Wendy just left having destinked the foul TomCat, helped with the dreaded task and some light housework, and received a back rub with Icy-Hot, because she tweaked it in the bar last night. That was the high point of my day. She also had fried eggs and potatoes for brunch. Now I have some catching up to do.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 5:36 (average 6:13). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: Ex-convict and white supremacist Benjamin McDowell, 28, was arrested after buying a handgun and ammunition from an FBI agent for $109.
McDowell had complained on facebook that fellow white supremacists were all talk and no action: "All they wanne (sic) do is stay loaded on drugs the Jews put here to destroy white man and they feast on the drugs. they should be Feasting on the enemy that stole their Heritage and their bloodline" he wrote, also citing Dylan Roof, the white mass murderer sentenced to death for the murder of a group of black churchgoers.
Authorities began investigating McDowell in December after he posted threats to a synagogue on Facebook.
Since President Trump was sworn in, vowing to keep America safe from terrorism, and issuing a travel ban against Muslim countries that was later blocked by the courts, this is the third white American to be investigated for a terrorist plot.
Click through for more terrorism by Trump Republicans. It’s a good thing the FBI got this one before the Nectarine Nazi gave him Flynn’s job. RESIST!!
From Think Progress: Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort — which he refers to as “the Winter White House” — will bring in millions of dollars in membership fees each year while allowing members to have the ear of the president.
According to a New York Times piece published on Saturday, Trump’s son Eric told the newspaper that Mar-a-Lago admits about 20 to 40 new members each year. Considering that Mar-a-Lago raised its initiation fees to $200,0000 after Trump’s presidential inauguration, that’s up to $8 million dollars coming in from new members per year. And that doesn’t include taxes or the $14,000 charge for each member’s annual dues.
While clearly criminal, the likelihood that Beauregard will investigate, let alone indict him is nil. RESIST!!
From Raw Story: Almost all congressional Republicans are scared of facing voters in town hall meetings over the long President’s Day weekend. Only 19 representatives and senators—a tiny number—will hold town meetings during the first recess of the current session of Congress, according to the Town Hall Project. But the group’s listing of these democratic mainstays barely tells the story.
According to an eye-opening Washington Post account, Republican officeholders have been cancelling planned town halls because they don’t want to face critics upset that they may soon lose their health insurance or see an increase in costs as the GOP plans to undermine Obamacare. Even worse, they don’t want organized progressive groups to show up with posters and video camera and determination to challenge them in public and post the confrontations on YouTube.
“According to the Town Hall Project, which collates information about public town halls, there are no availabilities in Utah—where every federal officeholder is a Republican—over the coming week,” WaPo wrote. “That’s not a fluke. Just 19 Republican members of Congress have scheduled traditional town halls over the weeklong recess. Several more, like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), have listed ticketed events or “office hours;” a few more have announced tele-town halls, which allow constituents to lob questions without risking a “YouTube moment.”
This cowardly response is nothing new from immoderate Republicans; it’s in line with their partisan ethic that “anything goes” to win, except playing fair. They cannot win in many states without gerrymandering federal and state districts, which allowed them to seize power after the 2010 Census. They cannot win widely in high turnout elections, hence their efforts to limit participation by creating barriers like new voter ID laws or restricting voting options favored by critics, like early voting on weekends.
The bottom line here is this. Republicans don’t want to know what YOU think, because, unless you are a Nazi, a Misogynist, a pseudo-Christian, a Russian, or a billionaire, Republicans do not represent YOU! RESIST!!
Cartoon:
13 Responses to “Open Thread – 2/19/2017”
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You had a good start of your Sunday, TomCat, getting clean yourself and returning a service with a back-rub and a hearty brunch. It's good to share, isn't it.
DK: I don't think I've ever said this before, but kudos to the FBI. It's quite reassuring that the intelligence agencies a still doing their job even when their boss is trying to do everything possible to pull the attention away from the white supremacists back onto Muslim immigrants and refugees, the real culprits in his sick mind, even if he has to make them so by blaming them for a terrorist attack in Sweden last Friday. The response of the Swedish government was sweet: they wondered if they had overlooked something, but after a good look through their own security reports and the news around the world they were sure it didn't happen. Apparently Drumpf got the idea from looking at a Faux News documentary about Syrian refugees coming to Sweden.
TP: Congress won't look into it, the Department of Justice is prohibited from looking into it; is there really no other way Drumpf can be charged by another group? Can individuals in Congress or his cabinet be charged with not doing their jobs and perverting the course of justice? Sigh, I know, I know, it's down to a lot of pressure, yuge pressure from the public. So
RESIST & PERSIST!
RS: Cowards! But what else is new? It's time to have people waiting each day on their "representative" to come to work or leave their office and asking them questions. In time that may turn ugly, but isn't it very ugly already?
Lona, the FBI has an Intelligence role only in a law enforcement capacity. It is more a federal police force than an intelligence agency.
DK: Glad that the FBI picked up this guy. The headline is very telling, in that, it's these homegrown terrorists who will continue to plot and plan with their agenda. Not Muslims, or any others. In one week! Scary!
TP: o.m.g! I don't understand how he can get away with all this! This just boggles my mind!
RS: What a bunch of losers. From the top on down too. Spineless B's.
Cartoon: Yea, isn't that the truth?!
Sounds like you had a very busy day! Hope that your humidity goes down, it's humid here, with incoming rain..I think. Hope that you have a relaxing evening, take care, and Thanks, Tom.
5:16 "Pretty in Pink"
DKos – I've been incommunicado this weekend – has he found anyone willing to take Flynn's job yet? Has Mattis resigned yet? Oh, and why are white supremacists always so UGLY (although I think I may know that one)? I concur in being glad they got this guy before blood was shed.
TP – Oh, don't worry, I'm sure they'll manage to get around taxes. Besidea, IOKIYAR.
Raw Story – This is going to get Democrats and people who are informed about politics and government extremely upset. It probably won't make a dent in those who are not informad about politics and government, which group includes a huge chunk of Trump voters. Sigh.
Cartoon – So true and incidentally, so unScriptural. But of course they don't read. They think a zygote is a baby. I don't know why they don't seem to think eggs are chicks.
RESIST!
I can smell the scent of roses from here — good job Wendy!!! That will mean that you will feel better Puddy Tat! I had a rough day today, bursting into tears at church. I guess today was meant to be one of those teary days, one of many I expect. Fortunately, I had my church family about me. One day at a time.
Puzzle — 4:12 When I was a teen, I went through a Japanese phase where I wanted a mattress on the floor for my bed, low, sleek, minimalist furniture and Japanese lanterns. I never got the lanterns but I did get the rest against my mother's wishes (especially the bed).
Daily Kos — IMO, the greater terrorist threat comes from domestic white supremacists, NOT foreign born Islamic terrorists, and their targets are not only Muslims, but African Americans (think Dylann Roof), Sikhs, Jews, Latinos and anyone else that does not meet their definition of whiteness and cultural purity. Drumpfenfarten has only tapped that root encouraging fear and building an unholy alliance of white pseudo Christians. Law enforcement must be vigilant for the true terrorists, law makers must make sure that they make laws that are not reactionary towards any one group, and the courts must have the courage to support justice even when it means ruling against a bombastic xenophobic racist like Drumpfenfarten (think 9th Court of Appeals).
Resist
and
Persist!!!
Think Progress — The law is the law and all people should be equal before the law. That said, it appears that some people will be more equal than others. I agree, Beauregard will never prosecute Drumpfenfarten despite the fact that during his confirmation he said he would stand up to Drumpfenfarten when he was wrong. Liar, liar, pants on fire Beauregard!
Resist
and
Persist!!!
Raw Story — "… like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), have listed ticketed events or “office hours …" — Whatever became of representing ALL the people in a district or state? It seems representation is only for Republicans, and all others don't matter. Republicans rule by, and are ruled by FEAR. Fear that they will be held accountable; fear that they will lose in the power game; fear that they will not continue to have wealth and standing.
Resist
and
Persist!!!
Cartoon — Amen JD! Republicans are caught in their own perfidy.
Resist
and
Persist!!!
May your days grow brighter. HUGS!!
Getting ready to corral the critter for my trip up to Mom's for Income Tax time. I just came across this yesterday and wanted to be sure to have folks mark their calendars:
April 22, 2017 (Earth Day) Is Also the "March for Science"
There are a LOT of satellite Marches taking place, so explore – there's lots of info at the site in the above link
Persist to Resist
Time being what it is, you probably won't see this till you are back. But have a great trip, hug your Mom for us, and be safe all the way there and back again.
Have a great trip, but on principle, I have to root for the cat!!
Cartoon: One caveat: The GOP don't care what happens
to the baby once it is born and out of the womb.
.
One of my favorite quotes is "the earth is being destroyed but we have the names and addresses of those who are doing it".
An advantage to Trump having so many businesses is that in order to stay open, he must have telephones that work – so we can call Trump Tower and Miralago… we can find out where senators live…they can run but they cannot hide.
Saw a man on tv yesterday who said the best way to deal with Trump is to refuse to use his language. Don't call it Fake news like he does – use the term "truthful news" – make our own language and keep using it so it overshadows his language. Made a lot of sense to me….
Thanks all! Hugs!!