A thread for important news happening under the cover of the Great Distractor (thread expanded)

R.A. Lundberg · Jul 9, 2018

Brightdreamer said:
Exactly.

The point of this regime is to overwhelm.

Overwhelm? Overwhelm who? The voters? Most couldn't find their own butts with both hands and a compass. Your average voter knows more about the Kardashians than about their elected officials. They think what their favorite media outlet- CNN, FOX, MSNBC, whoever- tells them they should think. Donald J. Trump is the greatest boon to the media outlets since the birth of TV. There's always something to report with DJT in office. Yeah, it seems like a complete circus-and it is, and the performing monkeys of the media just dance and dance to the tune of DJT. They hate his ever livin' guts, and he hates them right back. And it makes great theater, and we all watch. Most people have no idea that half of what they are seeing is BS, the other half is opinion masquerading as news-and has been for decades. Journalistic integrity in this country died with the advent of cable news and the 24 hour news cycle. May it rest in peace.

Larry M · Jul 9, 2018

R.A. Lundberg said:
Overwhelm? Overwhelm who? The voters? Most couldn't find their own butts with both hands and a compass. Your average voter knows more about the Kardashians than about their elected officials. They think what their favorite media outlet- CNN, FOX, MSNBC, whoever- tells them they should think. Donald J. Trump is the greatest boon to the media outlets since the birth of TV. There's always something to report with DJT in office. Yeah, it seems like a complete circus-and it is, and the performing monkeys of the media just dance and dance to the tune of DJT. They hate his ever livin' guts, and he hates them right back. And it makes great theater, and we all watch. Most people have no idea that half of what they are seeing is BS, the other half is opinion masquerading as news-and has been for decades. Journalistic integrity in this country died with the advent of cable news and the 24 hour news cycle. May it rest in peace.

Here's a tip for you, friend. Intelligent, thinking people do not allow any news outlet to tell them what they should think.

And if you think that "half of what they are seeing is BS, the other half is opinion masquerading as news-and has been for decades," then you need to stop watching Fox "News" and stop reading Breitbart and start checking sources like thinking people do.

Prozyan · Jul 9, 2018

Larry M said:
Intelligent, thinking people

And these people have what to do with the average US voter, which Mr. Lundberg was referring to?

MaeZe · Jul 9, 2018

Regardless of what one thinks of the citizens that haven't voted regularly, it's water under the bridge. We need to convince them to vote now.

Lyv · Jul 11, 2018

Trump Changes How Federal Agency In-House Judges Are Hired

"The executive order takes a very modest decision from the Supreme Court last month, and basically runs with it to turn just about all administrative law judges within the executive branch from somewhat independent civil servants into politically appointed and politically removable bureaucrats who basically will have no one to answer to other than the administration officials who are responsible for their appointment," said Stephen Vladeck, an expert on administrative law at the University of Texas law school.

Politico chose this headline:

Trump tightens control over regulatory judges

I really miss those checks and balances. I miss those three co-equal branches of government. At least we could fight injustices and make some progress, albeit far too slowly.

I sometimes read the thread title as "...Great Dictator." Things like this are why. I see no reason to revise my opinion that anything Trump does is for his own personal gain, whether it feeds his ginormous ego or lines his pockets or slakes his thirst for revenge or simply lets him hurt others. I think he just really is so damaged and tormented, he's happiest when inflicting pain. YMMV.

MaeZe · Jul 11, 2018

Lyv said:
Trump Changes How Federal Agency In-House Judges Are Hired

Politico chose this headline:

Trump tightens control over regulatory judges

I really miss those checks and balances. I miss those three co-equal branches of government. At least we could fight injustices and make some progress, albeit far too slowly.

I sometimes read the thread title as "...Great Dictator." Things like this are why. I see no reason to revise my opinion that anything Trump does is for his own personal gain, whether it feeds his ginormous ego or lines his pockets or slakes his thirst for revenge or simply lets him hurt others. I think he just really is so damaged and tormented, he's happiest when inflicting pain. YMMV.

Thanks. I debated posting that here or in the immigration thread. It belongs in both. I just posted it over there. :tongue

Lyv · Jul 11, 2018

I went back and forth, too. Good call to post it there!

RedRajah · Jul 16, 2018

http://www.tampabay.com/florida-pol...oss-misconduct-sued-and-got-30000-settlement/

A former supervisor in Adam Putnam's Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services sued the agency in 2013, claiming "gross misconduct" in the handling of gun permit applications and that quotas for approving concealed weapon permits "guaranteed abuse," according to documents reviewed by the Tampa Bay Times.
In a whistle-blower lawsuit filed in a Leon County circuit court, the former chief of the Bureau of License Issuance, Xenia Bailey, said she was threatened with retaliation for saying workers were deficient in processing licensing applications, and that her bosses told her she "worked for the NRA (National Rifle Association)."

Alpha Echo · Jul 16, 2018

Mods, If this should have it's own thread, or if it belongs better somewhere else, please feel free to move it.

I realize this is an opinion piece, and I am certainly no Constitutional scholar. But what he says is so terrifying and makes complete sense. I encourage you to read the entire article. It's not long, and it's well written.

In other words, our entire political system is built to give the Republican Party a series of advantages, even when they represent a minority of the public, as they now do. In some cases that’s by their design, and in some cases it’s a happy accident, but it all points in the same direction. And when Republicans have power, they work ceaselessly to make the system even less democratic and more rigged in their favor.

So every time the Supreme Court issues another ruling that cheers conservatives, whether it’s restricting reproductive rights or gutting campaign finance laws or undercutting environmental regulations, we should remember that it was made possible by a minority president with the aid of a minority Senate.

When he ran for president, Donald Trump told his voters that they were the victims of a rigged system. Nurture your rage, he urged them, and strike a blow against that system by voting for me. In truth, he was the product of the rigged system, not its enemy. So maybe it’s time for liberals to finally get angry about it.

Alpha Echo · Aug 7, 2018

Not sure this needs its own thread, but people need to be aware.

EPA Now Allowing Asbestos in Manufacturing

[FONT=&quot] Fast Company recently reported that on June 1, the EPA authorized a “SNUR” (Significant New Use Rule) which allows new products containing asbestos to be created on a case-by-case basis. [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]According to environmental advocates, this new rule gives chemical companies the upper hand in creating new uses for harmful products in the United States. In May, the EPA released a report detailing its new framework for evaluating the risk of its top prioritized substances. The report states that the agency will no longer consider the effect or presence of substances in the air, ground, or water in its risk assessments.[/FONT]

Guess who the largest exporter for asbestos is?

[FONT=&quot]As the world’s largest exporter of asbestos, the Russian company [/FONT]Uralasbest[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot]operates an enormous open mine nearly [/FONT]half the size of Manhattan[FONT=&quot] in a mountainous town 900 miles northeast of Moscow, according to the Center for Public Integrity. The company has support from the government and President Vladimir Putin, even though their economic success exposes the local residents to major health risks. Once referred to as “the dying city,” Asbest’s residents have reported the carcinogenic dust is often found as a thick film over garden vegetables, laundry lines, and even on the floors of their homes.[/FONT]

Wonder if there's a connection there.

Brightdreamer · Aug 7, 2018

Alpha Echo said:
Not sure this needs its own thread, but people need to be aware.

EPA Now Allowing Asbestos in Manufacturing

Guess who the largest exporter for asbestos is?

Wonder if there's a connection there.

On the plus side, I suppose that's future work for those class-action lawyers on TV who fight for mesothelioma victims...

ElaineA · Aug 7, 2018

This does very much smack of quid pro quo, hopefully in word-only, because any company who puts even the tiniest amount of asbestos in a product used in this country would be committing corporate malfeasance. The government might not consider it, but those lawyers Brightdreamer mentioned will be licking their chops.

MaeZe · Aug 8, 2018

Sadly, this one is a doozy. Last night on Canadian National (news) I caught a story about Canada feuding with Saudi Arabia over the Canadian foreign minister speaking out against Saudi human rights. I didn't hear the whole story, Saudi was expelling the ambassador. So I went looking for the details, what was this about.

CNBC: The absence of a ‘strong US voice on human rights’ is fueling Saudi Arabia’s deepening rift with Canada, Middle East expert says

President Donald Trump's administration is exacerbating an intensifying diplomatic row between Saudi Arabia and Canada by choosing not to stand up for democratic values around the world, according to a Middle East expert.

Saudi Arabia and Canada are currently locked in a deepening feud over human rights. The war of words between the two countries stems back to a series of tweets from Canada's Foreign Ministry last week, when Ottawa expressed concern over arrested civil society activists in Saudi Arabia.

Riyadh called the move a violation of its sovereignty and announced punitive measures against Ottawa, including the expulsion of the Canadian ambassador.

"The broad contours of U.S. foreign policy, especially under President Donald Trump's administration, clearly signal decreased appetite to engage on foreign issues or support democratization efforts," Ayham Kamel, head of Eurasia Group's Middle East and North Africa practice, said in a research note published Monday.

"Absent a strong U.S. voice on human rights and democratic values, Arab leaders have become less willing to tolerate Western advice on either political reform of governance," he added.

It has since exacerbated (good for you Canada)

Canada has since doubled down over its push for the Middle Eastern country to "immediately release" arrested campaigners and activists.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has frozen all trade between the two countries, postponed all direct flights to Toronto via its state airliner and suspended scholarships for approximately 16,000 students studying in Canada.

And bad on us:

In response to Ottawa and Riyadh's ongoing spat, the Trump administration issued its first statement on the matter on Monday — opting not to endorse Canada.

"We have asked the government of Saudi Arabia for additional information on the detention of several activists," a State Department official said in a statement Monday, calling both Riyadh and Ottawa "close allies" of the U.S.

In fact, Saudi Arabia is not a treaty ally of the U.S., while Canada — a member of NATO — is.

And Jared Kushner has some kind of BFF going on with the Saudi Crown Prince. It appears Kushner gave some US intell over. After hanging out all night with the Prince, the Prince proceeded to purge all his competing family members. In other words Kushner probably told the Prince who those enemies inside the palace were.

Of course, it's likely the Saudi Prince is laughing his ass off behind Kushner's back:

Saudi Arabia's crown prince reportedly bragged about having Jared Kushner 'in his pocket' after being told classified information meant for Trump

The top-secret information included US intelligence on Saudi royals opposing the crown prince, the report said.

Shortly after meeting with Kushner, Salman began what has been described as a large-scale crackdown on corruption that has led to the arrests of more than 200 Saudi officials.

A thread for important news happening under the cover of the Great Distractor (thread expanded)

R.A. Lundberg

Larry M

Prozyan

Are you one, Herbert?

MaeZe

Lyv

I meant to do that.

MaeZe

Lyv

I meant to do that.

RedRajah

Special Snowflake? No. Hailstone

Alpha Echo

I should be writing.

Alpha Echo

I should be writing.

Brightdreamer

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

ElaineA

All about that action, boss.

MaeZe