CBS News reports:

"A shouting match erupted in the Senate Finance hearing over the Republican tax overhaul, with Ohio Democrat Sherrod Brown and Utah Republican Orrin Hatch arguing Thursday night over who benefits from the GOP plan."

Hatch has clearly forgotten where he came from. Aryan arrogant nose so high in the air, apparently suffering altitude sickness impairing all rational judgment.

"At the heart of the argument is new analysis by congressional number crunchers that finds this plan cuts taxes at first but by 2027 actually raises taxes for anyone making less than $75,000."

Forget? Republican way. Support their corporate masters and top of the food chain no matter what. Lie like hell when necessary to accomplish that end. Not that Democrats are any better, just a bit more nuanced.

"When the Republicans are in power, the first thing they want to do is give tax cuts to the rich. That's just what's -- it's in their DNA," Brown said."

No question, that's true. Always been, always be. How they handsomely line their pockets. Again, not that Democrats are effectively any better, just a little less greedy.

"Brown's attack on the new Republican tax plan got under the skin of chairman Hatch."

Tough shit. Hatch, like nearly all Republicans, can't handle the truth. Certainly, incapable of being confused by it. LOL.

"I've been here working my whole stinking career for people who don't have a chance. And I really resent anybody saying that I'm just doing this for the rich. Give me a break," Hatch said. "I think you guys overplay that all the time and it gets old. And frankly you ought to quit it."

... Right about one thing, Senator. Your career has indeed been "stinking." LOL.

"Mr. Chairman, the public believes it," Brown said."

The public knows the truth. Not all have their heads up their asses.

"I'm not through. I get kind of sick and tired of it," Hatch said."

Tough shit, Senator. Get over it, -- and yourself.

"The heated exchange came after Republicans successfully voted to move the bill to the Senate floor."

Republican national socialists are ramming this bill through with no support from Democrats. Have to. Otherwise, their corporate masters and the top 1% of the food chain would ultimately cut off the gravy train.

Precisely why:

"Hatch took Brown's charges personally. "What you said was not right! That's all I'm saying," Hatch said. "Now I come from the lower middle class originally. We didn't have anything. So don't spew that stuff on me. I get a little tired of that crap! … I like you personally very much. But I'm telling you this bullcrap that you guys throw out here really gets old after a while. And then to do it right at the end of this is just not right."

Called the truth, Senator. Are you anything more than a hopelessly clueless piece of crap?

"Democrats say Republicans are rushing the bill through Congress. They're also upset that the plan eliminates Obamacare's individual mandate, cuts the corporate tax rate to 20 percent, and eliminates Americans' ability to deduct state and local taxes."

-- While the corporate management suite enjoys record corporate profits, cash reserves. Most corporations pay nowhere near the top tax rate, some no taxes at all. While the middle class and bottom of the food chain continue to take it hard in the ass, without the Vaseline.

11-24-17

Trump loses again in court. NPR reports:

"The Trump administration cannot withhold federal money to punish local governments for their noncompliance with immigration authorities, according to a ruling by a federal judge in California. In an order announced Monday, Judge William Orrick permanently blocked the policy, issued as one of President Trump's earliest executive orders, ruling it was "unduly coercive" and violated the separation of powers. "The defunding provision instructs the Attorney General and the Secretary to do something that only Congress has the authority to do – place new conditions on federal funds," he wrote. The judge had previously issued a temporary injunction blocking the policy, as did a judge in Chicago. "This order plows no new ground," Orrick wrote — although this injunction, unlike the previous ones, is permanent."

11-24-17

Here is precisely how Aryan arrogant our traitorous government has become. How achingly indifferent to all cvil and constitutional rights and liberties.

NPR reports:

"Government agencies that deal with cybersecurity, like the National Security Agency, have two competing interests. On the one hand, they want to protect America's online infrastructure and economy from cyberattacks. On the other hand, government agencies want to harness tools to attack opponents in cyberspace."

-- At the expense of the public, all civil and constitutional rights and liberties, which wind up in the balance ultimately.

"These goals come into conflict when government agencies discover or buy flaws in software, called "zero day" exploits, that the software's makers don't know about. The government can inform the company so the flaw can be patched — or it can save the secret weakness in order to use it to launch attacks against enemies."

That's when the public pays the price:

"There's a catch to hoarding the software flaws though: That same exploit could end up being used against Americans if hackers discover the flaw on their own."

Not only can this happen, it does.

Here's the problem:

"Recent hacks call into question just how well the government can actually keep its secrets, however. A hacking group called the Shadow Brokers stole and leaked "sophisticated, very sensitive, high-end, really weapons-grade computer code" from the NSA, former NSA General Counsel Matthew Olsen told NPR this week. "The agency regarded as the world's leader in breaking into adversaries' computer networks failed to protect its own," as The New York Times recently described it. "Created at huge expense to American taxpayers, those cyberweapons have now been picked up by hackers from North Korea to Russia and shot back at the United States and its allies."

This government has problems doing anything right. Cannot be trusted. Insult to injury? Defends withholding security flaws while egregiously unable, unwilling to protect this information from hackers. Anything wrong with this picture? Anything at all?

"There's a "tension between the government's need to sustain the means to pursue rogue actors in cyberspace through the use of cyber exploits, and its obligation to share its knowledge of flaws in software and hardware with responsible parties who can ensure digital infrastructure is upgraded and made stronger in the face of growing cyber threats," White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Rob Joyce wrote in announcing the guidelines."

In the clutch, guess who loses? Wake up. All a ruse.

11-24-17

Expanding on the above, Republicans are about to succumb to their corporate masters vis a vis net neutrality. Know what that means? Anyone using the Internet in this country is in for quite an ass f--king by the corporate management suite. Without the Vaseline.

The Washington Post reports:

"Federal regulators unveiled a plan Tuesday that would give Internet providers broad powers to determine what websites and online services their customers can see and use, and at what cost."

Goddamned un-American. Right Wing nazi. Adolf and Benito? High-fiving on their fiery perches.

"The move sets the stage for a crucial vote next month at the Federal Communications Commission that could reshape the entire digital ecosystem. The FCC’s Republican chairman, Ajit Pai, has made undoing the government's net neutrality rules one of his top priorities, and Tuesday's move hands a win to broadband companies such as AT&T, Verizon and Comcast. Pai is taking aim at regulations that were approved two years ago under a Democratic presidency and that sought to make sure all Internet content, whether from big or small companies, would be treated equally by Internet providers."

Can't have that, can we? Forget? Top 1% want and need to take it all. Republicans will certainly do all they can to facilitate it. Where are the Democrats? Out to lunch since November 22, 1963.

"The decision will be put to a vote at the agency's Dec. 14 meeting in Washington. It is expected to pass, with Republicans controlling three of the commission's five seats."

Here's the bottom line for consumers:

"Relying more heavily on Internet providers' own promises on net neutrality is a departure from the current rules, which lay out clear, federal bans against selectively blocking or slowing websites, as well as speeding up websites that agree to pay the providers a fee."

Fail to stand up to this bullshit? Let your voice be known? Get what you richly deserve. F--ked.

11-24-17

Sadly, the war rages on against the LGBTQ community. NPR reports:

"More than half of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans say they have experienced violence, threats or harassment because of their sexuality or gender identity, according to new poll results being released Tuesday by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health."

No matter gender preference, if LGBTQ discrimination is allowed to stand unchallenged, the question to be asked remains achingly simple. Who's next?

"There are very few nationally representative polls of LGBTQ people, and even fewer that ask about LGBTQ people's personal experiences of discrimination," says Logan Casey, deputy director of the survey and research associate in public opinion at the Harvard Chan School. "This report confirms the extraordinarily high levels of violence and harassment in LGBTQ people's lives." Majorities also say they have personally experienced slurs or insensitive or offensive comments or negative assumptions about their sexual orientation. And 34 percent say they or an LGBTQ friend or family member has been verbally harassed in the bathroom when entering or while using a bathroom — or has been told or asked if they were using the wrong bathroom."

Interestingly, Trump just lost another military transgender case in court. The Washington Post reports:

"A second federal judge has halted the Trump administration’s proposed transgender military ban finding that active-duty service members are “already suffering harmful consequences” because of the president’s policy. The ruling Tuesday from U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis in the Maryland case comes just weeks after another judge in Washington blocked the administration’s proposal that would have stopped military recruitment of transgender men and women and possibly forced the dismissal of current service members starting in March. The preliminary injunction issued by the judge in Baltimore on Tuesday goes further than the earlier ruling by also preventing the administration from denying funding for sex-reassignment surgeries after the order takes effect."

Think the Trump nazi won't appeal this to the Supreme Court?

"In his 53-page order, Garbis said the transgender service members challenging the ban have “demonstrated that they are already suffering harmful consequences such as the cancellation and postponements of surgeries, the stigma of being set apart as inherently unfit, facing the prospect of discharge and inability to commission as an officer, the inability to move forward with long-term medical plans, and the threat to their prospects of obtaining long-term assignments.”

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-17-17

Galling insult to injury? Not enough the criminal jackbooted bastards in ICE are abusing authority, breaking up families, acting like goddamned Nazi storm troopers ala Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, now they're pissing and moaning at the Trump nazi. Imagine that. Couldn't be, could it? LOL.

The Washington Times reports:

"The country’s immigration enforcement officers launched a website Tuesday demanding President Trump do more to clean up their agency, saying he’s left the Obama team in place and it’s stymieing his goal of enforcing the laws on the books."

Is that right? Think so? Constant reporting throughout media, including this publication, scream otherwise.

"U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement supervisors in Philadelphia banned officers from wearing bullet proof vests during an operation in the dangerous “badlands” section in the city’s north, for fear of offending the immigrant community, the new website, jicreport.com, charges."

The above site url is up and running at time of writing. Be interesting to see if the wild accusations made there have any substance.

"Meanwhile officers in one Utah city are required to give city officials seven days’ heads-up before arresting anyone — and by the time they go in, the migrants they’re targeting seem to have gotten a heads-up and taken off, the website says."

Hard to believe at first glance that could possibly be true. We'll see. -- May be just a group of malcontents upset Trump has not yet allowed them to line suspected illegal immigrants up against a wall and shoot them.

"Compiled by the National ICE Council, which represents ICE officers, the website is part whistleblower and part primal scream for Mr. Trump to pay attention to a group of people who were among his staunchest backers during last year’s campaign."

Tough, isn't it? Doesn't your heart bleed?

“ICE Officers grudgingly admit that the only President they ever endorsed hasn’t kept his word, and many officers now feel betrayed,” the officers say on the new website."

Are they pissed the Trump nazi has yet to authorize swastika armbands?

Not clear yet if some of the postings on the new site might lead to some reining in of the corruption at the management level, however:

"One early posting reports on as many as 500 ICE supervisors who the council says are using official vehicles for their own personal travel, each “gouging American taxpayers for approximately $5,000 annually in free fuel alone,” and on allegations of sexual harassment."

Will take some time to see whether or not this new site offers any hope of change within this highly abusive law enforcement agency, -- or is nothing more than achingly bogus bullshit.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-17-17

Nazism and kangaroo justice continue to reign supreme in Texas. CBS News reports:

"A Mexican citizen on death row in Texas was executed Wednesday night for the slaying of his 16-year-old cousin who was abducted from her family's apartment and fatally beaten. Ruben Ramirez Cardenas, 47, was given a lethal injection after several federal court appeals failed to halt his punishment for the February 1997 killing of Mayra Laguna."

Didn't sit well in Mexico for damned good reason:

"Shortly after the execution, Mexican President Enrique Nieto tweeted, "I express my firm condemnation of the execution of the Mexican Rubén Cárdenas Ramírez in Texas, which violates the decision of the International Court of Justice. My deepest condolences to the mourners." Cardenas' attorney, Maurie Levin, contended eyewitness testimony against Cardenas was shaky, that little physical evidence tied him to the killing and that a confession he gave was obtained after 22 hours of isolation and intense police questioning."

Doesn't matter in a goddamned fascist police-state where anything goes, right, Sheriff? It's the 'pound of flesh,' right, Governor? Guilt or innocence? Matters not. Just that the State can gets its goddamned cookies off killing someone, right, Mr. Paxton?

"She also said that authorities acted improperly when not telling the Mexican-born Cardenas that he could get legal help from the Mexican consulate."

Doesn't matter to the Republican nazis running this state. Just execute the bastard, right, Governor?

"Being born in Mexico, which does not have capital punishment, made Cardenas eligible for legal help from the Mexican consulate when he was arrested, according to provisions of the Vienna Convention of Consular Relations, which is a 1963 international agreement. The courts have allowed executions to move forward in several previous Texas death row cases in which the agreement was said to have been violated."

Yet, no one was prosecuted for this deliberate oversight by the nazis who haughtily believe they run and own this kangaroo hell hole.

"For the Mexican government, capital punishment constitutes one of the most essential violations of human rights," Jacob Prado Gonzalez, the Mexican government's general director for consular protection, said."

No question, the Mexicans are light-years ahead of the achingly ignorant Republican nazis who run and own our pathetically backward state. ... Right, Governor? Yet, we don't execute the criminal jackbooted bastards in blue who murder on the job. Imagine that. No equal justice.

"In a handwritten statement released afterward, Cardenas thanked his family, attorneys and the Mexican consulate for their help. "Now! I will not and cannot apologize for someone else's crime, but, I will be Back for Justice," he wrote. "You can count on that!"

If this man was innocent, all officials who participated in and rubber stamped this execution are themselves morally guilty of murder.

This case was in contention right up to the execution:

"His punishment was delayed for about four hours as last-ditch appeals for the former security guard focused primarily on efforts to have trial evidence undergo new DNA testing. In a filing to the U.S. Supreme Court hours before his execution, lawyers argued Texas was violating Cardenas' due process rights and a state statute that covers forensic testing. They asked the justices to halt the execution for a court review."

Matters not in a goddamned de facto fascist police-state, right, Governor? ... Hypocritically say a prayer for this guy before and after he was murdered by the State, Governor?

"They also asked the justices for more time to appeal a lower court's rejection of a federal civil rights lawsuit in which they claimed his due process and civil rights were being violated because Texas officials wouldn't release evidence so it can undergo new DNA testing. Attorneys for the state said the lawsuit was improper and that state courts already refused the DNA request because Cardenas could not show that more advanced tests would exonerate him."

Convenient Catch-22, isn't it? How would you know until you ran the tests? Bullshit reasoning shamelessly engaged in by these achingly convoluted assholes. ... Right, Governor?

"DNA results in evidence at Cardenas' trial were not false, state attorneys said."

How do they know? ... Because they say so? The public is supposed to believe bought and paid for shysters owned by the State? To do the will of their masters.

"The high court, without comment, rejected both appeals."

This court, as all courts in our formerly great country, has been loaded with nazis determined to dispense kangaroo justice. In this case, and many others, there are unanswered questions, doubts raised by the continuing egregious, traitorous failure of the courts to ensure justice is served.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-17-17

In follow up to a case reported here and elsewhere, NPR reports:

"The government is dropping its case against the woman who laughed out loud during Jeff Sessions' confirmation hearing in January."

... Can't have that, can we? -- No laughter out loud no matter how hard the Sessions nazi and his GOP shills try to cover his lies with straight faces?

"Desiree Fairooz is an activist with the anti-war organization Code Pink. She said her laugh was involuntary, spurred by Sen. Richard Shelby's statement that Sessions' "extensive record of treating all Americans equally under the law is clear and well-documented." "I let out an involuntary laugh, or more of a chortle of disdain," Fairooz told WAMU. "We were not warned not to laugh." Fairooz, a retired children's librarian, was with five other activists — all dressed in pink Lady Liberty costumes — during the attorney general's confirmation hearing."

Readers are reminded:

"She was charged with two misdemeanors: disrupting Congress and unlawful demonstration on Capitol grounds. Each charge carries up to six months in prison and a potential fine. In July, a judge threw out her conviction and called for a new trial. In September, Fairooz rejected a plea deal. The new trial had been set to begin next week."

Should have been allowed to proceed. Given her a chance at exoneration.

"Code Pink said it celebrated the decision to drop the charges, calling the arrest of Fairooz "absurd." "The prosecution of Desiree, including one jury trial, was a waste of time and tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars," the organization said in a statement. "It was part the larger effort currently being made to crack down on activists. From the January 20th inauguration protests, the Department of Justice is prosecuting 200 people on multiple felony charges. We hope they will scale back this massive overreach and that the success we just saw in Desiree's case will encourage more people to protest in the halls of congress and on the streets."

This nazi government wants no protest. Does all it can to abrogate the right to peacefully protest. Police themselves riot, are out of control at these protests. Get their cookies off abusing power. Arresting innocent people peacefully protesting. To say nothing of reporters covering these protests, exposing these jackbooted pieces of shit for whom and what they are.

"In a statement to CNN, Fairooz's attorney said his client is "relieved and happy" about the outcome. "Yesterday the government dismissed the case for reasons I can only speculate about. And which I may never fully know (though I have various theories)," said Samuel Bogash. "Though as her lawyer I would have preferred a 'not guilty' at the first trial, I'm happy for Ms. Fairooz."

This is no victory, Counselor. The unjust arrest remains on her record.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-17-17

Think the racist Sessions nazi doesn't continue to lie in sworn testimony? The Washington Times reports:

"Attorney General Jeff Sessions told a House committee Tuesday that he had forgotten but now remembers attending a meeting at which Trump foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos said he could help arrange a meeting between the campaign and Russian President Vladimir Putin."

Convenient memory loss, no?

"He also rejected accusations that he lied when he did not mention the interactions when asked about any contacts between Russian officials and the Trump campaign.

"Mr. Sessions told the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday that he “had no recollection” of the meeting until details about it were reported following the unsealing of a plea agreement for Mr. Papadopoulos."

Jesus Christ. ... Hey, Jeff? With such a fading, failing memory, how the hell are you fit for office, sir?

“I do now recall the March 2016 meeting at Trump Hotel that Mr. Papadopoulos attended, but I have no clear recollection of the details of what he said during that meeting,” Mr. Sessions told lawmakers Tuesday, according to prepared remarks. “After reading his account, and to the best of my recollection, I believe that I wanted to make clear to him that he was not authorized to represent the campaign with the Russian government, or any other foreign government, for that matter.”

Is that right? Believe it?

"The attorney general has come under fire for not disclosing the discussion when he was asked during his confirmation hearing about any contacts between Russian officials and members of the Trump campaign, for which he served as an advisor."

There's no way this nazi son of a bitch could not have remembered this. No way in hell.

"Mr. Sessions went on to say that had he remembered the event before his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee last month, he would have mentioned it."

Too late now, fool. You have no credibility. Can't even make the lies look good.

"Mr. Papadopoulos‘ plea agreement on charges of lying to FBI agents was unsealed Oct. 30. Mr Sessions blamed his forgetfulness on the chaotic nature of the presidential campaign. “It was a brilliant campaign in many ways. But it was a form of chaos every day from day one,” Mr. Sessions said. “We traveled all the time, sometimes to several places in one day. Sleep was in short supply.”

This man has no credibility. No more than a pathetic attempt to cover his ass and that of the Trump nazi, all the henchmen involved in this fiasco.

"The attorney general said he’s done his best to answer questions truthfully when he’s appeared before congressional committees."

Another lie.

“I have been asked to remember details from a year ago such as who I saw on what day and what meeting and who said what to when,” Mr. Sessions said. “In all of my testimony, I can only do my best to answer all of your questions as I understand them and to the best of my memory. But I will not accept and reject accusations that I have ever lied. That is a lie.”

... Hey, Jeff? You wouldn't know truth if it figuratively bit you hard on the ass.

The Washington Post reports:

"Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Tuesday that he has “always told the truth” in describing his knowledge of Trump campaign contacts with Russians, although he acknowledged that he now recalls an interaction with a lower-level adviser to Donald Trump who said he told Sessions about contacts who could help arrange a meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin."

Simply, not credible. Either lying, -- or lost his marbles due to aging.

"When asked previously about whether he thought that surrogates from the Trump campaign had communications with the Russians, Sessions said, “I did not, and I’m not aware of anyone else that did, and I don’t believe it happened.” Now, speaking before the House Judiciary Committee, Sessions said he recalled a March 2016 meeting with George Papadopoulos, the Trump campaign’s foreign policy adviser. Papadopoulos, in pleading guilty to lying to FBI agents, has admitted that he told Trump and other campaign officials, including Sessions, that he had contacts who could help arrange a meeting between Trump and Putin."

The Attorney General has apparently changed his story due to the guilty plea by Papadopoulos. The latter was likely wired by Mueller, may have recorded conversations with others in Trump's inner circle leading to Sessions remarkable regain of this supposedly forgotten memory.

“I do now recall the March 2016 meeting at Trump hotel that Mr. Papadopoulos attended, but I have no clear recollection of the details of what he said at that meeting,” Sessions said. “After reading his account, and to the best of my recollection, I believe that I wanted to make clear to him that he was not authorized to represent the campaign with the Russian government, or any other foreign government, for that matter. But I did not recall this event, which occurred 18 months before my testimony of a few weeks ago, and I would gladly have reported it had I remembered it because I pushed back against his suggestion that I thought may have been improper.”

Think so? Think he's not lying about his supposed memory loss? Get this:

"Sessions clarified later that he recalled Papadopoulos making “some comment” about a Trump-Putin meeting, and he “pushed back.”

Is that right? Sudden recall of memory credible?

11-17-17

Republicans are still plotting to get rid of Mueller. NPR reports:

"The White House says it is playing ball with Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller, but some administration supporters in Congress want him out of a job. A small number of House and Senate Republicans are at work building a storyline about Mueller that would oblige him to at least give up his role in the Russia imbroglio and, at most, become subject to investigation himself. "We are at risk of a coup d'état in this country if we allow an unaccountable person with no oversight to undermine the duly elected president of the United States — and I would offer that is precisely what is happening right now," Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said on the House floor Wednesday."

What you're plotting to do is undermine a criminal investigation of Trump and his henchmen, an investigation based on more than sufficient probable cause. Should you be successful, will certainly likely mean the end of the Trump regime as other Republicans wisely wishing to be returned to office will impeach the shamelessly fascist son of a bitch in the House.

"He and two compatriots have called for Mueller to recuse himself, resign or be fired, and they have offered a House resolution calling for, among other things, another special counsel to look into what they call Mueller's own conflicts of interest."

Can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bullshit. These fascist, national socialist bastards have no honor, no principles other than nazi abuse of power.

"Mueller appears to be in no immediate danger; House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and other legislative leaders have said they expect Congress to permit the special counsel to do his work. A few members of Congress have said they want to pass legislation that would formally protect Mueller, but it has not passed."

Clearly, Republicans are running scared. The Trump regime is not sustainable. Nor is the Republican stranglehold on the Senate, especially due to the Moore fiasco. Be interesting to see how this all gets resolved.

"Gaetz, his fellow freshman Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., and House veteran Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, have been working to codify a narrative that ties together Mueller, the 2010 Uranium One sale, Bill Clinton's speeches in Russia and the infamous, unverified Fusion GPS dossier about Trump from earlier this year."

Sessions is being heavily pressured to consider appointing special counsel to investigate all this as well as Hillary Clinton.

11-17-17

In follow up to the last edition regarding the violent attack on Sen. Rand Paul, The Washington Post reports:

"Matthew J. Baker, [Rene] Boucher’s attorney, said that his client had not been home in recent days since the incident.

"Earlier in the week, Baker had characterized the incident as “a very regrettable dispute between two neighbors over a matter that most people would regard as trivial.” News reports have since suggested that the two neighbors sparred over long-standing issues regarding their lawns or other neighborhood matters."

Much remains in question:

"But Doug Stafford, a senior adviser to Paul, on Thursday disputed Boucher and Baker’s characterization of the incident. The senator “was vigorously assaulted by someone in his neighborhood. This is a serious criminal matter involving serious injury, and is being handled by local and federal authorities,” Stafford said in a statement. “As to reports of a longstanding dispute with the attacker, the Pauls have had no conversations with him in many years. The first ‘conversation’ with the attacker came after Sen. Paul’s ribs were broken. This was not a ‘fight,’ it was a blindside, violent attack by a disturbed person. Anyone claiming otherwise is simply uninformed or seeking media attention.”

Fascinating, isn't it? What the hell is going on here? Why should it take this long to get to the bottom of this outrageously senseless attack?

Legal ramifications for Boucher could be dire:

"When asked about a motive multiple times by a reporter at his office following the court proceeding Thursday morning, Boucher’s attorney repeatedly referenced news reports quoting neighbors and others who suggested the motive is grounded in a property dispute. Baker said these claims were more “on target” than suggestions that the attack was politically motivated. Baker ignored multiple requests to explain how a property dispute could escalate into such a violent attack.

"A political motivation would drastically increase the likelihood of federal charges against Boucher, due to a federal law that makes it a crime to assault a member of Congress “on account of the performance of official duties.” That crime comes with a possible sentence of eight years — 20 if a weapon is involved — vs. the 12-month sentence and $500 fine Boucher faces."

None of this makes sense. Doesn't add up. Achingly stupid attack, particularly since Paul is a United States Senator and charges could be quite serious if the attack can be proven to be related to Paul's duties as Senator.

11-17-17

Amazing how statistics and bogus 'studies' can be effectively used to distort reality, evade truth, lend ersatz credence to abject bullshit. NPR reports:

"Any American who pays attention to law enforcement has heard of the strategies: "Broken Windows," "Stop and Frisk," "Zero Tolerance." These are all variations on what's broadly known as "proactive policing": efforts to seek out and prevent the causes of crime before it happens, as opposed to a more reactive policy of just sending police when called."

The point of diminishing returns is always quickly reached. Backlash? Ferocious. Faith, trust in law enforcement? Quickly relegated to the toilet. Certainly, as harassment becomes intolerable, police viewed as the enemy. No more than a deliberate concerted attack on liberty, determined abrogation of all civil and constitutional rights and liberties. Price of all this?

Horrendous. Both in terms of officers killed in the line of duty, to say nothing of all those unarmed and innocent murdered by the criminal jackbooted bastards in blue. Precisely, why all faith and trust in law enforcement continues to precipitously drop, -- as officers continue to murder with virtual impunity, not held legally accountable for their crimes. Protected, coddled.

"During the 1990s and 2000s, these approaches were widely credited for bringing down crime rates. But in the years since Ferguson, charges of racial profiling caused proactive policing to fall out of favor."

This, myopically, only partially explains the phenomenon. Racial profiling is an offshoot of the problem, not the problem itself. The problem is criminal abuse of power, shakedowns, harassment, murder of innocent unarmed civilians by out of control officers who get their cookies off abusing power.

"Some critics say the methods don't even work as well as advertised, and they point to the fact that the murder rate stayed low in New York even after police curtailed the "stop and frisk" tactic (more on that below)."

That's more bullshit by the author of this NPR article who clearly is biased in favor of the criminal jackbooted bastards in blue. More than willing to cut these pieces of human excrement slack they clearly do not deserve, have not for decades. Here's the bullshit:

"And yet in other cities, the rollback of these methods has coincided with disturbing spikes in violent crime. Last week I reported from murder-plagued Baltimore, where the Freddie Gray riots and a Justice Department investigation pushed the department to end tactics that critics labeled "zero tolerance." Former police officials are furious, saying the abandonment of those methods has cost lives."

First? The spike is indeed coincidental, not necessarily cause and effect. ... Although law enforcement and their clueless shills prefer to claim otherwise. Reinforces their bullshit. Provides lame 'excuse' for the indefensible, that is, continued abuse of power and criminal activity perpetrated by officers. Equally pointedly? Provides cover needed to continue perpetrating this outrageously bogus myth. Readers are reminded correlation statistically is not indicative of cause and effect. This fact gets taught in every statistics class.

Second? What has certainly cost lives is egregious police abuse of power, murder of innocent unarmed civilians by the criminal jackbooted bastards in blue. Non-police-perpertrated murders in these communities are caused by factors well out of control of law enforcement. Factors such as poverty, lack of education, training, employment opportunities, homelessness, etc.. Until we effectively address these issues, these senseless murders will continue unabated.

"The argument over proactive policing can be politicized, but now the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine is trying to make it more scientific. It's just released a comprehensive survey of the research that's been done on the crime-fighting effectiveness of various policing strategies."

That deliberately, concertedly, determinedly ignores long-term effects of what amounts to no more than bogus justification of harassment. These effects include loss of faith, trust in law enforcement, unwillingness to cooperate with these bastards even when cooperation is indeed warranted, justified as in the case of victims of crime who will not come forward and report crime. Think that's not an issue?

"There's more research to draw on than people suspect. The authors say we're actually in a "golden age" of methodical scientific studies of policing, and the report lays out which tactics are backed by the strongest evidence."

Called 'massaging data' to support, defend the indefensible.

Here comes the bullshit:

"Hot Spot" policing — targeted patrols of specific trouble spots — is backed by strong evidence. This may be of interest in Baltimore, which ended the old practice of "clearing corners," under pressure from the Justice Department."

Jesus Christ. Outrageously unconstitutional since police have no probable cause a crime has been committed. Such tactics are counter productive in the long run since resentment and hatred toward police exponentially increases.

"Stop and Frisk" is more ambiguous. There's strong evidence that it works when practiced in violent-crime hot spots, but the evidence is weaker for its effectiveness when practiced throughout an entire jurisdiction."

Outrageously unconstitutional since police have no probable cause to conduct a search, no indication a crime has been committed. No exigent circumstances justifying a search. Direct violation of the Fourth Amendment. Readers are reminded these tactics are reminiscent of Hitler's Third Reich. Indeed, the most effective, efficient form of government to date. But at what cost?

"Broken Windows," the notion that addressing small problems can avert more serious crimes, has strong evidence when the tactic focuses on improving a neighborhood, such as cleaning up vacant lots. But when the tactic means wide-spread arrests of people for certain "quality of life" infractions, the evidence is weaker."

Again, more sniveling bullshit. Justification of the unjustifiable. Egregiously counterproductive. Results in resentment, distrust of the abusive jackbooted bastards. Failure to report crime due to this systemic distrust. Results in more crime long-term.

"The survey includes assessments of other tactics under the "proactive policing" rubric, including up-and-comers such as software-driven "predictive policing" (verdict: too soon to tell.)"

Another crock of shit by the NPR shill clearly in the pocket of law enforcement. Truly frightening since it enables officers to preemptively harass the innocent with no probable cause a crime has indeed been committed. What's next? Should technology improve to the point where a machine can scan someone's brain, thought processes, etc., determines someone has thought a murderous thought, then what? Arrest them for thinking the thought? Where do you draw the line? How far do you take this?

Here comes the disclaimer:

"An important caveat on all of this: the authors say these tactics should be employed only when constitutional. That leads to a question that crosses from criminology over into law: Does "proactive policing" equate unconstitutional policing?"

Precisely, the point made by this concertedly pointed criticism of this 'study.' Exactly, what it is. A deliberate, concerted determined abrogation of all civil and constitutional rights and liberties. Justification of the unjustifiable. An abrogation of rights executed preemptively.

"The report hedges its bets in a paragraph that reflects the political sensitivity of the larger debate: 'Several scholars have argued that it is unlikely that any programmatic use of stops, frisks, and arrests could be effective in preventing crime and still survive proper constitutional scrutiny (Bellin, 2014; Meares, 2015). If so, then no department should adopt these strategies. That said, courts have not forced many departments to give up SQF [stop, question and frisk], broken windows, or zero tolerance policing.'

That's happened because judges have consistently, concertedly bastardized the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, since inception. To consolidate Executive Power, create what amounts to a fascist police-state. Precisely, what the Founders so feared. That is, that we would not be able to keep the democratic republic they had set up at such great personal cost.

Clearly, we have not. Quite the opposite. Precisely, why an unwanted dreaded second American revolution catastrophically looms. Hear the rumble? As the revolution doomsday clock strikes ever closer to midnight. Truly unconscionable the courts have failed to rein in the criminal jackbooted bastards in blue. Remain in bed with them. No more than a rubber stamp of criminal behavior and abrogation of rights perpetrated by the law enforcement community.

"'And other scholars assume that a legal version of these strategies is possible, if departments aggressively use the legal authority to conduct stops or arrests (by encouraging officers to make all possible legal stops and arrests) and still train and supervise officers to avoid unconstitutional conduct (Harmon, 2012b).'

More egregious bullshit. Talking out both sides the ass. Bogus justification of the unjustifiable. To what end? For what purpose? Coup de grace? Get this:

"Either way, legal scholars conclude that deterrence based strategies that employ aggressive stops, frisks, and arrests raise the prospect of increased constitutional violations, and the litigation surrounding these programs supports that conclusion."

Then the author of this bogus disingenuous article, Martin Kaste, must be respectfully asked one ferociously pointed question. Why did you write it, sir? Even more inexplicably senseless?

"What long-term effect do these tactics have on a community and its relationship with the police? On that score, the report says more study is needed."

Jesus Christ. What do you think? No clue?

11-17-17

The Trump nazi continues to militarize the criminal jackbooted bastards in blue. NBC News reports:

"The U.S. forces that supported Iraqi troops during the operation to recapture Mosul from the Islamic State this year used it. And it could be in a police department near you. It is a mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle, known as a MRAP, and they each weigh 18 tons and are designed to withstand bombs, bullets, mines and grenades. They've been used in Iraq, in Afghanistan and in America, in cities such as Miami Beach, Florida, and Fairbanks, Alaska."

Why do the criminal jackbooted bastards in blue need this kind of military equipment? You criminal jackbooted bastards in law enforcement expecting a revolution, Sheriff?

"These vehicles and thousands of other pieces of military surplus equipment have been shipped free to law enforcement agencies across the country after President Donald Trump, in an executive order in August, removed Obama-era reforms that had banned local police from receiving some equipment and placed tight restrictions on others."

Planning on using them against unarmed, law-abiding citizens who won't goose step along, Mr. 'President?' Governor?

"Obama acted after the confrontation between police and protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, in 2014 following the shooting of an unarmed black man. The striking images on social media of military equipment being used by police for crowd control drew national attention to the military equipment surplus program."

As well it should have. A portend of far worse to come under the Trump nazi and his henchmen.

"After Obama tightened the program in 2015, for instance, police departments seeking MRAPs from the Defense Department had to submit a detailed justification for why they were needed and how officers would be trained to use them. "We’ve seen how militarized gear can sometimes give people a feeling like there's an occupying force," Obama said at the time. "Some equipment made for the battlefield is not appropriate for local police departments."

-- Only if you're expecting a revolution, or wishing to transform the goddamned de facto fascist police-state we already live in to the Trump nazi's Fourth Reich. ... Right, Mr. 'President?'

"Now, after Trump has loosened the program's requirements, the volume of surplus equipment flowing to police agencies is roughly the same as it was under Obama. But what's changed is the need for justification, mandated federal supervision and training — and that's got critics warning about trouble ahead. "There is no accountability in place," said Ed Chung, a former Justice Department official who led the group that advised Obama on the issue."

Not necessary in the Fourth Reich, right, Mr. 'President?'

"Attorney General Jeff Sessions, announcing the rollback of Obama's order, said the program "went too far." "We will not put superficial concerns above public safety," Sessions said. "This isn't about appearances, it's about getting the job done and getting everyone to safety."

Goddamned bullshit. An outright, bold-faced lie by the Sessions nazi. The exigent threat to this country is from no foreign power, no terrorist organization, not even the criminal element. It remains the out of control, criminal jackbooted bastards in blue who not only present an exigent threat to life, liberty, but all civil and constitutional rights and liberties. ... Right, Sheriff? To say nothing of all levels and branches of egregiously out of control government.

"Obama banned the shipment to police of grenade launchers, weaponized vehicles, bayonets, rifles, ammunition of .50 caliber or higher, and certain armored vehicles that resemble tanks. Under Trump, those items are no longer prohibited."

Why not? Unless of course the Trump nazi and his henchmen intend to ultimately have the criminal jackbooted bastards in law enforcement use them against the citizenry they've falsely sworn to protect and defend. ... Right, Sheriff? Governor? Mr. 'President?'

Our formerly great country remains in unparalleled turmoil unlike ever seen before. Certainly, not in recent history. Not even dating back to the Sixties. Militarization of egregiously out of control law enforcement presents an exigent threat also unlike ever seen before. Exponentially increasing, not decreasing, the possibility of an unwanted dreaded second American revolution already catastrophically looming.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-17-17

Continue to endure interminable delays at the airport? Put up with outrageous invasion of privacy to book a flight, from airport screeners during check-in? Get felt up by overzealous goons looking for weapons? Guess what? It's failing to prevent mock weapons from getting past screeners. Get this. CBS News reports:

"An undercover operation has revealed that Transportation Security Administration screenings at airports fail for the most part. Homeland Security investigators found that, more than 70 percent of the time, undercover officers were able to get through TSA checkpoints with mock knives, guns and explosives, the House Homeland Security Committee was told Wednesday. Just two years ago, testing found a 95 percent failure rate, reports CBS News correspondent Kris Van Cleave. "We found that briefing disturbing," said Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee."

Amazing, isn't it?

"The DHS Office of Inspector General made eight classified recommendations based on the undercover operation. In a statement, the TSA said it took the "OIG findings very seriously and are implementing measures that will improve screening effectiveness at checkpoints."

What? How? By increasing determined, intentional loss of privacy, intrusiveness, additional delay? Why the hell would anyone willingly wish to fly currently?

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-17-17

Disgraced Alabama former Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore is back in the news. The Washington Post reports:

"Leigh Corfman says she was 14 years old when an older man approached her outside a courtroom in Etowah County, Ala. She was sitting on a wooden bench with her mother, they both recall, when the man introduced himself as Roy Moore. It was early 1979 and Moore — now the Republican nominee in Alabama for a U.S. Senate seat — was a 32-year-old assistant district attorney. He struck up a conversation, Corfman and her mother say, and offered to watch the girl while her mother went inside for a child custody hearing. “He said, ‘Oh, you don’t want her to go in there and hear all that. I’ll stay out here with her,’ ” says Corfman’s mother, Nancy Wells, 71. “I thought, how nice for him to want to take care of my little girl.”

Think so?

"Alone with Corfman, Moore chatted with her and asked for her phone number, she says. Days later, she says, he picked her up around the corner from her house in Gadsden, drove her about 30 minutes to his home in the woods, told her how pretty she was and kissed her. On a second visit, she says, he took off her shirt and pants and removed his clothes. He touched her over her bra and underpants, she says, and guided her hand to touch him over his underwear. “I wanted it over with — I wanted out,” she remembers thinking. “Please just get this over with. Whatever this is, just get it over.” Corfman says she asked Moore to take her home, and he did."

Consider the following:

"Two of Corfman’s childhood friends say she told them at the time that she was seeing an older man, and one says Corfman identified the man as Moore. Wells says her daughter told her about the encounter more than a decade later, as Moore was becoming more prominent as a local judge. Aside from Corfman, three other women interviewed by The Washington Post in recent weeks say Moore pursued them when they were between the ages of 16 and 18 and he was in his early 30s, episodes they say they found flattering at the time, but troubling as they got older. None of the three women say that Moore forced them into any sort of relationship or sexual contact."

And this:

"Wendy Miller says she was 14 and working as a Santa’s helper at the Gadsden Mall when Moore first approached her, and 16 when he asked her on dates, which her mother forbade. Debbie Wesson Gibson says she was 17 when Moore spoke to her high school civics class and asked her out on the first of several dates that did not progress beyond kissing. Gloria Thacker Deason says she was an 18-year-old cheerleader when Moore began taking her on dates that included bottles of Mateus Rosé wine. The legal drinking age in Alabama was 19. Of the four women, the youngest at the time was Corfman, who is the only one who says she had sexual contact with Moore that went beyond kissing. She says they did not have intercourse."

Moore denies all:

“These allegations are completely false and are a desperate political attack by the National Democrat Party and the Washington Post on this campaign,” Moore, now 70, said. The campaign said in a subsequent statement that if the allegations were true they would have surfaced during his previous campaigns, adding “this garbage is the very definition of fake news.”

Republicans are being extremely cautious regarding these allegations:

"After The Post published this story Thursday afternoon, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and a handful of other GOP senators said Moore must step aside if Corfman’s account is true."

If these allegations are proven to be true and the GOP continues to support his candidacy, Republicans could pay a steep price politically.

"Corfman described her story consistently in six interviews with The Post. The Post confirmed that her mother attended a hearing at the courthouse in February 1979 through divorce records. Moore’s office was down the hall from the courtroom. Neither Corfman nor any of the other women sought out The Post. While reporting a story in Alabama about supporters of Moore’s Senate campaign, a Post reporter heard that Moore allegedly had sought relationships with teenage girls. Over the ensuing three weeks, two Post reporters contacted and interviewed the four women. All were initially reluctant to speak publicly but chose to do so after multiple interviews, saying they thought it was important for people to know about their interactions with Moore. The women say they don’t know one another."

The Post certainly has much to lose should this story turn out bogus. Readers are reminded as earlier reported here and elsewhere, Moore twice got the boot off the Alabama Supreme Court.

"In 1992, he became a circuit court judge and hung his wooden Ten Commandments plaque in his courtroom. In 2000, he was elected chief justice of Alabama’s Supreme Court, and he soon installed a 5,280-pound granite Ten Commandments monument in the judicial building. In 2003, he was dismissed from the bench for ignoring a federal court order to remove the monument, and became known nationally as “The Ten Commandments Judge.” Moore was again elected chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court in 2012, and was again dismissed for ignoring a judicial order, this time for instructing probate judges not to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples."

The Washington Post followed up:

"GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore spoke defiantly Saturday morning at a political gathering in Alabama that allegations against him amounted to “fake news” perpetrated by The Washington Post and political opponents engaged “in a desperate attempt to stop my campaign.”

Couldn't be the truth, could it, Mr. Moore? Couldn't be lying to save your ass, could you, sir?

“These campaign attacks are false and completely untrue,” Moore told a small audience at a Veterans Day breakfast in Vestavia Hills, Ala. “More than being completely untrue they are deeply hurtful to me personally.” He talked about his marriage, four children and five granddaughters. “I have the highest regard for the protection of young children,” he said."

Do you, sir?

“To be attacked on allegations for sexual misconduct contradicts my entire career in law. I want to make it clear: ... I have not been guilty of sexual misconduct with anyone. These allegations occur four and a half weeks before the election. Why now?”

Certainly, should have come out the time they allegedly occurred. Then again, a far different era decades ago. Have likely come out now since there has been quite a tidal wave of disclosures the last several weeks since aggrieved women have finally found courage en masse to step forward. Fascinating, isn't it?

"Moore’s comments Saturday followed a radio interview with Sean Hannity Friday in which he addressed the charges of sexual misconduct. “These allegations are completely false and misleading,” Moore told Hannity. He specifically denied The Post report that he had a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old girl, Leigh Corfman, in 1979. However, in the interview Friday, Moore did not rule out that he may have dated girls in their late teens when he was in his early 30s."

If Moore's statement is true, what does this tell you? What the hell is a guy in his early thirties doing dating a girl in her late teens? Quite an age disparity at that time of life.

"Moore, who won the Republican nomination touting his belief in the supremacy of a Christian God over the Constitution, has invoked a defiant tone."

What nazi wouldn't? This unabashed shameless national socialist has no respect, no regard for the First Amendment Establishment Clause, church-state separation, that is, freedom from religion. Shamelessly, hypocritically wraps himself in the Cross.

Pressure continues to increase on the nazi:

"His breakfast remarks occurred as a growing number of national party leaders called for Moore to leave the race before the Dec. 12 election. Two former GOP presidential candidates, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Mitt Romney, called for Moore to step down immediately, while Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Vice President Pence said Moore should step aside if the allegations prove true. On Friday, the National Republican Senatorial Committee pulled out of a joint fundraising committee with Moore, depriving him of a key pathway to securing campaign dollars. Yet Saturday morning his campaign sent out its own appeal of support for Moore, who vowed he will not give up."

This man presents an exigent threat to all civil and constitutional rights and liberties.

"Republicans have been calling on Moore to drop out of the race even though the GOP wouldn’t be able to get another candidate on the ballot to run against Democrat Doug Jones, who was running a tight race against Moore even before the allegations surfaced."

They're wisely doing this knowing full well the ramifications should these allegations turn out to be proven true. Republicans would not be returned to office. Indeed, prime mover of all politics, both parties.

NPR reports:

"Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore is continuing to deny a Thursday Washington Post report detailing allegations that he initiated sexual contact with a 14-year-old girl when he was 32. But in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity on his radio show Friday afternoon, Moore did not outright deny dating teenagers when he was in his 30s, giving several conflicting answers after being pressed by Hannity."

Fascinating, isn't it? Think ole Roy isn't tap dancing? Doing the 'old soft shoe?' Desperate to save his sorry ass?

"When Hannity asked Moore if he had ever dated 16-, 17- or 18-year-olds, he answered "not generally, no" and added that dating a girl in her late teens "would have been out of my customary behavior."

What the hell does that mean, 'Judge?'

"I don't remember dating any girl without the permission of her mother," Moore also said."

Jesus Christ. Makes it right, 'Judge?' Grants carte blanche?

"Later the former Alabama chief justice said he did not recall ever dating a girl in her late teens and agreed that it would have been "inappropriate."

You think? Ferociously pointedly, that something you would forget, 'Judge?'

The noose begins to figuratively tighten around the Moore nazi. CBS News reports:

"The National Republican Senatorial Committee is breaking financial ties with Alabama GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore, after explosive allegations that Moore had a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old and pursued three other teenagers when he was in his 30s. The Friday move by the NRSC is the first major financial tie severed in Moore's campaign, although a number of Republican senators have distanced themselves from him in statements. According to a Friday Federal Election Commission filing, first reported by The Daily Beast, a joint fundraising agreement for Moore's election efforts no longer lists the NRSC, listing only the Alabama Republican Party and the Republican National Committee along with the Judge Roy Moore for U.S. Senate campaign. Previously, the Alabama 2017 Senate Victory Committee also included the NRSC."

Money remains mother's milk of all politics.

CBS News reports:

"A former prosecutor who once worked alongside embattled Alabama GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore in the early 1980s told CNN it was "common knowledge" at the time that Moore dated high school girls. "It was common knowledge that Roy dated high school girls, everyone we knew thought it was weird," former deputy district attorney Teresa Jones told CNN in comments aired Saturday. "We wondered why someone his age would hang out at high school football games and the mall ... but you really wouldn't say anything to someone like that."

Why not? You were a prosecutor at the time. The girls were underage. What could you personally been thinking? While things were different decades ago, that kind of behavior would have nonetheless been quickly challenged, investigated.

"Jones, now a partner at the Syprett, Meshad, Resnick, Lieb, Dumbaugh, Jones, Krotec & Westheimer, P.A. law firm based in Sarasota, Florida, served as deputy district attorney for Etowah County, Alabama from 1982 to 1985, according to her firm's website. Moore worked as a deputy district attorney in that office from 1977 to 1982. Before joining the DA's office, Jones was the assistant city attorney for the city of Gadsden, Alabama, the county seat of Etowah County."

As a woman and a prosecutor, remains incomprehensible she did nothing at the time.

"Jones' comments come after an explosive Washington Post report in which four women say Moore pursued them sexually or romantically when they were in their teens. The youngest accuser, Leigh Corfman, said she was 14 and Moore was 32 when he sexually touched her."

More corroboration:

"Mike Ortiz, an ex-boyfriend of Corfman told CNN she relayed the story to him when they dated for about two years around 2009. Corfman's description to the Post fits what she told him to a tee, he said. "But I believed her when she told me and I still believe her," he said on CNN. "She wouldn't lie about something like that."

Pressure increases on Moore. NPR reports:

"Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday, "I believe the women," and called on Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore of Alabama to "step aside." McConnell made his remarks at a news conference in Kentucky. Moore has been accused of initiating sexual contact with a 14-year-old in 1979 when he was 32. Three other women have accused Moore of inappropriate contact when they were teens."

McConnell knows the noose is figuratively tightening around the neck of Republicans. That the prime directive of all politicians remains in jeopardy currently, that is, return to office:

"McConnell had initially said last week Moore should end his candidacy "if" the allegations were true. McConnell had supported the incumbent senator, Luther Strange, in the primary. He said a write-in campaign for Strange is now "an option."

Give me a break. ... Think the dopey bastards won't still vote for this abomination? -- Refuse to be confused by the truth?

"Moore has come under increasing pressure from GOP lawmakers to step aside prior to next month's special election in Alabama. He has refused, saying the accusations were "false and untrue," and threatening to sue the Washington Post, which first reported the story."

Sue them for what? Carefully, painstakingly, reporting the truth?

"The National Republican Senatorial Committee had previously pulled out of a joint fund raising agreement with Moore, and the list of prominent Republicans opposing Moore's candidacy has steadily grown."

More fuel to the fire. CBS News reports:

"A new accuser of Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore has stepped forward on Monday with allegations that Moore assaulted her when she was a minor and Moore was serving as district attorney of Etowah County, Alabama."

-- To chagrin of the Nazi Right who despises this particularly outspoken lawyer:

"Women's rights attorney Gloria Allred held a press conference in New York City with Beverly Young Nelson to announce the accusations. She told members of the press she met him when she was 15 years of age, and she said he assaulted her when she was 16 years old. Beverly Young Nelson described in detail the encounters she had with Moore at a restaurant she worked at after school. Moore, Nelson recalled, was a regular at the restaurant and knew her. Late one evening Nelson said, when her boyfriend was late in picking her up from work, Moore offered to drive Nelson home."

Most considerate of the charlatan, no?

"I trusted Mr. Moore because he was district attorney, I thought he was doing something nice to offer to drive me home," said Nelson. Instead, she recalled, he drove her to the back of the restaurant next to a dumpster and Nelson alleges he forced himself on her and groped her. Fighting back tears, Nelson told reporters she fought off Moore in the car as he squeezed her neck and tried to force her head onto his crotch and locked the door when she tried to escape."

A Southern gentleman?

"Eventually, she said, he gave up and told her, "'You're just a child, and I'm the district attorney. If you tell anyone about this, no one will ever believe you.'"

Where have we heard this shit before?

"She said she then either fell out of the car or was pushed by Moore, who, she said, drove away with the passenger door still ajar."

-- F--ked up bastard chagrined he couldn't get his hands in the cookie jar. Tough shit.

Get this:

"Nelson's prior encounters with Moore had not been so threatening. He flirted with her, pulling the ends of her waist-length red hair as she passed by, and he complimented the young girl's looks. "He wrote in my yearbook as follows: 'To a sweeter more beautiful girl, I could not say Merry Christmas, Christmas, 1977, Love, Roy Moore, Old Hickory House. Roy Moore, DA,'" Reporters could see his inscription in the yearbook with a signature that appears to match his signature now."

Need to have the signature examined by a handwriting expert.

"I did nothing to encourage this behavior," said Nelson, adding "I did not respond to any of Mr. Moore's flirtatious behavior." She said she was "not interested in having a dating or sexual relationship with a man twice my age."

You think?

"Nelson said she didn't reveal the assault before now initially because she was afraid. She said she told her sister of the incident two years after it had taken place, and her mother only four years ago. Now, some 40 years after the incident, Nelson is willing to testify before lawmakers on Moore's alleged sexual misconduct. Allred called for the Senate Judiciary Committee to hold a public hearing where Nelson would appear and testify before lawmakers on the incident."

Think these women have no credibility? All lying?

"Nelson said that she and her husband supported Donald Trump for president and that her coming forward on Monday "has nothing whatsoever to do with Republicans or Democrats." "It has everything to do with Mr. Moore's sexual assault when I was a teenager," Nelson added. Nelson said of Moore, "He no longer has any power over me and I no longer live in fear of him."

NPR reports:

"Instead of stopping, he began squeezing my neck, attempting to force my head onto his crotch. I continued to struggle," Nelson said, adding, "I thought that he was going to rape me." Nelson said she either fell or was pushed out of Moore's car, which she said sped away, "burning rubber." She said she had black and blue marks on her neck following the incident, which she covered with makeup."

Another Republican is smartening up:

"Immediately after Nelson's remarks, Sen. Cory Gardner, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, issued a sharply worded statement:

"I believe the individuals speaking out against Roy Moore spoke with courage and truth, proving he is unfit to serve in the United States Senate and he should not run for office. If he refuses to withdraw and wins, the Senate should vote to expel him, because he does not meet the ethical and moral requirements of the United States Senate."

A prominent Republican Senator from Maine has also come out against Moore:

"Among the most recent is Maine's Sen. Susan Collins, who in a statement on Twitter Monday said she "did not find Moore's denials to be convincing."

"I have now read Mr. Moore’s statement and listened to his radio interview in which he denies the charges. I did not find his denials to be convincing and believe that he should withdraw from the Senate race in Alabama.
— Sen. Susan Collins (@SenatorCollins) November 13, 2017"

As of 11-16-17, the count stands at eight women who have come forward to accuse Moore.

11-17-17

Think sexual assault of minors isn't a problem on the reservation? NPR reports:

"One morning earlier this year, Northern Arapaho member Rose was sitting at the table with her 14-year-old daughter, Latoya. "I told her to move her hair because she had her hair like this," said Rose, showing how Latoya pulled her hair over to hide her neck and cheek. "Because I noticed something ... she had marks, hickeys, just completely covering her, even almost on her face." That's when Latoya told her mother that she had been forcibly kissed by a woman from another reservation who was six years older. (NPR is using only their middle names because they fear retaliation.)"

Sad, isn't it? Intolerable, as well.

"At that moment, I saw me in her," Rose said. She took a deep breath and this time there were tears in her voice. "And there was just nothing I could do for her except let her know, it's not your fault; it's OK; I'll protect you." Rose wanted more than anything to protect her daughter because when she herself was 6, she too was molested by an older girl. Studies show that 1 in 3 Native American women is sexually assaulted in her life. But Rose wanted to stop that cycle of abuse."

This remains quite a problem:

"According to a new poll by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 36 percent of Native Americans living in majority-Native areas say they avoid calling the police because of a fear of discrimination. And nearly half say they or a family member feels he or she has been treated unfairly by the courts. But thanks to a recent law, a small number of tribes are creating their own court systems in hopes they will process cases faster and restore trust."

Unbelievable, this shit goes on. Has gone on. Still goes on.

"That morning, Rose called the tribal police. But they immediately referred her to the FBI since her tribe isn't qualified to handle felonies."

Why not?

"After an investigation, though, federal prosecutor Kerry Jacobson declined to pursue Latoya's case. As with most assaults, the case rested solely on the victim's testimony. "The only allegations involve the subject touching the minor's lips, neck and upper chest and the knee and those areas do not fall within the definition of sexual contact," Jacobson said, explaining why she declined the case."

Incredible, isn't it? The kid is assaulted, nothing done?

"Jacobson said she recognized that testifying against a perpetrator can be traumatic and that's why she leaves cases like this open as long as possible, in case a victim wants to tell more later. She also said the majority of her cases are historical childhood assaults, for which it is much harder to get convictions. "When a victim gets to a place where he or she feels safe enough and emotionally stable enough to divulge what happened, we have no scientific evidence left," said Jacobson. "Those are very challenging."

Unbelievable. This is an Indian reservation. Why aren't they handling their own law enforcement?

"Jacobson said she did not interview the alleged perpetrator or any witnesses. In fact, a recent Government Accountability Office report shows that federal courts declined to prosecute 67 percent of reservation sexual assault cases."

Inexplicable, isn't it?

"Meanwhile, after Latoya's case was dropped, the tribal police took over. Unlike the feds, they moved forward, issuing a warrant for the subject's arrest. The problem is, the tribal court can issue only misdemeanors, which means less than a year in jail if convicted. Leslie Shakespeare, councilman for the Eastern Shoshone, the other tribe on Wind River, wants to use recently passed federal legislation called the Tribal Law and Order Act to do more. That law grants tribes the power to give stiffer sentences and do it faster."

Why not? It's a reservation. Aren't they supposed to enjoy some semblance of autonomy? -- Despite the fact the goddamned federal government has broken every treaty? Stolen their land when its undocumented forebears arrived here centuries ago. While reservation lawyers, courts, and prisons are incredibly expensive, don't the federal taxpayers at the very least owe them this much?

11-17-17

The Trump nazi has again disgraced himself and his office. CBS News reports:

"His lengthy Asia trip down to its final days, President Donald Trump once more pushed for equitable trade deals and opted to publicly prioritize strategic interests over human rights, declining to shine a spotlight on the violent drug war overseen by his Philippine host."

Why would he? Like Duterte, Trump is an out of control lunatic, a nazi dictator.

"Mr. Trump repeatedly praised Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte -- whose battle on drug users and traffickers features rampant extrajudicial killing -- pointedly calling him by his first name, sharing a joke about the media and even complimenting Manila's weather."

Jesus Christ. An out of control lunatic nazi resides in the Oval Office.

"What Mr. Trump did not do was what many predecessors have done before; highlight human rights abuses while overseas."

Why would he? What fascist would?

"Duterte once called then-President Obama a "son of a bitch." This week, he boasted that he murdered a man with his own hands. But all that went unmentioned in public by Mr. Trump when the leaders held talks Monday in the Philippines at a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)."

Two peas in a pod?

"The White House later said the two leaders discussed the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), illegal drugs and trade during the 40 minute meeting. Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said human rights came up "briefly" in the context of the Philippines' fight against illegal drugs. She did not say if Mr. Trump was critical of Duterte's program. That appeared to conflict with the Philippines' version of the meeting. Harry Roque, a spokesman for Duterte, said "there was no mention of human rights. There was no mention of extralegal killings. There was only a rather lengthy discussion of the Philippine war on drugs with President Duterte doing most of the explaining."

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, guess what? It's a f--king duck. ... Right, Mr. 'President?'

Think these two lunatic pieces of shit don't deserve each other?

NBC News reports:

"Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte serenaded his American counterpart at a gala in Manila, the Philippines, Sunday, telling the room that President Donald Trump made him do it. “Ladies and gentleman, I sang uninvited," he told the crowd to laughs, "upon the orders of the commander-in-chief of the United States.”

Jesus Christ. Two insufferable, psychotic lunatics in synch. Can we stand it? LOL.

"Joined by Filipino pop star Pilita Corrales, Duterte sang the love song “Ikaw," Reuters reported. “You are the light in my world, a half of this heart of mine," starts off one verse, according to the Reuters translation."

Of far greater concern? Get this:

"The White House said Duterte and the president “briefly” discussed human rights earlier in the day in regards to Duterte’s deadly drug war, which human rights groups say has lead him to slaughter thousands without trial."

Matters not to Trump:

"Trump, meanwhile, has praised Duterte for being tough on crime. Speaking with reporters last week, Duterte promised to tell Trump to "lay off" if he raised human rights concerns. Past U.S. presidents have publicly and privately pressed foreign leaders to cease known human rights abuses, but the president appeared to focus mostly on shared interests in his time with Duterte on Sunday. "We've had a great relationship. This has been very successful," Trump said."

When will Republicans and Trump's sick sycophants finally wake up? When?

11-17-17

Not all Republicans are marching in goose step with the Trump nazi. NPR reports:

"Arizona Sen. John McCain stepped up his criticism of the White House over the weekend, blasting President Trump for seeming to accept Russian leader Vladimir Putin's assurances that the Kremlin didn't interfere in U.S. elections. "There's nothing 'America First' about taking the word of a KGB colonel over that of the American intelligence community," McCain said in a written statement, referring to Trump's stated foreign policy objective and to Putin, a former operative in the Russian intelligence service. "Vladimir Putin does not have America's interests at heart. To believe otherwise is not only naive but also places our national security at risk," McCain, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said."

Further proof Trump remains unfit for office:

"Trump, who met with Putin on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Danang, Vietnam, told reporters that he had again asked Putin if he meddled in the election. Speaking on Air Force one, Trump said Putin had told him that he "absolutely did not meddle in our election, he did not do what they are saying he did." "I asked him again. You can only ask so many times," the president said."

Jesus Christ. Trump's an idiot, -- or suffering the effects of old age.

Feeling the heat:

"Later, the president sought to clarify, saying: "I believe that he [Putin] feels that he and Russia did not meddle in the elections." "As to whether I believe it, I'm with our agencies," Trump said, "As currently led by fine people, I believe very much in our intelligence agencies."

No, he does not. Has again contradicted himself, earlier statements claiming the opposite.

The Washington Post reports:

"Two top former U.S. intelligence officials said Sunday that President Trump is being “played” by President Vladimir Putin on Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and accused him of being susceptible to foreign leaders who stroke his ego. “By not confronting the issue directly and not acknowledging to Putin that we know you’re responsible for this, I think he’s giving Putin a pass,” former CIA director John Brennan said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “I think it demonstrates to Mr. Putin that Donald Trump can be played by foreign leaders who are going to appeal to his ego and try to play upon his insecurities, which is very, very worrisome from a national security standpoint.” Appearing on the same program, former director of national intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. said he agrees with that assessment. “He seems very susceptible to rolling out the red carpet and honor guards and all the trappings and pomp and circumstance that come with the office, and I think that appeals to him, and I think it plays to his insecurities,” Clapper said."

Pathetic, isn't it? Frightening, as well.

11-17-17

Think Trump isn't delusional? Carefully consider the following. NBC News reports:

"President Donald Trump pushed Republicans on Monday to cut taxes on the rich by using money that's slated to help lower-income Americans purchase health insurance.

"I am proud of the Rep. House & Senate for working so hard on cutting taxes {& reform.} We’re getting close! Now, how about ending the unfair & highly unpopular Indiv Mandate in OCare & reducing taxes even further? Cut top rate to 35% w/all of the rest going to middle income cuts?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 13, 2017"

At a time of record corporate profits, cash reserves. Where most corporations pay nowhere near the top rate, some none at all.

"Trump's request, which the president relayed by Twitter from his trip through Asia, comes at a sensitive moment in tax negotiations. It also goes against his repeated insistence that tax legislation should be focused on providing middle class tax relief rather than cutting taxes for wealthy filers like himself."

The president is a congenital liar. How do you know when he's lying? Watch his lips move.

"At times, the president has even predicted he will pay more under a GOP plan (Trump has not released his tax returns, but multiple provisions in the House and Senate bills appear likely to benefit his business and family)."

No more than insult to injury. Yet, his sick sycophants believe his every word. Take it as gospel truth.

Republican national socialists claim a drop in corporate taxes would spur the economy, increase employment and wages. Think so? Especially, at a time of record corporate profits and cash reserves? ... Or, will the corporate management suite simply do what it does best? That is, increase compensation for itself and shareholders?

NPR reports:

"When companies invest more in plants and equipment, they become more productive, which leads to higher wages, even for low-skilled workers, according to a recent report from the White House Council of Economic Advisers. How much would wages increase? The report predicted that cutting corporate taxes would raise annual household incomes $4,000, on average, and probably even more than that."

Think so? Wake up:

"Economist Kimberly Clausing of Reed College says on the surface the logic sounds airtight. "The principle makes a lot of sense, the thought that you increase investment and that investment increases the productivity of your workers and then your workers get paid more in consequence," she says. But Clausing says the reality is a lot more complicated. "There's no evidence that corporate tax cuts unleash a big wave of economic growth or wage increases," she says."

... If for no other reason greed remains prime mover. Especially, at a time of record corporate profits and cash reserves. Simply, don't need additional cash. Rather, the corporate management suite will use tax cuts as a convenient excuse to further line its pockets and those of shareholders.

"Clausing says predicting the impact of corporate tax changes on growth is notoriously difficult, because an economy the size of the United States simply has too many moving parts. A surge in growth could be due to tax cuts, or it may be something else entirely."

Wouldn't want to confuse hopelessly greedy Republican dolts with the truth, would we?

"The trouble is, we really don't have a good way to measure what the effects on growth are, because once we have the rate cut, other things start happening over time," says Jennifer Blouin, professor of accounting at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business. "We have natural disasters. We have failures in commodity markets. The whole credit crisis. And so once you mix that into the fold, how can you predict what the aggregate effect of just that piece of tax legislation is? And I would argue we really don't know," Blouin says."

Not to worry. Republican jackasses cannot, will not be confused with the truth. Forget? Remain bought and paid for, that is, owned by their corporate masters. To almost the same extent, so are the Democrats. Precisely, why the rich continue to get richer, poor poorer. The American Way. Middle class? Vanishing breed. Precisely, why an unwanted dreaded second American revolution catastrophically looms. Hear the rumble?

"In fact, most corporations have access to pretty much all the money they need right now, says Josh Bivens, director of research at the liberal-leaning Economic Policy Institute. But they're not investing all that much or increasing wages. "So we have exactly what the corporate tax cut is trying to engineer — really high post-tax profit rates. And yet it has not resulted in more investment. "So the idea that we just want to do more of the same thing that has not spurred investment strikes me as not correct," Bivens says."

It's not. What it will do is further the disparity gap between top and bottom, worsening strife, increasing chance of an unwanted dreaded revolution.

"Clausing says, "The reason firms aren't investing is because of a lack of investment opportunities, not because they need more tax incentives to do so." That points to a much larger and more formidable problem for the economy, one that the U.S. and other advanced economies have struggled to explain. After a record economic expansion, companies still don't see a lot of reasons to invest out there. Giving them even more money by cutting their taxes, Bivens says, isn't going to address the real problems the economy faces."

The problem here remains remarkably simple. Yet, gets easily lost in the weeds. There is no growth because there is dropped demand due to the fact the middle class is quickly vanishing. Why would there be demand for expansion when the prime mover, engine of expansion remains that very same middle class? -- A class that continues to precipitously decline. As the top 1% take it all.

If there is no increased demand for goods and services at a time of record corporate profits and cash reserves, why would the corporate management suite invest in expansion? Makes no sense. They won't. Will continue to sit on their hands, until the unsustainable finally becomes reality, shit hits the fan, economy collapses.

Think all the above bullshit? Forget? This is the first time in U.S. history, after a major crash (2008) and subsequent recession, the middle class has failed to recover. In fact, declined. Wake up. Status quo is not sustainable.

If there is no change, this economy will ultimately collapse. Should that come to pass, the masses will not compliantly suffer as they did after the 1929 crash. Not a chance. Ramifications? Dire. Intolerable. Wake up. The GOP is delusional, bamboozling you. Democrats? AWOL since November 22,1963.

There are some in the top 1% that understand the prescient danger. The Washington Post reports:

"More than 400 American millionaires and billionaires are sending a letter to Congress this week urging Republican lawmakers not to cut their taxes. The wealthy Americans — including doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs and chief executives — say the GOP is making a mistake by reducing taxes on the richest families at a time when the nation's debt is high and inequality is back at the worst level since the 1920s. The letter calls on Congress not to pass any tax bill that “further exacerbates inequality” and adds to the debt. Instead of petitioning tax cuts for the wealthy, the letter tells Congress to raises taxes on rich people like them. It is being released publicly this week, as Republicans debate legislation that would add $1.5 trillion to the debt to pay for widespread tax cuts for businesses and individuals."

Enlightened self-interest. Have to give these people great credit for their vision, wisdom, courage. They know the danger of an unwanted dreaded revolution in terms of loss of life, property damage, forfeiture of everything this country worked so hard to achieve.

Yet, there are other plutocrats who remain achingly Aryan arrogant, aggressively stupid. NPR reports:

"Just a week ago, the employees at local news websites DNAinfo and Gothamist in New York voted to unionize. Thursday evening, the publications' billionaire owner, Joe Ricketts, announced that he was shutting them down."

Hear the rumble?

11-17-17

Think the tax code doesn't favor those who sexually harass? Get this. Peter J. Henning, professor of law at Wayne State University, opined on CBS News:

"Many of the recent stories about sexual abuse claims against disgraced Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, former Fox News host Bill O'Reilly and other powerful actors, journalists and executives mention settlements either they or their employers made to silence women who accused them of misconduct."

Convenient for offenders, isn't it? Allows them to cover their ass. Continue the outrageous behavior. With impunity.

"These settlements often require alleged victims to sign a nondisclosure agreement – essentially a pledge of secrecy – in exchange for a cash payment. They are designed to keep the reputations of allegedly abusive high-flyers intact, an arrangement that can allow repeated wrongdoing."

And does. Certainly, in the Weinstein example, -- and countless others.

"As a law professor who focuses on white-collar crime, what I find striking about these contracts is how they can be treated as tax-deductible business expenses. That means American taxpayers are helping foot the bill for keeping despicable behavior in the shadows."

What webs we weave.

11-17-17

Think Trump's Chief of Staff isn't a duplicitous piece of shit? Get this. The Washington Post reports:

"On Monday, as the Department of Homeland Security prepared to extend the residency permits of tens of thousands of Hondurans living in the United States, White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly called acting secretary Elaine Duke to pressure her to expel them, according to current and former administration officials. Duke refused to reverse her decision and was angered by what she felt was a politically driven intrusion by Kelly and Tom Bossert, the White House homeland security adviser, who also called her about the matter, according to officials with knowledge of Monday’s events. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations."

Raw nazism. Ala Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini.

11-17-17

Continuing problems in Trump 'paradise.' The Washington Post reports:

"President Trump’s voter fraud commission was sued Thursday morning by one of its Democratic members, who alleged that he has been kept in the dark about its operations, rendering his participation “essentially meaningless.” Maine Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap said in a complaint filed in federal court that the 11-member panel is in violation of a federal law that requires presidential advisory commissions to be both balanced and transparent in their work. “The Commission has, in effect, not been balanced because Secretary Dunlap and the other Democratic commissioners have been excluded from the Commission’s work,” says the complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. “The Commission’s operations have not been open and transparent, not even to the commissioners themselves, who have been deprived access to documents prepared by and viewed by other commissioners.”

Why would they be? All a sham anyway. A ruse instituted by the Trump nazi and his undocumented claim of massive voter fraud.

11-17-17

Medicaid remains under attack. NPR reports:

"If you're poor, uninsured and have a bad car wreck or fall seriously ill, there's a chance in most states to enroll for Medicaid after the fact. If you qualify for Medicaid, the program will pay your medical bills going back three months. This "retroactive eligibility" provides financial protection as patients await approval of their Medicaid applications. It protects hospitals, too, from having to absorb the costs of caring for these patients."

Can't have that, can we?

"But a growing number of states are rescinding this benefit. On Nov. 1, Iowa joined three states that have eliminated retroactive coverage for some groups of Medicaid patients since the Affordable Care Act passed."

Hear the rumble?

11-17-17

Pending change at the Consumer Financial 'Protection' Bureau. NPR reports:

"Richard Cordray, the embattled director of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, announced Wednesday that he will leave the agency by the end of November. "I am confident that you will continue to move forward, nurture this institution we have built together, and maintain its essential value to the American public," Cordray wrote in an email to the agency's staff. Cordray, who has been a tough regulator of banks and other financial institutions, has been a frequent target of Republican lawmakers. Most recently, Congress killed a rule by the bureau that allowed consumers to bring class-action lawsuits against banks and credit card companies to resolve financial disputes."

Readers are reminded Cordray, shortly after attaining office years ago, did absolutely nothing vis a vis the deceptive trade practices complaint filed by this writer against Wells Fargo, long before the shit finally hit the fan against this outrageously corrupt, abusive, conniving, abjectly duplicitous bank. New readers of this publication are advised to click on any of the Wells Fargo icons sprinkled all over the homepage and every Newsletter edition since.

11-10-17

Horrendous atrocity at the First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, a small town southeast of San Antonio. NPR reports:

"In a news conference Sunday night, an official from the Texas Department of Public Safety described the scene: Around 11:20 a.m., a man dressed in black tactical gear approached the church and began firing an assault rifle. He then entered the church and continued firing. Gov. Greg Abbott confirmed that at least 26 people were killed. A Texas Department of Public Safety official said the ages of the victims ranged from 5 to 72 years old. The AP reports that the pastor's 14-year-old daughter is among the dead. In a news conference, Freeman Martin, a regional director of the Texas Department of Safety, said 23 of those killed were found in the church, two were found outside the church and one died after being taken to a hospital."

Readers are reminded all this is preliminary information subject to change as the investigation continues.

"The Department of Public Safety confirmed to NPR that at least 20 others were wounded. A DPS official said in the news conference that the gunman was confronted by an armed civilian outside the church. The shooter has been identified as Devin Patrick Kelley, 26, according to a law enforcement official. Kelley previously served in the U.S. Air Force in New Mexico from 2010 until he received a bad conduct discharge in 2014, Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek told NPR in an email. He was court-martialed in 2012 for assaulting his wife and child and sentenced to 12 months of confinement. Kelley died shortly after the attack. It's unclear whether it was self-inflicted or whether he was shot by a resident."

Reports on whether or not the shooter committed suicide remain contradictory at the time of writing.

"After the attack, the shooter reportedly exchanged gunfire with a nearby resident before getting in his vehicle and driving away. Martin said he could not confirm whether the neighbor hit the suspect, but said it was safe to say that his actions, which caused the shooter to drop his weapon, saved lives. KSAT spoke with Johnnie Langendorff, who said the man who exchanged fire with the suspect "came to my vehicle in distress with his weapon" and quickly explained what had happened. "The other gentleman came and said 'we need to pursue him. He just shot up the church.' "

"Langendorff said he and the other man pursued the shooter at high speed before he appeared to lose control and go off the road. "The other gentleman jumped out and had his rifle on him and he didn't move after that," Langendorff told the TV station."

Again, this is all preliminary information, subject to change.

"While the details of this horrific act are still under investigation, Cecilia and I want to send our sincerest thoughts and prayers to all those who have been affected by this evil act," Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement. "I want to thank law enforcement for their response and ask that all Texans pray for the Sutherland Springs community during this time of mourning and loss."

In another article NPR reports:

"Kelley was a resident of New Braunfels, a suburb of San Antonio, according to public records and he had attended New Braunfels High School, a classmate confirmed to NPR member station KUT reporter Mose Buchele. He had been enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was based in New Mexico from 2010, where he reportedly served in logistics readiness at Holloman Air Force Base until receiving a bad conduct discharge in 2014, Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek tells NPR in an email. She says he was court-martialed in 2012 for assaulting his wife and child, sentenced to confinement for one year and reduced in rank to E-1. The Express News says that Kelley unsuccessfully appealed his conviction in a military court in 2014."

Again, readers are reminded the above is preliminary, subject to change as the investigation continues.

CBS News reports:

"When police arrived, the shooter was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Wilson County Sheriff Joe Tackitt told CBS News correspondent Jeff Glor in an interview Monday morning. Officials said Monday Kelley called his father before killing himself and told him he had been shot didn't think he was going to make it."

"Officials Monday wouldn't describe a motive but said there had been a "domestic situation" between the shooter and his mother-in-law before the massacre in which the suspect had sent the woman threatening texts. They wouldn't detail the texts but said the shooting wasn't related to race or religion. Officials have previously said Kelley had no apparent links to terrorist groups. Kelley has a residence in New Braunfels, Texas, which is about a 35 mile drive from where the attack took place in Sutherland Springs. CBS affiliate KENS reports he graduated in 2009 from New Braunfels High School. Public records cited by the San Antonio News Express show Kelley, then 20, married in 2011 and was divorced the next year."

"In 2014, Kelley, then 23, married again, the paper reports. The sheriff confirmed that Kelley's former in-laws and ex-wife attended the First Baptist Church from time to time, although they were not present during the attack. A law enforcement source told CBS News senior investigative producer Pat Milton that Kelley did some work as a bible teacher, but it's not known what church he worked at or whether he worked at the Sutherland Springs church."

"Kelley is a former U.S. Air Force member who served from 2010 to 2014. Records confirm Kelley previously served in logistics readiness at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico until his discharge in 2014, Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek said in a statement. He was responsible for moving passengers, cargo and personal property in military transportation.

"Kelley was court-martialed in 2012 for two counts of assault on his then-wife and assault on their child, Stefanek said. He received a bad conduct discharge, and reduction in rank and confinement for 12 months.

"The Air Force tells CBS News Kelley's case was a general court martial, the most serious level of military trial proceedings. It is reserved for more serious criminal allegations, those substantially similar to felonies in civilian jurisdictions.

Readers are again reminded the above is preliminary information, could in fact change as the investigation continues. Mental problems may be at the root of the massacre:

"Former classmates at New Braunfels High School described Kelley to KENS as disturbed, judgmental, unfriendly, and unstable. They said his most recent social media posts were dark and indicated he was going through relationship problems and possibly a break-up."

CBS News reports:

"Devin Patrick Kelley, the 26-year-old suspect in the attack on a Texas Baptist Church in which 26 people were killed and 20 wounded, is believed to have killed himself following a high-speed chase, Wilson County Sheriff Joe Tackitt told CBS News on Monday. "There was some gunfire exchanged, I believe, on the roadway also, and then (the shooter's vehicle) wrecked out," Tackitt told correspondent Jeff Glor. "At this time we believe that he had a self-inflicted gunshot wound, after he wrecked out."

The Washington Times reports:

"Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pushed back Monday on the notion that the mass shooting in his state should prompt harsher gun restrictions. “We have evil that occurs in this world, whether it be a terrorist who uses a truck to mow down bikers in New York City, whether it be a terrorist who uses bombs or knives to stab people, or other terrorists who use vehicles, whether it be in Nice, France, or any other place in the entire world, who mow down people,” Mr. Abbott, a Republican, said on CBS News. Mr. Abbott visited Sutherland Springs, Texas, after a mass shooting at a church Sunday left 26 people dead and about another 20 wounded. He said the members of the community told him they wanted to “work together for love to overcome evil, and to do that by working with God.” When asked about how to keep guns out of hands of possibly dangerous people, Mr. Abbott said, “You work with God.”

The gunman had severe mental issues dating back quite some time from preliminary reports. Certainly, need to do a far better job addressing these problems at the time and in follow up.

NBC News reports:

"Two ex-girlfriends told NBC News that Kelley stalked them after breakups. "Years after dating me he would try to bribe me to hang out with him," Landry, who met Kelley in church as a teenager, told NBC News in a Facebook message. "He ended up assaulting me. He would stalk me by repeatedly calling me — even prank calling me, saying really weird stuff. "That was another thing about him — he was very sick in the head...He would tell me very sick strange things," she said, without providing details."

Again, all the above is preliminary, subject to change as the investigation develops.

NPR reports:

"Devin Patrick Kelley had an assault-style rifle and two handguns — all purchased by him, according to federal officials — when he drove to a small Texas church on Sunday, opened fire and killed at least 26 people. He also had a known record of domestic violence. In 2012, while he was in the U.S. Air Force, he was court-martialed for assaulting his then-wife and their child. Under federal law, his conviction disqualified him from legally possessing a firearm."

Fascinating, isn't it?

"Retired Col. Don Christensen, who was the chief prosecutor for the Air Force at the time of Kelley's general court-martial, tells NPR the case was serious. "He fractured his baby stepson's skull," Christensen says. Kelley accepted a plea deal, pleading guilty to a charge of assault on his wife and to a charge of "intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm" on the child, Christensen says. His crimes were punishable by up to 5 years confinement (the military equivalent of a prison term). As part of the deal, Kelley received an 18-month cap on his confinement, and was ultimately sentenced to 12 months."

This sound like justice considering the magnitude of his earlier crimes? More importantly, how did it protect the public from future offenses?

"Kelley's punitive discharge — a bad conduct discharge — did not prohibit him from owning a gun, as a dishonorable discharge would have. But under federal law, anyone convicted of "a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year" is prohibited from possessing a firearm. The same is true for anyone convicted of "a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence," under a provision that allows no exception for the military or law enforcement. Kelley's conviction qualified under both categories, Christensen says."

Interesting, isn't it? Certainly, doesn't stop the criminal element from illegally purchasing firearms on the street, moreover. Forget? A criminal is not concerned with abiding by the law. Only the law-abiding concern themselves with obeying it.

"An official at the Pentagon tells NPR's Tom Bowman that a mistake resulted in neither the arrest nor the conviction being listed in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, the database that would have flagged him as ineligible to purchase a firearm."

Think this won't spark a political firestorm?

"This was mishandled by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, where Kelley was serving when he was arrested," Tom reports. "An investigation is now underway, and the Air Force is taking it very seriously, said the source." Kelley purchased four guns over a four-year period, according to federal officials; all those purchases were made after his court-martial conviction."

Imagine that. Couldn't be, could it? If true, think some heads won't roll?

"There are some "gaping holes" in the current background check system, as NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben reported last year, which can allow people who should fail background checks to buy guns anyway."

Does it really matter when the criminal element can purchase guns nearly anywhere on the street, -- and does? Clearly, a far, far better job needs to be done adjudicating the cases of violent offenders from arrest through conviction, and thereafter.

The Washington Post reports:

"In what has become a familiar ritual, Americans woke up to painful stories about the lives lost in another tragedy. Among the dead in Texas were eight relatives spanning three generations in a single family. While authorities had initially said the victims ranged in age from 5 to 72, they said Monday that those people were the wounded, and that the death toll encompassed even younger and older people. “Inside the church, the deceased actually ranged from 18 months to 77 years of age,” Martin said. The family that lost eight relatives said one of them was a 1-year-old girl killed in the attack."

The Washington Post reports:

"The gunman who opened fire in a church outside San Antonio, killing at least 26 people, escaped from a mental health facility in 2012 after he was caught sneaking guns onto an Air Force base and “attempting to carry out death threats” made against military superiors, according to a police report."

Clearly, the shooter had serious mental issues that were not adequately addressed at the time.

"The report said officers with the El Paso, police were dispatched to a bus terminal after Devin P. Kelley‘s escape from a behavioral facility about seven miles away in New Mexico. Officers wrote they were told Kelley, who intended to take a bus out of the state, “was a danger to himself and others” at the time and noted that he “was also facing military criminal charges.”

Far more needs to be done to address such mental health issues both at the time and in follow up. Had they, might have prevented this latest tragedy.

"This incident occurred the same year that Kelley was court-martialed. He was charged with abusing his wife and her son between April 2011 and April 2012 and then sentenced in November 2012, according to Air Force documents."

The scene in the church was hellacious:

"Officials say Kelley was inside the church for a lengthy period of time, moving around freely as he gunned down people gathered for Sunday morning services. One woman who was wounded during the carnage described Kelley firing at churchgoers who tried to leave, shooting round after round at those cowering or wounded on the church’s floor."

While the fear had to have been paralyzing, they should have rushed the son of a bitch. No way he could have shot them all before they got him.

Imagine this goddamned hell on earth:

"David Brown, whose mother, Farida, was shot in her legs, said she described Kelley firing four shots into the torso of a woman on her left. “With every shot, she was crying,” Brown said of the woman. “She was just staring at my mom while she tried to comfort her.” As he fired rounds into the woman, Farida Brown held her hand, telling her she was heading to heaven."

This massacre might have been prevented had Kelley been properly adjudicated and followed up after his earlier crimes:

"Court-martial documents made public Monday evening state that Kelley kicked, choked and struck his wife in 2011 and 2012. He also struck her young child “on the head and body with a force likely to produce death or grievous bodily harm,” according to the documents."

Should this guy ever been freed after what he did to his first wife and step child? Clearly, the best interests of the public were not well served. Certainly, cost the Sutherland Springs community dearly.

Much more to come.

11-10-17

If the above isn't sufficient evidence our formerly great country has lost itself, consider the following. It's achingly irrational. NPR reports:

"Sen. Rand Paul calls it an "unfortunate event." Police are calling it assault — and many people are trying to figure out why Paul's neighbor, a fellow medical doctor, might allegedly have attacked him with enough force to fracture five ribs. Paul was reportedly tackled while he was mowing the grass at his home in Bowling Green, Ky."

Incredible, isn't it? Why would anyone do this to another human being? Especially, a fellow doctor?

"Police who were called to Paul's home shortly after 3 p.m. local time on Friday say they arrested Paul's neighbor, 59-year-old Rene Boucher, and charged him with fourth-degree assault. In a public notice on Saturday, Kentucky State Police cited Paul's "minor injury." That echoed word from Paul's office, which initially said the Republican senator was fine after being blindsided by an attacker. But by Sunday, it emerged that Paul's injuries are more serious than first thought."

No question. Five fractured ribs. What could the perpetrator possibly been thinking?

"In an update, Paul's senior adviser Doug Stafford sent a statement to the Bowling Green Daily News that Paul, 54, "has five rib fractures including three displaced fractures." He added, "This type of injury is caused by high velocity severe force. It is not clear exactly how soon he will return to work, as the pain is considerable as is the difficulty in getting around, including flying."

You think?

"Citing Stafford, The Associated Press reports that displaced fractures such as the ones the senator suffered "can lead to life-threatening injuries."

Indeed.

"Paul reportedly told police that Boucher tackled him from behind. But beyond that, details about how the assault occurred, and what might have motivated it, have been scarce. On Sunday, Paul said that he and his wife, Kelley, "appreciate the overwhelming support after Friday's unfortunate event. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers."

None of this adds up, or makes sense. None of it.

"Paul and Boucher live in a neighborhood in Warren County east of Bowling Green's center, in an area where large houses sit on green lots. According to online records from the county jail, Boucher was released on a $7,500 bond on Saturday after spending nearly 24 hours in the facility. He faces a court date on Thursday. "Warren County Attorney Amy Milliken said further charges could be brought, based on the extent of Paul's injuries," the Daily News reports."

We've lost ourselves. Sad, isn't it?

CBS News reports:

"Police say the man accused of attacking Sen. Rand Paul could be charged with a felony because of the senator's condition. The Kentucky lawmaker's neighbor, Rene Boucher, is currently charged with fourth-degree assault. The 59-year-old is accused of tackling the senator from behind while he was outside his home on Friday. The fight between two neighbors, both doctors, set off a round of newsroom speculation about what the motive could possibly be, reports CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds. What we've learned so far is that the tussle may have been about landscaping."

That's nuts. Boucher could have killed a man over something as trivial as landscaping?

"Neighbors reportedly said the two men have a long-running dispute over yard waste."

Give me a break.

"Boucher admitted to going onto Paul's property and tackling him while Paul was reportedly mowing his lawn. Matt Baker, Boucher's attorney, said his client is remorseful and the attack was not politically motivated. "Politics has nothing to do with this. Zero," Baker said."

In an update, NPR reports:

"The new details shed light on an attack on Paul in which he was reportedly tackled from behind while he was mowing the yard at his home in Bowling Green, Ky., on Friday afternoon. After police were called, officers arrested Paul's neighbor, retired anesthesiologist Rene Boucher, setting off widespread speculation over what might have motivated the incident. Boucher, a Democrat, has lived next door to Paul, a Republican, for 17 years, Boucher's attorney, Matt Baker, said in a statement to member station WKU Public Radio."

More speculation about an outrageously irrational attack:

"In an interview with local news WBKO Channel 13, Baker said, "It was absolutely not planned out beforehand." He added, "It's just a disagreement — a long-standing disagreement between two neighbors." The dispute may have its roots in the senator's yard. Citing neighbors and local Republicans, The New York Times says that Paul "has long stood out in the well-to-do gated neighborhood," handling his yard according to his own ideas — the Times mentions pumpkins and compost — rather than following neighborhood rules."

Can't have that, can we?

"The Times also says that Paul's associates say he was set upon as he was getting off his riding mower. At the time, he was wearing ear protectors that kept him from hearing any sign of the impending attack, they say."

Hard to believe that mistake will be repeated.

More inexplicable? Get this:

"In addition to being neighbors, Baker said that Paul, who had a career as an ophthalmologist before going into politics full time, had worked with Boucher when both of them were practicing medicine."

A man could have died over 'pumpkins and compost?' That's insane.

Prior to posting, CBS News reports:

"Senator Rand Paul's neighbor Rene Boucher has pleaded not guilty after being charged for attacking the Senator at his Kentucky home. Paul is currently recovering after he was allegedly tackled from behind by Boucher for what Boucher's attorney told CBS News in a statement "was a very regrettable dispute between two neighbors over a matter that most people would regard as trivial." But Paul appears to be disputing claims made by his next-door neighbor's lawyer that a "trivial" dispute over landscaping issues were at the root of a recent dust-up that left the senator with six broken ribs.

"Paul tweeted an update on his health status on Wednesday that his condition was worse than previously known.

"I appreciate all of the support from everyone. A medical update: final report indicates six broken ribs & new X-ray shows a pleural effusion
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) November 8, 2017

"Paul said a final report revealed six broken ribs and a pleural effusion — excess fluid around the lungs — which is worse than the five broken ribs reported Monday from the attack. Initially, Boucher was charged with fourth-degree assault, indicating only a minor injury."

Hopefully, the Senator will fully recover. More to come as this story develops.

11-10-17

In stark contrast to Llano County prosecutors, Sheriff Bill Blackburn and his criminal SS jackbooted bastards in black who continue to egregiously disgrace themselves and the badge, do as they please regardless of the law and Constitution, carefully consider how other officials honorably, heroically conduct themselves elsewhere in the country.

Once in awhile, long held myths get put to rest. Texas Standard reports:

"Two months after the storm, there may be cause to rethink what many of us thought we knew about Harvey. Most folks assume that during times of disaster you do see major spikes in crime, but that’s actually not what happened in Houston."

Imagine that. Couldn't be, could it? Things often aren't what they seem to be. ... Right, Sheriff?

"Robert Downen, a reporter for the Houston Chronicle, has found some surprising numbers that counter a common narrative. After digging through Houston Police Department data, Downen found that crime actually went down on August 27, the worst day of flooding. “Police wrote only 50 reports for major violent and non-violent crimes,” he says. “Which is down from the average 300 written the same day in 2016.”

Fascinating, isn't it? While we have our share of problems here in Llano County, the Sheriff and his goons exacerbate them. Worse? Routinely, falsely ticket and arrest the innocent to line County coffers. Target the young. Do so because they can. The young, sadly, don't have the knowledge, experience, resources to effectively fight back. ... Right, Sheriff?

"There’s a lot of talk about looting after storms, but it turns out, lower crime rates might actually be the norm. “The point should be, we shouldn’t just assume that these things are inextricably linked, he says. “There’s this idea that crime is always going to follow storms, and that is frankly – according to most research – not really true. In fact, what most researchers actually say is that there’s this certain sense of goodwill and altruism in communities that actually helps deter violence and other crimes in the wake of these things.”

Readers are caustically reminded it was New Orleans law enforcement egregiously out of control after Hurricane Katrina. ... As are the criminal jackbooted bastards in black here in Nazi Llano County, right, Sheriff?

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-10-17

In follow up to an earlier Air Force Academy scandal covered here and elsewhere, NPR reports:

"The Air Force Academy says a cadet whose dorm room was marked by a racist slur this fall is also the person responsible for writing the message. The incident had prompted the academy's leader to deliver an impassioned speech about inclusion and tolerance. The epithet was written on message boards outside the rooms of five black cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy's preparatory school in September. As we reported at the time, officials suspected one individual may have been responsible, based on handwriting consistencies."

Here's the twist:

"The cadet candidate is no longer a student at the prep school," the Air Force Times reports, citing Lt. Col. Allen Herritage, the academy's public affairs director. After the racist slur appeared — along with the words, "Go Home" — Superintendent Lt. Gen. Jay Silveria gathered all 4,000 cadets in a hall to hear a message of his own: "If you can't treat someone with dignity and respect, then get out." Silveria is a 1985 graduate of the academy north of Colorado Springs, Colo. In response to the new findings, Silveria says he stands by what he said."

Uncommon Valor. Then, -- and now. To be expected of military personnel.

"Regardless of the circumstances under which those words were written, they were written, and that deserved to be addressed," Silveria said in an email quoted by local newspaper The Gazette. "You can never over-emphasize the need for a culture of dignity and respect — and those who don't understand those concepts, aren't welcome here." Silveria was widely praised for his speech."

As well, he should have been. The offender is no longer at the prep school. Due to student privacy, not clear whether this individual withdrew or was expelled. The honor code requires students not lie, cheat, or steal, etc., -- or tolerate those who do. Have to wonder what this individual possibly could have been thinking.

If there is indeed racism at the school, what was done and how it was done by this former student was not the way to have exposed it. Certainly, an egregious disservice to all those who have suffered, continue to suffer ubiquitous racism throughout our country. Makes all those who are aggrieved look like liars.

Provides fodder for the racist Nazi Right, Trump's and Bannon's 'nationalists,' who are no more than national socialists, that is, nazis, fascists. These bastards remain intent on transitioning the de facto fascist police-state we already live in to the Fourth Reich. That will never be tolerated. Will tear this country apart. Sadly, already happening.

11-10-17

After all the above, -- and certainly what's about to come in the rest of this edition, how about a little comic relief? Fox News reports:

"A group of high schoolers called the "Rahway Bushmen" have been pranking people in Rahway River Park in Rahway N.J. It may be time for some teenage New Jersey pranksters to make like a tree and leaf. Three teens known as the "Rahway Bushmen" have been pranking people in Rahway River Park, NJ.com reports. Two of the high school students dress up as bushes while a third acts as lookout, according to the report. They stand in the park and say "hi" to unsuspecting visitors."

Think they didn't scare the living shit out of a few? LOL.

"We were trying to be harmless," one of the teens told the website. "It's more or less an idea to try to make people smile." The pranksters reportedly refused to identify themselves."

Certainly, a big no-no in a fascist police-state.

"It's great until the first person falls and sues the county," Union County Public Information Officer Sebastian D'Elia told NJ.com. "We never advise anyone to do anything of this nature."

Imagine not. The shit could hit the fan.

"The teens will be arrested if they're caught in the act, he said."

Jesus Christ. ... Can't just take 'em home to mom and dad? As used to happen decades ago? Certainly, took care of the problem immediately most of the time. Today, everything's been criminalized.

11-10-17

No resolution at time of writing. Texas Standard reports:

"The American Civil Liberties Union wants to get a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy released from federal custody in San Antonio. U.S. Customs and Border Protection detained Rosa Maria Hernandez in a Corpus Christi hospital after she underwent gallbladder surgery last week. Hernandez, who has lived in Laredo since she was a baby, is undocumented. Edgar Saldivar, a senior staff attorney with the ACLU of Texas, says her ongoing detention is preventing her from making doctor’s appointments."

Appalling.

“She was supposed to see her doctor this past Saturday, but because she [is] in detention she was unable to,” Saldivar says. “She also has an upcoming follow-up visit with her surgeon for this Friday, and without her being released she won’t be able to make that, so this is definitely an emergency situation and we’re asking the court for help to make this happen.”

Amazing this shit continues to go on. Further indication the de facto fascist police-state we already live in is quickly in transition to the Trump nazi's Fourth Reich.

"Saldivar explains that Hernandez’s case is extreme, it’s also not unique. He says the ACLU of Texas has gotten many reports of similar incidents where undocumented people needing medical care have encountered border patrol. Saldivar says this has even kept some people from seeking medical help, “because they’re scared of being potential[ly] subjected to a deportation proceeding if they are undocumented.”

Certainly, indicative of a desperate need to step up filing lawsuits against these jackbooted bastards.

The Border Patrol finally capitulated to intense public pressure. NBC News reports:

"U.S. authorities released a 10-year-old immigrant girl with cerebral palsy who had been detained by border agents after surgery because she is in the U.S. without legal permission. "The American Civil Liberties Union and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro said that Rosa Maria Hernandez was returned to her family Friday. Her parents brought her into the U.S. from Mexico in 2007, when she was a toddler, and they live in the Texas border city of Laredo.

"Finally, Rosa Maria is back with her family where she belongs. @DHSgov should take steps to ensure a case like hers never happens again. pic.twitter.com/VWqWvfg73G
— Joaquin Castro (@JoaquinCastrotx) November 3, 2017"

Amazing what enormous public pressure can accomplish, isn't it?

"She never should have been in this situation in the first place," ACLU lawyer Michael Tan said Friday. "There is no reason Border Patrol had to target a child."

Did this because they're jackbooted bastards who get their cookies off engaging in abuse of power. Been out of control since the Trump nazi unleashed them.

"While Rosa Maria has been reunited with her family, she still faces the threat of deportation. Tan said Friday that Border Patrol agents had issued Rosa Maria a notice to appear in immigration court, but that the case had yet to move forward. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which oversees the Border Patrol, declined to comment. HHS declined to comment on Rosa Maria's case, but said the agency's focus was "on the safety and best interest of each child."

Goddamned bullshit. Bold faced lie.

"Leticia Gonzalez, an attorney for Rosa Maria's family, said the 10-year-old had the mental capacity of a child closer to 4 or 5 years old due to her cerebral palsy. Priscila Martinez, an activist at the Workers Defense Action Fund, said the child had started to show signs of socially withdrawing while in detention and refusing to eat her favorite kind of bread."

These outrageous jackbooted bastards succumbed to enormous pressure brought to bear by the public and ACLU.

"Federal immigration authorities have faced strong criticism from advocates and some Texas Democratic congressmen over their handling of the case. Castro, a San Antonio Democrat, said Friday that he had tried to see Rosa Maria earlier in the day and had spoken to federal officials about her case. He said Border Patrol agents could have chosen to let Rosa Maria pass through the checkpoint without following or detaining her."

That's right. Every goddamned criminal jackbooted bastard in blue in our formerly great country enjoys discretion.

"Staking out the hospital room of a young, sick girl and keeping her away from her family is not a humane treatment for her," Castro said."

That's right.

"But U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a previous statement after she was detained that "there is no discretion with regard to the law whether or not the agents should enforce the law."

Simply untrue. Unadulterated bullshit. Every officer has discretion. In a case such as this, should have been exercised. If this were murder, rape, burglary, etc., a truly serious crime, would have been a far different matter. Readers are reminded these bastards certainly backed off during Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Announced ahead of time they would.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-10-17

Not only do the criminal SS jackbooted bastards in black in Llano County get their cookies off roughing up civilians, so do the gutless pieces of shit in the FBI. The Washington Times reports:

"Just how rough special counsel Robert Mueller is playing with Paul Manafort goes back before this week’s indictment — to the FBI’s no-knock raid in July. It has been reported that the agents checked Mr. Manafort and wife Kathleen for guns as they broke into the Alexandria condo pre-dawn by picking the lock. A source familiar with the case told The Washington Times the search was even more intrusive: An agent patted down Mrs. Manafort before she was allowed to get out of bed. “Agents felt up Mrs. Manafort lying in bed to see if she had guns,” the source said of the intimidation. In all, 12 FBI agents entered the home, guns drawn, and stayed for hours."

While it does provide some small measure of satisfaction to see the top 1% of the food chain experience the same kind of abuse the rest of the population suffers when subjected to the law enforcement community, there is a most salient, critical principle at stake here.

No more than egregious abuse of authority. Failure to treat the accused innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Matters not whether it's at the top or bottom of society. Why no knock? These goons were not on a drug raid. What did they fear?

Husband and wife would flush flash drives down the commode? Guns drawn? Expecting a firefight from a famous public figure and his wife? Manafort is accused of non-violent white-collar crimes. The intention of these goons was clearly to intimidate:

"The aggressive search of a prone sleepy woman is, the source said, a hallmark of Mr. Mueller’s top prosecutor, Andrew Weissmann. A former mob prosecutor in New York, he specializes in turning witnesses against bigger prey and is not afraid to make things rough for spouses, too."

This is precisely why so many have no faith or trust in law enforcement, prosecutors, and the judiciary. These pieces of human excrement lie with impunity. Lie to them, however, your ass goes to jail. A double standard that results in no respect, trust, or faith in these pieces of shit and the agencies that employ them.

Get this:

“Weissmann will want to maximize the trauma to his family,” said Sidney Powell, a Dallas appeals attorney critical of his tactics."

This is the kind of shit that leads to the unthinkable. Hear the rumble? An unwanted dreaded second American revolution catastrophically looming on the horizon. ... As the revolution doomsday clock strikes ever closer to midnight.

"A spokesman for the special counsel’s office declined to comment."

Bet he did. Not surprising, is it? How do you defend the indefensible?

"Mrs. Manafort is an attorney who participates in her husband’s varied million-dollar real estate acquisitions."

Interestingly, she wasn't indicted. Yet, roughed up and treated like a dangerous criminal. In Nazi America. A de facto fascist police-state soon to be the Trump nazi's Fourth Reich. Anyone accused, guilty or not, should be treated as innocent until proven guilty. No longer the case in Nazi America. Not for decades at the very least.

-- That's not to say Manafort and others shouldn't be prosecuted. Just do it in good faith, non-abusively, lawfully, constitutionally, with probable cause. Intimidation by law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges to secure a conviction is no more than a legalized shakedown.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-10-17

The Trump nazi continues to do great damage to our egregiously failing system of justice. Both in military and civilian courts. Carefully consider two of the most recent examples.

Fox News reports:

"President Trump's criticism of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has become a factor in the soldier's sentencing as a military judge weighs the president's impact on public perception of military justice. Army Col. Jeffery R. Nance, the judge deciding Bergdahl's punishment for walking off his post, heard defense arguments Monday that Trump recently reaffirmed his scathing criticism and is preventing a fair sentencing hearing. While campaigning, Trump repeatedly called Bergdahl a "traitor" who deserved harsh punishment such as being shot. Nance previously ruled those comments were "disturbing" but didn't amount to unlawful command influence and noted the statements were made before Trump became commander in chief. But last week Trump addressed his past comments when asked about them at a news conference. He replied that he couldn't say anything more about the case, "but I think people have heard my comments in the past." That, the defense said, shows he harbors the same views now that he commands the military."

This is a problem. A big problem. Against military regulations for the commander-in-chief to in any way influence a military prosecution. For damned good reason. Forget? Justice in military as well as civilian courts is not to be kangaroo in nature. Sadly, too late. Already is.

The following is the sentence Bergdahl ultimately received. NPR reports:

"A military judge has ruled that Bowe Bergdahl, who has pleaded guilty to charges of desertion and misbehavior before the enemy, should serve no prison time. During a hearing Friday in Fort Bragg, N.C., Bergdahl was sentenced to dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of $1,000 in pay per month and a reduction in rank from sergeant to private, according to a statement from the Army. The judge, Col. Jeffery Nance, had wide discretion in determining a sentence for Bergdahl, who walked off his military post in Afghanistan in 2009 and was held by the Taliban for five years. He could have given him anything from no prison time to life in prison."

Readers are reminded several soldiers were seriously wounded searching for the deserter. At the same time, must not be forgotten Bergdahl was tortured for five years in captivity. The military judge had a difficult decision to make. Hard to believe Trump's comments had no ultimate effect on his final decision.

Trump couldn't leave well enough alone, however. Criticized the judge for not imposing prison time. When was the last time in the last fifty years any president attempted to so blatantly interfere in a military prosecution? They've all been careful not to do so. Concerned about the appearance of any impropriety. Not the Trump nazi.

Trump's interference extends to the judiciary. Will certainly be an issue in the prosecution of the recent NYC truck attack. NBC News reports:

"If the Uzbek immigrant charged with the deadly terrorist pick-up truck attack in New York City escapes the executioner, he may have President Donald Trump to thank for saving his life. Trump’s repeated calls for Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov to get the death penalty could hobble prosecutors and undermine any attempt to execute him by allowing defense attorneys to argue that the potential jury pools have been tainted and the suspect can’t get a fair trial when the commander-in-chief is calling for his head, former federal prosecutors said Thursday."

When was the last time a president so deliberately attempted to interfere in a criminal prosecution? Trump has no clue a president is not a nazi dictator in what is supposedly a democratic republic. Hard to believe White House legal counsel had not repeatedly advised him not to interfere in the judicial process. Either in the military or civilian judiciary.

One of three possibilities. First? Trump is hopelessly stupid. -- Can fix ignorant, can't fix stupid. Second? Trump remains hopelessly Aryan arrogant. Traitorously believes he's a nazi dictator. Third? He's mentally ill and/or suffering from mental disability as a result of aging. No matter the cause, egregiously unacceptable in a democratic republic based on the Constitution.

“Prosecutors have to be very careful about what they say before a trial because an indictment is just an allegation and not proof of a crime,” Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor in Chicago, told NBC News."

That's true. If not, could ultimately lose their case. The problem:

“Here, you have the president of the United States doing that, and the defense can argue that he has already told the juror this man is guilty and he can’t get a fair trial.”

"Trump helped the terrorist with this tweet. Now prosecutors will have to spend time dealing with motions that the jury pool is tainted. https://t.co/YJk05aem6U
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) November 2, 2017"

Indeed. While the Constitution has been repeatedly bastardized over the decades, some semblance of propriety, fairness must remain. Otherwise, the system crashes. Unthinkable happens. That is, an unwanted dreaded second American revolution. Catastrophically looming for a variety of reasons. ... As the doomsday revolution clock strikes ever closer to midnight.

"Joy Vance, a former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, agreed. “The president has sort of decreed that he should get the death penalty,” Vance said. “Again we are bumping up against the idea that the president doesn’t get involved in individual prosecutions.” “We are a rule of law country and we operate on the rule of law, not the whims of the president,” Vance added."

That's right. At least, supposed to be. No longer. Not even the appearance. This is a problem as the country continues to deteriorate. Moves ever closer to a dreaded unwanted revolution. As our leaders continue to betray their oaths of office and the public.

"Rob Owen, a Northwestern University law professor and former assistant federal public defender who has represented people facing the death penalty, said Trump is giving Saipov's defense team a gift. "The more publicity the president's comments receive, the more difficult it may eventually be to seat an unbiased jury to hear Mr. Saipov's case, because jurors might be influenced by having heard that the president has demanded a particular outcome in the case," Owen wrote in an email."

Think the Trump nazi's advisers haven't repeatedly advised him of this?

"Former Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew McCarthy also weighed-in on Trump’s favorite social media site, saying he didn’t disagree that Saipov deserves to get the ultimate penalty. Still….

"Mr. President, we all know he should get the death penalty. But when *you* say it, it makes it harder for DOJ to make that happen. https://t.co/m19gHTLg7R
"— Andrew C. McCarthy (@AndrewCMcCarthy) November 2, 2017"

While this writer is in principle opposed to the death penalty for a variety of reasons, it's imposition in states where capital punishment is legal should be equitable. That is, if someone killed an officer whether in self defense or in cold blooded murder gets executed, so should a cop who murders an innocent unarmed civilian while on duty. Doesn't happen in a fascist police-state. ... Right, Sheriff? The criminal jackbooted bastards get protected, coddled.

"But Jennifer Rodgers, executive director of the Center for the Advancement of Public Integrity at Columbia Law School and a former federal prosecutor, said that while the President’s comments are “highly inappropriate,” she doubts it will derail the case. “I don’t think the comments, made in the immediate aftermath of the incident at the time when the president did not know all the facts of the case, will justify dismissing the case against this guy,” she wrote in an email."

No, it won't derail the case. The Constitution has been so bastardized since its inception that would never happen. Nor will it likely prevent the terrorist from ultimately receiving the death penalty. Prosecutors, police, and the courts only pay lip service to the Bill of Rights. Routinely, abrogate their oaths of office for the sake of expediency. Precisely, why an unwanted dreaded revolution catastrophically looms.

"They also aren't likely to force the case to be moved out of New York City because Trump weighed-in on Twitter, which is a social media platform with a national audience, she said."

-- More evidence the Constitution has indeed been hopelessly bastardized over the years in favor of the nazis who run and own government.

“Probably the judge will deny a motion to change venue and ask if the defense wants an instruction during voir dire that any comments by anyone, including the president, about the case, other than comments made inside the courtroom, should be disregarded,” Rodgers said."

Further indication, justice no longer means anything in the de facto fascist police-state we now live in, -- soon to be the Trump nazi's Fourth Reich. On top of that, advising the jury to disregard anything means squat shit. Do as they please.

"The ex-prosecutors weighed-in after Trump doubled-down on his death penalty calls for Saipov in a pair of Tweets and also suggested perhaps imprisoning him at the federal prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

"NYC terrorist was happy as he asked to hang ISIS flag in his hospital room. He killed 8 people, badly injured 12. SHOULD GET DEATH PENALTY!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 2, 2017

"...There is also something appropriate about keeping him in the home of the horrible crime he committed. Should move fast. DEATH PENALTY!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 2, 2017"

Since when in recent history has any president so blatantly, publicly attempted to interfere in a criminal prosecution? This is a nazi dictator who has no regard for the oath of office he falsely swore to uphold.

"That prompted Trump allies like Rep. Pete King (R-NY) to urge Trump to be more cautious. “Yeah, obviously this is one of those situations where you have a president who’s a non-politician and a non-lawyer and is speaking from the gut,” King said on “Morning Joe.” “I think most Americans right now would say, ‘Yes, give him the electric chair, give him the gas chamber, give him the needle’.” Still, King continued, “the president has to be careful on what he says.” Back when Charles Manson was on trial, said King, President Richard Nixon called him “a killer and the trial wasn’t over yet and they were very concerned that it would cause a mistrial.”

That's right. There was great concern at the time. Yet, Nixon went nowhere near as far as the Trump nazi continually has. Across the board, on a continuous basis.

"Manson was eventually found guilty and sent to prison for life."

Indeed, he was. Thankfully, so.

Here's what's so terribly sad, unbecoming the president of the United States:

"Asked about Trump's tweets, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said "I'm not a someone who believes in the death penalty." "I believe this is an individual who should rot in prison for the rest of his life," he said. Trump also reportedly called the U.S. criminal justice system “a laughingstock” after the terror attack, a crack that did not sit well with New York City Police Commissioner James O’Neill, who is helping to lead the Saipov investigation. “In New York City, it’s definitely not a joke,” O’Neill said on TODAY. “I get to work with our justice system every day.”

The president continues to talk out the ass. Has no clue he's an insufferable jackass.

Apparently, received enormous blow back from his aggressively stupid comment he was considering overriding the judicial system by declaring Saipov an enemy combatant, sending him to the American gulag in Gitmo. Certainly, did not think it through. The Washington Times reports:

"President Trump said Thursday he will not push to have the suspect in the New York City attacks sent to Guantanamo Bay. “Would love to send the NYC terrorist to Guantanamo but statistically that process takes much longer than going through the Federal system…,” Mr. Trumptweeted, then adding, “…There is also something appropriate about keeping him in the home of the horrible crime he committed. Should move fast. DEATH PENALTY!”

Jesus Christ. This guy isn't smartening up. Apparently, incapable. Gitmo remains not only a gulag where torture has become routine, but a massive prosecutorial failure. No justice. No ability to move forward since it doesn't even meet the minimum standard of military justice. Has been successfully challenged every step of the way by defense attorneys. With damned good reason. No more than kangaroo justice.

Trump continues to talk out his ass. Makes claims with no proof, no evidence. CNN reports:

"President Donald Trump claimed Friday morning that the United States military is hitting ISIS "much harder" after an alleged ISIS-inspired attacker drove a truck down a bike lane in New York, killing eight, though he didn't provide any evidence."

Why talk out the ass, Mr. 'President?' Have no credibility. -- Other than to your sick sycophants who've drunk the Kool Aide, believe the bullshit. Why not have the military confirm your claim at a Pentagon press conference where reporters have an opportunity to ask questions?

"Trump, in a series of tweets ahead of his five-country, 12-day trip to Asia, labeled the accused attacker, 29-year-old Uzbek national Sayfullo Habibullaevic Saipov, a "Degenerate Animal."

Aren't you also pointedly describing yourself, sir?

"ISIS just claimed the Degenerate Animal who killed, and so badly wounded, the wonderful people on the West Side, was 'their soldier,'" Trump wrote on Twitter. "Based on that, the Military has hit ISIS 'much harder' over the last two days. They will pay a big price for every attack on us!"

Jesus Christ. You're talking out your ass, sir. Behaving like a petulant out of control juvenile. Disgracing yourself and the Oval Office. Have no shame?

"Trump did not explain the nature of what he said was the increased military action."

How could he if he were simply talking out the ass as usual?

"He doubled down on those comments while speaking to reporters at the White House Friday morning, saying his administration will hit ISIS "10 times harder" every time ISIS attacks the United States. He said the military action "took place yesterday" but did not provide further explanation."

Too aggressively stupid to know or care he has zero credibility. What congenital liar does?

"It was not immediately clear if any missions were conducted specifically as a result of this week's terror attack. Targets are typically struck because they are planned or suddenly pop up, so it's unlikely that the New York incident would have altered existing military planning. In some cases, airstrikes have been down due to weather and a lack of ISIS targets as the terror group retreats from its strongholds in the Middle East."

Here's the clincher:

"Asked about Trump's claim, Pentagon spokesman Marine Corps Maj. Adrian Rankine-Galloway would only say the US is continuing to "strike ISIS hard and often, along with al Qaeda and other affiliated or like-minded violent extremist organizations wherever they are globally." He mentioned several countries in which the US is conducting these efforts, including Yemen, the Philippines and Niger, where four US service members were killed in an ISIS-linked attack last month."

A non answer cleverly designed to wisely cover the Major's ass.

More telling?

"According to data from the United States Central Command, the US-led coalition launched 11 airstrikes on November 1 and 13 strikes on November 2 against ISIS terrorists in Syria and Iraq. Those numbers are consistent with the airstrikes launched against ISIS before the attack. According to CENTCOM, coalition military forces conducted 10 strikes on October 26, eight strikes on October 27, eight strikes on October 30 and 13 strikes on October 31."

Who'd 'a 'thunk' it?

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-10-17

The Trump nazi continues to egregiously abuse authority. The following is not only chilling, but achingly appalling. Further indication this shameless fascist is a dictator. The Washington Post reports:

"President Trump on Friday repeatedly called on the Department of Justice and FBI to investigate his Democratic political opponents, a breach of the traditional executive branch boundaries designed to prevent the criminal justice system from becoming politicized."

This is an egregious abuse of power. An impeachable offense. Not to be in a Republican-owned House of Representatives. -- At least, not yet.

"Trump urged federal law enforcement to “do what is right and proper” by launching criminal probes of former presidential rival Hillary Clinton and her party — a surprising use of his bully pulpit considering he acknowledged a day earlier that presidents are not supposed to intervene in such decisions."

Outrageous abuse of power. Exercised by a nazi dictator. A lunatic who contradicts himself day to day as the figurative noose around him and his henchmen continues to tighten with the ongoing work of the Mueller investigation.

"In a flurry of accusatory morning tweets, Trump claimed there was mounting public pressure for new Clinton probes, including over her campaign’s joint fundraising agreement with the Democratic National Committee that effectively gave her some control over the party’s finances, strategy and staffing before the primaries began."

What public pressure, Mr. 'President?' Only coming from you and your sick sycophants, sir. Can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bullshit, Mr. 'President?'

“People are angry,” Trump wrote in one tweet. “At some point the Justice Department, and the FBI, must do what is right and proper. The American public deserves it!”

You're out of your mind, Mr. 'President.' Achingly, delusional. Clearly, increasingly desperate. If there is no substance to the Mueller investigation, what's the problem?

The following raises red flags:

"Senior officials at the White House and some key Republican lawmakers have raised concerns in recent days about the level of access the Justice Department has been providing to congressional investigators to review materials. Some lawmakers have sought more information than the department has provided related to a dossier that contained lurid allegations about Trump’s alleged ties to Russia, in addition to material related to the uranium deal, according to administration and congressional officials."

Fascinating, isn't it?

"But unlike other executive branch agencies, the Justice Department traditionally enjoys a measure of independence, especially when it comes to individual criminal investigations. Government lawyers have long sought to enforce a clear line preventing White House officials from influencing specific investigations or prosecutions to ensure their work is not politicized."

That's right. How it should be. Trump and his henchmen seem to be concertedly stepping over the line. Hopefully, Mueller is also looking into this.

Not all Democrats are taking this shit lying down. Sen. Warren is certainly letting it rip. The Washington Times reports:

"Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts hit back at President Trump on Friday, saying he is attempting to divert attention away from the Russia investigation that has plagued his administration by calling her “Pocahontas” and highlighting the turmoil in the Democratic National Committee. “The DNC shouldn’t play favorites. But that’s a whole lot different from illegally conspiring with Russia. The FBI knows the difference,” Mrs. Warren tweeted. “Slurs, lies & trash talk won’t stop the FBI from doing its job. This isn’t a dictatorship. It’s our democracy. And it’s stronger than you.”

Certainly, hope so. Doesn't look good right now, however, as our formerly great country continues to nazify, Trump's sick sycophants continue to support this lunatic charlatan no matter what he says or does. No matter how outrageous, no matter the fact he's apparently an unabashed congenital liar.

Here's the bottom line:

"Mrs. Warren said Mr. Trump is desperate to change the subject following the announcement this week from Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating Russia’s involvement in the 2016 election, of a guilty plea from George Papadopoulos, a Trump campaign foreign policy adviser, and indictments against Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign manager, and Rick Gates, a longtime associate of Mr. Manafort. “I understand your desperation to change the subject, @realDonaldTrump. Your campaign mgr was just indicted for conspiracy against the US,” Mrs. Warren said. “You might think your tweets are cute, @realDonaldTrump, but they won’t stop Mueller’s investigation or keep your people out of jail.”

Let it rip, Senator. At some point, the dopey bastards in this country that support this abomination will finally wake up. Be interesting to see their reaction should Mueller continue indicting Trump's henchmen up the food chain.

Should Trump fire Mueller, preemptively pardon those targeted by the investigation, the shit will certainly hit the fan. Likely be the end of this abominable presidency.

The following? Fascinating. NPR reports:

"President Donald Trump said "I don't remember much" about a March 2016 meeting at which a foreign policy adviser proposed setting up a meeting between then-candidate Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "It was a very unimportant meeting, took place a long time ago," Trump told reporters at the White House before he boarded a helicopter for his trip to Asia. That March 31, 2016, meeting of Trump's campaign team has taken on new importance this week after prosecutors disclosed that a young adviser at the table had pleaded guilty to making false statements about the nature of his contacts with Russians last year. That former adviser, George Papadopoulos, has agreed to cooperate with investigators working for Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller. Also at the table in March 2016 was now-Attorney General Jeff Sessions."

A photo of that meeting was posted on Trump's Twitter account. Yet, Trump now claims he has little recollection of a meeting featuring the prime movers and shakers of his campaign. Think that credible, -- or simply convenient as the noose figuratively tightens around the principals who serve their fuhrer?

"At his confirmation hearing this year, Sessions denied having contacts with Russians during the campaign. Senate Democrats including Al Franken of Minnesota, Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut have accused Sessions of lying under oath."

-- If it looks, walks, and quacks like a duck...

"On Thursday, the Democrats demanded that Sessions return to the Senate to answer new questions about his contacts as a top surrogate for Trump, and contradictions in his testimony this year. Leahy said Sessions' prior accounts are "impossible to reconcile" with court papers unsealed this week. But Republicans, who control the Senate and the Judiciary Committee, probably have little appetite to grill the attorney general of their own political party. Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has not scheduled any new hearing."

No honor among thieves. Principle? What's that?

Hard to believe the Sessions nazi will last much longer in the Trump regime.

"The criticism of Sessions is taking place at a sensitive time for the attorney general: Trump has spent the last day using Twitter and impromptu media sessions to beat up on the legal arm of his own administration. "I"m really not involved with the Justice Department," he said on Friday morning. "I'd like to let it run itself. But honestly, they should be looking at the Democrats ... A lot of people are disappointed in the Justice Department including me."

Sounds like the president is engaging in obstruction, abuse of power. Be interesting to see what the end result of the Mueller investigation entails, -- including right up to and including the Trump nazi.

"On Thursday, Trump told an interviewer at WMAL radio in Washington that he was "very frustrated" by constraints on his ability to influence the federal law enforcement process. "But you know, the saddest thing is that, because I'm the president of the United States, I am not supposed to be involved with the Justice Department," Trump said. "I'm not supposed to be involved with the FBI. I'm not supposed to be doing the kind of things that I would love to be doing."

Indeed, the mark of a fascist dictator. A dangerous nazi who poses an exigent threat to a constitutionally-based democratic republic.

Noose grows figuratively tighter. NPR reports:

"A former Trump campaign official has withdrawn from consideration for a job at the U.S. Department of Agriculture after being pulled into the imbroglio over Russia's interference efforts against the U.S. in the 2016 presidential race. Sam Clovis said on Thursday that he would not go forward in trying to become the USDA's undersecretary for research, education and economics."

First, he's not qualified. Not a scientist. Second, he's been swept into the Russia investigation:

"That news followed a quick series of connected developments in the Russia investigation being conducted by the Department of Justice special counsel: first, a guilty plea — announced Monday —by a former campaign adviser who worked for Clovis, and then, reports that Clovis has been interviewed by special counsel Robert Mueller's team in the Russia case and also testified before a Washington, D.C., grand jury."

What webs we weave:

"George Papadopoulos, the foreign policy adviser who has pleaded guilty, was approached by Russian agents early in his tenure and offered "dirt" on Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and meetings with Russian officials. Papadopoulos aired those offers within the campaign and, according to court documents, received encouragement about building those relationships."

Fascinating, isn't it? -- As Mueller and his investigation methodically move up the food chain.

"Questions have been raised about whether Clovis encouraged Papadopoulos to keep meeting with or talking with Russians or whether Clovis did anything else to build ties between the campaign and foreigners trying to influence the U.S. election. Clovis has denied any wrongdoing; his lawyer released a statement this week that said he "vigorously opposed any Russian trip for Donald Trump or staff. However, if a volunteer made suggestions on any foreign policy matter, Dr. Clovis, a polite gentleman from Iowa, would have expressed courtesy and appreciation."

Is that right? Jesus Christ. Give me a break.

"His nomination was withdrawn because we learned on Monday that last year Mr. Clovis, while serving as the co-chairman for the national Trump campaign, gave the green light to George Papadopolous' attempts to collude with Russian operatives and obtain stolen emails from the Clinton campaign," Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., said on Thursday. "Mr. Clovis' nomination was only withdrawn because that would certainly have been a topic during his upcoming testimony, under oath, before the Senate Agriculture Committee."

If there was nothing to hide, nothing untoward, why did you let him withdraw, Mr. 'President?'

Be interesting to see if Mueller is also investigating the following. NPR reports:

"Since the day he took office, President Trump's critics have been seeking more information about his company's lease to operate a hotel inside a taxpayer-owned building on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. They have tried asking for records but have gotten nowhere."

Imagine that. Couldn't be, could it?

"Now, Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform are suing the government's General Services Administration, which manages the lease for the Trump International Hotel in Washington. "This hotel is not just a building with Donald Trump's name on it," said Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., the committee's ranking Democrat. "It is a glaring symbol of the Trump administration's lack of accountability and a daily reminder of the refusal by Republicans in Congress to do their job. This may be standard operating procedure in foreign countries, but not here. Not in America."

It is now. Certainly, with a nazi fuhrer occupying the Oval Office.

"House Democrats have asked GSA for documents relating to the lease, operations of the hotel, monthly income statements and foreign payments. GSA has not released those documents. Cummings says the refusal to provide lawmakers with information violates a 1928 federal law that authorizes any seven members of the House oversight committee to get records from a federal agency. The lawsuit was filed by 17 committee Democrats."

Carefully consider the following:

"The committee noted in a statement that "during the Obama Administration, GSA complied with requests from Democrats and produced a wide range of documents in unredacted form. After Donald Trump was sworn in as president, however, GSA suddenly reversed its position and began refusing all Democratic requests for documents relating to the hotel."

Fascinating, isn't it? -- A fascist, national socialist plutocrat summarily imposing his will, enforcing his dictates.

"Cummings said GSA's stance is "denying our ability as members of Congress to fulfill our constitutional duty to act as a check on the executive branch." The complaint was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. GSA spokeswoman Pamela Dixon told NPR in an email that the agency "does not comment on pending litigation."

The noose is figuratively tightening on the nazi:

"Just a few weeks ago, a federal judge heard arguments in a separate lawsuit, questioning whether the Trump International Hotel violates the Constitution's ban on presidents receiving emoluments, or gifts."

Prosecutors routinely abuse power to get their way, force cooperation from the unwilling. Clearly, the thinking is the greater good justifies this evil. Precisely, why prosecutors and police lie with impunity. Yet, do the same to them, guess what? Unlike them, you get prosecuted. A double standard that kills all respect for police, prosecutors, and the judiciary.

These clueless pieces of shit remain too aggressively stupid, hopelessly ignorant to understand it's self defeating. Worse, can lead to the unthinkable, an unwanted dreaded second American revolution. Yet, can't see that far. Do what's immediately expedient, abuse power with impunity, oblivious to the fact long term defeats the supposed ultimate goal of crime reduction.

The following will likely result in additional fodder for the Mueller investigation. NBC News reports:

"Wilbur Ross, the commerce secretary in the Trump administration, shares business interests with Vladimir Putin’s immediate family, and he failed to clearly disclose those interests when he was being confirmed for his cabinet position."

Couldn't be, could it? A nominee wouldn't deliberately withhold such information, would he?

"Ross — a billionaire industrialist — retains an interest in a shipping company, Navigator Holdings, that was partially owned by his former investment company. One of Navigator’s most important business relationships is with a Russian energy firm controlled, in turn, by Putin’s son-in-law and other members of the Russian president’s inner circle."

Eminently cozy, isn't it?

"Some of the details of Ross’s continuing financial holdings — much of which were not disclosed during his confirmation process — are revealed in a trove of more than 7 million internal documents of Appleby, a Bermuda-based law firm, that was leaked to the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung. The documents consist of emails, presentations and other electronic data. These were then shared with the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists — a global network that won the Pulitzer Prize this year for its work on the Panama Papers — and its international media partners. NBC News was given access to some of the leaked documents, which the ICIJ calls the “Paradise Papers.”

Think the following isn't a problem?

"The documents seen by NBC News, however, along with a careful examination of filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, tell a different story than the one Ross told at his confirmation. Ross divested most of his holdings, but did not reveal to the government the full details of the holdings he kept."

Carefully consider the following regarding abuse of prosecutorial power mentioned several paragraphs earlier. Judge Andrew Napolitano opines on Fox News:

"When prosecutors confront a complex series of potentially criminal events, they often do not know at the outset of their investigation where the evidence will lead them. Sometimes they come upon a person who they believe has knowledge of facts they seek and that person declines to speak with them. Such a refusal to speak to the government is perfectly lawful in America, yet it often triggers a prosecution of the potential witness so that prosecutors may squeeze him -- not literally, of course -- for evidence to which they believe he can lead them."

No question, that's abuse of power. A nazi tactic since their target may have committed no crime. No crime at all. No more than a fishing expedition.

"The ultimate target of Mueller’s investigation is President Trump. It is standard operating procedure when prosecutors have a high-level target to charge those below the target with something just to get them to cooperate. Though the charges against Manafort and Gates need not be related to the Russians or to Trump, they must be real. It's clear they are, as each is facing more than 20 years in prison. Mueller believes that that prospect is enough to dispatch their lawyers to make deals with him. The danger of such a deal is that Manafort and Gates may offer to tell Mueller what they think he wants to hear -- even if it is not truthful -- so that they can have their prison exposure lessened."

The problem with this argument is the fact the charges against both men are quite extensive. Should either lie to Mueller, the deal would be off. The advantage certainly lies with the prosecutor since he enjoys nearly unlimited resources, has been working quite some time on the investigation. Likely already knows the answers to questions he and his colleagues will be asking both men.

The following seems to be far more critical to Trump remaining in office:

"There is more danger in the seemingly smallest of this week’s Mueller-generated events. Papadopoulos was interviewed voluntarily by the FBI on Jan. 27. He was arrested on July 27 for lying to FBI agents during that interview. In a secret federal court proceeding on Oct. 5, he pleaded guilty. In a profound miscarriage of justice, federal law permits FBI agents to lie to us but makes it a crime for us to lie to them. Nevertheless, why was the Papadopoulos guilty plea kept secret? What was he doing between his arrest and his plea and between his plea and its revelation?"

Here's where the abuse of power comes in.

"Judges are very reluctant to close their courtroom doors in any criminal proceeding, even if both the prosecutors and the defense counsel request it. The public has a right to know whom the government is prosecuting and what deals or punishments it may be obtaining. Yet if prosecutors can convince a judge that public knowledge of the existence of a guilty plea might harm an ongoing criminal investigation, the judge can keep the plea secret. That is apparently what happened here. It appears that Papadopoulos was gathering evidence for Mueller, probably by talking to his former Trump campaign colleagues while wired -- a process that would have been fruitless if his guilty plea had become public."

While shaking down a plant that obviously has had his hand in the cookie jar garners no sympathy, what if the target of the prosecutor is completely innocent, has broken no laws, just exercises his constitutional right to refuse cooperation? For whatever the reason. It is not yet clear whether or not Mueller and his colleagues have engaged in this kind of abuse. Judgment must be reserved.

"Because Papadopoulos admitted under oath that he lied to FBI agents, the courts will treat his guilt as certain. That gives Mueller great leverage with him. It also gives Papadopoulos great incentive to help Mueller -- truthfully or not -- because he knows he is going to federal prison. He also knows that if Mueller likes what he hears, a five-year prison term could be reduced to six months."

It's also true that Mueller could wind up sticking it to the bastard if the bastard's caught lying.

"Hence, Papadopoulos could be a treasure-trove for Mueller on the production of any evidence linking the Trump campaign and the Russians and any evidence of Trump’s personal knowledge or acquiescence. Papadopoulos has already produced a wild tale about meetings with a Russian professor and a female Russian government agent in London that the FBI apparently believes."

That's a bit disingenuous, isn't it? Too soon for Napolitano to have made that judgment. His bias for Trump may be the cause. Not only that, highly likely Papadopoulos had been wired, may have already successfully managed to incriminate others in Trump's circle. We just don't know yet.

The following, however, is partially spot on, -- but must be taken with a grain of salt since the former judge is obviously biased in favor of the president:

"Is this any way to conduct a prosecution? I have argued for years that squeezing defendants and witnesses by threats and promises to get them to spill the beans is a form of extortion or bribery -- not much different from the extortion and bribery that the government regularly prosecutes. "You tell us what we want to hear and we will ask a judge to go easy on you. If not, you will suffer great losses." It is bad enough that the feds can legally lie to us and get away with it, but can they also legally threaten and bribe witnesses to testify against us and get away with it? Can they do this to the president? In a word, yes. My arguments have fallen on deaf ears. Squeezing witnesses and defendants is a way of life for federal prosecutors. For the president, it is the tip of a dangerous iceberg."

It's become a way of life throughout the entire judicial system. If prosecutors are pressuring individuals they obviously have criminal evidence against to go after bigger fry, that's one thing. Quite another, if their target is uncooperative, innocent, and these bastards are trying to force cooperation to nail a target higher up the ladder.

The following further questions the fitness of Trump for office. NPR reports:

"President Trump says: "I'm the only one that matters" in setting U.S. foreign policy, thus downplaying the importance of high-level jobs such as the assistant secretary of state, which is currently vacant. "Let me tell you, the one that matters is me," Trump said in an interview that aired on Fox News on Thursday night. "I'm the only one that matters, because when it comes to it, that's what the policy is going to be. You've seen that, you've seen it strongly."

This man's an idiot. A jackass. Has no experience in foreign policy. None at all. Yet, has no faith or trust in career diplomats, no need for their knowledge of foreign relations. A fool too stupid to understand how hopelessly ignorant he determinedly remains. Think this concerted ignorance couldn't spark unwanted unexpected armed conflict?

CBS News reports:

"President Trump gave a less than ringing endorsement of his secretary of State Thursday night, saying he was not sure if Rex Tillerson would remain in the position for the duration of his term. "Well, we'll see," he told Fox News host Laura Ingraham. "I don't know who's going to be [here for the] duration," Trump replied. He also noted that Tillerson was "doing his best."

Trump's a one-man wrecking crew. Thinks he knows it all:

"This latest undermining of his secretary of State on the eve of the longest and most consequential foreign trip of the young Trump presidency has left diplomats around the world scratching their heads. His dismissiveness of diplomacy - tweeting that Tillerson was wasting his time negotiating with North Korea - and his willingness to break with predecessor's commitments has at times hamstrung his top diplomat. The discordant messages have added to strain among the career diplomats at the State Department charged with implementing the president's foreign policy vision."

The damage inflicted by Trump will take years to reverse:

"After nearly 30 years of service, David Rank quit his job as the acting ambassador to China, after President Trump rejected Tillerson's advice and pulled out of the Paris climate change accord. He felt it was part of what he called the "systematic degradation" of the role of diplomacy. "I think something's gotta change -- for him to be effective again or to try to be effective, something's gotta change," Rank told CBS News. He argues that any daylight between Tillerson and Mr. Trump damages U.S. influence."

Also, makes armed conflict a far greater possibility when diplomacy is eschewed.

"Forty eight of the 188 ambassador posts are vacant, according to AFSA. One significant vacancy is South Korea."

Stunning, isn't it? Especially, at a time when tensions with the North remain extremely volatile.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-10-17

Controversy continues to swirl around the Sessions nazi and possible perjury during congressional testimony. CBS News reports:

"Court documents unsealed this week have renewed interest in whether Attorney General Jeff Session misled Congress when he testified recently that neither he nor anyone else was in contact with Russian operatives during the 2016 presidential campaign, CBS News' Jeff Pegues reports."

Clearly, Sessions appears to have lied. Continues to apparently lie, egregiously bamboozle. Then, hypocritically feigns outrage when confronted.

"Last month, Sessions testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee that neither he nor anyone else was in contact with Russian operatives during the election cycle. But Pegues reports the court documents unsealed this week claim George Papadopoulos, the former Trump campaign aide who pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with foreign nationals, offered to set up a meeting with then-candidate Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Papadopoulos made the offer during a meeting that both Sessions and Mr. Trump attended in March 2016."

Clearly, Sessions is likely a liar. Did so under oath. Called perjury if this is in fact true.

"Reported testimony from former campaign policy adviser Carter Page only adds to questions about what Sessions knew. CNN on Thursday reported Page testified in closed-door testimony before the House Intelligence Committee that he told Sessions he was traveling to Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign."

Again, someone's lying. Guess who.

"The New York Times reported Friday night that Page testified that he had met with Russian government officials during the trip, contradicting multiple denials he has made in the press."

This continues to be a problem. Precisely, why Sessions needs to be immediately recalled to testify to resolve the issue.

CNN reports:

"Attorney General Jeff Sessions is once again under scrutiny on Capitol Hill regarding his candor about Russia and the Trump campaign amid revelations that he rejected a suggestion to convene a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump last year. According to court filings unsealed this week, Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos suggested at a March 2016 meeting that he could use his connections to set up a meeting between Putin and Trump with the then-GOP candidate's national security team. An Instagram picture on Trump's account shows Sessions attended the meeting at which Papadopoulos made the suggestion."

Apparently, Mueller believes him. Otherwise, there would have been no plea bargain. Wouldn't have used him in an effort to flip others up the chain of command.

"There is interest from Democrats on both the Senate intelligence and judiciary committees for Sessions to formally clarify his remarks made before both committees given what's now known about his interactions with Papadopoulos, a Senate aide told CNN. The source said the request for clarification could take several forms, such as having Sessions testify again or submitting a clarification in writing, but that has not yet been determined. On Wednesday, lawmakers from both parties said Sessions needs to explain the discrepancies. And Democrats were sharply critical. "Jeff Sessions concealed his meetings with the Russians and he had an obligation to be more forthcoming about meetings that involved Papadopoulos," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat who sits on the Senate judiciary committee."

This will likely continue to be a problem for Sessions. His failure to remember is simply not credible.

ABC News reports:

"In light of new court documents unsealed in the special counsel's investigation, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., and other top Democrats are pushing Attorney General Jeff Sessions to explain his testimony to Congress about his knowledge of Trump campaign contacts with Russian officials.

"In an interview with ABC News, Franken said the filings appear to contradict Sessions’ sworn testimony and stopped just short of accusing Sessions of perjuring himself. “I don't think he told me the truth,” Franken said. “I think that on different occasions he either has a terrible memory or he is deliberately not telling me the truth.”

Something's not quite right here. If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, guess what? It's a duck.

"In the Senate Judiciary Committee’s January confirmation hearings for Sessions, Franken asked the attorney general nominee what he would do “if there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign.” “Sen. Franken, I’m not aware of any of those activities. I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians,” Sessions replied."

If Sessions is lying, he's unfit for office. If he's simply honestly forgotten, the same is true. No matter what, he needs to be recalled to testify in front of Congress.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-10-17

Think there aren't severe continuing problems in the 'American' gulag at Gitmo? NBC News reports:

"A federal judge has denied a request from a Guantanamo detainee to stop hearings in his case even though all the detainee's civilian lawyers have refused to take part, saying they think the government may be eavesdropping on attorney-client communications."

Imagine that. The attorneys walk off the case for damned good reason, creating quite a problem for the judge. Good to see they're courageously standing up for their client, -- and the United States Constitution.

"Judge Royce Lamberth of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., said Thursday that hearings at Camp Justice in Guantanamo must continue for Abd al-Rahim Hussein al-Nashiri, who is accused of bombing the USS Cole. According to McClatchy, the defense immediately responded with a motion alleging that Al-Nashiri is being unlawfully detained."

Have to commend the Marine general for his uncommon valor standing up to kangaroo justice:

"The Marine general who heads al-Nashiri's defense, and leads all defense teams at the military commission in Cuba, is still confined to a trailer behind Camp Justice after the judge in the case found him in contempt. Brig. Gen. John Baker had excused the civilian attorneys from duty because of their concerns about surveillance. The judge found him in contempt Wednesday after he refused to rescind the excusal or testify about the absence of the civilian lawyers."

Hat's off, General. Indeed, uncommon valor. By one of our nation's finest.

"The judge, Air Force Col. Vance Spath, ordered Baker confined for 21 days in his quarters and fined him $1,000. A senior official at the Pentagon will review the contempt findings against Baker — the first at Guantanamo — and his sentence."

Would expect nothing less of a United States Marine. Indeed, uncommon valor to stand up to egregious injustice.

"Karen Greenberg, a terrorism expert and author of a book about Guantanamo, said it's unknown what type of surveillance the defense is alleging, but there is past precedent. "We know that in the past … an FBI mole was put on the defense team. We know that there were CIA listening devices placed in the courtroom that even the judge didn't know about. … We know listening devices were found in rooms where defense attorneys and clients met."

Goddamned unbelievable. Nazi justice. Un-American. Precisely, why we're so hated, despised throughout so much of the world.

"In 2013, microphones had been discovered in the defense meeting rooms at Guantanamo, and the government confirmed that it had read some defense emails. "We can't even imagine what is out there now," said Greenberg, who heads the Center on National Security at Fordham Law School."

The Founders? Spinning in their graves. Wouldn't recognize the supposed democratic republic they had created. Only to have it so bastardized, so determinedly perverted.

"The civilian defense attorneys defending al-Nashiri asked to be removed from his case on Oct. 6. The lawyers said that past and potentially ongoing surveillance of attorney-client conversations, as well as rules that made it hard to communicate with their client, rendered it impossible for them to represent him properly."

We are but a small shell of what we used to be. How can the rest of the world trust us when we can longer trust our government?

"Brig. Gen. Baker had sent the chief prosecutor a memo on June 14 stating that he feared defense communications with clients might be compromised. Baker said he had information suggesting that surveillance had continued or been restarted. "I am not confident that the prohibition on improper monitoring of attorney-client meetings at GTMO as ordered by the commission is being followed," said Baker."

This is an incredibly heroic soldier placing his career in jeopardy to stand up for duty, honor, country, principle, rule of law, the United States Constitution. Uncommon valor. In the best tradition of the United States Military.

"On June 23, the defense filed a classified motion that sought permission to give al-Nashiri information about the alleged intrusions into attorney-client communications. The nature of the alleged intrusions has not been specified in any unredacted public court documents. Col. Spath denied the motion."

Goddamned un-American. Nazi. A disgrace. An insult to the Flag and everything our formerly great country once stood for.

"In July, defense tried to compel discovery of evidence related to alleged intrusions and asked for an evidentiary hearing. Col. Spath denied both motions in classified rulings. "

A fascist police-state. The Fourth Reich. We've lost our country.

"When Baker then agreed to the defense attorneys' request to be released from duty, that left a single military lawyer, Navy Lt. Alerac Piette, representing al-Nashiri. The defendant could receive the death penalty if convicted, but Lt. Piette had never served on a capital case. The rules governing military commissions state that a defendant facing the death penalty must have counsel with prior experience in a capital case."

Clearly, our nazi government wishes this defendant executed. Will do anything it can to ensure this. As far as nazi government is concerned, the Constitution remains an impediment to enforcing its dictates.

"Col. Spath ordered the civilian attorneys to appear for proceedings in the al-Nashiri case on Sunday. When they did not, and Baker refused his subsequent orders, Spath found him in contempt."

Jesus Christ. No justice. No rule of law. No Constitution. Hat's off to these fine lawyers and military personnel who courageously stood tall, refused to participate in the charade, outrageously unconstitutional ruse perpetrated by the traitorous nazis in our government.

"Spath also ordered the civilian attorneys to continue representing al-Nashiri."

F--k this nazi. How can the defendant be represented in what's no more than a kangaroo court, an appalling charade?

"On Wednesday, al-Nashiri filed motions for an injunction and a temporary restraining order, asking for a halt in the proceedings. He asserted that continuation of the hearings without adequate legal representation would cause him to "suffer irreparable harm."

No question. An ultimate, deliberately engineered failure of justice.

"Al-Nashiri requested the "Court preserve the status quo by temporarily restraining Respondents from continuing these proceedings until the merits of his separately filed motion for a preliminary injunction is decided — specifically the merits of Petitioner's right to learned counsel claim." With the stay denied, Al-Nashiri's civilian attorneys must also decide whether to obey Judge Spath's order to report to a location in Alexandria, Virginia at 8 a.m. Friday to participate in a hearing at Guantanamo by video link."

Need to stand tall. Refuse to participate in a nazi, kangaroo charade.

"Al-Nashiri, an Al Qaeda leader, is accused of plotting the October 12, 2000 bombing of the USS Cole off the coast of Yemen. Seventeen American sailors died in the attack on the Navy destroyer. The 52-year-old Saudi was captured in 2002. He was held in secret CIA "black sites" and subjected to waterboarding and enhanced interrogation before being transferred to Guantanamo in 2006."

Apparently, the government has no case. If it did, why would it do all it can to deny this defendant adequate legal defense? What does our nazi government so fear? The truth?

"As noted by the Miami Herald, Baker, the second highest ranking attorney in the Marine Corps, has been critical of the Guantanamo military commissions, which were set up after 9/11 to try terrorism defendants. In 2016, he referred to the system as "a farce."

Worse than that, nazi justice. Classic example of kangaroo justice.

"In a statement, a Pentagon spokesperson said Judge Spath has the authority to exercise contempt power over "any person." The judge found that the Chief Defense Counsel's attempt to excuse three of the Accused's defense counsel … was not authorized under any rule, statute or regulation in any jurisdiction."

Called the United States Constitution, specifically, the Bill of Rights. What so many of our best and brightest have courageously bled and died for on all the battlefields, in all the wars, over all the decades. Clearly, we've lost ourselves. All semblance of justice.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-10-17

More pending trouble ahead for the United States government vis a vis the ongoing fiasco in Afghanistan. NPR reports:

"The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is calling for an investigation into possible war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan."

Come as a surprise? Why? How? Torture, abuse of 'enemy combatants' has been a problem since the U.S. invasion shortly after 9/11.

"The scope of such an investigation isn't clear, but it could have the potential to involve U.S. troops. Fatou Bensouda said in a statement that she has decided to request authorization to open a formal investigation. ICC judges would then decide whether the situation meets the court's criteria."

Certainly, not sitting well with the United States Government:

"Pentagon spokesman Eric Pahon told NPR: "Our view is clear: An ICC investigation with respect to U.S. personnel would be wholly unwarranted and unjustified. More broadly, our overall assessment is that commencement of an ICC investigation will not serve the interests of either peace or justice in Afghanistan."

That right? Why? How? If there is nothing to hide, there is no problem. If there is indeed malfeasance, why shouldn't it see the light of day? Those responsible held legally accountable? What's the issue? Disclosure of the truth? Unpleasant reality?

"Bensouda said the court's jurisdiction for crimes committed in Afghanistan extends to May 1, 2003."

Fascinating, isn't it? If there's nothing to hide, nothing untoward, no problem, right? If not, then why oppose justice for the offenders? Might even restore some faith and trust in our heretofore achingly duplicitous government.

The following is the bottom line vis a vis the possible investigation:

"Friday's statement doesn't name specific parties or incidents that would potentially be investigated. But a report released by the prosecutor's office last year says there is a "reasonable basis" to believe the following crimes have occurred:

    "Crimes against humanity and war crimes by the Taliban and their affiliated Haqqani Network;
    "War crimes of torture and related ill-treatment by Afghan government forces, in particular the intelligence agency (National Directorate for Security), and the Afghan National Police;
    "War crimes of torture and related ill-treatment, by US military forces deployed to Afghanistan and in secret detention facilities operated by the Central Intelligence Agency, principally in the 2003-2004 period, although allegedly continuing in some cases until 2014."

Only a government with something to hide would be opposed to such an investigation. Regardless, any American personnel involved in any such malfeasance would be criminally prosecuted domestically in our civilian and military courts.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-10-17

Apparently, the 'Justice' Department disingenuously believes it was hoodwinked by the ACLU. Remains willing to at least falsely accuse ACLU of duplicity to continue its unconstitutional war on the constitutional right to abortion affirmed by Roe v. Wade. CBS News reports:

"The Justice Department has filed a petition to the Supreme Court alleging that lawyers representing Jane Doe, an undocumented minor in federal custody, misled the government over the timing of her abortion procedure. The Justice Department in court documents argues lower court judgments in the case should be vacated, and discipline may be warranted against Jane Doe's attorneys."

Would be laughable if it were not for the fact the Trump nazi and his Attorney General stooge, the Sessions nazi are doing all they can to take a raucous hard dump on a legally settled constitutional right affirmed by Roe v. Wade. Carefully consider the following highly convoluted 'reasoning' of the 'Justice' Department in this fiasco. Certain indication these nazis remain desperate to eviscerate this 1973 landmark Supreme Court decision:

"In the brief, the Justice Department alleges that on the evening of October 24, Doe's representatives told the government that her counseling appointment would be moved to the morning of October 25, pushing the abortion procedure to the 26. Based on this, the government says it told the Supreme Court clerk's office that it intended to file a motion to stay the abortion the following day, October 25."

She had already had that mandated 'counseling' session days earlier. Had already met the terms of this outrageously unconstitutional Texas statute.

"At that point, by their own account, Ms. Doe's representatives did three things: they secured the services of Ms. Doe's original physician (who had provided counseling the previous week), moved her appointment from 7:30 to 4:15 a.m. on the morning of October 25, and changed the appointment from counseling to an abortion," the Justice Department alleges.

"Although Ms. Doe's representatives informed the government of the change in timing, they did not inform the government of the other two developments—which kept the government in the dark about when Ms. Doe was scheduled to have an abortion."

No question, growing desperation of these nazis to eviscerate the constitutional right to abortion remains achingly striking.

"The government also alleges that Doe's representatives did not notify the government or the shelter of the change in the nature of her appointment. "Efforts to reach respondent's counsel were met with silence, until approximately 10 a.m. EST, when one of her lawyers told the government that Ms. Does had undergone an abortion." Department of Justice spokesman Devin O'Malley said, "The ACLU misled the United States as to the timing of Jane Doe's abortion. After informing Justice Department attorneys that the procedure would occur on October 26, Jane Doe's attorneys scheduled the abortion for the early morning hours of October 25, thereby thwarting Supreme Court review."

Pitiful. Egregious convolution of reality. In a desperate attempt to abrogate the constitutional right to abortion. All in an effort to impose their perverse ideological and religious views in direct violation of the First Amendment Establishment Clause, church-state separation, that is, freedom from religion.

"The Justice Department also specified the remedies it seeks. "In light of that, the Justice Department believes the judgment under review should be vacated, and discipline may be warranted against Jane Doe's attorneys."

For what? Standing up to nazis in the 'Justice' Department desperate to abrogate the victim's constitutional right to an abortion affirmed by Roe v. Wade?

"ACLU Legal Director David Cole issued the following statement:

"The Trump administration blocked Jane Doe from getting constitutionally protected care for a month and subjected her to illegal obstruction, coercion, and shaming as she waited. After the courts cleared the way for her to get her abortion, it was the ACLU's job as her lawyers to see that she wasn't delayed any further — not to give the government another chance to stand in her way."

"Our lawyers acted in the best interest of our client and in full compliance with the court orders and federal and Texas law. That government lawyers failed to seek judicial review quickly enough is their fault, not ours."

You think?

The Washington Post reports:

"The government is asking the court to vacate the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit that said she was entitled to an abortion."

Why? Roe v. Wade affirms this precious right, the right of a woman to do with her uterus as she damn well pleases. If there is no reproductive freedom, there is no freedom at all. Nazis on the Right patronizingly, condescendingly advise the 'little lady' to keep her legs crossed, panties up. None of their goddamned business.

“The government recognizes that respondent’s counsel have a duty to zealously advocate on behalf of their client, but they also have duties to this court and to the bar,” the filing says. “It appears under the circumstances that those duties may have been violated, and that disciplinary action may therefore be warranted. At the least, this court may wish to seek an explanation from counsel regarding this highly unusual chain of events.”

Apparent to whom? Nazis desperate to impose their perverse ideological and religious views in direct violation of the First Amendment Establishment Clause, church-state separation, that is, freedom from religion?

"ACLU Legal Director David Cole said in a statement the government’s charges were “baseless.” “This administration has gone to astounding lengths to block this young woman from getting an abortion,” Cole said. “Now, because they were unable to stop her, they are raising baseless questions about our conduct. Our lawyers acted in the best interest of our client and in full compliance with the court orders and federal and Texas law. That government lawyers failed to seek judicial review quickly enough is their fault, not ours.”

The crux of the matter is the Trump regime is falsely claiming it was hoodwinked. To cover its ass. Placate the Nazi Right backing the Trump nazi and his henchmen:

"The Justice Department has been criticized by some for failing to take the issue to the Supreme Court quickly enough to prevent the abortion, and Attorney General Jeff Sessions last week blamed the girl’s lawyers."

... Hey, Jeff? Can't dazzle 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with bullshit? When that fails, gutlessly blame someone else? Jesus Christ. You're pathetic. Look in the mirror to see whose responsible for this goddamned ongoing outrageously unconstitutional fiasco:

"Lawyers who practice at the Supreme Court said that they could not remember a similar request to the court, and some theorized that the solicitor general’s office was feeling political heat from not moving faster to try to get the high court to step into the fight before it was too late."

If true, doesn't your heart bleed?

Here's the history and bottom line:

"A federal district judge ordered the abortion to proceed, but a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit stopped the process, and said it was preferable that the government find a sponsor for the girl, which would take the government out of helping her receive an abortion.

"The full circuit reversed that decision in a 6-to-3 ruling, followed a few hours later by a new order from the district judge. And that started the race that Tuesday night. For the solicitor general’s office, it was to get the issue before the Supreme Court. For lawyers for the girl, it was to get her the abortion. She was 15 weeks pregnant at the time.

"Texas law requires medical counseling at least 24 hours in advance of an abortion by the same physician who performs the procedure. The 17-year-old underwent counseling on Oct. 19, allowing her to have the abortion any time after lower courts issued the order in her favor, depending on the doctor’s availability.

"The ACLU said the procedure was done in “full compliance with Texas law.”

The Trump nazi and his henchmen had no legitimate 'dog in this fight.' Was none of their goddamned business. The president again failed to carry out his oath of office to protect and defend the United States Constitution. Did all he could to abrogate the constitutional right to abortion affirmed by the 1973 Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade. At worst, the 'Justice' Department got figuratively caught with its pants down. Tough shit.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-10-17

Want to stay employed? Don't flip off the president when his motorcade passes. The Washington Post reports:

"It was the middle-finger salute seen around the world. Juli Briskman’s protest aimed at the presidential motorcade that roared past her while she was on her usual cycling path in Northern Virginia last month became an instantly viral photo. Turns out it has now cost the 50-year-old marketing executive her job. On Halloween, after Briskman gave her bosses at Akima LLC, a government contracting firm, a heads-up that she was the unidentified cyclist in the photo, they took her into a room and fired her, she said, escorting her out of the building with a box of her things. “I wasn’t even at work when I did that,” Briskman said. “But they told me I violated the code of conduct policy.”

Amazing how the corporate management suite can force prospective employees to forfeit their First Amendment right to protest as a condition of employment. Nazi America. Run and owned by the corporate management suite and its bought and paid for shills in government.

Yet, the bastards at Akima aren't consistent in their enforcement of such policy. Get this:

"Because Briskman was in charge of the firm’s social media presence during her six-month tenure there, she recently flagged something that did link her company to some pretty ugly stuff. As she was monitoring Facebook this summer, she found a public comment by a senior director at the company in an otherwise civil discussion by one of his employees about Black Lives Matter. “You’re a f------ Libtard a------,” the director injected, using his profile that clearly and repeatedly identifies himself as an employee of the firm."

Imagine that. Nothing quite like hypocrisy, is there? LOL.

"In fact, the person he aimed that comment at was so offended by the intrusion into the conversation and the coarse nature of it that he challenged the director on representing Akima that way."

Couldn't be, could it? LOL.

"So Briskman flagged the exchange to senior management."

Good for her. Did the right thing. LOL.

Here's the clincher:

"Did the man, a middle-aged executive who had been with the company for seven years, get the old “section 4.3” boot? Nope. He cleaned up the comment, spit-shined his public profile and kept on trucking at work. But the single mother of two teens who made an impulsive gesture while on her bike, on her day off? Adios, amiga."

Coup de grace?

"Briskman has contacted the American Civil Liberties Union about the case. Her bosses told her they do support her First Amendment rights. But they wanted her to “be professional,” she said. Does Briskman regret that middle finger, that reflexive moment that wasn’t all pussy hat and protest signs, that wasn’t calculated resistance but rather a totally relatable, plain-old, working woman, living-my-life, what-the-heck-is-going-on-in-our-world reaction? Nope. “I’d do it again,” she said. Resist, sister."

Here, here. Hat's off to both ladies. Give 'em hell. LOL.

The above quotes are courtesy of a most gifted writer, Petula Dvorak.

11-10-17

The following must have truly irritated the Trump nazi. Yet, had no choice, but to obey the law. The Washington Post reports:

"The Trump administration released a dire scientific report Friday calling human activity the dominant driver of global warming, a conclusion at odds with White House decisions to withdraw from a key international climate accord, champion fossil fuels and reverse Obama-era climate policies. To the surprise of some scientists, the White House did not seek to prevent the release of the government’s National Climate Assessment, which is mandated by law. The report affirms that climate change is driven almost entirely by human action, warns of potential sea-level rise as high as eight feet by the year 2100, and details climate-related damage across the United States that is already unfolding as a result of 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit of global warming since 1900. “It is extremely likely that human influence has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century,” the document reports. “For the warming over the last century, there is no convincing alternative explanation supported by the extent of the observational evidence.”

The truth is the truth.

11-10-17

The following is yet another egregious example of abrogation of the First Amendment Establishment Clause by the Trump nazi and his henchmen. NPR reports:

"The University of Notre Dame will no longer provide birth control coverage to students and employees, taking advantage of the Trump administration's decision to weaken the Affordable Care Act's birth control mandate. As Indiana Public Media notes, the Catholic university previously "made the coverage available through a third-party service separate from the rest of its health insurance and attempted to sue for the right to not offer the coverage at all." That lawsuit, against the Obama administration, was unsuccessful."

Certainly should have failed.

"But last month, the Trump administration rolled back the requirement, allowing any company or nonprofit to refuse to cover contraception based on a moral or religious objection. That policy change allowed Notre Dame to opt out of providing contraceptive coverage in any form. Notre Dame is the "first and most important employer publicly to take advantage" of the rollback, The Los Angeles Times reports."

Direct violation of the First Amendment Establishment Clause, church-state separation, that is, freedom from religion.

"The American Civil Liberties Union has a lawsuit pending against the Trump administration's weakening of the contraceptive mandate. One of the plaintiffs in that case is a Notre Dame student who was anticipating the university would drop its contraceptive coverage, as Indiana Public Media reports:

" 'The Trump Administration Policy allows Notre Dame to declare a wholesale exemption and to not even allow their insurance company to provide the coverage, so we anticipated that Notre Dame would be revoking contraception coverage if given the opportunity,' says Brigitte Amiri, an attorney with ACLU's reproductive freedom project.

"Amiri says even though the university will still provide contraceptives as a treatment for other medical problems, it is still an infringement on a woman's rights.

" 'No matter where a woman works or goes to school, she should have coverage for basic health care services like contraceptives regardless of the purpose used for the contraception,' she says."

Exactly right. This is precisely what needs to happen. Sue the living shit out of the bastards. Do it relentlessly.

Carefully, consider the following:

"In an email to faculty and staff, which the university shared with NPR, a spokesman wrote that the school "honors the moral teachings of the Catholic Church."

How? How so? By forcing its perverse ideological and religious views on others? The Head Honcho would have been appalled. Never forced his views on anyone.

11-10-17

No question, Rick Perry remains an idiot. Hopelessly, so. LOL. CBS News reports:

"Secretary of Energy Rick Perry said Thursday that fossil fuels can help prevent sexual assault by keeping the lights on, according to The Hill."

Jesus Christ. 'Don't' that beat all? LOL.

"During an event with Axios and NBC in Washington, D.C., Perry brought up sexual assault after launching into a story about a trip to Africa, where he said "people are dying" because they don't have access to energy. "And it's going to take fossil fuels to push power out into those villages in Africa, where a young girl said to my face, 'One of the reasons that electricity is so important to me is not only because I'm not going to have to try and read by the light of a fire and have those fumes literally kill people," Perry said. He continued: "But also from the standpoint of sexual assault. When the lights are on, when you have light that shines, the righteousness, if you will, on those types of acts."

Give me a f--king break. Apparently, this sad sack of shit's a moron, with absolutely no hope of redemption. LOL. -- To think he wanted to be president.

11-10-17

Think the top of the food chain doesn't benefit most from the proposed GOP tax scheme? The Washington Post reports:

"House Republicans' tax bill would increase taxes for 12 percent of Americans next year, according to a new report from the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center. By 2027, at least 28 percent of Americans would see their taxes rise, the report says. Many of those taking a hit would be people who make less than $48,000 a year. The vast majority of Americans would get a tax cut if the bill becomes law, TPC found, but the rich would benefit the most. The finding comes amid intense debate over whether this bill does enough to help the middle and working classes, a key promise of President Trump."

So what else is new?

"The middle of the middle — those making $48,000 to $86,000 — would get an average tax cut of $700 next year, according to TPC. Meanwhile, taxpayers in the top 1 percent (those making more than $730,000) would receive an average cut of $37,000 next year, and the top 0.01 percent (those making more than $3.4 million) would see their after-tax incomes rise by an average of $179,000 in 2018. “The largest cuts in terms of dollars and as a percentage of after-tax income would accrue to the higher-income households,” TPC wrote."

Considerate of the bastards, no? Wouldn't want them to starve, would we?

Here's the kicker:

"TPC's findings echo what the non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation -- the official congressional body that analyzes tax bills -- found: That some in the middle class would see a tax increase under the bill."

Who else can they loot to line the pockets at the top of the food chain?

"Democrats have slammed the bill as a giveaway to the rich. According to the TPC analysis, the top 1 percent of taxpayers receive nearly 50 percent of the total benefit in 2027."

Couldn't be, could it? Republicans wouldn't f--k the bottom and middle class, would they? ... Didn't the Trump nazi assure us they wouldn't?

"It’s no wonder Republicans are trying to rush this bill through – the more scrutiny it gets, the worse it looks," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said in a statement after the release of the TPC report."

Democrats are no better. Have been out to lunch since the Kennedy assassination in 1963.

11-10-17

Problems with sexual harassment extend to Congress. CBS News reports:

"For GOP Rep. Mary Bono, the suggestive comments wouldn't stop from one male colleague. He even approached her on the House floor to tell her he'd been thinking about her in the shower, she says. Bono, who served 15 years before being defeated in 2012, is not alone. As reports flow out almost daily of harassment or worse by men in entertainment, business and the media, one current and three former female lawmakers tell The Associated Press they, too, have been harassed or subjected to hostile sexual comments - by fellow members of Congress."

Unbecoming. Best thing to do? 'Out your pig.' Expose him to the light of day as they're doing in France. Bad enough when it comes from a young kid in his teens or twenties drenched in testosterone. Egregiously unacceptable when it comes from someone older in a work setting who knows better. Doing nothing more than abusing power because the son of a bitch can.

"This is about power," said former California Sen. Barbara Boxer, after describing an incident at a hearing in the 1980s where a male colleague made a sexually suggestive comment about her from the dais, which was met with general laughter and an approving second from the committee chairman. "It's hostile and embarrasses, and therefore could take away a person's power."

These men are absolute jackasses. Too stupid to know how hopelessly ignorant they are.

"Largely untold before now is that some female lawmakers themselves say they have been harassed by male colleagues. While rare, the accounts raise troubling questions about the boys' club environment on Capitol Hill where male lawmakers can feel empowered to target not only staffers but even their own peers."

Been going on for decades. Best way to handle it is at the moment it occurs. Call the bastard on it in front of all present. Spread the word this shit is going on. If fired, sue the living shit out of the son of a bitch and the organization or firm.

"The lawmakers declined to identify the perpetrators by name, but at least two of the men continue to serve in the House. None of the female lawmakers interviewed reported the incidents - some noted it was not clear where to lodge such a complaint."

That's the problem. Fear to publicly expose these bastards for whom and what they are. Do it right on the floor of the Senate and House. Make it part of the congressional record. Embarrass the living shit out of these clueless turds.

"When I was a very new member of Congress in my early 30s, there was a more senior member who outright propositioned me, who was married, and despite trying to laugh it off and brush it aside, it would repeat. And I would avoid that member," said Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif. She added that she would warn other new female members about the lawmaker in question, but she declined to identify him, while saying he remains in Congress."

Jesus Christ. Expose the son of a bitch for whom and what he is. Where is your courage, Congresswoman? The only way this shit will end is to expose it publicly. The hell with the consequences. With severe relentless exposure, things will change. Refusing to identify the offender protects, coddles the piece of human excrement. Only way for this crap to end is zero tolerance.

"Sanchez also said that a different male colleague repeatedly ogled her, and at one point touched her inappropriately on the House floor, while trying to make it appear accidental. She declined to identify the lawmaker but said he was no longer in Congress."

Jesus Christ. That's called assault. All the more reason this guy needs to be exposed to the light of day. So other women can protect themselves. What are you so afraid of Congresswoman? Why not expose him?

More of the same:

"Bono said she ultimately confronted her colleague on the House floor after he'd made repeated harassing comments. "Instead of being 'how's the weather, how's your career, how's your bill,' it was 'I thought about you while I was in the shower,'" Bono said. "So it was a matter of saying to him 'That's not cool, that's just not cool.'"

Far worse than that, it's indicative of the fact he has no respect, no regard for women. Should have asked him if his dick was in fact as small as his pea brain. Ladies, you don't have to tolerate this shit.

"Bono declined to identify the lawmaker, saying the behavior stopped after she confronted him. He still serves in Congress, she said."

All the more reason to expose him. His constituents have the right to know whom and what they've elected to office.

More of the same:

"Former Rep. Hilda Solis, now a Los Angeles County supervisor, recalls repeated unwanted harassing overtures from one lawmaker, though she declined to name him or go into detail."

Why not? What are you so afraid of? Especially, since so many women are now finding their voice, exposing this shit to the light of day most recently. There's power in numbers. Exercise it. Do it now. Don't cowardly wait. There is no better time. Figuratively, strike while the iron is hot.

"I don't think I'm the only one. What I tried to do was ignore it, turn away, walk away. Obviously it's offensive. Are you supposed to be flattered? No, we're adults," said Solis, who left Congress in 2009 to join the Obama administration as labor secretary."

Expose the son of a bitch. Do the world a favor. For the sake of your sisters, to say nothing of men who desperately need a wake up call.

11-10-17

Election night 2017 was not good for Trump and his fellow Republicans. Got his ass figuratively kicked hard in Virginia and New Jersey. A portend of things to come during midterms next year? Be interesting to see. Democrats shouldn't get excited, however. Haven't been worth a shit since November 22, 1963.

NBC News reports:

"Now, President Donald Trump, former White House strategist Steve Bannon and their allies are racing to rescue it from the ashes of Republican Ed Gillespie's resounding defeat in Tuesday's Virginia gubernatorial election and GOP losses in dozens of down-ballot contests across several states. They contend that Virginia voters spurned a consummate Washington insider — not the president's brand of politics — even though a massive turnout surge in Democratic strongholds suggests there was little Gillespie could have done to overcome the anti-Trump wave."

The electorate is tiring of the Trump debacle. Indictments and a plea bargain recently obtained by Mueller are certainly contributing to voter dissatisfaction with the status quo.

"For many Republicans, the big lesson of Tuesday's wipeout is that it's toxic to be tied to Trump in politically competitive parts of the country. The Trump wing of the party, however, sees the same set of facts from the opposite angle: With Democrats energized in opposition to the president, they say, the only way for Republicans to win is to drive their base to the polls. And that requires strict adherence to Trumpism."

The latter statement is classic aggressive stupidity. Wishful thinking. Seem to be desperately going for broke when midterms are still a year away. Since Democrats remain in disarray, still stupidly quarreling about the 2016 Clinton loss, can't seem to unite and agree on ideology, Republicans may indeed not yet have reasonable concern about what is to come vis a vis midterms. Then again, a lot can and will transpire between now and a year from now. Especially, as the Mueller investigation continues, possibly additional Trump associates indicted, etc..

11-10-17

The LGBTQ community scored big. NPR reports:

"Tuesday's election not only brought Democratic wins in high-profile gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey, but it also saw historic victories for women, minority and LGBTQ candidates in down-ballot races nationwide. In the northern Virginia suburb of Prince William County, Danica Roem became the first openly transgender candidate to win a statehouse seat anywhere in the country. She defeated the long-time Republican incumbent, social conservative Robert Marshall. Roem outraised Marshall, who called himself Virginia's "chief homophobe," 3 to 1. Marshall, who had served 13 terms, was the sponsor of a so-called "bathroom bill" that died in committee. But voters seemed more concerned about local issues like traffic congestion in electing the former journalist."

Immigrants, minorities, and women scored big as well:

"Also in Virginia, Kathy Tran, a refugee from Vietnam, became the first Asian-American woman elected to Virginia's House of Delegates. And Elizabeth Guzman and Hala Ayala both defeated Republican incumbents to become the first Latina women elected to the chamber. Andrea Jenkins won election to the Minneapolis City Council, becoming the first openly transgender person of color elected to office in the U.S. Jenkins was a policy aide on the city council and won more than 70 percent of the vote. Across the Mississippi River, Melvin Carter was elected the first African-American mayor of St. Paul. In Hoboken, N.J., Ravi Bhalla was elected mayor, making him the city's first Sikh American chief executive. Bhalla had served on the city council for eight years. His campaign was the subject of racist flyers, showing a picture of Bhalla in his turban and the message, "Don't let TERRORISM take over our town!"

Must have certainly sent a chill up the gutless spines of the Trump nazi, his henchmen, and the Republican Party. Hopefully, a portend of what's to come during midterms. We'll see.

Here are some more of the firsts:

    "Wilmot Collins, a refugee from Liberia, was elected mayor of Helena Mont., becoming the state's first black mayor.
    "Seattle elected its first female mayor since 1926. Jenny Durkan will also be the city's first lesbian mayor, winning the post vacated by Ed Murray, who resigned after several men accused him of sexually abusing them.
    "Charlotte, N.C., elected its first female African American mayor, Democrat Vi Lyles.
    "Manchester, N.H., the state's largest city, elected its first female mayor in its 266-year history, Joyce Craig. She defeated Republican incumbent Ted Gatsas."

Hopefully, all this is indication desperately needed change may indeed be in the air.

At the same time and sadly, homophobic anti-LGBTQ bigotry remains alive and well on the Nazi Right in this country. NPR in another article reports:

"It's the first time someone who's said they were transgender has been elected to a state legislature. Roem, a Democrat, decisively defeated Republican Del. Bob Marshall in a Northern Virginia district near Washington, D.C. Marshall had held the seat since 1992 and had been a prominent religious conservative in Virginia politics. The race was one of this year's most high profile, drawing national and international attention. Marshall refused to debate Roem and said in an interview earlier this year that "Danica clearly is out here doing this for making a marker in the national character that you can engage in this behavior — which clearly goes against the laws of nature and nature's God — and hold public office to make decisions on behalf of the common good. ... That is what is kind of at stake here." The Republican Party of Virginia also paid for a mailer referring to Roem as a man."

Pitiful, isn't it? Amazing how insecure the Nazi Right remains vis a vis gender identity.

"Before running for office, Roem worked as a newspaper reporter. That experience, she said in a recent interview with NPR, would make her a better lawmaker. "I've dedicated my professional career to vetting information ... and then reporting the truth as it is, not what other people hope it should be," she said."

Indeed. The Right fails to understand truth trumps ideology. Always has, always will.

11-3-17

NPR reports:

"Authorities say the man responsible for Tuesday's deadly truck attack in Manhattan planned the attack for weeks, and left behind a note in his rental truck declaring his support for the Islamic State. John Miller, deputy commissioner of the NYPD, said the letter was written in Arabic and said that ISIS will "endure forever." He said investigators are still working to reconstruct the suspect's actions over the last few weeks as he prepared for the attack. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo described the incident as a "classic case of a radicalization of a domestic jihadist who associated with ISIS," telling CBS on Wednesday that "the best evidence we have is that he was a 'lone wolf.' "

"In the attack, a truck struck pedestrians and bicyclists on a riverfront bike path, then crashed into a school bus. Eleven people were wounded in the attack, including students on the bus. Eight people died. After crashing his truck, the driver emerged holding "imitation firearms," including a paint gun, and was shot by a police officer. Knives were also found in the vehicle, Miller says."

ABC News reports:

"A 28-year-old New York City police officer has been identified as the man who shot and injured the suspect in Tuesday's deadly truck attack in New York City, which is being investigated as an act of terrorism. Officer Ryan Nash, a five-year NYPD veteran assigned to the 1st Precinct, was one of the first officers to respond to the scene in lower Manhattan Tuesday afternoon, and he fired the shot that struck the suspect.

"Nash has two awards for Excellent Police Duty and one for Meritorious Police Duty from the NYPD. He lives on Long Island with his girlfriend. Officials have praised the officer's quick response, saying he stopped the carnage moments after it began."

What is remarkable is the fact this officer used minimal force. Did not empty the clip into the terrorist.

"Officer Nash, five years on the job, 28 years old, he was a hero," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said at a news conference this morning. "The NYPD is not just the leadership -- it's the men and women who are out there every day, who are on the first line, and I think officer Nash really showed how important they are and how talented and how brave."

Indeed. -- Unlike here in Nazi Llano County where your jackbooted bastards in black remain virtually out of control, right, Sheriff?

"After the collision, the truck driver exited the vehicle brandishing what appeared to be two handguns, police said. Nash confronted the suspect and shot him in the abdomen. The suspect was wounded and transported to a hospital, police said. A paintball gun and a pellet gun were recovered at the scene, police said."

What is so crucial about this is the fact the perpetrator will live to be held legally accountable for his crime. Equally important? Law enforcement will be able to fully question this man, -- who's already bragging about the crime from his hospital bed. -- The more information gleaned, the better chance of preventing this from happening again.

CBS News reports:

"The truck rammed several people on the path from behind and ultimately crashed into a school bus at Chambers Street. A man came out of the truck after striking the school bus wielding what appeared to be two weapons. The weapons turned out to be a paintball gun and a pellet gun, NYPD Commissioner James P. O'Neill said in a Tuesday afternoon press conference. Witnesses told the NYPD the suspect, identified as 29-year-old Sayfullo Saipov — an Uzbek national from Tampa, Florida — shouted "Allahu Akbar," or "God is great" in Arabic when he jumped out of the truck.

"Sources told CBS New York that's when Officer Nash shot Saipov one time in the abdomen. The suspect was rushed to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue where he's currently undergoing questioning. Saipov was in critical condition but expected to survive."

NBC News reports:

"Mayor Bill de Blasio, who said he had spoken to Nash since the attack, praised the officer for his bravery and humility. "He is a good young man. He was very humble about what he did, but what he did was extraordinary," the mayor said Wednesday. "And it gave people such faith and such appreciation in our police force."

-- Unlike here in Nazi Llano County, right, Sheriff?

The Washington Post reports:

"Officials identified the suspected attacker as Sayfullo Saipov, a legal permanent resident of the United States who arrived in the country from Uzbekistan in 2010 through a diversity visa program. They said Saipov was influenced by the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, and its violent tactics after he came to the United States. Saipov left notes pledging his allegiance to the group, also known as ISIS, authorities said, though they have not identified any direct connections between Saipov and the organization."

Once again, the Trump nazi behaved like a jackass in response to the attack.

"The attack may inflame the political debate over immigration and security. President Trump tweeted several times about the vehicle attack on Tuesday and Wednesday, writing at one point that he had urged the Department of Homeland Security to “step up” its vetting program for foreign nationals, though he did not elaborate on what that meant."

Hasn't a clue. Talking out his ass. No amount of vetting would have prevented such an attack since it appears the perpetrator was radicalized after his arrival in this country. The only long-term solution to continuing terrorism is a change in attitude and policy vis a vis foreign relations, that is, our long-held policy of putting our noses where they don't belong.

Have a long history of doing so. Certainly, dating back to the dawn of modern terrorism back in 1948 as the United States, Europe, and the UN granted Holocaust survivors carte blanche to invade Palestine, kill Palestinians, steal their land, etc., using modern terroristic tactics they invented and implemented. Followed up by the debacles in Korea, Vietnam, Gulf 1, Gulf 2, and Afghanistan.

Ferociously pointedly, Afghanistan could have been avoided had the State Department done full background checks on the 9/11 hijackers. Heeded warnings from the flight schools the terrorists wished to learn only how to fly straight and level, not take off and land. Not one head rolled in government. Instead both political parties gutlessly eviscerated all civil and constitutional rights and liberties vis a vis the USA 'Patriot' Act, 'Real' ID Act, Homeland 'Security' Act, etc..

Insult to injury? Get this:

"Trump on Wednesday also shifted his focus to Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), tweeting that Saipov had entered the country through a diversity visa lottery program he blamed on the senator. Trump also pledged to get rid of that program. On Wednesday afternoon, after Trump repeatedly criticized that visa program, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Saipov came to the United States with a diversity immigrant visa. Trump has argued for stricter screening of immigrants, which he says is needed to prevent terrorism, while opponents of his policies have repeatedly gone to court to block his efforts."

With damned good reason. Will do nothing to prevent such terrorism since with the exception of the 9/11 attacks, it's been homegrown. Here's the kicker. Ironically:

"Uzbekistan was not among the countries named in any version of the president’s travel ban, which largely targeted a number of majority-Muslim countries and would not have kept out anyone behind deadly terror attacks in the United States."

This country can't turn into an isolationist fortress, then hope for the best. Won't work. Not in our best interest. Not sustainable. The only way the terrorism issue can be ameliorated is through change in strategy, policy. Won't happen with a delusional, narcissistic nazi occupying the Oval Office.

"Cuomo and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio (D) said Wednesday that neither man had received a phone call from Trump. Both elected officials said they were not bothered because two senior Trump administration officials had called them, but both men also expressed umbrage at what they described as attempts to politicize the attack. “The president’s tweets I think were not helpful,” Cuomo said at the briefing Wednesday. “I don’t think they were factual. I think they tended to point fingers and politicize the situation.”

To be expected from a nazi fuhrer, narrow minded dictator, seeking over simplistic solutions to enormously difficult problems.

The Washington Times reports:

"New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday that he backs extreme vetting of foreigners visiting the U.S. — as long is it doesn’t target people based on religion or nationality. “We support vetting of individuals. We support very thorough vetting — not of groups of people just because they belong to a group. I think this is a very crucial distinction,” the Democrat mayor said at a press conference addressing the deadly terror attack in the city. “There should be very, very careful vetting of anyone where there is an indication of concern, but not because of their religion or not because of their country of origin,” he said."

Clearly, not the nazi way, as our formerly great country transforms from the de facto fascist police-state we already live in to the Trump nazi's Fourth Reich. ... Right, Sheriff?

Trump can't get his facts straight. NPR reports:

"Reports in conservative media outlets say the accused terrorist, Sayfullo Saipov, entered the U.S. with such a visa, after winning a yearly lottery, in which up to 50,000 foreigners are awarded green cards. President Trump singled out the program this morning, and one of its congressional sponsors, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York.

The terrorist came into our country through what is called the "Diversity Visa Lottery Program," a Chuck Schumer beauty. I want merit based.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 1, 2017

We are fighting hard for Merit Based immigration, no more Democrat Lottery Systems. We must get MUCH tougher (and smarter). @foxandfriends
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 1, 2017

"Senator Chuck Schumer helping to import Europes problems" said Col.Tony Shaffer. We will stop this craziness! @foxandfriends
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 1, 2017"

Here are the facts:

"Schumer, then a member of the House, was a sponsor of the original program, part of an immigration bill that was approved on a bipartisan basis in 1990. It was signed into law by Republican President George H.W. Bush. In 2013, as a U.S. senator, Schumer actually proposed ending diversity visas as part of efforts by the so-called "Gang of 8," aimed at a broader immigration overhaul. Retiring Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., another member of the gang recalled that and jumped to Schumer's defense on Twitter:

"Actually, the Gang of 8, including @SenSchumer, did away with the Diversity Visa Program as part of broader reforms. I know, I was there https://t.co/QQFJzPyRzC
— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) November 1, 2017

"In fact, had the Senate Gang of 8 bill passed the House, it would have ended the Visa Lottery Program AND increased merit based visas. https://t.co/o3qJHHAv1C
— Jeff Flake (@JeffFlake) November 1, 2017

"The Gang of 8 measure died in the House because of GOP-led opposition."

The president can't, won't be confused with the facts.

"Schumer responded to Trump's criticism with a pointed statement of his own, accusing the president of dividing the country and of wanting to cut anti-terrorism funding: "I have always believed and continue to believe that immigration is good for America. President Trump, instead of politicizing and dividing America, which he always seems to do at times of national tragedy, should be focusing on the real solution — anti-terrorism funding — which he proposed cutting in his most recent budget. "I'm calling on the President to immediately rescind his proposed cuts to this vital anti-terrorism funding."

The Washington Post reports:

"President Trump said Wednesday that he is considering sending the Uzbek immigrant accused of killing eight people in Tuesday's terrorist attack in New York to the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, saying the United States must be "much tougher" with its treatment of terror suspects."

Say what? We're already summarily executing them as we did bin Laden, instead of returning the bastard to New York for trial. Have tortured them overseas as well as at Gitmo. Denied them prisoner of war status to conveniently abrogate the Geneva Conventions. Yet, terror continues.

Wonder why? Wake up. Our tactics and policies don't work. Won't solve the problem. Can't. Yet, we remain too clueless and blind to see the obvious. A desperate need for change. Until that happens, expect the fiasco to continue unabated.

Worse, Trump remains clueless, too aggressively stupid, narcissistic to see the light:

"Trump said that terrorists are "constantly seeking to strike our nation," and that keeping the country safe will require the "unflinching devotion to our law enforcement, homeland security and intelligence professionals." “Terrorists are constantly seeking to strike our nation and it will require the unflinching devotion to our law enforcement, homeland security and intelligence professionals to keep America safe.”

Not working, jackass. Wake up.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-3-17

Highly reminiscent of Llano County Sheriff Bill Blackburn and his criminal SS jackbooted bastards in black who continue to egregiously disgrace themselves and the badge, do as they please regardless of the law and Constitution, carefully consider the following. It's appalling. Runs against the grain of everything our formerly great country once stood for. No longer.

The following is inexcusable. Highly reminiscent of the SS jackbooted bastards in Hitler's Third Reich. NPR reports:

"Immigrant advocates are protesting the Border Patrol's apprehension this week of a 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy who is in the country illegally after she was operated on at a Texas hospital. Federal immigration officers intercepted the child as she and a cousin, who is a U.S. citizen, were in an ambulance being transferred between two hospitals so that she could receive emergency gall bladder surgery.

"10 year old Maria Rosa is at a hospital & @CustomsBorder is right outside her room waiting to deport her Sign&Share https://t.co/IYVjAkF37w pic.twitter.com/bIkRJzYwSa
— DreamActivist (@DreamAct) October 25, 2017"

This country has no heart. No soul. No longer. Not in what amounts to a de facto fascist police-state soon to be the Trump nazi's Fourth Reich.

"Rosamaria Hernandez was brought to the United States illegally from Mexico when she was 3 months old, according to her family and immigrant advocates involved in her case. She was traveling in an ambulance to Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi when federal immigration officers stopped the vehicle at a checkpoint."

SS nazi storm troopers.

"The Border Patrol agents followed the ambulance to the hospital. When the hospital discharged the child, Border Patrol agents took the 10-year-old into custody instead of allowing her cousin to take her back to her parents, who are also in the country illegally, in Laredo."

Jesus Christ. We've lost ourselves. Trump's sick sycophants continue to defend this shit. Have drunk the Kool Aide. Bought the bullshit. Yet, falsely call themselves Christians.

"The young Mexican national has now been transported to a government-contracted juvenile shelter in San Antonio, 150 miles from Laredo, and put into deportation proceedings."

She's ten-years-old. Recovering from surgery. No heart. No soul. Jackbooted nazis.

"The Border Patrol defends its agents, saying they escorted Rosamaria to the children's hospital to ensure she received appropriate medical care and then processed her according to U.S. immigration laws."

Just doing their job? Haven't we heard this shit before? Didn't the Nazi's claim the same at the Nuremberg trials at the end of the Second World War? While these jackbooted bastards aren't routinely murdering on the job, just a matter of time. ... Right, Mr. 'President?"

"In an open letter addressed to the Department of Homeland Security's acting secretary, Elaine Duke, the advocacy group DreamActivist says Rosamaria was told "she has two options; sign voluntary departure or spend up to 3 weeks in detention."

This is a ten-year-old kid. Recovering from surgery. Suffering from cerebral palsy. No heart. No soul. Not in a fascist police-state soon to be the Trump nazi's Fourth Reich.

"Families should not have to decide between getting life saving help, or being deported," the group said in the letter."

Forget? This is Trump's Fourth Reich. You're expected to goose step in unison. The nazi way. ... Right, Mr. 'President?'

"Democrats in Congress recently demanded the homeland security secretary rein in immigration agents making an increasing number of arrests at or near hospitals, churches and schools. Immigrant advocates are calling it the latest outrage under President Trump's aggressive immigration enforcement."

Democrats remain complicit. Continue to powerlessly sit on their hands. Have repeatedly failed to walk out of Congress in protest. Gutless cowards.

"Alex Galvez, a lawyer representing Rosamaria, tells Newsweek that "this wouldn't have happened during the Obama administration." "This current administration wants to send a clear message to all undocumented immigrants — that if you want to go to [a] hospital, you better think twice about it because you might be deported," he told the magazine."

A fascist police-state transformed into the Trump nazi's Fourth Reich.

NPR reports:

"Lawyers for an undocumented 10-year-old girl with cerebral palsy have filed a federal lawsuit demanding the government release her from a children's shelter. The Department of Health and Human Services has refused. Border Patrol agents—in a highly criticized action—took the child into custody after she received an operation at a hospital. The lawsuit, filed in San Antonio federal court on Tuesday, claims that Rosa Maria Hernandez has a constitutional right to be in her parents' care. The child, who has mental and physical disabilities, has lived in Laredo, Texas, with her mother and father — who are also unauthorized — for the past 10 years. "Rosa Maria is being taken care of by strangers," says Michael Tan, an ACLU lawyer who is representing Hernandez. "Imagine sending your child to the hospital for surgery, only to have law enforcement sweep in and take them away from you."

Clearly, we've lost ourselves.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-3-17

Insult to injury? NPR reports:

"Amid the Trump administration's efforts to arrest people living in the country illegally, the Department of Homeland Security is looking at locations for five new detention centers around the country that could hold thousands of detainees."

Appalling. No more than concentration camps. While certainly not German Nazi death camps, think that's out of the realm of possibility as our formerly great country continues to nazify? This is precisely how great evil starts:

"According to a request for information posted to a federal contracting web site on Oct. 12, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement is considering sites near four cities where it has offices: Chicago, Detroit, Salt Lake City and St. Paul, Minn. Last month, the agency put out a similar request to identify a possible detention site in South Texas. In a statement to NPR, ICE said the postings are part of its regular "market research" and that it was soliciting feedback on possible vendors, locations and facilities. The agency said it had no restriction on who could respond to its request, "private company or otherwise."

... Like a frog lulled to sleep in a pot of water slowly heated on a stove.

"ICE reports the average daily population in its detention facilities was a little more than 38,000 for the 2017 fiscal year. The president's 2018 budget plan requests an increase of $1.2 billion in funding for detention beds, to support an average population of over 48,000 adults."

... The nightmare will grow. -- As it did innocuously at the start of Hitler's Third Reich.

"The ACLU announced Thursday that it was joining with legal services and immigrants' rights organizations in asking ICE not to open the new detention facilities. "ICE's intention to expand detention in areas surrounding four of the nation's largest cities is deeply disturbing," said Loral Parole, director of immigration policy and campaigns at the ACLU. "This move represents further action by the Trump administration to target long term residents, including Dreamers, asylum seekers fleeing persecution in their home countries, and other immigrant communities. The ICE detention system is already notorious for inhumane and abusive conditions as well as lack of transparency and accountability."

You think? Yet, Trump's sick sycophants still continue to mindlessly support the nazi.

"Arrests by ICE have spiked since the beginning of the Trump presidency. ICE reported that it arrested 41,000 people in just the first 100 days after the president signed his executive order on border security and immigration enforcement. But despite a 43 percent increase in immigration arrests since Trump's inauguration, ICE actually deported fewer people in the 2017 fiscal year than in the previous year. According to The Washington Post, that's because the group of people easiest to deport, those caught sneaking over the border illegally, dropped dramatically after Trump took office."

Not good enough for the Trump nazi and his henchmen. It's now open season on all undocumented immigrants. The nazi way. These pieces of shit are ferociously reminded this land was stolen from Native Americans by undocumented European immigrants hundreds of years ago. Every goddamned treaty has been broken by this government. Every one of them.

To repeat:

Yet, Trump still wants a wall. To line the pockets of the corporate management suite, courtesy of looted taxpayers. ... A wall, any wall, no matter how fortified can be breached with sufficient effort, -- going over, under, or through.

"The ICE web site lists dozens of detention facilities around the country, but many of them are county jails. In contrast, ICE's posting for a South Texas site seeks a facility large enough for 1,000 adult detainees. ICE is interested in facilities where it could detain 400 to 1,200 people in Chicago, and 200 to 600 detainees in each of Detroit, St. Paul and Salt Lake City."

A massive roundup apparently planned by these SS jackbooted bastards.

"The U.S. has an immigration court backlog of more than 600,000 cases — or more than 2,000 pending cases for every immigration judge. That means those who are arrested for being in the country illegally could sit in ICE's detention centers for years before they are deported."

Nazi justice in American gulags.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-3-17

Amazing how day is night, night is day, and shit smells perversely sweet to the nazi element in our formerly great country. CBS News reports:

"Attorney General Jeff Sessions said it's imperative to "vigorously defend our inalienable rights" as a part of the the United States' heritage of protecting and enforcing the country's constitutional laws, and he criticized courts that have recently struck down President Trump's executive orders as an "overreach" of the separation of powers."

Called checks and balances, you nazi son of a bitch. Intended by the Founders to protect us from fascists like you, Jeff, and your nazi fuhrer, the Trump nazi.

"There's nothing like the sophistication and integrity and stability of our legal system. It's something beyond anything anywhere in the world," remarked Sessions at the Heritage Foundation's Legal Strategy Forum on Constitutional principles and the rule of law on Thursday."

You and your fuhrer bastardize the law and Constitution, not uphold it, you lying piece of crap.

"He referred to the president's executive orders on DACA and the new travel ban and argued it is not for the "courts to decide what's compassionate or not."

It's up to the judges you criticize to do their job, that is, uphold the law and Constitution. Which they've certainly done regarding your fuhrer's executive orders.

"Judges' comments on policy like this is offensive, and it's disrespectful of the legislative and executive branches," said Sessions, urging the preservation of the separation of powers in the federal government. But also inherent in the separation of powers are the checks and balances that enable branches to curb each other's power, and which Sessions did not mention."

That's right. Never occurred to the nazi AG and his fuhrer. No goddamned dictator could ever understand this.

"Sessions held up Hawaii U.S. District Judge Derrick Watson's ruling blocking the most recent iteration of the travel ban, as an example of judges who don't respect the separation of powers, arguing that they "erode the rule of law, create bad precedent and undermine the public respect necessary for courts to be able to function."

A crock of shit. Any lack of respect the public has for the court system is directly due to the growing number of national socialists, nazis being appointed to the bench. Nazi's like you, Jeff, who raucously shit on the Constitution, including the Bill of Rights.

NPR reports:

"President Trump's would-be ban on transgender service members in the military has been blocked from going into effect for the foreseeable future. A U.S. district judge in Washington, D.C., decided on Monday that trans members of the military have a strong case that the president's ban would violate their Fifth Amendment rights. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly granted a preliminary injunction to keep the policy from going into effect while the court case moves forward. As a result of her injunction, the military policy on transgender service members will "revert to the status quo," Kollar-Kotelly writes — that is, the policy that was in place before Trump's announcement. That policy allowed trans members currently in the military to serve openly and for openly trans people to be admitted to serve in the future."

Unlike you, Jeff, this judge is honoring her oath of office.

Your hypocrisy is stunning, Mr. Sessions. You refuse to rein in the criminal jackbooted bastards in blue who abuse, shake down, and murder innocent unarmed civilians on the job. Yet, you sit on funds for training. Why? Because you haven't gotten your way? NPR reports:

"Every single state gets one of these grants and this year not a single state has gotten it and we have repeatedly asked the Department of Justice what's going on," Lawlor said. "They consistently can't or won't answer the question so we don't know. We assume it's because they have concerns about sanctuary cities around the country."

If all won't goose step in unison, no one gets any training funds? No one?

"Earlier this year Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Department of Justice would withhold federal crime-fighting dollars from so-called sanctuary jurisdictions in an effort to crack down on illegal immigration. But that's been challenged in the courts. Most recently a federal judge in Chicago granted a preliminary injunction that stopped the DOJ from withholding funds to sanctuary cities."

The judge did the right thing. Attempted to rein in the Sessions nazi, and his fuhrer.

"At this point though, the DOJ hasn't just missed the disbursement date. States have not even been notified of the grant award, which usually happens around April or May, according to Lawlor. "There's going to be more steps that have to take place before the money's actually received, and typically it's about six months from the date of the award until the date you get the check," Lawlor said. "And it's important to keep in mind, this is going on in every state in the country. The reddest of red states, you know, Mississippi, Alabama, they're having the same problem."

Imagine that. Couldn't be, could it?

"As of the end of October, the grant process is five to six months behind schedule, and counting. On Oct. 24, Sens. Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal along with other lawmakers from the Connecticut delegation, sent a letter to Sessions demanding an explanation for the delay and asking for a response within 10 days."

Think the following isn't a problem?

NPR reports:

"The deputy attorney general strode onto the stage last week in a seventh-floor conference room at the Justice Department to announce criminal charges against two Chinese men who used the Internet to sell deadly synthetic drugs.

"DOJ veterans took note for a different reason: the fact that Kellyanne Conway, a counselor to President Trump, had ventured down Pennsylvania Avenue and past Justice Department security to hear the announcement in person."

Think that's not a problem?

"It's unusual for a White House adviser to appear at a news conference about an enforcement matter. And for Trump administration critics in Congress and out, it's yet another example of how the administration is refusing to respect the independence of the Justice Department. "Although we've had attorneys general who view their job as serving the president and as an extension of the White House, I do not believe that's the job of the attorney general," Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in a hearing last week, one day after the fentanyl event. "The attorney general's master is the people and the law."

No longer. Not when a fascist occupies the Oval Office.

"Matthew Miller, who led the Justice Department's public affairs office during the tenure of President Barack Obama's long-serving attorney general, Eric Holder, said he could not recall a time when an Obama White House official traveled to the Justice Department to hear an enforcement announcement that was being livestreamed online. "It sends a message that these law enforcement activities are coordinated, directed by the White House," Miller said. "It's an appearance thing."

Worse than that? Offers proof the Sessions nazi is beholden to his fuhrer, not the law and Constitution. Exceptionally dangerous to a democratic republic.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-3-17

Noose figuratively tightens around the Trump nazi and his henchmen. Indictments unsealed in the Mueller investigation as well as a guilty plea by one of Trump's former underlings. CBS News reports:

"A former campaign aide to President Donald Trump has pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents working for special counsel Robert Mueller as part of his probe into possible coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia. Trump foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos attempted to set up a meeting with Mr. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, and he spoke to an overseas professor about Russian "dirt" on Hillary Clinton, in the form of thousands of emails, and according to court documents, he told the FBI lies about both."

Trump's henchmen wouldn't lie, would they?

"Papadopoulos pleaded guilty on Oct. 5 to one count of lying to FBI agents about the nature of his interactions with "foreign nationals" who he thought had close connections to senior Russian government officials. The plea was unsealed Monday."

How about that? Who'd 'a 'thunk' it?

"According to court documents, Papadopoulos misstated the timing of his interactions with an overseas professor who apparently had connections to the Russian government. While Papadopoulos acknowledged that the professor had told him that the the Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton -- thousands of emails -- he claimed that he had learned this before he joined the Trump campaign. However, investigators found that Papadopoulos joined the campaign in early March, and he met with the professor in mid-March. Papadopoulos also claimed in his FBI interview that the professor was "a nothing," and just a guy talking up his connections. But in fact, the 30-year-old senior foreign adviser was trying to make contact with the Kremlin through the professor's connections."

What's incredibly interesting about this is he apparently thought he could lie, mislead investigators and get away with it. Whether one is guilty or innocent, why even talk to investigators? If you're guilty as hell, they will nail you, -- sooner or later. If you're innocent and considering the fact we now live in a de facto fascist police-state soon to be the Trump nazi's Fourth Reich, why talk to investigators at all?

Either way, you're f--ked. Investigators determined to railroad the innocent will take whatever they're told, twist it into something it's not, then use it against their victim. Unless, of course, you're a cop, -- who nearly always receives carte blanche to do as he or she pleases. ... Right, Sheriff? The entire system remains hopelessly corrupt. Top to bottom, bottom to top.

"Among those connections was a female Russian national who was described in Papadopoulos' emails as Russian President Vladimir Putin's niece. Papadopoulos, according to the court documents, worked with the Russian national and the professor to set up a meeting between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. He also told advisers to the campaign that he could help arrange a meeting between Mr. Trump and Putin. Papadopoulos told the FBI that he had done some "shuttle diplomacy" for the president, but he did not inform investigators about his interactions with the professor and the Russian national regarding his efforts to set up meetings between the Trump campaign and the Russian government. He also lied about the extent of his conversations with the Russian national, stating that the their communications were limited to emails that said "just, 'Hi, how are you?'" and "'That's it,'" he told the FBI."

If that's indeed true, and apparently it is, this guy's an idiot. What could he possibly been thinking?

"On Apr. 25, Papadopoulos wrote to a senior Trump campaign adviser that "the Russian government has an open invitation by Putin for Mr. Trump to meet him when he is ready."

To what end? Why would the Russians even care unless they were trying to influence the election?

"In May, Papadopoulos emailed a "high-ranking campaign official," according to the court documents, writing, "Russia has been eager to meet Mr. Trump for quite sometime and have been reaching out to me to discuss."

Think this doesn't reek?

"Papadopoulos is the first person to face criminal charges that cite interactions between Trump campaign associates and Russian intermediaries during the 2016 presidential campaign. He was a member of the campaign's foreign policy team, but Trump aides have said he played a limited role in the campaign and had no access to Mr. Trump."

Didn't have to, did he? Hard to believe Trump wasn't informed, unaware of what was going on.

NPR reports:

"George Papadopoulos, who worked for President Trump's campaign as a foreign policy adviser, has pleaded guilty to lying to FBI agents about meeting a professor with Russian ties who had promised to provide "dirt" on Trump's Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton. Papadopoulos, 30, pleaded guilty on Oct. 5, in an agreement that is only being unsealed on Monday after Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort was taken into federal custody, indicted along with his top deputy on charges that range from conspiracy against the United States to conspiracy to launder money. The office of Special Counsel Robert Mueller says Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to lying about "the timing, extent, and nature of his relationships and interactions with certain foreign nationals whom he understood to have close connections with senior Russian government officials."

Fascinating, isn't it?

"Papadopoulos told agents that the professor had told him the Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton, according to court documents. He met with the professor around March 14, after joining the Trump campaign, the Justice Department says. More than a month later, the professor told Papadopoulos that the damaging information was in the form of "thousands of emails." That conversation took place "on or about April 26, 2016, when defendant ... had been a foreign policy adviser to the Campaign for over a month," according to the Statement of Offense that was released Monday. As part of the plea deal, Papadopoulos signed papers certifying those statements as being fair and accurate."

Had no choice after being caught in a lie.

The Washington Post reports:

"Special prosecutor Robert S. Mueller III on Monday revealed charges against three former Trump campaign officials — former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, his longtime business partner Rick Gates and former Trump foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos — marking the first criminal allegations to come from probes into possible Russian influence in U.S. political affairs.

"Manafort and Gates were charged in a 12-count indictment with conspiracy to launder money, making false statements and other charges stemming from probes into possible Russian influence in U.S. political affairs.

"The charges against Manafort and Gates did not reference the Trump campaign, a point President Trump noted on Twitter Monday. “Sorry, but this is years ago, before Paul Manafort was part of the Trump campaign. But why aren’t Crooked Hillary & the Dems the focus?????” Trump wrote.

“....Also, there is NO COLLUSION!” he said in a follow-up tweet."

Think so? We'll see. Forget? This is just the beginning.

CBS News reports:

"The 31-page indictment against Manafort and Gates contains 12 counts including conspiracy to launder money, conspiracy against the U.S., unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading statements surrounding the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), false statements and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign bank and financial accounts."

With the stakes so high, government so powerful, why would these men place themselves at such great risk? Not be sure every 'i' was dotted, 't' crossed? To say nothing of being absolutely sure their activities were legal, aboveboard?

"Between at least 2006 and 2015, Manafort and Gates worked as unregistered agents of the government of Ukraine, and took in tens of millions of dollars in income, the indictment noted. The pair laundered the money through "scores of" U.S. and foreign corporations and bank accounts in order to hide their Ukraine payments from U.S. authorities, the indictment says. They funneled money through accounts in Cyprus, Saint Vincent, the Grenadines and the Seychelles, all while falsely and repeatedly reporting to the U.S. that they had no foreign bank accounts, according to the indictment. More than $75 million flowed through offshore accounts operated by Manafort and Gates, the indictment says. Manafort, specifically, laundered more than $18 million and Gates transferred more than $3 million from the offshore accounts to other accounts he controlled, it said."

With near unlimited resources enjoyed by government, how can anyone engage in criminal activity, not expect to get caught eventually? While they have yet to be convicted, consider the following:

"Both of them directed a campaign to lobby U.S. officials on behalf of the Ukrainian government, and they broke the law by not reporting their work and fees to the U.S., the indictment says. Manafort enjoyed a "lavish lifestyle" in the U.S. using his "hidden wealth" overseas, the indictment says, and he did not pay taxes on that income. He spent "millions of dollars on luxury goods and services" and purchased multi-million dollar properties in the U.S. For the first count of conspiracy against the U.S., the indictment says that Manafort and Gates "knowingly and intentionally conspired to defraud the United States by impeding, impairing, obstructing and defeating the lawful governmental functions of a government agency, namely the Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury."

Apparently, this investigation had been going on quite some time:

"CBS News' Jeff Pegues reports the indictments signal a new phase in the Russia probe and CBS News' Paula Reid adds that Mueller is trying to make a statement by moving quickly and aggressively. In September, The New York Times reported that federal prosecutors had planned to indict Manafort. CBS News confirmed that month that Manafort had been wiretapped under a foreign intelligence warrant in connection with U.S. concerns that he was communicating with Russian operatives who wanted to influence the American election. The warrants were issued before Robert Mueller was appointed as special counsel to take over the investigation from the FBI."

Fox News reports:

"Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his associate Rick Gates have been indicted by a federal grand jury Monday on 12 counts, according to the special counsel’s office. The special counsel’s office told Fox News that the counts include conspiracy against the United States, conspiracy to launder money, unregistered agent of a foreign principal, false and misleading Foreign Agent Registration (FARA) statements, false statements and seven counts of failure to file reports of foreign banks and financial accounts. Manafort and Gates will appear before Magistrate Judge Deborah Robinsonat 1:30pm on Monday for an initial appearance and arraignment, the special counsel's office said. In addition, a guilty plea by former Trump campaign policy adviser George Papadopolous was announced by Mueller. He admitted to making false statements to FBI agents as part of the investigation. The cases were unsealed Monday, after Manafort and Gates were permitted to surrender themselves to the custody of the FBI, the special counsel’s office told Fox News."

Think Mueller won't use these indictments to pressure Manafort and Gates to cooperate in the ongoing investigation?

CBS News reports:

"President Donald Trump misstated the reach of the indictment against his former campaign chairman Monday, claiming it deals with activities "years ago," before he was running for president. Actually, some of the criminal behavior alleged in the charges is as recent as the early days of his presidency.

"TRUMP tweet: "Sorry, but this is years ago, before Paul Manafort was part of the Trump campaign."

"THE FACTS: Not true, according to the indictment.

"Manafort and his associate Rick Gates are charged with criminal activities that go back to 2006 but extend to February of this year. The charges do not refer to Manafort's activities with the campaign but rather accuse him of laundering money and conspiratorial acts before, during and after he had that job. Manafort and Gates face 12 counts and do deal largely with activities from 2006 to 2015, before Manafort joined the campaign in March 2016."

Precisely, why Trump's statements need to be continually questioned.

CBS News reports:

"Manafort and Gates pleaded not guilty in federal court on Monday afternoon. They entered a packed courtroom for their arraignment, accompanied by U.S. marshals, but not restrained in any way, reports CBS News' Paula Reid. Both men were asked to stand, state their names and pledge to tell the truth. Manafort's lawyer spoke for him and entered a plea of not guilty on all counts. Gates had not retained a lawyer and was represented by a public defender who said Gates intends to hire private counsel soon and entered a plea of not guilty on all counts for Gates."

CBS News reports:

"Among the 12 charges in the federal grand jury's indictment against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, "conspiracy against the United States" certainly sounds the most ominous."

Sounds a bit over the top, doesn't it? Important not to get lost in the weeds:

"However, this is not a charge that is related to Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into collusion with the Russians in the 2016 presidential election. Nor do any of the charges listed in the indictment directly relate to his work for the Trump campaign. So, why is it referred to as a "conspiracy"? Because the charge involves two or more people -- in this case, the second person is Rick Gates, Manafort's business partner, who was indicted Monday with him. Gates also served as the Trump campaign's liaison to the Republican National Committee. The U.S. code on this calls it conspiracy "[i]f two or more persons conspire either to commit any offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States."

Definition of "defraud?"

"According to the Justice Department, defrauding the U.S. would include any of these three activities:

"1.The[y] cheat the government out of money or property;

"2.They interfere or obstruct legitimate Government activity; or

"3.They make wrongful use of a governmental instrumentality."

Time to write all statutes in plain easily understandable English.

"That is, "conspiracy" here means the money laundering, illegal wire transfers, and the setting up of dummy companies to be able to launder money that Gates and Manafort, Kleiman told CBSN Monday. In other words, the false statements to conceal the millions of dollars that Manafort and Gates are accused of making as unregistered agents of the Ukrainian government."

NPR reports:

"The guilty plea by George Papadopoulos, a 30-year-old former foreign policy adviser to the Trump campaign, detailed a series of contacts he had with people close to the Russian government in 2016. The court documents said Papadopoulos reported his conversations to a "supervisor" and "high-ranking" members of the campaign team. Investigators said that after his secret arrest in July, Papadopoulos has been meeting with the government "on numerous occasions to provide information and answer questions."

Think Mueller isn't using this guy to flip others?

"The message: He may be offering evidence against others still under investigation. Other people inside the Trump campaign also are said to have received overtures from Russians or Russian agents at about the same time that Trump named Papadopoulos as an adviser. One of them, Carter Page, traveled to Moscow at least twice last year."

Fascinating, isn't it?

"Thomas Breen and Robert Stanley, lawyers for Papadopoulos, said they had to refrain from comment on the case for now. But, they added, "We will have the opportunity to comment on George's involvement when called upon by the court at a later date. We look forward to telling all of the details of George's story at that time."

Bet they do. Certainly, has rattled the White House. Up to and including the Trump nazi. Think not? Get this. NBC News reports:

"President Donald Trump on Tuesday blasted former campaign adviser George Papadopoulos as a "liar" and "low level volunteer" after it was revealed a day earlier that he had secretly pleaded guilty and struck a cooperation agreement with special counsel Robert Mueller."

This, after earlier praising him during the campaign.

"The Fake News is working overtime. As Paul Manafort lawyer said, there was 'no collusion' and events mentioned took place long before he.......came to the campaign. Few people knew the young, low level volunteer named George, who has already proven to be a liar. Check the DEMS!" Trump tweeted in a pair of tweets Tuesday morning.

"The Fake News is working overtime. As Paul Manaforts lawyer said, there was "no collusion" and events mentioned took place long before he...
"— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2017

"....came to the campaign. Few people knew the young, low level volunteer named George, who has already proven to be a liar. Check the DEMS!
"— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 31, 2017"

Amazing how the Trump nazi can turn on a dime. Clearly, this guilty plea has rattled the president's cage. Sadly, unbecoming of the Trump nazi to continue to try to shift focus, blame, and the spotlight on Democrats, -- who to date have not been worth a crap, either. Certainly, miserably failed to effectively confront the Trump nazi, expose him for whom and what he is.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

11-3-17

Think the following doesn't reek? ABC News reports:

"Nearly four weeks after the deadline, the Trump administration still has not implemented the sanctions against Russia that Congress passed with veto-proof majorities in July. But the delay from the administration is not new. President Donald Trump was essentially forced to sign the legislation over the summer after his administration lobbied for changes to the bill. While Congress has felt compelled to punish Russia beyond the sanctions President Barack Obama imposed at the end of his term, Trump -- who has called for warmer relations with Russia as a candidate and president -- opposed sanctions that the White House believed would only hurt cooperation with President Vladimir Putin's government."

Think Mueller isn't looking into this as well?

"So far, however, the Trump administration has not fulfilled its obligations. The law gave the Trump administration staggered deadlines to begin implementation -- the first being Oct. 1 for the Russian portion. By then, the administration was supposed to have authorized particular agencies to identify Russian defense and intelligence officials under the new sanctions and then target them."

11-3-17

Think the ongoing fiasco in Puerto Rico regarding the Whitefish Energy debacle isn't of great concern to the White House? NPR reports:

"On Sunday the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority cancelled the highly disputed $300 million contract awarded to Whitefish Energy, a tiny American company tasked with restoring power to the still storm-ravaged island. PREPA spokesperson Carlos Monroig confirmed the news to NPR. The announcement came hours after Puerto Rican Governor Ricardo Rosselló demanded the contract's cancellation, amid ongoing local and federal audits.

For damned good reason. Reeks to high heaven. Get this:

"Tapped by PREPA, Whitefish was supposed to help. But questions arose soon after news broke on Oct. 19 that the Montana-based company was chosen over bigger and better known companies vying for the job. When it was hired, 2-year-old Whitefish had just two workers."

Imagine that. Gets worse:

"Much of the controversy that has surrounded the contract has focused on the high rates Whitefish is charging for labor. The contract shows those labor rates are pricey indeed: $240 an hour for a general foreman and $227 for a lineman. The per diems are also expensive: almost $80 a day for meals, and $332 a day for lodging. Employee flights are billed at $1,000 each way."

"For subcontractors, the bulk of Whitefish's workforce, the prices go even higher. A general foreman costs $336 an hour and a lineman, $319.

"Usually after huge power outages, electric companies arrange mutual aid agreements with utilities elsewhere to bring in workers to help restore power. But that would most likely have required assurances of payment, and PREPA has been bankrupt since July. So PREPA CEO Ricardo Ramos made a deal with Whitefish, which asked for no such guarantee."

Here's the kicker:

"Adding to suspicions, Whitefish is based in the hometown of Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, spurring him to issue a denial of involvement. He said in a statement Friday, "I had absolutely nothing to do with Whitefish Energy receiving a contract in Puerto Rico. Any attempts by the dishonest media or political operatives to tie me to awarding or influencing any contract involving Whitefish are completely baseless."

"I had absolutely nothing to do with Whitefish Energy receiving a contract in Puerto Rico. I welcome all investigations into the allegations pic.twitter.com/JQgVFR7Fp6
— Secretary Ryan Zinke (@SecretaryZinke) October 27, 2017"

Sounds like his fuhrer, the Trump nazi, doesn't he? LOL.

"Earlier in the week, the department also released a statement denying Zinke played a role and saying he only knows Whitefish CEO Andy Techmanskis "because they both live in a small town where everyone knows everyone."

Imagine that. How cozy. ... If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, guess what? -- It's a f--king duck. LOL.

"On Friday, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said President Trump asked Zinke about the contract and the cabinet secretary said he was not involved. "This was a state and local decision made by the Puerto Rican authorities and not the federal government," Sanders said."

Think so? If not, the shit will certainly hit the fan.

"But last week Rosselló asked the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general to review the contracting process, even while seeming to defend Whitefish for "providing important recovery services to PREPA in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which completely destroyed the Island's electrical grid system." Rosselló added that the contract "appeared to comply 100% with FEMA regulations."

Nonetheless, the rats appear to be jumping ship:

"Two days later, FEMA was also distancing itself from Whitefish saying, it "has significant concerns with how PREPA procured this contract and has not confirmed whether the contract prices are reasonable." The statement went on to say, "The decision to award a contract to Whitefish Energy was made exclusively by PREPA. FEMA was not involved in the selection."

Couldn't be, could it?

"Members of Congress have called for an investigation into the contract. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, senior Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, said on Tuesday, "Congress needs to understand why the Whitefish contract was awarded and whether other, more cost-effective options were available."

Can't have that, can we? After all, how else can the corporate management suite so easily line its bottomless pockets? Take care of its bought and paid for lackeys in government? Saddest of all? Approximately, 80% of Puerto Ricans have no power after all these weeks since the hurricane struck.

CBS News reports:

"The FBI is investigating the $300 million contract awarded by Puerto Rico's government power company to Montana-based Whitefish, a company with just two full-time employees, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. The San Juan field office is probing the deal made by Prepa with Whitefish, the Journal reported, citing three people who are familiar with the matter. The FBI spokesperson in San Juan, Carlos Osorio, told CBS News he is not aware of such an investigation, however."

Fascinating, isn't it?

There's more. NPR reports:

"A retired senior military officer has been appointed to oversee the rebuilding of Puerto Rico's devastated power grid in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, as some three-quarters of the island's residents remain without electricity. In a written statement on Wednesday, the federal board that oversees Puerto Rico's troubled finances announced its "intent to appoint" retired Air Force Colonel Noel Zamot "as chief transformation officer" of PREPA, the island's power utility. "I am fully committed to bringing the resources necessary to restore electricity to the people of Puerto Rico as quickly as possible, and to re-activate the economy and bring normalcy to the island," Zamot said in a statement."

This decision did not sit well with the Governor:

"But Reuters reports, quoting a source familiar with [Puerto Rican] Gov. Ricardo Rosselló's thinking, as saying that the territory's government is not happy about Zamot's appointment. And in a public statement, Rosselló appeared to chafe at the board's move, saying it had overstepped its authority in making the appointment. The governor said management of island agencies "rests exclusively on democratically elected officials."

Think so? Forget? The de facto fascist police-state we already live in is being quickly transformed into the Trump nazi's Fourth Reich.

11-3-17

The Trump nazi continues to do what he can to cause Obamacare to summarily fail, rather than wisely wait to fall of its own weight, to say nothing of bottomless provider greed. CBS News reports:

"It's sign-up season for the Affordable Care Act, but the Trump administration isn't making it easy -- cutting the enrollment period in half, slashing advertising and dialing back on counselors who help consumers get through the process. Many people already faced fewer choices and higher premiums. But President Donald Trump's decision to cancel a subsidy to insurers that lowers consumer costs compounded the turmoil, pushing premiums even higher. Add it all up, and the number of uninsured people may start rising again, eroding gains that drove the uninsured rate to a historic low. "It certainly is a hostile takeover," said health policy expert Joe Antos of the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute. "We are going to see a decline in enrollment. The people who will drop out in droves are the ones who are not getting a premium subsidy." Open enrollment starts Wednesday and ends Dec. 15 in most states, a sign-up period six weeks shorter than last year's."

When it does fail, Trump and his fellow Republicans will own that failure. Aggressive stupidity at its worst.

11-3-17

Think bottomless greed in the healthcare community isn't a problem? CBS News reports:

"Federal agents arrested the founder of a major drug company in an early-morning raid Thursday on charges stemming from an alleged scheme to get doctors to prescribe a powerful opioid to patients who don't need it. John Kapoor, 74, was taken into custody in Phoenix, Arizona. Kapoor is the billionaire founder and former CEO of the pharmaceutical company Insys Therapeutics. He faces charges including racketeering, conspiracy and fraud.

"Last December, six other Insys executives were indicted on federal charges in Boston in connection with the alleged scheme to bribe doctors to unnecessarily prescribe the painkilling drug."

Couldn't be, could it? LOL.

11-3-17

Then, the masses wonder why opioid addiction has been declared a public health emergency by the Trump nazi? NPR reports:

"President Trump declared a public health emergency to deal with the opioid epidemic Thursday, freeing up some resources for treatment. More than 140 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "We are currently dealing with the worst drug crisis in American history," Trump said, adding, "it's just been so long in the making. Addressing it will require all of our effort." "We can be the generation that ends the opioid epidemic," he said."

... Think so? -- There's a bridge in Brooklyn, oceanfront in Arizona you might be interested in.

CBS News reports:

"But the president's declaration of a national public health crisis falls short of what he promised in August, which was to declare the crisis a national emergency. Declaring the opioid epidemic a national public health emergency doesn't free up additional funds, or give the federal government as much leverage in addressing the crisis as a national emergency would have. The president defied his own opioid commission, led by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, recommending that he declare the crisis a national emergency. "With approximately 142 Americans dying every day, America is enduring a death toll equal to Sept. 11 every three weeks," the commission members wrote in July. "Your declaration would empower your cabinet to take bold steps and would force Congress to focus on funding and empowering the executive branch even further to deal with this loss of life."

Christie's not the only one:

"Former President Barack Obama's drug czar, Michael Botticelli, said what Mr. Trump did isn't enough. While I commend the president and the first lady for calling attention to the opioid epidemic, I think it's quite unfortunate and sad that none of the actions today I think are really going to have a major impact and urgent impact this epidemic," Botticelli said. "I think to issue a national emergency without additional resources is quite honestly very hollow and doesn't speak to the tremendous pain and loss that we're seeing in places all across the country," he added."

11-3-17

In follow up to the last edition, the Trump regime is indeed placing undocumented pregnant women seeking a pharmaceutical abortion in danger. -- By refusing them access to the second pill required to complete the procedure. The Texas Standard reports:

"ORR is the federal agency that has custody of unaccompanied minors who enter the U.S. without documentation. According to court documents filed last week in Garza v. Hargan, another case of an unaccompanied minor seeking an abortion, ORR officials told this particular shelter not to give the young woman the second pill. “That is extremely dangerous because a woman can become septic from leftover tissue in her uterus,” says Hays, who helps minors in Texas seeking abortions through a group called Jane’s Due Process. “And sepsis can kill you.” "Hays says she was tipped off to the incident shortly after the young woman was denied the second pill required to complete the abortion."

Amazing this can go on despite the constitutional right to abortion affirmed by Roe v. Wade in 1973. Apparently, the Trump nazi and his henchmen are not only denying these ladies their right to an abortion, but placing them in great physical danger by not allowing completion of the abortion.

"According to court documents in Garza, what stood between the young woman and that second pill was a memo written on March 4. The memo was written by Ken Tota, the acting director of ORR at the time. In addition to directing the shelter not to give the young woman the pill, Tota’s memo directed the shelter to take her to a local hospital. He wrote: This memorandum directs ORR to bring the UAC to the emergency room of a local hospital in order to determine the health status of the UAC and her unborn child. If steps can be taken to preserve the life of the UAC and her unborn child, those steps should be taken. If it is confirmed that the unborn child has already expired due to the beginning of the abortion procedure, steps can be taken to safely remove the body of the unborn child."

Gets worse:

"That Sunday, Hays says, the shelter followed the directions and subjected her to a gynecological exam. “That was not a necessary medical examination,” Hays says. “It was not one she could have possibly consented to, because she wasn’t told the purpose.” Hays says the shelter opened itself to possible litigation."

You think?

“A medical exam without consent is assault. A gynecological exam without consent is rape. And the federal government did that to that Jane,” she says, referring to the legal name Jane Doe given to minors in these situations. Cases involving minors are often sealed."

Convenient cover up of the government's duplicity.

Direct abrogation of the constitutional right to an abortion:

"The most sweeping aspect of that March 4 memo, though, is that it outlined a new policy for ORR: With the exception of emergency medical situations, when a UAC may be involved in an abortion, grantees [shelters] must immediately inform the director of the Division of Unaccompanied Children’s Services (DUCS or DCS) in ORR of the situation, must respond to DUCS’ requests for information, and are prohibited from taking any action that facilitates an abortion without direction and approval from the Director of ORR."

Say what? This goddamned government does not have the authority to abrogate a constitutional right. The right to abortion as affirmed by Roe v. Wade.

"In short, the new policy was that a shelter could not facilitate an abortion without the director’s approval. “And that is not only not the law — not the real policy – it violates a whole list of existing laws and rules including constitutional laws,” Hays says. According to court documents, the teenager finally got that second pill. But the new internal policy at ORR remains a big problem, she says. That’s why a federal court last week heard the Garza case, which involves a 17-year-old seeking an abortion at a shelter in Brownsville, Texas. On Tuesday, the court told the Trump administration to let her get the procedure."

This continues to be a problem. A big problem:

“The ACLU believes there are hundreds of pregnant [unaccompanied minors] in custody at any given time,” she says. “Hundreds. How many do we think have had abortions this year with Scott Lloyd running that office? Zero.” ORR declined to comment on how many abortions have been approved this year. Instead, officials from the Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the umbrella agencies for ORR, said in a statement: “For however much time we are given, the Office of Refugee Resettlement and HHS will protect the well-being of this minor and all children and their babies in our facilities, and we will defend human dignity for all in our care.”

Jesus Christ. Direct abrogation of the First Amendment Establishment Clause, church-state separation, that is, freedom from religion. Any doctor who conducted a medical exam without the consent of these young women should be prosecuted for assault. Any who conducted a gynecological exam without consent needs to be charged and prosecuted for rape.

"In Garza v. Hargan, the ACLU and others are asking a federal court to issue an injunction against these new policies – including forced gynecological exams and required visits to crisis pregnancy centers, among other things."

11-3-17

Lawsuits against the Trump nazi are quite useful. NPR reports:

"The work of President Trump's commission studying voter fraud and other voting problems has been stalled by the eight lawsuits filed against it, according to one commission member."

Doesn't your heart bleed?

"Indiana's Republican Secretary of State Connie Lawson says the suits, which seek release of all of the commission's correspondence, among other things, have had a "chilling" effect."

Indeed, a good thing.

"Some Democrats on the 11-member panel have complained in recent weeks that they're being kept in the dark about its activities and plans. But Lawson says she doesn't think anybody's being shut out because "right now, there's nothing going on."

Thank God. What an incredible waste of time and money. A witch hunt. LOL.

"Liberal advocacy groups have sued the commission, arguing that it is not complying with federal open records laws. The groups believe that the panel, which was formed after Trump alleged without evidence that up to five million people voted illegally last year, has been set up to justify policies such as requiring voters to show documents proving that they're U.S. citizens."

Certainly, needed to sue the bastards. The criticism against these goddamned nazis is more than justified. A public service. Anything to rein in the ongoing insanity.

11-3-17

Need a good laugh. Get this. CBS News reports:

"President Donald Trump is responding to a California billionaire who has vowed to spend at least $10 million in advertising calling for the president's impeachment. Mr. Trump is using Twitter to call Tom Steyer "wacky & totally unhinged." He says Steyer "has been fighting me and my Make America Great Again agenda from the beginning," adding the billionaire environmentalist "never wins elections!"

Kettle calling the pot black. LOL.

"Steyer recently launched the advertising, which has been running on Fox News and other national outlets, arguing that Mr. Trump should be ousted from office. Steyer contends Mr. Trump is pushing the U.S. toward a nuclear war, is obstructing justice at the FBI and threatening to shut down news organizations he doesn't like. Steyer wants viewers to call their members of Congress and tell them to bring articles of impeachment."

Good luck. LOL.

11-3-17

Height of hypocrisy? Cluelessness? A 'let 'em cake mentality?' Get this. CBS News reports:

"Donald Trump Jr., the president's older son who is in charge of his father's business responsibilities, joked on Twitter Tuesday night that he would take half his daughter's candy from Halloween to "teach her about socialism."

Already learning about national socialism from you and the old man, right, Donny Boy?

"I'm going to take half of Chloe's candy tonight and give it so some kid who sat at home," he tweeted. "It's never too early to teach her about socialism."

I’m going to take half of Chloe’s candy tonight & give it to some kid who sat at home. It’s never to early to teach her about socialism. pic.twitter.com/3ie9C0jv2G
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) October 31, 2017"

Amazing how achingly clueless, ill-informed, Aryan arrogant, the national socialist elite can be, isn't it?

Consider the following wake up call:

"The Twitter universe had fun with that tweet, as people like actor Zach Braff highlighted the whole point of Halloween is getting candy for free.

    She was given candy for free.
    You inherited all your money.
    You met with Russian spies.
    It’s “too”. https://t.co/Bsf5wkQxST
    — Zach Braff (@zachbraff) November 1, 2017

"J.K. Rowling, the now-wealthy author of the Harry Potter series who was once so poor she had to write the first novel on napkins in a pub, wrote, "Fill her bucket with old candy left by her great-grandfather, then explain that she has more because she's smarter than all the other kids."

Fill her bucket with old candy left by her great-grandfather, then explain that she has more because she's smarter than all the other kids. https://t.co/0lbhHYyFe4
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) November 1, 2017"

Can't confuse a nazi with the truth, can we? LOL.

11-3-17

Think the best and brightest who courageously serve their country in the military when called to duty should be subsequently screwed by their employers? Texas Standard reports:

"Kevin Ziober’s last day at the office started with a sheet cake. A red and blue American flag was iced on the top with tiny, sugary stars, and the inscription read, “Best Wishes Kevin.” He remembers co-workers stood up to give him a round of applause, and his office was decorated with camouflage netting. “I was humbled by the outpouring of support,” Ziober said of the early 2013 surprise party. As a Navy Reserve lieutenant, he was headed to Afghanistan for a year-long deployment."

Had no choice but to go when called to duty. What happened to this guy is appalling.

"Ziober would have to be gone from his civilian job at BLB Resources, a federal contractor in Irvine that manages and sells foreclosed properties. When he first told his bosses about his mobilization orders, Ziober said they were supportive. A few hours after the celebration, however, he got a call from his HR manager. Ziober walked into a meeting to see the owners of the company and his managers, who said BLB Resources was letting him go. His job would not be available when he got back from Afghanistan."

Jesus Christ. His country called. Had no choice but to go. Then, forced to come back to nothing? No job?

"At the time, Ziober assumed federal law shielding service members from job discrimination was on his side. But he had another surprise waiting for him: BLB Resources had a binding arbitration agreement, signed by every employee, that would prevent the case from going to court."

A job conditioned on acceptance of binding arbitration, forced forfeiture of the constitutional right to sue is outrageous. Unacceptable in a democratic republic based on the United States Constitution. Worse? Forced forfeiture of civil and constitutional rights in return for a job is the antithesis of liberty.

"Employer advocates argue arbitration agreements are more efficient than lawsuits. But arbitration is generally confidential, which means information about the case can’t be shared or create precedent for future disputes. There isn’t the same level of discovery allowed, depositions can be limited, and there’s no appeals process. In many arbitration agreements, employees can’t join together in a class-action lawsuit against a company."

The corporate management suite hires arbitrators sympathetic to the company. Pays them for their 'services.' Bought and paid for. To do their will.

“It’s essentially a secret court where you can’t appeal the decisions and you’ve got one or two hands tied behind your back to prove your case,” said Ziober’s attorney, Peter Romer-Friedman. “It’s really an un-American thing when it’s forced.” “I think we can all agree if any group should be free to litigate their claims in federal or state court, and ensure that the public knows about these problems that are facing our service members, it’s the service member and veteran community,” Romer-Friedman said. Judges on the 9th Circuit ultimately ruled against Ziober, rejecting his appeal to litigate his USERRA case in court."

Nazi justice in a goddamned de facto fascist police-state, soon to be the Trump nazi's Fourth Reich.

11-3-17

In follow up to the last edition, two more women have accused Bush "The First" of groping them. CBS News reports:

"A third woman is accusing former President George H.W. Bush of groping at a 2014 event in Houston. Christina Baker Kline wrote about the situation in an essay in Slate, explaining that she was invited to the event as a guest author for the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy fundraiser. During a photo-op, she wrote that the former president called her "beautiful" and asked her if she wanted to know his favorite book. "By now the photographer was readying the shot. My husband stood on one side of the wheelchair, and I stood on the other. President Bush put his arm around me, low on my back. His comic timing was impeccable. 'David Cop-a-feel,' he said, and squeezed my butt, hard, just as the photographer snapped the photo. Instinctively, I swiped his hand away," she wrote."

'Say it 'ain't' so, George. Say it 'ain't so.'

"Earlier in the week, actress Jordan Gronlick claimed Bush grabbed her bottom after a stage performance in Maine in 2016. Gronlick said the incident took place during a group photo with other cast members and Bush's wife, Barbara. And another actress, Heather Lind, wrote on Instagram, "Bush sexually assaulted me while posing for a...photo."

11-3-17

The attack on the First Amendment remains ferocious, continual. Texas Standard reports:

"Two Houston-area high school students protesting the Pledge of Allegiance say their constitutional rights have been violated by their school districts – and they’re taking their protest to court."

As well they should. Settled constitutional law egregiously ignored.

"India Landry and another student who is only being identified by her initials, M.O., say they have received especially harsh treatment from teachers and administrations because of their decision to sit during the pledge. They say they were shamed and punished for their protests. New York Times reporter Niraj Chokshi says the students are represented by the same attorney, and both cases were filed in federal court. The schools involved are Klein Oak High School in Spring and Windfern High School in Houston. Back in 1943, the Supreme Court affirmed students’ first amendment rights in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette. The court ruled that a West Virginia school board could not enforce a requirement that students participate in the pledge."

That's right. A constitutional right that's being abrogated by the schools. Can't force students to march in goose step. Outrageously unconstitutional.

11-3-17

Continuing trouble in nazi 'paradise.' ... Right, Governor? Texas Standard reports:

"Gov. Greg Abbott was in Washington on Tuesday, seeking additional federal funding for Harvey relief and getting an earful from Texas’ congressional delegation – a group the governor called “spineless” a few weeks ago when he felt lawmakers weren’t working hard enough to bring home the bacon. Republican Congressman Joe Barton of Ennis reportedly told Abbott on Tuesday, “Your comments were not helpful.”

Think not? 'Can't we all just get along?' LOL. Joke aside, what ever happened to Republican 'rugged individualism,' Greg? You bastards wouldn't expand federally-subsidized Medicaid, now want federal money for disaster relief? Anything wrong with this picture? Anything at all? Especially, since the Texas delegation hypocritically voted against Hurricane Sandy relief for the Northeast? Hypocrisy reigns supreme, doesn't it, Governor?

"Sean Collins Walsh, who has been following the story for the Austin American-Statesman, says Abbott thinks the two disaster relief funding bills Congress has passed so far do not provide enough money for Texas. Abbott’s comments a few weeks ago irritated some Texas lawmakers, but they did earn the governor another opportunity to plead his case for Harvey funds."

Imagine that. No rugged individualism. No self-reliance. Couldn't be, could it?

10-27-17

In stark contrast to Llano County Sheriff Bill Blackburn and his criminal SS jackbooted bastards in black who continue to egregiously disgrace themselves and the badge, do as they please regardless of the law and Constitution, carefully consider how a Vietnam combat medic heroically placed the men he served ahead of his own personal safety earning him the Congressional Medal of Honor. Seatbelts on.

ABC News reports:

"Retired Army Captain Gary Michael "Mike" Rose, 71, will receive the Medal of Honor Monday for his heroism as a combat medic during a harrowing secret mission into Laos in 1970. He is credited with saving the lives of 60 wounded personnel during four days of intense combat, including those injured when the helicopter that evacuated his team was brought down by enemy fire. “My job was to focus on the individuals that were hurt,” said Rose at a Pentagon news briefing on Friday. “You don't concern yourself about getting hurt or killed.”

"Rose said neither he nor his fellow Green Berets knew much about their mission beforehand, but in a sign of the intense battle ahead they had been told to pack double the amount of ammunition they would normally bring along. “We were carrying heavy loads of ammunition: extra machine gun, extra grenades -- God, everything else,” said Rose. “So I knew something was up, “I mean, it doesn't take a genius to figure that out.” Rose also brought along more medical supplies than usual, which was a good thing because by the time he treated the last of the injured he said “I was down to shirtsleeves and bandannas.”

Uncommon Valor:

"For the next four days Rose continually treated the mounting number of casualties as his unit pushed deeper into the Laotian jungle surrounded by growing numbers of North Vietnamese troops that numbered into the hundreds. Though he was also severely wounded in the fighting, Rose continued providing medical care to the others in his team."

“We weren't supposed to come out,” said retired Lt. Colonel Eugene McCarley, who led the mission in Laos and accompanied Rose at Friday’s briefing. But on September 14, Marine CH-53 helicopters were sent to evacuate out all of the remaining troops, not just the wounded as had been originally planned. “The ground fire from the anti-aircraft was just horrendous at that time,” said Rose. “The Marines were taking a pounding there.” Rose remained behind with the last group of Americans and Montagnards still on the ground to ensure the wounded were evacuated on the first two evacuation helicopters."

"Rose was one of the last people to board a third helicopter as North Vietnamese troops rushed into the landing area. Aboard the helicopter he provided life-saving care to one of the helicopter’s gunners who had been shot through the neck by enemy fire amid a hail of enemy bullets. Moments later, the helicopter crash-landed after its engines were taken out by enemy fire. At the crash site, Rose helped pull survivors from the burning helicopter and provided medical aid until another helicopter arrived to rescue them."

This exceptionally heroic Green Beret was to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor at the time for his valor, but sadly, not to be:

"Soon after the mission, Rose was recommended for the Medal of Honor, but in 1971 received the Distinguished Service Cross, the nation’s second-highest award for valor. It is possible that his award may have been downgraded as part of an effort to keep secret the U.S. mission in Laos."

Readers are advised this mission in 1970 was at a time of intense ongoing protest as the Nixon nazi and his cronies desperately tried to end the war. Their mantra? "Peace With Honor."

Fox News reports:

"Officially, retired Army Capt. Gary “Mike” Rose was never in Laos at the height of the Vietnam War. Rose, now 69, served as a medic in the Military Assistance Command Studies and Observations Group, an elite division of the Special Forces. It was so secret that, for more than four decades, he never spoke about it to anyone – not even the people he served with. Those that served with him, however, never forgot the bravery he showed during a four-day mission, called “Operation Tailwind,” in the landlocked country in September 1970. Rose, then a sergeant, ran through a hail of gunfire to treat more than 50 soldiers who were fighting the North Vietnamese Army – using one hand to hoist wounded men onto his back while he fired on the enemy with his other hand. In spite of his own injuries, he didn’t sleep for days to make sure all 16 American soldiers deployed with him made it home. They did. Forty-seven years later, his heroism was commemorated on Monday when he received the Medal of Honor during a special ceremony with President Trump at the White House."

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

10-27-17

In stark contrast to the judiciary in Llano County, Llano County prosecutors, Sheriff Bill Blackburn and his criminal SS jackbooted bastards in black who continue to egregiously disgrace themselves and the badge, do as they please regardless of the law and Constitution, carefully consider how other officials honorably, heroically conduct themselves elsewhere in the country.

The following is another example of a courageous judge willing to stand tall despite enormous pressure. NPR reports:

"U.S. District Judge Susan Ritchie Bolton says that President Trump's pardon of former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio does not "revise the historical facts" of his case — and that she will not vacate her ruling that found Arpaio guilty of criminal contempt."

Hat's off, Judge.

"On Thursday, Bolton quoted Black's Law Dictionary to say that a pardon "releases the wrongdoer from punishment and restores the offender's civil rights without qualification." But she then added a further interpretation in her own words: "It does not erase a judgment of conviction, or its underlying legal and factual findings."

Nor should it. The facts are the facts. ... Or should be. History cannot be credibly rewritten when it's not the truth.

"Citing legal precedents, Bolton said that while a pardon removes the threat of punishment, it does not "blot out guilt." Instead, she wrote in her decision, accepting a pardon implies a confession of guilt. Bolton also suggested that the timing of President Trump's pardon — when Arpaio had not appealed her verdict — played a role in her decision to preserve it."

Then again, a nazi like the former sheriff can't, won't be confused with the truth.

"In her decision, Bolton notes that unlike in legal precedents where a new trial or appeal was ongoing, Arpaio's didn't have an appeal pending. The judge writes, "the only matter mooted by the pardon was Defendant's sentencing and entry of judgment, the hearing for which was duly vacated." She added, "With nothing left to vacate, dismissal with prejudice was all that remained to be ordered. Having already done so, the Court declines to order any further relief."

Sounds like a sound decision, doesn't it? ... Unless, of course, you're on the receiving end. LOL.

"The situation could place Arpaio in a type of Catch-22, in which he's been saved from punishment by Trump's pardon but is unable to clear his name fully in the legal record."

So what? Had he wanted to 'clear' his name, why hadn't he already filed an appeal prior to the Trump nazi's pardon? Could have also refused the pardon, then appealed.

"With that side of the story [Catch-22 referenced above], here's member station KJZZ in Phoenix:

"Arpaio attorney Jack Wilenchik said because of the pardon, the former sheriff will never have the chance to appeal the ruling, leaving him open to future lawsuits. 'What if an illegal alien who claims they were wrongfully detained were to sue civilly, then the fact that he was convicted of willfully defying the court order could be used against him,' said Wilenchik. Wilenchik said he was not surprised that the judge had refused to undo her own order. He said he has appealed the judge's order to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals."

Although easy to get lost in the legal weeds, be interesting to see where this goes, -- if anywhere. Then again, might. One never knows, -- especially in light of the current political climate, as well as nazis ensconced ubiquitously throughout the judiciary.

The Washington Times reports:

"Former Sheriff Joe Arpaio appealed a judge’s ruling late Thursday that his contempt-of-court conviction must remain on his record despite President Trump’s pardon. His lawyers have argued that Judge Susan R. Bolton goofed when she convicted him in the first place, and again when she refused to expunge the conviction after the pardon. They say the conviction wasn’t final because they’d asked for a new trial before a jury, and had avenues of appeal left to them. They didn’t get to pursue those avenues because of Mr. Trump’s pardon."

Nonsense. Arpaio could have rejected the pardon. The criminal son of a bitch apparently wants his cake, -- and eat it too.

"Judge Bolton on Thursday [earlier that day] rejected those arguments, saying that Mr. Arpaio, who served nearly a quarter-century as sheriff in Maricopa County, Arizona, had a choice of either rejecting the pardon or else accepting it — which means admitting guilt. “The Court found Defendant guilty of criminal contempt. The President issued the pardon. Defendant accepted. The pardon undoubtedly spared Defendant from any punishment that might otherwise have been imposed. It did not, however, ‘revise the historical facts’ of this case,” Judge Bolton wrote."

Too easy to get lost in the legal weeds, isn't it? -- Truth, always a moving target. Attorneys? Always seem to 'talk with forked tongue.' LOL.

Cowardly fail to financially and/or materially support those fighting for all civil and constitutional rights and liberties at great personal cost and risk? Get what you truly deserve.

10-27-17

In follow up to the last edition, remains amazing how much damage an unfit president can do to the country. No other commander-in-chief in the history of our nation would have disgraced himself as has Trump. Now, an honorable, retired, four-star general, U.S. Marine has allowed himself to be drawn into the deepening morass, defending the indefensible.

NBC News reports:

"In heart-felt remarks about his own loss, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, a former general whose Marine son was killed in Afghanistan, said Thursday he was "stunned" by a Florida lawmaker's criticism of President Donald Trump's condolence call to a fallen soldier's wife. Kelly described himself as "broken-hearted" coming to work at the White House on Wednesday as he saw Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., on news networks disclosing the private details of Trump's call to Myeshia Johnson, the widow of Sgt. La David T. Johnson, who was among four soldiers killed this month in Niger."

Ms. Wilson told the truth, sir. Interestingly, General, you didn't dispute the truth, facts behind her assertion. As did your boss, the Trump nazi. Repeatedly. Unlike Trump, the Congresswoman told the truth, an inconvenient truth the Trump nazi did not want to hear.

"Wilson's comments, Kelly told reporters during the White House press briefing, violated one of the few "sacred" things the country had left — honoring those who have given their lives in service of the U.S.'"

What makes you claim that, General? How did she in any way dishonor the sacrifice of this fine Special Forces soldier, a Green Beret? Her criticism was directed at your boss, the Trump nazi, and his ham-fisted 'condolence' call.

"Speaking to reporters in the White House briefing room, Kelly disclosed what he was told when informed that his son, 1st Lt. Robert Michael Kelly, died when he stepped on a landmine in Afghanistan in 2010. Gen. Joseph Dunford, Kelly recalled of the person who informed him of his son's death, said his son "was doing exactly what he wanted to do when he was killed. He knew what he was getting into by joining that one percent (who serve the nation). He knew what the possibilities were because we're at war. And when he died…he was surrounded by the best men on this earth, his friends." Kelly added, "That’s what the president tried to say to the four families the other day."

General, the loss of your son is horrendous. Unspeakable. What may have been said to you, at the time of your loss, may have been quite appropriate since you were a life-long soldier, a combat veteran. Think the same appropriate to a pregnant young widow suffering the loss of the love of her life? Worse? Far worse? Trump continues to claim he didn't say what you advised him to say.

Someone's lying, General. Certainly, doesn't appear to be you, -- or the Congresswoman.

"While taking questions from reporters after his comments, Kelly said he would only call on reporters who personally knew Gold Star families."

Is that true, General? Why would you do that? Disingenuous, isn't it? Especially, since the Congresswoman personally knew Sgt. La David T. Johnson and his family. Had known them quite some time. Yet, you criticize the Congresswoman, General? Why? To defend the indefensible?

Trump still doesn't get it. The Washington Post reports:

"Later Wednesday, Trump expanded on his denial. “I didn’t say what that congresswoman said; didn’t say it all. She knows it,” Trump said when asked about the exchange by a reporter. “I had a very nice conversation with the woman, with the wife who was — sounded like a lovely woman. Did not say what the congresswoman said, and most people aren’t too surprised to hear that.” Trump spoke at a meeting at the White House with members of the Senate Finance Committee."

Someone's lying. Guess who.

"Wilson had said that the Johnson family was “astonished” by Trump’s remarks during the call, which Wilson said she heard via a speakerphone while riding in a limousine with the Johnson family. “She was crying the whole time, and when she hung up the phone, she looked at me and said, ‘He didn’t even remember his name.’ That’s the hurting part.” Wilson told MSNBC on Wednesday that Johnson’s widow was shaken by the exchange.

"Wilson went on to say Trump “was almost like joking. He said, ‘Well, I guess you knew’ — something to the effect that ‘he knew what he was getting into when he signed up, but I guess it hurts anyway.’ You know, just matter-of-factly, that this is what happens, anyone who is signing up for military duty is signing up to die. That’s the way we interpreted it. It was horrible. It was insensitive. It was absolutely crazy, unnecessary. I was livid.” “She was in tears. She was in tears. And she said, ‘He didn’t even remember his name.’ ”

"I stand [by] my account of the call with @realDonaldTrump and was not the only one who heard and was dismayed by his insensitive remarks.

— Rep Frederica Wilson (@RepWilson) October 18, 2017"

Why is it Trump is incapable of taking responsibility for anything? Knowing when to leave well enough alone?

"On Tuesday, Wilson told The Washington Post that Trump had told Johnson’s widow, “He knew what he was signing up for, but I guess it hurts anyway.” “He made her cry,” Wilson said. Jones-Johnson, speaking to The Post via Facebook Messenger, declined to elaborate. But asked whether Wilson’s account of the conversation between Trump and the family was accurate, she replied: “Yes.” The White House did not confirm or deny Wilson’s account on Tuesday."

Someone's lying. Again, guess who.

Kelly also didn't get his facts straight. NBC News reports:

"Toward the end of his 18-minute appearance on Thursday, Kelly also recalled attending a ceremony in 2015 dedicating a new FBI field office in Miami to two fallen agents, and, without identifying her, referred to a congresswoman who spoke at the event.

“A congresswoman stood up, and in the long tradition of empty barrels making the most noise, stood up there and all of that and talked about how she was instrumental in getting the funding for that building, and how she took care of her constituents because she got the money,” Kelly said Thursday. "And she sat down, and we were stunned. Stunned that she had done it. Even for someone that is that empty a barrel, we were stunned."

Wilson would have none of it:

"Wilson accused Kelly of lying about the appearance, explaining to the Miami Herald Thursday night that she played no part in securing the funding for the building. “That is crazy that I got [the money] and Mr. Obama just gave it to me,” Wilson told the paper. “That building was funded long before I got to Congress. I didn’t say that. I have staff, people who write the speeches. You can’t say that.” Wilson, who took office in January 2011, explained that she did play a role in naming the building after the two FBI agents, sponsoring such legislation in 2015. Money for the building was approved in September 2010, before Wilson won her congressional election, according to the Herald. Footage of the April 10, 2015, dedication event that surfaced Friday also backed up Wilson's account."

The White House not only remains tone-deaf, but clueless as well. Get this. The Washington Post reports:

"White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told a reporter Friday that it would be “highly inappropriate” to get into a debate with “a four-star Marine general” over whether he misstated facts."

Jesus Christ. He's no longer actively serving in the Marines. Even during his years as a Marine commander, he was accountable, subject to public criticism. Happens, now, to be working for his nazi fuhrer as a civilian. Give me a break.

The press secretary seems to have conveniently forgotten this is supposed to be a democratic republic. First Amendment Freedom of Speech, still in effect. Robustly, so. So very many of our best and brightest have given their lives in battle fighting for this exceptionally precious right.

"On Thursday, Kelly said he had been “stunned” to hear Wilson claim credit at the ceremony for securing the funding for the building. A video of her speech at the ceremony showed Wilson did not take credit for securing the money. She instead spent about two minutes of a nine-minute speech recalling the effort that she led in Congress to name the building for the agents, whom she praised effusively in her remarks."

Apparently, not only the General, but the Press Secretary as well, won't be confused by the truth.

The following is an open letter to the General written by Matthew Dowd, ABC News Analyst and Special Correspondent courtesy of ABC News. Certainly, the most poignant reaction to date penned in response to this fiasco:

"General Kelly,

I am grateful for your immense public service over your career and what you have sacrificed for our country along the way. I am also sorry for the loss of your son and the grief that has caused and must continue to cause you and your family. Having lost a son and a daughter (though they were gone long before they could join the military) I have great empathy for the immense, unmeasurable pain of a parent losing a child. No parent should have to bury a son or daughter.

Though I didn't lose my oldest son, he did serve two tours in Iraq in the Army, and most of my nights while he was away were fitful and fearful. And the danger he was in filled my days with worry. Also, I remember full well in October 2004 when my son was entering the service and going to be deployed, the commander in chief I worked for, President George W. Bush, and the first lady, took time out of their busy campaign schedule to meet with him privately in a heart-wrenching moment I will never forget. I also have an older brother who served more than 20 years in the Coast Guard, and a younger brother who served in the Marines in Panama and Kuwait, both in very dangerous situations. So while I don't have your exact experiences, I do have my own which have informed me.

Your speech at Thursday's press briefing was emotional and touching in parts, but other moments I felt a huge disconnect between what you were saying and your job each day at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. I have a very simple question: do you know who you work for? I ask this for the following reasons:

1. You spoke of how you were disgusted by the congresswoman from Florida, Frederica Wilson, for politicizing the condolence call President Trump made to the family of fallen Sgt. La David Johnson, but you know full well that this issue became political because of your boss. He started us down this road because he wouldn't take responsibility for his own actions in the aftermath of the ambush on American troops in Niger, and sought to blame previous presidents for how they handled themselves when soldiers were killed.

2. You spoke about how women are no longer treated as sacred and I think you were alluding to the allegations of Harvey Weinstein's despicable behavior. But you do know your boss has called female anchors, female presidential candidates, beauty contestants, actresses, etc. some of the most disrespectful names, and bragged in a moment caught on tape about how he likes to treat women in a predatory way. By last count, about a dozen women have courageously come forward to say that they were treated improperly by your boss (accusations he has vehemently denied).

3. You talked about how Gold Star families and the military are no longer treated as sacred, but I am sure you know that candidate Trump attacked a Gold Star family in the midst of a campaign in order to sow dissent and score political points. This same candidate -- your boss -- dismissed Republican Sen. John McCain's service and said he wasn't a hero because he was captured.

4. You talked about how religion is no longer treated as sacred, but you work for a person who wanted to ban Muslims from our country, and who seems gravely unfamiliar with the Sermon on the Mount as well as how we should treat each other with respect, dignity, love and compassion. As a candidate, he also said he never asked God for forgiveness, a major tenet of every faith in the world.

I know my question is probably a bit rhetorical, but you are chief of staff to the president. As such, your words didn't match up to that vaunted position. I hope as you move forward, you'll remember you work for us, the American people, and the thing many of us hold sacred is integrity. I also hope you'll remember that people want leaders who say and do what they mean. And one day, I hope you can explain to all of us how your service today fits in with the words you used at the podium in our House.

PS: I agree with you about contacts to the families of the fallen. Let's go back to the time of well-thought out letters handwritten on presidential stationary. If it was good enough for Abraham Lincoln, it should be good for all presidents."

The following is the cruel reality of such horrendous loss. ABC News reports:

"A moving portrait of one of the fallen U.S. soldiers killed in an ambush in Niger has emerged in the wake of his death this month, with his longtime love speaking out about her devastation and the unfathomable prospect of raising their three children as a single mother.

"For him not to be with us anymore is just heartbreaking and devastating because I don't know what I'm going to do without him," Myeshia Johnson said of her husband, Sgt. La David Johnson.

"He was just everything to us," she told CBS Miami."

Trump won't let it go. Still insists on his version of the call. The following is part of the transcript of an interview of Myeshia Johnson, the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, conducted by ABC News' chief anchor, George Stephanopoulos:

"GS: There are also a lot of questions about the phone call you received from President Trump. I know you were in a car to the airport. Tell us what happened next. MJ: Me and my family was in the limo to receive my husband from I think it was Denver, Dover, we went to...

GS: Dover. MJ: Dover, and we was literally on the airport strip gettin' ready to get out and he called Master Sergeant Neil’s phone. I asked Master Sergeant Neil to put his phone on speaker so my aunt and uncle could hear as well. And he goes on to saying his statement as what he said was...

GS: The president... MJ: Yes the President, said that he knew what he signed up for, but it hurts anyway. And it made me cry cause I was very angry at the tone of his voice and how he said he couldn’t remember my husband’s name. The only way he remembered my husband's name is because he told me he had my husband’s report in front of him and that’s when he actually said La David. I heard him stumblin' on trying to remember my husband’s name and that’s what hurt me the most, because if my husband is out here fighting for our country and he risked his life for our country why can’t you remember his name. And that’s what made me upset and cry even more because my husband was an awesome soldier. He did what it take other people like five years to do in three years. So imagine if my husband was here now. It took my husband three years to make E-5 -- it takes other soldiers five to six years just to make E-5. So if he was here now he woulda been on his way to bein' the E-6 or E-7. My husband had high hopes in the military career.

GS: What did you say to the President? MJ: I didn’t say anything I just listened

GS: But you were upset when you got off the phone? MJ: Oh very, very upset and hurt. Very it made me cry even worse.

GS: Congresswoman Wilson reported that and you explained she was in the car with you. MJ: Yes.

GS: She’s been close with your family for a long time? MJ: Yes. Ms. Wilson, my uncle-in-law was Ms. Wilson’s elementary school principal and my husband was in her 5,000 role model program that’s why she’s well connected with us because she’s been in our family since we were little kids.

GS: The President said that the congresswoman was lying about the phone call. MJ: Whatever Ms. Wilson said was not fabricated. What she said was 100 percent correct. It was Master Sgt. Neil, me, my aunt, my uncle and the driver and Ms. Wilson in the car, the phone was on speaker phone. Why would we fabricate something like that?

GS: Is there anything you’d like to say to the President now? MJ: No. I don’t have nothing to say to him."

Any other president would have simply backed off, publicly apologized to the widow for any misunderstanding. Not the Trump nazi.

CNN reports:

"President Donald Trump on Monday disputed a widow's account of a condolence call he made to her following the death of her husband in Niger earlier this month. Trump tweeted shortly after Myeshia Johnson, the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, discussed her disappointment with the call on "Good Morning America" Monday morning, saying the President stumbled on her husband's name and suggesting the only reason he knew it was because the report was right in front of him. "I had a very respectful conversation with the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, and spoke his name from beginning, without hesitation!" Trump tweeted.

"I had a very respectful conversation with the widow of Sgt. La David Johnson, and spoke his name from beginning, without hesitation!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 23, 2017"

Trump has no heart. No soul. What narcissist does?

The president cannot tell the truth. ABC News reports:

"Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., last week adamantly defended her version of Trump's phone call to Johnson in an interview with ABC News. Wilson, who was accompanying Johnson to Dover Air Force Base when the president called, heard Trump on speakerphone attempting to console her. "I heard him say, 'Well I guess you know he knew what he was signing up for, but it still hurts,'" Wilson told ABC News. Trump called the congresswoman’s description a "total fabrication." But Johnson today said the congresswoman was "100 percent correct" about the call from Trump. “Why would we fabricate something like that?” she said this morning."

Someone's lying. Guess who.

"Johnson, days after being informed of her husband’s fatal firefight, said she was barred from seeing her husband’s body or given any straight story on how he died in Niger."

That's a problem. A big problem. She is his wife:

"I need to see him so I will know that that is my husband," Johnson, who's expecting to give birth to their daughter in January, said. She added: “They won’t show me a finger, a hand; I know my husband’s body from head-to-toe and they won’t let me see anything.”

Why not? No matter the condition of the body. Certainly, could have advised her, let her decide whether or not she wished to proceed. Worse? The government has not been forthcoming with information regarding the circumstances of his death and those of his fellow Green Berets:

"She said the casket her husband came home in, adorned with a U.S. flag, remains a mystery box for her. "I don’t know what’s in that box," she said. “It could be empty for all I know.” Johnson added, "I need to see my husband," who was 25. As for the circumstances of her husband's death, Johnson said she wants "to know why it took [soldiers] 48 hours to find my husband. "I don’t know how he got killed, where he got killed or anything," she said. "I don’t know that part; they never told me and that’s what I’ve been trying to find out since day one, since October fourth."

Our government needs to come clean. Not only for the sake of the survivors, but the rest of the nation as well. Lack of transparency is exceptionally dangerous to a democratic republic. National security excuses run achingly hollow, remain indicative of out of control government whose prime directive has become covering its ass.

Congress is growing increasingly impatient with Trump's failure to provide details as to what happened, how it went down, what was the risk assessment, why it took so long for our forces to get desperately needed assistance, etc.. Still no answers to a growing list of questions. Trump seems more intent on fighting assertions by the widow rather than disclosing the truth.
.

10-27-17

In follow up to the last edition, nazism remains alive and well in the judiciary. Ongoing, deliberate trampling of civil and constitutional rights and liberties. NPR reports:

"A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C., has ruled that a detained teenage immigrant may not obtain an abortion until a government-approved sponsor can be secured by the end of the month. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit split 2-1 on the ruling."

An outrageous ruling by a nazi court. Why should this young woman have to wait? Roe v. Wade is abundantly clear. This goddamned court is bastardizing the 1973 ruling. Doing so to allow the Trump nazi and his henchmen to at least temporarily, but effectively impose their outrageously perverse ideological and religious views on this young woman in direct violation of the First Amendment Establishment Clause, church-state separation, that is, freedom from religion.

"The case involves a 17-year-old who is referred to in court documents only as "Jane Doe." She came to this country illegally, discovered she was pregnant, and is seeking to terminate her pregnancy while she is detained in Texas in a private facility for unaccompanied minors supervised by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Refugee Resettlement. Lawyers for the government argue that it isn't obligated to help her get an abortion because the administration wants to promote child birth and fetal life."

Disingenuous bullshit for two reasons. First, they have not been asked to pay or transport her to get that abortion. Have been asked to temporarily release her so she can indeed get the abortion. Second, this goddamned government doesn't have the constitutional authority to "promote child birth and fetal life" by forcing these views on someone wishing to exercise the constitutional right to abort as affirmed by Roe v. Wade.

"The attorneys told the court that the government isn't interfering with the minor's right to obtain an abortion which is guaranteed by the 1973 Supreme Court ruling Roe v. Wade. But HHS officials have refused to transport her or release her into the custody of her guardian to obtain the abortion."

Called double talk. Blatant bullshit. Effectively, falsely claiming its high noon, -- when in reality 12 midnight.
-
"The federal appeals court has indicated that the young woman has a right to get an abortion and the court is giving the Department of Health and Human Services until October 31 to approve a sponsor so that the government need not facilitate the procedure."

That's also called bullshit. The appeals court is effectively denying this woman the right to immediately access medical care to facilitate an abortion.

"If a sponsor is secured and J.D. is released from HHS custody to the sponsor, HHS agrees that J.D. then will be lawfully able, if she chooses, to obtain an abortion on her own pursuant to the relevant state law," the judges wrote."

What this court is doing is impeding this woman's constitutional right to abort. No more complicated than that. Desperately trying to placate the Trump nazi, his henchmen, and the rest of the Republican Nazi Right that wishes to impose its outrageously perverse ideological and religious views on all.

"But they added if a sponsor is not secured and the minor is not released to a sponsor by Oct. 31, then the matter will return to the courts."

The two nazis on this three-judge panel are deliberately dragging their feet, denying this woman her right to quick access to medical care to facilitate her constitutional right to abort.

"There are no winners in cases like these," said Judge Patricia Millet said in a 10-page dissenting opinion. "But there sure are losers. As of today, J.D. has already been forced by the government to continue an unwanted pregnancy for almost four weeks, and now, as a result of this order, must continue to carry that pregnancy for multiple more weeks," she added."

This judge is exactly right. Remains appalling the judiciary refuses to immediately honor the constitutional right of this young woman to have an abortion.

"In a statement, American Civil Liberties lawyer Brigitte Amiri said, "Justice is delayed yet again for this courageous and persistent young woman. She continues to be held hostage and prevented from getting an abortion because the Trump administration disagrees with her personal decision."

Goddamned right. No more than transformation of the de facto fascist police-state we already live in to the Trump nazi's Fourth Reich.

A raucous, boot clicking, goose stepping, treasonous, treacherous, traitorous Sieg Heil!, Mr. 'President?' You're out of uniform, sir. Where is your brown shirt, swastika armband, Mr. 'President?'

"The ruling comes after the appeals panel temporarily blocked a lower court ruling allowing the minor to seek an abortion "without delay." The lower court ruling basically endorsed a Texas state judge's decision to allow the minor to seek an abortion. The procedure is to be paid for by the minor or her supporters."

Yet, this woman is being stonewalled in her demand to exercise a constitutional right by the nazis in government. Coup de grace? Galling hypocrisy? Get this:

"The Administration for Children and Families at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released this statement:

"For however much time we are given, the Office of Refugee Resettlement and HHS will protect the well-being of this minor and all children and their babies in our facilities, and we will defend human dignity for all in our care."

Jesus Christ. A crock of shit. Denying and/or delaying this woman's constitutional right to abort does not protect her well-being, quite the opposite. What it does is intentionally impose the religious and/or ideological views of government lackeys in direct violation of the First Amendment Establishment Clause. Denies her human dignity, in fact, abrogates it. Worse, if the state does not find a sponsor by the end of the month and the court removes the block, the goddamned state could again appeal. Nazi justice.

In follow up, CBS News reports:

"Attorneys for a pregnant teen being held in a Texas immigration facility are asking a federal appeals court to reconsider its decision not to order the government to let her obtain an abortion. Lawyers for the 17-year-old on Sunday asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to hold another hearing before all the judges on the court. A three-judge panel ruled against the teen Friday, giving the government until Oct. 31 to find a sponsor to take in the teen so she could get an abortion on her own. Her lawyers have accused federal officials of unlawfully restricting the teen's rights. But the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says it has a policy of "refusing to facilitate" abortions for minors in its care."

In follow up, CBS News reports:

"A federal appeals court on Tuesday has cleared the way for a 17-year-old undocumented immigrant held in custody in Texas to obtain an abortion. The full U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled 6-3 that new dates should be set for the teen to obtain the procedure. The decision overruled a ruling by a three-judge panel of the court that at least temporarily blocked her from getting an abortion."

About time.

"Lawyers for the Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for sheltering children who illegally enter the country unaccompanied by a parent, have said the department has a policy of "refusing to facilitate" abortions and that releasing the teenager would require arranging a transfer of custody and follow-up care. The teenager's lawyers have said all the government needed to do was "get out of the way." An attorney appointed to represent the teen's interests has said she could transport her to and from appointments necessary for the procedure, and the federal government would not have to pay for it."

Not good enough for the Trump nazi and his henchmen:

"CBS News' Paula Reid reports that the Trump administration is expected [to] appeal the latest decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. The dispute raises the question whether illegal immigrant women have the same rights to an abortion -- as established by the Supreme Court -- as U.S. residents. Reuters news agency reports that Judge Brett Kavanaugh of the D.C. court wrote in dissent that the court has embraced "a new right for unlawful immigrant minors in U.S. government detention to obtain immediate abortion on demand."

Jesus Christ. Have these nazis no shame?

CBS News reports:

"The undocumented teen who sought an abortion in the U.S. had her abortion this morning -- CBS News' Paula Reid reports -- before the Justice Department could appeal Tuesday's decision clearing the way for the teen to have the abortion."

Not clear yet whether the Trump nazi and his henchmen gave up, -- or simply did not have time to file the appeal.

"The teen, known as "Jane Doe," said in a statement that she had come to the U.S. to make a better life for herself. "My journey wasn't easy, but I came here with hope in my heart to build a life I can be proud of," she said in a statement released through her guardian. "I dream about studying, becoming a nurse, and one day working with the elderly." She went on to say that when she was detained, she had been placed in a shelter for children, where she was first told she was pregnant. "I knew immediately what was best for me then, as I do now – that I'm not ready to be a parent," she wrote. The group Jane's Due Process helped present her case to a judge, who gave her permission to end her pregnancy without her parents' consent. Though she was nervous about appearing in court, "I was treated very kindly," she wrote."

Her body. Her uterus. Her decision. Not that of nazi government determined to impose its outrageously perverse ideological and religious views in direct violation of the First Amendment Establishment Clause, church-state separation, that is, freedom from religion. To say nothing of the constitutional right to abort guarantied by Roe v. Wade.

CNN reports:

"Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a statement, "Today's loss of innocent human life is tragic."

Not your call, Counselor. Her body. Her uterus. Not yours, sir. Your hypocrisy? Stunning. How about all the innocent unarmed civilians murdered by the criminal jackbooted bastards in blue with impunity all across our formerly great country, Counselor? How about all those innocent executed for crimes they did not commit, sir? Your silence? Gutless. How about all those who have lost their lives on the battlefield to line the pockets of corporate war profiteers?

"Paxton said the abortion "may have been avoidable," citing what he called "long standing Supreme Court precedent on the rights of an unlawfully present person." "This ruling not only cost a life," he said. "It could pave the way for anyone outside the United States to unlawfully enter and obtain an abortion. Life and the Constitution are sacred. We lost some of both today."

You continually take a raucous hard dump on the Constitution, Bill of Rights, then lament when a court rightfully orders government to stand out of the way, enforces Roe v. Wade and the constitutional right to an abortion? Your egregious inconsistency, laughable. Nazi bastards like you have for generations done all they could to bastardize the Constitution, Bill of Rights to impose your brand of nazism, Counselor. Deliberately taken a raucous hard dump on all civil and constitutional rights and liberties. Then, sir, get caught with your hand in the cookie jar, do all you can to delay going to trial on a felony indictment? Give me a break.

NPR reports:

"Responding to the news, Kristan Hawkins, president of the anti-abortion rights group Students for Life, called it "a tragedy" and said, "The U.S. should not become the abortion capitol of the world."

Non-sequitur. Abject bullshit. Distortion of reality by a lunatic talking out the ass.

"It's the worst form of patriarchy to tell a young woman that without an abortion, she can't accomplish great things," Hawkins said, "and we hope that [the] Trump administration will continue to fight to protect the lives of all on U.S. soil."

Say what? Who the hell told her that? Or, anyone else for that matter? More talk out the ass to impose your outrageously perverse ideological and religious views on others.

The Washington Post reports:

“Justice prevailed today for Jane Doe. But make no mistake about it, the administration’s efforts to interfere in women’s decisions won’t stop with Jane,” said Brigitte Amiri, senior staff attorney with the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project which represented the teen. The ACLU is continuing its broader challenge to the administration’s new policy on behalf of what the organization says are hundreds of undocumented pregnant teenagers in federal custody."

More on this in the next edition.

"Lawyers for the Department of Justice had been considering whether to ask the Supreme Court to put the D.C. Circuit order on hold, which would have brought the volatile issue of abortion to the high court in a very personal and real-life challenge. But they may have miscalculated how quickly the girl could receive an abortion. Texas law requires counseling from a doctor at least 24 hours in advance of an abortion, but the teen underwent counseling last week allowing her to go forward once Chutkan issued her order. The government lawyers did not immediately ask for a hold on the D.C. Court opinion after the Tuesday ruling. By the time the Supreme Court opened Wednesday, it appears there was no issue left for the justices to decide."

As stated earlier above, be interesting to see just how this all went down. Not clear yet.

10-27-17

Both George W. Bush and Barak Obama came out swinging against the Trump nazi on the very same day. Without mentioning the president directly by name, it was clear they were both figuratively targeting the incumbent.

The Washington Post reports:

"Speaking at a George W. Bush Institute event in New York, Bush didn't use Trump's name, but his target became clearer as the speech progressed. Here's a sampling:
•“Bigotry seems emboldened. Our politics seems more vulnerable to conspiracy theories and outright fabrication.”
•“We’ve seen nationalism distorted into nativism.”
•“We’ve seen our discourse degraded by casual cruelty. ... Argument turns too easily into animosity.”
•“It means that bigotry and white supremacy in any form is blasphemy against the American creed, and it means the very identity of our nation depends on passing along civic ideals.”
•“Bullying and prejudice in our public life … provides permission for cruelty and bigotry.”
•“The only way to pass along civic values is to live up to them.”

Fascinating, isn't it?

NBC News reports:

"Politics has never been an innocent profession. Every generation has witnessed contentious arguments, division, scandals and below-the-belt attacks — McCarthyism, the Vietnam War, Watergate, Iran-Contra, impeachment, the Iraq war and the all-out fight over Obamacare. But what was extraordinary about Thursday was having two ex-presidents — George W. Bush and Barack Obama — deliver what amounted to a bipartisan, two-pronged denunciation of the Trump Era. Neither Bush nor Obama mentioned by Trump by name, but they also didn’t have to. “I haven’t been commenting a lot on politics lately, but here’s one thing I know: If you have to win a campaign by dividing people, you’re not going to be able to govern it,” Obama said while campaigning for Democrat Ralph Northam in Virginia, per NBC’s Vaughn Hillyard. “We’re at our best when we’re not trying to put people down but when we’re trying to lift everybody up,” Obama added."

Remarkable to have happened on the same day with no apparent coordination between both former presidents.

10-27-17

CIA Director Mike Pompeo is either a liar, or grossly incompetent. NPR reports:

"The CIA on Thursday was forced to walk back an assertion by Director Mike Pompeo, who incorrectly said U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russian efforts to influence the outcome of the 2016 presidential election were unsuccessful."

Not true. Absolutely false.

"Asked at a security conference in Washington, D.C., on Thursday whether he could say with absolute certainty that the November vote was not skewed by Russia, Pompeo replied: "Yes. Intelligence community's assessment is that the Russian meddling that took place did not affect the outcome of the election."

False.

"In a later clarification, the head of the CIA's office of public affairs, Dean Boyd, said: "The intelligence assessment with regard to Russian election meddling has not changed, and the Director did not intend to suggest that it had."

That's exactly what he intended to do. Did not, apparently, expect to get caught lying, -- or worse, get called on it.

"U.S. intelligence concluded in a January assessment that "the senior-most officials" in Russia had authorized hacks into the Democratic National Committee and officials connected with the Clinton campaign. And then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper told a Senate hearing that the hacking was one part of a coordinated effort that "also entailed classical propaganda, disinformation, fake news." But the agencies have yet to make an assessment about the impact of Russian interference, something Democrats were quick to point out."

The Director lied:

"In fact, the intelligence community made no such finding, nor could it," said California Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee. "This is not the first time the Director has made statements minimizing the significance of what the Russians did, but it needs to be the last," he said. At odds with U.S. intelligence assessments, President Trump has repeatedly sought to deny or minimize Russia's role in influencing the 2016 election."

Yet, his sick sycophants continue to believe his lies. Imagine that.

10-27-17

Aftermath of the hurricanes remains devastating. Consider the following. CBS News reports:

"Despite dying in a Florida nursing home responsible for her care, Albertina Vega was billed by the facility on what would have been her 100th birthday, the Sun-Sentinel reported. CBS Miami reports the 99-year-old was one of 14 patients who succumbed to sweltering conditions inside of the Hollywood Hills Rehabilitation Center when it was left without power and air conditioning in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. A relative of Vega said she became aware of the retroactive billing charge of $958 when she tried to close Vega's bank account. An automatic payment was sent to the Hollywood Hills Rehabilitation Center, which even resulted in an overdraft fee."

Nothing quite like grave robbing, is there?

"A complaint was filed with the bank manager. Vega's family is seeking assistance for the failed oversight of billing a deceased woman for her care after the facility was shut down. It's unknown if Vega's case is isolated or if any of the other 13 deceased patients were billed after their deaths. Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration, which regulates nursing homes, declined to comment."

Yet, no one gets prosecuted, goes to prison. Imagine that.

Ferociously pointedly, consider the following. NBC News reports:

"In the Houston suburb of Dickinson, residents are struggling to get their lives back on track. Hurricane Harvey devastated the city, destroying scores of homes and businesses. The city, fortunately, has a plan to help. Officials there are accepting applications for relief grants "from funds that were generously donated to the Dickinson Harvey Relief Fund." But there's a catch."

Is there ever. A direct violation of the First Amendment:

"The application, recently posted online, includes a provision requiring Dickinson residents to vow in writing that they will not boycott Israel. The relevant section, titled "Verification not to Boycott Israel," reads: By executing this Agreement below, the Applicant verifies that the Applicant: (1) does not boycott Israel; and (2) will not boycott Israel during the term of this Agreement."

Outrageously, unconstitutional. The First Amendment guaranties this right.

"The city attorney, David Olson, said Dickinson officials are following a Texas law that blocks state agencies from contracting with or investing in companies that boycott Israel. "The city in no way advocates on behalf of the underlying political issue, but we're doing everything in our power to follow state law," Olson told NBC News on Friday. Gov. Greg Abbott signed that legislation in May, declaring that "anti-Israel policies are anti-Texas policies." The so-called Anti-BDS (Boycott, Divestments, and Sanctions) law took effect on Sept. 1. The American Civil Liberties Union sharply criticized the boycott provision of the relief application as a violation of free speech."

Indeed, it is. The government does not have the constitutional authority to enforce this.

“The First Amendment protects Americans’ right to boycott, and the government cannot condition hurricane relief or any other public benefit on a commitment to refrain from protected political expression,” ACLU of Texas Legal Director Andre Segura said in a statement. “Dickinson’s requirement is an egregious violation of the First Amendment, reminiscent of McCarthy-era loyalty oaths requiring Americans to disavow membership in the Communist party and other forms of ‘subversive’ activity."

To be expected of a national socialist Republican Governor and his equally fascist compadres in the Texas Legislature.

"It was not immediately clear why citizens applying for disaster aid would be subject to a law that nominally applies to state agencies and businesses. A spokeswoman for the Texas attorney general Ken Paxton said his office could not comment on the Dickinson application, but noted the state law is "specific to companies, not individual citizens."

Then why is it unconstitutionally applied to individual citizens?

"The Supreme Court ruled decades ago that political boycotts are protected by the First Amendment," the ACLU said in its statement on the Dickinson application, "and other decisions have established that the government may not require individuals to sign a certification regarding their political expression in order to obtain employment, contracts, or other benefits."

Then why are the Republican nazis running this state taking a raucous hard dump on the United States Constitution? ... Because they can?

Puerto Rico remains in dire straits. Yet, the Trump nazi remains achingly delusional, out of touch with reality. The Washington Post reports:

"President Trump on Thursday said the federal response to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico deserves a grade of 10 out of 10 as he met at the White House with Ricardo Rosselló, the governor of the U.S. territory. “I would say it’s a 10,” Trump said, arguing that the destruction wrought by Hurricane Maria “was in many ways worse than anything people have ever seen.”

Contrary to what the Trump nazi claims, the federal response to date remains a miserable failure.

10-27-17

In follow up to the last edition, The Washington Post reports:

"The Alabama charity once led by Senate candidate Roy Moore did not report to the Internal Revenue Service that in 2011 it guaranteed him $498,000 in back pay, according to an income report provided to The Washington Post by the charity itself. Five tax law and accounting specialists said it appears the guaranteed payment should have been reported as compensation, a disclosure that would have triggered a federal tax bill of more than $100,000. Moore and his campaign have not responded to questions about whether he paid the taxes, or to requests that he release his income tax returns.

"The tax issue is the latest in a series of questions over Moore’s financial ties to the Alabama charity where he worked after he was ousted from the state Supreme Court in 2003 for refusing to remove a Ten Commandments monument from a public building. Moore, 70, a Republican, is the front-runner in the race to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Moore served as president of the charity from 2007 to 2012, working 20 hours a week, tax filings show. The charity agreed to pay him a $180,000 annual salary in a deal that was not publicly disclosed until a news account by The Post last week. The group also said if it could not afford his full salary in a given year, it would make up for the shortfall when it was able to do so, documents show."

While Moore apparently has tax issues he remains unwilling to publicly address, remarkably, also has no apparent difficulty bastardizing the law when it suits his political fancy. CBS News reports:

"Roy Moore, the bombastic Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Alabama, claims NFL protesters who kneel during the national anthem are violating federal law. Moore, in an interview with TIME.com published Wednesday, made the case that NFL players — and conceivably, anyone else — who fails to stand and put their hands over their hearts when the "Star-Spangled Banner" is played is not only unpatriotic, but a law breaker. "It's against the law, you know that?" Moore told the magazine. "It was a act of Congress that every man stand and put their hand over their heart. That's the law."

Not so:

"But, is it really illegal? Moore could be referring to a section of U.S. Code stipulating that during the national anthem, members of the military should salute, and "all other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, and men not in uniform, if applicable, should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart." That section does not outline a punishment for those who do not stand, however. The key word in that section of code is "should," according to Eugene Volokh, a law professor and First Amendment expert at the UCLA School of Law. "It's not clear to me that 36 U.S.C. 301 was ever meant to be legally binding — it says what people 'should' do rather than what they 'shall' or 'must' do," Volokh told CBS News. Generally speaking, Volokh said, legal precedent holds that "should" indicates a recommended, but not required, course of action, unlike the obligatory connotation of the word "shall."

No matter the legalese, the First Amendment trumps all:

"But if it did aim at being legally binding, the First Amendment would prevent it from being enforced," Volokh added. "The court held in West Va. Bd. of Ed. v. Barnette (1943), held that even public school students can't be required to salute the flag; likewise, people can't be required to stand at attention, put their hand over the heart, or remove their hats during the national anthem." Catherine Ross, a law professor at The George Washington University Law School who specializes in constitutional law, had a simple answer when asked if there's any valid interpretation that it's illegal to kneel for the national anthem: "None at all," Ross told CBS News. "When something is mandatory the legal term is 'shall,' so you know immediately it's not enforceable no penalty," Ross said. "It's not in the criminal section. There's no remedy suggested."

Coup de grace? Moore's refusal to carry out a court order:

"Moore, the ultra-conservative former judge who was first forced out of the Alabama Supreme Court for refusing to obey a court order to remove a monument of the Ten Commandments, and was forced out of the court a second time for directing judges to enforce a ban on same-sex marriages that was ruled unconstitutional, continued to push the culture war begun by President Trump."

This fascist son of a bitch cherry picks the law, or makes up his own, to suit his ideological and religious agenda.

10-27-17

Hypocrisy, greed reign supreme. Certainly, not principle. NBC reports:

"Jerry Jones has appeared to become the most strident of the NFL owners in his stance that players must stand for the national anthem. But it hasn’t always been that way."

Couldn't be, could it? LOL.

"After Jones’s first home game as the Cowboys’ owner in 1989, a fan complained that Jones and his guest, Elizabeth Taylor, had been spotted sitting during the national anthem. The Star-Telegram published a letter from the offended fan, Ken Johnson.

“JEERS: To Jerry Jones and Liz Taylor, who were the only two people at last Sunday’s Cowboys-Redskins game not standing when the national anthem was played,” the letter said. “Riding out in a cart just before the anthem began was bad enough, but sitting while it was played was more than many of us could handle. Jerry, please note that in Texas, we stand for the national anthem. P.S.: Tom [Landry] always took off his hat.”

For damned sure.

"We’re not sure why Jones (or Taylor) wouldn’t have stood for the anthem in 1989, but apparently some time in the last 28 years Jones has decided that not only will he always stand for the anthem, but every Cowboys player must stand as well."

Imagine that. Who'd 'a 'thunk it? LOL.

The Trump nazi still has his panties in a wad over continuing NFL player protest during the National Anthem. CBS News reports:

"Days after the NFL declined to change its rule on the national anthem, about two dozen players protested around the league Sunday. Associated Press journalists counted 22 players protesting during the anthems in some way before day games. Some took a knee, others sat on the bench, stayed in the tunnel or raised a fist. The protesting players again drew the ire of President Trump, who tweeted Monday morning:

"Two dozen NFL players continue to kneel during the National Anthem, showing total disrespect to our Flag & Country. No leadership in NFL!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 23, 2017"

The president remains achingly delusional. Has no clue the right to peacefully protest is guarantied by the First Amendment. Has nothing to do with disrespect for the Flag, country, the military, etc.. Is directed against the criminal jackbooted bastards in blue who murder innocent unarmed civilians while on duty with impunity. Apparently, Trump is too stupid to understand this, -- or, achingly delusional. Remains piqued due to the fact he did not get his way. The NFL rightfully, courageously refused to capitulate to the Trump nazi. So, ole "Donny Boy" continues to throw tantrums on Twitter like a 2-year-old. Don't 'cha' love it? LOL.

"In San Francisco, about a half-dozen 49ers kneeled led by Eric Reid, Marquise Goodwin, rookie linebacker Reuben Foster, Eli Harold, Adrian Colbert and K'waun Williams. All the Dallas Cowboys stood, but defensive tackle David Irving raised his fist after the anthem ended. "I know that he was very deliberate during the anthem, and of course that's the issue with me," said Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, who had threatened to bench players who protested the anthem. "I'm very proud of the way they all handled themselves."

They gutlessly capitulated to a tyrant, Mr. Jones. Disgraced themselves, more concerned with a paycheck than principle. What's next, Jerry? Requiring them to kiss the ass of their corporate master?

10-27-17

The principle function of media is, or at least should be, to expose the truth. No matter what the truth happens to be. NPR reports:

"Throughout his presidential campaign and since, President Trump has made bold assertions about his charitable giving. But as the Washington Post has thoroughly documented, those boasts of philanthropy don't always stand up to scrutiny."

Surprised?

"Now NPR has taken a closer look at the charitable-giving claims made by a Trump property, the Trump National Golf Club, Los Angeles. We have found that the golf club's charitable giving has followed the same pattern — falling far short of what the organization claimed."

Imagine that. Couldn't be, could it?

"As recently as this summer, the club declared on its website: "We are proud to have provided $5 million to the following charitable causes since our opening." It listed nearly 200 recipients."

Think this claim the truth?

"For weeks, NPR's Embedded podcast and conflicts-of-interest team combed through that list to verify the assertions. NPR cross-referenced the golf club's website with a document that the Trump campaign gave to The Associated Press in 2015, detailing charitable gifts from 2010 to 2015. NPR also called and emailed dozens of organizations to find out whether they have a record of a donation from Trump National Golf Club, the Trump Organization or VH Property Corp., the LLC that technically owns the golf course."

Did the leg work.

"That reporting suggests the club's donations have fallen well short of $5 million and are much closer to approximately $800,000."

Trump and his henchmen would never lie, would they? Distort reality?

"NPR has repeatedly contacted the Trump Organization and the golf club manager, sending questions via phone calls, emails, letters and a fax message. They have not responded. However, the club did change its assertions. In early September, about a month into NPR's reporting, the Trump Organization took down the list of organizations from its website and removed the claim about having donated $5 million. (You can still view the page via the Internet Archive as well as archive.is. For comparison, here is the current webpage.) To be clear, NPR did confirm that the club, located outside Los Angeles in Rancho Palos Verdes, has made charitable donations. The discrepancies involve the amounts of gifts and numbers of recipients."

Truth, indeed, remains a moving target. ... Think we, as a country, haven't lost ourselves?

The following is stunning:

"Through interviews and examinations of publicly available documents, here's what NPR has found:

*Seventeen organizations listed on the Trump National website said that they could not find any record of a donation from the golf club.

*Several organizations listed on the website are not charities at all. The list includes a city government, a state agency and a branch of the U.S. military.

*Most organizations received small contributions from the golf club, including donations of $140. Most of the contributions to organizations on the list were not in the form of cash but in-kind donations, like a gift certificate for a round of golf or "Sunday brunch for two."

*In the end, NPR was able to confirm only about $800,000 in donations, less than one-fifth of what was claimed."

Imagine that.

10-27-17

Trump, indeed, has a problem with the truth. CNN reports:

"President Donald Trump incorrectly suggested there is a link Friday between rising crime rates in the United Kingdom and the "spread of Radical Islamic terror." "Just out report: 'United Kingdom crime rises 13% annually amid spread of Radical Islamic terror.' Not good, we must keep America safe!" the President tweeted.

"Just out report: "United Kingdom crime rises 13% annually amid spread of Radical Islamic terror." Not good, we must keep America safe!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 20, 2017"

Goddamned bullshit. Bold faced lie:

"But although Trump was correct in asserting that there had been a 13% rise in "victim-based crime" in the UK in the year ending June 2017 compared to the year before, there was no evidence that the rise was linked to "Radical Islamic terror." The Office for National Statistics -- which compiled the report, "Crime in England and Wales: year ending June 2017" -- told CNN it did not draw any link between the rise in "victim-based crime" and "Radical Islamic terror."

Imagine that. The nazi in the Oval Office lied. For the sake of political expediency and his goddamned nazi agenda.

10-27-17

What are we still doing in Afghanistan some 15 years after the fact? Afghan troops training here have deserted. Still remain in this country despite best effort of the Trump nazi and his shill, the Sessions nazi, to shut down the borders to nearly all immigration. Imagine that. Couldn't be, could it?

The Washington Times reports:

"More than 150 Afghan troops brought to the U.S. for military training have gone AWOL since 2005, with 13 of them still unaccounted for and perhaps living here as illegal immigrants now, an inspector general said in a new report Friday. Part of the problem is that the U.S. never puts the trainees through an in-person interview and exempts them from registering as aliens when they arrive — both steps that other visitors would normally have to go through."

Would be laughable if not so outrageously galling. Especially, in light of all the bluster coming from the Trump and Sessions nazis.

"In-person interviews and requiring the troops to register beforehand would help the government gauge whether someone is likely to go absent without leave, and would give immigration officers information about relatives in the U.S. as starting points when someone does go AWOL, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction said. But the State Department rejected those suggestions."

Couldn't be, could it? LOL.

"The audit said that while no acts of terrorism have yet been traced to the trainees, immigration agents say they’re worried because a number who go AWOL end up trying to claim asylum in the U.S., stymieing any national security investigation into their behavior."

Imagine that.

"Beyond the potential danger, American taxpayers also miss out on the investment in the troops, the inspector general said."

We're still in Afghanistan for one reason and one reason only. To line the pockets of corporate war profiteers.

“It is clear that Afghan trainees go AWOL while in the United States at a far higher rate than do trainees from any other country, and we believe that the State Department (as well as other government agencies) should use all the tools at their disposal to reduce these occurrences and ensure that Afghan trainees return to Afghanistan and make use of the substantial U.S. taxpayer investment in training,” the audit concluded. The number of troops going AWOL surged in 2015 and 2016 as security back home deteriorated."

When will we ever learn?

10-27-17

Might history repeat itself shortly? Carefully consider the following. NBC News reports:

"Republicans and Democrats are gearing up for a fight over trillions of dollars in tax cuts. But the first battleground is thousands of miles away in Kansas, where the failure of a similar plan has become a rallying cry for opponents."

Hear about this fiasco in Kansas?

"Earlier this year, Kansas' GOP-controlled legislature voted to effectively end a five-year push to slash taxes on individuals and businesses after revenues plummeted and forced deep cuts and tax hikes elsewhere. In doing so, they overturned a veto by Gov. Sam Brownback, a Republican who drew national attention in conservative circles when he launched his ambitious tax-cut program in 2012."

Remember the onset of this fiasco some five years ago?

"For Democrats, Kansas has become Exhibit A in their prosecution of the Trump tax cuts. It's routinely cited as evidence the new GOP proposal won’t grow the economy or pay for itself, and that proposed business tax reduction similar to Brownback’s will create a new loophole for wealthy individuals to exploit."

First, the point of diminishing returns is always quickly reached. Second, the precise reason for this failed rationale is always to line the pockets of the top of the food chain.

"It was a real-life experiment in a Republican state, similar to what President Trump announced," Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on the Senate floor. "It added so much money to their deficit over four years that they have had to figure out ways to raise taxes now, just as Ronald Reagan did in 1986."

Republicans wisely claim there is no such thing as a free lunch. There isn't. Hasn't stopped them from trying, however, by looting the bottom and middle class.

"The tax plan was basically an experiment in supply-side economics," said Heidi Holliday, executive director at Kansas Center for Economic Growth, which opposed the cuts. "We were promised it would be 'a shot of adrenaline' into the Kansas economy." Things, however, did not go according to plan. Over the next five years, state and local governments battled over a dwindling revenue supply, including a roughly $700 million drop-off in the first year. Job growth, meanwhile, lagged behind the national average and neighboring states."

Now, Trump wishes to do the same to the rest of the country. To line the pockets of the top of the food chain.

10-27-17

The food fight in the Republican Party rages unabated. CBS News reports:

"Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tennessee is firing back at President Trump yet again, saying that he'll be remembered for "the debasing of our nation," and he criticized the president's conduct at length as he spoke with reporters in the Capitol. Mr. Trump, Corker has concluded, is not able to bring his conduct up to the level demanded by the presidency."

Apparently, Republicans are beginning to wake up:

"I think that he's proven himself unable to rise to the occasion, and I think many of us, me included, have tried to, you know, intervene, and I have had a private dinner and have been with him on multiple occasions to try and create some kind of aspirational approach, if you will, to the way that he conducts himself. I don't think that that's possible. He's obviously not going to rise to the occasion as president," said Corker."

The following is stunning coming from Trump's own party:

"Asked if he regretted supporting Mr. Trump for president, Corker responded, " Let's just put it this way: I would not do that again."

Hard to believe the following could be true of any president, but sadly, certainly is with this one:

"Corker was also asked if Mr. Trump is a role model to children in the U.S. and Corker replied, "No, absolutely not."

Think the following won't be Trump's legacy?

"I think the things that are happening right now that are, that are harmful to our nation, whether it's the breaking down of we are going to be doing hearings on some of the things that he purposely is breaking down, relationships we have around the world that have been useful to our nation, but I think at the end of the day when his term is over, I think the debasing of our nation, the constant non-truth telling," Corker added."

While all presidents lie for a variety of reasons, no one in recent history can match Trump.

Trump, in response to Corker's comments, came out firing on Twitter:

"President Trump called Corker "incompetent" as Foreign Relations Committee chairman soon after Corker's remarks aired.

"Sen. Corker is the incompetent head of the Foreign Relations Committee, & look how poorly the U.S. has done. He doesn't have a clue as.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 24, 2017

"...the entire World WAS laughing and taking advantage of us. People like liddle' Bob Corker have set the U.S. way back. Now we move forward!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 24, 2017"

Corker certainly hit a nerve. Rattled the president's cage:

"Corker told reporters on the Hill that Mr. Trump's persistent name calling and "non-truths" affects young people the most.

"We have young people who for the first time are watching a president, stating, you know, absolute non-truths nonstop. Personalizing things in the way that he does. it's -- it's very sad for our nation."

Before Trump, presidents were careful to conceal their lying. Not so, the Trump nazi. Let's it rip despite the fact all but his base know he's continually doing so. What's particularly fascinating about this latest exchange is the fact it occurred hours before both men were to have lunch together with their Republican colleagues.

NBC News had this take on the spat:

"President Donald Trump and Republican Sen. Bob Corker went to war on Tuesday, trading personal insults and name-calling on a number of topics. The latest blows between the two kicked off when Corker said Trump's aggressive comments about North Korea "kneecap" his secretary of state’s diplomatic efforts with Pyongyang and move the world closer to war. "When you send out tweets into the region to raise tensions, when you kneecap, which is what he’s done publicly, when you kneecap your secretary of state, whose diplomacy you have to depend upon…you really move our country into a binary choice which could lead to a world war," Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told NBC’s "TODAY."

To the Trump nazi, 'them's fightin' words.' LOL.

"Corker, a key vote on the president's tax-cut plan, also said that Trump's attendance later Tuesday for a lunch with Senate Republicans is just a "photo op" that's "not really about substance."

So what else is new?

"Trump quickly hit back hard, tweeting that Corker, "who helped President O give us the bad Iran Deal & couldn't get elected dog catcher in Tennessee, is now fighting Tax Cuts."

Think so?

"Later, the president insulted the GOP senator as a "lightweight" and called him "liddle Bob Corker." Corker then responded with his own tweet. "Same untruths from an utterly untruthful president," he wrote, adding the hashtag, "#AlertTheDaycareStaff." That shot was a reprise of Corker's attack on Trump earlier this month when he tweeted, "It's a shame the White House has become an adult day care center. Someone obviously missed their shift this morning."

Then, both major political parties wonder why the public has no faith or trust in government?

At least, Corker got it right:

"Asked later Tuesday by reporters on Capitol Hill if Trump was "debasing" the nation, Corker responded, "I don’t think there’s any question that that’s the case, just in the way that he conducts himself and goes to such a low level." "It's obvious his political model and governing model is to divide," the senator said."

The following, if true, is indicative Trump is unfit for office:

"In another session with reporters, Corker said there had been "multiple occasions" where Trump's "staff has asked me to please intervene when he’s getting ready to do something that was off the tracks." "And, look, I've seen no evolution in an upward way," Corker said. "In fact I would say it appears to me that it’s almost devolved." “You would think he would aspire to be the president of the United States, to act like a president of the United States, but that’s just not gonna be the case apparently," he added."

Most striking? Get this:

"Corker repeated his suggestion Tuesday that "there are people around" Trump, like Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Chief of Staff John Kelly "that work in an effort to contain" the president and defended his own increasingly harsh criticism of the White house. "This is the role I believe I should be play for the good of our country and for the good of the world really," he said."

Trump was confronted by a protester while heading into the congressional luncheon. The Washington Times reports:

"A protester confronted President Trump on Tuesday at the U.S. Capitol, shouting “treason before tax cuts.” Mr. Trump was headed into a luncheon with Republican senators when a man in a crush of reporters threw a handful of miniature Russian flags. The man, dressed in a suit and tie, had blended in with the press who were watching as the president walked past. The protester yelled that Mr. Trump colluded with Russia and was guilty of “treason.” “You shouldn’t be talking about taxes. You should be talking about treason,” the man yelled. “President Trump stole the election. We should be talking about treason.”

Was quickly removed by Capitol Police. Have to wonder, however, how he was able to walk in with reporters. CBS News reports:

"Sen. Jeff Flake abruptly announced Tuesday he won't run for re-election after all in the 2018 midterm elections and will leave the Senate when his term ends in January 2019. He also delivered a blistering rebuke of President Trump's behavior."

Let it rip.

"The Arizona Republican announced on the Senate floor that he could "better serve my country and conscience" by dropping his re-election bid, "freeing myself of the political consideration that consumed far too much bandwidth," he said. Flake issued a thinly-veiled take-down of President Trump, criticizing the "personal attacks," the "threats against principles, freedom and institutions" and "flagrant disregard for truth and decency." He argued that recklessness, outrageous and unhinged behavior have been excused as "telling it like it is, but he warned that when such behavior "emanates from the top of government," he said it's something else. "It is dangerous to our democracy," Flake said. "Why didn't you speak up? What are we going to say?" he asked rhetorically. "Mr. President, I rise today to say, enough." "It is clear at this moment that a traditional conservative...has a narrower and narrower path to nomination in the Republican party," Flake admitted on the Senate floor. Flake said that it is his obligation to be critical and not to be silent. "Silence can equal complicity," he said. "I will not be complicit or silent."

Both United States Senators from Arizona stand tall.

"Flake first revealed his decision in a phone interview with The Arizona Republic Tuesday: "Here's the bottom line: The path that I would have to travel to get the Republican nomination is a path I'm not willing to take, and that I can't in good conscience take." "It would require me to believe in positions I don't hold on such issues as trade and immigration and it would require me to condone behavior that I cannot condone." "There may not be a place for a Republican like me in the current Republican climate or the current Republican Party," Flake said."

Sad, isn't it? Whatever happened to the Republican Party, the Party of Lincoln?

The following is the transcript of Flake's speech on the Senate floor courtesy of NPR:

"I rise to address a matter that has been very much on my mind. At a moment when it seems that our democracy is more defined by our discord and our dysfunction than by our own values and principles, let me begin by noting the somewhat obvious point that these offices that we hold are not ours indefinitely. We are not here simply to mark time. Sustained incumbency is certainly not the point of seeking office. And there are times when we must risk our careers in favor of our principles. Now is such a time.

"It must also be said that I rise today with no small measure of regret. Regret because of the state of our disunion. Regret because of the disrepair and destructiveness of our politics. Regret because of the indecency of our discourse. Regret because of the coarseness of our leadership. Regret for the compromise of our moral authority. And by "our" I mean all of "our." Complicity in this alarming and dangerous state of affairs. It is time for our complicity and our accommodation of the unacceptable to end.

"In this century a new phrase has entered the language to describe the accommodation of a new and undesirable order, that phrase being "the new normal." But we must never adjust to the present coarseness of our national dialogue with the tone set at the top. We must never regard as normal the regular and casual undermining of our democratic norms and ideals. We must never meekly accept the daily sundering of our country. The personal attacks. The threats against principles, freedoms and institution. The flagrant disregard for truth and decency. The reckless provocations, most often for the pettiest and most personal reasons — reasons having nothing whatsoever to do with the fortunes of the people that we have been elected to serve. None of these appalling features of our current politics should ever be regarded as normal. We must never allow ourselves to lapse into thinking that that is just the way things are now. If we simply become inured to this condition, thinking that it is just politics as usual, then heaven help us.

"Without fear of the consequences and without consideration of the rules of what is politically safe or palatable, we must stop pretending that the degradation of our politics and the conduct of some in our executive branch are normal. They are not normal.

"Reckless, outrageous and undignified behavior has become excused and countenanced as "telling it like it is," when it is actually just reckless, outrageous and undignified. And when such behavior emanates from the top of our government, it is something else. It is dangerous to a democracy. Such behavior does not project strength because our strength comes from our values. It instead projects the corruption of the spirit and weakness. It is often said that children are watching. Well, they are. And what are we going to do about that? When the next generation asks us, "Why didn't you do something? Why didn't you speak up?" What are we going to say? Mr. President, I rise today to say, "Enough."

"We must dedicate ourselves to making sure that the anomalous never becomes the normal. With respect and humility, I must say that we have fooled ourselves for long enough that a pivot to governing is right around the corner, a return to civility and stability right behind it. We know better than that. By now, we all know better than that.

"Here today, I stand to say that we would be better served, we would better serve the country by better fulfilling our obligations under the Constitution by adhering to our Article 1 "old normal." Mr. Madison's doctrine of separation of powers. This genius innovation which affirms Madison's status as a true visionary and for which Madison argued in Federalist 51 held that the equal branches of our government would balance and counteract with each other if necessary. "Ambition counteracts ambition," he wrote. But what happens if ambition fails to counteract ambition? What happens if stability fails to assert itself in the face of chaos and instability? If decency fails to call out indecency? Were the shoe on the other foot, would we Republicans meekly accept such behavior on display from dominant Democrats? Of course we wouldn't. And we would be wrong if we did.

"When we remain silent and fail to act when we know that silence and inaction is the wrong thing to do — because of political considerations, because we might make enemies, because we might alienate the base, because we might provoke a primary challenge, because ad infinitum, ad nauseam — when we succumb to those considerations in spite of what should be greater considerations and imperatives in defense of our institutions and our liberty, we dishonor our principles and forsake our obligations. Those things are far more important than politics.

"Now I'm aware that more politically savvy people than I will caution against such talk. I'm aware that there is a segment of my party that believes that anything short of complete and unquestioning loyalty to a president who belongs to my party is unacceptable and suspect. If I have been critical, it is not because I relish criticizing the behavior of the president of the United States. If I have been critical it is because I believe it is my obligation to do so.

"And as a matter and duty of conscience, the notion that one should stay silent and that as the norms and values that keep America strong are undermined and as the alliances and agreements that ensure the stability of the entire world are routinely threatened by the level of thought that goes into 140 characters — the notion that we should say or do nothing in the face of such mercurial behavior is ahistoric, and I believe, profoundly misguided.

"A president, a Republican president named Roosevelt, had this to say about the president and a citizen's relationship to the office: "The president is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct. His efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able and disinterested service to the nation as a whole." He continued: "Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that there should be a full liberty to tell the truth about his acts. And this means that it is exactly as necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile."

"President Roosevelt continued: "To announce that there must be no criticism of the president or that we are to stand by a president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."

"Acting on conscience and principle is the manner in which we express our moral selves, and as such loyalty to conscience and principle should supersede loyalty to any man or party. We can all be forgiven for failing in that measure from time to time. I certainly put myself at the top of the list of those who fall short in this regard.

"I am holier than none but too often we rush not to salvage principle but to forgive and excuse our failures so that we might accommodate them and go right on failing until the accommodation itself becomes our principle. In that way, and over time, we can justify almost any behavior and sacrifice any principle. I'm afraid that this is where we now find ourselves. When a leader correctly identifies real hurt and insecurity in our country, and instead of addressing it, goes to look for someone to blame, there is perhaps nothing more devastating to a pluralistic society. Leadership knows that most often a good place to start in assigning blame is to look somewhat closer to home. Leadership knows where the buck stops. Humility helps. Character counts. Leadership does not knowingly encourage or feed ugly or debased appetites in us. Leadership lives by the American creed: "E Pluribus Unum." "From many one." American leadership looks to the world and just as Lincoln did sees the family of man. Humanity is not a zero sum game. When we have been at our most prosperous, we have been at our most principled. And when we do well, the rest of the world does well. These articles of civic faith have been critical to the American identity for as long as we have been alive. They are our birthright and our obligation. We must guard them jealously and pass them on for as long as the calendar has days. To betray them or to be unserious in their defense is a betrayal of the fundamental obligations of American leadership and to behave as if they don't matter is simply not who we are.

"Now, the efficacy of American leadership around the globe has come into question. When the United States emerged from World War II, we contributed about half of the world's economic activity. It would have been easy to secure our dominance, keeping those countries who had been defeated or greatly weakened during the war, in their place. We didn't do that. It would have been easy to focus inward. We resisted those impulses. Instead, we financed reconstruction of shattered countries and created international organizations and institutions that have helped provide security and foster prosperity around the world for more than 70 years.

"Now it seems that we — the architects of this visionary, rules-based world order that has brought so much freedom and prosperity — are the ones most eager to abandon it. The implications of this abandonment are profound, and the beneficiaries of this rather radical departure in the American approach to the world are the ideological enemies of our values. Despotism loves a vacuum. And our allies are now looking elsewhere for leadership. Why are they doing this? None of this is normal. And what do we, as United States senators, have to say about it? The principles that underlie our politics, the values of our founding, are too vital to our identity and to our survival to allow them to be compromised by the requirements of politics. Because politics can make us silent when we should speak, and silence can equal complicity. I have children and grandchildren to answer to. And so, Mr. President, I will not be complicit or silent.

"I've decided that I would be better able to represent the people of Arizona and to better serve my country and my conscience by freeing myself from the political considerations that consume far too much bandwidth and would cause me to compromise far too many principles. To that end, I am announcing today that my service in the Senate will conclude at the end of my term in early January 2019.

"It is clear at this moment that a traditional conservative who believes in limited government and free markets, who is devoted to free trade, who is pro-immigration, has a narrower and narrower path to nomination in the Republican Party, the party that has so long defined itself by its belief in those things. It is also clear to me, for the moment, that we have given in or given up on the core principles in favor of a more viscerally satisfying anger and resentment. To be clear, the anger and resentment that the people feel at the royal mess that we've created are justified. But anger and resentment are not a governing philosophy. There is an undeniable potency to a populist appeal. [But] mischaracterizing or misunderstanding our problems and giving in to the impulse to scapegoat and belittle threatens to turn us into a fearful, backward-looking people. In the case of the Republican Party, those things also threaten to turn us into a fearful, backward-looking minority party.

"We were not made great as a country by indulging in or even exalting our worst impulses, turning against ourselves, glorifying in the things that divide us, and calling fake things true and true things fake. And we did not become the beacon of freedom in the darkest corners of the world by flouting our institutions and failing to understand just how hard won and vulnerable they are. This spell will eventually break. That is my belief. We will return to ourselves once more. And I say, the sooner the better. Because we have a healthy government, we must also have healthy and functioning parties. We must respect each other again in an atmosphere of shared facts and shared values, comity and good faith.

"We must argue our positions fervently and never be afraid to compromise. We must assume the best of our fellow man and always look for the good. Until that day comes, we must be unafraid to stand up and speak out as if our country depends on it. Because it does. I plan to spend the remaining 14 months of my Senate term doing just that. Mr. President, the graveyard is full of indispensable men and women. None of us here is indispensable. Nor were even the great figures of history who toiled at these very desks, in this very chamber to shape the country that we have inherited. What is indispensable are the values that they consecrated in Philadelphia and in this place — values which have endured, and will endure, for so long as men and women wish to remain free.

"What is indispensable is what we do here in defense of those values. A political career does not mean much if we are complicit in undermining these values. I thank my colleagues for indulging me here today.

"I will close by borrowing the words of President Lincoln, who knew more about healthy enmity and preserving our founding values than any other American who has ever lived. His words from his first inaugural were a prayer in his time and are now no less in ours: "We are not enemies but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break the bonds of our affection. The mystic chords of memory will swell when again touched, as surely as they will be, by the better angels of our nature." Thank you Mr. President. I yield the floor."

Flake is, indeed, a statesman, one of the few left in our formerly great country. His speech on the Senate floor will go down in history. He and Sen. McCain are two of the finest the GOP has to offer. Sadly, they've become an anachronism as our formerly great country transforms from the de facto fascist police-state we already live in to the Trump nazi's Fourth Reich.

10-27-17

More evidence Trump is sabotaging Obamacare, not letting it fail, fall of its own weight. NPR reports:

"Two states looking for approval to customize their health insurance systems under the Affordable Care Act reversed course after the Trump administration said their applications couldn't be approved in time for next year. Iowa withdrew its proposal to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for a waiver to alter its Affordable Care Act markets. Massachusetts' proposal was effectively denied by the administration. Both states sought to use some of the money that would have gone toward subsidies for consumers to instead create reinsurance programs that would protect insurers from major losses. Reinsurance often lowers premiums."

Fascinating, isn't it?

10-27-17

Unlike the Trump nazi, former President George H.W. Bush willingly takes personal responsibility. CBS News reports:

"A television actress has accused former President George H.W. Bush of touching her from behind while she was posing for a photo alongside him and telling her a dirty joke."

Amazing, isn't it? If true, hard to believe it wasn't related to the president's advanced age. Not to make excuses, however, but caregivers of the elderly have informed this writer this is a problem routinely encountered on the job.

"People magazine reports Heather Lind said in a now-deleted Instagram post that the incident took place while she was posing for a photo with Bush during a promotional tour for her AMC series "TURN: Washington's Spies." Lind appears alongside the 93-year-old Bush, who's seated in a wheelchair, in a photo together at a Houston screening of the series in 2014."

What's terribly important about this is the fact that regardless of whether or not this claim is true, a Bush spokesman addressed the issue:

"Bush spokesman Jim McGrath tells The Associated Press in a statement: "President Bush would never -- under any circumstance -- intentionally cause anyone distress, and he most sincerely apologizes if his attempt at humor offended Ms. Lind."

More on this in the next edition.

10-27-17

The following is appalling. Expected in a United States Senate run by Republican national socialists. NPR reports:

"The Senate has voted to get rid of a banking rule that allows consumers to bring class-action lawsuits against banks and credit card companies to resolve financial disputes. With Vice President Pence casting the tie-breaking vote, the rollback of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau rule banning restrictive mandatory arbitration clauses found in the fine print of credit card and checking account agreements passed 51-50, with Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and John Kennedy, R-La., voting against repeal. The Republican-controlled House had already voted to rescind the rule and President Trump is expected to quickly sign the measure, which also bars similar rules in the future."

Outrageously, unconstitutional. Forces looted citizens to give up the constitutional right to sue in order to get a bank account. Where were the goddamned Democrats? Why the hell didn't they walk out the Senate prior to the vote?

"The CFPB rule, released in July, was aimed at giving consumers more power. Prior to the rule, the CFPB said companies could "sidestep the court system" by "forcing consumers to give up or go it alone." This allowed companies to "avoid big refunds, and continue harmful practices," the CFPB wrote in July in announcing the changes. CFPB said it was redressing a situation in which consumers were forced "to give up or go it alone — usually over small amounts," while companies were able to "sidestep the court system, avoid big refunds, and continue harmful practices." In a statement released shortly after the vote, CFPB Director Richard Cordray said it represented "a giant setback for every consumer in this country. Wall Street won and ordinary people lost."

Precisely, what nazis in the Republican Party desperately wanted. Did the will of their corporate masters. Democrats? Out to lunch. Wouldn't even walk out the Senate prior to the vote. As the Republicans, bought and paid for.

"In July, The Washington Post wrote that the rule "came about because of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform legislation, which the Trump administration and Republicans have been trying to dismantle. The legislation required the CFPB to study the use of arbitration agreements and report back to Congress. The rule is a result of that report." The move is part of a larger push by Republicans to roll back regulations that they believe hurt the free market."

Goddamned, unadulterated bullshit. No such thing as a free market. The market is owned, operated, manipulated by those with the wherewithal, that is, the wealth to do it. No more complicated than that. Republican nazis continue to indulge in, promulgate the delusional myth there is indeed a free market. There isn't. Never was. No more than discredited Ayn Rand Atlas Shrugged bullshit. A ruse. Cleverly designed to line the pockets at the top of the food chain.

"So who does forced arbitration help? Wall Street banks and other huge corporations that never pay the price for cheating working people," said Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio."

Precisely, the intention.

"As NPR has reported, "in recent years, and especially after a Supreme Court decision in 2011, mandatory arbitration clauses have become widespread across all kinds of industries. So consumers in many instances have signed away their right to seek restitution through a class action."

As repeatedly stated throughout this publication, Wells Fargo does it by including the arbitration requirement in the written copy of the agreement, noticeably absent on the computer copy signed by anyone opening an account. Deceptive trade practices ignored by our nazi Texas Governor when he was Texas Attorney General. ... Right, Greg? Amanda? Raw nazism.

CBS News reports:

"Wall Street scored a major victory when Vice President Pence cast a tie-breaking vote in the Senate on Tuesday night to block new rules that would have allowed Americans to sue their banks. So-called mandatory arbitration clauses force consumers to resolve issues in arbitration and block class action lawsuits. While the banking industry says the practice saves time and money, consumer advocates argue it robs Americans of their day in court."

Direct abrogation of the constitutional right to sue.

"Consumers expressed outrage on social media, with some citing the Equifax data breach as an example why the practice should be barred. After its massive hack exposed the personal data of 145 million Americans, the credit-reporting bureau offered free credit monitoring for those affected -- but the service required consumers to sign away their right to sue Equifax."

Nazi America. Run and owned by your corporate masters. National socialism. Courtesy of both bought and paid for political parties.

"The Senate vote to block rules that would have banned arbitration clauses was called a "a truly shameful moment in Congress" by Amanda Werner, arbitration campaign manager for Americans for Financial Reform and Public Citizen. On social media, many consumers criticized the vote, calling it "open season on the consumer" and a move that will only help banks.

"Absolutely criminal. These banks can rip people off en masse and hide behind mandatory arbitration clauses to avoid consequences.
"— Zachary Mabry (@ZacMabry) October 25, 2017"

The American Way.

"In a statement, Werner added, "Rather than pass meaningful legislation to help the 145 million Americans harmed by the data breach, a slim Republican majority chose to take away our only chance at holding financial giants accountable. Surely, those 145 million voters will remember this betrayal."

Will they ever.

"Advocates like Werner, who brought attention to the issue earlier this month for dressing up as Rich Uncle Pennybags from Monopoly during the Equifax Senate hearing, say the clauses effectively shield corporations from legal repercussions for their actions."

You've been royally f--ked. Enjoy. Got what you deserved. Forget? You gutlessly failed to stand up to these bastards.

Tim Chorney, Publisher
Liberty In Peril

Tim Chorney, Publisher
Liberty In Peril
Formerly,
The Llano Ledger
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