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

[JCAll]

Do you really think that the other Justices on the Supreme Court would welcome someone who may have ethical if not criminal liabilities?

I would like to think not. The Supreme Court has the last say in interpreting the law, I want them to have everybody's back.

[aja_christopher]

Republican responsibility -- yet they'll launch a misguided $2.5 trillion dollar war on the wrong country over 3000 deaths if it suits them.




Also -- notice that like Scott and DeSantis -- they only seem to speak up for people of color when their own political fortunes are in jeopardy.

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"Frustrated with the federal government's "slow and inadequate response", relief group Oxfam announced on October 2 that it planned to get involved in the humanitarian aid effort, sending a team to "assess a targeted and effective response" and support its local partners' on-the-ground efforts. The organization released a statement, saying in part:

"While the US government is engaged in relief efforts, it has failed to address the most urgent needs. Oxfam has monitored the response in Puerto Rico closely, and we are outraged at the slow and inadequate response the US Government has mounted," said Oxfam America's president Abby Maxman. "Oxfam rarely responds to humanitarian emergencies in the US and other wealthy countries, but as the situation in Puerto Rico worsens and the federal government's response continues to falter, we have decided to step in. The US has more than enough resources to mobilize an emergency response, but has failed to do so in a swift and robust manner."

In an update on October 19, the agency called the situation in Puerto Rico "unacceptable" and called for "a more robust and efficient response from the US government."

On October 3, 2017, President Trump visited Puerto Rico. He compared the damage from Hurricane Maria to that of Hurricane Katrina, saying: "If you looked—every death is a horror, but if you look at a real catastrophe like Katrina, and you look at the tremendous hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of people that died, and you look at what happened here with really a storm that was just totally overbearing, nobody has seen anything like this (...) What is your death count as of this morning, 17?".

Trump's remarks were widely criticized for implying that Hurricane Maria was not a "real catastrophe". While in Puerto Rico, Trump also distributed canned goods and paper towels to crowds gathered at a relief shelter and told the residents of the devastated island "I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but you've thrown our budget a little out of whack, because we've spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico, and that's fine. We saved a lot of lives."

On October 12, Trump tweeted, "We cannot keep FEMA, the Military & the First Responders, who have been amazing (under the most difficult circumstances) in P.R. forever!", prompting further criticism from lawmakers in both parties; Mayor Cruz replied, "You are incapable of empathy and frankly simply cannot get the job done." In response to a request for clarification on the tweet from Governor Rosselló, John F. Kelly assured that no resources were being pulled and replied: "Our country will stand with those American citizens in Puerto Rico until the job is done".

After visiting Puerto Rico about two months after the hurricane, Refugees International issued a report that severely criticized the slow response of the federal authorities, noted poor coordination and logistics, and indicated the island was still in an emergency mode and in need of more help."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurric...nment_response

[worstblogever]

The details don't seem that bad.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...dential-letter

Hey, let's just hand-wave away kidnapping. It's the new Republican way, just like how it's okay when we put children in cages near the border, now Supreme Court Justices can hold women against their will.

[Jack Dracula]

(BTW, what's happened to all the avatars?)

[numberthirty]

Priceless.

[aja_christopher]

Whatever...

[BeastieRunner]

Manafort took a plea deal.

[aja_christopher]

Not sure what the scorecard is so far, but food for thought at the very least.

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"In Foundations of Geopolitics, Dugin calls for the influence of the United States and Atlanticism to lose its influence in Eurasia and for Russia to rebuild its influence through annexations and alliances.[2]

The book declares that "the battle for the world rule of [ethnic] Russians" has not ended and Russia remains "the staging area of a new anti-bourgeois, anti-American revolution". The Eurasian Empire will be constructed "on the fundamental principle of the common enemy: the rejection of Atlanticism, strategic control of the USA, and the refusal to allow liberal values to dominate us."[9]

Military operations play relatively little role. The textbook believes in a sophisticated program of subversion, destabilization, and disinformation spearheaded by the Russian special services. The operations should be assisted by a tough, hard-headed utilization of Russia's gas, oil, and natural resources to bully and pressure other countries.[9]

The book states that "the maximum task [of the future] is the 'Finlandization' of all of Europe".[9]

In Europe:

Germany should be offered the de facto political dominance over most Protestant and Catholic states located within Central and Eastern Europe. Kaliningrad oblast could be given back to Germany. The book uses the term "Moscow–Berlin axis".[9]

France should be encouraged to form a "Franco–German bloc" with Germany. Both countries have a "firm anti-Atlanticist tradition".[9]

The United Kingdom should be cut off from Europe.[9]

Finland should be absorbed into Russia. Southern Finland will be combined with the Republic of Karelia and northern Finland will be "donated to Murmansk Oblast".[9]

Estonia should be given to Germany's sphere of influence.[9]

Latvia and Lithuania should be given a "special status" in the Eurasian-Russian sphere.[9]

Poland should be granted a "special status" in the Eurasian sphere.[9]

Romania, Macedonia, "Serbian Bosnia" and Greece – "Orthodox collectivist East" – will unite with "Moscow the Third Rome" and reject the "rational-individualistic West".[9]

Ukraine should be annexed by Russia because "Ukraine as a state has no geopolitical meaning, no particular cultural import or universal significance, no geographic uniqueness, no ethnic exclusiveness, its certain territorial ambitions represents an enormous danger for all of Eurasia and, without resolving the Ukrainian problem, it is in general senseless to speak about continental politics". Ukraine should not be allowed to remain independent, unless it is cordon sanitaire, which would be inadmissible.[9]

In the Middle East and Central Asia:

The book stresses the "continental Russian–Islamic alliance" which lies "at the foundation of anti-Atlanticist strategy". The alliance is based on the "traditional character of Russian and Islamic civilization".

Iran is a key ally. The book uses the term "Moscow–Tehran axis".[9]

Armenia has a special role: It will serve as a "strategic base," and it is necessary to create "the [subsidiary] axis Moscow-Erevan-Teheran". Armenians "are an Aryan people ... [like] the Iranians and the Kurds".[9]

Azerbaijan could be "split up" or given to Iran.[9]

Georgia should be dismembered. Abkhazia and "United Ossetia" (which includes Georgia's South Ossetia) will be incorporated into Russia. Georgia's independent policies are unacceptable.[9]

Russia needs to create "geopolitical shocks" within Turkey. These can be achieved by employing Kurds, Armenians and other minorities.[9]
The book regards the Caucasus as a Russian territory, including "the eastern and northern shores of the Caspian (the territories of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan)" and Central Asia (mentioning Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan).[9]

In Asia:

China, which represents a danger to Russia, "must, to the maximum degree possible, be dismantled". Dugin suggests that Russia start by taking Tibet–Xinjiang–Mongolia–Manchuria as a security belt.[1] Russia should offer China help "in a southern direction – Indochina (except Vietnam), the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia" as geopolitical compensation.[9]

Russia should manipulate Japanese politics by offering the Kuril Islands to Japan and provoking anti-Americanism.[9]

Mongolia should be absorbed into Eurasia-Russia.[9]

The book emphasizes that Russia must spread Anti-Americanism everywhere: "the main 'scapegoat' will be precisely the U.S."

In the United States:

Russia should use its special services within the borders of the United States to fuel instability and separatism, for instance, provoke "Afro-American racists". Russia should "introduce geopolitical disorder into internal American activity, encouraging all kinds of separatism and ethnic, social and racial conflicts, actively supporting all dissident movements – extremist, racist, and sectarian groups, thus destabilizing internal political processes in the U.S.

It would also make sense simultaneously to support isolationist tendencies in American politics".[9]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Founda...of_Geopolitics

[BeastieRunner]

What's the one source?

WSJ had one source say that said that but it's been debunked.

Turned out it was just light kidnapping with a touch of rape.

No biggie.

[JCAll]

Okay everyone, prepare to have your minds blown. Remember a few days back there was a story about a black man shot in his own home by an off duty police officer that entered the wrong apartment? Well the police announced that after searching the crime scene they found a small amount of marijuana! Shock and gasp! If I didn't know better I would think the police are slandering the name of a dead person to cover for one of their own...again...just like every other time...like clockwork... *sigh*

[Tami]

Okay everyone, prepare to have your minds blown. Remember a few days back there was a story about a black man shot in his own home by an off duty police officer that entered the wrong apartment? Well the police announced that after searching the crime scene they found a small amount of marijuana! Shock and gasp! If I didn't know better I would think the police are slandering the name of a dead person to cover for one of their own...again...just like every other time...like clockwork... *sigh*

Still, that carries about as much weight as would them saying that he was eating Cookie Dough Ice Cream in his underwear when he was shot.

It's his bleeping home, he had the right to do whatever he wanted. He didn't have the right to get shot by a neighbor just because his neighbor was a Police Officer who went off the deep end.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Okay everyone, prepare to have your minds blown. Remember a few days back there was a story about a black man shot in his own home by an off duty police officer that entered the wrong apartment? Well the police announced that after searching the crime scene they found a small amount of marijuana! Shock and gasp! If I didn't know better I would think the police are slandering the name of a dead person to cover for one of their own...again...just like every other time...like clockwork... *sigh*

My mind is far from blown. If anything, I half expected that to happen as police closed ranks and went about the business of protecting one of their own while slandering the name of the man murdered by that dirtbag cop.

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

Trump’s Hurricane Maria Deaths Denial Is A Warning And A Threat

Researchers calculate that almost 3,000 people died in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria due in part to lackluster rescue efforts. President Donald Trump has rejected any suggestion that the federal government had failed. Earlier this month he touted rescue efforts on the island as “fantastic.”

On Thursday morning, he went further, posting a tweet in which he outright lied about the death toll.

3000 people did not die in the two hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico. When I left the Island, AFTER the storm had hit, they had anywhere from 6 to 18 deaths. As time went by it did not go up by much. Then, a long time later, they started to report really large numbers, like 3000...

Obviously, the main purpose of Trump’s tweet was to shirk responsibility for his failures. As president, he is responsible for federal disaster relief efforts and the fact that so many people died in Puerto Rico reflects poorly on him. So he lies about it.

In doing so, he echoes those who have long denied acts of genocide, including Holocaust deniers and deniers of the Armenian genocide. It’s true that the deaths in Puerto Rico weren’t intentional and therefore don’t rise to the horrific level of genocide. But denying them can still serve many of the same purposes as denying planned atrocities.

First, denying the deaths in Puerto Rico functions as a kind of boast. Trump is insisting that he can get away with saying anything. This is a common tactic used by fascist leaders. Their propaganda “is marked by its extreme contempt for facts as such,” Hannah Arendt wrote in the classic Origins of Totalitarianism. “For in their opinion, fact depends entirely on the power of man who can fabricate it.”

Jason Stanley, author of the recent book How Fascism Works, explains that “signing onto the leader’s lies functions as a loyalty oath.” Lying about the victims in Puerto Rico, in particular, turns a nonpartisan discussion about human life and how best to prevent its loss into a purely partisan question of fealty to the president. Caring about those people over there who are not us (never mind that these particular dead were Americans too) and admitting they suffered becomes a sign of weakness and disloyalty.

Trump, who has long embraced conspiracy theories, did the same in his denial. After his first tweet, the president claimed that the death count for Maria was invented “by the Democrats in order to make me look as bad as possible when I was successfully raising Billions of Dollars to help rebuild Puerto Rico. If a person died for any reason, like old age, just add them onto the list.”

That is not merely a falsehood to gain immediate political advantage. Trump is calling for people to vote against Democrats, but beyond that, he’s trying to delegitimize Democrats. If Democrats were lying about death tolls for political advantage, they would be violating the norms of democracy and decency. In that case, they should be treated not as a loyal opposition but as enemies.

What’s most frightening about genocide denial is that it’s not really denial. It’s a threat. If you can murder thousands or millions of people and then simply say it never happened, then you can murder thousands again, and again, on and on, as often as you like. Genocide denial is a way of saying, “We don’t care that we hurt you, and we will hurt you more if we feel like it. Neither human feeling nor facts will stop us.”

Again, the deaths in Puerto Rico were not a genocide. But Trump’s casually vindictive indifference to them is still a warning. If another hurricane headed toward Puerto Rico, he is telling us, he would do nothing differently. To him, the lives ― and deaths ― of people of color do not matter. He’s willing to lie about 3,000 dead. Who knows what else he’s willing to do?

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I Spent My Day Fact-Checking Trump Instead Of Covering The Real Crisis In Puerto Rico

Every time we turn our focus from the island to the president’s rhetoric, we do a disservice to Hurricane Maria’s survivors. Which is probably what Trump wanted to have happen.

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It Begins: Hurricane Florence Starts Its Slow Move Inland

The behemoth storm starts its lumbering roll through the Carolinas.

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‘Daily Show’ Mocks Trump’s False Puerto Rico Death Claim With A Nike Ad Parody

The president’s slogan in the spoof? “Just deny it.”



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Michael Avenatti Taunts Tucker Carlson: ‘How Do You Have A Show?’

The Fox News host mocked Stormy Daniels’ attorney as the “creepy porn lawyer” after promising not to use that nickname. Oh, I didn't know about Fucker's nickname! Hilarious!

[JCAll]

Still, that carries about as much weight as would them saying that he was eating Cookie Dough Ice Cream in his underwear when he was shot.

It's his bleeping home, he had the right to do whatever he wanted. He didn't have the right to get shot by a neighbor just because his neighbor was a Police Officer who went off the deep end.

The "He's no angel" narrative is the nasty rash on the side of the police brutality problem. Every time something bad happens is flares up, as anything no matter how minor suddenly becomes a justification for murder.

[numberthirty]

**********

Michael Avenatti Taunts Tucker Carlson: ‘How Do You Have A Show?’

The Fox News host mocked Stormy Daniels’ attorney as the “creepy porn lawyer” after promising not to use that nickname. Oh, I didn't know about Fucker's nickname! Hilarious!

I came across that subject later on last night, and thought it had to be a joke. No such luck. FNC has it up on YouTube.

Strictly "Clown Shoes".

[Tendrin]

The Dutch NRC -- a newspaper -- is reporting that two GRU spies were arrested in the Hague (convenient of them!) on their way to the biochemical Spiez lab in Switzerland. According to the paper, they had equipment to break into the lab. Spiez is apparently /also/ the lab that investigates things like nerve agent attacks in Skripal and Assad's chemical attacks.

https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2018/0...swiss-lab-nrc/

European intelligence services, including the Dutch military intelligence and security service MIVD, detained two Russian spies in The Hague earlier this year on suspicion of planning a computer break-in at a Swiss lab, the NRC and the Swiss paper Tages- Anzeiger revealed on Thursday night.The two men were preparing to travel to the Spiez lab in Switzerland, the papers say. At the time the lab was analysing data related to the poison gas attacks by the Syrian regime as well as the nerve agent attack on Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury last March.Sources around the investigation told the papers the two, who are thought to work for the Russian intelligence srvice GROe, had equipment in their possession which would allow them to break into the computer system of the laboratory.

Read more at DutchNews.nl: