UPDATE: Former FBI Director James Comey this morning answered Trump’s tweets that referred to our investigative agencies as “Criminal Deep State”: Facts matter. The FBI’s use of Confidential Human Sources (the actual term) is tightly regulated and essential to protecting the country. Attacks on the FBI and lying about its work will do lasting damage to our country. … [Read more...] about Trump’s Misplaced Anxiety (UPDATED)
Will Donald Trump & His Banana Republicans Spell Electoral Doom For The GOP? Maybe.
Here are a couple of facts to make your head explode. A mere 15 bills that are not ceremonial in nature or rescind existing laws have passed Congress since Donald Trump became president. This includes a bill sent to the president this week that rescinds a law forbidding discrimination in car loans. (I am not making this up.) Meanwhile, the august House Rules Committee … [Read more...] about Will Donald Trump & His Banana Republicans Spell Electoral Doom For The GOP? Maybe.
(UPDATES) Amy McGrath, a Marine Combat Fighter Pilot on a New Mission
Back in August 2017, Lt. Col. Amy McGrath, a retired Marine Corps combat fighter pilot and mother of three, announced that she was running for the seat of Andy Barr, the current U.S. House Representative of Kentucky’s 6th Congressional District. The post below tells the story of the first female Marine to fly in an F-18 in combat but whose new mission is “to take on a … [Read more...] about (UPDATES) Amy McGrath, a Marine Combat Fighter Pilot on a New Mission
The Banana States of America
ASHINGTON -- By one key measure, it is now official: This is the most authoritarian Congress in history. The House Rules Committee, meeting in its ornate chamber on the third floor of the Capitol on Monday night, sent two bills to the House floor under "closed" rules -- that is, legislation that must be rubber stamped in toto, without being amended by so much as a comma. … [Read more...] about The Banana States of America
Cartoon: Another Democracy Bites the Dust
Supreme Court Ruling Called Blow to Workers’ Rights
NEW YORK – Civil-rights advocates say a Supreme Court ruling handed down Monday will sweep many discrimination and harassment claims against employers under the rug. The ruling in Epic Systems v. Lewis says corporations can require employees to sign arbitration clauses that keep them from joining class-action lawsuits over wage and civil-rights violations, including … [Read more...] about Supreme Court Ruling Called Blow to Workers’ Rights
DOJ Happy Place (Cartoon, Column and Video)
For a bunch of people who hate “fake” investigations, they sure do like calling for them. Or in this case, demanding. In case you haven’t noticed, Trump and his defenders don’t even argue the facts anymore in defending him on charges of collusion with Russia and obstruction. Instead, they attack the Department of Justice and the FBI. A few weeks ago while screaming at the … [Read more...] about DOJ Happy Place (Cartoon, Column and Video)
Cheating workers out of wages is easier than ever
Labor laws are often based on how we worked decades ago. AP Photo/Richard Sheinwald Elizabeth C. Tippett, University of Oregon Jara Neal Willis, a nurse at a hospital in Texas, usually clocked in a few minutes before the start of her shift and stayed late whenever her patients needed help. Her lunch breaks were often cut short by requests from … [Read more...] about Cheating workers out of wages is easier than ever
Poli-Takes: The Rattling Of The Cages:
The past two weeks saw clarity on the road to November as eight states held primaries. While nothing attracted the attention of the ideological slugfest that was the Dan Lipinski-Marie Newman Democratic primary in Illinois last arch, there were some closely watched races that yielded better clues as to what we might be looking at in Congress and the statehouses in November and … [Read more...] about Poli-Takes: The Rattling Of The Cages:
Russia, Putin lead the way in exploiting democracy’s lost promise
Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a Cabinet meeting in Moscow’s Kremlin. AP/Mikhail Klimentyev/Sputnik Brian Grodsky, University of Maryland, Baltimore County How do you give democracy a bad name? You fail to deliver on its promise. People fighting for democracy want individual rights and freedoms, but they also want and expect economic … [Read more...] about Russia, Putin lead the way in exploiting democracy’s lost promise
Why I Try Not to Debate Politics on Facebook
I was sitting in my living room with a mug of coffee and a novel. As I reached the end of a thrilling chapter, I heard a knock at the door. When I opened it, I saw my old college friend Anne. This was a surprise; we had kept in touch but had not seen each other in some time. I started to greet her, but she interrupted me with a brief, impassioned pronouncement on a … [Read more...] about Why I Try Not to Debate Politics on Facebook
WARNING WARNING WILL ROBINSON
The Constitutional crisis is upon us. End Robert Mueller's investigation: Michael Mukasey Michael B. Mukasey / USA Today Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels have nothing to do with Russian influence: Opposing view Corrections & Clarifications: A previous version of this opposing view misstated the subject of one of special counsel Robert Mueller’s indictments. The … [Read more...] about WARNING WARNING WILL ROBINSON
Hillary Clinton Not A Democrat After All
Hillary Clinton is not a Democrat after all. That revelation comes from a story published on the CBS News website: If Clinton's description of Democrats is correct, then she is not a Democrat because she doesn't fit the description. Either that, or Clinton is displaying the pomposity that turns people away from politics. Suppose that a high-profile Republican … [Read more...] about Hillary Clinton Not A Democrat After All
Where Are the Russians?
If you haven’t noticed, Russia hasn’t been in the news that much over the last week. Are they in hiding while doing more damage? North Korea and the trade talks with China are dominating the airways. And it’s been over a year since Bob Mueller started digging into the dirty relationship between the Russians and the Trump team, but the issue of Russian collusion with Trump and … [Read more...] about Where Are the Russians?
Trump’s dehumanization project
WASHINGTON -- It's never right to call other human beings "animals." It's not something we should even have to debate. No matter how debased the behavior of a given individual or group, no matter how much legitimate anger genuinely evil actions might inspire, dehumanizing others always leads us down a dangerous path. This is why we need to reflect on the controversy over … [Read more...] about Trump’s dehumanization project
The Right to Bear Arms is America’s Hunger Games
by Shannon Lee Layland In the science fiction books and movies “The Hunger Games”, young “tributes” are selected from rebellious areas to fight to the death on television. The purpose of the “Games” is to remind the rebels of the horrible deeds committed by their ancestors during the last uprising. This reminder is meant to help secure the power of the current government and … [Read more...] about The Right to Bear Arms is America’s Hunger Games
A Russia Scandal Q&A As Trump’s Forces Of Evil Face Off Against Maximum Bob Mueller
Has it really only been a year since Robert Mueller was named special counsel and took over the Russia election interference investigation begun by ousted FBI Director Jim Comey? What does Maximum Bob have to show for his labors? Will the powerful Forces of Evil lined up behind Donald Trump be able to derail him and save the president? Or not? Herewith the answers to … [Read more...] about A Russia Scandal Q&A As Trump’s Forces Of Evil Face Off Against Maximum Bob Mueller
Mike Peters Guest Cartoon: School Procession
OF RELATED INTEREST: --Texas official blames school shooting on too many exits and entrances --NRA's Oliver North Blames School Shootings On Ritalin --New Reality for High School Students: Calculating the Risk of Getting Shot I’m done wasting my breath.If dead children can’t convince you we need to change, nothing will.Here’s what’s going to happen:We outnumber … [Read more...] about Mike Peters Guest Cartoon: School Procession
Privatizing essential human services like the VA can come at a high social cost
For-profit service providers may use discrimination as a way to make more money. wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock.com Sebastian Jilke, Rutgers University Newark and Wouter Van Dooren, University of Antwerp Over the years, countries have privatized dozens of services and activities once the sole domain of governments, such as the provision of electricity … [Read more...] about Privatizing essential human services like the VA can come at a high social cost
Royal Racism (Cartoon and Column)
I think the thing that bums me out the most about the wedding between Prince Harry and American Meghan Markle is that I remember the wedding between Prince Charles and Diana. God, I’m getting old. A lot of people seem to be making a stink about Meghan being of mixed race. I thought maybe it was being overblown until I saw a headline in a British publication saying something … [Read more...] about Royal Racism (Cartoon and Column)