Open Thread October 25 2024

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:10 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Oct 252024

Yesterday, my back bothered me from the middle of my sleep time (it woke me up, and I never really got back to sleep) through the entire rest of the day. I seriously considered sleeping sitting up. I used the TENS unit and ice (not at the same time – those ice bags may be sealed, but that doesn’t stop condensation.) Both helped some, But not enough. Yes, I know, Urgent Care, but the last time I did that (for pain muchless sefver in a much smaller area) I ended up having to do so much walking I exacerbated it. If I exacerbate this much more, I’ll fall and won’t be able to get up. If it persists, I’ll do that.

Pro Publica points out that, while, yes, immigration has increased, that is far from the only change in immigration in recent years. They don’t go into the fact that many, particularly those from Central America are fleeing conditions which we, the United States, made possible by meddling in their nations’ politics through the CIA and, among other programs, the School of the Americas (now whitewashed as the “Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation.”) And both of our major parties have blood on their hands. Our hands. Sure, a lot of that was on account of GOP rule. But I wouldn’t expect those injured by it to be able to make that distinction.

As a former DOJ prosecutor, Joyce Vance knows a whole lot more about the DOJ’s responsibiities than I do. I’ll just let her do the talking.

Video Thread 8/12/22

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 11:54 am Open Thread, Politics

Aug 122022

For this, I am skipping Glenn for one day only.
PBS – Marrick Garland Briefing on Search (only 4-5 minutes – I set it to start when he enters)

Meidas Touch – Trump INVOKES THE FIFTH AMENDMENT in New York AG Deposition

The Lincoln Project – Insider

Farron Balanced – Depressed Mitch McConnell No Longer Thinks Republicans Will Win Midterms

MSNBC – Laurence Tribe On Trump Investigations And ‘The Death Of Truth’ – Deadline

Beau – Let’s talk about Garland’s statement on the Trump search….

Open Thread August 12, 2022

Posted by Joanne Dixon at 6:47 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 122022

Yesterday, I was, I’m sure, as stunned as everyone else ny Merrick Garland’s press conference. It is in today’s video Thread, which will go up about noon Pacific Time. don’t be put off by the 34 minute time – I set it to start when he comes in, which is about 30:30, so it’s actually very short. I also managed to grab Beau’s response to him, which I think is a trifle longer, but still short. Then I went out and got new tires, which took almost 3 hours door to door, but it had to be done, and now it is.

Cartoon –

Short Takes –

NPR – A grand jury declined to indict a woman whose accusations set off Emmett Till killing
Quote – The decision comes despite recent revelations about an unserved arrest warrant and the 87-year-old Donham’s unpublished memoir. The Rev. Wheeler Parker, Jr., Emmett Till’s cousin and the last living witness to Till’s Aug. 28, 1955, abduction, said Tuesday’s announcement is “unfortunate, but predictable.”
Click through for details. “Insufficient evidence.” At least they didn’t try to assert a non-existent Statue of Limitatons.

The Conversation – Why searching an ex-president’s estate is not easily done – 4 important things to know about the FBI’s search of Mar-a-Lago
Quote – 1. There are legal hurdles to getting a search warrant. The U.S. Constitution requires that all search warrants “particularly describe the place to be searched and the … things to be seized.”… This requirement can be traced in part to a famous British case from the 1760s when agents of King George III searched the house of John Wilkes, an opposition member of Parliament, for incriminating papers. The warrant they used was condemned by the courts as a “general warrant” because it did not specifically name Wilkes, his house or the seized papers.
Click through for the other three. Garland did in fact personally sign off on this warrant. He has said so.

Bonus – It’s gotten so bad that even the wildlife is trying to move to Canada.

Food For Thought

Open Rage – 1/7/2021

Posted by TomCat at 10:57 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Jan 072021

It’s an outrageous day here in the CatBox. Yesterday when the Republican Reich attacked the US, I was so upset that I swallowed an unprocessed mouthful of food and rushed to the computer without thinking. Needless to say, that plugged my stent and I was sick all afternoon. A couple days ago I opined that this was the wrong time to impeach Trump* and throw him the attention he craves. I take that back. Now a state of war exists between the Republican Reich and the US. We must fight back with every legal weapon at our disposal. These dates shall live in infamy, as long as there is a USA to remember: Dec. 7, 1941, Sep. 11, 2001, and Jan. 6, 2021. I am waiting for Store to Door to bring my grocery order, and WWWendy is coming late this afternoon. I hope to be in the saddle tomorrow.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:23 (average 4:35). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

0107Cartoon

Short Takes:

From Daily Kos (Hat-Tip Mitch [ours]): This is too, too much. The schadenfreude! The sheer, sheer joy!

CNN:

President-elect Joe Biden has decided to nominate Judge Merrick Garland as attorney general, people familiar with the matter tell CNN, a long-awaited decision that was moved toward completion Wednesday as it became apparent that Democrats were on the brink of winning control of the Senate.

The announcement of the attorney general, along with other senior leaders of the Justice Department, is expected to be made as soon as Thursday as Biden moves closer to filling the remaining seats in his Cabinet before assuming power on January 20.

While Garland has been a top contender for weeks, concerns about the vacancy his selection would create on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia raised alarm bells among Biden and many advisers who believed Senate Republicans would block any nomination to that seat. But with Democrats poised to control the Senate after two Georgia runoff races, those concerns were allayed.

I have to love this! And Beat Bitch Baby Bawling Mitch can’t stop it! RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): U.S. Capitol Ransacked After Massive Security Failure

These are some of the same questions I have. It appeared to me that some of the police were in cahoots with Trump’s* terrorists who tried to repeat the Reichstag Fire. I agree with Mika that they would have slaughtered BLM demonstrators. I hear people saying this is the time to stay cool. My answer? BULLSHIT! RESIST!!

From YouTube: Live: NBC News NOW – Jan. 7 | Special Coverage On The Riot At The U.S. Capitol

I put this here to give you a chance to keep up with any freaking developments, should they occur. RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast from yesterday): The Beatles-Revolution Protest Music Video

Given the Republican attack on America, this is all too appropriate! RESIST!!

12 Days Until the Big FLUSH!!

Open Thread – 11/19/2020

Posted by TomCat at 11:20 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Nov 192020

It’s a busy day here in the CatBox as Store to Door is bringing a double-order of groceries since they will be closed next week for Thanksgiving. I have a lot to unpack and put away. Tomorrow, please expect no more than Personal Update. It’s a full WWWendy day, and we have much to do. I hope you all have a fine day.

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:16 (average 4:58). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Short Takes:

From Daily Kos: Texas Rep. Louie Gohmert has made quite a name for himself around these parts and others. Now the House Republican is jumping with both feet into suggesting that, well, maybe if Donald Trump didn’t win the election maybe it’s time for his Republican voters to rise up and end American democracy, period.

As reported by the Dallas Morning News, Gohmert claimed to a “Million MAGA March” audience near the White House that “this was a cheated election and we can’t let it stand.” He spoke of the American revolution and the Egyptian uprising: “They rose up though all over Egypt, and as a result of the people rising up in the greatest numbers in history,” he said, and “if they can do that there, think of what we can do here.”

And in perhaps what passed for an acknowledgement that an armed coup by red hat-wearing bozos would be, ahem, unpopular with the general public, Gohmert was quick to point out that “only about 30%” of American colonists supported that previous revolution. You don’t need a majority in these matters, after all. You just need enough ammunition.

I’m not at all surprised that the guilty party is Louie “Go Go Goose Step” Gomerde. However, it’s hard to find a Republican that would not plug into GOP Nazism. RESIST!!

From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Ex-Pres. Trump On Trial? Why It’s Not Biden’s Call

I fully agree. Biden should have nothing to do with it, one way or the other. His job, with respect to DOJ, is to provide them the means to do their job. That’s ALL! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast of unity): The Briar Rose Ramblers – “We Are One” (Live in a Living Room, 11-29-2015)

Amen! We are one! As such, those who would divide us, the Republican Reich, are against us all! RESIST!!

61 Days Until the Big FLUSH!!

Open Thread – 11/18/2020

Posted by TomCat at 10:21 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Nov 182020

It’s a busy day here in the Cat Box, as I expect Molly to arrive before I finish this. That means I miss my morning nap and get a pain increase. When Molly is here, I’ll have to ask her what Lona is like in person. [later: Molly says Lona is at least 80% nice and 10% feisty.] Happy Hump Day to all!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 4:46 (average 6:42). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Breakfast in the CatBox:

I’ll post an occasional pic so you can see how I’m eating with the stent.

1118Breakfast

Short Takes:

From Common Dreams (Hat-Tip Mitch [ours: not BBMMM]): Taking cues from former Presidents Gerald Ford and Barack Obama—who pardoned or ignored their predecessors’ crimes in the name of national unity and healing—President-elect Joe Biden has privately signaled to advisers that he is unlikely to pursue federal investigations of the Trump administration’s policies and actions, NBC News reported Tuesday.

According to the report, the president-elect has expressed concerns that investigating President Donald Trump or holding members of his administration accountable for wrongdoing would further divide a nation already deeply riven by political tensions, and that focusing on Trump would distract Biden from his forward-looking agenda.

Biden is said to be especially wary of probing Trump’s taxes or trying to undo any immunity the president may grant to his associates during his final weeks in office.

Put simply, one adviser said Biden “just wants to move on.”

“He’s going to be more oriented toward fixing the problems and moving forward than prosecuting them,” another Biden confidant told NBC News.

I do agree that Biden should be more oriented toward “fixing the problems and moving forward”. However, part of fixing the problem is appointing an AG who will do his/her job and prosecute the people responsible for worst crime wave by public officials in our nation’s history. Failure to do so guarantees that we will be moving backward, not forward! RESIST!!

From Alternet: Jesse Barrett, husband of newly confirmed U.S. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett, recently said he will continue private practice despite the ethical concerns that may arise due to his wife’s new position.

On the SouthBake Legal website, there is a congratulatory statement to the new Supreme Court justice. It also details what Jesse Barrett’s near future holds.

“SouthBank Legal enthusiastically congratulates Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett on her confirmation to the Supreme Court of the United States,” the statement began.

The statement, which commended Jesse Barrett for his work, also suggested that he will continue private practice.

It later added, “SouthBank Legal also congratulates Justice Barrett’s family, in particular her husband, Jesse. Since joining SouthBank Legal two years ago, Jesse has broadened the firm’s commercial litigation expertise, while building an impressive white-collar defense practice. Like Justice Barrett, Jesse has top-shelf legal ability, a relentless work ethic, and a resolute commitment to his professional obligations. About his practice, Jesse commented, ‘I look forward to continuing to help grow and lead SouthBank Legal’s litigation-related practice groups and serve our clients.'”

Injustice Amy Coney Bullshit ought to recuse in any case the firm of her husband, lord, and master participates, as her pseudo-Catholic cult believes she must decide as he orders. I don’t think she will. RESIST!!

From YouTube (Robert Reich Channel): Georgia Runoffs: How You Can Help Flip the Senate

Of course the Reich on the left, Robert Reich, is right. Both Loffler and Perdue typify the Reich on the right, the Republican Reich. Both govern for personal gain. Both are racist to a Republican extent. I fully agree with Robert’s suggestions! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast of protest): We Stand With You

This is a perfect example of how we must all stand together for social justice. RESIST!!

62 Days Until the Big FLUSH!!

Open Thread – 8/31/2020

Posted by TomCat at 11:30 am Open Thread, Personal, Politics

Aug 312020

It’s a busy day here in the CatBox. Diana should be here in a few minutes for her routine visit, and WWWendy will be here late this afternoon. The score is now WWWendy 1 to TC 1. I plugged the toilet this morning! ARGH! Oh God, it’s Monday!

Jig Zone Puzzle:

Today’s took me 3:06 (average 4:55). To do it, click here. How did you do?

Cartoon:

Trump* Virus Update:

0831TrumpVirusMap

Click for interactive map

US Cases: 6,177,092
US Deaths: 187,248
Plus the thousands of GOP plague murder victims Republicans are hiding from us

Short Takes:

From Alternet: One of the many oddities of the now-terminated Robert Mueller probe into Russian election interference and its links to various members of the Trump campaign and family, and in fact of all known federal probes into Russia’s Trump-related actions, has been the seeming lack of any counterintelligence probe on Donald Trump’s myriad, longstanding financial connections to Russia—and what role those financial ties have played both in the Russian government’s actions on behalf of Trump and their possible leverage over the now-president.

A new story from The New York Times‘ Michael Schmidt reports that that’s because in the first months of the new Trump administration, former deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein shuttered that investigation—then ordered special counsel Robert Mueller to steer clear of it himself. It’s not that the counterintelligence investigation into Trump’s known ties to Russian crime figures, to money laundering, and his family’s stated reliance on Russian cash has been kept closely-held: It never existed. And it still doesn’t.

Assuming that we win in November, the investigation blocked by Rosy Rectum Rosenstein needs to be done, and Trump* needs to be prosecuted, convicted, and incarcerated for the crimes Republicans are hiding. RESIST!!

From Crooks and Liars: Hopped up on Trump rage and Village People music, this white man feels emboldened to walk up to a journalist and verbally abuse and threaten media in New Hampshire.

That is so Republican! RESIST!!

From YouTube (a blast of protest): Imagine – John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band (w the Flux Fiddlers) (official music video HD long v)

Kudos to left wing protestors! RESIST!!

Vote Blue No Matter Who Top to Bottom!!

Dump Barrf!

Posted by TomCat at 11:09 am Politics

Jun 242020

AG Barr, aka Barrf, has been using the DOJ to further the desires of criminal Fuhrer Trump* and the Republican Reich. To do so, he has interfered with legitimate prosecutions and denied the American people the justice that is our right. He should be impeached.

Two prosecutors in the Justice Department will ratchet up the criticism of Attorney General William Barr on Wednesday with remarkable congressional testimony accusing senior Justice Department officials of politicizing DOJ investigations and the sentencing of a friend of President Donald Trump.

Aaron Zelinsky, a prosecutor on former special counsel Robert Mueller’s team, plans to testify that the sentencing recommendation for Trump’s longtime friend and adviser Roger Stone was watered down due to political pressure from the “highest levels” of the Justice Department, according to Zelinsky’s prepared remarked released Tuesday. Zelinsky, who now works in the Maryland US Attorney’s Office, said the pressure came due to Stone’s “relationship with the President.”

John Elias, a career Justice Department prosecutor in the Antitrust Division, accused Barr of ordering investigations into 10 mergers of cannabis companies because he did not like the industry, according to a copy of his testimony. Elias also charged that political leadership in the Antitrust Division pushed an investigation into California’s emissions standards last year following a tweet from the President attacking the state.

Wednesday’s testimony before the House Judiciary Committee comes amid a new flurry of questions surrounding Barr’s decision to fire Geoffrey Berman, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, which has investigated Trump and his associates. Berman initially refused Barr’s request for his resignation, vowing to remain until the Senate confirmed his replacement sparking a chaotic situation that ended after Trump and Barr fired him and Berman agreed to leave…

Inserted from <CNN>

Barrf is so corrupt that the faculty of the George Washington University School of Law have written a letter asking the university to strip Barrf of his honorary degree, according to above the law. The powers that be are considering it. To read a copy of that letter (PDF), click here.

‘Torching Its Legacy’: DOJ Insider Says AG Barr ‘Should Be Resigning’ After ‘Bombshell’ Allegation

I know, I said that Barrf should be impeached, and I’m right! However, there’s no way in hell that we can ever get a fair trial, let alone a conviction, in the Senate, as long as it is in the fetid grip of Bought Bitch Midnight Moscow Mitch and the Republican Reich. Therefore, we need to keep exposing Barrf’s crimes and educating people about them. Hopefully, in 2021 a Democratic President will appoint a REAL Attorney General, who will have Barrf investigated and indicted. Then the court can tell him, “Go to jail! Go directly to jail! Do NOT pass go! Do NOT collect $200,000,000!” It will be even better, if he meets his beloved criminal Fuhrer Trump* there!

RESIST!!

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