The Sessions Debacle, the Travel Ban SNAFU, and Trump's Residency Between Your Ears: Matt Welch on Red Eye

Watch Fox News at 3 a.m. for some unkind words about Elizabeth Warren, the new attorney general, and people with cracked iPhones

Somebody with an iPhone

Congratulations, Rand Paul, Mike Lee, Jeff Flake, Marco Rubio, and every other Republican senator who has previously championed either criminal-justice or immigration reform, or both! With your unanimous party-line vote this evening, arguably the leading Senate opponent to your efforts in these key areas will now be marshaling the significant powers of the U.S. Department of Justice at his considerable discretion.

Tonight at 3 a.m. on the popular Fox News comedy/politics program Red Eye w/ Tom Shillue, I will be asked to comment on the Sessions confirmation theatrics through the lens of last night's conflict between Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and progressive firebrand Elizabeth Warren (D-Ma.), over the all-important (and immediately forgotten) Rule 19. I may along the way point out that Sessions (just like his boss!) is abysmal on civil asset forfeiture, which is a polite term for describing "cops stealing your stuff because they can."

Speaking of Sessions and libertarian-leaning Republicans on Capitol Hill, here's a very different take from Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.):

Just a few of my concerns about AG Sessions. Note that he shares these anti-liberty positions with AG Lynch, AG Holder, and Pres. Obama. https://t.co/Manmojqa2c

— Justin Amash (@justinamash) February 9, 2017

Anyhoo, I am joined on tonight's program by the always entertaining comedian Jimmy Failla, gadget-loving tech gal Katie Linendoll, and Seth Meyers warmup man Ryan Reiss. We talk about, among other things, the executive-order travel ban, Donald Trump's bizarre police-association speech from this morning, whether and how the president is living rent-free in Americans' heads, why you should never trust a journalist's fresh tweet about some terrible thing about Trump, and more.

Comments

[commodious rebrands]

Mike Lee
?@SenMikeLee

Hey @SenTedCruz, if you need help preparing for your #Obamacare debate tonight with @SenSanders, you can borrow this book. #CNNDebateNight

[Crying Zelda Morning Link]

Given shit-gibbon's most recent remarks on the civil forfeiture and the drug war, this would have been an easy to rationalize "no" vote. Two of them could have voted "no" without even jeopardizing period stain's pick. They couldn't even do symbolism, because they don't give a shit about libertarians.

[commodious rebrands]

Nobody, including libertarians, gives a shit about libertarians. The sooner we figure that out is the sooner we realize our true calling: unrestricted hedonism in the service of satiating our basest desires.

I mean, that or selling out to the Republicans.

[Crying Zelda Morning Link]

I'll get the lotion!

[GILMORE?]

selling out

which is what politics *is*

[commodious rebrands]

I don't disagree, although I'd term it the least worst.

[MSimon]

"We know best and can apply violence if you don't agree." Is the whole premise of government.

[Crusty Juggler - #2]

This song sums up a libertarians experience with politicians.

[GILMORE?]

did tom jones die and possess that poor man?

[Crusty Juggler - #2]

One of the greatest live television performances of all time!

Future Islands will save America with their music!

[GILMORE?]

He sounds like "a good singer having an asthma attack"

[GILMORE?]

Oh, AND he's a rapper. I guess i should have seen that coming.

[Crusty Juggler - #2]

Yes. The Letterman performance was incredible, and the rapping skill is like the cherry on top of the talent sundae.

[GILMORE?]

not really my cup of tea, but i respect the artistic commitment

[Crusty Juggler - #2]

This is a good hip-hop song. How dare you?

[Crying Zelda Morning Link]

That album was fantastic. I highly recommend their KEXP performance.

Somewhat topical: Are you a War On Drugs or Night Moves fan, Crusty? The two finest live bands I've heard.

[Crusty Juggler - #2]

You have great taste in music, CZML. Their performance of that song on Letterman accurately encapsulates the libertarian disappoint with politicians. I am familiar with those bands, but I am not really into them. I do really appreciate almost all KEXP performances, though. My favorite: an aged Mobb Deep performing an awesome version of Shook Ones.

[Crying Zelda Morning Link]

Yeah, that brother put his soul into it, which is both great and cautionary.

I hadn't seen that Mobb Deep performance. I've never been a huge hip hop fan outside of the Doom/Kool Keith sci-fi stuff, but it always makes a lot more sense seen/heard live.

[Crusty Juggler - #2]

Oh sure. It isn't for everyone - and most of the new stuff isn't for me, because I'm old - but the mention of KEXP inspired me to post that. I think it's fantastic those guys can still do that.

Fact: it's a song about the Clintons.

[SparktheRevolt]

Lee has been very disappointing lately--especially for a guy who was thought to be wink and nodding about voting for Gary Johnson. Not only did he vote for Sessions but he's been supportive of the "Travel Ban". Granted, there is some room for interpretation of his comments but it's not endearing to the liberty-minded, in my opinion.

http://www.sltrib.com/home/491.....hority-for

[NYer]

Rubio you should've expected. He's not libertarian-leaning in the slightest and was at best a fair weather friend on criminal justice reform.

In regards to Paul, Lee, and Flake, as pointed out on another thread, a relatively popular Republican Senator being appointed by a Republican President who handily won each of their red states. Plus the media has made Elizabeth Warren, a liberal Massachusetts (I repeat myself) Senator as the face of Session's opposition. Yeah the liberty movement is gonna have to become more organized in regards to voters and bringing in the money if you want these politicians to take risky no-win votes like that. This isn't to say these three should get a free pass, but so far they've been pretty damn good on opposing government intrusion in both our economic and personal lives. If we want them to be better, we're gonna have to get to organizing in Kentucky, Utah, and Arizona.

[esteve7]

I don't understand the judge. They weren't ruling it was constitutional, just "ewwww I don't like it!"

Well I don't like it doesn't fucking mean he can't do it. I (myself) don't like it either, but that doesn't make it illegal you dumbfucks.

[Bubba Jones]

What is the intersection between candidates for atty general who want the job and people acceptable to libertarians?

[perazati]

My last month paycheck was for 11000 dollars... All i did was simple online work from comfort at home for 3-4 hours/day that I got from this agency I discovered over the internet and they paid me for it 95 bucks every hour... This is what I do

=========================== http://www.4dayjobs.com

[perazati]

My last month paycheck was for 11000 dollars... All i did was simple online work from comfort at home for 3-4 hours/day that I got from this agency I discovered over the internet and they paid me for it 95 bucks every hour... This is what I do

=========================== http://www.4dayjobs.com

[SPG_900]

Lol @ "somebody with an iPhone.