All-purpose news and politics thread: Two Steps Beyond!(Part II)

[Tazirai]

I get your point but the "liberal" media has been questioning our place in international warfare since the Declaration of Independence (via Benjamin Franklin).

Likewise, many have been critical of the Obama administrations drone strikes in said regions -- especially where civilian casualties are involved -- which is one of the main reasons that we even knew (and still know) said strikes are happening.

Criticism is understandable, but at least be fair to the outlets you are criticizing, and given the fact that there is no one "liberal" media platform, it seems biased to claim that the "liberal" media doesn't see these things as issues.

It's more likely that there are more immediate concerns to deal with that tie directly into ratings for the major networks -- how many people are going to tune in to a decades old story on Afghanistan or Iraq while Trump is tweeting about Robert Mueller, NFL players and porn stars?

That's why I put "Liberal" in quotes. There's no such thing as the liberal media. Corporate media yes. Liberal? Online maybe, and some local indie newspapers.

[Malvolio]

It was one year ago today that “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day” shared its first profile about the latest U.S. House Representative from Texas’ 19th Congressional District, Jodey Arrington, the man who just took the place of CSGOPOTD alumni Randy Neugebauer for his seat in Congress. Nine Republicans were in the GOP primary to replace Neugebauer, and Arrington emerged based on the political capitol he build up working first for George W. Bush as an aide while he was still Governor of Texas and in the Bush White House, and helping him fill up executive appointed posts during his administration. That included the choice of hiring a man named Michael Brown as head of FEMA, whose only experience was breeding horses. Remarkably, this led to Arrington being thrown into the fire to clean up the Gulf Coast after Brown had to resign in disgrace, where Arrington served as deputy federal coordinator for the Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding.

Now, in an election year where it benefitted more candidates to be the political outsider on the conservative side, it might seem odd that Arrington still managed to narrowly win his primary on a run-off. Well, in spite of maintaining his strong Bush Administration credentials, he also won a Breitbart endorsement by doing, what else? Taking a trip down to the U.S./Mexico border and talking tough about illegal immigrants. As it turns out, the now Rep. Arrington’s disdain for Mexicans was not something he just did in campaign mode, as he has gone on record as a supporter of Donald Trump’s border wall. But his support of xenophobia is not limited only to Mexicans, though, because Arrington also came out in defense of Trump’s bigoted Muslim ban when it was announced. Hell, Arrington’s drinking Trump’s Kool-Aid so much it looks like he’s visiting Jonestown, as he gave Trump’s First 100 Days in office an “A”.

But what Jodey Arrington did that is completely new for him (but sadly not for Republicans), happened back in late March 2017. Arrington, in a hearing on SNAP benefits, quoted the Bible’s 2 Thesslalonians 3:10, “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” Now, there are wiser and more well-versed Biblical experts will point out that Jesus was pretty much the guy who was ALL ABOUT FEEDING THE HUNGRY, Jodey Arrington is the latest Republican to use this verse out of context to take away food stamp benefits that, guess what? All too often go towards feeding CHILDREN. See also former CSGOPOTD profiles on Kevin Cramer and Stephen Fincher for others who tried twisting scripture out of context to turn it into something resembling a religion Ayn Rand would have possibly been into.

Not surprisingly, Jodey Arrington has also voted with his party the great majority of the time in his freshman term in office, including the following:

• February 16th, 2017: Arrington votes for HJR 69, to make it legal for hunters on wildlife reserves to kill several species of hibernating bears or wolves while they’re sleeping.
• March 16th, 2017: Jodey Arrington votes for HR 1181, which would allow veterans deemed mentally incompetent to continue to own firearms, and not have them taken away without a judge's written order.
• March 28th, 2017: Rep. Arrington votes for SJ Res 34, which allowed internet providers to sell the data information of their customers' internet usage to businesses.
• May 4th, 2017: Arrington votes for the House GOP's healthcare plan, that would kick roughly 24 million people off their health insurance plans, allow up to 28,000 more people to die a year, give $50,000 in tax breaks to millionaires, and would eliminate coverage for pre-existing conditions which would include such medical conditions as pregnancy (current or past), postpartum depression, or prior sexual assault. Oh, and a provision in the bill would make sure that Arrington would be allowed to keep his healthcare plan as it exists under the ACA, which would be repealed for the rest of the country. He and his Republican compatriots threw themselves a beer bash to celebrate taking away healthcare from millions and then gloated about it with Donald Trump at a White House press conference, as well.
• June 8th, 2017: Jodey Arrington votes for HR 10, the GOP’s attempt to repeal Dodd-Frank financial reform, because what the country really needs is to allow the big banks to make the same mistakes that imploded the economy only a decade earlier.
• September 8th, 2017: Rep. Arrington chooses to be one of 90 Republicans in Congress who votes against disaster relief for Hurricane Harvey. He is... a Congressman from Texas. So... do the math there.
• October 3rd, 2017: Arrington votes for HR 36, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, that would try to create an unconstitutional ban abortion at 20 weeks (even though medical science tells us fetuses do not have the capability to feel pain until 29 weeks).
• December 19th, 2017: Jodey Arrington votes for HR 1, the GOP’s $1.7 trillion tax cut to benefit the wealthiest Americans and corporations permanently that coincidentally also removes the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate and kicks 13 million people off their health insurance.
• February 18th, 2018: Arrington and his fellow Republicans decide that poor big businesses are suffering too much at the hands of the Americans with Disabilities Act too much, and votes for HR 620, which would strip most of the civil rights protections guaranteed by it.

Texas’ 19th District is one of the more conservative in Congress, so Jodey Arrington’s challenger is Miguel Levario, a Texas Tech Professor who grew up around El Paso. Arrington’s Breitbart ties could end up making this race far closer than it would be with the partisan advantage. It will be interesting to see how this race turns out, especially in light of Arrington being forced to defend the Trump administration’s family separation policy to constituents.in a district so close to the border, where it’s being carried out.

With apologies to Bill Maher:

New Rule: Any politician who shows up for a photo op or meeting with constituents wearing a cowboy hat is automatically disqualified for office, unless the meeting is with actual cattle ranchers.

[Tami]

That's why I put "Liberal" in quotes. There's no such thing as the liberal media. Corporate media yes. Liberal? Online maybe, and some local indie newspapers.

These days, if you report the news as accurately and factually as possible, you are considered 'left leaning'. The truth, facts, and reason are all part of the 'liberal Media Conspiracy'.

Often it doesn't matter off the Journalist or other members of he News Media are, themselves, 'left' or 'right', if they even try to report he news factually and accurately, Trump has them labeled as he enemy.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Donald Trump Says Robert Mueller Interview Could Be Perjury Trap

The president wouldn’t say if he’ll agree to an interview with the special counsel. Even Dolt45 is smart enough to realize he could **** up while being questioned by Mueller.

**********

Tweeters Erupt Over Donald Trump’s ‘Racist’ Praise Of Border Patrol Agent

“Even when Trump is attempting to compliment someone, his overt racism just oozes out.” Trump can't help himself. The bigot gene is strong in him.

**********

Melania Trump Speaks At Anti-Cyberbullying Summit While Donald Trump Cyberbullies

The first lady’s focus on the issue has long been the source of mockery, given her husband’s frequent Twitter attacks. Until Melania openly addresses her husband's passion for using social media to attack his enemies (both real and imagined), no one is going to take her seriously.

**********

Rudy Follows Up ‘Truth Isn’t Truth’ Flub With An Even More Baffling Explanation

Trump’s attorney said “the truth is relative.” Sadly, networks will continue falling over each other to put this loon before a camera because he's ratings gold with his insanity.

**********

Woman Running For Congress In Alaska Has Never Been To Alaska

Carol Hafner is running for a House seat in a state she has never lived in or visited. That's not going to make her new constituents happy should she win.

[InformationGeek]

No words. No nothing. Just using the picture of space shuttle Columbia in your fundraising email? Really?

[Handsome men don't lose fights]

No words. No nothing. Just using the picture of space shuttle Columbia in your fundraising email? Really?

No stopping this Zeppelin. All aboard, woo-woo!

trump-boom.jpg

[WestPhillyPunisher]

No words. No nothing. Just using the picture of space shuttle Columbia in your fundraising email? Really?

Why am I not shocked this happened?

[Dalak]

No words. No nothing. Just using the picture of space shuttle Columbia in your fundraising email? Really?

Well Trump's presidency has been an international tragedy so in an odd way it's sort of fitting.

[worstblogever]

On this date in 2014, 2015, 2016, as well as 2017, "Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day" published profiles of the Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, a man so inept that he couldn’t handle two inches of snow without declaring it a state of emergency, a man so corrupt he’s been under ethics investigations for half a decade, and a man so bigoted that he appointed a former spokesman for an anti-immigrant hate group to a state immigration board, wants the 14th Amendment repealed, tried to block Syrian refugees from coming to his state, wrote the White House to demand a copy of Barack Obama’s birth certificate, and made it a point to justify why Georgia should have Confederate-themed license plates.

Since we last checked in on Gov. Deal, he’s still shown himself petrified of snow, declaring a state of emergency in January of 2017 when the forecast called for at most, four inches of snowfall (expecting two). But less hilarious to us, is that he signed a bill into law to allow the concealed carry of firearms on Georgia campuses and universities. Oh, and Deal was forced to apologize after he referred to African Americans as “colored people” in November of 2016.


Mercifully, Nathan Deal leaves office this January, and with any luck, Georgia won’t do anything stupid like elect Brian Kemp, and instead make history by making Stacey Abrams the state’s first female, and first African-American governor in one fell swoop.

[Iron Maiden]

No words. No nothing. Just using the picture of space shuttle Columbia in your fundraising email? Really?

It wouldn't surprise me that they just grabbed some random image to play up Trump's inane Space Force idea.

[GOLGO 13]

Tweeters Erupt Over Donald Trump’s ‘Racist’ Praise Of Border Patrol Agent

“Even when Trump is attempting to compliment someone, his overt racism just oozes out.” Trump can't help himself. The bigot gene is strong in him.

**********

He doesn't get that all federal employees are required to speak English. Such an insufferable imbecile.

[Malvolio]

On this date in 2014, 2015, 2016, as well as 2017, "Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day" published profiles of the Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, a man so inept that he couldn’t handle two inches of snow without declaring it a state of emergency, a man so corrupt he’s been under ethics investigations for half a decade, and a man so bigoted that he appointed a former spokesman for an anti-immigrant hate group to a state immigration board, wants the 14th Amendment repealed, tried to block Syrian refugees from coming to his state, wrote the White House to demand a copy of Barack Obama’s birth certificate, and made it a point to justify why Georgia should have Confederate-themed license plates.

Since we last checked in on Gov. Deal, he’s still shown himself petrified of snow, declaring a state of emergency in January of 2017 when the forecast called for at most, four inches of snowfall (expecting two). But less hilarious to us, is that he signed a bill into law to allow the concealed carry of firearms on Georgia campuses and universities. Oh, and Deal was forced to apologize after he referred to African Americans as “colored people” in November of 2016.


Mercifully, Nathan Deal leaves office this January, and with any luck, Georgia won’t do anything stupid like elect Brian Kemp, and instead make history by making Stacey Abrams the state’s first female, and first African-American governor in one fell swoop.

They're all pussies in the South when it comes to snow. Two to four inches constitutes a state of emergency? Up here, between December and April, we call that Tuesday.

[Handsome men don't lose fights]

They're all pussies in the South when it comes to snow. Two to four inches constitutes a state of emergency? Up here, between December and April, we call that Tuesday.

In fairness to the south, the majority of folks down there aren't used to real winter driving. Plus, that winter storm did kill 10 people. That's respectable in Indiana.

[worstblogever]

Jury's deliberating the charges in the first Manafort trial, could have a verdict today or tomorrow.

Meanwhile, now there's word out of NY that Michael Cohen is working out a plea deal with prosecutors.

Whole Trump crime syndicate looks to be collapsing under the Mueller probe.

[InformationGeek]

Hmmmmm...

NEW: @ABC has learned that Michael Cohen has entered into a plea agreement with federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York.

Trump Rally tonight too.