crooksandliars--2020-07-24--If Deploying Stormtroopers Is Meant To Get Trump Reelected, It Doesn't Seem To Be Working

The president is enjoying watching his stormtroopers on TV so much that he 's decided to expand the stormtrooper program .
This is being described as having a focus on crime rather than unrest , but it 's obviously meant to be the same kind of hairy-chested entertainment that Trump voters have been enjoying in Fox News reports from Oregon .
But a new Quinnipiac poll suggests it 's not working as intended .
July 22 , 2020 - Texans Say 2 To 1 That Coronavirus Spread Is `` Out Of Control , '' Governor 's Ratings Drop In Quinnipiac @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Locked In Tight Race ...
In the race for the White House , 45 percent of voters support former Vice President Joe Biden , while 44 percent back President Trump .
That compares to early June when the race was equally tight and voters backed Trump 44 percent to Biden 's 43 percent .
In today 's survey , Democrats back Biden 94 - 3 percent , independents back Biden 51 - 32 percent and Republicans back Trump 89 - 6 percent .
Biden has gone from -1 to +1 in Texas -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but is also full of self-aggrandizingly macho Republican voters .
The poll was conducted July 16-20 , after Trump 's Portland operation had begun , yet the deployment did n't help Trump consolidate his base : 6 % of Republicans said they were voting for Biden in a Quinnipiac poll of the state released June 3 , and the number is still 6 % , whereas Biden lost 5 % of Democrats in the earlier poll and loses only 3 % now .
Biden got 45 % of independents in the earlier poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got 61 % of white men in the earlier poll and does n't get any more in this poll .
Maybe this will change -- in Trump 's favor or against him -- when the stormtroopers go national , which seems inevitable .
And maybe the deployment to states where Trump has little chance of victory is an act of misdirection , and the real intent of this is to deploy armed intimidators to Detroit , Milwaukee , Pittsburgh , Philadelphia , and other big cities in swing states just before the election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I imagine that 's the attorney general 's thinking .
Trump 's , however , appears to be that this will make people love him ( which is the motive force for virtually everything he does ) .
If so , he does n't appear to be getting his wish .
Posted with permission from No More Mr. Nice Blog

The president is enjoying watching his stormtroopers on TV so much that he's decided to expand the stormtrooper program.
President Trump and Attorney General Bill Barr announced on Wednesday that the Justice Department will "immediately surge" federal law enforcement officers to Chicago and Albuquerque in an effort to combat violent crime.
This is being described as having a focus on crime rather than unrest, but it's obviously meant to be the same kind of hairy-chested entertainment that Trump voters have been enjoying in Fox News reports from Oregon.
But a new Quinnipiac poll suggests it's not working as intended.
July 22, 2020 - Texans Say 2 To 1 That Coronavirus Spread Is "Out Of Control," Governor's Ratings Drop In Quinnipiac University Texas Poll; Biden & Trump Locked In Tight Race ... In the race for the White House, 45 percent of voters support former Vice President Joe Biden, while 44 percent back President Trump. That compares to early June when the race was equally tight and voters backed Trump 44 percent to Biden's 43 percent. In today's survey, Democrats back Biden 94 - 3 percent, independents back Biden 51 - 32 percent and Republicans back Trump 89 - 6 percent.
Biden has gone from -1 to +1 in Texas -- a state that's increasingly purple, but is also full of self-aggrandizingly macho Republican voters. The poll was conducted July 16-20, after Trump's Portland operation had begun, yet the deployment didn't help Trump consolidate his base: 6% of Republicans said they were voting for Biden in a Quinnipiac poll of the state released June 3, and the number is still 6%, whereas Biden lost 5% of Democrats in the earlier poll and loses only 3% now. Biden got 45% of independents in the earlier poll and gets 51% now. Trump got 61% of white men in the earlier poll and doesn't get any more in this poll.
Maybe this will change -- in Trump's favor or against him -- when the stormtroopers go national, which seems inevitable. And maybe the deployment to states where Trump has little chance of victory is an act of misdirection, and the real intent of this is to deploy armed intimidators to Detroit, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and other big cities in swing states just before the election, to tamp down the Democratic vote.
I imagine that's the attorney general's thinking. Trump's, however, appears to be that this will make people love him (which is the motive force for virtually everything he does). If so, he doesn't appear to be getting his wish.
Posted with permission from No More Mr. Nice Blog


crooksandliars--2020-07-24--Yes, Stephen Miller Will Lie About His Dead Grandmother For Trump

At least Hair Füror ’ s Pocket Nazi , the ghoulish Stephan Miller , is consistently evil : This month , Stephen Miller , the extremist anti-immigrant Trump adviser who has promoted white nationalist ideas , lost a relative to the coronavirus pandemic , and his uncle tells Mother Jones that the Trump administration is partly to blame for this death .
On July 4 , David Glosser , the brother of Miller ’ s mother , posted a Facebook note announcing the death of his mother , Ruth Glosser , who was Miller ’ s maternal grandmother : This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died of the late effects of COVID-19 like so many thousands of other people ; both young and old .
She survived the acute infection but was left with lung and neurological damage that destroyed her will to eat and her ability to breathe well enough to sustain arousal and consciousness .
Over an 8-week period she gradually slipped away and died peacefully this morning .
A terrible tragedy .
Now , lest you think PeeWee Hermann Goering ’ s entire family is monsterous : David Glosser is a retired neuropsychologist and passionate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for his anti-immigrant policies , and he contends that Trump ’ s initial “ lack of a response ” to the coronavirus crisis led to the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans who might have otherwise survived .
In an interview , he says , “ With the death of my mother , I ’ m angry and outraged at [ Miller ] directly and the administration he has devoted his energy to supporting.
” Of course , someone at the Fourth Reich cough named Miller cough responded to Mother Jones for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] : “ This is categorically false , and a disgusting use of so-called journalism when the family deserves privacy to mourn the loss of a loved one .
His grandmother did not pass away from COVID .
She was diagnosed with COVID in March and passed away in July so that timeline does not add up at all .
His grandmother died peacefully in her sleep from old age .
I would hope that you would choose not to go down this road.
” Funny how it doesn ’ t sound like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the high-pitched shriek that gets all the bats in the air ?
Must be someone else named Miller .
[ Insert a horse whinnying here . ]
And so Uncle David had to respond : “ Keeping the tragic facts about COVID deaths of our countrymen and women , young and old , from the American public serves no purpose other than to obscure the need for a coherent national , scientifically based , public health response to save others from this disease .
My mother led a long , satisfying , productive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She had nothing to be ashamed of , and concealing her cause of death to offer ‘ privacy ’ to me , our family , her hundreds of relatives and friends , does nothing to assuage our regret at her loss.
” And then Uncle Dave gave to Mother Jones a copy of the Death Certificate : The White House spokesperson cough Miller cough responded AGAIN !
!
!
[ Insert horse whinnying here , too .
Also .
Again . ]
I ’ m sure Miller is working on deporting Uncle Dave @ @ @

At least Hair Füror’s Pocket Nazi, the ghoulish Stephan Miller, is consistently evil:
This month, Stephen Miller, the extremist anti-immigrant Trump adviser who has promoted white nationalist ideas, lost a relative to the coronavirus pandemic, and his uncle tells Mother Jones that the Trump administration is partly to blame for this death. On July 4, David Glosser, the brother of Miller’s mother, posted a Facebook note announcing the death of his mother, Ruth Glosser, who was Miller’s maternal grandmother: This morning my mother, Ruth Glosser, died of the late effects of COVID-19 like so many thousands of other people; both young and old. She survived the acute infection but was left with lung and neurological damage that destroyed her will to eat and her ability to breathe well enough to sustain arousal and consciousness. Over an 8-week period she gradually slipped away and died peacefully this morning.
A terrible tragedy. Now, lest you think PeeWee Hermann Goering’s entire family is monsterous:
David Glosser is a retired neuropsychologist and passionate Trump critic who has publicly decried Miller for his anti-immigrant policies, and he contends that Trump’s initial “lack of a response” to the coronavirus crisis led to the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans who might have otherwise survived. In an interview, he says, “With the death of my mother, I’m angry and outraged at [Miller] directly and the administration he has devoted his energy to supporting.”
Of course, someone at the Fourth Reich cough named Miller cough responded to Mother Jones for comment [insert a horse whinnying here]:
“This is categorically false, and a disgusting use of so-called journalism when the family deserves privacy to mourn the loss of a loved one. His grandmother did not pass away from COVID. She was diagnosed with COVID in March and passed away in July so that timeline does not add up at all. His grandmother died peacefully in her sleep from old age. I would hope that you would choose not to go down this road.”
Funny how it doesn’t sound like him at all, innit, including the high-pitched shriek that gets all the bats in the air? Must be someone else named Miller. [Insert a horse whinnying here.]
And so Uncle David had to respond:
“Keeping the tragic facts about COVID deaths of our countrymen and women, young and old, from the American public serves no purpose other than to obscure the need for a coherent national, scientifically based, public health response to save others from this disease. My mother led a long, satisfying, productive life of family and community service. She had nothing to be ashamed of, and concealing her cause of death to offer ‘privacy’ to me, our family, her hundreds of relatives and friends, does nothing to assuage our regret at her loss.”
And then Uncle Dave gave to Mother Jones a copy of the Death Certificate:
Moreover, Ruth Glosser’s death certificate—which her son shared with Mother Jones—lists her cause of death as “respiratory arrest” resulting from “COVID-19.”
The White House spokesperson cough Miller cough responded AGAIN!!! [Insert horse whinnying here, too. Also. Again.]
Informed that Ruth Glosser’s death certificate cited COVID-19, the White House spokesperson replied, “Again, this is categorically false. She had a mile [sic] case of COVID-19 in March. She was never hospitalized and made a full and quick recovery.”
I’m sure Miller is working on deporting Uncle Dave, somehow.
Republished with permission from Mock Paper Scissors.


crooksandliars--2020-07-24--‘In A Perfectly Just Republic,’ Bella Abzug – Born A Century Ago – Would Have Been President

One hundred years ago , on July 24 , 1920 , Bella Savitzky was “ born yelling ” in the Bronx , a month before the 19th Amendment gave women the vote .
A warrior for every social justice movement of her day , Bella Savitzky Abzug stood on the front lines protesting injustices that still roil this nation .
On the TV series “ Mrs .
America , ” Abzug jousted with feminists Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan in scenes from the heady , early days of the women ’ s movement in the 1970s .
But before then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an African American man accused of raping a white woman in Mississippi .
She fought to “ End the Arms Race , Not the Human Race.
” She championed labor , marched to end the Vietnam War and celebrated New York , the city that she loved .
Striding into Congress in January 1971 , wearing one of her signature hats , she was one of just 15 women sworn to uphold the Constitution , alongside 520 men .
Before presidential candidate Hillary Clinton , and before Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ firebrand , she served three terms in the House of Representatives before giving up her seat to run unsuccessfully for the Senate .
President Jimmy Carter then appointed her to head the commission planning Houston ’ s 1977 National Women ’ s Conference .
Although she never again held public office , the famed economist John Kenneth Galbraith wrote : “ In a perfectly just republic , Bella Abzug would be president.
” ‘ This woman ’ s place is in … the House of Representatives ’ In my recent book “ America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Colonial Times to Today , ” I wrote of Abzug ’ s formative years .
The child of immigrants , growing up in a home filled with Jewish traditions and the prophets ’ teachings of social justice , Abzug decided to become a lawyer so that she “ could set things straight.
” Before she was in her teens , she began a lifetime of speechmaking , standing on subway platforms championing Zionism .
Even at Hunter College , New York City ’ s free public college for women , she was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to law school , she heard from Harvard : No women allowed .
She entered Columbia , became a Law Review editor and graduated in 1945 after marrying Martin Abzug , who typed her papers .
Bella refused to learn to type .
She knew the first question that would face any woman looking for a desk job , even a “ lady lawyer ” wearing large hats to stand out , would be , “ Can you type ?
” [ Expertise in your inbox .
Sign up for The Conversation ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today ’ s news , every day . ]
She represented the folk singer Pete Seeger before the House Un-American Activities Committee during the Sen. Joseph McCarthy ’ s Communist witch hunts .
In 1951 , while in Mississippi defending Willie McGee on the charge that he had raped the white woman with whom he claimed he had a consensual affair , every hotel in town turned her away .
The guy driving her around said he knew of a room but it was far out of town .
She told him to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Eight months pregnant , she spent the night , terrified , in a bathroom stall .
She miscarried .
McGee died in the electric chair .
In the 1950s , with schoolchildren learning to duck and cover during a nuclear attack , she refused to let her daughters hide under their desks .
She joined Women Strike for Peace to ban atomic testing .
She brought 2,000 women in the pouring rain to picket the White House .
Their signs read : “ When it rains , it pours – strontium 90.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John F. Kennedy , but he saw them .
In 1970 , campaigning with the slogan “ This woman ’ s place is in the house … the House of Representatives , ” she ran for Congress on an antiwar , feminist , anti-racist platform .
Six years later , after giving up her safe seat , she lost the Senate Democratic primary by less than 1 % of the vote to Daniel Patrick Moynihan .
He would represent New York in the Senate for more than two decades .
From the moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flouting its traditions , starting with “ freshmen congressmen should be seen and not heard.
” On her first day on the Hill , she demanded that President Richard Nixon set a date to end the Vietnam War .
A month later , she and Rep. Shirley Chisholm introduced a bill that would have provided 24-hour child care across the nation .
It passed both houses of Congress .
Nixon vetoed it .
On May 3 , 1971 , as tear gas fogged Washington ’ s streets and military helicopters whirred overhead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ walking to their wedding – were caught in a police dragnet and herded en masse into RFK Stadium .
Abzug jumped aboard a traffic reporter ’ s helicopter to see for herself how “ the Constitution has been suspended , ” and how an American football stadium was turned into what she called “ a concentration camp.
” The escalation of bombing in Vietnam that sparked that protest convinced her that Nixon had exceeded his constitutional powers .
Abzug called for his impeachment , a year before the Watergate break-in .
Abzug introduced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first federal bill to ban discrimination against gays and lesbians .
The bill died in committee .
No members of the House agreed to co-sponsor it .
Yet in the bicentennial year 1976 , her congressional colleagues ranked her , after the speaker and majority leader , their “ most influential ” member .
“ Mrs .
America ” depicts her fighting for the Equal Rights Amendment .
Asked when she became a feminist , the congresswoman said she became one the day she was born .
The series also shows her facing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she was “ pushy and loud , ” she ’ s told .
Although Galbraith thought Abzug could be president , Abzug never did run for that office and lost her other campaigns , including a run to become mayor of New York City .
But she kept fighting for justice .
She became a co-founder of the Women ’ s Environment and Development Organization in her last decade , which describes itself as “ A global women ’ s advocacy organization … that promotes and protects human rights , gender equality , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Using a wheelchair as breast cancer and heart problems took their toll late in her life , she encouraged her followers : “ No matter how steep the passage and discouraging the pace , I ask you never to give in and never give up.
” Abzug never gave up until the day she died , March 31 , 1998 , in a Manhattan hospital , one borough away from where her story began a hundred years ago .
Pamela S. Nadell , Professor and Patrick Clendenen Chair in Women 's & Gender @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Program , American University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

Pamela S. Nadell, American University
One hundred years ago, on July 24, 1920, Bella Savitzky was “born yelling” in the Bronx, a month before the 19th Amendment gave women the vote. A warrior for every social justice movement of her day, Bella Savitzky Abzug stood on the front lines protesting injustices that still roil this nation.
On the TV series “Mrs. America,” Abzug jousted with feminists Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan in scenes from the heady, early days of the women’s movement in the 1970s.
But before then, she risked her life to defend an African American man accused of raping a white woman in Mississippi. She fought to “End the Arms Race, Not the Human Race.” She championed labor, marched to end the Vietnam War and celebrated New York, the city that she loved.
Striding into Congress in January 1971, wearing one of her signature hats, she was one of just 15 women sworn to uphold the Constitution, alongside 520 men.
Before presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, and before Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, there was Bella Abzug. A firebrand, she served three terms in the House of Representatives before giving up her seat to run unsuccessfully for the Senate. President Jimmy Carter then appointed her to head the commission planning Houston’s 1977 National Women’s Conference.
Although she never again held public office, the famed economist John Kenneth Galbraith wrote: “In a perfectly just republic, Bella Abzug would be president.”
‘This woman’s place is in … the House of Representatives’
In my recent book “America’s Jewish Women: A History from Colonial Times to Today,” I wrote of Abzug’s formative years. The child of immigrants, growing up in a home filled with Jewish traditions and the prophets’ teachings of social justice, Abzug decided to become a lawyer so that she “could set things straight.” Before she was in her teens, she began a lifetime of speechmaking, standing on subway platforms championing Zionism.
Even at Hunter College, New York City’s free public college for women, she was politicking as student government president. Applying to law school, she heard from Harvard: No women allowed. She entered Columbia, became a Law Review editor and graduated in 1945 after marrying Martin Abzug, who typed her papers. Bella refused to learn to type. She knew the first question that would face any woman looking for a desk job, even a “lady lawyer” wearing large hats to stand out, would be, “Can you type?”
[Expertise in your inbox. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter and get expert takes on today’s news, every day.]
She represented the folk singer Pete Seeger before the House Un-American Activities Committee during the Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s Communist witch hunts. In 1951, while in Mississippi defending Willie McGee on the charge that he had raped the white woman with whom he claimed he had a consensual affair, every hotel in town turned her away.
The guy driving her around said he knew of a room but it was far out of town. She told him to take her to the bus station. Eight months pregnant, she spent the night, terrified, in a bathroom stall. She miscarried. McGee died in the electric chair.
In the 1950s, with schoolchildren learning to duck and cover during a nuclear attack, she refused to let her daughters hide under their desks. She joined Women Strike for Peace to ban atomic testing. She brought 2,000 women in the pouring rain to picket the White House. Their signs read: “When it rains, it pours – strontium 90.” They didn’t meet with President John F. Kennedy, but he saw them.
In 1970, campaigning with the slogan “This woman’s place is in the house … the House of Representatives,” she ran for Congress on an antiwar, feminist, anti-racist platform. Six years later, after giving up her safe seat, she lost the Senate Democratic primary by less than 1% of the vote to Daniel Patrick Moynihan. He would represent New York in the Senate for more than two decades.
Never gave up
From the moment she stormed into Congress, Abzug began flouting its traditions, starting with “freshmen congressmen should be seen and not heard.”
On her first day on the Hill, she demanded that President Richard Nixon set a date to end the Vietnam War. A month later, she and Rep. Shirley Chisholm introduced a bill that would have provided 24-hour child care across the nation. It passed both houses of Congress. Nixon vetoed it.
On May 3, 1971, as tear gas fogged Washington’s streets and military helicopters whirred overhead, 7,000 anti-war demonstrators – and a couple walking to their wedding – were caught in a police dragnet and herded en masse into RFK Stadium. Abzug jumped aboard a traffic reporter’s helicopter to see for herself how “the Constitution has been suspended,” and how an American football stadium was turned into what she called “a concentration camp.”
The escalation of bombing in Vietnam that sparked that protest convinced her that Nixon had exceeded his constitutional powers. Abzug called for his impeachment, a year before the Watergate break-in.
Abzug introduced the Equality Act of 1974, the first federal bill to ban discrimination against gays and lesbians. The bill died in committee. No members of the House agreed to co-sponsor it. Yet in the bicentennial year 1976, her congressional colleagues ranked her, after the speaker and majority leader, their “most influential” member.
“Mrs. America” depicts her fighting for the Equal Rights Amendment. Asked when she became a feminist, the congresswoman said she became one the day she was born.
The series also shows her facing anti-Semitism: First lady Rosalynn Carter thought she was “pushy and loud,” she’s told.
“You know that’s code for Jewish,” Abzug shot back.
Although Galbraith thought Abzug could be president, Abzug never did run for that office and lost her other campaigns, including a run to become mayor of New York City. But she kept fighting for justice. She became a co-founder of the Women’s Environment and Development Organization in her last decade, which describes itself as “A global women’s advocacy organization … that promotes and protects human rights, gender equality, and the integrity of the environment.”
Using a wheelchair as breast cancer and heart problems took their toll late in her life, she encouraged her followers: “No matter how steep the passage and discouraging the pace, I ask you never to give in and never give up.”
Abzug never gave up until the day she died, March 31, 1998, in a Manhattan hospital, one borough away from where her story began a hundred years ago.
Pamela S. Nadell, Professor and Patrick Clendenen Chair in Women's & Gender History and Director of the Jewish Studies Program, American University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


crooksandliars--2020-07-24--Sen. Kamala Harris Roasts Terrified Trump Nominee With Simple Questions

Patrick Hovakimian has been nominated for General Counsel for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence , but it was his current work at the Department of Justice about which he seemed confused .
Senator Kamala Harris asked him some very simple yes/no questions about his knowledge of and/or involvement in the deployment of extra-military troops to cities like Portland , to clamp down violently on peaceful demonstrators , protesting vile police brutality and racism against Black people .
Instead of answering her directly , Hovakimian seemed shaky , sweaty , and confused .
Much like a person might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might have gotten him into some trouble .
SEN. HARRIS : In your current role at the Department of Justice , have you reviewed , approved , or supervised the deployment of federal law enforcement officers to these protests ?
SEN. HARRIS : Well , let 's not parse words .
Were you in any way involved in the decision to send federal officers to these locations ?
HOVAKIMIAN : Senator , I 'm a current DOJ official .
There 's a lot happening right now , and ... SEN. HARRIS : Please @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or no answer , that would be helpful .
HOVAKIMIAN : Senator , I advise the attorney general , and the deputy attorney general on any number of topics ... SEN. HARRIS : Have you advised on this topic ?
Let 's focus on the subject that I 've raised .
HOVAKIMIAN : Senator , I have sight lines into a great many of the things DOJ does .
This does not happen to be one of them .
SEN. HARRIS : So , you were not involved in any of these decisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Well , like any big , major organization , there 's a division of labor at the department -- SEN. HARRIS : I 'm aware of that , but it 's a very specific question I 'm asking you .
Were you involved in any way in the decision to deploy federal law enforcement officers to the very cities we 've been discussing during the protests ?
How she did n't take off one of her shoes and launch it directly at his forehead is absolutely beyond me .
He is f*cking mansplaining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big organizations break down tasks into smaller ones to share between people so that not just one person has to do the whole great big thing all by themselves !
I mean , that is so helpful and relevant to this question !
HOVAKIMIAN : Senator , my understanding is that DOJ 's involvement has been relatively limited vis-a-vie that -- SEN. HARRIS : Can you answer the question ?
Were you involved , or not ?
HOVAKIMIAN : Senator , there are ongoing law enforcement operations in the country , you know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : So , you 're not gon na answer this question directly , sir ?
I will move on if you 're not going to answer the question .
HOVAKIMIAN : Senator , I advised the attorney general and deputy attorney general on everything under the sun , and I always bring to the table a respect for Constitutional right for the first amendment .
That is something I turn to frequently when advising them .
Who has any hair left ?
Do YOU have any hair left ?
*I* do n't have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ OF IT OUT just transcribing that video !
Boy , it sure seems like either he advised them against deploying troops and he is terrified to say so for fear the Republican members of the Senate wo n't vote for him , or he advised IN FAVOR of deploying troops and is terrified to say so for fear of outing himself as a Nazi weasel .
Either way , he is clearly unfit , and Sen. Kamala Harris deserves several martinis after that round of questioning .

Patrick Hovakimian has been nominated for General Counsel for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, but it was his current work at the Department of Justice about which he seemed confused. Senator Kamala Harris asked him some very simple yes/no questions about his knowledge of and/or involvement in the deployment of Stormtroopers extra-military troops to cities like Portland, to clamp down violently on peaceful demonstrators, protesting vile police brutality and racism against Black people. Instead of answering her directly, Hovakimian seemed shaky, sweaty, and confused. Much like a person might seem if the answer to her questions might have gotten him into some trouble.
SEN. HARRIS: In your current role at the Department of Justice, have you reviewed, approved, or supervised the deployment of federal law enforcement officers to these protests? HOVAKIMIAN: The deployment of federal law enforcement officers. Uh... SEN. HARRIS: Well, let's not parse words. Were you in any way involved in the decision to send federal officers to these locations? HOVAKIMIAN: Senator, I'm a current DOJ official. There's a lot happening right now, and... SEN. HARRIS: Please, if you could do a yes or no answer, that would be helpful. HOVAKIMIAN: Senator, I advise the attorney general, and the deputy attorney general on any number of topics... SEN. HARRIS: Have you advised on this topic? Let's focus on the subject that I've raised. HOVAKIMIAN: Senator, I have sight lines into a great many of the things DOJ does. This does not happen to be one of them. SEN. HARRIS: So, you were not involved in any of these decisions, you're saying? HOVAKIMIAN: Well, like any big, major organization, there's a division of labor at the department -- SEN. HARRIS: I'm aware of that, but it's a very specific question I'm asking you. Were you involved in any way in the decision to deploy federal law enforcement officers to the very cities we've been discussing during the protests?
How she didn't take off one of her shoes and launch it directly at his forehead is absolutely beyond me. He is f*cking mansplaining to a U.S. Senator how great big organizations break down tasks into smaller ones to share between people so that not just one person has to do the whole great big thing all by themselves! I mean, that is so helpful and relevant to this question!
HOVAKIMIAN: Senator, my understanding is that DOJ's involvement has been relatively limited vis-a-vie that-- SEN. HARRIS: Can you answer the question? Were you involved, or not? HOVAKIMIAN: Senator, there are ongoing law enforcement operations in the country, you know, to protect the -- SEN. HARRIS: So, you're not gonna answer this question directly, sir? I will move on if you're not going to answer the question. HOVAKIMIAN: I'm attempting to answer the question, Senator. SEN. HARRIS: Were you involved? HOVAKIMIAN: Senator, I advised the attorney general and deputy attorney general on everything under the sun, and I always bring to the table a respect for Constitutional right for the first amendment. That is something I turn to frequently when advising them.
Who has any hair left? Do YOU have any hair left? *I* don't have any hair left! I pulled ALL OF IT OUT just transcribing that video!
Boy, it sure seems like either he advised them against deploying troops and he is terrified to say so for fear the Republican members of the Senate won't vote for him, or he advised IN FAVOR of deploying troops and is terrified to say so for fear of outing himself as a Nazi weasel. Either way, he is clearly unfit, and Sen. Kamala Harris deserves several martinis after that round of questioning.


crooksandliars--2020-07-24--Friday News Dump: Overnight, CDC Says It's Fine For Kids To Go To School! And Other News

JUST IN : CDC releases updated guidelines in favor of reopening schools https : //t.co/yCZQOUvzze pic.twitter.com/ogdXMRPpHj That CDC , they just keep surprising us with half-baked recommendations !
See what happens when you give right-wing political appointees the final word on policy ?
The biggest issue with Trump ’ s politicization of agencies is that we ’ ve lost trust .
That means even if the science supported the CDC guidance to open schools , Americans can ’ t TRUST that its good faith science supported guidance and not a bow to WH demands .
— girl who wishes her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Karen_Bethany_ ) July 24 , 2020 I was surpised at how little attention was given to the topic of community spread .
I couldn ’ t sleep one night thinking about this and started writing this essay arguing the opposite .
It ’ s a choice between bad and historically tragic .
https : //t.co/krmm3DDO0k Together , we can open schools safely .
This fall , school may look different in some communities b/c of # COVID19 – as face masks , distancing , & hand hygiene meet bookbags & homework .
New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the upcoming school year .
https : //t.co/efgarAsMeq pic.twitter.com/jf284y1XGZ See the # ZTI patch on this @ DHSgov police in # PortlandProtests ZTI is a private company if true wearing Military Uniforms .
W authorities to shoot and arrest citizens as stated by @ DHSgov .
Stop The Bullshit .
Media do your job .
@ msnbc @ CNN @ foxnewsalert @ maddow @ haltman @ WHNSC pic.twitter.com/orVJHPBJGh Iam Being told by some on Twitter that ZT1 is Call Signs used by the U S Marshall , I request @ DHSgov to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iam wrong I apologize , this is another reason we want all police to stop using military uniforms .
Will see If @ DHSgov will make a statement .
pic.twitter.com/YVgCZEDdiJ BREAKING `` DAILY '' INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING NEWS : The president does not have one scheduled for today .
Absent a change , he will have had just three in the first 24 days of July .
In contrast , he has played golf on six days this month .
Here ’ s why what the Yankees did today was a slap to their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fans .
The many good people who work for that organization do not deserve this .
At least others around the game were disgusted.https : //t.co/cUiaUxoqIe Tucker Carlson : `` If Democrats take both the Senate and the White House , and they could , you will not recognize America a year from now '' https : //t.co/fjcFP15g3E The NYT , which would not use the words when Ted Yoho spoke them , uses them tonight to quote @ AOC -- and it describes HER behavior , not his , as `` disruptive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' one that it implies is about `` amplifying her own brand . ''
JFC .
pic.twitter.com/8LR7DV3uc0 The eternal and karmic irony is that the Obamas have wound up with the media and celebrity currency ; the fame and global adulation that has been  @ realDonaldTrump ’ s life dream , while his brand has been permanently destroyed by his presidency .
https : //t.co/EEHgBWRkhN DHS is threatening a production company that made a documentary about Trump 's immigration policies .
They 're trying to block the release of the documentary before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's that bad for Trump.https : //t.co/SPhiSFQNpq '' We just had a mass shooting a few days ago .
2 police cars were outside the funeral home where 15 people were shot .
They did nothing .
Chicago has the most police per 100k people in the country .
`` @ BLMChi co-founder Aislinn Pulley on # TheReidOut .
pic.twitter.com/6qEW93CrM9 # AcedTheCognitiveTestBy TRUMP : That ’ s a bunny , that ’ s a ducky , and that ’ s a chicken PROCTOR : Correct TRUMP : WHOO-HOO !
NAILED IT !
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NUMBER ONE !
I ’ M NUMBER ONE !
PROCTOR : Well , we ’ ve never seen anything quite like this TRUMP : Can I quote you ?
Still trying to figure out how much $ @ realdonaldtrump brings his businesses when he visits .
Just found a case where it was $ 99,000 per hour , paid by campaign donors and taxpayers .
pic.twitter.com/iT0w1wLWFM DEPT .
OF 'TAKE A STEP OUTSIDE YOUR MIND' The only wolf pack in California has added eight newborn pups , holed up in a top-secret location @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state .
Exactly where , the Department of Fish and Wildlife isn ’ t saying .
https : //t.co/Fs8qK4tUY7 And finally , for whoever needs to hear it : Have a wonderful weekend !
Wear your masks and wash your hands !

The biggest issue with Trump’s politicization of agencies is that we’ve lost trust. That means even if the science supported the CDC guidance to open schools, Americans can’t TRUST that its good faith science supported guidance and not a bow to WH demands.
— girl who wishes her name weren’t Karen😔 (@Karen_Bethany_) July 24, 2020


crooksandliars--2020-07-24--Sinclair's Eric Bolling Gives 'Plandemic' Conspiracy Theorists Platform To Attack Dr. Fauci

Sinclair Broadcasting , a network which at one time was rumored to be considering hiring sexual harrasser Bill O'Reilly , actually did hire another sexual harasser who was also suspended from Fox , Eric Bolling .
Sinclair has been a cesspool of misinformation , with the company doing its best to take over as many local media stations as they believed they could get away with .
They were regularly airing segments from former Trump aide Boris Epshteyn , before finally dropping him at the end of last year .
That has n't stopped the network from continuing to pollute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one documented by Media Matters with Bolling this week .
I 've lost track of how many people I know in real life who were sadly posting copies of the Plandemic `` documentary '' on Facebook .
I decided to deal with it by just reporting their posts , rather than argue with anyone who has been brainwashed to the point of buying into that garbage .
So it 's difficult to express the amount of outrage I feel when an outlet like Sinclair and someone like Bolling continues to propagate this garbage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook and YouTube pulled it down -- once enough people like myself complained and reported them .
Here 's more from Media Matters on Sinclair 's shameless conspiracy laden propaganda .
Go check the rest of their post for additional video , and Bolling 's interview with Fox 's Nicole Saphier , who is another quack medical contributor that Fox features on a regular basis .
These propaganda networks need to be taken off of the air before they help help kill God knows how many thousands of Americans who are foolish enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selling .

Sinclair Broadcasting, a network which at one time was rumored to be considering hiring sexual harrasser Bill O'Reilly, actually did hire another sexual harasser who was also suspended from Fox, Eric Bolling.
Sinclair has been a cesspool of misinformation, with the company doing its best to take over as many local media stations as they believed they could get away with. They were regularly airing segments from former Trump aide Boris Epshteyn, before finally dropping him at the end of last year.
That hasn't stopped the network from continuing to pollute the political waters with segments like the one documented by Media Matters with Bolling this week.
I've lost track of how many people I know in real life who were sadly posting copies of the Plandemic "documentary" on Facebook. I decided to deal with it by just reporting their posts, rather than argue with anyone who has been brainwashed to the point of buying into that garbage.
So it's difficult to express the amount of outrage I feel when an outlet like Sinclair and someone like Bolling continues to propagate this garbage when it's so awful, even Facebook and YouTube pulled it down -- once enough people like myself complained and reported them.
Here's more from Media Matters on Sinclair's shameless conspiracy laden propaganda. Go check the rest of their post for additional video, and Bolling's interview with Fox's Nicole Saphier, who is another quack medical contributor that Fox features on a regular basis.
These propaganda networks need to be taken off of the air before they help help kill God knows how many thousands of Americans who are foolish enough to buy the snake oil they're selling.


crooksandliars--2020-07-24--The Media Didn't Bother To Ask Trump Whether He Discussed Bounties With Putin

You might think at least one U.S. reporter would have asked Trump about this story yesterday , considering it first @ @ @ @ @ Trump mentioned talking to Putin , but no .
Via The Independent : Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ Putin Thursday for the first time since the publication of a New York Times story @ @ @ @ @ to Taliban fighters for killing US troops .
Reports of the conversation suggest Mr Trump @ @ @ @ @ story up to Mr Putin .
Judd Deere , a White House spokesman , issued @ @ @ @ @ discussed “ efforts to defeat the coronavirus pandemic while continuing to reopen global economies .
@

You might think at least one U.S. reporter would have asked Trump about this story yesterday, considering it first appeared June 26th and that Trump mentioned talking to Putin, but no. Via The Independent:
Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday for the first time since the publication of a New York Times story alleging that Russia paid bounties to Taliban fighters for killing US troops.
Reports of the conversation suggest Mr Trump did not bring the bounty story up to Mr Putin.
Judd Deere, a White House spokesman, issued a statement claiming the men discussed “efforts to defeat the coronavirus pandemic while continuing to reopen global economies.”


crooksandliars--2020-07-28--Stacey Abrams Schools Tom Cotton: 'Evil Is Evil'

I 've been watching all of the different ways people are pushing back on Senator Tom Cotton 's absurd remarks that slavery was a necessary evil , but none have resonated as deeply as Stacey Abrams ' response on The Reid Report .
To refresh our memories , Tom Cotton came up with a lot of argle-bargle when confronted with the reaction to his claim that slavery was a `` necessary evil . ''
What I said is that many founders believed that only with the union and the constitution could we put slavery on the path to its ultimate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what he said .
Here is what he said : As the founding fathers said , it was the necessary evil upon which the union was built , but the union was built in a way to put slavery on the course to its ultimate extinction .
I should note that he is adamant about trying to ban the 1619 Project from being taught in schools , which flies in the face of what he is saying .
As the descendant of slaveholders , Cotton is simply justifying that which he believes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to this word hackery , and she did not hold back .
Read or watch every word .
Because the continuity of evil in our country has led us to this moment .
First of all , there is no such thing as a necessary evil .
Evil is evil , and slavery is one of the ultimate evils .
And I think having this conversation on the day when John Lewis lays in state is a critical moment of reckoning .
If Tom Cotton is sincere in his desire to understand history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1619 Project .
He should be celebrating the Voting Rights Act renewal .
He should be celebrating Black Lives Matter .
We can only extinguish evil by acknowledging that it exists and doing everything in our power to defeat it , not to celebrate it , not to excuse it , and certainly not to use it as a polemic to justify the racism that runs through the party that is lifting up Tom Cotton and his language as something that 's legitimate as part of the argument about what our children should @ @ @ @ @

I've been watching all of the different ways people are pushing back on Senator Tom Cotton's absurd remarks that slavery was a necessary evil, but none have resonated as deeply as Stacey Abrams' response on The Reid Report.
To refresh our memories, Tom Cotton came up with a lot of argle-bargle when confronted with the reaction to his claim that slavery was a "necessary evil."
What I said is that many founders believed that only with the union and the constitution could we put slavery on the path to its ultimate extinction.
Which is not at all what he said. Here is what he said:
As the founding fathers said, it was the necessary evil upon which the union was built, but the union was built in a way to put slavery on the course to its ultimate extinction.
I should note that he is adamant about trying to ban the 1619 Project from being taught in schools, which flies in the face of what he is saying. As the descendant of slaveholders, Cotton is simply justifying that which he believes.
Joy Reid asked Stacey Abrams to respond to this word hackery, and she did not hold back. Read or watch every word.
Because the continuity of evil in our country has led us to this moment. First of all, there is no such thing as a necessary evil. Evil is evil, and slavery is one of the ultimate evils. And I think having this conversation on the day when John Lewis lays in state is a critical moment of reckoning. If Tom Cotton is sincere in his desire to understand history, then he should be celebrating the 1619 Project. He should be celebrating the Voting Rights Act renewal. He should be celebrating Black Lives Matter. We can only extinguish evil by acknowledging that it exists and doing everything in our power to defeat it, not to celebrate it, not to excuse it, and certainly not to use it as a polemic to justify the racism that runs through the party that is lifting up Tom Cotton and his language as something that's legitimate as part of the argument about what our children should learn about this country.
Point, set, match.


crooksandliars--2020-07-27--Statues Topple And A Catholic Church Burns As California Reckons With Its Spanish Colonial Past

Statues of the Spanish missionary Junípero Serra were recently toppled in the U.S. cities of San Francisco , Los Angeles and Sacramento as part of a national movement for racial justice sparked by the police killing of George Floyd .
While activists in the southern U.S. are largely protesting monuments to slaveholding Confederate leaders like Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis , California ’ s Serra statues represent a different contested chapter of American history : Spanish colonialism .
For some , Father Serra is a saint – literally : He was canonized by Pope Francis in 2015 .
For @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indigenous people “ missionized ” by Spain ’ s Catholic church , Serra represents genocide .
Unlike the British , who colonized the eastern United States , Spanish colonizers largely did not seek to explicitly eliminate the Indigenous peoples of the Americas .
Instead , the army worked with Spain ’ s Catholic church to religiously convert and “ civilize ” them .
Spain achieved this , in part , through missions – which sent priests to build churches , spread Catholicism and teach European-style agriculture across the Americas .
This process involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Indigenous people into laborers for the Spanish empire .
Junípero Serra created the California mission system , which stretched north from present-day San Diego up to Sonoma .
Born in Spain in 1713 , Serra journeyed to “ New Spain ” – known today as Mexico – in 1749 .
For nearly two decades he built churches , taught and preached the gospel to Indigenous peoples .
As an “ inquisitor ” for the Spanish Inquisition in the Sierra Gorda mountains of central Mexico , Serra also accused several non-Indigenous people of witchcraft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the already extensive Jesuit mission system of Baja California in Mexico .
Before he arrived , Indigenous people had staged various armed revolts against the Spanish .
Many Indigenous people also died from Spanish diseases brought by the conquistadors , like typhoid and syphilis .
Serra reached present-day coastal California in 1769 on Spain ’ s “ Sacred Expedition ” to settle the land and secure it ahead of other European powers .
The events that followed are at the heart of today ’ s debates about Serra ’ s legacy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on religion , colonization and Indigenous survival .
Serra ’ s defenders say he was a man of God who treated Indigenous people with respect .
Serra insisted that Spain ’ s presidios , or military bases , be built far from religious missions .
He fought against the death penalty for Native people involved in a 1775 rebellion when the Spanish army wanted to execute them .
“ St .
Serra made heroic sacrifices to protect the indigenous people of California from their Spanish conquerors , especially the soldiers , ” wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the San Francisco Diocese , in a June 2020 letter after the city ’ s Serra statue was toppled .
Major avenues across California are named after Serra , but there is mounting pressure to change that .
Stanford University has already removed Serra ’ s name from its main campus road .
“ Junipero Serra is the person who brought the faith that I practice today , ” said Andrew Galvan , curator of the Mission Dolores historic site , to The Telegraph .
But even Galvan , who is Native @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ disaster ” for his Ohlone and Miwok ancestors .
According to the University of California historian Steven Hackel , Spanish missionaries commonly used violence to punish “ Indios ” who broke their rules .
Serra approved such punishments .
Those who tried to escape were tracked down and whipped .
Unmarried Native women were locked in dormitories called “ monjerios ” at night to control their sexual activity .
Disease and death proliferated at the missions .
An estimated 85,000 Indigenous people were baptized in Serra ’ s California .
When the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15,000 “ missionized Indians ” remained .
The literary scholar Deborah Miranda , of California ’ s Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation , describes this period as “ the end of the world.
” After Mexican independence from Spain , mission lands in 1834 were divided up among Mexican settlers .
Some “ missionized Indians ” in California received land grants , too , but many others became low-paid laborers on the Mexicans ’ enormous new “ ranchos.
” After the United States won California and other Mexican territories in 1848 following the Mexican-American War , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the area and , according to historian Benjamin Madley , murdered Native Americans with impunity .
“ Perpetrators , bystanders , survivors , and secondary sources indicate that non-Indians killed at least 9,492 to 16,094 California Indians , and probably more between 1846 and 1873 , ” writes Madley in his 2016 book “ An American Genocide.
” One modern consequence of all this history is that today California has few federally recognized Native tribes .
[ Insight , in your inbox each day .
You can get it with The Conversation ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal recognition – which enables tribes to negotiate agreements with the government and use the Indian Health Service , among other benefits – tribes must prove unbroken tribal governance and cultural unity .
Between the cultural destruction brought by Spain ’ s mission system , land loss under Mexican rule and American extermination campaigns , no Native tribes between Sonoma and Santa Barbara are deemed to meet federal criteria .
“ Pro-Catholic scholars and leaders have yet to prove that the missions benefited the California Indians in a way that justifies/overshadows the mission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” says Jonathan Cordero , sociologist and leader of the San Francisco-area Indigenous descendants group Association of Ramaytush Ohlone .
On July 11 , the mission Serra founded in Los Angeles , Mission San Gabriel , caught fire .
The cause of the fire is under investigation .
Yve Chavez , an art historian whose Indigenous Tongva ancestors lived and were buried at Mission San Gabriel , is no Serra devotee .
Still , she found the destruction of the 249-year-old church “ devastating.
” “ Some people might see these as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chavez told the Los Angeles Times of California ’ s missions .
But , she said , “ This is something our ancestors made.
” This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
Read the original article .

Abel R. Gomez, Syracuse University
Statues of the Spanish missionary Junípero Serra were recently toppled in the U.S. cities of San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sacramento as part of a national movement for racial justice sparked by the police killing of George Floyd.
While activists in the southern U.S. are largely protesting monuments to slaveholding Confederate leaders like Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis, California’s Serra statues represent a different contested chapter of American history: Spanish colonialism.
For some, Father Serra is a saint – literally: He was canonized by Pope Francis in 2015. For others, including some descendants of the Indigenous people “missionized” by Spain’s Catholic church, Serra represents genocide.
‘Civilizing’ missions
Unlike the British, who colonized the eastern United States, Spanish colonizers largely did not seek to explicitly eliminate the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. Instead, the army worked with Spain’s Catholic church to religiously convert and “civilize” them.
Spain achieved this, in part, through missions – which sent priests to build churches, spread Catholicism and teach European-style agriculture across the Americas. This process involved taking Indigenous peoples’ lands and turning Indigenous people into laborers for the Spanish empire.
Junípero Serra created the California mission system, which stretched north from present-day San Diego up to Sonoma. Born in Spain in 1713, Serra journeyed to “New Spain” – known today as Mexico – in 1749. For nearly two decades he built churches, taught and preached the gospel to Indigenous peoples.
As an “inquisitor” for the Spanish Inquisition in the Sierra Gorda mountains of central Mexico, Serra also accused several non-Indigenous people of witchcraft.
In 1767 Serra was appointed president of the already extensive Jesuit mission system of Baja California in Mexico. Before he arrived, Indigenous people had staged various armed revolts against the Spanish. Many Indigenous people also died from Spanish diseases brought by the conquistadors, like typhoid and syphilis.
Serra reached present-day coastal California in 1769 on Spain’s “Sacred Expedition” to settle the land and secure it ahead of other European powers. The events that followed are at the heart of today’s debates about Serra’s legacy, and the focus of my academic research on religion, colonization and Indigenous survival.
Serra in California
Serra’s defenders say he was a man of God who treated Indigenous people with respect.
Serra insisted that Spain’s presidios, or military bases, be built far from religious missions. He fought against the death penalty for Native people involved in a 1775 rebellion when the Spanish army wanted to execute them.
“St. Serra made heroic sacrifices to protect the indigenous people of California from their Spanish conquerors, especially the soldiers,” wrote the Most Rev. Salvatore J. Cordileone of the San Francisco Diocese, in a June 2020 letter after the city’s Serra statue was toppled.
Major avenues across California are named after Serra, but there is mounting pressure to change that. Stanford University has already removed Serra’s name from its main campus road.
“Junipero Serra is the person who brought the faith that I practice today,” said Andrew Galvan, curator of the Mission Dolores historic site, to The Telegraph.
But even Galvan, who is Native American, agrees the missions were a “disaster” for his Ohlone and Miwok ancestors.
According to the University of California historian Steven Hackel, Spanish missionaries commonly used violence to punish “Indios” who broke their rules. Serra approved such punishments. Those who tried to escape were tracked down and whipped. Unmarried Native women were locked in dormitories called “monjerios” at night to control their sexual activity.
Disease and death proliferated at the missions. An estimated 85,000 Indigenous people were baptized in Serra’s California. When the mission system ended in 1834, only 15,000 “missionized Indians” remained. The literary scholar Deborah Miranda, of California’s Ohlone/Costanoan-Esselen Nation, describes this period as “the end of the world.”
Legacy of the missions
After Mexican independence from Spain, mission lands in 1834 were divided up among Mexican settlers. Some “missionized Indians” in California received land grants, too, but many others became low-paid laborers on the Mexicans’ enormous new “ranchos.”
After the United States won California and other Mexican territories in 1848 following the Mexican-American War, American settlers and gold miners poured into the area and, according to historian Benjamin Madley, murdered Native Americans with impunity.
“Perpetrators, bystanders, survivors, and secondary sources indicate that non-Indians killed at least 9,492 to 16,094 California Indians, and probably more between 1846 and 1873,” writes Madley in his 2016 book “An American Genocide.”
One modern consequence of all this history is that today California has few federally recognized Native tribes.
[Insight, in your inbox each day. You can get it with The Conversation’s email newsletter.]
To gain federal recognition – which enables tribes to negotiate agreements with the government and use the Indian Health Service, among other benefits – tribes must prove unbroken tribal governance and cultural unity. Between the cultural destruction brought by Spain’s mission system, land loss under Mexican rule and American extermination campaigns, no Native tribes between Sonoma and Santa Barbara are deemed to meet federal criteria.
“Pro-Catholic scholars and leaders have yet to prove that the missions benefited the California Indians in a way that justifies/overshadows the mission’s coercive practices and disastrous effects,” says Jonathan Cordero, sociologist and leader of the San Francisco-area Indigenous descendants group Association of Ramaytush Ohlone.
Native history
On July 11, the mission Serra founded in Los Angeles, Mission San Gabriel, caught fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Yve Chavez, an art historian whose Indigenous Tongva ancestors lived and were buried at Mission San Gabriel, is no Serra devotee. Still, she found the destruction of the 249-year-old church “devastating.”
“Some people might see these as monuments to Catholicism or Spain,” Chavez told the Los Angeles Times of California’s missions. But, she said, “This is something our ancestors made.”
Abel R. Gomez, PhD Candidate, Religion Department, Syracuse University
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


crooksandliars--2020-07-27--White House Chief Of Staff Pushes False Narrative On Vote-By-Mail Fraud

Despite the fact that he claimed he agreed George Stephanopoulos ' assertion that there is `` no compelling evidence that mail-in ballots are tied to widespread voter fraud , '' that 's exactly the narrative White House chief of staff Mark Meadows was trying to push on ABC 's This Week .
As the Brennan Center for Justice has reported , mail-in ballots `` are essential for holding a safe election amid Covid-19 '' and what security concerns there are can easily be addressed : Despite this dramatic increase in mail voting over time , fraud rates remain infinitesimally small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold their elections primarily by mail has had any voter fraud scandals since making that change .
As the New York Times editorial board notes , “ states that use vote-by-mail have encountered essentially zero fraud : Oregon , the pioneer in this area , has sent out more than 100 million mail-in ballots since 2000 , and has documented only about a dozen cases of proven fraud.
” Rounded to the seventh decimal point , that ’ s 0.0000001 percent of all votes cast .
An exhaustive investigative journalism analysis of all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases of absentee ballot fraud from 2000 to 2012 .
As election law professor Richard L. Hasen notes , during that period “ literally billions of votes were cast.
” While mail ballots are more susceptible to fraud than in-person voting , it is still more likely for an American to be struck by lightning than to commit mail voting fraud .
States have multiple tools to address valid security concerns and protect election integrity when it comes to mail ballots .
And recent technologies and strategies have significantly enhanced the security of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , those are identity verification , bar codes , ballot tracking through the U.S .
Postal Service , secure drop-off locations and drop boxes , harsh penalties for voter fraud , postelection audits , and polling sites as a fail-safe .
Here 's Meadows response when asked about his boss ' lie that `` mail-in voting is going to rig the election . ''
STEPHANOPOULOS : Why does the president keep questioning the election ?
And why wo n't he say clearly , as every president has done before , that he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Well , George , you talked earlier about no compelling evidence of any voter fraud as it relates to mail-in ballots .
I would have to disagree with that -- MEADOWS : OK , wide spread .
Well , here ’ s -- the thing is we have n't had widespread mail-in ballots .
The Democrats see this as their panacea of being able to put a ballot in every mailbox and hope for the best .
Listen , that 's not the way that -- that the voter integrity process needs to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everybody .
Absentee ballots , the request for absentee ballots is certainly something that ’ s happened in a number of states .
It ’ s certainly something the president supports .
But as we look at that , we want to make sure that every vote counts , but that it ’ s only one vote per person .
You ca n't have vote harvesting .
We ’ ve seen ballot harvesting schemes in California , and I ’ m not suggesting that there 's widespread fraud .
There ’ s certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraud -- STEPHANOPOULOS : Let me press you on that .
MEADOWS : To be intellectually honest , we need to make sure that we have that .
Yes .
STEPHANOPOULOS : Let me press you on that because not just Democrats raising the questions .
Tom Ridge , former Republican governor of Pennsylvania , former homeland security under President Bush , George W. Bush , has said there 's no history of widespread voter fraud .
And he wonders : When you listen to the president , you begin to wonder , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the electoral process or is he worried about losing ?
MEADOWS : Yes , to my knowledge , Tom has n't been involved in any voter integrity project since perhaps he left over a decade ago , And so , I do n't know if that 's an informed decision as much as it is an opinion .
And everybody can come on TV and provide their opinion .
What we do know is a number of times as we have mail-in ballots , if there is -- is not a chain of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ballot box , mischief can happen .
And we ’ ve seen that throughout our history .
We also see very clearly that if you 're going to cast a ballot , you want to make sure it goes in the ballot box and it ’ s your vote that counts , not your vote for someone else that gets decided by another person .
If Republicans were actually concerned about the integrity of our elections , they 'd be putting their money where their mouths are , but instead we 've @ @ @ @ @ @ @ single dollar to help states conduct safe elections during a global pandemic .
Despite all of their fearmongering over vote-by-mail , that has n't stopped the Trump campaign from promoting it when they believe it will help their campaign , as Rick Tyler pointed out on Twitter today :

Despite the fact that he claimed he agreed George Stephanopoulos' assertion that there is "no compelling evidence that mail-in ballots are tied to widespread voter fraud," that's exactly the narrative White House chief of staff Mark Meadows was trying to push on ABC's This Week.
As the Brennan Center for Justice has reported, mail-in ballots "are essential for holding a safe election amid Covid-19" and what security concerns there are can easily be addressed:
Despite this dramatic increase in mail voting over time, fraud rates remain infinitesimally small. None of the five states that hold their elections primarily by mail has had any voter fraud scandals since making that change. As the New York Times editorial board notes, “states that use vote-by-mail have encountered essentially zero fraud: Oregon, the pioneer in this area, has sent out more than 100 million mail-in ballots since 2000, and has documented only about a dozen cases of proven fraud.” Rounded to the seventh decimal point, that’s 0.0000001 percent of all votes cast. An exhaustive investigative journalism analysis of all known voter fraud cases identified only 491 cases of absentee ballot fraud from 2000 to 2012. As election law professor Richard L. Hasen notes, during that period “literally billions of votes were cast.” While mail ballots are more susceptible to fraud than in-person voting, it is still more likely for an American to be struck by lightning than to commit mail voting fraud. States have multiple tools to address valid security concerns and protect election integrity when it comes to mail ballots. And recent technologies and strategies have significantly enhanced the security of mail balloting.
As the article explains, those are identity verification, bar codes, ballot tracking through the U.S. Postal Service, secure drop-off locations and drop boxes, harsh penalties for voter fraud, postelection audits, and polling sites as a fail-safe.
Here's Meadows response when asked about his boss' lie that "mail-in voting is going to rig the election."
STEPHANOPOULOS: Why does the president keep questioning the election? And why won't he say clearly, as every president has done before, that he’ll accept the results? MEADOWS: Well, George, you talked earlier about no compelling evidence of any voter fraud as it relates to mail-in ballots. I would have to disagree with that -- STEPHANOPOULOS: I said widespread voter fraud. MEADOWS: OK, wide spread. Well, here’s -- the thing is we haven't had widespread mail-in ballots. The Democrats see this as their panacea of being able to put a ballot in every mailbox and hope for the best. Listen, that's not the way that -- that the voter integrity process needs to run where you send a ballot to everybody. Absentee ballots, the request for absentee ballots is certainly something that’s happened in a number of states. It’s certainly something the president supports. But as we look at that, we want to make sure that every vote counts, but that it’s only one vote per person. You can't have vote harvesting. We’ve seen ballot harvesting schemes in California, and I’m not suggesting that there's widespread fraud. There’s certainly is fraud. But there's certainly fraud -- (CROSSTALK) STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me press you on that. MEADOWS: To be intellectually honest, we need to make sure that we have that. Yes. STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me press you on that because not just Democrats raising the questions. Tom Ridge, former Republican governor of Pennsylvania, former homeland security under President Bush, George W. Bush, has said there's no history of widespread voter fraud. And he wonders: When you listen to the president, you begin to wonder, is he worried about the legitimacy of the electoral process or is he worried about losing? Your response to that -- (CROSSTALK) MEADOWS: Yes, to my knowledge, Tom hasn't been involved in any voter integrity project since perhaps he left over a decade ago, And so, I don't know if that's an informed decision as much as it is an opinion. And everybody can come on TV and provide their opinion. What we do know is a number of times as we have mail-in ballots, if there is -- is not a chain of custody that goes from the voter to the ballot box, mischief can happen. And we’ve seen that throughout our history. We also see very clearly that if you're going to cast a ballot, you want to make sure it goes in the ballot box and it’s your vote that counts, not your vote for someone else that gets decided by another person.
If Republicans were actually concerned about the integrity of our elections, they'd be putting their money where their mouths are, but instead we've got Mitch McConnell refusing to propose a single dollar to help states conduct safe elections during a global pandemic.
Despite all of their fearmongering over vote-by-mail, that hasn't stopped the Trump campaign from promoting it when they believe it will help their campaign, as Rick Tyler pointed out on Twitter today:


crooksandliars--2020-07-27--WATCH As Trump's Mighty Border Wall Falls Over

Just weeks after a wall built by Fisher Sand and Gravel of North Dakota , described as the 'Lamborghini of fences ' by Jeff Fisher , already shows signs of falling down , another one falls to a breezy day in June .
Despite all this , the Trump administration has awarded $ 1.7bil in contracts to them .
Nice swamp you got there , Donnie .
A section of the US-Mexico border wall in South Texas has reportedly failed to withstand the power of nature , collapsing under the strong winds of Hurricane Hanna , and sending President Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For the fury of nature , there are no borders , ” wrote Yadith Valdez , who was among the first to share a viral video that allegedly shows a part of the border fence between the United States and Mexico going down .
The US President ’ s many critics rejoiced , seeing it as divine intervention and an omen of an imminent collapse of the Trump administration .
While it was not immediately clear where the video was recorded , earlier this month , a privately built section of the border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being located too close to the Rio Grande river and already showing signs of erosion just months after going up .
Trump at the time distanced himself from that particular private initiative , even though his administration reportedly awarded the builder a $ 1.7 billion contract to construct more walls .
UPDATE : Per the Customs and Border Patrol , this video was actually from June , and the wall did n't fall down as a result of Hurricane Hanna .
The news was covered up at the time , of course , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were raised about when the incident took place .

Just weeks after a wall built by Fisher Sand and Gravel of North Dakota, described as the 'Lamborghini of fences' by Jeff Fisher, already shows signs of falling down, another one falls to Hurricane Hanna a breezy day in June. Despite all this, the Trump administration has awarded $1.7bil in contracts to them.
Nice swamp you got there, Donnie.
Source: RT.com
A section of the US-Mexico border wall in South Texas has reportedly failed to withstand the power of nature, collapsing under the strong winds of Hurricane Hanna, and sending President Trump’s critics into overdrive.
“For the fury of nature, there are no borders,” wrote Yadith Valdez, who was among the first to share a viral video that allegedly shows a part of the border fence between the United States and Mexico going down. The US President’s many critics rejoiced, seeing it as divine intervention and an omen of an imminent collapse of the Trump administration. While it was not immediately clear where the video was recorded, earlier this month, a privately built section of the border wall in South Texas was criticised for being located too close to the Rio Grande river and already showing signs of erosion just months after going up. Trump at the time distanced himself from that particular private initiative, even though his administration reportedly awarded the builder a $1.7 billion contract to construct more walls.
Yadith Valdez's original tweet in Spanish.
Y pooess asi, “Hanna” derribó parte del muro fronterizo que se construye entre Estados Unidos y México. Para la furia de la naturaleza, no existen fronteras. 🇲🇽🇺🇸... pic.twitter.com/N3BxTadRhh — Yadith Valdez (@yadithvaldez) July 26, 2020
Hurricane Hanna - just now - blowing over Trump’s mighty border wall between the United States and Mexico.... pic.twitter.com/0zNejNLYC9 — Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) July 26, 2020
UPDATE: Per the Customs and Border Patrol, this video was actually from June, and the wall didn't fall down as a result of Hurricane Hanna. The news was covered up at the time, of course, but when this went viral yesterday questions were raised about when the incident took place.


crooksandliars--2020-07-27--GOP Convention Cavalcade Of Stars Includes Diamond And Silk, Ted Nugent (UPDATED)

It 's almost as if the Republican National Convention is tearing a page out of The Love Boat .
On topic , The New Yorker ( from June 22 ) reports that former Trump employees/grifters will say Happy Birthday to your grandpa for money : When Cameo launched , in 2017 , it trafficked in videos of C-listers such as Tony Hawk doing a “ gender reveal ” for a baby ( price : two hundred dollars ) or Caitlyn Jenner saying happy birthday ( twenty-five hundred dollars ) .
In recent months , the ex-Trump officials have come pouring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s mouthpiece , but he has extended his reach , offering himself as a spokesperson to anyone who can pay .
On Cameo , he holds a pillow that says “ mooch ” and bellows , “ I ’ ll talk about anything , as you guys know .
So look me up , dial me in , and tell me what you want me to say to you !
” He concludes with a loud kissing noise and promises to respond within three days .
( Sebastian Gorka , Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a same-day response . )
Roger Stone , Trump ’ s longtime adviser , whose incarceration has been deferred , has started making Cameos for seventy-five dollars apiece—a quarantine pastime until he ’ s due in prison , later this month .
The former press secretary Sean Spicer is on the app , too .
“ It ’ s like the Uber of fan mail , ” he said .
“ People are paying for what they want.
” ...
There ’ s one person on Cameo who still works for the President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adviser on Trump ’ s reëlection campaign , he appears to have ample time to make Cameos , which he films in front of an American flag and a Trump-Pence sign .
He tends to insert his politics into his videos , such as when he commended a woman for working hard to “ instill conservative values ” in her pet pug , Nobu .
Tomi Lahren , a Fox Nation host who moonlights on the app , randomly slips pro-Trump phrases into her videos , like “ No obstruction , no collusion.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cameo is Rod Blagojevich , the former Illinois governor who was in prison for corruption until Trump commuted his sentence , earlier this year .
( Trump fired Blagojevich , too—in 2010 , on “ The Celebrity Apprentice.
” ) Positioned in his study with a biography of Churchill behind him , Blagojevich advertises himself in a tone one might hear in a hostage video .
“ If you want a birthday greeting , an anniversary greeting , motivation , or any other kind of shoutout , I can ’ t wait to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cameo is his main source of income .
His wife , Patti , is also available for booking .
( Forty dollars , “ Political Spouse , ” seated in a leopard chair . )
“ I was sheltering in place for eight years in prison , and , when I suddenly came home , it was time to figure out a way to make a living , ” he explained by phone .
“ Some people , like me , leave the shithouse and make Cameos from home .
Others leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
It ’ s freedom .
It ’ s a free market .
”

It's almost as if the Republican National Convention is tearing a page out of The Love Boat.
On topic, The New Yorker (from June 22) reports that former Trump employees/grifters will say Happy Birthday to your grandpa for money:
When Cameo launched, in 2017, it trafficked in videos of C-listers such as Tony Hawk doing a “gender reveal” for a baby (price: two hundred dollars) or Caitlyn Jenner saying happy birthday (twenty-five hundred dollars). In recent months, the ex-Trump officials have come pouring in. Anthony Scaramucci used to be Trump’s mouthpiece, but he has extended his reach, offering himself as a spokesperson to anyone who can pay. On Cameo, he holds a pillow that says “mooch” and bellows, “I’ll talk about anything, as you guys know. So look me up, dial me in, and tell me what you want me to say to you!” He concludes with a loud kissing noise and promises to respond within three days. (Sebastian Gorka, Trump’s former deputy assistant, guarantees a same-day response.) Roger Stone, Trump’s longtime adviser, whose incarceration has been deferred, has started making Cameos for seventy-five dollars apiece—a quarantine pastime until he’s due in prison, later this month. The former press secretary Sean Spicer is on the app, too. “It’s like the Uber of fan mail,” he said. “People are paying for what they want.”
...There’s one person on Cameo who still works for the President. Although Corey Lewandowski is a senior adviser on Trump’s reëlection campaign, he appears to have ample time to make Cameos, which he films in front of an American flag and a Trump-Pence sign. He tends to insert his politics into his videos, such as when he commended a woman for working hard to “instill conservative values” in her pet pug, Nobu. Tomi Lahren, a Fox Nation host who moonlights on the app, randomly slips pro-Trump phrases into her videos, like “No obstruction, no collusion.”
One of the few Democrats on Cameo is Rod Blagojevich, the former Illinois governor who was in prison for corruption until Trump commuted his sentence, earlier this year. (Trump fired Blagojevich, too—in 2010, on “The Celebrity Apprentice.”) Positioned in his study with a biography of Churchill behind him, Blagojevich advertises himself in a tone one might hear in a hostage video. “If you want a birthday greeting, an anniversary greeting, motivation, or any other kind of shoutout, I can’t wait to hear from you,” he says. Cameo is his main source of income. His wife, Patti, is also available for booking. (Forty dollars, “Political Spouse,” seated in a leopard chair.) “I was sheltering in place for eight years in prison, and, when I suddenly came home, it was time to figure out a way to make a living,” he explained by phone. “Some people, like me, leave the shithouse and make Cameos from home. Others leave the White House and make Cameos from home. It’s freedom. It’s a free market.”


crooksandliars--2020-07-27--White House Forcing COVID19 On Workers; Refuses To Extend $600 Benefits

The White House and their Republican enablers in Congress are refusing to extend the $ 600 a week unemployment benefit in the new stimulus package , claiming people are `` refusing to work '' because they never had it so good .
There is only one way to look at this insane push by White House 's refusal to aid all workers : they are trying to force Americans to go out , possibly get infected , get very sick , and die -- because the Trump administration wants to kick-start the economy at the expense of human life to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theme that 's being promoted by these cretins is that low-wage earners are making too much from the relief package to ever look for a job again .
On Sunday 's ABC 's This Week , The White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows shot down the idea of continuing a $ 600 a week unemployment benefit with this lame excuse .
Texas Senator Ted Cruz attacked the idea of extending these benefits in roughly the same way .
“ We 've got to get American back to work , '' he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy the Democrats and Nancy Pelosi are pushing adds an additional $ 600 a week .
The problem is , for 68 % of people receiving it right now , they are being paid more on unemployment than they made in their job.
” The $ 600 a week payout calculates out to a $ 15 an hour job .
Does Sen. Ted Cruz and the White House believe every worker filing for unemployment insurance makes $ 15 an hour ?
And even if they did why does it matter ?
Is infecting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ better alternative ?
Maybe stopping the spread of the virus will help the economy much more ?
Just a thought .
Sen. Cruz or Meadows did n't care when Steve Mnuchin refused to divulge who received some 500 billion dollars of PPP money .
The top corporations received monies from the first stimulus packages while small businesses suffered waiting and waiting to see if they were even accepted into the PPP program .
But Trump and his cronies while mentioning small business problems are opposed to continue to help them .
What about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making 3.5 billion in profits ?
Even though their profits were up 15 % ?
Where 's Republican outrage ?
As Major League Baseball attempts to restart a sixty-game season , already the Miami Marlins have been shut down due to an outbreak of the coronavirus .
Does that ring any bells for these conservative creeps ?
Why is the White House not doing everything it can to help American workers ?
UPDATE ( Frances Langum ) : NPR is reporting that paying unemployment benefits by this White House formula could delay benefits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lag could mean that the roughly 30 million people currently collecting pandemic-related unemployment benefits would see their income drop from a weekly average of $ 900 to an average of $ 300 per week .
The proposal would cut emergency unemployment benefits to roughly 70 % of a person 's lost wages — a more complicated calculation than the current , flat $ 600 .
Critics have warned since March that such a proposal would undermine efforts to speed relief to millions of people out of work due to the coronavirus .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. Department of Labor told Congress in May that it `` strongly '' opposed such a change because states would find it `` exceedingly difficult if not impossible to implement . ''

The White House and their Republican enablers in Congress are refusing to extend the $600 a week unemployment benefit in the new stimulus package, claiming people are "refusing to work" because they never had it so good.
There is only one way to look at this insane push by White House's refusal to aid all workers: they are trying to force Americans to go out, possibly get infected, get very sick, and die -- because the Trump administration wants to kick-start the economy at the expense of human life to help his reelection chances.
It's criminal.
The constant theme that's being promoted by these cretins is that low-wage earners are making too much from the relief package to ever look for a job again.
On Sunday's ABC's This Week, The White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows shot down the idea of continuing a $600 a week unemployment benefit with this lame excuse.
“The original unemployment benefits actually paid people to stay home, and actually a lot of people got more money staying at home than they would going back to work,” Mr. Meadows said on Sunday. “So the president has been very clear, our Republican senators have been very clear, we’re not going to extend that provision.”
Texas Senator Ted Cruz attacked the idea of extending these benefits in roughly the same way.
“We've got to get American back to work," he said. Sen. Cruz continued, "The policy the Democrats and Nancy Pelosi are pushing adds an additional $600 a week. The problem is, for 68% of people receiving it right now, they are being paid more on unemployment than they made in their job.”
The $600 a week payout calculates out to a $15 an hour job. Does Sen. Ted Cruz and the White House believe every worker filing for unemployment insurance makes $15 an hour?
And even if they did why does it matter?
Is infecting and killing them from the pandemic a better alternative?
Maybe stopping the spread of the virus will help the economy much more? Just a thought.
Sen. Cruz or Meadows didn't care when Steve Mnuchin refused to divulge who received some 500 billion dollars of PPP money.
The top corporations received monies from the first stimulus packages while small businesses suffered waiting and waiting to see if they were even accepted into the PPP program.
But Trump and his cronies while mentioning small business problems are opposed to continue to help them.
What about the billion dollars Lockheed Martin requested after making 3.5 billion in profits?
Even though their profits were up 15%? Where's Republican outrage?
As Major League Baseball attempts to restart a sixty-game season, already the Miami Marlins have been shut down due to an outbreak of the coronavirus.
Does that ring any bells for these conservative creeps?
Why is the White House not doing everything it can to help American workers?
UPDATE (Frances Langum): NPR is reporting that paying unemployment benefits by this White House formula could delay benefits up to THREE MONTHS.
Such a lag could mean that the roughly 30 million people currently collecting pandemic-related unemployment benefits would see their income drop from a weekly average of $900 to an average of $300 per week. The proposal would cut emergency unemployment benefits to roughly 70% of a person's lost wages — a more complicated calculation than the current, flat $600. Critics have warned since March that such a proposal would undermine efforts to speed relief to millions of people out of work due to the coronavirus. The potential delays are so significant that the U.S. Department of Labor told Congress in May that it "strongly" opposed such a change because states would find it "exceedingly difficult if not impossible to implement."


crooksandliars--2020-07-27--Canada's Legalization Of Cannabis Is A Success

A highly regarded British think tank focused on reforming drug laws thinks Canada ’ s legalization and regulation of cannabis has gone well .
Transform has been monitoring Canadian reform efforts for some time , and advised the Canadian government and some provinces on how to develop regulations prior to legalization .
Its positive views of Canada ’ s initiatives is a significant contribution in assessing our journey away from criminalization of simple possession and use of recreational drugs .
There have been a number of efforts at assessing our first year of legalization and beyond .
Not all of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s evaluations .
The think tank ’ s accounting is sophisticated but also provides a primer of Canada ’ s experiences with legal cannabis , the provision of which was deemed an essential service in Ontario during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Transform ’ s assessment delves into the fundamentals — growing , processing and producing .
The diverse ways the drug is sold to consumers in the provinces and territories is summarized succinctly and clearly .
The report also wades into contentious issues , including impaired driving , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Let ’ s look at the social justice issues implicated in the shift away from criminalization .
As it became clear that change would happen and the necessary federal and provincial/territorial legislation would be enacted , issues affecting marginalized groups came to the fore .
Transform looked at governments ’ failure to adequately address them .
The first issue involves social equity measures .
These proposed initiatives aim to compensate , to some degree , the harms suffered by members of groups because of criminalization and enforcement measures , and penalties that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points out that Indigenous communities are given the ability to refuse the sale of cannabis on reserves , and says there hasn ’ t been enough of an effort to include Indigenous Peoples as participants in the cannabis industry as part of economic improvement initiatives .
More generally , the report documents efforts in American states where cannabis is legal to give minority groups , including Indigenous communities , opportunities to participate in the industry .
Whether such initiatives are the best and only way to go is debatable .
Some who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the enforcement of drug laws might not want to be involved with the cannabis industry now as part of social equity measures .
There could be other ways to support those affected by discriminatory practices .
For example , a fund established from a portion of cannabis industry tax revenues could provide grants to qualified applicants for a wide variety of opportunities .
In any event , these social equity issues should no longer be ignored .
Transform also raised the need for amnesty for those convicted of simple possession and use when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these individuals , affecting everything from employment opportunities to travel to foreign countries .
Canada did enact special programs for pardons for related offences in conjunction with reform of cannabis laws .
But these changes have proven inadequate because of cost and other barriers , and because convictions still persist and can not be denied by affected individuals when questioned .
There have been very few applications under this process .
Instead , as Transform emphasizes , amnesty is needed that compels governments to erase convictions or , at least , seal relevant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some U.S. states , notably California .
On the whole , Transform lauds Canadian efforts at reform .
Others have not been so kind .
Take , for example , an article in The Guardian in April ominously headlined : “ How did it go so wrong ?
” The story documented legitimate shortcomings regarding access to the legal market ( for example , not enough retail outlets , especially in Ontario ) , the fight to eliminate the illicit market and the problems faced by the cannabis industry to turn profits .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by vulture capitalism and wishful thinking ” in a “ mix of greed and naivete.
” Canada still has a long way to go to ensure cannabis legalization is successful .
But the harm caused by criminalizing the use of other drugs is a different story .
This month the Canadian Chiefs of Police endorsed the decriminalization of the personal use and possession of all drugs .
Is another chapter unfolding ?
Bill Bogart , Distinguished University Professor and Professor of Law Emeritus , University of Windsor This article is republished from The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Read the original article .

Bill Bogart, University of Windsor
A highly regarded British think tank focused on reforming drug laws thinks Canada’s legalization and regulation of cannabis has gone well.
Transform has been monitoring Canadian reform efforts for some time, and advised the Canadian government and some provinces on how to develop regulations prior to legalization. Its positive views of Canada’s initiatives is a significant contribution in assessing our journey away from criminalization of simple possession and use of recreational drugs.
There have been a number of efforts at assessing our first year of legalization and beyond. Not all of them have been as positive as Transform’s evaluations.
The think tank’s accounting is sophisticated but also provides a primer of Canada’s experiences with legal cannabis, the provision of which was deemed an essential service in Ontario during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov
Transform’s assessment delves into the fundamentals — growing, processing and producing. The diverse ways the drug is sold to consumers in the provinces and territories is summarized succinctly and clearly.
The report also wades into contentious issues, including impaired driving, protecting youth and confronting the illicit market. Let’s look at the social justice issues implicated in the shift away from criminalization.
Social equity issues
As it became clear that change would happen and the necessary federal and provincial/territorial legislation would be enacted, issues affecting marginalized groups came to the fore. Transform looked at governments’ failure to adequately address them.
The first issue involves social equity measures. These proposed initiatives aim to compensate, to some degree, the harms suffered by members of groups because of criminalization and enforcement measures, and penalties that disproportionately affected them.
Read more:
As cannabis is legalized, let's remember amnesty
The report also points out that Indigenous communities are given the ability to refuse the sale of cannabis on reserves, and says there hasn’t been enough of an effort to include Indigenous Peoples as participants in the cannabis industry as part of economic improvement initiatives.
More generally, the report documents efforts in American states where cannabis is legal to give minority groups, including Indigenous communities, opportunities to participate in the industry.
Whether such initiatives are the best and only way to go is debatable. Some who have been negatively impacted by discriminatory practices in the enforcement of drug laws might not want to be involved with the cannabis industry now as part of social equity measures.
There could be other ways to support those affected by discriminatory practices. For example, a fund established from a portion of cannabis industry tax revenues could provide grants to qualified applicants for a wide variety of opportunities. In any event, these social equity issues should no longer be ignored.
Amnesty
Transform also raised the need for amnesty for those convicted of simple possession and use when cannabis was illegal.
Criminal records dog these individuals, affecting everything from employment opportunities to travel to foreign countries.
Canada did enact special programs for pardons for related offences in conjunction with reform of cannabis laws. But these changes have proven inadequate because of cost and other barriers, and because convictions still persist and cannot be denied by affected individuals when questioned.
There have been very few applications under this process. Instead, as Transform emphasizes, amnesty is needed that compels governments to erase convictions or, at least, seal relevant records. Such initiatives are underway in some U.S. states, notably California.
Read more:
Canada's new lacklustre law for cannabis amnesty
On the whole, Transform lauds Canadian efforts at reform. Others have not been so kind. Take, for example, an article in The Guardian in April ominously headlined: “How did it go so wrong?”
The story documented legitimate shortcomings regarding access to the legal market (for example, not enough retail outlets, especially in Ontario), the fight to eliminate the illicit market and the problems faced by the cannabis industry to turn profits. It characterizes Canadian legalization as “driven by vulture capitalism and wishful thinking” in a “mix of greed and naivete.”
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Canada still has a long way to go to ensure cannabis legalization is successful.
But the harm caused by criminalizing the use of other drugs is a different story. This month the Canadian Chiefs of Police endorsed the decriminalization of the personal use and possession of all drugs. Is another chapter unfolding?
Bill Bogart, Distinguished University Professor and Professor of Law Emeritus, University of Windsor
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.


crooksandliars--2020-07-27--John Oliver Describes How China Abuses The Human Rights Of Uighur Prisoners

John Oliver took a serious look at China ’ s treatment of the Uighurs , a predominately Muslim ethnic minority in northwest China .
Via Rolling Stone : The Uighurs , as Oliver explained , live primarily in the Xinjiang province ; they ’ re culturally and ethnically distinct from most of the rest of China ( which is 90 % Han Chinese ) and tend to be practicing Muslims in a largely secular country .
The relationship between the Uighurs and the Chinese government has long been fraught , and it escalated significantly in 2014 when President Xi Jinping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violent terrorism that essentially gave the Chinese government carte blanche to surveil and detain Uighurs .
Xinjiang is now one of the most heavily policed areas in the world , and Oliver highlighted some of the innocuous activities the Chinese government has deemed indicators of religious extremism to surveil Uighurs .
Among them are suddenly quitting smoking and drinking , or buying equipment like dumbbells for no obvious reason .
“ Although that last one would clearly not be an issue for me , ” Oliver cracked while flexing his muscles .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obvious reasons for dumbbell ownership right here — it ’ s not called a workout if you don ’ t put the work in Broseph Bronrad.
” Oliver wants the treatment of the Uighurs to get global attention .
“ In this instance , awareness is actually a necessary pre-condition for action , ” Oliver said .
“ Because when you ’ re dealing with a concerted campaign centered on cultural erasure , one of the most important things we can do is continue to pay attention .
”

John Oliver took a serious look at China’s treatment of the Uighurs, a predominately Muslim ethnic minority in northwest China. Via Rolling Stone:
The Uighurs, as Oliver explained, live primarily in the Xinjiang province; they’re culturally and ethnically distinct from most of the rest of China (which is 90% Han Chinese) and tend to be practicing Muslims in a largely secular country. The relationship between the Uighurs and the Chinese government has long been fraught, and it escalated significantly in 2014 when President Xi Jinping instituted a campaign to crack down on violent terrorism that essentially gave the Chinese government carte blanche to surveil and detain Uighurs. Xinjiang is now one of the most heavily policed areas in the world, and Oliver highlighted some of the innocuous activities the Chinese government has deemed indicators of religious extremism to surveil Uighurs. Among them are suddenly quitting smoking and drinking, or buying equipment like dumbbells for no obvious reason. “Although that last one would clearly not be an issue for me,” Oliver cracked while flexing his muscles. “Because I’ve got too pretty obvious reasons for dumbbell ownership right here — it’s not called a workout if you don’t put the work in Broseph Bronrad.”
Oliver wants the treatment of the Uighurs to get global attention. “In this instance, awareness is actually a necessary pre-condition for action,” Oliver said.
“Because when you’re dealing with a concerted campaign centered on cultural erasure, one of the most important things we can do is continue to pay attention.”
"Fewer than 80 years after the horrors of the Holocaust, there are eerie echoes of that terrifying time coming from China." Please READ this powerful piece from our President, Michael Goldstein:https://t.co/cmI7L6BgYn #Uyghurs — United Synagogue (@UnitedSynagogue) July 21, 2020
More than one million Uighurs and other religious minorities in China are being held against their will in detention camps as the Chinese Communist Party commits atrocious human rights abuses every day.https://t.co/IV03yOsEeV — Cory Gardner (@SenCoryGardner) July 21, 2020