And the most revolting president in living memory.
A devoted and devout Trumpist in six hours of testimony says they were all in on it, Trump, Pence, Pompeo, Giuliani, Mulvaney, and numerous others.
Gordon Sondland Directly Implicates Trump, Top Aides In Ukraine Shakedown
And the Republican Party is still committed to responding by screaming nothing but the most utter horseshit.
Baseless accusations, tawdry conspiracy theories, projections, absurd and irrelevant demands, character assassination, vicious denigration, and evil screams.
Sort of a Kavanaugh defense.
The entire party is a national disgrace.
Fucking banana republic, eh?
PS.
This is the Republican White House, today.
Showing posts with label Brett Kavanaugh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Brett Kavanaugh. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Sunday, December 16, 2018
Republicans kill Obamacare finally, totally, and utterly
Federal judge in Texas strikes down Affordable Care Act
In a multitude of Tweets, Trump has howled with unbounded joy.
In his opinion, District Judge Reed O'Connor said the "Individual Mandate can no longer be fairly read as an exercise of Congress's Tax Power and is still impermissible under the Interstate Commerce Clause—meaning the Individual Mandate is unconstitutional."
He also held that the individual mandate is "essential to and inseverable from the remainder of the ACA."
The case against the ACA was brought by 20 Republican state attorneys general and governors, as well as two individuals.
It revolves around Congress effectively eliminating the individual mandate penalty by reducing it to $0 as part of the 2017 tax cut bill.
The mandate requires nearly all Americans to get health insurance or pay a penalty.
The Republican coalition, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, is arguing that the change rendered the mandate itself unconstitutional.
The states say that the voiding of the penalty, which takes effect next year, removes the legal underpinning the Supreme Court relied upon when it upheld the law in 2012 under Congress' tax power.
The Trump administration said in June that it would not defend several important provisions of Obamacare in court.
It agreed that zeroing out the penalty renders the individual mandate unconstitutional but argued that invalidates only the law's protections of those with pre-existing conditions.
These include banning insurers from denying people policies or charging them more based on their medical histories, as well as limiting coverage of the treatment they need.
But the administration maintained those parts of the law were severable and the rest of the Affordable Care Act could remain in place.
Professor Tim Jost, of Washington and Lee University, noted that O'Connor went further than the Trump administration had asked.
"The Trump administration only asked that the individual mandate and provisions protecting individuals with pre-existing conditions be invalidated, but O'Connor's order would invalidate many provisions of the Medicaid program, the Medicare program and other federal laws," he told CNN.
Many Democrats and some Republicans, apparently including WSJ's editorial page as of 12172018, say this will be overturned by Donald Trump's and the Republican US senate's even more than formerly conservative Supreme Court.
Really?
Is that what the Republicans and Trump should expect from their guys Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Alito, Roberts, and Thomas?
In a multitude of Tweets, Trump has howled with unbounded joy.
In his opinion, District Judge Reed O'Connor said the "Individual Mandate can no longer be fairly read as an exercise of Congress's Tax Power and is still impermissible under the Interstate Commerce Clause—meaning the Individual Mandate is unconstitutional."
He also held that the individual mandate is "essential to and inseverable from the remainder of the ACA."
The case against the ACA was brought by 20 Republican state attorneys general and governors, as well as two individuals.
It revolves around Congress effectively eliminating the individual mandate penalty by reducing it to $0 as part of the 2017 tax cut bill.
The mandate requires nearly all Americans to get health insurance or pay a penalty.
The Republican coalition, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, is arguing that the change rendered the mandate itself unconstitutional.
The states say that the voiding of the penalty, which takes effect next year, removes the legal underpinning the Supreme Court relied upon when it upheld the law in 2012 under Congress' tax power.
The Trump administration said in June that it would not defend several important provisions of Obamacare in court.
It agreed that zeroing out the penalty renders the individual mandate unconstitutional but argued that invalidates only the law's protections of those with pre-existing conditions.
These include banning insurers from denying people policies or charging them more based on their medical histories, as well as limiting coverage of the treatment they need.
But the administration maintained those parts of the law were severable and the rest of the Affordable Care Act could remain in place.
Professor Tim Jost, of Washington and Lee University, noted that O'Connor went further than the Trump administration had asked.
"The Trump administration only asked that the individual mandate and provisions protecting individuals with pre-existing conditions be invalidated, but O'Connor's order would invalidate many provisions of the Medicaid program, the Medicare program and other federal laws," he told CNN.
Many Democrats and some Republicans, apparently including WSJ's editorial page as of 12172018, say this will be overturned by Donald Trump's and the Republican US senate's even more than formerly conservative Supreme Court.
Really?
Is that what the Republicans and Trump should expect from their guys Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, Alito, Roberts, and Thomas?
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Ah, well put
Trump aptly likens accusations of Saudis to accusations of Kavanaugh, both being guilty and the guilt of both being denied by him.
Donald Trump has defended Saudi Arabia against mounting international condemnation of the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, warning against a rush to judgment as his secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, headed to Turkey to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The US president in an interview with the Associated Press, compared the case of Khashoggi – whom Turkish officials say was murdered in the Saudis’ Istanbul consulate – to allegations of sexual assault levelled against the supreme court justice Brett Kavanaugh during his confirmation hearing.
“I think we have to find out what happened first,” Trump said.
“Here we go again with, you know, you’re guilty until proven innocent. I don’t like that. We just went through that with Justice Kavanaugh and he was innocent all the way as far as I’m concerned,” Trump said.
Sunday, October 14, 2018
Clash of the uglies
Will the oafish admirer of autocrats who calls his adversaries in the press "enemies of the people" and has abused his power in seeking to do some of them harm really pursue "severe punishment" of the reformist autocrat who has apparently ordered the murder of an annoying critic in the press?
He is very clear he won't cancel the arms deal.
But what if they do, in response to something he does by way of "punishment"?
Saudi Arabia Rejects Trump Comments, Threatens Retaliation For Any Punishment
Turkish officials say they fear Saudi agents killed and dismembered Khashoggi after he entered the consulate, saying they have audio and video recordings of it that they have not released.
The kingdom has called the allegations “baseless,” but has offered no evidence the writer ever left the consulate.
Hmm. A pattern emerges.
He can't say there was Russian interference because Putin and the other Russians deny it.
He rejects charges against Kavanaugh because Kavanaugh denies them.
He saying the claims the Saudis killed that fellow might well be false because the Saudis deny them.
This from a man whose own vehement denials are so often so egregiously lies.
By the way, one of his and other Republicans' current campaign charges is that Democrats want to turn America into Venezuela.
That, of course, is just another lie.
Democrats want to turn America into Denmark. Or maybe Norway. Or Sweden.
Well, at least Canada.
Medicare for all, you know.
Right up until Kavanaugh and the conservative majority of the Supremes tell us that not only Medicare but Social Security and every other progressive creation all the way back to the New Deal, or even McKinley, is unconstitutional.
He is very clear he won't cancel the arms deal.
But what if they do, in response to something he does by way of "punishment"?
Saudi Arabia Rejects Trump Comments, Threatens Retaliation For Any Punishment
Turkish officials say they fear Saudi agents killed and dismembered Khashoggi after he entered the consulate, saying they have audio and video recordings of it that they have not released.
The kingdom has called the allegations “baseless,” but has offered no evidence the writer ever left the consulate.
Hmm. A pattern emerges.
He can't say there was Russian interference because Putin and the other Russians deny it.
He rejects charges against Kavanaugh because Kavanaugh denies them.
He saying the claims the Saudis killed that fellow might well be false because the Saudis deny them.
This from a man whose own vehement denials are so often so egregiously lies.
By the way, one of his and other Republicans' current campaign charges is that Democrats want to turn America into Venezuela.
That, of course, is just another lie.
Democrats want to turn America into Denmark. Or maybe Norway. Or Sweden.
Well, at least Canada.
Medicare for all, you know.
Right up until Kavanaugh and the conservative majority of the Supremes tell us that not only Medicare but Social Security and every other progressive creation all the way back to the New Deal, or even McKinley, is unconstitutional.
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
Screaming furies from hell
If you saw the clips of the two bracing Flake in the elevator, you know what I mean.
These people were not roaming the halls to practise the politics of civility and mutual respect.
Mitch McConnell Lashes Out At Peaceful Women Who Used 'Mob-like Tactics' To Oppose Kavanaugh
I saw a gaggle of raging women yelling in his face, so I'm pretty sure he's speaking from the heart and everyone who saw or heard knows he's telling the truth.
The point was to rattle the GOP senators with terrorizing verbal onslaughts.
There is a lot of hatred in our politics, especially among the activists.
These people were not roaming the halls to practise the politics of civility and mutual respect.
Mitch McConnell Lashes Out At Peaceful Women Who Used 'Mob-like Tactics' To Oppose Kavanaugh
I saw a gaggle of raging women yelling in his face, so I'm pretty sure he's speaking from the heart and everyone who saw or heard knows he's telling the truth.
The point was to rattle the GOP senators with terrorizing verbal onslaughts.
There is a lot of hatred in our politics, especially among the activists.
Sunday, October 7, 2018
Surprise! Kavanaugh is in, 50 to 48
He will rule for Trump on everything.
They just got to 50 with Joe Manchin voting for, Lisa Murkowski not voting.
No Republican voted against.
Sue Collins and Jeff Flake voted for him.
How they voted.
Sue Collins means she hopes the Dems won't hit back. Ever.
They just got to 50 with Joe Manchin voting for, Lisa Murkowski not voting.
No Republican voted against.
Sue Collins and Jeff Flake voted for him.
How they voted.
Sue Collins means she hopes the Dems won't hit back. Ever.
Thursday, October 4, 2018
Fake Background Investigation
Very limited investigation, "Witch hunt! No corroboration! Innocent until proven guilty! Disgraceful Democrats!"
Mitch McConnell doing the faux rage and outrage, again.
"Politics of personal destruction!"
Lisa M and Jeff F are echoing the "No corroboration" line.
Not clear whether that's good enough for them.
Not good enough for me.
How much corroboration would you expect for an event nearly forty years in the past?
On each side of the aisle some are now saying this controversy, whatever the outcome, will so excite the GOP base that they will turn out in such numbers as to nullify the blue wave, or even create a red one.
And as to the outcome, there is little - though some - doubt now that a mean drunk and entitled frat boy who bullied women and is credibly accused of sexual assault will be appointed to the Supreme Court, where he will, energized by rage, spend decades helping to inscribe radical right wing constitutional dogmas into law.
Mitch McConnell doing the faux rage and outrage, again.
"Politics of personal destruction!"
Lisa M and Jeff F are echoing the "No corroboration" line.
Not clear whether that's good enough for them.
Not good enough for me.
How much corroboration would you expect for an event nearly forty years in the past?
On each side of the aisle some are now saying this controversy, whatever the outcome, will so excite the GOP base that they will turn out in such numbers as to nullify the blue wave, or even create a red one.
And as to the outcome, there is little - though some - doubt now that a mean drunk and entitled frat boy who bullied women and is credibly accused of sexual assault will be appointed to the Supreme Court, where he will, energized by rage, spend decades helping to inscribe radical right wing constitutional dogmas into law.
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Do the math?
Suppose three Republicans vote against Bart O'Kavanaugh.
How many red state Democrats are going to vote for him?
Enough to put him on the court?
How many red state Democrats are going to vote for him?
Enough to put him on the court?
Monday, October 1, 2018
Fake Background Investigation
Trump, when he said the FBI was free to do what the Republicans in the Senate wanted, wasn't lying.
What they wanted was for the FBI to talk only to four people, and the four did not even include all currently known accusers.
He lied when he said they could interview whomever they wanted.
Fake Background Investigation.
Supposedly, today the White House told the feebs to talk to whomever they need to.
Reportedly, they are moving fast and talking to many more people.
And yet, Mitch McConnell today whined the Democrats are "moving the goal posts" and promised the president a floor vote this week.
News reports indicate Kavanaugh lied to the Senate about several things.
What will Flake, Collins, and Milkowski do?
And will it ultimately matter?
If they have to, the Republican Senate will confirm somebody else on the list without examining one document or one witness, without even an hour in a hearing room.
Because they aren't sure they will have a chance after the midterms.
They fear a blue wave, though every day Bozo's promise of a red wave seems less absurd.
The bright side?
The more disgraceful their behavior the less inhibited future Democrats.
I hope.
Impeach Kavanaugh or any rubber-stamped successor.
And Trump.
And, at the first opportunity, pack the court.
Specifically about the accusations of sexual misconduct?
What did Flake mean?
Flake says if FBI investigation finds Kavanaugh lied, nomination is over
Sens. Jeff Flake and Chris Coons said in an interview that aired Sunday that if the FBI investigation into sexual assault and misconduct allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh finds that the judge lied to the Senate Judiciary Committee during his testimony on Thursday, his nomination likely would not move forward.
"If Kavanaugh is shown to have lied to the committee, nomination's over?"
Scott Pelley of CBS's "60 Minutes" asked Flake, an Arizona Republican, and Coons, a Delaware Democrat, who are friends.
"Oh yes," Flake said, nodding.
Coons added, "I would think so."
What if there is lots of evidence he lied about his drinking and his behavior at parties, but nothing to corroborate the women's claims?
And what realistic expectation can there be for that?
Is Mark Judge supposed to have a moral epiphany, burst into tears, and confess?
Flake says if FBI investigation finds Kavanaugh lied, nomination is over
Sens. Jeff Flake and Chris Coons said in an interview that aired Sunday that if the FBI investigation into sexual assault and misconduct allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh finds that the judge lied to the Senate Judiciary Committee during his testimony on Thursday, his nomination likely would not move forward.
"If Kavanaugh is shown to have lied to the committee, nomination's over?"
Scott Pelley of CBS's "60 Minutes" asked Flake, an Arizona Republican, and Coons, a Delaware Democrat, who are friends.
"Oh yes," Flake said, nodding.
Coons added, "I would think so."
What if there is lots of evidence he lied about his drinking and his behavior at parties, but nothing to corroborate the women's claims?
And what realistic expectation can there be for that?
Is Mark Judge supposed to have a moral epiphany, burst into tears, and confess?
John Oliver is hilarious and harsh
Kavanaugh
Oliver gets the Republicans, but goes a bridge too far.
He calls Kavanaugh an entitled monster.
He says there were 20 or so others on the Federalist Society's list whom the Society's boss said publicly were all equally rock solid in every way that mattered to them.
Any of them would be just as certain to vote to repeal Roe, and none of them would have Kavanaugh's baggage, O said.
So why not drop him and pick one of them?
It's Trump's way, and the Republican senators' way, to say "Fuck you" to the Democrats and "Fuck you" to Dr. Ford and "Fuck you" to women, says O.
"We believe you. We just don't care."
But it seems there really isn't time to go through the process with somebody else before everybody hits the campaign trail for the election.
And that's really why they will die on this particular hill.
They are figuring this is probably their last chance to get another hard-core conservative onto the court during Trump's (first?) term.
So however much this disgrace harms them in elections they are likely already going to lose, getting rid of Roe will cement them into the hearts of abortion-opponents for whom that trumps everything else forever.
And a sold conservative majority on the court will be a gift to the right that keeps on giving just as long as the Dems are too chicken to impeach Kavanaugh or pack the court - which probably means forever.
Everything progressives have built over more than a century will be at risk.
They figure that's worth it, to their side.
And they are right.
Oliver gets the Republicans, but goes a bridge too far.
He calls Kavanaugh an entitled monster.
He says there were 20 or so others on the Federalist Society's list whom the Society's boss said publicly were all equally rock solid in every way that mattered to them.
Any of them would be just as certain to vote to repeal Roe, and none of them would have Kavanaugh's baggage, O said.
So why not drop him and pick one of them?
It's Trump's way, and the Republican senators' way, to say "Fuck you" to the Democrats and "Fuck you" to Dr. Ford and "Fuck you" to women, says O.
"We believe you. We just don't care."
But it seems there really isn't time to go through the process with somebody else before everybody hits the campaign trail for the election.
And that's really why they will die on this particular hill.
They are figuring this is probably their last chance to get another hard-core conservative onto the court during Trump's (first?) term.
So however much this disgrace harms them in elections they are likely already going to lose, getting rid of Roe will cement them into the hearts of abortion-opponents for whom that trumps everything else forever.
And a sold conservative majority on the court will be a gift to the right that keeps on giving just as long as the Dems are too chicken to impeach Kavanaugh or pack the court - which probably means forever.
Everything progressives have built over more than a century will be at risk.
They figure that's worth it, to their side.
And they are right.
Trump again insists they can do what they want
On MSNBC, taking questions after maybe more than a half hour's ludicrous droning on about how great is the new trade deal with Mexico and Canada and how disastrous have been all previous trade deals with anybody and everybody, Trump after much surly abuse of two or three female reporters present finally talked to a man or two about the FBI investigation of Kavanaugh.
For the umpteenth through the umpity-umpteenth times he said they can interview anyone and do whatever they want (yes, he said that) and whatever the senate wants.
Nothing to see here, move along.
Oh, this.
CNBC's John Harwood: New Canadian Trade Deal Is Mostly 'Relabeling' Of Obama's
After the U.S. agreed to a trade deal with Canada, CNBC's John Harwood told MSNBC that most of the improvements on the deal were on Trump's desk, "the day he walked into office" as they were negotiated by President Obama.
For the umpteenth through the umpity-umpteenth times he said they can interview anyone and do whatever they want (yes, he said that) and whatever the senate wants.
Nothing to see here, move along.
Oh, this.
CNBC's John Harwood: New Canadian Trade Deal Is Mostly 'Relabeling' Of Obama's
After the U.S. agreed to a trade deal with Canada, CNBC's John Harwood told MSNBC that most of the improvements on the deal were on Trump's desk, "the day he walked into office" as they were negotiated by President Obama.
SNL: Pick someone else
SNL's 'Weekend Update' Actually Made Serious And Best Case Against Kavanaugh
Michael Che said this:
Pick someone else.
Michael Che said this:
I just want to remind everybody that all this yelling and crying happened at this dude’s job interview.
I mean, typically when you’re asked about a sexual assault and your drinking problem at a job interview, you don’t get the damn job!
I don’t know if Mr. Kavanaugh actually has a history of assault or if he actually has a drinking problem.
But I know that he might.
And you shouldn’t be on the Supreme Court if you might.
You shouldn’t be on The People’s Court if you might.
Sometimes ‘might’ is enough.
I don’t want to pet your dog if he might bite me.
I don’t want to leave you in my house if you might be a crackhead.
I don’t want to have sex with you if you might have dated Charlie Sheen.It's a shame the Senate can only interview one candidate at a time, but that's the deal.
Pick someone else.
Sunday, September 30, 2018
It's only allowed by the right, and only when the perp is one of their own
One of these guys is not like the others
All four went off in the congress, though nobody went off anywhere near as viciously and absurdly as Brett Kavanaugh - unless we're counting Lindsey Graham, second only in disgrace to the Feodor in the White House.
(Do they feel the same way about sexual assault? Maybe.)
And Peter Strzok, who aimed his ire at one person and was actually the least disrespectful of them all, was blamed for it by Dems as well as by GOPsters.
The rage - faux or real - of all the others was not only given a pass but participated in by the right.
All four went off in the congress, though nobody went off anywhere near as viciously and absurdly as Brett Kavanaugh - unless we're counting Lindsey Graham, second only in disgrace to the Feodor in the White House.
(Do they feel the same way about sexual assault? Maybe.)
And Peter Strzok, who aimed his ire at one person and was actually the least disrespectful of them all, was blamed for it by Dems as well as by GOPsters.
The rage - faux or real - of all the others was not only given a pass but participated in by the right.
The sex criminal in the White House still covering for the sex criminal Kavanaugh?
The White House denies this story, emphatically.
The FBI has not been permitted to investigate the claims of Julie Swetnick, a White House official confirmed to NBC News
But the desire of the MSM to simply stir the pot as violently as possible was revealed in the New York Times' fake news about Rosenstein's sarcastic comments about "wearing a wire" and the 25th Amendment solution.
So, who should we trust on this one?
And then there's this.
Trump tweet attacks NBC story as fake news.
The FBI has not been permitted to investigate the claims of Julie Swetnick, a White House official confirmed to NBC News
But the desire of the MSM to simply stir the pot as violently as possible was revealed in the New York Times' fake news about Rosenstein's sarcastic comments about "wearing a wire" and the 25th Amendment solution.
So, who should we trust on this one?
And then there's this.
Trump tweet attacks NBC story as fake news.
NBC News incorrectly reported (as usual) that I was limiting the FBI investigation of Judge Kavanaugh, and witnesses, only to certain people.- Trump
Actually, I want them to interview whoever they deem appropriate, at their discretion.
Please correct your reporting!
Saturday, September 29, 2018
Unbelievable idiocy
Can they be any more repulsive?
Can they bemerde themselves any more blatantly?
Republican senator urges FBI to respond to Kavanaugh assault accusations by investigating Democrats
Can they bemerde themselves any more blatantly?
Republican senator urges FBI to respond to Kavanaugh assault accusations by investigating Democrats
Playing the victim
Thomas played the race card by venting well-timed black rage.
Kavanaugh played - what? The political victim card?
The privilege son of a bitch played to the hatred of Democrats of Trump's political base.
Thomas was out to make white liberal Democrats feel too race-guilty to stop him.
Kavanaugh wasn't out to do that.
He was only out to vent his own personal rage with utter sincerity, and encourage the same in others.
How Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh Weaponized Their Allegations
It's not too late to impeach Clarence Thomas, by the way.
Kavanaugh played - what? The political victim card?
The privilege son of a bitch played to the hatred of Democrats of Trump's political base.
Thomas was out to make white liberal Democrats feel too race-guilty to stop him.
Kavanaugh wasn't out to do that.
He was only out to vent his own personal rage with utter sincerity, and encourage the same in others.
How Clarence Thomas and Brett Kavanaugh Weaponized Their Allegations
It's not too late to impeach Clarence Thomas, by the way.
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