Glenn Kirschner skipped a day (I hope he’s all right.) Harry Litman will stand in.
The Lincoln Project – Last Week in the Republican Party – October 25, 2022
MSNBC – Rep. Himes: The U.S. Has To Decide We Won’t Allow The GOP To Mess With Election
Ring of Fire – Journalist Claims Trump Conned His Son Barron With COVID Misinformation
Cole and Marmalade – MEET MAZ AND CALYPSO! (Cole left for the Rainbow Bridge last year)
Beau – Let’s talk about whistles, DOD policy, and what’s next….
Glenn Kirschner – What will J6 committee do if Trump defies subpoena? Rep Adam Kinzinger answers that question
Meidas Touch – Ron Johnson gets UTTERLY HUMILIATED with the MOST SAVAGE Response During Debate (Not sure you can humiliate someone who has no shame – but it’s short at least)
The Lincoln Project – Protecting The Capitol
Robert Reich – Election Deniers Could Pick the Next President Without You
Crooks and Liars – A Ukrainian Boy Laments Attack On His Playground (hanky alert)
Beau – Let’s talk about hybrid Abrams…. [nothing to do with Stacey]
Glenn Kirschner – How to disqualify insurrectionists from Congress: interview w/John Bonifaz of Free Speech 4 People
Meidas Touch – SHOCK: Justice Alito disgustingly MOCKS critics of repeal of Roe v. Wade
The Lincoln Project – Trapped
MSNBC – Former Marine Dismantles Right-Wing Arguments On The Second Amendment
Randy Rainbow Re-Run – Clang, Clang, Clang Went Josh Hawley! – A Randy Rainbow Song Parody
Beau – Let’s talk about Republicans bizarre request of DOD….
Glenn Kirschner – Short: Trump’s Foot Soldiers are Indicted. Now It’s Time to Indict the Command Structure.
The Lincoln Project – Tribute
politicsrus – Betrayal
Rebel HQ – US Army Offers $50K Bonus To New Recruits
MSNBC – ‘Part Of A Much Larger Conspiracy’: Investigation Into 16 Michigan Republicans
Liberal Redneck – President Sinema?? (Naw)
Beau – Let’s talk about political and military wings again….
Yesterday, I slept in. However, I had done enough extra the day before I that I didn’t fall behind.
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Short Takes
Newsweek – Millions of Angry, Armed Americans Stand Ready to Seize Power If Trump Loses in 2024
Quote – One indication of how far Republicans may be willing to go in violently opposing the government is their sanguine reaction to the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Republicans by and large see no problem with a mob of hundreds swarming and forcing their way into the seat of American government. Half of Republicans said that the mob was “defending freedom,” according to a CBS/YouGov poll taken just after the insurrection. Today two-thirds of Republicans have come to deny that it was an attack at all, according to an October survey by Quinnipiac University. “There’s been little accountability for that insurrection,” says UCLA’s Winkler. “The right-wing rhetoric has only grown worse since then.”
Click through for the full story. The consensus at DU is that these “warriors” are all hat, no cattle. And don’t exist in the numbers claimed. (And even it they did, “millions” in a nation of 330 million people is in the neighborhood of 3% looked at generously, which would give us the advantage.)
Wonkette – Steve Bannon Isn’t Nearly As Smart As He Thinks He Is. And Neither Are His Lawyers.
Quote – Bannon’s legal team includes Trump impeachment lawyer David Schoen and Bannon’s old lawyer Robert Costello, the guy who told Bannon it was a great idea to give the House January 6 Select Committee two middle fingers and shout EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE, MOTHERFUCKERS. And if his name sounds familiar, it’s because Costello is the one who tried to dangle a presidential pardon to Michael Cohen via a mangled Garth Brooks lyric.
Click through for more. Wonkette sourced this from The Daily Beast, but I think the sardonic style adds something.
AP News -Pentagon issues rules aimed at stopping rise of extremism
Quote – Officials said the new policy doesn’t largely change what is prohibited but is more of an effort to make sure troops are clear on what they can and can’t do, while still protecting their First Amendment right to free speech. And for the first time, it is far more specific about social media.
Click thrpugh for more specific info. This is a very good thing. The U.S. military may not even attempt to reach hearts and minds (probably futile anyway) but is very cpmpetent at defining activities and prohibiting harmful ones. And holding individuals accountble.
Food For Thought
When Trump announced his run for president in 2015, he (in)famously boasted:
“I will build a great wall—and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me—and I’ll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for that wall. Mark my words.”
https://time.com/5499391/donald-trump-border-wall-mexico-pay/
RIIIGGGHHHTTT …
Sadly, the courts had allowed Trump to ignore environmental laws during the wall’s construction, and that mistake proved to be its undoing. As the old Chiffon margarine ad goes: “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.”
Trump’s US-Mexico border wall was no match for the heavy rains and accompanying flooding that happened this past week in Southern Arizona. They destroyed a large section of TFG’s wall along the San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge.
Rain measurements near Douglas, AZ (closest town to the wall) showed 290 cubic-feet of water moving through the area every second – that’s equivalent to 112,200 gallons of water every minute. And it was calculated the storm surge could have reached a height of 25 feet!
Flood gates are common across sections of the wall along the Arizona-Mexico border. Agents must manually raise the gates to protect the steel barriers from thousands of gallons of floodwater laden with sediment, rocks, and tree limbs that can otherwise pile up to create a dam, with the power of the water overwhelming and toppling parts of the border wall.
Gizmodo blamed the failure on rushed construction and an alleged bypassing of environmental regulations. “Who could have predicted this? Ah yes, just about everyone,” author Brian Kahn penned in the article.
https://gizmodo.com/trumps-border-wall-torn-apart-by-arizona-monsoon-rains-1847535174
[Not sure why, but this video showing the results of the flooding cannot be embedded. You have to click on it to view it.]
I want to close on an upbeat note. While things have not gone as well with our exit from Afghanistan as we would have hoped, there were some bright notes.
America’s men and women in uniform have, once again, covered themselves in glory with displays of care and compassion – particularly with Afghani children.
I could not find attributions for these – but I want to include them anyway:
Of course it wasn’t only with children that they displayed their compassion. And I’m sure you join me in thanking them for their service – they did us proud!
I have a technician appointment for tomorrow for the phone. The computer seems to stay connected better when it is not quite as hot. News from Carrie’s appointment yesterday: “Both growths removed and sent off to lab. They are probably benign, but a little concern about one that was changing.”
Cartoon –
Short Takes –
Oxfam Denounces OECD Global Tax Deal as ‘Skewed-to-the-Rich and Completely Unfair’
Quote – While some tax equity campaigners applauded the agreement as a good start, Oxfam International executive director Gabriela Bucher slammed the deal as “no more than a G7 money grab,” referring to the seven wealthy nations that have helped spearhead the talks.
Click through for story. 
to Mitch.
Crooks and Liars – Biden Quickly Nominates Diverse Slate Of Federal Judges
Quote – Thus far, Biden has tapped 32 judicial nominees, maintaining a rapid pace for both nominations and confirmations that is putting even what Sen. Mitch McConnell did on behalf of the Federalist Society and Donald Trump to shame. “That number is notable for its historical context: It puts Biden on the fastest pace for judicial confirmations in a first presidential term in more than 50 years. The last president to have seven confirmations by this point was Richard Nixon in 1969, according to a White House official,” CNN reports
Click through for details. Yes, it isn’t the Supreme Court. But it is a pool from which future justice will be drawn.and it’s a sign of a good attitude toward the Judicial Branch.
Wonkette – GOP Rep Pretty Sure Soldiers Can Just Quit Over Vaccine Requirements
Quote – There’s a wee bit of a problem with all of that though — as many people were happy to point out to Massie on Twitter, you can’t just “quit” the military, because when you sign up to join the military, you sign a contract and you are required, by actual law, to serve out your time unless otherwise dismissed by the Department of Defense. If you “quit,” that is called “going AWOL” or “desertion” and could result in “dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and a one-year confinement.”
Click through for more of Wonkette’s inimitable style. Beau also has something to say on this topic in the video thread.
Food for Thought
It’s a tired day, here in the CatBox. I overslept this morning, so I’m running a bit late. It’s Christmas Eve, and if you live in a red state, you need to beware. I trust that you understand that Republicans have invented a fake version of Jesus, Republican Supply-side Jesus. He uses Jesus’ name to spread the Nazi Republican pseudo-gospel of war, hate and greed. Republican Supply-side Jesus is the exact opposite of the real Jesus. The reason red state residents need to beware is that there is also a Republican Supply-side Santa. Like the real Santa, he comes down the chimney on Christmas eve, but instead of bringing presents, he steals the presents from poor and middle-class red state children, sells them, and uses the proceeds to buy presents for Republican billionaires, like new sheets and hoods to replace the ones Republicans have worn out through excessive use. So if you live in a red state, build a big fire in the fireplace, put flash-bangs in the stockings and replacer the cookies with turds. Merry Christmas Eve to you all, and SantaCat knows who’s been naughty and nice.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 3:43 (average 8:13). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Cartoon:
Tracking Santa:
Short Takes:
From Daily Kos: Ever-shameless, Donald Trump is now using the pardon power to promote outright corruption. In a slew of pardons tonight, Trump used the power to sabotage convictions of private-contractor war criminals, an array of Republican elected officials caught using their office to engage in crimes, and two of Trump’s own allies who pled guilty to lying to federal law enforcement officials in an effort to block special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of communications between the Trump campaign and Russian officials during the 2016 campaign.
Receiving pardons tonight—and surely, there will be many more coming—are George Papadopoulos and Alex van der Zwaan, who both pled guilty to lying to federal investigators probing Russian hacking and propaganda efforts on behalf of Trump. They join the previously pardoned Flynn, who pled guilty to lying as part of the same cover-up.
Also receiving pardons are three Republican congressmen caught committing crimes in office. California ex-Rep. Duncan Hunter stole donated campaign funds for his own personal use. New York ex-Rep. Chris Collins pled guilty to lying to the FBI and to attempting to commit securities fraud after being caught engaging in insider trading. Texas ex-Rep. Steve Stockman was convicted of money laundering. All three were unquestionably guilty of corruption in office; in pardoning each of the disgraced House Republicans, Trump is clearly signaling his contempt for those that would attempt to hold his political allies to account.
For good measure, and as reminder that aside from personal fealty of allies there are few things as seemingly dear to Trump’s heart as torturing or killing the innocent, Trump has also pardoned four Blackwater private contractors responsible for killing 17 civilians in Baghdad’s Nisour Square, an act that fomented terrorism against U.S. forces for years afterwards.
There’s no subtlety to these pardons, and its almost certain that they are the prelude to a host of even more egregious ones.
When I think of the egregious losses, grief and suffering these bastards caused to victims and their loved ones, I want to scream! RESIST!!
From Crooks and Liars: Holy smokes! It looks like Diaper Don was correct with his complaints of faulty election results in at least two states. But he probably doesn’t really want to draw too much attention to them.
In Delaware County, Pennsylvania,, there was a confirmed incident of voter fraud:
In the weeks leading up to the presidential election, Elizabeth Bartman and Elizabeth Weihman registered to vote as Republicans in Nether Providence Township, Delaware County officials said Monday. There was one problem: Both women had been dead for several years.
The man behind those applications, Bruce Bartman, now faces two felony counts of perjury, as well as one count of unlawful voting for successfully casting an absentee ballot for President Donald Trump in the name of Elizabeth Bartman, his long-dead mother.
Bartman was arraigned Friday and released on $100,000 unsecured bail.
His lawyer, Samuel Stretton, said the 70-year-old takes full responsibility for the crimes, and will cooperate with investigators
“In his political frustration, he chose to do something stupid,” Stretton said. “And for that he is very sorry.”.
Bartman used his deceased mother’s driver’s license to register her to vote absentee and successfully cast a ballot for Trump in her name. He tried to do the same thing for his dead mother-in-law. But in that incident, he used her Social Security number, which triggered an alert in the state’s system. Even though Bartman signed a letter confirming that she was alive, he never tried to vote for her.
How many times have I said that, when isolated instances of voter fraud do occur, the perpetrators are virtually always Republican? RESIST!!
From YouTube (MSNBC Channel): Trump Vetoes Defense Spending Bill Setting Up Showdown With Congress
The disrespect this shoes to our men and women in uniform is totally disgusting! To Trump* and the Republican Reich, our troops matter only as cannon fodder. I have no doubt the veto will be overturned. RESIST!!
From YouTube (a blast of Christmas): Silent Night arranged by Dan Forrest from Beckenhorst Press
Whether or not you are one who you believes in the deity of Jesus Christ, may the celebration of his birth, albeit poorly timed, bring you peace, love, comfort and joy. This year our nation is about to be given another chance. HUGS!!