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Wednesday Open Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Blog Related
Posted on Wed Jul 17, 2019 at 02:27:49 PM EST
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    I can't breath (5.00 / 4) (#2)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 17, 2019 at 02:57:58 PM EST
    Haven't seen this mentioned here

    Barr over rules his civil rights division

    The fact that the only person from this episode who is in jail is the guy who took the video pretty much tells you all you need to know.

    William Barr's actions (5.00 / 3) (#3)
    by KeysDan on Wed Jul 17, 2019 at 03:41:16 PM EST
    should take the nation's breath away. And, the officer, Daniel Pantaleo, is still on the NYC police force.

    Barr is carrying on as well on other fronts: The feds have ended the probe into hush money payments prior to the election/campaign finance violations related to Story Daniels and Karen McDougal.

    Since it appears that a Trump impeachment inquiry is not in the cards, there really does not seem to be any downside to opening impeachment inquires at lower ranks, from Barr down to Supervisory officers overseeing the squalid conditions and inhumane treatment of asylum seekers at the border.

    Attorney General Barr's role in the citizenship census fiasco, along with that of Wilbur Ross, needs to be investigated by the House. The presentation of "contrived" (i.e., false) information to the Supreme Court, and the shifting rationale presented for expedited hearing by the Supreme Court are among issues to be looked into. Contempt of Congress is going pretty slow, if it is going at all.

     Maybe, if we can't impeach high, we should start impeaching low. A chilling effect might result for those claiming to be just following orders. There will be individualized accountability. Trump may skate, but you will be the fall guy.

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    The House voted to (5.00 / 3) (#6)
    by KeysDan on Wed Jul 17, 2019 at 05:35:07 PM EST
    hold two sitting cabinet officers in criminal contempt of congress for obstructing a probe into the administration's failed attempt to include a citizenship question on the 2020 Census form.  Barr and Ross withheld documents that that been subpoenaed.  The vote was 230 to 198, all Republicans and four Democrats voted no; Amash (l independent) and 229 Democrats voted yes.

    Barr had urged Speaker Pelosi to postpone the vote, shortly before the vote went to the full House.  A pretty serious action. Barr should be dis-barred, in my view.

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    Tomorrow morning (none / 0) (#8)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 17, 2019 at 08:30:09 PM EST
    Just before the Epstein show a judge in NY is unsealing all the previously sealed information around the hush money case Barr just shut down.  Including information the government wanted to keep sealed for the protection of "third parties".  The judge refused.  All of it is being released.  

    Could be good.  11 eastern.  Epstein 11:30

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    Can't believe (none / 0) (#9)
    by KeysDan on Wed Jul 17, 2019 at 09:26:46 PM EST
    Barr will not be up early to throw some legal monkey wrench into the judge's decision.  

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    Based on everthing I've read (none / 0) (#33)
    by McBain on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 04:24:55 PM EST
    this (no charges) is the correct decision.  Garner's death was the result of several factors including his physical shape and his decision to resist arrest.

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    "Send her back" (5.00 / 1) (#10)
    by MKS on Wed Jul 17, 2019 at 10:59:01 PM EST
    Godwin's law has been repealed for Trump, no?

    These rallies do have a precedent.

    Clearly the new boogy person (5.00 / 1) (#11)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 18, 2019 at 06:40:29 AM EST
    There is a thing going around about her that I will not repeat that I hope is not true.  Not because I think there is anything terribly wrong with what she is accused of doing but because it's the kind of thing that could allow them to destroy her public life.  Which would be a tragedy.

    Snopes lists it as "unproven".

    It's the kind of thing that could give them cover for this vile behavior.

    Trump repeated it in one of his driveway performances.  Probably other times.  Seems like a pretty easy thing to "prove" if true.  And if it is Trump will try to destroy her.  And it might work.

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    Lucky for tRump (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by jmacWA on Thu Jul 18, 2019 at 06:44:16 AM EST
    that he got one of the 'fake' news organizations to pose the question to him as he 'just happened' to be leaving for his rally.  Talk about setting up the chant for the evening... unfcuking believable

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    Capt here is a link for you (1.00 / 1) (#43)
    by ragebot on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 06:55:25 PM EST
    Omar does have a complicated past in terms of marriage.  One thing that stuck out to me is she seems to have had "religious marriages" and a "civil divorce"; but I am not up to speed on the legal meaning of these terms.

    The bottom line is there seem to have been some technical violations related to money from her campaign being used for some unspecified purpose that she got fined for and also had to repay.

    Since Omar has not, and most likely will not, released her tax returns the joint filing with someone she was not legally married to may never be fully understood.  She did have an accounting firm review her tax returns and they found issues which were retroactively fully corrected according to the firm.

    The local paper has started investigating several aspects of Omar's life.  This includes the corrected tax issues, the strange time line of her having kids with one guy, then marrying another guy while filing a joint tax return with the first guy (educated guess this was what the accounting firm had her correct), then divorcing the guy she married so she could go back to the first guy and have another kid and then marring the father of her kids.  Not to mention that for some period of time all three of them lived in the same house.

    I get it when Donald says some things are none of your business; problem stories like this get lots of eyeballs looking at them and the MSM will do almost anything to get eyeballs.  Especially since Omar seems to be trying to get in the spotlight.

    Omar's not releasing her tax returns and refusing to comment on some of the issues the MSM is asking questions about will only make the MSM dig deeper.  This link indicates some MSM outlets have been asking questions not just Omar and her campaign but contacting her family members in the UK.  I don't see this story ending anytime soon.

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    Impressive (5.00 / 1) (#46)
    by FlJoe on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 07:12:42 PM EST
    research on some one who is roughly the 3000th most important person in Washington.

    Do you get paid for doing the legwork for the hate machine or is just for fun?

    I'm sure "drawing eyeballs" away from more important players is the whole idea and of course the idiot media fall from it.

    Tax returns. Really???

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    Truly appalling (none / 0) (#47)
    by MKS on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 07:36:42 PM EST
    Anything to support the racist rants of Trump.

    Pathetic.  

     But I am pretty sure Hillary was too generous in her assessment about how many were in the "basket" she referred to.

    Parent

    Yes (none / 0) (#44)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 07:05:32 PM EST
    Most of this is none of our business and nothing but clickbait.

    I'm pretty sure there are lots of politicians, most of them men, who would not want the details of their past romances/cohabitation

    As far as the campaign money stuff.  This stuff happens all the time.  Seems she did what she was supposed to do.

    To be clear

    I'm all in for Ilhan.  I like how she has handled this, mostly.  Tho I agree talking about it is probably inevitable.  I have never heard her say anything I disagreed with.  Saying Israel is an overly aggressive militaristic nightmare that rivals our own is not being "anti Jewish".  

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    The thing about Omar (none / 0) (#14)
    by CST on Thu Jul 18, 2019 at 09:14:27 AM EST
    Is that her identity means she's safe in her district but also not going anywhere else politically. Not with a scarf on. Someone like that is someone that Trump has no power over.  No power to give and no power to take away.  Her strength is her own.

    A woman like that makes him crazy.   Pelosi is a bit different because her role means she has to try and work with him.

    He can't really hurt her politically. As long as she has armed guards of course...

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    I hope so (none / 0) (#16)
    by CaptHowdy on Thu Jul 18, 2019 at 12:04:42 PM EST
    At the very least it could give the Trumpenfuror the perfect target.  It has everything, Islam, immigration, woman of color.

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    Trumpenfuhrer. (5.00 / 1) (#17)
    by Chuck0 on Thu Jul 18, 2019 at 01:10:35 PM EST
    I like that. Can I use that instead of Bone Spurs?

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    I'm here in MN (none / 0) (#18)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 18, 2019 at 01:24:23 PM EST
    My aunt lives in her district. They would love to get rid of her but Trumps attacks only help her.

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    I have no doubt (none / 0) (#19)
    by CST on Thu Jul 18, 2019 at 02:17:55 PM EST
    That there are people in that district who would prefer someone else but it's no accident that she was elected in the same district that was previously held by Keith Ellison.  There are a lot of people in Boston who are upset that Pressley beat Capuano - but she still won - and I would agree the attacks from Trump have only helped her shore up support.

    There's something to be said for having a large cohesive base in a primary.  It's also the youngest district in the state and trending younger.

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    It is (none / 0) (#21)
    by Ga6thDem on Thu Jul 18, 2019 at 04:09:45 PM EST
    The antisemitism that they have a problem with. I remember Ellison got accused of it but never used antisemitic tropes like she has and apparently constituent services are not good. She would have to be taken out in the primary since the district is deep blue. She only got 48% in the primary.

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    48% (none / 0) (#22)
    by CST on Thu Jul 18, 2019 at 04:43:28 PM EST
    In a six person race, and 18% more than any other candidate.  I'm not saying its not possible but as you said, Trump attacking her is only going to increase her chances of reelection.  He can't hurt her politically, and she has her base in the primary. You don't need everyone, especially in lower turnout races, you just need people who will show up for you.

    Parent
    There is a reason (none / 0) (#23)
    by Repack Rider on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 10:20:54 AM EST
    ...why she won her election.

    Supporters rally around Ilhan Omar following 'Send her back!' attacks

    Parent

    Fake news. (none / 0) (#24)
    by Chuck0 on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 11:09:49 AM EST
    They were all paid to be there.

    /s


    Parent

    Yeah! (none / 0) (#26)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 01:10:47 PM EST
    And they were probably bused in from Chicago, too, by the Obamas and Hillary Clinton. Lock them up.

    ;-D

    Parent

    Like I said (none / 0) (#25)
    by Ga6thDem on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 11:13:21 AM EST
    Trumps attacks have helped her.

    Parent
    Ms. Omar's private life doesn't concern me, ... (none / 0) (#36)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 05:59:46 PM EST
    CaptHowdy: "There is a thing going around about her that I will not repeat that I hope is not true. Not because I think there is anything terribly wrong with what she is accused of doing but because it's the kind of thing that could allow them to destroy her public life. Which would be a tragedy."

    ... and I'd really like to keep it that way. It's a despicable rumor that'd been merrily spread within the far-right diaspora by the pathetic and sorry-a$$ed likes of former Oxycontin addict Rush Limbaugh, convicted felon Dinesh D'Souza and trust fund baby-turned-white supremacist Tucker Carlson. That should tell you everything you need to know about it.

    Sometime in the near future, I think we as a society would do well to reacquaint ourselves with the term, "It's none of my business," learn to seriously embrace it as one of life's primary guiding principles, and then use it to shut down the gossip-mongers.

    ;-D

    Parent

    Well, sure (none / 0) (#37)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 06:20:58 PM EST
    My point was not everyone agrees and the "thing" is the kind of thing that could make the fake birth certificate thing seem harmless.

    I have not rechecked snopes but "unverified" is not the kind of thing they probably would have said about the birth certificate.  

    Certainly it's none of our business.  As are most of the things that destroy the lives of politicians

    I do think so far this has sadly been good for both her and Trump.  I do think if unverified becomes true that could change.

    Parent

    I just heard (none / 0) (#38)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 06:24:01 PM EST
    Trumps approval is 49.

    Which just absolutely blows my mind.  I don't want to believe it but here we are.

    Parent

    That scared (none / 0) (#50)
    by KeysDan on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 09:49:05 PM EST
    me.  Checked at Fivethirtyeight which reports 42.7%.  Some individual pollsters have him up, such as Rasmussen ---which usually runs higher.

    Parent
    I think that was NBC (none / 0) (#51)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 10:12:39 PM EST


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    RCP (none / 0) (#52)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 10:15:41 PM EST
    is 45

    Rass is 50

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    The (none / 0) (#42)
    by FlJoe on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 06:38:10 PM EST
    speed in which the hate machine is revved up, from top to bottom and back up again is terrifying.

    Today's press gaggle was a "two minute hate" fest, everybody shrugs, things keep getting darker by the day.

    Parent

    Yes (none / 0) (#45)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 07:10:33 PM EST
    The "media" loves this.  The more lurid the better.  The more edgy and dangerous.  I honestly think they would like nothing more that to have a couple of weeks of solemn mourning and custom graphics for "a sad unfortunate death".  There would be hours and hours of clueless "debate" about who's fault it was.

    Parent
    Yesterday (5.00 / 3) (#13)
    by FlJoe on Thu Jul 18, 2019 at 08:13:59 AM EST
    blatant racism became a central campaign tactic, normalized by the press and at least tacitly approved by at least90% of Republicans.

    Parent
    Shades of Nuremberg. (5.00 / 2) (#15)
    by Chuck0 on Thu Jul 18, 2019 at 10:16:03 AM EST


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    Killer Heat (none / 0) (#1)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 17, 2019 at 02:48:35 PM EST
    `Off-the-charts' heat to affect millions in U.S. in coming decades

    Without any action to reduce global carbon emissions, parts of Florida and Texas would experience the equivalent in days of at least five months per year on average when the heat index--which includes humidity in its calculations--exceeds 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Most of those days will surpass 105 degrees before the end of the century.

    Right now, here, the heat index is 113.  It's so humid my one single pane window is steamed up on the outside.

    House votes to table (none / 0) (#4)
    by KeysDan on Wed Jul 17, 2019 at 05:17:32 PM EST
    Congressman Al Green's (D TX)article of impeachment--voting to table: Dem. 137 yea,95 nay, l present, 2 n.v.
    Rep. 194 yea, 0 nay, 3 n.v.
    Ind. l yea.
    Lopsided vote, but maybe a look at things to come.

    And, Judiciary Chair Nadler, was among the 95 nays. Nadler's spokesperson said the Chairman voted against killing the bill because it should have first come to his committee for consideration.

    I think it probably should have (none / 0) (#5)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 17, 2019 at 05:33:47 PM EST
    That said, not sure Al's resolution was well timed or considered.

    Just that after all the illegal unconstitutional stuff he has done impeaching him because he said some dumb racist things sort of tends to detract from the real problems.

    Not that the president saying dumb racist things is not a problem but conspiring with a hostile foreign power to win an election, among other things, is way worse and that should be the center of anything that proceeds.

    Parent

    Ran across this (none / 0) (#7)
    by CaptHowdy on Wed Jul 17, 2019 at 07:06:21 PM EST
    It seems to explain a lot

    Unskilled and unaware of it: How difficulties in recognizing one's own incompetence lead to inflated self-assessments.
    © Request Permissions
    Kruger, Justin,Dunning, David
    Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 77(6), Dec 1999, 1121-1134
    People tend to hold overly favorable views of their abilities in many social and intellectual domains. The authors suggest that this overestimation occurs, in part, because people who are unskilled in these domains suffer a dual burden: Not only do these people reach erroneous conclusions and make unfortunate choices, but their incompetence robs them of the metacognitive ability to realize it. Across 4 studies, the authors found that participants scoring in the bottom quartile on tests of humor, grammar, and logic grossly overestimated their test performance and ability. Although their test scores put them in the 12th percentile, they estimated themselves to be in the 62nd. Several analyses linked this miscalibration to deficits in metacognitive skill, or the capacity to distinguish accuracy from error. Paradoxically, improving the skills of the participants, and thus increasing their metacognitive competence, helped them recognize the limitations of their abilities.



    Ah, yes - the "Dunning-Kruger Effect." (5.00 / 1) (#20)
    by Donald from Hawaii on Thu Jul 18, 2019 at 04:07:28 PM EST
    It's also known in the vernacular as "Mount Stupid." The folks who run Fox News are doubtless highly skilled practitioners of Dunning-Kruger, since they have their entire evening prime-time lineup and its loyal audience convinced that they are the best-informed people in America, when the God's-honest truth is completely otherwise.

    In that sense, I think we all know people who are so ignorant and stupid that they're rendered utterly incapable of realizing just how ignorant and stupid they actually are. It's an often insufferable characteristic which is often compounded by an overinflated sense of ego. (See also "Palin, former Alaska Gov. Sarah" and "Trump, Donald Sr. and Jr.")

    Self-awareness of one's own weaknesses and limitations is actually a valuable personal asset and a strength. And having worked in both the public and private sectors, one consistent trait I've noticed in egotistical bosses in a marked tendency to overestimate their own importance and worth to an organization or agency while concurrently undervaluing the contributions of their subordinates.

    It's a tried-and-true formula for demoralization and inefficiency, as employees who feel unappreciated tend to seek other opportunities and move on to greener pastures the first chance they get. Further, high turnover rates in staff tend to get one noticed by one's own superiors and / or board whose members are tasked with oversight, because having to constantly replace staff and train new employees both impedes production and costs money.

    Electing such intellectually self-crippled people to public office usually turns out very badly.

    Aloha. ;-D

    Parent

    Credit scores (none / 0) (#27)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 02:46:31 PM EST
    Are so weird.  Mine just took a big leap in the positive direction and I have no idea why.

    It's another Trump economy (5.00 / 1) (#28)
    by jondee on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 03:18:49 PM EST
    talking point, soon to be expounded upon in a series of tweets.

    Minority credit scores haven't been this good since the War of 1812.

    Parent

    Ok, so (none / 0) (#29)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 03:21:26 PM EST
    There are Trump moles in Equifax altering credit scores to make the economy look better?

    I'm not arguing.  I guess it's as good an explanation as any.

    Parent

    I haven't checked my credit score (none / 0) (#30)
    by desertswine on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 03:54:32 PM EST
    ever.  Although the car salesman did when I bought my last car.  I don't have any idea what it was.

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    Credit Karma (none / 0) (#31)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 04:21:42 PM EST
    Is easy and free

    Wouldn't be a bad idea.  I found this out almost by accident but it's kind of life changing.  Without saying the beginning or end the change was over 100 points.

    And as I said, I have no idea why.

    Parent

    Hopefully that didn't break any rules (none / 0) (#32)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 04:22:41 PM EST


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    Most credit cards now (none / 0) (#39)
    by Chuck0 on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 06:33:45 PM EST
    offer you your credit score online when you log into your account. I know I can get mine from at least 4 or 5 different accounts.

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    The Twitler campaign is selling (none / 0) (#34)
    by desertswine on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 05:03:42 PM EST
    plastic straws that say Trump on them.  The dimwitted will spend $15.00 for 10 plastic straws. Apparently they have sold out.

    "Liberal paper straws" lol (none / 0) (#35)
    by jondee on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 05:38:43 PM EST
    I'm going to see if I can market toaster-friendly metal utensils with Trump's face on them to these people.

    Parent
    Gawd (none / 0) (#40)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 06:34:26 PM EST
    Swapping paper for plastic turned out to be the last straw for Donald Trump, who said Friday there are "bigger problems" than plastic drinking straws -- the day after his reelection campaign manager promoted branded ones on Twitter.

    The president made his position clear to reporters at the White House when, between questions about Iran and China, one asked him about growing efforts to ban plastic straws.

    "I do think we have bigger problems than plastic straws," Trump replied.



    Parent
    A liberal death (none / 0) (#41)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 06:36:49 PM EST
    Woman Dies After Being Impaled by Reusable Metal Straw

    I really never understood straws.  Even for milkshakes.

    Parent

    Rachel just did a segment (none / 0) (#48)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 09:06:15 PM EST
    On the reporting the Post has been doing on opioids.  Including this database.

    It's pretty jaw dropping.  You can see state by state, county by county, town by town, literally drug store by drug store where the opioids are going.

    So out of curiosity because of my addicted family members I checked it out.  

    In my former county, where those family members live the second highest on the list in that county was my former drug store.  Which the family uses.  Over the tracked time more than 1 and a half million pills.  The population of the town is 936.

    They said there was a total of 63 pills per day per person in the county.

    In my current county the highest is WalMart.  As they are in many countys

    You should check this out.

    Sorry (none / 0) (#49)
    by CaptHowdy on Fri Jul 19, 2019 at 09:09:29 PM EST
    That's per person per year

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