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Democrats Must Shut Down The Senate Until There is an Independent Prosecutor

gyp46, don’t forget the propaganda machine under Reagan as well!

I do agree, we’re seeing The Blob that’s grown and grown after consuming decades of lies, hate mongering and blind greed…and it wears an orange toupee!

I heard even Repubs saying that maybe Dems winning back Congress in 2018 is necessary to stop this continuing train wreck of America’s democracy by Trump. And the polls are showing Dems far ahead of Repubs in who Americans want to control Congress. It can only get worse for Repubs and Trump, there is noo escape as long as we GOTV.

» Posted By AdLib On May 11, 2017 @ 1:39 pm

Nirek, he seems defiantly stupid. He thought he could just lie his way out of why he fired Comey and that Dems would applaud him. Then the next day he brings the very Russians who helped hack our election into the Oval Office and meets with Kissinger…just when his firing of Comey made people call him Nixonian.

And insulting Comey today as well as slurring the FBI? He’s just pissed off the very intelligence agency that can crush him.

Watch for the leaks coming out now!

» Posted By AdLib On May 11, 2017 @ 1:30 pm

Trump Celebrates AHCA Vote With Republicans and Specter of Death

gyp46, and among the many Trump supporters are the Religious Right and evangelicals who just ask themselves, “WWJTHAW” (“Who Would Jesus Take Healthcare Away From?”).

Agreed, I always though part of being a good American was having a conscience and caring about our fellow Americans. Instead, these “so called” Christians seem to have only hatred and spite towards those who are most needy and want them to die without healthcare.

And little do they know, that includes many of them! The idjits keep supporting Trump who is ready to sign a bill that strips them of health insurance.

I suppose it’s just desserts that in their stampede to take away healthcare from minorities, they will be shocked to discover they’ll lose theirs as well.

» Posted By AdLib On May 8, 2017 @ 6:17 pm

100 Days of Trump And His Voters Say, “Stop Expecting Us to Change Our Minds!”

Indeed, FD! And I’d add that a wise person wouldn’t cut off their nose to spite their face. I saw Christine Quinn interviewed today, she ran for Mayor of NY, spouting her purist BS about Dems and declaring that any who don’t share all of the majority’s beliefs should be thrown out of the Dem party.

Then a minute later, she tried to sound wise about wanting to bring more independent voters into the party. Apparently, only if they sign loyalty pledges.

The Dems could be the unassailable majority in the country if they don’t operate on absolutism and allow for differing beliefs especially in red state and district Dems. To win power in The House or Senate, Dems need to have a majority. Refusing to win Repub seats because Dem candidates need to be more conservative there, accomplishes nothing.

» Posted By AdLib On April 26, 2017 @ 5:27 pm

Kalima, you’re right that the primary obstacle to Trump voters saying they changed their minds is pride, no one likes admitting they were wrong. Secondly though, the under-informed and under-educated voted for Trump because that is what they are and it would be unrealistic too suddenly expect them to become informed and educated. They are mired in their ignorance and most aren’t going anywhere.

No question that Obama’s elections were a result of how incompetent, corrupt and destructive Bush was and Trump’s election was a racial response by the angry white underclass against the black, intelligent President. And it was a twofer to also be given permission by Trump’s example to openly express their racism and hatreds.

I don’t even know that if Trump succeeded in taking away their health insurance and building inflation to make life unaffordable for them, they would break out of their denial to oppose him. I think most would readily accept his lies blaming Dems and Obama for all the misery he brings them.

Studies have shown that the more you try to convince extremist-supporting voters out of doing so, the deeper they dig in. So, the sooner Dems move on from trying to convince Trump voters out of supporting him, the sooner they can strengthen their prospects. They should pay attention to why they lost so many voters to Trump, losing their focus on working people and their needs (though Bernie did have that front and center, the new book about Hillary’s campaign reveals that she asked her campaign team to come up with what her campaign should be about).

Unfortunately, as the Tories and Trump have proven, nationalist propaganda works with far too many emotional and ignorant voters. Though many would never admit they’re prejudice, given a solid excuse for expressing bigotry in a way that they think doesn’t make them seem bigoted, is very welcomed.

I do have confidence that as with Bush, the shared revulsion of Trump will unify Dems in 2018 and 2020. Much harder to have an argument with much support on how awful the other half of Dems are when the prospects of tying Trump’s hands then kicking him out of the WH is on the table.

Parties always have “civil wars” after they lose elections because the initial focus is on blaming those in the party who are viewed as causing the loss. But as that recedes into the distance and the threat of the election’s winner grows worse, parties unify against their common enemy.

I saw a segment about the popularity ratings of presidents and how, with the exception of Bush, due to the rush of nationalism after 9/11, approval ratings only decline from where they are after the first 100 days. With Trump’s ratings already at record lows, it is helpful too imagine where they will be next year after a year of Trump madness. My bet is that he will be mired in the 30s and Republicans will be in full panic mode. After what will be a win for Dems in 2018, hopefully a landslide, Repubs will be even more frantic but they will be stuck with Trump at the top of the ticket in 2020.

As long as the Dem Establishment keeps their slimy hands out of the 2020 Dem primary process (flush those Superdelegates down the toilet!), whichever Dem eventually wins the nomination will be running against a hugely unpopular president. As long as the Dem doesn’t have a lot of baggage, Dems can confidently work towards a big win.

Losing always turns people against each other but winning is unifying.

Unless you’re a Republican (repeal and replace anyone?).

» Posted By AdLib On April 26, 2017 @ 9:23 am

KT, I agree that the division within the Dem party is a big issue. There are the purists, as you point out, who insist that anyone running as a Dem must conform to all positions prescribed for Dems. The unfortunate reality is that in very red, conservative districts and states, some compromise is often required or else a Repub would be elected hands down.

Of course, the simple proposition to purist Dems is, “Would you rather have Repubs retain the majority in Congress or have Dems in power?”

It’s a basic matter of addition. Even if a few Dems around the country diverge from the positions the rest of us support, if it helps Dems win the majority of the House or Senate, Dems will protect and promote the positions the majority favor and the outlier Dems who are anti-choice or pro-gun-proliferation won’t have any impact so their anti-Progressive views won’t go anywhere.

There also continues to be the division between the Establishment Dems and the Bernie-type Dems, each having virtually half the party on their side. My read on that though is that the intensity of that conflict has toned down a bit. There are still resentful Hillary supporters who are so desperately in denial, they need to hate Bernie supporters and blame them for Hillary being a poor candidate and losing (for more reasons than that but most were self-inflicted). Then there are the misguided Bernie supporters who still feel they need to attack Hillary and her supporters to blame them for Trump.

The key thing is that when there is a profound mutual enemy, as Trump is, the divisions within a party lose focus, replaced by a mutual opposition to a more serious threat.

Dems aren’t really unified now as a party but they are unified in their powerful opposition to Trump. I think that as 2018 approaches, the focus on blocking Trump’s power will overwhelm the internecine conflicts which I don’t think will be fully addressed until 2020 when Dems have to come together behind a nominee to beat Trump. Nothing succeeds like success so WHEN the Dem nominee replaces Trump as President and Dem majorities return to at least one house of Congress, the wounds will be healed.

» Posted By AdLib On April 26, 2017 @ 8:50 am

Trump And The Art of Dealing Like a Terrorist

Can’t disagree that Trump has things in common with mob bosses but when it comes to negotiating, mob bosses aren’t in the position of threatening the safety of millions of people to get what they want, that’s a terrorist mindset.

Before he was president, Trump negotiated like a bully. He’d threaten, sue or refuse to pay to force others to do what he wanted. Not really mob boss stuff, just asshole land.

But as President, as he’s found that he can’t just threaten and get what he wants, he just tries to raise the stakes and threaten the health and safety of millions of people.

Check this out, the definition of terrorism on Dictionary.com:

terrorism
[ter-uh-riz-uh m]

1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, especially for political purposes.

2.the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.

3.a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/terrorism

Trump’s negotiating by threatening 3 million Americans sure seems to fit #1 and his day to day governing could be covered by #2 and #3.

The key is that using threats to intimidate and coerce as well as instilling fear is what defines a terrorist.

He may not have explosives strapped onto him or have a scary beard but he sure seems to fit the definitions of a terrorist.

» Posted By AdLib On April 22, 2017 @ 3:10 pm

Trump Orders Puppet Show in Symbolic Attack Against Syria

Hey Kalima, I gave Punch, Trump’s hairstyle so he’s supposed to be Punch, Putin is the one controlling the puppet Trump.

It does seem terribly obvious that the missile attack on the airfield was all for show, no meaningful damage and Russia and Syria had plenty of advance notice too keep clear.

The irony is that it is Trump’s nature of making the latest outrageous thing he says or does fade away quickly as the next one comes. In this rare case where he’s gotten praise from war mongers and MSM weasels, it is still fading away fast.

And helping that is the info in the article you posted and other articles exposing this sham of an attack. Easy come, easy go, not enough substance in this scam to last.

» Posted By AdLib On April 10, 2017 @ 5:47 pm

gyp46, I sure wish Trump could get the ego gratification he needs from a Punch and Judy show instead of throwing bombs around and trying to sabotage the lives of Americans, especially the most vulnerable.

Trump is a vicious parody of a man that’s hard to parody because nearly every exaggeration you try to think of could become fact tomorrow.

But it doesn’t keep me from trying!

» Posted By AdLib On April 10, 2017 @ 5:41 pm

MSNBC Blows…It’s Chance to Fairly Portray The SCOTUS Filibuster

That’s how I see it too, gyp46. The importance of Dems retaking The Senate in 2018 couldn’t be stressed enough. Stopping Trump’s many disastrous plans and preventing the SCOTUS from becoming a greed-driven religious tribunal for many decades is on the line.

I do think Dems will be motivated, far more than Repubs, and that it’s achievable. But we need to keep enthusiasm and activism strong.

Considering Trump’s behavior, that might not be so difficult.

» Posted By AdLib On April 5, 2017 @ 9:05 am

Well said, gyp46!

I do have confidence Dems will turn out in big numbers in 2018 and 2020. So far, in the GA House race to fill Tom Price’s seat, in a GOP district, Dem turnout seems to be well ahead of Repub turnout.

I think it will be like 2006 and 2008, when Dems were out of power then took back Congress then the WH in those two elections. In fact, based on how energized Dems are in protesting and at town halls, I think Dems could have real landslides.

But as you say, nothing can be taken for granted again, Dems have to GOTV with as much enthusiasm as ever!

The flip side of McConnell nuking the filibuster is that if Dems can retake the Senate and WH, we can see true progressives appointed to the SCOTUS and Repubs will go insane.

» Posted By AdLib On April 3, 2017 @ 8:25 pm

Rep. Devin Nunes Snaps, Thinks he is a Cockapoo

Kalima, I really do seem to recognize who Nunes is, the “slow” kid in school who tried to be teacher’s pet in every class.

He really does seem dim. A prime example of failing upwards, the primary process in the GOP.

» Posted By AdLib On April 1, 2017 @ 9:49 am

I think I may need a companion article, “If Republican Politicians Were Dogs.” I’ve got Nunes covered, now, here’s Christie:

[img]http://www.alettertomydog.com/wp-content/uploads/fat-dog-1-boxer.jpg[/img]

» Posted By AdLib On March 31, 2017 @ 1:35 pm

gyp46, I now recognize that it is an insult to dogs everywhere to have any of them associated with the head of the House Intelligence Committee.

I did get a ruff letter from the Canines Upholding Respect Society (CURS) over representing Nunes as having the qualities of a dog. They said they’ve never felt so insulted and threatened to hold protests outside of my house with their legs raised in unity.

To the dogs of America, I will never again insult you by comparing your to a Republican politician. Now, let’s shake!

» Posted By AdLib On March 31, 2017 @ 1:21 pm

Thanks so much, Nirek!

Nunes, like any cockapoo, lives to please his master. Trump said “Come!” he galloped over to the WH and when he told him to “Play dead!” as the leader of the House Intel Committee, he’s now rolled over and played dead.

Nunes is going to be in the dog house for the rest of his shortened career.

» Posted By AdLib On March 31, 2017 @ 1:12 pm

Cheers Kalima!

I’ll need to add that to my report on Nunes! That was Trump’s favorite chew toy for Nunes too, The Constitution. Dogs can’t help their instincts though to tear papers up and bury them!

And BTW, that meek look on Nunes’ face comes from Trump neutering him.

» Posted By AdLib On March 31, 2017 @ 1:08 pm

PPO, someone left the door to the Capitol open and Nunes ran out. They chased him around the WH lawn where he took a break from running to drag his butt along the grass, then bolted into the WH where he did tricks with intel for biscuits. Then he sat up in front of the press and when Trump yelled, “Speak!” he did!

Who’s a good boy?! Not you!

Where’s a rolled up newspaper?

» Posted By AdLib On March 31, 2017 @ 1:05 pm

Hey FD, thanks!

Christie and Nunes can head up a re-election SuperPAC for Trump called Mutts For Trump!

Make America Sniff Butts Again!

» Posted By AdLib On March 31, 2017 @ 1:01 pm

Weekend Music Thread – Murder By Numbers

Aquarius, very sorry to hear this. Hope you and your husband are bearing up alright. Sending my best thoughts your way…

» Posted By AdLib On March 21, 2017 @ 6:21 pm

The Top 6 Republican Deceptions About Trumpcare

gyp46, very incisive. I do agree that within the core of Trump voters is an ugly mob-like group of hateful racists and ignorant anarchists. They have crawled out from under their rocks, safe in the shadow of their Slime King but as you say, the mistake has been in the GOP establishment thinking they can control them to accomplish their elitist and plutocratic goals. These people are unhinged and driven primarily by their fear, hatred and prideful ignorance.

I would add though that there is a segment of Trump voters who are not part of this group of horribles, they might have trusted Trump’s promises, didn’t like or trust Hillary, made the mistake of thinking electing Trump would send a message to the establishment that they feel has ignored them, etc.

The horribles are permanent fixtures and have been throughout our history but they are usually beaten and they will be again in the next two elections. They offer nothing but hatred and destruction and as people see that their candidate is reflecting that (plus corruption and greed), I think those who weren’t strong Trump supporters will pull away from him.

If that does happen, and we do have to keep the door open for those folks to come our way and vote for Dems, I think we can crush the horribles next year and in 2020.

Meanwhile, as we’re seeing with this terrible Trumpcare/Ryancare bill, the GOP will tear itself apart with its intolerance, intransigence and hostility.

I must say, it’s good too see the hatred of the RW extremists turned against the GOP and its bills for a change…but we have to take them oon and beat them next year!

» Posted By AdLib On March 15, 2017 @ 7:02 pm

Hey gyp46, I think for many, they look at politics like religion. They invest their faith in Trump and will support and justify whatever he does because they are authoritarians that just want a strong man to take over and fix everything without democracy and a free press getting in the way.

They justify their ignoring of truths about Trump by following his lead and just condemning the press as the enemy. I think it’s hard to get through those of blind faith, they don’t want truth, they only want affirmation.

If Repubs pass the AHCA and many of these Trump voters get kicked off of Medicaid, maybe then they’ll finally snap out of it and realize they’ve been conned…but it will be too late for them then.

What I think we have to do is just keep the door open for them to join us against Trump but mainly just focus on overwhelming them at the ballot boxes in 2018 and 2020 and dragging them with us towards a better future.

» Posted By AdLib On March 15, 2017 @ 3:05 pm

Open Letter to Trump Voters – Please Read the House Healthcare Bill Yourself

Kalima, iroonic but maybe also the M.O. for Repubs, the old Lee Atwater/Karl Rove scheme of attacking your opponent for your own weakness. People needed to be afraid of the threat Trump posed so he campaigned on how people should be afraid of the threat Hillary posed.

In the end, Trump still is the threat people shoould fear and it would be ironic and just desserts if Trump is undermined by the fear he whipped up in people that’s turned against him.

» Posted By AdLib On March 12, 2017 @ 2:24 pm

Kalima, the real question is if this will be a domino effect and the legit fear some lower income people have will spread widely to both scare Repubs out of repeal and take them out of power in 2018 and 2020.

Reality is on our side, just a matter of reality or at least legit fear breaking through the propaganda enveloping their minds.

» Posted By AdLib On March 12, 2017 @ 11:40 am

Here is a Washington Post article out today that really illustrates in WV for example, how many poor people are truly dependent on Medicaid and so poorly educated and poorly informed that they voted for Trump and support the repeal of the ACA with no awareness that they and their families will lose their healthcare if Trump and Repubs in Congress do what these ignorant people empowered them to do.

West Virginia’s McDowell County has high rates of chronic diseases and the shortest life expectancy in the nation. It’s also a place that voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump, who promised to repeal the Affordable Care Act that helped many residents get health coverage.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/west-virginia-tug-river-obamacare/

» Posted By AdLib On March 12, 2017 @ 11:33 am

Nirek, for a majority of Trump supporters, you’re probably right. There is nothing we can do to get them to stop supporting the guy who wants to destroy their lives. It’s like trying to de-program cult members.

But we do know that there is a segment of Trump voters who switched to him after Bernie lost the nom or they just wanted to try someone who was an outsider to give it a shot. There are definitely an amount of non-dedicated Trump voters out there, they’re the silent minority we rarely hear about, we always see the loud, hostile types or the passive authoritarian types but like Dem voters, there is a variety of types of people that voted for Trump.

So I’m with you on not chasing after the racists and authoritarians but if we don’t stereotype and generalize all Trump voters as having the same identity, we may be able to connect with those who could move away from him (and back to supporting their own and the nation’s best interests).

» Posted By AdLib On March 10, 2017 @ 2:13 pm

FD, I’m looking at this now in a very simple, pragmatic way. The most important thing to me is that Trump and the GOP are stopped from severely damaging this country.

I’ve vented quite a bit at my upset and frustration over Trump’s election and those who voted for him but that seems ancillary right now to accomplishing what’s imperative.

Yes, there will be a core of Trump voters who are unmovable…unless Trump succeeds in tearing away their health insurance from them and destroying their lives but as we agree, that’s too late.

As we know, Trump used and uses fear to motivate many voters to support him, I’m just wondering if we can’t use fear against him. If people become fearful enough of losing healthcare, as they will under this AHCA, perhaps that fear will “trump” the fears Trump exploits?

And we know that insulting his voters sure won’t open them up to considering the real threat coming their way so maybe just bringing the tone doown to reasonable and presenting Repub issues in their own words could get a toe hold with Trump voters who aren’t 100% convicted about him.

There are some of the more moderate voters already flirting with buyer’s remorse, those may be the ones who could recognize what’s really going on as long as they don’t feel it’s being shoved on them.

My preference would be that Repubs would be as ready to criticize and oppose those in their own party who aren’t looking out for them the same way many of us are with Dems. But this is the way things are and I’d propose that keeping our eye on the ball means aiming our energies at stopping the bad things Trump is pushing and trading resentment of his voters for an open hand.

» Posted By AdLib On March 10, 2017 @ 2:05 pm

FD, I can’t say if you’re being negative or realistic. It’s just hard for me to imagine that there isn’t something that could sneak through their force fields and get them to at least examine the facts for themselves. Perhaps their love and concern for their families could outweigh the practice of rejecting any warnings about Trump outright.

Maybe the possibility of the disaster that could strike them and the ones they care about, as healthcare is yanked out of their reach, would be enough for them too at least inquire a bit into the facts on their own.

All we can do is lay out the impartial facts and maybe do so in good faith. There will be many who won’t care but these things can start with a few cracks that spread and eventually shatter the wall.

We can at least try, it at least has a better chance to accomplish something than venting anger at them.

» Posted By AdLib On March 9, 2017 @ 11:11 pm

Hey filo, good to see you!

You see Trump for who he is but he is, as you say, a world class bullshit artist and he’s conned a lot of people in his life. How do we get those he’s conned to recognize it?

That’s the challenge, whether we can do that and thus stop Trump in his tracks or if the realization will only come after his voters are so harmed by him that they come to that conclusion after the damage has been done.

I’m hoping the former.

» Posted By AdLib On March 9, 2017 @ 11:04 pm

Thanks so much, Kes. I do think we’re into a new period that now transcends where we just were. Trump voters, whether they see it that way or not, are on the same side of the ACA issue that we are.

They trusted Trump and he continues to con them, not even appreciating that they helped put him in the WH. He lies to them about all the jobs he isn’t actually creating, he’s using his office to allow the polluting of their water, to raise the price for their home loans and now, to take away their healthcare or make it much more expensive in order to give the wealthy tax cuts.

My thought right now is that the best thing we can do on the issues that represent a threat to all of us, is to act that way. If we can just lay out the facts directly, from The House’s bill and not from any news source, maybe the threat they represent to Trump voters as well will eventually break through with them.

As you mentioned, we know that the rural and blue collar voters that are loyal Trump supporters, are the ones who are going to get hurt the worst by this vicious AHCA. They will have to pay at least $7,000 more per year to maintain their healthcare or lose it, be bankrupted because they don’t have it and as you mentioned, watch as their elderly parents and relatives are kicked out of nursing homes.

Despite our disappointment at the outcome of the election, are we so angry and stupid that we would have our own house burned down as long as Trump’s voters have theirs burned down too? Of course not.

If you don’t want your own house burned down, it’s better if nobody’s house is on fire.

I am afraid that many Trump supporters will have to be hammered by his policies and be put in terrible positions before they realize he’s been dishonest with them. They need to oppose him to protect themselves and their family and I don’t know that they see that or will see it until it’s too late for them.

So how do we communicate across the divide with all the suspicion and charges of “fake news” nailed to anything critical of Trump? With the facts. And since most facts reported in the media are open to dispute, we need statements and legislation in writing by Republicans.

The AHCA is a rare opportunity, I think, for the rest of Americans to connect with Americans who voted for Trump. The Repub pols have to put in specifics what their policies are when they write a bill so there is no “fake news” aspect here to disqualify the destruction they seek to the lives of tens of millions of Americans…including a great deal of Trump voters.

I don’t expect any minds will change quickly, I think the first step is to create a spark of concern or curiosity in what is actually happening and what specifically their lives will be like if the AHCA passes.

Have they considered that a handicapped family member or elderly relative could be left without care? Or that an accident or serious health event could bankrupt them if healthcare becomes unaffordable?

I think Trump and Repub pols have successfully kept many Repub voters distracted, focused on disliking Obamacare instead of what kind of care they will be losing and end up with.

It will be interesting to see what happens after the CBO report exposes how devastating the AHCA is, after Freedom Caucus and other conservative Repub Congresspeople refuse to support it and moderate Repubs and Repub Governors come out even stronger to argue for keeping the Medicaid expansion.

When it’s coming from all sides including those in the GOP, maybe enough Trump voters will check it out for themselves and start to stand up against Trump and his policies that are directly destructive towards them.

They will come to recognize it in any case, either the easy way or the hard way and for everyone’s sake, I’d rather it was the easy way.

» Posted By AdLib On March 9, 2017 @ 10:57 pm

JOIN THE LIVE CHAT TONIGHT: Trump’s Speech to Congress at 6:00pm PST

The music behind Trump’s exit from Congress:

» Posted By AdLib On February 28, 2017 @ 9:11 pm