Donald Trump responsible for hate crimes

July 22, 2019: TODAY'S NEWS BYTES  

Hate crimes tied to a president unheard of  

Donald Trump-White Supremacist

Many in the media and groups like So. Poverty Law Center have warned of Donald Trump inciting violence with his racist targeting of women of color in Congress. Jim Cavanaugh, a retired ATF special agent-in-charge was interviewed by Anchor Joy Reid on Friday evening’s “The Last Word.” She asked...

“So those threats beginning about two years ago, increases in white nationalist activity. Have you ever heard of these kinds of increases in hate and potential hate crimes being tied to a president of the United States?”

Reid answered, “No,” he replied. “That’s very, very unusual, Joy, to have that happen.” Reid added...

“You know, when you get more power, your words carry more weight. When you get into this undercurrent of the Nazis and the white nationalists and the klansmen, they feed off of this. They feed off of public figures — on the regular media, in the government, congressmen, senators, the president — saying the things they always say,” he explained. “It bolsters them. It gives them strength and power.”

You can't get much more power than that of the President of the United States, so it is safe to say the white supremacists have the capacity of the greatest nation on earth. And that is very, very scary. The Oval Office lunatic has even primed these Nazis recently with his attacks on the four congresswomen, and there appears no abatement for Trump's racism. This country may be doomed to relive the race wars of the 1960s.

Read more...

White Supremacists love Donald Trump...

Stephen Miller-Donald Trump's scariest aide

Stephen Miller is a far-right political activist who serves as a senior advisor for policy for President Donald Trump. He took over as the chillingest member of Trump's team when Steve Bannon left. Although I don't consider Fox New generally credible, I do think Chris Wallace, because of his father Mike, to be honest and believable. Wallace adamantly shut down Miller as the latter repeatedly tried to defend T-rump's racism.

Here's an example from Think Progress...

"Wallace also pointed out that Trump has criticized the four lawmakers for comments he deemed critical of America, yet attacked the nation, and Obama, with comments that were far more negative. President Obama is ignorant, this country is killers, on and on.'”

"Miller attempted to spin a 'fundamental distinction' between 'people who think we need to lean into and strengthen American’s core values' and 'people who think we need to turn America into Venezuela.' But Wallace again responded with Trump’s own quotes that were explicit attacks on America."

Chris concluded the interview with...

“I’ve never called any of his tweets racist,” Wallace admonished Miller. “But there’s no question he is stoking racial divisions.”

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The Hill says Trump has nothing to fear from Robert Mueller testimony

There are disagreements with this statement from House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., who is convinced that Robert Mueller's report "presents very substantial evidence" that President Donald Trump "is guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors." There is no reason to ask who is right since there can be no real right or wrong until a court, probably eventually SCOTUS, interprets sections of the report.

Here's what Mueller said: “The report is my testimony. I would not provide information beyond that which is already public in any appearance before Congress.”

Here's what House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler said: "Democrats on the committees plan to get around this reluctance by having Mueller read from his report, and by asking him for commentary about what he’s read."

It may even be a strategy welcomed by Robert Mueller.

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“The girls were just so young,” the prey of Jeffrey Epstein

July 22, 2019 : TODAY'S NEWS BYTES  

Royal Family can't protect Prince Andrew

Jeffrey Epstein with Little St. James island of underaged girls

It is a scenario that I am sure the Royal Family did not want to get involved with, but Jeffrey Epstein's tentacles have apparently crossed the pond and all of a sudden Buckingham Palace is right in the middle. This is how Maureen Callahan of the New York Post portrays Prince Andrew, the Duke of York...

"The Queen’s favorite son has always been useless at best, a liability at worst — boorish, piggish, entitled, greedy and often quite stupid, consorting with ­oligarchs and strongmen for ­personal profit."

And then he met the convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein but was protected by the Queen. Now, "the Second Circuit has ruled that 2,000 pages from a 4-year-old defamation suit filed by one of Epstein’s and Andrew’s alleged victims, Virginia Giuffre (née Roberts), are to be unsealed." Callahan reports...

"It’s likely that names will be heavily redacted. After all, extremely rich and powerful people are contained within, including, said the court, 'prominent American politicians, powerful business executives, foreign presidents, a well-known prime minister and other world leaders' — all now implicated in Epstein’s alleged sex trafficking operation."

Apparently the Queen can't help her favorite this time, and who knows what else will eventually come out of the Jeffrey Epstein debacle.

“The girls were just so young,” the prey of Jeffrey Epstein

The rest of the above headline is, "The Horrors of Jeffrey Epstein's private island," in Holly Aguirre's Vanity Fair piece in an update on the pedophile's 70-acre private island in the Caribbean. This is Little St. James but on nearby St. Thomas...

"locals say Epstein continued to bring underage girls to the island as recently as this year—a decade after he was forced to register as a convicted sex offender—and that authorities did nothing to stop him."

In one case the girl(s) looked no more than 16 and were being flown in on one of Epstein's two Gulfstream jets. In 2018 and 2019 published flight records...

"the jets were airborne at least one out of every three days. They stopped all over the world, sometimes for only a few hours at a time: Paris, London, Slovakia, Mexico, Morocco. When they left St. Thomas, the employees say, they returned to airports near Epstein’s homes in Palm Beach and New York City."

So, we're talking a world-traveling pedophile that apparently takes advantage of weaker or non-existing laws against sex-trafficking in other countries. And there were repeated observations of Epstein's illicit activities, in one case by a former air traffic controller, which is yet another example of simply looking the other way when the wealthy are involved. Witnesses say the pedophile tipped heavily so apparently no one felt the honor of these girls was more important. Pathetic!

Read more...

Jeffrey Epstein's "Island of Sin"

Pushing Donald Trump's buttons could be the key to bringing him down

These are the ones who could supply the meltdowns that push Donald Trump off the cliff. Called "The Squad" by the Oval Office lunatic, they are the four congresswomen that have literally gotten under T-rump's skin. He rankles over anything they say and exclaimed, "I don't believe the four Congresswomen are capable of loving our Country," calling them "weak" and "insecure." These four ladies have not only shaken up the Democratic Party, they now have Trump in their sites. The four women are...

Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.

The Washington Post picked up the story with this reaction from Trump...

"the Post story contained 'phony sources who do not exist and is Fake News."

The Post report, in fact, was based on interviews "with 26 White House aides, advisers, lawmakers and others involved in the response," who said...

"Trump had posted the tweets after watching an episode of "Fox & Friends." He wanted to elevate the four congresswomen, telling his advisers he thought they were good foils, the newspaper reported."

As I see it, if each of the four congresswomen take a shot at Donald Trump each day, by 2020 he will be babbling in the wind, harmless and mostly forgotten.

Read more...

Meltdowns will send Donald Trump to the showers

July 21, 2019: WEEKEND NEWS BYTES  

Democrats may outsmart the GOP in 2020

Dr. Brandy Lee exposes Donald Trump

It is certainly woeful when an article asks the question, "Are Democrats too stupid to beat Donald Trump?" Is it really stupidity or simply a party that has miserably lost its way and needs an overall revamping? Perhaps some of the old hands like Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi are, shall we say, a bit out of touch with the party constituency. Like hanging so firm in the middle when a majority of voters are headed further left.

Bernie Sanders, God love him, started it and we should all be thankful there was someone with the integrity of this man to show us the way. I don't give a damn if you like Socialism or not. We've already got it and it will become even more prominent in the future. So, live with it! What we should be striving for is a country that caters to 100% of the population, not just 1%. Martin Longman of Washington Monthly says...

"the Democratic Party is not currently the default majority party in the country and it is not coming apart at the seams or circling the drain. If anything, the Democrats are about dead-even with the Republicans and have the wind at their backs, as demographic trends (in both youth and ethnicity) heavily favor them to make advances in the near future."

Like it or not, it looks like prosperity for the Democrats. And to confirm this Ted Cruz just commented that Democratic voters would come out in "staggering" numbers in 2020.

Read more... 

Are Democrats doing enough about Donald Trump's racism?

Meltdowns will send Donald Trump to the showers

Dr. Brandy Lee, the Yale psychiatrist who has said repeatedly that Donald Trump sitting in the White House is a national emergency, recently stated that T-rump is headed for ‘disgrace and downfall.’ Can't remember exactly where but recently heard that the way to get rid of the Oval Office maniac is to keep pushing his buttons until he goes over the edge. His recent meltdown from the Washington Post article about his racist tweets apparently sent him reeling.

Josh Israel talked about Trump...

"Echoing his standard smear of news stories that are unfavorable to him, Trump attacked the story as 'Fake News' with 'phony sources who do not exist,' despite its reliance on on-the-record quotes from key supporters."

Psychology also tells us that when a person begins to repeat a phrase, like "fake news" repeatedly, there is an uncertainty in their actions, which has now replaced confidence. Science is not clear on just how many meltdowns are necessary to blow a gasket, but it would appear that Donald Trump is on the verge.

Donald Trump as Julius Caesar

July 21, 2019: WEEKEND NEWS BYTES  

Donald Trump-Fascist in the White House

Could Donald Trump play Shakespeare?

Jim Hightower of Creators Syndicate relates back to the classics and wonders if Shakespeare "could do literary justice to the tortured madness of Donald Trump." Having participated in a little of the Bard's work in college, I say the playwright would have been totally disgusted with the subject. That would be unfortunate since one of his specialties was "tragedies" and we certainly have all of the material for that in the White House today. Hightower says...

"His brags are especially weird because they usually involve achievements he hasn’t made. It’s as though his saying something makes it true — even though everyone except his most naive devotees can clearly see that he’s either hallucinating or lying."

And finally the Oval Office lunatic recently declared "it’s intolerable to have such homelessness in our rich country, but not because so many poor people are suffering..."

"but because business people and shoppers face the indignity of having to walk past the homeless to get to their offices, banks, cafes, etc."

This is so, so pathetic!

Donald Trump/Julius Caesar NY production gets standing ovation...

The cult of "totalitarianism" that supports Donald Trump's lies

Matthew Chapman of AlterNet makes a statement that is so frightening it would make any contra-Trump person cringe with non-belief. He says...

"Trump’s base is a ‘cult’ that may never be deprogrammed."

Do you realize what that means? These poor uninformed, double-digit souls will walk around this earth until they die, spewing the same old crap about how wonderful this moron is. I know one and here are a couple of his comments on Facebook to my criticisms of T-rump...

"Trump does not have a spiteful bone in his body." 

"Why do [you] say that? I feel he [Donald Trump] is the most real person ever elected. He has done, or at least made an all out attempt to do everything he said he was going to do. And he calls things for what they really are."

In an analysis of Donald Trump’s base by The Daily Beast’s Kelly Weill, she says experts label them as totalitarians, based on recent behavior, adding this comment...

“Trump has long stoked bigoted grievances among his followers, but the Greenville rally saw him act as a more overt radicalizer than ever before. And with a portion of Trump’s fanbase now openly clamoring for the physical removal of several prominent Democrats of color, experts are questioning whether the country can repair the damage — even if Trump loses in 2020.”

If the curse of Donald Trump is destined to live on, the moon's population could explode by 2021.

NRA's Wayne LaPierre on the way out

July 20, 2019: BULLETIN News Bytes 

Wayne LaPierre

Former NRA Ad Agy. Ackerman McQueen says Wayne LaPierre lies

Wayne LaPierre, head gun nut at the National Rifle Assn. (NRA), is almost as astute at lying as Donald Trump. Almost, but not quite. He has twisted facts and spewed propaganda over gun rights and for years and is responsible for the current apathy of the American public over gun violence. But he may now be caught up in a deception he can't get out of...

"At issue is multi-million-dollar litigation between the NRA and its ex-ad firm. In court filings of its own, the NRA has alleged that Oliver North, the groups's former president, was ousted in part because he withheld information from the NRA about payments he took from Ackerman McQueen, which had served as the gun rights group’s primary ad contractor until just months ago. The NRA claims North kept the nature of his deal with Ackerman McQueen a secret from LaPierre and the gun group’s leadership."

The Young Turks put the NRA in its place...

In The Daily Beast, "Ackerman McQueen alleges that LaPierre himself helped negotiate the deal between their firm and North. And they hint that they have documentation to prove it." The NRA, of course, denied everything, but, then, we know how much Wayne LaPierre lies.

TRUMP DOWN: A dictator's coming out

July 20, 2019: WEEKEND NEWS BYTES   

All news is bad news

It is hard to know where to start these days if you are trying to report on the political scene, especially in the U.S. Here are a few of the headlines from a Raw Story email...

• Trump catapulted a baseless smear about Omar’s marriage from the online fringes into the political mainstream
• Trump Twitter-rages over media’s coverage of the racist ‘send her back’ chant he incited​​​​​​​
• ‘What the hell, Pete!’ Geraldo blows up on Fox & Friends host for saying ‘send her back’ chants weren’t racist​​​​​​​
• New revelation in Trump’s involvement in Stormy Daniels hush money payoff is an impeachable offense: CNN panel​​​​​​​
• Trump snaps at NYT columnist who called him a racist: ‘Really Nasty to me in his average I.Q. Columns’​​​​​​​
• Trump official melts down on MSNBC after refusing to admit Trump lied to America
• Bill Barr may have killed probe of Trump’s payoff to Stormy Daniels: Florida prosecutor​​​​​​​

To begin with, it is near-impossible to comprehend how this country has stooped so low that headlines like the above could be written. Yet, it is easy to explain in only five words: Donald Trump and his supporters. Do you realize that without either, we would not have to suffer those headings, above, nor would this country be the laughingstock of the world? One man and his double-digit followers have created the mass chaos we live in today.

And what is worse is the fact that today we have no idea just how long we will have to tolerate the despot in the White House. Any ideas???

Republicans want to banish people of color from U.S.

Time magazine's Carol Anderson says that, "Republicans Want a White Republic. They'll Destroy America to Get It." That's both heavy and tragic, but considering Donald Trump's latest Twitter rants and his performance at last Wednesday's rally, they have definitely set the course for 2020 from the top down. With the GOP's 90% white membership, they obviously don't favor a "rights-based, religious, racial and ideologically diverse America."

And then Anderson gives us a 2012 quote from the currently mentally troubled Lindsey Graham...

“We’re not generating enough angry white guys to stay in business for the long term."

If Carol Anderson is correct, we can expect a welcome return of the Ku Klux Klan in the near future - that is assuming Donald Trump stays in the White House, the GOP holds on to the Senate and retakes the House. I can't imagine what people of color are thinking today. Is T-rump's next move to repeal the Civil Rights Act with an executive order? Will schools be segregated once more, a special room in restaurants for non-whites, and separate water fountains again for white and colored?

This is not what I signed on for, and I do believe most Americans would agree.

No one wants to work for Donald Trump

July 20, 2019: WEEKEND News Bytes 

Donald Trump's revolving door

AG Wm. Barr the dolting pawn of Donald Trump

Paul Rosenberg of Salon says Republican lies and hypocrisy have hit an all-time high, and uses Attorney General William Barr’s perpetual suck-up to Donald Trump to illustrate his point. "Barr is Trump’s enabler in undermining the rule of law — first in the census case, then in the challenge to the Affordable Care Act." From University of Michigan law professor Nicholas Bagley...

“In both, Barr directed his lawyers to make bad-faith arguments, just because Trump said so. That’s a blow to the integrity of the Justice Department and a threat to the rule of law.” 

Nothing new for Trump, and Republicans have been playing this game for years dating back to the Supreme Court decision re. Al Gore/Geo. W. Bush 2,000 election, and the "the long history of lying during Supreme Court confirmations, with Brett Kavanaugh’s example only the most recent." Donald Trump didn't start it, he simply perpetuated the GOP way with his inherent swindling talents.

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Donald Trump created biggest White House revolving door ever

"President Trump’s 'A Team' turnover is 74% as of July 15, 2019," reports Brookings Institute. That doesn't include the Cabinet, which is also high in dropouts. Any foreign power would look at this and say, with that kind of governing, the U.S. is a great target. They haven't, and they won't because there are enough level headed people in Washington--mostly Democrats--to prevent this. Let me urge you to look at this fascinating Brookings study.

And Fortune magazine asks, "Who’s Next to Go?" in speculation over the Trump administration's soaring turnover. The author of this article, Kathryn Dunn Tenpas says, “The pace is record-setting. It’s off the charts.” I doubt seriously if even T-rump's misinformed loyalists can keep up with the turnaround. Many of the exits are due to pressure, as was the Eric Acosta incident. Some of those who have left include...

"Health and Human Services secretary Tom Price, secretary of state Rex Tillerson, secretary of Veteran Affairs David Shulkin, attorney general Jeff Sessions, secretary of defense Jim Mattis, and secretary of the interior Ryan Zinke."

 There are also the acting Cabinet members, which Trump favors because he doesn't have get Congress' approval. Dunn Tenpas says this all has caused a lot of instability in Donald Trump's administration, which is certainly obvious to the world and the people of the United States who care about their country.

Donald Trump likes racism for 2020 campaign

July 19, 2019: TODAY'S NEWS BYTES

Donald Trump fears politics of 4 congresswomen 

Donald Trump is a racist

"Donald Trump is scared," says the Guardian, in an article that analyzes the Oval Office lunatic's psyche, concluding this is why he has viciously attacked these women with racist tweets. Continuing, "it appears he knows he is unpopular," and the firing of five of his pollsters who told him so adds to the unknown. Something which T-rump cannot tolerate. The problem...

"The Republicans know this, too. But they also have no substantive policy agenda to present to the American people, only white rage and resentment, racism and xenophobia, all of which have culminated in the Trump administration’s spectacle of wanton cruelty along the southern border."

The Guardian claims the Republicans...

"intend to foment hatred of “the other” among their predominantly white base, to weaponize false accusations of antisemitism against progressive politicians, to pour kerosene on the fires of the culture wars and fight – against women’s rights, LGBT rights, reproductive rights – with renewed vigor."

And the Democrats aren't ready for this, nor are they preparing for it.

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Independent voters see Trump racist attacks as negative

There is data, according to CNN polling analyst Harry Enten...

"showing that Trump’s racist attacks on the four women are seen negatively by the independent voters whom he needs if he wants to win reelection in 2020."

Independent voters account for 28% of those registered to go to the polls, and political pundits say attention will shift to this group as we head for the 2020 elections. The key here will be for Democrats to focus on issues they favor, one of which is immigration. This would also correlate with their distaste for Trump's racist actions.

Read more... 

Donald Trump sees racism as a winner for 2020

Following the impact of Trump's racist attacks on the four congresswomen, the psychopath has actually decided to build his 2020 campaign strategy around his barrage of bigotry. At the same time, there has been a GOP backlash of select Republicans like...

"The chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) blasted the controversial 'send her back' chant that took place at President Donald Trump’s campaign rally on Wednesday."

CNN says that "Trump views his attacks on the four congresswomen of color as an unbridled political success people familiar with his thinking say, and plans to continue his efforts as he moves into a period of politicking." Is Karl Rove lurking around the White House somewhere? Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois had this to say about Donald Trump's Wednesday rally...

"when the crowd yelled 'send her back' as the President targeted Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota -- 'ugly' and 'wrong' and said it 'would send chills down the spines of our Founding Fathers.'"

Trump is a racist coward, according to Rex Huppke of the Chicago Tribune with his article headline, "There’s no difference between supporting a racist and being one." He was aghast, as most of us were, at the Wednesday rally chants, "Send her back! Send her back! Send her back!” Huppke said...

"It was chilling. An angry mob wanting an American citizen whose views they disagree with run out of the country. It’s the kind of thing that gets out of hand. It’s the kind of thing that gets people killed."

Then he added:  "Trump lit the racist fire that led to those chants." Pathetic!

Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens: Repeal 2nd Amendment

July 19, 2029: TODAY'S NEWS BYTES  

Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens: Repeal 2nd Amendment

Although deceased former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens made it his job to keep a check on American presidents (God, we need him now), he also made a push recently to repeal the 2nd Amendment, Following the Parkland, Florida shooting massacre...

"In 2008, the Supreme Court overturned Chief Justice Burger’s and others’ long-settled understanding of the Second Amendment’s limited reach by ruling, in District of Columbia v. Heller, that there was an individual right to bear arms. I was among the four dissenters. That decision — which I remain convinced was wrong and certainly was debatable — has provided the N.R.A. with a propaganda weapon of immense power. Overturning that decision via a constitutional amendment to get rid of the Second Amendment would be simple and would do more to weaken the N.R.A.’s ability to stymie legislative debate and block constructive gun control legislation than any other available option."

Of course, no one listened to him then but with the current demise of the National Rifle Assn. (NRA), perhaps the gun cowards in Congress, and there are many, will begin to take note.

Read more...

Others think it is time to repeal 2nd Amendment

"Why not try to amend the Second Amendment? "That's from Washington Post columnist, Henry Olsen,  I like the term "try" and completely understand its use in connection with a U. S. Congress loaded with gun nuts scared to death of Wayne LaPierre's NRA. Olsen apparently feels that the complete takeaway of all guns is a mistake, but also bemoans the possibility of Trump adding another conservative justice to SCOTUS, which would take at least ten years to undo.

The writer proposes the following...

"A revised Second Amendment could spell out the relationship between public safety and private rights in more detail. It could give clear safeguards for people with no history of legal trouble or mental instability to continue to own guns while giving more authority to the government to guarantee that only people unlikely to misuse guns would have them."

I might even be able to live with that as long as the right to carry weapons outside the home is banned, along with all assault rifles. At the same time, we would close the gun show loophole, add mandatory background checks and forbid straw purchases. Now that is definitely a neat package.

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Gun control saves childrens' lives

Stricter gun laws associated with lower death rates in children. Here's a fact from the new study...

"In states where laws requiring universal background checks for gun purchases had been in effect for at least five years, rates of fatal shootings involving young victims were 35% lower than in states without background checks."

 “Approximately seven U.S. children die from firearm-related injuries every day,” said Dr. Monika Goyal, lead author of the study and a researcher at Children’s National Health System and George Washington University in Washington, D.C. About 62% of the 21,241 deaths analyzed were assault-related, and nearly 69% occurred among 18- to 21-year-olds. About 87% of the deaths were in males.

The study warns, parents should think twice about bring guns into the home, and always inquire whether there are guns in the homes where their children go to play. “Take the risk that you may offend someone, rather than putting your child at risk of fatal or irreversible injury,” said Dr. Judy Schaechter, coauthor of an editorial accompanying the study and a professor of pediatrics at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Read more...

Are congressional Republicans racist?

July 18, 2019: BULLETIN News Bytes

What American apartheid will look like

Do we have a racist Republican Congress?

Rolling Stones reports, "Only 4 Out of 197 House Republicans Voted to Condemn Trump’s Racist Tweets." The House of Representatives voted on Tuesday to condemn Donald Trump for his racist attacks on four congresswomen, with Republicans virtually deserting them with a reaction of classic bigotry. That is to basically support T-rump's American version of apartheid. Only four GOP joined the unanimous Democrats. Pathetic!

Read more...

No. Carolina case could halt GOP gerrymandering

July 18, 2019: BULLETIN News Bytes  

Republican gerrymandering case in No. Carolina

No. Carolina gerrymandering case

It could go the wrong way but Democrats are counting on a court case that "has the potential to significantly alter how political maps are drawn in North Carolina and could serve as a blueprint for legal challenges in other states."

Further...

"If the voting rights groups that have challenged North Carolina's state legislative districts succeed, the maps could be ordered redrawn in time for the 2020 election in a state that is closely divided politically."

Mulvaney is quietly “building an empire for the right wing

July 18, 2019: TODAY'S NEWS BYTES  

The racism of Donald Trump

Donald Trump is good at something. He is one of the best at racism I have ever seen and I hail from the South. There are many Republicans "sickened by President Donald Trump’s racist attacks on four Democratic congresswomen — but they still won’t criticize him publicly. The House members are Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Alexandria-Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA). T-rump actually said they should...

“go back to the crime-infested places from which they came.” All four congresswomen are American citizens.

But this is the most tragic part of his reaction, a source said Trump believes his racist attacks on the women are a winning political strategy that will help him win reelection in 2020. Does that tell you something about his core base estimated to be around 30 million? A majority must be racist, based on his remark. Even with my southern upbringing, it is near impossible to fathom that kind of thought in 2019. How could any person of color ever consider voting for this imbecile?

Read more...

House condemns Trump's racist tweets...

And this story is only an extension of the above. Another writer, Alex Henderson, writing for AlterNet says Trump's statement about...

"four congresswomen of color to go back to the countries they originally came from, it was obviously a rally-the-base strategy designed to appeal to the so-called 'patriotism' of his far-right supporters."

There's that Trump base again with Henderson reconfirming the fact that a large number of these followers are racist. And no one, including the moron in the White House who made the statement, seems to have any qualms about the fact that this is a tragic reflection of what this country is all about. According to presidential historian Jon Meacham...

“What the president has done here is yet again — I think he did it after Charlottesville, and I think he did it, frankly, when he was pushing the birther lie about President Obama — he has joined Andrew Johnson as the most racist president in American history.”

Read more...

Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney looks sleazy and he has repeatedly fulfilled this likeness in both Congress and in his job with the number one sleaze, Donald Trump. But Jessica Corbett of Common Dreams muses that...

"Mulvaney is quietly building an empire for the right wing” and pushing Cabinet members to impose a radical and rapid deregulation agenda across the federal government."

A former So. Carolina congressman, deeply steeped in the Tea Party that eschews its racist values, he now works in the White House and is one...

"who has built what one senior administration official called 'his own fiefdom' centered on pushing conservative policies — while mostly steering clear of the Trump-related pitfalls that tripped up his predecessors by employing a 'Let Trump be Trump' ethos."

No control, just what the Oval Office lunatic craves. But Politico says the honeymoon is over, "snapping at his acting chief of staff with some frequency, and expressing greater frustration with him than usual," and as Trump’s third chief of staff in less than two-and-a-half years, the writing is on the wall. It will happen, hopefully, before Mulvaney can spread more Tea Party propaganda.

Read more...

Non-stop rigged GOP elections

July 17, 2019: TODAY'S NEWS BYTES

Republicans rig elections

How to win an election, the Republican way. If you can't win it forthrightly, look overseas for ways to corrupt the system in your favor. You can encourage foreign countries...

"with world-class internet hacking capabilities and less-than-democratic (Russia) or highly corrupted and oligarch-dependent (Netanyahu, Duterte, Modi) leaders become “good friends” of Trump..."

Senate head Mitch McConnell has made sure mostly “red” states keep their voting systems’ defenses down and continue to use 17-year-old technology running on Windows XP operating systems, thus, the implication of a free ride for those hackers who would help the GOP.

Read more...

Republican claimed voter fraud not true...

Tim Alberta of Politico has a new book, "American Carnage," which has been described as demonstrating "just how irredeemable the Republican Party is." There's a lot in the book about...

“'never-Trumpers' who rolled over for the guy once he won: Sean Spicer, Reince Priebus, Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. But three stand out: Mike Pence, Mick Mulvaney, and Paul Ryan."

Mike Pence has earned the nickname “'the Bobblehead' from fellow Republicans because he is so obsequious, nodding along to everything Trump says in meetings. But it is Paul Ryan that takes the cake...

"The former House speaker fully admits that he used retirement in 2018 as an 'escape hatch' from Trump because he couldn’t face having to deal with him for another two years."

Read more...

Trump dumped Iran deal to "spite" Barack Obama. Former UK ambassador, Sir Kim Darroch, described the move as an act of "diplomatic vandalism," "after the then Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson appealed to the US in 2018 to stick with the deal." Recently Darroch criticized Donald Trump, sending the Oval Office lunatic ballistic, eventually culminat5ing in the ambassador resigning. Background...

"Sir Kim wrote to Mr. Johnson informing him Republican President Trump appeared to be abandoning the nuclear deal for 'personality reasons' - because the pact had been agreed by his Democrat predecessor, Barack Obama."

The 2015 deal was backed by the US and five other nations, with Iran agreeing to limit its sensitive nuclear activities in return for the lifting of crippling.  economic sanctions. Then Trump grumbled over Iran's nuclear ambitions and reinstated US sanctions after withdrawing from the deal in May 2018. So, the brat in the White House took his little red ball and bounded up the stairs to his bedroom where he called Jeffrey Epstein for advice, plus other requests.

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The undeniable Donald Trump/Jeffrey Epstein link

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk


It's not just sex trafficking charges that Donald Trump's buddy, Jeffy, has to worry about. Now a 1980s fraud case is resurfacing with a claim by his old boss, Steven Hoffenberg that "Epstein was his accomplice in a Ponzi scheme Hoffenberg ran through his Towersinvestors.com." Jeffrey Epstein was arrested last Saturday on child sex-trafficking charges, and in a recent interview...

"Hoffenberg said Epstein was 'totally in the mix' of the scheme that defrauded 200,000 investors of $460 million. “He was my colleague daily, seven days a week."

Steven Hoffenberg is the chairman of Towersinvestors.com, a financial services company, and in 1995 Hoffenberg pleaded guilty to bilking investors out of $475 million...

"Tower investors also claimed in an August lawsuit that Epstein 'knowingly and intentionally utilized funds he fraudulently diverted and obtained from this massive Ponzi scheme for his own personal use to support a lavish lifestyle.'”

And here's a scenario by Salon... 

"He owned a palatial home in Palm Beach and a luxurious residence in Manhattan. He owned a commercial airliner converted into a luxurious private plane. He gave parties attended by young women seeking careers in the modeling business. He was connected to numerous wealthy, powerful men who shared his taste in women and money. He bragged to others about his sexual conquests with women. He paid women for sex. He was charged in lawsuits with numerous sexual assaults on women."

Think they are talking about Jeffrey Epstein? Wrong. The subject is Donald Trump. The question here is why all the hurrah over Jeffy when the guy who sits in the White House, supposedly running this country, is guilty of the same escapades? We also are reminded of the Access Hollywood Billy Bush tape...

“I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her. You know I'm automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It's like a magnet. Just kiss. I don't even wait. And when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab 'em by the pussy. You can do anything.”

Why Trump's White House Is Linked To Jeffrey Epstein Sex Trafficking Case...

 A stark reminder that Donald Trump is as big a piece of shit as Jeffrey Epstein, and he clearly condoned his friend's lifestyle. In the past, they were close buddies. And if there was any doubt in your mind, a former biographer, renowned for his work, makes it clear how close they were...

"President Donald Trump clearly lied to America in his attempts to distance himself from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. When the president stands on the White House lawn and said he barely knew Jeffrey Epstein, that’s just not supported by the fact pattern. They knew each other well from 1987 until at least 2002. Epstein was either a member of Mar-a-Lago in name or substance, but he was there all the time — and the president wanted him to be there."

Those were the words of Tim O’Brien, the author of the 2005 book "TrumpNation: The Art of Being the Donald," who was interviewed by Nicolle Wallace on “Deadline: White House.” Wallace made some comments about Trump calling Epstein a "terrific" guy, then deferred to O'Brien...

“When the president stands on the White House lawn and said he barely knew Jeffrey Epstein, that’s just not supported by the fact pattern. They knew each other well from 1987 until at least 2002,” O’Brien replied. “Epstein was either a member of Mar-a-Lago in name or substance, but he was there all the time — and the president wanted him to be there."

There's more you can read on Raw Story.

And finally, in an observation by Bob Hennelly of Salon, he observed Jeffrey Epstein as a man in court who sat with a "condescending disregard," for what was going on around him...

"I was sitting just a few yards away from Jeffrey Epstein as he sat with his defense counsel in Federal Court on July 8. His demeanor was more like an American Express Black Card member frustrated by a flight cancellation than a man facing sex trafficking charges that could put him away for 45 years."

Unfortunately, his buddy, Donald Trump, won't be going away with him. 

Michael Moore warns Democrats: Beware Donald Trump

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk  

Michael Moore was right in 2016 when he predicted that Donald Trump would win the election and go to the White House. Here is exactly what he said...

Michael Moore & Donald Dufus

“Donald J. Trump is going to win in November. This wretched, ignorant, dangerous part-time clown and full-time sociopath is going to be our next president.” The activist/filmmaker went on to say, “President Trump. Go ahead and say the words, ‘cause you’ll be saying them for the next four years: PRESIDENT TRUMP.”

I have never said the words, either verbally or in print, and I never will. There are millions in this country who don't consider T-rump "our" president, but Moore is only using the term for emphasis. It was the Rust Belt states that ordinarily go Democratic, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, that did it for Trump, but the polls don't favor him for 2020, according to The Hill...

“Wisconsin seems to be a real problem, the 2018 midterms were a disaster for Republicans there, and Biden seems to have unique appeal in Pennsylvania.”

Michael Moore is waving a red flag toward fellow liberals and Progressives to wake up and not let the same thing happen again. Trump's first-quarter fund-raising haul of $30.3 million should get them off their butts but the current in-fighting between Progressives and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi seems to be usurping the left's energy. The Oval Office lunatic loves every minute of it and that is exactly what the filmmaker is talking about.

In a NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll’s first ballot tests of the 2020 general election, Joe Biden leads the president by 9 points among registered voters, 51 percent to 42 percent, Bernie Sanders is ahead of Trump by 7 points, 50 percent to 43 percent, and Elizabeth Warren holds a 5-point advantage, 48 percent to 43 percent. NBC adds...

"With more than 200 days until Iowa caucuses and more than 470 days until Election Day 2020, the poll is a very early snapshot of the general election, and much can change."

Michael Moore's take on how Democrats win in 2020...

 Sonali Kolhatkar in Truthdig makes a disheartening statement for the left...

"Donald Trump appears a better prepared and far more formidable candidate than he did in 2016—or compared to many of his current rivals."

Kolhatkar does wonder how Trump's " degradation of basic standards of human decency" could be ignored by voters, but the answer is simple, anyone who would vote for Donald Trump is in his class, just plain 'ignorant,' as Michael Moore puts it. As an illustration of to what extent T-rump will go to manifest his ego while pumping up followers, Kolhatkar uses his July 4th celebration, all in honor of Donald Trump. The left must not lose in 2020!

Donald Trump headed for ‘disgrace and downfall’ says Dr. Brandy Lee

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Progressives Walk

Dr. Brandy Lee-Donald Trump

You might remember Yale psychiatrist, Dr. Bandy X. Lee, a forensic psychiatrist and an expert on violence at Yale School of Medicine, who published a report back in May proving that Donald Trump is mentally challenged.  Well, she has just topped that research with recent findings arguing...

"that President Trump suffers from a uniquely dangerous pathology that will end up wrecking the country."

Everything Dr. Lee comes up with is beyond frightening, with the amount of study involved, and especially with her credentials. She is editor of the New York Times bestseller, “The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 37 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Assess a President." She and her colleagues...

"prepared a mental health analysis of the Mueller report with recommendations. Next week, they will present their analysis at a town hall-style meeting on Capitol Hill as well as unveil five questions they would like to ask Special Counsel Robert Mueller at his testimony the following day."

Alarming video of Dr. Lee documenting the dangers of Donald Trump in the White House...

 However, Dr. Lee feels the testimony by Robert Mueller could be delayed, "blocked, severely limited, or even sabotaged." Not surprising she commented, "given the magnitude of its importance." She had this to say about Mueller...

"Robert Mueller’s response of requiring a subpoena to appear and posing severe time restrictions is consistent with his constraints on stating facts directly. Why didn’t he say more simply, “There were a dozen counts of criminal wrongdoing, but because of department policy, we cannot convict him”? It is a common psychological phenomenon"

She exclaims people around Donald Trump's type are unable to resist giving in to their whims, thus...

"Entire households and entire nations can be vulnerable. This is why it is extremely important to prevent those who show signs of mental pathology from taking over powerful positions and why this is a public health problem."

Dr. Lee says her group has placed a video with the copy of the Mueller Report, but will go into greater detail at their town hall on Capitol Hill on the day before his testimony, on July 16, with details on their web site, dangerouscase.org. I will be looking and so should you.

WEEKEND NEWS DIGEST: George Houraney v. Donald Trump

July 14, 2019

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk  

Donald Trump should examine closely the saying by 17th-Century English theologian Thomas Fuller, "it is always darkest before the dawn," which Washington Monthly's Martin Longman says may have been meant to be optimistic, but in Donald Trump's case is more of a warning. He speaks of the "smut business" of Jeffrey Epstein involving human trafficking of underage girls, evolving almost on the front lawn of the White House. So far, T-rump has been unable to shake it.

In a CNN opinion piece by Elie Honig, who used to work for the independent Southern District of New York, Jeffrey Epstein's "just being charged by the SDNY is, in itself, a defendant's nightmare." Honig cites the track record...

"the conviction rate on federal charges is typically over 90%, and the conviction rate in federal human trafficking cases is even a tick higher than that."

Epstein's victims will have a chance to testify against him, many of whom are now adults and have already come forward. Will he go to trial, plead guilty without cooperation, or cooperate? These are his three choices, and it also has to be considered that others will be implicated with him along the way. It is obvious the noose is tightening around Jeffrey Epstein's neck. Anyone aware of any spare rope in the White House?

Jeffrey Epstein charged by Southern District of New York...

And just recently Trump friend, Florida businessman George Houraney, "dropped a dime" on Donald Trump, as expressed by Vanity Fair's Eric Lutz...

"There was a time when Trump could be counted among Epstein’s rich, well-connected friends. And, according to a report in the New York Times on Tuesday, the relationship may have been a good deal closer than the president has let on."

There's more...

"Per the Times, Trump in 1992 directed Florida businessman George Houraney—who would later accuse Trump of sexually harassing his former girlfriend and business partner, Jill Harth—to organize a members’ only 'calendar girl' competition at Mar-a-Lago."

Houraney claims Trump deceived him into thinking this would be a party of VIPs. In warnings about Epstein’s behavior, banning him from Houraney's events, the latter said, “Trump didn’t care about that.”

Ring of Fire site exposes Donald Trump/Jeffrey Epstein with 28 girls...

Jeffrey Epstein wealth just a fantasy? A new report says his reputation of being a billionaire appears to be a myth. "The story also revealed that Epstein has been a client of Deutsche Bank, the embattled institution facing waves of controversy in recent months and years." Along with his exploits with underage girls, Epstein has also become prominent because he has been identified with former president Bill Clinton and the current Oval Office lunatic, Donald Trump.

Could Jeffrey Epstein walk again on double jeopardy? Untangling a lot of legal jargon, it would seem that double jeopardy could impact New York's case against Epstein but prosecutors will argue...

"that the 2007 SD-Florida non-pros does not bar a 2019 SDNY indictment arising out of the same conduct and charging the same offenses."

Andrew McCarthy of the conservative National Review cites the recent Supreme Court ruling on the “'dual sovereignty'” doctrine — hurts, rather than helps, the SDNY’s position." Not good. Apparently the key is that SDNY only has new evidence not a "new offense," which is necessary to overcome the double jeopardy. "There has to be proof of a discrete criminal transaction that amounts to a new offense." I thought Epstein's shenanigans were ongoing. We'll see,

Read more: "The state of New York protected Jeffrey Epstein — not his victims"

Why did Jeffrey Epstein wire $350,000 to two co-conspirators? Federal prosecutors allege "he wired hundreds of thousands of dollars to two potential witnesses, according to court documents." The $350,000 was wired...

"between November and December in 2018, after The Miami Herald published its extensive investigation about his previous plea deal."

"The two individuals who were alleged to have received the money were possible co-conspirators prosecutors said, according to NBC News."

 These are charges of witness tampering with two unnamed individuals that may have been co-conspirators, according to prosecutors, who are requesting no bail for Epstein. Business Insider reports...

"This course of action, and in particular its timing, suggests the defendant was attempting to further influence co-conspirators who might provide information against him in light of the recently re-emerging allegations," prosecutors said in court filings."

WEEKEND NEWS DIGEST: The Republican Party darkened Colin Kapernick's skin in a political ad, then lied about it

July 13, 2013

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk  

The biggest judicial problem we have in addition to a one-sided Supreme Court are loaded courts across the country with conservatives orchestrated by the bottom feeder, Senate head Mitch McConnell. Politico reports...

"Every senator running for president has voted far less often for Trump’s judges this year compared with the previous Congress."

This has been a Republican focus that supports their legislation at local levels. It has become dangerously lopsided for the GOP.

Mitch McConnell exposed on federal judges...

Independent Rep. Justin Amash has inside info on how congressional Republicans really feel about impeaching Donald Trump. Amash told CNN...

"that high-level party officials have thanked him behind closed doors for his stance on impeachment proceedings against Trump."

There's more...

"I get people sending me text messages, people calling me, saying 'thank you for what you're doing,'" Amash told CNN's Jake Tapper in a wide-ranging interview on "State of the Union" Sunday. "They're not saying it publicly. And I think that's a problem for our country, it's a problem for the Republican Party, it's a problem for the Democratic Party when people aren't allowed to speak out."

Enough said!

Love affair between the alt-right and Donald Trump is on the rocks in areported by Raw Story, because the president’s policies and actions are not playing out in the way that the right wing extremists had hoped. Owens reports

that...report from Vice News’ Tess Owens,

"commenters on forums hosting alt-right rabble-rousing appear to have given up on Trump."

The alt-right feels its heyday of power is weakening, combined with Trump's betrayal of their march for white supremacy, tied in with the feeling that he has failed to deliver on the sweeping immigration enforcement he promised during the campaign.” There are just over 11-million whites that have beliefs consistent with the alt-right’s worldview, according to a U. of Alabama researcher. The question is, do they vote?

Is the alt-right moving up or down?...

Will Obamacare survive the appeals court? If you are one of the 20 million insured by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), your coverage as you know it could end if the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals makes its ruling. In question is the mandatory provision of the act that is accompanied by the preexisting clause. It is the fact that Obamacare is compulsory that is considered unconstitutional, but why throw out the rest of the law, especially the preexisting part?

The Republican Party darkened Colin Kapernick's skin in a political ad, then lied about it. It was Yahoo News’ White House correspondent, Hunter Walker...

"who caught the National Republican Congressional Committee pushing out a disparaging meme of Kaepernick."

Sarah Burris of Raw Story reports...

“House Republicans are running on racism, plain and simple. It’s disgusting, it’s offensive and it should be fireable, but there’s no accountability in the Republican Party,” a Democratic operative said.

It was when given the opportunity to clean up the public relations disaster that the GOP lied about it. The "original photo compared to the meme, clearly shows otherwise." The Republican Party is beyond pathetic!

    

Trump still protecting Jeffrey Epstein guardian angel Alex Acosta

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk  

Acosta-Epstein

July 12, 2019: Trump Labor Secretary Alex Acosta has resigned amid accusations of the mishandling of the Jeffrey Epstein case in So. Florida some twelve years ago. Epstein walked on charges of molesting underage girls. Donald Trump, of course, still supports Acosta, while one more link of the Oval Office lunatic's political disaster machine falls by the wayside. The Washington Post's description of Acosta...

"the man who cut a secret plea deal with a “monster”

Mitch McConnell in Amy McGrath's sights

PROGRESSIVE STREET...Where Liberals Walk  

July 12, 2019: ‘Everything that’s wrong with Washington started with him,’ a headline from Raw Story refers to Mitch McConnell. But now he has a credible candidate challenging him in 2020. It is Amy McGrath, "a former Marine Lieutenant Colonel fighter pilot with a Masters from Johns Hopkins. A BS in political science from the U.S. Naval Academy. She’s 44. A Democrat. The mother of three and married to a life-long Republican."

RS reports...

"McConnell is not liked in Kentucky. His average approval rating is just 25%, and his unfavorable is 46.7%, according to Real Clear Politics."

Here's a tweet from McGrath...

"I’m running to replace Mitch McConnell in the U.S. Senate. Everything that’s wrong with Washington had to start somewhere—it started with him. With your help, we can defeat Mitch and defend democracy. Join us: (link: http://www.AmyMcGrath.com) AmyMcGrath.com"

McGrath lost a close election for Congress in 2018, by less than 10,000 votes, 51% to 47.8%. But "McConnell is not liked in Kentucky. His average approval rating is just 25%, and his unfavorable is 46.7%, according to Real Clear Politics." Amy McGrath wrote McConnell a letter at age 13, which he never answered, provoking the comment, “I’ve often wondered how many other people did Mitch McConnell never take the time to write back, or even think about.”

Robert Reich exposes the loathsome Mitch McConnell...

In a Politico piece, McConnell is called  “Cocaine Mitch,” “Nuclear Mitch” or the steward of the “legislative graveyard,” admitting,  he’s the “Grim Reaper” anyway, so he’s loving every minute of it. Mitch the misrule mechanic, thinks all this is funny, stonewalling anything that comes from Democrats, no matter how good or important the legislation is. The racist in this lowlife proclaimed, "my number one priority is making sure president Obama’s a one-term president." He didn't.

If Kentucky voters dislike Mitch McConnell as the above figures would indicate, an approval of only 25%, unfavorable 46.7%, and Kentucky voters continue to reelect the man, then I would place these poor souls in the same category as the clueless, double-digit Donald Trump supporters. Amy McGrath raised $2.5 million in the first 24 hours of her campaign eclipsing presidential contenders Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris. Want to be beat Mitch McConnell? Make a contribution to Amy McGrath here.

Donald Trump: Thousands of lies and still going strong

PROGRESSIVE STREET/Where Liberals Walk:

July 11, 2019: Since lying seems to be what Donald Trump does, and he is certainly known for it around the world, how many lies will it take to win the 2020 election? And can the Democrats summon the strategy to beat this megalomaniac? As an aside, would you agree that Trump makes Karl Rove look like a Sunday school teacher when it comes to lying? He is already lying that "he has better support among key demographics — women, Hispanics, young voters — than he actually does."

When I Google "Trump's latest lies," I get 55,400.000 hits. I also get a treasure trove of deception, dishonesty and disinformation, most all associated with the Oval Office lunatic, Donald Trump. On one site I found a report from the Washington Post that said Trump had made 10,000 “false or misleading claims” since entering the White House. 'You were indicted for one,' Nicolle Wallace told Trump who had just said, “I don’t do cover-ups,” re. Nancy Pelosi's charge.

Jimmy Kimmel on Donald Trump 2,000 lies...

And the most interesting was a site by a former card magician exclaiming, "How Trump Gets Away with Lying, as Explained by a Magician." Ben Chapman continues, asking these questions, “How does he just keep lying?” “He can’t possibly get away with this again.” “Why do people still trust him?” Chapman has his own opinion of Donald Trump...

"Our current Administration has shown an unprecedented disregard for the truth, and many Americans are flabbergasted at how few people are disturbed by this disregard. As a former card magician — and therefore someone with a bit of experience deceiving audiences — I have developed some strategies to catch other people in their lies."

His strategies are very interesting, starting with, "1. Dress for the Occasion."
With five in all, you will gradually begin to visualize the subject of his piece, then see the actual picture of Donald Trump. I wouldn't bestow T-rump with the credibility of a magician, but he has certainly developed some of these tactics, turning them into the implements of his warped mind. Ben Chapman's site is well worth your time, providing unique insight into the Donald Trump psyche.

But, back to the original question, "Can Democrats beat Trump lies in 2020?" Here's where it stands right now...

"The Trump campaign has been spending about $1 million weekly on Facebook and Google ads. In comparison, the Biden campaign spent about $75,000 last week. The Trump team knows that the online world is where their campaign thrives and they also know that they can expect little to no regulation from Facebook even when their ads are a direct violation of Facebook policy."

Distortion and deceit without regulation, a strategy that hearkens back to Karl Rove's handling of the George W. Bush campaign. And yes, the Democrats employ their own version of deception but nowhere near as blatant as Republicans, especially Donald Trump, the world's most egregious liar. The best example recently is a fake Joe Biden website run secretly by an operative working for the Trump campaign. Not even sure Karl Rove would do that.