Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Sunday, February 24, 2019
Koch Network Pushes Deceitful Textbook on Cash-Strapped Schools
https://truthout.org/articles/koch-network-pushes-deceitful-textbook-on-cash-strapped-schools/
"A new Arizona school textbook is an interesting study in dark money advancing libertarian propaganda."
"A new Arizona school textbook is an interesting study in dark money advancing libertarian propaganda."
What Trump doesn’t know about his own trade policy can hurt him
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/what-trump-doesnt-know-about-his-own-trade-policy-can-hurt-him?fbclid=IwAR16-gf-jgoqkscf9hrNuvoAyO2DQ7TMpHBbILTXwhpswWTXK4K12gLLnWc
"Trump is convinced that billions of dollars are flowing into the United States’ coffers from China thanks to his tariffs, but when we include the administration’s farming bailout – aiding farmers hurt by Trump’s tariffs policy – the country is clearly losing money. And while that suggests the White House’s gambit is a counter-productive mistake, that’s only part of the problem. If the president doesn’t accept reality, then he’ll continue to pursue the misguided plan, confident in its success. Indeed, Trump recently boasted, in reference to trade policy, “I understand that issue better than anybody.” He later added, “I know every ingredient. I know every stat. I know it better than anybody knows it.” The president isn’t changing course because he has no idea he’s moving in the wrong direction."
"Trump is convinced that billions of dollars are flowing into the United States’ coffers from China thanks to his tariffs, but when we include the administration’s farming bailout – aiding farmers hurt by Trump’s tariffs policy – the country is clearly losing money. And while that suggests the White House’s gambit is a counter-productive mistake, that’s only part of the problem. If the president doesn’t accept reality, then he’ll continue to pursue the misguided plan, confident in its success. Indeed, Trump recently boasted, in reference to trade policy, “I understand that issue better than anybody.” He later added, “I know every ingredient. I know every stat. I know it better than anybody knows it.” The president isn’t changing course because he has no idea he’s moving in the wrong direction."
Thanks to GOP Tax Scam, Big Banks Made an Extra $28 Billion Last Year
https://truthout.org/articles/thanks-to-gop-tax-scam-big-banks-made-extra-28-billion-last-year/
"The rich and corporations were given an “early Christmas gift” when the Republican tax bill was signed in 2017."
"The rich and corporations were given an “early Christmas gift” when the Republican tax bill was signed in 2017."
A Swamp Story: Trump Encouraged a Foreign Official to Back a Donor’s Business Deal
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/02/a-swamp-story-trump-encouraged-a-foreign-official-to-back-a-donors-business-deal/?fbclid=IwAR1wylb0mxEYuCtn7clBMwMO0REa6Y3QlnYey7qG_GLM-nZs_hhmKXDWiD4
"The president personally encouraged the Qatari government to finance a nuclear power plant project pursued by a top Trump donor. And shortly after Trump’s intervention, this big-money donor, Franklin Haney, a Memphis-based real estate developer who contributed $1 million to Trump’s inaugural committee, hired Michael Cohen, the president’s longtime personal lawyer, to help land this Qatari investment. This wheeling and dealing was occurring as the Gulf nation was eagerly seeking to gain influence with Trump. It’s a tale of how the Trump swamp works: Trump’s personal and political connections overlap with private business interests that are linked to foreign policy matters."
"The president personally encouraged the Qatari government to finance a nuclear power plant project pursued by a top Trump donor. And shortly after Trump’s intervention, this big-money donor, Franklin Haney, a Memphis-based real estate developer who contributed $1 million to Trump’s inaugural committee, hired Michael Cohen, the president’s longtime personal lawyer, to help land this Qatari investment. This wheeling and dealing was occurring as the Gulf nation was eagerly seeking to gain influence with Trump. It’s a tale of how the Trump swamp works: Trump’s personal and political connections overlap with private business interests that are linked to foreign policy matters."
Italian Investigators Just Uncovered a Major Russian Election Meddling Plot
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/02/matteo-salvini-russia-italy/?fbclid=IwAR1o_tm294HahO1i-G8mhKf0LijIUAjZj8zBGBNPGg6muwnuAXoGLYYhR40
"The tale is yet another example of organizations linked to the Kremlin working to advance right-wing politics in the West."
"The tale is yet another example of organizations linked to the Kremlin working to advance right-wing politics in the West."
Saturday, February 23, 2019
An Emergency for the G.O.P.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/22/opinion/national-emergency-senate-republicans-trump.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage&fbclid=IwAR0GxScuWcguROcxcPNu3ckQO6Sq3ZCWQr_AvuRB-jPqN5gEsSUW3ysK1BE
"The Constitution or The Donald? Why is this such a hard choice for congressional Republicans?"
"The Constitution or The Donald? Why is this such a hard choice for congressional Republicans?"
The GOP Keeps Changing The Rules After It Loses Elections
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-gop-keeps-changing-the-rules-after-it-loses-elections_n_5c6f0cede4b0f40774cd7232?fbclid=IwAR23QIZZZnH29eWzUCOGcsYxkefz-7gj8w9vh6mwaFeymkllhat9JuJ8N-E
"Republicans in Utah, Michigan, Wisconsin and elsewhere didn’t like what voters chose last year, so they’re simply undoing it."
"Republicans in Utah, Michigan, Wisconsin and elsewhere didn’t like what voters chose last year, so they’re simply undoing it."
Sen. Lindsey Graham Continues to Kiss Trump’s Ass, at the Expense of School Kids
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/lindsey-graham-kentucky-middle-school-796053/?fbclid=IwAR3DAgw0oUVp7dr447BFSsHPH3WKJbDpvkS249E4PcWSVK21vqe0_plgY1s
"the new and not improved version of Graham now resides in the Louie Gohmert camp, and Sunday morning news shows should treat him as such."
"the new and not improved version of Graham now resides in the Louie Gohmert camp, and Sunday morning news shows should treat him as such."
Friday, February 22, 2019
Intimidation, Pressure and Humiliation: Inside Trump’s Two-Year War on the Investigations Encircling Him
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/19/us/politics/trump-investigations.html?fbclid=IwAR04hIrCnhkkCvEIZdLuyGdi2w-IPLmNvJ31ll8OfxiGTZ9TxzyArNpiuLg
"As federal prosecutors in Manhattan gathered evidence late last year about President Trump’s role in silencing women with hush payments during the 2016 campaign, Mr. Trump called Matthew G. Whitaker, his newly installed attorney general, with a question. He asked whether Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York and a Trump ally, could be put in charge of the widening investigation, according to several American officials with direct knowledge of the call. Mr. Whitaker, who had privately told associates that part of his role at the Justice Department was to “jump on a grenade” for the president, knew he could not put Mr. Berman in charge, since Mr. Berman had already recused himself from the investigation. The president soon soured on Mr. Whitaker, as he often does with his aides, and complained about his inability to pull levers at the Justice Department that could make the president’s many legal problems go away. Trying to install a perceived loyalist atop a widening inquiry is a familiar tactic for Mr. Trump, who has been struggling to beat back the investigations that have consumed his presidency. His efforts have exposed him to accusations of obstruction of justice as Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, finishes his work investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election."
"As federal prosecutors in Manhattan gathered evidence late last year about President Trump’s role in silencing women with hush payments during the 2016 campaign, Mr. Trump called Matthew G. Whitaker, his newly installed attorney general, with a question. He asked whether Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York and a Trump ally, could be put in charge of the widening investigation, according to several American officials with direct knowledge of the call. Mr. Whitaker, who had privately told associates that part of his role at the Justice Department was to “jump on a grenade” for the president, knew he could not put Mr. Berman in charge, since Mr. Berman had already recused himself from the investigation. The president soon soured on Mr. Whitaker, as he often does with his aides, and complained about his inability to pull levers at the Justice Department that could make the president’s many legal problems go away. Trying to install a perceived loyalist atop a widening inquiry is a familiar tactic for Mr. Trump, who has been struggling to beat back the investigations that have consumed his presidency. His efforts have exposed him to accusations of obstruction of justice as Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, finishes his work investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election."
Trump Has Publicly Attacked the Russia Investigation More Than 1,100 Times
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/02/19/us/politics/trump-attacks-obstruction-investigation.html?fbclid=IwAR1KtKx9swT7NAT5ohC1xMVXdqboVwXjhsleA5RBOFqd3i2IZMRy7cd6idg
"The attacks, which number nearly 1,200, are part of a strategy to beat back the investigations. They have also opened him to possible obstruction of justice charges. They include statements made on Twitter, in official speeches, at rallies and during news media interviews and other press events. While it is highly unusual for anyone — let alone the president of the United States — to comment on continuing criminal investigations, Mr. Trump has done so at least once on 330 days, or more than 43 percent of his time in office as of Feb. 14."
"The attacks, which number nearly 1,200, are part of a strategy to beat back the investigations. They have also opened him to possible obstruction of justice charges. They include statements made on Twitter, in official speeches, at rallies and during news media interviews and other press events. While it is highly unusual for anyone — let alone the president of the United States — to comment on continuing criminal investigations, Mr. Trump has done so at least once on 330 days, or more than 43 percent of his time in office as of Feb. 14."
Trump Seems to Have Made a Habit of Obstructing Justice
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-obstruction-justice-whitaker-796417/?fbclid=IwAR0ADTMeYjvFrG9hVFvbWZLtGsZ_UazIynMOtO2I-Aa6uSw14otraKmsLLc
"The Times also reported on Tuesday that White House lawyers wrote a confidential memo “expressing concern about the president’s staff peddling misleading information in public” regarding Michael Flynn, the national security adviser who resigned after it was revealed that he lied about his contact with a Russian official. According to the report, when Trump and his advisers were searching for a way to explain Flynn’s resignation, the president allegedly instructed then-Press Secretary Sean Spicer to tell the public that Trump asked for the resignation. When Spicer asked if that was true, Trump repeated the directive without elaborating. “That sounds better,” Trump said. When Spicer ultimately took the podium to address the press, White House lawyers included all of his misstatements in a memo. It was a day after Spicer’s press conference that Trump met with Comey to tell him to end the investigation into Flynn. “I hope you can let this go,” Trump said, as Comey noted in a memo he took of the meeting. The fallout from Flynn’s resignation — which Trump believes would bring an end to “the Russia thing” — was only the beginning. The Times details the president’s prolonged campaign to humiliate and oust Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who recused himself from overseeing Mueller’s investigation. Trump even asked former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski to pressure Sessions into resigning. Last September, the Times reported that Mueller was considering Trump’s incessant public harassment and intimidation of Sessions as part of a possible obstruction of justice case. Despite the president’s wishes, “the Russia thing” did not end with Flynn’s resignation, and in an effort to cultivate public skepticism of Mueller’s investigation, Trump reportedly had private conversations with Republicans to strategize about how to discredit the probe."
"The Times also reported on Tuesday that White House lawyers wrote a confidential memo “expressing concern about the president’s staff peddling misleading information in public” regarding Michael Flynn, the national security adviser who resigned after it was revealed that he lied about his contact with a Russian official. According to the report, when Trump and his advisers were searching for a way to explain Flynn’s resignation, the president allegedly instructed then-Press Secretary Sean Spicer to tell the public that Trump asked for the resignation. When Spicer asked if that was true, Trump repeated the directive without elaborating. “That sounds better,” Trump said. When Spicer ultimately took the podium to address the press, White House lawyers included all of his misstatements in a memo. It was a day after Spicer’s press conference that Trump met with Comey to tell him to end the investigation into Flynn. “I hope you can let this go,” Trump said, as Comey noted in a memo he took of the meeting. The fallout from Flynn’s resignation — which Trump believes would bring an end to “the Russia thing” — was only the beginning. The Times details the president’s prolonged campaign to humiliate and oust Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who recused himself from overseeing Mueller’s investigation. Trump even asked former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski to pressure Sessions into resigning. Last September, the Times reported that Mueller was considering Trump’s incessant public harassment and intimidation of Sessions as part of a possible obstruction of justice case. Despite the president’s wishes, “the Russia thing” did not end with Flynn’s resignation, and in an effort to cultivate public skepticism of Mueller’s investigation, Trump reportedly had private conversations with Republicans to strategize about how to discredit the probe."
The war with North Korea that Trump thinks he prevented (but didn’t)
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/the-war-north-korea-trump-thinks-he-prevented-didnt?fbclid=IwAR2nlf4J9BS1WgDKna1sh7yoBYbD9EnFB6PfiDruhGEFlkrpu3kohkTkqB8
"So what’s driving Trump to lie about this? There are a few angles to this to keep in mind. The first is that he’s desperate for some victories after a series of embarrassing defeats, and if that means exaggerating events beyond recognition, so be it. This president hasn’t accomplished anything of significance with North Korea, so he invented a success story: he prevented a war. On a related note, Trump could also use some kind of rationalization that puts his entire North Korea gambit in a favorable light, especially with another summit with Kim Jong-un coming up. The reality – Trump inherited a longstanding challenge, went out of his way to make it much worse, then eased tensions by giving a communist dictator what he wanted in exchange for nothing – isn’t exactly impressive. But if he can convince people he managed to steer the countries away from the brink, then the hapless diplomatic gambit might appear less pointless. Finally, there’s the broader concern over Trump peddling bogus claims about matters of war and peace. George Conway, a prominent lawyer who happens to be married to one of the president’s top aides, wrote via Twitter over the weekend, “We should highly question the mental stability of a president of the United States who would lie about whether the United States had been on the verge of starting ‘World War III’ with another state possessing nuclear weapons"."
"So what’s driving Trump to lie about this? There are a few angles to this to keep in mind. The first is that he’s desperate for some victories after a series of embarrassing defeats, and if that means exaggerating events beyond recognition, so be it. This president hasn’t accomplished anything of significance with North Korea, so he invented a success story: he prevented a war. On a related note, Trump could also use some kind of rationalization that puts his entire North Korea gambit in a favorable light, especially with another summit with Kim Jong-un coming up. The reality – Trump inherited a longstanding challenge, went out of his way to make it much worse, then eased tensions by giving a communist dictator what he wanted in exchange for nothing – isn’t exactly impressive. But if he can convince people he managed to steer the countries away from the brink, then the hapless diplomatic gambit might appear less pointless. Finally, there’s the broader concern over Trump peddling bogus claims about matters of war and peace. George Conway, a prominent lawyer who happens to be married to one of the president’s top aides, wrote via Twitter over the weekend, “We should highly question the mental stability of a president of the United States who would lie about whether the United States had been on the verge of starting ‘World War III’ with another state possessing nuclear weapons"."
This Is Count After Count on a Bill of Impeachment
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a26414814/donald-trump-obstruction-russia-investigation-new-york-times/?fbclid=IwAR0F1SKZMxHNjKAOhsdaNIgl49IuTNJcbMGf7gORDSJvjP1CsxTFRp31WuM
"The running of the rats is becoming a bit frenzied around Camp Runamuck these days. Roger Stone has put in a bid to overtake Paul Manafort in the in-house competition for Dumbest Thing Done While Under Indictment, something I didn't think was humanly possible. (Lying while under a plea agreement or appearing to threaten the federal judge overseeing your case while under indictment? You make the call.) And The New York Times was out on Tuesday with a massive report about the White House efforts to submarine Robert Mueller's investigation, a feat of reporting that is impossible to imagine without sources within the administration* who are desperate to have careers after the plague passes. Whatever the sources for the Times report, it's a series of explosive revelations that illustrate nothing more than a criminal presidency* knowing that all its alibis and cover stories are disintegrating."
"The running of the rats is becoming a bit frenzied around Camp Runamuck these days. Roger Stone has put in a bid to overtake Paul Manafort in the in-house competition for Dumbest Thing Done While Under Indictment, something I didn't think was humanly possible. (Lying while under a plea agreement or appearing to threaten the federal judge overseeing your case while under indictment? You make the call.) And The New York Times was out on Tuesday with a massive report about the White House efforts to submarine Robert Mueller's investigation, a feat of reporting that is impossible to imagine without sources within the administration* who are desperate to have careers after the plague passes. Whatever the sources for the Times report, it's a series of explosive revelations that illustrate nothing more than a criminal presidency* knowing that all its alibis and cover stories are disintegrating."
Numb to corruption: How Republicans trained their base to ignore Trump's criminality
https://www.salon.com/2019/02/20/numb-to-corruption-how-republicans-trained-their-base-to-ignore-trumps-criminality/?fbclid=IwAR2EGnnNXnGrLJ4Fe3H0fOu6Ez-Vorb-Gc2txKYEwTliYV4dszhi4j5qfBQ
"First, Republicans normalized the idea that all politicians are corrupt by electing a series of deeply corrupt politicians themselves. Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush have all been warm-up acts to Trump. Watergate, the Iran-Contra affair, falsified intelligence to justify the Iraq invasion: Every one of those presidents helped train their voters to defend political corruption if it was conducted for supposedly meritorious ends. With Watergate -- a bush-league burglary gone wrong -- the training wheels hadn't come off. But by the time Bush administration lies had led us into the disastrous quagmire in Iraq, your average conservative had not only become adept at making excuses for political corruption, but had fully accepted that doing so is a normal and expected aspect of supporting the Republican Party. It's honestly not that big a leap from defending the corrupt Bush administration to defending the corrupt Trump administration."
"First, Republicans normalized the idea that all politicians are corrupt by electing a series of deeply corrupt politicians themselves. Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush have all been warm-up acts to Trump. Watergate, the Iran-Contra affair, falsified intelligence to justify the Iraq invasion: Every one of those presidents helped train their voters to defend political corruption if it was conducted for supposedly meritorious ends. With Watergate -- a bush-league burglary gone wrong -- the training wheels hadn't come off. But by the time Bush administration lies had led us into the disastrous quagmire in Iraq, your average conservative had not only become adept at making excuses for political corruption, but had fully accepted that doing so is a normal and expected aspect of supporting the Republican Party. It's honestly not that big a leap from defending the corrupt Bush administration to defending the corrupt Trump administration."
Setting Necessary Boundaries on Trump’s Misconduct
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/02/17/setting-necessary-boundaries-trumps-misconduct?fbclid=IwAR2JdWTtoT_6-tP1Q9TcRChDdV6L-LGFzL764UHBTevVLq2fVQ7c3Lz8QeI
"The Senate need only find in its own judgment that the claimed emergency does not actually exist and that Trump’s fake emergency declaration was made in bad faith. With these findings, Trump's action may be conclusively deemed an attempt to subvert the legislative process in violation of the Constitution, which certain amounts to a High Crime. The president does not get to declare an emergency as a substitute for a bill the legislature refused to pass. This is a blatant overthrow of the constitutional framework distributing power across three branches of government. Our founding leaders created this constitutional framework explicitly to prevent an individual who gains access to power in our democracy from becoming a tyrant who might overthrow the system from within. In the history of our nation, there are few, if any, moments in which a sitting President has threatened to defy this constitutional framework at such an elementary level. This moment is more important than the issue of the Wall, the money used to build it, the problems it creates, and the falsely represented problems it does not solve. This moment is about the three-branch system of government that protects our democracy from tyranny and oligarchy."
"The Senate need only find in its own judgment that the claimed emergency does not actually exist and that Trump’s fake emergency declaration was made in bad faith. With these findings, Trump's action may be conclusively deemed an attempt to subvert the legislative process in violation of the Constitution, which certain amounts to a High Crime. The president does not get to declare an emergency as a substitute for a bill the legislature refused to pass. This is a blatant overthrow of the constitutional framework distributing power across three branches of government. Our founding leaders created this constitutional framework explicitly to prevent an individual who gains access to power in our democracy from becoming a tyrant who might overthrow the system from within. In the history of our nation, there are few, if any, moments in which a sitting President has threatened to defy this constitutional framework at such an elementary level. This moment is more important than the issue of the Wall, the money used to build it, the problems it creates, and the falsely represented problems it does not solve. This moment is about the three-branch system of government that protects our democracy from tyranny and oligarchy."
A quote Trump may come to regret: ‘I didn’t need to do this’
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/quote-trump-may-come-regret-i-didnt-need-do?fbclid=IwAR1IPA-baMKMQqRfIj2ENWEpdNA08N6nhtejXPA7vgeFfX1K8EA2mUziphs
"The president’s own explanation left little doubt that there’s no pressing “emergency” demanding unprecedented emergency action. Trump effectively admitted that he sees this as a matter of convenience: the American policymaking process would take time, and he’d “rather do it much faster"."
"The president’s own explanation left little doubt that there’s no pressing “emergency” demanding unprecedented emergency action. Trump effectively admitted that he sees this as a matter of convenience: the American policymaking process would take time, and he’d “rather do it much faster"."
Trump Is Trying to Hollow Out the Constitutional System of Checks and Balances
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/02/national-emergency-tragedy-trump-wall.html?fbclid=IwAR039-PfHj06aP58eGmOHry3rc7ZjwpcwsyXYmVQ47cz1X_3diH47OhcFpw
"Playing out these arguments in court will take years—all in addition to the inevitable lawsuits should the government try to condemn through eminent domain the private property it needs to build the wall. And even if the challengers prevail, all of this energy will have been necessary only because of a presidential determination to treat as an “emergency” a set of circumstances that is anything but. Congress could—and should—put a stop to this nonsense now. Under the National Security Act, it can nullify a declaration of national emergency. It can also just pass a statute providing that, for purposes of building a border wall, no funds shall be reallocated pursuant to whatever statutes Trump cites. Any self-respecting legislative branch would stand up to Trump’s aggression by a vote so overwhelming as to overcome any veto threat. Such resistance, unfortunately, is altogether unlikely."
"Playing out these arguments in court will take years—all in addition to the inevitable lawsuits should the government try to condemn through eminent domain the private property it needs to build the wall. And even if the challengers prevail, all of this energy will have been necessary only because of a presidential determination to treat as an “emergency” a set of circumstances that is anything but. Congress could—and should—put a stop to this nonsense now. Under the National Security Act, it can nullify a declaration of national emergency. It can also just pass a statute providing that, for purposes of building a border wall, no funds shall be reallocated pursuant to whatever statutes Trump cites. Any self-respecting legislative branch would stand up to Trump’s aggression by a vote so overwhelming as to overcome any veto threat. Such resistance, unfortunately, is altogether unlikely."
Here’s why Trump’s move to declare a state of emergency is unconstitutional
https://thinkprogress.org/adam-schiff-emergency-cnn-interview-f121ec4cc9b1/?fbclid=IwAR0ujIAhF-_SwRzhM1fPj4EmugMrWmziq-LlQNVQPtKpP-Wr6PqBLOOkRNE
"President Donald Trump’s move to declare a state of emergency is unconstitutional because lawmakers have repeatedly rejected funding for the very project Trump intends to use emergency funds to complete, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) explained on CNN Sunday morning. “This is the first time a president has tried to declare an emergency when Congress explicitly rejected funding for the particular project that the president is advocating,” Schiff, who chairs the House Intelligence, said on CNN’s State of the Union. “And in saying just the other day that he didn’t really need to do this — he just wanted to do it because it would help things go faster — he’s pretty much daring the court to strike this down. So it’s hard to imagine a poorer case.” Schiff said he sees this moment as a test for Republicans in Congress and whether they will stand up to Trump and deny him the ability to circumvent the legislative branch’s power."
"President Donald Trump’s move to declare a state of emergency is unconstitutional because lawmakers have repeatedly rejected funding for the very project Trump intends to use emergency funds to complete, Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) explained on CNN Sunday morning. “This is the first time a president has tried to declare an emergency when Congress explicitly rejected funding for the particular project that the president is advocating,” Schiff, who chairs the House Intelligence, said on CNN’s State of the Union. “And in saying just the other day that he didn’t really need to do this — he just wanted to do it because it would help things go faster — he’s pretty much daring the court to strike this down. So it’s hard to imagine a poorer case.” Schiff said he sees this moment as a test for Republicans in Congress and whether they will stand up to Trump and deny him the ability to circumvent the legislative branch’s power."
A Trump-Made Emergency
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/14/opinion/trump-national-emergency-border-wall.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage&fbclid=IwAR1dGK-6R91RhEcJ4IXv9mmDnnIYqxXb3YL8TQAzkP5cJTOv5mAMniGz12E
"The poison cherry atop this sundae is that Mr. Trump is subverting American democracy for a cause opposed by a majority of the public. Polls show that most Americans do not want a wall at the southern border. And most definitely do not approve of Mr. Trump’s faking a national emergency to make an end run around Congress. Two recent polls showed that two-thirds of Americans opposed it. Not that any of this seems of interest to the president. “I have the absolute right to do national emergency if I want,” he insisted to reporters last month, sounding more like a huffy kindergartner than a world leader. This administration is forever coming up with creative new ways to disturb and dismay the nation. Mr. Trump’s eagerness to undermine the Constitution to serve his short-term political gain remains among the most outrageous."
"The poison cherry atop this sundae is that Mr. Trump is subverting American democracy for a cause opposed by a majority of the public. Polls show that most Americans do not want a wall at the southern border. And most definitely do not approve of Mr. Trump’s faking a national emergency to make an end run around Congress. Two recent polls showed that two-thirds of Americans opposed it. Not that any of this seems of interest to the president. “I have the absolute right to do national emergency if I want,” he insisted to reporters last month, sounding more like a huffy kindergartner than a world leader. This administration is forever coming up with creative new ways to disturb and dismay the nation. Mr. Trump’s eagerness to undermine the Constitution to serve his short-term political gain remains among the most outrageous."
Trump's 'National Emergency' Is a Purely Dictatorial Action
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a26345673/trumps-national-emergency-is-a-purely-dictatorial-action/?fbclid=IwAR3h37A6EWMr34yTgir3XsU2OAqrZq6Z6hmkaDxaGuwRvDKMonlReIdN-j0
"This is a clear and present danger to the constitutional order. Without the power of the purse, Congress has no power at all. Mitch McConnell knows this. He even has been warning against this very power grab for a couple of weeks now. But he seems determined to neuter his own institution in order to curry favor with a failed president* and a bunch of idiot pundits from Fox News. He is abandoning his own responsibilities in the hopes that the courts will bail him out. And, again, there is no national emergency to be declared. Not outside of the Oval Office, anyway."
"This is a clear and present danger to the constitutional order. Without the power of the purse, Congress has no power at all. Mitch McConnell knows this. He even has been warning against this very power grab for a couple of weeks now. But he seems determined to neuter his own institution in order to curry favor with a failed president* and a bunch of idiot pundits from Fox News. He is abandoning his own responsibilities in the hopes that the courts will bail him out. And, again, there is no national emergency to be declared. Not outside of the Oval Office, anyway."
Thursday, February 21, 2019
Republicans’ Cynical Excuses for Trump’s Power Grab
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/02/trump-national-emergency-power-grab.html?fbclid=IwAR2nwgNxrw2RWc11_v6m7bOjaOP5MUyObD9rmMeHmgkJ52Sd4duGk7exvCM
"when a president overrides the will of Congress by asserting emergency powers, he’s not saving America. He’s destroying what makes it America. A party that offers excuses like these isn’t republican. It’s authoritarian."
"when a president overrides the will of Congress by asserting emergency powers, he’s not saving America. He’s destroying what makes it America. A party that offers excuses like these isn’t republican. It’s authoritarian."
Trump’s Followers Believe His Lies About the Wall
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/02/trump-followers-believe-lies-wall.html?fbclid=IwAR3VhxO0nnJpItTl8Cm0JBus-d4z_olJng62H7pmPohHiOdRanAmVF-Fgro
"So when Trump told the folks at that rally in El Paso to trust him over all contrary evidence—law enforcement data, the local Republican mayor, fact checks by Fox News—he wasn’t brainwashing them. He was telling them what they already believed. Trumpism isn’t about a border wall, any more than it’s about patriotism or conservatism. It’s about unshakeable faith in one man. A liar."
"So when Trump told the folks at that rally in El Paso to trust him over all contrary evidence—law enforcement data, the local Republican mayor, fact checks by Fox News—he wasn’t brainwashing them. He was telling them what they already believed. Trumpism isn’t about a border wall, any more than it’s about patriotism or conservatism. It’s about unshakeable faith in one man. A liar."
With emergency declaration, Trump ignores public will (among other things)
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/emergency-declaration-trump-ignores-public-will-among-other-things?fbclid=IwAR1S4iED2wGHrB4WkneyEMD9MaEdAAqooNtq3qjzBUA5UM0nEHDkkb2FRuY
"It appears the only folks the president isn’t ignoring work for conservative media."
"It appears the only folks the president isn’t ignoring work for conservative media."
“I Didn’t Need to Do This”: Trump Uses Emergency Declaration Speech to Make Case Against Himself
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/02/i-didnt-need-to-do-this-trump-uses-emergency-declaration-speech-to-make-case-against-himself/?fbclid=IwAR1z6goaCbn0O6xpsEfVRBu3_5dsAl8AdXTReaSpXGlnIFuvwx2kmKU0apY
"President Donald Trump used the speech announcing his decision to invoke emergency powers to fund border wall construction to strengthen the legal arguments against that decision. “I didn’t need to do this,” Trump said on Friday about the emergency declaration."
"President Donald Trump used the speech announcing his decision to invoke emergency powers to fund border wall construction to strengthen the legal arguments against that decision. “I didn’t need to do this,” Trump said on Friday about the emergency declaration."
Trump’s ‘Emergency’ Action: Unlawful and Unconstitutional
Trump’s ‘Emergency’ Action: Unlawful and Unconstitutional:
"President Trump’s attempt to spend money for building a wall without congressional appropriation of funds for this purpose directly violates the Constitution."
"President Trump’s attempt to spend money for building a wall without congressional appropriation of funds for this purpose directly violates the Constitution."
Trump Admits He ‘Didn’t Need To’ Declare National Emergency
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-national-emergency-didnt-need_n_5c66e76ce4b05c889d1ed6bf?fbclid=IwAR1HxMlHNy560Vt-JshJS_cXShFdnfQxUEutkZS7de6DgRi0jb_SxoxjXLk
"Following his announcement Friday, Trump is heading to his golf club in Florida for the weekend, further underscoring the dubious nature of his “national emergency"."
"Following his announcement Friday, Trump is heading to his golf club in Florida for the weekend, further underscoring the dubious nature of his “national emergency"."
‘I Didn’t Need to Do This’ Sums Up the Entire Trump Presidency
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-national-emergency-details-795290/?fbclid=IwAR10j-S9JyU6PCefq8pzMpqHOHh3cawYvfwxLZkOrRwQnTWEowz_YFr31os
"He essentially admitted on Friday that the declaration wasn’t actually an emergency."
"He essentially admitted on Friday that the declaration wasn’t actually an emergency."
Stephen Miller Just Went on Fox News to Discuss Trump’s National Emergency. It Went Poorly.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/02/stephen-miller-fox-news-donald-trump-national-emergency-omg-yikes/?fbclid=IwAR1mNdKkUeuADvPSTxJ4wckhBUv_LzVbQ2W0cLUJ3G-fGc8_QIL5tLmvbtE
"White House senior adviser Stephen Miller went on Fox News Sunday and tried to defend Trump’s declaration of a national emergency to secure funding for his border wall. He did not do a very good job."
"White House senior adviser Stephen Miller went on Fox News Sunday and tried to defend Trump’s declaration of a national emergency to secure funding for his border wall. He did not do a very good job."
Trump's 'National Emergency' Doesn't Exist, Except as an Assault on the Constitution
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a26355766/donald-trump-national-emergency-act-explained/?fbclid=IwAR3Z6EY33cBGGFFF4LsXOeekVDid9rvDk-WhX9ux1MRPHTS1yZL6tiXKg90
"The Tangerine Generalissimo already shut down the government in an attempt to force the Legislative Branch to fund his Big, Beautiful Wall, which for years he promised, in no uncertain terms, that Mexico would pay for. He also said it would be concrete and 30 feet high and stretch from sea to shining sea. Instead, the Artful Dealmaker got 55 miles of steel "barrier" as his side got walloped in negotiations, and U.S. taxpayers are fronting the bill. (Whether Democrats should even have given that much up, even to keep the government open, is another question.) But Congress did not exercise its power of the purse—outlined in Article 1 of that "Constitution" we hear so much about—in a way that Trump liked, so he has decided to seize the funds by declaring a national emergency when there is none."
"The Tangerine Generalissimo already shut down the government in an attempt to force the Legislative Branch to fund his Big, Beautiful Wall, which for years he promised, in no uncertain terms, that Mexico would pay for. He also said it would be concrete and 30 feet high and stretch from sea to shining sea. Instead, the Artful Dealmaker got 55 miles of steel "barrier" as his side got walloped in negotiations, and U.S. taxpayers are fronting the bill. (Whether Democrats should even have given that much up, even to keep the government open, is another question.) But Congress did not exercise its power of the purse—outlined in Article 1 of that "Constitution" we hear so much about—in a way that Trump liked, so he has decided to seize the funds by declaring a national emergency when there is none."
Sunday, February 17, 2019
Donald Trump’s long history of racism, from the 1970s to 2019
https://www.vox.com/2016/7/25/12270880/donald-trump-racist-racism-history?fbclid=IwAR17x_9te10gKzT8oAASRWTog1B9ohgPmIQ4K0BWzgixmHJHsIcWrrVg25I
"In fact, the very first time that Trump appeared in the pages of the New York Times, back in the 1970s, was when the US Department of Justice sued him for racial discrimination. Since then, he has repeatedly appeared in newspaper pages across the world as he inspired more similar controversies. This long history is important. It would be one thing if Trump simply misspoke one or two times. But when you take all of Trump’s actions and comments together, a clear pattern emerges — one that suggests that bigotry is not just political opportunism on Trump’s part but a real element of Trump’s personality, character, and career."
"In fact, the very first time that Trump appeared in the pages of the New York Times, back in the 1970s, was when the US Department of Justice sued him for racial discrimination. Since then, he has repeatedly appeared in newspaper pages across the world as he inspired more similar controversies. This long history is important. It would be one thing if Trump simply misspoke one or two times. But when you take all of Trump’s actions and comments together, a clear pattern emerges — one that suggests that bigotry is not just political opportunism on Trump’s part but a real element of Trump’s personality, character, and career."
Republicans Trying, Failing to Come Up With Good Reasons to Conceal Trump Taxes
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/02/republicans-trump-taxe-returns-hide-congress.html?fbclid=IwAR0fkLe4WVAkkoMfbmbwz7ndyH6R5Ghb-H59Lzwb-eyeRV8g_1Kk63ZCOwY
"Reporters have found evidence of Trump engaging in corruption, fraud, money laundering, and lots and lots of covert dealings with Russia. That’s just the stuff journalists have managed to suss out so far. The tax returns may well also turn up other crimes, because Trump is a crook."
"Reporters have found evidence of Trump engaging in corruption, fraud, money laundering, and lots and lots of covert dealings with Russia. That’s just the stuff journalists have managed to suss out so far. The tax returns may well also turn up other crimes, because Trump is a crook."
Coalition of the Unwilling
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/02/trump-warsaw-conference-iran-pence-giuliani-pompeo.html?fbclid=IwAR2J6ONPyPAmsHDaKywfIX1LYzIhB6_pKByBarm9je6idn8pWEeYTtuMftM
"another sign of the shallow thinking and clueless incompetence that has marked U.S. foreign policy since Donald Trump entered the White House."
"another sign of the shallow thinking and clueless incompetence that has marked U.S. foreign policy since Donald Trump entered the White House."
Trump's DHS has cut task forces set up after 2016 to guard elections against foreign interference
https://www.salon.com/2019/02/15/dhs-will-cut-task-forces-set-up-after-2016-to-guard-elections-against-foreign-interference/?fbclid=IwAR1HxIDxzHkzHgUFv1x5W5rTjgWjs6AhMFcEFfw71satsxO6Hf9ZXBcStpY
"Two Homeland Security task forces created to combat foreign election meddling in the wake of Russia’s interference in the 2016 election have been gutted ahead of the 2020 race"
"Two Homeland Security task forces created to combat foreign election meddling in the wake of Russia’s interference in the 2016 election have been gutted ahead of the 2020 race"
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