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

[JBatmanFan05]

Trump may be off the Bannon train, but Bannon is still on the Trump train:

“The President of the United States is a great man. You know I support him day in and day out, whether going through the country giving the Trump Miracle speech, or on the show, or on the website, so I don’t think you have to worry about that,” Bannon told a caller on “Breitbart News Tonight” who was concerned that Wednesday’s war of words would impact Bannon’s support for Trump.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewir...rump-great-man

“President Trump, with the whole swamp up there, the D.C. apparatus, the nullification project, everything going on; he is fighting every day. There’s no doubt in your mind, right? And maybe things get off track, or stuff gets said, and all this heated stuff.” . . .“But however, this is a guy, you voted for him, you supported him, is there any doubt in your mind he’s been fighting for and working for you, the deplorables, the forgotten man and woman, the silent majority, every day he’s been there?”

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/...ionship-324017

[Kevinroc]

Sessions will end policy that allowed marijuana to prosper: report

http://thehill.com/homenews/administ...prosper-report

LOL @ "States rights"

[Tami]

Trump may be off the Bannon train, but Bannon is still on the Trump train:

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewir...rump-great-man


https://www.politico.com/story/2018/...ionship-324017

So, is Bannon trying to have his McDonalds' Double Cheeseburger and eat it too?

[Tendrin]

Thinking about what's happened in the last few days alone in the Trump presidency makes me realize...

...poor WBE and his 2018 Trump update.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Trump may be off the Bannon train, but Bannon is still on the Trump train:

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewir...rump-great-man


https://www.politico.com/story/2018/...ionship-324017

Too late with the ass kissing, Steve-O, when Trumplethinskin falls out of love with someone, there’s no second chances.

[Mister Mets]

Two interesting points on the Wolff book.

The Trump people are eager to point out that there have been past controversies about the accuracy in material in Michael Wolff's books, and that he has a reputation for playing fast and loose with facts.

There's some support from this from people who would otherwise not be friendly to Trump, like Judd Legum of Thinkprogress.

1. The Michael Wolff excerpt that has captured everyone's attention today is entertaining but there doesn't seem to be any actual news. It's gossip.

2. It's a lot of people fighting and cursing and being mean to each other. But did we actually learn anything? Not that I can tell.

3. The Bannon comments are getting the most attention. But he's not actually telling us anything we don't know. He's just score settling with Trump Jr. Fundamentally that's what these books are about

4. I think there is a danger is letting a lot of gossip suck up so much of our already attention. Lots of real issues hanging in the balance now. DACA. CHIP.

5. I'm very skeptical of Michael Wolff and the idea that he could spend so much time in the White House and only pick up gossip rather than actual news

On the other hand, they did let him get a lot of access during the campaign/ the early days of the administration. As Meghan McCain noted "It is NEXT LEVEL, beyond my comprehension stupidity letting someone like Michael Wolff have unfettered access to the White House, the president and his family. Who exactly on the White House communications team thought this was a good idea? And why do they still have a job?"

The excerpt in New York magazine details Wolff's level of access.

This story is adapted from Michael Wolff’s book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House, to be published by Henry Holt & Co. on January 9. Wolff, who chronicles the administration from Election Day to this past October, conducted conversations and interviews over a period of 18 months with the president, most members of his senior staff, and many people to whom they in turn spoke. Shortly after Trump’s inauguration, Wolff says, he was able to take up “something like a semi-permanent seat on a couch in the West Wing” — an idea encouraged by the president himself. Because no one was in a position to either officially approve or formally deny such access, Wolff became “more a constant interloper than an invited guest.” There were no ground rules placed on his access, and he was required to make no promises about how he would report on what he witnessed.

Since then, he conducted more than 200 interviews. In true Trumpian fashion, the administration’s lack of experience and disdain for political norms made for a hodgepodge of journalistic challenges. Information would be provided off-the-record or on deep background, then casually put on the record. Sources would fail to set any parameters on the use of a conversation, or would provide accounts in confidence, only to subsequently share their views widely. And the president’s own views, private as well as public, were constantly shared by others. The adaptation presented here offers a front-row view of Trump’s presidency, from his improvised transition to his first months in the Oval Office.

[Kevinroc]

https://theoutline.com/post/2568/the...-party-is-fine

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS FINE

It is the most united American party in modern political history.

Not that I expect this to stop some of the hot takes from certain parties on this thread. But they're wrong.

[TheInvisibleMan]

THIS is the real danger - ICE chief wants to lock up politicians and officials who won't cooperate

The Trump administration is considering prosecuting state and local officials for not fully cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the agency’s acting director said Tuesday in an escalation of his threats against so-called “sanctuary cities” and the undocumented immigrants who live in them.

The Justice Department did not rule out acting on Thomas Homan’s suggestion. An official told HuffPost on Wednesday that the department is working with ICE “to explore any and all potential options” for reining in jurisdictions that limit their assistance with federal deportation efforts.

[Kevinroc]

New book claims Trump called Sally Yates the c-word

http://thehill.com/homenews/administ...tes-the-c-word

And no, he didn't call her "classy."

[PaulBullion]

Man, looking back on 2018, it's been quite the year?

What?

Just 4 days?

Fuck my life!

[Malvolio]

And what’s Trump supposed to sue his former buddy for? Libel? Slander? Hurt feelings? Give me a break. That’s pretty much the standard operating procedure with Dolt45, frighten enemies into submission by threatening to sic lawyers on them, I doubt that will work with Captain Breitbart.

I hope this Trump/Bannon feud goes on and on and on. But what I really want is for some of the bills that the Republican Congress pushes through to not go into effect because Trump forgot to sign them while he was busy tweeting about Bannon.

[PaulBullion]

Pardon me if I laugh while imagining you trying to find a place where I've advocated "a command economy."

All you would find-- if you looked, which you won't-- is my statements that I find "preemptive strikes" of this kind immoral.

Which boils down you trying to shame the system into a command economy by telling everybody how damn triggered you get when people don't want to lose money by hiring molesters.

That's quite a life you got there, kiddo.

[Malvolio]

Donald Trump And Steve Bannon ‘Cuck Fight’ On Latest New York Daily News Cover

The tabloid gave the feud its own name.



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National Weather Service Issues Blizzard Warnings From Virginia To Maine

With the storm intensified by the “bombogenesis” effect, snow will fall at a rate of several inches per hour. Here in the Philadelphia area, we're looking at 3 to 6 inches while the New Jersey shore could see nearly twice that amount. Happily, I just learned that I have off from work for today. YAY!

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Net Neutrality Supporters Launch New Campaign To Reverse Unpopular FCC Decision

Fight for the Future presents lawmakers with two options: Bring back net neutrality or lose their jobs.

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Republicans Laugh Off Trump’s Nuclear Taunting Of North Korea

Real funny stuff. Yeah, armageddon is knee slapping hilarious.

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Trump’s ‘Fear Of Being Poisoned’ Reportedly Fuels His McDonald’s Habit

He likes “safely premade” food, according to a new tell-all book about the White House. Is Dolt45 aware about the pink slime Mickey D's used as part of his fast food diet?

Going to McDonald's to avoid being poisoned is like buying a Cubic Zirconium to avoid getting ripped off by a street vendor of jewelry. But then, Trump is the Cubic Zirconium of politicians, isn't he?

[PaulBullion]

Frail and disoriented, Cochran says he's not retiring

Aw man. Even with the guy being as evil as he is, you gotta feel kinda sorry for him. Hoping he gets the care he needs.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Aw man. Even with the guy being as evil as he is, you gotta feel kinda sorry for him. Hoping he gets the care he needs.

People probably said the same thing about John Conyers as it took a sexual harassment claim to force him into retirement.