Set the Controls for Fear and Loathing

INVASION!! Did you know that our country is being invaded? Drop everything and get your "Go Bag" ready! Our President and his acolytes have been raising the alarm and now thousands of American soldiers are deploying to defend our southern border against the invaders.

Upwards of 5200 US troops will bolster the border against... maybe 3500 asylum seekers from Guatemala and Honduras, mostly mothers and children bugging out from a murderous local scene. That's a lot of firepower against teddy bears and blankets. But it's all needed because this foot-borne invasion is an Imminent Threat - they are only 1000 miles away!! By the time they get here sometime in December, our troops will be dug in and ready for action. Unless the migrant/asylum caravan (they are traveling together for group protection) never even makes it to the border, which is far more likely.

By now, we all know how the MAGAbomber and the Tree of Life shooter took their lethal cues from the rhetoric emanating from Trump, the GOP, and Fox News/Hate Radio. Such "caravan people" are criminals, murderers and rapists. MS-13 gang members and Middle Eastern terrorists. Infected with smallpox, leprosy and rabies. Young, strong bad guys. Really bad. Coming to a darkened alley near you.

In fact, today on a radio ad, Virginia gubernatorial Republican candidate Corey Stewart says Democrats "allow criminal illegal animals to assault our daughters, murder our sons, and deal drugs. The Democratic Party of today is an unhinged angry mob of thugs." Such wild, hateful and emboldened racist rhetoric is possible because it echoes the very things Trump has said over and over. It takes a page from the blatant but trusty Brown Thugs Raping White Women appeal.

And, aside from the Democratic Party and maybe ISIS, who else do Trump & Co. hold responsible for this Caravan of Existential Calamity? "Globalists". Like philanthropist George Soros and Jewish refugee agencies such as HIAS. Living in this climate of Fear and Loathing, the MAGAbomber sent a bomb to Soros (and 13 other Trump "enemies") and the Tree of Life killer targeted that synagogue through a "hate directory". It's pretty easy to connect the dots.

Someone who predicted all of this is Daryl Johnson, a former analyst for the Department of Homeland Security. His 2009 report envisioning the current fever swamp of right-wing radicalism was seen then as too controversial. Since 2016, its conclusions are prescient. Please give this a read, it unveils all you need to know about Trump's deliberate rhetoric and the rise of extremism it engenders:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2018/10/29/trumps-hate-and-lies-are-emboldening-extremists-just-ask-the-analyst-who-warned-us/?utm_term=.e8cfb2488435

Wow. Any questions?

So what does our Trump Administration do to reduce the Fear level it's been churning out? Well, nothing. The band plays on. On the other hand, it has done a swell job in ratcheting up the Loathing quality to the equation. The following is one of the best reads of the year. It's about VP Mike Pence and his decision to bring out a Jews For Jesus "rabbi" at a political event, to say a few words regarding the Tree of Life massacre. Though awful to consider, this piece is very funny, and absolutely to the point:

https://www.wonkette.com/mike-pence-gets-fake-rabbi-to-offer-fake-blessing-sparks-real-outrage

Oh, ho ho. Come for the subject matter, stay for the comments section. But honestly, how was it judged to be a good idea to bring in this "off-brand rabbi", a Christian convert, to deliver up a "prayer" for the Republican faithful in Michigan. It's so hugely insulting, as Five Dollar Feminist outlines in her article above. Although it must be said that Pence is a big Conversion kind of guy. He made his political hay in Indiana by touting "Gay Conversion Therapy" programs. You know, Gays can be converted to Straighthood, ya just need the right tools and a positive attitude. He seems like just the kind of guy who has gone through such therapy. Loathsome? Why yes, yes!

There are plenty of other examples of how Trump & Co. are using Fear and Loathing to manipulate their voter base. Holding them accountable is up to all of us, but in particular it is up to The Enemy Of The People.  Here is a nice rundown on how this can be done:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1055440819283353601.html

And what if these approaches can't help? Well, there's always Divine Intervention. The Creator Of Heaven And Earth has not been pleased lately, as you can detect from the deity's two twitter accounts:

https://twitter.com/TheTweetOfGod/status/1055847614690713600

and

https://twitter.com/TheGoodGodAbove/status/1055905151809150977

Finally, it should be noted that Saturday's Tree of Life Synagogue massacre took place in a neighborhood in Pittsburgh called Squirrel Hill. Aside from being referred to as the intellectual and moral center of the city, it is also known as the home of the late Fred Rogers. It really was Mr. Roger's Neighborhood.

Here is Mr. Rogers himself, speaking after yet another award had been bestowed to him. He really was a gentle genius of children's television. And what he says here resonates so deeply:

"Look for the Helpers. You will always find people who are helping." Amen to that, Mr. Rogers.

Turning Lies Into Bombs

It is surprising that it has taken this long. Presently, there have been at least a half-dozen bombs sent to targets seen by many as opponents to President Trump. The MAGAbomber has selected long-time objects of Trump's ridicule and wrath: Hillary "Lock Her Up!" Clinton. President "Birth Certificate Is A Fraud, Founder Of ISIS" Obama. Representative Maxine "Crazy, Low IQ" Waters. Billionaire George "He Pays Professional Protestors" Soros. Former CIA Director John "Loudmouth, Political Hack Who Can't Be Trusted With The Secrets Of Our Country" Brennan. Obama's Attorney General, Eric "He Better Be Careful What He's Wishing For, I Can Tell You That!" Holder. Representative Debbie Wasserman "Must Not Let Her Off The Hook" Schultz. CNN and The San Diego Union Tribune, both examples of Trump's "Enemies Of The People". Who knows where this ends?

It's hard to find a positive note in all this. Trump's hateful and dangerous demonization of his opponents has fractured the country. The enmity that he has helped spawn is now alarming. The main question is how long will it take to mend? Certainly not while the Divider-in-Chief and the complicit GOP Congress remain in charge. Empty words of "unify the country" will be spoken, then it will be off to another Two Minute Hate rally session. Just last week at one gathering, Trump congratulated a Republican congressman for body-slamming reporter Ben Jacobs of The Guardian. Let's see what he says at tonight's rally in Wisconsin.

Harsh, but true...

He typically vilifies anyone or anything that does not bow down to him. He defines them as hateful objects, worthy of being physically harmed. His opponents are harmful impediments to Making America Great Again.

The Press have become "The Enemy Of The People".

The Democratic Party is "the party of massive crime... they want to unleash violent predators and ruthless killers..."

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-11/trump-attacks-arsonist-democrats-as-polls-show-house-at-risk

"They are not just extreme, they are frankly dangerous and they are crazy... They want to dismantle law enforcement and attack the heroes that keep us safe."

https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2018/sep/22/trump-blasts-democrats-20180922/

Is it any wonder that the MAGAbomber is following through for Fearless Leader? In his twisted mind, the bomber has to be convinced that violent death to traitorous enemies is the path set forth by President. The incredibly toxic rhetoric favored by Trump is finally blooming into domestic terrorism. Again, it was only a matter of time before the Firehose of Hate created this degrading moment. It's Lies, Incorporated. Lies R Us. All Lying, All The Time.

To verify this claim, let's let the terrific reporter Daniel Dale of The Toronto Star (of Canada, a former staunch US ally) tell us about the torrent of BS blasting out of Trump's oral orifice:

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/fact-checkers-identify-increasing-rates-of-false-claims-by-the-president

Yes, as time goes on, so does the velocity of whoppers and fibs. From 2.7 falsehoods a day in 2017 to over 5 per day now. And the last couple of weeks have been remarkable for the sheer volume of fabrication, a veritable Niagara of mendacity. Take one minute to check these out:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1054802555727986690.html

and Trump's contention that there are riots going on in California:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1053729767692926983.html

and that possible ISIS infiltrators are mixed in with the refugee "caravan" approaching the southern border:

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1054352194777047040.html

and just general WTF-ery:

https://twitter.com/ddale8/status/1055083496014839809

Oh, thank you, Mr. Dale. It can't be easy covering what amounts to be the Mt. Everest of Fallacy every day. It might be frustrating, it might even be comical, but today, it is dangerous.

And my humble apologies for striking such a strident style with this post. As you probably know, I do attempt to couch my observations with what passes for wit and perspective. But what has transpired today, and over the last couple of weeks, has pulled my patience out of the plug.

Putting it into the context of classic mid-60's power pop, here are The Knickerbockers singing their One Hit Wonder, "Lies". Two minutes of Beatlemania without the Beatles...

"All The President's Men" meets "The Producers"

After a two-week descent into the maelstrom, let's settle back a bit and ramble through some random observations gleaned from this past week.

As usual, there was an enormous amount of news and malarky. But what stuck with us was the hilarious and terrifying interview of President Trump and his core advisors, conducted by a truly surprised and disbelieving Olivia Nuzzi, of New York Magazine. Plucked unexpectedly from the press gaggle, she was escorted into the Oval Office for a lengthy session with, well, ya gotta read it to believe it. This is a remarkable and jaw-dropping interview; nearly every line is worth a king's ransom:

http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/10/my-private-oval-office-press-conference-with-donald-trump.html

It all comes off like a poorly-produced TV Reality Show: "Oh, look who's behind Door Number Three!! And Wow, here's a surprise guest star we have walking in!" It's so very weird, as if David Lynch has taken over the Trump Administration, which has morphed into a bizarre dreamland mashup version of The Executive Branch and Mulholland Drive. It reads like a speed freak's fever dream, chattering away about nothing, over and over. Oh, the author, Olivia Nuzzi, bears a passing resemblance to Ivanka. Maybe that's why he went head-over-heels throughout the interview.

Going further into movie comparisons, the present administration is really more like "All The President's Men" meets The Producers. What began as a Not-Serious Presidential campaign that would have set Trump up with an easy and lucrative Major Media Platform in 2017 ended with a shocking electoral turnabout, the equivalent of "Springtime For Hitler" becoming a hit. As the Mueller investigation continues, Trump's fortunes will probably end with the imprisonment of various family and staff, and the collapse of his businesses. Life can be funny sometimes.

Speaking of humor, the Conservative funnybone was on full display this week. In a Thank You editorial to Senator Susan Collins, who provided the "Yes" vote to confirm Kavanaugh, the Wall Street Journal editorial board decided upon "Susan Collins Consents" as its headline. Oh, Ha Ha, it's a rape joke double entendre! Those scamps! You can almost hear them hooting in their work space...

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/10/6/17945228/wsj-editorial-board-members-susan-collins

Well, boys will be boys. And some girls, too. Drinking beer to celebrate the Kavanaugh confirmation became a thing, because, you know, he's now Justice Kegger. The following quick read is quite a carnival ride. After a brief summation of events, we experience a rapid pass-through of the Pro-Kavanaugh crowd, as the bubbles rise. Quite a rogue's gallery of supporters, hoisting their suds:

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/remysmidt/beers-for-brett-kavanaugh-supreme-court-confirmation

In another attempt at Funny, GOP Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas), longtime party leader and member of Senate Judiciary Committee, tweeted: "Not quite #Beers4Brett but #Bubbly4Brett instead" Ha Ha, I get it! The guy who by most accounts was a sloppy drunk who'd drink to extreme excess is now on the Supreme Court! Conservative humor is sooo funny:

https://twitter.com/JohnCornyn/status/1048696008513925120/photo/1

Not to be outdone, Chairman of Senate Judiciary Committee Chuck Grassley (R-Trumpistan) said that female Republican senators haven't asked to be on the Senate Judiciary Committee, ever, because they don't want to do it. There's just too much work involved and the poor dears don't have the time:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/05/politics/chuck-grassley-judiciary-committee-women/index.html

Meanwhile, Senator Susan Collins (R-Patriarchy), delivered her own deep thoughts. She attempted to put a pro-Women spin on her vote, but fell headlong into the Land of Farce by declaring it a vote with a "silver lining":

https://www.bustle.com/p/susan-collins-believes-theres-a-silver-lining-to-the-kavanaugh-allegations-12181696

"The one silver lining that I hope will come from this is that more women will press charges now when they are assaulted,"Collins said. Yes, that's the message millions of women embraced from last week's shitshow - women should no longer be concerned about not being believed like Dr. Ford (who Collins "believes" but doesn't believe was correct in ID-ing Justice Kegger). After the last two week's worth of escalating verbal assaults against Dr. Ford, and other accusers, by President Trump and the Republican firmament, resulting in death threats and forced relocation, women everywhere should take heart that they can now step forward with their stories. It just could be that Susan Collins is simply trolling us.

Then there were more wild and wooly Trump rally claims... "You don't hand matches to an arsonist and you don't give power to an angry left-wing mob, and that's what they've become. Democrats have become too extreme and too dangerous to govern. Republicans believe in the rule of law, not the rule of the mob." Actually, Republicans believe in the minority's Law of Rule over the majority:

http://theweek.com/articles/800880/gops-sneaky-attempt-paint-majority-angry-leftwing-mob

Also, too, there was this mysterious moment after Kavanaugh's swearing-in ceremony, where now-retired Justice Anthony Kennedy, Kegger's sponsor, seemed to be unpleasantly shocked by something Trump said to him as they walked off camera. It set DC conspiracy theorists over the top:

https://twitter.com/Eleven_Films/status/1049449309790322688

Yes, it is curiouser and curiouser... something about Kennedy's son? Prolly more like "I like big butts and I cannot lie."

Also, there was the President's Guest Editorial on Health Care that USA Today published. It was a thing of beauty, one where the Washington Post exulted that nearly every line of it was false:

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/10/10/fact-checking-president-trumps-usa-today-op-ed-medicare-for-all/?utm_term=.44025f683402

On a related note, there was Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer's wickedly funny analysis of the same piece:

https://twitter.com/SenSchumer/status/1050053956993503232/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1050053956993503232&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fthehill.com%2Fpolicy%2Fhealthcare%2F410763-schumer-rips-trump-medicare-for-all-op-ed-as-smears-and-sabotage

Yes, it was quite a week. The First Lady claimed to be "the most bullied person in the world." Trump spent Thursday morning with Kid Rock and the afternoon with Kanye West. Kanye wants the 13th Amendment repealed, the one that abolished slavery. I'm sure that his new White House friends can get behind that. It's too bad he couldn't have walked in, special guest-star style, on the Olivia Nuzzi thing the day before!

Finally, we found out that if massive, radical and unprecedented globally-coordinated changes in energy consumption are not implemented within 10 years, we are forever doomed:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/energy-environment/2018/10/08/world-has-only-years-get-climate-change-under-control-un-scientists-say/?utm_term=.a3e0660af43b

Oh, and a record-setting hurricane hit Florida as an exclamation mark for that study, too.

Our final finally, this week was All Time Favorite Musician Thelonious Monk's 100th Birthday. Check out this ebullient three minute dip into bliss. Also, watch the dancing otter up at the top while listening to it!! He's got it going!

"We are the Hollow Men..."

These past two weeks have been extraordinarily painful for Americans and America. For thinking people, it has challenged basic concepts in governance and civil society. It has forced a harsh spotlight on the most private of personal actions, gender vulnerabilities, and triggered long-long-overdue examinations into the constant of Sexual Assault as an unreported crime.

There is no better analogy for what has happened to our country, to millions of women and of this moment than a comment I read the other day:

With this in mind, Your Obedient Servant attended the #CancelKavanaugh protest in DC, marching  from the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse to the steps of the Supreme Court.

Of the 2000 or so attendees, baking in the uber-hot and humid air, I can only guess how many were Survivors. But I sense they were in the large majority of attendees. Their passion helped fuel the enthusiasm and energy felt throughout the crowd. One could feel the waves of emotion pass through the columns.

The shouts and the chants never ceased along the way. At one point, I was walking along with a trio of accomplished a capella singers as they sang "Come this November, we will remember" and other slogans in three-party harmony. It was lovely and moving.

Standing in front of the Supreme Court building, we listened to other Survivors from across the nation. We were asked if Kavanaugh was the best this Clown College could offer up, and if so, what were the alternatives like? As more speakers continued, it reminded how absolutely toxic this man is, and how his presence will contaminate, like a chunk of high-grade radioactive crud, the entire Court. Kavanaugh will be a weaponized political Justice. His forced confirmation is the result of an amoral Patriarchy in action, desperate to hang onto power while the winds of change begin to blow.

When the speakers had concluded, we were urged to head over to the Hart Senate Building for "direct action". So about half of the crowd headed over, as did I. Here are some pictures and a basic rundown of what happened:

https://www.bustle.com/p/these-cancel-kavanaugh-march-photos-show-thousands-came-out-to-protest-the-scotus-nominee-12165290

While waiting to clear the metal detectors to get inside, I spoke with a few fellow protestors. "If you get inside, be prepared to get arrested." The protest was going to ramp up into the realm of Civil Disobedience. Your Humble Reporter chickened out as several Republican Party Reptile staffers walked past, giving cynical glances and chuckling to each other.

I did manage to put myself in the way of a rapidly-departing Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, getting in his face and shouting "PLEASE VOTE NO!!" It slowed him down enough that others realized who he was. And it was off to the races! Corker went into Power Walk mode while a group of Survivors ran after him, giving him their Bumper Sticker versions of what had happened to them. "Please vote No for the future of our country!" I heard one say. They walked back, crying. I couldn't think of a damn thing to say except, "Well Done". It was, but it wasn't enough.

Here is what I missed inside; I wish I had the nerve to have followed through:

https://twitter.com/AyannaPressley/status/1047945508705259525?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1047945508705259525&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bustle.com%2Fp%2Fthese-cancel-kavanaugh-march-photos-show-thousands-came-out-to-protest-the-scotus-nominee-12165290

Nearly 300 arrested. The Atrium and walkways were filled with hundreds more spirited and determined protesters who No Longer Have A Fuck To Give.

The following Hart Senate Building moment is a perfect encapsulation of how odious the GOP really is. Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah is on the Judiciary Committee. In fact, he is the Senate's President Pro Tempore, THE FOURTH IN LINE OF SUCCESSION TO SUCCEED THE PRESIDENT.  Here is a video clip of a protester describing what happened when she attempted to ask Sen. Hatch a question as he walked by. Watch her video, it's sickening.

He waves her off and then snarks on about meeting her "when she grows up". Which enrages everyone there. As they press towards the open elevator, his staff bark out "we'll have you arrested!" And as the doors close, there is a grinning, mocking Senator Hatch waving Bye-Bye to them. What a complete and utter putz.

The great Sarah Kendzior brings forth the intro to T.S. Eliot's iconic poem, "The Hollow Men", with a fine relevant pictorial format to provide Poetic Commentary on this colossal fustercluck:

https://twitter.com/sarahkendzior/status/1047313401553276928

What she doesn't have room for: "Between the idea/And the reality/Falls the Shadow... This is the way the world ends/Not with a bang but a whimper."

Speaking of Hollow Men, our Leader was having a fine old time at a political rally the night before. Yes, he is an awful person. They are out there among us - you may know a few. What continues to appall, though, is how many (white) women think he is so good and kind and is God's imperfect vessel and laugh at his slanderous jokes and GRRR during his Two-Minute Hate and fall in line with the GOP-driven protocols of Patriarchy. I know that Tribalism is strong, but this is ridiculous.

Let it not be forgotten that he is our Sexual Assaulter-In-Chief:

https://www.businessinsider.com/women-accused-trump-sexual-misconduct-list-2017-12

I really wanted to dive deeply into the GOP/Conservative mindset that abide by this avalanche of awfulness. But I've broken down a couple of times already writing this. All I can say is that, in general, things are going to get a lot worse. But the worse it gets, the better it will become. And it will. Until then, we all need to persevere.

One way to hang on is through music. I know it works for me. Let's see if it can work for you! Try this one on for size: The New Pornographers, the wildly under-rated World Class band from Canada, perform "It's Only Divine Right." Turn it up to 11. And let yourself dance like no one is watching!!

When "Justice" becomes "Just Us"

Coming very soon to a Supreme Court near you: Two justices, one who is a sexual assaulter and the other a sexual harasser. Now appearing on TV screens everywhere: A President who is a sexual assaulter and harasser. Sneak Previews for the coming generation: Unilateral disassembly of women's rights from a gamed government of entrenched Hard Core Patriarchs.

OK, that may sound harsh. But there's no doubt that Season Two of The Trump Show is pulling out all the stops in its quest to get past low viewer ratings and get renewed for Season Three. Placing a politically useful nominee like Brett Kavanaugh on the Supreme Court is a bet that the Administration and the GOP-led Congress are going All In on.

Mainstream Republicans are laughing at all this He Said She Said stuff. Here's a classic example of Stupid Conservative Humor:

https://www.postandcourier.com/politics/sc-congressman-jokes-about-supreme-court-sexual-assault-amid-kavanaugh/article_aa70b77c-bcf5-11e8-a7c7-ff6a511cd2db.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_campaign=user-share

What a knee-slapper: Ruth Bader Ginsberg claims to have been groped by Abraham Lincoln. Har! Who wrote this guy's material, Mike Huckabee? Republican Senate candidate Corey Stewart of Virginia joked, "What else did Judge Kavanaugh do - pull a girl's pigtails in 1st Grade?" Seriously... what a mindset these guys have.

Speaking of serious, how serious can these accusations really be? Speaking like the Republican Senator he is, Dean Heller of Nevada reveals a blithe attitude toward it all:

https://thenevadaindependent.com/article/heller-predicts-kavanaugh-confirmation-to-supreme-court-despite-hiccup

Just a lil' ol' hiccup. Republican Party leader Ed Rollins declared, "...if this is the new standard, no one will ever want or be able to serve in government or on the judiciary." This speaks more to the quality of the GOP's well of nominees than to the deliberate pursuit of Truth. Unfortunately, this attitude pervades the Republican firmament:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/senate-republicans-tell-kavanaughs-accuser-testify-monday-or-well-move-on

You know it's really bad when failed Senate candidate Judge Roy Moore urges Kavanaugh's confirmation. And yes, Moore really is a complete slime:

https://thinkprogress.org/roy-moore-brett-kavanaugh-christine-blasey-ford-republicans-alabama-53dbdd8ed223/

All this serves to remind that no Republican woman has EVER sat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. One woman who is on the Committee, Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), has just about had it with the shenanigans of her Male Republican Colleagues. In addition to telling them to Shut Up and Step Up, she calls BS:

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/mazie-hirono-says-its-bullshit-that-gop-has-tried-everything-to-contact-kavanaugh-accuser_us_5ba3a818e4b0375f8f9aaf7b

"That is such bullshit I can hardly stand it," declaimed the esteemed Senator. This brings to mind a great comment read from the peanut gallery this week:

"The right continually assumes that not rewarding a wealthy white man is the same as punishing him. While complaining all the time about "entitlement" in their opponents, they really do assume that they are just owed positions of power and that questioning them should be a mere formality.

Let's say that there had been no accusation of sexual assault. Let's argue instead that Kavanaugh's repeated lies and deflections in his hearing- his job interview- were acknowledged as such by Republicans. He should not be given the job. That is simple.

The hearings are a job interview, not an orientation on his first day in the job. An election is a chance to be chosen, not a mere formality before you are gifted a seat. When Republicans see a rich white man fail they treat it as though that white man is being punished. Roy Moore, Rob Porter, whatever the ludicrously named candidate Trump supported before Moore was called, and now Kavanaugh- the attitude of the right is that by being wealthy white men the rules, and the reasons for them, do not apply.

Kavanaugh is not being denied something he is owed- he is not a black person being held up in the street or shot in their own home because someone else doesn't trust them enough to afford them the right of free movement. He is not being prevented from having a livelihood, or being deprived of his rights. He is being told "you are not suitable for this job".

Nice. And from Caitlin Flanagan - nobody's fool - is a piece that reveals her own Me Too experience and why she believes Kavanaugh's accuser:

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/09/me-too/570520/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=atlantic-daily-newsletter&utm_content=20180918&silverid-ref=NDI5MTk3ODEyNzEzS0

This guy is headed for a lifetime term on the Supreme Court. Such nominees should bear an exceptional review of their life, accomplishments and their views. Even past associations should be examined, like being a member of Yale's "Truth and Courage" a charming secret society that was nicknamed "Tit and Clit":

https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2018/09/20/a-flag-of-underwear-photo-from-kavanaughs-time-shows-dke-hijinks/

Pretty classy stuff. Well, boys will be boys. Our President knows and finally weighed in by sending out a tweet this morning that fully captures his enormous understanding of sexual assault matters and the inherent difficulties in reporting them:

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1043126336473055235?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1043126336473055235&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnbc.com%2F2018%2F09%2F21%2Ftrump-on-kavanaugh-why-didnt-somebody-call-the-fbi-36-years-ago.html

So Dr. Christine Ford doesn't want to be interviewed by Republican staff without having had the FBI conduct an investigation. Sounds reasonable. Anita Hill was given one, and it took all of three days. At present, GOP-ers are screaming bloody murder that it constitutes an unacceptable delay in the confirmation process. (What would Judge Merrick Garland say about unacceptable delays in the confirmation process?) And given the tweets from Mike Davis, the Chief Counsel for Nominations by the Judiciary Committee, it is entirely understandable that Dr. Ford doesn't anticipate a fair and objective treatment from Republican staff:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2018/09/20/brett-kavanaugh-confirmation-furor-over-mike-davis-tweets/1366391002/

This is all just the latest episode of GOP power politics. It's amoral - yes, it's immoral and all about achieving/maintaining control of the government. If the means to a desired end are wrong, it doesn't matter if the end is won. That's the guiding principle here.

We saw it start in earnest during the 2000 Gore v. Bush debacle. There had been high media profile "riots" orchestrated by Roger Stone-led groups to make the electoral process seem ready to collapse.The Supreme Court surprisingly and recklessly took on the request from the complicit Republican Party to rule on stopping the Florida recount.  They ruled so, saying that it was in the country's best interest to cease the actions and get on with running the country. Never has one vote counted more than that day...  and of course, the "unofficial" recount continued through a number of Florida newspapers.

Later, the recount verdict was revealed: Gore won. But he really lost by one vote, 5 - 4. When called upon, the Republican-majority justices on the Supreme Court had voted in a partisan judgment that presumed the country couldn't handle another week or so of Florida vote recounts and installed the minority vote victor. And we got 9/11, Afghanistan, Iraq, Katrina, Samuel Alito, and The Great Recession. Heckuva job, Rehnquist!

The Conservative SCOTUS majority continued with the Citizens United ruling. Corporations are people, too. And all donors can be anonymous (though this has changed - hallelujah - in a subsequent ruling this week). It opened the floodgates for oceans of unaccountable Dark Money to be used in elections. Hello there Russian/Bad Actor money through NRA/Political Action Committees to GOP candidates.

And when the GOP vowed a Zero Tolerance Policy against anything that Obama tried to do, it extended to his judicial nominations. It wasn't just Merrick Garland and the 400+ days of an open Supreme Court seat. Once Mitch McConnell became the head of the Senate, Obama's lower bench nominations came to a crashing halt, leaving numerous vacancies throughout the judiciary:

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2018/06/04/senate-obstructionism-handed-judicial-vacancies-to-trump/

After Trump became President (and had ridiculed Obama for creating so many vacancies), the pace of the Senate approving Trump nominees skyrocketed, even in the face of many being clear-cut thimbleheads. Mitch McConnell's Get 'Er Done Express was on track.

And now we have a major reckoning coming up over the horizon. The Mueller investigation is bearing serious fruit and there is every reason to believe it's not anywhere near being done. Trump, his family, his staff and his business organization are in jeopardy. The Republican Party (and some Democrats, too) is in for a severe prosecutorial shock. Unless... unless...

Unless the 5th Republican Supreme Court justice would rule against efforts to investigate the Chief Executive (and by extension, the GOP-led Legislative Branch). By most accounts, Kavanaugh is that guy. He is all about preventing the President from being indicted, and even having to answer Special Counsel inquiries. The Trump/GOP power axis wants Kavanaugh in to protect themselves (and to reverse Roe v. Wade, among other goals).

Beyond resolving the truth in what happened with Dr. Ford and Judge Kavanaugh, there are other important personal matters that remain flapping wildly in the breeze. What about his lies regarding stolen documents? What about his strained-belief statement about a Mueller-related conversation with a Trump law firm lawyer (who happens to be a good buddy)? What about his public-sector ability to afford a major plush home in DC's posh NW side, and then generate up to $200,000 in debt as of last year, then POOF it goes away? Who paid it? How was it paid? What about the references to his gambling activities? Is this guy Pete Rose? Can he be extorted? Heck, I want to hear about why he was so fixated on conspiracy theories like 'Hillary Clinton killed Vince Foster' back in his Whitewater investigation days, accruing a government expenditure of over $2 million.

Hoo-boy. If this were a job interview, he'd have been shown the door early on. That he's about to be confirmed is indicative of the GOP power-lust and willingness to overlook any disqualifiers in the pursuit of One Party Rule. It's no accident that they don't take a stand against Trump's authoritarian actions. Why should they? It means they get a strangle-hold on power for the next generation. They are kindred spirits.

The Supreme Court should be the reserve of jurists of supremely good character. This guy seems like he is trying his best to avoid detection. And with the help of his powerful friends, he will do whatever it takes to grab the brass ring. He will get along well with Clarence Thomas. God bless Anita Hill and every MeToo survivor.

A Day In The Life

Morning came early in Billings, Montana last Friday, September 7. It was going to be an unusually busy day for Donald Trump. The President had arrived there the previous afternoon, and had delivered a raucous and rambling Make America Great Again rally speech at the Rimrock Auto Arena. Later on Friday, he was scheduled to appear at two fundraisers nearby, so The World's Most Powerful Man and retinue had spent the night at the local Double Tree.

The next 12+ hours would mark an excellent opportunity for the Commander In Chief to add onto his already impressive record of compiling over 4700 falsehoods in less than 600 days.

It had been a late night, or early morning for The President. At 2:56am, he tweeted, "What was Nike thinking?" as an observation of that company using Colin Kaepernick in an advertisement.

This was followed by a 3:11am tweet endorsing the Republican candidate for Senate from Montana. Then at 3:32am he vented a tweet about Bob Woodward, author of the forthcoming expose, "Fear".

Sometime between 3:40am and 5:30am, he slept.

But Trump was up and at 'em for an appearance on the early morning State TV show, Fox and Friends. Regarding the New York Times 'Anonymous' op-ed, he said, "... really, what they've done is virtually, you know, treason." Earlier the evening before, he encountered some speech problems in pronouncing the word "anonymous":

https://twitter.com/joshtpm/status/1037883056252694528

He also appeared on a local Billings TV station. Reading the transcript is a wild ride, in that it reveals the ongoing animus towards his "enemies". He is quite the political hatchet man. Among the crazy rhetoric, this one stood out regarding his ability to win deals for the USA:

We're going to win against everybody, and ultimately it's going to be a win for them too, I assume, because there's got to be a two-way street. But, we have all the cards. Our country has all the cards. We've never had a president that wanted to play the cards. They were willing to accept a bad NAFTA deal.

Things settled down for a while until 8:30am, as he prepared to leave the fabled Double Tree for the Billings airport. The press was still reacting to much of his statements from the rally. In it, the President stressed that he had not lost his mind, that - like Lincoln - his reputation will increase after his death, that his speeches will be remembered like The Gettysburg Address, that the Department of Justice should investigate the New York Times, and something weird about Space Force. (For more on this amazing speech, please check out this hilarious minute-by-minute thread by Toronto Star reporter Daniel Dale: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1037815501802692609.html It is chock full of Trump's lies and wild claims and You're Welcome!)

Already there were reactions to Trump comparing himself to Lincoln, and his claim to have memorized The Gettysburg Address. Here is his famous I Don't Know The Lyrics So I'll Hum Along moment singing the National Anthem from earlier this year. Thanks, Bad Lip Reading:

At 8:35am, he tweeted about "our horrible immigration laws." And then he hopped aboard a flight to Fargo, North Dakota. No time for the usual golf rounds. But he did tell reporters on Air Force One, regarding taking criminal action against the NY Times, "We're going to see. I'm looking at that right now." When asked about "Fear" and the 'Anonymous' claim that he was mentally and morally unfit for office, Trump said:

Meanwhile, in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, President Obama was delivering a speech designed to increase voter registration and push back on many Trump policies and claims. And OH was it ever good! It all served to remind what a real leader is like:

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/9/7/17832024/obama-speech-trump-illinois-transcript

While Air Force One flew on, and the President engaged with reporters, a certain dichotomy could not be avoided: "Quite a split-screen moment here -- Obama talking about American democracy on edge just as Trump tells reporters aboard AF1 that he wants DOJ to investigate anonymous op-ed."

https://twitter.com/PhilipRucker/status/1038099821205307393

The President arrived at Fargo, North Dakota at 12:40pm. and headed off to host a roundtable of donors.  Later, when Trump was asked about Obama's speech, he suggested he had listened for a couple of minutes and then fell asleep. Ha ha. Others across the country had watched Obama's speech with the split-screen of Trump gamboling around Fargo, North Dakota. Said one tweet to Obama, "Please come back. The substitute teacher is stupid, racist and paints himself the colors of 1970s appliances."

The President spoke to his Fargo supporters around 2:00pm. His fact-and-evidence-free remarks included his plans to send Canada into "ruination" with tariffs on cars. "They've taken advantage of us for many decades. We can't let this happen anymore." He went on to claim Democrats will destroy Social Security, that NAFTA was the worst trade deal of all time, and that the World Trade Organization was even worse. More great stuff from Daniel Dale:  https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1038134023263019008.html

Reactions to this speech came quickly. On Trump's claim that his performance on Jobs is better than Obama's, NBC's Andrea Mitchell says No:
https://twitter.com/mitchellreports/status/1038177912732745730

On his continued claim that people break down and cry in his presence, WaPo's Josh Dawsey says What? https://twitter.com/jdawsey1/status/1038187959688806400 and so does our old friend Daniel Dale: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1038423460475756544.html. Of course, it's a repeated lie.

By 3:00pm, the President had departed from Fargo and within an hour arrived at Sioux Falls, South Dakota for - you guessed it - more meetings with donors and a 5:30pm rally speech.

Right before the rally began, the President sent out a tweet, stating "14 days for $28 MILLION - $2 million a day, No Collusion. A great day for America!" Apparently, this was a reaction to the sentencing of George Papadopolous, the "covfefe" guy that Trump claimed to not know or care about, except when it came time to react to his sentencing. Even here, the Mueller investigation price tag indicated is false.

Meanwhile, folks were catching up on the previous night's rally that featured a rather expressive young man seated directly behind the President. His "inappropriate" expressions and lack of enthused reactions to Trumpian statements caused his real-time removal from the stands, replaced by a smiling staff member. Thus, a pop culture icon was born:

https://twitter.com/MollyJongFast/status/1038228434978332678

By 6:25pm Air Force One departed Sioux Falls. The Government By Mood Ring Express flew towards DC after a full day and a half of campaigning.

At 8:45pm Trump was at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, and by 9:05pm he had arrived at the White House via Presidential helicopter, back into the loving arms of his adoring wife. What a whirlwind trip! What an extended case of vertigo!

If you're interested, here are a couple of websites that archive and comment on the President's tweets and retweets, including probabilities whether he or his staff wrote specific ones:

http://didtrumptweetit.com/2018/09/07/

https://factba.se/topic/twitter

All that is well and good, but for a more comprehensive perspective on how Trump's ongoing and blatant falsehoods affect our country, we need to hear from that most respected source of news, The Onion:

https://politics.theonion.com/trump-disapproval-rating-reaches-all-time-none-of-this-1828751716

"At press time, a new poll had found that President Trump’s disapproval rating was now at, Jesus Christ, a sizable portion of the country supports and has always supported an openly white supremacist president and the party he leads, and a bunch of goddamn numerical ratings aren’t going to do a fucking thing to change that."

Thank you, Onion. Finally, after wading through the swampy muck of the President's pronouncements over a 24 hour period, The Daily Kibitz can confidently declare its contention that our President is Not Mentally Fit:

Okay, it is not right to leave you on this note. So let's Get Positive! Watching Trump mumble through the National Anthem suggests that we can always change it - the Anthem and the President. So... what could be the new Anthem?

My vote is firmly with the late, great Allen Toussaint composition, "Yes, We Can Can". It's irresistible and deeply moving. Give it a listen and imagine a sports stadium filled with folks standing for the new anthem, shaking what they've got, singing "great gosh almighty I know we can yes we  can can!" If there is a Blue Wave in November, this should get immediate attention for action: