What stupid shit has Trump done today?

[CRI]

Good summary here of the wider significance of recent state legislation to ban abortion, how we got here, and why the US may never get out of this deep, dark hole.

The GOP Has Its Final Anti-Abortion Victory in Sight

And part of dismembering the infrastructure of state, bit by bit, one seemingly dull procedure after another, you get assholes like this senior official (like a senior civil servant) smirking and acting like it's all a big joke, when asked a genuine question by a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about security of the US.

 

[spring-peeper]

In response to the Christchurch initiative - claims it inhibits free speech.

Trump's White House just put up an online form for people to complain about social media censorship

The Trump Administration on Wednesday opened an online form where Americans can share instances in which they’ve been censored by social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube.


The form asks users to share their contact information, social media links, their citizenship and residency status and links or screenshots of any social media content they’ve posted that was censored by the likes of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube.

 

[Nylock]

Potentially another four years of this full-spectrum idiocy and I dread to think of where the world will be...

 

[a_chap]

Trump pardons disgraced mogul Conrad Black

 

[CRI]

Potentially another four years of this full-spectrum idiocy and I dread to think of where the world will be...

Flipping the Senate is just as important, if not more important than getting Trump out of the White House. Trump's treachery is obvious and open, whether it's banning Muslims from entering the US or trans people serving in the military, separating asylum seeking parents from their children or creaming off the tax payer to enrich himself. But none of that would happen without not just the compliance of but the active support of GOP politicians.

The Kentucky shitstain McConnell and the GOP leadership have been full partners with the Trump administration in dismantling national infrastructure (see post #12713), including involvement of agents acting on behalf of interests outside the US (including connected to the governments of other nations.) The GOP leadership in the US Congress and statehouses have been playing the long game, working bit by bit toward their goal of a perpetual one-party fundamentalist Christian theocracy. Like the article I referenced in the post says, their tactics have been boring, procedural, easy to write off as just being a cumbersome or unfair, not bold and brash like Trump. But the relationship is symbiotic, and they're all parasites feeding off the American people. They're getting closer to their goal every day and the only chance is to get them ALL out, by investigations, impeachment, voting their asses out, must use every tactic possible.

 

[CRI]

White House Unveils Online Tool to Report Social Media ‘Political Bias’

“The Trump Administration is fighting for free speech online,” the official White House account tweeted Wednesday while unveiling the new reporting tool, which also asks people to sign up to receive Trump's email newsletters so they can stay up to date on his “fight for free speech.” “No matter your views, if you suspect political bias has caused you to be censored or silenced online, we want to hear about it!”

Trump has repeatedly complained about what he describes as “censorship” of Republican and conservative voices on social media in recent months, but this appears to be the first time the White House has sought to build a case for his claims. He has specifically accused social media companies of unfairly treating figures like James Woods and Diamond & Silk in the past, and earlier this month came to the defense of conspiracy theorist Paul Joseph Watson—who he described as a “conservative thinker”—after Facebook banned him and figures like Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos and far-right provocateur Laura Loomer. Trump declared at that time that he and the White House would be “monitoring and watching” the situation closely.

Earlier this year, Trump had a meeting with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey and other Twitter executives in the Oval Office. During the meeting, The Daily Beast was told that Trump complained about his dwindling amount of Twitter followers, alleging that the company was conducting anti-conservative purges. Dorsey had to explain to him that the company's periodic deletion of fake bot accounts were causing a drop in his following.

 

[hash tag]

Dump Trump Giant robot Trump tweeting on toilet while shouting 'I'm a very stable genius' shipped to UK for protests

 

[spring-peeper]

The Trump administration made a web survey. We have questions

So, in response to the White House’s 16 questions, we have 16 of our own.

1. What is the White House planning to do with the names and contact information of people who complete this form?

Advertisement

2. What won’t the White House do with the names and contact information of people who complete this form?

3. How and where is the data from people completing this survey being stored?

4. Why does the White House only want responses from US citizens and permanent residents?

5. Does the White House know that the first amendment applies to non-citizens who are in the United States?

6. Why was this form built on Typeform, which is based in Barcelona?

7. Why not Survey Monkey?

8. Why not a Google Form?

9. Does the White House know that it could have set up a Google Form for free?

10. Is the White House familiar with section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which protects the right of internet platforms to make their own rules regarding user-generated content?

11. Does the White House know that the first amendment does not apply to censorship decisions made by private social media platforms?

12. If the White House receives absolute incontrovertible proof that private social media companies are biased against conservatives, what exactly does it plan to do about that?

13. Whose idea was this?

14. Is this part of a broader government strategy designed to achieve … something?

15. Did you see what that coconut water company tweeted?

16. Have you tried turning it off and back on again?

 

[teqniq]

I see the convicted fraudster scumbag that is Contad Black wrote o glowing biography of Trump and Trump subsequently gave him a pardon. Nothing to see here move along.

 

[petee]

The Trump administration has forked over more than $62 million — taxpayer cash that was supposed to be earmarked for struggling American farmers — to a massive meatpacking company owned by a couple of corrupt Brazilian brothers.

The Department of Agriculture cut a contract in January to purchase $22.3 million worth of pork from plants operated by JBS USA, a Colorado-based subsidiary of Brazil’s JBS SA, which ranks as the largest meatpacker in the world.

The bailout raised eyebrows from industry insiders at the time, as it was sourced from a $12 billion program meant for American farmers harmed by President Trump’s escalating trade war with China and other countries.

But previously undisclosed purchase reports obtained by the Daily News this week reveal the administration has since issued at least two more bailouts to JBS, even as Trump’s own Justice Department began investigating the meatpacker, whose owners are Joesley and Wesley Batista — two wealthy brothers who have confessed to bribing hundreds of top officials in Brazil.

Both brothers have spent time in jail over the sweeping corruption scandal.

https://www.nydailynews.com/news/po...0190516-6rdb3ithvfec7fttem7qrny54y-story.html

"I am your voice!"

 

[CRI]

She refused to say whether she thought the Supreme Court decision that outlawed racial segregation in schools was the right decision. She believes abortion causes cancer and that doctors should tell all women patients this - also contraception causes domestic violence because if you're using it, you're more likely to commit adultery.

And, she now has a lifetime appointment as a Federal Judge. Lovely.

Senate confirms Wendy Vitter, abortion foe, to be federal judge in New Orleans
Trump Judge Who Endorsed Theory Abortion Causes Cancer Confirmed By Senate

 

[CRI]

Fourth asylum seeking child dies in US custody.

Toddler apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border dies after weeks in hospital

 

[spring-peeper]

Trump Immigration Plan May Throw 4 Million People Off Immigrant Waiting Lists

{quote]It may be best to ignore the politics and rhetoric around the Trump administration’s new immigration plan and focus on its most relevant part: Under the proposal, more than 4 million people waiting in family and employment-based green card backlogs would have their immigration applications eliminated, even if they have been waiting in line for years to immigrate.

“Immigrants in the green card backlog would lose their place in line and would need to apply under the new point-based system,” according to an analysis from Berry Appleman & Leiden. “The White House has said people who are currently waiting for green cards will receive additional points, but no specifics have been released.” This was confirmed by Donald Trump’s May 16, 2019, speech, in which he stated that all current family and employment-based preference categories would be eliminated and replaced by new “Build America” visas awarded by points.

There will be no per-country limits under the new plan, which requires approval by Congress, and immigrants waiting for green cards would have to apply for permanent residence under the point system. While some with long prospective wait times for employment-based green cards could gain permanent residence more quickly, there is no way to know for certain whether any particular individual whose pending application is eliminated would secure a green card under the point system envisioned in the Trump administration’s proposal.[/quote]

 

[Don Troooomp]

White House Unveils Online Tool to Report Social Media ‘Political Bias’

Here - Have some political bias

Trump is a cunt, and his right wing pals are cunts

Report that

 

[Tankus]

we are well past tricky dicky here

play the tapes

 

[Don Troooomp]

we are well past tricky dicky here

First - Thanks for posting that most enlightening clip -Yes, get those recording out there.

What were the highlights?





Just a bit of negotiating with foreign governments while not authorised to do so - oh, and some treason.
Then we have all the stuff about obstruction.

 

[Don Troooomp]

Oh, you forgot to post the second section, the bit where the same judge ordered the Mueller report released - with no black lines, at least any bits that relate to the case in hand.

 

[Don Troooomp]

Oops - Sort of.
It isn't a surprise, but it does but the white house, Trump, and Mnuchin on a legal collision course with the law. As is usual, you'll notice Trump hasn't directly ordered it, just used a fall guy to do the dirty work.

Mnuchin defies House Democrats' subpoenas for Trump's tax returns - CNNPolitics

(CNN)Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin on Friday defied subpoenas from House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal for President Donald Trump's tax returns.

In a new letter, Mnuchin again says the request "lacks a legitimate legislative purpose" and that he is "not authorized to disclose the requested returns and return information."
The denial is not a surprise. The Trump administration already turned down Neal's April request for six years of tax information about the President's personal and business finances.

 

[CRI]

Trump Shows Signs He Will Pardon Servicemen Accused or Convicted of War Crimes

President Trump has requested the immediate preparation of paperwork needed to pardon several American military members accused or convicted of war crimes — including high-profile cases of murder, attempted murder and desecration of a corpse — indicating that he is considering pardons for the men on or around Memorial Day, according to two United States officials.

The requests are for Special Operations Chief Edward Gallagher of the Navy SEALs, who is scheduled to stand trial in the coming weeks on charges of shooting unarmed civilians and killing an enemy captive with a knife while deployed in Iraq.

They are also believed to include the case of a former Blackwater security contractor recently found guilty in the deadly 2007 shooting of dozens of unarmed Iraqis; the case of Maj. Mathew L. Golsteyn, the Army Green Beret accused of killing an unarmed Afghan in 2010; and the case of a group of Marine Corps snipers charged with urinating on the corpse of a dead Taliban fighter.

Well, he famously said about Vietnam POW John McCain that he liked "people who weren't captured," so no surprises he doesn't think war criminals should be punished. Wouldn't be surprised to see him give some of them medals.

Oh, and forgot he advocated "taking out" families of ISIS fighters proactively back in December 2015, so it's not like his adoration of war crimes should be much of a surprise.

 

[Tankus]

damn ....so ...racial segregation is coming back at some point ?


or maybe he should have followed up ....do you know what the case was?

 

[Don Troooomp]

So much I hardly know where to start

Seems Trump is hammering taxes on as fast as he can (As long as you aren't rich)

Trump Loves Collecting Taxes: Tariffs Equate to Largest Tax Increase Since 1993 - Mish Talk

 

[Don Troooomp]

Hi, let's blow up a couple of tankers, blame someone without presenting any evidence, then tell them we'll blow shit up if they attack us again.
All he needs is another attack - by anyone will do as an excuse - By the way, does Iran have any weapons of mass destruction that could hit the US in 20 minutes? Ner, that's been used.

https://nypost.com/2019/05/19/trump-vows-to-end-iran-if-it-threatens-us-again/

President Trump threatened to destroy Iran in a tweet sent in the wake of reports that a rocket was fired into Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone less than a mile away from the US Embassy.

“If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!,” Trump tweeted Sunday afternoon.

It’s unclear exactly what promoted Trump’s posting, but news outlets reported explosions in Iraq’s capital and that a rocket launcher was discovered in eastern Baghdad, an area that is home to Iranian-backed Shiite militias.

Roads leading into the Green Zone were briefly closed and no casualties were reported.

Amid escalating tensions between the US and Iran there have been concerns that Iraq, where Iranian forces and about 5,000 American troops are stationed, could become entangled in the standoff.

A Saudi Arabian diplomat said his country doesn’t want to go to war with Iran but but will defend itself after two Saudi oil tankers were targeted by acts of sabotage off the coast of the United Arab Emirates last week.

 

[gosub]

U.S. warns merchant ships of possible Iranian attacks; cleric threatens U.S. fleet - Reuters

so it would have to warn people that some tanker might be danger, then blow up taners , and blame people you warmed of.

though

what ever happened to the Iranian flotilla?
Iran to send warships to the Atlantic, closer to U.S. waters - Reuters

 

[Jeremiah18.17]

So which of Donald’s “2020 election winning” standoffs is going to escalate quicker - China or Iran?

 

[CRI]

I think I mentioned this documentary upthread, but I only finished watching the last episode last night. It's a series from PBS (the public broadcasting service in the US) called "God in America" and tracks the intertwining of religion and American identity from the first European settlements. There were things in there I wasn't aware of, so it's a good watch for anyone unsure why religion is such a big deal in the US.

The last episode was the most relevant to the discussion here, but also the most depressing. It discussed the rise of Evangelical Christianity in in the late 70's and how leaders cut a deal with Ronald Reagan to deliver voters from their "Moral Majority" campaign in exchange for him pushing right wing policies on issues like abortion and homosexuality. Reagan, like Trump, wasn't seen as a particularly Christian or moral person, but was still a useful tool for the Evangelicals' purposes, but he didn't go quite far enough. They thought they'd hit the jackpot with George W. Bush, who was an Evangelical Christian himself, but he still was too constrained for their agenda.

Because it was produced I think around 2010, it ends with scenes from Obama's election, and seems hopeful - that no matter how hard they've tried, extreme Christians still never managed to tear down the separation of church and state or exert that much influence over government, even with Bush Junior or Obama, both avowed Christians, in the White House. Bit of back patting as well about how the U S governance "system" works to prevent this happening.

But, even as that film was going into production, "Tea Party" activists, senior GOP politicians, wealthy Dominionists and Evangelicals were redoubling their efforts to subvert that system - even more determined than ever to make the US a one-party fundamentalist Christian theocracy. Now we know just how far down the road to that goal they are and the jury's still out whether they can actually be stopped (and speaking of juries, packing courts with right wing views and loyal to their cause is just another facet of their strategy.)

Anyhow, worth a watch, and perhaps a stiff drink after.

God in America: Six: Of God and Caesar | FRONTLINE

 

[spring-peeper]

Trump freaked out at Fox News for hosting a live event with Pete Buttigieg, who got a standing ovation from the audience

President Donald Trump berated Fox News, his favorite TV network, on Sunday for hosting a town hall with the 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, who went on to receive a standing ovation from a New Hampshire crowd.

"Hard to believe that @FoxNews is wasting airtime on Mayor Pete, as Chris Wallace likes to call him," Trump, a frequent Fox viewer who is a close ally of senior network personalities, tweeted on Sunday.

"Fox is moving more and more to the losing (wrong) side in covering the Dems. They got dumped from the Democrats boring debates, and they just want in. They forgot the people who got them there."

 

[Tankus]

The dirty digger ...if he lives long enough , is going to eventually turn on trump , Just like he did with Thatcher , Major Blair and Brown
no more pyjama parties

 

[spring-peeper]

no obstruction here, folks - move along

Donald Trump tells McGahn to defy Congress’ subpoena and skip House testimony

The House Judiciary Committee had issued a subpoena to compel McGahn to testify by Tuesday, and the committee’s chairman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., has threatened to hold McGahn in contempt of Congress if he doesn’t testify.

The White House instructed McGahn not to comply with the subpoena to further its strategy of trying to block every congressional probe into Trump and his administration.

Officials mulled various legal options before settling on providing McGahn with a legal opinion from the Department of Justice that justifies him defying the subpoena.

“The immunity of the President’s immediate advisers from compelled congressional testimony on matters related to their official responsibilities has long been recognized and arises from the fundamental workings of the separation of powers,” the Justice Department’s opinion reads. “Accordingly, Mr. McGahn is not legally required to appear and testify about matters related to his official duties as Counsel to the President.”

 

[spring-peeper]

Bazinger

Trump loses lawsuit challenging subpoena for financial records

A US judge on Monday ruled in favour of a US House of Representatives committee seeking President Donald Trump's financial records from his accounting firm, dealing an early setback to the Trump administration in its legal battle with Congress.

US District Judge Amit Mehta also denied a request by Trump to stay his decision pending an appeal.

Last Tuesday Mehta heard oral arguments on whether Mazars LLP must comply with a House of Representatives Oversight Committee subpoena.

 

[Don Troooomp]

Bazinger

Trump loses lawsuit challenging subpoena for financial records

Just read that but you beat me to posting it.
This common sense ruling excellent news, and one right in the eye for Trump.

Judge orders Trump accounting firm to hand over records to Congress - CNNPolitics

Mehta's opinion will now likely become fodder for other judges to consider as Trump and his Cabinet try to hold off Congress from getting his business records, such as through the IRS, banks and in other court fights.
Congress specifically can probe the President for conflicts of interest and ethical questions, Mehta wrote.
"History has shown that congressionally-exposed criminal conduct by the President or a high-ranking Executive Branch official can lead to legislation," Mehta wrote, citing the Watergate investigation by the Senate.
"It is simply not fathomable that a Constitution that grants Congress the power to remove a President for reasons including criminal behavior would deny Congress the power to investigate him for unlawful conduct -- past or present -- even without formally opening an impeachment inquiry," he added.