occupydemocrats--2020-04-19--Trump publicly slams Speaker Pelosi’s intellect. She replies with a jibe at his failed leadership

Mudslinging has been a venerable tradition in sleazy political quarters for as long as democracy has existed .
In this arena of partisan attack-dog propaganda , Donald Trump ’ s superlative opinion of himself is for once actually justified .
While your typical run of the mill politician may grab a handful of common wet earth to lob at their intended targets , this president walks into the over-crowded pen of cattle at the feedlot , grabs arms full of sodden , aromatic manure , and bazookas his stench-filled ammunition in a 360-degree circle , splattering everyone in sight with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his intended target will be sullied by the widespread devastation .
The toxicity of his ammunition stems not from the truth of his accusations — which Trump ’ s limited imaginative capacity usually seems to generate from assuming that his opponents ’ behavior is identical to how his own sick , twisted , and corrupt mentality would approach any given situation — but the reach and spread of his lies augmented by their endless repetition .
As his plainly obvious incapabilities in management and leadership are further exposed in the midst of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump ’ s desperate flailings to coverup his failings have become ever more egregious .
Faced with his own inability to manage a situation so difficult that even the most competent of leaders would have trouble addressing it with steadiness and evenhanded problem solving , Trump responds by exhibiting a frightening lunge in the opposite direction towards instability , incoherence , and the alienation of the very people whose assistance he needs in order to even begin to find solutions to our current crisis .
The president ’ s latest attack on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — whose cooperation is crucial to restoring funding for an already depleted emergency Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program — would defy logic if Trump were actually focused on finding solutions to the massive problems facing millions of jobless Americans .
Given that the president is more focused on salvaging his chances of reelection than on doing anything that may actually help the American people , his partisan attacks are unsurprising .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump says about Speaker Pelosi is “ inherently ” true about himself .
The self-proclaimed “ stable genius ” betrays his own insecurities about his minuscule intellect by calling the Democratic leader “ dumb ” — a laughable notion coming from a man with no mastery of scientific facts ( even when they are presented to him on a silver platter by his senior advisors ) and even less commitment to truth as he spreads conspiracy theories and foments rebellion among his ill-educated followers brainwashed by the right-wing propaganda machine he utilizes maintain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s barbs may be ostensibly aimed at Speaker Pelosi , but they are truly intended for his dwindling band of supporters — a group likely to dwindle further as the death toll from COVID-19 is likely to continue to grow disproportionately among them as they ignore basic social-distancing and business shutdown orders and fight to reopen the country prematurely before it is safe to do so .
As for Pelosi herself —besides appearing on the Fox News Sunday program that likely triggered Trump like an enemy soldier encroaching on carefully-guarded friendly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ABC ‘ s This Week that : “ Frankly , I don ’ t pay that much attention to the president ’ s tweets against me .
As I ’ ve said , he ’ s a poor leader .
He ’ s always trying to avoid responsibility , ” the House speaker said .
“ If he continues to predicate the action that we take on a false premise , then we ’ re in further danger , and his earlier delay and denial caused deaths , ” Pelosi said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we walk the line that is close to evidence , data , science as we go forward and not whimsy , magic hoax allegations and placing blame instead of taking responsibility.
” If that ’ s what Trump considers dumb , then he ’ s truly living in Bizarro World .
You can watch a clip of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on ABC ‘ s This Week in the video excerpt below .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us know in our NEW @ @ @

Mudslinging has been a venerable tradition in sleazy political quarters for as long as democracy has existed.
In this arena of partisan attack-dog propaganda, Donald Trump’s superlative opinion of himself is for once actually justified.
While your typical run of the mill politician may grab a handful of common wet earth to lob at their intended targets, this president walks into the over-crowded pen of cattle at the feedlot, grabs arms full of sodden, aromatic manure, and bazookas his stench-filled ammunition in a 360-degree circle, splattering everyone in sight with his fresh bullshit in the hope that his intended target will be sullied by the widespread devastation.
The toxicity of his ammunition stems not from the truth of his accusations — which Trump’s limited imaginative capacity usually seems to generate from assuming that his opponents’ behavior is identical to how his own sick, twisted, and corrupt mentality would approach any given situation — but the reach and spread of his lies augmented by their endless repetition.
As his plainly obvious incapabilities in management and leadership are further exposed in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting economic collapse, Trump’s desperate flailings to coverup his failings have become ever more egregious.
Faced with his own inability to manage a situation so difficult that even the most competent of leaders would have trouble addressing it with steadiness and evenhanded problem solving, Trump responds by exhibiting a frightening lunge in the opposite direction towards instability, incoherence, and the alienation of the very people whose assistance he needs in order to even begin to find solutions to our current crisis.
The president’s latest attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) — whose cooperation is crucial to restoring funding for an already depleted emergency Small Business Administration Paycheck Protection Program — would defy logic if Trump were actually focused on finding solutions to the massive problems facing millions of jobless Americans.
Given that the president is more focused on salvaging his chances of reelection than on doing anything that may actually help the American people, his partisan attacks are unsurprising.
Nervous Nancy is an inherently “dumb” person. She wasted all of her time on the Impeachment Hoax. She will be overthrown, either by inside or out, just like her last time as “Speaker”. Wallace & @FoxNews are on a bad path, watch! https://t.co/nkEj5YeRjb — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 19, 2020
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
As is typical, everything that Trump says about Speaker Pelosi is “inherently” true about himself.
The self-proclaimed “stable genius” betrays his own insecurities about his minuscule intellect by calling the Democratic leader “dumb” — a laughable notion coming from a man with no mastery of scientific facts (even when they are presented to him on a silver platter by his senior advisors) and even less commitment to truth as he spreads conspiracy theories and foments rebellion among his ill-educated followers brainwashed by the right-wing propaganda machine he utilizes maintain brainless loyalty among his partisan flock.
Trump’s barbs may be ostensibly aimed at Speaker Pelosi, but they are truly intended for his dwindling band of supporters — a group likely to dwindle further as the death toll from COVID-19 is likely to continue to grow disproportionately among them as they ignore basic social-distancing and business shutdown orders and fight to reopen the country prematurely before it is safe to do so.
Talk about inherently dumb!
As for Pelosi herself —besides appearing on the Fox News Sunday program that likely triggered Trump like an enemy soldier encroaching on carefully-guarded friendly territory — she told George Stephanopoulos on ABC‘s This Week that:
“Frankly, I don’t pay that much attention to the president’s tweets against me. As I’ve said, he’s a poor leader. He’s always trying to avoid responsibility,” the House speaker said. “If he continues to predicate the action that we take on a false premise, then we’re in further danger, and his earlier delay and denial caused deaths,” Pelosi said. “And so it’s very important that we walk the line that is close to evidence, data, science as we go forward and not whimsy, magic hoax allegations and placing blame instead of taking responsibility.”
If that’s what Trump considers dumb, then he’s truly living in Bizarro World.
You can watch a clip of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on ABC‘s This Week in the video excerpt below.
NEW: Speaker Nancy Pelosi responds as President Trump ramps up attacks against her: “Frankly, I don’t pay that much attention to the president’s tweets against me. As I’ve said, he’s a poor leader. He’s always trying to avoid responsibility.” https://t.co/PYRdRpKqJS pic.twitter.com/ccnUinPm1H — This Week (@ThisWeekABC) April 19, 2020
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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--2020-04-21--Trump Monday press briefing: Military, mercenaries, the border wall, and unproven testing optimism

Trump rolled out the military at today ’ s coronavirus briefing The presence of Todd Semonite , the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers , only served to emphasize the president ’ s defensive posture , not so much against the coronavirus as against the negative press that the onslaught of reality that is constantly undermining the claims he makes about what a great job he and his administration are doing .
It was obvious that Trump is consumed with political paranoia and terrified that this pandemic will completely eliminate his chances at reelection , a prospect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cloak of prosecutorial immunity that the presidency has temporarily granted him .
Trump wouldn ’ t need to be defensive if he were actually doing even a halfway decent job or at least admitting his mistakes and vowing to do better , but instead , he just repeats the same lies over and over and over again and wonders why reporters ask him questions that he considers hostile .
The Archie Bunker of presidents ’ press conference monologues will be rich fodder for both historians , sociologists , and psychologists for generations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the highlights from today ’ s briefing though the live tweets issued by the seemingly indefatigable Daniel Dale , CNN ‘ s hard-working fact-checker , and the equally dedicated Aaron Rupar of Vox , both of whom deserve hazard pay for the mental toll that being forced to listen to these tortuous quasi-monologues from the prevaricating president must be taking on their psyches .
Trump began with the always least interesting part of these briefings , the part where he reads pre-prepared remarks like a bored student giving an oral book report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to give .
He talked about the now negative price of oil , cheered the progress that some of the hardest-hit cities have made in flattening their new infection curves , and threw shade at state governors whose intelligence he insulted with condescension by saying that now that everything has been explained to them will now be happy with the testing capabilities for the virus .
Trump has no trouble declaring that the pandemic is a bipartisan , non-political issue while spending a great deal of the press conference pushing his political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his critics — which since the latter now include some Republican governors — as well as the expected Democratic politicians — does make the criticism somewhat bi-partisan .
After calling on General Semonite to speak about the temporary field hospitals that the Army Corps of Engineers has constructed across the country , Trump asked the general to update the press on the building of the border wall that billions of dollars have been spent on that could have been used for pandemic preparation to replace the supposedly empty caches of ventilators and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nothing to remedy over his past three years in office .
The president also fails to note that on a per capita basis , testing in the United States still lags far behind many other countries .
Trump demonstrated his show and tell skills as he flipped through a stack of pages handed to him by Dr. Birx — who was attended without her usual counterpart , Dr. Fauci , who was conspicuously absent today — saying “ These are all locations .
That ’ s a lot of locations , ” like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showing you a piece of audio equipment while saying “ look , it ’ s got buttons and switches .
It ’ s a great unit !
” Trump praised his own prescience on trade policy despite the fact that his efforts have had little effect on reducing the globalization of supply chains and creating the promised domestic manufacturing jobs he campaigned on restoring .
As health care workers and governors still attest to the difficulty they are having in getting a sufficient number of tests to determine who is infected with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public about the availability of the quantity of tests needed to safely end quarantine restrictions .
Glad that we have reporters who can help advise the president about what he should have thought about a long time ago .
One would imagine that he should be thanking them instead of subjecting them to his usual paranoid conspiracy theories about how they are all trying to bring him down .
With all the military brass in the room , the president took the time to outline his vision of the US Armed Forces as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other countries from their enemies and ensuring another global war does not break out through deterrence .
With a Mafia-like negotiator like Trump at their side — nice country there , it would be a shame if anything happened to it — America ’ s lies are likely reevaluating who their real enemies are .
Remarkably Trump avoided a major shouting match during the question and answer period with the assembled journalists , despite being challenged by PBS ’ s Yamiche Alcindor one of the black female reporters who has faced Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past .
Trump used his technique of managing expectations when discussing the mounting death toll from the pandemic .
Having been so severely burned by his “ hunch ” -based predictions that the virus would peter away with the heat during April , he began quoting much higher potential deaths so he could later claim that he beat those expectations , as he did today while claiming credit for saving so many lives with his claims of swift actions .
Another day of gaslighting ended on that cheerful note .
Stay tuned for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With Trump ’ s acknowledged mastery of media manipulation , look for him to introduce new characters into what has become a tired and repetitious soap opera at this point .
Time to get this plot moving along .
People are getting restless , and there are better things to watch on TV than the endless reruns of the same old tired lies .
Original reporting by Aaron Rupar at Vox and by Daniel Dale at CNN .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
Scroll down and let us @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Trump rolled out the military at today’s coronavirus briefing
The presence of Todd Semonite, the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, only served to emphasize the president’s defensive posture, not so much against the coronavirus as against the negative press that the onslaught of reality that is constantly undermining the claims he makes about what a great job he and his administration are doing.
It was obvious that Trump is consumed with political paranoia and terrified that this pandemic will completely eliminate his chances at reelection, a prospect that in his particular case would remove the cloak of prosecutorial immunity that the presidency has temporarily granted him.
Trump wouldn’t need to be defensive if he were actually doing even a halfway decent job or at least admitting his mistakes and vowing to do better, but instead, he just repeats the same lies over and over and over again and wonders why reporters ask him questions that he considers hostile.
The Archie Bunker of presidents’ press conference monologues will be rich fodder for both historians, sociologists, and psychologists for generations to come.
Here are a few of the highlights from today’s briefing though the live tweets issued by the seemingly indefatigable Daniel Dale, CNN‘s hard-working fact-checker, and the equally dedicated Aaron Rupar of Vox, both of whom deserve hazard pay for the mental toll that being forced to listen to these tortuous quasi-monologues from the prevaricating president must be taking on their psyches.
(Side note: when my boss gets around to reading this, consider it an entry in the Occupy Democrats suggestion box for your own suffering workers.)
Trump began with the always least interesting part of these briefings, the part where he reads pre-prepared remarks like a bored student giving an oral book report that he obviously did not want to have to give.
He talked about the now negative price of oil, cheered the progress that some of the hardest-hit cities have made in flattening their new infection curves, and threw shade at state governors whose intelligence he insulted with condescension by saying that now that everything has been explained to them they will now be happy with the testing capabilities for the virus.
Trump on the price of oil: "It's a level that's very interesting to a lot of people." — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 20, 2020
Trump says he's encouraged that some of the hardest-hit areas have turned a corner, citing Detroit and New Orleans as examples. He says it's critical for people to continue distancing. — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 20, 2020
Trump claims "some of the governors didn't understand" their available testing capacity. He cites Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who has been vocal in talking about his state's shortages of critical testing materials, and Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker. — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 20, 2020
Trump has no trouble declaring that the pandemic is a bipartisan, non-political issue while spending a great deal of the press conference pushing his political agenda, his election, and attacking his critics — which since the latter now include some Republican governors — as well as the expected Democratic politicians — does make the criticism somewhat bi-partisan.
After calling on General Semonite to speak about the temporary field hospitals that the Army Corps of Engineers has constructed across the country, Trump asked the general to update the press on the building of the border wall that billions of dollars have been spent on that could have been used for pandemic preparation to replace the supposedly empty caches of ventilators and other medical equipment that he inherited and did nothing to remedy over his past three years in office.
Trump touts the US during the highest overall number of coronavirus tests but hasn't mentioned that the country also has the most deaths pic.twitter.com/n7cPdGsWgd — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 20, 2020
The president also fails to note that on a per capita basis, testing in the United States still lags far behind many other countries.
Trump demonstrated his show and tell skills as he flipped through a stack of pages handed to him by Dr. Birx — who was attended without her usual counterpart, Dr. Fauci, who was conspicuously absent today — saying “These are all locations. That’s a lot of locations,” like an unqualified salesman at an electronics store showing you a piece of audio equipment while saying “look, it’s got buttons and switches. It’s a great unit!”
"Somebody years ago got this crazy idea, 'let's build all over the place. And let's have a screw for a cart delivered and made in a country that's far away'" — Trump is using the coronavirus to make an argument for relocating supply chains to the US pic.twitter.com/s1VgR9N7F6 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 20, 2020
Trump praised his own prescience on trade policy despite the fact that his efforts have had little effect on reducing the globalization of supply chains and creating the promised domestic manufacturing jobs he campaigned on restoring.
As health care workers and governors still attest to the difficulty they are having in getting a sufficient number of tests to determine who is infected with the virus, Trump continues to mislead the public about the availability of the quantity of tests needed to safely end quarantine restrictions.
.@kaitlancollins: If stores open and workers get sick, will those companies be liable? TRUMP: "I'll give you a legal answer to that when we look it up." COLLINS: You guys haven't talked about that? TRUMP: "No, but we will." pic.twitter.com/iivQJkiU03 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 20, 2020
Glad that we have reporters who can help advise the president about what he should have thought about a long time ago. One would imagine that he should be thanking them instead of subjecting them to his usual paranoid conspiracy theories about how they are all trying to bring him down.
Trump is alleging people were talking about ventilators because they thought "there's no way he'll ever be able to catch this one," but since "we're now the KING of ventilators," they're saying, "We'll get him on testing." Experts say testing is critical to ending the crisis. — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 20, 2020
With all the military brass in the room, the president took the time to outline his vision of the US Armed Forces as global mercenaries, generating revenue by protecting other countries from their enemies and ensuring another global war does not break out through deterrence.
"Frankly, the allies have taken us more so than the enemies" — Trump is using a press briefing ostensibly about a deadly pandemic to trash America's allies pic.twitter.com/J8XFviPs4F — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 20, 2020
With a Mafia-like negotiator like Trump at their side — nice country there, it would be a shame if anything happened to it — America’s allies are likely reevaluating who their real enemies are.
Remarkably Trump avoided a major shouting match during the question and answer period with the assembled journalists, despite being challenged by PBS’s Yamiche Alcindor one of the black female reporters who has faced Trump’s anger for her questions in the past.
TRUMP: I took coronavirus very seriously ALCINDOR: You held rallies in February and March TRUMP: I haven't left the White House in months ALCINDOR: You held a rally in March TRUMP: Did I hold a rally? I'm sorry pic.twitter.com/MPDK8lZAeD — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 20, 2020
Trump used his technique of managing expectations when discussing the mounting death toll from the pandemic. Having been so severely burned by his “hunch”-based predictions that the virus would peter away with the heat during April, he began quoting much higher potential deaths so he could later claim that he beat those expectations, as he did today while claiming credit for saving so many lives with his claims of swift actions.
Trump closes with this: "If we didn't do the moves we made, you would've had a million, a million and a half, 2 million people dead … that's not acceptable." (He's referring to scenarios in which he literally did nothing.) pic.twitter.com/XCYxNHytVz — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 20, 2020
Another day of gaslighting ended on that cheerful note. Stay tuned for likely more of the same tomorrow.
With Trump’s acknowledged mastery of media manipulation, look for him to introduce new characters into what has become a tired and repetitious soap opera at this point. Time to get this plot moving along. People are getting restless, and there are better things to watch on TV than the endless reruns of the same old tired lies.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Aaron Rupar at Vox and by Daniel Dale at CNN.
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--2020-04-20--Sen. Murphy slams media for playing into the hands of Trump’s anti-quarantine protesters

Over the past few days , a content-hungry 24/7 corporate news machine has seized on the sporadic and obviously astroturfed protests by Trump supporters against the quarantine lockdowns imposed by Democratic governors and given them round-the-clock coverage .
In doing so , they have given national prominence to a minuscule group of irresponsible malcontents and agitators that gives the impression that the opposition to commonsense and critically important social distancing rules is both widespread and legitimate when in reality is neither .
Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut took to Twitter this evening to slam the media ’ s obsession with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that have gathered outside of courthouses and governors ’ mansions in order to create a spectacle .
While the imagery of trashy looking white folks screaming at nurses about communism and masked-up divorced dads toting AR-15s is poignant and the “ look at these irresponsible idiots ” narrative is good for clicks , the truth is that the vast majority of Americans are not nihilist extremists who very much appreciate not getting COVID-19 and possibly dying from it .
A Yahoo/YouGov poll released on April 20th showed that 60 % of the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support them , including a majority of Republicans ( 47 % oppose vs 36 % support ) .
On top of that , 71 % of Americans — an extremely rare plurality when it comes to getting this country to agree on anything — are concerned about lifting lockdown procedures too early and forcing the nation back to work before it is safe to do so , as the President and his allies do .
So it ’ s very important to remember that this tiny group of extremists , many of whom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shadowy right-wing billionaires like Education Secretary Betsy DeVos , are part of a plan to artificially create the conception of mass protests against quarantine procedures — and the media is predictably falling for it hook , line , and sinker .

Over the past few days, a content-hungry 24/7 corporate news machine has seized on the sporadic and obviously astroturfed protests by Trump supporters against the quarantine lockdowns imposed by Democratic governors and given them round-the-clock coverage.
In doing so, they have given national prominence to a minuscule group of irresponsible malcontents and agitators that gives the impression that the opposition to commonsense and critically important social distancing rules is both widespread and legitimate when in reality is neither.
Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut took to Twitter this evening to slam the media’s obsession with the small groups of heavily armed protestors that have gathered outside of courthouses and governors’ mansions in order to create a spectacle.
Gun toting protesters make a good visual, but it doesn't mean they're news. But the endless coverage of these protests suggests they aren't fringe, and viewers start to believe a controversy exists which really doesn't. Therefore the media coverage creates a new reality. — Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) April 20, 2020
While the imagery of trashy looking white folks screaming at nurses about communism and masked-up divorced dads toting AR-15s is poignant and the “look at these irresponsible idiots” narrative is good for clicks, the truth is that the vast majority of Americans are not nihilist extremists who very much appreciate not getting COVID-19 and possibly dying from it.
A Yahoo/YouGov poll released on April 20th showed that 60% of the public oppose the protests while only 22% support them, including a majority of Republicans (47% oppose vs 36% support).
On top of that, 71% of Americans — an extremely rare plurality when it comes to getting this country to agree on anything — are concerned about lifting lockdown procedures too early and forcing the nation back to work before it is safe to do so, as the President and his allies do.
So it’s very important to remember that this tiny group of extremists, many of whom are being organized by groups linked to shadowy right-wing billionaires like Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, are part of a plan to artificially create the conception of mass protests against quarantine procedures — and the media is predictably falling for it hook, line, and sinker.
A lot of the “liberate” footage is meant to make these events look big. Here’s what the protest in Ohio today really looks like. pic.twitter.com/0uxRuG0IxS — Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) April 20, 2020
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--2020-04-20--Kellyanne Conway attacks governors over “common sense” while defending virus protestors

The Trump administration is endangering us all .
As right-wing protests against shelter at home orders continue to spread , drastically increasing the chances of the coronavirus spreading to new victims in the process , the president refuses to condemn the gatherings .
Instead , Trump been lending support to the protestors and calling for them to “ LIBERATE ” their states .
His political calculus is obvious : he ’ d rather more people get sick and die than risk alienating the unhinged populist reactionaries who propelled him into office .
Having regularly downplayed the virus since the outbreak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to blame for his supporters ’ refusal to recognize the severity of this pandemic .
What should happen is the president should come out and tell these protestors that their economic concerns are understandable but that protesting like this is only going to make the virus spread faster and prolong this nightmare .
Prematurely reopening the country like these people are demanding might get them back to work in the short term , but would almost certainly cause more economic damage and make things worse for them in the longterm as hospitals are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ throw the economy into an even worse tailspin .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock market !
Of course , Trump lacks the courage to deliver such a blunt and difficult statement .
Instead , he ’ ll continue to flirt with supporting these protestors while insisting that he is acting responsibly and in the best interests of the country .
Earlier today , Trump ’ s counselor Kellyanne Conway appeared on Fox News to sell the idea that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the protestors .
When asked directly what the president thinks about his supporters calling for an end to virus guidelines that Trump himself implemented , Conway equivocated .
“ Well first and foremost we want people to adhere to the CDC guidelines and we ’ ve updated those , Sandra , about less than two weeks ago for the sixteen critical infrastructure industries , ” she said , before doing her best impression of a responsible government official by reeling off some of the guidelines .
“ But some of the protestors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pictures , are breaching that social distancing line , ” said host Sandra Smith .
“ Correct , ” admitted Conway .
“ But at the same time , some of these governors have physically distanced themselves from common sense , ” she went on , employing that trademark bad faith spin we ’ ve come to expect from her .
“ In Michigan , you can basically smoke your grass but not cut your grass .
This makes no sense to many people , ” Conway went on , throwing the implicit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reckless protestors .
“ And so for them , this is not fomenting domestic rebellion .
I look at those people and I see the forgotten man and the forgotten woman.
” Conway ’ s cynical refusal to condemn these protests shows that the White House cares little about the spread of this virus in actuality .
Her decision to take aim at state leaders like Governor Gretchen Whitmer ( D-MI ) is no coincidence either , as heaping blame on state officials has become Trump ’ s favorite strategy for shirking responsibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made one thing abundantly clear about every member of this administration : none of them should be permitted to hold any kind of position of power ever again .
We want to hear what YOU have to say .
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The Trump administration is endangering us all. As right-wing protests against shelter at home orders continue to spread, drastically increasing the chances of the coronavirus spreading to new victims in the process, the president refuses to condemn the gatherings.
Instead, Trump been lending support to the protestors and calling for them to “LIBERATE” their states. His political calculus is obvious: he’d rather more people get sick and die than risk alienating the unhinged populist reactionaries who propelled him into office. Having regularly downplayed the virus since the outbreak first began, Trump has only himself to blame for his supporters’ refusal to recognize the severity of this pandemic.
What should happen is the president should come out and tell these protestors that their economic concerns are understandable but that protesting like this is only going to make the virus spread faster and prolong this nightmare. Prematurely reopening the country like these people are demanding might get them back to work in the short term, but would almost certainly cause more economic damage and make things worse for them in the longterm as hospitals are overwhelmed and the deaths of countless Americans throw the economy into an even worse tailspin.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
Of course, Trump lacks the courage to deliver such a blunt and difficult statement. Instead, he’ll continue to flirt with supporting these protestors while insisting that he is acting responsibly and in the best interests of the country.
Earlier today, Trump’s counselor Kellyanne Conway appeared on Fox News to sell the idea that her boss actually cares about the health of the protestors. When asked directly what the president thinks about his supporters calling for an end to virus guidelines that Trump himself implemented, Conway equivocated.
“Well first and foremost we want people to adhere to the CDC guidelines and we’ve updated those, Sandra, about less than two weeks ago for the sixteen critical infrastructure industries,” she said, before doing her best impression of a responsible government official by reeling off some of the guidelines.
“But some of the protestors, you’ve clearly seen the pictures, are breaching that social distancing line,” said host Sandra Smith.
“Correct,” admitted Conway. “But at the same time, some of these governors have physically distanced themselves from common sense,” she went on, employing that trademark bad faith spin we’ve come to expect from her.
“In Michigan, you can basically smoke your grass but not cut your grass. This makes no sense to many people,” Conway went on, throwing the implicit support of the Oval Office behind these reckless protestors. “And so for them, this is not fomenting domestic rebellion. I look at those people and I see the forgotten man and the forgotten woman.”
Conway’s cynical refusal to condemn these protests shows that the White House cares little about the spread of this virus in actuality. Her decision to take aim at state leaders like Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) is no coincidence either, as heaping blame on state officials has become Trump’s favorite strategy for shirking responsibility for his mistakes.
This pandemic has made one thing abundantly clear about every member of this administration: none of them should be permitted to hold any kind of position of power ever again.
LISTEN: @KellyannePolls comments on expectations of reopening the economy amid nationwide protests of state-issued stay-at-home orders #nine2noon pic.twitter.com/TNJx3qJekJ — America's Newsroom (@AmericaNewsroom) April 20, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-04-20--Trump company shares video of golfer claiming drinking a bottle of vodka everyday cures virus

While many Americans have been drowning their coronavirus sorrows in the bottle as they are stuck at home without work and running out of other distractions , most of them are smart enough not to be deluded into thinking that their imbibing is going to protect them from a COVID-19 infection…unless they ’ ve had way too much to drink or work for Trump Golf , the division of the Trump Organization that oversees the president ’ s golfing holdings .
The Washington Post is reporting that the Twitter account of Trump Golf posted a video earlier this month featuring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promoted the idea that drinking a daily bottle of vodka will kill the coronavirus .
Before proceeding any further , it would be irresponsible to not mention the fact that health officials the world over have confirmed that not only does alcohol consumption not kill CODID-19 but that it can have deleterious effects on one ’ s immune system and actually weaken one ’ s defenses against the virus .
The video is part of a series of social media posts by Trump Golf featuring now-idled golf professionals sheltering in their homes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as their “ home away from home.
” While Daly starts his video with the hope that those viewing it would “ be healthy and be smart ” and that soon everyone can get back out on the links , he soon makes a recommendation that even Donald Trump himself — a notorious teetotaler — would likely be embarrassed to spread , despite his habit of touting false coronavirus remedies .
“ But I kind of got a cure for this .
I only drink one drink a day , it just happens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ old Belvedere , ” Daly says while displaying a full bottle of vodka .
“ You know , you just drink one of these a day — you know , sippy-sippy on a little McDonald ’ s Diet Coke , you know , wash it down pretty good .
Never have a hangover , ” Daly claimed while holding a McDonald ’ s takeout cup .
“ And that ’ s the way you kill this coronavirus , I believe.
” While Daly is as free to believe that his liver-stressing cure works @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the pink elephants they see dancing around the room after Delerium Tremens sets in are real , it is massively irresponsible for Trump Golf to be promoting such unscientific and dangerous ideas on social media .
Despite being the target of pandemic blame-shifting by Donald Trump , the World Health Organization remains a credible source of scientific and medical knowledge and cautioned against taking Daly ’ s advice on their website .
While a moderate amount of alcohol can help soothe nerves after days of confinement at home , anyone thinking that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will help prevent them from getting the COVID-19 virus may soon have their friends and family toasting to their memories at an on-line memorial service at worst or come down with a case of cirrhosis of the liver at best .
Here ’ s a brief cautionary message for your listening pleasure as you contemplate this .
Original reporting by David Fahrenthold at The Washington Post .
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While many Americans have been drowning their coronavirus sorrows in the bottle as they are stuck at home without work and running out of other distractions, most of them are smart enough not to be deluded into thinking that their imbibing is going to protect them from a COVID-19 infection…unless they’ve had way too much to drink or work for Trump Golf, the division of the Trump Organization that oversees the president’s golfing holdings.
The Washington Post is reporting that the Twitter account of Trump Golf posted a video earlier this month featuring professional golfer John Daly in which he promoted the idea that drinking a daily bottle of vodka will kill the coronavirus.
Before proceeding any further, it would be irresponsible to not mention the fact that health officials the world over have confirmed that not only does alcohol consumption not kill CODID-19 but that it can have deleterious effects on one’s immune system and actually weaken one’s defenses against the virus.
The video is part of a series of social media posts by Trump Golf featuring now-idled golf professionals sheltering in their homes and promoting the president’s golf courses as their “home away from home.”
While Daly starts his video with the hope that those viewing it would “be healthy and be smart” and that soon everyone can get back out on the links, he soon makes a recommendation that even Donald Trump himself — a notorious teetotaler — would likely be embarrassed to spread, despite his habit of touting false coronavirus remedies.
“But I kind of got a cure for this. I only drink one drink a day, it just happens to be a bottle. Of good old Belvedere,” Daly says while displaying a full bottle of vodka. “You know, you just drink one of these a day — you know, sippy-sippy on a little McDonald’s Diet Coke, you know, wash it down pretty good. Never have a hangover,” Daly claimed while holding a McDonald’s takeout cup. “And that’s the way you kill this coronavirus, I believe.”
A big thank you to @PGA_JohnDaly who has always been one of our biggest fans. John thank you for the friendship. Everyone at @TrumpGolf truly loves you! #StaySafe #AmericaTogether pic.twitter.com/coWifMSa3W — Trump Golf (@TrumpGolf) April 9, 2020
While Daly is as free to believe that his liver-stressing cure works for himself as anyone is to believe that the pink elephants they see dancing around the room after Delerium Tremens sets in are real, it is massively irresponsible for Trump Golf to be promoting such unscientific and dangerous ideas on social media.
Despite being the target of pandemic blame-shifting by Donald Trump, the World Health Organization remains a credible source of scientific and medical knowledge and cautioned against taking Daly’s advice on their website.
“Consuming alcohol will not destroy the virus, and its consumption is likely to increase the health risks if a person becomes infected with the virus,” a fact sheet posted on the WHO website stated. “Alcohol … works as a disinfectant on your skin, but it has no such effect within your system when ingested,” the WHO fact sheet continued.
While a moderate amount of alcohol can help soothe nerves after days of confinement at home, anyone thinking that drinking a bottle of vodka per day will help prevent them from getting the COVID-19 virus may soon have their friends and family toasting to their memories at an on-line memorial service at worst or come down with a case of cirrhosis of the liver at best.
Here’s a brief cautionary message for your listening pleasure as you contemplate this.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by David Fahrenthold at The Washington Post.
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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--2020-04-20--Trump tries to pass blame for awful U.S. COVID testing to governors in frantic outburst

The American people trudge on through the collective nightmare that is the coronavirus pandemic , most of us locked inside , unable to see many of our loved ones , unable to go to work .
We are witnessing nothing less than a courageous national sacrifice , a sacrifice that is in no way lessened by the decision on the part of some deeply ignorant individuals to protest these shelter at home orders .
The American people by and large are showing their best , most courageous side , even as our president continues to make a mockery of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past few weeks has Trump come close to displaying anything that even vaguely resembles a unifying voice .
His leadership has been erratic and petulant , more focused on dishing blame out to his enemies than assuring the country that we can get through these incredibly trying times .
He is incapable of giving any kind of real attention to anything that doesn ’ t directly affect him personally .
Today , the president woke up and decided to stir up division for the umpteenth .
He attacked the “ Radical Left ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constantly demanding that adequate ventilators be provided to hospitals in need .
He said they “ screamed it loud & clear , and & thought they had us cold , ” an incredibly weird and calloused way to describe people advocating for equipment to save American lives .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock market !
He reiterated his claim that securing medical supplies was the “ State ’ s task ” which is really just him refusing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and on some very real level a gross betrayal of his duties to protect the American people .
Trump went on to claim that “ everyone got their [ ventilators ] ” and even said there were “ many to spare.
” As is almost always the case , he failed to provide any evidence for his claim before segueing into a rant that Democrats demanding more COVID-19 testing are “ playing a very dangerous game , ” dismissing a serious public health need as a partisan ploy .
“ States , not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Testing – But we will work with the Governors and get it done .
This is easy compared to the fast production of thousands of complex Ventilators !
” the President of the United States tweeted , making it abundantly clear that he does intend to provide the full help required .
Not surprisingly , he failed to mention his administration ’ s botched handling of testing rollouts .
Once again , we see Donald Trump downplaying the severity of this problem .
So far the United States has completed around 3.9 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimate says that production facilities will need to generate 5 million tests for use per day if the economy is going to start partially opening back up by June .
To “ fully re-mobilize the economy ” testing will need to hit 20 million a day .
It ’ s not an impossible task , but it is a daunting one and one that we will clearly have to accomplish without any kind of meaningful federal leadership .
Trump failed to prepare us for this crisis and he will not be the one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We want to hear what YOU have to say .
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The American people trudge on through the collective nightmare that is the coronavirus pandemic, most of us locked inside, unable to see many of our loved ones, unable to go to work.
We are witnessing nothing less than a courageous national sacrifice, a sacrifice that is in no way lessened by the decision on the part of some deeply ignorant individuals to protest these shelter at home orders. The American people by and large are showing their best, most courageous side, even as our president continues to make a mockery of this crisis.
At no point during the past few weeks has Trump come close to displaying anything that even vaguely resembles a unifying voice. His leadership has been erratic and petulant, more focused on dishing blame out to his enemies than assuring the country that we can get through these incredibly trying times. He is incapable of giving any kind of real attention to anything that doesn’t directly affect him personally.
Today, the president woke up and decided to stir up division for the umpteenth. He attacked the “Radical Left” and “Do Nothing Democrats” for constantly demanding that adequate ventilators be provided to hospitals in need. He said they “screamed it loud & clear, and & thought they had us cold,” an incredibly weird and calloused way to describe people advocating for equipment to save American lives.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
He reiterated his claim that securing medical supplies was the “State’s task” which is really just him refusing to take any responsibility for fighting the pandemic and on some very real level a gross betrayal of his duties to protect the American people.
Trump went on to claim that “everyone got their [ventilators]” and even said there were “many to spare.” As is almost always the case, he failed to provide any evidence for his claim before segueing into a rant that Democrats demanding more COVID-19 testing are “playing a very dangerous game,” dismissing a serious public health need as a partisan ploy.
“States, not the Federal Government, should be doing the Testing – But we will work with the Governors and get it done. This is easy compared to the fast production of thousands of complex Ventilators!” the President of the United States tweeted, making it abundantly clear that he does intend to provide the full help required. Not surprisingly, he failed to mention his administration’s botched handling of testing rollouts.
Once again, we see Donald Trump downplaying the severity of this problem. So far the United States has completed around 3.9 million tests. For context, one estimate says that production facilities will need to generate 5 million tests for use per day if the economy is going to start partially opening back up by June. To “fully re-mobilize the economy” testing will need to hit 20 million a day.
It’s not an impossible task, but it is a daunting one and one that we will clearly have to accomplish without any kind of meaningful federal leadership. Trump failed to prepare us for this crisis and he will not be the one to guide us out of it.
Last month all you heard from the Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrats was, “Ventilators, Ventilators, Ventilators.” They screamed it loud & clear, & thought they had us cold, even though it was the State’s task. But everyone got their V’s, with many to spare. Now they scream…. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 20, 2020
… “Testing, Testing, Testing,” again playing a very dangerous political game. States, not the Federal Government, should be doing the Testing – But we will work with the Governors and get it done. This is easy compared to the fast production of thousands of complex Ventilators! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 20, 2020
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Staff Report This is a staff report from former Occupy Democrats Editor in Chief Colin Taylor or contributor Rob Haffney. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-04-20--Trump posts vile doctored video meme mocking Obama’s Biden endorsement

Completely devoid of any substantial arguments to make against presumed Democratic nominee Joe Biden , President Donald Trump has predictably decided to go the muckraking route .
With an economy heading straight for a recession , unemployment soaring into the tens of millions and hundreds of Americans dying every day from a pandemic that his mismanagement allowed to spread , Trump knows he ’ s got his work cut out for him trying to prove that he ’ s a better choice to lead this country .
But rather than articulate any kind of positive vision for the country or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump is making it clear that he ’ s just going to try smear , lie , and mock his way back to the Oval Office .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock market !
On Tuesday , he posted a doctored video of Barack Obama and Joe Biden to his Twitter account based on an edited version of an Allstate insurance ad .
While we will not post the video here and promote his attack , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around watching television , with one man ’ s head replaced with that of Barack Obama .
The television shows some out-of-context remarks from Biden with inappropriate implications about children .
It is the height of hypocrisy for the man who has been accused of wandering into the dressing rooms of teenage models to ogle them and whos name is prominently in the flight logs of serial child rapist Jeffery Epstein ’ s private jet ( dubbed “ the Lolita Express ” ) to try to accuse a lifelong , beloved public servant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children .
But Trump ’ s playbook has always been to project and deflect ; accuse your rivals of that which you are guilty of is his modus operandi .
For him to stoop so low so early speaks more to his internal panic and his sense of weakness more than it says anything about Joe Biden .
But it ’ s also a reminder that we need to steel ourselves for one of the dirtiest re-election campaigns in our nation ’ s history — and that our highest priority must be removing @ @ @ @ @

Completely devoid of any substantial arguments to make against presumed Democratic nominee Joe Biden, President Donald Trump has predictably decided to go the muckraking route.
With an economy heading straight for a recession, unemployment soaring into the tens of millions and hundreds of Americans dying every day from a pandemic that his mismanagement allowed to spread, Trump knows he’s got his work cut out for him trying to prove that he’s a better choice to lead this country.
But rather than articulate any kind of positive vision for the country or any kind of plan for the future, Trump is making it clear that he’s just going to try smear, lie, and mock his way back to the Oval Office.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
On Tuesday, he posted a doctored video of Barack Obama and Joe Biden to his Twitter account based on an edited version of an Allstate insurance ad.
While we will not post the video here and promote his attack, it depicts a group of black men sitting around watching television, with one man’s head replaced with that of Barack Obama. The television shows some out-of-context remarks from Biden with inappropriate implications about children.
It is the height of hypocrisy for the man who has been accused of wandering into the dressing rooms of teenage models to ogle them and whos name is prominently in the flight logs of serial child rapist Jeffery Epstein’s private jet (dubbed “the Lolita Express”) to try to accuse a lifelong, beloved public servant like Joe Biden of inappropriate behavior towards children.
But Trump’s playbook has always been to project and deflect; accuse your rivals of that which you are guilty of is his modus operandi. For him to stoop so low so early speaks more to his internal panic and his sense of weakness more than it says anything about Joe Biden.
But it’s also a reminder that we need to steel ourselves for one of the dirtiest re-election campaigns in our nation’s history — and that our highest priority must be removing this predator from office.
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Staff Report This is a staff report from former Occupy Democrats Editor in Chief Colin Taylor or contributor Rob Haffney. Latest Posts


occupydemocrats--2020-04-22--Trump desperately reminds us the economy used to be good in rambling virus presser

Donald Trump was comparatively subdued at his press conference today .
Whether it was because he ’ d found the proper balance of medications or not can be a matter of speculation and debate , but given his bombshell announcement last night that he was issuing an executive order temporarily halting immigration into the United States — an order that he clarified a bit at today ’ s briefing by stating that it would have some exceptions , including for needed agricultural laborers — one would have expected more fireworks to erupt at a press gathering that didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As usual , we ’ ll rely on the live blogs from the hard-working reporter Aaron Rupar of Vox and CNN ‘ s ace fact-checker Daniel Dale to give you the flavor of the now almost daily ritual of programmed presidential messaging followed by probing questions and evasive answers .
We urge you to check out the full press briefing for yourself at c-span.org to see the unfiltered version of the remarks by the president and his invited guests , although medical professionals would likely recommend that those already suffering from hypertension @ @ @ @ @ @ @ videos for a less stressful , and perhaps more enlightening , experience .
Despite the COVID-19 virus continuing to rage across the nation with nearly 800 thousand diagnosed cases and an unknown number of undiagnosed infections in asymptomatic people , the president was still focused on reopening the country as soon as possible and introduced Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to discuss the deal negotiated with leaders of both parties in Congress to pass a new round of financial stimulus and relief .
Trump used the pandemic crisis and the resulting massive levels of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been trying to accomplish since the first day of his campaign — a total ban on new immigrants into the country .
While the fact that New York City didn ’ t actually need the help that Trump sent with great fanfare a few short weeks ago is good news , the president downplayed the new studies showing that the drug that he had been touting so forcefully just last week was not an effective treatment against COVID-19 .
Trump ’ s “ good ” friend North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be weighing very heavily on the president ’ s mind , as he revealed that he hadn ’ t even made a phone call inquiring about his health , much less sent a card or flowers .
The president still is trying to pass off total numbers of tests for the coronavirus as more significant than per capita percentage of tests administered , despite trying to ignore the fact that the U.S. has more total cases of the virus than any country in the world — a number one status that no one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ result of his administration ’ s failure to plan and act quickly enough despite his protestations to the contrary .
Hopefully , we ’ ll all be able to speak about his presidency in the past tense soon as well .
The literally unbelievable decision by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp to reopen gyms , hair salons , nail salons , barbershops , and bowling alleys — some of the types of businesses least able to protect people through the CDC recommended social distancing practices — later this week drew no rebuke from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kemp ’ s decision poses to his state ’ s citizens and eventually to the nation as a whole .
Daniel Dale alternated between straight quotes directly from Trump ’ s mouth with his lightning-quick real-time fact-checking .
Here ’ s Trump describing the virus in terms that many people fear will describe their own trajectory if the nation reopens too quickly .
Then there ’ s Trump ’ s mockable inability to correctly remember what year the 1918 flu pandemic took place .
One must pity the unenviable job of fact-checking a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misinformation , although it does give Daniel Dale an extraordinary level of job security as long as Trump remains in office .
While the president is quick to retweet any poll that he believes shines a positive light on his popularity — even when it doesn ’ t indicate what he thinks it does — Dale points to some polls that Trump seems to have ignored in his rush to reopen the country and salvage his reelection bid .
Well , Trump certainly doesn ’ t appreciate it , and since he apparently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s point of view , he simply assumes that everyone should feel that way .
After more lies about testing , the president proved that even his own children are not immune to his jealous narcissism .
Trump concluded today ’ s proceedings with another shout out to his buddy Kim Jong Un , before taking a question that was so much of a softball that he ( or his staff ) couldn ’ t have written it better himself .
It was no surprise that the question came from a reporter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” outlet that makes Fox News seem like a den of Trotskyites .
While overall today ’ s briefing was relatively dull , perhaps low-level frustration is a better way to feel at the end of the day than the outright anger and panic that his more contentious sessions have engendered .
Odds are good that we ’ ll see that type of briefing again in the not too distant future .
Original reporting by Aaron Rupar at Vox and by Daniel Dale at CNN .
We want to hear what YOU have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us know in our NEW comment section !

Donald Trump was comparatively subdued at his press conference today.
Whether it was because he’d found the proper balance of medications or not can be a matter of speculation and debate, but given his bombshell announcement last night that he was issuing an executive order temporarily halting immigration into the United States — an order that he clarified a bit at today’s briefing by stating that it would have some exceptions, including for needed agricultural laborers — one would have expected more fireworks to erupt at a press gathering that didn’t have the excitement of a common sparkler.
As usual, we’ll rely on the live blogs from the hard-working reporter Aaron Rupar of Vox and CNN‘s ace fact-checker Daniel Dale to give you the flavor of the now almost daily ritual of programmed presidential messaging followed by probing questions and evasive answers.
We urge you to check out the full press briefing for yourself at c-span.org to see the unfiltered version of the remarks by the president and his invited guests, although medical professionals would likely recommend that those already suffering from hypertension instead surf the web for soothing pet videos for a less stressful, and perhaps more enlightening, experience.
Despite the COVID-19 virus continuing to rage across the nation with nearly 800 thousand diagnosed cases and an unknown number of undiagnosed infections in asymptomatic people, the president was still focused on reopening the country as soon as possible and introduced Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin to discuss the deal negotiated with leaders of both parties in Congress to pass a new round of financial stimulus and relief.
Steve Mnuchin says that he'll be "putting up some FAQs" to prevent big businesses from taking advantage of coronavirus stimulus funds pic.twitter.com/T1ZgG7JnSJ — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 21, 2020
Trump used the pandemic crisis and the resulting massive levels of unemployment to implement a policy he has been trying to accomplish since the first day of his campaign — a total ban on new immigrants into the country.
Trump announces that the Comfort, a Navy medical ship he sent to NYC with huge fanfare a few weeks ago, is already headed back to Virginia. It didn't get much use in NYC: https://t.co/78g8SdrVXP pic.twitter.com/iIjcpasNxx — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 21, 2020
While the fact that New York City didn’t actually need the help that Trump sent with great fanfare a few short weeks ago is good news, the president downplayed the new studies showing that the drug that he had been touting so forcefully just last week was not an effective treatment against COVID-19.
Trump says there are some good reports about hydroxychloroquine, but he acknowledges that "perhaps" there is "not a good report." https://t.co/Y7UwucWoJW — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 21, 2020
Asked about Kim Jong Un's condition, Trump says "I've had a very good relationship with him" and claims America would be at war with North Korea is he wasn't elected. He ends by bashing CNN. pic.twitter.com/A14KZlz2r9 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 21, 2020
Trump on Kim Jong Un: "I wish him very — good luck, good luck." He says "nobody's confirmed" the reports about him being in dire health. — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 21, 2020
Trump’s “good” friend North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un’s health didn’t seem to be weighing very heavily on the president’s mind, as he revealed that he hadn’t even made a phone call inquiring about his health, much less sent a card or flowers.
The president still is trying to pass off total numbers of tests for the coronavirus as more significant than per capita percentage of tests administered, despite trying to ignore the fact that the U.S. has more total cases of the virus than any country in the world — a number one status that no one is proud of and is a direct result of his administration’s failure to plan and act quickly enough despite his protestations to the contrary.
"The stock market is still not doing badly considering what this country's been through" — Trump's economic boasts have definitely lost some juice pic.twitter.com/QTziYiBmfh — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 21, 2020
Trump is again touting how good the economy used to be. He's changed his usual present-tense rally boasts into the past tense. — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 21, 2020
Hopefully, we’ll all be able to speak about his presidency in the past tense soon as well.
The literally unbelievable decision by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp to reopen gyms, hair salons, nail salons, barbershops, and bowling alleys — some of the types of businesses least able to protect people through the CDC recommended social distancing practices — later this week drew no rebuke from the president, despite the obvious danger that Kemp’s decision poses to his state’s citizens and eventually to the nation as a whole.
Asked about concerns re Georgia opening up establishments, and how to protect people in nearby states like South Carolina, Trump says Kemp is a "very capable man" and "we're going to find out." (?) — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 21, 2020
TRUMP on immigration: "I want our citizens to get jobs. I don't want them to have competition." pic.twitter.com/IAM7V6KtTW — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 21, 2020
Daniel Dale alternated between straight quotes directly from Trump’s mouth with his lightning-quick real-time fact-checking.
Here’s Trump describing the virus in terms that many people fear will describe their own trajectory if the nation reopens too quickly.
Trump: "It's gonna be gone at some point. It's gonna be GONE-gone." — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 21, 2020
Then there’s Trump’s mockable inability to correctly remember what year the 1918 flu pandemic took place.
Trump again invokes the horrors of "1917" in talking about the pandemic deaths of 1918 and 1919. — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 21, 2020
One must pity the unenviable job of fact-checking a president who is such a font of misinformation, although it does give Daniel Dale an extraordinary level of job security as long as Trump remains in office.
Trump touts the border wall, repeats his usual inaccurate claim that 27,000 Mexican soldiers are "on our border." It's been about 27,000 total, but about 12,000 have been on Mexico's southern border. — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 21, 2020
Trump: "I've watched some of the protests — not in great detail," and they're "separated…a lot of space in between." Some groups have been spread out, some very much have not. — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 21, 2020
While the president is quick to retweet any poll that he believes shines a positive light on his popularity — even when it doesn’t indicate what he thinks it does — Dale points to some polls that Trump seems to have ignored in his rush to reopen the country and salvage his reelection bid.
Some recent polling:
Pew: 66% concerned about reopening too fast, 32% concerned about too slow
NBC/WSJ: 58% concerned too fast, 32% too slow
Yahoo/YouGov: 71% concerned too fast, 29% too slow — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 21, 2020
Trump does his usual campaign riff against spending US money in foreign countries. He says of the foreign countries: "They don't appreciate it, OK? They don't appreciate it." — Daniel Dale (@ddale8) April 21, 2020
Well, Trump certainly doesn’t appreciate it, and since he apparently has no ability to see anyone else’s point of view, he simply assumes that everyone should feel that way.
After more lies about testing, the president proved that even his own children are not immune to his jealous narcissism.
Asked about coronavirus's impact on the properties he still owns and profits from, Trump notes that his children are running them then adds, "I love my children. And I wish them well. I look forward to comparing my numbers with my children's numbers." pic.twitter.com/4mvYkgpox9 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 21, 2020
Trump concluded today’s proceedings with another shout out to his buddy Kim Jong Un, before taking a question that was so much of a softball that he (or his staff) couldn’t have written it better himself. It was no surprise that the question came from a reporter with OANN, the right-wing “news” outlet that makes Fox News seem like a den of Trotskyites.
Trump takes a question from ultra-sycophantic OAN basically asking him why people support his policies so much. Trump responds by saying "I think it's going to be a renaissance" and then ends the briefing. pic.twitter.com/YN9KuI8mp7 — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 21, 2020
While overall today’s briefing was relatively dull, perhaps low-level frustration is a better way to feel at the end of the day than the outright anger and panic that his more contentious sessions have engendered.
Odds are good that we’ll see that type of briefing again in the not too distant future.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Aaron Rupar at Vox and by Daniel Dale at CNN.
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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--2020-04-21--AOC roasts frozen dinner heir Tucker Carlson after he calls her “child of privilege”

Tucker Carlson is a pox on the collective American psyche .
Five nights a week he blasts his cryptofascist diatribes into living rooms across the country , spewing white nationalist talking points and pro-Trump misinformation .
Millions of people have their political compasses calibrated and their moralities warped by a man who assures them he is well-intentioned even as he wallows in the worsts kind of racism .
Lest Fox News viewers cue into the fact that Carlson exists solely to serve the plutocrats who pull the strings of the GOP , he affects a “ man of the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the welfare of the average American worker .
His toothless rants against the ruling class are carefully engineered to convince his viewers that he , a multi-millionaire born to incredibly wealthy and well-connected parents , actually has their best interests at heart .
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans ’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors ’ lives to save the stock market !
In a recent segment , Carlson actually had the gall to call Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez ( D-NY ) a “ child of privilege , ” a laughably hypocritical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his consistently crude form , he also cast aspersions on her “ silly pointless degree ” from a “ silly pointless college.
” The reason for the attack is obvious .
Carlson regularly belittles and smears AOC because her progressive agenda is a direct threat to the ill-gotten wealth his benefactors and employers have so greedily hoarded for decades .
What ’ s more , she embodies everything that Carlson pretends to be .
He gives lip service to the working class , she fights on a daily basis to improve their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the face of bad faith right-wing rhetoric , AOC retweeted the clip and pointed to the obvious problem with Carlson ’ s characterization of her .
Republicans love to mock the fact that she used to work as a bartender ( revealing their own deeply ingrained disdain for the working class in the process ) and yet here ’ s the golden boy of the reactionary media apparatus calling her a “ child of privilege.
” So which is it ?
Is she a lowly bartender or a lifelong member of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coup de grace was to mock Carlson for calling anyone privilege while his own stepmother is an heiress of the Swanson frozen empire .
His full name is Tucker Swanson McNear Carlson .
Here is a man who has never had to worry about financial security or career opportunities .
He is comfortably positioned within the wealthiest strata of the United States and every time he opens his mouth to accuse someone else of being privileged that fact should be stuffed into his mouth like one of those frostbitten refrigerated meals that filled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to hear what YOU have to say .
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Tucker Carlson is a pox on the collective American psyche. Five nights a week he blasts his cryptofascist diatribes into living rooms across the country, spewing white nationalist talking points and pro-Trump misinformation. Millions of people have their political compasses calibrated and their moralities warped by a man who assures them he is well-intentioned even as he wallows in the worsts kind of racism.
Lest Fox News viewers cue into the fact that Carlson exists solely to serve the plutocrats who pull the strings of the GOP, he affects a “man of the people” shtick by regularly telegraphing faux concern about the welfare of the average American worker. His toothless rants against the ruling class are carefully engineered to convince his viewers that he, a multi-millionaire born to incredibly wealthy and well-connected parents, actually has their best interests at heart.
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In a recent segment, Carlson actually had the gall to call Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) a “child of privilege,” a laughably hypocritical insult considering his own upbringing. True to his consistently crude form, he also cast aspersions on her “silly pointless degree” from a “silly pointless college.”
The reason for the attack is obvious. Carlson regularly belittles and smears AOC because her progressive agenda is a direct threat to the ill-gotten wealth his benefactors and employers have so greedily hoarded for decades. What’s more, she embodies everything that Carlson pretends to be. He gives lip service to the working class, she fights on a daily basis to improve their lives.
Never one to back down in the face of bad faith right-wing rhetoric, AOC retweeted the clip and pointed to the obvious problem with Carlson’s characterization of her.
Republicans love to mock the fact that she used to work as a bartender (revealing their own deeply ingrained disdain for the working class in the process) and yet here’s the golden boy of the reactionary media apparatus calling her a “child of privilege.” So which is it? Is she a lowly bartender or a lifelong member of the upper class?
AOC’s perfect coup de grace was to mock Carlson for calling anyone privilege while his own stepmother is an heiress of the Swanson frozen empire. His full name is Tucker Swanson McNear Carlson. Here is a man who has never had to worry about financial security or career opportunities. He is comfortably positioned within the wealthiest strata of the United States and every time he opens his mouth to accuse someone else of being privileged that fact should be stuffed into his mouth like one of those frostbitten refrigerated meals that filled his family’s coffers.
I’ve lost track – Am I “just a bartender” who should go back to making drinks without health insurance, or am I a secretly deceitful child of privilege because I’m an heiress of the Swanson frozen food empire OH WAIT sorry that’s Tucker Carlson. https://t.co/CNw32VwTbh — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 21, 2020
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occupydemocrats--2020-04-21--Comey takes victory lap, jabs at Trump after Senate report confirms 2016 Russia interference

In the age of the COVID-19 pandemic , the impeachment of Donald Trump , the Mueller investigation , and the Russian interference in the 2016 presidential elections seems almost like ancient history .
Yet it was only a few months ago when the coronavirus was barely being mentioned and was buried in the lower reaches of the international section of the daily newsfeeds that the topic of renewed Russian efforts to influence the 2020 presidential race was still top of mind for both politicians and the public alike .
It ’ s not surprising , therefore , that — given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and financial fallout from the pandemic — that the story today about the unanimous , bipartisan confirmation by the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee of the U.S. intelligence community ’ s conclusion that Russia did indeed meddle in the 2016 election to benefit Donald Trump was itself buried at the bottom .
of news feeds reporting on the COVID-19 virus and the efforts to mitigate it .
Former FBI Director James Comey , however , was not about to let his opportunity for the vindication of the investigation he initiated into the Russian interference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go unnoticed .
As the much-maligned target of repeated attacks on his integrity by Donald Trump , Comey wanted to make sure that the fact that all of the accusations slung his way by the president and his band of complicit GOP cronies were negated by the majority- Republican members of the Intelligence Committee did not fall into the societal cracks left by the coronavirus .
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Facts do remain stubborn things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that Donald Trump is playing as fast and loose with them in dealing with the current coronavirus crisis as he did with the Russia investigation .
It took three years for the president ’ s reality-distortion field to be definitively broken by the Senate Intelligence Committee report which The Washington Post described as “ the first extensive bipartisan congressional affirmation of the intelligence agencies ’ conclusion , which continues to be at odds with President Trump ’ s oft-stated doubts about Russia ’ s role in the 2016 race.
” “ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Agency and FBI — coordinated by the Director of National Intelligence — presented a ‘ coherent and well-constructed ’ case for their assessment , supported by intelligence from human and electronic sources.
” “ Significantly , the committee said , ‘ interviews with those who drafted and prepared the ICA affirmed that analysts were under no political pressure to reach specific conclusions . '
” We ’ ll have to wait until this afternoon ’ s daily press briefing to see which reporter will dare to bring up the Senate committee ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that will be a tirade to watch .
Original reporting by Ellen Nakashima at The Washington Post .
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In the age of the COVID-19 pandemic, the impeachment of Donald Trump, the Mueller investigation, and the Russian interference in the 2016 presidential elections seems almost like ancient history.
Yet it was only a few months ago when the coronavirus was barely being mentioned and was buried in the lower reaches of the international section of the daily newsfeeds that the topic of renewed Russian efforts to influence the 2020 presidential race was still top of mind for both politicians and the public alike.
It’s not surprising, therefore, that — given the urgency of all of the medical and financial fallout from the pandemic — that the story today about the unanimous, bipartisan confirmation by the Republican-led Senate Intelligence Committee of the U.S. intelligence community’s conclusion that Russia did indeed meddle in the 2016 election to benefit Donald Trump was itself buried at the bottom. of news feeds reporting on the COVID-19 virus and the efforts to mitigate it.
Former FBI Director James Comey, however, was not about to let his opportunity for the vindication of the investigation he initiated into the Russian interference and its ties to the Trump campaign go unnoticed.
As the much-maligned target of repeated attacks on his integrity by Donald Trump, Comey wanted to make sure that the fact that all of the accusations slung his way by the president and his band of complicit GOP cronies were negated by the majority- Republican members of the Intelligence Committee did not fall into the societal cracks left by the coronavirus.
First Mueller Report, then the IG, and now Senate Republicans. There really was a Russian attack in 2016 and those who investigated it were professionals. Facts remain stubborn things. https://t.co/eIlN25AYiY — James Comey (@Comey) April 21, 2020
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Facts do remain stubborn things, and the fact of the matter is that Donald Trump is playing as fast and loose with them in dealing with the current coronavirus crisis as he did with the Russia investigation.
It took three years for the president’s reality-distortion field to be definitively broken by the Senate Intelligence Committee report which The Washington Post described as “the first extensive bipartisan congressional affirmation of the intelligence agencies’ conclusion, which continues to be at odds with President Trump’s oft-stated doubts about Russia’s role in the 2016 race.”
“The committee found no reason to dispute the intelligence community’s conclusions,” said Committee Chairman Richard Burr (R-NC) in a statement, likely one reason why senior GOP leadership is not helping him very much in fighting against the charges of insider trading in light of his stock sales after being briefed on the potential pandemic economic damage.
The Washington Post reported that:
“The committee said the CIA, National Security Agency and FBI — coordinated by the Director of National Intelligence — presented a ‘coherent and well-constructed’ case for their assessment, supported by intelligence from human and electronic sources.” “Significantly, the committee said, ‘interviews with those who drafted and prepared the ICA affirmed that analysts were under no political pressure to reach specific conclusions.'”
For Mr. Comey, vindication is sweet.
We’ll have to wait until this afternoon’s daily press briefing to see which reporter will dare to bring up the Senate committee’s findings to the president today. Now that will be a tirade to watch.
Follow Vinnie Longobardo on Twitter.
Original reporting by Ellen Nakashima at The Washington Post.
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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--2020-04-21--Former Republican governor candidate facing charges for assault, strangulation, and terroristic thre

Former Republican governor candidate facing charges for assault, strangulation, and terroristic threats

A Kentucky state legislator who ran for the Republican gubernatorial nomination and garnered 40 % of the vote was arrested and charged in a domestic violence incident early this morning , according to The Lexington Herald-Leader .
State Representative Robert Goforth is alleged by the Laurel County Sheriff ’ s Office to have assaulted and strangled an unnamed female victim in addition to making terroristic threats against her in a dispute over the woman ’ s refusal to unlock her mobile phone for him .
The arrest was made after the woman reported the assault in the early morning hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 911 dispatch office in East Bernstadt , Kentucky .
She reportedly “ had visible marks on her forehead , neck , and arms , as well as bruising on her leg , ” according to the police report .
“ The victim told police that she tried to flee from Goforth , and that he made several attempts to “ hog tie her , ” according to the citation .
He also allegedly strangled her with an ethernet cable to the point where she said she thought she was going to pass out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She also told police that Goforth said he was going to kill her during the altercation , according to the arrest citation.
” The woman told police that she was only able to escape from Representative Goforth after promising to unlock her phone .
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Once the police arrived at the scene to arrest the Republican legislator , they decided that he did not “ appear to be under the influence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the three children who were in the home at the time of the alleged assault were safe and appeared to be in no danger .
Once news of the arrest became public , Kentucky Democrats made calls for Goforth ’ s immediate resignation .
McNee was referring to sexual assault allegations that surfaced during Goforth ’ s run for the GOP nomination for the Kentucky governorship last year — a race which he lost to then-incumbent Governor Matt Bevin , who was subsequently beaten by his Democratic challenger Andy Beshear .
The Republican @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , David Osborne , refused to comment on the specifics of the case but condemned domestic violence in general .
“ Like everyone else , we have just been made aware of these charges and do not know the facts related to this case , ” a statement released by Osbourne said .
“ While we reserve comment on this specific situation , the House Majority Caucus unequivocally denounces any form of domestic violence and has zero tolerance for it or its perpetrators.
” “ A society that values human life must also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaker said .
“ We each have a moral obligation to not only speak out against domestic violence , but also to recognize that domestic abuse knows no boundaries .
Its victims and perpetrators come from every income , race , or socioeconomic status.
” Goforth is the second Kentucky Republican legislator to make the headlines for his arrest this week .
Just last Thursday Representative Derek Lewis was arrested on a DUI charge .

A Kentucky state legislator who ran for the Republican gubernatorial nomination and garnered 40% of the vote was arrested and charged in a domestic violence incident early this morning, according to The Lexington Herald-Leader.
State Representative Robert Goforth is alleged by the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office to have assaulted and strangled an unnamed female victim in addition to making terroristic threats against her in a dispute over the woman’s refusal to unlock her mobile phone for him.
The arrest was made after the woman reported the assault in the early morning hours by showing up in person at the 911 dispatch office in East Bernstadt, Kentucky. She reportedly “had visible marks on her forehead, neck, and arms, as well as bruising on her leg,” according to the police report.
The Lexington Herald-Leader wrote:
“The victim told police that she tried to flee from Goforth, and that he made several attempts to “hog tie her,” according to the citation. He also allegedly strangled her with an ethernet cable to the point where she said she thought she was going to pass out, according to the citation.” “She also told police that Goforth said he was going to kill her during the altercation, according to the arrest citation.”
The woman told police that she was only able to escape from Representative Goforth after promising to unlock her phone.
Add your name to reject Trump & Republicans’ vile idea of sacrificing seniors’ lives to save the stock market!
Once the police arrived at the scene to arrest the Republican legislator, they decided that he did not “appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol” and discovered that the three children who were in the home at the time of the alleged assault were safe and appeared to be in no danger.
Once news of the arrest became public, Kentucky Democrats made calls for Goforth’s immediate resignation.
“State Representative Goforth must resign immediately,” Kentucky Democratic spokeswoman Marisa McNee declared in a statement. “This is not the first time a victim of Mr. Goforth’s violent assaults has come forward. Republican Leadership has ignored this for far too long, it is time for them to take action. Goforth needs to go.”
McNee was referring to sexual assault allegations that surfaced during Goforth’s run for the GOP nomination for the Kentucky governorship last year — a race which he lost to then-incumbent Governor Matt Bevin, who was subsequently beaten by his Democratic challenger Andy Beshear.
The Republican Speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives, David Osborne, refused to comment on the specifics of the case but condemned domestic violence in general.
“Like everyone else, we have just been made aware of these charges and do not know the facts related to this case,” a statement released by Osbourne said. “While we reserve comment on this specific situation, the House Majority Caucus unequivocally denounces any form of domestic violence and has zero tolerance for it or its perpetrators.” “A society that values human life must also condemn domestic abuse,” the GOP speaker said. “We each have a moral obligation to not only speak out against domestic violence, but also to recognize that domestic abuse knows no boundaries. Its victims and perpetrators come from every income, race, or socioeconomic status.”
Goforth is the second Kentucky Republican legislator to make the headlines for his arrest this week. Just last Thursday Representative Derek Lewis was arrested on a DUI charge.
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--2020-04-21--Beto O’Rourke tweets out profanity-laden takedown of Trump’s virus mismanagement

Last night , DonaldTrump sent shockwaves around the world by suddenly tweeting out that he would be temporarily suspending all immigration into the United States .
Like everything else this president does , it was hastily decided and poorly explained .
Like everything he does recently , it ’ s a transparent attempt to distract from his total botching of the federal government ’ s COVID-19 response .
Former Congressman and Democratic ex-presidential candidate Beto O ’ Rourke responded to Trump ’ s tweet by absolutely eviscerating him in an extended Twitter thread , exposing Trump for his pathetic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what O ’ Rourke deemed his “ total mismanagement ” of this crisis .
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Citing the cold hard facts , O ’ Rourke pointed out that by some estimates 43,000 Americans have died from this virus , far more than the next closest country ’ s mortality count .
More damningly as it pertains to the White House , O ’ Rourke also pointed out that just over 1 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We should take it seriously , ” he added , sending a much-needed message to the president who originally dismissed the virus as a Democratic hoax .
The former Texan Congressman went on to defend immigrants , reminding readers that many of the “ doctors , nurses and cleaning staff in the hospitals ” who are “ literally saving his country ” are in fact immigrants .
“ They came to this country for a better life and to make us a better America .
And they have , ” he wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked Trump “ who the f*ck ” he thinks is working on “ farms and feed lots , in the packing houses and processing plants at a time where we are struggling to feed ourselves.
” He went on to add kitchen workers , food servers , scientists , and doctors to the list .
The answer to O ’ Rourke ’ s fiery question , of course , is that immigrants are the ones doing these jobs in large numbers .
They constitute a huge part of our workforce and targeting immigration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing for Trump to do but an actively detrimental one .
The Texan firebrand wound down by correctly calling an immigration ban a “ stain on our country ” because it will destroy families and create mass suffering as it creates “ covid death camps ” full of migrants along the southern border .
“ This is illegal and immoral .
Don ’ t let it happen , ” he concluded and he ’ s right .
Call your Congressperson .
Call your Senators .
Do not sit by at this president executes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hear what YOU have to say .
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Last night, DonaldTrump sent shockwaves around the world by suddenly tweeting out that he would be temporarily suspending all immigration into the United States. Like everything else this president does, it was hastily decided and poorly explained. Like everything he does recently, it’s a transparent attempt to distract from his total botching of the federal government’s COVID-19 response.
In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2020
Former Congressman and Democratic ex-presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke responded to Trump’s tweet by absolutely eviscerating him in an extended Twitter thread, exposing Trump for his pathetic, transparent attempt to pull attention away from what O’Rourke deemed his “total mismanagement” of this crisis.
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Citing the cold hard facts, O’Rourke pointed out that by some estimates 43,000 Americans have died from this virus, far more than the next closest country’s mortality count. More damningly as it pertains to the White House, O’Rourke also pointed out that just over 1% of Americans have been tested for COVID-19.
“We should take it seriously,” he added, sending a much-needed message to the president who originally dismissed the virus as a Democratic hoax.
An attempt to distract us from his total mismanagement (43,000 of our fellow Americans have died so far – 20,000 more than next closest country AND we’ve tested little more than 1% of U.S.). But will still have terrible consequences for America. We should take it seriously. https://t.co/aFLKQrXfDO — Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) April 21, 2020
The former Texan Congressman went on to defend immigrants, reminding readers that many of the “doctors, nurses and cleaning staff in the hospitals” who are “literally saving his country” are in fact immigrants.
“They came to this country for a better life and to make us a better America. And they have,” he wrote.
So many of the doctors, nurses and cleaning staff in the hospitals that are literally saving this country — despite how badly bungled the President’s leadership has been — are immigrants. They came to this country for a better life and to make us a better America. And they have. — Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) April 21, 2020
Clearly infuriated, O’Rourke asked Trump “who the f*ck” he thinks is working on “farms and feed lots, in the packing houses and processing plants at a time where we are struggling to feed ourselves.” He went on to add kitchen workers, food servers, scientists, and doctors to the list.
The answer to O’Rourke’s fiery question, of course, is that immigrants are the ones doing these jobs in large numbers. They constitute a huge part of our workforce and targeting immigration right now is not only a cowardly thing for Trump to do but an actively detrimental one.
Who the fuck do you think is working on the farms and feed lots, in the packing houses and processing plants at a time where we are struggling to feed ourselves? Who is in the kitchen? Who is picking, preparing, serving the food we eat and cleaning up afterwards? — Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) April 21, 2020
And what about the scientists and doctors who will come up with the cures and vaccines? You better believe many of them will be immigrants. — Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) April 21, 2020
The Texan firebrand wound down by correctly calling an immigration ban a “stain on our country” because it will destroy families and create mass suffering as it creates “covid death camps” full of migrants along the southern border.
“This is illegal and immoral. Don’t let it happen,” he concluded and he’s right. Call your Congressperson. Call your Senators. Do not sit by at this president executes this heinous plan.
A stain on our country’s conscience if we let it happen. It will break up families, leave asylum seekers to suffer in what will become covid death camps on our southern border, and lead to more hate crimes against immigrants. This is illegal and immoral. Don’t let it happen. — Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) April 21, 2020
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