TomSlick
TomSlick's JournalThe shirtless Tonga guy!
Shirtless again - at the Winter Games - it's 28 degrees!
I hope he has a coat waiting for him in the stands.
NBC Sports - give me a break!
I finally decided to switch from MSNBC, where I was listening amazed at all of today's big news, to watch the Olympics opening ceremony. I love the opening ceremonies. We're now twenty minutes in and nothing but silly puff pieces. Give me a break!
Switching back. Someone let me know if NBC decides to show the opening ceremonies.
Congressman Tim Walz on Lawrence.
A retired Command Sergeant Major. The highest ranking enlisted soldier to ever serve in the Congress.
Schooling Cadet Bone Spurs on calling folks like CSM Walz a traitor.
Hooah!
Would Trump's military parade be illegal?
My argument takes a few steps and reading regulatory language so bear with me.
Step 1: Trump has taken the unusual step of starting his re-election campaign immediately upon taking office.
Step 2: There is no holiday or other occasion for which a military parade would be appropriate. The only reason for a military parade would be to help Trump's re-election campaign by allowing him to bask in the military's reflected glow.
Step 3: The Hatch Act forbids military personnel from engaging in partisan political activity in uniform.
According to the Department of Defense, Standards of Conduct (SOCO) website:
"The primary guidance concerning political activity for military members is found in DoD Directive 1344.10 [Guidance for Military Personnel]. Per longstanding DoD policy, active duty personnel may not engage in partisan political activities and all military personnel should avoid the inference that their political activities imply or appear to imply DoD sponsorship, approval, or endorsement of a political candidate, campaign, or cause. Members on active duty may not campaign for a partisan candidate, engage in partisan fundraising activities, serve as an officer of a partisan club, or speak before a partisan gathering."
According to the SOCO memo of July 6, 2016:
"Any activity that may be reasonably viewed as directly or indirectly associating DoD, or any component or personnel of DoD, with a partisan political activity or is otherwise contrary to the spirit and intention of this guidance must be avoided. Consistent with this, installation commanders must decline requests for military personnel or federal civilian employees to appear in or support political campaign or election events in their official capacities. . . ."
So, if you accept my premise that the planned military parade is a partisan political activity, it would be illegal.
Or, it may just be that it chaps my retired Army butt to see either party use soldiers as political props.
Please, God.
Will these coaches and athletes please stop thanking Jesus for winning the game!
I get it, you're excited but surely God doesn't much care who wins a football game.
Carter Page fascinates me.
It takes about two minutes of listening to him to realize he is an idiot. He has been under investigation as a Russian agent, or at least asset, for a long time.
I've been trying to figure why any presidential campaign - even the Trump campaign - would let him stuff envelopes much less be a foreign policy adviser. It just does not seem possible.
Then it occurred to me. Page was in the inner circle because he was assigned to that position by the Kremlin and the Trump campaign had no choice.
The enemy of the enemy of the Republic is my friend.
I have witnessed a trend on DU. A recent example was a post about the tweet from Comey comparing Nunes to Joe McCarthy. I did not have to read many responses before the song began, "too little, too late," "he undermined Hillary," "he's a rethugnant," and suggestions that he should engage in obscene (if not physically impossible) acts. The same song is sung when Steve Schmidt or Joe Scarborough, etc. criticize Trump.
I'm old enough to remember Watergate. Watergate was a two-bit burglary and a bungled cover-up and obstruction. What we are facing now is far, far worse. We have a racist, probably mentally ill, would-be autocrat working over-time to replace our democratic Republic with a one-man reich.
Anyone, anyone who stands-up and calls attention to the fact the Republic is in peril should be applauded. All past sins must be, if not forgiven, at least overlooked. The repentant must be welcomed. The recently converted must be applauded.
There is simply too much at stake. All who are resisting Trump's attack on our institutions are in the same fight. Until the Republic is secure, Trump is out of the White House and the place thoroughly fumigated, we cannot throw stones at any one on our side of the lines.
The enemy of the enemy of the Republic is my friend.
Anyone out there in California's 22nd Congressional District?
Everything I can find on the Google Machine says that Nunes has one of the safest seats in Congress. Does that seem accurate on the ground? If so, how can that be possible?
I'm not being critical of the folks that live there. I live in Arkansas' 4th. My Representative is Bruce Westerman - every bit as mindless as Nunes, just not as well known. Hell, even the other Republican Congress members from Arkansas couldn't pick him out of a line-up.
I'm just wondering how the folks back home are responding to Nunes.
Has anyone heard an explanation for the stole, or wrap many Democrats were wearing tonight?
They were colorful but certain to have meant something.
Profile Information
Gender: MaleHometown: Arkansas
Home country: USA
Current location: Arkansas, USA
Member since: Mon May 15, 2017, 09:46 PM
Number of posts: 11,096
