February 19, 2017

Trump is putting on a great circus, but what about his promises? (ICYMI)

Source: Washington Post, by Fareed Zakaria

*****

The first few weeks of President Trump’s administration have been an illustration of writer Alfred Montapert’s adage, “Do not confuse motion and progress. A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress.” We are witnessing a rocking-horse presidency in which everyone is jerking back and forth furiously, yet there is no forward movement.

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On Thursday, Trump said at a news conference, “There has never been a presidency that’s done so much in such a short period of time.” Matthew Yglesias of Vox observes that at this point in his presidency, Barack Obama had signed into law an almost-trillion-dollar stimulus bill to revive the economy, extended health insurance to 4 million children and made it easier to challenge discriminatory labor practices. In their respective first 100 days in office, FiveThirtyEight calculates, Bill Clinton had passed 24 bills; John Kennedy, 26; Harry Truman, 55; and FDR, 76.

Despite having a Republican House and Senate, Trump does not seem likely to crack 10 in his first 100 days. Yglesias notes that the Trump White House has not even begun serious discussions with Congress on major legislation. According to The Post, of the 696 positions that require Senate confirmation, the president has yet to nominate 661 of them.

*****

Historian Douglas Brinkley recently observed that Trump is a creature of reality television, for which the two cardinal rules are: Always keep the cameras focused on you, and always stay interesting. The president has certainly fulfilled those mandates. But what about the ones he promised his voters? What about the plans to reindustrialize the Midwest, bring back jobs, and revive the coal and steel industries? What, for that matter, of his explicit commitments that “on Day One” he would begin “removing criminal illegal immigrants” and would “label China a currency manipulator,” “push for a constitutional amendment to impose term limits on all members of Congress” and “get rid of gun-free zones in schools, and .?.?. military bases”? All were promised. Almost nothing has been done.

*****

Read it all at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-trump-circus/2017/02/16/d1bc4a86-f48c-11e6-8d72-263470bf0401_story.html?utm_term=.01d340888f80

February 19, 2017

Dems hold 80 recess events with voters. All but 18 Republicans hide out.

As Congress leaves Washington for a week-long recess, the contrast between Democrats' and Republicans' relationships with the people could not be sharper. At least 80 Democrats are hosting town halls and other events to support the Affordable Care Act, while only 18 Republicans have events planned through the entire week. Democrats listen to their constituents; Republicans hide from them.

Source: Shareblue, by Alison R. Parker

*****

Despite all of these demands and the clear concern from the people regarding the future of the ACA, according to Roll Call on February 15, Republicans had scheduled only 10 town halls over their week in recess. According to Legistorm, a database that tracks Congressional town halls, as of this writing, only 18 Republicans have scheduled town halls during recess week.

In sharp contrast to the GOP’s reluctance to meet with their constituents and the disrespect shown by those refusals, Democratic officials are out in force to offer their support for the ACA and to listen to the concerns and requests from the people in their districts.

In sharp contrast to the GOP’s reluctance to meet with their constituents and the disrespect shown by those refusals, Democratic officials are out in force to offer their support for the ACA and to listen to the concerns and requests from the people in their districts.

According to a statement from House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, “More than 80 House Democrats will be hosting #ProtectOurCare events across the nation in support of the Affordable Care Act, bringing the total number of ACA events hosted by House Democrats in February to more than 100.”

*****

Much more at: http://shareblue.com/dems-hold-80-recess-events-with-voters-all-but-18-republicans-hide-out/

February 17, 2017

Trump's Self-Care Tour Is Costing America Millions

The president is going all in on making himself great again.

Source: Vanity Fair, by Emily Jane Fox

*****

The three trips to Mar-a-Lago that Trump has taken since his swearing-in will cost an estimated $10 million, according to a government report from October, analyzed by The Washington Post. That’s not even including the expense to Palm Beach County. The ritzy beach town’s sheriff said Trump’s first few weeks in office have cost local taxpayers $60,000 a day, according to the Post, as they shell out money for cops working overtime to handle security and traffic issues.

Those are pennies compared to what it costs every day to secure Trump Tower, where Melania and Barron have chosen to stay despite the incredible logistical and security challenges involved in protecting them as they shuttle back and forth between one of the busiest locations in Manhattan and Barron’s school uptown. The Post reports that police officials estimate it costs $500,000 a day to do so—a fee that could reach $183 million in a year.

That is just to secure the First Lady and one First Son; Donald Trump has five children and eight grandchildren. And since he turned over the keys to the Trump Organization to his adult sons Don Jr. and Eric, taxpayers are now footing the bill to protect them as they conduct business overseas, too. The Post reported that when Eric traveled to Uruguay to promote a Trump-branded building—the proceeds of which continue to line the president’s pockets—the U.S. government paid $100,000 in hotel rooms alone to support the trip. With Don Jr. and Eric set to travel to Dubai for more business promotion this weekend, the Secret Service has reportedly already paid $16,000 in hotel bills before the brothers even left American soil.

This is the crux of what is wrong with the Trump presidency. The Trumps do what is best for them at the expense of the American people. President Trump did not divest from his business, even though it means the U.S. will now have a much harder time castigating nations around the world for their own corrupt business practices. He spent days focused on his inaugural crowd size and meetings with visiting foreign leaders, boasting about his electoral victory instead of clarifying the role Russia played in his election or reassuring Jews that he is not fostering anti-Semitic rhetoric. He is leaving the White House to go on an ego-boost tour even though it will cost taxpayers millions upon millions of dollars. For a president who built his platform on the idea of making America great again, the only one who appears to have benefited so far is President Trump himself.

Read it at: http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/02/trump-self-care-tour-costing-america-millions

February 17, 2017

Trump Completely Humiliated As His Pick To Replace Michael Flynn Turns Him Down

Source: PoliticusUSA, by Jason Easley

*****

After Trump’s rambling disaster of a press conference on Thursday, and with the prospect of full-blown Congressional investigation into the Russia scandal looking more likely by the day, it is not a surprise that anyone who not currently engulfed in the dumpster fire that is the current administration would run fleeing in the opposite direction when offered a job.

Donald Trump promised to bring in the best people to work in his administration, but instead, the American people have gotten a batch of completely unqualified billionaires and Trump pals in the Executive Branch of the federal government.

It isn’t shocking that anyone with any credibility or reputation to protect is reluctant to join this White House. Trump has been plagued with staffing problems since he first got into politics.

The reality is that the president that so many Republicans love is toxic. The only people that he can attract to his administration are personal friends, donors, or unqualified far right ideologues who have no idea what they are doing.

As a candidate, Trump promised never to stop winning, but as president, Donald Trump has been a consistent loser.

Read it at: http://www.politicususa.com/2017/02/16/trump-completely-humiliated-pick-replace-michael-flynn-turns.html

February 17, 2017

American Horror Story: Season 7

Ryan Murphy Says This Year’s “American Horror Story” Inspired By Presidential Election

http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3424687/ryan-murphy-says-years-american-horror-story-inspired-presidential-election/

February 16, 2017

Slenderman Stabbing Victim, Now 15, Is a Strong Young Woman Excelling in School

"Slenderman" is a fictional horror character that could never "stab" anyone!

This is a People magazine headline story.

I mean, good for her, good story - but what a title?

Let's hope the White House lurker doesn't get a hold of this!

February 16, 2017

Trump Suffers A Massively Embarrassing Defeat As Andrew Puzder Withdraws As Labor Sec Nominee

Source: PoliticusUSA, by Jason Easley

Donald Trump suffered the ultimate humiliation as his Labor Secretary nominee was forced to withdraw his name from consideration after he lacked enough votes for confirmation in the Republican-controlled Senate.

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Puzder fit the Trump mode for nominees, as he hated minimum wage laws and labor regulations. Puzder also had a history of sexism and an allegation that he assaulted his ex-wife.

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The Puzder rebellion by Democrats and several Republicans is a massive defeat for Trump that comes at a time when there is growing momentum for a bipartisan investigation into the Trump/Russia scandal.

A president who promised to win so much that America would be tired of winning has become one of the biggest losers in presidential history. Trump has lost every case related to his Muslim ban in court, his National Security Adviser’s resignation has accelerated a massive political scandal, and now his Labor Secretary nominee doesn’t have the votes to be confirmed by a majority Republican Senate.

Read it at: http://www.politicususa.com/2017/02/15/trump-suffers-massively-embarrassing-defeat-andrew-puzder-withdraws-labor-nominee.html

February 14, 2017

Mike Flynn's Resignation Is The First Domino To Fall In Trump's Russia Scandal Nightmare

Source: PoliticusUSA, by Jason Easley

Trump hopes that the resignation of Mike Flynn represents the end of the Russian scandal, but it is likely the first domino to fall in a nightmare that has the potential to destroy a president.

*****

Flynn wasn’t only an appointee. He was a constant presence and a regular warm up act at Trump’s campaign rallies. In his letter, Flynn positions himself as a person who made a mistake, but the truth of the matter is that Flynn’s ties to Russia were never in doubt and regularly reported on during the presidential campaign.

The Trump administration is throwing Flynn under the bus and hoping that they can rely on the one bad apple defense to make the Russia scandal go away. Flynn’s resignation is likely to have the opposite impact. Congressional investigations, especially in the Senate, are only going to have their curiosity heightened by the resignation.

*****

The Russia scandal just got real, as Mike Flynn was the first person to get thrown under the bus, but the bigger questions remain unanswered, and they center around the man occupying the Oval Office.

Trump’s Russia nightmare is about to get a whole lot worse.

Read it at: http://www.politicususa.com/2017/02/13/mike-flynns-resignation-domino-fall-trumps-russia-scandal-nightmare.html

"My generals!"

February 13, 2017

Martin Luther King Jr. on the record for a Guaranteed Income

“…It is a cruel jest to say to a bootless man that he oughta lift himself by his own bootstraps…"

Much more at: https://medium.com/basic-income/martin-luther-king-jr-on-the-record-for-a-guaranteed-income-b47b58b41e93#.9nrbshd3g

February 12, 2017

Willie J. Parker Changed His Mind About Abortion

al.com


Dr. Parker outside Alabama State House, May 2015



Source: The New York Times Magazine, interview by Ana Marie Cox

Your book, “Life’s Work,” is rooted in the fact that you have a moral and spiritual argument in favor of abortion rights, and you talk about your shift from someone who, for religious reasons, didn’t want to provide abortion to someone who, for religious reasons, did. Why did you consider that a “conversion”?

I had to come to a crisis moment regarding a religious understanding that left me unable to help women when I felt deeply for their situation. So I needed to convert from a religious understanding that left me paralyzed to act on my deepest sense of connection to one that empowered me to do what I felt to be the right thing. It felt as life-altering for me to move from being unable to do abortions to being able to do them as it did to move from being a nonbeliever to becoming a believer.

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Tell me about the connection between your heritage as a descendant of slaves and the idea that abortion is ultimately about ownership of a body.

People often struggle with why, as a man, I am deeply committed to feminism, reproductive justice and gender equality. I come from a heritage of people who know what it’s like to have your life controlled by somebody else. What’s most proximate to that reality right now is the direct control of women’s bodies and their reproduction, because if you don’t control your reproduction, you don’t control anything else about your life.

*****

Read interview at: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/08/magazine/willie-j-parker-changed-his-mind-about-abortion.html?_r=1