The official Thread for Trash/Repug CRAPICATION of America, the planet

[boutons_deux]

To support Devos' insane intention of Federal financing of gun sales to schools, the stupid bitch billionaire lies about school shootings

The School Shootings That Weren't

How many times per year does a gun go off in an American school?

We should know. But we don't.

This spring the U.S. Education Department reported that in the 2015-2016 school year, "nearly 240 schools ... reported at least 1 incident involving a school-related shooting." The number is far higher than most other estimates.

But NPR reached out to every one of those schools repeatedly over the course of three months and found that more than two-thirds of these reported incidents never happened.

Child Trends, a nonpartisan nonprofit research organization (https://www.childtrends.org/data-sources-make-it-difficult-to-know-whether-school-shootings-are-happening-more-often), assisted NPR in analyzing data from the government's Civil Rights Data Collection.

We were able to confirm just 11 reported incidents, either directly with schools or through media reports.

In 161 cases, schools or districts attested that no incident took place or couldn't confirm one.

In at least four cases, we found, something did happen, but it didn't meet the government's parameters for a shooting.

About a quarter of schools didn't respond to our inquiries.

"When we're talking about such an important and rare event, [this] amount of data error could be very meaningful," says Deborah Temkin, a researcher and program director at Child Trends.

https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2018/08/27/640323347/the-school-shootings-that-werent?sc=tw

[boutons_deux]

Slave State News

(R-Racist) Fla Gov. Candidate Ron DeSantis Says Fla. Shouldn't "Monkey This Up" Referring to Gillum. (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/8/29/1791861/--R-Racist-Fla-Gov-Candidate-Ron-DeSantis-Says-Fla-Shouldn-t-Monkey-This-Up-Referring-to-Gillum)

https://images.dailykos.com/images/582897/story_image/desantis.jpg?1535554383

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/8/29/1791861/--R-Racist-Fla-Gov-Candidate-Ron-DeSantis-Says-Fla-Shouldn-t-Monkey-This-Up-Referring-to-Gillum

[boutons_deux]

U.S. deaths from self-injury surpass those from diabetes

More people in the U.S. are dying from self-inflicted harm, including suicide and drug overdose, than from diabetes

Until 2015, diabetes was the seventh most common killer of people in the U.S.,

“There is a huge ripple effect to not treating the problems of individuals who died by suicide or what may be classified as accidental drug intoxication,” Rockett said. “They are members of families; they have friends and work colleagues. The ripple effects of their deaths can lead to all sorts of mental and physical problems among those who know them and care about them.”

The surge in self-injury deaths was largely driven by increases among men, whose rates of self-inflicted death had already outstripped diabetes deaths by 2002,

Combining all self-injury deaths, whether intentional, unintentional or undetermined, into one number may help spotlight a growing problem and lead to more effective prevention,

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-selfinjury-mortality/u-s-deaths-from-self-injury-surpass-those-from-diabetes-idUSKCN1LE25W?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FhealthNews+%28Reute rs+Health+News%29 (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-selfinjury-mortality/u-s-deaths-from-self-injury-surpass-those-from-diabetes-idUSKCN1LE25W?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FhealthNews+%28Reute rs+Health+News%29)

[boutons_deux]

billionaire bitch Devos protecting rapists, abusers, implementing Repug/Christian misogyny

Betsy DeVos preparing new sexual misconduct rules to protect accused rapists and sexual harassers

Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos (https://www.thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/?s=Betsy+DeVos) is preparing new rules that will expand protections for students and staff accused of sexual misconduct, including assault, harassment, and rape, while protecting the schools and colleges they attend.

“The proposed rules,” The New York Times (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/29/us/politics/devos-campus-sexual-assault.html) reports, “narrow the definition of sexual harassment, holding schools accountable only for formal complaints filed through proper authorities and for conduct said to have occurred on their campuses. They would also establish a higher legal standard to determine whether schools improperly addressed complaints.”

The Education Secretary’s new rules would literally allow an accused rapist to cross examine his or her alleged victim.

The Obama administration also strongly discouraged parties from personally questioning each other during hearings, believing it would be “traumatic or intimidating, thereby possibly escalating or perpetuating a hostile environment.”

These new rules would also allow “victims and their accused perpetrators to request evidence from each other,” The Times adds.

“The rules also allow the complainant and the accused to have access to any evidence obtained during the investigation,

even if there are no plans to use it to prove the conduct occurred.”

That could lead to very personal information or belongings – say, text messages, photographs, or underwear –

being shared with someone accused of sexual misconduct, harassment, or assault.

https://www.rawstory.com/2018/08/betsy-devos-preparing-new-sexual-misconduct-rules-protect-accused-rapists-sexual-harassers/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+%28The+Raw+Story% 29

The Repug Rape Caucus must be thrilled.

[boutons_deux]

Rubio’s New Paid Leave Bill Threatens The Very Idea Of Social Security, Report Finds

His proposal would cut lifetime benefits between 3 and 10 percent and cost $10 billion a year.

The paid maternity and paternity leave bill proposed by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) would offer meaningful benefits for new parents but only at a grave cost to Americans’ retirement savings and the core idea of Social Security,

ubio’s Economic Security For New Parents Act taps Social Security funds. The bill provides new parents anywhere from 55 to 80 percent of their regular pre-tax pay for two or three months, but it “borrows” from their future retirement accounts to do so.

The bill’s supporters say the only cost to parents is a slight delay in retirement ― which is fine, they say, since

Americans want to work longer anyway. :lol

Rubio has also touted the bill as “budget neutral (https://www.rubio.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=498E3B9D-FC6E-44DE-AA4B-44A2E0752A25).” :lol

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/rubios-new-paid-leave-bill-threatens-the-very-idea-of-social-security-report-finds_us_5b86d4dee4b0162f471ed56b?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=__TheMorningEmail__083018&utm_content=__TheMorningEmail__083018+CID_1a456d6d a510098b0bb0b1119477c1f6&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=HuffPost&ncid=newsltushpmgnews__TheMorningEmail__083018

[boutons_deux]

Another Pootin dictate

Trump threatens to withdraw US from World Trade Organization

Trash threatened in an interview with Bloomberg News on Thursday to withdraw from the World Trade Organization if “they don’t shape up,” in his latest criticism of the institution.

Such a move could undermine one of the foundations of the modern global trading system, which the United States was instrumental in creating.

Trump has complained the United States is treated unfairly in global trade and has blamed the WTO for allowing that to happen. He has also warned he could take action against the global body, although he has not specified what form that could take.

https://www.rawstory.com/2018/08/trump-threatens-withdraw-us-world-trade-organization-bloomberg/ (https://www.rawstory.com/2018/08/trump-threatens-withdraw-us-world-trade-organization-bloomberg/)

[boutons_deux]

:lol you rightwingnutjobs are hilariously insane

Liz Crokin Blames Her Surfing Injury On A Spell Cast By Hillary Clinton

it may have been the

result of a curse that had been placed on her by Hillary Clinton (http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/liz-crokin-trump-confirmed-the-existence-of-a-video-showing-hilary-clinton-torturing-a-child/) :lol

or artist Marina Abramović or some other

“witch” that is targeting her due to her efforts (http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/liz-crokin-well-soon-see-more-than-20000-people-arrested-for-the-rape-torture-and-sacrifice-of-children/) to expose (http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/liz-crokin-groups-combating-human-trafficking-are-fronts-to-traffic-kids/)

the secret satanic cannibalistic pedophile cult that supposedly runs the world. :lol

“These people that I expose engage in witchcraft,” Crokin said.

“You know, the people like Marina Abramović,

the people like Hillary Clinton,

[the people] from the deep state articles that are getting ready to write a hit piece on me right now.

Well, look it up. Look it up.

Do research on Hillary Clinton and Bill Clinton and their trip to Haiti :lol

and how—I think it was on their honeymoon—they admitted to doing voodoo there together.

Research Marina Abramović; she talks about the rituals she does, she’s an occultist.”

“All these people dabble in witchcraft and spirit cooking,” :lol

she added. “So,

do these people do witchcraft against me? Of course they do.

And I wouldn’t be surprised if they were casting spells on me the night before.”

http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/liz-crokin-blames-her-surfing-injury-on-a-spell-cast-by-hillary-clinton/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=rww&utm_campaign=bestof



Liz Crokin speaks on Q, Mass Arrests, and Moving Forward in a Post-Pedo Apocalypse World :lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEXGDWIDbjo

[boutons_deux]

Repug / evangelical misogyny, esp for poor women (all skin tints)

Trump Administration Dramatically Shortens Funding Period for Family Planning Grants

Providers say the Trump administration is undermining much-needed care for the people who need it most.



The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

shortened the funding period for the latest round of Title X family planning grants to just seven months,

rather than the usual three-year cycle.

The move has concerned reproductive health advocates,

who said it could indicate that the Trump administration is rushing to implement its proposed anti-choice domestic gag rule.

This time, however, grants have only been awarded to fund providers from September 1 of this year until the end of March 2019.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), ranking member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, called

the move “a gimmick, plain and simple” in a statement. (https://www.murray.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/newsreleases?ContentRecord_id=6768E091-01E8-4CC0-B810-D65348B3624F)

“It’s all about moving as quickly as possible to undermine health care access for millions of people and to gag providers from discussing the full range of reproductive care options with patients.”

https://rewire.news/article/2018/08/31/trump-administration-dramatically-shortens-funding-period-for-family-planning-grants/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rhrealitycheck+%28RH+Reality+ Check%29

[boutons_deux]

Sky People news, from a newsletter

"In Congress, allies of the oil and gas industry just proposed

a bill to gut core provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA),

an important ocean conservation law that seeks to restore and maintain healthy populations of all marine mammals in U.S. waters.

If passed, the bill would make it easier for oil interests

to begin seismic airgun blasting and new drilling

by allowing the harming and killing of whales and other marine mammals."

[boutons_deux]

Trump’s EPA reconsidering power plant rule preventing 11,000 premature deaths per year

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) plans to reconsider the Obama-era Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS),

a rule that restricts some of the most toxic air emissions from power plants.

The EPA, under the leadership :lol of

Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler, a former coal industry lobbyist, :lol

has issued a draft proposal that questions whether it was “appropriate and necessary” for the agency to set standards in 2012 for mercury and other toxic air pollution emitted by power plants.

Environmental groups and lawmakers are concerned that the Trump administration is seeking to weaken one of the most important and effective clean air rules for power plants.

Prior to the rule, fossil-fueled power plants were the largest source of mercury in the country.

“The only people who want to turn back the clock on this life-saving policy are the coal executives who employed Andrew Wheeler and gave big to Donald Trump’s campaigns,”

https://thinkprogress.org/trumps-epa-reconsidering-power-plant-rule-thats-preventing-11000-premature-deaths-per-year-ca30e8af90bc/

Voluntary manslaughter, for profit

btw, renewables recently matched the output of the nuclear industry.

[boutons_deux]

Trump Administration prepares to roll back federal restrictions on hunting bears, wolves (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/9/3/1791675/-Trump-Administration-prepares-to-roll-back-federal-restrictions-on-hunting-bears-wolves)

the state of the Republican-led, Ryan Zinke-implemented assault on the American wilderness, and specifically on the obsession with making sure a certain brand of thrill-seekers can go around murdering bears and wolves with impunity because screw it, that's why (https://www.motherjones.com/environment/2018/08/bear-cub-killers-in-alaska-have-an-ally-in-donald-trump/).

“Some component of the population here derives great ego gratification out of killing wolves and bears,” says Rick Steiner, a retired University of Alaska professor and board member at Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, an advocacy group. “There is this strong undercurrent of an anti-predator cult—almost a pathology—here in Alaska.”


Zinke is fairly obsessed with making sure America's "nature lovers" get to kill nature's most wall-worthy predators.


The Republican approach appears to be "well, we're pretty sure we're going to be the last American generation anyway, so might as well do all the killing and mining and looting now."


After he refused to engage in a single meeting with the scientists and ex-lawmakers on his National Park System Advisory Board, 10 of 12 members resigned.


Zinke convened an “International Wildlife Conservation Council,” composed of gun industry representatives, a former beauty queen, and a safari hunting enthusiast who hosts a reality-TV show.


Zinke's Park Service is expected to formalize the rollback of Obama-era hunting restrictions on another 20 million acres of federal lands next month

as Trump's band of avid Republican ideologues do their level best to support the animal extraction industry as robustly as they support the timber and fossil fuel extraction industries.


https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1791675

[boutons_deux]

Zinke and Trash's spawn out out to love this story

Nearly 90 Elephants Found Dead Near Botswana Sanctuary, Killed By Poachers

The carcasses of 87 elephants have been discovered near a Botswana protected sanctuary, killed and stripped for their tusks.

The elephants were discovered by Elephants Without Borders, a conservation nonprofit. The organization said (https://www.facebook.com/elephantswithoutborders/) they "discovered the alarming rate while flying the Botswana government aerial [elephant] census."

"I'm shocked, I'm completely astounded," Mike Chase of Elephants Without Borders told the BBC (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-45396394).

"The scale of elephant poaching is by far the largest I've seen or read about anywhere in Africa to date."

Many of the elephants were killed within the last few weeks and three white rhinos in the same area were poached and killed within the last three months,

"All carcasses [were] presumed to be poached, because all of them had their skulls chopped to remove their tusks,"

Elephant populations in Africa declined by 30 percent — around 144,000 elephants (http://www.greatelephantcensus.com/final-report/) — from 2007 to 2014.

https://www.npr.org/2018/09/03/644340279/nearly-90-elephants-found-dead-near-botswana-sanctuary-killed-by-poachers

So who's buying the ivory? My guess is India, East and S/E Asia.

[boutons_deux]

Capital's rich bitch is really trying to screw the student loan victims

After Scaling Back Student Loan Regulations, Administration Tries to Stop State Efforts

six states and the District of Columbia sped up their own efforts to crack down on abusive lending practices by companies that administer federal loan programs.

Now Ms. DeVos is trying to stop them.

Trump administration lawyers filed a “statement of interest” last month supporting a lawsuit from the Student Loan Servicing Alliance, an industry trade group, against the District of Columbia for creating a student loan ombudsman office.

Under a new city law, the companies would be required to apply for licenses and could lose their right to operate if officials determine that they have engaged in fraudulent or irresponsible practices.

Administration lawyers accused the District of Columbia of trying “to second-guess” department officials in the selection of loan servicers,

violating the supremacy clause in the Constitution in a case that could determine the future role of states in consumer protection.
“Federal loans are federal assets and therefore must be controlled and regulated by the federal government,”

said Elizabeth Hill, a spokeswoman for Ms. DeVos.

She described the actions of the states as an illegal veto of federal authority.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/06/us/politics/devos-student-loans.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

So loan servicers are now deputized by DoE to be Federal agents immune to state laws.

"states rights" applies only to knitters, not to Capital

[boutons_deux]

Trump administration picks student loan industry over protecting students in court battle (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/9/7/1794043/-Trump-administration-picks-student-loan-industry-over-protecting-students-in-court-battle)

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos weakened federal protections for student borrowers last year,

but that’s apparently not enough.

The Trump administration is diving into a lawsuit (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/06/us/politics/devos-student-loans.html) by a student lending industry group against Washington, D.C.,

over its efforts to protect people with student debt.

Sketchy student loan companies could be barred from operating in the District of Columbia

if they’re found to have fraudulent or irresponsible practices, the New York Times reports—and

the Trump administration is not happy about that.

Administration lawyers are arguing essentially that the federal government should get to set the ceiling on protecting students from fraudulent lending practices. :lol

“When Secretary DeVos took office, we went on red alert,” said Karl A. Racine, the District of Columbia’s attorney general,

whose residents have the highest debt burden, $40,000 per student borrower (https://www.cnbc.com/2016/10/04/saddled-with-debt-grads-head-to-most-expensive-cities.html), in the country.

“We have a responsibility, in the state attorney general’s offices, to protect our consumers. We are trying to fill the gap because

the secretary is stepping away from protecting students.”

the Trump administration is stepping in to protect lenders.

“As state law enforcement officials and legislators across the political spectrum stand up for student loan borrowers who have been ripped off at every turn,

Donald Trump and Betsy Devos have instead chosen to protect companies engaged in rampant illegal practices,”

he added.

“At stake is the financial future of millions of Americans and a trillion dollar black hole in our financial markets.”

the man who ended up paying $25 million to settle lawsuits over his own fraudulent “university”

does not care about the financial future of the kind of Americans who have to borrow money to attend college.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1794043

[boutons_deux]

Obama improved, Trash MUST break it

Trump Administration Wants to Make It Easier to Release Methane Into Air

preparing to make it significantly easier for energy companies to release methane into the atmosphere.

Methane, which is among the most powerful greenhouse gases, routinely leaks from oil and gas wells, and energy companies have long said that the rules requiring them to test for emissions were costly and burdensome.

to make public a proposal to weaken an Obama-era requirement that companies monitor and repair methane leaks,

essentially repeals a restriction on the intentional venting and “flaring,” or burning, of methane from drilling operations.

The new rules follow two regulatory rollbacks this year that, taken together, represent the foundation of the United States’ effort to rein in global warming.

In July, the E.P.A. proposed weakening a rule on carbon dioxide pollution from vehicle tailpipes. (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/02/climate/trump-auto-emissions-california.html?module=inline)

And in August, the agency proposed replacing the rule on carbon dioxide pollution from coal-fired power plants with a weaker one (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/21/climate/epa-coal-pollution-deaths.html?module=inline) that would allow far more global-warming emissions to flow unchecked from the nation’s smokestacks.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/10/climate/methane-emissions-epa.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

TB :lol must be overjoyed that his sector will be able to fuck up the planet even more.

[boutons_deux]

Robert Reich Exposes One of the Right's Favorite Cons

Trump and his appointees are on a binge of deregulation that masks

another kind of trickle-down economics, in which the gains go to the top and the rest of us bear the risks and losses.
They say getting rid of regulations frees up businesses to be more profitable. Maybe. But

regulations also protect you and me—from being harmed, fleeced, shafted, injured or sickened by corporate products and services.

After heavy lobbying by the chemical industry, for example, the Environmental Protection Agency has

scaled back the way the government decides whether some of the most dangerous chemicals on the market pose health and safety risks.

This may increase the profits of the chemical industry but will leave the rest of us less protected from toxins that can make their way into dry-cleaning solvents, paint strippers, shampoos and cosmetics.

Trump’s Education Department under Betsy

DeVos has stopped investigating for-profit colleges.

This may result in more profits for the for-profits, but leaves many young people and their parents more vulnerable to fraud.

Trump’s Labor Department is

reducing the number of workers who are eligible for overtime pay, and it’s

proposing to allow teenagers to work long hours in dangerous jobs that child labor laws used to protect them from.

Again, more profits for business, more cost and risk for the rest of us.

Trump is weakening banking regulations

put in place after the financial crisis of 2008, even rolling back the so-called Volcker Rule that prevented banks from gambling with commercial deposits. The result: More profits for the banks, and more risk on you and me.

Trump’s gang of industry lobbyists and executives who are busy deregulating the same industries they once represented will no doubt do very well when they head back into the private sector.

But the rest of us won’t do well.

We may not know for years the extent we’re unprotected—

until the next financial collapse,
next public health crisis,

next upsurge in fraud, or

next floods or droughts because the EPA failed to do what it could to slow and reverse climate change.
Don’t fall for it.

Trump’s binge of deregulation is just another form of trickle-down economics—

in which the gains go to the top, and nothing trickles down except risks and losses.

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/robert-reich-exposes-one-of-the-rights-oldest-cons/

[Spurs Homer]

Robert Reich Exposes One of the Right's Favorite Cons

Trump and his appointees are on a binge of deregulation that masks

another kind of trickle-down economics, in which the gains go to the top and the rest of us bear the risks and losses.
They say getting rid of regulations frees up businesses to be more profitable. Maybe. But

regulations also protect you and me—from being harmed, fleeced, shafted, injured or sickened by corporate products and services.

After heavy lobbying by the chemical industry, for example, the Environmental Protection Agency has

scaled back the way the government decides whether some of the most dangerous chemicals on the market pose health and safety risks.

This may increase the profits of the chemical industry but will leave the rest of us less protected from toxins that can make their way into dry-cleaning solvents, paint strippers, shampoos and cosmetics.

Trump’s Education Department under Betsy

DeVos has stopped investigating for-profit colleges.

This may result in more profits for the for-profits, but leaves many young people and their parents more vulnerable to fraud.

Trump’s Labor Department is

reducing the number of workers who are eligible for overtime pay, and it’s

proposing to allow teenagers to work long hours in dangerous jobs that child labor laws used to protect them from.

Again, more profits for business, more cost and risk for the rest of us.

Trump is weakening banking regulations

put in place after the financial crisis of 2008, even rolling back the so-called Volcker Rule that prevented banks from gambling with commercial deposits. The result: More profits for the banks, and more risk on you and me.

Trump’s gang of industry lobbyists and executives who are busy deregulating the same industries they once represented will no doubt do very well when they head back into the private sector.

But the rest of us won’t do well.

We may not know for years the extent we’re unprotected—

until the next financial collapse,
next public health crisis,

next upsurge in fraud, or

next floods or droughts because the EPA failed to do what it could to slow and reverse climate change.
Don’t fall for it.

Trump’s binge of deregulation is just another form of trickle-down economics—

in which the gains go to the top, and nothing trickles down except risks and losses.

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/robert-reich-exposes-one-of-the-rights-oldest-cons/




Never surprised at corruption or greed or politicians destroying the planet.
Cynicism aside, this thread is actually a public service. Unfortunately, people do not give a shit about these things and it is no surprise that a con man was placed into power and is doing exactly the things you are posting here often.

If this is happening in the country that is the best on the planet - Imagine the fuckery that goes on in other less regulated parts of the world. SMH.

[boutons_deux]

Never surprised at corruption or greed or politicians destroying the planet.


Capitalists hire politicians and judges, who are just cheap whores to Capital.

Capitalism is a huge, mortal failure, and it's not done yet with much more failure to come.

[boutons_deux]

Corporate Sponsors for NASA? Agency to Study Making Space for Brands

In an era of flat budgets for the agency, Jim Bridenstine has started talking about corporate sponsorships for NASA missions.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/11/science/nasa-corporate-sponsors.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

=======================

Trump’s next NASA administrator is a Republican congressman with no background in science

Jim Bridenstine’s confirmation has been controversial — even among members of his own party.

https://www.vox.com/2018/4/18/17253560/nasa-administrator-jim-bridenstine-confirmation

The oligarchy's strategy is to destroy public institutions and

privatize everything for their accumulation of Capital.

[boutons_deux]

Grassley in the Senate, King in the House, shithole Iowa shits on USA

Republican Rep. Steve King Retweets A Known White Supremacist On Twitter... Again

Which isn’t surprising, since King is a white supremacist too.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/steve-king-tweets-white-nationalist-lana-lokteff_us_5b995994e4b0511db3e8a0fc?utm_medium=ema il&utm_campaign=__TheMorningEmail__091318&utm_content=__TheMorningEmail__091318+CID_14cc190c b8ca93057035c2f0c05ea68e&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=HuffPost&ncid=newsltushpmgnews__TheMorningEmail__091318

[boutons_deux]

here's some real fun capitalism for all y'all shit kickers

Pharma chief says 400% increase in cost of essential medicine ‘is a moral requirement to make money’ (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/9/12/1795236/-Pharma-chief-says-his-400-increase-on-essential-medicine-is-a-moral-requirement-to-make-money)

Just ask Nostrum Laboratories’ Nirmal Mulye.

In an interview published in the Financial Times,

he had this to say about everyone making Martin Shkreli out to be a bad guy (https://www.ft.com/content/48b0ce2c-b544-11e8-bbc3-ccd7de085ffe) for raising the cost of one of his own company’s drugs through the roof.


“I agree with Martin Shkreli

that when he raised the price of his drug

he was within his rights because he had to reward his shareholders [...]

If he’s the only one selling it then he can make as much money as he can,” said Mr Mulye.



“This is a capitalist economy and if you can’t make money you can’t stay in business.”




his “Missouri-based” company, Nostrum Laboratories, just

jacked up the price of their drug nitrofurantoin from $474.75 to $2,392.


https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/9/12/1795236/-Pharma-chief-says-his-400-increase-on-essential-medicine-is-a-moral-requirement-to-make-money?detail=emaildkre

morality, ethics, fair play in Capitalism? :lol

[boutons_deux]

here's one for all y'all racist gun-fellatin Trash-fellatin Repug rightwingnutjobs

NRA’s Dana Loesch Rants About ‘Thomas & Friends’ Characters, Puts Tanks In KKK Hoods

The gun advocate slammed the children’s show, saying there was no need to bring in ethnic diversity.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/09/13/entertainment/thomas-the-tank-engine-nra-kkk-trnd/index.html

Trash's AmeriKKKa

[boutons_deux]

Here's why oligarchy is polluting the Federal judiciary with young extreme right wing political hacks

Betsy DeVos loses student loan lawsuit brought by 19 states

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos lost a lawsuit brought by 19 states and the District of Columbia,

accusing her department of wrongly delaying implementation of

Obama-era regulations meant to protect student loan borrowers from predatory practices.


A Washington federal court judge ruled Wednesday that the department’s postponement of the so-called Borrower Defense rule was procedurally improper.

The Obama administration created the rule in the wake of revelations that some for-profit colleges enticed students with promises of an education and diplomas that would enable them to get jobs in their chosen fields.

In reality, many of those certifications weren’t recognized by prospective employers, leaving graduates saddled with student loans they couldn’t repay.

The Borrower Defense regulations changed the rules for forgiving student loans

in cases of school misconduct and required "financially risky institutions" to be prepared to cover government losses in those instances,

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-student-loan-borrower-defense-20180913-story.html#

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Just like Kavanaugh, another shitbag political ratfucker nomimated to Federal judgeship, as the autocratic, fascist oligarchy continues its destruction of even nominal democracy

Top Trump Judicial Nominee Worked as GOP Mega Donor’s Attack Dog Against the Press

https://am14.akamaized.net/med/cnt/uploads/2018/09/Screen-Shot-2018-09-13-at-3.29.43-PM.png

Since 2009, Nelson — whose nomination was advanced by Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday — has worked as general counsel for Melaleuca, a health and wellness company owned by VanderSloot.

During his time with Melaleuca,

Nelson issued legal threats against reporters and news outlets at the behest of VanderSloot, who sources said uses legal intimidation to mitigate negative press coverage.

Nelson’s ascension to a top judicial position as “a terrifying threat to reporters and the First Amendment.”

His job for VanderSloot, they said, was to “threaten and bully journalists trying to cover” the Idaho billionaire.

The most notable of the Nelson-led lawsuits against the media was VanderSloot’s battle against liberal magazine Mother Jones, which lasted from February 2013 to October 2015.

a 1999 effort (https://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/article24729661.html) to cancel an Idaho Public Television documentary — by taking out ads against it —

because it covered how teachers handle LGBTQ issues among young students.

Despite the controversy surrounding the case and claims of anti-First Amendment legal action, when responding to a questionnaire from the Senate Judiciary Committee, Nelson listed (https://www.afj.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Ryan-Nelson-Senate-Questionnaire-PUBLIC-OCR.pdf_extract.pdf) the Vandesloot vs. Mother Jones lawsuit as one of the top ten “most significant” cases that he has handled personally.

“This nomination certainly seems consistent with the White House’s hostility toward a free, independent, and fearless press,

“Mr. Nelson is a conservative ideologue who has advanced a right-wing policy and litigation agenda throughout his career,”

the civil rights group disapproves of Nelson’s work against environmental protection and disabled people’s rights, as well as his lengthy history as a member of the Federalist Society — a conservative legal group that has aided in the Trump administration’s judicial nominations — and his role in the Bush administration.

https://www.mediaite.com/online/top-trump-judicial-nominee-worked-as-gop-mega-donors-attack-dog-against-the-press/

It takes no imagination to see how the ratfucking Nelsons, Kavanaughs, etc will fuck Americans and America hard and long.

[boutons_deux]

"President Donald Trump's top economic adviser and former television personality Larry Kudlow confirmed on Monday that

the White House will push for cuts to life-saving safety net programs like Medicare and Social Security

if the GOP retains control of Congress in November.

"We have to be tougher on spending," :lol

Kudlow, the director of the National Economic Council, declared in remarks to the Economic Club of New York.

Asked when Social Security and Medicare will be targeted for "reforms"

—which, as one advocacy group noted, is "code for massive cuts (https://twitter.com/SSWorks/status/1041740933795143681)"—Kudlow said (https://twitter.com/byHeatherLong/status/1041737141053734913),

"Everyone will look at that—probably next year."
"Believe them when they say they are coming after Medicare and Social Security,"

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/09/17/election-last-chance-stop-them-kudlow-confirms-trump-and-gop-ready-gut-safety-net?cd-origin=rss

[boutons_deux]

balls and strikes LIAR Roberts assuring the oligarchy will remain free to keep corrupting the entire political class

Chief Justice Roberts halts “dark money” finance ruling

The move lets anonymous campaign donors remain hidden

Chief Justice John Roberts halted (https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/15/john-roberts-campaign-finance-crossroads-825761) a federal judge’s order that invalidated a Federal Election Commission regulation that has allowed donors to dark-money groups to be anonymous.

The ruling (https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000165-dfd5-d1f3-a36d-dff5a5d40001) by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Beryl Howell was supposed to take effect Monday.

A three-judge D.C. Circuit panel turned down the same arguments for a stay.

The FEC regulation in dispute requires disclosure only when a donor designates his or her money for a specific independent expenditure,

but does not require donors’ identities to be made public under other conditions, including when they seek to support or oppose an individual candidate.

https://www.salon.com/2018/09/17/chief-justice-roberts-halts-dark-money-finance-ruling_partner/

[boutons_deux]

Liar Catholic Roberts gets reversed? WTF?

Supreme Court Orders Disclosure For Dark Money, As New Report Unveils Some Donors

The Supreme Court on Tuesday insisted that many donations to predominantly conservative political nonprofit groups —

what's often called dark money —

be disclosed, seven weeks ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.

The ruling closes, at least for now, a loophole that has allowed wealthy donors to finance aggressive ads while staying anonymous.

Crafted by the Federal Election Commission nearly 40 years ago, the loophole flourished after the 2010 Citizens United ruling.

The court set aside an order issued by Chief Justice John Roberts on Saturday. ??????

The social welfare group Crossroads GPS, a defendant in the lawsuit, had fought to stall disclosure while it prepares to appeal.

It failed in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals and then appealed to the Supreme Court.

The disclosure requirement is expected to apply to explicitly political ads by nonprofit groups for the remaining weeks of the campaign season.

https://www.npr.org/2018/09/18/648722358/supreme-court-orders-disclosure-for-dark-money-as-new-report-unveils-some-donors

[boutons_deux]

Here's a huge mouthful of where the oligarchy's Federal judiciary is targeting

Trump's judges double down, making it easier for prosecutors to convict innocent people (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/9/19/1797076/-Trump-s-judges-double-down-making-it-easier-for-prosecutors-to-convict-innocent-people)

Donald J. Trump’s put five judges on the Fifth Circuit;

George W. Bush placed four there.

Two Reagan appointees are still active.

Just three Obama and two Clinton judges sit on that court, which hears appeals from Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.

The latest reminder of what that means for our rights is a chilling one.

For the past 55 years, prosecutors have been required to share exculpatory evidence—

that is, evidence they have that a defendant may be innocent—with the defendant.

That requirement, called the Brady Rule or Brady Doctrine,

does little to alleviate the radical disparity between prosecutorial and defense resources when defendants depend on public funding,

but it’s a bulwark against the worst of abuses.

Seems like a fundamentally sound concept, no?

The Fifth Circuit doesn’t think so (http://www.ca5.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/16/16-40772-CR2.pdf), at least not as it is today—an outpost of the GOP.

In 2009, it decided prosecutors didn’t have to turn over exculpatory evidence during the plea-bargaining process.

Given a chance to reconsider this deviant, destructive precedent,

they’ve instead produced an en banc ruling—

that is, a ruling from a hearing in which all judges participated—that reaffirms it.

In fact, the Fifth Circuit’s call flies in the face of how every other appellate court and state supreme court to have considered this question came out.

The repercussions are enormous (https://theoutline.com/post/2066/most-criminal-cases-end-in-plea-bargains-not-trials?zd=1&zi=szimg7gu):

97 percent of federal criminal convictions and

94 percent of state felony convictions

are the result of plea bargains.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/9/19/1797076/-Trump-s-judges-double-down-making-it-easier-for-prosecutors-to-convict-innocent-people?detail=emaildkre

So if the prosecution has secret evidence that the defendant is innocent, they'll convict the innocent anyway.

Of Course, the 5th is in slave state / Jim Crow New Orleans

The oligarchy's AmeriKKKa is truly a stinkin shit hole.

[boutons_deux]

The oligarchy buys the rulings, laws that enrich it

U.S. airlines score win as Congress drops 'reasonable fee' rules

The U.S. airline industry scored a win on Saturday as bipartisan congressional legislation

dropped plans to mandate “reasonable and proportional” baggage and change fees,

airlines had heavily lobbied against new rules limiting fees.

U.S. airlines revenue from baggage and reservation change fees increased from $5.7 billion in 2010 to $7.5 billion in 2017.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-airlines/u-s-airlines-score-win-as-congress-drops-reasonable-fee-rules-idUSKCN1M20NO?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F +US+%2F+Top+News%29

[boutons_deux]

Poland referred to European court over judges' forced retirement

Poland has been referred to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) over a rule which forced almost a third of the country's top judges out of office.

The government lowered the retirement age of Supreme Court judges to 65, in what opponents say is an attempt to appoint more favourable replacements.

The European Commission has now sent the case to the ECJ, saying the change undermines judicial independence.

It is the EU's latest move in a long-running feud over Poland's judiciary.

In December last year, the European Commission began disciplinary proceedings against Poland, accusing it of

significant interference in its own courts.

It invoked a European rule called Article 7 - the first time the commission had ever done so.

In the months since, Hungary has also faced censure under Article 7 over the actions of its leader Victor Orban. (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-45498514)

Hungary and Poland have vowed to support each other in the face of what they see as political interference by the European Union in domestic matters.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45628757

Dictators, fascists, authoritarians, the fascist AMERICAN OLIGARCHY all understand that their control of the country begins and ends with degrading, polluting the judiciary with rightwing hacks in robes, eg, Kavanaugh, Gorsuch, etc.

[boutons_deux]

'Shameless': Trump Repeals Rule Meant to Prevent Oil-Carrying 'Bomb Trains' From Derailing and Exploding

"Apparently there's no limit to the lengths the Trump administration will go

to prioritize the desires of polluting industries over the health and safety of the American people."

https://www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_large/public/headlines/mosier-a_0.jpg?itok=K2ap1g7v

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/09/25/shameless-trump-repeals-rule-meant-prevent-oil-carrying-bomb-trains-derailing-and?cd-origin=rss

Trash aint done with that knitter, yet.

[boutons_deux]

News from yet another Repug fascist shit hole

Attorney General Ken Paxton defends

Texas law requiring students to stand for Pledge of Allegiance

Students can be excused from the requirement if their parents give written permission.

But a lawsuit claims the law violates students' free speech rights.

https://www.texastribune.org/2018/09/25/ken-paxton-texas-law-student-stand-pledge-allegiance-/

[boutons_deux]

FEMA chief Brock Long used $151,000 in unauthorized taxpayer cash for people to chauffeur him around

The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that an internal investigation into authorized government funds being used to

chauffeur FEMA chair Brock Long around (https://www.wsj.com/articles/fema-chief-brock-longs-unauthorized-travel-cost-government-151-000-inspector-general-report-shows-1537922908https://www.wsj.com/articles/fema-chief-brock-longs-unauthorized-travel-cost-government-151-000-inspector-general-report-shows-1537922908) found he spent $151,000 in taxpayer dollars.

The money was used while Long was in his home in North Carolina and his family was in Hawaii during a business trip that happened to be the same week as his family’s spring break.

The funds were never authorized by anyone, and

the use of the staffers totaled $94,000 in salary and

$55,000 in travel costs.

There was an additional $2,000 in maintenance as well.

The aide, Keith LaFoucade, then destroyed the evidence

detailing the trip in efforts to cover for Long during the investigation. That aide has since been suspended

Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen has ordered him to repay the money. Her spokesperson said, however, she and Long haven’t agreed on the amount he would pay back.

https://www.rawstory.com/2018/09/fema-chief-brock-long-used-151000-unauthorized-taxpayer-cash-people-chauffeur-aide-destroyed-evidence/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+%28The+Raw+Story% 29

... pays the money back and keeps his job? :lol

The entire Trash Exec branch is a criminal enterprise.

[boutons_deux]

How Trash’s FDA Is Failing To Make Food Safe

For more than a decade, it’s been clear that there’s a gaping hole in American food safety: Growers aren’t required to test their irrigation water for pathogens such as E. coli. As a result, contaminated water can end up on fruits and vegetables.

After several high-profile disease outbreaks linked to food, Congress in 2011 ordered a fix (https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-111publ353/pdf/PLAW-111publ353.pdf), and produce growers this year would have begun testing their water under rules crafted by the Obama administration’s Food and Drug Administration.

But six months before people were sickened by the contaminated romaine, President Donald

Trump’s FDA – responding to pressure from the farm industry and Trump’sorder (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/02/03/2017-02451/reducing-regulation-and-controlling-regulatory-costs) to eliminate regulations – shelved the water-testing rules (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/09/13/2017-19434/standards-for-the-growing-harvesting-packing-and-holding-of-produce-for-human-consumption-extension) for at least four years.

the FDA has shown no sign of reconsidering its plan to postpone the rules.

The agency also is considering (https://www.fda.gov/newsevents/speeches/ucm575499.htm)major changes, such as

allowing some produce growers to test less frequently or

find alternatives to water testing to ensure the safety of their crops.

The FDA’s lack of urgency dumbfounds food safety scientists.

“If the risk factor associated with agricultural water use is that closely tied to contamination and outbreaks,

there needs to be something now. . . .

I can’t think of a reason to justify waiting four to six to eight years to get started.” :lol $$$$$

irrigation water is a prime source of foodborne illnesses.

While postponing the water-testing rules would save growers $12 million per year,

it also would cost consumers $108 million per year in medical expenses,

his illness has been traumatic as well as costly.

After returning home from his nine-day hospital stay, he relied on narcotic painkillers for about six weeks.

The infection caused a hernia and tore holes in the lining of his stomach that surgeons had to patch with mesh.

Five months later, he still has numbness from the surgery and diarrhea every week.

under the Trump administration plan,

large growers wouldn’t have to start inspecting (https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfCFR/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=112.46) their water systems and annually test surface waters for pathogens until 2022.

Then they will have an additional two years to ensure irrigation water that comes in contact with vegetables and fruit does not contain E. coli above a certain concentration (https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfCFR/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=112.44).

http://www.nationalmemo.com/how-trumps-fda-is-failing-to-make-food-safe/#

So meat factories consume scarce water and excrete shit that pollutes irrigation and drinking water.

Consumers bear the diseases and deaths as external costs that BigAg / BigChem escapes to preserve profits.

[boutons_deux]

Appeals court orders EPA to ban sales of widely-used farm pesticide chlorpyrifos

A federal appeals court has ruled that the Trump administration endangered public health by keeping a widely used pesticide on the market despite

extensive scientific evidence that even tiny levels of exposure can harm babies' brains.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on Thursday ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to remove chlorpyrifos from sale in the United States within 60 days.

A coalition of farmworkers and environmental groups sued last year after then-EPA chief Scott Pruitt (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/scott-pruitt-resigns-epa-andrew-wheeler-interim-today-2018-07-05-live-updates/) reversed an Obama-era effort to ban chlorpyrifos, which is widely sprayed on citrus fruit, apples and other crops.

The attorneys general for several states including California, New York and Massachusetts joined the case against EPA.

In a split decision, the court said Thursday that Pruitt, a Republican forced to resign earlier this summer amid ethics scandals, violated federal law by ignoring the conclusions of agency scientists that chlorpyrifos is harmful.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/epa-dow-chemical-farm-pesticide-chlorpyrifos-scott-pruitt-appeals-court-ban-sales/

... which is why Trash is now attacking the 9th Circuit Court by proposing oligarchy whores as judges.

What do our ST poisonous farmers have to say about chlorpyrifos ?

chlorpyrifos has been banned in "social democratic" Europe while Capitalists fuck up America.

[boutons_deux]

Andrew Saul is Unfit to Lead the Social Security Administration

"Like so many of Donald Trump's nominees, Andrew Saul is utterly unqualified for the position to which he has been nominated.

He has no background in Social Security whatsoever.

He did, however, serve on the board (https://web.archive.org/web/20070807065626/http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=24361&print=yes) of the right-wing Manhattan Institute which

has consistently been extremely hostile to Social Security,

including publishing articles (https://www.manhattan-institute.org/html/how-truly-save-social-security-and-medicare-11281.html) advocating for drastic cuts to benefits.
Furthermore, Saul has a track record of deeply concerning personal conduct.

In November 2007, Saul was forced to drop out of the race for a New York Congressional seat due to unethical campaign contributions (https://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/17/nyregion/17mta.html).

In April 2012, Saul tried to lie (http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/bicycling-mta-bigwig-huffy-article-1.1054823) "his way out of a trespassing rap by falsely identifying himself as a police commissioner."

https://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2018/10/01/andrew-saul-unfit-lead-social-security-administration?cd-origin=rss

:lol

Trash's perfect record: every single one of his appointees is supposed to fuck up, not improve, his/her govt organization.

[boutons_deux]

The pettiness, meanness and xenophobia of Trash/Miller. Hate-saturated Christian Sharia imposed on foreigners

Trump Administration to Deny Visas to Same-Sex Partners of Diplomats, U.N. Officials

The new policy will insist they be married—even if they're from countries that criminalize gay marriage.

The Trump administration on Monday began

denying visas to same-sex domestic partners of foreign diplomats and United Nations employees, and

requiring those already in the United States to get married by the end of the year or leave the country.

The U.S. Mission to the U.N. portrayed the decision—which foreign diplomats fear will increase hardships for same-sex couples in countries that don’t recognize same-sex marriage—as an effort to bring its international visa practices in line with current U.S. policy.

In light of the landmark 2015 Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage, the U.S. extends diplomatic visas only to married spouses of U.S. diplomats.

“Same-sex spouses of U.S. diplomats now enjoy the same rights and benefits as opposite-sex spouses,” the U.S. mission wrote in a July 12 note to U.N.-based delegations.

“Consistent with [State] Department policy, :lol

partners accompanying members of permanent missions or seeking to join the same must generally be married in order to be eligible” for a diplomatic visa.

But critics says

the new policy will impose undue hardships on foreign couples from countries that criminalize same-sex marriages.
Samantha Power, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, denounced the new policy on Twitter as

“needlessly cruel & bigoted.”
“State Dept. will no longer let same-sex domestic partners of UN employees get visas unless they are married,” she tweeted (https://twitter.com/SamanthaJPower/status/1045756345822191616), noting that

“only 12% of UN member states allow same-sex marriage.”

https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/10/01/trump-administration-to-deny-visas-to-same-sex-partners-of-diplomats-un-officials-gay-lgbt/

[boutons_deux]

Trump's EPA Rethinking That Whole 'Radiation Is Bad For You' Thing

Not content with giving the USA the gifts of

more toxic pesticides (https://www.wonkette.com/pesticide-trumps-epa-approved-after-obamas-epa-banned-it-is-poisoning-people-but-just-mexicans) and

filthy coal-mine runoff, (https://www.wonkette.com/mmmm-this-coal-water-tastes-like-freedom)

the Environmental "Protection" Agency is

moving to embrace the idea that some level of exposure to radiation is perfectly safe,

and maybe even good for you. (https://apnews.com/6a573b6b020e453c90ecd5e84aa23f57) (Attention kids: do not try Trump Science at home.)

Needless to say, some in the nuclear industry, as well as fringe scientists, fans of radiation, and

those hoping to become mutant superheroes, are awfully receptive to the proposal.

Honestly, now that we've decided science is just a matter of who shouts loudest, why the hell not?

The Associated Press explains (https://apnews.com/6a573b6b020e453c90ecd5e84aa23f57) this rad new idea:

Supporters of the EPA's new proposal argue

the government's current no-tolerance rule for radiation damage forces unnecessary spending for handling exposure in accidents, at nuclear plants, in medical centers and at other sites.

"This would have a positive effect on human health :lol

as well as save billions and billions and billions of dollars," :lol $$$ for Capitalists ALWAYS trumps everything

said Edward Calabrese, a toxicologist at the University of Massachusetts who is to be the lead witness at a congressional hearing Wednesday on EPA's proposal.



Calabrese, who made those remarks in a 2016 interview (https://thebreakthrough.org/index.php/issues/nuclear/how-much-radiation-is-too-much) with a California nonprofit, was quoted by EPA in its announcement of the proposed rule in April.


The article explains that radiation is everywhere, but this proposal involves the nasty stuff, "higher-energy, shorter-wave radiation, like X-rays, that can penetrate and disrupt living cells"

https://www.wonkette.com/trumps-epa-rethinking-that-whole-radiation-is-bad-for-you-thing

[boutons_deux]

Trash's kakistocracy implementing anti-science bullshit Christian Sharia

Trump Administration’s Fetal Tissue Policy Review the Latest in the ‘Far-Right War Against Science’

The Trump administration is curtailing the use of fetal tissue in medical research, once again putting public health in jeopardy.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced last week that it had terminated a contract between the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and fetal tissue supplier Advanced Bioscience Resources Inc. (ABR) and had begun a review of all agency fetal tissue policies.

The announcement follows a mid-September letter (https://s27319.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Group-Letter-to-Azar-FDA-and-fetal-tissue-FINAL-with-Signatures.pdf) from anti-choice leaders pressuring the head of HHS, Alex Azar (https://rewire.news/tag/alex-azar/), to review ABR’s contract and end all government funding of fetal tissue research.

Anti-choice groups claim that fetal tissue procurement companies create a profit incentive for providers to increase the number of abortions they perform.

Pro-choice advocates suggest that the termination of ABR’s contract is not an isolated decision, but the latest front in the Trump administration’s anti-choice agenda.

“The FDA’s original contract with ABR was in place for several years, even as it came under fire from right-wing ideologues,”

“They’re now on the warpath once again because it was renewed.”

https://rewire.news/article/2018/10/03/trump-administrations-fetal-tissue-policy-review-the-latest-in-the-far-right-war-against-science/

[boutons_deux]

More Christian Sharia regulating women's vaginas and sex lives with a PROVEN FAILURE of abstinence-only

Trump’s HHS Turns Teen Pregnancy Grant Announcement Into ‘Political Theater’

The move by HHS seems to pit nonprofits and community organizations against each other—some left wondering if they would ever get federal funding.

The Trump administration has released a list of more than $19 million in federal grants for teen pregnancy prevention initiatives that the administration said it would have dispersed,

if not for lawsuits from reproductive rights advocates.

the administration was putting on a show, masking

an ongoing effort to promote abstinence-focused sexual education programs

against the will of the U.S. Congress.

in April, the Trump administration changed the criteria (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hhs-planned-parenthood-teen-pregnancy/u-s-urges-end-to-lawsuits-over-abstinence-only-for-pregnant-teens-idUSKBN1KN2ZF)for the grant programs.

Opponents of the move said it was meant to shift funding to abstinence-focused programs (https://rewire.news/article/2018/04/25/trump-cant-end-teen-pregnancy-prevent-program-court-rules/) favored by foes of reproductive rights.

https://rewire.news/article/2018/10/01/trumps-hhs-turns-teen-pregnancy-grant-announcement-into-political-theater/

[boutons_deux]

Mitch McConnell Is Killing the Senate

6 things he's done to turn it into a weak arm of Trump’s White House.

To see just what a farce this process has been, consider that McConnell (with the help of Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Chuck Grassley) has:

Failed to demand the release of documents produced during Kavanaugh’s time as a political and legal operative—

working closely with Karl Rove—in George W. Bush’s White House. These documents are essential to any review of this nominee, since Kavanaugh’s job involved manipulation of the character of the federal courts through the nomination and confirmation processes. “Through obstruction, and concealment of tens of thousands of relevant records, the President and Senate leadership are preventing Senator Merkley and his Senate colleagues from exercising their constitutional obligation to provide advice and consent on the fitness of the nominee,” says Kristen Clarke, the president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Failed to conduct a serious inquiry into credible evidence that Kavanaugh lied to the Judiciary Committee.

The senior member of the Senate, Vermont Democrat Patrick Leahy, has detailed (https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/vermont/2018/10/01/sen-patrick-leahy-kavanaugh-invessen-patrick-leahy-kavanaugh-investigation-extigation-expectations/1485220002/) lies Kavanaugh told the committee regarding his use of stolen documents to manipulate the confirmation process for Bush’s judicial nominees. Former Judiciary Committee member Russ Feingold, D-Wisconsin, argues that: (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/opinion-russ-feingold-kavanaugh-lies_us_5ba020f6e4b013b0977defff) “Taking all his testimony together, we see a clear pattern emerge: Brett Kavanaugh has never appeared under oath before the U.S. Senate without lying.” Kavanaugh’s college roommate, said after the nominee testified last Thursday that he had not been a heavy drinker (as part of a broader effort to counter allegations of sexual abuse), that Kavanaugh had lied under oath. (https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/03/politics/yale-roommate-kavanaugh-cnntv/index.html) “Not only did I know he wasn’t telling the truth, I knew that he knew he wasn’t telling the truth,” explained James Roche. (http://time.com/5415174/brett-kavanaughs-lying-under-oath-roommate/) Yet, McConnell has made no effort to examine the question of whether Kavanaugh deliberately deceived individual senators and the body as a whole.

Failed to organize fair and impartial hearings regarding the nomination.

Initial Judiciary Committee hearings were constrained and rushed, and the hearing at which Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified was a travesty. Witnesses who could have spoken regarding the specific allegations against Kavanaugh were not called, nor were witnesses who sought to present evidence of broader concerns regarding the nominee’s past. The issue of Kavanaugh’s credibility, as someone who stood accused of lying to the committee, (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/brett-kavanaugh-lies_us_5bb26190e4b027da00d61fcd) was not examined. It was a sham hearing designed to move the process along as quickly as possible, rather than to get to the truth. As law professor Anita Hill, who presented testimony about on-the-job harassment to the Judiciary Committee as part of the 1991 confirmation process for Justice Clarence Thomas, has observed: (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/18/opinion/anita-hill-brett-kavanaugh-clarence-thomas.html) “That the Senate Judiciary Committee still lacks a protocol for vetting sexual harassment and assault claims that surface during a confirmation hearing suggests that the committee has learned little from the Thomas hearing, much less the more recent #MeToo movement.”

Failed to demand a full FBI inquiry into charges against Kavanaugh.

McConnell and Glassley, in collaboration with the Trump White House, were dragged unwillingly into accepting a final FBI review of sexual abuse allegations involving Kavanaugh. They sought to limit the scope of the inquiry and got what they wanted: a background investigation finished in just five days (http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/10/fbi-wraps-up-investigation-gop-prepares-kavanaugh-vote.html) that failed to interview key figures in the case. “The White House confirmation that it will not allow the FBI to interview Dr. Blasey Ford, Judge Kavanaugh or witnesses identified by Deborah Ramirez raises serious concerns that this is not a credible investigation,” noted (https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/) California Senator Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. The White House says it took its direction from Senate leaders. McConnell and Grassley made no effort to demand the honest investigation that was needed to provide senators with basic information that it necessary to confirm or reject Kavanaugh.

Failed to make the FBI report available for full and easy review by members of the Senate and the American people.

Though the FBI report was inadequate, or perhaps because it was in inadequate, McConnell set bizarre rule regarding its review. CNN explains that: (https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/04/politics/senator-fbi-report-review/index.html) “This FBI’s work is not public. It will likely never be public. There will be no summary. There will be no release. There are 109 people who have clearance to access what was delivered to Capitol Hill at 2:30 Thursday morning—100 senators, four majority committee staffers and four minority committee staffers, one committee clerk. That’s it.” The secrecy that McConnell has imposed only reinforces the sense that the Senate leader recognizes one duty: preventing honest scrutiny of the president’s Supreme Court nominee.

Failed to set aside time for a serious debate about this nomination.

Even before the FBI report was in hand, McConnell had announced that the Senate would vote this week (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiBFEJuuWWI) on whether to confirm Kavanaugh. He is rushing the process, with no deference to deliberation by a chamber that he has assured is no longer the greatest deliberative body in the world. Leahy says that the Senate is breaking “precedent after precedent in a manic rush to fill a Supreme Court seat.”


“We’re supposed to be, the Senate’s supposed to be, an independent equal branch of government. We’re no longer that.

We’re an arm in a very weak arm of the Trump White House,”

Leahy said (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9kvuM9ensg) toward the close of last week’s hearing.

“Every semblance of independence has disappeared.

It’s gone.
And I think that’s something historians will look at and call it

a turning point in the United States Senate.”

https://www.thenation.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-is-killing-the-senate/

Bitch McC is a top General in the oligarchy's WAR to take over govt, to make USA a one-party country under the oligarchy, to compromise and pervert the Federal judiciary.

If K gets in, SCOTUS will complete the process af becoming a TOTAL JOKE in the service of the oligarchy that has been strategizing towards that goal for 40 years.

[boutons_deux]

Veterans Affairs won’t hand over documents showing suspected shadow influence of Trump associates

"The reports of corruption and cronyism are serious," Rep. Tim Walz said.

The Department of Veterans Affairs won’t give Congress records that could show the undue influence friends of President Donald Trump have over agency policy, MilitaryTimes reports (https://www.militarytimes.com/news/2018/10/09/va-wont-turn-over-documents-related-to-outside-businessmens-influence-on-department-policy/).

A bombshell investigation by ProPublica in August (https://www.propublica.org/article/ike-perlmutter-bruce-moskowitz-marc-sherman-shadow-rulers-of-the-va) revealed that

three close Trump associates —

Ike Perlmutter, CEO of Marvel Entertainment;

Bruce Moskowitz, who works in concierge medicine;

and Marc Sherman, an attorney—

have ruled the VA as unappointed, and unconfirmed, shadow officials

from their base at the president’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.
https://thinkprogress.org/veterans-affairs-documents-shadow-influence-trump-associates-78ede27ce604/

===================

The Shadow Rulers of the VA
How Marvel Entertainment chairman Ike Perlmutter and two other Mar-a-Lago cronies are secretly shaping the Trump administration’s veterans policies.
https://www.propublica.org/article/ike-perlmutter-bruce-moskowitz-marc-sherman-shadow-rulers-of-the-va

How much is Trash paying these corrupt assholes?

[boutons_deux]

GOP Lawmaker Rips Mic From Democratic Candidate’s Hands During Debate

When he was done talking, Rep. Duane Quam just tossed the mic in front of her.

https://youtu.be/GX2GJvmxoFo

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/duane-quam-microphone_us_5bbd911ce4b028e1fe42f224?utm_medium= email&utm_campaign=__TheMorningEmail__101018&utm_content=__TheMorningEmail__101018+CID_3130f4ad b9073d700a782eba9c9c4da5&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=ripped%20a%20microphone&ncid=newsltushpmgnews__TheMorningEmail__101018

[Spurs Homer]

Mitch McConnell Is Killing the Senate

6 things he's done to turn it into a weak arm of Trump’s White House.

To see just what a farce this process has been, consider that McConnell (with the help of Senate Judiciary Committee chairman Chuck Grassley) has:

Failed to demand the release of documents produced during Kavanaugh’s time as a political and legal operative—

working closely with Karl Rove—in George W. Bush’s White House. These documents are essential to any review of this nominee, since Kavanaugh’s job involved manipulation of the character of the federal courts through the nomination and confirmation processes. “Through obstruction, and concealment of tens of thousands of relevant records, the President and Senate leadership are preventing Senator Merkley and his Senate colleagues from exercising their constitutional obligation to provide advice and consent on the fitness of the nominee,” says Kristen Clarke, the president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.

Failed to conduct a serious inquiry into credible evidence that Kavanaugh lied to the Judiciary Committee.

The senior member of the Senate, Vermont Democrat Patrick Leahy, has detailed (https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/vermont/2018/10/01/sen-patrick-leahy-kavanaugh-invessen-patrick-leahy-kavanaugh-investigation-extigation-expectations/1485220002/) lies Kavanaugh told the committee regarding his use of stolen documents to manipulate the confirmation process for Bush’s judicial nominees. Former Judiciary Committee member Russ Feingold, D-Wisconsin, argues that: (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/opinion-russ-feingold-kavanaugh-lies_us_5ba020f6e4b013b0977defff) “Taking all his testimony together, we see a clear pattern emerge: Brett Kavanaugh has never appeared under oath before the U.S. Senate without lying.” Kavanaugh’s college roommate, said after the nominee testified last Thursday that he had not been a heavy drinker (as part of a broader effort to counter allegations of sexual abuse), that Kavanaugh had lied under oath. (https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/03/politics/yale-roommate-kavanaugh-cnntv/index.html) “Not only did I know he wasn’t telling the truth, I knew that he knew he wasn’t telling the truth,” explained James Roche. (http://time.com/5415174/brett-kavanaughs-lying-under-oath-roommate/) Yet, McConnell has made no effort to examine the question of whether Kavanaugh deliberately deceived individual senators and the body as a whole.

Failed to organize fair and impartial hearings regarding the nomination.

Initial Judiciary Committee hearings were constrained and rushed, and the hearing at which Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified was a travesty. Witnesses who could have spoken regarding the specific allegations against Kavanaugh were not called, nor were witnesses who sought to present evidence of broader concerns regarding the nominee’s past. The issue of Kavanaugh’s credibility, as someone who stood accused of lying to the committee, (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/brett-kavanaugh-lies_us_5bb26190e4b027da00d61fcd) was not examined. It was a sham hearing designed to move the process along as quickly as possible, rather than to get to the truth. As law professor Anita Hill, who presented testimony about on-the-job harassment to the Judiciary Committee as part of the 1991 confirmation process for Justice Clarence Thomas, has observed: (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/18/opinion/anita-hill-brett-kavanaugh-clarence-thomas.html) “That the Senate Judiciary Committee still lacks a protocol for vetting sexual harassment and assault claims that surface during a confirmation hearing suggests that the committee has learned little from the Thomas hearing, much less the more recent #MeToo movement.”

Failed to demand a full FBI inquiry into charges against Kavanaugh.

McConnell and Glassley, in collaboration with the Trump White House, were dragged unwillingly into accepting a final FBI review of sexual abuse allegations involving Kavanaugh. They sought to limit the scope of the inquiry and got what they wanted: a background investigation finished in just five days (http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/10/fbi-wraps-up-investigation-gop-prepares-kavanaugh-vote.html) that failed to interview key figures in the case. “The White House confirmation that it will not allow the FBI to interview Dr. Blasey Ford, Judge Kavanaugh or witnesses identified by Deborah Ramirez raises serious concerns that this is not a credible investigation,” noted (https://www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/) California Senator Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. The White House says it took its direction from Senate leaders. McConnell and Grassley made no effort to demand the honest investigation that was needed to provide senators with basic information that it necessary to confirm or reject Kavanaugh.

Failed to make the FBI report available for full and easy review by members of the Senate and the American people.

Though the FBI report was inadequate, or perhaps because it was in inadequate, McConnell set bizarre rule regarding its review. CNN explains that: (https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/04/politics/senator-fbi-report-review/index.html) “This FBI’s work is not public. It will likely never be public. There will be no summary. There will be no release. There are 109 people who have clearance to access what was delivered to Capitol Hill at 2:30 Thursday morning—100 senators, four majority committee staffers and four minority committee staffers, one committee clerk. That’s it.” The secrecy that McConnell has imposed only reinforces the sense that the Senate leader recognizes one duty: preventing honest scrutiny of the president’s Supreme Court nominee.

Failed to set aside time for a serious debate about this nomination.

Even before the FBI report was in hand, McConnell had announced that the Senate would vote this week (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiBFEJuuWWI) on whether to confirm Kavanaugh. He is rushing the process, with no deference to deliberation by a chamber that he has assured is no longer the greatest deliberative body in the world. Leahy says that the Senate is breaking “precedent after precedent in a manic rush to fill a Supreme Court seat.”


“We’re supposed to be, the Senate’s supposed to be, an independent equal branch of government. We’re no longer that.

We’re an arm in a very weak arm of the Trump White House,”

Leahy said (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9kvuM9ensg) toward the close of last week’s hearing.

“Every semblance of independence has disappeared.

It’s gone.
And I think that’s something historians will look at and call it

a turning point in the United States Senate.”

https://www.thenation.com/article/mitch-mcconnell-is-killing-the-senate/

Bitch McC is a top General in the oligarchy's WAR to take over govt, to make USA a one-party country under the oligarchy, to compromise and pervert the Federal judiciary.

If K gets in, SCOTUS will complete the process af becoming a TOTAL JOKE in the service of the oligarchy that has been strategizing towards that goal for 40 years.





These are reasons why Dems will investigate this sham if they retake the House.
The media and the right - will moan and use their talking points: "is this helping the country to heal?" "why are we going back instead of putting this behind us?"


But a coverup was done in full public view - and only because we are in the new Twilight Zone - is this not an outrage anymore.

Chuck Grassley - learned - that he could run this sham in record time and knew that he could get away with it (or he thinks he did) - because he did the same thing for the Russia hearings.
Grassley and Graham - both - filed a criminal inquiry against Christopher Steele - with no evidence - except for Nunes and FOX news' conspiracy theories. A slap in the face to our British ally - who cared enough about the USA to warn us of Trump/Russia conspiring to rig an election.

[boutons_deux]

Dean Heller attacks stage 4 cancer survivor while lying about his health care record

Heller wants you to believe he "stood up for Nevadans for pre-existing conditions." He hasn't.

Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV) attacks stage 4 cancer survivor Laura Packard as a “Democrat political operative”

while falsely claiming he’s “stood up for Nevadans for pre-existing conditions.”

Heller and every other Senate Republican with the sole exception of Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)

voted on Wednesday “against blocking the Trump administration’s expansion of health plans that can deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions.”

Heller co-sponsored a bill that would have allowed states “to get waivers to allow insurers to charge people with pre-existing conditions higher premiums.”

https://thinkprogress.org/dean-heller-laura-packard-pre-existing-conditions-midterm-elections-jacky-rosen-e34963306918/

[boutons_deux]

Republicans Go Full Blown Racist And Warn That Black Mobs Are Coming For Whites On Election Day

The Republican Party is now warning their white voters that black people are angry mobs who are coming for them on election day.

Ronna McDaniel
✔@GOPChairwoman
(https://twitter.com/GOPChairwoman)
Maxine Waters incites violence against @realDonaldTrump (https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump)’s cabinet.

Cory Booker pleads for activists to “get up in the face of some congresspeople.”

Hillary Clinton says “you cannot be civil with” Republicans.

Now Eric Holder wants the mob even angrier.
1:22 PM - Oct 10, 2018 (https://twitter.com/GOPChairwoman/status/1050089144632918018)

The racial dog whistles were everywhere and pretty impossible to miss,

Ronald Brownstein@RonBrownstein
(https://twitter.com/RonBrownstein)
By escalating warnings of “mob” chaos & linking it so explicitly to racial coding, the GOP is trying to mobilize its base but is also testing boundaries of how many white voters, especially college educated, will identify with such open appeals to racial resentments & fears

Ronald Brownstein@RonBrownstein

(https://twitter.com/RonBrownstein/status/1050117661898694656)That’s sure a lot of black people (plus one all season GOP target) to cram into one tweet as angry and threatening. Now awaiting the chorus of conservative voices explaining how there’s no racial signaling here. Trump era GOP continues to make old subtext the new text (https://twitter.com/RonBrownstein/status/1050117661898694656)

https://twitter.com/gopchairwoman/status/1050089144632918018 …

3:19 PM - Oct 10, 2018 (https://twitter.com/RonBrownstein/status/1050118588424548352)

Since Brett Kavanaugh can’t save them, Republicans have turned to racism

The latest polling has revealed that the

(https://www.politicususa.com/2018/10/10/kavanaugh-confirmation-backfires-energizes-democrats.html)Brett Kavanaugh confirmation has backfired by energizing more Democrats than Republicans (https://www.politicususa.com/2018/10/10/kavanaugh-confirmation-backfires-energizes-democrats.html),

so without the Kavanaugh card to play, Republicans have returned to their old reliable, the racist boogeyman.

Republicans have been using these racial codes to motivate their voters for decades.

They’ve done it with black people.

They’ve done it with Hispanics and immigration.

It reveals

the desperation of a failing party whose base has become dominated by angry old white men.

https://www.politicususa.com/2018/10/10/republicans-go-full-blown-racist.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+politicususa%2FfJAl+%28Politi cus+USA+%29 (https://www.politicususa.com/2018/10/10/republicans-go-full-blown-racist.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+politicususa%2FfJAl+%28Politi cus+USA+%29)Ronald Brownstein@RonBrownstein
(https://twitter.com/RonBrownstein)

[Spurs Homer]

Republicans Go Full Blown Racist And Warn That Black Mobs Are Coming For Whites On Election Day

The Republican Party is now warning their white voters that black people are angry mobs who are coming for them on election day.

Ronna McDaniel
✔@GOPChairwoman
(https://twitter.com/GOPChairwoman)
Maxine Waters incites violence against @realDonaldTrump (https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump)’s cabinet.

Cory Booker pleads for activists to “get up in the face of some congresspeople.”

Hillary Clinton says “you cannot be civil with” Republicans.

Now Eric Holder wants the mob even angrier.
1:22 PM - Oct 10, 2018 (https://twitter.com/GOPChairwoman/status/1050089144632918018)

The racial dog whistles were everywhere and pretty impossible to miss,

Ronald Brownstein@RonBrownstein
(https://twitter.com/RonBrownstein)
By escalating warnings of “mob” chaos & linking it so explicitly to racial coding, the GOP is trying to mobilize its base but is also testing boundaries of how many white voters, especially college educated, will identify with such open appeals to racial resentments & fears

Ronald Brownstein@RonBrownstein

(https://twitter.com/RonBrownstein/status/1050117661898694656)That’s sure a lot of black people (plus one all season GOP target) to cram into one tweet as angry and threatening. Now awaiting the chorus of conservative voices explaining how there’s no racial signaling here. Trump era GOP continues to make old subtext the new text (https://twitter.com/RonBrownstein/status/1050117661898694656)

https://twitter.com/gopchairwoman/status/1050089144632918018 …

3:19 PM - Oct 10, 2018 (https://twitter.com/RonBrownstein/status/1050118588424548352)

Since Brett Kavanaugh can’t save them, Republicans have turned to racism

The latest polling has revealed that the

(https://www.politicususa.com/2018/10/10/kavanaugh-confirmation-backfires-energizes-democrats.html)Brett Kavanaugh confirmation has backfired by energizing more Democrats than Republicans (https://www.politicususa.com/2018/10/10/kavanaugh-confirmation-backfires-energizes-democrats.html),

so without the Kavanaugh card to play, Republicans have returned to their old reliable, the racist boogeyman.

Republicans have been using these racial codes to motivate their voters for decades.

They’ve done it with black people.

They’ve done it with Hispanics and immigration.

It reveals

the desperation of a failing party whose base has become dominated by angry old white men.

https://www.politicususa.com/2018/10/10/republicans-go-full-blown-racist.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+politicususa%2FfJAl+%28Politi cus+USA+%29 (https://www.politicususa.com/2018/10/10/republicans-go-full-blown-racist.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+politicususa%2FfJAl+%28Politi cus+USA+%29)Ronald Brownstein@RonBrownstein
(https://twitter.com/RonBrownstein)



Snowflakes are afraid of EVERYTHING!
Muslims
Blacks
Browns
Immigrants (used to be only scared of "illegal" immigrants - now scurred of ALL IMMIGRANTS!)
Gays
Hillary
Obama
FBI



Did I miss anything they are not terrified of?

[boutons_deux]

'Kick boxing lesbian Indian will be sent back packing to the reservation,' says Kansas Republican (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/10/10/1803331/--Kick-boxing-lesbian-Indian-will-be-sent-back-packing-to-the-reservation-says-Kansas-Republican)


https://images.dailykos.com/images/598349/story_image/43064145202_7f77193511_o.jpg?1539179986A local Kansas Republican Party committee member unleashed aracist, homophobic attack (https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article219720280.html) on Democratic House candidate Sharice Davids

, prompting state party officials to … try to turn the attack back on Democrats.


“Little Ms. Pritchett- you and your comrades stealth attack on Yoder is going to blow up in your leftist face,” [precinct committeeman Michael] Kalny wrote.

“The REAL REPUBLICANS will remember what the scum DEMONRATS tried to do to Kavanaugh in November.

Your radical socialist kick boxing lesbian Indian will be sent back packing to the reservation.”


Roughly 50 exclamation points followed the end of the message.

Sharice Davids is, in fact, a Native American lesbian amateur mixed martial arts fighter.

These could all be used as neutral or even positive descriptions of her, but the “scum DEMONRATS,” “radical socialist,” and “sent back packing to the reservation” parts leave no doubt about how Kalny intended his screed.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/10/10/1803331/--Kick-boxing-lesbian-Indian-will-be-sent-back-packing-to-the-reservation-says-Kansas-Republican

You Repugs, the party of racists

[boutons_deux]

Indiana’s GOP State House Speaker paid $40K in campaign funds for dirt on former intern who said they had an affair


https://www.rawstory.com/2018/10/indianas-gop-state-house-speaker-paid-40k-campaign-funds-dirt-former-intern-said-affair/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+%28The+Raw+Story% 29

[boutons_deux]

Voting Rights Become A Flashpoint In Georgia Governor’s Race

Brian Kemp, the Republican candidate for governor, is in charge of elections and voter registration in Georgia.

Appling-Nunez’s application is one of over 53,000 sitting on hold with Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp’s office. And unlike Appling-Nunez, many people on that list — which is predominantly black, according to an analysis by The Associated Press — may not even know their voter registration has been held up.

through a process that Kemp calls voter roll maintenance and his opponents call voter roll purges,

Kemp’s office has cancelled over 1.4 million voter registrations since 2012.

Nearly 670,000 registrations were cancelled in 2017 alone.

Kemp, meanwhile, says Abrams and allied liberal activists are twisting

his record of guarding Georgia elections against voter fraud. :lol

Two main policies overseen by Kemp have drawn criticism and legal challenges:

Georgia’s “exact match” registration verification process and

the mass cancellation of inactive voter registrations.

53,000 registrations on hold with Kemp’s office — was flagged because it ran afoul of the state’s “exact match” verification process.

An application could be held because of an entry error or a dropped hyphen in a last name, for example.

Appling-Nunez says she never saw any notice from Kemp’s office indicating a problem with her application.

“We’ve shown that this process disproportionately prevents minority applicants from getting on the voter registration rolls,” :lol duh!

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/georgia-voting-rights-brian-kemp-stacey-abrams_us_5bbe435fe4b0876edaa4d908?utm_medium=emai l&utm_campaign=__TheMorningEmail__101118&utm_content=__TheMorningEmail__101118+CID_81dfc555 a688d2eb943e33a3f975e053&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=HuffPost&ncid=newsltushpmgnews__TheMorningEmail__101118

Repugs cheating blatantly to keep SLAVE state Georgia a rigorously one-party, anti-democratic RACIST govt.

[boutons_deux]

a lot of sheriffs are truly cheap-assed, racist scumbags, if not downright corrupt

Arkansas sheriff’s office forcing inmates to wear Nike shirts in mugshots to mock Colin Kaepernick


https://www.rawstory.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/NIKE-mugshots.png

https://www.rawstory.com/2018/10/arkansas-sheriffs-office-forcing-inmates-wear-nike-shirts-mugshots-mock-colin-kaepernick-activist/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+%28The+Raw+Story% 29

[boutons_deux]

https://media.newyorker.com/cartoons/5bbf71f3ed07d32d421c9b47/master/w_1298,c_limit/DC101118.jpg

[boutons_deux]

Amid lawsuits, Wilbur Ross suddenly recalls who helped push racist changes to U.S. census forms (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/10/11/1803692/-On-court-orders-Wilbur-Ross-suddenly-recalls-who-helped-push-the-racist-changes-to-the-U-S-census)

He had not told the full story, he informed the courts in a “supplemental memorandum.”

Ross said in the letter (https://apps.npr.org/documents/document.html?id=4550951-Supplemental-Memo-by-Wilbur-Ross) that he had been considering adding the citizenship question for some time before bringing in the Justice Department.

Ross got the department to “initiate” the request, asking for a letter from Gore that claimed that the question was necessary to enforce the Voting Rights Act.

“My staff and I consulted with Federal governmental components and inquired whether the Department of Justice would support, and if so would request, including of

a citizenship question as consistent with and useful for enforcement of the Voting Rights Act,” Ross wrote.

Freedom of Information Act documents have shown that

not only did Ross speak with Steve Bannon about this,

but that notorious racist (and current candidate for governor of Kansas) Kris Kobach was also there.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1803692

[pgardn]

They usually require the author’s to able to think to get published.

So for a different view on Trump at foreign affairs.

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/world/2018-08-13/three-cheers-trumps-foreign-policy

(Go to private to get thru paywall if you care)

[boutons_deux]

Sheldon Adelson gave $55M to Repugs, and added $Ms more today

[boutons_deux]

Jim Crow in Georgia, and Jim Crow in TX.

Rachel Maddow Blows The Lid Off Major Voter Suppression Effort In Texas

Rachel Maddow blew the lid off a scandal in Texas that could prevent thousands of students from voting in the midterm elections.

The MSNBC host pointed out a troubling incident in the 10th congressional district of Texas in which

the field director for Democratic candidate Mike Siegel was arrested

for “trying to make sure that local students at the local black college can vote.”

After they arrested the congressional candidate’s field director,

reportedly after confirming with him that he worked for a Democratic campaign specifically,

after they arrested him and they held him and then they finally let him out,

even after they finally let him out,

they kept his phone.

He is the field director for the Democratic congressional candidate in that district, and

the election is less than a month away.

Now local law enforcement has confiscated his phone –

for the crime of handing over a letter trying to make sure that local students at the local black college can vote this time.

Happy 2018.

I know it feels like your TV set should be in black and white as I’m telling this story,

but no, this is us now.

https://www.politicususa.com/2018/10/11/rachel-maddow-blows-the-lid-off-major-voter-suppression-effort-in-texas.html

[boutons_deux]

Campaign Worker Arrested After IDing His Candidate As Democrat

Just learned that my field director was arrested while delivering our letter.

He told police he was working for me and the officer asked, “what party is he?”

Now Jacob is under 48 hour investigatory detention in Waller County.”

In the 10th district, there’s a historically black university called Prairie View A&M University (https://www.pvamu.edu/).

There’s a long history of the local county government (Waller County) trying to prevent the students there from voting.

There was even a big Supreme Court case (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symm_v._United_States) about it in 1979.

This year local officials have put a new set of obstacles in the way of the students voting.

A local lawyer was called in and Aronowitz was released a relatively short time later.

But that wasn’t the end of it.

He was charged with a misdemeanor for failing to identify himself to a law enforcement officer –

something Siegel said he heard Aronowitz do prior to being arrested.

His court date, ironically, is November 7th, the day after election day.

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/campaign-worker-arrested-after-iding-his-candidate-as-democrat

GA, TX, etc profusely thank Repug SCOTUS for gutting the VRA

[boutons_deux]

What The Hell Is It With Republicans Crapping On Native Americans?

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/6c/7a/be/6c7abe347deb086c211878e23a641824.jpg

What a cruddy month for Native people and their rights,

as if "Columbus Day" weren't insult enough.

So far, we've had the Republican-dominated Supreme Court taking a dump on Native voting rights (https://www.wonkette.com/scotus-pulls-voter-suppressing-fuckery-in-north-dakota-just-in-time-to-help-republicans) in North Dakota, and

some shitty Republican idiot in Kansas vowing to

send congressional candidate Sharice Davids "back to the reservation" (https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article219809850.html) (at least he resigned).

Now it turns out the month started with

a federal court judge in Texas declaring the Indian Child Welfare Act unconstitutional (https://www.texastribune.org/2018/10/05/federal-judge-texas-strikes-down-indian-child-welfare-act/)

in a lawsuit brought by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is a Republican.

because you see the law's intent of keeping Native American kids with Native American families is "racist," :lol

according to the twisted logic of a Republican attorney general.

O'Connor held (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/10/10/court-strikes-down-native-american-adoption-law-saying-it-discriminates-against-non-native-americans/?utm_term=.2321fb234cbe)the law -- put in place in 1978 to curb what tribes considered a longstanding policy of decimating tribes by adopting kids out to white families -- actually violated the Fifth Amendment's guarantee of equal protection.

(It is in fact conforming to one of the UN's definitions of "genocide":

forcibly transferring children of one group to another group.)

https://www.wonkette.com/its-a-crap-month-to-be-native-american-we-guess

Fed DISTRICT judge O'Connor is of course a Repug appointee

[koriwhat]

Jim Crow in Georgia, and Jim Crow in TX.

Rachel Maddow Blows The Lid Off Major Voter Suppression Effort In Texas

Rachel Maddow blew the lid off a scandal in Texas that could prevent thousands of students from voting in the midterm elections.

The MSNBC host pointed out a troubling incident in the 10th congressional district of Texas in which

the field director for Democratic candidate Mike Siegel was arrested

for “trying to make sure that local students at the local black college can vote.”

After they arrested the congressional candidate’s field director,

reportedly after confirming with him that he worked for a Democratic campaign specifically,

after they arrested him and they held him and then they finally let him out,

even after they finally let him out,

they kept his phone.

He is the field director for the Democratic congressional candidate in that district, and

the election is less than a month away.

Now local law enforcement has confiscated his phone –

for the crime of handing over a letter trying to make sure that local students at the local black college can vote this time.

Happy 2018.

I know it feels like your TV set should be in black and white as I’m telling this story,

but no, this is us now.

https://www.politicususa.com/2018/10/11/rachel-maddow-blows-the-lid-off-major-voter-suppression-effort-in-texas.html


maddow blowing anything is ironic. god i can't stand your spam articles daily while you add nothing of substance too. you're just a scared little sissy of the world around you it seems.

[Blake]

maddow blowing anything is ironic. god i can't stand your spam articles daily while you add nothing of substance too. you're just a scared little sissy of the world around you it seems.

Settle down, druggy

[boutons_deux]

On October 5, 2018, O'Connor overturned 250 years of Indian sovereignty law and ruled that the Indian Child Welfare Act (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Child_Welfare_Act) was unconstitutional.

The ICWA was a 40-year-old landmark piece of legislation protecting tribal children from exploitation, designed to keep Native families together,

and inspired by an attempt to reverse decades of state courts stripping Native children away from Native families.

O'Connor's ruling ignored decades of direct federal government-to-government relationship and precedent

that have upheld tribal sovereignty and the rights of Indian children and families. [4] (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reed_Charles_O%27Connor#cite_note-4)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reed_Charles_O%27Connor

Fucking up non-white kids and families is a wonderful, humanitarian habit of Repug White Male Supremacists.

[koriwhat]

Settle down, druggy

why do you come across as such a bitch man? seriously? replies like the one you typed are case in point. little bitches like you are always trying to poke at others but not to their faces but instead behind your computer. it just screams bitchmade imo.

my reply had nothing to do with you at all so why quote me and reply to me with your little girly sissy ass jabs?

stay a bitch bitchassBlake.

[koriwhat]

Fucking up non-white kids and families with a wonderful habit of Repug White Male Supremacists.

you sure you're not a middle aged obese crazy cat lady?

[Blake]

why do you come across as such a bitch man? seriously? replies like the one you typed are case in point. little bitches like you are always trying to poke at others but not to their faces but instead behind your computer. it just screams bitchmade imo.

my reply had nothing to do with you at all so why quote me and reply to me with your little girly sissy ass jabs?

stay a bitch bitchassBlake.

You're so chill

[koriwhat]

So chill

too much truth to swallow huh blake? so the shtick comes out about being chill like always. yall fucking bitches are all the same. tuck that tail into your ass instead you fucking queer.

[Nathan89]

a lot of sheriffs are truly cheap-assed, racist scumbags, if not downright corrupt

Arkansas sheriff’s office forcing inmates to wear Nike shirts in mugshots to mock Colin Kaepernick


https://www.rawstory.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/NIKE-mugshots.png

https://www.rawstory.com/2018/10/arkansas-sheriffs-office-forcing-inmates-wear-nike-shirts-mugshots-mock-colin-kaepernick-activist/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+%28The+Raw+Story% 29

How is that racist?

[koriwhat]

How is that racist?

because there's both blacks and whites in those mugshots. lol

[Chucho]

I think kw is bonnerific's alter ego.

[spurraider21]

I think kw is bonnerific's alter ego.
that's actually a good assessment

[boutons_deux]

How is that racist?

it's a racist dig a Nike for supporting Kaep for protesting cops brutalizing, slaughtering blacks

[Nathan89]

it's a racist dig a Nike for supporting Kaep for protesting cops brutalizing, slaughtering blacks

In other words you are reaching for racism. It's a "dig at Nike" though. The racism is your biased narrative.

[boutons_deux]

In other words you are reaching for racism. It's a "dig at Nike" though. The racism is your biased narrative.

It's fucking sheriff in fucking rural slave-state Arkansas smearing Kaep-supporting Nike by putting their logo on mug shot people.

Racism is the basis of American society, and you Repugs are by definition racists. Repug = white male supremacist / nativist.

[boutons_deux]

one the many aspects of "What's The Matter With Kansas"

or how to win the governorship in KS

Trump ally Kris Kobach can campaign with replica machine gun, town says

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DpWHzijUwAEgBiz.jpg


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/oct/13/kris-kobach-replica-machine-gun-jeep-donald-trump

[boutons_deux]

https://images.dailykos.com/images/597806/story_image/and1009web.jpg?1539022477

[boutons_deux]

Fascism in action, protest, dissent banned, criminalized

Plan to drastically curtail protests in DC (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/10/12/1803862/-Plan-to-drastically-curtail-protests-in-DC)

Ben Wikler
✔@benwikler
(https://twitter.com/benwikler)
ALERT:

The Trash administration has a plan to drastically curtail protests in DC,

shutting down space in front of White House,

charging massive fees,

& banning stages & sound systems for rapid-response demonstrations.

Deadline for comments? Monday, Oct 15:

https://twitter.com/benwikler/status/1050450447067172864

[FrostKing]

It's fucking sheriff in fucking rural slave-state Arkansas smearing Kaep-supporting Nike by putting their logo on mug shot people.

Racism is the basis of American society, and you Repugs are by definition racists. Repug = white male supremacist / nativist.
Multiculturalism breeds racism?

[boutons_deux]

Jared Kushner reportedly dodged paying income taxes for years

https://amp.businessinsider.com/images/5bc2039266fb3f018f0abe03-1920-960.jpg



Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, paid little to no federal income taxes from 2009 to 2016, according to a report from The New York Times.
Filings by the Kushner Companies reviewed by The Times show massive losses listed as depreciation, a real estate tax law allowance that allows for a deduction to reduce taxes.
The report comes just over a week after another extensive Times investigation that found the president employed "dubious tax schemes" in the 1990s to bolster his gains from the family inheritance.

https://www.businessinsider.com/jared-kushner-companies-dodged-income-tax-for-years-2018-10

[boutons_deux]

Trump moves to target EPA mercury regulation

The Trump administration is advancing a proposal that could weaken the legal justification behind a major 2011 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule limiting mercury pollution.

The rule would be yet another in a string of regulatory changes that could greatly benefit the coal industry.

The proposal wouldn’t repeal the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) rule, which at an estimated compliance cost of $9.6 billion, is the most costly rule in the EPA’s history. It has been blamed for shutting down scores of coal-fired power plants.

Instead,

it would change the cost-benefit analysis by removing “co-benefits,” or benefits that the regulation brought from reducing air pollutants that were not directly regulated.
The Trump administration believes it is improper to count those benefits in the cost-benefit analysis.

The Obama administration estimated the rule would bring more than $80 billion in benefits, but the mercury-related gains were only a small part of that at about $4 million.

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/409230-trump-moves-to-target-epa-mercury-regulation

[koriwhat]

It's fucking sheriff in fucking rural slave-state Arkansas smearing Kaep-supporting Nike by putting their logo on mug shot people.

Racism is the basis of American society, and you Repugs are by definition racists. Repug = white male supremacist / nativist.

you're a fucking retard. yeah all those mugshots were just blacks and mexicans and asians too and whoever else but no white people at all and if they are there they are there to mock the blacks and mexicans and asians and whoever else and that's why they got arrested in the first place so they can just mock them all in the same cell too.


lmao what a shitshow of a "sentence". ha!

[boutons_deux]

Along with the gerrymandering, voter suppression, counting fraud, etc,

some good old timey Repug RATFUCKING

Self-described ‘communists’ tried to donate to a Democrat. They were actually GOP activists.

Two young men, who said their names were Jose Rosales and Ahmahd Sadia, had shown up at the Flagstaff campaign office of Rep. Tom O’Halleran, a Democrat who is running for reelection to represent northern Arizona.

They claimed they were from nearby Northern Arizona University and were eager to volunteer. They had also brought along a jar of small bills and coins — totaling $39.68 — money that they said wanted to donate to O’Halleran’s campaign.

The men mentioned they were with the “Northern Arizona University Communist Party,”

“Once they filled out the forms, they became oddly insistent on getting a receipt for the contributions,” Mulcahy told The Washington Post. “They were told the only way you can get a receipt is [by] email. So they ended up crossing out the email they had written down and writing in another one.”

Meanwhile, as the men were leaving, another staffer came over — and recognized them from social media as being affiliated with the Arizona Republican Party, Mulcahy said. Shortly after the pair left, O’Halleran’s finance director, Lindsay Coleman, drove over to the local Arizona GOP office to return the donation.

Her suspicions were almost immediately confirmed upon entering the GOP office, in an awkward exchange that was captured on video.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/10/13/self-described-communists-tried-donate-democrat-they-were-actually-gop-activists/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.158ae50015be&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1

[boutons_deux]

Pocahontas news

McCarthy’s In-Laws Made Millions Off ‘Dubious’ Native American Heritage Claim

A construction company owned by the in-laws of House Republican second-in-command Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was awarded more than $7 million in federal contracts since 2000 based on a “dubious” claim of Native American heritage,

William Wages, whose sister Judy is married to McCarthy, the House Majority Leader, claims he is one-eighth Cherokee.

He is a member of the Northern Cherokee Nation, which is not a federally-recognized tribe and

which the Times reported is considered a fraud by tribes that are federally recognized.

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/mccarthys-in-laws-made-millions-off-dubious-native-american-heritage-claim?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tpm-news+%28TPMNews%29

======================

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s family benefited from U.S. program for minorities based on disputed ancestry

http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-na-pol-mccarthy-contracts-20181014-story.html

[boutons_deux]

Trump taps Medicaid critic to run Medicaid

Mary Mayhew has urged other states not to expand the public insurance program.

She has also testified in front of multiple state legislatures (including Florida (https://www.centralmaine.com/2013/02/11/maine-human-services-chief-to-warn-florida-lawmakers-about-medicaid-expansion/) and Utah (https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900009694/the-other-side-of-medicaid-expansion.html)) urging them not to participate in the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion.

Mayhew has been an ardent proponent (https://www.pressherald.com/2018/01/11/trump-administration-opens-door-to-work-requirements-for-mainers-on-medicaid/) of bringing work requirements into welfare programs;

Those requirements are having consequences.

Arkansas, the first state to have its work requirement go into effect, announced today that

8,426 low-income people (https://twitter.com/JoanAlker1/status/1051876346396401664) there have lost coverage as a result of the policy change.

https://www.vox.com/2018/10/15/17980028/medicaid-trump-mary-mayhew

Oligarchy keeps finding inhumane ways to screw poor people, they are sub-human, they're poor because they bad people, and/or they are lazy cheats, and anyway govt gotta pay for the oligarchy's tax cuts and $T deficits.

[boutons_deux]

https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/44122135_2358560177570356_7772214703362670592_n.pn g?_nc_cat=1&oh=7bc410ad1915dd35254daabce66fbf3f&oe=5C42C7AA

[Winehole23]

sounds about right. believe it or not there is no right to vote in the USA.

[boutons_deux]

sounds about right. believe it or not there is no right to vote in the USA.

was not founded as democracy, and is clearly not a democracy

[boutons_deux]

Trash ain't gonna do shit about drug prices

oligarchy in corrupting quid pro quo corruption

Drugmakers funnel millions to lawmakers; a few dozen get $100,000-plus

Before the midterm elections heated up,

dozens of drugmakers had already poured about $12 million into the war chests of hundreds of members of Congress.
Since the beginning of last year,

34 lawmakers have each received more than $100,000 from pharmaceutical companies.

Two of those —

Reps. Greg Walden of Oregon, a key Republican committee chairman, and Kevin McCarthy of California, the House Republican majority leader — each received more than $200,000,

a new Kaiser Health News database shows.

The drug industry ranks among lawmakers' most generous patrons.

In the past decade, Congress has received $79 million from 68 pharma political action committees, or PACs,

run by employees of companies that make drugs treating everything from cancer to erectile dysfunction.

Drugmakers' campaign contributions have reached record-breaking levels in recent years as skyrocketing drug prices have become a hot-button political issue.

By June 30, 52 PACs funded by pharmaceutical companies and their trade organizations had given about $12 million to members of Congress for this election cycle.

It is unclear whether drugmakers will top their previous 10-year record of $16 million, given during the 2016 election season.

While PAC contributions to candidates are limited,

a larger donation frequently accompanies individual contributions from the company's executives and other employees.

It also sends a clear message to the recipient, campaign finance experts say, one they may remember when lobbyists come calling:

There's more where that came from.

https://www.news-medical.net/news/20181016/Drugmakers-funnel-millions-to-lawmakers3b-a-few-dozen-get-24100000-plus.aspx

oligarchy buys whore politicians to enable/increase/defend the oligarchy's fleecing, looting, extorting the wealth of Americans, totally disenfranchising citizens, whose preferences are nearly 100% ignored so the preferences of the oligarchy are pandered to.

[boutons_deux]

Republican ‘civility’ in action: ‘I’m going to stomp all over your face with golf spikes’ (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/10/12/1803954/-Republican-civility-in-action-I-m-going-to-stomp-all-over-your-face-with-golf-spikes)

https://images.dailykos.com/images/599104/story_image/Screen_Shot_2018-10-12_at_11.21.18_AM.png?1539368667

Pennsylvania ... State Senator Scott Wagner.

You might remember him as the Republican who kicked off his campaign for governor by saying that teachers were overpaid. (https://educationvotes.nea.org/2018/03/09/scott-wagner-running-governor-pa-says-teachers-overpaid/)

Maybe you remember him as the guy that said our earth’s climate is changing because we are moving closer to the sun and

also, possibly, because of increases in the total amount of human body heat due to increases in population. (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/10/7/1802563/-Crazy-Stupid-Republican-of-the-Day-Scott-Wagner)

"Well, Governor Wolf, let me tell you.

Between now and November 6th,

you better put a catcher’s mask on your face

because I’m going to stomp all over your face with golf spikes."

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/10/12/1803954/-Republican-civility-in-action-I-m-going-to-stomp-all-over-your-face-with-golf-spikes?detail=emaildkre

[boutons_deux]

Trump Administration Approves a Plan to Drill for Oil in the Arctic

The U.S. Interior Department has approved a plan (https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-approves-long-awaited-first-oil-production-facility-federal-waters-offshore) by Hilcorp Energy, one of the nation’s largest privately-held oil and gas companies, to drill for oil in the Beaufort Sea.

If developed, the project, located six miles off the Alaskan coast, would be the first fossil fuel production facility in federal waters in the Arctic,

fulfilling a Trump administration pledge to open more areas for offshore drilling.

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke :lol called the decision an important step toward

“American energy dominance.” :lol America, fuck yeah!

“Responsibly :lol developing our resources, in Alaska especially,

will allow us to use our energy diplomatically to aid our allies and check our adversaries,” :lol America, fuck yeah!


he said in a statement (https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/interior-approves-long-awaited-first-oil-production-facility-federal-waters-offshore). “That makes America stronger :lol America, fuck yeah! and

more influential around the globe.” :lol America, fuck yeah!

https://e360.yale.edu/digest/trump-administration-approves-a-plan-to-drill-for-oil-in-the-arctic

[boutons_deux]

Repugs following Trash's example, campaiging on Euro-white male supremacy

Andy Kim Is A South Jersey Boy. The GOP Calls Him ‘Not One Of Us.’

The local boy turned White House national security adviser is taking on the Garden State’s Trumpiest Republican.

Andy Kim really wants you to know he’s from New Jersey.

The man he’s trying to unseat, Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-N.J.), is trying to convince voters otherwise.

MacArthur and his allies have attacked Kim,

a son of South Korean immigrants and

a former national security aide to President Barack Obama (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/topic/barack-obama),

as a D.C. elitist and an outsider.

The New Jersey Republican Party described him in campaign mailers as

“Real Fishy” ― the text printed (https://www.nj.com/camden/index.ssf/2018/09/gop_dismisses_claim_of_shameful_racist_attack_in_n .html) in a typeface called Chop Suey ― next to a photo of dead fish on ice.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/andy-kim-tom-macarthur-nj-3rd-district_us_5bbcd8c5e4b01470d055d5eb?n49&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=__TheMorningEmail__103018&utm_content=__TheMorningEmail__103018+CID_004b21cb 653575a555b0d3a33c90b776&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=HuffPost&ncid=newsltushpmgnews__TheMorningEmail__103018

[boutons_deux]

shit hole racist TX Repugs will be racist shitbags

Texas Congressman Won’t Say Why He Labeled Opponent ‘Indo-American Carpetbagger’

The unnamed constituent persisted with questions, asking Olson why he had called his Democratic challenger in the 22nd Congressional District, Sri Preston Kulkarni, an “Indo-American carpetbagger.”

Olson described Kulkarni, who is of Indian heritage, as a “liberal, liberal, liberal Indo-American who’s a carpetbagger” and

questioned whether donations raised for him through the online fundraising site

ActBlue were “coming from overseas.” ( like Russian $100Ms for Repugs? :lol )

“Why would you mention his race?” the woman demanded.

“I didn’t mention his race. :lol

Carpetbagger’s not a race,” :lol

Olson responded.

During an extended back and forth, Olson never directly addressed why he mentioned Kulkarni’s ethnicity.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pete-olson-indo-american-carpetbagger-cnn-sucks_us_5bd761dfe4b07427610a2957?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=__TheMorningEmail__103018&utm_content=__TheMorningEmail__103018+CID_004b21cb 653575a555b0d3a33c90b776&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=HuffPost&ncid=newsltushpmgnews__TheMorningEmail__103018

Trash's AmeriKKKa, in full stink up in shit hole TX.

[boutons_deux]

EPA wants to grant factory farms exemption from reporting potentially harmful emissions

Industry supporters describe potentially toxic emissions as "normal odors" from animal waste.

What factory farm owners portray as “normal odors” from animal waste can cause serious harm to farmers and the residents who live near these large industrial operations.

The Trump administration, like it has with many important health and safety rules, is siding with industry and ignoring how animal waste can have serious impacts on the health of Americans.

Andrew Wheeler signed a proposed rule (https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-10/documents/proposed_epcra_amendment_signed_10-30-18.pdf) on Tuesday to amend emergency release notification regulations to let industrial agricultural operations off the hook from reporting air emissions from animal waste at their farms.

This is despite the mountain of evidence that shows concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) produce toxic air that can be lethal (https://earthjustice.org/blog/2016-december/potentially-lethal-emissions-go-unreported-on-factory-farms) for farm workers and nearby residents.

https://thinkprogress.org/epa-wants-to-grant-factory-farms-exemption-from-reporting-potentially-harmful-emissions-6e944dc36d23/

[boutons_deux]

The EPA's Climate Change Page Is Just Gone Now

A report released this week by the Environmental Data & Governance Initiative reveals that

the removal of climate change information from the EPA website is

set to be a long-term policy of the Trump administration.

EPA.gov pages that previously provided information about climate change have been changed from claiming that they are "updating" to an error message that reads, "We want to help you find what you are looking for,"

The change indicates that

information related climate change is not being “updated,” but removed entirely.

the EPA’s climate change subdomains (https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/signpost/cc.html) were removed and

were replaced by a page that said that the subdomains were being “updated.”

The pages remained like this until the night between October 16 and 17, when the pages were updated to read “We want to help you find what you are looking for.”

There is no information related to climate change on any of the EPA’s climate change subdomains,

and per the language of the EPA’s April 2017 press release, this reflects the priorities of the Trump Administration.

https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/8xjwpz/the-epa-page-that-provided-climate-change-information-is-just-gone-now

[ducks]

EPA is a waste

[boutons_deux]

Republican Senate candidate literally took his sick employee's health insurance away (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/11/2/1809359/-Republican-Senate-candidate-literally-took-his-sick-employee-s-health-insurance-away)

Republican businessman Mike Braun has been touting his experience as an employer,

saying he understands all about protecting people's health care because of his experience as a boss.

One of his former employees, Jim Songer of Hungtingburg, Indiana, tells the real story (https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=28&v=yaORaMVhqRA).

"At Mike Braun's company, I sold RV parts and towing parts.

A few months ago, I got really sick, ended up in the hospital."

So while I was in the hospital, Mike Braun fired me.

And backdated my termination.

So my insurance had been cancelled.

I was devastated, stuck with a $30,000 bill and left with nothing.

"There is no such thing as health care when something happens to you and it gets taken away.

And that's what Mike Braun's company did."


https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1809359

[boutons_deux]

Another way Trash and his mafiya are TRADITIONAL PURE SWAMP creatures

Trump Administration Spares Corporate Wrongdoers Billions in Penalties

The three corporate giants complained that the Obama administration was being unreasonable and stood their ground, according to people briefed on the investigations.

After President Trump took office, they looked to his administration for a more sympathetic ear — and got one.

Federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission have yet to charge Walmart, and

the Justice Department reached a much lower settlement agreement with Barclays in March, for $2 billion.

R.B.S. paid a civil penalty, but escaped criminal charges altogether.

Across the corporate landscape,

the Trump administration has presided over a sharp decline in financial penalties against banks and big companies accused of malfeasance,

The approach mirrors the administration’s aggressive deregulatory agenda throughout the federal government.

the review found:

• A 62 percent drop in penalties imposed and illicit profits ordered returned by the S.E.C., to $1.9 billion under the Trump administration from $5 billion under the Obama administration;


• A 72 percent decline in corporate penalties from the Justice Department’s criminal prosecutions, to $3.93 billion from $14.15 billion, and a similar percent drop in civil penalties against financial institutions, to $7.4 billion;


• A lighter touch toward the banking industry, with the S.E.C. ordering banks to pay $1.7 billion during the Obama period, nearly four times as much as in the Trump era, and Mr. Trump’s Justice Department bringing 17 such cases, compared with 71.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/03/us/trump-sec-doj-corporate-penalties.html

When Trash and his mafiya want favor$$$ for next campaign, they will certainly, blatantly reminding BigCorp who saved them $Bs.

[boutons_deux]

Another TV asshole as qualified as Trash is

Trump economic adviser calls federal minimum wage a 'terrible idea' this week in the war on workers (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/11/3/1809155/-Trump-economic-adviser-calls-federal-minimum-wage-a-terrible-idea-this-week-in-the-war-on-workers)

Larry Kudlow, :lol

one of Donald Trump’s top economic advisers,

took some time the week before Election Day

to call the federal minimum wage a “terrible idea.” (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/larry-kudlow-federal-minimum-wage_us_5bdb1c94e4b0da7bfc17d59a)

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1809155

[boutons_deux]

How racists like Trash, etc get (re-) elected in AmeriKKKa

"A local Kansas GOP official lashed out at Democratic congressional candidate Sharice Davids (https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/election/article216160795.html)on social media earlier this week, saying

“your radical socialist kick boxing lesbian Indian will be sent back packing to the reservation.”

The Facebook message was written by Republican precinct committeeman Michael Kalny of Shawnee (https://jocoelection.org/sites/default/files/Precinct%20Committee%20Man%20%26%20Woman%20-%20Republican.pdf) and

sent to Anne Pritchett, president of the Johnson County Democratic Women’s north chapter.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/news-columns-blogs/the-buzz/article219720280.html

[boutons_deux]

The VA shadow rulers’ signature program is “Trending Towards Red”A $10 billion technology upgrade championed by Jared Kushner and the Mar-a-Lago trio is at risk of failing
the three Trump supporters who’ve been quietly shaping the agency’s agenda (https://www.propublica.org/article/ike-perlmutter-bruce-moskowitz-marc-sherman-shadow-rulers-of-the-va) from the president’s Mar-a-Lago resort, he minimized his interactions with the trio, saying they’d had a single meeting on a seemingly dry subject: electronic medical records.
As unexciting as that might seem, it is a subject that will shape the agency for decades to come. The VA gave a software company a $10 billion no-bid contract to replace the agency’s records system. The new system is supposed to synchronize with data from other providers, as the VA increasingly sends veterans to private doctors instead of treating them in-house.

he so-called Mar-a-Lago Crowd — a doctor, a lawyer and an entertainment executive with no U.S. military or government backgrounds — opposed the records transition, they actually championed it, highlighting the issue to the incoming Trump White House and making it their top focus,

the program’s alert level as “yellow trending towards red.”

The Mar-a-Lago Crowd and the White House frustrated efforts to hire a qualified leader to run the project, according to interviews. The people now in charge have no experience in health care. They have gone against expert advice (https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/5017833-OEHRM-RFP-Review.html). And they have been consumed by infighting. A key lawmaker has called the program’s leadership “deteriorating and rudderless (https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/5006543-Cjb-Letter-to-Secva-Re-Ehrm-Leadership.html).”

The VA justified the no-bid contract

The company providing the new software, Cerner, declined to comment, but sent an email to veterans groups warning about about “negative media coverage, including a piece from ProPublica that we anticipate being published this week.”

As the VA moves ahead with the program, it’s increasingly following the lead of the Defense Department, which is already installing the same software at its own hospitals. But the DOD’s program isn’t going well, either: When four military facilities tested the software, it routed orders incorrectly so that lab tests went unfulfilled, and users swamped the help desk with more than 14,000 trouble tickets. An official DOD review in April said the software put patients’ health at risk by providing inaccurate medical data and delaying care.

a similar failure at a VA hospital could strengthen the political forces that want to privatize veterans’ care.

https://www.salon.com/2018/11/04/the-va-shadow-rulers-signature-program-is-trending-towards-red_partner/

And of course, privatizing VA, for profit, won't work, either. America can't make progress anymore, can't do shit.

[CosmicCowboy]

https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/44122135_2358560177570356_7772214703362670592_n.pn g?_nc_cat=1&oh=7bc410ad1915dd35254daabce66fbf3f&oe=5C42C7AA

Uhhh....you can have a street address and a PO box.

[boutons_deux]

Uhhh....you can have a street address and a PO box.

on a reservation, where ND officials don't assign a street address?

[CosmicCowboy]

on a reservation, where ND officials don't assign a street address?

:lol

ND officials don't control the reservtions, dumbass. If they want street addresses they can have them. It's totally up to the reservation.

[Winehole23]

funny, the lack of street addresses doesn't seem to have been a problem up til now.

[Pavlov]

:lol

ND officials don't control the reservtions, dumbass. If they want street addresses they can have them. It's totally up to the reservation.Can't deny that law was targeted at the uppity natives who got the Democrat elected.

[Winehole23]

perhaps the regulation is a chickenshit hypertechnicality designed to suppress voters who live on reservations

[boutons_deux]

https://i2.wp.com/thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/GettyImages-503902824.jpg?w=1280&ssl=1

https://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/temp.jpeg?w=450

https://thinkprogress.org/republicans-will-destroy-our-health-care-system-if-they-dont-completely-lose-election-66ed2b5037ab/

[boutons_deux]

The EPA Can’t Wait to Reopen the Mine That Poisoned North Idaho

For a century, the mines of the Coeur d’Alene Mountains in North Idaho produced much of the heavy metals that made the U.S. a global superpower.

Mining has left a mark on the culture of the Silver Valley and an indelible stain on the landscape, which remains heavily contaminated.

Over the course of a century, the tailings and mine drainage flowed down the 40-mile-long watershed, depositing some 75 million tons of highly toxic sludge into Lake Coeur d’Alene. House cats convulsed from drinking the water. Migratory tundra swans suffered slow deaths as their digestive tracts seized up from lead poisoning, causing both suffocation and starvation as undigested food backed up into their long necks. Children in the Silver Valley in the 1970s registered some of the highest levels of lead (https://www.deq.idaho.gov/media/1118813/box-blood-lead-1974-2013.jpg) in their bloodstreams recorded anywhere.

closed in the early 1980s, the mines had spread a ribbon of poison from the Idaho-Montana border to Lake Coeur d’Alene and down the Spokane River all the way into Eastern Washington. In 1983, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency declared the Bunker Hill Mine and smelter complex the nation’s second-largest Superfund site.

Bunker Hill’s tailings heap still oozes 400 pounds of toxic metals a day into the South Fork of the Coeur d’Alene River. Tundra swans still flap and stagger in the marshes. After picking up more mine waste downstream, the river dumps almost 400 tons of lead and 700 tons of zinc into Lake Coeur d’Alene every year.

In March, the agency disclosed a shocker: After months of secret talks, it had signed an agreement with a Canadian company to reopen the Bunker Hill Mine. Scott Pruitt, the agency’s administrator until his ouster in July,



The Bunker Hill Mine deposited 75 million tons of toxic sludge in Lake Coeur d’Alene, and the lead and zinc are still flowing.

https://assets.bwbx.io/images/users/iqjWHBFdfxIU/imyuFuW7GDn4/v1/1600x-1.jpg

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-11-12/the-epa-can-t-wait-to-reopen-the-mine-that-poisoned-north-idaho

[boutons_deux]

so-called Christian Devos is full fledged member of the misogynist Repug Rape Caucus

Betsy DeVos Just Proposed Rules That Would Make Life Harder for Campus Sexual Assault Survivors

The proposed measures, which the Education Department can make final after a 60-day public comment period,

limit what counts as “sexual harassment,”

decrease schools’ liability for not addressing sexual harassment or violence, and

allow schools to make it harder for survivors to prove they experienced a sexual assault.

Among other measures, DeVos’ proposal would

give students accused of sexual misconduct the right to cross-examine their accusers in a live hearing, through a lawyer or other adviser.

The rules would also

allow schools to raise the standard of proof that an alleged incident occurred.

Schools wouldn’t have to act on accusations of sexual harassment unless they were “severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive” enough to interfere with a student’s ability to access an education.

And, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education (https://www.chronicle.com/article/What-You-Need-to-Know-About/245118),

schools might be

permitted to ignore allegations about incidents that occur off-campus, or outside their education programs—the rules are not clear—

even though many sexual assaults take place in off-campus housing.

https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/11/betsy-devos-just-proposed-rules-that-would-make-life-harder-for-campus-sexual-assault-survivors/

Now, you rightwingnutjob wimmen haters WANT the DoE not to be abolished. Devos is your friend.

Devos is Kavanaugh's preferred Secy of DoE

[boutons_deux]

While teachers struggle, billionaire education secretary's security costs to hit nearly $20 million (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/11/16/1813360/-While-teachers-struggle-billionaire-Education-Secretary-s-security-costs-to-hit-nearly-20-million)

While it remains unclear who specifically made the request, former

Attorney General Jeff Sessions granted the protection on February 13, 2017,

a few days after DeVos was heckled and blocked by a handful of protesters (https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/DC-Parents-Teachers-to-Protest-Devos-Middle-School-413364093.html)from entering the Jefferson Academy, a public middle school in Washington.

The cost of security provided to DeVos was

$5.3 million in fiscal year 2017 and

$6.8 million for fiscal year 2018,

according to the Marshals Service — an amount that is ultimately reimbursed by the Education Department.

The estimated cost for fiscal year 2019 is $7.74 million.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/11/16/1813360/-While-teachers-struggle-billionaire-Education-Secretary-s-security-costs-to-hit-nearly-20-million

[boutons_deux]

Kansas Governor Calls On County Official To Resign Over ‘Master Race’ Comment

Leavenworth County Commissioner Louis Klemp made the remark to a black city planner at a public meeting last week.

Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer (R) on Saturday urged one of the state’s county commissioners to resign after

he described himself as “part of the master race” while addressing a black woman at a public meeting last week.
Leavenworth County Commissioner Louis Klemp, who is white, appeared to have expressed disapproval over a presentation given by the woman, a city planner, moments before making the off-the-cuff comment.

“I don’t want to think I’m picking on you, because we’re part of the master race,”

Klemp told the woman as he motioned to his teeth.

“You know you’ve got a gap in your teeth. :lol W T F ? :lol

You’re the master race.

Don’t ever forget that.”

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/louis-klemp-master-race_us_5bf1cbece4b07573881f85be?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=__TheMorningEmail__111918&utm_content=__TheMorningEmail__111918+CID_1c67a456 a8bf75dfc4c25499338c3298&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=HuffPost&ncid=newsltushpmgnews__TheMorningEmail__111918

All y'all Trash fellators, that's y'all's AmeriKKKa

[boutons_deux]

Vote NO on Trump nominee Thomas Farr!

Trump and the Far-Right are winning in their efforts to pack our federal courts with extreme narrow-minded elitist judicial nominees.

To date, Trump and McConnell have confirmed

29 appeals court judges and

53 district court judges, PLUS

two Supreme Court justices.

Nominated by Trump to the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina,

Thomas Farr is much more than just a run-of-the-mill advocate of voter suppression --

his history of disenfranchising voters of color is long.

He reportedly played a role in a notorious voter intimidation campaign aimed at Black voters in 1990,

when he worked for ultraconservative then-Senator Jesse Helms.

http://act.pfaw.org/sign/no-on-farr/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=aa&utm_campaign=judicialnoms&t=17&akid=6063%2E2723787%2EOTmHSk

America will pay dearly for decades as the white male oligarchy degrades the Federal judiciary.

[boutons_deux]

Former Ethics Director Suggests Bill Shine Might Be Breaking Law for Taking Massive Payments from Fox

It turns out that Deputy Chief of Staff Bill Shine is still getting huge payments (https://www.mediaite.com/uncategorized/trump-aide-bill-shine-made-millions-in-severance-from-fox-news-disclosure-form-reveals/) from former employer 21st Century Fox after he left them, then joined the White House.

the former Fox News co-president didn’t get a waiver (https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Shine-Authorization.pdf) for massive payments, criminal conflict of interest, and the ethics pledge.

The extraordinary payment regulation even mentions something that echoes, if not mirrors, Shine’s situation.

The law prohibits an employee

“from participating in any particular matter in which a former employer is a party or represents a party if he received an extraordinary payment from that person prior to entering Government service.”

https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/former-ethics-director-suggests-bill-shine-might-be-breaking-law-for-taking-massive-payments-from-fox/

[boutons_deux]

Christian Taliban haters, Keeping AmeriKKKa Hating

After 4-H posted an inclusive LGBTQ policy, Trump administration demanded its removal (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/11/24/1813982/-After-4-H-posted-an-inclusive-LGBTQ-policy-Trump-administration-demanded-its-removal)

On Sunday the Des Moines Register published a long read on publication, and frantic withdrawal, of a new 4-H policy more explicitly welcoming LGBTQ children into the program.

Within days of the LGBT guidance's publication, Heidi Green, then-chief of staff for U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue, requested that it be rescinded,

Sonny Ramaswamy, then-director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the federal department that administers 4-H, told the Register.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1813982

So Christian Taliban are dictating their hate, imposing through the Federal govt?

America is fucked and unfuckable, saturated with Jesus-based HATE, another minority ruling the majority.

And the majority is hopeless, powerless to rule.

[boutons_deux]

Repugs ALWAYS fucking up America

Research predicted this wave of right-wing domestic terrorism.

Republicans tanked the report.

Then-Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) blasted Janet Napolitano for insulting "American citizens who disagree with the direction Washington Democrats are taking our nation."

Last year, a white-nationalist army veteran (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/13/us/james-alex-fields-charlottesville-driver-.html) was charged with second-degree murder (https://thinkprogress.org/charlottesville-protest-arrests-9484856f4489/) after he drove a car (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/13/us/james-alex-fields-charlottesville-driver-.html) into a group of nonviolent protesters in Charlottesville, Va., killing one and injuring 19.

Earlier this month, a far-right-wing (https://thinkprogress.org/in-tallahassee-shooting-misogynist-incel-man-shot-women-in-a-yoga-studio-89e1086db8e3/)army veteran (https://www.ajc.com/news/who-was-scott-beierle-the-shooter-the-tallahassee-yoga-shop/RnAVWFBLNHzv8zzSXaqQnN/) shot and killed two people at a Tallahassee, Fla. yoga studio.

these victims were among at least 20 people (https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/in-the-united-states-right-wing-violence-is-on-the-rise/2018/11/25/61f7f24a-deb4-11e8-85df-7a6b4d25cfbb_story.html?utm_term=.382376e56b25) who have been killed this year in the United States in suspected right-wing attacks (compared to “just one fatal attack in 2018 that may have been motivated by left-wing ideologies.”)

This comes amid an “uptick in right-wing terrorism,” as the report puts it.

The FBI has documented this phenomenon as an increase in hate crimes (https://www.fbi.gov/news/pressrel/press-releases/fbi-releases-2017-hate-crime-statistics).

Some of the blame (https://www.naacp.org/latest/naacp-sees-continued-rise-hate-crimes-legacy-trumps-racism/) for the rise in right-wing terrorism has been assigned to President Donald Trump’s racist rhetoric (https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/do-trump-tweets-spur-hate-crimes1/) and his “both sides (https://thinkprogress.org/trump-blames-another-side-for-violence-at-white-supremacist-rally-you-can-call-them-the-left-81e708805a02/)” excuses for white nationalism.

Some of it may go to his administration’s decision not to fund Countering Violent Extremism (https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/346552-trump-cut-funds-to-fight-anti-right-wing-violence) programs.

But some of it precedes Trump and goes back nearly a decade.

the return of “military veterans facing significant challenges reintegrating into their communities” might mean “emergence of terrorist groups or lone wolf extremists capable of carrying out violent attacks.”

The report called this convergence of factors the “most dangerous domestic terrorism threat in the United States.”

Conservatives went ballistic (https://www.publicintegrity.org/2011/01/10/2214/dhs-report-2009-warned-lone-wolf-attacks).

Michelle Malkin (http://michellemalkin.com/2009/04/14/confirme-the-obama-dhs-hit-job-on-conservatives-is-real/) blasted it as “one of the most embarrassingly shoddy pieces of propaganda I’d ever read out of DHS.”

Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) said (https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/16/correction-71458569/) the administration was “awfully willing to paint law-abiding Americans, including war veterans, as ‘extremists.’”

Then-Rep. Steve Buyer (R-IN) — the top Republican on the House Veterans’ Affairs committee at the time — called it “inconceivable (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/dhs-domestic-terror-warning-angers-gop/)” that some veterans could pose a threat. :lol

the administration pulled back the report. Napolitano apologized (https://www.publicintegrity.org/2011/01/10/2214/dhs-report-2009-warned-lone-wolf-attacks) for the portrayal of veterans (http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/04/24/napolitano.am.legion/) and the report was removed from the DHS website.

https://thinkprogress.org/right-wing-domestic-terrorism-rise-obamas-dhs-warned-a57940206352/

[boutons_deux]

Overdoses, bedsores, broken bones:

What happened when a private-equity firm sought to care for society’s most vulnerable

A disabled man who had long, dirty fingernails told them he was tended to “once in a blue moon.”

The bedside “call buttons” were so poorly staffed that some residents regularly soiled themselves while waiting for help to the bathroom.

A woman dying of uterine cancer was left on a bedpan for so long that she bruised.
One man had been dosed with so many opioids that he had to be rushed to a hospital,

one staff member was escorting six patients who could not walk without help — a resident flipped backward on a wheelchair ramp and suffered a brain hemorrhage.

When a nurse’s aide who should have had a helper was trying to lift a paraplegic woman, the woman fell and fractured her hip

“It was horrible — my mom would call us every day crying when she was in there,”

“It was dirty — like a run-down motel. Roaches and ants all over the place.”

Under the ownership of the Carlyle Group, one of the richest private-equity firms in the world, the ManorCare nursing-home chain struggled financially until it filed for bankruptcy in March.

The number of health-code violations found at the chain each year rose 26 percent between 2013 and 2017,

the yearly number of health-code violations at company nursing homes rose from 1,584 to almost 2,000.

The number of citations increased for, among other things, neither preventing nor treating bed sores; medication errors;

not providing proper care for people who need special services such as injections,
colostomies and prostheses; and

not assisting patients with eating and personal hygiene.

The rise in health-code violations at the chain began after Carlyle and investors completed a 2011 financial deal that

extracted $1.3 billion from the company for investors but

also saddled the chain with what proved to be untenable financial obligations,

Shortly after the maneuver, the company announced hundreds of layoffs.

“They’re all bankers and investment people. We had some very tough conversations where

they did not know a thing about this business at all.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/opioid-overdoses-bedsores-and-broken-bones-what-happened-when-a-private-equity-firm-sought-profits-in-caring-for-societys-most-vulnerable/2018/11/25/09089a4a-ed14-11e8-baac-2a674e91502b_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.43abc0a7abb9&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1

Classic p/e maneuver, aka BigFinance oligarchy, buy a company, extract $100Ms, or $Bs, asset stripping, and let the company rot into bankruptcy

[boutons_deux]

Devos going down?

Democrats create five House committees to destroy Betsy DeVos (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/11/24/1815002/-Five-House-Committees-set-to-go-after-Trump-appointee-Betsy-DeVos)

Like Trump, she did her best to dismantle (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/11/24/1814830/-Trump-s-biggest-crime-is-happening-right-before-our-eyes-every-single-day) every positive achievement President Obama implemented that was beneficial to the people.

DeVos then added her own policies that were proven to have a negative impact on the people.

As many as five Democratic-led House committees next year could take on DeVos over a range of issues such as her rollback of regulations aimed at predatory for-profit colleges,

the stalled processing of student loan forgiveness and a rewrite of campus sexual assault policies.

“Betsy DeVos has brought a special mix of incompetence and malevolence to Washington —

and that’s rocket fuel for every committee in a new Congress that will finally provide oversight,”

(https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/11/24/1815002/-Five-House-Committees-set-to-go-after-Trump-appointee-Betsy-DeVos?detail=emaildkre)https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/11/24/1815002/-Five-House-Committees-set-to-go-after-Trump-appointee-Betsy-DeVos?detail=emaildkre

[boutons_deux]

GOP lawmakers move to shut down investigation into alleged rape by fellow Republican


https://www.rawstory.com/2018/12/gop-lawmakers-move-shut-investigation-alleged-rape-fellow-republican/

[boutons_deux]

White House calls for end of electric vehicle subsidies (https://theweek.com/speedreads/810724/white-house-calls-end-electric-vehicle-subsidies)

National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow on Monday said the White House wants to put an end to subsidies for electric cars and renewable energy sources.

Under federal law, consumers who purchase plug-in electric vehicles receive tax credits worth $2,500 to $7,500, and

"as a matter of our policy, we want to end all of those subsidies," Kudlow said.

"And by the way,

other subsidies that were imposed during the Obama administration, we are ending,

whether it's for renewables and so forth."

The plan is to end the subsidies by 2020 or 2021, he added.

https://theweek.com/speedreads/810724/white-house-calls-end-electric-vehicle-subsidies

Trash still committed to undoing everything good from hated, uppity, pointy-headed knitta who ridiculed Trash, destroyed Trash, years ago

and perhaps the national auto dealers are going to quid pro quo Trash, because EVs destroy their business plans.

[boutons_deux]

Lindsey Graham openly admits that he will let Trump officials get away with blatant corruption

because they're not Democrats

He's saying the quiet part out loud.

"Open source reports :lol ??

show that he had been focusing on Mr. Khashoggi for a very long time," Graham told reporters.

"It is zero chance — zero! — that this happened in such an organized fashion without the crown prince.

As to [Secretary of State Mike] Pompeo and [Defense Secretary James] Mattis, I have great respect for them.

I would imagine if they were in a Democratic administration,

I would be all over them for being in the pocket of Saudi Arabia.

But since I have such respect for them, I'm going to assume that they're being good soldiers.

And when they look at the analysis, they're being technical in their statement —

but they're not giving the assessment that I think the Senate will have."

https://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/lindsey-graham-openly-admits-he-will-let-trump-officials-get-away-blatant

remember when The Old Lesbian From SC was a reasonable Repug?

[boutons_deux]

Trump Rule Would Limit E.P.A.’s Control Over Water Pollution

The Trump administration is expected to put forth a proposal on Tuesday that would significantly weaken a major Obama-era regulation on clean water, according to a talking points memo from the Environmental Protection Agency that was distributed to White House allies this week.

The Obama rule was designed to limit pollution in about 60 percent of the nation’s bodies of water,

But it became a target for rural landowners, an important part of President Trump’s political base,

since it could have restricted how much pollution from chemical fertilizers and pesticides could seep into water on their property.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/06/climate/trump-water-pollution-wotus-replacement.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

More pollution, all the time, everywhere, for profit.

[boutons_deux]

'Complete Wiping Away of Clean Water Act':

Trump EPA Rule Would Free Corporations to Pollute Nation's Water as Much as They Please

"As a result of the change, an

estimated 60-90 percent of U.S. waterways could lose federal protections that currently shield them from pollution and development."

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/12/07/complete-wiping-away-clean-water-act-trump-epa-rule-would-free-corporations-pollute?cd-origin=rss&utm_term=%27Complete%20Wiping%20Away%20of%20Clean% 20Water%20Act%27%3A%20Trump%20EPA%20Rule%20Would%2 0Free%20Corporations%20to%20Pollute%20Nation%27s%2 0Water%20as%20Much%20as%20They%20Please&utm_campaign=%27We%20Have%20Not%20Come%20Here%20to %20Beg%20World%20Leaders%20to%20Care.%20We%20Have% 20Come%20to%20Let%20Them%20Know%20Change%20Is%20Co ming%27%20%7C%20Your%20Week%20in%20Review&utm_content=email&utm_source=Weekly%20Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&cm_mmc=Act-On%20Software-_-email-_-%27We%20Have%20Not%20Come%20Here%20to%20Beg%20Worl d%20Leaders%20to%20Care.%20We%20Have%20Come%20to%2 0Let%20Them%20Know%20Change%20Is%20Coming%27%20%7C %20Your%20Week%20in%20Review-_-%27Complete%20Wiping%20Away%20of%20Clean%20Water%2 0Act%27%3A%20Trump%20EPA%20Rule%20Would%20Free%20C orporations%20to%20Pollute%20Nation%27s%20Water%20 as%20Much%20as%20They%20Please

[boutons_deux]

What Trump could do by declaring a state of emergency: The Atlantic lays out the worst case scenario (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/12/8/1817868/-What-Trump-could-do-by-declaring-a-state-of-emergency-The-Atlantic-lays-out-the-worst-case-scenario)

witnessing firsthand in Wisconsin (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/07/us/wisconsin-republicans-power.html) and Michigan (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/06/us/politics/michigan-republicans-power.html) how one of our two major political parties has become wholly captive to corporate dominance, and how it will behave when its power is taken away by ordinary voters. Instead of accepting the verdict of the people, it will subvert and alter existing law in order to retain power. It will do this in the face of and in spite of widespread, loud public opposition, aided by its own overriding imperative to exert control at all costs.

witnessing firsthand in Wisconsin (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/07/us/wisconsin-republicans-power.html) and Michigan (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/06/us/politics/michigan-republicans-power.html) how one of our two major political parties has become wholly captive to corporate dominance, and

how it will behave when its power is taken away by ordinary voters.

Instead of accepting the verdict of the people,

it will subvert and alter existing law in order to retain power.

It will do this in the face of and in spite of widespread, loud public opposition, aided by

its own overriding imperative to exert control at all costs.

the assaults on Democracy underway in Wisconsin, Michigan and North Carolina prove it beyond any doubt,

as gerrymandered Republican legislators working in the dark hours of the night hastily rewrite the powers afforded to their newly-elected Democratic state governors.

An insolent autocracy heedless to the interests or well-being of the American people is no longer “creeping” into government from the shadows.

Let’s be clear: it is upon us.

prevailing sentiment among Republicans that they can act to subvert our country’s institutions without any fear of consequence has its apotheosis in the persona of Donald Trump.

Trump’s anti-democratic rhetoric reached its fever pitch in the weeks leading up to the November midterm elections:

Most of his weapons were rhetorical, featuring a mix of lies and false inducements—

claims that every congressional Democrat had signed on to an “open borders” bill (none had),

that liberals were fomenting violent “mobs” (they weren’t),

that a 10 percent tax cut for the middle class would somehow pass while Congress was out of session (it didn’t).

But a few involved the aggressive use—and threatened misuse—of presidential authority:

He sent thousands of active-duty soldiers to the southern border to terrorize a distant caravan of desperate Central American migrants,

announced plans to end the constitutional guarantee of birthright citizenship (https://www.theatlantic.com/video/index/575062/us-citizenship/) by executive order, and

tweeted that law enforcement had been “strongly notified” to be on the lookout for “ILLEGAL VOTING.”




https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/12/8/1817868/-What-Trump-could-do-by-declaring-a-state-of-emergency-The-Atlantic-lays-out-the-worst-case-scenario?detail=emaildkre

https://www.thenation.com/article/the-republican-party-has-become-a-conspiracy-to-seize-power/

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/01/presidential-emergency-powers/576418/

The oligarchy and their Repug cheap whores have every intention of destroying America into deeper unfuckability, as an oligarchy-forever unstoppable, irreversibly fucked shit hole (for the non-oligarchy)

[Winehole23]

It's hardly unthinkable that DJT would construe his own personal demise as a national emergency.



"The sovereign decides the state of the exception" -- Carl Schmitt

https://www.lawfareblog.com/donald-trumps-state-exception
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/schmitt/

[boutons_deux]

Devos in action, siding with rapists and sexual harassers

The Proposed Title IX Rules Make No Practical, Moral, or Legal Sense

If a college student tells her professor that she has been sexually assaulted, the professor wouldn’t have to help her at all.

I was horrified to hear

DeVos and other political appointees regularly sympathize with named sexual harassers and rapists rather than with survivors,

under these new proposed rules,

Michigan State University would have had no responsibility to stop Larry Nassar from sexually abusing girls and young women,

just because his victims told their coaches and athletic trainers instead of the Title IX coordinator.

The proposed rules would

allow the majority of school employees to ignore students who report sexual abuse because these employees lack “the authority to institute corrective measures.

if an 8-year-old child tells a playground supervisor that his teacher is inappropriately touching him, the playground supervisor wouldn’t be obligated to do anything.

If a college student tells her professor that she has been sexually assaulted, the professor wouldn’t have to help her at all.

Under these rules,

students would have to endure a level of sexual harassment that is already considered illegal for adults in the workplace (https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/fs-sex.cfm).

That’s because the proposed rules would change the current requirement that schools take prompt and effective steps reasonably calculated to end the harassment and prevent it from recurring.

Instead,

the rules would require schools to ignore all sexual harassment unless the student has already been denied equal access to education—

even if the student has to sit next to their harasser or rapist in class every day.

Students would be forced to wait until the behavior causes their education to suffer, like dropping grades or missing classes, before they could even file a complaint.

https://rewire.news/article/2018/12/05/the-proposed-title-ix-rules-make-no-practical-moral-or-legal-sense/

As hardcore Christian Taliban, extremist Devos considers women as only sexual objects, for men's pleasure and amusement.

[FrostKing]

Devos in action, siding with rapists and sexual harassers

The Proposed Title IX Rules Make No Practical, Moral, or Legal Sense

If a college student tells her professor that she has been sexually assaulted, the professor wouldn’t have to help her at all.

I was horrified to hear

DeVos and other political appointees regularly sympathize with named sexual harassers and rapists rather than with survivors,

under these new proposed rules,

Michigan State University would have had no responsibility to stop Larry Nassar from sexually abusing girls and young women,

just because his victims told their coaches and athletic trainers instead of the Title IX coordinator.

The proposed rules would

allow the majority of school employees to ignore students who report sexual abuse because these employees lack “the authority to institute corrective measures.

if an 8-year-old child tells a playground supervisor that his teacher is inappropriately touching him, the playground supervisor wouldn’t be obligated to do anything.

If a college student tells her professor that she has been sexually assaulted, the professor wouldn’t have to help her at all.

Under these rules,

students would have to endure a level of sexual harassment that is already considered illegal for adults in the workplace (https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/fs-sex.cfm).

That’s because the proposed rules would change the current requirement that schools take prompt and effective steps reasonably calculated to end the harassment and prevent it from recurring.

Instead,

the rules would require schools to ignore all sexual harassment unless the student has already been denied equal access to education—

even if the student has to sit next to their harasser or rapist in class every day.

Students would be forced to wait until the behavior causes their education to suffer, like dropping grades or missing classes, before they could even file a complaint.

https://rewire.news/article/2018/12/05/the-proposed-title-ix-rules-make-no-practical-moral-or-legal-sense/

As hardcore Christian Taliban, extremist Devos considers women as only sexual objects, for men's pleasure and amusement.





The accusser had too much "power" under the previous rules. The accussed was immediately barred from attending class and sometimes even suspended before investigation.

I haven't studied enough bout the new rules but the previous ones needed fixing.

[boutons_deux]

GOP Confirms Another Trump Judge Who Was Rated ‘Not Qualified’ To Serve

Jonathan Kobes, 44, just got a lifetime seat on a U.S. circuit court.

Senate Republicans voted Tuesday to confirm one of President Donald Trump (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/topic/donald-trump)’s judicial nominees, Jonathan Kobes, even though

Kobes has earned an abysmal “not qualified” rating from the American Bar Association.

Vice President Mike Pence (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/topic/mike-pence) broke a 50-50 tie vote on Kobes, who will now be a lifetime judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit. Every Republican except Sen. Jeff Flake (Ariz.) voted for Kobes. No Democrats voted for him.

The ABA concluded in September (https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/uncategorized/GAO/2018-9-14ChairtoGrassleyFeinstein-statementon-JonathanKobesnominee-EighthCCA.pdf) that Kobes, a 44-year-old attorney who is general counsel to Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.),

“has neither the requisite experience nor evidence of his ability to fulfill the scholarly writing required of a United States Circuit Court Judge.”

Members of the ABA standing committee that reviewed Kobes’ nomination said

they had difficulty analyzing his professional competence because

“he was unable to provide sufficient writing samples of the caliber required” of a circuit judge.

Lacking sufficient proof that Kobes is capable of “an especially high degree of legal scholarship and excellent analytical and writing experience,” the

panel voted to rate him “not qualified.”

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/republicans-confirm-trump-judge-not-qualified_us_5c0fff13e4b0ac5371797422?utm_medium=e mail&utm_campaign=__TheMorningEmail__121218&utm_content=__TheMorningEmail__121218+CID_70516587 8f2845264b602851687a7394&utm_source=Email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=HuffPost&ncid=newsltushpmgnews__TheMorningEmail__121218

The oligarchy continues to install kakistocratic whores in govt.

[boutons_deux]

Steve King asks Google CEO for names of employees to see if they're liberals

Rep. Steve King (https://thehill.com/people/steven-steve-king) (R-Iowa) asked Google CEO Sundar Pichai to

disclose the names of more than 1,000 employees who work on the search engine’s algorithm to examine for “a built-in bias.” :lol

“There is a very strong conviction on this side of the aisle that

the algorithms are written with a bias against conservatives,” :lol

King said Tuesday during a House Judiciary hearing.

“What we don’t know are who are these thousand people and we don’t know what their social media looks like.” :lol

Pichai explained to King that Google employees do not select certain news outlets over others, rather

the search engine is responsive to users and what they are clicking on.

https://thehill.com/policy/technology/420826-steve-king-asks-google-ceo-for-names-of-employees-to-check-social-media-to

If Google doesn't hand over the 1000 names, cornholer King also threatened to break up Google and/or change the Federal law so that Google would be liable for its content

Fuck racist King, Fuck corrupt, decrepit Grassley, Fuck Iowa

[boutons_deux]

Collaboration Failure: Trump Trashes Sage Grouse Protections

https://uziiw38pmyg1ai60732c4011-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/dropzone/2018/12/15636193595_af0c2553f3_z.jpg

Last week the Trump administration announced it was

slashing the area dedicated to protecting imperiled sage grouse populations from 10.7 million acres to 1.8 million acres and

opening the rest to drilling and mining.

https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/12/12/collaboration-failure-trump-trashes-sage-grouse-protections/

Capitalism is antithetical to the natural world, in fact, antithetical to everything except Capitalism

[boutons_deux]

https://i-h1.pinimg.com/564x/3a/1f/6f/3a1f6fce79ff1c6a8a3b8b4301f20444.jpg

[boutons_deux]

right wing scientific proof that CO2 is good on earth, and even better on Mars

https://twitter.com/JunkScience/status/1073757414770524162

[boutons_deux]

The oligarchy at work, buy politicians to keep the profits rolling in, while destroying the planet

Oil Industry’s Covert Campaign to Rewrite American Car Emissions Rules

automakers, the obvious winners from the proposal, balked. The changes, they said, went too far even for them.

a hidden beneficiary of the plan that was pushing for the changes all along: the nation’s oil industry.

Marathon Petroleum, the country’s largest refiner, worked with powerful oil-industry groups and a conservative policy network financed by the billionaire industrialist

Charles G. Koch to run a stealth campaign to roll back car emissions standards,

The campaign’s main argument for significantly easing fuel efficiency standards — that

the United States is so awash in oil it no longer needs to worry about energy conservation — clashed with decades of federal energy and environmental policy.

A quarter of the world’s oil is used to power cars, and less-thirsty vehicles mean lower gasoline sales.

Marathon Petroleum also teamed up with the American Legislative Exchange Council,

a secretive policy group financed by corporations as well as the Koch network,

to draft legislation for states supporting the industry’s position. :lol hey, you whores, we write it, you pass it, and you get paid!


https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/13/climate/cafe-emissions-rollback-oil-industry.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/13/climate/cafe-emissions-rollback-oil-industry.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage)

[boutons_deux]

GOP senator who voted for tax cuts cites deficit to kill bill to treat vets exposed to Agent Orange (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/12/17/1819645/-GOP-Senator-who-voted-for-tax-cuts-cites-deficit-to-kill-bill-to-treat-Vets-exposed-to-Agent-Orange)


A final deal to provide Department of Veterans Affairs benefits to thousands of veterans who served off the coast during the Vietnam War failed in the Senate on Monday night with little time remaining in the 115th Congress to try again.

The Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act

would extend eligibility for disability compensation and health care to “Blue Water” Navy veterans –

service members who were aboard aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers and other ships, some of whom have fought for years to prove they were exposed to Agent Orange.

The dioxin-laden herbicide has been found to cause respiratory cancers, Parkinson’s disease and heart disease, as well as other conditions.


Senator Mike Enzi, R-WY, killed this bill citing deficit (https://www.stripes.com/news/veterans/last-ditch-effort-to-pass-blue-water-navy-bill-fails-in-senate-1.560126) concerns.

(https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/12/17/1819645/-GOP-Senator-who-voted-for-tax-cuts-cites-deficit-to-kill-bill-to-treat-Vets-exposed-to-Agent-Orange?detail=emaildkre)https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/12/17/1819645/-GOP-Senator-who-voted-for-tax-cuts-cites-deficit-to-kill-bill-to-treat-Vets-exposed-to-Agent-Orange?detail=emaildkre

motherfucking Enzi is 74 "served in the Wyoming Air National Guard (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyoming_Air_National_Guard) from 1967 to 1973"

[boutons_deux]

Why Is Congress Trying To Pass An Obviously Unconstitutional Bill That Would Criminalize Boycotts Of Israel?

an American law criminalizing supporting the BDS movement (https://www.aclu.org/blog/free-speech/rights-protesters/congress-trying-use-spending-bill-criminalize-boycotts-israel-and) is blatantly unconstitutional.

It is true, if horrifying, that a bunch of states have passed such laws (https://forward.com/fast-forward/370725/texas-becomes-17th-state-to-pass-law-countering-boycotts-of-israel/),

all of which are quite clearly unconstitutional as well.

Challenges to the state laws in Kansas (https://www.aclu.org/legal-document/koontz-v-watson-opinion) and Arizona (https://www.acluaz.org/sites/default/files/field_documents/order_granting_plaintiffs_motion_for_preliminary_i njunction.pdf) have already been (easily) successful.

There are other legal challenges against the other laws, and they will almost certainly be tossed out as well.

The impact of these laws is absolutely ridiculous (https://theintercept.com/2018/12/17/israel-texas-anti-bds-law/) as well,

even barring Houston residents from receiving hurricane relief (https://www.aclu.org/news/texas-city-tells-people-no-hurricane-harvey-aid-unless-they-promise-not-boycott-israel) if they didn't sign a pledge promising not to boycott Israel.

That's so plainly a First Amendment violation,

it's amazing that so many states have followed suit.

And it's depressing that Congress is looking to do the same:

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20181217/07265541244/why-is-congress-trying-to-pass-obviously-unconstitutional-bill-that-would-criminalize-boycotts-israel.shtml

Repugs and their AmeriKKKan base hate Jews, but they love Jew money

[boutons_deux]

Along with WI, MI, NC, FL Repug anti-democratic FASCISTS are denying the decisions of the voters

"Florida voters overwhelmingly approved Amendment 4,

which restores the voting rights of 1.4 million Floridians with past felony convictions who have completed their sentences.

The measure passed in 61 of Florida's 67 counties (https://u1584542.ct.sendgrid.net/mpss/c/6wA/ni0YAA/t.2nj/dr9WhmJnSFG2iCDscjo8NQ/h3/pWWMb227pKUyLAVPqXDfNo5NP9BdLI0OyZlv49NhDl-2FFkTE0ewVRiVBcEVWwGv8mSf4qHhBzdWamCQs4CcpVoYsiaLf BQrmE-2Fsb8P-2FZpGltEINDWjA8ogdRpWks19pGCdcdY7nhfw57u3THuOkYmjc fPUWp-2FHEmgzMk5JnKU3tlPEYbLNCSNf-2FGvOudger0Sonbdi-2B3-2FXiLm5pCWFj0XrNnGgMZ-2Frzysa2ij6i2svmRzIwlvyqk6XHQxSzdbmBzEpz5S8r4Dm4ws WosW-2FOM1PZjLCgQEvS-2Bzt3rvpa6leigWiggN4VzR-2FvESK0URkk2fO-2FruDqKCMUjw2644seUlvLcx-2B6hVDS2T5AQEhxQo69Y5L4TT1XAVrL5Sb7GLxKXSQWq6ljAy-2FI7KeopvCRSgGQ-3D-3D),

because it is common sense.

But now Florida's Republican governor-elect & state legislature are dragging their feet. "

Governor-elect Ron DeSantis said in a recent interview (https://u1584542.ct.sendgrid.net/mpss/c/6wA/ni0YAA/t.2nj/dr9WhmJnSFG2iCDscjo8NQ/h6/ahfcv-2BMRzBeC8SOZhAZKkJjN9BskzQGX2XbmEd1-2FF1Se4kV2X-2BEEZ9qGhHAvkfgItjpfIIbP9ZbGbyTTVJaCdeQmuWfy1k88tD lCFRUAOXdkSsG0G0mVTZSeF-2F1mGrZ8aBWD2MR9UvKk0VtC2frnwpkkBMHNnuWKDKUHRqGB7k 11VwTBog3RmGxsxVpEJxACdSTqdTLZggvEDGGR2AVBwE8-2FmRMotJEuns9Fy63WLuXUwlvKFINBBzFNuYsXZK51zfkTjSeZ AP2Mv4TlADI1qkeGIt43PT9y0e2Jfl7hNvuOfvBxHkFLMocb7U m9yqhVJIS2KBdryIbkbCcjkCHtwPi8AUcF9-2FFa2y83WvoqB7VpyabSjJHmXiE1FLtVvxIBEjJ95uB-2FGDd9GFi-2FpNrEc9Gk2u-2B9HZaLbBf1WwgVlB4uhOOuRq-2FT4fDUM83IRq2RY7d7SICNm1CyCUi8UFKDQVxi-2FOCTKQ7yws-2BPyORpjUv0TF1ASEUF0-2B7lQYLEKbNJ) that Amendment 4 should not go into effect without him and

the legislature first approving "implementing language."

Republican Senate committee chair Dennis Baxley claimed to be confused about how to pass it." :lol

,,, from an email

[boutons_deux]

https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/48383422_10156554874980090_6728577318752616448_n.j pg?_nc_cat=1&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=b31cb0fdf33ab7d41825b00354c94bff&oe=5C9A4763

[boutons_deux]

Factory farms no longer have to report their air emissions. That’s dangerous for their neighbors.

https://grist.files.wordpress.com/2018/12/GettyImages-889395360.jpg?w=1200&h=675&crop=1

The two families are united by the experience of living near large-scale livestock operations:

unable to use their porch or land on certain days, keeping windows closed, and worrying constantly about long-term health consequences.

Until recently, though, they could at least be assured that in the case of a major emission of hazardous waste, farm operators would be required by law to notify state and federal responders.

the GOP-controlled Congress and the Trump administration have exempted big livestock farms from reporting air emissions.

The moves follow a decade-long push by the livestock industry for exemption and

leave neighbors of large-scale operations in the dark about what they’re inhaling.

If that weren’t enough, environmental advocates warn that the failure to monitor those emissions makes it even harder to assess the climate effects of large-scale agriculture.

The EPA declined a request for comment on the consequences of CAFO emissions for human health or the environment.

https://grist.org/article/factory-farms-no-longer-have-to-report-their-air-emissions-thats-dangerous-for-their-neighbors/

The oligarchy buys Repug whores to make/kill laws and regs that enrich the oligarchy and fuck the citizenry.

[FrostKing]

https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/48383422_10156554874980090_6728577318752616448_n.j pg?_nc_cat=1&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=b31cb0fdf33ab7d41825b00354c94bff&oe=5C9A4763
Genocidal scum

[boutons_deux]

Wilbur Ross twice told federal ethics officials he divested stock — months before he finally did (https://theweek.com/speedreads/813709/wilbur-ross-twice-told-federal-ethics-officials-divested-stock--months-before-finally-did)

In May 2017 and August 2018, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross submitted certified statements to federal ethics officials saying he had divested BankUnited stock,

but he actually owned the stock until Oct. 1,

in November 2017, he told federal ethics officials he sold his Invesco Ltd. stock valued at between $10 million and $50 million,

but he didn't actually sell it until December2017. (https://theweek.com/speedreads/783150/commerce-secretary-wilbur-ross-made-over-1-million-by-failing-follow-ethics-laws)

https://theweek.com/speedreads/813709/wilbur-ross-twice-told-federal-ethics-officials-divested-stock--months-before-finally-did (https://theweek.com/speedreads/813709/wilbur-ross-twice-told-federal-ethics-officials-divested-stock--months-before-finally-did)

For billionaires, ethics, morals, laws, rules, regulations don't apply to them

[boutons_deux]

shit hole TX keeps on shitting people

A Question Every American Must Confront: Apartheid Israel or US Democracy? (https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/12/28/a-question-every-american-must-confront-apartheid-israel-or-us-democracy/)

the school district has decided to add a clause to the contract that requires teachers and other employees to pledge not to boycott Israel ‘during the term of their contract.’

The ‘oath’ is now part of Section 2270.001 (https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.2270.v2.htm) of the Texas Government Code, and it is stated in the contract with obvious elaboration so as those wishing to work, or keep their jobs with the Texan government find no loophole to avoid its penalties:

“‘Boycott Israel’ means refusing to deal with, terminating business activities with, or otherwise taking any action that is intended to penalize, inflict economic harm on, or limit commercial relations specifically with Israel, or with a person or entity doing business in Israel or in Israeli-controlled territory ..”

The fact that Texas considers unacceptable even the boycott of businesses operating in the illegal Jewish settlements in the Occupied West Bank puts it

at odds with international law, and,

subsequently with the vast majority of the international community.

Texas is but a small facet in a massive American government campaign aimed at stifling freedom of speech as enshrined in its country’s own constitution.

25 US states have already passed (https://palestinelegal.org/news/2016/6/3/what-to-know-about-anti-bds-legislation) anti-boycott of Israel legislation,

or have issued executive orders targeting the boycott support networks, while other states are in the process of following suit.

At a federal government level, the

Congressional Israel Anti-boycott Act, which is being received with enthusiasm among US legislators,vows (https://www.aclu.org/blog/free-speech/rights-protesters/new-israel-anti-boycott-act-still-unconstitutional)

to fine and imprison those who boycott Israel.

https://www.counterpunch.org/2018/12/28/a-question-every-american-must-confront-apartheid-israel-or-us-democracy/

Goddamn, the Repug/oligarchy USA is a stinky, unConstitutional shit hole

[boutons_deux]

shit hole IOWA being shitty

Iowa county elects its first black woman, so GOP decides it should change the whole electoral system (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/12/27/1822046/-Iowa-county-elects-its-first-black-woman-so-GOP-decides-it-should-change-the-whole-electoral-system)

heard this one before: Republicans lose an election, then decide they want to change the rules.

Following his recent defeat, Hemingway is analyzing what went wrong during that special election. At least playing a factor, he says, electing supervisors to county-wide positions.

It could be benefiting Democrats as the large metro population tends to vote left, overshadowing right-leaning rural votes.

"I think can't look at the results of this past special election and draw any other conclusion but that."

at-large representation system has been used to disenfranchise black voters in the South, as it negates the power of geographically concentrated minorities.

This is a broader Republican goal (https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/2018/03/08/bill-would-change-redistricting-process-iowa-county-boards-supervisors/405307002/), as earlier this year,

the party proposed messing with the way larger counties select representatives across all of Iowa, so as to dilute Democratic power in those counties.

Right now, counties can choose to break things up into districts, but

the GOP wants to FORCE them to do so.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/12/27/1822046/-Iowa-county-elects-its-first-black-woman-so-GOP-decides-it-should-change-the-whole-electoral-system?detail=emaildkre (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/12/27/1822046/-Iowa-county-elects-its-first-black-woman-so-GOP-decides-it-should-change-the-whole-electoral-system?detail=emaildkre)

[boutons_deux]

Floridians oberwhelmingly voted up a state Constitutional amendment to enfranchise 1M felons

but Repug gov de Santis wants to monkey it up, aka delay or stop it and no doubt the Repug SCOFL will support him

[boutons_deux]

News from shitole Iowa about shitbag King, he of cantaloupe calves

King Claims He’s A ‘Nationalist’ And Advocate For Western Values, Not Racist

Just hours after being directly quoted i (https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/steve-king-wants-know-why-white-supremacy-offensive)n the New York Times questioning why terms like “white nationalist” and “white supremacists” are considered “offensive,” Rep. Steve King (R-IA) attempted to clarify his comments: “I am simply a Nationalist,”

King gave the newspaper a clear quote: “White nationalist, white supremacist, Western civilization — how did that language become offensive?”

King is hardly a stranger (https://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/steve-king-austrian-freedom-party-us-republicans) to public uproar (https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/land-olakes-support-of-steve-king-melts-after-white-nationalist-comments) over his comments (https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/steve-king-retweets-open-white-nationalist-just-months-after-retweeting-neo-nazi) and affiliations with neo-Nazis and other white supremacist-affiliated groups.

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/king-claims-nationalist-advocate-western-values-not-racist

[boutons_deux]

Dept. Of Interior Wants To Rewrite FOIA Law To Make It Easier To Reject Requests




he Department is fully committed to an equitable FOIA program that ensures compliance with the statutory requirements of transparency, accountability, and prompt production. :lol



Here's how it's planning to "ensure compliance" and produce all the good stuff compliance would bring. (h/t Steve Reilly (https://twitter.com/BySteveReilly/status/1080507757147705344))
The bureau will not honor a request

that requires an unreasonably burdensome search or

requires the bureau to locate, review, redact, or

arrange for inspection of a vast quantity of material. :lol

Hmm. This doesn't sound like compliance at all.

This sounds like an

agency rewriting FOIA law to limit the number of FOIA requests it will respond to.

This determination will be made solely by the agency,

which is giving itself a brand new exception to FOIA requirements.

https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20190105/09571341336/dept-interior-wants-to-rewrite-foia-law-to-make-it-easier-to-reject-requests.shtml

[DarrinS]

Boutons personal echo chamber. Nice

[boutons_deux]

From FUCKING forever-a-slave-state Georgia, course, confirming that GOP is the party of racists and racism

GOP lawmaker who said KKK wasn't racist but 'kept law and order' given top committee post (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/1/19/1827632/-GOP-lawmaker-who-said-KKK-wasn-t-racist-but-kept-law-order-given-top-committee-post)

https://images.dailykos.com/images/435151/story_image/GettyImages-810888668.jpg?1502553629


a GOP congressman can yell at a Hispanic Democratic congressman on the House floor to “Go back to Puerto Rico (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/1/17/1827244/-Trump-supporter-yells-at-Dem-rep-Go-back-to-Puerto-Rico-It-was-a-GOP-Congressman),”

GOP Georgia State House Speaker David Ralston knows what I am talking about. He just named an outspoken, ardent racist to chair the powerful House Retirement Committee (https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/426139-georgia-lawmaker-who-defended-kkk-named-to-house-committee-post).

GA House Rep. Tommy Benton will now oversee the retirement funds for teachers and state employees.

he was removed from that post for being blatantly racist and sharing an article entitled “The Absurdity of Slavery as the Cause of the War Between the States.”

in 2016, he fiercely defended the Ku Klux Klan, saying (https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/01/tommy-benton-kkk-georgia-confederate/):


[KKK] was not so much a racist thing, but a vigilante thing to keep law and order.
It made a lot of people straighten up.

he also:

Strongly voiced opposition to a statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King at the capitol, and demanded his name be removed from the accompanying plaque

Compared the removal of Confederate monuments to ISIS terrorism

Filed a resolution to create a Confederate Memorial Day as an official state holiday, citing ironically, “individual freedom”

Fought to rename streets named after Dr. King

Racism is no longer a deal-breaker. Benton just had to wait for the rest of the GOP to catch up to his toxicity.

named Benton to the post right before what would have been Dr. King’s 90th birthday --- because Fuck you.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/1/19/1827632/-GOP-lawmaker-who-said-KKK-wasn-t-racist-but-kept-law-order-given-top-committee-post?detail=emaildkre

[SouthTexasRancher]

boutons_deux, in case nobody has told you in the past 5 minutes or so....you need some serious help. Psychiatry help so you can get a damn life. You are 327 posts away from 70,000 posts of a bunch of crap. Come up out of your parents basement and get some fresh air. Maybe try to find a girlfriend or something. But, this post after post after post after post after post is so childish. Kind of like what someone in the 7th grade would do after his parents got him a used computer. Seriously dude, do you think anyone is reading all the shit you post? The answer is NO...! I'd blow my brains out before making such a fool of myself with the kind of c & p you post. Have a good day anyway.

[boutons_deux]

EPA May Approve Deadly Paint Solvent For Workplace Use

As Confined Space readers know (http://jordanbarab.com/confinedspace/?s=methylene+Chloride),

the solvent Methylene Chloride has killed dozens of workers and consumers

who used the material in enclosed spaces without realizing the extreme danger of the substance. MC is so hazardous that the Obama administration proposed to ban it. As might be expected,

however, Trump’s EPA, under former administrator Scott Pruitt withdrew, the ban for further consideration, but after bi-partisan pressure from Congress and from the families of people killed by the solvent, Pruitt had second thoughts and last May committed to finalizing (https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-action-methylene-chloride) the ban.

Scott Pruitt may be gone, but his spirit still haunts the EPA.

EPA is going to go ahead and ban MC for consumer use (the final rule), but

start the entire regulatory process all over again for “commercial use”—which means workers—and instead of considering a ban,

they are going to propose some kind of worker training and certification program.

EPA will relegate any limits on commercial uses to a separate, nebulous and lengthy process it is only just starting, which

will defer for years or even deny protection to those most at-risk: workers,”

we are extremely disappointed by indications that the measure will not protect thousands of workers whose lives and health are in danger as they come into contact with methylene chloride on the job.

the vast majority of reported deaths have occurred in the work setting

certification programs are extremely complicated and costly to implement and difficult to enforce.

OSHA has a standard to protect workers against methylene chloride (which also causes cancer),

workers continue to die and OSHA’s chemical standard-setting process is broken.

EPA again bends to the will of the chemical industry

that seems to believe that if only workers would pay better attention to their training or read the labels well enough, they wouldn’t have to die.

http://www.nationalmemo.com/epa-may-approve-deadly-paint-solvent-for-workplace-use/

[boutons_deux]

boutons_deux, in case nobody has told you in the past 5 minutes or so....you need some serious help. Psychiatry help so you can get a damn life. You are 327 posts away from 70,000 posts of a bunch of crap. Come up out of your parents basement and get some fresh air. Maybe try to find a girlfriend or something. But, this post after post after post after post after post is so childish. Kind of like what someone in the 7th grade would do after his parents got him a used computer. Seriously dude, do you think anyone is reading all the shit you post? The answer is NO...! I'd blow my brains out before making such a fool of myself with the kind of c & p you post. Have a good day anyway.

GFY, today and every day. Typical TX ignorant, stupid asshole making TX a shithole.

[SouthTexasRancher]

https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by SouthTexasRancher (https://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=9681588#post9681588)
"boutons_deux, in case nobody has told you in the past 5 minutes or so....you need some serious help. Psychiatry help so you can get a damn life. You are 327 posts away from 70,000 posts of a bunch of crap. Come up out of your parents basement and get some fresh air. Maybe try to find a girlfriend or something. But, this post after post after post after post after post is so childish. Kind of like what someone in the 7th grade would do after his parents got him a used computer. Seriously dude, do you think anyone is reading all the shit you post? The answer is NO...! I'd blow my brains out before making such a fool of myself with the kind of c & p you post. Have a good day anyway."




GFY, today and every day. Typical TX ignorant, stupid asshole making TX a shithole.

Typical comeback of a very deranged and dangerous to him/herself and his/her family meathead. Just glancing at a few of your stupidly ignorant posts has me convinced you are a walking, talking, knuckle-dragging, ignoramus. Imbeciles like you are a dime a dozen these days. I bet you head up your local chapter of Antifa. Or are you the head of Code Pink? You really are a flake but, I'll now treat you and your moronic posts as a way of getting my daily limit of belly laughs.

double_bottom, I can only say :stfu:idiot... But, carry on anyway. And for your information Texas is a Great state and we don't want your type anywhere near it, bozo.

[boutons_deux]

The Trump Administration Quietly Changed the Definition of Domestic Violence and We Have No Idea What For

Without fanfare or even notice, the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women made significant changes to its definition of domestic violence (https://www.justice.gov/ovw/domestic-violence) in April.

The Obama-era definition was expansive, vetted by experts including the National Center for Victims of Crime and the National Domestic Violence Hotline.

The Trump administration’s definition is substantially more limited and less informed,

effectively denying the experiences of victims of abuse by attempting to cast domestic violence as an exclusively criminal concern.

The previous definition (https://web.archive.org/web/20180409111243/https:/www.justice.gov/ovw/domestic-violence)included critical components of the phenomenon that experts recognize as domestic abuse—

a pattern of deliberate behavior,

the dynamics of power and control, and

behaviors that encompass physical or sexual violence

as well as forms of emotional, economic, or psychological abuse.

But in the Trump Justice Department, only harms that constitute a felony or misdemeanor crime may be called domestic violence.

So, for example, a woman whose partner

isolates her from her family and friends,

monitors her every move,

belittles and berates her, or

denies her access to money to support herself and her children

is not a victim of domestic violence

in the eyes of Trump’s Department of Justice.

https://www.rawstory.com/2019/01/trump-administration-quietly-changes-definition-domestic-violence-sexual-assault/

Just like so-called Christian bitch Devos, Trash's DoJ is ENABLING men to rape and abuse women, without punishment.

Any Repug politicians dissenting?

Fuck no. Repugs are and know their base is White Euro-Male Supremacist, meaning non-white, non-male are secondary humans and fair game.

[boutons_deux]

Oligarchy/BigCorp + govt = all-powerful police state that is beyond challenge, irreversible
(https://gizmodo.com/ajit-pai-and-republicans-in-congress-helped-enable-boun-1832030913)
Oligarchy Whore Ajit Pai and Republicans in Congress Helped Enable 'Bounty Hunters' to Track Your Phone (https://gizmodo.com/ajit-pai-and-republicans-in-congress-helped-enable-boun-1832030913)

the Trump administration,

whose regulatory chiefs have had nothing substantive to say about the story,

which detailed, in part, how

“bounty hunters” had created their own black market for Americans’ location data (https://gizmodo.com/black-market-for-your-location-data-apparently-thriving-1831584165#_ga=2.143725110.2051938656.1547970106-1652034957.1547083687).

location data can be purchased by stalkers, domestic abusers, and others.

the regulatory environment that allowed these dubious sales to take place is the direct result of lobbying by the major carriers themselves.

telecom lobbying effectuated the rollback of landmark Obama-era privacy rules (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/03/28/the-house-just-voted-to-wipe-out-the-fccs-landmark-internet-privacy-protections/?utm_term=.cb9ddcd1e030) intended to protect consumers, by way of notice and consent, from this precise form of abuse.

The vote to repeal the rules in early 2017 fell largely along party lines, with only 15 House Republicans siding against it.

Since taking control of the commission in early 2017, FCC head

Ajit Pai, a Republican, has worked tirelessly (https://cdt.org/blog/un-title-ii-ed-what-reclassification-means/) to strip the very agency he chairs of its power and

its responsibility to protect consumers against the “unjust or unreasonable” practices of companies like T-Mobile and AT&T.

Pai did so first by supporting the rollback of the FCC’s privacy rules (https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/03/congress-sides-cable-and-telephone-industry)

leading the charge to rollback the nation’s net neutrality protections (https://cdt.org/blog/un-title-ii-ed-what-reclassification-means/),

All of this was done in the name of enlarging the profits of AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and Verizon,

https://gizmodo.com/ajit-pai-and-republicans-in-congress-helped-enable-boun-1832030913?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gizmodo%2Ffull+%28Gizmodo%29

[boutons_deux]

here's the kind of fascist, anti-Constitutional assholes Trash's kakistocrats hire

Will Trump’s Labor Board Say Workers Have No Right to Float a Balloon?

The NLRB’s top attorney is gunning for unions’ inflatable rat

https://prospect.org/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/ap_17339708249822_2.jpg?itok=i3xvWy5N

Bloomberg (https://news.bloomberglaw.com/daily-labor-report/death-to-scabby-trump-labor-counsel-aims-to-deflate-protest-icon) reported last week that Trump-appointed General Counsel Peter Robb wants to issue

a rule making it illegal to engage in any protest activity in the company of a balloon rat. :lol

https://prospect.org/article/will-trumps-labor-board-say-workers-have-no-right-float-balloon

[boutons_deux]

Indiana Republican who employs 100s of minors introduces bill to do away with child labor laws (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/1/29/1830737/-Indiana-Republican-who-employs-100s-of-minors-introduces-bill-to-do-away-with-child-labor-laws)

https://images.dailykos.com/images/638100/story_image/ChipPerfect.jpg?1548802451

An Indiana Republican state senator has got

a great idea for his business: loosen up those restrictive child labor protections!

wants to lengthen the amount of time children are allowed to work

“get rid of work permit requirements for minors and remove all restrictions on what hours 16- and 17-year-old Hoosiers can work.” (https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2019/01/28/lawmaker-who-owns-perfect-north-slopes-pushes-end-state-child-labor-laws/2657091002/)

He employs somewhere between 300 and 400 minors.

"The bill will decrease expenditures and workload for the DOL.

The bill repeals Indiana child labor laws including the DOL’s responsibility to enforce the law,

eliminating the need for inspections to ensure compliance with child labor laws

as well as the necessity to educate employers on child labor laws in Indiana," the legislation says.

The Indiana Department of Labor collected almost $1.5 million in penalties last year connected to violations of minors in the workplace.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/1/29/1830737/-Indiana-Republican-who-employs-100s-of-minors-introduces-bill-to-do-away-with-child-labor-laws?detail=emaildkre

[boutons_deux]

Legislative Lowlights: Lawmakers in Four States Want to Bring Fetal ‘Personhood’ to the Ballot Box

Republicans in Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, and Montana want voters to weigh in on state constitutional amendments for fetal "personhood."

https://rewire.news/article/2019/01/28/legislative-lowlights-fetal-personhood-ballot-box/

[boutons_deux]

Why can't America be GREAT? Why does America keep declining?

Repugs.

and esp this MOTHERFUCKING, POWER-GRABBING, JUDICIARY-STUFFING Bitch McConnell

McConnell says bill that would make Election Day a federal holiday is a ‘power grab’ by Democrats

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mcconnell-says-bill-that-would-make-election-day-a-federal-holiday-is-a-power-grab-by-democrats/2019/01/30/57421dd6-24bd-11e9-ad53-824486280311_story.html?utm_term=.68a1cd9c9673&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1

Repugs knows they can't win anymore due to demographics, so voter suppression, gerrymandering, and counting fraud is how they win anymore

[FrostKing]

Why can't America be GREAT? Why does America keep declining?

Repugs.

and esp this MOTHERFUCKING, POWER-GRABBING, JUDICIARY-STUFFING Bitch McConnell

McConnell says bill that would make Election Day a federal holiday is a ‘power grab’ by Democrats

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mcconnell-says-bill-that-would-make-election-day-a-federal-holiday-is-a-power-grab-by-democrats/2019/01/30/57421dd6-24bd-11e9-ad53-824486280311_story.html?utm_term=.68a1cd9c9673&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1

Repugs knows they can't win anymore due to demographics, so voter suppression, gerrymandering, and counting fraud is how they win anymore



You admit racial bias dictates politics in America but still wonder why it isn't great

Multiculturalism of shit

[boutons_deux]

probably a run of the mill so-called Christian, with nice bangs

GOP-Aligned Wisconsin Supreme Court Candidate Likened Gay Sex To Bestiality

https://d15zn84cat5tp0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/39203690_10214511552317490_5511961268757463040_o.j pg

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/wisconsin-republican-supreme-court-gay-sex-bestiality-abortion?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20tpm-news%20%28TPMNews%29

[boutons_deux]

Post-shutdown, an ocean of outrage greets Interior’s proposed FOIA changes

The Trump administration continues to crack down on transparency.

More than 130 groups and organizations have submitted public comments opposing the Interior Department’s efforts to crack down on public information requests —

a suppression that opponents say will make it much harder to hold the government accountable on a number of issues including impacts from the partial government shutdown.

More than 9,000 submissions commenting on the proposed rule change have seemingly come just as the comment period winds to a close without an extension, despite the shutdown.

The proposal to limit FOIA requests (https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/12/28/2018-27561/freedom-of-information-act-regulations) was introduced in late December by former Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke :lol

just prior to his departure at the end of the year.

As part of the change, requests would be transferred to Deputy Solicitor General Daniel Jorjani,

a former advisor to the mega-donor conservative Koch brothers. :lol

Interior career staff previously oversaw the requests, while Jorjani is a political appointee.

Under the proposed changes,

the department would also loosen the timeline for responding to FOIA requests.

Federal FOIA rules state that the government must respond within 20 days to requests,

and while that time period often drags on far past that limit, Interior’s proposed change would mean an even longer waiting time for those seeking information of concern to the public.

FOIA requests would also need to be much more detailed according to the new rules, and among other caveats,

Interior “will not honor a request that requires an unreasonably burdensome search.” :lol

https://thinkprogress.org/130-organizations-interior-foia-zinke-trump-bernhardt-9caf8abb6834/

[boutons_deux]

Repugs committing manslaughter of 1000s, Ms, many who vote Repug

CAA authority to stop climate change would be gutted with carbon dividend bill passage

Legislation introduced Thursday [Jan. 24, 2019] by Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) and Rep. Francis Rooney (R-Fla.) would

eliminate the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to regulate and address greenhouse gas emissions

from power plants and mobile sources like cars, trains and airplanes

in exchange for a carbon dividend fee on fossil fuels. :lol

The legislation (https://teddeutch.house.gov/uploadedfiles/deutch_014_xml_116th.pdf) would prohibit the EPA from establishing binding Clean Air Act standards or regulation for at least 10 years.

the EPA would lose nearly all authority to address climate change.

“A low carbon fee by itself won’t work, and

discarding the Clean Air Act to make this seem politically palatable is just folly.”

https://alankandel.scienceblog.com/2019/02/03/caa-authority-to-stop-climate-change-would-be-gutted-with-carbon-dividend-bill-passage/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+scienceblogrssfeed+%28Science Blog.com%29

Oligarchy's AmeriKKKa The Polluted

[boutons_deux]

Trump says he will nominate Bernhardt for secretary of interior

former energy lobbyist

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-interior-bernhardt/trump-says-he-will-nominate-bernhardt-for-secretary-of-interior-idUSKCN1PT24V?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FPoliticsNews+%28Reu ters+Politics+News%29

... with intention of degrading, destroying the Dept of Interior and the Interior itself.

[boutons_deux]

“We have come a long way on that arc since the Reconstruction,

since whites and blacks alike were in nearly equal numbers lynched for the crime of being Republican,”

Rep. Lori Saine, R-Firestone

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/1/28/1830221/-Republican-hijacks-MLK-resolution-to-say-that-white-Republicans-were-lynched-the-same-as-black-folks

[boutons_deux]

more diseased and manslaughter for profit by kakistocracy

TRUMP QUIETLY PUT A KOCH OFFICIAL IN CHARGE OF AMERICA’S DRINKING WATER

How much cancer is too much cancer? Let Koch’s expert on water and chemical regulations decide.

For the last two years, the E.P.A.—

which, as a reminder, is supposed to be protecting human health and the environment

—has done everything in its power to turn the planet into an ashtray and

convince Americans that toxic chemicals are actually totally fine to drink, breathe, and otherwise ingest,

all in an effort to help companies secreting those chemicals maximize their profits.

The Trump administration has placed a former Koch Industries official in charge of research

that will shape how the government regulates a class of toxic chemicals contaminating millions of Americans’ drinking water—

an issue that could have major financial repercussions for his former employer.

David Dunlap ... the previous eight years as Koch Industries’ lead expert on water and chemical regulations, a position that typically includes

helping companies to limit regulatory restrictions and liability for cleanups.

the agency’s decision not to set drinking water limits for chemicals known as

perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances,

which “have been linked with kidney and testicular cancer, as well as other ailments.”

Dunlap has been able to

avoid a Senate confirmation hearing

in which his prior work experience might come up because Trump has not officially nominated anyone to run to office.

Koch’s various environmental crimes against humanity

are laid out in several high-profile lawsuits over the past 20 years.

“Koch Industries was assessed more than $400 million in fines, penalties, and judgments”

between 1999 and 2003, such as

for dumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of aviation fuel into a Minnesota wetland.

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/02/trump-put-a-koch-official-in-charge-of-americas-drinking-water?mbid=nl_th_5c59fc6fba532c6650dee1dc&CNDID=43758549&utm_source=nl&utm_medium=email&utm_brand=vf&utm_mailing=vyf_hive_news_20190206%20(1)&bxid=MzI5MjgzNzg1MjQ4S0&hasha=992d608214b505003aa04bf10a595031&hashb=542eb31d958e85ddd5a4c3ccf3faae18526a77bd&spMailingID=15083272&spUserID=MzI5MjgzNzg1MjQ4S0&spJobID=1580433821&spReportId=MTU4MDQzMzgyMQS2 (https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/02/trump-put-a-koch-official-in-charge-of-americas-drinking-water?mbid=nl_th_5c59fc6fba532c6650dee1dc&CNDID=43758549&utm_source=nl&utm_medium=email&utm_brand=vf&utm_mailing=vyf_hive_news_20190206%20(1)&bxid=MzI5MjgzNzg1MjQ4S0&hasha=992d608214b505003aa04bf10a595031&hashb=542eb31d958e85ddd5a4c3ccf3faae18526a77bd&spMailingID=15083272&spUserID=MzI5MjgzNzg1MjQ4S0&spJobID=1580433821&spReportId=MTU4MDQzMzgyMQS2)

Poisoned water, land, air, that's what all y'all Trash fellators voted for, right?

Trash's "acting" assholes avoid Senate confirmation, dirty trick

Dunlap is working in, influencing govt, and he's not even nominated.

[boutons_deux]

Trash/Repug misogyny, acceptable violence against women confirmed by Devos and Kavanaugh

Sexual assault incidents at military academies rise 50 percent in past couple of years (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/2/1/1831501/-Sexual-assault-incidents-at-military-academies-rise-50-percent-in-past-couple-years)

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/2/1/1831501/-Sexual-assault-incidents-at-military-academies-rise-50-percent-in-past-couple-years

[boutons_deux]

Loan sharks win again with Trump administration rollback on consumer finance protection (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/2/6/1832808/-Loan-sharks-win-again-with-Trump-administration-roll-back-on-consumer-finance-protection)

the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is further eating itself alive by weakening (https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2019/02/06/cfpb-proposes-weakening-obama-era-payday-lending-rule-win-industry/?utm_term=.18f00a651a84) Obama-era rules that prevent payday lenders from extending loans that people can't afford to pay back.

Trump's CFPB has proposed both

delaying implementation of the rule that is currently set to go into effect in August until sometime next year,

as well as nixing a requirement that lenders verify borrowers' income and

that they can afford the loans they're applying for.

That rule came about because payday lenders can charge interest rates of 390 percent or more

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1832808

I wonder how many farming families screwed by Trash's tariff war and govt contractors screwed by Trash's shutdown have gotten trapped by loan sharks?

[boutons_deux]

Cindy McCain casts suspicion on interracial families everywhere with bogus human trafficking claim (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/2/7/1832969/-Cindy-McCain-casts-suspicion-on-multiracial-families-everywhere-with-bogus-human-trafficking-claim)

https://images.dailykos.com/images/641222/story_image/GettyImages-512018456.jpg?1549546001

Cindy McCain and her husband, the late Sen. John McCain, adopted a daughter from Bangladesh and weathered racist attacks on their family as a result.

Nonetheless, when she recently saw a woman and toddler who didn’t share a skin tone,

her thoughts went not to family but, Donald Trump-style, to human trafficking (https://www.azfamily.com/news/cindy-mccain-claims-she-thwarted-human-trafficking-at-sky-harbor/article_c75a62c8-2a61-11e9-8073-f7fc698f277f.html).

According to McCain,

the existence of a woman and child of different ethnicities traveling together didn’t just “look odd,”

but officially panned out as trafficking, with the child in imminent harm.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/2/7/1832969/-Cindy-McCain-casts-suspicion-on-multiracial-
families-everywhere-with-bogus-human-trafficking-claim?detail=emaildkre (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/2/7/1832969/-Cindy-McCain-casts-suspicion-on-multiracial-families-everywhere-with-bogus-human-trafficking-claim?detail=emaildkre)

[boutons_deux]

you misogynist Repug wife beaters (and child beaters) now have how much more that you can get away

How the Department of Justice’s New Definition of Intimate Partner Violence Could Leave Victims at Risk

An archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20180409111243/https:/www.justice.gov/ovw/domestic-violence) version of the DOJ’s Domestic Violence page from 2017 shows comprehensive, nuanced definitions for intimate partner violence.

These definitions reflected the conclusions of scholars (https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11199-005-4196-6.pdf), activists (https://www.movetoendviolence.org/community/), nonprofits (https://ncadv.org/learn-more), and community organizations (https://www.theduluthmodel.org/wheels/) that intimate partner violence and sexual assault are, at their core, about power and control.

The current definitions (http://archive.fo/rHB78), updated as recently as January 3,

include only “felony or misdemeanor crimes of violence.”

Because the DOJ is directly responsible for allocating funding and resources toward criminal, legal, and penal violence interventions,

this change could have far-reaching implications.

https://rewire.news/article/2019/02/12/how-the-department-of-justices-new-definition-of-intimate-partner-violence-could-leave-victims-at-risk/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rhrealitycheck+%28RH+Reality+ Check%29

[boutons_deux]

Bannon's "deconstruction of the administrative state" continues.

There are as many oligarchy whore kakistocrats as there are Muslim terrorists created by USA


Trump’s choice for Interior Department secretary had big role in eliminating bird protections

https://www.revealnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/AP_18207795518130-1013x675.jpg

David Bernhardt, a former industry lobbyist, has been personally involved with intricacies of new policies at the Interior Department that benefit oil companies and other industries.

The emails provide rare insight into Bernhardt, who is known for avoiding paper trails. Current and former department officials told Reveal that he directed staff not to write emails or take notes during meetings.

https://www.revealnews.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/5882147624_27c5e7956a_o-e1521071858727.jpg

https://www.revealnews.org/article/trumps-choice-for-interior-department-secretary-had-big-role-in-eliminating-bird-protections/?fbclid=IwAR1ZVPF4MZgI7_p8SIkdvo3-T1TwQm2rofY0ibj2jBSxVduDllx9QXhIlDQ (https://www.revealnews.org/article/trumps-choice-for-interior-department-secretary-had-big-role-in-eliminating-bird-protections/?fbclid=IwAR1ZVPF4MZgI7_p8SIkdvo3-T1TwQm2rofY0ibj2jBSxVduDllx9QXhIlDQ)

[boutons_deux]

https://images.dailykos.com/images/642550/story_image/and0211web.jpg?1549859515

[boutons_deux]

U.S. to slash payouts from 9/11 victims fund

future awards will be significantly reduced, typically by at least 50 percent, because the fund is running short of money.

is necessary because the $2.375 billion remaining in the $7.375 billion fund is not enough to compensate the thousands of additional eligible victims and family members.

“I am painfully aware of the unfairness of this plan,”

Roughly $5 billion has been awarded on more than 21,000 claims, about three-quarters of which came from New York.

Bhattacharyya said the fund would have needed to be $12 billion, instead of $7.375 billion,

to compensate everyone fully.

Nearly 40,000 compensation claims have been filed in the last seven years, but half were filed in 2017 and 2018. Thousands more are expected.

Bhattacharyya attributed

the faster pace of claims to the growing number of cancers, other serious illnesses and deaths linked to the attacks,

https://www.politicususa.com/2019/02/15/u-s-to-slash-payouts-from-9-11-victims-fund.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+politicususa%2FfJAl+%28Politi cus+USA+%29

[boutons_deux]

Trump’s Pick To Lead Climate Panel Once Compared CO2 To Jews In Nazi Germany


https://cdn.the-scientist.com/assets/articleNo/32065/iImg/5181/23345799-e000-4f0f-8562-62dc29697f09-happer-310.jpg


William Happer (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/topic/william-happer), President Donald Trump (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/topic/donald-trump)’s reported pick to lead a new panel on climate change (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/topic/climate-change), is a science denier with a history of controversial comments.

Happer, a retired Princeton physics professor with no expertise (https://www.mediamatters.org/research/2012/01/30/the-journal-hires-dentists-to-do-heart-surgery/184002) in climatology, will lead a (https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/white-house-readies-panel-to-assess-if-climate-change-poses-a-national-security-threat/2019/02/19/ccc8b29e-3396-11e9-af5b-b51b7ff322e9_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.9a6bd8a5da1a)

has claimed rising carbon dioxide levels not only aren’t harmful but also are actually beneficial.

“The demonization of carbon dioxide is just like the demonization of the poor Jews (https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/15/carbon-dioxide-demonization-jews_n_5589098.html) under Hitler,”

“Carbon dioxide is actually a benefit to the world, and so were the Jews.”

is on the National Security Council, has a history of dropping Nazi references.

dismissed those who accept science by calling them “climate alarmists” who have “complete control of the media” and have “hijacked all the major scientific societies.”

he managed to name-check the Salem witch trials, the French revolution, the Soviet purge and the Nazis (https://thebestschools.org/special/karoly-happer-dialogue-global-warming/william-happer-interview/) in defense of those such as himself.

he called climate science a “cult” and said that carbon dioxide is not a pollutant. Then he dropped another Nazi comparison to those who believe in the science of climate change.

“This is George Orwell. This is ‘’The Germans are the master race. The Jews are the scum of the earth (http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/article/2009/01/professor-denies-global-warming-theory/),’” he said. “It’s that kind of propaganda.”

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/william-happer-climate-jews_n_5c6e0f2be4b0f40774cbfa70

Happper is Trash-whisperer Bannon's ideal kakistocrat of a climate panel member

[boutons_deux]

New Watchdog Complaint Outlines ‘Pattern Of Ethical Misconduct’ At Interior Department

Six senior agency officials are named in a complaint filed Wednesday with Interior’s Office of Inspector General.

Office of Inspector General to launch a formal investigation into

violations of federal ethics rules by six high-ranking agency officials who

maintained close ties to former employers.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ethics-complaint-interior-department_n_5c6d6e09e4b0e2f4d8a1851c?ncid=newsltu shpmgnews__TheMorningEmail__022119

[boutons_deux]

Repug extreme right white-man cavalry still waging war on the redskins.

Who Will Stop a Trump Nominee Who Built His Career Attacking Native Rights? (https://splinternews.com/who-will-stop-a-trump-nominee-who-built-his-career-atta-1832888880)

https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--gaJUP267--/c_scale,dpr_2.0,f_auto,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/yaeuxjx3ioyoz2mrygx3.png

the Senate voted 51 to 46 (https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=116&session=1&vote=00028) to invoke cloture on the nomination of lawyer Eric Miller to the federal bench.

The Senate could vote as early as today to officially confirm the 43-year old Miller (https://twitter.com/SenatePPG/status/1100393758275837952) to a lifetime appointment on the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

That particular court just so happens to be responsible for 427 federally recognized Native nations, or roughly 75 percent of all federally recognized Native nations.


the Ninth Circuit will add a man with a penchant for attacking the weak spots around the United States’ treaties with the Native nations.

“Federal judicial nominations have a disproportionate impact on Indian Country because Indian law is often made and changed more from the judicial bench than by Congress,”

“As an attorney, the nominee has represented interests that were opposed to treaty rights.

He has attacked Tribal sovereign immunity.

He has disputed a Tribal nation’s ability to acquire trust lands under the Indian Reorganization Act and

[shown] a repeated willingness to side against Tribes in court,

Miller’s resumé sparkles in all the right places,

so much so that the glares against Indian Country were smothered—

first by errant scheduling,

then by Senate Majority Leader

Mitch McConnell and his determination (https://twitter.com/NOgnanovich/status/1100137691965018113) to place as many conservative judges on the bench as will fit.

Miller earned a reputation as the go-to lawyer in the West for folks looking to tangle with Native nations.

Miller argued against the tenants of land rights and tribal recognition.

Miller argued against the tribe (https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/17/17-387/36071/20180221123548256_Merits%20Brief.pdf), noting the limits and increasing divestment of tribal sovereignty

Miller went after the federal recognition status of the Buena Vista Rancheria of Me-Wuk Indians.

https://splinternews.com/who-will-stop-a-trump-nominee-who-built-his-career-atta-1832888880?utm_source=splinter_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2019-02-26

[boutons_deux]

Billionaires relentlessly degrading public education

DeVos: Tax Credits Promoting School Choice Won’t Cut Public School Funds

renewed its push for school choice :lol on Thursday with a proposal to

provide $5 billion a year in federal tax credits

for donations made to groups offering scholarships for private schools, apprenticeships and other educational programs.

“What’s missing in education today is at the core of what makes America truly great: freedom,” :lol DeVos said :lol dumb Ditzy read what somebody wrote

The proposal will also face a difficult time in the House, where Democrats gained a majority in the November midterm elections.

“The only folks who are threatened are those who have a vested interested in suppressing education freedom,” DeVos said. :lol

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/devos-proposal-tax-credits-advance-school-choice?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tpm-news+%28TPMNews%29

[boutons_deux]

GOP lawmaker encouraged teens to rat out their teachers for ‘violating their conservative values’


A South Dakota :lol

Repug lawmaker gave high school students

fliers encouraging them to tattle on teachers who violate their “conservative ideology” (https://www.argusleader.com/story/news/politics/2019/02/28/black-history-rapid-city-senator-apologizes-flier-capitol/3018063002/) — and

also attempted to link Democrats to the KKK.

flier featuring a meme from conservative activist Dinesh D’Souza :lol

that includes references to the pre-schism Democratic Party’s role in slavery and the Klan.

“I think if people want to wipe out reminders of slavery, segregation & white supremacy,

we might consider getting rid of the Democratic Party,”

flier also encourages students to email Jensen’s government address

if their teachers violate their “conservative values by pushing their own ideology.”

https://www.rawstory.com/2019/02/gop-lawmaker-encouraged-teens-rat-teachers-violating-conservative-values/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+%28The+Raw+Story% 29

Fucking red/slave states

[boutons_deux]

Coal Ash Pollution Contaminates Ground Water At Hundreds Of Locations

Coal ash contains large amounts of cadmium, cobalt, chromium, lead, arsenic, and lithium — toxins that are linked to cancer, kidney damage, and neurological disorders.

The Environmental Integrity Project (http://www.environmentalintegrity.org/) has analyzed the data and found that of the 265 US power plants that monitor groundwater,

242 reported unsafe levels of at least one pollutant derived from coal ash.

“The pollution is basically everywhere you look.

The major concern is that this could be a problem for decades or centuries because once the pollutants leach from the coal ash into the water, they are hard to get out,”

In Texas, all of the 16 coal-fired power plants (http://www.environmentalintegrity.org/news/records-show-100-percent-of-texas-coal-power-plants-contaminating-groundwater/) included in the data were found to be leaching dangerous amounts of chemicals into local groundwater.

“We found contamination everywhere we looked, poisoning groundwater aquifers and recreational fishing spots across the state,” Abel says.

“This confirms that

dumping large volumes of toxic waste in poorly lined pits is a terrible idea.

The problem is unfortunately going to get even worse unless Texas power plants change the way they dispose of coal ash.”

https://cleantechnica.com/2019/03/04/coal-ash-pollution-contaminates-ground-water-at-hundreds-of-locations/

Repugs' Shithole Texas! :lol

TCEQ will get on the coal ash pollution IMMEDIATELY! :lol

[boutons_deux]

Trump’s pick for Office on Violence Against Women doesn’t understand gun violence against women

A Republican whose career has been defined largely by

a record of opposition to LGBTQ and immigrant rights, and

who falsely claims guns will protect women from violence,

is being considered to lead the Office on Violence Against Women.

She has also made claims that

women owning guns protects them against violence,

which is not supported in research.

https://thinkprogress.org/trumps-pick-for-office-of-violence-against-women-doesnt-understand-gun-violence-against-women-9b6e1965228a/

Trash/Repug/Bannon kakistocracy rolls on.

[boutons_deux]

U.S. agency error exposes 2.3 million disaster survivors to fraud

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) exposed 2.3 million disaster survivors to possible identity theft and fraud by sharing sensitive personal information with an outside company,

FEMA had shared financial records and other sensitive information of people who had participated in an emergency shelter program after being displaced by hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria and the California wildfires in 2017.

FEMA had shared

participants’ home addresses and

bank account information with the contractor,

along with necessary information like their names and birthdates.

“has placed approximately 2.3 million disaster survivors at increased risk of identity theft and fraud,” the Inspector General’s office said in a report.

The name of the contractor was redacted. :lol

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-fema-privacy/u-s-agency-error-exposes-2-3-million-disaster-survivors-to-fraud-watchdog-idUSKCN1R32U0?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F +US+%2F+Top+News%29

no worries, the Russians and Chinese are the case.

How did the anonymous contractor pay for the data, and to whom personally did the payment go?

[boutons_deux]

Trash/Repug kakistocracy continues ...

‘Unable even to get basic facts right’: Paul Krugman obliterates the ‘hack’ economist Trump wants to appoint to the Fed


Trash plans to appoint right-wing “economist” Stephen Moore to the Federal Reserve Board, and

people who know anything about actual economics (and basic factual reporting) are livid.
Moore, a fellow with the conservative Heritage Foundation,

is best known for appearing on TV, talking about the economy, and completely botching his facts (https://slate.com/business/2017/01/cnn-hires-hack-trump-adviser-to-spout-gibberish-about-economics.html).
Paul Krugman, a Nobel Prize-winning economist and columnist for the New York Times, lambasted the nomination of Moore, whom he has sparred with many times in the past.

“Moore isn’t just a hack, with terrible judgment,” Krugman said on Twitter (https://twitter.com/paulkrugman/status/1109064451943223298).

“He’s a hack who has repeatedly shown himself unable even to get basic facts right.”
Binyamin Applebaum, another Times columnist, noted that Moore (https://twitter.com/BCAppelbaum/status/1109106978104721409) once

“got so many facts wrong that the Kansas City Star’s editorial page editor vowed never to publish his work again.”
Indeed, he wrote a column trying to argue that low-tax states do better than high tax states, and he included this error-ridden passage:



No-income-tax Texas gained 1 million jobs over the last five years;

California, with its 13 percent tax rate, managed to lose jobs. Oops.

Florida gained hundreds of thousands of jobs while New York lost jobs. Oops.


In fact, as Kansas City Star columnist Yael Abouhalkah pointed out, in addition to choosing a particularly problematic time period to make this judgment, his numbers were just wrong:


Texas did not gain 1 million jobs in the 2007-2012 period Moore measured. The correct figure was a gain of 497,400 jobs.

Florida did not add hundreds of thousands of jobs in that span. It actually lost 461,500 jobs.

New York, with [its] very high income tax rates, did not lose jobs during that time. It gained 75,900 jobs.


Miriam Pepper, an editor of the Kansas City Star, told the

Columbia Journalism Review (https://archives.cjr.org/united_states_project/stephen_moore_heritage_foundation_paul_krugman_kan sas_city_star.php) after the incident that his errors were so egregious that she “won’t be running anything else from Stephen Moore.”


Krugman noted that, in addition to this spectacular mistake, Moore was completely unrepentant when his predictions about Kansas’ tax cuts were refuted.

“He made a bad prediction, which happens — but refused to learn from the error, falsified facts, and doubled down on his doctrine,” said Krugman (https://twitter.com/paulkrugman/status/1109100148003663872).

Need more convincing? Here he is getting the budget deficit (https://econbrowser.com/archives/2018/01/further-documentation-on-stephen-moore-is-a-liar) — a simple government accounting measure — completely wrong. Here he is completely botching the facts about the Reagan tax cuts (https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2011/feb/03/steve-moore/wall-street-journals-steve-moore-claims-low-income/). Here he is making up facts on CNN (https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2017/03/01/cnns-new-senior-economics-analyst-embarrassed-his-network-spewing-lies-about-economy/215513).

After spending much of his career shilling for the GOP,

Moore has since become completely bought-in to Trump’s takeover of the party.

Proving he’ll do anything to stay in the good graces of the Republican Party, the Heritage Foundation fellow wrote a book called

“Trumponomics: Inside the America First Plan to Revive Our Economy”

lavishly praising the president’s policies,

despite increasing evidence that the White House’s boasting is baseless (https://www.alternet.org/2019/03/trumps-hand-picked-economists-admit-it-the-gop-tax-cut-is-failing/).

https://www.rawstory.com/2019/03/unable-even-get-basic-facts-right-paul-krugman-obliterates-hack-economist-trump-wants-appoint-fed/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+%28The+Raw+Story% 29

[boutons_deux]

Repugs misogynists, following the Bible's misogyny

Maine Republican says providing free tampons and pads would turn jails into 'country clubs' (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/3/21/1843961/-Maine-Republican-says-providing-free-tampons-and-pads-would-turn-jails-into-country-clubs)

How much do Republicans hate women and people who menstruate? A lot.

The latest example:

One member of the GOP in Maine has asserted his (of course it’s a man) belief that if state jails provided free tampons and sanitary pads to incarcerated people, it would make jails too similar to a “country club.”

Maine legislators voted on a bill amendment (https://mainelegislature.org/LawMakerWeb/summary.asp?ID=280071569) to guarantee incarcerated people access to tampons and sanitary pads.

On the federal level, this is already a guarantee.

If you’re in a local or state facility, however, you have to pay for them.

, GOP Rep. Richard Pickett explicitly said that incarcerated people shouldn’t get additional access to menstrual products because "the jail system and the correctional system was never meant to be a country club,"

the bill passed (http://mainebeacon.com/not-a-luxury-bill-calls-for-free-access-to-menstrual-supplies-in-maine-prisons/) committee with a 6-4 vote. The four “no” votes were all Republicans.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/3/21/1843961/-Maine-Republican-says-providing-free-tampons-and-pads-would-turn-jails-into-country-clubs? (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/3/21/1843961/-Maine-Republican-says-providing-free-tampons-and-pads-would-turn-jails-into-country-clubs?)

[boutons_deux]

Here's Republican Mo Brooks reading Hitler quotes on the floor of the House today (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/3/25/1845122/-Here-s-Republican-Mo-Brooks-reading-Hitler-quotes-on-the-floor-of-the-House-today)

Here’s the quote that Rep. Brooks wanted to hang his hat on as

his big gotcha moment—showing the Democratic Party for what it is … the Nazis.

Rep. Brooks:

In that vein I quote from another socialist who mastered Big Lie propaganda to a maximum and deadly effect

“that in the big lie there is always a certain force of credibility; because the broad masses of a nation are always more easily corrupted in the deeper strata of their emotional nature than consciously or voluntarily;

and thus in the primitive simplicity of their minds they more readily fall victims to the big lie than the small lie, since they themselves often tell small lies in little matters but would be ashamed to resort to large-scale falsehoods.

It would never come into their heads to fabricate colossal untruths, and they would not believe that others could have the impudence to distort the truth so infamously.

Even though the facts which prove this to be so may be brought clearly to their minds, they will still doubt and waver and will continue to think that there may be some other explanation.”


https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/3/25/1845122/-Here-s-Republican-Mo-Brooks-reading-Hitler-quotes-on-the-floor-of-the-House-today?detail=emaildkre (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/3/25/1845122/-Here-s-Republican-Mo-Brooks-reading-Hitler-quotes-on-the-floor-of-the-House-today?detail=emaildkre)


Hitler was a socialist? goddamn, you red/slave state cretins are fucking stupid

[boutons_deux]

DeVos Defends $18 Million Cut to Special Olympics Funding

While Asking Congress for $60 Million for Charter Schools

"Just when you thought the Trump administration couldn't possibly stoop any lower..."

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/03/26/devos-defends-18-million-cut-special-olympics-funding-while-asking-congress-60?cd-origin=rss

This is the oligarchy's economic/social Darwinism. If you aren't white, male, healthy, wealthy, then WE WILL FUCK YOU.

Ditzy Devos is supposedly a hard core Christian

[spurraider21]

booboo with 1,215 posts in what is basically his spurstalk diary

next most posts comes from mikeanaro with 36 :lmao

[boutons_deux]

Trump Administration Announces New Expansion of Global ‘Gag Rule’

Trash first implemented and expanded the global gag rule on day one of his administration.

Pompeo said the administration was making “further refinements” on the global gag rule.

“As before, we’ll continue to refuse to provide assistance to foreign [nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)] who perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning,” he said.

“Now, as a result of my decision today, we’re also making clear we will refuse to provide assistance to foreign NGOs

that give financial support to other foreign groups in the global abortion industry.

We will enforce a strict prohibition on backdoor-funding schemes and end runs around our policy.

American taxpayer dollars will not be used to underwrite abortions.”

https://rewire.news/article/2019/03/26/trump-administration-announces-new-expansion-of-global-gag-rule/ (https://rewire.news/article/2019/03/26/trump-administration-announces-new-expansion-of-global-gag-rule/)

[boutons_deux]

Like all other red/slave states, Ohio loves to fuck the poor, the non-white poo, to disease and death

Ohio will cut Planned Parenthood funding within a month's time (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/3/26/1845427/-Ohio-will-cut-Planned-Parenthood-funding-within-a-month-s-time)

The state of Ohio will cut Planned Parenthood off (https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/local/ohio-cut-planned-parenthood-funds-within-one-month/Bs1iLtA6T8h6tO6fNgsydI/?utm_source=newspaper&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=7738410&ecmp=newspaper_email&) from receiving any money from state or federal funds or block grants under a recently upheld state law that stops public funds from going to any organization that provides abortion.

A federal appeals court ruled (https://www.cleveland.com/court-justice/2019/03/appeals-court-says-ohio-move-to-defund-planned-parenthood-is-constitutional-delivering-blow-to-abortion-advocates.html) earlier this month that the Planned Parenthood affiliates in Ohio

"do not have a due process right to perform abortions,"

a ruling that the six dissenting judges called "an assault on a constitutional right."

Planned Parenthood has 26 clinics in the state, just a handful of them providing abortions, while

all the others provide basic, essential health services to women and their families.
No public funding of any kind is used by Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio and Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio Region for abortion, but the grants and contracts they do have

help provide health care for the poor at little or no cost, including

"testing for HIV/AIDS and other STDs,

Pap smears and

other cancer screenings,

infant mortality prevention programs and

sexual health education programs."

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1845427 (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1845427)

So the racist, misogynist Repugs really, really want to fuck over poor WOMEN.

[boutons_deux]

The Best People

OF COURSE TRUMP’S FED PICK OWES THE I.R.S. MORE THAN $75,000


https://media.vanityfair.com/photos/5c9bfd4c1c3519239055dac5/master/w_1920,c_limit/stephemoorefed.jpg

The biggest thing working against Stephen Moore’s candidacy for a seat on the Federal Reserve Board is that, according to a host of respected economists across the political spectrum,

he doesn’t know his ass from his elbow when it comes to fiscal or monetary policy (https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/03/trump-fed-nominee-stephen-moore-trashed-by-everyone-with-a-brain).

(Moore “does not have the intellectual gravitas for this important job,” said (http://gregmankiw.blogspot.com/2019/03/memo-to-senate-just-say-no.html) Greg Mankiw, chairman of the White House Council of Economic Advisers under George W. Bush.

“Frankly so bad [that] the putatively serious economists in [the] Trump administration should resign as [a] matter of honor,” wrote (https://twitter.com/sndurlauf/status/1109158123925839872) University of Chicago’s Steven N. Durlauf.)

So that’s the foremost reason the Senate should probably decline to confirm Moore—

who was banned (https://archives.cjr.org/united_states_project/stephen_moore_heritage_foundation_paul_krugman_kan sas_city_star.php) from the pages of a Kansas City newspaper for being so consistently wrong about everything—

for the open seat on the Fed’s board of governors that Donald Trump (https://www.vanityfair.com/people/donald-trump#intcid=dt-hot-link) wants him to take.

But the news that he owes the I.R.S. a significant chunk of change won’t exactly help his case (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-27/trump-s-fed-pick-moore-owes-75-000-to-irs-court-document-says)!

"Stephen Moore, whom President Donald Trump said he’ll nominate for a seat on the Federal Reserve, owes more than $75,000 in taxes and other penalties, according to the U.S. government.

A federal tax lien filed in the circuit court for Montgomery County, Maryland, where Moore owns a house, says that

the government won a judgment against Moore for $75,328.80.

The January 2018 filing said it was for unpaid taxes from the 2014 tax year and could accrue additional penalties and other costs."

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/03/stephen-moore-fed-taxes (https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/03/stephen-moore-fed-taxes)

[boutons_deux]

Bayer-Monsanto merger approved, consolidating/concentrating suppliers of seed and poisons, reducing competition.

Liz Warren wants to stop the merger to help farmers who are enslaved (aka not free) to these suppliers

[boutons_deux]

Trash's anti-scientific kakistorcracy gonna infirm, kill more people

EPA Science Panel Considering Guidelines That Upend Basic Air Pollution Science

https://www.npr.org/2019/03/28/707166015/epa-science-panel-considering-guidelines-that-upend-basic-air-pollution-science

[boutons_deux]

Emails Show Current FAA Chief Coordinated Policy With Airline Lobbyists

Political appointees typically aren’t allowed to participate in issues that involve their former employer or clients they have worked for, as part of President Donald Trump’s ethics rules (https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-ethics-commitments-executive-branch-appointees/). But the rules did not apply to Elwell during his first few months at the FAA when he worked on the deregulatory team (https://www.propublica.org/article/secrecy-and-suspicion-surround-trumps-deregulation-teams).

He had been classified as a kind of government consultant — a “special-government employee” — who isn’t bound by the ethics rules.

Elwell continued strategizing with his former lobbyist colleagues even after he was no longer a special-government employee and rose up to the top ranks of the agency.

Elwell was named the FAA’s deputy administrator in June 2017. A month later, Pinkerton emailed Elwell, asking him to “weigh in on directly” on compliance issues contained in the FAA’s five-year funding bill.

Elwell wrote back that he would be “Happy to do it,” and he asked a subordinate to help “set it up.”

The emails offer a detailed picture of the tight connections between the airline industry and the government, while the FAA is facing increased scrutiny over its oversight after two crashes of the Boeing’s 737 Max.
“These emails underline why there’s a prohibition on private communications between new federal officials and old lobbying clients,”

said Kathleen Clark, a government ethics expert and law professor at Washington University in St. Louis.

“The tone, the clubbiness.

The issue is that the inside group appears to be not the flying public.

The inside group appears to be the airlines.”
https://www.nationalmemo.com/emails-show-faa-chief-coordinated-lobbyists/ (https://www.nationalmemo.com/emails-show-faa-chief-coordinated-lobbyists/)

aka, the corruption of govt by "regulatory capture"

[boutons_deux]

Trump’s Medicare Overseer Spent Millions On Her ‘Personal Brand’

Seema Verma, the official Trump installed to oversee Medicare, Medicaid, and Obamacare,

has been spending millions of tax dollars on Republican public relations and media consultants to make her look good.

Verma is the head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services agency (CMS), and Politico reports (https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/29/seema-verma-contracts-1306652) that in that role

she has squandered over $3.25 million in taxpayer funds on the vanity project.


“The head of Obamacare doesn’t need outside consultants to get reporters to talk to her,”

a CMS official told the outlet, highlighting the absurdity of Verma’s actions. Nonetheless, Verma has

handed out money to a squadron of Republican consultants.

“Some career CMS staff have voiced their concerns to political appointees within the agency about routing taxpayer dollars to GOP consultants and helping a federal official like Verma improve her personal brand,”

https://www.nationalmemo.com/trumps-medicare-overseer-spent-millions-on-her-personal-brand/ (https://www.nationalmemo.com/trumps-medicare-overseer-spent-millions-on-her-personal-brand/)

[koriwhat]

wow what an echo chamber of lunacy!

[boutons_deux]

Murderous, blood-thirsty, war-mongering barbaric USA Constitutional-izes sadistic capital punishment.

Death row inmates not guaranteed a 'painless death,' Supreme Court rules

a decision written by conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch, the court ruled 5-4

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-execution/death-row-inmates-not-guaranteed-a-painless-death-supreme-court-rules-idUSKCN1RD2J5?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F +US+%2F+Top+News%29 (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-execution/death-row-inmates-not-guaranteed-a-painless-death-supreme-court-rules-idUSKCN1RD2J5?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F +US+%2F+Top+News%29)

[boutons_deux]

Rapers for Christ, Christ for Rapers

As DeVos Eases Sexual Assault Rules, Her Old High School May Provide a Test Case

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2019/03/28/us/politics/00dc-holland1/merlin_150644583_b910bdf7-47ff-4458-8dc8-b8ace91195c4-jumbo.jpg?quality=90&auto=webp

If there was any school where her daughter would feel safe, Michelle Hoffman thought, it would be Holland Christian High School.

But after her 15-year-old was sexually assaulted by her 17-year-old boyfriend, another student at the school, Ms. Hoffman realized how misplaced that confidence was.

Instead of helping,

the school’s principal called the assault “underage sex” and

told her the school was “not taking sides.” :lol

the secretary moves to overhaul the law that governs school sexual assault — and

to bolster the rights of the accused

while narrowing the responsibilities that schools have to investigate sexual misconduct.

“We pray :lol

that ours can be the case that makes Betsy say, ‘maybe this isn’t the right way to go,’” Ms. Hoffman said.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/01/us/politics/betsy-devos-sexual-assault-title-ix.html?partner=rss&emc=rss (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/01/us/politics/betsy-devos-sexual-assault-title-ix.html?partner=rss&emc=rss)

[boutons_deux]

The Supreme Court’s Conservatives Just Legalized Torture

In an appalling death penalty opinion, Justice Neil Gorsuch just overturned 60 years of precedent.

https://compote.slate.com/images/c6053f67-fd58-42a3-a03c-492e99fe444c.jpeg?width=780&height=520&rect=1448x965&offset=0x0


On Monday, five justices of the Supreme Court authorized (https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/18pdf/17-8151_1qm2.pdf) Missouri to torture a man to death.

In the process, they appear to have

overruled decades of Eighth Amendment precedents in a quest to let states impose barbaric punishments, including excruciating executions, on prisoners.

The court’s conservative majority has

converted a once-fringe view into the law of the land,

imperiling dozens of decisions protecting the rights of death row inmates, as well as juvenile offenders.

Its ruling signals

the end of an Eighth Amendment jurisprudence governed by “civilized standards”—and the beginning of a new, brutal era in American capital punishment.

Justice Neil Gorsuch’s opinion (https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/18pdf/17-8151_1qm2.pdf) for the court, however, does much more than condemn Bucklew to a harrowing demise.

It also quietly overrules, or at least erodes, more than 60 years of precedents, including several written by Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Gorsuch embraced a vision of the Eighth Amendment supported by Justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia that has consistently been rejected as dangerously extreme by a majority of the court.

In Baze and Glossip, the court explained that “because it is settled that capital punishment is constitutional,”

there “must be” a constitutional “means of carrying it out.”

“ecause some risk of pain is inherent in any method of execution,” the court has held,

“the Constitution does not require the avoidance of all risk of pain.”

The court’s duty, then, is simply to ensure that states do not impose a risky method of execution when a less painful method is at their disposal.

Thomas and Scalia went further. In both cases, they argued that, as originally understood,

the Eighth Amendment only prohibited states from intentionally making executions more painful than they had to be.

So long as a state does not “superadd” pain to an execution, it has complied with the Eighth Amendment.

Thomas’ theory would effectively shut down challenges to every method of execution unless an inmate had (impossible to obtain) evidence th

in Bucklew, Gorsuch writes that “revisiting that debate isn’t necessary here.” But he then does exactly that—and

[B]adopts Thomas’ interpretation of the Eighth Amendment, effectively overruling 60 years of precedent.

According to Gorsuch, “the question in dispute” here is whether lethal injection “cruelly superadds pain” to Bucklew’s death.

But that language does not come from Baze or Glossip. It comes from Thomas’ separate opinions, which were joined only by Scalia.

With one neat trick, Gorsuch has transformed the “superadds pain” test from a minority viewpoint to binding Supreme Court precedent.
(https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/04/supreme-court-neil-gorsuch-eighth-amendment-death-penalty-torture.html)since 1958 (https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/356/86/), the Supreme Court has rejected an originalist interpretation of the Eighth Amendment

Instead, the court has asked whether a punishment violates the “evolving standards of decency” of a “civilized society.”

, by forcing states to use the less painful of two execution methods,

the court adopted a resolutely nonoriginalist view that the Eighth Amendment may require a more “civilized” death.

In Bucklew, Gorsuch gutted that logic and replaced it with Thomas’ hard-line originalism.

Gorsuch cast doubt on a vast range of precedents built on the “evolving standards of decency” rule

by substituting it for the “superadds pain” principle.

Brett Kavanaugh has replaced Kennedy, and on Monday, he provided the fifth vote to let Missouri kill Bucklew—and tacitly repudiate his predecessor’s Eighth Amendment jurisprudence.

. If the court pursues Gorsuch’s originalist path, then it must overturn Kennedy’s juvenile justice decisions and

permit juvenile life without parole once again.

The court could also allow the execution of minors, mentally disabled people, and those who committed crimes other than murder.

So long as a state does not “superadd pain,”

it can apparently get away with anything, even barbarous executions that don’t intentionally inflict unnecessary suffering.

Welcome to our post-Kennedy death penalty jurisprudence, where legalized torture is back on the table.

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/04/supreme-court-neil-gorsuch-eighth-amendment-death-penalty-torture.html


Constitutional BARBARITY is what you rightwing assholes voted for, right?

America is fucked by conservatives, Repugs, oligarchy, BigCorp, and unfuckable.

Barbarous, extremely but "incidentally" painful executions are now Constitutional

[boutons_deux]

SCOTUS whores allow unlimited, excruciating PAIN and suffering during human executions!

but

Who will think of the DOGS?

FDA Aims to Reduce Animal Testing and End Use of Dogs as Test Subjects

https://www.projectcensored.org/fda-aims-to-reduce-animal-testing-and-end-use-of-dogs-as-test-subjects/ (https://www.projectcensored.org/fda-aims-to-reduce-animal-testing-and-end-use-of-dogs-as-test-subjects/)

[UnWantedTheory]

The Supreme Court’s Conservatives Just Legalized Torture

In an appalling death penalty opinion, Justice Neil Gorsuch just overturned 60 years of precedent.

https://compote.slate.com/images/c6053f67-fd58-42a3-a03c-492e99fe444c.jpeg?width=780&height=520&rect=1448x965&offset=0x0


On Monday, five justices of the Supreme Court authorized (https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/18pdf/17-8151_1qm2.pdf) Missouri to torture a man to death.

In the process, they appear to have

overruled decades of Eighth Amendment precedents in a quest to let states impose barbaric punishments, including excruciating executions, on prisoners.

The court’s conservative majority has

converted a once-fringe view into the law of the land,

imperiling dozens of decisions protecting the rights of death row inmates, as well as juvenile offenders.

Its ruling signals

the end of an Eighth Amendment jurisprudence governed by “civilized standards”—and the beginning of a new, brutal era in American capital punishment.

Justice Neil Gorsuch’s opinion (https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/18pdf/17-8151_1qm2.pdf) for the court, however, does much more than condemn Bucklew to a harrowing demise.

It also quietly overrules, or at least erodes, more than 60 years of precedents, including several written by Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Gorsuch embraced a vision of the Eighth Amendment supported by Justices Clarence Thomas and Antonin Scalia that has consistently been rejected as dangerously extreme by a majority of the court.

In Baze and Glossip, the court explained that “because it is settled that capital punishment is constitutional,”

there “must be” a constitutional “means of carrying it out.”

“ecause some risk of pain is inherent in any method of execution,” the court has held,

“the Constitution does not require the avoidance of all risk of pain.”

The court’s duty, then, is simply to ensure that states do not impose a risky method of execution when a less painful method is at their disposal.

Thomas and Scalia went further. In both cases, they argued that, as originally understood,

the Eighth Amendment only prohibited states from intentionally making executions more painful than they had to be.

So long as a state does not “superadd” pain to an execution, it has complied with the Eighth Amendment.

Thomas’ theory would effectively shut down challenges to every method of execution unless an inmate had (impossible to obtain) evidence th

in Bucklew, Gorsuch writes that “revisiting that debate isn’t necessary here.” But he then does exactly that—and

[B]adopts Thomas’ interpretation of the Eighth Amendment, effectively overruling 60 years of precedent.

According to Gorsuch, “the question in dispute” here is whether lethal injection “cruelly superadds pain” to Bucklew’s death.

But that language does not come from Baze or Glossip. It comes from Thomas’ separate opinions, which were joined only by Scalia.

With one neat trick, Gorsuch has transformed the “superadds pain” test from a minority viewpoint to binding Supreme Court precedent.
(https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/04/supreme-court-neil-gorsuch-eighth-amendment-death-penalty-torture.html)since 1958 (https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/356/86/), the Supreme Court has rejected an originalist interpretation of the Eighth Amendment

Instead, the court has asked whether a punishment violates the “evolving standards of decency” of a “civilized society.”

, by forcing states to use the less painful of two execution methods,

the court adopted a resolutely nonoriginalist view that the Eighth Amendment may require a more “civilized” death.

In Bucklew, Gorsuch gutted that logic and replaced it with Thomas’ hard-line originalism.

Gorsuch cast doubt on a vast range of precedents built on the “evolving standards of decency” rule

by substituting it for the “superadds pain” principle.

Brett Kavanaugh has replaced Kennedy, and on Monday, he provided the fifth vote to let Missouri kill Bucklew—and tacitly repudiate his predecessor’s Eighth Amendment jurisprudence.

. If the court pursues Gorsuch’s originalist path, then it must overturn Kennedy’s juvenile justice decisions and

permit juvenile life without parole once again.

The court could also allow the execution of minors, mentally disabled people, and those who committed crimes other than murder.

So long as a state does not “superadd pain,”

it can apparently get away with anything, even barbarous executions that don’t intentionally inflict unnecessary suffering.

Welcome to our post-Kennedy death penalty jurisprudence, where legalized torture is back on the table.

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/04/supreme-court-neil-gorsuch-eighth-amendment-death-penalty-torture.html


Constitutional BARBARITY is what you rightwing assholes voted for, right?

America is fucked by conservatives, Repugs, oligarchy, BigCorp, and unfuckable.

Barbarous, extremely but "incidentally" painful executions are now Constitutional





This is beyond fucked up.

[boutons_deux]

The hate industrial complex is also silent

The GOP’s response to White House whistleblower: Nothing to see here

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/04/02/gops-response-white-house-whistleblower-nothing-see-here/?utm_term=.5e6126b0b5c6&wpisrc=nl_most&wpmm=1

... if Obama had done the same?

[boutons_deux]

WTF?! Republicans defend security clearances—say 'only' 5 people cleared despite 'serious' concerns (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/4/1/1846934/-WTF-Republicans-defend-security-clearances-say-only-five-people-cleared-despite-serious-concern)

The entire Republican Party spent two years dog-piling on Hillary Clinton over her emails and use of a private server. Time and time again, they said she could not be trusted on issues of national security.

Most incredibly, though, it says the security clearances are no big deal because only four or five of those people cleared for security clearances had “very serious” issues.


If Kline overturned only—at most—

five clearance adjudications with very serious concerns out of five thousand,

Ms. Newbold’s concerns seem overblown.


Bolded for emphasis because this is stunningly irresponsible.

The Republican defense is that “at most—five” people with “serious” security concerns were cleared over Newfold’s objections.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/4/1/1846934/-WTF-Republicans-defend-security-clearances-say-only-five-people-cleared-despite-serious-concern?detail=emaildkre (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/4/1/1846934/-WTF-Republicans-defend-security-clearances-say-only-five-people-cleared-despite-serious-concern?detail=emaildkre)

"butter emails!" so Hillary can't be trusted :lol

Trash's National SECURITY Advisor was compromised and lied about it, butter emails!

[boutons_deux]

Supreme Court's Death Penalty Ruling Leaves Legal Experts Aghast

fundamentally erodes protections against torture enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.

The decision was denounced as

“atrocious,”

“blood-thirsty” (https://thinkprogress.org/gorsuch-supreme-court-cruel-death-penalty-opinion-eighth-amendment-8ddde34133ac/) and

“barbaric”

by death penalty abolitionists and other critics, with some saying the high court’s approval of Bucklew’s execution is

tantamount to nullifying the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment

—the law banning cruel and unusual punishment.

============================

https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1075760548426539008/2q8DtxN__bigger.jpg (https://twitter.com/imillhiser)Ian Millhiser
(https://twitter.com/imillhiser)✔@imillhiser
(https://twitter.com/imillhiser)
I really cannot exaggerate how radical and how significant the opinion Gorsuch handed down today is.

It completely rewrites the Court's understanding of a provision of the Bill of Rights -- and

it portends similarly revolutionary opinions in the future.

===================

Mark Joseph Stern
(https://twitter.com/mjs_DC)✔@mjs_DC
(https://twitter.com/mjs_DC)
(https://twitter.com/mjs_DC)Gorsuch's atrocious opinion in today's death penalty case essentially convert's Thomas' extreme interpretation of the 8th Amendment—long considered a fringe view—into the law of the land. Just jaw-dropping.

====================

Mark Joseph Stern
(https://twitter.com/mjs_DC)✔@mjs_DC
(https://twitter.com/mjs_DC)
(https://twitter.com/mjs_DC)The Supreme Court's 5–4 death penalty decision today is beyond appalling.

It legalizes torture and effectively reverses 60 years of progressive precedent.

It transforms a barbaric view of the 8th Amendment into the law of the land.

It is horrific.

=====================

Elie Mystal wrote (https://abovethelaw.com/2019/04/supreme-court-eighth-amendment-horror/) that Gorsuch’s opinion

will not only condemn Bucklew to a painful death instead of forcing the state to find a less painful method, as the inmate requested,

but will weaken the Eighth Amendment’s protections for other death row inmates

for generations to come.

“Unknown numbers of innocent people have been executed in this country since the death penalty was reinstated,” wrote Mystal.

“Untold numbers of guilty people have known the spiteful vengeance some people mistake for justice.

Through it all, the Eighth Amendment sits on the sidelines, a grand idea neutered by our society’s rage and cowardice,

waiting for better men and women to live up to its noble promise.”

“But Neil Gorsuch is not a better man,” he continued.

“Instead of just killing the murderer and being done with it,

Gorsuch could not resist seeing the Bucklew case as

an opportunity to experiment with justifications of the

state’s right to inflict suffering that have long been discarded by decent people.”
====================

Justice Sonia Sotomayor rebuked Gorsuch’s position that Bucklew’s execution must not be delayed any longer.

“There are higher values than ensuring that executions run on time,”

Sotomayor wrote.

“If a death sentence or the manner in which it is carried out violates the Constitution,

that stain can never come out.

Our jurisprudence must remain one of vigilance and care, not one of dismissiveness.”

=============

“The majority’s willingness

to cast aside one of the most firmly established assumptions of constitutional law so casually,”

Millhiser added,

“suggests that

they will do it again.

And again.

And again.”

https://www.truthdig.com/articles/supreme-courts-death-penalty-ruling-leaves-legal-experts-aghast/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Truthdig+Truthdig%3A+Drilling +Beneath+the+Headlines (https://www.truthdig.com/articles/supreme-courts-death-penalty-ruling-leaves-legal-experts-aghast/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Truthdig+Truthdig%3A+Drilling +Beneath+the+Headlines)

Gorsuch isn't alone, 4 others justices agreed, the slimebag Federalists put him forward, most of the legal profession approved him.

AmeriKKKa is fucked and unfuckable.

Fucking Catholics

Fucking LIAR Roberts "just call balls and strikes" ? :lol

His court of oligarchy whore is an EXTREMELY ACTIVIST, LAW-MAKING, not law-judging, court.

[boutons_deux]

Interior Secretary Nominee David Bernhardt

One Step Closer to Joining Trump’s Swamp-Filled Cabinet With Help of Key Western Senators McSally, Gardner, Daines and Heinrich

Today the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 14-6 to move controversial Acting Interior Secretary David Bernhardt’s nomination to a full Senate vote,

“It’s no surprise that a group of Senators who owe so much to special interest lobbyists would support this choice for Interior Secretary. For the last two years, conflict-ridden David Bernhardt has tipped the scales in favor of former clients, likely violating his ethics pledge and responsibilities to the American people.

calls (https://act.myngp.com/el/DVBznrLYPiAm-_MAEhZWmHcZTCH8RbULg8X0qdHxX4c=/nsnUBTizphjjwgj6JhtE0ldEcpHnzqtwionBFbltsIg=) by Senator Wyden and others to delay his vote based on serious concerns regarding Bernhardt’s culture of corruption were ignored.

Interior’s Office of Inspector General is reviewing evidence that Bernhardt violated his ethics pledge when he acted on behalf of a former client, Westlands Water District (https://act.myngp.com/el/DVBznrLYPiAm-_MAEhZWmHcZTCH8RbULg8X0qdHxX4c=/WxW-qLF-DpkBAqkmFrOLIzSZy1EXFmaOG58DOaI-EQs=).

New details released (https://act.myngp.com/el/DVBznrLYPiAm-_MAEhZWmHcZTCH8RbULg8X0qdHxX4c=/RyyWVWBl7erdYTyW6o2J9mWLnhKeluI1hNX3I_al3uM=) today by the New York Times found that Bernhardt had continued to associate with the water district at least until his deputy secretary nomination on April 28, 2017.

Within four months of his confirmation as Interior Deputy Secretary, Bernhardt pushed (https://act.myngp.com/el/DVBznrLYPiAm-_MAEhZWmHcZTCH8RbULg8X0qdHxX4c=/0eTZOgqjTD6MNseYL9YJb8lCMn56j0z_KWTap0jZpOs=) for a decision that would be beneficial for his former client.

Western Values Project (WVP) filed suit (https://act.myngp.com/el/DVBznrLYPiAm-_MAEhZWmHcZTCH8RbULg8X0qdHxX4c=/dg6C_8NhjTOgL-NAdDCE8hzA5i1VsDhApIvK9-bQyvo=) against the Interior Department in July of 2018 for public documents related to Bernhardt’s involvement with his former lobbying firm and clients.

https://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2019/04/04/interior-secretary-nominee-david-bernhardt-one-step-closer-joining-trumps-swamp?cd-origin=rss (https://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2019/04/04/interior-secretary-nominee-david-bernhardt-one-step-closer-joining-trumps-swamp?cd-origin=rss)

the corruption, has been, and will be, unPresidented, as Trash installs All The Usual Swamp Monsters in his Exec

[boutons_deux]

After hundreds of crashes, this Britax jogging stroller faced recall. Then Trump appointees stepped in.

The crashes were brutal.

With no warning, the front wheel on the three-wheeled BOB jogging strollers fell off, causing the carriages to careen and even flip over.

Adults shattered bones.

They tore ligaments.

Children smashed their teeth.

They gashed their faces.

One child bled from his ear canal.

The agency’s staff members investigated for months before deciding in 2017 that one of the most popular jogging strollers on the market was unsafe and needed to be recalled.

“The danger that was there was just so obvious,” said Marietta Robinson, a former Democratic commissioner who was still at the agency when the injury reports surfaced. “It was appalling.”

But BOB’s maker, Britax Child Safety, refused the agency’s request in 2017 for a voluntary recall of nearly 500,000 strollers.

The company said the strollers were safe when used as instructed and met industry standards for safety.

It sued to force a recall in February 2018. Britax kept fighting. That was unusual. Companies normally want to avoid public clashes with safety regulators, according to past and current agency staff members.

But the leadership of the safety agency was about to change.
And that meant Britax might not have to recall the BOB after all.

The untold story of the Britax case shows how changes in

the safety agency’s leadership under President Trump

influenced the handling of a product that the commission believed had injured consumers.

The case was even more striking because it unfolded as Republicans assumed day-to-day control of the agency,

eventually earning a majority on the agency’s oversight commission for the first time in more than a decade.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/after-hundreds-of-crashes-this-britax-jogging-stroller-faced-recall-then-trump-appointees-stepped-in/2019/04/02/faf23c20-4c06-11e9-b79a-961983b7e0cd_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.d1a239e49550

This is what all y'all Trash fellators and Repug voters voted for, right? Dangerous products kept on the marke to protect BigCorp profits.

[boutons_deux]

Ethics experts sound alarm over confirmation process of Trump’s pick to lead NOAA

"Nobody could argue with a straight face" that Barry Myers doesn’t have conflicts of interest.

Should he be confirmed to lead NOAA, his role will involve oversight of the National Weather Service, a conflict of interest that has raised red flags among ethics watchdogs due to Myers’ prior role as chief executive of AccuWeather.

AccuWeather, a family-run company, relies heavily on NOAA’s weather service data for its forecasts.

Under Myers’ leadership (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2018-06-14/trump-s-pick-to-lead-weather-agency-spent-30-years-fighting-it), the company argued that NOAA should reduce the amount of weather information it releases directly to the public.

In essence,

AccuWeather sought to restrict public access to data funded by taxpayers and instead make it available exclusively to private companies that would then use the data in products sold to the public.

As a result, people would pay twice for the information, once through taxes and a second time to access it through companies.

“He’s for privatizing the weather service,

which is sort of contrary to an important role the government serves, and down the road would cause all kinds of problems for the pubic.

I mean, what if you had to pay to get the weather instead of just getting it?”

“There rightly has been significant concern surrounding the ability of Myers to act impartially,”

https://thinkprogress.org/barry-myers-trump-accuweather-noaa-9702aad73651/

A conflicted businessman with no science degree to run a scientific agency as kakistocrat

[boutons_deux]

Trump says he recommended Cain for seat on Fed board :lol


https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-fed-cain-recommendation/trump-says-he-recommended-cain-for-seat-on-fed-board-idUSKCN1RG2SQ?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FPoliticsNews+%28Reu ters+Politics+News%29

[boutons_deux]

Goddamn, ALL the red/slave states suck

The Peach State or 'Banana Republic'? Critics Howl Over Georgia GOP's Proposal to Target Journalists With Secretive Ethics Panel

"It's not the government's role to tell journalists how to do their jobs. This bill is unnecessary state meddling with the press."

a bill put forward by Republicans in Georgia that would create a journalism ethics board in the state and subject reporters to fines if they don't comply with the new rules.

"Ethics in Journalism Act (https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/5792923-HB-734.html)" (H.B. 734) would establish an "independent" ethics board with members from the journalism profession selected by the University of Georgia, which is run by the state.

The board would create "canons of ethics,"

set up a system for issuing and investigating complaints about journalists and news outlets, and

issue advisory opinions on whether news organizations have violated laws.

Under the proposal, news outlets would also be required to turn over materials—including video and audio files of interviews—if a subject requests the files.

Refusal to release the materials could result in lawsuits or fines.

As the Journal-Constitution noted,

the rule would give the government more power over journalists than the public has over the legislature

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/04/04/peach-state-or-banana-republic-critics-howl-over-georgia-gops-proposal-target (https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/04/04/peach-state-or-banana-republic-critics-howl-over-georgia-gops-proposal-target)

I expect Trash will tweet support

[boutons_deux]

Where in The U.S. Are You Most Likely to Be Audited by the IRS?

In a baffling twist of logic, the intense IRS focus on Humphreys County is actually because so many of its taxpayers are poor. More than half of the county’s taxpayers claim the earned income tax credit, a program designed to help boost low-income workers out of poverty.

As we reported last year, the IRS audits EITC recipients at higher rates than all but the richest Americans (https://www.propublica.org/article/earned-income-tax-credit-irs-audit-working-poor),

a response to pressure from congressional Republicans to root out incorrect payments of the credit.

The study estimates that Humphreys, with a median annual household income of just $26,000, is audited at a rate 51 percent higher than Loudoun County, Virginia, which boasts a median income of $130,000, the highest in the country.

https://projects.propublica.org/graphics/eitc-audit (https://projects.propublica.org/graphics/eitc-audit)

Crushing poor people with their simple finances while Repugs have cut $100Ms from IRS funding so IRS doesn't have the people to audit
BigCorp's and 1%'s complicated returns, eg, Trash's.

[boutons_deux]

Trump says he recommended Cain for seat on Fed board

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-fed-cain-recommendation/trump-says-he-recommended-cain-for-seat-on-fed-board-idUSKCN1RG2SQ?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FPoliticsNews+%28Reu te
rs+Politics+News%29 (https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-fed-cain-recommendation/trump-says-he-recommended-cain-for-seat-on-fed-board-idUSKCN1RG2SQ?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FPoliticsNews+%28Reu ters+Politics+News%29)

Trash's vetting policy: Suck my dick to get a nomination

Herman Cain’s pro-Trump PAC attacked 12 GOP senators as “traitors” for emergency declaration vote

https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2019/04/04/herman-cain-s-pro-trump-pac-attacked-12-gop-senators-traitors-emergency-declaration-vote/223341?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MediaMattersForAmerica-CountyFair+%28Media+Matters+for+America+-+Blog%29 (https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2019/04/04/herman-cain-s-pro-trump-pac-attacked-12-gop-senators-traitors-emergency-declaration-vote/223341?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MediaMattersForAmerica-CountyFair+%28Media+Matters+for+America+-+Blog%29)

[DMX7]

Trash's vetting policy: Suck my dick to get a nomination

[COLOR=#000000]Herman Cain’s pro-Trump PAC attacked 12 GOP senators as “traitors” for emergency declaration vote

https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2019/04/04/herman-cain-s-pro-trump-pac-attacked-12-gop-senators-traitors-emergency-declaration-vote/223341?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MediaMattersForAmerica-CountyFair+%28Media+Matters+for+America+-+Blog%29 (https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2019/04/04/herman-cain-s-pro-trump-pac-attacked-12-gop-senators-traitors-emergency-declaration-vote/223341?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MediaMattersForAmerica-CountyFair+%28Media+Matters+for+America+-+Blog%29)




9-9-9

[boutons_deux]

red/slave slave KASA, esp for women

Missouri Lawmakers Look to Codify the Idea That ‘Survivors Lie’

The Trump administration has “created an entire environment where women are disbelieved,"

"I am not surprised that we see states adopting bills that are reflective of this ideology."

https://rewire.news/article/2019/04/05/missouri-lawmakers-look-to-codify-the-idea-that-survivors-lie/ (https://rewire.news/article/2019/04/05/missouri-lawmakers-look-to-codify-the-idea-that-survivors-lie/)

[boutons_deux]

Legislative Lowlights: Republicans Give the Green Light for LGBTQ Discrimination

One Democrat supported a bill introduced by Texas Republicans that

would prohibit state agencies from penalizing workers who refuse to provide services based on religious belief.

https://rewire.news/article/2019/04/09/legislative-lowlights-republicans-give-the-green-light-for-lgbtq-discrimination/ (https://rewire.news/article/2019/04/09/legislative-lowlights-republicans-give-the-green-light-for-lgbtq-discrimination/)

[boutons_deux]

Amid Wave of Anti-Choice Laws, Texas GOP Holds Public Hearing on Putting Women to Death for Obtaining Abortions

A Texas state House committee on Monday night

devoted several hours to discussing potentially subjecting women to the death penalty if they obtain abortions.

Republican state Rep. Tony Tinderholt introduced the bill, saying it

would make women more "personally responsible." :lol but who will responsibilize the men? :lol

the bill was given the state's first-ever public hearing on a proposal to classify women as criminals for obtaining abortions.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/04/10/amid-wave-anti-choice-laws-texas-gop-holds-public-hearing-putting-women-death?cd-origin=rss (https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/04/10/amid-wave-anti-choice-laws-texas-gop-holds-public-hearing-putting-women-death?cd-origin=rss)

goddamn, TX solidifies its status as a SHITHOLE full of hated-saturated, maggot-infested Christian turds

[boutons_deux]

unending evidence that the Repugs are deeply anti-democratic, anti-Constitutional. Only power and money from BigDonor matters, not America

Tennessee Lawmakers Consider Fines And Criminal Penalties For Voter Registration Drives

Activists say the measure would chill efforts to register people in a state that already has significant problems with voter registration and turnout.

Tennessee lawmakers are considering a bill (http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/111/Amend/SA0258.pdf) that would impose new restrictions on groups conducting voter registrations and subject them to potential criminal charges and civil penalties.

Activists say the move is unnecessary and would deter voter registration in

a state that already has one of the lowest rates in the country. (https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2018/08/27/tennessee-voter-registration-turnout-panel/1115860002/)

The bill would allow officials to impose a fine of $150 to $2,000 on any group that turns in at least 100 “deficient” voter registration applications in a single county.

A group that turns in more than 500 “deficient” applications could be fined up to $10,000.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tennessee-voter-registration-applications_n_5cafa525e4b098b9a2d0f707?ncid=newsl tushpmgnews__TheMorningEmail__041219 (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tennessee-voter-registration-applications_n_5cafa525e4b098b9a2d0f707?ncid=newsl tushpmgnews__TheMorningEmail__041219)

[boutons_deux]

Voting Rights Roundup: Arkansas GOP tries to block liberal ballot measures—but not conservative ones (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/4/12/1849806/-Voting-Rights-Roundup-Arkansas-GOP-tries-to-block-liberal-ballot-measures-but-not-conservative-ones)

Arkansas: Angry that voters passed a ballot initiative to increase the minimum wage (https://ballotpedia.org/Arkansas_Issue_5,_Minimum_Wage_Increase_Initiative _(2018))in 2018, Arkansas Republicans are using their legislative majorities to put a constitutional amendment on the 2020 (https://ballotpedia.org/Arkansas_Initiative_Process_and_Legislative_Referr al_Requirements_Amendment_(2020)) ballot that would make it vastly harder for progressives—but not conservatives—to ever put a measure on the ballot again.

Arizona: Republicans have passed a bill (https://www.azmirror.com/2019/04/08/house-approves-new-emergency-voting-restrictions/) in the state House that imposes new restrictions on early voting. Arizona's in-person early-voting period normally ends the Friday before Election Day, but voters who have an unexpected emergency that prevents them from voting on Election Day are currently allowed to vote at a limited number of "emergency" voting centers in the days between Election Day and the cutoff for regular early voting. This bill (https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/71292?SessionId=121) would require such voters to sign a sworn statement that they have an emergency and would penalize any false claims as a felony, punishable by up to three years in prison

Indiana: Indiana Republicans have passed a bill (http://thestatehousefile.com/absentee-ballot-bill-way-governors-desk-changes-deadline-2019-elections/38494/) that would make it more difficult to cast an absentee ballot by mail by lengthening the deadline to request a mail ballot from eight to 12 days before Election Day.

Tennessee: Tennessee Republicans are quickly advancing a bill that could intimidate civic groups into no longer conducting voter registration drives, with a committee in the state Senate recently approving the measure (http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=HB1079). As we recently explained, this bill could put those organizing voter registration drives in a classic Catch-22: They could face criminal penalties (https://www.dailykos.com/story/2019/4/5/1848015/-GOP-wants-criminal-penalties-if-you-don-t-submit-false-voter-registrations-and-civil-fines-if-you-do) for failing to submit inaccurate voter registration forms and civil fines if they do submit them.

Mississippi: Mississippi Republicans have appealed (https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Mississippi-requests-new-hearing-in-redistricting-13751359.php) a recent ruling by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that struck down (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/3/29/1846270/-Voting-Rights-Roundup-Florida-GOP-advances-poll-tax-that-could-disenfranchise-one-million-voters#4) the GOP-held 22nd State Senate District for diluting black voters' power in violation of the Voting Rights Act. Republicans are asking that the whole 5th Circuit hear their case en banc, where all judges on the circuit participate. Given that conservatives dominate the 5th Circuit, there's a reasonable chance Republicans will succeed

● (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1849806#15) North Carolina: North Carolina Republicans just can't quit their addiction to gerrymandering. Two state House Republicans have introduced a bill (https://www.wschronicle.com/2019/04/new-bill-shackles-black-voters-into-2-wards/) that redraws the city council in Winston-Salem, a city of a quarter-million people, in what appears to be a classic racial gerrymander.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1849806 (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1849806)

[boutons_deux]

Fun with a Murdoch toilet paper

https://images.dailykos.com/images/665720/story_image/sorensen-nypostcover915.png?1555402933

[boutons_deux]

New from yet another Repug shithole, crushing poor people falsely for fraud

Texas removes thousands of children from Medicaid each month due to red tape

Most states check whether children on Medicaid still qualify for the program once a year.

Texas checks more often, using an automated system that critics say lead to kids losing coverage even though they’re still eligible.

Most states check whether children still qualify for Medicaid once a year, when it’s time for them to reenroll.

In Texas, the HHSC uses

an automated system to detect income changes in households with children on Medicaid several times a year.

That’s led to thousands of kids being abruptly kicked off the program – and

data shows that many of those removals were in error.

The state currently conducts automated checks for income changes among families with children on Medicaid in databases maintained by the Texas Workforce Commission, the federal Office of Child Support Enforcement, the Social Security Administration and a private firm, Equifax.

If any of the databases shows a family’s income rising above the threshold for Medicaid, the commission sends a letter to the family and gives them 10 days to prove they are still eligible.

Williams said that if the 10-day period has passed with no response from the household, the commission waits an additional 15 days before taking any action, such as disenrollment.

The commission started performing the eligibility checks multiple times per year in 2014.

Data from HHSC shows that only 1% of households with a child in the Medicaid system were contacted in 2017 and 2018 because they didn’t pass a periodic income check.

That amounts to an average of 6,471 households contacted per month.

Of those contacted for follow-up, 70% of the children lost coverage.

The majority,

an average of 4,162 children per month, are denied due to procedural issues, such as failing to provide income verification.

However, just over half regained Medicaid or CHIP coverage within 12 months,

suggesting they were dropped from the program prematurely.
many of the kids that are kicked off Medicaid are not due to an eligibility issue but families getting caught up in “bureaucratic red tape.”

https://www.rawstory.com/2019/04/texas-removes-thousands-children-medicaid-month-due-red-tape-records-show/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+%28The+Raw+Story% 29 (https://www.rawstory.com/2019/04/texas-removes-thousands-children-medicaid-month-due-red-tape-records-show/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+%28The+Raw+Story% 29)

[boutons_deux]

Ditzy Devos, the ignorant, dominionist, misogynist, racist, grifting kakisotcrat extraordinaire

Things Didn’t Go Well When Betsy DeVos Was Confronted With Her Department’s Charter School Fraud

One billion awarded by the federal government’s Charter Schools Program (CSP) went to charter schools that never opened or opened for only brief periods

During a series of recent congressional hearings in Washington, D.C., U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos had to respond to a recent report finding

the U.S. Department of Education has been scammed for hundreds of millions of dollars by fraudulent or mismanaged charter schools.

Her responses reveal not only her inability to counter legitimate concerns over the spread of charter schools but

also the charter school industry’s resistance to honestly address a chronic problem with its schools.

up to $1 billion awarded by the federal government’s Charter Schools Program (CSP) went to charter schools that never opened or opened for only brief periods before being shut down for mismanagement, poor performance, lack of enrollment, and fraud.

Our calculation was that a least a third of the $4.1 billion spent by the CSP was wasted.

https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/04/22/things-didnt-go-well-when-betsy-devos-was-confronted-her-departments-charter-school

[boutons_deux]

TRUMP’S FED PICK: KEEP WOMEN OUT OF SPORTS, UNLESS THEY MAKE ME HORNY

“No more women refs, no women announcers, no women beer venders, no women anything.”

These are actual opinions espoused by Stephen Moore.

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/04/stephen-moore-women-basketball?mbid=nl_th_5cbe43fe42ae0b19c49f3b02&CNDID=43758549&utm_source=nl&utm_brand=vf&utm_mailing=VF_Hive_042319&utm_medium=email&bxid=5bd6795524c17c1048022fcc&user_id=43758549&hasha=992d608214b505003aa04bf10a595031&hashb=542eb31d958e85ddd5a4c3ccf3faae18526a77bd&hashc=54b3612ab970ce13a64a16665b1987080ca5b72e2ee7 62b722fbba6ab378f2f5&esrc=bounceX&utm_campaign=VF_Hive_042319&utm_term=VYF_Hive (https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/04/stephen-moore-women-basketball?mbid=nl_th_5cbe43fe42ae0b19c49f3b02&CNDID=43758549&utm_source=nl&utm_brand=vf&utm_mailing=VF_Hive_042319&utm_medium=email&bxid=5bd6795524c17c1048022fcc&user_id=43758549&hasha=992d608214b505003aa04bf10a595031&hashb=542eb31d958e85ddd5a4c3ccf3faae18526a77bd&hashc=54b3612ab970ce13a64a16665b1987080ca5b72e2ee7 62b722fbba6ab378f2f5&esrc=bounceX&utm_campaign=VF_Hive_042319&utm_term=VYF_Hive)

[boutons_deux]

Trump administration forces U.N. to water down resolution on rape as a weapon of war (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/4/23/1852606/-Trump-administration-forces-UN-to-water-down-resolution-on-rape-as-a-weapon-of-war)

The U.S. was threatening to veto any resolution that hinted at the necessity of abortion being available to the victims of this ongoing atrocity, and it won.https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1852606 (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1852606)

Knowers of the Mind of God say God wants rape victims to have rape babies, are gifts from God

[boutons_deux]

Interior Inspector General Opens Probe Of Half-Dozen Trump Political Appointees


https://cdn.talkingpointsmemo.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/[email protected]


investigation into whether several senior political appointees improperly met with their former employers and clients

The 82-page CLC complaint from February names six former lobbyists, lawyers and other conservative figures who accepted political appointments in Trump’s Interior Department and subsequently held meetings with their former clients or employers.

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/interior-inspector-general-opens-probe-of-half-dozen-trump-political-appointees?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tpm-news+%28TPMNews%29

The corruption will be UnPresidented

[boutons_deux]

Trump, Republicans applaud Navy SEAL accused of war crimes. (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/4/23/1852711/-Trump-Republicans-defend-Navy-SEAL-accused-of-war-crimes)

Two SEAL snipers told investigators that one day, from his sniper nest,

Chief Gallagher shot a girl in a flower-print hijab

who was walking with other girls on the riverbank. One of those snipers said he watched through his scope as she dropped, clutching her stomach, and the other girls dragged her away.

On the morning of May 4, 2017, Iraqi troops brought in an Islamic State fighter who had been wounded in the leg in battle, SEALs told investigators, and Chief Gallagher responded over the radio with words to the effect of “he’s mine.” The SEALs estimated that the captive was about 15 years old. A video clip shows the youth struggling to speak, but SEAL medics told investigators that his wounds had not appeared life-threatening.

A medic was treating the youth on the ground when

Chief Gallagher walked up without a word and stabbed the wounded teenager several times in the neck and once in the chest with his hunting knife, killing him, two SEAL witnesses said.

Killing a prisoner of war, especially one underage, is among the gravest of war crimes.

We should expect all our politicians to take such matters seriously.

This will never happen, because

the Republican party has openly allied with white supremacists and tacitly endorses violence visited upon brown and black people.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/4/23/1852711/-Trump-Republicans-defend-Navy-SEAL-accused-of-war-crimes?detail=emaildkre (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/4/23/1852711/-Trump-Republicans-defend-Navy-SEAL-accused-of-war-crimes?detail=emaildkre)

Repugs and Trash pandering to evangelicals by supporting a murderer of dehumanized Muslims

[boutons_deux]

U.S. Pressure Blocks Declaration on Climate Change at Arctic Talks

Under pressure from the United States, the Arctic Council issued a short joint statement on Tuesday that excluded any mention of climate change.

It was the first time since its formation in 1996 that the council had been unable to issue a joint declaration spelling out its priorities.

As an international organization made up of eight Arctic countries and representatives of indigenous groups in the region, its stated mission is cooperation on Arctic issues, particularly the protection of the region’s fragile environment.

According to diplomats involved in the negotiations,

at issue was the United States’ insistence not to mention the latest science on climate change or the Paris Agreement aimed at averting its worst effects.

The omission is especially notable because scientists have warned that the Arctic is heating up far faster than the world average because of rising greenhouse gas emissions.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/07/climate/us-arctic-climate-change.html?partner=rss&emc=rss (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/07/climate/us-arctic-climate-change.html?partner=rss&emc=rss)

The rest of the world should say "Fuck you, America" and go about addressing AGW and the ongoing, worsening climate catastrophe.

[boutons_deux]

https://scontent-dfw5-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/58379883_1708782342600462_7664209319683948544_n.jp g?_nc_cat=1&_nc_ht=scontent-dfw5-2.xx&oh=04b75592740b7fd85bde957b5c3ae56f&oe=5D65AFAC

[boutons_deux]

Poll says that 56% of Americans don't want kids taught Arabic numerals. We have some bad news (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/5/13/1857360/-Poll-says-that-56-of-Americans-don-t-want-kids-taught-Arabic-numerals-We-have-some-bad-news)

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/5/13/1857360/-Poll-says-that-56-of-Americans-don-t-want-kids-taught-Arabic-numerals-We-have-some-bad-news?utm_campaign=trending (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/5/13/1857360/-Poll-says-that-56-of-Americans-don-t-want-kids-taught-Arabic-numerals-We-have-some-bad-news?utm_campaign=trending)

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

goddamn, y'all are fucking stupid

[boutons_deux]

California wins in Supreme Court after 28-year fight with inventor

a broad ruling that shields states from private lawsuits filed in other states.

The 5-4 ruling is both a win for the California Franchise Tax Board and a victory for the conservative principle of state “sovereign immunity.”

The decision by Justice Clarence Thomas

overturned a 40-year-old precedent

to now “hold that states retain their sovereign immunity from private suits brought in the courts of other states.”


The court’s four liberals sounded a warning about the willingness of the conservative majority to overturn precedents.


“Today’s decision can only cause one to wonder which cases the court will overrule next,”

There was no compelling reason today for the court to overturn the 1979 precedent that allowed the tax suit to proceed, Breyer wrote.

Thomas said the framers of the Constitution had an “understanding that states retained immunity from private suits, both in their own courts and in other courts.” really? where is this "understanding" in the sacred text?


That case held that the Constitution allows states to provide immunity for other states, but does not require them to do so. Monday’s ruling makes such immunity mandatory.


“There is simply nothing in the Constitution” that requires such a rule, Breyer wrote.

https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-supreme-court-california-tax-suit-nevada-20190513-story.html#nws=mcnewsletter (https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-supreme-court-california-tax-suit-nevada-20190513-story.html#nws=mcnewsletter)

file under "SCOTUS5 oligarchy whores screw citizens"

and stare decisis is inoperative, there is no such thing as settled law, no matter how many rulings have supported an original ruling.

[boutons_deux]

Trump Administration Balks at Global Pact to Crack Down on Online Extremism

The Trump administration said on Wednesday that it

would not sign an international accord intended to pressure the largest internet platforms to eradicate violent and extremist content,

“the best tool to defeat terrorist speech is productive speech.” :lol Trash is a productive speaker! :lol

“That the U.S. is a no-show to such an important meeting indicates

a shocking lack of concern about the tremendous harms perpetuated by the internet, including terrorism and killing,”

“Further, our lack of participation will reinforce the intellectual divide between Americans and the rest of the world.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/15/technology/christchurch-call-trump.html?partner=rss&emc=rss (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/15/technology/christchurch-call-trump.html?partner=rss&emc=rss)

divide between Americans and the rest of the world.” EXACTLY what Pootin wants

[boutons_deux]

White House launches tool to report censorship on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter

‘If you suspect political bias caused such an action to be taken against you,

share your story with President Trump’ :lol

https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/15/18626785/white-house-trump-censorsip-tool-twitter-instagram-facebook-conservative-bias-social-media (https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/15/18626785/white-house-trump-censorsip-tool-twitter-instagram-facebook-conservative-bias-social-media)

[boutons_deux]

Bureau of Land Management officially changes its goals from protection to destruction (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/5/15/1857839/-Bureau-of-Land-Management-officially-changes-its-goals-from-protection-to-destruction)

“The BLM’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.” However, that mission statement is now, as HuffPost (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/blm-news-releases-stewardship-languaged_n_5cdb8196e4b0437438c39e09?guccounter=1) reports, simply missing.

, the Trump version replaces those ideas with consumption and profit.

The old sentence about health, diversity, and the enjoyment of future generations has been replaced with this:

“Diverse activities authorized on these lands

generated $96 billion in sales of goods and services throughout the American economy in fiscal year 2017.

These activities supported more than 468,000 jobs.”

the BLM did not generate $96 billion through the sale of oil and gas leases, or coal leases, or timber, or anything else.

What the BLM brought in was a small fraction of that amount.

The number being reported is the estimated revenue—

the money made by companies that took from public lands,

not the money that went to taxpayers for the privilege.
(https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1857839)
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1857839 (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1857839)

[boutons_deux]

Devos allows crushing of student borrowers, and FCC allows student borrowers to be robo-harassed by phone, email, txt

CFPB Chief Says Education Department Is Blocking Student Loan Oversight

Trump administration's Education Department is getting in the way of efforts to police the student loan industry.

lawsuits allege that widespread wrongdoing by student loan companies is costing some borrowers thousands of dollars.

companies that manage student loans, known as student loan servicers, are refusing to share information that the CFPB says it needs to perform proper oversight.

the Department of Education has issued guidance telling them not to do so, citing "privacy" concerns.

the secretary of education has put in place a series of policies that are

obstructing federal law enforcement officials from standing up for the millions of Americans with student debt."

https://www.npr.org/2019/05/16/723568597/cfpb-chief-says-education-department-is-blocking-student-loan-oversight?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20190519&utm_campaign=bestofnpr&utm_term=bestofnpr (https://www.npr.org/2019/05/16/723568597/cfpb-chief-says-education-department-is-blocking-student-loan-oversight?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20190519&utm_campaign=bestofnpr&utm_term=bestofnpr)

[boutons_deux]

Trump Administration Wants To Cut Funding For Public Housing Repairs

Mold. Leaks. Rodents. Crime. These are just some of the things the nation's 2 million public housing residents have to worry about.

Many of the buildings they live in have been falling into disrepair for decades.

Public housing officials estimate that it would cost $50 billion to fix them up.

the Trump administration wants to eliminate the federal fund now used to repair public housing

in favor of attracting more private investment to fix up and replace it.

Ben Carson :lol says the country needs a new approach because the current one is not working. :lol

https://www.npr.org/2019/05/16/723231160/trump-administration-wants-to-cut-funding-for-public-housing-repairs?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20190519&utm_campaign=bestofnpr&utm_term=bestofnpr (https://www.npr.org/2019/05/16/723231160/trump-administration-wants-to-cut-funding-for-public-housing-repairs?utm_source=npr_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=20190519&utm_campaign=bestofnpr&utm_term=bestofnpr)

[boutons_deux]

The oligarchy buys whatever it wants, and America is for sale, has been for decades, and is extremely cheap with a unimaginable ROI.

$22 Million In Dark Money Behind Kavanaugh Nomination

the Judicial Crisis Network, a conservative secretive dark money group received $22 million from anonymous donors (https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2019/05/dark-money-group-funded-by-17million-mystery-donor-before-kavanaugh/#utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=twitt_dark-money-17m-kavanaugh-051719) in the year leading up to the Tump administration and conservatives’ push to place Brett Kavanaugh on the U.S. Supreme Court.

A full $17 million of that $22 million came from one anonymous donor.

“The Judicial Crisis Network (JCN), a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, pledged to spend (https://www.apnews.com/91c58df540884d698ceb35a529c34b08) as much as $10 million to ensure Kavanaugh’s confirmation — the same amount that it spent (https://web.archive.org/web/20170705003230/https://judicialnetwork.com/judicial-crisis-network-launches-10-million-campaign-preserve-justice-scalias-legacy-support-president-elect-trump-nominee/) to help confirm Justice Neil Gorsuch in 2017,”

“JCN has close ties (https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-secrets-of-leonard-leo-the-man-behind-trumps-supreme-court-pick?ref=scroll) to Trump’s judicial adviser Leonard Leo, a longtime executive at the Federalist Society, the influential conservative and libertarian lawyers network based in Washington, D.C.”

“Wellspring has continued to send massive annual endowments (https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2017/03/wellsprings-dark-money-crucial-to-trump-orbit/) to JCN since the group launched (https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2018/09/kavanaugh-confirmation-dark-money/) in 2005.

JCN, in turn, has continued to pour tens of millions of dollars (https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2018/10/only-a-fraction-of-dark-money-spending-on-kavanaugh-disclosed/) into every subsequent Supreme Court nomination fight and working to reshape the judiciary.

Wellspring reported donating almost $15 million (https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/5299936-Wellspring-Committee-2017-990.html) to JCN in 2017, on top of $23.5 million (https://maplight.org/story/tax-returns-identify-dark-money-organization-as-source-of-gop-supreme-court-attacks/) in 2016.

Neither organization discloses the sources of its funds.”

https://www.nationalmemo.com/report-22-million-in-dark-money-behind-kavanaugh-nomination/ (https://www.nationalmemo.com/report-22-million-in-dark-money-behind-kavanaugh-nomination/)

[boutons_deux]

E.P.A. Plans to Get Thousands of Deaths Off the Books by Changing Its Math

The Environmental Protection Agency plans to change the way it calculates the future health risks of air pollution,

a shift that would predict thousands of fewer deaths and

would help justify the planned rollback of a key climate change measure,

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/20/climate/epa-air-pollution-deaths.html#click=https://t.co/8kpmrbMyKY (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/20/climate/epa-air-pollution-deaths.html#click=https://t.co/8kpmrbMyKY)

oligarchy / Repugs INCREASING environmental damage, committing willful, not accidental,manslaughter for profit.

The oligarchy's murderous EPA knows that EPA strategy of increasing all types of pollution will result in additional 100Ks of diseased, suffering, dead people, so they must LIE about the numbers.

[boutons_deux]

EPA cuts off funding for kids' health research centers

Despite repeatedly expressing public support for children's health, EPA is ending funding for a network of research centers focused on environmental threats to kids, imperiling several long-running studies of pollutants' effects on child development.

The move, critics say, is part of a

broader Trump administration effort to downplay science that could lead to stricter regulations on polluting industries.

At issue are 13 Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Centers located at institutions across the country, from UCLA to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.

Jointly funded by EPA and the Department of Health and Human Services' National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) for more than two decades,

the children's centers study everything from childhood leukemia to the development of autism spectrum disorders.

Grants to those centers have long been considered unique in the public health world for including funding for both research and public outreach.

"We have researchers doing very sophisticated and analytical research looking at what is happening with the health of women and children when they are pregnant, but we need to communicate that with the Atlanta community," she said.

"That's what would go away, because it was a very unique contribution of the centers and how they were previously funded."

https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060367917 (https://www.eenews.net/stories/1060367917)

the oligarchy paying for its tax cut by fucking over the non-oligarchy

The oligarchy increasing pollution of air, water, land will sicken and kill 10Ks of people

[boutons_deux]

Repug racism and misogny

Mnuchin delays plan to put Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill – refuses to even say if he supports her

She was an abolitionist,

risking her life by working to rescue and save 70 slaves via the Underground Railroad.

She was a spy for the U.S. Army.

And she was an activist who worked to help secure the right for women in America to vote.

Yet on Wednesday Secretary of the Treasury Steve Mnuchin announced Harriet Tubman will not be on the $20 bill next year as planned,

and will miss the 100th anniversary celebration of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

for counterfeiting issues,” Mnuchin told U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, (D-MA) (photo), during Wednesday’s combative hearing before the House Financial Services Committee. “Based upon this,

the $20 bill will now not come out until 2028.”
But presumably those same issues would affect other new bills too. Not according to Mnuchin.

Sec. Mnuchin assumed the House Committee that

the “$10 bill and the $50 bill will come out with new features beforehand.”

https://www.rawstory.com/2019/05/watch-mnuchin-delays-plan-to-put-harriet-tubman-on-the-20-bill-refuses-to-even-say-if-he-supports-her/ (https://www.rawstory.com/2019/05/watch-mnuchin-delays-plan-to-put-harriet-tubman-on-the-20-bill-refuses-to-even-say-if-he-supports-her/)

Repugs don't no fuckin knitter and a women on $20 bill

[boutons_deux]

In KY, and most probably in other red/slave states, there's a "political test" for obtaining a business/farm loan

Article About Kentucky Farmers May Explain Why All Farmers Sing From the Same Hymnal. (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/5/24/1860277/-This-Article-About-Kentucky-Farmers-May-Explain-Why-All-Farmers-Sing-From-the-Same-Hymnal)


Why aren’t we hearing more concern?

Because the current administration has made it

impossible for farmers to criticize without retaliation from Republican landowners.

A farmer who wrote an opinion piece early last year in response to farmers’ incomes dropping more than 50% since 2013 and highlighted the increase in farmer suicides due to status-quo policies,

lost 300 acres of sharecropped land because word got out that he was a Democrat.


Also,

Money lenders in agriculture base who they lend money to on more than just financial statements.

Lenders make phone calls within the community to understand the “general character” of someone.

The idea is to see

if the farmer in question is in good standing in the community and doesn’t have anything to “hide.”

But rumors spread all the time about certain operations having to file for bankruptcy.

Farmers already struggle to compete with larger farms that bring in their cloud-connected combines and quote production numbers to landowners that compete for pennies on the pound.

Now they have to compete with their conscience as well.


That sounds an awful lot like trouble makers will get no money.

If true, this would explain why all farmers are saying the same shit about Trump over and over again:

“Yeah, it hurts now, but I am confident that Dear Leader will get us a great deal in the end. We just need patience!”

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/5/24/1860277/-This-Article-About-Kentucky-Farmers-May-Explain-Why-All-Farmers-Sing-From-the-Same-Hymnal?detail=emaildkre

[boutons_deux]

Poll: Half of Republicans Want a Dictator, Basically (https://theslot.jezebel.com/poll-half-of-republicans-want-a-dictator-basically-1797724801)

A depressing new survey has found that

half of surveyed Republicans are willing to flout the democratic process to keep our sleepwalking megalomaniac of a president in office for an indefinite amount of time.

The Washington Post surveyed (https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2017/08/10/in-a-new-poll-half-of-republicans-say-they-would-support-postponing-the-2020-election-if-trump-proposed-it/?utm_term=.abc58a67cfd4) 650 right-leaning Americans about Trump’s baseless allegations of

rampant voter fraud (73 percent believe it happens frequently);

about who won the popular vote (Trump did, according to 47 percent of Republicans...even though he didn’t);

and that millions of undocumented immigrants voted in the election (68 percent believe this!).

Believe it or not, those aren’t even the most depressing findings. Here are two other questions the survey asked:




If Donald Trump were to say that the 2020 presidential election should be postponed until the country can make sure that only eligible American citizens can vote, would you support or oppose postponing the election?

What if both Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress were to say that the 2020 presidential election should be postponed until the country can make sure that only eligible American citizens can vote? Would you support or oppose postponing the election?




Let’s rephrase those:

Do you support or oppose undermining the most fundamental democratic foundations of this country, a move that will surely catapult America into a totalitarian regime, and entrust its future to Donald Trump?


Let’s think about this again! If Donald Trump, a man whose only loyalty remains to his own ego, were to declare himself America’s first dictator, supported in his rise to power by the Republican Party, would you be pretty chill about that or nah?


Well, my friends,

52 percent of respondents would support dismantling our democratic institutions to keep Trump as president,

while 56 percent would support indefinitely delaying a presidential election if both Trump and Republicans in Congress wanted to.

https://theslot.jezebel.com/poll-half-of-republicans-want-a-dictator-basically-1797724801 (https://theslot.jezebel.com/poll-half-of-republicans-want-a-dictator-basically-1797724801)

These people, who support dictatorship and vote Repug, are why America can't have nice things, but regresses into fuckedness and unfuckability

[boutons_deux]

Trash and Stephen Miller making friends in tourism industry

Want a Visa for the U.S.? You’ll Have to Hand Over Your Social Media Handles

The vast majority of applicants for U.S. visas will now have to hand over their social media usernames along with previous email addresses and phone numbers,

will have to give five years’ worth of phone numbers, email addresses, and social media handles as part of the application process.

the number will include around

14 million applicants for nonimmigrant visas and some 700,000 applicants for immigrant visas.

Although applicants will be able to say they don’t use social media, lying about it could lead to “serious immigration consequences,”

For now the form only includes the most popular social media platforms, but soon applicants will be able to list all the sites they use.

This will be a vital tool to screen out terrorists, public safety threats, and other dangerous individuals from gaining immigration benefits and setting foot on U.S. soil.” :lol

The move “will infringe on the rights of immigrants and U.S. citizens by chilling freedom of speech and association,

particularly because people will now have to wonder if what they say online will be misconstrued or misunderstood by a government official,”

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/06/applicants-united-states-visas-social-media-usernames.html (https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/06/applicants-united-states-visas-social-media-usernames.html)

[boutons_deux]

If Trash pardons murderers (clearly the ORINGIN intent of the FFs), dickless, spineless Repugs fall in behind him

Republican congressman shrugs off war crimes, says he probably killed hundreds of civilians

https://thinkprogress.org/duncan-hunter-navy-seal-war-crime-82eb53b2f438/ (https://thinkprogress.org/duncan-hunter-navy-seal-war-crime-82eb53b2f438/)

[boutons_deux]

Ex-GOP Tennessee Rep. Diane Black:

The idea ‘everyone is equal’ is ‘not what this country is founded on’

Black (R) on Sunday put forward a false choice between embracing “socialism” and having a job that “brings character.”

Black argued that socialism would have deprived her of life lessons that she learned through working. :lol

Everybody should get their part and you should take from this person and

give to that person to make sure everyone is equal,'” Black said. :lol

“That is not what this country was founded upon.” :lol

So, this whole thing about sharing and making sure everybody has the same thing. :lol

Black and her husband said in 2013 that they owned between $32 million and $146.9 million (https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2014/06/18/blacks-wealth-leads-tn-delegation/10710767/) in assets.

https://www.rawstory.com/2019/06/ex-gop-rep-diane-black-the-idea-everyone-is-equal-is-not-what-this-country-is-founded-on/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+%28The+Raw+Story% 29 (https://www.rawstory.com/2019/06/ex-gop-rep-diane-black-the-idea-everyone-is-equal-is-not-what-this-country-is-founded-on/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheRawStory+%28The+Raw+Story% 29)

Fucking stupid, ignorant Repugs, every fucking one of them, counting, successfully, on the stupidity, ignorance of their voters.

[boutons_deux]

Florida high school valedictorian barred from giving speech honoring her immigrant parents (https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/6/1/1861979/-FL-HS-valedictorian-barred-from-giving-speech-honoring-her-immigrant-parents)

On what was supposed to be her day and a celebration of her many accomplishments, Kriya Naidu was barred from speaking—and then insulted.

She was the freaking valedictorian. She had a weighted 5.5 GPA.

She was supposed to give a speech, and that speech she submitted was reviewed and approved.

The speech, which I will play for you in full below, honored her parents’ experience as immigrants and gave a quick nod to the many challenges faced by new immigrants.

To be clear, there was absolutely nothing “inflammatory:”

nothing about the overt hatred her parents faced,

nor any reference to the current immigration tragedy with thousands of migrant children being separated from their parents or babies being put in cages.

It was just a few lines of an inspirational tribute put into a 3-minute speech that

quoted a line from Hamilton: “Immigrants, we get the job done.”

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/6/1/1861979/-FL-HS-valedictorian-barred-from-giving-speech-honoring-her-immigrant-parents?detail=emaildkre

Trash'a AmeriKKKa, alive and kicking hard in red/slave states.

[boutons_deux]

Sky People crushing sacred farmers, with help from compromised, politicized judges

Iowa Supreme Court affirms Dakota Access pipeline project

The Iowa Supreme Court said Friday that a crude oil pipeline running across Iowa was legally permitted to be built dashing the hopes of a group of farmer landowners who wanted the pipeline moved off their land and an environmental group that wanted it shut down.

A four-member majority of the court agreed with an Iowa court judge who in in February 2017 concluded

the Iowa Utilities Board properly considered public benefits of the pipeline. :lol
A group of 14 landowners and the environmental group Sierra Club of Iowa sued the board and the company that built the pipeline claiming

the pipeline carrying crude oil from North Dakota to Illinois provides no benefit to Iowans and forced taking of land to build it is unlawful.

The decision will have far-reaching impact for landowners in Iowa because it

opens the door for more developer driven condemnations, said Bill Hanigan, the attorney for the landowners.

“This sets a precedent for wealthy developers seizing Iowa farmland for private ventures that bring no measurable benefit to Iowans,”

https://www.apnews.com/cb64d2072f234d84b1b8cb04e78bb583 (https://www.apnews.com/cb64d2072f234d84b1b8cb04e78bb583)

America is fucked and unfuckable

[spurraider21]

this entire thread:

https://i.gyazo.com/6573e7f615656ce99a427abe5aa09ade.png

[Winehole23]

I think it's considerate for boutons to consolidate his spam this way.

[boutons_deux]

Pearls Before Swine

[spurraider21]

I think it's considerate for boutons to consolidate his spam this way.
it doesnt stop him from cluttering other threads, though

[Winehole23]

it doesnt stop him from cluttering other threads, thoughSadly, no.

Unfortunately for boutons, shortening his copypasta and adding comments wouldn't help very much either.

[boutons_deux]

“IT’S THE TRUMPIFICATION OF THE SEC”: AS STANDARDS ARE LOWERED FOR INVESTMENT PROS, “MR. AND MS. 401(K)” COULD BE SCREWED

An Orwellian new rule, dubbed “Regulation Best Interest,” :lol

gives investment advisers the freedom to sell stuff they wouldn’t buy themselves.

the Securities and Exchange Commission voted Wednesday morning to change dramatically, and not for the better, the way investment professionals interact with their clients.

investors lose “tens of billions of dollars (https://consumerfed.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/cfa-letter-to-sec-on-standard-of-conduct-rfi.pdf)” a year as a result of Wall Street brokers acting in their self-interest, as opposed to their clients.’ That’s a lot of money.

The new rule, dubbed “Regulation Best Interest,” passed on a 3-1 vote, lowering the standards for investment professionals down to the standards of the brokers, instead of trying to raise up the standards of the brokers to those of the investment professionals.

Last year the SEC proposed a new rule, essentially a watered-down version of the Obama rule, :lol of course! :lol

Clayton proposed to lower the standards for the investment advisers to the already low standard of the Wall Street brokers.

Instead of raising the standards for everyone who manages money, whether at a Wall Street firm or at a money-management firm,

the SEC has now lowered the standards across the board. :lol

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/06/sec-new-rule-broker-investors-401k?mbid=nl_th_5cf84e1739ba0907239d91f8&CNDID=43758549&utm_source=nl&utm_brand=vf&utm_mailing=VF_Hive_060619&utm_medium=email&bxid=5bd6795524c17c1048022fcc&cndid=43758549&hasha=992d608214b505003aa04bf10a595031&hashb=542eb31d958e85ddd5a4c3ccf3faae18526a77bd&hashc=54b3612ab970ce13a64a16665b1987080ca5b72e2ee7 62b722fbba6ab378f2f5&esrc=bounceX&utm_campaign=VF_Hive_060619&utm_term=VYF_Hive (https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/06/sec-new-rule-broker-investors-401k?mbid=nl_th_5cf84e1739ba0907239d91f8&CNDID=43758549&utm_source=nl&utm_brand=vf&utm_mailing=VF_Hive_060619&utm_medium=email&bxid=5bd6795524c17c1048022fcc&cndid=43758549&hasha=992d608214b505003aa04bf10a595031&hashb=542eb31d958e85ddd5a4c3ccf3faae18526a77bd&hashc=54b3612ab970ce13a64a16665b1987080ca5b72e2ee7 62b722fbba6ab378f2f5&esrc=bounceX&utm_campaign=VF_Hive_060619&utm_term=VYF_Hive)

C R A P I F I C A T I O N R U L E S, OK!

[boutons_deux]

Nuclear waste will be classified as safer under a controversial Trump administration change


The federal Department of Energy is changing how it will dispose of nuclear weapons waste, reclassifying what was formerly considered high-level radioactive material to a lower standard

The new approach triggered immediate opposition in Washington state, South Carolina and Idaho, which contend that the Energy Department wants to bury dangerous waste in shallow pits.

“By taking this action, the administration seeks to cut out state input and move towards disposal options of their choosing,

including those already deemed to be unsafe by their own assessments and

in violation of the existing legally binding agreement,” he said.

“We will consider all options to stop this reckless and dangerous action.”

https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-nuclear-waste-rule-20190605-story.html#nws=mcnewsletter (https://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-nuclear-waste-rule-20190605-story.html#nws=mcnewsletter)

Repugs fuck up everything they touch

[boutons_deux]

How Payday Lenders Spent $1 Million at a Trump Resort — and Cashed In

At the Trump Doral outside Miami, payday lenders celebrated the potential death of a rule intended to protect their customers.

They couldn’t have done it without President Donald Trump and his latest deregulator, Kathleen Kraninger.

In mid-March, the payday lending industry held its annual convention at the Trump National Doral hotel outside Miami.

A month earlier, Kathleen Kraninger, who had just finished her second month as director of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, had delivered what the lenders consider an epochal victory: Kraninger announced a proposal (https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/consumer-financial-protection-bureau-releases-notices-proposed-rulemaking-payday-lending/)

to gut a crucial rule (https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/201710_cfpb_final-rule_payday-loans-rule.pdf) that had been passed under her Obama-era predecessor.

Payday lenders viewed that rule as a potential death sentence for many in their industry.

It would require payday lenders and others to make sure borrowers could afford to pay back their loans while also covering basic living expenses.

But the notion struck terror in the payday lenders.

Their business model relies on customers — 12 million Americans take out payday loans every year, according to Pew Charitable Trusts — getting stuck in a long-term cycle of debt, experts say.

A CFPB study (https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/201304_cfpb_payday-dap-whitepaper.pdf) found that three out of four payday loans go to borrowers who take out 10 or more loans a year.

https://www.propublica.org/article/trump-inc-podcast-payday-lenders-spent-1-million-at-a-trump-resort-and-cashed-in

[boutons_deux]

San Antonio’s Budget Takes Significant Hits in Legislative Session

"Governor Greg Abbott is expected to sign both

Senate Bill 1152 (https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=86R&Bill=SB1152),

which will let telecommunication companies off the hook for millions in right-of-way fees they pay to the City, and

Senate Bill 2 (https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=86R&Bill=SB2),

which caps the number of increased revenue cities can collect from property taxes without asking for voter approval."

https://therivardreport.com/san-antonios-budget-takes-significant-hits-in-legislative-session/?utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter-daily&utm_content=editorial&utm_term=govPolitics&utm_source=Rivard+Report&utm_campaign=98d111cd36-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_12_21_07_19_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1576c62124-98d111cd36-84683437 (https://therivardreport.com/san-antonios-budget-takes-significant-hits-in-legislative-session/?utm_campaign=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter-daily&utm_content=editorial&utm_term=govPolitics&utm_source=Rivard+Report&utm_campaign=98d111cd36-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_12_21_07_19_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1576c62124-98d111cd36-84683437)

Shitbag Repugs enriching BigNetwork and screwing TX's Blue Cities

[boutons_deux]

When the oligarchy captures regulatory agencies and dictates govt policy, for profit ...

EU, Brazil and China have banned way more harmful pesticides than the USA


72 pesticides approved for use in the United States are banned or in the process of being phased out in the European Union.

"The USA is generally regarded as being highly regulated and having protective pesticide safeguards in place. :lol

This study contradicts that narrative and finds that in fact,

in the last couple of decades, nearly all pesticide cancellations in the USA have been done voluntarily by the pesticide industry.

Without a change in the US Environmental Protection Agency's current reliance on voluntary mechanisms for cancellations,

the USA will likely continue to lag behind its peers in banning harmful pesticides."

https://www.treehugger.com/environmental-policy/eu-brazil-and-china-have-banned-way-more-harmful-pesticides-usa.html (https://www.treehugger.com/environmental-policy/eu-brazil-and-china-have-banned-way-more-harmful-pesticides-usa.html)

[boutons_deux]

Trash a huge fan of more pollution everywhere

Automakers tell Trump deregulatory efforts could lead to instability, lower profits (https://theweek.com/speedreads/845840/automakers-tell-trump-deregulatory-efforts-could-lead-instability-lower-profits)

The world’s largest automakers warned President Trump on Thursday that one of his most sweeping deregulatory efforts —

his plan to weaken tailpipe pollution standards (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/02/climate/trump-auto-emissions-california.html?module=inline) —

threatens to cut their profits and produce “untenable” instability in a crucial manufacturing sector.

In a letter signed by 17 companies including Ford, General Motors, Toyota and Volvo,

the automakers asked Mr. Trump to go back to the negotiating table on the planned rollback of one of President Barack Obama’s signature policies to fight climate change.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/06/climate/trump-auto-emissions-rollback-letter.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage (https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/06/climate/trump-auto-emissions-rollback-letter.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage)

Notice they didn't say increased pollution, and more diseased and dead people would be the problem, on their fucking profits.

[boutons_deux]

Trump Administration Bans Government Scientists From Using Fetal Tissue

Scientists condemned the administration’s decision on fetal tissue research in the strongest possible terms.

scientists who say it is an irreplaceable part of ongoing scientific research.

Scientists condemned the administration’s decision in the strongest possible terms.

“We believe this decision to be politically motivated, shortsighted and not based on sound science,”

https://rewire.news/article/2019/06/06/trump-administration-bans-government-scientists-from-using-fetal-tissue/

:lol Repugs? Christian Taliban? Science? G M A F B

[boutons_deux]

Some Maine Republicans Fret New State Ballad Is Too Hard On The Confederacy

Maine legislators recently approved a new state ballad, a task one would expect to be simple and drama-free.

the ballad chosen cast too negative of a light on the Confederacy, according to a new report from the Maine Beacon (http://mainebeacon.com/new-state-ballad-honors-20th-maine-despite-pro-confederate-objections/).



The song, titled “The Ballad of the 20th Maine,” tells the story of a Maine infantry regiment that fought in the Civil War, and unsurprisingly, has a pro-Union message. Two Republicans found this inappropriate.

“I find it a little bit, we are united states, we are not Union, we are united states. WTF :lol

And I find it just a little bit – I won’t say offensive but that’s what I mean – to say that we’re any better than the South was,” :lol

they were fighting for something they truly believed in,” :lol aka "Freedom of Confederacy", believe shit, it's ok
Reed said, according to the Beacon. “Many of them were great Christian men

on both sides. :lol

They fought hard and they were fighting for states’ rights as they saw them.”

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/maine-ballad-republicans-confederate (https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/maine-ballad-republicans-confederate)

no mention of fighting to protect slavery :lol