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

[worstblogever]

On this date in 2014, 2015, 2016, as well as 2017, “Crazy/Stupid Republican of the Day posted profiles of Tamara Scott, a member of the Republican National Committee from Iowa, who hosts a conservative talk show there, and once served as the Campaign Co-Chair for Michelle Bachmann’s disastrous 2012 presidential run. When we last looked in on Ms. Scott, she had been opposed to gay marriage and was floating a false report from the Family Research Council that claimed keeping a ban on it saves the United States $280 billion a year and she’s also argued against same-sex marriage because she believes people could start marrying objects like the Eiffel Tower (they can’t). Scott also believes in the sinister Agenda 21 conspiracy theory, thinks that migrant children fleeing violence in Central America are “highly trained warriors who might rise up against Americans”, and has been convinced for over a year now that refugees fleeing Syrian are doing so to start a “stealth jihad” in the United States. Scott also praised Michelle Bachmann for trying to root the Muslim Brotherhood out of American government, and claimed that that group also was behind the attacks in Benghazi. Scott believes there is a correlation between prayer being taken out of schools, and a rise in rape and murder (in reality the rates of those violent crimes have dropped in the past two decades) and also doesn’t believe a separation of church and state is not guaranteed in the Constitution. She’s so paranoid about other faiths that after a Wiccan prayer, and then a prayer by a Muslim imam were performed in the Iowa Statehouse, Tamara Scott responded by admitting that she “prayed for a storm” to hit during the Wiccan prayer, because that’s very Christian of her. Oh, and during the debate to remove the Confederate flag from the state capitol in Charleston, South Carolina, after the shooting at the Emanuel AME Church by a white supremacist, Tamara Scott, on her radio show, claimed the shooting was “not a racial issue” but was actually an attack on Christianity and that the Confederate flag is actually a symbol of fun and affection because of how it was portrayed on “The Dukes of Hazard”. She has not just outed herself as anti-vaccination advocate and started claiming that disease outbreaks in public schools were not a result of children’s parents avoiding vaccinating them, but actually because we were using a “socialistic model in schools” where children are forced to share pencils and used her radio show to give a platform to Eileen Dannenmann, head of the Vaccine Liberation Army which touts a false link between autism. She has stated her Godwin’s-Law-be-damned belief that pro-choice advocates are “even more devious than Hitler.” And, in spite of Donald Trump being possibly the worst example of a Christian that the GOP could ever have pushed forth upon their Evangelical wing, Tamara Scott not only endorsed him a few weeks before the Republican National Convention, but berated callers into her show who had reservations about voting for Trump because of his racist comments and making fun of a disabled reporter by claiming THEY were not a good Christian for not forgiving for his “past mistakes” (that Trump feels he doesn’t have to ask forgiveness for). Tamara Scott, of course, also helped write the 2016 GOP Party Platform, which was the most extreme in the history of the party, particularly in how fervently anti-gay it was. That should not shock anyone, with a fanatic like her helping draft it. In February of 2017, Scott made the outlandish claim that removing Christianity from schools has led to an increase in “assault, rape, and murder.”

Our 2018 update on Tamara Scott features her appearances during the nomination process of Brett Kavanaugh for the Supreme Court, where she showed up to embrace Sen. Chuck Grassley during the farce of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing he held, and she referred to the testimony of Christine Blasey Ford as a case where Democrats might have "overplayed" their hand with the "scattered and scared fragile female". (Yes, she remains the worst.)

We’re expecting continued insanity from Scott and her cohorts on her radio show going forward, and look forward to the day where the Republican Party sever ties with her for being nuttier than a squirrel’s diet (she’s not far off from the median attitude of the GOP, we fear).

[4saken1]

Unfortunately, even if we can stop the packing of the courts ongoing (this is why they held so many slots vacant for so long) it'll be decades of work before we can reverse the supreme court's rightward slant.

Equally unfortunate is that we're going to have a difficult road ahead. People will need to remember 'It's the Courts, stupid' and not let themselves be distracted again.

It's a nice thought, but American voters don't have that long of an attention span.

[Kirby101]

It's a nice thought, but American voters don't have that long of an attention span.

True that, by 2010 they had forgotten 2008.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

Oh you mean like how people forgot that the last Republican administration

-ruined a surplus with tax cuts
-involved us in the most shameful farce of a war since Vietnam. Probably worse
-deestabilized the Middle East and allowed ISIS to be born
-we’re negligent in allowing the worst terrorist attack on US soil to occur
-allowed an economic recession that thrust the world into chaos

[Tendrin]

Oh you mean like how people forgot that the last Republican administration

-ruined a surplus with tax cuts
-involved us in the most shameful farce of a war since Vietnam. Probably worse
-deestabilized the Middle East and allowed ISIS to be born
-we’re negligent in allowing the worst terrorist attack on US soil to occur
-allowed an economic recession that thrust the world into chaos

But her emails.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

Two things that seem to constantly pop up to me.

Americans fucking hate paying tax. Why I dont know, your politicians use this as a weapon frequently whilst the voterbase seem to ignore the fact that it covers them as well. Healthcare, infrastructure, food stamps, wellfare. They're for literally everyone as saftey nets. Instead theres this incredibly weird idea that its not really needed and the government just does it to steal from you. I respect that there have been many instances of politicans and the government using the money in a corrupt manner or outright wasting it....but its never on those essential things. I mean you dont stop having water and heating in your home just because the plumbers shit at his job right ? Yoy just hire a different plumber.

Secondly Conservatism seems to have warped from "Slow advancement" (Ie: Obamacare with its 'Universal healrhcare in the future, lets acclimatise it with the system now' kind of
schtick) to fill out "No advancement" which is crippling. As ww can see from the social ills that constantly turn up.

Here’s the issue. A lot of working class Americans pass a threshold where they will never get the benefit of those safety nets. So they feel like they are paying for nothing. A lot of times the government spends money on wasteful wars and tosses it to the military who don’t need it. So again how far is your tax dollar going?

When you aren’t someone who benefits from the biggest programs and then see the waste when you already don’t make enough to be wealthy it’s a tough pill to swallow.

Nobody would care if they paid taxes and their healthcare was completely taken care of or if all the roads were in great condition.

[ZombieHavoc]

Nobody would care if they paid taxes and their healthcare was completely taken care of or if all the roads were in great condition.

It's just unfortunate that conservatives, the generally most anti-tax voters, wouldn't vote for the candidates who might try and make those two things happen. Republicans sure wouldn't, especially the former.

[KOSLOX]

https://www.abc15.com/news/state/mar...r-mccains-seat

This is shameful.

[BeastieRunner]

"Dem LIBERALS are going to take our guns!"

"JUST IN: The Trump administration is officially banning bump stocks. @LauraAJarrett reports that under a new federal rule, those who possess bump stocks will get 90 days to turn them in from the date that the final rule is published in the federal register."

[BeastieRunner]

Russian Troll Farms Are Still Using Social Media To Meddle In U.S Politics

The campaign didn’t end with Trump’s ascent to the White House. Food for thought, people.

You should read the Wired article I posted earlier. Great deep dive.

Also you should check out the Elena Alekseevna Khusyaynova investigation going on at the US AG Eastern District of Virginia office. It involves active meddling in the 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018 elections. And guess who they used as a conduit? Manafort/Junior/Kushner/Mushroom Penis/Fynn.

Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Doubles Down On His Racist Immigration Rhetoric

“That’s what we said. It’s true,” said Carlson, who added he would not be “intimidated” as advertisers flee his show. When more sponsors flee, and they will, expect Fucker to change his tune.

Well Trump just gave up on the wall, won't be shutting the government down, and will find another way.

Tucker's gonna need some Vaseline for that pole slide on the weather vein tonight!

But her emails.

And the outgoing GOP is booting up a new email investigation on their way out the door.

[Malvolio]

True that, by 2010 they had forgotten 2008.

Yeah, I have a feeling we'll get up for 2020, but if a Democrat is in the White House in 2022, liberals won't turn out. It'll be, "Oh again? We have to vote in the mid-terms again? Didn't we just do that?" Imagine someone saying that in the whiniest voice possible.

[BeastieRunner]

Popcorn time everybody! The Flynn sentencing is under way!

Flynn sentencing marks keystone moment in Mueller investigation.

Mueller Ready to Pounce on Trumpworld Concessions to Moscow. New court filings by Mueller’s office could answer a central question of the Russia investigation: What did the Kremlin hope to get from its political machinations?

'Arguably, you sold your country out!' Judge says Michael Flynn's crime is serious.

At sentencing hearing, judge tells Michael Flynn: ‘Arguably, you sold your country out.’

"You were an unregistered agent of a foreign country while serving as the National Security Adviser to the president!"

"I'm not hiding my disgust, my disdain, for this criminal offense. Arguably you sold your country out."

Judge: "Does the defendant's conduct rise to the level of treasonous activity?"
Team Mueller: "We did not consider charging Flynn with treason."
Judge: "Could he have been charged with treason?”
Team Mueller: "It’s such a serious question, I’m hesitant to answer it."
*Judge presses more*
TM: "We have no reason to believe that Mr. Flynn committed treason *LONG pause* and no concerns over issues related to treason."
Judge: "It appears Gen. Flynn's co-conspirators will be facing treason."
Team Muller: "We did not consider treason, Your Honor."

Judge Sullivan is pulling no punches.

The veiled references to conspirators appears to be Junior/Kushner, given the context.

Flynn admits he knew lying to the FBI was a crime.

Judge broke for recess.

[BeastieRunner]

And we're back!

Judge further ripped into Flynn.

"It appears your treasonous, and I don't care that you weren't charged that way, it appears your treasonous acts are a mere pittance to the information you gave in regards to your conspirators. Is this related to your business partners?"
"No, your Honor."
"May God have mercy on your soul for the courts will have none."
"Yes your Honor."
"I fear your conspirators will face harsher consequences in this world and the next than you ever will. And you may not avoid prison time. The court’s going to consider that, I cannot assure you, if you proceed today, you will not receive a sentence of incarceration.”

And it's delayed again! Flynn agreed to cooperate more.

Michael Flynn's sentencing delayed so he can keep cooperating with Mueller.
Michael Flynn’s sentencing delayed after judge tells the ex-Trump adviser he may not avoid prison time.
Michael Flynn sentencing postponed after dramatic hearing.

This is FREAKING YUUUUUUUGE ... 45 is a goner.

[ZombieHavoc]

I am legitimately concerned about what is going to happen from the group of people who view pro-Trump voters as the only patriots and the left as America-hating commies, and that believe the entire investigation and Mueller, Comey, Rosenstein, and the list of everyone involved are deeply rooted in a plot to take down a duly elected president, and in fact the only president who represents the values of real Americans, and a conspiracy to protect Hillary, Obama, et al, from prison, etc.

To that group of people...I mean, these are the ideas that lead to...not good things.

[BeastieRunner]

I am legitimately concerned about what is going to happen from the group of people who view pro-Trump voters as the only patriots and the left as America-hating commies, and that believe the entire investigation and Mueller, Comey, Rosenstein, and the list of everyone involved are deeply rooted in a plot to take down a duly elected president, and in fact the only president who represents the values of real Americans, and a conspiracy to protect Hillary, Obama, et al, from prison, etc.

To that group of people...I mean, these are the ideas that lead to...not good things.

Given the general impotency and failure to lockstep, those false Conservatives will whine, wear tinfoil hats, and fade away.

I'd be more concerned that this weakness we're seeing from Trump will lead to WWIII.