R.I.P. Elijah Cummings - Chair of House Oversight Committee

The Hon. Elijah Cummings, Chair of the House Oversight Committee,  died in the early hours of Thursday due to complications from longstanding health problems, his congressional office announced today.

A sharecropper’s son, Cummings became the powerful chairman of the House of Representatives oversight committee, one of the three committees leading the investigation into Donald Trump’s dealings with Ukraine.

Cummings was a formidable orator who fervently advocated for the poor in his black-majority district, which encompasses a large portion of Baltimore, as well as richer suburbs. Most recently, he came out in powerful defense of his home city of Baltimore after the Swine-in-Chief tried to slime it as rat-infested.  

Cummings invited people to come and see Baltimore for themselves, rather than accept the words of a consummate liar, con man and racist traitor.  

Last summer, Cummings expressed singular  objection to Trump’s tweet barking that four Democratic congresswomen of color should “go back” to "their home" countries. Cummings shamed the thug for his blatant racism and admonished: "You need to represent all the people."  It was in the wake of that reprimand the orange thug attacked Baltimore, otherwise known as "Charm City".

Democratic candidate Kamala Harris tweeted:

 “We lost a giant today. Congressman Elijah Cummings was a fearless leader, a protector of democracy, and a fighter for the people of Maryland. Our world is dimmer without him in it.”

Not only that but I fear the House Democratic impeachment effort will be less robust without Cummings as the head of the powerful Oversight Committee.

At the very least, his articulate and passionate voice for social justice will be sorely missed.

Cummings’ long career spanned decades in Maryland politics. He rose through the ranks of the Maryland house of delegates before winning his congressional seat in a special election in 1996 to replace Kweisi Mfume, who left the seat to lead the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.  Cummings, in summary,earned his place as a leader, unlike Trump who conned his way into power and got the help of the Russians as well. (Which Mueller's report makes clear,)

As chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, Cummings led multiple investigations of Trump's  governmental dealings, including several in 2019 related to Donnie Dotard’s family members serving in the White House.

Rest in peace, Elijah.  It is a pity that decent and honorable men like yourself die at a relatively young age while a depraved degenerate like Trump keeps fouling the air with his rhetoric and wasting space with his bloated, fungal self. He keeps on, in violation of all the laws of biology and nutrition (given the crap he consumes),  and  contaminates the nation and people with his toxic tweets and other vile effluent.

See also:

Peace & Justice

Rep. Elijah Cummings on What Could Have Been

It's Past Time For All The Dem "Minnows" (Vanity Candidates) To Exit The Debate Stage

"I predicted that either Corey, or Beto or Castro were going to do the John Kasich suicide pact. 'I'm just gonna go for the front runner and try and take him down'.  That's the only way he could bring attention to himself."  - Jason Johnson, on MSNBC Post Debate Analysis last night.

"It was just a stupid thing to do.  Democrats want to be united this time, and don't want their differences exploited by the Republicans.  Everybody's a pundit now and when they watch they're going to be asking 'Are Republicans going to turn this into a talking point?'  If you do go that route you electrocute yourself."  - Jonathan Alter, on MSNBC Post Debate Analysis last night.

"This is why these presidential debates are becoming unwatchable. It just reminds everybody of what they cannot stand  about Washington. Scoring points against each other, poking at each other..."  - Pete Buttigeig last night in the ABC debate.

"I think Secretary Castro who likes to talk about learning from history, clearly didn't learn from the first two debates.  Taking personal, cheap shots at Vice President Biden actually doesn't work out that well particularly for the candidate who takes such shots.  Especially since Castro's claims were factually inaccurate. Many reporters covering the debate have already pointed out that what Castro said simply was not true."-  Anita Dunn, political commentator, on MSNBC last night

It is more than past time for all the Democratic candidate minnows - not serious contenders - to get out of the public eye and especially cease the rhetorical bomb throwing and spilling their bile in the debates.  What stood out last night was Julian Castro's desperate ploy using ageism to try to take down  Joe Biden .    The debate point was whether people who can't afford health care would be automatically enrolled in   Biden's health plan and not have to "buy in".   Biden clearly stated "They do not have to buy in", but Castro tried to portray him as having the classic "senior" moment, e.g.

"Are you forgetting what you said two minutes ago?  You forgetting already what you said two minutes ago? I can't believe that you said two minutes ago that they had to buy in and now you're saying they don't have to buy in. You're forgetting that."

In fact, Biden wasn't forgetting a damned thing. He said they did not have to buy in and Castro merely used the opportunity as a "Hey, look at me!" moment.  Basically, to use the parlance of commentator Jason Johnson, resurrecting Repub John Kasich's own suicide pact idiom.  As Jonathan Alter and other commentators have noted it was a patently stupid move, and likely even cost Castro a VP spot.  It was a desperation move to try to get attention like Kamala Harris tried to pull on Biden using the school busing issue two months ago. Now, look what's happened to all the losers who tried to tar Biden, including Eric Swallwell and Kamala Harris.  They are tanking as 1 percent poller Castro now will (well, even more than he is).

Below are a few brutal facts for any political observers out there, or viewers, readers who have a serious interest in the Democratic primary and future candidate:

1) ALL the primary candidates and indeed all who would be the elected president in the 2020 general election are septuagenarians.  That list includes: Biden, Sanders, Warren, and Trump.  Like it or not those will be your choices, so get over the fetishism for some young Turk or stud, or pining  for a "young blood" to save the nation's bacon..  Ain't gonna happen, no more than aliens landing in the middle of the White House lawn.  So you're stuck with oldies. Deal with it. (But don't use that as an excuse not to vote!)

2)  Like Joe Biden or hate him, his consistent 20 plus percent polling is based on very firm African-American support, up to 48 %.  Unless other candidates come close to that command there is no way they will compete with Biden for the primary, and offer any competition to Trump in the general.

3) The outlier candidates (Marianne Williamson, Michael Bennett, Tim Ryan, John Hickenlooper, Julian Castro et al) never really stood a chance against those with top name recognition.. All they did was clutter the debate stage, distort the debate format and distract viewers.  Hence, their belief in the "Trump model" - that an outlier could get the presidency again - was misplaced..

The only three serious Dem candidates (i.e. who have any chance), according to the Real Clear Politics (and other)  polling are Biden, Sanders and Warren. Harris - who took her cheap shot at Biden earlier  - is now barely scratching at 7.2 % while the Dem trio are all at 20 percent plus.   In other words, the other seven candidates are all minnows who stand no more chance of reaching the primary than I have of being elected Pope.  Sorry, that's the reality, the way it is.

The irritating D- minnows have merely led their own vanity campaigns, and also - in multiple instances - provided fodder for Trump and the Republicans in attacking the main candidates and sowing divisions. Castro did it last night and in the first debate in Miami. There he pinned everyone down on border crossings - and we saw all those hands go up - and Republicans had wet dreams on how they could use the scene in ads.  Castro is a minnow, and a toxic one at that, who needs to recognize - like the other minnows - that his 15- plus minutes of fame are up.

 That includes the irrepressible Beto O'Rourke who also is a bottom feeder with nothing to lose, so felt emboldened to yelp; "Hell yeah we're comin'  for your AR-15s and AK-47s too!"    Thereby scrambling  a reasoned Democratic message on gun control, as Sen. Chris Coons pointed out in the wake of Beto's bark. Oh, and providing fresh fodder for RNC ads and adding fuel to an already hot fire stoked by the Foxites warning of "blood and civil war" if the Ds try to take their friggin' weapons away.

This is not to say Beto's passionate statement was 100% wrong, but just mis-timed, out of place. You don't belt out a full -throated gun seizure vow on a national  debate stage in front of 14  million viewers when your party's trying to oust Trump. Especially given many of those watching are independents and look askance at any suggestion of government force to seize  their guns.   Suggest voluntary assault weapons' buybacks? Yeah sure! But not outright seizures, unless you want to toss red meat to the GOOps to use next year.

 So we also need Beto  to get out of the picture and leave the stage to the 'big boys' - the actual players polling at least in double digits.

Castro's antics as well as Beto's and Harris' (in the 1st debate)  show why indeed these fulsome media encounters have merely become vanity exercises.  They provide a disproportionate stage for those without a snowball's chance in hell to reach the primary,  to pop off  and toss rhetorical bombs  in desperation.  All to the detriment of the party-  and the eventual Dem nominee.

It's a damned annoyance and I am certain wifey and yours truly aren't the only ones who believe so. We need the DNC to exact higher debate qualification thresholds to finally reduce the debate stage  to the three prime contenders.  This as opposed to being cluttered with the ego-besotted minnow pretenders.  Pretenders whose only recourse is to now become 'bomb throwers' or Kasich suicide pact emulators - to the detriment of the front runners and the party.

Take the cue from John Hickenlooper, pack  up your vanity bags and leave. Hasta la vista, minnows!

That's my 0.02 and I am sticking with it!

See also:

Cody Fenwick

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2020 Elections | Democrats

Here Are the 4 Winners and 3 Losers of the Democratic Primary Debate

Didn't Finish College? Then You May Be Denied New Loans

It is estimated that perhaps 45% of Americans attended college but failed to complete it.  This could put them in danger of not getting any new loans they may desire, this according to a recent WSJ piece ('New Credit Criteria Raise Fairness Issue',  Aug. 9, p. B10).  This as we learn lenders are now searching for "new types of data and computer-driven models" on which to base borrowers' qualification for loans.

As a point of reference, "several bills have been introduced in the House of Representatives" this year, in an effort to improve the credit scoring system which factors into loan qualification.  The effort is also bipartisan, i.e. not just Reepo tightwads and grinches pushing the bills.  Another motivation? "Alternative data" were cited by credit reporting agency Transunion as enhancing access to credit.  Thus one bill put forward by Rep. French Hill (R, AR) to address the matter.

Sen. Kamala Harris, meanwhile "proposed including on -time rent  and cell phone payments" in credit scores.

Then there is online lender Upstart Network Inc. which requires loan applicants to "provide the highest education degree obtained, the names of universities and colleges attended, and the areas of study" as well as employment history.

According to Dave Girouard, Upstart's CEO, quoted in the piece:

"The use of occupational history and educational background generates a significantly more accurate credit model."

Adding that the company's model approves 27 percent more loan applicants for its personal loans than the traditional credit -scoring model.  It also "results in 16 percent lower interest rates.for approved loans."

Despite these seeming advantages of the alternative data models, consumer advocates insist this trend will hurt lower income and minority applicants.  According to Chi Chi Wu - an attorney for the National Consumer Law Center quoted in the article:

"It entrenches and perpetuates inequality in an obvious and stark way"   adding that "the existing system already makes it harder for people with lower income and fewer assets for cheaper loans."

Educational credentials factor into all this, especially for minority citizens given:

"The percentage of those with at least bachelor's degrees is 33% among whites, 54% among Asians,  23 % for African Americans, and 16% for Hispanics."

So all other factors being equal, the last two groups will generally have a tougher time getting approved for loans.

Not finishing college can also present a bugbear re: loans. For example, a 2015 Federal Reserve report "showed the average student loan delinquency rate among those who didn't finish college was 44 % compared to 11 % for bachelor's degree holders,"

Hence, degree holders would definitely appear to be better bets for loans.

But as the WSJ authors also note, "whether the use of data related to occupation and education is appropriate is debatable".  This is given that "determining what types of data should be permitted in credit scoring is a complex and contentious task."

We shouldn't let that last aspect escape notice, especially as student loan debt is steadily increasing, along with consumer credit card debt.

Other Voices Weigh In On The Democratic Debates

Scenes from the first (left) and second nights of the Democratic debates.

Once again, the Dem debates - with so many contending voices - and so little time (on that account) to properly address questions-  ended up more helter skelter than focused.  Tuesday night, it turned out, became a battle of the 'moderates' vs. liberals, with a few solid points scored by both sides, but we didn't stay around long enough to be able to expatiate on any particular aspects. We ended out CNN viewing barely an hour into the fracas.

Same on night two, with many of the same complaints, too many debaters,  not enough time for each candidate to deal with the questions.  Because of the number of debaters you also had the desperation factor inducing a number of 'cage matches' - such as Biden vs, Kamala Harris, and Tulsi Gabbard vs, Harris, as well as Booker vs. Biden.   Let's be clear none of these mutual sniper shots redounds to the Dems' benefit,  so the sooner the field is narrowed the better. Fortunately that will occur with the September debate with the much higher threshold for entry: 130,000 different donors, and at least a 2 percent poll rating and in four different polls. That will automatically nullify 13 of the current contenders so we can expect more  time for thoughtful answers, fewer spontaneous cage matehes and also less biased questions.

That there was too much framing, also, by the moderators of both MSNBC and CNN was evident. And one hopes they get their act together by the September debate.   They were, however, right to press the candidates on whether taxes will be raised on the middle class. This is given we already know Bernie  Sanders has conceded $32 trillion will be needed to implement his 'Medicare for All' plan and he has admitted middle class taxes would have to be increased, The bill can't be paid only by the billionaires.   The fact that none of the candidates - save Michael Bennett- was honest about financing (raising middle class taxes)  doesn't bode well for any  Dem in debates vs. Trump.  As MSNBC commentator Ezra Klein put it in the post-debate analysis, they all need to be "more honest about financing."

 Anyway, here are the takes of other voices:

2020 Elections | Democrats

Here Are 9 of the Best Moments and 7 of the Worst from Tuesday’s 2020 Democratic Primary Debate

2020 Elections | Democrats

Here Are 7 of the Best Moments and 4 of the Worst from the Second CNN Democratic Primary Debate

Biden Did Fine. That Might Have Been Enough

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/31/us/politics/debate-joe-biden.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage


Winners and Losers of the Democratic Debate, Night 2

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/01/opinion/debate-winners-losers.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

2020 Elections | Democrats

Debating Democrats, Please, No Fighting in the War Room

Excerpt:

 "My teeth grind when I see a flurry of post-debate articles headlined, “Winners and Losers.” They reduce this most important presidential campaign of our lives to a game where a single swing or a miss matters more than the heinous presidency we’re enduring or any of the issues vital to all of us terrified about the future for our families and ourselves.

I’m also annoyed by the debate format perpetrated by cable news networks more interested in creating conflict and melodrama than a legitimate discussion. The feigned gladiatorial confrontations CNN hyped in its promotion and then attempted to foment during the actual event serve no one."

Trump's 'Meet & Greet' With Kim Was Not "Historic" But Pathetic U.S. Debasement - And Why He Merits No July 4th Celebration

"I'm a traitor but I'm gonna have the Fourth Of July celebrated in my honor"

"Narcissistic, infantile and heedless of tradition, Trump is now yanking away the one day devoted to celebrating all Americans and rebranding it in his own image. It’s one thing to have the TRUMP sign on a hotel or winery. It’s another to slap it on the face of the nation."  - Maureen Dowd, 

"This is front loaded for Kim. We've given him the benefit of sitting next to a U.S. president and gotten nothing in return. Trump is actually rewarding Kim for behavior we haven't seen yet.  And as for inviting Kim to the White House I would hope you wouldn't see that unless there is an agreement." - Former national security adviser Fran Townsend, on CBS this a.m.

"Trump denounces the press as “the enemy of the people,” derides his critics as treasonous and openly fawns over an autocrat whose modern-day gulags practice extermination, torture and sexual violence. "  Greg Weiner, NY Times today

"This isn’t going to be recorded in North Korea’s history as a benign US ‘invitation’ to a meeting, but rather as Washington trying to curry Pyongyang’s favor to win face-time with the Dear Leader,”"  -  Soo Kim, a policy analyst at Rand Corporation and a former CIA analyst, in The Financial Times.

 One of the hallmarks for treason defined in the Constitution is "giving aid and comfort" to one's enemies. Yesterday, Trump did just that when he stepped over the line - literally- into North Korea and stated openly he was "HONORED" to do so, as he greeted the most bloodthirsty tyrant from the most brutal regime on the planet.   And yet there he was giving aid and comfort to Kim Jong -Un in spades as he drooled over the little butcher making a spectacle in front of the brain -jacked U.S. media.

This odious degenerate, especially after his canoodling with autocrats at the G20,  definitely tried to outdo that prelude by seeking (via tweet) a meet and greet with the biggest murderer on the planet.  The narcissistic, sociopath swine obviously believes he is bigger than the nation.  Indeed, when Janice screeched, "He's winning, you know!" I agreed and replied, "Yep, because our national,  uncritical, fawning media has its collective head all the way up his ass."   As opposed to recoiling in horror at the sorry spectacle, our illustrious, "conscientious"  press covered it as an "historical event" - when it was nothing of the sort. It was pure narcissistic PR showmanship for Trump's ego, and also did not accomplish one damned thing, not one!  Excuse me, it elevated Kim Jong -Un to a stature equal to an American president (so to speak) on the world stage.  In the process, legitimizing a ruthless mass butcher and his malignant regime, while hurling this country under the geopolitical bus.  Giving aid and comfort to an enemy that even now is refining more nuclear materials for its ICBMs - soon to be aimed at U.S. cities.

Hell, even as he sought  bogus "rapprochement" in the form of more ego- stroking from Kim, North Korea has produced enough fuel for a half-dozen additional nuclear weapons, according to one study. In May, it launched short-range missiles in violation of United Nations resolutions.   Meanwhile, by his crossing into North Korea - and asking Kim's permission- he has further debased the U.S. as he elevated the brutal tyrant's standing in the world while getting nothing back.  Oh, other than a faint 'promise' things will lead to a more concrete nuclear deal.  Don't hold your breath! North Korea has no intention of giving up its existing nukes and instead has received cover from Trump to produce even more 

Aid and comfort to an enemy - for which technically hostilities have not abated since the end of the Korean War.   And wait for it, this traitor actually fancies having a 4th of July celebration around him!  As Kamala Harris chided: “I think the president needs to realize it’s America’s birthday, not his birthday.”

Apparently underwhelmed by the way the nation’s Capitol has celebrated in years past — key events are now to include the National Independence Day Parade down Constitution Avenue, a free concert on the West Lawn of the Capitol and fireworks over the National Mall .  And Traitor Trump,  firm pal of the most brutal dictator on the world scene, is injecting himself into the celebration. While details are still being hammered out, the Trumpites have been working for months on plans for the Traitor to deliver an address from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial..Imagine Adolf Hitler coming back from the grave and doing it, that's about how Janice and I feel.

Organizers of the traditional celebration are stressing that Trump's speech will be a separate event that will not interfere with the rest of the party. But back in February, Dotard claimed credit for the entire turbocharged affair in a tweet urging Americans to “HOLD THE DATE” for “one of the biggest gatherings in the history of Washington, DC.”

He is calling this farce “A Salute to America,” featuring a “major fireworks display, entertainment and an address by your favorite President, me!”

Only a turd like Trump would try to steal some of the day’s glory for himself — to make this, at least in part, “A Salute to Donald Trump”.  But in hijacking America’s birthday, Trump is doing more than merely indulging his petty narcissism. He is trampling on a longstanding tradition of keeping these events nonpartisan — apolitical even — and focused on bringing the nation together.  For decades, Washington’s Fourth of July tribute has aimed to play down or paper over political divisions and celebrate America — not any particular leader or party.

Worse, after indulging a brutal mass- murdering dictator,  effectively committing treason in plain view -  like when he begged Russia to hack HRC's emails 3 years ago -  he expects those of us who are sane and really love this nation to partake in this self-serving fiasco.   Which to us amounts to conferring benediction and approval on his every action and word - from honoring the most brutal regime in the world, to validating his caging and maltreatment of migrant kids to his threats against the press - accusing the NY Times (for example) of treason.

No, all the treason is on this sorry SOB whether our own forlorn, blinkered media can see it or not. It seems, alas, bloggers now have to do the critical work once left to the press and media who - as Janice put it - have fallen into  Trump's orbit.

Let us try to grasp how abnormal  this whole planned extravaganza is, recognizing the incipient power to distract, not to mention incite.  And we already know Traitor Trump is capable of doing this because of his very sociopathic nature.  This is also why hitherto our sane previous presidents have opted to absent themselves from the events. They understand the day is for citizens to celebrate their country, not for them to interject themselves to sow divisions and hate.  Hence, they don’t appear on stage at  concerts. They don’t preside over the fireworks. They certainly don’t grab themselves a prime-time speaking slot. Especially they don't on the National Mall, in front of the monument to arguably America’s greatest president. Where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered the “I Have a Dream” speech.

If we do have to suffer the spectacle of this maggot and his execrable persona it is only fitting we maybe borrow the 'Twitter Troll Trump" balloon from Londoners and fly it wherever Dotard tries to steal the nation's thunder. To remind every citizen what this infant is really about'. Himself, not the country.

Trump  baby brat balloon of the type we need for the 4th to counter any Trump celebrations.

Remember his failed efforts to organize a military parade down the streets of Washington? Now we know they've been revived from a story in  today's Washington Post.  Trump is now insisting on having military tanks on the mall for a Fourth of July parade, desecrating the day fully with autocrat insanity. . It appears that the newsreels of Hitler saluting similar Panzer tanks in parade has totally gone to his rotten, orange head.

No question,  traitor Trump loves a good spectacle — the bigger the better-   and he also believes the spectacle will provide cover for him as a traitor and piece of proto-human garbage.. He was clearly thrilled with the elaborate tributes that other nations have paid him on his overseas visits. Now, he has found a way to manufacture a similar tribute here at home, and he’s not going to let a little thing like tradition ruin this priceless branding opportunity, at American taxpayers' expense. (Estimated cost: $18 m)  But in truth his only brand ought to be traitor, e.g.

Fortunately,  the backlash has begun.  In the words of Representative Gerald Connolly, a Democrat from suburban Virginia.

“He can’t resist injecting partisan politics into the most nonpartisan sacred American holiday there is: the Fourth of July,” 


Adding: "It's part of a pattern of driving wedges between Americans and making himself the subject of attention.”

The National Park Service, the Secret Service and local law enforcement are scrambling to work out the security and logistical challenges of a presidential appearance. The fireworks are being moved from the usual location at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to a local park, to allow for bigger crowds to assemble at the site of the president’s speech. The display is also being extended by a couple of minutes, allowing Trump to brag of the biggest show ever.

And look, while this is far from the most significant political norm that Trump has shattered in the course of his presidency it is depressing nonetheless. The greatness of America does not reside with its president, but with its people.   It is this spirit that the annual celebration in the nation’s capital has endeavored to preserve. Until now.  But see, Trump seeks to subjugate the people like his hero of the moment, Kim Jong Un, does with his - even dispatching them to brutal concentration camps.

We know this is true especially with his cavorting with Kim, Putin and Prince Mohammad bid Salman (Jamal Khashoggi's killer)  In the last case, Trump gushed about the Saudi butcher being "my good friend"  (WSJ today, p. A7) even as other members of the G20 shunned him.

Trump thereby has shown he fancies himself the equal of butchers who have the power to slaughter journalists and protesters at will.  He is a scum and traitor, and as my Revolutionary War ancestor Conrad Brumbaugh would agree, merits a hanging  - at least in effigy on the Washington Mall -  not a parade,  fireworks and  campaign -style speechifying!  This is the only July 4th spectacle I'd look forward to:


Failing that, I will take a massive thunderstorm of biblical proportions to wipe out all Trump's fireworks, phony pageantry and vanity display --  maybe a few good lightning bolts too - to wake his sorry ass up to his real responsibilities. Which are not displaying tanks and having jet fighter flyovers to make him believe he's the 2nd coming of Adolf Hitler.

After his one hour confab with Kim, Trump blurted to the press (which had earlier been jostled North Korean style by its thug security forces):

“Certainly, this was a great day; this was a very legendary, very historic day"

No, it was one of the saddest, most deplorable days in American history, which will rival Neville Chamberlain's abject kowtowing to Hitler nearly 80 years earlier.  Only a  Trumpie MAGA moron or traitor sympathizer would use the effusive and exaggerated language Traitor Trump did.


See also:

Evil Doings: Fuck the Trump 4th

Excerpt:

"Home of the free and land of the brave." Does that phrase ring hollow in your ears? It does in mine. Each day for the past 30 months or so, it has felt more and more like I'm a hostage in my own country, like the people in Putin's Russia or Kim's North Korea, or ABM's Saudi Arabia, places that condone the severest restrictions on the press, that rule through intimidation, fear, and brutality, where dissent can get you killed. It might seem an exaggeration to say we're that far gone, but not by much. Trump, Bannon, and an international league of fascists are driving us toward that cliff, and who among us doesn't believe that a purloined and tampered-with election is almost sure to plummet us toward a death dive for democracy, for First Amendment protections of our freedoms, and for the rule of law."

And:

Peace & Justice

How Do You Celebrate a Flawed Nation?

And:

Donald Trump

Trump and Hitler: A Juxtaposition

Excerpt:

"It is a sad day for our country when comparisons between the leader of Nazi Germany, and the president of the United States, are apt. It is an even sadder day when no one seems to notice."

Other Voices On The Two Democratic Debates

In the case of the recent Democratic debates -  as much of the media heats up on opinions of winners, losers -  I remain in a 'meh" disposition.  While I watched both debates with wifey, we both agreed there was simply too little to learn given: a) too many candidates so not enough time to focus, and b) a  counterproductive debate format that often squashed emergent discussions on a topic between two or more candidates.   Thus, in the midst of what could have been an informative natural debate (as opposed to merely answering moderators' questions) the discussion was halted and on to the next topic.  

Anyway, below are other voices on the two debates, given I am withholding any inputs until the field vastly narrows and the debates mean 3-4 debating as opposed to ten each time.

2020 Elections | Democrats

The First Democratic Debate Was Speed-Dating With Some Substance

Excerpt:

"Even in the milled perfection of a machine world, 10 robot candidates in a two-hour debate would only have 12 minutes each to explain why they should be president of these wildly complex and dangerous United States. As we are flesh, however, viewers were required to endure several commercial breaks, candidates talking beyond their 45-second time allotments, moderator Chuck Todd being a clown, and an elongated microphone malfunction that ate 10 percent of the event.

At best, candidates each averaged maybe eight minutes of combined time to make their points and try to stand out. They were required in this scant window to race through answers on health care, the gender pay gap, economic inequality, the ongoing immigration crisis, Iran, reproductive freedom, gun violence, the Supreme Court, LGBTQ rights, racial justice, military interventions to end atrocities, the eternal war in Afghanistan, the merits of impeaching Donald Trump, and more.

Unless a candidate pulled a live duck out of their pants in the middle of a rushed discourse on raising the minimum wage after a different candidate spent their 45 seconds quick-splaining the Iran crisis, they were all going to be subsumed to one degree or another by the very nature of the affair. It was speed dating writ large, and a comprehensive disservice to the country given what is at stake"

2020 Elections | Democrats

These Are the 3 Winners and 4 Losers from the Second 2020 Democratic Primary Debate

Excerpt:

"On the second night of the Democratic primary debates on Thursday, most of the highest-polling candidates appeared at the center of the stage. The top two at the center were Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, flanked by California Sen. Kamala Harris and Mayor Pete Buttigieg. Ten other candidates, including the other top tier candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren, participated in a separate debate the previous night.

While it can be hard to say how an evening really affected voters — and the most likely outcome for any individual candidate is that nothing much will change — some contenders on the stage show clear strengths and weaknesses.

Here’s the — necessarily subjective — ranking of winners and losers for the night. Not everyone is listed because many people didn’t seem to do much to hurt or help themselves; they were just treading water."

Mueller's 9 Minutes of Fame Punts The Ball To Congress As Trump & Co. Continue Spinning More Lies

Robert Mueller delivering his nine minute statement earlier today, which left most Americans seeking courage, unimpressed.

"Bob, your trail of bread crumbs just isn't good enough. We're just not that smart anymore! America is now an aging shortstop.  You have to hit it right at us."  Bill Maher on Real Time, Friday, April 26, on why Mueller's indirect, detached approach is useless

"If we had confidence that the President did not commit a crime, we would have said so."  - Robert Mueller, earlier today.


Well, at least one major milestone was passed earlier today, we finally got to hear Mueller's voice live and in person. No filters. The problem is it was mostly pro forma and the message enunciated: "If you want to see what I found, read the report."  Righto, like 100 million Americans will now rush to read it ASAP. Hell, I already published the 'juiciest' parts of Vol. II (with all the obstruction behavior involving WH Counsel Don McGhan that- propelled  GOP Rep. Justin Amash to call for impeachment) and  42  have read it to date. Not an auspicious sign.  On the upside, reading between the lines - or rather interpreting between Mueller's careful words- one beheld he wasn't letting Trump off the hook. Also, it was now time for House Dems & Pelosi to get some cojones and initiate impeachment inquiry - at least.

Bottom line: Mueller punted again but basically - in his Volume II - left the means to bring impeachment proceedings against the Vulgarian criminal fouling the highest office.  On the other hand, he isn't keen for any more public appearances, basically averring if the House Dems subpoena him to testify all he will do is read what's already been published, nothing more. Well, hell, at least it will be kinda like a parent reading a bedtime story to his kid - when the kid wouldn't have opened the book on his own.  It would be better than nothing, and hey, for each question Mueller could direct willing readers to the key parts of Volume I or II as he reads. It sure beats the Mr. Silent Sphinx Act we've beheld the past two years. At this point we will take anything, and so should Nancy Pelosi and the House Dems.  Pelosi claims she's still seeking facts and evidence of obstruction, but what do you call Trump's universal blocking of all subpoenas  - laughing them down, blowing them off - as he metaphorically pisses down the Dems' throats and laughs?

Finally launching an impeachment  might even shut up Trump and his top sycophant ass licker, Sara Sanders, who predictably came out with their own forlorn lying spin and distortions, yapping crap like "case closed", and "it's time to move on."  No, it's time for impeachment!

Mueller himself in his 9 minute spiel gave the usual reasons cited earlier for not going the whole hog and failing to issue and indictment: basically that DOJ policy (from the Office of Legal Counsel) "doesn't allow it".  Which is bull pockey. It's only a guideline, a policy after all, not an iron clad law or rule. And we've seen in the past two months how Dotard has spit on norm after norm blocking subpoenas  while congress is made to sit on its fingers fuming.  The correct interpretation of Mueller's citation of limits in issuing an indictment is:  "We found Trump guilty but the DOJ wouldn't allow us to say it."

Never mind. Dotard and his retinue of sycophants tried to spin this to mean "exoneration".   The first tool they used was to interpret a partial affirmation as a total negation. Thus, Mueller admitted he found "insufficient evidence" to identify a conspiracy with the Russians (in Vol. I). But Trump, his malleable cow press secretary Huckleberry Sanders and others tried to portray that as meaning "nothing was found" and hence "exoneration".  Nope, because insufficient evidence is not the same as zero evidence. One may have insufficient evidence a neighbor bludgeoned his wife with a hammer, as there are bloody fingerprints on it. But there is no confirming DNA evidence to match the suspect to the actual weapon and crime.

Mueller did (in Vol. 2) identify 10 incidents in which Trump attempted to obstruct justice, for example by firing the director of the FBI, though he stopped short of charging the Dotard with a crime.  Never mind, because again by the OLC guidelines Mueller's hands were cuffed on the issue of finding crimes. (As already explained.) But again, he clearly left the process open for congress to pursue "high crimes and misdemeanors" under the Article I powers allotted to it.  

Mueller himself fucked up badly during his soliloquy,  asserting:

"A president cannot be charged with a federal crime while he is in office.  That is unconstitutional."

No, it would not. As one legal specialist and former prosecutor noted on MSNBC, "there hasn't even been a court decision to render a verdict on constitutionality".  Adding, he could find just as many to assert it was constitutional as not. In the end it is an OLC "guideline" that appears no where in the Constitution per se.

As MSNBC legal specialist Ari Melber and others put it (e.g. former DOJ spokes person Matt Miller) it wasn't a 100 % nothing burger. There were some actual ounces of 'meat' in the statement terms of Mueller saying (between the lines, as it were): "I could not deliver a criminal prosecution but congress can still act on its own".

Bingo! But most Americans - even with IQs in the normal range- might have missed that. As Bill Maher once put it in a New Rules segment (see top quote) on Real Time, Americans are like aging shortstops. They need the ball hit directly at their midsections to make the play. Or in this case, the connections. The perfect illustration was one of the Michigan voters  highlighted at a recent question-answer session held by Justin Amash. This woman was astonished to learn- after Amash educated her- that Trump was NOT "exonerated" in the Mueller Report. She'd only heard that by having been isolated in the conserve media (i.e. FOX, Rush Limburger ) echo chamber the past 8 weeks.

At least a number of Senators - following Mueller's performance- have sounded the proper perspectives to counter the balderdash of Trump and his minions, e.g.

Julian Castro:

Mueller made clear this morning that his investigation now lays at the feet of Congress. No one is above the law—Congress should begin an impeachment inquiry.

May 29, 2019

Elizabeth Warren:

Mueller leaves no doubt:

1) He didn't exonerate the president because there is evidence he committed crimes.

2) Justice Department policy prevented him from charging the president with any crimes

.
3) The Constitution leaves it up to Congress to act—and that's impeachment.

May 29, 2019

Kamala Harris:

What Robert Mueller basically did was return an impeachment referral. Now it is up to Congress to hold this president accountable.

We need to start impeachment proceedings. It's our constitutional obligation.

May 29, 2019

Again, I present the link to the full Mueller report which readers can access here:

www.justice.gov/storage/report.pdf

Please read it yourselves to see why the above takes by the D-Senators are correct. If pressed for time, at least read my transcription of Vol. II to do with obstruction of justice involving Trump White House Counsel Don McGahn! (May 22 post).

Your country will thank you for it, and so will Democrats when they begin impeachment proceedings.  (IF they do!)  It will mean one less segment of citizens to have to educate.  In any case, I am for the Jerrold Nadler and House Judiciary Committee bringing Mueller in to testify - even if it means only seeing and hearing him read sections of his own report.

Something is better than nothing!   

See also:

Donald Trump | Robert Mueller

Mueller Also Had Accountability, but Evaded It

And:

Donald Trump | Impeachment | Robert Mueller

Mueller Just Invited Congress To Do Its Job: Impeach Trump

And:

Alex Henderson

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