rawstory--2020-01-10--Trump sends birthday greetings to North Korea’s Kim Jong Un: Seoul

US President Donald Trump wished North Korea ’ s Kim Jong Un a happy birthday , Seoul said Friday — with nuclear talks deadlocked and six years after former Chicago Bulls star Dennis Rodman serenaded Pyongyang ’ s leader .
North Korea has never officially confirmed Kim ’ s age or date of birth , but Rodman ’ s breathy Marilyn Monroe-style performance of “ Happy Birthday ” took place before an exhibition basketball match in Pyongyang on January 8 , 2014 .
In a sanctions document , the US Treasury has said Kim was born on that day in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but there is speculation he could be a year or two older .
Seoul ’ s national security adviser Chung Eui-yong met Trump in Washington on Wednesday and said the former real estate mogul — who in warmer times proclaimed he and Kim had fallen in love — “ recalled ” it was his birthday .
“ President Trump wished Chairman Kim Jong Un a happy birthday and asked President Moon to convey it to him , ” Chung told reporters as he arrived back in South Korea on Friday .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manner ” , he added , without explaining how it had been transmitted .
Contacts between the two Koreas are at a standstill , with Pyongyang ’ s official media repeatedly excoriating the leadership in Seoul .
At a meeting of his ruling party in December , Kim declared an end to Pyongyang ’ s moratoriums on nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile tests and threatened a demonstration of a “ new strategic weapon ” soon .
Trump and Kim have had three meetings since June 2018 but there has been little tangible progress @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2014 event , Rodman , a heavily tattooed former NBA All-Star , sang the birthday song before the North Korean leader and his wife Ri Sol Ju , as the crowd clapped along .
It was Rodman ’ s fourth visit to North Korea and he appeared to bow to Kim .


rawstory--2020-01-10--Strong winds create Australian ‘megablaze’

Gale-force winds in Australia merged two enormous fires into a megablaze across land almost four times the area of New York City on Friday , while thousands rallied to again demand action on climate change .
“ The conditions are difficult today , ” said Shane Fitzsimmons , rural fire service commissioner for New South Wales state , after days of relative calm .
“ It ’ s the hot , dry winds that will prove once again to be the real challenge.
” Temperatures soared above 40 degrees Celsius ( 104 degrees Fahrenheit ) in parts of New South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was focused on the two fires that linked to form yet another monster blaze .
A “ state of disaster ” was extended 48 hours ahead of Friday ’ s forecast of scorching temperatures , and evacuation orders were issued for areas around the New South Wales-Victoria border .
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said there were more than 130 fires burning in the state , with just over 50 not yet under control .
On Kangaroo Island off south Australia , the largest town was cut off as firefighters battled dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the local jetty .
The catastrophic bushfires have killed at least 26 people , destroyed more than 2,000 homes and scorched some eight million hectares ( 80,000 square kilometres ) — an area the size of Ireland .
University of Sydney scientists estimate one billion mammals , birds and reptiles have been killed in the fires .
The severe conditions have been fuelled by a prolonged drought and worsened by climate change , with experts warning that such massive blazes were becoming more frequent and intense .
Australia experienced its driest and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with its highest average maximum temperature of 41.9 degrees Celsius recorded in mid-December .
In Sydney and Melbourne , thousands of people again took to the streets to demand Australia ’ s conservative government do more to tackle global warming and reduce coal exports .
“ Change the politics not the climate ” read one sign , reflecting an increasingly charged argument over the cause of the fires .
Researchers say the bushfire emergency has sparked an online disinformation campaign “ unprecedented ” in the country ’ s history , with bots deployed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from climate change .
One hashtag in particular , # arsonemergency , has gained traction rapidly and conservative-leaning newspapers , websites and politicians across the globe have promoted the theory that arson is largely to blame , rather than climate change , drought or record high temperatures .
Timothy Graham , a digital media expert at the Queensland University of Technology , told AFP his research showed half of the Twitter users deploying the hashtag displayed bot- and troll-like behaviour .
“ Our findings show a concerted effort aimed to misinform the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Graham said .
“ The campaign is nothing on the scale of what we have been seeing in other countries , such as the 2016 US election , but this amount of disinformation in Australia is unprecedented.
” Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday tried to parry journalists ’ questions about whether climate change would make horrific bushfire seasons the norm .
“ Look , we have covered that on a number of occasions now , ” Morrison said testily , adding that reviews will take place once the bushfire season is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 65 , said battling the fires in recent weeks had been a “ hot , dirty and dangerous ” task .
“ It ’ s been horrendous .
It ’ s never been like this before , ” he told AFP .
He was deeply critical of Morrison ’ s response to the bushfires , calling it mere “ lip service ” and slamming the leader ’ s response to public criticism .
“ His great statement was ‘ I don ’ t take this personally ’ .
Scott , take it @ @ @ @ @ @

Trained in political science and the law, he has no formal education in disaster preparedness or response. And prior to his current role, he never held a full-time job dedicated to emergency management.
Instead, his main qualification was being chief of staff to then-mayor Alan Arakawa. But in that role, he told Civil Beat Tuesday, he assisted during emergency operations. And he said he participated in online FEMA trainings and workshops throughout the years.
In 2017, Andaya beat out 40 other applicants for the job, Maui Now reported at the time.
As the mayor’s administration was coming to a close, a panel of government officials – which said it was independent of the mayor – chose Andaya for the civil service role.
Civil Beat reviewed Andaya’s experience after historic Lahaina was swallowed by an inferno last week, killing scores of residents and visitors who never saw it coming.
The Maui Emergency Management Agency had the authority to issue siren warnings that might have alerted people. After Andaya’s agency decided not to sound them, many survivors reported they only became aware of the fire when they saw and smelled smoke.
Andaya said sounding the sirens wasn’t an option officials considered because they’re “mainly used for tsunamis.” That’s why they’re mostly located on the coast, he said.
But the state’s own website says the sirens are useful for many kinds of emergencies.
“The all-hazard siren system can be used for a variety of both natural and human-caused events; including tsunamis, hurricanes, dam breaches, flooding, wildfires, volcanic eruptions, terrorist threats, hazardous material incidents, and more,” the site states.
Andaya wasn’t on the island when the fires started, and he hasn’t made any appearances at press conferences since the disaster occurred.
Asked about Andaya’s resume, David Hafner, a retired telecommunications planner for the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency, questioned whether his relative inexperience affected his agency’s performance in a crisis.
“It’s a good ol’ boy network,” Hafner said. “This time it cost lives.”
Hafner said it’s “absolutely essential” for emergency management leaders to have experience in the field so they make the right decisions both before and after disasters strike.
Not having it, he said, “can lead to grave mistakes in judgment.”
Andaya’s hiring came at a time when Hawaii’s counties had just taken on increased responsibility for disaster response, according to Hafner. State emergency management officials used to be the designated authority to respond to emergencies, he said, but an update to the law in 2014 put the counties in the driver’s seat.
Asked about Andaya’s LinkedIn resume, Colin Moore, a political scientist at the University of Hawaii, said he was shocked by the emergency administrator’s lack of relevant experience. He said the public is owed an explanation.
“It’s a legitimate question to ask why the person leading the county emergency services agency has no clear background in fire, police, public health, the usual emergency services backgrounds,” he said.
“Having that on-the-ground experience, you develop the instincts and the connections to be able to perform a job like this. And if you just have general government experience, there is just no opportunity to have that kind of on-the-ground knowledge that often is really useful in a crisis.”
Andaya said as a former member of the mayor’s cabinet, he was qualified for the job.
“Whenever there was an activation in the emergency operations center, we were involved,” he said. “To say that I have no experience or no background in emergency management is not correct.”
‘Political Influence’ A Concern
Andaya, 52, is from Maui and graduated from HP Baldwin High School.
He has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science from the University of Hawaii Manoa. He also has a law degree from the UH Richardson School of Law, although he never became a licensed attorney, according to the Hawaii State Bar Association’s online database.
He began his career clerking for Maui Judge Artemio Baxa. He then worked for the law office of Lynn Araki-Regan, an attorney who is the wife of Arakawa’s managing director, Keith Regan.
When Andaya vacated his position as chief of staff, it was filled by Araki-Regan, who was by then the county budget director. Regan said he had no involvement in Andaya’s hiring.
From the early 2000s onward, Andaya has held leadership positions in Maui’s Department of Housing and Human Concerns and worked as the assistant to the chancellor of UH’s Maui College, according to his LinkedIn resume. He is married to Rowena Dagdag-Andaya, a former elementary school teacher who served as Maui’s public works director and now works in Maui’s Office on Aging.
Andaya was Arakawa’s chief of staff from 2011 through 2017. That year, the mayor appointed him acting administrator of MEMA, and he became permanent by the end of that year.
In contrast, Honolulu’s emergency management director, Hiro Toiya, has technical training in emergency response, worked for years as a preparedness planner for the Hawaii health department and rose up the ranks of Honolulu’s Department of Emergency Management. He worked there for more than seven years before becoming the director.
Asked how he stood out among a pool of 40 job candidates, Andaya said Maui doesn’t have a lot of emergency management professionals to begin with. He noted that he had to take an exam and based on his score was determined to be a finalist.
“You would have to question the civil service process if you can believe that politics was involved,” he said. “This is something that my predecessors have to go through as well.”
Before Andaya was hired, there were concerns in Maui’s political scene that the county was considering someone who wasn’t qualified.
“In the past, this position has sometimes been filled by individuals without the proper emergency response background.”
Former Maui County Council Chairman Mike White
In July 2017, the chair of the Maui County Council at the time, Mike White, took the unusual step of writing a Maui News column warning that the job of emergency management was too important to be “subject to political influence.”
“In the past, this position has sometimes been filled by individuals without the proper emergency response background,” White wrote.
“The administration must search for well-qualified candidates who can make a seamless transition in leading our Emergency Management Agency. The stakes are too high and our community has grown to a point where emergency coordination has become quite sophisticated in its implementation.”
In his column, White praised the outgoing emergency management chief, Anna Foust, who had previously worked for years leading the Maui branch of the Red Cross. White emphasized her expertise.
“During her tenure, she used her emergency response experience and training to help guide the county to keep citizens safe during hurricane warnings and watches, flooding events and tsunami warnings,” White wrote.
Civil Beat wasn’t able to reach White for comment.
Panel Of Specialists Chose Andaya
On Tuesday, Arakawa’s former managing director, Keith Regan, said that politics was not a factor in Andaya’s hiring. Asked why Andaya was the best candidate, Regan said he didn’t know because he wasn’t on the hiring committee. But he was adamant there was “zero” political influence in the process.
“This was a straightforward civil service process,” said Regan, who is now the state comptroller.
When Regan ran for Maui County Council in 2015, Andaya was his campaign manager. This year, Andaya wrote a letter of support of Regan’s nomination to state comptroller.
Regan noted that the hiring panel included numerous experts in the field. Maui Now identified them at the time as then-Maui Police Chief Tivoli Faaumu; then-Maui Fire Chief Jeff Murray; Elton Ushio, administrator of the Kauai Emergency Management Agency; and Vern Miyagi, then-administrator of the Hawaii State Emergency Management Agency.
At the time, Ushio was quoted by Maui Now as saying Andaya’s “proven leadership abilities, executive level experience, and impressive knowledge of emergency management” made him a great fit for the job. Murray cited Andaya’s familiarity with government processes, his “institutional knowledge of the various emergency incidents” in recent years, and his then-recent work as acting leader of the department.
“These are not people that, you know, are just political people,” Regan said. “They’re people who understand emergency management and are going to make the right choice for the community.”
In a statement, former HI-EMA director Miyagi said the public’s focus should be on working together on response and recovery.
“Herman Andaya and his staff at MEMA are really good people,” he said. “They carried Maui successfully through numerous hurricanes, floods, and other disasters.”
He said the public should wait for the attorney general’s investigation before drawing conclusions.
Civil Beat left messages with the other hiring committee members on Tuesday, but they were not returned. Former mayor Arakawa also did not respond to a request for comment.
“Herman is a very skilled, experienced, knowledgeable, professional individual,” Regan said. “I trust that is making the right decisions … There is no question in my mind that he cares about that community, and he’s going to do everything he can to keep that community safe.”


rawstory--2020-01-10--The evangelical belief that Trump is the messiah is more rampant than you think —  and dangerous

Psychologists have explained quite a lot about Donald Trump ’ s political invincibility and the unconditional allegiance of his followers .
One well-supported explanation is that the president keeps his base loyal by keeping them fearful .
Through persistent fear-mongering , with scary messages like , “ Illegal immigrants are murderers and rapists , ” and “ Islam hates us , ” Trump gets to play the role of the great protector .
But there is another major reason why Trump loyalists do not waver no matter how he behaves or what scandals come to light .
For most evangelicals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keeps them in line , but it is also faith .
As a cognitive psychology researcher who has been writing about the science underlying Trump ’ s unshakable support since he began his presidential campaign , I have learned—through comments , emails , and discussion forums—that a significant portion of his supporters literally believe the president was an answer to their prayers .
He is regarded as something of a messiah , sent by God to protect a Christian nation .
As obvious as this might sound to some , it is something @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initially .
As someone who is not particularly religious , it did not occur to me that anyone might actually believe that a politician would be sent by an all-powerful supernatural deity to change the course of human history unless it was in a highly abstract or purely metaphorical sense .
It is simply not built into my hardwiring to see someone that way .
That kind of thinking is precisely why dangerous cult leaders are able to rise to prominence .
Nothing good can come from putting any single person on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , no one is free from bias , and no one is honest all of the time , no matter how hard they may strive to be .
Because of this fact of human nature , we must always scrutinize our leaders , and always question their decisions and motivations .
What makes a good president is their ability to survive our constant scrutiny and the scrutiny of the free press .
Through this process , which is critical , we can get a better sense of whether a politician is trying their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generally have Americans ’ best interests in mind .
I am not saying that Donald Trump does not have the bests interests of some groups of Americans in mind .
He has certainly done a lot to help the wealthy with tax cuts .
I ’ d like to believe that he genuinely wanted to make America safer from real threats , like ISIS and violent gangs such as MS-13 ( whether he has truly done so remains to be seen ) .
The problem with Trump is that his desire to win @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all else .
He surely knows that most Muslims and most immigrants are not dangerous and want to see America prosper .
But he quickly found out , through trying various strategies , that fear was effective as a political tool , especially for someone who lacks substance .
When he learned that , he quickly abandoned his morals and chose to demonize innocent people and to promote blatantly false conspiracy theories like # PizzaGate , which put lives in jeopardy .
When he chose to invent or exaggerate threats to take attention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the best interests of millions of Americans—particularly those who were not white and Christian .
Of course , this only served to further strengthen evangelicals ’ belief that he was their savior .
What is most ironic about it all , but I suppose not entirely unexpected , is the fact that Trump ’ s behavior and positions are far more un-Christ-like than those of the average politician on either side of the aisle .
The many infidelities , the lack of compassion for the less fortunate , the lewd comments , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ acts is a long one .
But because they believe he was an answer to their prayers , they are willing to excuse every bit of it .
It doesn ’ t matter if he confessed to grabbing women ’ s vaginas because “ when you ’ re a star , they let you do it .
You can do anything.
” When you believe that someone is truly a godsend , you can excuse anything .
It all becomes “ for the greater good.
” And when that happens , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power that would never be tolerated otherwise .
In previous articles , I predicted that Donald Trump would win the presidency and that the nationalist surge would sweep through rural America .
No , I am not an expert when it comes to politics , nor do I have psychic powers .
But I did have a crystal ball , and it ’ s called science .
By looking at the underlying neuroscience and psychology , I could make accurate predictions based on factors that many pundits and journalists were likely to overlook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how Trump was stoking fears could clearly see that he was creating mass hysteria and a solid fan base at the same time .
I ’ d like to make a new prediction , based on the psychology described above , although , like the others , I would sincerely prefer to be proved wrong .
I believe it is highly likely that more scandals involving the president will surface , likely as a result of the Mueller investigation , and they will be more damning than those from the past .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will not diminish Trump ’ s support .
He will result in even greater abuses of power to suppress the information or action against him , but none of that will matter to his base , who believes he is on a divine pursuit .
And it will be a clear demonstration of how quickly a group of people can be brought to a collective mental state under which they would follow their leader off a cliff .
Of course , not all Americans will continue to support Trump if he is disgraced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
There continues to be an anti-Trump movement within the conservative community .
These people must be commended , despite their fundamentalist views , because at least they have a consistent moral code that they stick to , even under intense pressure from their party ’ s majority .
As for his loyal base of supporters , we can only hope that when he falls from grace , which to me seems inevitable , they will realize that Trump was a false prophet and a con-man .
Unfortunately , as has been shown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charlatan is exposed , there will often be a few followers who continue to drink the Kool-Aid .
Bobby Azarian is a neuroscientist affiliated with George Mason University and a freelance journalist .
His research has been published in journals such as Cognition & Emotion and Human Brain Mapping , and he has written for The New York Times , The Atlantic , Psychology Today , and Scientific American .
Follow him on Twitter @ BobbyAzarian .

Psychologists have explained quite a lot about Donald Trump ’s political invincibility and the unconditional allegiance of his followers. One well-supported explanation is that the president keeps his base loyal by keeping them fearful. Through persistent fear-mongering, with scary messages like, “Illegal immigrants are murderers and rapists,” and “Islam hates us,” Trump gets to play the role of the great protector.
But there is another major reason why Trump loyalists do not waver no matter how he behaves or what scandals come to light. For most evangelicals, it is not only fear that keeps them in line, but it is also faith. As a cognitive psychology researcher who has been writing about the science underlying Trump’s unshakable support since he began his presidential campaign, I have learned—through comments, emails, and discussion forums—that a significant portion of his supporters literally believe the president was an answer to their prayers. He is regarded as something of a messiah, sent by God to protect a Christian nation.
As obvious as this might sound to some, it is something I did not give serious consideration to initially. As someone who is not particularly religious, it did not occur to me that anyone might actually believe that a politician would be sent by an all-powerful supernatural deity to change the course of human history unless it was in a highly abstract or purely metaphorical sense. It is simply not built into my hardwiring to see someone that way. That kind of thinking is precisely why dangerous cult leaders are able to rise to prominence. Nothing good can come from putting any single person on a spiritual pedestal. No one is infallible, no one is free from bias, and no one is honest all of the time, no matter how hard they may strive to be. Because of this fact of human nature, we must always scrutinize our leaders, and always question their decisions and motivations. What makes a good president is their ability to survive our constant scrutiny and the scrutiny of the free press. Through this process, which is critical, we can get a better sense of whether a politician is trying their best, and whether or not they generally have Americans’ best interests in mind.
I am not saying that Donald Trump does not have the bests interests of some groups of Americans in mind. He has certainly done a lot to help the wealthy with tax cuts. I’d like to believe that he genuinely wanted to make America safer from real threats, like ISIS and violent gangs such as MS-13 (whether he has truly done so remains to be seen). The problem with Trump is that his desire to win and amass power is a priority above all else. He surely knows that most Muslims and most immigrants are not dangerous and want to see America prosper. But he quickly found out, through trying various strategies, that fear was effective as a political tool, especially for someone who lacks substance. When he learned that, he quickly abandoned his morals and chose to demonize innocent people and to promote blatantly false conspiracy theories like #PizzaGate, which put lives in jeopardy. When he chose to invent or exaggerate threats to take attention away from personal scandals, he acted against the best interests of millions of Americans—particularly those who were not white and Christian.
Of course, this only served to further strengthen evangelicals’ belief that he was their savior. What is most ironic about it all, but I suppose not entirely unexpected, is the fact that Trump’s behavior and positions are far more un-Christ-like than those of the average politician on either side of the aisle. The many infidelities, the lack of compassion for the less fortunate, the lewd comments, the blatant lying—the list of ‘ungodly’ acts is a long one. But because they believe he was an answer to their prayers, they are willing to excuse every bit of it. It doesn’t matter if he confessed to grabbing women’s vaginas because “when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.”
When you believe that someone is truly a godsend, you can excuse anything. It all becomes “for the greater good.” And when that happens, it is a slippery slope to abuses of power that would never be tolerated otherwise.
In previous articles, I predicted that Donald Trump would win the presidency and that the nationalist surge would sweep through rural America. No, I am not an expert when it comes to politics, nor do I have psychic powers. But I did have a crystal ball, and it’s called science. By looking at the underlying neuroscience and psychology, I could make accurate predictions based on factors that many pundits and journalists were likely to overlook. Anyone who paid special attention to how Trump was stoking fears could clearly see that he was creating mass hysteria and a solid fan base at the same time.
I’d like to make a new prediction, based on the psychology described above, although, like the others, I would sincerely prefer to be proved wrong. I believe it is highly likely that more scandals involving the president will surface, likely as a result of the Mueller investigation, and they will be more damning than those from the past. But like those in the past, they will not diminish Trump’s support. He will result in even greater abuses of power to suppress the information or action against him, but none of that will matter to his base, who believes he is on a divine pursuit. And it will be a clear demonstration of how quickly a group of people can be brought to a collective mental state under which they would follow their leader off a cliff.
Of course, not all Americans will continue to support Trump if he is disgraced, and that should give us hope. There continues to be an anti-Trump movement within the conservative community. These people must be commended, despite their fundamentalist views, because at least they have a consistent moral code that they stick to, even under intense pressure from their party’s majority. As for his loyal base of supporters, we can only hope that when he falls from grace, which to me seems inevitable, they will realize that Trump was a false prophet and a con-man. Unfortunately, as has been shown in the past, even when a charlatan is exposed, there will often be a few followers who continue to drink the Kool-Aid.
Bobby Azarian is a neuroscientist affiliated with George Mason University and a freelance journalist. His research has been published in journals such as Cognition & Emotion and Human Brain Mapping, and he has written for The New York Times, The Atlantic, Psychology Today, and Scientific American. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyAzarian.


rawstory--2020-01-10--How 4 more years of Trump could send the U.S. down the path toward corrupt oligarchy

Now that we ’ ve entered an election year , there is a lot of speculation about what America could look like if Donald Trump gets another term , by hook or by crook .
As Trump uses a crisis he created in the Middle East to distract us from impeachment , increases his chances of reelection , and boosts the fortunes of his buddies in the Military-Industrial Complex , it ’ s important to understand how other demagogic leaders consolidate their power .
Steve Bannon has said that Hungary ’ s strongman prime minister Viktor Orbán was “ Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , my best friend Jerry Schneiderman and I spent the better part of a week sitting in outdoor cafes on the Buda side of the Danube River , eating extraordinary ( and cheap ! )
food , staying in a grand old hotel , and generally exploring Budapest .
Two months earlier , there had been massive pro-democracy demonstrations involving hundreds of thousands of people , demanding that the Soviet Union let Hungary go .
The summer we were there , over a quarter-million showed up in Heroes ’ Square for the reinterment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hero of the ill-fated 1956 rebellion against the USSR .
The final speaker was 26-year-old Viktor Orbán , a rising politician who would soon be a member of Parliament .
To an explosion of enthusiastic cheers , Orbán defied the Soviets ( the only speaker to overtly do so ) and openly called for “ the swift withdrawal of Russian troops.
” Nine months later , in March of 1990 , Hungary held its first real elections since 1945 ; in 1999 , it joined NATO ; and in 2004 , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In nine short years since he was elected in 2010 , Prime Minister Viktor Orbán , now fabulously wealthy by Hungarian standards and an oligarch himself , succeeded in transforming his nation ’ s government from a functioning European democracy into an autocratic and oligarchic regime of single-party rule .
Orbán took over the Fidesz Party , once a conventional “ conservative ” political party , with the theme of restoring “ Christian ” purity and making “ Hungary great again.
” His rallies regularly draw tens of thousands .
He campaigned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Hungary ’ s southern border , a promise he has largely kept .
He altered the nation ’ s Constitution to do what we ’ d call gerrymandering and voter suppression , ensuring that his party , Fidesz , would win more than two-thirds of the votes in pretty much every federal election well into the future .
He ’ s now packed the courts so thoroughly that legal challenges against him and his party go nowhere .
His party has rewritten grade school textbooks to say that refugees entering the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be problematic for different cultures to coexist.
” Using this logic , he has locked up refugee children in cages .
When the Hungarian Helsinki Committee said “ the indefinite detention of many vulnerable migrants , including families with small children , is cruel and inhuman , ” Orbán said the influx of Syrian refugees seeking asylum “ poses a security risk and endangers the continent ’ s Christian culture and identity.
” He added , “ Immigration brings increased crime , especially crimes against women , and lets in the virus of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before American Nazis rallied in Charlottesville and murdered Heather Heyer , a group of some 700 right-wing “ patriots ” held a torchlight parade that ended in front of the homes of Hungary ’ s largest minority group , chanting “ We will set your homes on fire !
” Orbán ’ s police watched without intervening .
In 2013 , Zsolt Bayer , one of the founders of Orbán ’ s party , had called the Roma “ animals… unfit to live among people.
” Orbán refused to condemn him or the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracts to his favored few , elevating an entire new class of pro-Orbán businesspeople who are in the process of cementing control of the nation ’ s economy , as those who opposed him have lost their businesses , been forced to sell their companies , and often fled the country .
Virtually the entire nation ’ s press is now in the hands of oligarchs and corporations loyal to him , with talk radio and television across the country singing his praises daily .
Billboards and social media proclaim his patriotism .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to purchase media across the rest of Europe to spread his right-wing message .
Last year he began dismantling the Hungarian Science Academy , replacing or simply firing scientists who acknowledge climate change , which he has called “ left-wing trickery made up by Barack Obama.
” The world , in particular the EU , has watched this nine-year political nightmare with increasing alarm , and even the EU ’ s 2015 and 2018 attempts to essentially impeach Orbán have backfired , increasing his two reelection margins as his handmaids in the media @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ deep state ” and meddling foreigners , particularly George Soros ( who , ironically , once paid for a young Orbán to study in Britain ) .
While he blasts Soros and his own country ’ s Jewish leaders with anti-Semitic tropes , he was feted by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu , who called him “ a true friend of Israel.
” Orbán replied , “ A Hungarian patriot and a Jewish Israeli patriot will always find something in common.
” In May , the same month Rudy Giuliani said he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Joe Biden was corrupt , Donald Trump invited Orbán to the White House for a state visit ; Orbán has been one of Trump ’ s two primary sources of information about how Ukraine opposed or tried to sabotage the U.S. president .
In a rally three months before his White House meeting , Orbán said that countries that accept refugees are producing “ mixed-race nations.
” Orbán is now back in Hungary , ruthlessly using his own nation ’ s diplomatic and criminal justice systems to aid foreign criminal oligarchs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bill Barr and Mike Pompeo .
Before you say , “ It can ’ t happen here , ” you may want to make a trip to Budapest .
Thom Hartmann is a talk-show host and the author of The Hidden History of the War on Voting and more than 25 other books in print .
His most recent project is a science podcast called The Science Revolution .
He is a writing fellow at the Independent Media Institute .
This article was produced by Economy for All , a project of the @ @ @ @

Thom Hartmann, Independent Media Institute


rawstory--2020-01-10--Wall Street superpower Goldman Sachs just set up a new Cayman Island company — and they have a plan

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Goldman Sachs , the behemoth Wall Street investment bank whose former president was Trump ’ s top economic adviser , claims it isn ’ t connected to a company that bears its name .
The two businesses also share the same offices , the same phone number and some of the same employees .
Goldman Sachs Renewable Power Marketing LLC is seeking federal approval to sell electricity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge more than the actual cost to produce power .
“ Our findings raise a host of questions about what Goldman Sachs is doing and what else it isn ’ t reporting , ” said Tyson Slocum of Public Citizen which is protesting to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission .
Slocum said that if Goldman Sachs can successfully claim not to be affiliated with the LLC it can get higher profits .
Congressional investigators held hearings in 2014 into banks , including Goldman Sachs , that were competing directly with commercial businesses in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suppliers the Goldman Sachs LLC is working with include solar farms running on the transmission system of PG & E , the California company that filed for bankruptcy because of $ 30 billion in liabilities from wildfires .
Carl Levin , the former chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations , warned in 2014 that mega-bank investments in electricity and other energy markets mean that the banks could be liable for catastrophes and environmental problems .
Levin said this could roil the economy much as the housing market did in 2008 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ could undermine a bank or spur fears that it might fail , sparking a bank run , a shutdown of lending , and turmoil in the U.S. economy , ” Levin said .
The Goldman Sachs LLC turned to the Cayman Islands , one of the world ’ s most notorious tax havens , for three directors who it claimed are independent of the Goldman Sachs Group .
The directors – Andrew Galloway of ICG Management Ltd. , Andrew Johnson of Circumference FS and John Lewis of HighWater Ltd. – are directors at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sachs Group .
Goldman Sachs alums who have worked for Trump include Gary Cohn , the former National Economic Council director , and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin .
Goldman has a long history of supplying top-level government officials , whichever party is in the White House .
Public Citizen said Goldman Sachs ’ links to shell companies raises questions about whether Goldman Sachs is complying with Federal Reserve reporting obligations and Securities and Exchange Commission reporting requirements .
Another mega-bank , JPMorgan Chase , unsuccessfully argued in a similar scheme that it wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up to buy an energy utility .
In 2013 , JPMorgan was fined $ 410 million to settle charges of manipulating electric power markets .
“ I think some lawyers working for Wall Street developed what they think is a grand loophole to conceal their bank ’ s involvement in ownership and control over various energy infrastructure assets , ” Slocum said .
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rawstory--2020-01-10--The newest Trump administration effort to support the failing coal industry could result in another

The newest Trump administration effort to support the failing coal industry could result in another catastrophe

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Utilities soon could get federal approval for the riskiest way to get rid of coal ash .
The latest Trump EPA proposal to prop up the financially struggling coal industry would make water supplies more vulnerable to the ash , the toxic remnants of burning coal .
A report from the Environmental Integrity Project warns that the enduring legacy of coal ash will be groundwater pollution such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is threatened .
The EPA proposal to set up a permit program to dispose of coal ash applies in Native American territory and states except two .
Oklahoma and Georgia have set up their own permit programs .
The Oklahoma program , which allows dumping in unlined ponds unless they leak , is being litigated .
Coal-burning power plants produce about 100 million tons of coal ash yearly .
Arsenic , lead and mercury lace the ash .
Companies mixed the ash with water and stored it in unlined pits called coal ash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including 130 million gallons of coal ash and water being released into the Clinch River near Cleveland , Va. , in 1967 .
The spill killed an estimated 217,000 fish and damaged the river for 35 years .
In 2014 , a break in a pond at Duke Energy ’ s plant in Eden , N.C. , sent 27 million gallons of sludge into the Dan River .
Jenny Cassel , an attorney for Earthjustice , said the language in the proposed Trump regulations would allow utilities to seek permits to continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more frequently than landfills .
The Environmental Integrity Project found that 92 percent of plants with regulated ponds have at least one that leaks .
Also , 76 percent of plants with regulated landfills have at least one leaking landfill .
Researchers found the groundwater often has unsafe levels of four or more pollutants .
They included arsenic , which causes cancers , and lithium , which can cause kidney damage and birth defects .
The levels of contamination at many sites are hundreds of times greater than what could be considered safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wells at New Castle Generating Station in West Pittsburg , part of TaylorTownship , Pa. , and Allen Fossil Plant near Memphis , Tenn. , have enough arsenic to cause cancer in one out of six people .
The contaminated groundwater near Memphis is connected to the aquifer that supplies the drinking water for Memphis .
About a third of coal ash ponds are within five miles of a public drinking water intake or reservoir .
About 80 percent are within five miles of a drinking water well .
Obama administration regulations would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until they showed statistically significant evidence of contamination .
In August 2018 , the Court of Appeal for the D.C .
Circuit threw out this part of the law , writing that many of the 575 known unlined ponds are likely to contaminate groundwater .
The Trump EPA recently proposed that unlined ponds stop accepting coal ash by Aug. 31 .
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rawstory--2020-01-10--Trump leaves us with more questions than answers on Iran

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Days after the assassination of Qassim Suleimani and a would-be Iranian retribution , Donald Trump took to the White House lectern and ducked saying whether we were going to war or standing down .
Indeed , he gave us a bigger bunch of questions , not answers .
Other than insisting that Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon , we got no sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understandable strategy that works for military , international , congressional or general American audiences .
Instead , Trump looked back , ridiculing former President Barack Obama , incorrectly and almost as a tic , for negotiating a “ foolish ” nuclear agreement with Iran .
Trump recited a laundry list of past bad acts by Suleimani and Iran , and basically called out America ’ s European allies for not joining in with him more fully .
There was nothing about “ imminent ” threat , nothing about whether we have ruled out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Meanwhile , Ayatollah Ali Khamenei , Iran ’ s Supreme Leader , said , “ Last night they received a slap .
These military actions are not sufficient ( for revenge ) .
What is important is that the corrupt presence of America in this region comes to an end.
” Still , the ayatollah didn ’ t rule out continued use of missiles by proxy militias and Iran-leaning organizations in the state .
Moreover , Trump offered no information to indicate that any “ imminent ” threat by Suleimani has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with his deputy of 20 years .
Trump and the ayatollah have left me confused .
Are we “ de-escalating , ” as Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo say on one day , or increasing our pressures to answer all retaliations , as Trump says the next ?
Did Iran launch missiles that deliberately missed American troops as a message – and are we accepting that as a gesture ?
Are Trump , the Iraqis and the ayatollah agreeing that U.S. troops should leave Iraq ?
Is anything clearer today than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of what we ’ re hearing from either side ?
Have we lost the point of all the pushing and pulling ?
The major issue here is not missiles or military behavior , it is not what more to squeeze from yet more economic sanctions , it is not even the White House attempt to squash Congress .
It is trust and credibility .
To listen to Trump , there is only one way here – for Iran , allies , Congress and lots of others .
It is to bow to whatever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced a major diplomatic effort , starting with allowing the Iranian foreign minister to enter the country to go to the United Nations , it ’ s not even clear that we know what the point would be , other than total capitulation by Iran to whatever terms the United States might demand .
In the background here , we ’ re left still dealing with lots of unresolved questions and the tensions created by uncertainty .
We probably all can agree that to a certain extent , both Trump and the ayatollah @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – for their respective domestic audiences .
The ayatollah and Iranian officials wanted to signal to the millions who filled the streets to protest or mourn after the killing of Suleimani ; Trump wanted to present a show of strength .
Instead , we have more questions .
What did trigger the assassination effort over the objections of the U.S. military , other than a gut response by an impulsive Trump ?
Why is U.S. Intelligence now wonderful , when last week they represented the anti-Trump “ Deep State ” ?
Does the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do Democrats questioning Trump ’ s authority have a realistic and important constitutional question here ?
Are we abandoning future fighting against thousands of ISIS members now that we have “ defeated ” the caliphate ?
Weren ’ t we just announcing a need to have U.S. troops protect Iraqi oil facilities ?
What is our role in defending Saudis and Israelis from attacks from Iran ’ s military proxies ?
What are the roles of Russia and China in the Middle East , and are we Americans withdrawing altogether ?
What is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iranians to re-engage with negotiation toward a new nuclear weapons ban ?
Until these last couple of weeks , Iran pretty much lived within the constraints of the nuclear agreements to limit development of nuclear weapons .
Now Iran says it can go ahead and start processing enriched uranium once again without limit .
Once again , we learn that red hats are not going to provide clarity in complex situations .
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rawstory--2020-01-10--Buckingham Palace scrambles after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce bombshell plan

The British monarchy scrambled Thursday to find urgent “ workable solutions ” for Prince Harry and his wife Meghan after their bombshell decision to quit front-line duties caught the royal family off guard .
Queen Elizabeth II , heir to the throne Prince Charles and his eldest son Prince William , Harry ’ s brother , have ordered their aides to work with Harry ’ s household and Prime Minister Boris Johnson ’ s government to come up with swift answers to the royal crisis .
“ The Queen , the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pace with government and the Sussex household to find workable solutions , ” a Buckingham Palace source said , according to multiple British media outlets .
This process is “ expected to take days , not weeks ” , the source added .
Harry and Meghan , the Duke and Duchess of Sussex , rocked the monarchy on Wednesday with an announcement made without consulting any senior royals from the sovereign downwards .
The couple said they would now “ balance ” their time between Britain and North America , rip up long-established @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial independence .
They released their shock statement on a pre-prepared new website , their Instagram account and through Buckingham Palace ’ s email communications system .
An hour and 40 minutes later , the palace , seemingly rattled , issued a brief statement of its own , saying discussions were at an early stage and involved “ complicated issues ” .
The mood in the palace was understood to be one of disappointment and even “ hurt ” , according to the BBC , while Thursday ’ s newspapers were full of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the queen ’ s “ dismay ” .
London ’ s Evening Standard newspaper said they had “ defied clear instructions from the queen ” not to go public about any future plans at this time .
It added senior courtiers had warned the couple “ will be punished for this ” .
Meanwhile Madame Tussauds London said it was moving its waxworks of the pair away from other top family figures “ to reflect the upcoming change in the royal line-up ” .
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said Harry and Meghan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s blessing was “ extraordinary ” .
“ This is symptomatic , clearly , of the fact that they are unhappy with royal roles and feel deeply pressurised , ” he told AFP .
“ They ’ ve chosen to… go rogue .
The result , therefore , could have very serious consequences.
” The couple ’ s decision follows a turbulent year , in which they admitted to struggling in the spotlight , and growing apart from William .
They have also lashed out at negative news coverage and taken several @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We intend to step back as ‘ senior ’ members of the royal family and work to become financially independent , while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen , ” they said .
“ We have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution.
” Meanwhile on their new website , they said they would no longer work with the royal rota — a well-established system whereby media access is facilitated and the press take turns covering events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pair will attempt to invite only “ specialist ” , “ grassroots ” , “ credible ” and “ young , up-and-coming ” media to events .
Royal analysts said the changes were unprecedented for senior family members .
“ We would have them as members of the royal family carrying out some official duties but also operating privately as well , and there isn ’ t really a precedent for that , ” said expert Victoria Murphy .
Britons passing Buckingham Palace on Thursday appeared surprised at the news .
“ They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and I think that they need to meet that challenge , ” said Roger Sainsbury , a member of the armed forces .
Harry , 35 , and Meghan , 38 , are among the core members of the royal family and — along with William and his wife Kate — are seen as embodying the monarchy ’ s future .
They spent six weeks over Christmas in Canada after speaking of the pressure of being in the spotlight following their fairytale wedding at Windsor Castle in May 2018 and son Archie ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ skipped the royal family ’ s traditional Christmas at Sandringham , the sovereign ’ s private estate in eastern England , spending the festive season instead with Meghan ’ s US mother Doria Ragland .
Rumours that all was not well with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex surfaced in October when Harry — sixth in line to the throne — admitted that he and William were “ on different paths ” and had good and bad days in their relationship .
Asked whether she was “ not really OK ” and if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” after becoming a mother and living under intense media scrutiny , Meghan appeared emotional and replied simply : “ Yes .
”


rawstory--2020-01-10--HBO ‘Succession’ producer warns the GOP about the end of Trump’s ‘cult’: ‘There’s going to be a reck

HBO ‘Succession’ producer warns the GOP about the end of Trump’s ‘cult’: ‘There’s going to be a reckoning’

Republican elected officials were warned on MSNBC on Thursday night that President Donald Trump ’ s “ cult ” would end and they would pay “ a reputational price forever.
” Lawrence O ’ Donnell interviewed journalist Frank Rich , the executive producer of HBO ’ s “ Veep ” and “ Succession ” series about a recent essay published at New York magazine , where Rich works as a writer-at-large .
The essay was headlined , “ What Will Happen to The Trump Toadies ?
Look to Nixon ’ s defenders , and the Vichy collaborators , for clues.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ point whoever goes to jail or doesn ’ t go to jail , whatever crimes are found out now or in the course of the Trump presidency is nothing compared to what ’ s been buried that none of us know about , ” Rich told O ’ Donnell .
“ And people are going to be turning over rocks for decades.
” He noted cult leaders never stick around long , but their actions haunt the lives of their followers .
“ They will never see the problems with their ways , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and were taken in , they ’ re going to pay a price , a human price and a reputational price forever , ” Rich predicted .


rawstory--2020-01-10--Kushner’s White House role is both ‘all-powerful and make-believe’ as he focuses on Trump’s re-elect

Kushner’s White House role is both ‘all-powerful and make-believe’ as he focuses on Trump’s re-election: NYT

Senior White House advisor Jared Kushner ’ s evolving role in working for his father-in-law , the president of the United States , was highlighted Donald Trump ’ s recent confrontation with Iran , The New York Times reported Thursday evening .
“ When senior administration officials gathered in the Situation Room on Tuesday for a meeting to discuss the repercussions of the killing of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani , Vice President Mike Pence had a seat at the table .
So did Robert O ’ Brien , the national security adviser , and Mark T. Esper , the defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose portfolio is the Middle East was notably absent from the meeting , ” the newspaper reported .
Where was Kushner during the life-and-death standoff ?
“ Jared Kushner , President Trump ’ s son-in-law and senior adviser , was sitting for a photo shoot for a planned Time magazine cover story , ” the newspaper reported .
“ He was also absent from the Situation Room later in the day when it was clear Iran was launching an attack on American forces and the same officials rush backed , joined by Mr. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mulvaney , the acting chief of staff , and Stephanie Grisham , the press secretary , ” The Times explained .
“ Over the past two weeks , Mr. Kushner has had little visible part in what has been Mr. Trump ’ s most high-stakes moment as commander in chief , the starkest example of how much his role in the White House is changing as the Trump presidency enters its fourth year.
” The newspaper reported Kushner is “ positioning himself to be the overseer ” of Trump ’ s 2020 re-election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kushner is trying to run his father-in-law ’ s re-election campaign out of his taxpayer-funded office in the White House .
“ Unlike the behind-the-scenes role he played in the 2016 campaign — where he was seen as a key figure but , campaign aides said , never took a title and avoided blame — Mr. Kushner is positioning himself now as the person officially overseeing the entire campaign from his office in the West Wing , organizing campaign meetings and making decisions about staffing and spending , ” the newspaper reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” status that functions outside of any formal chain of command has given him a role that seems simultaneously all-powerful and make-believe , ” The Times reported .


rawstory--2020-01-10--Congress ‘ought to have the courage to vote’: Matt Gaetz joins Democrats on War Powers resolution

US lawmakers concerned about rushing to war with Iran adopted a measure Thursday aimed at reining in President Donald Trump ’ s ability to take military action against the Islamic republic .
The resolution was introduced by Democrats after Trump ’ s order to kill an Iranian commander and retaliatory missile strikes by Tehran dramatically escalated tensions and raised fears of a devastating war between the two foes .
The mostly symbolic but politically charged vote , 224 to 194 , was largely along party lines , with three members of Trump ’ s Republican Party joining Democrats in approving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in military action against Iran unless authorized by Congress .
Among them was Matt Gaetz , one of Trump ’ s staunchest supporters in Congress who noted in a floor speech that the measure did not criticize Trump , but said that “ engaging in another forever war in the Middle East would be the wrong decision.
” “ If the members of our armed services have the courage to go and fight and die in these wars , as Congress we ought to have the courage to vote for them or against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawmakers launched a scalding day-long debate over presidential authority , Trump insisted he needs no one ’ s blessing to launch attacks , essentially scorning existing legal requirements for consulting with Congress .
“ I don ’ t have to , ” Trump said when asked whether he would seek congressional approval for more military action against Iran .
“ And you shouldn ’ t have to , ” he added , “ because you have to make split-second decisions sometimes.
” Trump signaled Wednesday he was stepping back from the brink of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strike that killed commander Qasem Soleimani was followed by Iranian missile volleys against bases housing American forces in Iraq .
But on Thursday he fought back against criticism that he ’ d ordered the killing , risking all-out conflict , without real justification .
At a reelection campaign rally in Toledo , Ohio , Trump insisted , without providing any evidence , that Soleimani was “ actively planning new attacks , ” including against US embassies , “ and we stopped him cold.
” He ridiculed his Democratic opponents in Congress , calling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had consulted with them they would have leaked the secret operation to the “ fake news.
” “ You should get permission from Congress , ” he said mockingly to mimic the Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives , Nancy Pelosi .
But Democrats , and some Republicans , have expressed deep skepticism about the administration ’ s rationale for Soleimani ’ s killing , and are demanding Congress reassert its power over a commander in chief ’ s use of American military might against another nation .
Citing the War @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president from taking the country to war without congressional approval , the measure “ directs the president to terminate the use of United States armed forces to engage in hostilities in or against Iran or any part of its government or military.
” But the text also provides for key exceptions , allowing use of force to defend against or prevent an “ imminent ” attack against Americans .
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi , speaking to reporters about the resolution , said Trump “ must de-escalate and must prevent further violence .
America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The House measure was introduced as a concurrent resolution , a form of legislation that does not carry the weight of law .
But as a political instrument it could serve as a rebuke to Trump ’ s foreign policy .
Top House Republican Kevin McCarthy blasted Pelosi ’ s effort as a “ show vote ” because it can not become law and will therefore “ never limit ( Trump ’ s ) constitutional authority to defend the American people.
” Pelosi said her Democrats were moving forward because their concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lawmakers Wednesday by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and other top officials .
Democrats have introduced a similar war powers resolution in the Senate , where it faces a steep climb as Republicans hold a 53-47 majority .
Two Senate Republicans , Mike Lee and Rand Paul , announced support for the Senate version , suggesting the vote , as early as next week , could be razor-thin .
The pair emerged from the top-secret briefing saying administration officials provided no acceptable rationale for killing Soleimani or specific evidence of imminent threats @ @ @ @ @ @ @ insulting ” step of discouraging questions about military policy .
“ To come in and tell us that we can ’ t debate and discuss the appropriateness of military intervention against Iran ?
It ’ s un-American , it ’ s unconstitutional , and it ’ s wrong , ” Lee told reporters .
During House debate , Democrat Ayanna Pressley rejected what many Republicans described as Trump ’ s inherent military authority , and demanded forthrightness from the administration about reasons for sending US troops into battle .
“ We can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another war , ” she said .


rawstory--2020-01-10--‘The bottom has fallen out’: Preet Bharara slams Republican for claiming Democrats love terrorists

On Thursday ’ s edition of CNN ’ s “ Anderson Cooper 360 , ” former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara raged against Rep. Doug Collins for his claim that Democrats who question the strike on Iranian general Qassim Suleimani love terrorists .
“ That ’ s the kind of thing somebody might yell drunk in a bar somewhere , ” said Cooper .
“ This guy is a pastor , who has served , I believe , one tour in Iraq … in the Air Force and in the Navy prior to that in the 80s .
I assume [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who were Democrats .
And he ’ s saying Democrats love terrorists.
” “ I think that the bottom has fallen out , ” said Bharara .
“ It would be one thing if it ’ s in the heat of argument and then you step back and you apologize for it .
I ’ m waiting for an apology … but he says the thing he says , and I don ’ t know that he has any contrition about it at all .
Just say , you know what , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I shouldn ’ t have said it.
” “ If there ’ s one thing we can agree on , it should be that everyone in America , Democrat or Republican or independent , does not like terrorism , because we ’ re all victims of it , ” continued Bharara .
“ When terrorists target Americans , they target Americans , they don ’ t target Democrats or Republicans .
And when the families grieve , they don ’ t grieve as Democrats or Republicans , they grieve as Americans.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a United States Attorney was to keep the homeland safe and prosecute terrorists , ” added Bharara .
“ Ours was the office , when I was U.S. Attorney , that prosecuted the plot that was overseen and orchestrated by Suleimani and the Quds force to assassinate the sitting Saudi ambassador to the United States at a restaurant called Cafe Milano in D.C .
So maybe that ’ s why I took more umbrage , as someone who prosecuted terrorism and know the good men and women whose party affiliations I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ casually and blithely on TV , to score a cheap political point , that Democrats love terrorists .
It was just too much .
”


rawstory--2020-01-10--‘Bone Saw Arabia says hi’: Trump ridiculed for claiming he ‘will never make excuses for America’s en

‘Bone Saw Arabia says hi’: Trump ridiculed for claiming he ‘will never make excuses for America’s enemies’

President Donald Trump lashed out at Democrats during a campaign rally in Toledo , Ohio on Thursday .
During the @ @ @ @ @ the assassination he ordered against Iranian General Qassim Suleimani , claimed to be responsible for @ @ @ @ @ demonstrated his cluelessness about American history .
Following his rally , Trump continued to rage @ @ @ @ @ my administration , we will NEVER make excuses for America ’ s enemies – we @ @ @ @ @ American lives – and we will never stop working to defeat Radical Islamic Terrorism !
@ @ @ @ @ number of internet users took issue with his pledge .
Here ’ s some of @ @ @ @ @


rawstory--2020-01-10--Watch Trump’s hilarious flub about Ohio — made while he was campaigning in the key battleground stat

Watch Trump’s hilarious flub about Ohio — made while he was campaigning in the key battleground state

President Donald Trump campaigned in the battleground state of Ohio on Thursday as he seeks to again win the state @ @ @ @ @ during his 2020 re-election campaign .
While campaigning in Ohio , Trump argued that nobody @ @ @ @ @ .
The 1810 U.S. Census concluded 230,760 people lived there , with that number growing @ @ @ @ @ And as journalist Aaron Rupar noted on Twitter , Ohio became a state in 1803 @ @ @ @ @ Archeologists estimate that Ohio has been inhabited for approximately 15,000 years .


rawstory--2020-01-10--Trump claims he sparked a religious revival — weeks after evangelical writers called for his impeach

Trump claims he sparked a religious revival — weeks after evangelical writers called for his impeachment

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Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston ’ s DCReport , which we 've expanded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water .
We ’ ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans , and efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses .
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rawstory--2020-01-10--Here’s how Nancy Pelosi outsmarted Mitch McConnell over impeachment rules despite an ‘amazingly weak

Here’s how Nancy Pelosi outsmarted Mitch McConnell over impeachment rules despite an ‘amazingly weak hand’

On Thursday , former Clinton White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart broke down for CNN anchor Erin Burnett how , despite Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell ( R-KY ) seemingly on the brink of passing partisan rules to rig the Senate impeachment trial , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) outstrategized him — and left his Republican caucus vulnerable .
“ Here ’ s the thing , Joe , ” said Burnett .
“ People close to Mitch McConnell say at this point , Republicans are united .
That they ’ re not going to vote right up front @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the deal .
We would see what would happen a week in , as you point out .
Lisa Murkowski , moderate Republican , she ’ s one of the people they would need to vote for witnesses .
She said today it was frustrating that the articles haven ’ t been delivered .
Now look , we wouldn ’ t even know John Bolton was willing to testify and would appear if it weren ’ t for Nancy Pelosi holding the articles .
That is true .
Is it true , though @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to themselves with people like Murkowski by waiting so long ?
” “ I don ’ t think so , ” said Lockhart .
“ In fact they ’ ve only been back a week .
Pelosi had an amazingly weak hand she played to maximum advantage .
She has brought focus on this trial as not , will we be hearing the same thing over and over again , about what the president did from the same voices and depositions .
She ’ s made this about , will John Bolton testify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s a victory for her.
” “ Democrats were never going to get the votes for [ Minority Leader Chuck ] Schumer ’ s plan at the outset .
Their game is to have the White House come in , ” added Lockhart .
“ And remember , up until now , the main defense of the White House is , there ’ s no first-hand corroboration that the president was involved in any of this .
And all the Democrats have to do is continually raise their hand and say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corroboration .
”


rawstory--2020-01-10--Trump politicized Suleimani assassination — and lied about Democrats — during campaign rally in Tole

Trump politicized Suleimani assassination — and lied about Democrats — during campaign rally in Toledo

President Donald Trump politicized his assassination of Iranian General Qassim Suleimani during a 2020 re-election campaign rally in Toledo , @ @ @ @ @ Bernie Sanders ( I-VT ) , Speaker Nancy Pelosi ( D-CA ) — who he @ @ @ @ @ Nancy ” — during his speech .
Without offering any evidence , Trump argued that @ @ @ @ @ of the attack to the “ fake news ” media .
“ That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ there , ” Trump said , pointing to the press corps .


rawstory--2020-01-10--Trump’s DOJ quietly ends two-year fishing expedition on the Clintons — and admits it found nothing

On Thursday , the Washington Post reported that the Department of Justice is quietly winding down a two-year probe into @ @ @ @ @ that “ nothing of consequence ” was found to suggest they had committed any sort @ @ @ @ @ probe , conducted by U.S. Attorney John Huber , began as an attempt by former @ @ @ @ @ satisfy Republicans who had been clamoring for President Donald Trump to fulfill one of his @ @ @ @ @ her up.
” Huber focused in particular on the debunked right-wing conspiracy theory that Hillary @ @ @ @ @ sale of a Canadian uranium company operating in the United States to the Russian government @ @ @ @ @ from its board to her family ’ s charitable foundation .
In reality , Clinton @ @ @ @ @ power over the sale , and the donor to the Clinton Foundation had sold his @ @ @ @ @ before the deal .
But Republicans still did everything they could to turn Uranium One @ @ @ @ @ ’ supposed corruption .


rawstory--2020-01-11--‘The cover-up will be televised’: NYT columnist reveals the flaw in the GOP’s impeachment strategy

Cracks emerged in Donald Trump ’ s Republican stonewall when Sen. Susan Collins ( R-ME ) announced she was working with a “ small group ” of GOP senators who want to allow witnesses to testify during the president ’ s impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate .
For analysis , MSNBC anchor Ari Melber interviewed New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg on Friday .
“ And Michelle , the other thing I want to ask you about is the way that Donald Trump ’ s defenders double-down on everything doesn ’ t always work , ” Melber noted .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ may get attention , but this is a process whereby whether you lose a few Senate votes can change , as we have discussed with who testified , and so I wonder if you think just as we saw in Iran , some of that didn ’ t work , and Republican senators pushed back , we ’ re seeing that with Collins here.
” The host wondered if the approach taken by Sen. Lindsey Graham ( R-SC ) had backfired .
“ Do you think that some of Trump ’ s defenders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have actually pushed Collins in the other direction ?
” Melber asked .
Goldberg said that three years into the Trump administration , she was no longer , “ expecting any kind of decency or consistency from any Republicans .
Really , I ’ m pleasantly surprised that Collins said she ’ s going to fight for witnesses , and a small group is all you need , given the makeup of the Senate .
I ’ m not counting on it.
” She explained the political implications for Republicans not allowing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that at the very least , this cover-up will be televised , right , the process of the cover-up , ” Goldberg said .
“ The arguments against letting the country hear from , you know , hear from John Bolton and hear from Mick Mulvaney — hear from Rudy Giuliani , for that matter , who seems to want to testify , ” she explained .
“ You know , at least that will be public at the very , very least , right , so that the country can hear about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them to hear , ” Goldberg concluded .


rawstory--2020-01-10--Trump’s DOJ asks SCOTUS to delay – until after election – decision that would make millions uninsure

Trump’s DOJ asks SCOTUS to delay – until after election – decision that would make millions uninsured

Even while promising to protect popular aspects of the Affordable Care Act behind the scenes President Donald Trump and his @ @ @ @ @ work trying to kill ObamaCare .
The Dept .
of Justice is supporting a lawsuit @ @ @ @ @ state attorneys general that has already received a ruling finding the individual mandate is unconstitutional @ @ @ @ @ the court to declare the entire law – all of ObamaCare – unconstitutional .
Now @ @ @ @ @ the Supreme Court , but the Trump administration knows if it kills the now-popular health @ @ @ @ @ predecessor ’ s name , they will lose the support of millions whose lives literally @ @ @ @ @ on Friday the U.S. Dept .
of Justice under Attorney General Bill Barr asked the @ @ @ @ @ if it will hear the case , so any subsequent ruling would be handed down @ @ @ @ @ election .
Word is just getting out .

David Badash, The New Civil Rights Movement


rawstory--2020-01-10--737 MAX was ‘designed by clowns’ who were ‘supervised by monkeys’: Boeing rocked by ‘damning’ emails

Boeing employees bantered about whether the 737 MAX was safe to fly and joked that the aircraft was “ designed by clowns who in turn are supervised by monkeys , ” according to emails released late Thursday .
“ Would you put your family on a MAX simulator trained aircraft ?
I wouldn ’ t , ” a Boeing employee wrote to a colleague in one newly-released exchange conducted about eight months before the first of two fatal MAX crashes .
The communications , released by Boeing following their disclosure to lawmakers and regulators , raised fresh questions about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis mode since March following a pair of MAX crashes that claimed 346 lives and grounded the company ’ s best-selling plane .
Adding to the problems , a top MAX supplier , Spirit AeroSystems , announced Friday it will lay off 2,800 employees , and possibly more , after Boeing halted production of the top-selling plane , and the Federal Aviation Administration proposed a $ 5.4 million civil fine on Boeing for installing defective parts on the MAX .
The latest disclosures could complicate efforts by Boeing to win FAA approval to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amplify calls in Congress for more profound steps to address company culture after the aerospace giant ousted its chief executive in December .
The new emails — called “ incredibly damning ” by one top lawmaker — come on the heels of a shock exchange publicly disclosed in October in which a Boeing pilot called a flight handling system implicated in the two crashes “ egregious.
” In late December , after months in crisis mode , Boeing pushed out its embattled chief executive , Dennis Muilenburg , in part due to tensions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longtime board member David Calhoun , who is set to take over Monday .
Boeing disclosed late Friday that Muilenburg will not receive a severance payment or bonus awards for 2019 .
The company ’ s share price dropped 1.9 percent to close Friday at $ 329.92 , the biggest loser in the Dow .
The latest exchanges happened as Boeing was working to persuade the FAA that pilots would not need simulator training to fly the new MAX , arguing that training on computer tablets would be sufficient .
“ I still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the covering up I did last year , ” one employee wrote in a message from 2018 in reference to dealings with the FAA .
“ I know but this is what these regulators get when they try and get in the way .
They impede progress , ” another wrote in August 2015 .
“ This airplane is designed by clowns , who in turn are supervised by monkeys , ” another employee said in 2017 , apparently in reference to the FAA .
Boeing apologized for the tone of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to congressional investigators in the interest of transparency .
“ We regret the content of these communications , and apologize to the FAA , Congress , our airline customers , and to the flying public for them , ” the company said “ We have made significant changes as a company to enhance our safety processes , organizations , and culture , ” the company said , adding that it will ultimately take “ disciplinary or other personnel action.
” And despite jokes about problems with MAX simulators , “ we are confident @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simulators are functioning effectively , ” the statement said .
The FAA called the language in the documents “ disappointing , ” the emails did not reveal any new safety risks .
“ Our first priority is safety , and we have set no timeframe for when the work will be completed , ” an FAA spokesman said .
Representative Peter DeFazio , the Oregon Democrat leading the House investigation of the MAX , called the emails “ incredibly damning.
” “ They paint a deeply disturbing picture of the lengths Boeing was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to evade scrutiny from regulators , flight crews and the flying public.
” Robert Clifford , who represents family members of victims , said employees in the exchanges demonstrate “ a lack of concern for human life is beyond cold-heartedness , ” adding that the company ’ s conduct “ goes far beyond negligence.
” Boeing on Tuesday reversed its earlier position and endorsed simulator training for MAX pilots prior to resuming flights , a change likely to further delay the aircraft ’ s return to the skies .
In another development late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5.4 million penalty against Boeing for allegedly installing parts on 178 MAX aircraft that did not meet quality standards .
Boeing allegedly failed to adequately oversee its suppliers on the parts and “ knowingly submitted ” the aircraft for certification , the FAA said .
The FAA company last month announced a $ 3.9 million fine on Boeing for the same issue involving some 737 NGs , a predecessor to the MAX .


rawstory--2020-01-10--Duchess Meghan Markle returns to Canada — and may ‘stay there for the foreseeable future’: report

Prince Harry ’ s wife Meghan has returned to Canada following the couple ’ s bombshell announcement that they were quitting their frontline royal duties , it emerged Friday , as the monarch held urgent talks with her family to resolve the crisis .
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent an extended Christmas holiday in Canada with their son before returning to break the news this week that they would “ step back ” from their royal roles .
The Daily Mail newspaper reported that Meghan flew back on Thursday , having never intended to be in Britain long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the foreseeable future.
” “ I can confirm reports that the duchess is in Canada , ” the couple ’ s spokeswoman told AFP , without confirming the Mail ’ s report that Harry was likely to join his wife and eight-month-old son in Canada shortly .
Several Canadian media reported Meghan had returned to Vancouver island off the country ’ s Pacific coast , where the family spent the year-end holidays and where baby Archie had remained with his nanny .
Senior royals were caught off guard by Wednesday ’ s announcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ progressive new role ” and divide their time between Britain and North America .
In Washington , President Donald Trump weighed in , telling Fox News that he found the spat “ sad.
” “ I just have such respect for the queen .
I don ’ t think this should be happening , ” he said .
Queen Elizabeth II ’ s office issued a terse statement the same evening , saying there were “ complicated issues that will take time to work through ” .
But a palace source on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work “ at pace ” with Meghan and Harry and the government “ to find workable solutions ” .
The process was expected to take “ days , not weeks ” , the source said .
Media reports said the queen held a series of calls on Thursday involving Harry , his brother Prince William and their father Prince Charles , the heir to the throne .
Harry and Meghan said they intended to continue to “ fully support ” the queen and “ collaborate ” with senior royals .
They also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ queen ’ s Windsor Castle estate as their British base , while aiming to become financially independent .
But questions are being raised about what this means in practice , as their security is paid for by the state and they receive funds from the queen and from Charles .
William and Harry have always held a special place in many Britons ’ hearts because of their mother , Diana , who was killed in a Paris car crash in 1997 .
With their wives , Kate and Meghan , they have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ royal family , hailed for bringing fresh energy to the institution .
But the younger prince , who has struggled with his role , last year revealed he has been growing apart from his brother , who as second in line to the throne is increasingly pursuing a different path .
Harry has been open about his mental health issues and he and Meghan last year admitted to struggling with the spotlight following their wedding at Windsor Castle in May 2018 and Archie ’ s birth a year later .
The couple have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , some of which Harry says was racist — in light of Meghan ’ s biracial heritage .
They have recently taken several newspapers to court — a highly confrontational approach by royal standards .
Royal media expert Peter Hunt , who has interviewed Harry several times , told AFP that he thought the prince feared “ the media might play a part in him losing her ” through their critical reporting .
“ Prince Harry ’ s relationship with the media went bad and has got progressively worse ever since his mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision by the couple , who recently registered the trademark Sussex Royal , to effectively resign their royal roles follows a turbulent year for the Windsors .
Harry ’ s uncle Prince Andrew announced he was retiring from public duties after a disastrous TV interview about his friendship with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein .
There was one bright spot for Harry , though : if he ever moved to Canada , a majority of Canadians would welcome him as the country ’ s next governor general , a poll found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replacing the current holder of the post — who represents Queen Elizabeth II in the former colony — when her term expires , according to the poll .


rawstory--2020-01-10--Republican Greg Abbott wastes no time in making Texas first state to ban refugees after Trump execut

Republican Greg Abbott wastes no time in making Texas first state to ban refugees after Trump executive order

The Lone Star state ’ s motto is “ friendship , ” but Republicans there want to be left alone @ @ @ @ @ comes to refugees .
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has wasted no time in making the @ @ @ @ @ the first to ban refugees from settling anywhere within its massive 268,000 square mile boundaries @ @ @ @ @ bigger . )
Abbott , whose a strong supporter of President Donald Trump , is @ @ @ @ @ executive order that purports to allow states to refuse refugees the right to resettle .
@ @ @ @ @ the number of refugees entering the country in 2019 to 30,000 – a 70 percent @ @ @ @ @ The White House under the direction of top Trump advisor Stephen Miller , a white @ @ @ @ @ make that number even lower .
A federal judge this week “ voiced skepticism , @ @ @ @ @ reports , if Trump ’ s executive order is legal .
PBS Newshour adds that @ @ @ @ @ the nation signaled they are willing to accept refugees .

"Trump and Giuliani had a handshake agreement that Giuliani and his team would get paid by the Trump political operation for their post-election work, according to Timothy Parlatore, an attorney for longtime Giuliani ally Bernard Kerik," Schwartz says. "But the Trump campaign and their affiliated committees ultimately did not honor that pledge, according to campaign finance records. The failure to pay Giuliani and his team came up last week in a private interview between prosecutors on special counsel Jack Smith's team and Bernard Kerik, a member of Giuliani's team in late 2020, according to Parlatore."
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Schwartz recalls that "Federal Election Commission records and testimony from the House January 6th Select Committee hearings reveal that none of the private sector lawyers identified -- but not indicted -- in that case got paid for their post-election work: Not Sidney Powell, Kenneth Chesebro or John Eastman."
Trump reneging on his gentleman's contract with Giuliani, Schartz observes, "is all the more striking" given that Giuliani was charged along with Trump by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for trying to steal the election in Georgia under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) of 1970 — upon which Giuliani built his career as a federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York.
Trump's fundraising push after he lost to President Joe Biden is also under scrutiny by Smith, whom Politico's Betsy Woodruff Swan and Kyle Cheney explained on August 8th is investigating if Trump's Save America Political Action Committee "violated federal laws by raising money off claims of voter fraud they knew were false."
Those efforts, predicated on Trump's insistence that the election was stolen from him, raked in $250 million, according to the final report released by the House January 6th Select Committee.
READ MORE: Why Trump’s Georgia indictment is a 'reminder of the genius of American federalism': op-ed
"The money came in response to countless fundraising appeals that claimed it was needed to fund Trump's election challenges in court," Schwartz continues. "Yet instead of paying the lawyers who tried unsuccessfully to overturn his loss, the money went into Trump’s leadership PAC."
In fact, "Trump's entire political network, including his joint fundraising committees, spent over $47 million combined from the start of 2020 through the end of 2021 on legal fees, according to a report by OpenSecrets," Schwartz adds. "Today, that money is instead helping Trump pay his own legal bills. The PAC spent over $20 million in the first half of the year alone on legal fees as the president faced the first two of his four indictments."
READ MORE: Judge randomly assigned to Georgia Trump case once worked for Willis: report
Schwartz's report is available at this link.


rawstory--2020-01-10--Nicolle Wallace rips ‘communications calamity’ at the White House as they cannot ‘get their stories

Nicolle Wallace rips ‘communications calamity’ at the White House as they cannot ‘get their stories straight’

MSNBC anchor Nicolle Wallace drew upon her experience as a White House communications director for the George W. Bush administration during the Iraq War to analyze the Trump administration ’ s “ communications calamity ” during the new hostilities with Iran .
“ House Speaker Nancy Pelosi confirms today in a letter to her colleagues that she will submit the two articles of impeachment next week , ” Wallace reported .
“ The House impeached Donald Trump , of course , for abusing his power while carrying out U.S. foreign policy.
” “ As the president himself faced with his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war , one can ’ t but help but wonder if he used withholding the aid with any remorse .
One Trump ally told me last night , ‘ he has zero capacity for empathy ’ so I ’ m guessing the answer is slim to none on that front , ” Wallace noted .
“ On the president ’ s war powers though , even Republicans question the trump administration ’ s authority , a debate that was already underway when dramatic contradictions burst into public between Trump and his Secretary of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability to get their stories straight here on Day Eight of the crisis with Iran , ” she explained .

After announcing the names of those who are being indicted, she also listed off the premise of her indictment of the 19 individuals and 41 counts.
"Specifically, the participants in association took various actions in Georgia and elsewhere to block the counting of the votes of the presidential electors who were certified as the winners of Georgia's 2020 general election. As you examine the indictment, you will see acts that are identified as overacts and those are that are identified as predicate acts, sometimes called acts of racketeering activity," she explained. "Over acts are not necessarily crimes under Georgia law in isolation but are alleged to be acts taken in furtherance of the conspiracy."
She went on to say that many occurred in Georgia, while some happened in other places, but are included because they are part of the effort to overthrow the 2020 election results in Georgia.
"The acts identified as predicate acts or acts of racketeering activity are crimes that are alleged to have been committed in furtherance of the criminal enterprise," Willis explained. "Acts of racketeering activity are also charged as separate counts in the indictment against those who are alleged to have committed them. All elections in our nations are administered by the states which are given the responsibility of ensuring a fair process and an accurate counting of the votes. That includes elections for presidential electors, congress, state officials and local offices. The state's role in this process is essential to the functioning of our democracy. Georgia, like every state, has laws that will allow those who believe the results of an election are wrong, whether because of intentional wrongdoing or unintentional error, to challenge those results in our state courts. The indictment alleges that rather than abide by Georgia's legal process for election challenges, the defendants engaged in a criminal racketeering enterprise to overturn Georgia's presidential election result."
Willis went on to say that she intends to try all 19 defendants together.
See her full statement and answer questions in the video below or at the link here.


rawstory--2020-01-10--Trump supporters are ‘stuck in a bad relationship’: columnist reveals why it’s like they’re in a ‘cu

Trump supporters are ‘stuck in a bad relationship’: columnist reveals why it’s like they’re in a ‘cult’

In an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times this Friday , Virginia Heffernan argues that while America has seen charlatans peddle lies to the public before in exchange for loyal followings , “ at no time in history have so many Americans been drawn to what ’ s looking increasingly like a cult.
” According to Heffernan , Trump ’ s critics using the term “ cult ” to describe his following are not simply being hyperbolic .
“ What the cult diagnosis may lack in scholarly rigor , it makes up for in explanatory power , ” Heffernan writes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many Republicans come across as having abandoned their commitment to libertarianism , family values or simple logic in favor of Trump worship.
” Heffernan describes the heartbreaking process when loved ones are swept up in a cult , saying that the phenomenon has a similar effect on people whose family members dive head-first into Trumpism , usually inspired by the “ addictive comfort in the anger and paranoia ” peddled by right-wing media .
“ To see Trumpism as a cult is not to refuse to engage with its effects , the crimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has awakened and emboldened the cruelest and most destructive beliefs and practices in the American playbook , ” Heffernan contends .
“ Instead , the cult framework should relieve the pressure many of us feel to call Trumpites back to themselves , to keep arguing with them .
They are stuck in a bad relationship with a controlling figure.
” Read her full piece over at The Los Angeles Times .

In an op-ed for the Los Angeles Times this Friday, Virginia Heffernan argues that while America has seen charlatans peddle lies to the public before in exchange for loyal followings, "at no time in history have so many Americans been drawn to what’s looking increasingly like a cult."
According to Heffernan, Trump's critics using the term "cult" to describe his following are not simply being hyperbolic.
"What the cult diagnosis may lack in scholarly rigor, it makes up for in explanatory power," Heffernan writes. "When polled, far too many Republicans come across as having abandoned their commitment to libertarianism, family values or simple logic in favor of Trump worship."
Heffernan describes the heartbreaking process when loved ones are swept up in a cult, saying that the phenomenon has a similar effect on people whose family members dive head-first into Trumpism, usually inspired by the "addictive comfort in the anger and paranoia" peddled by right-wing media.
"To see Trumpism as a cult is not to refuse to engage with its effects, the crimes committed in its name or the way it has awakened and emboldened the cruelest and most destructive beliefs and practices in the American playbook," Heffernan contends. "Instead, the cult framework should relieve the pressure many of us feel to call Trumpites back to themselves, to keep arguing with them. They are stuck in a bad relationship with a controlling figure."
Read her full piece over at The Los Angeles Times.


rawstory--2020-01-10--‘Rue David Bowie’: Rock legend to have street named after him in Paris

A Paris street will soon be named after the late British rock star David Bowie , a local mayor announced @ @ @ @ @ will soon be a Rue David Bowie in the 13th arrondissement of Paris , ” @ @ @ @ @ the district told AFP .
The socialist mayor , a professed fan of Bowie who @ @ @ @ @ a new road near the major Austerlitz station in the southeast of the French capital @ @ @ @ @ the music megastar .
“ The naming must be approved by the Paris council in @ @ @ @ @ said would normally happen without problems .
Bowie who created such enduring hits as “ @ @ @ @ @ Oddity ” , “ had a strong link with the city of lights ” , @ @ @ @ @ turned 73 on Wednesday .


rawstory--2020-01-10--Assassination ‘was a Mar-a-Lago decision’: Here’s how generals could have blocked it if Trump had be

Assassination ‘was a Mar-a-Lago decision’: Here’s how generals could have blocked it if Trump had been in DC

The hostilities with Iran may have been averted if President Donald Trump had not been vacationing at his Mar-a-Lago resort , an expert on his Florida compound explained on MSNBC on Friday .
“ Donald Trump goes down to Mar-a-Lago a lot — especially during the winter , ” MSNBC anchor Katy Tur said .
“ As the owner , he ’ s always been vetted as a rock star there , but my next guest now it ’ s different , now he ’ s being treated to something more akin to a God.
” For analysis , Tur @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 2018 book Mar-A-Lago : Inside the Gates of Power at Donald Trump ’ s Presidential Palace .
“ So Larry , you say it ’ s taken on more of a cult-like atmosphere , ” Tur said .
“ It ’ s this atmosphere of endless stroking which I think is unhealthy for the leader of our country , ” Leamer said .
“ In fact , the assassination of General Suleimani in a way is a Mar-a-Lago decision .
I ’ m not sure if he ’ s been in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ generals had talked about the consequences of killing this evil man if he would have gone ahead .
But that ’ s what Mar-a-Lago is for him and he needs it , he ’ s hungry for it.
” “ It ’ s more like a cult the longer he ’ s there , ” Leamer added .
The host also examined whether there might have been insider trading connected to Mar-a-Lago in the hours between when the strike was conducted and when the Pentagon claimed credit for the assassination .

The hostilities with Iran may have been averted if President Donald Trump had not been vacationing at his Mar-a-Lago resort, an expert on his Florida compound explained on MSNBC on Friday.
"Donald Trump goes down to Mar-a-Lago a lot -- especially during the winter," MSNBC anchor Katy Tur said. "As the owner, he's always been vetted as a rock star there, but my next guest now it's different, now he's being treated to something more akin to a God."
For analysis, Tur interviewed journalist Laurence Leamer, the author of the 2018 book Mar-A-Lago: Inside the Gates of Power at Donald Trump's Presidential Palace.
"So Larry, you say it's taken on more of a cult-like atmosphere," Tur said.
"It's this atmosphere of endless stroking which I think is unhealthy for the leader of our country," Leamer said.
"In fact, the assassination of General Suleimani in a way is a Mar-a-Lago decision. I'm not sure if he's been in the Oval Office and his aides and generals had talked about the consequences of killing this evil man if he would have gone ahead. But that's what Mar-a-Lago is for him and he needs it, he's hungry for it."
"It's more like a cult the longer he's there," Leamer added.
The host also examined whether there might have been insider trading connected to Mar-a-Lago in the hours between when the strike was conducted and when the Pentagon claimed credit for the assassination.
Watch: