occupydemocrats--2020-07-14--Trump claims liberals want to let people “blow up our cities “in outrageous Rose Garden speech

The White House has been called the “ bully pulpit ” since the days of Theodore Roosevelt because of the opportunity the presidency affords to promote whatever agenda the man in the office wants to — at a reach far beyond that of any political rival .
In the Donald Trump era , the word “ bully ” has morphed from its widely accepted usage as a synonym for “ wonderful ” in Teddy Roosevelt ’ s time to its modern definition of a “ person who habitually seeks to harm or intimidate those whom they perceive as vulnerable , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president .
The bully pulpit is one reason that incumbent presidents have an inherent advantage when running for re-election .
Incumbents like Trump can simply find an excuse to call the media together for what they claim is an important statement on whatever issue they want , and the compliant journalists will dutifully report the president ’ s message to the public , no matter how misguided that statement may be and how much of an unfair electoral advantage it may provide .
With Trump ’ s entire career being an unprecedented exercise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose marketing points for his re-election lay tattered on the corpses of 134 thousand Americans dead from COVID-19 and on the barely-respirating U.S. economy — sees the bully pulpit as one of the last remaining weapons in his arsenal as he fights off former Vice President Joe Biden ’ s inroads against him in the states that Trump somehow managed to carry in the 2016 election .
Unfortunately for Trump , at least some cable news channels are now wise to his tricks and are trying to avoid giving him the free media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his victory in the last presidential election .
Thus , when the president called the press to the White House Rose Garden this afternoon — ostensibly for a speech on China — and diverted into an attack on Joe Biden better suited for a campaign attack ad , CNN cut away from his remarks to avoid allowing the president free airtime as a candidate .
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What preceded that likely planned departure into electioneering on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same sort of misleading gibberish that Trump usually spews , dismissed by news analysts as incoherent ramblings that repeated such insane claims as his belief that COVID-19 cases would disappear if we only stopped testing so much .
Here are some brief samples , courtesy of Vox ‘ s Aaron Rupar : Trump likely felt the need to try to steal thunder today since Joe Biden gave a well-received address earlier in the day that touted his clean-energy agenda .
Given the fact that not only did Trump not offer any inkling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ platitudes , but that he also failed to address any national efforts to improve this country ’ s disgraceful response to the coronavirus pandemic or answer any questions about the Russian bounties offered on American soldier ’ s heads , he may as well have stayed in his bunker .
It was almost as if Trump ’ s hour-long , incoherent , stream of consciousness speech could have been a paid ad for Joe Biden as a cautionary tale of what happens when an incompetent ignoramus is elected to preside over the fate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s address today was a clear contrast in both style and substance with Trump , the presumed Democratic candidate really doesn ’ t need to do much campaigning to win at this point .
All Biden has to do is let Trump be Trump and he should easily win in a landslide…if this election is run freely and fairly , without foreign interference — a huge , if questionable , assumption .
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The White House has been called the “bully pulpit” since the days of Theodore Roosevelt because of the opportunity the presidency affords to promote whatever agenda the man in the office wants to — at a reach far beyond that of any political rival.
In the Donald Trump era, the word “bully” has morphed from its widely accepted usage as a synonym for “wonderful” in Teddy Roosevelt’s time to its modern definition of a “person who habitually seeks to harm or intimidate those whom they perceive as vulnerable,” a fitting description of our current president.
The bully pulpit is one reason that incumbent presidents have an inherent advantage when running for re-election.
Incumbents like Trump can simply find an excuse to call the media together for what they claim is an important statement on whatever issue they want, and the compliant journalists will dutifully report the president’s message to the public, no matter how misguided that statement may be and how much of an unfair electoral advantage it may provide.
With Trump’s entire career being an unprecedented exercise in media manipulation, the president — whose marketing points for his re-election lay tattered on the corpses of 134 thousand Americans dead from COVID-19 and on the barely-respirating U.S. economy — sees the bully pulpit as one of the last remaining weapons in his arsenal as he fights off former Vice President Joe Biden’s inroads against him in the states that Trump somehow managed to carry in the 2016 election.
Unfortunately for Trump, at least some cable news channels are now wise to his tricks and are trying to avoid giving him the free media attention that played a large part in his victory in the last presidential election.
Thus, when the president called the press to the White House Rose Garden this afternoon — ostensibly for a speech on China — and diverted into an attack on Joe Biden better suited for a campaign attack ad, CNN cut away from his remarks to avoid allowing the president free airtime as a candidate.
CNN cuts away, as @wolfblitzer explains Trump is "deteriorating into a campaign kind of speech.." — Eli Stokols (@EliStokols) July 14, 2020
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What preceded that likely planned departure into electioneering on the president’s part was mostly the same sort of misleading gibberish that Trump usually spews, dismissed by news analysts as incoherent ramblings that repeated such insane claims as his belief that COVID-19 cases would disappear if we only stopped testing so much.
Here are some brief samples, courtesy of Vox‘s Aaron Rupar:
Trump is just out here BSin' pic.twitter.com/puKxmAys6U — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 14, 2020
Trump is straight up delivering a campaign attack speech against Joe Biden from the White House pic.twitter.com/HiHdwXFyKR — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 14, 2020
Trump lies and says, "if we did half the testing, we'd have half the cases… the cases are created b/c of the fact we do tremendous testing" In fact, those Covid cases would exist even without testing. People would still be getting sick and dying. Testing does not create them. pic.twitter.com/ht4Yv080ty — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 14, 2020
"They're murderers, they're killers in some cases" — Trump's last two scheduled rallies have been failures, so his solution seems to be to force reporters to sit through a rally rant pic.twitter.com/WQZUo7T1xd — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 14, 2020
Trump likely felt the need to try to steal thunder today since Joe Biden gave a well-received address earlier in the day that touted his clean-energy agenda.
Given the fact that not only did Trump not offer any inkling of a second-term agenda besides warmed-over MAGA platitudes, but that he also failed to address any national efforts to improve this country’s disgraceful response to the coronavirus pandemic or answer any questions about the Russian bounties offered on American soldier’s heads, he may as well have stayed in his bunker.
It was almost as if Trump’s hour-long, incoherent, stream of consciousness speech could have been a paid ad for Joe Biden as a cautionary tale of what happens when an incompetent ignoramus is elected to preside over the fate of the nation.
While Biden’s address today was a clear contrast in both style and substance with Trump, the presumed Democratic candidate really doesn’t need to do much campaigning to win at this point.
All Biden has to do is let Trump be Trump and he should easily win in a landslide…if this election is run freely and fairly, without foreign interference — a huge, if questionable, assumption.
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-07-14--Trump grows irritated and says it’s a “terrible question” when asked about police killing Black peop

Trump grows irritated and says it’s a “terrible question” when asked about police killing Black people

While most Americans are aware of Donald Trump ’ s learning disabilities related to reading , the supposedly-stable genius of a president also has difficulty with mathematics , as his multiple bankruptcies may have already suggested .
Combine his inability to grasp the concept of percentages with his long-ingrained and deeply-held racist belief system and the result is something like what came out of his mouth during an interview with CBS News senior investigative correspondent Catherine Herridge at the White House today .
Trump played a dual role during the encounter , acting as both an interviewee and a media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Herridge asked him why so many African Americans were “ still dying at the hands of local law enforcement in this country.
” This is where Trump ’ s mathematical deficiencies come into play .
While it is indeed true that the sheer number of white people killed in encounters with police was greater than the absolute numbers of Black citizens murdered at law enforcement ’ s hands — at least according to a study published by Harvard researchers last month , since police departments are not required to report substantive data on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , since the African American population makes up only 13.4 % of the country , on a percentage basis , Black men are 3.5 times more likely to be killed by police than their white brethren .
Such advanced statistical analysis is far beyond the comprehension of the man who unbelievably has control of the nuclear codes .
Intellectual dexterity , however , is not the hallmark of a president who is either too developmentally stunted to even recognize how racist his words actually sound to reasonable Americans or who otherwise knows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s to his electoral advantage to signal his “ authenticity ” to his base .
Add your name to demand an investigation into Trump letting Putin pay Taliban fighters to kill US troops !
Defending the display of the Confederate flag as a free speech issue will not do much to help dispel the president ’ s public reputation as perfectly suited for the role of a Grand Wizard of the KKK , an organization that has enthusiastically supported his presidency .
Oddly , it is a freedom that he doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protestors at BLM marches across the country that he has decried as the work of radical leftist members of Antifa , whom he has vowed to crush and has labeled a terrorist organization .
Somehow , Trump is more welcoming of a flag celebrating the defeated army of a breakaway group of states defending the institution of slavery than he is of legitimate demands for police reform despite the fact that each could be characterized as examples of the exercise of “ freedom of speech.
” Perhaps we should add logic to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump earns a failing grade .
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While most Americans are aware of Donald Trump’s learning disabilities related to reading, the supposedly-stable genius of a president also has difficulty with mathematics, as his multiple bankruptcies may have already suggested.
Combine his inability to grasp the concept of percentages with his long-ingrained and deeply-held racist belief system and the result is something like what came out of his mouth during an interview with CBS News senior investigative correspondent Catherine Herridge at the White House today.
Trump played a dual role during the encounter, acting as both an interviewee and a media critic during the interview, particularly when Herridge asked him why so many African Americans were “still dying at the hands of local law enforcement in this country.”
Trump’s response?
“So are White people. So are White people. What a terrible question to ask. So are White people,” the president claimed. “More White people, by the way. More White people.”
This is where Trump’s mathematical deficiencies come into play.
While it is indeed true that the sheer number of white people killed in encounters with police was greater than the absolute numbers of Black citizens murdered at law enforcement’s hands — at least according to a study published by Harvard researchers last month, since police departments are not required to report substantive data on their victims — another 2018 study found that, since the African American population makes up only 13.4% of the country, on a percentage basis, Black men are 3.5 times more likely to be killed by police than their white brethren.
Such advanced statistical analysis is far beyond the comprehension of the man who unbelievably has control of the nuclear codes.
Intellectual dexterity, however, is not the hallmark of a president who is either too developmentally stunted to even recognize how racist his words actually sound to reasonable Americans or who otherwise knows exactly how he sounds and thinks it’s to his electoral advantage to signal his “authenticity” to his base.
Trump also said he believed flying the Confederate flag was an issue of freedom of speech. When pressed, the president said: "Well, people love it and I don't view — I know people that like the Confederate flag and they're not thinking about slavery."https://t.co/GLhLtdtwYq — Grace Segers (@Grace_Segers) July 14, 2020
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Defending the display of the Confederate flag as a free speech issue will not do much to help dispel the president’s public reputation as perfectly suited for the role of a Grand Wizard of the KKK, an organization that has enthusiastically supported his presidency.
“All I say is freedom of speech. It’s very simple. My attitude is freedom of speech. Very strong views on the Confederate flag. With me, it’s freedom of speech. Very simple. Like it, don’t like it, it’s freedom of speech,” Trump grunted in his uniquley inarticulate manner.
Oddly, it is a freedom that he doesn’t seem to apply to the peaceful protestors at BLM marches across the country that he has decried as the work of radical leftist members of Antifa, whom he has vowed to crush and has labeled a terrorist organization.
Somehow, Trump is more welcoming of a flag celebrating the defeated army of a breakaway group of states defending the institution of slavery than he is of legitimate demands for police reform despite the fact that each could be characterized as examples of the exercise of “freedom of speech.”
Perhaps we should add logic to the extensive list of subjects in which Donald Trump earns a failing grade.
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Original reporting by Grace Segers at CBS News.
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-07-14--Video shows white man screaming racial and homophobic slurs at passerbys; police shrug shoulders

It is interesting to see the way that police in America will or will not respond to certain actions by certain people .
It ’ s pretty safe to say that if a Black man was wandering around the streets screaming racial and homophobic slurs at him , there would be six cars and a helicopter on the scene within seconds before he was violently taken into custody for disturbing the peace or refusing to comply with an officer .
But the police in Sioux Falls proved that if you ’ re a white man wandering around the streets screaming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing they can do !
That ’ s just free speech !
Video shows this man screaming “ n****r ” and “ f****t ” at people going about their business .
He gets into a confrontation with an angry bystander and furiously screams “ HOW MUCH VIOLENCE AGAINST FREEDOM OF SPEECH WILL YOU ALLOW ?
” When reached for comment , the police shrugged their shoulders .
“ What he ’ s doing really falls under free speech , so there ’ s really no laws that are broken…There ’ s probably not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do in a situation like that , but sometimes having officers come and talk to people is enough to maybe persuade them to go somewhere else , ” said spokesman Sam Clemens to the Argus Leader .
It is almost impossible to imagine him saying the same thing if the perpetrator had not been a white man .
Read the whole story here .

It is interesting to see the way that police in America will or will not respond to certain actions by certain people. It’s pretty safe to say that if a Black man was wandering around the streets screaming racial and homophobic slurs at him, there would be six cars and a helicopter on the scene within seconds before he was violently taken into custody for disturbing the peace or refusing to comply with an officer.
But the police in Sioux Falls proved that if you’re a white man wandering around the streets screaming slurs at people, there’s nothing they can do! That’s just free speech!
Video shows this man screaming “n****r” and “f****t” at people going about their business. He gets into a confrontation with an angry bystander and furiously screams “HOW MUCH VIOLENCE AGAINST FREEDOM OF SPEECH WILL YOU ALLOW?”
When reached for comment, the police shrugged their shoulders.
“What he’s doing really falls under free speech, so there’s really no laws that are broken…There’s probably not a whole lot of things we can do in a situation like that, but sometimes having officers come and talk to people is enough to maybe persuade them to go somewhere else,” said spokesman Sam Clemens to the Argus Leader.
It is almost impossible to imagine him saying the same thing if the perpetrator had not been a white man.
Read the whole story here.
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occupydemocrats--2020-07-14--Video shows white couple harassing friendly Hispanic man over his “ghetto” fruit stand

In recent weeks we have witnessed a seemingly ceaseless deluge of viral videos hit the internet showing white people harassing people of color in shockingly overt racist encounters .
The clips invariably spread like wildfire , often leading to job loss for the aggressors and even criminal investigations in some cases , and yet still people insist on behaving with bigotry as cameras are running .
KHTS reports that the latest such video circulating through the web comes from Canyon Country , California and shows Renee McAlonis and Mike Foster , owners of Bergie ’ s Bar And Grill , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his fruit stand is “ illegal.
” When the vendor replies that the stand wasn ’ t harming anyone , Foster snaps at him .
“ Get it the f*ck out of here !
” Foster says , apparently unhinged by the mere sight of delicious , fresh fruit , adding that the stand looks “ like sh*t. ” The vendor remains calm and tries to defuse the situation , but the couple proves implacable .
Add your name to demand an investigation into Trump letting Putin pay Taliban fighters to kill US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go , ” Foster insists , brushing off an offer of friendship from the vendor .
Realizing he ’ s getting nowhere with the angry , overly aggressive man , the vendor asks him to leave since the police have already been called .
Instead of acquiescing , Foster sits down and stares at him , arms crossed as he begins bugging him to provide proof of permits and that he pays taxes .
The clip ends with the involved parties settling down to wait for law enforcement .
The entire video is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sobering reminder that in some places people of color can ’ t even go to work without being hounded needlessly by white people .
Foster and McAlonis were so angered that something they deemed “ ghetto ” was disrupting their vision of their bigoted , white utopia that they decided to get the police involved and ruin an innocent , hard-working man ’ s day .
There is simply no excuse for this behavior .
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In recent weeks we have witnessed a seemingly ceaseless deluge of viral videos hit the internet showing white people harassing people of color in shockingly overt racist encounters. The clips invariably spread like wildfire, often leading to job loss for the aggressors and even criminal investigations in some cases, and yet still people insist on behaving with bigotry as cameras are running.
KHTS reports that the latest such video circulating through the web comes from Canyon Country, California and shows Renee McAlonis and Mike Foster, owners of Bergie’s Bar And Grill, accosting a Hispanic man and telling him his fruit stand is “illegal.” When the vendor replies that the stand wasn’t harming anyone, Foster snaps at him.
“Get it the f*ck out of here!” Foster says, apparently unhinged by the mere sight of delicious, fresh fruit, adding that the stand looks “like sh*t.” The vendor remains calm and tries to defuse the situation, but the couple proves implacable.
Add your name to demand an investigation into Trump letting Putin pay Taliban fighters to kill US troops!
“It needs to f*cking go,” Foster insists, brushing off an offer of friendship from the vendor. Realizing he’s getting nowhere with the angry, overly aggressive man, the vendor asks him to leave since the police have already been called.
Instead of acquiescing, Foster sits down and stares at him, arms crossed as he begins bugging him to provide proof of permits and that he pays taxes. The clip ends with the involved parties settling down to wait for law enforcement.
The entire video is a blatant display of racism and a sobering reminder that in some places people of color can’t even go to work without being hounded needlessly by white people. Foster and McAlonis were so angered that something they deemed “ghetto” was disrupting their vision of their bigoted, white utopia that they decided to get the police involved and ruin an innocent, hard-working man’s day. There is simply no excuse for this behavior.
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occupydemocrats--2020-07-14--Ivanka gets brutally mocked after unveiling Trump team’s new job website

The cluelessness of everyone in Donald Trump ’ s immediate family suggests that a genetic factor might be in play .
Of course , the intelligence of Mary Trump — the president ’ s psychologist niece who has written a devastating portrait of her uncle ’ s extreme mental disabilities — also provides a compelling argument that nurture ( or the lack of it ) may be contributing even more than nature when it comes to Don Jr. , Eric , and Ivanka .
The cluelessness was on full display when Ivanka Trump unveiled her new White House-approved ad campaign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address the nation ’ s rapidly growing unemployment problem — a problem largely caused by the economic collapse of pandemic-related business closures .
Aimed primarily at laid-off blue-collar workers without college degrees , the campaign is designed to inspire these low-skilled jobless workers to pursue so-called “ New-collar ” positions , jobs that don ’ t require advanced degrees , yet still have a backlog of openings due to a lack of applicants .
Amazing how from the perspective of the privileged , changing careers and finding new work seems so friction-free !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ buy decent clothes for a job interview , just skip a few meals !
Can ’ t afford an Uber ride or other form of transportation to the company ’ s distant offices ?
Skip a few more meals and buy a bicycle or a new pair of shoes , this sort of thinking must imagine .
Ivanka herself described the new social marketing gambit like this : ‘ This initiative is about challenging the idea the traditional 2 and 4 yr college is the only option to acquire the skills needed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ never been more urgent , ’ the first daughter explained .
“ We didn ’ t just arrive at the table during a global pandemic to talk about the importance of ensuring that we are making all options to a great life and securing the skills to have a career available to the public .
This is something the president has been talking about since the very beginning of the administration , ” she said .
“ We should encourage a college education , of course , and we do celebrate it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any country in the world , but we have to stop telling students and workers that this is the only viable option , ” Ivanka Trump regally declared on Tuesday .
Forget equal educational opportunity , Ivanka seems to say .
Some people have to be the serfs and there will always be garbage that needs collecting .
The critics on Twitter found Ivanka ’ s imperious attitude too much to bear and they let her know it in no uncertain terms .
Perhaps not the enthusiastic , optimistic response Ivanka was hoping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes when you ’ re not a trust fund baby who married into wealth .
It ’ s obvious that the president ’ s daughter has thoroughly learned the magical thinking techniques of her father while questionably sitting on his lap as a child .
Let her live in her fantasy land , while those of us in the real world work to ensure that the entire Trump family finds something new to do .
We hear that there are a lot of opportunities these days in prison commissary work .
Original reporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at The Daily Mail .
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The cluelessness of everyone in Donald Trump’s immediate family suggests that a genetic factor might be in play.
Of course, the intelligence of Mary Trump — the president’s psychologist niece who has written a devastating portrait of her uncle’s extreme mental disabilities — also provides a compelling argument that nurture (or the lack of it) may be contributing even more than nature when it comes to Don Jr., Eric, and Ivanka.
The cluelessness was on full display when Ivanka Trump unveiled her new White House-approved ad campaign “Find Something New” meant to address the nation’s rapidly growing unemployment problem — a problem largely caused by the economic collapse of pandemic-related business closures.
Aimed primarily at laid-off blue-collar workers without college degrees, the campaign is designed to inspire these low-skilled jobless workers to pursue so-called “New-collar” positions, jobs that don’t require advanced degrees, yet still have a backlog of openings due to a lack of applicants.
Americans of all ages and backgrounds can look to https://t.co/dRZMdZyON4 to explore new pathways to career opportunities + resources to support their journey. #FindSomethingNew #PledgetoAmericasWorkers pic.twitter.com/YHhs3G3FVb — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) July 14, 2020
Amazing how from the perspective of the privileged, changing careers and finding new work seems so friction-free! Forget about not having enough money to buy decent clothes for a job interview, just skip a few meals! Can’t afford an Uber ride or other form of transportation to the company’s distant offices? Skip a few more meals and buy a bicycle or a new pair of shoes, this sort of thinking must imagine.
Ivanka herself described the new social marketing gambit like this:
‘This initiative is about challenging the idea the traditional 2 and 4 yr college is the only option to acquire the skills needed to secure a job. This work has never been more urgent,’ the first daughter explained. “We didn’t just arrive at the table during a global pandemic to talk about the importance of ensuring that we are making all options to a great life and securing the skills to have a career available to the public. This is something the president has been talking about since the very beginning of the administration,” she said. “We should encourage a college education, of course, and we do celebrate it, we have the greatest college ecosystem of any country in the world, but we have to stop telling students and workers that this is the only viable option,” Ivanka Trump regally declared on Tuesday.
Forget equal educational opportunity, Ivanka seems to say. Some people have to be the serfs and there will always be garbage that needs collecting.
The critics on Twitter found Ivanka’s imperious attitude too much to bear and they let her know it in no uncertain terms.
For example, let’s say you cannot afford meat and vegetables. You could simply #FindSomethingNew to eat, like cake. https://t.co/jWrh2Tq1Ym — Jamison Foser (@jamisonfoser) July 14, 2020
If you don't have a rapist sociopath for a father, not gonna happen. — Fl Blues (@AT8ty1) July 14, 2020
Perhaps not the enthusiastic, optimistic response Ivanka was hoping for, but funny how the perspective changes when you’re not a trust fund baby who married into wealth.
It’s obvious that the president’s daughter has thoroughly learned the magical thinking techniques of her father while questionably sitting on his lap as a child.
Let her live in her fantasy land, while those of us in the real world work to ensure that the entire Trump family finds something new to do.
We hear that there are a lot of opportunities these days in prison commissary work.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by The Associated Press and Nikki Schwab at The Daily Mail.
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-07-14--Video shows dramatic confrontation between Kellyanne and her daughter as she takes her phone away

By choosing to tie herself to the worst president in American history Kellyanne Conway has secured for herself a reviled place in the history books .
Her undesirable legacy isn ’ t the only price she ’ ll be paying for her damaging opportunism though , as her MAGA sycophancy has clearly inflicted a more personal toll on her family .
Conway ’ s husband George has been an outspoken critic of President Trump and more recently their young daughter Claudia went viral for her anti-Trump social media content .
While Kellyanne and George generally refrain from discussing their deep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been far more willing to air the family ’ s dirty laundry .
In the past , she went so far as to call her parents out on Twitter over their failed marriage .
More recently , Claudia posted a video showing an incredibly awkward interaction with her mother .
It shows Kellyanne following her daughter through her house , telling her that her father wants her to shut down her social media because not everyone interacting is “ well-meaning , ” a particularly rich observation coming out of the mouth of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up our incredibly ill-meaning president .
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“ Okay and ?
” Claudia responds to her mother ’ s comments , visibly annoyed with her .
Mrs. Conway then addresses the camera and tries to put on the faux friendly personality that she regularly uses on television while peddling Trump ’ s lies .
She then snatches the phone out of Claudia ’ s hands and the video cuts off .
As it turns out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their daughter offering the world an unvarnished look inside their deeply dysfunctional household because yesterday Claudia tweeted out that her parents are forcing her to delete her social media and that she would no longer be tweeting and no longer have a platform .
She stressed that she loves her followers and urged them to “ keep fighting.
” While it seems unlikely that ’ ll we ’ ll see more content from her anytime soon , she must be commended for standing up to her mother .
We want to hear what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and let us know in our NEW comment section !

By choosing to tie herself to the worst president in American history Kellyanne Conway has secured for herself a reviled place in the history books. Her undesirable legacy isn’t the only price she’ll be paying for her damaging opportunism though, as her MAGA sycophancy has clearly inflicted a more personal toll on her family.
Conway’s husband George has been an outspoken critic of President Trump and more recently their young daughter Claudia went viral for her anti-Trump social media content. While Kellyanne and George generally refrain from discussing their deep political differences publicly, their daughter has been far more willing to air the family’s dirty laundry. In the past, she went so far as to call her parents out on Twitter over their failed marriage.
More recently, Claudia posted a video showing an incredibly awkward interaction with her mother. It shows Kellyanne following her daughter through her house, telling her that her father wants her to shut down her social media because not everyone interacting is “well-meaning,” a particularly rich observation coming out of the mouth of a woman whose life is devoted to propping up our incredibly ill-meaning president.
Add your name to demand an investigation into Trump letting Putin pay Taliban fighters to kill US troops!
“Okay and?” Claudia responds to her mother’s comments, visibly annoyed with her. Mrs. Conway then addresses the camera and tries to put on the faux friendly personality that she regularly uses on television while peddling Trump’s lies. She then snatches the phone out of Claudia’s hands and the video cuts off.
https://twitter.com/laylamartinezzz/status/1282526929875337217?s=20
As it turns out, the Conway parents did not appreciate their daughter offering the world an unvarnished look inside their deeply dysfunctional household because yesterday Claudia tweeted out that her parents are forcing her to delete her social media and that she would no longer be tweeting and no longer have a platform. She stressed that she loves her followers and urged them to “keep fighting.” While it seems unlikely that’ll we’ll see more content from her anytime soon, she must be commended for standing up to her mother.
my parents are forcing me to delete social media so this is my last tweet. apparently, i don’t have a platform! it’s fake! love you all so much. keep fighting. ❤ — CLAUDIA CONWAY (@claudiamconwayy) July 14, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-07-14--Video appears to show white man calling manager and cops on Black family for using hotel pool

Over the weekend , yet another Black family was treated to discrimination and harassment by white people because they didn ’ t want to share the same space as them .
Facebook user Shawnez McKenzie posted a video to Facebook showing her family leaving the pool area at the Holiday Express Inn in Sharonville , Ohio , after the manager allegedly began locking up the pool after a white family complained .
While the family leaves the pool and comforts their confused children , one woman says “ I just didn ’ t think I was gon ’ have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the instigators of this incident , a family of enormous white people , walks by .
“ They finna go swim ” complains one of the women .
Then the conflict that started this whole thing quickly becomes apparent .
“ They didn ’ t want to be in the pool with colored people ” says a Black woman , at which point the fat white man turns around immediately and barks “ I DON ’ T WAN NA HEAR IT .
WHAT DID I TELL YOU ?
” When one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yells “ why don ’ t you tell them to keep their mouths shut , ” which naturally provokes an angry reaction from the filmer .
The white family files back in to try and pull the man away , but the truth comes out : “ Y ’ all not racist ?
He said he was gon na leave if we kept sitting here !
” This prompts one of the white women to get involved , arguing that he was just mad because people were swimming who “ didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black family responded , “ how do you know that ?
” Then it becomes clear that the white man had said he was calling the police .
The grandmother breaks down crying in heartbreaking fashion , saying that “ I just wanted to watch my grandkids swim…it don ’ t even matter .
We always gon na have to go through this !
” Those words hit like a gut-punch .
It is so senseless and painful to have to see Black Americans go through this kind of invalidating and discriminatory experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to live their lives normally and enjoy the amenities that white people also get to enjoy .

Over the weekend, yet another Black family was treated to discrimination and harassment by white people because they didn’t want to share the same space as them.
Facebook user Shawnez McKenzie posted a video to Facebook showing her family leaving the pool area at the Holiday Express Inn in Sharonville, Ohio, after the manager allegedly began locking up the pool after a white family complained.
While the family leaves the pool and comforts their confused children, one woman says “I just didn’t think I was gon’ have to see this.”
As they begin leaving, the instigators of this incident, a family of enormous white people, walks by. “They finna go swim” complains one of the women.
Then the conflict that started this whole thing quickly becomes apparent. “They didn’t want to be in the pool with colored people” says a Black woman, at which point the fat white man turns around immediately and barks “I DON’T WANNA HEAR IT. WHAT DID I TELL YOU?”
When one of the kids begins to cry, he yells “why don’t you tell them to keep their mouths shut,” which naturally provokes an angry reaction from the filmer. The white family files back in to try and pull the man away, but the truth comes out: “Y’all not racist? He said he was gonna leave if we kept sitting here!”
This prompts one of the white women to get involved, arguing that he was just mad because people were swimming who “didn’t have rooms” — but as the black family responded, “how do you know that?” Then it becomes clear that the white man had said he was calling the police.
The grandmother breaks down crying in heartbreaking fashion, saying that “I just wanted to watch my grandkids swim…it don’t even matter. We always gonna have to go through this!”
Those words hit like a gut-punch. It is so senseless and painful to have to see Black Americans go through this kind of invalidating and discriminatory experience time and time again for just trying to live their lives normally and enjoy the amenities that white people also get to enjoy.
Watch it here:
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occupydemocrats--2020-07-16--Twitter roasts Trump’s ex-campaign manage for posting Bible verse about “persecution” after he gets

Twitter roasts Trump’s ex-campaign manage for posting Bible verse about “persecution” after he gets fired

Last night , President Trump replaced his longtime campaign manager , Brad Parscale .
Fed up after months of sliding @ @ @ @ @ enraged by attack ads accusing Parscale of filling his own pockets with campaign money , @ @ @ @ @ him and appointed a longtime GOP strategist , Bill Stepien , to try and right @ @ @ @ @ apparently not taking this news very well , if his Twitter account is anything to @ @ @ @ @ conservatives tend to do these days , Parscale sees his demotion as some kind of @ @ @ @ @ deeply hurtful turn of events and not the natural consequence of being a greedy idiot @ @ @ @ @ .
Going full Rubio , Parscale tweeted out a Bible verse this afternoon , making @ @ @ @ @ of this was and how upset he was about it .
Social media users immediately @ @ @ @ @ ridiculously overdramatic tweet showcasing his persecution complex .
They did not feel sorry for him @

Last night, President Trump replaced his longtime campaign manager, Brad Parscale. Fed up after months of sliding in the polls and allegedly enraged by attack ads accusing Parscale of filling his own pockets with campaign money, the president decided to demote him and appointed a longtime GOP strategist, Bill Stepien, to try and right the ship.
Parscale is apparently not taking this news very well, if his Twitter account is anything to judge by. Like all conservatives tend to do these days, Parscale sees his demotion as some kind of “persecution” and a deeply hurtful turn of events and not the natural consequence of being a greedy idiot who sucks at his job.
Going full Rubio, Parscale tweeted out a Bible verse this afternoon, making it clear how unfair all of this was and how upset he was about it.
Romans 12:14: Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. — Brad Parscale (@parscale) July 16, 2020
Social media users immediately pounced and brutally mocked his ridiculously overdramatic tweet showcasing his persecution complex.
They did not feel sorry for him:
LMAO enjoy the cornfield clown boy https://t.co/PtmqFf9Tyd pic.twitter.com/4diB4kVQL5 — Gore Vidal Sassoon (@JimmyJazz1968) July 16, 2020
I warned you that you were there to be one of the last people thrown under the bus. You’re too stupid to be much more than that. Too bad you didn’t listen but that makes it much funnier for me. You fucking failure — Brooke Binkowski (@brooklynmarie) July 16, 2020
Sasquatch, please. Everyone knows you suck at your job, including Hope Hicks #TrumpCrimeSyndicate #TheBestPeople pic.twitter.com/iWg9VIgRUw — Tara Dublin #BidenHarris2020 (@taradublinrocks) July 16, 2020
me accepting your blessings pic.twitter.com/TOZuIj8vTD — Brian Santa Maria (@briansantamaria) July 16, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-07-16--Pelosi holds a crisis press conference to slam Trump for ignoring medical experts

The CDC now estimates that over 3.4 million Americans have contracted COVID-19 and at least 135,000 have already died from the pandemic .
The numbers are exploding across the country with California alone registering a record 11,000 new cases in one day this week .
The situation is expected to worsen as we move into the fall and winter and hospitals are forced to deal with seasonal flu on top of the novel coronavirus .
Things look exceedingly grim and are likely to remain that way for quite some time .
Such a crisis requires sober headed , considerate leadership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least amount of collateral damage .
Instead , we ’ re stuck with a washed-up reality TV star who can ’ t seem to stop tweeting long enough to even acknowledge that Americans are dying in droves .
Add your name to demand an investigation into Trump letting Putin pay Taliban fighters to kill US troops !
Trump botched the federal government ’ s COVID-19 response since day one and even went so far as to dismiss the pandemic as a hoax at first before transitioning to insisting that it would simply disappear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing a wonderful job handling it .
Throughout it all , he has second-guessed and even outright contradicted his health professionals , a trend which is now reaching its natural apotheosis with the White House ’ s coordinated smear of Dr. Fauci , one of the most prominent and reliable members of the Coronavirus Task Force .
At every stage , Trump has lied to the American people and failed to deliver the kind of focus needed to lead the nation .
His laziness paired with his truly historic incompetence has cost us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to finally hold him accountable this November .
Today , Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) held a press conference and addressed Trump ’ s negligence in incredibly blunt fashion .
“ The president has made so many bad executive decisions , ” said Pelosi .
“ We wish he would make a good executive decision and do that .
Observing his behavior , I have concluded he is like the man who refuses to ask for directions.
” “ All of the answers are there .
The scientists have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We know that testing , tracing , treating , distancing , masking , sanitation can stop the spread of this virus and yet the president continues to go down the wrong path and refuses to ask for directions from scientists who know better than any of us.
” While it ’ s unlikely the president will heed Pelosi ’ s sage and yet common-sense advice , there is something reassuring about the fact that we still have some rational adults leading this country .
Not surprisingly , they ’ re all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

The CDC now estimates that over 3.4 million Americans have contracted COVID-19 and at least 135,000 have already died from the pandemic. The numbers are exploding across the country with California alone registering a record 11,000 new cases in one day this week.
The situation is expected to worsen as we move into the fall and winter and hospitals are forced to deal with seasonal flu on top of the novel coronavirus. Things look exceedingly grim and are likely to remain that way for quite some time.
Such a crisis requires sober headed, considerate leadership to navigate us through it with the least amount of collateral damage. Instead, we’re stuck with a washed-up reality TV star who can’t seem to stop tweeting long enough to even acknowledge that Americans are dying in droves.
Add your name to demand an investigation into Trump letting Putin pay Taliban fighters to kill US troops!
Trump botched the federal government’s COVID-19 response since day one and even went so far as to dismiss the pandemic as a hoax at first before transitioning to insisting that it would simply disappear, to then claiming that he was doing a wonderful job handling it. Throughout it all, he has second-guessed and even outright contradicted his health professionals, a trend which is now reaching its natural apotheosis with the White House’s coordinated smear of Dr. Fauci, one of the most prominent and reliable members of the Coronavirus Task Force.
At every stage, Trump has lied to the American people and failed to deliver the kind of focus needed to lead the nation. His laziness paired with his truly historic incompetence has cost us countless lives and the country stands poised to finally hold him accountable this November.
Today, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) held a press conference and addressed Trump’s negligence in incredibly blunt fashion.
“The president has made so many bad executive decisions,” said Pelosi. “We wish he would make a good executive decision and do that. Observing his behavior, I have concluded he is like the man who refuses to ask for directions.”
“All of the answers are there. The scientists have the answers,” she went on. “We know that testing, tracing, treating, distancing, masking, sanitation can stop the spread of this virus and yet the president continues to go down the wrong path and refuses to ask for directions from scientists who know better than any of us.”
While it’s unlikely the president will heed Pelosi’s sage and yet common-sense advice, there is something reassuring about the fact that we still have some rational adults leading this country. Not surprisingly, they’re all Democrats.
‘[Trump] is like the man who refuses to ask for directions. All of the answers are there’ — Speaker Pelosi blasted Trump for continuing ‘down the wrong path’ with COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/Dw1miPpT8q — NowThis (@nowthisnews) July 16, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-07-16--New video shows LAPD cops throwing Black protester from his wheelchair and appear to break it

Though the mainstream media has inevitably gotten bored with covering the nation-wide Black Lives Matter protests now that there aren ’ t gratuitous images of burning buildings with which to terrify their suburban viewers with , the protests are still being held — and the police are still responding to them with appalling violence .
A new video from Los Angeles shows the police pulling a Black Lives Matter protester from his WHEELCHAIR and then throwing him to the ground , while they take his chair away .
After the cops are done , the wheelchair is clearly in pieces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After nearly a straight month of protests , it should be clear to everyone that all the protests in the world will not inspire the cops to change their violent ways .
Add your name to demand an investigation into Trump letting Putin pay Taliban fighters to kill US troops !
Since the protests began , the police have unleashed a tidal wave of vindictive brutality against unarmed protesters while responding to their political critics with childish displays of derision .
Protesters have documented over six hundred incidents of police brutality on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shooting protesters in the head with “ nonlethal ” ammo at point-blank range , leaving their victims with shattered skulls and lost eyes .
Riot police have been observed deliberately targeting journalists at least 382 times with arrest or assault during the protests , punishing them for recording their actions for the world to see .
They are telling us loud and clear that far from being swayed by the protests , the outpouring of public fury and frustration at the horrifying violence that the police inflict on Black Americans only enrages them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ burden of change now falls to our political class .
How many of these gut-wrenching videos do we need to see before serious , systematic change takes place ?

Though the mainstream media has inevitably gotten bored with covering the nation-wide Black Lives Matter protests now that there aren’t gratuitous images of burning buildings with which to terrify their suburban viewers with, the protests are still being held — and the police are still responding to them with appalling violence.
A new video from Los Angeles shows the police pulling a Black Lives Matter protester from his WHEELCHAIR and then throwing him to the ground, while they take his chair away. After the cops are done, the wheelchair is clearly in pieces with the wheels separated from the chair.
during a peaceful protest in LA this week the LAPD knocked a disabled man out of his wheelchair, and then they broke it. there is absolutely no excuse for this – it’s disgusting.
who exactly are they protecting & serving???
DEFUND THE POLICE @MayorOfLA @GavinNewsom @KTLAnewsdesk pic.twitter.com/XYyAS5PmAd — AK (@allykerans) July 16, 2020
After nearly a straight month of protests, it should be clear to everyone that all the protests in the world will not inspire the cops to change their violent ways.
Add your name to demand an investigation into Trump letting Putin pay Taliban fighters to kill US troops!
Since the protests began, the police have unleashed a tidal wave of vindictive brutality against unarmed protesters while responding to their political critics with childish displays of derision. Protesters have documented over six hundred incidents of police brutality on film; cops have been recorded deliberately shooting protesters in the head with “nonlethal” ammo at point-blank range, leaving their victims with shattered skulls and lost eyes.
Riot police have been observed deliberately targeting journalists at least 382 times with arrest or assault during the protests, punishing them for recording their actions for the world to see.
They are telling us loud and clear that far from being swayed by the protests, the outpouring of public fury and frustration at the horrifying violence that the police inflict on Black Americans only enrages them. They are utterly unreformable.
The burden of change now falls to our political class. How many of these gut-wrenching videos do we need to see before serious, systematic change takes place?
Colin Taylor Opinion columnist and former editor-in-chief of Occupy Democrats. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice and equality in America. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-07-15--Trump turns a taxpayer-funded event into an illegal campaign rally for the second day in a row

So after getting roundly condemned for turning his Rose Garden address yesterday — which was originally billed as a speech on China — into a Hatch Act-violating campaign rally , what does Donald Trump do today while giving a taxpayer-funded speech at the UPS airport hub in Atlanta ?
If you guessed exactly the same thing as he did yesterday — turning an already condemnable announcement that he ’ s allowing infrastructure projects to move forward without the previously required environmental reviews into a poor substitute for a COVID-19-transmitting MAGA rally — BINGO !
You win and the nation continues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even bother pretending that rules and laws apply to his imperial interpretation of the presidency any longer .
He just shamelessly turns every opportunity in which he could potentially demonstrate that he understands and is willing to fulfill his presidential duties into a desperate plea to re-elect his butt and avoid sending it to the dank cell that surely awaits him once he ’ s out of the protective trappings of the White House .
Here are the condensed highlights of Trump ’ s speech today , in front of a backdrop that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S .
Postal Service the same free advertising and marketing that he provided earlier in the day for Goya , a company owned by an ardent supporter of his re-election .
No Trump speech is complete without a completely made-up story that can be easily debunked by a simple review of the video of the event that he is describing .
Spoiler alert !
There is absolutely no sign of anyone bawling tears of joy in the crowd behind the president in the footage of him signing the bill .
History was never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does he even have one ?
Even Trump has to chuckle to himself when he brings up the topic of vote counting in the 2016 election .
If he was smart , he would never have brought it up , but now that he mentions it , perhaps we should take another look at those detailed results from swing states .
Another area that isn ’ t one of Trump ’ s strongest points is his command of the English vernacular , as the verb form for the word “ veto ” mysteriously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ English was not one of his strong suits ?
Mr. Young , who has already told the White House that he doesn ’ t want his music associated with any Trump campaign events , may be forced to renounce the newly acquired American citizenship that he finally was granted earlier this year after decades as a legal green-card holder if Trump keeps ignoring him .
The upshot of today ’ s speech is that no matter how far his polls sink , no matter how much criticism he gets for violating every ethics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many that will need to be enacted once he leaves office and the loopholes are discovered , Trump will do and say whatever he wants , unrestricted by his cowardly Republican enablers in the Senate .
The only way to stop these blatant violations of the rule of law is to push him out of office as soon as possible by whatever means we have at hand .
November can ’ t come too soon .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in @ @ @ @ @

So after getting roundly condemned for turning his Rose Garden address yesterday — which was originally billed as a speech on China — into a Hatch Act-violating campaign rally, what does Donald Trump do today while giving a taxpayer-funded speech at the UPS airport hub in Atlanta?
If you guessed exactly the same thing as he did yesterday — turning an already condemnable announcement that he’s allowing infrastructure projects to move forward without the previously required environmental reviews into a poor substitute for a COVID-19-transmitting MAGA rally — BINGO! You win and the nation continues to lose.
Trump doesn’t even bother pretending that rules and laws apply to his imperial interpretation of the presidency any longer.
He just shamelessly turns every opportunity in which he could potentially demonstrate that he understands and is willing to fulfill his presidential duties into a desperate plea to re-elect his butt and avoid sending it to the dank cell that surely awaits him once he’s out of the protective trappings of the White House.
Here are the condensed highlights of Trump’s speech today, in front of a backdrop that gives the commercial competitor to his much-hated U.S. Postal Service the same free advertising and marketing that he provided earlier in the day for Goya, a company owned by an ardent supporter of his re-election.
Watch this clip while keeping in mind that this a taxpayer-funded event and is not supposed to be a campaign rally pic.twitter.com/4ddVtfZXNz — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 15, 2020
No Trump speech is complete without a completely made-up story that can be easily debunked by a simple review of the video of the event that he is describing. Spoiler alert! There is absolutely no sign of anyone bawling tears of joy in the crowd behind the president in the footage of him signing the bill.
wait until Trump hears about how the soldiers voted https://t.co/EAyqpwuwyO — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 15, 2020
History was never his strong suit, but then again does he even have one?
Even Trump has to chuckle to himself when he brings up the topic of vote counting in the 2016 election. If he was smart, he would never have brought it up, but now that he mentions it, perhaps we should take another look at those detailed results from swing states.
Trump just learned that the Empire State Building was built in less than a year (it was actually built in just over 13 months, but at least he's close!) pic.twitter.com/eAMr6yGMGD — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 15, 2020
Another area that isn’t one of Trump’s strongest points is his command of the English vernacular, as the verb form for the word “veto” mysteriously eludes him.
"We want to be totally involved with the environment" — Trump pic.twitter.com/7C4gLfrVLH — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 15, 2020
Did we mention that English was not one of his strong suits?
Trump concludes his official White House eve– I mean campaign rally at a UPS hub in Georgia by desecrating Neil Young pic.twitter.com/nnuc3Jmrd1 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 15, 2020
Mr. Young, who has already told the White House that he doesn’t want his music associated with any Trump campaign events, may be forced to renounce the newly acquired American citizenship that he finally was granted earlier this year after decades as a legal green-card holder if Trump keeps ignoring him.
The upshot of today’s speech is that no matter how far his polls sink, no matter how much criticism he gets for violating every ethics law that’s been passed and many that will need to be enacted once he leaves office and the loopholes are discovered, Trump will do and say whatever he wants, unrestricted by his cowardly Republican enablers in the Senate.
The only way to stop these blatant violations of the rule of law is to push him out of office as soon as possible by whatever means we have at hand. November can’t come too soon.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Aaron Rupar at Vox.
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-07-15--Trump mercilessly mocked after posing with Goya beans inside the Oval Office

The Battle of the Beans rages on .
Last week , the CEO of Goya Foods ignited a firestorm of criticism after he appeared with President Trump in the White House Rose Garden and heaped praise on our disastrous leader , going so far as to make the absurd claim that we are “ truly blessed ” to “ have a leader like President Trump who is a builder.
” Given Trump ’ s long history of racist rhetoric against people of color , many reasonably interpreted the CEO ’ s remarks as a gross betrayal since Goya customers often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The company rakes in hundreds of millions of dollars a year , largely by catering to a community for whom their CEO clearly has little respect .
As outrage grew , calls for a boycott sprang up all over the internet and Republicans responded by declaring their allegiance to Goya , a brand which it can safely be presumed few of them had ever even purchased before this news story blew up .
Conservatives are eager to turn this into their latest culture war battlefield in the hopes of distracting from how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are handling the COVID-19 crisis .
Senator Ted Cruz ( R-TX ) was roundly mocked for devoting his attention to the Goya boycott while a deadly pandemic is raging and then First Daughter Ivanka Trump got the same treatment yesterday when she posted a picture of herself with a can of beans ( a photo which violated ethics regulations against White House officials endorsing products ) .
Now , President Trump has thrown himself back into the fray by posting a ludicrous photo of himself in the Oval Office , seated behind the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and grinning like a fool .
The desk upon which historic legislation was signed into law by previous presidents has now been reduced to a glorified infomercial prop .
The social media backlash was swift and brutal .

The Battle of the Beans rages on. Last week, the CEO of Goya Foods ignited a firestorm of criticism after he appeared with President Trump in the White House Rose Garden and heaped praise on our disastrous leader, going so far as to make the absurd claim that we are “truly blessed” to “have a leader like President Trump who is a builder.”
Given Trump’s long history of racist rhetoric against people of color, many reasonably interpreted the CEO’s remarks as a gross betrayal since Goya customers often buy their products to create Hispanic cuisine. The company rakes in hundreds of millions of dollars a year, largely by catering to a community for whom their CEO clearly has little respect.
As outrage grew, calls for a boycott sprang up all over the internet and Republicans responded by declaring their allegiance to Goya, a brand which it can safely be presumed few of them had ever even purchased before this news story blew up. Conservatives are eager to turn this into their latest culture war battlefield in the hopes of distracting from how incompetently the GOP-controlled Senate and White House are handling the COVID-19 crisis.
Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) was roundly mocked for devoting his attention to the Goya boycott while a deadly pandemic is raging and then First Daughter Ivanka Trump got the same treatment yesterday when she posted a picture of herself with a can of beans (a photo which violated ethics regulations against White House officials endorsing products).
Now, President Trump has thrown himself back into the fray by posting a ludicrous photo of himself in the Oval Office, seated behind the Resolute Desk, posing with Goya foodstuffs and grinning like a fool. The desk upon which historic legislation was signed into law by previous presidents has now been reduced to a glorified infomercial prop.
The social media backlash was swift and brutal.
https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1283464635841048576?s=20
Defend the beans not the soldiers with bounties on their head — Denise Wu (@denisewu) July 15, 2020
https://twitter.com/Tzipshmil/status/1283466514402881536?s=20
https://twitter.com/305Pirate/status/1283466239076073474?s=20
FYI, the Hatch Act doesn't cover the President himself, so he can sell whatever he wants while in office. EVERY president before him avoided it because of respect for the office, but remember, we have a third grader as President now, so what do you expect? — Voice Without Volume (Duane Gundrum) (@DuaneGundrum) July 15, 2020
You KNOW he’s never in his life consumed any of those products. — Kate Counter (@KateCounter) July 15, 2020
@GoyaFoods, you’ve alienated your loyal customers – and you know Latinos are brand loyal. Those racist ppl promoting your brand will soon forget about you and move on. They know nothing about Goya because they don’t buy your foods and they sure as hell don’t eat them. Good luck! — Sarita (@SaritaJacques) July 15, 2020
Well you get the racist CEO vote — Sandi Bachom (@sandibachom) July 15, 2020
https://twitter.com/KevINthe406/status/1283467331994152960?s=20
https://twitter.com/wiscs8k8/status/1283465320578134016?s=20
Can we not care?! Are there still bounties on our troops? Is there enough covid tests and PPE? Do we have secure voting? Don’t buy the damned brand but this is so clearly about shifting the focus to something that doesn’t matter that I can’t stand it — molly doesn’t even know where to start (@canineasylum) July 15, 2020
There's a pandemic raging and tens of millions are out of work. The president is grinning like the Cheshire Cat with cans of beens on the resolute desk. Voters are starting to take notes with pen, not pencil. — Adam Fetcher (@AdamKFetcher) July 15, 2020
https://twitter.com/AmicaAli/status/1283469390109974528?s=20
I’m old enough to remember when they would at least take the time to put all the ingredients together into a taco bowl they could pretend Donald Trump might eat. Now they just dump the cans and boxes on his desk. — Ron Hogan (@RonHogan) July 15, 2020
Trump pimpin' Goya on Instagram. pic.twitter.com/w9w0n2AJKd — Jeffrey Guterman (@JeffreyGuterman) July 15, 2020
Goya CEO basically bought free advertising from POTUS, didn’t cost him a dime. Just had to say he likes Trump. https://t.co/Xvl3burOWr — Vaush (@VaushV) July 15, 2020
I’d bet a lot of beans that no one in the Trump family has ever eaten Goya before — Katie Hill (@KatieHill4CA) July 15, 2020
Was off Twitter for a few, is it true Trump posted a pic of himself snorting Goya Adobo seasoning off of the Resolute Desk? @realDonaldTrump — NoelCaslerComedy (@CaslerNoel) July 15, 2020
One of my parents' neighbors JUST NOW decided to add a Trump flag to their lawn. Like, what exactly inspired you in recent weeks? Explicit racism? Death as a result of criminal negligence? A shared love of Goya beans? — Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) July 15, 2020
Trump campaign rally attendees buzzing before the big man takes the stage, expressing hope that he “brings out the beans” (waves a can of Goya beans to applause) — Patrick Monahan (@pattymo) July 15, 2020
We are going to look back at GOYA week as the thing that turned everything around for the president. Newt's next book will be titled "Go Ya! The Trump Comeback Story" — Tim Miller (@Timodc) July 15, 2020
Goya is now married to the Trump brand. I don't think this is a wise long term strategy for the company. — Wajahat "Wears a Mask Because of a Pandemic" Ali (@WajahatAli) July 15, 2020
https://twitter.com/cmclymer/status/1283466616563474436?s=20
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occupydemocrats--2020-07-15--Video shows white Florida woman freaking out about mask rules while Walmart employees laugh

Combine the ingredients , mix them up , and add a garnish of highly amused Walmart workers , and you have the recipe for the latest viral “ Karen ” video making the rounds today .
This one comes from Winter Springs , Florida where local news at WESH-TV reported about a weekend outburst by a woman who is among the unbelievers of social cooperation and the efficacy of facial coverings against the rampages of the COVID-19 virus .
While the nation ’ s 1st Amendment guarantees our citizens the right to hold and express whatever opinion they wish , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman soon learned , shelter them from ridicule when they openly say things that those that hear their comments consider stupid , dangerous , or just plain wrong-headed .
Our videographer was a fellow Walmart patron who stumbled upon the scene that was already in progress as the woman was loudly protesting her inability to enter the store without a protective mask — a now-familiar occurrence with the proliferation of selfish “ mask-holes ” who deny science , exhibit a disdain for accepting responsibility for the health of their fellow humans , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ever moving past the ever-rising death toll from an uncontrolled pandemic .
The video is brief , but functions in a haiku-like manner in rendering the current political polarization over government health regulations into a compact distillation of society .
Take a look .
On the same day that Walmart corporate headquarters confirmed that all customers must wear masks when inside any of the giant chain store ’ s locations across the country , the laughter of the Walmart worker who was presumably the person blocking our enraged “ Karen ” from entering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who see common-sense measures to try to prevent the further prevent the spread of a delay infectious agent as a no-brainer ( and see those people who refuse to follow the rules as having no brains ) have towards the delusional deniers of risk .
Don ’ t be a “ Karen ” or a “ Ken.
” Wear a mask for your own health and for the safety of others .
Smart people can beat this virus .
Let Darwinian selection take its course otherwise .
We want to hear what YOU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let us know in our NEW comment section !

INGREDIENTS:
1 — Walmart parking lot
1 — mask-hating woman
1 — Florida
Combine the ingredients, mix them up, and add a garnish of highly amused Walmart workers, and you have the recipe for the latest viral “Karen” video making the rounds today.
This one comes from Winter Springs, Florida where local news at WESH-TV reported about a weekend outburst by a woman who is among the unbelievers of social cooperation and the efficacy of facial coverings against the rampages of the COVID-19 virus.
While the nation’s 1st Amendment guarantees our citizens the right to hold and express whatever opinion they wish, it does not, as this Florida woman soon learned, shelter them from ridicule when they openly say things that those that hear their comments consider stupid, dangerous, or just plain wrong-headed.
Our videographer was a fellow Walmart patron who stumbled upon the scene that was already in progress as the woman was loudly protesting her inability to enter the store without a protective mask — a now-familiar occurrence with the proliferation of selfish “mask-holes” who deny science, exhibit a disdain for accepting responsibility for the health of their fellow humans, and are the biggest stumbling block to America ever moving past the ever-rising death toll from an uncontrolled pandemic.
The video is brief, but functions in a haiku-like manner in rendering the current political polarization over government health regulations into a compact distillation of society. Take a look.
https://twitter.com/morgan_lamarre/status/1283084798974660609?s=20
On the same day that Walmart corporate headquarters confirmed that all customers must wear masks when inside any of the giant chain store’s locations across the country, the laughter of the Walmart worker who was presumably the person blocking our enraged “Karen” from entering the store encapsulates the bewilderment that those who see common-sense measures to try to prevent the further prevent the spread of a delay infectious agent as a no-brainer (and see those people who refuse to follow the rules as having no brains) have towards the delusional deniers of risk.
Don’t be a “Karen” or a “Ken.” Wear a mask for your own health and for the safety of others.
Smart people can beat this virus. Let Darwinian selection take its course otherwise.
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Original reporting by WESH-TV.
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Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-07-15--Video shows NYPD officer viciously beating homeless man, arresting him for “resisting arrest”

While the media coverage of the Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality and systemic racism has died down , the violence that the police inflict on the citizens they are charged with protesting has not .
A new video shows an NYPD officer viciously beating a homeless man about the head for sitting in a subway car — and in an outrageous miscarriage of justice , the homeless man was then charged with a felony !
Thirty-year-old Joseph T. had left a shelter in frustration shortly after midnight on May 25th after not being able to secure a bed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and got on the subway .
An officer told him he was taking up too many seats with his few possessions , so Joseph switched train cars .
The cop followed him in there and demanded he leaves .
“ You can ’ t arrest me for not wanting to get off of the train , ” says Joseph in response .
The policeman tries to force him to get up and begins brutally punching Joseph for refusing to comply .
“ Why are you f—–g hitting me ?
” asks Joseph as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on to the 51st Street and Lexington Avenue subway stop .
Add your name to demand an investigation into Trump letting Putin pay Taliban fighters to kill US troops !
In a terrifyingly Kafkaesque display of police impunity , Joseph was arrested for resisting arrest .
But the Manhattan DA ’ s office decided to add grievous insult to unnecessary injury by upgrading his charges to a full felony because the police officer claimed he had kicked him in the hand while they attempted to arrest him — again , for the crime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Joseph had “ responded to [ police ] with violence ” and the Manhattan District Attorney decided to uphold the charges of felony assault against the police officer .
The entire debacle is a terrifying glimpse into our broken “ criminal justice ” system , which in this case is clearly neither just nor concerned with criminality .
These police officers bullied and abused one of society ’ s most vulnerable members , exploited their power to concoct a non-existent crime with which to charge him with , and then had prosecutors use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throw the book at a man who did nothing but fail to maintain proper control of his limbs while the instruments of state violence assaulted him .
It ’ s not just the police departments that are in drastic need of reform ; we also must rid ourselves of the prosecutors who enable them and the corrupt District Attorneys like Manhattan ’ s Cyrus Vance who bring the hammer down on his city ’ s poorest residents while allowing actual criminals like Ivanka Trump and Harvey Weinstein to run free .
Original reporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @

While the media coverage of the Black Lives Matter protests against police brutality and systemic racism has died down, the violence that the police inflict on the citizens they are charged with protesting has not. A new video shows an NYPD officer viciously beating a homeless man about the head for sitting in a subway car — and in an outrageous miscarriage of justice, the homeless man was then charged with a felony!
CONTENT WARNING: VIOLENCE
A homeless man left a crowded shelter the night of May 25 and sat on the train with a few tote bags. Cops told him to leave. Then: https://t.co/DJQ3oK4Eha pic.twitter.com/6j5UGDDZmu — Rosa Goldensohn (@RosaGoldensohn) July 15, 2020
Thirty-year-old Joseph T. had left a shelter in frustration shortly after midnight on May 25th after not being able to secure a bed for the night, so he went and got on the subway. An officer told him he was taking up too many seats with his few possessions, so Joseph switched train cars. The cop followed him in there and demanded he leaves.
“You can’t arrest me for not wanting to get off of the train,” says Joseph in response. The policeman tries to force him to get up and begins brutally punching Joseph for refusing to comply. “Why are you f—–g hitting me?” asks Joseph as he and his bags are thrown out on to the 51st Street and Lexington Avenue subway stop.
Add your name to demand an investigation into Trump letting Putin pay Taliban fighters to kill US troops!
In a terrifyingly Kafkaesque display of police impunity, Joseph was arrested for resisting arrest. But the Manhattan DA’s office decided to add grievous insult to unnecessary injury by upgrading his charges to a full felony because the police officer claimed he had kicked him in the hand while they attempted to arrest him — again, for the crime of resisting arrest.
Prosecutors argued that Joseph had “responded to [police] with violence” and the Manhattan District Attorney decided to uphold the charges of felony assault against the police officer.
The entire debacle is a terrifying glimpse into our broken “criminal justice” system, which in this case is clearly neither just nor concerned with criminality. These police officers bullied and abused one of society’s most vulnerable members, exploited their power to concoct a non-existent crime with which to charge him with, and then had prosecutors use an accidental injury as an excuse to throw the book at a man who did nothing but fail to maintain proper control of his limbs while the instruments of state violence assaulted him.
It’s not just the police departments that are in drastic need of reform; we also must rid ourselves of the prosecutors who enable them and the corrupt District Attorneys like Manhattan’s Cyrus Vance who bring the hammer down on his city’s poorest residents while allowing actual criminals like Ivanka Trump and Harvey Weinstein to run free.
Original reporting by Rosa Goldensohn at The City.
Colin Taylor Opinion columnist and former editor-in-chief of Occupy Democrats. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice and equality in America. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-07-15--Trump accuses  Biden of wanting to “abolish suburbs” in flailing Twitter attack

It ’ s funny what disastrous poll numbers can lead Donald Trump to say .
It ’ s almost as if the panic over watching his re-election chances sail off in the wind like the smoke from the smoldering embers of the dumpster fire that he created leads the president to blurt out increasingly more outlandish false accusations against his presumed Democrat opponent Joe Biden with each day .
With absolutely no regard for the type of internal logic that could at least lend an air of credibility to the ludicrous claims he makes about Biden , Trump sends posts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parsed , make as much sense as an omelet made with shards of broken glass .
Take the president ’ s tweet this morning evaluating the educational plan that the Biden campaign has proposed after consultation with Senator Bernie Sanders , the standard-bearer for the Democratic party ’ s progressive wing .
Add your name to demand an investigation into Trump letting Putin pay Taliban fighters to kill US troops !
Whatever your position on charter schools , it ’ s undeniable that the diversion of money from publicly-managed schools and putting those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weakens the public school system designed to educate all citizens , not just those who have the money for private institutions .
Conflating educational policy with physical safety makes no sense whatsoever until you realize that the Trump administration is pushing for schools to reopen before the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic will allow such moves to be taken safely .
Then you understand that — contrary to the accusations being flung at Joe Biden by the president — it is in Trump ’ s America that no one will be safe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweet was minor compared to those of the accusations Trump makes in his next tweet .
Why Twitter hasn ’ t removed this post is mystifying .
None of the policies that Trump claims Biden and the “ Radical Left ” are advocating are anywhere to be found in the Democratic platform .
The Defund the Police movement isn ’ t about abolishing the police , but reforming the institution and substituting social workers and other more appropriate government employees to handle situations where deadly force is an option of absolute last resort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handling of mentally ill people in distress .
While abolishing an agency that separates families and locks up children in appalling conditions is a treasured goal of many progressives , it is the behavior of the agency under Trump , not the institution itself , that most democrats object to .
Trump ’ s mentions of abolishing bail — another method of oppression used against poor people for minor offenses to keep people in a prison system that is increasingly putting dollars into the pockets of private prison contractors — and the 2nd @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seriously proposed — is another scare tactic designed to create fear and prevent the passage of sensible gun regulations in this nation .
The accusation that Biden wants to abolish “ Suburbs ” is the most outlandish of the claims that the president makes .
What exactly does that mean ?
How could anyone even do that ?
Does Trump envision Joe Biden sitting in the cab of crane with a hard hat on swinging a wrecking ball that demolishes tract houses across the country on a nationwide swath of destruction ?
Perhaps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reinventing himself as the author of a series of right-wing dystopian science fiction novels .
The only problem with that idea is that science fiction requires a working knowledge of science and writing requires some basic literacy , immediately ruling out that idea for rehabilitation therapy in Trump ’ s twilight years .
We know we ’ re not currently safe in Donald Trump ’ s America , between the coronavirus pandemic and the proliferation of armed right-wing militants with hair-trigger tempers and aversions to face masks .
Who in their right mind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this ?
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

It’s funny what disastrous poll numbers can lead Donald Trump to say.
It’s almost as if the panic over watching his re-election chances sail off in the wind like the smoke from the smoldering embers of the dumpster fire that he created leads the president to blurt out increasingly more outlandish false accusations against his presumed Democrat opponent Joe Biden with each day.
With absolutely no regard for the type of internal logic that could at least lend an air of credibility to the ludicrous claims he makes about Biden, Trump sends posts out on Twitter that, when carefully parsed, make as much sense as an omelet made with shards of broken glass.
Take the president’s tweet this morning evaluating the educational plan that the Biden campaign has proposed after consultation with Senator Bernie Sanders, the standard-bearer for the Democratic party’s progressive wing.
The Biden-Sanders unity plan takes a sledgehammer to charter schools, punishing students for their zip codes. No one will be SAFE in Joe Biden’s America! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2020
Add your name to demand an investigation into Trump letting Putin pay Taliban fighters to kill US troops!
Whatever your position on charter schools, it’s undeniable that the diversion of money from publicly-managed schools and putting those funds into privately-owned, for-profit charter schools weakens the public school system designed to educate all citizens, not just those who have the money for private institutions.
Conflating educational policy with physical safety makes no sense whatsoever until you realize that the Trump administration is pushing for schools to reopen before the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic will allow such moves to be taken safely.
Then you understand that — contrary to the accusations being flung at Joe Biden by the president — it is in Trump’s America that no one will be safe.
The illogic of the conclusions in that tweet was minor compared to those of the accusations Trump makes in his next tweet.
Joe Biden and the Radical Left want to Abolish Police, Abolish ICE, Abolish Bail, Abolish Suburbs, Abolish the 2nd Amendment – and Abolish the American Way of Life. No one will be SAFE in Joe Biden’s America! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 15, 2020
Why Twitter hasn’t removed this post is mystifying. None of the policies that Trump claims Biden and the “Radical Left” are advocating are anywhere to be found in the Democratic platform.
The Defund the Police movement isn’t about abolishing the police, but reforming the institution and substituting social workers and other more appropriate government employees to handle situations where deadly force is an option of absolute last resort, like a traffic violation or the handling of mentally ill people in distress.
While abolishing an agency that separates families and locks up children in appalling conditions is a treasured goal of many progressives, it is the behavior of the agency under Trump, not the institution itself, that most democrats object to.
Trump’s mentions of abolishing bail — another method of oppression used against poor people for minor offenses to keep people in a prison system that is increasingly putting dollars into the pockets of private prison contractors — and the 2nd Amendment — something that no Democrat has seriously proposed — is another scare tactic designed to create fear and prevent the passage of sensible gun regulations in this nation.
The accusation that Biden wants to abolish “Suburbs” is the most outlandish of the claims that the president makes.
What exactly does that mean? How could anyone even do that?
Does Trump envision Joe Biden sitting in the cab of crane with a hard hat on swinging a wrecking ball that demolishes tract houses across the country on a nationwide swath of destruction?
Perhaps Trump can spend his inevitable prison sentence reinventing himself as the author of a series of right-wing dystopian science fiction novels. The only problem with that idea is that science fiction requires a working knowledge of science and writing requires some basic literacy, immediately ruling out that idea for rehabilitation therapy in Trump’s twilight years.
We know we’re not currently safe in Donald Trump’s America, between the coronavirus pandemic and the proliferation of armed right-wing militants with hair-trigger tempers and aversions to face masks. Who in their right mind would vote for four more years of this?
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We want to hear what YOU have to say. Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section!
Vinnie Longobardo Managing Editor Vinnie Longobardo is the Managing Editor of Occupy Democrats. He's a 35-year veteran of the TV, mobile & internet industries, specializing in start-ups and the international media business. His passions are politics, music, and art. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-07-15--Laura Ingraham’s guest claims American teachers are “grooming” your kids for sexual predators

For those of us who choose to live in the real world , flipping on Fox News can be a lot like stepping through the wardrobe into Narnia but instead of discovering a snowy wonderland populated with magical creatures you find yourself submerged in a fever swamp overrun by bigots , reactionaries , and unhinged conspiracy theorists .
One of the more pernicious denizens of the upside-down Fox News world is Laura Ingraham , host of The Ingraham Angle , a far-right program that regularly traffics in racism , xenophobia , and plutocratic propaganda .
She is a person who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day to make the United States an uglier , more divisive place .
And while deranged segments are her stock and trade , sometimes she airs one that is so deeply insane that it stops you dead in your tracks .
Last night , Ingraham hosted a former teacher named Rebecca Friedrichs on her show .
The conversation started off with the two of them bashing teachers unions , a longtime pastime for right-wingers which has enjoyed a powerful resurgence in recent weeks as Republicans aggressively push to fully reopen schools this fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reckless campaign is part of a broader effort to convince Americans that all is well in their country in the hopes that the illusion of normalcy will bolster Trump ’ s reelection chances .
For Friedrichs though , simply smearing teachers unions with the usual GOP talking points wasn ’ t enough and she quickly tilted into full-blown , tin-foil hat , Qanon-style conspiracy peddling .
She claimed that the pushback against the dangerous school reopenings is actually a “ smokescreen ” for a perverse sexual agenda .
“ Laura , here ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are actually using our schools to sexualize our children and to train them in anti-American ideology , ” said Friedrichs earnestly .
“ They do this with a coalition of over one hundred eighty organizations , including , sadly , the CDC , Planned Parenthood , and Black Lives Matter Incorporated.
” Add your name to demand an investigation into Trump letting Putin pay Taliban fighters to kill US troops !
The inclusion of such a grab bag of Republican bugaboos made it immediately clear that Friedrichs was only interested in stirring up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t done there .
“ It is shocking what they ’ re teaching our children online through virtual learning .
They are teaching our children to sext , to view pornography , ” she went on .
“ They are hooking them up with online sex experts .
So , what they are doing is grooming our children for sexual predators to use them .
This is child abuse.
” “ I have an editorial about this tomorrow online in The Washington Times , people can read and learn all the details .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that unions want to keep our schools closed .
Because they can ’ t sneak these evil lessons past loving teachers who have no idea by keeping them virtual , ” said Friedrichs .
This kind of lunatic rant would be shameful during normal times but at the height of a deadly pandemic , it ’ s downright evil .
The only reason teachers are discussing virtual education right now is because they don ’ t want to die and they don ’ t want their students to die .
Conservatives are desperate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to conjure up absurd narratives like this to mask their own mercenary intentions .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW comment section !

For those of us who choose to live in the real world, flipping on Fox News can be a lot like stepping through the wardrobe into Narnia but instead of discovering a snowy wonderland populated with magical creatures you find yourself submerged in a fever swamp overrun by bigots, reactionaries, and unhinged conspiracy theorists.
One of the more pernicious denizens of the upside-down Fox News world is Laura Ingraham, host of The Ingraham Angle, a far-right program that regularly traffics in racism, xenophobia, and plutocratic propaganda. She is a person who, without caveat, is working every day to make the United States an uglier, more divisive place. And while deranged segments are her stock and trade, sometimes she airs one that is so deeply insane that it stops you dead in your tracks.
Last night, Ingraham hosted a former teacher named Rebecca Friedrichs on her show. The conversation started off with the two of them bashing teachers unions, a longtime pastime for right-wingers which has enjoyed a powerful resurgence in recent weeks as Republicans aggressively push to fully reopen schools this fall despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The reckless campaign is part of a broader effort to convince Americans that all is well in their country in the hopes that the illusion of normalcy will bolster Trump’s reelection chances.
For Friedrichs though, simply smearing teachers unions with the usual GOP talking points wasn’t enough and she quickly tilted into full-blown, tin-foil hat, Qanon-style conspiracy peddling. She claimed that the pushback against the dangerous school reopenings is actually a “smokescreen” for a perverse sexual agenda.
“Laura, here’s why. Sadly, these unions are actually using our schools to sexualize our children and to train them in anti-American ideology,” said Friedrichs earnestly. “They do this with a coalition of over one hundred eighty organizations, including, sadly, the CDC, Planned Parenthood, and Black Lives Matter Incorporated.”
Add your name to demand an investigation into Trump letting Putin pay Taliban fighters to kill US troops!
The inclusion of such a grab bag of Republican bugaboos made it immediately clear that Friedrichs was only interested in stirring up conservative paranoia, but she wasn’t done there.
“It is shocking what they’re teaching our children online through virtual learning. They are teaching our children to sext, to view pornography,” she went on. “They are hooking them up with online sex experts. So, what they are doing is grooming our children for sexual predators to use them. This is child abuse.”
“I have an editorial about this tomorrow online in The Washington Times, people can read and learn all the details. This is one of the big reasons that unions want to keep our schools closed. Because they can’t sneak these evil lessons past loving teachers who have no idea by keeping them virtual,” said Friedrichs.
This kind of lunatic rant would be shameful during normal times but at the height of a deadly pandemic, it’s downright evil. The only reason teachers are discussing virtual education right now is because they don’t want to die and they don’t want their students to die. Conservatives are desperate to obscure this fact and so they have to conjure up absurd narratives like this to mask their own mercenary intentions.
Fox News guest warns that teachers are "grooming our children for sexual predators" pic.twitter.com/Tn49sOlmnO — Jason Campbell (@JasonSCampbell) July 15, 2020
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