Trump 2018: Resistance is Never Futile

[lionheart]

To pick up on the Star Trek motif.

An interesting article from Newsweek comparing the miltary might of Russia and the US, plus where they might stand vis a vis potential allies.

www.newsweek.com/if-us-goes-war-russia-these-moscow-most-powerful-weapons-769835

A rogue from the US Army poking fun at the glorious, stable President? In any case, it isn’t there now.

thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/367792-army-twitter-account-likes-actors-tweet-mocking-trump-comments

Read this excellent summary of the book on Twitter, he is even worse than we thought!

Finished #FireAndFury, some thoughts: Trump is portrayed as impatient, narcissistic, reckless, capricious, utterly lacking in basic competence & curiosity about the Presidency, except how it helps him and his image. Ivanka knows him best - he just wants/needs to be loved. 1/
7:08 am · 7 Jan 2018

Wajahat Ali
@WajahatAli
·
30m
Replying to @WajahatAli
Bannon is equally narcissistic but with a clear, zealous populist/nationalist agenda. He's also his worst enemy with his own inflated belief in his alleged brilliance and forsight, coupled with his reckless fake alpha male bravado. #FireAndFury 2/

Wajahat Ali
@WajahatAli
·
27m
Trump is viewed by all his enablers as a blunt instrument they can use either to advance their personal careers (Jarvanka, Conway), their wealth (Cohn, Ross) or right wing ideologies (Bannon, Miller, Mercers). All view him as unfit or unqualified to be President 3/ #FireAndFury

Wajahat Ali
@WajahatAli
·
24m
Trump covets attention, admiration & love from the very same institutions he berates, namely the media (Cable TV and NYT) and Hollywood. Women are either sexual play things for his lust, trophies and arm candy for his ego and, or trusted sycophants (Hope Hicks) 4/ #FireAndFury

Wajahat Ali
@WajahatAli
·
20m
DC is basically a playground of starf*ers but in power suits: Media personalities (Scarborough & Mika), Moguls (Ailes), Financial players (Cohn, Scaramucci), Racists (Miller, Spencer), bureaucrats, Republicans, etc. Trump, as President, is the central star. 5/ #FireAndFury

Wajahat Ali
@WajahatAli
·
17m
As portrayed and quoted in the book, Bannon seems to understand how deeply screwed Trump is as a result of his firing of Comey and the Don Jr Trump Tower meeting with the Russians. His analysis of Mueller's probe seems spot on. Jarvanka are complete morons. 6/ #FireAndFury

Wajahat Ali
@WajahatAli
·
14m
Everyone around him has their own idea of what Trumpism is except Donald Trump, who doesn't seem to care or understand or willing to understand (especially if it means paying attention and reading) as long as it helps his image, his brand, and his bottom line. 7/ #FireAndFury

Wajahat Ali
@WajahatAli
·
11m
In #FireAndFury, Trump is a man w/ no noble goals or adherence to ideology other than Trump. He's a 2 year old, everything is personal, even when it's not. He's permanently gazing at his own wrinkled, decaying navel, ignoring everything else around him that is far more important.

This is funny! Best tweets about the 'stable genius' claim

www.thepoke.co.uk/2018/01/07/donald-trump-says-hes-stable-genius-15-favourite-replies/

Still cashed the cheque for $37.82...

Politico released a collection of handwritten notes Trump has written to journalists. Some are “Thank you” for articles painting him a good light, and others are petty and mean for articles critical of Trump, and all of them are the work of a 10-year-old mental state, complete with circled names and arrows pointing at reporter’s faces, etc.

www.bluedotdaily.com/reporters-release-handwritten-attack-notes-from-trump-yet-he-claims-hes-a-very-stable-genius/

So @brianstelter got hold of the RNC talking points for the Wolff book fallout.
twitter.com/jayrosen_nyu/status/949680918058422272

Meanwhile Dems are still shooting themselves in the foot. How will this help more women get elected?

One of the Democratic Party's biggest donors says she is reconsidering her support for the women in the US Senate who called for Al Franken’s resignation following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and inappropriate touching.

www.buzzfeed.com/rubycramer/a-major-democratic-donor-is-reconsidering-support-for

You know, because it was a Christmas time tweet, I think when he said "Stable genius" he saw himself as Jesus (and the entire holly family) and compared himself to the cow and the donkey.

Mr. Ed (for those of you who remember )

Stable genius...ah, I see what you you did there. Very nice!

Bahahaha! Thank you to the @ huntthesnark, @ RobertCragg and @ tenorjcs on that Poke link above!
(And here's the tune for their ditty, for anyone who doesn't know it )

I am the very model of a Very Stable Genius.
I have a mighty button and no problems with my penius.
I have no time for television, golf or social media
Since my brain is way way better than the best encyclopedia.

I'm cutting tax, I'll build a wall, I'll take away their medicare
You can trust me 'cos I'm orange and I have the most amazing hair.
So with my total ignorance of matters heterogeneous
I am the very model of a Very Stable Genius!

Compared to other leaders, my behavior's quite unusual
My twisted tweets and pissed-on sheets have managed to amuse you all
I have to drink two-handed 'cause my fingers are the teeniest
I need a sippy-cup with the inscription "Stable Genius."

The Bannon who cried Wolff (and other tales)

From ‘The Great Manipulator’ To ‘Sloppy Steve’ – The Fall Of Bannon
Trump’s campaign chief and top White House aide has been left politically homeless.

www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/steve-bannon-downfall-trump_us_5a4ff935e4b089e14dbad4bf

And

State of the Union‏
@CNNSotu
This Sunday Senior Policy Adviser Stephen Miller joins @jaketapper live on #CNNSOTU. Tune in!

Jonathan Swan‏Verified account
@jonathanvswan
Easy prediction: Miller is going on CNN to publicly behead Steve Bannon for a gleeful audience of One. Trump wants every last person historically described as a Bannon ally to bury him on TV. Trump is telling people to choose between him and Bannon and everyone is choosing Trump.

Miller turned against Bannon a while ago, and told people months ago that Bannon was a leaker and a self-promoter. He’s just never been public about it. (Until tomorrow I expect.)

And

Trump: choose Bannon or me

www.axios.com/trump-choose-bannon-or-me-1515290460-98a82a48-507a-4d2b-a79c-0f3f51f4511f.html?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=twsocialshare&utm_campaign=organic

Trump/Russia

McMaster: US has seen signs of Russian 'subversion and disinformation' in upcoming Mexican election

uk.businessinsider.com/mcmaster-us-russia-interference-mexico-election-2018-1?r=US&IR=T

And

Anderson Cooper 360°‏Verified account
@AC360
"I would predict that there will be convictions and indictments early in the new year," Sen. Richard Blumenthal tells @AndersonCooper, specifying that those implicated will be individuals "currently in the White House staff or past White House staff"

twitter.com/AC360/status/949450944391139328

And

Daniel Dale
@ddale8
Trump has learned that if he can ignore important questions for a day or two, the media will stop asking them. It's part of the challenge of Trump's news avalanche - everything gets replaced by everything else.

And

David Frum‏Verified account
@davidfrum
But Trump is kept in power by two group in the middle: a) by people who know he’s unfit but believe they can use him and b) by people who sense he’s unfit but care more about culture war than the governance of their country

And

Roger Stone’s New Gig: Lobbying for Drone Strikes in Somalia

The Trump ally and notorious dirty trickster has a new, interesting, and somewhat dark influence-peddling assignment.

www.thedailybeast.com/roger-stones-new-gig-lobbying-for-drone-strikes-in-somalia?ref=home

And

Natasha Bertrand
@NatashaBertrand
She and George are having an engagement party later this month and hope for a summer wedding in Italy (depending on sentencing).
He proposed in late September, one year after first writing her on LinkedIn. Their mutual connection was Joseph Mifsud.

George Papadopoulos' fiancée opens up about her FBI interview, that mysterious London professor, and her wedding plans

uk.businessinsider.com/papadopoulos-fiancee-simona-mangiante-2018-1?r=US&IR=T

Foreign affairs

Jim Sciutto
@jimsciutto
Without a doubt, #NorthKorea’s rapid nuclear advance is far more consequential & foreboding than any other recent headline:

www.nytimes.com/2018/01/06/world/asia/north-korea-nuclear-missile-intelligence.html

And

Tillerson tells AP Trump administration is working on Iran deal fix

www.cbsnews.com/news/tillerson-tells-ap-trump-administration-is-working-to-keep-u-s-in-iran-deal/?ftag=COS-05-10aaa0g&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_content=5a51c62604d301454162ae63&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

Social media:

Trump is using Twitter to manipulate the country. Here’s how to stop falling for it

www.sacbee.com/opinion/california-forum/article193085404.html

And

How to Fix Facebook—Before It Fixes Us
An early investor explains why the social media platform’s business model is such a threat—and what to do about it.

washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/january-february-march-2018/how-to-fix-facebook-before-it-fixes-us/

And (more media-media but still)

Matthew Miller‏Verified account
@matthewamiller
Come on press corps. Most important q to ask Trump is still “when did you find out Flynn lied (or intended to lie) to the FBI?”

Meanwhile:

Kyle Griffin
@kylegriffin1
Ex-Head of the Civil Rights Division of the DOJ, Vanita Gupta, is urging Sec. Wilbur Ross to reject the new citizenship question reported to be on the 2020 Census, saying it would threaten the census’s accuracy and fairness.

twitter.com/kylegriffin1/status/949789009777254401

And

Kyle Griffin
@kylegriffin1
An ex-National Park Service official who improperly helped the owner of the Washington Redskins cut down more than 130 trees to improve a river view at his Potomac estate has been chosen by the Trump admin to be one of the agency’s top leaders.

www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/01/06/official-who-improperly-helped-redskins-owner-cut-down-trees-picked-as-national-park-service-deputy-director/?utm_source=rss_energy-environment&tid=sm_tw_green

And

[from a federal account]

Natural Resources‏Verified account
@NatResources
Unfortunately, @Patagonia refused to appear publicly to defend their lies

Letter → bit.ly/2lZpBKp

twitter.com/NatResources/status/949398337521897472

And

Adam Khan
@Khanoisseur
The Department of Justice is a longtime nemesis of Koch bros - it has filed lawsuits against them for hundreds of oil spills. Would be another huge coup for Kochs if they got their operative Pruitt, who has done a stellar job gutting the EPA, to now do the same at the DoJ.

1. Koch network groups have been gunning for Jeff Sessions, slamming his sentencing and drug policies, and Koch favorite Pence may soon decide it is time to see Sessions out
2. The “Pruitt may replace Sessions” story could also be planted to pressure Sessions into using all tools at DoJ’s disposal to go more aggressively after Trump’s political opponents, pursue Clintons etc, and win back Trump’s approval.

But also!

93-year-old World War II vet sworn in as shore town’s mayor

www.apnews.com/e6ba4e3c76d649f98fb527f9217b568d

And also

She Quit Working For Trump. Now She’s Running For Congress To Fight Him.
Democrat Gina Ortiz Jones would be the first lesbian, Iraq War vet and Filipina-American to fill a U.S. House seat in Texas.

www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gina-ortiz-jones-will-hurd-texas-2018_us_5a4c069ce4b0b0e5a7a94c48?qq

Amy Siskind weekly update:

www.facebook.com/amy.siskind/posts/10214903859895140

Trump's tweets are undermining American credibility. For sure!

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/07/world/europe/trump-tweets-american-credibility.html#click=t.co/3TSmjsvNWT" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.nytimes.com/2018/01/07/world/europe/trump-tweets-american-credibility.html#click=t.co/3TSmjsvNWT

Name change fail

you can report yourself and ask mn to sort that out pain, they've been lovely to me when I've done the same.

Thanks oybbk. I’ve not actually used the other name before so it’s not a problem. Was going to venture into S&B last night for a wedding related quandary but didn’t get round to it!

Thanks for the update, anyway.

And for interest.

"Blumenthal is always super cautious with his statements. This sounds real."

For interest.

More women entering dairy industry in Wisconsin