Hey! As you know the midterm elections were held 16 days ago here in the U.S. While I had some thoughts regarding what happened at the time I was busy with the paying job and trying to get some projects completed to respond quickly. This, in retrospect, may have been a good thing.
With that in mind I'm going to offer up some very short quick takes on some of the issues that have popped up since the election. I admit they might not be as in depth as I'd like but today's holiday and I have to go to the paying job tomorrow, which means I won't be able to burn the midnight oil on this. With that in mind it's time to skip the formalities and get to the basics.
Let's start with the election. It turns out that not immediately reacting may have worked in my favor as some of the races on the West Coast were counted along with the recounts et al. Yes, there have been some nauseating things such as the role voter suppression played in Florida and Georgia. However, it looks like the U.S. House of Representatives may have actually achieved something similar to the blue wave predicted in the media with the Democrats winning 39 seats as of this typing, more than gathering a majority in that part of the legislative branch. While the Repubs did pick up some seats it looks like they won't have near the super majority the GOP were hoping for didn't materialize. Still, it will be an uphill struggle especially as meh Senators were replaced by zealots and the electoral vote winner will take this as a mandate. However, it should put a big dent on some of his evil schemes - provided he doesn't try to go for creating a Constitutional crisis in the lame duck session next month (entirely possible given Donny) by either firing Mueller or with something else.
Then there's the whole troops at the border thing. It was hard to say whether that was an election stunt or a power play intended to cause said crisis mentioned last paragraph by either violating rule sof engagement by ordering the military to shoot asylum seekers or using the troops to keep Americans from escaping if shit gets too bad. The fact that the asylum migrants were heading towards Tijuana made the troops stationing suspicious, adding to it the complete lack of mentions by the right wing media once the midterms were over make it all the more clear that this was a stunt (one reportedly referred to by troops stationed there as "Operation BS"). Now things could return to that state once the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago things the heat is off but this time around we can see through it and be nauseated by it.
However, the most troubling news regarding those in power is the news revealed two days ago (November 20, 2018) that sometime this Spring electoral vote winner Donny actually asked the Justice Department to look into prosecuting his former election opponent (Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton) and former FBI Director James Comey. Put aside the irony of the Mad Fuhrer actually following through on one of his promises (notice he only does it with the most cruel and hateful ones) this is obviously a dangerous hint of the authoritarianism that he really wants to do as well as taking obstruction of justice to a new and dangerous level. While then White House counsel Don MaGahan managed to put the kabosh on this one by pointing out it could lead to impeachment I'll discuss in the print issue why this doesn't mean this is over - not by a long shot.
As for the firing of Jeffy Sessions as Attorney General and the installation of Jeffy's chief of staff Matt Whittaker (whom we'll refer to from now on as Matty Matt), the only real surprise to all this isn't that Donny shitcanned Jeffy but that it happened so damn soon after the election (roughly 24 hours). Add to this Donny's press stunt setting up CNN's Jim Acosta and revoking his press credentials to the Whiote House until forced to reinstate it. While this rightfully angered much of the nation, the fact that news trickled out from those amongst electoral vote winner Donny's minions were reportedly saying the press briefing would be fun and Donny appeared to give a signal for the intern to try and take the mic seems to show that this was a stunt to distract from the election result and Donny firing Jeffy.
So what lies ahead? Well the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago is raging against judges for ruling against him and the Congressional lame duck session ahead could either be nothing or could have a lot of bullshit go down before the gridlock that will likely happen in the next session. Time will tell as people get prepared for the holidays and wear down the final moments of 2018..
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Thursday, November 1, 2018
FIVE DAYS UNTIL THE MIDTERMS
I originally posted this as a not of the TTWN Facebook page. However, after finishing it I felt it was appropriate to share it on the blog as well.
As most Americans are aware of by now, the 2018 midterm elections are only five days away. By now many of you have heard from friends, family members, pundits, and even celebrities that we all need to do our duty and vote. Some have even suggested that everyone should mobilize to make sure one of the two parties takes back some of the power they’ve lost over the decades (you know the party by now so I don’t have to name them) by making sure they get back at least one of the two houses of the legislative branch. Some say this is needed to ensure a “blue wave” come early November. While this is a noble goal and since these are not normal times it does appear we’ve reached a “by all legal means necessary” approach ranging from canvassing and phone banking for candidates to trying to convince friends they need to vote, not everybody is able to go beyond voting or doing some work when they can due to the mixture of work schedules and various obligations ranging from family circumstances to dealing with illnesses (either one’s own or that of a loved one) and the like. Sadly, this makes things complicated for many people but sometimes the little things can help a lot. This is my attempt to do just that.
Now I have an official policy of not endorsing candidates but I do vote (actually voted early this year). Because of this I do have a few suggestions that I hope helps people who haven’t voted yet but plan to - and hopefully help motivate those on the fence regarding voting to take to the polls (remember - as I said in the previous paragraph - THESE ARE NOT NORMAL TIMES. While this is a small and imperfect list of suggestions, it is one I feel can cut across and help plants seeds in people’s minds.
If you care about freedom of speech and the right to protest then YOU SHOULD VOTE AGAINST THE PARTY WHOSE LEADER HAS GONE ON RECORD FOR SUGGESTING THAT POLITICAL PROTESTING SHOULD BE ILLEGAL. This should be common sense but sometimes people vote party line rather than exploring the candidates, especially during the midterm elections. The fact the one person in power even thinks this at all should be proof that they have no damn business holding an elected office. While that person isn’t up for election next Tuesday people in his party are so why not let them know this attitude is not appreciate and will not fly.
If you trust women and believe them when they say they’ve experienced sexual assault then YOU SHOULD NOT VOTE FOR ANY CANDIDATE OR PARTY WHO EVEN HAS THE APPEARANCE OF NOT TAKING SEXUAL ASSAULT SERIOUSLY. From the Kavanaugh hearings to various comments for the leadership of one party makes it clear that they apparently don’t trust or respect women. They also have the arrogance to think that this stance will solidify their base and actually gain them support from women. If there’s ever a time to shut down this shit and prove them wrong it’s on this.
If you feel that women deserve the right to reproductive freedom and reproductive justice, including the belief that women have the right to make decisions over their own bodies the YOU SHOULD NOT VOTE FOR ANY CANDIDATE OR POLITICAL PARTY THAT WANTS TO TAKE AWAY THOSE RIGHTS FROM WOMEN. Ironically polls have reportedly shown the majority of people across party lines to be pro choice. However, one party has been doing their damndest in the name of "protecting the unborn" (while seemingly not to care about those already here) to erode this right into near nothingness for many parts of the country. While one election won't drastically change this, it will be a start that can allow people who support reproductive freedom and reproductive justice to build and helps to put pro forced childbirth asshats in their place.
If you feel diversity makes this country better and that current events trying to use violence to shape it to the contrary are nauseating then YOU SHOULD VOTE AGAINST ANY PARTY WHO DOUBLES DOWN ON CODED RACIST RHETORIC (AND BEOYND DOG WHISTLES TO OUTRIGHT BULLHORNS) AND USES WHITE NATIONALIST TALKING POINTS TO IMPLY THEY WANT TO CHANGE WHO CAN BE A CITIZEN AND WHO CAN’T. This is another one that should be common sense but the mainstream media’s tendency to imply whatabout-ism and both sides-ism are legitimate on these issues make things murky and can lead to some people thinking otherwise. Current events over the past week have shown that both sides aren’t doing the same thing on these issues and that the party doubling down on said rhetoric and seemingly oblivious to what may occur in the aftermath deserve some sort of political comeuppance in the meantime.
If you think freedom of religion is important and includes not just all religions but the freedom not to believe as well then YOU SHOULD VOTE AGAINST THE PARTY THAT USES THE TERM “RELIGIOUS LIBERTY” AS A WEAPON TO CREATE A BACKDOOR WAY TO BRING BACK DISCRIMINATION. There is one party doing this, claiming that proponents of a narrow interpretation of christianity are being discriminated against by having to provide goods and services to anyone or that they should be allowed to not allow people of different faiths to adopt children from their agency. They like to claim they are a persecuted minority even though they seem to be getting everything they want from a certain administration. Whether you’re not religious or if you are religious but don’t think the government should enforce one interpretation of one religion down the throats of the rest of us, you should do your part to vote this down ASAFP!!!!
If you feel voting is important and should be made easier for those who are able to do so then YOU SHOULD VOTE AGAINST ANY PARTY TRYING TO STEAL THE VOTE THROUGH INTIMIDATION OR SUPPRESSION TACTICS. People like to say that if one doesn't vote they can't complain. However, when one side of the political debate wants to make it next to impossible for many to vote or even claims without proof that "illegal voters" stole the vote for a candidate from certain states (states whose electoral vote just happened to go to said candidate's opponent). From making it harder for students to vote where they go to school (I remember in college they actually tried to encourage students to vote there since their college town was where they were living when an election was held) to SCOTUS upholding voter ID requirements that require street addresses even though a indigenous reservations often rely on P.O. Boxes fro addresses this is less an attempt to make elections fair and more an attempt to rig it in favor of one party. While this should be opposed across the political divide, one party's embrace of it means people who care about this should make sure they get their power taken away from them.
This is about it for the time being. As I said before this is far from a complete list and barely scratches the surface. However, it should give people a glimpse of maybe what they should be against as they head to the polls - or maybe why they should should vote if they otherwise weren't planning to. As I said at the top of this these are not normal times and while elections alone are not enough (even politicians you like have to be watched like a hawk sometimes) at a moment like this it can send a message.
As most Americans are aware of by now, the 2018 midterm elections are only five days away. By now many of you have heard from friends, family members, pundits, and even celebrities that we all need to do our duty and vote. Some have even suggested that everyone should mobilize to make sure one of the two parties takes back some of the power they’ve lost over the decades (you know the party by now so I don’t have to name them) by making sure they get back at least one of the two houses of the legislative branch. Some say this is needed to ensure a “blue wave” come early November. While this is a noble goal and since these are not normal times it does appear we’ve reached a “by all legal means necessary” approach ranging from canvassing and phone banking for candidates to trying to convince friends they need to vote, not everybody is able to go beyond voting or doing some work when they can due to the mixture of work schedules and various obligations ranging from family circumstances to dealing with illnesses (either one’s own or that of a loved one) and the like. Sadly, this makes things complicated for many people but sometimes the little things can help a lot. This is my attempt to do just that.
Now I have an official policy of not endorsing candidates but I do vote (actually voted early this year). Because of this I do have a few suggestions that I hope helps people who haven’t voted yet but plan to - and hopefully help motivate those on the fence regarding voting to take to the polls (remember - as I said in the previous paragraph - THESE ARE NOT NORMAL TIMES. While this is a small and imperfect list of suggestions, it is one I feel can cut across and help plants seeds in people’s minds.
If you care about freedom of speech and the right to protest then YOU SHOULD VOTE AGAINST THE PARTY WHOSE LEADER HAS GONE ON RECORD FOR SUGGESTING THAT POLITICAL PROTESTING SHOULD BE ILLEGAL. This should be common sense but sometimes people vote party line rather than exploring the candidates, especially during the midterm elections. The fact the one person in power even thinks this at all should be proof that they have no damn business holding an elected office. While that person isn’t up for election next Tuesday people in his party are so why not let them know this attitude is not appreciate and will not fly.
If you trust women and believe them when they say they’ve experienced sexual assault then YOU SHOULD NOT VOTE FOR ANY CANDIDATE OR PARTY WHO EVEN HAS THE APPEARANCE OF NOT TAKING SEXUAL ASSAULT SERIOUSLY. From the Kavanaugh hearings to various comments for the leadership of one party makes it clear that they apparently don’t trust or respect women. They also have the arrogance to think that this stance will solidify their base and actually gain them support from women. If there’s ever a time to shut down this shit and prove them wrong it’s on this.
If you feel that women deserve the right to reproductive freedom and reproductive justice, including the belief that women have the right to make decisions over their own bodies the YOU SHOULD NOT VOTE FOR ANY CANDIDATE OR POLITICAL PARTY THAT WANTS TO TAKE AWAY THOSE RIGHTS FROM WOMEN. Ironically polls have reportedly shown the majority of people across party lines to be pro choice. However, one party has been doing their damndest in the name of "protecting the unborn" (while seemingly not to care about those already here) to erode this right into near nothingness for many parts of the country. While one election won't drastically change this, it will be a start that can allow people who support reproductive freedom and reproductive justice to build and helps to put pro forced childbirth asshats in their place.
If you feel diversity makes this country better and that current events trying to use violence to shape it to the contrary are nauseating then YOU SHOULD VOTE AGAINST ANY PARTY WHO DOUBLES DOWN ON CODED RACIST RHETORIC (AND BEOYND DOG WHISTLES TO OUTRIGHT BULLHORNS) AND USES WHITE NATIONALIST TALKING POINTS TO IMPLY THEY WANT TO CHANGE WHO CAN BE A CITIZEN AND WHO CAN’T. This is another one that should be common sense but the mainstream media’s tendency to imply whatabout-ism and both sides-ism are legitimate on these issues make things murky and can lead to some people thinking otherwise. Current events over the past week have shown that both sides aren’t doing the same thing on these issues and that the party doubling down on said rhetoric and seemingly oblivious to what may occur in the aftermath deserve some sort of political comeuppance in the meantime.
If you think freedom of religion is important and includes not just all religions but the freedom not to believe as well then YOU SHOULD VOTE AGAINST THE PARTY THAT USES THE TERM “RELIGIOUS LIBERTY” AS A WEAPON TO CREATE A BACKDOOR WAY TO BRING BACK DISCRIMINATION. There is one party doing this, claiming that proponents of a narrow interpretation of christianity are being discriminated against by having to provide goods and services to anyone or that they should be allowed to not allow people of different faiths to adopt children from their agency. They like to claim they are a persecuted minority even though they seem to be getting everything they want from a certain administration. Whether you’re not religious or if you are religious but don’t think the government should enforce one interpretation of one religion down the throats of the rest of us, you should do your part to vote this down ASAFP!!!!
If you feel voting is important and should be made easier for those who are able to do so then YOU SHOULD VOTE AGAINST ANY PARTY TRYING TO STEAL THE VOTE THROUGH INTIMIDATION OR SUPPRESSION TACTICS. People like to say that if one doesn't vote they can't complain. However, when one side of the political debate wants to make it next to impossible for many to vote or even claims without proof that "illegal voters" stole the vote for a candidate from certain states (states whose electoral vote just happened to go to said candidate's opponent). From making it harder for students to vote where they go to school (I remember in college they actually tried to encourage students to vote there since their college town was where they were living when an election was held) to SCOTUS upholding voter ID requirements that require street addresses even though a indigenous reservations often rely on P.O. Boxes fro addresses this is less an attempt to make elections fair and more an attempt to rig it in favor of one party. While this should be opposed across the political divide, one party's embrace of it means people who care about this should make sure they get their power taken away from them.
This is about it for the time being. As I said before this is far from a complete list and barely scratches the surface. However, it should give people a glimpse of maybe what they should be against as they head to the polls - or maybe why they should should vote if they otherwise weren't planning to. As I said at the top of this these are not normal times and while elections alone are not enough (even politicians you like have to be watched like a hawk sometimes) at a moment like this it can send a message.
Sunday, October 28, 2018
IS VOTING ALONE ENOUGH?
Sorry for a lot of what appears to be radio silence on a busy news week. I had a long week at the paying job and didn't really have the time to comment on a lot of things.
By now you've heard more than enough people telling you that it's necessary to get as many people to vote in the midterms coming up in about nine days. Some go further in saying you should vote a straight party ticket regardless of who's on the ballot. In the meantime we've had a week that included mail bombs being sent to Democratic politicians and some other people important enough to be on electoral vote winner Donny's (a/k/a" the Mad Fuhrer of Mar-A-Lago) enemies list, which ended with the capture of Cesar Sayoc Jr in Florida (whose van was covered with a mix of Trump stickers and certain liberals with crosshairs on their faces) as well as yesterday's horrific shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. Add to this Donny's implication that the media brought this on themselves by treating the right wing badly as well as voter suppression efforts hell bent on helping the Repubs and it seems that many of us are facing an uphill struggle.
It's in this framework that many on the liberal to left leaning side are focusing on the electoral side of things. While I agree that this election is important (we are not anywhere remotely near normal times) I do fear that the focus on elections overlooks the need for protesting the injustices around us. Yes, I get (and accept to a point) those who want to focus on turning out the vote. In this go round it's necessary to get as many people as possible to completely blindside the chance for stealing the election on the homefront. However, it's also necessary for people to peacefully protest and take to the streets since those in power aren't willing to listen to their constituents.
As for those claiming people need to suck it up and go Democratic, even volunteering to get out the vote for them, it's a noble thing to do but it's hard for some people given that the establishment Democrats are not making it easy given their tendency to cut deals with Repubs (such as Schumer agreeing to fast track conservative judges just around the time the Kavanaugh hearings happened) rather than do the work of fighting every little thing Donny wants (y'know - what the Repubs did under Obama). That's not to say that both parties are the same but people do want someone to vote for rather than against and that's something the Democrats should take into account in 2020 and beyond.
So should people vote if they're able to? Of course they should. Should they protest the policies of electoral vote winner Donny and his minions? Of course. What should be avoided is the impression that merely working on elections is more important and imply that there shouldn't be people protesting. That doesn't help anyone in these times.
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
SO KAVANAUGH'S A SCOTUS JUSTICE NOW - WHAT WE CAN SEE FROM ALL THIS
As you already know by now the Senate voted 50-48 to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court with Sen. Susan Collins (R, ME) being one of the two deciding votes along with Sen. Joe Manchin (D - WV). Even after a week where it was delayed due to an FBI background check related to multiple sexual assault allegations, he managed to squeak through despite being unpopular with the majority of the American people. He was officially confirmed Saturday night with a ceremonial swearing in by electoral vote winner Donny Monday. There are some things that have come to light in the aftermath that we should remember going forward.
First, with Kavanaugh in the Supreme Court expect things to take a scary turn in this country, especially as it relates to the rights of women, racial minorities, workers - basically anyone who isn't a wealthy whit econservative christian with a penis. Pro forced childbirth types are celebrating Bart O'Kav's being on the court hoping it will strip women of reproductive autonomy in not only the right to have an abortion but also the right to access contraception as well. Kavanaugh's pro business stances means that odds are labor will be in for a rough go and the environment is probably going to get varying degreees of shittier as time goes forward. I know some people have been saying that things might not be that bad but if Kavanaugh (or JOhn Roberts0 suddenly goes moderate it will definitely be a surprise - and it would be dishonest to assume otherwise.
However there are some things that I do find interesting in the wake of all this. While the future is still uncertain with theese developments I do feel they should be noted.
First, I'm very curious about which Democrat will step into the well funded opposition slot against Susan Collins in Maine. With her vote for Bretty Brett she's pretty much choked any proof she was a moderate Repub and left it for dead in a DC alley to choose the increasingly rightward tilt of the GOP against the American people. Her refusal to understand that people are following through in anger to fund any opposition against her and acting like it's indignant or a form aof bribery is esecially ironic since she's been in office over 20 years and knows damn well how donors work (and what string lay with taking the cash). Some say formed Obama administration official Susan Rice will step up, but since Collins isn't up for re-election until 2020 it's anyone's guess what will happen.
On the Democratic side of the aisle, it may be too late now but Manchin's vote for Bretty Brett is proof that someone whould've primaried the living shit out of him. The Senator form West Virignia has voted with Donny's ideas over half the time and, while the fact he was allowed to getaway with it also doesn't help the establishment Democrats, his current vote is a definite knife in the back to the party he claims to stand with. The fact that his vote may take the Supreme Court and turn it into a hard righ tpartisan attack dog shows why not just Democrats but anyone who should be aware of what's going on should be angry - and rightfully so.
Then there's the FBI background check. Called by Jeff Flake late on a Friday afternoon, it was given a week to wrap everything up. While the time may or may not be an issue, the fact that electoral vote winner Donny and his minions set paramaters that wouldn't allow for a full investigation on the allegations of sexual assault - and didn't contact either Kavanaugh or Dr. Christine Blasey Ford - give this the appear of a sham to provide cover for Repubs to vote and claim their nominee was innocent (Flake's pretty much final act in the Senate showed his so-called never Trump stance to be media optics more than any real convictions). While the FBI has done horrific things in the past (look up COINTELPRO for a big example), in this case it's up in the ari whether they were in the tank for Donny and his team in support for their candidate or had their hands tied (the fact they couldn't take info from people walking in with information only adds to the murkiness).
As for the establishment Democrats it's reaffirmed that they really should stop being so wishy washy. Their tendency for decorum and civility had them holding back on questioning Kavanaugh on his stance on issues (especially in terms of lack of follow up questions) before the allegations hit. In addition the fact that too many in that party are paid by the same donors means that some of them tend to dive when they should stand. This is even more evident by seeming to refuse to fight fire with fire when Sen. Chuckles Grassley (R - IA) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R - SC - and who seems to really want Attorney General Jeffy's job) got all indignant over Dems questions over lack of access to Bretty Brett's paper - and that was before Dr. Blasey Ford's allegations were released.
This also makes some wonder how good establishment Dems are at deal making when Sen. Chuck Schumer (D - NY) to fast track a numebr of judges. Normally a deal should imply that both sides get something but it appears that this time the Dems got screwed big time. I hope I'm wrong about this but I fear I'm not.
At this point there is one thing that appears indisputable - any semblance that there are moderate Repubs is pretty much gone with this vote. Even the people the mainstream media want to call opposition to Donny tend to vote with him almost all the damn time. With this vote they've proved that they don't believe sexual assault providers and will choose any odious candidate or nominee who'll enforce their agenda regardless of whether it benefits the American people or not. It also shows once again that the GOP seems to be incapable of acting in good faith and should be seen as incapable of doing so both by the media and the public. Their complaints abotu obstruction over Kavanaugh when they refused to give Merrick Garlansd a hearing shows they still care more about their power and try ing to achieve Karl Rove (or as Dubay called him "Turdblossom")'s plan for a permanent Repub supermajority by any means necessary over anything that might actually help those people who aren't rich white conservative men, white conservative christians, or white supremacists.
So far the Repubs are whining about "angry left wing mobs" (while overlooking hwo the Tea Party acted under Obama) and a lack of civility. Sen. Majority Leader Mitch NcConnell (or Addison the Turtle, R- KY) thinks the anger will blow over. If people really want change it shouldn't - and musn't blow over.
Will this lead to a blue wave in the midterm elections next month? Some polls say yes but others claim Kavanaugh reaffirmed the Repub base. Also, given that the Repubs use of voter suppression tactics shows they're perfectly willing to lie, cheat, and steal to win elections means Democrats and independents who are pissed over the GOP pushing Kavanaugh through in this way need to get out and vote in numbers. They can't afford to take things for granted.
So Brett Kavanaugh is in the Supreme Court now? While that will likely lead this country to some ugly places, we also have to take in the lessons we now have and do the political equivalent of fighting fire with fire. That means voting but also watching politicians like hawks (even the ones you like) to make sure they're serving the public good, not th egood of their wealthy donors.
First, with Kavanaugh in the Supreme Court expect things to take a scary turn in this country, especially as it relates to the rights of women, racial minorities, workers - basically anyone who isn't a wealthy whit econservative christian with a penis. Pro forced childbirth types are celebrating Bart O'Kav's being on the court hoping it will strip women of reproductive autonomy in not only the right to have an abortion but also the right to access contraception as well. Kavanaugh's pro business stances means that odds are labor will be in for a rough go and the environment is probably going to get varying degreees of shittier as time goes forward. I know some people have been saying that things might not be that bad but if Kavanaugh (or JOhn Roberts0 suddenly goes moderate it will definitely be a surprise - and it would be dishonest to assume otherwise.
However there are some things that I do find interesting in the wake of all this. While the future is still uncertain with theese developments I do feel they should be noted.
First, I'm very curious about which Democrat will step into the well funded opposition slot against Susan Collins in Maine. With her vote for Bretty Brett she's pretty much choked any proof she was a moderate Repub and left it for dead in a DC alley to choose the increasingly rightward tilt of the GOP against the American people. Her refusal to understand that people are following through in anger to fund any opposition against her and acting like it's indignant or a form aof bribery is esecially ironic since she's been in office over 20 years and knows damn well how donors work (and what string lay with taking the cash). Some say formed Obama administration official Susan Rice will step up, but since Collins isn't up for re-election until 2020 it's anyone's guess what will happen.
On the Democratic side of the aisle, it may be too late now but Manchin's vote for Bretty Brett is proof that someone whould've primaried the living shit out of him. The Senator form West Virignia has voted with Donny's ideas over half the time and, while the fact he was allowed to getaway with it also doesn't help the establishment Democrats, his current vote is a definite knife in the back to the party he claims to stand with. The fact that his vote may take the Supreme Court and turn it into a hard righ tpartisan attack dog shows why not just Democrats but anyone who should be aware of what's going on should be angry - and rightfully so.
Then there's the FBI background check. Called by Jeff Flake late on a Friday afternoon, it was given a week to wrap everything up. While the time may or may not be an issue, the fact that electoral vote winner Donny and his minions set paramaters that wouldn't allow for a full investigation on the allegations of sexual assault - and didn't contact either Kavanaugh or Dr. Christine Blasey Ford - give this the appear of a sham to provide cover for Repubs to vote and claim their nominee was innocent (Flake's pretty much final act in the Senate showed his so-called never Trump stance to be media optics more than any real convictions). While the FBI has done horrific things in the past (look up COINTELPRO for a big example), in this case it's up in the ari whether they were in the tank for Donny and his team in support for their candidate or had their hands tied (the fact they couldn't take info from people walking in with information only adds to the murkiness).
As for the establishment Democrats it's reaffirmed that they really should stop being so wishy washy. Their tendency for decorum and civility had them holding back on questioning Kavanaugh on his stance on issues (especially in terms of lack of follow up questions) before the allegations hit. In addition the fact that too many in that party are paid by the same donors means that some of them tend to dive when they should stand. This is even more evident by seeming to refuse to fight fire with fire when Sen. Chuckles Grassley (R - IA) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R - SC - and who seems to really want Attorney General Jeffy's job) got all indignant over Dems questions over lack of access to Bretty Brett's paper - and that was before Dr. Blasey Ford's allegations were released.
This also makes some wonder how good establishment Dems are at deal making when Sen. Chuck Schumer (D - NY) to fast track a numebr of judges. Normally a deal should imply that both sides get something but it appears that this time the Dems got screwed big time. I hope I'm wrong about this but I fear I'm not.
At this point there is one thing that appears indisputable - any semblance that there are moderate Repubs is pretty much gone with this vote. Even the people the mainstream media want to call opposition to Donny tend to vote with him almost all the damn time. With this vote they've proved that they don't believe sexual assault providers and will choose any odious candidate or nominee who'll enforce their agenda regardless of whether it benefits the American people or not. It also shows once again that the GOP seems to be incapable of acting in good faith and should be seen as incapable of doing so both by the media and the public. Their complaints abotu obstruction over Kavanaugh when they refused to give Merrick Garlansd a hearing shows they still care more about their power and try ing to achieve Karl Rove (or as Dubay called him "Turdblossom")'s plan for a permanent Repub supermajority by any means necessary over anything that might actually help those people who aren't rich white conservative men, white conservative christians, or white supremacists.
So far the Repubs are whining about "angry left wing mobs" (while overlooking hwo the Tea Party acted under Obama) and a lack of civility. Sen. Majority Leader Mitch NcConnell (or Addison the Turtle, R- KY) thinks the anger will blow over. If people really want change it shouldn't - and musn't blow over.
Will this lead to a blue wave in the midterm elections next month? Some polls say yes but others claim Kavanaugh reaffirmed the Repub base. Also, given that the Repubs use of voter suppression tactics shows they're perfectly willing to lie, cheat, and steal to win elections means Democrats and independents who are pissed over the GOP pushing Kavanaugh through in this way need to get out and vote in numbers. They can't afford to take things for granted.
So Brett Kavanaugh is in the Supreme Court now? While that will likely lead this country to some ugly places, we also have to take in the lessons we now have and do the political equivalent of fighting fire with fire. That means voting but also watching politicians like hawks (even the ones you like) to make sure they're serving the public good, not th egood of their wealthy donors.
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Kavanaugh Scandals - BREAKING!!!!
Updated with the correct spelling of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's name.
Normally to say it's been a wild week and a half would be a statement of exaggeration at points. However, with the recent news in the confirmation hearings and scandals of electoral vote winner Donny's SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh it might be understating things.
Yep, within 10 or so days Kavanaugh's hearings went from seeming clean and wrapped up to a mountain of drama as several women have accused Kavanaugh of attempting to sexually assault them back in the 80s. First, it was Christine Blasey (now Dr. Christine Blasey Ford) and her claim that in high school Kavanaugh and his friend (conservative writer Mark Judge) reportedly corralled her into a bedroom where they put on loud music as Kavanaugh put his hand over her mouth while trying to take her clothes off and get on top of her. The reported assault was foiled only when Judge reportedly jumped in and toppled all three of them to the floor, giving her a chance to escape. First mentioned by Dr. Ford during a therapy session with her husband in 2012 she had reported it to her Senator (who happened to be CA Senator Dianne Feinstein, currently on the Senate Judiciary Committee) and her Congressperson when his nomination was announced but decided not to go public until the media somehow found out through leaks and tracked her down. Upon hiring a lawyer she had taken and passed a lie detector test.
Over the weekend an article in The New Yorker by Ronan Farrow and Jane Mayer reported that while in college at Yale Kavanaugh reportedly took off his pants and tried to shove his genatalia into the face of a female student named Deborah Ramirez, who was forced to touch it as she pushed him away. While Ramirez admits she doesn't remember all the details there are some people who remember it happening and others who knew her back them who claim she was always truthful, almost to an fault.,. In addition, the story came to Farrow and Mayer's attention because their mutual classmates at Yale were e-mailing about the incident in July.
ON top of that there was Michael Avenatti's claim that he's representing a third woman who may have a similar claim to Ford and Ramirez., as well as reports of possibly a fourth woman coming forward on a similar topic.
Meanwhile Repubs in the Senate are almost hell bent on pushing Kavanaugh through with the Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R, IA) calling for a committee nomination vote on Friday morning, less than a day after Ford's scheduled testimony. Democrats on the Committee would like the FBI to reopen an investigation but the Repubs are adamant that it's unnecessary.
The sad thing is that, while the Repubs and Kavanaugh talk lip service about getting to the truth their actions make them appear to have made up their minds in favor of Kavanaugh and not even having the appearance of caring about sexual assault as an issue. This is made even more clear by electoral vote winner Donny's doubling down in support of Brett while claiming he wants to get to the truth.
The latter is especially twisted given that Donny has the power to ask the FBI to reopen the background check. Him and the Senate could say to slow down the process and let the investigation occur. They did it for the accusations made by Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas hearings in 1991 and it reportedly took three days. By not doing this, the Repubs are giving the appearance of caring more about getting a conservative majority on the Supreme Court in case the blue wave of the Democrats gets them out of power in one or both houses of Congress in the midterm elections than any desire for the truth.
Why is Donny doubling down and not asking for an investigation, even if it could prove that Kavanaugh is telling the truth? A whole post can be written on that but I have a feeling it's a combination of his lust for unchecked power via a Justice who'll give that to him as well as his antipathy towards the FBI playing as much of a role as anything.
What's sad though is in their quest to push Kavanaugh into a lifetime appointment on the US Supreme Court it appears that things got overlooked (case in point; Kavanaugh's recent admission that he had a calendar form 1982. If that's the case why the fuck wasn't that in the vetting?), if not corners being cut. Given the gravity of this position a just and remotely sane world would do the smart thing and delay the hearings until they can (to steal a quote from electoral vote winner Donny) "find out what the hell is going on."
However, the Repubs don't wan to do that. They've hired a "female prosecutor" for the questions to ask Ford Thursday (even though she and her lawyer requested that there not be a special questioner here, which has some wondering if she'll show up or not) rather than own up to the stuff they want to ask as they thinly veil their plan to protect Kavanaugh at any cost (they even refuse to let Deborah Ramirez appear at a hearing). While we don't know the truth it appears that the GOP Senators don't care and would rather rally around their judge than do what's best for the people.
And by not investigating we may never really know the truth - and that's the saddest, asn most nauseating part of all this.
Normally to say it's been a wild week and a half would be a statement of exaggeration at points. However, with the recent news in the confirmation hearings and scandals of electoral vote winner Donny's SCOTUS nominee Brett Kavanaugh it might be understating things.
Yep, within 10 or so days Kavanaugh's hearings went from seeming clean and wrapped up to a mountain of drama as several women have accused Kavanaugh of attempting to sexually assault them back in the 80s. First, it was Christine Blasey (now Dr. Christine Blasey Ford) and her claim that in high school Kavanaugh and his friend (conservative writer Mark Judge) reportedly corralled her into a bedroom where they put on loud music as Kavanaugh put his hand over her mouth while trying to take her clothes off and get on top of her. The reported assault was foiled only when Judge reportedly jumped in and toppled all three of them to the floor, giving her a chance to escape. First mentioned by Dr. Ford during a therapy session with her husband in 2012 she had reported it to her Senator (who happened to be CA Senator Dianne Feinstein, currently on the Senate Judiciary Committee) and her Congressperson when his nomination was announced but decided not to go public until the media somehow found out through leaks and tracked her down. Upon hiring a lawyer she had taken and passed a lie detector test.
Over the weekend an article in The New Yorker by Ronan Farrow and Jane Mayer reported that while in college at Yale Kavanaugh reportedly took off his pants and tried to shove his genatalia into the face of a female student named Deborah Ramirez, who was forced to touch it as she pushed him away. While Ramirez admits she doesn't remember all the details there are some people who remember it happening and others who knew her back them who claim she was always truthful, almost to an fault.,. In addition, the story came to Farrow and Mayer's attention because their mutual classmates at Yale were e-mailing about the incident in July.
ON top of that there was Michael Avenatti's claim that he's representing a third woman who may have a similar claim to Ford and Ramirez., as well as reports of possibly a fourth woman coming forward on a similar topic.
Meanwhile Repubs in the Senate are almost hell bent on pushing Kavanaugh through with the Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Chuck Grassley (R, IA) calling for a committee nomination vote on Friday morning, less than a day after Ford's scheduled testimony. Democrats on the Committee would like the FBI to reopen an investigation but the Repubs are adamant that it's unnecessary.
The sad thing is that, while the Repubs and Kavanaugh talk lip service about getting to the truth their actions make them appear to have made up their minds in favor of Kavanaugh and not even having the appearance of caring about sexual assault as an issue. This is made even more clear by electoral vote winner Donny's doubling down in support of Brett while claiming he wants to get to the truth.
The latter is especially twisted given that Donny has the power to ask the FBI to reopen the background check. Him and the Senate could say to slow down the process and let the investigation occur. They did it for the accusations made by Anita Hill during the Clarence Thomas hearings in 1991 and it reportedly took three days. By not doing this, the Repubs are giving the appearance of caring more about getting a conservative majority on the Supreme Court in case the blue wave of the Democrats gets them out of power in one or both houses of Congress in the midterm elections than any desire for the truth.
Why is Donny doubling down and not asking for an investigation, even if it could prove that Kavanaugh is telling the truth? A whole post can be written on that but I have a feeling it's a combination of his lust for unchecked power via a Justice who'll give that to him as well as his antipathy towards the FBI playing as much of a role as anything.
What's sad though is in their quest to push Kavanaugh into a lifetime appointment on the US Supreme Court it appears that things got overlooked (case in point; Kavanaugh's recent admission that he had a calendar form 1982. If that's the case why the fuck wasn't that in the vetting?), if not corners being cut. Given the gravity of this position a just and remotely sane world would do the smart thing and delay the hearings until they can (to steal a quote from electoral vote winner Donny) "find out what the hell is going on."
However, the Repubs don't wan to do that. They've hired a "female prosecutor" for the questions to ask Ford Thursday (even though she and her lawyer requested that there not be a special questioner here, which has some wondering if she'll show up or not) rather than own up to the stuff they want to ask as they thinly veil their plan to protect Kavanaugh at any cost (they even refuse to let Deborah Ramirez appear at a hearing). While we don't know the truth it appears that the GOP Senators don't care and would rather rally around their judge than do what's best for the people.
And by not investigating we may never really know the truth - and that's the saddest, asn most nauseating part of all this.
Monday, September 3, 2018
The Brett Kavanaugh Debacle - or Why the Democrats Need Decisiveness Now INstead
Sorry for not getting to this sooner but I've been busy with the paying job et al but since time is of the essence here it needs to be done now.
Tomorrow is an important and scary day in terms of what will happen in the U.S. Senate. It is the day when electoral vote winner Donny's latest Supreme Court pick Brett Kavanaugh faces the first day of hearings over whether he will be confirmed to be a SCOTUS justice - a lifetime appointment. Since Donny announced him in July, shortly after the sudden retirement of justice Anthony Kennedy (a retirement that may have been engineered behind the scenes according to some sources) we have learned about some of his ruling and have a glimpse of where he could lead SCOTUS for decades to come. From what the Senate and news reports have been able to decipher, Kavanaugh's appointment could sway the Court in a hard right direction in terms of business issues against labor and towards allowing employers to use religious beliefs as an excuse to deny goods and services to people due whether it be denying employees access to birth control or the possibility of using religious liberty as a tool to discriminate against LGBTQ people. However, it is what we don't know that's most troubling.
Thousands of pages regarding Kavanaugh's court rulings and positions were blocked from release by the Senate Judiciary Committee (and Sen. Chuck Grassley [R, IA] in particular). Because of thisthe Senate doesn't have access to a full range of where Kavanaugh stands in order to see if he could be a good fit on the US Supreme Court or whether his appointment (which, let us remember, is for life) would be good for the country. Lawsuits have been filed to try and gain access but insult to injury was added when the White House withheld access to over 100,000 pages of records from Kavanaugh's time as a White House lawyer under former President George W/ Bush, citing executive privilege. These records could reveal more of how he helped guide Dubya's administration as well as where he would stand on issues like torture and the like.
Now some people may be reading this and say, "Executive privilege is good. Some things should probably be secret from teh public, even from a past administration." However, during the Obama administration the Senate wanted as many records as possible regarding the appointment of SCOTUS justice Sonia Sottemayor and got around 90% of them in the process. Add to this the desire by the Repubs to push the nomination and get Kavanaugh in before the midterm elections and it's clear that what we don't know about the guy is potentially what makes him dangerous on the Federal bench.
Thus, if there's ever a time when the Democrats as a whole need to suddenly grow a fucking spine and actually act like the opposition party it's at a time like this.
However, some people reading this may see that last sentence and go, "Wait a minute. A President has a right to his Supreme Court nominees getting approved." Some may even go further and say that Neil Gorsuch didn't have this problem and that the Repubs didn't treat Obama nominees like this. With that in mind, let's overcome the selective memory here and prove this is a massive pile of horseshit with two words: Merrick Garland.
Yep, you remember Garland. A judge that reportedly was respected by both sides and was rumored to be an easy confirmation - all the way until Obama nominated him and them the Repubs in the Senate refused to even give him a hearing. Their excuse - Obama was a lame duck and SCOTUS appointment didn't normally happen in the last year of a President's term. \However, Presidents have done so in the past with some nominees withdrawn (LBJ's nominations of Abe Fortus and Homer Thornberry) and some approved (Hoover's success nomination of Benjamin Cardozo in 1932).
Also, the term lame duck applies to the last months in office after either losing re-election or after your two terms are up and the next election took place. It doesn't apply nearly a year before the fucking election happens (in Obama's case the nomination was made in March 2016, eight months before the election). In other words,the bastards lied and moved the goalposts. While it can be debated whether it was merely for partisan bullshit power play or racism, the result is Obama was denied his Supreme Court pick due to some power play bullshit.
Which leads us to now. As with Gorsuch, the Repubs want the nomination pushed through and confirmed - preferably with no protests whatsoever.. This is rooted in something further back than Donny but in Karl Rove's strategy in making sure the Repubs remain a supermajority in both houses of Congress in spite of what the people want. While electorally they may not have succeeded right away, their attitude is to rule as if the other side doesn't matter and is only there as a participation trophy.
This, as well as the attempt to push Kavanaugh through without access to all his records or the time to study where he could lead this nation to, is proof that Democrats should stand strong and deny Kavanaugh the Supreme Court confirmation. It won't be pretty and there will be an adverse reaction, especially in the corporate owned media which is still more into cocktail parties than the people they're supposed to be a watchdog for. However, Kavanugh's hard right stance would turn this country down a path that would be anti labor, anti woman, and make life more difficult and unfair for anyone who isn't a white conservative christian with a penis
In other words if there's a time for the Democrats in the Senate (as well as those alleged never Trump Repubs) to grow a spine and say this shit won't fly it's now.
Tomorrow is an important and scary day in terms of what will happen in the U.S. Senate. It is the day when electoral vote winner Donny's latest Supreme Court pick Brett Kavanaugh faces the first day of hearings over whether he will be confirmed to be a SCOTUS justice - a lifetime appointment. Since Donny announced him in July, shortly after the sudden retirement of justice Anthony Kennedy (a retirement that may have been engineered behind the scenes according to some sources) we have learned about some of his ruling and have a glimpse of where he could lead SCOTUS for decades to come. From what the Senate and news reports have been able to decipher, Kavanaugh's appointment could sway the Court in a hard right direction in terms of business issues against labor and towards allowing employers to use religious beliefs as an excuse to deny goods and services to people due whether it be denying employees access to birth control or the possibility of using religious liberty as a tool to discriminate against LGBTQ people. However, it is what we don't know that's most troubling.
Thousands of pages regarding Kavanaugh's court rulings and positions were blocked from release by the Senate Judiciary Committee (and Sen. Chuck Grassley [R, IA] in particular). Because of thisthe Senate doesn't have access to a full range of where Kavanaugh stands in order to see if he could be a good fit on the US Supreme Court or whether his appointment (which, let us remember, is for life) would be good for the country. Lawsuits have been filed to try and gain access but insult to injury was added when the White House withheld access to over 100,000 pages of records from Kavanaugh's time as a White House lawyer under former President George W/ Bush, citing executive privilege. These records could reveal more of how he helped guide Dubya's administration as well as where he would stand on issues like torture and the like.
Now some people may be reading this and say, "Executive privilege is good. Some things should probably be secret from teh public, even from a past administration." However, during the Obama administration the Senate wanted as many records as possible regarding the appointment of SCOTUS justice Sonia Sottemayor and got around 90% of them in the process. Add to this the desire by the Repubs to push the nomination and get Kavanaugh in before the midterm elections and it's clear that what we don't know about the guy is potentially what makes him dangerous on the Federal bench.
Thus, if there's ever a time when the Democrats as a whole need to suddenly grow a fucking spine and actually act like the opposition party it's at a time like this.
However, some people reading this may see that last sentence and go, "Wait a minute. A President has a right to his Supreme Court nominees getting approved." Some may even go further and say that Neil Gorsuch didn't have this problem and that the Repubs didn't treat Obama nominees like this. With that in mind, let's overcome the selective memory here and prove this is a massive pile of horseshit with two words: Merrick Garland.
Yep, you remember Garland. A judge that reportedly was respected by both sides and was rumored to be an easy confirmation - all the way until Obama nominated him and them the Repubs in the Senate refused to even give him a hearing. Their excuse - Obama was a lame duck and SCOTUS appointment didn't normally happen in the last year of a President's term. \However, Presidents have done so in the past with some nominees withdrawn (LBJ's nominations of Abe Fortus and Homer Thornberry) and some approved (Hoover's success nomination of Benjamin Cardozo in 1932).
Also, the term lame duck applies to the last months in office after either losing re-election or after your two terms are up and the next election took place. It doesn't apply nearly a year before the fucking election happens (in Obama's case the nomination was made in March 2016, eight months before the election). In other words,the bastards lied and moved the goalposts. While it can be debated whether it was merely for partisan bullshit power play or racism, the result is Obama was denied his Supreme Court pick due to some power play bullshit.
Which leads us to now. As with Gorsuch, the Repubs want the nomination pushed through and confirmed - preferably with no protests whatsoever.. This is rooted in something further back than Donny but in Karl Rove's strategy in making sure the Repubs remain a supermajority in both houses of Congress in spite of what the people want. While electorally they may not have succeeded right away, their attitude is to rule as if the other side doesn't matter and is only there as a participation trophy.
This, as well as the attempt to push Kavanaugh through without access to all his records or the time to study where he could lead this nation to, is proof that Democrats should stand strong and deny Kavanaugh the Supreme Court confirmation. It won't be pretty and there will be an adverse reaction, especially in the corporate owned media which is still more into cocktail parties than the people they're supposed to be a watchdog for. However, Kavanugh's hard right stance would turn this country down a path that would be anti labor, anti woman, and make life more difficult and unfair for anyone who isn't a white conservative christian with a penis
In other words if there's a time for the Democrats in the Senate (as well as those alleged never Trump Repubs) to grow a spine and say this shit won't fly it's now.
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Whoa! That Was a Double Whammy - Jury Verdict and Plea Deal Edition!
Sometimes it seems that news comes at us fast and furious, especially in the current political landscape. It almost seems that those in power want to throw everything at us at once in hopes that we get overwhelmed and give up trying to find out the truth. This is especially true in terms of the Mueller probe, reports of possible Russian interference (though the mainstream media seems to overlook that there was a home grown element that wanted to steal the election for Donny as well). This means there are moments when it's best to take things in and get as much information as possible before writing or posting something. However, today events happened that require immediate posting.
Let's start with the news the media was awaiting but wondering what would happen. This afternoon Paul Manafort was found guilty of eight counts of financial crimes in a Federal courthouse in Virginia. These counts include five charges of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud, and one count of hiding a foreign bank account. The jury was deadlocked on the other 10 charges electoral vote winner Donny's former campaign manager faced so the judge declared a mistrial.
Manafort's attorney says he's currently considering his options and is disapointed in the verdict. However, this part of the story isn't over yet as Manafort could possibly appeal the conviction. However, Manafort is also facing another trial in Washington D.C. later this fall from other charges related to the Russia probe. What that means is there's the possibility of a plea deal in exchange for cooperating with investigators (which may not be more of a possibility given Paul Manafort faces 80 years in Federal prison [i.e.: a life sentence basically]). There's also the possibility that electoral vote winner Donny would suddenly pardon Manafort. However, while Donny has been pardoning quite a few horrible people this instance could be a case where the optics would be so bad that blowback would be inevitable and fairly swift.
Then there's the news about Michael Cohen, electoral vote winner Donny's former lawyer and "fixer," who today reached a plea deal and plead guilty to eight criminal counts. Among these counts are tax fraud and false statements to a bank. In that sense there is some similarity to the charges Manafort was convicted of a few states southward. However Cohen's plea has a unique twist in that he plead guilty to campaign finance violations. The latter refers to his admission that he made payments to two women "at the direction of a candidate,"
Yes, apparently Cohen admitted that he arranged the payouts to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal at electoral vote winner Donny's direction. He told the judge that the payments were "for the principal purpose of influencing the election." To add a strange layer of the bizarre to these news reports news broke of them occurring at pretty much exactly the same time.. giving news organizations a double whammy to report on. As part of the plea deal Cohen faces far less time than Manafort (46-53 months in prison) but this plea is a sign that Mueller has something.
It's also a sign that, for the first time since news of possible Russian interference and other assorted election meddling broke, reports of electoral vote winner Donny being complicit in this shit show has gone from a conjecture that many people felt was possible to Michael Cohen telling a judge under oath that he was involved.
So where does that leave electoral vote winner Donny? Hard to say. So far Donny's claiming that Manafort's conviction has nothing to do with him though one has to wonder why he didn't ask questions that he would run Donny's campaign without pay). However, since he now almost definitely has prison time ahead Paul Manafort might see this as a chance to reach some deal on other charges and cooperate. If that happens this could lead to a lot of heat on those around Donny from those we know about (Donny's son Little Donny, his son in law Jared et al in the meeting with the Russian attorney at Trump Tower) to maybe even someone who has so far escaped scrutiny (people seem to overlook that Manafort picked co-electoral vote winner Mikey and made the arrangements for Mikey and Donny to meet and cement the deal).
Will this be the beginning of the end for Donny and Mikey and their minions? Will electoral vote winner Donny start a war as a diversion (which can also help him quash any dissent against his tremendous reign, bigly)? Will the Democrats slowly plot to impeach Donny and co if they win the midterms? While it does appear that there's something that fits the high crimes and misdemeanors here time will tell what goes down. What can be said here though is that we now have proof that Donny's paying off women he cheated on his wife fits a campaign finance violation and that his fixer has flipped (proving what many have suggested when he hired long time Bill and Hillary Clinton ally Lanny Davis as his attorney).
That Manfort's conviction and Cohen's plea deal happened isn't necessarily a big deal (though some worried that jurors may have been influenced by Donny's tweets and may get a mistrial for Manafort on all counts). However, that both went down at the same time reveals that today was a big day for the Mueller probe and the various tentacles that have spun off to other courts and the like. This may not be a smoking gun but the barrel is beginning to simmer a little on these fronts.
Let's start with the news the media was awaiting but wondering what would happen. This afternoon Paul Manafort was found guilty of eight counts of financial crimes in a Federal courthouse in Virginia. These counts include five charges of tax fraud, two counts of bank fraud, and one count of hiding a foreign bank account. The jury was deadlocked on the other 10 charges electoral vote winner Donny's former campaign manager faced so the judge declared a mistrial.
Manafort's attorney says he's currently considering his options and is disapointed in the verdict. However, this part of the story isn't over yet as Manafort could possibly appeal the conviction. However, Manafort is also facing another trial in Washington D.C. later this fall from other charges related to the Russia probe. What that means is there's the possibility of a plea deal in exchange for cooperating with investigators (which may not be more of a possibility given Paul Manafort faces 80 years in Federal prison [i.e.: a life sentence basically]). There's also the possibility that electoral vote winner Donny would suddenly pardon Manafort. However, while Donny has been pardoning quite a few horrible people this instance could be a case where the optics would be so bad that blowback would be inevitable and fairly swift.
Then there's the news about Michael Cohen, electoral vote winner Donny's former lawyer and "fixer," who today reached a plea deal and plead guilty to eight criminal counts. Among these counts are tax fraud and false statements to a bank. In that sense there is some similarity to the charges Manafort was convicted of a few states southward. However Cohen's plea has a unique twist in that he plead guilty to campaign finance violations. The latter refers to his admission that he made payments to two women "at the direction of a candidate,"
Yes, apparently Cohen admitted that he arranged the payouts to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal at electoral vote winner Donny's direction. He told the judge that the payments were "for the principal purpose of influencing the election." To add a strange layer of the bizarre to these news reports news broke of them occurring at pretty much exactly the same time.. giving news organizations a double whammy to report on. As part of the plea deal Cohen faces far less time than Manafort (46-53 months in prison) but this plea is a sign that Mueller has something.
It's also a sign that, for the first time since news of possible Russian interference and other assorted election meddling broke, reports of electoral vote winner Donny being complicit in this shit show has gone from a conjecture that many people felt was possible to Michael Cohen telling a judge under oath that he was involved.
So where does that leave electoral vote winner Donny? Hard to say. So far Donny's claiming that Manafort's conviction has nothing to do with him though one has to wonder why he didn't ask questions that he would run Donny's campaign without pay). However, since he now almost definitely has prison time ahead Paul Manafort might see this as a chance to reach some deal on other charges and cooperate. If that happens this could lead to a lot of heat on those around Donny from those we know about (Donny's son Little Donny, his son in law Jared et al in the meeting with the Russian attorney at Trump Tower) to maybe even someone who has so far escaped scrutiny (people seem to overlook that Manafort picked co-electoral vote winner Mikey and made the arrangements for Mikey and Donny to meet and cement the deal).
Will this be the beginning of the end for Donny and Mikey and their minions? Will electoral vote winner Donny start a war as a diversion (which can also help him quash any dissent against his tremendous reign, bigly)? Will the Democrats slowly plot to impeach Donny and co if they win the midterms? While it does appear that there's something that fits the high crimes and misdemeanors here time will tell what goes down. What can be said here though is that we now have proof that Donny's paying off women he cheated on his wife fits a campaign finance violation and that his fixer has flipped (proving what many have suggested when he hired long time Bill and Hillary Clinton ally Lanny Davis as his attorney).
That Manfort's conviction and Cohen's plea deal happened isn't necessarily a big deal (though some worried that jurors may have been influenced by Donny's tweets and may get a mistrial for Manafort on all counts). However, that both went down at the same time reveals that today was a big day for the Mueller probe and the various tentacles that have spun off to other courts and the like. This may not be a smoking gun but the barrel is beginning to simmer a little on these fronts.
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