Friday, October 28, 2016

YOUR VOTE MATTERS! Obama won NC by only TWO VOTES PER PRECINCT!!!!! Let the Trumpists stay home and mope--VOTE FOR HILLARY and VOTE BLUE DOWN THE LINE!

30 October update: scroll all the way down to the bottom for a video of Seth Andrews's Ghost Stories for 2016. I'm tellin' ya--these are effin' creepy! Don't listen to them...alone!

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Greetings, fellow Dot Calm Readers, Freedom Fighters, and Truth Crusaders!

Boy--how obsessed with the election are we?!

I went looking in my usual sources for stories on the earthquake in Italy and on what's going on in Syria, including Aleppo...and...bupkes.

Looks like I need a few more usual sources...d'oh!

And just when I thought I was gonna get a break--a slow news day for the all-consuming 2016 presidential election--FBI Director James Comey comes out with a letter reopening the investigation into Hillary Clinton's e-mails.

Son.

Of.

A.

Bitch.

No, that's not directed at any person--it's directed at the situation. If you can't tell, I'm pissed.

As far as the latest revelations of Hillary's e-mail are concerned, so far, it sounds like a whole lotta nuthin'. It sounds like FBI Director James Comey is tying to cover his own ass while trying to placate two completely polarized political parties in a situation where, if you're not pissing off everyone, you're not doing your job.

Frankly, I think that Director Comey has done and is continuing to do the best he can in a politically difficult position. He was a registered Republican most of his life; he donated to McCain in 2008 and RMoney Romney in 2012, but he claimed in July of this year that he is no longer registered. It was an egregious break with protocol for him to come out with negative statements after he declined to prosecute Hillary, whose actions were not demonstrably criminal, but the Republicans would have come after him with torches and pitchforks demanding his head if he hadn't thrown them at least some red meat and anti-Hillary talking points. Nothing less would have been credible or viable. Not only that, but the American public needed to hear every word of his comments, unconventional or not. So I think he did the right thing--he did the best he could in the situation he found himself in. Similarly, since the FBI already leaked word about State Department e-mails--not necessarily sent by or implicating Hillary herself--on Anthony Weiner's laptop, as discovered during the investigation into Weiner's sexting minors, Director Comey really had no choice but to come forward and say something if he, like Scheherazade, wanted to keep his head another day.

All of that is unfortunate and frustrating, and it may deprive Hillary of some swing voters, but it is what it is. It's unfortunate and frustrating that Hillary put herself into this situation and that the party nominated her over Bernie, but it is what it is. I don't think it will cost her the election, and it may or may not affect the down-ballot races. I'm irritated and annoyed, but it's not why I'm pissed.

I'm pissed because we are still stuck with Donald "the most UNFIT candidate since EVER" Trump in our faces, spewing a constant stream of lies...unraveling the fabric of our civil society with his rhetoric of bigotry, abuse, violence, and hate...dismantling our democracy by fomenting lawlessness and sowing doubts in the parts of our election process that actually work for the American public (as opposed to the voter suppression that he and other Republicans are doing, which work for him and the other 1%-ers but not the American public).

I'm pissed that the fat unattractive orange fucksicle still has a nonzero chance at the presidency--and his win would be an unmitigated disaster. What I really want is for Donald LOSER Trump to haul off and do something--or to have something he's already done be incontrovertibly revealed for one and all to see--so heinous that he has no choice but to slink off after he loses the election, crawl back under his rock, and retire to live off the money he has left because he can't show his face in public to do business any more.

I say that not because he's a Republican--some, I assume, are decent people--I say it because he is so dishonest and has harmed so many people that he really just needs to go the fuck away already.

Hillary Clinton has in no way shape or form harmed so many people so habitually nor so badly as Donald Trump does eight times every day before breakfast. There's no comparison.

And before you accuse me of being mean to poor ickle Donsie Wonsie, here are a few things to keep in mind: (1) he's worth $100-250 million, so, by wishing him stuck living off the money he has left, it-snot like I'm wishing him to live in poverty by any stretch of the imagination...hell, I'd be happy to have $1 million; (2) notice that I did not "send" him to prison, as he's done to Hillary loudly and often at his rallies; (3) also notice that I did not call for his assassination, as he's done to Hillary loudly and often at his rallies. I do think Donald Trump probably belongs in prison given the clear fraud that was TrumPEW and all the money he's stolen from his employees and contractors. But, hey, that's only white collar crime--you can steal a family's life savings, depriving the kids of college (and the resulting future earnings) and the parents of retirement and get off with a slap on the wrist like two years. It would be more of a ding to his ego than anything else--it wouldn't have any more impact on him than it did on Martha Stewart. But he'd probably be allowed to settle out of court anyway, which would still mean he'd get off lightly...paying the injured parties far less than he actually owed them. So even wishing for him to come to justice really wouldn't mean much in the grand scheme of things. The only offense Donald Trump could (and possibly did) commit that would get him less of a prison term than white collar crime is rape. After all, it-snot like he's a Black kid who got caught with a dose of pot or crack--then they'd throw him in jail for at least 25 years and throw away the key, even if the kid was a nonviolent offender. Just let that sink in for a minute.

Donald Trump has basically proven that crime does pay if you're already rich.

Don't forget to read Dot Calm's shadow's favorite independent sources of news and information:

Daily Kos
AlterNet

Peas, friends. Take care of yourselves and your elderly rellies for me. Trust me--you and they are worth it! And please, whatever you do, VOTE FOR HILLARY and VOTE BLUE ALL THE WAY DOWN!

As Michelle Obama remarked recently, President Obama won NC by only two votes per precinct, so your vote REALLY MATTERS! Just ask Al Gore, who lost Florida, and thus the election, by a mere 537 votes. John McCain and CAPITULATed Cruz both vow NEVER to approve ANY of Hillary's SCOTUS nominees EVER--they're arrogating to Congress the power to disband the Supreme Court!!--and other Republicans are already vowing to start impeachment hearings on Inauguration Day if not sooner! Is this really how you want your tax dollars spent--obstructing rather than governing...wasted in endless, pointless political masturbation investigations rather than put to good use helping Us The People? PLEASE--this is a choice between someone dangerously unfit, incompetent, reckless, and insane and someone who, yes, is flawed but who's intelligent, accomplished, responsive, and highly qualified who would actually make a damned good president if only we're smart enough to elect her.

Please, dear ones--don't vote with your middle finger unless it's against bigotry, sexual assault, and everything else that Republicans and Donald Trump embody. And while you're VOTING BLUE, make sure your elderly friends and rellies can get to the polls and VOTE BLUE too!

And then...pour yourself a Fireball and have a great weekend! I lurves y'all MADLEH!
  
- Dot Calm's shadow

Consider the preemptive Blogger phuqued-up phormatting disclaimer to be in effect. Grrr.
-- Dot Calm's shadow

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Similarly, I never hated George W. Bush;
nor do I hate Donald J. Trump;
nor do I hate Republicans;
nor do I hate my Tea Party Christian friend.
How much ya wanna bet
they all hate me?
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Headlines
   
The Daily Telegraph: Religious people find it harder to understand the world – study
    
A word from Daily Kos
   
Trump campaign: 'We have three major voter suppression operations under way'
...Friends, please VOTE BLUE ALL THE WAY DOWN--we have to get these bastards OUT of OUR government!!!!!
   
DNC files legal action against RNC for election violations—Republicans are Trump-f*cked again
...Note that it's "violations"...as in plural. Friends, this is who they are, which is why they got Trump!
   
Somebody realized that Donald Trump is actually a dinosaur character from the 1990s--and it's uncanny
...Pretty funny--hehe!
     
A word from FiveThirtyEight
   
Clinton Leads Trump — And Obama And Reagan — In The Newspaper Endorsement Race
...Yes, Clinton is flawed, but yes, she is qualified...and Trump is such an egregious disaster that he has ZERO endorsements, and she has a crap-ton.
   
Election Update: The FBI Is Back — This Time With Anthony Weiner
...I think I'm going to leave the country for a week after this election is over and go someplace nice and warm and sunny and sit on a beach alone by myself, curled up in a fetal ball, WITHOUT INTERNET, PHONES, ETC. ETC. ETC.!!!!! GRRRRR!!!!!
   
Election Update: The Polls Disagree, And That's OK
...Yes, the race is tightening (GO VOTE FOR HILLARY!!!!!); yes, Hillary is still in a strong position (don't get complacent!); but yes, Donnie could still narrowly win (GO VOTE FOR HILLARY!!!!!).
    
Senate Update: Rubio Is Keeping The Republicans' Hopes Alive In The Senate
...He's consistently polled better than Patrick Murphy, so he's far more likely to win. Phuque!!
    
Don't Read Too Much Into Early Voting
...Some folks are getting out and voting early to avoid Republican voter intimidation and suppression. When I brought my dad to vote and voted early myself, I can definitely say that the thought crossed my mind, even though we're both white and look pretty middle class.
    
White And Nonwhite LGBT People Agree: They Like Clinton And Don't Like Trump
   
One North Carolina County Shows The Cracks In The GOP's Defenses
...I only hope it's enough to give the state to Clinton on November 8.
   
Senate Update: GOP Candidates Are Doing Better Than Trump — And May Still Lose
   
A word from POLITICO
   
Trump's For-Profit Campaign
...By skipping the campaign trail to hawk his properties, Donnie shows that he's already resigned to losing the election and is retrenching to his old "successes" and next steps.
   
How Trump Is Dividing Jerry Falwell's University
...Don't look to Liberty University to be a hotbed of free speech--for the students or the teachers.
   
'We Are in for a Pretty Long Civil War'
...Donald Trump has done serious damage to the Republican party, and there are several possible outcomes.
    
A word from Vox
   
The unsatisfying truth about the Clinton-FBI news: we don't know anything yet
...Yeah, I don't think Director Comey is pulling punches, so I just don't see any there there.
    
This "fun" interactive lets you explore what's new in voter suppression since 2012
...This is the first election in 50 years without the full protection of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Blacks especially will feel the effects, but Republicans are also going after Latinos, women, seniors, and other minorities. And now they can do so with relative impunity. This is why we all MUST VOTE! It's the only chance we have!!!!!
   
A newly surfaced video shows Donald Trump grabbing and kissing a former Miss Universe onstage
...This is an important article: it highlights not only Donald Trump's false sense of entitlement to women's bodies but also his vindictiveness in vowing to humiliate people whenever he doesn't get his way. Hillary will surely never put herself in a position of lax information security ever again--she listens and learns
--but Donald Trump can't just wake up some fine morning and decide not to be who he is. And who he is is a bully and a serial abuser. Friends, Donald Trump's behavior is not small potatoes. It is who he is, and who he is is dangerous. To ALL OF US.
  
Donald Trump mistook a black supporter for a protester and called him a "thug"
...Because of course he did! He's so unused to seeing unfamiliar, unpaid people of color at his events that what else was he to assume?

Watch Mark Kirk use race — yes, race — to question Tammy Duckworth's patriotism
...The filthy son of a bitch!! How dare he question Tammy's patriotism--she is a war hero! Mark Kirk, on the other hand, lied about his service record.
   
Obamacare is a godsend for me. Premium hikes are bad — but not having insurance is worse.
...I've heard wildly mixed reviews of Obamacare from liberal friends. So far, more like it than not. And I'm talking about real people here--actual users. Still, though, it's a small sample set. But riddle me this, Batman--do you really think Donald Trump would fix it? I think Hillary would.
   
How John Podesta's email got hacked, and how to not let it happen to you
...What a shitstorm he--and we--could have avoided. I need to go duct-tape my haid.
   
The ABA wouldn't run a piece calling Trump a "libel bully." Here it is.
..."An American Bar Association journal commissioned an article on Donald Trump's frivolous lawsuits--then worried they'd be a target." What a bunch of cowards! I mean, cheez--you'd think they'd have...oh, I dunno...a lawyer or something hanging around who might...oh, I dunno...be able to defend them in court or something...!
   
The reality of Trump's alt-right trolls: they'll put your 7-year-old's face on a gas chamber
...Holy shit--this is what the alt-right crowd is doing to a fellow Republican! Imagine what they'd do to YOU!
   
25 years after Anita Hill, Clarence Thomas has another accuser
...This was a woman of white privilege he groped. And, no, these women are not coming out against Thomas or Trump for the money--no one is recruiting them, and no one is paying them a dime.
   
Michelle Obama on Trump's "rigged election" talk: "they are trying to take away your hope"
...I have a Randi Rhodes vid below that features this clip of FLOTUS's speech. I love Michelle Obama--I hope she runs for president some day!
   
The verdict for those armed militants who took over a federal building is white privilege in action
...I shit you not, friends--the verdict came back "not guilty." How in FSM's everlovin' name is that even possible when they LIVE STREAMED themselves TAKING OVER the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge?!?? The poor federal Bureau of Land Management employees who went in to clean up the mess afterward said that Y'all Qaeda had literally shit all over the place--the clean-up was massive. And guess who gets to pay for all the damage these jackasses did--that's right! YOU do! And I do! Donald Trump won't though--he's too smart greedy to pay his fair share of the bill. Can you imagine what the verdict would have been if a bunch of armed Black Panthers had taken over Malheur? That's assuming they'd been allowed to live long enough to go to trial. smh, smh!!!
    
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Mailbag

CREDO action
Tell the Department of Justice: Stop the AT&T-Time Warner merger
Petition to the Department of Justice Antitrust Division:
"Stop the merger of AT&T and Time Warner, which would hurt consumers, decrease competition, and drastically increase market concentration."
Add your name:
Sign the petition ►
     
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Join League of Conservation Voters and Daily Kos to stop the megamerger and save our bees: Tell the Department of Justice to reject the $66 billion Bayer-Monsanto deal »

GOAL: 100,000 Signatures

Petition to Department of Justice:

“This megacorporation could not only devastate dwindling populations of pollinators like bees and butterflies, but would also reduce competition and innovation in global markets.”



The bees need our help!

Last month, agricultural giant Monsanto accepted a $66 billion offer from chemical titan Bayer AG to merge into one enormous, unrestrictedly powerful, megacorporation.

That’s right — Bayer, the infamous producer of neonicotinoids, a chemical linked to mass bee deaths, is joining forces with Monsanto, the seller of glyphosate-packed herbicides linked to mass butterfly deaths and other negative environmental impacts.

If this merger goes through, our pollinators don’t stand a chance. Fortunately, before any deal is final, the Department of Justice’s Anti-Trust Division needs to approve it.

We’re collecting 100,000 signatures from environmental advocates like you to urge the Department of Justice to reject this dangerous deal. Will you join us?

Sign the petition from League of Conservation Voters and Daily Kos: Don’t let Bayer and Monsanto threaten our honeybees »

Earlier this year, the EPA began its assessments of four dangerous neonicotinoids, so far finding that at least one of them poses risks to honeybees. Hundreds of thousands of people across the country have spoken out on behalf of our honeybees, but Bayer has yet to slow production of neonics and other harmful pesticides.

Both Bayer and Monsanto have argued this merger would benefit consumers and farmers...but we know better. We know this merger would only further threaten populations of critically important pollinators like honeybees and monarch butterflies.

Lawmakers in both the U.S. Senate and Germany, as well as concerned citizens, are standing up in opposition to this merger. They understand the devastating consequences a Bayer-Monsanto megacorporation could have on honeybees, our food, and our economy. If enough of us speak out right now, we can stop this dangerous megamerger and save our bees!

Tell the Department of Justice: We don’t want a deadly Bayer-Monsanto mega-monopoly. Sign the petition today!

The Bayer-Monsanto megamerger presents a new kind of threat to honeybees, butterflies, crops, farm workers, consumers, and our nation. Put simply, this deal is bad for everyone.

Thanks for speaking out and defending the safety of our pollinators.

Yazmin Khan
Digital Campaigns Manager
League of Conservation Voters

      
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There's a new petition taking off on Change.org, and we think you might be interested in signing it.
Petitioning Morton County Sheriff's Office , Allen Koppy

Remove Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier, of the Morton County Sheriff's Office

Petition by Felina Laverdure
Belcourt, North Dakota
26,082
Supporters
I am one of a group of Native American activists and allies who have been protesting an oil pipeline that is set to cross the Missouri River a mile away from the Standing Rock reservation, and threatens to poison our water. For months, we have been peacefully working to stop construction on what we see as a threat to the safety of all people, yet we have been met with only violence and mistreatment by law enforcement for doing what we believe is right.
The county sheriff is not doing his job, which is to protect all people in Morton County. Sign my petition asking Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem to conduct an ethics investigation into Sheriff Kyle Kirchmeier and remove him from office.
Under his leadership, Morton County police have failed to protect peaceful North Dakotans from vicious dog attacks, unleashed by a private security company. Sheriff Kirchmeier has displayed bias on Facebook and in media interviews, and has withheld information from North Dakotan residents in order to further the agenda of the Dakota Access LLC.
In addition, activists are being constantly surveilled and questioned, then met with road blocks as they try to reach the camps. The sheriff’s office has regularly accused us of harassing ranchers and farmers in spite of our peaceful actions, and charges brought against nonviolent water protectors have increased. Even Amy Goodman, a renowned journalist who was present at an action, has had a warrant issued for her arrest – a clear violation of freedom of the press. The Morton County Sheriff’s Department response to our peaceful protests has been so severe that the ACLU is investigating whether they have violated the constitution.
Please join me in asking for the immediate removal of Sheriff Kirchmeier.
As citizens of this country we have the right to participate in peaceful protest without being met by a militarized and biased police force more interested in protecting corporate interests than the people of North Dakota.
     
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From Daily Kos--Help GOTV in swing states so we can stop leaking oil products into our water

This week over 55,000 gallons of gas leaked into the Susquehanna River, and police attacks against the water protectors fighting the Dakota Access pipeline are violently escalating.

It's painfully clear that we need bold progressive leaders to fight against climate change and huge corporations willing to poison entire communities' drinking water supplies for profit.

Nearly 15,000 Daily Kos members have volunteered to get out the vote to keep Donald Trump away from the White House. But stopping Trump isn't enough. We also need champions in Congress -- leaders in the House and the Senate who will stand up to Big Oil and corporate polluters everywhere.

Daily Kos is partnering with NextGen Climate to reach out to voters in crucial swing states to elect climate champions this year. Will you join us? Click here to sign up for your volunteer shift.

Voters in swing states will be key in determining not only the presidency, but also tight Senate and House races as well. With a liberal Congress, we can finally start to pass real, sustainable climate legislation. But to get there, we have to make sure they get out to the polls.

You could make a huge difference in this election from your very own home. Help us call and text swing state voters. Even if you've never done this before, NextGen Climate has training and support to make it as easy as possible to pitch in.

Click here to sign up for a volunteer shift with Daily Kos and NextGen Climate. Once you're signed up, you'll get more information about how to plug in and about who you're calling.

Want to help but can't volunteer? Chip in $3 to help Daily Kos Get Out the Vote.

Keep fighting,
Irna Landrum, Daily Kos
     
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From SumOfUs: Procter & Gamble uses slave labor!!

What’s the link between household brands Head & Shoulders, Covergirl, and Gillette?

Modern slavery.

The brands’ parent company, Procter & Gamble (P&G), purchases conflict palm oil from the world’s largest palm oil plantation operator, Malaysian company Felda Global Ventures (Felda). Felda deals in the human trafficking of its plantation workers, confiscating close to 30,000 passports, and still works with labor contractors and recruiters who charge enormous fees to trafficked foreign workers.

Plantation workers are trapped in modern day slavery, all to produce palm oil that ends up in P&G products. The multinational consumer goods company is well aware of the problem, and yet still buys conflict palm oil from its joint venture partner Felda.

P&G is getting ready to publish its 2016 sustainability progress report, and the company knows that customers and investors are watching. Now’s the perfect moment to force P&G to pressure its supplier and business partner to do the right thing and stop this human catastrophe. Felda can’t afford to lose a partner like P&G.

Tell Procter & Gamble: cut conflict palm oil from your company’s supply chain and ensure that modern day slavery does not continue in Felda Global Ventures’ operations.

Procter & Gamble can’t pretend to ignore the plantation workers’ ordeal. A 2015 Wall Street Journal article documented the human rights violations happening in Felda palm oil plantations. Because they’re complicit, companies like Procter & Gamble are responsible for the plight of modern slaves either working on palm oil plantations or dying on their way there. Last year, Thai and Malaysian police found nearly 150 bodies of people thought to have died in human traffickers’ camps at the border.

Mohammad Rubel, who was smuggled into Malaysia by traffickers and was later held captive in a jungle camp, says he worked on a palm plantation for six months without receiving a salary. Muhi, another worker, says that “there is no escape,” and that Felda contractors “bring policemen and threaten to send us to jail.” In Malaysia illegally and without passports, these workers are trapped for the sake of cheap palm oil.

Over the past two years, we pushed companies like McDonald's and Starbucks coffee to adopt zero deforestation palm oil policies. We've also focused our efforts on the improvement of human and workers’ rights in the palm oil sector with campaigns targeting PepsiCo and Unilever. It’s time for Procter & Gamble to stand by its principles and save close to 30,000 palm oil workers from modern slavery.

Tell Procter & Gamble: cut conflict palm oil from your company’s supply chain and ensure that modern day slavery does not continue in Felda Global Ventures’ operations.

Thanks for all that you do,
Hanna, Fatah, and the team at SumOfUs





More information:

Palm-Oil Migrant Workers Tell of Abuses on Malaysian Plantations, The Wall Street Journal. 26 July 2015
Malaysian Palm Oil Giant Felda Global Ventures (FGV) Remains Embroiled in Modern Day Slavery Controversy, Rainforest Action Network. 17 March 2016.
Customer letter to FELDA, 23 September 2016
     
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There's a new petition taking off on Change.org, and we think you might be interested in signing it.

Petitioning Steve Daines, Jon Tester, Lindsey Grovom, Dennis Lenz, Austin Knudsen, Montana Judicial Standards Commission, Steve Bullock

Impeach Judge John McKeon

Petition by Justice 4 Montana
Montana
161,363
Supporters
A father raped his daughter multiple times and will only serve 60 days of jail time. Judge John C. McKeon sentenced 40 year-old Martin Blake to only 60 days of incarceration and probation for the admitted, multiple rapes of his 12 year-old. Judge McKeon even gave Blake credit for the 17 days served while awaiting trial, meaning he will only serve 43 days for the brutal sexual assault.
This is not what the prosecution wanted. They had made a deal with the father that would give him a 100 year sentence with 75 years suspended for the repeated rapes. That would have put the father in jail for 25 years. Judge McKeon ignored what the prosecution recommended, and did what he thought was best for the rapist instead of the victim.
60 days in prison with a suspended 30 year sentence does not match the crime and fails to acknowledge the horrors the victim had to endure. Judge McKeon did not uphold the responsibility of ensuring justice as he is required to in his elected position. The judge provided a number of reasons for his horrible decision. None of them justify the sentence that was handed down.
He is just one of many judges who have been caught handing down light sentences to rapists. This must stop and we can only do that by sending a message. It is time to start punishing the judges who let these monsters walk our streets. Please sign this petition calling for the impeachment of Judge John C. McKeon.
Judge McKeon seemed to only listen to those who stood by a man who sexually assaulted his own daughter multiple times. From the victim’s mother to his church, they came out in support of Martin Blake. The victim only had the justice system on her side, and it failed her. Judge McKeon failed her. She deserves justice and together we can help be her voice.
The Judicial Standards Commission must review this case to right this wrong, but in the meantime, we can ensure Judge McKeon doesn’t get to retire and collect a paycheck from taxpayers after failing to fulfill his duty as a judge. Please sign and show your support for the impeachment of Judge John C. McKeon.
 
      
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Just Foreign Policy
       




Urge your reps. to repudiate Mike Morell's advocacy of war with Iran.

Take Action

On Tuesday, former acting CIA director and Hillary Clinton adviser Michael Morell advocated going to war with Iran for the sake of securing Saudi Arabia’s domination of Yemen.

Urge your reps. to repudiate Morell's remarks & oppose his nomination to any position in the next Administration by signing our petition at MoveOn.

The last thing the Saudi war in Yemen needs is U.S. military escalation. The Saudi war in Yemen needs a lasting ceasefire and a political and diplomatic resolution. That is much more likely if the U.S. threatens to withdraw from the war than if the U.S. threatens to escalate the war.

MoveOn and CREDO blasted Morell's remarks. MoveOn said: "Michael Morell’s comments at CAP yesterday are alarming. That sort of bellicose rhetoric leads to unnecessary wars." CREDO said: "Morell’s suggestion that the U.S. Navy should start a war with Iran is wildly irresponsible and detrimental to our national security. Publicly advocating such a reckless position should disqualify Morell from playing a role in any future administration.”

Urge your Representative & Senators to repudiate Morell's remarks & oppose his nomination to any position in the next Administration by signing and sharing our petition.

Thanks for all you do to help make U.S. foreign policy more just,

Robert Naiman, Avram Reisman, and Sarah Burns
Just Foreign Policy

Help support our work!
If you think our work is important, support us with a $15 donation.
http://www.justforeignpolicy.org/donate

References:
1. http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/10/clinton-adviser-lets-attack-iran-to-aid-saudis-in-yemen.html
2. https://twitter.com/MoveOn/status/791423412501569540
3. https://twitter.com/CREDOMobile/status/791681734685315072


Please support our work. Donate for a Just Foreign Policy
      
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From Daily Kos--Can you drive voters to the DMV to get their voter IDs?

Conservatives are losing. But rather than accept reality, they're instead questioning the integrity of our electoral system and falsely claiming the election is rigged.

But with early voting underway in several states, the real-world effects of actual voter suppression have begun to bubble up.

In many states, voter ID laws are disenfranchising seniors, veterans, people of color, young adults, people with disabilities and individuals with low incomes. And while citizens without voter IDs can get one free of charge, it can be difficult for people to get them without access to transportation.

Are you available to drive potential voters to the DMV to help them acquire a voter ID? Sign up to help make sure all eligible voters have the ID they need to cast a ballot!

Can't volunteer but still want to help? Chip in $3 to the Daily Kos Get Out The Vote Fund.


That's why Daily Kos is teaming up with VoteRiders, a nonprofit dedicated to matching local volunteers with eligible voters that need a ride to pick up their voter ID. VoteRiders has a Voter ID Hotline Coordinator in each state. Once you sign up, if they have a voter near you who needs a ride to get their ID to vote, they will contact you to work out the logistics.

We have less than two weeks to make sure eligible voters aren't kept out of the electoral process due to voter suppression schemes like voter ID laws. Can you help?

Will you volunteer to drive potential voters to the DMV to help them acquire a voter ID? Sign up to help make sure all eligible voters have the ID they need to cast a ballot!

Can't volunteer but still want to help? Chip in $3 to the Daily Kos Get Out The Vote Fund.


Keep fighting,
Monique Teal, Daily Kos

P.S. Please check with your family, neighbors, and loved ones to see if they need a ride to renew or obtain their ID.
     
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WOMEN'S HEALTH
Policy Report
Weekly Top 10

Datapoints: States that allocate welfare funds to CPCs, curb public funding for abortion providers

In today's graphics, we spotlight the states that direct welfare funding to harmful crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs). We also take a look at the states that have used fungibility-based arguments to restrict the allocation of public funding to abortion providers. More »

DP.10-27.ThinkProgress.jpg

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Lawmakers urge HHS to bolster contraceptive training, education

Citing a high rate of unintended pregnancy, a group of liberal lawmakers in Congress on Monday sent a letter urging the Obama administration to bolster provider training and education on contraception, Rewire reports. More »

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Profile traces abortion-rights movement over course of OB-GYN's 46-year career

In a piece for New York Magazine's "The Cut," Caitlin Moscatello traces the history of abortion rights in the United States over the course of the career of Ronald Yeomans, a 75-year-old OB-GYN who provides abortion care in Kansas. More »

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ACLU files federal complaint against Catholic health system that denied woman tubal ligation

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Tuesday filed a federal complaint against a Catholic health system over its refusal to provide a woman with a medically advised tubal ligation, Reuters reports. More »

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UN: Access to family planning services varies globally

Women ages 11 to 49 in countries across the world have varying access to family planning services, according to a report from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Irish Examiner reports. More »

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Blogs comment on blocked Miss. law targeting Planned Parenthood; updated CDC guidance on HPV vaccination and more

Read some of the best commentary from bloggers at Slate's "XX Factor," Huffington Post blog and more. More »

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Va. Board of Health votes to lift some clinic restrictions

The Virginia Board of Health on Monday voted to lift requirements mandating that abortion clinics in the state meet onerous building standards, ruling that the requirements imposed an undue burden on abortion providers, Reuters reports. More »

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Federal judge blocks Miss. law that cut abortion providers from state Medicaid program

A federal judge last week permanently blocked a Mississippi law (SB 2238) that barred the state from allocating Medicaid funding to abortion providers, Reuters reports. More »

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Following outcry, S.C. officials drop some changes to regulations targeting abortion providers

South Carolina officials last week said they would drop certain contested changes to draft regulations targeting abortion clinics in the state, the Post and Courier reports. More »

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Abortion-rights supporters submit petition against Texas mandatory funeral rules

Abortion-rights supporters on Wednesday submitted a petition against proposed rules that would require the cremation or burial of fetal remains in Texas, the Dallas Morning News reports. More »

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Blogs comment on the intersection of economic, reproductive justice; celebrating Planned Parenthood's centennial and more

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From UltraViolet--TRUMP CAMPAIGN ADMITS TO VOTER SUPPRESSION! So flip Trump the middle finger and VOTE BLUE all the way down!

Today, a top level Trump staffer actually admitted that the Trump campaign is running voter suppression operations around the country, one of which is expressly trying to prevent young women from voting.1
 
This is serious--the only way Trump can win is if pro-women voters are prevented from casting their ballots. Can you take two minutes to make a plan to vote?

Here are your options:


Thanks for making a plan!

--Nita, Shaunna, Kat, Karin, Adam, Holly, Kathy, Onyi, Susan, Anathea, Audine, Ryan, Shannon, Megan, Libby, Emma, PaKou, and Pilar, the UltraViolet Action team


Sources:

1. Inside the Trump Bunker, With 12 Days to Go, Bloomberg Businessweek, October 27, 2016
     
------------------------------------------------
            
Dear friend,
Voters across the country need your help! 
A variety of factors unique to this election cycle contribute to a voting environment where voters have reason to believe they will be met with intimidation at the polls, accompanied by a very real fear of violence due to the color of their skin or their age. 
Join us in calling upon the Department of Justice to protect the right to vote. 
Click below to sign this petition to the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Voting Section:

We urge you to investigate possible violations of federal voting rights laws and intervene where necessary to protect voter rights. A major party candidate is calling for voter intimidation at the polls based on race and age. The threat of voters being met with possible violence from white supremacists and law enforcement at the polls could lead to substantial voter suppression on Election Day. Due to the far-reaching nature of the call for voter intimidation of people of color and young voters, it is necessary for the federal government to take action in order to protect voters.  

Click here to add your name now.

After signing the petition, please use the tools on the next webpage to file an election complaint report with the U.S. Department of Justice, and to share the petition and resources with your friends.


Additionally, check out Standing Against Voter Intimidation - An Organizing Guide created to help voters respond to intimidation and suppression at the polls this year. 
Will you help us protect voters and organize for Election Day by chipping in $10 now? Any contribution, no matter the size, will continue to power up this project.

No More Stolen Elections! is 100% funded by people like you, and without your support we could not continue the campaign at this crucial time in history. Thank you!
     
********************************************
This is why we need STEM in our schools...
we'd have fewer Republicans
if kids learned math
and how to think
 
******************************************** 

Democracy Now!

Stories


We go to Standing Rock, North Dakota, for an update on how hundreds of police with military equipment raided a resistance camp Thursday that was established by ... Read More →

Just minutes before the the police raid on the camp in North Dakota, here in New York City Native American youth flooded the campaign headquarters of ... Read More →

Telecommunications giant AT&T has agreed to purchase Time Warner for $85 billion. If approved by federal antitrust regulators, the megamerger would give ... Read More →

"I knew North Dakota state was planning something," says Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Chair Dave Archambault II of the raid on a resistance camp ... Read More →

New details are emerging about how AT&T has been spying on Americans for profit with a secret plan called Project Hemisphere. The Daily Beast reports AT&T is ... Read More →

Clashes broke out in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas Thursday as the country's increasingly militant opposition stepped up efforts to oust President Nicolás ... Read More →

Headlines →

            

Stories


As the United States accuses Russia of bombing civilians in Syria, we speak with Bassam Haddad, director of the Middle East and Islamic Studies program at George Mason ... Read More →

Mother Jones senior reporter Shane Bauer joins us to describe how he went undercover to report on America's right-wing militia movement and what he found. Using ... Read More →

Headlines →

     
********************************************
 
Yes, and their vision, unfortunately, is
Grab Our Pussies
******************************************** 

Daily Kos

  • 'Patriotic' Trumpster leaves abhorrent note on woman's windshield
  • Melania Trump says if she becomes First Lady, she'll teach kids the right way to use social media
  • Early data calls into question the 'hidden Trump voter'
  • Sign up with the PCCC and Daily Kos to help key progressive Democrats running for Congress by making phone calls to voters in their districts.
  • Can't make calls? Chip in $3 to the Daily Kos Get Out The Vote Fund to help us sign up more volunteers to get Democrats to the polls.
  • As 'rigged' election talk takes hold, the mood spirals downwards
  • North Carolina Republicans try to stop 100-year-old Grace Bell Hardison from voting
  • Watching Trump surrogate try to defend old white lady holding 'Blacks for Trump' sign is fantastic
  • Turn out the lights, Trump gave just $31,000 to his campaign in October—No cash, all in-kind
  • Former Miss Finland says Donald Trump grabbed her outside the David Letterman Show
  • Oregon standoff defendants found not guilty on all charges
  • Want to help turn out voters but you don’t want to make phone calls? Click here to volunteer for the MoveOn textbanking team, and help turnout swing state voters by sending texts.
  • Donald Trump's fundraising problems get worse
  • Yes, the election has been 'rigged' ... but the rigging was done by the GOP
  • America's first carbon tax and measures to raise taxes on the rich are on the ballot this fall
  •       
  • I suppose Miss Finland is another lying liar. What must people in Finland think of us?
  • This is AWESOME—the editorial board at the Yale Record did NOT endorse Hillary Clinton
  • Watching Trump surrogate try to defend old white lady holding 'Blacks for Trump' sign is fantastic
  • Republicans are pumping millions into districts they thought were safe to rescue their House majority from the Trumpocalypse. Chip in $1 to Democrats running in must-win districts to take back the House.
  • Donald Trump knows he's losing, but he thinks his voters are too stupid to catch on
  • Texas high school stadium costs $70 million in district that can't afford elementary schools
  • Republican women discover—a day late and a dollar short—that 'war on women' is really a thing
  • Nevada's tea party secretary of state rejects Indian tribes' request for reservation polling sites
  • Sign the petition to United Nations delegates: Protect climate policy from big polluters and address conflicts of interest in international climate talks
  • Super-Suppressors: 18 GOP-controlled boards of elections in North Carolina have killed early voting
  • Cartoon: How Lucky Ducky gets all the tax breaks
  • Who watches the poll watchers? Militia and dirty tricksters seek to intimidate voters.
  • The best anti-voter suppression tool is to VOTE EARLY
  • Want background checks for gun buyers? For progressives, the best bet is at the ballot box
  •          
  • Black Lives Matter activists endorse Hillary Clinton for president
  • Millennials decide late, but decide right
  • Election Day is fast approaching, and we need all hands on deck. With the PCCC and Daily Kos, you can call key voters in districts where progressive Democrats are in tight races.
  • Donald Trump cheats on local and state taxes, turning Trump facilities into drains on communities
  • Two days into early voting, a purple Texas suddenly appears plausible
  • Trump's bogus claims of a 'rigged' election might just backfire—and cost downballot Republicans big
  • Sign the petition to United Nations delegates: Protect climate policy from big polluters and address conflicts of interest in international climate talks
  • Trump campaign: 'We have three major voter suppression operations under way.'
  • Former Republican rep and deadbeat dad Joe Walsh: 'if Trump loses, I'm grabbing my musket'
  • Howard Stern to Republicans—you knew he was like this, it wasn't a secret
  • Republican panic in Nevada: 'We're all going down'
  • Campaigning for the coveted Trump hotel-goer vote
  • DNC files legal action against RNC for election violations—Republicans are Trump-f*cked again
  • Recreational marijuana could be legal in a quarter of the country following this year's elections
  •      
    ********************************************
     
     
    ******************************************** 

    AlterNet
    By Janet Allon, AlterNet
    The verdict may embolden other right-wing, anti-government militias, experts say. Just in time for election day. READ MORE»


    By Elizabeth Preza, AlterNet
    The jury's decision left many scratching their heads. READ MORE»


    By Chauncey DeVega, Salon
    Yes, we can welcome Trump followers back into the mainstream politics and civilized society. But should we? READ MORE»


    By Janet Allon, AlterNet
    News of a "death spiral" has been greatly exaggerated.  READ MORE»


    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    The Shark Tank star said she believes Trump's accusers and shared a haunting story of her own.  READ MORE»


    By Diane Cole, AlterNet
    Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre's creator, knew a thing or two about being "nasty" in a viciously sexist word. READ MORE»


    By Elizabeth Preza, AlterNet
    Adam Crasper, who was adopted by an American couple when he was three years old.  READ MORE»


    By Tom Tomorrow, AlterNet
    Big league hair. READ MORE»


    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    "We're definitely on the same page in regards to knowing [what] needs to be fixed." READ MORE»


    By Mark Sumner, Daily Kos
    This is great example of the kind of follow through Trump makes on his promises. READ MORE»
               
    By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
    Evidence points toward some violent outburst surrounding the presidential election results. READ MORE»


    By Heather Digby Parton, Salon
    Maybe there's no hidden Trump vote—and a lot of women who support Clinton aren't tellling their husbands. READ MORE»


    By Vijay Prashad, AlterNet
    Paying the price for a high-octane media push for war.  READ MORE»


    By Brian Tashman, Right Wing Watch
    The racism never left—it was just in hiding until Trump came along.  READ MORE»


    By Sarah Lazare, AlterNet
    Police departments around the country are sending reinforcements to North Dakota to support mining companies. READ MORE»


    By Jill Richardson, OtherWords
    A checklist of 30 tactics used by emotionally abusive partners reads like Trump's debate prep to-do list. READ MORE»


    By Ronnie Cummins, AlterNet
    Monsanto has earned the dubious distinction of being the most hated corporation on Earth. READ MORE»


    By Judith Lewis Mernit, Capital and Main
    Sixty percent of polled Californians say they support a plastic bag ban. READ MORE»


    By Kylie Cheung, The Frisky
    This election is terrifying, which makes it perfect for Halloween inspiration.  READ MORE»


    By Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!
    Mother Jones senior reporter Shane Bauer joins us to describe how he went undercover to report on America’s right-wing militia movement and what he found.  READ MORE»


    By Michael Arria, AlterNet
    The former employee is suing the company. READ MORE»


    By Lindsay Wu, The Conversation
    Read before you reach for that glass of Malbec.  READ MORE»


    By Jon Pressick, Kinkly
    Pain is the major reason people don't do more butt stuff. Fortunately, it's often avoidable. READ MORE»
          
    By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
    When he says he'll run the country the way he runs his business, that's not good. READ MORE»


    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    Weighing in on the Gingrich-Kelly feud, the "Late Show" host pointed out that "Assault is a matter of public policy." READ MORE»


    By Elizabeth Preza, AlterNet
    When someone tells you who they are, believe them. READ MORE»


    By Marcy Kreiter, International Business Times
    Trump's first wife says he is so thin skinned, he once stomped off because she was a better skier than he is.  READ MORE»


    By Erin Corbett, Raw Story
    Beware of anyone calling themselves "vote protectors." READ MORE»


    By Michael Arria, AlterNet
    Joe Walsh has threatened to "grab his musket" if Trump loses. READ MORE»


    By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
    Bill Weld: "This is not the time to cast a jocular or feel-good vote for a man whom you may have briefly found entertaining."  READ MORE»


    By Sarah Lazare, AlterNet
    Human rights organizations say ‘family detention centers’ violate international conventions.  READ MORE»


    By Jeff Fox, State of the Net
    The Newark Star-Ledger called him an unskilled, unscrupulous liar. READ MORE»
         
    By Don Hazen, Elizabeth Hines, Steven Rosenfeld, Stan Salett, AlterNet
    A report/e-book on the corporate takeover of K-12 schools READ MORE»


    By Adele M. Stan, The American Prospect
    Gingrich's attacks on Megyn Kelly are the latest clear indicator of the fuel Trump's campaign runs on. READ MORE»


    By Tana Ganeva, AlterNet
    It can happen to anyone.  READ MORE»


    By Sophia Tesfaye, Salon
    He's somehow found enough cash to finally outspend Hillary Clinton on television ads, however. READ MORE»


    By Kali Holloway, AlterNet
    This isn't the first time people have taken their anti-Trump sentiments out on his star.  READ MORE»


    By Sarah Lazare, AlterNet
    The Obama administration's directive for the Feds to coordinate local bullying prevention efforts is raising serious civil rights concerns. READ MORE»


    By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
    Celebrities' videos urge public to watch new documentary. READ MORE»


    By Eric Boehlert, Media Matters
    Trump does't ‘stretch the truth,’ he flat out lies, and the media gives him a pass.  READ MORE»


    By Michael Arria, AlterNet
    New report shows how far we have to go as a society. READ MORE»


    By Eric Markowitz, Capital and Main
    They argue capital punishment provides closure to victims’ families.  READ MORE»


    By Brad Reed, Raw Story
    Molly Forbes hasn’t had a proper water supply for the past six years. READ MORE»


    By Anna Lynn, Kinkly
    This unique contraceptive deserves a cheer for providing yet another option for women. READ MORE»


    By Alexandra Fanning, AlterNet
    An art show explores society's complex reactions to animals—dead or alive.  READ MORE»
         
    ********************************************
     
    Oh, but Republicans are declaring
    War on New Year's!
    They don't want to pay us for the day off!
    THAT'S why they insist we all say
    "Merry Christmas"!
    ******************************************** 

    Movies!

    29 October update:
    As you know if you follow this blawg, I support Hillary Clinton for the presidency.

    Why?

    Because she has a great deal of merit on her own for one reason, and because Donald Trump is such an unmitigated disaster for another. Another reason is that Republicans have already sworn to stonewall Hillary--including any SCOTUS nomination she may make. Their dedication to NOT doing their jobs is why WE MUST VOTE BLUE DOWN THE LINE. The Republicans have become unabashed anarchists, and, if we don't show them the door now, they will only become bolder and bolder. Just like the trailer trash that took over the Malheur wildlife refuge.

    Even though I've grown to admire Hillary Clinton greatly over the past few months of digging through all the "scandals" only to find that there's no there there and that Dot Calm's admiration of her was well founded, I still strive to provide my readership with the most honest, objective, unbiased information I can get--even if it's unflattering to Hillary.

    Unfortunately, I'm not an investigative journalist (do we even allow those in this country any more?); I have a day job; and I don't have fact checkers. I mention this because I'm sure I must be misstating things from time to time, despite my best efforts. And the battle we're in right now is so important that it's hard enough for me to keep up with what's happening moment to moment--it's virtually impossible for me to go back and correct previous posts. I spend hours and hours on this blog--usually at least 3 hours daily--just because I love you, my readers, and because I love my country. I don't get a penny. All I get is the knowledge that, at the end of the day, I will given everything I could for the welfare of my country, and I will have left it all on the field...right down to the donations I make, for which I have to postpone or sacrifice from among daily necessities.

    In short, yes, I desperately want Hillary and the rest of the down-ballot Democrats to win by a landslide this November, but I also want us to know what we are getting so that we can back Bernie effectively come January.

    Damn, son--I might just have to brave the freezing cold and drag my happy self to the inauguration just to stand witness once Hillary finally makes it in after all this Republican bullshit.

    And now...here's a very important Randi Rhodes video that goes into the James Comey letter far better than I did yesterday, and it gives information on the Russian hacks and on Donald Trump's connection to them and WikiLeaks--there is video proof of the connection that I'm hunting down to post next time. Oh, and I agree with everything Randi says. Hillary and Obama need to get out in front and say what they know, even if it's nothing.

    ICYMI time...

    This Randi Rhodes video is super-important, so if you missed it last time, please be sure to watch it this time

    Same for this Keith Olbermann video

    And for this one--that Trump mon is some seriously bad juju

    Now for some new stuff...

    Holy crap--have you heard about Donald Trump's remarks on the death of Jett Travolta? This is a real shocker--and I thought I was finished being shocked by Donald Trump!

    Rachel Maddow: Trump doesn't rent to "the N word"--not just Fred but Donald, too. Friends, the evidence is damning, and this is a Very Big Deal.

    I recently read and posted a link to an article about how Donald Trump extracted wealth from Atlantic City. Here's a video on the failure of Donald Trump's casinos in case you missed the article. It's bad, bad news. Signature Donald Trump business failures for signature Donald Trump reasons--AND THIS IS HOW HE WANTS TO RUN THE COUNTRY!!!!! Ruin it, more like.

    Randi Rhodes--Michelle Obama on just how necessary it is to vote. Did you know that Obama only won NC by TWO VOTES PER PRECINCT? THAT'S how important your vote is!!!!!

    Like other Republicans, Newt Gingrich doesn't understand the difference between sex and sexual assault. According to Wochit, which provides a brief commentary on the original video, Stephen Colbert apparently had to give Newtie a little heart-to-heart talk about consent. When The Late Show with Stephen Colbert uploads the video, I'll post it (if I remember!).

    Here's an actual Stephen Colbert video to make up for that last place-holder...

    Seth Meyers is so awesome! Friends, don't miss this video--it's real news but presented with a delicious spritz of funneh!

    I sooooo wanna see this fucker squeezed into pink underwear, broiling in the searing Arizona summer heat in one of his own fucking tents, and sucking down baloney or PB&J sammiches for his sole sustenance because he refuses to follow the law or take responsibility for his own actions.

    Hum. Some of the pyrite-leaf veneer has fallen off Ivanka Trump...

    TrumpTV--it's unwatchably bad, but Cenk watched it so you don't have to!

    Cray-cray for Trae-Trae. Friends, please listen to Trae and don't vote with your middle fingers unless it's against Trump.

    'Til next time, check out these great channels:
    ...or, if you just want something mindless and fun, try Tested
      
    ********************************************



    As promised at the top, Seth Andrews's
    Ghost Stories 2016...
    BOO!