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Wednesday Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 11:22:19 AM EST
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It's a jail day for me, open thread day for you.

All topics welcome.

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    Wednesday Open Thread | 196 comments (196 topical)

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    Pete Seeger's name (5.00 / 2) (#4)
    by Repack Rider on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 12:46:33 PM EST
    ... came up here, because I posted it.  Thought I would go on about this great American.  The FBI investigated him for decades because he was a progressive, which is someone who was called a "Communist" before about 1970.

    Here are the raw FBI files.  Pick any at random and prepare to bet angry.

    Pete was found to be in contempt of Congress when they asked him whether he was a communist and he declined to answer, citing the Constitution.

    Here is the HUAC report.

    Do I remember correctly that Pete, (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by Peter G on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 05:21:17 PM EST
    on principle, relied on the First Amendment in declining to answer questions about his friends and affiliations, rather than on the Fifth, although reliance on the Fifth would probably have kept him out of the pokey?

    Parent
    Yes you do Sir... (5.00 / 2) (#16)
    by kdog on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 06:15:32 PM EST
    "I am not going to answer any questions as to my associations, my philosophical or religious beliefs or my political beliefs or how I voted in any election or any of these private affairs. I think these are very improper questions for any American to be asked."

    "I would be very glad to tell you my life, if you want to hear of it. If you want to question me about any songs...I will be glad to tell what songs I have ever sung, because singing is my business. I have sung for Americans of every political persuasion...I have sung in hobo jungles, and I have sung for the Rockefellers."

    - Pete Seeger

    Parent

    Nice. His son is a friend of mine. (none / 0) (#5)
    by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 01:28:50 PM EST


    Parent
    An activist (5.00 / 3) (#6)
    by Repack Rider on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 01:30:47 PM EST
    ...named Adam McElhaney has started a GoFundMe page to buy the browsing histories of the congresscritters who made such sales legal.  He plans to create a site where you can read them for yourself.

    Brilliant.

    I won't link, because that probably violates site rules, but if it doesn't, let me know and I'll post it.

    The Washington Post (none / 0) (#14)
    by Mr Natural on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 05:49:46 PM EST
    on that subject.

    What to expect now that Internet providers can collect and sell your Web browser history

    Parent

    Warner/Burr press conference right now (5.00 / 1) (#7)
    by Militarytracy on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 02:02:02 PM EST
    Is Burr going to be THAT Republican? The one the whole country has been waiting for?

    Burr could be. (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by KeysDan on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 02:35:26 PM EST
    The North Carolina senator surprised even his own Republican colleagues, when he, unexpectedly, voted for repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell.  Only one of eight Republican senators: Kirk, IL; Ensign, NV, Brown, MA, Voinovich, OH, Murkowski,Alaska, Snowe/Collins, ME.

    I had an opportunity to visit with Senator Burr at a garden party at my next-door neighbor's, a week or so after that vote, where I thanked him for his vote.  He indicated that the military's position was not acceptable and that repeal only made sense.

    Hope Senator Burr will see that the House chair is unacceptable and he makes no sense.

    Parent

    imo that is good (none / 0) (#8)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 02:33:47 PM EST
    also
    then best bio will be Melanias.

    Parent
    Feds arrest MX State Atty. General at US border. (5.00 / 1) (#25)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 04:38:29 AM EST
    Federal agents in San Diego have arrested Edgar Veytia, the attorney general for the Mexican state of Nayarit, for conspiracy to smuggle heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States, per an indictment handed down by a grand jury in Brooklyn, NY on March 2.

    Veytia's indictment and arrest is yet another political embarrassment for Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, whose ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) has been buffeted by several major corruption scandals which have caused a number of former state governors to flee the country, rather than face criminal charges.

    Aloha.

    Something to make you feel good (5.00 / 2) (#35)
    by vicndabx on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:13:56 AM EST
    watch the baby

    The new Civil War (5.00 / 1) (#41)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 11:33:35 AM EST
     Sahil Kapur ✔@sahilkapur
    PENCE casts the tie-breaking vote on a Senate bill that lets states deny Title X family planning funds to Planned Parenthood. It passes.
    10:40 AM - 30 Mar 2017
      98 98 Retweets  43 43 likes

    Who were Repugs (none / 0) (#50)
    by BackFromOhio on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 02:41:28 PM EST
    who did not vote for the bill?

    Parent
    The Deputy who shot my friend (5.00 / 2) (#42)
    by Repack Rider on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 12:46:23 PM EST
    ... an unarmed Black man who was fleeing a possible ticket for driving on a suspended license, seems to have had a record of overzealous enforcement.

    Even the police friendly newspaper couldn't find a positive spin here, as the deputy fired 16 shots in a residential neighborhood at a fleeing, unarmed suspect accused of a minor traffic violation.  I photographed the shot-up car, and it is clear from the position and angle  of the bullet holes that the deputy was standing at right angles to the car, and not in any danger from it.

    Of course, my friend was charged with "assault with a deadly weapon," but the charges were dropped once the deputy's prior conduct was introduced and the physical evidence (the bullet holes) was investigated.

    Well (5.00 / 1) (#43)
    by FlJoe on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 01:29:08 PM EST
    now, NYT is reporting the it was 2 WH staffers who were Nunes' sources.
    Several current American officials identified the White House officials as Ezra Cohen-Watnick, the senior director for intelligence at the National Security Council, and Michael Ellis, a lawyer who works on national security issues at the White House Counsel's Office and formerly worked on the staff of the House Intelligence Committee.
    Michael Ellis was (none / 0) (#46)
    by KeysDan on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 02:31:08 PM EST
    my bet.

    Parent
    Ellis (5.00 / 1) (#51)
    by FlJoe on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 02:42:09 PM EST
    seemed obvious, the other guy seems more interesting, a Flynn holdover that McMaster wanted to get rid of, but he was overridden by tRump, Bannon and Kushner. Interesting.

    Parent
    And, Ryan (none / 0) (#55)
    by KeysDan on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 02:56:44 PM EST
    cleared Nunez's roller skate trip 2.0 to the WH after Nunez told him.., " that a like, .. a" "whistle-blower type person" had given him some information...he briefs me about it, didn't know the content of it, only know the nature of it and that he was going to brief others."  Ryan saw nothing and something, and heard something about nothing. For the complete word-salad...link.

    Parent
    How much you want to bet that ... (none / 0) (#56)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 03:13:08 PM EST
    ... House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes has no comment to offer the media today?
    ;-D

    This increasingly bizarre and scary affair is quickly becoming eerily reminiscent of Watergate, in which the original crime committed against the Democratic National Committee is first compounded by attempts to cover up the involvement of key GOP campaign operatives, and then eventually implicates several White House officials -- and ultimately, perhaps even the president himself -- in the scandal.

    Fasten your seat belts.

    Parent

    And no one cares. (none / 0) (#87)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:46:52 PM EST
    Doesn't that just that frost your toasties?

    lol

    Parent

    Define "no one," Jim. (5.00 / 2) (#102)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 02:00:13 AM EST
    On second thought, don't bother. Given that the Russia investigation is the lead story in most every major daily and TV newscast, your statement very strongly suggests that you're too enthralled with the view to notice that your head's up your a$$.

    Buh-bye.

    Parent

    What I note (1.00 / 2) (#108)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 08:11:51 AM EST
    is that Trump sold about all of our uranium to  Russia....

    Oh. Wait. That was Hillary.

    Parent

    Two questions (5.00 / 4) (#109)
    by Yman on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 08:16:48 AM EST
    1.  Where do you find all these wingnut lies?

    2. Don't you get tired of constantly getting busted peddling debunked conspiracy theories?  

    Most people would get embarrassed at some point.

    Parent
    Well, Jim is not most people. (5.00 / 2) (#139)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 09:49:55 PM EST
    One must first possess at least some modicum of self-awareness and modesty in order to become embarrassed. And in that regard, Jim just loves to show off his swan dive into the deep end of an empty pool.

    ;-D

    Parent

    What I note (1.00 / 1) (#112)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 08:25:25 AM EST
    is that Trump tried to get the Soviet's help in opposing Reagan.

    Oh. Wait. That was Democrat US Senator Ted Kennedy.

    Parent

    So the answer is "No" (5.00 / 1) (#121)
    by Yman on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 09:43:55 AM EST
    Can't blame you for not addressing the first lie, but following it up with another one just proves my point:

    Limbaugh: Ted Kennedy undercut Reagan with back-door line to Soviets

    FALSE

    Most people would be embarrassed, but I guess you just like to follow in the footsteps of your "leader".

    Parent

    Why (none / 0) (#113)
    by FlJoe on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 08:48:18 AM EST
    are you so fearful of talking about the here and now?

    Parent
    Why are you so fearful (1.00 / 2) (#135)
    by jimakaPPJ on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 07:43:02 PM EST
    of understanding that all of the BS about Trump and Russia has already been reviewed and found not true.

    You're just spouting partisan nonsense to hear yourself talk.

    Think of this. We now know that last summer Comey wanted to go public with what he thought was Russia's attempt to influence the election.

    Obama blocked that. Why?

    Your sweet heart has told all of MSNBC. Somebody is going to jail.

     

    Parent

    Is "someone"? (5.00 / 1) (#137)
    by Yman on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 08:55:54 PM EST
    You sound so confident of that, yet you have no evidence and you refuse to place a wager on it.  Then again ... perhaps you mean Flynn?  Manafort?  Trump?

    Heh, heh, heh ...

    all of the BS about Trump and Russia has already been reviewed and found not true.

    No, Jim - it's just begun, and your claim is - as usual - 100% false.  The FBI is actively investigating whether Trump or his campaign colluded with the Russians.  Comey just testified to that fact a few days ago.  Not to mention the Senate/House investigations.

    Buckle up - you're gonna have a rough year or more ahead of you.

    Parent

    This, from a guy who insisted ... (5.00 / 3) (#138)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 09:36:51 PM EST
    jimakaPPJ: "Why are you so fearful of understanding that all of the BS about Trump and Russia has already been reviewed and found not true. You're just spouting partisan nonsense to hear yourself talk."

    ... only three days ago that Rep. Nunes did not meet with anyone at the White House. You currently have as much credibility on this particular issue as the gentleman from Tulare.

    "So I do what I do.
    When I'm through, then I'm through.
    And I'm through. Toodle-loo."
    - Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli), "Mein Herr," Cabaret (1972)


    Parent
    He met with (1.00 / 1) (#145)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 11:03:36 AM EST
    his source on White House Grounds

    Is there something about "grounds" not being "house" that you don't understand?

    I think you know what happened. You are just being intellectually dishonest with yourself.

    But really, why should you care?

    And the answer is....you are just trying to throw up clouds of smoke to cover the truth that US citizens were spied on illegally at the direction of Obama.

    Parent

    Now you're just being deliberately obtuse. (5.00 / 2) (#150)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 01:04:21 PM EST
    Was anyone here suggesting that Nunes was in the Lincoln Bedroom watching a couple of Russian prostitutes relieve themselves? Are you suggesting that Nunes met his contacts under a tree on the White House lawn? He was in the White House complex, and somebody had to authorize his entry.

    Jeez, Jim, you've already made any number of ignorant and false claims these last few days, and yet you keep doubling down on them like a drunk at a roulette table. And then you wonder why you're regularly ridiculed and dismissed by people for being nothing more than a right-wing tool.

    Wise up.

    Parent

    That's exactly what you have been trying (1.00 / 1) (#161)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 02:36:44 PM EST
    Was anyone here suggesting that Nunes was in the Lincoln Bedroom

    to do...with a lot of help from your friends.

    Parent

    Something's really gotten under ... (none / 0) (#167)
    by Yman on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 04:19:36 PM EST
    ... his skin.

    I heard borscht can do a number on your stomach if you overindulge.

    Parent

    Personally, I don't care how he feels. (5.00 / 6) (#170)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 05:05:43 PM EST
    I think henceforth, we should just ignore Jim and let Jeralyn handle his misinformation campaign. He's blog-clogging by trying to push the posts up to 200 and thus close out the thread, and we're assisting in that effort by responding to his nonsensical provocations.

    Parent
    i dont believe this is exactly true (none / 0) (#136)
    by linea on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 08:17:49 PM EST
    all of the BS about Trump and Russia has already been reviewed and found not true.

    im not sure if there is any actual and specific criminal allegation that candidate trump explicitally colluded with putin to influence the u.s. election.

    i do believe there are investigations - currently under review - that certain members of his staff or under his employment "may have" had some sort of knowledge or involvement with... the hack of the DNC servers and release to wikileaks of the DNC emails that derided Sanders.

    thus, from what i understand, nothing has "already beem reviewed and found not true" at this point.

    Parent

    Clapper said there was no colusion (1.00 / 1) (#146)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 11:34:35 AM EST
    And he should know.

    The DNC's server being hacked merely shows that the Demos were too dumb to get proper equipment and got burned when someone released all their nasty comments about fellow Democrats.

    Ho Hum

    I can see the fellow Demos being angry...... but this trying to blame Trump for their own problems is highly stupid and harmful.

    I haven't seen such hissy fits since Ms Johnson's first grade class was told they couldn't go out for recess because it was raining.....

    In the meantime we find that Podesto's company got $35 million from Russia in 2011

    So you have the Russian government investing in one of John Podesta's business in 2011 while he is an adviser to Hillary Clinton at the State Department.

    Link

    And then Hillary signed off on the uranium deal...

    In the meantime Trump's EO rolled back a ton of harmful EPA rules....gotta love it.

    Parent

    Gotta love it (5.00 / 2) (#147)
    by jondee on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 12:10:38 PM EST
    your grandkids will have to live with poisoned air and water and it don't matter, cuz everyone knows the Rapture's comin'.

    Gotta love it.

    Parent

    Poisoned air and water (1.00 / 1) (#154)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 01:46:38 PM EST
    And the Scientific Theory supporting this claim is????????

    Inquiring minds want to know,

    Parent

    Rolling back (none / 0) (#156)
    by MKS on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 01:54:23 PM EST
    CAFE standards.  Boosting dirty energy.  Slamming clean energy.   The result is not surprising.

    Parent
    You never heard of clean coal? (1.00 / 1) (#159)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 02:27:13 PM EST
    President Trump is reopening the evaluation process, which could lead to weaker standards

    And they may not.

    The standard for passenger cars stayed at 27.5 mpg from 1990 until 2007. In 2009, the government set a fuel economy standard of 34.1 mpg for cars and light trucks by 2016. In 2012, it set a new target of 54.5 mpg by 2025. The number can change depending on the mix of vehicles customers buy. Right now, it stands at 51.4 mpg because people are buying more SUVs and trucks.

    At around $2.00/gallon no one cares. At $4.00 a gallon Trump can tell folks to buy a new car...You know, like Hoover and Obama did.

    Look, I understand the Left wants everyone in beehive apartment buildings. It makes us easier to control...But Joe and Jane want a spot of green were Jack and Jill can play with Spot and they aren't going to give that dream up without a struggle.....and Trump looked like that's what he wanted... Hillary, not at all.

    And trying to sell climate change with fear doesn't work because an educated populace doesn't accept the fake BS coming from the hoaxers and people getting rich off government money.

    Come with some demonstrable facts and even I would
    quit scoffing at Gollywood hoodoos flying around the world in their private jets trying to put the rest of us in tin cans and concrete boxes.

    Parent

    Clean coal is not clean (5.00 / 4) (#162)
    by MKS on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 02:51:35 PM EST
    The rest of your comment makes no sense.  Beehive apartments and Joe and Jane want a spot of green????...WTF has that got to do with clean air and water?

    You make no sense.   Even when I can actually follow the sentences you write, you are still often incoherent.  As to most your comment, I have no idea what you are talking about....Except I guess extolling some type of value system in the rural South that hates environmental standards for clean air and water.

      And your own youth are fleeing for the cities--if that is what you are talking about.    

    Parent

    Well why care about "worldly things" (none / 0) (#207)
    by jondee on Mon Apr 03, 2017 at 03:51:22 PM EST
    like clean are air and water, when everyone's gettin' Raptured up any day now?

    In all seriousness, from the studies I've seen, upwards of 50% of the populace in the blood red states adheres to some variety of Last Days doctrine.

    Not much motivation for stewardship when you believe the Good Lord hisself has cursed the planet.  

    Parent

    Because (none / 0) (#124)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 10:41:37 AM EST
    he knows Trump and Pence are Putin stooges.

    Parent
    Duck test (none / 0) (#143)
    by Lora on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 10:17:06 AM EST
    The alleged collusion with Russia certainly passes the Duck Test:

    If it looks like a duck
    Quacks like a duck
    Walks like a duck...

    Of course, (Yes Jim) it still may not be a duck.

    BUT...it would be extremely foolish to go about business as if it were not a duck.

    That said, I hope those with any sort of power who possess a conscience are proceeding as if it is a duck, and a very dangerous one.

    I hope they are being very careful about thoroughly vetting any information they receive.  These "ducks" play dirty.  I would not be surprised whatsoever if some dam*ing information comes to light, the Dems and Repubs with a conscience run with it, it is then found to be false, and the entire investigation is ridiculed and put on hold indefinitely.

    Look out.  These ducks play for keeps.

    Parent

    Lora, welcome (1.00 / 3) (#163)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 02:51:40 PM EST
    haven't seen you here before.

    I just can't seem to find anything that Trump and company has actually done that quacks, flies or swims...much less waddle.

    OTOH we have Podesta's millions, Hillary's sign off of the uranium sale and the millions donated.

    Do you have anything comparable?? I see this as pure and simple pay off by the Russians.

    Perhaps they got angry at the Demos not doing some deed they had promised and turned on'em. Nothing like a scorned lover to deliver some bad stuff.

    And Democrats have a history of election tampering. We have Ted Kennedy trying to cut a deal for help in defeating Reagan and Obama's meddling in Israel's election.

    And now we know that Comey tried to out what he saw as Russian attempts to influence our election last summer...but he was shut down.

    Why?? I can't figure that out. You would think Obama would have stopped playing golf and announced the dirty tricks the Russkie's were playing...

    Parent

    Actually (none / 0) (#164)
    by Ga6thDem on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 02:56:43 PM EST
    there's loads of stuff Trump did with the Russians. It is known for a fact that he got money from the Russians after he declared bankruptcy for the 6th time and nobody in America would loan him money. His son even admitted that money was rolling in from the Russians.

    And I find it hysterical that you're quoting a Russian stooge to use against Podesta but that's what happens when you get all your news from the Russian news sites.

    Parent

    Well, GA (1.00 / 1) (#169)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 05:03:51 PM EST
    don't be shy. Give us a link to all these things.

    You know, this is all very confusing. Well, let us play detective.

    There is no evidence that any on the Left seems to want to share...

    Podesta and Hillary made millions off the Russians that NBC, et al, will not tell us about...

    Comey wanted to out the Russians last summer but Obama wouldn't let him....

    Now, why was that?? Let me see... The election seemed to be in the bag...and if it came out then people would want to know how he knew...and the surveillance would come out...and the world would know Obama's team was spying on Trump and Trump's team....

    Now we have Flynn wanting immunity and Trump saying give it to him. Seems to me that if Flynn had something bad on Trump then Trump wouldn't want Flynn to talk...yet he does.

    Nunez goes over to a secure place and sees who was spied on and the Demos don't scream to see who it was...they scream he shouldn't have told the President...and want him shut down... Looks like the Demos are scared of what Nunez knows..

    Parent

    Shopping (none / 0) (#199)
    by Ga6thDem on Sun Apr 02, 2017 at 01:17:34 PM EST
    alternative facts conspiracy theories about Hillary and Podesta are just nonsense.

    Comey says NOW that he tried to write an op ed about Russia but he was asked about Russia numerous times and he declined to comment. In any one of those meetings where he was asked he could have said yes, there is a criminal investigation going on with regards to Trump. He certainly did not obey Obama or Lynch when it came to talking about Hillary. He also did not sign onto the letter from the NSA that was released to the press about Trump's ties to Russia before the election. He's gotten himself in hot water and he's trying to throw the blame onto everybody else because time after time last year he did not do the right
    thing. He's going to go down as enabling Putin with his behavior and now he's just trying to cover his own posterior.

    Nunes did not have to go to the WH for a secure location. LOL. There are places right there in the capitol building he could have gone. He went to the white house because apparently two people at the white house wanted to give him some information which reeks of collusion. There is no spying by Obama. Obama can't order spying not that I expect you to understand that. It's pretty obvious what was going on and that is the NSA had been doing surveillance on the Russian spies and Trump and his team got surveillance done on them because they were speaking to the Russian spies. As a matter of fact Trump and his campaign are now being investigated for colluding with Russia on the attacks on the DNC going back to March of last year.

    As far as immunity Trump might want Flynn to get off scott free. Who knows what is going on in that crazed mind. Apparently the senate intelligence committee thinks he should be held accountable for his crimes and are refusing.

    Parent

    Some niice moves but no cigar... (none / 0) (#205)
    by jimakaPPJ on Mon Apr 03, 2017 at 12:16:18 PM EST
    Trump is not under criminal investigation.

    Whether or not Comey obeyed Obama, Lynch or his doctor has nothing to do with him not exposing what he, and you, have called attempts to influence our election.

    There are various levels of security. Evidently the only nearby place with the proper equipment is in a building on the WH grounds. BTW - Schiff went to the same location today to view the crimes committed.

    Certainly Obama can order spying. Either directly or "Who will rid me of this troublesome priest?"

    You use a broad definition of spying. While all members of the Russian government within the US undoubtedly collect information, not all are "spies" in the sense that is their prime function.

    So by your first definition it is most likely that members of Trumps team spoke with Russians.

    Now if that incidental collection of their conversations had revealed illegality the justice department could have impaneled a grand jury and went for an indictment. There is no record of that happening.

    But if there is then the unmasking of the people, which is a crime, handicapped their efforts. And what is obstruction of justice?

    I repeat. If Trump feared what Flynn might say then he would not be supporting immunity.

    Parent

    If (none / 0) (#206)
    by FlJoe on Mon Apr 03, 2017 at 12:49:07 PM EST
    s "nothing to fear", why doesn't he release his Tax Returns?

    Parent
    Yes (none / 0) (#208)
    by Ga6thDem on Tue Apr 04, 2017 at 08:11:53 AM EST
    Trump Under criminal investigation for ties to Russia

    Parent
    Your logic escapes me (none / 0) (#174)
    by mm on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 05:37:27 PM EST
    I hate to see what Putin would have done to Clinton if she hadn't been so cozy and compromised by all these things she supposedly did for the Russians

    Parent
    i dont exactly see the ducks (none / 0) (#165)
    by linea on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 03:23:24 PM EST
    this appears to be the timeline:

    • sept 2015 - the fbi contacts the dnc and tells them their system may have compromised by the dukes - a cyberhacking group suspected of having ties to the russian government. the dnc does nothing.

    • april 2016 - the dnc contacts the fbi and hires a security firm.

    • july 2016 - wikileakes publishes embarrasing dnc emails.

    what exactly is being alleged? that sometime between sept 2015 and july 2016 russian intelligence contacted a member of candidate trump's staff and said:

    "hey! we have some emails we hacked from the dnc servers that bernie supporters might be interested in. do you want us to give this intel to wikileaks?"



    Parent
    Who knows? (1.00 / 1) (#172)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 05:20:06 PM EST
    But why did the DNC wait 7 months?? Can we just put that down to being terminally stupid?

    You don't say who wrote what you quote. Can you give us a linked source??

    And what if it happened that way?? What if someone called you up said: "We have some bad information on your boss/lover/husband. Do you want us to give it to the Times/Wiki?"(pick one)

    Does that mean you are required to respond? What if you just ignored it?? Does that make you culpable?

    You see, linea, all we have is a bunch of smoke and mirrors. Yet Clapper said no proof.  And there has been a lot of time since them....

    And why isn't the Demos screaming to see the info Nunez has rather than trying to keep it from coming out?

    And what has happened in the investigation of the  murder of the man who Assange says gave up the DNC info??

    Fox asks the question but no one else is pursuing it.

    Parent

    Oh, let's see.... (none / 0) (#168)
    by Lora on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 05:02:18 PM EST
    Duck 1: Flynn
    Duck 2: Manafort

    for starters.

    Parent

    And what did they do (1.00 / 1) (#173)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 05:29:06 PM EST
    that is illegal, immoral or fattening?

    Links please..

    And again. If Flynn can harm trump...why is Trump saying let him talk??

    You may not like Trump...but you'll have to admit he isn't stupid..

    And Manafort?? He has volunteered to testify without immunity...

    Kinda strange for a criminal to try and convict himself.


    Parent

    lying to Congress (none / 0) (#175)
    by Lora on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 05:40:45 PM EST
    Oh, no, we never talked to no Russians!

    Oh.... wait....

    Sorry, don't have time to drag up a link.  Common knowledge, though.

    Parent

    Eh, sorry, correction (none / 0) (#177)
    by Lora on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 06:06:52 PM EST
    That's what I get for being to lazy to get links.

    Flynn lied to the FBI

    I guess Manafort just lied.

    Parent

    You should get some (none / 0) (#188)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Apr 02, 2017 at 09:47:36 AM EST
    Now new information suggests t

    The Jan. 24 interview potentially puts Flynn in legal jeopardy
    .

    links that aren't "qualified."

    Now, is Flynn guilty? Is Manafort?

    I dunno and neither do you.

    I do know that Obama shut down Comey from outing the Russians last summer.

    Can you tell me why he did that??? Wasn't he supposed to defend and protect??

    Parent

    ???? I like how (none / 0) (#189)
    by jondee on Sun Apr 02, 2017 at 10:28:50 AM EST
    you use those multiple question marks to underscore when you've asked a hard-hitting, profound question!!!!!

    Obama was acute enough to know that it's not enough to get just a couple of your traitorous rat heroes; you wait and watch their comings and goings, locate their hole, and then wipe out the whole nest.

    Which is what is slowly unfolding now.

    Parent

    If taking money from Russia is bad bad (none / 0) (#190)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Apr 02, 2017 at 12:16:17 PM EST
    Then Podesta is $35 million bad.

    And Hillary is in it neck deep.

    Parent

    Never said that (none / 0) (#192)
    by Lora on Sun Apr 02, 2017 at 12:20:55 PM EST
    All I said is it passes the "duck test."

    The ducks are out there.  More every week, it seems.

    Proof? Guilt?  I dunno either.  But...

    waddle waddle quack quack

    Parent

    Your heroes undermining (none / 0) (#198)
    by jondee on Sun Apr 02, 2017 at 01:04:36 PM EST
    democracy in this country is bad.

    But then, maybe they just want to erase history and start over, the way you delete anyone from your blog who disagrees with you.

    Parent

    Guilty of what? (none / 0) (#191)
    by Lora on Sun Apr 02, 2017 at 12:16:57 PM EST
    Flynn: Guilty of lying to the VP: about Russian talks:

    He resigned when it emerged he had lied to the vice-president, Mike Pence. Flynn said he had not discussed lifting US sanctions on Russia with Sergei Kislyak, Moscow's US ambassador, but later admitted this was untrue.

    Manafort:

    Donald Trump's campaign chairman helped a pro-Russian governing party in Ukraine secretly route at least $2.2 million in payments to two prominent Washington lobbying firms in 2012, and did so in a way that effectively obscured the foreign political party's efforts to influence U.S. policy.
    Passes the duck test.  As I mentioned.


    Parent
    Unnamed sources, wow (1.00 / 1) (#193)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Apr 02, 2017 at 12:32:39 PM EST
    The revelation, provided to The Associated Press by people directly knowledgeable about the effort, comes a

    And Manafort has volunteered to testify.

    Do you think, maybe, the names will come out?

    And he should have he resigned for lying to the VP.

    But not for talking to the Russians. Heck, I always thought talking beat fighting and so did Obama when he promised to talk with all the world leaders. He followed that up with an apology tour, after he became President.

    And the reason the Demos are all in a flutter over Nunez is that he knows who was leaking.

    But we do know who got $35 million. John Podesta

    Parent

    You need to stop repeating this LIE (none / 0) (#194)
    by Yman on Sun Apr 02, 2017 at 12:40:01 PM EST
    But we do know who got $35 million. John Podesta

    It's libelous and defamatory - and you've been corrected before.  John Podesta did not get $35 million from the Russians.  A Russian investment frm with ties to the Kremlin invested money into an energy company that he is a board member of/owns stock in.  Jerlayn doesn't appreciate people posting libelous claims on her website.  

    Parent

    And what's wrong with (5.00 / 1) (#196)
    by jondee on Sun Apr 02, 2017 at 01:00:08 PM EST
    saying Hillary sold uranium to the Russians or that Podesta "got" 35 million?????

    There's a whole parallel universe on AM radio where all those things happened!!!!

    Parent

    I rest my case (none / 0) (#200)
    by jimakaPPJ on Sun Apr 02, 2017 at 04:38:26 PM EST
    Left-Wing Media Ignores Hillary Clinton's Campaign Chairman Bagging $35 Million from Putin

    Link

    A Russian investment frm with ties to the Kremlin invested money into an energy company that he is a board member of/owns stock in.

    Acording to the Daily Caller, Joule Unlimited Technologies, partially funded by a Russian company, initially gave John Podesta 100,000 shares of stock choices after he became part of the board in 2010 along with Dutch-based entities: Joule Global Holdings, BV and the Stichting Joule Global Foundation.

    After Podesta declared that his withdrawal from the Joule board in January 2014 to be Barack Obama's special adviser, the firm finally awarded him with 75,000 shares of stock.

    The Schedule B section of the administration's form 278 which required John Podesta to  "report any purchase, sale or exchange by you, your spouse, or dependent children...of any property, stocks, bonds, commodity futures and other securities when the amount of the transaction exceeded $1,000."

    Link

    A liberal think tank founded by Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's campaign chair John Podesta took millions from an environmental nonprofit with links to laundered Russian money and a close friend of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

    The Center for American Progress (CAP) got $5.25 million over five years from the Sea Change Foundation, according to a leaked 2014 tax filing sent to Podesta's hacked Gmail account. WikiLeaks has published more 44,000 hacked emails online from Podesta's personal account.

    The Sea Change Foundation came under scrutiny from Republican lawmakers in 2014 for taking $23 million in 2010 and 2011 from a Bermuda-based shell company based out of the offices of a law firm with extensive ties to "Russian money laundering, a friend and advisor of Vladimir Putin, Russian oil production, and more," according to a 2015 report by the Environmental Policy Alliance (EPA).

    Link

    Parent

    "Rest your case"??? (none / 0) (#201)
    by Yman on Sun Apr 02, 2017 at 07:22:55 PM EST
    You get caught lying about Podesta and then provide links to wingnut websites that give out tinfoil hats by the gross?

    Heh.

    I already provided real, factchecking sources proving these wingnut myths are a lie, but feel free to continue your head deeper in the wingnut sewer of "alternative facts".

    Parent

    Somewhere in Tennessee, ... (5.00 / 1) (#203)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sun Apr 02, 2017 at 11:33:36 PM EST
    ... stock clerks at several local supermarkets in Jim's hometown are having trouble keeping up with the constant run on aluminum foil from store shelves.

    ;-D

    Parent

    Let's see.. (none / 0) (#204)
    by jondee on Mon Apr 03, 2017 at 12:14:39 PM EST
    statements like Hillary "sold uranium to Russia" are allowed to stand here, but God forbid someone insinuates that there are a lot of racists in Trump's movement, because that's a "libelous" thing to say.

    And speaking of libels, I have to wonder what might potententially happen if some climate scientist, or group of climate scientists, with some money behind them, ever took it into their heads to take a website to court for promoting the charge that said scientists are knowingly perpetrating a fraud and a hoax?

    Legal opinions anyone? I'm all ears.


    Parent

    He should have resigned (none / 0) (#202)
    by Lora on Sun Apr 02, 2017 at 09:27:23 PM EST
    Ever think about WHY he lied?  Or why Flynn lied?  

    Hmmmm?

    If just talking with the Russians was so harmless, then they ought to have disclosed it at the appropriate time.

    Gee, maybe they just -- I don't know -- forgot.

    Parent

    i googled... (none / 0) (#178)
    by linea on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 06:24:45 PM EST
    so, the scandal is actually about the incoming trump administration secretly assuring the russians that they will "forgive" the hacking of the dnc server and release of emails (in an attempt to influence u.s. elections) by removing the recently imposed sanctions?

    Duck 1: Flynn
    Duck 2: Manafort
    for starters.

    per mother jones:

    August 19: Manafort resigns from the Trump campaign.

    November 1: NBC News reports that the FBI is conducting a preliminary inquiry into Paul Manafort's business ties to Russia and Ukraine.

    December (date unknown): Michael Flynn and Jared Kushner meet with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at Trump Tower.

    December 29: Obama announces sanctions against Russia for the country's alleged interference in the presidential election.... Michael Flynn holds five phone calls with Kislyak, during which they at some point discuss US sanctions on Russia.

    February 13: Flynn resigns following reports that the Justice Department warned the White House that Flynn had misled senior members of the administration, including Pence, about whether he discussed US sanctions with the Russian ambassador.

    March 22: The Associated Press reports that, starting in the mid-2000s, Manafort worked on behalf of Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska to "influence politics, business dealings and news coverage inside the United States, Europe and the former Soviet republics to benefit the Putin government."

    Parent

    Well that's a popular hypothesis (none / 0) (#187)
    by Lora on Sun Apr 02, 2017 at 08:37:35 AM EST
    It is also whether or not there was actual collusion with Russia by Trump's campaign team in an attempt to influence the election on Trump's behalf.  A much more serious charge.

    Parent
    Hmm (5.00 / 1) (#104)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 05:54:35 AM EST
    I'm sure Republicans don't care or say they don't but the majority of Americans do care that we have the Russians influencing elections. I'm sure the Breitbart crowd is just fine with all this.

    Parent
    "No one cares" - heh (5.00 / 2) (#110)
    by Yman on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 08:20:20 AM EST
    Which is, of course 100% false.

    Polls show Americans want investigations into Trump and Russia.



    Parent

    I do believe that Mr. Cohen-Watnick ... (none / 0) (#53)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 02:47:15 PM EST
    ... is a former associate of ex-National Security Advisor Gen. Michael Flynn, is he not? (I could be istaken.)

    I'll offer better than even odds that before the day is out, one or more Republican congresscritters or their surrogates will be on the cable news shows to complain about the persons who leaked these guys' identities.

    Chairman Nunes really needs to recuse himself from this investigation.

    Parent

    Yes, and Ezra Cohn Watnik (none / 0) (#57)
    by KeysDan on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 03:23:50 PM EST
    was to spend his last day on the job tomorrow (Friday), after McMaster wanted him transferred because McMaster received many complaints about him.

      Ezra, the 30-year old lower level staffer was saved after Kushner and Bannon got Trump to over-rule McMaster.  Seems like a lot going on just to shore up Trump's tweet about a "wires tapp."

       Pathetic Nunes got sucked in to the scheme, to not only bolster Trump's tweet, but to undermine the House Intel Committee, for the Russian/Trump misadventure and to, generally, help dismantle the administrative state, per Bannon.  It is way too late for Nunes to just recuse himself. He has got to go, certainly as Chair, and, best of all, from Congress.

    Parent

    New sh!t... (none / 0) (#59)
    by desertswine on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 04:17:38 PM EST
    has come to light.

    Parent
    I'll see your Coen Brothers, ... (none / 0) (#141)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 03:55:24 AM EST
    ... and raise you an Oliver Stone:

    "When they look at you, they see what they want to be. When they look at me, they see what they are."
    - Richard Nixon (Anthony Hopkins), contemplating the White House portrait of John F. Kennedy, Nixon (1994)

    Trump confidante Roger Stone first cut his teeth as a dirty political player while working for Richard Nixon's campaign. Here's his 2013 interview on the Russia Today (RT) network.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    Roger Stone acted so much like Trump (none / 0) (#144)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 10:47:05 AM EST
    Last night in gesture. He has a much larger vocabulary to subterfuge with, but Bill had him nailed to the floor. At the end of the interview he would not say thank you or good bye, he jumped up and bolted off stage. He did agree to bring a cake onto to stage before the interview ended, and later brought a 4/20 cake onto the stage to celebrate episode 420. Once again though eye contact was over, he wouldn't acknowledge anyone. It reminded me of Trump with Merkel.

    Parent
    Roger Stone (none / 0) (#148)
    by KeysDan on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 12:27:42 PM EST
    started as a Nixon "dirty trickster."  Jeff Toobin's New Yorker article includes a beautiful tattoo of Richard Nixon on his back. Stone mentioned that tattoo last night on Bill Maher's show, with the note that he has a Dick on his dorsal side as well as a d*ck on his frontal side.  Bill let that one slide. Warning: review of the linked New Yorker article may require subsequent eye bleach.  

    Parent
    Just wrong on so many levels :) (none / 0) (#185)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 09:49:26 PM EST
    It was the desk clerk's first exposure to Stone last night. He kept asking what was wrong with that guy? Why is he so weird?

    Parent
    Whaaaat? (none / 0) (#186)
    by Militarytracy on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 10:06:55 PM EST
    Stone worked for something called Black, Manafort in the mid 1990s and ran a political campaign in the Ukraine in 1996?

    Whaaaaat?

    Parent

    And Twitter rumors Trump isn't going to (5.00 / 2) (#96)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 11:02:38 PM EST
    Make it through this

    just heard a good quote (5.00 / 1) (#107)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 08:07:54 AM EST
    "this Russia thing is like listening to the Watergate Tapes.  live"

    Not Just Like Hillary's Emails? (none / 0) (#126)
    by RickyJim on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 01:17:24 PM EST


    Parent
    I do hope you're not serious. (none / 0) (#129)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 04:18:46 PM EST
    Because if you are, then I'm going to be merciless.
    ;-D

    Parent
    Bernie bros were Russian dupes (5.00 / 3) (#125)
    by Towanda on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 12:26:16 PM EST
    as Senate Intel Committee learns, but some of us  knew that.

    As for Sanders scripting Trump's attacks -- "rigged," etc. -- further testimony may be intriguing, too.  

    Other revelations yesterday before the Senate Intel Committee also ought to be getting more media -- and blog -- coverage, but the White House has orchestrated well the continuing diversion to the House Intel Committee.

    "I" don't??? (5.00 / 1) (#158)
    by Yman on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 02:09:08 PM EST
    No kidding - why would I have such evidence?  The only people who know what the evidence is are current members of the intelligence agencies who are actively investigating your Cheetoh as we speak.  It's an ongoing investigation, which is what makes your clipped/distorted quote of Clapper all the more laughable.  He never said what you claimed - there was "no collusion", but rather said they had no evidence of it several months ago.  No one, especially you, knows what evidence they have now.

    But I'm very upset about being "banned" from a blog full of r@cist, xenophobic, Islamophobic rants and tinfoil conspiracy theories.  You mean I'm excluded from viewing the r@cist photos of Obama with a bone through his nose and the witty comments from your friends Bubba Joe and Merl?

    Heh, heh, heh ...

    Here is a MSNBC (1.00 / 2) (#26)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 06:49:19 AM EST
    clip where a Democratic operative, an ex-Obama official, admits spying on Trump and tells us that other high admin people were doing it.

    No mention of warrants are made.

    No matter how much you hate Trump if you believe in the rule of law you have to want this person investigated, arrested, tried and convicted.

    MSNBC

    What she said (5.00 / 1) (#31)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 08:26:09 AM EST
    was she attempted to prevent the intelligence on Trump's ties to Russia from being destroyed. This does nothing to back up your claim and frankly we already knew this was going on. Trump has ties to the Russian mafia going back at least 15 years where he was apparently being funded by them. Nothing earth shattering here.

    Parent
    So many lies (5.00 / 1) (#32)
    by Yman on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 08:30:12 AM EST
    ... so little time.

    Your claims about Evelyn Farkas are false and defamatory.  

    But you already knew that.

    Parent

    Excuse me, but I believe that ... (5.00 / 1) (#44)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 02:14:57 PM EST
    ... you've somehow mistook Jim for someone who actually gives a Schitt about facts and truth. But of course, he already knew that. But like so many Republica-- er, excuse me, I mean "independent thinkers" -- nowadays, he just doesn't care.
    ;-D

    Parent
    I love his interpretation of (5.00 / 2) (#47)
    by jondee on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 02:33:24 PM EST
    "the rule of law" wherein you convict before you investigate..

    Summons up pictures of lynch mobs and Soviet show trials.

    Hell, hangin's too good for 'em!

    Parent

    Can't read, eh? (1.00 / 1) (#85)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:42:31 PM EST
    No matter how much you hate Trump if you believe in the rule of law you have to want this person investigated, arrested, tried and convicted.

    Parent
    Can't think, eh? (5.00 / 2) (#91)
    by jondee on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:53:34 PM EST
    investigations and trials are to determine if a person should be convicted of something.

    Convictions aren't decided beforehand.

    Apparently the Rule of Law you aspire to is the one in place in Putin's Russia (no surprise!) and in North Korea.

    Parent

    She said what she said (none / 0) (#86)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:44:10 PM EST
    And tried, unsuccessfully, to walk it back.

    Her on words convict her and the Left.

    Parent

    You have no idea what you're talking about, Jim. (none / 0) (#130)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 04:20:42 PM EST
    But then you hardly ever do, preferring instead to regurgitate whatever mindless right-wing drivel floats across your computer screen.

    Parent
    She Resigned from DOD in Sept 2015 (none / 0) (#28)
    by RickyJim on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 07:56:24 AM EST
    which would be before the contact between Russia and the Trump Campaign was supposed to have happened.
    I was urging my former colleagues, and, and frankly speaking the people on the Hill [Democrat politicians], it was more actually aimed at telling the Hill people, get as much information as you can - get as much intelligence as you can - before President Obama leaves the administration.
    Because I had a fear that somehow that information would disappear with the senior [Obama] people who left; so it would be hidden away in the bureaucracy, um, that the Trump folks - if they found out HOW we knew what we knew about their, the Trump staff, dealing with Russians - that they would try to compromise those sources and methods; meaning we no longer have access to that intelligence.
    So I became very worried because not enough was coming out into the open and I knew that there was more. We have very good intelligence on Russia; so then I had talked to some of my former colleagues and I knew that they were also trying to help get information to [Democrat politicians].
     This lady is also a known Russophobe and it is not clear what she really knew about "spying" on the Trump campaign.  Link

    Parent
    Baa waa (none / 0) (#30)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 08:22:46 AM EST
    waa. Your link goes to Mark Levin the Russian propagandist.

    Parent
    If you can't do the time (none / 0) (#1)
    by Repack Rider on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 12:22:17 PM EST
    ...don't make a video record of your crime.

    The two antiabortion activists who mounted a hidden-camera investigation against Planned Parenthood officials have been charged with 15 felony counts of violating the privacy of health-care providers by recording confidential information without their consent.
    Hah! "Dumb and Dumber II"! (none / 0) (#45)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 02:30:22 PM EST
    Those are the same two right-wing baboozes who were indicted in Texas only last year for a similar stunt. An appeals court later quashed those indictments on a technicality, because the grand jury was originally convened to only go after Planned Parenthood itself, and were not authorized to indict its tormenters instead. But this time, these clowns were stupid enough to break the law in California.

    Parent
    Grace and Frankie: Season 3 is now (none / 0) (#2)
    by caseyOR on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 12:33:46 PM EST
    available on Netflix. This is a very good show. How could it not be with Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Sam Waterston, and Martin Sheen as the main characters?

    For those who have not yet found this show a brief description: Lily and Jane play 70 something year old women, longtime social friends because their husbands are law partners. Sam and Martin play the husbands. In season 1 the husbands finally come out to their families, reveal that they have been lovers for 20 years and that they now intend to divorce their wives and live together.

    in the wake of that announcement Jane's and Lily's characters find themselves living together in the beach house the two families co-owned.

    The next two season expand on that storyline.

    Donald Trump's approval rating (none / 0) (#3)
    by Militarytracy on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 12:36:50 PM EST
    Drops to 35%

    How does it remain that high? (none / 0) (#10)
    by Green26 on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 04:42:09 PM EST


    Parent
    Republicans (none / 0) (#17)
    by Ga6thDem on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 06:56:16 PM EST
    support him.

    Parent
    Sniper (none / 0) (#20)
    by Militarytracy on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 10:07:42 PM EST


    Parent
    Desk clerk (1.80 / 5) (#24)
    by Green26 on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 01:53:27 AM EST


    Parent
    Hah! (5.00 / 1) (#195)
    by Yman on Sun Apr 02, 2017 at 12:42:10 PM EST
    A five-rating from an actual desk clerk!

    Parent
    Note who supports him (5.00 / 1) (#197)
    by MKS on Sun Apr 02, 2017 at 01:01:54 PM EST
    with a "5" for the Desk Clerk comment--Jimbo. And this guy keeps telling us he voted for Hillary.

    Parent
    Chucklehead (4.00 / 4) (#33)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:03:51 AM EST


    Parent
    That's higher than many people (none / 0) (#13)
    by McBain on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 05:22:56 PM EST
    gave his chance of winning the election. Polls are for ratings not accurate predictions.  

    Parent
    Guess it's a good thing ... (5.00 / 2) (#23)
    by Yman on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 01:33:40 AM EST
    ... that the poll isn't predicting anything, but IS measuring people's approval (or lack thereof) of the job he's doing.

    Parent
    Election predictions (none / 0) (#48)
    by BackFromOhio on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 02:36:14 PM EST
    are based on Likely or Registered voters; according to Gallup, this is an overall approval poll - didn't see any tie to voters. Latter might be interesting....

    Parent
    Chris Christie's toadies... (none / 0) (#11)
    by desertswine on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 04:47:59 PM EST
    are sentenced to prison time.

     The former deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey was sentenced to two years in prison Wednesday, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's former deputy chief of staff received 18 months in prison for their roles in a conspiracy to close down access lanes to the George Washington Bridge in September 2013. 
    omertà (none / 0) (#15)
    by Mr Natural on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 05:53:07 PM EST


    Parent
    Got to see Patriot's Day last night (none / 0) (#18)
    by McBain on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 07:06:49 PM EST
    about the Boston Marathon Bombing of 2013.  I don't know how accurate it was but I thought it was a very well made film. I'm a little surprised it didn't get any Oscar love. The tension and suspense of something we already know will happen, reminded me of United 93.  

    Interesting. (none / 0) (#22)
    by Anc260 on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 12:58:08 AM EST
    I just assumed that Patriot's Day would be a bad movie from the previews, but I'll have to check it out. I just checked the reviews and they were also very positive.

    A movie I recently saw and really enjoyed was "The Witch." It's set in 17th century New England, and is about a Puritan family who move deep into the forest after a disagreement with their church. All the dialogue is drawn from period sources, the acting is great, and has an unsettling, suspenseful plot. It's one of the best horror films I've seen in a while. If you're a history buff or a fan of slow-building Horror films (ala "The Shining") I highly recommend it.

    Parent

    Highly recommend (5.00 / 2) (#49)
    by BackFromOhio on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 02:39:06 PM EST
    "I Am Not Your Negro" - the James Baldwin film.  So insightful and meaningful even for today.  Great walk through history of the Civil Rights movement as well.  I have some issues with small points, but overall, movie is so poignant, historical, and extraordinarily well edited and directed.

    Parent
    I thought the same thing and avoided (none / 0) (#40)
    by McBain on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 10:07:41 AM EST
    Patriot's Day in the theater.  It's not perfect but it is intense.  

    I'll check out Witch.   The Shining is my all time favorite horror film.

    Parent

    "struggling with post-election anxiety" (none / 0) (#19)
    by Mr Natural on Wed Mar 29, 2017 at 07:14:50 PM EST
    Seattle Times: Mental-health therapists see uptick in patients struggling with post-election anxiety

    Among the most useful tools Tornatore teaches her clients is how to understand the difference between the "circle of influence" and the "circle of concern."

    The first contains everything people have control over, which is simply their own thoughts and actions. The other circle encompasses everything else, including the president, the results of the election and family members' opinions.
    I've seen a lot of this. (none / 0) (#21)
    by Anc260 on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 12:43:07 AM EST
    I live in a blue state, so obviously that's a factor. Regardless, a lot of people are coming into therapy to talk about the election (not really new referrals, but people who have already been getting therapy). They're anxious, depressed and angry. Anger towards family members and friends who voted for Trump has been very common. A lot of relationships have been impacted.

    This is a very divided country, unfortunately.

    Parent

    I live in Alabama (none / 0) (#34)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:08:12 AM EST
    It is same here for Liberals, and things for Trump have not been going well, so Trump supporters get easily hostile with non-supporters. I just don't make eye contact. I'll tell ya though, those Alpha-Stim units ROCK!

    Parent
    Good grief (none / 0) (#27)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 07:11:16 AM EST
    We are a democracy. We had an election. Your side won in 2008 and 2012. You lost in 2016.

    Get over it!

    Parent

    Good grief is right... (5.00 / 2) (#36)
    by kdog on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:23:19 AM EST
    The sorry state of government is important and all, and worthy of concern...but like the headshrinker says if you can't directly control it, don't f8ckin' worry about it people!

    I'm as appalled and concerned as the next guy, but I ain't gonna let it slow my roll.  That'd be letting the terrorists win.  Don't worry, be happy.

    Parent

    Whatever you're smoking (none / 0) (#37)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:27:34 AM EST
    Pass that :)

    Parent
    Sober as a judge Pal... (none / 0) (#38)
    by kdog on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:43:22 AM EST
    for another 7 hours anyway...then it's herbal therapy time;)

    Same advice applies to those having a nervous breakdown over the taco truck on the corner, the mosque across town, which bathroom the transgender person uses, or someone saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas.

    Parent

    There does seem to be a yuuuge (none / 0) (#39)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:49:56 AM EST
    Emotional experience difference between those using herbal therapies and the rest of us.

    Parent
    Trump is not (none / 0) (#29)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 08:20:42 AM EST
    normal and the fact that you are treating him as so says volumes about you. Trump has no social boundaries and doesn't respect social norms. This has never happened before. Attempts to normalize Trump should not be done.

    Parent
    I would say that (none / 0) (#84)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:39:53 PM EST
    Trump is your President.

    Get over it.

    Parent
    He's a sh*thead (5.00 / 5) (#93)
    by jondee on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 10:03:32 PM EST
    fawned over, admired, and celebrated by other sh*theads.

    Parent
    Clayton Watts testimony (none / 0) (#52)
    by BackFromOhio on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 02:45:34 PM EST
    chilling, in so many ways.  Not just for what happened and who was involved, but the way that Democrats allowed themselves to ignore what was going on.  Shouldn't this testimony be basis for reforming our election processes and perhaps nationalizing the process and the assets on the basis of national security interests?  Watts and his crew should be hired to recommend and build systems that can't be easily penetrated and can be watch and corrected for breaches in real time.  I'd recommend we vote by mail, but I can see how easily that process could be corrupted here.

    And, I wonder how we can stop bots from posting faux news and opinions. Must be some technological way to do so...?

    What's more distressing (5.00 / 1) (#58)
    by vicndabx on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 03:27:41 PM EST
    is the media's continued focus on Nunes' shenanigans, which IMO are less serious than what was discussed at the Senate hearing.

    I don't agree the Dems ignored what was going on.  Like the statement above, I think the media did not want to focus on these activities because, well....I'll leave it up to others to attribute motive.  Dems were talking about it, couldn't get any traction in the press and thus less partisan focus.

    Parent

    I agree with you about the Nunes shenanigans, ... (5.00 / 1) (#60)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 05:09:31 PM EST
    ... and its potential for diverting national attention. However, I'd also note that as chair of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, Rep. Nunes gets to set the committee's agenda in terms of its investigation. So in that respect, the resultant folly of his entanglement in the Trump White House's cover-up efforts is itself a pretty significant story.

    Parent
    Such as it is (none / 0) (#61)
    by vicndabx on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 06:18:43 PM EST
    committee's......investigation

    I agree there's some meat there (Nunes) also. The contrast with the Senate was stark.

    Flynn is looking to snitch.

    Parent

    My daughters each had ... (5.00 / 2) (#75)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 07:55:40 PM EST
    ... a greater sense of personal responsibility at age 8, than does Congressman Devin Nunes as age 46. The editors at his congressional district's largest newspaper are not at all happy with what he's done:

    Fresno Bee | March 26, 2017
    Russia-Trump probe is in chaos, and Rep. Devin Nunes is to blame - "First, with millions of Americans, both Democrats and Republicans, wanting the committee to provide clarity on Russia's involvement in the election and whether members of Trump's campaign conspired with the Russians to weaken Clinton's prospects, Nunes tried to steer the committee's focus to identifying leakers of information embarrassing to President Trump. It is an old trick in Washington, D.C., and one that rarely, if ever, works. Just ask Richard Nixon. Then, Nunes - a Trump transition team member - betrayed the Constitution and its separation of powers by running like an errand boy to the White House to share with Trump classified information that he had received."

    Nunes ran for re-election unopposed in 2016. I very seriously doubt that will be the case next year.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    Hmm (none / 0) (#62)
    by FlJoe on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 06:24:05 PM EST
    they only make deals if he can offer something a bigger fish then himself.....

    Parent
    Speaking of bigger fish (none / 0) (#142)
    by fishcamp on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 08:10:01 AM EST
    oh never mind.  Just because I caught a huge Yellowtail snapper yesterday, I'll wait until I get into the numbers.

    Parent
    Watergate (none / 0) (#63)
    by FlJoe on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 06:36:19 PM EST
    on meth and steroids. Watergate was truly a drip, drip, drip playing out over weeks and months. This a a deluge playing out literally by the minute.

    Parent
    What was going on (5.00 / 1) (#97)
    by BackFromOhio on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 01:29:54 AM EST
    What I meant was Democrats ignoring issues of the Internet and digital media hacking and bots. It was the Dems who pushed for HAVA without understanding that electronic voting machines, without security, were not a panacea. And, they complained about the hacking of the DNC etc but have not taken appropriate precautions. And, they have not pushed for same in the states with the most hackable voting machines. 83 machines broke down in Center City Philadelphia on election day? Why not take some of the millions the Dems raise and donate new, state of the art machines, along with anti-tampering/security training?

    Parent
    Nunes (none / 0) (#101)
    by BackFromOhio on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 01:42:20 AM EST
    I think his behavior, by violating the traditions of the Intell Committees and their functions (oversight requiring independence) in coordinating with the targets of Committee investigations, is important, and part of the Repubs pattern of ignoring the separation of powers when it suits them and engaging in blatant improprieties (Emoluments clause, anyone) and being allowed to get away with it.  Until the NYTimes story, Nunes' may have effectively succeeded in halting the work of his Committee.

    Parent
    He may well have anyway, in any event. (5.00 / 1) (#134)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 07:42:28 PM EST
    Save for Trumpenistas like Jim, I daresay very few people are going to trust any committee report issued by the GOP majority on the matter, as long as Nunes remains chair.

    Parent
    Correction (none / 0) (#54)
    by BackFromOhio on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 02:49:58 PM EST
    Clinton Watts

    Parent
    Flynn's attorney says he certainly has a story (none / 0) (#64)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 06:52:54 PM EST
    To tell, and I spit my dinner wine. We know he had stories to tell. We all saw his Twitter account before he deleted it.

    Mr. Lock Her Up also demands a fair hearing. You just couldn't make this stuff up.

    Ohhhhhhh...he's trying to Ollie North it (5.00 / 2) (#65)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 06:55:48 PM EST
    Destroy the ability to prosecute him with Senate hearing immunity

    Parent
    Flynn last year on Meet the Press (5.00 / 1) (#67)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 07:17:56 PM EST
    "...five people around (Hillary Clinton) have been given immunity.  To include her former chief of staff.  When you are given immunity that means you have probably comitted a crime."

    seriously
    you cant make this stuff up.

    Parent

    Personally, I hope they don't grant it. (none / 0) (#68)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 07:24:50 PM EST
    The prospective Schadenfreude to be derived from seeing Gen. Michael "Lock Her Up!" Flynn being hoisted in public by the waistband of his own jockey shorts is simply too delicious to contemplate getting anything less.

    Parent
    not me (5.00 / 1) (#70)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 07:28:32 PM EST
    i dont care about him.  he knows everything.  he is at the very center of this from every angle.  he is the one, more than anyone else, who can put Donald away.  

    Parent
    So who grants him immunity? (none / 0) (#71)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 07:33:50 PM EST
    Burr? Does Warner get a vote in that?

    Parent
    It takes a 2/3 vote of the entire Committee (5.00 / 1) (#80)
    by Peter G on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 08:49:26 PM EST
    and then approval (essentially rubber stamp) of a federal judge for a committee to grant Congressional immunity.

    Parent
    You are priceless round here Peter (none / 0) (#81)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:02:26 PM EST
    Thank you

    Parent
    Just a desk clerk (5.00 / 2) (#82)
    by Peter G on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:24:19 PM EST
    no biggie

    Parent
    Wouldn't (none / 0) (#98)
    by BackFromOhio on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 01:32:10 AM EST
    Intell Committees also have to coordinate with or get approval of FBI so as not to impede a criminal investigation and potential prosecution?

    Parent
    They might have an agreement of that sort (none / 0) (#115)
    by Peter G on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 08:58:26 AM EST
    (to coordinate with Exec Branch law enforcement) or might feel it was the prudent or responsible thing to do, but no, the law does not require it, as far as I can see or have ever heard. Nor am I sure any law could require it, without violating separation of powers.

    Parent
    Thanks (5.00 / 1) (#151)
    by BackFromOhio on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 01:21:36 PM EST


    Parent
    but the FBI (none / 0) (#119)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 09:20:49 AM EST
    could grant their own immunity, right.

    Parent
    The FBI, per se, cannot grant immunity (5.00 / 3) (#120)
    by Peter G on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 09:35:44 AM EST
    but Department of Justice prosecutors, at the behest of the FBI, can grant "letter immunity" (as a deal with the government, on whatever terms the target and his counsel may agree to) or DoJ -- once a grand jury is empanelled -- can apply to a federal judge for a formal grant of immunity, which ordinarily would be involuntary. All that assumes this is a criminal investigation. The FBI might try to conduct a non-criminal, national security investigation using "national security letters" under the USA PATRIOT Act to compel compliance; the law governing those babies is a lot less clearly developed and I think they can only be used to get information from third parties which are businesses, not from an individual suspect or target. Either way, under the Fifth Amendment, an authorized grant of immunity emanating from either Branch is equally effective and binding on all parts of the federal government (and also on state agencies and courts, for that matter).

    Parent
    beats me (none / 0) (#72)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 07:35:28 PM EST
    pass the popcorn

    Parent
    also (none / 0) (#73)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 07:39:35 PM EST
    i was just reading that this is just the only immunity conversation we know about.  others are almost certainly happening.

    it seems like the very public nature of this particular request might suggest they are counting on lots of prople wanting to hear his story.

    Parent

    Hey I figured (none / 0) (#76)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 07:59:33 PM EST
    When he deleted his Twitter and went silent, that guy has never been silent.

    What do they say? The first one through the door gets the immunity? Would they grant someone immunity who plotted a kidnapping?

    Parent

    Reports on twitter (5.00 / 1) (#99)
    by BackFromOhio on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 01:33:35 AM EST
    say Flynn offer has lead to Trump's consideration of options, including resignation.

    Parent
    Trump's back up tweeting this morning (5.00 / 2) (#114)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 08:57:57 AM EST
    About Flynn and witch hunts

    Schiff says that the testimony of Sally Yates will clarify to us all why Flynn is in so much trouble.

    Parent

    said months ago (none / 0) (#106)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 07:30:20 AM EST
    he will quit.  or try to at least.

    Parent
    I think (none / 0) (#74)
    by FlJoe on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 07:49:42 PM EST
    the FBI has Flynn on other charges, probably at least lying to them. I think that they also have him for dirty dealing with the Turks and maybe some other non-Russian deals.

    I also think Flynn has  been surveillance long before he hooked up with tRump, probably since Obama fired him and certainly after his mug first showed up on RT.

     

    Parent

    And you can't just kidnap someone (none / 0) (#77)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 08:01:27 PM EST
    In the United States. I mean come on. How out of control and wildly arrogant and lawless can someone get?

    Parent
    You can spy on'em but you can't (none / 0) (#88)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:50:14 PM EST
    kidnap them. Is that it?

    Parent
    Well, that's part of it (5.00 / 6) (#94)
    by Peter G on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 10:35:38 PM EST
    yes. If "it" means lawful governmental conduct directed at foreign agents. If "spy on 'em" means surveillance of persons within the United States, then it depends on compliance with lawful authority under the Fourth Amendment. But "kidnap," no. There is no version of "kidnap" that is lawful. (Although some of my clients insist on referring to their arrests that way.)

    Parent
    Hahahahahahahaha! (none / 0) (#90)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:52:12 PM EST
    If you lie down with dogs someone could incedentally hear your fleas :)

    Parent
    You can spy on'em but you can't (none / 0) (#89)
    by jimakaPPJ on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:51:45 PM EST
    kidnap them. Is that it?

    Parent
    not twice (5.00 / 1) (#95)
    by Peter G on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 10:36:45 PM EST
    you can't, no.

    Parent
    Aw, not even if we call it a rendition instead? (none / 0) (#103)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 02:08:03 AM EST
    Then we could imply that we're spiriting people away for noble and altruistic purposes, just like the Bush-Cheney administration.
    ;-D

    Parent
    The Bush-Cheney "rendition" policies (none / 0) (#116)
    by Peter G on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 09:00:09 AM EST
    were obviously the model that the anti-Gulen conspirators (if that happened) would have had in mind.

    Parent
    Given that the discussion we are aware of (none / 0) (#122)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 09:48:32 AM EST
    Occurred in September, before election day and Trump's inauguration, can the plan be anything other every day good ole kidnapping?

    I can't go to work on a campaign for a candidate can I? And then phone Turkey and start planning renditioning Gulen or maybe Jim with them if my candidate wins right? I mean, that's nothing other than criminal activity to me, even when it's just Jim :)

    Parent

    The action would be seen as "rendition" (5.00 / 3) (#123)
    by Peter G on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 10:11:15 AM EST
    from Turkey's point of view -- just as the U.S. claimed it could seize foreign "terrorists" overseas and bring to them to U.S. soil (or whatever they thought Guantanamo was) for detention or to "face justice," because the foreign country (in the Gulen case, by analogy, the USA) would not, for whatever reason, agree to normal extradition. That is not to say that the action is not criminal from the harboring country's POV -- look at Italy's prosecution of CIA agents for an attempted rendition on their soil.

    Parent
    Hmmmm...I don't think so (none / 0) (#117)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 09:00:38 AM EST


    Parent
    I'm not at all sure that they need him, Cap'n. (none / 0) (#78)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 08:32:39 PM EST
    CaptHowdy: "i dont care about him.  he knows everything.  he is at the very center of this from every angle.  he is the one, more than anyone else, who can put Donald away."

    First of all, while Gen. Flynn's activities undoubtedly figure prominently in this investigation, I'm not certain that he's actually at the center of this universe. Further, this is a story that is presently unraveling rapidly at both ends, as well as the middle. I'd only grant Flynn immunity at this juncture if he really and truly has something that's worthwhile.

    Otherwise, if all he's going to do is confirm and verify information about his own extensive shenanigans, much of which investigators likely already know, then who needs him at this point? Make him instead plead guilty to a felony charge, and then offer him leniency at sentencing in exchange for his cooperation with authorities.

    Were I investigating this affair, the guys I'd want to hear from are Paul Manafort, Carter Page, Sergei Millian, and of course, former MI6 operative Christopher Steele.

    Aloha.

    Parent

    you could be right (none / 0) (#111)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 08:21:02 AM EST
    i think one of the legitimate concerns is to bring some closure to this as quickly as possible.  SOP is to go after a litle fish and get them to flip on a big fish.  if Flynn is flipping ther are few bigger fishes.

    Flynn is a POS.  he deserves whatever he gets.  that said if simply destroying his life and career, which is basically done, and allowing to slide on jail time gives us THE BIG FISH, im all for it.


    Parent

    He's pulled so much crap before this (none / 0) (#69)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 07:28:08 PM EST
    He was so arrogant, is he scared right now?

    Parent
    Good lord. (none / 0) (#79)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 08:44:01 PM EST
    Maybe a reduced sentence is the way to go with Flynn. I don't think he needs to get a get out of jail free card with everything he has pulled.

    Parent
    Trump's pick for VP was Flynn (none / 0) (#83)
    by Towanda on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:29:55 PM EST
    until the thug was persuaded to pick Pence.  That would have made the Nixon and Watergate parallel perfect, with the resignation of his VP Spiro Agnew for criminal activities.

    And we now learn that Flynn's lawyer was a prominent Never Trumper. . . .   Yeah, you cannot make this stuff up.

    Parent

    Shudder (none / 0) (#92)
    by Militarytracy on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 09:55:19 PM EST
    Trump's bad enough. Mikey loose lips the kidnapper Flynn a heartbeat away from the Presidency of the United States? Thank God we were only grazed.

    Parent
    I thought Trump's initial VP pick (none / 0) (#100)
    by BackFromOhio on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 01:36:13 AM EST
    was Christie, and then Manafort persauded him to pick Pence?

    Parent
    considering it was Pence (none / 0) (#105)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 07:29:39 AM EST
    who chose to ignore the repeated warnings that Flynn was "compromised"

    ....President Ryan?

    yikes.

    Parent

    Yup (none / 0) (#118)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 09:06:00 AM EST
    But Ryan has enabled Nunes. How long has the FBI been tracking this corruption and who?

    I just got a chuckle. Trump publicly says he still wants to remain friends with Flynn. Bahahaha


    Parent

    From our "Budding Revelationaries" file: (none / 0) (#66)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Mar 30, 2017 at 07:08:24 PM EST
    In which Josh Marshall of TPM relates the sordid saga of his 8-year-old son Daniel, who had been flagged and detained as a "person of interest" by federal security officials at JFK upon returning to the United States from a spring break vacation with his family, apparently for no reason "other than founding the criminal syndicate he runs." (Marshall's snark, not mine.) Turns out that Customs, and Border Protection personnel were indeed looking for someone named "Daniel," just not Marshall's second grader offspring.

    Sometimes, you really have to wonder if the CBP folks even have a clue.

    Law and Order. (none / 0) (#127)
    by KeysDan on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 02:01:35 PM EST
    Federal District Judge Gonzalo Curiel granted final approval of a $25 million settlement to resolve a class action lawsuit that claimed fraud against Trump and Trump University.

     Judge Curiel was claimed by Trump as having an absolute conflict because he is of Mexican heritage. A statement criticized during the campaign, including by Paul Ryan who said "I disavow these comments, claiming a person can't do the job because of their race is sort of like the text book definition of a racist comment..."

     Of course, Ryan and Trump are, for the moment, BFF, if you do not count Trump's directing viewers to Jeanine Pirro's TV rant for Ryan to step down.

    And, then there is Federal District Judge Derrick Watson, who extended the Temporary Restraining Order on Trump's Muslim ban ordering a preliminary injunction (indefinite hold).

      Trump says he will take the case to the Supreme Court, but since Trump's Muslim Ban 2.0 (other than for Syrian refugees and visas) provided for a four month suspension, generally, on the refugee program, and a 90-day suspension on other immigrants, the case's timelines through lower courts and the SC, effectively, settles the case, or, at least, settles the case down, if not Trump's animus.

    Another "so-called judge," I guess (5.00 / 1) (#128)
    by Peter G on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 02:26:06 PM EST
    Anyway, the travel ban (2.0) is now on appeal to two circuits of the U.S. Court of Appeals, the Fourth (covering Maryland, the Carolinas, and the Virginias) and (as of yesterday) the Ninth (West Coast, Alaska and Hawaii). If the two circuits come out the same way, the Supreme Court may stay clear of the issue. If the two circuits come out opposite ways, the Supreme Court pretty much has to get involved in resolving it.

    Parent
    Trump's little photo op this afternoon (none / 0) (#131)
    by Militarytracy on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 04:54:24 PM EST
    He belongs to all of us. He doesn't care if you are a Democrat or a Republican, he's here to represent and work for us all. He doesn't care about his businesses, Wilbur doesn't care about his, they only care about American jobs. And Wilbur is a great husband.

    Donald Trump has never been this nice to me. If I were in an abusive relationship with Donald Trump this might be called the honeymoon phase. It usually follows the please don't throw me in jail reality phase. If I am in a true abusive relationship with him he will kick me in the teeth again soon and tell me I made him do it to me.

    HOMELAND (none / 0) (#132)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 06:26:17 PM EST
    i been busy but i just caught up.  wow.  they are going some really interesting places.  places ripped from the news

    i wonder if they took the information that was widely know months ago and ran with it or what.

    the details of the plot are cringe worthy

    yeah (none / 0) (#133)
    by MKS on Fri Mar 31, 2017 at 06:30:53 PM EST
    I like the female President elect.

    Parent
    Why there's no such thing as a sure thing: (none / 0) (#140)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 03:13:06 AM EST
    The top-ranked and four-time defending national champion UConn Lady Huskies, who were riding a record 111-game winning streak into the NCAA Women's Final Four in Dallas, TX this weekend, lost tonight in overtime to Mississippi State, 66-64, when Bulldog guard Morgan William sank a 15-foot jumper as time expired.

    To put UConn's defeat tonight in perspective, the last time the Lady Huskies had lost a game was on Nov. 17, 2014 to Stanford. (And that particular loss had snapped a 47-game UConn winning streak.) And when UConn and Mississippi State last played each other in the 2016 NCAA tournament one year ago, the Bulldogs were blown out by 60 points in what was the most lopsided game in tourney history to that point.

    Congratulations to the Lady Bulldogs of Mississippi State, who will now face South Carolina for the NCAA title on Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. EDT.

    Aloha.

    show reviews (none / 0) (#183)
    by linea on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 09:05:10 PM EST
    Grace and Frankie
    five-stars on netflix. recommended by a TL poster. only watched the first ten minutes of the first season first episode. in real life this would have been a painful tearfull scene but it was made lighthearted with some food childishly thrown and calm "sofistikated adult dialog" like the worst stereotype of french films. im think perhaps in a week i'll try watching more? not sure.

    Black Mirror
    five-stars on netflix. watched first season three episodes. all three episodes (one hour short-story sci-fi future imaginings) were male fantasies centered on fetishness and possesiveness. i cant watch anymore. not saying it's bad; im just the wrong audience.

    ignore this - moving to new open thread (none / 0) (#184)
    by linea on Sat Apr 01, 2017 at 09:07:44 PM EST


    Parent
    And BOOM Baby (none / 0) (#209)
    by Militarytracy on Wed Apr 05, 2017 at 10:59:04 AM EST
    Steve Bannon removed from National Security Council .

    Go McMaster Go!

    Wednesday Open Thread | 196 comments (196 topical)

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