I was going to start this post with “In a Nixonian turn of events…” but I honestly think that does a disservice to Richard Nixon. I’m not saying that I’m suddenly pro-Nixon, just that I think comparing Donald Trump to Richard Nixon is an insult to Tricky Dick. We’ve literally never seen anything like Emperor Baby Fists before in American history. So, obviously, people are still really concerned and angry about Baby Fists’ “Muslim ban” executive order. It’s thrown airports into disarray, thousands of people are protesting in cities around the country, ACLU lawyers are being called in, and many petty presidential statements have been tweeted on Baby Fists’ private Twitter account on his Android.
So far, Trump’s Attorney General pick Jeff Sessions has not been confirmed by the senate. The Department of Justice has been run for the past few months by acting AG Sally Yates. Yesterday, Yates apparently told DOJ staffers that they should not enforce Trump’s “Muslim ban” executive order because she did not believe the ban was “legally defensible.” Hours later, she was fired.
The White House issued a statement saying Yates had “betrayed the Department of Justice” by refusing to enforce Trump’s executive order. It also described her as an “Obama administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration.” The statement noted that the order was approved by the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, but in a one-page letter to top lawyers at the Justice Department, Yates said that review only considered whether the order was “lawful on its face and properly drafted.” Yates argued that as head of the department she had a broader task.
“My responsibility is to ensure that the position of the Department of Justice is not only legally defensible, but is informed by our best view of what the law is after consideration of all the facts. In addition, I am responsible for ensuring that the positions we take in court remain consistent with this institution’s solemn obligation to always seek justice and stand for what is right,” Yates wrote. “At present, I am not convinced that the defense of the Executive Order is consistent with these responsibilities, nor am I convinced that the Executive Order is lawful,” she continued. “For as long as I am the Acting Attorney General, the Department of Justice will not present arguments in defense of the Executive Order, unless and until I become convinced that it is appropriate to do so.”
President Trump initially responded to Yates’ defiance by tweeting that he was forced to keep an Obama appointee as acting attorney general due to Democratic obstruction.
The chaotic implementation of Trump’s immigration ban sparked anger even among members of Trump’s cabinet. The Washington Post reports that Defense Secretary James Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly “fumed privately” because they were caught off guard by the travel ban. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker told reporters that they weren’t briefed before Trump signed the order, and congressional aides said GOP lawmakers received little guidance as protests erupted at airports across the country.
There’s a ton of other stuff at that NYMag link – basically, where senators are coming down (Rubio is still a spineless wimp, shock of shocks) and more whining from Trump. The reason this is reminding everyone of Nixon is because of Nixon’s famous Saturday Night Massacre during the Watergate scandal, where he fired a special prosecutor investigating Watergate and the AG quit in response. Keep in mind… the Saturday Night Massacre occurred in Nixon’s second term. He had been in office as president for four-and-half years. What’s going down with Agent Orange is happening when he’s not even two full weeks into the job.
Guess who got up bright & early to tweet-whine? Pretty soon he’s going to be saying that he needs a safe space in Washington.
Nancy Pelosi and Fake Tears Chuck Schumer held a rally at the steps of The Supreme Court and mic did not work (a mess)-just like Dem party!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 31, 2017
When will the Democrats give us our Attorney General and rest of Cabinet! They should be ashamed of themselves! No wonder D.C. doesn't work!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 31, 2017
Photos courtesy of Getty.
The night of daggers has begun – she and the ICE person who got booted are not the first and won’t be the last to get sacked for not following ‘orders’.
Now Austria is following his lead and they are going to be implementing a ban the full face veil in public, tagging of former Jihadists and a curb on foreign workers. The flood gates have opened and the worms are crawling out.
God, if you are real now would be about a good time to start answering prayers.
‘Now Austria is following his lead and they are going to be implementing a ban the full face veil in public, tagging of former Jihadists and a curb on foreign workers. The flood gates have opened and the worms are crawling out.’
this. the worst of all is that once this all started with brexit, it began to spread all over like a horrible, bloody disease. people who would hide their xenophobia and racism beforehand, are now proclaiming it proudly because they feel backed up by half the population. it gave them validation. it is terrifying.
And don’t forget the terrorist attack in Canada from one of his supporters.
Yes. And this murderer was also influenced by the French right wing and Marine le Pen.
Personally, I’ve visited two countries were most women were covered. Egypt and Morocco.
In both countries, men were completely disrespectful of women who were not covered. I felt naked walking around (particularly in Egypt) although I was dressed very conservatively. It was not nice at all.
A local woman told me that she was covering herself so that men would leave her alone.
I also have the experience of going to a swimming pool were muslim men were coming to pick up their kids from their swimming lessons. The way they looked at me was disgusting.
So although wearing the hijab/niqab comes from the intention of being modest and pure, the effect on men is not good.
I believe men need to see women how they are. They need to see the beauty of women, it’s natural. Otherwise they go crazy.
Now of course, everyone is free to wear what they want, that is unquestionable. I am against any kind of ban.
@Mirage: “Men were completely disrespectful of women who were not covered…So although wearing the hijab/niqab comes from the intention of being modest and pure, the effect on men is not good.” That’s not really the effect of those articles of clothing though. It’s one of the effects of men and boys having centuries of the ‘Women and girls need to dress a certain way in order for your group to treat them with respect as human beings” message drilled into them. It’s a global problem.
I don’t know how it is in other countries, but in the US, it is a 1st Amendment right to wear a hijab. Wearing a hijab is supposed to be protected as a free exercise of religion and speech (regardless of Trump’s total disregard for the Constitution, another reason why he is unfit to be President). No one attacks Jewish men for wearing yarmulkes or Catholic nuns for wearing habits. If a Muslim woman wants to wear a hijab to display her faith, leave her alone (don’t understand why this is so hard for Trump supporters to understand). Have you not seen/heard of European Muslim women wearing hijabs as well as lots of makeup and skin-tight clothes going to the clubs? If, at a later time, she decides to become more secular and remove the hijab from her daily life, again, that is her business, not yours.
It’s hard to ‘get’ how sick a tradition this is until you see it in person. A few years ago, I vacationed at an island in Malaysia and at the resort we stayed at, there were a lot of wealthy (albeit not Saudi prince level wealthy) Arabs. We actually cut our stay short because we were so unsettled by the dynamics we observed. For example, at the pool, you’d see the husband strolling two metres in front of his wife clad in nothing but a speedo. Meanwhile the wife would be swathed completely in black – just the gauzy strip for the eyes and black gloves to boot. Not only that but here’s the kicker: she’d be carrying her virtually naked husband’s towels and bathrobe for him. She got to sit out there sweating in the tropical heat while he enjoyed a dip in the pool. It’s just frankly disturbing to see such stark disparity before your own eyes.
Another thing that was uncomfortable to witness was seeing these little girls – six, seven years old – wearing headscarves. Those girls are nowhere near puberty, which I found unsettling because you hear this talk about headscarves liberating women from the male gaze. Are men really gazing at seven year olds on such a widespread level? If anything, sexualizing them that young makes it more likely that men will think of them that way.
Honestly I’m a liberal but I am all for a ban on full veils/niqabs. These women have what I imagine is some form the Stockholm syndrome, they’ve grown up in an oppressed culture and have it ingrained in them so young. Also, would you feel comfortable having men suddenly start wearing balaclavas in public? I wouldn’t. It’s a basic tenet of civil society that we acknowledge everyone else as equals deserving of respect. People who hide their identity are not conforming to the social contract. If they don’t want to do that, perhaps they need to live elsewhere.
Austrian here. We elected a Green-Party/Independet president just in December. I would not compare a fullface veil ban to banning Muslims from certain countries.
While right-winged sentiment is on the rise and I would consider myself rather progressive and liberal I cannot protest against a full face veil too much. I understand that women can and should wear whatever they please but the niqab and burka are sexist oppression in textile form for me.
We (Dutch) have a ban on the burka. It’s absolutely ridiculous to me that we spent months of parliamentary time on this because it’s such a small group of women who wear a burka. Plus, I’m pretty sure that wearing a burka was what enabled these women to get out of the house and that now it’s banned they’re probably not leaving the house anymore. And third, how hypocritical is it to say that in the name of progress you’re taking away personal choice in what to wear.
maybe you wouldn’t wear a full face veil, but if a woman wants to – isn’t it oppressive to not allow her to wear what she wants?
We have to stop assuming religious women who cover their hair, faces or bodies are oppressed and have no choice in the matter. Sometimes there is pressure from their families or communities, other times they just want to cover. they should have that right.
Women should never be forced to undress (by powerful men).
If we actually wanted to help women being forced to dress in ways they don’t want to, we would provide more extensive social services that they can easily access and be supported by. Then they can wear what they want and have safe harbour if they need it in order to wear, or not wear, what they want. BY THEIR OWN CHOICE.
@Wilma
Thats an interesting point. So even for women who are coerced into wearing the face veil, its counter productive to ban it because it doesnt actually liberate her from whoever is coercing her. It just makes it more likely that her movements would be totally restricted.
What everyone said. It’s best not to victimize anyone for their own personal choices, as if the women who choose to cover themselves in any fashion are weak and have no agency of their own.
Yes, turn the victims of PERHAPS domestic violence, mysoginy, surely of the mounting anti-islamic forces, into the criminals with a law against them. That’s really what we should be doing. I am tired of this discussion (as I lived in France and there is a strong feminist idea (and not womanist, thanks CB community for educating me)) that women should be forbidden to wear the burqua, tcahdor for their own good. If this is not whitesplaining, whteprotecting, what is?
I am not saying that in certain instances the idea that these women do not have access to equality is wrong, I am saying that this is not the way to deal with it and that many women choose to wear the veil and that is THEIR business.
@Sixer, thanks for explaining so clearly what is the right thing to do!
I go back and forth on the various forms of headdress/veil/burka etc. Personally I can’t defend a full cover, it simply goes against everything I believe in but that doesn’t mean I need to force this view on others. A ban is a terrible idea. As IF that means these women will suddenly rip off their clothes and walk around town with their hair blowing in the breeze. No. They will simply stay home and not participate in public life at all. A ban won’t faze the men who possibly force their women to wear a full cover but it will impact women and girls in a massive way. There has to be another way to deal with this.
It’s like the far right in every country makes the same mistakes. I don’t believe Germany would ever go for a ban (it’s come up) because we tend to shy away from touching anyone’s religion like that. But I’m sure the AfD can come up with other things to make life for muslims harder.
And not to digress too much but frankly, it bugs me that this is only ever seriously discussed in terms of their culture. My culture says it’s polite to shake hands and look someone in the eyes while talking to them/being introduced. I find talking to a woman wearing a niqab or burka extremely uncomfortable simply because a) I have to make all the concessions and b) communication is more than words. We rely on body language and facial expressions. Granted, this has happened to me only a handful of times but I found it uncomfortable. Again, I’m not saying rip it off. But I can’t defend the thing itself too much.
I get the sentiment that men and others should not dictate what a woman wears, whether it be a dark veil or a skimpy bikini. I really do. And I am not against head scarfes etc. I only heard about and saw burkas and niqabs when the taliban and other extremist groups rose in the last 15+ years. To me they are intricably linked. Even if the women chose to wear them, by their on volition, all I see is oppression and extremism. I might be victimizing them, but I would say the same about FGM victims that become mothers and do the same to their daughters. (thats an extreme comparison)
Great discussions going on here! I think it is an excellent point to say that banning a burqa, niqab isn’t going to instantly liberate the women who wear them. It will just keep them from going out in public and moving around freely.
So let’s ban the coverings of women we feel are oppressed by possibly oppressing them more???
I’m going to be honest, my first instinct is to say STHU up to some of these comments. Especially considering everything happening right now.
Stop repeating these false facts about Muslim women and their fundamental right to cover in any way they choose. The basis for covering is this: to please their Lord. The other benefits that come along with covering such as maintaining piety, protecting oneself from being judged by your body and not your mind etc etc are all secondary reasons.
Stop telling us what to do with our bodies. We are also read, educated and smart. I’m really sick of always being defensive and diplomatic about why I cover. I’m sick of people speaking about us and never bothering to give us a seat at the table.
I’m a mom, wife, i have kids that drive me crazy, I look forward to my coffee every morning, I hate the school run, I hate laundry, i got a gorgeous car last month, I bite my nails, my daughter won’t wear anything other than her sailor moon costume, breaking bad is my favourite show, I read celebitchy every day…
Do I sound less ‘other’ now?
@ Sunshineyyz: Did we tell you what to do? No. If you are happy with your decisions, then that’s probably more than most people can say. But don’t pretend that as a symbol, any headdress in its various forms is not misogynist. Why don’t men wear it? Where is the difference? Are you really telling me that it is not a symbol of oppression? Of a fundamental inequality between men and women? I said I’m against any ban whatsoever because I value people’s freedom to express themselves however they choose over most other things. If you’re fine with the notion that there is such a fundamental difference between women and men that one of them needs to cover up while the other doesn’t, then again, that’s your choice. But a discussion should be allowed.
@littlemissnaughty
To repeat: stop making assumptions about Muslim women. You have one speaking directly to you and instead of trying to get to a place of understanding you ask multiple rhetorical questions and patronize me.
A seat at the table…discussions that are not inclusive are not discussions.
Littlemissnaughty, let’s remember other stuff a lot of women do and a lot of men don’t: wear make up, wear perfume, wear uncomfortable high heels, remove their body hair, invest a considerable part of their finances in their outward appearance (skin, hair, shoes, clothes – after all, how many women do you know to wear the same outfit several days in a row at work?). When you talk to a woman wearing mascara, do you tell her you respect her choice, but that you know she’s actually a willing purveyor of patriarchy?
All these behaviors belong in the misogyny sphere, and it’s either we expand the discussion to include them (or, say, the Catholic who takes communion from an exclusively male officiant), or let Muslim women, covered and uncovered, have that talk.
At my very first job women were not allowed to pants and we had to had to wear pantyhose. I’ve worn a headscarf and I’ve worn pantyhose. I found the pantyhose to be far more oppressive.
@littlemissnaughty
We all give into what our religions, cultures etc. tell us we should do or not do. Sometimes it’s for a religious purpose – and headwear is very much that in many asian/middle eastern cultures I believe. I don’t know exactly why we have to cover our breasts in our culture when men are perfectly confortable going topless whenever it suits them (check any ray of sunlight in London, they all go practically naked in the streets), when us, not so much (apart from a few “brave” women tanning in the parks).
I remember when I was a child everybody was topless at the beach (80’s in Portugal) and the kids were stark naked until they were 6. Now it is very frowned upon. But more than that, I think one of the parallels that people think very little of is the high heel. There are serious problems being raised here in the UK where certains firms make women wear high heels and make up whereas men can wear what they want (provided it’s a suit). But many women want to keep wearing the high heels that prevent them from running, having free movement, hurt their feet etc. I am pretty sure that in 50 years they will be considered like corsets for us now.
I also think that we are constantly negotiating socially what it means to be a woman and what it means to be a man: if religion mirrors that, it may not just be out of repression but also a way to give us roles. Bothersome, but part of a thought – perhaps not a very right one, but one nonetheless. We have the same rights – when all goes well – but we do not have the same bodies, and clothes reflect that. Should we all wear a uniform? How can we express difference? And what is that difference?
@lambda
I think it’s sad that I even have to ask to be included in a discussion about myself. This is the reality for the marginal. And once we dare to even speak, if we disagree with the narrative of the majority (in this case, most Muslim women are oppressed) we are shot down. I guess I’ll just sit here with my pretty little hijab and stay silent.
Thank you @LAMBDA for your point about Muslim women discussing amongst ourselves the issues pertaining to us. We do. Just like the Premier of Quebec said yesterday and Glenn friggin Beck of all people, listen!
Ban the burka! I’m aware this is a controversial opinion, but this atheist doesn’t appreciate that freedom of religion is always interpreted as special concessions for the religious. Enough already. Freedom of religion should be freedom from religion. The monotheistic religions say women are 2nd to men. Eff that. And the veil? Visibityand representation equals power and agency. if I can’t see you you have no agency. And the whole notion of covering up bc men can’t control themselves makes me sick. The burka is no ones traditional dress. It’s making women invisible. And invisible people have no rights. this whole argument about self expression via a BURKA is just so bonkers, I can’t even.
Really, Anna? Smarmy atheists are comical. What’s a special concession and a non-special concession towards the religious, then? And you forget that religious freedom is not a concession, but a fundamental tenet of liberal democracies? Liberal democracies are not Procrustean. Your rights are as expansive as our ability to live in diversity. I wonder if ski masks/balaclavas bother you equally.
@ Sunshineyyz: They weren’t rhetorical questions. And what exactly was I supposed to understand? That you made a choice? I understand that. That this choice means you are confronted with people who disagree with it daily? With people who are even aggressive about it? I’m not saying I know what that experience is like but it can’t be easy. Your argument was “Don’t tell me what to do.” I didn’t. Your argument was “I’m just like every other woman living her life. Stop othering me.” Except your religious choice does that all on its own. It’s a very demonstrative sign of – as you said – your relationship with God. Okay. But since you accuse me of making assumptions about muslim women, I’ll just repeat my question. What am I assuming? That they’re all victims? They’re not.
Your entire post was about shutting me/us down, not the other way around. And not about making anyone understand anything. Except understand that apparently you speak for all muslim women. We haven’t met but I HAVE met quite a few who haven’t had the choice to wear or not wear a headscarf. Let’s not pretend my “assumption” that many muslim women do it because they have NO choice is so terribly off base.
@ Lambda: Yes, I’m aware that the origins of most beauty rituals aren’t exactly feminist. I’m aware that beauty ideals were and are shaped by what men want, what men come up with (fashion and beauty are still male dominated), what we have been told women should look like for centuries. The origins of all of that, whether it’s not going topless in public or wearing red lipstick, are patriarchal structures. The difference is that to me, all of that is up for discussion. We can talk about how free I am in my choices, that’s fine with me. I don’t delude myself into thinking that I’m not heavily influenced by my surroundings, my upbringing. Is that oppression? Let’s talk. But apparently when it comes to religious symbols, we aren’t allowed to participate in the discussion. That’s all this was supposed to be. A discussion.
ETA: What do ski masks have to do with anything? And yes, if someone covers their face in public, that bothers me. Religion or not. In western societies the entire discussion revolves around “respect this choice”. Okay. Do what you want. But again, if I talk to someone and their face is covered, that to me is disrespectful. But their religious freedom tops that and that’s fine. But THAT is the concession we talked about.
What you know, this is the second instance recently when I find myself thinking about how toxic Western feminism is, much like white feminism. Do you know how discussions start? By asking questions. You did not start a discussion, you told the poster not to pretend that the hijab is not misogynistic. That’s an assumption right there. And I think questions and inquiry are even more warranted in issues of religion because, unlike wearing lipstick, those are particular experiences and customs that we don’t all share, so we’re ignorant of them. Yes, the usual female adornments could be open for discussion, but if a man were to drop in and lecture me how my high heels make me victim of oppression, I’ll send that dude packing with a stiletto in his back.
I’ve sat next to women in burka, and I’m not gonna lie, the first minute was unnerving (which is weird, because I had already spend some time in Korea and Japan, where medical face masks are common). But my discomfort was strictly on me.
I’m sorry, but I can’t with theocracies and man/ god mandates of what a woman should cover to be acknowledged/ even go out of her home.
I may be mixing things here, but we women are fundamentally equal than men. I can’t with covering the face when going to the bank, or other chores in public places.
To me, it blatantly separates the women for something that is not even religious, it was a need because people lived in a desert and sand would blow on their faces.
It saddens me how in this religion women are not seen the same as men, that under the law where there are extreme theocracies women do not deserve the same inheritance as men, or that a woman needs to take a man with her to a doctor.
It stops women/ people from assimilating to the culture they chose to live in. I am latin, and I have female relatives that have kept their cultural background and religion while becoming productive and engaged in the US society they were born of immigrated into.
extreme conservatism in every religion is going to take us apart even more and nothing will help.
I am scared for the future. Really. It used to be one sided. Now I dont know where to turn to.
I’m not sure where to land on this either. I grew up in a peculiar Christian sect that imposed a lot of conditions on what women wear (I wore a head covering and that was not optional). So I can relate.
That said, clothing restrictions on females are about patriarchy (unless Muslims have a vastly different rationale than Christians, which I do not believe is the case). I don’t care if you define it in terms of society or religion (e.g. God’s relationship to the church as a metaphor for familial roles, which is the fundie Christian rationale), it is about a female’s submissive role. If you’re a woman who covers up, you might be denial about that since you say it’s voluntary–not unlike, for example, Roman Catholic women who have ten babies because God. But boil it down to underlying dynamics and there is ALWAYS the need to define women as different from men and under their authority.
Head coverings have always been part of Western culture so I think it is no big deal to accept a Sikh wearing a turban as part of a police uniform, for example. But facial covering is not. We use faces as a primary means of identification. I used to stand gate guard on a US military base that hosted Saudi Arabian pilots. Whenever they came through the gate with their wives, they would refuse to show their wives’ ID cards to anyone but me (almost always the lone female standing guard). This struck me as fundamentally wrong. The US approach has always been hands off religious communities until their practices intervene with legal authority. To enter a military base, you are required to surrender your ID to anyone who asks. That legal authority supersedes your religious custom. So I am inclined to generally oppose facial coverings.
@greenieweenie I feel exactly the same. I don’t like the ban per se, as it takes a womans choice away, but I really have issues with face covering. If we were in a equal society imagine how you would feel about covering your face to appease or keep men away from you in public. The notion that the onus of decency is on the women irks me enormously.
Ladies – what are these fashion choices that we are debating? People come from different cultures and religion, everywhere, from here to there? How, but most importantly why, do we debate the proper choices? Perhaps the very poorest will not be able to dress to your standards>?
My last lover came from the Middle East. I will always love him, always. I stopped the affair because I chose not to make his little boy cry, his wife’s son. (Truly, I was thinking about polygamy in their countries, when I got involved). He came here as a refugee, a very proud man whose family is still rich. He was so stressed about his mother and father, left behind because he helped the Americans. I love him – he is a beautiful man from the Middle East. He is kind. There are many challenges in understanding one another. Men from the Middle East think western women are whores, practically. That is enough to end our friendship, but…
How can we deny his beauty, his intelligence, or his family? Or that his home was blown up because of his ties to the US – and he is an outlaw in his own state, for helping Americans? What the hell is this, who is hurting my beloved? The man of my dreams, who will never be mine, for so many reasons…why is DT hurting him and his family – why are we not making his father and mother safe? Why should he be accused, or misunderstood?
SunshineYYZ, I’m amazed that anyone would be so disrespectful and judgmental about a religion and culture that is not their own. Thank you for sharing information about your religion, despite the ignorance you were confronted with.
It only seems a from of oppression to me because when women were given choice fewer wore them, but didn’t the Taliban insist on it? So no doubt many women wear them because men are forcing them to. Not sure how to stop that.
I’m with SunnyShineyzz, Wilma, and the others on this (and Sunnyshiney, I’m really sorry that you and other Muslim women regularly deal with that kind of dismissal). Clothing doesn’t oppress women, people do. We should attack society’s misogynistic messages, attitudes, and behaviors around women and how they dress, instead of the knee-jerk “Many women have been pressured/coerced/forced to do this, so it’s always victimization the way to end women’s oppression and inequality is to stop all women from choosing to do this” narrative that’s always been a problem and a weakness in the feminist movement, even not all of the intentions behind it are bad. Banning the burka won’t do anything to fight sexism and victim-blaming, it’ll just make outside feminists who hate the burka (and anti-Muslim people who hate it for the group of people it reminds them of) feel better.
@Ana: It’s more than a little myopic and tone-deaf (and if you’re a feminist, hypocritical) to literally dismiss Muslim women as ‘invisible’ and ‘having no agency’ just because they dress in a way YOU, PERSONALLY aren’t comfortable with. So much for anti-victim-blaming and women’s physical appearance not being their worth, huh?
@Wolfpup, I like your English. I think you just wrote a poem.
This baffles me. We might be in a weird spot right now, but I’ve never contemplated not wearing what you want. If this is part of your religion who cares what you wear?
Sure. It’s just Ana’s personal idea that identity, self expression and showing your face are connected in our society.
And Jessica, if you have never contemplated not wearing what you want, you have no idea what is going on in some (not all) Muslim families. I know quite a lot of women from such families who actually hope for a niqab ban, because it would mean a new argument for them in their fight with their families to take it off.
the flood gates have opened and the worms are crawling out. That is one of my biggest fears. That is something that won’t go away for years. Even if the effing Orange Monster will be impeached, the flood gates he has opened, can’t be closed. People let their hate shine proud and loud. He won’t unite anything – he doesn’t even know how to spell unite. A man like him can only rise by feeding hate and fear.
I don’t want to read the comment sections on most websites because it just leaves me desperate and in tears.
King Trump is gutting our government and removing dissenters. First he came for the Muslims, next with Sessions the freedoms of women, and maybe soon lgbtq. Get your pitchforks ready!
@Sarah I read at @ roguepotusstaff that they planned to go after LGBT next but decided otherwhise because of the backlack of the muslim ban. but they will surely find another group soon.. like this evening or so… 🙁
To be fair: The ban of full face veils in Austria concerns respective ministries, uniformed executive officers as well as judges and prosecutors, to ensure the neutrality of the service is represents.
Well, that actually makes more sense. But, to take it a step further, are Shikh males banned from wearing their turbans when performing a public service job? (Recently, NYPD announced that Shikh officers will be allowed to wear the turban while on the job. The alt-right went bananas.)
Canada has been allowing turbans in the police force and the RCMP for over a decade now.
I think, its’s the whole “not showing your face at all” that makes people in Europe uneasy, like the wife of this guy, who was accused for planting threatening films on the internet. He later went to Syria and got killed while in combat in the name of ISIS. Anyway, his wife showed up at court as a wittness, refusing to show her face to the court, stating her “right to remain covered”.
They are using Putins exact tactic in taking over the country. Shock and awe, wear the people down and then there they are in total power with yes people and the people subdued. Bannon and Trump are still in deep with Putin don’t forget this out of all of this. It was rumored Ryan and Priebus were very uncomfortable with Trumps phone call to Putin. It didn’t relieve their suspicion he is involved with Putin.
Dan Rather had a post about this in his blog today. He quoted a history professor who talked about “shock events” that throw society into chaos and set people at odds with each other as they struggle to deal with it. Then, while everyone is still reeling, you pull some move that would normally be hugely unpopular with everyone and it barely registers because people are so distracted. Her opinion was that the executive order on immigration had all of the hallmarks of a shock event and that Bannon is probably planning something awful as a follow up.
Didn’t know Dan Rather had a blog, is it a news blog? Since Bannon has Leninist ideas he knows it works. It does some here in America, why do they know it works in America? The crowd that refused to vote because Hillary was as bad as Trump. That alone says shock and awe can place people in apathy and use false equivalent to dumb down fascist or totalitarian ideas. There are people who didn’t show up to vote because of the media itself jumped on the band wagon Trump is bad but look at hillary. They even conned them.
He has been posting on facebook – his website is called News and Guts:
https://www.facebook.com/newsandguts/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED&fref=nf
He is the most fast working dictator ever. now we have Putin, Erdogan and Trump.
Well, she was going to get fired anyways… She was just the “acting” Attorney General appointed by Obama and she was a Democrat to boot. When a new president takes office, they appoint a new AG. It’s just shocking because 1.) He did it to silence opposition and 2.) He didn’t have another one lined up to appoint.
That being said, I’m terrified for this country. Why aren’t the Republicans doing ANYTHING? I saw on Wikipedia’s “Spineless Animals” page (jellyfish, echinoderms) that someone added a picture of Paul Ryan.
They aren’t doing anything because they are getting everything they want. They are going to get their draconian laws passed and signed and won’t take the heat for it because they are using Nazi Steve and Dump as their shield.
Plus, I don’t think a lot of them have to worry about their seats being taken because of gerrymandering, at least for now. They are having their cake and enjoying every morsel now. Rethugs care more about power than running the country.
Yeah….this is why I’m a bit unsure if this particular incident is really worthy of my outrage. I mean, on the Orange Scale of Atrocities, this is definitely on the low end. However, knowing that Sessions will be confirmed shortly anyway, it would have been a gracious move to at least let her leave on her own volition. But instead, Baby Fists threw a tantrum and fired her.
I continue to hate this man with every fiber of my being. I mean TRULY. I have never hated a human being this much before. TBH, I didn’t think I was capable of holding this much anger towards someone.
She was not going to get fired. She was going to resign, retire, and collect a pension. There is a huge difference. Firing often means no pension. This is the woman who put terrorist Eric Rudolph into a supermax in a bunker under a mountain.
The Department of Justice is supposed to be safe from political influence. I think the firing is terrifying in its symbolism because it shows that this white house will not abide dissent. If you disagree with Trump/Bannon you are out. No checks and balances. Trumps way of no way. I cannot believe this is happening. When is it going to seem real?
@lightpurple Yates has been working for the federal govt for nearly 30 years, so her pension is vested. It would be very hard for her to lose her pension, and if they threatened to withhold it she could take them to court and would win.
@cindy I think Trump wants us (and other govt departments) to be afraid, that’s why he fired her for speaking out instead of just waiting to confirm her replacement. People need to continue speaking out.
@tegteg-yes, i think you’re right. It’s supposed to worry them.
It is shocking bc the message he’s sending – anyone who disagrees will be fired/gotten rid of without delay. Maybe this is the message they’ve sent to border patrol and that’s why we’ve seen such irrational actions by them. Pres. Bannon et al will continue to bulldoze and bully their way through every policy and law until we are anesthetized as to what is decent, moral, and “normal.”
Amusingly, back in 2015 when Sally Yates was confirmed, Sessions questioned her closely regarding whether she would ever be willing to say no to the president if he issued an unlawful order. I wonder if Sessions will ever say no to Trump.
Steerpike: brilliant. I did not remember that. But I would definitely like to buy Sally Yates a drink, if I ever meet her. Or help pay her pension. And if by some bizarre happenstance she ever reads this blog, my hat’s off to you Sally! May you be blessed and protected as you have tried to protect others.
Trump will get the horrible Sessions as his AG, not someone who can be independent of the White House. Trump does not want a team, he wants a regime. He is frightening beyond belief. The Republicans in Congress who are enabling him need to remember that they will be up for re-election. I hope every one of them gets voted out.
Yes. And where the hell are the members of Congress — both Dem and GOP — who are watching a goddam coup taking place right before their very eyes and saying NOTHING?
Trump’s subversive band of bigots and greedheads are plotting against democracy — I’m not overstating! They’re turning our government into a far-right dictatorship even as we watch.
Petition, march, write letters, phone your members of Congress, do whatever you can every single day — we can’t just sit passively and WATCH Trump and his band of reactionary billionaires take down our representative democracy!
Hopefully Trump will end up getting impeached so fast that his term will be about as short as William Henry Harrison’s. That would be a miracle.
Where are we at with Hillary’s e-mails? Cause they sure seemed super important just a few months ago.
We are doomed. 😣
He is using an unsecured phone. NOT to mention he is still tweeting on his old account.But silence.
People have to understand Bannon has been thinking of these things for years. All the crazy stuff he talked about. Now he has a puppet in Trump that will follow everything he says. I don’t know what we can really do. Until his policies make it hard on his supporters we are screwed. He is chipping away at everything that made us the nation we were. Even having an understanding of how the Government works didn’t prepare me for what is going on. Sadly the Economy is going to have to crash for thing to change. I hope the tourism industry is hit by people not wanting to travel here. Something drastic will have to happen. They don’t care about the protest. The just seem to be doubling down on everything. I’m terrified.
It is absolutely terrifying. Trump voters wanted to shake things up. Well, congrats! Things have certainly been shaken up.
@nemera34. I agree except no one is going to live in the United States anymore. I hope people from around the world who wants to live in America will think twice and will live in Canada. If he thinks that legal immigrants will come and live in the States, HE WILL BE SADLY MISTAKEN.
nemera34, yes to everything you said. It’s like once reasonable people are now brainwashed and nothing can shake their allegiance. Here’s a question that’s been nagging at me. I’ve read a fair amount about Bannon’s background, all of which chilled me to the bone. He strikes me as a guy on a suicide mission. My question is why is Trump in bed with him? How does it benefit him? Does Bannon have something on him? Given Trump’s moderate past, I just don’t get how he can be in so deep with such an extremist.
The hypocrisy is ASTOUNDING. I still can’t believe there are people who voted for him… How could anyone fall for his schtick? And how can they justify his behavior now? I feel sick just thinking about this.
@Esmom: I truly believe Trump is dumb as a box of rocks. As long as Bannon compliments him every now and then, Trump is fine with him.
I hope everything crashes. The economy, the tourism. I hope he takes away every last one of their “entitlements” – food stamps, social security, welfare. Because contrary to popular belief, it’s not only the brown people who get entitlements. Only then will they see the error of their ways. Trump is only in it for self.
I want to repost something I posted late yesterday that might have been missed. It seems so typical of many trump supporters.
SusanneToo says:
January 30, 2017 at 6:52 pm
I heard part of today’s The Takeaway(NPR). They discussed the protests surrounding the EO. They said some supported it though and interviewed a man wearing a MAGA hat who said he was amused that one of the detainees was an Iraqi who had worked for the USA in Iraq. Ponder that for a moment if you doubt trump supporters are soulless ghouls. He was AMUSED that a man who risked his life to assist us in this godforsaken war was detained as a threat. I thought I knew what hatred was when cheney was in office. Those were halcyon days compared to now.
@SusanneToo-I think they get a kick out of anything that infuriates the Left. I also think that they enjoy presenting themselves as a brash no-fucks-to-give type when in reality they’re scared, sniveling little babies.
I read a theory that Bannon’s and Trump’s end game is to crash the economy so that they can play the Biggest Short ever and make trillions.
nemera34, I LOVED coming to the States on Road Trips over the past several years, and my husband and I got married in Las Vegas. We were supposed to be in South Dakota this May and I feel so torn about going. On one hand, I want to still come because we have great memories of travelling in the States and I love your food and people, but I just detest Trump with every part of me that I know if they asked me at the Border who I supported politically, we wouldn’t be allowed in anyway.
no puppet, no puppet, you’re the puppet.
Scientists have begun pledging not to come to international conferences held in the US because their colleagues from the banned countries can’t come. I remember once a long time ago there was also discussion about just not holding conferences in the US. That idea will probably be revisited, but conferences are planned way in advance.
Many people may not realize how much our science depends on people born and often educated elsewhere. Our educational system simply does not produce enough scientists and engineers for our needs, and cultural pressures often keep many people out of those fields (in addition to the anti-intellectualism rampant here). If our foreign-born scientists and engineers and graduate students (who do considerable research) have trouble getting in and out for conferences and family visits or decide we are too unpredictable in future, that will be a tremendous loss and they will be looking elsewhere for jobs and schooling. My physics graduate department would have collapsed without foreign students, so that is a big risk also.
If you look at various student awards in my fields, the names are often all indicative of first-generation immigrants from cultures that take education more seriously than many Americans.
Oh, Jason Chaffetz insists that he is still investigating Hillary’s emails because he hasn’t found what he is looking for yet and he just knows there is something bad there. So, Congress will continue to waste our money on her emails while fully aware that Trump’s staff are using an unsecured private server owned by the RNC.
Not to mention Michael Flynn’s use of a forbidden server in his government office B.T. (Before Trump) to transfer classified material to his NATO contacts who were not authorized to receive them. No problem with a guy who actually did deliberately mishandle classified information, big problem with a woman who never mishandled classified material, properly archived all work-related communications, and had lawyers check personal mail to make sure it could be marked for deletion. Lock her up, but give him a job in the White House and security briefings…
Well they seem to be determined NOT to leave any paper trail, hence why he keeps using his personal phone and personal twitter account. Apparently Bannon is the same – no paper trail. Even now they are covering their asses so when it all goes pear shaped they can blame each other and feign ignorance.
Yeah, those emails… those are just terrifying. The most menacing pieces of inanimate technology man has ever seen. They would have caused chaos at home and abroad. They would have separated families. They would have caused the hearts of all good people to be gripped by panic. Oh wait……..
@esmom – I am fairly certain that he has dementia/early alzheimers and that, combined with his personality, leads him to be very afraid and vicious. Bannon represents security to him.
Interesting theory, thanks for replying. But why Bannon and not Kushner or someone else? It seems weird that they even got together in the first place.
According to Vanity Fair, Bannon and Kushner have really hit it off (at least for the moment). So they are probably working together to manipulate Trump.
http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/01/jared-kushner-steve-bannon-bromance
Apparently Kushner does have a “good” effect on him, but observes Shabbat. I read a report Bannon is now using Jared’s time away to push the more radical/ridiculous things like the ban. It was issued Friday night and Saturday was messy as hell. On Sunday, there was significant backpedaling, perhaps under Jared’s influence?
Also I have found that scared people like really “tough” protectors, not smart calm guidance. They want someone whose behavior and plans resonate at the same frequency as their fear.
@embee i disagree. i don’t see how kushner has a good effect on him at all. remember kushner was the one who wanted to bring in bill’s accusers to the debate. he’s not a good person. there’s a vanity fair piece about how kushner is opposing bannon – but it reads like a pr deflection. he still could have been contacted on the Shabbat. Oh and it’s not like he observed the Shabbat during the inaugural balls.
Embee – Trump has always been vicious , though, and always insecure and prone to rages. It’s part of the malignant narcissism pattern. So it’s hard to tell how much is encroaching dementia (which I also think he has, he’s deteriorating) and how much is just becoming more like himself as he gets older (as my aunt always used to say).
Not just the emails, remember a lot of White women refused to vote for HRC because “OMG, SHE DIDN’T LEAVE HER CHEATING HUSBAND!!!!!!!” And the Bernie Bro’s didn’t vote for her because “OMG, SHE IS THE BIGGEST LIAR AND MOST CORRUPT POLITICIAN EVER, EVER.”
But good thing we have Bernie now standing up to Trump and going to airports to rescue legal immigrants….oops, no that Pelosi, Schumer, Democrats and sane Republicans.
Good thing we have Trump who never lies, cheats on spouses or is corrupt…oh wait.
People just didn’t like Hillary, so anything nasty that anyone said about her stuck. I have seen this happen to so many of my favorite candidates – they lack charisma and so people don’t want to vote for them even though they are smarter and have better ideas than their opponent (ie Gore vs Bush). The sad lesson that I take away from this is that we really have to choose charismatic candidates if we want to win.
42% of Trump’s supporters say he should be allowed use of a private email server. As Democratic Senator Cory Booker said, “I’ve never had a drink in my life, but his kind of data makes me reconsider.” The emails were never the issue. No one could stand that Hillary could possibly be so pristine as a politician, so to level the playing field, let’s utilize “alternative facts.” Thanks Media. I guess it wouldn’t have mattered as former CIA agents and the FBI were against Hillary, never mind the current President’s collusion with Russia, America’s one-time former enemy.
LOCK HIM UP!
And throw the keys at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean!
That man is an international menace!
OMG!! this nut ball is just playing into his oppositions hands. His lack of pragmatism so he can appear to be the gun slinger in chief will be his undoing. Can’t happen soon enuff!
I have never in my life felt such dread. I literally wake up every morning expecring something new and psychopathic that this man has done. I’m so terrified and I feel like it’s only a matter of time before he creates some sort of martial law. I just……
Also, he might bring back the ‘Jim Crow Laws”. Which I hope to God he doesn’t
Hi Kiki
My BF is reading White Rage for one of his classes and we’ve been talking so much about our fears of JC laws coming back. I mean, in a lot of ways JC laws never really went away.
I don’t know what’s better: sneaky racism via voter suppression or blatant, outright racism via JC laws.
One thing is for sure: this administration is definitely emboldening the racist/xenophobic portion of our population.
I’m going to my first BLM meeting in a couple weeks and I’m excited to start helping and hopefully attend some protests.
@Kiki… WHAT?! Do you have a source for this? Holy shit!
Return to Jim Crow? Then that will be the day America’s civil war begins in earnest.
I can’t wait to see the lot of them in handcuffs, and that includes his daughter and husband, being hauled off to jail. I can feel that day will come, let’s hope sooner rather than later. Steven Bannon is going to be the death of this country as we know it. I see he’s being referred to as President Bannon. During the campaign DT begged the governor of Ohio to be his running mate and his job would be to take care of domestic and foreign affairs, and DT job would be to MAGA. I know DT has no idea what he’s doing or how to run a country. He looks like someone who is on the brink of having a stroke, imo he looks very unhealthy. He bankrupted 4 casinos and that’s what he’s going to do with the country when he’s done. I hope the people who voted for his is satisfied.
They are too rich and powerful to be handcuffed and jailed. EVER. He will at most resign, and then people will demand to leave him be and respect him for stepping down or some such.
jared kushner can join his father in jail
@Tiffany: Exactly. I wake up every morning and check the news to see what he came up with over night. I’m scared that some time soon, someone will jump into my office and scream “Check the news, Trump has started WW3!”
If DT starts WWIII, we won’t have time to check the news. We’ll all be glowing ashes.
Tiffany,
I hear you. I’m with you. I was so, so anxious all day yesterday and into the night. I felt like I was watching my world descend into hell right in front of my eyes last night. It was some of the most intense anxiety I’ve ever experienced.
BUT. It’s a new day. We’re scared because we’re paying attention. We have love and compassion and critical thinking and the majority of the American people on our side. This WILL bring about change in the end, even though the road will probably be long and nasty. But we can do this. Just take care of yourself. Self care is revolutionary. I’m off today and I’ll be smoking the devil’s lettuce, eating Ramen, and watching cheesy romantic comedies all day.
Thank you Shambles. I had my first panic attack in YEARS a couple of days ago and I don’t mean to sound dramatic, but this is hurting my soul. Muslims, women, POC…. We are not safe. BUT you are right. The resistance I’m seeing helps me so much. And so does this site. Much love to you and everyone.
I read an article today that assured me YOU the good will winn in the end and only because of YOU. it is written by eliot a. cohen who was an advisor of condoleeza rice. in case the link won’t make it, please google for “A Clarifying Moment in American History”: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/01/a-clarifying-moment-in-american-history/514868/
Fake tears Chuck Schumer. This isn’t a decent human being trying to lead the world. He is a heartless monster. Our country is bending at the knees and he is kicking us down. There are no answers, he is destroying us. Ann Frank was wrong when she, held captive by an evil force, said in spite of everything, she believed all people were good at heart. Evil won and his name is trump.
I know, WTF?? I cannot believe those tweets are coming from our POTUS. But I’m honestly not sure if Trump is the evil one as much as Bannon. As someone said yesterday, all Trump is basically allowed to do is play with his Twitter while Bannon and co. do the heavy lifting to dismantle our democracy.
trump is Bannon’s disciple. You know, after 9/11, we all stood up and refused to let terror and fear overcome us. But this is so different, we are all in suspended animation waiting to see what will happen next. I have two kids and don’t know how to protect them. I’m waiting for Obama or someone to save us and it’s not going to happen. Like my dad used to say, I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop………but we can’t lose hope and accept this or we are doomed.
@Esmom-I started listening to a new podcast called “Can He Do That?”. It’s all about Trump’s presidency and what he’s “allowed” (in a legal sense) to do.
As I said, it just started but I imagine it will get more and more interesting with time. I know you like podcasts so I just thought I’d mention it.
@Nancy
Off-topic: I just finished S4 of Bates Motel and holy shit was it amazing.
On-topic: as scary and creepy as BM is, it doesn’t even begin to touch the horror of our current reality.
Kitten, dayum girl sometimes we have to go off topic or we’d all pull a Norman and go psycho! I’m glad they put BM on Netflix. Season 4 was uneffenbelievable but if I watch the final season, it will be through my fingers. Vera and Freddie are forces of nature. A boy’s best friend is his mother. F trump!
Kitten, thank you, I hadn’t heard of that one. I have so many unplayed podcasts calling to me right now that I was feeling almost paralyzed so it will be good to try something new. Do you listen to Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me? It’s about the only thing capable of making me laugh without immediately wanting to cry.
Nancy and Kitten, I’m just starting S4 of BM! I was so happy Netflix added it because I’d checked with my library and they didn’t have it. I feel like I want to savor it slowly knowing it will be a while before I find another show I like so much. Every actor just knocks it out of the park every time! And my girl crush on Vera Farmiga knows no bounds…
@Nancy-
I’ve been obsessed with Vera since Season 1. I just think she’s so incredibly talented. I’ve always liked Freddie Highmore and thought he was a really good actor but Season 4? MY GOD, he was INCREDIBLE. It is such a treat to watch two actors of their caliber. That show is so woefully underrated.
Oh and yeah, F Trump.
Esmon: You can’t have Vera, she’s mine. Ok, I will share. Season 4 just slayed, haha. Wish this wasn’t the last, but we all knew Marion would be checking in eventually. I encourage my son to bond with his dad, probably not in my best interest to be his bff….lol. Enjoy the season, it is a roller coaster, especially the last two episodes. Whew! *escapism is important now, more than ever, even if it is a scary tv show* Kitten you just snuck in there and I didn’t see you. Everything you said. The show will be a cult classic because too many people thought it would be a replica of the movie…..their loss. FT
his tweets are so f**king embarrassing. “fake tears” schumer. “weak on border”. Can someone teach him a synonym for weak – it is one of the only words he knows. he is our president and my 6 year old niece has more sophisticated clap backs.
i guess “weak”, “fake”, “lying”” and “bad” are his idea of four-letter words. Ugh.
And “very”! Also one of his favorite four letter words.
very, very…..he always says it twice. Asshat
Didn’t Chuck Shumer’s great grandmother die in the Holocaust??
I can’t believe he keeps calling him fake tears. I know we call him nicknames all the time here, but what kind of grown ass 70 year old man calls his so called opponents nicknames? Lyin’ Ted, Lightweight Marco Rubio, Pocahontas, Crooked Hillary, Fake Tears????
I read that 7 of his great grandmother’s 9 children died in the holocaust. Trump is a sociopath.
yup, chuck schumer’s great grandmother and most of her children died in the Holocaust. Trump’s dad, on the other hand, was arrested at a KKK rally.
Lyla,
Source please? I would like to spread that one around.
Amy Schumer is a second cousin of some sort to Senator Schumer and defended his tears by pointing out that he is very genuine, not able to act at all, can’t even smile on cue…. 🙂
Trump has zero empathy (part of the malignant narcissist pattern) and can’t imagine that anybody could be moved to tears by the awful situation so many families and individuals found themselves in thanks to his stupid Executive Order. President Tweeter’s tears would be fake, so he assumes everybody else is the same.
What a maroon.
I dread getting up in the morning to read the next installment of the downfall of my country. It feels like it’s spinning out of control. We must reach the other side of the rainbow at some point then fight our way back home. Yates is a true American hero. We must fight back. We can’t give up. I keep reminding myself it’s okay to feel the fear just keep moving forward.
Sweety Pie, Trump is an IDIOT, not evil. AN IDIOT. Steve Bannon is EVIL.
I’m sorry but Yates is not a “true American hero” as you say. Save that for actual heros who put their life on the line to save others.
Heroes come in many forms. And the way this is shaping up, standing up for what you believe might very well be putting your life on the line soon enough
She is a hero in comparison to almost everyone else with any power. I am appalled at how congress and other powerful democrats are so passively allowing this all to play out. We the people are ranting and marching in the streets, while they issue mild statements of disapproval and concern. At least Yates took a stand.
I think he imagines that running a country is like running a business.
This is exactly What I’ve been saying all along.
And of course we know that Trump bankrupts his own businesses.
And cheats every company that has to do business with him.
He bankrupted 5 of those…unfortunately, we only have one country.
When you are handed large sums of money (repeatedly) by Daddy and cannot even keep casinos afloat during the 1990s, it’s bigly sad.
Yes, he thinks we all work for him, and if we don’t do what he says, he will fire us. He’s the stupid, chauvinistic business owner whose company is actually run by an evil, depraved manager who abuses everyone and doesn’t let HR do anything about it and cooks the books–Bannon.
what successful business rolls out policies that impact every single employee without considering if they are legal first? what successful companies are run by micro-managers with no capable support and advisory teams under them? none!
if he were a good or logical business person – he would be better at running the country but he’s not. he’s a hack.
But he’s not even doing a good job by those metrics! Firing someone for pointing out that the company was doing something that’s against the law is not good business. Same with firing anyway who disagrees with you.
We are building a fascist regime at this point. He’s firing opposition and trying to make us fear the “other”. Not talking to the press or discrediting the news. Straight from the 1933 playbook.
I’m giving this country till I graduate to get it together. If not I’m leaving because it won’t be safe for my family at all. Until then I will be fighting (I’ve been to marches every other day), calling congress and whatever else I can do.
Shame on the GOP for allowing this to happen. Shame on the DNC for trying to work with this nightmare.
I feel the same way – except I’m increasingly pessimistic that there is anywhere in the world I can go to escape this nightmare.
I honestly blame the DNC for much of this – for the past several years, they’ve more or less endorsed this insanity by “taking the high road” in not challenging the Republicans on gerrymandering, voter suppression, etc. and so on. That they couldn’t even muster up the courage to protest three million Americans essentially having their votes rendered void because of where they live? That scares me, because it makes me realize there is no one in power willing to stand up and defend American democracy.
We should all be f**king terrified by the language used- she “betrayed” the Department of Justice. That terminology was in no way chosen by accident and I’m willing to be that the poisonous little worm Bannon penned this whole thing.
God, it makes me so angry that people are still defending this- ESPECIALLY the whining about the Democrats standing in the way of his choices. They should-they’re all terrible. And of the Republicans weren’t such sniveling cowards (if not outright as bad as 45-looking at you, Paul Ryan) they would be voicing more objection as well. Like, is your hatred of Obama THAT bad that you are willing to risk the entire country? Are you THAT blind that you think any of this “loyalty” is going to be rewarded? This moron is loyal to one person-himself. And when someone is as much of a loose cannon as that, no one is safe. I see a future coming up fast on which are all forced to prove how “patriotic” we are.
And frankly, more Democrats need to get woke real fast. I’m appalled by the silence by too many people-I’m afraid it is going to take a LOT more than strongly worded rebukes on the senate floor. I’m sure we’d all love to take the noble high ground here, but that isn’t the situation we’re faced with. I understand we’re at a disadvantage, but they need to (figuratively) starting pounding skulls instead of wringing their hands and trying to wait it out, which is what I feel like is happening with only a few exceptions (Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, John Lewis, Cory Booker etc)
I don’t think it’s hatred of Obama at this point. Cowards, yes. It’s fear they feel. He just canned the AG. He thinks he’s an emporer. Their afraid he’ll have them hanged in the streets, so to speak, if they go against him. Hitler’s minions had this same fear. But people in Hitlers own party planned to have him assassinated, without success.
I keep seeing the phrase “get woke” or something similar on comments online and protests signs. It makes no sense to me why people are using the phrase.
I swear I still in my 20s and I feel old when I hear all these words like Bae and woke.
Well, I’m certainly glad you’re focused on the important issues!
grabbyhands lol! I’m 32 and I use the phrases woke, stay woke and get woke all the time!
I just used it for the first time ever today in another Trump thread.
She did what Sessions himself DEMANDED she do when he questioned her during HER approval hearing. The video is up now. Sessions should be speaking out now in support of Yates.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-3yDjylQ5Ps
Time to ask Sessions what he thinks of Yates, and then vote NO
Hate to say this but the Republicans are silent because apparently a LOT of Americans and Most Republican voters support the Muslim ban. Even some Democratic voters who you would think are against it, silently support it 🙁
In Ban on Migrants, Trump Supporters See a Promise Kept
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/01/30/us/migrants-ban-trump-supporters.html?referer=https://www.google.com/
I wish to God, Prince William and his family should totally snub him and not treat him the same way they treated Obamas. He isn’t worth it.
Wish the Queen and family would say “f Off”.
I want the Queen to release a statement that given that she spent her youth fighting the Nazis, she’s certainly not going to meet one now.
While I think we need to screen people entering boarders for security for terror and drugs but This is 100 percent insane. Does he not realise that these Muslim refugees are fleeing their country because there are people who fight in the name of religion are are killing their own people and other Muslims and other religions? By banning it will only create more radicals.
Also I watched a news segment most of the terrorist attacks in the last few years were all American born with their parents moving to the US and all were from the countries that were not banned like Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
15 of the 19 men in 9/11 were from SA. I knew he would be crazy but I can not believe it has been two weeks. I have friends that are in the trading biz and they said the markets are crazy now with everything he tweets.
He fired the AG for what, isn’t the ban against your constitution ?? Isn’t she in regards to the constitution right. Can he get impeached because he fired 3 people today and two of them he gave no reason.
What does he have to do get fired!
Isis actually release a statement mocking his muslim ban and promising more attacks. His EO will do more damage than good. But I believe that’s exactly what he wants.
Yes, because then he can declare marshal law. and that will be the end of the USA.
Yes. Martial law. We’re waiting for their Reichstag fire.
Bannon wants an attack asap. He probably hired the Quebec City terrorist–he most certainly indoctrinated him with his white power nazi propaganda. It makes me rage in my soul to think of the people who will be hurt and killed by what he and trump are setting in motion! And how they will use the destruction of people’s lives to put military on our streets to shut down our protests. God. Damn. It.
Most people want vetting and immigration laws. At one time I traveled for my job (an aid worker) a lot in some war torn areas and as an American when I came back or traveled through Europe countries I was searched sometimes heavily questioned and never had a problem with it. Understood this coming from terrorist areas i was goign to be rightly scruntized Even today when i go through the airport I have to check my bag in person and can’t just drop it off and need to physically check-in. I’m flagged and understand why Very few people want people immigration or those travel to terrorist areas with no rules. However lets face it Trumps so called ban is only for brown people and its to appease the bigots in his group and the bigot in charge Steve Bannon. His ban has nothing to do with actually reality of true terrorism, he placed countries on the list which haven’t even terrorized America. His move was a bigoted power grabbing move not one that actually protects America.
But who has ever traveled in and out of the US with “no rules”? Perhaps Europeans? Never the countries he banned. And in fact, with what has been going on in France and Belgium, I think we are just as likely, if not more so, to see an EU-born and raised radical islamist board the place with his one and only EU passport, and sail right past our ban to carry out an attack.
I am a naturalized citizen, I’ve been applying for the US visas since the 90-s, it was never easy. Anyone who says otherwise simply doesn’t know what they are talking about.
Isabelle – your experience proves we already have rules. Plus refugees are extremely vetted already. It takes 1-2 years to go through the process. Green cards and visas aren’t handed out like lollipops either. Trump and most people in this country just have no idea of the actual protocols already in place and how long it takes to go through them. People who were turned back had sometimes been waiting for years to get past all the red tape and get through the quota lines just to see their families. The refugees had definitely been waiting 1-2 years minimum.
I live in an area with a large immigrant population from a former Soviet republic, and that group makes an excellent case for the need for immigration reform. The level of fraud, crime, and racism boggles my mind. Even though they’re a small group, I’m shocked Fox and the Alt Right haven’t zeroed in on them as they make an excellent case against immigration.
So I do think our immigration system needs to be reformed.
But.
America was built on immigration. The fact people want to come here is a testament to how great this country is (was?). Bannon’s ham-fisted, ill-thought-out ban does nothing but reduce our standing in the world and make us less safe. Really, I worry that it’s going to turn away the very immigrants we want to come here, because why move to a country that might very well deport you?
And, you know, it’s also unconstitutional.
May I ask which Republic you’re talking about? Because what you’re saying is sort of at odds with my observations. Most of my friends from the former USSR are computer programmers, physicists, professors. Racism can be an issue, I admit, but fraud and crime? Not so much. Do you live in a particularly shady part of town?
I also read somewhere that in NYC, Ukrainians were leading the immigrant demographic in almost all areas: getting jobs and getting off public assistance; graduating from schools; going to college, etc.
Honestly, I think that pointing to them and saying that our system needs to be reformed is probably not very wise. I would bet quite a bit of money that most of those people here came through family ties. People who come here for college or work, are usually cream of the crop back at home, so they would never turn into white trash upon arrival. And I don’t see how we can possibly reform our system to prohibit immigration of relatives – that would be cruel.
Elle R. — They may have been fast-tracked for political reasons without much concern about criminality. We’ve also had problems before with military and paramilitary gangsters coming here from countries where our military has worked with them in wars and was obligated to take them in when the war was lost. They didn’t suddenly stop being gangsters in a new country. But the overwhelming majority of refugees and immigrants (both documented and undocumented) are actually significantly more law-abiding than the rest of us, undoubtedly partly because they don’t want to be sent back.
but refugees are vetted.
here’s samantha bee & jon oliver covering it
https://youtu.be/s5y70oKbAKY
https://youtu.be/_kZsOISarzg
getting a visa (which isn’t always a cake walk) would be easier than getting here as a refugee.
To all the people who said that Trump and Clinton were the same, SHOW YOURSELVES.
I will say this though, although things are terrifying, I am hopeful when I see so many people fighting back.
They won’t. They are scurrying into their holes. Being in a red state, my FB feed has been filled with pro-Trump hateful rhetoric for months. But this past week? DEAD SILENCE. I think even the Trump trolls are starting to see that they effed up BIGLY.
I saw a FB share of some long-ago debunked story about how orange one supposedly had a flat tire on his limo in the 1990s and rewarded a guy who changed the tire.
That story had several variations and was even denied by his own staff. It’s a play on a very old ‘wealthy person rewards act of kindness’ story. Yet a local grade-school *teacher* shared it as ‘the story you won’t hear about him’.
The pro-Trump people in my feed are sadly very much still pro-Trump. I wish there’d be dead silence from them but nope, they’re still screaming “sore losers,” “What does protesting accomplish” and “Obama did the same thing, you liberal hypocrites!!” Sigh.
Is anybody still bitter?
Because I am.
I’m still so f*cking angry about every f*cking false equivalency that was put out there during the election. I’m still bitter and angry towards every self-interested white who voted for this clown.
Yes. Very bitter, and I don’t anticipate that abating anytime soon considering how much supporters, Republicans, etc are digging their heels in on not backing off their allegiance. It sickens me.
I am, Kitten. I still cry when I look at my Hillary t-shirt. The SNL re-runs of the debates episodes are surreal and chilling. Emails, benghazi rhetoric seems so long ago, but it wasn’t and I refuse to forget. I think we should rise up and force a nationwide vote, yes or no, should we fire Trump? With the results being binding. We are his boss, after all, a fact he seems to ignore with glee as he builds his fascist regime. I remember, with extreme bitterness, it didn’t have to be this way, if Hillary hadn’t been cheated out of office. …..
Yes yes yes I am still bitter. God yes. White, angry, self centered, racist whites did this to our country. They f-ing elected this despotic, unhinged, lunatic. And now we are going off a cliff as they cheer.
Kitten, there are no words to describe how f*ching angry I am. I have never hated anyone or anything the way I hate this cheeto Hitler. I’m disgusted and appalled by what’s happening.
I’m ashamed to be an American citizen, but you better believe I’ll be attending more protests and continue resisting.
It’s such a frightening time 😦
Also mad at the media (minus teen vogue) because they pandered to this narrative over and over. Now they want to pretend they didn’t have a hand in this BS
Kitten,
I feel what you feel, but for me it’s coming up as sadness and anxiety. The way that Hillary was treated, and now this man has proven in less than two weeks that he shouldn’t be anywhere near any presidency. He shouldn’t even be president of the jelly of the month club. The fact that it was insinuated so many times that Hillary was a threat to our national security… And look where we are. It’s absolutely mind numbing.
Hell yes, I’m bitter. This all should have been so different.
OMG Me too @Kitten. ME TOO! People keep saying they’re scared. I’m not there yet. I’m still so ANGRY. I don’t think I’ll ever get over my anger over this election and all the people who directly voted for this POS or did their best to convince people Clinton was just as bad or worse.
I’m so so ANGRY.
I will never EVER understand how anyone could watch that man in a debate and think he had the temperament, intelligence or knowledge to be President of the United States.
Moreover, every and I mean EVERY fucking bad thing you could DREAM UP or INSINUATE about Clinton applied to this jackass 1000X times over
You insinuate she’s crooked based on literally NO direct evidence (some quid but NO pro quo with the Clinton Foundation)? Check out this guy and his PROVEN HISTORY of screwing over small businesses, shady business deals, Trump University, etc. We were right about him. He refuses to completely divest himself & his family from this business. Let the kleptocracy begin!
Oh you think Clinton is a warmonger? (First how convenient that so many of the people attacking Clinton in this area conveniently ignored the fact anything you say about Clinton in this area ALSO applied to President Obama. You don’t have the guts to say that though). Well check out Mr “I’d Carpet Bomb the F Out of Them” Trump. Once again, we have already been proven right as his reckless behavior is already being used in ISIS recruiting videos.
You think she lies? HAH He lies like he’s breathing!!! (I will NEVER understand how she got labeled “The Liar” when Trump lied so frequently that the fact checkers couldn’t keep up. It was unprecedented!)
Oh you think Clinton is hiding something? WHERE THE HELL ARE TRUMP’S TAXES?
Similarly, I’ve had social conservatives say they were TERRIFIED of Hillary Clinton winning. Why? Why? You survived 8 years of Barack Obama and you can still say “Merry Christmas” and noone is stripping you of your right to practice Christianity. GMAB. She was basically running as Obama’s 3rd term. There was nothing for these people to be so terrified about.
They should have been terrified of what a destructive role model Trump would be to their children with his bullying, his cruelty toward people with disabilities, his vulgarity, his obvious misogyny, his shameless and proud stupidity, etc They should have been terrified of giving this narcissistic idiot the nuke codes!! I.DO.NOT.GET.IT.
Sorry I had to rant.
But yes, I’m still angry and bitter as hell.
Kitten, I am indeed still bitter and angry. And like Shambles I am sad and anxious. I seriously am going to ask my doctor for Xanax because I’m so upset all the time, and every day brings more horrors. )-:
I’m glad I’m not alone.
@Keaton: “I’ve had social conservatives say they were TERRIFIED of Hillary Clinton winning. Why? Why? You survived 8 years of Barack Obama and you can still say ‘Merry Christmas’ and noone is stripping you of your right to practice Christianity. GMAB. She was basically running as Obama’s 3rd term. There was nothing for these people to be so terrified about.”
YES yes yes a thousand times yes.
So HRC wouldn’t have been this great harbinger of change, so she wouldn’t “shake things up” in Washington. WGAF???
Seriously THIS was your preferred alternative?!?!?
This reminds me of a recent This American Life podcast where they interviewed Trump supporters and the conclusion was that basically the way we feel about Trump is how they felt about Obama. They all say that they were terrified under the Obama administration and that Trump makes them feel safe again.
I mean…where do you go from there? This is what I mean when I say that politics boils down to a difference in sensibility. If you strip away all the ideology and rhetoric, what draws each of us to a political party is something far FAR more visceral than intellectual.
Because intellectually, it is so easy to point to a myriad of reasons that support the very basic premise that we were far safer under an Obama administration and that generally, the country fares better under Dem administrations.
Again, this is why I gave up on reasoning with the Trumpets. If we can’t at the very least agree that Trump is much more of a threat to our democracy, much more of a threat to our international standing/security then there’s nowhere to go from there.
Angry more than bitter. I’m raging on the inside and that very evil part of me wants them to suffer under his rule because they sat out, lied to themselves. The non voters or third party voters bother me more than his voters really. They were and are cowards IMO.
Insanely bitter. And angry.
I’m especially angry at the media – all this righteous outrage? Where was it three or four months ago? And I’m angry at the DNC and Obama.
I like Obama as a person, but to me, his legacy will forever be tarnished by just going along with this coup.
Yes!
Idk. I feel like here’s where I depart from Americans. I’ve been angry since the 2008 election cycle–all throughout the Obama administration–because the GOP has been so disgusting. I am still angry about the obstructionism, the political theatre, the manufactured crises, the manipulation of information, the populist pathos, the historical revisionism, the birtherism. I’ve watched this morally bankrupt, racist and bigoted party cobbled together out of an incoherent mess of conservatives appeal to the worst aspects of human nature in people around me. And I’ve been at a loss as to how the establishment can be so complacent in the face of such extremes. So actually, I have been really heartened by the public outcry. I wish people mobilized like this over white cops murdering unarmed black men but hey, change is likeliest when injustice affects everyone.
“If you strip away all the ideology and rhetoric, what draws each of us to a political party is something far FAR more visceral than intellectual.”
Very true @Kitten And at this point it feels tribal too. People’s identities are tied up in how they vote. They see other so-called Christians with traditional values voting Republican and that party feels like home to them – even though on specific ISSUES (especially economic ones) their preferences may align more with the Democrats. I hate to say it but that’s one area where Bannon has been super smart. They played to the cultural issues that many of these folks care about (immigration, abortion, etc) and tacked to the left on some economic policies (I very much doubt Paul Ryan will get everything he wants but he’ll probably be happy to get a significant portion of his agenda through).
“Again, this is why I gave up on reasoning with the Trumpets. If we can’t at the very least agree that Trump is much more of a threat to our democracy, much more of a threat to our international standing/security then there’s nowhere to go from there.”
This is so true. I feel like it’s hopeless to try to convert Trump voters. Our best bet is to ally with – well – SANE PEOPLE – who realize what a threat Trump is to our nation as a whole. Our country is very polarized – almost 50/50. While I agree with Bernie supporters that say the Dem party needs to break hard from it’s past direction, I don’t think purging the Democratic party of moderates and neoliberals is the way to go. We need something, some issue or cause to unify us and get everyone we can possibly get to show up at the polls. Ugh thinking about this (and now the appointment of Gorsuch) makes me so angry again. >:(
Right?! I heard “they’re both just as bad” by a number of people and I wanted to shake them till they woke up. Now? I can hardly stand to be around them which is a problem because I’m related to them.
Same here. It’s changing some friendships for sure.
I have the same problem Sullivan. My cousin and I are the only ones in the family that voted for Hillary. The rest are die hard republicans who would have rather died then see her win and my grandpa can be so condescending. He just knows better because he’s old and I’ll understand when I’m older. I’m 28. It’s hard because I love him, but he’s so stuck in his ways and if you argue with him then he gets upset and can’t handle the confrontation. He even says he doesn’t like the guy and thinks he’s an idiot, but he refused to vote for Hillary. It’s just so sad. I can’t forgive them for voting for him. My children are going to suffer because of this man, our country is going to suffer. He’s antagonizing terrorists and this ban does nothing for our safety. It’s a false sense of security and the people that believe in it are fools. =(
I think a lot of those commenters were paid for by Putin. It’s the use of propaganda at every level–planted stories, assassination of journalists, and paid trolls to plant doubt in the population. RESIST
So true. There is an enormous propaganda war going on online, about 25% of social media accounts are fake (non human bots) and are used to spread hate, fear, etc… Look for your real life allies, near or far, and as adastraperaspera said above, unite to RESIST!
It is important for the media and public to pay attention to what Trump and company are doing. But, I wonder if more light should be focused on what Pence and other members of his administration are working on? Whenever a story hits the media regarding Trump it always deflects from an equally bad or worse action by this administration.
Trump is a showman he attracts all the attention, but the ones in the background are the ones who can also be frightening
+100000
Always look behind the curtain. The Republicans aren’t mad that he did this, they’re pissed about the shoddy roll out, that’s all.
I imagine that is why republicans are putting up with Trump – because his shenanigans provide such a wonderful cover for their bullshit. It’s like a game of chicken. They have to judge the timing right so that they can keep him going as long as possible, then impeach him just before he starts World War III.
this is truly scary. he fires people for literally doing their job, which is to uphold the US constitution.
He doesn’t know that. He doesn’t know that in public service people actually have to respect their job descriptions, rules & ethics because they work for the American people and not Trump. In Trump’s businesses he tells people what to do and they do it no matter what because he’s paying them. He doesn’t realize you can’t run a country like you run a business…..
Apologies if this has already been discussed elsewhere but there is an article going round (by Yonatan Zunger) speculating that the muslim ban might have been a “trial balloon for a coup”.
That means that Trump and his inner circle (Bannon, Miller, Conway…) did the EO in a “clumsy” ie illegal way to find out what they can get away with. This would also mean that the departments aren´t unstaffed/understaffed because Trump´s team is inept but because they want no one challenging their ways.
I tried to think Trump´s action from this perspective (ie there are no accidents but this is all an purpose) and would like to know if or in which ways Trump even needs a cabinet to govern. Even Sessions said/had to say in his hearing that he would follow the law so maybe he´s too soft for Bannon´s plan to amass all power in the WH and basically destroy or paralyze all other structures? Maybe all those “out there” candidates are a means to keep the Democrats busy?
Btw I´m German and not into conspiracy theories at all but at this point…
@ Helix, I’ve thought of this as well. Bannon is a Nazi and I put nothing past him. My feeling is that Bannon & his crew are trying to find some undercover way of skirting the checks and balances in the system to make way for their version of ‘america’ and centralize power in their hands. I also have a feeling they’re going to find some way to enact martial law to do it.
This is not ok and something must be done.
Helix, I have wondered the exact same thing. I’ve noticed that occasionally, they do things, people scream, and they backtrack. That is why I personally am committed to demonstrating and complaining at every possible opportunity.
@steerpike I agree. I think it is a mixture of skirting checks and balances like HK9 said and bulldozing to see how far they come and who tries to resist like Yates and has to be removed…
I’m scared. Can someone tell me it’s going to be okay and actually mean it? Is there hope? How the hell do checks and balances work if you can just fire people who disagree with you? I feel sick.
You can do checks and balances when you have a Senate and House with a better political balance and full functional Supreme Court. You can’t when you have the same party – and of the 2 parties, the party that puts party over country – in all positions, with a hobbled Court.
MGSOTA,
I truly believe there’s hope. I’m not saying it’s going to get better tomorrow or next week or in a few years. But I absolutely think this is waking people up in a serious way, and in the end it will bring about change. It’s going to be tough getting there and we have to take care of ourselves, but I really think we can do it. Progress doesn’t always move in a straight line. But the people that have finally gained a voice over the course of our nation’s history are not going to be silent, especially in this age where you can’t not hear us even if you want to. With all my heart I believe that this is the dying cries of something ugly and dark in our nation/world, and that eventually the pendulum will swing.
Watch this, it made me feel better:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nSy64mUhNk&feature=share
Also, I had this vision of Elizabeth Warren as president last night, and it made my heart feel so much better. Warren/Sanders 2020?
2018 vote out the Republicans in the mid terms.
That statement sounds like it comes straight from his mouth: “weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration” like he couldn’t come up with a synonym for weak so he just adds a very at the beginning. Just a pet peeve of mine when people use the same adjective too many times in once sentence.
Just FYI–the DOJ is one of I think 12 Executive Agencies. Each agency is staffed by what are called political appointees and career civil servants. The Executive branch appoints staff in order to carry out its overall vision. When a new administration comes into office, they typically replace all of the appointments of the preceding administration (whereas career staff stay from one admin to another) and set the tone for how policy will be carried out. If that tone is particularly political, you can see mass exodus of personnel (as happened at State under Bush).
As I understand, the AG was an Obama appointee so she was on her way out. I believe she was only retained as she has some singular authority for some tasks and was needed until Sessions was confirmed.
TL;DR I don’t really think the firing merits hysteria.
She was going to retire when Sessions came on, but if she wasn’t at retirement level, normally, she would have returned to her old position. By firing her, Trump may have interfered with her ability to collect her pension. This firing was not a changing of the guard but a hissy fit tantrum from a spoiled brat who is unfit to serve.
BTW, Sally Yales prosecuted terrorist Eric Rudolph. Lady is tough. Under this administration, Rudolph will probably be set free and given the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
But Sessions was supposed to have been appointed already. Her retirement shouldn’t be an issue. If the AG is a political appointee, then it’s within Executive purview to fill or evacuate the appointment (even if she was a career civil servant prior). My point is just that she was on the way out regardless. People are acting like this is a big OMG moment but I don’t see it. Political appoinents are routinely forced out one way or another.
Greenieweenie, I see your point, but consider these two points:
1. She was fired for refusing to violate the law. That is extemely significant, given that we count on the attorney general to uphold the law.
2. This administration appears to be feeling out what they can get away with. Therefore, I believe that our only hope of preserving our democracy is to fight back at every opportunity. That is our only way to avoid creeping tyranny. We can’t let any of Trump’s bullshit slide by.
Therefore, I plan to continue to be as hysterical as possible until further notice.
Sessions would take his seat only when approved by the Senate. The only “supposed to” date on when that would happen is imaginary. Hearing schedules and vote schedules are in the hands of McConnell and Trump has to make due until McConnell actually does his job. McConnell is adverse to work.
And yes, while there is incompetence here, incompetents would not be able to slam through so many EOs so quickly
Agreed that she was on her way out. But what is interesting here is the wording of the response and tone. It reinforces concern about autocracy and just plain old undignified disrespectful behaviour. Each action taken separately can all explained in a rational way, but when you look at the choice of words and the attitude of the people making the decisions – there is an undertone of disrespect, bullying and just a lack of care for people generally. I get its America first – but we have come far from calling persons from other countries “aliens”, “illegals” – name calling like “crybabies” and making a personal attack on the AG in the press statement saying she is weak on immigration etc. That was unnecessary – He was well within his right to fire her if he wanted to, and he didnt need to destroy her too. We get it. You’re the President.
As a non American with family in the US who are citizens and green card holders – even though I am not from one of those countries stated this is extremely disheartening. I’m like if the US no longer wants the moniker – which they embraced as the leader of the free world – then we should relieve them on it – at this point I feel sick to be even shopping on Amazon.
The manner in which Yates was fired does merit concern because she was fired for clearly political reasons. And yes, while she was place holding until an Attorney General was approved by the Senate, she was a career civil servant prior to being appointed Acting Attorney General. The Attorney General is bound to enforce the nation’s laws and not just rubber stamp everything a President wants to do for political reasons.
“During her 2015 confirmation hearing, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) questioned whether Sally Yates was prepared to “say no” to the president if necessary. Yates was fired by President Trump Jan. 30, after refusing to enforce his controversial travel ban executive order. Per Sessions, “if the views the president wants to execute are unlawful, the attorney general or the deputy attorney general should say no.” Washington Post
All I can think of was how political State was under Bush (I didn’t take a close look at State under Obama but I seriously doubt it was as political). It’s not like there’s no historical precedent–if anything, periods of overtly political changeups are cyclical.
Similarly, I see analysis of a deliberately created “shock event” circulating social media. But gov behavior can be attributed as much to incompetence as to design. I see all the hallmarks of incompetence and an incoherency that brings claims of grand scheming into question.
Greenieweenie, maybe it is merely incompetence, maybe it is something more purposeful and dangerous. I, for one, don’t intend to sit back and assume that everything is fine, especially when Steve Bannon is pulling the strings.
Why are you so anxious to normalize all of this?
@Steerpike, I’m not. I just have done very close study of policymaking (e.g. tracing policy decisions through political maneuverings in various Executive Agencies) for the USG. So I’m aware of context and historical precedent. Therefore, I don’t really get the hysteria.
As I said elsewhere, I find the All Lives Mattering of Holocaust memorial day far more concerning because that is both classic anti-semitism *and* a real departure from precedent as far as I know. If people are going to get caught up in hysteria over every last policy move, esp. the less significant ones, there will be fatigue.
GreenieWeenie, I agree with you regarding the “All Lives Mattering” of the Holocaust memorial day. As for the rest, I guess that we are all going to have to make our own choices regarding what to get hysterical about.
I am alarmed not at the fact that Executive branch agencies always get new leadership when administrations change, but at the way this is being done. It proves that trump/bannon have no respect for the laws in place that those Executive agencies are intended to uphold. Trump’s claim that Yates “betrayed” her agency is a lie. He/bannon are gunning for the agency leaders and replacing them with corporate puppets, and next they will gun for the laws themselves–such as the Clean Air Act, etc.
He used the language of betrayal in that statement, which is just a shade short of accusing her of treason. He fired her for doing her job and interpreting the law, not for being a holdover from the previous administration. That’s not a normal transition of political appointments.
Yeah exactly. You perfectly articulated why this situation was problematic.
That being said, it pales in comparison to removing the joint chiefs of the military and director of national intelligence from the National Security Council and replacing them with a white supremacist with no relevant background.
That is what merits outrage, imo. The wording of the statement and word “betrayal.”
I somewhat disagree. I have seen this kind of language in government before. John Bolton, for example, has been around since the Bush era and he is certainly prone to fiery rhetoric. You don’t normally see it in public from the Executive himself–true. But you do see it behind closed doors and to me, this language is more indicative of incompetence than a master plan. I felt the same way about Trump’s campaign. Masterful? I don’t think so. He stupidly talked himself into a corner on so many issues and he’s only lucky that more of the electorate didn’t turn out to vote.
Apparently I’m the only one completely unimpressed by this Idiot. I think Bannon is worth watching closely, but both men have been completely preoccupied with learning how to campaign and learning how to transition. They’re only just now learning how government works.
Greenieweenie, the people surrounding Trump would just LOVE us to put this all down as incompetence, just like we did during the election when we said “Oh, we don’t have to worry – the country would NEVER elect Trump!”
Again, I have to ask, why are you so intent on normalizing this. I’m not trying to be argumentative – I’m really curious!
@steerpike, see above.
You really don’t see that firing someone because they refused to break the law, is cause for concern or “hysteria”?
really. really? She refused to violate the Constitution and he fired her. Whether or not she as going to be replaced by Sessions is moot. She was FIRED because she didn’t do what he said.
God Greenie, I read your posts sometimes I feel like you are actively working against us. JMO, but when should we panic? Fired for not obeying Trump’s unconstitutional law.
I get trying to be the voice of reason but damn, you sound actually supportive with posts like this : “Apparently I’m the only one completely unimpressed by this Idiot. I think Bannon is worth watching closely, but both men have been completely preoccupied with learning how to campaign and learning how to transition. They’re only just now learning how government works.”
I think I need to stop reading your comments, sorry to say 🙁
I read somewhere that the president has the power to issue a temporary ban for some countries.
@OriginalKay, that’s fine. I get it…I’m probably overanalytical for CB (it’s hard to turn off).
I’ve been surprised with the amount of attention paid to AG firing overall. To me, it all reminded me of Bush Admin (where these sorts of things may have played out less publicly but I don’t think I’m completely off base to say rhetoric is comparable?). What’s wrong with information that might put the current situation in perspective?
My point about Bannon was that I think he is the real anomaly and a real threat given his apparent influence over Emperor BH. But I disagree that everything points to some grand design. I saw the “shock event” scenario described by a historian. Historians look for big patterns–fine. Sure. Policy analysts, by contrast, are the people who come up with options to meet the goals desired by govt. When I look at how Trump has chosen to meet his stated goals (e.g. a rapid series of executive orders), his behavior is not really unexpected. What’s surprising is that his EOs were so rushed and poorly implemented that their impact was grossly undermined. He’s managed to further mobilize the public against him. You can call that indicative of some forthcoming political coup, but there are a million options for mobilizing the public against you and when you start wading into the complexity of him deliberately undermining his own stated policy preferences through the facade of incompetence…Idk, isn’t it at least equally plausible that neither man is sufficiently familiar with government to execute a grand design?
Do I think the underlying intent of the Muslim ban is a serious problem? I mean, surely that goes without saying–of course! (And please, nobody say I’m disengaged; I’m not from one of the seven countries but I definitely have personal stakes in US immigration and foreign policy). Do I think the AG firing is a serious problem? Eh. Not really. Trump’s rhetoric is provocative, but the action itself is to be expected.
Original Kay – Greenieweenie is just applying thoughtful analysis and using careful language. I disagree that the situation isn’t so worrisome, though, because it really is raising a lot of alarm bells in my head along with everything else being done to departments. And apparently lawyers with a lot of relevant experience are concerned also. This is just not normal for us. Trump is an idiot, but Bannon is not and he’s the one writing the orders and pushing them under Trump’s pen. The complete disregard for normal procedures is alarming to me.
If Sessions really did see and approve this order before it was signed, he is not competent or knowledgeable enough for the job. He needs to be questioned again in the Senate, to find out what he knew and when he knew it and how he feels about the way Yates was fired and the things Trump said about her, especially in light of the questions he asked at her confirmation hearing and his comments at the time. Can we trust him to be independent of Trump and defend the Constitution or not? A bad US Attorney General can do considerable damage.
The real problem is the reason Trump fired her. She was properly doing her job, exactly as she said she would during confirmation. She was willing to reconsider if new arguments were convincing, but she saw no good arguments in favor of the legality and constitutionality of the order. So she had to tell her people not to contest judgments against it on court until she was convinced otherwise, and advised the President of why. Which is exactly what she was supposed to do and exactly what she had said she would do if a President gave her an order she believed to be illegal.
Nobody would complain if he asked for her resignation once he had someone to replace her, that would be normal. Instead he childishly insulted her and in his usual paranoid fashion accused her of betrayal. That is definitely not normal.
My guess is that the Trumpians not only did not pass the order by her for input first, but also refused to answer any questions she asked about it. They are bypassing all the normal channels and not making use of the expertise built up by people in those departments to inform their actions. Pence at least should know better. Is he relegated to only the on-camera babysitter now?
Trump is becoming a dictatorship. His press secretary even said something like if diplomats don’t like what he’s doing they need to get out (not word for word). The with me or against me method isn’t going to work. More importantly to Trump, more Republicans are going to speak out.
Are you sure it wasn’t members of the press the Press Secretary was saying that to? I don’t think it was directed at diplomats.
That’ll do, pig. That’ll do.
Wait now! Just wait a minute! Babe respected all of the farm animals, knew how to build consensus and encouraged teamwork on both sides of the barn aisles! Babe would never yell You’re Fired! to dissenters. (Hang on, maybe Bannon convinced him this is really “Apprentice Extreme” and he’s being especially outrageous to get better rankings than Sad!™ Swarteznegger. Huge!™ Rankings!)
Babe for president, 2020! “Baa Ram Ewe”!
Trump’s presidency is mentally and physically exhausting… I don’t know how people are going to last another 4 years of this sh!t.
We have to last and we have to pay attention. The second we let our guard down, they will take full advantage of it. Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner have big plans that do not involve babysitting Trump through four to eight years and then riding off into the sunset.
@steerpike SO TRUE. that is what I am thinking! after hitler was elected as chancelor elections were no longer on the agenda. they simply did not happen any longer and were abolished. so be careful and fight hard!
Stephen Bannon needs to go – and I don’t care how this happens.
I saw a very good comic today on Twitter with Trump sitting on Bannon’s lap. Bannon asked:
“Who is a good boy?” And Trump responded: “I’m a good boy.” while signing a document. It would be even funnier if it wasn’t true.
I have seen that pic.. and yeah, I agree with your last sentence. People always thought that Pence is the real president but it’s Bannon.
Speaking of whom, anyone care to read US Civil code 3021?
it establishes which cabinet members must be on the NSC. It also states that additions by the president must by authorized by the senate.
Bannon needs a hearing, folks.
Fascinating little read that happens to be federal law.
Thanks for the info, I will look it up.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/50/3021
(a) Establishment; presiding officer; functions; compositionThere is established a council to be known as the National Security Council (hereinafter in this section referred to as the “Council”).
The President of the United States shall preside over meetings of the Council: Provided, That in his absence he may designate a member of the Council to preside in his place.
The function of the Council shall be to advise the President with respect to the integration of domestic, foreign, and military policies relating to the national security so as to enable the military services and the other departments and agencies of the Government to cooperate more effectively in matters involving the national security.
The Council shall be composed of—
(1) the President;
(2) the Vice President;
(3) the Secretary of State;
(4) the Secretary of Defense;
(5) the Secretary of Energy; and
(6) the Secretaries and Under Secretaries of other executive departments and of the military departments, when appointed by the President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to serve at his pleasure.
@Miss Melissa:
I don’t think the senate will say no to him. It seems what Donald and Stephen want, Donald and Stephen get.
Yes he does. My prayer is that someone, somewhere is quietly working on that.
I’m worried Emperor Zero’s inner circle has shrunk to about 2…it’s a total disaster on day 11.
I believe his “base” of wing nuts is also shrinking, but becoming more nationalistic and will start fomenting major dissent (not populist).
Oh and one more thing just for giggles…
Anyone agree that they’ve never seen someone so proud after they’ve signed their name to a document than Emperor Zero? I swear he’s the only person to lip-read when signing his own name!
This. Bannon whispers policy decisions in one ear. Wicked Witch Kellyanne is in the other telling him he’s smart, handsome, and has big hands. Sad.
This is what Emperor Baby Fists did not count on that the rank and file that Work for the government in DC voted for Hillary. 90% of D.C. voted for Hillary and about 80% of the surrrounding suburbs voted for Hillary,. I know Republicans in DC who voted for Hillary because they thought Donald was unfit to be President. Guess what Donald Federal Employees are protected and are unionized very hard to fire them. Only appointed positions can be fired. So therefore they can turn a blinds eye and not carry out your plan for the destruction of our Democracy.
Yep- what Trump and his base refuse to accept is that the Federal government and its civil servants aren’t his employees. This “off with their heads” approach is counter-productive to the actual functioning of government. Reap the wind, sow the whirlwind- they should keep that in mind.
For some reason I can’t find the people who were on my social media,three weeks ago, telling ME “Just give him a chance”.”Stop being so negative”
They are all silent now,MIA.
When people show you who they are, believe them the first time.
What’s next up his Supreme Court Nominee?
Someone whined that at me on a friend’s FB page Sunday night, after he totaly dismissed her concerns about being a WOC from a heavily Muslim country living here and raising a young boy. I responded with a detailed response about how he had blown his chance in over a dozen ways starting with his appointees, his insulting tweets, moving through his repeal of the ACA and imposition of the Gag Order, then gave legal citations as to why the ban was unconstitutional. He lashed out that I was using fake news and my beliefs wouldn’t stand up against facts and needed to accept Clinton lost. I simply replied that my source was the Constitution and that I had moved on and he needed to accept that we are dealing with Trump’s mess now. Four other women (doctors & lawyers) then piled on. He unfollowed my friend
She was the only law enforcement official authorized to sign FISA warrants. Now there is no one capable of doing that until the new AG is sworn into office. Way to make America safer, Emperor Baby Fists!
Well, when FISA warrants have been obtained for Trump’s associates in regard to Russian connections, they’re probably just as happy.
The more I read the more I feel terrified about what is to come. Sally Yates will go down as a hero for standing up for what is right and for doing what is right by the American people. Its clear Miller and Bannon have no clue about the law, they don’t care if they are breaking it & don’t care if the EOs are lawful or not. This is pure unadulterated wrecklessness. They are playing a dangerous game. I smell a possible impeachment on the horizon and may it take all of them down. Know this my American brothers & sisters you have my support from across the pond. The power of people will win this.
I hope Bannon and Trump will be impeached… I think they will break a lot of laws.
They have already broken laws and violated the Constitution – the minute Trump took office he was in violation of the emoluments clause.
He could (if the world were a better place) be impeaches and convicted.
Bannon is an appointee, unelected, but if Trump goes down, he goes down.
Somebody changed her Wikipedia page to describe her as “American Hero.”
At this point, I don’t just want impeachment. I want Trump’s little dalliance to end with his entire family in jail for treason. I want this to destroy the Republican Party and Fox News and the alt right. I want it to serve as a wake-up call to the Democratic Party to grow a spine and go back to being the party of the people.
And then I want this to serve as a wake-up call to the part of the country that’s just been blindly voting for lip-service about lower taxes and family values.
And then I want to be able to go back to living my life without feeling like I need to be preparing to be a member of the resistance. (I really want this last one)
Carl Bernstein one of the two Watergate journalists said something interesting today. He thinks Bannon is worried that Republicans might question Trumps sanity. So he told them their exit strategy loud and clear as impeachment would take too long cause this man has no shame at all. so he would not step down like Nixon. Can’t wait until Trump is officially declared crazy. but before that I am affraid more bad things have to happen.
From your lips, etc., etc.
“…betrayed the DOJ…” and trump has betrayed every sentence in the Constitution. I wake up every morning hoping I will turn on the news to hear that trump has died. I hate him with every fiber of my being.
I have the same thoughts when it comes to Donald Trump and Steve Bannon.
Her allegiance wasn’t to the DOJ; it was to the Constitution. I want to know who wrote that.
I am a 29 year old Muslim and Wear a hijab. It was a personal choice. My family had nothing to do with it. In fact my dad was very surprise and keeping asking me if I was happy. People should be able to express themselves anyway they see fit. I have no problem with the way people dress to go out so why should I hide myself. This world is a very scary place. Everytime I look at my children my heart breaks a little.
You shouldn’t have to hide and you should be able to wear your hijab.
Is it illegal to wear turbans in the places where it is illegal to wear hijabs?
Although I’m a black woman who is Canadian, I have relatives in the US. I’ve already told my nephew that I’d help him come to Canada, and if something crazy goes down for him, my sister and my niece to get on the first plane and come to my house. Yes. I had to have that conversation. You should not feel unsafe because of your religious practices and I should not be making escape plans for my relatives because of the colour of their skin.
After the shooting at the mosque in Quebec, I’ve become very concerned about my neighbours as there are many mosques where I live. My feeling is that I must now start speaking up and telling my Muslim neighbours that they have help and that the neighbourhood will help keep them safe because we have to help one another.
If I lived in the US, at this point I’d be looking up Marshal Law, how it can be invoked and if you are able to fight it, if that is even possible.
Martial law can be invoked, I think, in a declared state of emergency. This has happened numerous times but in limited areas and for specific purposes – for example, in natural disasters or when needing to forcefully desegregate Southern schools. But for the Civil War, I don’t know if it’s ever happened nationwide.
We already looked into it because this is where Bannon et al. want it to go.
Unfortunately, the Patriot Act opened the door to further infringements of civil rights.
OMG I spelled it completely wrong. I think I thought US Marshals. Good grief.
How embarrassing.
Thank you for not pointing that out.
You were confusing it with the Marshall Plan. I think many Americans make this mistake.
Original Kay — no, no, no, always blame Autocorrect! Never feel embarrassed again.
I find that more and more either I’m typing homonyms (like your marshall and martial) or autocorrect is doing it to me, too. It’s odd because I’m more visual than aural and actually see letters in my head…
Another day, another Presidential sh!t show. There’s not enough liquor on planet earth…
This dude has got to go. I pray someone with inside knowledge is willing to talk. I pray the investigative journalists are on the brink of breaking this mess wide open. Impeachment needs to be the goal. Maybe we can take out Pence as well. But the priority has to be to get the crazy man out before innocent people end up dead. He is unstable and dangerous.
Kaiser, I’ve been reading the Twitter feed of CB showing people who are mad about these kind of posts. I say keep them coming! These are the same people who sat back and said nothing when Obama was called out of his name for 8 years and NOW you want us to respect the office and the president???? These are the same people that were cheering on Congress anytime they would c@ck block anything Obama tried to get passed. Those people can f@ck off. This man is going to destroy this country. They want us to be quiet and go away and stay in our lane. I could make the same argument about people giving their opinion on sports. If you are not an athlete, STFU! And these people can, you know, not click on the story!
Aw that makes me sad. Thanks again to the brave C/B writers who continue to pummel this guy. I’m here strictly for the political posts these days so I’m more than happy to ratchet up the comment count.
I’m not a big poster but I am a big reader of Celebitchy and have been for years…this whole situation has me shaken and sick to the very core. I’m a privileged white American woman in a high income tax bracket who voted for Hillary Clinton and I’m utterly terrified of what this horrifying joke of an administration is going to do to us the more time passes. I simply can’t wrap my head around the lack of basic human decency, a moral compass and respect… I’m still in shock that our very broken system has allowed these wolves in the door. I’m ashamed, embarrassed, disgusted, apologetic to the world, frightened for my 24 year old son and 9 year old daughter that that this is now the America we live in….thank you celebitchy for the political posts and thank you to all the commenters providing important information and opinions. I keep thinking, who’s going to stop him?? Who??
You are. Who else?
The people. Get moving, no time to waste.
Indeed, it’s time for each of us to do our part to put an end to this clusterf**k. Donate, demonstrate, help organize, watch every move then write to your reps & senators. Put Ryan (who wants to run for POUS someday) & McConnell on notice that your’e watching and will hold them accountable. Make your voice heard.
This is an interesting read too: IndivisibleGuide_2017-01-05_v1.pdf
As a Canadian, I can’t imagine what Americans are going through, right now. Especially those who are directly impacted by Trump’s garbage policies. My own depression levels have gone through the roof since the election. And I deal with depression and anxiety to begin with. But after the election, I really just gave up on people. I had two panic attacks on election night alone. I later started eating my feelings and went into hibernation mode (though I’m trying to get back into a healthy routine and get back into shape. Christmas and January birthday treats didn’t help…). I’ve literally been in sweatpants since mid-November. And social media doesn’t help. My Facebook is fine, mind you. My contacts are pretty much all progressive lefties, and even those who do lean more conservative are terrified of Trump. But Twitter is a whole other circle of hell. The delusion of some people is astounding! In the wake of Sunday night’s mosque shooting in Quebec City, even hours after it had been confirmed that the shooter was a white, Canadian-born citizen, there were STILL trolls who were convinced that that statement was “fake news” and that there was a second, Muslim shooter on the loose, or that the one shooter was a recent convert to Islam. You can’t reason with these people. They’re changing definitions of words. They’re convinced that the media is “biased” against Trump because it questions his morals when he brags about sexually assaulting women. THAT’S NOT “BIAS”, crapdamnit! I guess the solution is just to stop reading people’s comments, or at least stay on sites which have strict comment policies and provide trustworthy info. But the idiots are the ones Trump has empowered, and on the one hand you wanna stand up to them, but doing so will only drive you insane, because you can’t get through to them. I really dunno how to reconcile all of these feelings when it feels like society is going to hell in a hand basket.
Nina, I’m with you and understand! My anxiety about the political climate is definitely getting the best of me and I’m not normally an overly anxious person. My Facebook and own family are filled with right wing nut jobs who have suddenly developed this slavish devotion to the orange cheeto and his handlers that has me totally baffled!! I always knew of course that there were diffferences of opinion on politics, but I always felt sure that underneath the differences was basic human decency…It’s been eye opening and heart breaking to realize how very wrong and complacent I’ve been. These are not the values I was raised with nor the America I know and love. Im joining in the fight here because really, there’s nothing else to do but let my voice be heard loud and clear!
Original Kay, definitely trying to do all I can… I’m speaking up, marching, signing petitions and donating money!!
Oh ok. I didn’t realize your question was rhetorical.
I watched that “mess”. I am so NOT trusting of corrupt lying Trump that I wouldn’t put it past his team to sneak into the area to somehow make that happen. It WAS awkward and I was annoyed that on such a special occasion democrats let that happen. The bigger picture is that they are trying to show case the inhumanity and insanity of it all. I just wish the Republicans would stop putting party over country. Most of THAT bunch are treasoness in my view as they continue to roll over for Trump. Which is more forgivable: A little sloppy about the mic or A LOT sloppy banning Muslims from selected countries.
As for the acting AG, I think she expected to be fired. Bravo to her for going nationwide with her statement and forcing Trump’s hand/aka Baby Fists.
This is a national nightmare in every sense, but there are people who support him no matter what. Just read this morning in The NY Times an article about his supporters – they’re loving this.
It’s scary how some are so hard lined that they have no empathy for anyone negatively impacted by these orders. The comments are disturbing, but it’s better for me to know rather than believe it doesn’t exist. Sad times
The massed empathy-bypassed Daily Mail readers are also out in force in their comments sections. I blame the parents.
It wasn’t so much the firing, but the public tongue lashing and “reasoning” was not in order.
That rat basterd Paul Ryan just held his weekly press conference right now. He’s defending that illegal order trying to defend the haste on the immigration order. Now he’s saying he wasn’t involved in the travel ban order and was briefed as it was rolled out. I could just punch him right in his face.
Senator Dems are boycotting the HHS and Tresury dept. nominees. Tom Price has some shady business with a pharmaceutical company I think, not sure. Keep it up Dems and others.
And Mephistopheles Ryan concluded that briefing by saying it was “a waste of my f*cking time.” Right in front of a live microphone
I didn’t catch that part, I had turned the channel. I can’t believe that ish. Such becoming professional behaviour from one of congressional representatives.
Price filed legislation that would financially benefit companies he owned. He is also the author of many of the GOP bills to repeal the ACA and replace it with death Pools. And yes, he’s a MD. An orthopedist with no experience with disease control, vaccines, public health access, management, crisis, or pharma.
Long but definitely worth reading: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/03/how-to-build-an-autocracy/513872/ Chilling and informative. I was aware of the worldwide populist, nativist trend but I didn’t realize how much democracy had eroded worldwide. We really need to be vigilant during these days and not become apathetic.
I posted this before, but if you haven’t seen it, here is Yale professor Timothy Snyder’s “20 lessons from the 20th century.” It is a must read. Here is number 1:
“Do not obey in advance. Much of the power of authoritarianism is freely given. In times like these, individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and then start to do it without being asked…”
http://inthesetimes.com/article/19658/20-lessons-from-the-20th-century-on-how-to-survive-in-trumps-america/
Thanks for posting @adastraperaspera. Excellent rules.
The only critique I have of it (and it’s not really a critique per se) is that I think it could’ve been written during the Bush years with things like “look out for expansive use of terrorism” etc. I think everything in it is STILL relevant today but perhaps should be updated to cover the things that make Trump unique like the fact he COURTS disorder and chaos instead of mitigating it. I can’t think of another President of the modern era like that but it does fit with the notion Bannon is a self-proclaimed Leninist. And the fact he appears to be using the anger of the resistance to consolidate his base. Bush made an actual effort to be the President of everyone. Trump on the other hand has made it quite clear he has no interest in bringing the country together or compromising.. He will use intimidation, bullying, the power of his office, etc to make people obey and fall in line. I think those differences are extremely important for people to be aware of – the guy really is straight out of the strongman mold.
I just want to thank everyone who voted third party in November…hope you and your “consciences” are feeling great 🙁 🙁 🙁
This is EXACTLY the nightmare that sane people predicted before the election. Quite frankly, I think it’s worse.
It’s interesting that certain posters who were so vocal before haven’t been seen much lately.
Right! “I need to make my feelings known about Bernie, so I’m writing him in.” Or they wrote in their mother, or Jeb, etc. Tell us again special snowflakes how your third party vote, or your refusal to vote if your hero wasn’t on the the ticket, sent a message. Because the only message I’ve seen is that you helped a madman get elected. Thanks a lot.
At least Susan Sarandon’s at peace with her conscience. That’s the main thing.
Folks, please don’t fall into despair and lose all hope. All is not lost (yet). I’m not a religious person, but I do consider myself a spiritual person. Given all the craziness going on and the anger and despair it’s generating, I have to choose to believe things will be okay. Not saying when things will be okay….but I can’t simply give up on the future. I believe that our collective consciousness, our passion, our energy will overcome the dark forces that seek to overwhelm us. We have to continue our resistance and rise up. Malcom X said “I believe that there will ultimately be a clash between the oppressed and those that do the oppressing. believe that there will be a clash between those who want freedom, justice, and equality for everyone and those who want to continue the systems of exploitation.” This maybe that moment he spoke of.
I choose to believe that all who resist and oppose these fascists will be on the right side of history and we have to keep fighting for ourselves and our future generations. I urge everyone to find an outlet (exercise, meditation, reading, gardening, yoga, video games, whatever) to help alleviate the stress and worry from all this craziness. The battles may be long and hard fought but we will win this.
“At my core I think we’re going to be OK.” “We just have to fight for it, work for it, and not take it for granted.” Barack Obama
You’re right that we must take care of our mind and body in order to balance our energy and to be able to RESIST.
I’m beginning to think marches and contacting one’s representatives are not enough. I think we should start thinking of striking. I’ll admit it’s a half baked idea, that it’s dangerous and Americans are not really familiar with it, that usually labor strikes come in response to labor conflicts, and so on. But it is a form of protest.
@Lambda, but labor conflicts are happening. He has silenced multiple agencies; he is firing or forcing career bureaucrats out of jobs, which affects their pensions, several agencies believe they are about to be hit with massive layoffs. Agency cutbacks affect us all.
Ouch, you’re right.
Bannon wants us to lose hope. Its all part of their plan. They love the protests and think it will help them in the longrun. What they don’t want is legal action and continuing protests. they want protests at the beginning because they think people will just go away after protesting. What they really fear is these same protests years from now near their reelection.
Never give up, never surrender….onward, onward. That should be everyone’s motto. (sorry, I stole that from the movie, Guardian Quest)
I haven’t read a word of this article or the comments yet. I had to scroll down to say Drumpf looks like absolute shit. Good.
DeVos was confirmed. HOLY SHIT.
Even with every single Democrat voting against trumps cabinet picks, they would still get confirmed because Republicans always stick with their guy. If he was Satan himself they are robots and always always stick with their guy. This is why is so important we vote their as*ses out in 2018 mid-terms. Get rid of the Republicans.
No I’m not surprised. We knew he’d get all his cabinet picks which is why all the appointment hearings were just more political theater.
It’s just depressing, is all. So f*cking happy I don’t have kids. This is not the world in which I would want to be raising children.
As a Dem friend of mine who served in the Tennessee Legislature for many years says, “Democrats fall in love and Republicans fall in line.”
adastraperaspera- I LOVE that quote. It so perfectly and succinctly describes the difference in efficacy between the two parties. Republicans organize and conquer while Democrats fragment/scatter and retreat.
@Kitten
I’m shocked. 🙁 I thought she looked so blatantly incompetent, there was so much uproar during her hearing (I mean, I had like 12 different quotes by her in my feed while she was still speaking), that I really really thought that Trump would throw her under the bus just to show us that he “cares” what we think. Now, I was not delusional enough to think he’d pick someone better, but I really really thought that she was the one that he would sacrifice to appease the public.
So, I’m contemplating yet another low I didn’t think possible. And I have kids. 🙁 In our public schools. 🙁 I’m also a former teacher. So, yeah, it’s like x3 shocked – as an American, as a parent, and as a teacher.
Omg, I feel so bad for the families with kids in special ed. When I was getting my autistic son through school, I was always so grateful for the laws that protected his rights. I hate to think what will happen now.
It cleared Committe, 12-11, of course. Hasn’t gone to full vote yet. Still time to badger senators.
And now, enter the first intensional crisis – escalation in Ukraine – will he be able to deal with that? Doubtful
Media has turned their backs on the Ukraine … there is so much happening they are not able to focus. However, even now Ukrainian soldiers are dying while fighting Russian forces still intent on grabbing their territory in the east. Very very sad and frustrating. Comrade Trump emboldens Russia.
I’m sure it’s the deal trump/bannon have cut with putin–take back all the former soviet republics you want, and we will be looting and killing elsewhere.
Totally right. I was very struck by the timing of an escalation in hostilities. No US retribution to worry about.
ALL of my Ukrainian friends aid that they were toast when Trump got elected. 🙁 I would love to see a poll of his approval there. I bet it will be 0-100, with 100% disapproving.
I thought he was going to be bad, but this is just unbeleivable, its like watching the circus run the Whitehouse, how has it got to this, and who is going to stop this madness, I cant stand the way he belittles everyone that doesnt agree with thim, he is so childish and immature.
The US has become one big corporation and the only ones who are going to get ahead are the people with the brown noses. You know, the suck ups.
Why wasn’t there a post when Obama blocked the same group of people a few years ago? Where was all of your outrage then?
There is a difference in vetting and an outright ban. tRump is unfit for office. He will be impeached or worse.
That was my next question. As well where’s the outrages for the Jewish people who aren’t allowed in 16 predominately Muslim countries? (For the record I dont like Trump and I’m not a US citizen). And why are some angry at white people who voted for him. Where’s the anger for those regardless of sex race or religion who didnt vote at all?
“Where’s the anger for those regardless of sex race or religion who didnt vote at all?”
There is PLENTY of anger if you want to go back and read comments from the past three months. And plenty of anger for the third partiers.
SuzanneTwo, there are comments above that specifically say “white”. There have been comments targeting white women. Those comments are just as destructive as those that target race, sex and religion.
@ Joannie-Please just stop with the white fragility.
White people are why we have Trump and that is a fact.
It’s not “targeting”, it’s not name-calling, it’s not derogatory nor is it racist to talk about a specific demographic within the context of an election and subsequent presidency.
I remember you making similar comments in the past in this forum, ignoring the fact that 94% of black women voted for Clinton while more white women (53%) voted for Trump than Clinton.
Why should we be upset at black women when the majority of them saw this clown for the monster he is?
Kitten I understand why youre angry but calling out people based on skin color isnt constructive. It comes across as racist first and any point you’re trying to make gets lost. I think its really important to see each person as an individual first, not their color. Each, regardless of colour, has a story.
The leaders of those countries don’t work for me. The leader of THIS country is supposed to work for me. My outrage over what happens elsewhere gets directed through various international agencies and my elected officials. Those countries and that issue aren’t the subject of this thread. The actions if this country’s president is. And no, his acts were not in response to any other country denying entrance to anyone. His acts were due to his own bigotry and stupidity.
And I am furious with anyone who voted for him. By doing so, they deliberately voted to deprive me and millions more access to health care.
” And why are some angry at white people who voted for him.”
Because that is EXACTLY who voted for him. I’m white, I’m Southern, I’m 72 yo, his demographic you would think. But I have a brain and I have a conscience and in my nearly 50 years of voting I have never gone into the booth thinking, “What can I get out of this? What’s going to benefit me?” I always think about what’s best for the whole.
And a pussygrabbing, crooked, sociopathic narcissicist is not what’s best for the whole. That’s why I’m angry.
I am a white women who clearly sees the indisputable FACT that WHITE women helped elect a corrupt macho p*ssygrabbing male with tacky taste living in a tower. It is not racist to say these white women preferred him to the woman with a great resume who came from a middle class background and spoke of rising everyone up, love and bridges. The democratic policies were great for everyone. They were middle of the road, reasonable and doable. There was no need to go further left. But sadly the same fundamentalist naiveté and small world ignorance that works for the Taliban is also alive in North America.
Get your facts straight. What Obama did is entirely different from what this clown is doing. Obama’s ban was temporary and specifically targeted at Iraqi’s until a better vetting process was in place. He didn’t ban refugees from 7 countries. Your boy, Trump, only banned refugees from countries he has no business dealings with.
To add, Obama’s (very harsh otherwise) ban was strictly in response of a concrete terrorist threat, unlike Trump ‘it might happen’ approach.
Don’t be distracting people with facts….
Because Obama didn’t, so please stop repeating that party-circulated lie.
The Obama action was in response to specific incidents and wasn’t actually a ban. It did slow things down, but didn’t cause the chaos that Trump’s sudden extensive ban did. Which is why there wasn’t much reaction to it. People weren’t stranded with families at the airport and people weren’t denied entry entirely en masse. And green card holders weren’t blocked.
The man is certifiable. Can’t someone commit him?
He is so ugly
Let’s not forget it was Sessions in 2015 that was on the committee to appoint Yates as Deputy AG and asked her if she could say “no” to Obama if the situation warranted it.
This is not unknown in American history. On Feb 14th in 1862 Abraham Lincoln signed executive order number 1, which stated;
“Some reverses, which, perhaps, were unavoidable, suffered by newly levied and inefficient forces, discouraged the loyal and gave new hopes to the insurgents. Voluntary enlistments seemed about to cease and desertions commenced. Parties speculated upon the question whether conscription had not become necessary to fill up the armies of the United States.
In this emergency the President felt it his duty to employ with energy the extraordinary powers which the Constitution confides to him in cases of insurrection. He called into the field such military and naval forces, unauthorized by the existing laws, as seemed necessary. He directed measures to prevent the use of the post-office for treasonable correspondence. He subjected passengers to and from foreign countries to new passport regulations, and he instituted a blockade, suspended the writ of habeas corpus in various places, and caused persons who were represented to him as being or about to engage in disloyal and treasonable practices to be arrested by special civil as well as military, agencies and detained in militarry custody when necessarry to prevent them and deter others from such practices. Examinations of such cases were instituted, and some of the persons so arrested have been discharged from time to time under circumstances or upon conditions compatible, as was thought, with the public safety.”
Abraham Lincoln was called a despot etc. by the public. Believe me I am not equating this idiot with Abraham Lincoln, but we have to know our history so that we can learn from it. I bet if there is anyone amongst the orange tyrant’s team that knows their history, this one will be trotted out.
I’m not fond of Abe Lincoln. He was obsessed with preserving the Union (we complained when the Soviets were equally obsessed) and clearly was not an egalitarian. (Sojourner Truth was quite disappointed in him when she met him.) He only signed the Emancipation Proclamation hoping to get support from abolitionists and blacks for his war.
We can’t even know if the Emancipation Proclamation was the quickest way to truly end slavery, considering the segregation and Jim Crow and lynchings for many decades after the war and continuing racism today. The North could have knocked the pins out from under slavery very quickly by just boycotting goods made with slave labor and refusing to deport anybody who made it to a free state. Instead, they happily handed people over to bounty hunters and made it clear that blacks were unwelcome in their communities. In New York, there were draft riots and since they blamed blacks for the war, people were lynched.
I miss when this website was about fun celebrity gossip. Every. Single. Article. Relates back to Trump in some capacity. Time to head over to another site which is a shame considering how enjoyable this used to be.
There were quite a few articles today that had nothing to do with Trump.
Indeed, and the number of posts on this thread shows that celebitches want to read and contribute on the issue.
Ugh, did you guys see the video of Sessions asking Sally Yates if she would go against the President if he did something unconstitutional? Oh the delicious irony. Please someone ask Session about it!
I hope everyone out there that said Hillary was just as bad as Orange Mussolini is happy. And those Bernie Bros who wanted a revolution. I saw a tweet about it that was hilariously sad “I have a list of every friend who told me Hillary was just as bad as Trump and I read the list to myself every night like Arya Stark.” Luckily, my list isn’t long. I know of very few people who voted for Twitler. Even my dad, who’s Libertarian (God, I was so disappointed the day I found out my dad wasn’t a Democrat) voted for Hillary. The only people I personally knew who were gungho about drumpf is my aunt and her friend. I was also out with a friend of my cousin during the spring and when I mentioned I had nightmares of drumpf winning, he causally said don’t worry about it. I don’t know if he was dismissive of my concerns because everyone though that Hillary was a shoe in or because he was pro drumpf. But then later I saw an Instagram he posted of a homeless person holding a pro drumpf sign and I didn’t know if it was sarcastic or not. If it wasn’t, it’s sad because the dude is gay and Mexican. Anyway, my aunt and her friend who are pro-drumpf are a whole other story. She is so dumb. Like I didn’t realize it until recently when I spent time with her as an adult, but she is mind-boggling dumb. I don’t even know how she functions on a daily basis. It amazes me. Because she comes from the side of my family that’s very cerebral and intellectual. I don’t know when or how she decided to be a Republican, be she has not wavered. She doesn’t know anything about the issues, won’t watch the debates, watch the news, or reads but she’ll vote every time (unless she’s out of town or the country cause she doesn’t know about absentee voting or early voting) and she’ll vote Republican every time. It’s frustrating. I was trying to explain to her, regardless of policy, which she doesn’t care about, Twitler doesn’t have the experience nor temperament to be president. I tried to explain to her in simple terms, she still didn’t get it. I point blank asked her, if she had to have an operation tomorrow, who would she want to operate on her, me (who’s knowledge of surgery is limited to being on the operating table when I was five and I was in the OR observing a mastectomy during my sophmore year (it was back when I was considering med school) and House reruns) or my cousin who is a surgical residence at Cornell, do you know who she picked? She said me cause I was right there and if she needs surgery then whoever will do. I was like wtf! It’s ridiculous, I was like is that how you pick your doctors? Proximity? This is a women who has worked in the OR for 40 years, have had 16 operations…she just didn’t want to listen to reason. It’s maddening. As for her friend, I went to dinner with my aunt and her friend, who like my aunt decided she was Republican and didn’t want to listen to any reason and didn’t want to learn about any issues. I don’t get it! I don’t get how people can be so stubborn and won’t listen to reasoning or use their critical thinking skills. I’m still mad at my aunt. She didn’t actually vote this election because she was overseas during that time, but if she was here she would have voted for Kim Jong Orange. I know it makes me a bitch, but if they cut social security and medicare, I’m going to f-in laugh, cause my aunt, the least successful (and most intellectually challenge) among her siblings will suffer the most. She has no savings, no children, no husband. It probably makes me the biggest bitch ever to wish ill will on drumpf supporters, especially as one is my family, but I just wish that they got their just desserts.
anyways, did anyone hear about California threatening to withhold federal tax dollars since Emperor Orange is threatening sanctuary cities? i hope that happens, California (the 6th largest GDP in the world) gives more than we take, so it won’t be big deal and now that we legalize weed, we’ll probably make even more money.
tl:dr can you believe that it hasn’t even been two weeks since the inauguration? oh. my. god.
I heard that Washington, Oregon and California want to amalgamate and become Canada’s 11th province.
I wouldn’t mind that.
I know Calexit is a dream, but hey I can dream. Since I’m bicoastal (LA|NYC|OC) I would be sorry to see NYC and Hawaii go though. Maybe they can come with us. Lol.
Not an accurate summation. That is all.
This is all a distraction.
Trump is planning on lifting sanctions on Russia.
Why is this important? Putin has been helping right wing parties across Europe and now he has his pet in the US.
Wikileaks is already trying to influence the election in France and Russia has given money to Le Pen’s campaign.
May in the UK is also holding the right wing line. Brexit and the compromise of the EU is part of a right wing shift. Putin isn’t just trying to cause chaos he’s serving right wing interests across West. Trump is part of it and by the time everyone connects the dots it will be too late.
Trump is not a joke. This is deadly serious. It’s a long game being played by the far right.
That’s why his side isn’t checking him.
I agree it IS deadly serious and media and factual information systems are overwhelmed and failing. People like you need to keep talking and those who see through the purposely created confusion must continue to march and speak up. Trump stirs a witch’s brew of fear and propaganda. Why was I not surprised to learn that the man in Quebec who murdered innocents in a mosque liked Trump.
I dunno about France given that the 2 right wing candidate (Le Pen and Fillion) are currently embroiled in fraud charges being played out in the french media – Le Pen accused of using EU money for her party’s brand new spanking offices and Fillion is accused if giving his wife a fake well paid job. These 2 are individuals who are just like Trump.