9 hours ago, dragonflies said:

 

 

I wish I could feel sorry for them, but alas. Believe a conman and this is what you get. Good luck, Godspeed, and all that.

Just now, Juliajms said:

^ Is it really possible that people would be kicked off SSI so quickly after the tax bill? That doesn't quite pass the smell test since 45 only signed it into law yesterday.

 

 

I am of two minds. Maybe it is a coincidence  -  or maybe they were privy to the particulars beforehand and had the contingency letters going if this abomination did pass, which it did.

^ Seems more likely a coincidence.  The tax bill itself didn't even change the rules on who receives benefits as far as I know.  No doubt they are coming for those benefits in the new year, but there isn't a direct relationship between that and the bill that wasn't even signed into law until Friday.

10 minutes ago, Juliajms said:

^ Seems more likely a coincidence.  The tax bill itself didn't even change the rules on who receives benefits as far as I know.  No doubt they are coming for those benefits in the new year, but there isn't a direct relationship between that and the bill that wasn't even signed into law until Friday.

 

I hope it is coincidence and can be reversed for this family.

2 hours ago, Wendy said:

 

I wish I could feel sorry for them, but alas. Believe a conman and this is what you get. Good luck, Godspeed, and all that.

 

The article is actually quite odd as they mostly interview people who didn't vote for Trump, and most of the people photographed in the article are black. It does a disservice to them because you would think they all supported Trump if you just look at the headline. Once again the NYT went for an easy, quick "gotcha" story over actual reporting.

BREAKING: US judge partially lifts Trump administration's ban on certain refugees

— The Associated Press (@AP) December 24, 2017

"You all just got a lot richer," President Trump told friends dining at Mar-a-Lago Friday night, hours after signing tax overhaul into law https://t.co/jJErUK4UNS

— Katie Watson (@kathrynw5) December 24, 2017

Oh, and also, someone sent Treasury Sec. Mnuchin a box of sh*t.  

 

Merry Christmas everybody!

 

Speaking of Republicans, I came across this tweet from one earlier today.

 

I am still a Republican because after they are all voted out of office (most of them should be) somebody needs to help rebuild. 2018 will be a GOP bloodbath but our democracy requires two parties. We also need more energy in the center where most Americans are but the GOP is not.

— Richard W. Painter (@RWPUSA) December 23, 2017

At least there is this.

 

In Victory for Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, Court Finds That Approval of Dakota Access Pipeline Violated the Law https://t.co/QRThfwu6EI#INDIGENOUS #TAIRP pic.twitter.com/W2cH7WOkTm

— Indigenous (@AmericanIndian8) December 23, 2017

This might sound silly, or naive, but one of my hopes is that enough "Real Republicans" get fed up with the circus and either reclaim the GOP or splinter off into a new party.  And I say that as someone who remains firmly to the left.

1 hour ago, Khan said:

This might sound silly, or naive, but one of my hopes is that enough "Real Republicans" get fed up with the circus and either reclaim the GOP or splinter off into a new party.  And I say that as someone who remains firmly to the left.

 

Ever since the emergence of the Tea Party, I've firmly believed that in the not too distant future that the GOP as it has been known will cease to exist. Splintering off sounds like the most likely prospect.

 

The courts are speaking in the past few days.

 

Federal judge orders the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) implement an Obama-era rule on January 1 that enables low-income people to afford housing in high-opportunity areas with better schools. https://t.co/ZqBTHpIV1a

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 24, 2017

If 2018 is bad enough, there might not be enough establishment Republicans left standing to trigger a split and that would leave the Republican Party further to the right than it already is.

I feel like the Republicans are mostly using Trump to do their dirty work and then in a few years can see him lose and blame his failures on Democrats. 

What a bizarre saga that Lebanese Prime Minister became entangled in due to the brashness of the recently elevated Saudi prince.  

Due to the Saudi's overly aggressive regional policy, people are referring to the crisis in Yemen as "Riyadh's Vietnam"!

 

Why Saad Hariri Had That Strange Sojourn in Saudi Arabia