‘Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown’ - as it should be! Trump thread continued.

[TheClaws]

From Shakespeake’s Henry IV, Act 3 Scene 1.

Old thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3094156-All-we-want-for-Christmas-is-an-IMPEACHMENT-Trump-cont

It was, cozie! It was a spiky finial topper and DH put it on the tree whilst sort of pulling the tree top over (bending it towards him). DS2 and I told him that the tree was too tall and needed to be shortened. He didn't listen, insisted the topper would fit, let the tree top go and SNAP went the topper as it hit the ceiling. I'd had that since DS1 was a baby (he's 34). Needless to say there was a great deal of stink-eye going on with a healthy dose of "we TOLD you so!!!!". I told him he had the choice of replacing it with a Waterford Crystal Clarendon topper or the Radko that I secretly really wanted. I knew the Waterford was waayyy out of our budget, but the threat worked and I got my Radko.

As far as the media goes, it's true, sides are being taken. But when one side has spent the last year attacking the other (with the encouragement and support of the President) at some point the MSM had to stop 'turning the other cheek' and fight back. You can only let someone lie about you for so long before you really have to defend yourself. Especially lying regarding journalistic ethics!

You can rely on Fox to be pro-Scrotus/conservative. You can rely on MSNBC to be if not rabidly 'anti-' Scrotus, certainly not 'pro-' him and to take a more liberal slant on issues. CNN falls somewhere between, but obviously they aren't Scrotus' biggest fans either.

We do get BBC world news which luckily presents the day's events as 'facts' with little emotion. And one of our local TV stations is doing a pretty good job in that department, too.

Of course, we spend a lot of time watching MSNBC (especially Rachel) and very little time on Fox. Every so often we'll turn it on but we usually only last about 3 minutes before we're screaming and spitting nails.

And what the fuck is Nigel Fucking Farage doing getting involved (again) making endorsements? Who the fuck cares what that frog mouthed idiot thinks? Maybe we should ask HM which candidate she prefers. It would be as relevant to US politics as Farage.

OMG that was an epic post wasn't it?

Across thanks for the I do on the media.

Please could you tell me what you think of radio? is NPR/public radio in general liberal? I listen to All Things Considered (internet streamed from any station that has it when I'm listening)and The Forum from KQED. If I listened to public radio initiated from Red states (maybe Alabama?) would it be more slanted to the GOP/Trump? Thanks for any insights.

ProPublica
@ProPublica
Blocked social media accounts can’t comment on elected officials’ pages, creating inaccurate images of support for government policies.

Governors and federal agencies are blocking nearly 1,300 accounts on Twitter and Facebook.

www.propublica.org/article/governors-and-federal-agencies-are-blocking-accounts-on-facebook-and-twitter?utm_campaign=sprout&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter&utm_content=1512769907

NPR is funded by public donation and federal grants, although if Scrotus has his way those grants will stop. Guess that gives you a hint as to the 'slant' of NPR. They try really hard to be unbiased, but honestly just a sense of common humanity would make programming a bit more on the liberal side. The usually do a pretty good job of presenting unbiased political news and 'neutral' commentary. Except for some of the game shows. If you haven't listened to 'Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me' of a Saturday or Sunday morning, you really should. It's hilarious!

As far as NPR in other states, I really don't know! Most of the programming is nationally produced (All Things Considered, Masterpiece Theatre, This American Life, etc) and the various NPR stations choose most of their programming from that roster. There is some local programming, but ours is usually local 'human interest' as opposed to partisan politics.

Hmmm, you've given me food for thought. Maybe I'll have to Google an Alabama NPR station and look at their programming guide!

I do love a good Schiff. Especially when he’s talking straight.

Adam Schiff‏Verified account @RepAdamSchiff
7h7 hours ago
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Here is what we know:
The Russians offered help.
The Campaign accepted help.
The Russians gave help.
The President made full use of that help.

That's pretty damning.

This is dangerous - we know how dedicated DT is to Fox. She would have chosen her words carefully: ‘cleansing’, ‘fired’, ‘taken out in handcuffs’. Remember she is speaking about the DOJ and the FBI.

Adam Khan‏
@Khanoisseur
Following Following @Khanoisseur
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Adam Khan Retweeted andrew kaczynski 🤔
Jeanine Pirro used to be a judge. Reminder that Trump is going to appoint 100+ judges, who will block Dems from undoing Trump/GOP laws, and will later go on to the SCOTUS or join Fox News as contributors to accelerate these kinds of attacks.Adam Khan added,

andrew kaczynski 🤔‏Verified account
@KFILE
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andrew kaczynski 🤔 Retweeted Fox News
JFC, Jeanine Pirro is calling for the purging, arrest, and prosecution of people at the FBI and DOJ.

Roy Moore was a judge also?

Not merely a judge, cozie, he was the Chief Justice of the Alabama State Supreme Court.

You couldn't make it up if you tried!

With three Dems now calling for Trump's resignation given his sexual assaults, this is welcome

CBS News‏
@CBSNews
NEW: Women who have publicly accused President Trump of sexual harassment and assault will speak at a news conference, hosted by @bravenewfilms, Monday at 10:30 a.m. ET. The women are calling for an investigation by Congress of sexual misconduct by the president.

Although

Why the #MeToo Movement Should Be Ready for a Backlash

As a much-needed reckoning happens in the workplace, look to college campuses for a note of caution.

www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/12/10/yoffe-sexual-harassment-college-franken-216057

Voter suppression and gerrymandering:

(From 2015)

Alabama Demands Voter ID–Then Closes Driver’s License Offices In Black Counties

talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/alabama-drivers-licenses-voter-id

Also

Nathan McDermott‏
@natemcdermott
Roy Moore in 2011: Getting rid of constitutional amendments after the 10th would 'eliminate many problems'
www.cnn.com/2017/12/10/politics/kfile-roy-moore-aroostook-watchmen/index.html

Nathan McDermott‏Verified account
@natemcdermott
13th amendment: ended slavery
14th amendment: guarantees equal protection
15th amendment: prevents voter discrimination
19th amendment: gives women the right to vote

Also

DISABLED AMERICANS LOST VOTING RIGHTS UNDER TRUMP ELECTION FRAUD COMMISSIONER’S LAW

www.newsweek.com/disabled-americans-lost-voting-rights-under-trump-election-fraud-commissioners-720492?amp=1&__twitter_impression=true

Also

Melissa McEwan‏Verified account
@Shakestweetz
"The map falls on the wrong side of the constitutional line —it intentionally, severely, durably, and unjustifiably discriminates against Democratic candidates and voters."

In Pa. gerrymander case, experts can't defend the indefensible | Opinion

www.philly.com/philly/opinion/commentary/in-pa-gerrymander-case-experts-cant-defend-the-indefensible-20171207.html?mobi=true

Also

Kyle Griffin‏Verified account
@kylegriffin1
More than a half-dozen technology experts and former national security officials have filed an amicus brief urging a federal court to halt the collection of voter information for a planned database from Trump’s Election Commission.

Trump’s voter fraud commission plans to create a massive voter database. Former national security officials say it could be hacked.

www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/12/05/trumps-voter-fraud-commission-plans-to-create-a-massive-voter-database-former-national-security-officials-say-it-could-be-hacked/?utm_term=.c8781549909f&tid=sm_tw

Also

Laura Moser‏Verified account
@lcmoser

1. Anyone got a minute to talk about gerrymandering? It may not sound exciting, but it's a big reason why Texas is a "red" state. This, for example, is the 7th Congressional District, where I'm running.

Rest of thread here twitter.com/lcmoser/status/937332164907163648

Also

Brennan Center‏Verified account
@BrennanCenter
A Brennan Center report found that PA was home to one of the worst gerrymandering in the US now, PA GOP members are fighting to keep the state's redistricting information from being released.

www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pennsylvania-gerrymandering-lawsuits_us_5a26fb91e4b0ee6f9637e7a4

These attacks on the process of voting itself will be the real killer. The US will still call itself a democracy - "look, we have elections" - but it won't be one.

Corruption:

Lindsey Graham‏Verified account
@LindseyGrahamSC
Trump International Golf Club is a spectacular golf course.

Great day of fun playing with @POTUS @realDonaldTrump.

Also

Kyle Griffin‏Verified account
@kylegriffin1
Donors from the firm behind the Dakota Access Pipeline have given money to John Cornyn; Cornyn just inserted a line into the tax bill that would give the firm a special tax break, IBT reports.

www.ibtimes.com/political-capital/tax-bill-provision-texas-senator-would-enrich-pipeline-giants-2624094

Also

Kyle Griffin‏Verified account
@kylegriffin1
Trump sought a billionaire investor's advice twice on whether he considered Amazon a monopoly during a dinner this summer, weeks before federal regulators signed off on Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods, according to CNBC.

www.cnbc.com/2017/12/07/president-trump-asked-a-billionaire-investor-twice-whether-amazon-was-a-monopoly.html?__source=sharebar%7Ctwitter&par=sharebar

Also

Kyle Griffin‏Verified account
@kylegriffin1
Mick Mulvaney repeatedly pressed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to back off lending regulations as financial industry donors were bankrolling his congressional bids, according to government documents obtained by IBT.

www.ibtimes.com/political-capital/trump-financial-regulator-mulvaney-pushed-cfpb-back-industry-bankrolled-him?utm_content=buffer4a5f3&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

Kyle Griffin‏Verified account
@kylegriffin1
”Some of the letters signed by Mulvaney that pressured the [Consumer Financial Protection Bureau] came within weeks of him raking in campaign contributions from payday lending industry donors who were urging the CFPB to stand down.”

Also

Republicans step up defense of ‘not qualified’ judicial nominees

GOP senators are ratcheting up their attacks on the American Bar Association, which has emerged as a stumbling block in President Donald Trump’s effort to transform the courts.

www.politico.com/story/2017/12/10/trump-judicial-nominees-republicans-287911

Also (not really corruption but corruption of the democratic process? It's a bit of a stretch, I know)

Business Insider‏Verified account
@businessinsider
Fox News' Tucker Carlson — a registered Democrat — explains why he always votes for the most corrupt mayoral candidate

twitter.com/businessinsider/status/939677055070846976

Mueller:

Is Trump going to fire Mueller? 6 disturbing signs.

thinkprogress.org/is-trump-going-to-fire-mueller-6-disturbing-signs-c3eec263508f/

Also

Trumpocalypse: The End Game

www.nytimes.com/2017/12/08/opinion/trumpocalypse-russia-democracy-.html

Also

The Mueller Investigation Is in Mortal Danger

nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/12/the-mueller-investigation-is-in-mortal-danger.html

Also

LOLGOP‏
@LOLGOP
Wall Street may decide if Trump will get away with firing Mueller

And those are the saddest words I’ve ever written

www.eclectablog.com/2017/12/wall-street-may-decide-if-trump-will-get-away-with-firing-mueller.html

Also

Justin Hendrix‏Verified account
@justinhendrix
1/ I'm growing more and more concerned that Donald Trump will attempt to fire Robert Mueller or otherwise limit his investigation- perhaps over the holidays. Here's a short thread on what we have to do if it happens.

twitter.com/justinhendrix/status/939491072279015424

Nuclear war:

This is how nuclear war with North Korea would unfold

www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/this-is-how-nuclear-war-with-north-korea-would-unfold/2017/12/08/4e298a28-db07-11e7-a841-2066faf731ef_story.html?utm_term=.bd1acba49388

Mike Madden‏Verified account
@MikeMadden
One particularly terrifying thing about this @ArmsControlWonk piece: The U.S. never uses its nukes at all in his scenario, and yet more than 2 million people still die.

Also

jelani cobb‏Verified account
@jelani9
The GOP continues to cosign 45’s agenda even as we’re having earnest discussions about whether he will initiate a nuclear war. This is madness.

US senator on North Korea: “Most Americans don’t realize how close we are to this war”

www.vox.com/world/2017/12/7/16743550/north-korea-tammy-duckworth-interview

Also

Nobel Peace Prize winner: Nuclear war ‘may be one tiny tantrum away’

thehill.com/policy/international/364185-nobel-peace-prize-winner-nuclear-war-may-be-one-tiny-tantrum-away

U.S. Diplomat’s Resignation Signals Wider Exodus From State Department

One diplomat's stinging resignation letter offers a glimpse into declining morale at the State Department under Trump.

foreignpolicy.com/2017/12/09/u-s-diplomat-resigns-warning-of-state-departments-diminished-role-diplomacy-national-security-tillerson-africa-somalia-south-sudan/

Amy Siskind‏Verified account
@Amy_Siskind
4h4 hours ago
More
Press conference tomorrow by Trump’s victims of sexual assault. If pedophile Roy Moore, who Trump did everything he could to help, goes down Tuesday, it will mean Trump has no political capital, and they’ll be coming for him with pitchforks come Wednesday on sexual misconduct.

Let us🙏

Alas, I suspect Moore will win.

I do too I’m afraid. The dem voter turnout is predicted to be low, though these things are hard to forecast.

On the Alabama election, I don't understand why the Dem voter turnout would be low, in the present circumstances? Surely they should fight this as hard as possible? I don't get it - it's that thing about people preferring to vote for a potential paedophile than a Democrat, but if you are Democrat-leaning, at least show your face at the polls!

Sorry ouais I meant the African-American turnout (which equates to Dem turnout in this instance) was predicted to be low but that was a few days ago and Doug Jones has roped in John Lewis and Cory Booker since then to help get voters out. I can't find the article that was discussing it and this one probably doesn't tell you anything you don't already know but is a broad overview of the situation

www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/politics/alabama-votes/?utm_term=.5c04f66f25c1

This, more recent article, is slightly encouraging:

www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2017/12/in_alabama_doug_jones_scrambles_to_assemble_a_winning_coalition.html

Natasha Bertrand‏Verified account
@NatashaBertrand
“Some of those interviewed by Mueller's team believe the goal is in part to determine if there was a deliberate effort by Trump or top officials...to cover up the information about Flynn that Sally Yates conveyed to McGahn on Jan. 26.”

www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/18-crucial-days-what-did-president-know-when-did-he-n828261

Ah, thank you, Pain, I was able to read the second article and it all makes a lot more sense now. Voter photo ID, crap. My daughter wants to do her dissertation on disenfranchisement amongst the homeless. Makes you wonder.

There is pushback against it though

Democrats eye gains in Pennsylvania trial on 'goofy' gerrymandering

www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-politics-pennsylvania/democrats-eye-gains-in-pennsylvania-trial-on-goofy-gerrymandering-idUSKBN1E40FE