A.M. Links: Special Counsel Wants Documents from Trump White House, Hurricane Maria Heads for Dominican Republic, Earthquake Death Toll Climbs in Mexico

• 

  Gage Skidmore / Flickr.com

  Special Counsel Robert Mueller has reportedly asked the White House for documents relating to President Donald Trump's firing of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and his firing of FBI Director James Comey.

• "In the middle of Donald Trump's presidential run, then-campaign Chairman Paul Manafort said he was willing to provide 'private briefings' about the campaign to a Russian billionaire the U.S. government considers close to Russian President Vladimir Putin."
• Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer says that he never "knowingly" lied to the American people.
• President Trump took a shot at Sen. Rand Paul on Twitter: "Rand Paul is a friend of mine but he is such a negative force when it comes to fixing healthcare. Graham-Cassidy Bill is GREAT! Ends Ocare!"
• Hurricane Maria is headed for the Dominican Republic.
• The magnitude-7.1 earthquake that struck Mexico has killed at least 250 people.

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Comments

[Fist of Etiquette]

Special Counsel Robert Mueller has reportedly asked the White House for documents relating to President Donald Trump’s firing of National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and his firing of FBI Director James Comey.

Mueller, you’re fired.

[damikesc]

Kinda hope Trump tells him to go fuck himself. Gonna be hard for that to NOT qualify under executive privilege since it directly involves the president and a legal decision to remove an employee.

[Adam330]

Except executive privilege can’t be used as a general shield to producing documents in criminal investigations. That’s what that whole Nixon v. US case was about.

[damikesc]

Except there is zero crime in his firing of Comey. The President quite obviously had that power. Ditto Flynn.

[Adam330]

Even if that’s true, which is debatable, it’s still a criminal investigation. Plenty of criminal investigations conclude no crime was committed.

[Conchfritters]

Not to mention criminal investigations that reveal crimes were committed, but decided not to charge anyone.

[Paul L.]

They can stonewall and drag it through the courts until the end of Trump’s term. Even if he is reelected.
See the Obama White House and the Fast and Furious and the IRS targeting documents.

[Rufus The Monocled]

Hello.

[Conchfritters]

Documents?? There are no documents – He tweeted that shit out you fucking moron! How many fucking hair sample analysis’s did your crime lab fuck up when YOU were director of the FBI, you crooked government tit sucking hack?!

[SRVolunteer]

Trump should print a hard copy of the tweet(s) and send Fed-Ex to Mueller

[Libertarian]

Meanwhile, Clapper is able to lie to congress, et al, with impunity.

[damikesc]

Trump should claim the hard drive was erased and destroyed. Comey decided to let Hillary slide in less time than this investigation of nothing.

[Fist of Etiquette]

“Rand Paul is a friend of mine but he is such a negative force when it comes to fixing healthcare. Graham-Cassidy Bill is GREAT! Ends Ocare!”

That’s actually quite tempered. Paul got off easy.

[An Innocent Man]

I’ve seen it suggested that since Paul doesn’t really attack Trump himself, but rather his policies, that Trump gives that respect back. Who knows.

[BestUsedCarSales]

He knows if he attempts to curse such golden locks that it will only end with golden locks himself.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer says that he never “knowingly” lied to the American people.

Depends on what your definition of knowingly is.

[Citizen X - #6]

He meant in the Biblical sense.

[Chipper Morning, Mean Girl]

He is getting blown while standing behind the lectern?

[Mickey Rat]

Being blown is not “knowing” in the Biblical sense, ar least according to the expert, Bill Clinton.

[Fist of Etiquette]

…Paul Manafort said he was willing to provide ‘private briefings’ about the campaign to a Russian billionaire the U.S. government considers close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

But Putin is such a two-face you can never really be sure how close they actually were.

[Conchfritters]

What, was that illegal? I am failing to see any crimes being committed here. Please tell me Mueller is working pro bono – they’ve been looking for months now and haven’t found shit, and I have yet to hear cited what laws were broken. Trump is too stupid to put together any master plot rig voting machines across the country.

[Adam330]

Prosecutors don’t usually have press conferences to update everyone on the status of their criminal investigations. The fact that you don’t know what he has or hasn’t found means nothing. We’ll see what he says when he’s done. Until then, it’s all a bunch of speculation.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Trumpty-Dumpty laundered money for Russian mobsters at the Trump Taj Mahal for years when NY banks would not lend his deadbeat Ch 11 loving ass any money.

That will be the nail in his coffin.

[Citizen X - #6]

Trumpty-Dumpty

Slightly better than “Con Man.” At least it rhymes. However, you have a ways to go to match the pure absurdism of your red version, Blue Mikey.

[Chipper Morning, Mean Girl]

Blue Mikey?

[Palin's Buttplug]

Mikey is a True TEAM RED! asshole.

I despise the far left however – in particular Bernie Sanders and his anti-trade, anti-business Bros.

I did like Obama for his deficit cutting, pro-trade TPP (18,000 US tariffs eliminated) tax-reform friendly (Simpson Bowles) centrist ways.

Again, the best two economies in recent history have been Bill Clintons and Obamas. Huge improvements in both from their predecessors including low energy prices. That is not “left” – it is money green.

[Huzzah]

“I did like Obama'”

We know

[Reality]

Again, the best two economies in recent history have been Bill Clintons and Obamas

…

AHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA

YOU FUCKING RRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEDDDDDTTTTAAARRDDDDDD!!!!

AHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHHAHAAHHAHA
AHAHHAJAJAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[loveconstitution1789]

“Again, the best two economies in recent history have been Bill Clintons and Obamas.”

Wait, I thought lefty logic says that previous presidents set the stage for great economies, so Clinton’s boom was actually Bush Sr that should get the credit.

Since presidents have little to do with causing booming economies unless they roll back bloated government programs, Trump deserves credit for the USA finally coming out of the Great Recession that happened on Bush’s watch and was made far worse by Obama.

During Clinton’s presidency, the Republican Congress rolled back welfare and combined with the dot.com boom, made the 1990’s a good boom time.

[Palin's Buttplug]

GDP hit an all time low of -8.9% while Dubya was still in office. We were losing 750,000 jobs a month in 2008. The deficit hit $1.2 trillion. The GOP had been in total control of the government during most of the Bush years.

The Obama recovery is still on today. The Con man has passed nothing of significance although I admit the prospect of corporate tax cuts has helped the Dow a bit.

[Reality]

“I’M NOT A LEFTY, I DON’T LIKE BERNIE!!!!”

AS HE SLURPS HILLARY AND OBAMA.

[Reality]

“The Con man has passed nothing of significance”

This should tell you everything you need to know about how the idiot PB thinks the economy is improved.

“Pass more laws, it’s how you prosper!!” Said the idiot

[Libertymike]

What recovery?

Do you know that almost all of the stock market increases are due to the FAANGs?

Are you cognizant of the fact that real incomes are, and have been, flat, for decades?

Do you even bother to check with shadowstats.com?

[Palin's Buttplug]

By definition, a recovery is when any recession turns GDP positive for consecutive quarters. We have accomplished that and much more. There have now been 85 consecutive months of job growth with over 14 million new jobs.

And its not just the FANGs. Bank stocks have tripled off their lows. The industrial sector has been thriving since 2010.

[Reality]

You’ve come to a place where the people you’re talking to understand economics and read about them.

That you are talking to us about technical recoveries based on cherry picked and manufactured statistics is kind of pathetic.

Patially because you believe them, and partially because you expect others to be as gullible as you are.

[Palin's Buttplug]

By definition, a recovery is when any recession turns GDP positive for consecutive quarters. We have accomplished that and much more. There have now been 85 consecutive months of job growth with over 14 million new jobs.

And its not just the FANGs. Bank stocks have tripled off their lows. The industrial sector has been thriving since 2010.

Every word is true, you imbecile.

[Reality]

Where did I say it wasn’t?

My point stands.

[Libertymike]

Aside from the FAANGs and the banking sector, why not challenge him on the underlying factual assertions?

The job creation numbers and the GDP growth should not be treated as a fact. Notice how he didn’t counter my point about shadowstats.com. It is far more reliable than the fiction published by the government.

[Reality]

“Aside from the FAANGs and the banking sector, why not challenge him on the underlying factual assertions?”

“That you are talking to us about technical recoveries based on cherry picked and manufactured statistics is kind of pathetic.”

[Libertymike]

Okay, upon reflection, my post could have been regarded as being critical of your post. I did not intend that to be the case.

[Domestic Dissident]

I guess Weigel thinks we’ve all forgotten already that Obama was the first president in American history to not have 3% real growth even once in eight years?

Well, we haven’t forgotten. Weigel is our very own Lawrence O’Donnell; a true certifiable nutcase.

[Citizen X - #6]

What does any of that have to do with your love of really stupid nicknames?

[Reality]

What does any of that have to do with you making fucking retard assumptions, then desperately and pathetically trying to save face and failing?

[bevis the lumberjack]

“Again, the best two economies in recent history have been Bill Clintons and Obamas. Huge improvements in both from their predecessors including low energy prices. That is not “left” – it is money green.”

Clinton, sure. Although the economy was basically fine under Reagan and Bush 1.

But Obama? To achieve the Obama Recovery the Fed had to take the unprecedented step of keeping interest rates at zero for a full decade. Obama gets zero credit for that.

And Bush 2 inherited the deflation of the tech bubble that happened at the end of Clinton’s term, so he was fighting a headwind. Just like Obama inherited the deflation of the housing bubble that burst right at the end of Bush 2’s term. Giving the presidents credit for this stuff lately while ignoring the bubble blowing by the Fed is demonstrating the economic sophistication of a fourth grader. But why be objective when you can filter everything through your pre-conceived political view and feel totes superior?

[Palin's Buttplug]

Obama gets zero credit for that.

Obama did reappoint Bernanke and appoint other doves to the Fed if you attribute the entire recovery to the Fed (which I don’t).

Btw, there is nothing wrong with low interest rates when GDP crashes like it did in 2008/09.

[Reality]

See, this is exactly what we’re talking about.

He clearly brought up the interest rate because of how LONG it was zero.

You ignore his point totally. Because you know the implications.

You’ve proven our point.

[bevis the lumberjack]

Sorry but no. With ZIRP in place for a decade the economy should have been scorching hot but instead we had one of the most tepid economic recoveries in our history. Virtually no income growth.

Yeah, low interest rates were required to survive the Great Near-Depression but 10 years is waaaaaay too long. And despite having a hurricane-force economic tailwind Obama couldn’t generate jack shit.

You wanna argue that Obama and Bush 2 were hampered by the horribly overrated serial bubble-blower Alan Greenspan, then yeah, that’s probably true. And the biggest beneficiary of Greenspan’s incompetence was Mr. Clinton, so he deserves some deducts for low degree of difficulty.

[Palin's Buttplug]

The US lost almost 25% of its personal net worth in 2007-09.

https://goo.gl/VUgyiU

No other recession since the Great Depression had we lost any net worth/wealth.

Without ZIRP and other programs we would be at triple the UE we are today.

[Reality]

I like how you string that together into what you think is proof of something.

[bevis the lumberjack]

Yeah, I know. The ’08 downturn was the worst since the ’30s. That’s why I called it the Great Near-Depression. The Fed had to take extreme measures to avert disaster.

They left those measures in place way too long, IMO. But there’s no point in arguing that – you’ve changed the subject. The point I’m making is that attributing economic genius to Obama when he had the benefit of the Fed handing out free money for the entirety of his time in office is asinine. Economically speaking, Obama was the luckiest president in US history, and the recovery during his time in office was still weak stuff.

[Palin's Buttplug]

This “free money” is a misnomer.

Banks borrow from the Fed on an OVERNIGHT basis. Their loans to customers are not made from Fed funds.

The Fed funds rate did fall to near zero but that is only for bank to bank overnight loans. Bank loans were at market or above 3 to 4% – never “free”.

[bevis the lumberjack]

Yeah, I understand that too, thanks. The Fed action was done to let the banks rebuild their balance sheets after the near-death experience of 2008.

You’re talking consumer loans. But corporations were able to borrow money at a cost much, much lower than in previous periods. Apple floated some bonds at interest rates below 1%.

And mortgage rates were incredibly low, which should have resulted in massive activity in housing.

I don’t want to debate economic theory anymore. I was a VP at two different public companies, I understand how finance works.

Giving credit to Obama for a booming economy that didn’t happen despite historically low interest rates is engaging in what the folks on here call “tribalism”. But whatever, I don’t care to discuss this anymore because your mind is made up by your political preference.

[damikesc]

I did like Obama for his deficit cutting

Don’t know how jacking up the deficit to north of a trillion a year for several years and then just reducing it to higher than anybody else has ever done qualifies as “cutting”, but YMMV.

Again, the best two economies in recent history have been Bill Clintons and Obamas.

One required accounting fraud unseen in decades and the other required one to look at cities besides SF, DC, and NYC to see it.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Obama inherited a $1.2 trillion deficit according to the CBO on Jan 9, 2009. He did not “jack up” the deficit at all.

[Eek Barba Durkle]

That’s nonsense. He didn’t inherit anything ? Bush explicitly refused to sign for all of that spending. And that guy was a black hole of spending.

Stop lying ? it was Obama’s deficit, from day one.

[Fist of Etiquette]

This is DC. When was the last coffin to see nail one? They are all self-serving crooks and so they have a gentleman’s agreement to not really go after each other.

[Palin's Buttplug]

I see more incompetence than criminality in DC today. The ABSCAMs and Duke Cunningham’s have been replaced with toe-tapping GOP fags and Wiener dick pics.

[loveconstitution1789]

Aw, poor Butt thinks bureaucrats lying under oath, hiding documents from FOIA requests, and Hillary’s mishandling of classified information is not criminal at all.

There can be incompetence and criminality and there is.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Even Sessions can’t gin up a case against Hil-Dog. The FBI couldn’t either. Sometimes incompetence is just incompetence. But you’re a TEAM RED! player so you don’t get it.

[loveconstitution1789]

Have patience Butt. Comey admitted publicly that Hillary violated federal law and Hillary admitted she broke the law in her book.

Then when you lefties are wiping spittle from your angry little mouths because ObamaCare is repealed and tax reform guts federal revenue, BOOM- the FBI actually investigates Hillary and a Grand Jury indicts her.

[Reality]

AHAHAHAHAHHAH WHAT?

YOU’RE SO FUCKING STUPID THAT YOU THINK THEY CAN’T MAKE A CASE ?

IN TODAY’S LEGAL CLIMATE?

AHHAHAHAJAHAAHAHHAAHHAAHAAH

THEY’RE ACTIVELY PROTECTING HER YOU FUCKING RRRRRRREEEEEEEEDTTTTTAARRRDDDDDD!!!

[Shirley Knott]

They locked up Martha Stewart for less.
Not that I’m submitting MS as any sort of ideal or paragon, but one only has to look at how the laws are being applied, who’s getting special treatment and who’s not.
Clinton should either rot in jail or swing from a gibbet.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Tell Sessions then.

[Reality]

Solid retort.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Even Sessions can’t gin up a case against Hil-Dog.

This goes to my point. Can’t isn’t the word. Won’t. None of them have any interest in actually going after each other, just using each other for fundraising.

[Chipper Morning, Mean Girl]

You know who else got nailed in his or her coffin?

[loveconstitution1789]

Harry Houdini?

[Ska]

Vampire Jessica?

[Rat on a train]

Jim Carrey?

[Episteme]

Suspicious medieval corpses?

[loveconstitution1789]

Funny, you would think there is hard evidence of that.

Bureaucrats hate Trump, so you would think Democrat supporting IRS agents would flood the internet with Trump tax docs proving that money laundering.

[SRVolunteer]

Fat chance. IRS agents are waaaay too etchical for that.

[Conchfritters]

Wait, I thought Trump was a vain, incompetent lout (which he is). Now he is some sort of criminal mastermind?

[loveconstitution1789]

That is the lefty quandary. They cannot admit that Trump is running game on them so they call him a buffoon.

Then the problem becomes that a buffoon cannot be a criminal mastermind. What is a lefty to do?

[Libertymike]

Yell, scream, and ululate “RAY-CIST”, “RAY-CIST”, ‘RAY-CIST”……….

Then again, lots here do the same thing because it offends them when unpleasant facts are published regarding certain races.

[SRVolunteer]

In the 2000s, lefties solved this problem by positing that Cheney and Rove were the criminal masterminds.

Soo…. Ivanka?

[bevis the lumberjack]

“They cannot admit that Trump is running game on them so they call him a buffoon.”

Nope. Trump is a total buffoon. Always has been, and although I admit that I can’t predict the future, the odds are he always will be.

[Citizen X - #6]

Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer says that he never “knowingly” lied to the American people.

“However, i have been blackout drunk for most of the last 10 months.”

[Fist of Etiquette]

Hurricane Maria is headed for the Dominican Republic.

Gaia is telling the Dominicans to stop stealing our MLB jobs.

[Chipper Morning, Mean Girl]

You leave Gaia out of this!

[Conchfritters]

Watch out – she’s pissed.

[Fist of Etiquette]

I get to speak for Gaia. I know what the weather and the earth wants, what will appease them. And, coincidentally enough, it’s what I’ve been pushing for all those years we didn’t have many earthquakes or hurricanes.

[Fist of Etiquette]

The magnitude-7.1 earthquake that struck Mexico has killed at least 250 people.

Gaia is telling Mexico that Trump is correct.

[Citizen X - #6]

How are they supposed to build the wall if Gaia is just gonna knock it over?

[Chipper Morning, Mean Girl]

Think of the jobs created if the wall has to be rebuilt!

[DJF]

What Mexico needs right now is young people with dreams to make Mexico better!. I wonder if there are any available? Not Americans of course, Americans are old, lazy, worthless. What Mexico needs is young Mexicans full of dreams to come home and rebuild,

[loveconstitution1789]

Mexico will pay for that wall, one way or another.

[Mickey Rat]

Tje federal government should stop subsidizing living in duch a dangerous area, surely that is the only reason anybody lives there.

[Episteme]

The magnitude-7.1 earthquake that struck Mexico has killed at least 250 rapists and murderers.

[Robert]

Deja vu links?

[Chipper Morning, Mean Girl]

More like deja boo.

[loveconstitution1789]

More like Deja poo links.

[Fist of Etiquette]

More like did ya view these links already once before?

[Domestic Dissident]

Eight minutes of Lawrence O’Donnell at his most mentally unhinged.

I feel bad for the folks who have to deal with assholes like this five days a week. If this is how he talks to his co-workers in the control room, imagine what he must be like when a janitor bumps into him or when the food in the MSNBC cafeteria isn’t cooked exactly the way he likes.

[loveconstitution1789]

I watched that clip. Funny how these talking douches are in real life at work.

Probably was some construction with the hammering but maybe someone fucking with him.

[Libertymike]

Just this morning, on WEEI’s Minehan and Callahan, they played O’Donnell’s meltdown along with those of O’Reilly, Imus, Ingraham, Christian Bale, Alec Baldwin, and my man Mel Gibson. Of course, Baldwin’s and Gibson’s meltdowns concerned personal matters.

[loveconstitution1789]

They cannot just discuss this O’Donnell meltdown but need to bury it among other rants. This is a great tactic to minimize the O’Donnell rant.

See everyone does it.

[Rebel Scum]

Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer says that he never “knowingly” lied to the American people.

Something is not a lie if you believe it to be true.

[Rat on a train]

You’re no Costanza.

[Rebel Scum]

Ends Ocare!

No it doesn’t.

[Ken Shultz]

“President Trump took a shot at Sen. Rand Paul on Twitter: “Rand Paul is a friend of mine but he is such a negative force when it comes to fixing healthcare. Graham-Cassidy Bill is GREAT! Ends Ocare!”

The bill in question eliminates the individual mandate, eliminates the employer mandate, eliminates the ObamaCare Medicaid expansion, and kills both the tax on “Cadillac” health plan and the tax on medical devices. Furthermore, it gets rid of the community rating . . .

If it wasn’t clear to Rand Paul when he voted against the replace bill before, it should be clear to him now–the alternative to the Senate bill is not a full repeal of ObamaCare. The alternative to the Senate bill is ObamaCare and insurance industry bailouts.

If Rand Paul votes with Bernie Sanders and Liz Warren against a very good replacement bill–again–we should all be asking ourselves why. I suspect Rand Paul’s opposition has more to do with Kentucky’s heavy reliance on Medicaid than anything else–just like Ron Paul voted against NAFTA . . . which in my view, had more to do with him protecting the jobs of Texans from competition across the border and trying to head off support for Ross Perot–no matter what he said on camera.

[John]

It is my understanding that this bill is better and closer to what Paul wants than the last one. If that is true, then Paul deserves credit for holding out for a better bill. At some point, however, Paul has to compromise and take the best option available instead of holding out for the perfect and accomplishing nothing.

[Ken Shultz]

Rand Paul has already condemned the bill.

If he’s the deciding vote and he votes with Bernie Sanders and Liz Warren, it won’t matter why.

The reason his father was able to get away with voting against free trade was because his father’s vote against free trade agreements was inconsequential–the trade agreements passed anyway.

If Donald Trump is more libertarian than Rand Paul on the issue of slashing eligibility for entitlement programs that are crushing the healthcare system, then it is what it is. It won’t matter WHY he voted with Bernie Sanders and LIz Warren either–it’ll just matter that he killed the most libertarian bill I’ve seen in a mighty long time.

His father had rationalizations for voting against free trade agreements, too. So what?

The fact is that, no matter what Rand Paul says, the alternative to this bill is not a full repeal of ObamaCare. The alternative to this bill is ObamaCare + bailouts of the insurance industry.

[Rhywun]

My NY state pols are going apoplectic over the coming killing fields if this bill passes, so it must be doing something right.

[Ken Shultz]

It’s important for people to understand that there is no third option of single payer either. Single payer is simply when everyone qualifies for Medicaid. Voting to roll back Medicaid eligibility is the opposite of single payer–and this bill does that. This is the first time in history that Congress has been poised to cut eligibility for this great society entitlement program, and if the only reason we don’t pass it is because of Rand Paul, then Rand Paul can kiss my libertarian ass.

I have a few clear big goals as a libertarian. I want an end to the drug war. I want to slash or eliminate the income tax, the corporate tax, and the capital gains tax. I want to cut entitlement programs. I want to defend our constitutional rights. I want a balanced budget.

If we cut Medicaid eligibility, it’ll be the first time ever–an historic achievement and a huge victory for libertarians on both the entitlement cut front and the deficit front. If Rand Paul votes against cutting eligibility for an entitlement and cutting the deficit, then, at best, he’s a misguided friend of capitalism.

Socialism means from each according to their ability, to each according to their need. This bill cuts taxes and entitlements–it’s capitalist on both sides of the ball. If Rand Paul votes against it, then he’s simply not ready for a leadership role. He’s only good for being an opposition voice when there’s a socialist in the White House.

[Hateful Reactionary]

I’m sold.

If only you had a blog where I could read more of your content…

[Episteme]

Well said.

[Rebel Scum]

Hurricane Maria is headed for the Dominican Republic.

They are about to get the Clinton treatment.

[Rebel Scum]

Hm. Now I’m not sure that Haiti reference worked the way I wanted.

[MasterThief]

If you meant it’s getting blown, then yes. Otherwise, also yes.

[John]

http://thehill.com/opinion/cam…..-did-to-me

I have spent more than two years litigating against the Department of Justice for the computer intrusions. Forensics have revealed dates, times and methods of some of the illegal activities. The software used was proprietary to a federal intel agency. The intruders deployed a keystroke monitoring program, accessed the CBS News corporate computer system, listened in on my conversations by activating the computer’s microphone and used Skype to exfiltrate files.

We survived the government’s latest attempt to dismiss my lawsuit. There’s another hearing Friday. To date, the Trump Department of Justice ? like the Obama Department of Justice ? is fighting me in court and working to keep hidden the identities of those who accessed a government internet protocol address found in my computers.

Evidence continues to build. I recently filed new information unearthed through forensic exams. As one expert told the court, it was “not a mistake; it is not a random event; and it is not technically possible for these IP addresses to simply appear on her computer systems without activity by someone using them as part of the cyber-attack.”

[Domestic Dissident]

I’m becoming more and more convinced all the time that John Brennan was behind all this shit. He’s one of the most evil men in the country, and I hope he ends up in prison one day.

[John]

I think you are right about that. And Brennan is a seriously evil man. He might be the evilest man ever to serve in a position of great authority in this country. I am not kidding.

[Reality]

So, exlcuding Brennan, eho has been the most evil US pol ever?

[John]

Good question. Aaron Burr or Woodrow Wilson come to mind. J. Edger Hoover probably makes the list.

[Libertymike]

If you ask the Hildebeast, her list would include Ken Starr and Anthony Weiner.

[Eek Barba Durkle]

Woodrow Wilson. Hundreds of millions died for his ego.

[Palin's Buttplug]

Trump mimics Rothbard on strategy:

Rothbard pointed to David Duke and Joseph McCarthy as models for an “Outreach to the Rednecks,” which would fashion a broad libertarian/paleoconservative coalition by targeting the disaffected working and middle classes. (Duke, a former Klansman, was discussed in strikingly similar terms in a 1990 Ron Paul Political Report.) These groups could be mobilized to oppose an expansive state, Rothbard posited, by exposing an “unholy alliance of ‘corporate liberal’ Big Business and media elites, who, through big government, have privileged and caused to rise up a parasitic Underclass, who, among them all, are looting and oppressing the bulk of the middle and working classes in America

Dave Weigel

[John]

So one side tries to appeal to the parasites and looters and the other side tries to appeal to the victims of that.

[Libertymike]

Is Davey your hero?

[Palin's Buttplug]

No, and I don’t care for Rothbard either.

I am more on the Ayn Rand and Hayek side. Conservatives are to be ridiculed like socialists are.

[Libertymike]

Admit it, you love Murray Rothbard. He was the pre-eminent intellectual of the 20th century.

[Domestic Dissident]

I’ve got to admit, quoting yourself is pretty funny. Nicely done.

[John]

http://www.foxnews.com/politic…..s-say.html

Samantha Power, the former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, was ‘unmasking’ at such a rapid pace in the final months of the Obama administration that she averaged more than one request for every working day in 2016 ? and even sought information in the days leading up to President Trump’s inauguration, multiple sources close to the matter told Fox News.

Two sources, who were not authorized to speak on the record, said the requests to identify Americans whose names surfaced in foreign intelligence reporting, known as unmasking, exceeded 260 last year. One source indicated this occurred in the final days of the Obama White House.

She was the US Ambassador to the UN. She had absolutely no need to know raw intelligence intercepts. The criminality and abuse of power and arrogance is just mind boggling.

[Fist of Etiquette]

As hacks go, she was always exceedingly unsubtle. I appreciate that.

[lap83]

I’m torn on the bill. On the one hand, Rand Paul doesn’t like it. On the other, the twitter is full of stories of how it will give cancer to every liberal’s most vulnerable, sympathetic relative.

[John]

The Republicans are so stupid they can’t even win when the liberals try to help them. The beauty of liberals being insane is that it doesn’t matter what the bill actually does. Liberals will claim it is “radical capitalism” and is going to kill grandma no matter what the bill does. So no matter what the GOP passes, the Democrats are going to go out and sell it as a radical change for them.

[Sevo]

“On the other, the twitter is full of stories of how it will give cancer to every liberal’s most vulnerable, sympathetic relative.”

The Chron this morning has a story claiming it’ll cut CA’s funding (‘take’, ‘pork’, ‘baksheesh’) 13%.
There’s a good reason that every taxpayer in every other state ought to be thrilled.

[John]

http://www.jammiewf.com/2017/n…..-violence/

Tough guy Jimmy Kimmell threatens to get tough with Fox News host. In fairness to Kimmell, the charge that he is a member of any kind of “elite” is patently absurd. So, I can understand why he is angry.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Except I doubt Kimmel has read the bill (which is no doubt terrible) that he’s railing about either. I don’t care if he speaks from the heart about public policy on health insurance. That’s natural. I’ll empathize. But I can’t take what he says on the subject seriously, and neither should anyone else.

[Horatio]

Well, just like in sports, debating about what constitutes “elite” is a bore. Kimmel HAS transformed into a state-fellating elitist, however, and has generally devolved from lovable lout to just another rich asshole political hack. As someone who loved him on the Man Show it’s very disappointing to see.

[Rhywun]

Yeah, I never expected Adam Carolla to be the wise one in that pair, but there you have it.

[Episteme]

Jimmy’s using up his “girls jumping on trampolines” cred awful fast here?

[Domestic Dissident]

Wow, remember Valerie Plame from back in the day? She just tweeted out “America’s Jews are driving America’s wars.”

So it turns out that all those years Barack Obama was actually a secret Jew and not a secret Muslim as many thought.

[John]

Funny how every leftist “hero” turns out to be a broken, nasty person if and when the mask ever drops.

[loveconstitution1789]

A newly inaugurated Trump nominated Gorsuch. After a contentious confirmation battle, Gorsuch took the bench in April to hear the remaining 13 cases of the term. And Ginsburg quickly delivered her verdict.
“I imagine that when you compare how I vote and he votes, it will be just the same as it was when you compared me to Justice Scalia,” she said in May.
CNN Article about Ruth Ginsburg mentioning Gorsuch

[Rhywun]

her fitness regime

*shudder*