Juliajms

Wow. This is nuts. The endless attacks on science from this administration are really disturbing. I guess the GOP know that the only way they will continue to have voters is to dumb down the population. Unfortunately, it's working. Here's more idiocy from the GOP. National Health Alert: U.S. Rep Lamar Smith (R-Texas), chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, & Technology, has slated a full committee hearing for today with an agenda aimed squarely at attacking some of the world's top cancer scientists. Smith thinks the United States should not contribute funding to the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s (IARC). The IARC is part of the World Health Organization. Smith disagrees with the IARC’s scientific conclusion about glyphosate. IARC found that you glyphosate, an extremely common herbicide is “probably carcinogenic to humans.”

That's only 4% or so. Being old, I remember when it would drop 300 points and everyone was freaking out. It was kind of fun to see Trump's speech with the news of this market drop on the screen though. And yeah, I'm not saying this drop wasn't significant, I'm just saying it's not 1987 or even 2008. Call me when the market is down 20%.

Good. I like JT well enough, but Prince said in no uncertain terms that he didn't want his image used in this way. It would be wrong to disrespect that.

What a pig! There is an endless stream of these sick men it seems.

I feel bad for her. Everything that's happened to her and all the years of not being believed have taken a toll on her, imo. Then add to that HW really did have ex Mossad agents infiltrating her life. It's not paranoia when they are really after you. I hope someone in her life is stepping in and making sure she is getting the right therapy.

Yep. I wish he had managed to get a few punches in. I get that's breaking the social contract, but since I'm in the peanut gallery, I'm good with it.

This is what worries me. https://twitter.com/RepJoeKennedy/status/959543039160127489

For those of us who detest Woody Allen. https://www.thecut.com/2018/01/woody-allen-american-film-institute-diane-keaton.html?utm_campaign=thecut&utm_source=tw&utm_medium=s1 He actually called Diane Keaton a fellatrix (yeah, I had to look it up to be sure) in a speech at her life time achievement award. Also 10 facts about the abuse case: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2014/02/woody-allen-sex-abuse-10-facts/amp Most notable to me: 9. The state attorney, Maco, said publicly he did have probable cause to press charges against Allen but declined, due to the fragility of the “child victim.” Maco told me that he refused to put Dylan through an exhausting trial, and without her on the stand, he could not prosecute Allen.

No doubt, there have been abuses of power since the beginning. I'm more worried about the way Trump undermines institutions and the way Republicans are allowing it with little push back. The way he attacks the press, courts, FBI, DOJ. The way he discounts science. The idea that there are "alternate facts". The countless number of lies, the open white supremacy, support for Nazis and nationalism. The way 45 demands loyalty and gets rid of anyone who doesn't give it. We may have seen some of this before, but I don't think any president has undermined our core values to this extent. I'm not saying their won't be elections in 2020, just that I won't be that surprised if there weren't. Also, I'm not so sure people were wrong to be worried about it in 2004. GWB looks benign now, but the degree of surveillance going on in his administration was pretty disturbing. I can see why people would be wary.

It doesn't sound dramatic at all. We are in serious trouble here on multiple fronts. The possibility that he will nuke North Korea is real. 45 is unstable, stupid and evil. The possibility that American democracy is going down the tubes is real as well. How surprised would any of us be if the 2020 elections were "delayed"? Maybe they'll say they need more time to protect against Russian hacking. Nothing would surprise me. Look at the way ICE is operating. Rounding a woman up when she was testifying against a domestic abuser. Going after a little girl at the hospital. People are being arrested for leaving water bottles and other supplies in the desert. None of this is normal, but I bet they would say they are following orders. It wouldn't be that hard to turn them into secret police, imo.

Sure. I think he did give a good, inspiring speech. I also think he was the right person for it because the contrast between the Kennedy vision for our country and the Trump vision is so striking. I understand why some people thought it should be a woman or a non white too. Still, the Kennedy name strikes a cord with a lot of people and I think having Joe K give the speech was a call to our better natures. In fact, his speech made me cry because it was so idealistic and so far from where we are at the moment. But is it really their fault or is it that Trump can't be reined in? I don't know the answer. I just wonder.

Yeah and I can't feel that bad for anyone who collaborates. Still, if the relative peons do time, but the big dogs don't, I'm going to be kinda pissed. With any luck she'll turn and get a reduced sentence if it comes to that.

I'll agree that we shouldn't reject them because of their bloodline, but it certainly does make me skeptical. I know people people who come from an established political family have a network of donors and other connections that will give them a leg up. I'm just not comfortable with that. What are the chances that two people from the same family are truly the best America has to offer? That said, I can't argue that we would have been better off with a second Clinton or even a third Bush than with what we have know. Lord knows, I'd be grateful for either one of them about now.

Does Joe K? I guess we'll know more about who is interested in a few months. They'll have to start fundraising.

I can't get excited about a member of a political dynasty. It reeks of oligarchy and we need to be getting away from that if we can. It may be too late. If I were to forget his name is Kennedy, I would say I'd like to see him become more seasoned first. Obviously, if he's the candidate I would vote for him, but I'd rather see Harris, Biden or Booker get the nomination.

Did this shameful SOB just use a grieving African American family to go after the undocumented? Yes he did. What a cynical, awful thing to do.

That is f*cking insane.

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/29/senate-trump-20-week-abortion-ban-316002 I'm disgusted at the way the Republicans keep trying to chip away at abortion rights. Luckily they failed this time.

So the White House is denying that Trump was involved in the Deputy Director of the FBI stepping down. I don't believe them. https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/29/politics/andrew-mccabe-fbi/index.html

Coincidentally, I'm reading "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander right now. It's terrible to realize how far the injustices go. Not that I ever doubted they existed, but the pervasiveness is absolutely shameful. As for Bill Clinton, I wonder if he really understood the consequences his crime bill or his welfare reform bill. Do you know if he's spoken on these issues much recently? I know Hillary apologized for the super predator remarks.

They've really been so successful with this, it's sad. The whole "alternate facts" concept was been very useful for them along with Fox brainwashing. I've always seen them as having influence on the nutty fringes, but I'm starting to see that was wishful thinking.

I think it depends on how you define that. I would say that if you compare the US to most industrialized western societies we are a deeply conservative country. That doesn't mean there are more Republicans in our country. All you have to do is look at how hard it is to maintain any kind of social safety net to see how deeply our puritanical roots go. A lot of people still believe that if you don't work you shouldn't eat. Even Bill Clinton went in for catastrophic welfare reform. When was the last time an admitted atheist was elected to office? The people who are elected are largely trying to codify their religious beliefs. Then you have our schools, where some kids are still being taught Creation. It's insane.

That theme sure takes me back. I would have been about 9, but I was watching.

People being arrested for leaving water and supplies for migrants. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/the-border-patrol-chooses-a-new-target-a-volunteer-helping-migrants/ar-AAvcF1e?li=BBnb7Kz

Yep. The porn star scandal for instance is hardly a blip on the radar. Is it even a scandal? I think occurrence is more accurate.