U.S. Politics; Who Watches the Watchers?

[LongRider]

Shall we investigate the FBI and DOJ on the whim of small hands?

[Martell Spy]

Well, ZTE is totally going to get off scot-free. I'm just sick of China laughing at us.

 

Kudlow: China’s ZTE won’t get off ‘scot-free’

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/05/20/kudlow-zte-china-trump-trade-599327

Quote

 

In an interview Sunday on ABC's "This Week," Kudlow said penalties on ZTE would continue to be "very, very tough, including big fines, compliance measures, new management, new boards." The question, he said, is whether "there are perhaps some small changes around the edges."

"Do not, please, do not expect ZTE to get off scot-free," he said. "It ain't gonna happen."

 

 

[Zorral]

When kids are afraid to go to school, can't we call this terrorism, since that it is what it is?  Terrorism makes one terrified of leaving one's home . . . .

 

[Mexal]

 

[LongRider]

Here is the next tweet:

 

[LongRider]

And tweet number 3:

 

[Mexal]

Better yet, here is all the text.

 

[Morpheus]

In response to A TWEET we are going to investigate the lie which the president, his representatives, and state media have peddled for the past week. 

 

[DMC]

49 minutes ago, Mexal said:

Better yet, here is all the text.

The funny-sad thing will be when Trump fires Horowitz (the IG) after the latter doesn't find anything.  Good move by Rosenstein kicking it to the IG though.

Looks like Ryan may not last to his retirement date:

Quote

A group of about 20 moderate Republicans are threatening to help Democrats force a vote on a DACA bill. If this works, it could trigger a larger rebellion — likely driven by the Freedom Caucus — similar to the revolt that brought down Ryan's predecessor John Boehner.

On Friday, House Republicans failed to pass the farm bill — one of Congress's few remaining must-pass projects. Ryan, a lame duck Speaker, has little power over his members. He can't convincingly threaten them. And nor can he cajole them or make any promises to help members in the future. He's stuck.

 

[LongRider]

7 minutes ago, dmc515 said:

Looks like Ryan may not last to his retirement date:

Don't let the door hit ya where it took millions of years of evolution to split ya. The sooner the Trump asslicker is gone the better. 

[James Arryn]

Joke fluttering around my head, something about walls and White Watchers.

[The Anti-Targ]

2 hours ago, LongRider said:

Don't let the door hit ya where it took millions of years of evolution to split ya. The sooner the Trump asslicker is gone the better. 

To be replaced by an asslicker with a longer and more agile tongue no doubt. Whatever rot you think is being removed it likely to be replaced by more and worse rot.

[LongRider]

45 minutes ago, The Anti-Targ said:

To be replaced by an asslicker with a longer and more agile tongue no doubt. Whatever rot you think is being removed it likely to be replaced by more and worse rot.

Well that could very well happen, but I'd still like to see him gone. 

[Jace, Extat]

25 minutes ago, Triskele said:

While what replaces Ryan is indeed likely to be rotten, it's quite likely to be more visibly so and not possess Ryan's ability to bewitch the national press. 

I would descend into totalitarianism with a smile on my face if Jim Jordan was the Speaker of the House.

[DMC]

2 hours ago, Triskele said:

While what replaces Ryan is indeed likely to be rotten, it's quite likely to be more visibly so and not possess Ryan's ability to bewitch the national press.

It seems very likely to be McCarthy, especially if they make the change before the midterms.  The HFC would probably prefer Scalise in a vacuum, but they've learned from 2015 that it's better to extract concessions from the clear front-runner.  As opposed to Ryan making demands to take the job, McCarthy has learned from their rejection three years ago and has been courting Freedom Caucus members.  Objectively, McCarthy isn't much worse (nor better) than Ryan, but the HFC's influence means his stewardship as Speaker/Leader will be much worse.  Although I suppose one saving grace is the HFC doesn't really know what concessions they want, other than being contrarian and against any type of actual governance:

Quote

The demands of the conservatives differ widely. Some Freedom Caucus members — including even one of the most pro-McCarthy conservatives, Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) — want to see one of their own installed in the ranks of Republican leadership. Others, like the group's outspoken leaders Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) or Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), want allies named to plum committees or considered for chairmanships.

A huge chunk of the group wants a speaker who will push Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) harder to take up conservative House-passed bills. And another slice, such as GOP Reps. Justin Amash of Michigan and David Schweikert of Arizona, are seeking legislative process changes, such as more amendments and debate, or specific conservative policy fixes.

As for Ryan "bewitching" the national press, meh, I guess maybe at the onset, but that I didn't see that as a factor once Trump took office.  

[Holy Sith!]

Donald has apparently run out of distraction ideas, so he has begun recycling failures. Looking for an Obama-authorized spy in his campaign organization? Now, there's a real witch hunt.

[Martell Spy]

Texas Lt. Gov. Blames Santa Fe Shooting on Abortions and Video Games

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/05/texas-lt-gov-dan-patrick-defends-guns-after-santa-fe-shooting.html

Quote

 

Speaking on ABC News’ This Week on Sunday, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick made it clear that he thinks the 22 school shootings in the United States in 2018 can’t be blamed on guns but on violent video games, abortions, unarmed teachers, and a lack of religion in schools, among other things.

“We have devalued life, whether it’s through abortion, whether it’s the breakup of families, through violent movies, and particularly violent video games,” he told ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos. “Psychologists and psychiatrists will tell you that students are desensitized to violence, may have lost empathy for their victims by watching hours and hours of video violent games.”

 

 

[Gertrude]

hmm ... abortions, breakup of families, violent movies and video games. And our culture is significantly different from other developed nations in which of these factors? That's right, none of them. Maybe we should look at the gun part of our culture, just a thought.

[A Horse Named Stranger]

3 minutes ago, Martell Spy said:

“Psychologists and psychiatrists will tell you that students are desensitized to violence, may have lost empathy for their victims by watching hours and hours of video violent games.” 

Prof. Ferguson will disagree with that notion. I lost a bit track of the debate though, but last time I checked in Ferguson was holding his own quite well in the academic discussion with meta analysis.

 

5 minutes ago, Martell Spy said:

“We have devalued life, whether it’s through abortion, whether it’s the breakup of families, through violent movies, and particularly violent video games,” he told ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos.

Or gutting healthcare. :) Why do they always forget to mention that bit, when they talk about the devaluation of life.

9 hours ago, dmc515 said:

As for Ryan "bewitching" the national press, meh, I guess maybe at the onset, but that I didn't see that as a factor once Trump took office.  

Well, I felt that spell was quite violently dispersed by Joe Biden during their VP debate already - a bit like how Christie dismantled Rubio during the GOP preliminaries.  After that Ryan's magic was only there if you believed in it. Trump has just reinforced it, and arguably reduced the numbers of believers, well, again some similarities to little Marco.

[Bonnot OG]

https://www.npr.org/2018/05/21/605012795/supreme-court-decision-delivers-blow-to-workers-rights?

Great................... I honestly hate this fucking country and the millions that infest it that voted for these scumfucks.