Can you see Big Brother in the headline below...

HEADLINE: "Trump’s new personnel chief orders ‘purge’ of all never-Trumpers from federal agencies"

READ MORE...

Catch-up with my latest news bytes...

RawStory says Republicans can't win unless they cheat, evidenced by the GOP holding up three election voting security bills...

Moscow Mitch admits, THERE ARE 395 HOUSE BILLS SITTING IN THE SENATE. He adds, "WE'RE NOT GOING TO PASS THOSE." This pathetic lowlife rivals Donald Trump in his corruption and disservice to this country.

Salon says the, "American health care system costs four times more than Canada's single-payer system." This means, "Americans pay $2,497 a year for insurance overhead and admin costs, while Canadians pay just $551." And that means that the health-care industry and pharmaceutical companies are gouging U.S. citizens for every penny they can get. Leading to why 70% of the country favors Bernie Sanders Medicare for All.

Here's a headline for anyone thinking of voting for Donald Trump in November,
"Trump’s economy is far from the ‘best ever’ — and wage growth ‘pales in comparison’ to past presidents." What we hear from the Oval Office lunatic on a mostly daily basis is that he has made the economy great, it's beautiful. Well, it's not and that is just more of his bullshit.

The AlterNet's John Stoehr of the Editorial Board says we might very well expect a Trump secret police in the future. Here's the scenario...

"I wrote this morning about the president’s new intimidation of sanctuary cities. He’s deploying 100 CBP agents, including BORTAC, which is a SWAT team for border security. The official goal is increasing deportations by 35 percent, but it’s pretty clear the aim is bullying local law enforcement into cooperating with federal authorities."

It wouldn't surprise me in the least if T-rump began to organize the double-digit thugs who follow him into a squad of enforcers to implement his psycho demands. The next step is a full-blown Big Brother. Was George Orwell actually predicting Donald Trump?

A warning from overseas: "Europeans fear relationship with America will only get worse under a Trump second term." And, it no doubt will, as he continues to piss off foreign leaders, coddling up to rogue nations like Russia and North Korea. Here's the scenario...

"The president has routinely attacked various European politicians, and criticized NATO security partnerships, claiming that America is carrying too much of the burden on its own. He has also undermined key security agreements in which Europe plays a role, including the Iran nuclear deal, which includes France, Germany, and the United Kingdom."

Europe is considering developing the power it needs to do without the help of the United States in the future, go it on their own while distancing themselves from a relationship it took decades for America to develop. They think that is what T-rump wants and they may very well be right.

Donald Trump was here in Phoenix yesterday...BFD

The governor of Arizona, Doug Ducey, joined Trump on the podium. More BFD. But Phoenix's Veterans Memorial Coliseum was packed with poor lost souls in search of a leader that, because of who this idiot is, will never materialize. The Arizona Republic, solidly conservative, gave us five things learned from the rally...

"Trump's base is ready," but so are the Progressives of Arizona to turn the state at least purple.

 "Trump is all in for McSally," but her opponent in the Senate race, Mark Kelly, is ahead by 6.7 points.

And Trump roared what all the Arizona gun nuts wanted to hear, " Guns, guns and more guns." There's more of this pathetic drivel, if you have the stomach.
READ MORE...

Michael Bloomberg debate debut at best a disaster...

Elizabeth Warren lit into Michael Bloomberg on the debate stage like a firestorm and wouldn't let go. My wife observed that he looked like a deer in the headlights and didn't recover until well into the evening. Bloomberg never answered Warren's question of whether he would release his female employees from their non-disclosure agreements, rather, he went on to justify their legality. And then this shows up in the media this morning...

"Billionaire Mike Bloomberg‘s performance at Wednesday night’s Democratic debate was by most accounts at best terrible, but that didn’t stop the campaign from pushing out a fake, doctored, and highly-edited clip suggesting the other candidates on stage were silenced by a claim he made."

Mike Bloomberg has done too many good things like fighting gun violence and climate change to be crucified and hung out to dry. Questions: 1) Will he get a sympathy vote over his treatment? and; 2) Will Bloomberg's demeanor appeal to Trump supporters who are disenchanted with his actions? There are still eight months left.

Massive blue wave coming for November...???

How long have the Progressives sat on their butts when it was time to come out and vote to support their party? At least as far back as Barack Obama, and then for several years before. That's why we are currently saddled with a GOP Senate, and having just won back the House. I call them apathetics, those who hug the couch when it comes time to do their duty. But they may be waking up. In a recent extensive poll by Reuters they found...

"that interest in voting in 2020 is surging in urban areas dominated by Democrats faster than in Trump-supporting rural areas."

There's more in this AlterNet article...

"voters’ interest in going to the polls appears to be growing faster among those who disapprove of Trump than among those who approve of him. The advantage in urban political engagement extends deep into the most competitive battleground states that Trump won by razor-thin margins four years ago.”

Would anyone be surprised? Probably not, but it's comforting to see it in print with solid facts to back it up. The left is finally completely fed up with Donald Trump and his corrupt administration with the urban areas coming alive with Progressives committing all across the country. Nicholas Valentino, a political scientist at the University of Michigan commented...

“Democrats are very angry. Many see this administration as an existential threat to the constitutional order. They’re standing ready to participate to try to change the course of this country.”

One of the biggest issues for the November election could be health care, more likely than not, and although the Oval Office lunatic trumpets his support for this issue...

"the Trump Administration is very much on board with a Republican lawsuit that seeks to abolish the protections of the Affordable Care Act of 2010, a.k.a. Obamacare — including coverage of preexisting conditions — and rip health insurance away from millions of Americans by arguing that the law is unconstitutional."

According to journalist Daniel McGraw, this could be a major obstacle for T-rump who needs the rust belt this November, and where polls are reporting his loss of support in this region. Without this area, the White House maniac is probably dead meat. Bill Kristol, a very right conservative, and Charlie Sykes founded the Bulwark in late 2018, a "passionately anti-Trump" organization. But they are in favor of Obamacare. Go figure.

The RawStory article McGraw cites another study, the Baldwin Wallace University’s Great Lakes Poll in rust states Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin, with this comment...

“One question in the poll was especially relevant to health care, and unlike the questions in most previous national polls, phrased very directly: ‘Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling health care policy?’ The results show Trump and the Republicans have a big problem in these key states.”

Many of the pundits aren't giving Bernie Sanders much of a chance against Donald Trump, although he holds a commanding lead in the Democratic Primary. My gut tells me with a 70% U.S. approval rate for Medicare for All, there are more supporters for the Bern than we think.

How many breaches of the law like this does it take to make a new impeachment?

Assange lawyer claims congressman offered pardon on behalf of Trump in exchange for absolving Russia in WikiLeaks DNC case

READ MORE...

Looks like Bernie Sanders was right about Medicare for All and with the support of 70% of U.S....

MEDICARE FOR ALL WOULD SAVE $450 BILLION ANNUALLY WHILE PREVENTING 68,000 DEATHS, NEW STUDY SHOWS

READ MORE...

New polls show Bernie Sanders in double-digit lead

Bernie Sanders is up 9% in the polls to 31% nationally with Bloomberg second at 19%, then Biden 15%, Warren 12%, Klobuchar 9% and so on in the new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll. It is this poll that qualifies Bloomberg for the Nevada debates, which should determine his competition with Bernie going forward. There are two problems here: the Bern must increase his base to win this election; Bloomberg must address the accusations of women’s allegations of profane, sexist comments. READ MORE...

I am not talking about the Primary when it comes to Bernie, he can probably win that with his base due to the "fragmented" support of other candidates, according to Politico. Here's the scenario...

"While few expect that Sanders can carry more than a third of the vote in Nevada, nearly everyone believes that will be enough to win in a field where the moderate vote remains splintered. It is becoming a source of celebration for Sanders' supporters and an urgent problem for those who want to prevent him from claiming the nomination."

The Washington Post reports the Vermont Senator "is powered by a loyal base, but results in Iowa and New Hampshire show the movement has limits." Here's the thinking...

"A core base of young, liberal and working-class voters inspired by the Vermont senator's calls for a political revolution powered the self-described democratic socialist to an effective tie atop the Iowa caucuses and an outright win in this week's New Hampshire primary.

"Yet the early returns show that Sanders's loyal army represents a limited slice of the party, accounting for just over a quarter of the vote in each of the first two states. And one of the central premises of his campaign — that it is built to activate legions of new voters and spur record turnout among young people — has not been realized."

And that isn't good for the Bern. But the accusations of Bloomberg's conduct are also not good, and the two questions remain if Bernie can get his act together and widen his support outside the far-left and if Bloomberg can clear up this mess he has created. Something must happen, because, without these two, Democrats are way up the creek without the paddle. This would mean four more years of Donald Trump and a vast number of Americans don't want that, including some Republicans.

There is one more angle when it comes to Michael Bloomberg's candidacy, his close connection to Wall Street, which, both Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren are fighting against. But CNN says "the billionaire is nonetheless vowing to crack down on the financial industry." Some might say that the self-made billionaire would be reluctant to go against his former cronies but look at the gun control issue. He is a leader with his Everytown for Gun Safety group.

And, that may not be exactly apples and apples, but it does show that Bloomberg is willing to buck the system and do the right thing. His attacks on Donald Trump so far have been right on and seem to be getting under the Oval Office lunatic's skin, which is just more heat to drive Trump over the edge. As I said earlier, these two (Bernie and Bloomberg) are a must for the Dems in November when it comes to beating the White House maniac. Nevada debate February 19, on NBC/MSNBC.

This kind follows Donald Trump...

Paula White

"Trump ‘spiritual adviser’ tells followers to skip paying monthly electric bills so they can send her church more cash"

READ MORE...

Donald Trump: I am the king...

Here's a headline you cannot pass by without literally throwing up: "Trump says he has the ‘absolute tight’ to tell the Justice Department what to do." It obviously came from the office of the Oval Office lunatic and really shouldn't surprise anyone. Unfortunately, it has now gotten to the point, following T-rump's exoneration in the Senate from impeachment, that he really believes he has these powers and is about to explode into complete totalitarianism. Here's the scenario...

"President Donald Trump says he has the 'absolute right' to direct the Dept. of Justice in who and how it prosecutes, but claims that he didn’t, despite his furious tweet overnight attacking the DOJ and calling prosecutors’ sentencing recommendation of Roger Stone a 'miscarriage of justice.'”

It is Trump's reaction to the 7 to 9 year recommendation of jail time for Roger Stone, his former buddy, confidant, and former campaign adviser. The White House maniac denies ordering the turnaround in sentencing, but stated, “I’d be able to do it if I wanted I have the absolute right to do it.” READ MORE... This may not be illegal, but it has caused a furor in Justice prompting four prosecutors to quit, thus, eliminating more barriers for the emperor.

This whole thing is akin to the Ukraine conspiracy and reeks of the same kind of cover-up and fraudulent manipulation of, this time, a U.S. figure, namely Atty. General William Barr. CNN claims...

"The Stone affair has also added to evidence that Attorney General William Barr is acting more as the President's personal lawyer and less to ensure the neutral administration of justice."

But Donald Trump never learns, and apparently neither does a Republican Congress that is supposed to be the primary check on the executive branch. It may have something to do with the fact that every time he bucks the Washington machine, his double-digit followers go all out for him. And that is the dominant aspect in T-rump's support, except these people don't realize that this idiot does not have the mentality to successfully carry out this kind of maneuver.

This is a tragic statement from CNN...

"Trump's pattern of behavior relies on an indifference to the health of US political and judicial systems on the part of the President and a willingness to destroy trust in institutions that could take decades to recover from his power plays."

And how many times has the United States warned certain foreign countries who have shown "the stigma of justice corrupted by strongmen leaders" to allow it to come home to roost in free America? Here's another shocker to apparently everyone, including the Washington establishment...

"The President's decision not to even wait a week after his impeachment trial -- an event that some Republicans said they hoped would teach him a lesson, despite voting for acquittal -- to expand his power has stunned Washington. That's even following three years of Trump-triggered shocks."

Here's a comment from Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-New York...

"My fear is that Donald Trump is going to succeed in numbing the American public to his transgressions. We cannot let this happen. He has to be held accountable," Rice, a member of the House Homeland Security committee, told CNN's Wolf Blitzer.

This country sure is, and I suspect the whole world is numbed by the radical misdeeds of Donald Trump.

Lisa Murkowski dumbs down again ...

Here's a headline from AlterNet: "Lisa Murkowski admits Trump didn’t learn his lesson after reporters confront her with evidence president has gotten worse since acquittal" Is she dumbing down to protect the Oval office lunatic or just plain stupid? Any fool could see what was going on...oh, that's right, she's a GOP congresswoman.

READ MORE...

Mike Bloomberg-Hillary Clinton: Could they beat Trump?

Bloomberg - Clinton

This pair may be proven research, but it looks to me like a train wreck going somewhere to happen. When you Google "Hillary Haters," you get 7.4 million hits. But, when you do the same with supporters, you get 22.6 million, so maybe I am wrong. My initial reaction comes from blogging during the 2016 election, seeing the ire from so many commenters and across the board when it comes to profiles. But Bloomberg's research team does appear to have credibility.

On the other hand, RealClearPolitics says, "Bloomberg May Be What Democrats Need." RCP continues that the 77-year-old, former Republican, billionaire is probably not what the Dems want, at least Progressives like Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. The Bern does say that Mike Bloomberg is trying to buy the election, which, if you look at the mechanics of Bloomberg using his money only to fund his campaign, might vaguely qualify for the accusation.

RCP considers Buttigieg and Klobuchar, but lacking the experience and a strong following, rules them out. Democrats need Bloomberg for four reasons...

"First, the former New York mayor has done real things. Building a multibillion-dollar business from scratch and ably managing New York City for 12 years are concrete accomplishments. Making speeches and sitting in committee hearings – the core tasks of being in Congress – are no match for what Bloomberg has done."

"Second, Bloomberg is not a left-wing ideologue."

"Third, competence. Bloomberg knows how to make things run."

"Fourth, Bloomberg guarantees a first-class campaign. He can fund the entire general election out of petty cash. Two billion? Three billion? Four billion?"

 With the favored candidate, Joe Biden, in a downward spiral, recoiling from being originally "available, acceptable and electable," here's the latest scenario...

"a recent Quinnipiac poll shows his once-powerful support among black and moderate Democrats nationally has taken a tumble since Iowa."

Warren is fairing no better, and all this considering Bloomberg skipped campaigning in the first four states: Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. The experts thought he was crazy, but turns out he made a smart strategic move with the demise of Biden. The Buttigieg/Klobuchar profiles are fairly similar and I can see their followers going to Bloomberg, should they drop out of the race. But here's a possible obstacle that could throw everything into chaos.

Based on a recent release, Michael Bloomberg may be considering the selection of Hillary Clinton as a running mate. Now that may show strength to his strategists, but I can see it as pissing off Klobuchar and Buttigieg, if, in fact, as I have surmised earlier, each is now not running for president, rather, for vice president. Depending on how the two react, they could stay in the race, which, of course would siphon votes from Bloomberg.

As far as electability goes...

"On November electability, which was Biden’s calling card, Bloomberg is now doing better than other Democrats. The most recent Quinnipiac poll places Bloomberg ahead of Trump by a sizable nine percentage points. The latest Fox News poll has Bloomberg beating the White House occupant by eight points. Even polls that show narrower Democratic margins place Bloomberg in a relatively strong position for November."

On the Progressive side, haven't seen any recent polls for the Bern against T-rump, but in the past Sanders has been in the lead. For what it's worth the BBC says, "US election 2020: Could it be Bernie Sanders v Donald Trump?" This should be a very interesting fall.   READ MORE...

AG William Barr must go!

Over 1,100 former DOJ officials demand

Barr’s resignation in scathing letter

READ MORE...