Public Citizen files complaint against Moscow Mitch McConnell

Public Citizen thinks Senate head Mitch McConnell makes a mockery of impeachment trial

Moscow Mitch McConnell

Not that Moscow Mitch cares, simply because he has seen his reputation smeared about as much as Donald Trump, with him, as well, it doesn't sink in. He must know how reprehensible he is because it is necessary to come out from under his rock each day to go to the Senate. Well now Public Citizen has seen fit to recognize his exploits, filing a complaint...

"accusing the powerful Republican of betraying his oath of office by signaling overt bias in favor of President Donald Trump even before his looming impeachment trial begins."

The accusation is that, rather than "coordinating with the White House" in the trial, McConnell should exercise his oath of impartiality, as specified by the office he holds. Here is a statement by Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen...

“This is not about whether McConnell has views on Trump’s guilt or whether he has reached a conclusion based on the available evidence. It’s about whether he will design a process that aims to render impartial justice. He has made clear he has no intention of doing so.”

The corruption of the Republican Party, all the way to the top, has made it clear that the left will not be able to deal with the 2020 election as you would with an honorable opponent. Not to lower ourselves to the depths the GOP has stooped to, but most certainly to not give the other side one inch when it comes to trust. Republicans have solidly proved they are not capable of playing in anything but a fixed arena. We won't join them, we'll just watch every move they make and react accordingly.   READ MORE...

Speaker Nancy Pelosi in impeachment standoff

Pelosi shows Moscow Mitch for the lowlife he is

Speaker Pelosi - Moscow Mitch

It's hard to tell right now what the slimeball head of the U.S. Senate will do but you can bet that it will be a show of Republican power and as underhanded as McConnell can make it. The man is in a class with Donald Trump, no morals, no ethics, no decency. And that is what Pelosi accomplished by holding the Articles of Impeachment until this week. She made it perfectly clear that Moscow Mitch doesn't give a shit about this country, just himself and the Party.

RawStory reports that...

"By holding the articles and forcing McConnell to do what he was going to do — run the trial his way — Pelosi gives Democrats a scapegoat for their eventual failure to remove Trump. They can blame McConnell’s allegedly unfair and prejudicial rules for the debacle rather than their own failure to bring even a small portion of the non-Democratic electorate behind them."

Not the result that we would all like but just more proof that Republicans can never win without stacking the deck.   READ MORE...

Mike Bloomberg, real billionaire, could sink Trump

Mike Bloomberg wants Donald Trump out of the White House, willing to do something

Mike Bloomberg

I wasn't sure whether to take Mike Bloomberg's candidacy for president seriously, until now. But it is clear that he is hell-bent in removing Donald Trump from office and spend a good part of his fortune to maintain a platform on which to pursue his determination. Right now he is in fifth place behind Biden, Sanders, Warren and Buttigieg. With Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren at each others throats, Biden forever faltering and Buttigieg's lack of experience, who knows.

Here is RawStory's headline: "Mike Bloomberg’s plan is to bait Trump into self-destruction — even if he isn’t the nominee." T-rump has already given Bloomberg a nickname, “Mini Mike Bloomberg, ”which indicates to me the former New York Mayor makes him uncomfortable. Here's the current scenario...

"Bloomberg’s strategy of getting under Trump’s skin to strengthen Democrats was on full display this week, as he rolled out a massive ad buy attacking Trump for threatening protections for pre-existing conditions — a wedge issue that drove many conservative voters to support Democrats in 2018."

It was in Trump's reply following this that he used the new nickname. This was Bloomberg's response tweet...

"Glad to see you're watching our ads, @realDonaldTrump. I know management isn't your strong suit, so perhaps you don't know your Justice Department supports a suit that would undermine protections for pre-existing conditions. Now that you know, why not ask them to drop the suit?"

We're all waiting for Trump's answer.   READ MORE... 

This move shows how low Trump can stoop

Trump initiated Soleimani death as a buffet to impeachment trial

Now we know. It was obvious that T-rump had no good reason to assassinate Iranian Maj. General Qassem Soleimani, and in many cases the political pundits figured the devious maniac in the White House did have his reasons. Turns out he signed off on taking out Soleimani seven months ago but didn't give the go-ahead until the impeachment began to heat up. As a matter of fact, many believe this just adds up to more reason for impeachment.

And now the Oval Office lunatic and "Attorney General William Barr say that whether the threat was immediate or not, the president had the right to act." And there's more...

"Trump said in a tweet Monday that the question of whether or not the strike was imminent 'really didn't matter,'"

He said...they said...

"Critics on Capitol Hill, who have questioned the strategy behind the strike and the decision not to notify Congress, say whether or not Soleimani posed an imminent threat is crucial."

RawStory makes this chilling statement assessing the fact that Trump did wait seven months, then ordering Soleimani's assassination...

"It is reasonable, therefore, to suggest Trump ordered a man’s death for political reasons, not for national-security reasons (there aren’t any). I suggest he tried creating an image of himself as a war president too important to remove from office. I suggest Soleimani’s assassination is just one more way Trump has abused his power, and hence affirmed his indictment."

The Senate must indict Donald Trump and remove him from office.

READ MORE...

U.K. abandoning alliance with U.S. because of Trump

UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace looks for other international partners

UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace appears to believe that Donald Trump is turning inward, taking the United States to an isolationist country. The U.K. did not condone the assassination of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani...

"Wallace said in an interview published Sunday that Trump's isolationist foreign-policy stance had prompted the UK to look for alternative allies."

The comments came after Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government distanced itself from the Soleimani assassination. Johnson's spokesman also said...

Trump's threats to target Iranian cultural sites, if carried out, as a breach of international law and possibly a war crime.

Sec. Ben Wallace believes that in Donald Trump's administration the United States has given up its "leadership around the world," necessitating for the U.K. to look elsewhere for the kind of relationship it has with this country for years. It would appear that T-rump is hell-bent on pushing away all the allies we have worked so hard to develop so the Oval Office lunatic can rule the U.S. like an island monarchy.

U.S. big pharma why Americans seek Canadian drugs

U.S. pharmaceutical companies a disgrace to the marketplace

The pharmaceutical industry lines politician's pockets to insure that it isn't easy for Americans to get Canadian drugs. That's because in Canada a generic prescription was an average of 38% less than in this country. Canadian drugs are cheaper because the government regulates the price of generic and brand-name medications. In the U.S., well, if a politician gets a hefty donation from large pharma, what's he or she to do but favor that industry over the American consumer.

You have to be careful since drugs from outside the U.S. are not controlled by the FDA, although in 2019 it was reported that this agency's actions had plummeted under Donald Trump. Meaning more favoritism of the pharmaceutical industry. Bernie Sanders recently went to Canada checking into cheap drugs for the U. S. but this has been tried before in a Democrat administration...

"In 2000, Congress passed a law to allow imported retail drugs, but the Clinton administration, heavily funded by the health care industry, killed it administratively."

READ MORE...

New York State questions Trump taxes

Did Trump lie on his taxes?

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has alerted the Manhattan District Attorney to investigate a suspicious disparity in what Trump companies reported for tax purposes and what the figure actually was. The properties were reported were more profitable to lenders than to city tax authorities. One matter in the issue was turned over to the district attorney last November. de Blasio said...

he made the referral “because there is a possibility of a criminal act having been committed.” The referral related to Trump’s historic downtown skyscraper at 40 Wall Street.

The Mayor added...

Trump’s efforts to avoid taxes have gone beyond the measures taken by most wealthy Americans. He “consistently has believed he was above the law, even before he was president.”

Trump obviously denied everything, blaming de Blasio's accusations on those of a political opponent. The Mayor was in the running for 2020 but has since dropped out of the race.

2nd Amendment sanctuaries should be certified concentration camps

Gun nuts rampant on 2nd Amendment Sanctuaries across U.S.

The gun rights gang has swarmed the country setting up their 2nd Amendment Sanctuaries to deft gun control advocates to tread on their "sacred" ground. These people are crazy as a loon to begin with but now their misinterpretation of 2nd Amendment rights looks like they could never win in a court of law. There was District of Columbia v. Heller where SCOTUS (conservative) Justice Antonin Scalia said...

it is “not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose.”

Gun nuts just don't seem to get it, gun control legislation will happen, and I believe we will see something significant right after a new administration and Congress in 2021. These people have been influenced by NRA head Wayne LaPierre to resist any kind of control over their firearms, no matter how helpful it might be to help curb gun violence. Something like universal background checks and banning assault weapons. This could be the year of realization by the American public. One can only hope.   READ MORE...

New book on Red State Christians is scary

Red States alone are creepy, but add Evangelicals...

I read this book for the purpose given by the author's sub-title, "Understanding the Voters Who Elected Donald Trump." I'm done and although I do have some inkling of what these people are all about, I cannot fathom why they believe it. The author, Angela Denker does a good job of remaining as objective as an Evangelical could (she isn't a Donald Trump supporter) but is definitely a conservative, yet not sure just how much the church should participate in politics.

There's a lot to be said for the separation of church and state, specifically to protect the rights of atheists, Jews, Muslims, Agnostics, and other people who hold beliefs different than Christianity. As an example, Donald Trump has recently expressed the idea of launching a school prayer crusade which has delighted Evangelicals. Denker's book would lead one to believe the Evangelical movement is here to stay. God help us if it gets more political. Without question, I would recommend every Progressive/liberal read this book.   SEE MORE...

Does 2-Year-Old need a gun? - Family thinks so

Family decides to buy 2-year-old gun for protection

It isn't everyday that you hear the announcement, 'I'm buying my 2-year-old kid a gun.' But this did happen recently and these people were very serious. Seems like she needs it to protect herself, but think about that. You give the kid a loaded gun and what does she do? She'd probably shoot herself or a family member, and, of course have no idea what she had just done. Arizona, where I live, has wide open gun laws; if your body is warm, you can buy one...

In Arizona, the state in which the nine-year-old girl inadvertently killed her shooting instructor with an Uzi, state law allows for the temporary transfer of firearms to minors by firearms safety instructors or by another adult accompanying a minor in hunting or target shooting activities -- so long as the child's parents give consent.

In 2013 in Kentucky, a 5-year-old brother shot his 2-year-old sister. I rest my case.   READ MORE...  

Your Monday News Buzz

4-year-old Iowa girl goes blind almost dies with flu: NO FLU SHOT

This is a tough one since these parents are not anti-vaxxers. Jade DeLucia, the 4-year-old, had a flu shot last March, but for some reason, didn't get one this flu season. The confusion of the DeLucia over these new flu shots cost their daughter her sight, almost her life. It isn't clear what happened, why a flu shot in March, then the reasoning another one isn't needed in the Fall of 2019. With all the media coverage of this issue, it's hard to believe any parent could make this decision. 

Jade has significant brain damage which is permanent with something called encephalopathy. The current flu season is predicted to be the worst in years. If you haven't yet had your flu shot you are an idiot, unless there are prevailing circumstances. If not, you should stay at home.   READ MORE...

Your Monday News Buzz

SCOTUS Chief Justice John Roberts can thwart Moscow Mitch in Senate impeachment trial

Well-known Cleveland attorney James Robenalt, "McConnell’s public pronouncements that he plans to obstruct justice and absolve the president before he has even been handed the articles of impeachment opens the door for judicial review." And, Robenalt exclaims, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Roberts, "has the right and duty to step in if he sees justice not being served." It's all in the Constitution, which Moscow Mitch has chosen to ignore in his attempts to exonerate Donald Trump from impeachment.   READMORE...

Your Monday News Buzz

Moscow Mitch incapable of any decency in Trump's impeachment trial

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) scorned Moscow Mitch for his latest move in T-rump's impeachment trial. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has withheld the Articles of impeachment to hopefully get McConnell's agreement to a fair trial including witnesses. But Moscow Mitch stonewalls everything she, or any other Democrat attempts to do, most recently "co-sponsoring a bill that would dismiss all charges against the president." It's laughable, but true. 

Jayapal exclaimed that Pelosi withheld the articles which "allowed us to keep the focus on what the American people want, which is a fair trial.” So far Moscow Mitch has blatantly made it clear that dismissal of House charges are a slam dunk. Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight says that over 50% of American public are in favor of impeaching trump.   READ MORE...

One day out and the world is in chaos over Trump's assassination of Iran's top General  Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani - Was it justified?



Why is it that in the two prior administrations of George W. Bush and Barack Obama, when there was ample reason to take Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani out due to the same atrocities he is currently guilty of, did the two Presidents decide against it? In one word, caution, in a region that has been on the verge of all-out war for years, a tinderbox of mixed relationships that have never been able to work things out between them. How many U.S. Presidents have tried?

But suddenly it was decided by Donald Trump that the time is right, send the drones in to kill him. And he did. Was there provocation? There is always some reason to be protectionist, but preemptive action like this, especially without even telling the Congress, should have some damn good reasons. Sec. State Pompeo, when questioned repeatedly in the media Used the excuse he just couldn't talk about it. T-rump has been relatively silent.

The BBC says flatly, "Trump is not a grand strategist," so, then, what is the strategy of the Oval Office lunatic? BBC also has an answer to that...

"He was presented with the opportunity to take out a 'bad hombre' that Obama hadn't. That was probably all he needed to hear."

And now we are on the edge of a war that Trump says the U.S. definitely does not want, but could have thrown in our lap because he can't help one-upping his nemesis Barack Obama? NPR reports...

"the Iranian general was killed in a Reaper drone strike, which fired several missiles at a vehicle he was in near the airport. Noted Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis also died in the attack."

Here is Donald Trump's tweet...

"General Qassem Soleimani has killed or badly wounded thousands of Americans over an extended period of time, and was plotting to kill many more...but got caught!"

Simple enough, but the White House maniac had better get busy drafting several more tweets that explain the real provocation for this bold move, with evidence, while the rest of the world waits to see just what retaliation Iran plans. 
READ MORE...

YOUR DIGEST NEWS OF THE WEEK

Five of the world's biggest environmental problems...

With the facts from the article below, would you think anyone could deny the potential disaster to the planet that is expected? Yes, and I have experienced many of these ostrich types who blame it on greed by the scientific community to obtain research grants...

"Air pollution and climate change: Problem: Overloading of the atmosphere and of ocean waters with carbon. Atmospheric CO2 absorbs and re-emits infrared-wavelength radiation, leading to warmer. air, soils, and ocean surface waters - which is good: The planet would be frozen solid without this."   READ MORE...

Trump supporters believe these 10 utterly fake ‘facts’ about impeachment...

Pathetic Trump supporter

It is true that Donald Trump's supporters are under-educated and suffer from a number of psychotic problems but after the recent revelations in the Ukrainegate controversy, where T-rum actually admitted to pressuring Pres. Zelensky to dig up dirt against his 2020 opponent Joe Biden in return for over $400 million in aid to Ukraine. Here are some more of the fake "facts"...

• That Trump was concerned over corruption in Ukraine.
• That the $450+ million was given to Ukraine on time, not held by Trump.
• Ukraine meddled in the 2016 election.

There's more and you can read it all here.

Congressional deal could fund gun violence research for first time since 1990s...

It has been twenty years since the NRA was able to pressure Congress to pass the Dickey Amendment rule striking $2.6 million from the Centers for Disease (CDC) control budget, in effect eliminating their ability to collect and analyze gun violence statistics. Since then we have had an explosion in gun violence, much of which can be attributed to Wayne LaPierre and his NRA minions. 

Why would the NRA want to stop documenting gun violence if they didn't prove that guns are responsible for the increased bloodshed by innocent citizens? Here is a comment from Mark Rosenberg who was heading the CDC’s research on firearm violence in the 1990s when Congress abruptly cut off funding for the work...

“This is a deal of historic proportions. It ends the horrendous position we’re in, where we don’t even know what works.”

Here's another fact...

"While gun violence is one of the country’s leading causes of death, it receives little research funding. As many people die because of gun violence, for example, as of sepsis infection, yet funding for gun research is less than 1 percent of that for sepsis."   READ MORE...

Here's a concept from former President, Barack Obama: Women are better leaders than men...

I can hear all the bubbas out there, mostly Donald Trump supporters, who would disagree with this, if not only just because they a bubba, but also because to support T-rump, you must consider women simply a commodity for men's pleasure. Well, they aren't and here's Obama's reasoning...

"I'm absolutely confident that for two years if every nation on earth was run by women, you would see a significant improvement across the board on just about everything... living standards and outcomes."

I agree and would add, a definite improvement in the demeanor of the world. But I'm not sure just yet who that woman might be. It might even be a Republican and that is really blasphemous for me to say. If I had to take a shot at the current Democratic candidates, it would be Amy Klobuchar, primarily for her level headedness. In another comment, is the ex-President taking a shot at Congress?...

"If you look at the world and look at the problems it's usually old people, usually old men, not getting out of the way."   READ MORE...

There are 91 companies that paid no federal taxes in 2018...

They're supposed to be the finest but nearly 100 companies in the Fortune 500 the first year following passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed by Donald Trump, which was signed into law in December 2017. "The new tax law lowered the statutory corporate tax rate to 21%, but the companies in the report paid an average rate of 11.3%."
had an effective federal tax rate of 0% or less in 2018, according to a new report. This is a study covering

This resulted in federal government bringing in about $74 billion less in corporate taxes than if all the companies had paid the statutory rate. Amazon made this statement...

“Amazon pays all the taxes we are required to pay in the U.S. and every country where we operate, including paying $2.6 billion in corporate tax and reporting $3.4 billion in tax expense over the last three years.”

Here are some of the biggest companies no taxes: IBM; CenturyLink; DowDuPont; Eli Lilly; Goodyear Tire & Rubber; FedEx; Delta Airlines; General Motors; Starbucks; McKesson and a host of others.   READ MORE...

The Atlantic has "The Remedy for Mitch McConnell"...

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said to the "No News" network...

“Everything I do during this, [the impeachment Senate trial] I’m coordinating with White House counsel. There will be no difference between the president’s position and our position as to how to handle this to the extent that we can.”

There's more of this crap...

“We have no choice but to take [the impeachment trial] up, but we will be working through this process, hopefully in a fairly short period of time, in total coordination with the White House counsel’s office and the people who are representing the president in the well of the Senate.”

Then we have the looney Lindsey Graham saying...

“This thing will come to the Senate, and it will die quickly, and I will do everything I can to make it die quickly,” he said. “I am trying to give a pretty clear signal I have made up my mind. I’m not trying to pretend to be a fair juror here.”

The Atlantic says...

The two senators appear to need a brief remedial course on their constitutional obligations. Article I, Section 3, Clause 6 of the Constitution declares that 'the Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments.' And when the Senate is sitting 'for that Purpose, [senators] shall be on Oath or Affirmation.'”

What the hell do Republicans, especially these two lowlife Senators, care about the Constitution, or any laws they are governed by? Nothing!   READ MORE...

Trump writes deranged 6-page letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi...

Trump's unhinged letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi is full of his usual lies that have proven false repeatedly. Trump says whistleblower made false report completely contrary to phone call with Zelensky...

Whistleblower's report "has been proven highly accurate. In fact, the rough transcript released by Trump himself showed that the whistleblower's three primary allegations about the call were correct or very close to correct."

Other false claims by the Oval Office lunatic...

• No evidence the whistleblower has disappeared
• That there was no quid-pro-quo confirmed by Ambassador Sondland
• Trump's comment to Zelensky about doing "us" a favor could only be interpreted by this narcissist as referring to himself
• Trump statement "More due process was afforded to those accused in the Salem Witch Trials," is, well, hilarious.   READ MORE...

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao as corrupt as hubby Moscow Mitch...

Keep it in the family is a term Elaine Chou has adhered to repeatedly since being appointed Transportation Secretary by Donald Trump. It seems that she has decided that Kentucky, Moscow Mitch's home territory as Senator, is where she wants to spend the Transportation Department's budget. The latest her part in delivering a "$67 million federal contract to her husband Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s home state of Kentucky."

"Kyle Herrig, president of the anti-corruption group Accountable.US, said the contract—the largest of its kind delivered to Kentucky during the three years President Donald Trump has been in office—is just the latest example of Chao’s behavior that warrants a serious look."

Herrig has more...

“The unending stream of stories that detail the depth of Secretary Elaine Chao’s improper use of taxpayer dollars to boost her husband Mitch McConnell’s political career is alarming. This type of political corruption is a threat to our democracy and destroys Americans’ faith in government.”

Moscow Mitch has tough competition coming up in 2020 against opponent Amy McGrath, and many are wondering " if Chao is funneling federal projects to Kentucky to help her husband. Kentucky Democrats deputy executive director Marisa McNee told Politico that "in northern Kentucky is a willingness to walk away from that Republican label that we haven’t seen in a long time.” We can only hope that plays out to a defeat of Moscow Mitch in 2020.

Fox News Napolitano buries Donald Trump...again...

Fox's Napolitano roasts Trump

In a recent Washington times editorial, legal analyst Andrew Napolitano, from the normally no-news Fox network chides Donald Trump, “no person is beneath the laws’ protections. No person is above the laws’ requirements. And the laws apply equally to all people.” Napolitano continues...

"Attorney General Bill Barr used these claims as justification to “brush aside” the findings of special counsel Robert Mueller, 'who found enough evidence to charge President Donald Trump with obstruction of justice after Mr. Trump repeatedly attempted to interfere with Mr. Mueller’s investigation by ordering subordinates to lie to FBI investigators or to falsify government documents that investigators sought.'”

One might assume here that AG Barr should also be impeached and thrown in jail for his obstruction of justice. Can't help quoting because Napolitano's comments are so damning...

“High crimes and misdemeanors is a basis for impeachment, the constitutional remedy for presidential behavior that subverts our democratic institutions. In Mr. Trump’s case, we have undisputed evidence that he abused his power by inviting a foreign government to interfere in the 2020 presidential election and then compounded this by directing subordinates to refrain from giving congressionally commanded evidence of his behavior.”

Looks like the sane people at Fox News, Trump's former bastion of support, also including Chris Wallace, are getting smart

Moscow Mitch's Senate legislative graveyard reveals latest "stack" of ignored House bills...

Moscow Mitch

Senate leader Mitch McConnell has vowed to stonewall anything that is proposed by the Democratic House. In another area, Moscow Mitch is pushing through conservative federal judges faster than they can be seated. This is blatant cronyism at its worst and just another partisan act he will have answer for in 2020. Here's the latest on the "stack"...

"The stack, a symbolic replication of legislation McConnell refuses to bring to a vote, was reportedly the brainchild of Senator Debbie Stabenow. According to her office, it includes more than 300 bills about voter registration, background checks for firearm sales, domestic violence, climate change, minimum wage increases and other issues."

Here's McConnell's comment...

"Back in September, McConnell promised to be a "grim reaper" to any and all progressive legislation. But, as multiple Senators pointed out Wednesday, more than 275 of these "dead" bills cleared the House with bipartisan support."

You did get that these bills the lowlife is sitting on passed the House with bipartisan support? If I were given the opportunity to dream up the retribution that is deserved by Moscow Mitch--and his wife as well for her corruption feeding McConnell's district monied projects--I would gladly take on the project while reacquainting myself with all the recent torture tools available. Mongrel Mitch has proven that he cares nothing for this country, only himself. 
READ MORE...

Nancy Pelosi won't commit to sending articles of impeachment to Senate...

Moscow Mitch is fuming because Speaker Pelosi is giving back the kind of strategy McConnell has continually used against Democrats: Stonewalling. She is holding on to the Articles of Impeachment which were passed on Wednesday, not passing them on to the Senate for a vote, apparently to force the Senate head to agree to a fair trial. You wonder if anything "fair" is possible where Republicans are in involved but you have to agree, it's definitely appropriate.

Moscow Mitch needs it shoved in his face with the kind of class Democrats practice compared to the crude and abusive way the Republicans have approached impeachment. Here's Pelosi's Thursday morning comment...

"I don't think they [the Founding Fathers] suspected that we could have a rogue president and a rogue leader in the Senate at the same time."

Some conservatives say they see no reason to hold up the Articles, but in the same breath "argue there is no benefit in delaying something they don't want to spend time on anyway." This illustrates the mentality of a GOP that are in complete denial of their Constitutional responsibility, backing Donald Trump no matter what, and focusing solely on maintaining power. And then the poor soul Lindsey Graham has the audacity to say this...

"We cannot have a system where the House impeaches the president, tells the Senate how to conduct the trial, holds the articles of impeachment over the president's head at a time of their choosing to unleash them."

 Apparently, the South Carolina Senator just forgot about the Republican buffoons of the House impeachment inquiry, guys like Devin Nunes, Jim Jordan and Matt Gaetz. Maybe Graham is getting too old to serve in Congress.

Donald Trump IMPEACHED

Premonition of a Senate conviction

The "LOSER" [Donald Trump] was impeached by the House. Only the third to attain this stature, many have said his offenses were much more serious than Richard Nixon. When you think back and acknowledge the fact that Watergate was considered as bad as it got for a presidential breach of loyalty to the Constitution, it makes Trump a real "crook." On to the Senate for a conviction. READ MORE... 

LATEST: Ukraine call/Whistleblower wrap up

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2019 NEWS BYTES

Catching up on Ukraine/Whistleblower   

By the balls

Criticisms from top Republicans, including Moscow Mitch, for Trump's deserting Kurds in Northern Syria. Trump told Turkey if they did anything inhumane, he would "decimate" their economy. Turkey is already moving forces into Syria.

READ MORE...

An 'I can't believe this' story made more believable coming from Donald Trump. Willie Geist of MSNBC describes it as T-rump's "horrifying and impulsive reason" for pulling U.S. Troops out of No. Syria. Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was angry during their July 25 conversation. And this is what is hard to believe, even for the Oval Office lunatic, he agreed to withdraw the troops just to get off the phone with Erdogan. Result, hundreds of Kurds will die.

READ MORE...

And then Trump's tweet storm this past Monday, designed to convince the world he was right pulling the troops from Syria, caught hell from the Internet. This idiot thinks he can blunder through foreign policy and all he has to do is put out a slew of mostly unintelligible tweets and rectify the matter. Didn't work...

"With reports that both the State Department and the Pentagon opposed the move — seen as an attempt to distract from his impeachment problems — Twitter commenters harshly attacked the president for turning his back on allies and leaving them to die."

READ MORE... 

And, "Ukraine’s former president categorically denied that Joe Biden had ever asked him to open or close any criminal cases, effectively knocking down President Donald Trump’s conspiracy theory about the former vice president," according to RawStory. It was...

"Petro Poroshenko, who served as the nation’s president from 2014 until earlier this year, who joined a growing list of Ukrainian officials who said they never saw Biden take any improper actions involving his son’s business work there."

Just another Donald Trump lie gone down the tube.

READ MORE...

Dr. Justin Frank is a former clinical professor of psychiatry at the George Washington University Medical Center and a physician with more than 40 years of experience in psychoanalysis. He says...

"Trump is terrified of the whistleblower and acting like ‘a frightened child driven by envy and fear."

One of Fr. Frank's comments...

"Donald Trump is very dangerous when he’s cornered. Trump has lived in so much of a bubble that I believe he is genuinely surprised that the Democrats are moving to impeach him. He does think he’s doing this great job. Trump was surprised last year when he spoke at the UN and the diplomats laughed when he talked about what a great job he’s done. That is because Trump has lived in a world of his own creation. It is really disturbing."          This article is worth a read!

READ MORE... 

 

WHISTLEBLOWER BOMBSHELL: New condemning memo

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019 - BREAKIN.G NEWS

NEW Whistleblower memo... 

The blow that will bring Trump down

CBS News just released the full memo written by the whistleblower the day after the Ukrainian phone call of July 25, between Donald Trump and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. The whistleblwer talked to a person who was there during the conversation who described the contents of the call as "crazy," "frightening" and "completely lacking in substance related to national security." There's more...

"The whistleblower said the official was 'visibly shaken by what had transpired and seemed keen to inform a trusted colleague within the U.S. national security apparatus about the call.'"

This is a must read... 

LATEST: More Trump Tower presidential extortion

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019 NEWS BYTES

More lining of the trump pocketbook... 

Trump Tower Istanbul

Did you know there is a Trump Tower in Istanbul, Turkey? You may or may not know that after a scheduled phone call on Sunday afternoon between President Trump and Turkish President Erdogan, the Oval Office lunatic withdrew all American troops from Syria, in effect, abandoning the Kurds we have been supporting to certain defeat and death. Here's the scenario...

"Turkey has long considered the Kurdish militia in Syria to be a terrorist insurgency, despite the United States providing military and financial aid to the group in its fight against ISIS, the Islamic State militant group."

A National Security Council source said, "Donald Trump got 'rolled' by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan." Or, perhaps it was a conveniently planned accommodation to Erdogan in yet another conflict of interest to receive business favors for his Istanbul Trump Tower. You think? Newsweek says...

"Trump has promised to keep his business empire separate, handing over control of his commercial operations to sons Eric and Donald Jr. for the duration of his time in office. Trump has refused to fully divest from his empire, in what critics have said was a violation of the Constitution's emoluments clause."

And...

"Multiple investigations and reports allege that Trump has been personally profiting from the presidency, using the office to bolster income at his resorts, hotels and other businesses. Foreign officials, for example, have been spending huge sums at his properties, in an effort to ingratiate themselves with his administration."

Ret. Army Lt. Colonel Ralph Peters laughs in Trump's face...(MUST SEE)

Although Trump did not endorse any Turkish military operation against Kurdish Forces, according to Newsweek, he also did not threaten economic sanctions if Turkey took action against them. Ryan Lizza, Politico's chief Washington correspondent explained on Twitter that situations like this "is why presidents divest," adding...

"It is crazy that a president is making national security decisions like the one tonight when he has lucrative business relationships at stake in the country that will benefit."

Here's more...

"John Sipher, who spent 28 years working for the CIA, expressed his frustration at Trump's announcement. 'At least the Trump Administration is consistent,' he said on Twitter. 'We are about screwing our allies, partners and friends. Don't trust America, even if you shed blood on their behalf. If you want favors build a Trump tower.'"

We are entering an era in the United States where the concept of democracy has been diminished to the extent that it takes at least second place to the greed of a maniacal tyrant who took the oath of office for the presidency of this country for the sole purpose of lining his pockets and the pockets of his family. In the interim, the people of the U.S. have witnessed this nation become the laughing stock of the world, as Trump supporters help bring it down.

Ivanka Trump was heavily linked to the Trump Towers project, for which the Trump family has no ownership but just receives a fee for the name. Newsweek reports...

"The towers have previously served as a pressure point for Erdogan's efforts to influence White House policy. Following Trump's proposal to ban all Muslim immigrants from entering the U.S., for example, Erdogan called for the president's name to be taken off the building.
But when Trump expressed support for Erdogan's post-coup crackdown and subsequent mass arrests, Erdogan stopped calling for the towers' name to be changed."

Kurds cut deal with Assad's Syria putting Turkey behind the 8 ball...

In an opinion piece for the Chicago Tribune, Rex Huppke chides Republican lawmakers who look the other way from Donald Trump's "whack-a-doodle decisions, tweets or out-loud admissions of wrongdoing," by reference of what this moron just did to the Syrian Kurds. His point is that as what Trump just did to the Kurds, he will do to all his supporters, desert them if it is convenient for him. The man has no loyalty other than to himself.

Huppke reports that the Kurds had successfully defeated ISIS in Northern Syria, and many of President Trump’s staunchest GOP supporters are calling his recent decision a betrayal. The Tribune writer commented...

"I’m sure it was an absolutely perfect phone call, much like the absolutely perfect phone call between Trump and the Ukrainian president now at the center of House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry.
I’d like to say it has nothing whatsoever to do with Trump’s odd affinity for dictatorial strongmen like Erdogan or with the fact that there’s a fancy Trump Tower making him money in Turkey."

Huppke finishes with, "So he’s done with them [the Kurds]. And you should be warned that, as soon as it benefits him, he’ll be done with you as well."

READ MORE: "Republicans deliver rare rebuke of Trump, slamming his Syria withdrawal decision"

REPUBLICAN call for impeachment up 20%

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2019 SPECIAL REPORT

Impeachment demands grow...

Impeach and dump Donald Trump

A new poll from the Washington Post and the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University shows overall approval for impeachment at 58%, with another 49% saying they are ready to dump Trump. The uptick for ousting the Oval Office lunatic is from all three political groups, with support for the inquiry rising by 25 points among Democrats, 21 points among Republicans and 20 points among independents.

BINGO! What are you waiting on Pelosi???

Mark Zuckerberg says billionaires don't deserve to have that much money

MONDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2019 NEWS BYTES

Mark Zuckerberg wants to give up his billionaire status...  

Mark Zuckerberg video on no one deserves this much money...

  
Mark Zuckerberg, founder and CEO of Facebook, is a billionaire with a net worth of almost $70 billion in 2019. On the other hand, he and his wife, Priscilla Chan, "have promised to give away 99 percent of their Facebook shares to help charity via their philanthropic organization, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative." I emphasized the "promised," because I have never trusted this guy since his blatant arrogance of doing what he damn well pleased with your personal information on Facebook. I give him nothing he can sell. Just recently,,,

"Facebook must pay a record-breaking $5 billion fine as part of a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission, by far the largest penalty ever imposed on a company for violating consumers' privacy rights," according to USA Today.

Facebook $5 billion fine...

There's more...

Zuckerberg has appeared in congressional hearings after the Cambridge Analytica scandal surfaced. Facebook suspended the data analysis and political consulting firm in March 2018 for improper access to user data. That move came after The New York Times and U.K.'s The Observer said Cambridge Analytica had access to 50 million profiles and used them to target ads during the 2016 presidential election campaign.

And Facebook is accused of not warning its users of the fact that they were at risk for a data breach, "which left around 29 million user accounts open to hackers," reports techradar. Hackers were stealing FB "access tokens," a problem known for years by the social media giant, but failed to fix it, despite knowing. Which prompted more blatant arrogance from Facebook...

“Even more egregiously, Facebook took steps to protect its own employees from the security risk, but not the vast majority of its users.”

Mark Zuckerberg and his wife donated $100 million to Newark public schools, also to disease issues, and then $1.2 billion by the two to their Chan Zuckerberg Foundation for education, housing, science and improving the criminal justice system. But Warren Buffett is the most charitable billionaire, followed by Bill Gates. Here's the WB/BG giving pledge explained by Vox...

"In 2010, the two of them launched a campaign that they hoped would change philanthropy: the Giving Pledge. The idea was to persuade their fellow billionaires to pledge at least 50 percent of their wealth to charity. It was greeted with enthusiasm.

That claim seems to have been borne out — as far as it goes. Ten years later, we are in a position to evaluate some of the effects of the Giving Pledge. Hundreds of billionaires have signed on, with Bloomberg and other big names like Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Mackenzie Bezos among them. More than $500 billion have been pledged, and money is already being donated to a range of causes."

Melinda Gates on Warren Buffett/Giving Pledge...

But on the downside of the wealthy as of 2018, according to Poverty USA:

• 16.2% of children live in poverty
• 9.7% of seniors live in poverty
• 25.4% of Native Americans live in poverty
• 20.8% of Blacks live in poverty
• 10.1% of Whites live in poverty
• 10.1% of Asians live in poverty

 $19,985 is considered the poverty level for a family of 3, but what is worse, 5.3% of the population—or 17.3 million people—live in deep poverty, with incomes below 50% of their poverty thresholds. And 29.9% of the population—or 93.6 million—live close to poverty, with incomes less than two times that of their poverty thresholds. Even more serious, a total of 552,830 people were experiencing homelessness on a single night in 2018. This number represents 17 out of every 10,000 people in the United States. There is no justification I know of for this statistic in America.

I am sure all of the above group agree fully with the Facebook CEO's words. But, is there a way to end poverty?...

Jeffrey Sachs, as one of the world's leading experts on economic development and the fight against poverty, stated that the cost to end poverty is $175 billion per year for 20 years.

So why don't we line up Warren Buffett's group of Giving Pledge billionaires to each contribute the $1.75 billion needed each year and by 2013, at least homelessness will be solved to the best of our ability. That is the most critical of the two, and then turn the attention to helping those at the poverty level. It sounds like a plan to me, and I would hope the Giving Pledge group would also. And by the way, Mark Zuckerber's billionaire status is not completely his fault; he is just the messenger. The fault is you, readers giving up all your personal data that Facebook sells for billions. Think about it.

Moscow Mitch digs hole to defeat deeper

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2019 NEWS BYTES

Moscow Mitch courts more trouble for 2020... 

Pathetic to the end

Did you know that "The diversion of military funds to pay for President Trump’s border wall obsession is taking money away from more than 100 military projects around the country?" This also shows just how low Moscow Mitch has stooped to "enable Trump’s corruption." Here's the scenario...

"The Senate majority leader has not only assisted and protected Trump in doing great damage to our democracy, for naked partisan purposes, though that’s a major stain. But McConnell also has in effect now prioritized the mission of enabling and defending Trump’s corruption over the interests of his own state and its constituents."

One of projects losing funding, a planned middle school at the Fort Campbell army base in Kentucky.

Hopefully Amy McGrath is listening to this in her fight to unseat McConnell. But she is tough becoming "the first woman to fly in a F/A-18 fighter jet in combat and took on 89 missions in the Middle East, fighting Al-Qaeda and Taliban insurgents." And there is flak coming from another direction, "Next to electing a Democratic president, the Democratic National Committee’s top goal for 2020 is achieving a majority in the U.S. Senate."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says that one of her major strategies is to get rid of Senate head, Mitch McConnell, better known as Moscow Mitch. Dumping Trump isn't enough, according to Pelosi, McConnell is almost as dangerous and underhanded. The Speaker is...

"planning to kick her anti-McConnell campaign into high gear in the fall — and she will be aggressively focused on 'his refusal to pass meaningful legislation.' Doing so, according to a Democratic congressional aide, enables House Democrats to 'tout the good they’ve done and also, helps show the importance of Dems taking back the Senate.'”

Here's a quick analysis of McConnell...

"The Kentucky Republican has been unpopular in his home state for years, but this summer has seen his approval rating plunge to 18 percent after MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough tarred and feathered him with the nickname “Moscow Mitch,” and he’s increasingly seen as 'the man who sold America,'" according to Rolling Stone.

Bob Moser in a magazine profile said...

“For so many years, McConnell has seemed maddeningly invincible. But now, just a few years after achieving his lifelong goal of becoming Senate majority leader, it appears that every political sin the man has committed on his relentless march to power is coming back to haunt him at once.”

Kentuckians say, DITCH MITCH...

Here's more for Amy McGrath's campaign...

"Moser catalogs the Senate majority leader’s political sins, dating back to his swiftly broken campaign promises to back abortion and collective bargaining rights in a 1977 race for Jefferson County judge executive, up to the shady deal earlier this year to lift sanctions on a Russian oligarch whose company Rusal announced a $200 million investment in Kentucky."

There is much more in between, as an example his comment that his goal, when Barack Obama was elected, to make him a one-term president. He didn't, but it clearly labeled Moscow Mitch a raging racist. A 47-year old Paducah resident has said it best,,,

"eventually [after initially voting for him] it dawned on me, like a lot of people, this guy really doesn’t give a crap about us. He’s all about stockpiling his own squirrel-nut factory for his winter. Public records are public records, and you can see how his trajectory has gone toward wealth. Back home, I’m still making the same amount of money I was making! I think he’s got a real good chance of being booted this time.”

We can only hope so.

And, as if to make up with all the greed and corruption of his career, Moscow Mitch has now decided to turn the lions on Donald Trump in the impeachment controversy. This means that he will definitely bring a decision for impeachment from the House to the Senate for a vote. First of all, this will not exonerate him for what he has done, and second, he actually has no choice if Speaker Pelosi can come up with the votes. Here's Mitchell's statement...

"During an interview with CNBC on Monday, McConnell confirmed that he wouldn’t pull any stunts to obstruct a trial in the Senate — neither the Senate rules nor the partisan split would allow for such a thing.

“I would have no choice but to take it up,” McConnell said. “How long you are on it is a different matter, but I would have no choice but to take it up based on a Senate rule on impeachment.”

 Nancy Pelosi quotes Lincoln, "Public sentiment is everything"...

The one phrase here that bothers me is, "How long you are on it is a different matter..." It may be irrelevant but if there is one thing we know for sure, Moscow Mitch cannot be trusted! Here's MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell's take...

"McConnell is panicking about 2020. 'This is a very, very big deal,' O’Donnell wrote on Twitter. 'First, McConnell agrees with Schumer’s unanimous consent request for whistleblower documents and now this. McConnell is doing exactly what he should be doing if he thinks he might need a different nominee for president.'”

But then we get Pence, and although Salon's Bob Cesca feels Mikey would be more "compliant" I feel he is a complete idiot. Cesca also thinks Trump could resign saying, "it wouldn’t shock me if Trump decided he’d rather quit than have his tax returns and other documents exposed like dick-pics on TMZ." But McConnell still isn't done with bringing impeachment it to the Senate. With...

"Chief Justice John Roberts as the presiding judge in Trump’s trial, McConnell could call votes, requiring only 51 senators to approve, to overrule the chief justice’s decisions on, say, what evidence is admissible or not. The upshot: Senate Republicans can write and pass new trial rules according to McConnell’s whimsy."

Is this what the slimy lowlife McConnell has up his sleeve? We'll soon know by observing his handling of the impeachment in the Senate. If he exudes bold confidence in the procedure, you can expect the wheels to come off. But Cesca also brings up the prosecution of Donald Trump after leaving office...

"The only legal way Trump can guarantee he won’t be prosecuted after he leaves office is to resign with a Gerald Ford-style pardon from Pence. That’s it. Someone should tell him, because I’m sure he hasn’t yet considered the Sophie’s Choice he faces. Resignation and a presidential pardon, taken together, are Trump’s only path to avoiding prison shy of pulling off another improbable election victory, which is no sure thing, whatever he may say."

I would hope that prosecutors are vigorously pursuing how to overcome this pardon and put Donald Trump in jail where he has belonged for years.

LATEST: Gun violence/Gun control/Gun corruption

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2019 NEWS BYTES

Gun violence must be stopped...   

NRA internal turmoil

Items have a tendency to pile up these days in the "to blog" file on Donald Trump's Ukraine call and subsequently the move to impeach him. You can't ignore it because of the intensity of the issue, and the importance of getting rid of the Oval Office lunatic. Just today Trump said, "I don't care," in reference to GOP concerns over protecting the whistleblower. There's more, Mike Pompeo is in a standoff with key House committees on trump Ukraine information.

But other news does go on and here's a wrap-up of what's happening in the Gun violence/Gun control/Gun corruption areas:

It's the 'If we could just get rid of them, gun violence would improve dramatically' organization, the National Rifle Assn. (NRA), along with its leader Wayne LaPierre. Here's the scenario...

"Its president was ousted. Its top lobbyist resigned over allegations that he engaged in an extortion scheme to kick out the chief executive, Wayne LaPierre. Its board members are resigning regularly, saying they’ve lost confidence in the group’s leadership. It’s spending more money than it’s taking in, and it’s in a brutal legal battle with its former ad agency. Oh, and its tax-exempt status is being investigated."

READ MORE...

Gabby Giffords on gun control...

And here in the wide open, 'if you are a warm body you can own and carry a gun' state of Arizona, the voting public has decided the gun laws aren't strict enough. But a gun nut legislature doesn't quite get it yet, so they plow ahead with the loosening of these gun laws that the public wants tightened. "Fifty-four percent of likely Arizona voters said the current laws in the state on the sale and ownership of guns are insufficiently strict, a 6-point rise from May."

Can you believe this?...

"Arizona is an open carry state, which means if you own a weapon you can carry it. You can also carry a concealed weapon with or without a permit.
Permits are issued by the state Department of Public Safety and involve a simple process.
You just go on our [state's] website and fill out an application. The concealed weapons unit will do a check of you and make sure you are not a prohibited. possessor."

By the way, assault weapons like the AK-47 are included in the above.

READ MORE...

Doctors are pissed-take on NRA...

And it would seem that the NRA spends more money in Texas because the gun nuts there really love their guns. But, Kim Olson, a Democrat running for a Republican seat, is trying to change that. Her passion for gun control reflects this quote, “weapons of war do not belong on the streets of America.” Here's what the author of the Washington Monthly piece said...

"One of the reasons I find Olson to be so impressive is that she reminds me of women from Texas that I have admired—like Barbara Jordan, Ann Richards, and Molly Ivins. While they didn’t serve in the military, they were warriors too. No one would have ever accused Jordan, Richards, or Ivins of mincing words. Whether you agreed with them or not, they stood their ground unapologetically."

And this is what is so sorely needed in the fight against gun violence. When you see a gun nut, call it a gun nut and let them know just where we stand on taking guns off the streets. The writer, Nancy LeTourneau, finishes with, "But one thing is for certain, Kim Olson is exactly the kind of Democrat that should scare Republicans—and the NRA." Amen!

READ MORE...

Now the NRA is charged with harboring a toxic sexual harasser who is the former favorite and chief of staff for head gun nut, Wayne LaPierre.  Josh Powell was so bad that...

Ackerman McQueen [the NRA's ad agy.] refused to work with him. According to a report, Powell was the subject of two harassment settlements at the nonprofit; the amount of money spent to keep these stories hidden is not known.

It would appear that the NRA is rotten from the core.

READ MORE...

10 injured in shooting after high school football game in Alabama...

To fix our gun crisis, we should revert to ’60s gun laws...

More NRA corruption: 

NRA board member and former president Marion Hammer obtained low-interest loan from affiliate she leads...

BREAKING: Bernie Sanders suffers heart condition

BREAKING NEWS: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2019

Bernie Sanders with heart condition...

The man: Bernie Sanders

Bernie Sanders just underwent a procedure to have two stents inserted to address an arterial blockage after experiencing chest discomfort during a campaign event on Tuesday, according to The Hill. To adviser Jeff weaver said the Bern will spend the next few days getting over the episode and the surgery, and that all campaign events are cancelled until further notice. With the severe pace this man is on, likely double any other candidate, it's not surprising.

Anyway, let's all wish Bernie a full recovery and back to what he loves doing ASAP.