crooksandliars--2020-12-09--Michael Flynn Threatens President Obama

Michael Flynn Threatens President Obama

In an unhinged interview this morning ( has Maria Bartiromo lost a bet , or is she raking in money on the MAGA beat ? )
convicted felon ( and recently pardoned by Trump ) Michael Flynn told FBN 's Maria Bartiromo that President Obama should still be afraid of him .
Bartiromo asked Flynn why President Obama did not want him to be Trump 's national security advisor .
She then perversely claimed the Trump campaign was `` spied on '' and intimated that Obama needed to get Flynn out of the way because he knew too much -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was Obama so afraid of you ? ''
she asked .
“ So imagine the transition of the entire country , the United States of America , and here you have this sort of transition conversation between two incoming and outgoing presidents and they mention two people : dear leader Kim Jong Un and Gen. Michael Flynn , as though I ’ m public enemy number one , '' Flynn replied .
`` One of these days , I would like somebody to pin him down and ask him.
” It 's no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Flynn .
He fired Flynn from his job long before the campaign because Flynn was an obvious security risk .
`` And he should have been afraid of me and he still should be afraid ... '' Flynn warned .
Flynn then claimed auditing and reforming the Pentagon intelligence community was at the heart of the matter .
Going on his usual deep state rant against intelligence services , he then added , `` Obama talking about me is outrageous .
I will not give him any more time on your show.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why he was on the show .
This is the type of statement made against a former president that MUST be investigated .
All threats against a president either current or former are taken seriously .

In an unhinged interview this morning (has Maria Bartiromo lost a bet, or is she raking in money on the MAGA beat?) convicted felon (and recently pardoned by Trump) Michael Flynn told FBN's Maria Bartiromo that President Obama should still be afraid of him.
Bartiromo asked Flynn why President Obama did not want him to be Trump's national security advisor. She then perversely claimed the Trump campaign was "spied on" and intimated that Obama needed to get Flynn out of the way because he knew too much -- or something like that.
"Why was Obama so afraid of you?" she asked.
“So imagine the transition of the entire country, the United States of America, and here you have this sort of transition conversation between two incoming and outgoing presidents and they mention two people: dear leader Kim Jong Un and Gen. Michael Flynn, as though I’m public enemy number one," Flynn replied. "One of these days, I would like somebody to pin him down and ask him.”
It's no secret why President Obama warned Trump about Flynn. He fired Flynn from his job long before the campaign because Flynn was an obvious security risk.
Obama and his staff felt Flynn was problematic and prone to what they thought of as crazy ideas, and had fired him from his job as head of the Defense Intelligence Agency. Obama relayed that to Trump during the 90 minutes they spent together.
"And he should have been afraid of me and he still should be afraid..." Flynn warned.
Flynn then claimed auditing and reforming the Pentagon intelligence community was at the heart of the matter.
Going on his usual deep state rant against intelligence services, he then added, "Obama talking about me is outrageous. I will not give him any more time on your show.”
But, of course, that is why he was on the show.
This is the type of statement made against a former president that MUST be investigated. All threats against a president either current or former are taken seriously.
“He still should be afraid?”
I don’t think President Obama is afraid of you Mr. Flynn. But I think you should be concerned that your pardon is not only an admission of your guilt, but you can no longer hide behind the 5th Amendment. — Carpe Diem (@CaptCarpeDiem) December 9, 2020
Criming without consequences must be a mighty powerful drug. — Jacie B (@jacieb) December 9, 2020


crooksandliars--2020-12-09--Mitt Romney: 'This Is Madness'

Mitt Romney: 'This Is Madness'

Mitt Romney still has some quaint notions about his fellow Republicans in 2020 .
He does n't seem to realize that Republicans think they are waging a Holy War for the soul of the nation , and if that means overturning some democratic norms so that an egomaniacal kleptocrat can stay in power then so be it .
Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah has ripped into Republicans who are threatening to protest the Electoral College vote .
`` Madness .
This is madness .
We have a process , recounts are appropriate , going to the court is appropriate and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but trying to get electors not to do what the people voted to do is madness , '' Frank Thorp V of NBC News quoted Romney as saying .
A representative for Romney confirmed his statement to Business Insider .
President Donald Trump 's campaign and some allied Republicans have waged lawsuits in multiple states seeking to overturn the 2020 election results .
President-elect Joe Biden 's victory became clear days after Election Day , but Trump has yet to concede .
`` It would be saying , 'Look , let 's not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let 's instead do it what we want , that would not be the way a democratic republic ought to work , '' Romney said .

Mitt Romney still has some quaint notions about his fellow Republicans in 2020. He doesn't seem to realize that Republicans think they are waging a Holy War for the soul of the nation, and if that means overturning some democratic norms so that an egomaniacal kleptocrat can stay in power then so be it.
Source: Business Insider
Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah has ripped into Republicans who are threatening to protest the Electoral College vote.
"Madness. This is madness. We have a process, recounts are appropriate, going to the court is appropriate and pursuing every legal avenue is appropriate, but trying to get electors not to do what the people voted to do is madness," Frank Thorp V of NBC News quoted Romney as saying.
A representative for Romney confirmed his statement to Business Insider.
President Donald Trump's campaign and some allied Republicans have waged lawsuits in multiple states seeking to overturn the 2020 election results. President-elect Joe Biden's victory became clear days after Election Day, but Trump has yet to concede.
"It would be saying, 'Look, let's not follow the vote of the people, let's instead do it what we want, that would not be the way a democratic republic ought to work," Romney said.


crooksandliars--2020-12-09--'Are There Not Workhouses?' Mnuchin And McConnell Don't Care About The Pandemic Unemployed

These Republican bastards .
The constant mind games , the dangling of carrots , and then the pulling away of everything but a shred of help .
Via the Tampa Bay Times : WASHINGTON — The Trump administration dove back into Capitol Hill ’ s confusing COVID-19 negotiations on Tuesday , offering a $ 916 billion package to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that would send a $ 600 direct payment to most Americans — but eliminate a $ 300 per week employment benefit favored by a bipartisan group of Senate negotiators .
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin made the offer to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
He offered few details , though House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy said it proposes the $ 600 direct payment for individuals and $ 1,200 for couples , which is half the payment delivered by the March pandemic relief bill .
Mnuchin reached out to Pelosi after a call with top congressional GOP leaders , including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell , who remains at odds with Democratic leaders over COVID-19 relief .
Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer , D-N.Y. , responded to Mnuchin ’ s entreaty with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to let a bipartisan group take the lead .
The bipartisan group , led by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and GOP Sens .
Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska , among others , is seeking to rally lawmakers in both parties behind a $ 908 billion framework that includes a $ 300-per-week pandemic jobless benefit and $ 160 billion for states and local governments .
It is more generous than a GOP plan that ’ s been filibustered twice already but far smaller than a wish list @ @ @ @ @

These Republican bastards. The constant mind games, the dangling of carrots, and then the pulling away of everything but a shred of help. Via the Tampa Bay Times:
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration dove back into Capitol Hill’s confusing COVID-19 negotiations on Tuesday, offering a $916 billion package to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that would send a $600 direct payment to most Americans — but eliminate a $300 per week employment benefit favored by a bipartisan group of Senate negotiators.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin made the offer to Pelosi late Tuesday afternoon, he said in a statement. He offered few details, though House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy said it proposes the $600 direct payment for individuals and $1,200 for couples, which is half the payment delivered by the March pandemic relief bill.
Mnuchin reached out to Pelosi after a call with top congressional GOP leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who remains at odds with Democratic leaders over COVID-19 relief. Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., responded to Mnuchin’s entreaty with a statement that said they would prefer to let a bipartisan group take the lead.
The bipartisan group, led by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, among others, is seeking to rally lawmakers in both parties behind a $908 billion framework that includes a $300-per-week pandemic jobless benefit and $160 billion for states and local governments. It is more generous than a GOP plan that’s been filibustered twice already but far smaller than a wish list assembled by House Democrats.


crooksandliars--2020-12-09--Pigs Are Flying: Scarborough Admits Morning Joe Spent Too Much Time On Hillary's Emails

Via The Daily Beast , Joe Scarborough finally gets around to admitting he made a mistake by emphasizing Hillary Clinton 's emails .
This was in an extended interview with David Ignatius about Scarborough 's new book about Harry Truman : Scarborough , however , first wanted to point out how the media “ screwed up ” during Trump ’ s initial 2016 campaign , stating that much of the blame could be centered on the amount of coverage devoted to the Clinton email scandal .
“ I thought that was very legitimate at the time , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and how the Clintons chased in on public service , that was a legitimate question to ask .
Hillary Clinton getting paid by Goldman Sachs to give a speech or getting paid by state colleges to give a speech… I think all of that was legitimate .
” “ But obviously looking back on it , we on Morning Joe , and others in media , paid way too much attention to that , ” Scarborough added .
“ Especially if you look at what we ’ ve been through over the past @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear to be the first time Scarborough , who has become a vocal critic of the president ’ s , has publicly suggested he and his program spent too much time on the emails story , which centered on Clinton ’ s use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state .
Took you long enough , did n't it ?
It 's no longer useful to bash Hillary , and it makes you look thoughtful to admit it when it 's much too late .
And by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrong about the Clinton Foundation and the speeches .
Joe Biden made those speeches too , and we heard nary a peep out of you or your minions .
Editor 's Note ( Frances Langum ) : Do n't think we 've forgotten about your hot mic massaging of Trump 's ego , the constant `` Donald 's got his groove back '' propping up , or the monthly phone-in softball interviews your show featured , apparently because Donald kept your relationship with Mika quiet .

Via The Daily Beast, Joe Scarborough finally gets around to admitting he made a mistake by emphasizing Hillary Clinton's emails. This was in an extended interview with David Ignatius about Scarborough's new book about Harry Truman:
Scarborough, however, first wanted to point out how the media “screwed up” during Trump’s initial 2016 campaign, stating that much of the blame could be centered on the amount of coverage devoted to the Clinton email scandal. “I thought that was very legitimate at the time,” he said. “I thought the Clinton Foundation and how the Clintons chased in on public service, that was a legitimate question to ask. Hillary Clinton getting paid by Goldman Sachs to give a speech or getting paid by state colleges to give a speech… I think all of that was legitimate. ” “But obviously looking back on it, we on Morning Joe, and others in media, paid way too much attention to that,” Scarborough added. “Especially if you look at what we’ve been through over the past four or five years.” This would appear to be the first time Scarborough, who has become a vocal critic of the president’s, has publicly suggested he and his program spent too much time on the emails story, which centered on Clinton’s use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state.
Took you long enough, didn't it? It's no longer useful to bash Hillary, and it makes you look thoughtful to admit it when it's much too late.
And by the way, Joe, you were also wrong about the Clinton Foundation and the speeches. Joe Biden made those speeches too, and we heard nary a peep out of you or your minions.
Editor's Note (Frances Langum): Don't think we've forgotten about your hot mic massaging of Trump's ego, the constant "Donald's got his groove back" propping up, or the monthly phone-in softball interviews your show featured, apparently because Donald kept your relationship with Mika quiet.


crooksandliars--2020-12-09--John Avlon Quotes Lincoln: 'We Need To Repudiate The Wolf's Dictionary'

As he so often does , CNN 's John Avlon puts his finger on the problem we 're facing today .
`` In the five weeks since election day , it often feels like we 're having a debate in a hall of mirrors , '' he said .
`` President Trump trying to overturn an election , while saying he 's protecting election integrity .
Death threats leveled at election officials by people who accuse them of doing violence to our democracy .
And now , an uptick in civil war rhetoric , chapters as what was once known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county , the Dane County GOP held a rally at the Wisconsin state capitol they promoted by saying , 'Our nation is on a path to civil war . '
`` Yesterday , the Arizona state GOP sent out a tweet asking followers if they 're willing to die in the effort to overturn election results .
This is aggressive defensiveness and dangerous nonsense .
But what makes it worse is that so many of Donald Trump 's supporters have bought into the big lie .
They 've been misled into believing they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 're being used to attack .
And here 's how it works , starting at the top of the disinformation chain .
I am determined to protect our election system , which is now under coordinated assault and siege .
We will restore honesty and integrity to our elections and we will restore trust in our system of government .
`` The opposite is true .
Our election system is under siege , but from Trump and his league team .
And no president has done more to erode trust in our system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to respect the election .
But Trump 's alternate reality gets amplified on hyperpartisan media .
Check out these graphics from 'Hannity ' the other night , demand transparency and fight for Trump .
Well , Lou Dobbs and Stephen Miller stoke each other 's outrage over a banner which read , 'Trump campaign fights for free and fair elections . '
`` If you only listen to right-wing echo chambers , you might believe it all .
So you go to a rally and hold a sign that says , 'Defend democracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' or 'stand for truth . '
These are admirable emotions , but they do n't fit the objective reality of what you 're actually fighting for .
Without knowing it , you bought into what Abraham Lincoln once called the wolf 's dictionary .
Back during the real Civil War , Lincoln agonized that both sides believed they were fighting for liberty -- yes , even Confederates that were fighting for slavery under the cloak of state 's rights .
He addressed the problem in a parable , that when the wolf @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him as the destroyer of liberty , especially if the sheep was a black one .
The wolf and the sheep have very different definitions of liberty .
`` But as the war raged on and some border states voted to abolish slavery , Lincoln said that the wolf 's dictionary can be repudiated .
We need to repudiate the wolf 's dictionary today .
That means insisting that facts matter and words have real meaning , or to use a favorite conservative refrain , facts do n't care about your feeling .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump 's lawsuits have no basis in reality .
If you say you believe in the rule of law , you need to respect the rule of law .
If you say you 're a proud patriot , then put country over party .
`` And then let 's work together in good faith to reason together , because we are not as divided as the screamers say .
and that 's your reality check . ''

As he so often does, CNN's John Avlon puts his finger on the problem we're facing today.
"In the five weeks since election day, it often feels like we're having a debate in a hall of mirrors," he said.
"President Trump trying to overturn an election, while saying he's protecting election integrity. Death threats leveled at election officials by people who accuse them of doing violence to our democracy. And now, an uptick in civil war rhetoric, chapters as what was once known as the party of Lincoln. Last county, the Dane County GOP held a rally at the Wisconsin state capitol they promoted by saying, 'Our nation is on a path to civil war.'
"Yesterday, the Arizona state GOP sent out a tweet asking followers if they're willing to die in the effort to overturn election results. This is aggressive defensiveness and dangerous nonsense. But what makes it worse is that so many of Donald Trump's supporters have bought into the big lie. They've been misled into believing they're fighting for the very virtues they're being used to attack. And here's how it works, starting at the top of the disinformation chain.
I am determined to protect our election system, which is now under coordinated assault and siege. We will restore honesty and integrity to our elections and we will restore trust in our system of government.
"The opposite is true. Our election system is under siege, but from Trump and his league team. And no president has done more to erode trust in our system of government than Trump with his refusal to respect the election. But Trump's alternate reality gets amplified on hyperpartisan media. Check out these graphics from 'Hannity' the other night, demand transparency and fight for Trump. Well, Lou Dobbs and Stephen Miller stoke each other's outrage over a banner which read, 'Trump campaign fights for free and fair elections.'
"If you only listen to right-wing echo chambers, you might believe it all. So you go to a rally and hold a sign that says, 'Defend democracy', or 'stop the steal,' or 'stand for truth.' These are admirable emotions, but they don't fit the objective reality of what you're actually fighting for. Without knowing it, you bought into what Abraham Lincoln once called the wolf's dictionary. Back during the real Civil War, Lincoln agonized that both sides believed they were fighting for liberty -- yes, even Confederates that were fighting for slavery under the cloak of state's rights. He addressed the problem in a parable, that when the wolf drives the sheep, the wolf denounces him as the destroyer of liberty, especially if the sheep was a black one. The wolf and the sheep have very different definitions of liberty.
"But as the war raged on and some border states voted to abolish slavery, Lincoln said that the wolf's dictionary can be repudiated. We need to repudiate the wolf's dictionary today. That means insisting that facts matter and words have real meaning, or to use a favorite conservative refrain, facts don't care about your feeling. So the judges that have said that Trump's lawsuits have no basis in reality. If you say you believe in the rule of law, you need to respect the rule of law. If you say you're a proud patriot, then put country over party.
"And then let's work together in good faith to reason together, because we are not as divided as the screamers say. and that's your reality check."


crooksandliars--2020-12-10--Loeffler And Perdue Brag That Toothless Senate Ethics Committee Cleared Them Of Insider Trading

Sens .
Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue keep self-righteously telling voters that they were exonerated of insider trading after their stock trades suspiciously timed to make the coronavirus pandemic profitable for them .
What exactly does it mean to say that the Senate Ethics Committee cleared them , though ?
Not much , according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation .
Between 2007 and 2019 , public records show not a single disciplinary sanction coming out of the committee , despite 1,189 complaints of alleged violations .
Just six cases led to letters of admonition .
Most complaints didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A senator saying he or she has been cleared by the Senate Ethics Committee should be taken with a grain of salt , ” said Meredith McGehee , executive director of the watchdog group Issue One , told the newspaper .
“ The Senate Ethics Committee manages to find ethics violations about as often as an NBA referee manages to call a traveling or palming violation.
” Perdue followed an early coronavirus briefing by buying stocks in personal protective equipment companies , while Loeffler responded to being briefed by selling off a lot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interesting when the market crashed in the early days of the pandemic .
Perdue also recently made news as the senator who ’ s carried out the most stock trades in recent years—2,596 of them—including on companies he oversees in his Senate work .
Loeffler and Perdue are also very proud of having avoided charges from the Donald Trump-William Barr Justice Department .
Maybe Georgia could do better than “ not indicted on insider trading ” ?

Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue keep self-righteously telling voters that they were exonerated of insider trading after their stock trades suspiciously timed to make the coronavirus pandemic profitable for them. What exactly does it mean to say that the Senate Ethics Committee cleared them, though?
Not much, according to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation. Between 2007 and 2019, public records show not a single disciplinary sanction coming out of the committee, despite 1,189 complaints of alleged violations. Just six cases led to letters of admonition. Most complaints didn’t even get a staff investigation.
“A senator saying he or she has been cleared by the Senate Ethics Committee should be taken with a grain of salt,” said Meredith McGehee, executive director of the watchdog group Issue One, told the newspaper. “The Senate Ethics Committee manages to find ethics violations about as often as an NBA referee manages to call a traveling or palming violation.”
Perdue followed an early coronavirus briefing by buying stocks in personal protective equipment companies, while Loeffler responded to being briefed by selling off a lot of stocks, a decision that looked interesting when the market crashed in the early days of the pandemic. Perdue also recently made news as the senator who’s carried out the most stock trades in recent years—2,596 of them—including on companies he oversees in his Senate work.
Loeffler and Perdue are also very proud of having avoided charges from the Donald Trump-William Barr Justice Department.
Maybe Georgia could do better than “not indicted on insider trading”?
Posted with permission from Daily Kos.


crooksandliars--2020-12-10--'Pandemic Profits' Of US Billionaires Could Fully Fund $3,000 Checks For Everyone In US

America 's 651 billionaires have gained so much wealth during the coronavirus pandemic that they could fully pay for one-time $ 3,000 stimulus checks for every person in the United States and still be better off than they were before the crisis .
That 's according to new research by Americans for Tax Fairness ( ATF ) and the Institute for Policy Studies ( IPS ) , groups that have been tracking the `` pandemic profits '' of U.S. billionaires since mid-March .
In the nearly nine-month period between March 18 and December 7 , American billionaires gained more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the U.S. lost their jobs , their businesses , their homes , and their lives to the pandemic .
The collective net worth of U.S. billionaires now sits just above $ 4 trillion—nearly double the combined wealth owned by the bottom 50 % of the American population .
`` As tens of millions of Americans suffer from the health and economic ravages of this pandemic , a few hundred billionaires add to their massive fortunes , '' ATF executive director Frank Clemente said in a statement .
`` Their pandemic profits are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay for a major Covid relief bill and still not lose a dime of their pre-virus riches . ''
`` Their wealth growth is so great , '' Clemente added , `` that they alone could provide a $ 3,000 stimulus payment to every man , woman , and child in the country , and still be richer than they were nine months ago . ''
The new research comes as congressional negotiators have not committed to including direct stimulus checks of any size in the relief package that 's being hashed out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the year , when dozens of key federal safety net programs are set to expire .
Amid opposition by Republicans—who are insisting on keeping the final bill 's price tag below $ 1 trillion—Democratic lawmakers led by Rep. Ilhan Omar ( D-Minn. ) in the House and Sen. Bernie Sanders ( I-Vt. ) in the Senate are demanding the inclusion of another round of stimulus checks on top of a weekly increase in unemployment benefits and additional relief measures .
On Tuesday , as Common Dreams reported , Sanders and five Senate Democrats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for one-time payments of $ 1,200 per adult and $ 500 per child .
In a letter of their own on Tuesday , Omar and nearly 60 other House Democrats warned that excluding direct payments from relief legislation would `` leave behind tens of millions of people who have lost income as well as many struggling individuals who can not work and those left out of federal support programs . ''
`` I am being told that including another stimulus check is too expensive , '' Rep. Rashida Tlaib ( D-Mich. ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeted Tuesday .
`` Fine .
Tax the rich and pay for it . ''
In the wake of the Democratic lawmakers ' demands , the Trump White House put forth a proposal that would provide a round of direct stimulus payments amounting to $ 600 per adult and $ 600 per child in the place of a weekly boost in unemployment benefits .
Democrats immediately rejected the administration 's proposed trade-off as `` unacceptable '' and `` atrocious , '' warning that one-time payments are not an adequate substitute for a weekly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

America's 651 billionaires have gained so much wealth during the coronavirus pandemic that they could fully pay for one-time $3,000 stimulus checks for every person in the United States and still be better off than they were before the crisis.
That's according to new research by Americans for Tax Fairness (ATF) and the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), groups that have been tracking the "pandemic profits" of U.S. billionaires since mid-March.
In the nearly nine-month period between March 18 and December 7, American billionaires gained more than $1 trillion in wealth as people across the U.S. lost their jobs, their businesses, their homes, and their lives to the pandemic. The collective net worth of U.S. billionaires now sits just above $4 trillion—nearly double the combined wealth owned by the bottom 50% of the American population.
"As tens of millions of Americans suffer from the health and economic ravages of this pandemic, a few hundred billionaires add to their massive fortunes," ATF executive director Frank Clemente said in a statement. "Their pandemic profits are so immense that America's billionaires could pay for a major Covid relief bill and still not lose a dime of their pre-virus riches."
"Their wealth growth is so great," Clemente added, "that they alone could provide a $3,000 stimulus payment to every man, woman, and child in the country, and still be richer than they were nine months ago."
BREAKING: U.S. billionaires have grown their collective wealth by $1 trillion since mid-March. That's more than it would cost to send a $3,000 stimulus check to every person in America. More of our latest research here: https://t.co/wvfXxl92yK pic.twitter.com/sYgDKiuW70 — Americans For Tax Fairness (@4TaxFairness) December 9, 2020
The new research comes as congressional negotiators have not committed to including direct stimulus checks of any size in the relief package that's being hashed out just weeks away from the end of the year, when dozens of key federal safety net programs are set to expire.
Amid opposition by Republicans—who are insisting on keeping the final bill's price tag below $1 trillion—Democratic lawmakers led by Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) in the House and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in the Senate are demanding the inclusion of another round of stimulus checks on top of a weekly increase in unemployment benefits and additional relief measures.
On Tuesday, as Common Dreams reported, Sanders and five Senate Democrats circulated a letter (pdf) calling for one-time payments of $1,200 per adult and $500 per child. In a letter of their own on Tuesday, Omar and nearly 60 other House Democrats warned that excluding direct payments from relief legislation would "leave behind tens of millions of people who have lost income as well as many struggling individuals who cannot work and those left out of federal support programs."
"I am being told that including another stimulus check is too expensive," Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), a signatory of the House letter, tweeted Tuesday. "Fine. Tax the rich and pay for it."
In the wake of the Democratic lawmakers' demands, the Trump White House put forth a proposal that would provide a round of direct stimulus payments amounting to $600 per adult and $600 per child in the place of a weekly boost in unemployment benefits.
Democrats immediately rejected the administration's proposed trade-off as "unacceptable" and "atrocious," warning that one-time payments are not an adequate substitute for a weekly benefit increase for millions of jobless Americans.
Republished from Common Dreams (Jake Johnson, staff writer) under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License.


crooksandliars--2020-12-10--Throwback Thursday: We Need More Retirements From Congress

It 's very sad about Dianne Feinstein .
The New Yorker has published Jane Mayer 's `` Dianne Feinstein ’ s Missteps Raise a Painful Age Question Among Senate Democrats . ''
Dianne Feinstein literally asked Jack Dorsey the same exact question twice in a row in a hearing , got the same answer back twice , did n't realize it and this was n't a scandal ?
?
?
( From The New Yorker , Jane Mayer ) pic.twitter.com/pb1Bm5vnT0 New Yorker reports : Dianne Feinstein finds it “ hurtful and distressing ” to be alerted that her faculties have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of which she holds no short-term memory pic.twitter.com/9fcb9WazE6 Feinstein should resign immediately .
but how many similar stories are there lurking in Congress ?
https : //t.co/TOlizTMyWT I 'm filing this under `` Throwback Thursday '' because I wrote about it TEN years ago : [ written in 2010 ] I certainly understand the collective whine coming from us progressives over the `` loss '' of Senators Dodd and Dorgen .
But look , both of them have birthdays in May : Dodd will be 66 and Dorgan 68 .
When are these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got the oldest US Senate in the history of forever .
Forty-eight US Senators are over sixty-five , and twenty-seven of those are over seventy .
[ The current number shows 31 Senators over 70 . ]
I do n't want anyone to think I 'm being ageist here , though I actually think it 's an ageist thing on the part of boomers to keep these ( pardon the expression ) fossils in office .
One always feels younger if the leadership of your country is older than you .
A large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distrust Obama has to do with him being in his forties , I 'm sure .
And why would a body of ( mostly ) men who continue to get Federal Employee health insurance see the urgency of a Medicare buy-in for people under sixty five ?
Hell , Senator Grassley ( running for re-election and he 'll be 78 in September ) told a constituent flat-out last June that if he wanted a good deal on health insurance he should become an employee of the federal government .
No , really : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congress to retire .
Sure , like a lot of progressives I would miss Bernie Sanders ( 68 ) and Jay Rockefeller ( 72 ) , and Barbara Boxer ( 69 ) .
But I certainly do n't think there are n't progressive candidates available to run and serve in their place .
The Democrats , in particular , should be ashamed for needing to wheel Robert Byrd ( ninety-effing-two ) into the chamber late Christmas Eve for a sixtieth vote .
If Joe Lieberman ( 67 ) can fake-filibuster without actually lifting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Byrd should be able to vote `` aye '' from home .
The argument for incumbency benefits only the two political parties and the advertising reps and consultants who make running for office a million-dollar business .
Screw them and their self-preservation .
As Chris Dodd said yesterday , `` None of us is irreplaceable .
None of us are indispensable .
Those who think otherwise , are dangerous . ''

It's very sad about Dianne Feinstein. The New Yorker has published Jane Mayer's "Dianne Feinstein’s Missteps Raise a Painful Age Question Among Senate Democrats."
Dianne Feinstein literally asked Jack Dorsey the same exact question twice in a row in a hearing, got the same answer back twice, didn't realize it and this wasn't a scandal??? (From The New Yorker, Jane Mayer) pic.twitter.com/pb1Bm5vnT0
New Yorker reports: Dianne Feinstein finds it “hurtful and distressing” to be alerted that her faculties have failed and to be reminded of things of which she holds no short-term memory pic.twitter.com/9fcb9WazE6
Feinstein should resign immediately. but how many similar stories are there lurking in Congress? https://t.co/TOlizTMyWT
I'm filing this under "Throwback Thursday" because I wrote about it TEN years ago:
[written in 2010] I certainly understand the collective whine coming from us progressives over the "loss" of Senators Dodd and Dorgen. But look, both of them have birthdays in May: Dodd will be 66 and Dorgan 68. When are these guys supposed to retire?
We've got the oldest US Senate in the history of forever. Forty-eight US Senators are over sixty-five, and twenty-seven of those are over seventy. [The current number shows 31 Senators over 70.]
I don't want anyone to think I'm being ageist here, though I actually think it's an ageist thing on the part of boomers to keep these (pardon the expression) fossils in office. One always feels younger if the leadership of your country is older than you. A large part of the susceptibility of seniors to distrust Obama has to do with him being in his forties, I'm sure.
And why would a body of (mostly) men who continue to get Federal Employee health insurance see the urgency of a Medicare buy-in for people under sixty five? Hell, Senator Grassley (running for re-election and he'll be 78 in September) told a constituent flat-out last June that if he wanted a good deal on health insurance he should become an employee of the federal government. No, really:
I think we need more members of Congress to retire.
Sure, like a lot of progressives I would miss Bernie Sanders (68) and Jay Rockefeller (72), and Barbara Boxer (69). But I certainly don't think there aren't progressive candidates available to run and serve in their place.
The Democrats, in particular, should be ashamed for needing to wheel Robert Byrd (ninety-effing-two) into the chamber late Christmas Eve for a sixtieth vote. If Joe Lieberman (67) can fake-filibuster without actually lifting a finger or pulling out a cot, Byrd should be able to vote "aye" from home.
The argument for incumbency benefits only the two political parties and the advertising reps and consultants who make running for office a million-dollar business. Screw them and their self-preservation. As Chris Dodd said yesterday, "None of us is irreplaceable. None of us are indispensable. Those who think otherwise, are dangerous."


crooksandliars--2020-12-10--FDA Advisory Panel Approves Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine

The FDA 's outside panel of experts has recommended the FDA approve the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine by a vote of 17-4 with one abstention .
Though the FDA is not obligated to go along with the panel 's recommendation , it is widely anticipated that the regulatory agency will indeed authorize the Pfizer vaccine for emergency use , and do so promptly .
`` Our plan is to take their recommendations into account for our decision-making and make a decision shortly thereafter , '' FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn said Thursday on the `` TODAY '' show .
`` It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues discussed , but we intend to act quickly . ''
This is good news , but is still a tiny pinpoint of light at the end of the tunnel , especially given that the Trump `` administration '' took a pass on ordering more of the vaccine when they had the chance .
Before Pfizer ’ s coronavirus vaccine was proved highly successful in clinical trials last month , the company offered the Trump administration the chance to lock in supplies beyond the 100 million doses the pharmaceutical maker agreed to sell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1.95 billion deal over the summer .
But the administration , according to people familiar with the talks , never made the deal , a choice that now raises questions about whether the United States allowed other countries to take its place in line .
So right now we have 100 million doses of the vaccine , which means 50 million people can be vaccinated .
That 's just a light drop in a large bucket right now .
Hopefully as more vaccines come online , more of us can take them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Biden-Harris transition : Yesterday marked another tragic milestone in our fight against COVID-19 .
Jill and I grieve with everyone mourning a loved one lost to this deadly virus .
But today ’ s approval by the Food & Drug Administration of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is a bright light in a needlessly dark time .
We are grateful to the scientists and researchers who developed this vaccine .
And , we are grateful to the scientists and public health experts who evaluated the safety and efficacy of this vaccine free from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led us to this point .
Vaccines don ’ t equal vaccinations .
Our challenge now is to scale up manufacturing and distribution to distribute 100 million shots in the first 100 days of my administration .
We are putting together an experienced team to do just that .
Before I take office , we need the Trump Administration to purchase the doses it has negotiated with Pfizer and Moderna and to work swiftly to scale manufacturing for the U.S. population and the world .
And , we will need Congress to fund @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this important milestone , we know it didn ’ t have to be this bad .
My administration will manage a robust and aggressive plan to contain this virus starting on day one .
My first 100 days won ’ t end COVID-19 , but we can and will slow the spread of the disease while we manufacture and distribute this vaccine .
It will take everyone doing their part : mask wearing , social distancing , and limiting their travel over the holidays .
Together , we will find more bright lights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Today 's approval was not an FDA emergency approval .
It was a recommendation by an expert advisory panel .

The FDA's outside panel of experts has recommended the FDA approve the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine by a vote of 17-4 with one abstention.
NBC News:
Though the FDA is not obligated to go along with the panel's recommendation, it is widely anticipated that the regulatory agency will indeed authorize the Pfizer vaccine for emergency use, and do so promptly. "Our plan is to take their recommendations into account for our decision-making and make a decision shortly thereafter," FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn said Thursday on the "TODAY" show. "It really depends upon the complexity of the issues discussed, but we intend to act quickly."
This is good news, but is still a tiny pinpoint of light at the end of the tunnel, especially given that the Trump "administration" took a pass on ordering more of the vaccine when they had the chance.
Before Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine was proved highly successful in clinical trials last month, the company offered the Trump administration the chance to lock in supplies beyond the 100 million doses the pharmaceutical maker agreed to sell the government as part of a $1.95 billion deal over the summer. But the administration, according to people familiar with the talks, never made the deal, a choice that now raises questions about whether the United States allowed other countries to take its place in line.
So right now we have 100 million doses of the vaccine, which means 50 million people can be vaccinated. That's just a light drop in a large bucket right now. Hopefully as more vaccines come online, more of us can take them.
Will you?
Update: Here is a statement from the Biden-Harris transition:
Yesterday marked another tragic milestone in our fight against COVID-19. Jill and I grieve with everyone mourning a loved one lost to this deadly virus. But today’s approval by the Food & Drug Administration of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is a bright light in a needlessly dark time. We are grateful to the scientists and researchers who developed this vaccine. And, we are grateful to the scientists and public health experts who evaluated the safety and efficacy of this vaccine free from political influence. The integrity of science led us to this point. Vaccines don’t equal vaccinations. Our challenge now is to scale up manufacturing and distribution to distribute 100 million shots in the first 100 days of my administration. We are putting together an experienced team to do just that. Before I take office, we need the Trump Administration to purchase the doses it has negotiated with Pfizer and Moderna and to work swiftly to scale manufacturing for the U.S. population and the world. And, we will need Congress to fund our distribution efforts. As we mark this important milestone, we know it didn’t have to be this bad. My administration will manage a robust and aggressive plan to contain this virus starting on day one. My first 100 days won’t end COVID-19, but we can and will slow the spread of the disease while we manufacture and distribute this vaccine. It will take everyone doing their part: mask wearing, social distancing, and limiting their travel over the holidays. Together, we will find more bright lights through the dark times.
Note: Today's approval was not an FDA emergency approval. It was a recommendation by an expert advisory panel.


crooksandliars--2020-12-10--Big News: FTC And 48 State AGs Sue Facebook As Illegal Monopoly

In a coordinated attack following over a year of investigation , federal regulators and a coalition of nearly all state attorneys general filed a pair of lawsuits against Facebook on Wednesday , arguing that the social media giant has become an illegal monopoly and should not only be broken up but also face limits on future mergers so it ca n't engage in any more alleged anti-competitive behavior .
`` For nearly a decade , Facebook has used its dominance and monopoly power to crush smaller rivals and snuff out competition , all at the expense of everyday users , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ James in a statement .
James is leading the state lawsuit ( pdf ) , which is backed by the AGs of 45 other states—all but Alabama , Georgia , South Carolina , and South Dakota—as well as the District of Columbia and Guam .
`` We are taking action to stand up for the millions of consumers and many small businesses that have been harmed by Facebook 's illegal behavior , '' she said .
`` Instead of competing on the merits , Facebook used its power to suppress competition so it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ billions by converting personal data into a cash cow . ''
Noting that `` almost every state in this nation has joined this bipartisan lawsuit because Facebook 's efforts to dominate the market were as illegal as they were harmful , '' James added that the suit `` should send a clear message to Facebook and every other company that any efforts to stifle competition , reduce innovation , or cut privacy protections will be met with the full force of our offices . ''
Filed in U.S. District Court for D.C. , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not pay a cash price to use Facebook , '' a social media platform launched in 2004 by chairman , CEO , and controlling shareholder Mark Zuckerberg .
`` Instead , users exchange their time , attention , and personal data for access to Facebook 's services . ''
Facebook makes its money by selling ads .
Facebook sells advertising to firms that attach immense value to the user engagement and highly targeted advertising that Facebook can uniquely deliver due to its massive network of users and the vast trove of data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends , and their interests .
The more data Facebook accumulates by surveilling the activities of its users and the more time the company convinces users to spend engaging on Facebook services , the more money the company makes through its advertising business .
The state AGs charge that `` Facebook has had monopoly power in the personal social networking market in the United States '' for almost a decade , and the company `` illegally maintains that monopoly power by deploying a buy-or-bury strategy that thwarts competition and harms both users and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the new lawsuit ( pdf ) filed Wednesday by the Federal Trade Commission ( FTC ) in the same court draw attention to Facebook 's acquisitions of the photo-sharing platform Instagram in April 2012 for $ 1 billion and the messaging service WhatsApp in February 2014 for nearly $ 19 billion .
`` Today 's enforcement action aims to restore competition to this important industry and provide a foundation for future competitors to grow and innovate without the threat of being crushed by Facebook , '' FTC Bureau of Competition Director Ian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The commission 's requested relief includes unwinding Facebook 's prior acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp , and barring Facebook from engaging in additional anti-competitive practices that have helped it dominate the personal social networking market . ''
After acknowledging the cooperation with the states , Conner added that `` the American public deserves a competitive and vibrant personal social networking market , and we are taking this action to restore the competitive vigor necessary to foster innovation and consumer choice . ''
According to Alex Harman , competition policy advocate for the consumer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuits mark an important turning point in the battle to rein in Big Tech monopolies and to reinvigorate antitrust enforcement . ''
`` What started as a nascent academic idea supported by a small coalition fighting for economic justice has become the official policy of American antitrust enforcers , '' Harman said .
`` We welcome this action and look forward to more aggressive antitrust enforcement actions against other Big Tech monopolists , as well as those in other industries . ''
The long-anticipated filings against Facebook—which follow an antitrust suit against Google @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several states in October—were also applauded in a statement from Demand Progress executive director David Segal and the Revolving Door Project executive director Jeff Hauser .
The company 's acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp as well as `` other anti-competitive activities have allowed Facebook to wield too much power over the social internet , online discourse , and our broader society , '' Segal and Hauser said .
`` Authorities never should have allowed these mergers , nor Facebook 's other anti-competitive conduct , but a revolving door between regulators and industry helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lasted for decades . ''
`` The effects of this revolving door extend far beyond Facebook , or even Big Tech—they can be seen in our highly concentrated agricultural sector , airline sector , financial sector , and more , '' they added .
`` We are glad that advocates and authorities across the country have begun to recognize the democratic imperative of ending concentrated economic power .
In the case of Big Tech firms like Facebook , Google , and Amazon , the power they wield over the internet , the economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has had an incalculable impact . ''
Facebook is a monopoly .
So are Google , Apple , and Amazon .
They 're abusing their power , discouraging innovation , and eliminating competition .
Time to break them up , force them to disgorge their acquisitions , and/or require they license their software to smaller competitors .
Segal and Hauser also recognized President-elect Joe Biden 's victory over Donald Trump last month .
Looking ahead to Biden 's planned January 20 inauguration and beyond , they urged the incoming administration to `` make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dangers posed by concentrated corporate power , and the harms caused by Facebook and other monopolistic firms . ''
`` Biden must ensure that the cases against both Google and Facebook will continue under his presidency , and that his administration shall pursue a vigorous anti-monopoly policy across all economic sectors , '' they said .
`` The first step to building trust on this issue will be for Biden to keep top executives , lobbyists , and consultants for Big Tech and other corporations out of his administration . ''

In a coordinated attack following over a year of investigation, federal regulators and a coalition of nearly all state attorneys general filed a pair of lawsuits against Facebook on Wednesday, arguing that the social media giant has become an illegal monopoly and should not only be broken up but also face limits on future mergers so it can't engage in any more alleged anti-competitive behavior.
"For nearly a decade, Facebook has used its dominance and monopoly power to crush smaller rivals and snuff out competition, all at the expense of everyday users," said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement. James is leading the state lawsuit (pdf), which is backed by the AGs of 45 other states—all but Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and South Dakota—as well as the District of Columbia and Guam.
"We are taking action to stand up for the millions of consumers and many small businesses that have been harmed by Facebook's illegal behavior," she said. "Instead of competing on the merits, Facebook used its power to suppress competition so it could take advantage of users and make billions by converting personal data into a cash cow."
Noting that "almost every state in this nation has joined this bipartisan lawsuit because Facebook's efforts to dominate the market were as illegal as they were harmful," James added that the suit "should send a clear message to Facebook and every other company that any efforts to stifle competition, reduce innovation, or cut privacy protections will be met with the full force of our offices."
Good. Facebook is absolutely an out-of-control monopoly - one that has abused its market power to squash competition, manipulate democracies, and crush journalism. Thank you @TishJames for leading the way. (Maybe when Instagram spins off they can change the bottom tabs back) https://t.co/kBhFrcHEfE — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 9, 2020
Filed in U.S. District Court for D.C., the state complaint explains that "users do not pay a cash price to use Facebook," a social media platform launched in 2004 by chairman, CEO, and controlling shareholder Mark Zuckerberg. "Instead, users exchange their time, attention, and personal data for access to Facebook's services."
As the complaint details:
Facebook makes its money by selling ads. Facebook sells advertising to firms that attach immense value to the user engagement and highly targeted advertising that Facebook can uniquely deliver due to its massive network of users and the vast trove of data it has collected on users, their friends, and their interests. The more data Facebook accumulates by surveilling the activities of its users and the more time the company convinces users to spend engaging on Facebook services, the more money the company makes through its advertising business.
The state AGs charge that "Facebook has had monopoly power in the personal social networking market in the United States" for almost a decade, and the company "illegally maintains that monopoly power by deploying a buy-or-bury strategy that thwarts competition and harms both users and advertisers."
Both the state case and the new lawsuit (pdf) filed Wednesday by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the same court draw attention to Facebook's acquisitions of the photo-sharing platform Instagram in April 2012 for $1 billion and the messaging service WhatsApp in February 2014 for nearly $19 billion.
The FTC and 48 states now recognize what I've been arguing for a long time: Facebook's power snuffs out competition and the Instagram and WhatsApp purchases should be unwound. There's more work to do, but this is a big step in the fight to #BreakUpBigTech. https://t.co/BFqJSyYByw — Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) December 9, 2020
"Today's enforcement action aims to restore competition to this important industry and provide a foundation for future competitors to grow and innovate without the threat of being crushed by Facebook," FTC Bureau of Competition Director Ian Conner said in a statement. "The commission's requested relief includes unwinding Facebook's prior acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, and barring Facebook from engaging in additional anti-competitive practices that have helped it dominate the personal social networking market."
After acknowledging the cooperation with the states, Conner added that "the American public deserves a competitive and vibrant personal social networking market, and we are taking this action to restore the competitive vigor necessary to foster innovation and consumer choice."
As the Washington Post reported Wednesday:
Facebook, for its part, has mounted a massive lobbying offensive to try to rebut the allegations. Publicly, the company and its chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, have sought to stress that Facebook's purchases of Instagram and WhatsApp helped them grow into viable services in a larger market where newcomers, such as TikTok, are still able to thrive. "A strongly competitive landscape existed at the time of both acquisitions and exists today," spokesman Chris Sgro said in a statement in October. "Regulators thoroughly reviewed each deal and rightly did not see any reason to stop them at the time."
According to Alex Harman, competition policy advocate for the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen, "These lawsuits mark an important turning point in the battle to rein in Big Tech monopolies and to reinvigorate antitrust enforcement." "What started as a nascent academic idea supported by a small coalition fighting for economic justice has become the official policy of American antitrust enforcers," Harman said. "We welcome this action and look forward to more aggressive antitrust enforcement actions against other Big Tech monopolists, as well as those in other industries." The long-anticipated filings against Facebook—which follow an antitrust suit against Google brought by the U.S. Justice Department and several states in October—were also applauded in a statement from Demand Progress executive director David Segal and the Revolving Door Project executive director Jeff Hauser. The company's acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp as well as "other anti-competitive activities have allowed Facebook to wield too much power over the social internet, online discourse, and our broader society," Segal and Hauser said. "Authorities never should have allowed these mergers, nor Facebook's other anti-competitive conduct, but a revolving door between regulators and industry helped create a culture of non-enforcement that has lasted for decades." "The effects of this revolving door extend far beyond Facebook, or even Big Tech—they can be seen in our highly concentrated agricultural sector, airline sector, financial sector, and more," they added. "We are glad that advocates and authorities across the country have begun to recognize the democratic imperative of ending concentrated economic power. In the case of Big Tech firms like Facebook, Google, and Amazon, the power they wield over the internet, the economy, our government, and broader society has had an incalculable impact." Facebook is a monopoly. So are Google, Apple, and Amazon. They're abusing their power, discouraging innovation, and eliminating competition. Time to break them up, force them to disgorge their acquisitions, and/or require they license their software to smaller competitors. — Robert Reich (@RBReich) December 9, 2020 Segal and Hauser also recognized President-elect Joe Biden's victory over Donald Trump last month. Looking ahead to Biden's planned January 20 inauguration and beyond, they urged the incoming administration to "make it clear that it also understands the dangers posed by concentrated corporate power, and the harms caused by Facebook and other monopolistic firms." "Biden must ensure that the cases against both Google and Facebook will continue under his presidency, and that his administration shall pursue a vigorous anti-monopoly policy across all economic sectors," they said. "The first step to building trust on this issue will be for Biden to keep top executives, lobbyists, and consultants for Big Tech and other corporations out of his administration."
Republished from Common Dreams (Jessica Corbett, staff writer) under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License.


crooksandliars--2020-12-10--Michigan AG Nessel Has A Message For TX AG: 'Stay In Your Own Lane'

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel responded to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton regarding his frivolous lawsuit trying to overturn the @ @ @ @ @ , Pennsylvania and Texas in no uncertain terms : I will say this .
directly @ @ @ @ @ is watching , .
you know who voted for you in Michigan , General Paxton @ @ @ @ @ .
literally no one .
Stay in your lane .
stick to trying to disenfranchise @ @ @ @ @ and do n't come to mine . ''
Personally , I find it quite refreshing @ @ @ @ @ up and against this kind of fascism and election interference .

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel responded to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton regarding his frivolous lawsuit trying to overturn the elections in Michigan, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Texas in no uncertain terms:
I will say this. directly to General Paxton if he is watching,. you know who voted for you in Michigan, General Paxton?. No one,. literally no one. Stay in your lane. stick to trying to disenfranchise voters in your own state and don't come to mine."
Personally, I find it quite refreshing to watch a Democrat stand up and against this kind of fascism and election interference.


crooksandliars--2020-12-10--Trump Rages In Full-blown Sedition Tweeting

This morning Trump rage tweeted nonsense , conspiracy theories and lies about why he got pummeled in the 2020 general election .
His tweets included comments about how this is a `` dangerous moment in time '' and anger is going to `` escalate dramatically . ''
Is that a threat of violence coming from law enforcement or the military ?
Trump has been trying to strong-arm state and local legislators in Pennsylvania , Michigan , Arizona , and Georgia to somehow flip the election results for HIM , not for any elected Republican legislators .
He also openly warned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rally other Republican officials against a long-shot Texas lawsuit seeking to toss out the state ’ s election results , according to several people with direct knowledge of the conversation . ''
By the way , even Andrew C. McCarthy , from the National Review , called the Texas lawsuit frivolous .
Texas attorney general Ken Paxton invokes the original jurisdiction of the United States Supreme Court to hear disputes between states .
Yet the brief is not signed by the lawyer who typically represents Texas before that nation ’ s highest court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for example , in the recent Obamacare case ) .
Plainly , this is because the complaint Paxton has filed is a political document that has no prospect of being taken seriously as a set of legal claims .
Paxton is obviously trying to get a pardon from Trump over his own legal issues .
But this is sedition .
Period .
And then Trump took to Twitter earlier today .
Who knew an OAN Trump fan and Sean Hannity are allowed to judge a presidential election ?
The only person trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Donald Trump .
He 's being aided and abetted by his GOP cohorts and right wing media sycophants .
On CBN this week , evangelical leader Pat Robertson has been hinting to his audience that there is some deep secret plan to undermine the will of the people but has refused to tell his viewers what that is .
Robertson said , `` It 's not over until the fat lady sings . ''
I imagine he 's part of the coordination coming from the White House and what Trump rage tweeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump was impeached for setting up a shadow government with Rudy Giuliani and trying to force Ukraine to smear Joe Biden before the election with phony kompromat .
Now he 's calling on militia members and crackpots to do what he has been able to do : subjugate the will of the American people .
I do n't believe in our entire democracy we 've ever seen a sitting president who lost their reelection by a historic level openly calling for sedition .
With 3000 people dying a day from COVID , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fictitious war on Christmas and Texas ' absurd lawsuit .
God help us all .
UPDATED : Pat Robertson 's secret news was about the 17 republican AG 's who joined in the Texas lawsuit .
It 's such a wild leap that even the Texas solicitor general — the state ’ s leading advocate before the Supreme Court — did not sign onto any of the filings in this new suit .

This morning Trump rage tweeted nonsense, conspiracy theories and lies about why he got pummeled in the 2020 general election.
His tweets included comments about how this is a "dangerous moment in time" and anger is going to "escalate dramatically."
Is that a threat of violence coming from law enforcement or the military?
Trump has been trying to strong-arm state and local legislators in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona, and Georgia to somehow flip the election results for HIM, not for any elected Republican legislators.
He also openly warned "Georgia AG Chris Carr not to rally other Republican officials against a long-shot Texas lawsuit seeking to toss out the state’s election results, according to several people with direct knowledge of the conversation."
By the way, even Andrew C. McCarthy, from the National Review, called the Texas lawsuit frivolous.
Texas attorney general Ken Paxton invokes the original jurisdiction of the United States Supreme Court to hear disputes between states. Yet the brief is not signed by the lawyer who typically represents Texas before that nation’s highest court (as Solicitor General Hawkins did, for example, in the recent Obamacare case). Plainly, this is because the complaint Paxton has filed is a political document that has no prospect of being taken seriously as a set of legal claims.
Paxton is obviously trying to get a pardon from Trump over his own legal issues.
But this is sedition. Period.
And then Trump took to Twitter earlier today.
How can you give an election to someone who lost the election by hundreds of thousands of legal votes in each of the swing states. How can a country be run by an illegitimate president? — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2020
“Donald Trump won by a landslide, and they stole it from him!” @seanhannity — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2020
“People are upset, and they have a right to be. Georgia not only supported Trump in 2016, but now. This is the only State in the Deep South that went for Biden? Have they lost their minds? This is going to escalate dramatically. This is a very dangerous moment in our history.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2020
....The fact that our Country is being stolen. A coup is taking place in front of our eyes, and the public can’t take this anymore.” A Trump fan at Georgia Rally on @OANN Bad! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 10, 2020
Who knew an OAN Trump fan and Sean Hannity are allowed to judge a presidential election?
The only person trying to attempt a coup against the American people is Donald Trump.
He's being aided and abetted by his GOP cohorts and right wing media sycophants.
On CBN this week, evangelical leader Pat Robertson has been hinting to his audience that there is some deep secret plan to undermine the will of the people but has refused to tell his viewers what that is.
Robertson said, "It's not over until the fat lady sings."
I imagine he's part of the coordination coming from the White House and what Trump rage tweeted was what Robertson was alluding to.
Trump was impeached for setting up a shadow government with Rudy Giuliani and trying to force Ukraine to smear Joe Biden before the election with phony kompromat.
Now he's calling on militia members and crackpots to do what he has been able to do: subjugate the will of the American people.
I don't believe in our entire democracy we've ever seen a sitting president who lost their reelection by a historic level openly calling for sedition.
Sedition is a serious felony punishable by fines and up to 20 years in prison and it refers to the act of inciting revolt or violence against a lawful authority with the goal of destroying or overthrowing it.
With 3000 people dying a day from COVID, the only stories Fox News is promoting are the fictitious war on Christmas and Texas' absurd lawsuit.
God help us all.
UPDATED: Pat Robertson's secret news was about the 17 republican AG's who joined in the Texas lawsuit.
It's such a wild leap that even the Texas solicitor general — the state’s leading advocate before the Supreme Court — did not sign onto any of the filings in this new suit.


crooksandliars--2020-12-10--Go To Hell, Rudy Giuliani

Go To Hell, Rudy Giuliani

On Wednesday 's The Reid Out , Joy Ann Reid ripped Rudy Giuliani a bit , but TO HELL WITH HIM for his comments about his `` early treatment . ''
The same day three THOUSAND Americans DIED of this hell virus and he 's all about `` look at me , I 'm great and got early treatment and yay . ''
Reid spoke with science writer Laurie Garrett about Rudy 's special treatment : JOY ANN REID : Yeah , and they 're also probably not getting $ 100,000 special treatment Rudy Giuliani got .
Let 's play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about his own treatment for COVID .
And he 's left the hospital , by the way .
[ CLIP , RUDY GIULIANI ] : You can overdo the masks and overdo almost anything .
everything done in moderation makes sense .
My advice is get early treatment .
the earlier you get treated for this , number one , you totally eliminate the chance of dying .
Number two , you probably eliminate the chance of getting a more complicated illness .
REID : Just get early treatment , Laurie .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost like $ 100,000 .
Your average person is n't going to get that .
Are we now in a position where it will be rich man/poor man ?
The regular person will get the regular treatment and take their chances and people like Rudy can buy their way towards the Trump treatment ?
That to me does not sound like a normal democracy .
It sounds like , I do n't know , fascism , let 's use Matt Schlapp 's term .
What do you think ?
LAURIE GARRETT : it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of treatment probably not available to the average American or even an average wealthy person .
It involves a term of connection to obtain the experimental treatments not yet fully approved by the FDA that he was able to get .

On Wednesday's The Reid Out, Joy Ann Reid ripped Rudy Giuliani a bit, but TO HELL WITH HIM for his comments about his "early treatment." The same day three THOUSAND Americans DIED of this hell virus and he's all about "look at me, I'm great and got early treatment and yay." Reid spoke with science writer Laurie Garrett about Rudy's special treatment:
JOY ANN REID: Yeah, and they're also probably not getting $100,000 special treatment Rudy Giuliani got. Let's play a little bit of Rudy Giuliani, about his own treatment for COVID. And he's left the hospital, by the way.
[CLIP, RUDY GIULIANI]: You can overdo the masks and overdo almost anything. everything done in moderation makes sense. My advice is get early treatment. the earlier you get treated for this, number one, you totally eliminate the chance of dying. Number two, you probably eliminate the chance of getting a more complicated illness.
REID: Just get early treatment, Laurie. He got the special one Trump got that cost like $100,000. Your average person isn't going to get that. Are we now in a position where it will be rich man/poor man? The regular person will get the regular treatment and take their chances and people like Rudy can buy their way towards the Trump treatment? That to me does not sound like a normal democracy. It sounds like, I don't know, fascism, let's use Matt Schlapp's term. What do you think?
LAURIE GARRETT: it's absolutely true he received a level of treatment probably not available to the average American or even an average wealthy person. It involves a term of connection to obtain the experimental treatments not yet fully approved by the FDA that he was able to get.


crooksandliars--2020-12-10--Reality Check: Sen. Ron Johnson Will Do Whatever It Takes To Make Trump Like Him

John Avlon looked at Sen. Ron Johnson 's frantic antics on CNN 's New Day this morning .
`` A senior senator is about to hold hearings loaded with conspiracy theories and he is even entertaining trying to overturn the results of the election .
We 're talking about Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson , who has gone heavy on the bad cheese , '' John Berman said '' 'This is madness .
Trying to get electors not to do what the people voted to do is madness . '
That 's what Senator Mitt Romney said yesterday , '' Avlon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of his fellow Republican senators become willing foot soldiers in a demagogue 's attempt to overturn our election ?
Look no farther than Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson , who just announced a new hearing to debunk conspiracy theories while leaving the door open to an attempt to block Joe Biden 's electorates .
He pointed out that Johnson brought an anti-vaxxer to testify before his committee , and other fringe characters .
`` But then again , Johnson 's credibility has already been flushed .
Because the independent businessman who ran for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balance budgets has been MIA these past four years .
His calls for fiscal discipline disappeared as Trump ballooned the deficit and debt .
His defense of inspectors generals during the Obama years evaporated when Trump started firing them .
He funneled Russian disinformation into a pre-election Senate report and still found no wrongdoing by the president-elect .
`` And the Senate Homeland Security committee he chairs got an `` F '' from the Luger Center for failing to meet historical standards and partisan bias , because partisan bias is now what Ron @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a conspiracy theory , Johnson is there to chase it down the Senate hallway and get a pat on the head . ''
Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin , the job he 's doing is incredible .
`` So let 's dig a little deeper into Johnson 's latest attempt to suck up to the lame duck .
After AG Bill Barr said that the DOJ found no evidence of widespread voter fraud , Johnson said he wanted to see proof .
so he 's announced a hearing next week , two days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This is absurd but serious stuff .
Johnson is keeping open the possibility of derailing the electoral college vote for weeks , guaranteeing more of the uncertainty he says he 's so concerned about .
And here 's what Joe Biden did as president of the Senate when a Congressional Democrat tried a similar stunt against Trump in 2017 .
There 's no debate .
There 's no debate .
The objection can not be entertained .
It is over .
`` Do n't bet that Republicans will show him the same respect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that Johnson may know better , reportedly telling a former Wisconsin GOP official that he knows Biden won the election , but admitting it , publicly , would be political suicide .
Now , the Johnson team dismissed the story , but they ca n't dismiss the senator 's own words from 2015 when he said the peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy .
`` At least , it used to be .
and that 's your reality check . ''

John Avlon looked at Sen. Ron Johnson's frantic antics on CNN's New Day this morning.
"A senior senator is about to hold hearings loaded with conspiracy theories and he is even entertaining trying to overturn the results of the election. We're talking about Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, who has gone heavy on the bad cheese," John Berman said
" 'This is madness. Trying to get electors not to do what the people voted to do is madness.' That's what Senator Mitt Romney said yesterday," Avlon said.
"So how did so many of his fellow Republican senators become willing foot soldiers in a demagogue's attempt to overturn our election? Look no farther than Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson, who just announced a new hearing to debunk conspiracy theories while leaving the door open to an attempt to block Joe Biden's electorates.
He pointed out that Johnson brought an anti-vaxxer to testify before his committee, and other fringe characters.
"But then again, Johnson's credibility has already been flushed. Because the independent businessman who ran for the Senate as a non-politician who could balance budgets has been MIA these past four years. His calls for fiscal discipline disappeared as Trump ballooned the deficit and debt. His defense of inspectors generals during the Obama years evaporated when Trump started firing them. He funneled Russian disinformation into a pre-election Senate report and still found no wrongdoing by the president-elect.
"And the Senate Homeland Security committee he chairs got an "F" from the Luger Center for failing to meet historical standards and partisan bias, because partisan bias is now what Ron Johnson does best. When Trump floats a conspiracy theory, Johnson is there to chase it down the Senate hallway and get a pat on the head."
Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, the job he's doing is incredible.
"So let's dig a little deeper into Johnson's latest attempt to suck up to the lame duck. After AG Bill Barr said that the DOJ found no evidence of widespread voter fraud, Johnson said he wanted to see proof. so he's announced a hearing next week, two days after the electoral college meets.
The American people deserve to know what happened. 42,000 people that voted twice, dead people voted, out of state people voted. What about this truckload of ballots from Great Plains, New York, headed toward Philadelphia? You know, how do you explain that type of thing?
"This is absurd but serious stuff. Johnson is keeping open the possibility of derailing the electoral college vote for weeks, guaranteeing more of the uncertainty he says he's so concerned about. And here's what Joe Biden did as president of the Senate when a Congressional Democrat tried a similar stunt against Trump in 2017.
There's no debate. There's no debate. The objection cannot be entertained. It is over.
"Don't bet that Republicans will show him the same respect. But what makes it all worse is that Johnson may know better, reportedly telling a former Wisconsin GOP official that he knows Biden won the election, but admitting it, publicly, would be political suicide. Now, the Johnson team dismissed the story, but they can't dismiss the senator's own words from 2015 when he said the peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.
"At least, it used to be. and that's your reality check."


crooksandliars--2020-12-10--NYT: Trump Cronies Getting Special Treatments While Your Family Dies

So now we know why Rudy Giuliani got out of the hospital so quickly , as Morning Joe reports .
`` Giuliani said he received some of the same medications as President Trump when he was treated for the virus in october .
Giuliani has reported a small cough , but no fever and plans to quarantine for an additional three days .
A report in the New York Times highlights how those in and around the Trump administration who contracted the coronavirus were able to receive treatment not widely available , exposing how covid-19 has become a disease of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mika Brzezinski reported .
According to the Times , the treatment given to his allies is raising alarm among medical ethicists and health administrators grapple with who gets the treatments that is described as rationing .
The treatments and antibodies developed by Eli Lilly and by Regeneron won emergency use authorization from the FDA for who are at high risk of progressing to severe disease or even being hospitalized .
Even some top officials at the FDA , both career employees and political employees , have privately expressed concern in recent months that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appear to be getting access to the antibody treatments according to three senior administration officials .
`` The antibody treatments are so scarce that officials in Utah have developed a ranking system to determine who is most likely to benefit from the drugs , while Colorado is using a lottery system .
Willie , this is disgusting , '' Brzezinski said .
`` It is , and in that piece that you cited , the New York Times piece , they raise a quote from Rudy Giuliani who was on the radio here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and said , ' I 'm a celebrity .
I 'm a celebrity , I 'm friends with Donald Trump .
So they put me in the hospil and gave me this premium care .
Jonathan Lemire , it calls to mind Ben Carson , another loyalist of President Trump , who called himself 'desperately ill ' was the way he put it , with covid-19 .
Thankfully he recovered and he said that 'President Trump cleared me for the antibody treatment ' that he believes saved his life , which unfortunately is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sitting in ICUs right now , '' Geist said .
`` It 's an extraordinary disparity , Willie .
I mean , we know the president himself when he came down with covid-19 and was taken to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington that he received the -- you know , this experimental cocktail , the most powerful medicines and drugs that had been developed so far .
He 's the president of the United States .
The greater question , though , is this .
That allies of his , people -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who the article notes received experimental treatments not available to all , they 're also benefiting from their connections here amidst this pandemic , '' Lemire said .
`` We have been correctly underscoring all morning long the toll this -- about the toll taken on the American lives .
3,000 lives lost and it raises again just broader questions amid the pandemic and the ethos of the Trump administration as a whole , where the president has been seen as taking care of his sort of wealthy friends and loyal advisers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empathy or compassion for other Americans , whether in previous crises or economic hardship and particularly now , he 's leaving office , it appears , having changed his tone not at all despite the mounting devastation by the day because of this virus . ''
The wealthy and well-connected have always gotten special treatment .
But under these circumstances , with so many people dead and a president who has encouraged his followers to disregard even the basic protection of wearing a mask ?
Well , it 's galling .
And if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so exhausted by four years of Trump 's outrageous behavior , people would be out in the streets .

So now we know why Rudy Giuliani got out of the hospital so quickly, as Morning Joe reports.
"Giuliani said he received some of the same medications as President Trump when he was treated for the virus in october. Giuliani has reported a small cough, but no fever and plans to quarantine for an additional three days. A report in the New York Times highlights how those in and around the Trump administration who contracted the coronavirus were able to receive treatment not widely available, exposing how covid-19 has become a disease of the haves and the have-nots," Mika Brzezinski reported.
According to the Times, the treatment given to his allies is raising alarm among medical ethicists and health administrators grapple with who gets the treatments that is described as rationing. The treatments and antibodies developed by Eli Lilly and by Regeneron won emergency use authorization from the FDA for who are at high risk of progressing to severe disease or even being hospitalized. Even some top officials at the FDA, both career employees and political employees, have privately expressed concern in recent months that people with connections to the White House appear to be getting access to the antibody treatments according to three senior administration officials.
“We should not have Chris Christie and Ben Carson — and in the case of Carson with intervention by the president — get access,” said Arthur Caplan, a medical ethicist who works with drug companies on how to ration scarce medicines, referring to the secretary of housing and urban development’s admission that the president “cleared” him for the therapy. “That is not the way to secure public support for difficult rationing systems.”
"The antibody treatments are so scarce that officials in Utah have developed a ranking system to determine who is most likely to benefit from the drugs, while Colorado is using a lottery system. Willie, this is disgusting," Brzezinski said.
"It is, and in that piece that you cited, the New York Times piece, they raise a quote from Rudy Giuliani who was on the radio here in New York and just came out and said, 'I'm a celebrity. I'm a celebrity, I'm friends with Donald Trump. So they put me in the hospil and gave me this premium care. Jonathan Lemire, it calls to mind Ben Carson, another loyalist of President Trump, who called himself 'desperately ill' was the way he put it, with covid-19. Thankfully he recovered and he said that 'President Trump cleared me for the antibody treatment' that he believes saved his life, which unfortunately is not available to a lot of Americans sitting in ICUs right now," Geist said.
"It's an extraordinary disparity, Willie. I mean, we know the president himself when he came down with covid-19 and was taken to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington that he received the -- you know, this experimental cocktail, the most powerful medicines and drugs that had been developed so far. He's the president of the United States. The greater question, though, is this. That allies of his, people -- also New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who the article notes received experimental treatments not available to all, they're also benefiting from their connections here amidst this pandemic," Lemire said.
"We have been correctly underscoring all morning long the toll this -- about the toll taken on the American lives. 3,000 lives lost and it raises again just broader questions amid the pandemic and the ethos of the Trump administration as a whole, where the president has been seen as taking care of his sort of wealthy friends and loyal advisers, rather than showing any sort of empathy or compassion for other Americans, whether in previous crises or economic hardship and particularly now, he's leaving office, it appears, having changed his tone not at all despite the mounting devastation by the day because of this virus."
The wealthy and well-connected have always gotten special treatment. But under these circumstances, with so many people dead and a president who has encouraged his followers to disregard even the basic protection of wearing a mask? Well, it's galling. And if we had citizens who weren't already so exhausted by four years of Trump's outrageous behavior, people would be out in the streets.


crooksandliars--2020-12-11--Joe Biden Needs To Strike Tom Vilsack From His Cabinet Picks

Joe Biden has been drawing mostly praise for his cabinet and adviser choices so far , for their deep well of experience and as a manifestation of his clear devotion to diversity at the very highest of levels .
Even the fact that so many harken back to the Obama/Biden days , rather than being criticized for being unimaginative , have been rightly attributed to the need for stitching back together what seems like an irreparably torn national fabric , in addition to the aspirational attempts at progressing past the achievements of those eight years Trump attempted to erase .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Biden 's plans to nominate Tom Vilsack to his old position of Secretary of Agriculture .
Joy Reid reminds us that when Vilsack was the Agriculture Secretary , Breitbart ran a disinformation campaign against Georgia civil rights legend Shirley Sherrod , and Vilsack fell for it and fired her .
Joy Reid asked Rev .
Mark Thompson about the decision on her show tonight .
She 's a legend in Georgia .
She 's a civil rights legend , she and her husband .
What do you make of the fact Joe Biden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , when they need votes in Georgia ?
REID : What do you make of the fact Joe Biden seems prepared to nominate this man despite that , when they need votes in Georgia ?
THOMPSON : I 'm baffled by it , quite frankly .
He 's already been there for eight years .
I interviewed Lloyd Wright , the former head of the office of civil rights and department of agriculture a little earlier on my podcast , and we talked about all of the things that Vilsack did .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ not really helping the Pickford settlement be distributed to farmers .
Most black farmers who lost their land only got $ 50,000 .
You ca n't rebuild a farm with that .
Remember , Barack Obama himself called the U.S. Department of Agriculture `` the last plantation '' while Tom Vilsack was there .
He actually said that .
President Obama .
Let me tell you something that Lloyd Wright said to me just this evening .
He 's talking with Georgians and there are Black farmers there in Georgia , and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should we vote for Democrats if the Democratic president is going to reappoint Tom Vilsack to be the Secretary of Agriculture ? ''
Just as in the meeting with the legacy organization , so to speak , the legacy civil rights organizations , Biden said `` Defund [ the Police ] '' hurt Democrats and there was only so much he was going to do .
He did n't want to hurt the Georgia run-offs .
The message for Joe Biden tonight is , renominating Tom Vilsack itself might hurt the Georgia run-offs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense whatsoever .
They did n't seem to know who Shirley Sherrod was when Tom Vilsack fired her the first time .
And apparently they do n't remember her now , and they think that 's gon na help them in Georgia ?
Sorry , I think that is absolutely insane .
I have never heard Rev .
Thompson talk about anything and come away disagreeing with him , and on this subject , it 's no different .
Biden needs to reconsider , and pronto .

Joe Biden has been drawing mostly praise for his cabinet and adviser choices so far, for their deep well of experience and as a manifestation of his clear devotion to diversity at the very highest of levels. Even the fact that so many harken back to the Obama/Biden days, rather than being criticized for being unimaginative, have been rightly attributed to the need for stitching back together what seems like an irreparably torn national fabric, in addition to the aspirational attempts at progressing past the achievements of those eight years Trump attempted to erase.
That is, until the news of Biden's plans to nominate Tom Vilsack to his old position of Secretary of Agriculture. Joy Reid reminds us that when Vilsack was the Agriculture Secretary, Breitbart ran a disinformation campaign against Georgia civil rights legend Shirley Sherrod, and Vilsack fell for it and fired her.
Joy Reid asked Rev. Mark Thompson about the decision on her show tonight.
She's a legend in Georgia. She's a civil rights legend, she and her husband. What do you make of the fact Joe Biden seems prepared to nominate this man despite that, when they need votes in Georgia? REID:What do you make of the fact Joe Biden seems prepared to nominate this man despite that, when they need votes in Georgia? THOMPSON: I'm baffled by it, quite frankly. He's already been there for eight years. I interviewed Lloyd Wright, the former head of the office of civil rights and department of agriculture a little earlier on my podcast, and we talked about all of the things that Vilsack did. Not only firing Shirley Sherrod, and not really helping the Pickford settlement be distributed to farmers. Most black farmers who lost their land only got $50,000. You can't rebuild a farm with that. Remember, Barack Obama himself called the U.S. Department of Agriculture "the last plantation" while Tom Vilsack was there. He actually said that. President Obama. Let me tell you something that Lloyd Wright said to me just this evening. He's talking with Georgians and there are Black farmers there in Georgia, and they're saying, "Well, why should we vote for Democrats if the Democratic president is going to reappoint Tom Vilsack to be the Secretary of Agriculture?" Just as in the meeting with the legacy organization, so to speak, the legacy civil rights organizations, Biden said "Defund [the Police]" hurt Democrats and there was only so much he was going to do. He didn't want to hurt the Georgia run-offs. The message for Joe Biden tonight is, renominating Tom Vilsack itself might hurt the Georgia run-offs. REID: It makes no political sense whatsoever. They didn't seem to know who Shirley Sherrod was when Tom Vilsack fired her the first time. And apparently they don't remember her now, and they think that's gonna help them in Georgia? Sorry, I think that is absolutely insane.
I have never heard Rev. Thompson talk about anything and come away disagreeing with him, and on this subject, it's no different. Biden needs to reconsider, and pronto.


crooksandliars--2020-12-11--SCOTUS Rejects Seditious Texas Lawsuit Out Of Hand

The United States Supreme Court denied the state of Texas a shot at usurping the November election and turning this @ @ @ @ @ .
In a brief statement , the Court said `` Texas has not demonstrated a @ @ @ @ @ manner in which another State conducts its elections . ''
Indeed .
However , Justices @ @ @ @ @ .
`` In my view , we do not have discretion to deny the filing @ @ @ @ @ in a case that falls within our original discretion , '' Alito wrote .
He @ @ @ @ @ he would grant the motion to file the bill of complaint but would not grant @ @ @ @ @ any view on any other issue .
Justice Clarence Thomas joined him on that statement @ @ @ @ @ something about the seditious traitors in Congress who were JUST FINE handing the country over @ @ @ @ @ are due for them .

The United States Supreme Court denied the state of Texas a shot at usurping the November election and turning this nation into an autocracy Friday. In a brief statement, the Court said "Texas has not demonstrated a judicially cognizable interest in the manner in which another State conducts its elections."
Indeed. However, Justices Alito and Thomas partially dissented. "In my view, we do not have discretion to deny the filing of a bill of complaint in a case that falls within our original discretion," Alito wrote. He went on to say that he would grant the motion to file the bill of complaint but would not grant other relief, nor express any view on any other issue. Justice Clarence Thomas joined him on that statement.
Now let's do something about the seditious traitors in Congress who were JUST FINE handing the country over to an autocrat.
Consequences are due for them.
As the Supreme Court just denied the Texas and Trump led lawsuit to overturn the election, I hope no one ever forgets who willingly signed their name with Trump's efforts to steal the election because they didn't like the results. https://t.co/8deSEfNI9R — Josh Jordan (@NumbersMuncher) December 11, 2020
I'll give Marc Elias the last word:


crooksandliars--2020-12-11--Rep. Pascrell: Don't Seat The 126 Republicans Trying To Overturn Election

Rep. Bill Pascrell calls on House leadership to sanction the 126 anti-American Republicans trying to overturn the election by refusing @ @ @ @ @ laid out his argument on Twitter , saying that Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment @ @ @ @ @ who attack America ’ s democracy .
How else can you characterize the behavior of @ @ @ @ @ to recognize the results of the 2020 presidential election ?
Also , as our own @ @ @ @ @ those Republicans were elected in the same election they claim was too fraudulent to be @ @ @ @ @ , Democrats should not be sitting on their hands while Republicans try to destroy democracy @ @ @ @ @ .
Here ’ s hoping Pascrell and the Dems are just getting started .

Rep. Bill Pascrell calls on House leadership to sanction the 126 anti-American Republicans trying to overturn the election by refusing to seat them.
Pascrell laid out his argument on Twitter, saying that Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment disqualifies from service any individuals who attack America’s democracy. How else can you characterize the behavior of those 126 Republicans who refuse to recognize the results of the 2020 presidential election?
Today I’m calling on House leaders to refuse to seat any Members trying to overturn the election and make donald trump an unelected dictator. pic.twitter.com/icTmGKCpuR — Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) December 11, 2020
Section 3 of the 14th Amendment was written after the Civil War to bar from government any traitors who would seek to destroy the Union.
My letter to House leadership today demands that 126 Republicans (and counting) are violating the Constitution. pic.twitter.com/4ti0OU1kpP — Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) December 11, 2020
The text of the 14th Amendment expressly forbids Members of Congress from engaging in rebellion against the United States. Trying to overturn a democratic election and install a dictator seems like a pretty clear example of that. pic.twitter.com/VMnDfd0sFx — Bill Pascrell, Jr. (@BillPascrell) December 11, 2020
Also, as our own Red Painter pointed out, those Republicans were elected in the same election they claim was too fraudulent to be trusted.
Exactly. If they think their elections were fraudulent, don't seat them. — Red (@Redpainter1) December 11, 2020
In any event, Democrats should not be sitting on their hands while Republicans try to destroy democracy with a fascistic temper tantrum.
Here’s hoping Pascrell and the Dems are just getting started.


crooksandliars--2020-12-11--Christian Financial Guru Sends Out Invitations For Giant Christmas Party, Despite COVID Epidemic At

Christian Financial Guru Sends Out Invitations For Giant Christmas Party, Despite COVID Epidemic At His Company

Nothing like a super spreader event to spread Holiday cheer , eh ?
With over 100 cases now so far at his 800 person company headquarters in COVID-stricken Tennessee , Dave Ramsey promises to spread even more misery with his annual shindig .
A couple of weeks ago , Ramsey railed against any restrictions in what he called “ totalitarian ” government restrictions and mask mandates , saying he wanted to “ start a crusade ” against them .
( See the Youtube video above . )
NASHVILLE ( RNS ) — Christian personal finance guru Dave Ramsey hopes his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Christmas season .
They may also be spreading COVID-19 .
Ramsey Solutions , the company founded by the bestselling author and radio host , plans to host “ Boots & BBQ , ” a large in-person Christmas party , for hundreds of staff members at the company ’ s Franklin , Tennessee , headquarters , despite an outbreak of more than 50 cases at the company ’ s headquarters as late as mid-November .
An invitation , sent to the company ’ s 800 staffers in a newsletter obtained by RNS , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Christmas bash and that employees are limited to one guest apiece .
No mention is made of masks being required .
In staff meetings and on his radio show , Ramsey described masks and other COVID-19 prevention strategies as a sign of fear .
More than 2,500 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Tennessee , where more than 5,200 people have died of complications from the virus .
There have been more than 428,000 cases of COVID-19 in the state .

Nothing like a super spreader event to spread Holiday cheer, eh? With over 100 cases now so far at his 800 person company headquarters in COVID-stricken Tennessee, Dave Ramsey promises to spread even more misery with his annual shindig.
A couple of weeks ago, Ramsey railed against any restrictions in what he called “totalitarian” government restrictions and mask mandates, saying he wanted to “start a crusade” against them. (See the Youtube video above.)
Ramsey's company is a mask-free zone. Go figure.
Source: Religion News
NASHVILLE (RNS) — Christian personal finance guru Dave Ramsey hopes his staff will spread peace and goodwill during the Christmas season. They may also be spreading COVID-19. Ramsey Solutions, the company founded by the bestselling author and radio host, plans to host “Boots & BBQ,” a large in-person Christmas party, for hundreds of staff members at the company’s Franklin, Tennessee, headquarters, despite an outbreak of more than 50 cases at the company’s headquarters as late as mid-November. An invitation, sent to the company’s 800 staffers in a newsletter obtained by RNS, advises that no children are allowed at the Christmas bash and that employees are limited to one guest apiece. No mention is made of masks being required. In staff meetings and on his radio show, Ramsey described masks and other COVID-19 prevention strategies as a sign of fear. More than 2,500 people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in Tennessee, where more than 5,200 people have died of complications from the virus. There have been more than 428,000 cases of COVID-19 in the state.