Friday Reads: So, the army invaded my neighborhood last night and other stories
Posted: February 10, 2017 Filed under: Afternoon Reads | Tags: Drumpfistan, Drumpfocracy, Drumpfogarchy 41 Comments
Good Afternoon!
I am moving extremely slow today. Things certainly have been stressful lately. I usually have to see the light of day to figure out what the latest assault will be on the Courts, the Constitution, Ethics, tax payers, black people, immigrants, Muslims, women, GLBT folks, etc. etc. etc. Last night, the assault came swooping over my rooftop in the form of black helicopters and extremely loud explosions.
Now, I live in a neighborhood with babies, pets, old people, and unsuspecting tourists, etc. etc. etc. It turned out to be a training exercise at the abandoned Navy Base about 5 doors down from me. Ya think they could’ve told a few of us about this especially a few days after 9 tornadoes touch down all around us and 21 days into the chaos that is Drumpfistan.
I mean this seriously. Hair Furor has been promising to invade US cities with the army for days now so I figure mine’s as good as any because, well, you know, a lot of my neighbors are black and you know what kinda hell realm my neighborhood has to be in the eyes of Hair Furor. We also have lots of other folks here that are immigrants and do very terrorist type things like own corner stores and restaurants. We must be on his target list!!! So, what would you think if the Army started swooped in and exploding things on your city block at 1:00 fucking A.M.?
But the good news is the Hair Furor’s Immigrant ban can’t be enforced because we have courts and they evidently still work.
A federal appeals panel has maintained the freeze on President Trump’s controversial immigration order, meaning previously barred refugees and citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries can continue entering the United States.
In a unanimous 29-page opinion, three judges from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit flatly rejected the government’s argument that suspension of the order should be lifted immediately for national security reasons, and they forcefully asserted their ability to serve as a check on the president’s power.
The judges wrote that any suggestion that they could not “runs contrary to the fundamental structure of our constitutional democracy.”
And of course, now the three judges–including the conservative one appointed by Bush–are all getting threats.
Threats against more than one judge involved in legal challenges to President Donald Trump’s executive order on immigration have prompted federal and local law enforcement agencies to temporarily increase security protection for some of them, according to law enforcement officials.
CNN did not learn how specific the threats were, but law enforcement agencies treated them seriously and out of an abundance of caution, the US Marshals Service and local police increased patrols and protective officers to provide security for some of the judges, the officials said.
A spokesperson from the US Marshals Service declined to comment directly on the threats but said that while “we do not discuss our specific security measures, we continuously review the security measures in place for all federal judges and take appropriate steps to provide additional protection when it is warranted.”
The threats come as Trump continues his verbal criticisms of judges — something that has drawn concern from former law enforcement officials and others who fear that public officials should not target a specific judge, and instead base their criticism more broadly on a court’s ruling.
And hundreds of thousands of Iranians are taking to the street shouting “Death to America” in what looks like a full on self-fulfilling prophecy. Hillary warned us about this. The foreign policy and national security experts warned us about this. But, no, we have to be surrounded by racists and bigots with false narratives poured into their little tiny hands and minds. Day by day, Kremlin Caligula is the one that makes us less safe.
Hundreds of thousands of Iranians rallied on Friday to swear allegiance to their clerical leaders and reject U.S. President Donald Trump’s warning that he had put the Islamic Republic “on notice”, state TV reported.
On the anniversary of Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution that toppled the U.S.-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, marchers including hundreds of military personnel and policemen streamed towards Tehran’s Azadi (Freedom) Square for the main event.
They carried “Death to America” banners and effigies of Trump while a military police band played traditional Iranian revolutionary songs.
State TV showed footage of people stepping on Trump’s picture in a central Tehran street. Marchers carried the Iranian flag and banners saying: “Thanks Mr Trump for showing the real face of America.”
“America and Trump cannot do a damn thing. We are ready to sacrifice our lives for our leader”, a young man told state TV, in a reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Last week, Trump put Iran “on notice” after a Jan. 29 Iranian missile test and imposed fresh sanctions on individuals and entities. Iran said it will not halt its missile program.
Leading religious and political figures, including President Hassan Rouhani, had urged Iranians to join the rally on Friday to “show their unbreakable ties with the Supreme Leader and the Islamic Republic”.
I bet Putin is celebrating again.
The happy news today is that nasty ass Jason Chaffetz had a horrid time in his town hall last night. Remember, this is Utah not Massachusetts.
Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) on Thursday faced a flood of protesters during a town hall in his home state.
Demonstrators repeatedly disrupted the House Oversight Committee chairman, challenging him over his treatment of President Trump.
“If you want to continue to look into [2016 Democratic presidential nominee] Hillary Clinton, I don’t care,” an attendee named Noor Ul-Hasan asked Chaffetz, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. “But why aren’t you checking out your own president?”
“You’re really not going to like this part,” Chaffetz responded. “The president, under the law, is exempt from conflict of interest laws.”
Chaffetz was a key player in the Benghazi and email investigations that plagued Clinton, a former secretary of State under President Obama. Shortly before Election Day, Chaffetz said he believed the committee had two years’ worth of material on her. Now he’s facing added pressure to apply the same level of scrutiny to Trump.
The Tribune reported Thursday’s event at Brighton High School in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, was at capacity, with police warning some would not be admitted into its 1,080-person auditorium.
Demonstrators repeatedly booed when Chaffetz mentioned Trump’s name, it said, and some held up signs reading “disagree” at the Utah lawmaker.
Remember, it isn’t illegal, facism, NAZIsm, or unethical when the President does it or his family does it!!!
Meanwhile, Besty just can’t seem to find the pencils in the Department and she can’t even visit a school. See Betsy run away. Run, Betsy, Run!!!!
All of this chaos is making my stomach knot and my head hurt.
Meanwhile, let me know what’s on your reading and blogging list today.
peej
Carissa
bostonboomer
ecocatwoman
mablue2
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
Thanks for this post, Kat, lots of juicy stuff and n it.
Dak – I’m sorry you were subjected to the commotion last night – it must have been frightening.
Right after 9-11 the top guns at Dobbins AFB were so hyped up they would buzz the buildings at the nearby Galleria – 20 story buildings – and lemme tell ya that was scary even in the daytime. They had hung a gigantic American flag off the side of one of the buildings.
So you have to wonder was there something specific that prompted the exercise.
Apparently it was this:
http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2017/02/hearing_helicopters_in_the_byw.html#incart_m-rpt-2
But apparently “notification” was haphazard.
That’s my next door neighbor. He and his wife own the B&B next door. I was home when they were supposedly notifying people and I know only one who said they got a door knock. The flash grenades where incredibly loud.
From everything I’ve read kat they did a terrible job of letting people know about the “exercise”.
Good god girl, I can’t even imagine what I would have done if I had been awakened in the middle of the night by helicopters and gunfire. I’m pretty certain I would have grabbed my .38 and headed out to the street to see if my neighborhood was under attack. That was just wrong to do a military exercise like that in a residential area without prior warning. It makes you wonder WTF they’re up to, doesn’t it?
With Kim Jong tRump anything within the realm of imagination is possible.
FBI investigating Black Rock activists. This just started a couple of weeks ago according to this article.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/10/standing-rock-fbi-investigation-dakota-access.
They need to be investigated Trump’s goons, including Flynn, instead.
Dak please be careful with all the stress. My terrible bout with shingles was caused by all the stress I went through in October and November. Even if you have taken the shingles vaccine, please still be aware of the symptoms of shingles since the vaccine is unfortunately not 100% effective. If you notice any of the symptoms go to a doctor immediately to get the antiviral medication which, if you catch it quickly, can really reduce the symptoms. Most shingles outbreaks are caused by stress reactivating the chicken pox virus. My sister-in-law got the vaccine and still came down with shingles. Even though it is not 100% effective, it is still better to take the vaccine! Please note this.
I hope you’re better. One of the worst health experiences of my life was a case of shingles on my face that went to my left eye, into my left ear and across my scalp. The pain was horrendous. I lost my vision in my right eye from corneal scarring. I had a bilateral corneal transplant within a year because the shingles exacerbated a corneal eye disease. I don’t think I’ve ever had more serious pain than the shingles. I stayed knocked out with pain meds for 4 weeks.
My God. That’s awful! I remember you had shingles, but I didn’t know it was that bad.
{{{Mouse}}}
Worst illness I’ve ever had. Unbelieveably painful. And yes it was stress that brought mine on. I had 3 children natural childbirth and the pain from my shingles was worse than childbirth especially the pain in the eye. Excruciating.
Horrible! Shingles anywhere within several inches of the eye is significantly dangerous, on top of the severe pain.
Thanks, Mouse. Fortunately my shingles were on my torso from between my shoulder blades around to my upper chest. Unfortunately, I have PHN (postherpetic neuralgia), the rash and blisters are gone but alot of the pain lingers. I am coping with medication and positive perseverance. I can only take tRumpville in small doses!
I can’t imagine that shingles pain on my head! Hugs to you!
I hate that for you. Hopefully it will get better over time.
Agree with you, Jslat! Excellent advice.
I’m down with what I thought was another bad cold but the whole-body aches and shaking chills/hot flashes of yesterday are getting worse. Checked my temp and I think I’ve contracted one of the influenza strains which is just different enough from the vaccine to slam me down. Going to hunker down, drink electrolytes and fluids, cuddle with the cats, hope my neighborhood isn’t attacked by the National Guard, and try to block out Drumphworld for a while.
Hope you stay well, SkyDancers.
Take care!
Oh Gawd! Don’t say that Luna. See my comment over at TW.
Thanks, Jslat and Fredster.
Luna….Please take care of yourself . The flu is terrible here. Schools closed today because so many teachers were sick and not enough substitutes. So take care.
Hell’s bell, I didn’t know that, and the cost of the shot was expensive.
Thanx for info, I’m on overload with stress, and all the snow, and deaths. Take good care.
I got the shingles shot several years ago. At the time, it cost $195, and the person injecting said that, while there was still a chance of having shingles, the severity is reduced if you’ve had the shot. My neighbour was in excruciating pain for over a year, so I considered it good insurance. I’m in Ontario, Canada, and the shingles shot has recently been added to drugs covered by OHIP for people over 65.
In Ontario, people over 65 pay $100 per year deductible, then all drugs (on the approved list) are covered. Of course, all doctors’ visits and hospitalization are covered also. In 45 years, I have never had cause for complaint. Anyone telling you single payer doesn’t work is simply wrong.
I’m so trying.
I can’t imagine how frightened I’d be by something like that at 1AM. Sorry you had to go through that, Dak.
We have more snow coming tonight and another potential blizzard on Sunday and Monday!
Back in Dec, we had heavy load of snow for days………….finally in the middle of the night I heard the snowplow on the road. I jumped up with all the excitement, hearing the sounds, and see the lights. It was awesome to open the door and cheer them on!
I would have been terrified by such a commotion. I’m so sorry, Dak.
Same here, I’d be thinking Trump done did it.
In a meeting with Senators, tRump complained about voter fraud in NH and several times referred to Elizabeth Warren as “Pocahantas.”
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/trump-voter-fraud-senators-meeting-234909
You’d think the Republicans worried at all about the party of Lincoln would get the Toddler-In-Chief sedated and keep him that way.
Have you guys seen his “handshake” with Abe????
YIYIYIYiYI
That was hilarious! The expression on Abe’s face is priceless.
He looks pretty fed up with the shit face orange gibbon.
That look on Abe’s face and the eye roll said it all. I saw a clip of a similar, aggressive handshake 45 gave Gorsuch, very hostile and creepy. Methinks his inner bully is showing…
I should have mentioned I got that from Shakesville and Melissa thinks:
“It is also a feature of serial abusers of women that they have no respect for men’s bodies/consent either. It just manifests differently.”
https://twitter.com/Shakestweetz/status/830112385130196992
At the very least it was incredibly disrespectful. tRump needs more than sedatives – he needs a straitjacket.
More trouble for tRump:
CNN: US investigators corroborate some aspects of the Russia dossier
http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/10/politics/russia-dossier-update/
Thanks, bb, for this new information. I was trying to find updates earlier today and might have missed this cnn item. I did clarify in my memory the facts of the British M16 counterintelligence agent Christopher Steele’s Russian contact’s murder in the last few weeks. Oleg Erovinkin’s body was found in his car.
Now that Tom Price has become the new HHS director, I have been reading about the possible changes that may be coming this year. As much as I hope people storm the Congressional offices, I will be affected as a Medicare recipient who has been pleased with my BCBS coverage and don’t want any republican meddling with it. So, I’ll have to protest.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/federal-agents-conduct-sweeping-immigration-enforcement-raids-in-at-least-6-states/2017/02/10/4b9f443a-efc8-11e6-b4ff-ac2cf509efe5_story.html?utm_term=.4b6354a6f9c7
My state is one of the ones targeted by ICE. Recently, in my city, federal officials have conducted traffic stops and raids; the last, they deny, saying all is routine. The immigrant community is living in fear. 30,000 latino legal voters are demanding they will take this issue to the ballot box if officials don’t give them confidence they will be protected. Most live in the eastern part of the city and the fear looms so heavily on families that there was a report of a 50% drop in business. We consider our city one that is tolerant. Our police don’t ask for immigration papers when someone is stopped and questioned. Trump can’t change our community by jerking us around.
All of this is disturbing.