Rick Hasen: “This week (even with the potential for a Supreme Court nomination as soon as Monday), Senate Democrats will face a pivotal choice: will they work their remaining levers of power to protest President Trump’s policies and power? Even without a filibuster for nominations, Senate Democrats can withhold unanimous consent, demand 30 hours of debate per nomination, etc.”
Well, it WILL be interesting. I wouldn't lay odds on them becoming assertive. ==================== President Trump’s nominee for Treasury Secretary was untruthful with the Senate during the confirmation process, documents uncovered by the Columbus Dispatch show.
“Steve Mnuchin, former chairman and chief executive officer of OneWest Bank, known for its aggressive foreclosure practices, flatly denied in testimony before the Senate Finance Committee that OneWest used ‘robo-signing’ on mortgage documents. But records show the bank utilized the questionable practice in Ohio.”
Gee, whoda thunk? =================================== BuzzFeed: “The order ran into legal trouble almost immediately, with several federal courts and key Republicans pushing back in the 48 hours that followed. From here, federal district court rulings overnight Saturday are likely to be appealed, spurring a rolling series of legal debates about one of the first actions taken by President Trump.” ================== “And it’s about to get more complicated. Trump will now nominate a Supreme Court pick in the midst of a national debate over the powers of a chief executive who is drawing sharp criticism from Democrats and Republicans — including senators who will be holding hearings and voting on his nominee. That justice will provide a crucial vote on the highest-stakes cases in the country — and could wind up ruling on elements of the executive order.”
“At least three of the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee — Sens. Lindsey Graham, Jeff Flake, and Ben Sasse — already have criticized aspects of the order.” =========================== “South Dakota legislators are set to dismantle new ethics regulations that voters imposed on them less than three months ago, a brazen test of whether elected officials or their constituents should have the final say,” the AP reports.
Trump In Full Defensive Crouch [Click] "Could the White House have been unprepared for the backlash to the "extreme vetting" executive order? It beggars belief, but the tone of this new statement directly from the President is defensive…"
I don't know who wrote Cheetolini's statement in your first link, but it definitely was NOT Cheetolini. He has no ability to be that coherent on his most sober day!
Also the protest sign you like best is the one I carried yesterday. It was very popular.
Hundreds protest at Fresno airport against Trump’s immigrant ban [Click] The editorial in this morning's Fresno Bee is also strongly opposed. Letters to the Editor generally the same. I think I will write a letter to the Editor about the TSA deploying the Nuremberg Defense to justify its cooperation--and its refusal to obey Federal court orders.
I still like the sign with the legend
"First They Came For The Muslims And We Said NOT TODAY Motherfucker"
It took Nixon six or seven years to arouse public antipathy comparable to what Trump has in a single week; so I guess that Trump is THE GREATEST! in that regard.
It seems that even our local wingnut US "Representative," Devin Nunes, has expressed limited opposition to Trump's ban (says it shouldn't apply to permanent resident aliens).
Speaking of Plain Speaking, I just called my three Congress members and Senator McCain's DC office. Here is what I said with a voice that shook at times due to the gravity of what I was saying:
We have an unprecedented crisis in our nation.
Yesterday a self described “Leninist” was placed in charge of our National Security, a man who has said that, like Lenin, his goal is to destroy the state. “I want to bring everything crashing down, and destroy all of today’s establishment” including the Republican and Democratic Parties, as well as the traditional conservative press.
Also a federal judge’s stay of an executive order is reportedly being ignored by the feds. But the Judiciary branch is supposed to be a check on the Executive branch. I am seeing: dangerous decision making, highly concerning political alliances - both foreign and domestic, serious emolument issues, and actions which I believe constitute treason against the United States.
Donald Trump’s legitimacy as President hangs on the antiquated Electoral College system, which did not perform as the Founders designed.
Lastly, yet undergirding all else, there is vast evidence that Donald Trump has mental illness in the form of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, which presents as being truly incapable of empathy, and being only self serving.
So, as a citizen of this already great nation for over 6 decades and a grandmother of six, I hereby demand that Congress use Amendment 25, Section 4 to remove this unfit and dangerous person from office.
If you looked at what I looked at, my takeaway is that in NO state did he receive even as much as 50% of the vote, in solidly blue states his margin of loss was as high as 30% +. Is that how you read it, Susan?
Hmmmm....sounds very ominous, but it seems to presuppose a degree of competence on the part of the Trumpets that is highly questionable at best. It also assumes a degree of complacency on the part of the US public that probably does not exist. As for the Russian oil company shares and offshore accounts, those will probably be elucidated by independent actors in due course--assuming they exist.
What about the gutting of the State Department, *and* putting out that it was masse resignations rather than a purge? That's pretty scary! A friend of mine tells me the Labor Department is essentially shut down. And now Listener reports the acting AG has been fired. I donno. Finding it hard to be as sanguine as you seem to be.
Another thought--it is impossible to carry out a coup without the assistance, or at least acquiescence, of the armed forces. And their oaths of allegiance, both officers and enlisted are to the United States, not to the President. There would be craven ones, and there would be heroic ones, should the mantle of history fall upon their shoulders. I doubt there would be many who think highly of draft dodgers with alleged bone spurs. I will have to look and see who is the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council and the National Security Council on military matters.The composition of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is defined by statute and consists of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS), and the Military Service Chiefs from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and the Chief of the National Guard Bureau…
Following the Goldwater–Nichols Act in 1986, the Joint Chiefs of Staff do not have operational command authority, neither individually nor collectively, as the chain of command goes from the President to the Secretary of Defense, and from the Secretary of Defense to the Commanders of the Combatant Commands.[7]
So they changed the command structure when I wasn't looking...
I was reflecting (again) on the question of why it is that the USA has not produced world-class statesmen, like Otto von Bismarck, for instance. I came back to my same conclusion—that the frequent changes of administration make development of the necessary influence most unlikely. But then I thought again about Bismarck, and how things went south when Wilhelm II “dropped the pilot” in the words of the famous editorial cartoon. And then a thought crossed my mind—could Donald Trump be the American equivalent of Kaiser Wilhem II? A different era, different social and political constraints, but certainly they share characteristics that are/were dangerous for both themselves and their countries—and human nature does not change. The idea could be developed, and seems promising. Considering the different circumstance might give some idea of how things will play out—probably far better for the USA than for imperial Germany. The very idea of such protests, insubordination, and lese-majeste as we are now witnessing in the US occurring in imperial Germany is simply preposterous.
"News item: President Donald Trump “signed an executive order requiring that for every new federal regulation implemented, two must be rescinded,” Politico reports. Hey, what could possibly go wrong? This couldn’t possibly backfire on The Grand Vulgarian, now, could it?"
I think it's a mistake to announce in advance that you're going to filibuster *any* nominee. It sounds too much like announcing that you're not going to confirm any nominee until after the election. What the Democrats should have done is wait until Trump announced a nominee, thoroughly vet him or her, and *then* filibuster. (Unless the nominee is far more reasonable than we have any right to expect.)
Typical Republican phraseology. Say the very thing that you did is the thing that someone else did. DT is betraying our nation. He is mentally ill and Congress MUST remove him from office! I think that every day I will need to tally up the last 24 hours' messes, make my list and call my Congress peeps to name those items and demand he be removed. Every day until they finally do the deed.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council and the National Security Council on military matters.The composition of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is defined by statute and consists of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS), and the Military Service Chiefs from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and the Chief of the National Guard Bureau…
Following the Goldwater–Nichols Act in 1986, the Joint Chiefs of Staff do not have operational command authority, neither individually nor collectively, as the chain of command goes from the President to the Secretary of Defense, and from the Secretary of Defense to the Commanders of the Combatant Commands.[7]
So, here's my plan. I have my Congress members on speed dial. Every day I will tally up the last 24 hours' messes, make my list and call my Congress members to name those items and demand that DT be removed. Every day, until they finally do the deed. If enough people do this, Congress will have to act. Below is what I have (so far) for Tuesday. Feel free to borrow, but why not start your own list to use? These calls do need to be personalised.
When people disagree with DT, he fires them and declares that they have betrayed their job. But their job is to serve the laws and the people of this nation, and when Sally Yates and Daniel Ragsdale served courageously, they were fired for it.
The one who is betraying their job is DT. He is betraying the laws and the people of this great nation. He has shown consistently that he has no regard for the laws or people of the United States, and that he does not have our best interest at heart.
This should not be surprising, however, because he is mentally ill with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, so is incapable of empathy and can only care about his own best interest.
Congress MUST remove him from power for being unfit to serve. The longer Congress waits to do this, the more damage he will be able to do, and the more we as a nation are betraying ourselves, our forebears, our descendents and the good people all around the world.
Just to add that I have now received TWO messages from Rep. Peter Welch this month! (The 11th and the 30th) I am impressed! Here's his latest:
Thank you for sharing your concern regarding Russian intervention in our election. I appreciate your feedback on this important issue.
The Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have both concluded that the Russian government hacked into Democratic Party emails in an effort to influence the election’s outcome. I am deeply disturbed by this assault on the very foundation of our democracy. I fully support a thorough Congressional investigation into this matter and strongly support President Obama’s decision to impose sanctions on Russia for this unprecedented cyber-attack.
I will continue to monitor this investigation with your thoughts in mind. Please keep in touch. I look forward to seeing you in Vermont.
Items from politicalwire.com--Alan
ReplyDeleteRick Hasen: “This week (even with the potential for a Supreme Court nomination as soon as Monday), Senate Democrats will face a pivotal choice: will they work their remaining levers of power to protest President Trump’s policies and power? Even without a filibuster for nominations, Senate Democrats can withhold unanimous consent, demand 30 hours of debate per nomination, etc.”
Well, it WILL be interesting. I wouldn't lay odds on them becoming assertive.
====================
President Trump’s nominee for Treasury Secretary was untruthful with the Senate during the confirmation process, documents uncovered by the Columbus Dispatch show.
“Steve Mnuchin, former chairman and chief executive officer of OneWest Bank, known for its aggressive foreclosure practices, flatly denied in testimony before the Senate Finance Committee that OneWest used ‘robo-signing’ on mortgage documents. But records show the bank utilized the questionable practice in Ohio.”
Gee, whoda thunk?
===================================
BuzzFeed: “The order ran into legal trouble almost immediately, with several federal courts and key Republicans pushing back in the 48 hours that followed. From here, federal district court rulings overnight Saturday are likely to be appealed, spurring a rolling series of legal debates about one of the first actions taken by President Trump.”
==================
“And it’s about to get more complicated. Trump will now nominate a Supreme Court pick in the midst of a national debate over the powers of a chief executive who is drawing sharp criticism from Democrats and Republicans — including senators who will be holding hearings and voting on his nominee. That justice will provide a crucial vote on the highest-stakes cases in the country — and could wind up ruling on elements of the executive order.”
“At least three of the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee — Sens. Lindsey Graham, Jeff Flake, and Ben Sasse — already have criticized aspects of the order.”
===========================
“South Dakota legislators are set to dismantle new ethics regulations that voters imposed on them less than three months ago, a brazen test of whether elected officials or their constituents should have the final say,” the AP reports.
--Alan
From talkingointsmemo.com:
DeleteTrump In Full Defensive Crouch [Click] "Could the White House have been unprepared for the backlash to the "extreme vetting" executive order? It beggars belief, but the tone of this new statement directly from the President is defensive…"
Massive Protests Erupt At Airports Following Trump Travel Ban [Click]
--Alan
From alternet.org:
Delete#DeleteUber: Users Angry at Trump Muslim Ban Scrap App [Click]
America's Founding Fathers Warned Us About Men Like Donald Trump [Click]
Protest sign winner of the day [Click] IMO
--Alan
I don't know who wrote Cheetolini's statement in your first link, but it definitely was NOT Cheetolini. He has no ability to be that coherent on his most sober day!
DeleteAlso the protest sign you like best is the one I carried yesterday. It was very popular.
And all of this only on the Sunday a week after the inauguration? Wow. Mr. ThinSkin ought to be retreating to his Festung pretty soon.
ReplyDelete--Alan
One last link, then to bed far later than I should...--alan
ReplyDeleteAmateur hour at the White House? [Click] Oui
Hundreds protest at Fresno airport against Trump’s immigrant ban [Click]
ReplyDeleteThe editorial in this morning's Fresno Bee is also strongly opposed. Letters to the Editor generally the same. I think I will write a letter to the Editor about the TSA deploying the Nuremberg Defense to justify its cooperation--and its refusal to obey Federal court orders.
I still like the sign with the legend
"First They Came For The Muslims
And We Said
NOT TODAY
Motherfucker"
It took Nixon six or seven years to arouse public antipathy comparable to what Trump has in a single week; so I guess that Trump is THE GREATEST! in that regard.
It seems that even our local wingnut US "Representative," Devin Nunes, has expressed limited opposition to Trump's ban (says it shouldn't apply to permanent resident aliens).
Alan
An article I just read (linked below) opines that the Louse and his team are deliberately striving to achieve protest fatigue early.
DeleteAnd/or he's trying to keep everything focused on him, both to feed his ego and to distract us from developing our own platform.
DeleteSpeaking of Plain Speaking, I just called my three Congress members and Senator McCain's DC office. Here is what I said with a voice that shook at times due to the gravity of what I was saying:
ReplyDeleteWe have an unprecedented crisis in our nation.
Yesterday a self described “Leninist” was placed in charge of our National Security, a man who has said that, like Lenin, his goal is to destroy the state. “I want to bring everything crashing down, and destroy all of today’s establishment” including the Republican and Democratic Parties, as well as the traditional conservative press.
Also a federal judge’s stay of an executive order is reportedly being ignored by the feds. But the Judiciary branch is supposed to be a check on the Executive branch.
I am seeing:
dangerous decision making, highly concerning political alliances - both foreign and domestic, serious emolument issues, and actions which I believe constitute treason against the United States.
Donald Trump’s legitimacy as President hangs on the antiquated Electoral College system, which did not perform as the Founders designed.
Lastly, yet undergirding all else, there is vast evidence that Donald Trump has mental illness in the form of Narcissistic Personality Disorder, which presents as being truly incapable of empathy, and being only self serving.
So, as a citizen of this already great nation for over 6 decades and a grandmother of six, I hereby demand that Congress use Amendment 25, Section 4 to remove this unfit and dangerous person from office.
And I say this with a heart that is very sad.
Well said, Listener.
DeleteForeign Service uprising rumored. [Click]
ReplyDeleteTrump Seems to be Tightening the Circle Around Him [Click]
GOP Redistricting Maps Coming Under Fire [Click]
What Does Congress Do Now? [Click] Good strategy considerations.
ReplyDeleteChaos Inside the White House [Click] Sources “high-up inside the administration” tell…
Also worrying: “The place oozes paranoia…
Washington State AG Announces Lawsuit To Halt Trump's Immigration Order [Click]
https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/ - Click
ReplyDeleteClick on Trump's Margin. It is informative.
Those numbers are horrifying!
DeleteI regret to say it is clear as mud to me.
DeleteAlan
If you looked at what I looked at, my takeaway is that in NO state did he receive even as much as 50% of the vote, in solidly blue states his margin of loss was as high as 30% +. Is that how you read it, Susan?
DeleteWould you like to sign a petition to have Bernie Sanders start the American Labor Party?
ReplyDeleteHere it is: https://www.change.org/p/bernie-sanders-it-s-time-to-start-the-american-labor-party
listener, I've seen it twice and I still don't see the place where you sign.
DeleteThanks, Listener! Signed and shared to FB.
DeleteSusan, you may have to be logged into Causes via FB...?
DeleteSusan, try this link:
Deletehttps://www.change.org/p/bernie-sanders-it-s-time-to-start-the-american-labor-party
The one I posted was probably for the page that displays just after you vote. Sorry about that.
Trial Balloon For A Coup? - Click
ReplyDeleteHmmmm....sounds very ominous, but it seems to presuppose a degree of competence on the part of the Trumpets that is highly questionable at best. It also assumes a degree of complacency on the part of the US public that probably does not exist. As for the Russian oil company shares and offshore accounts, those will probably be elucidated by independent actors in due course--assuming they exist.
DeleteAlan
What about the gutting of the State Department, *and* putting out that it was masse resignations rather than a purge? That's pretty scary! A friend of mine tells me the Labor Department is essentially shut down. And now Listener reports the acting AG has been fired. I donno. Finding it hard to be as sanguine as you seem to be.
DeleteAnother thought--it is impossible to carry out a coup without the assistance, or at least acquiescence, of the armed forces. And their oaths of allegiance, both officers and enlisted are to the United States, not to the President. There would be craven ones, and there would be heroic ones, should the mantle of history fall upon their shoulders. I doubt there would be many who think highly of draft dodgers with alleged bone spurs. I will have to look and see who is the Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
DeleteAlan
From Wikipedia:
DeleteThe Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council and the National Security Council on military matters.The composition of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is defined by statute and consists of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS), and the Military Service Chiefs from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and the Chief of the National Guard Bureau…
Following the Goldwater–Nichols Act in 1986, the Joint Chiefs of Staff do not have operational command authority, neither individually nor collectively, as the chain of command goes from the President to the Secretary of Defense, and from the Secretary of Defense to the Commanders of the Combatant Commands.[7]
So they changed the command structure when I wasn't looking...
Alan
I was reflecting (again) on the question of why it is that the USA has not produced world-class statesmen, like Otto von Bismarck, for instance. I came back to my same conclusion—that the frequent changes of administration make development of the necessary influence most unlikely. But then I thought again about Bismarck, and how things went south when Wilhelm II “dropped the pilot” in the words of the famous editorial cartoon. And then a thought crossed my mind—could Donald Trump be the American equivalent of Kaiser Wilhem II? A different era, different social and political constraints, but certainly they share characteristics that are/were dangerous for both themselves and their countries—and human nature does not change. The idea could be developed, and seems promising. Considering the different circumstance might give some idea of how things will play out—probably far better for the USA than for imperial Germany. The very idea of such protests, insubordination, and lese-majeste as we are now witnessing in the US occurring in imperial Germany is simply preposterous.
ReplyDeleteAlan
"News item: President Donald Trump “signed an executive order requiring that for every new federal regulation implemented, two must be rescinded,” Politico reports. Hey, what could possibly go wrong? This couldn’t possibly backfire on The Grand Vulgarian, now, could it?"
ReplyDeleteOne can but hope.
DT has fired acting AG Sally Yates.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wcvb.com/article/trump-fires-yates-as-acting-attorney-general/8656269
The Beeb quotes him as saying she "betrayed" the department!
DeleteAlso: Trump now fires head of immigration and customs enforcement
ReplyDeleteFound a related link. Holy Bejeebers
Deletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-fires-ice-acting-director_us_589004a0e4b02772c4e8e7db
I think it's a mistake to announce in advance that you're going to filibuster *any* nominee. It sounds too much like announcing that you're not going to confirm any nominee until after the election. What the Democrats should have done is wait until Trump announced a nominee, thoroughly vet him or her, and *then* filibuster. (Unless the nominee is far more reasonable than we have any right to expect.)
ReplyDeleteTypical Republican phraseology. Say the very thing that you did is the thing that someone else did. DT is betraying our nation. He is mentally ill and Congress MUST remove him from office! I think that every day I will need to tally up the last 24 hours' messes, make my list and call my Congress peeps to name those items and demand he be removed. Every day until they finally do the deed.
ReplyDeleteTrump reaches majority disapproval in record time, poll shows - Click
ReplyDeleteHat tip to Answerman at Fun Trivia
From Wikipedia:
ReplyDeleteThe Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council and the National Security Council on military matters.The composition of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is defined by statute and consists of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (VCJCS), and the Military Service Chiefs from the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and the Chief of the National Guard Bureau…
Following the Goldwater–Nichols Act in 1986, the Joint Chiefs of Staff do not have operational command authority, neither individually nor collectively, as the chain of command goes from the President to the Secretary of Defense, and from the Secretary of Defense to the Commanders of the Combatant Commands.[7]
--Alan
So, here's my plan. I have my Congress members on speed dial. Every day I will tally up the last 24 hours' messes, make my list and call my Congress members to name those items and demand that DT be removed. Every day, until they finally do the deed. If enough people do this, Congress will have to act.
ReplyDeleteBelow is what I have (so far) for Tuesday. Feel free to borrow, but why not start your own list to use? These calls do need to be personalised.
When people disagree with DT, he fires them and declares that they have betrayed their job. But their job is to serve the laws and the people of this nation, and when Sally Yates and Daniel Ragsdale served courageously, they were fired for it.
The one who is betraying their job is DT. He is betraying the laws and the people of this great nation. He has shown consistently that he has no regard for the laws or people of the United States, and that he does not have our best interest at heart.
This should not be surprising, however, because he is mentally ill with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, so is incapable of empathy and can only care about his own best interest.
Congress MUST remove him from power for being unfit to serve. The longer Congress waits to do this, the more damage he will be able to do, and the more we as a nation are betraying ourselves, our forebears, our descendents and the good people all around the world.
Remove DT from power NOW.
Just to add that I have now received TWO messages from Rep. Peter Welch this month! (The 11th and the 30th) I am impressed! Here's his latest:
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your concern regarding Russian intervention in our election. I appreciate your feedback on this important issue.
The Central Intelligence Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation have both concluded that the Russian government hacked into Democratic Party emails in an effort to influence the election’s outcome. I am deeply disturbed by this assault on the very foundation of our democracy. I fully support a thorough Congressional investigation into this matter and strongly support President Obama’s decision to impose sanctions on Russia for this unprecedented cyber-attack.
I will continue to monitor this investigation with your thoughts in mind. Please keep in touch. I look forward to seeing you in Vermont.
Of course, he again did not speak to my concern about DT having mental illness and needing to be removed. But I hope he is watching for The Moment.
Delete