crooksandliars--2020-05-06--As Deaths Mount, White House Tries To Dismantle Pandemic Task Force

The White House confirmed today that the Mike Pence-led coronavirus task force charged with leading this nation 's pandemic response will soon be disbanding , with its work redistributed among federal agencies .
The timing is peculiar : According to the administration 's own projections , COVID-19 deaths are expected to rise significantly in coming weeks after Republican-leaning states push to `` reopen '' businesses and public spaces despite expert warnings that the pandemic is continuing to accelerate .
The Pence-led task force was , from the beginning , a political rather than emergency-premised effort .
Appearances and public statements @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the `` task force '' after Trump reportedly became irate over blunt public warnings of the potential scope of the pandemic ; the task force held no other evident powers .
• The demise of the White House pandemic task force does not appear to mean administration officials will now be freer to give the public information about the pandemic or comply with oversight efforts during the now-national emergency .
Donald Trump says his White House has explicitly prohibited Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and the director of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Verma from testifying to Congress about the pandemic because he considers House Democrats `` Trump haters . ''
• White nationalist and Trump `` aide '' Stephen Miller is continuing to use the crisis to further push White House anti-immigrant policies .
• Donald Trump defended his continued push to end stay-at-home orders despite still-increasing weekly pandemic death counts by claiming that `` you 're gon na lose people '' to `` drug abuse '' and `` they say , suicide '' if the shutdowns remain in place .
• Yet another shocking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ self-absorbed incompetence reports that White House efforts to secure emergency pandemic supplies for the national stockpile—as well as efforts to estimate what supplies and drugs would be needed—were handed off to a Jared Kushner-linked team of `` volunteers '' rather than government pandemic or procurement experts .
And that 's only part of it .
• Vaccine researcher Dr. Rick Bright has now filed a whistleblower complaint charging that the Trump administration removed him from his government position in retaliation after he refused to back Trump 's push to inject coronavirus patients with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governors are scrambling to most dramatically `` reopen '' their states in apparent efforts to curry favor with the ever-vengeful but ally-obsessed Trump .
This , despite increasing numbers of new cases in many of those same states .
• In a typically self-lauding and delusional Trump interview by the Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post , Trump declared that `` the one thing the pandemic has taught us is that I was right .
You know , I had people say 'No , no , it 's good .
You keep , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those people are really agreeing with me . ''
• Wealthy Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler is launching a $ 4 million ad buy in response to the disclosure that she responded to government-provided pandemic briefings by dumping her own stock holdings before the markets subsequently crashed .
Though Loeffler did not defend herself from the charges per se , she did note that she used her private jet to fly home pandemic-stranded cruise ship passengers .
• The University of California and California State University systems have announced they will be allocating funds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( DACA ) students intentionally blocked by the Betsy DeVos-led Trump Education Department from receiving congressionally funded federal emergency grants .
• Despite much-hyped protests by gun-toting `` freedom '' demanders , non-Republican Americans remain strongly supportive of social distancing measures .
• More than 70 detainees will be freed from the privately operated Otay Mesa Detention Center after a federal judge ordered the release of detained immigrants with medical conditions that make them `` medically vulnerable '' to the spreading disease .
• The pandemic may be somewhat responsible for William Barr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on prior demands that the Supreme Court invalidate the entirety of the Affordable Care Act , aka Obamacare .
Barr has warned the White House it `` could have major political implications '' if healthcare reforms are struck down or in danger during pandemic-impacted November elections .
• Conservative pundits pushed a new conspiracy theory , noting that a government web page listed 20,000 fewer deaths from COVID-19 than other pandemic counts have estimated .
The reason for the discrepancy is , however , prominent on the page being referenced : The page @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death certificates commonly take several weeks to make it into the federal database .
Oops ?
• The violent far-right has been active in anti-lockdown protests nationwide , further stoking `` patriot '' and neo-Nazi advocacy for mass violent action and a `` second civil war . ''
Republican officials and conservative pundits who have for a decades promoted and mainstreamed the conspiracy-obsessed groups as useful public partners seem indifferent to the very real potential for violence .
• A Texas man is under arrest after he assaulted a park ranger asking a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , pushing him off a dock in Austin ’ s Commons Ford Ranch Metropolitan Park .
• Elsewhere , videos of several violent police arrests of Black Americans for alleged social distancing violations—even as the same orders go seemingly unenforced in other communities—are generating condemnation and fury .
• CNN is demanding the Trump campaign withdraw an ad using manipulatively edited network ( that is , faked ) footage to falsely suggest network hosts praised Trump 's ban on China-to-America travel .
They were instead noting the importance of state shelter-in-place orders .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents that `` Jewish tradition values human life about virtually all else , '' and thus requesting an absentee ballot during the pandemic qualifies as a state-allowed `` religious belief or practice . ''
• New programs in 16 states are directing emergency state funding to Electronic Benefit Transfer ( EBT ) programs to replace free meal programs some children no longer have access to because of school closures .
• Trump 's Fox News-produced `` virtual town hall '' inside the Lincoln Memorial would normally not be allowed , as such events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only the steps of the Memorial , not the interior .
Trump-appointed Interior Secretary David Bernhardt overruled those rules , citing the `` extraordinary crisis '' and the `` need for the President to exercise a core governmental function to address the Nation . ''
( The change in venue may or may have not been precipitated by Trump 's apparent fear of stairs .
We ca n't say for sure . )
• President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama will hold a `` virtual '' commencement ceremony for graduating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virtual event honoring graduates of historically Black colleges and universities .
UPDATE : Donald Trump , claiming he had absolutely no idea the task force was so `` popular , '' is now backtracking and will keep it active .
No guarantees on what they 'll actually focus on , though .

The White House confirmed today that the Mike Pence-led coronavirus task force charged with leading this nation's pandemic response will soon be disbanding, with its work redistributed among federal agencies. The timing is peculiar: According to the administration's own projections, COVID-19 deaths are expected to rise significantly in coming weeks after Republican-leaning states push to "reopen" businesses and public spaces despite expert warnings that the pandemic is continuing to accelerate.
The Pence-led task force was, from the beginning, a political rather than emergency-premised effort. Appearances and public statements by government pandemic experts were routed through the "task force" after Trump reportedly became irate over blunt public warnings of the potential scope of the pandemic; the task force held no other evident powers.
In today's pandemic news:
• The demise of the White House pandemic task force does not appear to mean administration officials will now be freer to give the public information about the pandemic or comply with oversight efforts during the now-national emergency. Donald Trump says his White House has explicitly prohibited Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and the director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Seema Verma from testifying to Congress about the pandemic because he considers House Democrats "Trump haters."
• White nationalist and Trump "aide" Stephen Miller is continuing to use the crisis to further push White House anti-immigrant policies.
• Donald Trump defended his continued push to end stay-at-home orders despite still-increasing weekly pandemic death counts by claiming that "you're gonna lose people" to "drug abuse" and "they say, suicide" if the shutdowns remain in place.
• Yet another shocking new Washington Post story of Trump team self-absorbed incompetence reports that White House efforts to secure emergency pandemic supplies for the national stockpile—as well as efforts to estimate what supplies and drugs would be needed—were handed off to a Jared Kushner-linked team of "volunteers" rather than government pandemic or procurement experts. And that's only part of it.
• Vaccine researcher Dr. Rick Bright has now filed a whistleblower complaint charging that the Trump administration removed him from his government position in retaliation after he refused to back Trump's push to inject coronavirus patients with an unproven malaria drug.
• Republican governors are scrambling to most dramatically "reopen" their states in apparent efforts to curry favor with the ever-vengeful but ally-obsessed Trump. This, despite increasing numbers of new cases in many of those same states.
• In a typically self-lauding and delusional Trump interview by the Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post, Trump declared that "the one thing the pandemic has taught us is that I was right. You know, I had people say 'No, no, it's good. You keep, you do this and that.' Now those people are really agreeing with me."
• Wealthy Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler is launching a $4 million ad buy in response to the disclosure that she responded to government-provided pandemic briefings by dumping her own stock holdings before the markets subsequently crashed. Though Loeffler did not defend herself from the charges per se, she did note that she used her private jet to fly home pandemic-stranded cruise ship passengers.
• The University of California and California State University systems have announced they will be allocating funds to assist Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students intentionally blocked by the Betsy DeVos-led Trump Education Department from receiving congressionally funded federal emergency grants.
• Despite much-hyped protests by gun-toting "freedom" demanders, non-Republican Americans remain strongly supportive of social distancing measures.
• More than 70 detainees will be freed from the privately operated Otay Mesa Detention Center after a federal judge ordered the release of detained immigrants with medical conditions that make them "medically vulnerable" to the spreading disease.
• The pandemic may be somewhat responsible for William Barr's Department of Justice getting cold feet on prior demands that the Supreme Court invalidate the entirety of the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare. Barr has warned the White House it "could have major political implications" if healthcare reforms are struck down or in danger during pandemic-impacted November elections.
• Conservative pundits pushed a new conspiracy theory, noting that a government web page listed 20,000 fewer deaths from COVID-19 than other pandemic counts have estimated. The reason for the discrepancy is, however, prominent on the page being referenced: The page is summarizing death certificate data, and death certificates commonly take several weeks to make it into the federal database. Oops?
• The violent far-right has been active in anti-lockdown protests nationwide, further stoking "patriot" and neo-Nazi advocacy for mass violent action and a "second civil war." Republican officials and conservative pundits who have for a decades promoted and mainstreamed the conspiracy-obsessed groups as useful public partners seem indifferent to the very real potential for violence.
• A Texas man is under arrest after he assaulted a park ranger asking a crowd to abide by social distancing measures, pushing him off a dock in Austin’s Commons Ford Ranch Metropolitan Park.
• Elsewhere, videos of several violent police arrests of Black Americans for alleged social distancing violations—even as the same orders go seemingly unenforced in other communities—are generating condemnation and fury.
• CNN is demanding the Trump campaign withdraw an ad using manipulatively edited network (that is, faked) footage to falsely suggest network hosts praised Trump's ban on China-to-America travel. They were instead noting the importance of state shelter-in-place orders.
• Missouri rabbis are reminding Jewish state residents that "Jewish tradition values human life about virtually all else," and thus requesting an absentee ballot during the pandemic qualifies as a state-allowed "religious belief or practice."
• New programs in 16 states are directing emergency state funding to Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) programs to replace free meal programs some children no longer have access to because of school closures.
• Trump's Fox News-produced "virtual town hall" inside the Lincoln Memorial would normally not be allowed, as such events are limited by the Interior Department to only the steps of the Memorial, not the interior. Trump-appointed Interior Secretary David Bernhardt overruled those rules, citing the "extraordinary crisis" and the "need for the President to exercise a core governmental function to address the Nation." (The change in venue may or may have not been precipitated by Trump's apparent fear of stairs. We can't say for sure.)
• President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama will hold a "virtual" commencement ceremony for graduating high school seniors, and a separate virtual event honoring graduates of historically Black colleges and universities.
Posted with permission from Daily Kos.
UPDATE: Donald Trump, claiming he had absolutely no idea the task force was so "popular," is now backtracking and will keep it active. No guarantees on what they'll actually focus on, though.
Here's the video:


crooksandliars--2020-05-06--Trump Vows To 'Terminate Health Care' Despite COVID-19 Deaths On The Rise

With the Supreme Court hearing arguments this week and next , a reporter asked President Beelzebub this afternoon if he was planning to continue on with his administration 's lawsuit to dismantle the Affordable Care Act .
Here 's his response : TRUMP : Obamacare was a disaster , but we ran it very well .
And we made it barely acceptable .
It was a disaster under President Obama , and it 's very bad health care .
What we want to do is terminate it and give great health care , and we 'll have great health care @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pre-existing conditions .
Now we 've already pretty much killed it , because we got rid of the individual mandate ... but what we are doing is we 're gon na terminate health care for - under Obamacare because it 's bad , and we 're replacing it with a great health care at far less money and it includes pre-existing conditions .
If that is n't the most Freudian of slips , because we all know that 's what he and his GOPack of Hyenas wants .
Health care only for those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the gaffe , though , continuing , `` ... for - under Obamacare because it 's BAD ... '' Furthermore , what 's this great health care that 's going to cost far less and cover all pre-existing conditions ?
He 's had nearly four years to come up with something , and crickets .
Because what 's more macabre than throwing tens of millions of people off their health insurance , with no plans for transition to the new insurance plan , let alone THE NEW PLAN ITSELF , in the middle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation low to the tune of 1.25 million COVID-19 cases and 75,000 deaths ?
Especially when Trump can literally be held accountable for 60 % of those deaths ?
The Washington Post even has a `` Trump Death Clock '' to keep everyone up to date .
But , sure .
Terminate health care .
Get rid of that disastrous Obamacare .
Oh , not sounding like the best idea ?
Here 's what the presumptive Democratic nominee , former Vice President Joe Biden had to say about it .
If you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joe would defend and build on Obamacare to give you a new public option and lower premiums .
That ’ s a stark contrast with President Trump , who supports a lawsuit to get rid of Obamacare and junk health plans that weaken coverage protections for patients with pre-existing conditions .
If you just lost your employer-based coverage because you lost your job… Joe would have the federal government step in and cover 100 % of the cost of keeping you on your employer-based plan ( called “ COBRA ” insurance ) – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would have to keep paying the premium , and you ’ d get the same coverage you had before for the duration of the crisis .
If you just lost your job but didn ’ t have employer-based coverage… Joe would reopen enrollment for Obamacare plans and offer a Medicare-like public option , with the federal government providing enhanced premium subsidies .
VP Biden 's fact sheet goes on like that , but it is the final paragraph that should eliminate any question about who would do a better job handling this crisis @

With the Supreme Court hearing arguments this week and next, a reporter asked President Beelzebub this afternoon if he was planning to continue on with his administration's lawsuit to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. Here's his response:
TRUMP: Obamacare was a disaster, but we ran it very well. And we made it barely acceptable. It was a disaster under President Obama, and it's very bad health care. What we want to do is terminate it and give great health care, and we'll have great health care, including pre-existing conditions, 100 percent pre-existing conditions. Now we've already pretty much killed it, because we got rid of the individual mandate...but what we are doing is we're gonna terminate health care for - under Obamacare because it's bad, and we're replacing it with a great health care at far less money and it includes pre-existing conditions.
"We're gonna terminate health care...."
If that isn't the most Freudian of slips, because we all know that's what he and his GOPack of Hyenas wants. Health care only for those who can afford it. He realized the gaffe, though, continuing, "...for - under Obamacare because it's BAD..."
Furthermore, what's this great health care that's going to cost far less and cover all pre-existing conditions? He's had nearly four years to come up with something, and crickets.
Because what's more macabre than throwing tens of millions of people off their health insurance, with no plans for transition to the new insurance plan, let alone THE NEW PLAN ITSELF, in the middle of a pandemic that has laid this nation low to the tune of 1.25 million COVID-19 cases and 75,000 deaths? Especially when Trump can literally be held accountable for 60% of those deaths? The Washington Post even has a "Trump Death Clock" to keep everyone up to date.
But, sure. Terminate health care. Get rid of that disastrous Obamacare.
1/ THREAD Trump confirms once again that he is all-in on demanding that the Supreme Court "terminate" the ACA in its entirety - in the middle of a deadly pandemic. Let's review exactly what that would mean. https://t.co/AAWcJIboDG — Josh Dorner (@JoshDorner) May 6, 2020
2/ Public Health and Prevention Fund: GONE.
Requirement that insures cover preventive services LIKE VACCINES at no cost: GONE.
Protections for 133+ million people with pre-existing conditions: GONE.
Marketplace tax credits and coverage for ~10 million people: GONE. — Josh Dorner (@JoshDorner) May 6, 2020
3/ Allowing kids to stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26: GONE.
Ban on annual and lifetime limits: GONE.
Medicaid expansion currently covering ~17 million people: GONE.
Limit on out-of-pocket costs: GONE. — Josh Dorner (@JoshDorner) May 6, 2020
4/ Improvements to Medicare, including reduced Rx costs for seniors: GONE.
Required improvements to employer-sponsored coverage: GONE.
Essential Health Benefits: GONE.
Rules to hold insurance companies accountable: GONE. — Josh Dorner (@JoshDorner) May 6, 2020
5/ Rules requiring insurance companies to spend at least 80-85% of premiums on actual medical care and refund the difference if they don't: GONE.
Small business tax credits: GONE.
And the list goes on. Trump is asking the Supreme Court terminate all of this, even amid COVID-19. — Josh Dorner (@JoshDorner) May 6, 2020
Oh, not sounding like the best idea? Here's what the presumptive Democratic nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden had to say about it.
If you are currently covered by insurance thanks to Obamacare…
Joe would defend and build on Obamacare to give you a new public option and lower premiums. That’s a stark contrast with President Trump, who supports a lawsuit to get rid of Obamacare and junk health plans that weaken coverage protections for patients with pre-existing conditions. If you just lost your employer-based coverage because you lost your job… Joe would have the federal government step in and cover 100% of the cost of keeping you on your employer-based plan (called “COBRA” insurance) – that means neither you nor your employer would have to keep paying the premium, and you’d get the same coverage you had before for the duration of the crisis. If you just lost your job but didn’t have employer-based coverage… Joe would reopen enrollment for Obamacare plans and offer a Medicare-like public option, with the federal government providing enhanced premium subsidies.
VP Biden's fact sheet goes on like that, but it is the final paragraph that should eliminate any question about who would do a better job handling this crisis:
Biden Guarantee for All: No matter whether you are insured or how you are insured, Joe would make sure every single person in this country gets free testing and treatment for the coronavirus.
Wouldn't THAT be nice?


crooksandliars--2020-05-06--Kemp Opens GA, Keeps His Governor’s Mansion Closed

A spunky reporter for CBS ’ WGCL-TV in Atlanta got a bee in her bonnet about Kemp ’ s decision to keep his own , taxpayer-funded home shut off from the public while opening up other businesses that clearly pose a health risk .
Astrid Martinez , in an April 29 “ Astrid in the Atl ” segment , noted that Kemp opened non-essential businesses before the state reached the White House guidelines for safe reopening .
When she was finally able to get an answer , Kemp claimed he wanted to reopen the mansion just as soon as it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I certainly hope the governor ’ s mansion will be open to tours sooner rather than later but we ’ re going to continue to follow the guidance that our team is putting together in conjunction with [ Georgia Public Health Commissioner ] Dr. Toomey .
But the fact of the matter is the people that give the tours in the governor ’ s mansion , the docents , are medically fragile and very elderly people .
So I don ’ t think that ’ d be a good idea .
And yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or nails or bowling alleys can now more easily come into contact with those and other elderly , medically fragile Georgians .

A spunky reporter for CBS’ WGCL-TV in Atlanta got a bee in her bonnet about Kemp’s decision to keep his own, taxpayer-funded home shut off from the public while opening up other businesses that clearly pose a health risk.
Astrid Martinez, in an April 29 “Astrid in the Atl” segment, noted that Kemp opened non-essential businesses before the state reached the White House guidelines for safe reopening.
When she was finally able to get an answer, Kemp claimed he wanted to reopen the mansion just as soon as it was safe for docents.
KEMP: I certainly hope the governor’s mansion will be open to tours sooner rather than later but we’re going to continue to follow the guidance that our team is putting together in conjunction with [Georgia Public Health Commissioner] Dr. Toomey. But the fact of the matter is the people that give the tours in the governor’s mansion, the docents, are medically fragile and very elderly people. So I don’t think that’d be a good idea.
And yet all those people going to hair salons or nails or bowling alleys can now more easily come into contact with those and other elderly, medically fragile Georgians.


crooksandliars--2020-05-06--Trump Takes Social Security Hostage In His Latest Coronavirus Stimulus Demand

Impeached president Donald Trump has decided to take his own hostage in the next coronavirus stimulus bill : Social Security .
`` We 're not doing anything without a payroll tax cut , '' he said in a Fox News interview Sunday .
That 's exactly the kind of policy solution you 'd expect from him—it does absolutely nothing to help in the current economic crisis and will do long-term and potentially immense harm to the health of Social Security , while giving a big tax cut to the highest of earners .
In addition to creating another big giveaway @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants to do it because President Barack Obama did it already in response to the great recession of 2008-09 .
It was problematic then , but at least helpful to a degree .
People who had jobs got more money in their paychecks and had the opportunity to spend it , helping to bolster the economy .
This is n't that crisis .
Laid-off people are n't going to see any benefit because they 're not getting paychecks to be taxed !
This chart from Social Security Works shows where the benefit would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and CEOs of Wall Street banks and Fortune 500 companies would get an annual tax cut of $ 2,754 .
Unemployed workers and the millions of state and local workers who contribute to state pension programs rather than Social Security would get $ 0 in tax cuts .
Zero .
Dollars .
Of course , employers already got their deal , albeit temporarily .
The CARES Act gave them a reprieve from their portion of payroll taxes until the end of the year in order to try to encourage them to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he wants to give workers the same benefit , but for millions of them , it 's bullshit .
And it wo n't help those in the most dire straits at all—they do n't have a paycheck in the first place .
Nothing is being withheld from them .
As Len Burman , a fellow at the Urban Institute says , it 's a `` terrible idea . ''
`` The main problem with the proposal is that it would go to the people who least need help , '' Burman told CNBC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deliberately targeting it to people who are in the best situation [ … ] the ones who are still working . ''
Ding , ding , ding .
Beyond that , it threatens the most vulnerable among us now ; the payroll taxes being paid into Social Security are helping to keep seniors afloat .
`` Trump 's actions are a war on seniors , '' Nancy Altman , president of advocacy organization Social Security Works , said in an emailed statement .
`` He wants to open up the economy , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lives .
Now he is insisting on threatening Social Security on which most seniors rely for their food , medicine and other basic necessities . ''
This is a demand that Democrats should have no problem whatsoever refusing .
It does absolutely nothing for the people who need assistance the most and will harm them in the long run .

Impeached president Donald Trump has decided to take his own hostage in the next coronavirus stimulus bill: Social Security. "We're not doing anything without a payroll tax cut," he said in a Fox News interview Sunday. That's exactly the kind of policy solution you'd expect from him—it does absolutely nothing to help in the current economic crisis and will do long-term and potentially immense harm to the health of Social Security, while giving a big tax cut to the highest of earners.
In addition to creating another big giveaway to the wealthiest people, Trump probably wants to do it because President Barack Obama did it already in response to the great recession of 2008-09. It was problematic then, but at least helpful to a degree. People who had jobs got more money in their paychecks and had the opportunity to spend it, helping to bolster the economy. This isn't that crisis. Laid-off people aren't going to see any benefit because they're not getting paychecks to be taxed!
This chart from Social Security Works shows where the benefit would go: Trump, members of Congress, and CEOs of Wall Street banks and Fortune 500 companies would get an annual tax cut of $2,754. Unemployed workers and the millions of state and local workers who contribute to state pension programs rather than Social Security would get $0 in tax cuts. Zero. Dollars.
Of course, employers already got their deal, albeit temporarily. The CARES Act gave them a reprieve from their portion of payroll taxes until the end of the year in order to try to encourage them to keep people on payroll. Trump argues that he wants to give workers the same benefit, but for millions of them, it's bullshit. And it won't help those in the most dire straits at all—they don't have a paycheck in the first place. Nothing is being withheld from them. As Len Burman, a fellow at the Urban Institute says, it's a "terrible idea."
"The main problem with the proposal is that it would go to the people who least need help," Burman told CNBC. "It seems like you're deliberately targeting it to people who are in the best situation […] the ones who are still working." Ding, ding, ding. Beyond that, it threatens the most vulnerable among us now; the payroll taxes being paid into Social Security are helping to keep seniors afloat.
"Trump's actions are a war on seniors," Nancy Altman, president of advocacy organization Social Security Works, said in an emailed statement. "He wants to open up the economy, even though COVID-19 is disproportionately costing seniors their lives. Now he is insisting on threatening Social Security on which most seniors rely for their food, medicine and other basic necessities."
This is a demand that Democrats should have no problem whatsoever refusing. It does absolutely nothing for the people who need assistance the most and will harm them in the long run.
Posted with permission from Daily Kos.


crooksandliars--2020-05-06--Trump Tells ABC He Was Too Busy With 'Things' To Prepare For The COVID Outbreak

Donald Trump 's own words during an ABC News interview should disqualify him from any second term in office .
In conversation with David Muir on ABC Tuesday and during his trip to Arizona , Donald Trump claimed out loud and on television that he had too many `` things going on '' to properly prepare for the COVID-19 virus outbreak .
Muir asked him about the lack of testing available in the United States and how Americans feel about going back to work .
Trump did his usual song and dance routine , lying that the Obama administration left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests .
That 's a ridiculous lie , since the coronavirus did n't start infecting people until 2019 , so the Obama administration could n't possibly have a test available for it .
And here 's the worst part : Muir did n't contradict any of this nonsense but `` followed up '' with a question that Fox News hosts and other sycophantic outlets would never dare to do .
The ABC News reporter reminded Trump he 's three years into his first term and he 's getting ready to run for another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you became president to restock those cupboards that you say are bare ?
” Muir asked .
When a country is faced with an impending pandemic there is nothing more important than protecting the health and life of the American people that he 's sworn to protect .
Trump said in a nonchalant way , `` Well , I ’ ll be honest , uh , I have a lot of things going on.
” He continued , `` We had a lot of , uh , people , that refused to allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What does that have to do with Donald not enacting the Defense Production Act and forcing industry to begin producing all the materials needed to fend off such an outbreak ?
Then Trump turned to his Kellyanne Conway talking points and blamed everyone but himself ( and of course , especially the Democrats ) for his dereliction of duty .
Trump whined , `` They wasted a lot of time on ‘ Russia , Russia , Russia ’ that turned out to be a total hoax .
Then they did ‘ Ukraine , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total hoax .
Then they impeached the president for absolutely no reason.
” Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress on December 18 , 2019 .
Then the case moved to a Senate trial , which began on January 16 , 2020 .
U.S. Supreme Court chief justice John Roberts presided over the trial .
On February 5 , 2020 , in a vote that again fell largely along party lines , the Senate voted to acquit President Trump on both charges .
How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or his administration from chewing gum and walking at the same time ?
As Vox notes , Trump still found the time to disband the government ’ s pandemic preparedness team in 2018 — not to mention regularly vacation at properties he still owns and profits from , and live-tweet countless hours of cable news coverage .
Trump played golf over 200 times from 08/19/2017 - 03/08/2020 so we know his handicap is more important than the lives of the American people .
The entire federal government does not run by the word @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no defense for his failure to act throughout the pandemic .
So he just does what he usually does .
He blames everybody else .
That 's his whole presidency in a nutshell .
November ca n't come fast enough .

Donald Trump's own words during an ABC News interview should disqualify him from any second term in office.
In conversation with David Muir on ABC Tuesday and during his trip to Arizona, Donald Trump claimed out loud and on television that he had too many "things going on" to properly prepare for the COVID-19 virus outbreak.
Muir asked him about the lack of testing available in the United States and how Americans feel about going back to work.
Trump did his usual song and dance routine, lying that the Obama administration left the cupboard bare and him with broken tests.
That's a ridiculous lie, since the coronavirus didn't start infecting people until 2019, so the Obama administration couldn't possibly have a test available for it.
And here's the worst part: Muir didn't contradict any of this nonsense but "followed up" with a question that Fox News hosts and other sycophantic outlets would never dare to do.
The ABC News reporter reminded Trump he's three years into his first term and he's getting ready to run for another.
“What did you do when you became president to restock those cupboards that you say are bare?” Muir asked.
When a country is faced with an impending pandemic there is nothing more important than protecting the health and life of the American people that he's sworn to protect.
Trump said in a nonchalant way, "Well, I’ll be honest, uh, I have a lot of things going on.”
Say, what?
He continued, "We had a lot of, uh, people, that refused to allow the country to be successful."
What does that have to do with Donald not enacting the Defense Production Act and forcing industry to begin producing all the materials needed to fend off such an outbreak?
Then Trump turned to his Kellyanne Conway talking points and blamed everyone but himself (and of course, especially the Democrats) for his dereliction of duty.
Trump whined, "They wasted a lot of time on ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ that turned out to be a total hoax. Then they did ‘Ukraine, Ukraine,’ and that was a total hoax. Then they impeached the president for absolutely no reason.”
Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress on December 18, 2019.
Then the case moved to a Senate trial, which began on January 16, 2020. U.S. Supreme Court chief justice John Roberts presided over the trial. On February 5, 2020, in a vote that again fell largely along party lines, the Senate voted to acquit President Trump on both charges.
How does any of this stop the president or his administration from chewing gum and walking at the same time?
As Vox notes, Trump still found the time to disband the government’s pandemic preparedness team in 2018 — not to mention regularly vacation at properties he still owns and profits from, and live-tweet countless hours of cable news coverage.
Trump played golf over 200 times from 08/19/2017 - 03/08/2020 so we know his handicap is more important than the lives of the American people.
The entire federal government does not run by the word of one man. But Trump has no defense for his failure to act throughout the pandemic.
So he just does what he usually does.
He blames everybody else. That's his whole presidency in a nutshell.
November can't come fast enough.


crooksandliars--2020-05-06--Wisconsin Supreme Kangaroo Court Hopping Mad Over Safer At Home Order

As I had reported last week , Wisconsin Republicans filed a lawsuit directly with the Wisconsin Supreme Kangaroo Court in protest of Governor Tony Evers extending his Safer At Home order due to ever escalating new cases of COVID-19 and people not following medical guidelines to minimize the spread .
The Supreme Kangaroos agreed to not only take the case but fast-tracked it to be heard Tuesday morning .
What a debacle it was !
It should be immediately noted that the Supreme Kangaroos were literally hearing and deciding a case in which thousands of Wisconsin lives hang in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too unsafe for them to meet in person .
When the Attorney General 's Office was finally allowed to present its case , the kangaroos did n't even allow the attorney to have 30 seconds of his introductory statement before they started interrupting him with belligerent and biased questions .
Some of the lowlights started with ( In ) Justice Rebecca Bradley calling the ruling an example of tyranny and comparing it the Japanese internment camps of WWII : When the state 's attorney pointed out the sudden and huge spikes in new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ examples of why the order needed to be extended , Chief ( In ) Justice Patience Roggensack dismissed it with a flippant bit of racism : Roth noted while the majority of cases were once in Madison and Milwaukee , Brown County now has the second-highest number of cases — a change that occurred within a couple weeks .
Supreme Court Chief Justice Patience Roggensack dismissed the idea that the outbreak was community-wide and could be replicated elsewhere .
`` ( The surge ) was due to the meatpacking — that 's where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roggensack said .
`` It was n't just the regular folks in Brown County . ''
Most of the employees of these meatpacking plants are minorities , which Roggensack basically said were n't regular people .
Officials in Brown County were quick to point out that it is affecting all the people : Another egregious moment came when Justice Rebecca Dallet objected to recently voted out ( In ) Justice Dan Kelly continuously interrupting the state 's attorney .
Kelly gave her complaint an offhanded dismissal and included a nasty bit of condescending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mrs. Dallet '' instead of her proper title of Justice Dallet , just like he would demand to be addressed as .
One major underreported part of this shitshow were all the parties that filed a Friend of the Court briefs in favor or in opposition of the safer at home order : The court allowed arguments only by Roth and Walsh .
A number of other groups filed friend-of-the-court briefs favoring or opposing a ruling stopping enforcement of “ safer at home.
” The Legislature ’ s position is supported by Wisconsin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alliance , hunting and fishing groups , and the Wisconsin Tavern League , among others .
Opposing the Legislature ’ s request are the Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments and Boards ; the Wisconsin Public Health Association ; the Wisconsin Nurses Association ; a coalition of state community , advocacy , labor and membership organizations ; Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice ; and several other groups .
All the groups wanting the order dismissed are the same special interests that the five conservative justices are beholden to and are only interested in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the order stand are the front line health care providers , you know , the ones that actually know and care about what 's going on and want to preserve lives .
Frankly , I 'm in fear for the people of Wisconsin .
All indications make it seem likely that the Supreme Kangaroos will put the interests of their dark money overlords over the lives of the people , and strike down the safety nets .
Then we will end up just like Texas , where they have seen thousands of new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopening .

As I had reported last week, Wisconsin Republicans filed a lawsuit directly with the Wisconsin Supreme Kangaroo Court in protest of Governor Tony Evers extending his Safer At Home order due to ever escalating new cases of COVID-19 and people not following medical guidelines to minimize the spread.
The Supreme Kangaroos agreed to not only take the case but fast-tracked it to be heard Tuesday morning.
What a debacle it was!
It should be immediately noted that the Supreme Kangaroos were literally hearing and deciding a case in which thousands of Wisconsin lives hang in the balance via Zoom, because it was too unsafe for them to meet in person.
When the Attorney General's Office was finally allowed to present its case, the kangaroos didn't even allow the attorney to have 30 seconds of his introductory statement before they started interrupting him with belligerent and biased questions.
Some of the lowlights started with (In)Justice Rebecca Bradley calling the ruling an example of tyranny and comparing it the Japanese internment camps of WWII:
"Isn't it the very definition of tyranny for one person to order people to be imprisoned for going to work among other ordinarily lawful activities?" asked Justice Rebecca Bradley, who later questioned whether the administration could use the same power to order people into centers akin to the U.S. government's treatment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
When the state's attorney pointed out the sudden and huge spikes in new cases in Brown and Milwaukee Counties as examples of why the order needed to be extended, Chief (In)Justice Patience Roggensack dismissed it with a flippant bit of racism:
Roth noted while the majority of cases were once in Madison and Milwaukee, Brown County now has the second-highest number of cases — a change that occurred within a couple weeks. Supreme Court Chief Justice Patience Roggensack dismissed the idea that the outbreak was community-wide and could be replicated elsewhere. "(The surge) was due to the meatpacking — that's where Brown County got the flare," Roggensack said. "It wasn't just the regular folks in Brown County."
Most of the employees of these meatpacking plants are minorities, which Roggensack basically said weren't regular people.
Officials in Brown County were quick to point out that it is affecting all the people:
Even with the microscope on food processing plants, Brown County officials have emphasized that those facilities aren't solely driving the increase in cases. Claire Paprocki of Brown County Health and Human Services said the recent uptick stems in part from people who don't practice social distancing, show up to work sick or continue to gather with family and friends.
Another egregious moment came when Justice Rebecca Dallet objected to recently voted out (In)Justice Dan Kelly continuously interrupting the state's attorney. Kelly gave her complaint an offhanded dismissal and included a nasty bit of condescending misogyny by referring to Dallet as "Mrs. Dallet" instead of her proper title of Justice Dallet, just like he would demand to be addressed as.
One major underreported part of this shitshow were all the parties that filed a Friend of the Court briefs in favor or in opposition of the safer at home order:
The court allowed arguments only by Roth and Walsh. A number of other groups filed friend-of-the-court briefs favoring or opposing a ruling stopping enforcement of “safer at home.” The Legislature’s position is supported by Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce, the Wisconsin Dairy Alliance, hunting and fishing groups, and the Wisconsin Tavern League, among others. Opposing the Legislature’s request are the Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments and Boards; the Wisconsin Public Health Association; the Wisconsin Nurses Association; a coalition of state community, advocacy, labor and membership organizations; Wisconsin Faith Voices for Justice; and several other groups.
All the groups wanting the order dismissed are the same special interests that the five conservative justices are beholden to and are only interested in money.
In favor of the letting the order stand are the front line health care providers, you know, the ones that actually know and care about what's going on and want to preserve lives.
Frankly, I'm in fear for the people of Wisconsin. All indications make it seem likely that the Supreme Kangaroos will put the interests of their dark money overlords over the lives of the people, and strike down the safety nets. Then we will end up just like Texas, where they have seen thousands of new cases each day, after a partial reopening.


crooksandliars--2020-05-06--LISTEN LIVE:  Supreme Court Hears Opening Arguments On Robocalls

A review of the cases via NPR : 10 a.m .
ET : Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania @ @ @ @ @ Summary : The court considers a Trump administration rule that would allow employers with religious @ @ @ @ @ control to limit their employees ' access to free birth control under the Affordable Care @ @ @ @ @ ET : Barr v. American Association of Political Consultants Summary : In 1991 , Congress @ @ @ @ @ most robocalls .
In 2015 , Congress created an exception for government debt collection .
@ @ @ @ @ to use robocalls to raise money and turn out voters , are challenging the act @ @ @ @ @ First Amendment free speech rights .

A review of the cases via NPR:
Wednesday, May 6: Birth control access & Robocalls
10 a.m. ET: Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania consolidated with Trump v. Pennsylvania
Summary: The court considers a Trump administration rule that would allow employers with religious or moral objections to birth control to limit their employees' access to free birth control under the Affordable Care Act.
11 a.m. ET: Barr v. American Association of Political Consultants
Summary: In 1991, Congress passed a law that prohibits most robocalls. In 2015, Congress created an exception for government debt collection. Political groups, which want to use robocalls to raise money and turn out voters, are challenging the act as a violation of their First Amendment free speech rights.


crooksandliars--2020-05-06--Restaurant Chain In Texas Threatens To Fire Staff Who Wear Masks

And because it 's Texas , where there 's virtually no recourse for workers to challenge unsafe working conditions , businesses like Hillstone Restaurant Group can get away with this sort of thing , without fear of any government reprisal .
According to an anonymous tip sent to us over the weekend , Hillstone Restaurant Group , while complying with state orders limiting their restaurants to 25 % capacity , was threatening to fire employees who opted to wear personal protective equipment .
The tipster , who supposedly has close ties with the restaurant group , shared screenshots of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and one of Hillstone Restaurant Group ’ s employees .
The employee , who prefers to be anonymous , says she declined to work without PPE .
She also mentioned she heard that other employees showed up and were told that they couldn ’ t work .
In a separate conversation with her , she expressed disappointment toward Hillstone .
“ I understand the desire to open and start making money again as soon as possible , ” she said .
“ I really do .
But doing so without consideration for public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own employees ' health and safety , is wrong .
...
They 've shown us that their employees and the community we serve matter less to them than maintaining their sense of style.
” Hillstone Restaurant Group ’ s decision was confirmed when a restaurant manager , who identified herself as Emily , told Preston Hollow People they weren ’ t allowing their employees to wear masks .

And because it's Texas, where there's virtually no recourse for workers to challenge unsafe working conditions, businesses like Hillstone Restaurant Group can get away with this sort of thing, without fear of any government reprisal.
Source: Dallas Observer
According to an anonymous tip sent to us over the weekend, Hillstone Restaurant Group, while complying with state orders limiting their restaurants to 25% capacity, was threatening to fire employees who opted to wear personal protective equipment. The tipster, who supposedly has close ties with the restaurant group, shared screenshots of what appeared to be a conversation between himself and one of Hillstone Restaurant Group’s employees.
The employee, who prefers to be anonymous, says she declined to work without PPE. She also mentioned she heard that other employees showed up and were told that they couldn’t work.
In a separate conversation with her, she expressed disappointment toward Hillstone.
“I understand the desire to open and start making money again as soon as possible,” she said. “I really do. But doing so without consideration for public health and safety, much less your own employees' health and safety, is wrong. ... They've shown us that their employees and the community we serve matter less to them than maintaining their sense of style.”
Hillstone Restaurant Group’s decision was confirmed when a restaurant manager, who identified herself as Emily, told Preston Hollow People they weren’t allowing their employees to wear masks.


crooksandliars--2020-05-06--AUDIO: Texas Gov Slammed After He Admits Reopening Will Spread Virus

People who have been paying attention know that any reopening will spike the spread of the virus , but there @ @ @ @ @ who have n't been paying attention .
And now Texas Gov .
Greg Abbott has @ @ @ @ @ the San Antonio Current : Shortly before Abbott 's announcement unveiling details of the reopening @ @ @ @ @ Texas/Texas Tribune poll showed two-thirds of the state 's registered voters agreed with suspending nonessential @ @ @ @ @ three-quarters support stay-at-home orders .
`` Governor Abbott finally admitted that prematurely opening Texas is @ @ @ @ @ cases and more deaths , '' Texas Democratic Party Executive Director Manny Garcia said in @ @ @ @ @ Republicans are putting our families ’ lives at risk so their billionaire donors can get @ @ @ @ @ say in public yet again doesn ’ t match what they say in private .
@

People who have been paying attention know that any reopening will spike the spread of the virus, but there are a lot of people who haven't been paying attention. And now Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has pissed off Texans. Via the San Antonio Current:
Shortly before Abbott's announcement unveiling details of the reopening plan, a University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll showed two-thirds of the state's registered voters agreed with suspending nonessential business operations. More than three-quarters support stay-at-home orders.
"Governor Abbott finally admitted that prematurely opening Texas is going to lead to more cases and more deaths," Texas Democratic Party Executive Director Manny Garcia said in an emailed statement. "Republicans are putting our families’ lives at risk so their billionaire donors can get richer. What Texas Republicans say in public yet again doesn’t match what they say in private."


crooksandliars--2020-05-06--Giridharadas: Current Crisis Strikes Out Ronald Reagan's 'War On Government'

Anand Giridharadas has a new show on Vice , and he appeared on Morning Joe today to plug it by offering us the kind of smart , thoughtful analysis that 's too often missing on TV news .
He said Jared Kushner 's bringing in his private equity buds to run the coronavirus PPE efforts was `` bringing in the people who created the problem to solve the problem .
The arsonists returning as firefighters . ''
`` The other side of the distribution , this notion of being all in it together , when it is a crisis that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a black plague , a literal black plague that is killing African Americans disproportionately , in part because people are not listened to in the health care system , in part because of lack of access .
A crisis in which people without solid employment prospects who can be fired and not just cost a job but cost them health care , this is a crisis that 's not breaking us from the past but doubling down on the perverted power equations that defined American life the last several decades , '' @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say hopefully this is , hopefully because of that , maybe the only moment in my life thus far there might be enough political imagination in the wake of this to actually transform these things fundamentally . ''
Willie Geist asked , `` What do we learn from this ?
If we go back to the crises you 're referring to , the financial crisis , Katrina , 9/11 , we 're in the middle of a crisis and say something has to be different .
Something has to change so this does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think we learn from this as we look out over the horizon ? ''
`` On the show this week , we actually dig right into that question , of how do we go beyond this ? ''
Giridharadas said .
`` We 're all in this , but there has to be a beyond .
And one of the fundamental questions to me is , what 's going to be our relationship to government , the idea of government , after this ?
We kind of look at it at three levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American tradition going back to the Founders , of being freedom obsessed -- even though we 're a country founded on slavery and genocide -- being freedom obsessed to the point that we 're always so afraid of the government coming for us that we are blind to other types of threats , whether it 's a virus , whether it 's bank malfeasance , climate change , what have you .
`` And there 's also a more recent , kind of 40-year version of this , which is the Reagan war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ . '
That 's not just a problem on the right .
There 's a hard version on the right , there 's also the small ' c '' version of it , but it 's affected many people in the left in this passive sense in , 'yeah , I believe in government but I would never go work there . '
'Yeah , I believe in government but I kind of like do n't like my taxes too high , ' or ' I use a trust in the Cayman Islands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent Trump-era twist in this , which is , the war on government becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy , you undermine government , you undermine it , you put someone who can barely read a sentence in the figure of Donald Trump , and it becomes true , the government sucks because you made it suck by telling everybody it sucks .
`` And I think the most important thing that could come out of this is realizing the government is not the biggest threat to our liberty .
It can be a threat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by many , many things .
And what government fundamentally does is protect us from a lot of the other oppressions that we in America are often quite blind to . ''

Anand Giridharadas has a new show on Vice, and he appeared on Morning Joe today to plug it by offering us the kind of smart, thoughtful analysis that's too often missing on TV news.
He said Jared Kushner's bringing in his private equity buds to run the coronavirus PPE efforts was "bringing in the people who created the problem to solve the problem. The arsonists returning as firefighters."
"The other side of the distribution, this notion of being all in it together, when it is a crisis that is, frankly, in many communities, a black plague, a literal black plague that is killing African Americans disproportionately, in part because people are not listened to in the health care system, in part because of lack of access. A crisis in which people without solid employment prospects who can be fired and not just cost a job but cost them health care, this is a crisis that's not breaking us from the past but doubling down on the perverted power equations that defined American life the last several decades," he said.
"And I will say hopefully this is, hopefully because of that, maybe the only moment in my life thus far there might be enough political imagination in the wake of this to actually transform these things fundamentally."
Willie Geist asked, "What do we learn from this? If we go back to the crises you're referring to, the financial crisis, Katrina, 9/11, we're in the middle of a crisis and say something has to be different. Something has to change so this doesn't happen again. what do you think we learn from this as we look out over the horizon?"
"On the show this week, we actually dig right into that question, of how do we go beyond this?" Giridharadas said.
"We're all in this, but there has to be a beyond. And one of the fundamental questions to me is, what's going to be our relationship to government, the idea of government, after this? We kind of look at it at three levels this week. There's a primordial American tradition going back to the Founders, of being freedom obsessed -- even though we're a country founded on slavery and genocide -- being freedom obsessed to the point that we're always so afraid of the government coming for us that we are blind to other types of threats, whether it's a virus, whether it's bank malfeasance, climate change, what have you.
"And there's also a more recent, kind of 40-year version of this, which is the Reagan war on government, 'government is the problem.' That's not just a problem on the right. There's a hard version on the right, there's also the small 'c" version of it, but it's affected many people in the left in this passive sense in, 'yeah, I believe in government but I would never go work there.' 'Yeah, I believe in government but I kind of like don't like my taxes too high,' or 'I use a trust in the Cayman Islands.'
"And then the most recent Trump-era twist in this, which is, the war on government becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, you undermine government, you undermine it, you put someone who can barely read a sentence in the figure of Donald Trump, and it becomes true, the government sucks because you made it suck by telling everybody it sucks.
"And I think the most important thing that could come out of this is realizing the government is not the biggest threat to our liberty. It can be a threat to our liberty but we're threatened by many, many things. And what government fundamentally does is protect us from a lot of the other oppressions that we in America are often quite blind to."


crooksandliars--2020-05-07--Colorado GOP Chair Ordered Volunteer To Change Primary Election Results

“ How in the heck is the Republican Party going to go out and say we ’ re for the rule of law except when it applies to us — we can do whatever we want to ?
” Bremer said .
“ That ’ s not my Republican Party.
” Hahahaha !
I 'm laughing so hard , let me catch my breath .
Because it sure sounds like the Republican party I know !
Ken Buck , the Trump-loving congressman from Colorado , is also his state 's GOP chair .
Via the Denver Post : At issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 seat currently held by Sen. Owen Hill , who ’ s term-limited .
State Rep. Larry Liston and GOP activist David Stiver both ran for it .
To qualify for the November ballot via the caucus and assembly process , a candidate must receive 30 % of the vote from Republicans within the district .
During a district assembly in March , Liston received 75 % of the vote and Stiver just 24 % , according to documents filed later in Denver District Court .
Stiver complained the election was unfair , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state central committee , which agreed , Buck said in an interview Wednesday .
The party 's central committee voted in the conference call to settle the matter by putting Stiver on the ballot .
But district chair Eli Bremer balked at the order .
“ Do you understand the order of the executive committee and the central committee that you will submit the paperwork to include Mr. Stiver and Mr. Liston on the ballot , with Mr. Liston receiving the top-line vote ?
” Buck said on the call .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understand the central committee has adopted a resolution that requires me to sign a false affidavit to the state , ” Bremer replied .
“ And will you do so ?
” Buck said .
Bremer : “ I will seek legal counsel as I am being asked to sign an affidavit that states Mr. Stiver received 30 % of the vote .
I need to seek legal counsel to find out if I am putting myself in jeopardy of a misdemeanor for doing that .
” Buck : “ And you understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ central committee that you do so ?
” Bremer : “ I will consult with counsel .
Yes , sir , I understand the central committee has ordered me to sign an affidavit stating that a candidate got 30 % who did not .
And I will seek legal counsel and determine if I am legally able to follow that.
” Bremer refused .
A friendly lawsuit was filed to support him , and the judge ruled Monday that any certificate of designation filed with the Secretary of State ’ s Office showing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law -- because he did not receive at least 30 % of the district ’ s votes .
Here 's the kind of Republican Ken Buck is : Rules are for the little people .
Ken Buck is a Republican , damn it !

“How in the heck is the Republican Party going to go out and say we’re for the rule of law except when it applies to us — we can do whatever we want to?” Bremer said. “That’s not my Republican Party.”
Hahahaha! I'm laughing so hard, let me catch my breath. Because it sure sounds like the Republican party I know!
Ken Buck, the Trump-loving congressman from Colorado, is also his state's GOP chair. Via the Denver Post:
At issue is the Republican primary for the District 10 seat currently held by Sen. Owen Hill, who’s term-limited. State Rep. Larry Liston and GOP activist David Stiver both ran for it. To qualify for the November ballot via the caucus and assembly process, a candidate must receive 30% of the vote from Republicans within the district. During a district assembly in March, Liston received 75% of the vote and Stiver just 24%, according to documents filed later in Denver District Court. Stiver complained the election was unfair, and the issue was taken up with the state central committee, which agreed, Buck said in an interview Wednesday.
The party's central committee voted in the conference call to settle the matter by putting Stiver on the ballot. But district chair Eli Bremer balked at the order.
“Do you understand the order of the executive committee and the central committee that you will submit the paperwork to include Mr. Stiver and Mr. Liston on the ballot, with Mr. Liston receiving the top-line vote?” Buck said on the call. “Uh, yes, sir, I understand the central committee has adopted a resolution that requires me to sign a false affidavit to the state,” Bremer replied. “And will you do so?” Buck said. Bremer: “I will seek legal counsel as I am being asked to sign an affidavit that states Mr. Stiver received 30% of the vote. I need to seek legal counsel to find out if I am putting myself in jeopardy of a misdemeanor for doing that. ” Buck: “And you understand that it is the order of the central committee that you do so?” Bremer: “I will consult with counsel. Yes, sir, I understand the central committee has ordered me to sign an affidavit stating that a candidate got 30% who did not. And I will seek legal counsel and determine if I am legally able to follow that.”
Bremer refused. A friendly lawsuit was filed to support him, and the judge ruled Monday that any certificate of designation filed with the Secretary of State’s Office showing Stiver as a candidate would violate state law -- because he did not receive at least 30% of the district’s votes.
Here's the kind of Republican Ken Buck is:
I SWEAR I COULD NOT MAKE THIS UP.
Ken Buck called the federal bill that contains stuff like automatic voter registration an attempt to "steal our elections and skew those rules" JUST LAST YEAR. 🤦♂ pic.twitter.com/HAKDYueHbt — Taniel (@Taniel) May 7, 2020
The soul of the GOP. Or lack thereof.
Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO):
“...a lot of hype about fatalities. I don’t know anybody that wants to be the person who says, '33,000 deaths is okay, but 100,000 is not acceptable.' But that’s what officials are elected to do.” https://t.co/DaI4mqieRZ — Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) April 15, 2020
Ken Buck sent a strong message to the gun-grabbing Beto. https://t.co/agkObUPVbQ — Gun Owners of America (@GunOwners) March 13, 2020
Rules are for the little people. Ken Buck is a Republican, damn it!


crooksandliars--2020-05-07--Ahmaud Arbery Is Dead For The Crime Of Jogging While Black In Georgia

If I were black , I do n't know how I 'd have the courage to leave the house every day .
Because no matter how well you do in school , what kind of job you have , how much you contribute to humanity , or how hard you stick to the straight and narrow , it just does n't matter .
One white asshole with a gun decides to blow a hole in you , and your life is over .
This sickening event happened in February , and of course the victim , Ahmaud Arbery , was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a video .
Via USAToday : A grand jury will decide if criminal charges are warranted in the death of a black man who was shot after he was chased by two armed white men who later told police they thought he was a burglar .
Ahmaud Arbery , 25 , was shot and killed in February in a neighborhood outside Brunswick , Georgia .
Two men , a father and son , told police they saw him running and believed he was a burglary suspect ; they told police Arbery attacked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of the truck with a shotgun .
However , Arbery 's family and their attorneys believe he was jogging when he was killed .
Greg McMichael , the father in the vigilante duo , was an ex-cop , whose still-close ties to law enforcement resulted in several recusals from county prosecutors .
If 2 black men in Georgia chased down a white jogger who they “ thought ” was a “ burglar ” , and shot and killed him in the street , you mean to tell me they ’ d be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charges ?
No harm , no foul ?
Their self-defense claims believed ?
GTFOH !
# AhmadArbery — That 's So Dara ( @ dmwlkns ) May 5 , 2020

If I were black, I don't know how I'd have the courage to leave the house every day. Because no matter how well you do in school, what kind of job you have, how much you contribute to humanity, or how hard you stick to the straight and narrow, it just doesn't matter. One white asshole with a gun decides to blow a hole in you, and your life is over.
This sickening event happened in February, and of course the victim, Ahmaud Arbery, was considered a criminal until someone came forward with a video. Via USAToday:
A grand jury will decide if criminal charges are warranted in the death of a black man who was shot after he was chased by two armed white men who later told police they thought he was a burglar. Ahmaud Arbery, 25, was shot and killed in February in a neighborhood outside Brunswick, Georgia. Two men, a father and son, told police they saw him running and believed he was a burglary suspect; they told police Arbery attacked them after one of the men got out of the truck with a shotgun. However, Arbery's family and their attorneys believe he was jogging when he was killed.
Greg McMichael, the father in the vigilante duo, was an ex-cop, whose still-close ties to law enforcement resulted in several recusals from county prosecutors.
I watched the #AhmadArbery video. It was an old fashion South Georgia father/son lynching. — Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) May 5, 2020
I didn’t know #AhmadArbery when I spoke these words, but watching the terrifying video of his murder took me back to this moment. Dr. King said, “law cannot make a man love me, but it can stop him from lynching me.” Georgia needs hate crime legislation.
Ahmad’s life matters too. pic.twitter.com/iSDToOQY5S — Charles Booker (@Booker4KY) May 6, 2020
If you don’t understand why people kneel, then you just never will. #AhmadArbery — Tika Sumpter (@iamtikasumpter) May 6, 2020
Can’t stop thinking of #AhmadArbery running for his life and what must have been going through his mind as two gun wielding lunatics in a pick up truck chased him down & hopped out of the car with shotguns. This world is so messed up. — Natalie Egenolf (@NatalieEgenolf) May 6, 2020


crooksandliars--2020-05-07--Bethany Mandel: ‘You Can Call Me Grandma Killer’ But ‘I’m Not Sacrificing’ To Stop COVID-19

You can call me a Grandma killer .
I ’ m not sacrificing my home , food on the table @ @ @ @ @ and dentists , every form of pleasure ( museums , zoos , restaurants ) , @ @ @ @ @ in order to make other people comfortable .
If you want to stay locked down @ @ @ @ @ m not .
Conservative author Bethany Mandel made herself a Twitter meme today by saying @ @ @ @ @ kill off grandparents for the sake of the economy : Mandel later tweeted “ the @ @ @ @ @ ’ all ” because her parents and grandparents are already dead .
As if killing @ @ @ @ @ parents and grandparents is OK .
Yet , Mandel calls herself pro-life ( though she @ @ @ @ @ all abortions - yet ) .
Meanwhile , Twitter has more rightly characterized her by @ @ @ @ @ third most popular Twitter trend as I write this .
Here ’ s some of @ @ @ @

Conservative author Bethany Mandel made herself a Twitter meme today by saying she’s willing to kill off grandparents for the sake of the economy:
Mandel later tweeted “the joke’s on y’all” because her parents and grandparents are already dead. As if killing off other people’s parents and grandparents is OK.
Joke’s on y’all my parents and grandparents are already all dead. — Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) May 6, 2020
Yet, Mandel calls herself pro-life (though she doesn’t support outlawing all abortions - yet).
Meanwhile, Twitter has more rightly characterized her by catapulting #GrandmaKiller into the third most popular Twitter trend as I write this.
Here’s some of the well-deserved backlash:
You're a grandma killer yes. But you're also a nurse killer, a doctor killer, a cop killer, a grocery clerk killer, a student killer, a 5 year old killer, a bus driver killer, a father killer who just had a child killer, a family killer. Good people take care of their community. — Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) May 6, 2020
Listen, grandma and friend killer. I get it. Shit sucks. I've been separated from my family since mid-march. I've been without comforts and shit too, and I'm forced to be on the "front lines" every day as a retail worker.
But it aint about you. It aint about me. — Rune (@RunicNature) May 6, 2020
Ok...everyone remember, call Bethany "Grandma killer" from now on.
Also, stupid sociopath, who's too Fox consumed to know almost 1/3 of the COVID dead arent old enough to be grandmas.
That's 24,000 people. So far. But hey, who cares so long as you can go to the zoo, right? — Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) May 6, 2020
..& head's up Grandma Killer, since Fox makes you stupid. Not many kids are dying of COVID -instead, as Brits & NY report, theyre getting comorbid "pediatric multi-system inflammatory syndrome" from COVID thats landing them in PICUs on cardiac/vent supporthttps://t.co/CCH4Pdbntr — Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) May 6, 2020
some people call me the space cowboy, yeah
some call me the gangster of love
some people call me grandma killer
cause of speak of the pompatus of zoos — David Mack (@davidmackau) May 6, 2020
I don't want to blow your mind but a lot of teachers, doctors, dentists, museum and zoo employees, and restaurant workers are also grandparents, so you're not a grandma killer so much as an all-around selfish entitled jackass — andi zeisler (@andizeisler) May 6, 2020
this didnt take long pic.twitter.com/Uk1HapiHj3 — Seth Trueger (@MDaware) May 6, 2020


crooksandliars--2020-05-07--Ruth Bader Ginsburg Crushed Trump's Solicitor General Coming For Women's Birth Control

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg blasted the Trump administration for a rule that allows additional businesses to opt-out of providing no-cost birth control for women .
Ginsburg made the remarks during a telephone hearing that was streamed live due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
The justice reportedly joined the hearing from her hospital bed where she is being treated for a gallstone infection .
“ What the government has done in expanding this exemption is to toss to the wind entirely Congress ’ instruction that women need and shall have seamless , no-cost comprehensive coverage , ” Ginsburg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They can get contraception coverage by paying out of their own pocket which is exactly what Congress did not want to happen.
” The justice observed that a “ major trend in religious freedom is to give everything to one side and nothing to the other side.
” Ginsburg went on to reference Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores , Inc. , where a majority of the court found that private corporations could be exempt from the Obama-era birth control mandate based on religious objections .
“ Nothing in the interim rules affects the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ without costs the full range of FDA-approved contraceptives , ” she said .
“ You have just tossed entirely to the wind what Congress thought was essential .
That is that women be provided these services with no hassle , no cost to them.
” “ Instead , you are shifting the cost of the employer ’ s religious beliefs to the employees who do not share those religious beliefs , ” she added .
“ The women end up getting nothing .
They are required to do just what Congress didn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ premise of Ginsburg ’ s question .
“ There ’ s nothing in the [ Affordable Care Act ] as this court recognized in Hobby Lobby that requires contraceptive coverage , ” the Trump administration lawyer said .
“ Rather it delegated to the agencies whether or not to cover it in the first place.
” He went on to argue that churches could not have an exception to the contraception rule unless it was also available to for-profit businesses .
Ginsburg disagreed : “ The church has enjoyed traditionally an exception from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is different from these organizations that employ a lot of people who do not share the employer ’ s faith .
”

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg blasted the Trump administration for a rule that allows additional businesses to opt-out of providing no-cost birth control for women.
Ginsburg made the remarks during a telephone hearing that was streamed live due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The justice reportedly joined the hearing from her hospital bed where she is being treated for a gallstone infection.
“What the government has done in expanding this exemption is to toss to the wind entirely Congress’ instruction that women need and shall have seamless, no-cost comprehensive coverage,” Ginsburg told Solicitor General Noel Francisco. “They can get contraception coverage by paying out of their own pocket which is exactly what Congress did not want to happen.”
The justice observed that a “major trend in religious freedom is to give everything to one side and nothing to the other side.”
Ginsburg went on to reference Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., where a majority of the court found that private corporations could be exempt from the Obama-era birth control mandate based on religious objections.
“Nothing in the interim rules affects the ability of employees and students to obtain without costs the full range of FDA-approved contraceptives,” she said. “You have just tossed entirely to the wind what Congress thought was essential. That is that women be provided these services with no hassle, no cost to them.”
“Instead, you are shifting the cost of the employer’s religious beliefs to the employees who do not share those religious beliefs,” she added. “The women end up getting nothing. They are required to do just what Congress didn’t want.”
Francisco disagreed with the premise of Ginsburg’s question.
“There’s nothing in the [Affordable Care Act] as this court recognized in Hobby Lobby that requires contraceptive coverage,” the Trump administration lawyer said. “Rather it delegated to the agencies whether or not to cover it in the first place.”
He went on to argue that churches could not have an exception to the contraception rule unless it was also available to for-profit businesses.
Ginsburg disagreed: “The church has enjoyed traditionally an exception from the very first case… the church itself is different from these organizations that employ a lot of people who do not share the employer’s faith.”


crooksandliars--2020-05-07--Guess What Word Is Missing From This Op-Ed About How 'WE' Are Responding To The Pandemic

A new op-ed from Charlie Warzel of The New York Times carries a provocative headline : Tell us all about this `` we , '' Charlie .
The coronavirus scenario I can ’ t stop thinking about is the one where we simply get used to all the dying .
I first saw it on Twitter .
“ Someone poke holes in this scenario , ” a tweet from Eric Nelson , the editorial director of Broadside Books , read .
“ We keep losing 1,000 to 2,000 a day to coronavirus .
People get used to it .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spreads .
By December we ’ re close to normal , but still losing 1,500 a day , and as we tick past 300,000 dead , most people aren ’ t concerned.
” ...
There ’ s ... a national precedent for Mr. Nelson ’ s hypothetical : America ’ s response to gun violence and school shootings .
As a country , we seem resigned to preventable firearm deaths ... .
In every case , the death tolls climb but we fail to act .
There are occasional marches and protests but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Again and again , the same word : we seem resigned ... we continue on with our lives .
Try this Charlie : We do n't know what else to do .
We 've wept .
We 've marched .
We 've told pollsters that we support gun control laws in overwhelming numbers .
We 've elected Democrats in many locales where they have n't been able to win in decades .
And for the most part it does nothing , because Republicans have a stranglehold on our federal government , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ federal courts .
Where we can , we actually do something about gun violence : Virginia handed control of the state legislature to Democrats last year , and this year the legislators approved a significant package of gun control measures , which the Democratic governor signed into law last month .
You think we do n't want to act ?
We want to act .
Republicans do n't .
And if there appears to be an increasing sense of indifference to the COVID-19 death toll , it 's because Republicans , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us to shrug off the carnage .
They want us to be indifferent to the fear and accepting of the lack of effective action to stop the virus 's spread , especially at the federal level .
They just want the economy up and running , and they do n't care how many of us die in the process .
But we 're not indifferent .
We 're scared .
Americans clearly oppose the reopening of restaurants , retail stores and other businesses , even as governors begin to lift restrictions that have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic , according to a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll .
... 67 percent say they would be uncomfortable shopping at a retail clothing store , and 78 percent would be uncomfortable eating at a sit-down restaurant .
People in states with looser restrictions report similar levels of discomfort as those in states with stricter rules .
... when asked about eight different types of businesses , majorities of Americans say they oppose ending the restrictions on each of the eight .
The Post-U .
Md .
poll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : gun stores , dine-in restaurants , nail salons , barbershops and hair salons , retail establishments such as clothing stores , along with gyms , golf courses and movie theaters .
When it comes to reopening the country , Americans are more concerned that states will start lifting restrictions too quickly ( 63 % ) rather than not quickly enough ( 29 % ) .
The public prefers that any such decision be based more on public health concerns than economic ones .
Specifically , 56 % say the more important factor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be making sure as few people as possible get sick from the coronavirus .
Just 33 % say making sure the economy does not go into a deep and lengthy downturn should be more important .
But in much of the country it 's been decided that the minority of Americans who feel otherwise should decide what we do next .
That 's what Republican officeholders and their patrons want , so that 's what 's happening .
Warzel 's op-ed contains 1,321 words .
Not one of them is Republican .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ view as that of the country .
But unlike many Western and Asian countries that are moving slowly to reopen and telling their citizens hard truths about the months ahead , the United States seems fixated on returning to normal , despite warnings from public health experts that it is too soon .
As with gun violence , the data medical professionals and governments are relying on during the pandemic is piecemeal .
And , as with gun violence , we throw up our hands and deem it intractable .
Ultimately , Warzel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is being determined by a minority .
Last summer , before touring the sites of two mass shootings that killed 31 people in 24 hours , Mr. Trump argued that there was “ no political appetite ” for a ban on assault weapons , though a majority of Americans support one .
Those remarks bear resemblance to the president ’ s March comments that the coronavirus lockdowns were perhaps too onerous and that “ we can not let the cure be worse than the problem itself.
” His “ LIBERATE ” tweets in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar lack of appetite to do the hard thing , even as national polls revealed that Americans are deeply concerned about their safety and worried about reopening .
... As in the gun control debate , public opinion , public health and the public good seem poised to lose out to select set of personal freedoms .
But whose set of personal freedoms is it ?
It 's not just Trump 's .
Name the people responsible .
`` A select few '' ?
Who are they ?
They 're Republicans , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Posted with permission from No More Mr. Nice Blog

A new op-ed from Charlie Warzel of The New York Times carries a provocative headline:
Will We Shrug Off Coronavirus Deaths as We Do Gun Violence?
Tell us all about this "we," Charlie.
The coronavirus scenario I can’t stop thinking about is the one where we simply get used to all the dying. I first saw it on Twitter. “Someone poke holes in this scenario,” a tweet from Eric Nelson, the editorial director of Broadside Books, read. “We keep losing 1,000 to 2,000 a day to coronavirus. People get used to it. We get less vigilant as it very slowly spreads. By December we’re close to normal, but still losing 1,500 a day, and as we tick past 300,000 dead, most people aren’t concerned.” ... There’s ... a national precedent for Mr. Nelson’s hypothetical: America’s response to gun violence and school shootings. As a country, we seem resigned to preventable firearm deaths.... In every case, the death tolls climb but we fail to act. There are occasional marches and protests but mostly we continue on with our lives.
Again and again, the same word: we seem resigned ... we continue on with our lives.
Try this Charlie: We don't know what else to do. We've wept. We've marched. We've told pollsters that we support gun control laws in overwhelming numbers. We've elected Democrats in many locales where they haven't been able to win in decades.
And for the most part it does nothing, because Republicans have a stranglehold on our federal government, many of our state governments, and the federal courts. Where we can, we actually do something about gun violence: Virginia handed control of the state legislature to Democrats last year, and this year the legislators approved a significant package of gun control measures, which the Democratic governor signed into law last month.
You think we don't want to act? We want to act. Republicans don't.
And if there appears to be an increasing sense of indifference to the COVID-19 death toll, it's because Republicans, and the plutocrats to whom they answer, want us to shrug off the carnage. They want us to be indifferent to the fear and accepting of the lack of effective action to stop the virus's spread, especially at the federal level. They just want the economy up and running, and they don't care how many of us die in the process.
But we're not indifferent. We're scared.
Americans clearly oppose the reopening of restaurants, retail stores and other businesses, even as governors begin to lift restrictions that have kept the economy locked down in an effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic, according to a Washington Post-University of Maryland poll. ... 67 percent say they would be uncomfortable shopping at a retail clothing store, and 78 percent would be uncomfortable eating at a sit-down restaurant. People in states with looser restrictions report similar levels of discomfort as those in states with stricter rules. ... when asked about eight different types of businesses, majorities of Americans say they oppose ending the restrictions on each of the eight. The Post-U. Md. poll asked about the following types of businesses: gun stores, dine-in restaurants, nail salons, barbershops and hair salons, retail establishments such as clothing stores, along with gyms, golf courses and movie theaters.
A new Monmouth poll has similar results:
When it comes to reopening the country, Americans are more concerned that states will start lifting restrictions too quickly (63%) rather than not quickly enough (29%). The public prefers that any such decision be based more on public health concerns than economic ones. Specifically, 56% say the more important factor in deciding whether to lift current restrictions should be making sure as few people as possible get sick from the coronavirus. Just 33% say making sure the economy does not go into a deep and lengthy downturn should be more important.
But in much of the country it's been decided that the minority of Americans who feel otherwise should decide what we do next. That's what Republican officeholders and their patrons want, so that's what's happening.
Warzel's op-ed contains 1,321 words. Not one of them is Republican. Instead, he portrays the GOP's view as that of the country.
But unlike many Western and Asian countries that are moving slowly to reopen and telling their citizens hard truths about the months ahead, the United States seems fixated on returning to normal, despite warnings from public health experts that it is too soon. As with gun violence, the data medical professionals and governments are relying on during the pandemic is piecemeal. And, as with gun violence, we throw up our hands and deem it intractable.
(Emphasis added.)
Ultimately, Warzel acknowledges that our approach to the pandemic is being determined by a minority.
Last summer, before touring the sites of two mass shootings that killed 31 people in 24 hours, Mr. Trump argued that there was “no political appetite” for a ban on assault weapons, though a majority of Americans support one. Those remarks bear resemblance to the president’s March comments that the coronavirus lockdowns were perhaps too onerous and that “we cannot let the cure be worse than the problem itself.” His “LIBERATE” tweets in support of the lockdown protesters suggested a similar lack of appetite to do the hard thing, even as national polls revealed that Americans are deeply concerned about their safety and worried about reopening. ... As in the gun control debate, public opinion, public health and the public good seem poised to lose out to select set of personal freedoms.
But whose set of personal freedoms is it? It's not just Trump's. Name the people responsible.
... In this narrow worldview, freedom has a price, in the form of an “acceptable” number of human lives lost. It’s a price that will be calculated and then set by a select few. The rest of us merely pay it.
"A select few"? Who are they?
They're Republicans, that's who they are. Name them.
Posted with permission from No More Mr. Nice Blog


crooksandliars--2020-05-07--Trump Campaign Compares Itself To Star Wars' Death Star

For nearly three years we have been building a juggernaut campaign ( Death Star ) .
It is firing on all cylinders .
Data , Digital , TV , Political , Surrogates , Coalitions , etc .
In a few days we start pressing FIRE for the first time .
pic.twitter.com/aJgCNfx1m0 An interesting choice for a campaign symbol .
With any luck at all , Brad Perscale 's vision will prove itself to be a self-fulfilling prophecy .
Someone from the Trump campaign obviously fell asleep in Star Wars .
A tweet posted on 2020 campaign manager Brad Parscale ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advertising bonanza , set to launch across digital , TV , political , and other platforms .
“ For nearly three years we have been building a juggernaut campaign ( Death Star ) , ” the tweet said .
“ In a few days we start pressing FIRE for the first time.
” What Parscale forgot was that the Death Star , the fancy-looking space station with the ability to destroy an entire planet , underestimated the tenacity of its enemy and was eventually blown to smithereens .
Naturally , the whiny-assed titty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they always seem to do for their fails .
I didn ’ t give our campaign the name , Death Star , the media did .
However , I am happy to use the analogy .
The fact is , we haven ’ t used it yet .
Laugh all you want , we will take the win !

For nearly three years we have been building a juggernaut campaign (Death Star). It is firing on all cylinders. Data, Digital, TV, Political, Surrogates, Coalitions, etc.
In a few days we start pressing FIRE for the first time. pic.twitter.com/aJgCNfx1m0 — Brad Parscale - Download our Trump 2020 App today! (@parscale) May 7, 2020
An interesting choice for a campaign symbol. With any luck at all, Brad Perscale's vision will prove itself to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Idiots.
Source: Daily Beast
Someone from the Trump campaign obviously fell asleep in Star Wars. A tweet posted on 2020 campaign manager Brad Parscale’s account Thursday morning touted an impending advertising bonanza, set to launch across digital, TV, political, and other platforms. “For nearly three years we have been building a juggernaut campaign (Death Star),” the tweet said. “In a few days we start pressing FIRE for the first time.” What Parscale forgot was that the Death Star, the fancy-looking space station with the ability to destroy an entire planet, underestimated the tenacity of its enemy and was eventually blown to smithereens.
Naturally, the whiny-assed titty baby soon blamed the media, as they always seem to do for their fails.
I didn’t give our campaign the name, Death Star, the media did. However, I am happy to use the analogy. The fact is, we haven’t used it yet. Laugh all you want, we will take the win! — Brad Parscale - Download our Trump 2020 App today! (@parscale) May 7, 2020
Twitter was unremorseful.
No Star Wars expert, but doesn’t the Death Star...get blown up? https://t.co/plf7ztTLAV — Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) May 7, 2020
Who chooses to portray themselves as the Death Star? — Barb McQuade (@BarbMcQuade) May 7, 2020