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June 28, 2017 07:22 AM UTC

Wednesday Open Thread

  • 45 Comments
  • by: Colorado Pols

“We may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”

–Martin Luther King, Jr.

Comments

45 thoughts on “Wednesday Open Thread

  1. The forces of Trumpstink are in retreat.  The battle to save America is years away from being over it but may at last be said to have been fairly joined.

    The forces of the resistance have declared a No Stink Day in which all the country is officially upwind.

    Even Carnholio is expected to be at less than full stink today as he is busy robbing church poor boxes to help finance an appeal for Dylann Roof.   Real Americans should be careful not to step on one of his posts, however.

    Are we tired of winning yet?

    1. Just when you thought the stench couldn't get any worse…

      Trump lawyer's firm steered millions in donations to family members, files show

      More than 15,000 Americans were losing their jobs each day in June 2009, as the US struggled to climb out of a painful recession following its worst financial crisis in decades.

      But Jay Sekulow, who is now an attorney to Donald Trump, had a private jet to finance. His law firm was expecting a $3m payday. And six-figure contracts for members of his family needed to be taken care of.

      Documents obtained by the Guardian show Sekulow that month approved plans to push poor and jobless people to donate money to his Christian nonprofit, which since 2000 has steered more than $60m to Sekulow, his family and their businesses.

  2. Some disabled women and friends are occupying Cory Gardner's Denver office right now.

    Yesterday, June 27, 2017, disabled protesters and attendants from AtlantisADAPT occupied Senator Cory Gardner’s Denver office to ask him not to cut Medicaid.

    Carrie Ann Lucas, one of the protesters, streamed video live from the occupation. They are still in the office this morning. Friends brought food, water, blankets, pillows.  Friendly security guards unlocked the bathrooms after the building management cut AC and locked the bathrooms in an effort to force the women out.

    This morning, Carrie Ann Lucas is live again on Facebook.  The protesters and friends have food and water. It looks as if the building is allowing the women’s attendants in to bring medicine and help take care – Medicaid pays for attendant services. Without these services, disabled folks would have to be institutionalized, although Medicaid funds for skilled nursing care would also be cut 60% under the bill Gardner supports.

    At this moment, they’re chanting, “Cory Gardner is the Koch Brother’s Bitch!”

    Also, “I’d rather go to jail than die without Medicaid”.

    The address of Gardner's Denver office is 1125 17th Street, Suite 525, which is owned by 1125 17 LLC with headquarters in Chicago.

    They slept in the office last night. Photo from Carrie Ann Lucas' FB feed.

     

    photo of raised fistsRachel Maddow included the Denver action in a segment on national protest against the Republican Wealthcare act.

    Westword ran a piece on the occupation, using this photo from the live video feed.

    People are asking what they can do to help. 1) contact Cory Gardner. Ask him to meet with the protesters, and to vote "No" on the current wealthcare bill. 2. People can donate to National Adapt – because disabled folks are now leading the charge to keep Medicaid intact, and there will be more actions, legal fees, logistical costs to support them.

    Senator Gardner: https://www.gardner.senate.gov/contact-cory/office-locations

        1. Putrid Pear doesn't care about disabled people. But, he is what we could call, a TAB (temporarily able bodied). We're all just one accident away from potentially ending up in a wheelchair.

  3. WOTD: Republican Senators Can't Explain BRCA

    Read it and laugh. It's like asking Puny Peanut to do homework. Simply can't do it.

    For example, heeeeere's the John McCain transcript. It's not that JUST McCain is losing his brain, they're ALL losing their brains. They simply can't do it.

    Tara Golshan, Vox
    Generally, what are the big problems this bill is trying to solve?

    John McCain
    Almost all of them. They’re trying to get to 51 votes.

    Tara Golshan
    Policy-wise. What are the problems [in the American health care system] this is trying to solve — and is the bill doing that right now?

    John McCain
    Well, it's whether you have full repeal, whether you have partial repeal, whether you have the basis of it. It's spread all over.

    Tara Golshan
    But based on the specifics of the bill you have heard so far, is it solving the problems [in the health care system]?

    John McCain
    What I hear is that we have not reached consensus. That’s what everybody knows.

    Tara Golshan
    Right, but outside of getting the votes. From what you hear of the actual legislation being written, is it solving the problems you see —

    John McCain
    It's not being written. Because there's no consensus.

    Tara Golshan
    But generally speaking, what are the big problems it is trying to solve?

    John McCain
    You name it. Everything from the repeal caucus, which as you know, they have made their views very clear — Rand Paul, etc. And then there are the others on the other side of the spectrum that just want to make minor changes to the present system. There’s not consensus.

     

     

  4. I have never, ever, seen an American president or a major American political party is as much profound trouble as the gop is today. Not even close. Not even one-tenth as close.

    They may hold all of the cards today, temporarily, during this brief snapshot in time, but if current trends continue unabated, there's a high and increasingly strong possibility that they will suffer an historic ass-beating in the fall of 2018, and again in 2020.

        1. Please stop saying that Coffman voted to keep ACA.  He actually supported the original version of the House AHCA which was worse than what passed.  He was allowed to vote no on the final version because they had enough votes without him.  Trump is actually standing up to Coffman by saying the House bill (original and final version) was "mean, mean, mean". 

          1. I agree, his motives were completely dishonorable, he received a special dispensation from Paul Ryan, and if they really needed him to push that steaming pile of shit over the finish line, he would have voted for it.

            But I enjoy reminding the shills on here that one of their boys did not tow the party line.

      1. Pear, for years/decades you've been voting for very bad, dishonorable people who look you square in the eye, lie to you, then fleece you to within an inch of your life while you're off screaming about libruls, commies, welfare queens, Kenyans and Mooslims.

        We wouldn't expect you to change now.

        We hope for it, but we don't expect it.

        1. And the Democrats don't do the same? "If you like your DR, if you like your plan, premiums will go down by $2500, I didn't know about Hillary email until I it was on TV, that would be a red line, there was no serious Russian hacking of the election, it was a video, Mitt Romney didn't pay any taxes, Hillary's the most qualified, have to pass it to see what's in it," Those kind of dishonorable people?

          1. Every presidency has its problems. At least Obama; much as I am not a fan of his; had nothing resembling Iran-Contra occurring on his watch, as one example. Trump's presidency, of less than 6 months in duration thus far, has been one mis-step after another. 

          2. Man, Pear — you really do hang on those old tropes don't you?

            And yet, why do you swallow all the GOP lies about their healthcare bills?

            Republicans Repeat A Shockingly Dishonest Argument To Sell Their Health Care Plan

            Their professed concern over the uninsured rings untrue.

            Republicans have made some pretty dishonest statements about their plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act in recent days, including that it would not cut Medicaid (it would) and that it would lower premiums (it would not).

            Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Texas) reiterated the criticism of Obamacare in reaction to an estimate by the Congressional Budget Office that an additional 22 million people would be uninsured under the bill Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) crafted in secret.

             Follow

            JohnCornyn @JohnCornyn

            28 million uninsured under Obamacare

            White House press secretary Sean Spicer took it a step further Wednesday by tweeting a graphic from the HHS and saying 28.2 million uninsured Americans need “relief.”

            BTW, the 28 million uninsured are mostly in Red states that didn't take the Medicaid expansion — Blaming Obama for that?

            They don't do the math which simply is: 28 + 22 = 50 million uninsured.

            The gall!

      1. AC will be along presently to try to distract us with some ancient Democratic "scandal". If you miss him, try talking trash about Ken Buck.

        I might get a rise out of Mods by writing about Clarice Navarro's opponent in HD47, Brianna Buontello.

      2. CarnHolio's somewhere pulling the wings from butterflies, feeding anti-freeze to puppies, and dispossessing widows and orphans.

        Shemp, however, is peddling his usual vapid, nonsensical 'alternate-facts' claptrap elsewhere on Pols as I type.

  5. If you are a veteran read this from VFW post 9644.

    "In these days of what I refer to our dwindling veteran’s benefits, it’s heartening to see a benefit added – at least for those of us who aren’t on active duty or re- tired. If you’re not aware, all honorably discharged military veterans will be eligi- ble for limited shopping privileges at the military exchange services. You know; the PX, BX, or NEX! Veterans will be authorized to shop online at any of the mili- tary exchange sites regardless of service branch. And, now that the U.S. Su- preme Court has let stand a Colorado law that pressures online retailers to col- lect sales tax, this benefit becomes more lucrative. All purchases from the Ex- change are not taxable. That can make a difference, especially for large ticket

    The caveat is the shopping will be limited to on-line shopping only and the purchase of uni- forms, alcohol and tobacco products will be excluded. Shopping in the brick and mortar stores will remain limited to active duty and retired members. This program will be effective Veterans Day, November 11, 2017. You can start the shopping today but won’t be able to make purchases until the effective date. The web site for shopping is: http://www.shopmyexchange.com.

    If you wish, start the process today with an application. That can be found at: https:// http://www.vetverify.org. As they do with other authorized customers, the exchanges will use data provided by the Defense Manpower Data Center to verify veteran eligibility for online shop- ping privileges. Veterans whose records are incomplete or don't appear in the Veterans Af- fairs Department database will need to register through VA, according Peter Levine, former acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness." 

    1. That's great! I just can't figure out why vets, especially wartime vets haven't always been eligible. My old man did his 20 during the Cold War, and never saw a minute of combat, yet all 6 of his kids got to keep our benefits 'til we were 21.

    1. The suit, like the person filing it, has no merit. And like that person, the suit too will be tossed.

      We all remember you overlaying bulls-eyes on photos of Democratic candidates, honey.

      You're complicit in the escalating culture of political violence. Take some responsibility for once in your miserable, grift-based life.

        1. Speaking of "sex outside of marriage", I was just looking at her wiki and it seems each of her grandchildren, while not born so, were conceived before a marriage occurred. And if I did the arithmetic correctly, so was her firstborn. Howzat for practicing what she preaches?

  6. This is absolutely brilliant marketing.  The line between professional wrestling and Congress is increasingly blurry. This guy should run for office.

    Wrestling’s new villain named himself ‘Progressive Liberal.’ Hillary’s on his shirt.

    Meet the wrestler who goes by the name “Progressive Liberal” Dan Richards, the most hated character in Kentucky’s Appalachian Mountain Wrestling (AMW) program, a small professional wrestling circuit.

    “I understand now why you all identify with country music. It’s slow and it’s simple and it’s boring, just like each and every one of you.”

    As the crowd grew increasing hostile, the wrestler’s remarks became more politically tinged.

    “You know what, I think Bernie Sanders would make a great secretary of state.”

    “I want to exchange your bullets for bullet points. Bullet points of knowledge.”

    He even called Donald Trump a “con man.” The crowd exploded in jeers. “Shut up,” someone yelled.

    Strange, indeed. But then, the muscular man’s shirt read, “Not My President.”

    1. People seem to crave this battle of the archetypes, like Kabuki theater, or old-fashioned melodrama, or ceremonial tribal rituals. The character dons the mask and the costume, acts out the role, is victorious or defeated according to the pre-ordained script,  and everybody goes home happy.

      If that wrestler played in Boulder or Berkeley (assuming they went out for professional wrestling), he could be Rich the Republican, snarl at the audience that they were a bunch of snowflakes and he was going to take all their healthcare, and they'd be glad to hate him.

      Nowadays, people intensely hate the masks. They have no idea what's behind them.

      It makes me think that Orrin Hatch might be on to something, with his pledge to re-commit to civility.

      Civility doesn't help, though, when a political body ignores long-established norms, as the Senate did when it refused to hold a hearing for Merrick Garland's judgeship, and recently when it refused to hold any hearings on the Wealthcare bill. Orrin Hatch just seemed befuddled when Claire McKaskill asked, "Will there be a hearing?" Everybody was polite – but there were still no hearings.

      Just thinking in print here.

      1. I'd like to believe Hatch is sincere.  I think the Senate should go back to being residents of Washington (that said, I don't know how we'd ever get Gardner's attention before the next election).  As for the lower chamber, scrap Chaffetz's call for a $30,000 annual stipend (poor Jason just can't find a way to scrape by on his $176,000 Congressional salary?) have the feds rent a public housing building in NE DC and put one of Drumpf's landlords in charge.  

        1. After Hatch's lies about the Bears Ears National Monument in Utah having no support among Native Americans, he has minimal credibility with me. Also, he can spout off all he wants about civility, but true civility would start with the far right wing talking heads and the religious right.

          Hatch is up for re-election next year and needs to retire. Hatch and John McCain are both over 80, but McCain hasn't lost much in way of mental processes, whereas Hatch………

          Also overlooked is the fact that McConnell bypassed the Senate Finance Committee where loss of just one Republican would have killed the health care bill. Guess what? Dean Heller is on Senate Finance.

          1. Hatch is up for re-election next year and needs to retire

            They're grooming Mittens to take over for Hatch. I never thought I'd say it but I'm hoping Romney does it.

  7. Remember when we thought that Gorsuch, even if he was a right wing religious nut, at least could write well, seemed to have a logical mind, and a solid grounding in the Constitution?

    Well, we can forget about all that. It apparently goes right out the window when LGBT equality is at issue in a case.

    His dissent in the Arkansas case which allows non-biological parents to be listed on a child's birth certificates was mind-bogglingly illogical, not grounded in the Constitution, and not particularly well-written. It was an attempt to make the law fit his anti-gay prejudices. Shannon Minter, legal director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights,  which argued for the lesbian couple, said:

    “Gorsuch is plainly still attempting to revive the biological rationale for treating same-sex couples differently,” Minter said. “I think he’s trying to provide a road map for hostile state courts by suggesting that they should go back to these biological justifications. He wants to recast family law in this narrowly biologistic way that’s reverse engineered to exclude gay people. But that’s not going to work, because state family law is not just about biology. There is no state in the country that limits either legal parentage or birth certificates to biological parents.”

    Well, I guess there's still hope that Gorsuch might be windmill-friendly because he's BFFs with Anschutz, the Emperor of the Winds. But Justice G sure as hell is a throwback on social issues.

    1. But is he any worse than his predecessor? To me, he looks pretty much like a cookie-cutter replacement for Scalia. I don't think we're any worse off with him. Which is why I said, at the time, "keep your powder dry and let them have this one.” Now, when Madame Justice Ginsberg or Justice Kennedy steps down (of which there are rumors), that'll be a different fight. We'll need all the firepower we've got to keep the Screaming Yam from packing the court with as many Scalias as the Heritage Foundation can offer up.

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