Demoralizing and disheartening times.

February 9, 2017 11:27 AM

Almost three weeks into his presidency, President Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Neil Gorsuch, has allegedly been telling senators that comments that attack judges are "demoralizing" and "disheartening." This morning, the president "[told] airline CEOs they—& govt.—are using “obsolete” equipment “the airports give you.” Trump says his pilot, “a smart guy,” told him." This evening, the Senate will vote on Trump's nomination for HHS Secretary, Tom Price.

All eyes remain on the 9th Circuit, where a decision is expected on whether or not to a end the temporary restraining order to President Trump's travel ban. Teen Vogue explains why Kellyanne Conway's statement to "go buy Ivanka's stuff" on television this morning may violate federal law. A complaint has already been filed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. Press Secretary Sean Spicer today said that Conway has been "counseled" on the matter.

Tomorrow, the president and Japan's Prime Minister Shinzō Abe will hold a press conference at 1pm Eastern, and then will head to Mar-a-Lago for the weekend. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will visit the White House on Monday. Alec Baldwin hosts Saturday Night Live.

posted by roomthreeseventeen (2860 comments total)

It's aging me but I can't stop watching these Spicer pressers.
posted by OverlappingElvis at 11:29 AM on February 9, 2017 [18 favorites]

no sir, I don't like it
posted by Rust Moranis at 11:29 AM on February 9, 2017 [15 favorites]

I can only watch them by reading comments in these threads.
posted by kingless at 11:30 AM on February 9, 2017 [61 favorites]

The "demoralizing and disheartening" quote from Gorsuch is pretty clearly just a head fake by the Trump people, and probably Gorsuch himself is in on it, to make him look "independent."
posted by jackbrown at 11:30 AM on February 9, 2017 [32 favorites]

I continue to be grateful that other people can watch Showdowns with Spicy and report back, as I lack the intestinal fortitude.
posted by lydhre at 11:30 AM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

These politics threads fill up more quickly election threads. Back before the shit hit the fan, we were going 1-2 weeks before a new thread. Now it's like 3-5 days. Or so it seems.
posted by Excommunicated Cardinal at 11:31 AM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

The executive orders are up:

Presidential Executive Order on a Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety
Presidential Executive Order on Preventing Violence Against Federal, State, Tribal, and Local Law Enforcement Officers
Presidential Executive Order on Enforcing Federal Law with Respect to Transnational Criminal Organizations and Preventing International Trafficking

The first one starts with a bold and totally not obvious pronouncement: "It shall be the policy of the executive branch to reduce crime in America."
posted by zachlipton at 11:31 AM on February 9, 2017 [14 favorites]

Any educators here? Would it be appropriate or welcome to donate a few subscriptions to Teen Vogue to local schools?
posted by ezust at 11:31 AM on February 9, 2017 [15 favorites]

WH Press Corps did a stunning job today pressing Spicer on the comments of Gorsuch and the senators that Gorsuch talked to. One reporter asked the question so many times that Spicer got frustrated, and said, "What are you…" (as if to say, stupid, maybe?), but then didn't say the last word of his sentence.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:31 AM on February 9, 2017 [25 favorites]

The first one starts with a bold and totally not obvious pronouncement: "It shall be the policy of the executive branch to reduce crime in America."

By hiring the worst criminals.
posted by Etrigan at 11:33 AM on February 9, 2017 [22 favorites]

For Room 641-A: So, one reporter asked about a Conway comment(? tweet? not sure), where she said that Trump didn't have time to tweet about everything - for example, he had time to tweet about Nordstrom dropping Ivanka's line but didn't tweet about the Quebec City attack. Spicy jumped on the reporter claiming that he offered the president's condolences in a briefing the following day. Reporter persisted re: why wasn't it important enough to tweet? At which point, Spicy seems appalled that the reporter would consider tweeting to be more important than the briefings Spicy provides.
posted by meowf at 11:33 AM on February 9, 2017 [24 favorites]

Good grief. We have never - and I mean NEVER - had this degree of pathological lying coming from the President and his entourage. Have other Presidents lied? Yes. Have other White House staff lied? Yes. But it has NEVER been like this. This is through-the-looking-glass levels of bald-faced lying and reality fabrication here.

I am seriously concerned that this marks a real turning point in American government, where surrealism, absurdism and postmodernism finally overwhelm our federal government and we are left with a country where facts and truth are completely irrelevant.

Could any country sustain intact after this happens?
posted by darkstar at 11:33 AM on February 9, 2017 [116 favorites]

The first one starts with a bold and totally not obvious pronouncement: "It shall be the policy of the executive branch to reduce crime in America."

For every new crime they're going to eliminate two old ones.
posted by dng at 11:34 AM on February 9, 2017 [144 favorites]

At some point, maybe a year from now, we will look back and find that Trump's EOs accomplished basically nothing. We're totally right to be upset about the policies they reflect, and some of them do have a real world effect (like the Muslim ban), but mostly they are pure nothing meant to signal to the base and that's it. Like today's task force EO. Having a task force = so what? I will protest in the streets in support of Black Lives Matter and against the bs tough on crime nonsense until they run out of signs, but when we get closer to 2018, we also need to find a way to tell the story that they are repugnant and ALSO ineffectual garbage statements with no content and no effect on the world except making non-racists feel miserable.
posted by prefpara at 11:35 AM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

The first one starts with a bold and totally not obvious pronouncement: "It shall be the policy of the executive branch to reduce crime in America."

Sadly, I'm sure it doesn't make the obvious follow-on that, therefore, Trump is resigning immediately.
posted by Gelatin at 11:35 AM on February 9, 2017 [11 favorites]

The briefing ended with Spicer coming back out to explain that Prime Minister Abe would be Trump's guest at Mar-a-Lago (i.e. Trump is paying for it)

Does anyone believe the U.S. government won't be billed for the room?

(oops, wrong thread)
posted by Etrigan at 11:36 AM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

Chaffetz briefly woke up from his slumber: ". @jasoninthehouse on Conway: “That was wrong, wrong, wrong. It is wholly unacceptable – no if, ands or buts about it" via @AlexNBCNews"

I'm sure he won't, you know, do anything, but Conway's hawking of products was so egregious even Chaffetz couldn't pretend it didn't happen.
posted by zachlipton at 11:36 AM on February 9, 2017 [35 favorites]

These EOs are maybe a step above declaring crime to be illegal.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 11:36 AM on February 9, 2017 [23 favorites]

Alec Baldwin hosts Saturday Night Live.

Isn't he almost considered a member of the current cast now? I hope they also keep Melissa McCarthy for weekly updates. Comedians have power against the current administration:

Melissa McCarthy's frustrated, unhinged parody of White House press secretary Sean Spicer on last weekend's SNL unsettled the White House and bothered Trump, and her performance was seen as potentially hurting Spicer's longevity in the job, Politico reported, citing people close to the president.

(Chicago Tribute, Feb. 8, 2017)
posted by filthy light thief at 11:37 AM on February 9, 2017 [34 favorites]

The first one starts with a bold and totally not obvious pronouncement: "It shall be the policy of the executive branch to reduce crime in America."

That's simple: make things uncrimes. Henceforth, it will be legal for banks to do subprime mortgages, public officials to endorse specific brands, and for the state to promote religion. Crime plummets!

But crimes not done by Trump's base will still be crimes.
posted by MrGuilt at 11:37 AM on February 9, 2017 [12 favorites]

Ari Fleisher was a better and more frequent liar than Spicer could ever dream of.
posted by Yowser at 11:37 AM on February 9, 2017 [28 favorites]

They might just throw Conway to the wolves because a) she's a woman and b) she's actually becoming less effective at spinning their shit and c) she's a woman.
posted by lydhre at 11:38 AM on February 9, 2017 [111 favorites]

The first and third new EOs don't seem to do much other than say that they're going to fight crime so hard, the most crime, you'll get sick of how much crime they're fighting. But the second one is full on Blue Lives Matter and I'm nervous about what an "executive branch strategy to prevent violence against Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers" could mean.
posted by theodolite at 11:38 AM on February 9, 2017 [27 favorites]

The Office of Government ethics is kind of suggesting they'd prefer if you stopped calling and emailing them, since they don't have the authority to investigate stuff.
posted by zachlipton at 11:39 AM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

Presidential Executive Order on Preventing Violence Against Federal, State, Tribal, and Local Law Enforcement Officers

This one seeks to "define new federal crimes, and increase penalties for existing federal crimes, in order to prevent violence" against state and federal police.

This wording is particularly worrisome. They will try to make all kinds of actions that are non-violent (e.g., protesting, criticizing police, filming police) criminal activities, with the rationale that doing so will "prevent" violence against state and federal police.

Guess what happens when you make criticizing the police a felony? You make it legal for police to use deadly force against anybody who is critical of police.
posted by AceRock at 11:40 AM on February 9, 2017 [146 favorites]

zachlipton: Presidential Executive Order on Preventing Violence Against Federal, State, Tribal, and Local Law Enforcement Officers

Huh, they actually included Tribal entities throughout that one, even if would have been an easy copy and paste. I have no comment on the rest of the content, my head isn't in it at the moment.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:40 AM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

I went back to transcribe what they were saying to justify the EOs.

Spicer: "Law enforcement officials have been vocal about the lack of support they received under the past administration. This lack of support demoralized many officers and in some cases led to their discouraging engagement with local communities, only causing further harm and deterioration."

So all the problems people have been having with police, really, are Obama's fault.

Fucking shameless.
posted by rewil at 11:41 AM on February 9, 2017 [83 favorites]

Copying over from the last thread, The Slot (Gawker Media): What Is Happening to Sean Spicer's Face? It's taken on a certain tint ...
posted by ZeusHumms at 11:41 AM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

You all keep pointing to the bad things about the Trump administration! Nobody's giving him credit for all the good things he's brought us!

In so many ways, President Trump continues to enrich our culture by inspiring the creativity of our artists, writers, and Pennsylvania state senators.


It's because of Donald Trump, we now have the practically Shakespearian insult, Fascist, Loofa-faced shit-gibbon!
posted by Naberius at 11:42 AM on February 9, 2017 [14 favorites]

I have neither the appetite or talent to do this, but some sort of website that racks up lies per day and compares Spicer to Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf with some sort of real-time counter would be awesome; start it at Inauguration Day vs. al-Sahhaf's first press briefing and let the counter go up from there.
posted by Shepherd at 11:42 AM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

I'm sure he won't, you know, do anything, but Conway's hawking of products was so egregious even Chaffetz couldn't pretend it didn't happen.

I spoke too soon: "Chaffetz tells @AlexNBCNews he spoke w/ Cummings & they are going to send a joint letter to WH & OGE for a referral regarding Conway remarks"

Could just wind up with a memo saying "don't do that," but lydhre's theory sounds like exactly what could happen.
posted by zachlipton at 11:43 AM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

They will try to make all kinds of actions that are non-violent (e.g., protesting, criticizing police, filming police) criminal activities, with the rationale that doing so will "prevent" violence against state and federal police.

Yup.

Huh, they actually included Tribal entities throughout that one, even if would have been an easy copy and paste

Pretty sure that won't mean anything. I don't believe there's a lot of worry in the GOP about the safety of Tribal police. In fact, I'm pretty sure they don't think tribes should have police because they don't think tribes should have sovereign status.
posted by suelac at 11:43 AM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

So with the Gorsuch hearings coming up, I emailed my Senators thusly:

Dear Senator,

I am writing to request that you ask Judge Gorsuch the following questions during his confirmation hearings:

1. Regarding your writing in 2005 for the National Review, do you believe equal protection under the law is a liberal political issue, and specifically, do you support equal protection under the law for same-sex couples seeking to marry?

2. You are known as a champion of religious freedom. However, your ruling in Hobby Lobby nullifies the religious freedom and equal treatment under the law of those women who choose to use birth control, and especially those who use such medications for reasons other than birth control - many birth control medications are prescribed for other medical uses unrelated to birth control. What response do you have to women whose religious beliefs are overridden by their employer's?

3. Looking at your record, many Americans fear that, if you serve on the Supreme Court, they will lose rights that the courts have previously recognized. This is especially true for women who may seek an abortion and same-sex couples who may wish to marry. What would you say to those citizens?

4. Have you, personally, ever lost a right previously recognized by a court due to a later ruling?

5. In 2002, you criticized the Senate's process for judicial confirmations, praising Merrick Garland long before President Obama nominated him to the Supreme Court. Do you believe the Senate's refusal to act on that Supreme Court nomination inflicted an injustice on the American people, and if so, do you believe they have any recourse?

I would greatly appreciate a quick response from your staff letting me know if these questions have been passed on to the Senator.

Thank you!

I bet the smart and engaged MeFites here have lots of good, thoughtful questions for Judge Gorsuch. If you have some, please share them with your senators so we can all hear the answers.

Also, TIL that Judge Gorsuch's mother was the first head of a US federal agency to be charged with contempt of Congress.
posted by kristi at 11:44 AM on February 9, 2017 [117 favorites]

So this may be really old news to people here, but I've been thinking a lot about the less apparent consequences of the Forced Birth Movement's never-ending quest to restrict access to family planning services and abortion, and I really want to spell it out in case someone, like me, has missed this twisted forest for the trees.

First, the drive characterize abortion as "murder" would automatically make a felon of anyone who performs one (and is convicted). By defining this medical procedure as "murder", then not only could the doctor become a convicted felon quiet easily, the door would be wide open for accessory to murder charges for:

* Women seeking abortions (already happening)
* Women who miscarry (already happening)
* Anyone who helps to transport woman to obtain this medical procedure
* Anyone who aids a woman in the literal planning of seeking an abortion

Second, if abortion is characterized as "murder" then anyone even talking about abortion might be subject to "incitement to violence charges".

If such a crime is classified as a felony, like abortion, it would lead to my last point. With these new classes of "felony", guess who would all of sudden be disenfranchised from voting for decades upon conviction? Disproportionately, it would be women.

In conclusion, the Heirs of Jefferson Davis, not only want to control our bodies and ruin our health, but they also want to make sure that they can get around that pesky 19th amendment and take away our franchise because we exercise control over our bodies, aid another person in exercising their bodily autonomy, or even talked about doing so.

The Forced Birth movement so frequently says that they don't want to punish women for having sex, but their actions always indicate that that is, in fact, their method and goal.
posted by Excommunicated Cardinal at 11:44 AM on February 9, 2017 [111 favorites]

These EOs are maybe a step above declaring crime to be illegal.

IANAL, but right? They do have some stuff about improving data gathering, which could be awful, depending, and some stuff about suggesting legislation to achieve each EO's goals, which also stands a good chance of being awful, but otherwise they feel like more Trump grandstanding -- ie, just another day in the Oval Office.
posted by notyou at 11:44 AM on February 9, 2017

Spicer got frustrated, and said, "What are you…" (as if to say, stupid, maybe?), but then didn't say the last word of his sentence.

Here's a clip
posted by zachlipton at 11:45 AM on February 9, 2017 [10 favorites]

I think they're emphasizing the word "tribal" to dogwhistle that they're going to use force against the water protectors. Worrying.
posted by Emily's Fist at 11:45 AM on February 9, 2017 [34 favorites]

Sarah Palin touted as US ambassador to Canada? You betcha!

Sorry. Can you guys fuck off?

Thanks.

Sorry.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 11:46 AM on February 9, 2017 [94 favorites]

We have never - and I mean NEVER - had this degree of pathological lying coming from the President and his entourage.

We probably have, the point is that they were good at telling lies. They didn't try to pretend that Americans were stupid and would believe anything they were told.

I'm going to blame the birther movement for this one. They figured if people could so foolishly believe that, they might believe other outrageously stupid shit.
posted by INFJ at 11:46 AM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

This wording is particularly worrisome. They will try to make all kinds of actions that are non-violent (e.g., protesting, criticizing police, filming police) criminal activities, with the rationale that doing so will "prevent" violence against state and federal police.

Not only non-violent, but also protected by the First Amendment. Trump seems to be banking hard on Gorsuch being on his side, but I wonder if even this "new Scalia" will stomach such blatant up-is-down-ism. And if he does, whether Kennedy will.
posted by Gelatin at 11:48 AM on February 9, 2017 [10 favorites]

So I actually have gone to the White House to protest during my lunch break the past couple of days, and I'm planning to go at least through next Tuesday (I need to take my baby to get vaccinated Wednesday so that protest is up in the air). It's a pain to get there and back and it's literally just me walking back and forth in front of the Treasury Department with a sign (they still have a lot of Pennsylvania Ave closed off with Inauguration stuff being disassembled which is bullshit but I'll move to directly in front of the White House when I can).

It feels kind of silly and pointless because if it's just me there for half an hour a day it doesn't feel like it's accomplishing a whole lot and to be honest I feel so awkward and weird just walking there by myself with a sign but then this horrifying administration does literally anything and I feel like I have to do whatever I can to push back.
posted by Mrs. Pterodactyl at 11:50 AM on February 9, 2017 [186 favorites]

GENERAL GODDAMNED STRIKE FEB 17
posted by The_Auditor at 11:50 AM on February 9, 2017 [22 favorites]

I'm nervous about what an "executive branch strategy to prevent violence against Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers" could mean.

Yes, that does seem to be the most sinister part. Stepping up FBI harassment of BLM seems like one obvious form for this to take, but I'm sure that'll only be the start of it.
posted by tobascodagama at 11:51 AM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

They might just throw Conway to the wolves because a) she's a woman and b) she's actually becoming less effective at spinning their shit and c) she's a woman.

I think b more than a/c. Conway was a meme for the Right for a while after the election--the first woman to run a successful presidential campaign ("What was no one congratulating her?"). She's also the only prominent woman in the Trump administration not named Ivanka.

She may, at some point, call it quits on her own. She keeps having to tie herself in knots to keep up with her boss's latest tweet. I wouldn't blame her to give it up, and make pancakes while listening to "Walking on Sunshine."
posted by MrGuilt at 11:51 AM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

Sessions's first comments as AG:

We have a crime problem... I wish the blip — I wish the rise that we’re seeing in crime in America today were some sort of aberration or a blip. My best judgment, having been involved in criminal law enforcement for many years, is that this is a dangerous permanent trend that places the health and safety of the American people at risk.

This is just a massive blow for anyone who cares about civil liberties, or people being extrajudicially executed in the street, or the carceral state, or reality, or the actual safety of the people in our most vulnerable communities.
posted by AceRock at 11:52 AM on February 9, 2017 [117 favorites]

Also, TIL that Judge Gorsuch's mother was the first head of a US federal agency to be charged with contempt of Congress.

A useful reminder that the whole "put someone in charge of an agency who has contempt for said agency's core mission" thing didn't originate with Trump by a long shot. (Does anyone remember James "the Beach Boys attract an undesirable element" Watt?)
posted by Gelatin at 11:52 AM on February 9, 2017 [17 favorites]

Everyone. I, just. WHY HAVEN'T THEY WATCHED WEST WING? IT'S JUST SITTING THERE ON NETFLIX WAITING TO BE WATCHED.

I realize it's not a show about their team or ideas but goddamn, don't tell me they couldn't learn useful shit from our fictional friends CJ Cregg and Leo McGarry.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 11:52 AM on February 9, 2017 [12 favorites]

I wish the general strike were better thought out. The point of a general strike is for everyone to be able to do it. With no planning and almost no lead time, it's just impossible.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:53 AM on February 9, 2017 [97 favorites]

Sorry, what about the West Wing is at all relevant (or was ever relevant) to actual political reality?
posted by dilaudid at 11:54 AM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

I see my paranoia increasing in this whole Gorsuch thing. It's really remarkable how quickly I concluded that Trump's camp deliberately manufactured the kerfuffle, telling Gorsuch to use those words to create an illusion of independence.

Everything about the Administrations is so gratuitous that it's hard to avoid conspiracy thinking. HELP!
posted by cichlid ceilidh at 11:55 AM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

You folks remember how Trump spent most of the primaries yelling at Rubio about amnesty for being part of the Gang of Eight immigration reform deal? Turns out Manchin is going around saying that Trump told Senators he would be open to the deal now.

This strikes me as another example of Trump telling everyone what he thinks they want to hear more than an actual statement of policy though.
posted by zachlipton at 11:55 AM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

compares Spicer to Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf

Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf had flair. He had verve. He had confidence.

Spicer is no Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 11:56 AM on February 9, 2017 [17 favorites]

Yeah, a general stroke needs buy in from the big unions, at the very least. Calling for but not preparing for a general stroke basically just guts the expectations around such actions. Which sucks.
posted by kaibutsu at 11:56 AM on February 9, 2017 [34 favorites]

The point of a general strike is for everyone to be able to do it. With no planning and almost no lead time, it's just impossible.

Plus, you want enough lead time for the powers at be to shit themselves, and invest enough time and resources into preparing for it that even if a general strike doesn't really happen, it's still a drag on business. Sorta like Y2K.
posted by Capt. Renault at 11:57 AM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

I wish the general strike were better thought out. The point of a general strike is for everyone to be able to do it. With no planning and almost no lead time, it's just impossible.

It's my understanding that the plan is for this to be the first and smallest of multiple strikes this year. Gotta start somewhere.
posted by WidgetAlley at 11:57 AM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

Sorry, what about the West Wing is at all relevant (or was ever relevant) to actual political reality?

If I may...I think what fluffy battle kitten is getting at is that even a mere simulacrum, kabuki or pantomime of the act of governing by this administration would be comforting at this point all things considered.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 11:58 AM on February 9, 2017 [10 favorites]

In 2005, as the Bush Administration finally starts to collapse, Bush would watch The West Wing religiously. I would give anything to know what was going through his head at the time, but it didn't seem to help the White House very much as they lurched from blunder to blunder.
posted by honestcoyote at 12:00 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

One of these days soon, I'm sure to have a general stroke over these guys.
posted by waitingtoderail at 12:02 PM on February 9, 2017 [11 favorites]

1. George W. Bush lied about WMDs to chivvy the country into a war in Iraq.

2. Trump is a more pathological, narcissistic liar than Bush Jr. was, and is advised by arguably just as venal (or more so) staffers and cabinet members.

Ergo...

3. We could be very likely looking at another significant war in the next four years, based in whole or in part on Trump's deceit.

I sincerely believe this is not a hyperbolic fear. This seems to be a very real possibility.
posted by darkstar at 12:02 PM on February 9, 2017 [21 favorites]

Kallien Conway "Go Buy Ivanka's Stuff!"
posted by mannequito at 12:02 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Oh hell with the hate on general strikes. Yeah the first time is gonna suck. We'll get better at it.
posted by saysthis at 12:03 PM on February 9, 2017 [49 favorites]

I completely expect a significant war in the next four months. It's the only way he can shore up support for the REALLY antidemocratic stuff we haven't seen yet.
posted by CheesesOfBrazil at 12:05 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

Yeah I'll be shocked if there isn't a push to put boots on the ground somewhere within the year, much less four.
posted by Rust Moranis at 12:06 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

On a general strike, from Jacobin: You Can't Fake It

A general strike could transform American politics. But we’re nowhere near being able to call one.

Moreover, even moderately effective general strikes don’t emerge, willy-nilly, like miraculous interventions into national life. They are intensifications and radicalizations of already existing patterns of resistance by the working class. This demand for a general strike looks less like that intensification and more like an attempt to leapfrog all the hard, long-term political work that goes before.
posted by zabuni at 12:06 PM on February 9, 2017 [53 favorites]

I think it's more that strikes are not, like, some mystical, unheard of, never-tried-before tactic. They have a long history, we know what makes them work and what makes them fail, and this last-minute campaign with no union support looks a lot like the latter.
posted by tobascodagama at 12:06 PM on February 9, 2017 [36 favorites]

Shit, y'all are optimistic, I'm expecting war any fucking day.
posted by Gaz Errant at 12:06 PM on February 9, 2017 [8 favorites]

The only way to get public support for a war is to let a major attack happen on American soil. So, that will happen. And then war.
posted by grumpybear69 at 12:07 PM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

It will take more time and political changes to get big union buy-in - let's remember that big unions (and I say this as a union member) are actually pretty conservative a lot of the time. Recent SEIU stuff, etc, is the exception. The post-WWII history of American unions is about getting rid of radicals and cutting deals with the Democratic party.

Now, I will stand up for unions in most things, and I think they're capable of getting on board with a general strike, but I bet it will be down the road. A number of people in my union voted for Trump (don't ask me, I don't know) and it's a touchy subject. I bet a number of people in bigger, older, whiter, more male unions also voted for Trump.

I think the best thing to do is for those who can to make any general strike that happens on the 17th as much of a thing as possible, so we can do more later. It's not like we're going to run out of opportunity.
posted by Frowner at 12:07 PM on February 9, 2017 [10 favorites]

It doesn't have to be on US soil. Trump seems like the type who would go to war over something like the USS Cole attack.
posted by drezdn at 12:09 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

Unions have been VERY cozy with Trump (SEIU being an exception, I suspect because they are a service employees union and very heavily female and black). Do not expect them to get on board with intense resistance just yet.
posted by soren_lorensen at 12:09 PM on February 9, 2017 [15 favorites]

I mean, this whole "but general strikes take work" thing - that's true. But part of the work is having events and getting publicity. Movements build on small events. We look back at general strikes and movement stuff of the past and we see the big events and the inflection points and don't see all the little events, meh events, things that were too soon or too late, etc.

If there's going to be general strike related events, I'd say we strike to the extent we have available.
posted by Frowner at 12:09 PM on February 9, 2017 [20 favorites]

The "demoralizing and disheartening" quote from Gorsuch is pretty clearly just a head fake by the Trump people, and probably Gorsuch himself is in on it, to make him look "independent."

No. They're not geniuses playing n-dimensional chess. They don't have to be. The problem isn't that Trump and Bannon are brilliantly snatching power, the problem is that we live in an era where buffoons can obtain and hold power without even being fucking competent. That's the scary thing, not some "head fake" bogeyman.
posted by howfar at 12:11 PM on February 9, 2017 [111 favorites]

The only way to get public support for a war is to let a major attack happen on American soil. So, that will happen. And then war.

I wonder, though. Bush the Lesser managed to avoid having his obvious incompetence pointed out by the media in the immediate wake of 9/11, despite the fact that Condoleeza Rice had to modify "no warning" to "no specific warning," but the media has been doing nothing but since Trump took office. Trump's incompetence is part of the narrative, and I suspect that it'd become part of the narrative in any attack they let happen. Which is not to say Bannon wouldn't want to try it anyway, but they might be unpleasantly surprised -- yet again -- if things don't turn out according to whatever half-baked plan they have.
posted by Gelatin at 12:11 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Umm. I've been wrong about Trump getting elected. And I've just messed up my kitchen like I was four, just making pizza. So I am no authority on anything. But I do feel that the actual real existing events are catastrophic enough and that speculating about wars are a distraction. Even as I think there may be wars.
posted by mumimor at 12:13 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Heck, I know a bunch of people in my union that voted trump. And I'm in New York. And it's a state job. That exclusively supports teachers. A general strike would take quite a lot.
posted by mrgoat at 12:14 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

Spicer: "Law enforcement officials have been vocal about the lack of support they received under the past administration. This lack of support demoralized many officers and in some cases led to their discouraging engagement with local communities, only causing further harm and deterioration."

So, lack of support from the chief executive is discouraging and demoralizing. Which is a problem when you're talking about cops, but not judges.
posted by nickmark at 12:14 PM on February 9, 2017 [23 favorites]

We have never - and I mean NEVER - had this degree of pathological lying coming from the President and his entourage.

Not sure what you mean... seems like nothing has yet risen to the degree of secretly bombing the shit out of Cambodia and then denying it.
posted by Coventry at 12:15 PM on February 9, 2017 [19 favorites]

Also, also: part of what I'm hearing a lot from the Jacobin end of the spectrum is "your resistance isn't good enough because it's too bourgeois, too oriented to aesthetics and/or a useless waste of time [and you should join a platformist socialist organization because we know how to do this with our awesome American track record, which is right off over there]".

Everyone is acting like they have a blueprint for what to do next and how to defeat Trump, or at least like they're sure other people's ideas are terrible. Even if we were in some kind of genuinely textbook situation, we would not have that. This is a weird and fluid time and things have not crystallized yet. And what's more, the moment you start to examine any successful liberation movement closely, you realize that it wasn't just people moving in lockstep with a well-defined socialist legislative agenda and pre-printed signs. Successful movements take real, boring, careful work, but they are also weird and quirky, and leaving space for the unexpected is important.

The other thing is, it's easy for every one of us to think "aha, if people would just listen to my blueprint idea, then we'd win" - the problem is that people aren't anarchists, or aren't sufficiently feminist, or don't understand how class is implicated, or whatever our particular hobby horses are. I'm seeing a lot of that - everyone thinks that the reason things went off the rails is the exact thing that they were complaining about before the election. I guarantee that this is not the case for any of us, and the interaction of issues is more complex than any of us are likely to be able to articulate on the fly.

We a lot of people doing a lot of stuff so that things that work can be developed - we need a laboratory for techniques. This is easily the weirdest, scariest political situation of my entire life - I doubt very much that any of our previous plans are the magic answer to the times.
posted by Frowner at 12:19 PM on February 9, 2017 [103 favorites]

They've even lost the Clinton Cash guy on this one.

White House says Conway has been ‘counseled’ after touting Ivanka Trump’s products

Said Peter Schweizer, who has worked closely with Trump aide Stephen K. Bannon and wrote the book “Clinton Cash,” which was critical of donations to the Clinton Foundation: “They’ve crossed a very, very important bright line, and it’s not good. To encourage Americans to buy goods from companies owned by the first family is totally out of bounds and needs to stop.

“Clearly, the Trumps feel some of this is related to politics. But whether that’s true or not, these marketing battles need to be fought by Ivanka and her company. They cannot and should not be fought by government employees and the White House,” Schweizer said. “It’s time to move beyond the mind-set and the role of a businessman and assume the mantle of commander of chief.”
posted by Jalliah at 12:19 PM on February 9, 2017 [13 favorites]

KellyAnne Conway and her dead, soulless eyes are loyal only to kelleyanne Conway. She had no problem hitching her wagon to Trump after tearing him down weeks earlier when she worked for Cruz. If they dump her I don't think she would would hesitate to open her trap and spill secrets to the highest bidder.
posted by Room 641-A at 12:20 PM on February 9, 2017 [42 favorites]

We are going to need to use every single blueprint , all the time, all at once.

There's no One True Way
posted by The Whelk at 12:21 PM on February 9, 2017 [14 favorites]

Whatever happened to the Russia scandal?
posted by T.D. Strange at 12:22 PM on February 9, 2017 [38 favorites]

“It’s time to move beyond the mind-set and the role of a businessman and assume the mantle of commander of chief.”

actually no please keep fighting with Nordstrom and not Iran thank you
posted by prize bull octorok at 12:22 PM on February 9, 2017 [82 favorites]

We have never - and I mean NEVER - had this degree of pathological lying coming from the President and his entourage.

Not sure what you mean... seems like nothing has yet risen to the degree of secretly bombing the shit out of Cambodia and then denying it.

I mean, that was highly fucked up, but that seems to me like regular old immoral intentional lying, as opposed to compulsive pathological lying for absolutely no reason other than that you want to give whoever you're talking to the answer that you think they want to hear
posted by saturday_morning at 12:24 PM on February 9, 2017 [33 favorites]

Who is the bearded reporter griefing Spicy?

Pretty sure it was Jared Rizzi, of SiriusXM radio.
posted by zachlipton at 12:25 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

I am SO MAD!! All this tough on crime shit with these Executive Actions is racist dogwhistling. Crime rates have dropped across America! Prescription Drugs are killing our communities! The fucker talking about "crime lords and gangs" while ceasing to monitor white supremacists!

Yes, I'm channeling the anger into productive activities.
posted by frecklefaerie at 12:26 PM on February 9, 2017 [49 favorites]

The Hot New Corporate PR Strategy? Giving Trump Credit for Stuff He Didn’t Do.

This appears to be the hot new survival strategy in corporate America, at least according to the Financial Times. Fearful that they might become the target of an angry tweet, corporate chieftains are being told to give Trump news he can brag about instead, such as new factory openings or hiring—whether or not the White House actually had anything to do with it

posted by zachlipton at 12:28 PM on February 9, 2017 [17 favorites]

I mean, that was highly fucked up, but that seems to me like regular old immoral intentional lying, as opposed to compulsive pathological lying for absolutely no reason other than that you want to give whoever you're talking to the answer that you think they want to hear

Good point. Everything they've lied about so far has been inane and inconsequential, because that's all they've had time to spin up. No one has actually asked him any questions about the administration's actions on anything of consequence. Rest assured, though, that by the time his first month is up, Trump will definitely have his press-weasels lying about war crimes.
posted by Mayor West at 12:30 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Great, fluffing Trump to keep valuations up.
posted by ZeusHumms at 12:30 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Whatever happened to the Russia scandal?

The only related news I've heard recently is that Russian security firms are no longer cooperating with US firms (e.g. sharing malware intel) as enthusiastically, because they're scared by the recent treason allegations.
posted by Coventry at 12:33 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

Copying over from the last thread, The Slot (Gawker Media): What Is Happening to Sean Spicer's Face? It's taken on a certain tint ..

I need to know if anyone else in that administration is going for Trump's weird white-eyes thing. Because JESUS that's a creepy fucking escalation up the Cartoon Super Villain track
posted by Slackermagee at 12:33 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

This appears to be the hot new survival strategy in corporate America, at least according to the Financial Times. Fearful that they might become the target of an angry tweet, corporate chieftains are being told to give Trump news he can brag about instead, such as new factory openings or hiring—whether or not the White House actually had anything to do with it

Given what happened with Nordstrom, they may want to revisit this hot new strategy
posted by saturday_morning at 12:34 PM on February 9, 2017 [12 favorites]

I hate to say anything in defense of Trump but he might have the right idea about "the wrong equipment" at airports. I'm wondering if he's talking about NextGen, the long and painful process of upgrading air traffic control systems. There's 20+ years of failures here and the current system being implemented is not great.

But NextGen will work, and it will be an improvement. And that 20+ years of difficulty has a history. It's not like everyone at FAA is stupid or corrupt, they're doing a hard job as well as they can. And that agency has a particularly difficult role because safety is absolutely paramount. I wince to hear Trump blather about "regulations" here; what, do you want the airplanes you fly on to not be regulated? The truth is American aviation has an amazingly good safety record thanks in a significant part to those regulations.

I also have zero faith that Trump's band of incompetents would do anything better at the FAA.
posted by Nelson at 12:36 PM on February 9, 2017 [14 favorites]

I was extremely heartened by what sure looked like press coordination on the issue of the "so-called judge" remarks. Even if they can't succeed in forcing Spicey to give a credible answer, they can make it obvious that the answers he's giving are not going to cut it, with bonus points for getting him to blow an SNL-worthy gasket.
posted by HotToddy at 12:36 PM on February 9, 2017 [13 favorites]

Having found no ready pro bono opportunities I'm now in the midst of establishing a paired 501(c)3 and 501(c)4. Any thread junkies who have done this before and don't mind passing on wisdom would be more than welcome to memail me.
posted by snuffleupagus at 12:36 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Great, fluffing Trump to keep valuations up.

"Please don't wish me into this bowl of tasty cornflakes, part of a healthy breakfast."
posted by maudlin at 12:37 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Hey guys, I think we may really want to do a close read on those executive orders.

including, if warranted, legislation defining new crimes of violence and establishing new mandatory minimum sentences for existing crimes of violence against Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers, as well as for related crimes;

posted by corb at 12:37 PM on February 9, 2017 [45 favorites]

corb, I agree, but it's so tiresome keeping up with them.
posted by Coventry at 12:39 PM on February 9, 2017

Copying over from the last thread, The Slot (Gawker Media): What Is Happening to Sean Spicer's Face? It's taken on a certain tint ..

I need to know if anyone else in that administration is going for Trump's weird white-eyes thing. Because JESUS that's a creepy fucking escalation up the Cartoon Super Villain track

I think it might be more simple than that:

one dire consequence of persecuting homosexuals is there isn't a mary among Trump's team to help them apply bronzer
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:39 PM on February 9, 2017 [17 favorites]

That Jacobin article almost doesn't sound like a google translate of something Sartre would drool into his pillow after too much absinthe... What I'm trying to say is, I agree with a bunch of it, except the petulant marxist undertone, and I guess leaving that out would render it unpublishable at J.
posted by kleinsteradikaleminderheit at 12:40 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Presidential Executive Order on Preventing Violence Against Federal, State, Tribal, and Local Law Enforcement Officers

Another insidious piece of the EO is this part:

thoroughly evaluate all grant funding programs currently administered by the Department to determine the extent to which its grant funding supports and protects Federal, State, tribal, and local law enforcement officers

The $23 million that went to funding body cameras for police in 2015? Gone. Any funding of research into police accountability? Kiss it goodbye. Doesn't support LEOs enough.
posted by AceRock at 12:40 PM on February 9, 2017 [43 favorites]

Sarah Palin touted as US ambassador to Canada...

Suddenly, millions of Canadians stopped laughing and became very quiet.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 12:40 PM on February 9, 2017 [74 favorites]

SEIU also unionizes social workers which is a rarity, and a vocal, dedicated and liberal bunch.
posted by AlexiaSky at 12:41 PM on February 9, 2017

Sarah Palin touted as US ambassador to Canada...

Suddenly, millions of Canadians stopped laughing and became very quiet.

It won't do any good. We tried doing that here, too, but she kept finding cameras.
posted by Etrigan at 12:42 PM on February 9, 2017 [8 favorites]

Sarah Palin touted as US ambassador to Canada...

As a friend of mine said about that - look, she doesn't know where the capital of Canada is. Someone just tell her some random town in the Yukon and she'll go there.
posted by dnash at 12:42 PM on February 9, 2017 [79 favorites]

I agree with everyone here re general strike. I think this particular trial balloon is likely going to fizzle. I'm not upset over it. Things happen here and there, we learn, we move forward, it's no skin off anyone's nose if someone's direct action is not the platonic ideal of game-changing moments upon which history pivots.

I also am annoyed at Jacobin, brocialists, et al who mainly seem to just be telling everyone how they are doin it rong.

Throw everything at this wall, see what sticks, and don't get upset if your thing that you love is not the thing that sticks.
posted by soren_lorensen at 12:42 PM on February 9, 2017 [19 favorites]

Slate: Elizabeth Warren Persists Some More, This Time With a Surprise Daily Show Appearance
posted by ZeusHumms at 12:42 PM on February 9, 2017 [13 favorites]

Good point. Everything they've lied about so far has been inane and inconsequential, because that's all they've had time to spin up. No one has actually asked him any questions about the administration's actions on anything of consequence. Rest assured, though, that by the time his first month is up, Trump will definitely have his press-weasels lying about war crimes.

Yeah, absolutely, and then the fact that that's all that's even had time to happen yet. We have yet to see the first crisis that Trump hasn't cooked up his own damn self... I feel like the next shit-fan collision is coming awfully soon, as soon as something bad happens to Trump's reign that didn't start on Twitter -- the first mass shooting, the first post-police-killing-protests, the first disease epidemic, and I'm not even willing to say "the first war" yet because then I won't be able to get anything done today.
posted by saturday_morning at 12:43 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

Suddenly, millions of Canadians stopped laughing and became very quiet.

Except for some random outbreaks of gallows chuckles, we stopped laughing months ago.
posted by maudlin at 12:43 PM on February 9, 2017 [13 favorites]

Sarah Palin touted as US ambassador to Canada? You betcha!

I'm fine with this.

I think the sheer comedic value of Sarah Palin living in Ottawa would be a great boost for the Canadian smugness manufacturing sector.
posted by srboisvert at 12:44 PM on February 9, 2017 [35 favorites]

My thoughts on a general strike are that the greatest effect would be to have the most people possible not fly, nor buy gas. those two things will have enough economic impact to show up on the radar. having privileged folk not show up for work is going to be laughable. there just isn't enough history in this country on what a GS can achieve, nor the type of anger it would take to have people overcome income anxiety in order to actually strike.
Perhaps this is a case where the first one is a trial run and if it has any traction then build upon it, but yeah, labor is going to have to get really pissed to get behind this and even then labor in this country might not carry enough weight.
I'm down with this one, but I can afford to be. I am not hearing much about it outside of here and a few mentions on FB, and my daily feed is chock full of lefty anti=trump, pantsuit nation stuff.
posted by OHenryPacey at 12:44 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

the first disease epidemic

Welp, Zika never went away, but all of our efforts to prepare the CDC to fight it did. This summer is gonna be ugly.
posted by Existential Dread at 12:45 PM on February 9, 2017 [8 favorites]

Say what you will about the General Strike but I think scheduling it on a Friday before a long weekend is brilliant since a lot of people are going to take the day off anyway.
posted by I-baLL at 12:45 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

Meghan McCain: "Trump has never served. My father can't bend one of his knees or lift one of his arms above his head. I am done with this today. DONE."
posted by zachlipton at 12:47 PM on February 9, 2017 [92 favorites]

As a friend of mine said about that - look, she doesn't know where the capital of Canada is. Someone just tell her some random town in the Yukon and she'll go there.

Everyone knows it's Toronto. Go to Toronto, Sarah. Here is the embassy. Have fun.
posted by saturday_morning at 12:49 PM on February 9, 2017 [16 favorites]

Trump and his folks have insulted, rough estimate, 75% of the population on a regular basis for the last year, but they go after a family member and it's suddenly too far. Meghan McCain is the GOP in a fucking nutshell.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 12:50 PM on February 9, 2017 [147 favorites]

Whatever happened to the Russia scandal?
posted by T.D. Strange at 12:22 PM on February 9 [10 favorites +] [!]

This is a stark reminder of what happened before the Iraq war. In real life, there was plenty of information showing that Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction and was in no position to develop or deploy such weapons.
There were plenty believable leaks and international allies indicating that the Bush administration were at best wrong, and maybe lying. The UN questioned the intelligence provided by the US government.
There were dozens of experts testifying that an Iraq war would have the exact consequences it eventually had.

What's happening now is a gross caricature of what happened then, and some people would claim that was a crime. I have no idea what to say about the current situation in that perspective.
posted by mumimor at 12:52 PM on February 9, 2017 [13 favorites]

Trump and his folks have insulted, rough estimate, 75% of the population on a regular basis for the last year, but they go after a family member and it's suddenly too far. Meghan McCain is the GOP in a fucking nutshell.

Trump has personally been insulting McCain for the last year and a half, and he and Meghan have each had these brief spasms of "I am DONE" before sitting right the fuck back down and bowing to the throne.
posted by Etrigan at 12:52 PM on February 9, 2017 [89 favorites]

If there are going to be strikes, then I'd expect to see them declared on short notice in southwestern cities with large service-sector populations as a direct response to ICE and local cops. In other news, Phoenix is hosting the Final Four in early April.
posted by holgate at 12:52 PM on February 9, 2017 [16 favorites]

yes we could be experiencing the madness of king Trump
posted by robbyrobs at 12:54 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

> The Hot New Corporate PR Strategy? Giving Trump Credit for Stuff He Didn’t Do.

I mean, say what you will about Donald Trump, but shit...he's pretty damn good at bullying.
posted by The Card Cheat at 12:56 PM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

Twitter/Tumblr exchange about Hillary's "leftover campaign cash."
posted by rewil at 12:57 PM on February 9, 2017 [21 favorites]

Sarah Palin touted as US ambassador to Canada? You betcha!

Enh, soon enough she'll get bored of work, bored of the lack of attention, and quit. It'll happen even quicker if we only speak French to her.
posted by Capt. Renault at 1:00 PM on February 9, 2017 [14 favorites]

Suddenly, millions of Canadians stopped laughing and became very quiet.

Believe me, most of us have not been laughing for quite a while now. I'm seeing people change vacation plans to avoid the US and we're starting to watch our own Conservative politics get Trumpified.
posted by nubs at 1:00 PM on February 9, 2017 [14 favorites]

AP: For Trump, a solitary start to life in the White House: The president's advisers have tried to curb his cable news consumption during the workday. But there are no limits when the president returns to the residence. During another recent telephone conversation, Trump briefly put down the phone so he could turn up the volume on a CNN report. When he returned to the call, he was complaining about "fake news."
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:00 PM on February 9, 2017 [11 favorites]

Poster Project Update. Snow day today, so I am able to catch up on printing (at least until the ink runs out). Thank you very much to those that bought wooden posters - your support means I have A LOT of paper posters to mail out! Wave 2 went out on Tuesday and if FedEx makes it through the nor'easter with my mailers, Wave 3 should go out tomorrow.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 1:08 PM on February 9, 2017 [16 favorites]

Law enforcement officials have been vocal about the lack of support they received under the past administration.

Police are safer under Obama than they have been in decades
posted by PenDevil at 1:08 PM on February 9, 2017 [48 favorites]

From the AP article on Trump's miserable lonely existence:

During a recent interview with Fox News, Trump said he was walking into the main entrance of the White House one day and said to himself, "This is sort of amazing."

"It's like a surreal experience, in a certain way," Trump said. "But you have to get over it."

YES A SURREAL EXPERIENCE IS EXACTLY HOW I WOULD DESCRIBE ALL OF THIS. THAT IS HOW THE REST OF US FEEL ABOUT YOU ALL THE TIME.
posted by informavore at 1:09 PM on February 9, 2017 [67 favorites]

Sarah Palin touted as US ambassador to Canada

Why not Russia? She could do it from her house.
posted by JackFlash at 1:12 PM on February 9, 2017 [31 favorites]

>seems like nothing has yet risen to the degree of secretly bombing the shit out of Cambodia and then denying it.

I kind of feel like if Trump was doing something like this he would be unable to restrain himself from crowing about it. He wants so badly to be important, and he enjoys infuriating people so much, and he's so incapable of passing up bait, that it seems like in a case like that, he would have to lie about whether or not it was a good idea, rather than lying about whether or not he was doing it. Maybe there is a glimmering of hope in the idea that he will be as bad at lying as he is at everything else...
posted by Sing Or Swim at 1:20 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

Unfortunately, the new EOs seem to be following Karl Rove's advice to proceed with Trump's entirely (to Rove) reasonable agenda in a more orderly way. First a report, then establishing consensus with Congress, then procedures and guidelines for the relevant agencies, and along the way hopefully you put the enemies of your agenda to sleep.
posted by Coventry at 1:21 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

hell with the hate on general strikes. Yeah the first time is gonna suck. We'll get better at it.
posted by saysthis

THIS.

It is hard enough to get 2 people to decide where to go for dinner, much less 6 people from the office to decide where to go for lunch or what movie to see. Imagine getting XX million people to agree on what day to strike.

No time like the present lest we get cold and complacent.
posted by yoga at 1:22 PM on February 9, 2017 [12 favorites]

Trump paused a call with Putin to make an aide explain a nuclear arms treaty

The headline is actually the least scary thing about the article.
posted by piyushnz at 1:25 PM on February 9, 2017 [32 favorites]

Not sure what you mean... seems like nothing has yet risen to the degree of secretly bombing the shit out of Cambodia and then denying it

It's normal (if morally reprehensible) to lie about important things. Lying about having broken the law when talking to a LEO is a normal human reaction. Lying about tiny, insignificant things for NO GOOD GODDAMN REASON is a narcissist thing. Lying for the power it gives you over the lied-to. Lying to see how much control you have over the lied-to. Lying to influence the lied-to's beliefs over the long term (aka gaslighting.)

Yes, Presidents have lied in the past, in some really heinous and destructive ways. But there's never been such a deluge of obvious, petty lies on a near-constant basis. When you are lied to for a long period of time, at first your mind and rationality fights back. But eventually you start to become acclimated to the lies, start to accept some of them, stop fighting as hard and eventually stop fighting at all. We are in the very first stages of this. We have to fight to keep fighting, keep refuting, keep reminding people that these are lies.
posted by threeturtles at 1:25 PM on February 9, 2017 [32 favorites]

As a stoner who is aware of Sessions's hatred of weed, the fact that the EO doesn't address weed makes me edgy.

Or maybe weed is still Schedule 1 and there's nothing stopping the Sessions DOJ from going after it whenever they want, no EO required.
posted by theodolite at 1:25 PM on February 9, 2017 [22 favorites]

Police are safer under Obama than they have been in decades

Just as the Muslim ban has zero to do with national security, so too does the Blues Lives Matter executive order have zero to do with a "war on cops" (because there isn't one). These are people who are fabricating thinly veiled excuses to callously punish and hurt specific groups of people who are already among the most marginalized in our society. It is hard to think of any other motivation for them and their supporters than resentment and spite.
posted by AceRock at 1:27 PM on February 9, 2017 [33 favorites]

They might just throw Conway to the wolves

I hope they do. Treating the people who've been carrying your water like shit is going to be so attractive to every political operative who's thinking of hitching their wagon to the Trump train. Get abused by friends and foes alike for a year and then get kicked out into the cold with a black mark on your record? Woo, sign me up!
posted by jackbishop at 1:27 PM on February 9, 2017 [13 favorites]

Not sure what you mean... seems like nothing has yet risen to the degree of secretly bombing the shit out of Cambodia and then denying it

Thanks for the explanations about this, everyone. I understand, now.
posted by Coventry at 1:27 PM on February 9, 2017

Serious question: with this recent action regarding Nordstrom (nice NYT op-ed here) by our so-called president, what does it take to get legal action to happen? I mean ... is the country really this powerless against anything that a president wants to do?
posted by StrawberryPie at 1:28 PM on February 9, 2017 [8 favorites]

Or maybe weed is still Schedule 1 and there's nothing stopping the Sessions DOJ from going after it whenever they want, no EO required.

Selectively, of course.
posted by saturday_morning at 1:31 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

It's takes Republican members of the congress and administration doing their jobs.

Which will never happen. Because they like tax cuts far better than functioning democracy.

So yes, the rest of us really are powerless to enforce the law.
posted by T.D. Strange at 1:32 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

I don't think Trump can lie us into another Iraq. GWB pulled it off in no small part because there was a large enough contingent of folks who didn't credit him with enough audacity to straight-up lie to them. If Trump says the sky is blue, half the American people are going to go outside to check. If Congress is onboard in spite of lies, we're fucked and it doesn't matter if he lies, but he's certainly not going to fool anyone the way Bush did (yes, I am aware, there were plenty of people who knew Bush was lying, but there were also a lot who didn't).
posted by jackbishop at 1:32 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

is the country really this powerless against anything that a president wants to do?

Technically no (see the stay issued against the immigration EO). Much of the check on the president breaking the law relies on the damned House of Representatives doing their damned jobs and impeaching that motherfucker. Legal actions can, will, and are being taken by states, the ACLU, and others. I'll let law-talking folks weigh in on whether Nordstrom might have standing to sue the president for targeting them specifically. But the courts take a long time. The House has enough evidence to impeach, but they don't have the political will to do so.
posted by Existential Dread at 1:33 PM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

It fully depends on how many terrorist attacks in the US he can incite, jackbishop
posted by flatluigi at 1:33 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

From the previous thread - it took me all day to edit and rewrite this down.
Hillary was right. Most of the Republicans are deplorable and more importantly irredeemable. . . . .Democrats don't need them. They need to persuade the 35 million registered Democrats who didn't vote to show up. There's another 35 million or so who have never registered to vote, many are young people, who you have a better chance of reaching than life-long Republicans or "moderate" unicorns.

Forget Republicans. Let them stew in their own sewage.
posted by JackFlash at 9:17 AM on February 9 [21 favorites +] [!]

It isn't just Republicans, people....it's the right wing Christian White Supremacists that have taken over and control much or most of the Republican party.  Very openly in some cases but mostly covertly (scary to think it's even bigger and goes even deeper than you thought - think about armed forces, CBP, FBI).

I lived this through the late 80's and early 90's.  I marched for Gay Rights and Women's Rights in the streets of Central Florida against the KKK and NeoNazi Skinheads and the Christian Coalition and the American Family Association.  I showed up with the youth group a friend and I had started at the Gay Community Center in Orlando, FL, at NOW marches in Tampa, at AIDS awareness demonstrations and gay right's demonstrations in Central Florida.  We all went to a meeting of the Christian Coalition in Seminole County (at the public library - where the Librarian told the CC they could not have a closed meeting in a public library - God Bless Librarians!) where David Caton was the guest speaker promoting his documentary The Gay Agenda (he left the meeting early, noticeably disturbed by the presence of so many gays and lesbians who by their presence and nature disproved the point of his movie).  I got the gay recovering community to march in Orlando's Newish and small Gay Pride Parade for the first time and to have a booth at the Gay Fair later that year (1992? 1993??).  I came to personal terms with ACTUP and its methods and learned to respect and honor them, even though I despised its founder, I wholeheartedly defended them publicly.  Their methods worked, much like Occupy. 

In the mid 1990's, the Christian Coalition and the American Family Association were telling their members in Florida and around the country to become political - to run for local and county and state level positions.  To take over school boards, and town councils and county governments, that that would be how they would take over....I have watched it happen in the Republican Party over the past 25 years, mostly in the South, but also in Indiana, Kansas, and other states.  When I woke up this morning and read the post of the results of the school board elections in New Mexico it lightened my heart considerably. This is one front we need to push against and they started in New Mexico!

Even if #45 leaves or is forced out - there is still an Executive Branch controlled by the Christian White Supremacists with a Senate and a House that are controlled by the Christian White Supremacists.  This battle is truly just beginning (continuing, actually, but we are newly awakened to it) and it will take long term daily efforts by millions of people to push against it and to keep pushing against it on every front possible – EVERY FRONT POSSIBLE! No push is too small. 

We can argue ideology (I love arguing Ideology, I love arguing!) but personally, I have had to practice keeping my arguments to myself and channeling that energy towards constructive actions (whether I feel like it or not is irrelevant - what I DO is what impacts the world in an immediate fashion).  So I have been calling, e-mailing and faxing my elected officials.  I have been demonstrating in front of their offices (they are Illinois/Chicago Democrats - it irks me to no end that we need to keep on their asses to vote the correct way - but I keep on their asses along with thousands of others!)  I have been disbursing information to my sphere of influence, being a cheerleader for those who are new to resistance.  Sending them information they can use, congratulating them on their actions, encouraging them to face their fears and to take the actions they want to take but are afraid of taking.  And this is not a local thing - my friends across the country are hearing from me and I am encouraging them. And what happens is they end up encouraging me, their stories of personal triumph over their fears, their relief at being able to DO something to push back. It is amazing.

If you want 35 million registered voters to show up and vote, who normally don't vote or vote occasionally, you gotta give them something to vote for - and the Democratic Party has failed in that category most of the time the past 20 years, with the exception of Obama.  Personally, I am sick of the Dems message boiling down to "Vote against them, vote FOR us!"  Obama's first run invigorated me and a large circle of people around me to get off our asses and get involved again.  My friends and I campaigned in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana....we drove to Michigan and Indiana numerous times.  We donated and spent out of pocket thousands of dollars and gave thousands of hours of time to get HOPE and CHANGE WE COULD BELIEVE IN into the White House.  Not much changed, HOPE eroded slowly (quickly after Rahm called Progressive's Fucking Retards while at the White House).  But what I am experiencing now, in the streets, is truly awesome. Never, ever, ever in the 1990's or 2000's would I have thought I could be (except in a fictionl Utopian World) standing outside of the Federal Building in downtown Chicago, standing shoulder to shoulder with black people and white people and people every shade of brown, Muslims, Christians, Jews, Atheists, Sikhs, Native Americans, young people, old people, men, women, children, so many children, some people different from me in nearly every aspect, but United in our Humanity, listening to a State Senator yelling the first half of a chant “When they come for the Queers, what do we do?” and shouting back in unison “Stand UP! FIGHT BACK!” Really? In my lifetime? In the 1990's most of those “other people” didn't care about gay rights, some of them were actually against gay rights. But today, we are United.

We are in the midst of scary times, but from the perspective of a 50 year old gay white man raised Catholic in a small backwoods town in rural Michigan, who got the Fuck out after a degree from Michigan State and found life in Orlando, then Miami, then Chicago, working and fighting for equality along the way, we have come a long way baby and our Resistance has grown and matured over the past 25 years (I'd be lighting a Virginia Slim if I hadn't quit smoking already....).

I believe the Democratic Party needs to catch up with the population they purport to represent – or they will find themselves without the base they like to think they have – the people I am meeting in the streets of Chicago don't particularly enjoy having to demonstrate TO our elected Democrats to vote FOR OUR FUTURE. Our time, energy, money and our emotions could be put to much more productive use in the resistance. Obama's HOPE and CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN have survived against strong odds - they do not look they way I thought they would look, they do not sound the way I thought they would sound, and they are being repeated from communities that I never would have thought to hear them from....but they are here and they are good!
posted by W Grant at 1:33 PM on February 9, 2017 [127 favorites]

The Ides of Trump: everyone mail him a postcard/pink slip on March 15 to express their displeasure.
posted by jenfullmoon at 1:34 PM on February 9, 2017 [15 favorites]

Should House Democrats write off rural congressional districts?

What [Representative Patrick Maloney]’s found, so far, in his independent autopsy of the House Democrats’ disappointing performance in the 2016 elections is a mix of optimistic and depressing news. “We can win where we used to struggle and we’re struggling a bit where we used to win,” Maloney said in an hour-long interview here at the Democratic policy retreat, on the eve of a 90-minute presentation he made Thursday afternoon.

He means that there are House districts that Democrats have competed in, or even represented for a long time, that have moved so sharply away from Democrats that they need to reassess whether to compete there ever again. Yet there is also an emerging set of districts that have long been held by Republicans that are now bending toward Democrats faster than even the most optimistic strategists envisioned.

posted by Coventry at 1:34 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

PenDevil Police are safer under Obama than they have been in decades


Sure, but that's not what they mean by "support". In a very real sense the Police Unions, spokespeople, and even a lot of individual cops, care a **LOT** more about people kowtowing to their authoritah than they care about officer safety, for all that officer safety is their ritual utterance to justify any and all evils done by the police.

What Obama didn't do was get out there and say that BLM was a bunch of uppity terrorists who should all be rounded up and shot, and to the cops that matters a lot more than police work getting safer.
posted by sotonohito at 1:35 PM on February 9, 2017 [17 favorites]

Trump paused a call with Putin to make an aide explain a nuclear arms treaty

The headline is actually the least scary thing about the article.

I look forward to the inevitable Trump administration press release trumpeting their extension of the ANUSTART treaty.
posted by Strange Interlude at 1:35 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

Rep Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) is introducing the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act. You know what to do.
posted by carmicha at 1:35 PM on February 9, 2017 [15 favorites]

Let' See How Good They Are at Manufacturing Consent

I wandered over to Breitbart just now and discovered this:

Conservative grassroots leaders are planning a series of massive pro-President Donald Trump rallies nationwide, Breitbart News has learned exclusively.

On Feb. 27 and March 4, the rallies -- dubbed the Spirit of America Rallies -- will spring up nationwide in cities and towns across America.

The resistance movement clearly has these folks scared -- the president's job approval rating is underwater in most polls, the news coverage of the president is deservedly awful, and opponents are getting pretty good press. I don't know if the pro-Trumpers can really put big crowds together -- I have my doubts, especially about February 27, which is a Monday, but we'll see. In any case, there's clearly a fear out there that the Trumpers have lost control of the narrative. They can write a lot of executive orders, they can get all their Cabinet picks approved on party-line votes, but we've got them on the defensive. I like that.

The rally website is here for anyone who wants to follow along and maybe show up with a few thousand friends to engage in a friendly conversation with these authoritarian-worshipers.
posted by tonycpsu at 1:40 PM on February 9, 2017 [30 favorites]

shots fired: "Democrat moves to force House debate on Trump’s alleged business conflicts and Russia ties"
posted by xcasex at 1:43 PM on February 9, 2017 [14 favorites]

1) show photos of the crowds and claim anti-Trump protesters among their numbers to show how big and influential they are

Good thing there's a shitload of pink hats waiting to be broken out again
posted by Existential Dread at 1:48 PM on February 9, 2017 [42 favorites]

from the "a solitary start" AP article:

For Trump, life in the White House residence is so far a largely solitary existence. With his wife and youngest son living in New York, and his grown children busy with their young families, Trump's first evenings have been spent largely alone, tethered to the outside world only by his phone and his television. The dramatic change of scenery has left the 70-year-old president, a known creature of habit, a little adrift in the evenings, according to one person who spoke with him recently.

He's Alan Partridge, isn't he? And Kellyanne's his Lynn.

While Trump has marveled at the history and beauty of his new home, "it's still government housing," said Christopher Ruddy, the CEO of Newsmax and a friend of the president's.

Oh FFS.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 1:53 PM on February 9, 2017 [19 favorites]

Vox.com: GOP senator: Elizabeth Warren shouldn’t criticize Sessions, because “think of his wife"

Orrin Hatch suggested that a woman senator, quoting a woman civil rights leader, should stop talking because she insulted another woman’s husband.

Thanks for the objectification.
posted by ZeusHumms at 1:56 PM on February 9, 2017 [58 favorites]

Rep Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) is introducing the Respect State Marijuana Laws Act. You know what to do.

Actually, it seems to be a Republican taking an action I respect in 2017, so I literally have no idea what to do since there's no precedent and I'm just running on sense memory these days.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 1:56 PM on February 9, 2017 [20 favorites]

Conservative grassroots leaders are planning a series of massive pro-President Donald Trump rallies nationwide

If they're anything like the "grassroots" leaders who kicked off the Tea Party, it's pure astroturf. This is why the right has been hammering the whole "paid protester" meme hard, because they can't get people to show up for their own rallies without seeding the crowd with shills.
posted by Strange Interlude at 1:56 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

They don't seem to have much of a clue about how to organize a rally. "Email this person" is bad marketing.
posted by Coventry at 1:58 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

from the "a solitary start" AP article:

Historians have described Domitian as "crazy and unbalanced". He suffered from social inadequacy and preferred solitude to the company of people. He had a distrustful nature and was constant in fear of conspiracies; the pillars of his palace were made of white reflective marble, so that he could see what was going on behind him. Like Caligula, Domitian was very sensitive of his baldness and official portraits continued to show him with flowing locks of hair. Domitian was also notorious for his cruelty. He is supposed to have invented a new method of torture: burning the sexual organs of his victims. Domitian was capable of inviting an erring official to supper, dismissing him in such a way that the man retired happy and carefree. Nevertheless, the next day he was executed. Domitian also enjoyed asking senators to dinner-parties at which all the equipment was black, so that the guests were numb with fright. Like Vespasian, Domitian persecuted Stoic philosophers and Jews. He had all Jews, who claimed descent from King David, tracked down and killed. Very peculiar was Domitian's pleasure in catching flies, stabbing them with the point of a pen and tearing their wings out.
posted by Rust Moranis at 1:59 PM on February 9, 2017 [11 favorites]

Vox.com: GOP senator: Elizabeth Warren shouldn’t criticize Sessions, because “think of his wife"

How many members of Trump's cabinet have been accused of domestic assault again?
posted by dinty_moore at 2:01 PM on February 9, 2017 [16 favorites]

How many members of Trump's cabinet have been accused of domestic assault again?

"How unfair to the wives that you insult their husbands by bringing up the fact that their husbands abuse them."
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:03 PM on February 9, 2017 [23 favorites]

9th Circuit says an order in the travel ban case will be filed before close of business (west coast, presumably) today.
posted by zachlipton at 2:06 PM on February 9, 2017 [8 favorites]

Conservative grassroots leaders are planning a series of massive pro-President Donald Trump rallies nationwide, Breitbart News has learned exclusively.

Oh give me a break. Most of the Breitbart shitlords never leave their sofas, let alone march outside with other people.
posted by Squeak Attack at 2:08 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

They don't seem to have much of a clue about how to organize a rally. "Email this person" is bad marketing.

Also their bot-guard is a simple subtraction problem. Gee I wonder if I can't put that solution in the script that I'm totally not at all going to write that overwhelms their contact form.
posted by dis_integration at 2:08 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

I wish the rise that we’re seeing in crime in America today were some sort of aberration or a blip.

Crime has been on a long downward trajectory for decades. Jesus, I'm more qualified to be attorney general than Sessions, and I'm not an attorney or a general.
Unless he knows better and he's lying?
posted by kirkaracha at 2:08 PM on February 9, 2017 [25 favorites]

Yet there is also an emerging set of districts that have long been held by Republicans that are now bending toward Democrats faster than even the most optimistic strategists envisioned.

I've mentioned before how I live in a deep red rural county. It went ~68% for Chickpea. Which seems insurmountable, but look, Hillary outperformed Obama 08 (-74%) and 12(-72%) here. That's not nothing.

Also, my ballot had 4 unopposed republicans. I wrote in my dog's name, but still, there's no telling how the theoretical democrat might have done, because they don't run here. Dems need to start running in marginal races - if for no other reason to give the Republicans something to expend effort on.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 2:10 PM on February 9, 2017 [25 favorites]

I'm totally not at all going to write that overwhelms their contact form.

Maybe we should have an argument about whether it would have been OK to spam Nazi's, if WWII and the internet had coexisted.
posted by Coventry at 2:10 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

Secrecy surrounds White House cybersecurity staff shakeup

It's thought he was either fired or asked to resign last Thursday evening, and he was escorted out from his office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building across the street from the West Wing.

[...]

However, one source said it's because the remaining staff have "targets on their back" and are afraid of speaking out, calling the actions a "witch hunt" for former Obama appointees. Accusations of poor management were said to be reasons or excuses for his forced departure amid what was described as a "toxic" working environment.

Interesting.... I wonder if this will turn out to be leak related, or about Dampnut's damned phone and twitter account...
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 2:11 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

Come onnnnn, 9th Circuit. This is a watershed moment, please do this right.
posted by lydhre at 2:11 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

> "it seems to be a Republican taking an action I respect in 2017, so I literally have no idea what to do"

If it makes you feel any better, Rohrabacher (R-CA) has been a big proponent for marijuana legalization for a while now. If she hasn't already profited handsomely already, I'm certain she stands to benefit financially for continued Cannabis legalization in CA.
posted by porpoise at 2:13 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

Trump is more of a personality cult than a political movement. When the big boy himself isn't making a physical appearance the turnout tends to look like this.
posted by theodolite at 2:13 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

No, he tipped his hand, he's almost certainly lying. He knows damn well it is just a blip in the stats for the past year and the long-term trend is way down. His full quote was (emphasis mine)

“We have a crime problem,” he said. “I wish the blip — I wish the rise that we’re seeing in crime in America today were some sort of aberration or a blip. My best judgment, having been involved in criminal law enforcement for many years, is that this is a dangerous permanent trend that places the health and safety of the American people at risk.”
posted by TwoWordReview at 2:13 PM on February 9, 2017 [25 favorites]

Hard to be a warlord when no one wants to play war.
posted by ZeusHumms at 2:15 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Maybe we should have an argument about whether it would have been OK to spam Nazi's, if WWII and the internet had coexisted.

Spam is older than the internet:

Radio Londres: Broadcasts would begin with "Before we begin, please listen to some personal messages." It was clear to nearly everyone that they were coded messages, often amusing, and completely without context. Representative messages include "Jean has a long mustache" and "There is a fire at the insurance agency," each one having some meaning to a certain resistance group.[1] They were used primarily to provide messages to the resistance, but also to thank their agents or simply to give the enemy the impression that something was being prepared. Because of the flood of messages and the limited number of Germans available to work to decipher them, the Nazis were not able to keep up.
posted by nubs at 2:19 PM on February 9, 2017 [21 favorites]

Dana Rohrabacher is a man

He also just suggested that Macedonia is not a country and should be divided up into other neighboring states. A State Department spokesperson confirmed that Macedonia is a country. Rohrabacher has a ton of weird Russia stuff going on too.

Which is not to say that that the feds shouldn't leave California the hell alone when it comes to weed.
posted by zachlipton at 2:22 PM on February 9, 2017 [14 favorites]

they need to reassess whether to compete there ever again.

No, they need to reassess how they compete there. "Compete" doesn't have to mean "throw money at them", but it should mean "back whoever is willing to run, as long as they're not a nutjob, and see what happens." Every position, every district.
posted by holgate at 2:24 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

Rohrabacher is terrible in almost every respect but this is where the "almost" comes in.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 2:25 PM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

A State Department spokesperson confirmed that Macedonia is a country.

Phew
posted by theodolite at 2:25 PM on February 9, 2017 [19 favorites]

Conservative grassroots leaders are planning a series of massive pro-President Donald Trump rallies nationwide, Breitbart News has learned exclusively.

No they fucking aren't. Shut your fucking face, Breitbart.

...my patience stores may be nearly empty right now.
posted by corb at 2:29 PM on February 9, 2017 [27 favorites]

shots fired: "Democrat moves to force House debate on Trump’s alleged business conflicts and Russia ties"

So, I've been getting disappointed with the Countable app lately, mostly for the way they frame issues and also some stupid usability stuff (oh hi its me countable i randomly log you out now isn't that fun), but I think their impeachment sensationalizing on this particular move of Nadler's might be the reason I uninstall it, the alert I just got is basically ZOMG THE FIRST STEP TO IMPEACHMENT and blowing it out of proportion, which ends in fanning partisan flames and people on the right acting like this is crossing a huge line.
posted by jason_steakums at 2:30 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

A State Department spokesperson confirmed that Macedonia is a country.

Phew


You know, while we're there, can we just ask them to give us a list of every place the current administration thinks is a country? I feel like we need to get some of this shit in writing sooner rather than later.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 2:31 PM on February 9, 2017 [26 favorites]

What Is Happening to Sean Spicer's Face? It's taken on a certain tint ...

This would make a good horror story. First Trump's staff starts to change to that color. Then his cabinet. Then Republican members of congress. Then your Republican coworkers and neighbors. And, finally... you!
posted by diogenes at 2:32 PM on February 9, 2017 [16 favorites]

@backspace
I built a thing: text your US postal address to [phone] and get a text back with your state & federal legislative rep phone numbers.
posted by Coventry at 2:33 PM on February 9, 2017 [17 favorites]

Conservative grassroots leaders are planning a series of massive humiliatingly small (FTFY) pro-President Donald Trump rallies nationwide, Breitbart News has learned exclusively.
I wonder if enough people are going to show to fill the vacant job positions in the White House. Not likely, but if you always wanted a gig as a professional bootlicker, it's the place to be.
posted by oneswellfoop at 2:34 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

This is a derail, if it is in fact possible to derail this thread, but yesterday I started thinking about how Americans have voted for some terrible Republican Presidents over the last 50 years. Nixon, Reagan, Bush 2 and now Trump. I'm trying to think of who our (Canada) worst Prime Minister was during the same period and there's no comparison. Canada and the US are pretty similar so why do you guys consistently elect such terrible leaders?
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 2:34 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Chaffetz and Cummings' letter to the Office of Government Ethics re Conway's sales pitch.

It's interesting, since yesterday Chaffetz showed zero interest in so much as waking up to read Trump's Nordstrom tweet, but now we're on full on "throw Kellyanne under the bus" mode.

Chaffetz has surely seen this chart about how his district voted though. In 2012, it went for Romney 78-20. In 2016, it only went for Trump 47-23. That's a huge number going third party (thanks Egg!). Chaffetz just won with 73% of the vote, so I'm sure he's not worried, but he knows where his bread is buttered, and it's not Trump.
posted by zachlipton at 2:35 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

we have 350 million people and a lot of them are bad
posted by poffin boffin at 2:36 PM on February 9, 2017 [15 favorites]

Conor Sen in Bloomberg View: The Democrats' New Base: Romney Voters

There's a paradox within the Democratic Party right now as leaders plot their path forward. On the one hand, they want to get back to their labor roots. On the other hand, electoral trends will pull them in the other direction: In 2016, the group that most swung toward Democrats was wealthy Mitt Romney voters, who will represent the key to Democrats making electoral gains in 2018.

Democrats would be forgiven for thinking "make labor great again" should be their electoral approach right now. In times of confusion and uncertainty, it's human nature to go with what you know. Even after losing many working-class white voters to the Republican Party, labor roots in the Democratic Party remain deep. On paper, focusing on those labor roots would please the labor interests within the party, and perhaps would win back some of those straying Trump voters.

The New Republic's Sarah Jones responds:

i for one am very surprised that a "portfolio manager for New River Investments" wrote this

Clinton explicitly courted these voters in 2016; they voted Republican anyway.

posted by Rustic Etruscan at 2:37 PM on February 9, 2017 [12 favorites]

> I'm trying to think of who our (Canada) worst Prime Minister was during the same period and there's no comparison.

Harper is the obvious answer, but as bad as he was he was a) intelligent, and b) sane, which automatically vaults him ahead of that crew.
posted by The Card Cheat at 2:38 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

I'm no fan of coal, but this is bad staff work.

(That's the former head of the EPA, Gina McCarthy, in the office of Kevin de Leόn, who leads the California State Senate, explaining there's no war on coal while sitting in front of a "coal sucks" poster.)
posted by zachlipton at 2:40 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

I'm still catching up on this thread, but I don't believe this has been posted yet:
What Each State Googled More Frequently Than Any Other State Since the Election
posted by Fish, fish, are you doing your duty? at 2:47 PM on February 9, 2017 [13 favorites]

The chief competitor to Kellyanne Conway's husband for the job of Solicitor General just withdrew from consideration. I'd bet money this is the payoff for Kellyanne to accept her firing.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 2:47 PM on February 9, 2017 [16 favorites]

You know, while we're there, can we just ask them to give us a list of every place the current administration thinks is a country?

Where Countries Stand With Donald Trump: A Cheat Sheet
posted by kirkaracha at 2:48 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

Obviously if Kellyanne Conway leaves the White House she will join CNN as a full time analyst.
posted by shothotbot at 2:50 PM on February 9, 2017 [26 favorites]

In defense of Mississippi's search term on the map at Fish, fish's link, 3 Doors Down is a band from here and I guess one of them recently died. Once we forget about that, we will be back to searching about things equally inane, but more explicable.
posted by thebrokedown at 2:53 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

Patrick Strickland for al-Jazeera: More Americans joining socialist groups under Trump

Connor Southard had never been involved in political organising and had never been a member of a political organisation - until the election of the far-right US President, Donald Trump.

After that he joined the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

[...]

David Duhalde, the DSA's deputy director, explains that the organisation's membership has soared to 16,000, more than doubling since May 2016. In the last two weeks alone, more than 2,000 new members have registered.

"We're taking advantage of the rising energy around socialism and the popular feeling that capitalism is not working for the majority of people," he told Al Jazeera, adding that around 50 new chapters have been founded in communities and on campuses in recent months.

DSA members have participated in mass protests against Trump's inauguration, supported the Women's March, and called for the release of immigrants detained at airports owing to the new president's ban on travellers from seven Muslim-majority countries.

posted by Rustic Etruscan at 2:57 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

> What Each State Googled More Frequently Than Any Other State Since the Election

I can't even tell if that's parody or real any more. It's hysterical, either way.
posted by RedOrGreen at 2:57 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

Chaffetz and Cummings' letter to the Office of Government Ethics re Conway's sales pitch.

It's interesting, since yesterday Chaffetz showed zero interest in so much as waking up to read Trump's Nordstrom tweet, but now we're on full on "throw Kellyanne under the bus" mode.

The Chaffetz "my bum" article from a few days ago had this bit:

Chaffetz said Trump was supportive of him conducting vigorous oversight during their Philadelphia chat.

"He was the one who said proactively, feel free to investigate anything you want. That’s your job, that’s your role," he said. "He is not going to put a heavy hand in one direction nor the other. We have a job to do and we’re going to do it."

...well, if you say so Mr. President!

Though personally I think this is Chaffetz laying groundwork for "see? I totally investigate my own team, how dare you suggest otherwise!" as cover when he eventually ducks out of investigating Trump directly for anything. Lots of peripheral people in the Trump circle they can sacrifice to keep up appearances but that investigative backbone won't be there when it's really needed.
posted by jason_steakums at 2:59 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Oh man:

TENNESSEE: Who punched Richard Spencer? / Donald Trump pee pee / How tall is James Comey? / Pray for Trump / What is critical thinking?

My whole family is from Tennessee, and has been for several generations. Had it not been for my dad's work taking him far afield, I'd be from Tennessee myself. I love my family and most of the Tennessee people I meet, but god damn it.
posted by mochapickle at 3:01 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

This complicates the effort to throw Conway under the bus though:

Cooper withdraws from solicitor general consideration

Chuck Cooper, the conservative Supreme Court litigator, is withdrawing his name from consideration to be the next solicitor general, opening the door for the husband of Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway to be appointed to the role.
...
Kellyanne Conway’s husband, George T. Conway, has been reported as the other finalist being considered for the role. The White House has yet to announce a nominee and a spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Conway, a partner at the New York City law firm Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, is perhaps best known for the behind-the-scenes role he played in the Paula Jones saga during Bill Clinton’s presidency – it was Conway who, along with a small cadre of elite lawyers, wrote Jones’ successful appeal to the Supreme Court, which set the legal precedent allowing a sitting president to be sued in civil court.

posted by zachlipton at 3:02 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

I'm no fan of coal, but this is bad staff work.

(That's the former head of the EPA, Gina McCarthy, in the office of Kevin de Leόn, who leads the California State Senate, explaining there's no war on coal while sitting in front of a "coal sucks" poster.)

But coal does suck. A LOT. Unregulated coal mining destroys ecosystems, ruins landscapes, and eats workers like a stoner with a can of Pringles. Personally, I think it's a good idea for someone who's job was to protect the environment for future generations to have a poster laying around her office that says the truth. Coal sucks the life out of a region and leaves nothing in return.
posted by teleri025 at 3:04 PM on February 9, 2017 [16 favorites]

I'm totally unsurprised that "3 Doors Down" and "Who is Frederick Douglass?" are neighbors.
posted by TwoStride at 3:05 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

I'm still catching up on this thread, but I don't believe this has been posted yet:
What Each State Googled More Frequently Than Any Other State Since the Election
posted by Fish, fish, are you doing your duty? at 4:47 PM on February 9 [2 favorites +] [!]

Iowa: Russian Prostitutes

To be fair, that's what my fellow Iowans were googling most frequently before the election, too.
posted by Caxton1476 at 3:06 PM on February 9, 2017 [11 favorites]

As far as I can tell those Estately.com maps are assembled by typing wacky stuff into Google Trends and then assigning it to the #1 state on the list you get when you click on America.
posted by theodolite at 3:06 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

While it is very good news that Chuck Cooper is out (Cooper went after people with AIDS in the 1980s, defended Prop 8, etc.) I would not be totally surprised to see Kellyanne Conway disappear from the White House if her husband gets the solicitor general position.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 3:11 PM on February 9, 2017

EXCLUSIVE-Trump border 'wall' to cost $21.6 bln, take 3.5 years to build - internal report
posted by PenDevil at 3:11 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

9th Circuit ruled against Trump; stay remains in place!!!

(edited because i wrote that weird/wrong)
posted by melissasaurus at 3:13 PM on February 9, 2017 [76 favorites]

If you know of young progressives in Virginia - no Dem candidates for many Representative races (tweet).
posted by shothotbot at 3:14 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

Hooo boy. Thank you, 9th Circuit.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 3:14 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Oh, he's gonna be pissed.
posted by yhbc at 3:15 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

9th Circuit ruled against Trump; ban remains in place!!!
Clarification: the order blocking the ban remains in place.
posted by EmGeeJay at 3:15 PM on February 9, 2017 [8 favorites]

Uh, Melissasaurus? You and your link are saying opposite things there.
posted by Archelaus at 3:15 PM on February 9, 2017

the ban on the ban remains in place, to be clear

unanimous!
posted by prefpara at 3:16 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Woah, it's unanimous. I was betting on a 2-1 ruling against Trump.
posted by zachlipton at 3:16 PM on February 9, 2017 [8 favorites]

(I edited my comment b/c I wrote it wrong; reload pls!)
posted by melissasaurus at 3:17 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

Here's the order.
posted by melissasaurus at 3:19 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

My brother just texted me: 'Turns out it was an Easy D'
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 3:20 PM on February 9, 2017 [24 favorites]

mellissasaurus, how did you get the order so fast?
posted by Coventry at 3:20 PM on February 9, 2017

mellissasaurus, how did you get the order so fast?

I follow a lot of lawyers on twitter.
posted by melissasaurus at 3:22 PM on February 9, 2017 [19 favorites]

So, doesn't this mean they're just going to appeal up to the Supreme Court next? What's the most likely outcome there?
posted by mhum at 3:23 PM on February 9, 2017

A tie at the Supreme Court means this decision remains in force. So we just need four to agree.
posted by prefpara at 3:24 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

What Each State Googled More Frequently Than Any Other State Since the Election

These are poems! With a bit of license, but yeah, poems!

CALIFORNIA:
What did Trump do now?

Definition of lie
Will the world end in 2017?
Twitter feud
Are we going to die?

What did Trump do now?
Donald Trump Russian prostitutes

D.A.C.A. news
Trump D.A.C.A. news

deportation force
Trump ISIS plan
Is it a Muslim ban?

immigrant rights
immigration attorney near me
How to emigrate to Australia

What did Trump do now?

How much would it cost to build a wall?

What did Trump do now?

How does a filibuster work?
California secession petition

What did Trump do now?
Is Donald Trump a sociopath?
posted by nubs at 3:24 PM on February 9, 2017 [22 favorites]

My brother just texted me: 'Turns out it was an Easy D'

Heh. I just tweeted something like that and now I feel like I'm down with the Zeitgeist.
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:24 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

"Courts are not powerless to review the political branches’ actions” with respect to matters of national security."

That's direct.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 3:24 PM on February 9, 2017 [11 favorites]

Fake "ruling" by "so-called" judges! "Sad"!
posted by saysthis at 3:25 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

How long until Easy D tweets about it?
posted by drezdn at 3:26 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

Remember when Trump said he'd win so much we'd all be sick of winning? Are you folks sick of winning?
posted by zachlipton at 3:26 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

A tie at the Supreme Court means this decision remains in force. So we just need four to agree.

SCOTUS could also, I believe, simply decline to hear the case, letting the 9th circuit ruling stand without comment. Which might, actually, be the best way for them to go at this point.
posted by anastasiav at 3:26 PM on February 9, 2017 [20 favorites]

I'm in class right now sitting beside the uber defensive American that I've spoken about before. I sooooo want to cheer and announce the ruling. I'm holding my tongue though for the sake of getting the project done that we have to work on together.

I'll cheer here. Woooooooo!
posted by Jalliah at 3:26 PM on February 9, 2017 [23 favorites]

Intel gives Trump credit for $7bn US factory it announced under Obama

Intel’s CEO said the Arizona plant was a response to Trump’s business-friendly policies, but the company announced it in 2011 – and Obama gave a speech there
posted by futz at 3:26 PM on February 9, 2017 [32 favorites]

3-0 decision, the Republican guy explicitly joined in rejecting the government's argument.
posted by Justinian at 3:28 PM on February 9, 2017 [22 favorites]

It's also interesting that they did this as a per curiam opinion (it comes in the name of the court rather than identifying a specific author with others who have signed on to it. I read it as a pretty clear statement of "if you want to come after someone, you're coming after all three of us."
posted by zachlipton at 3:30 PM on February 9, 2017 [82 favorites]

Next step is to try to get the whole court to take the appeal, right?
posted by notyou at 3:30 PM on February 9, 2017

From the text of the order:

The Government has pointed to no evidence that any alien from any of the countries named in the Order has perpetrated a terrorist attack in the United States. Rather than present evidence to explain the need for the Executive Order, the Government has taken the position that we must not review its decision at all. We disagree, as explained above.
posted by piyushnz at 3:30 PM on February 9, 2017 [51 favorites]

Nevertheless, we hold that the Government has not shown a likelihood of success on the merits of its appeal, nor has it shown that failure to enter a stay would cause irreparable injury, and we therefore deny its emergency motion for a stay.

[gavel explodes into a million fragments, crowd goes insane]
posted by theodolite at 3:31 PM on February 9, 2017 [18 favorites]

Maybe we can look forward to Trump angerly "tweeting at some guy named Per Curiam" though.
posted by zachlipton at 3:31 PM on February 9, 2017 [25 favorites]

Next step is to try to get the whole court to take the appeal, right?

From the Order: SCOTUS "repeatedly and explicitly rejected the notion that the political branches have unreviewable authority over immigration"
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 3:33 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

From the opinion:

Instead, the Government has taken the position that the President’s decisions about immigration policy, particularly when motivated by national security concerns, are unreviewable, even if those actions potentially contravene constitutional rights and protections. The Government indeed asserts that it violates separation of powers for the judiciary to entertain a constitutional challenge to executive actions such as this one.

There is no precedent to support this claimed unreviewability, which runs contrary to the fundamental structure of our constitutional democracy.

posted by melissasaurus at 3:33 PM on February 9, 2017 [69 favorites]

@realDonaldTrump So many bad judges making so many poor decisions why do judges seem to have such poor decision making? Sad! [fake]
posted by Bringer Tom at 3:33 PM on February 9, 2017

Some more text from the order (Google indexes so fast these days):

In short, although courts owe considerable deference to
the President’s policy determinations with respect to
immigration and national security, it is beyond question that
the federal judiciary retains the authority to adjudicate
constitutional challenges to executive action.

Forget it Donnie, you're out of your element.
posted by zabuni at 3:34 PM on February 9, 2017 [22 favorites]

i like it when the bad man feels sad
posted by Rust Moranis at 3:34 PM on February 9, 2017 [47 favorites]

Maybe we can look forward to Trump angrily "tweeting at some guy named Per Curiam" though.

Sounds Swedish. European socialism. Bad judge!
posted by tivalasvegas at 3:34 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

@realDonaldTrump

SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!

[real]

sweet Jesus fuck.
posted by tivalasvegas at 3:37 PM on February 9, 2017 [72 favorites]

lordy
posted by Rust Moranis at 3:37 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Very Presidential.
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 3:38 PM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

Sent from Android.
posted by zachlipton at 3:38 PM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

WE WILL SEE YOU IN COURT. LOL.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 3:39 PM on February 9, 2017 [15 favorites]

@9th

Saw you today, motherfucker (fake)
posted by AlexiaSky at 3:39 PM on February 9, 2017 [44 favorites]

Sent from Android.

No shit. I know exactly the stubby little fascist fingers that pounded out that tweet.
posted by tivalasvegas at 3:39 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

@9th

Easy D (fake)
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 3:40 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

I mean, we did see you in court. Is he living backwards like Merlin?
posted by selfnoise at 3:40 PM on February 9, 2017 [52 favorites]

So hes going to see The Court in Court ? Will this be at the Court that he sees them in Court ?
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 3:41 PM on February 9, 2017 [12 favorites]

So, is it against the law to send them flowers or something? A thank you note? I mean, its the least we can do, while we're sending postcards, right?
posted by anastasiav at 3:41 PM on February 9, 2017

I wonder if he thinks constitutional law works like corporate law, where the person with the most money to continue and delay ultimately wins.
posted by AlexiaSky at 3:42 PM on February 9, 2017 [21 favorites]

Who responds to a court ruling with "SEE YOU IN COURT?" We're literally already in court. Court is precisely why you're so angry you're tweeting in all caps.

It's like a trash-talker who's losing badly in a 1-on-1 basketball game who says "oh yeah. we'll just see how well you can play on the court." You're already on the court playing the damn game and the answer is "not very well."
posted by zachlipton at 3:42 PM on February 9, 2017 [87 favorites]

I mean, we did see you in court. Is he living backwards like Merlin?

Did he get Benjamin-Buttoned!?!
posted by drezdn at 3:42 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

Well, which court is next here?
posted by notyou at 3:43 PM on February 9, 2017

I know Trump is probably just Trumping as usual, but he's going to look like a god damn genius if there actually is a terrorist attack which can be traced back to someone whose entry would have been prevented by the EO.
posted by Coventry at 3:43 PM on February 9, 2017

This is clearly moving toward a Space Jam sequel, y'all.
posted by Etrigan at 3:43 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

This will probably quickly get lost in news about the 9th District denying the stay, but I think it's perhaps notable. On 1/31, the Department of Defense notified Paul Ryan of a $70 million arms sale to South Korea. Arms made by Raytheon. In which Donald Trump owns stock.

Okay, carry on!
posted by mudpuppie at 3:44 PM on February 9, 2017 [35 favorites]

Trump claimed he sold that stock, though I believe he doesn't actually have to file new disclosure paperwork for quite some time.
posted by zachlipton at 3:46 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

I wonder if he thinks constitutional law works like corporate law, where the person with the most money to continue and delay ultimately wins.

I am sure this is exactly what he thinks. He has spent his whole adult life in court and probably thinks he's an expert because he knows just how to steamroll his way to victory, and he has no idea that these courts do not operate the same way that the civil courts he's used to do. He also does not seem to realize that it really pisses off judges to impugn them in this way he loves. No matter how Republican a judge is or how sympathetic they might be to some of Trump's arguments, he is really raising the bar he has to clear just by running his twatter.
posted by Bringer Tom at 3:46 PM on February 9, 2017 [63 favorites]

Well, which court is next here?

I am extremely a layman here, mostly copying what I've read elsewhere, but I believe this is just ruling that the temporary restraining order preventing the order from being enforced will stand until a ruling on its actual merits is made, and I believe there are several suits already underway there, so the fight moves to those for now.
posted by Copronymus at 3:46 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

in another thread: "There are 118 open federal judgeships (including one in the Supreme Court) thanks to Republican obstructionism." I can hardly wait for Trump to get to work filling those seats, with certain Litmus Tests for nominees (#1: is America's security at stake (yes); #2: should judges be allowed to deny EOs (no); #3: does your wife wear Ivanka Brand clothes (yes)) The good news - this should take almost as long as building the Wall.

he's going to look like a god damn genius if there actually is a terrorist attack which can be traced back to someone whose entry would have been prevented by the EO.
They're working on a False Flag attack right now. (probable quote by Bannon: "come on, Bush did it; how difficult can it be?")
posted by oneswellfoop at 3:49 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

That Donald Tweet only makes sense when read out loud in your best Lionel Hutz, Attorney at Law voice.
posted by merocet at 3:50 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

A 29 page document that boils down to "No. It's silly."

I am actually grinning right now
posted by tel3path at 3:50 PM on February 9, 2017 [20 favorites]

It's a good decision, Brent.
posted by Mavri at 3:51 PM on February 9, 2017 [49 favorites]

Canada and the US are pretty similar so why do you guys consistently elect such terrible leaders?

I don't want to say that USA racism is worse than other places, but it certainly is different. It's hard to understate the lasting legacy of slavery.

also there's a constitutional difference that's pretty key: "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" vs. "Peace, order, and good government."

Also Canada has one tenth the population, less people than California, and a smaller proportion of minority groups

also the US has a particularly intense form of evangelical Christianity that's related to history from the 17 and 1800's and I don't know how much of that extends to Canada

so I don't think they're that similar tbh.

but mostly it's the racism.
posted by Rainbo Vagrant at 3:52 PM on February 9, 2017 [14 favorites]

Does Trump HIMSELF have a history of false flag stunts? I'm curious, because even though he's a man of very questionable morality, I can't think of any instances where he's done that. I'm not putting it past him, just wondering if anyone knows if he has a history of that.
posted by saysthis at 3:53 PM on February 9, 2017

Politico is reporting on some leaked internal documents about the future of NASA. There's some head scratching stuff, calling for NASA to be "refocused on the large-scale economic development of space" and a vision in which we will "see private American astronauts, on private space ships, circling the Moon by 2020; and private lunar landers staking out de facto 'property rights' for American on the Moon, by 2020 as well".
posted by peeedro at 3:53 PM on February 9, 2017 [13 favorites]

He's trying to bully the judicial system on twitter...What the actual fuck?
posted by Shutter at 3:54 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

A friend of mine had an observation re: that tweet.

He sounds like fucking Bowser. You defeat him and he just runs off with the princess and says, "see you in the next level!"
posted by uncleozzy at 3:54 PM on February 9, 2017 [34 favorites]

Somebody tweet back: "u mad bro?" That's about his level of discourse.
posted by Justinian at 3:54 PM on February 9, 2017 [10 favorites]

a history of false flag stunts?

Does pretending to closthesline Vince McMahon count?
posted by vrakatar at 3:55 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Does Trump HIMSELF have a history of false flag stunts?

Just false steaks.
posted by zachlipton at 3:56 PM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

Does a fraudulent flag stunt count?
posted by Rust Moranis at 3:58 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

Politico is reporting on some leaked internal documents about the future of NASA. There's some head scratching stuff, calling for NASA to be "refocused on the large-scale economic development of space" and a vision in which we will "see private American astronauts, on private space ships, circling the Moon by 2020; and private lunar landers staking out de facto 'property rights' for American on the Moon, by 2020 as well".

AP (Washington, DC) - Today marks the one year anniversary since the failed "Moon Trump" initiative was shelved. While the giant laser managed to carve a "T," "R," and "U" on the moon, a miscalculation in the Moon's size vis a vis the size of the writing meant the "M" and "P" could never be completed.

"Pretend those letters are on dark side" 45 tweeted. [fake]
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:58 PM on February 9, 2017 [15 favorites]

I thought there was an international treaty stating that no country can claim any shit off planet?

Oh. Private American corporations. I see.
posted by lydhre at 3:58 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

CHA
posted by saturday_morning at 3:59 PM on February 9, 2017 [28 favorites]

Judges should copy this line into Notepad for easy pasting into future decisions:

There is no precedent to support (insert Trump idea here), which runs contrary to the fundamental structure of our constitutional democracy.
posted by diogenes at 3:59 PM on February 9, 2017 [31 favorites]

Canada and the US are pretty similar so why do you guys consistently elect such terrible leaders?

Presidentialism, basically. Much has changed since Bryce wrote The American Commonwealth, but some things stick:

A second defect is that the presidential election, occurring once in four years, throws the country for several months into a state of turmoil, for which there may be no occasion. Perhaps there are no serious party issues to be decided, perhaps the best thing would be that the existing administration should pursue the even tenor of its way. The Constitution, however, requires an election to be held, so the whole costly and complicated machinery of agitation is put in motion; and if issues do not exist, they have to be created...

Should manifest unfairness coincide with popular excitement over a really important issue, the self-control of the people, which in 1877, when no such issue was involved, held in check the party passions of their leaders, might prove unequal to the strain of such a crisis.

posted by holgate at 4:00 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

I thought there was an international treaty stating that no country can claim any shit off planet?

There is one but the U.S. didn't sign it.
posted by drezdn at 4:00 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

Oh. Private American corporations. I see.

But they wouldn't have US law to protect their property. Which means one thing: SPACE PIRATES.
posted by melissasaurus at 4:00 PM on February 9, 2017 [29 favorites]

There is no Trump side of the moon really
posted by kirkaracha at 4:01 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

"Per curiam", the Latin for "safety in numbers".
posted by holgate at 4:01 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

Docket watchers will be pleased to know that the 9th Circuit denied without comment the motion of this random guy to intervene in the case, who is angry because he has filed various tort claims against the State of Washington for $70 billion dollars and is upset that this case is getting attention while his nonsense has been ignored as "un'newz'-worthy." He also stamped the motion with his Professional Engineer stamp, for some reason or another. Anyway, I hope this guy takes the news better than the President.
posted by zachlipton at 4:02 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

That Donald Tweet only makes sense when read out loud in your best Lionel Hutz, Attorney at Law voice.

Zapp Brannigan: *pounding fist on courtroom table* THE SECURITY OF OUR PLANET IS AT STAKE! I'LL SEE YOU IN COURT!
Kif: *sigh*
posted by saturday_morning at 4:03 PM on February 9, 2017 [49 favorites]

By 2020 will there be new Congressional districts on the moon? I bet that's his plan to win in 2020.
posted by saysthis at 4:03 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

There is one but the U.S. didn't sign it.

And if the U.S. had, Trump would unsign it in an EO signing ceremony.
posted by notyou at 4:03 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

I'll see you judges in court! Where you spend quite a lot of time, I imagine! What's a judge anyway?
posted by the uncomplicated soups of my childhood at 4:03 PM on February 9, 2017 [11 favorites]

@caseyjohnston: “oh no, not court” —judges
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 4:04 PM on February 9, 2017 [101 favorites]

With Pence gone, fellow Republicans undo his work in Indiana (autoplay video)
posted by The demon that lives in the air at 4:05 PM on February 9, 2017 [24 favorites]

"Per curiam", the Latin for "safety in numbers".

Quite literally in this case. CNN reported (per Joy Reid) that "one of the judges" had to get increased security due to threats (gee, I wonder if it was the woman).
posted by melissasaurus at 4:05 PM on February 9, 2017 [35 favorites]

Y'know what's just occurred to me: 2020 will be the 150^th anniversary of the ratification of the 15^th Amendment:

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

and 2018 the 150^th anniversary of the 14^th Amendment, which contains the Citizenship Clause, the Privileges or Immunities Clause, the Due Process Clause, and the Equal Protection Clause.
posted by XMLicious at 4:08 PM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

It occurs to me that the name of this case, Washington v. Trump is really emblematic of what is at stake. The Best of American Tradition vs The One Who Would Destroy It.
posted by dis_integration at 4:09 PM on February 9, 2017 [18 favorites]

I hope SNL does not waste Rosie O'Donnell on playing Bannon. If you want him to explode, have her play his dad in a flashback.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 4:09 PM on February 9, 2017 [69 favorites]

And yeah, "COURT" to the White House occupant is "that thing you threaten people with."
posted by holgate at 4:10 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Also it's hard to write in all caps on an Android phone. You've got to hit that thingy that turns caps lock on and it's really fickle, or hit shift before every letter. Trump must've been real real mad.
posted by dis_integration at 4:10 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

That Politico article on proposed changes to NASA gives me a headache. Does anyone have insight on what economic activity could take place on the moon that would provide enough of an ROI to investors to make these privatization proposals even remotely attractive? I thought Musk and Bezos were fixated on getting to Mars.

Also why do Republicans always so confidently assert that private corporations will take risks where government will not? Isn't that the opposite of true? Corporations are beholden to shareholders, who want to see a guaranteed return which should make them relatively risk averse, right? Or are they assuming a rogue billionaire scenario, like Drax in Moonraker?
posted by aiglet at 4:10 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

My order of U.S. Constitution for Dummies was delivered to the White House on Tuesday and I still haven't gotten a Thank You email! Or Tweet! Sad!
I also haven't been disappeared to Gitmo yet, so that's a plus.
posted by kirkaracha at 4:11 PM on February 9, 2017 [35 favorites]

The court wasn't on teevee, so it can't be a real court, also no Judge Judy.
posted by holgate at 4:12 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

I hope SNL does not waste Rosie O'Donnell on playing Bannon. If you want him to explode, have her play his dad in a flashback.

If SNL wants to go full psychological warfare, then they should have Rosie play Trump Sr. and have Trump Sr. say something like, "I don't care if you're the president, you're still a loser and you're my least favorite child." Cruel? Yes. Worth it? Probably.
posted by yasaman at 4:13 PM on February 9, 2017 [77 favorites]

Canada and the US are pretty similar ...

We are and we aren't, Michael Adams of polling firm Environics did a pretty exhaustive study of the difference in values between the two countries in his book "Fire and Ice" (a long excerpt but quite worth the read) in 2003.

Our founding ideas, our institutions, and then the experience of building our two nations have been very different: one by conquest, the other by compromise. ... America honours traditionally masculine qualities; Canada honours qualities that are more traditionally feminine. America honours the lone warrior fighting for truth and justice, the father who is master of his lonely house on the prairie, and a few good men planting the Stars and Stripes on a distant planet. Canada honours compromise, harmony, and equality. Americans go where no man has gone before; Canadians follow hoping to make that new place livable.

I believe that America can find it's way back, having such an obvious, lying, mercenary fascist in power has ignited the base the way the slow burn of secret treaties and gentler chipping away of civil liberties never would.
posted by saucysault at 4:14 PM on February 9, 2017 [10 favorites]

That Politico article on proposed changes to NASA gives me a headache

I'm also concerned that the "risk-taking" attitude of private investors includes taking risks with the lives of astronauts. Space is fucking dangerous.
posted by suelac at 4:14 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

WHY HAVEN'T THEY WATCHED WEST WING?

i suspect part of our problem is liberals swallowed the west wing hook, line and sinker.
posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 4:14 PM on February 9, 2017 [31 favorites]

Here's scorchers from the 9th Circuit Court:

The Government contends that the district court lacked authority to enjoin enforcement of the Executive Order because the President has “unreviewable authority to suspend the admission of any class of aliens.” The Government does not merely argue that courts owe substantial deference to the immigration and national security policy determinations of the political branches—an uncontroversial principle that is well-grounded in our jurisprudence.[...] There is no precedent to support this claimed unreviewability, which runs contrary to the fundamentals of our constitutional democracy. See Boumediene v. Bush, 553 U.S. 723, 765 (2008) (rejecting the idea that, even by congressional statute, Congress and the Executive could eliminate federal court habeas jurisdiction over enemy combatants, because the “political branches” lack “the power to switch the Constitution on or off at will”).

They are not screwing around.
posted by Excommunicated Cardinal at 4:16 PM on February 9, 2017 [56 favorites]

An interesting comparison here to the Lukumi Babalu Aye (Santeria) case, cited in the order, which was another one where they might have gotten away with it if they didn't so transparently telegraph their intentions to discriminate against a religion. The President and his team can legally rant about banning Muslims or issue orders banning people from the country, but a court's going to notice when you do both at the same time.

Moral: if you want to practice religious discrimination, shut the hell up.
posted by zachlipton at 4:17 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

it's hard to write in all caps on an Android phone.

NAH IT'S REALLY EASY.

HTML is truly painful though.

— sent from my android phone.
posted by Coventry at 4:17 PM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

Politico is reporting on some leaked internal documents about the future of NASA. There's some head scratching stuff, calling for NASA to be "refocused on the large-scale economic development of space" and a vision in which we will "see private American astronauts, on private space ships, circling the Moon by 2020; and private lunar landers staking out de facto 'property rights' for American on the Moon, by 2020 as well".

I mean, if they can do that in 4 years, hell, I'll vote for his reelection. I hope they know that it'll probably require spending government money though. Not sure all the details have been worked through.
posted by T.D. Strange at 4:18 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

And yeah, "COURT" to the White House occupant is "that thing you threaten people with."

@realDonaldTrump I find horrible the idea that one could do to me, that which I do to others. #Durand-Durand #Barbarella [fake]
posted by Bringer Tom at 4:20 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!

@ACLU: We have been saying this for a while.
posted by effbot at 4:21 PM on February 9, 2017 [116 favorites]

i suspect part of our problem is liberals swallowed the west wing hook, line and sinker.

My original understanding of the West Wing at the time was as a parallel universe, painted in crudely sunny pastels, that empathetic people would escape into in order to forget about their real president who was running secret torture prisons and leaving New Orleans a flooded pit of mold and corpses. Hard to say what more good it could do these days.
posted by Rust Moranis at 4:21 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

I mean, if they can do that in 4 years, hell, I'll vote for his reelection. I hope they know that it'll probably require spending government money though. Not sure all the details have been worked through.

Well the people who invented practical rocket technology found slave labor to provide useful economic benefits.
posted by Bringer Tom at 4:22 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

It gets worse. They made up a quick "see you in court" graphic to post on Instagram.

There's an actual government employee, I presume, who has to take his all caps rantings on Twitter and transcribe them into other forms of social media. How sad.
posted by zachlipton at 4:24 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

After calling him a 'S**t Gibbon,' Pa. senator goes next-level troll, asking Trump for campaign money

Now Donald, I know you have the huuuuuugest bank account of any president ever. So I'm asking if you can click here to make a bigly contribution so that we can continue to #RESIST your disastrous policies.

Some of my friends tell me you aren't likely to use your totally normal-sized hands to click the link above and make a contribution. SAD! But those are the people who follow FAKE NEWS, so I'm not going to pay any attention to them.

To everyone else who may be reading this, who may be worried that @realDonaldTrump won't be contributing to help us fight him, I hope you'll consider clicking here to make a $3 contribution so we can keep up the fight.

Thanks for always being there! #MAGA
Daylin

Hoo boy! Love this guy.
posted by futz at 4:24 PM on February 9, 2017 [72 favorites]

I mean, if they can do that in 4 years, hell, I'll vote for his reelection.

Don't say that. It is entirely feasible.
posted by Coventry at 4:25 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

Quite literally in this case. CNN reported (per Joy Reid) that "one of the judges" had to get increased security due to threats (gee, I wonder if it was the woman).

In one of Trump's complaints about the judges, he said, "I listened to a panel of judges and I'll comment on th- I will not comment on the statements made by [pause] certainly one judge, but I have to be honest, if these judges wanted to, in my opinion, help the court in terms of respect for the court, they'd do what they should be doing."

I thought, gee, one of the judges must be a woman. So I checked, and sure enough, certainly one judge is a woman.
posted by peeedro at 4:26 PM on February 9, 2017 [28 favorites]

The People v. Donald J. Trump: American Crime Story
posted by guiseroom at 4:26 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

"SEE YOU IN COURT" reminds me of a guy who started something at a party I held and found himself flat on his back with my friend sitting on top of him. He repeatedly screamed "LET ME UP SO I CAN KICK YOUR ASS!" Ahahaha! Ok, dude.
posted by thebrokedown at 4:27 PM on February 9, 2017 [25 favorites]

Don't say that. It is entirely feasible.

With Trump Co managing the project? A trip to the 7-Eleven is out of our reach.
posted by notyou at 4:28 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

G O D

i just. he's so dumb that reading his dumb words is making me feel more dumb. watching this grown man express himself like a constipated toddler is making me feel like i too only have the mental capacity of an equally constipated toddler. STOP IT BAD MAN YOU ARE BAD.

i hate him i hope he dies doing a poop
posted by poffin boffin at 4:29 PM on February 9, 2017 [80 favorites]

i hate him i hope he dies doing a poop

I only agree with this because the Howard Stern interview suggests that's something he hates. However, to me, that sounds like an ideal death condition.
posted by Joey Michaels at 4:30 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

i hate him i hope he dies doing a poop

And someone nabs his phone and tweets 'poopin' before it happens.
posted by holgate at 4:32 PM on February 9, 2017 [23 favorites]

like it's honestly not that difficult to express yourself intelligently, cogently, forcefully, memorably, etc, while only using 140 characters. you literally just have to consider your words for more than the brief frenzied time it takes your stubby little orange fingers to pound them furiously out on your phone.

people defending him say shit like oh well twitter is so limited blah blah NO SHUT UP IT IS YOU WHO ARE LIMITED. listen to the fool speak with his mouth! the words! they are the same! they are so bad! there is nothing but badness in all the ways he chooses to express himself!
posted by poffin boffin at 4:32 PM on February 9, 2017 [14 favorites]

SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!

YOU CAN'T CUT BACK ON FUNDING! YOU WILL REGRET THIS!
posted by Servo5678 at 4:33 PM on February 9, 2017 [13 favorites]

He's trying to bully the judicial system on twitter...What the actual fuck?

He has NPD.
posted by Brak at 4:33 PM on February 9, 2017 [10 favorites]

What is the HORRENDOUS font on that Instagram copy of his tweet??? Makes Comic Sans look good by comparison.
posted by oneswellfoop at 4:34 PM on February 9, 2017

Anyone know how Kennedy might eventually rule on the merits? Is it possible that even if they seat Gorsuch in time to hear the eventual merits case, that they might still lose Kennedy's vote (so 5-3)? He ruled against the Bush admin in Hamdi.
posted by melissasaurus at 4:34 PM on February 9, 2017

anyway trump makes me constantly feel like this time when joe mathlete explaining marmaduke reached the end of his fucking rope.
posted by poffin boffin at 4:34 PM on February 9, 2017 [16 favorites]

The hilarious thing about this TRUMP... IN... SPAAAAACE!!! leak is that it makes it sound like (and may actually be the case that) Putin has convinced Mr. Super-Negotiator to trade acceptance of Russia's Ukrainian encroachment, and perhaps future Russian Imperial revanchism, in exchange for real estate on the Moon. Putin will probably throw in some magic beans for free.
posted by XMLicious at 4:35 PM on February 9, 2017 [14 favorites]

What is the HORRENDOUS font on that Instagram copy of his tweet???

Comic Sans Aesthetics

[fake]
posted by Joey Michaels at 4:36 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

@HillaryClinton: 3-0
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 4:36 PM on February 9, 2017 [55 favorites]

It gets worse. They made up a quick 'see you in court' graphic to post on Instagram.

Drop the comma. Reduce the font size on "THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE" so "SEE YOU IN COURT" is on one line. Try not using all caps. #MTGA
Make typography great again!
posted by kirkaracha at 4:38 PM on February 9, 2017 [8 favorites]

It would have been less embarrassing if he just tweeted "I'll get you next time, Gadget! NEXT TIME!!!"
posted by zachlipton at 4:39 PM on February 9, 2017 [35 favorites]

AND YOUR LITTLE DOG, TOO!!
posted by kirkaracha at 4:40 PM on February 9, 2017 [18 favorites]

He's full-on Scooby-Doo villain, all, "I would have gotten away with it if it wasn't for those meddling kids courts!"
posted by TwoStride at 4:41 PM on February 9, 2017 [14 favorites]

I missed this one this morning. Another entry in the ridiculously transparent "everything is under control. Situation normal. Had a slight weapons malfunction. But uh, everything is perfectly alright now. We're fine. We're all fine here now, thank you. How are you?" PR campaign. Steve Bannon and Reince Priebus Want You to Know They Are Friends

For about 25 minutes, talking into Walsh’s cell phone on speaker mode, Bannon and Priebus performed a buddy comedy, finishing each other’s sentences and swearing up and down that they are good friends who work together well — and constantly.

“I’m quite aggressive, and Reince is a calming influence on hey — bang bang bang, here’s how we ought to think about doing that,” Bannon said, explaining how their personal styles complement each other.

“We talk a lot, pretty much all day long,” Priebus said. “And then we communicate at night —” “Until we fall asleep,” Bannon interjected with a laugh. Priebus cut in, “Until somebody falls asleep … You fell asleep last night.” “I did,” Bannon said. “I think, like, a quarter to 11,” Priebus added. “I did,” Bannon said. “He became unresponsive,” Priebus laughed.

Claims to the contrary, Priebus said, are upsetting to both of them. “It bothers us because it’s not true, and we actually like and care about each other a lot. So it’s sort of like, if we were just sort of colleagues that kind of tolerate each other every day, maybe it wouldn’t bother us. But because it’s the total opposite — and we’re sitting here, and we’re friends and we’ve kind of been to hell and back ten times together and we like each other — so then we see these things, yeah, it bothers us because it sort of hurts our friendship, and it’s not truthful.”

The entire article is amazing. These people are such snowflakes.
posted by zachlipton at 4:43 PM on February 9, 2017 [33 favorites]

“We talk a lot, pretty much all day long,” Priebus said. “And then we communicate at night —” “Until we fall asleep,” Bannon interjected with a laugh. Priebus cut in, “Until somebody falls asleep … You fell asleep last night.” “I did,” Bannon said. “I think, like, a quarter to 11,” Priebus added. “I did,” Bannon said. “He became unresponsive,” Priebus laughed.

What the fuck
posted by Rust Moranis at 4:45 PM on February 9, 2017 [74 favorites]

I hope he goes full caps-lock from now on. It how I hear his tweets anyway.
posted by octothorpe at 4:46 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

“We talk a lot, pretty much all day long,” Priebus said. “And then we communicate at night —” “Until we fall asleep,” Bannon interjected with a laugh. Priebus cut in, “Until somebody falls asleep … You fell asleep last night.” “I did,” Bannon said. “I think, like, a quarter to 11,” Priebus added. “I did,” Bannon said. “He became unresponsive,” Priebus laughed.

Pounded in the Butt by the Alt-Right?
posted by Joey Michaels at 4:47 PM on February 9, 2017 [34 favorites]

What the fuck

this is one of the worst fanfics i've ever read and that is saying a lot
posted by poffin boffin at 4:47 PM on February 9, 2017 [124 favorites]

If you read to the end (spoiler alert!), Nuzzi tells us that some people, unclear exactly who, have taken to nicknaming Priebus "Rancid, the creature of the swamp they thought they were going to drain."
posted by zachlipton at 4:48 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

That whole bunch can't get enough of seeing themselves in print or on TV.

Hey knuckleheads? How about running the executive branch for a change. (Well, don't really. How about resigning, and being pals somewhere far away like maybe the moon?)
posted by notyou at 4:48 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Is there a plugin that will let you read Trump's tweets, but they'll always be in comic sans?
posted by drezdn at 4:48 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

My head is spinning. This is warfare. Psychological warfare, ideological warfare, information warfare, I'm not sure there's a term for it yet, because it's like something we've never seen before. It's still a war though. People are going to die.

It used to be a leading cause of death, giving birth. Those days are coming back. We wised up and found ways to save those lives. You have to read about that in a history textbook though, because we've had it so good for so long, no-one remembers when a pregnancy went wrong no-one knew what to do about it. They'll start dying again.

It's like how there are few people who remember polio and the death and misery it caused. So they begin to question vaccines because they never experienced it.

Or how some of these nazis like the power and infamy but never actually saw Europe in flames, the cities destroyed, the piles of bodies. The nazis themselves utterly and completely destroyed. These people are even proud of that slavery flag, the one on dukes of hazard. Don't they realise they lost that war too?

And now this war. Help me understand it. What is happening? Lies are being boldly spoken and asserted as the only truth. Truth is ignored. I think, maybe this kind of battle... is ignorance the battle plan? Is this using ignorance as a way of gaining power?
posted by adept256 at 4:49 PM on February 9, 2017 [13 favorites]

You fell asleep last night.” “I did,” Bannon said. “I think, like, a quarter to 11,” Priebus added. “I did,” Bannon said. “He became unresponsive,” Priebus laughed.

Holy shit this got dark quickly.
posted by dis_integration at 4:54 PM on February 9, 2017 [40 favorites]

Of all the terrible things I thought I might learn today, not included was Priebus and Bannon claiming to the world's media that they have a weird fascist ASMR fetish club. Priebus whispering sweet white nationalist nothings into Bannon's ear until he drifts into unresponsiveness.

I'm really having a problem with this, guys.
posted by Rust Moranis at 4:55 PM on February 9, 2017 [32 favorites]

If only they spent that time together doing something constructive, like braiding each others' hair and talking about which boys at school they like.
posted by ckape at 4:56 PM on February 9, 2017 [14 favorites]

Bannon and Priebus sittin' in a tree
F-A-S-C-I-S-T
posted by Atom Eyes at 4:56 PM on February 9, 2017 [157 favorites]

SEE YOU AT PRIDE.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 4:57 PM on February 9, 2017 [8 favorites]

>@HillaryClinton: 3-0

Oh my god I miss you come back to ussssss ;_;
posted by lydhre at 5:00 PM on February 9, 2017 [13 favorites]

Breitbart did a Facebook live with Sean Spicer reacting to the 9th Circuit decision and it's, er, something. Skip to 1:38 if you want to see the world's worst camerawork.
posted by zachlipton at 5:01 PM on February 9, 2017 [12 favorites]

I feel like somehow the Bannon/Priebus phonehate sounds like a chapter of "Hermione Granger and the Tiny-Handed President."
posted by corb at 5:05 PM on February 9, 2017 [8 favorites]

Think about Reince Priebus's lips right up next to your ear, and he's whispering so soft and sweet about destroying the social safety net, and as you lie there in your fresh and clean jam-jams, feeling yourself becoming unresponsive, and as the blessed darkness envelops you, you reflect once more on your glorious trajectory from Seinfeld producer to Biosphere-Project-fucker-upper to most powerful human being in the world. And pray that in the darkness there are no dreams.
posted by Rust Moranis at 5:05 PM on February 9, 2017 [19 favorites]

So Sean Spicer is getting interviewed by High School news crews now? Breitbart you say? Lol.
posted by drezdn at 5:06 PM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

Be sure to tune in for the next Facebook Live video, which will be shot live inside of Charlie Spiering's nose.
posted by Phobos the Space Potato at 5:06 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Breitbart's White House correspondent is a visibly nervous teenager.
posted by vathek at 5:10 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

Five New England Patriots plan to skip White House visit

Defensive end Chris Long and running back LeGarette Blount of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots said Thursday they won’t visit the White House with the team, joining three other teammates in boycotting the celebration.

"I will not be going to the White House," Blount said on the Rich Eisen show. "I don't feel welcome in that house. I'll leave it at that."

Long responded to an open letter from the New York Daily News’ Chuck Modiano, which called for Long to show solidarity with teammates Martellus Bennett, Devin McCourty and Dont’a Hightower by skipping the White House visit with President Donald Trump.

“Oh Chuck. Planned on skipping, hadn't been asked. Don't need an open letter explaining my own words to me. Not *joining* anyone. My call,” Long tweeted.
posted by futz at 5:10 PM on February 9, 2017 [32 favorites]

Be sure to tune in for the next Facebook Live video, which will be shot live inside of Charlie Spiering's nose.

"Oh! Is it snowing in DC?"

"Um. Not the Weather Channel. This is inside his nose."

"Oh. Makes sense."
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 5:11 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

> Breitbart did a Facebook live with Sean Spicer reacting to the 9th Circuit decision

Hands up everyone who did a better "news" playing with their parent's camcorder at the age of 9.
posted by Westringia F. at 5:11 PM on February 9, 2017 [19 favorites]

Could someone with some knowledge of the court system please weigh in with the chances that SCOTUS would actually choose to hear this case? I mean, to me (admittedly as much of a non-expert as you could get), it doesn't seem like there's much ambiguity or room for interpretation on banning entry to people based on religion.
posted by triggerfinger at 5:15 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Breitbart did a Facebook live with Sean Spicer reacting to the 9th Circuit decision

This is confusing... It sounded like Spicer was under the impression that the ruling had gone his way.
posted by Coventry at 5:17 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

There's no ambiguity on whether you can refuse entry based on religion; the ambiguity lies in who would have standing to bring the suit and, secondarily, whether this ban is a religious test.

The Supreme Court will absolutely and without question hear a case about this issue. Whether it will be this case or a different one I don't know.
posted by Justinian at 5:17 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Politico is reporting on some leaked internal documents about the future of NASA. There's some head scratching stuff, calling for NASA to be "refocused on the large-scale economic development of space" and a vision in which we will "see private American astronauts, on private space ships, circling the Moon by 2020; and private lunar landers staking out de facto 'property rights' for American on the Moon, by 2020 as well".

Prediction: asteroid mining startups are going to have their moment in the sun. It's a pity not much has IPOed, I'd be tempted to take a pre-announcement position.
posted by jaduncan at 5:18 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

@HillaryClinton: 3-0

Okay, that's the third time today that I've been reminded just how much we 're actually missing. The last few weeks/months I've been mentally comparing to generic competent republican, but the what could have been gulf is much much wider.
posted by TwoWordReview at 5:20 PM on February 9, 2017 [19 favorites]

Well, a mining laser is fairly cheap but it's not much for fending off Thargoids.
posted by delfin at 5:21 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

IANAL, but I'm pretty sure the Supreme Court can't and won't hear this specific case, which is requesting a stay on a TRO on the effects of an executive order. That particular issue will be moot long before the Supreme Court could even begin to consider it.

The case on the merits of the EO itself, well, that might go a long way. Could be years before it wends its way through the system though.

Based on this blistering slapdown, I'd venture that the 9th Circuit is not going to be kind to the case on the merits either, though. But the standard of proof there is going to be higher.
posted by jackbishop at 5:21 PM on February 9, 2017 [10 favorites]

Just heard that Cosecha is looking for a mechanical engineer with laser cutting skills to make some gifts for donors. MeMail me if you can help.
posted by Coventry at 5:22 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

Are my ears deceiving me, or did Spicer say "Thanks Rod" at the end, after the Breitbart kid had introduced himself as Charlie?
posted by Westringia F. at 5:22 PM on February 9, 2017

For outside world, Middle East, this is an exceptional American story to cover, where one judge, one court can override President

--@Joyce_Karam (Al-Hayat, Arab News)

The more Trump tests the strength of our institutions, the more we get to show them off.
posted by zachlipton at 5:24 PM on February 9, 2017 [71 favorites]

Seriously, soon the Nazis and the right-wingers are only going to have Bible stories by candlelight in their bunkers for fun: in addition to boycotting Budweiser, Starbucks, Nordstrom, and whatever other companies have offended Citrus Hitler of late, now they are cancelling their Netflix subscriptions to protest the new series Dear White People because it's "reverse racist" and hurts their fee-fees.
posted by TwoStride at 5:26 PM on February 9, 2017 [23 favorites]

Are my ears deceiving me, or did Spicer say "Thanks Rod" at the end, after the Breitbart kid had introduced himself as Charlie?

Spicer is thanking the inanimate Carbon Rod.
posted by drezdn at 5:26 PM on February 9, 2017 [10 favorites]

YOU CAN'T CUT BACK ON FUNDING! YOU WILL REGRET THIS!
posted by Servo5678 at 4:33 PM

Servo, I maked a thing for you.
posted by TheNewWazoo at 5:27 PM on February 9, 2017 [13 favorites]

@seanhannity
Sadly the democrats and unaccountable judges are willing to gamble with the lives of the American people. This will not stand.

Just reminding everybody that Sean Hannity is also sad.
posted by Rust Moranis at 5:27 PM on February 9, 2017 [10 favorites]

In not so good news, there are reports of immigration sweeps across LA, with 100 people being held.
posted by zachlipton at 5:27 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Just reminding everybody that Sean Hannity is also sad.

Because no one calls him anymore.
posted by drezdn at 5:31 PM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

Are my ears deceiving me, or did Spicer say "Thanks Rod" at the end, after the Breitbart kid had introduced himself as Charlie?

That was some Crispin Glover level of weird.
posted by Ogre Lawless at 5:32 PM on February 9, 2017 [11 favorites]

EXCLUSIVE-Trump border 'wall' to cost $21.6 bln, take 3.5 years to build - internal report

So with the most optimistic schedule, the wall is going to get done right around the time of the 2020 general election. More likely it'll overrun, and its completion will be a key issue in Trump's reelection.
posted by Coventry at 5:33 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Well, a mining laser is fairly cheap but it's not much for fending off Thargoids.

I do hereby sentence to you search for the term "Kzinti lesson."
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 5:34 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

I guess building a very long wall can be massively parallelized, so for $30B they might get it done in 1 year?
posted by Coventry at 5:35 PM on February 9, 2017

if they spend a trillion it can be done tomorrow!
posted by murphy slaw at 5:38 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Amid growing newsroom discontent over his perceived resistance to critical coverage of Donald Trump, Wall Street Journal editor in chief Gerry Baker will host a town hall meeting next week where he is expected to address the paper’s reporting on the new administration and answer questions from his staff.

While other major news outlets, including The New York Times and The Washington Post, have covered Trump aggressively throughout the campaign, the transition and the early days of the 45th presidency, repeatedly stoking the ire of Trump and his aides, the Journal has taken an arguably more circumspect, if not softer approach.

Baker has been hesitant to allow Journal reporters to characterize Trump’s false assertions as lies and has suggested that media “elites” are out to get Trump. During the campaign, reporters say, some of his editorial decisions tended to downplay Trump’s transgressions while he urged his staff to be tougher on Hillary Clinton.

posted by Coventry at 5:38 PM on February 9, 2017 [8 favorites]

Listening to it again, Spicer says "Thanks, Charlie." He's just all mumbly about it.
posted by EarBucket at 5:39 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

well, we can't expect a spokesman to be able to speak.
posted by murphy slaw at 5:40 PM on February 9, 2017 [10 favorites]

Which means one thing: SPACE PIRATES.

WHERE DO I SIGN UP???!!!!!
posted by soundguy99 at 5:41 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Police are safer under Obama than they have been in decades

Bro never let a fact get in the way of a good feeling.

Gavin Newsom (California's lieutenant governor) is killing it on twitter oh my word.

In response to Trump's allcap tweet:
@realDonaldTrump: SEE YOU IN COURT, THE SECURITY OF OUR NATION IS AT STAKE!
@GavinNewsom: LE'GOOOOOOOO 👏🏻

about the 9th circuit:
The 9th Circuit ruling was a victory over hate. A victory for our Constitution. A victory for an America that doesn't cower behind walls or fear those fleeing oppression.

and from yesterday's silencing of Elizabeth Warren:
The right side of history:
Coretta Scott King
- or -
Mitch McConnell.

#ByeMitch 👋

I fucking die. Can we make #ByeMitch happen?
posted by supercrayon at 5:41 PM on February 9, 2017 [27 favorites]

That video is like the sweded version of The West Wing.
posted by EarBucket at 5:42 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

Suddenly, millions of Canadians stopped laughing and became very quiet.

Let me assure you that no, no they did not. Although eyes have been rolled.
posted by GuyZero at 5:45 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Rosie O'Donnell updated her Twitter avatar.
posted by monospace at 5:52 PM on February 9, 2017 [90 favorites]

The Huffpost headline writers do it again: "How Do You Like Them Appelates?"
posted by mcdoublewide at 5:55 PM on February 9, 2017 [27 favorites]

I thought I was watching This is Spinal Tap for a moment. Maybe Rod is his secret porn name?
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 5:56 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

@RoguePOTUSStaff is morose tonight, claiming that they might be found out, and that Spicer is burning out.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 5:56 PM on February 9, 2017

Rosie O'Donnell updated her Twitter avatar.

Hahaha holy shit
posted by triggerfinger at 5:56 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

@RoguePOTUSStaff is morose tonight, claiming that they might be found out, and that Spicer is burning out.

Still don't know the legitimacy of this account, but if it's real, this tweet seems bad, on Day 19 of 1440.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:01 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

So Caltrain (commuter rail service from San Francisco to San Jose (and sometimes Gilroy)) had a train catch fire during the evening commute tonight and the snark is intense:

"Anyone have some Federal funding for some new trains? Anyone, @SecElaineChao? Sorta urgent."

Republicans are now trying to hold up Caltrain's electrification project and the federal funds to go forward just as it was to start construction as part of an effort to mess with high speed rail (the two projects are only somewhat linked, and Caltrain needs the modernization regardless).
posted by zachlipton at 6:06 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

EXCLUSIVE-Trump border 'wall' to cost $21.6 bln, take 3.5 years to build - internal
report

That schedule is ludicrous. That's not enough time to get the design finished, especially given all the soil sampling and other necessary engineering work completed, the environmental impact statement addressing several alternative routes and its review process (which they will try to waive, prompting a lawsuit) and not nearly enough time to manage all the condemnation it will take to get site control, not to mention the lawsuits that will spawn. You can't build a stadium or an airport or an interstate in that time period... when a community wants it.
posted by carmicha at 6:06 PM on February 9, 2017 [57 favorites]

That RoguePOTUSStaff account is clearly full of shit.
posted by Coventry at 6:07 PM on February 9, 2017 [17 favorites]

You can't build a stadium or an airport or an interstate in that time period... when a community wants it.

Remember they're also going to start colonizing the moon in the same amount of time. MAKE THE MOON GREAT AGAIN
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:08 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

That RoguePOTUSStaff account is clearly full of shit.

yeah I don't know how anyone buys it.
posted by Justinian at 6:08 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

Remember they're also going to start colonizing the moon in the same amount of time. MAKE THE MOON GREAT AGAIN

Who the hell wrote "the moon rules, no. 1" in the side of my car with a key!?
posted by DoctorFedora at 6:11 PM on February 9, 2017 [14 favorites]

That RoguePOTUSStaff account is clearly full of shit.

I want to believe! Let me have this OK?
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:11 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Someone remind me why they wouldn't just wait until they got their Supreme Court pick in, and then push all the things to the Supreme Court? Also, do we expect that to take quite a while?
posted by Glinn at 6:12 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

That schedule is ludicrous

Yeah no kidding. They act like Eminent Domain is a done deal when they haven't even started and some of that, a lot of that border actually, is tribal land. How does that work? Can the government take them to court and sue? My guess is that it would take years to finalize just that part of it.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 6:12 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Rosie O'Donnell updated her Twitter avatar.

I embarrassingly LOL'd in public at that.
posted by Coventry at 6:12 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

Rep. Chaffetz is holding a town hall in his district. It's filled to capacity inside, hundreds more outside. And it seems to be going extremely poorly.
posted by zachlipton at 6:13 PM on February 9, 2017 [38 favorites]

On a general strike, from Jacobin: You Can't Fake It

A (kinda) response: General Strike: How the Working Class Takes Control

Gourevitch has the elements of a good argument there, but this kind of naysaying about general strikes misses the point. Of course the workers in the U.S., after decades of setbacks, can’t carry off the kinds of strikes that are difficult even with high levels of organization. ...

What socialists can advocate, which Gourevitch does not, is just how powerful the strike weapon can be, and how to get from the big protests we can expect on February 17 and March 8 to an actual shutdown of U.S. capitalism, starting with a true holiday from all work on May Day. To see that, we have to look outside the U.S. and have an international view of the workers’ movement that is lacking in the Jacobin article. Because the kind of action that we are now talking about — a massive political protest launching into a strike wave — is exactly how the worker’s movement usually revives itself, most recently in the protests to bring down the dictatorship in Egypt.

posted by Noisy Pink Bubbles at 6:14 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Someone remind me why they wouldn't just wait until they got their Supreme Court pick in, and then push all the things to the Supreme Court? Also, do we expect that to take quite a while?

Unless otherwise provided by law, a petition for a writ of certiorari to review a judgment in any case, civil or criminal, entered by a state court of last resort or a United States court of appeals (including the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces) is timely when it is filed with the Clerk of this Court within 90 days after entry of the judgment. (cite)
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:15 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

Let me have this OK?

I have no articulable basis for my skepticism, anyway, so maybe I'm full of shit.
posted by Coventry at 6:15 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Could someone with some knowledge of the court system please weigh in with the chances that SCOTUS would actually choose to hear this case? I mean, to me (admittedly as much of a non-expert as you could get), it doesn't seem like there's much ambiguity or room for interpretation on banning entry to people based on religion.
Posted by triggerfinger

(Not a lawyer) While anything is possible, I don't think the SC would be inclined to grant cert on this case right now, seeing that the lower courts seem to have it in hand nicely and are proceeding from a point of letting it work through district court first and go through normal processes. They'd need four judges to hear the case and my guess is that they wouldn't do so yet until this case had worked through the proper channels.
posted by azpenguin at 6:15 PM on February 9, 2017

Gavin's been pretty great. He had this one about Jake Tapper today:

Can confirm. @jaketapper's favorite Sunday brunch treat is the chizza.
#TapperDirtFile
posted by waitangi at 6:16 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

Spicer, today, complained about: “the idea that you can’t have a conversation without that information getting out”

I wonder if he's tried Podesta's risotto.
posted by Dashy at 6:17 PM on February 9, 2017 [30 favorites]

For outside world, Middle East, this is an exceptional American story to cover, where one judge, one court can override President
--@Joyce_Karam (Al-Hayat, Arab News)

The more Trump tests the strength of our institutions, the more we get to show them off.

Eh, just wait until we have a real emergency or are involved in a war. Then we'll see how powerful the executive can be. This is Trump's real stupidity: he thought he just got to be dictator because he's such a smart guy who understands things very well, (better than anyone, probably), but he didn't understand the first rule of seizing power: wait until you've got a nice catastrophe and turn it into a wonderful shining opportunity. My only hope here is that when that moment of decision comes, Trump will be too incompetent again to know how to properly make good on it.
posted by dis_integration at 6:19 PM on February 9, 2017 [17 favorites]

Okay, that's the third time today that I've been reminded just how much we 're actually missing. The last few weeks/months I've been mentally comparing to generic competent republican, but the what could have been gulf is much much wider.

There's an article I read years ago in which Al Gore (sometime post-Katrina, maybe) starts *raging* about the mess the Bush administration got us into. "What happened to competency?" he asked the interviewer.

When I think of where we could be, my heart breaks.

(I'm thinking of writing a perfectly mundane, boring slice-of-life novel set in 2018 America. I'm going to call it science fiction.)
posted by steady-state strawberry at 6:19 PM on February 9, 2017 [34 favorites]

Holy shit there is a huge crowd shouting "You work for us!" outside Chaffetz's townhall hahahaha. I have a fb friend who is live.
posted by supercrayon at 6:19 PM on February 9, 2017 [65 favorites]

Also, do we expect that to take quite a while?

It'll take at least a few weeks to get to a vote. Gorsuch has to make the traditional rounds around the Senate, then get through committee, then hearings on the full floor, and finally the vote and hopefully filibuster. That'll take probably 3 weeks, minimum, if they rush it. Roberts took 3 weeks, and that was warp speed because SCOTUS was without a Chief Justice after Reinquest died. Alito took 3 months, Kagan and Sotomayor each took about 4 months.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:20 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

It is my fever dream that for the remainder of this trash fire of an administration, SNL will have every white man in the administration played by a woman. Janeane Garafolo as Mnuchin, Lily Tomlin as Tillerson, Maria Bamford as Priebus, Sarah Silverman as Kushner. I mean, whatever, just...ALL WOMEN.
posted by triggerfinger at 6:20 PM on February 9, 2017 [45 favorites]

The front page of The Economist...wow.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:22 PM on February 9, 2017 [55 favorites]

@matt_barrie
One of my engineers entering US Customs was just given a python programming test to prove his software knowledge #auspol
posted by Coventry at 6:22 PM on February 9, 2017 [10 favorites]

Coventry: "I have no articulable basis for my skepticism, anyway, so maybe I'm full of shit."

I would point to this set of recent tweets: [1] [2] [3] as fueling some of my skepticism. Talking about "counter-ops", "mimicking", "stealing followers", etc... is the kind of talk you expect from the kind of people who are trying to achieve social media fame (I've heard/seen similar patterns among YouTubers and Instagrammers) not, say, White House staffers -- not that there couldn't be some overlap there.

I would treat the account more like fan-fiction than a reliable view into the White House.
posted by mhum at 6:23 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

Maddow reporting new PPP poll:

Approval rating 43%
Favorable opinion of DJT 45%
Refugee ban support 45%
Was ban executed well? 27% yes
Intent of EO was to ban Muslims? 48% yes
Support banning Muslims - 65% oppose
53% support judges to make these decisions more than Trump
65% do not want an ACA repeal
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:23 PM on February 9, 2017 [10 favorites]

SNL will have every white man in the administration played by a woman

ivanka can be played by one of those wire monkey moms
posted by poffin boffin at 6:24 PM on February 9, 2017 [36 favorites]

Maddow reporting new PPP poll:

I like to think that stands for pew pew pew!
posted by Lyn Never at 6:25 PM on February 9, 2017 [12 favorites]

Apparently about 2k people at the Chaffetz townhall. This is what democracy looks like. ❤️🇺🇸❤️
posted by supercrayon at 6:26 PM on February 9, 2017 [42 favorites]

The front page of The Economist...wow.

I guess the question to ask is did the "Resign, Rumsfeld" cover have any impact?

OTOH this might in all seriousness bother Trump and/or Putin more than images of tortured human beings bothered Donald Rumsfeld, so there's that.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:27 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

There's another town hall going poorly in Murfreesboro, TN apparently. (Was that already covered? I skipped ahead.)
posted by soren_lorensen at 6:27 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

Apparently about 2k people at the Chaffetz townhall.

Well, there goes any chance at all of getting my local GOP Rep to attend a town hall.
posted by Etrigan at 6:28 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

The front page of The Economist...wow.

I guess the question to ask is...


...did anyone say "Oh, yay, this clearly solves everything!"?
posted by Etrigan at 6:29 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

I guess the question to ask is did the "Resign, Rumsfeld" cover have any impact?

Yes, but The Economist isn't a 'liberal rag', and it's read all over the US by middle to high brow audiences, we have to hope some of the college educated white people who voted for Trump in say Wisconsin are reading things like this and having regrets. Every voice against is needed.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:30 PM on February 9, 2017 [11 favorites]

Did Chaffetz open the kimono yet
posted by Rust Moranis at 6:31 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Meanwhile, the current Mexican government tries really really hard to be even more spineless and appeasing than usual:

Mexican FM helped Jared Kushner re-write Trump border wall speech

Jebus, we had to have the worst possible president at the worst possible time.
posted by Omon Ra at 6:33 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Flagged for eweeewww
posted by Dashy at 6:33 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

Here's a longer video of the Chaffetz town hall. It's pretty awesome.
posted by melissasaurus at 6:34 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Trump: 0. Democrats: 0. The People: 1.

FDR was handed defeat after defeat by the courts, yet managed to turn their intransigence—which was arrayed against what a clear majority of the nation wanted—into a symbol of the old regime that needed to be gutted and into a source of even greater power for him and his party.

That’s a little hard to do when:
a) you were put into office by a minority of the electorate;
b) your policies are unpopular;
c) you and your voters belong to the party that is both creator and custodian of that old regime; and
d) your proposals are being struck down by judges appointed by your party.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:34 PM on February 9, 2017 [15 favorites]

If the GOP stops holding town halls does that help them? Hurt them?
posted by shothotbot at 6:35 PM on February 9, 2017

I didn't really didn't know much about Chaffetz before I saw the clip a few days ago where the spat broke out in the committee meeting and I was NOT impressed, so this live tweeting of his townhall is very exciting! Thanks for the link zachlipton!
posted by maggiemaggie at 6:37 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

The front page of The Economist...wow.

Also, "China's transgender Oprah"? That sounds awesome, and terrifying to conservatives.
posted by XMLicious at 6:41 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

The only thing you need to know about Caffetz is that he exists for one purpose and one purpose only: to investigate Democrats for anything and everything that he can possibly investigate them for. Usually multiple times. Note that investigating Republicans is not on the agenda.
posted by Justinian at 6:41 PM on February 9, 2017 [11 favorites]

From the fabulous Karl Sharro on Twitter:

On the whole, I like it more now that we Middle Easterners are pontificating superficially about the West than the other way around. Karma.

we actually have more depth and analysis to their events because we literally lived through the end result.

Obviously but let's not tell them that
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:41 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

Jeffery Lord advocating a full blown Constitutional crisis on CNN right now, says Trump should ignore a SCOTUS ruling against the immigration EO.

I mean. They're just saying it openly. On national TV.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:41 PM on February 9, 2017 [28 favorites]

@VABVOX
As Trump keeps tweeting about it, remember it was ONLY a week ago #SallyYates was fired for asserting what 27 judges have since ruled.
posted by Coventry at 6:48 PM on February 9, 2017 [138 favorites]

I peeked at freep just now (rather than taunt a cousin) and ignoring the court(s) or doing violence to judges is a rather popular idea right now.
posted by vrakatar at 6:48 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

gosh, what a shock that the only branch of government not fundamentally subject to mob rule is not popular with unruly mobs
posted by DoctorFedora at 6:50 PM on February 9, 2017 [74 favorites]

If the GOP stops holding town halls does that help them? Hurt them?

It probably keeps them in the local headlines longer than showing up would do, especially if people start protesting outside district offices or posting up "MISSING" flyers.
posted by holgate at 6:58 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

This looks like it could be a big deal. National security adviser Flynn discussed sanctions with Russian ambassador, despite denials, officials say
posted by Brainy at 6:59 PM on February 9, 2017 [38 favorites]

Resisting DeVos-- The 2017-18 School-Board Elections
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:59 PM on February 9, 2017 [11 favorites]

Hillary Clinton @HillaryClinton
3-0

Kellyanne Conway @KellyannePolls
PA, WI, MI.

endless vomit is the true threat to my environment.
posted by prefpara at 7:02 PM on February 9, 2017 [11 favorites]

well well well.

National security adviser Flynn discussed sanctions with Russian ambassador, despite denials, officials say

National security adviser Michael Flynn privately discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with that country’s ambassador to the United States during the month before President Trump took office, contrary to public assertions by Trump officials, current and former U.S. officials said.

...Flynn on Wednesday denied that he had discussed sanctions with Kislyak. Asked in an interview whether he had ever done so, he twice said, “No.”

On Thursday, Flynn, through his spokesman, backed away from the denial. The spokesman said Flynn “indicated that while he had no recollection of discussing sanctions, he couldn’t be certain that the topic never came up.”

Not looking good for Fake News Flynn in this article. boo hoo.
posted by futz at 7:03 PM on February 9, 2017 [13 favorites]

Me:Trump's wrath will be terrible, his retribution swift.
[checks twitter]
Trump: SEE YOU IN COURT
Me: ...
posted by gatorae at 7:04 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Someone tell Kellyanne Conway to take every damn seat sis, I think there are a few thousand left over from the inauguration.
posted by supercrayon at 7:04 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

I mean, he knows judges like work in the court right? Like, it doesn't scare them.
posted by shothotbot at 7:07 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

Man, that looks bad for Flynn, I bet he's really worried about his job security and support from Congress
posted by saturday_morning at 7:08 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

today was a good day.
posted by localhuman at 7:08 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

Five New England Patriots plan to skip White House visit

What's this I'm feeling? Is it... could it be... a modicum of respect for the New England Patriots?

Truly, the world is upside down.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 7:13 PM on February 9, 2017 [25 favorites]

Watching Chaffetz sweat and wriggle before a jeering mob of thousands of angry americans really was a fine cap on the evening. Now I'm ready for Priebus to tell me my bedtime story.
posted by Rust Moranis at 7:19 PM on February 9, 2017 [29 favorites]

I did. I'm still cackling. Got him shook. Good.
posted by supercrayon at 7:19 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

I've been watching that Chaffetz FB feed and it's a sea of angry emojis flying by. ..literally, no emoji except angry ones, forever. Never seen that on FB live before.
posted by gatorae at 7:19 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

Will he escape out the damn back door though? "Bring him out!" hahahaha
posted by supercrayon at 7:20 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

Jumped on that Chaffetz stream just in time to watch him leave the stage drowned out by boos. This is your life now, Chaffetz. It's only been two weeks.
posted by jason_steakums at 7:21 PM on February 9, 2017 [29 favorites]

today was a good day.

It feels so weird
posted by theodolite at 7:23 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

From the feed, great stuff:

"TELL ME WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE!"

"THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE!"
posted by Coventry at 7:23 PM on February 9, 2017 [13 favorites]

I'm also seeing on twitter that Chaffetz cut his townhall an hour short. Squirm little weasel.
posted by supercrayon at 7:25 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

People Are Finding It Hard to Focus on Work Right Now

Making America Great Again, one distracting tweet, scandal, EO and court case at a time.
posted by Coventry at 7:25 PM on February 9, 2017 [29 favorites]

Jebus, we had to have the worst possible president at the worst possible time.

I think there's a world wide competition going on. We're winning. USA!
posted by bongo_x at 7:26 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Our shockingly disrespectful treatment of Chaffetz will no doubt result in nationalist fainting couches being filled by delicate offended Senatorial tulips through the weekend at least.
posted by Joey Michaels at 7:27 PM on February 9, 2017 [46 favorites]

I mean, I know my productivity has gone down the drain. But I'm the smallest cog on the smallest gear. I don't doubt that the mere fact of Trump's continuing distraction is going to be a drain on the economy, no matter what else he does.
posted by mollweide at 7:27 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Msnbc keeps showing clips of the disastrous Chaffetz townhall. This is liberal political porn.
posted by gatorae at 7:29 PM on February 9, 2017 [12 favorites]

Remember, don't boo... vote.

Ok, boo AND vote. But the voting part is necessary!
posted by Justinian at 7:35 PM on February 9, 2017 [11 favorites]

I wish people had started chanting "McMullin" or "Stand Up Republic" during the town hall, that could seriously mess with a Utah Republican right now.
posted by jason_steakums at 7:35 PM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

Let me tell you, this is a distracting time to be writing a dissertation.
posted by codacorolla at 7:36 PM on February 9, 2017 [48 favorites]

People Are Finding It Hard to Focus on Work Right Now

Politics and Fire Emblem Heroes, I don't know how anything gets done.
posted by jason_steakums at 7:38 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

“Until somebody falls asleep … You fell asleep last night.” “I did,” Bannon said. “I think, like, a quarter to 11,” Priebus added. “I did,” Bannon said. “He became unresponsive,” Priebus laughed."

Bannon admitting that he's an alcoholic.

And a pretty shitty one at that. Shit, you don't let the fucking clock dictate when you want to be fucking drunk.

/revoking Bannon's 'Functional Alcoholics Club' membership
posted by porpoise at 7:38 PM on February 9, 2017 [8 favorites]

We're not meant to like liveblog things so a summary of the Chaffetz townhall, although it's really worth watching in its entirety.

Okay so 2-3k people showed up at Jason Chaffetz's townhall, so many that most had to stay outside. They proceeded to yell "You work for us" and "this is what democracy looks like" outside. Inside he was getting booed left and right, and asked questions about the ACA, why Trump wasn't being scrutinized to the same level as HRC, and "what is your line in the sand for impeachment?" Another choice question: "do you believe in science? Because I do." asked by a little girl.

Chaffetz, feeling shook, and obviously a bit fragile outside his safe-space, ended his townhall a full 40 minutes early. The crowd outside roared "BRING HIM OUT". RIP my emotions, I am out of them.

Let me tell you, this is a distracting time to be writing a dissertation.

Omg, are you me? Guess how many words I've written for my thesis since the election. Did you guess ZERO? I guess RIP my academic career as well?
posted by supercrayon at 7:39 PM on February 9, 2017 [76 favorites]

Whoa, codacorolla, glad I finished mine in the halcyon days of the Obama years. Good luck.
posted by mollweide at 7:41 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

I mean, I know my productivity has gone down the drain. But I'm the smallest cog on the smallest gear. I don't doubt that the mere fact of Trump's continuing distraction is going to be a drain on the economy, no matter what else he does.

Yeah, I've been worthless at work for like a year now. Keeping up with these threads. Midday panic attacks. Thinking about how worthless doing something for a paycheck is when the world explodes. I can't be the only one. Seeing the economy swiftly tank under Trump (and praying he gets his rightful blame) is my one bit of hope in all the madness.
posted by downtohisturtles at 7:42 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

Watch this question from a woman at a GOP Obamacare town hall in Tennessee. It's amazing. There is no district we shouldn't be fighting in.
posted by zachlipton at 7:44 PM on February 9, 2017 [92 favorites]

If you commit a crime in Toronto we will SEE YOU IN COURT.

(Does not apply to Toronto mayors.)
posted by maudlin at 7:44 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

Watch this question from a woman at a GOP Obamacare town hall in Tennessee. It's amazing. There is no district we shouldn't be fighting in.

Oh my God. That's the accent I grew up hearing. It is amazing to hear it used for this.
posted by WidgetAlley at 7:47 PM on February 9, 2017 [29 favorites]

Jumped on that Chaffetz stream just in time to watch him leave the stage drowned out by boos. This is your life now, Chaffetz. It's only been two weeks.

I wonder how much of this sort of thing it'll take before it finally strikes the political higher-ups that all this protesting and angry tweeting and so on isn't just a small group of professional protesters and twitter bots, etc. Like, these are real people. Lots of people are legitimately very angry... at THEM.
posted by wondermouse at 7:47 PM on February 9, 2017 [38 favorites]

Bannon admitting that he's an alcoholic.

So was the namesake of Breitbart, and that served him well.
posted by T.D. Strange at 7:48 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

I'm having a hard time believing those Gavin Newsom tweets. The man's smart, yes, but he's not... good at people. Just not good at basic human connections. It's hard to believe he's that particular kind of witty -- I'm guessing that's his social media intern.
posted by suelac at 7:53 PM on February 9, 2017

WaPo on Flynn: "Nine current and former officials, who were in senior positions at multiple agencies at the time of the calls, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters. All of those officials said ­Flynn’s references to the election-related sanctions were explicit."

Nine. That's not a leak, that's a golden shower. And the national security adviser apparently did not expect his conversations with Russian diplomats to be snooped by the TLAs. Holy actual fuck.
posted by holgate at 7:55 PM on February 9, 2017 [123 favorites]

I've also been useless at work since at least the summer. I'm going to need to install some blockers at work because it's getting untenable. I'm so behind and it's starting to get obvious. My annual review is late spring/early summer so I'm going to need a couple months of nose on the grindstone to have that be fresh in my boss's mind rather than these past six months of not a whole lot getting done.

All the people I work with and for are sympatico politically (50% of the department was represented at the DC women's march) and I have no idea how they are managing to compartmentalize enough to stay productive.
posted by soren_lorensen at 7:55 PM on February 9, 2017 [16 favorites]

I wonder how much of this sort of thing it'll take before it finally strikes the political higher-ups that all this protesting and angry tweeting and so on isn't just a small group of professional protesters and twitter bots, etc. Like, these are real people. Lots of people are legitimately very angry... at THEM.

I'm not understanding if these Republicans are that self deluded or just pretending. I mean, protesting wasn't just invented. Did they see this much going on last year, 10 years ago? Was Soros still saving up the money?
posted by bongo_x at 7:55 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

I wonder how much of this sort of thing it'll take before it finally strikes the political higher-ups that all this protesting and angry tweeting and so on isn't just a small group of professional protesters and twitter bots, etc. Like, these are real people. Lots of people are legitimately very angry... at THEM.

Chaffetz won his primary challenge by 57 points and his general by 47 points. He's not going anywhere. 2000 people came to his town hall? He won his primary by 34,000 votes. The general is even worse with the D losing by 133K votes. So long as they punish sluts and stop abortion, Utah would vote for Hitler if there was an R next to his name.
posted by Talez at 7:56 PM on February 9, 2017 [10 favorites]

Agreed holgate. This is actually HUGE.
posted by futz at 7:56 PM on February 9, 2017

Administration officials say they believe he will only do so after Mr. Trump publicly commits to recognizing a single Chinese government in Beijing.

I wish I'd bookmarked the thing, but there was an article about presidential telephone calls before the election that was fascinating.

Basically, Obama would need to recite chapter and verse, starting with "we believe in one China," before the Chinese government will speak to him.

Trump is going to have to go farther than that.
posted by steady-state strawberry at 8:02 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

I just changed the channel to Fox News for about 40 seconds and before turning it off to avoid my head exploding I got to hear Lou Dobbs say, For [Trump] to be frustrated in any way by his party would be, I believe, criminal.

In context he meant something like "political malpractice", but man are American conservatives good at sounding like Nazis.
posted by XMLicious at 8:06 PM on February 9, 2017 [12 favorites]

Tell me people, how do you celebrate a spineless chucklehead like Jason Chaffetz getting rolled at his own townhall? I celebrate by listening to Wu Tang, drinking chocolate milk, and faxing him at [phone] DC and [phone] UT. I'm thinking a 140pt "COWARD" in all caps is in order for ending his town-hall early. Maybe followed by a "YOU WORK FOR US".
posted by supercrayon at 8:08 PM on February 9, 2017 [28 favorites]

aaaaaand whoa, right on cue: "BREAKING: Trump speaks with President Xi of China for first time, says he will respect the longstanding 'One China' policy - Financial Times"

Holy shit. How fucking dumb does he think Xi is?

The deeper story on this one is that Trump sent Flynn and a flunkie, hat in hand, to go beg the Chinese for forgiveness.
posted by Talez at 8:10 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

[he] is going to have to go farther than that.

The formal rubric is along the lines of "The United States government's policy is one China, based upon the three communiques and the Taiwan Relations Act. We oppose any unilateral decision to change the status quo by either side." Maybe the letter was sent in lieu of him having to read it aloud?
posted by holgate at 8:12 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

The Flynn thing is huge. What is realistically going to happen now though? Some GOP huff a little and then?
posted by Jalliah at 8:12 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Well Flynn was doing some dodgy shit but managed to avoid completely sticking his foot in his mouth with some direct quid-pro-quo which makes it much easier for Spicy and Conway to spin. And they will spin it like Dead or Alive.
posted by Talez at 8:14 PM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

What is realistically going to happen now though? Some GOP huff a little and then?

The three-letter agencies have essentially shoved handwritten notes under the doors of the White House and Congress saying "WE HAVE THE TAPES."
posted by holgate at 8:15 PM on February 9, 2017 [11 favorites]

The call with Xi Jinping was not on the schedule, while most of the foreign leader calls have been. How quickly did they throw this together? Did they know the NYT story was coming and arranged this to try to hit it off at the pass?
posted by zachlipton at 8:18 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Did they know the NYT story was coming and arranged this to try to hit it off at the pass?

Probably not. If Xi calls you can't exactly get Pence to say he's in the shower and Xi is not going to be doing Donald any solids anytime soon.
posted by Talez at 8:21 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

There is no Trump side of the moon really

matter of fact it's all trump

(sad piano fades off into distance)
posted by Sebmojo at 8:24 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

Some GOP huff a little and then?

But will they even huff a little? We'll see. I thought you were going to say Dems and I thought "I hope they do more than that!" but who knows. We are in the Upside Down after all & Flynn is one of Trumpski's chosen ones; his little Mishka.
posted by futz at 8:24 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

So just to recap:

- Trump lost in the 9th Circuit
- He lost to China (in the sense that he was previously refusing to acknowledge the One China™ Policy unless he got a trade deal or something else in return)
- His National Security Advisor lied about his contacts with the Russian Ambassador
- Congress has requested an investigation into one of his senior aides for hawking his daughter's products on TV
- There's a DHS memo floating around that says the wall will cost several times what he claimed it would cost in the campaign
- He sent a bunch of dumbass whiny tweets

"We're going to win so much. You're going to get tired of winning. you’re going to say, ‘Please Mr. President, I have a headache. Please, don't win so much. This is getting terrible.’ And I'm going to say, ‘No, we have to make America great again.’ You're gonna say, ‘Please.’ I said, ‘Nope, nope. We're gonna keep winning.’"
posted by zachlipton at 8:26 PM on February 9, 2017 [61 favorites]

Oh god, it's one of those "I step away from my computer for a few measly hours, come back, and see there are like 950 new comments" days.
posted by FelliniBlank at 8:27 PM on February 9, 2017 [37 favorites]

The three-letter agencies have essentially shoved handwritten notes under the doors of the White House and Congress saying "WE HAVE THE TAPES."

Oh yeah. Ha. Been so focused on judges and the House I forgot about IC. So much going on its hard to keep track of it all.
posted by Jalliah at 8:28 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

That's *every* day, no?
posted by The Card Cheat at 8:29 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

Well, yeah, but some days I don't step away from my computer, so it's less tsunami-esque.
posted by FelliniBlank at 8:29 PM on February 9, 2017 [7 favorites]

- the K-Con Shopping Channel forced Chaffetz to do some basic oversight, then Chaffetz got roasted at his own town hall
- Spicy lost his shit again

Busy day.
posted by holgate at 8:30 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

"We're going to win so much. You're going to get tired of winning. you’re going to say, ‘Please Mr. President, I have a headache. Please, don't win so much. This is getting terrible.’ And I'm going to say, ‘No, we have to make America great again.’ You're gonna say, ‘Please.’ I said, ‘Nope, nope. We're gonna keep winning.’"

McConnell: Liberals didn't win shit in the election!
Trump: Hold my beer!
posted by Talez at 8:30 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

But will they even huff a little? We'll see. I thought you were going to say Dems and I thought "I hope they do more than that!" but who knows. We are in the Upside Down after all & Flynn is one of Trumpski's chosen ones; his little Mishka.

I figure the Dems will try to do something more then huff. It's just that they have so little power unless some GOP do more then huff
posted by Jalliah at 8:31 PM on February 9, 2017

So just to recap:

It's Day 19.

We're less than 3 weeks in.
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:34 PM on February 9, 2017 [21 favorites]

I was hoping the Deep State would take down Trump, but I'll settle for Flynn as the appetizer.
posted by chris24 at 8:35 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

3 weeks is longer than I thought we'd make it, so it's all gravy from here on in.
posted by The Card Cheat at 8:37 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

Political people on my twitter are saying this is so bad that if Flynn isn't fired over it things will get really bad. My thoughts "it can get way worse?" What more can do people think can happen? Like GOP actually stops ignoring it all and does something? Cause that's all I can think of. Well maybe more major IC leaks.
posted by Jalliah at 8:37 PM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

Pence is backing away from Flynn, saying his comments were based on what Flynn told him. I think he's toast.

@gregpmiller:
Just adding admin comment on Pence/Flynn: "An administration official stressed that VP Pence based his comments on his convo with Gen Flynn"
posted by chris24 at 8:39 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

It's so bad that if Flynn isn't fired nothing will happen.
posted by Justinian at 8:39 PM on February 9, 2017 [32 favorites]

"In like Flynn" fell out of popular favor today.
posted by perhapses at 8:44 PM on February 9, 2017 [12 favorites]

It's just that they have so little power unless some GOP do more then huff

This brings me to something that I have been wondering for awhile. It has probably been discussed many times here and I have missed it somehow. How did the Tea Party do so much damage when they were a minority? I don't want to derail this thread so if anyone is up for memailing me a link I would really appreciate it. The whole TP thing is a blind spot for me. My recollection is that they were a minority that somehow managed to obstruct everything. I know more than that of course but i am looking for something that explains how the democrats situation now compares to the TP then.
posted by futz at 8:45 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Doing that over an insecure comms link suggests that he shouldn't be NSA on the basis of his palpable lack of understanding of either signals intelligence or basic tradecraft.
posted by jaduncan at 8:46 PM on February 9, 2017 [14 favorites]

Is someone supposed to say "surely this" now? Is it my turn?
posted by rouftop at 8:47 PM on February 9, 2017 [21 favorites]

I see no reason to think that they'll do anything at all about Flynn. The only solution left is to give me the powers of The Spectre so I can rain nightmarish vengeance on all their heads. Because that's as likely a thing to happen as any accountability for Flynn.

Prove me wrong, 45! SEE YOU ON TWITTER.
posted by Joey Michaels at 8:48 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

Pence has plausible deniability because he spent the campaign doing plausible deniability and may well be doing plausible deniability even now.

And it needs reiterating: these are all self-inflicted crises. There hasn't been a Thing to deal with that hasn't stemmed from administration decisions or personnel.

How did the Tea Party do so much damage when they were a minority?

Showed up to town halls with guns, which scared the shit out of the GOP and Blue Dog Dems. Showed up to protests in cosplay and got lots of media. Got millions of dollars in astroturf funding from wingnut welfare.
posted by holgate at 8:48 PM on February 9, 2017 [29 favorites]

Political people on my twitter are saying this is so bad that if Flynn isn't fired over it things will get really bad. My thoughts "it can get way worse?" What more can do people think can happen?

Yes. Yes it can. Russia is angling to annex Belarus and the rest of Ukraine, and ultimately the Baltics, if not all of Europe. Flynn is spreading their propaganda from the NSC. It could get way worse, by redeploying US and NATO operational forces away from countering Russian aggression. So far there's been no evidence of a change in US operational posture, yet. But that's not going to hold for four years.

There's quite literally foreign controlled assets in charge of the US security state. It can get, way, way fucking worse.
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:49 PM on February 9, 2017 [56 favorites]

Doing that over an insecure comms link suggests that he shouldn't be NSA even purely on the basis of his palpable lack of understanding of either SIGINT or basic tradecraft.

Wonder why nobody wants to work for him?

Flynn is still hiring his staff. He said about 85 percent of his roughly 230 employees are assigned from other agencies, with about 60 of those positions unfilled. That may reflect wariness at the State Department and CIA, where many career officials are reluctant to work for Trump.

posted by holgate at 8:50 PM on February 9, 2017 [10 favorites]

I wonder why these officials are spilling the beans now.
posted by Jalliah at 8:54 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

Well, which court is next here?

Keep in mind that this was just a preliminary injunction. So most likely this is tossed back to Judge Robart in Washington state for actual trial. That means the next step is discovery, which means the Washington Attorney General can suponea witnesses. Like asking Rudi Guliani what advice he gave to make a constitutionally illegal ban on Muslims look like it wasn't unconstitutional. (I don't think Guliani would have client-attorney protection since he was not a designated attorney for the Trump administration).
posted by JackFlash at 8:55 PM on February 9, 2017 [21 favorites]

I wonder why these officials are spilling the beans now.

Because the proper channels have likely been tried and nothing was happening is my (uninformed) bet.
posted by Slackermagee at 8:55 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

Got millions of dollars in astroturf funding from wingnut welfare.
That explains the "paid protesters" charge; because the Tea Party was built on 100% astroturf, they can't believe any political action can happen that isn't.
posted by oneswellfoop at 8:56 PM on February 9, 2017 [16 favorites]

Could it also be possible that this is just the tip of the Russian iceberg and they have enough to feel confident in starting to release the dirt? Or am I wishful thinking here.
posted by Jalliah at 8:57 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

nobody in the gop wants to be the first one to admit that their "useful" idiot is just the regular kind
posted by murphy slaw at 8:58 PM on February 9, 2017 [30 favorites]

I wonder why these officials are spilling the beans now.

Because the POTUS is a goddamn incompetent deranged narcissistic lunatic, and the fate of the whole country depends on his insane decisionmaking? We've never seen leaks like this before because there's always been a sane and serious person in charge, backed by sane and serious advisers who knew who the world and government worked. There's not now. There's no one with a fucking clue about anything in charge, and the most influential person, Bannon, is a death cultist.

Career people are fucking terrified, that's why they're leaking.
posted by T.D. Strange at 9:00 PM on February 9, 2017 [90 favorites]

god, can you imagine sitting in on a cabinet meeting and realizing that steve goddamn bannon is the smartest guy in the room
posted by murphy slaw at 9:03 PM on February 9, 2017 [24 favorites]

Protests Erupt in Downtown L.A. Following Reports of Immigration Raids at Homes Across Southern California; Federal Officials Say Sweeps Are ‘Routine’

Activists have said that many of those arrested did not have criminal histories.
posted by zachlipton at 9:03 PM on February 9, 2017 [21 favorites]

I KNOW that's why they are leaking. My question was about the specific timing is all.
posted by Jalliah at 9:04 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

i imagine the timing just means that this was the fastest they could put together an ironclad case against flynn. less than three weeks is crazy fast
posted by murphy slaw at 9:07 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

So is there any chance we can redo the election? Seems like the only fair thing to do at this point.
posted by saysthis at 9:11 PM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

How specific do you want specific to be?

Perhaps it's because Jefferson Beauregard (whose staff somehow, yet mysteriously, were associated with bringing in Carter Page) is now in charge of the DoJ?
posted by holgate at 9:11 PM on February 9, 2017

So is there any chance we can redo the election?

No there isn't.
posted by Justinian at 9:13 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

This administration has been a fountain of leaks from day 1, was today somehow different? The Bat Signal has been on since Obama flew away in the helicopter, I don't see that today was full of more, or greater, leaks than the last 18?
posted by T.D. Strange at 9:14 PM on February 9, 2017

I doubt very much that this was put together in three weeks. The fact that the phone call was listened to suggests that the normal counterintelligence work had (as, frankly, one would hope for both R and D candidates) already started on Flynn and the Trump team at an earlier stage.
posted by jaduncan at 9:14 PM on February 9, 2017

So is there any chance we can redo the election? Seems like the only fair thing to do at this point.

No? I mean, there's a tissue-thin scenario whereby Congress and the states bang through Amendment XXVIII where in cases of impeachment, X will serve as acting president and new elections will be held within Y days, but the US constitution has no recourse for oh fuck they're all fuckers.
posted by holgate at 9:15 PM on February 9, 2017 [20 favorites]

I wonder if we'll hear a tape from Flynn's call by the end of this. I mean, literally everyone, even people who live in actual caves, not named Michael T. Flynn, knew we were bugging the Russian Ambassador's telephone, so it's not exactly protecting sources and methods to release proof if necessary. I know that's not how the intelligence community works, but there just shouldn't be a secret to protect here.
posted by zachlipton at 9:15 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

So is there any chance we can redo the election?

No there isn't.

BRB, gonna go drink myself into a stupor over President Pence.
posted by saysthis at 9:15 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

And so it begins: Christine Baranski is offering to play Betsy DeVos on SNL

*rubs hands together*
posted by triggerfinger at 9:15 PM on February 9, 2017 [28 favorites]

Trump has to know the 3.5 year schedule to build the wall is bullshit; per Wikipedia, Trump Tower took four years to complete.
posted by carmicha at 9:16 PM on February 9, 2017

To be fair, the contract to build the Tower was probably written by the mob.
posted by holgate at 9:18 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

the mob can build the wall in half the time by constructing it from recycled cement overshoes
posted by murphy slaw at 9:22 PM on February 9, 2017 [6 favorites]

Here's someone else with the same question I have had: how did Bannon et al. get security clearances for White House work? Or did they at all?
posted by suelac at 9:25 PM on February 9, 2017 [31 favorites]

So, how happy do you think Spicer is that there's no briefing tomorrow?
posted by zachlipton at 9:28 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

the mob can build the wall in half the time by constructing it from recycled cement overshoes

The mob wants guaranteed overtime. Not that the workers will get paid it.

And as we've discussed here before, the lack of an "oh fuck they're all fuckers" clause is a tell that the US constitution is stuck in the 18th century, where the assumption was that if the elected monarch was a bad king, the Congress would do its job and the Veep would be a better king, because Congress (Article I) is first among equals. "How do you get rid of a bad king without tearing up the nation?" is more the stuff of Shakespeare tragedies.
posted by holgate at 9:30 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

the real tragedy of the constitution is that it assumes that all three branches of government agree that having a country is an okay idea
posted by murphy slaw at 9:35 PM on February 9, 2017 [45 favorites]

Is someone supposed to say "surely this" now? Is it my turn?

There are few things more sobering in these threads than posting about some glimmer of hope and getting a favorite from Surely This
posted by jason_steakums at 9:43 PM on February 9, 2017 [11 favorites]

where the assumption was that if the elected monarch was a bad king, the Congress would do its job and the Veep would be a better king

I never thought I'd disagree with the 12th amendment, but right now having Hilary as VP in waiting for Trumps impeachment looks like amazeballs.

I don't think the founders envisioned a scenario where both the president and Vice President were totally in hock to a foreign power, or both complicit in treason.
posted by T.D. Strange at 9:46 PM on February 9, 2017 [20 favorites]

I know Washington was against parties, but I'm not sure he could have ever imagined politicians would put party ahead of country, even in the case where one of their own might have committed treason.

To me, that's even more maddening than Trump et al committing treason in the first place.
posted by honestcoyote at 9:54 PM on February 9, 2017 [27 favorites]

I mean, literally everyone, even people who live in actual caves, not named Michael T. Flynn, knew we were bugging the Russian Ambassador's telephone, so it's not exactly protecting sources and methods to release proof if necessary.

And "Flynn-facts" Flynn was in military intelligence for 33 years.
posted by sebastienbailard at 9:58 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

How the fuck did the Russian Ambassador let this conversation take place on an insecure channel, actually?
posted by sebastienbailard at 9:59 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

Here's someone else with the same question I have had: how did Bannon et al. get security clearances for White House work? Or did they at all?

And Ivanka et. al. regularly attend parties with the mobster Jimmy "No Socks" Cinque.
posted by sebastienbailard at 10:02 PM on February 9, 2017

I don't think the founders envisioned a scenario where both the president and Vice President were totally in hock to a foreign power

They envisioned a scenario where the electoral college or Congress would do their job to disqualify such people. They expected the impeachment clause to be used if necessary. And if all else failed, write a new damn constitution. They were not squeamish about it.
posted by holgate at 10:02 PM on February 9, 2017 [17 favorites]

He's Alan Partridge, isn't he?

I see where you're going, but I keep coming back to Nicholas Van Orton.
posted by rhizome at 10:03 PM on February 9, 2017

How the fuck did the Russian Ambassador let this conversation take place on an insecure channel, actually?

Because the ambassador only controls one of the two weakest points in system. Whatever good security measures the ambassador might take, carelessness on the other end can undermine those efforts.
posted by Excommunicated Cardinal at 10:03 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

The NYT version of the Flynn story: "Federal officials who have read the transcript of the call were surprised by Mr. Flynn’s comments, since he would have known that American eavesdroppers closely monitor such calls."

As a few people have said, the mark of a totalitarian state is not that the innocent are punished but that the guilty walk free. Impunity is the order of the day. Let's see how that works out.
posted by holgate at 10:05 PM on February 9, 2017 [46 favorites]

"Federal officials who have read the transcript of the call were surprised by Mr. Flynn’s comments, since he would have known that American eavesdroppers closely monitor such calls."

Indeed. Adding to the sigint/tradecraft issues in that, it's also striking that Flynn thinks that he has a rapport with the GRU head. For a man who is in charge of giving advice on gathering intelligence and possible grooming of assets, that's quite a recent record.
posted by jaduncan at 10:11 PM on February 9, 2017 [2 favorites]

Chuck Cooper, the conservative Supreme Court litigator, is withdrawing his name from consideration to be the next solicitor general, opening the door for the husband of Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway to be appointed to the role.

Not that I want Conway or her family to be at all employed by anyone ever, but thank heaven Chuck Cooper won't get the gig, because he is right up there with Torture Yoo on the list of truly hideous terrible people. I'm sure Trump will find someone equally awful or even more so, just to match the rest of his appointments.
posted by FelliniBlank at 10:12 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

81-year-old man recites rap verse at council meeting on LGBT ordinance
posted by futz at 10:17 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

i have decided i would like to see alaska thunderfuck or sharon needles play kellyanne on snl
posted by poffin boffin at 10:18 PM on February 9, 2017 [16 favorites]

if they aren't available maybe we can get a howling portal to the plane of negative energy to take a stab at it
posted by murphy slaw at 10:20 PM on February 9, 2017 [19 favorites]

i'd like to see anyone or anything named alaska thunderfuck in general
posted by flatluigi at 10:34 PM on February 9, 2017 [11 favorites]

Central Michigan student organization sorry for Hitler-themed Valentine's card
posted by EarBucket at 10:42 PM on February 9, 2017

It's six million, you idiotic Central Michigan republicans.
posted by mochapickle at 10:46 PM on February 9, 2017 [19 favorites]

Hitler-themed

Nah, a Hitler-themed card would have a little cartoon and a silly joke about blitzkrieging into your heart. That there is a jew-burning themed card. Shut them down.
posted by ominous_paws at 10:50 PM on February 9, 2017 [65 favorites]

You think the 6,000 was a mistake?

Apparently hate speech is free speech in America.
posted by Yowser at 10:51 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

"Matanuska Thunderfuck" is a kind of Alaskan marijuana grown in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. What connection this has with Trump being a nightmare is not totally clear to me.
posted by kerf at 10:54 PM on February 9, 2017

"Matanuska Thunderfuck" is a kind of Alaskan marijuana grown in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. What connection this has with Trump being a nightmare is not totally clear to me.

This is the Alaska Thunderfuck that was mentioned upthread.
posted by palomar at 11:12 PM on February 9, 2017 [3 favorites]

The Senate has confirmed Tom Price for HHS. The vote was 52-47.
posted by zachlipton at 11:15 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

How the fuck did the Russian Ambassador let this conversation take place on an insecure channel, actually?

No need to assume that anything was intercepted—here's a press release about extracting audio from videos of potato chip bags and the leaves of houseplants vibrating. Who knows what the state of the art in targeted military surveillance is.

These guys were using wi-fi antennae to construct a radar-like picture of the area around the router, maybe they can extrapolate sound from that; or a million other approaches.
posted by XMLicious at 11:19 PM on February 9, 2017 [9 favorites]

I have decided that I am never gonna run out of "evens", nor am I going to stop being outraged. I refuse to accept the new normal. I mean, just imagine if one of Obama's National Security Advisors had had a similar conversation. The Republican outrage would have been immense. But now that it is one of their own, it is a case of "meh, not so much". This ain't right, it is not O.K. Flynn has lied. He has endangered the national interest. Treason is a serious, serious accusation. If not now, when?

[edit:spelling]
posted by vac2003 at 11:23 PM on February 9, 2017 [16 favorites]

Central Michigan student organization sorry for Hitler-themed Valentine's card

The students' "apology" is a bunch of weasel-worded subjunctive statements: "a very inappropriate card was placed into a bag ... a bag was then given away ..." If they were serious, it would be along the lines of "Neville McNazi created a Nazi-themed card and put it into one of the bags that we handed out." They go on to say that they "do not tolerate this sort of behavior", which is a gross lie: they are the ones who did it.

This sort of slipperiness is only to be expected from college Republicans, but compare the Statement issued by Central Michigan University President George E. Ross.:

We are deeply disappointed by last night's situation with a Valentine card containing an inappropriate sentiment that was produced during a student organization meeting. This is not who we are as a campus community.

Same subjunctive statements, same denial of the facts. And he warns that "threatening others as a result of such an incident can have legal consequences." Threatening Jews doesn't have consequences; he specifically says that it's protected by the First Amendment; it's threatening Nazis that's a problem. And then he finishes with:

At Central Michigan University, we stand up against hate, protect the safety of all, and build bridges of understanding that bring people together.

There's no reason to think that any of this is true; on the contrary: he has actually warned his students not to stand up against hate; he has given no evidence that anyone (other than Nazis) is to be protected; and the statements have been carefully crafted to obscure the information that might create understanding. Just great.
posted by Joe in Australia at 11:31 PM on February 9, 2017 [59 favorites]

I never thought I'd disagree with the 12th amendment, but right now having Hilary as VP in waiting for Trumps impeachment looks like amazeballs.

I don't think the founders envisioned a scenario where both the president and Vice President were totally in hock to a foreign power, or both complicit in treason.

Dunno. Seems plausible to me that if you could survey the founding fathers, a couple of them would object to the 12th amendment for reasons along those lines. They pretty much all thought political parties were poisonous, and I can't imagine they'd have thought that replacing an impeached president with his (her? sigh.) hand picked confederate would be a good idea.

I don't suppose this ever came up in the Federalist Papers? Anybody around who's read through them a few times?

Of course, under present circumstances, that's all of purely academic interest only.
posted by dirge at 11:36 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

So if Pence knew about Flynn, and Trump is loopy and doomed anyway, does that mean we're in for President Ryan???
posted by saysthis at 11:39 PM on February 9, 2017 [1 favorite]

You guys really think this is going to amount to anything? I must have been made too cynical by the last 6 months because I think there could be a video of Trump and Flynn urinating on the American flag while getting USSR tattoos on their lower backs and all that would happen is Paul Ryan coming out with a statement saying, "While I very much do not agree with the President's policy of urinating on the American Flag I look forward to working with him in the future to implement a policy of major tax cuts, spending reductions, and deregulation."
posted by Justinian at 11:44 PM on February 9, 2017 [79 favorites]

Only if they remove both Pence and Trump. Otherwise it's whomever Pence selects as a VP.
posted by Joey Michaels at 11:45 PM on February 9, 2017

Justinian, I was confident Clinton was going to win. I am just aso confident nothing wI'll happen to Flynn. Let's hope I'm equally wrong now.
posted by Joey Michaels at 11:46 PM on February 9, 2017 [5 favorites]

Btw, the Price vote was a party line vote. The discrepancy is because McCaskill was absent.

The Senate also invoked cloture on Mnchin for Treasury, by a 53-46 vote, with a confirmation vote expected Monday. Sounds like Manchin flipped again.
posted by zachlipton at 11:59 PM on February 9, 2017 [4 favorites]

Yeah. If a Nazi snuck into my club and started using it to disseminate pro-Hitler material (assuming I believe that they were really so shocked by all this, which I really don't), I wouldn't be all "we are deeply disappointed." That's what you say when somebody has brought an anatomically correct cake to an inappropriate occasion. I'd say something more like "a goddamn Nazi snuck into my club and got their horrible Naziness all over it, and it made me physically ill that somebody would do that in my name, so I punched the Nazi now I'm going to commit the College Republicans to fighting Nazis, because rallying to take away people's health insurance is way less important than not going to school with Nazis."
posted by zachlipton at 12:04 AM on February 10, 2017 [23 favorites]

Justinian, You guys really think this is going to amount to anything?

I understand and agree that, probably, nothing will come of Flynn's most egregious lying. I understand the dynamic of power, of the powerful. But I refuse to accept Flynn's lying for anything other than what it is, treason. Victor Frankl's seminal work, Man's Search For Meaning has been referenced a few times in these voluminous election threads. His central message is that we possess the ultimate freedom to choose how we react to circumstances. We may not have liberty, has he did not in the Nazi camps, but we do have the freedom, the freedom to choose our responses to external stimuli. I believe that impulse lay at the heart of Obama's last injunction, "We Are the Change We Seek". We will continue to suffer much in the coming months and years. But we must, we must, retain that ultimate freedom - the freedom to choose our response.

My response to Flynn's lying remains the same: outrage.
posted by vac2003 at 12:05 AM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

That Central Michigan thing was not what my blood pressure needed this morning.
posted by mikelieman at 12:14 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

So is there any chance we can redo the election? Seems like the only fair thing to do at this point.

I think the only way that plays out is via military coup which is, you know, bad.

Well, I suppose the GOP could collectively grow both a spine and a conscience but I think that is less likely than the Obama bitten by a radioactive spider scenario.

Nine. That's not a leak, that's a golden shower.

So close! Two more and it would not even be funny.
posted by fullerine at 12:27 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

President Ryan

Is this the dimension where that's the guy who once helped steal a nuclear sub, or the one where it's Senator Ryan from Illinois, ( elected in 2004 ) and his wife Jeri?
posted by mikelieman at 12:31 AM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

Senator Ryan from Illinois, ( elected in 2004 ) and his wife Jeri?

When does the sex scandal break? First or second term?
posted by PenDevil at 1:16 AM on February 10, 2017

New York Review of Books throwing some shade.
posted by PenDevil at 1:34 AM on February 10, 2017 [20 favorites]

How the fuck did the Russian Ambassador let this conversation take place on an insecure channel, actually?

I don't believe the Russians care if they make a short term deal with trump. The game they are thinking is long-term. They want as much disruption and distrust of US/democratic institutions that is possible. They want America weak, and trump/Flynn played right along with their game plan.
posted by saucysault at 3:35 AM on February 10, 2017 [12 favorites]

Literally tweeting party over country.

@GOP:
We stand with @POTUS. Do you? #9thcircuit
posted by chris24 at 3:40 AM on February 10, 2017 [21 favorites]

@GOP:
We stand with @POTUS. Do you? #9thcircuit

No, the rule of law still seems more desirable.
posted by jaduncan at 3:41 AM on February 10, 2017 [97 favorites]

As I believe I've mentioned here, I fled Twitter like Steve McQueen burning rubber in a '68 Mustang fastback when I got to a point where I could no longer fool myself about its utter toxicity as an expressive medium.

In over two years, nothing has ever made me regret that decision. It still feels right, both as an act of self-care and in terms of getting on the right side of history. I will confess, though, that the opportunity Twitter affords its users to vent their rage directly at fascist nonentities like Flynn and Conway and Pence is something I've had cause to envy lately.

How delicious that must feel, to just unload on them to the maximum extent afforded by 140 characters of the English language, and know there's a decent chance they'll actually see it.
posted by adamgreenfield at 3:51 AM on February 10, 2017 [11 favorites]

@CNN:
WA state AG responds to Pres. Trump's "SEE YOU IN COURT" tweet: "We have seen him in court twice, and we're 2 for 2" http://snpy.tv/2ksw1Qg
posted by chris24 at 3:57 AM on February 10, 2017 [88 favorites]

David Rothkopf (CEO/Editor of Foreign Policy): Flynn is toast. He broke law & lied about it. But before he exits, Congress should ask: Did Trump authorize what he said to Russians
posted by PenDevil at 4:20 AM on February 10, 2017 [32 favorites]

Just to show that the racist fascist doesn't fall far from the racist tree, here's a test ad for Fred Trump's aborted 1968 mayoral campaign against John Lindsey.

Dope Man
posted by chris24 at 4:28 AM on February 10, 2017 [14 favorites]

I don't understand, didn't Reagan do the same thing with Iran? Convinced them not to release the hostages until he took office?
posted by TWinbrook8 at 4:33 AM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

chris24: "Just to show that the racist fascist doesn't fall far from the racist tree, here's a test ad for Fred Trump's aborted 1968 mayoral campaign against John Lindsey.

Dope Man"

Republicans have been running a variation of that ad forever. "Vote Republican or black men will come for your white women."
posted by octothorpe at 4:36 AM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

I don't understand, didn't Nixon to the same thing with North Vietnam? Convinced them not to cooperate at the Paris peace talks until he took office?
posted by klarck at 4:36 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

I don't understand, didn't...

It's a Republican tradition. But Nixon and Reagan were smart enough to not be kissing Vietnam and Iran's ass throughout the campaign and aides were smart enough to not be caught on tape.
posted by chris24 at 4:39 AM on February 10, 2017 [11 favorites]

@GOP:
We stand with @POTUS. Do you? #9thcircuit


they've gone rogue, fetch your elephant guns
posted by murphy slaw at 5:00 AM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

@GOP:
We stand with @POTUS. Do you? #9thcircuit

I just tweeted them the Schoolhouse Rock Checks and Balances video.
posted by uncleozzy at 5:03 AM on February 10, 2017 [76 favorites]

Yes, nothing will happen to Flynn, but remember that Hillary lost in large part because of an a atmosphere of scandal and unreliability around her campaign - and she was the best candidate, not some fuck-up. The more scandal-ridden the Trump administration is, the more missteps they'll make, the more time they spend putting out fires, the more nervous people are about working with them, the more motivated people will be to vote against them, etc. The more people see that you can be dishonest and stupid and stay in the Trump administration, the more the administration is discredited. Remember how long it took to bring down Nixon, also.

If Bannon can't incite a terrorist attack or sit on intelligence that allows one to happen, we actually have a tiny chance now.
posted by Frowner at 5:13 AM on February 10, 2017 [20 favorites]

I'd just like to point out that there is no question about who should play Kellyanne on SNL.
posted by jferg at 5:16 AM on February 10, 2017 [37 favorites]

People are lining up to mock the Trump administration on SNL. Christine Baranski offers to play DeVos.
posted by chris24 at 5:22 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

It seems Morning Joe was the TV show of choice this morning.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 5:28 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

The more people see that you can be dishonest and stupid and stay in the Trump administration, the more the administration is discredited. Remember how long it took to bring down Nixon, also.

I feel like IOKYAR is too strong these days. I mean, Iran-Contra wasn't enough to bring down Reagan or even seriously harm his reputation. It wasn't even enough to stop Ollie North from getting a goddamned talk show. The only thing a Republican can do to spark a scandal that sticks is to be a Democrat.
posted by tobascodagama at 5:28 AM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

I'd just like to point out that there is no question about who should play Kellyanne on SNL.

My head says yes but my heart says no.
posted by Room 641-A at 5:30 AM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

CNN had a Republican House Rep on and whassisname the early morning guy was asking him about all the recent scandals. The Rep had no problem with Trump not releasing his taxes, no problem with Flynn's interactions, no problem with Trump's judge tweets, and no problem with Conway's statements about Ivanka's clothing lines.

There was literally nothing the Trump administration could do that he would criticize in any way. That's what we're dealing with.
posted by Justinian at 5:32 AM on February 10, 2017 [54 favorites]

I don't understand, didn't Reagan do the same thing with Iran? Convinced them not to release the hostages until he took office?

Yes, and that too was illegal verging on treasonous, and went unpunished and even rewarded.

I don't understand, didn't Nixon to the same thing with North Vietnam? Convinced them not to cooperate at the Paris peace talks until he took office?

See above.
posted by adamgreenfield at 5:32 AM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

Yes, nothing will happen to Flynn, but remember that Hillary lost in large part because of an a atmosphere of scandal and unreliability around her campaign - and she was the best candidate, not some fuck-up.

The "Crooked Hillary" thing was only ever a figleaf for the misogyny people wouldn't otherwise have had a way of expressing. Scandal will do nothing to tar this Administration.
posted by adamgreenfield at 5:36 AM on February 10, 2017 [33 favorites]

Report: Trump upset at Spicer for saying Conway was 'counseled'

I think I can hear the Moon Door creaking open.
posted by Rust Moranis at 5:36 AM on February 10, 2017 [25 favorites]

It seems Morning Joe was the TV show of choice this morning.

Oh man, the article he's citing is critical of the decision, but ultimately says it was correct. And also refers to the "incompetent malice" of the EO. He didn't even RTFA before he tweeted about it, just took it straight from Morning Joe.
posted by Mavri at 5:42 AM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

Today's reminder that, yes, Bannon is an Actual Fascist, unapologetically and in so many words.
posted by adamgreenfield at 5:44 AM on February 10, 2017 [41 favorites]

It seems Morning Joe was the TV show of choice this morning.

The ad rates for “Morning Joe” have more than doubled post-election, according to one veteran media buyer. Trump, who reportedly watches the show most mornings, has a close relationship with “Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough, and they talk regularly.

TV networks hiking ad rates for shows Trump watches
posted by Mister Bijou at 5:44 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

During the campaign a (ex?) Congressman was asked by Chris Hayes if he would still support Trump if he explicitly admitted that he enjoys raping women. He stumbled around with a nonanswer. These people will never impeach him. Not unless it's politically beneficial to do so, and the high support numbers by Republicans show it never will be. Party and personal power over country. The mask is off, if it was ever on to begin with.
posted by gatorae at 5:47 AM on February 10, 2017 [15 favorites]

Report: Trump upset at Spicer for saying Conway was 'counseled'

Sounds like we're gearing up for COMMUNODOME! Two press flacks enter, one press flack leaves!

I do hope they televise the ritual combat.
posted by jackbishop at 5:47 AM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

We're going to get nationwide TV ad buys specifically to make sure Trump sees them, aren't we. That's going to be fascinating.
posted by Holy Zarquon's Singing Fish at 5:49 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

We're going to get nationwide TV ad buys specifically to make sure Trump sees them, aren't we

Can we rescind the ban on cigarette ads for a couple of years? I'm imagining wall-to-wall ads of people smoking and eating tubs of Crisco with a spoon during Morning Joe.
posted by uncleozzy at 5:51 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

FBI terrorism task force investigating Standing Rock activists
posted by XMLicious at 5:58 AM on February 10, 2017 [14 favorites]

Public Policy Polling: "By a 51/23 margin Trump supporters say the Bowling Green Massacre shows why Trump's immigration policy is needed."

WTF?
posted by bluecore at 6:18 AM on February 10, 2017 [42 favorites]

We're going to get nationwide TV ad buys specifically to make sure Trump sees them, aren't we

i wonder what the rate would be to get a bunch of three-second interstitials that are just a black screen with HE NEVER LOVED YOU in enormous block letters
posted by murphy slaw at 6:19 AM on February 10, 2017 [24 favorites]

"By a 51/23 margin Trump supporters say the Bowling Green Massacre shows why Trump's immigration policy is needed."

the line between incompetence and malice has been completely erased. incompetence works just as well as malice and i honestly can't tell the difference anymore.
posted by murphy slaw at 6:21 AM on February 10, 2017 [50 favorites]

WTF?

Confirmation that the disinformation campaign is working, and that you can't fight lies with facts.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:21 AM on February 10, 2017 [16 favorites]

I dunno, in re Clinton and scandal: I think that the fact that undecided (!!!) voters swung after the Comey thing broke suggests that the atmosphere of scandal wasn't just a fig leaf for misogyny - there was plenty of misogyny, sure, but there were a lot of other things too. Absent the atmosphere of scandal, misogyny alone would not have thrown the election. It wasn't inevitable.

That's what I think we have to keep our eye on: Trump will probably not be impeached, but if he is, it will be because of a slow erosion, probably followed by one enormous fuck-up. Every stupid, corrupt, not-our-class-darling thing he does weakens his ties to other Republicans and makes it harder for things to get done.

Trump is a monster, Bannon's a monster, they have terrible plans, but they are not omnipotent. Everything that goes against them weakens them. Why does the state always want to crush even the most trivial dissent? (If you've been around protests, you know that this is true.) It's because even a tiny victory against the state can start something big. It doesn't mean that your little march about policing is going to lead directly to storming the Bastille - it means that your little march can lead to bigger marches, voting, court victories, physical resistance, cultural changes, etc.

This is one of the reasons why the DAPL victory was such a big deal, and why Bannon et al are so determined to undo it. DAPL showed that, under the Obama administration, a very large number of uncooperative people could gain sympathy and stop the work of the wealthy and connected. If they could do that in the case of the pipeline, what else might they accomplish? On a "the state is omnipotent" level, why didn't the state just go in and clear everyone out by force, using the army, heedless of violence? The state could have done that (and may yet). But because state legitimacy and citizen cooperation are important, they didn't.

Every time Trump is forced to concede that legitimacy is important, he's weaker. Everything he wants to do is dumb and hateful and corrupt and unpopular - the only way to do all of it is to say "fuck legitimacy". If we can actually have midterms and Bannon can't create a terrorist attack on American soil, we can push a lot of this stuff back - and the slower, more incompetent and more unpopular Trump is, the more likely we are to get there.

Cancelling elections, for instance, requires popularity. Putin's popular, hugely popular - he can be an enormous fascist monster and get away with it because people like him. Trump is not. If Trump/Bannon cancel elections, or if it comes out that Bannon sat on intelligence and allowed a terrorist attack on US soil (and if he's unpopular, the likelihood of leaks goes up), they will not enjoy popular support. Make them super unpopular, weaken their connections to existing Republicans, and they are less likely to take those risks.

I think that the middle has dropped out of a lot of political projects - we're playing for Not Going Full Fascist and for a radicalized Democratic party/real grassroots new party stuff. We've lost the "let's have an average middling-bad administration" game. "Trump is widely seen as corrupt and incompetent" is a win on the Not Going Full Fascist side, and indirectly a win on the radicalized progressivism side because it makes us less likely to be crushed.
posted by Frowner at 6:21 AM on February 10, 2017 [60 favorites]

Aaron Loeb at Medium: The National Divorce

Well… it is true that everyone I know is in terrible pain about this election and now the actions of our 45th President. And it is true, judging from opinion polls, that the 40–45% of the people who support the President support him just as strongly today as they did two weeks ago — despite the travel ban, despite the DeVos nomination, despite the multiple threats issued to our allies, and despite the first, botched military operation out-Benghazi’ing Benghazi. (Many of us fear they support him not despite these things but because of them.)

I can live within a framework of such a profound difference of worldview — I’ve lived through it before. This time, however, it is different. Every comment I see made by those of us terrified by our new President and what he means for the country is met by an equal and opposite comment from those enthralled by the current White House occupant. Those equal and opposite responses take joy in the pain of those on the left. Our national dialogue could now be summed up by Lisa Simpson saying, “I am desperately unhappy,” and Nelson Muntz pointing and laughing.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 6:24 AM on February 10, 2017 [37 favorites]

And in yet another measure of the terrible economic anxiety gripping Trump voters though, 46% of them think there should be a White History Month to 36% opposed to that concept.

Oh, PPP, never change.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:26 AM on February 10, 2017 [47 favorites]

"By a 51/23 margin Trump supporters say the Bowling Green Massacre shows why Trump's immigration policy is needed."

Fox & Friends works!
posted by Mister Bijou at 6:29 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

We don't need to win over all the idiots, we need to activate the cynical and the excluded (and the cynical excluded, for that matter). Let the terrible 27% of the country go - we need to educate and motivate the other people (by offering real goals and real ideas) and help the excluded get ready to vote. Things don't have to be terrible. This country may have pretty hard limits on how good things can be, but we know that there is room in this country for leftward movement.
posted by Frowner at 6:29 AM on February 10, 2017 [28 favorites]

ICE is stopping people in Austin, TX. Not sure specifics, justifications, etc. Will post more details as more is known.
posted by avalonian at 6:31 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

And it is true, judging from opinion polls, that the 40–45% of the people who support the President support him just as strongly today as they did two weeks ago — despite the travel ban, despite the DeVos nomination, despite the multiple threats issued to our allies, and despite the first, botched military operation out-Benghazi’ing Benghazi. (Many of us fear they support him not despite these things but because of them.)

Yeah, but how many of those 45% are paying any attention at all to the news after the election?

Hanlon's Razor: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity."

Remember, these were Trump supporters. He loves the under-educated for a reason.
posted by leotrotsky at 6:31 AM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

I mean, look at the Tea Party, if we're going to look at stuff like that. They didn't spend their time wringing their hand about the parts of the country that weren't, like, greedy white nationalist woman-hating homophobes; they worked to move the middle of their party rightward.
posted by Frowner at 6:31 AM on February 10, 2017 [29 favorites]

i honestly don't know how you have a democracy when 27% of people would vote to have their own babies eaten if they thought it would make liberals cry
posted by murphy slaw at 6:31 AM on February 10, 2017 [28 favorites]

It's not like we're the first country to have assholes, murphy slaw. You're always going to have a 27% crazification factor.

Obama vs. Alan Keyes. Keyes was from out of state, so you can eliminate any established political base; both candidates were black, so you can factor out racism; and Keyes was plainly, obviously, completely crazy. Batshit crazy. Head-trauma crazy. But 27% of the population of Illinois voted for him. They put party identification, personal prejudice, whatever ahead of rational judgement. Hell, even like 5% of Democrats voted for him. That's crazy behaviour. I think you have to assume a 27% Crazification Factor in any population.

The point is they're in the minority.
posted by leotrotsky at 6:33 AM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

This is perhaps the most liberal thought I've ever had in a lifetime (mostly) of being a liberal, but I feel like we need to have some sort of outreach program. Like, have any of these people ever met a liberal? Can I just go set up in the town square with a big sign that says "ASK A LIBERAL"?
posted by soren_lorensen at 6:35 AM on February 10, 2017 [15 favorites]

yeah, i know. it's an important reminder that when you have a quarter of the population that would vote for Literal Adolf Hitler with no hesitation, you have to constantly work to make sure that the other 3/4ths would not vote for Hitler under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
posted by murphy slaw at 6:36 AM on February 10, 2017 [22 favorites]

Tell me people, how do you celebrate a spineless chucklehead like Jason Chaffetz getting rolled at his own townhall? I celebrate by listening to Wu Tang, drinking chocolate milk, and faxing him at [phone]

Don't you mean (917) 16049311?
posted by iffthen at 6:39 AM on February 10, 2017

51% of Trump voters say Bowling Green Massacre vindicates Muslim ban.
51% oppose checks and balances.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:39 AM on February 10, 2017 [23 favorites]

Also from that PPP data: 41% of women oppose impeachment and 9% aren't sure. I think those 9% are in reach and it's just 3 weeks in.
posted by Rust Moranis at 6:42 AM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

51% oppose checks and balances.

i now understand how Moses felt after coming down the mountain after talking to the Lord and finding the entire israelite camp worshipping a golden calf AGAIN
posted by murphy slaw at 6:42 AM on February 10, 2017 [135 favorites]

This is perhaps the most liberal thought I've ever had in a lifetime (mostly) of being a liberal, but I feel like we need to have some sort of outreach program. Like, have any of these people ever met a liberal? Can I just go set up in the town square with a big sign that says "ASK A LIBERAL"?

That's actually kind of a neat idea. I'd maybe pair it with an "ASK A CONSERVATIVE" booth to minimize heckling.

Problem is, where would you put it? Outside the local church? The most conservative areas usually have low population density and a lack of shared community spaces.
posted by leotrotsky at 6:43 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Like, have any of these people ever met a liberal? Can I just go set up in the town square with a big sign that says "ASK A LIBERAL"?

I would be into things like this, although I am not a liberal. You could partner with socialists and Chomskyist anarchists, and do a pan-left-of-center thing, maybe? That's not very radical or anarchist or whatever on the face of it, but I think it's actually radical in the sense of "let's try to actually reason together, interrogate one another's premises based on understanding them, etc". We're at a point where "let's talk about what we know and how we know it" is a radical gesture.

I think that if everything isn't destroyed, we're going to have an opportunity to educate people and move this country leftward. I have my own little dreams (as a Chomskyist anarchist) but I would settle for "effective social democracy that isn't racist". I think that as the Trump administration goes on and we get further into imaginary numbers, government by Twitter, etc, there's going to be more of a constituency for mere information - what do various political formations actually believe? Where does policy come from? Who are these people?

At the national level, sure, everything is bananas. I think it's easy to be scared by statistics about how awful people are. But try thinking about the people you actually know who are either politically engaged or on the cusp of being so. Naturally, we all find some folks idiots and/or annoying, but they're idiots and/or annoying in ordinary ways, not in bananas ways. We can't let ourselves get scared by abstractions and infinities. 27% of the country is bananas-evil, but that still leaves a potential 73% who are not bananas-evil.
posted by Frowner at 6:43 AM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

i now understand how Moses felt after coming down the mountain after talking to the Lord and finding the entire israelite camp worshipping a golden calf AGAIN

I mean, if you're going purely on color and general girth ...they're not really all that far off.
posted by leotrotsky at 6:44 AM on February 10, 2017 [27 favorites]

Central Michigan student organization sorry for Hitler-themed Valentine's card.

Cherries, Betsy DeVos, campus Nazi assholes . . . here in the Wolverine State, we have all the really great tourist attractions! ♫ Yes, Michigan, the feeling's forever. ♫
posted by FelliniBlank at 6:45 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

Like I said previously, the Bowling Green Massacre isn't a stumble, it's a deliberate lie. They don't care how many times they are corrected, their base will never ever ever believe the correction. In fact, the notion that someone might challenge the very existence of the fake massacre cements their belief in it.

It's fascism 101. It fractures the country into us vs them but along a very very dangerous fault line: protectors of the country vs saboteurs. That basis of unwavering support is how you create the groundwork for, SURPRISE SURPRISE, superseding the judiciary.
posted by lydhre at 6:46 AM on February 10, 2017 [31 favorites]

Another surprise from PPP: only 23% say the USA is an "unsafe country" which is pretty goddamned shocking given how much of the campaign was literally just shouting "DEATH, DESTRUCTION, TERRORISM AND WEAKNESS" and "you walk down the street, you get shot! american carnage!"
posted by Rust Moranis at 6:46 AM on February 10, 2017 [13 favorites]

I was hoping the Deep State would take down Trump, but I'll settle for Flynn as the appetizer.

Unlike most, I don't read "deep state" with negative connotations. You mean those scary, competent motherfuckers in the IC apparatus who actually care about their country and serve as one of the last remaining bulwarks against the current stupidity in Washington DC? Yeah, I'm kinda happy they're there doing what they do. Or, you know, it's fine that the man controlling half the world's nukes is distracted from IC briefs by beefs with Nordstrom, and his national security adviser is basically a Russian contractor.

(So while the office of President should perhaps be respected, Flynn can GTFO, yes)
posted by iffthen at 6:47 AM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

It does occur to me that "ASK A LIBERAL" would have to be accompanied by a strong 4G connection for looking up actual facts rather than alternative facts.
posted by soren_lorensen at 6:48 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

This magic trick works if you think "white USA" when you read USA!
posted by Yowser at 6:48 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

ICE is stopping people in Austin, TX. Not sure specifics, justifications, etc. Will post more details as more is known.

Austin is outside the 100 mile zone.
posted by leotrotsky at 6:48 AM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

That PPP poll says some discouraging stuff about Trump supporters... But some encouraging stuff about the rest of us. Keep up the pressure. Stay fired up.
posted by notyou at 6:48 AM on February 10, 2017

The fun thing about this weekend is that if Trump tweets AT ALL, it'll be while he is hosting the Prime Minister of Japan.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:49 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

> Is this the dimension where that's the guy who once helped steal a nuclear sub, or the one where it's Senator Ryan from Illinois, ( elected in 2004 ) and his wife Jeri?

Is this a Hunt For Red October reference? Because ever since the election I've had this scene running through my head whenever I think about how this is all going to play out.
posted by The Card Cheat at 6:51 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

The fun thing about this weekend is that if Trump tweets AT ALL, it'll be while he is hosting the Prime Minister of Japan.

Guaranteed he tweets about Abe being impressed with the sushi at Mar-a-Lago. You can bet on it.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:52 AM on February 10, 2017 [21 favorites]

Trump: The failing @nytimes does major FAKE NEWS China story saying "Mr.Xi has not spoken to Mr. Trump since Nov.14." We spoke at length yesterday!

NYT's Mark Landler, who RTs Trump here: "We reported accurately that Xi wouldn't talk to POTUS without One China pledge. Updated story when he did just that"
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:56 AM on February 10, 2017 [13 favorites]

Trump tweet illustrates the danger of not reading, just watching Morning Joe instead
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:56 AM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

In 2017 one feels great relief from a poll saying only 50% of republicans think millions voted illegally.
posted by Rust Moranis at 6:57 AM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

Like I said previously, the Bowling Green Massacre isn't a stumble, it's a deliberate lie.

It's also apparently Moldbug/Dark Enlightenment stuff - getting people to "believe" a lie that they know is a lie as a gesture of political faith. They don't believe it they way they believe that the sun rises in the morning, but they mimic belief, and this creates a kind of poison solidarity and breaks down their inhibitions and personality structures.

Honestly, I'm sure that "let's just make stuff up" is coming from Bannon. It chimes with everything else that Trump does, of course, but the scale has to be intentional.
posted by Frowner at 6:59 AM on February 10, 2017 [51 favorites]

Frowner, absolutely. Not every lie coming out of the WH is deliberate, obviously most of it is raw incompetence, but the ones like Bowling Green? That's strategy.
posted by lydhre at 7:04 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

@GOP:
We stand with @POTUS. Do you? #9thcircuit

Oh my, the replies are largely a joy to read at the moment. I think @GOP may not have anticipated receiving 5 zillion bits of "fuck no, you cowards" verbal abuse. Must not have watched the Chaffetz town hall video before tweeting.
posted by FelliniBlank at 7:05 AM on February 10, 2017 [18 favorites]

So it's scary/darkly amusing that PPP included "the Bowling Green Massacre" in their poll and got those results, but it's just plain scary that media and pollsters forget that simply repeating a lie, even if the intent to mock, can transform it into truth for low-info voters. /despair
posted by maudlin at 7:05 AM on February 10, 2017 [15 favorites]

One more PPP morsel.

Not sure if Frederick Douglass is alive or dead:

D 25%
I 28%
R 50%
posted by Rust Moranis at 7:06 AM on February 10, 2017 [39 favorites]

Is there a dress code for the press when they go to the Spicey briefings, because if there isn't they should all show up wearing this shirt.
posted by get off of my cloud at 7:08 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

I'm certainly glad that Frederick Douglass is alive. Had he not exercised his 2nd Amendment rights at the Bowling Green Massacre, it might've been far worse.
posted by delfin at 7:16 AM on February 10, 2017 [17 favorites]

Guaranteed he tweets about Abe being impressed with the sushi at Mar-a-Lago. You can bet on it.

I'll put an additional $5 on Trump making "special arrangements" to have the sushi served off of naked ladies, because he heard that's how powerful, super-classy Japanese leaders do that sort of thing.
posted by Strange Interlude at 7:18 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

Not sure if Frederick Douglass is alive or dead:

D 25%
I 28%
R 50%

OMG. Would like a follow up question about the percentage who had some vague sense of who FD was before all this, though. (And I will admit, I received a pretty crappy Northern education (at a good school, but super right wing) and I'm not sure I knew who Frederick Douglas was before I took a class with David "Wages of Whiteness" Roediger in college.)
posted by Frowner at 7:18 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

"By a 51/23 margin Trump supporters say the Bowling Green Massacre shows why Trump's immigration policy is needed."

In other news, it turns out Santa Claus is real and living in the North Pole. Questions to the White House about whether or not he'll be turned away at the border or shot down this coming Christmas went unanswered.
posted by juiceCake at 7:18 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Do they mean THE Frederick Douglass or A Frederick Douglass. It's a trick question.
posted by notyou at 7:19 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

A passing reference by Mr. Bannon to an esoteric Italian philosopher has gone little noticed, except perhaps by scholars and followers of the deeply taboo, Nazi-affiliated thinker, Julius Evola.
Banning is scum
posted by adamvasco at 7:20 AM on February 10, 2017 [16 favorites]

Do they mean THE Frederick Douglass or A Frederick Douglass.

I fully support the cloning of Frederick Douglasses.
posted by Etrigan at 7:20 AM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

Trying to catch up upthread, but about that wall...

For nearly 700 miles along the border between the United States and Mexico, a wall already exists. We visited both sides. NYT link
posted by yoga at 7:21 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Revealed: FBI terrorism taskforce investigating Standing Rock activists

The FBI is investigating political activists campaigning against the Dakota Access pipeline, diverting agents charged with preventing terrorist attacks to instead focus their attention on indigenous activists and environmentalists.

The Guardian has established that multiple officers within the FBI’s joint terrorism taskforce have attempted to contact at least three people tied to the Standing Rock “water protector” movement in North Dakota.

The purpose of the officers’ inquiries into Standing Rock, and scope of the task force’s work, remains unknown. Agency officials declined to comment. But the fact that the officers have even tried to communicate with activists is alarming to free-speech experts who argue that anti-terrorism agents have no business scrutinizing protesters.

“The idea that the government would attempt to construe this indigenous-led non-violent movement into some kind of domestic terrorism investigation is unfathomable to me,” said Lauren Regan, a civil rights attorney who has provided legal support to demonstrators who were contacted by representatives of the FBI. “It’s outrageous, it’s unwarranted … and it’s unconstitutional.”

Last stand: 'water protectors' return to Standing Rock as drilling set to begin

Rowland – who arrived at Standing Rock last August, but went home in January – is one of a number of Native Americans who rushed back this week to the camps in Cannon Ball, North Dakota, to fight the $3.7bn pipeline. The activists, who call themselves “water protectors”, are now planning demonstrations, prayer walks and other resistance effortsa day after the US army corps of engineers announced it was approving the final phase of construction of the pipeline.

On Wednesday, the army corps formally granted Dakota Access the final permit it requires to drill under the Missouri river. “We plan to begin drilling immediately,” a spokeswoman for the company said.

posted by Rustic Etruscan at 7:21 AM on February 10, 2017 [17 favorites]

The bowling green massacre numbers are troubling. I'm not sure that all if those numbers are just people who believe it. Im visiting some people right now who don't pay attention to news much. I asked a similar question to the poll. 2 people said that they didn't like the ban but that things like this massacre make them wary. I questioned them about the massacre. They admitted they'd never heard of it before but assumed it must be something bad or else I wouldn't have asked about it. One ended up saying she just went along with it because she didn't want to look dumb for not knowing about it.
posted by Jalliah at 7:23 AM on February 10, 2017 [40 favorites]

I fully support the cloning of Frederick Douglasses.

Sure. Then one of those clones tries to vote and they all get deported.
posted by delfin at 7:23 AM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

Although I'm glad the media has become less prissy about using the word "lie" and its variants to describe the many untruths perpetrated by Trump and his circle, it's time to start using two other terms as appropriate: propaganda and disinformation.
posted by carmicha at 7:24 AM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

I questioned them about the massacre. They admitted they'd never heard of it before but assumed it must be something bad or else I wouldn't have asked about it. One ended up saying she just went along with it because she didn't want to look dumb for not knowing about it.

Quoted for fucking truthiness.
posted by maudlin at 7:25 AM on February 10, 2017 [71 favorites]

Anybody who has ever watched Ken Burn's The Civil War should know who Frederick Douglas is.
posted by ThreeCatsBob at 7:26 AM on February 10, 2017

Anybody who has ever watched Ken Burn's The Civil War should know who Frederick Douglas is.

There are dozens of us! Dozens!
posted by soren_lorensen at 7:28 AM on February 10, 2017 [57 favorites]

The bowling green massacre numbers are troubling. I'm not sure that all if those numbers are just people who believe it. Im visiting some people right now who don't pay attention to news much. I asked a similar question to the poll. 2 people said that they didn't like the ban but that things like this massacre make them wary. I questioned them about the massacre. They admitted they'd never heard of it before but assumed it must be something bad or else I wouldn't have asked about it. One ended up saying she just went along with it because she didn't want to look dumb for not knowing about it.
posted by Jalliah at 11:23 PM on February 10 [1 favorite +] [!]


I told someone in a Trumpish venue that Frederick Douglass committed the Bowling Green Massacre and didn't get corrected.

The same venue refused to believe I was on George Soros' payroll, which was kind of insulting.
posted by saysthis at 7:34 AM on February 10, 2017 [22 favorites]

Oh my, the replies are largely a joy to read at the moment. I think @GOP may not have anticipated receiving 5 zillion bits of "fuck no, you cowards" verbal abuse.

If you prefer to lose your faith in Twitter instead, search for "9th Circuit" and admire zillions of people declaring them responsible for every drop of blood in every terrorist act forevermore, guilty of sedition and treason, basing every decision on feelings and emotions, and worthy of execution. (I've reported a few of the latter.)
posted by delfin at 7:34 AM on February 10, 2017

BREAKING NEWS

http://breakyourownnews.com/
posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 7:35 AM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

Hey I just want to drop this in here because I think a lof of denizens in this thread (including myself) have had recent Asks about tech tools for organizing. One of the guys I've been working with on Tuesdays With Toomey discovered Action Network and I think it's going to be a big improvement for us. It does most of the things that people have been asking about when it comes to mailing list management, event registration etc.... It's on a freemium model.
posted by soren_lorensen at 7:41 AM on February 10, 2017 [12 favorites]

Very confusing: Does every Vice President get an office on the House side of the Capitol?
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:44 AM on February 10, 2017

I asked a similar question to the poll. 2 people said that they didn't like the ban but that things like this massacre make them wary. I questioned them about the massacre. They admitted they'd never heard of it before but assumed it must be something bad or else I wouldn't have asked about it

I'm not at all surprised; leading questions have a huge impact on people and I think the PPP question is a great way of demonstrating how easy it is for a lie to get embedded in the public consciousness. I'm willing to bet that a great many of the poll respondents hadn't heard about the "Bowling Green Massacre" until that questions, but went with it, just like your friends.
posted by nubs at 7:48 AM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

Very confusing: Does every Vice President get an office on the House side of the Capitol?

Could be The Vice President's Room?

Not sure which side of the Capitol that is on.
posted by dis_integration at 7:50 AM on February 10, 2017

Actually, as S-214, it's on the Senate side. Guess Pence needs lots of places to cool his heels.
posted by dis_integration at 7:51 AM on February 10, 2017

Not the most important thing going on today, but the headlines for the China phone call make Trump look pathetic and weak:

WaPo: Backing down from fight, Trump to honor one-China policy
President Trump acceded to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s request to endorse the one-China principle in a phone call described as “extremely cordial” by the White House. It wasn’t clear if Trump got concessions for accepting a policy that he said earlier was open to negotiation.

NYT: Trump, Changing Course on Taiwan, Gives China an Upper Hand

I wonder how the master negotiator will react to this very public humiliation - stand by for ALL CAPS tweets!
posted by RedOrGreen at 7:51 AM on February 10, 2017 [12 favorites]

If you prefer to lose your faith in Twitter instead, search for "9th Circuit" and admire zillions of people declaring them responsible for every drop of blood in every terrorist act forevermore, guilty of sedition and treason, basing every decision on feelings and emotions, and worthy of execution. (I've reported a few of the latter.)

Nope, staying right here in my momentary "at least not everyone is irredeemably stupid and devoid of ethics or critical thinking" bubble, thanks. No reason to wade into the torrent of sewage except when it's unavoidable.
posted by FelliniBlank at 7:55 AM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

Stephen Colbert suggests that the President should represent himself at SCOTUS.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:59 AM on February 10, 2017 [26 favorites]

Not the most important thing going on today, but the headlines for the China phone call make Trump look pathetic and weak:

Yeah, I think we'll be seeing a lot of that. Braggarts generally aren't known for being strong men. Trump's a bully, and bullies are cowards who back down when challenged.

Every humiliation will now happily be spread far and wide by the media he's constantly insulted.

Chickens, roost, etc.
posted by leotrotsky at 7:59 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

Trump vexed by challenges, scale of government

So much subtle, glorious shade. It would be hilarious if it weren't about the President of the United States.
posted by The Card Cheat at 7:59 AM on February 10, 2017 [30 favorites]

Apropos of the growing discontent among WSJ reporters over the orders from above to soft-pedal their coverage of Trump, Tiger Beat on the Potomac is under no such editorial constraints. They're free to portray Trump accurately as a clown-cum-conman utterly out of his depth in office: Trump Vexed by Challenges, Scale of Government—The new president’s allies say he has been surprised that government can’t be run like his business:

Trump often asks simple questions about policies, proposals and personnel. And, when discussions get bogged down in details, the president has been known to quickly change the subject — to "seem in control at all times," one senior government official said — or direct questions about details to his chief strategist Steve Bannon, his son-in-law Jared Kushner or House Speaker Paul Ryan. Trump has privately expressed disbelief over the ability of judges, bureaucrats or lawmakers to delay — or even stop — him from filling positions and implementing policies.

And:

Trump aides joke that they wish their boss would spend more time at his Mar-A-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Fla., where they say the president appears more relaxed and at ease. {...} Most of those interviewed for this story requested anonymity to describe the inner workings of a White House where they say the tension has been intensified by the president’s propensity for knee-jerk micromanaging when faced with disappointment, and jockeying among aides to avoid blame or claim credit when possible.

Inheriting Nixon's paranoia, Carter's micromanaging, and Reagon's senescence, Trump is bringing a blustering incompetence all his own to his ill-conceived administration.
posted by Doktor Zed at 7:59 AM on February 10, 2017 [61 favorites]

Stephen Colbert suggests that the President should represent himself at SCOTUS.

Oh yes, please.
posted by leotrotsky at 7:59 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

So, aside from the obvious (China is huge and hugely important to the US economy and moneymen), is there any evidence of more direct leverage applied to Trump to get him to back down on One China so meekly? The Chinese have been selling off US debt for some time. Maybe that's accelerated over the past few months? Kinda sorta.
posted by notyou at 8:02 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Every Vice President since the 1850s has had an office in the Capitol, because they serve as the President of the Senate.

Per the Wikipedia article and comments above, that's S-214. And yes, it seems entirely appropriate for the VP to have an office in the capitol, as President of the Senate.

But Ryan's tweet claims that the VP's "office on the House side of the Capitol" is ready, and is accompanied by a picture of a door to a room clearly labeled H142. Not clear why Pence would need an office on the House side, since he has no formal role in the House, plus he already has an office in the Capitol.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 8:02 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Trump vexed by challenges, scale of government

I have no idea what I'm doing.
posted by leotrotsky at 8:04 AM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

> Trump vexed by challenges, scale of government

You guys didn't quote the best part!

The interviews paint a picture of a powder-keg of a workplace where job duties are unclear, morale among some is low, factionalism is rampant and exhaustion is running high. Two visitors to the White House last week said they were struck by how tired the staff looks.

Three weeks, guys. 21 days. Out of 730, minimum, that we have to hunker down and survive.
posted by RedOrGreen at 8:06 AM on February 10, 2017 [22 favorites]

DeVos encountered protestors at a DC school this morning. She turned around and left.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:07 AM on February 10, 2017 [80 favorites]

Two visitors to the White House last week said they were struck by how tired the staff looks.

Just. Six. Words.
posted by Etrigan at 8:09 AM on February 10, 2017 [35 favorites]

Sarah Palin touted as US ambassador to Canada

Plus side: it is one of the countries she could find on a map.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:09 AM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

But Ryan's tweet claims that the VP's "office on the House side of the Capitol" is ready, and is accompanied by a picture of a door to a room clearly labeled H142. Not clear why Pence would need an office on the House side, since he has no formal role in the House, plus he already has an office in the Capitol.

The Senate will no longer be of any concern to us. I've just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently. The last vestiges of the old Republic are being swept away.
posted by nubs at 8:09 AM on February 10, 2017 [18 favorites]

I have no idea what I'm doing.

OH GOD HOW DID THIS GET HERE I AM NOT GOOD WITH GOVERNMENT
posted by Servo5678 at 8:09 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

DeVos encountered protestors at a DC school this morning. She turned around and left.

From someone used to serenely floating about on a pillow of money, she's in for a rude awakening.
posted by leotrotsky at 8:09 AM on February 10, 2017 [71 favorites]

Sarah Palin touted as US ambassador to Canada

Plus side: it is one of the countries she could find on a map.

She might even be able to see us from her house.
posted by nubs at 8:10 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

It looks like devos is really enjoying her job.
posted by valkane at 8:10 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

The ABC station says she eventually got in through another door.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:11 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

He dispensed hugs and kisses to female guests attending a Red Cross ball at the estate last week.

Ugh. Is that implying what I think it is?
posted by FelliniBlank at 8:13 AM on February 10, 2017 [12 favorites]

The ABC station says she eventually got in through another door.

This is the picture in my head and I won't accept anything different.
posted by nubs at 8:13 AM on February 10, 2017 [30 favorites]

> It looks like devos is really enjoying her job.

Is there a working theory for why she wanted the job in the first place? The how, I understand: it was return on her investment. And the end goal is clear, too: make even more money. But why go through the trouble of actually taking the job and rubbing elbows with the nasty ungrateful peons? I don't get it.
posted by RedOrGreen at 8:14 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

OH GOD HOW DID THIS GET HERE I AM NOT GOOD WITH GOVERNMENT
posted by FelliniBlank at 8:14 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Is there a working theory for why she wanted the job in the first place?

She thinks she's on a [highly remunerative] mission from god.
posted by soren_lorensen at 8:15 AM on February 10, 2017 [16 favorites]

Revealed: FBI terrorism taskforce investigating Standing Rock activists

who could have ever predicted that the definition of terrorism would expand so broadly
posted by entropicamericana at 8:17 AM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

Is there a working theory for why she wanted the job in the first place?

Betsy DeVos doesn't need money, want more money, or even have any particular idea of what money is. She's never lacked money in any way whatsoever. She wants the public schools to be crippled to the point that the "right" kids get educations. She is one of the few true believers in the Administration, which is why she's even more dangerous than the grifters.
posted by Etrigan at 8:18 AM on February 10, 2017 [58 favorites]

Is there a working theory for why she wanted the job in the first place? The how, I understand: it was return on her investment. And the end goal is clear, too: make even more money. But why go through the trouble of actually taking the job and rubbing elbows with the nasty ungrateful peons? I don't get it.

Power. Prestige. And the fact that, generally speaking, she won't HAVE to touch peons -- she has functionaries for that. It's more like "I'll sit here and make decisions about education and change it back to How The World Should Be, and they'll have to abide by them."
posted by delfin at 8:18 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

He dispensed hugs and kisses to female guests attending a Red Cross ball at the estate last week.

Ugh. Is that implying what I think it is?

yeah and making it an implication instead of stating it as the fact you know it is is what makes Politico the very special Politico it is. they can be cute, but they can't be brave.
posted by queenofbithynia at 8:18 AM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

Is there a working theory for why she wanted the job in the first place?

She's in reality what everyone accuses the millennials of being, someone who's every little brain fart has been applauded and called genius (mostly by folks who want to get their hands on her foundation grants). As a result, she has never been plagued by thoughts of doubt regarding her competence.

She's Dunning-Kruger personified. I have no doubt she thought she'd swoop in and transform education for the "better".
posted by leotrotsky at 8:19 AM on February 10, 2017 [56 favorites]

I wonder if devos is a Game of Thrones fan?
posted by valkane at 8:20 AM on February 10, 2017

During the campaign a (ex?) Congressman was asked by Chris Hayes if he would still support Trump if he explicitly admitted that he enjoys raping women. He stumbled around with a nonanswer.

Amateur. The correctly-gambled response would have been "Of course not, that's reprehensible and I'd unequivocally denounce the President if he ever said something like that!" Then if Trump ever does say something like that, you issue a mild condemnation and carry on per usual, voting with Trump all the way down the line.
posted by Rykey at 8:22 AM on February 10, 2017 [20 favorites]

Is there a working theory for why she wanted the job in the first place?

I'm going with "great way to spend less time with Dick DeVos," and you really can't argue with that.
posted by FelliniBlank at 8:22 AM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

David Frum says Flynn gives Trump a get out of jail free card on the Russia scandals if they just pin it all on Flynn.
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:22 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Also she's a religious whackadoodle.
posted by soren_lorensen at 8:22 AM on February 10, 2017 [17 favorites]

Is there a working theory for why she wanted the job in the first place? The how, I understand: it was return on her investment. And the end goal is clear, too: make even more money. But why go through the trouble of actually taking the job and rubbing elbows with the nasty ungrateful peons? I don't get it.

Right? It seems like she'd have more power outside the system making the money spigot conditional on policies she wants - outside the system Trump and Congressional scumbags answer to her if they want the money and she's untouchable, inside the system she isn't.
posted by jason_steakums at 8:26 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

I wonder if devos is a Game of Thrones fan?

Oh, can we send her some quotes:

"Any fool with a bit of luck can find himself born into power." -Varys

"I swear to you, sitting a throne is a thousand times harder than winning one." - Robert Baratheon
posted by nubs at 8:28 AM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

She's rich and bored. She wants to play government.
posted by ian1977 at 8:28 AM on February 10, 2017 [12 favorites]

She's Dunning-Kruger personified.


This really is the Dunning-Kruger administration, top to bottom.
posted by darkstar at 8:32 AM on February 10, 2017 [14 favorites]

Two visitors to the White House last week said they were struck by how tired the staff looks.

Just. Six. Words.

[Doctor Who Reference, First Christmas Special ]
posted by ZeusHumms at 8:34 AM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

From the "Trump vexed" article upthread: nearly two dozen people who’ve spent time with Trump in the three weeks since his inauguration said that his mood has careened between surprise and anger as he’s faced the predictable realities of governing, from congressional delays over his cabinet nominations and legal fights holding up his aggressive initiatives to staff in-fighting and leaks.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:34 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

So if Trump watches Morning Joe, and Morning Joe has a piece on furries, then Trump knows about furries?
posted by ZeusHumms at 8:35 AM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

David Frum says Flynn gives Trump a get out of jail free card on the Russia scandals if they just pin it all on Flynn.

Yeah, pinning Watergate on a series of patsies worked to innoculate Nixon, too.
posted by notyou at 8:35 AM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

If she is outside the system, she is but one of many people jousting for position and giving money. If she is Secretary of Education, she can do it herself and save a lot of dough. More to the point, she is now Important. She has Undeniable Social Stature. She can go to her dinner parties and be addressed as Madame Secretary and none of her friends can.

It's kind of like how Linda McMahon has more money than she can count, but felt the need to run for the Senate and then for this Small Business Administration position. Having your money coming from... promoting WRESTLING... is so gauche. It's kind of like having it come from Amway. New Money always wants a way into the seats of power traditionally held by Old Money.
posted by delfin at 8:36 AM on February 10, 2017 [35 favorites]

Is there a working theory for why she wanted the job in the first place?

She's an anti-labor, fundamentalist Christian ideologue who wants the power to guide education policy as she sees fit. If you want something done, you do it yourself. Just because she lost her nerve in front of some protestors doesn't make her motives a mystery.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 8:37 AM on February 10, 2017 [29 favorites]

She wants to conquer American children for Christ. She sees "school choice" as a way of sending more kids to religious schools to be indoctrinated.

The fact that there's money to be made is secondary and really anyone making money just proves that they are among God's Elect, so it's win-win all around.
posted by soren_lorensen at 8:40 AM on February 10, 2017 [21 favorites]

I like the shame dude in the Devos video. Can we deploy him to Central Michigan U next?
posted by TwoStride at 8:41 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

I'll chip in to get him a bell.
posted by cmfletcher at 8:42 AM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

He's awesome but also we should all be the Shame Dudes we want to see in the world.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 8:43 AM on February 10, 2017 [46 favorites]

So if Trump watches Morning Joe, and Morning Joe has a piece on furries yt , then Trump knows about furries?

Knows about them? He's practically a living mascot suit himself.
posted by Strange Interlude at 8:43 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Knows about them? He's practically a living mascot suit himself.

"Welcome to the Con! Say, er, what are you performing? For the sign-in."

"Isn't it clear? Loofah-faced Shit-Gibbon."
posted by notyou at 8:47 AM on February 10, 2017 [21 favorites]

Apologies for quoting in full, but to airline CEOs:

"And I can tell you that a lot of the new equipment that’s ordered is obsolete the day they order it. And that’s according to people that know, including my pilot. I have a pilot who’s a real expert, and he said, ‘Sir, the equipment they’re putting on is just the wrong stuff.’ We’ll talk about that. Because if we’re going to modernize our systems, we should be using the right equipment. And I know Mr. Tilden is nodding. You know what I mean. And it’s one thing to order equipment, but let’s order the right equipment. Probably the wrong equipment costs more. Probably buy the right equipment for less money. So we want to talk about that. Because my pilot, he’s a smart guy, and he knows what’s going on, said, ‘The government is using the wrong equipment and instituting a massive multi-billion-dollar project, but they’re using the wrong type of equipment.’ So let’s find out about that.”

Equipment.
posted by holgate at 8:47 AM on February 10, 2017 [28 favorites]

Problem is, where would you put it? Outside the local church? The most conservative areas usually have low population density and a lack of shared community spaces.

Town and county fairs.

Regarding heckling, I canvassed for Bernie in some very red and rural areas. There was some hostility, but not much. The fact that I am male, Anglo, fairly tall, and fairly confident, may have played a role in that, though.

I wouldn't set up a booth, I would just carry a sign around. That way you don't need the fair's permission if it's on public property, and you could ditch any hecklers who latched on to you.

You would definitely get people who just want to argue with you because it's fun, so it would help to enjoy that yourself.
posted by Coventry at 8:47 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

How is 45 submitting to China's demands on the One-China policy playing out on the_donald, Breitbart, and amongst others on the alt-right? Their alpha male master negotiator was just publicly made to look like the weaker man, that's got to drive them crazy. I can't check since I don't want that traffic associated with my work machine, but I'm curious what the reaction is, if any. Has anyone had the stomach to go take a look?
posted by friendlyjuan at 8:49 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

To be clear, I absolutely expect we're getting a federal "Blue Lives Matter" bill making cops a hate-crime protected class. So does the FOP:

Trump order won’t make cops safer, but might make it a felony to yell at them
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:49 AM on February 10, 2017 [18 favorites]

Trump Vexed by Challenges, Scale of Government.

Being told "No" must be quite a shock when you hear it for the first time.
posted by leotrotsky at 8:50 AM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

Being told "No" must be quite a shock when you hear it for the first time.

He's certainly been told "No" plenty of times. But yes, this might be the first time he is actually hearing it.
posted by uncleozzy at 8:51 AM on February 10, 2017 [25 favorites]

The Chinese press -- which expresses the party line through the relevant organs -- is praising Boss Xi's temperance and willingness to take on a role of stable global leadership. And has also said pleasant things about Approved Daughter.
posted by holgate at 8:52 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

As for DeVos, I'm pretty sure she actually does know a little bit about education, and that's what makes her dangerous.

Disclosure, I'm a former public school teacher, my partner is a former public school teacher, my mother is a current public school teacher, my brother is a current public (charter) school teacher, my father was a private school teacher, and my sister taught at a private school for several years.

One of the first things you notice on any casual examination of schools, and school outcomes, is that around 50% of the student body not only doesn't want to be there but after years of heartbreaking effort keeping them there you'll be lucky if that 50% graduates mostly literate [1], vaguely numerate, and sort of aware of a bit of general knowledge stuff.

You'll learn this after observing classrooms for a few hours and taking a casual look at graduation stats.

DeVos isn't about "improving schools", she's about cutting costs.

And to her the easiest, simplest, most obvious cost to cut is the bottom 50% of students. They take up the vast majority of the teacher's time, consume the most resources, and your return on investment is low. This is the whole point of "vouchers", its to leech money away from public schools so the whole system can be shut down, the top students routed to for profit schools, and the bottom students stuck in glorified daycare until they can be put into for profit prisons.

They know automation is coming, they know the menial jobs are going away and they simply won't need very many peons in the future, so they figure why waste money elevating the peon destined part of the population above the level of utter and absolute ignorance?

To teachers, to anyone who believes in democracy and civil society, this is monstrous. Yes, the outcome of spending tremendous amounts of time and effort educating the bottom 50% of the student body is "minimal".

But the difference between kind of literate and truly illiterate, the difference between someone with absolutely no understanding of the world and someone who at least retained bit of stuff they learned in school is the difference between a society of equals, and a society divided into aristocrats and serfs.

Teachers don't work with that bottom 50% because we foolishly believe they'll turn into top tier engineers or whatever. We work with them because we know that we're what makes them **CITIZENS** instead of peasants. We work with them because we know that while in pure numbers it may not look like much, but the difference between a kid who can read (however slowly and painfully) and one who cannot is the biggest thing in the world.

I'm inclined to assume malice rather than incompetence or simple happenstance. Yes, it'll save money to simply discard the bottom 50% of students but I really do think her goal, the goal of the Republican party, is to produce a world based on aristocracy rather than equality. They reject Enlightenment goals and would rather rule over a nation of peons than be co-equals in a nation of citizens.

Why does Betsy DeVos want this job? Simple: she wants to steal the future from your kids.

[1] As in, able to read simple instructions, they'll never read for pleasure or read more than they absolutely must.
posted by sotonohito at 8:53 AM on February 10, 2017 [250 favorites]

I am loving the "AGREE" and "DISAGREE" signs at the Chaffetz town hall, btw. Let us all do that. (I shall use my postcards, which my email tells me have shipped!)
posted by soren_lorensen at 8:54 AM on February 10, 2017 [11 favorites]

I have a pilot who’s a real expert,

Is he friends with Tom Friedman's Taxi Driver ?
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 8:54 AM on February 10, 2017 [11 favorites]

Flagged as fantastic, sotonohito. That's what's at stake. And if she can find a way to shift the bottom kids into for-profit charters paid for by the government, she'll enrich herself and her friends at the same time as giving them nothing.
posted by Mchelly at 8:59 AM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

The Eastern District of Virginia held a hearing this morning on the ban. Some reports from inside the hearing:
-tough questions on lack of evidence to back up travel ban
-Judge Brinkema asked if President Trump could ban all redheads from the country. DOJ attorney did not answer
-Judge Leonie Brinkema says she hasn't seen "scintilla of evidence" from govt supporting Trump travel ban
-Gov lawyer gave hypothetical of President barring travel from ebola outbreak area, Brinkema said "Well, give me evidence of ebola outbreak"
posted by melissasaurus at 8:59 AM on February 10, 2017 [54 favorites]

Responding to something from way up-thread because I am a big nerd:

"Americans go where no man has gone before; Canadians follow hoping to make that new place livable."

American culture has a lot in common with Klingon culture, don't you think? I mean the whole hyper masculine honorable warrior thing?

I'd like to think Canada is full of Vulcans.

I think this makes Europe the hapless humans, pulled toward both extremes and trying to find a balance.
posted by OnceUponATime at 9:03 AM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

Next PPP poll question: Do you support refugees with Ebola entering the United States?
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:03 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Yeah, not to be a dick, but any pilot with a knowledge of aeronautics, tech, and business worthy of citing to an audience of airline CEOs would surely have leveraged that knowledge toward being something a bit more lucrative than a pilot.
posted by Rykey at 9:03 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

who could have ever predicted that the definition of terrorism would expand so broadly

It's not that radical. In the Bush II era, the FBI was treating animal rights groups as terrorists. In the Obama era, it was environmental groups.
posted by Coventry at 9:06 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

@David Corn: Rep. Adam Schiff, the senior Dem on the House intel committee, just called for Flynn's dismissal.
posted by diogenes at 9:08 AM on February 10, 2017 [56 favorites]

It's really interesting that Brinkema is the judge hearing this case, what with her Moussaoui and Guantanamo background. She must think sometimes, "You know, I could have been a small-town judge, doing adoptions, DUIs, and divorces."
posted by FelliniBlank at 9:09 AM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

It's not that radical. In the Bush II era, the FBI was treating animal rights groups as terrorists.

Not for nothing, but there was a lot of property damage and violence associated with them. (new link because that old one expired).

Not that the DAPL have done that - in fact, they've shown remarkable restraint and discipline. But, yeah, setting fire to a lot full of hummers doesn't a passive resistance make.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 9:12 AM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

It's not that radical. In the Bush II era, the FBI was treating animal rights groups as terrorists. In the Obama era, it was environmental groups.

Eh, animal rights groups I think often do cross the line into terrorism, at least the "anti-vivisectionist" variety that dox scientists. And environmental groups engage in property damage, which I can at least understand classifying as terrorism even though it really isn't. (I say this as someone who nevertheless supports a lot of environmentalist groups who engage in monkey-wrenching and also thinks that the disproportionate FBI attention paid to them over white supremacist and anti-abortionist groups is an obscene failure of justice.)

That being said, the investigation of Standing Rock and BLM as terrorist groups when they haven't done anything even remotely close to any non-"alternative" definition of terrorism is absolutely absurd. Toss it on the pile of evidence that policing in American needs to be completely dismantled and rebuilt from scratch.
posted by tobascodagama at 9:16 AM on February 10, 2017 [16 favorites]

It's really interesting that Brinkema is the judge hearing this case

I'm waiting for Trump to attack her on twitter, because picking a fight with the judge who put away a 9/11 conspirator makes for good optics.
posted by peeedro at 9:17 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

@David Corn: This is a fair reading: Flynn conspired w/ Putin regime that attacked US democracy to help it cope w/ sanctions imposed as punishment.

When you put it that way, it sounds kind of bad.
posted by diogenes at 9:17 AM on February 10, 2017 [20 favorites]

Can we please stop equating the destruction of property with actual violence against living people?
posted by AceRock at 9:18 AM on February 10, 2017 [34 favorites]

I'd like to think Canada is full of Vulcans.

Please don't. We're a hodgepodge mix of a lot of different things, none of them easily mappable to SF tropes, and while our history may not have as much violence as US history, we've still done plenty of horrible, dishonorable things to a lot of groups, some of which continue to this day (e.g., our treatment of First Nations people).

I sense a certain growing smugness in my country, and I fear it and I don't like seeing things that I think encourage it. We're not Klingons or Vulcans or Andorians; we're the same humans as you, flawed but trying, capable of both grace and gracelessness, horror and honor.
posted by nubs at 9:20 AM on February 10, 2017 [52 favorites]

The UK government is trying to limit formal embarrassment while hosting the White House occupant by scheduling it while parliament is in recess, and by keeping him away from places where protests could easily gather.
posted by holgate at 9:23 AM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

I apologize for the FBI/terrorism derail. It would be a shame if we got distracted by that.
posted by Coventry at 9:23 AM on February 10, 2017

Full Frontal With Samantha Bee goes to Scotland to talk to the original Trump haters. [NSFW]
posted by Room 641-A at 9:24 AM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

DeVos isn't about "improving schools", she's about cutting costs.

And to her the easiest, simplest, most obvious cost to cut is the bottom 50% of students. They take up the vast majority of the teacher's time, consume the most resources, and your return on investment is low. This is the whole point of "vouchers", its to leech money away from public schools so the whole system can be shut down, the top students routed to for profit schools, and the bottom students stuck in glorified daycare until they can be put into for profit prisons.

So I think I mostly agree with you in a lot of ways. I think you're absolutely right that Betsy DeVos wants to cut the bottom 50% of students, the ones who don't want to be there, take up the most time, consume the most resources, and return on investment is low. But I think your (justified) anger at the very idea of that is blinding you to her actual motivation.

I've been kind of frustrated at a lot of the ideas being thrown around - that DeVos is just an idiot, or wants a shiny Secretary crown, or just wants to milk money from the system. As someone said above, she is not in need of money. If she wanted to sit home and have moneyfights, she could absolutely do so. And I don't think she wants Earthly glory, for lack of a better term.

DeVos strikes me, and has always struck me, as a True Believer. I believe she truly does want to do good, as she sees it. And I believe she looks not at the bottom 50% who can be drug along to bare competency, but at the top 50%, who could be doing much better with enrichment. I think she truly, truly, wants to help those students and genuinely wants to improve those schools. I think that she believes God wants her to help those students, that it's a holy calling to do so.

And so I don't think that she has an Evil Plan for the bottom 50% of the students. I don't think she's trying to undereducate them so that they go to prison and then prisons make profits. I think - and this is more damning in some ways - that she simply doesn't care what happens to them. They are, to her, trivial collateral damage.

You say that she wants to rule as an aristocracy over peons, rather than a nation of citizens. I don't think that's true. I think she - and others like her - would rather be with a nation of citizens. But I don't think they think they do. I don't think they're trying to create some evil plan. I think they already see the world as containing a lot of peons, and are just kind of bewildered on why we keep trying to make peons into citizens.

It's really important to know your enemies as they are, not as you think they are - not just for high ideals, but because it matters for tactics. If DeVos is a true believer, then it doesn't matter what accountability anyone might have over her. She will believe, wholeheartedly, in the 'Deus Vult' that the alt-right only apes. If you want to change her mind - and I'm assuming you do - then you will need religious and moral arguments against her, not fear of consequences, or tactics against a plan she doesn't hold.
posted by corb at 9:25 AM on February 10, 2017 [78 favorites]

ThreeCatsBob: "Anybody who has ever watched Ken Burn's The Civil War should know who Frederick Douglas is."

A project funded by the NEH. Which is probably why they want to defund that agency to prevent any more factual programming from being produced.
posted by octothorpe at 9:26 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

If you want to change her mind - and I'm assuming you do

I'm not interested in changing her mind. I'm interested in replacing our current government with a government that wouldn't put someone like her in that position.
posted by diogenes at 9:28 AM on February 10, 2017 [75 favorites]

Town and county fairs.

I firmly believe that one of the reasons Trump won district 2 in Maine is that the local Rs had a very visible presence at every single fair we went to last fall, while the Ds had zero.

ZERO.
posted by anastasiav at 9:32 AM on February 10, 2017 [12 favorites]

And I believe she looks not at the bottom 50% who can be drug along to bare competency, but at the top 50%, who could be doing much better with enrichment. I think she truly, truly, wants to help those students and genuinely wants to improve those schools.

I have no doubt that you are right about this. But you cannot be the Secretary of Education for half of the country, you have to truly want to help even the bottom 50%. If she is satisfied with ignoring them, and her plan does nothing to help them, I'm sorry but that is an "Evil Plan", whether she believes it is or not.
posted by AceRock at 9:32 AM on February 10, 2017 [24 favorites]

they'll never read for pleasure or read more than they absolutely must.

Which apparently holds you back less than you might think, judging by the fact that we have a functionally illiterate president.

Then again, inheriting tons of money helps.
posted by jackbishop at 9:33 AM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

I think - and this is more damning in some ways - that she simply doesn't care what happens to them. They are, to her, trivial collateral damage.

Again, it's that she wants more nice schools for nice people.

Like most "school reformers" (whether a DeVos or a Zuckerberg) she's never been in a rough school where you can't focus on work because someone threatened to beat the shit out of you once the bell rings. She's never had kids in an underfunded school where all the textbooks have been scrawled over and all the scrawls have been scrawled over. She's never had an oh-shit moment when the college loans come due. But she thinks she's nice, and she knows a lot of nice people. The moral argument here is that she shouldn't be there, and that finite energy resources should be spent on resistance and obstruction, not conversion.
posted by holgate at 9:33 AM on February 10, 2017 [22 favorites]

There comes a point at where fanatical dedication to a bankrupt ideology is indistinguishable from evil intent. If DeVos' casual lack of regard for millions of students who will be harmed if she gets her way leads to people thinking she's motivated by evil, that's on her. When it comes to public policy, outcomes matter -- intent really doesn't.
posted by tonycpsu at 9:34 AM on February 10, 2017 [50 favorites]

Andrew Sullivan: The Madness of King Donald: Then there is the obvious question of the president’s mental and psychological health. I know we’re not supposed to bring this up — but it is staring us brutally in the face. I keep asking myself this simple question: If you came across someone in your everyday life who repeatedly said fantastically and demonstrably untrue things, what would you think of him? If you showed up at a neighbor’s, say, and your host showed you his newly painted living room, which was a deep blue, and then insisted repeatedly — manically — that it was a lovely shade of scarlet, what would your reaction be? If he then dragged out a member of his family and insisted she repeat this obvious untruth in front of you, how would you respond? If the next time you dropped by, he was still raving about his gorgeous new red walls, what would you think? Here’s what I’d think: This man is off his rocker. He’s deranged; he’s bizarrely living in an alternative universe; he’s delusional. If he kept this up, at some point you’d excuse yourself and edge slowly out of the room and the house and never return. You’d warn your other neighbors. You’d keep your distance. If you saw him, you’d be polite but keep your distance.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:35 AM on February 10, 2017 [27 favorites]

I guess we should probably let DeVos see the inside of a public school at some point, just to show her they're not all infested with bears
posted by T.D. Strange at 9:37 AM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

>Yeah, not to be a dick, but any pilot with a knowledge of aeronautics, tech, and business worthy of citing to an audience of airline CEOs would surely have leveraged that knowledge toward being something a bit more lucrative than a pilot.

What's wrong with being a pilot? Its harder than it looks, and we can't all be blowhard business men jockeying for the most lucrative position possible like our current President. Maybe he likes flying planes. It actually pays pretty well too.

It's also not wrong. Wired had an article one year ago about our aging air traffic control systems and the government procurement process impeding progress.

That's not to say deregulation of the FAA is a remotely good idea, or that Trump's Incompetents wouldn't run the FAA into the ground trying to steal every penny they can, but, like, can we not insult people's intelligence or wisdom for having the jobs they have?
posted by fragmede at 9:38 AM on February 10, 2017 [17 favorites]

Dope Man video has been pulled. Friend of mine found it on Vimeo but it has subsequently been pulled as well.
posted by juiceCake at 9:39 AM on February 10, 2017

Trump nixes Elliott Abrams for State Department job: President Donald Trump met with Abrams and the sources said that the meeting went well but when the President learned that Abrams had criticized him during the campaign, the President nixed Abrams as Deputy Secretary of State, according to the sources.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson tried to convince Trump to offer the job to Abrams despite the criticism because he felt he needed Abrams' experience
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:40 AM on February 10, 2017 [12 favorites]

If your defense of DeVos essentially boils down to "Intent! It's Fucking Magic!" then (1) it's not really a defense, and (2) there's a whole lot of context around that intent that absolutely needs to be explored without making excuses.
posted by zombieflanders at 9:43 AM on February 10, 2017 [13 favorites]

Dope Man video has been pulled.

Damn, I didn't expect that. Time to start taking local copies of everything interesting.
posted by Coventry at 9:44 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

The moral argument here is that she shouldn't be there, and that finite energy resources should be spent on resistance and obstruction, not conversion.

That's a completely reasonable argument! But I think this is a place where diversity of tactics would be really helpful - and that even if resistance and obstruction is going on, some people's limited resources might be better spent on conversion - as a personal choice.

So for example - there's a lot of overlap between the Christian Conservative communities who tend to either adopt or bring to term special-needs children, and the homeschooling/school choice communities. So I think it would be really effective if someone wanted to mobilize those communities - some of which already have contacts and access to DeVos - to, using common language, push back on, say, accomodations for disabilities.
posted by corb at 9:44 AM on February 10, 2017 [14 favorites]

Yea, I want smart people flying my plane, sorry. Also, anecdotally, one of the smartest people I've ever met is a commercial pilot. Kid I grew up with, 1600 on his SAT, 800s on multiple SAT2s, went to MIT on I assume a full ride scholarship and dropped out after a year to go to pilot school. He works for Delta now. He just really likes planes.
posted by T.D. Strange at 9:44 AM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

Dope Man video reposted
posted by Room 641-A at 9:45 AM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

Dope Man ad on YouTube
posted by Atom Eyes at 9:45 AM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

Thank you!
posted by Coventry at 9:46 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

I believe she truly does want to do good, as she sees it. And I believe she looks not at the bottom 50% who can be drug along to bare competency, but at the top 50%, who could be doing much better with enrichment. I think she truly, truly, wants to help those students and genuinely wants to improve those schools.

I suspect that her definitions of "enrichment" and "improve" include "by bringing them closer to my angry dominionist / prosperity-gospel / queer-hating / American-exceptionalist God" much louder than "by providing them with a diversity of opinions such that they can make up their own minds about things."
posted by Etrigan at 9:47 AM on February 10, 2017 [15 favorites]

corb I agree with you that ultimately she doesn't care what happens to those she discards. The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference, and I'm sure she's supremely indifferent. I mentioned prison no because she has any particular love of prison or any financial stake in it, but because that's the most likely outcome and where many of her allies are coming from.

I disagree about ultimate motives. Conservatism is rooted, ultimately, in aristocracy it has been ever since Burke founded the ideology back in the 1700's. Burke's conservatism was explicitly aristocratic, modern conservatism is a bit less open and a bit less devoted to the idea of a genetically superior aristocracy. But you've noted yourself that when seeing inequity conservatives picture themselves as one day occupying the superior position rather than wishing to eliminate the superior position.

More important, to a very large extent intent doesn't matter. The outcome of her policies will be an end to a society of equal citizens and the foundation of a society of aristocrats (by money, not birth) and peons. Whether she actively wants this, is deluding herself into thinking it won't happen, or simply doesn't care is mostly irrelevant to me and everyone she's hurting.

As for reaching her, I have absolutely no chance to ever reach her, all I can do is oppose her.
posted by sotonohito at 9:47 AM on February 10, 2017 [37 favorites]

As for reaching her, I have absolutely no chance to ever reach her, all I can do is oppose her.

Amen!
posted by diogenes at 9:49 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

How to Use McConnell’s Playbook
posted by T.D. Strange at 9:49 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Laura Olin on what to do if your congresscritter isn't holding a town hall during the recess: hold one yourself, invite them, invite the local press, express disappointment if Rep. X doesn't show up. "Make it as painful as possible for them to keep ignoring you. Make sure they know it comes at a price."
posted by holgate at 9:54 AM on February 10, 2017 [47 favorites]

I really don't think there's any big mystery here. She's a religious extremist who believes that the church should be the center of American society and wants to dismantle any institutions that threaten that.
posted by soren_lorensen at 9:55 AM on February 10, 2017 [57 favorites]

I firmly believe that one of the reasons Trump won district 2 in Maine is that the local Rs had a very visible presence at every single fair we went to last fall, while the Ds had zero.

This is a really good hypothesis, actually. In areas of low population density, showing up in a place where people are coming from all over the county for a special event counts for a lot in terms of making yourself and your party visible to the voters. If nothing else, it'll make the other party members and sympathetic people there (and they're definitely there, even in red-as-fuck Washington Country you still had ~40% of people voting for Clinton) feel less alone.
posted by tobascodagama at 9:55 AM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

How to Use McConnell’s Playbook

CTRL-F "shame": 0 results

Seems to be missing a key piece.
posted by Etrigan at 9:55 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

The "Dope Man" thing is mentioned in an upcoming Sidney Blumenthal piece in the London Review of Books, which may legitimize it somewhat.
posted by mudpuppie at 9:56 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Laura Olin on what to do if your congresscritter isn't holding a town hall during the recess: hold one yourself, invite them, invite the local press, express disappointment if Rep. X doesn't show up. "Make it as painful as possible for them to keep ignoring you. Make sure they know it comes at a price."

Ha I was just on a conference call with some organizers last night discussing the long term plans for this (long term meaning beyond the next couple of weeks). We wondered out loud where we could get a blown-up cut-out of Pat Toomey to put behind the podium.
posted by soren_lorensen at 9:56 AM on February 10, 2017 [13 favorites]

Hi-res Uncle Sam/Big Lebowski mashup poster for your protesting needs.

"Shut the fuck up, Donny. You're out of your element."

(lo-res)
posted by chris24 at 9:57 AM on February 10, 2017 [31 favorites]

Honestly, I doubt anyone spending their time and resources on DeVos is worth it at this point. I do applaud any Christians who feel called to try to bring their fellows around to a more humane, rational worldview than that represented by DeVos, but quite frankly this is a huge task; anti-Enlightenment, anti-secular, politically active fundamentalism is a tradition deeply rooted within American Christianity. The work of people like the Moral Mondays movement in opposing this from a faith-based standpoint is fantastic, and I hope they will succeed. But for those of us who are politically liberal, non-religious, and committed to Enlightenment values, I fear people like DeVos simply have no framework for hearing what we have to say.
posted by biogeo at 9:58 AM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

Trump nixes Elliott Abrams for State Department job

Good. The fewer Bush-era neocons worming their way back into government, the better. After Iraq, that guy should never serve in government again.
posted by indubitable at 9:58 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

VoteVets will be airing the great ad they made earlier this week right before SNL's cold open tomorrow so that Trump will be sure to see it.
posted by chris24 at 10:04 AM on February 10, 2017 [38 favorites]

Breitbart reporter is seated in the front row with major networks for the Abe/Trump press conference.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 10:04 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

Dope Man fake. Sorry Sidney.
posted by mudpuppie at 10:04 AM on February 10, 2017 [15 favorites]

"The very famous White House..."
posted by cman at 10:10 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

room, that's horrifying but regrettably not surprising. Of course Breitbart is now being treated as if it were an actual news agency rather than the veil of respectability for Stormfront or the Klan.

Real President Bannon is working diligently to normalize racism, sexism, and all of his other favorite bigotries, giving Breitbart the appearance of being a real news organization rather than just a font for all the hate speech in America is a key part of his agenda. Also, of course, his own personal interest, since he was Mr. Breitbart for a while. Corruption is an essential part of the Bannon presidency after all.
posted by sotonohito at 10:10 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Dope Man fake. Sorry Sidney.

Yeah, the political disclaimer rules have changed over time, the fake ads use our modern "paid for by..." at the end of the ad, but ads from that time had a "Political Announcement" or "Political Broadcast" disclaimer at the beginning.
posted by peeedro at 10:12 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Trump and Abe in the Oval Office for photo op. Japanese photographer says something Trump doesn't understand.

Trump (while trying to do the jerky, dominant handshake tug, and Abe having none of it): "What did he say?"

Abe: "'Look at me.'"

Trump: "Oh, okay." *looks at Abe*

Watch.
posted by mudpuppie at 10:13 AM on February 10, 2017 [107 favorites]

"I'd like to think Canada is full of Vulcans."
Please don't. We're a hodgepodge mix of a lot of different things, none of them easily mappable to SF tropes

Fair enough, and that was over simplistic (though no more so, I think, than the "U.S. goes where no man has gone before, Canada follows" quote I was responding too.)

I think the Klingons on Star Trek were kind of a metaphor for the id, and the Vulcans for the superego. (I recognize that those terms of Freud's aren't really current scientific concepts, but they do serve as pretty useful descriptions of how it feels to be a human a lot of times -- the emotional part of ourselves in conflict with the rational part.)

Obviously we as individual humans have both aspects, so of course all societies have both aspects as well. There are no literal Vulcans or Klingons.

But in terms of the state of world politics right now, I feel pretty confident saying the id is currently ascendant in the US, the superego is currently ascendant in Canada... and Europe, with elections in Germany and France coming up and the hard right a major player, with the UK at odds with itself internally over Brexit, is really torn between these aspects of human nature. Which will win? It's kind of a global-politics scale macrocosm of the struggles we all experience internally in microcosm.

I thought my cheesy SF metaphor, triggered by the in-my-mind misplaced "Where no man has gone before" line, would express that briefly and amusingly, but clearly it just came off as stereotyping. I apologize.
posted by OnceUponATime at 10:14 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

I didn't know Lord Dampnut was actually able to read from a script.
posted by jferg at 10:15 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

From that Sullivan piece, which I think is a reflection of his own time rediscovering life beyond the demands of political blogging:

A free society means being free of those who rule over you — to do the things you care about, your passions, your pastimes, your loves — to exult in that blessed space where politics doesn’t intervene. In that sense, it seems to me, we already live in a country with markedly less freedom than we did a month ago. It’s less like living in a democracy than being a child trapped in a house where there is an abusive and unpredictable father...

I've read about the toll of living under authoritarianism on just doing normal stuff, and now it's less theoretical. It's palpable. It recalls in a bodily way the experience of trying to learn while being bullied, of trying to work while dealing with illness.
posted by holgate at 10:15 AM on February 10, 2017 [33 favorites]

Ha I was just on a conference call with some organizers last night discussing the long term plans for this (long term meaning beyond the next couple of weeks). We wondered out loud where we could get a blown-up cut-out of Pat Toomey to put behind the podium.

A cutout sounds cute, but I'd like a propped up sign that spells out "Sen. Toomey (R), was absent." Because that's the graphic I'd like to see on the evening news when they cover the story. Give the sign a red border.
posted by puddledork at 10:17 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Is Lord Dampnut related to Lord Farquaad?
posted by ZeusHumms at 10:17 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

If you want to change her mind - and I'm assuming you do

I'm not interested in changing her mind. I'm interested in replacing our current government with a government that wouldn't put someone like her in that position.

I think that's missing the point corb is making. She's saying that if we frame one of our many arguments in a slightly different manner, we'll find allies in surprising places.

Trump and the Republican Party in its current inclination is profoundly anti-christian. They're literally the embodiment of Mammon. Honestly I don't think there is a current political movement in existence that is more antithetical to the fundamental principles of the Abrahamic religions.

One of the ways we need to make our arguments for charity to the stranger, compassion for the downtrodden, is to use the powerful language of the Gospels and of the Torah, and even of the Koran, because in doing so we will reach and touch people who otherwise tune us out. Pope Benedict, for example, stands as a powerful counter voice to Trump because of his reliance upon that moral tradition. It's a influential tool, and we shouldn't be ignoring or minimizing it.
posted by leotrotsky at 10:18 AM on February 10, 2017 [48 favorites]

*looks at Abe*

Hahaha. Watching that made me laugh harder than I have in a week. It belongs in the dictionary under clueless.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 10:18 AM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

From the Guardian: Senior law enforcement officials urge Trump to scrap 'ineffective' crime plan
posted by JenMarie at 10:19 AM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

Is Lord Dampnut related to Lord Farquaad?

No, it's the new cute nickname that will VERY DEFINITELY bring down the Trump administration once and for all, just like how everybody referring to GWB as "Shrub" caused him to resign and turn the office over to John Kerry.
posted by tobascodagama at 10:20 AM on February 10, 2017 [15 favorites]

I swear at around :29 seconds in that clip, Abe turns around and rolls his eyes. Also, DJT was trying to do that "tug his hand closer" dominance display, and it doesn't really work when both shakers are seated in chairs.
posted by gladly at 10:21 AM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

Good. The fewer Bush-era neocons worming their way back into government, the better. After Iraq, that guy should never serve in government again.

Alternatively, after being convicted of lying to Congress about Iran-Contra, he should never have served in government again, but it remains shockingly hard to keep Republicans who have provably committed malfeasance out of the government, so I'll take what I can get.
posted by Copronymus at 10:21 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

NYMag: Watching Donald Trump Try to Puzzle Out What ‘Asset Forfeiture’ Means Is Deeply Discomfiting.
posted by ZeusHumms at 10:21 AM on February 10, 2017 [30 favorites]

Abe: "'Look at me.'"

Trump: "Oh, okay." *looks at Abe*

Trump's expression and mannerisms for the duration of that video just scream "dementia," do they not? He is so clearly confused about what is going on around him, just in terms of processing sensory input and using it to build a model of his immediate environment. A close relative of mine has Alzheimer's and it looks so familiar I will confess I felt a brief pang of sympathy for the repulsive old fuck.
posted by contraption at 10:21 AM on February 10, 2017 [35 favorites]

Remember when he couldn't enter the debate right?
posted by T.D. Strange at 10:21 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Also, DJT was trying to do that "tug his hand closer" dominance display, and it doesn't really work when both shakers are seated in chairs.

I think Abe was tugging back. And at the very end of the clip, Trump admiringly says to him, "You have strong hands."
posted by mudpuppie at 10:22 AM on February 10, 2017 [22 favorites]

A cutout sounds cute, but I'd like a propped up sign that spells out "Sen. Toomey (R), was absent." Because that's the graphic I'd like to see on the evening news when they cover the story

There was a period of time where I live, which is a largely Conservative area, that the Conversative MP or MLA just wouldn't bother showing up for candidate forums or similar events during election campaigns. Somebody took to putting potted plants in their seat. I'm not sure how effective it was, but it was always amusing.
posted by nubs at 10:24 AM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

Trump admiringly says to him, "You have strong hands."

please remember your real and fake tags folks, now more than ever, thank you
posted by prize bull octorok at 10:25 AM on February 10, 2017 [37 favorites]

*looks at Abe*

As a photographer and someone who worked in front of the camera before that, I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt; sometimes a person will tell you the effect of the direction the person gave rather than the exact words. I.E. "(He said to) look at me [Abe]." vs "Look at me [photog]." But Donny keeps staring at Abe even after Abe clarifies by pointing at the photographer.

And then of course talks about Abe's strong hands because Abe didn't put up with his dominance handshake bullshit.
posted by chris24 at 10:25 AM on February 10, 2017 [18 favorites]

Is there a working theory for why she wanted the job in the first place? The how, I understand: it was return on her investment. And the end goal is clear, too: make even more money. But why go through the trouble of actually taking the job and rubbing elbows with the nasty ungrateful peons? I don't get it.

then you don't know who she is. she is a west michigan dutch christian reformed - one of 'God's Elect' whose mission is to usher in His Kingdom, and ensure the hellbound general riffraff suffer, as is God's Holy Will.
posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 10:29 AM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

Inheriting Nixon's paranoia, Carter's micromanaging, and Reagon's senescence, Trump is bringing a blustering incompetence all his own to his ill-conceived administration.

Don't forget inheriting W.'s administration being run by an evil Bond-movie villain.
posted by Celsius1414 at 10:30 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

No, it's the new cute nickname that will VERY DEFINITELY bring down the Trump administration once and for all, just like how everybody referring to GWB as "Shrub" caused him to resign and turn the office over to John Kerry.

Definitely worked on Tony Bliar and David Camoron.
posted by mushhushshu at 10:31 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Don't forget inheriting W.'s administration being run by an evil Bond-movie villain.

Bannon's more of a John Carpenter movie monster IMO
posted by prize bull octorok at 10:33 AM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

It's really interesting that Brinkema is the judge hearing this case, what with her Moussaoui and Guantanamo background. She must think sometimes, "You know, I could have been a small-town judge, doing adoptions, DUIs, and divorces."

Instead, with decisions involving Scientology, al-Qaeda, 9/11, Guantanamo, shady mortgage practices, and now Trump. she's like the much smarter Forrest Gump of the late 20th/early 21st century.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:33 AM on February 10, 2017 [11 favorites]

Trump tries to end press conference and Abe says "Wait, lemme take one more"
posted by cman at 10:34 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Trump's expression and mannerisms for the duration of that video just scream "dementia," do they not?

A healthy mind does not use the word "tremendous" at anything like the rate I heard as I was walking past the TV at work just now.
posted by diogenes at 10:34 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

If Mike Flynn gets fired, who will Putin have inside the national security apparatus to push Russian propaganda of Polish incursions in Belarus?
posted by gucci mane at 10:35 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

NYMag: Watching Donald Trump Try to Puzzle Out What ‘Asset Forfeiture’ Means Is Deeply Discomfiting.

Reading the transcript and seeing him go from (1) being completely ignorant of the issue to (2) being easily and purposefully misled about why it is problematic to (3) displaying no ability to scrutinize or question the way the issue is being framed for him to (4) immediately forming a strong and wrongheaded opinion on it to (5) making a rash decision based on that... I think I need to step outside.
posted by AceRock at 10:36 AM on February 10, 2017 [74 favorites]

If Mike Flynn gets fired, who will Putin have inside the national security apparatus to push Russian propaganda of Polish incursions in Belarus?

Trump?
posted by drezdn at 10:36 AM on February 10, 2017 [12 favorites]

At the Trump/Abe press conference, a Japanese reporter is asking a hardball question about China. Trump responds by talking about what a disaster Obamacare is.
posted by mudpuppie at 10:37 AM on February 10, 2017 [11 favorites]

As much as I love "Lord Dampnut" as a moniker, I think the idea of referring to 45 always and only as "The Republican Administration" has much merit.
posted by Mei's lost sandal at 10:37 AM on February 10, 2017 [50 favorites]

Update on WA case against the ban: State of Washington filed a letter stating that the hearing for the preliminary injunction is no longer needed (b/c the 9th Circuit treated the TRO as a PI); Judge Robart has given the DOJ until Sunday night to respond.
posted by melissasaurus at 10:38 AM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

> Reading the transcript and seeing him go from (1) being completely ignorant of the issue to (2) being easily and purposefully misled about why it is problematic to (3) displaying no ability to scrutinize or question the way the issue is being framed for him to (4) immediately forming a strong and wrongheaded opinion on it to (5) making a rash decision based on that... I think I need to step outside.

To give thanks for this wonderful meritocracy we live in?

/ hamburger
posted by The Card Cheat at 10:40 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

Pope Benedict, for example, stands as a powerful counter voice to Trump because of his reliance upon that moral tradition

You mean Pope Francis, I think. Did anyone else see this NPR story?

Steve Bannon Aligns With Vatican Hard-Liners Who Oppose Pope Francis
posted by OnceUponATime at 10:40 AM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

Steve Bannon Aligns With Vatican Hard-Liners Who Oppose Pope Francis

Somebody call Dan Brown.

Or don't. Maybe don't.
posted by uncleozzy at 10:41 AM on February 10, 2017 [14 favorites]

As much as I love "Lord Dampnut" as a moniker, I think the idea of referring to 45 always and only as "The Republican Administration" has much merit.

I'm not big on snarky nicknames, but they are inevitable, and Lord Dampnut is the best of the bunch.
posted by diogenes at 10:42 AM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

I bet that if Steve Bannon ever watched that Simpsons episode where Mr. Burns said "Since the beginning of time, man has yearned to destroy the sun!" he nodded, suddenly deep in thought, instead of laughing.
posted by The Card Cheat at 10:42 AM on February 10, 2017 [16 favorites]

Steve Bannon Aligns With Vatican Hard-Liners Who Oppose Pope Francis

It is kind of a hoot that he of all people is looking at a monarch enthroned in gold and saying that it's not fair that the monarch isn't considering his views.
posted by Copronymus at 10:45 AM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

I don't think his arguments against Francis have anything to do with fairness. That's not one of the principles he typically argues from. He's saying Francis's generosity toward other faiths is dangerous.
posted by OnceUponATime at 10:46 AM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

Oh man its going to be a long weekend for Abe.
posted by H. Roark at 10:54 AM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

NBC: Trump Administration Rewriting Immigration Executive Order: According to an unnamed senior administration official, NBC reported, work on a new order began several days before an appeals court maintained a lower court’s temporary suspension of Trump’s order Thursday evening.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 10:56 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

hey wait this is the guy who dressed up as Super Mario at the Olympics right

if we can get him and Mitch McConnell in the same room is there a chance his instincts will kick in and he'll jump on McConnell's head, defeating him?
posted by prize bull octorok at 10:57 AM on February 10, 2017 [39 favorites]

There's something bigger going on with Flynn that appears to include both Mike Pence and Jeff Sessions.

Guardian Reporter (and former MP) Louise Mensch is apparently getting fed some pretty juicy tidbits about ongoing FBI Counterintelligence Investigation. She's consistently been calling these stories right before they break elsewhere. Worth a Twitter follow.
posted by leotrotsky at 10:58 AM on February 10, 2017 [37 favorites]

if we can get him and Mitch McConnell in the same room is there a chance his instincts will kick in and he'll jump on McConnell's head, defeating him?

Which will cause McConnell to slide rapidly across the floor, knocking Trump off a cliff!
posted by Celsius1414 at 10:58 AM on February 10, 2017 [22 favorites]

if we can get him and Mitch McConnell in the same room is there a chance his instincts will kick in and he'll jump on McConnell's head, defeating him?

But then what if McConnell hits a pipe and bounces back at him? It would be an international incident!
posted by drezdn at 10:59 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

Steve Bannon: He's Not As Bad As ISIS, Okay?
posted by EarBucket at 11:00 AM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

Gif of the Trump/Abe handshake. The look on that man's face after.
posted by zachlipton at 11:03 AM on February 10, 2017 [57 favorites]

Statement and call for help on ICE arrests in Austin, TX
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:03 AM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

hey wait this is the guy who dressed up as Super Mario at the Olympics right

if we can get him and Mitch McConnell in the same room is there a chance his instincts will kick in and he'll jump on McConnell's head, defeating him?

I always thought Trump looked and acted a lot like Bowser. He lives in a ridiculous, tacky castle, behaves horribly towards princesses (and other women), and has a passel of awful children who need to be defeated mini-boss style.
posted by Strange Interlude at 11:04 AM on February 10, 2017 [21 favorites]

I finally completed my spreadsheet that keeps track of my Congressional contacts to gamify my activism and keep me motivated--got the structures and formulae filled in. Just adding up my contact to federal legislators, I have 122 contacts (by phone, email, and fax) since January 24th.

...I think the spreadsheet may be working.

If there's a good way to post a modified version it for people who want to track their contacts, I'd be open to doing that. (Criteria -- No Facebook, No Twitter, preferably does not require me to sign up, or reveal personal information).
posted by Excommunicated Cardinal at 11:05 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

The look on that man's face after.

Aren't politicians supposed to have better poker faces than that?
posted by Mavri at 11:06 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Trump vexed by challenges, scale of government

In that story, it says that Spicer wanted to make a joke about the SNL sketch, maybe bring along a squirt gun, which would be the appropriate response to acknowledge that you've seen it, found it funny (even if you really didn't), and are ready to move on, but Trump vetoed the idea.
posted by zachlipton at 11:07 AM on February 10, 2017 [17 favorites]

Aren't politicians supposed to have better poker faces than that?

Politicians aren't generally expected to arm wrestle foreign leaders for dominance.
posted by Strange Interlude at 11:08 AM on February 10, 2017 [73 favorites]

Gif of the Trump/Abe handshake. The look on that man's face after.

Best reply: "Abe is going to vomit on Trump. Revenge for 1992."
posted by Talez at 11:10 AM on February 10, 2017 [18 favorites]

Guardian Reporter (and former MP) Louise Mensch is apparently getting fed some pretty juicy tidbits about ongoing FBI Counterintelligence Investigation. She's consistently been calling these stories right before they break elsewhere. Worth a Twitter follow.

Mensch doesn't work for the Guardian. She's a Murdoch stooge. Take her tweets with caution.

Apart from, er, the link in her Twitter bio, obviously. But that's part of the Graun's tiresome desire to troll its readership under the guise of providing commentary from a variety of political stances. Anyway, she's definitely one of Murdoch's.
posted by mushhushshu at 11:10 AM on February 10, 2017 [13 favorites]

Just to show that the racist fascist doesn't fall far from the racist tree, here's a test ad for Fred Trump's aborted 1968 mayoral campaign against John Lindsey.

For the record, the ads in question appear to be fake. Worse yet, spreading this seems to be yet another thing we can blame goddamn Sidney Blumenthal for.
posted by zachlipton at 11:10 AM on February 10, 2017 [14 favorites]

Yeah, Mensch is probably full of crap, as are most of those reddit links. There's a lot to get worked up about, but nothing there.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:11 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Aren't politicians supposed to have better poker faces than that?

They for sure do, but it's a measure of the depths of revulsion and disbelief Abe is trying to conceal.
posted by Celsius1414 at 11:11 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

If there's a good way to post a modified version it for people who want to track their contacts, I'd be open to doing that.

You can upload it to Google Sheets and share a read-only version for other people. If I recall correctly there's a simple way for people to then make a personal one-time copy for themselves. You need a gmail account and that's it.
posted by phearlez at 11:12 AM on February 10, 2017

FYI for NYC folks - there are two immigrants' rights things tonight (Fri 2/10) at 5pm:

--Immigration "Know Your Rights" Forum on 125th st - with Rep. Espaillat, NY AG Schneiderman, and a legal panel
--Immigrant Accompaniment Training at NYU Furman Hall, Room 212 - with NYU Law RISE, the NYU National Lawyers Guild, and the Immigrant Rights Project
posted by melissasaurus at 11:14 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Yeah, Mensch is probably full of crap, as are most of those reddit links. There's a lot to get worked up about, but nothing there.

Damn it, you guys, I was just sitting here thinking "surely this"

fffffffuuuuuuuuuuuu
posted by Fleebnork at 11:15 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Guardian Reporter Louise Mensch

That's kind of a big whiff...
posted by diogenes at 11:15 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Breitbart reporter is seated in the front row with major networks for the Abe/Trump press conference.

It gets worse: Soon after news broke that a federal appeals court ruled against reinstating President Trump’s travel ban, Breitbart’s White House correspondent landed an exclusive interview with press secretary Sean Spicer to discuss the post-mortem. The interview, which was recorded and shared on Facebook Live, is honest-to-god the most gloriously awkward two and a half minutes I have ever witnessed. (Link, with video, goes to Death and Taxes, not Breitbart.)
posted by Room 641-A at 11:16 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

Abe handshake given the Curb Your Enthusiasm treatment
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:17 AM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

The Intercept's most recent podcast episode is worth a listen. Starts with an incredible impression of Trump doing the Apocalypse Now opening and ends with this amazing Kimya Dawson resistance song. (And the interviews in the middle are damn good, too.)

Sometimes it seems like we’ve reached the end of the road
We’ve seen cops and judges sleep together wearing long white robes
And they put their white hoods up Try to take the black hoods down
And they don’t plan on stopping til we’re all in the ground
Til we’re dead in the ground or we’re incarcerated
‘Cause prison’s a big business form of enslavement
Plantations that profit on black folks in cages
They’ll break our backs and keep the wages
It’s outrageous that there’s no place we can feel safe in this nation
Not in our cars Not at the park Not in subway stations
Not at church The pool The store Not asking for help
Not walking down the street So we’ve gotta scream and yell

Hands up Don’t shoot I can’t breathe
BLACK LIVES MATTER No justice No Peace
I know that we can overcome because I had a dream
A dream we tore this racist broken system apart at the seams

posted by AceRock at 11:18 AM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

Yeah, Mensch is probably full of crap, as are most of those reddit links. There's a lot to get worked up about, but nothing there.

Thing about her is that it sounds like she's full of crap and then she ends up being right about things she's insisted on. This Flynn thing being one of them.
posted by Jalliah at 11:19 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Dear Sean Spicer, ProTip: Someone with skill at interviewing, being interviewed, or filming interviews should be involved in every interview.
posted by ruetheday at 11:20 AM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

Thing about her is that it sounds like she's full of crap and then she ends up being right about things she's insisted on.

I mean, that's fine, but you need receipts.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:21 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

So, is this tweet from Mensch is completely false?

I cannot say it any louder or longer. @Democrats and patriots of all parties.
The Attorney General is a suspect in Russia's hack.
LAWYER UP.

It was pinned much earlier today.
posted by ZeusHumms at 11:23 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Have liberals found their combative new leader in … Keith Olbermann?

If the answer is "yes", we're all fucked.
posted by AceRock at 11:27 AM on February 10, 2017 [13 favorites]

This is incredibly petty, but I really hope 45 tries that stupid handshake trick on like a SOCOM operator or somebody else with extensive martial arts training who flips him across the room on sheer reflex.
posted by tobascodagama at 11:28 AM on February 10, 2017 [20 favorites]

I mean, that's fine, but you need receipts.

I don't understand what this means.
posted by Jalliah at 11:29 AM on February 10, 2017

I'd also accept someone laughing right in his pathetic face, but I feel a judo throw would be much more cathartic.
posted by tobascodagama at 11:29 AM on February 10, 2017

yes! we need to arrange for the president to meet Jason Bourne! he'd go for that, right?
posted by prize bull octorok at 11:29 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

but I really hope 45 tries that stupid handshake trick on [...] somebody else with extensive martial arts training

I'm pretty sure you just saw the result of that with PM Abe.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 11:29 AM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

I don't understand what this means.

I mean her tweets sound like Trump's. No evidence, wild conjecture.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:30 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

This is incredibly petty, but I really hope 45 tries that stupid handshake trick on like a SOCOM operator or somebody else with extensive martial arts training who flips him across the room on sheer reflex.

Trudeau coming up Monday. We can hope.
posted by mazola at 11:30 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

I'm pretty sure you just saw the result of that with PM Abe.

Yeah, he was ready. He had his left foot well planted.
posted by diogenes at 11:30 AM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

I mean, that's fine, but you need receipts.

I don't understand what this means.

Saying things and later being proven correct is less compelling than having proof when you say stuff in the first place. See also "a stopped clock is right twice a day".
posted by Etrigan at 11:31 AM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

Trudeau coming up Monday. We can hope.

I can't stop watching the Abe handshake video. I hadn't even thought about what a Trudeau handshake would look like. Wonder if Justin is preparing for it.
posted by Jalliah at 11:34 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

NYMag: Watching Donald Trump Try to Puzzle Out What ‘Asset Forfeiture’ Means Is Deeply Discomfiting.

For all the horrors of Trump in that link, the truly terrifying thing is that you already have a system that not only allows towns to have a criminal police force out robbing and looting entirely innocent passersby, but one which actively incentivises you to do so.
posted by dng at 11:35 AM on February 10, 2017 [21 favorites]

Actually, the best possible result would be if he tried it on QE2 and she threw him down a flight of stairs and then a big pile of corgi manure fell on him. Fingers crossed.
posted by tobascodagama at 11:35 AM on February 10, 2017 [16 favorites]

Guardian Reporter (and former MP) Louise Mensch is apparently getting fed some pretty juicy tidbits about ongoing FBI Counterintelligence Investigation. She's consistently been calling these stories right before they break elsewhere. Worth a Twitter follow.

With respect, Louise Mensch is easily one of the dumbest public figures on Twitter. Some highlights:

2. Last year she attempted to demonstrate the ‘sewer that is Jeremy Corbyn’s support’ by pointing out that Twitter’s autocomplete function showed that the most common search words to appear by Liz Kendall’s name were ‘Nazi’, ‘Zionist’ and ‘Jews’. However, as each suggestion appeared next to an ‘x’, this means that the words were her own search history rather than the work of an evil Corbynista.

3. In 2014, she suggested that Theodor Herzl — the father of modern Zionism and author of The Jewish State — was an anti-Semite, who she would block from her timeline.

4. In January after the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris, Mensch tweeted that Charlie Hebdo was a person. Charlie Hebdo is the name of the magazine the victims worked for.

posted by Rustic Etruscan at 11:37 AM on February 10, 2017 [19 favorites]

>Do they mean THE Frederick Douglass or A Frederick Douglass.

I fully support the cloning of Frederick Douglasses.
posted by Etrigan at 9:20 AM

Oh come on now, you've been around here long enough to know how this works.

Fredericks Douglass
posted by tivalasvegas at 11:37 AM on February 10, 2017 [71 favorites]

So, is this tweet from Mensch is completely false?

I dunno, is all the wackadoo bullshit posted by Twitter randos categorically true or false? Do you want people to comb through InfoWars for little nuggets of truth, too? Maybe we could spend 100 comments arguing over the truth of something Kellyanne Conway says based on the grammatical structure of one of her sentences.
posted by indubitable at 11:39 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Actually, the best possible result would be if he tried it on QE2 and she threw him down a flight of stairs and then a big pile of corgi manure fell on him. Fingers crossed.

Bonus points if Liz zips away on an improvised skateboard made from the bottom half of the Buckingham Palace tea cart.
posted by Strange Interlude at 11:40 AM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

How pathetic is it that this is a 70-year-old man who has won the most powerful job in the world, yet he's reduced to dominance handshake maneuvers (see also: this ridiculous one) like he's the area sales manager for an outboard motor supplier and he's gunning for the regional promotion.
posted by zachlipton at 11:42 AM on February 10, 2017 [60 favorites]

the best possible result would be if he tried it on QE2

... How about if he tries the shoulder-rub trick that W did on Angela Merkel, and she elbows him in the sack...

(this is turning into a derail, so I'll quit now...)
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 11:42 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

ok, sorry, my last comment is really cranky, I'm just exasperated that people are seriously weighing whether some person's wild accusations offered with zero evidence are true or not when the current administration's MO is to just throw these out as fast as they can and hope to baffle us with the sheer volume of it all.
posted by indubitable at 11:43 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

@SenMarkey: Senators Markey and Murphy now calling for Flynn investigation.
posted by diogenes at 11:44 AM on February 10, 2017 [18 favorites]

Actually, the best possible result would be if he tried it on QE2 and she threw him down a flight of stairs and then a big pile of corgi manure fell on him. Fingers crossed.

Elizabeth Windsor, we should recall, actually enlisted in her country's military despite being very eligible for deferral.
posted by Etrigan at 11:44 AM on February 10, 2017 [23 favorites]

You know, with all the Wingnut Welfare money rolling around at Breitbart, you'd think they could have hired someone more skilled at interviewing. Like, maybe, any random local TV news reporter from the tiniest of small towns?

Maybe the guy sitting there fidgeting in an ill fitting suit is pretty good at writing bigoted invective, I dunno since I don't read Breitbart, but wow was that ever the most amateur attempt at an interview I've ever seen.

Hell, I've seen actual children do better interviews on Youtube than this guy did. Seriously, look at these kids interviewing a Nameless Ghoul: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPy5jMJk7a8 They're doing better than the Breitbart guy did and they're not even 13 yet!
posted by sotonohito at 11:45 AM on February 10, 2017

ok, sorry, my last comment is really cranky, I'm just exasperated that people are seriously weighing whether some person's wild accusations offered with zero evidence are true or not when the current administration's MO is to just throw these out as fast as they can and hope to baffle us with the sheer volume of it all.

It is irritating that we had to go through the Mensh excercise. We need to be better than the other side at identifying valid sources.
posted by diogenes at 11:45 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

he's reduced to dominance handshake maneuvers ... like he's the area sales manager for an outboard motor supplier

And if he hadn't been born with a silver spoon in his mouth, he would be lucky to have achieved even that level of business success.
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:47 AM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

There are middle school morning announcements, reading the lunch menu, with better production values than that interview.
posted by zachlipton at 11:48 AM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

Fredericks Douglass
posted by tivalasvegas at 2:37 PM on February 10 [+] [!]

Aw, I was going to say that this morning but thought the thread had moved on too far!
posted by yhbc at 11:50 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

uhhh, the official @POTUS account just tweeted the Abe handshake video where the President looks the wrong way. The same video everybody's been mocking all this time. Yeah.
posted by zachlipton at 11:50 AM on February 10, 2017 [28 favorites]

The official @POTUS account included the eyeroll part of the video in their tweet.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:51 AM on February 10, 2017 [23 favorites]

(jinx, sorry)
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:52 AM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

This is gross:

On Thursday, during a meeting with 10 senators that was billed as a listening session about Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch... Trump referred to Warren several times as “Pocahontas,” the moniker he gave her during his campaign, and told the Democrats present he is glad Warren is becoming the face of “your party.”
posted by diogenes at 11:52 AM on February 10, 2017 [38 favorites]

Donald Trump's Backers at the Border Patrol A physics student at McGill, who was travelling to attend the Women’s March in Washington last month, was also turned back at the border by a C.B.P. officer. The student told CBC that “The first thing he asked us, point-blank, is, ‘Are you anti- or pro-Trump?’
posted by T.D. Strange at 11:52 AM on February 10, 2017 [37 favorites]

I know it was said here that Obama has the "Not my circus, not my monkeys" smile but I would really appreciate his take as a fellow member of the audience any day now.
posted by Slackermagee at 11:53 AM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

Mensch is an idiot who has a few bees in her bonnet, and yet seems to have some little birdies chirping from high places. The Sessions connection is to Carter Page, international man of mystery. As I breezily speculated last night, the precise timing of the Flynn leaks this week might be either a shot across the bow from the IC to the new AG, or an insurance policy.
posted by holgate at 11:54 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

>> Fredericks Douglass
> Aw, I was going to say that this morning but thought the thread had moved on too far!

Hey, no one's suggested Frederick Douglii yet...
posted by RedOrGreen at 11:55 AM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Feds, Trump attorneys wrangle over president’s D.C. hotel lease. Seems like they should have done this, you know, before he became President.

Federal officials have held private talks in recent days with attorneys for President Trump’s real estate company to address a potential violation of Trump’s lease with the government for his new luxury hotel near the White House, but the two sides have so far failed to reach a resolution, according to documents and people familiar with the discussions.

This is gross:

Also in that story, he brought up vote fraud again with the Senators during the Gorsuch meeting, saying Ayotte would have won NH "if not for the “thousands” people who were “brought in on buses” from neighboring Massachusetts to “illegally” vote in New Hampshire." He just can't quit.
posted by zachlipton at 11:55 AM on February 10, 2017 [19 favorites]

That Mensch seems to have shifted - even if only contextually - to chaotic neutral, must be one of the weirder parts of this whole unpleasant business.
posted by ominous_paws at 11:57 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

ICE raids happening in North Austin. Potentially due to Austin's position as a "sanctuary city".
posted by avalonian at 11:57 AM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

On Thursday, during a meeting with 10 senators that was billed as a listening session about Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch... Trump referred to Warren several times as “Pocahontas,” the moniker he gave her during his campaign, and told the Democrats present he is glad Warren is becoming the face of “your party.”

Sometimes it seems like Native Americans are the only ethnicity that can be openly mocked with absolute impunity in this country. This is truer with Republicans, but not limited to them. I'll bet no Democrats present had any visible/audible reaction to this, and I think there at least would have been some shocked gasps if he had called her Aunt Jemima or Hymie Goldstein.
posted by Rust Moranis at 11:59 AM on February 10, 2017 [20 favorites]

Hey, no one's suggested Frederick Douglii yet...

it's Frederices Douglassim actually
posted by prize bull octorok at 11:59 AM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

Just an update on the TrumpCheck: he's said 19 false things in the past five days, giving a total of 57 falsehoods (lies, exaggerations and deceptions) in his public statements in the last three weeks.
posted by zachlipton at 11:59 AM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Hillary Clinton narrowly won New Hampshire’s four electoral votes over Trump by nearly 3,000 votes. Ayotte’s margin of defeat was even slimmer: 743 votes.
...
Trump also teased Ayotte, who distanced herself from him last summer after he attacked the parents of a Muslim Gold Star soldier for criticizing him during the Democratic Convention. “He told her, ‘You’d have won if you’d been on my train,’” one participant said.

Math, how does it work?
posted by phearlez at 12:01 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

ICE raids happening in North Austin. Potentially due to Austin's position as a "sanctuary city".

I also heard of raids in Los Angeles, which is also a sanctuary city, so I'm quite certain this is the case. Look for other raids in other sanctuaries in the future.
posted by tobascodagama at 12:01 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Frederick Douglae, surely.
posted by skycrashesdown at 12:01 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Although I hope to never have the misfortune of having to shake that miserable tangerine's hand, if for some godforsaken reason I do, I actually hope he pulls that dominant arm pull stunt on me so I can freak out, shove him the chest and scream "What the FUCK is THAT shit?", all the while being broadcast live on Fox News. If I die under a pile of Secret Service agents, at least I'll know I'll die as a martyr for the cause.
posted by vverse23 at 12:01 PM on February 10, 2017 [18 favorites]

All the Frederick Doug-lads and Doug-lasses?
posted by Strange Interlude at 12:04 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

I know it was said here that Obama has the "Not my circus, not my monkeys" smile but I would really appreciate his take as a fellow member of the audience any day now.

My impression of Obama is that (maybe to a fault) he wants to follow the rules and norms of democracy, and one of the big ones is that former presidents don't comment on the current president's actions directly. Especially not so close to the exchange of power. I can't speak for him, obviously, but that's my impression given his 8 years in office.

If that is the case, then I don't agree with it. This isn't a normal transfer of power, and as a widely respected former leader, I think it's his duty to actively join the resistance against trump.
posted by codacorolla at 12:05 PM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

In this era of flash mobs, surely it would be possible to organize rapid responses to ICE raids? They can't arrest people if they're surrounded by thousands of people who simply peacefully stand between them and their victims.
posted by sotonohito at 12:05 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Trump and Abe in the Oval Office for photo op. Japanese photographer says something Trump doesn't understand.

Holy cow. Somebody coached Abe on DJT's handshake game, and it's a total tug of war. At the end, Trump even complements Abe on his handshake work: "Strong hands. I mean, ziip."
posted by notyou at 12:07 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

Sometimes it seems like Native Americans are the only ethnicity that can be openly mocked with absolute impunity in this country.

NDN and hillbilly, still Warren should ask if Trump ever met Wilma Mankiller.
posted by ridgerunner at 12:07 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

They can, but having to arrest all the other people who show up will at least make the raids more expensive.
posted by tobascodagama at 12:07 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Frederixen Douglass?
posted by ArgentCorvid at 12:07 PM on February 10, 2017

Pretty strong words from Senator Durbin. (Sorry for the link to a tweet of a picture. I can't find the original press release.)

a chilling new piece of the sinister puzzle of the President's dealings with a hostile foreign power.
posted by diogenes at 12:08 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

My impression of Obama is that (maybe to a fault) he wants to follow the rules and norms of democracy, and one of the big ones is that former presidents don't comment on the current president's actions directly. Especially not so close to the exchange of power. I can't speak for him, obviously, but that's my impression given his 8 years in office.

Obama spent his presidency acting as a lightning rod for every grievance the right could throw at him. While he's out of play, the hate isn't focused, but it could quite easily become so were he to re-engage soon.

IMO his best play is to work behind the scenes. Maybe he already is.
posted by mushhushshu at 12:09 PM on February 10, 2017 [22 favorites]

I agree with mushhushshu -- I think Obama would too easily become a lightning rod. I think he has a decent shot of making a difference (without inciting the mob) through the redistricting project.
posted by janell at 12:12 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

Tim Ryan of Ohio has joined the "Flynn should resign" band.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:14 PM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

Obama might very well show back up. I was getting irritated at him gallivanting around with Richard Branson the other day and then realized it has been three weeks. Three weeks ago he was still President. That's not a very long vacation after eight years of the bullshit he's had to deal with.
posted by something something at 12:14 PM on February 10, 2017 [42 favorites]

Maybe he already is

I was having this conversation with Mr. archimago last night. I want to believe that there are herds of civil rights lawyers and others rallying behind the scenes and gathering their ammo. Surely someone is going after the Russia connections, right? And just leaving it out of the news while they gather the evidence?


posted by archimago at 12:15 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

didn't we learn earlier this week that Flynn is Trump's #1 3am how-do-I-president phone-a-friend? he's not going anywhere lol
posted by prize bull octorok at 12:15 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Quite literally in this case. CNN reported (per Joy Reid) that "one of the judges" had to get increased security due to threats (gee, I wonder if it was the woman).

More than one now: Threats against judges in immigration ban cases leads to increased security

Threats against more than one judge involved in legal challenges to President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration have prompted federal and local law enforcement agencies to temporarily increase security protection for some of them, according to law enforcement officials.

CNN did not learn how specific the threats were, but law enforcement agencies treated them seriously and out of an abundance of caution, the US Marshals Service and local police increased patrols and protective officers to provide security for some of the judges, the officials said.

Oh, and also:

On Thursday, White House press secretary Sean Spicer was asked whether Trump regrets his criticism.

"He has no regrets," Spicer said.

Of course, he doesn't.
posted by zakur at 12:16 PM on February 10, 2017 [11 favorites]

I always thought Trump looked and acted a lot like Bowser. He lives in a ridiculous, tacky castle, behaves horribly towards princesses (and other women), and has a passel of awful children who need to be defeated mini-boss style.

At least Bowser really loves his kids.
posted by Servo5678 at 12:17 PM on February 10, 2017 [19 favorites]

he's not going anywhere lol

This is a little cavalier and incorrect. He's definitely going to be thrown under the bus if he lands on the front page of every newspaper every day for the next however many weeks.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:18 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Surely someone is going after the Russia connections, right?

The Senate has two active investigations going. It's less clear what is happening in the intelligence community.
posted by diogenes at 12:19 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Flynn will probably be out within a week or less.
posted by futz at 12:21 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

This is a little cavalier and incorrect. He's definitely going to be thrown under the bus if he lands on the front page of every newspaper every day for the next however many weeks.

this is the sort of thing that would have been screamingly obvious in the before-time but I'm not sure I believe it now
posted by prize bull octorok at 12:21 PM on February 10, 2017 [15 favorites]

herds of civil rights lawyers

I'm now basically picturing a posse of angry centaurs storming courthouses across the land
posted by tivalasvegas at 12:21 PM on February 10, 2017 [12 favorites]

He's definitely going to be thrown under the bus if he lands on the front page of every newspaper every day for the next however many weeks.

Particularly if it's for treasony activities caught on tape and lying about said treasony activities.
posted by diogenes at 12:22 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

More calls for Flynn's ouster from Reps Ted Lieu and Ruben Gallego
posted by Room 641-A at 12:22 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

Maybe we should give the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform a little attention, regarding the PVL-Flynn-Sessions-Pence-Page-Russia connection. The message system, unlike many others, does not seem to have long silences. You will be prompted to press 1 to leave a message about the PVL.

Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Talking points

* Since the Oversight Committee so fervently investigated Secretary Clinton's email server in the interests of national security, they will certainly be eager to conduct a full investigation into:

* The executive's personal, business, and financial ties to Russia.
* The executive's use of a very old, very insecure Android phone and the risk that action imparts to national security.
* The role of Michael Flynn in contacting Russia before the inauguration to promise the lifting of sanctions and possible violations of the Logan Act.
* The role of Michael Pence in Flynn's alleged contact with Russian agents before the inauguration.
* The relationship of Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, Carter Page, their personal, business, and financial ties to Russia, and the extent to which they have been involved with possible Russian hacking/electoral interference.
* Substantial evidence exists to justify such an inquiry, so the Committee should begin post haste.
posted by Excommunicated Cardinal at 12:22 PM on February 10, 2017 [38 favorites]

In related news, the increasingly absurdist landscapes of my imagination are becoming a real source of consolation.
posted by tivalasvegas at 12:23 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Please let Obama relax.
posted by INFJ at 12:24 PM on February 10, 2017 [22 favorites]

Is the Sessions/Page link coming from anywhere besides Mensch and Reddit?
posted by diogenes at 12:25 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Please let Obama relax.

Absolutely not. When you are president and hand off the executive powers that you failed to curtail to an insane fascist dictator, you do not get to then have a prolonged period of superchill relaxation as your country is destroyed. Sorry not sorry. He's had his vacation and now it's time for him to not recline happily while we live in literal day-to-day danger of horrific nuclear death.
posted by Rust Moranis at 12:28 PM on February 10, 2017 [18 favorites]

tivalasvegas I'm now basically picturing a posse of angry centaurs storming courthouses across the land

I think you meant a posse comitatus of briefcase bearing centaurs.
posted by sotonohito at 12:29 PM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

I have no faith that Flynn will be removed, but out of curiosity I wonder what's the shortest amount of time between appointment to a cabinet level position of a President to being removed from that position?
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:30 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Flynn, Bannon and Sessions make up the Four Horseman with Lord Dampnut, so getting rid of any (and hopefully all sometime) of them greatly improves our chances of surviving and limiting the damage done. Dems need to press this with all they got to get Flynn. And hope it spreads.
posted by chris24 at 12:30 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

None of these calls for Flynn's ouster mean anything given they are from Democrats. It's only once elected Republicans start joining the chorus that any pressure actually exists.
posted by Justinian at 12:32 PM on February 10, 2017 [20 favorites]

Multiple outlets are reporting that Trump stood there during the press conference without an earpiece, acting like he was listening and nodding along, pretending to understand Japanese. (he did use an earpiece a bit when he was specifically addressed, but not during Abe's remarks)

OMG @PeterAlexander of @NBCNews just asked the WH if Trump speaks Japanese.
....WH response: "To the best our knowledge, no."
posted by zachlipton at 12:32 PM on February 10, 2017 [47 favorites]

I'm waffling between wanting Flynn gone ASAP because holy fucking shit and wanting him tethered to this current administration like the biggest Russian albatross.

If they remove him, the narrative is going to switch to the WH denouncing Flynn and divesting themselves of any involvement whatsoever. Don't fucking let them.
posted by lydhre at 12:33 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

Is the Sessions/Page link coming from anywhere besides Mensch and Reddit?

Sessions assembled (or was given credit for assembling) the foreign policy advisory team, including Page, back in March 2016. Julia Ioffe's Politico piece on Page, written in September, contained more denials and evasions from Sessions' staff than any clarification of why he ended up on the list.
posted by holgate at 12:35 PM on February 10, 2017 [12 favorites]

IMO (Obama's) best play is to work behind the scenes. Maybe he already is

https://twitter.com/mikerunderwood/status/826267846988677121

Sally Yates' house.
*Knock at the door.*
It's Barack Obama. W/an eye patch.
Obama: I'm here to talk to you about the Avengers Initiative.

whenever I hear speculation that Obama is working behind the scenes, I keep thinking of this scene and while I am totally on the "We are the Cavalry that We've Been Waiting For" Train, there's still a small part of me that would just be totally amused if this actually were happening in the background.
posted by bl1nk at 12:35 PM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

I'm waffling between wanting Flynn gone ASAP because holy fucking shit and wanting him tethered to this current administration like the biggest Russian albatross.

I'm in favor of every possible albatross being jettisoned post-haste if those albatrosses are going to get us all fucking killed.
posted by Rust Moranis at 12:35 PM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

The Anti-Democracy Movement Influencing the Right.

Not sure what to make of this:

Apparently there's a big underground movement of right-wing bodybuilders -- thousands. Their plan is to surface spectacularly this April, in a choreographed flash demo on the Mall. They'll be totally nude, but wearing MAGA hats. Goal is to intimidate Congress with pure masculine show of youth, energy. Trump is said to know, will coordinate with powerful EOs…

posted by AceRock at 12:36 PM on February 10, 2017 [27 favorites]

When you are president and hand off the executive powers that you failed to curtail to an insane fascist dictator, you do not get to then have a prolonged period of superchill relaxation as your country is destroyed.

He's not president any longer.
He didn't choose his successor.
He was never in the position to curtail the power of EO's.
He gave eight years of his life and was scrutinized for it each and every day.
He's effectively unemployed now.

Light fires under the people who are in position to actually do something. Let Obama be. If he never makes another public statement, that's his choice. He already gave us his leadership when we demanded it of him. Now we need to demand our current leaders to do their jobs.
posted by INFJ at 12:37 PM on February 10, 2017 [67 favorites]

This is a little cavalier and incorrect. He's definitely going to be thrown under the bus if he lands on the front page of every newspaper every day for the next however many weeks.

I'm with prize bull octoroc on this one. That's the old thinking and we're fully through the looking glass now. Zoe Baird is throwing chardonnay glasses at the tv and screaming what do you mean he's not withdrawing from the position??? The republican party continues to lionize Ronnie but have decided to approve of Putin to the tune of like 91%. Trump says on camera that his buddies have a hard time getting loans and he's gonna make it easier for them. The Old Post Office lease is in breach and they're still having idle chit-chat about it. The Onion is right - Carter had to sell his peanut farm, but now? Whatevs.

I'd be super happy to be wrong on this but I see no reason to think it goes anywhere.
posted by phearlez at 12:38 PM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

Sessions assembled (or was given credit for assembling) the foreign policy advisory team, including Page, back in March 2016.

Ah, that's interesting alright. Page came out of nowhere, so Session's involvement in plucking him out of the ether is non-trivial.
posted by diogenes at 12:39 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Another vote in favor of getting Michael "Islam Is A Cancer" Flynn out of the White House before the next San Bernardino even if it means screwing up the ~narrative~
posted by theodolite at 12:39 PM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

Apparently there's a big underground movement of right-wing bodybuilders -- thousands. Their plan is to surface spectacularly this April, in a choreographed flash demo on the Mall. They'll be totally nude, but wearing MAGA hats. Goal is to intimidate Congress with pure masculine show of youth, energy. Trump is said to know, will coordinate with powerful EOs…

I'm sure they will choose a song like 'Macho Man" to signal their strength and power.
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:39 PM on February 10, 2017 [22 favorites]

Apparently there's a big underground movement of right-wing bodybuilders -- thousands. Their plan is to surface spectacularly this April

Like cicadas?!

(Not the Onion WTF)
posted by futz at 12:39 PM on February 10, 2017 [16 favorites]

Rust Moranis, I hear you.

The press (and the public) has such a tendency to want closure, though, that once Flynn is gone so is the entire Russian connection, which is patently bullshit. It wasn't just Flynn, it's the whole damn lot of them. I don't want to give them that cover.

Now, if I trusted the press or (lol) Congress to actually dig deeper, well...
posted by lydhre at 12:40 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

I don't think it's gonna happen without unambiguous audio/video evidence, though.
posted by theodolite at 12:40 PM on February 10, 2017

Apparently there's a big underground movement of right-wing bodybuilders -- thousands. Their plan is to surface spectacularly this April

Like cicadas?!

I'm thinking it looks more like the beginning of Thriller.
posted by diogenes at 12:41 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Like cicadas?!
Like muscle-y, right-wing, nude, red, mad cicadas
posted by AceRock at 12:42 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

I don't think it's gonna happen without unambiguous audio/video evidence, though.

We seem to have transcripts.
posted by diogenes at 12:42 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

Not sure what to make of this:

That dude is trolling, as NRx dorks are fond of doing.

When Phil Sandifer's "Neoreaction a Basilisk" comes out for public purchase I suspect it'll be a popular intro to NRx horseshit; until then there's not really a good, in-depth explanation outside of their own writings.
posted by Pope Guilty at 12:43 PM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

From the super duper weird body builder article.

“No,” said Nick Steves, the pseudonym used by one NRxer well-known within the movement. “It will only lend false credence to the misleading facts and outright errors you will inevitably print irrespective of my involvement.”

Asked what he thought I would print, Steves explained that “115 IQ people are not generally well equipped to summarize 160 IQ people” and that only one journalist, Vox’s Dylan Matthews, had “come close to permitting NRx to speak for itself.”

“You DO understand that, by the NRx view, journos occupy a major seat of power, viz. manufacturers of consent, in the current structure,” Steves said. “Thus you see why you are the enemy. No hard feelings of course. I'm sure you're a very nice person. But politics is war by other means, and war is, by definition, existential.”

There is much more WTFness going on. These people are insane. They are Upside Down & Inside Out. Creepy.
posted by futz at 12:46 PM on February 10, 2017 [16 favorites]

PSA: Elizabeth Warren is selling "official" She Persisted shirts to fund her reelection campaign.
posted by lydhre at 12:46 PM on February 10, 2017 [43 favorites]

Light fires under the people who are in position to actually do something. Let Obama be. If he never makes another public statement, that's his choice. He already gave us his leadership when we demanded it of him. Now we need to demand our current leaders to do their jobs.

Obama being allowed to relax versus not relax is going to be judged in hindsight. If things are about to get super duper bad in the country/world, and nobody did quite enough to stop it, would that alter your opinion?

If you knew future history books (presuming a future) would say "As the Trump Regime finalized its grip on power and Bannon began formulating the terrible thing that history now judges all Americans for allowing to happen, former president Obama spent months at Rancho Relaxo. Here's a photo of him happily windsurfing next to a photo of the piles of corpses in 2021," would you want him to be relaxing right now? That's why I don't want Obama on permanent vacation.
posted by Rust Moranis at 12:46 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Apparently there's a big underground movement of right-wing bodybuilders -- thousands. Their plan is to surface spectacularly this April


I've seen this video, and cannot un-see it, so I'll just inflict this mental image on you:

Two dozen naked bodybuilders at the Nudes-a-Poppin' festival, dancing as directed by choreographer Ron Jeremy.

It happened at some point in the 80's.
posted by ocschwar at 12:49 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

I adore Obama, but he's not our president anymore. If he were to try and step in, it would look really bad. Yeah, I can just see Fox News frothing at the mouth right now. So much for a peaceful transition of power!
posted by PearlRose at 12:51 PM on February 10, 2017 [14 favorites]

Obama is our daddy, I have realized this finally. It's time for us to leave the nest or something and not expect to lean on him

Hamilton fans will recognize this as what One Last Time is about: Hamilton wants (but doesn't explicitly admit that) he wants his father figure to stay in power, and Washington thinks that the nation (and, implicitly, Hamilton) will grow without him.

Spoiler: Hamilton's life goes to shit shortly thereafter
posted by a snickering nuthatch at 12:52 PM on February 10, 2017 [23 favorites]

I adore Obama, but he's not our president anymore. If he were to try and step in, it would look really bad.

I could not disagree more with this. I think Obama giving Donald a call and asking him if he needs any help adjusting would be a huge service to the country. And I think Donald might be happy to talk to him.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:52 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

This is a great interactive map of the court cases pending to challenge the travel ban executive order, by Adam Klasfeld at Courthouse News.
posted by zachlipton at 12:53 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Apparently there's a big underground movement of right-wing bodybuilders -- thousands. Their plan is to surface spectacularly this April, in a choreographed flash demo on the Mall. They'll be totally nude, but wearing MAGA hats. Goal is to intimidate Congress with pure masculine show of youth, energy [...]

...and tiny, steroid-shriveled penises?

Go right on ahead, Nazi muscleheads, we promise not to laugh too loud.
posted by Strange Interlude at 12:53 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

I adore Obama, but he's not our president anymore. If he were to try and step in, it would look really bad. Yeah, I can just see Fox News frothing at the mouth right now. So much for a peaceful transition of power!

Yeah it would be a shame if Fox News decided to start attacking Obama and the Democratic party. It would look terrible for us.
posted by Rust Moranis at 12:53 PM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

Asked what he thought I would print, Steves explained that “115 IQ people are not generally well equipped to summarize 160 IQ people

I wonder how many times he had to take that online IQ "test" to get to 160....
posted by Frowner at 12:53 PM on February 10, 2017 [15 favorites]

My theory about Obama's current actions is that he's trying to make "not-being-the-President" look as fun and thrilling to Trump as possible, in hopes of convincing Donald to resign.
posted by drezdn at 12:53 PM on February 10, 2017 [57 favorites]

You folks know Obama put out a statement about the travel ban and the protests less than two weeks ago, right? 10 days is how long he could stand it before Trump did something so egregious that he had to say at least something.

Anyway, I don't ask for a lot, but is a picture of Obama resting under a vine and fig tree really too much to ask for?
posted by zachlipton at 12:55 PM on February 10, 2017 [26 favorites]

Republicans in Idaho tried to design a better plan than Obamacare — and failed

posted by T.D. Strange at 12:56 PM on February 10, 2017 [22 favorites]

I think it's more that Obama has carried the torch to the best of his ability, for the causes he believed in, for over a decade. It is time to let him retire to his farm for a little while. He'll be there when we need him.
posted by corb at 12:56 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

The whole world right now is really fucking with the political/philosophical compass I was installed with as the daughter of Objectivists. (Which I have long recognized the fallacies inherent in, but had always kind of accepted a version of mainstream conservative thought.)
posted by soren_lorensen at 12:56 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Daytime TV’s New Star? Sean Spicer

The soap opera at the White House is outscoring actual soaps like “General Hospital” and “The Bold and the Beautiful,” which typically air around the same time. Mr. Spicer’s ratings are on par with prime-time entertainment like “MasterChef Junior” on Fox and the ABC sitcom “Dr. Ken,” which draw around four million viewers each.

He can't beat The Young and the Restless though.
posted by zachlipton at 12:57 PM on February 10, 2017 [13 favorites]

I wonder how many times he had to take that online IQ "test" to get to 160.

He rolled his stats at home.
posted by notyou at 12:57 PM on February 10, 2017 [38 favorites]

ICE raids apparently happening in Atlanta too.
posted by mudpuppie at 12:59 PM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

I wonder how many times he had to take that online IQ "test" to get to 160....

Twice.
First attempt = 82
Second attempt = 78
posted by Atom Eyes at 12:59 PM on February 10, 2017 [22 favorites]

Look folks, I know remembering things can be hard at times like this, but it hasn't been that long since the Obamas announced they were taking a month or so vacation and then would be back to work. And the former president specifically saying he would not hesitate to speak out about the new administration if necessary. So maybe chill on the keyboard call outs.
posted by Celsius1414 at 1:00 PM on February 10, 2017 [19 favorites]

Asked what he thought I would print, Steves explained that “115 IQ people are not generally well equipped to summarize 160 IQ people”

Good Lord. Did he whip out his Mensa membership card?
posted by thelonius at 1:01 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Trump is much more likely to take advice from one of the Bush's. Or any of the hundreds of other people who've been lifelong politicians and knows how the thing works. (Note they'd tell him he's doing it wrong and he'd slam the phone on them because they say he wasn't doing things perfectly)

And history books wouldn't mention what Obama did after Trump. Even if Trump burns the world to the ground.

What, exactly, do you expect him to do? Show up at the front door of the White House and kick Trump out?

At best he'll be a headline in the news. "Obama says the wall is the wrong way to handle illegal immigration. Leaks from the WH say that The President now believes things Obama tells him." (fake)

Maybe a big enough headline to draw attention away from Lord Dampnut. Imagine how well a former president overshadowing our current one would fly with Trump.

I sincerely understand (and share!) the "please help us" place you're coming from, Rust. But Obama can't save us.
posted by INFJ at 1:01 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

The Obamas have just announced that they've signed with an agency to arrange speaking engagements and have appointed lawyers to negotiate a pair of book deals, so I suspect we'll be hearing more from them, at least if you can afford one of their speeches.
posted by zachlipton at 1:03 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

They'll be totally nude, but wearing MAGA hats. Goal is to intimidate Congress with pure masculine show of youth, energy. Trump is said to know, will coordinate with powerful EOs

I don't...what...powerful EOs? Trump is going to order the Mall to be a strip club?

What?
posted by nubs at 1:06 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

EOs = essential oils?
posted by Atom Eyes at 1:08 PM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

Trump is going to order the Mall to be a strip club?

All that roided up toxic masculinity and the possibility of touching dicks? It's far more likely to end in a homophobic riot.
posted by Talez at 1:09 PM on February 10, 2017

Two dozen naked bodybuilders at the Nudes-a-Poppin' festival, dancing as directed by choreographer Ron Jeremy.

Done
posted by archimago at 1:10 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

EOs= Executive Orders.
posted by Pope Guilty at 1:10 PM on February 10, 2017

The soap opera at the White House is outscoring actual soaps like “General Hospital” and “The Bold and the Beautiful,” which typically air around the same time. Mr. Spicer’s ratings are on par with prime-time entertainment like “MasterChef Junior” on Fox and the ABC sitcom “Dr. Ken,” which draw around four million viewers each.

Oh good, I'm glad it's not just me. Sadly, this week I didn't get a chance to see ♫ It's the Spicey Show ♫ at all because there weren't episodes on the days when I was free at that time. Curses! I really need to start DVRing it. It was fun (for certain deeply masochistic embittered values of "fun") last week when we met up here for the midday MeFi Spicey viewing.
posted by FelliniBlank at 1:10 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Re: Flynn: "Sources tell @CBSNews investigators learned of convos thru electronic surveillance of Russian officials, suspected intel operatives in U.S." (cite)
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:13 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

I'm also relieved to hear I'm not the only one fascinated by (dear) Sean Spicer.
posted by ruetheday at 1:14 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Their plan is to surface spectacularly this April, in a choreographed flash demo on the Mall. They'll be totally nude, but wearing MAGA hats. Goal is to intimidate Congress with pure masculine show of youth, energy

And despite the odds, the plan will actually appear to work at first, until Charlie shows up as Green Man in a fit of over-enthusiasm and ruins the whole event.
posted by Phobos the Space Potato at 1:14 PM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

They'll be totally nude, but wearing MAGA hats. Goal is to intimidate Congress with pure masculine show of youth, energy. Trump is said to know, will coordinate with powerful EOs

I don't...what...powerful EOs? Trump is going to order the Mall to be a strip club?

That thing where you're in Recent Activity but have to load the whole thread because clearly you missed something important.
posted by antinomia at 1:14 PM on February 10, 2017 [58 favorites]

a version of mainstream conservative thought

The fact that Rand's weird and extreme hyper-individualistic philosophy of selfishness as the ultimate moral good and laissez-faire capitalism as the best basis for economics ever became "mainstream conservative thought" is a large part of what's wrong with American politics in general and the Republican Party in particular. In my experience if someone tells you how profoundly affected they were by reading Ayn Rand it's a good sign that they're very probably an asshole.
posted by Pseudonymous Cognomen at 1:14 PM on February 10, 2017 [23 favorites]

And despite the odds, the plan will actually appear to work at first, until Charlie shows up as Green Man in a fit of over-enthusiasm and ruins the whole event.

    The Gang
  Poses Nude at
The Washington Mall

posted by Talez at 1:16 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

I don't know about y'all, but I've never been intimidated by a bodybuilder. They're usually too busy hardboiling eggs, worrying about their protein intake, and checking themselves out in a mirror to do anything physically intimidating. Wake me if it turns out to be a bunch of MMA fighters.
posted by Existential Dread at 1:18 PM on February 10, 2017 [15 favorites]

> This is incredibly petty, but I really hope 45 tries that stupid handshake trick on like a SOCOM operator or somebody else with extensive martial arts training who flips him across the room on sheer reflex.

I hope somebody goes into full "crush the bones in your hand into dust" mode on Trump and forces him to his knees in tears.
posted by The Card Cheat at 1:20 PM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

Protesters block Betsy DeVos from entering public school in Washington
posted by futz at 1:22 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

In my experience if someone tells you how profoundly affected they were by reading Ayn Rand it's a good sign that they're very probably an asshole.

To my shame, I was once just such an asshole. At some point before I was out of my teens, though, I talked to an aunt who was a nurse (a NICU nurse, in fact)...

"Everyone should be self sufficient" is fine as an ethic for healthy adults, especially healthy adult white upper-middle class men. But babies and elderly people and sick people don't have that choice. And we were all babies once, and we'll all be old and sick if we live long enough.

I have to assume grown-up Ayn Rand fans who haven't had this realization yet are just in deep denial about their own mortality. Even Ayn Rand herself went on Medicare in her later years.
posted by OnceUponATime at 1:23 PM on February 10, 2017 [37 favorites]

Just how much trouble is Michael Flynn in?
posted by futz at 1:25 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Congressman is righteously booed after dodging a young girl’s simple question about science. Chaffetz is owned by a 10 year old asking him if he believes in science.

Moving on on this two-for-one-link-friday... Funny, the same thing happened to Twitter. Shia LaBeouf's anti-Trump livestream has devolved into a neo-Nazi broadcast network. In case you want to know why the neo-Nazis are chugging milk, that's apparently a thing, not just because milk is white, but because of weird pseudoscience about lactose intolerance. The more you wish you didn't know.
posted by zachlipton at 1:27 PM on February 10, 2017 [16 favorites]

5th Canadian denied entry to U.S. after facing questions about Moroccan roots: Yassine Aber, 19, was on his way to an athletic competition in Boston
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:27 PM on February 10, 2017 [11 favorites]

I sincerely understand (and share!) the "please help us" place you're coming from, Rust. But Obama can't save us.

No, but he does have a pretty unique opportunity for his post-Presidential career. Clearly he's not going to be used by this administration like an uber-diplomat like Carter became, but there's no real rules or model on what his life has to look like now. Clinton decided to more or less cash in and live it up (although yes, did a lot of good non-profit work with his fundraising powers too). Both Bushes basically faded from public life, one because he was just old, and one in disgrace. Reagan was pretty much an invalid by the end anyway.

Obama could stay engaged. He could become a voice of the organized rebuild of the Democratic party through any number of roles, and if he's really going to be involved in the redistricting efforts, that's a great start. He could run for the Senate again. He could set out to earn as many speaking fees as humanly possible like Clinton. He could check out and write memoirs and legal articles for the rest of his life. Maybe if there's ever another Democratic administration, he could be a Judge like Taft.

I hope he has a role still, but I think it's still too early for him to come out and say what he wants that to be if he does. Or if he's even figured it out yet. He's probably just enjoying life for a few weeks, and that's fine. All this shit will still be fucked up when he's done windsurfing.
posted by T.D. Strange at 1:27 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

In my experience if someone tells you how profoundly affected they were by reading Ayn Rand it's a good sign that they're very probably an asshole.

In my 42 years of actual daily experience with Objectivists, it's sometimes more complicated than that.

But the political compass I was referring to is more just standard left/right what-the-other-side-says-about-the-other.
posted by soren_lorensen at 1:28 PM on February 10, 2017

They're usually too busy hardboiling eggs, worrying about their protein intake, and checking themselves out in a mirror to do anything physically intimidating.

also they never ever do any cardio so you can just jog away at a middling speed and watch them try to catch up on their spindly little "who needs leg day" legs
posted by poffin boffin at 1:29 PM on February 10, 2017 [38 favorites]

> In my experience if someone tells you how profoundly affected they were by reading Ayn Rand it's a good sign that they're very probably an asshole.

To my shame, I was once just such an asshole. At some point before I was out of my teens, though, I talked to an aunt who was a nurse (a NICU nurse, in fact)...

Lots of teenagers find Ayn Rand persuasive. Even President Obama has spoken about it. It's only shameful if you don't grow out of it.
posted by shponglespore at 1:32 PM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

In my 42 years of actual daily experience with Objectivists, it's sometimes more complicated than that.

Sorry for being harsh, but if you subscribe to a philosophy that says self-interest is the highest moral good and altruism is always wrong then you are an asshole (or a sociopath), whatever other personal qualities you may possess.
posted by Pseudonymous Cognomen at 1:36 PM on February 10, 2017 [12 favorites]

T.D. Strange Republicans in Idaho tried to design a better plan than Obamacare — and failed

Jesus fucking Christ. Those assholes at the end, I have never before wanted to smack an 81 year old man and scream "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!" so much before in my life. I know it'd be counterproductive, you can't smack and scream your way to a better world, but seriously what the fuck is wrong with them?
posted by sotonohito at 1:36 PM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

Obama has said he's going to work on redistricting/gerrymandering. I am all for him doing whatever the fuck he wants. It's been three weeks...I have full faith we haven't seen the last of good works by the Obamas.

It's not Obama's job to comment on the current white house - current white house is doing an A+ job fucking themselves anyhow.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 1:37 PM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

Can we get the neo-Nazis to, like, try the cinnamon challenge or something? To prove they're tougher than the inferior brown spices or whatever dumb racist excuse will motivate them to do it. It won't help, I just think it'd be funny.
posted by tobascodagama at 1:37 PM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

you can't smack and scream your way to a better world

you just have to believe in yourself
posted by poffin boffin at 1:38 PM on February 10, 2017 [34 favorites]

I'm sure the totally straight dude organising that (obviously fake) bodybuilder flash mob also assigned himself the title of Chief Baby Oil Applicator.
posted by PenDevil at 1:40 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

In another Republican profile in courage, Senator Johnson (Chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee) wouldn't answer any of Jake Tapper's questions about Flynn because he "hadn't been briefed yet."

(The gym would be so much more relaxing if CNN wasn't playing on every wall.)
posted by diogenes at 1:40 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Chief Baby Oil Applicator.

lubrication engineer
posted by poffin boffin at 1:43 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

GQ made a video of Donald shaking hands.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:47 PM on February 10, 2017 [16 favorites]

if any of you ever manage to be in a position where trump's shaking your hand please PLEASE take a dive and make it look like he yanked you to the floor
posted by flatluigi at 1:50 PM on February 10, 2017 [18 favorites]

Republicans in Idaho tried to design a better plan than Obamacare — and failed

I'm sorry, but I just have to point out their Governor's name is "Butch" Otter


Also RAGE

One senator lobbed the idea of offering the working poor tax incentives if they use a life coach to motivate them to get higher-paying jobs.

posted by Existential Dread at 1:50 PM on February 10, 2017 [12 favorites]

I keep hoping somebody will pull the Frank Catton (Bernie Mac) handshake move from Ocean's Eleven and squeeze the shit out of Trump's hand and then question him about what he uses to moisturize.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 1:51 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

i guarantee that senator's nephew is coincidentally just starting a life coach business.
posted by poffin boffin at 1:51 PM on February 10, 2017 [26 favorites]

Government subsidized life coaching, this is such a great idea! As middle class jobs are automated away we can just devote more and more resources to coaching each other on how to better enjoy our lives of post-scarcity leisure! It's UBI through the back door!
posted by contraption at 1:54 PM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

Jesus fucking Christ. Those assholes at the end, I have never before wanted to smack an 81 year old man and scream "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!" so much before in my life.

Amen, Brother Ben.
posted by Justinian at 1:56 PM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

I keep asking myself this simple question: If you came across someone in your everyday life who repeatedly said fantastically and demonstrably untrue things, what would you think of him?

I actually have someone in my family who is mentally ill in this way. And for a good period of time I didn't realize it. He comes off as slightly weird, but rational. And he very clearly states things that when I was a teenager I believed. He told me he was secretly married. He told me he had been in a band. He told me things about my grandfather who I'd never known, things that in retrospect were highly improbable. Finally, at my graduation dinner, he told me, in front of about 20 members of my family, that HE had gone to my alma mater. The entire table nearly choked on their food. He had never gone to college, of any kind. He was claiming he was a student at very prestigious and difficult to get into university. It was so blatantly untrue that I'm surprised my frail, elderly grandmother didn't collapse. And no one said anything at the time, though we still talk about how astonished we were.

Later I heard him telling my younger cousins the same kinds of lies, and watched them buy them also. I think the thing that always astonished me was that no one ever contradicted him, including his mother who was nearly always right there when he was lying.

I don't know what condition my relative suffers from. I don't think he's ever received a diagnosis or professional help of any kind. No one in the family actually knows where he is now, and last I heard he was homeless (he's never, to my knowledge, been able to hold a steady job).

All of this is just to say that yes, when you see this happen in front of you it's shocking and really difficult to know how to behave. And it's clearly a sign of mental illness.
posted by threeturtles at 1:57 PM on February 10, 2017 [13 favorites]

It's definitely #1.
posted by diogenes at 1:58 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

GQ made a video of Donald shaking hands.

I don't care if its not a thing anymore, but if I ever meet him in person and he goes for a handshake, I'm definitely going to dab on him.
posted by AceRock at 1:59 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

if any of you ever manage to be in a position where trump's shaking your hand please PLEASE take a dive and make it look like he yanked you to the floor

Headbutt him in the dick on your way down. As distasteful as that would be, think of the service you'd be doing to the world.
posted by tobascodagama at 2:00 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

I thought the bit in the Idaho ACA article about life coaching to coach you into a higher paying job was bullshit, but its no bullshit - as in "yes that actually happened," because of course the idea is bullshit.
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:00 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

First Flynn and now this. Deep State is getting busy.

US investigators corroborate some aspects of the Russia dossier

For the first time, US investigators say they have corroborated some of the communications detailed in a 35-page dossier compiled by a former British intelligence agent, multiple current and former US law enforcement and intelligence officials tell CNN. As CNN first reported, then-President-elect Donald Trump and President Barack Obama were briefed on the existence of the dossier prior to Trump's inauguration.

None of the newly learned information relates to the salacious allegations in the dossier. Rather it relates to conversations between foreign nationals. The dossier details about a dozen conversations between senior Russian officials and other Russian individuals. Sources would not confirm which specific conversations were intercepted or the content of those discussions due to the classified nature of US intelligence collection programs.

But the intercepts do confirm that some of the conversations described in the dossier took place between the same individuals on the same days and from the same locations as detailed in the dossier, according to the officials. CNN has not confirmed whether any content relates to then-candidate Trump.

The corroboration, based on intercepted communications, has given US intelligence and law enforcement "greater confidence" in the credibility of some aspects of the dossier as they continue to actively investigate its contents, these sources say.

posted by chris24 at 2:01 PM on February 10, 2017 [63 favorites]

Yup, caught the very end of that CNN story live but since I missed most of it I didn't feel confident in posting about it. But they did say that some parts of the Pee Dossier had been corroborated.
posted by Justinian at 2:02 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

The you-know-what is hitting the fan.

US investigators corroborate some aspects of the Russia dossier.
posted by waitingtoderail at 2:02 PM on February 10, 2017 [13 favorites]

GQ made a video of Donald shaking hands.

I noticed that he also does it to Arianne Zucker when the Access Hollywood tape came out. I thought it was a creepy molester move to pull her into his personal space, so in a way it's better that he does it to everybody.
posted by peeedro at 2:04 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

GQ made a video of Donald shaking hands.

I hadn't seen that Rex Tillerson shake yet. They look like they're trying to saw down a redwood together.
posted by dis_integration at 2:05 PM on February 10, 2017 [13 favorites]

The look on that man's face after.

We are all Abe.
posted by artdrectr at 2:06 PM on February 10, 2017 [29 favorites]

But the intercepts do confirm that some of the conversations described in the dossier took place between the same individuals on the same days and from the same locations as detailed in the dossier, according to the officials. CNN has not confirmed whether any content relates to then-candidate Trump.

I'm sure all of the alleged conversations involving people in Trump's campaign will prove to be fictional outliers though (sarcasm).
posted by diogenes at 2:07 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

I keep asking myself this simple question: If you came across someone in your everyday life who repeatedly said fantastically and demonstrably untrue things, what would you think of him?

I have day dreams about somehow Congress demanding _rump undergo medical tests for dementia from a real doctor instead of that bizarre quack who claims to be his doctor. I'd seriously be interested in seeing some legit medical records on this guy.
posted by dnash at 2:07 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

The you-know-what is hitting the fan.

US investigators corroborate some aspects of the Russia dossier.

Yay. Flynn leak may have been the tip of the iceberg and they're finally ready to bean spill. I've been holding on to this hope since last night.
posted by Jalliah at 2:07 PM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

The Anti-Democracy Movement Influencing the Right.

They honestly think that they will be taking over? And they use "The Enemy" in casual conversation with their declared enemy? They are like a live grenade. Not actively harming anyone but make sure the pin is still present (and maybe do a two minute Run/Hide/Fight refresher) if you are to meet them in person.
posted by Slackermagee at 2:08 PM on February 10, 2017

Wait, what if he meets with Arnie and they actually do that Predator arm wrestle hand shake thing. He'd have to hide the wadded remains of his tiny hand lest Spicer tries to snack on it.
posted by lucidium at 2:08 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Check out this bit of insanity from a Washington Post interview with Flynn:

PRIEST: Why would you go on RT, they’re state run?

FLYNN: Well, what’s CNN?

PRIEST: Well, it’s not run by the state. You’re rolling your eyes.
posted by diogenes at 2:08 PM on February 10, 2017 [69 favorites]

Jesus Christ, I cannot get over that NRx is a thing, let alone a growing thing still.
posted by Slackermagee at 2:09 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

US investigators corroborate some aspects of the Russia dossier.

So....are they doing to DO anything with it, like penalize anyone or what?
posted by yoga at 2:10 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Headbutt him in the dick on your way down. As distasteful as that would be, think of the service you'd be doing to the world.

Pretty tough with that small of a target.
posted by Celsius1414 at 2:10 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

US investigators corroborate some aspects of the Russia dossier.

Reached for comment this afternoon, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said, "We continue to be disgusted by CNN's fake news reporting."

Spicer later called back and said, "This is more fake news. It is about time CNN focused on the success the President has had bringing back jobs, protecting the nation, and strengthening relationships with Japan and other nations. The President won the election because of his vision and message for the nation."

Oh Spicey. Why are you so sad?
posted by zachlipton at 2:13 PM on February 10, 2017 [13 favorites]

if any of you ever manage to be in a position where trump's shaking your hand please PLEASE take a dive and make it look like he yanked you to the floor

Also lick your hand first.
posted by mudpuppie at 2:14 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

So he called it fake news, hung up, and then called back to call it fake news again.

When is the next daily brief? I am gonna make popcorn.
posted by Justinian at 2:14 PM on February 10, 2017 [24 favorites]

The President won the election because of his vision and message for the nation

10 minutes later, CNN is like, The President won the election because Russia.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 2:15 PM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

And I think Donald might be happy to talk to him.

Sadly, this is as delusional as #45 pretending that he understands Japanese. Remember that the Yemen raid was greenlit because #45 wanted to do something that Obama didn't. Short of fanfic imaginings of the kind of reverse psychology that works on 4 year-olds, there's not much Obama could possibly do that anyone yanking #45's strings would hear.

I find the Obama callouts really annoying. How about turning all of that ire against the Republicans who still have their jobs, particularly the so-called #NeverTrumpers? This is THEIR mess to fix.
posted by TwoStride at 2:16 PM on February 10, 2017 [30 favorites]

Besides, if I'd been president and a coalition of racist/ignorant/kleptocratic fuckwads had conspired to elect one of the worst people on earth as my successor, I too would want to make sure I at least got in my dream of kite-surfing or whatever before the fuckwads got us all nuked.
posted by TwoStride at 2:18 PM on February 10, 2017 [24 favorites]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that what each President did about their health was up to them, and that most usually did what the one before them did.
posted by ZeusHumms at 2:21 PM on February 10, 2017

The leaking continues. New Yorker: Kellyanne Conway's Battle for Trump's Favor

It's interesting how much the "Priebus and Bannon are best buds who fall asleep chatting late at night" PR campaign seems to be explicitly designed to freeze out Conway, generally by not mentioning her at all or reducing her to a minor player. This story is clearly a strike back against that faction.

In quite worrying news for the future of our nation, Kellyanne Conway is getting top secret security clearance because Trump has been asking why she's not in certain meetings.
posted by zachlipton at 2:25 PM on February 10, 2017 [13 favorites]

US investigators corroborate some aspects of the Russia dossier

Someone please convince me that this isn't going to end badly? Like protestors dying and the economy cratering and rule of law being thrown out the window bad. Please?
posted by photoslob at 2:26 PM on February 10, 2017

Reached for comment this afternoon, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said, "We continue to be disgusted by CNN's fake news reporting."

Spicer later called back and said, "This is more fake news..."

I thought maybe that was just missing a [fake] tag, but nope, that is literally what happened. Somehow he manages to keep sinking below any expectations.
posted by parallellines at 2:27 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

He will not, in fact, be seeing them in court.

CNN and NBC are both reporting that they will not take the travel ban to the Supreme Court right now and will instead defend it on its merits at the district court level. There are also reports going around that they're working on a new EO to sign instead.
posted by zachlipton at 2:28 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Someone please convince me that this isn't going to end badly? Like protestors dying and the economy cratering and rule of law being thrown out the window bad. Please?

I mean those are all pretty likely to happen in the next few years no matter what, independent of any Russia/Flynn stuff. I don't think these particular scandals are going to bring about the end times any more than living in a general end-timey-time will.
posted by Rust Moranis at 2:30 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Update re ICE raids in L.A.: Citing Lack Of Access, Immigrant Rights Activists Compare Thursday's ICE Sweeps To LAX Chaos
posted by Room 641-A at 2:30 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

It's interesting how much the "Priebus and Bannon are best buds who fall asleep chatting late at night" PR campaign seems to be explicitly designed to freeze out Conway, generally by not mentioning her at all or reducing her to a minor player. This story is clearly a strike back against that faction.

I don't know. When the Priebus-Bannon friendship is magic story dropped, wasn't there a parallel leak that WH people have nicknamed Priebus "Rancid?" I think we have a case of competing monologues.
posted by rhizome at 2:31 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

@ProfAishaAhmad This is now the FIFTH Canadian Muslim, NOT from a banned country, who has been denied entry to the US this week. http://www.cbc.ca/1.3976230

tl;dr: Canadian-born track-and-field athlete questioned for 5 hours, phone searched, fingerprinted, denied. Because Muslim.
posted by furtive at 2:33 PM on February 10, 2017 [28 favorites]

if any of you ever manage to be in a position where trump's shaking your hand please PLEASE take a dive and make it look like he yanked you to the floor

Unfortunately, that would merely achieve Trump's desired effect.

To many Trump supporters, it's a positive that Abe winced after the handshake/wrestling match.
posted by Coventry at 2:34 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

A close relative of mine has Alzheimer's and it looks so familiar I will confess I felt a brief pang of sympathy for the repulsive old fuck.

YUP. Been saying this for over a year. When I watch him I often start feeling bad for the very confused old man who doesn't have anyone who cares about him enough to keep him away from cameras and microphones. I've lived with two people with dementia, I saw very sad cases professionally, I know the totally vague look in the eyes of someone who doesn't know what is happening, but doesn't want to say anything.
posted by threeturtles at 2:34 PM on February 10, 2017 [14 favorites]

Is there a working theory for why she wanted the job in the first place?

My theory is that DeVos is a Christian psycho from a Christian psycho family and with a murderously Christian psycho brother, who wants to destroy the separation of church and state.
posted by rhizome at 2:35 PM on February 10, 2017 [38 favorites]

Someone please convince me that this isn't going to end badly?

That depends, really? If various intelligence and law enforcement agencies manage to corroborate some of the other claims in the dossier (such as the bit about Trump being offered a 19% stake in Rosneft, 19.5% of which coincidentally changed hands very recently), then we're looking at impeachment and President Pence, which will be awful in many ways but isn't as likely to end in war with China or something similar. (In some respects Pence would probably be worse than Trump because he has some experience of government and would presumably be much more competent; a Pence administration would still be very bad, domestically, but probably more stable w/r/t foreign policy.)
posted by Pseudonymous Cognomen at 2:35 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

President Pence will be harder to beat in 2020, but on the upside, there might be a 2020.
posted by schmod at 2:40 PM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

While skimming this thread, I was certainly confused when there was all this talk of Abe. I was imagining some guy in an Abe Lincoln costume getting the handshake business in the Oval Office, not the Prime Minister of Japan.
posted by toddforbid at 2:41 PM on February 10, 2017 [11 favorites]

I wonder if Pence might also be slightly less likely to induce a Worcester v. Georgia scenario, too. Honestly, Pence is an evil fuck, but I feel like we as a society are much better prepared to fight Pence's brand of evil than Trump's nascent fascism.

Slightly lower chance of dying in nuclear hellfire is also a mark in Pence's column.
posted by tobascodagama at 2:42 PM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

Can any Mefites from Indiana explain how he got elected? Pence seems like he has negative charisma if not a sort of repellant forcefield emanating from him at all times.
posted by TwoStride at 2:44 PM on February 10, 2017 [15 favorites]

The President claimed to be unaware of the WaPo report on Flynn's lies when asked about it by reporters on Air Force One: "I don't know about that. I haven't seen it. What report is that? I haven't seen it. I'll look into that."

Great staff work letting him talk to the press without preparing him for the most obvious question ever.
posted by zachlipton at 2:45 PM on February 10, 2017 [41 favorites]

Can any Mefites from Indiana explain how he got elected? Pence seems like he has negative charisma if not a sort of repellant forcefield emanating from him at all times.

I lived in Indianapolis for a while. Indiana is full of racism and ignorance. Chock full.
posted by Justinian at 2:46 PM on February 10, 2017 [13 favorites]

Not that it will stick, but there would also at least be a chance of hanging so much (wholly accurate) public "YOU DID THIS! YOU!" wrath and shaming on the Republicans that 2018 might not go so well for them. Or at least not as well as it otherwise would. And Pence would be at least moderately tainted by association with the shitshow.

But no one ever went broke overestimating the selective amnesia ability and apathy of the dunderhead populace, so probably not.
posted by FelliniBlank at 2:47 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

C'mon, they can't run Morning Joe 24/7 just to keep the president briefed, cut the old man some slack.
posted by valkane at 2:48 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

It seems clear that ICE blatantly lied to the press about the existence of immigration raids:

Immigration officials on Friday confirmed approximately 160 immigrants were arrested in raids conducted in six Southern California counties.
...
Rumors of the raids and checkpoints at traffic lights sent a wave of fear across the Southland. ICE officials initially denied any targeted operation were taking place and said reports that 100 immigrants were detained were exaggerated.

posted by zachlipton at 2:48 PM on February 10, 2017 [19 favorites]

It should be remembered that Pence is also a media figure who spent a bunch of time bloviating on a right wing radio program. He and Trump are birds of a feather.

Ugly, beat up feathers that look like they were partially chewed on by droolly cats.
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:49 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

Still my favorite Pence hot take
posted by pxe2000 at 2:49 PM on February 10, 2017 [19 favorites]

Pence got elected in Indiana because Indiana is 98% rural areas, there are tons of shitty hateful assholes here, and because he plays himself off to be a good little Christian boy.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 2:54 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

I don't kid myself that the Republicans in general would go down in flames in 2018, but some of these particular incumbent Republicans might. (Yeah, I'm looking at you, Paul "Renfield" Ryan.)
posted by FelliniBlank at 2:56 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

While skimming this thread, I was certainly confused when there was all this talk of Abe. I was imagining some guy in an Abe Lincoln costume getting the handshake business in the Oval Office, not the Prime Minister of Japan.

Prime Minister Abe made an Abe Lincoln joke at the press conference today. He said it's not so bad when Americans mispronounce his name because even in Japan they learn about the great president who rose from from being son of a farmer 150 years ago when the Japanese still under the shogunate rule.

Now you know more about what Abe said today than Donald Trump, who was pretending to listen to a speech in Japanese.
posted by peeedro at 2:57 PM on February 10, 2017 [74 favorites]

When the Government Really Did Fear a Bowling Green Massacre — From a White Supremacist. Assault rifles, body armor, a possible kill list, but not much attention when feds arrested a white man they said was bent on “race war.”

In Real Bowling Green Massacre, a White Supremacist Planned Attack Against African Americans & Jews
posted by homunculus at 2:58 PM on February 10, 2017 [25 favorites]

I'm late to the Abe handshake reactions but holy shit Abe's eyes rolled so hard I'm surprised his optic nerve didn't sever.
posted by PenDevil at 2:58 PM on February 10, 2017 [13 favorites]

Josh Marshal: Trump's Day of Living Cuckorously

There's always something new in the never-ending, hyperventilating Trump drama. Over the last day or so, however, we're seeing something a bit new: Trump caving or getting rolled on numerous fronts all at once. Just in the last 24 hours he appears to have been rolled so many times that one imagines his rough edges might start to be worn down until he becomes something more like a clumpy and perhaps oblong ball.

posted by kingless at 3:03 PM on February 10, 2017 [15 favorites]

The 9th Circuit, on its own initiative, has called for a vote on whether to rehear the case en banc. Any single judge may request such a vote.
posted by zachlipton at 3:04 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Someone please convince me that this isn't going to end badly? Like protestors dying and the economy cratering and rule of law being thrown out the window bad.

We still aren't even approaching Nixonian levels of malfeasance and hostility/neglect towards/of US citizens. Only a few protestors died back then and the rule of law stayed mostly intact. It was pretty bleak economically, though, and that recovery took over a decade. Also, I don't think US government legitimacy has ever fully recovered.

Also, Trump probably will surpass Nixon's bad behavior, but I don't think this Flynn thing by itself will trigger him to do so.
posted by Coventry at 3:04 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

So proud of my county: Protests, walkouts over Trump administration’s policies at several Loudoun County high schools

More than 600 Loudoun County Public Schools students engaged in school walkouts Friday afternoon to protest President Donald Trump, his executive order on immigration and travel and the appointment of Betsy DeVos as the nation's education secretary.

Muslim students at several local schools organized the demonstrations to show their dissatisfaction with the new administration, and pupils at all but two of LCPS' 15 high schools participated.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 3:06 PM on February 10, 2017 [28 favorites]

Consider this scenario... What if the intelligence community had some evidence right before the election of Trump's involvement with Putin's plot.

What if they had released it then? Wouldn't the majority of Trump's supporters have refused to believe such an outlandish accusation, have accused the Obama administration of making it up to tamper with the election? Especially if the evidence was anything less than completely bullet proof?

If Clinton had won under those circumstances, would she have been able to govern? Or might there be a large, armed faction of the US who believed her election was illegitimate and she had no legal authority over them? Might the tensions of election season have escalated to violence under those circumstances?

How about if they didn't get evidence until right after the election? Same problem but even worse, right? To take Trump down after he won but before he could take office would have been seen as a kind of coup by people who didn't believe the unbelievable allegations.

But if you leak the evidence a little bit at a time, after he's taken office and fucked up a bunch of stuff right off the bat, against a background of protests and terrible opinion polls... with Republican leaders reluctantly agreeing to investigate... People have a chance to get used to this shocking idea which otherwise sounds so ridiculous that they reflexively disbelieve it. And there is a constitutional template which will allow him to be removed from office once he has taken office, by his own party, without starting a civil war.

This would be the responsible, grown up way to handle the matter if you turned up evidence of Russian collusion right around the time of the election, and I keep hoping that's what is going on.
posted by OnceUponATime at 3:06 PM on February 10, 2017 [63 favorites]

Donald Trump's foreign policy strategy emerges: Speak loudly and carry a tiny stick
posted by futz at 3:08 PM on February 10, 2017 [12 favorites]

Their plan is to surface spectacularly this April, in a choreographed flash demo on the Mall. They'll be totally nude, but wearing MAGA hats. Goal is to intimidate Congress with pure masculine show of youth, energy.

They recruited each other with dick flyers.
posted by dirigibleman at 3:09 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Russia Eyes Sending Snowden to U.S. as ‘Gift’ to Trump: Official

U.S. intelligence has collected information that Russia is considering turning over Edward Snowden as a "gift" to President Donald Trump — who has called the NSA leaker a "spy" and a "traitor" who deserves to be executed.

That's according to a senior U.S. official who has analyzed a series of highly sensitive intelligence reports detailing Russian deliberations and who says a Snowden handover is one of various ploys to "curry favor" with Trump. A second source in the intelligence community confirms the intelligence about the Russian conversations and notes it has been gathered since the inauguration.

Shit.
posted by zachlipton at 3:09 PM on February 10, 2017 [29 favorites]

I thought maybe that was just missing a [fake] tag, but nope, that is literally what happened. Somehow he manages to keep sinking below any expectations

Maybe the long goal is to sink so low they emerge on the other side of the world in China (totally not in the middle of the ocean or anything) and catch them by surprise.
posted by C'est la D.C. at 3:11 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

"in return for the extradition of this very dangerous traitor and definitely not for any other reason, I've agreed to drop sanctions against Russia"
posted by theodolite at 3:14 PM on February 10, 2017 [17 favorites]

Can any Mefites from Indiana explain how he got elected? Pence seems like he has negative charisma if not a sort of repellant forcefield emanating from him at all times.

It pays to remember that the worst Indiana governor was head of the KKK and removed from office after he bit a woman to death while raping her over the course of several days.
posted by Pogo_Fuzzybutt at 3:16 PM on February 10, 2017 [23 favorites]

BREAKING: Minutes after one White House official said the Trump administration would not appeal a 9th Circuit ruling upholding a temporary stay of the travel ban, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said the White House is “reviewing all of our options in the court system,” including possibly going to the Supreme Court.
posted by rewil at 3:17 PM on February 10, 2017 [13 favorites]

The NRx thing leaves me oddly pleased that talk.bizarre has this kind of lasting influence on the world.

Though if I'd picked which denizen would influence the Oval Office, it would've been Jeff "Scorched Earth Party" Vogel. Or at least Carasso.
posted by delfin at 3:17 PM on February 10, 2017

@jamiesont
This season's must haves -
ELLE: Heels
MARIE CLAIRE: Tuxedo jacket
TEEN VOGUE: A hatred of Nazis & a working knowledge of the constitution
posted by chris24 at 3:18 PM on February 10, 2017 [107 favorites]

Can any Mefites from Indiana explain how he got elected? Pence seems like he has negative charisma if not a sort of repellant forcefield emanating from him at all times.

I lived in Indianapolis for a while. Indiana is full of racism and ignorance. Chock full.

Also, Pence's opponent in 2012, John Gregg, ran a pretty pathetic campaign. I remember a lot of Gregg's commercials showing him interacting with older, small-town and rural people — not exactly the Democrats' traditional base. I remember wondering, while watching one of his commercials, if Gregg even knew anyone under the age of 50. Even then, Pence barely won.

(Democrats nominated Gregg for governor again in 2016. Guess how that turned out.)
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 3:18 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

This would be the responsible, grown up way to handle the matter if you turned up evidence of Russian collusion right around the time of the election, and I keep hoping that's what is going on.

I have no idea how you can keep up this kind of optimism, but I'm glad someone can.
posted by dis_integration at 3:18 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

My wife and I are visiting my parents in Sarnia later this month. When I spoke with my mom tonight she said "bring your passports so we can go over the river for dinner," like she usually does. We've decided we're not going to the U.S. for any reason for the foreseeable future, so I'd kind of been dreading having this conversation. My folks are fairly apolitical and while I didn't think she'd get mad I did think she'd try to talk me out of it or tell me I was overreacting. Well, nope. Her immediate reaction was "That's fine, of course, I totally understand."
posted by The Card Cheat at 3:20 PM on February 10, 2017 [43 favorites]

Trump already said he'd be willing to drop sanctions if Russia helps them fight 'terrorists'. Considering that everyone who Russia bombs in Syria is labelled a terrorist whether it is actually ISIS, a secular rebel or civilian I'd say Putin reckons his end of the bargain is complete.
posted by PenDevil at 3:20 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

It pays to remember that the worst Indiana governor was head of the KKK and removed from office after he bit a woman to death while raping her over the course of several days.

Psst, read the first Wikipedia article you linked a little more carefully. Not that Indiana didn't have a governor who was also a Klan member, but Stephenson was never governor.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 3:26 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

chris24: I think Teen Vogue's response to that tweet is even more worth reading.
posted by teraflop at 3:26 PM on February 10, 2017 [90 favorites]

BREAKING: Minutes after one White House official said the Trump administration would not appeal a 9th Circuit ruling upholding a temporary stay of the travel ban, White House chief of staff Reince Priebus said the White House is “reviewing all of our options in the court system,” including possibly going to the Supreme Court.

Maybe before the next legal round, whatever that may be, they'll get around to deleting the Muslim Ban still on his website.
posted by chris24 at 3:28 PM on February 10, 2017 [11 favorites]

From T.D. Strange's Trump's Backers at the Border Patrol link: the rank-and-file security forces are among the rare official groups (apart from the Republican majority in Congress) who have been reliable supporters of Trump

This reminds me of Jeff Sharlet's books on how warmongering, anti-gay, pro-forced-birth Christian types had increased in numbers and influence at all levels of politics and the American military rank-and-file, too, and they were bold in conflating American government practices and principles with their divine Right of True Believers to inflict Manifest Destiny all over the US government and the globe.

The rank-and-file military people are what's been on my mind as I consider CBP choosing , with impunity, to ignore court orders, and the Bannon Administration's rhetoric delegitimizing the judiciary. How would one enforce consequences upon armed security people flouting court orders? With military? What proportion of military personnel consider themselves, as the CBP apparently does, beholden to Trump/ the far right Christian Holy Mission, and not the country?
posted by cybercoitus interruptus at 3:29 PM on February 10, 2017 [11 favorites]

To many Trump supporters, it's a positive that Abe winced after the handshake/wrestling match.

What!? That wasn't a wince. That was a "Christ, what an asshole" eye roll.
posted by diogenes at 3:31 PM on February 10, 2017 [35 favorites]

Dear President Trump: The future of healthcare SLYT
I'm so proud of these people!
posted by SyraCarol at 3:31 PM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

What!? That wasn't a wince

You have your facts, they have theirs.
posted by contraption at 3:32 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Statement of [FEC] Commissioner Ellen L. Weintraub
Regarding Allegations by the President of the United States of Widespread Voter Fraud in New Hampshire

According to widespread news reports circulating today, President Trump has alleged an astonishing voter-fraud scheme that he claims denied him and former Sen. Kelly Ayotte victory in the state of New Hampshire in the 2016 elections.

...

I therefore call upon President Trump to immediately share his evidence with the public and with the appropriate law-enforcement authorities so that his allegations may be investigated promptly and thoroughly.

posted by Coventry at 3:33 PM on February 10, 2017 [64 favorites]

I think Teen Vogue's response to that tweet is even more worth reading.

That is fantastic. I was hoping it would be along those lines but it went above and beyond. I was actually going to defend Marie Claire but Teen Vogue said it better.
posted by Room 641-A at 3:34 PM on February 10, 2017 [25 favorites]

I just saw this on the tee vee. Donnie says to Abe:

"I welcome you to the very famous White House"

He is such a cringey MoFo. Blerg.
posted by futz at 3:35 PM on February 10, 2017 [11 favorites]

My wife and I are visiting my parents in Sarnia later this month. When I spoke with my mom tonight she said "bring your passports so we can go over the river for dinner," like she usually does.

What's so good about dining in Port Huron, he asks sincerely?
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 3:35 PM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

chris24: I think Teen Vogue's response to that tweet is even more worth reading.

christ yes. Every once in a while somebody posts a totally unremarkable long piece from Elle or somewhere on Metafilter and people put on a whole long wearying show about how they couldn't believe it was published there but it seems like actual journalism! Even though people got over affecting shock at learning that Playboy used to publish real literature at least a few decades ago, they never get over it with women's mags. and even though Marie Claire and the like have rarely been as vapid as Esquire or GQ even on their worst days. & I haven't seriously read any of these magazines since I was a teen furtively leafing through them on newstands, and well back in those days they had a couple long foreign-affairs/political interest pieces per issue. so whatever one thinks of their level of quality, they have been publishing the occasional piece that presupposes their audience can read and think for a good long while now.
posted by queenofbithynia at 3:37 PM on February 10, 2017 [34 favorites]

Josh Marshal: Trump's Day of Living Cuckorously

I'd rather that the left didn't adopt the "cuck" usage, even ironically.
posted by diogenes at 3:39 PM on February 10, 2017 [37 favorites]

Russia Eyes Sending Snowden to U.S. as ‘Gift’ to Trump: Official

This is terrible if actually true. Really terrible.

The Russian government is a nest of snakes. There's a kind of "but but Russia has legitimate interests in its security" line that gets trotted out on parts of the left lately to justify Assad and so on, and I've always been really dubious that people who are so critical of American empire are so credulous about Russian empire. What shitty people. What garbage.
posted by Frowner at 3:40 PM on February 10, 2017 [23 favorites]

Holy fuck, why does he smile like a bad actor auditioning for a second rate Batman villain?

@realDonaldTrump
Heading to Joint Base Andrews on #MarineOne with Prime Minister Shinzō earlier today. [pic]
posted by chris24 at 3:40 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

The rank-and-file military people are what's been on my mind as I consider CBP choosing , with impunity, to ignore court orders, and the Bannon Administration's rhetoric delegitimizing the judiciary.

Yes, I'm worried about this as well. We keep hearing stories of travelers detained, questioned, and turned away from the border by CBP officers even though they aren't included in the travel ban EO (which they've been ordered to stop enforcing anyway). I wouldn't be surprised to learn that these officers acting on their own initiative rather than on directives from above. The actual legality of the EO doesn't matter, it's already done its job signaling to all the most racist fucks in CBP that the boss man condones whatever they decide to do.

I wouldn't be surprised if we see this pattern play out in other issues. A sweeping EO gets passed which gets officially blocked by the courts, but the officers responsible for enforcing it continue to enforce the "spirit" of the EO regardless.
posted by tobascodagama at 3:41 PM on February 10, 2017 [18 favorites]

Trump adviser who claimed to be an expert witness in Boston bombing trial never actually testified

OOPS.

One of the Trump White House’s newest hires is Sebastian Gorka, a self-proclaimed expert on radical Islam and frequent Breitbart contributor. For years, he’s also presented himself as an “expert witness” for the government in the trial of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. But according to an official in the office of the U.S. Attorney in Massachusetts, Gorka never testified at the trial and prosecutors didn’t rely on his expertise in preparing or presenting their case.

...That claim is repeated in his biography on the website for the Washington Speakers Bureau, where he’s available for paid speeches on security issues: “Gorka served as an expert witness in the Boston Marathon bombing trial.” The same claim is made in numerous other official bios.

...“He was certainly on the list of potential witnesses,” an official with the U.S. Attorney’s office said. “But he was never called, nothing he gave us was ever used.”
posted by futz at 3:41 PM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

"I welcome you to the very famous White House"

Everyone knows the Famous Original White House has the best pizza.
posted by mmoncur at 3:42 PM on February 10, 2017 [26 favorites]

What's so good about dining in Port Huron, he asks sincerely?

It makes a real statement.

he answers facetiously
posted by tclark at 3:44 PM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

What's so good about dining in Port Huron, he asks sincerely?

Chicken in the Rough?
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 3:48 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

The 9th Circuit, on its own initiative, has called for a vote on whether to rehear the case en banc. Any single judge may request such a vote.

If, like me, you need a translation, here's what I came up with. (IANAL)

One of the 29 judges on the 9th circuit requested that they vote on whether to rehear the case with all of the judges instead of just the original 3.
posted by diogenes at 3:50 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

It is about time CNN focused on the success the President has had bringing back jobs

this is the most minor thing in the whole shit snowball rolling down capitol hill, but Jesus the chutzpah of taking credit for Obama's last jobs report even though neither Trump nor Congress have done any legislation or order that might conceivably move that needle in the THREE WEEKS they've had so far
posted by murphy slaw at 3:53 PM on February 10, 2017 [39 favorites]

Holy fuck, why does he smile like a bad actor auditioning for a second rate Batman villain?

Heeeeeeere's Donnie!
posted by uncleozzy at 3:54 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Trump’s Watered-Down Ethics Rules Let a Lobbyist Help Run an Agency He Lobbied

Ethics lawyers are now puzzling over what exactly that language means. That task is made more confusing because of an apparent error in the Trump executive order: It says the phrase “particular matter” has the “same meaning as set forth in section 207 of title 28, United States Code.”

That part of the U.S. code does not exist.

Great legal work here.
posted by zachlipton at 3:55 PM on February 10, 2017 [16 favorites]

What's so good about dining in Port Huron, he asks sincerely?

Oh man, FINALLY something I know about. Hey The Card Cheat, what up? Clearly the answer is simply to eat fries at Alberts under the bridge for the entire duration of your stay.

So the deal is that if Port Urine is a hole, Sarnia is a smaller hole that has less stuff partly by virtue of being in Canada. I mean, Port Huron has a Cracker Barrel for heaven's sake, which is pretty good eatin' compared to what's in Sarnia. And as a small border town, crossing the border to do stuff is a time-honoured tradition in Sarnia. In the 80's I and my friends used to cross the US-Canada border to do these very exciting activities:

- buy milk (I am not joking)
- buy spiral-sliced ham, still a rarity in Canada
- buy gas
- buy comic books
- go to a movie
- wander aimlessly through Target
- drive to fancy Detroit suburbs to buy clothes

etc. For small Canadian border towns, making it harder to get into the US is an actual real hardship. I think Americans don't really appreciate what a pinnacle of retail capitalism the US is. Port Huron is officially less than half the population of Sarnia and it somehow manages to have more retail shops and generally cost less than the same goods in Canada (subject to swings in the exchange rate). This is equally bad for Port Huron as honestly a good chunk of their retail sales are to nearby Canadians since, as I noted, Sarnia is a bigger town.
posted by GuyZero at 3:56 PM on February 10, 2017 [38 favorites]

Holy fuck, why does he smile like a bad actor auditioning for a second rate Batman villain?

It is the most terrifying of rictuses. Made all the worse by how white and straight his teeth are. Are those caps? I think he's sportin' fronts.
posted by dis_integration at 3:57 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

So let me reiterate - Trump's nonsense border policies are going to have a real, negative impact on American northern border towns that rely on Canadian cross-border shoppers.
posted by GuyZero at 3:58 PM on February 10, 2017 [25 favorites]

Made all the worse by how white and straight his teeth are. Are those caps? I think he's sportin' fronts.

no, they're just perfectly maintained from 70 years of clean living
posted by murphy slaw at 4:00 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

Jesus, Breitbart. Just saw this headline linked on Twitter: "Flooding Breaks Oroville Dam as California’s Drought Ends!"

a) Oroville dam is highest dam in country.
b) The dam is fine. Part of the spillway fell apart a couple days ago due to erosion.
c) They're close to opening up the emergency spillway because the lake level is about 3' lower than the dam.
d) It's all okay. Really.
e) Breitbart tells a flat-out untruth, alleges something happened that hasn't, and now people are saying that the thing that didn't happen was terrorism.
f) I still have evens, I guess.
posted by mudpuppie at 4:00 PM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

> What's so good about dining in Port Huron, he asks sincerely?

Chicken In The Rough
posted by The Card Cheat at 4:00 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

"I welcome you to the very famous White House"

He is such a cringey MoFo. Blerg.

Every day in every way, this tacky rude fuck reminds me a little more of Mason Verger, only boring and dull-witted. Too bad there's no real-world Hannibal Lecter to show him a good, funny time.
posted by FelliniBlank at 4:02 PM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

Made all the worse by how white and straight his teeth are.
As he's lying through them it's the insides we should be worrying about.
posted by Namlit at 4:03 PM on February 10, 2017

Heading to Joint Base Andrews on #MarineOne with Prime Minister Shinzō earlier today

I am disappoint, beloved MeFites. Over twenty minutes have gone by and nobody has pointed out that HIS NAME IS ABE YOU DUNDERING STUMBLEFUCK.
posted by adamgreenfield at 4:03 PM on February 10, 2017 [18 favorites]

Many Patriots Players Won’t Say If They’re Going To Meet With Trump At The White House

BuzzFeed News contacted 25 Patriots players whose contact information was accessible — through agents, open Twitter DMs, publicly available telephone numbers, or email — to ask whether they would attend the traditional celebration. Of that group, 21 did not respond to the inquiry; two players’ representatives and one player avoided a definitive answer about attending; and Cardona said he would go.
Cristina Alor, a representative for Rob Gronkowski — a tight end who is one of the team’s most popular players — told BuzzFeed News on Friday that he “doesn’t have a comment as of right now.”

Obvs it could be nothing. The date hasn't even been set yet but wouldn't it be amazing if most of them declined? It would kill the donnie.
posted by futz at 4:04 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

I don't blame him tbh, it was fucking atrocious

wait though did the trampoline thing happen, i forget
posted by poffin boffin at 4:07 PM on February 10, 2017

One of the 29 judges on the 9th circuit requested that they vote on whether to rehear the case with all of the judges instead of just the original 3.

Close, if they decide on an en banc hearing, the Ninth Circuit customarily chooses eleven judges for an en banc hearing. This is something the losing party would usually request, it is unusual but not unprecedented for the court to take this step on its own.
posted by peeedro at 4:10 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

‏@MartinHeinrich

Never leave a key in a classified lockbag in the presence of non-cleared people.
posted by waitingtoderail at 4:10 PM on February 10, 2017 [43 favorites]

Made all the worse by how white and straight his teeth are. Are those caps? I think he's sportin' fronts.
posted by dis_integration at 6:57 PM on February 10

I saw a picture of him in close up with his mouth open-- maybe a week ago-- and I was struck by the fact that he has cheap looking veneers that don't cover his back teeth. You can see he has a big silver filling in his upper back left molar and the coloring in the front teeth does not match the back teeth. For a billionaire he sure cheapened out.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 4:11 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

Heading to Joint Base Andrews on #MarineOne with Prime Minister Shinzō earlier today

I am disappoint, beloved MeFites. Over twenty minutes have gone by and nobody has pointed out that HIS NAME IS ABE YOU DUNDERING STUMBLEFUCK.

What did you expect from president The Donald. Of course he would use his first name.
posted by Pendragon at 4:11 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

What did you expect from president The Donald. Of course he would use his first name.

fortunately Japan is a really laid back country that doesn't get too hung up on protocol or "face"
posted by murphy slaw at 4:14 PM on February 10, 2017 [66 favorites]

Made all the worse by how white and straight his teeth are. Are those caps? I think he's sportin' fronts.

From way back in 2015:

“Do you know what these are?” he asked with a smirk. Then, without waiting for an answer, added: “Donald Trump’s teeth.”

The dentist said Trump would come to the office every six months or so complaining that his veneers weren’t white enough.

“I tell him that if they are too white, they won’t look real,” the dentist said, as I recall, “but he won’t listen. So he picks a shade, and I make them about one-quarter as white as the shade he selects, and he goes away happy.”

posted by peeedro at 4:14 PM on February 10, 2017 [16 favorites]

I got an official email at work today that said that because Trump had filed for re-election in 2020, some of the conditions of the Hatch Act were going into effect, and we government employees could not post anti-Trump material on social media from our government computers. Not that I'm stupid enough to post anti-Trump material from my work computer under any circumstances.
posted by acrasis at 4:15 PM on February 10, 2017 [17 favorites]

Holy fuck, why does he smile like a bad actor auditioning for a second rate Batman villain?

Why so serious?
posted by Joey Michaels at 4:16 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Many Patriots Players Won’t Say If They’re Going To Meet With Trump At The White House

We Ain’t Gonna Play Trump City "We treat Trump's White House like Sun City. No one goes. No athletes. No championship teams. No performers. No musicians. No celebrities. ALL invitations"

And you can contact the Patriots here to express your support of boycotting Trump.
posted by Doktor Zed at 4:21 PM on February 10, 2017 [28 favorites]

Never leave a key in a classified lockbag in the presence of non-cleared people.

Sweet freebasing Jesus. And this was a known, intentional, planned photo-op. Taking bets on how long it takes before someone shooting high-resolution stills inadvertently captures and publishes TS material sitting openly on his desk.
posted by adamgreenfield at 4:21 PM on February 10, 2017 [21 favorites]

Police 'likely to recommend' indictment of Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges

I hope this is contagious and leaps from "leader" to "leader" via phone calls.
posted by futz at 4:22 PM on February 10, 2017 [18 favorites]

Over twenty minutes have gone by and nobody has pointed out that HIS NAME IS ABE YOU DUNDERING STUMBLEFUCK.

In his prepared remarks in the press conference, Abe uses "President Trump" once and then refers to him as "Donald" for remainder, maybe a half-dozen times. They appear to be comfortable operating on a first name basis.
posted by peeedro at 4:22 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

For a billionaire he sure cheapened out.

I doubt it was the money; having his teeth fixed properly would have cost Donnie around $50K in the US at full retail. Maybe $80K if he went to a top guy in an expensive market. He obviously wouldn't be getting root canals since he has all his original teeth.

The right way to do this, if you can afford it, is called "full oral rehabilitation" and it involves getting 28 caps which are sculpted to correct your bite and provide an attractive front appearance. I had this done in 2003 and my smile still looks terrific, but some of my teeth are now L-shaped to correct the problems that 40+ years of neglect and never having braces allowed to happen. (And I didn't spend that much. I had it done in Tijuana for about $8K, and got a great job by an excellent dentist.)

I suspect Donnie's problem with having it done right is the time in the chair. I spent about 24 hours in the chair over 5 visits. It involves a lot of things I'm sure would freak the Donnie out. All of your teeth have to be ground down to create appropriate posts for the new caps, a job that takes 10 to 12 hours total if you have it all done at once. (Visits 2 and 3, after Visit 1 for inspection, planning, and castings.) Then you have to wear plastic temporaries, which do not really function as teeth so you have to basically live on liquids, while your caps are made by the lab. Then you spend 6 hours or so having them cemented in (visit 4) and more hours adjusting the occlusion and other housekeeping chores (visit 5) before you're ready to go out in the wild. I suspect that Donnie's ego got in the way of him submitting to the whole process when he was told they could also just slap a veneer on it in an hour, and be done with it.
posted by Bringer Tom at 4:24 PM on February 10, 2017 [23 favorites]

the officers responsible for enforcing it continue to enforce the "spirit" of the EO regardless.

I WANT TO SEE EVERY LAST ONE OF THOSE PRICKS FIRED, STRIPPED OF THEIR GOV'T PENSIONS AND PROSECUTED.
posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 4:24 PM on February 10, 2017 [41 favorites]

Heading to Joint Base Andrews on #MarineOne with Prime Minister Shinzō earlier today

I am disappoint, beloved MeFites. Over twenty minutes have gone by and nobody has pointed out that HIS NAME IS ABE YOU DUNDERING STUMBLEFUCK.

Honestly I'm just surprised he got the ō right but it's probably an iPhone tweet by someone with half a brain.
posted by jason_steakums at 4:25 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

CNN, others state that Trump and many of his staff

Pres Trump doesn’t appear to be wearing the translation earpiece during PM Abe’s remarks. Wait, does POTUS speak Japanese?

posted by sebastienbailard at 4:26 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Holy fuck, why does he smile like a bad actor auditioning for a second rate Batman villain?

Is that smug rictus that he affects even technically a smile?
posted by thelonius at 4:27 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

They appear to be comfortable operating on a first name basis.

Fine. Even so, "Prime Minister Shinzo" is a pretty gross solecism. I care less about the violation of diplomatic protocol than I do about the fact that there evidently isn't an adult in the loop to keep him from sounding like an eedjit in public.
posted by adamgreenfield at 4:27 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Honestly I'm just surprised he got the ō right but it's probably an iPhone tweet by someone with half a brain.

I noticed that too. Maybe I'm being ungenerous, but it felt like a hypercorrection to me — like they knew they were going to blow some aspect of his name, actually nailed the thing that had worried them and then completely blew the more obvious and basic aspect of the sentence.
posted by adamgreenfield at 4:29 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

I tell him that if they are too white, they won’t look real,” the dentist said, as I recall, “but he won’t listen. So he picks a shade, and I make them about one-quarter as white as the shade he selects, and he goes away happy.

Or as my dentist explained, "you don't want them to look like chiclets." Unlike some people I know to listen to advice from professionals who know more than I do about what they are doing.
posted by Bringer Tom at 4:29 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

has it been established that the POTUS speaks english?
posted by pyramid termite at 4:29 PM on February 10, 2017 [20 favorites]

Everyone does say he has the best words.
posted by contraption at 4:31 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

has it been established that the POTUS speaks english?

They do not. They speak Lawyer, which like computer languages sometimes looks like English but the words mean very different and rigidly defined things.
posted by Bringer Tom at 4:32 PM on February 10, 2017

really? so when the POTUS talked about grabbing them by the pussy, it was just a reference to eminent domain?
posted by pyramid termite at 4:34 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

This sign is amazing.
posted by soren_lorensen at 4:37 PM on February 10, 2017 [35 favorites]

so when the POTUS talked about grabbing them by the pussy, it was just a reference to eminent domain?

Of course not. It was about abducting the victim's cat and holding it hostage to coerce a contract concession.
posted by Bringer Tom at 4:37 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

Because of fucking course: Trump's head of security in Florida is a deputy who shot and paralyzed an unarmed Black man in 2013.
posted by TwoStride at 4:41 PM on February 10, 2017 [20 favorites]

Sweet freebasing Jesus. And this was a known, intentional, planned photo-op. Taking bets on how long it takes before someone shooting high-resolution stills inadvertently captures and publishes TS material sitting openly on his desk.

There was one picture he posted a few weeks back where you could almost read a handwritten telephone number on his desk.
posted by Brainy at 4:48 PM on February 10, 2017

Top Federal Reserve official resigns as bank deregulation looms

The Federal Reserve Board's top bank regulator said on Friday he would resign, giving a boost to President Donald Trump's plans to ease reforms put in place after the 2007-09 financial crisis.

Daniel Tarullo, a strong regulator who was dovish on monetary policy in his seven years on the board, said in his resignation letter to Trump he would leave the U.S. central bank on or around April 5.

With his resignation, Trump will have three positions to fill on the Fed's Board of Governors, which at full strength has seven members.

My takeaway is that if the banks are thrilled by his resignation (they are) this has got to be bad news for the average person.
posted by futz at 4:48 PM on February 10, 2017 [11 favorites]

They do not. They speak Lawyer, which like computer languages sometimes looks like English but the words mean very different and rigidly defined things.

Trump's lawyer speaks Lawyer, but Trump's lawyer picks strategies that avoid Trump attending court or depositions because of his literacy and competence issues, where he'll pretend he can't read something due to not having his glasses, and push the "I sign leases, I don't read them" defence.
posted by sebastienbailard at 4:49 PM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

Very erudite and interesting prognostications on the future of global trade

So the chances of the required change in direction [of Chinese economic policy] are slim. Instead, US trade pressure on China will most likely cause Beijing to become more prickly, and still more resistant to the economic reforms that it needs. And so the world’s two largest economies are likely to inflict economic pain on one another. Other countries are unlikely to be able to remain aloof—and few should be more concerned about the fallout than the UK.

posted by Coventry at 4:50 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Then they came for the bees.
posted by Buntix at 4:55 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

soren_lorensen, I keep thinking about The Right's favorite song that ends, "land of the free and home of the brave" yet they are all so fearful of immigrants. And then there is that whole "free" part that does not apply to women's bodies or freedom to love whom you want or freedom of speech or freedom to protest. Apparently only freedom to carry arms everywhere you go because you are so fucking cowardly. sigh
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 4:55 PM on February 10, 2017 [12 favorites]

I was in a play celebrating the bicentennial of Corydon (Indiana's original capital)

My years of Indiana social studies compels me to mention that Vincennes was the first capital, Corydon the second.
posted by leotrotsky at 4:55 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

So let me reiterate - Trump's nonsense border policies are going to have a real, negative impact on American northern border towns that rely on Canadian cross-border shoppers.

Same down here in Arizona, which I assume is at least part of McCain's (stupid, ineffective, hot air, mostly for show) resistance.
posted by Squeak Attack at 4:56 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

My impression of Obama is that (maybe to a fault) he wants to follow the rules and norms of democracy, and one of the big ones is that former presidents don't comment on the current president's actions directly. Especially not so close to the exchange of power. I can't speak for him, obviously, but that's my impression given his 8 years in office.

If that is the case, then I don't agree with it. This isn't a normal transfer of power, and as a widely respected former leader, I think it's his duty to actively join the resistance against trump.

If the shit does hit the fan, and Obama has to speak out directly to CBP or military personnel resisting officers of the court or something, than he's got more power than if he's spent weeks putting himself out as a partisan.
posted by sebastienbailard at 4:56 PM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

Trump obviously doesn't read unless he's forced to, and then only slowly and with great difficulty. A few threads ago I related how one of my coworkers (at the time in her mid 40's) was like this and one day I realized she was astonished that I read for pleasure, because to her reading was a difficult and painful chore although she could do it if she had to. I think this is where Trump is, he can read if he has to but would rather do just about anything else and he is probably always afraid of fucking it up when he tries, and his fortune gets him lots of minions to take up this no-reading slack for him.
posted by Bringer Tom at 4:56 PM on February 10, 2017 [21 favorites]

If the shit does hit the fan, and Obama has to speak out directly to CBP or military personnel resisting officers of the court or something

I don't think there's any scenario where that would be Obama's role.
posted by diogenes at 4:59 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

Many Patriots Players Won’t Say If They’re Going To Meet With Trump At The White House

I really hope we get a repeat of Texas Western vs. Kentucky in 1966. Let Trump shake hands with only white players for his entire time in office.
posted by T.D. Strange at 5:03 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

CBS also has the story about confirming parts of the Steele dossier.

I'd been wondering if there were still active IC investigations. I've been assuming that there are, but it's been a while since we heard anything, so it's nice to see it clearly stated.

At issue is whether the Russian government gathered compromising information on the president during his years of doing business in country as a private citizen. The FBI is leading the investigation but several intelligence agencies are also involved.
posted by diogenes at 5:04 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

I think this is where Trump is, he can read if he has to but would rather do just about anything else and he is probably always afraid of fucking it up when he tries, and his fortune gets him lots of minions to take up this no-reading slack for him.

He's had millions since he was of age, and in all that time he's been able to hire people to read anything difficult for him -- leases, other legal documents. He probably hasn't had to read anything that required careful parsing since he was in college (and for all I know he hired someone to do it for him then!).

So he's nearly 50 years out of practice with serious reading. Probably can't even skim anymore, much less keep his attention on something dense for more than a few minutes.
posted by suelac at 5:05 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

DHS has released a new report on recommended mitigations of GRIZZLY STEPPE. Looks at first glance like they took the criticisms from the security community seriously and the report is a great improvement.
posted by Coventry at 5:06 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

Probably can't even skim anymore, much less keep his attention on something dense for more than a few minutes.

R couldn't skim, and it required difficult focused attention for her to plow through more than a few sentences. Donnie isn't used to having to apply his own focused concentration on anything in ages though; that's what minions are for. He could probably do it if he wanted to, but who's going to make him if he doesn't?
posted by Bringer Tom at 5:09 PM on February 10, 2017

DNC list of Democrats who are calling for an investigation of Flynn.

(On a side note, why do reporters link to snapshots of documents instead of linking to them? It's irritating, because I'd rather link to primary sources, but they are hard to find when they are brand new and Google hasn't indexed them yet.)
posted by diogenes at 5:11 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

It's easier for their followers to stay in app?
posted by notyou at 5:15 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

The ICE raids today look to be indiscriminate dragnet operations. "A DHS official confirmed that while immigration agents were targeting criminals, they also were taking into custody non-criminals in the vicinity who were found to be lacking documentation."

Papers please is now de facto federal policy.
posted by T.D. Strange at 5:18 PM on February 10, 2017 [33 favorites]

they also were taking into custody non-criminals in the vicinity who were found to be lacking documentation.

“Big cities tend to have a lot of illegal immigrants,” said one immigration official who was not authorized to speak publicly because of the sensitive nature of the operation. “They’re going to a target-rich environment.”

I don't think that's adequate probable cause for the purposes of the fourth amendment. It sounds like it's going to get very expensive for them.
posted by Coventry at 5:22 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

they also were taking into custody non-criminals in the vicinity who were found to be lacking documentation.

How does it work for children of undocumented immigrants that were born here? I know they are considered citizens, but is their birth certificate adequate documentation? (Not that that would be much consolation if their parents are deported.)
posted by diogenes at 5:25 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

fortunately Japan is a really laid back country that doesn't get too hung up on protocol or "face"

Yeah, because I'm sure this looks great too. Without Melania Trump, Mrs. Abe rolls solo in Washington

Normally the first lady is expected to play host under such circumstances, but that's not happening here.
posted by zachlipton at 5:27 PM on February 10, 2017 [17 favorites]

Here in Tucson, AZ we have I-19, the only highway in the United States featuring highway signs in metric. Why, you ask?

Because an enormous amount of the economy here is based on shoppers coming up from Mexico. During the holiday season in the mall parking lot, you're as likely to see license plates from Chihuahua and Sonora as you are local ones. They just broke ground on an expansion to the Spectrum mall, which caters heavily to Mexican shoppers.

Tucson is the sixth-poorest large city in the United States. This is going to hit us hard.
posted by MrVisible at 5:29 PM on February 10, 2017 [26 favorites]

He could probably do it if he wanted to, but who's going to make him if he doesn't?

Twenty years ago, sure, but now he's got some flavor of cognitive issues.
posted by sebastienbailard at 5:29 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Normally the first lady is expected to play host under such circumstances, but that's not happening here.

I think Ivanka is supposed to have assumed those duties.
posted by Bringer Tom at 5:32 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Karen Pence Picks a Cause, and Art Therapists Feel Angst

But many art therapists held a different view. On social media, some art therapists argued that the policies supported by President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, Mrs. Pence’s husband, are largely at odds with the group’s principles and hurt the very people the profession treats, such as immigrants and trauma survivors.

Kate Broitman, an art therapist in Chicago, started a Facebook page called Art Therapists for Human Rights to organize with other art therapists who “felt that great harm might come to our field, our clients and our work, if the association were to enter into a dialogue with Karen Pence.”

posted by futz at 5:37 PM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

A bit late to the game here regarding Shakegate, but how come no one has pointed out the fucking weirdness of the way Trump pats people's hands? He did it with both Abe and Gorsuch, it looks so condescending.
posted by Bukvoed at 5:38 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

CNN is reporting that Trump was meeting with Democratic leaders and referred to Elizabeth Warren as "Pocahontas" repeatedly.

If the Dems in that meeting had a spine they would have immediately shouted him down. Immediately.
posted by Justinian at 5:38 PM on February 10, 2017 [33 favorites]

Apparently a couple hundred people just showed up at Yertle's house in Kentucky and read the Coretta Scott King letter at him.

Or, as Redstate breathlessly puts it: "BREAKING! Mob forming outside Mitch McConnell's house!"
posted by soren_lorensen at 5:38 PM on February 10, 2017 [28 favorites]

I think Ivanka is supposed to have assumed those duties.

Isn't she observing the Sabbath? Has she been going to Mar-a-Lago on the weekends?
posted by murphy slaw at 5:39 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

referred to Elizabeth Warren as "Pocahontas" repeatedly.

If the Dems in that meeting had a spine they would have immediately shouted him down. Immediately.

He probably meant "fauxchahontas," i.e. that her claim to Native American heritage is illegitimate. So it's intended as an attack on her character, not of Native Americans.
posted by Coventry at 5:42 PM on February 10, 2017

How does it work for children of undocumented immigrants that were born here?

This is actually part of the plan. Deport the non-citizen parents, who are forced to take their citizen kids with them or leave them to fend for themselves in the US alone. And good luck to those kids ever again proving their American birth. It's all part of the plan to reduce minority populations in the US. Explictly ethnic cleansing.
posted by T.D. Strange at 5:44 PM on February 10, 2017 [14 favorites]

He probably meant "fauxchahontas," i.e. that her claim to Native American heritage is illegitimate. So it's intended as an attack on her character, not of Native Americans.


Donald Trump does not do wordplay. It's Pocahontas.
posted by murphy slaw at 5:45 PM on February 10, 2017 [48 favorites]

Ivanka got on Marine One with Jared, the President, and PM Abe. She can observe the Sabbath at Mar-a-Lago if she wants, and that's pretty much irrelevant to what she'd be doing Friday morning anyway.
posted by zachlipton at 5:45 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

So it's intended as an attack on her character, not of Native Americans.

Let's not kid ourselves: it's both.
posted by indubitable at 5:46 PM on February 10, 2017 [57 favorites]

but how come no one has pointed out the fucking weirdness of the way Trump pats people's hands?

Yes! I noticed that too. He does it a lot and my first thought was "that is what men do to women". He does the totally fucked up shake part, holds on for too long while holding the other person's hand in an unnatural position, and then pats it several times. It is so insultingly dismissive and condescending that my brain screams kill kill kill target locked! when I see it.
posted by futz at 5:47 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

Spicey: call your office.

Exclusive: White House Has Interviewed Carl Higbie for Press Secretary

Whether it's true or not, somebody clearly wanted to get it out there that he's on the way out.
posted by zachlipton at 5:47 PM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

It's definitely definitely Pocahontas.

Trump has a hate on for native people that precedes his current crazy racist grandpa phase, because of casino drama from back when he was failing at that career.
posted by soren_lorensen at 5:47 PM on February 10, 2017 [11 favorites]

Ivanka got on Marine One with Jared, the President, and PM Abe. She can observe the Sabbath at Mar-a-Lago if she wants, and that's pretty much irrelevant to what she'd be doing Friday morning anyway.


so i guess Abe's wife staying home indicates the diplomatic class isn't buying the line that Ivanka is the effective first lady.
posted by murphy slaw at 5:48 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

If you ask me, Mrs. Abe is getting the better deal here.
posted by soren_lorensen at 5:50 PM on February 10, 2017 [39 favorites]

The intelligence community should do their briefings for Trump by dressing up to look like Joe Scarborough and standing behind an empty picture frame.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 5:53 PM on February 10, 2017 [18 favorites]

A Spanish newspaper used Alex Baldwin's picture instead of Trump's. If Toddler in Chief sees this we're going to war.
posted by T.D. Strange at 5:54 PM on February 10, 2017 [22 favorites]

so i guess Abe's wife staying home indicates the diplomatic class isn't buying the line that Ivanka is the effective first lady.

No, she didn't stay at home. She was standing with Melania on the tarmac waiting to board Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews when Trump and Abe arrived on Marine One.
posted by peeedro at 5:54 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

He probably meant "fauxchahontas," i.e. that her claim to Native American heritage is illegitimate. So it's intended as an attack on her character, not of Native Americans.

There was that controversy a while back with that woman who claimed to be black and was not but that wouldn't make it okay to call her a racial slur.
posted by Justinian at 5:57 PM on February 10, 2017 [16 favorites]

Akie Abe has a reputation for saying what she thinks in public without getting her husband's permission first, so presumably the administration would want not want to leave her alone with Melania for long even if Melania wanted to entertain her. though I don't suppose she does.

(“I understand this is embarrassing but until I went to Rikkyo University, I always thought my husband’s opinions were right,” she writes in her book. “People around him also shared similar views. I realize now, however, that what I thought was my opinion was not actually my own. I was merely following my husband’s opinion.”)
posted by queenofbithynia at 5:58 PM on February 10, 2017 [15 favorites]

"Fauxcahontas" is what Scott Brown, Curt Schilling, and the rest of the New England right wing/tea partiers call Warren. So I'm sure Trump has heard/used both terms.
posted by TwoStride at 5:58 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

It doesn't matter how it is spelled it is racist both ways.
posted by winna at 6:02 PM on February 10, 2017 [42 favorites]

I love that he called her that in the middle of what was supposed to be a meeting to build bipartisan support for his stolen SCOTUS nominee.

If these Dems don't filibuster, fuck them. Fuck them all.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:05 PM on February 10, 2017 [11 favorites]

We're all in agreement that it's racist, I think; it's just about what else it's dog-whistling when it's used by Republicans (the faux- version is both racist and plays to their favorite affirmative action fraud conspiracy theories).
posted by TwoStride at 6:05 PM on February 10, 2017

On two pre-scheduled Washington stops Friday, one to Gallaudet University and the other to attend a National Cherry Blossom Festival committee meeting at the Japanese embassy, the first lady of Japan, Akie Abe, was alone, without Mrs. Trump to guide her.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe did some of his own solo touring. He laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Remains there include unknown servicemembers killed in World War II. Prime Minister Abe met with President Trump at the White House and took questions from reporters in a joint press conference.

It's a little odd that the two of them wondered around Washington, DC on their own but I'm guessing that Melania had not yet flown up from NY, Ivanka begged off and DJT was too busy watching TV. Don't expect too much graciousness from this crew, they were never trained in diplomacy and they aren't out to impress anyone with their manners-- only their possessions.

I will be mildly interested to see what happens when there is a big state visit during the week. I don't think Melania will be leaving her son to play hostess so we'll see if Ivanka is going to fulfill the traditional role or not. There is no reason she should have to except that diplomacy is part of the job her father took on.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 6:07 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

Ok, this is largely a pointless and fluffy "investigation" into why #45 wears his ties so long, but this kind of throwaway line is horrifyingly unsurprising: he is famously obsessed with style and appearance. He reportedly watches interviews and press conferences with the sound turned off, the better to focus on visuals.
posted by TwoStride at 6:09 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

If there’s one thing that unifies the room right now, though, it might be fatigue. Trump’s early-morning tweets and executive orders that spark weekends full of protests have made the White House a seven-day beat, to say nothing of the underlying fact that he’s a widely disliked public figure who lost the popular vote by nearly three million.

“Everybody’s just beleaguered,” the longtime cameraman said.

Still, it’s not all terrible. A presidency that creates scandal at all hours is good for the timesheet. “There’s so much overtime,” he said. “The first 100 days are going to be like Clinton-Lewinsky without the sex.”

posted by Coventry at 6:10 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

Regarding the "Prime Minister Shinzō" dumbfuckery, Abe is going to be delighted to be referred to that way by preznit Dipshit. His main (perhaps only) concern in this visit is being seen by China as still best buds with the U.S.
posted by entropical punch at 6:10 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

What did you expect from president The Donald. Of course he would use his first name.

The more likely answer -- that some chucklehead remembered that Japanese names are the "wrong way around," but forgot that prominent Japanese people usually have their names pre-reversed in English, and just didn't bother to ask anyone "Hey, just to make 100\% certain -- is he PM Abe or PM Shinzo?" -- somehow seems even worse to me. Like exactly the wrongest possible level of competence. If they had just been too stupid to know about Japanese names, they would have left it alone, which would have ended up being right.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 6:11 PM on February 10, 2017 [15 favorites]

Barron's a big boy. Can't he stay over at a friend's house so Mom can go to DC for the day? Trump Tower probably has a whole closet full of nannies.
posted by Biblio at 6:11 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

“The first 100 days are going to be like Clinton-Lewinsky without the sex.”

Your mouth to God's ears. I don't want to read anything else about Trump and sex ever again. Furthermore, I'd like to believe that his children are sentient warts that popped Gremlins-like off his body when he was exposed to water and not children made the human way.
posted by Joey Michaels at 6:13 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

He reportedly watches interviews and press conferences with the sound turned off, the better to focus on visuals.

100% chance he watches every cable news channel simultaneously on a big TV wall like a gross old Ozymandias
posted by theodolite at 6:14 PM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

I get the feeling that Melania really doesn't want much to do with Cheeto Man and is as happy as a clam in NYC. If she wanted to be in DC she would already be there.
posted by futz at 6:14 PM on February 10, 2017 [15 favorites]

I don't want to read anything else about Trump and sex ever again.

Don't click this link: Nobody Inspires Presidential Porn Like Donald J. Trump [sfw].
posted by peeedro at 6:18 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Then they came for the bees.

"If you're after getting the honey/Then you don't go killing all the bees"
posted by kirkaracha at 6:18 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

For someone obsessed with appearance as Trump is, one would think he'd actually put effort into it.
posted by ZeusHumms at 6:18 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

Not playing along with the sexist First Lady ultimate housewife bullshit is possibly the only thing I respect about Melania. Of course, the chances are non-existent that this is some kind of feminist statement. Regardless of her motivation, I can't criticize her for not doing it.
posted by Mavri at 6:20 PM on February 10, 2017 [29 favorites]

Exclusive: White House Has Interviewed Carl Higbie for Press Secretary

Hey, you leave Spicey alone, you bastards! Sure, he's a tightly wrapped toy-soldier rage monster, but he's OUR tightly wrapped toy-soldier rage monster, dammit! At least Spicey is colorful; Higbie's just a doltish whiny frat boy.
posted by FelliniBlank at 6:27 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

For someone obsessed with appearance as Trump is, one would think he'd actually put effort into it.

Pretty sure he thinks he does and thinks he looks great. He dresses in what is a very common way for someone who is self conscious about their body and particularly weight. Been there done this myself. For a very long time baggy and loose bad fitting clothes looked good to me because they looked like they hid it all. I've changed that now but it took some effort to change how I saw myself in better fitting clothes. At first pants and t-shirts that fit looked super tight and in my mind they looked awful. It pretty took me just trusting my friends and one cousin and just wore things until I got used to it.
posted by Jalliah at 6:29 PM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

Sure, he's a tightly wrapped toy-soldier rage monster, but he's OUR tightly wrapped toy-soldier rage monster, dammit! At least Spicey is colorful; Higbie's just a doltish whiny frat boy.

The only thing that I look forward to about the Trump administration is watching a hapless procession of press secretaries being destroyed before our eyes, one by one.
posted by MrVisible at 6:33 PM on February 10, 2017 [17 favorites]

What Michael Flynn did, taking classified information and discussing it with Russia, while he was not an official of the official US Government, isn't that called treason?
posted by Oyéah at 6:36 PM on February 10, 2017 [18 favorites]

Oh Spicer. If you didn't sling lies for monsters I'd really be looking forward to your future as the comically angry spokesman in cinnamon gum commercials.
posted by jason_steakums at 6:36 PM on February 10, 2017 [11 favorites]

What Michael Flynn did, taking classified information and discussing it with Russia, while he was not an official of the official US Government, isn't that called treason?

IOKIYAR!
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:36 PM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

and just didn't bother to ask anyone "Hey, just to make 100\% certain -- is he PM Abe or PM Shinzo?"

So was it today? Yesterday? (God I have lost track of time.) When there was a discussion about the West Wing which became sort of "you silly Liberals buying into that fantasy." I know the morality and idealism was over the top on that show but I was always more interested in watching for the nuts and bolts of the operation. It was written with imput by former staffers from the Clinton WH so I figured it at least had that much.

Which is all a lot of prefacing to say, I don't think the Trump Administration has figured out the gig yet and due to the understaffing, inexperience, and disdain for the way things are usually run, I don't think they ever will. On the West Wing CJ Craig would never willing go out and boldly lie for her boss because her relationship with the press was very important. There was an episode where she did have to lie for some reason that escapes me and it caused major problems.

Also she had staff who would help her with background so she had plenty of prepared facts and she always knew what was in the pipeline and what questions were going to come up.

President Bartlett would have known the Prime Minister's name because there would have been lots of meetings with state department members who specialized in Japanese-American relationships. He would have known the wife's name, her favorite flowers, and what she liked to drink. There would have been lots of groundwork and tedious details memorized so that the visit could go smoothly because it would have been important to the President. Obviously our real life President does not give a shit and the people around him do not give a shit. They are too busy telling each other bedtime stories and stabbing each other in the back.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 6:37 PM on February 10, 2017 [24 favorites]

Why Does This Democratic Progressive Group Have Close Ties To A Pro-Trump PAC?

...Three separate sources pointed to Davies’ cousin, Matt Tunstall, who appears to be the Russian-based CEO of a company call IBid Games as director of both PACs. Tunstall’s name is not listed on documents for either PAC. According to public posts on Instagram and Facebook, he knows Robert Reyes, a listed director Liberty Action Group. (By Monday, a Facebook associated with Reyes had been taken down, he had previously blocked this reporter following a request for comment.)

Reyes is also listed as the director of another PAC, American Priority PAC. Once again, the site is identical to Liberty Action Group and has the email for Liberty Action Group as the contact on the privacy page. The group also has Henok as the treasurer. It was formed in late July and has not filed any filings on expenditures or contributions yet. It is also listed as headquarter in Austin, Texas.

This is super shady.
posted by futz at 6:38 PM on February 10, 2017 [17 favorites]

isn't that called treason?

Not if you win the election, apparently.
posted by Coventry at 6:38 PM on February 10, 2017

Well, like Trump, Carl Higbie is a whiny little baby about judges taking away his weapons, so I'm sure they get along great.
posted by FelliniBlank at 6:41 PM on February 10, 2017

Well, like Trump, Carl Higbie is a whiny little baby

I figured that the important thing is he is a friend of Eric's. These guys never seem to hire any real outsiders-- everyone is a friend of either the Trumps or somebody in the inner circle.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 6:45 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

I actually had time to read the full 9th Circuit order after work today, and it's rougher language than I even realized. Responding to Trump's argument that the White House Counsel's "interpretation" of the Executive Order makes the entire case moot, the opinion notes that the White House Counsel doesn't have authority to modify an Executive Order, and isn't in the chain of command of any of the affected government agencies. And then the kicker: "Moreover, in light of the Government's shifting interpretations of the Executive Order, we cannot say that the current interpretation by the White House counsel, even if authoritative and binding, will persist past the immediate stage of these proceedings." [.pdf again, see pages 21-22].

That is the 9th Circuit saying they can't trust that the government's lawyers are telling them the truth, even know what they're supposed to be defending, or won't change their story about everything the moment they get out of the courtroom. It's a judicial bench slap of the first order.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:47 PM on February 10, 2017 [69 favorites]

Details on the original charges against Guadalupe García de Rayos, the 35-year-old mother of two U.S. citizens who was herself brought to the U.S. as a teenager, which led to her being seized and deported during a routine check-in with ICE, due to Trump's deportation EO, from AZCentral.com, a joint project of The Arizona Republic and KPNX: she accepted a plea deal and plead guilty to a 2008 Class 6 felony charge of criminal impersonation, for using a guy's social security number, a number which she has been stating she made up while filling out paperwork. The guy says he never suffered any negative repercussions resulting from her use of his SSN and wasn't aware of it (though his parents may have received notification.)

The immigration raid was a project of then-Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and then-Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas. García de Rayos was offered the opportunity to testify against her employer in exchange for leniency but declined. One employee of the amusement park where she worked had charges filed against them which were dropped in the course of a settlement. García de Rayos was sentenced to probation, community service, and jail time served, and in 2010 after completing all of that and paying fees she filed a petition to vacate her felony conviction, but was refused.
posted by XMLicious at 6:52 PM on February 10, 2017 [16 favorites]

"gross old Ozymandias" is definitely my new favorite description of Trump
posted by triggerfinger at 6:55 PM on February 10, 2017 [12 favorites]

What Michael Flynn did, taking classified information and discussing it with Russia, while he was not an official of the official US Government, isn't that called treason?

No, but it IS called espionage, and guess what, there's a doozy of a punishment for it, too!
posted by corb at 6:59 PM on February 10, 2017 [21 favorites]

I'm still surprised at the amount of rage I feel over the shameless hypocrisy of the GOP's base when it comes to the First Lady. It's such a stupid thing but it guts me.

If Michelle Obama had refused to move to the White House, it would have been tantamount to treason. If she'd refused to host foreign leaders' wives she would have been excoriated. Hell, Hillary Clinton faced rabid attacks because she didn't bake.

It's not Melania I care about or the role of First Lady. Rock on doing what you're doing and let's just agree to dismantle the ceremonial role playing while we're at it. But the rage I feel is unquenchable. Those fuckers would be screaming in the streets. Fuck your smug hypocrisy, IOIYAAR assholes.
posted by lydhre at 7:02 PM on February 10, 2017 [83 favorites]

What Michael Flynn did, taking classified information and discussing it with Russia, while he was not an official of the official US Government, isn't that called treason?

It is kind of important that the Founding Fathers strictly limited the applicability of treason charges - it is the only crime defined in the Constitution, in order to limit the scope of the actual legislation against treason. The Rosenbergs didn't get treason charges, and they were executed.
posted by save alive nothing that breatheth at 7:03 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

If the shit does hit the fan, and Obama has to speak out directly to CBP or military personnel resisting officers of the court or something

What if Obama is returning to the U.S. from a foreign visit and forgets to pack his long form birth certificate?
posted by JackFlash at 7:07 PM on February 10, 2017 [16 favorites]

Andrew Sullivan: The Madness of King Donald:

One of the great achievements of free society in a stable democracy is that many people, for much of the time, need not think about politics at all. The president of a free country may dominate the news cycle many days — but he is not omnipresent — and because we live under the rule of law, we can afford to turn the news off at times. A free society means being free of those who rule over you — to do the things you care about, your passions, your pastimes, your loves — to exult in that blessed space where politics doesn’t intervene.

In that sense, it seems to me, we already live in a country with markedly less freedom than we did a month ago. It’s less like living in a democracy than being a child trapped in a house where there is an abusive and unpredictable father, who will brook no reason, respect no counter-argument, admit no error, and always, always up the ante until catastrophe inevitably strikes. This is what I mean by the idea that we are living through an emergency.

That is quite a passage. The first part (I split it into two paragraphs) describes quite succinctly the experience of being white in America. The second part just as accurately describes the experience of not being white in America, and particularly the experience of being Black in America.
posted by AceRock at 7:09 PM on February 10, 2017 [105 favorites]

I'm still surprised at the amount of rage I feel over the shameless hypocrisy of the GOP's base when it comes to the First Lady.

Plus their shameless hypocrisy when it comes to literally everything else too. I'm really really having a hard time dealing with the willful bald faced alternate reality lying on this scale. The gaslighting where we're supposed to act like we're all in Year Zero and nothing prior to November 8 was real. People, I was there! I fucking saw you assholes say on the record that if Hillary Clinton were to be elected you would not confirm a new SCOTUS justice ever.

All the Twitter eggs and random FB white dudes with walls that are nothing but shitty memes and pictures of them with their girlfriends so we all know that they have touched a boob once saying that Obama was the pathological lying narcissist out to destroy democracy and YOU GUYS I WAS THERE TOO AND THAT ISN'T WHAT HAPPENED HOLY SHIT I'M GOING TO FREAK THE HELL OUT.
posted by soren_lorensen at 7:36 PM on February 10, 2017 [78 favorites]

Steady, soren! Tell the true story and fight as hard as you can. Freaketh not the hell out!
posted by vrakatar at 7:41 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

From the Politico article posted 400 years ago upthread,

On Wednesday, some of Trump’s top advisers met with James Baker, a Republican Party statesman who was chief of staff in the Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations, and talked things over.

The Bush family fixer is meeting with them. Someone's panicking enough to call, and some Bush camp are scared enough to go there and listen. Turdcircus status: Supercritical.
posted by petebest at 7:45 PM on February 10, 2017 [38 favorites]

Supercritical Turdcircus is also my new sockpuppet.
No! I saw it first! Give it! Stop, you're smooshing it!
posted by petebest at 7:49 PM on February 10, 2017 [23 favorites]

All the Twitter eggs and random FB white dudes with walls that are nothing but shitty memes and pictures of them with their girlfriends so we all know that they have touched a boob once saying that Obama was the pathological lying narcissist out to destroy democracy and YOU GUYS I WAS THERE TOO AND THAT ISN'T WHAT HAPPENED HOLY SHIT I'M GOING TO FREAK THE HELL OUT.
posted by soren_lorensen at 11:36 AM on February 11 [+] [!]


My coping mechanism has been to post outrage about other non-true thing about Obama on their walls, like how he ordered the closure of all Lutheran churches and forced the Amish to speak Arabic instead of their traditional Danish. This is a thing that can be turned against them.

Remember the victims of Bowling Green!!!!
posted by saysthis at 7:49 PM on February 10, 2017 [9 favorites]

I always take these types of articles with a huge grain of salt but thought what the hell:

Donald Trump's alpha male body language tics – from the hand tap to the power shake

Archive.is link for people having trouble viewing the direct link. You'll miss the video examples but they are easily found via search engine.

It’s not for us to say whether Donald Trump is compensating for something. Yes, certain behaviour may give that impression: the erection of several self-branded towers, one of which is literally gold, for instance. Or the fact he felt the need to declare “there’s no problem” with the size of his manhood at a GOP debate last March. Or almost everything else he’s ever done.

-- When the First Lady had the temerity to reach for her husband’s hand on the tarmac, Trump squeezed it for one moment, gave it a bizarre three taps with his other hand, and then dropped it like a stone.

-- The only way this clip could be more primitive is if each man was picking a small fly from the back of the person he slaps, then eating it.
Trump wins in the game to see who gives the last slap, you will notice; and Romney never did get hired as Secretary of State.

-- [Hand shakes] It's an extreme example, but not much different from how the president shakes hands with anybody. If he can't get a yank on (as seen here with Mike Pence), there'll be the additional patronising pat (here with Hillary Clinton), mini arm wrestle (such as here with Kanye) or simply an exertion of such force that the opponent withers into submission (Theresa May, below).

Article also discusses The Looming & his weird way of doing the thumbs up gesture.
posted by futz at 7:55 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

He dresses in what is a very common way for someone who is self conscious about their body and particularly weight.

remember when the press wouldn't shut up about bill clinton's weight and mcdonald's habit?
remember when they made a big deal about reagan's weightlifting routine to show that he was taking care of himself?

somehow donald gets a pass though…
posted by murphy slaw at 7:58 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

Oh. Oh no no no. I just tripped over that incredibly creeptastic "Trump with teen Ivanka" photo I thankfully avoided when the rest of the world was totally skeeved out by it last year, and now I can't unsee it [shudder]. Is it possible to buy brain bleach by the vat?
posted by FelliniBlank at 7:59 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Definition of treasonous acts, and the punishment.

Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.
posted by Oyéah at 8:01 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

Ugh. Higbie cited the Japanese internment as a precedent for a Muslim register. He's also a former Navy SEAL, so expect more "you can't question him because he's a hero" bullshit the GOP does with any Navy SEAL stroke-fest. I've long thought that Hollywood enabled too much "infallible demigod" mythology building regarding SEALs in things like American Sniper, Lone Survivor, Captain Philips, etc. Policy wonks they are not.
posted by bluecore at 8:02 PM on February 10, 2017 [4 favorites]

All the Twitter eggs and random FB white dudes with walls that are nothing but shitty memes and pictures of them with their girlfriends so we all know that they have touched a boob once saying that Obama was the pathological lying narcissist out to destroy democracy and YOU GUYS I WAS THERE TOO AND THAT ISN'T WHAT HAPPENED HOLY SHIT I'M GOING TO FREAK THE HELL OUT.

Yeah, for some reason some nutty Rush Limbaugh-loving Hillary hater ended up following me on Twitter a few weeks back. Every so often I look at that person's account and it's like an alternate reality, screaming that Obama is the one who shredded the Constitution, yelling at Democrats for being obstructive. Alex Jones retweets, Lou Dobbs retweets.. etc.
posted by wondermouse at 8:02 PM on February 10, 2017

Is it possible to buy brain bleach by the vat?

Watch out for the taxes on that :)
posted by futz at 8:03 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

"Trump with teen Ivanka" photo

Be warned that there are several different such creeptastic images.
posted by chris24 at 8:07 PM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

Apparently a couple hundred people just showed up at Yertle's house in Kentucky and read the Coretta Scott King letter at him.

McConnell lives in my neighborhood. I decided to go to see Hidden Figures (fabulous movie!) instead of joining the protest this evening, but I'm interested to see what happens the rest of the weekend. Folks here seem fairly mobilized and ready to make their voices heard.
posted by chaoticgood at 8:12 PM on February 10, 2017 [11 favorites]

Chaffetz has one job...
posted by Oyéah at 8:19 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

The three-letter agencies are all out of evens with Flynn and his gang:

On Friday, one of Flynn’s closest deputies on the National Security Council, senior director for Africa Robin Townley, was informed that the Central Intelligence Agency had rejected his request for an elite security clearance required for service on the NSC, according to two people with direct knowledge of the situation...

One of the sources said that the rejection was approved by Trump’s CIA director Mike Pompeo and that it infuriated Flynn and his allies.

Both sources said that the CIA did not offer much explanation for why Townley’s request for so-called “Sensitive Compartmented Information” clearance was rejected. But the sources said that Flynn and his allies believe it was motivated by Townley’s skepticism of the intelligence community’s techniques — sentiments shared by Flynn.

They're going to freeze him out and fuck him over till he's gone.
posted by holgate at 8:24 PM on February 10, 2017 [43 favorites]

I thought the Graun's cartoonists had a lock on the prizes, but Steve Brodner's "President Carnage in Charge" swept in and took them all.
posted by holgate at 8:27 PM on February 10, 2017 [18 favorites]

Ugh. Higbie cited the Japanese internment as a precedent for a Muslim register. He's also a former Navy SEAL, so expect more "you can't question him because he's a hero" bullshit the GOP does with any Navy SEAL stroke-fest. I've long thought that Hollywood enabled too much "infallible demigod" mythology building regarding SEALs in things like American Sniper, Lone Survivor, Captain Philips, etc. Policy wonks they are not.

Y'know, I've been thinking lately, as much as Republicans like to wrap themselves in the flag, progressives should start using Captain America's shield as a symbol in marches and protests. Cap's no less genuine American mythology than Uncle Sam, stands for the best in us, has a strong liberal history, symbolizes protection, and, oh yeah, defeated a secret anti-American empire led by a traitorous thinly-veiled President Nixon.
posted by jason_steakums at 8:33 PM on February 10, 2017 [30 favorites]

What's more, a whole bunch of people would love to show up to rallies in Captain America costumes.
posted by Coventry at 8:35 PM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

I want to offer an alternative.

1940s Superman.

Truth.

Justice.

And the American Way.
posted by MrVisible at 8:37 PM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

(Because the modern no-code-of-ethics, petty, vengeful, murderous Man of Steel is no Superman.)
posted by MrVisible at 8:38 PM on February 10, 2017 [5 favorites]

Oh Supes too, definitely.

Can you imagine a crowd of people of all races, genders, ages, religions and creeds bearing makeshift Cap shields though? Chills.
posted by jason_steakums at 8:40 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

I think she really means that.
posted by MrVisible at 8:43 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

I hope Trudeau' handshake shows trump who's more physically fit in a visceral, highly camera friendly way.
posted by Yowser at 8:45 PM on February 10, 2017 [21 favorites]

remember when the press wouldn't shut up about bill clinton's weight and mcdonald's habit?
remember when they made a big deal about reagan's weightlifting routine to show that he was taking care of himself?

somehow donald gets a pass though…

Right at the moment Trump and his administration are presenting so many different and constantly shifting targets at the press, as well as making them a target, that I think they're straining just to cover 50% of what is happening. I give them a bit of a pass for not talking about Trump's physique and sack-like suits right at the moment.

I do wonder what percentage of the NY Times and the Washington Post's resources are now just dedicated to basic coverage of Washington madness, and what the shift is from the Obama years.
posted by lesbiassparrow at 8:48 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

I hope Angela Merkel is doing grip exercises so she can break his hand some day. He'd try so hard to not show the pain so he wouldn't be humiliated. He'd fail.
posted by jason_steakums at 8:48 PM on February 10, 2017 [36 favorites]

Ugh. Higbie cited the Japanese internment as a precedent for a Muslim register.

When it's important not to forget something, we can carve ourselves a message into a marble slab and build a memorial one block away from the US Capitol: The lessons learned must remain as a grave reminder of what we must not allow to happen again to any group.
posted by peeedro at 9:04 PM on February 10, 2017 [30 favorites]

What's more, a whole bunch of people would love to show up to rallies in Captain America costumes.

On it.
posted by nonasuch at 9:05 PM on February 10, 2017 [15 favorites]

Count me as another person who is very interested in seeing how the handshake photo op between Trump and Trudeau pans out. Mayurasana apparently does wonders for wrist and forearm strength. :)
posted by longdaysjourney at 9:06 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

I give them a bit of a pass for not talking about Trump's physique and sack-like suits right at the moment.

Trump's suits are not "sack-like." I have it on good word that his suits are painstakingly tailored and cut -- dépêche mode -- to ride quite high against his diaper.
posted by rhizome at 9:08 PM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

"Trump with teen Ivanka" photo

Be warned that there are several different such creeptastic images.

I mean, it's not that I didn't believe y'all, because I did. But why oh why did I go look for the pictures??

I do feel sorry for her now. I don't respect her, but I feel sorry for her, because I think Stockholm Syndrome is a real thing, and children of abusers are fucked up in all kinds of ways. There really isn't any way she could have ended up NOT fucked up, judging by the photographic evidence.
posted by mudpuppie at 9:11 PM on February 10, 2017 [10 favorites]

Papers please is now de facto federal policy.

Yeah my understanding is that at least in Austin they were operating a car checkpoint to check immigration status. The interesting thing is the rumblings I've heard about this for a couple days with people spotting ICE in various places and spreading the word as I guess they all got into the area.

I wonder if this is where there's going to be some real pushback from within the GOP. Because this is going to be very unpopular with a lot of business interests. The GOP here in Texas has been walking a fine line for years of talking about immigration enforcement and very carefully not actually doing anything about it. Because it's extremely unpopular with the large number of immigrant communities (obviously) and POC and white business owners. Which pretty much just leaves them with the White Racist vote.

I'm quite proud of this interview with Mayor Turner of Houston where he talks about how important and valued immigrants are to the city. And how supportive business interests are of Houston's Maybe-a Sanctuary-City-Kinda policy. He says 1-in-4 people in Harris County were born outside the US, which is not at all surprising but nice to put a number on it.

There is no reason for people to have fear or anxiety. We're going to continue to work to be even more inclusive in how we address the concerns. Things will happen on the federal level, and things will happen on the state level. There is going to be a lot of dialogue and debate, but as far as the City of Houston — we are the fourth-largest city, soon to be the third; we are the most diverse city in the country; and I think that people can find a great deal of confidence in the leadership and those who are making key decisions in the city.

We need to be concerned with everything that has been said. Suddenly we have to be concerned with the actions and words that are coming out of D.C. We have to be concerned with the actions coming out of the state of Texas. I am concerned about that.

But in many ways, I can control what takes place in the city. This is our home, and as long as I am the mayor of the city, this is our home, and you're welcome in this home.

posted by threeturtles at 9:14 PM on February 10, 2017 [16 favorites]

Trudeau might be too diplomatic to make much of a fuss. What we need is a youngish, vigorous head of state willing to make DJT look like a fool. Unlike Trump most heads of state are willing to study the situation before meeting someone of importance. From now on I expect everyone will be briefed on his ridiculous handshake The smart ones will have a pre-planned response. If I was a female head of state I would wear a number of very spikey rings.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 9:16 PM on February 10, 2017 [6 favorites]

Yeah, for some reason some nutty Rush Limbaugh-loving Hillary hater ended up following me on Twitter a few weeks back.

If you don't want that person or any other troll/bot/waste of your followers list to follow you, you can "soft block".

1) Go to your followers page and block them. This will break the follow.
2) Now unblock them. The follow will not be reactivated.
3) Refresh your followers page. Ta-da! They are now your ex-follower.
posted by maudlin at 9:20 PM on February 10, 2017 [16 favorites]

I wonder if this is where there's going to be some real pushback from within the GOP. Because this is going to be very unpopular with a lot of business interests.

I wish there was a way for magahats to live one day in their dream scenario where "all the illegals" are gone, where they get to see the dollar menu become the $10 menu, the produce aisles empty aside from a sad-looking $5 lettuce, their Social Security checks cut because nobody's withholding taxes they never expect to receive as benefits, and so on. The status quo is atrocious, but everybody is fucking complicit in it, whether they want to be or not.
posted by holgate at 9:33 PM on February 10, 2017 [23 favorites]

I think Trudeau might outweird Trump on his handshake game (only first part is real)
posted by Yowser at 9:40 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

$5 lettuce, you hope. I use $12 for my "are you ready for?" rejoinder against anti's, but I think even that would turn out to be low.

I've looked for it a few years without success, but I believe (I don't have a subscription to check) this is a story I remember being about border and border-adjacent farm interests lobbying against tightening immigration and/or border enforcement.
posted by rhizome at 9:42 PM on February 10, 2017 [2 favorites]

Trump line of home items removed from Kmart, Sears: report
posted by futz at 9:44 PM on February 10, 2017 [30 favorites]

Humor bresk: Steve Bannon Mixes Discarded Climate Change Report With Saliva To Build Final Wall Of Nest
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 9:50 PM on February 10, 2017 [17 favorites]

straining just to cover 50% of what is happening. I give them a bit of a pass for not talking about Trump's physique and sack-like suits right at the moment.
i keep forgetting that we're only three weeks into this administration because it's all bled together with the horrid transition and the soul-eviscerating campaign
posted by murphy slaw at 10:17 PM on February 10, 2017 [8 favorites]

I wonder if this is where there's going to be some real pushback from within the GOP. Because this is going to be very unpopular with a lot of business interests.

The problem is the cat is out of the bag now. He won. Sessions is confirmed. The racists are in charge, and ICE/CBP is fully on board with house to house raids nightly. Believe the autocrat. He means to deport 3+ million people, this year. It's happening.

Maybe there will be a backlash and response in the midterms, but there's going to be a new trail of tears in the meantime.
posted by T.D. Strange at 10:27 PM on February 10, 2017 [23 favorites]

[re: Harper's article]

Thanks to a very nice MeFite, I was able to read this tonight and it's indeed what I was thinking of. It's oriented around three things:

• Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996
• Operation Gatekeeper (1994)
• Operation Blockade (1993)

In the IRIRA, the idea is that it was supposed to be a get-tough measure that was sure to be vetoed by Clinton. (It had not passed yet at the time of writing, which it eventually did) Apparently agribusiness funds (or funded) lefty pro-immigrant groups to get its message out. Strange bedfellows.
posted by rhizome at 10:44 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

He means to deport 3+ million people, this year. It's happening.

This is where I disagree, just in terms of facts on the ground. The cat's out of the bag. If La Migra comes knocking, nobody's going to be home. People who've lived in the shadows make plans, and if they're not caught by surprise, they use those plans. You might end up seeing raids on Irish bars in Boston just to make up the numbers, because white English-speaking visa overstayers will assume they're okay.
posted by holgate at 10:49 PM on February 10, 2017 [3 favorites]

Deporting 3 million people in a year is logistically unlikely.
posted by Justinian at 10:53 PM on February 10, 2017

Yeah, there's that. Even though private prison companies are salivating, the numbers just don't add up. And that's even before big-city mayors and blue-state governments get involved. Lots of bullshit symbolism and rabble-rousing and chum to the ICE divisions that would like red magahelmets, but the cat's out of the bag.
posted by holgate at 10:57 PM on February 10, 2017 [1 favorite]

and if they do manage to hit those numbers, the shock to the economy will be enormous. produce will rot on the vine, more restaurants than usual will fail, and oops, you just pulled 3 million people worth of demand out of the economy, cuz it turns out that undocumented immigrants are paid in money, which can be used to purchase goods and services!
posted by murphy slaw at 11:00 PM on February 10, 2017 [42 favorites]

There's a hell of a lot of things the Trump administration intends to do that are unlikely/impossible. Doesn't mean they're not going to attempt them, nor does it mean those attempts will be anything other than massively flawed and hurtful like the Muslim ban.
posted by flatluigi at 11:04 PM on February 10, 2017 [20 favorites]

About the teeth, and suits, and handshakes, etc: I get it. He's creepy and gauche in eleven dozen different ways. And if you just want to vent about it to a friendly audience, that's fine.

But what the Italians learned with Silvio Berlusconi is that style-based criticisms don't convince anyone not already on your side. If you want to oppose/protest him in a serious way, do it on matters of substance; do it on his record.
posted by nnethercote at 11:55 PM on February 10, 2017 [20 favorites]

As for Melania, I suspect she doesn't particularly like her husband, and that she'll be staying happily in New York for a long time, far away from him.

As for the First Lady role, I agree that it's reasonable if she doesn't want to embrace the traditional bullshit. But Slate had a good article pointing out that there are high security costs associated with her living in Trump Tower, which are not reasonable.
posted by nnethercote at 11:58 PM on February 10, 2017 [7 favorites]

Yeah I do wonder, based on that interview I linked and the fact that Houston is NOT one of the cities apparently targeted the past couple of days, when Austin and Dallas were, whether there was some behind-the-scenes "no I don't think so" happening. It's weird because on Wednesday I heard rumors ICE was on the ground knocking on doors in Houston and then suddenly nothing and everything was happening in Austin.

The real issue with Sanctuary cities, of course, is that ICE wants police forces to do their job for them, because they DON'T have enough people or resources or local knowledge to actually go into cities and take people. Certainly not in the numbers Trump wants. And police forces, for the most part do NOT want that job either.
posted by threeturtles at 12:06 AM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

But Slate had a good article pointing out that there are high security costs associated with her living in Trump Tower, which are not reasonable.

I still think we need to encourage this divorce.
posted by saysthis at 12:34 AM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

there are high security costs associated with her living in Trump Tower

By my calculations the running cost since the inauguration is at least $8.6 million (based on an estimated cost of $400,000 a day).
posted by kirkaracha at 12:35 AM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

More than the cost, far more, is that the First Lady is A Thing. People are watching. And it's obvious she's not happy. It's obvious there's psychological, if not physical, abuse going on. The longer she's there in that role, the longer people look at it and see that it's okay, or at least sustainable if you have money, for that to go on, WHICH IT IS NOT. There is frankly nothing better Melania could do for America that to leave that asshole. Paula Jones and Conway's husband paved the way for civil suits against a sitting president, it's time to put the hideous mess that was the Clinton impeachment to rights too. She might literally save the world. I hope she finds the courage.
posted by saysthis at 12:56 AM on February 11, 2017 [9 favorites]

I'm still just gobsmacked at the utterly horrible staff work that lead to Trump coming back to the press cabin on Air Force One seemingly unaware (I'm inclined to believe him for some reason) of the Flynn story. How horrifically terrible do you have to be at your job to let your boss talk to the press unprepared for the question "hey, so any comment on the front page story about your National Security Advisor likely breaking several laws and lying to the world about his backdoor communications with the country that just interfered with our election?" You wouldn't want to at least mention that it might just possibly come up? A little heads up? Physically throw yourself in front of the President to stop him from going back there until you made sure he had an answer to the question?

I'm not even saying he needed to be prepped with a good answer (and there's frankly no good answer because the whole thing is so preposterous), but if he can't manage a basic no comment, at least get him geared up to rant about "fake news" or something. Letting him take that unprepared, that's just straight up "here, hold this meat and go wander into the tiger cage; we'll see what happens" stuff.

Because as wildly wrong as "SEE YOU IN COURT" was, it at least managed to communicate that he was aware of the order and seemed to care about it, which is more than I can say for "I haven't seen it. I'll look into that" in response to the Flynn story.
posted by zachlipton at 12:56 AM on February 11, 2017 [20 favorites]

So hey, has this come through yet? Ken Starr is heading the list for Religious Freedom ambassador. And if your most recent memories of Starr are the eponymous Report, Google "Ken Starr art briles Baylor" and then come back when you're done vomiting.
posted by KathrynT at 1:02 AM on February 11, 2017 [13 favorites]

an estimated cost of $400,000 a day

It seems the cost is probably a bit below that. But guessing there's not much (if any) change out of $300K, especially with the security services having to pay Trump to rent a floor in the dark tower.

There's also around $3 million a go for his weekend sunshine vacations. That isn't even including the damage it is doing to the local economy.

Not to mention that all of Trump's adult spawn have their own security details as well. Not finding any info on the day-to-day costs, but there was $100K for Eric's business jaunt already.

On the other hand it's all a bit moot given that when the economy blows up the $ is going to be worthless and we'll all be trading with smoked rat carcasses as currency.
posted by Buntix at 1:09 AM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

People assume his staff didn't brief him about Flynn: isn't it equally possible they did, but he wasn't listening?
posted by glitter at 2:01 AM on February 11, 2017 [8 favorites]

Or that he was lying.
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:13 AM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

People are watching. And it's obvious she's not happy.

I had speculated that when he lost, Melinia would be filing divorce paperwork within a week. Now she must feel like she's stuck.
posted by mikelieman at 2:24 AM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Options:

He's organizationally inept and subordinates are running their own agendas -- in his name -- without knowledge or consent.

He's literally demented. That is, the family history of demetia has caught up with him, and he's unable to understand what's going on around him.

And maybe some from column A and some from column B.

5:26 am. Is it too early to start drinking?
posted by mikelieman at 2:26 AM on February 11, 2017 [11 favorites]

People are watching. And it's obvious she's not happy.

Pure speculation, but if there's any truth that Barron T. does have some form of HFA, that combined with Trump's obsession with his superior 'magic' genes, could be a serious source of discord and worse. And a good reason for keeping Barron a safe distance away.
--

and he's unable to understand what's going on around him.

WOW: Trump Fails Basic Literacy Test [YT - possibly taking the theory a bit further than the evidence permits, still...]
--

5:26 am. Is it too early to start drinking?
Who stops?
--

Elizabeth Warren continuing to persist:

Mitch McConnell may have cut her off on the Senate floor, but Elizabeth Warren refuses to be silenced. Two days after becoming an internet meme, the Massachusetts senator sat down with Attn to discuss an underreported but no less pressing Trump scandal.

"What Donald Trump wants to do is fire one of the most important financial cops and then say to the American people, you keep walking down this dark alley and, you know, what happens is what happens," Warren revealed.

posted by Buntix at 2:38 AM on February 11, 2017 [25 favorites]

"Oh those Russians" _{[Boney M]}:

Google warns suspected Russian state-sponsored hackers may be targeting prominent journalists: Journalists at New York Times, The Atlantic, Vox and CNN are reportedly among those who were warned by Google.

Which is straight from the Putin playbook, as per Oh, How This Feels Like Moscow: The Atlantic’s Julia Ioffe and BuzzFeed’s Miriam Elder pour out the contents of their reporters’ notebooks from Russia. _{[The Gist Podcast]}

Alleged Russian hacker who used a botnet to steal from thousands of US banks arrested in LA - technically done for theft, but may be part of a bigger investigation as he is alleged to be "well connected with ties to several elite Russian language cybercrime forums, according to reports."
posted by Buntix at 3:02 AM on February 11, 2017 [17 favorites]

"gross old Ozymandias" is definitely my new favorite description of Trump

"Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair. They're the greatest works, the best works. Tremendous. Think the Persians have great works? They're a disaster. They couldn't even conquer Greece. Sad!"
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 4:05 AM on February 11, 2017 [72 favorites]

At least it isn't Idiocracy yet...
posted by johnpowell at 4:24 AM on February 11, 2017

I think we're almost to the Futtbuckers stage, though.
posted by Ice Cream Socialist at 4:34 AM on February 11, 2017 [8 favorites]

Maybe I should try again with different HTML.

At least it isn't Idiocracy yet...
posted by johnpowell at 4:42 AM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

While I know the sentiment is well-meaning in referencing Idiocracy, keep in mind that the film is a eugenics manifesto and there are a whoooole lot of redcaps and alt-righters who love referring to Idiocracy to illustrate genetic degeneracy, the end-state of letting a social safety net exist, and what having a black president is like. Sadly, I think Idiocracy might have to be put in the rhetorical airlock and culturally jettisoned into deep space like Pepe the Frog.
posted by Rust Moranis at 4:50 AM on February 11, 2017 [43 favorites]

kirkaracha: "Then they came for the bees.

"If you're after getting the honey/Then you don't go killing all the bees""

Oh Joe. We need you so much right now.
posted by octothorpe at 5:04 AM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Yeah my understanding is that at least in Austin they were operating a car checkpoint to check immigration status. The interesting thing is the rumblings I've heard about this for a couple days with people spotting ICE in various places and spreading the word as I guess they all got into the area.

Wait, WHAT? Austin (and Dallas, mentioned elsewhere) are outside of the 100 mile "Constitution-free zone" that extends from the border in which I understand ICE/CBP/etc. are permitted to set up checkpoints. Where do they get the legal authority to set up internal border controls anywhere they feel like doing it?
posted by indubitable at 5:07 AM on February 11, 2017 [12 favorites]

... there are a whoooole lot of redcaps and alt-righters who love referring to Idiocracy to illustrate genetic degeneracy....

How can they get that part of the narrative but not the part where they are the "genetic degenerates" in the story? A right-wing person saying "we need eugenics because look at Idiocracy" is literally arguing "for the greater good, I should be sterilized or killed". That's crazy. Also, the thing that basically destroys society in the film is private corporations convincing/bribing the government to dissolve federal regulatory agencies, isn't it? That movie doesn't seem like a particularly strong case for any kind of conservative values.
posted by IAmUnaware at 5:24 AM on February 11, 2017 [9 favorites]

Former head of New Hampshire GOP seems pretty confident there was no voter fraud.

@FergusCullen:
I will pay $1000 to 1st person proving even 1 outofstate person took bus from MA 2 any NH polling place last ElectionDay #mapoli #nhpolitics
posted by chris24 at 5:26 AM on February 11, 2017 [18 favorites]

That movie doesn't seem like a particularly strong case for any kind of conservative values.

"Don't let the riff-raff breed too much or our people's blood will become polluted and degenerate" is one of the oldest right-wing values out there, no? Centuries of that here and abroad. Of course, those saying that are never the degenerate ones in their own eyes.
posted by Rust Moranis at 5:28 AM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

The rictus smile solved...

@monteiro:
BEHOLD: Trump’s special “I’m not racist!” smile. [pix]
posted by chris24 at 5:28 AM on February 11, 2017 [29 favorites]

Former head of New Hampshire GOP seems pretty confident there was no voter fraud.

Yeah, the Senate seat was lost to the Democratic candidate by a razor-thin margin, only around 1000 votes, so I would think that if there were any substantial basis to challenge the result it would have long since happened.
posted by XMLicious at 5:38 AM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

The Bush family fixer is meeting with them. Someone's panicking enough to call, and some Bush camp are scared enough to go there and listen. Turdcircus status: Supercritical.

Baker's big thing is manufacturing a false crisis (Brooks Brothers Riot) to force acquiescence.
posted by srboisvert at 5:45 AM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

Don't let the riff-raff breed too much or our people's blood will become polluted and degenerate

Meanwhile, the Habsburgs were so inbred that their genetic issue led to a number of wars and dynastic twists, not least the War of the Spanish Succession.
posted by mushhushshu at 5:46 AM on February 11, 2017

It got its own FPP, but if you haven't been back to visit Everysecondcounts (the countries competing to be "second" after America) it's now gone global. (I recommend Australia, Morroco, and Iran for extreme lols). I find it fascinating that in addition to nailing Trump's way of speaking and mocking his hands, as the first round of videos did, the more recent videos are already including mockery of his small inauguration crowds, using the term "alternative facts," and really going after him on Russia, in a lot of cases. Trump and his team have made themselves such easy objects of ridicule already, it's just amazing (when not, obviously, soul-crushingly horrific).
posted by TwoStride at 5:49 AM on February 11, 2017 [13 favorites]

WOW: Trump Fails Basic Literacy Test [YT - possibly taking the theory a bit further than the evidence permits, still...]

By all accounts he skims twitter himself, he writes notes to people, he does read teleprompters, he's known to have had favorite novels as an adult (that whatever it is that eerily presages our current charlie-foxtrot)...

I certainly expect that he's not a deep thinker and has problems with written or verbal complex ideas, because he's someone who's skated through his entire life on his father's money and a willingness to be an asshole. But the idea that he doesn't have a basically normal level of adult literacy -- which is still far from the high literacy you would expect from a CEO or president -- seems a little bonkers to me. It seems way more likely to me, and more consistent with the observed information, that the dude just has vision problems and is too much of a vain idiot asshole to wear glasses and/or contacts.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 5:57 AM on February 11, 2017 [29 favorites]

Yeah my understanding is that at least in Austin they were operating a car checkpoint to check immigration status.

DUI checkpoints in L.A. this weekend. Announced: Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, North Hollywood

On preview (I left to make coffee) I missed the everysecondcounts FPP, thanks!
posted by Room 641-A at 5:59 AM on February 11, 2017

CNN headline: "Sanders: Trump is 'delusional,' says he could move US into 'authoritarian mode'"

Could move the US into 'authoritarian mode'? Are you living in late 2015, Bernie? I'm thunderstruck by his refusal to ever actually say "this is fucked up and it is really for real happening right now" instead of "boy I am concerned about what maybe this guy could start thinking about doing, gee whiz."
posted by Rust Moranis at 6:01 AM on February 11, 2017 [50 favorites]

?!
posted by pxe2000 at 6:16 AM on February 11, 2017

Robert Reich: If they're afraid of Donald Trump, they shouldn't be serving in the Senate. [Facebook video]
posted by Rykey at 6:18 AM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

Wait, WHAT? Austin (and Dallas, mentioned elsewhere) are outside of the 100 mile "Constitution-free zone" that extends from the border in which I understand ICE/CBP/etc. are permitted to set up checkpoints. Where do they get the legal authority to set up internal border controls anywhere they feel like doing it?

ACLU info page on this. Key passage: "The Border Patrol often ignores this regulation and rejects any geographic limitation on agents' authority. At least two federal circuit courts condone Border Patrol operations outside the 100-mile zone, federal regulations and Supreme Court precedent notwithstanding."
posted by saturday_morning at 6:52 AM on February 11, 2017 [20 favorites]

Baker's big thing is manufacturing a false crisis

Curious what scenario would involve Baker manufacturing a false crisis. There seem to be a plethora, nay, a veritable smörgåsbord of crises to choose from. Likely one from the special reserve that haven't been pooped out in public.
posted by petebest at 6:53 AM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

Justice Department Takes A Step Back From Effort To Protect Transgender People Under Existing Law: The moves taken in the filing — a joint filing made with the states — suggest that the federal government’s position on the pending legal questions surrounding transgender people’s rights could be changing soon. At the least, it suggests the new administration is pulling back while it determines the position it will be taking in the case.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:54 AM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

I highly recommend Slate's latest Trumpcast. It includes a great summary of where things stand with the various Russia investigations, as well as a good summary of the ramifications of the latest news on Flynn. The guest is a former NSA lawyer who really knows her shit.

(The podcast isn't on Slate's website yet, so the link is to a tweet that points to iTunes.)
posted by diogenes at 7:02 AM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

I assume these were linked in the mists of earlythread, but the comments about them forced some fraught Interbit searching. These are those results. For those of you on a weight-loss program, here are some "Trump with teen Ivanka" pictures to ruin your appetite.

Viewer discretion is SO advised. In fact, be warned that the sights ye may see shall drive ye mad . . . Nursing or pregnant women viewing this is right out. For only the iron-stomached, the uncounselable foolhardy, and intrepid scholarly collectors of abomination: seatbelts please. (Also, no refunds.)

Okay, here we go: deep breaths.

#1

#2
posted by petebest at 7:08 AM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

Baker's big thing is manufacturing a false crisis (Brooks Brothers Riot) to force acquiescence.

Rex Tillerson is also one of his protégés, which goes toward explaining his presence now.
posted by indubitable at 7:16 AM on February 11, 2017

White House pool report this morning is mildly terrifying.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:17 AM on February 11, 2017 [18 favorites]

Jesus fucking Christ, petebest.
posted by lydhre at 7:17 AM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

petebest, you missed one.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 7:20 AM on February 11, 2017

Also, the Jon Benet vibe on this one is gross.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 7:21 AM on February 11, 2017

White House pool report this morning is mildly terrifying.

I see Skinner told the press pool that they'd just won free bicycles.
posted by indubitable at 7:24 AM on February 11, 2017 [7 favorites]

Chaffetz not buying anger at his town hall. Says protesters were outside agitators:

Nope. Didn't learn. He's lucky he's in one of the reddest seats in the nation and that those red people hate abortion more than they love morals or healthcare.
posted by Talez at 7:24 AM on February 11, 2017 [30 favorites]

If I do feel bad for Ivanka, it's for this. And the surgeries she had as a young woman to make her already pretty face closer to the ideal and the breast enhancement that made her fit within the parameters of her father's idea of a "10"*. It must be hell to be his kid. But the fact that all are 'appropriately' married and none are on drugs made him appear to be a good father to the Christian right. Go figure.

*This was a path my sisters and I went down early last year, finding all the before and after pics. I'm not proud, but we got on a roll. All the gossip sites did the same.
posted by readery at 7:25 AM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

I hope discovery in Melania's lawsuit about the destruction of her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to capitalize on her First Lady fame to sell [whatever] reveals all sorts of juicy details about the decline and fall of the Ivanka Trump, Trump Home, and real estate properties' performance. If I were litigating it (IANAL), I'd want to present proof that the brands' values plummeted following Lord Dampnut's election and, especially, inauguration as a secondary argument.
posted by carmicha at 7:26 AM on February 11, 2017 [8 favorites]

I hope discovery in Melania's lawsuit about the destruction of her once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to capitalize on her First Lady fame to sell [whatever] reveals all sorts of juicy details about the decline and fall of the Ivanka Trump, Trump Home, and real estate properties' performance. If I were litigating it (IANAL), I'd want to present proof that the brands' values plummeted following Lord Dampnut's election and, especially, inauguration.

Online sales for the Ivanka Trump brand fell 26 percent in January

While Nordstrom dropping Ivanka Trump merchandise got a lot of headlines, it's not the only online retail partner seeing slower sales for the brand.

According to an analysis of email receipts by Slice Intelligence, online, Nordstrom sells the most by revenue, followed by Macy's.com, third is Zappos.com (owned by Amazon), Amazon (where most is sold by third-party sellers) is fourth, and Bloomingdale's.com (owned by Macy's) rounds out the top five. (Slice Intelligence analysis comes from a panel of 4.4 million online shoppers.)

Slice Intelligence said sales declines of Ivanka Trump goods online were evident after the election, and beyond. Ivanka Trump's online sales fell 26 percent in January compared to January 2016.

Sales of Ivanka Trump merchandise on Nordstrom.com fell 63 percent in the fourth quarter, dropped 43 percent on Zappos.com and 31 percent at Amazon.com compared to the previous year.

posted by chris24 at 7:30 AM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

So, they really are sitting on a statue of two parrots having sex. Is that a thing over in the previously United States?

This makes fairly horrific reading: Lawsuit Charges Donald Trump with Raping a 13-Year-Old Girl. The case was dismissed due to a technical filing error and the inability of the claimant to fund it. Based on the information in the linked Snopes page it doesn't seem beyond the bounds of credibility.
posted by Buntix at 7:37 AM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

If you want to follow, Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Florida is currently having a town hall of his constituents. This reporter is tweeting video and coverage.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:39 AM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Rex Tillerson is also one of his protégés, which goes toward explaining his presence now.

Didn't know that. A recent search of news articles shows Baker was dispatched to the press to allay fears that Tillerson would be too Putin-friendly on the basis that he's friends with Putin. "Nah. That was then, this is now" is a paraphrasing of the pullquotes.

So if big B showed up on Wednesday, it seems likely tied to the definitely not scandalous or intriguing Russian-Trump-Flynn-election hullabaloo news this week.

("Jimmy? It's T-rex. So, I'm looking at this report on my desk that says we're totally in flagrante dilecto with Pootz on the election and Rosneft thing. What, ah, what's your thoughts there?")
posted by petebest at 7:41 AM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

So, they really are sitting on a statue of two parrots having sex. Is that a thing over in the previously United States?

Absolutely. We've all got one of those statues. I didn't realize it was exclusive to our culture.
posted by diogenes at 7:47 AM on February 11, 2017 [30 favorites]

^ [fake]
posted by Golem XIV at 7:49 AM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

White House pool report this morning is mildly terrifying.

Oh, man. I've seen this movie. The next presser is going to feature Sean Spicer showing up in a perfectly tailored suit made from the skin of murdered correspondents, saying, "They were warned. They were given an explanation. Nonetheless, they persisted," and then walking right back out.
posted by jackbishop at 7:51 AM on February 11, 2017 [22 favorites]

I've had to put reading Moldbug on hold. Only so much I can handle at one time.
So I've started reading Antifragile by Nassim Taleb as my quest into Bannonland continue. I knew nothing about Taleb before, or about his previous big book 'The Black Swan' but read that it was ground breaking and he is an amazing original thinker, must read, mind changing blah blah. Antifragile is supposed to be the same and reviews do call it original and an expansion on his first book.

Now I am only a couple of chapters in but I'm having problems with it because I'm irked. So far it's sounding awfully like what we were talking about 16 years ago at University in course I took in systems and sustainability. It's all about systems theory. Taleb has been purported to go beyond basic systems theory which talks about robust and resilient systems to 'Antifragility is beyond resilience or robustness. The resilient resists shocks and stays the same; the antifragile gets better.' Which is great an all and I agree with the basic thesis because I wrote a friggen paper about this concept 14 years ago. And this wasn't me being some sort of genius original thinker, it was me expanding on concepts and thoughts that were talked about in class.

None of this makes Taleb wrong in is main thesis. I guess it's just another example of a person that is getting the 'original thinking' credit because they're the ones that popularized it or thought about in a context that more people paid attention too. It's just annoying.

Okay now that I've got that out of my system. It is interesting how Taleb is attempting to apply this concept to broader society and culture. So far I've come across two red flags in his main argument that immediately made me think 'that's not right' but I'm reserving judgement until I read the whole thing. Reading it while also thinking about what exactly attracts Bannon to it adds a whole other layer. Perhaps as I read more as he fills out his main arguments this will become more apparent.
posted by Jalliah at 7:53 AM on February 11, 2017 [8 favorites]

Apologies if it's old news for everyone, but as further evidence to the credibility of the rape charge above. Trump had his own "sex" parties complete with kids (almost certainly underage in some cases) conned into attending on the promise of modelling careers.

Inside Donald Trump’s One-Stop Parties: Attendees Recall Cocaine and Very Young Models: ‘I was there to party myself. It was guys with younger girls, sex, a lot of sex, a lot of cocaine, top-shelf liquor’ but no smoking. Trump didn’t approve of cigarettes.'
posted by Buntix at 7:59 AM on February 11, 2017 [9 favorites]

Teen Vogue: Jackie Rayos-Garcia Tells About the Deportation of Her Mother, Guadalupe García de Rayos: On Thursday, Jackie spent the morning packing her mother’s belongings in a suitcase to bring them to her in Mexico. And that’s when she broke down. “No one should ever have to go through what we’re going through,” she said, holding back tears remembering that morning. She finished packing and caught a ride that afternoon to Nogales, a border city in the Mexican state of Sonora. Although Lupita is unauthorized to return to the U.S., Jackie is a U.S. citizen and can visit her mom as long as she has the time and money to do so.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:00 AM on February 11, 2017 [20 favorites]

So if big B showed up on Wednesday, it seems likely tied to the definitely not scandalous or intriguing Russian-Trump-Flynn-election hullabaloo news this week.

I think Mr Wolf Jim Baker is more of a "we're in above our heads here" fixer. And he probably knows how to turn on the lights.
posted by holgate at 8:01 AM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

Absolutely. We've all got one of those statues. I didn't realize it was exclusive to our culture.

Fun fact: two parrots f**king was proposed as the US national symbol by Ben Franklin. He was eventually outvoted by the two-headed chicken faction, which then morphed into the Toupeéd Eagle we see today.
posted by petebest at 8:02 AM on February 11, 2017 [13 favorites]

Deporting 3 million people in a year is logistically unlikely.

It won't be from lack of trying. It's open season on the 21st Century Trail of Tears.

Reports of Raids Have Immigrants Bracing for Enforcement Surge

Illegal Voting Gets Texas Woman 8 Years in Prison, and Certain Deportation

AP FACT CHECK: Are immigration raids result of Trump policy?
Despite the claims that this is business as usual, an indication of the changed tactics came earlier in the week when Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly testified before Congress. He told lawmakers immigration agents expressed frustration about that they were not fully allowed to enforce immigration laws under the Obama administration. He predicted Trump's directives would end that frustration.

"I think their morale has suffered because of the job they were hired to do, and then in their sense, they're ... kind of hobbled or, you know, hands tied behind their back, that kind of thing," Kelly told the House Homeland Security Committee. "And now, they feel more positive about things. I bet if you watch the morale issue, you'll ... be surprised going forward."
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:06 AM on February 11, 2017 [12 favorites]

This is how ethnic cleansing starts. Chilling.
posted by zombieflanders at 8:08 AM on February 11, 2017 [26 favorites]

I think their morale has suffered because of the job they were hired to do, and then in their sense, they're ... kind of hobbled or, you know, hands tied behind their back, that kind of thing,

ah, the time-honored tradition of law enforcement complaining to lawmakers about having to follow the law themselves
posted by murphy slaw at 8:10 AM on February 11, 2017 [27 favorites]

Fun fact: two parrots f**king was proposed as the US national symbol by Ben Franklin. He was eventually outvoted by the two-headed chicken faction, which then morphed into the Toupeéd Eagle we see today.

It's still in modern usage, though. In fact, I have a smaller version sitting in the little America Shrine I have in one corner of my apartment (yes, we're a very nationalist people, I've heard that one before) to help bring great fertility to America.
posted by indubitable at 8:16 AM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

Jim Jefferies to Piers Morgan: Oh Fuck Off.

Piers Morgan to Jim Jefferies: "You're losing your Audience"

Jim Jefferies to audience: "Am I losing my audience?"

Audience cheers

Jefferies flips Morgan the bird.
posted by srboisvert at 8:18 AM on February 11, 2017 [44 favorites]

Trump Justice Department delivers CIA ‘Torture Report’ to federal court: The damning 6,700-page report documents abuses in the CIA program that waterboarded some captives, rectally abused others and held at least 119 foreign prisoners out of reach of the International Red Cross or attorneys during the Bush administration.

Lawyers at the Guantánamo war court had wanted military judges to obtain and preserve copies of the report for use in the Sept. 11 and USS Cole death-penalty cases of six men who spent years in the CIA prisons called Black Sites. The chief judge, Army Col. James L. Pohl, refused but eventually ordered the Pentagon to safeguard one of its copies.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:18 AM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

so the trump admin wants to discredit the CIA so badly that they accidentally did something good for the country?
posted by murphy slaw at 8:23 AM on February 11, 2017 [14 favorites]

so the trump admin wants to discredit the CIA so badly that they accidentally did something good for the country?

Could be that. At the very end of the article it suggests that because they've been slapped down so hard by the courts these past couple of weeks that the decided to not add another slap down to the list and obeyed the court order, so maybe this is why.
posted by Jalliah at 8:29 AM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

The case was dismissed due to a technical filing error and the inability of the claimant to fund it. Based on the information in the linked Snopes page it doesn't seem beyond the bounds of credibility.

To clarify the record here. The case WAS NOT DISMISSED in its most recent filing.

The case was withdrawn by the plaintiff. And since the case didn't make it to the first court-ordered conference, under federal rule 41, we will never know if Accused Child Rapist Donald J. Trump paid cash to settle it, and if so, how much.

To summarize.

Letigitimate questions exist about whether Donald J. Trump raped a 13 year old girl in 1994. The presiding Judge reviewed the complaint, plaintiff's statement, and the statement of her 2 witnesses, and believed them credible enough for Donald J. Trump to respond, and for a jury to decide the facts.

I question the integrity of any person for whom that is not a showstopper.
posted by mikelieman at 8:30 AM on February 11, 2017 [77 favorites]

Apparently there's a postcard event "trending" or "planking" or whatever you kids call it these days for sending Das Drümpenfuhrer postcards on March 15.

Random, non-Tweetface link regarding

I'd like to think this was kickstarted by MeThread's own soren_lorensen and INFJ. In fact, I think I will. Think that.
posted by petebest at 8:31 AM on February 11, 2017 [14 favorites]

Piers Morgan was a tool throughout his Real Time with Bill Maher appearance, advancing lots of BS about how it was too soon to be "hysterical" about the Trump administration, but he made one point I liked. He contrasted all of the GOP fervor about extreme vetting via-a-vis immigration and tourist visas with their equally fervent insistence on reducing all barriers to gun purchasing and ownership. Just last week the house voted to cease background checks for would-be gun owners who are disabled Social Security recipients previously deemed mentally incapable of managing their own affairs.
posted by carmicha at 8:32 AM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

Did listening to Flynn talk to the Russian ambassador require a FISA warrant? In other words, obviously we can spy on the Russian, but can we listen to him talk to an American citizen without additional warrants, or is that just part of regular spying?
posted by diogenes at 8:34 AM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

And if it requires a warrant, is it for the Russian or for Flynn? I'm just trying to understand if we know that Flynn was targeted based on what we know so far.
posted by diogenes at 8:39 AM on February 11, 2017

waterboarded some captives, rectally abused others

rectal abuse is ok. everything is fine.
posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 8:48 AM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Jim Jefferies to Piers Morgan: Oh Fuck Off

This is awesome and needs to happen on more panel shows every time some Trump apologist tries to opinion-shit all over everything with RATIONAL ANALYSIS of the Trump admin. Just tell them to fuck off and call them a fascist, and when they whine about the hysteria and overreaction and how liberals are being divisive when they use that kind of hyperbole just continue to tell them to fuck off and flip them the bird. Enough "well this kind of partisan hyperbole isn't conducive to RATIONAL REASONED DEBATE" just make a fucking jerk off hand motion and roll your eyes.
posted by windbox at 8:58 AM on February 11, 2017 [13 favorites]

rectally abused others
Call it what it was. Rape. Anal Rape.
Did they train the French - It was an accident he slipped and fell on the trunchion.
posted by adamvasco at 9:01 AM on February 11, 2017 [8 favorites]

Some more about understanding the now out in the open eminence gris that is Bannon.
His reading List. Shouting about economic injustice; his solution – a return to pre-1960s social mores – is bizarre.
posted by adamvasco at 9:08 AM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Meanwhile, the Habsburgs were so inbred that their genetic issue led to a number of wars and dynastic twists, not least the War of the Spanish Succession.

Nobody expects the Spanish Succession!
posted by kirkaracha at 9:16 AM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

So, if Trump issues a new executive order on immigration from mostly Muslim countries, can he jurisdiction shop by getting a patsy to oppose the order, one minute after it is written, somewhere other than the Ninth Circuit? (I figure knowing nearly nothing is potentially useful in trying to think like Trump.)
posted by puddledork at 9:16 AM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

So, if Trump issues a new executive order on immigration from mostly Muslim countries, can he jurisdiction shop by getting a patsy to oppose the order, one minute after it is written, somewhere other than the Ninth Circuit?

Yes. This is essentially what the Republicans did to Obama in Texas. Eventually this is going to wind up at SCOTUS, and we'll see if Roberts owns a #MAGA hat or not.
posted by T.D. Strange at 9:21 AM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

So, they really are sitting on a statue of two parrots having sex. Is that a thing over in the previously United States?

Thing you have to understand about Americans is that lots of us like watching our buddiesparrots fuck. I know I do!
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:22 AM on February 11, 2017 [8 favorites]

Jim Jeffries has a funny bit about guns in his special Bare and his newest special Freedumb is pretty good, too. (Both on Netflix.)
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 9:34 AM on February 11, 2017

Thing you have to understand about Americans is that lots of us like watching our buddiesparrots fuck

Over here we call it dogging.

They're not good, Brent.
posted by mushhushshu at 9:35 AM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Illegal Voting Gets Texas Woman 8 Years in Prison, and Certain Deportation

This is an example of the way in which the court system can be used to smash a person's life just to make political points and the kicker is that she voted Republican:

“She voted for Mitt Romney over Barack Obama in the 2012 election. In 2014 she voted for our current attorney general, Ken Paxton,” Mr. Birdsall said. “And guess what? He’s the one responsible for prosecuting her.”

It's notable that another Texan woman, someone who was a citizen, voted illegally 5 times yet only got 6 months of house confinement. Ms. Ortega was unfortunate in that she was a rather simple-minded woman who was not a white citizen who made a mistake during the reign of Donald the Mad.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 9:40 AM on February 11, 2017 [9 favorites]

The Muslim and Jewish families in the famous Muslim Ban protest photo shared Shabbat dinner yesterday.
posted by chris24 at 9:41 AM on February 11, 2017 [66 favorites]

she was a rather simple-minded woman who was not a white citizen who made a mistake during the reign of Donald the Mad

Sounds like she made her mistake during the reign of Barack the Sanguine. If only he had known to pardon her.
posted by saturday_morning at 9:45 AM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

The Muslim and Jewish families in the famous Muslim Ban protest photo shared Shabbat dinner yesterday.

""Even two normal families standing next to each other is becoming inspirational, that's how crazy the world is," said Fatih Yildirim, the Muslim father in the photo."

no, there's something in YOUR eye
posted by saturday_morning at 9:46 AM on February 11, 2017 [48 favorites]

Jim Jefferies to Piers Morgan: Oh Fuck Off.

Australians can be racist fucks at times but Jim Jefferies really gives it to Piers. Just that "oh fuck off" in that ocker accent and the not taking any of his stupid fucking bullshit. Put Jefferies on CNN. He really gives no fucks.
posted by Talez at 9:50 AM on February 11, 2017 [17 favorites]

I don't think Melania can safely ever divorce Donald at this point. Now if he cheated on her and decided to leave her, that'd be fine, but if she left him? Especially after he became president? An avalanche of shit would fall on her head. She is trapped in this devil's bargain. I think she got into the marriage knowing what she was doing, but who would have expected it to go this far?

She's just lucky he doesn't care enough about her now to just leave her alone in NYC. Maybe she'll get even luckier if he starts to fuck an intern in the WH.
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:51 AM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

I question the integrity of any person for whom that is not a showstopper.

It really does beggar belief just how beyond the bounds of the conceivable Trump's election is. When common wisdom (and TV/cinema) has it that all candidates are (extremely) vetted for even the slightest indiscretion...

Yet here's a this bargain-basement-post-lobotomy-playing-to-the-cheap-seats de Sade who is clearly on record lying repeatedly (and provably) under oath in various hearings. Is repeatedly on record being openly racist/sexist/what-have-you-bigoted. [..snip (there's just too much to list)..]. And has significant, credible, evidence suggesting that he is an actual (and damn proud of it) serial child rapist.

And he was elected. And he is being supported by members of a party who must either be utterly incompetent, deluded, or know what he's done and not consider it worth worrying about relative to their own party and self-interest. And he's supported by the FBI, who must surely have entire filing cabinets documenting his brutality and crimes.

(ta for the clarification regarding the case being dismissed - here's hoping that when he falls every case he dodged is revisited upon him. Preferably in the Hague: he belongs on the same wikipedia list page as Milosevic and similar monsters).
posted by Buntix at 9:56 AM on February 11, 2017 [10 favorites]

The Handmaid's Tale, published in 1985...

Atwood, who won the Booker Prize in 2000 for The Blind Assassin, said The Handmaid’s Tale was inspired by her studies of 17th-century America and its puritan values.

“You are seeing a bubbling up of it now,” she said, referring in particular to moves under President Donald Trump to restrict the right to abortion. Trump said last year women should face punishment if they receive abortions, a comment he later retracted.

“It’s back to 17th-century puritan values of new [sic] England at that time in which women were pretty low on the hierarchy.”

Margaret Atwood: The Handmaid's Tale sales boosted by fear of Trump (Grauniad)
posted by Mister Bijou at 9:59 AM on February 11, 2017 [16 favorites]

About those CBP agents who may or may not be rogue nazis in disguise ...

Flying Home From Abroad, a Border Agent Stopped and Questioned Me … About My Work for the ACLU

Why, asked the CBP agent holding my Pakistani passport, would someone working for an organization with “American” in its name have “this” passport? And why would someone working for an organization with “American” in its name be representing people who are not citizens?
posted by Dashy at 10:10 AM on February 11, 2017 [11 favorites]

Ha ha no there's been postcard-writing events planned in these parts for some time. A couple have already happened. But if you want to start a mefi urban legend that it was me and INFJ, I won't stand in your way.

In other card-related gathering news, me and my son went to an event this morning to make valentines for recent immigrants and refugees in our area, and there were like 200 people there at 9 am, it was amazing. Lots of refugee families there with their kids to do some crafts, lots of folks from the community. Apparently the mayor showed up later, but we'd already left for gymnastics class.
posted by soren_lorensen at 10:12 AM on February 11, 2017 [12 favorites]

It seems the cost is probably a bit below that. But guessing there's not much (if any) change out of $300K, especially with the security services having to pay Trump to rent a floor in the dark tower.

I dunno, that article just says the mayor's office "believes it’ll be less than $500,000 a day."
posted by kirkaracha at 10:12 AM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

Hey, could you all do me a favor? I live out in the middle of nowhere and have to pay for internet by the gigabyte.

If you link a video, could you please mark it clearly so I don't open it in a background tab and have it consume a bunch of bandwidth before I realize what it's doing? Also, if you really want to earn my eternal love and respect, posting a short transcript of the most salient section would really make my day.

Thanks ♥
posted by ragtag at 10:17 AM on February 11, 2017 [51 favorites]

My understanding is the rape allegations were not publicly pursued by major media as there was too much potential for rebuttals to insinuate other very very very high level persons were aware and/or attending. Who knows what was tried behind the scenes to leverage this into him not running.
posted by beaning at 10:20 AM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

I'm not sure this hasn't already been posted, but it's pretty remarkable:

Toronto Star watches as family of asylum seekers from Sudan willingly walks across NY-Quebec border into arrest by RCMP.
posted by pjenks at 10:22 AM on February 11, 2017 [27 favorites]

Actually, the best possible result would be if he tried it on QE2 and she threw him down a flight of stairs and then a big pile of corgi manure fell on him. Fingers crossed.

I would like to see quite the opposite - him in his dazed bully idiocy pulling at QEII, pulling the poor old lady onto the ground at his feet... royal guards swarming and dogpiling him and a melee of British vs. US security struggling as the crowd gasps.

Buffoon, what does he think shaking hands like that does? Moran.
posted by Meatbomb at 10:26 AM on February 11, 2017 [7 favorites]

the CIA did not offer much explanation for why Townley’s request for so-called “Sensitive Compartmented Information” clearance was rejected

TIL that I have been more qualified for the NSC than people actually appointed to it. The not being a paid Russian informant probably helped though.
posted by corb at 10:32 AM on February 11, 2017 [17 favorites]

GOP flunkie tries "death panel" at his town hall to argue for ACA repeal

Spoiler alert: It doesn't go well.
posted by Talez at 10:49 AM on February 11, 2017 [40 favorites]

death panels

Even worse, HealthCare.gov crashed!
posted by theodolite at 10:56 AM on February 11, 2017

here's hoping that when he falls every case he dodged is revisited upon him

He is currently being sued by Summer Zervos in Federal Court for lies he said about her while on the campaign trail. Near as I can tell, she's motivated by personal animosity, and has little reason to seek a settlement, rather than a formal judgment against Donald J. Trump.
posted by mikelieman at 10:57 AM on February 11, 2017 [7 favorites]

ok, children, alright, children, shutup, children, we won, children, etc etc etc, children

oh, look, it's the conservative nanny state
posted by pyramid termite at 10:59 AM on February 11, 2017 [28 favorites]

Spoiler alert: It doesn't go well.

Wow, you're not kidding. There's a sonic boom of people booing, and then he doubles down. "It's in there, folks! You're wrong!" And then he triples down and says to an audience of adults: "Okay, children. Alright children."
posted by mochapickle at 11:00 AM on February 11, 2017 [28 favorites]

wontsomebodypleasethinkofthechildren.png
posted by saturday_morning at 11:00 AM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

GOP flunkie tries "death panel" at his town hall to argue for ACA repeal

Spoiler alert: It doesn't go well.

Calling your upset constituents "children" is sure to go well.
posted by chris24 at 11:01 AM on February 11, 2017 [42 favorites]

him in his dazed bully idiocy pulling at QEII

Lèse-majesté is a thing still, right? But I guess a a so-called Head-of-State, the most they could do is expel him, since controlling who is within your country is Sovereign Privilege, right?
posted by mikelieman at 11:03 AM on February 11, 2017

What a lying sack of shit. Guess they're going to need to grow a bigger supply of BRAZEN LIES and some thicker skin if they want to keep this up.
posted by lydhre at 11:05 AM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Point being, it's every American's PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY to keep themselves, and their families, and their neighbors safe.

WAKE UP SHEEPLE!
posted by mikelieman at 11:05 AM on February 11, 2017

And Then the Breitbart Lynch Mob Came for Me.
For 15 years, I’ve spoken out against executive overreach. But in the Trump era, even theoretical criticism puts a target on your back.
posted by adamvasco at 11:08 AM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

CNN reporter says that Petraeus is being discussed as a possible replacement for Flynn.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:09 AM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Well this is a gross, terrible idea.

Steve King gonna Steve King, I guess.
posted by soren_lorensen at 11:09 AM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

My understanding is the rape allegations were not publicly pursued by major media as there was too much potential to insinuate other very very very high level persons were aware and/or attending.

There was a lot of this in the UK as well with the likes of Savile, Lords Janner and Cyril Smith and others implicated in the systemic child rape clubs here.

Not only that, it was innate, the shared bond of the crime was the price of entry into the upper echelons of certain political fraternities: We can destroy you, you can destroy us, now we can trust each other. Now let's chuck the dead kids over the side of the boat* and go back to our token day-wives.

It's the greedy sociopath's gom jabbar. It elides the barriers between those who actually like tying kids to the bed before raping them, and those who are just in it for the money/power and willing to look away if it gets them membership.

Miranda Is Not a One-Off; it Happened to Me
08/30/2013 04:27 pm ET | Updated Oct 30, 2013

How Thatcher’s Government Covered Up a VIP Pedophile Ring

a 50/50 solution. Although at this stage of the game with sharks like Trump we are going to need a bigger vote. 60/40 (rounding up) or bust.


* this is a thing that only allegedly happened, it's possible the (untraceable government care who ran off) kids in question just went to live on a lovely farm, with all the dogs, cats, rabbits, bombus terrestris we all lost as kids.
posted by Buntix at 11:14 AM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Does anyone know if Chuck Grassley's twitter was hacked, or if he just lost his mind today?
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 11:20 AM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Sounds like she made her mistake during the reign of Barack the Sanguine. If only he had known to pardon her.

The original mistake, yes, but it reads as if the trial and sentencing just happened. She is still in jail awaiting her transportation to prison where she will begin her sentence. I don't think Obama is clairvoyant.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 11:21 AM on February 11, 2017

Right, I wasn't saying Obama could have done anything different.
posted by saturday_morning at 11:23 AM on February 11, 2017

Does anyone know if Chuck Grassley's twitter was hacked, or if he just lost his mind today?

Chuck Grassley has a notoriously batshit twitter
posted by saturday_morning at 11:24 AM on February 11, 2017 [8 favorites]

CNN reporter says that Petraeus is being discussed as a possible replacement for Flynn.

Seriously? You can't make this shit up. It's like the only thing that is required to enter the Trump administration is "pissed off Obama at some point".
posted by Talez at 11:27 AM on February 11, 2017 [12 favorites]

Does anyone know if Chuck Grassley's twitter was hacked, or if he just lost his mind today?

If you scroll down it seems stylistically consistent. It's either the same author, or someone who has gone to a huge amount of trouble to accurately imitate, umm who is this guy again?
posted by Buntix at 11:28 AM on February 11, 2017

If you scroll down it seems stylistically consistent. It's either the same author, or someone who has gone to a huge amount of trouble to accurately imitate, umm who is this guy again?

A US Senator.
posted by Talez at 11:29 AM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

Steve King gonna Steve King, I guess.

Of course. And "I have proposed a constitutional amendment" is (regardless of party) the "I have signed an online petition" of Congressional politics.

Anyway, Laura Rozen reminds us that there's plenty of circumstantial evidence that the White House occupant knew exactly what was going on with Flynn's phone calls to Russian diplomats while they were taking place.
posted by holgate at 11:30 AM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

NYT satire: Is a Job at the White House Right for You?: White House Job Application
posted by zachlipton at 11:31 AM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

Anyway, Laura Rozen reminds us that there's plenty of circumstantial evidence that the White House occupant knew exactly what was going on with Flynn's phone calls to Russian diplomats while they were taking place.

It's Hubert fucking Humphrey all over again.
posted by Talez at 11:31 AM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

I'm surprised that Snopes doesn't mention this bizarre Jezebel article on the Trump child rape lawsuit. The accuser would not speak to the media and used Norm Lubow as a go-between. Lubow "somehow" has found himself at the center of sensational celebrity scandals over and over again. He appeared on tabloid TV shows in 1995 claiming to have sold O.J. Simpson drugs on the night he murdered Nicole Brown. He introduced the filmmaker of the conspiracy documentary Kurt and Courtney to someone he knew who claimed that Courtney Love had offered him $50k to kill Kurt Cobain. He claimed to have interviewed Casey Anthony while she was in hiding shortly after her acquittal. Both the Jezebel reporter and a reporter for The Daily Beast received incessant misogynistic harassing phone calls from Lubow after writing about the case. There's a previous article in Jezebel that has more about the men who represented themselves as go-betweens for the victim, and they also seem like serious pieces of work.

I mean, nothing is too odious to be out of character for Trump and god knows he probably has raped minors. But the child rape lawsuit fits right into Lubow's long pattern of tabloid ready attention-seeking fraud. In the absence of any other evidence to corroborate the accusation, it seems misjudged not to treat as pretty dubious. That's almost certainly why it has barely appeared in the media rather than some conspiracy. There are so many credible accusations against him that it seems misguided to hone in on the only one that looks like a fraud as soon as you scratch the surface.
posted by vathek at 11:32 AM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

A US Senator.

Y'alls gonna need a bigger Constitution.
posted by Buntix at 11:32 AM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

Petraeus is being discussed as a possible replacement for Flynn.

They'll have to check with his probation officer.
posted by holgate at 11:33 AM on February 11, 2017 [19 favorites]

Y'alls gonna need a bigger Constitution.

Th' founding faithers didnae ken we'd hae hings git this ill.
posted by Talez at 11:35 AM on February 11, 2017 [7 favorites]

Meanwhile, over in France, Le Pen said that she would make dual citizens give up their citizenships in any non-EU country (unclear what this means with Brexit of course), "but that dual citizens of the EU and of Russia, which she said is part of she termed the "Europe of nations," will be exempted."

Does she really have to be so damn obvious about it?
posted by zachlipton at 11:35 AM on February 11, 2017 [21 favorites]

The Republican Challenge

"Will there be tension between the peculiar GOP obligation of this time and place and the more normal activity of battling Democrats? Certainly. But a serious party can both struggle against adversaries and uphold its own standards. This latter challenge will be the more difficult of the two. But if Republicans do not rise to that challenge, the terrible words will be pronounced against them: "Thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting."

posted by corb at 11:36 AM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Toronto Star watches as family of asylum seekers from Sudan willingly walks across NY-Quebec border into arrest by RCMP.

This similar article just out from the NYTimes:

Losing Hope in U.S., Migrants Make Icy Crossing to Canada

is much less light:

On Christmas Eve, two Ghanaians were picked up on the roadside north of town, some 10 hours after they had set off into a field near the border, sinking to their waists in snow. The temperature that morning was reported to be below zero, with windchill making it even worse. The men’s hands were so badly frostbitten that they lost almost all their fingers.

posted by pjenks at 11:37 AM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

Petraeus is being discussed as a possible replacement for Flynn.

I realize IOKIYAR applies here, but -seriously-?

We're seriously talking about the guy we -know- gave away classified information to his mistress? We're talking about giving that guy a job in government work to handle classified information -ever again?-

/headdesk, headdesk, headdesk
posted by Archelaus at 11:38 AM on February 11, 2017 [40 favorites]

There was an article in the Star or on CBC itself that covered the Ghanaians who crossed over last week.
posted by Kitteh at 11:40 AM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

but her e-mails...
posted by gatorae at 11:40 AM on February 11, 2017 [9 favorites]

The Republican Challenge

But if Republicans do not rise to that challenge, the terrible words will be pronounced against them: "Thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting."

What a heap of shit. The Republican's current position requires better than 2008 Obama results to flip the house and the Senate is theirs until at least 2020 even with swing states being disasters. They're doing exactly what they need to in order to keep their power. The electorate has no interest in punishing them for intransigence and pissing off liberals so they'll be intransigent and just piss off liberals.

The representatives are just giving their district's voters exactly what they ask for. Unless the Republican electorate stands up and says "I will take a Democrat over your shit" nothing will change.
posted by Talez at 11:42 AM on February 11, 2017 [8 favorites]

Ah yes, that bastion of integrity, the Daily Beast, says Canada is where Asshat should be concerned about terrorists.
posted by Kitteh at 11:42 AM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

What a heap of shit.

To be clear, the tl;dr of that article is "Republicans, you have a moral obligation to oppose Trump", and it's written by a prominent Republican.
posted by corb at 11:45 AM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

GOP flunkie tries "death panel" at his town hall to argue for ACA repeal

Spoiler alert: It doesn't go well.

I know the area where that town hall was held very well. It's all "newly weds and nearly deads" and about as red as FL gets. It's mostly retirees from up north who by and large subscribe to the "fuck-you-I-got-mine" mentality and the rest of the county is backwoods rural. If that was the response Bilirakis got it's an extremely positive sign. Just wait until he comes back to fill them in on Ryan's plan to privatize Medicare and Social Security. He'll get strung up by his heels.
posted by photoslob at 11:46 AM on February 11, 2017 [31 favorites]

this petraeus? i don't think that's a very good idea.
posted by j_curiouser at 11:47 AM on February 11, 2017

Congressman: Rarely used law could make Trump tax returns public

posted by futz at 11:50 AM on February 11, 2017 [12 favorites]

Congressman: Rarely used law could make Trump tax returns public

Rep. Bill Pascrell, a Democrat who serves on the Ways and Means Committee, has asked the committee’s chairman, Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas, to order the Treasury Department to provide tax returns to the committee. Brady's office did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

I got excited for a second there, but like every other solution out there, this still relies on an elected Republican taking a stand and therefore will not happen.
posted by saturday_morning at 11:53 AM on February 11, 2017 [13 favorites]

So, if Trump issues a new executive order on immigration from mostly Muslim countries, can he jurisdiction shop by getting a patsy to oppose the order, one minute after it is written, somewhere other than the Ninth Circuit?

By my NAL reading, Josh Blackman thinks the 9th Circuit request to vote for en banc yesterday might be to keep the EO under Appellate jurisdiction, which they can sit on, and if Trump issues a new one they can step right in and request judicial review:

So why the en banc call? I have a sinking suspicion that a liberal member of the court (you know who) did this as a defensive move. Once the case is remanded back to Judge Robart, he has full control. But so long as a sua sponte en banc call is pending, the Court of Appeals controls the case. It can linger indefinitely, even as other district courts (such as EDVA) resolve the matter. I can imagine a circumstance where the Trump Administration issues a new executive order, and then the en banc court grants review. Citing the voluntary cessation doctrine, the court says it will resolve the legality of the order. That posture gives the Ninth Circuit a head-start on the other circuits. This shortcuts the possibility that the district court in the interim modifies the scope of the temporary restraining order.

posted by rhizome at 12:03 PM on February 11, 2017 [10 favorites]

Chaffetz not buying anger at his town hall. Says protesters were outside agitators:

I hope the people who were at the town hall meeting show up at his office (or wherever) with their state ID's in hand to proclaim that they were there.
posted by futz at 12:03 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Yale's Calhoun College will be renamed in honor of Grace Murray Hopper GRD ’34, a United States Navy Rear Admiral who made pivotal advances in computer science, University President Peter Salovey announced Saturday.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:04 PM on February 11, 2017 [56 favorites]

As for Melania, I suspect she doesn't have her own money, so she takes the Kathy Lee Gifford playbook to a sweatshop in China and hands them a USB key with her logo on it.
posted by rhizome at 12:07 PM on February 11, 2017

Reporting live from the Michigan Democratic Party Spring 2017 State Convention:

We're told this is the largest turnout at any MDP state convention ever. Which is borne out by every room being crammed to bursting (the Progressive Caucus was in the biggest non-ballroom meeting room in Cobo, and it was at least 125 percent full). Reports are that most Congressional District caucuses had three or four times the usual number of people.

The longtime head of the ProgCaucus got turfed out in favor of a 24-year-old female former Bernie staffer, after voting was delayed for an hour because they ran out of colored slips of paper for people to vote with.

Every Dem politician who's anyone (or wants to be anyone) in Michigan has been glad-handing hard. There's clearly a lot of primary maneuvering going on for 2018 (Governor, AG, etc. are all being termed out).
posted by Etrigan at 12:13 PM on February 11, 2017 [54 favorites]

Corey Stewart, Trump's former Virginia campaign chair and overall human ballbag, is running for governor of Virginia. He tried to hold a rally in Charlottesville to defend a statue of Robert E Lee that the city council voted to remove. It didn't go well.
posted by peeedro at 12:14 PM on February 11, 2017 [9 favorites]

Fuck yeah Grace Hopper.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 12:15 PM on February 11, 2017 [16 favorites]

Yale's Calhoun College will be renamed in honor of Grace Murray Hopper GRD ’34, a United States Navy Rear Admiral who made pivotal advances in computer science, University President Peter Salovey announced Saturday.

JOY. I felt joy when I read this. Hopper still debugging the system after all these years.
posted by dis_integration at 12:19 PM on February 11, 2017 [23 favorites]

Yale's Calhoun College will be renamed in honor of Grace Murray Hopper GRD ’34, a United States Navy Rear Admiral who made pivotal advances in computer science, University President Peter Salovey announced Saturday.

OMFG. I am usually not even slightly proud of my alma mater as an institution, but today, I do feel pretty fucking good. To not only get rid of that awful fucking name, but to replace it with this badass old lady.

:D :D :D :D
posted by joyceanmachine at 12:23 PM on February 11, 2017 [15 favorites]

Tens of thousands marching in North Carolina today in the NAACP's Moral March.
posted by zachlipton at 12:24 PM on February 11, 2017 [43 favorites]

To be clear, the tl;dr of that article is "Republicans, you have a moral obligation to oppose Trump", and it's written by a prominent Republican.

We've seen countless of these things since his nomination, and they've repeatedly lined up behind his every move anyway, every single time. Why should we ever expect anything to change without evidence of elected Republicans taking actual, concrete, provable, public, steps to oppose him?

Put up, or stop writing NeverTrump slashfic and expecting us to believe it for one nanosecond.
posted by T.D. Strange at 12:26 PM on February 11, 2017 [30 favorites]

Louise Mensch's twitter feed is obviously full of rank speculation. But has anyone dug into the flight tracking data she claims shows connections between Trump and FSB itineraries?
posted by Coventry at 12:30 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

re:Chaffetz (and recent republican town halls in general): it's awesome that we've gotten to the point in representative democracy where elected representatives accuse constituents who disagree with them of being agents provocateurs
posted by murphy slaw at 12:31 PM on February 11, 2017 [7 favorites]

Mensch is not to be trusted. She is a Murdoch hack full stop.
posted by PenDevil at 12:32 PM on February 11, 2017 [8 favorites]

Town hall erupts in jeers after GOP official lies about ACA ‘death panels’
posted by T.D. Strange at 12:41 PM on February 11, 2017 [9 favorites]

Remember when Spicer told us he didn't think the President owns a bathrobe? In 2006, Ivanka told the world on The Apprentice that he wears a pink bathrobe.

In other news, 2017 apparently means that a NYT reporter (and I guess me too) is tweeting about a reality TV clip about a man's bathrobe. Man, this timeline sucks.
posted by zachlipton at 12:44 PM on February 11, 2017 [12 favorites]

PenDevil, it's hard not to feel spammed by everything that's going on these days, but a verifiable and seemingly highly informative claim like this is going to at least get minimal scrutiny, no matter what the source.
posted by Coventry at 12:44 PM on February 11, 2017

Mensch is not to be trusted and I've stopped following her. BUT in a way she reminds me of what Glenn Greenwald was during Bush. And he was right then. He was not right before and he is not right now and he is an ass. But circumstances made him a receptacle of truth for a brief period of time. I'm not saying Mensch is that, and I'm not reading her stuff because I'm hardened and sad. I'm just hoping someone else is keeping an eye on her work.
posted by mumimor at 12:46 PM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

The march in Raleigh was inspiring. My daughter and I got there 8:30ish (she really hated getting up that early on Saturday) and listened to speakers and music until the march itself began around 10. The NC NAACP did a great job of organizing the event.

If possible, please consider swelling the crowd at protest marches. Even though I'm an introvert, I got a real charge out of cheering and chanting with so many people.
posted by kingless at 12:46 PM on February 11, 2017 [51 favorites]

Can I ask what is probably a hopelessly naive question about ICE and immigration enforcement? Namely, how do these raids work? What is the probable cause given for knocking on someone's door and demanding proof of citizenship or residency status? Are they targeting people already somehow in the system as undocumented? Can ICE simply ask anyone to prove their citizenship status? What if someone simply refuses to talk to them?

I'm well aware there's often a huge gap between what is on the ACLU guide cards and what happens in the real world, I get that. But what is the legal basis for these kinds of enforcement actions?
posted by werkzeuger at 12:47 PM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

Chaffetz not buying anger at his town hall. Says protesters were outside agitators:

Note that "outside agitators" is a dogwhistle, hearkening back to segregationist claims that marches and protests during the Civil Rights era were solely the work of "outside agitators". Chaffetz knows exactly what he's doing in using that phrase.
posted by jedicus at 12:48 PM on February 11, 2017 [50 favorites]

Why should we ever expect anything to change without evidence of elected Republicans taking actual, concrete, provable, public, steps to oppose him?

Because organizing takes work. To get people to act against Trump requires people speaking from within their cultural milieu, such that each individual can feel supported that they are taking an appropriate decision that has a place in that cultural context. For Republicans to act against Trump, it is crucial that they be able to do so without feeling like it makes them Democrats. When influential Republicans write these pieces, they're not for you - they're to influence the background of people like themselves. I provided it not to convince you, but because many people have asked for articles they can give to Republican family members, etc.

Resisting fascism requires a broad effort from multiple spheres of society. I am completely puzzled as to your anger at people who are trying to contribute to that effort.
posted by corb at 12:51 PM on February 11, 2017 [31 favorites]

umm who is this guy again?

My go to source for a quick overview of wingnuts for years has been: http://wonkette.com/?s=Politician+Name

Chuck Grassley.

Steve King gonna Steve King, I guess.

Steve King.
posted by juiceCake at 12:54 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Chaffetz not buying anger at his town hall. Says protesters were outside agitators

Outside of America?
posted by srboisvert at 1:02 PM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

When influential Republicans write these pieces, they're not for you - they're to influence the background of people like themselves. I provided it not to convince you, but because many people have asked for articles they can give to Republican family members, etc.

Yeah, this. Thanks, I've got plenty of Republican family members, and if we want to get Republican elected officials to act differently- then we have to get to them any way we can. My parents' Republican senator isn't going to listen to me, because I'm not living there anymore and because I'm a lefty, but they might listen to my parents. (No, not immediately, but eventually.)

Also, 2018 isn't impossible re: House or Senate. Although past performance is not indicative of future results-- the amount of seats needed is not above actual waves that have happened in the last two decades. And gerrymandering does get less effective as people move around and as political realignment happens. Giving up and saying "oh we're all screwed" is how we all get screwed.
posted by nat at 1:02 PM on February 11, 2017 [12 favorites]

What we need is about a million or two californians to strategically redistribute themselves to states and districts that can then be won by people we already have on the left.
posted by OHenryPacey at 1:06 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

I suppose from my perspective, it's hard to feel like the NeverTrump stuff inside the Repubilcan Party has much traction, given that prominent NeverTrump congressmen are rubber-stamping his stuff right now.
posted by Archelaus at 1:06 PM on February 11, 2017 [16 favorites]

Resisting fascism requires a broad effort from multiple spheres of society. I am completely puzzled as to your anger at people who are trying to contribute to that effort.

Yes, we need a broad coalition. But I think you can see (and I think you yourself understand) the anger that exists at Republicans who *do* have some influence over elected GOP representatives, a.k.a. the group of several hundred individuals who actually have the power to end this before the United States descends into some variety of chaos and/or dictatorship and are not doing *absolutely everything in their power* to wield that influence.

It's just not "Bill Kristol writes a concerned editorial" time anymore. That was 12 months ago. What can Bill Kristol do beyond that? I don't fully know -- I no longer really understand how influence works in the GOP. But with all these NeverTrumpers, I think they're ultimately not exercising their influence (or in the case of electeds, I know they're not using their actual votes) as much as they could.

They're still hoping they don't have to get too uncomfortable, or ally with their historical opposition, the Democrats. They're still living in a fantasy which will, if not broken, doom all of us.
posted by tivalasvegas at 1:07 PM on February 11, 2017 [35 favorites]

And gerrymandering does get less effective as people move around and as political realignment happens.

The thing about gerrymandering is that it gives you much more political power than you would otherwise receive in normal years... but is very sensitive to wave elections where you can get wiped out. Because with gerrymandering you want your opponent to win his or her elections by wide margins and your candidates to win by narrow margins. The narrower those margins you are willing to tolerate, the more you can stretch your advantage.

But then if there is a 10 point wave you get wiped out.
posted by Justinian at 1:08 PM on February 11, 2017 [26 favorites]

What is the probable cause given for knocking on someone's door and demanding proof of citizenship or residency status? Are they targeting people already somehow in the system as undocumented?

I'm not an expert, but from what I've been reading and hearing the last couple days, ICE is claiming they are targeting known criminal undocumented people. (They may have said felony.) But if they encounter other undocumented people in the course of their operations to get known criminals, then they are also detaining those people. I think that's the legal band-aid they are claiming.

Meaning, say they know there is an undocumented immigrant who is suspected of a felony and they have some information he lives at a particular apartment complex (and of course this is in a heavily Hispanic area and complex). So they go knocking on every door in the place, asking for ID to find this one person. And if they HAPPEN to find other undocumented immigrants TOTALLY BY ACCIDENT OF COURSE, well, they "do their jobs."
posted by threeturtles at 1:13 PM on February 11, 2017 [7 favorites]

If you tell a LEO you're an immigrant, they can require you to show documentation of your status. This happened to me once around 2012. The officer told me the relevant statute, but I've since forgotten it. Presumably they can arrest you if you refuse to provide documents.
posted by Coventry at 1:27 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

Yale's Calhoun College will be renamed in honor of Grace Murray Hopper GRD ’34, a United States Navy Rear Admiral who made pivotal advances in computer science, University President Peter Salovey announced Saturday.

Boula boula! If anyone wants a copy of Yale President Peter Salovey's lengthy email announcing the change and detailing the reasons, MeMail me.
posted by carmicha at 1:29 PM on February 11, 2017

They're still hoping they don't have to get too uncomfortable, or ally with their historical opposition, the Democrats.

No, they're actively covering for foreign intervention in our election. They're actively bringing about the end our democracy, naturally with them in power, rather than be seen by their rabid base as voting with the Democrats against the God Emperor. But we're supposed to believe enough editorials from Mitt Romney and alleged backroom negotiations over a bowl of borsch are going to persuade Rubio or McCain to have a spine.

That's bullshit. It has been from the beginning. They're all complicit. They're never going to give up tax cuts and racist crackdowns and destroying the welfare state, not for any political cost that can be imposed from the inside. It's too late for that. The only way to recover or have a future as a coutry is to defeat as many of them as possible.

And yes, that means working to elect Democrats instead. If that's the bridge too far, we've already lost.
posted by T.D. Strange at 1:30 PM on February 11, 2017 [36 favorites]

I'm with corb here: repeated "#Never is a myth" stuff feels like points-scoring in a game that doesn't need to be played. Assume the worst of the elected GOP and move on.
posted by holgate at 1:41 PM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

Trump's 1990 Playboy interview perfectly lays out his view of the world

The Playboy article linked and quoted in the article sound just like he talks/thinks today.
posted by futz at 1:52 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Chaffetz says paid protesters are hounding him. Reporters can’t find a single one.
posted by Room 641-A at 1:55 PM on February 11, 2017 [14 favorites]

Louise Mensch's twitter feed is obviously full of rank speculation. But has anyone dug into the flight tracking data she claims shows connections between Trump and FSB itineraries?

If she's got something important to say, she should try writing it down in sentences and paragraphs.
posted by diogenes at 1:57 PM on February 11, 2017 [8 favorites]

But if Republicans do not rise to that challenge, the terrible words will be pronounced against them: "Thou art weighed in the balance and found wanting."

Corb, I agree with your point that we need to make common cause with any Trump-opposed Republicans that we can, but nevertheless I find Bill Kristol's statement here quite galling. The weighing was last year, at the RNC, when the Republicans holding and seeking office had a chance to say, "I'm here, I'm a Republican, but I'm an American first, and I cannot support this man for President." Nearly all of them failed to do so, and even those who made a show of making a principled stand later crawled back into bed with him. The writing is already on the wall, and the nation is being divided: mene mene tekel upharsin. The great sin has already been committed. The Republicans holding national and state offices have already failed the easiest moral test of our time. The only opportunity they have now is to atone for their error by asking forgiveness of the American people and committing themselves to working to limit the consequences of their earlier cowardice. Every day they fail to do so only compounds their sin.

Maybe Bill Kristol's article is what some Republicans need to hear in order to feel safe opposing Trump. But I think it only reinforces the idea that being Republican comes before being American, which was one of the roots of Trump's victory.
posted by biogeo at 1:59 PM on February 11, 2017 [44 favorites]

Put up, or stop writing NeverTrump slashfic and expecting us to believe it for one nanosecond.

That may be fine for Up East, but here far from the centers of power, I don't expect 60% of my neighbors that vote to have a sudden epiphany or make an existential leap to the D side, so I'm pretty happy to see Repubs moving the window away from totalitarianism even just with words. Sense Dems don't give a shit about running anyone for office out here, if not the Repubs, who?
posted by ridgerunner at 2:00 PM on February 11, 2017 [7 favorites]

me, earlier: They're still hoping they don't have to get too uncomfortable, or ally with their historical opposition, the Democrats.

No, they're actively covering for foreign intervention in our election. They're actively bringing about the end our democracy, naturally with them in power, rather than be seen by their rabid base as voting with the Democrats against the God Emperor. But we're supposed to believe enough editorials from Mitt Romney and alleged backroom negotiations over a bowl of borsch are going to persuade Rubio or McCain to have a spine.


I agree with this response as well as my original comment. You're (correctly) addressing what the effects of their in/actions are, I was speaking to their hope that they can avoid risk to their careers and/or their political agenda.

And yes, that means working to elect Democrats instead. If that's the bridge too far, we've already lost.

Yes, the runaway train we're on is quickly approaching the final stop for a political end to the crisis. Republicans hold the brake. If they refuse to pull it, I don't know what will happen.
posted by tivalasvegas at 2:01 PM on February 11, 2017 [9 favorites]

Yes, the runaway train we're on is quickly approaching the final stop for a political end to the crisis. Republicans hold the brake. If they refuse to pull it, I don't know what will happen.

We take to the boats.
posted by Buntix at 2:24 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

I wonder if the border wall will just be a vast line of these gun-toting robots used in the Korean DMZ. Except made in Greater America, of course.
posted by Coventry at 2:32 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Remember this? When the world was young and so were we.
posted by HotToddy at 2:52 PM on February 11, 2017 [8 favorites]

Louise Mensch's twitter feed is obviously full of rank speculation. But has anyone dug into the flight tracking data she claims shows connections between Trump and FSB itineraries?

This flightplan stuff is not coming from her. She's getting it or riding other people's coat tails and claiming she's figuring it out. About a month ago I was reading about it from other people including a lady who took pictures of Trump's place and some Russian guy's private plane on the ground in a Charlotte airport. It all looked interesting and looked like there could be something that investigators might be interested in but it was hard to follow what was essentially crowd sourced info that is available to the public and determine what was fact and what was mere flights of fancy. (pun intended).
posted by Jalliah at 3:01 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

@realDonaldTrump: I am so proud of my daughter Ivanka. To be abused and treated so badly by the media, and to still hold her head so high, is truly wonderful!

I guess Shabbos is over.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 3:06 PM on February 11, 2017 [14 favorites]

What exactly did the media do to Ivanka? Report the news about Nordstrom?
posted by thelonius at 3:08 PM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

What exactly did the media do to Ivanka? Report the news about Nordstrom?

Way worse then that. They're reporting about things like sales numbers being down significantly in the last quarter and about how other places aren't selling or pulling back on her products because sales number.

The nerve of them.
posted by Jalliah at 3:13 PM on February 11, 2017 [28 favorites]

Constitution 7, Trump Administration 0.

The reality is that Democratic party policies, narratives, and strategies, for the last generation were part of the problem. From Bill Clinton to Barack Obama the Democrats failed to treat seriously the needs of the working class. The bailed out the banks but ignored the homeowners after the crash of 2008. Obama never moved on minimum wage when he could, he failed to push for the Employee Free Choice Act to help the labor unions, he did nothing to address the role of money in politics. Democrats across the country supported tax cuts that favored the rich. No, they did not support the wholesale attack on the welfare state but neither did they endorse a major restructuring of it to improve it. Instead, they went along with the thousand nicks and cuts that undermined it.

posted by ZeusHumms at 3:13 PM on February 11, 2017 [16 favorites]

It all looked interesting and looked like there could be something that investigators might be interested in but it was hard to follow what was essentially crowd sourced info that is available to the public and determine what was fact and what was mere flights of fancy.

I'm confident that the multi-agency task force that is investigating this stuff is sophisticated enough to look at flight records.
posted by diogenes at 3:19 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Namely, how do these raids work? What is the probable cause given for knocking on someone's door and demanding proof of citizenship or residency status?

I went to a "Know Your Rights" thing last night w my congressman and the NY AG and a bunch of immigrants rights groups/attorneys (spoiler alert: you basically have none and the ones you have will probably be ignored). Basically, they pretend that they have cause to believe an undocumented person w an outstanding warrant or criminal record is there (e.g. Someone with the same or similar name lived there at one time). Then they demand ID from everyone there and arrest anyone who can't prove their status. It's called collateral arrest. Latino Justice won a settlement (w promised policy changes) over it a few years back but clearly ICE is just ignoring that.
posted by melissasaurus at 3:23 PM on February 11, 2017 [13 favorites]

I'm confident that the multi-agency task force that is investigating this stuff is sophisticated enough to look at flight records.>

Exactly and while it was interesting to read and speculate about it is one of those fairly basic things that anyone investigating would look at.
posted by Jalliah at 3:24 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

Yale's Calhoun College will be renamed in honor of Grace Murray Hopper GRD ’34, a United States Navy Rear Admiral who made pivotal advances in computer science, University President Peter Salovey announced Saturday.

Yay! Should be its own FPP. This is also relevant to Minnesota, because Minneapolis has its own Lake Calhoun, named for the same Calhoun, and there have been efforts to rename that too.
posted by ZeusHumms at 3:26 PM on February 11, 2017 [9 favorites]

Yes, the Original Dakota name for Lake Calhoun is Mde Maka Ska or White Earth Lake.
posted by misterpatrick at 3:29 PM on February 11, 2017 [7 favorites]

Here's a spherical cow illustration of how gerrymandering is designed:

Say there is a state with 1,000,000 voters, divided into 10 districts of exactly 100,000 voters each. When your party controls the redistricting you draw those 10 districts such that the opposing party wins 3 districts by 90-10 margins, and you win 7 districts by 60-40 margins. That gives your party 7 seats to your opponents 3.

But look at the total vote tally. Your party only got 450k total votes while the opposing party got 550k total votes. Yes, the other party got 100k more votes than your guys but you control 7 seats to their 3 most of the time. That's what we have here in the United States in a lot of places, and it's how the electoral college works albeit to a much less radical extent.... though enough to swing two of the last five elections.

Now, say there is a 10 point wave. All of those 60-40 districts are basically tossups and all of a sudden you lose half of them, and now the other party has 6 or 7 seats to your 3 or 4.
posted by Justinian at 3:30 PM on February 11, 2017 [34 favorites]

HotToddy you made me cry.
Let's keep fighting so we can dance in the streets again.
posted by SyraCarol at 3:30 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

(Of course when the wave recedes you'll generally get those districts back... which is why it is very important that we turn out in 2018 and 2020, so that the Democrats control as many redistrictings as possible post 2020.)
posted by Justinian at 3:32 PM on February 11, 2017 [9 favorites]

Make the Road statement on five recent raids on Staten Island.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 3:39 PM on February 11, 2017

Latino Justice won a settlement (w promised policy changes) over it a few years back but clearly ICE is just ignoring that.

They probably feel the administration is going to fight instead of settling and suspending the practice.
posted by Talez at 3:42 PM on February 11, 2017

That may be a pre-emptive effort to keep SNL from including a genre-swapped Ivanka, probably played by Bobby Moynihan.

Nah. Kenan Thompson.
posted by waitingtoderail at 3:45 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Nah. Kenan Thompson.

In whiteface for the reverse racism bait.
posted by Talez at 3:47 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Nah. Kenan Thompson.

I was tempted to go there... maybe with Leslie Jones as Jared...
posted by oneswellfoop at 3:51 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Please apologies if this has already been posted but if it has not and you are feeling down listen to this woman talk about what right now might be. What our future may be. Part of Minister William Barber's movement out of North Carolina. Completely inspiring and may induce ugly crying in a really great way.
posted by dog food sugar at 3:53 PM on February 11, 2017 [41 favorites]

named for the same Calhoun

Tim Calhoun?
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 4:02 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

> listen to this woman talk about what right now might be.

Thank you DFS. That was wonderful.
posted by stonepharisee at 4:13 PM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

Tweet thread about "death panels"
posted by supercrayon at 4:14 PM on February 11, 2017 [23 favorites]

Tonight on SNL I'm hoping for a Putin/Donald update to Canteen Boy.
posted by rhizome at 4:19 PM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

North Korea has reportedly launched a ballistic missile test. Time to get this party started.
posted by Justinian at 4:19 PM on February 11, 2017

The Disastrous, Terroristic Rollout Of Trump’s Executive Orders Was Probably By Design
posted by Artw at 4:21 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

North Korea has reportedly launched a ballistic missile test. Time to get this party started.

So long it's been good to know you
posted by Rust Moranis at 4:22 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

We'll Meet Again.
posted by Justinian at 4:26 PM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

The Disastrous, Terroristic Rollout Of Trump’s Executive Orders Was Probably By Design

"Considering Bannon’s stated desire to cause chaos, as well as his staggering racism that views even legal immigration as a problem, it’s within reason to view this explosively disastrous and terroristic roll-out of Trump’s order as being at least partially by design."

Meh. I dunno. I'm less and less convinced by the "crazy like a fox" stories. They're incompetent. They've demonstrated this in many, many ways.

Yes, they're in a cozy and reality-defying position where being incompetent has secondary benefits. Chaos is a ladder and all that. But that doesn't mean they have a plan. No need to overthink it. They just suck.
posted by saturday_morning at 4:27 PM on February 11, 2017 [57 favorites]

North Korea has reportedly launched a ballistic missile test. Time to get this party started.

(BBC) Pyongyang has conducted a number of nuclear tests in the past year.

North Korea's repeated missile and nuclear tests and aggressive statements continue to alarm and anger the region.

The missile launch from Banghyon air base in North Pyongan province on the country's west coast is the first such test since US President Donald Trump took office.

Well, I guess I'm glad that there's an actual world leader with some understanding, one assumes, of the politics of the region who happens to be right in the room with President Trump at the moment. (Although the North Koreans are obviously aware of that as well -- maybe a sign that they want to push on Trump a bit while perceiving there's a safety net in that PM Abe is right there with him? Not sure what to make of that.)
posted by tivalasvegas at 4:35 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

And I'll add to my last comment -- not to criticize the people making the point, just as a gentle redirection -- that overthinking it is worse than a waste of time and energy, it's dangerous because it makes us timid at a time that is going to require a lot of bravery, afraid to make a false step and fall into a cleverly laid trap. There are no cleverly laid traps. There are traps, absolutely, but they are right out in the open.
posted by saturday_morning at 4:35 PM on February 11, 2017 [19 favorites]

Yay! Should be its own FPP. [Grace Murray Hopper]

Working on one right now. Hope to have it ready in a couple nanoseconds--
posted by miles per flower at 4:48 PM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

Sign o' the times
posted by TWinbrook8 at 4:49 PM on February 11, 2017 [19 favorites]

Tweet thread about "death panels"

Her story is my story. The last two weeks of my mother's life was spent with hospice care. She had as peaceful an end as can be imagined.

My aunt and I, who were my mother's daily caregivers, were helped immensely as well. We were both at the end of ropes giving my mother round the clock care, and my elderly aunt was not handling the strain very well. Neither was I, to be honest.

I'm sure the hospice care given was expensive, but I never once saw a bill. Every one involved was incredibly caring and professional. I wish there was a way to make the Republicans understand how important end-of-life care was to my family, and to countless other families. But I suspect there never will be. They cover themselves in cruelty for political gain.
posted by honestcoyote at 4:49 PM on February 11, 2017 [26 favorites]

Mod note: Unless and until the WaPo or NYT or similar source reports on Trumpian incest, speculating about it is a hard delete. It's gross, it's uncalled for, and please stop it. Surely there's plenty of terrible person material on all the Trumps without inventing triggering fan fic that trivializes incest.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 4:53 PM on February 11, 2017 [63 favorites]

Mod note: SNL Programming Note: The ruling is, people may discuss the political satire in-thread and try to post non-region-blocked links. Discussing the show as a whole or its artistic merit should go over to FanFare after the show. Try not to flood the thread with a billion one-liners. But West Coast people avoiding spoilers beware, people can discuss in real time so there may be spoilers. I'll post a note when the show starts so people can click that comment and pick back up there if they're trying to spoiler-dodge.
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 4:59 PM on February 11, 2017 [23 favorites]

Her story is my story.

It's pretty much everyone's story. 2015 for my mother had a similar arc, making healthcare decisions for my father. Everyone dies, and unless it comes suddenly, most of us end up eventually facing (or having our loved ones face for us) the choice between a lingering, expensive, incredibly constrained and painful existence, or a shorter period of comparative contentment. Both people and institutions skew towards the latter, and it's not out of a hardhearted willingness to let people die to save a few bucks.
posted by jackbishop at 5:07 PM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

The more I think about Steve Bannon, the more I think he is in over his head. He may be smart and well-read, but he seems to be so steeped in alt-right dark web mythology (not to mention booze) that he is probably not seeing the world clearly, because I doubt he or any of them predicted the depth of the pushback they are getting now. They all probably had completely convinced themselves that anyone who didn't support them was a libtard snowflake wimp from one of the coasts who wouldn't have the first clue what to do in the face of their awesome power.

Together, the bunch of them are brazen enough to do a lot of damage, but it does feel as though people have been outsmarting them.
posted by maggiemaggie at 5:13 PM on February 11, 2017 [27 favorites]

Eyebrows, heh! I was thinking of creating an early FanFare for SNL just so we could speculate. No spoilers, just imagination! It's close to the wire now anyway, so...nevermind.
posted by rhizome at 5:14 PM on February 11, 2017

North Korea has reportedly launched a ballistic missile test. Time to get this party started.

Today on NPR I heard an "expert" state that we should expect the PRK to attain the capability of delivering a nuclear warhead to North America "soon". This runs counter to analysis I've heard previously. Making a warhead small enough to deliver as a long-range payload isn't trivial.

So which is it? If they really aren't within realistic range of developing such a weapon then this is just alarmist bullshit and plays into Trumps's hands.
posted by Surely This at 5:17 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

I didn't hear the expert. But AFAIK they will likely develop a ballistic missile theoretically capable of carrying a nuclear payload to the continental US relatively soon but they are nowhere close to being able to make the payloads themselves.
posted by Justinian at 5:19 PM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

That's what I thought, but this guy made it sound like we're in mortal peril. Pisses me off.

I searched the NPR site but can't find a link. I thought it was on Weekend Edition Saturday, but I don't see anything there. Maybe another show?...
posted by Surely This at 5:22 PM on February 11, 2017

Yes, the DPRK have been in full "once we mount this truck trailer onto this pizza delivery bike you are screwed" rhetorical mode for quite a while. The fact that they still test in rooms the size of small houses does suggest that it won't be coming that soon.

TBH, their best delivery option is probably a tunnel under Seoul.
posted by jaduncan at 5:30 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

Who is smarter, Trump or Kim Jong-un
posted by rhizome at 5:31 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

The phrase has a history
posted by rhizome at 5:33 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Who is smarter, Trump or Kim Jong-un

I read that out loud and my dog barked. So Mr. Hankers Good Boy is smarter than both.
posted by futz at 5:34 PM on February 11, 2017 [15 favorites]

The Playboy article linked and quoted in the article sound just like he talks/thinks today.

I may have misinterpreted your meaning, but that 1990 Playboy interview "sounded" absolutely nothing like he sounds today. The themes are the same (government's stupid, we're getting beat out there) but that was it.

I was worried maybe he's always had fractured syntax and careening thoughts that bounce against and past each other in the same sentence - maybe I misremembered retro-Trump. But he has not. 1990 DJT can still speak clearly, if boorishly.

The man is rapidly losing his mind, and his words, even more so than his actions, show it plainly. 1990 shows it in stark relief.
posted by petebest at 5:35 PM on February 11, 2017 [13 favorites]

The timeline of Trump's ties with Russia lines up with allegations of conspiracy and misconduct

For anyone who is still a bit confused about the Steele Dossier/Russian connections/Players involved, this is the best explainer that I have seen. IMO it is excellent and damning.
posted by futz at 5:41 PM on February 11, 2017 [25 favorites]

Today on NPR I heard an "expert" . . .
So which is it? If they really aren't within realistic range of developing such a weapon then this is just alarmist bullshit and plays into Trumps's hands.

Seems like you're already there. I'd agree.
posted by petebest at 5:42 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

I will try to post the political SNL clips from Mediaite as soon as they come out, since they're usually good at posting non-geoblocked clips within 10 minutes or so after they air on the east coast.
posted by zachlipton at 5:44 PM on February 11, 2017 [7 favorites]

Who is smarter, Trump or Kim Jong-un

KJU seems to me like a solid C-student, IQ 100, staunchly average type of brain. Which beats Trump by an order of magnitude.
posted by saturday_morning at 5:46 PM on February 11, 2017 [10 favorites]

WashingtonMonthly: The Democrats Can’t Sit Still and Win

It’s inescapable at this point that the demographics and politics of our country have evolved in a way that the Democrats cannot rely on getting more votes or having more popular support to translate into having more power. And that’s before we even begin discussing things like the power of Fox News, talk radio, fake news, and Vladimir Putin. It’s before we talk about the effectiveness of Republican efforts to suppress our vote.

...

There’s no choice but for the party to change, and not in ways that it wants to change. I don’t want some of the changes that need to be made. But the Republicans’ advantages are currently so great that we cannot get any accountability. And, soon, there’s a real risk of a breakdown in public order when people finally realize that our country is no longer even passingly representative.

posted by ZeusHumms at 5:56 PM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

Relevant content re: the madness of authoritarian rulers, via Comic Strip of the Day, from a 40-year-old Doonesbury when Duke was an envoy to China and 'Honey' was a translator for Mao.
posted by oneswellfoop at 6:00 PM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

KJU seems to me like a solid C-student, IQ 100, staunchly average type of brain. Which beats Trump by an order of magnitude.

I would say that runs counter to the evidence that he's managed to survive this long in a regime that is likely full of people who would rather kill him and take charge.
posted by indubitable at 6:00 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Lots of discussion about the 9th circuit smackdown of the travel ban EO, but I haven't seen as much for this recent court ruling on the fiduciary rule.
posted by C'est la D.C. at 6:06 PM on February 11, 2017 [40 favorites]

Here's my prediction for posterity:

Trump is impeached for his connections to Russia before October.
posted by diogenes at 6:10 PM on February 11, 2017 [12 favorites]

Good find, C'est la D.C.. That's awesome news and I hadn't heard anything about it. These guys are so fucking incompetent, it's such a relief sometimes.
posted by saturday_morning at 6:16 PM on February 11, 2017

Here's my prediction for posterity:

An inpeachment metatalk prediction thread might be in order...
posted by peeedro at 6:18 PM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

An inpeachment metatalk prediction thread might be in order...

that's when we shove trump and bannon into a giant peach and roll them out of washington, right
posted by murphy slaw at 6:20 PM on February 11, 2017 [26 favorites]

BillMoyers.com: How the Indivisible Movement is Fueling Resistance to Trump

A group of former congressional staffers put a document online two months ago to help mobilize citizens. To everyone's surprise it has grown into a genuine citizens' movement.

Document & movement: Indivisible Guide
posted by ZeusHumms at 6:22 PM on February 11, 2017 [21 favorites]

Yes, that John Dean.

@JohnWDean
If Michael Flynn survives lying to Pence, Priebus & Spicer, Trump is either complicit or compromised by Putin or both!
posted by chris24 at 6:33 PM on February 11, 2017 [15 favorites]

>@JohnWDean
If Michael Flynn survives lying to Pence, Priebus & Spicer, Trump is either complicit or compromised by Putin or both!

I would amend that to: complicit, compromised, and an idiot. Checks out.
posted by lydhre at 6:39 PM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

Metafilter: complicit, compromised, and an idiot.
posted by peeedro at 6:44 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

That Steele document on the Russian Pee Party kompromat is just seven months old (July 2016). Lots of details on Trump campaign dealings.

Never read the buzzfeed stuff, I gather this is the source. Whaa. Makes Watergate look like . . a . . water ballon fight? If true, of course.

The Trumpkin group's unimpeachable high moral and ethical code makes that highly *snkk* unlikely. *fnee*
posted by petebest at 6:51 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

Never read the buzzfeed stuff, I gather this is the source.

buzzfeed published the document when nobody else would so they are the source in this case or am I misreading what you are saying? I mean, there was a source docu but not public until buzzfeed made it so.
posted by futz at 7:01 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Congresswoman on the run: Activists plan to hold town hall in Rep. Comstock’s Northern Virginia district — with or without her.
posted by peeedro at 7:10 PM on February 11, 2017 [37 favorites]

Trump is impeached for his connections to Russia before October.

Counter prediction: After beginning a war with Iran, Bannon moves to consolidate Trump's power, and he rules until his death, in 2027. The ambiguity of "he" there is deliberate.
posted by dis_integration at 7:12 PM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

Trump and Abe apparently delivering "joint statement" in ~15 minutes.

Poll: Will the subject be golf scores, North Korea, or other?
posted by mudpuppie at 7:18 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Trump is impeached for his connections to Russia before October.

October 2019, maybe, if the Dems take control of congress in 2018. I'd give 20 to 1 against with the Republicans in control of the decision.
posted by Coventry at 7:19 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

Link to statement (not yet live).
posted by mudpuppie at 7:27 PM on February 11, 2017

Trump and Abe apparently delivering "joint statement" in ~15 minutes.

Poll: Will the subject be golf scores, North Korea, or other?

He's just gonna stall for time and try to keep people from flipping over to the SNL cold open.
posted by contraption at 7:29 PM on February 11, 2017 [12 favorites]

I hope that it isn't about NK. They should just ignore that, especially at 11pm on a Saturday night.

Or maybe donnie is going to say something against all common sense & Abe will tackle him on live TV. Could donnie be timing this to try and draw attention away from SNL? hmmm.
posted by futz at 7:30 PM on February 11, 2017

Poll: Will the subject be golf scores, North Korea, or other?

"The finger joint's connected to the wrist joint. The wrist joint's connected to the elbow joint..."

See, it's a *joint* statement. About joints! I'll be here all week.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:31 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

buzzfeed published the document when nobody else would

Yes, sorry that's what I meant. The domain is documentcloud.org uploaded by @buzzfeed. If it pans out as the actual document, and is even close to being true - it . . the . . GOP . . it . .

I mean, that's about as fucked up as any political story *could* get. Outside of Pizzagate which I think we can all agree was 110% true.
posted by petebest at 7:34 PM on February 11, 2017

He's just gonna stall for time and try to keep people from flipping over to the SNL cold open.

That's actually really brilliant. I don't buy it.
posted by mudpuppie at 7:35 PM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

People can multitask.. SNL on the TV, Trump's shitshow on youtube.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 7:37 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

that's when we shove trump and bannon into a giant peach and roll them out of washington, right

I believe the tradition is light rail. It has to be light once you add to the rail their tarred and feathered protesting bodies.
posted by rough ashlar at 7:37 PM on February 11, 2017

Perfectly normal time for a press conference between two world leaders
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 7:38 PM on February 11, 2017 [13 favorites]

petebest - there's confirmation for portions of that document - mostly US IC saying things like "We can confirm some of the conversations described actually took place" ... and that's about it for direct verification *that I know of*. There's some wrangling about timelimes being matched after the fact and all, but nothing definitive that I've seen elsewhere.
posted by Enturbulated at 7:39 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

It's a North Korea statement.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:40 PM on February 11, 2017

It seems to be more of a Japan-driven press conference than a Trump-driven press conference. It's audio only, so there's no way of telling whether Trump's in his bathrobe.
posted by mudpuppie at 7:41 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

lol holy shit
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 7:41 PM on February 11, 2017

The Japanese PM sounds like he has a gun pointed at his head in this statement.
posted by Yowser at 7:41 PM on February 11, 2017

Odds on Il Toupe not ditching into a tirade about Cjhynah?
posted by petebest at 7:42 PM on February 11, 2017

Well that was a big ol' WTF.
posted by mudpuppie at 7:42 PM on February 11, 2017

Don't you think he sounds tired?
posted by peeedro at 7:42 PM on February 11, 2017 [12 favorites]

Everyone look at the 1987 ad Trump put out in the NYT.

Read it right now.

It's another shakedown.
posted by Yowser at 7:44 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

I mean, if he said more, he'd probably say something horrible. So maybe this is a good thing?
posted by zachlipton at 7:45 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

For reference.
posted by Yowser at 7:45 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Steele's a HUMINT specialist: source cultivation, networks of influence. The SIGINT people are trying to corroborate, and apparently making progress.
posted by holgate at 7:45 PM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

This was important enough to host a press conference at 11pm?

It's mid-afternoon in Tokyo.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 7:45 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

This was important enough to host a press conference at 11pm?

When North Korea does a missile test shortly before, sure.
posted by Talez at 7:46 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Abe, after all he has seen and heard has got to want to get the fuck out of the US.

And no, NK firing a missile was not worthy of this super lame "press conference". Did anyone check to see if Abe's eyes were blinking out a distress signal?
posted by futz at 7:53 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

After delivering his one sentence, he sort of meandered away from the podium and sulked off to the side while it was translated into Japanese
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 7:54 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

Needed the usual post-production editing process from Mark Burnett's team to be ready for Prime Time.
posted by oneswellfoop at 7:56 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Abe:
North Korea's most recent missile launch is absolutely intolerable.
North Korea must fully comply with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
During the summit meeting that I had with President Trump, he assured me that the United States will always with Japan 100% and to demonstrate his determination as well as commitment he is now here with me at this joint press conference.
President Trump and I myself completely share the view that we are going to promote further collaboration between the two nations and also we are going to further reinforce our alliance.
That is [all] from myself.

Trump
Thank you very much Mr. Prime Minister. I just want everybody to understand and fully know that the United States of America stands behind Japan it's great ally 100%. Thank you.

[all] was a bit indistinct to me, I know it was something not quite like that. Line breaks on Abe are where the pauses for translation took place.]
posted by Enturbulated at 7:58 PM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

11pm worthy.
posted by MattWPBS at 8:00 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

It takes time to fuel up those rockets, it shows up on the satellite surveillance. This was not a surprise to the intelligence and defense community in the US or Japan. Trump and Abe spent a whole two days pretending to be bff's for a reason.

You may unclench now.
posted by peeedro at 8:01 PM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

11pm worthy

That wasn't for the United States.. That wasn't even planned by Trump&Co. That was all Abe.

In retrospect, it makes perfect sense that NK would act in an antagonistic way to Japan while Abe was here visiting Trump. They get to rattle two cages at once.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 8:03 PM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

Sarah Jeong is running a newsletter covering developments in the "airport cases" (court cases about the airport detentions/travel ban/immigration ban/Muslim ban/whatever you call it). The first edition just came out and it's chock full of equal parts legal analysis and snark, with some excellent low-res graphics. Highly recommended if that kind of thing interests you.
posted by zachlipton at 8:04 PM on February 11, 2017 [14 favorites]

Abe for President 2020!
posted by saysthis at 8:07 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

I'm so tired and I want to watch SNL! I feel like I'm a little kid again who has been given permission to stay up and watch a special show but I'm so damn tired and the struggle...such a struggle.
posted by Jalliah at 8:08 PM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

That was all Abe.

Yeah. The "to demonstrate his determination... he is now here with me" part was all a bit "see, I got him to come out here past his bedtime." And KJU got to do the "loook at meeeeeee" thing again.
posted by holgate at 8:10 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

I am gonna do the "I'm on the West Coast and Medivate is gonna post the videos for me soon soon soon and I don't even have to stay up to watch it" dance.

I hope it's just all Trump sketches, to be honest. One and a half hours of making fun of the guy. Probably won't be, but I wish.
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:11 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

I was thinking they could do super-long sketches, like 20min, news, music, 20min, music, 5min capper. Or an entire-episode one. Probably takes more than a week to put something like that together.
posted by rhizome at 8:14 PM on February 11, 2017

Sarah Jeong is running a newsletter covering developments in the "airport cases"

Good stuff. Thanks, zachlipton!
posted by MonkeyToes at 8:15 PM on February 11, 2017

DNC forum roars over GOP silencing of Elizabeth Warren

Sounds great until you read this:

With only two weeks left before the vote takes place at a February 23 Atlanta meeting where the 447 DNC members will vote for the next chairman...

...After the forum, which didn't break any new ground, those in attendance explained why it was important for the party to talk about Warren and other Democratic efforts to resist the Trump administration.

C'mon Dems!
posted by futz at 8:18 PM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

There's nothing that kills SNL deader than when they spend half a decade using sketches that are 50%+ too long.
posted by Yowser at 8:18 PM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

2012

@realDonaldTrump
We can’t even stop the Norks from blasting a missile. China is laughing at us. It is really sad.
posted by chris24 at 8:22 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

The local news comes on before SNL and... honestly I will like to inquire about two things:

1. Is O'Fallon IL, site of snake theft, actually that near St. Louis?
2. Will someone rid us of this turbulent orange administration?
posted by lineofsight at 8:23 PM on February 11, 2017

the Norks?
posted by peeedro at 8:24 PM on February 11, 2017 [11 favorites]

Alex Jones is only a year older than me. I now feel like a paragon of health.
posted by Artw at 8:25 PM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

...from Ork?
posted by palomar at 8:26 PM on February 11, 2017

the Norks?

The Moops.
posted by Artw at 8:26 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

wtf is norks a thing? or a dorump thing?
posted by futz at 8:27 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

Snorks?
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 8:28 PM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

the Norks?

I'm gonna go with him having just seen the Hobbit.
posted by nubs at 8:28 PM on February 11, 2017

Mod note: This is your SNL one minute spoiler warning! Click on the time stamp on this comment as a convenient anchor if you want to drop out and come back after you've seen it!
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 8:29 PM on February 11, 2017 [7 favorites]

Wikipedia says (among other things):

Norks is slang (originally and principally Australian English) for breasts
Nork is a slang word for North Koreans

Given that we're talking about Trump, it's hard to tell which he meant.
posted by zachlipton at 8:30 PM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

there'll be plenty of time to make fun of his typos when the snorks have the bomb and we're all waiting for the end
posted by queenofbithynia at 8:31 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

Unique New York Unique You Nork
posted by MrVisible at 8:32 PM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

I'm gonna go with him having just seen the Hobbit.

Or maybe a door marked pirate.
posted by peeedro at 8:33 PM on February 11, 2017

Let's not forget that Abe is a right wing ideologue whose policies are not very well liked by a substantial portion of the Japanese populace.

There is a general feeling of trepidation in Japan right now, wondering what specifically is going to be expected in return for "standing behind Japan 100%." Or perhaps what has already been demanded and agreed upon over the last two days, but hasn't been disclosed yet.
posted by entropical punch at 8:36 PM on February 11, 2017 [21 favorites]

SNL is still way too white. Cold open was ok. Not nearly as good as last week but perhaps it just needs to marinate a bit.
posted by futz at 8:41 PM on February 11, 2017

Clip - SNL Cold Open: Melissa Mccarthy as Sean Spicer
posted by zachlipton at 8:44 PM on February 11, 2017 [9 favorites]

Snorks?

No, Snorks.
posted by tobascodagama at 8:53 PM on February 11, 2017

I want one of those podiums
posted by flatluigi at 8:54 PM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

aw "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" was a good joke

the open was just as good as last week, it just don't register as much because they did it again just the same but twice as hard. which quite frankly, I like. SNL not being a complete waste of time and space is something I got to get used to slowly again so I like when they repeat themselves a bit
posted by queenofbithynia at 8:54 PM on February 11, 2017 [17 favorites]

This Kellyanne/Jake Tapper sketch is making me SO UNCOMFORTABLE.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 8:55 PM on February 11, 2017 [14 favorites]

The problem with the world being so damn dark is that SNL is depressingly, accurately, very very dark indeed.
posted by zachlipton at 8:55 PM on February 11, 2017

I dug it. "Slaughter at Fraggle Rock"
posted by FelliniBlank at 8:56 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

SNL does a thing into the ground until its dead, that's been the shows motto for 40 years.
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:56 PM on February 11, 2017 [9 favorites]

Was that who I thought it was as Jeff Sessions?
posted by Superplin at 8:57 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

SEGWAYPODIUM
posted by jenfullmoon at 8:57 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Olivia Nuzzi: Prediction: the White House will use that sexist skit to dismiss all criticisms of Conway and lying more broadly.
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:58 PM on February 11, 2017

definitely more cowbell Segway this time.
posted by holgate at 8:58 PM on February 11, 2017

Also, if Spicey played by a woman gave Trump pause, lord knows what the accessories will do, especially those accessories.
posted by FelliniBlank at 8:58 PM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

Trump probably won't like that Kellyanne skit one bit.
posted by gatorae at 8:59 PM on February 11, 2017

Okay, well, I'm enraged now. He thinks we're calling just to clog up his phone lines so that we can say his phone lines are busy. I mean. Wtf.

Senator Fuckface, sir, I have four kids who are at any given time having approximately 70 gajillion health crises. If you think there aren't approximately one thousand things I would rather be doing at naptime every day than call your fucking office trying to encourage you to be a goddamn human being -- well. You are wrong.

Let's make a deal. You get your head out of your ass and I'll stop calling you.

Did I mention this fills me with rage
posted by gerstle at 9:02 PM on February 11, 2017 [62 favorites]

I am hoping for a handshake skit. please please please :)
posted by futz at 9:02 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Clip - Kellyanne Conway and Jake Tapper

This is a dramatic turn from SNL's previous "Walking On Sunshine" portrayal of Kellyanne Conway. It's also not funny.
posted by zachlipton at 9:04 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

It's also not funny.

I thought it was hilarious! serious.
posted by futz at 9:06 PM on February 11, 2017 [15 favorites]

But omfg the WH will not be happy at all about that. at all.
posted by futz at 9:07 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

(The GE Millie Dresselhaus commercial made me legit tear up (video in page) and seems political in context.)
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:08 PM on February 11, 2017 [11 favorites]

I think it's playing on a bunch of movie tropes (Fatal Attraction apparently?) that end up reading too much as some pretty bad stereotypes.
posted by zachlipton at 9:08 PM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

> He thinks we're calling just to clog up his phone lines so that we can say his phone lines are busy.

The article begins:
"U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) says he's concerned some of his constituents can't reach his offices."

So he's concerned that people who are trying to call him can't get through because of all the people who are calling him, and he thinks people should stop calling him so he can take calls from the people who are calling him?

I'm not sure if it's worse if this is disingenuous, or if it actually reflects this guy's thought processes.
posted by Sing Or Swim at 9:11 PM on February 11, 2017 [37 favorites]

Ron Johnson is a very stupid man.
posted by holgate at 9:12 PM on February 11, 2017 [7 favorites]

There is a general feeling of trepidation in Japan right now, wondering what specifically is going to be expected in return for "standing behind Japan 100%." Or perhaps what has already been demanded and agreed upon over the last two days, but hasn't been disclosed yet.

Let's not forget that Japan and Russia are nextdoor neighbours who have been arguing about the placement of the picket fence between their properties since the neighbourhood was first built.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:12 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Of course zachlipton. Hilarious in the context of Conway though. She has 3 lives left so she's okay for now. It was edgy and will undoubtably be controversial but she is beyond fair game as far as I am concerned.
posted by futz at 9:13 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

You don't understand, too many of his constitutions that he doesn't care about are getting through.

So KEEP CALLING and vote the fucker out.
posted by Yowser at 9:13 PM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

(100% won't mean 100%.)
posted by Sys Rq at 9:13 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

I think it's playing on a bunch of movie tropes (Fatal Attraction apparently?)

It's playing on a pretty famous specific scene from Fatal Attraction.
posted by chris24 at 9:13 PM on February 11, 2017 [14 favorites]

It was shocking, which is a cousin of funny at least, and it had some emotional resonance for me, at least. I haven't actually seen Fatal Attraction,but I know the general idea and assumed it was a reference. The news media is in an unhealthy relationship with Kelly Anne, but slowly realizes there's something off about her.. and only realizes how bugfuck crazy she is when they try to break up?

The zombie thing I am guessing is less inspired by Fatal Attraction than by Kelly Anne's own undead affect.
posted by OnceUponATime at 9:14 PM on February 11, 2017 [7 favorites]

SNL has got itself into a weird place where it has (at least for everything up to Weekend Update) a target audience of one, and that's going to do weird things in the writers' room.
posted by holgate at 9:16 PM on February 11, 2017 [7 favorites]

I have a feeling there's a whole generation or two too young to get the fatal attraction reference.

They don't watch TV so it's no biggie.
posted by Yowser at 9:16 PM on February 11, 2017

Fatal Con-traction. With a bit of Death Becomes Her thrown in. Everything's coming up Conway, indeed.
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:17 PM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

I think it's playing on a bunch of movie tropes (Fatal Attraction apparently?) that end up reading too much as some pretty bad stereotypes.

SNL is not remotely capable of a good Fatal Attraction skit because the movie, in spite of all its misogyny, is about a guy destroying his marriage (country) for nothing more than his own selfish desire for sex (ratings) and thus a really biting parody would be an indictment of the Michael Douglas/Jake Tapper character for using Glenn Close/Kellyanne Conway as long as there's something she can do for him, and then hypocritically rejecting her once he has something to lose by keeping her close and something to gain by pretending it wasn't his idea to engage with her back in the beginning.

also it probably wouldn't be very funny if they did it right.
posted by queenofbithynia at 9:17 PM on February 11, 2017 [10 favorites]

Yeah, but they're not just doing jokes for the youngs anymore. We olds are watching it more closely than we have so they need to tool some jokes for us, too.
posted by Joey Michaels at 9:17 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Oh yes I forgot the target demo of 1 which actually will get the reference.

You know that he has a complete DVD library of Michael Douglas movies between about 1980-2000, including Romancing the Stone.
posted by holgate at 9:22 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

I'm old, but I haven't watched SNL live since before Fatal Attraction came out.
posted by bongo_x at 9:22 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Weekend Update, which is a lot of audience of one stuff. Some quotes:

Re his court tweet: "Trump's the guy who gets his ass kicked in an alley and says "let's take this outside."

"Jefferson Beauregard Sessions is our new Confederate General, sorry, I mean, Attorney General"

"I mean, Donald, is this really how you want to spend the last two years of your life"

Elizabeth Warren: "Nevertheless I persisted in making twitter my b".

Also with Warren: "It seems like you're always working. Aren't there other Democrats who can help you out with this? It's just me. It's me and Bernie and Shumer, that's Amy Shumer."
posted by zachlipton at 9:22 PM on February 11, 2017 [18 favorites]

Oh yes I forgot the target demo of 1 which actually will get the reference.

right, that SNL, high-brow, obscure and recherché as always

wait what

(I mean I promise more people know what happens in Fatal Attraction than have ever seen or heard, let's say, a cowbell. they know their audience well enough, even if they don't know much else.)

(oh right, that audience of one. still though. SNL never tries harder than they have to.)
posted by queenofbithynia at 9:24 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

Yeah, that SNL Conway/Tapper sketch was a parody of Fatal Attraction.
posted by Catblack at 9:24 PM on February 11, 2017

"I mean, Donald, is this really how you want to spend the last two years of your life"

I'm not watching/mediating but that made me laugh out loud.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 9:31 PM on February 11, 2017 [6 favorites]

I'm old, but I haven't watched SNL live since before Fatal Attraction came out.

I'm old, too (well, middle-aged) but I've never watched that garbage movie. Still thought the skit was hilarious.
posted by Coventry at 9:33 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

Ha, SNL Putin does the Trump pull-n-pat handshake!
posted by FelliniBlank at 9:34 PM on February 11, 2017

I thought it was funny, but then again I thought fatal instinct was hilarious.

brb watching Armand Asante
posted by Yowser at 9:37 PM on February 11, 2017

SNL Clip - Kate McKinnon as Elizabeth Warren on Weekend Update
posted by zachlipton at 9:38 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

Ha, SNL Putin does the Trump pull-n-pat handshake!

Putin is the one man that Trump will let win the tug.
posted by Flashman at 9:40 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

I saw the movie back in the day and mostly remember the rabbit :/

damn. I missed the pull-n-pat. and eww on the visuals that accompany that with the Rump and Put-in.
posted by futz at 9:40 PM on February 11, 2017

SNL Clip - The People's Court: Trump vs. the 9th Circuit
posted by zachlipton at 9:40 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

I've never seen Fatal Attraction, but it was clear just from the way skit played that it was a movie parody. It was obviously building on a "known" dynamic rather than creating a logic of its own. So despite not having seen the original, I was able to appreciate what they were doing.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 9:41 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Ok the Kellyanne Conway bit was great!
posted by mazola at 9:45 PM on February 11, 2017

Leslie Jones as Trump its_happening.gif
posted by tonycpsu at 9:45 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Lol Leslie Jones in a skit about wanting to play Trump. Fuck you, Milo.
posted by gatorae at 9:46 PM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

aw "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down" was a good joke

Yeah, it was.

Not to ruin a joke by explaining it, but it came up when the Melissa McCartney's Angry Spice was giving a list of make-believe terrorist attacks: The Bowling Green Massacre, The Horror at Six Flags, The Slaughter at Fraggle Rock, and The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.

The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down is a pretty wonderful southern rock anthem, a celebration of the lost cause and a portrayal of the sufferings of the dirt poor white southerners at the end of the Civil War. It's a narrative about what was lost when the nation was stitched back together and ignores the value of what was gained.
posted by peeedro at 9:46 PM on February 11, 2017 [12 favorites]

OMG this IS brilliant. Leslie Jones as tRUMP skit.
posted by futz at 9:47 PM on February 11, 2017

I'm worried about Abe and Trudeau, who have to be around Trump after he's seen Leslie Jones as him.
posted by zachlipton at 9:48 PM on February 11, 2017

Yeah, that SNL Conway/Tapper sketch was a parody of Fatal Attraction.

The bizarre thing about this, to me -- how many "classic" Saturday Night Live sketches can you think of? That answer will depend on your age, but anyone of voting age can probably think of at least a handful of SNL sketches that parodied some random pop culture zeitgeist from X years ago.

I honestly can't make any sort of comfortable prediction about whether SNL viewers three or five or ten or twenty years from now -- regardless of whether they watch it live or archived -- will know who Kellyanne Conway is, or who Sean Spicer is, or will understand what this whole madness is about.

I mean, I guess the best hope is that they won't automatically get what it was about, and that this will seem like a really weak and insipid period in SNL history where the show had nothing better to do than mimic minor government figures. That's our greatest hope right now -- that these SNL sketches won't make any sense in a couple or a few years. If they don't, it means we escaped and survived it. If they go down in history as canonical political pushback, we're screwed.
posted by mudpuppie at 9:48 PM on February 11, 2017 [7 favorites]

Or when somebody makes a movie about the Trump Administration, will we just think of it as 'another movie based on a SNL sketch'?

« Older Party on Wayne, party on Garth
posted by oneswellfoop at 9:52 PM on February 11, 2017 [7 favorites]

My feeling is that there is no way that SNL's commentary quietly slides into the memory hole. No way. If this turns out to be a burp in our collective memory then we have utterly failed.
posted by futz at 9:53 PM on February 11, 2017

The People's Court skit -- Putin did the handshake thingy to the Gibbon!
posted by OHenryPacey at 9:55 PM on February 11, 2017 [1 favorite]

The SNL cast may end up being heroes of the Resistance at the rate we're going.
posted by jenfullmoon at 9:59 PM on February 11, 2017 [14 favorites]

If Comcast wants anything from Trump's FCC, this will be SNL's final season.
posted by oneswellfoop at 10:00 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

"I want one day without a CNN alert that scares the hell out of me" does accurately capture the national mood for many right now.

Still looking for a clip of the Leslie Jones as Trump segment.
posted by zachlipton at 10:04 PM on February 11, 2017 [9 favorites]

PizzaGate vs Flat Earthers. It's like a game of Illuminati come to life.
posted by scalefree at 10:16 PM on February 11, 2017 [9 favorites]

Lesile Jones as Trump sketch.
posted by Coventry at 10:17 PM on February 11, 2017 [15 favorites]

mudpuppie: I think it'll be essential for historians. I remember some of Spitting Image, and at its peak, the press and sometimes broader public perceptions of UK figures were defined by the puppet caricatures shown on Sunday nights, and you wouldn't understand that in retrospect -- especially for minor Tory cabinet members and celebs -- without seeing it.
posted by holgate at 10:27 PM on February 11, 2017 [3 favorites]

TheConcourse (Deadspin) : Donald Trump Stunned To Learn Presidency Is An Actual Job, His First , a reaction/link to Politico's "Trump vexed by challenges, scale of government" (from earlier in the week).

“Being president is harder than Donald Trump thought,” begins the article, neatly capturing the blithe, criminal ignorance that characterizes both Trump himself and the many dozens of millions of morons who thought he should be the leader of the free world. Yes, being the president is a harder job than Donald Trump would expect, because Donald Trump had never previously held an actual job, because actually, spending your inheritance on a succession of failed cons is not an actual job.

posted by ZeusHumms at 10:42 PM on February 11, 2017 [68 favorites]

Holy CRAP, that Kellyanne Conway sketch. The court one didn't really hit for me (y'all've been making funnier jokes about that subject than they did), but OMFG, the Kellyanne one soared out of the park and hit the lights.
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 10:51 PM on February 11, 2017 [4 favorites]

The Jerusalem Post reports that Trump reassures Palestinians embassy not moving to Jerusalem

I am saddened that President Trump would risk damaging his integrity for political considerations, and can only hope that he will restore it by offering the sort of compromise for which he is well known. For instance, I'm sure Jared and Ivanka would be willing to offer coupons good for discounts off full-priced Ivanka Trump ladies' wear, to soften the blow.
posted by Joe in Australia at 10:58 PM on February 11, 2017 [7 favorites]

Meanwhile, Spicey has decided to spend some time this evening complaining on Twitter. He wants us to know that staffers didn't give him "several" water guns after the SNL sketch and that Brian Stelter is often wrong (Spicer is not a man who should be getting into any arguments about being wrong), that Washingtonian is wrong and should be mocked for its report that the White House is interviewing a replacement press secretary, and he retweeted a quote from the NYT article about his briefings: "you either tune in to watch @seanspicer defend the indefensible or to watch media bias in action"
posted by zachlipton at 11:04 PM on February 11, 2017 [5 favorites]

Speaking of the Illuminati card game, there was a Trump card.
posted by honestcoyote at 11:16 PM on February 11, 2017 [2 favorites]

Fans of The Amazing Race are familiar with the concept of "killer fatigue" (props to mefi's own Miss Alli), where after perhaps half a dozen legs and 10,000 miles of travel the teams land somewhere like India and the combination of jet lag, physical exhaustion, culture shock and nagging irritation with one's partner leads to bad decision-making and snippy emotional messiness.

Just saying.
posted by holgate at 11:22 PM on February 11, 2017 [17 favorites]

Lazy jokes are the only thing keeping me sane these days. I made one a week ago and then kind of never stopped. I have found it's liberating to just type up every shitty thing that comes to mind about this presidency into Twitter and then forget about it. I'm writing for an audience of none, I have no idea how people on TV are handling balancing their audiences of millions and one.
posted by bigbigdog at 12:44 AM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

North Korea has reportedly launched a ballistic missile test. Time to get this party started.

The nuke experts on Twitter say the missile was a weirdo, only hit 550km height vs expected 1400km. One guess is it had an inert second stage. Why do that? If you don't have the resources for a complete missile but want you want to make the news on the day of PM Abe's visit.
posted by scalefree at 12:47 AM on February 12, 2017 [11 favorites]

From Twitter: What Trump was supposed to say tonight.
posted by scalefree at 12:48 AM on February 12, 2017 [32 favorites]

trump2cash: This bot watches Donald Trump's tweets and waits for him to mention any publicly traded companies. When he does, it uses sentiment analysis to determine whether his opinions are positive or negative toward those companies. The bot then automatically executes trades on the relevant stocks according to the expected market reaction. It also tweets out a summary of its findings in real time at @Trump2Cash.

posted by Coventry at 1:25 AM on February 12, 2017 [15 favorites]

White nationalist movement growing much faster than Isis on Twitter. The study said that white nationalists are using the site with “relative impunity”.
posted by adamvasco at 1:38 AM on February 12, 2017 [19 favorites]

From Twitter: What Trump was supposed to say tonight.

That actually looks more inflammatory. Is our Donald learning?
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 2:09 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

Even a broken clock....
posted by mochapickle at 2:11 AM on February 12, 2017

@hdevreij
Hans de Vreij
Russia: a psychiatric hospital in the Sverdlovsk oblast has admitted the first patient claiming to be Donald Trump
posted by Coventry at 2:40 AM on February 12, 2017 [8 favorites]

He thinks we're calling just to clog up his phone lines so that we can say his phone lines are busy.

Eh, to me stuff like this and the ridiculous "Those are paid protestors" thing are not really bad news. If that's all they've got, they have to play those cards, because playing to the mouth-breathers is better than nothing. But the mouth breathers are already on their side no matter what, and outside of them, only so many people think "Yeah well at least I'm not ugly!" is a sick burn.

Of course, the Administration's working hard to proliferate the mouth-breathing segment of the population, so I might eat my words someday. But for now, when I hear those lame-ass spins, it tells me the Rs are on the defensive.
posted by Rykey at 2:44 AM on February 12, 2017 [8 favorites]

Holy CRAP, that Kellyanne Conway sketch.

THIS VIDEO IS NOT AVAILABLE IN YOUR COUNTRY.

Because the copyright holder is excruciatingly concerned about the 0.01% of Australians who would like to have a laugh at some American political satire.

I am not sure what they think they are gaining from this, or at risk of losing.
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:19 AM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

ubu, did you try the one at mediaite? I was able to see it (wow, good!), though not in the US.
posted by taz at 4:23 AM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

Tops as. She's apples.

Australian --> English: "This is good. Everything is OK"
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:33 AM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

In light of this: Trump’s Private Security Force: an Operational and Legal Swamp I would like to know more about this: Man fired from Trump flying role over battery charge appears at Mar-a-Lago.
We all know who Betsy de Vos's brother is don't we.
posted by adamvasco at 4:51 AM on February 12, 2017 [8 favorites]

That actually looks more inflammatory. Is our Donald learning?

Learning how much he hates to read, yes. That's my only explanation here. He was like, "read this thing out loud, or just say one single sentence and go back to my pink bathrobe?" and he made his choice.
posted by dis_integration at 4:59 AM on February 12, 2017 [6 favorites]

Wikipedia says (among other things):

Norks is slang (originally and principally Australian English) for breasts
Nork is a slang word for North Koreans

Given that we're talking about Trump, it's hard to tell which he meant.

North Koreans. I've spent most of my life in Australia and have never once, not ever, not even in passing heard "norks" as slang for goon balloons.
posted by UbuRoivas at 5:16 AM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

Brit here. 'Norks' is (also) slang for breasts, albeit dated.
posted by mushhushshu at 5:18 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

Norks came over to the UK in the 80s, I think, with an increase in the profile of Australian comedians and its adoption by the alternative comedy set. Original derivation was from the prominent udders on the cow used to advertise Norco, New South Wales' North Coast Dairy Co-Operative.

I think it unlikely that Donald Trump knew of this nor, if he did, intended its use in his tweet.
posted by Devonian at 5:28 AM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

Man fired from Trump flying role over battery charge appears at Mar-a-Lago

Took me about five minutes to figure out this is about a man who used to fly planes for Trump, has been let go because someone has accused him of violence and has recently been seen around Trump. Good work conveying meaning there, English language!
posted by Dr Dracator at 5:51 AM on February 12, 2017 [60 favorites]

Took me about five minutes to figure out this is about a man who used to...

It's Chinatown Florida, Jake.
posted by Mister Bijou at 6:16 AM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

Or when somebody makes a movie about the Trump Administration, will we just think of it as 'another movie based on a SNL sketch'?

Only if the meds are working.

For those scoring at home, +1 on the KAC skit. Fatal Attraction is from 1987. A year that, unlike others, possibly including last year, Trump remembers. Well played SNL.
posted by petebest at 6:28 AM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

While I'm hoping for 'Stuart Saves His Country,' I'm expecting 'Trump Brothers 2020.'
posted by box at 6:39 AM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

My vote's for Donny Boy.
posted by Rykey at 7:09 AM on February 12, 2017

2 hours ago, the president tweeted: "After two days of very productive talks, Prime Minister Abe is heading back to Japan. L"

Is the L a typo? Does it stand for Love?

I also very much enjoyed his tweet about the COURT BREAKDOWN.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:11 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

The Reagan SNL where he switches from doddering gramps to full-action president made a huge impact on me when I was I don't know 12-16. Huge in that I remember it now clearly and for a white I would reference it all the time

President Reagan: Mastermind
posted by Pope Guilty at 7:13 AM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

video: White House senior advisor doubles down on unsubstantiated NH voter fraud claims: “Voter fraud is a serious problem in this country”
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:16 AM on February 12, 2017

these toxins were concentrated in landfills and that we'd be better off if we all threw our batteries away by randomly chucking them out car windows every few miles.

It's like that Paula Poundstone bit: Back in the 70s, being an environmentalist meant you didn't throw your empty fast food bag out of the car window.
posted by Room 641-A at 7:19 AM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

he patiently explained that the problem was that these toxins were concentrated in landfills and that we'd be better off if we all threw our batteries away by randomly chucking them out car windows every few miles. Seriously. He said that. And he wasn't joking. This would have been sometime in the early 1990s

Odds are the spokesperson's "source" was educated about toxins back in the 1960's and 1970's when the mantra was "The solution to pollution is dilution".

By the 1990's this had changed.
posted by rough ashlar at 7:21 AM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

US Dept of Education: ‏@usedgov: Education must not simply teach work - it must teach life. – W.E.B. DeBois

(That is not how you spell DuBois)
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:25 AM on February 12, 2017 [56 favorites]

Just read "voter fraud" as "non-white people voting". It's that simple a dogwhistle now.
posted by holgate at 7:25 AM on February 12, 2017 [35 favorites]

Well goddammit. I just stumbled across the narrative the Trumpers are going to use now that they're starting to realize that Trump is a disaster of a President.

How Obama is scheming to sabotage Trump’s presidency:

In what’s shaping up to be a highly unusual post-presidency, Obama isn’t just staying behind in Washington. He’s working behind the scenes to set up what will effectively be a shadow government to not only protect his threatened legacy, but to sabotage the incoming administration and its popular “America First” agenda.

posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 7:27 AM on February 12, 2017 [7 favorites]

well i guess they figured out how they could keep saying THANKS OBAMA after he left office
posted by murphy slaw at 7:29 AM on February 12, 2017 [9 favorites]

Paul Sperry is the author of “The Great American Bank Robbery,” which details the link between race-based housing policies and the mortgage crisis.

That's why the sub-prime mortgage collapse was contained to the US, I suppose.
posted by thelonius at 7:30 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

also is that column not way more insane than even the low standards of the Post, or have i not been keeping up with that paper's descent into Col. Kurtz-level madness
posted by murphy slaw at 7:31 AM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

The party of personal responsibility, everyone
posted by J.K. Seazer at 7:31 AM on February 12, 2017 [18 favorites]

Well goddammit. I just stumbled across the narrative the Trumpers are going to use now that they're starting to realize that Trump is a disaster of a President.

How Obama is scheming to sabotage Trump’s presidency:
In what’s shaping up to be a highly unusual post-presidency, Obama isn’t just staying behind in Washington. He’s working behind the scenes to set up what will effectively be a shadow government to not only protect his threatened legacy, but to sabotage the incoming administration and its popular “America First” agenda.

If Trumpies want to be stupid focus their energy on some mystical Obama bunker and magic man Obama then let them waste their time focusing on their delusions. Obama can handle it no problem and it will keep them from figuring out what is actually going and responding in more productive ways.
posted by Jalliah at 7:36 AM on February 12, 2017 [7 favorites]

I'd like to see Donald Trump take personal responsibility for all the lies he has told and all the people he has harmed.
posted by SyraCarol at 7:38 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

I'd like to see Donald Trump take personal responsibility for all the lies he has told and all the people he has harmed.

would you also like a pony? because you might as well go for broke
posted by murphy slaw at 7:39 AM on February 12, 2017 [26 favorites]

As someone pointed out on Twitter, the lies told by the white-supremacist wing of the White House (Bannon, Miller, Sessions) about crime and immigration and voting are what would have to be true to justify their plans.
posted by holgate at 7:43 AM on February 12, 2017 [18 favorites]

Wow, Miller really made the rounds this morning. Here's another completely insane video, this time with Chuck Todd, where he says that he cannot speak for the White House re: Flynn.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:44 AM on February 12, 2017

It's Florida, Jake.

And as usual it's some fucking dickhole who moved to Florida from New York. Caldera is not a "Floridian" but just another piece of shit who moved south.
posted by photoslob at 7:44 AM on February 12, 2017 [6 favorites]

If you can conjure a few million illegal voters and a complete massacre out of thin air, then a shadow government and phantom President will be no problem. Expect a complete Trumpian Mirrorworld to gradually reveal itself, overlaying every inch of the US and flickering into visbility at press conferences and through the Summoning Tweet that unlocks the gateways.

I'll be cheering for the wraiths.
posted by Devonian at 7:44 AM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

would you also like a pony?

I mean that's why I voted for Vermin Supreme.

p.s. not really
posted by dis_integration at 7:45 AM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

@realDonaldTrump

Congratulations Stephen Miller- on representing me this morning on the various Sunday morning shows. Great job!

Said it before here and I'll say it again: my money's on Miller to replace Spicer.
posted by Rust Moranis at 7:45 AM on February 12, 2017 [7 favorites]

The Spy Revolt Against Trump Begins "What’s going on was explained lucidly by a senior Pentagon intelligence official, who stated that “since January 20, we’ve assumed that the Kremlin has ears inside the SITROOM,”"
posted by T.D. Strange at 7:45 AM on February 12, 2017 [60 favorites]

That is not how you spell DuBois)

W. E. B. Du Bois
posted by Mister Bijou at 7:46 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

I would like to see a pony impose upon Donald Trump personal responsibility for all the lies he has told and all the people he has harmed. No, not like that. Biting and stomping will do just fine. And maybe a soupçon of pooping-on.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:46 AM on February 12, 2017 [8 favorites]

If Trumpies want to be stupid focus their energy on some mystical Obama bunker and magic man Obama then let them waste their time focusing on their delusions. Obama can handle it no problem and it will keep them from figuring out what is actually going and responding in more productive ways.

But that's not the point of this. If Trump and his supporters can't cast themselves into the victim role, they got nothing. Their fear is all the social context they have. So this feeds into the narrative that you know, Kenyan Muslim and all..

Nothing rational people buy into, but 'rational' can't be used to describe anyone who supports someone who very well may have raped a 13 year old girl in 1994.
posted by mikelieman at 7:48 AM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

If you can conjure a few million illegal voters and a complete massacre out of thin air, then a shadow government and phantom President will be no problem. Expect a complete Trumpian Mirrorworld to gradually reveal itself, overlaying every inch of the US and flickering into visbility at press conferences and through the Summoning Tweet that unlocks the gateways.

keep your eyes peeled for scissormen
posted by murphy slaw at 7:49 AM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Good to see Flynn being considered the direct conduit to the FSB he is, even if being a blatant and obvious spy is no longer coonsidered treasonous for reasons.
posted by Artw at 7:52 AM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

Susan Straight, Guardian: A Modest, Modern Proposal For preventing the Descendants of Immigrant and Indigenous Americans, as well as Slaves and Pioneers, Recent Refugees and Pilgrim Refugees, from being a Burden on their Politicians, Enforcement Officials or Country, and for making the efficient perusal of their genetic heritage and national/religious affiliations Beneficial to the Publick – (after Jonathan Swift, 1729).
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 7:53 AM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

Good to see Flynn being considered the direct conduit to the FSB he is, even if being a blatant and obvious spy is no longer coonsidered treasonous for reasons.

if i was a CIA career man there wouldn't be a drop of bourbon left within a five-mile radius of langley
posted by murphy slaw at 7:55 AM on February 12, 2017 [19 favorites]

But that's not the point of this. If Trump and his supporters can't cast themselves into the victim role, they got nothing. Their fear is all the social context they have.

Well, it's most, but not ALL. I'm thinking specifially of all those "meet a Trump voter" pieces in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, where those poor people really did expect him to come to Bumblefuck, PA and personally reopen their closed steel mill or textile factory. He ran on racism and immigration fears of course, but he also made a LOT of specific promises to bring back blue collar manufacturing. And he's done nothing about any of that so far, and probably can't. We have to hope that those people look around in 2 and 4 years and say, gee, what happened to #MAGA for my jobs? And Democrats have to be there with a message that they can understand and hear (yes without compromising the social equality parts of the party, it's both, not either/or).

We don't need many of those people at all to see through the fear stoking, lets not forget he barely won at all.
posted by T.D. Strange at 7:57 AM on February 12, 2017 [16 favorites]

We have to hope that those people look around in 2 and 4 years and say, gee, what happened to #MAGA for my jobs?

There's going to be some really angry people. I'm hoping some of that anger gets directed towards republicans and not stringing up school teachers and liberals in the streets.
posted by Artw at 8:01 AM on February 12, 2017 [14 favorites]

Leaked Memo on ICE Operations 2-11-17 (New York)
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:01 AM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

Leaked Memo on ICE Operations 2-11-17

That's some right purdy Newspeak right there, that is...
posted by mikelieman at 8:04 AM on February 12, 2017

The Post has a story this morning on Bill Adkins the Republican party regional official who dressed down Rep Gus Bilirakis' constituents at a town hall. What a nasty piece of work he is.
posted by photoslob at 8:04 AM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

and not stringing up school teachers and liberals in the streets.

Remember, they're saying what would have to be true in order to justify their actions.

So, "shadow government working to undermine Trump's beautiful 'America First' agenda" has to be true... therefore, what are they going to do about members of the shadow government?
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 8:04 AM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

The nuke experts on Twitter say

Wait what?

Sentient nuclear warheads have created accounts on Twitter to offer expert commentary on a variety of issues, what about that is difficult to understand?
posted by indubitable at 8:05 AM on February 12, 2017 [14 favorites]

i would like to make "i was drafted by obama's shadow government and all i got was this lousy t-shirt" t-shirts but it would probably get somebody killed
posted by murphy slaw at 8:06 AM on February 12, 2017 [17 favorites]

They are claiming the sweeps and checkpoints they've set up as part of their reign of terror simply don't exist. It seems the Trump Gestapo has adopted Trumps own blatant denial of reality.
posted by Artw at 8:06 AM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Right, democratic messaging strategy at this point presupposes quite a few things. Like continued free elections, and that we avoid red staters running through universities and government offices with machetes and AKs.
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:07 AM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

the Trump Gestapo

AND that's the new description I'm using for the Administration overall.
posted by mikelieman at 8:08 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

if i was a CIA career man there wouldn't be a drop of bourbon left within a five-mile radius of langley

To be fair, there has to be something sort of partially exciting to be working at the CIA when the crazy "What if the President was a Russian spy" scenarios are played out for realsies.

I bet there's more than one old timer who's been sat at a desk for 20 years excited to be busting out their spy shit just to be able to have meetings away from the prying eyes of the Russians.

"You can't trust anyone anymore"
"I know right, isn't it wonderful"
posted by fullerine at 8:15 AM on February 12, 2017 [55 favorites]

It's all fun and games until the entire Eastern European network gets rolled up and all your mates turn up dead from polonium breakfasts.
posted by Artw at 8:17 AM on February 12, 2017 [10 favorites]

That Spy Revolt article is in The Observer? The one Jared Kushner owns? Huh?
posted by OnceUponATime at 8:21 AM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

Palm Beach Daily News [real]: Patrick Park may get to realize dream as Austrian ambassador: "Patrick Park is an avid fan of “The Sound of Music.” You might say he’s obsessed with it. “Really, I’ve seen it like 75 times,” the concert pianist/industrialist said…. Park has received unofficial word from President Donald Trump — well, as unofficial as a handwritten note saying “on to your next chapter, Ambassador!” can be — that he is the president’s choice to be U.S. ambassador to Austria."
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:21 AM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

That Spy Revolt article is in The Observer? The one Jared Kushner owns? Huh?

Was it written by Nathan Dubovitsky?
posted by fullerine at 8:25 AM on February 12, 2017

Not the best of time to sing the, um, Nazi version of the German national anthem at a USA-Germany tennis match.

That Spy Revolt article is in The Observer? The one Jared Kushner owns? Huh?

Schindler's been writing for the NY Observer for a while, but yeah, it's interesting that he's still able to do so. And he's getting a lot of amplification from the "traditional" Republican national security establishment.
posted by holgate at 8:26 AM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

It doesn't make Trump look good, but it might also feed a narrative about how thr President is being betrayed by the IC. I'm a little afraid that kind of story (true or not) could be used to justify purges...
posted by OnceUponATime at 8:36 AM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

The FSB is going to purge American intelligence whether they make a fuss about it or not.
posted by Artw at 8:38 AM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

all your mates turn up dead from polonium breakfasts.

Say - how IS Roger Stone? Does anyone have the actual Polonium or parts of it used to attack him? To become as sick as he did so fast - does anyone have the giger counter reading when that old Nixon flack walks by?
posted by rough ashlar at 8:41 AM on February 12, 2017

I'm pretty sure that this is the sort of excitement most CIA careerists would gladly forgo. Nothing about their normal jobs will be made easier, and there's a very present danger of a putsch from above removing you from employment or worse.

Having a crazy, paranoid boss is not fun for anyone, at any time. You may notice that absolutely nobody in any governmental position, from the top to the bottom, is having any fun right now, and the same goes for politicians of all colours. The closest even the GOP bigwigs can get is a mixture of bravado and denial. Anger, fear and flailing make up the order of the day, and you can be very sure indeed that's true in the TLAs.
posted by Devonian at 8:44 AM on February 12, 2017 [10 favorites]

Getting back to the Guardian article with the awkward headline, Man fired from Trump flying role over battery charge appears at Mar-a-Lago, this wannabe security guy has been accused of attacking people with a motor vehicle on two separate occasions. That suggests a trend. Now he's wearing some kind of White House pass and walking around Mar a Lago and the golf course during the visit with the prime minister of Japan, and nobody official wants to comment? What's going on down there?
posted by TWinbrook8 at 8:46 AM on February 12, 2017 [7 favorites]

> The Post has a story this morning on Bill Adkins the Republican party regional official who dressed down Rep Gus Bilirakis' constituents at a town hall. What a nasty piece of work he is.

Well that's an understatement. Holy shit.
posted by Room 641-A at 8:47 AM on February 12, 2017

So he's concerned that people who are trying to call him can't get through because of all the people who are calling him, and he thinks people should stop calling him so he can take calls from the people who are calling him?

I mean, honestly, I think in at least a partial sense, these guys are right. I've heard a lot of talk even here on Metafilter about "Hey guys, I got through, you aren't calling hard enough! Call more!", and multiple people who are saying, "I called every multiple times about [X subject]!" And while that's certainly a way to engage with your elected officials, and I'm not saying it's bad, it really doesn't agree with the previous method of calling legislators, where you called once to express your concern and then didn't call again on the same subject. That's leaving aside the people who are saying, "This legislator seems vulnerable! Call and pretend to live there!"

It's certainly starting to seem like people are intentionally trying to jam the phone lines with an overwhelming flood of 'do this', rather than calling up, letting them know essentially how you are opinion-voting, and moving on to the next legislator.

Now whether this is a good tactic or not? Time will tell. But I don't think people are necessarily wrong in thinking at least part of the intention is jamming phone lines.
posted by corb at 8:51 AM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

> Seems like the bar for a true fan should be higher than 75.

Seems like the bar for US Ambassador to Austria should be higher than being a fan of "The Sound of Music".
posted by fragmede at 8:51 AM on February 12, 2017 [43 favorites]

Say - how IS Roger Stone? Does anyone have the actual Polonium or parts of it used to attack him? To become as sick as he did so fast - does anyone have the giger counter reading when that old Nixon flack walks by?

Roger Stone is so batshit. Polonium's LD50 is less than a microgram, so it's basically impossible to both dose the guy with it and not give a high enough dose to kill him. You could poison all of NYC by putting 1 gram in the water supply. Only he knows why his face is so wack. Maybe it's a side-effect of a lifetime of ratfucking.
posted by dis_integration at 8:52 AM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

US Dept of Education: ‏@usedgov: Education must not simply teach work - it must teach life. – W.E.B. DeBois

Web de Bois is a song by Wiz Khalifa
posted by srboisvert at 8:52 AM on February 12, 2017 [6 favorites]

Now whether this is a good tactic or not? Time will tell. But I don't think people are necessarily wrong in thinking at least part of the intention is jamming phone lines.

In getting message across maybe postcards to state offices with your address so they know you are a constituent?
posted by shothotbot at 9:02 AM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

I know this is so last Thursday, but a first person account of the Jason Chaffetz’s townhall has just popped up. I'm pretty sure 'painting your constituents as out of state agitators' is going to become the new republican playbook. From the article:

"Behind me sat one of Chaffetz’s few supporters. A woman who never stood or asked a question or raised her voice. Instead, every time someone else stood and asked a question, she murmured insults and even at some points, racial slurs, specifically against the Muslim and Latino women who spoke. The officer I talked to about it said he could do nothing unless she made a specific threat. That was the only person that I met that evening who claimed to be a Chaffetz supporter and she was the only one who appeared intent on agitating the people around her."

posted by Catblack at 9:05 AM on February 12, 2017 [37 favorites]

In getting message across maybe postcards to state offices with your address so they know you are a constituent?

I really like this idea, especially the "colored postcards" idea - even if the post office comes in with sacks like in Miracle on 34th St, they're all getting delivered so everyone gets through.
posted by corb at 9:06 AM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

It also supports the USPS, which I'm sure will be on the chopping block soon enough.
posted by birdheist at 9:13 AM on February 12, 2017 [11 favorites]

I think the concern may be that people are calling reps that aren't theirs. It does nothing but jam the phone lines and give the reps and excuse to say "outside agitators" and "not my constituents".

People need to focus on their reps. Pod Save America emphasized this in their latest podcast. If you are in a solid blue state, first - call your reps to let them know you support their actions (if you do) and second - look for other ways to help with swing states.
posted by obliquity of the ecliptic at 9:13 AM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

Body of KKK leader Frank Ancona is discovered in the Big River

Why is the administration silent on Nazi-on-Nazi crime?
posted by Artw at 9:18 AM on February 12, 2017 [20 favorites]

Not sure who wrote this for Miller, but this is some serious Nazi shit.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:19 AM on February 12, 2017 [23 favorites]

@DannyZuker
The Stephen Miller Band. [pic]
posted by chris24 at 9:19 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

my money's on Miller to replace Spicer.

I think Miller was being tested, Apprentice-style, on becoming the next K-Con, because facile internal competition among underlings is a thing with the White House occupant. But the press secretary job is part flack, part logistics: Miller is a terrible-ideas person, a malevolent lurker, being tried out as a public-facing message deliverer.
posted by holgate at 9:24 AM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

RESIST: Huge Counter-Protests Overwhelm 'Defund Planned Parenthood' Rallies
posted by jason_steakums at 9:29 AM on February 12, 2017 [34 favorites]

As someone pointed out on Twitter, the lies told by the white-supremacist wing of the White House (Bannon, Miller, Sessions) about crime and immigration and voting are what would have to be true to justify their plans.

That is straight out of the fascist playbook. It's why it is so dangerous not to take this administration both literally and seriously, even when they're spouting the most batshit, easily falsifiable lies. They're constructing their own narrative and planning to advance that plot.
posted by Superplin at 9:30 AM on February 12, 2017 [18 favorites]

US DOE doubles down on the Du Bois error with "Post updated - our deepest apologizes for the earlier typo."
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:31 AM on February 12, 2017 [10 favorites]

It's why the rallies aren't important - thy show that there's still a mass of Americans that are not having that shit.
posted by Artw at 9:32 AM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

Ok, but when Miller cracks up and gets canned or quits there probably won't be a third press secretary---by then it will pretty much be all Breitbart and Facebook Live.

Yeah, I think there's a great chance there will be no press secretary soon enough. All communication through twitter, facebook live, whitehouse.gov, and breitbart, plus occasional contact with drudge/infowars/whoever else remains friendly.
posted by Rust Moranis at 9:33 AM on February 12, 2017

US DOE doubles down on the Du Bois error with "Post updated - our deepest apologizes for the earlier typo."

They can't help it, they're all home schooled.
posted by Artw at 9:33 AM on February 12, 2017 [13 favorites]

Now he's wearing some kind of White House pass and walking around Mar a Lago and the golf course during the visit with the prime minister of Japan, and nobody official wants to comment? What's going on down there?

The Emperor's Golf Togs are splendid!
posted by petebest at 9:34 AM on February 12, 2017

I think there's a great chance there will be no press secretary soon enough. Seriously. All communication through twitter, facebook live, whitehouse.gov...

Maybe a virtual press secretary, like Clippy the Microsoft avatar.
posted by puddledork at 9:38 AM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Maybe a virtual press secretary, like Clippy the Microsoft avatar.

Microsoft's Tay would be more appropriate.
posted by biogeo at 9:44 AM on February 12, 2017 [6 favorites]

RESIST: Huge Counter-Protests Overwhelm 'Defund Planned Parenthood' Rallies

I just happened to catch the local affiliate news before SNL last night and they covered the rally here in St Pete. They only interviewed the anti-choice protestors with no mention of counter protestors. Turns out there were more counter-protestors on hand to support PPH than anti-choice folks but you would have never have known it if you're only source was a shitty 45 second tv piece.
posted by photoslob at 9:45 AM on February 12, 2017 [12 favorites]

corb, people are certainly calling more, but no one I know is calling multiple times on the same issue or calling other people's elected representatives, and no organization I follow has ever recommended it.

These people think that we're uninformed, calling willy-nilly on any issue our liberal overlords tell us to oppose. They don't understand that if I called them every time the federal government did something that upset me on a personal level it would be every HOUR, not a few times a week.

I've been thinking about this all morning. In the GOP primary Scott Walker talked quite a bit about the 100,000 protesters he'd faced down as though failing to engage or compromise with those people were some sort of personal accomplishment. And now here's Senator Johnson with a strong implication that he needs to stop hearing from people who disagree with him because we're making it inconvenient for him to talk to his real constituents.

I fully expect to lose, to have my opinion tabulated and politely ignored. I do not expect to be publicly scolded for trying to talk to my own representatives, or even worse, to have my opposition be carried around like some sort of badge of honor. I honestly don't know what to do with a government that holds itself responsible only to the people who voted for it.
posted by gerstle at 9:45 AM on February 12, 2017 [54 favorites]

I'm almost certainly giving Chaffetz's nonsense more credit than it deserves, but has he even thought about the logistics of getting a huge out-of-state contingent to Salt Lake City? It's not like it's NYC, where you're a stone's throw from densely populated parts of New Jersey and Connecticut. Does he think they're being bussed in from southwest Wyoming or eastern Nevada, both of which are notably devoid of people? All being flown in? Seriously, if someone were to want to disrupt an event with paid provacateurs (which, y'know, we aren't, but let's roll with it), wouldn't you hire people who already live in the only populated area for hundres of miles?

I get why he feels he has to insist they're out-of-state, since otherwise, paid or not, they're his constituents, but it's a ridiculous addendum to an already unbelievable allegation.
posted by jackbishop at 9:45 AM on February 12, 2017 [25 favorites]

I'm almost certainly giving Chaffetz's nonsense more credit than it deserves, but has he even thought about the logistics of getting a huge out-of-state contingent to Salt Lake City? It's not like it's NYC, where you're a stone's throw from densely populated parts of New Jersey and Connecticut. Does he think they're being bussed in from southwest Wyoming or eastern Nevada, both of which are notably devoid of people? All being flown in? Seriously, if someone were to want to disrupt an event with paid provacateurs (which, y'know, we aren't, but let's roll with it), wouldn't you hire people who already live in the only populated area for hundres of miles?

Read up on what right-wing rural folk think the cities and people in them are like sometime.
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:47 AM on February 12, 2017 [7 favorites]

Read up on what right-wing rural folk think the cities and people in them are like sometime.


filthy liberals indulging in the fleshpots of that den of iniquity, Salt Lake City
posted by murphy slaw at 9:53 AM on February 12, 2017 [25 favorites]

The nuke experts on Twitter say

Wait what?

There's a group of academics specializing in nuclear weapons who post on Twitter. Two of the more prominent ones I follow are Jeffrey Lewis aka @ArmsControlWonk & @AaronMehta of Defense News.
posted by scalefree at 9:55 AM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

I honestly don't know what to do with a government that holds itself responsible only to the people who voted for it.

Do your part in making sure they lose. Tell everyone you know that you are a real person who your elected Republicans ignored and belittled. Register more people to vote. Encourage your friends who didn't vote to turn out next time, as a personal favor to you if need be. Offer to drive Democratic leaning constituents to the polls all day next election day.

Work to defeat the fascist Republican occupiers. They all have to go. There are far more people out there who didn't vote than voted for these minority fucks. We need to activate them.
posted by T.D. Strange at 9:56 AM on February 12, 2017 [14 favorites]

Can we please knock it off with the no-effort knee-jerk classism?
posted by byanyothername at 9:58 AM on February 12, 2017 [8 favorites]

> I get why he feels he has to insist they're out-of-state, since otherwise, paid or not, they're his constituents, but it's a ridiculous addendum to an already unbelievable allegation.

Scott Lemieux, LGM: Trump Henchman Emulates Trump

Josh Chaffetz, a few dozen pounds of well-used fry grease molded into the shape of a weasel, asserted that the constituents angrily questioning him about his refusal to investigate even the most egregious Trump misconduct after years of Hillary Clinton snipe hunts were PAID OUTSIDE AGITATORS. You will be shocked that this claim has exactly as much evidence as his Clinton snipe hunts: [...]

posted by tonycpsu at 10:02 AM on February 12, 2017 [12 favorites]

Maybe a virtual press secretary, like Clippy the Microsoft avatar.

Sean Headroom.
posted by notyou at 10:04 AM on February 12, 2017 [17 favorites]

A friend of mine brought up another issue that might increase the "these aren't my constituents" feeling- many young people have no landline, and move enough that their cellphone has a different area code.

And some constituents don't live where they vote- those of us who are expats. I've called my senators via Skype, but who knows what that looks like on their end. I'm still their legal constituent though.

I don't know if staffers pay attention to area codes, but they ought to realize they're a pretty terrible metric for figuring out where someone votes. I don't know if they *do* realize this, though.
posted by nat at 10:05 AM on February 12, 2017 [19 favorites]

Can we please knock it off with the no-effort knee-jerk classism?

Yeah! The correct phrase is "people without a college degree".
posted by fullerine at 10:06 AM on February 12, 2017

corb, people are certainly calling more, but no one I know is calling multiple times on the same issue or calling other people's elected representatives, and no organization I follow has ever recommended it.

There's been any number of posts that have gone viral, probably including here, urging people to call both of their Senators & Representative daily at both their DC & district offices, total of 6 calls per day. Haven't seen any that ask people to call Congressmen who don't represent them though.
posted by scalefree at 10:07 AM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

filthy liberals indulging in the fleshpots of that den of iniquity, Salt Lake City

You joke, but it's that precisely: it's about defining big cities as "out of state". Congressional districts are large enough and often gerrymandered enough (to slice and dice city voting power) that any GOP congresscritter can hold a town hall in Small Red City and claim that constituents who've come in from Bigger Blue City are outside agitators, even if they're in the same damn district.
posted by holgate at 10:07 AM on February 12, 2017 [6 favorites]

You're being a dick, but it is and they're also not the ones to be pissed at.
posted by byanyothername at 10:08 AM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

but you would have never have known it if you're only source was a shitty 45 second tv piece.

In some ways it's more useful to call the local news desk than the Representatives. Not that one can't do both.
posted by petebest at 10:08 AM on February 12, 2017 [6 favorites]

The correct phrase is "people without a college degree".

I don't have one, but I guess you do, so yay you are better than me.
posted by Kitteh at 10:09 AM on February 12, 2017 [18 favorites]

2 hours ago, the president tweeted: "After two days of very productive talks, Prime Minister Abe is heading back to Japan. L"

Is the L a typo? Does it stand for Love?

Pretty sure he was holding his thumb and forefinger up to his forehead and mouthing the word 'loser.'
posted by mudpuppie at 10:11 AM on February 12, 2017 [6 favorites]

I don't know if staffers pay attention to area codes, but they ought to realize they're a pretty terrible metric for figuring out where someone votes. I don't know if they *do* realize this, though.

True, and yet that's how all the national-news-defning polls are done; over landline*

*yes and the online polls is that like 5% of them?
posted by petebest at 10:12 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

Just wanted to share this, which I saw on my way to the Metro last week. It's in Point St. Charles, for the curious.

Of course, by this past week, it had already been pasted over.
posted by constantinescharity at 10:14 AM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

If I do feel bad for Ivanka, it's for this. And the surgeries she had as a young woman to make her already pretty face closer to the ideal and the breast enhancement that made her fit within the parameters of her father's idea of a "10"*. It must be hell to be his kid.

I've seen this line of thinking several times in these threads. Ivanka Trump is a wealthy white woman, 35 years old. She's had the choice to wash her hands of her father's toxicity and have her own life for a long time now. Beware of pity; pity is dangerous in overcoming abuse. Pity is a patronizing insult to abuse victims, and it perpetuates further abuse. Pity enables shitty behavior with a pat on the head and an, "oh well, I guess we couldn't possibly expect anything better from you." Yes, pity the child she used to be, but treat the grown ass woman like a grown ass woman.
posted by Vic Morrow's Personal Vietnam at 10:16 AM on February 12, 2017 [57 favorites]

though i guess in rural utah the 'filthy liberals' are the ones who yielded to the federal government on the doctrine of plural marriage, so i suppose everything's relative
posted by murphy slaw at 10:17 AM on February 12, 2017

so i suppose everything's relative

I see what you did there.
posted by petebest at 10:21 AM on February 12, 2017 [8 favorites]

US DOE doubles down on the Du Bois error

This is pedantry, but that's not the abbreviation for the department of ed and that's not what doubling down means.
posted by C'est la D.C. at 10:23 AM on February 12, 2017 [9 favorites]

petebest, that's no longer true re: cellphones and polling. A few polling companies do only landlines, but many do cellphones too. Fivethirtyeight has a chart.
posted by nat at 10:31 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

OpenSecrets has a well organized list of campaign donations made by Trump's appointees/nominees. Interesting tidbits:

• The one Democrat that Andrew Puzder donated to was Diana Feinstein.
• Jared Kushner's top donations were all to Democrats. He donated to Hillary's campaign. (The spreadsheet doesn't list contributions to PACs.)
• His parents also donated to Hillary (but gave more to Trump).
• Linda McMahon (nominee to head SBA) donated almost $10m during the 2016 campaign cycle. $6m of that went to Trump.
• Mnuchin donated almost three times as much to Hillary as he did to Trump.
• On the list, the only people who voted for a Trump presidency with their wallets were Charles & Seryl Kushner, Linda McMahon, and Todd Rickett's parents (he's nominee for Deputy Secretary of Commerce). All the others supported other candidates by far --many of them Mitt Romney and Marco Rubio.

posted by mudpuppie at 10:34 AM on February 12, 2017 [17 favorites]

The Spy Revolt Against Trump Begins "What’s going on was explained lucidly by a senior Pentagon intelligence official, who stated that “since January 20, we’ve assumed that the Kremlin has ears inside the SITROOM,”"

If true (especially if the IC is editing what it puts into the PDB based on the theory that Flynn sees it before it gets to Trump), this is just as damaging to our democracy as anything else going on. We should not want the IC making decisions about what it will and won't share with the President. Not that it would be a better choice to share with Flynn - I'm not saying that - just that the choice at the moment appears to be "endanger our democracy by sharing IC info with a Russian asset" or "endanger our democracy by putting the IC in control of determining whether or not to share national security information with the President."

Similar to the discussion of Louise Mensch above…John Schindler (the author of this piece in the Observer) was, prior to the Trump-times, not reliable in the way you'd want a source you trusted to be (an understatement) - he made errors, had a slanted agenda, some crazy personal issues, etc. Both Mensch and Schindler have been all over the Trump/Russia connection on Twitter and as a result have drawn lots of eyeballs to their writing (Schindler for the Observer and Mensch for a Murdoch-run blog called Heat St from which she was apparently let go in mid-December). Their tweets caught my eye in late October when David Corn was reporting on the Russia connection for Mother Jones, mostly because they seemed too crazy and paranoid and spy-thriller to be true (backed up by a lot of the concerning information I found when I googled both Mensch and Schindler), but I started following them for entertainment value. Then Mensch blogged on November 7 that the FBI procured a FISA warrant related to the Trump campaign's communications with Russia. At that point I was angry -- this ridiculousness was just fantastical lunacy, and was taking it too far to be entertaining -- and so I unfollowed her. Lo and behold…she was right. And she was the first person to report this news, by more than two months.

So I follow both Mensch and Schindler even though I take everything they say with heaping spoonfuls of salt. They are obviously plugged in in some capacity (even if just to the IC gossip grapevine). Just stay very wary of them if you do follow them.
posted by sallybrown at 10:38 AM on February 12, 2017 [14 favorites]

No matter how many times I see the numbers I somehow refuse to accept that Jared Kushner is fully five years older than Stephen Miller
posted by theodolite at 10:41 AM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

Miller could play Kushner's dad in a CW show
posted by theodolite at 10:43 AM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

There are definitely town hall-invites in my Indivisible Facebook groups that say "You don't have to live in the district to show your support!" (But these are local groups, so any "outside agitators" who show up in response to invites like that are likely to be from the next district over, or else attending with friends who do live in the district. "Outside" but not very far outside...)

Also, yeah, some of those groups want us calling our senators every day to tell them we oppose Gorsuch. (I don't see the point, and would rather call about the long list of other issues I have, or call my state reps about gerrymandering and local protest laws.)

In one group especially it has turned into a kind of purity-test thing where if you vote for any Trump nominee or otherwise fail to be perfectly ideologically pure, you face a huge backlash even if you are a Democrat (and it seems to me especially if you are a woman.) And that backlash definitely includes people calling multiple times and inviting all their friends to your town halls.
posted by OnceUponATime at 10:44 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

US DOE doubles down on the Du Bois error with "Post updated - our deepest apologizes for the earlier typo."

I'm not authorized to view the tweet. This is either really good news or really bad news.
posted by Room 641-A at 10:46 AM on February 12, 2017

We should not want the IC making decisions about what it will and won't share with the President.

If they have even the slightest evidence that the President is a Russian spy, or is vulnerable to exploitation by Russian handlers ( e.g.: consider if the Russians have video of Donald J. Trump having sex with a 13 year old girl, or if his debt to Russian gangsters is significant ) then they damned well better be making sure he can't expose any secrets.
posted by mikelieman at 10:46 AM on February 12, 2017 [13 favorites]

The IC, like the military and like all of us a citizens, I think, owes its allegiance to the Constitution rather than to the person who is serving as President. Most of the time those are not in conflict, of course. But if they are...
posted by OnceUponATime at 10:49 AM on February 12, 2017 [16 favorites]

We should not want the IC making decisions about what it will and won't share with the President.

Absolutely. That's the point at which you get a true shift to a Turkish-style Deep State, and eventually to Erdogan-style purges against the Deep State and anybody considered associated with the old establishment.
posted by holgate at 10:49 AM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

WRT "out of state agitators": Any Senator who heads a committee represents the interests of the entire nation when it comes to the subject of that committee. Even if people were coming in from out of state to insist that Chaffetz do his job as the head of the oversight committee, they would be utterly within their rights to do so.
posted by KathrynT at 10:49 AM on February 12, 2017 [61 favorites]

If they have even the slightest evidence that the President is a Russian spy, or is vulnerable to exploitation by Russian handlers ( e.g.: consider if the Russians have video of Donald J. Trump having sex with a 13 year old girl, or if his debt to Russian gangsters is significant ) then they damned well better be making sure he can't expose any secrets.

I am not talking about Trump specifically. I am talking about as a matter of policy, the IC should not be deciding what the office of the President does and does not see. That is not how the chain of command works in a functioning United States. The elected leader should be in charge of the IC, not the other way around. If Schindler is correct, and this is happening, it is a yet another big fat warning siren going off that our country is in grave danger.
posted by sallybrown at 10:50 AM on February 12, 2017

I think it is a response to that danger.
posted by OnceUponATime at 10:51 AM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

I don't want to see any statements from Democratic legislators this week that aren't about Flynn. And I don't want reporters asking Spicer any questions that aren't about Flynn. Everything else can wait until we get some clarity on whether or not our National Security Adviser is a Russian agent.
posted by diogenes at 10:56 AM on February 12, 2017 [16 favorites]

If true (especially if the IC is editing what it puts into the PDB based on the theory that Flynn sees it before it gets to Trump), this is just as damaging to our democracy as anything else going on.

Why would you ever start at the assumption that something the spy complex leaks about itself is true? That seems like a really bad idea.

So I follow both Mensch and Schindler even though I take everything they say with heaping spoonfuls of salt. They are obviously plugged in in some capacity (even if just to the IC gossip grapevine). Just stay very wary of them if you do follow them.

So you know that they're 90% full of shit, but every once in a while they throw out something true. But you don't know what that might be. It's worth noting that most effective lies start with a kernel of truth. I don't see how this is any basis to do anything other than ignore these people.
posted by indubitable at 10:56 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

The IC, like the military and like all of us a citizens, I think, owes its allegiance to the Constitution rather than to the person who is serving as President. Most of the time those are not in conflict, of course. But if they are…

In theory the intelligence community as a whole (the 16 member entities) reports to the Director of National Intelligence, who reports to the President. So theoretically I think it's a different chain of command from something like the DOJ/AG, which are supposed to make decisions independent of the President. But I bet you are right that in terms of the oaths employees of these agencies take, most or all swear allegiance to the Constitution rather than the individual President.
posted by sallybrown at 10:57 AM on February 12, 2017

The president is already in an isolated information bubble controlled by Russian agents and nazis, supplemented by whatever he sees on cable news and infowars, so I think we're already in a worst case situation as regards to people deciding what the president does and does not see.
posted by Artw at 10:57 AM on February 12, 2017 [32 favorites]

GOP flunkie tries "death panel" at his town hall to argue for ACA repeal

The Washington Post dives into this guy's social media presence and finds he's the racist uncle that you blocked on Facebook: GOP official in viral town hall video is known for sharing misleading stories, bigoted jokes
posted by peeedro at 10:59 AM on February 12, 2017 [11 favorites]

The president is already in an isolated information bubble controlled by Russian agents and nazis, supplemented by whatever he sees on cable news and infowars, so I think we're already in a worst case situation as regards to people deciding what the president does and does not see.

True, but it seems prudent not to give him intelligence that we've gathered about those Russian agents.
posted by diogenes at 11:00 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

they're also not the ones to be pissed at.
I work in an large IT department full of college educated people. Most of the people in my group are Trumpists. Most of the Trumpists I personally know are college educated, some with masters degrees. The idea that all trump voters are ignorant yokels doesn't seem to hold up. I'm just one data point, but my own experiences show otherwise.
posted by ThreeCatsBob at 11:03 AM on February 12, 2017 [40 favorites]

I haven't seen this linked yet: Rachel Maddow report on "Magnitude of Trump advisor Flynn's Russia scandal gains clarity" --> it's a 12-minute video from Maddow that's a good clarification of why the Flynn story may become even bigger than it appears now. (I'm not a fan of videos or Maddow but I found it worthwhile.) Her theory is that the parts of the dossier that were confirmed (the non-pee-pee parts) mean the IC proved Flynn was communicating with Russia during the campaign.
posted by sallybrown at 11:04 AM on February 12, 2017 [15 favorites]

True, but it seems prudent not to give him intelligence that we've gathered about those Russian agents.

Doing literally anything else with it would seem more useful than quietly handing the FSB a list of investigations to block and investigators to murder.

I mean, obviously not having a White House riddled with Russian puppets and spies would be the ideal, but that isn't happnening anytime soon.
posted by Artw at 11:05 AM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

(And thank you to this thread for clueing me into Chuck Grassley's insane Twitter account.)
posted by sallybrown at 11:08 AM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Her theory is that the parts of the dossier that were confirmed mean the IC proved Flynn was communicating with Russia during the campaign.

The New York Times already confirmed this:

The calls where they discussed sanctions were "only one in a series of contacts between the two men that began before the election."
posted by diogenes at 11:08 AM on February 12, 2017 [7 favorites]

I mean, obviously not having a White House riddled with Russian puppets and spies would be the ideal, but that isn't happnening anytime soon.

Exactly, not being able to share intelligence with the White House is a problem. Having a White House riddled with Russian puppets and spies is a bigger problem.
posted by diogenes at 11:10 AM on February 12, 2017 [11 favorites]

Engineers disease is real, also I'd bet they are all dual katana MRA turds. You'd think that him being the mortal incarnation of every awful offhand directive from every incompetent boss ever would counter their affection for him to some degree, but apparently not.
posted by Artw at 11:14 AM on February 12, 2017 [8 favorites]

Engineers disease is real

Ha! One of the Trumpists I know (Not from work) has a masters in chemical engineering. ( In his 60's)

I'd bet they are all dual katana MRA turds

Nope, just everyday middle aged bigots.
posted by ThreeCatsBob at 11:19 AM on February 12, 2017 [7 favorites]

Ahh, so they've aged into being the incompetent managers giving weirdo rando directives, or at least are bitterly resentful they haven't gotten to be that.
posted by Artw at 11:22 AM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

I'd be curious to know the level of Trump support among college grads broken down by major.
posted by Rykey at 11:22 AM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

bitterly resentful they haven't gotten to be that

That, and taxes. They're stealing my money!
posted by ThreeCatsBob at 11:24 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

Well at least its not young people, young Trump supporters are depressing. With the older ones you can at least believe they are some kind of passing generation of ingrained ignorance.
posted by Artw at 11:24 AM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

Sarah Palin touted as US ambassador to Canada...

She must have a new grift in the works, because she has shut down Sarah PAC:

In the 2016 election cycle, Palin's Sarah PAC spent $830,000 on consultants and just $82,500 in donations to other candidates — a.k.a its ostensible purpose. Not only that but Sarah PAC spent $168,000 on travel and lodging expenses during the 2016 election — double what it donated to candidates, which is its ostensible … well you get the idea.

posted by peeedro at 11:26 AM on February 12, 2017 [10 favorites]

I really want to nip this conversational thread about engineers in the bud. This is, after all, the website that saw a post called "Does Engineering Education Breed Terrorists?" and instead of giving their usual answer of "Betteridge's Law, lol", thought it was perfectly reasonable and indulged in endless speculation and anecdotes about why of course it was true.
posted by J.K. Seazer at 11:27 AM on February 12, 2017 [10 favorites]

And what burhanistan said.

they have no clue how to think and assess things outside of their area of focus
posted by ThreeCatsBob at 11:27 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

Lots of white women also.

Yep, same here
posted by ThreeCatsBob at 11:28 AM on February 12, 2017

I'd like Stephen Miller to slither back under the rock he came out from under today.
posted by diogenes at 11:31 AM on February 12, 2017 [10 favorites]

He's certainly a very dislikable member of Nazi High Command that's having his moment of prominence.
posted by Artw at 11:34 AM on February 12, 2017 [15 favorites]

Not the best of time to sing the, um, Nazi version of the German national anthem at a USA-Germany tennis match.

Deutsche Welle: US Tennis Association apologizes for playing incorrect German anthem—Related Subjects Holocaust, Tennis

The US Tennis Association has issued apologies after playing the part of the German national anthem used during the Nazi era. The mistake occurred during the Fed Cup tournament.

"This mistake will not occur again," the United States Tennis Association tweeted on Saturday night local time in Hawaii after the organizers of the tennis tournament accidentally played the first stanza of the German national anthem, which has been banned in Germany since the end of World War II.

[...]

'Worst thing that has ever happened to me'

Upon hearing the first words of the WWII-era stanza,"Deutschland, Deutschland, über alles" ("Germany, Germany, above all else"), from the court, Petkovic reacted with dismay and anger.

"I thought it was the epitome of ignorance, and I've never felt more disrespected in my whole life, let alone in Fed Cup, and I've played Fed Cup for 13 years now and it is the worst thing that has ever happened to me," Petkovic said once the match ended, adding that she considered walking off of the court.

"It's 2017 - something like this simply should not happen in the United States," she added.

The German team and around 20 fans attempted to sing the correct words, "Einigkeit und Recht und Freiheit" ("Unity and justice and freedom"), over the amplified taboo verse.

posted by XMLicious at 11:35 AM on February 12, 2017 [34 favorites]

The younger Trump supporters I've seen are passive aggressive white women, i.e.,

- During the Women's March, posted "Can't we go back to posting cute baby and puppy photos? Can't stand all these annoying posts about politics from people who don't know what they're talking about…"

- "I won't talk about politics on Facebook, just wanted to say it's nice to have a chic First Lady again…so Jackie O!"

- "Funny how women get annoyed with men for talking about their body parts but are so willing to make fun of Trump's hands!"

They are well aware that most of the people in their circles disapprove of Trump and feel very defensive about that, but still want to "yay my team"…just without having to explain or defend their support and with an edge of superiority ("I don't talk about politics on Facebook" with the implied "unlike you").
posted by sallybrown at 11:37 AM on February 12, 2017 [53 favorites]

Exactly, not being able to share intelligence with the White House is a problem. Having a White House riddled with Russian puppets and spies is a bigger problem.

It's a ridiculous hole in the Constitution that needs to be filled - of course, when writing the Constitution, the IC as it exists today was inconceivable and they actually expected things like electors and the Emoluments clause to work, but, here we are... anyways, something like a vote of no confidence from the intelligence community presented with evidence to the House and Senate should exist, which immediately triggers checks on the executive while Congressional investigations take place, to be completed in X days unless the Supreme Court is petitioned to grant an extension. I don't believe the IC would trigger this lightly. It's just too big a weak point to not have a formal protection in place.
posted by jason_steakums at 11:42 AM on February 12, 2017 [6 favorites]

- "I won't talk about politics on Facebook, just wanted to say it's nice to have a chic First Lady again…so Jackie O!"

My response would have been: There's a typo in your post. You accidentally wrote "chic" where you meant to write "white."
posted by diogenes at 11:50 AM on February 12, 2017 [45 favorites]

I mean, obviously not having a White House riddled with Russian puppets and spies would be the ideal, but that isn't happnening anytime soon.

Tom Clancy would reject this idea as too outlandish. He's the one who had evil geniuses try to kill everyone in the world with weaponized flu bugs at the olympics and nuked a superbowl btw...
posted by mikelieman at 11:51 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

It's a ridiculous hole in the Constitution that needs to be filled - of course, when writing the Constitution, the IC as it exists today was inconceivable and they actually expected things like electors and the Emoluments clause to work

It's not a hole. The framers have the procedure you're looking for in place -- impeachment. Not to mention all the other checks and balances (e.g., presidents can't write laws). And then, some 200 years later, we realized that wasn't enough, so we added another process with the 25th Amendment. The Constitution isn't the problem. The problem is that the Republican Party is so cowed by their big strong daddy that they can't even conceive of putting impeachment on the table, knowing that there would still be a Republican in the White House. They like it this way.

If your idea existed right now, there is not a single doubt in my mind that Congress would have already held its "investigation" and exonerated everyone but a couple of fall guys of any wrongdoing.
posted by Etrigan at 11:52 AM on February 12, 2017 [27 favorites]

So you know that they're 90% full of shit, but every once in a while they throw out something true. But you don't know what that might be. It's worth noting that most effective lies start with a kernel of truth. I don't see how this is any basis to do anything other than ignore these people.

This is more than fair and something I find concerning about myself…but I think for at least some of us (people who feel falsely more in control when they have more information?) coping with the current situation means grasping for any clue as to what the hell is going on, and so people who should and do know better are crediting fringe types who sometimes do seem to have inside information. I mean…David Grann just linked to Schindler's Observer piece. Arnold Schwarzenegger and the NAACP and the U.S. Dep't of the Interior (?!) and all kinds of credible journalists on the Trump beat are currently following Lousie Mensch on twitter.
posted by sallybrown at 11:53 AM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

They only interviewed the anti-choice protestors with no mention of counter protestors. Turns out there were more counter-protestors on hand to support PPH than anti-choice folks but you would have never have known it if you're only source was a shitty 45 second tv piece.

And that is why when a label like "fake news" is brought out you get people applying it to the media. And the 'fake'ness is the same as it ever was.
posted by rough ashlar at 11:58 AM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

Al Franken repeats senators' concern that Trump is 'not right mentally'.
posted by adamvasco at 12:00 PM on February 12, 2017 [15 favorites]

Activists plan to hold town hall in Rep. Comstock’s Northern Virginia district — with or without her.

Don't know how much this has been mentioned here, but this is a THING that you should get involved in if your Rep isn't holding a town hall during the recess. I started a post about it in my local Divisible group and we're working on holding THREE town halls in all three of the major cities that our district spans (yay gerrymandering). Get a space, invite your rep, invite the media, wait to see if they show (and have plans for when they don't, obviously.) You can search for your local Indivisible group on Indivisibleguide.com.
posted by threeturtles at 12:04 PM on February 12, 2017 [7 favorites]

"I won't talk about politics on Facebook, just wanted to say it's nice to have a chic First Lady again…so Jackie O!"

It is pretty weird that Melania is invoking Jackie Kennedy so much. I mean, do you think she knows how the JFK administration ended up?
posted by Joey Buttafoucault at 12:04 PM on February 12, 2017 [9 favorites]

Yeah, well, Jackie got a brand spanking new husband out of the deal.
posted by lydhre at 12:06 PM on February 12, 2017 [20 favorites]

Franken: He lies a lot, he says things that aren’t true, that’s the same as lying I guess... That is not the norm for a president of the United States or actually for a human being.
posted by diogenes at 12:07 PM on February 12, 2017 [37 favorites]

I don't even understand the fashion swipe at Michelle Obama. I may just be some guy who is pretty much the opposite of fashion-forward, but she always seemed very chic to me. I mean, ok, I do understand that it's probably code for something else entirely, but it feels ridiculous on its face when these sorts of coded attacks usually focus on something where there's at least ambiguity.
posted by indubitable at 12:12 PM on February 12, 2017 [18 favorites]

Franken: He lies a lot, he says things that aren’t true, that’s the same as lying I guess... That is not the norm for a president of the United States or actually for a human being.

How long until Trump starts calling for lèse-majesté laws despite them being unconstitutional on the face of it?
posted by Talez at 12:12 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

I do understand that it's probably code for something else entirely,

It pretty much couldn't be more clear. To the racist eye, a black woman is going to look inelegant no matter what she wears.
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:15 PM on February 12, 2017 [59 favorites]

I don't even understand the fashion swipe at Michelle Obama.

You aren't missing anything other than blind partisanship (and maybe bad taste and racism on the part of my Facebook friend). I actually thought Melania's shrug/coat was poorly fitted and unflattering - from a purely fashion perspective, the dress underneath that had a mock-turtleneck collar was much more her usual style (clean lines and simple cuts around her shoulders and neck without a lot of frou frou) and much more elegant.
posted by sallybrown at 12:17 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

Lots of white women also.
Engineers disease is real, also I'd bet they are all dual katana MRA turds.

My SO’s mother embodies the model American immigrant dream. She immigrated penniless to the USA, worked her way through college & grad school as a single mother, and was a staunch Democrat & feminist the entire time who voted for Bill Clinton & Obama. She & I even had a long conversation last summer about which way her husband was going to vote and whether she could convince him to vote for Hillary (he was ok with her policies but thought Hillary was too old).

I don’t want to derail the thread into ~not just white women~ but as a single data point: my SO’s mother somehow converted into a 100% Trump supporter in the span of a couple months. So did most of her friends (all from the same non-white ethnic group). They are a fairly educated lot of working professional men & women with MS & PhD degrees. SO and I find the whole thing bizarre, because his mom is actually quite progressive about a lot of social matters, but … somehow she flipped. SO actually feels quite guilty because we assumed of course his mother was going to vote Democratic & never spoke to her about it around election time even though she lives in a swing state, then suddenly at Thanksgiving she announced that she was a proud Trump supporter.

I mean, of course a lot of Trump's base is racist white people and maybe some of this is engineer's disease too. But I think it’s a huge mistake to write it off as just that, because I’ve heard similar stories from other second-generation immigrants in my ethnic group and it's not just white people that the Democrats need to swing back in the next election.
posted by angst at 12:22 PM on February 12, 2017 [13 favorites]

I mean maybe I'm being ungenerous but I always assumed the conservative horror about her bare arms was because the absence of sleeves revealed more black skin.
posted by Joey Michaels at 12:22 PM on February 12, 2017 [8 favorites]

I don't even understand the fashion swipe at Michelle Obama.

It's just dumb racism from dumb racists.
posted by Artw at 12:23 PM on February 12, 2017 [27 favorites]

I don't even understand the fashion swipe at Michelle Obama.

The same reason Obama's choice of mustard was a far more serious matter to Sean Hannity than the nation's current descent into an insane fascist dictatorship.

Edited to add: it's been 2,853 days since Sean Hannity volunteered to be waterboarded to prove it isn't torture.
posted by Rust Moranis at 12:27 PM on February 12, 2017 [16 favorites]

Man, I hate that "this post isn't about politics but look at this thing in politcs" game that people play on Facebook. Own your breeziness, cretins.

Just in terms of women in their 20s/30s now - I used to see this a lot more than I do, and from all different parts on the political spectrum. I think it had a lot to do with insecurity/fear about coming across as "unfeminine" if people perceived you as intense, argumentative, someone who makes others uncomfortable, impolite, and a whole lot of other sexist baggage. Just like how a lot of women have shed the worry they had about calling themselves feminists as pop/consumer feminism has skyrocketed in the last few years*, this election and the positive publicity about the Women's March has erased that kind of preemptive apology from a lot of the anti-Trump posts I see by younger women. And it's turned into a kind of "I'm not one of those annoying liberal women who rants about politics" vibe in the pro-Trump posts I see (which all tiptoe around being pro-Trump, and never directly own it).

*of course this also corresponds to feminism as a movement losing some teeth and intensity...
posted by sallybrown at 12:31 PM on February 12, 2017 [10 favorites]

From the Duh Department.

Trump’s supporters believe a false narrative of white victimhood — and the data proves it
posted by futz at 12:32 PM on February 12, 2017 [17 favorites]

NYT: Trump Sons Forge Ahead Without Father, Expanding and Navigating Conflicts: "Critics say conflicts of interest are far from resolved, but Don Jr. and Eric press on with deals landing Trump-branded properties around the world."
posted by zachlipton at 12:33 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Franken: He lies a lot, he says things that aren’t true, that’s the same as lying I guess

Is this a nod (or a fuck you) to NPR and their "we can't call it a lie unless we can look into Trump's soul" sophistry?
posted by bibliowench at 12:33 PM on February 12, 2017 [8 favorites]

"Critics say conflicts of interest are far from resolved, but Don Jr. and Eric press on with deals landing Trump-branded properties around the world."

Remember the ancient history of a couple weeks ago when the guy who is president now said his company would "stop doing international deals"?
posted by indubitable at 12:36 PM on February 12, 2017 [10 favorites]

How long until Trump starts calling for lèse-majesté laws despite them being unconstitutional on the face of it?

How long until the US media starts complying?

There's already an awful lot that the White House can do to punish its enemies. It can shut down access, blatantly or subtly; it can investigate whistleblowers; it can treat rhetoric as an implied threat and send the SS to check it out. All of these, except perhaps the last, were used by previous administrations; I expect the only reason we haven't seen it from Trump is that it's been Only! Three! Weeks! and things are too chaotic for him realise the power of the bully pulpit.
posted by Joe in Australia at 12:41 PM on February 12, 2017

There was a trend going around facebook last week where you would post an image from an artist assigned by a friend, and then whoever liked your post would be assigned an artist to post - "to break up all the political posts with art".

Of course all my assignments were intensely political. Not everyone ran with it, but I was so proud of the friend who posted "Theaster Gates, Civil Rights Tapestry 3, 2012, Decomissioned fire hose and wood".
posted by maggiemaggie at 12:41 PM on February 12, 2017 [14 favorites]

TPM: Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), the ranking member of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, said on Sunday that it would be "appropriate" to revoke the security clearance of President Donald Trump's national security advisor Michael Flynn.

"... there's something else that needs to be asked. That is, did the President instruct General Flynn to talk to the ambassador? And did he know about it? And if he knew about this conversation, when did he know it?"

Good job Cummings! C'mon Democrats, unite around this line of questioning!
posted by diogenes at 12:42 PM on February 12, 2017 [55 favorites]

There is a Trump joke in here somewhere, but I am too overwhelmed to devise one.
posted by Coventry at 1:00 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

New Gallup poll: 40% approval, 55% disapproval, approval-disapproval 15% (worst yet)

Check out the graph. Whether or not you believe the polls any more, this is what it would look like if his popularity were to begin collapsing.
posted by Rust Moranis at 1:06 PM on February 12, 2017 [16 favorites]

White House rep Sebastian Gorka likes to wear a medal awarded by Nazi collaborators.
posted by PenDevil at 1:06 PM on February 12, 2017 [15 favorites]

The GOP, the party that keeps ranting about how they're the party of Lincoln, celebrates Lincoln's birthday with a fake Lincoln quote.
posted by zachlipton at 1:08 PM on February 12, 2017 [8 favorites]

As a life-long intense, painfully earnest and political woman, I can confirm, it's hard to navigate that socially. I mean, it's hard if you give any fucks. I'm also over 40 and have been out of fucks for quite some time now, but getting to that point takes time and anger.
posted by soren_lorensen at 1:10 PM on February 12, 2017 [22 favorites]

Afghanistan civilian deaths may have been caused by US airstrike

US airstrikes in Afghanistan’s Helmand province may have been responsible for the deaths of at least 18 civilians, mostly women and children, according to the UN and local sources.

Airstrikes took place late on Thursday in Sangin district, which has been highly contested for most of the Afghan war.

It is the first claim of civilian casualties at the hands of US forces in Afghanistan since Donald Trump assumed the US presidency, and comes two weeks after a botched US raid in Yemen allegedly killed dozens of civilians.

Glad we are out in the world making friends!
posted by futz at 1:21 PM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

Trumpocalypse Now (with Malcolm Turnbull) (via)
posted by Joe in Australia at 1:21 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

Tell everyone you know that you are a real person who your elected Republicans ignored and belittled.

Tell your local media about your attempts to contact your representatives and how you are a real person and they are insulting you. Right now my Rep and the local resistance are engaged in a polite media war about how us liberals keep trying to engage with him and keep being blocked and deleted on twitter and facebook, while the offices are busy with full voice mails. There's been at least one local news story about how people can't get in contact with him, and today he wrote an editorial in one local paper to push back against what people have been posting on his social media about the muslim ban. I personally spoke to a local news reporter who was looking for stories and screenshots of social media posts which have been deleted or constituents who have been banned. (Unfortunately I didn't take a screenshot cause I didn't think my polite comments would be deleted.)

Small town media people WANT these stories.
posted by threeturtles at 1:22 PM on February 12, 2017 [38 favorites]

Congressional districts are large enough and often gerrymandered enough (to slice and dice city voting power) that any GOP congresscritter can hold a town hall in Small Red City and claim that constituents who've come in from Bigger Blue City are outside agitators, even if they're in the same damn district.

YUP. This is exactly what my Rep says. His district is gerrymandered to hell and contains part of Austin. So he says "oh, that's just those Austin people, who aren't really Real Texans like the people in [Red Areas.]" Which is SPECIFICALLY WHY the local media we're talking to are in the smaller cities. And why we're trying to schedule town halls next week in all three major cities of his district to show it's NOT just Austin.
posted by threeturtles at 1:26 PM on February 12, 2017 [15 favorites]

Really happy I'm subscribed to WaPo, their front page right now is basically laser-focused on dismantling the administration's attempts to set the weekly narrative on Sunday morning shows, while still keeping attention on the stories the administration wants to sweep under the rug. And then dropping bombshell reports midweek to put the administration on defense going into the next weekend. They've really got it down to a science.
posted by jason_steakums at 1:27 PM on February 12, 2017 [35 favorites]

Journalists and stars lose appetite for correspondents' dinner under Trump

One comedian, Samantha Bee, will be dining on Washington on the night of 29 April. The Full Frontal host will be debuting what she declines to call a rival party, even though it is titled Not the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and is being held on the same night at the historic Willard Hotel, a block away from the White House.
posted by futz at 1:45 PM on February 12, 2017 [20 favorites]

They are well aware that most of the people in their circles disapprove of Trump and feel very defensive about that, but still want to "yay my team"…just without having to explain or defend their support and with an edge of superiority ("I don't talk about politics on Facebook" with the implied "unlike you").

I was so happy I was able to out-Southern-Passive-Aggressive-Woman the woman who posted as a comment on one of my posts "I don't talk about politics in public" with "Well that's great if that works for you."
posted by threeturtles at 1:51 PM on February 12, 2017 [31 favorites]

Is this the first current GOP Rep or Senator to call (very weakly) for Flynn's outster?

WI GOP Rep Sensenbrenner, at town hall, on NSA Flynn: "If he ended up lying up food chain to POTUS, then something would have to be done" (twitter)
posted by sallybrown at 1:58 PM on February 12, 2017 [13 favorites]

Margaret Sullivan goes to a PA county that flipped red and asks people about their news consumption habits: ‘Drop dead, media!’ Trump fans yelled — then bought the local papers. Local news is king.
posted by zachlipton at 2:04 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Trump Solo - so much for those who imagine Trump is demented - he was the same all along. I found this article when was looking at a lot of old stuff about Trump in order to figure out wether he would have been susceptible to blackmail or bribery when the Russian ambassador first contacted him during the 80's. The answer to my question is yes, though it raises another question: why on earth would they engage with Trump back then? A crazy real estate developer from New York who is constantly on the brink of bankruptcy. It makes no sense. One answer is buried deep in this article: In the 1980s, Barsky’s most interesting potential recruits were radical rightwing ideologues; here, Soviet agents would pose as activists from the radical right. “There was one individual I reported on who I’m convinced would have fallen for that, because he was so strongly rightwing,” he says. But to me, it doesn't add up entirely. However, if the Soviet/Russian goal was/is disruption, rather than the actual presidency, I can see how buying and then building hard right fringe people in Europe and the US would make sense.. Certainly here in Europe they are coming out of the woodworks now. And look at how Trump already was going there in -97: What if, say, a troublemaker like Muammar Qaddafi got his hands on a nuclear arsenal? Well, Trump declared, he stood ready to work with the leaders of the then Soviet Union to coördinate a formula for coping with Armageddon-minded lunatics.
posted by mumimor at 2:08 PM on February 12, 2017 [8 favorites]

Is this the first current GOP Rep or Senator to call (very weakly) for Flynn's outster?

First I've seen.

I've got bad news Rep. Sensenbrenner. Either he lied up the chain, or POTUS is complicit. Pick your poison.
posted by diogenes at 2:10 PM on February 12, 2017 [10 favorites]

Does anyone know who the "big crowds of enthusiastic supporters lining the roads" are?

(The first response: "Those are traffic cones.")
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 2:20 PM on February 12, 2017 [9 favorites]

I was so happy I was able to out-Southern-Passive-Aggressive-Woman the woman who posted as a comment on one of my posts "I don't talk about politics in public" with "Well that's great if that works for you."

I responded to a similar comment with "Trust me, I get it -- it takes a lot of courage. I just think it's good for my kids to see me standing up for my principles in every day life."
posted by KathrynT at 2:22 PM on February 12, 2017 [61 favorites]

so much for those who imagine Trump is demented - he was the same all along But unless the reporters were heavily correcting his quotes to conform with English, his grammar and ability to form coherent sentences used to be far different. I think there may be some misunderstanding about what dementia means. It's a brain disorder that leads to many symptoms, the most noticeable of which are memory problems and disordered and interrupted speech. The inability to complete a thought. That New Yorker article quotes him as saying,

"The thing I’m best at is business and conceiving. The press portrays me as a wild flamethrower. In actuality, I think I’m much different from that. I think I’m totally inaccurately portrayed.”

That's four complete sentences in a row on the same topic, with multiple words with five syllables. That's not something I can imagine him saying now.

No, his fundamental personality doesn't seem to have changed, other than to get more blatant and intense. He was an asshole, he is an asshole. But I think he has dementia. And as someone who has experienced dementia from people close to me, I think that is a uniquely disastrous and dangerous illness for a president to have.
posted by threeturtles at 2:22 PM on February 12, 2017 [47 favorites]

That's four complete sentences in a row on the same topic, with multiple words with five syllables.

And not a single "tremendous."
posted by diogenes at 2:25 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

why on earth would they [Russia] engage with Trump back then? A crazy real estate developer from New York who is constantly on the brink of bankruptcy. It makes no sense.

Money laundering?
posted by OnceUponATime at 2:26 PM on February 12, 2017 [12 favorites]

Meanwhile, Trump's friend Chris Ruddy is trying to kneecap one of the inner circle…not the Russian asset…not the Nazi sympathizer…not the reincarnated Roy Cohn...not the alternative facts maven…but Reince Priebus.
posted by sallybrown at 2:30 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

He thinks the press is dishonest if they don't spend a ton of time on the size of the crowds that watch his motorcade go by? He's going to start holding parades, isn't he? (The last one went so well.)
posted by zachlipton at 2:34 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

I responded to a similar comment with "Trust me, I get it -- it takes a lot of courage. I just think it's good for my kids to see me standing up for my principles in every day life."

Is it bushfire season where you live, because that's a well-controlled burn.
posted by Joe in Australia at 2:37 PM on February 12, 2017 [68 favorites]

A bookstore is systematically tweeting the entire first Harry Potter book at Piers Morgan after Morgan got into a Twitter fight with J.K. Rowling and he responded "#StillNeverGoingToReadYourDrivel"
posted by zachlipton at 2:42 PM on February 12, 2017 [22 favorites]

A US-born NASA scientist was detained at the border until he unlocked his phone

Also, not that it should matter, but the scientist was enrolled in the Global Entry program (voluntary additional background checks for quicker re-entry), hasn’t visited any of the countries listed in the immigration ban, and has worked at JPL for 10 years.
posted by bluecore at 2:57 PM on February 12, 2017 [71 favorites]

Kellyanne is a horrid person, but at least she had a sense of humor about SNL last night.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 3:02 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

Yeah, but Jake Tapper sent out a tweet that said just "#nothingmatters" and I'm kind of worried about him now. He's tweeted other things since at least.
posted by zachlipton at 3:05 PM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

Once I worked as a journalist, and though I can't say if it is the same for all media, we'd do all we could to make our interviewees seem to make sense. Even if it was someone we detested and wanted to take down, we'd edit their speech so it made reasonable sentences. Why? Well first of all decorum, it looks a lot better to treat all well, not least those you despise. And second access. If we exposed how stupid some public figures were in real life, we would lose access to those figures. Whats happened now with Trump is that his speech is out there on national media and impossible to hide, and of course that people are shocked by the consequences.

About dementia, I can really understand why people are saying this. My dad entered the process of dementia before he died, and I can totally see how people feel they can recognize the symptoms. Sometimes I do too, and maybe it is true that Trump is demented. But first of all, I try to not do distance-diagnosis. And then also, I really want to emphasize that Trump had always been amazingly incompetent, as demonstrated in the Newyorker article and many other articles about the Trump business. Not only incompetent, but also crooked. In my view, it would be more appropriate for Trump to be ousted because he is an incompetent crooked traitor than because he is a frail old man.
posted by mumimor at 3:06 PM on February 12, 2017 [14 favorites]

Well, Trump declared, he stood ready to work with the leaders of the then Soviet Union to coördinate a formula for coping with Armageddon-minded lunatics.

and yet here he is, in cahoots with the republican party.
posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 3:06 PM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

Jake Tapper sent out a tweet that said just "#nothingmatters" and I'm kind of worried about him now.

Is that a Fatal Attraction in-joke or something?
posted by Coventry at 3:08 PM on February 12, 2017

A US-born NASA scientist was detained at the border until he unlocked his phone

Isn't that illegal? As an American citizen he had every right to enter the USA, and if the immigration authorities lacked a reason to think that he was lying they had no right to detain him on immigration grounds. They also appear to have lacked any probable cause to suspect that he was a criminal, so it's not like they could just hold him as a US fugitive from justice or whatever.
posted by Joe in Australia at 3:18 PM on February 12, 2017 [13 favorites]

Isn't that illegal? As an American citizen he had every right to enter the USA, and if the immigration authorities lacked a reason to think that he was lying they had no right to detain him on immigration grounds. They also appear to have lacked any probable cause to suspect that he was a criminal, so it's not like they could just hold him as a US fugitive from justice or whatever.

U.S. courts have generally ruled that border agents have broad leeway to detain and question anyone entering the country that they deem suspicious, even U.S. citizens. I'm no legal scholar, so I don't know why normal Fourth Amendment protections don't apply at the border, but for whatever reason that seems to be the case.
posted by biogeo at 3:26 PM on February 12, 2017 [6 favorites]

Joe in Australia: Isn't that illegal?

Apparently they can search your digital devices if it's not locked but can't compel you to give over the passcode. But in practice they will try to make the case they can search your device (and conveniently forget the ruling that they can't compel passcodes), they can detain you for a long time (not sure how long?), and they can confiscate your devices, so then it becomes how much hassle you want to endure.
posted by bluecore at 3:26 PM on February 12, 2017 [7 favorites]

Here's a bumper sticker for MF; ITMFA
posted by bongo_x at 3:26 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

What if we swapped out "mentally incompetent" for "frail old man", if only to be somewhat honest about the criticisms being leveled at him?

IMO (again, not diagnosing from a distance), he appears to be competent enough to know he is lying to the American people, congress and probably also parts of his own staff and family. He has continuously said that the reason he would be the best person to change the system is that he has gamed the system for a lifetime. He is still gaming the system and attempting to make as much personal profit from the presidency as possible. He is seriously trying to do what he promised to do, and the reason he can't is not that he is demented but that government is very different from business management, not least when the business management he is used to is from a smallish, constantly bankrupt private company with ties to criminals.
posted by mumimor at 3:28 PM on February 12, 2017 [6 favorites]

Isn't that illegal?

What I've learned from bus drivers when I was a teenager: for some people, the question isn't whether it's illegal or not, it is about opportunity; whether they perceive having some momentary power that allows them to be nasty to some less powerful individual. In this scenario, insecurity about which rules apply is gold for the power-wielder.
posted by Namlit at 3:32 PM on February 12, 2017 [10 favorites]

Joe - they don´t give a shit. See Laura Poitras and Brandon Jourdan and Jacob Applebaum among many others.
posted by adamvasco at 3:34 PM on February 12, 2017 [7 favorites]

But unless the reporters were heavily correcting his quotes to conform with English, his grammar and ability to form coherent sentences used to be far different. I think there may be some misunderstanding about what dementia means. It's a brain disorder that leads to many symptoms, the most noticeable of which are memory problems and disordered and interrupted speech. The inability to complete a thought.

There's a video of Trump on YouTube from 1980, when he was 33, giving a live interview. At a few points he boasts and at others dissembles, but generally he's coherent, fluent, and on topic.
posted by Emma May Smith at 3:38 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

Isn't that illegal?

Border Search Exception: Balanced against the sovereign's interests at the border are the Fourth Amendment rights of entrants. Not only is the expectation of privacy less at the border than in the interior, the Fourth Amendment balance between the interests of the Government and the privacy right of the individual is also struck much more favorably to the Government at the border. This balance at international borders means that routine searches are "reasonable" there, and therefore do not violate the Fourth Amendment's proscription against "unreasonable searches and seizures".

It's essentially the same as the First Amendment exceptions. If the state can establish a compelling competing interest, it wins. The judge gets to decide what's compelling, but this one makes sense to me, though it's clearly being abused for political purposes in this case.
posted by Coventry at 3:45 PM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

A US-born NASA scientist was detained at the border until he unlocked his phone

Back when I had a job where I was responsible for a non-trivial amount of cash, the big safe had a distress code built-in. If you entered your pin but added one to the last digit it would unlock but also silently call the police and report a robbery.

I've been wondering how hard it would be to implement a distress code into a smart phone. Use a special pin or a particular finger (the middle one, right?) and it would unlock to a what appears to be a brand new phone, with no data, contacts, or apps for prying eyes to see.
posted by peeedro at 3:46 PM on February 12, 2017 [65 favorites]

Does anyone know who the "big crowds of enthusiastic supporters lining the roads" are?

Enthusiastic, yes. Supporters, no. See for yourself.
posted by scalefree at 3:47 PM on February 12, 2017 [6 favorites]

There's a video of Trump on YouTube from 1980, when he was 33, giving a live interview. At a few points he boasts and at others dissembles, but generally he's coherent, fluent, and on topic.

I've seen videos demonstrating a similar thing with Bush II. In the earlier video he was sharp and made his points 1, 2, 3. In the later one he was all over the place; he'd fill in a gap with some vague platitude and sometimes forget where he'd started. People made fun of him for his malapropisms, but I think they'd have been shocked and alarmed if they'd really contrasted them with the way he had once been: there was definitely a great deal of deterioration.
posted by Joe in Australia at 3:55 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

An open letter to Jason Chaffetz from someone who attended his town hall
posted by zachlipton at 4:05 PM on February 12, 2017 [15 favorites]

If you're linking to WaPo or NYT stories it would be helpful to have the actual headline in the link text. That way people who are over their limit can google it and try to view it that way.
posted by Room 641-A at 4:13 PM on February 12, 2017 [11 favorites]

(Or at least in the comment.)
posted by Room 641-A at 4:14 PM on February 12, 2017

It's a bit of a bummer that someone literally replied to that excellent open letter with a "but her emails!"
posted by Archelaus at 4:16 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

Not sure if this is the right thread for it, but I found this Resistance Calendar website that is seeking to aggregate all major events (rallies/marches/etc). You can add your own (requires your email + admin approval).
posted by AFABulous at 4:18 PM on February 12, 2017 [11 favorites]

I use this resistance calendar for NYC, if that's useful to anybody.
posted by prefpara at 4:21 PM on February 12, 2017 [6 favorites]

I was initially resistant to the idea that Rtump had dementia - my dad had it too and Mutrp doesn't sound like he did. I now think he, Urmpt, does have it. Not just because of his speech, but also those moments where it becomes apparent that he's totally lost all connection with the present, and he just stands there in silence aping involvement; grinning or scowling or looking serious, faking it, but unable to find words for the moment.
posted by um at 4:22 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Use a special pin or a particular finger (the middle one, right?) and it would unlock to a what appears to be a brand new phone, with no data, contacts, or apps for prying eyes to see.

That perhaps would seem suspicious - maybe it should have a false, but normal looking data load.
posted by thelonius at 4:23 PM on February 12, 2017 [10 favorites]

I've been wondering how hard it would be to implement a distress code into a smart phone. Use a special pin or a particular finger (the middle one, right?) and it would unlock to a what appears to be a brand new phone, with no data, contacts, or apps for prying eyes to see.

I'm borrowing this from the discussion over on Hacker News, but: what's going to solve this problem is political, not technological. When the culture of the border agencies is such that everyone feels free to ignore the law, when Congress refuses to explicitly declare that citizens have these rights at the border, no amount of technical prowess is going to save you. It's you, the individual, up against the institutional might and endurance of the state, and the state is going to win every time.
posted by indubitable at 4:26 PM on February 12, 2017 [10 favorites]

More palace intrigue. Christopher Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax and a friend of Trump, ripped into Priebus in an interview today, after he met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago:

"The White House is showing not the amount of order that we need to see. I think there's a lot of weakness coming out of the chief of staff," Ruddy, the CEO of conservative Newsmax Media, said on CNN's "Reliable Sources."

"I think Reince Priebus — good guy, well-intentioned — but he clearly doesn't know how the federal agencies work. He doesn't have a really good system."

Now he's backtracking: "Reince just briefed me on new WH plans. Impressive! CNN today my personal view. Told him I have 'open mind' based on his results."
posted by zachlipton at 4:27 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

I'm borrowing this from the discussion over on Hacker News, but: what's going to solve this problem is political, not technological.

Anyway, they have your real identity from your passport. It's at most a matter of years before border agents could have a database which infers your politics from your online behavior. The information on your personal devices will be irrelevant at that point.
posted by Coventry at 4:35 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Now he's backtracking

Working the inside, the outside, and both of his faces.

(The "US-born" thing in headlines sets up an implicit hierarchy for American citizenship that helps out fuckers like Bannon who think naturalized citizens or even the US-born children of immigrants shouldn't have those rights.)
posted by holgate at 4:49 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

b) The dam is fine. Part of the spillway fell apart a couple days ago due to erosion.
c) They're close to opening up the emergency spillway because the lake level is about 3' lower than the dam.
d) It's all okay. Really.

Just a quick breaking news update here: the authorities say the Oroville auxiliary spillway is about to fail and residents have been ordered to evacuate immediately.
posted by zachlipton at 4:52 PM on February 12, 2017 [10 favorites]

Well that escalated quickly.
posted by Justinian at 4:54 PM on February 12, 2017 [8 favorites]

Journalists and stars lose appetite for correspondents' dinner under Trump

Good. This shit has needed to die for forever. They're not there to be friends with power. George Bush yucking over his lies about WMDs while journalists sat and laughed along was disgusting.

I can't wait till they have to sit there while Trump's "comedy" set is just him gloating and yelling "CNN IS FAKE NEWS" in their faces for an hour, and the main act is Milo Yannaninilolsos. Finally, the White House Correspondents dinner will get the respect it deserved all along.

How long until Trump starts calling for lèse-majesté laws despite them being unconstitutional on the face of it?

How long until the US media starts complying?

Access journalism is not actually that valuable, much less irreplaceable. The real work of journalism comes from sources, not what's said in the press briefings, especially with this administration where what they say is already essentially useless, as it's all lies. And sources won't be hard to find, this administration is already not so much a sieve as a plastic bucket that's been used for shotgun target practice, and that's just the actual White House, to say nothing of the career agency employees they're alienating and sure to keep attacking internally and through policy. We'd probably be better off if most major news orgs started boycotting the administration's official channels and redeployed all that man power to investigative work. Let Spicer only have an audience of Brietbart and yokel hate radio hosts.

It's essentially the same as the First Amendment exceptions. If the state can establish a compelling competing interest, it wins. The judge gets to decide what's compelling, but this one makes sense to me, though it's clearly being abused for political purposes in this case.

No one should cross the US border with electronics. Mail them ahead, or plan on using cloud data, which is easier than ever.
posted by T.D. Strange at 4:59 PM on February 12, 2017 [24 favorites]

Of course the government can only provide the best information available but this does illustrate why people tend to distrust pronouncements:

1) Everything's Fine, no threat.
2) Everything's Fine, no threat.
3) Everything's Fine, no threat.
4) HOLY FUCK YOU'RE ALL GOING TO DIE RUN.
posted by Justinian at 5:00 PM on February 12, 2017 [17 favorites]

The 'US-born' thing in headlines sets up an implicit hierarchy for American citizenship that helps out fuckers like Bannon who think naturalized citizens or even the US-born children of immigrants shouldn't have those rights.

We need a list of famous naturalized citizens that have contributed to American society. For example, Albert Einstein was a naturalized citizen.
posted by kirkaracha at 5:06 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

Us Weekly snarks back at Sean Spicer with some helpful investment advice.
posted by zachlipton at 5:08 PM on February 12, 2017 [13 favorites]

We need a list of famous naturalized citizens that have contributed to American society.

At the HIAS rally in support of refugees that I attended today, one speaker, a refugee, added at the end of her speech that she was contributing to the US and was not a drain on our society. And that made me sad, and it makes me sad that we think about it in these transactional terms. And I myself am a refugee and want to tell everyone that BTW I pay more taxes than Trump. Because they are wrong by their own measure. But fuck their measure. I reject their measure. If we take in a hungry, frightened grandmother who does nothing but eat food paid for by US tax dollars, who receives health care paid for by US tax dollars, and who dies never having worked an American job or paid an American tax, we should be fucking proud to be able to say that we saved her, gave her refuge, cared for her, and were her shelter and her home at the end of her life. Fuck, fuck, fuck being a productive member of society. The reason we choose to do good is because it is the right thing to do. The fact that in most cases, that also benefits us tremendously, is bonus points.
posted by prefpara at 5:11 PM on February 12, 2017 [138 favorites]

Us Weekly calling him "Spicey" has to be my favorite thing this week.
posted by zachlipton at 5:15 PM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

What prefpara said: either citizenship is unitary or it's meaningless.
posted by holgate at 5:16 PM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

Us Weekly snarks back at Sean Spicer with some helpful investment advice.

Sean Spicer Gets Owned: a 1 billion part series
posted by T.D. Strange at 5:17 PM on February 12, 2017 [12 favorites]

Just a quick breaking news update here: the authorities say the Oroville auxiliary spillway is about to fail and residents have been ordered to evacuate immediately.

To top off the shit sundae with a cherry, the Feather River is the main tributary to the Sacramento River.

I'm sure Trump will be quick to help one of the few counties in CA that voted for him if push comes to shove. That is if he can get over his loathing of CA. Sacramento on the other hand will probably be told to go fuck itself as far as federal help is concerned.
posted by Talez at 5:20 PM on February 12, 2017

The 'US-born' thing in headlines sets up an implicit hierarchy for American citizenship that helps out fuckers like Bannon who think naturalized citizens or even the US-born children of immigrants shouldn't have those rights.

We need a list of famous naturalized citizens that have contributed to American society. For example, Albert Einstein was a naturalized citizen.

As an immigrant and a Green Card holder who appreciates every ad that's run in the vein of "Sergey Brin is an immigrant" / "Arnold Schwarzenegger is an immigrant" / "Madeleine Albright is an immigrant" I feel that everyone whose mind can be changed has been changed. The ones who are left don't care.

They aren't worried about abusing the next Albert Einstein. They're more afraid that some brown person is going to take their job or blow up their child. Telling them that Elon Musk is an immigrant is irrelevant to that calculus.
posted by bl1nk at 5:22 PM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

@MerriamWebster
📈Trending now: 'corroborate', 'dossier', and 'salacious'.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/news-trend-watch/investigators-corroborate-portions-of-the-russia-dossier-20170210
posted by chris24 at 5:25 PM on February 12, 2017 [14 favorites]

Does anyone know who the "big crowds of enthusiastic supporters lining the roads" are?
Pete Souza continues throw some serious shade on Instagram. Worth the price of admission alone.
posted by vac2003 at 5:25 PM on February 12, 2017 [9 favorites]

The post office is no more trustworthy than CBP

While true, and you should use UPS or FedEx (or DHL, depending on where you're going), and expect that your package may be intercepted; the benefit this gives you is that you cannot be compelled to provide credentials for the device... So, if you're mailing a recently updated iPhone, or a freshly-installed chromebook (with the intent to enter your credentials from memory/offline storage) then your data is reasonably well protected. Not a guarantee, of course, but it's better than trying to cross the border with your device.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 5:28 PM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

this administration is already not so much a sieve as a plastic bucket that's been used for shotgun target practice, and that's just the actual White House,

1) Washington is a leaky place. Been so for years. But there is no desire for the press to decide not to run something when in the past they might wait or outright not run something.

2) Because of 1) there has been no desire to create effective whistleblower protection laws.

3) Anyone who "leaks" runs the risk of getting charged with any of the thicket of laws that exist. And anyone who is "press" seems to only have "tradition" to protect them from getting charged under other laws in the thicket of laws.

Access journalism seems to be the way the press protected itself from getting charged under the thicket of laws.
posted by rough ashlar at 5:32 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

So, if you're mailing a recently updated iPhone, or a freshly-installed chromebook (with the intent to enter your credentials from memory/offline storage) then your data is reasonably well protected.

Yea, this. Use encryption, etc. A mail intercept is a far more targeted search than being subject to the whims of Joe the MAGA CBP Agent acting 'cause 'u don't look' 'Merican t'me.
posted by T.D. Strange at 5:33 PM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

Jesus, Breitbart. Just saw this headline linked on Twitter: "Flooding Breaks Oroville Dam as California’s Drought Ends!"

California's drought isn't over, it's just moved. As the drought continued, large water consumers shifted from surface water to underground sources. They're pulling so much out that the land above California's aquifers is actually sinking, a process called subsidence. It's been going on for decades but accelerated over the last few years.
posted by scalefree at 5:37 PM on February 12, 2017 [9 favorites]

Does anyone know who the "big crowds of enthusiastic supporters lining the roads" are?

What a shame the Fake Media is not just refusing to report on this, but blocking the copious photo and video evidence to the contrary that Trump's supporters are no doubt trying in vain to post everywhere right now.
posted by Rykey at 5:42 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

51-43 against the ban in a state Trump won by 9 points.

Iowa Poll: Majority of Iowans disagree with Trump's immigration order

posted by chris24 at 5:43 PM on February 12, 2017 [7 favorites]

NYT: Turmoil at the National Security Council, From the Top Down. There's a ton in here, including some bits about making policy from Trump's Twitter account, but it's hard to quote anything but the kicker:

At the all-hands meeting, Mr. Flynn talked about the importance of a balanced work life, taking care of family, and using the time at the council to gain experience that would help staff members in other parts of the government. At one point, the crowd was asked for a show of hands of how many expected to be working at the White House in a year.

Mr. Flynn turned to Ms. McFarland and, in what seemed to be a self-deprecating joke, said, “I wonder if we’ll be here a year from now?”

posted by zachlipton at 5:43 PM on February 12, 2017 [9 favorites]

Does anyone know who the "big crowds of enthusiastic supporters lining the roads" are?

@lesleyabravanel Retweeted Donald J. Trump
I just drove past those people lining the road& cheered them on. They were protesting you. You can't read the signs
posted by chris24 at 5:45 PM on February 12, 2017 [18 favorites]

They're not shouting "Traitor" they're shouting "Traiiiump."
posted by Joey Michaels at 5:48 PM on February 12, 2017 [20 favorites]

It's apparerntly "Destroy Mike Flynn Night" in the news. We also now have:

WaPo: As Flynn falls under growing pressure over Russia contacts, Trump remains silent ("“Flynn is running out of friends, no question,” a different administration official said. “The broad consensus in the White House is that he lied. The vice president feels like he lied. In a position that needs to be no drama, it’s nonstop drama. I would be very surprised if he lasts much longer."")
WSJ: Mike Flynn’s Position Grows Tenuous in White House
posted by zachlipton at 5:54 PM on February 12, 2017 [14 favorites]

Spitbull - I'm not sure which target you are saying Colbert didn't hit - Bush or journalists. He hit both and it was noted that the room wasn't laughing.

Bush: "I stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft carriers, and rubble, and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message: that no matter what happens to America, she will always rebound—with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world."

The Press: "Over the last five years, you people were so good—over tax cuts, WMD intelligence, the effect of global warming. We Americans didn't want to know, and you had the courtesy not to try to find out, [...] But, listen, let's review the rules. Here's how it works. The President makes decisions. He's the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Just put 'em through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration? You know, fiction!"
posted by obliquity of the ecliptic at 5:57 PM on February 12, 2017 [50 favorites]

Now at 40% approve, 55% disapprove. No other president got to 50% disapproval, much less 55%, before 150 days. We're at 22.

@joshtpm
According to Gallup, in the first 3 weeks of his presidency, Trump went from 0 net approval to -15. Republicans will soon realize this.
posted by chris24 at 5:58 PM on February 12, 2017 [22 favorites]

Of course it's Destroy Mike Flynn night. He's getting fired this week. Trump met with Rybolovev at Mar-A-Lago this weekend. I'm sure it's all been arranged and they're gonna cut Flynn loose and hope that's the last we hear of "compromised by the russians"...
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 5:59 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

It's stunning to realize that this Congress is going to ignore the administration putting a Russian intelligence asset at National Security Advisor. It was a month-long national crisis when Obama put his feet on the desk that one time.
posted by gerryblog at 6:02 PM on February 12, 2017 [42 favorites]

Is Trump Advisor Steve Schwarzman The Missing Link In The Rosneft Scandal?

Setting aside Betteridge's law of headlines, this is an interesting look into the curious Rosneft sale that was predicted exactly by the Steele Dossier. The dossier also predicted 19% of Rosneft was promised as a reward should the Russia sanctions be dropped post-election.

tl,dr: Schwarzman owns Blackstone Group, which acquired Intertrust, a Dutch trust firm, in 2012. Intertrust has a series of assets located in the Cayman Islands, including Walker’s Management Services (WMS). Walker’s shares an address with and registered a Limited Liability Partnership called QHG Cayman Limited on December 16, 2016, only nine days after the 19.5% Rosneft privatization deal took place. QHG Cayman, through a series of shell companies, apparently owns a portion of the Rosneft assets that were privatized.

Trump just flew Schwazman down to Florida on Air Force One and threw him a birthday party at Mar-A-Lago this weekend.
posted by bluecore at 6:02 PM on February 12, 2017 [27 favorites]

The post office is no more trustworthy than CBP

Do they have a known history of seizing phones and laptops, or demanding passwords to devices sent throught the mail?
posted by thelonius at 6:05 PM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

From the NSC turmoil article zachlipton linked above:

...while Mr. Obama liked policy option papers that were three to six single-spaced pages, council staff members are now being told to keep papers to a single page, with lots of graphics and maps.

“The president likes maps,” one official said.

posted by Coventry at 6:10 PM on February 12, 2017 [25 favorites]

Yeah, I don't think they are going to be able to get away with "Flynn duped us all! Let's move on to a different subject now!"

(Although who knows what's possible here in the upside down.)
posted by diogenes at 6:12 PM on February 12, 2017 [9 favorites]

It's apparerntly "Destroy Mike Flynn Night" in the news.

He's gone. Writing's on the wall. I'll claim Tuesday in the betting pool.
posted by scalefree at 6:15 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

@McJesse
I edited Ceelo Green into the background of pics of Trump in his apartment and holy shit 😂😂😂 [pix]


(If you haven't seen Cee-lo Green's Grammy outfit, imagine gold space alien.)
posted by chris24 at 6:15 PM on February 12, 2017 [19 favorites]

Some visual aids & a live video feed on the impending Oroville spillway disaster. Courtesy BuzzFeed & KCRA TV.
posted by scalefree at 6:24 PM on February 12, 2017

A few polling companies do only landlines, but many do cellphones too. Fivethirtyeight has a chart.

True, thanks. However, "Live caller with cellphones - indicates the polling firm usually or always uses live telephone interviews and places calls to cellphones in addition to landlines (as of May 27, 2016). Text messages do not count."

So, yes most call cellphone(s), but no % given. Would be interesting to see.
posted by petebest at 6:26 PM on February 12, 2017

“The president likes maps,” one official said.

Can he read a map?
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:27 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

You wouldn't need to poll the same % of cellphone-only people as the nation as a whole as you could use any difference between the results of the cell calls you do make and the landline calls to calculate the overall result for the country as a whole, it'd just show up in your MoE.
posted by Justinian at 6:29 PM on February 12, 2017

Does anyone know who the "big crowds of enthusiastic supporters lining the roads" are?

WEST PALM BEACH — A few hundred protesters and a smaller number of supporters lined a portion of Southern Boulevard to watch President Donald Trump‘s motorcade take him from Mar-a-Lago to Palm Beach International Airport late this afternoon.
Palm Beach Post
posted by gatorae at 6:32 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

Is Trump Advisor Steve Schwarzman The Missing Link In The Rosneft Scandal?

Setting aside Betteridge's law of headlines

Betteridge must always be weighed against the ironclad Rule of Steves.
posted by dis_integration at 6:34 PM on February 12, 2017 [15 favorites]

why on earth would they [Russia] engage with Trump back then? A crazy real estate developer from New York who is constantly on the brink of bankruptcy. It makes no sense.

Per the Steele document, the Kremlin wanted Trumps help in spying on the rich Russians (and other rich folks, one of many 'operations') which it says he did for them.

The political viability of a POTUS run was a wacky side bet that improbably paid off.
posted by petebest at 6:34 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

NYT: Turmoil at the National Security Council, From the Top Down. There's a ton in here, including some bits about making policy from Trump's Twitter account, but it's hard to quote anything but the kicker:

There's also this bit, which is just... ugh:

Although Mr. Trump suggested to reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday that he was unaware of the latest questions swirling around Mr. Flynn’s dealings with Russia, aides said over the weekend in Florida — where Mr. Flynn accompanied the president and Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe — that Mr. Trump was closely monitoring the reaction to Mr. Flynn’s conversations.

Not at all unexpected, just awful to see it there in black and white: closely monitoring the reaction to Flynn's conversations. Not firing him immediately for crossing a huge line and lying to the administration, just waiting to see how people react - because if Trump can weather the reaction he can keep his horrible compromised Russian lackey around. Christ, I get why the press keeps dancing around just saying it without direct evidence, but it's so clear Trump himself is complicit.
posted by jason_steakums at 6:34 PM on February 12, 2017 [45 favorites]

I've been wondering how hard it would be to implement a distress code into a smart phone. Use a special pin or a particular finger (the middle one, right?) and it would unlock to a what appears to be a brand new phone, with no data, contacts, or apps for prying eyes to see.

For iPhones, that work would need to be done by Apple. But suppose you had (or potentially had) that feature on your phone, and you wouldn't or couldn't show the second partition to an investigator. That investigator would now have probable cause to believe that you were concealing evidence. Worse, if the distress code actually destroyed data, even something trivial like a most-recent call list, then you would have been destroying evidence, which can be a crime in itself!

IANAL but I think the only safe course for people worried about this is to take no data through the border. They can store it, encrypted, "somewhere in the cloud". That would protect it from all but the most determined state adversaries. Or someone with a rubber hose, of course, but we're assuming civil liberties are still a thing.
posted by Joe in Australia at 6:35 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

>“The president likes maps,” one official said.

Can he read a map?

Wellllll to be perfectly honest it's not that much, the President is of course very keen to understand the geographic dimensions of the battle against radical islamic terrorism and also the colors are the best, you know how low-energy these long rows of text can be
posted by tivalasvegas at 6:35 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Setting aside Betteridge's law of headlines, this is an interesting look into the curious Rosneft sale that was predicted exactly by the Steele Dossier. The dossier also predicted 19% of Rosneft was promised as a reward should the Russia sanctions be dropped post-election.

Schwarzman was on the board of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (Russia's sovereign wealth fund) back when it was established.
posted by Talez at 6:36 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Video:Mike Flynn says Milo Yiannopoulos (Breitbart) is one of "the most brave people" he's ever met

So, Moscow Mike is a coward and a traitor and has brought disgrace to whatever uniform he's ever worn, etc... etc... but surely at some point in his career of betraying his country he has, like, met other soldiers? Like actual real ones as well, not Russian spies like himself? And he's now saying none of them are worth shit compared with some dumb internet Nazi?
posted by Artw at 6:36 PM on February 12, 2017 [39 favorites]

Buzzfeed, on the unsubstantiated conspiracy theorymongers that keep crossing my timeline: Behind The Rise Of The Anti-Trump Twitter Conspiracy Theorists
posted by zachlipton at 6:38 PM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

Of course he can't read a map. He just thinks that they make things look official and like a real estate deal and like he's getting a big boy document.
posted by TwoStride at 6:39 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

They can store it, encrypted, "somewhere in the cloud". That would protect it from all but the most determined state adversaries.

Why do you believe that?
posted by Coventry at 6:40 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

They can store it, encrypted, "somewhere in the cloud". That would protect it from all but the most determined state adversaries.

Why do you believe that?

I'm pretty sure that if I Twofish encrypt some data then upload it to "the cloud", nobody, not even the NSA, will be reading it without the passphrase anytime this eon.
posted by dis_integration at 6:46 PM on February 12, 2017 [8 favorites]

Buzzfeed, on the unsubstantiated conspiracy theorymongers that keep crossing my timeline: Behind The Rise Of The Anti-Trump Twitter Conspiracy Theorists

Armchair diagnosis of Trump's Russian entanglement is a bit like armchair diagnosis of his dementia: on the one hand it's probably easy to stray into false supposition over the details given a lack of expertise, on the other it's not like there isn't a ton of evidence pointing to it right out there in the open and his cabinet isn't a source stuffed full of Russian agents as his brain is most likely full of rotting abscesses.
posted by Artw at 6:49 PM on February 12, 2017 [7 favorites]

They can store it, encrypted, "somewhere in the cloud". That would protect it from all but the most determined state adversaries.

Why do you believe that?

Because modern encryption takes a ridiculously huge amount of computing power to break. It's possible that there's an unknown fault that would make any particular system easy, but any such fault cannot be widely exploited or we'd know about it. It's possible that there are backdoors to iPhones that we don't know about, but once again: it's not the sort of thing that's widely exploited. So either data encrypted and decrypted on the device (i.e., not decrypted off-system and transmitted in the clear) is safe, or basically no data anywhere is safe. Which is certainly an arguable point, and is why Obama wasn't allowed to use an iPhone.
posted by Joe in Australia at 6:50 PM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

CNN: At Mar-a-Lago, Trump tackles crisis diplomacy at close range: "The launch, which wasn't expected, presented Trump with one of the first breaking national security incidents of his presidency. It also noisily disrupted what was meant to be an easygoing weekend of high-level male bonding with the more sobering aspects of global diplomacy.

Sitting alongside Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with whom he'd spent most of the day golfing, Trump took the call on a mobile phone at his table, which was set squarely in the middle of the private club's dining area."
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:51 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

I guess it's fine if you use a phone (?), but with my laptop I can't imagine it being practical to upload my whole hard drive, wipe it, reinstall a clean OS, then download and reinstall everything on the other side. And then again on the way back.
posted by bongo_x at 6:52 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

bongo_x: I've not heard any instance that they're checking devices on the way OUT of the country. only on entry.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 6:53 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

I'm pretty sure that if I Twofish encrypt some data then upload it to "the cloud", nobody, not even the NSA, will be reading it without the passphrase anytime this eon.

That depends on the endpoint security. Most people, if you suggest encrypting data somewhere in the cloud, are going to come up with a solution involving a third party the US can pressure into providing you with a corrupted client to access the data with.
posted by Coventry at 6:53 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

I can't imagine it being practical to upload my whole hard drive, wipe it, reinstall a clean OS, then download and reinstall everything on the other side. And then again on the way back.

It's standard operating procedure for visiting Russia or China.
posted by Artw at 6:53 PM on February 12, 2017 [9 favorites]

Buzzfeed, on the unsubstantiated conspiracy theorymongers that keep crossing my timeline: Behind The Rise Of The Anti-Trump Twitter Conspiracy Theorists

As with a lot of the "don't play into Milo's hands" articles going around, I would take the advice of admitted troll and definitely-not-on-"our"-side-guy Cernovich with a public works depot of salt.

That being said, there's definitely a truth to the article as a whole. There are some ostensibly anti-Trump folks who are just straight selling bullshit right now because bullshit is selling. And as many if not more who are just thinking out loud on Twitter without doing the work to verify sources or step back and figure out if what they have actually means anything.

I recognise the impulse from the Bush years, when me and my one of my IRC buddies starting building one of those CharlieDayConspiracyBoard.gif things around PNAC and all of its associated NGOs and lobbying groups. Then we stopped because we realised that "rich people who share an ideology support a lot of the same things" isn't actually that big of a story.
posted by tobascodagama at 6:54 PM on February 12, 2017 [7 favorites]

Video:Mike Flynn says Milo Yiannopoulos (Breitbart) is one of "the most brave people" he's ever met

Interesting haircut.
posted by Joe in Australia at 6:56 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Schwarzman was on the board of the Russian Direct Investment Fund (Russia's sovereign wealth fund) back when it was established.

This twigged something in my mind from a month or so ago: after a random Reddit comment making allegations about the Evgeny Buryakov spy ring being involved in all this, I went Googling because I was curious. Buryakov was a Deputy Representative of Vnesheconombank, which is the parent bank of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, so Schwarzman leapt out as the one big Trump connection between the two. Schwarzman seems to have backed away from his position with the fund around the time of the Ukraine sanctions. Everything about all the potential players keeps circling back to "took a financial hit with the Ukraine sanctions".

(On preview: ha! tobascodagama, I resemble that remark!)
posted by jason_steakums at 6:58 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Yeah, if your takedown of conspiracy theories include some citing Mike Cernovich as an authority on anything then it is itself delusional bullshit.
posted by Artw at 7:00 PM on February 12, 2017 [7 favorites]

I recognise the impulse from the Bush years, when me and my one of my IRC buddies starting building one of those CharlieDayConspiracyBoard.gif things around PNAC and all of its associated NGOs and lobbying groups.

Except there wasn't an active multi-agency counterintelligence investigation into PNAC at the time.
posted by diogenes at 7:00 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

From the CNN article: After the joint statement last night, Trump dropped in on a wedding, and took a picture with the bride and groom… ''"They've been members of this club for a long time," Trump said of the newlyweds. "They've paid me a fortune."
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:02 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Video:Mike Flynn says Milo Yiannopoulos (Breitbart) is one of "the most brave people" he's ever met

Interesting haircut.

Holy lord have mercy, Mike Flynn is 100% rocking the Fashy Undercut. Amazing. The Alt-Right has infiltrated the National Security Advisor's hairdo.
posted by Rust Moranis at 7:02 PM on February 12, 2017 [7 favorites]

"They've paid me a fortune." lol, I hope they quit the club. They won't. They deserve each other if they don't stand up to the Orange Fuckstain.
posted by futz at 7:05 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

I believe there's are potential answers to the fashy cut.
posted by Apocryphon at 7:10 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Oh that haircut. I think that either Uday or Qusay (don't care if i spelled those wrong) has one too; kinda the slicked back/cheap-suited low level mobster version.
posted by futz at 7:13 PM on February 12, 2017

He's inching his way toward Richard Spencer hair. As goes the hair so goes the nation.
posted by Rust Moranis at 7:14 PM on February 12, 2017

I swear to god these modern Nazis just cribbed everything from Quentin Quire, it is the exact goddamn same sniveling little shit attitude if you've read Morrison's New X-Men. I'm sure we'll get their Hitler-themed version of the "Magneto Was Right" shirts soon too, if we haven't already.
posted by jason_steakums at 7:16 PM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

Magneto had some valid points.

Poor old Macklemore.
posted by Artw at 7:18 PM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

I can't believe they're really going to go with, "No, you not tolerating our bigotry and racism is the real intolerance," e.g. “Geraldo Rivera quits post after Yale removes slavery supporter's name,” Jennifer Clafas, The Hill, 12 February 2017 and “The second civil war is coming,” [archive.is] Robert Arvay, The American Thinker, 11 February 2017.

I wonder if they could be induced to call it "reverse intolerance?"
posted by ob1quixote at 7:20 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

So the NSC is a clusterfuck, and the White House occupant is taking secure phone calls in the middle of a party in his private club, then deploying the Japanese PM as a membership perk.
posted by holgate at 7:21 PM on February 12, 2017 [19 favorites]

They are and always have been a bunch of whiney and pathetic narcissists with a perpetual persecution complex.
posted by Artw at 7:23 PM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

So what if the President worked out the nation's response to North Korea's missile test in the middle of his private club's dining room, surrounded by paying members? At least he didn't send any emails.
posted by zachlipton at 7:27 PM on February 12, 2017 [17 favorites]

I can't believe they're really going to go with, "No, you not tolerating our bigotry and racism is the real intolerance

Oh that's been the gotcha line for literal decades. It's just getting an extra spit-polish right now.

I got to see the fashy haircut in person when picking up friends at a hotel in Gaithersburg before the womend march. The lobby was full of pussy hats + a very uncomfortable looking gaggle of these dudes who had clearly been at the inauguration. All the same haircut and I was like...do they send out memos?
posted by soren_lorensen at 7:29 PM on February 12, 2017 [9 favorites]

It's more secure than any location the NSC might hang out at, at least.
posted by Artw at 7:30 PM on February 12, 2017

Yale's shame should have been both in keeping Calhoun's name on its college so long but also in paying Geraldo Rivera to be a "Professor"... I can't think of many public figures more opposed to the pursuit of knowledge and truth. Well, he'll do well on the faculty of Liberty U.
posted by oneswellfoop at 7:32 PM on February 12, 2017

“Geraldo Rivera quits post after Yale removes slavery supporter's name,”

Yeah, m'buhbye.
posted by Rykey at 7:43 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Trump's official inauguration poster has glaring typo

Idiots. It's easy to laugh but these people are too dangerous.
posted by futz at 7:46 PM on February 12, 2017 [11 favorites]

Geraldo Rivera quits post after Yale removes slavery supporter's name

And nothing of value was lost.
posted by dirigibleman at 7:48 PM on February 12, 2017 [8 favorites]

A minor shitty thing about the fashy haircut is that I can't ever go back to a mohawk since it looks similar if you don't spike it, and I've already stopped shaving my head for the first time in years (goodbye free diy haircuts) - I'm trying to be cognizant of avoiding inadvertently signifying increased local presence of these fuckers, there's no way it's good for the mental health of someone at risk from this administration to see another potential fascist asshole on the streets. I'm not gonna blame someone for being wary of the superficial signifiers of this alt-right nazi shitshow, that's just natural risk assessment for someone in danger, so I'm just cutting out a possibility of inadvertently causing that stress.

If these fucks take over beards too you all have them to blame for my weird chin being out in public again.
posted by jason_steakums at 7:50 PM on February 12, 2017 [20 favorites]

Except there wasn't an active multi-agency counterintelligence investigation into PNAC at the time.

Sure. But my point is maybe leave the conspiracy board making to the professionals. By which I'm of course including professional investigative journalists (but emphatically NOT pundits) in addition to law enforcement and spies.
posted by tobascodagama at 7:51 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

G.O.P. Lawmakers Like What They See in Trump. They Just Have to Squint. In which members of Congress are remarkably candid about how they'll accommodate Trump as long as they can get their tax cuts and such.

In other news, Busta Rhymes not being remotely subtle at the Grammys. He called Trump "President Agent Orange" and busted through a wall.
posted by zachlipton at 7:53 PM on February 12, 2017 [26 favorites]

I was super confused by the haircut, thinking that they were in solidarity with Ruby Rose at first.
posted by porpoise at 7:53 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Yup, I definitely give young white guys with fashy haircuts a double side-eye now, whereas six twelve months ago I wouldn't have thought twice in my deep-blue (but not deep enough) Chicago oasis.

Thanks.
posted by tivalasvegas at 7:54 PM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

Although, if you combine that (rather attractive, objectively) haircut with a nice little 'black lives matter' pin on your jacket...
posted by tivalasvegas at 7:56 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Interesting haircut.

Very Peaky Blinders.
posted by FelliniBlank at 7:58 PM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

I have lesbian friends who make that haircut work well and it seems to be a pretty common one in the lesbian community, I would love to see a movement to make that fashy cut culturally more associated with cool-ass lesbians than fascists just to get under Spencer et al's delicate white skin.
posted by jason_steakums at 8:00 PM on February 12, 2017 [14 favorites]

that (rather attractive, objectively) haircut

Oh good, I'm glad I'm not the only one.
posted by Coventry at 8:01 PM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

Trump's official inauguration poster has glaring typo
Considering it's a direct quote from The Donny, maybe it's exactly the way he wrote it... I'm considering ways to parse "no challenge is to great" where "great" is considered a verb...
posted by oneswellfoop at 8:02 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

An open letter to Jason Chaffetz from someone who attended his town hall via zachlipton.

Good to see his constituents not taking any shit even in the post-townhall spin. Also this comment stood out for me:

It’s worth noting that while Chaffetz claims many in the audience were from out of state and were paid to be there to protest, 70% of total campaign contributions made to him in 2015–2016 were from out-of-state AND 80% of total contributions were from outside his district (source: OpenSecrets(dot)org/Center for Responsive Politics).
Rob Bishop is even worse: out-of-state contributions to him are 90% (with much coming from California) and out-of-district contributions are 99% of the total.

Assuming these numbers are accurate, this is not only massively hypocritical but another one of many huge problems with deregulated campaign financing. Never mind gerrymandering, these guys don’t even work for the constituents of their gerrymandered districts.
posted by p3t3 at 8:03 PM on February 12, 2017 [67 favorites]

In men it's the Fashy Cut but I think it's still definitely acceptable for women, seeing how the Alt-Right remains a 99% male phenomenon. I have a big filthy-hippie ponytail but require a tiny bit of undercut to air out my dense nape-region and am paranoid about giving off a fashy vibe. What is it with this new dark age and toxic-masculine hair?
posted by Rust Moranis at 8:04 PM on February 12, 2017

a movement to make that fashy cut culturally more associated with cool-ass lesbians

it IS! or I thought it was! and I thought the only thing I had to worry about was potentially appropriating lesbian style, and I didn't actually worry about that. how innocent I was. this better be the one and only once in a lifetime moment where sexist double standards mean I get to keep my haircut and only men have to worry about it. there was this one brief shining moment when a woman could get a fuckin good-looking short haircut without having to say the word "pixie" and explain why you don't want one. I will not let the nazis take it away from me.
posted by queenofbithynia at 8:05 PM on February 12, 2017 [9 favorites]

Yeah, I'm totally into the haircut (on women and men and GNC), minus the fascist signaling. I live in a very hipster part of town and it was and to some extent still is de rigeur. It bums me out that they couldn't have picked a less attractive haircut to ruin. I definitely tread softly with dudes sporting this cut now until I can confirm that they are not Nazis.
posted by soren_lorensen at 8:06 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

In which members of Congress are remarkably candid about how they'll accommodate Trump as long as they can get their tax cuts and such.

This is why appealing to non-existent "reasonable" and "moderate" Republicans is such a fucking joke. The elected Republicans know full well what they're doing, and it doesn't matter one bit that the nice church lady at Sunday School might think they went a little too far, or someone wrote an editorial in the Weekly Standard. They know full well that Trump is an incompetent and dangerous moron with authoritarian tenancies and Nazi advisers. They're fucking fine with it.

They. Do. Not. Care. About. Anything. Except. Tax cuts. For. Rich. People.

Nothing. There is no line, none, that will get them to foregone tax cuts. Ever.

No amount of bottom up pressure will change that. The only people they care about pleasing are the billionaire oligarchs bankrolling their existence and they aspire to join and serve.

Anything other than getting these people out of office is wasted effort.
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:09 PM on February 12, 2017 [48 favorites]

The Hitler Youth haircut was really popular (source: I live in a hipster neighborhood) before fashionable fascists started adopting it. You're going to have a really high false positive rate if you try to screen for white supremacists using it.
posted by 0xFCAF at 8:09 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Fashies or not I love my undercut because my stupid hair looks decent for once. I don't have the sort of bowl-looking top layer I've seen on some of those dudes, though.

I say we refuse to let them take it from us. Rename it the PussyCut or something.
posted by emjaybee at 8:13 PM on February 12, 2017 [16 favorites]

As I am, by no means, a Freudian: I would not find it appropriate to suggest that certain elements of the far right might be tempted to enact and, moreover, to endow with a psychologically anti-challenging and identity-reinforcing imprimatur their choice of hair style.

Additionally, it would be utterly outside my sphere of expertise to comment on the potential nature of the conflict individuals associating themselves with such an element might find between the desired and experienced level of their attraction to persons of their own perceived gender.
posted by tivalasvegas at 8:15 PM on February 12, 2017

I still 100% stand by my opinion that, as good as that cut can look, Brad Pitt cannot pull it off. There are like these constraints you have to stay within, between head/face shape and hair length and width of the unshaved part and how close the sides are shaved, and things go bonkers if you get outside of the parameters. He went outside of the parameters.

Tom Jane in The Expanse may be an outlier but his thing is more long, floppy mohawk and also the fashionable grime of gritty tv space livin' helps.
posted by jason_steakums at 8:15 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Rename it the PussyCut or something.

The Mons Tuft?
posted by futz at 8:17 PM on February 12, 2017 [7 favorites]

Maybe we can promote the idea that "fashy" is actually short for "fashionista", and that it's called that because it makes its wearers look particularly dapper?
posted by Joe in Australia at 8:20 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

This is why appealing to non-existent "reasonable" and "moderate" Republicans is such a fucking joke.

Putting the fear of god in them, on the other hand... Not saying it'll work, but absent extra-constitutional measures, making sure that "accommodation" is relentlessly treated as appeasement in public forums is the only tool in the box until 2018. Assuming, etc.
posted by holgate at 8:21 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

oh, ffs, I'm a relatively dark skinned Asian dude who got the undercut recommended to me by my lesbian hairstylist three years ago because she thought it had a "nice 1930s movie star look." Now I feel like someone who bought a fedora ten years before gamergate.

(fwiw, I didn't keep that look because it was a bit high maintenance to keep those sides and back properly trimmed)
posted by bl1nk at 8:22 PM on February 12, 2017 [9 favorites]

I heard that Trump knows what's in Al Capone's secret room.
posted by Yowser at 8:23 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

There's all kinds of symbolism you can read into this photo from the Bongo Club on Saturday night.
posted by holgate at 8:25 PM on February 12, 2017

The "fashy cut" was a men's styleblogger cut and then a queer cut; it absolutely started out as a retro 1930s thing. And I know, for I have had that cut or a variant for years, initially cribbed from a 1930s illustration. But that's all done now, and like Odo I will grow my hair.
posted by Frowner at 8:28 PM on February 12, 2017 [9 favorites]

It's not just tax cuts, it's the "freedom" to do whatever makes money for your beloved corporation or 'church'. But some element of The Superiority of Me and People Like Me is certainly part of it too. All part of the 'morality' of the Republican Party ever since FDR embarrassed them by saving the economy they proudly wrecked. Donald Trump is their perfect leader, their perfect symbol.
posted by oneswellfoop at 8:33 PM on February 12, 2017 [5 favorites]

I didn't know it actually was the Hitler Youth haircut. Seriously can we call it the "Ruby Rose" instead?
posted by Rainbo Vagrant at 8:33 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

I've been idly thinking about Trump through the lens of L. Ron Hubbard for a few days and it actually makes a lot of things click, the two work remarkably similarly and have a lot of personality traits in common and there's not a lot of daylight between the mindset of Trump's hardcore supporters and people caught up in Scientology... and I missed this, but I guess Leah Remini, who would know, said much the same on Conan a few days ago.
posted by jason_steakums at 8:36 PM on February 12, 2017 [10 favorites]

I can't stop thinking about that woman getting 8 years in prison followed by deportation for the crime of mistakenly believing she was allowed to vote. Her life destroyed so a pit fiend like Stephen Miller can go on CNN and say "voter fraud is very real, in fact, an illegal in Texas was just sentenced to eight years," like it was some kind of massive criminal operation. It's evil.
posted by theodolite at 8:37 PM on February 12, 2017 [56 favorites]

“Geraldo Rivera quits post after Yale removes slavery supporter's name,”

I saw an image today, part of a story about the new name (which, as a hacker I say yay awesome), taken in the campus chapel. There's Calhoun looking impressive in all the colors & you probably won't notice until it's pointed out that there's a pair of large square panes in the bottom left. That's where the kneeling slave used to be. No, really.
posted by scalefree at 8:44 PM on February 12, 2017 [18 favorites]

Last Week Tonight came back tonight. It was awesome, though it was about the elephant in the room. One word: #MakeAmericaFierceAgain
posted by ZeusHumms at 8:47 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

I like the undercut, although I no longer have enough hair to wear it myself. I first started seeing it on gym-rat-type men and women at my gym and I assumed that was how it spread - a lot of the people there already seemed pretty image-conscious.
posted by um at 9:00 PM on February 12, 2017

AVClub: Rosie O’Donnell is the wrong choice to play SNL’s Steve Bannon, and here’s why

Casting O’Donnell as Bannon—while perfectly sensible—is what Trump’s administration and supporters would expect.

...

If we, the people, are going to hit Trump in his public image, where it seems to hurt him the most, shouldn’t we put our full force behind every single jab? Casting Rosie O’Donnell as Steve Bannon is the comedy equivalent of a fairly obvious and easily deflected jab to the face, whereas SNL—and the American people—should be going for the sneaky haymaker, ideally aimed right at the president’s tiny dick.

posted by ZeusHumms at 9:03 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

I know they're Nazis and all, but having the cutesy-poo "fashy" nickname for their fascist haircuts is pretty high up my Reasons for Punching list.
posted by kirkaracha at 9:09 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

since when has "surprising" trump made the least bit of difference in how his fragile psyche lashes out? alec baldwin's portrayal is not exactly a masterwork of nuance and yet it drives trump up the wall every time
posted by murphy slaw at 9:12 PM on February 12, 2017 [7 favorites]

There's Calhoun looking impressive in all the colors & you probably won't notice until it's pointed out that there's a pair of large square panes in the bottom left. That's where the kneeling slave used to be. No, really.

An image of that stained glass, with the cloud panes in the bottom left.
posted by mochapickle at 9:14 PM on February 12, 2017 [15 favorites]

Replacing Calhoun is an idea whose time has more than come.
posted by mochapickle at 9:15 PM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

the cutesy-poo "fashy" nickname for their fascist haircuts is pretty high up my Reasons for Punching list.

Do they actually call themselves fascist?
posted by Coventry at 9:18 PM on February 12, 2017 [1 favorite]

They should cast Rosie O'Donnell as Ivanka is what.
posted by OHenryPacey at 9:20 PM on February 12, 2017 [31 favorites]

Do they actually call themselves fascist?

Many of them do, and the rest say the real fascists are the protesters interfering with poor Milo.
posted by Rust Moranis at 9:24 PM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

SNL—and the American people—should be going for the sneaky haymaker,

Have they seen Trump? Stephen Colbert and John Oliver and Samantha Bee go for the "sneaky haymaker" and make incredibly intelligent jokes about Trump all of the time and he NEVER NOTICES. But SNL's obvious stuff gets noticed. And he already has a bizarre irrational hatred of Rosie O'Donnell. She would drive him up the wall.

They should cast Rosie O'Donnell as Ivanka is what.

That might be the best idea of all. It would drive him (more) insane.

Sneaky, literary, complicated criticism of Trump is literally what cost us the election. If we had just put posters up all over the country with pictures of Trump that said "LOOK AT THE LOSER WITH THE TINY HANDS" it would have been stupid and petty and probably done more good than HRC's entire ad campaign. This wasn't an election of issues, it was an idiotic dominance contest and our side was too polite and classy to play the game.
posted by mmoncur at 9:24 PM on February 12, 2017 [55 favorites]

A Melinda Gates Birth Control Pledge Aims to Serve 120 Million Women

Opinion: Want to Empower Women Worldwide? Give Them Access to Contraceptives

Melinda Gates shares why she advocates for over 225 million women around the globe who still lack access to modern contraceptives.
posted by futz at 9:46 PM on February 12, 2017 [26 favorites]

They should cast Rosie O'Donnell as Ivanka is what.

Just cast her as someone else every week. Ivanka. Melania. Trump's Dad. Bannon. Barron. Fucking Ben Carson.

Everyone.
posted by snuffleupagus at 9:48 PM on February 12, 2017 [38 favorites]

She just plays herself, and walks into the scene whenever Trump is a topic, saying whatever.
posted by rhizome at 10:06 PM on February 12, 2017 [2 favorites]

Or she just walks in dressed to the nines and looking fantastic, people cheer loudly, and she bows and walks out. Just once a show for the rest of the season. Like finding Waldo.

It would kill him to see her getting praise and attention.
posted by mochapickle at 10:14 PM on February 12, 2017 [10 favorites]

her as Ivanka and then do a skit where Rosie odonnel and Alec Baldwin do a photo shoot where they restate those creepy father daughter pics. Anyone who hasn't seen them will think it's just comedy. But then at the end of the skit show the actual creepy photos.
posted by ian1977 at 10:30 PM on February 12, 2017 [19 favorites]

I mean re-stage. Not restate.
posted by ian1977 at 10:56 PM on February 12, 2017

Re: Encryption: It's possible that there's an unknown fault that would make any particular system easy, but any such fault cannot be widely exploited or we'd know about it.

here's a little presentation from djb back in 2014 that might make you rethink that risk assessment.
posted by mikelieman at 11:04 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

You're going to have a really high false positive rate if you try to screen for white supremacists using it.

I don't really *trust* anyone unless their hair is long enough for a ponytail.
posted by mikelieman at 11:07 PM on February 12, 2017 [4 favorites]

Last time, I promise, but if you aren't following Pete Souza on Instagram you are missing a real treat. His latest photo: Almost forgot today was Lincoln's birthday. I made this picture a long time ago, on slide film no less. It was part of a photo essay on keeping Washington clean.
posted by vac2003 at 11:22 PM on February 12, 2017 [14 favorites]

Growing up in the 1960s, my prematurely-bald ex-Marine Republican bigot father didn't let me grow my hair longer than a military crew cut until I was 14... and being a very fair blond, I appeared from any distance more than a few feet to have no hair at all... I wished I could've gotten one hair to curl in the front so I'd at least have a Charlie Brown cut. I had an extreme distrust of very short hair for many years after that until Capt. Jean-Luc Picard made bald cool. I never did the 'business in the front/party in the back' combo when I could but I still don't trust anybody with 'whatever on top/military on the side'.
posted by oneswellfoop at 11:26 PM on February 12, 2017 [3 favorites]

Mod note: One deleted. Please avoid pasting full articles/posts here unless there is a compelling reason; better to link and summarize. Thanks.
posted by taz (staff) at 12:49 AM on February 13, 2017

Aides point camera phone flashlights at classified nuclear intelligence documents so Trump could read them by candlelight.

Guys, I don't know if you noticed, but your new president seems kind of embarrassingly incompetent, stupid and dangerous.
posted by PontifexPrimus at 1:18 AM on February 13, 2017 [72 favorites]

Aides point camera phone flashlights at classified nuclear intelligence documents so Trump could read them by candlelight

Honestly, I would never have imagined that anyone could be this stupid. I mean, reading classified documents in a public place is bad, at a dinner with reporters present is worse, but that's still a normal level of stupidity. Using your wireless cameras' flash to illuminate a classified document rather than turn the lights on, or go outside? That's something special.
posted by Joe in Australia at 1:26 AM on February 13, 2017 [53 favorites]

It's fine, the information couldn't have been that sensitive if they let Donald Trump see it.
posted by ckape at 1:44 AM on February 13, 2017 [22 favorites]

...it doesn't matter one bit that the nice church lady at Sunday School might think they went a little too far, or someone wrote an editorial in the Weekly Standard.

It must be incredibly wonderful not to worry about down ballot races. Of all the positions I get to vote for from dog catcher to US President there's one Dem and one Independent, the only election out here that counts is the Repub primary.

Does anyone really think there's no difference between a school superintendent that still thinks she can make No Child Left Behind work and one that's been praying for a DeVos? Or a sheriff that's willing to kiss the local power structure's ass vs. one that gets a woody thinking about going full on KKK? How about a prosecuting attorney that loves Bannon? Kander was just this far away from taking Blunt out of the Senate, but now is the time to push back against people speaking out against the insanity.

Repubs have worked hard for decades to get where they can send any bill they want to a Repub governor or override a veto in 27 states while Dems can do the same in 8. Excuse me if I ain't holding my breath waiting for a near term miracle when the catastrophe has already happened. Turning down any help now is locking the barn door when the horse is already down the fucking road.
posted by ridgerunner at 2:50 AM on February 13, 2017 [20 favorites]

PresidencyZA: The Presidency confirms a request from the White House for a telecon between President Zuma and President Trump this afternoon, 13/2/17.
posted by PenDevil at 2:51 AM on February 13, 2017

Trump and Trudeau will hold a news conference at 2pm, so it's unlikely we'll see Spicer today.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 3:02 AM on February 13, 2017

@PhilipRucker
Trump hashed out response to North Korea’s missile launch in the dining room at Mar-a-Lago, eavesdroppers galore

@ChelseaClinton Retweeted Philip Rucker
How many of Mar-a-Lago's new members will be (already are?) members of foreign intelligence agencies & media organizations?
posted by chris24 at 3:28 AM on February 13, 2017 [45 favorites]

Re: haircuts...as a gently balding man, I've had the same cut for the last twelve years or so--#2 clippers on the sides and back and #4 on top. It's low-maintenance, easy and cheap to keep up, and avoids the whole combover issue.

However, in the current political climate, I've started to get a little uncomfortable with how...skinheady...it can look, and I've started growing it out a bit. It's a weird feeling all over my head.

(Coincidentally enough, I first got the haircut for a play in which I played a stiff, proper, early-20th-century German husband...so there's that.)
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 3:31 AM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

I rocked a skinhead from the age of 18. The away all my hair years. Have literally walked through two race riots unscathed with a skinhead. (Bradford in the UK both times).

I stopped shaving my head one week after the Brexit vote.
posted by vbfg at 3:43 AM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

Deutsche Welle: 'A post-Western age': Munich Security Report details fragile world order

With the rise of populism threatening international order, the report warns of an "illiberal moment" globally. A withdrawal of the US on the world stage could allow others to take advantage of the power vacuum.

The Munich Security Conference (MSC) published its annual report on Monday examining the state of security across the globe. There is greater instability today than there has been since the Second World War, said the conference chairman.

The foreword of the report describes it as the "conversation starter" for the conference, which will be occurring during the week, and is a few dozen pages with lots of nice infographics.
posted by XMLicious at 3:46 AM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

If it has pictures, maybe Trump will read it. Might be too long, though. Perhaps someone can put all the infographics on a one-pager.
posted by rmd1023 at 3:49 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

At this point in Obama's 1st term, he had signed the Lilly Ledbetter Act, enacted SCHIP expansion, & passed a stimulus bill in Congress.

Not that I want them to accomplish anything legislatively but this really shows how totally inept T____ and the Republicans are at actually wielding the power they have.
posted by octothorpe at 4:26 AM on February 13, 2017 [34 favorites]

Aides point camera phone flashlights at classified nuclear intelligence documents so Trump could read them by candlelight.

Or snap some quick photos to send to Russsia.
posted by ThreeCatsBob at 4:29 AM on February 13, 2017 [13 favorites]

Trump has shown no interest in introducing bills, as far as I can see -just EOs.
posted by thelonius at 4:37 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

ThreeCatsBob, that is exactly why this is being talked about at all.
posted by Too-Ticky at 4:39 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Too-Ticky

That might not be immediately obvious to everyone.

However Trumpists who ever held a security clearance should maybe start to have some doubts?
posted by ThreeCatsBob at 4:59 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

FYI John Oliver's latest season starts today.

John Oliver hilariously trolls Trump with educational ads airing during TV shows the president watches [Raw Story]

So Oliver has bought advertising during cables news shows Trump regularly watches, such as CNN’s “New Day,” MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” and Fox News’ “Fox & Friends.” “This is one small way we wanted to try to sneak some useful facts into his media diet,” Oliver said. [...] In one ad, an actor dressed as a cowboy explains basic facts about the Geneva conventions and black people.
posted by Room 641-A at 5:36 AM on February 13, 2017 [51 favorites]

> At this point in Obama's 1st term, he had signed the Lilly Ledbetter Act, enacted SCHIP expansion, & passed a stimulus bill in Congress. Not that I want them to accomplish anything legislatively but this really shows how totally inept T____ and the Republicans are at actually wielding the power they have.

Let's not be too hasty:

Trump undertakes most ambitious regulatory rollback since Reagan [WaPo]

After just a few weeks in office, the new administration is targeting dozens of Obama-era policies, using both legislative and executive tactics. The fallout is already rippling across the federal ­bureaucracy and throughout the U.S. economy, affecting how dentists dispose of mercury fillings, how schools meet the needs of poor and disabled students, and whether companies reject mineral purchases that fuel one of the world’s bloodiest conflicts.

The campaign has alarmed ­labor unions, public safety advocates and environmental activists, who fear losing regulations that have been in place for years, along with relatively new federal mandates.
...
Trump and congressional Republicans are working to strip rules away at an unprecedented rate. One of the most powerful levers is the Congressional Review Act, a 1996 law that gives lawmakers the power to nullify any regulation within 60 days of enactment.

posted by Westringia F. at 5:56 AM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

John Oliver hilariously trolls Trump with educational ads airing during TV shows the president watches [Raw Story]

I lost it at

Last
Cuck
Tonight
with Johnny
Trigger-Warning

posted by Talez at 5:58 AM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

Aides point camera phone flashlights at classified nuclear intelligence documents so Trump could read them by candlelight.

Is there a "But her emails" but on twitter yet, because between this and discussing North Korea where even can hear in Florida, it would have its circuits full.
posted by drezdn at 5:59 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

drezdn, of course there is.

Folks, just click the link if you want to know more. Things will become immediately obvious, I promise. And I don't even have Twitter.
posted by Too-Ticky at 6:06 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Trump has shown no interest in introducing bills, as far as I can see -just EOs.

I kind of wonder if that's how he thinks the presidency is supposed to work.
posted by drezdn at 6:08 AM on February 13, 2017 [13 favorites]

I am gobsmacked by the 'memos by flashlight' story. He actrually had aides with - one assumes - insecure cellphones POINT THE ACTUAL CAMERAS in those phones at highly sensitive intel documents with the illumination on? Forget about it being in public, that's one click away from sharing the fuckers on Twitter. Or whoever had imaging malware installed on those phones.

I have no idea why the combined heads of the TLAs haven't actually exfiltrated Congress to a secure facility and locked them into a room with a pen and a copy of the 25th amendment.
posted by Devonian at 6:23 AM on February 13, 2017 [64 favorites]

Is there any source other than @SwiftOnSecurity and the original @anamariecox tweet that says these documents were "classified"? The screenshotted article says "documents" were produced for Abe and Trump to read, but says nothing about classification.
posted by Roommate at 6:29 AM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Is there any source other than @SwiftOnSecurity and the original @anamariecox tweet that says these documents were "classified"? The screenshotted article says "documents" were produced for Abe and Trump to read, but says nothing about classification.

We don't know that they were classified or what they were. They could've been summaries of open-source information describing the news story of the Korean missile launch.
posted by dis_integration at 6:32 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Even if the documents weren't classified the conversation between Abe and Trump probably was. So let's have it in a room where an experienced foreign agent and a directional mike can hear the whole thing.
posted by PenDevil at 6:34 AM on February 13, 2017 [13 favorites]

So it looks like all I need to become a spy for pretty much anyone is a few hundred thousand for a membership fee and some money for nice duds and weekends out at Mar-a-Lago.

Heck I could be a freelance spy and make that money back fairly quickly. All I need is a silent investor to front me the cash.

Thanks for the job creation Donald. MAGA!
posted by Jalliah at 6:36 AM on February 13, 2017 [13 favorites]

If rumors are to be believed, the whole place is wired for sound & video anyway, just tap into that.

Uh, Russian agents reading this, don't do that though. Just forget that part.
posted by petebest at 6:39 AM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

Even if the documents weren't classified the conversation between Abe and Trump probably was.

Maybe, maybe not. I just think there's plenty of concrete stuff to get outraged about, let's not give them ammo to scream more about "fake news" while holding up the wine list that Trump and Abe were actually poring over.
posted by Roommate at 6:39 AM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

So it looks like all I need to become a spy for pretty much anyone is a few hundred thousand for a membership fee and some money for nice duds and weekends out at Mar-a-Lago.

Or just have your agents apply to be one of the many foreign staff they hire.
posted by PenDevil at 6:43 AM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

LOL, you guys, the Kremlin says Flynn totally didn't do anything wrong.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:45 AM on February 13, 2017 [14 favorites]

Trump’s counter-jihad

The truth, counter-jihadists believe, is more like the opposite. They argue that a correct reading of Islamic scripture shows that violence is intrinsic to Islam — that the religious doctrine itself, properly understood, commands Muslims to kill subjugate unbelievers. People who say otherwise — and CSP lumps both George W. Bush and Barack Obama into this category — are either willfully or unintentionally deceiving the American public.
...
The fact that most Muslims are not killers is, for the counter-jihadists, a most inconvenient fact. Over time, counter-jihadists have put less emphasis on the threat from overtly violent groups, like al-Qaeda and ISIS, and focused instead on a more insidious threat: the “stealth” or “civilization jihad.”

This is leading up to ethnic cleansing of American Muslims. They have the intellectual framework in place, and in power. All the need is the political capital or brute force.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:57 AM on February 13, 2017 [17 favorites]

If rumors are to be believed, the whole place is wired for sound & video anyway, just tap into that.

Florida seems to be a 2 party consent state for making an audio recording.

Gosh, now anyone who was recorded would have to have a way to get a criminal complaint approved....or some other way. The Florida bar says " In Florida, grand juries may investigate and report on official misconduct and matters generally concerning the public welfare — even if no criminal activity is suspected. "
posted by rough ashlar at 7:01 AM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

This compilation of clips from Stephen Miller's appearances on the Sunday morning shows is making the rounds on twitter. Yes the content is creepy (This administration WILL BE OBEYED ACH TUNG) but his delivery is bizarre. He has no facial expression and his eyes are dead. I think he read a manual on how to mesmerize people and then he practiced in front of a mirror for hours trying to use the force of his personality alone to convince. Say what you will about Conway but at least she tries to engage with her audience, Miller only cares about dominating his audience.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 7:05 AM on February 13, 2017 [14 favorites]

Trump’s counter-jihad

Gaffney said that sharia, the Arabic term for Islamic law, was a “brutally repressive, totalitarian, political, military, and legal program” for gradually subverting Western governments and replacing them with ones that adhere to harsh Islamic dictates. And in the US, those efforts were already well underway.

“This program of subversive, stealthy penetration and takedown is operating. It’s, in fact, been at work for 50 years,” he said. “Our government has been subverted.”

THIS IS LITERALLY CHRISTIAN DOMINIONISM RIGHT NOW.
posted by Talez at 7:05 AM on February 13, 2017 [60 favorites]

They could've been summaries of open-source information describing the news story of the Korean missile launch.

If Trump wasn't given high-level agency advice and intel while he was making decisions about this, that's also extremely problematic.

Put it this way. A rogue nuclear state just lobbed a missile at your ally while you were meeting that ally. You have the immediate responsibility to decide on what, if any, retaliatory action to take, up to and including a nuclear strike.

What part of 'doing this right' includes reading briefing documents in public with multiple mobile phones pointed at them?

What part of this isn't extremely fucking serious? Because if anyone thinks actual decisions involving actual nuclear weapons and an actual missile fired at an actual ally does not qualify as extremely fucking serious, I'm not entirely sure where you go from here.

This is not normal.
posted by Devonian at 7:09 AM on February 13, 2017 [72 favorites]

Status update on my quests into Bannonland. I'm reading Antifragile which is purported to be one of his favorite books that he tells everyone to read. I'm not sure I'm going to make it all the way through this book. This guy is a complete and utter arrogant ass that thinks he's the smartest guy ever. He consider his expertise in one field (trading) and finding the truth in that field that everyone else has missed makes him able to look at other fields and experts and proclaim them wrong and dumb. There are some interesting ideas in there but a whole lot of blowhardy anecdotal crap and arguments based on analogies that don't work or can easily be argued another way.

If this is what Bannon thinks is some sort of height of intellectual thought and original thinking then Bannon is not the this genius that many make him out to be. I'm still reading it with the view of what Bannon gets out of it and so far I have 'he must really like the repudiation of all experts and academics, the author was in finance, Bannon was in finance so those arguments about risk as related to trading make sense to him, he, like the author thinks his expertise in one area makes him expert in others, the author talks about top-down systems being bad and bottom up good and the nation state is an example of top-down therefore bad.

The author also makes some ethical pronouncements as well as must follow rules and so far what we've seen from Bannon appears to be the opposite of what the author says is the key to it all. I may write more about this later is I manage to get through this thing.

TLDR Antifragile: If Bannon thinks this is a smart book then Bannon is not as smart as some people say he is.
posted by Jalliah at 7:11 AM on February 13, 2017 [27 favorites]

He has no facial expression and his eyes are dead.

So far down the uncanny valley that there are probably landmarks named after him. There needs to be a mandatory Turing test for anyone running for political office.
posted by Buntix at 7:15 AM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

The problem with Bannon is that he doesn't have to be very smart. Stopping immigration, so white people can flourish now and forever in the particular institution that is America is one of his main goals. That's an easy one to accomplish.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 7:24 AM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

Re: haircuts...as a gently balding man, I've had the same cut for the last twelve years or so--#2 clippers on the sides and back and #4 on top. It's low-maintenance, easy and cheap to keep up, and avoids the whole combover issue.

However, in the current political climate, I've started to get a little uncomfortable with how...skinheady...it can look, and I've started growing it out a bit. It's a weird feeling all over my head.

A friend of mine was having similar thoughts last year, well before the election, and decided to grow his hair out, only to discover that it started looking decidedly... Trumpy on top. So it was back to clipper cuts for him. He's just trying to make the best out of a bad situation and, yeah, the current political climate is not helping.
posted by indubitable at 7:34 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Mirriam-Webster's term of the day is "side eye".
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:35 AM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

And there's the wedding crasher.
posted by holgate at 7:40 AM on February 13, 2017

The problem with Bannon is that he doesn't have to be very smart. Stopping immigration, so white people can flourish now and forever in the particular institution that is America is one of his main goals. That's an easy one to accomplish.

So true. One doesn't have to be uber smart to try to do this. Average smart will do.
My concern are the ideas that have been floating around that he is some sort of evil genius smart who is enacting this multidimensional strategy and that everything that is happening right now is all going according to his grand plan.
Part of me is a bit disappointed by this book because I was expecting something better. I assumed wrong and thought while it might challenge my political points of view it wouldn't be this level of bad. As positive it is making me think a lot, though probably not in the ways the author intended. I also am feeling the urge to write a counter narrative just from being so damn annoyed at it all.
posted by Jalliah at 7:46 AM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

Photos from a fellow named Richard DeAgazio, who found himself in the middle of the North Korea situation on Saturday night.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:46 AM on February 13, 2017 [14 favorites]

Mentioned before, worth mentioning again. From TheHill.com: Trump tried to invite himself to Chelsea Clinton's wedding: book [excerpt]

Didn't work.
posted by ZeusHumms at 7:49 AM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Why would PM Abe go along with this? That's the only reason I wonder if it's not as egregious as it seems. Also, that Richard DeGazio is something else. What an ass.
posted by Mavri at 7:51 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

All the articles about Bannon that declare he's widely-read or intelligent cite this kind of shit; I've seen multiple articles sagely mentioning that Bannon loves Sun Tzu's The Art Of War, which is THE classic text for dumbass middle-aged white guys who want to believe they're picking up clever esoteric knowledge for reading advice like "when your enemy is weak, that is the time to strike, with your army, which should be very strong if possible"

I'm convinced people in DC don't read books after reading these articles.
posted by DynamiteToast at 7:52 AM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

If Trump wasn't given high-level agency advice and intel while he was making decisions about this, that's also extremely problematic.

Oh, for sure.

When an aide tells you something is happening with North Korea and missiles, you politely excuse yourself from dinner, go to your secure communications room (although I'm skeptical they've bothered to have one built out at mar-a-loser), and you get on the phone with SecState and SecDef and you make sure everyone is on the same page and you decide how to respond. You don't do whatever the fuck it is Trump did.

But all the same we don't know whether those were classified materials or not.
posted by dis_integration at 7:52 AM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

"Gentlemen! You can't ball things up here! This is the ballroom!"
posted by Devonian at 7:53 AM on February 13, 2017 [32 favorites]

Photos from a fellow named Richard DeAgazio, who found himself in the middle of the North Korea situation on Saturday night.

It's nearly 100% certain that one of the people standing around in those pictures is carrying the Nuclear Football. The end of civilization was there, waiting for the president's word, as everyone at Mar-a-Lago ate their salads and instagrammed the chaos as a fabulous and memorable night. This is real.
posted by Rust Moranis at 7:54 AM on February 13, 2017 [47 favorites]

He has no facial expression and his eyes are dead.

Based on the letter he wrote as an obnoxious little shit at the age of sixteen, this is somebody who has spent his entire adolescence and extended adolescence (2001-17) bathed in and radicalised by the kind of post-9/11 wingnut slurry specific to the Bush and Obama years, particularly the online version that started with "warblogs". When Pamela Geller and co. were jaunting around with European white supremacists, he was doing his shit with Punchable Nazi at Duke. He was introduced to Jefferson Beauregard by veteran shithead David Horowitz. He's Alex P. Goebbels.
posted by holgate at 7:54 AM on February 13, 2017 [39 favorites]

> It's nearly 100% certain that one of the people standing around in those pictures is carrying the Nuclear Football.

In an earlier post, this dumbass actually points to the guy holding the nuclear football, so we can all identify him. His name is Rick, apparently. There are impassioned pleas from others to remove it.
posted by stonepharisee at 7:58 AM on February 13, 2017 [38 favorites]

In an earlier post, this dumbass actually points to the guy holding the nuclear football, so we can all identify him. His name is Rick, apparently. There are impassioned pleas from others to remove it.

THIS IS FINE
posted by Rust Moranis at 8:00 AM on February 13, 2017 [19 favorites]

It's nearly 100% certain that one of the people standing around in those pictures is carrying the Nuclear Football.

You can see it here. The army officer on the far left, barely in frame. Normal administrations take care to make sure this shit isn't seen in public photos, except maybe entering Air Force One.
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:02 AM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

Say what you will about Conway but at least she tries to engage with her audience, Miller only cares about dominating his audience.

Miller talking to John Dickerson on Face the Nation yesterday morning:

"...our opponents, the media and the whole world will soon see as we begin to take further actions, that the powers of the president to protect our country are very substantial and will not be questioned."

That's literally the phrasing that a cartoon supervillain would use. It's Skeletor or Doctor Doom-level speechifying at best.
posted by Strange Interlude at 8:02 AM on February 13, 2017 [46 favorites]

Trump ran a campaign based on intelligence security. That's not how he's governing. (Washington Post)

Close observers of the 2016 election will remember that, on occasion, President Trump liked to draw attention to his opponent’s security practices as a way of criticism. There was, you may recall, something about an email server.

Close observers.
posted by kingless at 8:03 AM on February 13, 2017 [49 favorites]

REMEMBER HOW THE ENTIRE ELECTION WAS SOLELY ABOUT EMAIL SECURITY BEST PRACTICES?
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:03 AM on February 13, 2017 [34 favorites]

rick
rick
rick
rick

What?

Launch the nukes.
posted by tonycpsu at 8:06 AM on February 13, 2017 [37 favorites]

I've seen multiple articles sagely mentioning that Bannon loves Sun Tzu's The Art Of War,

Bannon's been more discreet about his familiarity with the Italian Julius Evola... most well known for his works “The Revolt Against the Modern World” (1934) and “Synthesis on the Doctrine of Race” (1941).

Steve Bannon Cited Italian Thinker Who Inspired Fascists (NYT)
posted by Mister Bijou at 8:08 AM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

roomthreeseventeen: CNN reporter says that Petraeus is being discussed as a possible replacement for Flynn.

I was blanking on who this is, so I searched for him. First result in Google: Petraeus scandal Wikipedia article. "The Petraeus scandal is a series of events that garnered strong media attention when an extramarital affair between retired four-star general David Petraeus, then Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) ...." Oh, right.

(Has he been google-bombed, or is that the link that everyone has been reading first for the past 9 hours since CNN mentioned this?)
posted by filthy light thief at 8:09 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

he was doing his shit with Punchable Nazi at Duke. He was introduced to Jefferson Beauregard by veteran shithead David Horowitz. He's Alex P. Goebbels.

Stephen Miller actually Jewish, or at least was raised Jewish, though he wrote "Keep the Christ in Christmas" articles for the school newspaper when he was at Duke (around the time he was setting up "debates" about immigration with Richard Spencer.)

I remain pretty confused about why Jewish people like Miller and Kushner would support this administration. My best guess is "some Jewish people hate Muslims more than they hate Nazis."

Or, as I put it to my "traditionalist Catholic" mother (this is what Bannon also calls himself), with whom I have been fighting constantly by email...

The alt-right is a real, if previously fringe, homegrown phenomenon. Without the influence of Vladimir Putin, though, they would have no power within our government. But American nationalism serves Russian interests, so now we have white nationalists in our government.

They are able to pull support from virulently anti-Muslim factions within the Catholic church and within Judaism. But Catholics and Jews in this movement had better be careful, because the anti-Islam, anti-immigrant agenda the are pushing here is tapping into a white supremacist tradition in American culture which is very old and very powerful, and those white supremacists do not have much use for the Catholics or Jews either (nor does Putin). Be careful when you find yourself agreeing with the "Islam is a cancer" crowd. They'll be saying "Catholicism is a cancer" next.

posted by OnceUponATime at 8:09 AM on February 13, 2017 [31 favorites]

Based on the letter he wrote as an obnoxious little shit at the age of sixteen

"...should any student accomplish the opportunity to have sex..."

OK, forget what I said about a Turing test, it doesn't appear necessary.
posted by Buntix at 8:10 AM on February 13, 2017 [15 favorites]

I am having a real hard time processing this - the guy's argument is, it's not a secret, the football guy's right here where everyone can see him. So there's no issue with my posting it.

Which, clearly, is true. The guy is right there. But is this okay protocol-wise? Is this always normal, and we've just always had more circumspect Presidents who don't surround themsleves with good ole boy lookyloos who like to point it out? Or is it as batshitinsane as it sounds like, in which case, why has no one from the FBI or NSC shut him down?

Where are the fucking grownups?
posted by Mchelly at 8:10 AM on February 13, 2017 [14 favorites]

REMEMBER HOW THE ENTIRE ELECTION WAS SOLELY ABOUT EMAIL SECURITY BEST PRACTICES?

In retrospect, it wasn't. That was just a useful club for people to use who didn't like Hillary for various other reasons. Very few, if any, journalists or people have talked about Trump's security issues or email servers.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:11 AM on February 13, 2017 [13 favorites]

Based on the letter he wrote as an obnoxious little shit at the age of sixteen

Here is some of the local reaction:

Santa Monicans Can't Believe They Produced Trump Advisor Stephen Miller

The Santa Monica Daily Press digs up the past: Samohi Graduate behind Trump’s Inauguration Speech
posted by Room 641-A at 8:11 AM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Given how things have gone, Trump would literally punt the football, expecting that other DoD personnel down field would deal with the nitty gritty.
posted by Slackermagee at 8:11 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

If JG Ballard had written a novel about a glitzy private members' club for bleached and leathery wingnuts where paying your dues offers the chance to party around the machinery of nuclear armageddon as the missiles are dispatched, his editor would have said "ah, you're pushing it a bit there, Jim."
posted by holgate at 8:13 AM on February 13, 2017 [66 favorites]

I remain pretty confused about why Jewish people like Miller and Kushner would support this administration.

Makes 'em feel like rebels? But they're the same kind of people as your Phyllis Schaffleys and Michele Bachmanns, and there really isn't any flaw in their thinking (their thinking being "they'll crush the other ones, but not me, because I am powerful.") that works pretty well for as long as it works. it's not confusing except as basic human evil is confusing.
posted by queenofbithynia at 8:14 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

If JG Ballard had written a novel...

Yes, but if Philip K. Dick had written it, maybe not.
posted by kingless at 8:15 AM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

REMEMBER HOW THE ENTIRE ELECTION WAS SOLELY ABOUT EMAIL SECURITY BEST PRACTICES?

In retrospect, it wasn't.

Retrospect?????
posted by logicpunk at 8:15 AM on February 13, 2017 [14 favorites]

I remain pretty confused about why Jewish people like Miller and Kushner would support this administration.

The desire for power trumps all other concerns.
posted by honestcoyote at 8:16 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

Rick. Set us up the bomb.
posted by notyou at 8:18 AM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

I remain pretty confused about why Jewish people like Miller and Kushner would support this administration.

They're Ernst Röhms and they will likely fare similarly
posted by Rust Moranis at 8:18 AM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

In retrospect, it wasn't. That was just a useful club for people to use who didn't like Hillary for various other reasons. Very few, if any, journalists or people have talked about Trump's security issues or email servers.

Yes, but that's not how the NYT or anyone else covered her at the time. EMAILS was always transparent bullshit as a placeholder for misogyny, racism and 30 years of Republican ratfucking, happily amplified by the media, specifically the NYT, for reasons and ratings because Clinton rules. And now that we have an actual information security crisis daily, our media is pretty much silent.
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:21 AM on February 13, 2017 [32 favorites]

Philip K Dick has indeed written POTUS45; it was adapted for the screen by Mel Brookes who is co-directing the movie with Stanley Kubrick. We're just at the start of principle photography; production is expected to take four years and it is being entirely filmed on location.
posted by Devonian at 8:24 AM on February 13, 2017 [15 favorites]

entirely filmed on location.

Shot on iPhone 7.
posted by shothotbot at 8:28 AM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

More pictures of Rick. Rick is the Man.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:28 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

Philip K Dick has indeed written POTUS45; it was adapted for the screen by Mel Brookes who is co-directing the movie with Stanley Kubrick.

You're forgetting the contributions of Lars Von Trier and Todd Solondz. Cormac McCarthy is expected to join later in production.
posted by Rust Moranis at 8:29 AM on February 13, 2017 [12 favorites]

fragmede: Seems like the bar for US Ambassador to Austria should be higher than being a fan of "The Sound of Music".

Except there aren't all that many qualified people who are willing to work with _rump, so knowing something about the country in question is really a solid foundation, even if that knowledge is based on a musical from 1959.

My question is, who was Patrick Park's favorite characters? Tough but loving Captain Von Trapp, who was anti-Nazi? The free-spirited Maria Rainer? The stern nuns, who also oppose the Nazis? The poor, impressionable Rolf, who is a Nazi youth because he's attracted to power and doesn't question its goals? Or is he full Nazi supporter, who is excited for the unseen future the Nazis offer to the people of Austria? Does he want to be a Von Trapp, or does he dream of being on of the Nazi lieutenants who take over the Von Trapp estates when the family flees over the Alps?

“My father was in the Air Force and my stepfather was a Navy man,” he continued. “They served our country and their president. I would be thrilled to serve my country and President Trump if I have the chance. I have known this man almost 20 years. Seeing the great things he has done makes me want to be part of his team. I’m excited beyond words.”

Park said he’s already started boning up in order to be ready if and when the call comes.

“I had a chance to talk to the Swiss and Hungarian ambassadors at the Red Cross Ball and at the diplomats’ dinner the night before,” he said. “They want me to visit them in Washington, and the Austrian ambassador in Washington said he wants us to go for lunch. See? I’m already working!”

Yes, yes you are, sweet Patrick. Just keep assuring those ambassadors that Putin only wants to reunify Mother Russia, and not make a new, larger Soviet Union of vassal nation-states.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:35 AM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Here is Trudeau and Trump competing in the handshake game.

It looks like Trudeau was ready for it.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 8:36 AM on February 13, 2017 [100 favorites]

It looks like Trudeau was ready for it.


Canadian dreamboat definitely won that handshake. Does this mean he's President now?
posted by dis_integration at 8:40 AM on February 13, 2017 [30 favorites]

This is not a normal handshake.
posted by fullerine at 8:41 AM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

I won't be convinced until Trudeau bites down on the back of his neck and Trump rolls over to expose his tender underbelly.
posted by Rust Moranis at 8:41 AM on February 13, 2017 [39 favorites]

70 yo man challenges 45 yo man to arm wrestling contest, is bewildered that he couldn't win. My G-d, our President is so dumb.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:41 AM on February 13, 2017 [58 favorites]

Here is Trudeau and Trump competing in the handshake game.

It looks like Trudeau was ready for it.

Umm yay I guess. I mean yes YAY! Cause in this new fangled world I now sit here and hope my leader will compete well in the handshake game. I'm liking Trudeau's pat on the arm maneuver he took the initiative. Good for him. Good firm shake there. Held his ground. I give it an 8/10.
posted by Jalliah at 8:41 AM on February 13, 2017 [34 favorites]

Santa Monicans Can't Believe They Produced Trump Advisor Stephen Miller

Just imagine how his liberal Democrat parents must feel. Ugh. This guy is the creepiest member of the Trump administration (that I know of), and that's a pretty big accomplishment.
posted by FelliniBlank at 8:42 AM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

Seems like the bar for US Ambassador to Austria should be higher than being a fan of "The Sound of Music".

That's one of the less egregious things Trump has done really. The way we dole out plum ambassadorships to campaign donors is pretty gross already. Is 'knows the Sound of Music' really any different than, 'is a Macaroni Baron?'
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:43 AM on February 13, 2017

Mr "I posed with Rick" also has a video of K-Con on his totally-public FB page, apparently recorded without her knowledge.

The rich are different than you and me.
posted by holgate at 8:47 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

Maybe the handshake-test thing is just Trump acting like LBJ, but if LBJ was way crazier, and also stupid. And presumably without a massive dingus to plonk on the Resolute Desk and intimidate members of congress with.
posted by Rust Moranis at 8:48 AM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Here's the seated Trump Trudeau handshake.
posted by kitcat at 8:49 AM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

Wondering how many things that would get a normal president kicked out of office per day we can reach before the whole system implodes.
posted by Artw at 8:50 AM on February 13, 2017 [16 favorites]

Here's the seated Trump Trudeau handshake.

T didn't even try it again. Weak move. Sad!
posted by Rust Moranis at 8:51 AM on February 13, 2017 [19 favorites]

Here's the seated Trump Trudeau handshake.

Donald didn't even put any effort into that one.
posted by Jalliah at 8:51 AM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Wow, Trudeau cleared the handshake hurdle with aplomb. then again Pierre Elliot was a known Judoka.
posted by From Bklyn at 8:52 AM on February 13, 2017 [12 favorites]

I'm about the same age as Stephen Miller, and we're both from liberal-secular Jewish families in extremely blue California towns. I knew a couple of people like him. In most places, a socially awkward teenager who hates his parents and all the dumb sheeple in his high school might get really into a music scene or replica swords or edgy haircuts; but in that environment, wearing a tie to school and quoting Buckley in the yearbook is the most rebellious thing a teenager can possibly do.
posted by theodolite at 8:54 AM on February 13, 2017 [23 favorites]

I think Trump felt threatened by the younger, handsomer Trudeau, so he didn't do the hand-tug.
posted by vickyverky at 8:55 AM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

I'm probably setting myself up for disappointment over Trudeaus visit, but I am desperately hoping that Justin shows some fucking spine. Preferably Trump's spine, held aloft, dripping, while the PM sings O Canada.
posted by mrjohnmuller at 8:56 AM on February 13, 2017 [55 favorites]

I have a picture somewhere of Justin and I dressed up as barbarians. I wish he had worn that outfit and scared the bejeezus out of Donald.
posted by Jalliah at 8:58 AM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

I have a picture somewhere of Justin and I dressed up as barbarians.

Oh! You meant Trudeau, not Bieber.

...Okay, time for more tea.
posted by Excommunicated Cardinal at 9:03 AM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

In an earlier post, this dumbass actually points to the guy holding the nuclear football, so we can all identify him.

In which I learn that one man's existential terror can be another man's exciting night on the town.
posted by diogenes at 9:03 AM on February 13, 2017 [23 favorites]

USA Today published the ACLU's what to do if ICE comes to your house information in English and Spanish. This is not something I would expect in USA Today.

In a weird way I'm optimistic - if we survive all this in any kind of shape, I think people are going to be way more pro-immigrant.

And yet I'm also kind of scared. I feel like this country is tipping toward ungovernability, which is exciting because it's the only way to resist the administration, but also scary.

Honestly, this all reminds me of the 1930s - not so much the Hitler thirties, but the French thirties. Janet Flanner's Paris Was Yesterday gives a portrait of the time that is really unsettling, even though she was writing a culture column for the New Yorker. I just feel like we're in the run up to global conflict - everything is too crazy, there's too much pressure on the Eurozone, too much is unpredictable. And if we do go to war, it will be the willful foolishness of 27% of this country which is to blame.
posted by Frowner at 9:06 AM on February 13, 2017 [51 favorites]

In that seated handshake video, Justin flashes a micro expression that my stuttering replay paused on. He looks at Trump's hand with a dubious expression that clearly communicates, "This again?!?" before he puts his game face back on and creates the photo op with enthusiasm.
posted by carmicha at 9:07 AM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

Wow, Trudeau cleared the handshake hurdle with aplomb. then again Pierre Elliot was a known Judoka.

So we can always hope that shoulder pat was a dim mak move...
posted by Buntix at 9:11 AM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Yeah, here's that seated WTF? look from Trudeau.
posted by maudlin at 9:13 AM on February 13, 2017 [52 favorites]

I'm am so freaking nervous about this meeting. Justin you better stand your ground and not be a total kiss ass. Some diplo speak we are all friends frolicing through meadows is acceptable. I know the game but THERE IS A LINE.
posted by Jalliah at 9:18 AM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

I think Trump felt threatened by the younger, handsomer Trudeau, so he didn't do the hand-tug.

He did in the standing one.
You can see the point where he tries to tug back, but Trudeau is all braced ready for it.
Thing is, it's not a strength move, it's just normal human people when they shake hands are not expecting you to be yanking it around like an idiot.
It's such a pathetic 80's self-help book trick. The PUA version of how to be a business man.
There's probably some kind of forum somewhere where people in cheap suits posting field reports of their recent negotiations and talking about how they did the handshake, then went into their negs, then ended the meeting by yelling "see you in court".
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 9:20 AM on February 13, 2017 [58 favorites]

Also, that Richard DeGazio is something else. What an ass.

You forget: This is someone who voluntarily chose to be at Mar-a-Lago. I would think the "what an ass" part is by definition.
posted by adamgreenfield at 9:21 AM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

Looks like that joker DeAgazio has either removed his FB post or made it private, but you can still enjoy it via roomthreeseventeen's Twitter link above.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 9:22 AM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

This is someone who voluntarily chose to be at Mar-a-Lago.

He coughed up the membership fee in late December, so I'm sure his intentions are pure.
posted by holgate at 9:26 AM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

Willing to bet money that the guys who do the pull-in-for-dominance manly-man handshakes are the exact same men who meet a woman's extended hand with the awkward limp tops-of-the-fingers-only thing. Fucking reindeer games.
posted by Mchelly at 9:27 AM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

If I'm ever so unfortunate as to have to shake hands with Donald in front of cameras, I fully intend to let him pull me off my feet. If I injure something falling over, even better. Because I am a patriot.
posted by biogeo at 9:34 AM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

I think Trump felt threatened by the younger, handsomer Trudeau, so he didn't do the hand-tug.


Not to mention popular-er. voted-for-er and competent-er. Scam artists really hate competence.

.
posted by Devonian at 9:36 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

Information and Operations Security at Balloon-Juice, with preserved facebook pictures.

Imgur link to the Rick-with-the-nuke-codes picture.
posted by T.D. Strange at 9:37 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

This is an article on Trump turns Mar-A-Lago Club terrace into open-air situation room so it's already being covered in the news as well.
posted by typecloud at 9:38 AM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

Yeah, here's that seated WTF? look from Trudeau.

I will not shake it in a chair
I will not shake it anywhere
I do not like this orange man
I do not like but here I am
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 9:39 AM on February 13, 2017 [36 favorites]

You know, just for his own safety you'd think he'd be a little more circumspect. What if ISIS can come up with the entrance fee for a MarALargo membership? Do they have the airport body scanners set up for everyone there, even the wait staff? Is 200k the price to get a guy with a ceramic knife within feet of the POTUS?
posted by T.D. Strange at 9:42 AM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

It's petty as hell of me, but I'm getting so much cathartic enjoyment from seeing Trudeau and Abe's microexpressions, and now I'm trying to figure out which international head of state will have the best one.

My money's on Merkel, if she ever ends up in a one-on-one with him. Like, the amount of barely concealed diplomatic contempt she'll be radiating? The coffee spoons might end up levitating, Magneto style.
posted by joyceanmachine at 9:43 AM on February 13, 2017 [22 favorites]

‘Neo-Nazis’ beat up brothers over ‘anti-fascist’ sticker: cops

On the way out the door, they ran into a group of smokers outside who noticed the sticker on one of their phones reading “New York City Anti-Fascists.”

“One of the guys … sees [my brother’s] phone, grabs it and starts screaming, ‘I know what the f— that means, I know what the f— that sticker is, you need to get the f— out of here,” said one of the victims, who asked to remain anonymous.

JFC.
posted by Talez at 9:47 AM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

folks i just watched that entire Miller reel and the dude doesn't blink once. we don't even need voight-kampff for this one, he's an obvious skin job.
posted by murphy slaw at 9:48 AM on February 13, 2017 [30 favorites]

Well, congratulations to Richard DeAgazio for getting himself trending on Twitter, I guess.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 9:52 AM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Man, this must be awkward for Paul Ryan.
posted by T.D. Strange at 9:56 AM on February 13, 2017 [45 favorites]

I'm mildly obsessed with Trump's handshake games, so I was delighted when LWT did a montage after covering the Abe handshake. It's stupid that something that petty can make me hate him more, but it does.

Last Week Tonight: Donald Trump Can't Even Shake Hands Right
posted by gladly at 9:57 AM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

Here in IL-13, our rep Rodney Davis has been dodging constituents, but Flat Rodney Davis will lend an ear.
posted by salix at 9:57 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

I can't escape the idea that part of him having an open air security briefing was performative masculinity. Look at the photos - he's a 70 year old guy with male military aides running towards him with paperwork as the women at the table watch. As much as it was laziness and incompetence not moving to a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, he's putting on a show of "manliness" for the room.
posted by bluecore at 9:58 AM on February 13, 2017 [66 favorites]

The tech editor at DefenseOne notes that Flynn has been removed as a speaker from a Special Ops banquet tonight.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 10:00 AM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

I can't escape the idea that part of him having an open air security briefing was performative masculinity.

That, and an obsession with proving that his presidency is legitimate - there's a straight line from "I really won the popular vote" to "everyone look at all the very important Presidenty stuff I'm doing."
posted by theodolite at 10:02 AM on February 13, 2017 [16 favorites]

I can literally see NORAD from my living room window and I'm shaking at the growing likelihood of my face melting off in the service of performative masculinity.
posted by mochapickle at 10:03 AM on February 13, 2017 [40 favorites]

From yesterday: Journalists and stars lose appetite for correspondents' dinner under Trump

Good. This shit has needed to die for forever. They're not there to be friends with power. George Bush yucking over his lies about WMDs while journalists sat and laughed along was disgusting.

If there was any justice in the world, Stephen Colbert's routine would have been the White House Correspondents Dinner's obituary.
posted by Gelatin at 10:04 AM on February 13, 2017 [24 favorites]

You know, just for his own safety you'd think he'd be a little more circumspect. What if ISIS can come up with the entrance fee for a MarALargo membership? Do they have the airport body scanners set up for everyone there, even the wait staff? Is 200k the price to get a guy with a ceramic knife within feet of the POTUS?

I think the ideal strategy for a state security service would be to turn one or 15 of the staff at mar-a-lago into assets. Since they're often guest workers, they're likely paid little and so would be easy to turn into spies. Plus, if you were, say, Russia, and could negotiate citizenship for them in, say, Argentina along with a nice house... I mean shit, now that we know who the nuclear football guy is, the Russians have got to be re-running models of first-strike outcomes.

Fucking morans. MORANS.
posted by dis_integration at 10:06 AM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

I notice from the CBC liveblog that Trump is calling Prime Minister Trudeau by his first name, ie.

"Justin, I can say, on behalf of our country, it's an honour to be with you." - President Donald Trump

Is that normal in a public-facing first meeting of state heads?
posted by kitcat at 10:10 AM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

"Justin, I can say, on behalf of our country, it's an honour to be with you." - President Donald Trump

Justin is easy to pronounce. Trudeau isn't.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 10:11 AM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

no, it's just another petty dominance display.
posted by poffin boffin at 10:12 AM on February 13, 2017 [29 favorites]

This compilation of clips from Stephen Miller's appearances on the Sunday morning shows is making the rounds on twitter. Yes the content is creepy (This administration WILL BE OBEYED ACH TUNG) but his delivery is bizarre.

I'm probably crazy for thinking this, but in a few of those it looks like he's reading his talking points off a teleprompter. See how his eyes scan side to side when he's saying "This is an ideological disagreement over..." at 26 seconds into the clip. Maybe it's just an awkward dude being awkward, but there's such a credibility deficit with this administration I will continue to assume the worst.
posted by peeedro at 10:14 AM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Not only is it his first name, it's generally associated with younger men and/or teen idols. Petty dominance for sure.

I wonder how much it's killing Trump not to compliment his hair.
posted by maudlin at 10:15 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

let's ignore for the moment the fact that these wealthy Palm Beach folk have front row seats to the theater of American presidential showmanship, that they can get close enough to kiss him, as with the lady in that FB feed, his lack of judgement will lead where it may, but the professionals and civil servants trying to do their job in protecting POTUS and American interests are literally being shat upon.

He has managed to create shitstorm after shitstorm far worse that anything before, and I've tried to read up on what his followers believe, I've listened to radio talkshow hosts I wouldn't dream of listening to in the past, all trying to understand why we in Europe got it so wrong.

I came to 2 conclusions, your honour based system of checks and balances is just that, based on honour, and that does not apply to the proponents of Trumpism.

the second was that your rural poor are not comparing themselves to their neighbours down the road ( I read several articles about poor [insert red voting rural community here] say West Virginians not being as poor as poor [yZXyers], fill in the blanks but railing against their absolutely accurate feeling of 'being left-behindness' exclusion, losing the race to 'other'.

and I've trawled through comments on their sites like infowars, Laura Ingraham, Breitbar and all I can understand is they do not compare themselves to their neighbors, they compare themselves to what media representations of 'white trash' look like on ALL media sources, especially country music videos, film, and TV.

Garth Brookes 'Friends in low places' as anthem, in the key of RACE.

Even poor white trash is represented by beautiful people with nice clothes jeans and boots, and every trailer park leads to that lovely farm house... Nothing that challenges the narrative, except stuff that is so alien to them they find is easy to 'other' is such vile ways, I was truly disgusted as a non-american to see how Michelle Obama was treated by these people, in a way, I felt they could take whatever pot-shots they wanted at Obama, cos that is the nature of the beast of political life, but when someone represents you so well and so faithfully (as least in this Irish woman's opinion) to see the degrading treatment of your previous FLOTUS was already signalling an historic 'othering' we've only seen in Srebrenica, Kosovo, in post war Europe.

the easy characterisation of snowflakes, libtards etc., is a doubling down of 'you elite folk hate us anyway so lets get our licks in as we see fit'

the fact that they prayed for the Oroville Dam to give way because California......where those counties were clearly red, shows there are very few bridges left, and at the same time most of the American public are still behaving as if facts, systems and truth will inevitably prevail. Checks & balances really only work when the majority buy into that system, and while the majority voted for Hilary Clinton, the hard core of alt-right support could blow those systems out of the water now that all boundaries of the idealised presidency have been breached, and the party of the POTUS are caught at best using the movement for the worst of reasons and at best napping.
posted by Wilder at 10:15 AM on February 13, 2017 [31 favorites]

Justin is easy to pronounce. Trudeau isn't.

Also maybe he's not sure if he's related to that Garry guy.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 10:17 AM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

The tech editor at DefenseOne notes that Flynn has been removed as a speaker from a Special Ops banquet tonight.
Knee-jerk first reaction: He's getting the scapegoat boot.
More disturbing second reaction: Something's planned for the WH Situation Room tonight.
posted by martin q blank at 10:18 AM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

the Russians have got to be re-running models of first-strike outcomes.

I'm assuming that even if they were to take the football off the pitch and there wasn't a land based backup that would respond in the 30 mins it takes for an ICBM to get from Russia to the US, then there's still enough nukes on submarines out there that it would still be suicide. I am assuming this because I want to be able to sleep at night without worrying that Trump is so incompetent he might make a first strike a winning scenario.
posted by Buntix at 10:23 AM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

Does anyone know where I might be able to find a livestream of the Trudeau Trump presser when it happens?
posted by Jalliah at 10:26 AM on February 13, 2017

" Justin is easy to pronounce. Trudeau isn't."

Well, and you have to be able to pronounce "true" to say Trudeau. Not exactly Trump's strongest point.
posted by azpenguin at 10:27 AM on February 13, 2017 [15 favorites]

Jalliah, try here: President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hold a joint news conference at the White House.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 10:28 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Oh wait never mind found it on C-SPAN. I had looked but missed it.
posted by Jalliah at 10:28 AM on February 13, 2017

I am still not sure if he's saying "our opponents, the media, and the whole world" or "our opponents: the media and the whole world".
posted by ckape at 10:31 AM on February 13, 2017 [16 favorites]

peeedro: according to the Rogue POTUS twitter, the Miller interview was indeed read off a teleprompter (link to Tweet saying the same), so you're not crazy.
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 10:33 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

let's ignore for the moment the fact that these wealthy Palm Beach folk have front row seats to the theater of American presidential showmanship, that they can get close enough to kiss him...

I was bored yesterday afternoon and saw a Twitter exchange between two people, one a Clinton/DNC associate who's been writing about the huge conflict of interest with Mar-a-Lago being used for government purposes and lining Trump's pocket at the same time. The other guy posted a screenshot of the DNS registration for winterwhitehouse.com. It was registered anonymously couple days after the election by someone in Palm Beach, and they were mulling over who bought the domain name before Trump himself ever apparently said the words "Winter White House." I did some digging (again, bored) and found that it was registered by a local real estate agent. Turns out his parents are also wealthy Palm Beach real estate agents who regularly appear in the local paper's society page, and they have both Trump connections (through a charitable foundation) and Mar-a-Lago connections (they sponsor a wine auction every year that's held there). I would guess that they're members, but it's hard to say for sure.

Anyway, it could just be that this real estate guy snapped up the domain name and is sitting on it in hopes of selling it for big bucks. But the alternative theory is that there are actual plans to begin marketing Mar-a-Lago as "the Winter White House" -- advertising it as such, for profit, for Trump. Which would be really gross.
posted by mudpuppie at 10:37 AM on February 13, 2017 [14 favorites]

As much as it was laziness and incompetence not moving to a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility,

I'm really starting to think that they're not giving President Shitgibbon anything requiring a SCIF in the first place.

It's humiliating -- as an American -- that the PM of Japan found out about NK's missile test via CNN's twitter feed because the President isn't trustworthy enough for the CIA to tell him in realtime.
posted by mikelieman at 10:38 AM on February 13, 2017 [28 favorites]

Stephen Miller - JFC. I'm glad I don't have cable, because I would have had to go shopping for a new tv if I had seen that yesterday morning. Sunnuvabitch!
posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 10:43 AM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

"Winter White House."

It was actually gifted to the US gov't in 1973 to be a WWH. Later sold as none of the following presidents were interested in using it as such.

Marjorie Merriweather Post built the house with her then-husband Edward F. Hutton. Post hired Marion Sims Wyeth to design it, and Joseph Urban to create interior design and exterior decorations.[8][9] Upon her death in 1973, Post willed the 17-acre (69,000 m2) estate to the United States government as a Winter White House for presidents and visiting foreign dignitaries

(wikipedia)
posted by Buntix at 10:44 AM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

Gelatin: If there was any justice in the world, Stephen Colbert's routine would have been the White House Correspondents Dinner's obituary.

But then we wouldn't have Obama and his solid zingers, including a literal mic drop.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:48 AM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Donald Trump's Tweets As An Early 2000s Emo Song (SLYT)
posted by Buntix at 10:54 AM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

Obama's zingers are the reason Trump ran for president.
posted by dirigibleman at 10:58 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

It was actually gifted to the US gov't in 1973 to be a WWH. Later sold as none of the following presidents were interested in using it as such.

You missed the classy bit:

After unsuccessfully trying to purchase and combine two apartments in Palm Beach for his family, Donald Trump learned about the estate and offered $15 million. After the Post family rejected the offer, Trump threatened to block Mar-a-Lago's beach view, forcing the Post family to accept his last offer of less than $8 million in December 1985.

posted by effbot at 10:58 AM on February 13, 2017 [16 favorites]

From the WaPo article linked above:

“He chooses to be out on the terrace, with the members. It just shows that he’s a man of the people,” DeAgazio said.

Membership at the Mar-a-Lago Club now requires a $200,000 initiation fee — a fee that increased by $100,000 after Trump was elected.

So much is said in just two sentences.
posted by biogeo at 10:59 AM on February 13, 2017 [65 favorites]

In other news, Captain America is fighting Hatemonger on Twitter.
posted by tobascodagama at 11:02 AM on February 13, 2017 [21 favorites]

A man of the people with money, surely the only people who count.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:03 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Joint Canada US statement from the WH. It's linked on Daniel Dale's twitter. Can't find it anywhere else yet.

Typical diplomatic blah blah fluff. Call me cynical though it doesn't sound like the current new WH staff wrote this. From the state dept maybe? And they didn't bother or care to read it? Or perhaps we had a hand in it and they didn't bother or care? Sounds good for Canada at least so I suppose that's something.
posted by Jalliah at 11:07 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Trump threatened to block Mar-a-Lago's beach view

That's actually exactly the same tactics he used to try to dispossess some smallholders up in Aberdeenshire of their land to build his (SSSI destroying) gold course. First with a big berm, then with a succession of conifers (because they don't survive long in salty sand, as it turns out). His workmen also 'accidentally' cut water and power for days to the houses, including that of a 92 year old woman living by herself.

Also, the historical pedigree of the term aside, this

But the alternative theory is that there are actual plans to begin marketing Mar-a-Lago as "the Winter White House" -- advertising it as such, for profit, for Trump. Which would be really gross.

is of course the case. He's going to deliberately milk the presidency for every last iota of self-aggrandisement and personal income gain he can. The real estate agents for his NY tower were marketing the SS presence as a feature (Trump corp denied involvement).
posted by Buntix at 11:08 AM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

Trump cut off a Canadian woman who was speaking. Such diplomacy.
posted by Yowser at 11:08 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

A man of the people with money, surely the only people who count.

I don't know if axios is a good source for news, but they have a pretty gossipy article on power dynamic within the White House factions that touches on that:

"These people are insecure because Trump does not respect them," said a person in constant contact with the West Wing. "He does not because they have not made any money. He respects [Stephen] Bannon and Gary Cohn because they are financially successful."

posted by peeedro at 11:12 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

My cringe reflex is primed and twitchy. This will be the first time I've heard him speak about Canada
posted by Jalliah at 11:12 AM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

I wonder if we'll get to be a tremendous country.
posted by Jalliah at 11:15 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

I remain pretty confused about why Jewish people like Miller and Kushner would support this administration.

The term for it is Kapo.
posted by PenDevil at 11:19 AM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

Trump does not sound like Trump. Is he cribbing from an Obama statement? This sounds like Obama.
posted by Jalliah at 11:21 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Oh wait 'the full power of women that can do it better or something'.. now he's sounding like Trump.
posted by Jalliah at 11:22 AM on February 13, 2017

That's the same observation I'm seeing on Twitter, Jalliah - that this sounds like an Obama statement. Bigly.
posted by nubs at 11:23 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

That's the same observation I'm seeing on Twitter, Jalliah - that this sounds like an Obama statement. Bigly.

He got a bit Trumpy at the end when it looked like he was trying to expand on whatever his paper said.
posted by Jalliah at 11:25 AM on February 13, 2017

From a quick skim, the "joint" statement looks to have been drafted by Trudeau's team.
posted by obliquity of the ecliptic at 11:27 AM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

Fucking morans. MORANS.

This is offensive to those of us with the last name Moran.
posted by DynamiteToast at 11:29 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Holy crap. Ha ha. They've agreed on a joint Canada and US Women entrepreneur group. Well not funny, it's good but this is so a Justin thing and not a Trump thing.
posted by Jalliah at 11:29 AM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

He was also surprised that by convention, the Canadian PM speaks some French when doing the White House presser. Even Stephen Harper did that.
posted by holgate at 11:30 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

I remain pretty confused about why Jewish people like Miller and Kushner would support this administration.

The term for it is Kapo.

Personally, as a non-jew, I would never feel comfortable using that term about someone other than in the historical context. But then I feel that way about pretty much anything that boils down to some flavor of "race traitor." I'm not the identity loyalty police and I don't think it's a look that's good on anyone.
posted by phearlez at 11:30 AM on February 13, 2017 [26 favorites]

Is he cribbing from an Obama statement? This sounds like Obama.

Maybe Approved Daughter wrote it?
posted by holgate at 11:31 AM on February 13, 2017

I wonder how much it's killing Trump not to compliment his hair.

Yeah, I also wondered how Trump must be feeling to meet somebody with actual good hair ("Justin with the good hair"). I figure his inner thoughts must have been similar to the American Psycho business card scene.
posted by Joey Michaels at 11:33 AM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

Trump gets a question about the difference between Trump viewing Syrias as criminals and Justin who hugs and welcomes them.

Trump says we're getting them out, the criminals out, blabs about Kelly, mentions the electoral college, mentions druglord and OMG it's a mess of answer. lol

Holy shit.

And then Justin speak and makes total sense.
posted by Jalliah at 11:35 AM on February 13, 2017 [24 favorites]

And another question on Syrians and ask Justin what he thinks about the immigration ban.


Trump is babbling about problems and mention North Korea and talks about Abe.
posted by Jalliah at 11:37 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

This is embarassing. I'm actually embarassed for him.
posted by Jalliah at 11:38 AM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

The Humble Bundle Freedom Bundle is up. $30 or higher. Couple of dozen games and books. They're trying to raise $300K for the ACLU and they're already up to $83K after 40 minutes.
posted by Talez at 11:38 AM on February 13, 2017 [32 favorites]

Justin diplomatically says we don't agree with the ban.
posted by Jalliah at 11:39 AM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

The New Republic thinks Justin owned the White House
posted by nubs at 11:39 AM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

Trump getting a hard nosed NAFTA question.
posted by Jalliah at 11:40 AM on February 13, 2017

Talez: Thanks for the link! That's one of the strongest Humble Bundles in years, to boot. $60 well spent.
posted by miguelcervantes at 11:45 AM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Daniel Dale on Twitter: Trump words confirm, or close, that his rants about NAFTA are rants about Mexico. Canada not out of the woods, but will be lots of relief.

We don't need a press pool. We need a haruspex pool.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 11:47 AM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

Stardew Valley alone has kept me relatively sane and calm over the last few months.
posted by theodolite at 11:48 AM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

The American journalists were primed to blame Canada for Syrian refugees somehow?

Who are the journos?
posted by Yowser at 11:50 AM on February 13, 2017

We don't need a press pool. We need a haruspex pool.

Trump speaks from the gut!*

*of a ritually slaughtered lamb
posted by theodolite at 11:50 AM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

The American journalists were primed to blame Canada for Syrian refugees somehow?

Who are the journos?

There were Canadian and American journalists. And the questions weren't about blaming Canada they were asking about the obvious differences between Trumps view and Canada's view. Made the differences pretty damn stark too.
posted by Jalliah at 11:52 AM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

K cuz there were two Syria questions in a row. I guess the first was from a Canadian?

Open borders my ass, Canada has more rigorous screening than the United States. I guess Trudeau couldn't say that given the diplomatic environment.
posted by Yowser at 11:54 AM on February 13, 2017

The Humble Bundle Freedom Bundle is up. $30 or higher. Couple of dozen games and books. They're trying to raise $300K for the ACLU and they're already up to $83K after 40 minutes.

Also includes Stardew Valley and Day of the Tentacle and tons of other great games.
posted by dinty_moore at 11:55 AM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

I have The Witness on console and it was very enjoyable. It's gameplay is Myst like and works well with other people in the room helping solve the puzzles.
posted by cmfletcher at 11:55 AM on February 13, 2017

American reporter first, then Canadian, then repeat pattern. CNN says the first American was from the local ABC/CNN affiliate and the second was from some conservative outlet called the Daily Caller (or something like that).
posted by sardonyx at 11:56 AM on February 13, 2017

The only American reporters called on were from the Daily Caller and Sinclair, so nobody asked about Flynn or anything difficult. This is the full list of orgs Trump has taken press conference questions from since taking office: "Fox News, Reuters, New York Post, Fox Business, Sinclair and the Daily Caller"
posted by zachlipton at 11:56 AM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

K cuz there were two Syria questions in a row. I guess the first was from a Canadian?

I believe so. It looks like they alternated.
posted by Jalliah at 11:57 AM on February 13, 2017

Oh my god the Daily Caller.

Trump is juicing the journo pool again.
posted by Yowser at 11:58 AM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Trudeau's answer to the immigration ban question is an example of classic diplomatic speech and I expect the shade in it went right over Donald's head.
posted by Jalliah at 11:59 AM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

(If you want to know why calling on a reporter from a Sinclair station is relevant, see Kushner: We struck deal with Sinclair for straighter coverage and this section of their Wikipedia article.)
posted by zachlipton at 12:00 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Also includes Stardew Valley and Day of the Tentacle and tons of other great games.

And World of Goo! Which is fantastically surreal and yet not nearly as surreal as the past 21 months.
posted by mochapickle at 12:00 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

$177,916 at the first hour mark for the ACLU. Humble is matching 1:1 up until $300K.

Wow. I think this is the fastest I've seen the Humble counter tick up.
posted by Talez at 12:00 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

CNN made it a point to say that Sinclair owned the station, which is something I've never heard them do before.
posted by sardonyx at 12:01 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

I never thought id hear the day Justin Trudeau was called a diplomatic master. Yet here we are. He must've had great practice beforehand on people who know how American journalists on the extreme right write.
posted by Yowser at 12:01 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Stardew Valley alone has kept me relatively sane and calm over the last few months.

I know, man, but I've been married to Penny for a couple months now and she's really starting to get on my nerves.
posted by mudpuppie at 12:02 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

Trudeau's answer to the immigration ban question is an example of classic diplomatic speech and I expect the shade in it went right over Donald's head.


Yeah, I don't have a transcript but Trudeau basically said "The US will do whatever they do and Canada will be a positive example to the world"
posted by rocket88 at 12:04 PM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

Vox: Kellyanne Conway's interview tricks, explained
posted by Talez at 12:04 PM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

Kelly says ICE arrested more than 680 individuals last week, of whom 75% "were criminal aliens (statement)
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:05 PM on February 13, 2017

Normally I'd watch something like this on a Canadian channel, but this time I opted for the US version, just to see how it would be handled. The main difference was when the translator was speaking they cut the primary speaker's mic off entirely. Normally Canadian channels just dip the volume.

Afterward however was bizarre. Wolf Blitzer said Trudeau said a bunch of things he didn't actually say, then he whined that nobody asked questions about Flynn or other mainly domestic issues. The panel did agree that Trudeau "threw shade" (I think it was Gloria who said that) on Trump, that Trump looked uncomfortable ("like he was in a straight jacket") and that they had no idea what he was saying with some of his answers.
posted by sardonyx at 12:05 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

I never thought id hear the day Justin Trudeau was called a diplomatic master. Yet here we are. He must've had great practice beforehand on people who know how American journalists on the extreme right write.

Getting a question about his view on the immigration ban would have been at the top of the list of 'questions to expect' prep. It's a fairly obvious question that any outlet would want to ask. He definitely had an answer prepared and that's great, we have a leader that passes basic world leadership skills at a 101 level.
posted by Jalliah at 12:07 PM on February 13, 2017 [13 favorites]

Oh my god. People are sending Chaffetz invoices for their time.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:08 PM on February 13, 2017 [64 favorites]

The panel did agree that Trudeau "threw shade" (I think it was Gloria who said that) on Trump

To be fair, speaking in complete sentences and not acting in fawning deference constitutes "shade" in Trumpland.
posted by Strange Interlude at 12:10 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

Mod note: That humble bundle is rad and full of good games but proooobably we should not turn this into an impromptu discussion of good video games.
posted by cortex (staff) at 12:10 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club has a new feature: Watch the president discuss top secret security issues!

It is a Salon link but has a decent roundup of pics and twitter links. Unbelievable.
posted by futz at 12:11 PM on February 13, 2017 [12 favorites]

So I'm wonder if Trudeau's people back channeled to Ivanka to get this women's group thing going. I want to know who had the original idea. It's sure as hell wasn't Donald.
posted by Jalliah at 12:15 PM on February 13, 2017

I guess I would have been thrown off by a blatant push-lie question (saying that Canada had an open border), which is why I would never survive as a politician.
posted by Yowser at 12:15 PM on February 13, 2017

This Gizmodo photoshop thread of Trump offering Trudeau his hand is gold.

I heard you liked this stuff...

also the humble bundle is super awesome and I'll shut up about that now
posted by Gaz Errant at 12:18 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

Humble Bundle almost to $275k. At this rate it will hit $300k in about 10 minutes.
posted by jferg at 12:18 PM on February 13, 2017

Humble Bundle: But i already have like half of those through HB!!! I'm pretty sure if I buy this bundle I can't gift them. might still be worth it though.

BS Dominance handshake: Isn't there also something where if your hand is on top, then you are the dominant one? Just something I half-remember someone telling me like 10 years ago, which I immediately dismissed as dumb.
posted by ArgentCorvid at 12:19 PM on February 13, 2017

it's nice that the humble bundle is raising money for the ACLU, but given that they've taken in so much money that they need help figuring out how to spend it, it would be nice if some of those dollars could make their way to other charities like the SPLC and others that have gotten less love
posted by murphy slaw at 12:20 PM on February 13, 2017 [16 favorites]

ArgentCorvid, you can gift game keys individually.
posted by J.K. Seazer at 12:21 PM on February 13, 2017

If he discussed state affairs in front of waitstaff at Mar-a-Lago, don't we have a security issue brought on by a "private server?"
posted by TwoWordReview at 12:21 PM on February 13, 2017 [76 favorites]

I finally understand how all of this happened.

Context
posted by Servo5678 at 12:22 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

If you have the opportunity to ask Trump a question today, and that question isn't about Flynn, you suck as a reporter.
posted by diogenes at 12:27 PM on February 13, 2017 [18 favorites]

OnceUponATime: I remain pretty confused about why Jewish people like Miller and Kushner would support this administration.

PenDevil: The term for it is Kapo.

phearlez: Personally, as a non-jew, I would never feel comfortable using that term about someone other than in the historical context.

As a Jew, I do not feel comfortable using this term either, upset as I am with Miller, Kushner and others.

Which is why I am so incredibly offended that Trump's nominee for ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, called liberal American Jews "far worse than kapos" and why I took the time this morning to call my senators to demand they vote against him. Please, if you're reading this, consider calling your senators as well - I can PM you a script. His hearing is on Thursday, and you can read more about him here.
posted by galaxy rise at 12:33 PM on February 13, 2017 [35 favorites]

Oh, the humble bundle is also benefitting International Rescue Committee and Médecins Sans Frontières.
posted by murphy slaw at 12:39 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

As a Jew, I do not feel comfortable using this term either, upset as I am with Miller, Kushner and others.

Which is why I am so incredibly offended that Trump's nominee for ambassador to Israel, David Friedman, called liberal American Jews "far worse than kapos" [...]

Absolutely. Let's not use that to deflect attention from the use of the word here, though; people who comment on Metafilter should have higher standards than someone selected by the Trump administration.
posted by Joe in Australia at 12:43 PM on February 13, 2017 [14 favorites]

people who comment on Metafilter every sentient being should have higher standards than someone selected by the Trump administration.

posted by murphy slaw at 12:45 PM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

I finally understand how all of this happened.
I have my own theory.

FADE IN:

INT LATE 1980's THEATER LOBBY

MARVIN rushes out of the a film and heads right for the payphone and dials a number from memory. The theater door remains ajar and the dialog can be heard from Back to the Future II.

MARVIN
(into phone)
Don! This is Marvin, your cousin Marvin Trump! I think I found that oppressive dystopian government run by a child you've been looking for!
(points phone toward theater)
posted by cmfletcher at 12:49 PM on February 13, 2017 [12 favorites]

Fourth Company Says It Was Stiffed By Trump Hotel
posted by futz at 12:50 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

I'm actually less interested in labeling Miller, Kushner, etc, than in understanding them.

It seems to me like White Nationalism is a cult. I understand how people can get sucked in, sort of, and why it is so hard to break them out (because their false beliefs get all tied up in their personal identity...) But if anyone should be able to resist the lure of the cult of White Nationalism, it seems to me like it should be Jews.

I think the point about "wearing a tie to school and quoting Buckley in the yearbook is the most rebellious thing a [secular Jewish] teenager [in Santa Monica] can possibly do" is a really good one though. I wonder if the appeal of the counter-cultural is actually behind the appeal of some other kinds of cults as well.
posted by OnceUponATime at 12:50 PM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

murphy slaw: every sentient being should have higher standards than someone selected by the Trump administration.

Dark murmurs from the nation's capitol - I heard from a friend who works in D.C. that the really awful people are the ones being appointed to positions without Senate oversight, and they're not getting much/any news coverage.

Apparently there are those who can get by in publicized hearings, and there are those who get pushed into positions of power because no one can say a thing.
posted by filthy light thief at 12:52 PM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

Absolutely. Let's not use that to deflect attention from the use of the word here, though

I doubt you mean to accuse me of anything here, but I'm not trying to deflect attention, I'm trying to harness it. Anyone upset about the use of the word 'kapo' on Metafilter might also be upset by a nominated ambassador using it. Friedman's nomination seems like it's slipping in under the radar, and I would love to see more people speaking out against it.
posted by galaxy rise at 12:53 PM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

BS Dominance handshake: Isn't there also something where if your hand is on top

yes (and Putin appears to favour that variant).

It's possible that Trump has read something similar to this, and thinks he's very very cunning (all of the cunnings, he has the best cunnings and dominance) by turning the hand-up "submissive" version into pull-in for the personal space invasion*. There was an article I posted a few threads back in the boundary times that (paraphrased) said that Trump is basically playing Trump in some sort of larger than life reality fantasy show. He is a cargo-cult businessman trying to be a cargo-cult president. If it wasn't that people/ecosystems/climates are going to be destroyed it would be a brilliantly absurd movie.

If anyone who is ever out of fucks gets to play the handshake game, then a fairly generic knife defence is all that's needed:

* step left
* twist away (like we did last summer)
* bring the left hand up to lock the elbow of Trump
* step back, push down
* shout "WHO'S THE BIG DOG NOW YA WEE [NON-GENDERED-PERJORATIVE]!"



* FWIW failing to recognise or understand or keep to social space boundaries (and these are culture specific) is an indicator that you may be dealing with someone "empathically challenged". And boy oh boy does it set off all the nape-of-neck alarms when it happens.
posted by Buntix at 12:55 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

I'm actually less interested in labeling Miller, Kushner, etc, than in understanding them.


We have an erratic head of state, holding a court that is the scene of a struggle between an antisemite and a court Jew.

There's a book about that in the Bible, back when it was Ahasuerus who was the erratic sovereign.
posted by ocschwar at 12:55 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

When I called Elizabeth Warren's office today, her aide mentioned that a lot of people are calling about Friedman. One of the political TinyLetters I get had an action to call MoCs about Friedman, which is probably why.
posted by pxe2000 at 12:56 PM on February 13, 2017

Personally, as a non-jew, I would never feel comfortable using that term about someone other than in the historical context.

Also speaking as a non-Jew: The only times I've ever heard the term kapo used, it's always been 1) By other non-Jewish people, 2) in service of wildly-overblown analogies describing the sneaky/treacherous behavior of another non-Jewish person, and 3) with the unspoken historical implication that Jewish people are especially prone to selling each other out, since the speaker is using it as their go-to analogy for such a thing. So I agree, it's definitely not something anybody should feel free to throw around, even when they think it applies.
posted by Strange Interlude at 12:56 PM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

The alt-right is a real, if previously fringe, homegrown phenomenon. Without the influence of Vladimir Putin, though, they would have no power within our government. But American nationalism serves Russian interests, so now we have white nationalists in our government.

We've had white nationalists in our government for generations.

In the modern era, they call themselves Republicans.

The Republican Party is this country's largest White identity organization. It has been for several generations. It is a racist political organization whose unstated goal is to keep minorities in their place and prevent them from attaining power.

Trump is the embodiment of Republican post-Civil Rights racist politics. He and his supporters are not on the fringe. They're not outliers. They are the Republican party. They're the party that gives speeches to White audiences filled with dogwhistles against minorities. They're the party that has embraced the Southern Strategy. They're the party that has cast black- and brown-skinnned people as dangerous, murderous criminals. They're the party that gave birth to the racist birtherism rhetoric. Whose pundits used that birtherism conspiracy bullshit and racist "Magic Negro" rhetoric and other dogwhistles in an attempt to de-legitimize the first African-American President of the United States. The GOP has created decades worth of policies aimed at oppressing and disenfranchising minorities at the voting booth, in housing and healthcare and education and self-governance and in jobs. At every opportunity.

Vladimir Putin isn't responsible for Republicans being who they are.
posted by zarq at 12:59 PM on February 13, 2017 [106 favorites]

I'm actually less interested in labeling Miller, Kushner, etc, than in understanding them.

For Miller, there's no need to reach back for ugly historical terminology: it's all about radicalisation during the post-9/11 era, where gobshites like Geller and Horowitz showed that one could be Jewish and hang out with anti-semitic white supremacists as long as the focus was on bashing Muslims and immigrants. There were ample opportunities during the W Bush years for young misfit reactionaries with privilege of money and opportunity to transform their gut resentment into malicious ideology on the political stage, as opposed to buying a bunch o' guns.
posted by holgate at 1:02 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

posted by zarq at 12:59 PM on February 13

Glad to see you back, zarq!
posted by zachlipton at 1:02 PM on February 13, 2017 [37 favorites]

The NY Times has a short piece on how the DC rental market is screening potential roommates for Trump supporters: "Please no Imperial Sympathizers, Borg, Vogons, Lannisters (some exceptions), Sith or Trump supporters."
posted by peeedro at 1:03 PM on February 13, 2017 [12 favorites]

So #45 is goading billionaire Mark Cuban, saying Cuban isn't smart enough to run for president. I suspect I'd find many of Cuban's policies unacceptable, but he just may be the billionaire we need to start a campaign against #45 TODAY and completely blow what's left of 45's citrus mind.
posted by TwoStride at 1:07 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

The White House still isn’t open for tours — and Congress is getting annoyed

Maybe it will open after they find the light switches? Or perhaps the tours can be led by cellphone light? looks like i might have to write a meatloaf parody song...
posted by futz at 1:07 PM on February 13, 2017 [15 favorites]

Glad to see you back, zarq!

Thanks! Good to see you, too.
posted by zarq at 1:07 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

Trump and co. sent Conway onto CNBC to say that Flynn has the "full confidence" of the president.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:08 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

man how many republican bros did they have to interview before they found "Cole Lyle"

is he saying 'milady' to his dog
posted by murphy slaw at 1:10 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Flynn has the "full confidence" of the president

but trump has no confidence, have you seen him shake hands
posted by murphy slaw at 1:11 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

Trump and co. sent Conway onto CNBC to say that Flynn has the "full confidence" of the president.

A surrogate noted for her honesty and truthfulness.
posted by Existential Dread at 1:11 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

Trump and co. sent Conway onto CNBC to say that Flynn has the "full confidence" of the president.

Michael Flynn is the kindest, bravest, warmest, most wonderful human being he's ever known in his life.
posted by jackbishop at 1:12 PM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

Flynn has the "full confidence" of the president.

Perhaps this means that Flynn has enrolled as a student at Trump University.
posted by Existential Dread at 1:13 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

The tours story brings up something I've been wondering a bunch lately: does the White House actually have a correspondence office setup to reply to letters at this point? We already know they shut off the telephone comment lines, but what about mail, both snail and electronic? Even if it's just form letters and sending pictures of the President to school children and President Obama's wonderful tradition of reading 10 selected letters a night is dead, the White House has historically at least responded to the mail. And it requires a team of staffers, interns, and volunteers to do so, all of whom are political appointees.

Has anybody actually received a reply from this White House to a letter?
posted by zachlipton at 1:13 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

Trump and co. sent Conway onto CNBC to say that Flynn has the "full confidence" of the president.

Of course, it is Politics 101 that such a proclamation means he's got three days left, tops.
posted by Etrigan at 1:14 PM on February 13, 2017 [13 favorites]

Vladimir Putin isn't responsible for Republicans being who they are.

I just can't get behind this idea that there is nothing different about Trump or his administration, that they are Republicans-as-normal. I'm thinking of my grandpa who read The Wall Street Journal and the Economist and Scientific American and watched 60 Minutes every Sunday. He was a stalwart Republican in the 1980s and 1990s. But a guy like that just doesn't fit into the modern Republican party at all.

Yes, there have always been racists, open or covert, self aware or self-deluding. Racism is part of the Republican brand, no doubt. But there used to also be sober, intellectual Republicans (who might also have been racist, but at least tried not to be, mostly). And they used to have influence. And they are all gone now, silenced or out of power. The idiots and extremists have become the whole party. It's not normal.

And yes, I do think Putin helped promote that, just as he's doing in Europe, with a disinformation campaign that destroys the whole idea of facts, and a cynicism which destroys the whole idea of principled action. There used to be high minded, wonky Republicans standing in the way of the pitchforks and torches mob who just wanted to burn it all down. Now they're all gone, and all that's left is the mob.

The white nationalism might have been there in the Republican party all along, but now there is nothing else. And even the Jewish kids from Santa Monica and gay British nerds like Milo Yianopoulos are picking up pitchforks. WTF? How did that happen? What is so appealing about this form of fascism? Or is it just our times somehow becoming ripe for this? Maybe people get too comfortable and they start to take everything for granted and then they burn it all down because they assumed it was fireproof and they just wanted some attention. Maybe we're just doing a terrible job educating people in our schools. Maybe there's a memetic virus. I don't know. But my sixty year old church lady mom, a gay dude from London, and a Jew from Santa Monica all agree that we need to be persecuting Muslims right now, and I'm still, over and over, trying to figure out what the heck is so appealing about that idea that it would attract these seemingly unlikely devotees...
posted by OnceUponATime at 1:14 PM on February 13, 2017 [46 favorites]

Conway to Steve Kornacki just now: You're asking about hypotheticals. What if it's not true? I haven't heard that question
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:15 PM on February 13, 2017

somewhere, an epistemologist is thinking "FINALLY, A CHANCE TO USE MY DEGREE!"
posted by murphy slaw at 1:17 PM on February 13, 2017 [20 favorites]

And even the Jewish kids from Santa Monica and gay British nerds like Milo Yianopoulos are picking up pitchforks. WTF? How did that happen? What is so appealing about this form of fascism? Or is it just our times somehow becoming ripe for this?

The alt-right and neofascist kids of today were mostly children during 9/11 and the war on terror. If you were 5 years old in 2001 you're 21 now. I really do think that the early 2000s warped the development of a generation on a level we have yet to really understand.
posted by Rust Moranis at 1:18 PM on February 13, 2017 [46 favorites]

somewhere, an epistemologist is thinking "FINALLY, A CHANCE TO USE MY DEGREE!"

How does she know?
posted by biogeo at 1:19 PM on February 13, 2017 [27 favorites]

I can't escape the idea that part of him having an open air security briefing was performative masculinity. Look at the photos - he's a 70 year old guy with male military aides running towards him with paperwork as the women at the table watch. As much as it was laziness and incompetence not moving to a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, he's putting on a show of "manliness" for the room.

His last job was TV actor. He is acting. Unfortunately there is no director and there is no script so he is having to do a lot of impromptu and since he has no real understanding of the office or his role, what we are getting is this bizarre farce. I suppose for Trump it was very Presidential to answer the phone call at the dinner table and to stay seated at the same table while being briefed instead of going into an office. It was his version of being Presidential when he dragged Prime Minister Abe around like a trophy to the wedding reception. I suspect he loves signing EO's because aside from content the ritual alone is an easy way to act Presidential.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 1:20 PM on February 13, 2017 [32 favorites]

NME:

Moby claims to have insider information that Trump is in 'collusion with the Russian government'

@BrandyLJensen:

Moby Saves The Republic is no more idiotic than any other outcome this year so sure, why not

posted by Rustic Etruscan at 1:21 PM on February 13, 2017 [74 favorites]

Flynn has the "full confidence" of the president

Unless SNL chooses to have him played by a woman, anyway.
posted by jenfullmoon at 1:22 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Labor secretary nominee Andrew Puzder in jeopardy. They've reportedly lost Collins, Murkowski, Scott, and Isakson.

The White House tells media to ask Kris Kobach to prove there’s voter fraud. They do. He doesn’t. Miller did the Sunday shows telling everyone Kobach would provide the evidence of voter fraud. He had nothing, and now he's mad at CNN for running the graphic "Trump Aide Repeats False Claims of Voter Fraud" below his interview.
posted by zachlipton at 1:23 PM on February 13, 2017 [36 favorites]

9/11 barely had an effect other than making other countries hate the United States in my neck of the woods.

Let's bot forget that Bush Jr burned easy goodwill in exactly but a year.
posted by Yowser at 1:24 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

9/11 changed the political atmosphere in the USA in a big way. I was 11 at the time. But you're right, that doesn't explain the fascism worldwide.
posted by Rainbo Vagrant at 1:26 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

What is so appealing about this form of fascism? Or is it just our times somehow becoming ripe for this? Maybe people get too comfortable and they start to take everything for granted and then they burn it all down because they assumed it was fireproof and they just wanted some attention. Maybe we're just doing a terrible job educating people in our schools. Maybe there's a memetic virus. I don't know. But my sixty year old church lady mom, a gay dude from London, and a Jew from Santa Monica all agree that we need to be persecuting Muslims right now, and I'm still, over and over, trying to figure out what the heck is so appealing about that idea that it would attract these seemingly unlikely devotees...

I think an authoritarian appeal to unify the nation by means of racial, religious and sexual othering is... maybe the norm for human politics?

Fascism is just that, on an industrial scale and with a modern ideological framework.

It's multiracial, peaceful democratic societies that are the hard-fought, hard-built, hard-defended exceptions.
posted by tivalasvegas at 1:26 PM on February 13, 2017 [18 favorites]

Oh my god. People are sending Chaffetz invoices for their time.

Google Sheets Invoice Template FTW!
posted by mikelieman at 1:27 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

His last job was TV actor. He is acting.

This is a insult to actors. He seems to have very few of the qualities that one would find in a competent actor.
posted by ZeusHumms at 1:28 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

The White House still isn’t open for tours — and Congress is getting annoyed

Maybe it will open after they find the light switches? Or perhaps the tours can be led by cellphone light? looks like i might have to write a meatloaf parody song...

So they quote Grassley's Twitter in this:

Whoever monitors twitter at WH for businessman president Trump "when is WH going to be opened for public tours?" Mrs G wants to know

And I was totally sure his Twitter got hacked with his string of fucking bonkers "Whoever monitors twitter at WH" tweets the other day, but they're still there, he's still talking like that... what is even going on with Chuck Grassley? Like this straight up sounds like the talk of a Trump detractor who doesn't tweet so much as punches his phone until Twitters fall out, but it's coming from The Grassler who's lined up in lockstep behind Trump with the rest of them: "Whoever monitors twitter at WH for President Trump read my previous 2tweets and hv this businessman understand TRANSPARENCY=ACCOUNTABILITY"

He keeps talking down to "this businessman" and I don't get his crazy game. Grassley's fully 100% on board Team Business, he's on the Trump train, so... idk what hpn w my senator whoever monitors twitter at DC for Senator Grassley halp this constituent understand wtf
posted by jason_steakums at 1:28 PM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

And even the Jewish kids from Santa Monica and gay British nerds like Milo Yianopoulos are picking up pitchforks. WTF? How did that happen? What is so appealing about this form of fascism? Or is it just our times somehow becoming ripe for this?

There were gay and Jewish and gay Jewish Nazis, too. A lot of people over the years have told themselves "I'm one of the good ones, and the face-eating tigers will surely remember that when the face-eating begins in earnest."
posted by Etrigan at 1:30 PM on February 13, 2017 [29 favorites]

Justin Trudeau Just Showed The World How To Shake Hands With Donald Trump (warning: loud annoying autoplay)

2nd video shows: A video of Trump welcoming Trudeau shows the prime minister quickly grasping the president’s shoulder with his left arm, seemingly bracing for a potential pull. Trudeau then brings the handshake close and toward his center, cutting off Trump’s leverage and ensuring that his shoulder remains intact.
posted by futz at 1:31 PM on February 13, 2017 [14 favorites]

Flynn has the "full confidence" of the president

Relavent to that:
New Republic: Donald Trump is playing Apprentice with Michael Flynn, Reince Priebus, and Sean Spicer
WashPo: We’ve never seen anything like Trump’s rough treatment of his White House staff
posted by peeedro at 1:31 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

So apparently Flynn has apologized to Pence (for what? Inconveniencing him by being a traitor?) and everything is all good now.
posted by Artw at 1:31 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

NY Mag: Oklahoma Anti-Abortion Lawmaker Says Women Are Merely ‘Hosts’

On Tuesday, the Oklahoma state legislature will hold a hearing on a bill that would require a woman seeking an abortion to first get written permission from her male sexual partner. In an interview, the Republican lawmaker who authored the bill explained that a woman’s body, well, simply isn’t her own. Instead, a woman’s body is merely a “host.”

The Intercept Oklahoma Lawmakers Want Men to Approve All Abortions

At first, Humphrey said that the original intention of the bill was to ensure that fathers are involved in supporting a child from conception. “I was wanting fathers to have to pay child support at the beginning,” he said, but that specific language was excised from the bill.

Ultimately, he said, his intent was to let men have a say. “I believe one of the breakdowns in our society is that we have excluded the man out of all of these types of decisions,” he said. “I understand that they feel like that is their body,” he said of women. “I feel like it is a separate — what I call them is, is you’re a ‘host.’ And you know when you enter into a relationship you’re going to be that host and so, you know, if you pre-know that then take all precautions and don’t get pregnant,” he explained. “So that’s where I’m at. I’m like, hey, your body is your body and be responsible with it. But after you’re irresponsible then don’t claim, well, I can just go and do this with another body, when you’re the host and you invited that in.”

There you are, ladies. Once you have sex you are a mere "host" to whatever parasite wants to implant itself, I guess. Happy Valentines Day! Interesting that the original intent to force men to be responsible for any ensuing fetus was a step too far.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 1:33 PM on February 13, 2017 [76 favorites]

So ICE is apparently raiding the Wal-mart in the small town where my husband is a kitchen manager. I really didn't expect any attention outside of major cities, especially in an area as overwhelmingly white as this one. Of course he has undocumented employees because it's a restaurant kitchen in America. So...this is a bit tense and close to home at the moment.
posted by threeturtles at 1:33 PM on February 13, 2017 [26 favorites]

The alt-right and neofascist kids of today were mostly children during 9/11 and the war on terror. If you were 5 years old in 2001 you're 21 now. I really do think that the early 2000s warped the development of a generation on a level we have yet to really understand.

I definitely think there's credence to this, at least in the US. These kids basically grew up in a world where democratic norms did not exist and all that mattered was that Big, Strong Daddy was out there crusading to protect us from the Evil Muslim Terrorists. I mean, that sentence is really not that far off from the kind of punditry that was common in the mainstream media at the time. "Manly characteristic", and all that. What we're hearing now are the echoes.
posted by tobascodagama at 1:34 PM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

There you are, ladies. Once you have sex you are a mere "host" to whatever parasite wants to implant itself, I guess.


hi i'm raising funds to release a swarm of bot flies in mr humphries' office
posted by murphy slaw at 1:34 PM on February 13, 2017 [81 favorites]

wow wow wow wowo wowowww trigger warning that "host" shit
posted by Rainbo Vagrant at 1:36 PM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

I can't tell if its good that Flynn is staying on, thus making it clear whos tied to whom, or terrible because what if there ISN'T anybody with the power to do anything?
posted by Brainy at 1:37 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Trump and co. sent Conway onto CNBC to say that Flynn has the "full confidence" of the president.

Of course, it is Politics 101 that such a proclamation means he's got three days left, tops.

If Flynn really is the Russia conduit to the FSB, can Trump even get rid of him at all? Or would that break the conditions set down by his FSB handlers? Or can he take the chance that Flynn talks after being hit by the bus and confirms the entire dossier?
posted by T.D. Strange at 1:37 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

"And you know when you enter into a relationship you’re going to be that host and so, you know, if you pre-know that then take all precautions and don’t get pregnant,” he explained. “So that’s where I’m at. I’m like, hey, your body is your body and be responsible with it. But after you’re irresponsible then don’t claim, well, I can just go and do this with another body, when you’re the host and you invited that in.”

Hideous analogy/message aside: is this guy fucking stoned
posted by theodolite at 1:38 PM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

Can we pass a bill that says husbands' need their wives' written permission before masturbating and wasting their seed?
posted by threeturtles at 1:38 PM on February 13, 2017 [51 favorites]

A penis definitely hosts semen.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:39 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

it's ok guys father pence sent flynn to his room without dinner and flynny apologized and promised to never treason again
posted by jason_steakums at 1:39 PM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

a swarm of bot flies in mr humphries' office

I'll supply the bottled watter infested with guinea worm larvae
posted by Existential Dread at 1:40 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

A penis definitely hosts semen.

Hoses, rather.
posted by Namlit at 1:41 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Personally, as a non-jew, I would never feel comfortable using that term about someone other than in the historical context.

How about alt-kapo? Neo-kapo?

Anyway as a Jew myself I don't have any misgiving about calling a Jew who collaborates with a white neo-nazi a kapo. I understand some do, I don't.
posted by PenDevil at 1:43 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

Does this mean parasitologists can perform abortions now?
posted by biogeo at 1:46 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

I really do think that the early 2000s warped the development of a generation on a level we have yet to really understand.

I've thought for a while that the generation that went through its adolescent years online from 9/11 (and MySpace) onwards has been participating in a terrible social (media) experiment. We're now well into the second-order effects.
posted by holgate at 1:46 PM on February 13, 2017 [19 favorites]

Paging Dr. Bernard Lowe.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 1:47 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

So how much time did Trudeau spend practicing that handshake? Did he watch film to prepare? Have an aide stand in for Trump, trying to take away his arm? Will other foreign leaders call him up for handshake tips before they meet Trump? Can he produce an instructional YouTube video: "Survival Tips: So You Might Have to Shake Hands with the US President?" These are the essential questions of our time.
posted by zachlipton at 1:48 PM on February 13, 2017 [29 favorites]

Whoops, looks like someone left the Infinite Improbability Drive running for a few ... months. Hopefully turning it off will help.
posted by ZeusHumms at 1:49 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

re: "host," I can't find it on a quick search, but I once read a really insightful comment here (probably in one of the threads about pregnancy and soft cheeses or whatever) that argued that our society's view of a mother's role in pregnancy is that it is essentially subtractive; that the zygote is pure and whole and already contains everything it needs to become a human and that the only contributions the mother can make to the pregnancy from there on out are negative ones (i.e. she can mess it up by drinking or by eating the wrong thing, etc). This obviously glosses over all of the draining, constructive work of MAKING A HUMAN out of one's own blood and tissue. Even though I've always respected the difficulty of pregnancy and never subscribed to the "zygote = human" mindset, that comment completely blew my mind. Anyway, my point is basically aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarghgghghgh
posted by sunset in snow country at 1:49 PM on February 13, 2017 [71 favorites]

I can't tell if its good that Flynn is staying on, thus making it clear whos tied to whom, or terrible because what if there ISN'T anybody with the power to do anything?

Well, in addition to likely being influenced by Putin and lying about it, Flynn appears to be a rabid Islamophobe unconnected from reality who will probably push Trump towards a war with Iran. So I'm going with terrible. Trump has signaled he believes he's not only above the norms that operate in our government, but above the law too.
posted by bluecore at 1:49 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

The generation that went through its adolescent years online from 9/11 onwards is not the group predominantly responsible for the current political disaster. That would be middle class baby boomers and gen Xers in white suburbia.
posted by biogeo at 1:49 PM on February 13, 2017 [35 favorites]

it's nice that the humble bundle is raising money for the ACLU, but given that they've taken in so much money that they need help figuring out how to spend it, it would be nice if some of those dollars could make their way to other charities like the SPLC and others that have gotten less love

Proceeds from the bundle are also going to IRC & MSF.

BTW, they've crushed their $300k goal. It's now over $660k
posted by zakur at 1:51 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

The generation that went through its adolescent years online from 9/11 onwards is not the group predominantly responsible for the current political disaster. That would be middle class baby boomers and gen Xers in white suburbia.

Yea, this please. Richard Spencer and Stephen Miller are not in any way representative of millennial voting patterns.
posted by T.D. Strange at 1:53 PM on February 13, 2017 [13 favorites]

The generation that went through its adolescent years online from 9/11 onwards is not the group predominantly responsible for the current political disaster. That would be middle class baby boomers and gen Xers in white suburbia.

Quoted for fucking truth. As a pedigreed and verified Snake Person, y'all, do I fucking look like I run the government? And if you think I do, any chance you'd also believe I have an enormous and corrupt corporation to sell you?
posted by sciatrix at 1:56 PM on February 13, 2017 [19 favorites]

FYI you can always change the amount that each charity gets in Humble Bundle. I've already given a bunch to ACLU so I gave a bit more to IRC/MSF in this bundle.

Also, don't forget that Humble were matching the first $300k, so you're looking at almost $1m raised for charity already (it's at $686k now).
posted by adrianhon at 1:56 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

The generation that went through its adolescent years online from 9/11 onwards is not the group predominantly responsible for the current political disaster. That would be middle class baby boomers and gen Xers in white suburbia.

Ah, yes, yet another reason I can't stand most of my peers in life. Because I am a gen Xer in white suburbia, and fuck this noise.
posted by jferg at 1:58 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

gay British nerds like Milo Yianopoulos are picking up pitchforks. WTF? How did that happen? What is so appealing about this form of fascism?

Milo seems to fancy himself the new Ernst Röhm. Guess he hasn't quite read to the end of that chapter just yet.
posted by Sys Rq at 1:58 PM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

Lifting up a select few as privileged minorities while crushing the rest is also useful to the oppressors, because it means that the traitors are more likely to be targeted than the people who actually have power.

The privileged few tend to agree to it because it's easy to believe that they somehow deserve it, and also desperation and survival.

It's an old, old tactic and it seems to work every time.
posted by dinty_moore at 1:59 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

That would be middle class baby boomers and gen Xers in white suburbia.

I should have spelled out what I meant by second-order effects: lulz nihilists and self-organised shitlords feeding into mid-life-crisis white-guy losers and credulous Facebook boomers. I'm certainly not blaming the vast majority of snake people: I'm blaming an infrastructure (created by a non-diverse tech industry in hock to VCs and ad money) that has been used as a weapon against them.
posted by holgate at 2:01 PM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

I think what people are saying is that it must have been fucking WEIRD to be born with the internet, 9/11, and the stong-man, save me daddy mentality that came out of the bush years. it's not your fault, millennials, but i fear you were born at a time for which it seems really easy to fall into alt-right, culty behavior. see, richard spencer, milo and this new miller douchbag.
posted by waitangi at 2:02 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

A penis definitely hosts semen.

No, it doesn't.

The testes develop and store sperm. They don't host semen. The penis also doesn't host semen. Sperm only enter the penis to be ejaculated. The penis is an organ where sperm get combined with the milky liquid as they pass through on their way out of the body. Among other things, the penis is a passageway, not a host.

Sperm are produced in the seminiferous tubules of the testes and migrate to the epididymis (also in the testes) to mature. During the ejaculation process, sperm are propelled through the vas deferens in the penis into the ejaculatory ducts where they pass by the prostate and are mixed with the milky liquid that becomes semen. They then leave the body via the urethra. Semen doesn't stop to live in the penis and it isn't stored there except very temporarily.
posted by zarq at 2:03 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

Golf Digest: Donald Trump appeared to use his $3,755 gold driver in golf match with Japan Prime Minister. Prime Minister Abe gave the driver as a gift in November. Somebody should follow-up to see that it makes it to the National Archives, where such things are supposed to go.

Donald Trump Is a Managerial Genius, Explains Conservative Scholar. In which a Hudson Institute fellow argues that great management is apparently indistinguishable from incompetence.
posted by zachlipton at 2:03 PM on February 13, 2017 [13 favorites]

The testes develop and store sperm. They don't host semen

I think you missed my joke.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 2:05 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

And what I'm saying is that alt-right, culty behavior has been with us for much longer than the Internet or the post-9/11 era. See, for example, the John Birch Society, and the KKK. If anything, millennials seem to be less prone to falling for this shit than their parents, individual counterexamples notwithstanding. Possibly because growing up with social media has made them more savvy in its possible abuses?
posted by biogeo at 2:05 PM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

Wow, that semen discussion really ej....escalated quickly.
posted by uosuaq at 2:06 PM on February 13, 2017 [22 favorites]

Re the gold driver, I will say that it's only polite to use Abe's gift when golfing with Abe. That's what I would assume was going on with any other president.
posted by prefpara at 2:07 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

i mean i usually carefully stop myself from talking about fetuses as if they're parasites because it makes people look at me weird but since we're on the fucking topic "the growing placenta literally burrows through this layer, rips into arterial walls and re-wires them to channel blood straight to the hungry embryo"

and somehow this means I'm not allowed to remove it
posted by Rainbo Vagrant at 2:08 PM on February 13, 2017 [31 favorites]

But you're right, that doesn't explain the fascism worldwide.

The US invasion of Iraq greatly destabilized the region and fueled to the rise of Islamic extremism. There certainly would have been some Al-Quaeda attacks on Europe regardless, but I think it would have been much less severe without Bush's adventurism.

Combine that with the financial crisis of 2008 (some of which can also be laid at Bush's feet), the inability for various governments to handle their issues with corruption, reacting to the monetary issues with austerity, high unemployment rates (especially in the young), and resentment caused by the EU (both in terms of having to bail out those perceived as being irresponsible and having the terms of your country's recovery dictated by outsiders).

Financial problems combined with an influx of refuges that are culturally and visually different combined with perceived threat of violence from those refuges is a perfect formula for fascism to breed and rise in.
posted by Candleman at 2:08 PM on February 13, 2017 [14 favorites]

Ah, Metafilter. Where the forces of Snark and Pedantry are locked in endless struggle, neither able to achieve dominance, each containing the seed of the other, like Yin and Yang. Never change.
posted by biogeo at 2:09 PM on February 13, 2017 [34 favorites]

I don't think we should let the 37% of Trump-voting millennials off the hook just because the Boomers suck worse.
posted by tobascodagama at 2:09 PM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

I think you missed my joke.

It sprayed right over my head.
posted by zarq at 2:09 PM on February 13, 2017 [23 favorites]

I think an authoritarian appeal to unify the nation by means of racial, religious and sexual othering is... maybe the norm for human politics?

My belief has been that fascism is the laziest form of government to desire. You believe you won't have to do anything - you won't have to vote, you won't have to pay attention to what's going on, you won't have to make any decisions that involve thinking. You just have to nod your head and agree and chant a few simple phrases and shop where you're supposed to shop. Its the Easy Button in politics that you imagine will make all your problems vanish.

Getting rid of all the people who aren't like you is also a lazy option. It means you don't have to think when you meet anyone. Life is so much easier if you can just treat everyone exactly the same (ie any way you want to) and know that you'll get the same back. In addition to being pure evil, genocide is profoundly lazy and stupid - the people in favor of it are demonstrating their own lack of imagination and intelligence.

Working together and forming consensuses and actually solving problems is fucking hard work. Democracy is fucking hard work. Its so much easier to let Donigula appoint his horse-faced Nazis to congress and chant "GIVE HIM A CHANCE HE'S DOING GREAT MAGA" and pretend everything is fine while you shoot meth and wonder why you can't maintain a stable adult relationship.
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:10 PM on February 13, 2017 [19 favorites]

it's not your fault, millennials, but i fear you were born at a time for which it seems really easy to fall into alt-right, culty behavior. see, richard spencer, milo and this new miller douchbag.

Yes, these three odious people are the true representatives of their entire generation, which differs from all those previous generations where you can't find even one odious person to unfairly treat as representative.
posted by vathek at 2:10 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

They would have gotten nowhere without the over-60s crowd.
posted by Artw at 2:13 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

I really do think that the early 2000s warped the development of a generation on a level we have yet to really understand.


I was 13 when 9/11 happened, and my dad was *literally* in the WTC that day (he lived). I had trouble sleeping for months, because I was convinced NYC was going to explode, and take me in the suburbs with it.

This means that I practically physically injure myself from rolling my eyes, hard, when someone not directly affected by 9/11 tries to talk to me about the need for "security". Most of my classmates were skeptical of Bush (there were a lot of arm bands leading up to Iraq), and a ton of them have been doing everything they can to defeat fascism.

(I was actually thinking the other day that my generation is actually *better* suited to fight fascism, because Harry Potter. We know what fascism looks like.)
posted by damayanti at 2:13 PM on February 13, 2017 [48 favorites]

It sprayed right over my head.

which one?

oh god so sorry...i couldn't stop myself :/
posted by futz at 2:13 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Wow, that semen discussion really ej....escalated quickly.

Can't we get back to discussing the erec... election?
posted by biogeo at 2:14 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Secret Life of Gravy: On Tuesday, the Oklahoma state legislature will hold a hearing on a bill that would require a woman seeking an abortion to first get written permission from her male sexual partner.

So, who's afraid of Sharia law again? It seems that this these so-called Christian Republican politicians are doing all they can to make their religion one of control and domination.
posted by filthy light thief at 2:15 PM on February 13, 2017 [23 favorites]

zarq is, like, the Hermione Granger of Semenology.
posted by Namlit at 2:15 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

> Ah, Metafilter. Where the forces of Snark and Pedantry are locked in endless struggle, neither able to achieve dominance, each containing the seed of the other, like Yin and Yang. Never change.

Is this where I propose hyperliterate surrealism as the aufhebung of snark and pedantry?
posted by You Can't Tip a Buick at 2:16 PM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

Its so much easier to let Donigula appoint his horse-faced Nazis to congress and chant "GIVE HIM A CHANCE HE'S DOING GREAT MAGA" and pretend everything is fine while you shoot meth and wonder why you can't maintain a stable adult relationship.

Damn, Trump voters are addicts with miserable lives. Got 'em.
posted by Rustic Etruscan at 2:17 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

Why are we wasting time arguing whether boomers, gen-x, or millennials are worse when we know those damn Pisces bastards are really to blame?
posted by rocket88 at 2:17 PM on February 13, 2017 [18 favorites]

Is this where I propose hyperliterate surrealism as the aufhebung of snark and pedantry?

I don't know what that word means so you're wrong.
posted by biogeo at 2:17 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

More reproductive fuckery.

Tennessee GOP bill says children born through artificial insemination are not ‘legitimate’

Tennessee lawmaker fights backlash against artificial insemination bill

A rural Tennessee Republican lawmaker is facing controversy and backlash after filing legislation that opponents say takes aim at same-sex couples who want to have children through a surrogate by declaring those children illegitimate under state law.

Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver, R-Lancaster, filed legislation late last week that would repeal a state statute that declares children conceived via artificial insemination as "legitimate," if they are born to a woman and her consenting husband.
posted by futz at 2:18 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

Comparing age brackets voting records seems like a really bad way to determine who's the worst at buying into alt-right crap, because older people have had alot more years being alive where they can be affected by news/propoganda/whatever-else, compared to younger people.

Maybe, but frog fucking anime nazis remain a tiny yet over-represented fraction of the electorate compared with confused relatives on Facebook who know there must be something up if people keep talking about Benghazi and Emails.
posted by Artw at 2:21 PM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

Is this where I propose hyperliterate surrealism as the aufhebung of snark and pedantry?

Hey! Aufhebung is a real work, not a surrealist neologism like I thought!
posted by shothotbot at 2:21 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Tennessee GOP bill says children born through artificial insemination are not ‘legitimate’
Can I just say how appalled I am that this is the 21st fucking century and we are still tweaked about legitimate v. illegitimate children? Can we do away with this idiotic and outdated idea already?
posted by teleri025 at 2:23 PM on February 13, 2017 [47 favorites]

Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver, R-Lancaster, filed legislation late last week that would repeal a state statute that declares children conceived via artificial insemination as "legitimate," if they are born to a woman and her consenting husband.

Oh Jesus Christ. As if it weren't already obvious enough that these assholes don't give a shit about actual children.
posted by biogeo at 2:23 PM on February 13, 2017 [18 favorites]

I don't think we should let the 37% of Trump-voting millennials off the hook just because the Boomers suck worse.

And I bring this up mainly because I think the Boomers are a lost cause. But if we acknowledge the young folk who are being seduced into fascism, we can maybe do something to steer them away before it's too late.
posted by tobascodagama at 2:24 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

Tennessee Lawmaker Introduces Bill Changing All Bastard Children's Surnames To "Volunteer"
posted by theodolite at 2:26 PM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

The decision in Roe vs. Wade was handed down in 1973...which means that women 43 and younger have known nothing but legal abortion. This move to outlaw abortion and some kinds of birth control is both frightening and a bit baffling to me in that I don't think it is popular nor the will of the people but it is happening swiftly. I can't imagine most women of child bearing age and their partners are going to be fine with the idea of removing the right to choose off the table much less control what kinds of birth control they have access to. The amazing thing is that the fucking occupant of the WH is not really invested nor interested in the abortion rights debate.


So ICE is apparently raiding the Wal-mart in the small town where my husband is a kitchen manager. I really didn't expect any attention outside of major cities, especially in an area as overwhelmingly white as this one. Of course he has undocumented employees because it's a restaurant kitchen in America. So...this is a bit tense and close to home at the moment.

I went through this in the 80's in California when my husband was a chef. People I knew, people who invited me to the birthdays and their weddings and their christenings were arrested and deported. Erased from our lives. Those who weren't rounded up lived in fear that any moment they could be torn from the life they had made-- the job, the home, the family, the friends-- and for what reason? There was never a good reason-- just ignorance and a lack of compassion.


I don't think we should let the 37% of Trump-voting millennials off the hook just because the Boomers suck worse.

May you live long enough to have your own generation proclaimed "the worst."
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 2:26 PM on February 13, 2017 [19 favorites]

I'd say the Greatest Generation was definitely the worst.
posted by biogeo at 2:28 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Buntix: I'm assuming that even if they were to take the football off the pitch and there wasn't a land based backup that would respond in the 30 mins it takes for an ICBM to get from Russia to the US, then there's still enough nukes on submarines out there that it would still be suicide. I am assuming this because I want to be able to sleep at night without worrying that Trump is so incompetent he might make a first strike a winning scenario.

When you mentioned submarine back-ups I instantly thought of Britain and France's nuclear deterrents, "an attack on one..." and all that. My second thought was "...but would we fire in support of the US if we weren't fired upon?". I kind of shocked myself with that one, even thought there's literally no scenario imaginable where France and the UK wouldn't also be targeted as part of a first strike (nor where we wouldn't fire back regardless IMHO). The imagined-strongman incompetence of the Trump administration in alienating America's allies and dismissiveness towards doubtless imperfect international bodies/agreements is creating terrifying, theoretical grey areas where none should (nor one hopes do) exist.
posted by comealongpole at 2:28 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Damn, Trump voters are addicts with miserable lives. Got 'em.

I stand by my irrational hyperbole. I based it on some tweets I read somewhere. Its the American way.
posted by Joey Michaels at 2:29 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Also, on the topic of "the kids are all right, right?", don't miss the last chart on this page.
posted by tobascodagama at 2:29 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

i'm sorry, i wasn't trying to have a generational fight, i was trying to say that millennials were born at an interesting time. The internet and 9/11 are huge things in my mind for developing people.

there are bad people in every generation, and i was using those particular three as an example of what we are looking at now. nazis in previous generations didn't have the internet.
posted by waitangi at 2:29 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

May you live long enough to have your own generation proclaimed "the worst."

Considering the anti-snake people thinkpieces started in, what, 2003 or thereabouts, and the "Gen Xers are slackers" things that went on in 1991 and thereafter, then I guess one would only have to reach young adulthood for that to happen
posted by Existential Dread at 2:30 PM on February 13, 2017 [13 favorites]

So, with all ths nonsense and the Oklahoma state legislature we see that the Bene Tleilaxu begins with right wing wingnuts.
posted by juiceCake at 2:32 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Comparing age brackets voting records seems like a really bad way to determine who's the worst at buying into alt-right crap, because older people have had alot more years being alive where they can be affected by news/propoganda/whatever-else, compared to younger people.

The cohort that voted overwhelmingly for Carter in 1980 voted overwhelmingly for Trump in 2016.
posted by tclark at 2:32 PM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

nazis in previous generations didn't have the internet.

But they did have Jazz

(wasn't meaning to pile on, and guessing no-one else really was either. But I do have so much more faith in the generations coming up than mine or any before me).
posted by Buntix at 2:37 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

BBC radio's been majoring on Flynn tonight, concentrating on the chaos in the WH and bundling Obvious Anagram and Scary Spice in the 'for the chop' list. The report finished by saying that they'd just heard that Trump was 'evaluating' the Flynn situation, and commented that this was a definite downgrade from the 'fully supporting' line of earlier.

Rather weird hearing the Logan Act discussed on UK news, but I guess we're all in it together...
posted by Devonian at 2:39 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

Those who weren't rounded up lived in fear that any moment they could be torn from the life they had made-- the job, the home, the family, the friends-- and for what reason? There was never a good reason-- just ignorance and a lack of compassion.

It's also the damn idiocy of the thing. I mean, the feds coming into this small town and taking all the people (potentially) that cook all the food at every restaurant in town. I mean the only decent cooks my husband has are immigrants, and they all work 2-3 jobs at various restaurants in town. (And interestingly the best cooks in town are working at the most expensive restaurants in town on Saturday night so if you go to a lower-tier restaurant in town on Sat night the food is probably going to be sub-par. Like, there just aren't a lot of cooks here.)

And I keep hearing this the last few days. ICE is at a construction site, all the workers scattered, no work is happening in this part of Austin today. Taco places closed after ICE showed up, no one is coming to work. I mean, there's just only so long until this inconveniences white people enough that deporting people is going to become pretty damn unpopular, right? Am I naive to hope that this is being handled badly enough that it will galvanize opposition?
posted by threeturtles at 2:39 PM on February 13, 2017 [34 favorites]

Interesting dance going on with Flynn right now. Conway goes on TV and says Flynn has the "full confidence" of the President. An hour later, Spicer had a statement:

"The president is evaluating the situation. He's speaking to the vice president— to Vice President Pence, relative to the conversation the Vice President had with General Flynn and also speaking to various other people about what he considers the single most important subject there is, our national security."

Note the lack of any level of confidence expressed there, not even "trifling confidence" let alone "full confidence."

But about Priebus, the President said: "Reince is doing a great job...Not a good job. A great job."
posted by zachlipton at 2:45 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

Am I naive to hope that this is being handled badly enough that it will galvanize opposition?

Possibly: historically the bad handling has actually (ironically) enabled the oppression.

But we aren't living then.

(Admittedly saying this I do feel it's a bit like the poly bit in Arrested Development).

But yeah, this time the protests will work!
posted by Buntix at 2:46 PM on February 13, 2017

Just realized there is no kid president for Donald Trump. Superfluous I guess.
posted by srboisvert at 2:51 PM on February 13, 2017

BREAKING: North Dakota HB 1203, otherwise known as the bill to turn protestors into roadkill, just failed!!!! #MniWiconi via @ehiggins3rd

Glad it failed but to be clear here: every green name there is an elected official who voted to try and legalize murder.
posted by Existential Dread at 2:53 PM on February 13, 2017 [60 favorites]

Not to confuse anyone, but is this the new thread?
posted by yoga at 2:54 PM on February 13, 2017

> And I bring this up mainly because I think the Boomers are a lost cause. But if we acknowledge the young folk who are being seduced into fascism, we can maybe do something to steer them away before it's too late.

I propose robust civics education as a means of dissuasion for potential nazis under the age of 18, with applied persistent violence as the primary means of dissuasion for nazis over the age of 18. Nazism's primary appeal for young men is the power fantasy it provides; when naziing in public gets you beat down on the regular, it becomes hard to maintain your fantasy of strength.
posted by You Can't Tip a Buick at 2:57 PM on February 13, 2017 [14 favorites]

On Tuesday, the Oklahoma state legislature will hold a hearing on a bill that would require a woman seeking an abortion to first get written permission from her male sexual partner.

Because woman only have one sexual partner.
posted by srboisvert at 2:58 PM on February 13, 2017 [28 favorites]

What if the person that took the Romney 47% video works at Mar-a-Lago now?
posted by kirkaracha at 3:01 PM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

One Thing Is Certain: Republicans Won't Stand Up and Stop President* Trump, They chose party over country a long time ago.

Republicans Will Regret This When the Next Recession Hits: They could have blocked Steven Mnuchin. They chose not to. It's on them.
posted by homunculus at 3:03 PM on February 13, 2017 [17 favorites]

Because woman only have one sexual partner.

Exactly what I was thinking srboisvert. So I can just get any dude I know to write me a permission slip for an abortion? Or how would we regulate this exactly? Fetal paternity testing? No risk of miscarriage there.

'There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation' - Pierre Elliott Trudeau
posted by aiglet at 3:05 PM on February 13, 2017 [12 favorites]

So how much time did Trudeau spend practicing that handshake? Did he watch film to prepare? Have an aide stand in for Trump, trying to take away his arm? Will other foreign leaders call him up for handshake tips before they meet Trump? Can he produce an instructional YouTube video: "Survival Tips: So You Might Have to Shake Hands with the US President?" These are the essential questions of our time.

He was briefed, I'm sure, but as the son of one of the greatest Prime Ministers of Canada I am sure he has spent his entire life shaking hands with all kinds of jerks.
posted by srboisvert at 3:05 PM on February 13, 2017 [16 favorites]

there's literally no scenario imaginable

That's the thing about nuclear war, it is all of the unimaginable and unthinkable.

I mean, in conventional war it's still at least frowned upon to target purely civilian clusters of humanity. In a nuclear war they are prime targets, it is an engineer's war (and I say this as one, albeit soft) it's about who kills the biggest %age.**


** I have an (admittedly scared child of the 80's influenced) apocalyse playlist. . Kinda wondering if the new nuclear paranoia age will have new sounds.
posted by Buntix at 3:08 PM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

Trudeau's handshake was fine, but Chrétien's would have been more satisfying.
posted by You Can't Tip a Buick at 3:10 PM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

What if the person that took the Romney 47% video works at Mar-a-Lago now?

It may be a bit harder to pull that off now if Trump uses Peter Thiel's Palantir to vet potential hires. If they're smart you're going to need someone with a Trump-sympathetic social media history.
posted by Coventry at 3:11 PM on February 13, 2017

May you live long enough to have your own generation proclaimed "the worst."

Best I can do is apologize for everyone born in 1967. I apologize.
posted by mikelieman at 3:13 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

President Trump Has Done Almost Nothing

On Sunday, White House aide Stephen Miller bragged, “We have a president who has done more in three weeks than most presidents have done in an entire administration.”

But Miller was dead wrong about this. There is a wide gap, a chasm even, between what the administration has said and what it has done. There have been 45 executive orders or presidential memoranda signed, which may seem like a lot but lags President Barack Obama’s pace. More crucially, with the notable exception of the travel ban, almost none of these orders have mandated much action or clear change of current regulations. So far, Trump has behaved exactly like he has throughout his previous career: He has generated intense attention and sold himself as a man of action while doing little other than promote an image of himself as someone who gets things done.

posted by zachlipton at 3:19 PM on February 13, 2017 [56 favorites]

Best I can do is apologize for everyone born in 1967. I apologize.

Wow. Your child support bills must be insane.
posted by Sys Rq at 3:22 PM on February 13, 2017 [29 favorites]

the number of dead babies was like neck and neck with the number of Jews killed in the Holocaust

Also neck and neck in the number killed: The transatlantic slave trade (exact figures are hard to come by, but they are in the same ballpark). There was also this.

I'm guessing there is some serious gaslight programme going on in the anti-choice movement?
posted by Buntix at 3:23 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

I really do think that the early 2000s warped the development of a generation on a level we have yet to really understand.

well, that and the awards for participation.
posted by quonsar II: smock fishpants and the temple of foon at 3:24 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Kevin Drum Echoes the Done Nothing Theme:

I'd like to remind everyone that during his first month in office, Barack Obama:

• Signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.
• Banned torture.
• Signed a $787 billion stimulus bill.
• Sent 17,000 additional troops to Afghanistan.
• Ended the month with a net job approval rating of +27 percent.

Donald Trump still has a few days to go, but so far he has:

• Signed no legislation.
• Mostly signed executive orders that are either routine (pay freezes, a halt to new regulation, reversing the Mexico City rule) or little more than PR messages to his base (cracking down on drug cartels, financial regulatory reviews, rebuilding the military, etc.).
• Signed one executive order that was important, but rolled it out so incompetently that it caused massive chaos and was promptly overturned by the courts.
• Sat idly by at dinner while aides discussed a North Korean missile launch and then failed to respond in any way at all.
• Has presided over a White House so epically leak-prone and amateurish that people are already taking bets about which senior officials will get fired within the next few weeks.
• Ended the month with a net job approval rating of about -8 percent.

posted by notyou at 3:24 PM on February 13, 2017 [64 favorites]

headdesk, apply directly to the forehead. repeat as necessary.

North Dakota lawmaker: Don’t repeal blue laws because wives need to make husbands breakfast in bed

“Spending time with your wife, your husband — making him breakfast, bringing it to him in bed and then after that go take your kids for a walk,” state Rep. Bernie Santrom [sic] said when he denounced a bill that would end the state’s half-day ban on Sunday alcohol sales. His Republican colleague agreed, arguing that he cannot afford his wife having another full day of spending.

“I don’t know about you but my wife has no problem spending everything I earn in six and a half days. And I don’t think it hurts at all to have a half day off,” state Rep. Vernon Laning said.

Why yes, the are old white men. stupid stupid old white men with punchable faces.
posted by futz at 3:28 PM on February 13, 2017 [87 favorites]

Sorry if it's already been posted but.. Trump Chose 2 Men to Advise Him on What Women Need in the Workplace

*angry flailing. Imagine wacky inflatable tube man, but PISSED OFF* WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK.

They're referencing a Wall Street Journal article I can't read. :(
posted by INFJ at 3:29 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

As a pathetic narcissist is being the most unpopular president of all time likely to appeal to his ego as much as being a popular one?
posted by Artw at 3:35 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

"I don’t know about you but my wife has no problem spending everything I earn in six and a half days."

When I was a kid I used to have a small collection of random very old joke books from the 50s that were all Lockhornes-style domestic disagreement and "hen-pecked husbands" and "nagging wives" and whatnot.

This is like a punchline from those books. Except it was said by a person that holds elected office. In public. In 2017. I know I shouldn't be surprised anymore but really.
posted by tivalasvegas at 3:36 PM on February 13, 2017 [36 favorites]

'There's no place for the state in the bedrooms of the nation' - Pierre Elliott Trudeau

To be clear, though, Trudeau the Elder uttered those words in the context of removing homosexuality from the Criminal Code of Canada.

Dr. Henry Morgentaler, a survivor of the Lodz ghetto, is worth talking about.
R. v. Morgentaler:

Jan. 28, 1988: The Supreme Court of Canada strikes down Canada's abortion law as unconstitutional. The law is found to violate Section 7 of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms because it infringes upon a woman's right to "life, liberty and security of person." Chief Justice Brian Dickson writes: "Forcing a woman, by threat of criminal sanction, to carry a fetus to term unless she meets certain criteria unrelated to her own priorities and aspirations, is a profound interference with a woman's body and thus a violation of her security of the person." Canada becomes one of a small number of countries without a law restricting abortion. Abortion is now treated like any other medical procedure and is governed by provincial and medical regulations.

So that credit lies not with P.E.T.

Democracy on Trial: The Morgentaler Affair is worth watching if this interests you.

See also: Tremblay vs. Daigle.

tl;dr: An abusive male ex-partner tries to use the Canadian courts to stop a woman from having an abortion.

So anyway, it's cautionary tales all the way down.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 3:40 PM on February 13, 2017 [12 favorites]

Ivanka posted a picture of herself sitting at the desk in the Oval office flanked by her father standing on one side and PM Trudeau on the other. Title: A great discussion with two world leaders about the importance of women having a seat at the table!

My alt-title: Canadian P.M. puts up with bullshit because he is diplomatic & puts his country first, unlike others seen in picture.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 3:40 PM on February 13, 2017 [34 favorites]

I feel asleep and had a dream where I was talking to Trudeau after the press event and then somehow that morphed to me babysitting Ivanka's kids and their dogs. I had to go outside to feed the dogs and there were some sort of tiny spaceship/drones which I shot down. Then I fed the dogs and somehow dog food got stuck all over the outside wall. Was going to clean it up but they came home and acted like they wanted me to leave in a hurry. So oh well on the dog food. We went back inside and I tried tell Jared that they would likely find mechanical bits in their backyard because I had to shoot down these drone things. He didn't seem to care and when I suggested that maybe they should look into it, because spying they made it clear that they thought I was stupid and to just get out and be back at 8:30 in the morning. So I left but I couldn't find one of my boots and was getting all pissed because I had to walk home through this dark forest and fuck me I was going to have to do it with one boot because there was no way these assholes would ever drive me.

Then I got woken up for dinner.

Heeeeeeeelp
posted by Jalliah at 3:41 PM on February 13, 2017 [18 favorites]

I mean, there's just only so long until this inconveniences white people enough that deporting people is going to become pretty damn unpopular, right? Am I naive to hope that this is being handled badly enough that it will galvanize opposition?

Don't think so. It's already increasingly unpopular here, and I know of at least 3-4 campaigns in Austin starting on Saturday where citizens were just walking up to folks on the street (especially in heavily Latinx parts of town, like my neighborhood and East Central and Riverside) handing out flyers with info on what to do if you saw ICE for anyone who wanted one and checking to make sure everyone knew what was up. I was part of one of them, and we ran out of flyers within about 45 minutes. Everyone we spoke to was interested, and volunteers cropped up like daisies and then left pledging to do similar things in their own neighborhoods. You know, just in case.

People are mad, and I'm seeing some unexpected folk doing things like trading sightings of ICE back and forth and passing around information on local hotlines to call. They are already getting citizens who might or might not even know someone directly affected--we had a very friendly Tribune reporter at the canvassing event I was at who asked us all if we knew someone directly affected, and only about one person would admit to knowing someone undocumented despite giving up a good chunk of Saturday to show up to a generally unfamiliar part of town to approach strangers with fliers. It wasn't me, and while I do actually know one person affected under DREAM I wasn't willing to talk about them either without their permission. The lady who did say she knew people who were affected wasn't willing to give the reporter any more information than that, in part because... well. We're scared.

Still, assuming it was just the two of us who knew someone, that's about 6-10 almost-entirely-white people who came out and talked to strangers on this one spreading the word, based just on caring about fellow Austinites. That's a good sign.
posted by sciatrix at 3:41 PM on February 13, 2017 [24 favorites]

yoga: Not to confuse anyone, but is this the new thread?

I hadn't designed it that way when I posted it, and am rather enjoying its focus on contacting representatives and the specific linked Indivisible Guide update vs. it being a general USA dumpster fire thread. YMMV, but it's tagged potus45 purely because it does fall under the category of PoliticsFilter, not so much as the New General Thread.
posted by sciatrix at 3:44 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

Title: A great discussion with two world leaders about the importance of women having a seat at the table!

There was another way recently that a woman could have been able to have a seat at that table.
posted by Joey Michaels at 3:47 PM on February 13, 2017 [59 favorites]

It'd be a dynasty if Clinton was elected, but it's pure meritocracy when daddy lets Ivanka run the country. She's a successful business woman, you know.
posted by peeedro at 3:51 PM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

There was another way recently that a woman could have been able to have a seat at that table.

Sigh, please don't remind me how close we came not to having this collective inescapable nightmare
posted by tivalasvegas at 3:51 PM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

Sigh, please don't remind me how close we came not to having this collective inescapable nightmare

Especially because every time it's brought up, it devolves into rounds of fighting (not you, necessarily, but broadly) about who is to blame for it, and there's only so many times I can read Homage to Catalonia and make sad noises to myself.
posted by corb at 3:53 PM on February 13, 2017 [19 favorites]

Especially because every time it's brought up, it devolves into rounds of fighting

Also it happened, or it didn't. And it did, everything else is prologue.

(Not sure where Orwell comes in, is this something to do with his rampant homophobia?)
posted by Buntix at 4:03 PM on February 13, 2017

“Spending time with your wife, your husband — making him breakfast, bringing it to him in bed and then after that go take your kids for a walk,” state Rep. Bernie Santrom said when he denounced a bill that would end the state’s half-day ban on Sunday alcohol sales. His Republican colleague agreed, arguing that he cannot afford his wife having another full day of spending.

JC. This is such an old trope. My mother bought into this crap-- the father works so hard all week long that he "deserves" a break from the kids on the weekends. Goes along with, "Don't bother Daddy right now, he is tired from work," and "No Daddy can't come to see you perform because he needs some alone time." So mom would take us to church while Dad stayed in bed and Mom took us to the movies so Dad could relax and Mom would take us to the park so that Dad could go play tennis.

This is what the 50's and 60's were really like. MAGA!
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 4:04 PM on February 13, 2017 [22 favorites]

Pete Souza, Obama's photographer, continues to school the current cadre of assclowns attempting to run the White House. If any competent journalist could start writing about this shitshow even half as incisively as he does we might stand a chance.

"When we were on the road, national security discussions and head of state phone calls were conducted in a private, secure location set up onsite. Everyone had to leave their Blackberry outside the area. In this photo, which was taken in March 2011 and subsequently released, the President holds a discussion in El Salvador following a conference call with his full national security team."
posted by lydhre at 4:09 PM on February 13, 2017 [46 favorites]

OMG Trump's smile in that photo - maybe I'm wrong, but for the first time it looks to me like he's showing what looks like a touch of genuine mirth. I feel like we've found his missing sense of humor: pretending women deserve power.
posted by Mchelly at 4:09 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Even Stuff, a mainstream media outlet, here in New Zealand is reporting on Trump's security practices: Donald Trump's meeting on North Korean missile launch photographed, shared on Facebook. It is from the Washington Post so nothing new, but relevant in the context of the type of media attention Trump is getting.
posted by vac2003 at 4:13 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Pete Souza, Obama's photographer, continues to school the current cadre of assclowns attempting to run the White House. If any competent journalist could start writing about this shitshow even half as incisively as he does we might stand a chance.

A corollary to the pic is that if you are actually presidenting as an adult it's going to burn you out in double-double inverse dog years.

I don't agree with all he did (flying death robots and the surveillance state).

But given the circumstances he probably was the best self/president it was possible he could be.

I am expecting that Trump will come out of it looking a year younger for every perceptual decade he's added to our lives.

We are his picture in the attic.
posted by Buntix at 4:20 PM on February 13, 2017 [25 favorites]

This is what the 50's and 60's were really like. MAGA!

For me this is what the 80s were like also. Even when my mother worked. And then she was working AND going to college. And my father's biggest responsibility to raising me was to go to McDonald's to get me food if I was brave enough to wake him up from his post-work nap to tell him I was hungry. (Not me needing bravery means that he was abusive towards me, I just didn't really know the freaking man really well.) My mother literally waited on the man so he didn't have to get out of his chair.

Yeah. It wasn't until the 21st century, when my mom was working full-time and my dad was unemployed that she finally put her foot down and demanded he do some basic household chores. My parents were born in the 40s. These are the people still governing our country.
posted by threeturtles at 4:21 PM on February 13, 2017 [13 favorites]

Stick "evaluating the situation" with Flynn alongside releasing tax returns, Melancholia's press conference on her immigration status, and everything else in the large Round Tuit file.
posted by holgate at 4:22 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Best I can do is apologize for everyone born in 1967. I apologize.

Dude my brother was born in 1967. You have a lot to apologize for.
posted by threeturtles at 4:23 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

I was born in 1967. On the other hand, so was Timothy McVeigh. On the other hand, so was Kurt Cobain.
posted by Joey Michaels at 4:25 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

Correction: McVeigh was born in 1968. Suck it, haters.
posted by Joey Michaels at 4:26 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

It's really sad, I mourn President HRC's universe almost as much as I mourn the fact that my mom never got to meet her grandchildren. They are both warm and hopeful and welcoming realities and their absence makes my heart hurt.
posted by lydhre at 4:29 PM on February 13, 2017 [36 favorites]

Boorish husband/doormat wife is a trope that has literally never gone out of style, if TV is any guide.
posted by um at 4:29 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

“Spending time with your wife, your husband — making him breakfast, bringing it to him in bed and then after that go take your kids for a walk,” state Rep. Bernie Santrom said when he denounced a bill that would end the state’s half-day ban on Sunday alcohol sales.

Wait, is the implication that his wife only spends money either because she's constantly buying alcohol or because she goes drunk shopping, and so the half-day ban means she has one morning each week of enforced sobriety when the liquor stores are closed, presumably because she's such a sot that she clears out the house every Saturday night? Who among us can honestly say that they wouldn't be perpetually wasted if they were married to these princes, I suppose.
posted by vathek at 4:30 PM on February 13, 2017 [54 favorites]

I know my alcoholism got easier to manage when I got divorced. It was a Christmas miracle!
posted by winna at 4:38 PM on February 13, 2017 [14 favorites]

Yeah, when I hear men talking like that I assume the true family situation is closer to Angela's Ashes than to I Love Lucy.
posted by tivalasvegas at 4:40 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

On the other hand, so was Kurt Cobain.

Before he died he did record a lyric anthem for the doomed youth of the Trump years.
posted by Buntix at 4:41 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

> "I wish we could exchange messages with ourselves in HRC timeline."

Watching this season's Homeland [fanfare] is feeling kind of like that.

Sure, crazy fictional terror and realpolitik and drama and government malfeasance feels so much more sane and limited and preferable to what's going on in this - I fear to call it the 'darkest' in case it gets even worse - timeline.
posted by porpoise at 4:43 PM on February 13, 2017

Federal judge says court proceedings will continue on Trump’s travel ban: A federal judge in Seattle says district court proceedings on President Trump’s travel ban shall continue, even as an appeals court weighs whether to rehear the case, according to Reuters.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 4:49 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Who among us can honestly say that they wouldn't be perpetually wasted if they were married to these princes, I suppose.

Well to be fair, I have a wonderful partner and I would still go out for mimosas every Sunday morning with my friends if I could afford to.

It is an interesting idea though-- that the only reason their wives are not getting sloshed every Sunday is that there are Blue Laws in place. This is a very typical line of Republican thinking: you have to have God in your life otherwise you will be a murderer, you have to make drugs illegal otherwise everyone will be stoned all the time, you have to have limitations on abortion otherwise hussies will have unprotected sex with men all the time and get abortions monthly (or something.)
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 4:49 PM on February 13, 2017 [16 favorites]

sigh

From the FLOTUS twitter account: Applause to all women around the world who speak up, stand up and support other women! @emrata #PowerOfEveryWoman #PowerOfTheFirstLady

Her bio pic is her in profile, arms crossed, dressed in a black suit, white shirt with a serious expression. This is really hard to take seriously. I feel like the picture was an "ad" for a serious business woman and the copy was written by someone else. It is the least authentic thing I've read today. I'm so not buying it.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 4:56 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

I don't know who FLOTUS tagged in, but I blocked them instantly.
posted by Yowser at 5:01 PM on February 13, 2017

That ping of sadness when you wonder why someone isn't buying that Michelle Obama is serious, only to realize that FLOTUS is now someone else.
posted by miguelcervantes at 5:01 PM on February 13, 2017 [22 favorites]

Mnuchin was confirmed for Treasury, 53-47. Manchin defected again.
posted by zachlipton at 5:05 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

From the FLOTUS twitter account:

(and in reverse Bechdel news).

In the United States, the title of First Gentleman may be accorded to a man who is married to the head of state of a State government, analogously to the unofficial use of "First Lady" for the wife or hostess of a head of state, including the wife of the President of the United States.

To date, nobody has been accorded the "First Gentleman" designation as a husband of a U.S. president.

The first man formally to serve as First Gentleman was James E. Ferguson in 1925, a former governor of Texas who was forced from office due to corruption charges, and whose wife Miriam A. Ferguson later won the office. The first man to serve as First Gentleman without having previously served as governor was Thomas Grasso, husband of Connecticut governor Ella T. Grasso. To date, there has never been a man married to a male governor.

posted by Buntix at 5:06 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

I believe FLOTUS is replying to this tweet which defends her on the charge of having been a sex worker.
posted by anastasiav at 5:07 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

President Donald Trump cancels planned visit to Northeast Ohio. He was going to go to Ohio to sign the "dump coal waste in streams act," but the trip is now off.

Jared Kushner Emerges as Trump's True Believer. Short version: don't believe the hype that Jared is the "moderating influence"; he's as into it as Bannon.
posted by zachlipton at 5:09 PM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

Federal judge in Virginia grants injunction blocking enforcement of Trump's travel ban

I don't know what's new about this, or if it matters.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 5:10 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

I don't know who FLOTUS tagged in, but I blocked them instantly.

On the linked tweet? That's Emily Ratajkowski. She's a model/actress.
posted by tobascodagama at 5:13 PM on February 13, 2017

Some diplo speak we are all friends frolicing through meadows is acceptable. I know the game but THERE IS A LINE.

Have you heard of C-23
posted by 922257033c4a0f3cecdbd819a46d626999d1af4a at 5:15 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

WaPo: Upheaval is now standard operating procedure inside the White House

- "Staffers, meanwhile, are so fearful about being accused of talking to the media that some have resorted to a secret chat app — Confide — that erases messages as soon as they’re read."
- "Several candidates have turned the [communications] job down, including Brian Jones, who said no after a preliminary approach by the White House. Jones, a former communicators director on Senator John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) 2008 presidential bid and a senior adviser to Mitt Romney in 2012, declined to comment"
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 5:16 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

"Staffers, meanwhile, are so fearful about being accused of talking to the media that some have resorted to a secret chat app — Confide — that erases messages as soon as they’re read."

Wouldn't that violate laws on document retention? (Honest question, I don't know much about it and maybe the rules I'm thinking of only apply to more formal work products.)
posted by tivalasvegas at 5:19 PM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

roomthreeseventeen: if all of the lower federal circuit courts block the EO (or all the ones where a suit has been filed) then there's a high chance that the supreme court will refuse to hear the case entirely, as it's a settled matter across the US already. So, there's some hope there, regardless of the makeup of the supreme court.
posted by Xyanthilous P. Harrierstick at 5:19 PM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

This might've been a sneaky diplomatic move, if the Trump administration didn't need to get it into the news to show his supporters he's following up on his campaign promises...

U.S. Eyes New Tactic to Press China
Currency strategy would avoid singling out country in bid to avoid break in relations

WASHINGTON—The White House is exploring a new tactic to discourage China from undervaluing its currency to boost exports, part of an evolving Trump administration strategy to challenge the practices of the U.S.’s largest trading partner while stepping back from direct confrontation.

Under the plan, the commerce secretary would designate the practice of currency manipulation as an unfair subsidy when employed by any country, instead of singling out China, said people briefed on or involved in formulating the policy. U.S. companies would then be in a position to bring antisubsidy actions themselves to the U.S. Commerce Department against China or other countries.

posted by Coventry at 5:21 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

A testosterone - fueled pheasant harasses woman. She calls him Trump.
(Linked story is is finnish)
posted by haapsane at 5:21 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

Mnuchin was confirmed for Treasury, 53-47. Manchin defected again.

M*chins gotta stick together, yo
posted by indubitable at 5:21 PM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

Someone should think about making a new thread. We've maybe got a day before this one gets uncomfortably big.
posted by Coventry at 5:28 PM on February 13, 2017

Wow, the leaks are coming fast tonight.

Justice Department warned White House that Flynn could be vulnerable to Russian blackmail, officials say: "The acting attorney general informed the Trump White House late last month that she believed Michael Flynn had misled senior administration officials about the nature of his communications with the Russian ambassador to the United States, and warned that the national security adviser was potentially vulnerable to Russian blackmail, current and former U.S. officials said….A senior Trump administration official said that the White House was aware of the matter, adding that “we’ve been working on this for weeks.”
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 5:29 PM on February 13, 2017 [31 favorites]

More on the Confide app.

Confide: The app for paranoid Republicans

Why Republicans are signing up: We spoke with one influential GOP operative who is using the app. He told us he especially likes that Confide makes it harder to take a screenshot—you have to slide your fingers over text and it only captures a portion of the screen. He also likes the integration with iMessage, allowing him to write self-destructing encrypted messages within the confines of the iPhone's standard-issue messaging platform.

Public service announcement for administration officials: All official business is supposed to be conducted via White House e-mail so communications can be archived for the presidential record.
posted by futz at 5:29 PM on February 13, 2017 [26 favorites]

Rather weird hearing the Logan Act discussed on UK news, but I guess we're all in it together...


when did the country decide that the Logan Act was the polite way to talk about espionage/treason?

it's an ancient law that has never had a successful prosecution, but sometime in the last 5-10 years every time someone pulls some spy shit we've collectively decided to squawk "Logan Act! Logan Act!" rather than any of the hundreds of other laws under which the person in question might actually be tried…
posted by murphy slaw at 5:30 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

A senior Trump administration official said that the White House was aware of the matter, adding that “we’ve been working on this for weeks.”

I can't make sense of what this part could really mean.
posted by Brainy at 5:31 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

But what if they LIKE Russian blackmail?
posted by Artw at 5:31 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

Someone should think about making a new thread. We've maybe got a day before this one gets uncomfortably big.

maybe we should have thought about that when we started the thread. now the site is merely a "host" for the thread and we're obligated to bring it to term.
posted by murphy slaw at 5:33 PM on February 13, 2017 [95 favorites]

Yeah, here's that seated WTF? look from Trudeau.

Canada, I did not think it was possible for me to love you and your ridiculously good-looking PM any more than I do. I was so, so wrong. The "O RLY?" expression on Trudeau's face. Be still my heart.
posted by longdaysjourney at 5:39 PM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

The acting attorney general informed the Trump White House late last month that she believed Michael Flynn had misled senior administration officials about the nature of his communications with the Russian ambassador to the United States, and warned that the national security adviser was potentially vulnerable to Russian blackmail

That would be recently fired acting AG, Sally Yates.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 5:41 PM on February 13, 2017 [61 favorites]

Someone should think about making a new thread. We've maybe got a day before this one gets uncomfortably big.

we definitely do not want to test this thread's emergency spillway
posted by indubitable at 5:45 PM on February 13, 2017 [18 favorites]

A senior Trump administration official said that the White House was aware of the matter, adding that “we’ve been working on this for weeks.”

I can't make sense of what this part could really mean.

Well see if they give the Kremlin everything they want then the blackmail goes away, right?
posted by jason_steakums at 5:46 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

"Sally Yates: Not a team player. She's fired." /baldwinastrump
posted by notyou at 5:47 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

That WaPo report should lead the new thread. Holy shit.

The current and former officials said that although they believed that Pence was misled about the contents of Flynn’s communications with the Russian ambassador, they couldn’t rule out that Flynn was acting with the knowledge of others in the transition.

There are other fish on this here hook…
posted by sallybrown at 5:48 PM on February 13, 2017 [42 favorites]

Melania wants to be a role model. OK.

She came here and stayed illegally n the wrong visa.
I'm not going to judge her on that, many do come here looking for a better life.

She posed topless in men's magazines and made a softcore porn video.
Not my choice of lifestyle but if your best asset is your body and you want to exploit that to make money, I won't judge you.

She had an affair and then married a Billionaire.
Getting into a judgey area here but if he swept her off her feet, who am I to say she did the wrong thing?

She had a lot of plastic surgery.
Not up to me, it is her face and body,

She spouted off the Birtherism line.
Bingo. This is the part where I really start judging. This was unacceptable, although I suppose she could have been either ignorant or pressured into it.

She watched him take on the role of candidate and then sworn in as President.I think she is well aware that he is incapable of doing this job, that it is in fact dangerous to give him so much power. If she really wanted to be a role model she should have spoken out a long time ago. She has kept silent, whether from fear of him or desire to continue living her golden life I don't know and I don't care.

I have weighed her choices and found her guilty. I think she is a bad role model for any child and especially for my daughter. I have equal amounts of pity and disgust for her but mostly I just want her off the stage, out of my life.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 5:48 PM on February 13, 2017 [61 favorites]

(and it includes yet another confirmation that Flynn was communicating with Russia during the campaign itself.)
posted by sallybrown at 5:49 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

So Flotus has tweeted FIVE times in the month she has been Flotus and she wastes one on the sex worker story? Way to run with the Streisand effect. It must really bother her.
posted by saucysault at 5:50 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Flynn leads to Trump himself. The only reason Flynn was in the campaign to being with was as a conduit to Russia. This is obvious.

We're just waiting on the identity of the 19% buyer of Rosfnet confirmed as Trump to start impeachment, right? Surely that? Paul Ryan? Bueler?
posted by T.D. Strange at 5:58 PM on February 13, 2017 [24 favorites]

Federal (and presidential) records law is pretty laggy in terms of technology: right now, it's perfect for a late 90s America where email and the web and basic IM exist, a few people are sending SMS from mobiles, and people still have pagers.

Should a text message or short self-erasing messages on an app be treated as if it's as ephemeral as a spoken conversation, for the purposes of retention and archiving? Perhaps, but that needs to be legislated. Obama WH staffers like Tommy Vietor are livid.
posted by holgate at 5:59 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Pence is much smarter than I thought if he was able to keep his hands clean on this.
posted by sallybrown at 6:00 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

this house won't move for impeachment until trump's net approval hits -98%
posted by murphy slaw at 6:00 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

Pence's hair helmet generates a plausible deniability field with a 10ft radius.
posted by holgate at 6:02 PM on February 13, 2017 [16 favorites]

Depends on if you believe he was "lied" to, I guess. Also if you believe that's being apologized to for the "lie" absolve said him from action in the case of Flynn.

At the end of the day they are all dirty as fuck.
posted by Artw at 6:02 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

I'm personally going to hold out for inpeachment.
posted by Joey Michaels at 6:03 PM on February 13, 2017

Trump might be impeached if his efforts to fulfil his campaign promises pose the dilemma for the Republican leadership of looking bad to their base vs abandoning their cut-taxes-and-slash-spending ideology. There is already plenty of material for a plausible impeachment hearing, but it will be quite damaging to the Republican brand if they have to do it.
posted by Coventry at 6:04 PM on February 13, 2017

And I am reminded yet again that the FBI fed incorrect information to the New York Times about the Russia investigation, and the Times printed it, the night David Corn made the first mention of it in Mother Jones.

Why?
posted by sallybrown at 6:04 PM on February 13, 2017 [19 favorites]

Depends on if you believe he was "lied" to, I guess.

From WaPo: The current and former officials said that although they believed that Pence was misled about the contents of Flynn’s communications with the Russian ambassador, they couldn’t rule out that Flynn was acting with the knowledge of others in the transition.

I think this is intended to suggest they think Pence genuinely didn't know, but someone else did.
posted by sallybrown at 6:05 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

Journalist says Omarosa Manigault bullied her and mentioned a ‘dossier’ on her: Manigault, who is now a communications official in the Trump administration, got into a heated argument with a White House reporter just steps from the Oval Office last week, according to witnesses. The reporter, April Ryan, said Manigault “physically intimidated” her in a manner that could have warranted intervention by the Secret Service.

Ryan also said Manigault made verbal threats, including the assertion that Ryan was among several journalists on whom Trump officials had collected “dossiers” of negative information.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:08 PM on February 13, 2017 [14 favorites]

how long until a senior administration official shouts "WE DIDN'T COME TO WASHINGTON TO MAKE FRIENDS!!" on one of the sunday shows
posted by murphy slaw at 6:12 PM on February 13, 2017 [43 favorites]

this house won't move for impeachment until trump's net approval hits -98%

It may turn out to be amusing* how the party Republicans are still living in the age when regression to the mean was a thing, even though their wild right wing fantasy success currently is anything but.


My money (if I had any, and knew where to place such a bet) is that if/when Trump goes down, he's going to take the republican party down with him. They are almost certainly past the point of terminal blowback. I would say it will be a decade or so before they recover, but realistically, while there will be another right wing party, it won't be them.



* If we don't all die first.
posted by Buntix at 6:12 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

On the one hand, anyone working for Trump would be stupid not to be paranoid.

On the other hand, don't work for Trump you fuckers.
posted by emjaybee at 6:13 PM on February 13, 2017 [13 favorites]

if/when Trump goes down, he's going to take the republican party down with him

Bush II severely damaged the party, but he didn't bring it down. The Republicans and Democrats are the only viable parties, so they avoid a lot of accountability.
posted by Coventry at 6:19 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

We're just waiting on the identity of the 19% buyer of Rosfnet

You know Congress is working to make sure we don't find out, right?
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 6:19 PM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

My money (if I had any, and knew where to place such a bet) is that if/when Trump goes down, he's going to take the republican party down with him.

From your lips to god's ears, Buntix.
posted by tobascodagama at 6:23 PM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

There are far too many people who will show up and vote for anyone with an (R) next to their name, come hell or high water.

It wouldn't be such a problem, if they were the only ones who had to deal with the resulting hell and high water.
posted by ckape at 6:25 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

From that WaPo article:

FBI Director James B. Comey initially opposed notification [of the incoming Trump administration], citing concerns that it could complicate the agency’s investigation.

Umm holy shit is Comey actually coming through on this? Of all the things I've been surprised about since the election, "Jim Comey actively working on this instead of rolling over for Trump" might be the biggest. Maybe instead of Republican Lackey he sees his role as Hoover 2.0, and this is about the supremacy of the FBI for him.
posted by jason_steakums at 6:28 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

You know Congress is working to make sure we don't find out, right?

Yes, but we can't count on congress, I'm talking about journalists confirming it. Although I know, even that wouldn't move them to do anything, comrade.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:29 PM on February 13, 2017

NYT has one of those red alert thingies at the top that says : "BREAKING NEWS Michael Flynn, the national security adviser, is said to have misled senior officials about his conversation with a Russian diplomat"
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:35 PM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

she believed Michael Flynn had misled senior administration officials about the nature of his communications... and warned that the national security adviser was potentially vulnerable to Russian blackmail

This WaPo story is strange. Their main concern is that Flynn's lying about the calls opens him up to blackmail by the Russians? Wouldn't you be concerned about the calls regardless of the lies? And regardless of any potential blackmail applications? It's just a weird angle to take.
posted by diogenes at 6:38 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Zeke Miller (TIME): SAO confirms DOJ outreach to McGahn on Flynn. Senior White House officials huddling now in West Wing. Signs that POTUS remains in WW too.
posted by maudlin at 6:38 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

The Republicans and Democrats are the only viable parties

Past performance isn't a guarantee of future returns.

The kids ain't us, it's a new world.

To be fair I am speculating wildly, based on living in a country where the three major parties (whose lineage and predominance date back centuries) were all fairly recently wiped out*. As indeed blatant anachronisms tend to be at the point where their clinging to their historical structure is finally so far out of step with modernity that the absurdity gap can no longer be supported or ignored.

* Mostly due to a 'shock' event that got people invigorated and onto the streets.
posted by Buntix at 6:39 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

This WaPo story is strange. Their main concern is that Flynn's lying about the calls opens him up to blackmail by the Russians? Wouldn't you be concerned about the calls regardless of the lies? And regardless of any potential blackmail applications? It's just a weird angle to take.

It's a bit cagey. It doesn't state he is susceptible to blackmail because of the calls. It states he made calls before the election, after the election (about the sanctions), and that Yates warned the WH about the calls and (could be separately) that he was vulnerable to blackmail.
posted by sallybrown at 6:40 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

From the NYT:

The F.B.I. has been examining Mr. Flynn’s phone calls as he has come under growing questions about his interactions with Russian officials and his management of the National Security Council. In addition, the Army has been investigating whether Mr. Flynn received money from the Russian government during a trip he took to Moscow in 2015, according to two defense officials.

posted by sallybrown at 6:45 PM on February 13, 2017 [21 favorites]

Zeke Miller (TIME): SAO confirms DOJ outreach to McGahn on Flynn. Senior White House officials huddling now in West Wing. Signs that POTUS remains in WW too.

Dear lord, he's up past his bedtime. This IS serious.
posted by C'est la D.C. at 6:45 PM on February 13, 2017 [23 favorites]

New or updated NY Times story White House Sends Mixed Signals About Trump’s Confidence in Michael Flynn:

In addition, the Army has been investigating whether Mr. Flynn received money from the Russian government during a trip he took to Moscow in 2015, according to two defense officials.

Such a payment might violate the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which prohibits former military officers from receiving money from a foreign government without consent from Congress. The defense officials said there was no record that Mr. Flynn, a retired three-star Army general, filed the required paperwork for the trip.

posted by maudlin at 6:46 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

It doesn't state he is susceptible to blackmail because of the calls.

It would be nice if that sentence was written in a way to avoid the ambiguity. Nearly the same sentence is in the NYT article, so it's obviously how the anonymous "US officials" wanted it written.
posted by diogenes at 6:47 PM on February 13, 2017

Wouldnt he be making the calls already because of blackmail? I mean, maybe not, it's never really been clear what Flynn's motivation is in all of this other than, what, revenge against Obama and the IC who fired him for being fucking crazy? Starting a war with Iran?
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:47 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

FBI Director James B. Comey initially opposed notification [of the incoming Trump administration], citing concerns that it could complicate the agency’s investigation.

Seriously, why tell Trump that you're onto Flynn? Trump is the one that made him NSA.
posted by diogenes at 6:49 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

that miller tweet is giving me beautiful visions of staying up all night munching popcorn and watching the administration collapse which goes to show you how eager my brain is for this fiasco to be over
posted by murphy slaw at 6:49 PM on February 13, 2017 [13 favorites]

Josh Marshall: Look closely, trajectory of events looks v much like intel agencies trying to warn Trump abt Flynn and then leaking when he ignored warnings

Hmm, I wonder why Trump would ignore warnings about his NSA being a Russian asset?
posted by diogenes at 6:51 PM on February 13, 2017 [24 favorites]

1) Russian asset
2) Brain abscess

So hard to say really.
posted by Artw at 6:53 PM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

people are always talking about how kids today have no attention span, but who can blame them - we've gone from the inauguration to "what did the president know and when did he know it" in less than a month
posted by murphy slaw at 6:56 PM on February 13, 2017 [43 favorites]

You know what, big fuck you to that Oklahoma rep (Justin Humphrey) who said women were hosts. I'm making a donation to Planned Parenthood in Oklahoma (Planned Parenthood Great Plains) in his name. That PP affiliate needs all the help they can get.
posted by triggerfinger at 6:57 PM on February 13, 2017 [28 favorites]

It doesn't state he is susceptible to blackmail because of the calls.

I assumed it meant he would be vulnerable to blackmail by Russia, due to him being compromised.
posted by krinklyfig at 6:57 PM on February 13, 2017

It may be a bit harder to pull that off now if Trump uses Peter Thiel's Palantir to vet potential hires.

Mr. "America First" has turned down hundreds of American workers and hired immigrants at Mar-a-Lago instead and hired more foreign workers this winter.
posted by kirkaracha at 6:59 PM on February 13, 2017 [16 favorites]

I assumed it meant he would be vulnerable to blackmail by Russia, due to him being compromised.

Compromised by lying about the calls? Or compromised before that?

If they are talking about the DOJ having evidence of Flynn being compromised (outside of the context of the calls), how do they drop that in the first sentence of the article, and then not say anything more about the the nature of the compromise or the evidence for it!?
posted by diogenes at 7:02 PM on February 13, 2017

If they are talking about the DOJ having evidence of Flynn being compromised (outside of the context of the calls), how do they drop that in the first sentence of the article, and then not say anything more about the the nature of the compromise or the evidence for it!?

This is what confuses me about a lot of these "drip drip drip" articles. They have been quite coy all along, hinting at what will come next. Is this a sign that the writers are given information on background or something?
posted by sallybrown at 7:04 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Today was one of those days where the beginning and end seem like a year apart, but Univision found video of Stephen Miller's high school government 90-second stump speech, a reminder that when you're 31, lots of what you've done in public may be recorded for posterity.
posted by holgate at 7:04 PM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

Something tells me this Flynn story goes all the way to the combover. I mean top.
posted by uosuaq at 7:06 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

In particular, Univision has confirmed that he really did say, as rumored, "Am I the only one who is sick and tired of being told to pick up our trash when we have plenty of janitors who are paid to do it for us?" I mean, everybody is horrible in high school, but what a horrible thing to say.
posted by zachlipton at 7:07 PM on February 13, 2017 [23 favorites]

I imagine that Sally Yates wasn't thinking of the Logan Act so much as Section B of the adjudicative guidelines for access to classified material.
posted by holgate at 7:07 PM on February 13, 2017

*sighs, presses 'now serving' button*

One-fifty-eight? 158! . . . a woman’s body is merely a “host.”

Oh fertheluvva . . Can we get some Nazi punchers to . . *reads paper* Oklahoma?! Nazi punchers to Oklahoma please. Jesus.

*presses 'now serving' button*

One-fifty-nine?!
posted by petebest at 7:07 PM on February 13, 2017 [15 favorites]

I gave a fantastically dumb speech when I ran for eighth grade class president (on a lark, basically), so this is one of those things that reminds me how glad I am not to have ever harboured real-world political ambitions.

Although I will say that my speech, as dumb as it was, didn't cause my fellow students to boo me for being racist.
posted by tobascodagama at 7:08 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

She posed topless in men's magazines and made a softcore porn video.

And stood by her husband after he said to check out Alicia Machado's nonexistant sex tape and then lied about it.
posted by kirkaracha at 7:09 PM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

Also, is there a pool on "YOU'RE FIRED" vs. "OUT LIKE FLYNN" as the New York Post headline yet?
posted by uosuaq at 7:10 PM on February 13, 2017 [27 favorites]

I'm a little nervous about what these crazy fuckers will do if they know they are cornered.
posted by diogenes at 7:10 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

Josh Dawsey (Politico WH reporter): "Source says tonight that Trump is still undecided on Flynn: 'Everyone he talks to hears something a little different,' this person said." (twitter)
posted by sallybrown at 7:11 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Quick, read the headline and tell me whether the Trump administration plans to punish or to permit the new Venezuelan VP's drug-dealing:
U.S. sanctions Venezuelan vice president as drug kingpin
posted by Joe in Australia at 7:12 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

Also, is there a pool on "YOU'RE FIRED" vs. "OUT LIKE FLYNN" as the New York Post headline yet?

Let's optimistically keep "YOU'RE FIRED" on ice for a bigger fish?
posted by sallybrown at 7:12 PM on February 13, 2017 [33 favorites]

Journalist says Omarosa Manigault bullied her and mentioned a ‘dossier’ on her

Omarosa? That doesn't sound like her.

“Every critic, every detractor, will have to bow down to President Trump,” she said. "It’s everyone who’s ever doubted Donald, who ever disagreed, who ever challenged him. It is the ultimate revenge to become the most powerful man in the universe.”

Oh, wait, it totally does.
posted by kirkaracha at 7:13 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

I know some photos were posted above (thread is already killing my phone so please forgive me for not searching) ... have you met Rick, who carries the football?
posted by Dashy at 7:13 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

that the only reason their wives are not getting sloshed every Sunday is that there are Blue Laws in place.

I feel like I should point out that blue laws don't specifically refer to alcohol sales - laws covering the allowable opening hours of retail establishments are blue laws as well. So I think that technically what that asshole was saying is that if his wife had another 1/2 day to be out shopping, he'd be bankrupt, rather than coming out ever so slightly ahead.

So just as shitty, just not necessarily about alcohol.
posted by god hates math at 7:14 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

Ok but in all this Flynn-Russia brouhaha let's not forget Clinton's bff Huma Abedin was shacking up with a serial creeper; who is to say which is more of a risk? If Clinton was president there'd be nothing to stop Anthony Weiner sexting the entire female population of the United States.
posted by um at 7:16 PM on February 13, 2017

Um...
posted by uosuaq at 7:17 PM on February 13, 2017 [32 favorites]

Adam Jentleson, former deputy chief of staff to Harry Reid: "Flynn should definitely be fired, but let's not lose sight of the transcripts [of Flynn's call(s) to Russia] - they could be explosive." (twitter)

Jentleson previously said the NYT, in writing its incorrect 10/31/16 story on the Russia investigation, ignored comments from Reid's office.
posted by sallybrown at 7:18 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

Ok but in all this Flynn-Russia brouhaha let's not forget Clinton's bff Huma Abedin was shacking up with a serial creeper; who is to say which is more of a risk? If Clinton was president there'd be nothing to stop Anthony Weiner sexting the entire female population of the United States.

My sarcasm-o-meter is not getting a clear reading here
posted by dis_integration at 7:18 PM on February 13, 2017 [28 favorites]

It is the ultimate revenge to become the most powerful man in the universe.

The universe? He's not even the most powerful man at the Resolute desk.
posted by mochapickle at 7:19 PM on February 13, 2017 [24 favorites]

A reminder: Obama didn't even tell Michelle about the Bin Laden raid before it happened because that's how fucking seriously he took classified information.
posted by bluecore at 7:19 PM on February 13, 2017 [62 favorites]

Jentleson also tweeted a picture of Flynn with the caption "tfw everyone's mad at cha for doing what the boss wanted you to do."
posted by sallybrown at 7:20 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

dear god it really is impossible to satirize Tprmu we're so effed
posted by um at 7:22 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

dear um, yes, things are that effed up.
posted by futz at 7:25 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

Hey peeps can someone break down the seriousness of the Flynn affair for me, I'm having trouble grasping what he did why it sucks and if it is treason, He made a deal with the rooskies before the inaguration? Didn't Reagan do the the same thing with Iran regarding the hostages?
posted by vrakatar at 7:25 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

My sarcasm-o-meter is not getting a clear reading here

I hear banging your head against it repeatedly can help.
posted by jferg at 7:25 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Oh man, Trump fired Yates the day after she warned him about Flynn.

(Edit. Sorry, I got that wrong. It was a few days earlier.)
posted by diogenes at 7:25 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

Jan 28, BusinessInsider: Carter Page, Rosneft bagman?

There is no evidence that Carter played any role in the Rosneft deal. But he was back in Moscow on December 8 - one day after the deal was signed - to "meet with some of the top managers" of Rosneft, he told reporters at the time. Page denied meeting with Sechin, Rosneft's CEO, during that trip, but said that it would have been "a great honor" if he had.

The Rosneft deal, Page added, was "a good example of how American private companies are unfortunately limited to a great degree due to the influence of sanctions." He said that the US and Russia had entered "a new era" of relations, but that it was still "too early" to discuss whether Trump would be easing or lifting sanctions on Moscow.

Page's extensive business ties to state-owned Russian companies were investigated by a counterintelligence task force set up last year by the CIA. The probe, which is reportedly ongoing, has examined whether Russia was funneling money into Donald Trump's presidential campaign - and, if it was, who was serving as the liaison between the Trump team and the Kremlin.
posted by petebest at 7:26 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

And speaking of the Resolute Desk, it turns out you can buy an exact replica of it for a measly $7K. Someone should have bought it for him two years ago so could just cosplay the presidency from his home and leave the real office to the pros.
posted by mochapickle at 7:29 PM on February 13, 2017 [12 favorites]

Can you imagine the utter stupidity of carrying through on the Rosneft deal after the dossier became well-known? It was whispered about and shopped to news orgs all summer/fall…did the Trump campaign not see the dossier until Buzzfeed made it public or something? Or are they really just that greedy and stupid?
posted by sallybrown at 7:31 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

Also. I'd like to say thank you to the Canadiens that showed us what a real, democratic leader does during photo ops. *snif*, We love you Canucks, man! *backslappy hug*
posted by petebest at 7:33 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Sallybrown: I guess it depends on if they actually get away with it. I really do hope the FBI is working really hard on making a watertight case against all of these guys. I think it's pretty clear at this point that the dossier is more true than not.
posted by nolabasashi at 7:34 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Or are they really just that greedy and stupid?

So you're saying they definitely followed through on the Rosneft deal?
posted by um at 7:34 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Am I the only one who didn't know that Mnuchin is the Executive Director of the Lego movies, Mad Max: Fury Road, and a bunch of other movies?
posted by Room 641-A at 7:35 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Also. I'd like to say thank you to the Canadiens that showed us what a real, democratic leader does during photo ops. *snif*, We love you Canucks, man! *backslappy hug*
posted by petebest at 7:33 PM on February 1

Throw a hip check and try for a hattrick? (Sorry.)
posted by sardonyx at 7:37 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Canadian hockey rocky break!
posted by vrakatar at 7:41 PM on February 13, 2017

Am I the only one who didn't know that Mnuchin is the Executive Director of the Lego movies, Mad Max: Fury Road, and a bunch of other movies?

Executive producer credits almost always mean "I invested money in this film", so I guess that's a thing that a few Goldman Sachs alums would do.
posted by dis_integration at 7:41 PM on February 13, 2017 [15 favorites]

Yes, but it's still very high profile.
posted by Room 641-A at 7:43 PM on February 13, 2017

There's probably some kind of forum somewhere where people in cheap suits posting field reports of their recent negotiations and talking about how they did the handshake,

This is what car sales people talk about when they're not selling cars. There are names for the the different styles. You want to avoid the "quick draw" when selling cars and do the "airliner" instead (start with the hand back and high as you walk toward them and slowly bring it in for a landing so your customers REALLY have time to see it coming and be ready to shake your hand). Then you talk about the "tricks" to assert control and put you in a better position to sell a car.

It then moves on the odd handshake encounters you've had. The "right hand is a prosthetic hook" is common.

The ironic thing is that the best sales people pay no attention to that bullshit and just treat people like people. Shake their hand like a normal human being, build rapport, be honest, etc.

Now that I think about it, in different circumstances, Obama would crush it selling cars. Like, sells 30 cars every month (this is a LOT in these parts) and gets invited to his customer's weddings levels of crushing it. I'm glad he went into politics instead.
posted by VTX at 7:43 PM on February 13, 2017 [15 favorites]

Hey peeps can someone break down the seriousness of the Flynn affair for me, I'm having trouble grasping what he did why it sucks and if it is treason,

Flynn was with the DIA, military intelligence, and the CIA really thinks that seriously sucks. It would suck very much for the CIA if Flynn, as Trump's close advisor, influenced Trump to increase the stature and funding of the DIA while decreasing the CIA's. This is not treason.

Possibly also he had certain conversations with the Russian ambassador, which are also not treason.

He made a deal with the rooskies before the inaguration? Didn't Reagan do the the same thing with Iran regarding the hostages?

There's a Logan Act that outlaws unauthorized individuals talking to foreign governments about disputes and controversies, but it's never been prosecuted and is probably unconstitutional.
posted by save alive nothing that breatheth at 7:44 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

Dems blast Chaffetz for declining to investigate Flynn

-- Democrats on the House Oversight Committee ripped into Chairman Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) on Monday for ignoring their requests to investigate White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn’s ties to Russia.

-- “If you are not willing to initiate this investigation or make these request, then we ask that you not prevent us from calling put his matter at the next business meeting so we may request a vote on this and other proposals going forward on this matter,” the committee Democrats wrote in the letter.

The Letter (PDF)

Great letter. I hope it chaffetz his conscience. Oh fuck, who am I kidding.
posted by futz at 7:48 PM on February 13, 2017 [38 favorites]

He made a deal with the rooskies before the inaguration? Didn't Reagan do the the same thing with Iran regarding the hostages?

Pretty sure the circle for Things Reagan Did does not fit entirely within the circle for Things That Are Legal on the Venn diagram.
posted by ckape at 7:49 PM on February 13, 2017 [22 favorites]

There was a known plan to float 19% of Rosneft, and back in October, when Steele wrote his dossier, it was being discussed in public as the gift to Putin for being able to acquire the state-seized Bashneft. Given that dodgy-as-fuck privatisations are how Russia ended up the way it is now, and the participants extend beyond the US, it wasn't going to be cancelled.
posted by holgate at 7:52 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Flynn was with fired from the DIA, military intelligence,

some say it was due to his "leadership style", and others say "leadership style" is code for "was a fucking loon"
posted by murphy slaw at 7:53 PM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

Uh...CNN is saying Flynn has resigned.
posted by Brainy at 7:56 PM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

CNN is reporting that Flynn has resigned.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:56 PM on February 13, 2017 [30 favorites]

*
posted by Rust Moranis at 7:57 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Is it safe to cheer? I really want to cheer.
posted by Jalliah at 7:57 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

Resigned or not, he still better be fucking investigated.
posted by futz at 7:58 PM on February 13, 2017 [44 favorites]

me right now
posted by murphy slaw at 7:58 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Flynn talking to the ambassador about removing the sanctions would fix another piece of puzzle involving Russian interference in the election; it would suggest more than simply choosing to tilt things in favor of Trump, but help prove actual collusion. I dunno what law that breaks, but it's probably one with the severest punishment possible.
posted by notyou at 7:58 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

You don't need the Logan Act, don't lose sight of the underlying claims here. The Flynn-Russia channel goes back to the election. Which was hacked. By Russia. If Trump knew of that connection then, he has questions to answer about what he knew about Russian interference in the election itself.

Separately, if Flynn lied to an FBI or any other investigator in this process, that's a crime right there.

But just as a basic, "how the fuck can this guy do the job", Flynn is so completely toxic to the intelligence professionals at this point that he's utterly compromised in his role as National Security Advisor. He can't do the job. No one trusts that anything they say to him isn't being heard by the FSB. That's uhhh, a problem.

In a sane world, Flynn would be gone already, and we'd have a bipartisan comission to get to the bottom of this whole Russia thing.

But we live in Republican World, so all that matters is tax cuts, and forced births. They don't even care if the POTUS himself is reporting directly to Putin.
posted by T.D. Strange at 7:59 PM on February 13, 2017 [21 favorites]

Wow.
posted by notyou at 8:00 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

I would wait to cheer until it comes from the administration itself, because I'm in constant fear of the administration leaking bad info in an attempt to make the press look bad.

Flynn quitting would be good, though.
posted by drezdn at 8:00 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Any bets on them comically missing the point and picking Petraeus to replace him?
posted by zachlipton at 8:00 PM on February 13, 2017 [12 favorites]

kellyanne proves herself worthless once again.
posted by futz at 8:01 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

So who won the first-fired pool?

And what are the odds now in the first-indicted pool?
posted by peeedro at 8:01 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

CNN is reporting that Flynn has resigned.

See, all that Russia stuff we were just talking about? All solved now! One bad apple! He's gone now, so don't ask Trump any more questions, ok? It's all fine! No puppet no puppet!
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:02 PM on February 13, 2017 [56 favorites]

One down.
posted by mmoncur at 8:02 PM on February 13, 2017 [15 favorites]

So, the GOP will do nothing since the problem is "solved". This is not the ideal ending.
posted by Slackermagee at 8:02 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

This was one of the more interesting inside baseball bits today: Reporters turn on each other over Trump (for asking dumbass questions instead of about Flynn)
posted by zachlipton at 8:03 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Probationus is the name being floated.

"He lied to Pence" is going to be the official explanation, which is bleakly hilarious, because Pence is a) not his boss; b) deliberately out of the loop. Did he lie to his actual boss?
posted by holgate at 8:03 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

Hey so is this the fastest between inaugeration and the first career ending level event for a Senate approved appointee in US history?
posted by Joey Michaels at 8:04 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

So, the GOP will do nothing since the problem is "solved". This is not the ideal ending.


i dunno, at this point at least the Post and the NYT smell blood in the water. gotta be somebody gunning to be the next woodward and bernstein…

in my wildest imagination this will put the final nail in the "we gotta run the country like a business!" idea but unfortunately trump is a bad enough businessman that the no true scotsman fallacy will save it
posted by murphy slaw at 8:06 PM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

National security adviser isn't Senate-confirmed: it's a pure presidential appointment.
posted by holgate at 8:07 PM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

Secret Service codename FIRST DOMINO
posted by theodolite at 8:07 PM on February 13, 2017 [60 favorites]

Hey so is this the fastest between inaugeration and the first career ending level event for a Senate approved appointee in US history?

Flynn didn't go through the Senate.
posted by dis_integration at 8:07 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Where's Flynn's son on twitter when you need him? When Flynn talks the crazy will be amazeballs. Let's hope it's under oath in front of a congressional investigation.
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:08 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

b) deliberately out of the loop

I just want to state for the record and my bookie that my money is on Pence being the endgame and that's why he's such a non-entity now and why it seemed like he was running a whole separate campaign from Trump during the election. He needs to stay sequestered from all the shit that is going to get unleashed on Trump the second he ceases to be useful for purposes of granny-starving.
posted by soren_lorensen at 8:08 PM on February 13, 2017 [45 favorites]

MSNBC reporting retired Gen. Keith Kellogg now acting National Security Adviser. Kellogg was Chief of Staff and Executive Secretary of the NSC.
posted by zakur at 8:08 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

So much for the record then.
posted by Joey Michaels at 8:08 PM on February 13, 2017

Flynn didn't lie, he 'inadvertently briefed', according to his resignation letter read on CNN just now.
posted by Devonian at 8:08 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

TRUMP ADMIN SUBJECT TO CONSEQIENCES, CAUSALITY, OBJECTIVE TRUTH.
posted by Artw at 8:09 PM on February 13, 2017 [20 favorites]

Flynn talking to the ambassador about removing the sanctions would fix another piece of puzzle involving Russian interference in the election; it would suggest more than simply choosing to tilt things in favor of Trump, but help prove actual collusion.

That is the crux of the uproar and it has basically been proven.
posted by futz at 8:09 PM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

Apparently the Army is investigating Flynn for possibly receiving Russian government money as far back as 2015.
posted by bluecore at 8:09 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

Compromised by lying about the calls? Or compromised before that?

Before that. His ties to Russia weren't exactly a secret. Also, his previous record in this type of position doesn't speak well of his character.
posted by krinklyfig at 8:10 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

inadvertently briefed

NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER BROUGHT DOWN BY INDECENT EXPOSURE
posted by murphy slaw at 8:10 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

Flynn didn't lie, he 'inadvertently briefed', according to his resignation letter read on CNN just now.

Perhaps he can't dedicate his time to investigating Pizzagate.
posted by Artw at 8:10 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

House Intel chair Devin Nunes now looks like a ninny.
posted by holgate at 8:10 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Here's his resignation letter
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:11 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

The Inadvertent Briefs collection by Ivanka.
posted by holgate at 8:12 PM on February 13, 2017 [25 favorites]

We should let the next president decide who the National Security Adviser will be.

posted by murphy slaw at 8:12 PM on February 13, 2017 [34 favorites]

Flynn didn't lie, he 'inadvertently briefed', according to his resignation letter read on CNN just now.

I did that once in the middle of a talk. Damn belt just popped right off!

I wonder what horror show Trump will nominated in his place.

(Putin, it will be Putin)
posted by dirigibleman at 8:13 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

What did Trump know and when did he know it needs to be the watchword. This is 0 to Watergate in less than a month.
posted by dis_integration at 8:13 PM on February 13, 2017 [60 favorites]

I would wait to cheer until it comes from the administration itself

I'm pretty sure no harm will come to anyone who cheers. Just to be on the safe side, though, you might want to put your computing devices in the microwave first in case you're being bugged.
posted by Coventry at 8:13 PM on February 13, 2017

What are you talking about!? They all look like ninnies--it's ninnies all the way down.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 8:13 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

We should let the next president decide who the National Security Adviser will be.

Sorry, you only get one pick now under the McConnell Rule. You choose...poorly.
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:14 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

I wonder how many Russian caddies work at Mar a Lago.
posted by ocschwar at 8:16 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

Do things happen faster these days, or have I gotten old? I will only believe this is actually going to be taken seriously by congressional Republicans when Pence is inaugurated, though.
posted by nat at 8:16 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

The US invasion of Iraq greatly destabilized the region and fueled to the rise of Islamic extremism. There certainly would have been some Al-Quaeda attacks on Europe regardless, but I think it would have been much less severe without Bush's adventurism.

That is definitely a major factor. I would add the economic crisis, the failure of the Arab Spring, the brinkmanship around the Ukraine, and the painful inability of the EU and the US to forestall or effectively manage any of these problems (not to mention growing inequality, corruption and injustice). The West failed to decisively negotiate an order that tends to stability, security and prosperity, and it did so by flagrantly violating its values. No wonder the world is full of wannabe Putins. (/bitter)
posted by dmh at 8:17 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

CNN source said that trumple didn't want him to go because he values loyalty so highly. Only after it became a firestorm did he agree to it but he's not happy.

trumple hates failure and he will lash out at someone(s) to cover up his own.
posted by futz at 8:18 PM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

I wonder how many Russian caddies work at Mar a Lago.

More than zero, I'll bet.

Also I hope the SNL writers are listening because all I can think of now is a shirtless Beck Bennett carrying a bag of clubs around behind Alec Baldwin.
posted by dis_integration at 8:18 PM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

CNN is reporting that Flynn has resigned.

Ooh, this is starting to feel like the end of All the President's Men (@2:03) when the teletypes start rolling in.
posted by kirkaracha at 8:18 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

This was a action packed episode today. One character was shown the door after several acts of betrayal, a character who got fired a couple weeks ago re-emerged, raising troubling new questions about her departure, and a dreamy special guest star engaged in hand-to-hand combat with our star and won. Can't wait to see what happens tomorrow.

Somebody please make it stop.
posted by zachlipton at 8:19 PM on February 13, 2017 [96 favorites]

OK, for a headline, I like FLYNNDICATION
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:20 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

"I inadvertently briefed...with incomplete information"

Parseltongue for "I lied."
posted by zakur at 8:22 PM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

CNN source said that trumple didn't want him to go because he values loyalty so highly.

And because now he'll have to get to know a new FSB handler. That's always an adjustment.
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:23 PM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

You come at Big Pizza, you best not miss.
posted by sallybrown at 8:23 PM on February 13, 2017 [24 favorites]

So what are the odds the FBI is keeping tabs on every Russia-bound flight near DC tonight waiting to see if Flynn shows? I'm guessing pretty high.
posted by jason_steakums at 8:24 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

The orange menace is still going to be taking Flynn's calls, even if he's outside the room. Pence is going to remain as a shimmering plausible deniability field. The Cossacks work for the Czar.
posted by holgate at 8:24 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

remember when Mike Flynn said "Iran, you're on notice." bet in Iran they're like sipping soda in their socks in front of the TV. pizza party

posted by murphy slaw at 8:24 PM on February 13, 2017 [22 favorites]

Catherine Rampell ‏@crampell
Note that first resignation occurred before the full Cabinet has even been confirmed.
posted by zakur at 8:25 PM on February 13, 2017 [58 favorites]

RT: BREAKING: Gen. Michael Flynn retires as National Security Advisor

Ahhhhhahahahahhaha, "retires".
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:26 PM on February 13, 2017 [37 favorites]

Ahhhhhahahahahhaha, "retires".

That's what you do to skin jobs.
posted by Devonian at 8:30 PM on February 13, 2017 [29 favorites]

If it turns out Comey actually is fighting to get to the bottom of this whole mess and comes out on top of the administration's attempts to obstruct, I had better see at least one paper run with "Comey Don't Play That"
posted by jason_steakums at 8:30 PM on February 13, 2017 [23 favorites]

Ahhhhhahahahahhaha, "retires".

Nice euphemism!

You can't believe that British troops “retire”
When hell's last horror breaks them, and they run,
Trampling the terrible corpses—blind with blood.
--Siegfried Sassoon, "Glory of Women"

posted by FelliniBlank at 8:30 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

Well that's good.
posted by rhizome at 8:32 PM on February 13, 2017

So right now Trumpies are trying to determine how to respond to this. There are two main narratives competing with each other. The first is 'Well this sucks, but Flynn lied to Pence and embarassed Donald so he was forced too, what can we do?' the second is variations on 'First strike in a Priebus/GOP/Clinton???? coup. This cannot stand we going to have to do something cause coup by cucks cannot stand'.

Wonder which one is going to win.
posted by Jalliah at 8:33 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

ha-

BREAKING: Vladimir Putin has accepted General Michael Flynn's resignation
posted by bluecore at 8:33 PM on February 13, 2017 [38 favorites]

Trump:: I am pleased to announce my new National Security Advisor, Pladimir Vutin!

*mysterious bare-chested man wearing fake Groucho Marx nose-glasses walks on stage*
posted by ckape at 8:34 PM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

A girl can't step out for a cup of tea any more without somebody resigning. Sheesh!

*puts in order for a gross of Tetley Bold from Grocery Gateway*
posted by maudlin at 8:34 PM on February 13, 2017 [14 favorites]

Wonder which one is going to win.

Always go with the craziest.
posted by NorthernLite at 8:36 PM on February 13, 2017

He's gone. Writing's on the wall. I'll claim Tuesday in the betting pool.

Only missed it by a couple hours.
posted by scalefree at 8:36 PM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

He made a deal with the rooskies before the inaguration? Didn't Reagan do the the same thing with Iran regarding the hostages?

and Nixon with the Vietnamese.

Foreign policy interference is pretty much a Republican tradition at this point.
posted by srboisvert at 8:37 PM on February 13, 2017 [14 favorites]

So which of these other fuckers is next?

Spicer. But he doesn't ultimately matter much.

If we're talking about the cabinet or NSC level appointments, Bannon has to know he's got a limited and already closing window of time to get his agenda through, which is scary. He's probably going to get an influence boost with Trump off this, until the full force of public attention turns on him. It's going to be full on Bannon vs. Priebus to the death now.
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:38 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

If Flynn is a Russian asset-- is he at risk? I mean, since we would need him to testify against everyone else-- should he be provided with serious security so he doesn't step on some polonium?
posted by nat at 8:38 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

Nixon and Reagan both got away with this kind of play and Trump's taking big hits less than a month in with almost everyone capable of putting him in check tripping over themselves to prop him up... that doesn't bode well for him.
posted by jason_steakums at 8:40 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

So once again we return to the immortal words of Howard Baker "What did the president know and when did he know it?"
posted by JackFlash at 8:40 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

[real] Washington Post opinion: While Trump scandals mount, Chaffetz decides to investigate... a cartoon character

Chaffetz is busy investigating the Jim Henson company.

...

Sid, for readers not familiar with PBS children’s programming, is a preschool cartoon character. Like President Trump, Sid is orange. Unlike Trump, he is highly inquisitive. In each episode, Sid answers questions such as: Why can’t he scratch his ear with his foot the way his dog can? Why does his stomach growl when he makes French toast? Why did his yellow banana turn brown and mushy? In one of my favorite episodes, “The Big Sneeze,” Sid discovers that he needs to wash his hands even if he can’t see germs on them.

Chaffetz was quick to recognize the danger. On Jan. 26, the day after TMZ reported that the CDC was planning a Zika-education partnership with Sid, Chaffetz fired off a letter to acting CDC director Anne Schuchat, demanding a “written explanation” and “communications between CDC and the Jim Henson Company and also PBS.

via reddit /r/politics discussion
posted by sebastienbailard at 8:42 PM on February 13, 2017 [52 favorites]

Day 24. Clinton has probably met with a dozen world leaders by now, but none of those meetings have gotten much attention. The president always meets with the leader of Japan and Canada. None of that matters.

What the papers do notice are the meetings she's having with Putin, often with others at her side. What she's saying is still unclear, but the tensions are real, and there are wild rumors circulating. There's been a surprising amount of turnover within the (now decimated) Republican leadership, and some have speculated that some of the erstwhile leaders might have had Russian ties.

A ninth member of the Supreme Court has already been approved, and the Democratic team is completely in place. Senate leadership -- now under Democratic control -- has rapidly approved the first few bills. Construction on the oil pipeline has been halted indefinitely, possibly forever.

But all of that isn't worth paying attention to now. What your friends have noticed are the optics. There's a picture (one of several) on your Facebook feed of Clinton meeting with Angela Merkel, and a delightful comment that the leaders of the Free World are now female. Half their conversations probably don't pass the reverse Bechtel test.

You don't know this yet, but it's going to be an early spring. In a few weeks, the flowers will be starting to bloom on the White House lawn. Chelsea brings her children to play on the White House lawn, while Bill Clinton begins to prune the garden. The pictures will be sickeningly sweet.
posted by steady-state strawberry at 8:42 PM on February 13, 2017 [50 favorites]

Conway: General Flynn has the full alternative confidence of the president.
posted by FelliniBlank at 8:43 PM on February 13, 2017 [14 favorites]

If Flynn is a Russian asset-- is he at risk?

Here's hoping. I suspect he has a long career ahead of him working the college Nazi circuit/on CNN/mysteriously turning up in the White House.
posted by Artw at 8:43 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

While Trump scandals mount, Chaffetz decides to investigate... a cartoon character

Well, somebody has to get to the bottom of the tragic Slaughter at Fraggle Rock! Priorities.
posted by FelliniBlank at 8:45 PM on February 13, 2017 [21 favorites]

CNN host says "I have word they are watching CNN at the White House, right now, what do you say?" and I really wish these guests would just stare into the camera and start addressing the President
posted by theodolite at 8:45 PM on February 13, 2017 [12 favorites]

I suspect he has a long career ahead of him working the college Nazi circuit/on CNN/mysteriously turning up in the White House.

His resignation only confirms the need for congressional investigations.
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:45 PM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

Conway: General Flynn has the full alternative confidence of the president.

I honestly would not be surprised if she went on air tomorrow and claimed Flynn never resigned.
posted by jason_steakums at 8:46 PM on February 13, 2017 [14 favorites]

Father & Son Flynn will find nice cozy gigs on the nazi speech tour and/or breitbart/trump tv as correspondents from russia.
posted by futz at 8:46 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Well some Pence clone is plugging his favorite candidates
posted by theodolite at 8:46 PM on February 13, 2017

Priebus will probably move to clean house soon. Bannon, Flynn, Miller, Conway are all making it impossible for the Republicans in Congress to do anything at all other than hide from reporters.

Pretty much need to create a firewall around Pence at this point because otherwise the Evangelical voters will turn on them.

At this point you have to begin wondering when McConnell and Ryan begin trying to convince Pence to depose Trump by virtue of his clear incompetence.
posted by vuron at 8:47 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

So, just for the record, were there any elected Republicans who had the courage, or at best the foresight, to call for investigations on Flynn before all this went down?
posted by J.K. Seazer at 8:48 PM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

I honestly would not be surprised if she went on air tomorrow and claimed Flynn never resigned.

How can he resign when he never existed?
posted by ckape at 8:49 PM on February 13, 2017 [20 favorites]

LOL. No.

Republicans officially do not have balls.
posted by Artw at 8:49 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

Good news: Flynn is out on his ass.

Bad news: He was the only one who could find the fucking light switch.
posted by FelliniBlank at 8:51 PM on February 13, 2017 [13 favorites]

@Popehat
Sources say Flynn wanted to spend more time being embarrassed by his family.
posted by Coventry at 8:51 PM on February 13, 2017 [33 favorites]

Always go with the craziest.

Okay. Then it's going to be Flynn was a Clinton plant who was there to bring down Trump. The Russians and the Globalists are in on it because they are all working together. Good riddance to Flynn. He's a traitor and good on Trump for finding out sooner rather then later and foiling their evil plans. (I didn't make this up. )
posted by Jalliah at 8:52 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

What the fuck 2017 why am I in a world where the thought of living under Pence bringing Brownback's Kansas nationwide seems like a tantalizingly close best case scenario?
posted by jason_steakums at 8:52 PM on February 13, 2017 [27 favorites]

Bannon has to know he's got a limited and already closing window of time to get his agenda through, which is scary.

Yeah. And he'll know that the IC isn't fucking around.

were there any elected Republicans who had the courage, or at best the foresight, to call for investigations on Flynn before all this went down?

Mike Coffman from Colorado didn't call for investigations, but he went further than any of his colleagues in (conditionally) calling for Flynn to go.
posted by holgate at 8:53 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

CNN host says "I have word they are watching CNN at the White House, right now, what do you say?" and I really wish these guests would just stare into the camera and start addressing the President

I would pay money if one of them would just stick their tongue out at the camera, wiggle their fingers at the sides of their head and 'neener neener. '
posted by Jalliah at 8:54 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Calling for investigations now when you aren't certain of who will be impacted by the outcome would definitely be a dangerous move for Chaffetz.

It's not entirely clear that Trump enterprises doesn't run primarily on oligarch rubles and unless the Republicans are ready to go after Trump they'll probably avoid investigations.

Although it wouldn't take too many Republican defections in the Senate to force McConnell's hand.
posted by vuron at 8:55 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

What the fuck 2017 why am I in a world where the thought of living under Pence bringing Brownback's Kansas nationwide seems like a tantalizingly close best case scenario?

Because legislative losses can always be recovered. Not so much the loss of democracy.
posted by T.D. Strange at 8:55 PM on February 13, 2017 [22 favorites]

And this only gets us back to the conversations in late December, not whatever was going on with Russia during the actual fucking campaign.
posted by holgate at 8:56 PM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

John Marshall's first thoughts on Flynn's departure:

We can now also see the outlines of another part of the story. It appears that repeated efforts were made to apprise President Trump or those around him of the situation with Michael Flynn. When those warnings were ignored, people in the national security and law enforcement apparatus went instead to the press to get the word out that way. Only now can we see some of the hidden actions which reveal the pattern and provide context to the leaks.

This is not some ill-considered discussion by Michael Flynn. The role of Russia in the 2016 election and the President's relationship to Russia has been the un-ignorable question hanging over President Trump for months. Flynn's resignation does not come close to resolving it. It is highly likely that the Flynn/Russia channel was authorized by the President himself. There's much more to come.

posted by peeedro at 8:58 PM on February 13, 2017 [64 favorites]

I honestly would not be surprised if she went on air tomorrow and claimed Flynn never resigned.

How can he resign when he never existed?

General Flynn died defending the nation during the Bowling Green Massacre.
posted by dirigibleman at 9:00 PM on February 13, 2017 [59 favorites]

Michael Flynn was a Civil War general who died in 1895. He is an example of somebody who has done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more.
posted by theodolite at 9:01 PM on February 13, 2017 [28 favorites]

Pence is a theocrat and would be surrounded by other theocrats like Sessions and DeVos and their ilk but they are fighting a losing battle trying to stop modernity. Yes they will likely get a Scalia replacement which sucks but in general we can reverse their retrograde policies slowly but surely.

Trump actually seems to be functionally insane. Bannon seems to want to bring back the knights Templar to crusade against Islam. Between the two of them a war with Iran seems very likely. Flynn was the other part of the nuke the middle east contingent so the risk of a massive war in Central Asia seems reduced but only marginally.
posted by vuron at 9:04 PM on February 13, 2017 [12 favorites]

I wonder if that FISA warrant on Flynn is still in effect? Bet he's got some calls to make in the next few days.
posted by jason_steakums at 9:06 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

One month in we have a severe court rebuke and a high profile resignation with complications. I dare say I question the competency of this administration, haaarumph haarumpgh.
posted by vrakatar at 9:08 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

Mike. Fucking. Flynn.

Motherfucker's from my hometown, Middletown, and Spicy is from Barrington, not so far away. Rhode Island would apologize, even as we sent a Republican as a Democrat to debate for the Prez Noms last go round. NYC wealth has a long and complicated history with RI.

Except now we have Gina Raimundo. And she is about as bad-ass as they come. So many big-names setting up shop here, so many tiny startups given all they need to succeed. Oh, yeah, she also announced free tuition for all adults for two years at every RI college - URI, sure, also RIC and CCRI. She is, as I have explained before, a complete bad-ass, so Brown, PC, Salve Regina and Roger Williams College will be completely onboard. Paid for by Johnson & Johnson, GE, Royal Bank of Scotland I mean Citizens Bank, Electric Boat, BransonsNewVirginThing and GamblingTech I mean GTech luring in the best and the brightest.

Civilization comes with a price. Taxes are high here, sure. Your value is so much more out than in. She bargains hard, and everyone wins.

Serious. Raimundo 2020.
posted by Slap*Happy at 9:08 PM on February 13, 2017 [21 favorites]

Jill Stein is mum about her friend losing his job. Sad!
posted by dhens at 9:08 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

And still leaking:

Phil Rucker: I’m told Flynn resigned on his own. Trump did not fire him. Trump was going to give him more time before deciding, per senior WH official.

and how pathetic:

News: Trump’s plan was to “buy time,” but tonight Flynn was "looking around the room and asking, 'Where's my friend?’” WH official says.

I think Flynn just figured, if it's imminent to the boss, then let's make it immediate,” WH official tells me.
posted by Jalliah at 9:09 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

So, just for the record, were there any elected Republicans who had the courage, or at best the foresight, to call for investigations on Flynn before all this went down?

Recall that when Howard Baker asked his famous question in 1973 "What did the president know and when did he know it" he had Mitch McConnell's job as Republican Senate Majority Leader.

That Republican Party is long dead. Republicans are all weasels and grifters now.
posted by JackFlash at 9:09 PM on February 13, 2017 [62 favorites]

how many people are holding down trump and trying to flush his phone down the toilet right now
posted by murphy slaw at 9:11 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

Pence is a theocrat and would be surrounded by other theocrats like Sessions and DeVos and their ilk but they are fighting a losing battle trying to stop modernity. Yes they will likely get a Scalia replacement which sucks but in general we can reverse their retrograde policies slowly but surely.

And in the meantime things are going to suck for LGBT Americans and women as a Christianist administration makes a more overt attack on gay and transgender rights and reproductive freedom, with Pence certain to make Supreme Court picks who'll overturn Roe v Wade, Obergfell v Hodges, and probably Lawrence v Texas. The prospect of a President Pence is worse in many non-trivial ways for a lot of people.
posted by Pseudonymous Cognomen at 9:11 PM on February 13, 2017 [13 favorites]

Okay. Then it's going to be Flynn was a Clinton plant who was there to bring down Trump. The Russians and the Globalists are in on it because they are all working together. Good riddance to Flynn. He's a traitor and good on Trump for finding out sooner rather then later and foiling their evil plans. (I didn't make this up. )

In the bit of /r/The_Donald I poked into, members of the 'alternative facts' crowd were somehow blaming (acting AG) Yates for this, or suggesting the real crime was that the government was tapping Flynn's phone. And that now they need to show more loyalty to Trump, and against 'globalists'.

Or something.
posted by sebastienbailard at 9:12 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

News: Trump’s plan was to “buy time,” but tonight Flynn was "looking around the room and asking, 'Where's my friend?’” WH official says.

LOL!
posted by sallybrown at 9:14 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

I’m told Flynn resigned on his own. Trump did not fire him. Trump was going to give him more time before deciding, per senior WH official.

Trump’s Team of Weaklings:

Despite his brash public persona, and the catchphrase that defined his TV show The Apprentice, Trump is reportedly confrontation averse in private, so much so that he depends on underlings to actually fire people, or simply gives them the silent treatment and hopes they go away. “I have never heard him say the words ‘You’re fired’ to anyone,” Billy Procida, a former vice president for the Trump Organization, told Politico’s Michael Kruse. “He really doesn’t fire people. He makes it known he doesn’t want you there, and you move on.” (Contrast this with Obama, who announced he’d fired a four-star general on national television.)

posted by peeedro at 9:15 PM on February 13, 2017 [26 favorites]

President Pence is coming up against the most angry left in 50 years, with blood on his party's hands the likes of which they will never wash clean. They will not have an easy time implementing their agenda. It'll be a hard fight, but their (I'm sorry for this) trump card will be their undoing.
posted by saysthis at 9:15 PM on February 13, 2017 [22 favorites]

And in the meantime things are going to suck for LGBT Americans and women as a Christianist administration makes a more overt attack on gay and transgender rights and reproductive freedom, with Pence certain to make Supreme Court picks who'll overturn Roe v Wade, Obergfell v Hodges, and probably Bowers v Hardwick. The prospect of a President Pence is worse in many non-trivial ways for a lot of people.

That's going to happen anyway, but if it happens without Trump's cargo cult happy horseshit fountain about jobs and trade in front of it, it'll be that much easier to resist and eventually defeat.

(On preview, what saysthis says)
posted by Captain l'escalier at 9:17 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

The thing that scares me about Trump's house of cards falling down is that it's entirely plausible that he'd ask for and heed Putin's advice on how to deal with it.
posted by jason_steakums at 9:18 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

It's still a record even though Flynn didn't go through the Senate. The previous record for shortest tenure in his position was 348 days.
posted by Justinian at 9:19 PM on February 13, 2017 [15 favorites]

One of the lines that got the most cheering at the women's match in Indianapolis was "Pence is worse". I dunno- nuclear Armageddon does seem less likely with Pence. But I don't know that resisting his regressive policies towards women, gay people, and trans people will be easy; I am afraid the new energized left might be tempted to claim victory and relax if Trump does get ousted.
posted by nat at 9:19 PM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

The Republicans are going to try to force an awful SCOTUS selection no matter what. Trump/Pence doesn't really matter one way or another because Gorsuch and his ilk are going to be awful when it comes to LGBT and Women's Rights.

Yes Pence is a menace to just about every value that liberals find important but Trump/Bannon are actively corroding the fabric of our Democracy and need to be stopped. Hopefully if civic-mindedness doesn't get the the Republicans to quit cheerleading Trump then the fact that they are inextricably tied to him from an electoral standpoint will lead to their self-interest taking over.
posted by vuron at 9:20 PM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

The real reason is that Flynn was embarrassed about not remembering whether a weak dollar or a strong dollar was the good one
posted by theodolite at 9:25 PM on February 13, 2017 [10 favorites]

I am afraid the new energized left might be tempted to claim victory and relax if Trump does get ousted.

Yeah, I'm really worried about this too, we've seen too many progressive movements peter out... What I'm really hoping for is that the newly energized left realizes "look at what we accomplished when we've barely broken a sweat yet" and rolls up their sleeves newly empowered.
posted by jason_steakums at 9:25 PM on February 13, 2017 [21 favorites]

Not to turn this into a back and forth, but I think having a figurehead who is so disgracefully incompetent, petty, corrupt, openly bigoted, etc. helps more with organizing resistance than facing off against blandly competent career Republicans who are more ideologically committed to evil. See the bottoming out of support in the wake of Obergfell v. Hodges. President Trump is obviously an inter/national crisis we have to resist, but what worries me about the President Pence talk is the possibility that support would dry up again once the most prominent hydra head is cut off.
posted by byanyothername at 9:28 PM on February 13, 2017 [16 favorites]

Rep. Nunes, who's the House Intelligence Committee chair and supposedly investigating Russian meddling, spent the day praising and defending Flynn (just scroll up in the linked thread) and decided to put out a statement lauding him even after he resigned. It's insane.
posted by zachlipton at 9:38 PM on February 13, 2017 [16 favorites]

I expect Michael Flynn to go the way of Cory Lewandowski--oozing around the periphery and communicating with the PVL's ancient hacked Android phone. These men are a gross security nightmare.
posted by Excommunicated Cardinal at 9:39 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

Trump isn't going anywhere.

He very well may. I think the odds are better than even that he won't be President for a full term. How much better than even I think it's too soon to assess.
posted by tclark at 9:40 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

I feel like saying "we want to keep Trump/Bannon around because it energizes the resistance" ignores the fact that the resistance isn't just a bunch of lazy liberals who have finally decided to get off Facebook and onto the streets - it's a lot of immigrants, people of color, etc. who are fighting at 110% because they're scared for their lives. Yes, the Trump energy powers this resistance, but it's because fear is a huge, exhausting, draining motivator. Honestly, this level of sustained engagement is a burden for everyone to carry, and if it's hard for me to manage my work, school, and mental health while just being moderately engaged, I can't imagine the toll it's taking on full time organizers and other people on the front lines.

As a white queer-ish lady whose primary social voting issues prior to this election were abortion rights and gay rights, yeah, I can see where the risk of having everyone exhale if Pence came into office might be worrisome - but since part of that exhale might be the tiniest bit of relief on the part of people of color who have to listen to the insane racialized hatred that comes pouring out of the Bannon/Miller/fascist wing of this party every hour of every day, is it really any kindness to our allies to claim we want to keep Trump around because he keeps us "motivated"? I mean, come on.
posted by pretentious illiterate at 9:40 PM on February 13, 2017 [114 favorites]

Worrying about liberal complacency during the Pence Administration is putting the cart several miles in front of the horse.
posted by tau_ceti at 9:41 PM on February 13, 2017 [78 favorites]

President Pence is coming up against the most angry left in 50 years, with blood on his party's hands the likes of which they will never wash clean.

I know there's been a certain amount of intersectional "where were you?" about the most recent wave of protests, but once it becomes a habit, especially built upon the broad allyship promoted by Rev. Barber in NC, then it becomes a force.

Pence and Ryan and McConnell and Chaffetz have to know that there's a point at which the White House occupant no longer facilitates their policy agenda, but instead leaves them with an opposition with momentum, one that scares the shit out of them and has lots of people lining up to run against them.

The visit to the Harley plant was cancelled. The visit to the coal-polluters in Ohio was cancelled. Next weekend it's back to the safe confines of Mar-a-Lago. The magahats got to cheer on some ICE raids but they didn't get their Muslim ban, for now, and they don't get their hero showing up in town, for now, and they're going to get impatient quickly if that's the pattern.
posted by holgate at 9:43 PM on February 13, 2017 [28 favorites]

Philippe's got his own way of saying things, but he has a point about the real consequences of fake news...
posted by guiseroom at 9:46 PM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

Pence is also a cardboard Christian Dominionist with his own incompetent and mean streaks that managed to nearly get himself run out of Indiana on a rail. He's not winning reelection with his own toxic personality, anti-mandate as the luckiest POTUS in history, what will be a horror show of a record, and the stain of Trump sticking to him for 3.5 years or however long. Pence represents the normal Republican horrors which can be rolled back and overcome within normal bounds of functioning democracy. And he'd at least be forced to walk back from the white nationalist, we're getting close to legitimate ethnic cleansing shit, maybe with a whole new cabinet including Sessions. At this point we'd take it and worry about the knock on effects later.
posted by T.D. Strange at 9:49 PM on February 13, 2017 [27 favorites]

Worrying about liberal complacency during the Pence Administration is putting the cart several miles in front of the horse, guys.

Well, I hear that objection often from people when the idea of impeachment is brought up as something for the left to rally around. And since we could be screaming "Impeach!" from the rooftops every damn day, in a unified voice, but are not quite there yet, I think it's worth addressing now.

I think that a lot of people have a vision of us calling for impeachment, us getting it, and then everybody sitting around and sipping cocktails, thinking that our work is done. And that maybe they think it implies a misplaced faith in leaders to help us, when everyone knows they won't?

But for my part, I have no illusions that a Republican congress will impeach Trump, but their refusal to do so in the face of overwhelming evidence is incontrovertible proof that they failed in their obligation to uphold the rule of law, and that should be a rallying around in the 2018 elections - every single Republican who didn't vote to impeach should face either an independent or Democratic challenger who will do just that. But "Pence would be worse" muddles that rallying cry - it keeps us from full-throatedly calling the Republicans' bluff.
posted by pretentious illiterate at 9:50 PM on February 13, 2017 [20 favorites]

SCROTUS (so-called ruler of the United States)
posted by kirkaracha at 9:53 PM on February 13, 2017 [37 favorites]

Trump and Co. will not quietly or respectfully hand the reins to Pence and the Republican Party. If/when they decide to oust him they'll be kicking the hornets nest that got him elected.
posted by AtoBtoA at 10:01 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

Well, that was disappointing.

A couple of days ago I was inspired by some obnoxious BernieBro twitter exchanges to write to the national DSA. I told them I had been following them for a decade, but had only been hesitant about becoming fully involved because of some divisive rhetoric from Bernie Sanders supporters and their ilk, and although I had voted for him and supported him, was now disappointed in some of the attitudes and now only wanted to commit myself to inclusive organizations and a broad coalition.

Their response was to ask if I wanted to be removed from the mailing list. It was not a form letter.
posted by bongo_x at 10:05 PM on February 13, 2017 [5 favorites]

I suspect that if Trump leaves office before his term is up, it will be via Article IV of the 25th Amendment, or perhaps through resignation, with a successful impeachment coming last.
posted by dhens at 10:07 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

It's pretty that Flynn was compromised, and that other members of Trump's entourage are too. But look at the rest of the Republican leadership: it was amazing how quickly some of them reversed course to join the Trump train. If that was because they're compromised too, they're going to fight tooth and nail to stop that being exposed. If Trump won't go quietly then they're screwed.
posted by Joe in Australia at 10:10 PM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

The visit to the Harley plant was cancelled. The visit to the coal-polluters in Ohio was cancelled. Next weekend it's back to the safe confines of Mar-a-Lago.

Interesting to see how the protests may keep Trump away from rallies and bully pulpits for the duration. At this point, I can think of very few places in the country where he could go and not be swamped by protesters. This would extend internationally too. Not many western nations where he could appear in public without the embarrassment of 10,000 or 100,000 yelling "Go home!"

Potentially the most isolated president ever. Trying to think of comparisons: LBJ in his last year or two? Nixon from 1973? Bush from 2005 and later? But none so isolated right out of the gate.
posted by honestcoyote at 10:10 PM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

Philippe's got his own way of saying things, but he has a point about the real consequences of fake news...

I saw "Philippe" and a link to an HRC tweet and I got unreasonably excited thinking she was tweeting Achewood strips. Her take on the Achewood tradition of Fuck You Friday is something I need in my life right now.
posted by jason_steakums at 10:10 PM on February 13, 2017 [21 favorites]

> But none so isolated right out of the gate.

Sorta-relatedly, there's a comic stripe in the style of the Mr. Men comics called Mr. President which I haven't seen linked yet.
posted by fragmede at 10:15 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

I'm officially counting the minutes until the next ♫ Spicey Show ♫.
posted by FelliniBlank at 10:15 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

impeach the fuck out of 'em philippe
posted by beefetish at 10:15 PM on February 13, 2017 [11 favorites]

If Trump won't go quietly then they're screwed.

We can only hope. If he goes down he takes them all with him.

YOU get kompromat! YOU get kompromat! EVERY-BODY gets KOMPROMAT!
posted by T.D. Strange at 10:26 PM on February 13, 2017 [12 favorites]

Good grief. CNN website has a Breaking banner saying that, according to a senior White House official, the short list of Flynn's replacements includes David Petraeus.

Yes, the same David Petraeus that, only four years ago, had to resign his post as CIA Director for having an extramarital affair with his biographer, and who was found guilty of mishandling tons of classified information with his mistress, and fined $100k for it.

They're shortlisting that guy...for the new NSA chief...to replace a guy that just resigned for collusion with the Russians.

What. The. Fuck.
posted by darkstar at 10:28 PM on February 13, 2017 [39 favorites]

William Henry Harrison was still alive at this point in his administration.
posted by T.D. Strange at 10:33 PM on February 13, 2017 [49 favorites]

Yep, that's the New Republicans for ya. Neither ethics or competence are required.
posted by happyroach at 10:34 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Trump’s Top Military Adviser Is Lobbying For Obscure Company With Ties To Turkish Government (November 11, 2016)

An intelligence consulting firm founded by retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn, Donald Trump’s top military adviser, was recently hired as a lobbyist by an obscure Dutch company with ties to Turkey’s government and its president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The revelation of that new lobbying contract, which has not been previously reported, raises several questions given that Trump is said to be considering Flynn, the former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), to take over as either Secretary of Defense or National Security Advisor.

It also raises questions about disclosure.

Flynn wrote an op-ed for The Hill on Tuesday, just before Trump’s stunning upset of Hillary Clinton, in which he heaped praised on Erdogan and called on the next president, whoever that would be, to accede his request to extradite the U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gülen back to Turkey.

...

posted by sebastienbailard at 10:34 PM on February 13, 2017 [7 favorites]

Good grief. CNN website has a Breaking banner saying that, according to a senior White House official, the short list of Flynn's replacements includes David Petraeus.

Never fear: there are several other totally trustworthy front-runners for Nat Sec Advisor.
posted by FelliniBlank at 10:34 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

Petraeus still has two months left on parole. He would have to check with his parole officer to see if he could take the job.
posted by murphy slaw at 10:35 PM on February 13, 2017 [54 favorites]

Yes, the same David Petraeus

Yes it is beyond insane as discussed above. It would be hilarious in any other context and immediately dismissed by all authors and script writers as so absurd to not even be entertained. Headdesk bonk bonk bonk.
posted by futz at 10:36 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

Petraeus still has two months left on parole. He would have to check with his parole officer to see if he could take the job.

Not only that, his computers and office will be subject to warrantless searches by his probation officer. That makes it pretty complicated, doesn't it?
posted by peeedro at 10:37 PM on February 13, 2017 [27 favorites]

Trump's chutzpah level is over 9000!
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 10:39 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

Huffpro's Trump-reporter:

@christinawilkie
People are cheering right now at both the Pentagon and the CIA, I’m told.

posted by sebastienbailard at 10:40 PM on February 13, 2017 [42 favorites]

Petraeus still has two months left on parole. He would have to check with his parole officer to see if he could take the job.

I really don't know whether to laugh or cry that the most powerful nation on earth is being run by a bunch of clusterfscks as if it were a three-house speedtrap village out on the highway.
posted by Joe in Australia at 10:40 PM on February 13, 2017 [27 favorites]

What happens when it reaches 9999? The programmers never imagined the chutzpah meter would ever need more than four digits. Does it just start over at 0001 or is there some sort of Y2K-esque meltdown?
posted by darkstar at 10:42 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

No, wait, it's all good! Trump can pardon Petraeus so he doesn't need to take the pee tests.
posted by Joe in Australia at 10:42 PM on February 13, 2017 [8 favorites]

I am afraid the new energized left might be tempted to claim victory and relax if Trump does get ousted.
Yeah, I'm really worried about this too, we've seen too many progressive movements peter out

Given the length of the existence of this site and the topics covered there are things like electronic voting machines, drones as weapon platforms and gitmo. All of these had FAR more bytes about 'em when tied to Bush and far fewer bytes dedicated to 'em once the R at the top became a D with posters claiming Gitmo's visible lack of progress being some kind of secret plan to win the war in vietnam, no wait 11th dimensional chess.

Want a less Blue-centeric example? Occupy Wall Street. Once the park was emptied and that focal point was removed, so was 'the movement'. Of the various "demands" and things people wanted changed in the "Wall Street system" - how many were to justify the lack of continued protests and organizing?

Once the short term 'oust Trump' goal is hit there WILL be plenty of people who'll walk away without the focal point of Mr. Trump.
posted by rough ashlar at 10:47 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

Next weekend it's back to the safe confines of Mar-a-Lago.

Two things that have zipped through my brain recently.

I really wish that the media hadn't bought into the stupid fucking winter white house crap. Call it the so-called winter WH at least.

And my next thought is that Mar-a-Lago will be his summer WH as well. Gotta keep the dollar bills rolling in plus show off his (perceived) penis extending gold golf club.

FORE! AGAINST!
posted by futz at 10:48 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

What a first presidential pardon it would be: someone who took a plea deal on mishandling classified info while handling his mistress.
posted by holgate at 10:48 PM on February 13, 2017 [2 favorites]

maybe they want petraeus because they're looking for an appointee who already has experience resigning in disgrace
posted by murphy slaw at 10:48 PM on February 13, 2017 [43 favorites]

and the daily news knocks it out of the park with tomorrow's headline:

RUSSIAN FOR THE EXIT
posted by murphy slaw at 10:52 PM on February 13, 2017 [34 favorites]

Brian Williams: "National security advisors have an average tenure of 963 days in office. Flynn's was 24."
posted by FelliniBlank at 10:56 PM on February 13, 2017 [20 favorites]

What happens when it reaches 9999? The programmers never imagined the chutzpah meter would ever need more than four digits. Does it just start over at 0001 or is there some sort of Y2K-esque meltdown?

The meter immediately grows a large, Tom Selleck moustache, and declares its own candidacy, effective now.
posted by Archelaus at 11:01 PM on February 13, 2017 [4 favorites]

And my next thought is that Mar-a-Lago will be his summer WH as well. Gotta keep the dollar bills rolling in plus show off his (perceived) penis extending gold golf club.

Nah, he'll go to Westchester or maybe the Kluge winery if he's still in office by the summer.
posted by holgate at 11:01 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Potentially the most isolated president ever. Trying to think of comparisons: LBJ in his last year or two? Nixon from 1973?

Nixon was far more isolated by late 1971, when he discovered that the Joint Chiefs of Staff had been spying on him. That sent him into a spiral of paranoia which kept him from any meaningful feedback from his subordinates.
posted by Coventry at 11:09 PM on February 13, 2017 [6 favorites]

I've had the flu for a few days and have been largely off my feet. Every time I try to take a few days off from this shit it gets geometrically weirder.
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 11:11 PM on February 13, 2017 [9 favorites]

Wow, there's not enough popcorn at this meeting to deal with "Russian for the exit".

So who's next? Who has money on Scary Spice?
posted by RedOrGreen at 11:13 PM on February 13, 2017

Watching Miller's performance and reading the profile of him in the NYT, I was struck by the similarities he seems to have with Dan Hannan, one of the chief architects of Brexit. I'd heard of Hannan before the campaign but I don't think I'd ever seen him. He popped up on the TV occasionally during the campaign and had the same unnerving intensity as Miller. Both of them flagged up in newspaper profiles as 'true believers', of course.

There was a long profile of Hannan several months after the Brexit vote which is well worth a read. He's older than Miller but, like Miller, has spent his entire adult life working to break something he took a dislike to in his adolescence.

These are certainly the people to be really worried about, the Very Bad Ideas people who usually stay at least half hidden behind the curtain.
posted by o seasons o castles at 11:18 PM on February 13, 2017 [3 favorites]

@seanhannity
Question of the Day: What do you think of President Trump's stance on extreme vetting? #Hannity

Ben Wizner ‏@benwizner
I think he's not very good at vetting. #Flynn

posted by Coventry at 11:19 PM on February 13, 2017 [63 favorites]

Yes, the same David Petraeus that, only four years ago

It's even worse. Petraeus not only mishandled classified information by passing it off to his mistress/biographer; he lied to the FBI about it. Which sounds an awful lot like Flynn allegedly lying to Pence about his calls with the Russians. If they pick Petraeus, they would literally be 0/2 on national security advisors who don't get caught lying to the authorities about national security.
posted by zachlipton at 11:21 PM on February 13, 2017 [25 favorites]

Does anyone else remember that secret email server between Trump, Russia and DeVos? I personally can't wait to read all of those emails. Come on spies! Complete the greatest novel ever!
posted by Mister Fabulous at 11:41 PM on February 13, 2017 [14 favorites]

> I'm personally going to hold out for inpeachment.
Too dry.
posted by christopherious at 11:59 PM on February 13, 2017 [1 favorite]

Flynn is tweeting about being a sole scapegoat for this situation.

We all know Trump is in this up to his beady little eyeballs.
posted by Justinian at 12:10 AM on February 14, 2017 [4 favorites]

Ohhh, that may be a fake account, his real account was suspended. It's so hard to keep track of the real accounts and fake parody accounts.
posted by Justinian at 12:11 AM on February 14, 2017 [3 favorites]

Ladypockets is back with Valentine's Day cards for your senators.
posted by Room 641-A at 1:28 AM on February 14, 2017 [2 favorites]

Some mental health professionals are worried enough to chuck the "Goldwater Rule" out the window.
posted by murphy slaw at 1:56 AM on February 14, 2017 [8 favorites]

Report: Kremlin denies Flynn and ambassador discussed lifting sanctions

First Pence and now the Kremlin. How can the good guys be deceived so easily?
posted by Joe in Australia at 2:13 AM on February 14, 2017 [2 favorites]

It's their trusting nature.
posted by ian1977 at 2:15 AM on February 14, 2017 [2 favorites]

As an outside observer I find it curious in that not at all kind of way that the FBI could comment on private email servers and the like during the election but not Flynnghazi, about whom they most certainly had the goods.
posted by vbfg at 2:58 AM on February 14, 2017 [16 favorites]

Russian lawmakers mount fierce defense of Flynn: ""Either Trump hasn't found the necessary independence and he's been driven into a corner... or Russophobia has permeated the new administration from top to bottom."

:O
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 3:24 AM on February 14, 2017 [6 favorites]

This morning's Fox & Friends is struggling to find a way to spin Flynn's resignation.
posted by Mister Bijou at 4:14 AM on February 14, 2017 [1 favorite]

So this is when office-holding NeverTrumpers spring into action and demand a full investigation, right? This is the moment they've been waiting for?

lol
posted by uncleozzy at 4:23 AM on February 14, 2017 [25 favorites]

Putin's got his hand up Tillerson's ass, too--up to the elbow, if not the shoulder. So what is the best thing to do now to turn up the heat and make it worse for these bastards?
posted by Sing Or Swim at 4:37 AM on February 14, 2017

so i'm not sure if this is yet another incursion from an alternate reality but Matt Lauer(!) just handed Kellyanne Conway her own ass on the Today Show?
posted by murphy slaw at 4:39 AM on February 14, 2017 [41 favorites]

As dis-integration and others have pointed out, the only real question is:

“What did the president know and when did he know it?” - Howard H. Baker Jr. (R) (1925 – 2014)
posted by mikelieman at 4:42 AM on February 14, 2017 [9 favorites]

They really wouldn't nominate Petraeus while he's still on parole? Nah, they totally would.
posted by octothorpe at 4:45 AM on February 14, 2017 [2 favorites]

Kellyanne looks like she could use a nap.
posted by chaoticgood at 4:53 AM on February 14, 2017 [3 favorites]

The message from the White House is clear: do the right thing (yates) and you will be fired. Do the wrong thing (flynn) and you can resign with full support. There might even be cake in the break room.
posted by valkane at 4:54 AM on February 14, 2017 [37 favorites]

They really wouldn't nominate Petraeus while he's still on parole?

Could Trump pardon him, and then nominate him?
posted by drezdn at 4:55 AM on February 14, 2017 [1 favorite]

You gotta know you're fucked when Matt Freaking Lauer is going for blood.
posted by mikelieman at 4:56 AM on February 14, 2017 [37 favorites]

One possibly good result of the Flynn resignation... A war with Iran is slightly less likely.
posted by drezdn at 4:57 AM on February 14, 2017 [4 favorites]

OOPS! There goes me crediting people with self-awareness despite prior evidence to the contrary! Nevermind.
posted by mikelieman at 4:57 AM on February 14, 2017

Could Trump pardon him, and then nominate him?

As recently pardoned but previously convicted criminal, NSA-nominee Petraeus? That's another look, I suppose.
posted by jaduncan at 4:58 AM on February 14, 2017 [2 favorites]

Even on /r/the_donald I'm seeing a surprising number of people openly saying "oh god please not Petraeus" so that might be a big ol' popularity booboo if he does get chosen.
posted by Rust Moranis at 5:00 AM on February 14, 2017 [3 favorites]

Even on /r/the_donald I'm seeing a surprising number of people openly saying "oh god please not Petraeus" so that might be a big ol' popularity booboo if he does get chosen.

Certainly it's going to be some Russian sleeper-agent who is spotless and has been waiting to be activated since the Reagan administration.
posted by mikelieman at 5:05 AM on February 14, 2017 [8 favorites]

Certainly it's going to be some Russian sleeper-agent who is spotless and has been waiting to be activated since the Reagan administration.

Elizabeth Jennings patiently waits for the call.
posted by drezdn at 5:07 AM on February 14, 2017 [10 favorites]

"I can't reveal what the White House knew or didn't know and who in the White House knew or didn't know." - Kellyanne, later on in the same interview. Does anyone have video of this? That's actually astonishing.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 5:08 AM on February 14, 2017 [26 favorites]

Kellyanne looks like she could use a nap

The undead need no sleep.
posted by Dashy at 5:12 AM on February 14, 2017 [18 favorites]

Here's Morning Joe, going after Kellyanne. (video)
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 5:14 AM on February 14, 2017 [2 favorites]

@seanhannity
Question of the Day: What do you think of President Trump's stance on extreme vetting? #Hannity
Ben Wizner ‏@benwizner
I think he's not very good at vetting. #Flynn

I think we should temporarily ban all Trump's appointments for the next two years until we can get a handle on what is really going on and set up some extreme vetting.
posted by srboisvert at 5:17 AM on February 14, 2017 [85 favorites]

Good God, Conway looks exhausted; she must have been up all night trying to figure out how to spin this dirty diaper into an easily swallowed pill. 3 weeks, Kellyann, 3 weeks! Run for your life, girl!
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 5:17 AM on February 14, 2017 [3 favorites]

And in the meantime things are going to suck for LGBT Americans and women as a Christianist administration makes a more overt attack on gay and transgender rights and reproductive freedom, with Pence certain to make Supreme Court picks who'll overturn Roe v Wade, Obergfell v Hodges, and probably Lawrence v Texas. The prospect of a President Pence is worse in many non-trivial ways for a lot of people.

But - speaking as an LGBT AFAB person - if Trump is impeached, Pence will be weakened. Pence came on board as VP; there's no way to hide that, no matter how much "firewall" you put up. And the people who are in a ferment over Trump are not entirely going to go back to sleep if Pence is in - opposition will diminish because things will be less fucking bananas, but a lot of the organizing that I am seeing is by women and GLBTQ people, and it foregrounds feminist concerns. Those people aren't just going to roll over for Pence. What's more, well, my family is from Indiana and Pence is an idiot mediocrity. IMO that's part of why Trump chose him - not enough charisma or connections to overshadow Trump. Pence accomplished very little in Indiana, much of which is being undone now, and much of which solidified big IN corporations' commitment to being anti-anti-gay legislation. (Cummins Engineering, which is huge nationally and monumental in Indiana, just about shit a brick over Pence - you can't recruit top talent to come to fucking Indiana when your governor is some kind of Gilead LARPer.)

Pence is terrible, but he has a lot of drawbacks and will have more if Trump is impeached. I'm still hoping all this Russian stuff will come out in such a way that even the Republicans will have to tell him to go. (I didn't really believe it at first - I thought the Russia stuff was just standard international rich people corruption - but it sure seems like there's real collusion, bribery and spying in play now.)

The impeachment itself will change things. It's not as though Pence will get a fresh start and the Republicans will get a clean slate. That's one reason they're so anxious to cling to Trump. Let's hope the Russia business sinks him and he takes the rest of them down to the bottom with him.
posted by Frowner at 5:21 AM on February 14, 2017 [69 favorites]

Morning Joe gonna Morning Joe. Checking those Nielsons. Pretending to be outraged for the cash money. Howard Bealing it up, one million at a time.

I wonder if someone took Joe into a dark room and told him how it really worked with the petrodollar and the General Electrics and he was all "hells ya bringing in the bacon !"
posted by Yowser at 5:25 AM on February 14, 2017 [5 favorites]

Conway made millions of dollars in the run up to the election, is married to one of the people who drove the Clintons near bankruptcy in the late 90s, and will be on the high-end wingnut speaking circuit for life. Shed no tears.
posted by Yowser at 5:34 AM on February 14, 2017 [56 favorites]

Good God, Conway looks exhausted; she must have been up all night trying to figure out how to spin this dirty diaper into an easily swallowed pill. 3 weeks, Kellyann, 3 weeks! Run for your life, girl!

She's been at this for over twenty years. This is a world of her own making. Let it be the hell that consumes her, an eternity of defending the indefensible.

(On preview, jinx Yowser.)
posted by hangashore at 5:36 AM on February 14, 2017 [30 favorites]

Oh yes, and Conway was directly involved in trying to destroy the Clintons in the 90s, as part of the small vast wing conspiracy. Received wisdom from Keith Olbermann who supposedly dated Laura Ingraham so insert salt as needed.
posted by Yowser at 5:36 AM on February 14, 2017

Well things have gone to hell and a hand basket over the past 24 hours. I can't even keep straight everything atm.
posted by INFJ at 5:39 AM on February 14, 2017 [1 favorite]

Flynn didn't lie, he 'inadvertently briefed'

Well we've all been there, right? Eyes get all big, and you panic-whisper "go! buy! underwear!"
posted by petebest at 5:49 AM on February 14, 2017 [6 favorites]

Well things have gone to hell and a hand basket over the past 24 hours. I can't even keep straight everything atm.

Check out the pre-cap
posted by jason_steakums at 5:51 AM on February 14, 2017

It must be really extra bad at the WH this am. Donald hasn't tweeted since last night.
posted by Jalliah at 5:54 AM on February 14, 2017 [4 favorites]

christ, if you had any lingering doubts that wikileaks is in putin's pocket…
posted by murphy slaw at 5:55 AM on February 14, 2017 [25 favorites]

News is saying the Robert Harward is now the front runner to replace Flynn.
posted by Jalliah at 5:57 AM on February 14, 2017

News is saying the Robert Harward is now the front runner to replace Flynn.

And what's terrible about him?
posted by drezdn at 5:59 AM on February 14, 2017 [9 favorites]

According to Robert Harward's wikipedia entry, he has no eyebrows. At least according to the photo. He's also a former SEAL that somewhat resembles a current seal.
posted by Rust Moranis at 6:01 AM on February 14, 2017 [30 favorites]

I wouldn't get too worked up about Petraeus getting picked for National Security Advisor. I think it's a given that Trump's going to pick a general, and "Petraeus" just isn't very Irish-sounding.
posted by indubitable at 6:02 AM on February 14, 2017

And what's terrible about him?

No idea. He's apparently a strong Mattis ally so maybe just terrible within normal parameters.
posted by Jalliah at 6:02 AM on February 14, 2017 [3 favorites]

His nickname is "Bob" so Twin Peaks fans can get worried.
posted by valkane at 6:05 AM on February 14, 2017 [10 favorites]

I'm at a work conference right now. Veiled snarky references to the president/administration from presenters during sessions yesterday: 6

Percent of breakfast this morning spent sharing our various escape plans/citizenship/distance from where we all live to Canada and facepalming over Flynn: at least 70.
posted by soren_lorensen at 6:09 AM on February 14, 2017 [6 favorites]

And then you'll read about Bill C-23
posted by Yowser at 6:10 AM on February 14, 2017 [1 favorite]

Maybe not as horrible people are going to be able to use this opening(cause Trump is weak right now) to get someone else in the upper echelons of Trump world that isn't a nutbar, 100% I love you Trump and completely horrible to their core. That would be cool. An actual adult would be awesome.
posted by Jalliah at 6:11 AM on February 14, 2017

One possibly good result of the Flynn resignation... A war with Iran is slightly less likely.

I honestly think the so-called "reasonable" Mattis is the one to worry about. In fact, if it wasn't for a leak at the Pentagon, Mattis would have knowingly and cheerfully violated international laws and risked a shooting war with Iran last week.
posted by zombieflanders at 6:12 AM on February 14, 2017 [21 favorites]

Yeah, I just found out about Bill C-23 on Sunday and I am very unhappy about it. It's not getting much press so that compounds the worry.
posted by Kitteh at 6:13 AM on February 14, 2017 [1 favorite]

Harward grew up in Iran and wrote this piece about girl education in the HuffPo.
posted by elgilito at 6:15 AM on February 14, 2017 [11 favorites]

Good God, Conway looks exhausted; she must have been up all night trying to figure out how to spin this dirty diaper into an easily swallowed pill. 3 weeks, Kellyann, 3 weeks! Run for your life, girl!

"She needs to consume 5 human livers and then hibernate for 30 years."
- a redditor
posted by sebastienbailard at 6:16 AM on February 14, 2017 [9 favorites]

@imillhiser: We should let the next president decide who the National Security Adviser will be.
posted by drezdn at 6:17 AM on February 14, 2017 [19 favorites]

@imillhiser: We should let the next president decide who the National Security Adviser will be.

The now-classic line is definitely: "We shouldn't allow President Trump to decide who the new NSA should be in his final year in office"
posted by dis_integration at 6:20 AM on February 14, 2017 [15 favorites]

Apropos of nothing in particular, I just wanted to mention that I typically run about 2-4 weeks behind in my podcast listening. Every once in a while I'll have some lengthy travel and I'll get caught up all at once, but it's been a while since I've done that and I'm just now listening to podcasts recorded about 4 weeks ago. Which was still before the inauguration.

I'm listening to jokes regarding salacious rumors about Trump watching women micturating in a Russian hotel room. Ah, those were simpler, more innocent times.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 6:21 AM on February 14, 2017 [5 favorites]

That Wikileaks tweet, which refers to the whole ant-Trump, anti-Flynn business as a "destabilization campaign", is really pretty bad. I am so tired of moralized side-picking, as if somehow everyone's objections to Trump et al are an endorsement of a neoliberal agenda. If you don't like agent of chaos Bannon, you must be stanning for "free" trade, etc - that's the mindset.

When I was a mere slip of a child, it seemed so obvious that "neither Washington nor Moscow" was the political position to take, and I was baffled by why the left in the Cold War seemed so eager to attach itself to one or the other. I am even more baffled now that no one seems to have learned.
posted by Frowner at 6:24 AM on February 14, 2017 [31 favorites]

Harward was born into a Navy family in Newport, Rhode Island. Harward graduated from Tehran American School in 1974. After graduation from the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport he was awarded a fleet appointment to the United States Naval Academy and graduated in 1979. Harward is also a graduate of the College of Naval Command and Staff, the Naval Staff College and the Armed Forces Staff College. He holds a master's degree in International Relations and Strategic Security Affairs, served as a federal executive fellow at RAND and is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Foreign Policy program.[2]

See also: SEAL, Desert Thunder, BushII NSC, Iraq, Afghanistan, Counterterrorism ops.
posted by petebest at 6:27 AM on February 14, 2017

People still pay attention to Wikileaks? Why not subscribing direct to Russia Times?
posted by Artw at 6:28 AM on February 14, 2017 [10 favorites]

Would Harward be the first person put forward by the administration who doesn't have a 'Controversies' section on their Wikipedia entry?
posted by sporkwort at 6:29 AM on February 14, 2017 [20 favorites]

The chair of the House Intelligence Committee Devin Nunes was endorsing Flynn 5 hours before he resigned. Was that reflexive support of a Trump-man? Or did the House intel committee know about Flynn's calls and cover up, and Nunes lied too? Seems germane to ask Nunes what he knew, and when. If a real investigation ever gets going, there's no telling how many GOP congressmen knew about Trump's Russia problem and are covering it up for tax cuts.

Maybe all of them.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:30 AM on February 14, 2017 [19 favorites]

He got his phone back.

@realDonaldTrump
The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington? Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N.Korea etc?
posted by Rust Moranis at 6:32 AM on February 14, 2017 [11 favorites]

Harward does not seem nearly awful enough to be a Trump nominee. There's some kind of trick (though perhaps like Mattis he just believes in his country strongly enough that he's willing to risk his stature to fill a spot with someone not-horrible.)
posted by R343L at 6:32 AM on February 14, 2017 [4 favorites]

Harward sounds ... qualified?

What's wrong with him? Does he want to eliminate the state of Virginia? Believe that trees are made from the tears of God? An actual lizard person?
posted by Tevin at 6:32 AM on February 14, 2017 [40 favorites]

The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington? Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N.Korea etc?


i dunno, don. maybe you should ask your dinner guests.
posted by murphy slaw at 6:33 AM on February 14, 2017 [77 favorites]

@realDonaldTrump
The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington? Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N.Korea etc?

It's not illegal when you're conducting national security in broad view and on Twitter.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:34 AM on February 14, 2017 [36 favorites]

@realDonaldTrump
The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington? Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N.Korea etc?

Seems like you've already got that covered.

on preview- coke to T.D. Strange
posted by martin q blank at 6:35 AM on February 14, 2017 [5 favorites]

via @yashar: Flynn on HRC. Might be fun to dwell on 1:46 in the clip.
posted by klarck at 6:35 AM on February 14, 2017 [6 favorites]

Maybe there's so many leaks because the current government is not releasing the truth and is relying on utter bullshit from incompetent and unqualified people?
posted by h00py at 6:39 AM on February 14, 2017 [6 favorites]

The buck sure doesn't stop with him, does it?
posted by Artw at 6:41 AM on February 14, 2017 [5 favorites]

via @yashar: Flynn on HRC. Might be fun to dwell on 1:46 in the clip.

For those wanting to avoid data charges, clip is of Flynn speaking at the Republican National Convention, leading the crowd in chants of "lock her up" because of the supposedly incredible risk at which Clinton's private email server put America's national security. Hilarisob moment is when Flynn says "If I [...] did a tenth what she did, I would be in jail today." And the crowd goes wild.
posted by biogeo at 6:44 AM on February 14, 2017 [39 favorites]

Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N.Korea etc?

Speaking from the perspective of someone who has held three separate top-secret-equivalent clearances, served in Korea, and has seen how good you are at making deals, Donny, please allow me to answer:
Jesus Hopping Christ, I certainly fucking hope so.
posted by Etrigan at 6:45 AM on February 14, 2017 [63 favorites]

There is some weird Trump's mirroring going in that tweet re North Korea comment. I agree it sounds befuddled.
posted by Jalliah at 6:45 AM on February 14, 2017 [2 favorites]

The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington? Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N.Korea etc?

MAYBE IF YOU WERE A FUCKING COMPETENT PRESIDENT YOU COULD FIND THE REAL ANSWER TO YOUR REAL STORY YOU FUCKER.

Maybe if you were actually worthy of being president then people wouldn't feel the need to leak and gossip like there's a fucking broken pipe.

I love twitter. This is why I don't follow the man on twitter.
posted by INFJ at 6:45 AM on February 14, 2017 [5 favorites]

Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N.Korea etc?

I'm sorry, I really believe this man is mentally ill.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:48 AM on February 14, 2017 [17 favorites]

from the "People I Didn't Expect to be Quoting" Dept.:

The REAL story with Watergate is that Deep Throat was out of line leaking info to the press!
-- Seth Rogen
posted by murphy slaw at 6:48 AM on February 14, 2017 [31 favorites]

The chair of the House Intelligence Committee Devin Nunes was endorsing Flynn 5 hours before he resigned. Was that reflexive support of a Trump-man? Or did the House intel committee know about Flynn's calls and cover up, and Nunes lied too? Seems germane to ask Nunes what he knew, and when. If a real investigation ever gets going, there's no telling how many GOP congressmen knew about Trump's Russia problem and are covering it up for tax cuts.

@mkraju: Rep. Devin Nunes says the Intelligence Committee won't look into discussions between Trump and Flynn, citing executive privilege
posted by zombieflanders at 6:51 AM on February 14, 2017 [29 favorites]

(inchoate scream of rage)
posted by murphy slaw at 6:54 AM on February 14, 2017 [21 favorites]

Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N.Korea etc?

Deal "on" North Korea? I hope that was his poor grasp on English and not a not-so-subtle foreshadowing.
posted by Rykey at 6:54 AM on February 14, 2017

Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N.Korea etc?

Says the man who read his brief on the North Korean missile launch by cellphone light in view of everyone at Mar-a-Fuckup
posted by nubs at 6:54 AM on February 14, 2017 [6 favorites]

Also, yes, I hope there are leaks galore once the wheels start turning toward dealing on North Korea.
posted by Rykey at 6:55 AM on February 14, 2017

If I never hear or read the word "deal" again it will be too soon.
posted by uncleozzy at 6:55 AM on February 14, 2017 [15 favorites]

Of course! Executive privilege, it's so obvious! Why didn't Nixon think of that?
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:55 AM on February 14, 2017 [19 favorites]

what is the deal with "deal"? i just can't deal!
posted by murphy slaw at 6:56 AM on February 14, 2017

Also, yes, I hope there are leaks galore once the wheels start turning toward dealing on North Korea.

we're going to need to reinforce the emergency spillway
posted by tivalasvegas at 6:56 AM on February 14, 2017 [23 favorites]

I'm thinking that Trump's tweet is his attempt to go with the narrative the WH (and Russia) is trying to push right now, just saw Fox News doing the same. "The problem is the media and and all the leaks. They're to blame for everything and the reason Flynn felt he had to resign." Looks like they may be attempting to martyr him and Trump.
posted by Jalliah at 6:56 AM on February 14, 2017 [1 favorite]

@jamiedupree: Rep Jason Chaffetz R-UT tells reporters there's no need to further probe Flynn. "It’s taking care of itself"

The NeverTrump Congressional Caucus in action, everybody.
posted by zombieflanders at 6:56 AM on February 14, 2017 [66 favorites]

Calling them snakes would imply they have spines.
posted by Artw at 6:58 AM on February 14, 2017 [3 favorites]

One bad apple! No puppet no puppet!

This is too easy, you can predict everything they're going to say by just imagining what would be the most craven, irresponsible response possible. Wait 3 hours and that's the Republican party talking points.
posted by T.D. Strange at 6:58 AM on February 14, 2017 [32 favorites]

"The problem is the media and and all the leaks. They're to blame for everything and the reason Flynn felt he had to resign."

*incoherent angry screaming*

Oh boo hoo. Poor poor Flynn.
posted by INFJ at 6:59 AM on February 14, 2017

Ok, there's been a Women's March and the March for Science is coming; when is the Grow a Fucking Spine March?
posted by nubs at 7:00 AM on February 14, 2017 [8 favorites]

> Recall that when Howard Baker asked his famous question in 1973 "What did the president know and when did he know it" he had Mitch McConnell's job as Republican Senate Majority Leader.

The 2017 version is "What did the President pretend not to know, and when did he pretend not to know it?"
posted by tonycpsu at 7:00 AM on February 14, 2017 [23 favorites]

Rep. Devin Nunes says the Intelligence Committee won't look into discussions between Trump and Flynn, citing executive privilege

this is like your defense attorney in a criminal proceeding just up and going, "well, Your Honor, I'm supposed to defend this guy but the prosecutor is saying he did it so I dunno what you expect me to do". you don't claim executive privilege for him! it's an adversarial process!
posted by indubitable at 7:00 AM on February 14, 2017 [31 favorites]

So Page, Manafort and now Flynn. Three trump campaign/administration appointments who have had to resign because of issues with Russia. Nothing to see here people. Nothing. To. See.
posted by PenDevil at 7:02 AM on February 14, 2017 [36 favorites]

McCain/Palin strategist Steve Schmidt says on the Twitter that every conscientious GOP and Ind voter should vote Dems in the mid term if the Congress refuses to investigate.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:03 AM on February 14, 2017 [56 favorites]

One bad apple!

You know, on most language I think I would be a descriptivist, but I am full on prescriptivist when it comes to that phrase.
posted by nubs at 7:05 AM on February 14, 2017 [4 favorites]

@jamiedupree: Rep Jason Chaffetz R-UT tells reporters there's no need to further probe Flynn. "It’s taking care of itself"

As the fellow said, "Oh my god, tear this dude apart."
posted by FelliniBlank at 7:07 AM on February 14, 2017 [37 favorites]

it's an adversarial process!

I don't know about Nunes, but my local Republican member of the House campaigned almost exclusively on "I will be a check and balance on the power of the Executive branch!" back when it looked like Clinton was going to be the President. And ever since, it's been "Let him govern! The voters decided!"

He also never once in any campaign literature ever said the name "Trump" and only referred to the Republican candidate" a few times when he absolutely had to, so yeah.
posted by Etrigan at 7:08 AM on February 14, 2017 [13 favorites]

Even on /r/the_donald I'm seeing a surprising number of people openly saying "oh god please not Petraeus" so that might be a big ol' popularity booboo if he does get chosen.

Hypothetically, is it possible to have an approval rating lower than zero? Asking for a friend.
posted by FelliniBlank at 7:09 AM on February 14, 2017 [2 favorites]

is it worthwhile to call the office of every member of the Intelligence and Oversight committees and humbly request that they do their GOD DAMN JOBS even though i'm not a constituent?
posted by murphy slaw at 7:11 AM on February 14, 2017 [4 favorites]

is it worthwhile to call the office of every member of the Intelligence and Oversight committees and humbly request that they do their GOD DAMN JOBS even though i'm not a constituent?

No. Call your own congresspersons and remind them to put pressure on members of those committees.
posted by Etrigan at 7:13 AM on February 14, 2017 [10 favorites]

Call your own congresspersons and remind them to put pressure on members of those committees.

And suggest that, based on their responses, they might be better qualified to be on those committees than the current members.
posted by holgate at 7:15 AM on February 14, 2017 [2 favorites]

@tomlobianco: House intel chair @DevinNunes says he wants answers from FBI on leak of transcripts that led to #flynnresignation

Glad to see Devin's got his priorities straight.
posted by zombieflanders at 7:16 AM on February 14, 2017 [23 favorites]

here's an obvious point that i missed:

Executive privilege isn't absolute. And it doesn't cover events that happened *before* a president was sworn in.
- @KevinMKruse
posted by murphy slaw at 7:16 AM on February 14, 2017 [73 favorites]

How about a letters to both my senators with CC to the entire committee?
posted by cmfletcher at 7:16 AM on February 14, 2017 [2 favorites]

from the "People I Didn't Expect to be Quoting" Dept.:

@MarkRuffalo: .@Marvel takes more precaution protecting Avengers scripts then you and #Flynn do dealing with national security. #YouKnew
posted by zombieflanders at 7:17 AM on February 14, 2017 [69 favorites]

Ah yes...those halcyon days of yore, when Clinton's private email server was the talk of the town and Flynn and the rest of the GOP shouted "LOCK HER UP" from the rooftops.

It seems like only last year...


Ou sont les neiges d'antan?
posted by darkstar at 7:18 AM on February 14, 2017 [5 favorites]

my local Republican member of the House campaigned almost exclusively on "I will be a check and balance on the power of the Executive branch!" back when it looked like Clinton was going to be the President. And ever since, it's been "Let him govern! The voters decided!"

Ditto my Senator. His words, I believe, were that he would not be a rubber stamp for the Trump administration. Since then, he's been utterly silent other than his 100% yea voting record on nominations.
posted by soren_lorensen at 7:18 AM on February 14, 2017 [12 favorites]

McCain/Palin strategist Steve Schmidt says on the Twitter that every conscientious GOP and Ind voter should vote Dems in the mid term if the Congress refuses to investigate.

Conscientious GOP voters? There's your problem right there.
posted by kirkaracha at 7:20 AM on February 14, 2017 [16 favorites]

I was listening earlier to some popular financial news with the anchors talking about the "Trump effect" (which they regarded as something producing a positive effect on the stock market), and I wonder if one thing that's going on is that it looks so likely that Trump is going to fuck up everything, everywhere, that there's basically no reason to move money around to try to avoid risk and volatility, and so it has a neutral effect and that's why the economy continues on the same upward trajectory it had under Obama.
posted by XMLicious at 7:21 AM on February 14, 2017

His words, I believe, were that he would not be a rubber stamp for the Trump administration. Since then, he's been utterly silent other than his 100% yea voting record on nominations.

You should send him a customized rubber stamp. I suggest OK BOSS.
posted by kirkaracha at 7:25 AM on February 14, 2017 [15 favorites]

I wonder if one thing that's going on is that it looks so likely that Trump is going to fuck up everything, everywhere, that there's basically no reason to move money around to try to avoid risk and volatility, and so it has a neutral effect and that's why the economy continues on the same upward trajectory it had under Obama.

The economy is not the stock market. The stock market is capital, it tells you how the capitalists are doing. It says nothing, for example, about how labor is faring.
posted by indubitable at 7:26 AM on February 14, 2017 [11 favorites]

Nunes in 2015:

Nunes told us he was going to be looking to persuade his colleagues to reauthorize the provisions of the Patriot Act and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that allow the federal government to collect and store troves of telephone records. He also said he didn't intend to support reforms to the secret court that approves FBI and NSA wiretapping of suspected spies and terrorists.

Nunes this morning:

“I expect for the FBI to tell me what is going on, and they better have a good answer,” said Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which is conducting a review of Russian activities to influence the election. “The big problem I see here is that you have an American citizen who had his phone calls recorded.”

posted by zombieflanders at 7:27 AM on February 14, 2017 [25 favorites]

Deputy NSA K.T. McFarland, who was hired by Michael Flynn, likely to resign from post: report
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:27 AM on February 14, 2017 [11 favorites]

@AdamSerwer: Fed law allows wiretapping of Americans' conversations if the *target* is a foreign agent, seems like chair of House intel should know that
posted by zombieflanders at 7:28 AM on February 14, 2017 [50 favorites]

I wonder if any lower-level White House staffers got hired thinking their position was a golden ticket to the big time, and then actually started the job and quickly realized the place is more like a badly-run dot.com just before it crashes, with people crying at their desks and stealing everything they can before they get laid off?
posted by The Card Cheat at 7:28 AM on February 14, 2017 [18 favorites]

CNN's Chris Cuomo: Flynn lied. Why are Republicans so quiet?
Rep. Chris Collins: Well, it's Valentine's Day! Flynn is a great American; it's over; we should all move on.
Cuomo: Move on? MOVE ON? Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck yoooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuu [paraphrased]
posted by FelliniBlank at 7:28 AM on February 14, 2017 [10 favorites]

Paul Ryan seems to be claiming Trump asked for Flynn's resignation.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:29 AM on February 14, 2017

“I expect for the FBI to tell me what is going on, and they better have a good answer,” said Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, which is conducting a review of Russian activities to influence the election. “The big problem I see here is that you have an American citizen who had his phone calls recorded.”

At this point, where I've had enough of this BS I hope the reply he receives is something along the lines of 'We're doing our job. You need to get your head out of your ass and do yours...oh a by the way you might be interested in this intel on you that has come across our desk, might not want this inadvertently getting out...
posted by Jalliah at 7:31 AM on February 14, 2017 [2 favorites]

This is just to say
I have eaten the Flynn
Which you were probably saving for the Russian connection.

Forgive Me
It was so tasty and delicious.
posted by Secret Life of Gravy at 7:34 AM on February 14, 2017 [14 favorites]

[I can make a new thread for people if this one is too large right now.]
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:35 AM on February 14, 2017 [11 favorites]

[I can make a new thread for people if this one is too large right now.]

Was just going to ask if anyone was doing one. This one is starting to make my laptop twitch. My phone would be useless at this point.

Thanks
posted by Jalliah at 7:37 AM on February 14, 2017

Yeah...this thread is groaning, not so much under the weight of so many comments, but under the sheer, space-time bending mass of so much White House corruption and incompetence.
posted by darkstar at 7:38 AM on February 14, 2017 [33 favorites]

People still pay attention to Wikileaks?

Yes. Why wouldn't people?
Its hard for wikileaks to leak problems if humans weren't doing "leakable things".

It seems the take away of political parties was not "stop doing shit that decent ethical people would find repugnant" but instead move to "self-destroying" communications. Grifters and con-people are gonna grift-con I guess.

Why not subscribing direct to Russia Times?

They have things like collateral murder?


As one man once said - chickens come home to roost. People actually DIED in election interference with things like the Bolonia train bombing in Operation Gladio. (Gladio A - the anti Russian version) People can opt to embrace the attitude of "America First" or 'American exceptionalism' and rail in righteous indignation that "How DARE others interfere with America!" But its really hard to then claim "you should follow America's lead" with any moral authority. I guess that's why America is spending so much on its military - because someone else once said - power comes from the barrel of a gun.
posted by rough ashlar at 7:40 AM on February 14, 2017 [1 favorite]

Seriously, Chaffetz thought the crowd was pissed at his town hall? Senators and Reps were shocked by the switchboard-crushing outcry over DeVos and Sessions? Somebody better order the entire Congress asbestos-infused body armor posthaste.
posted by FelliniBlank at 7:41 AM on February 14, 2017 [12 favorites]

this thread is groaning, not so much under the weight of so many comments, but under the sheer, space-time bending mass of so much White House corruption and incompetence.

But the next thread seems to be headed to even MORE of the space-time bending and eventually political posts on Trump will become so concentrated that you move into black-hole territory. Are people gonna post cats on scanners posts to allow for a spaghettification effect without crossing the Rosfelt-horizion?

Or are the posts going to be on the explosions in a french nuke plant and the radiation in Fukishima is getting intense enough robots stop working that way the interaction of radiation and black holes can be observed?
posted by rough ashlar at 7:46 AM on February 14, 2017 [1 favorite]

Here you go, new thread, ahoy.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:47 AM on February 14, 2017 [14 favorites]

Deputy NSA K.T. McFarland, who was hired by Michael Flynn, likely to resign from post: report

McFarland is also one of the ones registered to vote in more than one place. (link to another huge politics thread)
posted by XMLicious at 7:47 AM on February 14, 2017 [5 favorites]

McCain/Palin strategist Steve Schmidt says on the Twitter that every conscientious GOP and Ind voter should vote Dems in the mid term if the Congress refuses to investigate.

Somebody better order the entire Congress asbestos-infused body armor posthaste.

You know, the one real drawback to gerrymandering is that all those 60R:40D districts that result from shaping a couple of 10R:90D districts start looking really shaky during moderate swings in voter sentiment.
posted by klarck at 7:49 AM on February 14, 2017 [15 favorites]

rough ashlar: Its hard for wikileaks to leak problems if humans weren't doing "leakable things".

And if they're not "leakable things", don't worry, wikileaks will make them seem sinister! Trump's Access Hollywood tape leaked? Uh-oh, better start leaking the Podesta emails an hour later to distract everyone. Thank god they clued us in to that sinister pizza = child trafficking ring!
posted by bluecore at 7:53 AM on February 14, 2017 [20 favorites]

Let us hope, klarck.
posted by tivalasvegas at 7:53 AM on February 14, 2017

Is this the new thread?
posted by pxe2000 at 7:58 AM on February 14, 2017

Yes, new thread. This one has resigned.
posted by taz at 8:01 AM on February 14, 2017 [44 favorites]

I wonder if any lower-level White House staffers got hired thinking their position was a golden ticket to the big time, and then actually started the job and quickly realized the place is more like a badly-run dot.com just before it crashes

Those seeking cheap(ish) digs in DC and finding lots of Craigslist room rental ads saying "supporters of the current administration, this may not be for you" may also have got a hint.
posted by holgate at 8:01 AM on February 14, 2017 [3 favorites]

Yes, new thread. This one has resigned.

Metafilter: This thread is the fall guy.
posted by rough ashlar at 8:03 AM on February 14, 2017 [15 favorites]

Out like Flynn.
posted by kirkaracha at 8:14 AM on February 14, 2017 [12 favorites]

Little late, but
I just want to state for the record and my bookie that my money is on Pence being the endgame and that's why he's such a non-entity now and why it seemed like he was running a whole separate campaign from Trump during the election. He needs to stay sequestered from all the shit that is going to get unleashed on Trump the second he ceases to be useful for purposes of granny-starving.

So, Tom Hagen in Godfather II?
posted by notsnot at 8:27 AM on February 14, 2017 [4 favorites]

I think we need some good Republican Treason memes.

Things like "Everything within Treason" or "Let's Be Treasonable"
posted by srboisvert at 9:46 AM on February 14, 2017 [4 favorites]

In re the "Pence was the plan all along" (which I've also seen going around in the Pantsuit Nation / Indivisible circles), I'll point this out: Gerald Ford didn't get shit done for 2.5 years and lost the White House. Lyndon Johnson made massive, sweeping changes to America and was re-elected in a landslide. Regardless of how "out of the loop" Pence is trying to look, his theoretical presidency is already tainted by the buffoonery of Trump's presidency.

If Pence had been the plan all along, Trump would have been dead before Thanksgiving.
posted by Etrigan at 9:53 AM on February 14, 2017 [4 favorites]

@jamiedupree: Rep Jason Chaffetz R-UT tells reporters there's no need to further probe Flynn. "It’s taking care of itself"

Is there any way we can get some of those paid protestors who are giving him such a hard time to follow Chaffetz around and yell "Flynnghazi!" at him any time he shows his face in public?

"His words, I believe, were that he would not be a rubber stamp for the Trump administration. Since then, he's been utterly silent other than his 100% yea voting record on nominations."

You should send him a customized rubber stamp. I suggest OK BOSS.

Actually, I think I might order my senators a couple of "Yes sir, Mr. President, anything you say!" stamps and deliver them to their local office.
posted by Nerd of the North at 1:42 PM on February 14, 2017 [3 favorites]

Is there any way we can get some of those paid protestors who are giving him such a hard time to follow Chaffetz around and yell "Flynnghazi!" at him any time he shows his face in public?

I like this idea, but we have to remember, this is Flynngate, not Flynnghazi. The latter is for fake scandals, the former is for real ones--e.g., Gamerghazi, not Gamergate.
posted by skewed at 2:31 PM on February 14, 2017 [8 favorites]

Flynn-ished.
posted by drezdn at 3:24 PM on February 14, 2017 [4 favorites]

Following the oldest unspoken law of playground politics, if it rhymes it must be true, and of course, since history rhymes but never repeats, this must doubly be true: The self-appointed "party of reason" has become "the party of treason."
posted by saulgoodman at 4:49 AM on February 15, 2017 [1 favorite]

'Each new day is a new nightmare’: GOP ex-judge wants Trump ‘impeached and removed with all haste’

Mark P. Painter, a lifelong Republican and career judge, this week called for the immediate impeachment of President Donald Trump.

In a column for Cincinnati.com, the former Ohio Court of Appeals judge offers to help his congressman, Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH), draft articles of impeachment.

“In any time except our post-factual era, no office holder, much less the president, could get away with any one of the dozens of dazzlingly illegal things Trump has already done,” Painter writes. “They would forfeit office immediately.”
posted by Room 641-A at 8:53 AM on February 15, 2017 [6 favorites]