I told you guys that this was going to be a hellish week. I was not wrong. Emperor Baby Fists found his phone and started tweeting nonsense again. The drip-drip-drip of Russian-flavored scandal is still happening. Women are increasingly being regarded as sub-human by powerful men. And I guess we don’t need the Paris Climate Accord anymore. So, here are some of the stories going around this morning:
The Russian compounds. Immediately after the election, the Obama administration moved in on Russian agents of chaos, throwing several Russian agents, diplomats and spies out of America and taking possession of their American “compounds,” the mansions where they plotted their crimes. The Trump administration plans to give those compounds back to Russia.
Jeff Sessions is super-forgetful. In my mind, Jeff Sessions is a cross between Scarlett O’Hara and Foghorn Leghorn. In my mind, he’s always about to hold his Gasping Kerchief to his mouth in astonishment, especially since he keeps getting caught up in all of these dreadful lies and perjury! WELL I DO DECLARE! As it turns out, Bubba Sessions had another secret meeting with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak which Sessions never reported. Perjurers gonna perjure.
The Swamp Is Always Welcome. Remember how the emperor made such a BFD about how he was going to drain the swamp, and no one in his administration was going to be some Washington insider with a history of lobbying? Hilarious. It’s hilarious that people believed him. The White House has granted “ethics waivers” to 17 new appointees because of their history of lobbying and shady, insidery dealings.
What the hell is happening with the UK elections?? Seriously, I thought Theresa May had this in the bag? But now Labour is within just a few points of being dead even in the polls. Very interesting. I’m not even going to try to figure out what this means for Hard Brexit and Great Britain in general.
Vladimir Putin speaks. Putin said, regarding his state-sponsored hacking, that “we don’t engage in that at the state level.” He also said: “no hackers can influence election campaigns in any country of Europe, Asia or America.” And if you don’t believe him, he will poison your coffee or have you shot in the street.
Photos courtesy of Getty.
I don’t see how Sessions remains as AG. Of course, I’m a law abiding citizen.
He’ll remain as AG because the Repubs won’t do anything.
This. Ugh. Almost none of them have backbones. Although I think they’re going to find that although they’re holding their noses to try and get their legislation through-it’s not happening. And midterms are coming . . .
If you think about it, Jeff Sessions is the perfect face for our incredibly corrupt, racist and rigged Fed prison system.
And while it’s true that Sessions will only make things worse, we need to face the reality that our incarceration practices were/are highly problematic and our prison system was broken far before Sessions became AG.
True @Kitten but while Obama was still in office and prior to Sessions, Congress had finally decided on a bipartisanship basis to permanently reduce drug offenses, decrease private prisons and work on decreasing the incarceration rates. The only remaining step was enacting their agreements into law. All of that has been slowly eroding.
Most of Trump’s promises to get rid of departments and funding have yet to be enacted, the only part of his administration that is actively changing daily is the DOJ. Sessions is quickly rolling back civil rights for Black and Brown people and literally about to cut down the size of civil rights departments. ICE is out in neighborhoods arresting children and their mothers daily. As a person of color Sessions is the biggest danger right now to my life and everyone in my family.
The Congressional Black Caucasus see him as a clear and present danger out to set us back from decades of progress. Just because he isn’t loud like or wearing his white hood in public, the media and many Americans think he is just an innocent little elf cartoon character. Not to us.
I don’t want to take anything away from what Obama started to do but he DID reinforce the “bad apples” theory of police oppression. I know that as POTUS, he was in an extremely difficult position trying to balance public approval (which means not coming down to hard on law enforcement ESPEC as a black man) and his ideas for change, but I think he was too soft on this matter. Anything short of complete overhaul of our police is not enough IMO.
Do you follow Mariame Kaba by any chance, Original TC? When the Obama policies were started she had an awesome checklist of the questions that should be asked in terms of policy reform:
1. Are the proposed reforms allocating more money to the police? If yes, then you should oppose them.
2. Are the proposed reforms advocating for MORE police and policing (under euphemistic terms like ‘community policing’ run out of regular police districts)? If yes, then you should oppose them.
3. Are the proposed reforms primarily technology-focused? If yes, then you should oppose them because:
a. It means more money to the police.
b. Said technology is more likely to be turned against the public than it is to be used against cops.
c. Police violence won’t end through technological advances (no matter what someone is selling you).
4. Are the proposed ‘reforms’ focused on individual dialogues with individual cops? And will these ‘dialogues’ be funded with tax dollars? I am never against dialogue. It’s good to talk with people. These conversations, however, should not be funded by tax payer money. That money is better spent elsewhere. Additionally, violence is endemic to U.S. policing itself. There are some nice individual people who work in police departments. I’ve met some of them. But individual dialogue projects reinforce the “bad apples” theory of oppressive policing. This is not a problem of individually terrible officers rather it is a problem of a corrupt and oppressive policing system built on controlling & managing the marginalized while protecting property.
ETA: But yeah I agree that Sessions is complete evil. To me, he is the most dangerous conservative idealogue our country has ever seen— and that’s saying a LOT.
Hi Kitten
Sorry long day. I don’t follow Mariame Kaba but I looked her up thanks to you! Great points in your posts, totally agree 🙂
Thanks for all your podcast and reading recommendations, it has truly saved my sanity during our national nightmare. Much appreciated.
Republicans are scum and protect their own.
+1
Ever notice that Sessions looks more like a devil’s imp than an elf? Acts like an imp too.
May will still win, I think, but I heard she was terrible in the election debate.
she wasn’t, but only because she refused to participate.
Wasn’t it Corbyn vs. May?
There were two. First one, Corbyn and May – not a debate. One after the other, answering audience questions and then being interviewed by a journo. Audience laughed at her. Twice. Probably a score draw or a marginal win for Corbyn, who was pressed on his past vis a vis NI and foreign policy, but the laughter is not a good look.
Second one: she sent one of her ministers in her place to an actual debate between all the Westminster party leaders (except for NI). Audience laughed at her minister a couple of times again. But clearly a loss for her for the no show.
A hung parliament seems a real possibility now. But one polling company is putting them much closer than all the others. So who knows? I still expect a Tory win but May’s authority within her party to be severely weakened. I don’t think a post-election putsch at all unlikely.
Britain = chaos.
Thanks for the answer/info, Sixer!
it seemed on twitter that not showing up back fired?
i.e. the bake off comment?
Yes, not showing up has not gone down well. Her own fault really because the original Tory campaign was all based on creating a personality cult around her – none of the campaign literature even mentioned the Conservative Party! You can’t really head up a personality cult if you don’t turn up!
They’ve relaunched on Tories are better for Brexit now they’ve realised she’s an utter liability and the campaign logos and whathaveyous have gone back to mentioning that there’s a political party behind it all.
As for the real world of the actual country – it doesn’t seem to be Brexit/Remain, right/left or any of the divisions you’d expect. It’s about old vs young. The older you are the more Tory you are. The younger you are the more Labour you are. It’s always thus, but much, much more so this time.
@Sixer got it in one. The old people are for Brexit. I’ve been out campaigning and today was a doozy. This guy pretty much voted Brexit because as an old(er) while male (I’ll say in his 50s- early sixties) because he couldn’t use the slurs for Black and Ethnic Minorities and how it chipped away at his white, Christian heterosexuality (I shit you not). He’s pretty much against marriage and said that once we leave the EU, we can dump the VAT (because VAT was introduced in the year we went into the EU).
I won’t lie, I got mad, and honestly, if he’d called me a slur, he’d have gotten these hands. But I told him to vote with his conscience, but if he was going to vote U-Tory, please stay home, because he’s done ENOUGH. I really wasn’t in the mood, especially when he was spewing some Daily Mail and The Daily Express and other right wing papers et al. Liverpool had the right idea in banning The Sun from their city, tbh. Vile paper.
As for May- she shat the bed, tbh. The more people saw her, the less they trusted her, and her record as Home Secretary keeps coming up, since she cut 20k policemen on her watch over the years, with warnings that incidents can happen, and it has
Reporters have gotten cross with her non answers (and they’ve been soft on her since she became the PM) has been something. She never answers a question directly, and always goes off. She decides to miss the leader’s debate and sends Amber Rudd in her stead – and Rudd’s dad died relatively recently. May is all, “I’m out there selling Brexit, while Corbyn is harring to debate”. May was the one who called the election, she’s wasted a month, pissed off our allies – well – Germany (rightly) says that we aren’t to be trusted, and Trump’s loyalty is with Russia and yeah… he’s A Leaker Of Secrets.
So yeah, next week, this time, for good or for ill, it will all be over. I’m still campaigning, and will be getting out the vote. But come June 09, progressives in Britain need to get their ish together, honestly.
dodgy – I’m sure you’ve seen this by now but just in case you haven’t…
http://twitter.com/tristandross/status/870234555697029120
Best. Video. Ever.
Thank you so much for that video Sixer, it has given me much joy. 🙂
He probably would find the title of emperor flattering to be honest
This is sounding like that old Carol Burnett sketch: “As the Stomach Turns” (yes, I am *that* old! Lol). I was just saying to my sister last night, how EVERY DAY brings some fresh new hell to deal with; it’s only 5 mos. and it feels like 5 years! We are literally hurling to hell in a hand basket.
Not a day goes by that I don’t mentally voice the words, “a$$hole, a$$hole, a$$hole!” . Can we please bring back tarring and feathering? I can’t think of anyone who deserves it more.
The swamp was only drained to have somewhere below sea level in which to set the bar for presidential incompetence and mendacity.
And Ku Klux Keebler needs to be one of the first recipients of his “maximum penalty for most easily-provable crimes” sentences.
ROFL @ Ku Klux Keebler! I wish the rest of the situation was half as funny…
At least someone can legitimately say:
I can see Russia from my House!
I just saw this this morning.
How this does not scream PAYOFF to everyone with functioning brain cells, I don’t know but the orange faithful will find ways to justify it, like they do with everything he does.
I’m trying not think about the U.K. election – it feels weird to be so invested in it since I don’t live there, but it has been delicious to hear Theresa May getting skewered and that voter registration has gone up for under 25s.
Especially because the Russian compound negotiation first started with Trump’s administration saying they would give back the property IF the US was allowed to continue construction on a St. Petersburg embassy. Then they came back and said, never mind, they are two separate issues and we may give back the compounds without any Russian movement on the St. Petersburg situation.
Trump has no leverage with Russia because he is so compromised. They hold all of the power. So pathetic.
Seems Tr**p was given a “very stern” directive about the Maryland/NY Russian compounds while he was in Europe and the Middle East (bet it came through Saudi Arabia). Apparently the Russians told him, “Give us back the compounds or else.”
God, I wish SOMEONE would release the “or else” to the world – it has to be very nasty indeed.
And there’s this:
Nigel Farage is ‘person of interest’ in FBI investigation into Trump and Russia
Exclusive: FBI interested in former Ukip leader’s ties with people connected to US president and WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/01/nigel-farage-is-person-of-interest-in-fbi-investigation-into-trump-and-russia
I was wondering when his name would come up in this.
So was I. There are so very many many threads to this.
Best news I’ve heard today. Thanks!
This feels like a big deal. Remember when the Cheeto went over to the UK during the campaign? That was sort of a strange trip.
Just as strange as when Farage hit the campaign trail for Trump here in the states. He spoke at a campaign rally in Mississippi. The governor there is the embodiment of everything reprehensible about the Republican party at the moment.
This is awfully interesting. A medal should go to the photographer who could Farage coming out of the Ecuadorian embassy after his little visit to Julian Assange.
When I saw the headline, I was like “eh?”
But now that I realize he is the link between Trump campaign-Wikileaks-Russia, it means so much more! WOW!
As for the UK general election, May shot herself in the foot with her social care plans in the Tory manifesto. Neither of the 2 big players are being honest with the costings either.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2017/may/26/conservative-labour-tax-spending-plans-ifs-general-election-manifesto
I wouldn’t pay attention to the polls, they have always been wrong. There will be a shocker but its not going to be the one that people are currently thinking (that Labour will win). Its either a hung parliament or May pulls off a miracle and she gets her majority.
As for the BBC panel last night, that was a god awful car crash – it was biased with hard left Labour supporters who openly jeered anyone who dared criticised their Dear Leader. I only watched parts of it as am in Switzerland on business but good lord. Corbyn seems to have very quickly undone the positive PR he got from the Sky head to head with May.
The audience was balanced. Third Labour, third Tory, third Other/Undecided. ComRes recruited them and it’s hard to think they’d cock it up. They’re one of the top pollsters and know what they’re doing. Unlike Question Time, where the righties are always loudest, this one had the loudest lefties. Unsure whether this is indicative of the mood in the country actually changing. I think the YouGov polls are anomalous to be honest and it was just the luck of the draw it was gobby lefties last night.
Also a balanced audience for Sky/C4 though, and they weren’t gobby but they still laughed at May. Very worrying for her. Ridicule is a much worse outcome for a politician than hatred from the opposition.
Probably what we can take from it is not to do with party loyalty and people will still vote for the party they intended to all along. But certainly indicative that May herself has lost a lot of credibility over this campaign.
As i said i never watched all of it, i only caught a few mins but there were articles dragging the Beeb about the audience.
Both she and Corbyn has suffered ridicule this week – he started to gain some creds but those interviews he gave on Tuesday undid what cred he got from Mondays debate.
I can’t wait for this to be over – am already looking for a job here in Lausanne (the client has the most amazing views of Lake Geneva).
Our potential escape clauses are Irish passports for Mr Sixer and the Sixlets!
Yeah, polls are wrong. I haven’t trusted them since 2015. People lie about who they’re going to vote for anyway.
But I’d like a hung parliament. Either way, I am trying to look for a door marked exit, tbh. Alas, I have no Irish or European access for passports. All my people are English and Scots. Rubbish.
Sixlet Minor thinks we should move to Scotland.
Me too – i have irish great grand parents, hence why i’m looking at a job in mainland Europe.
If i find a big enough cave with broadband, you can all come bunk with me.
This is amazing to see this, whoever thought the English would be having the same kinds of feelings as the Americans who want to move to Canada? Everyone wants to head north, eh? Strange convergence with climate change? (Though I have to say from Ontario: It’s not THAT warm yet!)
So…covfefe means “COMPOUNDS”
I love me some classic Foghorn Leghorn! (Jeff Sessions not so much.)
Can’t someone just leak Trump’s taxes already?? Please? He is so in bed with Russia and the paper trail will show it.
MSNBC alluded to Mueller having access to Trump’s tax returns – I can’t recall if it was with O’Donnell last night, or Morning Joe this AM. It’s all a blur of covfefe to me. (Yes, I am totally obsessed with getting Cheeto Mussolini and his minions exposed for their crimes. It’s my experience that MSNBC fuels me best.)
Mueller has a pretty broad mandate, doesn’t he? Plus access. Hard to believe he couldn’t get the damn tax returns.
And Nigel Farage is a person of interest in the FBI Russia investigation. Couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke.
+100000000000000
It was only a matter of time – he’s been a ‘friend’ of Trumps and his circle for many years.
It’s bloody delicious is what it is!
One boon in this benighted election – the demise of UKIP. The quicker Labour and the Tories share out the vote spoils and they are gone for good, the better. Only one councillor left from the local elections and now we’ll see their vote share disappear in the general. And thank the universe for that, say I.
It’s so obvious what’s happening here and so frustrating that it’s taking so long to play out. Everyday Bigly Smalls does more damage. These investigations need to be on the fast track to resolution. The Russians are calling the shots. And God only knows what sensitive information they’ve gotten hold of thanks to these treasonous crooks and liars.
Threat level red, for sure.
The fact he is pulling out of the Paris Climate change while North Korea, freaking North Korea stays says it all. He is making something great again all right, Europe and Asia. The rest of the world will profit from his Presidency, gain jibs while its drained from us.
I may be wrong but I think he’s not going to pull out of the Paris accords. He will loses too many allies in Silicon Valley and the Department of Defense (heavy energy users who are pro-Paris accords). He is going for suspense a la Celebrity Apprentice then will decided to stay while claiming winner just like he did with the Iran deal Obama negotiated.
He is an idiot and thinks he such a business master all will obey. What he did today proves his stupidity and ego.
But of course he is undoing the penalties Pres. Obama imposed to protect our country. I hope everyone will attend a March for Truth near them on Saturday! Time to cancel this reality show!!
This is an excellent summation, Kaiser. I’m enjoying the political coverage here.
What is it about Kislyak that everyone seems to forget that they ever met him? Poor guy I hope this doesn’t get to him (:p)
🙂
Having only seen the jovial Hitchcock-ish looking guy on TV, I would remember meeting him! Multiple people have said he is the type of person you DO remember. Except Scarlett Leghorn and the Shady Confefe Crew.
Carter Page is on CBS News. Get him Charlie Rose! Why do they come on these shows when all they say is nothing.
Carter Page is apparently claiming he’s never met Trump. Excuse me while I roll my eyes.
Think of May and the Conservative Party as the Republican Party. Now can you see why it may not be good to have them in power for a large section of the population? Cuts after cuts have targeted the poor, sick, and the disabled. Disproportionately so compared to any other groups. It is absolutely disgusting what the Tories have got away with over the past seven years. I hope with every fibre of my being that the Labour Party wins.
Theresa May might be suffering in numbers due to Trump, honestly. All those conservative ideas might seem great on paper for people who want simplistic answers to complex problems, but right now, the US is giving the rest of the world insight into the trade off.
As well, it’s irrelevant whether he met him or not, if he took part in any collusion or related crimes.
Well, I’ll swan!! Mr. Sessions, why I had no idea that such a small, tiny little man would have such vast depths of depravity which I do believe reach all the way to Hell. I also was blissfully unaware that evil could be so malodorous. Sir, you stink of sulphur, desperation, and ass. Know this: When I am in charge, I will send for you.
Please, for the love of all that is sacred, do not compare Jeff Sessions with Scarlett O’Hara
Devin Nunes is still causing problems. The media is reporting that on Wednesday, Devin Nunes issued subpoenas to Brennan, Susan Rice, and Samantha Powers. He wants details on the unmasking of Trump campaign advisers. Who was tweeting about unmasking and leaking today? Trump. So once again, Trump is using Nunes to interfere. Again, why isn’t Trump being held accountable for trying to obstruct justice? How many times are the GOP going to let Trump interfere with the investigation before they take action against him?
While everyone is focusing on the Trump Russian investigation, Trump has Nunes working on an unmasking/leaks. What does Trump have on Nunes that makes Nunes act inappropriately? Devin was removed from the Trump Russian investigation, so he shouldn’t be issuing subpoenas related to the Trump Russian investigation. He was supposed to inform Democrats on the committee before issuing the subpoenas, yet he took it into his own hands. Why do Nunes, Trump, and the GOP members (Lindsey Graham, Trey Gowdy, Ted Cruz)keep focusing on unmasking when they were told several times that the unmasking wasn’t illegal?
Why is Trump being allowed to interfere with the Russian Trump investigation? Isn’t Devin Nunes under investigation? So couldn’t his latest stunt with the subpoenas be used against him? When is enough going to be enough for the GOP?
What’s also disturbing is how Nunes tweets are starting to look like Trump’s tweets! Just like Trump, Nunes is now tweeting about fake news.
Devin Nunes needs to be removed from the HIC.
F*cking POS just burned down the planet.
He’s such a traitorous dirt bag.
Trump keeps saying that he is going to make America great again, but every decision he has made since his inauguration was to benefit himself, the millionaires/billionaires serving on his administration, and Putin. Putin is literally rejoicing at how Trump is destabilizing us. Trump is making decisions on things that he hasn’t even read or fully understands. That is what makes this so dangerous. Trump doesn’t understand how these decisions will hurt us and Kristen Welker and Hallye Jackson once praised Trump as a man with emotions. Putin and Bannon tell Trump what to do and how to think and Trump does it like a puppet. Now that Trump is on the verge of giving the Russians back their compounds, Putin is now gloating about how Russians(he claimed that it was patriotic Russians) were involved in hacking. The bots are also out in full force praising Trump for backing out of the PA.
Someone needs to get a hold of the GOP and make them stop trying to interfere with the Trump Russian investigation. Paul Ryan is backing Nunes latest attempt to hijack the Trump Russian investigation. It’s as if every member of the GOP is compromised. Nunes has ties to Russia via his winery. What do they have Ryan?
At this point, there should be no question whether or not Trump is obstruction justice because his puppet Nunes is working overtime to save him.
We also learn that they asked the DOJ at least 3 times to investigate Sessions for lying about his meetings.
Trump is a joke. Other countries are laughing at us because we have an incompetent President who is more concerned with tweeting than in taking the time to learn the history of the country he is ruling, not because of global warming or climate change.
Again, Trump spreads fake news. He said that the attack in Manila was a terrorist attack. When he found out that it wasn’t true(it was a robbery), he blamed McMaster for giving him the wrong information. Mc Master went into the Trump administration the adult and comes out looking just as incompetent as Trump.
He is making something great again, Russia and Europe. After a mere 3 months he has united Europe, set Germany up to be an emerging European superpower and empowered Russia. Weakened America immensely. What a guy, what a President.
Thanks for the laugh. Really appreciated it.