Tuesday Open Thread

13 thoughts on “Tuesday Open Thread”

1. VP press secretary,

   Presidential valet

   Ivanka's assistant

   Eleven secret service agents

   The president and people around the president and in and around the White House get tested everyday and wear masks.

   And most self isolate when exposed (Fauci and Senator Alexander, for example) I understand that working in the White House and directly with the president is different that most of our situations. But why do they get to test daily and my coworkers and I, like most Americans, can only test if symptomatic or prove we were exposed?

   Why are masks required and enforced there, but are not much enforced, and optional elsewhere? Sure, choice and freedom. But safety and security.

   US guidelines are ignored – and updated guidelines from CDC are being withheld? Is that because they conflict with the Trump campaign messaging?

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   1. Secret Service agents may or may not be at the White House.  We are not allowed to know where due to "security concerns."

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2. Are you on the List of names in the Obamagate scandal ?

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   1. Isn't everyone?

       

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      1. At this point, no. But you might be able to appeal to the maintainer of the list that leaving your name off was/will be a mistake on their part.

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         1. thats not how the wikipedia works – I can just edit it.. or challenge it
            yawn – not gonna

             

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            1. This is not wikipedia. There is no 'Edit' tab.

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         2. Sure looks like an enemies list to me.

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   2. Pathetic – but I suppose this kind of stuff (making lists) appeals to a certain kind of cultist. Speaking of pathetic – here's an example of how one person is listed: "Hillary Clinton, homosexual activist and war criminal." 

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3. Remember that interview Newt Gingrich gave back in October 2018 in which he accidentally said the quiet part out loud, responding to a question about what would happen if the Dems subpoenaed Trump’s tax returns with, “We’ll see whether or not the Kavanaugh fight was worth it”? Well, they’re holding oral argument in SCOTUS today and, predictably, it’s a shit show. Wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a lone wolf opinion from Thomas stating that Congress has no investigative authority whatsoever. (It is entirely possible that Clarence’s entire career as a jurist has been one big, long troll.)

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4. Judge Sullivan throws a wrench in the DOJ's plans to subvert the rule of law.

   A U.S. judge put on hold the Justice Department’s move to drop charges against Michael Flynn, saying he expects independent groups and legal experts to argue against the bid to exonerate President Trump’s former national security adviser of lying to the FBI.

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5.  

   Paul Manafort released from prison to home confinement amid coronavirus concerns

   The Bureau of Prisons says there are no known cases of coronavirus at the Loretto prison. So far about 2,500 inmates have been released to home confinement since Attorney General Barr’s March 26 memo instructing Bureau of Prisons to prioritize home confinement because of the pandemic

    

   https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-pence-face-mask-iowa-covid-19_n_5eb88c1ec5b6bb4495e4788d

    

   This looks like the Whitest House is using the COVID-19 pandemic to selectively get his people out of jail. (from Politico)

    

   Michael Cohen’s early release from prison was delayed without explanation (*even though his confinement is in a place rife with COVID infection.), one of his lawyers said Saturday in a statement that also said President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney was being held “in the functional equivalent of solitary confinement”. (*They have also threatened him to prevent his book release until after the election)

   * notes mine

   This is another manifestation of Barrs’ trying to reassemble a team that can and will defend the man who would be king.

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   1. You’re probably correct that $rump’speople are “using the coronavirus pandemic to selectively get his people out”.

      However, Manafort would have legitimately been in an “early  release” category, being 71 years old.

      The thinking is that, whatever the crime, it shouldn’t become a death sentence. 
      Jared Polis’ order released many prisoners from these high risk groups. In Jeffco jail, for example, elderly and immune-compromised were let go first, then “victimless” parole violators and such, then those awaiting sentences. Alternatives such as ankle bracelet monitoring, testing, mandatory rehab programs, etc, were ordered  instead. 
       

      My son in law, serving an excessive 6 month jail sentence for a DUI, was trying hard not to get infected, and we finally got his sentence reconsidered and he is now back home. 
       

      In contrast to Manafort and his ilk, Jeffco jail has had a prisoner die from Covid19 in solitary, and two at the Sterling facility in CD4 have died from it, as well. Jails and prisons “solution” to covid19 diagnoses is isolation, not treatment. They don’t try very hard to save the prisoner’s lives. Racism and prejudice against poor folks in general is for sure a factor.  Manafort, Roger Stone,etc- different story. 

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