https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/7/31/1685682/-After-blocking-the-GOP-health-care-repeal-senator-describes-the-extraordinary-greeting-back-home
"Sen. Susan Collins returned home to Maine on Friday and was greeted with great enthusiasm by travelers inside the Bangor International Airport. As she walked off the plane, travelers in the gate area recognized her and broke into a hearty round of applause that continued to get louder as word spread she was in the area."
News And Opinion About The Republican War On Women And Issues Important To Women
Saturday, August 5, 2017
Police departments have had to debunk parts of Donald Trump’s law and order speech
http://www.salon.com/2017/07/31/police-departments-have-had-to-debunk-parts-of-donald-trumps-law-and-order-speech/
"Numerous statements in Trump's infamous speech have been discovered to have been inaccurate or misleading"
"Numerous statements in Trump's infamous speech have been discovered to have been inaccurate or misleading"
Here is the evil Trump is trying to do to Obamacare — and America
Here is the evil Trump is trying to do to Obamacare — and America:
"Actively seeking to bring hardship to millions of Americans by sabotaging their health coverage is certainly highly questionable from a moral and ethical perspective. Future inquiries may also prove that they are illegal."
"Actively seeking to bring hardship to millions of Americans by sabotaging their health coverage is certainly highly questionable from a moral and ethical perspective. Future inquiries may also prove that they are illegal."
Sen. Susan Collins: Trump's Threats Have Contributed To Instability In The Insurance Market | Crooks and Liars
Sen. Susan Collins: Trump's Threats Have Contributed To Instability In The Insurance Market | Crooks and Liars
"Sen. Susan Collins of Maine discussed the warm welcome she received in Maine after her vote against the so-called "skinny repeal" bill, and shot down the Trump administration's talking points on "insurance bailouts"."
"Sen. Susan Collins of Maine discussed the warm welcome she received in Maine after her vote against the so-called "skinny repeal" bill, and shot down the Trump administration's talking points on "insurance bailouts"."
Fox-Conned: After Trump’s healthcare debacle, next up is fake jobs and fiscal malpractice
Fox-Conned: After Trump’s healthcare debacle, next up is fake jobs and fiscal malpractice:
"Since being elected, Trump has brazenly taken credit for jobs and investments announced months or years earlier, as with Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, Exxon-Mobil, Softbank, and Lockheed-Martin. Or Trump falsifies the number of jobs created, as he did with Carrier when he inflated the jobs saved by 300. Or he ignores job cuts. He gushed over 900 jobs created in Michigan while ignoring 1,100 jobs GM eliminated at the same time in the state, for an actual loss of 200 jobs. Sometimes companies match bullsh*t for bullsh*t with Trump to curry favor. Intel’s CEO appeared by Trump’s side in January 2017 to tout a computer chip factory in Arizona. It’s the same exact factory the previous CEO announced by then-President Obama’s side in 2011 and which then had construction delays as demand waned."
"Since being elected, Trump has brazenly taken credit for jobs and investments announced months or years earlier, as with Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, Exxon-Mobil, Softbank, and Lockheed-Martin. Or Trump falsifies the number of jobs created, as he did with Carrier when he inflated the jobs saved by 300. Or he ignores job cuts. He gushed over 900 jobs created in Michigan while ignoring 1,100 jobs GM eliminated at the same time in the state, for an actual loss of 200 jobs. Sometimes companies match bullsh*t for bullsh*t with Trump to curry favor. Intel’s CEO appeared by Trump’s side in January 2017 to tout a computer chip factory in Arizona. It’s the same exact factory the previous CEO announced by then-President Obama’s side in 2011 and which then had construction delays as demand waned."
Elizabeth Warren's Pet Project Has Already Returned $12 Billion to Swindled Families—So Naturally Republicans Want It Dismantled @alternet
Elizabeth Warren's Pet Project Has Already Returned $12 Billion to Swindled Families—So Naturally Republicans Want It Dismantled @alternet:
"Less than a week after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau celebrated its sixth anniversary, the Trump administration issued a decisive blow to the Bureau's latest progress regarding a key arbitrations rule, which it now aims to nullify. For Republicans, the CFPB must be curtained like similar government agencies at the helm of President Trump's deregulation agenda. But the policies championed by the CFPB continue to greatly benefit the average American. "The question is, why has [the CFPB] drawn so much fire from the Republicans in Washington?" asked CFPB founder Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren at a press conference Tuesday with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). "Why is it that the banks and the financial services industry [are] after it day after day after day? I'll tell you the answer. It's because it works." The CFPB "has provided needed oversight to mortgages, credit cards, student loans and other financial products," explained Ken Blackledge, a produce farmer and independent voter from Central Iowa. His letter to the editor published in the Des Moines Register on July 25 seeks to emphasize the bipartisan importance of Warren's agency on the heels of pivotal Dodd Frank reform. "That little agency has forced the biggest financial institutions in this country to return nearly $12 billion directly to families they cheated," Warren stated. "It's handled more than a million complaints. It's done tough oversight and enforcement, and it's come out with regulations that—piece at a time—are beginning to level the playing field between giant financial institutions on one hand and American families on the other"."
"Less than a week after the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau celebrated its sixth anniversary, the Trump administration issued a decisive blow to the Bureau's latest progress regarding a key arbitrations rule, which it now aims to nullify. For Republicans, the CFPB must be curtained like similar government agencies at the helm of President Trump's deregulation agenda. But the policies championed by the CFPB continue to greatly benefit the average American. "The question is, why has [the CFPB] drawn so much fire from the Republicans in Washington?" asked CFPB founder Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren at a press conference Tuesday with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). "Why is it that the banks and the financial services industry [are] after it day after day after day? I'll tell you the answer. It's because it works." The CFPB "has provided needed oversight to mortgages, credit cards, student loans and other financial products," explained Ken Blackledge, a produce farmer and independent voter from Central Iowa. His letter to the editor published in the Des Moines Register on July 25 seeks to emphasize the bipartisan importance of Warren's agency on the heels of pivotal Dodd Frank reform. "That little agency has forced the biggest financial institutions in this country to return nearly $12 billion directly to families they cheated," Warren stated. "It's handled more than a million complaints. It's done tough oversight and enforcement, and it's come out with regulations that—piece at a time—are beginning to level the playing field between giant financial institutions on one hand and American families on the other"."
Trump has bad news for millions of workers in line for overtime pay under Obama
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/7/26/1684106/-Trump-has-bad-news-for-millions-of-workers-in-line-for-overtime-pay-under-Obama
"Donald Trump’s major life goal at this point seems to be rolling back everything good President Barack Obama did for the country and its people—and now he’s coming for your overtime pay. Obama had sought to raise the overtime eligibility threshold to include millions more workers, a change that was supposed to go into effect in December but was blocked at the last minute by a judge. Now, of course—of course—Mr. Populist is rolling back Obama’s expansion. Trump’s Labor Department announced Tuesday that it would be doing something to the overtime eligibility threshold, but it’s not clear what, and they’re definitely not going to be raising the threshold to $47,000 like Obama proposed."
"Donald Trump’s major life goal at this point seems to be rolling back everything good President Barack Obama did for the country and its people—and now he’s coming for your overtime pay. Obama had sought to raise the overtime eligibility threshold to include millions more workers, a change that was supposed to go into effect in December but was blocked at the last minute by a judge. Now, of course—of course—Mr. Populist is rolling back Obama’s expansion. Trump’s Labor Department announced Tuesday that it would be doing something to the overtime eligibility threshold, but it’s not clear what, and they’re definitely not going to be raising the threshold to $47,000 like Obama proposed."
West Wing Chaos: Priebus Quits, General Kelly Takes Over as Chief of Staff
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/07/28/west-wing-chaos-priebus-quits-general-kelly-takes-over-chief-staff
"Reince Priebus was the shortest-serving White House chief of staff in American history, edging out Ken Duberstein."
"Reince Priebus was the shortest-serving White House chief of staff in American history, edging out Ken Duberstein."
Russia investigation could uncover how much money Trump is still getting from Moscow
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/7/28/1685028/-Russia-investigation-could-uncover-how-much-money-Trump-is-still-getting-from-Moscow
"When thinking about Donald Trump’s monetary dealings with Russia, it’s easy to think of them as being part of his past. Sure, he sold a Florida home to an oligarch for $100 million—well over twice its value. And, when his business was essentially bankrupt for the seventh time and no bank would give him a loan, Trump collected enough money from Russian mobsters for his rich guy act to continue. But that was … when was that? Since Election Day, President Trump’s businesses have sold at least 30 luxury condos and oceanfront lots for about $33 million. That includes millions of dollars in properties to secretive shell companies, which can hide the identities of buyers or partners involved in the deals, a USA TODAY investigation has found. Shell corporations, like those set up by friend of a friend Irakly "Ike" Kaveladze, who was the eighth man at that infamous Trump Tower get together. Kaveladze was there to represent Russian real estate family the Agaralovs. Before he became part of their operation to lobby Trump over the Magnitsky Act, Kaveladze had another job. He helped create more than 2,000 shell companies—most of which went right back to Aras and Emin Agaralov. The use of shell companies by investors, added to the over 500 shell companies used by Donald Trump, can make the real actors behind real estate transactions hard for state and local officials to see without help. But they could be getting that help. Details of some of those deals and other transactions by Trump's family business could be unmasked as special counsel Robert Mueller expands his inquiry into election-meddling by Russia and whether Trump's campaign colluded. Which is why Trump is in a big, big hurry to stop Mueller."
"When thinking about Donald Trump’s monetary dealings with Russia, it’s easy to think of them as being part of his past. Sure, he sold a Florida home to an oligarch for $100 million—well over twice its value. And, when his business was essentially bankrupt for the seventh time and no bank would give him a loan, Trump collected enough money from Russian mobsters for his rich guy act to continue. But that was … when was that? Since Election Day, President Trump’s businesses have sold at least 30 luxury condos and oceanfront lots for about $33 million. That includes millions of dollars in properties to secretive shell companies, which can hide the identities of buyers or partners involved in the deals, a USA TODAY investigation has found. Shell corporations, like those set up by friend of a friend Irakly "Ike" Kaveladze, who was the eighth man at that infamous Trump Tower get together. Kaveladze was there to represent Russian real estate family the Agaralovs. Before he became part of their operation to lobby Trump over the Magnitsky Act, Kaveladze had another job. He helped create more than 2,000 shell companies—most of which went right back to Aras and Emin Agaralov. The use of shell companies by investors, added to the over 500 shell companies used by Donald Trump, can make the real actors behind real estate transactions hard for state and local officials to see without help. But they could be getting that help. Details of some of those deals and other transactions by Trump's family business could be unmasked as special counsel Robert Mueller expands his inquiry into election-meddling by Russia and whether Trump's campaign colluded. Which is why Trump is in a big, big hurry to stop Mueller."
Republican Cornyn gets schooled in how a kleptocracy works and it sounds a lot like the GOP
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/7/28/1685010/-Republican-Cornyn-gets-schooled-in-how-a-kleptocracy-works-and-it-sounds-a-lot-like-the-GOP
"When Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn isn’t trying his hand at playing president, he’s trying to steal away your health insurance for big tax breaks for the rich. Almost like the way an oligarchy works … or a kleptocracy. Anythewhos, Sen. Cornyn is trying his most republicany-ist to make the connections between the Putin regime and our current president seem … silly? In front of Sen. Cornyn on Thursday, was CEO of Hermitage Capital Management William Browder. Browder has testified very clearly that Putin wants there to be an end to the Magnitsky Act, and most specifically to the sanctions and financial consequences in the act, as they pertain to Putin's vast financial network. Cornyn’s job was to say, hey the president can only do so much—why would Vladimir Putin think he can get rid of a law with just a president? You might want to stay seated Johnny, because here comes something called “psychology.” Browder: Absolutely. You have really brought up a hugely important point,especially as it relates to Russia or any kleptocratic regime. That in a kleptocracy, like Russia and other countries, the way that the world works is that the president of that country allows certain people to get rich, and he often gets a share of the wealth. Of those people. And then he can rely on those people to do the state’s bidding in situations where it may not be appropriate or they may not want to show the government's face. In Russia it’s an entirely informal system like that and there is absolute documentary evidence of people who have gotten rich through Vladimir Putin, who have then done lots of foreign policy work—not just in America but also all over the world—in order to further Putin's agenda, which is adverse to decency and democracy and liberal thought. Sounds a lot like an entire wing of the Republican Party these days."
"When Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn isn’t trying his hand at playing president, he’s trying to steal away your health insurance for big tax breaks for the rich. Almost like the way an oligarchy works … or a kleptocracy. Anythewhos, Sen. Cornyn is trying his most republicany-ist to make the connections between the Putin regime and our current president seem … silly? In front of Sen. Cornyn on Thursday, was CEO of Hermitage Capital Management William Browder. Browder has testified very clearly that Putin wants there to be an end to the Magnitsky Act, and most specifically to the sanctions and financial consequences in the act, as they pertain to Putin's vast financial network. Cornyn’s job was to say, hey the president can only do so much—why would Vladimir Putin think he can get rid of a law with just a president? You might want to stay seated Johnny, because here comes something called “psychology.” Browder: Absolutely. You have really brought up a hugely important point,especially as it relates to Russia or any kleptocratic regime. That in a kleptocracy, like Russia and other countries, the way that the world works is that the president of that country allows certain people to get rich, and he often gets a share of the wealth. Of those people. And then he can rely on those people to do the state’s bidding in situations where it may not be appropriate or they may not want to show the government's face. In Russia it’s an entirely informal system like that and there is absolute documentary evidence of people who have gotten rich through Vladimir Putin, who have then done lots of foreign policy work—not just in America but also all over the world—in order to further Putin's agenda, which is adverse to decency and democracy and liberal thought. Sounds a lot like an entire wing of the Republican Party these days."
Sunday, July 30, 2017
The Past 5 GOP Presidents Have Used Fraud and Treason to Steer Themselves to Electoral Victory @alternet
The Past 5 GOP Presidents Have Used Fraud and Treason to Steer Themselves to Electoral Victory @alternet:
"People are wondering out loud about the parallels between today’s Republican Party and organized crime, and whether “Teflon Don” Trump will remain unscathed through his many scandals, ranging from interactions with foreign oligarchs to killing tens of thousands of Americans by denying them healthcare to stepping up the destruction of our environment and public lands. History suggests – even if treason can be demonstrated – that, as long as he holds onto the Republican Party (and Fox News), he’ll survive it intact. And he won’t be the first Republican president to commit high crimes to get and stay in office. In fact, Eisenhower was the last legitimately elected Republican president we’ve had in this country. Since Dwight Eisenhower left the presidency in 1961, six different Republicans have occupied the Oval Office. And every single one of them - from Richard Nixon to Donald Trump - have been illegitimate - ascending to the highest office in the land not through small-D democratic elections - but instead through fraud and treason. (And today’s GOP-controlled Congress is arguably just as corrupt and illegitimate, acting almost entirely within the boundaries set by an organized group of billionaires.) Let’s start at the beginning with Richard Nixon."
"People are wondering out loud about the parallels between today’s Republican Party and organized crime, and whether “Teflon Don” Trump will remain unscathed through his many scandals, ranging from interactions with foreign oligarchs to killing tens of thousands of Americans by denying them healthcare to stepping up the destruction of our environment and public lands. History suggests – even if treason can be demonstrated – that, as long as he holds onto the Republican Party (and Fox News), he’ll survive it intact. And he won’t be the first Republican president to commit high crimes to get and stay in office. In fact, Eisenhower was the last legitimately elected Republican president we’ve had in this country. Since Dwight Eisenhower left the presidency in 1961, six different Republicans have occupied the Oval Office. And every single one of them - from Richard Nixon to Donald Trump - have been illegitimate - ascending to the highest office in the land not through small-D democratic elections - but instead through fraud and treason. (And today’s GOP-controlled Congress is arguably just as corrupt and illegitimate, acting almost entirely within the boundaries set by an organized group of billionaires.) Let’s start at the beginning with Richard Nixon."
Let's Not Ignore the Real Heroes Who Saved Our Health Care System from Total Ruin @alternet
Let's Not Ignore the Real Heroes Who Saved Our Health Care System from Total Ruin @alternet:
"What all this media coverage ignores is the tireless and determined organizing of activist groups against the bill. If anyone is to be heralded a hero for saving the ACA, it’s the activists from ADAPT, a disability rights organization, who have been on the front lines fighting for their right to health care. The primary factor driving ADAPT organizers and disability rights activists is the need to protect Medicaid, a program that has helped an estimated 10 million disabled people and counting, according to Kaiser Family Foundation. With both the House and Senate’s health care bills proposing drastic cuts to Medicaid, people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable. “Medicaid is a lifeline for us,” said Laura Halvorson, a member of the DC Metro ADAPT chapter. “It gives us our life and liberty.” ADAPT activists, ranging in age from parents with younger children to the elderly, held about 40 protests, rallies and sit-ins this week and over the past few months to pressure the lawmakers working to strip health care away from millions of people. These demonstrations took place in legislative offices on Capitol Hill as well as representatives' local offices across the country, the message ringing loud and clear. Protesters were often met with aggressive police presence. A "die-in” protest organized by ADAPT on June 22 to commemorate the 18th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. LC—which affirmed the rights of the disabled to live in communities instead of institutions—outside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office led to the arrests of 43 people. Footage from reporters on the scene shows officers lifting individuals out of their wheelchairs to remove them from the vicinity."
"What all this media coverage ignores is the tireless and determined organizing of activist groups against the bill. If anyone is to be heralded a hero for saving the ACA, it’s the activists from ADAPT, a disability rights organization, who have been on the front lines fighting for their right to health care. The primary factor driving ADAPT organizers and disability rights activists is the need to protect Medicaid, a program that has helped an estimated 10 million disabled people and counting, according to Kaiser Family Foundation. With both the House and Senate’s health care bills proposing drastic cuts to Medicaid, people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable. “Medicaid is a lifeline for us,” said Laura Halvorson, a member of the DC Metro ADAPT chapter. “It gives us our life and liberty.” ADAPT activists, ranging in age from parents with younger children to the elderly, held about 40 protests, rallies and sit-ins this week and over the past few months to pressure the lawmakers working to strip health care away from millions of people. These demonstrations took place in legislative offices on Capitol Hill as well as representatives' local offices across the country, the message ringing loud and clear. Protesters were often met with aggressive police presence. A "die-in” protest organized by ADAPT on June 22 to commemorate the 18th anniversary of the Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. LC—which affirmed the rights of the disabled to live in communities instead of institutions—outside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office led to the arrests of 43 people. Footage from reporters on the scene shows officers lifting individuals out of their wheelchairs to remove them from the vicinity."
Ideology, Not Tactics, Killed Trumpcare
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/ideology-not-tactics-killed-trumpcare-w494720
"There was no plan in that seven years, and there would have been no reasonable plan out of the conference committee, because a Republican health care bill is an oxymoron. The problem was never one of tactics, but always one of ideology. Every bill Republicans put forth was measured in the millions of Americans who would lose their coverage. There was never a plan on the table that would have given Americans cheaper, better, simpler, more effective access to health care. It only subtracted, because subtraction is what the Republicans in Congress believe in. They don't believe access to health care is a basic human right. They don't believe people should never go bankrupt because they get sick. They hide behind words like "freedom" and "personal responsibility," but what's freedom worth if you get cancer while making $30,000 a year? How can anyone who isn't fabulously wealthy be expected to take personal responsibility for bills that could easily go into the hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars? Republican faith in the free market to solve all our problems doomed any attempt at writing a health care law. The free market doesn't care if people get sick, go bankrupt and die if there's no profit in it. The Affordable Care Act was a last-chance effort to preserve a market-based health care system, based largely on ideas that originated in conservative think tanks. Its failures – and there are some – are largely failures of too little regulation, not too much. The plan Republicans have been fiercely opposing because it has a Democratic president's name attached to it is the closest thing they could ever get to a GOP health care plan. Americans don't want to be kicked off our health insurance. We don't want it to become unaffordable, or to fail to cover our actual health care needs. But any plan that comes solely from the Republican Party will do exactly that. We know this because we just saw them try over and over again, and every result was the same: Less coverage, higher costs."
"There was no plan in that seven years, and there would have been no reasonable plan out of the conference committee, because a Republican health care bill is an oxymoron. The problem was never one of tactics, but always one of ideology. Every bill Republicans put forth was measured in the millions of Americans who would lose their coverage. There was never a plan on the table that would have given Americans cheaper, better, simpler, more effective access to health care. It only subtracted, because subtraction is what the Republicans in Congress believe in. They don't believe access to health care is a basic human right. They don't believe people should never go bankrupt because they get sick. They hide behind words like "freedom" and "personal responsibility," but what's freedom worth if you get cancer while making $30,000 a year? How can anyone who isn't fabulously wealthy be expected to take personal responsibility for bills that could easily go into the hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars? Republican faith in the free market to solve all our problems doomed any attempt at writing a health care law. The free market doesn't care if people get sick, go bankrupt and die if there's no profit in it. The Affordable Care Act was a last-chance effort to preserve a market-based health care system, based largely on ideas that originated in conservative think tanks. Its failures – and there are some – are largely failures of too little regulation, not too much. The plan Republicans have been fiercely opposing because it has a Democratic president's name attached to it is the closest thing they could ever get to a GOP health care plan. Americans don't want to be kicked off our health insurance. We don't want it to become unaffordable, or to fail to cover our actual health care needs. But any plan that comes solely from the Republican Party will do exactly that. We know this because we just saw them try over and over again, and every result was the same: Less coverage, higher costs."
The 3 most compelling moments from the Senate’s late night health care debate
https://thinkprogress.org/health-debate-moments-d4431ec968ab
"The Senate continued its health care debate late into Thursday night, deciding whether or not to strip health care from 16 million people while many Americans slept. Before the vote on the so-called “skinny repeal bill” at midnight on Friday, lawmakers held the floor to speak out about the legislation. Tensions were high, and senators bickered over policy and procedure. Here are three memorable moments from the late night session"
"The Senate continued its health care debate late into Thursday night, deciding whether or not to strip health care from 16 million people while many Americans slept. Before the vote on the so-called “skinny repeal bill” at midnight on Friday, lawmakers held the floor to speak out about the legislation. Tensions were high, and senators bickered over policy and procedure. Here are three memorable moments from the late night session"
What McCain did was hard. What Murkowski and Collins did was much harder.
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/7/28/16055132/murkowski-collins-mccain
"Murkowski and Collins were the only Republicans to vote against a motion to proceed with the health care bill debate. Both women cast votes against the Better Care Reconciliation Act, which could have led to 22 million more uninsured Americans. They both also voted against the Obamacare Reconciliation Act — repeal and delay — which could have led to 32 million more uninsured Americans. Both senators said they could not support bills that would leave millions of people without health insurance. They also opposed provisions to defund planned parenthood. When skinny repeal — seemingly the last shot for the GOP — came down, they stood their ground and voted no again."
"Murkowski and Collins were the only Republicans to vote against a motion to proceed with the health care bill debate. Both women cast votes against the Better Care Reconciliation Act, which could have led to 22 million more uninsured Americans. They both also voted against the Obamacare Reconciliation Act — repeal and delay — which could have led to 32 million more uninsured Americans. Both senators said they could not support bills that would leave millions of people without health insurance. They also opposed provisions to defund planned parenthood. When skinny repeal — seemingly the last shot for the GOP — came down, they stood their ground and voted no again."
Dean Heller's awful, stupid, really dumb Trumpcare vote
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/7/28/1685037/-Dean-Heller-s-awful-stupid-really-dumb-Trumpcare-vote
"Sen. Dean Heller was already having an extremely bad week, all entirely of his own making. For whatever reason, the extremely vulnerable Nevada Republican—the only one running in 2018 in a state that went for Clinton last year—decided he was going to vote against his constituents in order to stick with his party."
"Sen. Dean Heller was already having an extremely bad week, all entirely of his own making. For whatever reason, the extremely vulnerable Nevada Republican—the only one running in 2018 in a state that went for Clinton last year—decided he was going to vote against his constituents in order to stick with his party."
Sean Hannity Throws a Hissy Fit Because GOP, Trump are Frauds (Video)
https://forwardprogressives.com/sean-hannity-throws-a-hissy-fit-because-gop-trump-are-frauds-video/
"He seems “shocked” that Republicans have been exposed as frauds who never had any plan to replace Obamacare, spent the last few years lying about it to benefit themselves politically, and now that they were forced to turn their propaganda into action, backed down. Despite their anti-Obamacare crusade the last seven years, the GOP is well aware of how many conservatives have actually benefited from the law. What Hannity fails to mention is that, while the “skinny repeal” barely failed, the vote to reject the full-on repeal of Obamacare wasn’t even close. As far as not wanting “the president to succeed,” that’s just idiotic. During his campaign he promised a bill that would make health care cheaper, better, and cover more Americans — yet Trumpcare literally would have done none of that. It was going to strip-down coverage, raise premiums, and 22 million fewer Americans would have had health insurance by 2026. He then went on to claim that the “deck is stacked” against the Trump administration. It’s easy to understand why Trump and Hannity get along so well; they’re two of the biggest crybabies I’ve ever seen. In case anybody’s forgotten, the Republican Party controls the House, the Senate, and the White House. If they can’t pass legislation that’s on them — and nobody else. What Sean Hannity’s essentially whining about here is the fact that Donald Trump and the GOP are liars who pander to ignorance. Now he’s upset because their conservative fan fiction they all desperately want to be real is running up against a reality that would expose what con artists they are. They know if they instantly stripped health care away from millions — many of whom are their own voters — the political ramifications from that fallout would be catastrophic for the party at nearly every level of government. So Hannity can blame whoever, or whatever, he wants for the failures of Donald Trump and the Republican Party in fulfilling the lies they fed to millions of naive people who actually believed their nonsense."
"He seems “shocked” that Republicans have been exposed as frauds who never had any plan to replace Obamacare, spent the last few years lying about it to benefit themselves politically, and now that they were forced to turn their propaganda into action, backed down. Despite their anti-Obamacare crusade the last seven years, the GOP is well aware of how many conservatives have actually benefited from the law. What Hannity fails to mention is that, while the “skinny repeal” barely failed, the vote to reject the full-on repeal of Obamacare wasn’t even close. As far as not wanting “the president to succeed,” that’s just idiotic. During his campaign he promised a bill that would make health care cheaper, better, and cover more Americans — yet Trumpcare literally would have done none of that. It was going to strip-down coverage, raise premiums, and 22 million fewer Americans would have had health insurance by 2026. He then went on to claim that the “deck is stacked” against the Trump administration. It’s easy to understand why Trump and Hannity get along so well; they’re two of the biggest crybabies I’ve ever seen. In case anybody’s forgotten, the Republican Party controls the House, the Senate, and the White House. If they can’t pass legislation that’s on them — and nobody else. What Sean Hannity’s essentially whining about here is the fact that Donald Trump and the GOP are liars who pander to ignorance. Now he’s upset because their conservative fan fiction they all desperately want to be real is running up against a reality that would expose what con artists they are. They know if they instantly stripped health care away from millions — many of whom are their own voters — the political ramifications from that fallout would be catastrophic for the party at nearly every level of government. So Hannity can blame whoever, or whatever, he wants for the failures of Donald Trump and the Republican Party in fulfilling the lies they fed to millions of naive people who actually believed their nonsense."
This Is How Kushner Operates
http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/news/a56534/jared-kushner-statement/
"There's so much ducking and dodging and weaving and blame-shifting in that one section that you can see how young Jared became so favored within the Trump inner circle. The ability to cram such sheer connivance into every sentence must have been what first attracted Trump to his son-in-law."
"There's so much ducking and dodging and weaving and blame-shifting in that one section that you can see how young Jared became so favored within the Trump inner circle. The ability to cram such sheer connivance into every sentence must have been what first attracted Trump to his son-in-law."
Kellyanne Conway thinks Donald Trump’s lies are ok because ‘he doesn’t think he’s lying’
https://thinkprogress.org/trump-doesnt-think-lying-d757efd7a620
"Conway’s response on Sunday was a new approach to how the administration handles allegations of lying. “[Donald Trump] doesn’t think he’s lying about those issues, and you know it,” she said."
"Conway’s response on Sunday was a new approach to how the administration handles allegations of lying. “[Donald Trump] doesn’t think he’s lying about those issues, and you know it,” she said."
The six-month verdict on Trump: A fraud, a liar, and quite possibly an idiot
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/7/22/1682412/-The-six-month-verdict-on-Trump-A-fraud-a-liar-and-quite-possibly-an-idiot
"Television chyrons are regularly reminding viewers that some particularly egregious thing the POTUS has said is not in fact true; the contents of White House press briefings are more valued by the nation's comedy writers than by the reporters covering them, and it is generally understood that the office functions more as a therapy outlet for Trump's latest obsession than as a substantive White House connection to the outside world. It is likely that six months from now, we will have similarly settled on the near-universal acknowledgement that the president is, in fact, not merely a liar but suffering from a more severe mental impairment. What we will do about it is still up in the air, but it seems clear that the day is coming."
"Television chyrons are regularly reminding viewers that some particularly egregious thing the POTUS has said is not in fact true; the contents of White House press briefings are more valued by the nation's comedy writers than by the reporters covering them, and it is generally understood that the office functions more as a therapy outlet for Trump's latest obsession than as a substantive White House connection to the outside world. It is likely that six months from now, we will have similarly settled on the near-universal acknowledgement that the president is, in fact, not merely a liar but suffering from a more severe mental impairment. What we will do about it is still up in the air, but it seems clear that the day is coming."
Kushner bought NYC real estate through Soviet-born ‘king of diamonds’ cited in money laundering case
Kushner bought NYC real estate through Soviet-born ‘king of diamonds’ cited in money laundering case:
"Jared Kushner took out a real estate loan through a partner of a Russian investment firm represented in a money laundering case by the same Kremlin-linked attorney he met with during the campaign with Donald Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort."
"Jared Kushner took out a real estate loan through a partner of a Russian investment firm represented in a money laundering case by the same Kremlin-linked attorney he met with during the campaign with Donald Trump Jr. and Paul Manafort."
Trump angrily rants that ‘Obamacare is death’ – and it backfires hilariously
Trump angrily rants that ‘Obamacare is death’ – and it backfires hilariously:
"the president’s claim that Obamacare was “death” quickly ignited mockery on social media."
"the president’s claim that Obamacare was “death” quickly ignited mockery on social media."
Trump Appears to Not Understand What Health Insurance Is
http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/trump-appears-to-not-understand-what-health-insurance-is-w493467
"the theory that our government can function even if the president is clueless is being tested."
"the theory that our government can function even if the president is clueless is being tested."
We Should Expect the Worst When it Comes to Trump's Despotism as Trump-Russia Heats Up
https://thedailybanter.com/2017/07/we-should-expect-the-worst/
"Trump is a frightened toddler and will do anything he can to keep himself, his family and his closest advisers out of prison -- though he probably won't go to bat for his advisers as much as they'd like to think. We can definitely count on the fact that Trump will take whatever actions he sees fit to shield himself from comeuppance. I'd rank his eventual actions in the fact of indictments as being among the biggest threats to national security and American democracy. Make no mistake, the president will push far beyond the limits of presidential powers in order to sidestep justice in the Trump-Russia affair. He'll absolutely fire Robert Mueller sooner or later -- probably sooner. We can also expect that he'll pardon himself, only to be reversed by the Supreme Court. But will he even obey the Court's decision? Maybe, maybe not, but the smart move would be for all of us to expect the worst from this erratic monster. I'd go so far as to forecast that he'd even use the military to shield himself from being removed from office. Of course Fox News and most of Trump's loyal fanboys will support whatever he does because f*** democracy. One way or another, if he's proven to be as guilty as we all believe he is, then he must be hastily stripped of the presidency. And if he resists, we're in for a hell of a nightmare."
"Trump is a frightened toddler and will do anything he can to keep himself, his family and his closest advisers out of prison -- though he probably won't go to bat for his advisers as much as they'd like to think. We can definitely count on the fact that Trump will take whatever actions he sees fit to shield himself from comeuppance. I'd rank his eventual actions in the fact of indictments as being among the biggest threats to national security and American democracy. Make no mistake, the president will push far beyond the limits of presidential powers in order to sidestep justice in the Trump-Russia affair. He'll absolutely fire Robert Mueller sooner or later -- probably sooner. We can also expect that he'll pardon himself, only to be reversed by the Supreme Court. But will he even obey the Court's decision? Maybe, maybe not, but the smart move would be for all of us to expect the worst from this erratic monster. I'd go so far as to forecast that he'd even use the military to shield himself from being removed from office. Of course Fox News and most of Trump's loyal fanboys will support whatever he does because f*** democracy. One way or another, if he's proven to be as guilty as we all believe he is, then he must be hastily stripped of the presidency. And if he resists, we're in for a hell of a nightmare."
Boy Scouts Jamboree Compared to Hitler Youth Rally After Trump's Speech
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/07/25/boy-scouts-jamboree-compared-hitler-youth-rally-after-trumps-speech
"As he did in May while delivering a commencement speech at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Trump chose to focus on his own struggles in the White House and recall his victory in the 2016 election, turning an historically non-partisan event that generally focuses on public service into a campaign rally. The Scouts, who Trump addressed as "young patriots," erupted in cheers of "USA! USA!" as the president brought up familiar talking points from his campaign and his first six months in office. He spoke about his effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the war on political correctness ("Under the Trump administration, you will be saying, 'Merry Christmas again'"), and interrupted his own recitation of the Scout's Law to bring up his well-documented need for loyalty from his administration: "As the Scout Law says: 'A Scout is trustworthy, loyal'...we could use some more loyalty, I will tell you that." In addition to breaking with tradition, Trump's speech appears to have broken the Boy Scouts of Amercia (BSA)'s long-standing rule regarding Boy Scout's participation in political events."
"As he did in May while delivering a commencement speech at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Trump chose to focus on his own struggles in the White House and recall his victory in the 2016 election, turning an historically non-partisan event that generally focuses on public service into a campaign rally. The Scouts, who Trump addressed as "young patriots," erupted in cheers of "USA! USA!" as the president brought up familiar talking points from his campaign and his first six months in office. He spoke about his effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the war on political correctness ("Under the Trump administration, you will be saying, 'Merry Christmas again'"), and interrupted his own recitation of the Scout's Law to bring up his well-documented need for loyalty from his administration: "As the Scout Law says: 'A Scout is trustworthy, loyal'...we could use some more loyalty, I will tell you that." In addition to breaking with tradition, Trump's speech appears to have broken the Boy Scouts of Amercia (BSA)'s long-standing rule regarding Boy Scout's participation in political events."
Angry Republicans Demand the Congressional Budget Office Start Using Republican Math
https://thedailybanter.com/2017/07/republican-war-on-math-continues/
"It's not hard to see why Republicans have declared war on the CBO; there's not a single item on the GOP's economic agenda that's not a disaster for 99% of America's population. Their assault on healthcare would strip coverage from millions of the most vulnerable while giving the rich billions of dollars. Their tax reform would cut taxes a little bit for the middle class and give the rich billions of dollars. Their budget would cut Medicare and Social Security while giving the rich billions of dollars. Their version of infrastructure spending would give the rich billions of dollars. Are you sensing a theme here? One can only wonder if Republicans could find a way to use something unrelated to the budget, like immigration, to give the rich billions of dollars. Oh wait, they did exactly that. But remember, Trump won partly because of his populist message. Yes, his racism and sexism were the biggest draws but he promised to stick it to the rich as well and that resonated with his base. He's not going to do that, of course, but so far he's immune to the repercussions of ignoring his economic populism. Republicans are not. If everything Republicans do coddles the rich (and it does), the already extremely angry base will not let it slide much longer. The worst part about this is the current head of the CBO was appointed by Trump and his administration. Yet they can't stop attacking him for doing his job honestly. That should tell you everything you need to know about the current toxic nature of the Republican Party. Facts are literally the enemy and be it the press, the CBO, the EPA or any other group that refuses to bend to the lies of the GOP, they just gotta go. So how does one make the CBO stop making with the inconvenient math? The current solution is to force the CBO to use "alternative facts"."
"It's not hard to see why Republicans have declared war on the CBO; there's not a single item on the GOP's economic agenda that's not a disaster for 99% of America's population. Their assault on healthcare would strip coverage from millions of the most vulnerable while giving the rich billions of dollars. Their tax reform would cut taxes a little bit for the middle class and give the rich billions of dollars. Their budget would cut Medicare and Social Security while giving the rich billions of dollars. Their version of infrastructure spending would give the rich billions of dollars. Are you sensing a theme here? One can only wonder if Republicans could find a way to use something unrelated to the budget, like immigration, to give the rich billions of dollars. Oh wait, they did exactly that. But remember, Trump won partly because of his populist message. Yes, his racism and sexism were the biggest draws but he promised to stick it to the rich as well and that resonated with his base. He's not going to do that, of course, but so far he's immune to the repercussions of ignoring his economic populism. Republicans are not. If everything Republicans do coddles the rich (and it does), the already extremely angry base will not let it slide much longer. The worst part about this is the current head of the CBO was appointed by Trump and his administration. Yet they can't stop attacking him for doing his job honestly. That should tell you everything you need to know about the current toxic nature of the Republican Party. Facts are literally the enemy and be it the press, the CBO, the EPA or any other group that refuses to bend to the lies of the GOP, they just gotta go. So how does one make the CBO stop making with the inconvenient math? The current solution is to force the CBO to use "alternative facts"."
Boy Scouts apologize for Donald Trump’s “political rhetoric” at the Jamboree
http://www.salon.com/2017/07/27/boy-scouts-apologize-for-donald-trumps-political-rhetoric-at-the-jamboree/
"The head of the Boy Scouts wants people to know they didn't intend for President Trump to go off the rails"
"The head of the Boy Scouts wants people to know they didn't intend for President Trump to go off the rails"
Friday, July 28, 2017
Report: Kushner Made Deal With Firm Cited In Russia Money-Laundering Case
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/kushner-partnered-russian-oligarch-company-real-estate-deal
"Hours before Jared Kushner stepped out to a podium in front of the White House on Monday and said he has never “relied on Russian funds” for his businesses, The Guardian reported that he made a deal with a real estate mogul linked to a Russian firm accused in a multimillion-dollar money laundering scheme. The President’s son-in-law and senior adviser paid $295 million in 2015 to acquire several floors of a Manhattan office tower from the U.S. branch of a company owned by the Soviet-born Israeli businessman Lev Leviev. Kushner entered into an agreement with Leviev’s Africa Israel Investments (AFI) to purchase the floors of the old New York Times building. According to the Guardian, AFI was cited as a business partner of Russian-owned real estate company Prevezon Holdings in a lawsuit alleging that Prevezon laundered millions of dollars through Manhattan real estate. A month before Election Day, Kushner also took out a $285 million loan from Deutsche Bank as part of a refinancing package for that some property—a transaction now under scrutiny by federal investigators looking into both Kushner and the President’s finances."
"Hours before Jared Kushner stepped out to a podium in front of the White House on Monday and said he has never “relied on Russian funds” for his businesses, The Guardian reported that he made a deal with a real estate mogul linked to a Russian firm accused in a multimillion-dollar money laundering scheme. The President’s son-in-law and senior adviser paid $295 million in 2015 to acquire several floors of a Manhattan office tower from the U.S. branch of a company owned by the Soviet-born Israeli businessman Lev Leviev. Kushner entered into an agreement with Leviev’s Africa Israel Investments (AFI) to purchase the floors of the old New York Times building. According to the Guardian, AFI was cited as a business partner of Russian-owned real estate company Prevezon Holdings in a lawsuit alleging that Prevezon laundered millions of dollars through Manhattan real estate. A month before Election Day, Kushner also took out a $285 million loan from Deutsche Bank as part of a refinancing package for that some property—a transaction now under scrutiny by federal investigators looking into both Kushner and the President’s finances."
‘Either incompetence — or Russia has a lot of influence’: Ex-FBI agent troubled by Kushner statement
‘Either incompetence — or Russia has a lot of influence’: Ex-FBI agent troubled by Kushner statement:
"Jared Kushner released an 11-page statement detailing his contacts with Russia before Inauguration Day but denying campaign collusion — but former FBI special agent Clint Watts said the document raises as many questions as it answers."
"Jared Kushner released an 11-page statement detailing his contacts with Russia before Inauguration Day but denying campaign collusion — but former FBI special agent Clint Watts said the document raises as many questions as it answers."
Trump and the Christian Fascists
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2017/07/24/trump-and-christian-fascists
"More important, Trump's disdain for facts and his penchant for magical thinking and conspiracy theories mesh well with the worldview of the Christian right, which sees itself as under attack by the satanic forces of secular humanism embodied in the media, academia, the liberal establishment, Hollywood and the Democratic Party. In this worldview, climate change is not real, Barack Obama is a Muslim and millions of people voted illegally in the 2016 election. The followers of the Christian right, like Trump and his brain trust, including Stephen Bannon, are Manicheans. They see the world in black and white, good and evil, them and us. Trump's call in his speech in Poland for a crusade against the godless hoards of Muslims fleeing from the wars and chaos we created replicates the view of the Christian right. Christian right leaders in a sign of support went to the White House on July 10 to pray over Trump. Two days later Pat Robertson showed up there to interview the president for his Christian Broadcasting Network. If the alliance between these zealots and the government succeeds, it will snuff out the last vestiges of American democracy. On the surface it appears to be incongruous that the Christian right would rally behind a slick New York real estate developer who is a very public serial philanderer and adulterer, has no regard for the truth, is consumed by greed, does not appear to read or know the Bible, routinely defrauds and cheats his investors and contractors, expresses a crude misogyny and an even cruder narcissism and appears to yearn for despotism. In fact, these are the very characteristics that define most of the leaders of the Christian right."
"More important, Trump's disdain for facts and his penchant for magical thinking and conspiracy theories mesh well with the worldview of the Christian right, which sees itself as under attack by the satanic forces of secular humanism embodied in the media, academia, the liberal establishment, Hollywood and the Democratic Party. In this worldview, climate change is not real, Barack Obama is a Muslim and millions of people voted illegally in the 2016 election. The followers of the Christian right, like Trump and his brain trust, including Stephen Bannon, are Manicheans. They see the world in black and white, good and evil, them and us. Trump's call in his speech in Poland for a crusade against the godless hoards of Muslims fleeing from the wars and chaos we created replicates the view of the Christian right. Christian right leaders in a sign of support went to the White House on July 10 to pray over Trump. Two days later Pat Robertson showed up there to interview the president for his Christian Broadcasting Network. If the alliance between these zealots and the government succeeds, it will snuff out the last vestiges of American democracy. On the surface it appears to be incongruous that the Christian right would rally behind a slick New York real estate developer who is a very public serial philanderer and adulterer, has no regard for the truth, is consumed by greed, does not appear to read or know the Bible, routinely defrauds and cheats his investors and contractors, expresses a crude misogyny and an even cruder narcissism and appears to yearn for despotism. In fact, these are the very characteristics that define most of the leaders of the Christian right."
Anthony Scaramucci, Trump’s New Communications Director, Said Citizens United Made Possible a “Sleeper Cell” of Hedge Fund Managers
https://theintercept.com/2017/07/21/anthony-scaramucci-trumps-new-communications-director-said-citizens-united-made-possible-a-sleeper-cell-of-hedge-fund-managers/
"Here’s what Scaramucci said about Citizens United, himself, and Cooperman: Scaramucci, the organizer of the dinner, told me the next day that the guests had witnessed the “activation” of a “sleeper cell” of hedge-fund managers against Obama. “That’s what you see happening in the hedge-fund community, because they now have the power, because of Citizens United, to aggregate capital into political-action committees and to influence the debate,” he said. “The president has a philosophy of disdain toward wealth creation. That’s just obvious, O.K.? We talked about it all night.” He later said, “If there’s a pope of this movement, it’s Lee Cooperman"."
"Here’s what Scaramucci said about Citizens United, himself, and Cooperman: Scaramucci, the organizer of the dinner, told me the next day that the guests had witnessed the “activation” of a “sleeper cell” of hedge-fund managers against Obama. “That’s what you see happening in the hedge-fund community, because they now have the power, because of Citizens United, to aggregate capital into political-action committees and to influence the debate,” he said. “The president has a philosophy of disdain toward wealth creation. That’s just obvious, O.K.? We talked about it all night.” He later said, “If there’s a pope of this movement, it’s Lee Cooperman"."
The Timeline In the Case Against Trump | The Resistance with Keith Olbermann | GQ
Dear Trump Voters: Republicans are Driving You to Drugs, Alcohol and Suicide
https://thedailybanter.com/2017/07/dear-trump-voters-republicans-are-killing-you-make-it-stop/
"This is a Republican economy full of Republican "free markets", Republican deregulation, Republican tax cuts and you voted for Republicans. The 1% has more money than 90% of the country. Just 8 people, 6 of them from the United States, control as much wealth as half of the entire population of the planet. You'd have to work a month to earn what a CEO makes in an hour. And that's if you even have a job that pays more than minimum wage. Does any of that sound like the "Socialist/Communist/Marxist" economy you've been told liberals want? This is a Republican economy and it's what you voted for. This will not be something that you want to hear but it's true. It's also true that Republicans have zero interest in the job creation you crave because they do not care about you. You hear a lot about how liberal government regulations kill jobs but no one can ever quite seem to explain to you how allowing Wall Street to recklessly gamble with your bank deposits will lower unemployment. We all know how easily that gambling destroys your job, life savings, and your future but when was the last time a booming stock market created a single job opening in your town? Wall Street doesn't care about giving back to your community. Why are you so eager to have Republicans repeal regulations that are keeping the banks from f***ing you like they did in '08? This is what you voted for so who's fault will it be when they crash the economy again?"
"This is a Republican economy full of Republican "free markets", Republican deregulation, Republican tax cuts and you voted for Republicans. The 1% has more money than 90% of the country. Just 8 people, 6 of them from the United States, control as much wealth as half of the entire population of the planet. You'd have to work a month to earn what a CEO makes in an hour. And that's if you even have a job that pays more than minimum wage. Does any of that sound like the "Socialist/Communist/Marxist" economy you've been told liberals want? This is a Republican economy and it's what you voted for. This will not be something that you want to hear but it's true. It's also true that Republicans have zero interest in the job creation you crave because they do not care about you. You hear a lot about how liberal government regulations kill jobs but no one can ever quite seem to explain to you how allowing Wall Street to recklessly gamble with your bank deposits will lower unemployment. We all know how easily that gambling destroys your job, life savings, and your future but when was the last time a booming stock market created a single job opening in your town? Wall Street doesn't care about giving back to your community. Why are you so eager to have Republicans repeal regulations that are keeping the banks from f***ing you like they did in '08? This is what you voted for so who's fault will it be when they crash the economy again?"
WATCH: Fox’s Shep Smith just ripped a big hole in Jared Kushner’s excuse for Russian meeting
WATCH: Fox’s Shep Smith just ripped a big hole in Jared Kushner’s excuse for Russian meeting:
"But Kushner has insisted “he didn’t even realize what that infamous meeting at Trump Tower was about,” explained Jonathan Lemire of the Associated Press. “Okay, hang on,” Smith interrupted. “There’s an email, and at the top of that email there is a subject line — let’s look at that subject line. Here it is, this is an email from Donald Trump Jr, sent on Wednesday the 8th of June at noon or so. The subject line: ‘Russia — Clinton — private and confidential.'” “So what he is saying is he didn’t read deep into the email and we are to believe that he didn’t read the subject line?” he added."
"But Kushner has insisted “he didn’t even realize what that infamous meeting at Trump Tower was about,” explained Jonathan Lemire of the Associated Press. “Okay, hang on,” Smith interrupted. “There’s an email, and at the top of that email there is a subject line — let’s look at that subject line. Here it is, this is an email from Donald Trump Jr, sent on Wednesday the 8th of June at noon or so. The subject line: ‘Russia — Clinton — private and confidential.'” “So what he is saying is he didn’t read deep into the email and we are to believe that he didn’t read the subject line?” he added."
Trump Is Obsessed With His Twitter Following—Too Bad Most of His Followers Are Fake @alternet
Trump Is Obsessed With His Twitter Following—Too Bad Most of His Followers Are Fake @alternet:
"A quick glance at Trump’s actual number of Twitter followers tells a different story, however; while president brags of about 34 million followers, the truth is far different. According to an analysis by Socialbakers in June for CNN Tech, one analytics tool estimates that 11.6 million of Trump's 32 million Twitter followers are either dormant or accounts run by bots. "The analysis run by Twitter Audit, which estimates how many of an account’s following is made up of real people, gave Trump a 40 percent audit score and found that about 20 million of his followers are fake. Status People, another site that rates the authenticity of Twitter followers, found that 5 percent of Trump’s followers are fake and another 91 percent are inactive. That Trump seemingly has more fake followers than real ones can be attributed to the existence of bots, an umbrella term referring to accounts with no profile picture and no tweets. A quick scroll through the most recent followers on the @realDonaldTrump account shows a number of accounts with Twitter’s default profile picture and no tweets, that seemed to have joined Twitter very recently. Amassing bot followers is fairly easy. One only has to pay a certain amount of money, and voila, one has an instant bump in following count. A New York Times article by Nick Bilton describes the social media bot industry as a “giant pyramid scheme” often used by big-name brands, A-list celebrities and regular people seeking a “social media ego boost"."
"A quick glance at Trump’s actual number of Twitter followers tells a different story, however; while president brags of about 34 million followers, the truth is far different. According to an analysis by Socialbakers in June for CNN Tech, one analytics tool estimates that 11.6 million of Trump's 32 million Twitter followers are either dormant or accounts run by bots. "The analysis run by Twitter Audit, which estimates how many of an account’s following is made up of real people, gave Trump a 40 percent audit score and found that about 20 million of his followers are fake. Status People, another site that rates the authenticity of Twitter followers, found that 5 percent of Trump’s followers are fake and another 91 percent are inactive. That Trump seemingly has more fake followers than real ones can be attributed to the existence of bots, an umbrella term referring to accounts with no profile picture and no tweets. A quick scroll through the most recent followers on the @realDonaldTrump account shows a number of accounts with Twitter’s default profile picture and no tweets, that seemed to have joined Twitter very recently. Amassing bot followers is fairly easy. One only has to pay a certain amount of money, and voila, one has an instant bump in following count. A New York Times article by Nick Bilton describes the social media bot industry as a “giant pyramid scheme” often used by big-name brands, A-list celebrities and regular people seeking a “social media ego boost"."
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Bipartisan Group Of Governors Warns Senate Not To Pass ‘Skinny’ Obamacare Repeal Bill
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/governors-letter-skinny-repeal-bill-obamacare_us_59791482e4b02a4ebb72a510?wxk&ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
"A bipartisan group of 10 governors wrote a letter Wednesday urging the Senate to reject a proposed “skinny” health care bill that Republican leaders are now trying feverishly to pass. And if the collective voice of so many governors doesn’t get the attention of GOP leaders, the letter’s endorsement by one particular Republican governor might."
"A bipartisan group of 10 governors wrote a letter Wednesday urging the Senate to reject a proposed “skinny” health care bill that Republican leaders are now trying feverishly to pass. And if the collective voice of so many governors doesn’t get the attention of GOP leaders, the letter’s endorsement by one particular Republican governor might."
The GOP Is Willing to Destroy Our Democracy If That's What It Takes to Repeal Obamacare @alternet
The GOP Is Willing to Destroy Our Democracy If That's What It Takes to Repeal Obamacare @alternet:
"The Republicans have shown themselves to be the party that cares most about their power, political gamesmanship and serving their wealthy patrons. But the lawlessness they have embraced is multi-layered."
"The Republicans have shown themselves to be the party that cares most about their power, political gamesmanship and serving their wealthy patrons. But the lawlessness they have embraced is multi-layered."
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