Friday Reads: Despicable, Deplorable Predicaments and the Rest of Us
Posted: December 9, 2016 Filed under: Afternoon Reads | Tags: BanktruMPF, Curtailing the First Amendment, Hillary in the Wilderness 64 CommentsHello it’s Friday!
I have a short video to send out to all deplorables!
So,we’re beginning to have attacks on free speech as well as voting rights. What do these new republican overlords have against the US Constitution? I guess they just don’t like any one going around speaking freely, peaceably assembling, or petitioning the undemocratically elected government for redress of grievances. This goes for both Michigan and then anything near the Lincoln Monument in the District.
Republicans in the Michigan House voted late Wednesday to make it easier for courts to shut down “mass picketing” demonstrations and fine protesters who block entrances to businesses, private residences or roadways.
Under the legislation, which Democrats decried as unconstitutional prior to the 57-50 vote, individuals who return to a disruptive demonstration already blocked by a court could face fines of up to $1,000 a day. Unions or other organizing groups could be fined up to $10,000 each day.
Michigan law already prohibits certain forms of mass picketing, but sponsoring Rep. Gary Glenn, R-Midland, said a spate of recent incidents make it apparent that “the current penalties are not sufficient to deter already-illegal activity.”
He noted reports that 39 people were arrested last month outside a Detroit McDonald’s “for blocking the entrance and preventing them from being able to conduct their business” during a protest against low wages. Glenn also cited an environmental protest outside the Midland home of Attorney General Bill Schuette in July.
So, you can harass woman outside of clinics seeking health care but Misogynist in Chief to be TRump does not want women anywhere near the Lincoln monument expressing their opinions. The Women’s March On DC is barred from that location. The Lincoln memorial has been one of the most frequently used sites for protest through out its history.
The Lincoln Memorial has been the site for many of the United States’ most historic rallies, from the civil rights and anti-Vietnam protests of the 1960sto the Million Man March in 1995. However, for the thousands of women planning to march on Washington following Donald Trump’s inauguration, the landmark won’t be available for rallying.
The National Park Service, on behalf of the Presidential Inauguration Committee, months ago reserved access to the landmark by filing a “massive omnibus blocking permit.” Permits for inaugural events have traditionally reserved most of the National Mall, Pennsylvania Avenue, the Washington Monument, and of course, the Lincoln Memorial, for days and weeks before, during, and after the inauguration, which will take place on Jan. 20, 2017.
This isn’t exactly a normal situation either.
The NPS filed a “massive omnibus blocking permit” for many of Washington DC’s most famous political locations for days and weeks before and after the inauguration on 20 January, said Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, a constitutional rights litigator and the executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund.
Previously, Verheyden-Hilliard has led court battles for protest access on inauguration day itself.
But banning access to public land for protesters days after the inauguration is “extremely unique”, she said in a press conference held by the Answer [Act Now to Stop War and End Racism] Coalition.
“It hasn’t come up in any way previously, where you’ve had a groundswell of people trying to have access on the Saturday, January 21, and thousands of people want to come, and the government is saying we won’t give you a permit,” she said.
“What they’ve done is take all of these spaces out of action,” she said, many of which, the Answer Coalition noted in its press release, are “historic spaces for dissent”.
Kumbaya Motherfuckers! His Oranginess wishes the appearance of being the candidate that the majority of voters chose–NOT!–even if you little wimmenz want to say “Hell No!” We’ve frequently discussed the future Mad King who seems to be a big fat liar covering up all his big fat lies. Here’s an interesting take on the question of his wealth. Maybe Orangeholio can’t divest because he’d be left in personal bankruptcy without his Ponzi scheme cashflows and new scams, he’d be flat broke. Bernie Madoff for Fed Chair anyone? This is from Josh Marshall writing for TPM.
Since Donald Trump’s surprise election one month ago, there’s been a bubbling conversation about the mammoth conflicts of interest he will have if he is running or even owning his far flung business enterprises while serving as the head of state. I’ve suggested that the whole notion of ‘conflicts of interest’ doesn’t really capture what we’re dealing with here, which is really a pretty open effort to leverage the presidency to expand his family business. But a couple things came together for me today which make me think we’ve all missed the real issue.
Maybe he can’t divest because he’s too underwater to do so or more likely he’s too dependent on current and expanding cash flow to divest or even turn the reins over to someone else.
Late this afternoon we got news that Trump will remain as executive producer of The Apprentice, now starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. That is, quite simply, weird. The presidency is time consuming and complicated, even for the lazier presidents. Does Trump really need to do this? Can he do it, just in terms of hours in the day? Of course, it may simply be a title that entitles him to draw a check. But does he need the check that bad?
The idea that Trump is heavily leveraged and reliant on on-going cash flow to keep his business empire from coming apart and collapsing into bankruptcy was frequently discussed during the campaign. But it’s gotten pretty little attention since he was elected.
Here’s something else.
After Trump got into that scuffle with Boeing, reporters asked about his ownership of Boeing stock. Trump replied that he’d already sold that stock. So there was no problem. But there’s a bit more to it than that.
According to his spokesman, Trump sold all of his stock back in June, a portfolio which his disclosures suggest was worth as much as $38 million. Trump told Matt Lauer that he sold the stock because he was confident he’d win and “would have a tremendous … conflict of interest owning all of these different companies” while serving as President.
Now, c’mon. Donald Trump sold off all his equities more than six months before he could become president because he was concerned about conflicts of interest? Please. That doesn’t pass the laugh test.
Go read the rest.
So, let’s read some fun and interesting stuff.
The National Geographic has a suburb photo and analysis of a Dinosaur tail trapped in Amber. It’s got feathers!!
The tail of a 99-million-year-old dinosaur, including bones, soft tissue, and even feathers, has been found preserved in amber, according to a report published today in the journal Current Biology.
While individual dinosaur-era feathers have been found in amber, and evidence for feathered dinosaurs is captured in fossil impressions, this is the first time that scientists are able to clearly associate well-preserved feathers with a dinosaur, and in turn gain a better understanding of the evolution and structure of dinosaur feathers.
From the New Yorker: “I AM HILLARY CLINTON—FABLED, ELUSIVE FOREST-DWELLER OF UPSTATE NEW YORK.” Emily Flake’s illustration accompanies Sarah Hutto’s beautiful tale.
As of late, wistful voters from across the country have found themselves drawn to the heart of upstate New York, traversing the deep woods to find me, Hillary Clinton, formerly your Presidential front-runner, now your flaxen-haired Sasquatch of Chappaqua.
The coveted jewel of their quests, a candid selfie with me, serves as a hopeful reminder to city-dwellers that I’m going to keep being alive and going outside and stuff, despite not being President. Witnesses shall return with tales of my poise and makeup-less face, not seeming to get that people generally don’t put on makeup to go on solitary walks through the woods, regardless of political standing.
Should you seek me through such a journey, you will know me by my fleece of many colors, my frisky husband, and my small dog. You will lay before me your disappointment and sorrow, and I will say, “Do not give up.”
You will feel peace as you watch me wander out of the clearing and disappear into a copse of trees, leaving you to wonder whether you even saw me to begin with—the only lingering sound that of Bill steadily crunching a Kind bar as he follows.
Yes. Hillary sightings continue and selfies with Hillary and maybe Bill are popping up everywhere. Her fleece has even attracted some attention since there are pictures of her in it spanning two decades. Yes, that Hillary who was jumped on by media for wearing a too expensive jacket is spotted in her famous fleece.
https://twitter.com/lookwhoitiz/status/803993771146878976
Hillary was last seen in the District saluting the Late Great Astronaut and Senator John Glenn and saying good bye to retiring Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. The fleece did not attend but one of her signature pantsuits did.
Hillary Clinton didn’t shy away from some dark humor in her opening remarks during a speech at retiring Sen. Harry Reid’s tribute and portrait unveiling Thursday.
“This is not exactly the speech at the Capitol I hoped to be giving after the election,” she said. “But after a few weeks of taking selfies in the woods, I thought it would be a good idea to come out. And I’m very grateful to Harry for inviting me to be a part of this celebration.”
The Senate minority leader from Nevada retires from Congress this year and was honored with a portrait in the Kennedy Caucus Room in the Russell Senate Office Building.
I’m still dreaming of all the possible women that will get a selfie with Hillary. I’m still wowed that she can do it. You can follow @HRCInTheWild for some quick fixes.
In the weeks since the election, some Americans have found a new folk hero in a familiar face: Hillary Clinton, comfortably dressed suburban retiree.
Within hours of her loss, a steady stream of photos began surfacing of supporters posing with her as she took part in lazy-day activities: There’s Hillary, walking in the woods of Chappaqua, N.Y.; Hillarybrowsing the aisles at an independent bookstore; Hillary shopping for Thanksgiving dinner at the market; andHillary walking in the woods of Chappaqua again, this time with Bill.
Adam Parkhomenko, a longtime Clinton aide, has started a Twitter account,@HRCInTheWild, for tracking the spontaneous sightings.
I’m still grieving for all the things we could’ve had and all the things we will lose when Trumpzilla destroys the Republic.
What’s on your reading and blogging list today?
peej
Carissa
ecocatwoman
mablue2
Mama Lopez
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
Must read……An unorthodox, but clever idea about how the Dem Senators can vote for Merrick Garland before trump is sworn in.
http://ijr.com/opinion/2016/12/262399-left-proposing-last-minute-plan-hijack-senate-confirm-obamas-scotus-nominee/
Hillary is in purple again.
Would it be so terrible if women marched or gathered in D.C. before the swearing in?
Well, Obama just ordered a full review of 2016 election hacking, a little late with a deadline of Jan.20
Ten days until the Electors don’t do their Hamiltonian duty
My two cents says that the march should be from the Washington Monument to the Woodrow Wilson International Center. It’s 1.3 miles, closer to the White House, and better represents USAn women from the beginning to our vote, the UN, and the fight for gender equality. I realize though, that now we have been barred from Lincoln, its a different kind of fight.
Gen. Michael Flynn is super creepy.
Michael Flynn once claimed Arabic signs on southern border guide ‘radicalized Muslims’ into US
http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/08/politics/kfile-michael-flynn-arabic-signs-on-border/index.html
So much depressing news. Perhaps the worst of it is the clear sign that Trump will do absolutely nothing to combat global warming, and will perhaps even make it worse, if that is possible. Every environmentalist’s nightmare; drilling everywhere, removing restrictions against use of fossil fuels. It may well be that Trump has money invested in these companies, because his absolute attack on envirornmental science, seems very strange, even for him. Everything else falls far behind the goal of making money, so maybe that is the reason. I don’t know how the planet will survive if global warming is not halted. I don’t think that the head of the EPA is subject to confirmation; but it he is. then Democrats, if they want to do anything significant to save the world, should absolutely fight this guy to the teeth. The only other small hope would be that some of this states, particularly Califonria, institute their own strict restrictions. Of course, the stacked Supreme Court will find that state laws in this area must fall to federal laws, but maybe we can at least buy some time in this manner. Otherwise, it’s just move to the coolest spot you can find, and enjoy it for a few years. And I didn’t even mention the poisoned water and polluted air, and the destruction of our precious national parks. Too bad that none of the debate moderators asked one single question about the environment in five hours. Too bad that so many Sanders, Johnson, and Stein supporters didn’t think this was important enough to vote on.
Every nomination or appointment literally ties my stomach up in knots accompanied by a sickening sinking feeling. The latest is a woman for Dept. of Interior who thinks Al Gore deserves an “F” in science and an “A” in creative writing.
https://thinkprogress.org/cathy-mcmorris-interior-111c30319780#.7tod7w575
Oh, her. She’s got petroleum for blood. I’d be happy to get her out of the state, but unfortunately in the other Washington she will do far more damage.
I’ve already got my plane tickets to DC, a place to stay and plans to march on Jan 21. Apparently, the inaugural committee is dragging its feet on its plans in order to suppress participation in protest marches. You know, just like the Trump campaign operated to suppress the vote. There really isn’t anything they can do to us (or so I understand from WAPO) if we show up without a permit. Rich says “just don’t get arrested”. Of course, he actually did during the Kent State riots, so I take it with a grain of salt, lol.
Good for you!!
I say it’s time to be “clapped in irons” again!!!
This level of self-dealing should be illegal.
It would be a front page, all caps scandal if the Clinton campaign had done it.
That’s not even touching it all.
More endless crappy news. We need a flow chart and database just to keep up.
Except for the Hillary in purple part…that was a brief flicker of light.
It really does make me happy any time I see her picture. I believe she will keep fighting for us and for the Constitution.
This is one that’s really got me upset: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/this-is-what-happens-when-donald-trump-attacks-a-private-citizen-on-twitter/2016/12/08/a1380ece-bd62-11e6-91ee-1adddfe36cbe_story.html?postshare=4621481316204944&tid=ss_fb
Yeah, that’s bad.
Sonvabitch.
Criminal.
Well, some kid in Macedonia said he’s made $60,000 this year by posting fake news favoring Trump on social media, and that Trump fans are great because they read and follow it as ‘news’
Thank you Dak for the Hillary sightings in the wild!!! I love seeing her smiling again.
Yeah, I hated to end the week on gloom and doom
You did good. Loved the post and photos.
Amazing story of Annie Glenn!!
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/12/09/to-john-glenn-the-real-hero-was-his-wife-annie-conqueror-of-disability/?utm_term=.b76f0be87b30
Trump-Billies hand our country to Russia
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/obama-orders-review-of-russian-hacking-during-presidential-campaign/2016/12/09/31d6b300-be2a-11e6-94ac-3d324840106c_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-main_russiahack-1215p%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.977295373eba
You know what? Fuck Obama! The CIA told key Senators last week that Russia interfered to help Trump. McCain and Graham started screaming and THEN Obama decided to call for a review. Well thank you very much. This review should have happened months ago but Obama didn’t want to appear to be favoring Hillary. What. The. Fuck!?!?!?! I’ve just about had it. I’m so pissed off at Obama I can’t even see.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/obama-orders-review-of-russian-hacking-during-presidential-campaign/2016/12/09/31d6b300-be2a-11e6-94ac-3d324840106c_story.html?tid=sm_tw&utm_term=.99d1171d6d21
Check this out, from the article…
For months! For months they were “debating” on what to do. Meanwhile our goddamned democracy is going down the drain because he couldn’t decide what to do.
Yes, and this: Matt Ortega @MattOrtega 39 minutes ago
Days BEFORE GOP rolled the media with FBI letter, they were in secret meetings with White House opposing disclosure as “too explosive”!
OMFG! I can’t even. Jesus fucking christ.
In case my last comment wasn’t clear: So it was ok to cost Clinton the election with an FBI release based on nothing (and how did that happen anyway?) but not ok to release a CIA report that was about a foreign power helping Trump. Why did Obama go along with this after Comey’s sabotage of Clinton?
From Matt Ortega
@MattOrtega
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I’m sorry. I blame fucking Obama. Where were his balls? No wonder Hillary is so angry. I literally feel sick.
Oh for crying out loud. This is infuriating.
We told you so!
Spineless DINO.
I think he needs to have a round table talk with us, and then kick some ass.
Mitch McConnell knew back in Sept. They did nothing, nothing. Not only did they do nothing, but Hillary Clinton was telling everybody what was happening, and Trump laid blame to China, or some 400 lb man in hotel room! Malcolm Nance has been talking about this, I talked about it, and the media did nothing, absolutely nothing to research it. Pres. Obama let us down, for reason I can’t understand, he wasn’t forceful on this as it was happening. 17 intelligence agencies said it was true, and proved it, and the republicans are calling this a farse. I am so mad, and crying, I hurt, for our country. For the one chance we could make a difference, but I just think the white nationalist republicans are getting back to us for electing a black president. I don’t know what to do.
Mitch McConnell not only knew, he’s the one who told Obama not to release the info. McConnell said he would claim that Obama was being partisan and trying to help Hillary. That’s why Obama blinked. Fast forward to today, and Mitch McConnell’s WIFE has been tapped to be Trump’s Sec of Transportation. I’m not a proponent of capital punishment but frankly I’d like to see some of these treasonous sons of bitches hanged.
Yep, and all that cocaine to go with. Something must be done. You just got to see Sean Spicer and Michael Commish on CNN this morning. It just keeps getting better.
Oh yeah, Bobby Valentine is being considered as ambassador to Japan, because he once managed a baseball team there.
I’ve said from the beginning, Obama was ill-prepared to be POTUS. Undoubtedly he evolved over 8 years, but he was in the beginning and still is in WAY over his head with the GOP. They are dirty, rotten scoundrels. They have no goal except to rule. They don’t care a wit about compromise in service to our Democracy or the people they just conned into voting for Trump. Maybe when this shit-ship sinks we’ll be able to salvage what remains of this country.
I totally agree with Janicen, rebfalk, and everyone else above. This is beyond horrifying, beyond disgraceful. It is in some horrible realm of stupidity bordering on treason. Obama has clear CIA evidence of Russians trying to win the election for Trump/Russia. He decides not to release this because he doesn’t want Republicans to be upset with him, or because some right-wing talk shows might criticize him? And then, when the FBI letter is written, immediately followed by a bugus “leak” coming from the renegades in the NY FBI office, that the Russians are not trying to influence the results of the election, something Obama knows is not the case, he STILL does not release the information?? He lets Hillary sit out there and have to deal with day after day of fake Wikileaks Russian propaganda, the FBI trying to destroy her, and a very real possibility of election day hacking, all by herself????? And then when she loses, he says that she was lazy, and should have gone to more fish fries in Iowa?
And of course tens of millions of people think that Obama was a great president. Based on this information, he sat there and let the country be taken over by Russia and their pawn. He didn’t do any of the bad things, but he had information which could well have stopped it or at least diluted its effect. Obama started his campaign in 2008 praising Republicans for having had the good ideas of the last two decades. He never attacked Republcans, never demonized them the way that Reagan always demonized liberals. He did not fight them on the debt ceiling battles, and he let them keep his Supreme Court nominee from even getting a hearing for a year. And he finished his tenure by letting the Republicans wheedle or intimidate him into letting them and their Russian cohorts win the election, with all the horrendous consequences ensuing. Oh, he thought that Hillary would win, and wanted her to win. But that is really comptely beside the point. This is an absolute tragedy, and a horror.
The fucking FBI, I am so fucking pissed. The CIA, it was a report, but it was about WE the people.
Obama has no fking excuse. None.
http://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-vladimir-putin-russia-hillary-clinton-united-states-europe-516895
Almost evvery Trump appointee has a strong connection with Russia. Is Russia picking them? How do we have any reason whatsoever to believe that Trump will protect the United States, that he will not do exactly what Russia tells him to do? Even working class Republicans should be very frightened of the implications here. I know the media is not, but they are probably part of the sinister cabal as well. What if Trump and cabinet and family visit Russia, and while they are there, Russia drops nuclear bombs on various U.S. cities? What if Russia urges or demands that Trump drop nuclear bombs on various countries? Why is all of this not blanket news coverage all overr, why are not the Congress and President meeting in closed session right now? Well, we basically know why not.
My three little words for Obama: Dereliction Of Duty.
It doesn’t matter who hacked the election, if it was influences by outside force it should void the it. Clearly the electoral college was influenced in some way the votes were too strategic to be real. This man cannot be POTUS – and clearly he knew it was being hacked as he kept telling us “the election is rigged”
Ooops – not awake yet – this is what it should say It doesn’t matter who hacked the election, if it was influenced by outside forces it should be voided. Or a recount MUST take place
Clearly the electoral college was the aim of the influence – the votes were too strategic to be real. This man cannot be POTUS – and clearly he knew it was being hacked as he kept telling us “the election is rigged”
Remember Ken Jennings? The Jeopardy genius? His tweet wins the internet.
This entire thing has devolved into what can only be described as a really rotten mystery novel. Russia hacked our electoral process by working in tandem with Wiki Leaks. POTUS knew it but didn’t tell because he didn’t want to hurt somebody’s itty-bitty fweelings. Trump is appointing people who are either directly involved with Russia or are propagandists for and in service to Russia. The MSM intentionally tried to make a horse race out of our presidential election by giving Dump incredible coverage and face time and by making moral equivalencies between Dump and Hillary thus influencing the outcome of the election. And our ELECTION PROCESS is so fucked that it awards the presidency to the man with 2.7 million less votes. The electoral college is a joke and a travesty. It gives States like Wyoming with a population of less than 600k people more of an influence on the outcome than the most populated State California with 39 million citizens. Why do a handful of people, scattered around states like MT, ND, SD, WY, carry more weight in the Electoral college than the states WHERE PEOPLE ACTUALLY LIVE? This is so fucked up and it IS going to destroy our democracy.
Why did this break on a Fri night? I am so mad right now. Where will the furor be on Mon morning? Will Trump have another side show going to keep the media breathlessly chattering?
Frankly, I’m glad. Joy Reid is the only television journalist I trust and respect and her show is on the weekend. Screw the rest of them, they got us into this.
She is on as we speak, and breaking it all down. That was the first thing in my mind contrask……….why on Friday when everyone is heading out for holidays………..They are going to try to “normalize”…………………I like Dak’s “resist”, now.
She is my favorite too. I will listen to Rachel & Lawrence & her. None of the others anymore.
I think he made a good point about following constitution. I really want to see the media plaster the need for a repeal of the recount in Michigan. We got shut down, and our vote should COUNT. Let us see the votes in Wayne County. The republicans are telling us to move on, because it’s been over for sometime. Les we forget George W. Bush was five weeks out before the count was finished, we weren’t but 3 weeks when they shut down Michigan. They are out talking like they won by a landslide and therefore, they want to shut down all the recounts. We must shout out LOUDER than the ashol in the tower.
What is it that we don’t know, is that Trump will never admit that he doesn’t know nothing.
Repeat after me, children,
when THEY go LOW, WE go HIGH…
When they go low, we try to get under them and kick them in the nuts, is what we do. The GOP will never play fair and at this point, with all the most recent revelations, I’m surprised anyone believes that we should play nice.
I agree, Mouse – a fair fight with dirty players will only get us killed. Going high when they go low only works when all players have a conscience – and as we have seen, the players on the orange team have no conscience whatsoever.
My new motto:
Agree!
Yeah, that worked out really well, didn’t it?
The truth will set you free.