All-purpose news and politics thread: Two Steps Beyond!

[Tazirai]

The best part is at 4:15 when some random guy just hops in the camera like, "What's Up?"

[WestPhillyPunisher]

The Trump administration believes Obamacare’s preexisting conditions protections are now unconstitutional
Insurers could once again deny people coverage based on their medical history, undoing the law’s most popular provisions.

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-polit...it-trump-brief

Come now, did anyone actually believe the Orange Menace had given up his jihad to kill Obamacare? This is proof he hasn’t.

[Tazirai]

Manchin votes with Dolt 45 nearly 70% of the time. But the excuses are he has a D next to his name... Then today Manchin dropped his pants...

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin regrets endorsing Hillary and is open to backing Trump in 2020

Manchin, whose state voted for Trump by more than 40 percentage points, told Politico he regretted backing Hillary Clinton in 2016 and said he wouldn't rule out endorsing the president in the 2020 election over whomever his Democratic opponent turns out to be.

"I’m open to supporting the person who I think is best for my country and my state," Manchin said. "If his policies are best, I’ll be right there."

[Jackalope89]

I can't wait to hear some people spin this as a GOOD thing.

I have autism, GERD, severe depression, TMDJ, anxiety, flank pain, and a still unknown disorder regarding my sinuses.

If it wasn't for insurance, I'd likely be dead, as I needed therapy after losing my family members and attempting suicide twice. But, you know, that's just fewer potential Demoncrat supporters to worry about in their eyes.

Similar boat. Seven total knee surgeries (including a partial replacement and screws in both knees), 3 ankle surgeries (and maybe looking at a 4th), two nasal surgeries to breathe through my nose (prior, my nasal passage was literally blocked off, making it all but impossible to breathe through it), and all within the last 10 years or so since I graduated High School. Prior to it, I was rejected by insurance because of pre-existing conditions, and I imagine you would have been as well.

Trump needs to be impeached, and those that are his minions, ousted from office (Senate, House, etc).

[Kevinroc]

Come now, did anyone actually believe the Orange Menace had given up his jihad to kill Obamacare? This is proof he hasn’t.

https://twitter.com/mattyglesias/sta...32829795487746

Republicans spent all of last year lying their asses off about their desire to protect people with preexisting conditions.

[Dalak]

Yeah, fuck Manchin at this point. I just hope my state can get rid of Cruz.

[Tendrin]

If you support ICE in any way, you are also responsible for outcomes like this:

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/st...els/680234002/

Manuel Antonio Cano Pacheco should have graduated high school in Des Moines last month. The oldest of four siblings should have walked across a stage in a cap and gown to become a proud symbol to his sister and brothers of the rewards of hard work and education.

Instead, Manuel died a brutal death alone in a foreign land, a symbol of gang supremacy in a country plagued by violent drug cartels. It happened three weeks after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement returned him to Mexico, a country he had left at age 3 when his parents brought him here without a visa.

Anyone still interested in defending ICE?

I mean, he had a coupe misdemeanors and a speeding ticket and so he deserved to get deported to his death to a foreign country because 'those are the rules', right?

!#@# you.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

If you support ICE in any way, you are also responsible for outcomes like this:

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/st...els/680234002/



Anyone still interested in defending ICE?

I mean, he had a coupe misdemeanors and a speeding ticket and so he deserved to get deported to his death to a foreign country because 'those are the rules', right?

!#@# you.

Meanwhile....

Trump’s Family Separation Policy Aims To Deter Immigration. That May Make It Illegal.

You won’t hear Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen call this “deterrence.”

====================

What Will House Republicans Do If Trump Pardons Himself? We Asked Them.

After Trump said he could pardon himself, HuffPost asked every GOP House member if they’d support impeachment if he did so. Judging from the non-answers, the craven cowards in the GOP made it clear they'd probably support Trump pardoning himself.

**********

France’s Emmanuel Macron Throws Down Trump Twitter Gauntlet: G7 Can Be G6

“Nobody is forever,” the French president tells reporters. It's regrettable how America has abandoned it's allies because of the foolish whims of an asshole in the Oval Office.

**********

Justice Department Seized New York Times Reporter’s Phone, Email Records

“That should be a grave concern to anyone who cares about an informed citizenry,” a Times spokeswoman said. Yeah, this IS disturbing.

**********

Ben Bernanke: ‘Wile E. Coyote’ Economy Will Go Off A Cliff In 2020

Donald Trump gave away the store at the wrong time, warns ex-Fed chairman. The billionaire fat cats who benefitted from the tax cuts would disagree.

**********

‘Swatting’ Is Endangering Lives, Aided In Part By A Legal Loophole

Like Parkland survivor David Hogg, Rep. Katherine Clark was “swatted,” and now she’s renewing calls for congressional action.

[numberthirty]

Speaking of Wile E. Coyote, this just took a very interesting turn towards the silly...

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry...b09d7a3d708a62

Stormy Daniels’ Former Attorney Is Suing Her, Michael Avenatti And Michael Cohen

In the suit, Davidson rejects accusations of collusion and said he simply wanted to help her achieve her goal of making money off her claims of an affair with Trump.

In court documents filed Thursday, Davidson said he only ever communicated with Cohen after getting instructions from his client.

“Clifford was clear in her desire that she would say and do whatever necessary in order to prevent” having to return “the $130,000 settlement funds she had received months earlier,” Davidson said in a rebuttal to Daniels’ suit. “Suffice to say, since Ms. Clifford has begun working with Mr. Avenatti, her goals have transformed.”

Davidson is also suing Cohen separately, saying that Trump’s attorney illegally recorded their phone conversations, which began in 2011, according to CNN.

“Davidson never consented to the recordation of any phone calls he had with Cohen as he believes the calls were confidential,” the claim said.

[Mister Mets]

If you support ICE in any way, you are also responsible for outcomes like this:

https://www.desmoinesregister.com/st...els/680234002/



Anyone still interested in defending ICE?

I mean, he had a coupe misdemeanors and a speeding ticket and so he deserved to get deported to his death to a foreign country because 'those are the rules', right?

!#@# you.

This is sad, and he didn't deserve to die, but that's not the typical outcome with deportations. It would be like saying that someone who works in a dangerous job (logging, fishing, the late shift) was worked to death if a fatality occurs.

According to the Register piece, in a six month period, 31,000 Mexicans were deported through two of the most dangerous crossing points. Should we keep all of them in order to save a handful of lives?

This guy had four misdemeanors, including one for drunk driving, and he had gotten a girl pregnant in his junior year of high school. If we have a choice of who to take in to this country, we wouldn't really want someone like him. If the law were changed so that drunk drivers with three further misdemeanors could stay in this country, there would be a risk of a backlash that leads to more deserving people getting kicked out.

[Panfoot]

This is sad, and he didn't deserve to die, but that's not the typical outcome with deportations. It would be like saying that someone who works in a dangerous job (logging, fishing, the late shift) was worked to death if a fatality occurs.

According to the Register piece, in a six month period, 31,000 Mexicans were deported through two of the most dangerous crossing points. Should we keep all of them in order to save a handful of lives?

This guy had four misdemeanors, including one for drunk driving, and he had gotten a girl pregnant in his junior year of high school. If we have a choice of who to take in to this country, we wouldn't really want someone like him. If the law were changed so that drunk drivers with three further misdemeanors could stay in this country, there would be a risk of a backlash that leads to more deserving people getting kicked out.

Some absolutely disgusting rationalization of a murder of a high school kid there.

[Tendrin]

This is sad, and he didn't deserve to die, but that's not the typical outcome with deportations. It would be like saying that someone who works in a dangerous job (logging, fishing, the late shift) was worked to death if a fatality occurs.

According to the Register piece, in a six month period, 31,000 Mexicans were deported through two of the most dangerous crossing points. Should we keep all of them in order to save a handful of lives?

This guy had four misdemeanors, including one for drunk driving, and he had gotten a girl pregnant in his junior year of high school. If we have a choice of who to take in to this country, we wouldn't really want someone like him. If the law were changed so that drunk drivers with three further misdemeanors could stay in this country, there would be a risk of a backlash that leads to more deserving people getting kicked out.

We shouldn't deport kids who were brought here as three year olds to foreign countries, Mets, especially cartel-ruled ones with high murder rates and violence, where they have no family ties and don't speak the language. Especially when they're a father to be. I mean.. did you just seriously... I mean... holy shit, dude.

This is perhaps your most disgusting post yet.

Seriously, Mets. This is absolutely disgusting and you should be ashamed of yourself. You are literally victim-blaming to avoid our own culpability for his death. Our policies created this completely avoidable, inhumane outcome and all you can do is talk about we should avoid him being a 'future drunk driver'? Stuff the 'he's no angel' bullshit.

Christ, man

[JBatmanFan05]

Anthony Bourdain, RIP.

He was my favorite celeb chef, one of the few food shows I'd watch when I happened on it.

If I had to put all celebs on lists of most likely and least likely to commit suicide, I'd have put Bourdain on the least likely list given my little impression of him (not knowing much of his biography). He was always cynical, but never seemed suicidal to me.

EDIT: Heavy.com: "Bourdain was known to have been a recovering drug addict. During a Reddit AMA, Bourdain spoke openly about his battle with heroin and crack cocaine." So this may have played a role (or may have not really been the reason, but certainly it at least partially probably figured into why this happened as far as deep seated pain or depression he had, some hole in himself that drew him to drugs in the first place).

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

Anthony Bourdain, RIP.

He was my favorite celeb chef, one of the few food shows I'd watch when I happened on it.

If I had to put all celebs on lists of most likely and least likely to commit suicide, I'd have put Bourdain on the least likely list given my little impression of him (not knowing much of his biography). He was always cynical, but never seemed suicidal to me. I wonder if any celeb reporters or insiders will reveal anything (like that he was long in therapy) that will explain this somewhat.

NOTE: Heavy.com: "Bourdain was known to have been a recovering drug addict. During a Reddit AMA, Bourdain spoke openly about his battle with heroin and crack cocaine."

That really sucks. He was up there with Ramsay for me. He was incredibly insightful about food and cultures. That said he had his demons. Sucks though.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

Here’s the thing, you either have immigrations laws or you don’t. You can’t just pick and choose who gets to follow them because of how you feel. There has to be some kind of standard. I have my fair share of problems with ICE and our immigration. But it’s not on us to ignore and subvert our laws because Mexico doesn’t have a grip on a gang violence.

Also ICE isn’t the problem here, it’s the policies we have. Realistically a minor who is here at the age of 3 should have a ready made path to become a citizen by the time they are about to graduate high school. Instead he was given a grace period under an imperfect policy and a couple of violations ruined it.