Ever since former President Donald Trump rode the golden escalator down to the announcement of his first presidential bid in 2015, he has stolen public attention away from more worthy politicians and from issues of far greater import than his daily screeds, petulant whining and extreme narcissism.
The news media – particularly the cable news channels – have been fixated on Trump as if he were the human equivalent of a catastrophic nine-year hurricane. Occasionally, a war or a school shooting will butt in to steal a few hours of prime TV time, but the cable hosts and pundits always return to the mendacious man from Mar-a-Lago.
Even MSNBC, the liberal news channel, has given itself over to ceaseless examination of every wrinkle in the legal cases being prosecuted against the ex-president. On MSNBC, there are more lawyers and legal analysts than working reporters, and their focus is invariably on Trump.
Now that a real trial has begun in Manhattan, where Trump faces criminal charges related to his hush money payment to a porn star, the cable news operations are giddy with their good fortune. A trial featuring a world-famous celebrity is the perfect venue for them. It is like a low-budget, limited TV series with new plot twists dribbling out each day. It is a story that is easy to cover with a couple of reporters and a camera or two, and it provides steady fodder for the talking heads to chew on hour after hour after hour for weeks and weeks and weeks.
And if you happen to be the current president of the United States, it is just tough luck that the chattering cable personalities find you far less fascinating than Trump’s legal problems. Even as they lecture Joe Biden about the need to get his message out to the public, the TV commentators largely ignore or block Biden’s message themselves.
It is almost certain that Trump will continue to dominate news coverage from now until Election Day in November, while Biden will often seem to disappear from view, no matter how hard he tries to be heard and seen. Arguably, that could benefit Biden, since much of what we will see of Trump will be him glaring and sullen at the defense table and talking nonsense on his way in and out of court. Still, it means that this year’s contest for the White House could be as strange and stunted as the last one when the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed campaigning.
As a result, the election will be less a contest of competing visions of America’s future than a referendum on Trump, the person we love or hate with intensity and find impossible to ignore.
jimmy on “gaseous clay”
Kanye West is reportedly about to enter the world of pornographic filmmaking and has been in talks with Stormy Daniels’ ex-husband to help shepherd the whole thing, a gentleman on an English morning TV show seems to have enormous potential, the Senate passed a $95 billion military aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, the bill would also require the Chinese company that owns TikTok to either sell it in a year or be banned nationwide, Donald Trump has been milking his gag order for every drop, Joe Biden is yucking it up, Eric and Don Jr are running the handoff for Daddy if he gets re-elected, Lara Trump is very concerned about voter fraud, MyPillow Mike Lindell’s voting fraud case with the Supreme Court failed but he was happy to receive a wedding gift from Jimmy, George Santos has withdrawn his bid to re-run for Congress, and Truth Social is going to start streaming Live TV!
as willie the shake would say: “something is rotten in the state of NY …”
The world’s 3,000 billionaires should pay a minimum 2% tax on their fast-growing wealth to raise £250bn a year for the global fight against poverty, inequality and global heating, ministers from four leading economies have suggested.
In a sign of growing international support for a levy on the super-rich, Brazil, Germany, South Africa and Spain say a 2% tax would reduce inequality and raise much-needed public funds after the economic shocks of the pandemic, the climate crisis and military conflicts in Europe and the Middle East.
They are calling for more countries to join their campaign, saying the annual sum raised would be enough to cover the estimated cost of damage caused by all of last year’s extreme weather events.
“It is time that the international community gets serious about tackling inequality and financing global public goods,” the ministers say in a Guardian comment piece.
[continues]
So much legal stuff to track today. Feel like I’m back in law school. The Arizona indictments on top of SCOTUS oral arguments and Pecker tells the McDougal story today.
are there gambling pools active on trial happenings like when and how often he snoozes, farts, huffs at judge/prosecutor/witness, stalks out of room? a bored gaggle can be quite creative.
patd, I’d BET that there are such wager scenarios in the London betting houses. Used to be you could bet on just about anything through them.
Fart jokes – gotta love it.
https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/24/protest-texas-college-campus-free-speech-rights/
“The right to protest is protected by the U.S. and Texas constitutions, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas. Freedom of speech and assembly means people can engage in symbolic actions and can arrange peaceful marches and protests on certain public lands.”
The article lists free speech resources for students and Texans.
There was disturbing video of one of the journalists (giant video camera) walking away from the jack-booted thugs Greg. Abbott let loose on them. He was pulled back and thrown violently to the ground. I can’t imagine his back, neck, and head are OK.
If MAGAts were protesting…science in campus, they could get violent and not a beard hair would be touched.
Courthouse furniture (prison-made?) is notoriously uncomfortable. Must be working on his hem’roids big time.
“More than 500 students walked out of class Wednesday to demand UT-Austin divest from manufacturers supplying Israel weapons in its strikes on Gaza. The demonstration showed no signs of violence before authorities intervened, though police ordered the protesters multiple times to disperse and warned them they would be arrested for trespassing.”
“Protesters said that law enforcement was unnecessarily aggressive. One woman said she saw a large police officer place his entire body weight to detain a young woman protesting. Law enforcement was also seen kneeling on individuals’ backs and necks, pulling their hair and in one case punching a protester in the nose.”
“This militarization of police is the first step towards dictatorship,” Murguia said. “[UT-Austin President] Jay Hartzell [is not] an advocate for students [and] has no backbone to stand up for students … His first priority is to students.”
“Authorities on the scene included more than 100 troopers from the Texas Department of Public Safety, which said in a statement had been deployed “at the direction of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, in order to prevent any unlawful assembly.” DPS and the University of Texas police department did not respond to requests for comments Wednesday.”
“On the social media platform X, Abbott cheered the arrests and said students participating should be kicked out of school.“Students joining in hate-filled, antisemitic protests at any public college or university in Texas should be expelled,” he wrote.
What kind of hate does Texas sanction, Greg?
“Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick joined Abbott in criticizing the protest, pointing to an Instagram post from the organizers about plans to establish “THE POPULAR UNIVERSITY FOR GAZA.”
“Jeremi Suri, a UT-Austin history professor, called the law enforcement response inappropriate and an “attack on students.” He said he did not find the protest to be disruptive when he had class this morning.”
“They’re not shouting anything anti-Semitic, they’re not harrasing anyone, they’re standing on the green lawn, expressing themselves,” said Suri, who identified as Jewish. “The appropriate response would be to ask them to be contained in an area, let them stay on the grass and let them shout until they have no voices left.”
Included in the arrests were members of the media. Greg and Dan love fascism. They long for the day when straight, white men who profess to be Christian (but are not, based in their behavior) rule over everyone else. Can’t get outa here fast enough.
Snopes performed its own investigation into whether this rumor passed the smell testbut came up short — everything we found could be traced back to either Meiselas or Conway. Because neither of them shared who their sources were, and no major news outlet had covered the supposed flatulence, we have rated this claim as “Unproven.”
There’s a long history of making fun of minor presidential gaffes, like a “Saturday Night Live” take on Gerald Ford, inspired by the time he fell down the stairs of Air Force One. When that claim is about the president‘s supposed flatulence, it’s often an implication that the person is growing senile and might be unfit to serve. But as Snopes summarized in 2022, claims about embarrassing behavior by a president, current or former, are not new, no matter the political positions or the truthfulness of the claim. We’ve covered them about Trump, Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
I spent 10 weeks in coast guard boot camp with 60 or so other guys in 68. In our down time we told jokes. Every joke anyone could remember…..toward the end, as we had exhausted our supply of jokes, there was nothing left to laugh at but plain and fancy farting. With 60 guys there was no shortage of flatulence and on we laughed, ever onward.
At the 3-minute mark in the second video link, you get the angle from the photojournalist who was thrown to to the ground and arrested. He works for Fox. Oops, they got one of their own.
Vomited on a foreign dignitary.
Choked on a pretzel.
Farted in court.
Clumsy.
Uh-uh.
Lipschitz!
Amazing CNN split screen right now:
— Testimony about Trump sex with Playboy model on one side
— On the other side SCOTUS hearing on his claim for authority to assassinate political rivals.
The supreening court is aiding and abetting the insurrection. They are actively covering for the guy who attempted to overthrow the government.
They are complicit.
Factor in Ginni Thomas and you got some good old fashioned treason.
Because: The ONLY reason for the court to deal with this idiotic immunity bullshit is to STALL…..stalling to help the insurrectionist.
Based on justices’ questions so far, I can see 5-4 for letting trial go forward BUT dissenters could still slow walk writing their opinions until end of session late June.
Crazy stuff…
Sotomayor: “If the president decides that his rival is a corrupt person and he orders the military or orders someone to assassinate him, is that within his official acts for which he can get immunity?”. Trump lawyer John Sauer: “…That could well be an official act.”
Kagan: How about if the president orders the military to stage a coup? Sauer: If one adopted the test we advanced, that might well be an official act.
Trump lawyer says that if Trump sold nuclear secrets to a foreign adversary, he couldn’t be prosecuted unless he was impeached and convicted first.
These are the most extreme, authoritarian arguments about presidential power ever presented to the Supreme Court. It’s actually shocking.
the “free Palestine” chaos agents doing their best to get trump elected
Thanks, dicks 😒
Which of the cons do you see voting to deny immunity? Roberts blasted the appeals court opinion according to WaPo reporter.
I’ve been impressed with Barrett today. She’s done some serious thinking, proposed a couple of reasonable compromises. Namely, allow pre-trial immunity appeal of all presidential indictments. And in this case, allow trial to go forward on unofficial acts only.
Pogo, I think Roberts was echoing what he knows other cons arguments are, was giving DOJ lawyer space to counter those arguments. He often does that in oral arguments
Oh, so you could see Roberts and Coney-Bryant going for no immunity for unofficial acts…? Sounds like the right 2. I can only follow the printed accounts – sitting through a CLE today – earliest CLE credit I’ve sought in the last 3 2 year reporting periods for the June 30 biyearly deadline.
If one adopted the test we advanced, that might well be an official act.
Hey, let’s just change his title to Caesar Augustus.
Not sure how a pre-trial immunity appeal would work other than taking the allegations in the indictment as true, which would in fairness to the state require a much more detailed indictment than is normally issued. I think that “compromise” would work to the benefit of the indicted ex-pres. Too much comes out in presentation of testimony that could be relevant to and unexpected to fully inform the reviewing court with a comprehensive picture of the evidence that might bear on whether the act at issue was a private act or an act in the course of official duties, but maybe not.
Meanwhile, Pecker continues to put Trump at the center of their conspiracy to hide stuff from voters. At a Jan. 2017 Trump Tower meeting, Trump asked Pecker, “How’s our girl?” referring to Karen McDougal. Pecker said he assured Trump she was “quiet” and “fine.” Trump replied, “I want to thank you for handling the McDougal situation and the doorman situation.” Pecker “felt he was thanking me for buying them and not publishing them.” Pecker believed that he was thanking him for helping the campaign; never did Trump or Cohen even raise the impact on Trump’s family.
CNN: Barrett sketches out how case could go to trial this year
I can see Roberts going along with this plan, making it five justices for the trial going forward..
CNN: In a lengthy and crucial exchange between Justice Amy Coney Barrett and the Justice Department’s Michael Dreeben, the Supreme Court heard how Trump’s case could see a path to trial this year.
Barrett sketched out that the case could go to trial, and how, if the Supreme Court sends it back to the trial level, it could be heard by a jury without further appeals court involvement.
That would mean no further delays in Donald Trump’s case before a trial, once the Supreme Court rules. “”The special counsel has expressed some concern for speed,” Barrett said. “
She asked Dreeben if the trial-level could sort out what’s official or private acts of the presidency in this key, or is there “another option for the special counsel just to proceed on the private conduct?”
Dreeben told her the indictment is substantially about private conduct. He says the special counsel’s office would like to present a full picture of the allegations to the jury.
This was so absurd I had to go back and replay it to believe it. Justice Alito said if former presidents are subject to prosecution after leaving office, they’ll be more likely to seek to unlawfully remain in office.
Alito…save us from him, please. Meanwhile in New York, things aren’t going any better for Fart Blossom. WaPo.
[…]
In his second day of testimony, Pecker said that he did not think Trump and lawyer Michael Cohen, his conduit at the time, were aiming to keep the stories of two women — Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels — out of the news to protect wife Melania Trump, daughter Ivanka or any other relatives.
“It was basically what the impact would be to the campaign and the election,” Pecker said.
Pecker said he had a conversation with the president-elect at Trump Tower in January 2017, shortly before Trump’s inauguration. At that session, Pecker said Trump thanked him for paying McDougal for her silence and for assisting in other coverups for Trump.
Neither Trump nor Cohen brought up Trump’s marriage in conversations that happened over months about how to handle McDougal and later Daniels, the witness said.
[…]
And that’s from Dumbass’ friend.
Pogo, all along I’ve been wondering how Trump team puts that family claim before the jury without putting Trump on the stand to say he was only trying to protect Melania, not the campaign. Trump and an FEC expert are the only two witnesses on their list, so it doesn’t seem like there’s anyone to say ‘oh he was just protecting the family’.
Bwahahahahah.
Donald Trump gave a fist pump as he returned to the courtroom after lunch. “Mr. Trump, are you happy with the Supreme Court?” a reporter shouted. Trump didn’t respond. The justices on Thursday seemed inclined to reject Trump’s sweeping claims of immunity from prosecution for allegedly interfering with the 2020 election.
(I left the WaPo link in the quote)
Poobah, too bad he neglected to mention that when he was colluding with Pecker to hide those affairs. Gee, what might a jury do with that little detail?
Judge Lewis Kaplan, in a written opinion, said Trump’s legal arguments are without merit. The judge also found that the punitive damages the jury awarded to Carroll “passes constitutional muster.”
“As the Court explained, it was entirely reasonable for the jury to award E. Jean Carroll $83 million in damages given Donald Trump’s continued defamation of Ms. Carroll during the trial itself, as well as his conduct in the courtroom where his ‘hatred and disdain (were) on full display,’” Kaplan said.
Doesn’t seem like Fart Blossom is having a good day in this, that and the other court, do it?
“There were no signs of violence before authorities armed with batons intervened, handcuffing students and pushing protesters back. More than 100 Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, deployed by Gov. Greg Abbott, were at the scene, in addition to University of Texas police department officers.”
“The Travis County attorney dropped 46 charges after 57 people were arrested at a pro-Palestinian demonstration.”
This was done to make folks afraid to speak up…about anything. This was a warning shot from MAGAts and didn’t have much to do with what was being protested, which is Israel firing wide at a civilization population and then starving them out. If they don’t agree with you, they will employ a militarized police force against you. Imagine if Adolf had had his ducks in a row on J6. Soon, we may not have to imagine.
Hamas has traditionally rejected a two-state solution that would see a Palestinian state established alongside Israel and has instead advocated the creation of a Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine that today encompasses Israel, the occupied West Bank, occupied East Jerusalem and Gaza.
Sounded promising, but then…
“If an independent state with its capital in Jerusalem, while preserving the right of return for refugees, (is created) Al Qassam could be integrated into (a future) national army,” he said, referring to the group’s armed wing.
Not gonna happen, mate.
There were no signs of violence before authorities armed with batons intervened, handcuffing students and pushing protesters back.
blue, same as during the George Floyd protests in Austin. A family member of mine was a student peacefully marching when struck by a rubber bullet fired into the crowd.
Ironic in that Mr. Pecker may have been the one person possessing the power and the ability to beat Plumpty at his own game.
In urging Mr. Pecker to kill harmful stories, Mr. Cohen often invoked Mr. Trump’s potential anger as a reason for Mr. Pecker to do what he asked.
Hi Everyone,
I’m up in the wooly north of the White Mts again. Needed a little get away and we’re at our condo complex in Lincoln through the weekend. Too much to watch tonight… sfb stuff and the NFL draft.
To say nothing of NBA playoff games.
Not that I’m complaining – but what hearsay exception would this fall under?
Mr. Pecker testified that Mr. Cohen complained about how slowly Mr. Trump was reimbursing him. That reimbursement is at the heart of the 34 felony counts the former president has been charged with.
Let’s hope everything doesn’t take a quarter of a century.
Three times today Trump claimed his criminal trial is preventing him from being on “the campaign trail”. But he spent his day off yesterday playing golf at his NJ club, no public events.
“A Texas appeals court recently overturned Mason’s five-year prison sentence for casting a provisional ballot in the 2016 election while on supervised release for federal tax evasion.”
“Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells wants Crystal Mason’s illegal voting conviction reinstated, his office announced Thursday.”
“The office argues the Second Court of Appeals did not give proper deference to the trial court’s guilty verdict and reweighed the evidence in favor of Mason when it overturned her conviction.”
“Initially, the court found that Mason’s alleged knowledge that she was on supervised release, and therefore ineligible to vote, was sufficient for an illegal voting conviction. But in instructing it to reevaluate the case, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeal ruled the lower court “erred by failing to require proof that [Mason] had actual knowledge that it was a crime for her to vote while on supervised release.”
“The yearslong saga began in 2016 when Mason,on advice from a poll worker, submitted a provisional ballot during that year’s presidential election after she discovered her name was not on the voter roll.”
“Her ballot was rejected because she was not eligible to participate in elections while still on supervised release for a federal tax fraud conviction. She was arrested a few months later.”
“The case against Mason hinged on an affidavit she signed before casting her provisional ballot that required individuals to swear that “if a felon, I have completed all my punishment including any term of incarceration, parole, supervision, period of probation, or I have been pardoned.”
“supervision” *
“A trial court judge convicted her of illegally voting, a second-degree state felony at the time, after a poll worker testified he watched Mason read, and run her finger along, each line of an affidavit. Mason, however, said she did not read the entire affidavit. At trial, a supervisor from the probation office overseeing her release testified that no one from that office had informed her she was still ineligible to vote.”
Golfing instead of campaigning. He’s always talking out of his ass. Oh, that’s what it is!
“Trump: Charlottesville rally was a “little peanut” compared to pro-Palestinian protests”
“The other side: “Donald Trump can spew hatred and nonsense on his failed social media platform all day long but the American people are not going to be lectured to by the guy who called white supremacists very fine people after they chanted ‘Jews will not replace us’ and killed a woman,” Biden campaign rapid response director Ammar Moussa said in a statement.”
“Ben F Borgers, the founder and managing partner of the accounting firm BF Borgers, spelled his name in 14 different ways in regulatory filings, the Financial Times reported, citing data it had reviewed from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.”
“Some variations, like Ben F Brogers and Ben F orgers, appeared to be minor spelling mistakes. But others, like Blake F Borgers and Ben F Vonesh, were entirely different names.”
If George Santos were an auditor.
“F orgers” LoL
“The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board said it identified multiple deficiencies in every audit it had received from Borgers’ accounting firm in the past two years, Bloomberg reported on April 8.”
“In November, Borgers’ firm was also removed from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ peer review program.”
“BF Borgers, the organization said, was “so seriously deficient in its performance that education and remedial, corrective actions are not adequate.”
“Trump Media & Technology Group engaged BF Borgers as its auditor in January 2022, after their previous auditor, WithumSmith+Brown, quit just months after being appointed.”
If court sends case back to trial judge to determine which acts are immune, Judge Chutkan would hold an extensive hearing that airs all the damning evidence and testimony for public consumption. Not as good as a trial and verdict but could be politically harmful.
It’s ~interesting~ that the MSM is not covering the plight of folks trapped and starving in Gaza, but instead covers the student protesters.
Not a peep about Ukraine in quite awhile except for the coverage about US funding.
“No, Mr Netanyahu. It is not antisemitic or pro-Hamas to point out that in a little over six months your extremist government has killed 34,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 77,000 – seventy percent of whom are women and children. It is not antisemitic to point out that your bombing has completely destroyed more than 221,000 housing units in Gaza, leaving more than one million people homeless – almost half the population,” Mr Sanders said.
The Vermont Senator — an independent who caucuses with Senate Democrats — continued that it was “not antisemitic” to say that the Israeli government “has obliterated Gaza’s civilian infrastructure – electricity, water, and sewage” or “to realize that your government has annihilated Gaza’s health care system, knocking 26 hospitals out of service and killing more than 400 health care workers”.
“It is not antisemitic to agree with virtually every humanitarian organization in saying that your government, in violation of American law, has unreasonably blocked humanitarian aid coming into Gaza, creating the conditions in which hundreds of thousands of children face malnutrition and famine,” he continued.
Sanders closed the statement by again addressing the Israeli leader directly and calling antisemitism “a vile and disgusting form of bigotry that has done unspeakable harm to many millions of people”.
“But, please, do not insult the intelligence of the American people by attempting to distract us from the immoral and illegal war policies of your extremist and racist government. Do not use antisemitism to deflect attention from the criminal indictment you are facing in the Israeli courts. It is not antisemitic to hold you accountable for your actions,” he said.
“Secret Service says agent on Harris’ detail was removed from assignment after distressing behavior”
“The agent was removed from their assignment while medical personnel were summoned,” Guglielmi said. Harris was at the Naval Observatory during the incident and there “was no impact on her departure” from the base.
“The U.S. Secret Service takes the safety and health of our employees very seriously,” Guglielmi said. “As this was a medical matter, we will not disclose any further details.”
Why do the Sue-premes indulge so extensively in abstract hypotheticals? There’s enough to decide in the real-case-world.
The usual suspects on SCOTUS seem to be OK with immunity/dictatorship as long as it’s tRUMPsky they’re talking about. They know Biden isn’t going to send a SEAL team to take out tRUMPsky, but the reverse would not be true. There are a lot of complicit folks on the SC who would usher in something horrific for all but the uber-wealthy and well-connected.
How in the world is this law? It’s unconstitutional! Fine. On May 2nd, I will pray that cholesterol does its job on tRUMPsky, Thomas, and Kavanaugh. (Alito looks like a healthy eater.)
“The president, in accordance with Public Law 100-307, will issue an official proclamation, whether they want to or not, calling the nation to prayer, although our current “woke” president, to his credit, has let the heathens off the hook in his previous proclamations, telling the country’s ungodly reprobates that they can just “give thanks, in accordance with their own faith and conscience” instead of praying to God like the “people of faith.”
“This year, the NDP Task Force has outdone itself with its militaristic Christian nationalist graphic, which is comprised of a hand holding up a sword with a Christian cross on it and “sacred heart” on its hilt, with a shield behind it covered with Christian symbology, and an American flag as the sky in the background.”
“While the odiously Christian nationalistic NDP Task Force graphic is almost certainly being used by chaplains on many other bases as well, it was soldiers and civilian employees from Fort Riley and Fort Huachuca, 185 of them in total from just these two bases, who came to MRFF, disgusted by the official use by their bases of this exclusively Christian, anti-American, Christian nationalistic imagery. And it is to the commanding generals of these two bases that MRFF Founder and President Mikey Weinstein has sent the following letter, demanding that they “IMMEDIATELY cease and desist from [their] utilization of that horrendous image reinforcing the fundamentalist Christian nationalism paradigm!”
One complicit folk who continues to exact revenge for his high-tech lynching.
Lance Wallnau’s book, “God’s Chaos Candidate” played a significant role in solidifying evangelical support for Donald Trump in 2016, brushing aside concerns about his obvious lack of morality.
Paula White-Cain gave the invocation at Trump’s inauguration in 2017, at his re-election campaign kick-off in 2019 and his Jan. 6, 2021, pre-insurrection rally. On the second occasion, she gave what experts describe as a ‘spiritual warfare’ prayer: “Let every demonic network that is aligned itself against the purpose, against the calling of President Trump, let it be broken, let it be torn down in the name of Jesus.”
All three are prominent members of a rapidly-growing, anti-democratic religious movement known as the New Apostolic Reformation, which few Americans have heard of, except in passing or by way of heated denials. But a new book from Canadian scholar André Gagné, “American Evangelicals for Trump: Dominion, Spiritual Warfare, and the End Times,” could change that, as the NAR seems poised to play an even bigger political role in 2024.
Gagné’s book is “a concise, authoritative primer on one of the most consequential religious and political movements of our time,” said Frederick Clarkson, a senior research analyst at Political Research Associates (and Salon contributor), in a recent online discussion. While the NAR may be confusing to outsiders, Gagné shows that it’s knowable, Clarkson said, as the most energetic popular expression of dominionism, defined as “the theocratic idea that … Christians are called by God to exercise dominion over every aspect of society by taking control of political and cultural institutions.”
Yep, they have infected the government and the media, and they are destroying the education system. Critical thinkers would be a huge threat to white nationalists.
“HOW TO PRAY FOR AMERICA – BY PRAYING INTO SEVEN CENTERS OF INFLUENCE IN OUR NATION”
Well, the white nationalists (they are not Christians) have seven areas to influence/infect/control: military, media, business, education, church, and family.
Now, why would they need to infect the church with their ideology? Because the white nationalists aren’t actually Christian.
Why would they need to control any of these facets of society? Because they are fascists who have no brotherly love for anyone who thinks, looks, or acts differently than do they.
This is scary stuff. These are scary folks.
If Jesus had read their plans, he would’ve wept.
Many people say that in addition to black robes all SCOTUS justices will wear MAGA caps at oral arguments.
What Is a Cowboy, Anyway?
Oddly, though, the gear that real range riders wore bore scant resemblance to the get-ups we use to symbolize the cowboy. Real 19th-century cowpokes typically dressed in heavy canvas trousers, bowlers and wore rawhide chaps as armor against thorny vegetation and the general filth of the job.
“FACT SHEET: 80% of House Republicans Release Plan Targeting Medicare, Social Security, and the Affordable Care Act, Raising Costs, and Cutting Taxes for the Wealthy”
“…the Republican Study Committee – which represents 100% of House Republican leadership and nearly 80% of their members – just proposed yet another budget that would cut Medicare, Social Security, and the Affordable Care Act , as well as increase prescription drug, energy, and housing costs – all while forcing tax giveaways for the very rich onto the country. Their plan would even raise the Social Security retirement age.”
1 – Calls for over $1.5 trillion in cuts to Social Security, including an increase in the retirement age to 69 and cutting disability benefits.
2 – Raises Medicare costs for seniors by taking away Medicare’s authority to negotiate prescription drug costs, repealing $35 insulin, and the $2,000 out-of-pocket cap in the Inflation Reduction Act
3 – Transitions Medicare to a premium support system that CBO has found would raise premiums for many seniors.
4 – Cuts Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program by $4.5 trillion over ten years, taking coverage away from millions of people, eroding care for seniors, children, and people with disabilities, and taking us back to the days where people could be denied care for pre-existing conditions and charged more for health insurance simply for being a woman.
Etc., etc, etc.
someone asked me to explain the Gaza situation to them and i was like, “uh… how long were you hoping this conversation would last?”
“Emory’s Caroline Fohlin is knocked down by the police while shouting: “I’m a professor!!” Hear the disbelief in her voice. She never expected to be treated like this by her own university for protesting Israel’s slaughter.”
The fascism is real, folks! It’s here. It’s on college campuses. If they’ll treat a middle-aged, white woman like this, how do you think everyone else will fare?
could be the distracting smell of the trial (AKA the lowest form of getting the limelight) is also a way to keep away coverage of joe’s campaign.
david horsey’s All Trump all the time | The Seattle Times
jimmy on “gaseous clay”
Kanye West is reportedly about to enter the world of pornographic filmmaking and has been in talks with Stormy Daniels’ ex-husband to help shepherd the whole thing, a gentleman on an English morning TV show seems to have enormous potential, the Senate passed a $95 billion military aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, the bill would also require the Chinese company that owns TikTok to either sell it in a year or be banned nationwide, Donald Trump has been milking his gag order for every drop, Joe Biden is yucking it up, Eric and Don Jr are running the handoff for Daddy if he gets re-elected, Lara Trump is very concerned about voter fraud, MyPillow Mike Lindell’s voting fraud case with the Supreme Court failed but he was happy to receive a wedding gift from Jimmy, George Santos has withdrawn his bid to re-run for Congress, and Truth Social is going to start streaming Live TV!
as willie the shake would say: “something is rotten in the state of NY …”
and from Ultra-Gross: The Fart Jokes of William Shakespeare (ultragross.blogspot.com)
“Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! Rage, blow!”
p.s. thanks to jamie and sturge for reminding us in last thread of the eternally present relevance of the bard
from the lotsa-luck-on-that-ever-happening file
World’s billionaires should pay minimum 2% wealth tax, say G20 ministers | Inequality | The Guardian
So much legal stuff to track today. Feel like I’m back in law school. The Arizona indictments on top of SCOTUS oral arguments and Pecker tells the McDougal story today.
are there gambling pools active on trial happenings like when and how often he snoozes, farts, huffs at judge/prosecutor/witness, stalks out of room? a bored gaggle can be quite creative.
patd, I’d BET that there are such wager scenarios in the London betting houses. Used to be you could bet on just about anything through them.
Fart jokes – gotta love it.
https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/24/protest-texas-college-campus-free-speech-rights/
“The right to protest is protected by the U.S. and Texas constitutions, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas. Freedom of speech and assembly means people can engage in symbolic actions and can arrange peaceful marches and protests on certain public lands.”
The article lists free speech resources for students and Texans.
There was disturbing video of one of the journalists (giant video camera) walking away from the jack-booted thugs Greg. Abbott let loose on them. He was pulled back and thrown violently to the ground. I can’t imagine his back, neck, and head are OK.
If MAGAts were protesting…science in campus, they could get violent and not a beard hair would be touched.
Courthouse furniture (prison-made?) is notoriously uncomfortable. Must be working on his hem’roids big time.
https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/24/ut-austin-israel-hamas-war-palestine-student-arrests/
“More than 500 students walked out of class Wednesday to demand UT-Austin divest from manufacturers supplying Israel weapons in its strikes on Gaza. The demonstration showed no signs of violence before authorities intervened, though police ordered the protesters multiple times to disperse and warned them they would be arrested for trespassing.”
“Protesters said that law enforcement was unnecessarily aggressive. One woman said she saw a large police officer place his entire body weight to detain a young woman protesting. Law enforcement was also seen kneeling on individuals’ backs and necks, pulling their hair and in one case punching a protester in the nose.”
“This militarization of police is the first step towards dictatorship,” Murguia said. “[UT-Austin President] Jay Hartzell [is not] an advocate for students [and] has no backbone to stand up for students … His first priority is to students.”
“Authorities on the scene included more than 100 troopers from the Texas Department of Public Safety, which said in a statement had been deployed “at the direction of Texas Governor Greg Abbott, in order to prevent any unlawful assembly.” DPS and the University of Texas police department did not respond to requests for comments Wednesday.”
“On the social media platform X, Abbott cheered the arrests and said students participating should be kicked out of school.“Students joining in hate-filled, antisemitic protests at any public college or university in Texas should be expelled,” he wrote.
What kind of hate does Texas sanction, Greg?
“Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick joined Abbott in criticizing the protest, pointing to an Instagram post from the organizers about plans to establish “THE POPULAR UNIVERSITY FOR GAZA.”
“Jeremi Suri, a UT-Austin history professor, called the law enforcement response inappropriate and an “attack on students.” He said he did not find the protest to be disruptive when he had class this morning.”
“They’re not shouting anything anti-Semitic, they’re not harrasing anyone, they’re standing on the green lawn, expressing themselves,” said Suri, who identified as Jewish. “The appropriate response would be to ask them to be contained in an area, let them stay on the grass and let them shout until they have no voices left.”
Included in the arrests were members of the media. Greg and Dan love fascism. They long for the day when straight, white men who profess to be Christian (but are not, based in their behavior) rule over everyone else. Can’t get outa here fast enough.
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/donald-trump-passing-gas/
I spent 10 weeks in coast guard boot camp with 60 or so other guys in 68. In our down time we told jokes. Every joke anyone could remember…..toward the end, as we had exhausted our supply of jokes, there was nothing left to laugh at but plain and fancy farting. With 60 guys there was no shortage of flatulence and on we laughed, ever onward.
It is to laugh.
—Steve Allen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4-62LZw2Bg
Chilling video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMl4rDqxeH0
At the 3-minute mark in the second video link, you get the angle from the photojournalist who was thrown to to the ground and arrested. He works for Fox. Oops, they got one of their own.
Vomited on a foreign dignitary.
Choked on a pretzel.
Farted in court.
Clumsy.
Uh-uh.
Lipschitz!
Amazing CNN split screen right now:
— Testimony about Trump sex with Playboy model on one side
— On the other side SCOTUS hearing on his claim for authority to assassinate political rivals.
The supreening court is aiding and abetting the insurrection. They are actively covering for the guy who attempted to overthrow the government.
They are complicit.
Factor in Ginni Thomas and you got some good old fashioned treason.
Because: The ONLY reason for the court to deal with this idiotic immunity bullshit is to STALL…..stalling to help the insurrectionist.
Based on justices’ questions so far, I can see 5-4 for letting trial go forward BUT dissenters could still slow walk writing their opinions until end of session late June.
Crazy stuff…
Sotomayor: “If the president decides that his rival is a corrupt person and he orders the military or orders someone to assassinate him, is that within his official acts for which he can get immunity?”. Trump lawyer John Sauer: “…That could well be an official act.”
Kagan: How about if the president orders the military to stage a coup? Sauer: If one adopted the test we advanced, that might well be an official act.
Trump lawyer says that if Trump sold nuclear secrets to a foreign adversary, he couldn’t be prosecuted unless he was impeached and convicted first.
These are the most extreme, authoritarian arguments about presidential power ever presented to the Supreme Court. It’s actually shocking.
the “free Palestine” chaos agents doing their best to get trump elected
Thanks, dicks 😒
Which of the cons do you see voting to deny immunity? Roberts blasted the appeals court opinion according to WaPo reporter.
I’ve been impressed with Barrett today. She’s done some serious thinking, proposed a couple of reasonable compromises. Namely, allow pre-trial immunity appeal of all presidential indictments. And in this case, allow trial to go forward on unofficial acts only.
Pogo, I think Roberts was echoing what he knows other cons arguments are, was giving DOJ lawyer space to counter those arguments. He often does that in oral arguments
Oh, so you could see Roberts and Coney-Bryant going for no immunity for unofficial acts…? Sounds like the right 2. I can only follow the printed accounts – sitting through a CLE today – earliest CLE credit I’ve sought in the last 3 2 year reporting periods for the June 30 biyearly deadline.
Hey, let’s just change his title to Caesar Augustus.
Not sure how a pre-trial immunity appeal would work other than taking the allegations in the indictment as true, which would in fairness to the state require a much more detailed indictment than is normally issued. I think that “compromise” would work to the benefit of the indicted ex-pres. Too much comes out in presentation of testimony that could be relevant to and unexpected to fully inform the reviewing court with a comprehensive picture of the evidence that might bear on whether the act at issue was a private act or an act in the course of official duties, but maybe not.
Meanwhile, Pecker continues to put Trump at the center of their conspiracy to hide stuff from voters. At a Jan. 2017 Trump Tower meeting, Trump asked Pecker, “How’s our girl?” referring to Karen McDougal. Pecker said he assured Trump she was “quiet” and “fine.” Trump replied, “I want to thank you for handling the McDougal situation and the doorman situation.” Pecker “felt he was thanking me for buying them and not publishing them.” Pecker believed that he was thanking him for helping the campaign; never did Trump or Cohen even raise the impact on Trump’s family.
CNN: Barrett sketches out how case could go to trial this year
I can see Roberts going along with this plan, making it five justices for the trial going forward..
CNN: In a lengthy and crucial exchange between Justice Amy Coney Barrett and the Justice Department’s Michael Dreeben, the Supreme Court heard how Trump’s case could see a path to trial this year.
Barrett sketched out that the case could go to trial, and how, if the Supreme Court sends it back to the trial level, it could be heard by a jury without further appeals court involvement.
That would mean no further delays in Donald Trump’s case before a trial, once the Supreme Court rules.
“”The special counsel has expressed some concern for speed,” Barrett said. “
She asked Dreeben if the trial-level could sort out what’s official or private acts of the presidency in this key, or is there “another option for the special counsel just to proceed on the private conduct?”
Dreeben told her the indictment is substantially about private conduct. He says the special counsel’s office would like to present a full picture of the allegations to the jury.
This was so absurd I had to go back and replay it to believe it. Justice Alito said if former presidents are subject to prosecution after leaving office, they’ll be more likely to seek to unlawfully remain in office.
Alito…save us from him, please. Meanwhile in New York, things aren’t going any better for Fart Blossom. WaPo.
And that’s from Dumbass’ friend.
Pogo, all along I’ve been wondering how Trump team puts that family claim before the jury without putting Trump on the stand to say he was only trying to protect Melania, not the campaign. Trump and an FEC expert are the only two witnesses on their list, so it doesn’t seem like there’s anyone to say ‘oh he was just protecting the family’.
Bwahahahahah.
(I left the WaPo link in the quote)
Poobah, too bad he neglected to mention that when he was colluding with Pecker to hide those affairs. Gee, what might a jury do with that little detail?
https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/25/politics/federal-judge-upholds-e-jean-carroll-verdict/index.html
“A federal judge on Thursday upheld the verdict and award in E. Jean Carroll’s defamation case against former President Donald Trump and denied Trump’s motion for a new trial.
Judge Lewis Kaplan, in a written opinion, said Trump’s legal arguments are without merit. The judge also found that the punitive damages the jury awarded to Carroll “passes constitutional muster.”
“As the Court explained, it was entirely reasonable for the jury to award E. Jean Carroll $83 million in damages given Donald Trump’s continued defamation of Ms. Carroll during the trial itself, as well as his conduct in the courtroom where his ‘hatred and disdain (were) on full display,’” Kaplan said.
Doesn’t seem like Fart Blossom is having a good day in this, that and the other court, do it?
https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/25/ut-austin-palestinian-arrests-criminal-cases/
“There were no signs of violence before authorities armed with batons intervened, handcuffing students and pushing protesters back. More than 100 Texas Department of Public Safety troopers, deployed by Gov. Greg Abbott, were at the scene, in addition to University of Texas police department officers.”
“The Travis County attorney dropped 46 charges after 57 people were arrested at a pro-Palestinian demonstration.”
This was done to make folks afraid to speak up…about anything. This was a warning shot from MAGAts and didn’t have much to do with what was being protested, which is Israel firing wide at a civilization population and then starving them out. If they don’t agree with you, they will employ a militarized police force against you. Imagine if Adolf had had his ducks in a row on J6. Soon, we may not have to imagine.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/25/middleeast/hamas-officials-say-group-willing-to-disarm-if-palestinian-state-is-established-mime-intl/index.html
“Some Hamas officials are signaling that the militant group could give up armed struggle against Israel if the Palestinians get an independent state in territories captured by Israel in the 1967 war.
Hamas has traditionally rejected a two-state solution that would see a Palestinian state established alongside Israel and has instead advocated the creation of a Palestinian state in all of historic Palestine that today encompasses Israel, the occupied West Bank, occupied East Jerusalem and Gaza.
Sounded promising, but then…
“If an independent state with its capital in Jerusalem, while preserving the right of return for refugees, (is created) Al Qassam could be integrated into (a future) national army,” he said, referring to the group’s armed wing.
Not gonna happen, mate.
blue, same as during the George Floyd protests in Austin. A family member of mine was a student peacefully marching when struck by a rubber bullet fired into the crowd.
Ironic in that Mr. Pecker may have been the one person possessing the power and the ability to beat Plumpty at his own game.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/25/nyregion/national-enquirer-pecker-trump.html?smid=url-share
Hi Everyone,
I’m up in the wooly north of the White Mts again. Needed a little get away and we’re at our condo complex in Lincoln through the weekend. Too much to watch tonight… sfb stuff and the NFL draft.
To say nothing of NBA playoff games.
Not that I’m complaining – but what hearsay exception would this fall under?
https://studentsdemandaction.org/history-of-divestment-movements-on-college-campuses/
“History of Divestment Movements on College Campuses”
“Where it began: Anti-apartheid”
Let’s hope everything doesn’t take a quarter of a century.
Three times today Trump claimed his criminal trial is preventing him from being on “the campaign trail”. But he spent his day off yesterday playing golf at his NJ club, no public events.
https://www.texastribune.org/2024/04/25/crystal-mason-illegal-voting-texas-tarrant-county/
“A Texas appeals court recently overturned Mason’s five-year prison sentence for casting a provisional ballot in the 2016 election while on supervised release for federal tax evasion.”
“Tarrant County District Attorney Phil Sorrells wants Crystal Mason’s illegal voting conviction reinstated, his office announced Thursday.”
“The office argues the Second Court of Appeals did not give proper deference to the trial court’s guilty verdict and reweighed the evidence in favor of Mason when it overturned her conviction.”
“Initially, the court found that Mason’s alleged knowledge that she was on supervised release, and therefore ineligible to vote, was sufficient for an illegal voting conviction. But in instructing it to reevaluate the case, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeal ruled the lower court “erred by failing to require proof that [Mason] had actual knowledge that it was a crime for her to vote while on supervised release.”
“The yearslong saga began in 2016 when Mason,on advice from a poll worker, submitted a provisional ballot during that year’s presidential election after she discovered her name was not on the voter roll.”
“Her ballot was rejected because she was not eligible to participate in elections while still on supervised release for a federal tax fraud conviction. She was arrested a few months later.”
“The case against Mason hinged on an affidavit she signed before casting her provisional ballot that required individuals to swear that “if a felon, I have completed all my punishment including any term of incarceration, parole, supervision, period of probation, or I have been pardoned.”
“supervision” *
“A trial court judge convicted her of illegally voting, a second-degree state felony at the time, after a poll worker testified he watched Mason read, and run her finger along, each line of an affidavit. Mason, however, said she did not read the entire affidavit. At trial, a supervisor from the probation office overseeing her release testified that no one from that office had informed her she was still ineligible to vote.”
Golfing instead of campaigning. He’s always talking out of his ass. Oh, that’s what it is!
https://www.amazon.com/Life-Game-But-Golf-Serious/dp/1096391651
https://www.axios.com/2024/04/25/trump-charlottesville-rally-peanut-palestine-protests
“Trump: Charlottesville rally was a “little peanut” compared to pro-Palestinian protests”
“The other side: “Donald Trump can spew hatred and nonsense on his failed social media platform all day long but the American people are not going to be lectured to by the guy who called white supremacists very fine people after they chanted ‘Jews will not replace us’ and killed a woman,” Biden campaign rapid response director Ammar Moussa said in a statement.”
https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-media-auditor-misspelt-name-14-different-ways-ft-2024-4
“The man who audited Trump’s social media company misspelled his own name in 14 different ways”
“Ben F Borgers, the founder and managing partner of the accounting firm BF Borgers, spelled his name in 14 different ways in regulatory filings, the Financial Times reported, citing data it had reviewed from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.”
“Some variations, like Ben F Brogers and Ben F orgers, appeared to be minor spelling mistakes. But others, like Blake F Borgers and Ben F Vonesh, were entirely different names.”
If George Santos were an auditor.
“F orgers” LoL
“The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board said it identified multiple deficiencies in every audit it had received from Borgers’ accounting firm in the past two years, Bloomberg reported on April 8.”
“In November, Borgers’ firm was also removed from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants’ peer review program.”
“BF Borgers, the organization said, was “so seriously deficient in its performance that education and remedial, corrective actions are not adequate.”
“Trump Media & Technology Group engaged BF Borgers as its auditor in January 2022, after their previous auditor, WithumSmith+Brown, quit just months after being appointed.”
If court sends case back to trial judge to determine which acts are immune, Judge Chutkan would hold an extensive hearing that airs all the damning evidence and testimony for public consumption. Not as good as a trial and verdict but could be politically harmful.
It’s ~interesting~ that the MSM is not covering the plight of folks trapped and starving in Gaza, but instead covers the student protesters.
Not a peep about Ukraine in quite awhile except for the coverage about US funding.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/bernie-sanders-netanyahu-campus-protests-b2534966.html
Bernie Sanders to Bibi:
“No, Mr Netanyahu. It is not antisemitic or pro-Hamas to point out that in a little over six months your extremist government has killed 34,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 77,000 – seventy percent of whom are women and children. It is not antisemitic to point out that your bombing has completely destroyed more than 221,000 housing units in Gaza, leaving more than one million people homeless – almost half the population,” Mr Sanders said.
The Vermont Senator — an independent who caucuses with Senate Democrats — continued that it was “not antisemitic” to say that the Israeli government “has obliterated Gaza’s civilian infrastructure – electricity, water, and sewage” or “to realize that your government has annihilated Gaza’s health care system, knocking 26 hospitals out of service and killing more than 400 health care workers”.
“It is not antisemitic to agree with virtually every humanitarian organization in saying that your government, in violation of American law, has unreasonably blocked humanitarian aid coming into Gaza, creating the conditions in which hundreds of thousands of children face malnutrition and famine,” he continued.
Sanders closed the statement by again addressing the Israeli leader directly and calling antisemitism “a vile and disgusting form of bigotry that has done unspeakable harm to many millions of people”.
“But, please, do not insult the intelligence of the American people by attempting to distract us from the immoral and illegal war policies of your extremist and racist government. Do not use antisemitism to deflect attention from the criminal indictment you are facing in the Israeli courts. It is not antisemitic to hold you accountable for your actions,” he said.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/25/politics/kamala-harris-secret-service-agent/index.html
“Secret Service says agent on Harris’ detail was removed from assignment after distressing behavior”
“The agent was removed from their assignment while medical personnel were summoned,” Guglielmi said. Harris was at the Naval Observatory during the incident and there “was no impact on her departure” from the base.
“The U.S. Secret Service takes the safety and health of our employees very seriously,” Guglielmi said. “As this was a medical matter, we will not disclose any further details.”
Why do the Sue-premes indulge so extensively in abstract hypotheticals? There’s enough to decide in the real-case-world.
The usual suspects on SCOTUS seem to be OK with immunity/dictatorship as long as it’s tRUMPsky they’re talking about. They know Biden isn’t going to send a SEAL team to take out tRUMPsky, but the reverse would not be true. There are a lot of complicit folks on the SC who would usher in something horrific for all but the uber-wealthy and well-connected.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/4/25/2237194/-MRFF-demands-Army-bases-immediately-cease-using-Christian-nationalist-National-Day-of-Prayer-artwork
“It’s that time of year again – time for the National Day of Prayer – that day set aside each year for the government to completely unconstitutionally tell everybody to pray.”
How in the world is this law? It’s unconstitutional! Fine. On May 2nd, I will pray that cholesterol does its job on tRUMPsky, Thomas, and Kavanaugh. (Alito looks like a healthy eater.)
“The president, in accordance with Public Law 100-307, will issue an official proclamation, whether they want to or not, calling the nation to prayer, although our current “woke” president, to his credit, has let the heathens off the hook in his previous proclamations, telling the country’s ungodly reprobates that they can just “give thanks, in accordance with their own faith and conscience” instead of praying to God like the “people of faith.”
“This year, the NDP Task Force has outdone itself with its militaristic Christian nationalist graphic, which is comprised of a hand holding up a sword with a Christian cross on it and “sacred heart” on its hilt, with a shield behind it covered with Christian symbology, and an American flag as the sky in the background.”
“While the odiously Christian nationalistic NDP Task Force graphic is almost certainly being used by chaplains on many other bases as well, it was soldiers and civilian employees from Fort Riley and Fort Huachuca, 185 of them in total from just these two bases, who came to MRFF, disgusted by the official use by their bases of this exclusively Christian, anti-American, Christian nationalistic imagery. And it is to the commanding generals of these two bases that MRFF Founder and President Mikey Weinstein has sent the following letter, demanding that they “IMMEDIATELY cease and desist from [their] utilization of that horrendous image reinforcing the fundamentalist Christian nationalism paradigm!”
One complicit folk who continues to exact revenge for his high-tech lynching.
https://www.salon.com/2024/01/02/meet-the-new-apostolic-reformation-cutting-edge-of-the-christian-right/
Lance Wallnau’s book, “God’s Chaos Candidate” played a significant role in solidifying evangelical support for Donald Trump in 2016, brushing aside concerns about his obvious lack of morality.
Paula White-Cain gave the invocation at Trump’s inauguration in 2017, at his re-election campaign kick-off in 2019 and his Jan. 6, 2021, pre-insurrection rally. On the second occasion, she gave what experts describe as a ‘spiritual warfare’ prayer: “Let every demonic network that is aligned itself against the purpose, against the calling of President Trump, let it be broken, let it be torn down in the name of Jesus.”
Dutch Sheets engaged in a swing-state “prayer and prophecy tour” after Joe Biden’s election in November 2020, playing a leading role in building religious support for the Jan. 6 insurrection, in coordination with Trump’s White House.
All three are prominent members of a rapidly-growing, anti-democratic religious movement known as the New Apostolic Reformation, which few Americans have heard of, except in passing or by way of heated denials. But a new book from Canadian scholar André Gagné, “American Evangelicals for Trump: Dominion, Spiritual Warfare, and the End Times,” could change that, as the NAR seems poised to play an even bigger political role in 2024.
Gagné’s book is “a concise, authoritative primer on one of the most consequential religious and political movements of our time,” said Frederick Clarkson, a senior research analyst at Political Research Associates (and Salon contributor), in a recent online discussion. While the NAR may be confusing to outsiders, Gagné shows that it’s knowable, Clarkson said, as the most energetic popular expression of dominionism, defined as “the theocratic idea that … Christians are called by God to exercise dominion over every aspect of society by taking control of political and cultural institutions.”
Yep, they have infected the government and the media, and they are destroying the education system. Critical thinkers would be a huge threat to white nationalists.
https://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/equipping/prayforamerica
“HOW TO PRAY FOR AMERICA – BY PRAYING INTO SEVEN CENTERS OF INFLUENCE IN OUR NATION”
Well, the white nationalists (they are not Christians) have seven areas to influence/infect/control: military, media, business, education, church, and family.
Now, why would they need to infect the church with their ideology? Because the white nationalists aren’t actually Christian.
Why would they need to control any of these facets of society? Because they are fascists who have no brotherly love for anyone who thinks, looks, or acts differently than do they.
This is scary stuff. These are scary folks.
If Jesus had read their plans, he would’ve wept.
Many people say that in addition to black robes all SCOTUS justices will wear MAGA caps at oral arguments.
What Is a Cowboy, Anyway?
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/23/style/cowboy-fashion-beyonce.html
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/03/21/fact-sheet-80-of-house-republicans-release-plan-targeting-medicare-social-security-and-the-affordable-care-act-raising-costs-and-cutting-taxes-for-the-wealthy/
“FACT SHEET: 80% of House Republicans Release Plan Targeting Medicare, Social Security, and the Affordable Care Act, Raising Costs, and Cutting Taxes for the Wealthy”
“…the Republican Study Committee – which represents 100% of House Republican leadership and nearly 80% of their members – just proposed yet another budget that would cut Medicare, Social Security, and the Affordable Care Act , as well as increase prescription drug, energy, and housing costs – all while forcing tax giveaways for the very rich onto the country. Their plan would even raise the Social Security retirement age.”
1 – Calls for over $1.5 trillion in cuts to Social Security, including an increase in the retirement age to 69 and cutting disability benefits.
2 – Raises Medicare costs for seniors by taking away Medicare’s authority to negotiate prescription drug costs, repealing $35 insulin, and the $2,000 out-of-pocket cap in the Inflation Reduction Act
3 – Transitions Medicare to a premium support system that CBO has found would raise premiums for many seniors.
4 – Cuts Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program by $4.5 trillion over ten years, taking coverage away from millions of people, eroding care for seniors, children, and people with disabilities, and taking us back to the days where people could be denied care for pre-existing conditions and charged more for health insurance simply for being a woman.
Etc., etc, etc.
someone asked me to explain the Gaza situation to them and i was like, “uh… how long were you hoping this conversation would last?”
So it’s the SSDD repug budget proposal.
https://twitter.com/tparsi/status/1783658662231195728
“Emory’s Caroline Fohlin is knocked down by the police while shouting: “I’m a professor!!” Hear the disbelief in her voice. She never expected to be treated like this by her own university for protesting Israel’s slaughter.”
The fascism is real, folks! It’s here. It’s on college campuses. If they’ll treat a middle-aged, white woman like this, how do you think everyone else will fare?
NEW THREAD