While I still have mixed feelings about former FBI director James Comey – at best, he’s a hack, at worst, he’s complicit – I have to admit that I’ve warmed up to independent counsel Robert Mueller, who is also a former FBI director. Last week, I read this Daily Beast story about Mueller and I came away from it thinking… yes, this is exactly the guy who needs to be investigating the Trump-Russia situation. And investigate he has. In the months since Mueller was appointed, the independent counsel’s investigation has seemingly widened past Mike Flynn and Paul Manafort to the point where Mueller and his team are now looking at Trump’s tax returns. Mueller already has a grand jury impaneled in Virginia, and then this news came through on Thursday, August 3: Mueller is impaneling a second grand jury, this time in Washington.
Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference into the 2016 presidential election has taken a step forward with the impaneling of a grand jury in Washington, according to multiple reports. Calling this “a sign that his inquiry is growing in intensity and entering a new phase,” the Wall Street Journal notes the significance of the grand jury’s location.
When Mueller took over as special counsel there was already a grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia looking into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn. “If there was already a grand jury in Alexandria looking at Flynn, there would be no need to reinvent the wheel for the same guy. This suggests that the investigation is bigger and wider than Flynn, perhaps substantially so,” University of Texas law professor Stephen I. Vladeck told the WSJ. Indeed, we also learned Thursday afternoon that Mueller’s grand jury has issued subpoenas related to the meeting Donald Trump Jr. took with a Russian lawyer at Trump Tower last year. Also present at that meeting were Jared Kushner, Paul Manafort.
In a statement to the media, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said President Trump’s lawyer Ty Cobb wasn’t aware of this new grand jury. “Grand jury matters are typically secret,” Sanders quoted Cobb as saying. “The White House favors anything that accelerates the conclusion of his work fairly….The White House is committed to fully cooperating with Mr. Mueller.” Sanders statement added that former FBI Director James Comey “said three times the President is not under investigation and we have no reason to believe that has changed.”
Let’s get this #TrumpImpeachmentParty started! I’ll bring the salsa and chips. Hell, I’ll spring for some really top-shelf bottles of tequila once the indictments really start rolling in. What did I tell you guys? I said, months ago, that I thought sh-t would really start moving in the fall, like September-October. It’s true that the grand jury could probably hear Mueller’s case over the course of months, but Mueller is such a straight-arrow, and I feel strongly that he already has many of his (treason) ducks in a row. Also: Trump left Washington on Thursday and he’ll be “on vacation” for the next three weeks. Because he’s the greatest president ever, the most hard-working, the bigliest ever. God, he’s such a lazy fat ass.
Wow. The new cover of @Newsweek. https://t.co/NNELbxiBzY pic.twitter.com/KOTlN2zkfq
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) August 4, 2017
Photos courtesy of Getty.
Oh yeah – time for some crazy tweets from Trump that will end up discriminate him more.
*Incriminate 😉
Go, Mueller, go.
P.S. Love the Newsweek cover.
Let’s do this!! 🙌🏼
I imagine the staffers in the SH are trying really hard to keep that Newsweek cover from him. Buying out the newsstands, whatever it takes, lol. Anything to avoid a Baby Fists hissy fit.
I’d like to see this cover in the lobby of his golf clubs!!!
I want to buy it and frame it 😊
GO MUELLER!!! 👏🏻🙏🏻🎉
BTW, did everyone hear that ONE HUNDRED PERCENT of the Senate agreed to technically stay in session, so the First Criminal can’t make any out of session appointments (i.e.: fire Sessions to get someone in who’d fire Mueller). Without intention, he may actually being doing some good: getting both parties to work in unison for the good of the country! FINALLY! lol
Oh, and I’ll bring the blender and the Margarita mix! 🍹
I also bring guacamole. And, I’ll get that the playlist ready!! Any suggestions?!!
The one and only Queen: “Another one bites the dust.” Also, Carly Simon’s “You’re so Vain”, Louis Armstrong’s “What a wonderful world”…I could go on and on, hahaha.
😀
Party like it’s 1999.
REM End of the World as We Know It.
The Bangles “Hero Takes a Fall”
CeeLo Green-F*ck You
L7’s shit list.
Fishbone-Lyin’ Ass Bitch
The Donnas-I Didn’t Like You Anyway
Sam Cooke, “Chain Gang”, and of course, Johnny Cash, “Folsom Prison Blues”
Fight The Power- Public Enemy
I’m Afraid of Americans -David Bowie
People Have the Power- Patti Smith
Architects- Rise Against; for a bit of motivation should #Trumpimpeachmentparty not be as smooth sailing as we all hope..
I can’t tell you how many times in the last six months I’ve read the news and thought “I just can’t care anymore, its all too much”. But I play that song and dig deep to keep the fight alive.
PS, the bag of Cheetos on the Newsweek cover gives me life!
Radiohead: 2+2=5
Incubus: Megalomaniac
😀
“Rise Up Rise Up” written by Andra Day and recorded by The Parachute Club:
We want lovin’ we want laughter again
We want heartbeat
We want madness to end, we want dancin’
We want to run in the streets
We want freedom to live in this peace
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcC-SbcihKI
I will make my own salsa recipe with roasted tomatoes, onions, red sweet peppers and cilantro. It is time to celebrate.
I have cherokee purple tomatoes fresh off the vine, and slightly bolted cilantro…we need someone who makes handmade tortillas.
Yum, I don’t make tortillas but I’d love to join you anyway. I can bring some hand pressed ones from a vendor I know. They’re so good when they’re warm I eat them like pancakes!
What, no Cheetos?
Crushed Cheetos are actually pretty good in potato salad or in pitas with shredded carrots or broccoli slaw (if you must have some real food in there).
Kool and the Gang special one-time exemption to enjoy Celebrate (good times, come on)
Rollins Band, “Liar”.
I will bring vegetarian pierogis stuffed with wild mushrooms.
Oh my goodness, all these food descriptions are making swoon!
ABBA “Winner takes it all”
NIN “The Great Destroyer”
Survivor “Eye of the Tiger”
LL Cool J “Mama said knock you out”
I Fought the Law and the Law Won in all its various recordings: Bobby Fuller Four, the Clash, Dead Kennedys, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen
The Clash Police on my Back
Yass to all these songs. I’ve been working today (ugh) but I finally have a song to submit:
Coolio – Gangsta’s Paradise 🤣
Queen – Death On Two Legs
“…Misguided old mule
With your pigheaded rules
With your narrow-minded cronies who are Fools of the first division…”
I can’t seem to stop humming “I fought the law and the law won…”
All the Sessions drama makes more sense. trump knew they were closing in on him.
Sessions needs to save himself so expect more racist BS from DOJ. The immigration bill, introduced months ago to zero fan fair because it is unpassable, suddenly being championed by dead-eyes racist Miller is the distraction.
Yes from what I read, this grand jury has been impaneled for weeks now and they have been issuing subpoenas.
You can’t get a GJ impaneled unless you have a pretty good, solid case. I think Mueller has enough at this point.
There are two grand juries. The first is in VA reviewing evidence against Flynn. The second is the new one in DC, presumably to investigate the Trumps.
I’m holding my breath and the champagne until all the bad actors involved (looking at you, too, Foghorn Leghorn, Cardinal Richelieu Pence) are in orange jumpsuits, picking up trash, Making America Clean Again.
i say i say i say boy – i do declare! You got a bum steer, son. I’m a chicken, not a schnook.
Or a Mooch, either, I say, I say . . .
Me too. It’s not over until they’re all behind bars. Premature to get the party started. But Trump getting out of the White House will be a joyous occasion.
Bo Jeffery is secretly fundraising for the Sessions Konfederate Museum. He didn’t save those family Klan robes for nuthin’. Why he even has an original 1934 Papa Bobby Lee Sessions klan kristening set his Mama Dixie made for him with a tiny hood too.
He’s proving his racist street cred with his latest maneuvering it helps keep the funds flowing for his dream project.
Hilarious comment!!
still laughing…
clapping for “Make America Clean Again” LOL
The news came up on my iPhone and everyone I know was talking about it. Meanwhile trump was at a rally fluffing his ego in WV. Apparently WV has learned nothing and think a billionaire is going to save those coal jobs. *eyeroll*
They ate up his coal jobs shtick during the campaign. There haven’t been many of those jobs added,and coal mining companies have said that coal is a thing of the past. Coal mining is over, but WV people are too delirious with Trump love to wake up to the truth
Not just trump but that new governor that flipped from D to R yesterday. He apparently is going to bring back those jobs
I have to both laugh and cry when I hear about attempts to revive this dangerous industry. My grandfather was a breaker boy, a child coal miner in Pa. He went in the mines when he was NINE.
Sorry, he did ‘not’ flip. The WV governor was a Republican until 2015, switch to Democrat, and now has switched back. I’m not annoyed at @Nicole I’m just annoyed at the media trying to spin this. Call me when Chuck Schumer flips to Republican or Ted Cruz flips to Democrat. Yup, exactly..
Agreed @theotherone. Jim Justice may have run on the democratic ticket, so he could win the primary, but he has never been a democrat, and the WV democrats who believed he was are just as delusional as the Trumpsters. He spoke at a democratic fundraiser last fall, and I turned my back on him. What an effing blowhard. I told my husband he was the gubernatorial Trump. A point which was underscored when I drove past a house with both a Trump sign and a Justice sign next to each other in the yard. Peas in a pod those two.
But please don’t lump all West Virginians together. It’s true WV liberals are so outnumbered, we may as well be non-existent, but we do exist, and we are still resisting. Every day, there is a Trump protester outside the local courthouse in the town square. Every. Day. Blistering heat. Pouring rain. He’s there. And that man gives me hope. Because in the beginning, all I expected were jeers. And possible violence. But just the other day, as I was sitting at a red light, I noticed more drivers than not were waving at him. Encouraging him. It did my heart good.
John Oliver did an AMAZING segment on this!!!!!! Probably can find it on YouTube or if you have HBO. Basically, his segment resulted in a lawsuit against him and it was hysterical. But really, the segment was amazing.
Rachel, we live next door in Va. WV is a gorgeous state with many wonderful people. Trump is , of course, appealing to the worst fears and prejudices. My best to you.
If coal miraculously becomes cheaper than natural gas, at least four miners will go back to work to manage the mining automation technology.
Nobody is buying coal. Coal burning plants are closing. Those miners need to learn something else
I think the people in WV know but are in denial because there’s nothing else. I feel sorry for them-they’re desperate for anything/anyone and Trump preys on this fear for his own ego.
Of course that governor would bring those jobs back. He just repurchased his coal mine from the Russians (at a reduced price). Conflict of interest much?
Megan, you hit the nail on the head! Perfectly stated.
The downfall of coal mining jobs has been going on for decades (starting in the 1950s and definitely the 1980s). Some remain reluctant to face it, because of the pay and ignoring the obvious danger and long-time health damage.
Sometimes you have to move and/or re-train to get a good job (which many of their neighbors likely did at some point), yet apparently there are a few people who absolutely refuse to see that. I understand wanting to stay in a place you love and know well, but sometimes there are jobs 30 to 50 miles away, and some won’t make the drive to work there. But some do it, and have made it OK.
Gotcha I thought he was R from reading about his background personally. So makes sense.
It is egregious what they are promising desperate people. I saw an old WV guy on television say Trump was a mess. He wasn’t having it but all of those others were. He was probably 80 so he’s seen this show before and isn’t so ready to believe politicians.
Why don’t they just promise the return of blacksmiths, wagonmaking, milkmen and petticoat makers. Why stop at the impropable? We can bring back all kinds of obsolete jobs.
Love the cover of Newsweek. It’ll be another thing for Donnie Two Scoops to about. ‘Everybody’s so mean, so unfair…uh, emails!’ He’s so pathetic. SMH
Mueller sure has his ducks in a row. He now has sixteen lawyers (!) working for him on this investigation. Hopefully he brings them all down, including Ivanka and the holier-than-thou but still a complicit liar, Mike Pence. How sweet it is watching them squirm.
Hallelujah!! Let’s get it! I’m confident Mueller is closing in on significant criminal wrongdoing. Trump is terrified. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy. May all the misery El Diablo Naranja has caused come back to him tenfold.
This is all well and good, but what will trump do to distract everyone’s attention from this investigation or what bills are quietly being passed without much attention? He is feeling the heat and being pushed into a corner. 45 is not going to go down without a fight.
Congress is going on recess so no bills will be passed over the next few weeks. This particular Congress hasn’t managed to get many bills passed anyway – they don’t know how to govern. He’ll distract by attacking Mueller and McMasters is going to be getting some negative attention.
LP- I thought the Senate had unanimously decided to forego recess, to prevent Trump from making any recess appointment?
@Rapunzel. They’re fixing that.
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/345261-senate-blocks-trump-from-making-recess-appointments-over-break
Yes! Lisa Murkowski locked in nine pro forma sessions during what was supposed to be recess, so Trump can’t make any recess appointments. This amounts to the Senate convening for about a minute every three days. McConnell did the same thing to stop Obama from appointing Garland to the Supreme Court. It doesn’t bother me this time.
:: continues building shrine to Murkowski ::
I’m hoping Mueller moves quickly during recess. Trump won’t be able to do anything by then.
The key is impeachment before he can pardon anyone
Mueller is actually moving quite slowly. A state grand jury moves quickly because they have set times. Federal grand juries move much more slowly but I want him to get as much dirt as possible, not just settle for low-hanging fruit. Manafort and Flynn seem anxious to cut deals but it seems they haven’t given over enough dirt yet.
Yea I get it. We want the whole shebang of info.
@lightpurple from everything that I have read, the grand jury shows we are headed in the right direction but we are still looking at a slow rolling machine. I just want justice in the end.
@LP – curious to know who sits on these grand juries and how are they picked?
We can lighten Lightpurple’s workload.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_jury
The article is up to date with the Mueller impaneling.
I used to think grand juries were of special people, not random schmoes as with regular juries. It’s regular schmoes, just more of them.
Better to do it right, than to do it fast.
Well, last night it was “33,000 deleted emails!” That’s all he’s got.
Deleting emails is not a crime unless there’s a litigation hold on them and they have already wasted millions of our money on those damned emails, which they were able to read through other sources. We aren’t putting a woman in prison for deleting an email about an office Birthday party
I know that, but trumpski doesn’t. Nor do his followers. They are all profoundly stupid. So he keeps harping on it.
I’m pretty sure most of those emails were ads to Lands End, Peet’s, starbucks, etc. I delete a lot of emails on a weekly basis too.
33,000 e-mails is nothing. I’ve deleted that many every few months, most without even reading. The files can be recovered by appropriate software, which I’m sure the FBI did. If you want to get rid of files absolutely permanently, just deleting them is not enough. That just tells the computer it can re-use the space.
This is all a case of truth being stranger than fiction. I can’t wait for the pleading 5th testimonies and their party cannibalizing itself.
Something about this feels like a cleanse. That Trump is so corrupt. Such a clear idiot. That if any politician stands with him they’re marking or tainting themselves.
The hammer is coming down! The aftermath should be interesting (scary?), though. Who will be the ones left standing, and more importantly, who will be POTUS? I’ll be celebrating Trump’s impeachment like it’s 1999, but President Pence? I don’t like the sound of that too much either.
You are right, of course, about Pence. My guess is that if he were he to become President, there would be something of the reverse of the situation with Trump. Pence would have far more respect from the establishment, but nothing of Trump’s cult following with voters. Pence’s homophobia is particularly terrifying.
His homophobia is already reflected in domestic policy and Trump announcements. He just couldn’t hide behind Trump anymore which would be a major change.
Isn’t Trump “truly terrifying” as it is?
Who are these people,Of course, Trump is terrifying. I was assuming he does not finish the term, and we get Pence. Trump has no core beliefs and can be swayed by the last person who talks to him. Pence is a hard core religious right Republican. We would be trading a dangerous idiot for a dangerous zealot.
Pence is undoubtedly terrifying, I agree — but at least we won’t have to worry about him starting WWIII over Twitter
He would never be reelected. He has some dirt from Indiana that no one paid attention to since there was a gigantic baby Oompa Loompa sucking up all of the oxygen. He wouldn’t get much done.
He’s a conservative asshat but he’s your typical racist, misogynist, evangelical nightmare. He’s nothing we haven’t seen before. I agree that I think his past would follow him to the presidency and he wouldn’t get much done. But wasn’t he under investigation too? I thought they were looking at Pence as well or basically the whole administration?
Justjj
There are some questions about what he knew about Flynn. There hasn’t been much said about that but hopefully, we will find out. The whole administration is part of the investigation since the other issues such as collusion and obstruction of justice happened after he took office. No one is exempt. I feel like even when this is all over it never will be in reality because there are probably hundreds of stories that will be uncovered.
I want so much for this to end with a#TrumpImpeachmentParty. We thought he wouldn’t be elected. And he was. I just hope Mueller gets to the truth. And reveals to the people that are still supporting his #hopelesssslackass that he is not fit to hold the office of POTUS. He needs to go. Let’s hope this ultimately happens.
When Donald Trump was putting us through his weird reality competition show of choosing the Secretary of State, it was reported that the thing he liked best about Mitt Romney was that he looked like he came from “central casting.” Mueller really is the straight from central casting tall, patrician g-man, and it must intimidate the hell out of our dime-store Mussolini.
It’s. About. To go. Down. Buckle up!
Thrilled at the news! Now wondering if it was really a lease conflict that drove the a Secret Service out of Trumpkin Tower, or did they just need some space from all the Russian mob members living there?
The military is paying $130,000 a month, a MONTH, to lease space in Trump Tower. The Secret Service was on a much higher floor and paying more than that. Pretty sure it was about the rent. He’s also billing them for space at Mar-a-Lago and one of his other places. But his supporters insist he is working for free.
Unbelievable. It is infuriating to see him profiting from the presidency!
But but but….Trump doesn’t take a salary…he donates his quarterly payments to different causes. He doesn’t need a government salary cause he’s a billionaire!!!! Smh at the idiots that fall for that bullshit. Why take a salary when you can milk the government for far more in rent and other charges.
How … unfortunate … that the dispute with the Secret Service weakens their ability to protect the president and his building (home).
I would’t want to work there or anywhere around there.
I don’t know how this went through. GSA (the govt property managers) are really strict in terms of leasing rates. Most agencies are either housed in federal buildings or private buildings at greatly reduced rates. Certainly not at market rate. One more thing for Mueller to look into.
Ilsalund- the real joke is that Trump so far has donated his quarterly checks to departments whose budgets he is slashing bigly (Parks and then Education). So he’s giving them a pittance while destroying their programs.
I think Trump was intending to forget about that promise to donate his check, but people kept bringing it up. So he had to do something.
I think in the end, Trump will get off and he will spin a lie that Hilary and her crew set him up. That the government is corrupt and he had no way to stop it. His “cult members” will agree and he will be able to host rally-type events, write books, etc. as a civilian and make money. He will still have some pull with voters in certain districts so there will be politicians that will welcome is twitter support for their own campaigns.
My guess: trump fires mueller and steps down, pence pardons the trumps and becomes president. Trump starts news media station with bannon. Pence outlaws women.
Also: Go, Mueller, Go!
I think Mueller is bulletproof at this point. There are 4 senators working on 2 bills that would prohibit him from firing special counsel. Jeff Flake also said if Mueller is fired, Congress will rehire him.
Republicans Senators like Mueller and before they left back a bill saying Trump can’t make recess appointments. Think they may actually back him over Trump, especially since they backed him being appointed in the first place. This is turning into a HBO drama.
Referencing an HBO drama, in House of Cards, Claire, who is wife of the impeached President (Kevin Spacey), and is VP/acting President, promises to pardon her impeached husband/President, but at the last minute, reneges on that promise, and leaves Spacey hanging in the wind. Wouldn’t it something if, as much as I despise Pence and all he stands for, he does the same thing that Claire’s character does?
It’s really rather eerie how this season’s episodes, which were written and filmed before a lot of this sh*t storm started rolling, predicted what is actually happening.
I wish I could share you optimism, but I don’t. Trump is a gigantic gene-manipulated orange cockroach that will survive us all.
Totally agree. I do not believe for one second that he’ll be removed from office.
However, I do enjoy a good sideshow. And if Donny Jr. gets taken down, then that will just be some extra fun.
I want to get excited but really I do not expect much. I hope I am wrong.
Thing is even if Trump is removed (unlikely) then Pence is president. IMO Pence is a greater insidious threat. He is a seasoned politician. He won’t make the same rookie mistakes Trump has. Pence is not as impetuous either. He has the political discipline to do real damage. More damage than Trump and Pence would not antagonize Congress. And he’s a real Republican. They will welcome him.
If by some disastrous miracle the entire Trump administration is removed doesn’t that make Paul Ryan president ?
This is scary no matter what happens.
But as I said I doubt Trump will be removed.
Pence is unpopular, they don’t really “like” him the way a president needs to be liked to succeed. His shortcomings will be much more in public view and he would need to be re-elected. Ryan doesn’t know what to do with actual power and was partly crippled by his failure to pass the health insurance law. Come on, let’s see what happens. Trump has to go no matter what, he’s the only one with authoritarianism written all over him. The other ones are just reprehensible creeps, but they lack his ‘charisma’ such as it is … and his following of goons.
By the way, this is not a spectator sport. We can all call our representatives to pressure them to file articles of impeachment at any point in the journey.
I found myself calling my Republican Senator yesterday to thank him for co-sponsoring a bill to block Trump from firing Mueller. Go figure. The staffer was relieved and appreciative; to this point I’ve had only critical things to say. So instead of us all sitting back and figuring out the perfect scenario, which will never come to pass, we need to keep calling and showing up.
I promise you he will be removed.
Mueller will uncover things that may not be reported until later since they have nothing to do with politics and everything to do with character. There is a reason no respected newspaper in the entire country would endorse him. I think he wasn’t exposed because he is so unsavory and disturbing that the person revealing his behavior would be connected to it forever. He will uncover truths about Melania but that is a side story that will be aftermath gossip probably. He really is a sociopath and I am not being hyperbolic about it.
He had people working in his offices who used to run around New York gossiping like crazy. Tangerine has never been discreet. It amazes me he wasn’t exposed, but he is so outlandish it is hard to reveal things that don’t sound absurd.
His ego is so out of control he put himself in a position where his dirt would be found and his lies easily exposed. Who does that?
As a non-US citizen, I am confused by all the horrible things Trump has said and done pre-election and during his ‘presidency’. At this point, I don’t believe he’s going to be removed from office. He shouldn’t even be in it and look how that turned out! American politics should figure out a way to prevent this from happening again, as I understand it’s the Electorate that gave us this outcome but there is so much to be said about how TV and deep-rooted issues like racism and misogyny is also part of of Trump’s presidency win. He still has a lot of followers, that’s a problem. There are people that need to see him succeed which is scary.
I hope he’s removed from office but I’m not putting any money on it.
I’m the opposite of you. A ray of hope finally rained down on us yesterday. I’ve been mad since November. When the Comey thing happened I was hopeful. When Mueller was appointed, I could finally sleep at night (I’ve said more than once that Mueller has a stellar reputation as a prosecutor. He’s the best of the best).
Now I’m relieved that this clown show will ultimately come to a close. Think about it, people can’t just call a grand jury unless they have a very good case. Per Mueller’s subordinates at the US Attorney’s office, he is the type that likes to cross the t’s and dot all the i’s. He is meticulous and likes an airtight case. That means he had enough to get a GJ.
from your lips to God’s ears. I am just afraid of getting my hopes high and being disappointed again. Remember how we all exhaled after the first debate? second debate? the third one? the “grab them by the p..y-tape”? Steele-dossier? Every single day and scandal of his presidency? This ass..hole has survived everything so far.
Tanguerita, although I, too, feel a ray of hope, part of me is so afraid that Drumpf, like the cockroach he is, will survive this (aren’t cockroaches supposed to be able to survive even a nuclear fallout?).
How come it’s so easy for many of us to see this is true, but Trumpsters refuse to face the facts? Seeing all those WV Trumpsters wearing MAGA hats and Trump junk cheering last night made me sick. Is he having a pep rally in Alabama after his 17 day vacation at his golf course?
Beth, my guess is that many Trump voters, like those you saw in that crowd, suffer from what a number of researchers call “cultural anxiety” They fear a country with more people who do not look like them. I think I have noted this before, but a study by the Atlantic found the phrase most Trump voters responded to was “I feel like a stranger in my own country.” Now I assume most of these people would never admit to being racist or xenophobic, but the appeal is unmistakeable. In other words, Make America Like Me Again.
This. Oddly enough this feeling is far more pronounced in areas with little to no cultural diversity. Same thing all over the Western world. In NYC, London, Melbourne this isn’t as big a feeling as in Podunk Missouri, Bumpkin Upon Thames and Bumf*ck Outback NSW.
I’m so tired of hearing about “cultural anxiety.” I’m white, but also Jewish and a woman, I have had to deal with “cultural anxiety” since the day I was born. What about my black and Latino family and relatives? Their “cultural anxiety” is a lot more severe and grounded in actual, threatening realities.
The pundits and pollsters should cut the euphemistic crap; it’s not helping anybody but the white supremacists and patriarchs.
They also don’t have jobs and their way of life is over-and they’re trying to hold on. Not all of those people are racist –they’re desperate. It’s a giant mistake for liberals-especially the DNC leadership-to ignore these people.
CynicalAnn, that is the thing though. DNC/Dems do NOT ignore these people, they support job training for the current job market. However, that can’t compete with the GOP telling people that they will magically bring back coal and manufacturing. Dems try to address the depressing reality of automation, but that message is no match for the fantasy being spun by the GOP.
A lot of these people have or had choices, and they prefer to dream of a past job market in their little corner of the world. Yet many of their neighbors moved or commuted to where jobs were (be it auto industry or whatever), since the 1950s.
There are VA coal areas 40 miles from where I live. People either drive to the larger cities (we have three within that radius), or they cling to the past and “draw a check”, as they call it. We have manufacturing managers within 30 miles of those coal towns saying they have a tough time finding employees!
My sympathy is limited, because I know too many people who made the tough choice to uproot or take on a long commute to get a better livelihood.
My point with the studies I mentioned is that it may be a fallacy that white working class people voted for Trump for economic reasons. To take out the research “euphemisms”, as Who are these people suggested above, many of these people voted on the basis of racism and xenophobia. Far from being ignored, these white working class Trump voters are now the most sought after group in the land. So much so that some Democratic leaders are considering ditching loyal voting blocks such as women of color and LGBT people in order to satisfy these “salt of the earth” true Americans. I am sickened by this.
Yes the economic anxiety is there but a very *minor* component for Trump voters. Study after study has show most have good paying jobs but their anxiety is on their “way of life”.
I was watching a news entertainment show on Friday night( inn popular host shall go unnamed) where an Evangelical pastor, a Trump supporter came out to claim Trump is not a liar because he kept his word on electing to office a religious rights approved Supereme court justice he had on his short list. When this pastor was asked how religious “moral” people can support essentially a devil (based on descriptions in the Bible), the answer was: Trump never claimed to be without flaws.
So yes most of Trump’s hard core 30-35% supporters voted based on self interest: religion, fear of becoming minorities knowing how THEY have treated minorities, Wall Street greed, Xenophobia, religious intolerance, sexism, etc. Obama appealed to their better angels in the past (a percentage of them). And Trump appealed to their primal fears.
Still they are only 30%, the rest of the 60% is whom the Democrats have to appeal to actually show up and vote. HRC lost due to fake news being leaked to independence and the Democratic left (I remember those propaganda videos being sent to me by Barney voters) and voter apathy.
Trump’s 30% were angry enough to show up at the polls, the rest of the 60% of American had no fire under their feet to go vote because e-mails and Bill Clinton.
I can’t remember any just elected president throwing pep-rallies. He likes campaigning, he likes crowds cheering, i honestly think he didn’t know the president sits at a desk most days with his cabinet who don’t praise but try to get stuff done, and people would be critical of the president. Like he thought it was cutting ribbons and waving liked royalty.
@Karen – The only thing Trump knew about the the president’s duties is what he saw on television.
I will remain cautiously optimistic.
Over and over again he has managed to slither out of any consequences aside from bad press, things that would have sunk anyone else, and I’m hopeful rather than certain that something big will result from this. Obviously Mueller impaneling a grand jury is significant, but he’s not going to take out 45 by himself.
And frankly, 45’s little Nuremberg rallies that he keeps throwing for himself make me nervous. That is a whole bunch of people that cling to their racist fanaticism more and more the deeper it gets. People who probably view themselves as the last defense all the “liberal snowflakes” bent on destroying the country. People like that are stupid, mean and dangerous and as the Democrats are not great with having backup plans, I hope someone has a game plan to deal with that. I have no doubt that 45 would be more than happy to see total violent chaos break out if it meant being able to stay on office and at the center of attention.
I agree. I saw many comments on Facebook articles and a few in Reddit talking about full-scale civil warning Trump is taken out.
Same. Also grand juries in Federal cases can take up to a year to make a decision, especially if the state has complicated evidence to plow through and a lot of rabbit trails.
Get some, Rob! And hurry uuup!
Also, Kaiser, there is no excuse for weight-shaming anyone, regardless of whether you like them or …. I’M KIDDING HAVE AT IT! I also particularly like “lard-ass”.
I love lard ass. Also, tub o lard is a good one too.
I use the term “the load” as often as possible.
I’m almost never a body shaming person. Trump is someone who doesn’t stop making cruel comments about people’s looks, so there’s nothing wrong about commenting about Trumps orange fat ass, bleached barf blonde hair, or ugly orange face. He does it about everybody else, so we can say it about him
Honey, yes. And Trump has such high standards for women’s looks and has made no secret of this attitude.
Pay no attention to that man with the subpoenas! Look over here! Over here! Princess Nagini the Corrupt of the Most Sacred Horcruxed Vagina has shared with us a picture of Arabella holding a bouquet of flowers she stole from the White House Flower Shop! Everybody say: Awww! How adorable! What a wonderful mother Princess Nagini is!
Arabella is going to need a lifetime of therapy to recover from the way that snake exploits her. Mueller hired an expert in prosecuting foreign bribes. Nagini, he’s coming for YOU.
I agree that she exploits her children. They have no idea what’s going on. Every photo and caption are so clearly “architected” to promote Ivanka’s soft-focus image as working mummy.
Princess Nagini the Corrupt of the Most Sacred Horcruxed Vagina has always been a master at controlling the narrative of her most lovely, most beautiful life. If it’s one thing she learned from her Daddy Dearest, it’s about the image. Case on point: those God-awful veneers.
And those YUGE fake boobs
…and let’s not forget the chin implant. She was as chinless as Donnie Jr. She’d probably be as invisible to him as Tiffany is unless she subjected herself to plastic surgery (to become *his* image of “beautiful”). Totally vomit inducing!
He brags that she is his creation.
So this means he chose the surgeries she would have to look like she looks.
Someone asked if she would choose Crooked J over Tangerine and I think she would. Only because he is younger and has plenty of grifting years ahead of him and it wouldn’t look good to do otherwise.
Oh, I think she would choose daddy over Jared. She can always buy a new husband
That is most likely true come to think of it. I try to normalize these people from time and time it is a useless exercise.
Choosing daddy would also give her a new branding opportunity — single mother juggling it all! A follow-up chapter to the 16-hour day working mother image she has tried to sell the public.
…She might. Or she will turn into her mother. Anyway, I also hope Mueller IS coming for Nagini. I so so hope he is.
Of course Comey was complicit with Donald Trump. He helped Trump win by releasing (days before the election) that Hillary was being investigated once again. He helped Trump win, and I hate him for it.
Jason Chaffetz had a lot to do with making that happen.
And Rudy G.
Yes, it was more Chaffetz and the compromised NYC FBI field officers who did that. Comey couldn’t not investigate it once the (invented) issue had been re-raised. Those same compromised agents and Giuliani would have released it anyway and made it look far more damning. Chaffetz was the douche who released it.
That one’s complicated. On the face of it, absolutely. But beneath the surface, it seems to have been part self-image as an honourable man and part being backed into a corner by Chaffetz (who leaked key documents, right?) and Giuliani & Friends … in the end it sounded as if he decided on what seemed like the “lesser of 2 evils” in part to protect the then-existing FBI investigation and his public image of impartiality … and he underestimated his letter’s electoral impact. As for his earlier public statement on her carelessness, that was unnecessary and damning.
I agree with this interpretation.
I think there is more to this than anyone knows. Comey signed a book deal and I’m going to read this when all of this is over.
Every time I get frustrated about this presidency and how slow the investigation is going, I remind myself that Watergate took two years. The fact that a grand jury is already being convened means this should take less time lol I don’t think Mueller would have moved on unless he’s got everything set and absolutely ready so please let this be the end!!!
Watching the news and Dump is on talking to the crowd in WV about how the republicans failed to pass the healthcare that would take away money from Medicare.. isn’t WV one of the states most reliant on it? These people are happy to shoot themselves in the foot if it means the melting cheeto pats their little heads 🙄
The grand jury aids in gathering evidence but then they have to evaluate that evidence.
Nixon wasn’t destroying the country during the time that Watergate unfolded…though his persistence in Vietnam was horrible and thousands more died. Trump can do even more damage until he resigns, gets ill or is removed from office so time is more of the essence.
I remember Watergate. Government was still functioning at all levels. Nixon wasn’t tweeting new policy via social media – there was no social media. Any news the public received was through print and network news (and there were only three networks).
This investigation is going to move far more quickly than Watergate. Keep in mind Cheeto admitted to Lester Holt that he fired Comey in an attempt to end the Russia investigation during an interview on a major network.
With Watergate, the pace sped up when members of Congress actually heard the tape of Haldeman suggesting action be taken to squash the CIA and FBI investigations It was Nixon’s lack of response on that tape to Haldeman’s illegal suggestions that triggered impeachment action. It went quickly from there.
Well, it’s about time.
Don’t get sucked into thinking that impeachment is a done deal just because of this development. At best, this is the beginning of a long investigation that may end up with the first impeachment and removal from office of a sitting President of the United States. Nothing is a done deal at this point and important work must be done to impact election results on the local, state and national level between now and 2020. Don’t get complacent because you think the end is in sight.
I think that’s a really important part and thank you for saying it. Do NOT stop now folks. If Dump is impeached, there are still Repubs who sat by and helped his idiocy along. We need to show them that country is more important than party and our voices matter.
Personally, I don’t think I’ll ever just sit by again (ashamed to admit this was me prior to this election), even with a Dem president. Politicians on both ends need to remember that they’re representing people, not personal or business interests.
I read that the grand jury is convened for 18 months … so, we need to be patient. Mueller only gets one shot at this.
No don’t be patient be active and angry. The President isn’t the only office in town. The US political system was polluted from the ground up a d the work to clean it up needs to be from the ground up. Patiently waiting for the removal of just one vile clown is a huge mistake.
Yes, I’d rather Mr Mueller and team be thorough and not impatient.
Great points, LaBlah!
@ LaBlah – I’m not advocating lying down and waiting…just not to think that Mueller, his team and the grand jury can get this done by December of this year. (I’m just throwing out that timeline out there). I do believe baby fists will not finish his first term.
Meanwhile, I continue to resist, write, call and always request that the FAUX entertainment channel be changed to another station. I eat out a lot and have successfully gotten 2 bars and 1 restaurant to change the channel when I walk in the door. It can’t hurt to ask.
Remember the value of local and state elections; the Democrats hold both the executive and legislative power in ? 16 states out of 50, the lowest number in the nation’s history. That gives the Republicans power to shape laws the influence not only their states, but the way federal elections are handled as well. Politics is not a spectator sport or fantasy game; it’s only fun when things are going well. And they’re not going well at all.
Lightpurple, I was just coming on to say that. Trump is profiting heavily from the Secret Service protecting him. WTF? I imagined that they were given the space, but mofo Trump always needs to make a buck. Outrageous!
SS(we taxpayers)have to pay for the golf carts they use to follow his sorry lard ass around in.
Plastic Barbie must be so proud of DaddyDearest. If she has any self awareness, that is.
Princess Nagini is busy tweeting about the low unemployment rate and claiming credit for herself & Daddy for the accomplishments of Barack Obama.
Am I wrong that the start of President Obama’s presidency the unemployment was about 7.8 to 8 %? Obama left office with unemployment rate about 4.5 %. Now 45 is taking credit for Pres Obama’s work and everything good 😊 about the economy.
Let’s roll.
Also, I kept playing Ice Cube’s “Today Was a Good Day” non stop. Could not stop smiling!!!! It finally felt good to be American again!!!!
Even saw the lights of the Goodyear Blimp
And it read Bob Mueller’s a pimp.
I just saw that today is Barack Obama’s birthday! Gotta love the timing!!!
Theotherone,
Of course he flipped parties. There are two dominate parties and he changed from the party that he ran for governor on to the other party. That’s flipping parties. What else do you call it when you switch from one party to another? Don’t like the word flip? How about he changed his affiliation after his most recent party spent millions getting him elected? What is your point that he flipped parties before? Is that supposed to demonstrate that he didn’t flip now or that he’s an opportunist who’ll go for whoever has the best shiny things on offer? You should get a job at Fox or the White House communications department.
Your moniker says it all. And your literal argument makes no sense. If you read between the lines Justice was always GOP. He flipped to DEM in order to be elected. Now he’s firmly ensconced in the office, he flips back. Does that make sense now?
Just like Orangino was always DEM but flipped to GOP because the odds of winning are stronger. Forget personal conviction and morals. Let’s work the system so you get a leg up!
I finally feels like I can breath again knowing someone is looking into this crook crooked dealings. Let’s hope the dots connects and we can get rid of this madman. I also know that this process may take months and maybe years. I’m willing to wait and hope to see all of them from father, sons, daughter and son-in-law all taken out in handcuffs. This man and his crime family has to stop with their 🤥 and cheating and crimes against this country. Let’s make America great by removing this man from this job that he’s not qualified for.
Grand juries are very serious. Mueller or any impaneled juror can ask almost anything to get to the truth, i.e. All docs, phone records, emails, tax returns, plus witnesses don’t get legal rep in front of the jury. It’s a one-sided affair and the low-hanging fruit (Flynn, Manafort, DJTJr are royally screwed. They have three choices: take the 5th, perjure themselves, or tell the truth. All three options can lead to indictments.
Mueller just added an attorney to his team that specializes in foreign bribery.
Yesterday started my vacation. Favorite restaurant, beach and then the news of the grand jury. Best day of the summer!
The team of lawyers that Mueller has put together is incredible. It’s like creating a new law firm that is truly the best, the brightest, and the most experienced. An article in Business Insider called them “a powerhouse team of experienced professionals with sterling credentials who rank among the best in their field.” I look forward to them tearing the Trump family to shreds.
They are the new Untouchables. Donny wants to play Capone. Well meet your nemesis.
I can’t join this Trump Impeachment Party because the entire line of succession for President is trash; Trump >>>>>>>> Pence>>>>>Ryan. Trump’s incompetence, narcissism, laziness, and inability to compromise, are the only things stopping real damage thus far. If Pence or Ryan become President it’s all over.
They’re compromised, too.
Yup. Pence is on his “let’s protect Eastern Europe tour” in an attempt to distract from his role in this mess.
If Trump launches nuclear missiles or provokes N Korea into firing theirs it’s all over. Please: hear us now. You can make a difference by calling your elected officials at all levels to reaffirm your support for the investigations and the new efforts to hem in Trump from firing Mueller. It is quite possible Pence can go down with the ship. Don’t let “Oh, but once the snow stops, it’ll rain” logic keep you from acting. Yes, Plan B and Plan C suck, but they’re still less sucky than Plan A, which is Trump. Pence and Ryan are unpopular – Republican, but rigidly ideological (which never plays well in the US) and unpopular and not very bright either. They will either go down with Trump or can be dealt with later; they are not Putin puppets.
I post this every time this line of succession thing gets brought up. That line of succession only comes into play if people are removed without new appointees approved by Congress, for example if a plague takes out Trump and Pence in the same week. Does everyone remember President Carl Albert? No? How about Vice President Albert? No? That’s because even though Speaker Albert was third in line in 1973-1974, he didn’t move up when Agnew resigned, Nixon resigned, or Ford moved up. If a president dies, resigns, or is removed, the VP moves up. If a VP leaves office for any reason, a new one is appointed & approved by Congress. Ryan would have to be nominated & approved
I agree somewhat with you but I don’t believe Pence would start WW3. I believe Trump would.
Roll on, wheels of justice, roll on right over those treasonous losers.
Roll over the Mercers and the Kochs, too.
The Prince/Devos/dominionists.
The Trumps.
ROLL ON, MUELLER.
My hopeful thought is that, yes, eventually Trump will be forced to resign. But it will take a while–and there’s a silver lining. Assuming Pence would take over, or Ryan even it would be better if they don’t get the reigns until close to the next midterm election cycle. So that the democrats will (please god!) have some power back in congress and be able to prevent some of the repub agenda. One good thing about Trump’s admin is that they can’t get much done because it’s a damn circus and Trump is too busy shooting himself in the foot. But if you slap Pence in the POTUS position with Repubs having all the power…BAD news.
I wouldn’t worry much about Pence taking Trump’s place. He’ll be so tainted, he’ll be a lame duck.
I’m more concerned about Civil War 2 from the Trumpsters. They’re convinced this is a deep state coup. They’re ready to fight.
I’m worried about that too. That, and the fact that I’m in range of a N Korea missile and Trump might try using an armed conflict as a distraction when it’s clear indictments are about to be handed down.
Yup…and check out the latest shot from the NRA bow….absolutely disgusting.
http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/345403-nra-spokesperson-to-nyt-were-coming-for-you#.WYYJGqhz9v4.facebook
Today’s President Obamas birthday. Happy birthday!
Also the Coast Guard’s birthday. Happy Birthday, USCG!
Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday President Obama.!🎂🍾🎁🎈🎉
http://twitter.com/underrated_dom/status/893483140815171585
Wait a minute, wasn’t he always ragging on Obama for “always” going on vacation and golfing? And now he’s taking a 3 week vacation after how many weekends of golfing?
I read an article, I think last week, that said that it’s normal that the President take a long vacation in August, during Congressional Recess, as this is the time that renovations and maintenance are typically done on the White House, etc.
So, not a Trump supporter by any means, but this seems like the norm. But why no news stories about it when Trump was screaming bloody murder when the Obama’s took their yearly August break? Not that it would’ve helped with Trump, but this message would have reached more people.
Go Mueller go…I know this will take time, but this is a fantastic step and makes me feel a sense that something is getting done.
Just found out Spicey turned down the opportunity to be on Dancing with the Stars. 😢 That would’ve been fun to watch
He’s still hiding in the bushes. LOL
I just hope that Mueller doesn’t fall into the same trap as McMaster, Spicer, John Kelly, Nikki H, and Mattis. These people all went in competent and now they are totally and completely complicit.
I love how they are trying to spin women empowerment because every woman who has been hired to work in the WH is still there. That’s nothing that any of them should be proud of. Of course they are still there. They have conformed to The King of Lies and Fake News’ idea of what a woman is. Silent and complicit. The woman like Ivanka claim that they are advocates for women and then they do nothing as The King of Lies and Fake News says horrible things about women or takes away programs to help women.
The King of Lies and Fake News whines about fake news and then he spreads it. In his speech last night he made the statement about Hillary and Uranium. Sarah also stated this same lie during one of her lie briefings.
Why is the King of Lies and Fake News going on vacation because it seems like he has been vacationing since he got in office.
“I just hope that Mueller doesn’t fall into the same trap as McMaster, Spicer, John Kelly, Nikki H, and Mattis. These people all went in competent and now they are totally and completely complicit.”
Mueller’s not working in or for the WH though, unlike the others you mentioned.
His task, and that of his staffers, is to go where the evidence leads, wherever that ends up being.
This just in. Daily Mail: “Senate BLOCKS Trumpfrom using ‘recess appointment to replace Jeff Sessions with a new attorney general who would fire Robert Mueller”.
“The Senate will officially stay open during vacation, graveling in once every three days in ‘pro forms’ Sessions, denying the president a chance to name a new attorney general on his own”.
” pro Forms” , should read ‘pro Forma’. Auto correct screwed up.
If Trump beats this can you imagine the list of people he’ll grant presidential pardons to on his way out of office? It’d be a doozy.
The WH is still in chaos.
Sessions is threatening to jail reporters for refusing to give up their sources. This isn’t surprising, I was expecting the WH to target the press more aggressively after The King of Lies and Fake News met with Putin.
Sessions is launching a massive case against leakers(of course this doesn’t include Ivanka, Jared, Devin N, or the King of Lies and Fake News who are constantly leaking things about themselves and their enemies). He claims that they have charged 4 people with leaking and that the leaks under the Trump administration has had more crackdown on leakers than the Obama administration.
Bannon is leaking negative stories about McMaster. Of course Sessions isn’t worried about that.
If they are concerned about leaks, then why do they keep leaking stories about how John Kelly’s presence in the WH has resulted in positive change for The King of Lies and Fake News and his tweeting habits?
We knew this time would come eventually.
America depended on the stability, basic good character and loyalty to the US from candidates running for the presidency. Trump broke the mold and proved that some traditions that are not in law should be law in the future. Anyone running for president should show their taxes by law and there needs to be deeper vetting for possible criminal activities and corrupted foreign influence. There should not only be a physical but a psychological determination that the candidate is fit for office. Donald Trump swore allegiance to the flag but he is only capable of truly caring for his egocentric self. Everything stems from his personal greed, his willingness to lie and his endless negative thinking about his country and the world.
Doesn’t former FBI director James Comey have a 2 million book deal in the works?However, I think whatever goes down Trump will still be in office.