Tuesday, April 04, 2017

Keep fighting Republican cruelty--it's working!!! Even if they are trying to nail our democracy into a coffin in their rabid march toward anarchy...RIP, Senate!

SHUT IT DOWN NOW!!!!!
INTERIM GOVERNMENT NOW!!!!!

Shut the government down COMPLETELY until we can figure out what the hell is going on!



SPECIAL ELECTION NOW!!!!!

TRUMP'S ACTIONS ARE UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!

REPUBLICANS' RULE-BREAKING IS UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!

DEMOCRATS' CAVING IS UNACCEPTABLE!!!!!

SHUT IT ALL DOWN NOW!!!!!

THIS IS NOT NORMAL
NEVER LET IT BECOME NORMAL
EVER!


DON'T GIVE UP
DON'T GIVE IN
STAY ANGRY

trump voters stayed angry for eight years,
which is why we are having this conversation.

STAY WOKE!!!!!
     
Image may contain: text
NOW!!!!!

7 April 2017 update:

Walp, they've done it: Mitch "TURDleman" McConnell and Senate Republicans--including uber-hypocrite John McCain--installed their human-hating boi Gorsuch into the Supreme Court, despite every reason on FSM's green earth that it's WRONG.

And, if that-snot bad enough, tRump is flail-failing: he launched 50 Tomahawk missiles at Syria without even consulting Congress...who, being Republican, would just as surely voted FOR him to take such military action as they voted AGAINST Obama when he wanted to.

Srsly, friends...think about that for a minute.

What does that tell you?

What does it tell you that tRump told his owner, PEWtin, about the air strikes so that PEWtin and Assad could clear out before the bombs fell, but he never told Congress.

Get it yet?

My take on it is that tRump's flail-fail has more than one terrifying, horrifying component: (1) tRump is most definitely flailing due to blind, fleeing, desperate panic about his low low 34% approval ratings; (2) since he knew that Obama needed to go to Congress to authorize air strikes but chose not to himself, he clearly understands the rule (in this rare case) but decided it doesn't apply to him because thinks he's above the law; and (3) PEWtin told tRump to do it to give his puppet-boi cover...to hijack news cycles away from the tRump-Russia probe and let them pretend to scold each other as if they're "independent" of each other...!

Randi Rhodes is seriously pissed...

Not that tRump-PEWtin's wag-the-dog caused any serious harm to the airstrip tRump targeted--it's apparently already back up and ready to make more bombing strikes against Syria's civilians. A few unimportant human lives were lost, but, fortunately, not a single one of Assad-PEWtin's precious precious chemical weapons was damaged.

Oh, and don't forget, as https://www.eff.org/ told Nicole Sandler, to CALL your cell phone and Internet providers and tell them DON'T sell your information unless they want you to dump them and get a new provider.

Also be sure to address a few e-mails and post cards to President Bannon and President Kushner this weekend
--let's torque tRump's ego as much as possible!

- Dot Calm's shadow

6 April 2017 update:

Well, friends, a lot has happened just since my last update, which was only yesterday...

It seems that Republicans, in their infinite hypocrisy and wild-eyed hatred of us ordinary Americans, have "gone nuclear" in their lust to install corporatist and human-hater Neil Gorsuch into the Supreme Court, despite the facts that (1) they stole the seat from Obama in the first place; (2) tRump is under FBI investigation for treason, actively campaigning for re-election, and in the last year of his "presidency"; and (3) Gorsuch is such a gawd-awful candidate that there was no way in hell he could EARN 60 votes on his own "merits." Not only did they change the Senate rules by refusing to hold hearings for Merrick Garland, but now they've changed the rules again to ram their own asshole candidate down our throats.

So, there is that.

I'm grateful that the Democrats did what they did--thanks to OUR constant pressure, unfortunately, but at least, in the end, they did the right thing. They pledged to vote "no" except for Heitkamp, Manchin, Donnnelly, and Bennett, and Jeff Merkley filibustered like a True American Hero. Please consider going to his website and sending him a thank-you e-mail...and perhaps also consider, as you thank him, asking him to DELAY EVERYTHING Republicans try to do at this point because (1) tRump is an illegitimate president under FBI investigation for TREASON, so they have NO right to conduct business as usual and (2) Senate Dems really have no choice but to shut it all down NOW if they value our democracy over Republican anarchy.

I've posted a petition below you can sign toward that effect: telling Senate Dems to delay absolutely everything every way they can.

What else is new?

Ban'em was alt-promoted out of the National Security Council (NSC)...

Score one for Kushner, and possibly McMaster, it seems.

According to The Hill, Ban'em was enraged and threatened to resign.

The Mercers--the Republican mega-donors who own a large chunk of Breitbart and who crafted the tRump victory and Ban'em's role in it--are frustrated with all the White House in-fighting; Mrs. Mercer (Rebekah) pleaded with Ban'em to stay.

Ban'em is off the NSC...but morons Rick Perry and Nikki Haley are in.

Between the two of them, I don't think their IQs add up to double digits.

Sounds like tRump WANTS to go to war because his approval ratings are in the toilet and thus needs a wartime consigliore...and it wasn't Ban'em.

Don't count on the military to do the right thing--violence is part and parcel of our very culture...it's what makes Americans Americans...and those career military high-up muckety mucks are lusting to do some good killing...as "mad dog" Mattis says, it's FUN.

So, buckle up, friends--we're going to war.

That means that our family members who are economic conscripts will be murdered by orange twAtler or turned into further fodder for the already dysfunctional (because REPUBLICANS refuse to fund it properly) VA.

My favorite true conservative was positively gloating when Hillary lost the election--he was convinced that tRumPEWtin would be less militaristic than Hillary. I told him, "You watch. He's going to cut taxes for the rich while increasing spending, and he's going to start a war so fast your head will be spinning." My bets were on China, Iran, and North Korea...I figured Iran was the most likely because tRump wants to steal someone's oil, and Iran has it. tRump luuuurves Kim Jong-un as a fellow thug-punk, so North Korea didn't seem like the most likely target to me. But, hey, they've got a whole lot less in the way of resources than China or Iran, so maybe orange twAtler thinks North Korea is an easy target to obliterate and get his approval ratings back up to 35%. Or maybe he'll destroy what's left of Syria--despite his steamy hot bromance with PEWtin--so that he can become a "war-time" so-called president.

Yeesh.

A Secret Service agent on penis pence's detail was caught after meeting with a prostitute at a Maryland hotel. At least the Secret Service is non-partisan--I thought it was only O'Bama for whom they weren't taking their job seriously.

HOLY SHIT--US Strategic Command, which controls our  nukes, ENDORSES BREITBART!?!??!?? Be afraid--be VERY afraid!!!!!

Srsly, friends--that little fact is going to get between me and my sleep for the foreseeable future.

And then there's tRump, the pussygrabber-in-thief, endorsing fellow sexual assaulter and harasser Bill O'Reilly, claiming that O'Reilly has done nothing wrong by harassing and assaulting women and doing everything in his power to destroy their careers if they didn't cave in to his sexual perversions.

Why?

Because of course. For as much of a hypocrite as tRump is, he's too fucking entitled to realize that men are not, in fact, entitled to the bodies of whichever women they choose at whatever moment they desire them. Because, like all good Republicans, tRump sees women as objects, not fellow human beings with hopes, dreams, aspirations, strengths, and capabilities.

But ya gotta love FOX News and the Republicans for no longer hiding the fact that trying to force or blackmail women into sex with old, white, fat, bald, MARRIED men is a true Republican "family value."

Blecch.

As Dot Calm would say, "Oh, my bleeding gums."

(Yes, she had perfect teeth and a star-quality smile, complete with dimples, but she thot it was funneh, and so do I.)

On a happier note, there's Devin Nunes, who finally "stepped away" (not stepped down) from the House Intelligence Committee investigation of tRump's treason with Russia. Of course, it took DEMOCRATS to hand his ass to the ethics committee for investigation for Nunes finally to realize that, after he tried everything else, maybe...just maybe...it was time to do the right thing for a change. But not without having his arm twisted first. The bad news, of course, is that folks like Trey Gowdy, who wasted MILLIONS of our hard-earned taxpayer dollars on the Benghazi witch hunt, will be taking his place. So, call your Representative and DEMAND an independent, bipartisan investigation!

So, the disaster of Gorsuch looms over us for the next 40-50 years, but at least Ban'em is off the National Security Council and Nunes is no longer heading the tRump-Russia investigation in the House:

Find Your Representative · House.gov - U.S. House of Representatives

Thank Atheist God for small favors.

On a more fun note, be sure to keep sending postcards and tweets addressed to "President Bannon"--tRump apparently HATES them, which may be one reason he booted ban'em off the NSC.

Now to start sending postcards and tweets addressed to "President Kushner"...bwah-hahahahaha!

And now...let me slawg on with the blawg.

- Dot Calm's shadow

*****

Petition from Daily Kos "Stop Trump": Democrats, RETALIATE!

Sign the petition to Senate Democrats: Delay everything. Absolutely everything.


Sign the petition

Senate Republicans just killed the filibuster on Supreme Court nominees. They did so in order to confirm a nominee by a President who has a sub-40% approval rating and is under FBI investigation regarding Russian efforts to sabotage his election.

Senate Democrats have absolutely no choice now. They must obstruct all business in the Senate. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Denying unanimous consent on everything;
  • Forcing regular quorum calls;
  • Continuously speaking on the floor of the Senate to use all 30-hours of post-cloture debate time.
When Democrats are unable to stop really bad legislation or appointees, they must at least use all tools available to delay the damage.

Sign the petition to Senate Democrats: Delay everything. Absolutely everything.
Sign the petition

We have a year and a half before the midterm elections, and three and a half years before the next presidential election.

We are counting on Senate Democrats to delay and obstruct all Senate business from this moment on in order to minimize the total damage Trump and Republicans can inflict, as well as to be a voice for the resistance on Capitol Hill.

Sign the petition to Senate Democrats: Delay everything. Absolutely everything.
Sign the petition

Keep fighting,
Paul Hogarth, Daily Kos


*****

DKos, ANet, and DN! Headlines

Daily Kos Recommended



Daily Kos Liberation League


The Daily Kos Liberation League features highly recommended posts about racial justice, gender equality, and LGBTQ rights.



Daily Kos Recommended



Daily Kos Breaking News

Breaking news from Washington:


The fact that Bernie endorses Tom Perriello is comforting to me because I support Tom Perriello, too. Caveat emptor, though: a woman wrote a comment on Bernie's FB page, saying that Tom very nearly voted on one issue in a way that would have been devastating to women. But, as I've said in the past, Ralph Northam did something absolutely disqualifying...if only I could remember enough details to dig up an article to post for you! But I will say this: anyone that DINO MARK WARNER endorses, like Ralph Northam, MUST be a right-wing corporatist not worthy of MY vote. So, there is that.
-- Dot Calm's shadow


Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest

Leading Off

VA-Gov: On Tuesday, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders endorsed ex-Rep. Tom Perriello in the competitive June 13 primary to succeed termed-out Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe. While Sanders did not do well in last year's Virginia presidential primary, his backing could help Perriello raise money from the senator's huge financial network, and gives Perriello the chance to earn more attention with two months to go before Election Day.

Candidate filing closed last week for the primary, and as expected, the Democratic contest will be a duel between Perriello and Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam. While Sanders' endorsement makes it easy to portray this as a race between the Democratic establishment and an outsider, or as a straight up proxy-fight between supporters of Hillary Clinton and Sanders, we've noted before that this primary is really more complicated than that.

Northam does indeed have the support of plenty of influential state Democrats, including McAuliffe and Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine. However, Perriello endeared himself to prominent Obama supporters during his one term in the House from 2009 to 2010 for siding with the administration on several tough votes despite representing a conservative seat in southern Virginia. Perriello also went on to serve in the State Department as a special envoy to Africa.

In addition to Sanders, Perriello is backed by David Plouffe, who served as Obama's 2008 campaign manager and remains part of the former president's political network, and John Podesta, a longtime D.C. presence who most recently was Clinton's campaign chair. It's more accurate to describe the primary as a contest between Northam and the Virginia Democratic establishment on one side, and Perriello and influential national Democrats on the other. Still, it's not even that clear-cut: For instance, McAuliffe is a former Democratic National Committee chair who still plays a prominent role in national party politics. Polls show a tight race, but with most voters undecided with more than two months to go.

The GOP field is also finally set, and there were no surprises before filing day. Ex-Republican National Committee head Ed Gillespie, who lost a surprisingly tight 2014 Senate race against Warner, will face state Sen. Frank Wagner and Corey Stewart, the head of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors. Gillespie is essentially the epitome of the national GOP establishment, while Stewart is an ardent Donald Trump supporter. However, while Stewart would love to frame this as a battle between a guy who was with The Donald from the beginning against the D.C. GOP establishment that so many Trump fans despise, Stewart himself was sacked as head of Trump's state campaign last year for staging an unwelcome protest outside the RNC.

Stewart is waging a nasty Trump-style campaign, but he has very little money and is far behind in the polls. Wagner has been running a more quiet campaign than Stewart, but he also hasn't been a fundraising dynamo, and he's also trailing Gillespie in the polls. Plenty of voters remain undecided in this primary as well, but Gillespie looks like he's the only candidate who will have the resources to get his message out in the next two months.

***
 
By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
The "Full Frontal" host weighs in on the first daughter's new White House promotion. READ MORE»


By Robert Reich, RobertReich.org
The real question now is whether there's a political will to take action. READ MORE»


By Matthew Rozsa, Salon
Did all those "President Bannon" quips finally get to Trump? READ MORE»


By Brad Reed, Raw Story
The House Intelligence chair blames "left-wing activists" for his missteps. READ MORE»


By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
Joe Scarborough has bad news for those who think Trump fired the former Breitbart honcho. READ MORE»


By Oscar Reyes , OtherWords
Instead of trying to "cure" autism, we should focus on creating a friendlier, more respectful environment. READ MORE»


By Milton W. Hinton Jr., NJ.com
There was no "epidemic" when it was ripping apart families and killing users in black and brown communities. READ MORE»


By Emma Gilchrist, DeSmogBlog
"It’s at the point of great return. It’s irreversible. There is no stopping this train." READ MORE»

By Jefferson Morley, AlterNet
Was an inexperienced media hack outmaneuvered by veteran Washington operators?  READ MORE»


By Kali Holloway, AlterNet
Black people pay more than whites for car insurance, even when the risk is lower. READ MORE»


By Vijay Prashad, AlterNet
It'd be extremely foolhardy to take military action when the details of the recent horrific gas attack lack expert examination. READ MORE»


By Charlie May, Salon
Trump's base of support—white voters and men—is rapidly crumbling. READ MORE»


By Firmin DeBrabander, The Conversation
She hated the poor and worshipped at the altar of the free market, making her a perfect idol for our current president.  READ MORE»


By Brad Reed, Raw Story
This is what happens when you vote for racism, and against your own interests.  READ MORE»


By Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!
Trump may be a train wreck, but the people behind him, Chomsky reminds us, have a systematic and consistent plan to enrich the wealthy and hurt the poor.  READ MORE»


By Alan Bell, Skyhorse Publishing
I transformed from a 6'3" 195 pound athlete into 145 pounds. READ MORE»


By Ilana Novick, AlterNet
The Los Angeles opening features appearances by current and former Black Panther leaders.  READ MORE»


By Gabrielle Gurley, The American Prospect
The Congressional Black Caucus got back to basics when they met with the president. But what they may get out of the encounter remains murky. READ MORE»


By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
"What the Health" exposes the malfeasance of pharmaceutical companies and agribusinesses. READ MORE»


By Vidhi Doshi, The Guardian
Property magnate and politician Mangal Prabhat Lodha, business partner of Donald Trump, reignites tensions over Mohammed Ali Jinnah’s Mumbai house. READ MORE»

By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
Military and intelligence chiefs are consolidating influence in the Trump administration. READ MORE»


By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
"That’s somebody who... they just lie, they like it—he likes it." READ MORE»


By Jacob Sugarman, AlterNet
After an explosive New York Times report, some of his biggest sponsors refuse to look the other way. READ MORE»


By Robert Reich, RobertReich.org
If we really want to lead, we have to go with the energy of the future, not the energy of the past. READ MORE»


By Jillian Kestler-D'Amours , Al Jazeera
Nearly 200 cinemas are showing the film version of the dystopian classic on Tuesday to encourage political conversation. READ MORE»


By Matthew Rozsa, Salon
It's Freedom Caucus vs. GOP leadership all over again in this second pass at repealing and replacing Obamacare. READ MORE»


By Jonno Revanche, The Guardian
In an era of welfare cutbacks, young people have responded by crowdfunding the needs of their peers. READ MORE»


By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
Sen. Jeff Merkley warned the confirmation of Trump's SCOTUS pick would "undermine the integrity of the court for decades." READ MORE»


By Jennifer Knox, AlterNet
Nuclear weapons might finally be prohibited by a majority of the international community. READ MORE»

By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
But hyper-partisanship may transform the Senate forever. READ MORE»


By Matthew Rozsa, Salon
The 2018 midterm elections are a long way off, but the early signs are ominous for Trump and the GOP. READ MORE»


By Sarah Lazare, AlterNet
When it comes to raising revenue, nothing is off limits. READ MORE»


By Theo Anderson, In These Times
Trump is proving to be the perfect tool for the radical conservative Heritage Foundation to gut the federal budget. READ MORE»


By Paul Buchheit, AlterNet
The merciless attacks on low-income health care programs can be a death sentence. READ MORE»


By Vijay Prashad, AlterNet
After all these decades, the "giant triplets of racism, extreme materialism, and militarism" continue to break the spirit of humanity. READ MORE»


By Victoria Rossi, Texas Observer
Fearing more immigration raids, undocumented parents are making plans for their children. READ MORE»


By Yana Kuchinoff, Sarah Macaraeg, YES! Magazine
The ordinance provides a meaningful model for creating reparations at the local level. READ MORE»


By Elliott Negin, AlterNet
By nullifying Obama-era climate initiatives, Trump puts the nation at risk in several ways. READ MORE»


By Chauncey DeVega, Salon
White progressives have a tough time confronting racism—as Bernie Sanders, a hero in many ways, has made clear. READ MORE»


By Tom Boggioni, Raw Story
Thousands of land owners may be be forced to sell their property to the government or stay and live in changed circumstances.  READ MORE»


By Sam Levin, The Guardian
Pharmaceutical company Insys spent $500,000 to block legalization in Arizona. Five months later it won approval for a cannabis-derived medical drug. READ MORE»


By Cailin Heinze, The Conversation
Choices about our pets' diets can have implications not just for their health and our wallets, but for the planet. READ MORE»


By Stephen King, The Guardian
He’s written novels with eerily similar plotlines—but how did Trump become president? READ MORE»

***

Friends, please at least read these "Democracy Now!" headlines today--they're horrifying, but we all need to know!
-- Dot Calm's shadow

Stories


The number of advertisers boycotting Bill O'Reilly's Fox News program has increased to at least 52, following revelations that he and the network paid out $13 million ... Read More →

President Donald Trump is lending his support to Bill O'Reilly, as the number of advertisers boycotting the Fox News host's program has increased to at least 52, ... Read More →

In Syria, the death toll from a suspected chemical weapons attack in a rebel-held town in the province of Idlib has risen to 86. The dead include at least 30 ... Read More →

Donald Trump is hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping today at his Florida resort Mar-a-Lago. It is the first meeting between the leaders of the world's two largest ... Read More →

Headlines →


Stories


In Syria, the death toll has risen from a suspected chemical weapons attack in the northern province of Idlib. At least 72 people have died, including 20 children. ... Read More →

As worldwide outrage mounts over an alleged chemical weapons attack in Idlib province, which was reportedly carried out by the Assad government, we speak with ... Read More →

Last month, a U.N. agency sparked controversy when it published a report accusing Israel of imposing an "apartheid regime" on the Palestinians. The report came ... Read More →

In Ecuador, leftist ruling party candidate Lenín Moreno narrowly beat out right-wing former banker Guillermo Lasso in Sunday's presidential runoff vote. The election ... Read More →

This week is the 50th anniversary of Dr. King's "Beyond Vietnam" speech at Riverside Church, where he said the United States is "the greatest purveyor of violence on ... Read More →

When Noam Chomsky was 10 years old, he wrote one of his first articles. It focused on the fall of Barcelona to Franco's fascist forces. We talk to Chomsky about how ... Read More →

Headlines →


*****

Moar M00bies!

Friends, this is so perverted and disgusting you'll hafta watch the funnehs I've posted below just to un-knot your stomach after watching this...




Well, why not have a special election? We're already living in Republican anarchy bizarro world, and we have since those filthy pieces of shit stole Merrick Garland's SCOTUS seat...


The only point I disagree with Noam on is that the tRump-Russia investigation IS top priority: Russia's meddling is how we got stuck with cheeto benito in the first place, and an independent investigation is the best way we have to get rid of him and all of his guilty associates in the Republican party as quickly as possible.
 
Cringe-worthy Pepsi ad is cringe-worthy...


...a-a-a-and the alternate ending...



Hahahahahahaha...


"Russian probe"? Isn't that tRump's affectionate nickname for PEWtin's dick?

As if we really needed Rachel to tell us...

tRump hates the "President Bannon" meme...

...and PEWtin hates this:
...fuck them both--and the horse they rode in on!!

See BS...hahahahahahaha!
   
***** ***** ***** ***** *****

5 April 2017 update: happening right now!!


HAPPENING RIGHT NOW: Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley is on the Senate floor doing a real, live, talking filibuster to oppose the nomination of Trump's right-wing Supreme Court nominee, Neil Gorsuch. He's been going for hours!

In January, Merkley told Politico "We will use every lever in our power to stop this." Americans across the country have protested the nomination of a judge who favors corporations over women, workers, and everyday people.

Now, Senator Merkley has vowed to #StopGorsuch by holding the Senate floor as long as he is able -- all night if he can.

Other Democratic senators can help Merkley by giving him a break on the Senate floor.

Click here to tweet to the whole Democratic Senate Caucus asking them to go the Senate floor right now to support Jeff Merkley.

And, click on the links below to urge senators individually!

Send a tweet to your Democratic senator(s) asking them to support Sen. Jeff Merkley's talking filibuster.
California Sen. Kamala Harris
California Sen. Dianne Feinstein
Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet
Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal
Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy
Delaware Sen. Thomas Carper
Delaware Sen. Chris Coons
Florida Sen. Bill Nelson
Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono
Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz
Illinois Sen. Richard Durbin
Indiana Sen. Joe Donnelly
Maryland Sen. Benjamin Cardin
Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen
Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren
Michigan Sen. Gary Peters
Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar
Minnesota Sen. Al Franken
Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill
Montana Sen. Jon Tester
Nevada Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto
New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan
New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker
New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez
New Mexico Sen. Martin Heinrich
New Mexico Sen. Tom Udall
New York Sen. Chuck Schumer
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown
Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden
Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey, Jr.
Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed
Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse
Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders
Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine
Virginia Sen. Mark Warner
Washington Sen. Patty Murray
Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell
West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin
Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin

Thanks for being a bold progressive.

-- Keith Rouda, PCCC organizer

*****
A-a-a-a-and THIS
plus he throws like a flabby schoolgirl
is why tRump skipped
throwing the opening pitch:

Damn, son--wish I'd been there. Hehe!
*****

Image may contain: 1 person

*****

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


Friends, every day, we are continuing to prove that our involvement CAN shape the outcomes of our political system: DINO Senator Mark Warner has finally decided to do the right thing and vote AGAINST Neil Gorsuch!

Do you think for one moment that he'd be doing anything other than kissing Gorsuch's ass if we hadn't been calling and e-mailing and demonstrating every single day?!

It ain't over yet, and I highly recommend that we all continue to call and e-mail our Congress critters daily until the see-ya door slams Gorsuch in the ass.

Next: demand that they hold confirmation hearings for MERRICK GARLAND.

After that: demand Medicare for ALL.

After that: SPECIAL ELECTION NOW!

I know, I know--porque no los tres?

Friends, I'm pursuing all three...and, if you have the resources, you should, too.

Bernie has the right idea: the best defense is a great offense, and Bernie is playing the best offense there is. The nanosecond after the Republican Insurance Program (RIP) failed, Bernie flew outta the gates demanding Medicare for all. Now we have some right-minded Dems calling for special elections due to tRump's and his administration's treason.

I love all that!

And I think that, in the same vein as Bernie's Medicare push, we need to push for hearings for Merrick Garland the nanosecond (FSM willing) Gorsuch's confirmation fails.

And then, if not sooner, we need to push for a special election because tRump himself agrees that it's virtually impossible for a president to govern while under FBI investigation--in which case, he'd better be sharpening up his Crayolas to write his resignation letter.

Just sayin'.

I have some information for y'all today along with a few headlines and a bunch of m00bies, so sit down, strap on in, and get ready to roll...then get angry and GET BUSY!!!

*****

Apparently, Memes, and Supreme: Mitch McConnell -2016
 One of my proudest moments
 was when I told Obama
 "You will not fill this
 Supreme Court vacancy."
 Mitch McConnell -2017
 Apparently there's yet anew
 standard now, which is to not
 confirm a Supreme Court
 nominee at all. I think that's
 something the American people
 simply will not tolerate.
Via The Other 98%

*****
Remember Ike's 90% income tax rate
on our nation's highest earners?
THAT was how we built
the interstates,
public schools that were
the envy of the world,
the space program,
and a democracy
that was NOT for sale.
***
Remember unions?
THAT was how we had
decent salaries
where a family of four
could live on one income,
vacations,
weekends and holidays,
workplace safety,
and a fighting chance
for the individual
to have representation
against the rich and powerful.
***
Republicans want us to FORGET
how we could and SHOULD live...
They don't want us to have nice things.
They want to keep all the goodies
for their fat, bloated, greedy, rich
selves.
DON'T LET THEM!!!!!
*****

Image may contain: 7 people, text

*****
Does anyone remember tRump's claims
that he was the bestest baseball player?
Joy Ann Reid does...
“I was the best baseball player
in New York when I was young,” 
tRump claimed in a 2014 interview
regarding when he lived in New York--
in the era of Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris,
and Yogi Berra
of the New York Yankees.
Reid concludes that tRump doesn't want
to get booed by the Washington, DC, crowd
...but I conclude that, after his boasts,
he doesn't want to get caught
throwing like a flabby little schoolgirl!
*****

Mailbag & Petitions!

Friends, if you're in either West Virginia (Joe Manchin) or North Dakota (Heidi Heitkamp) or Indiana (Joe Donnelly) or Colorado (Mike Bennett)--I've been e-mailing and calling all of them, even though I am not one of their constituents because their decision in this matter affects us all--please send your senator this letter (drafted by the SOPROUD Rapid Response team) telling them to STOP Neil Gorsuch...

Senator, please do everything in your power to STOP Neil Gorsuch!

Your threat to support Gorsuch undermines the very legitimacy of our entire government by condoning Republican bad behavior in stealing Merrick Garland's SCOTUS seat. You are sending the clear message that it is ok for Republicans to break the rules whenever they feel like it--that you see nothing wrong with the anarchy and lawless that they are creating.

On top of that, the Trump administration is under FBI investigation for TREASON. For that reason, Trump is very likely already serving his last year in office--possibly his last few months outside of prison.

Do you REALLY think that Republicans would do as you propose to do--sit idly by and hold hearings for an illegitimate nominee from a potentially treasonous administration--if the perpetrator had been Hillary Clinton?

On top of that--yes, there's more!--Neil Gorsuch is the worst possible candidate for YOUR constituents. He has shown himself to be devoid of conscience or compassion, consistently twisting the law to rule in favor of the rich and powerful at the expense of his true employers--us ordinary Americans who need his protections the most. Gorsuch ruled against the "frozen trucker," against the little autistic boy receiving a decent education under the IDEA act, and in favor of torture--he conveniently forgot that he works for us, deciding instead that he worked for the Bush administration. Then, he again twisted the law and reneged on his role as public servant by advising Bush to sign the torture ban with a signing statement saying that the ban did not apply to him.

Nancy Pelosi was right when she said that Neil Gorsuch is dangerous to every American who eats food, drinks water, breathes air, takes medication, or interacts with the court system. He is dangerous to every woman, LGBTQ+, Black, Brown, worker--in short, every non-male/straight/rich/white/Christian/American person on the planet.

If Neil Gorsuch is so dangerous to our continued survival on this planet--and he is--then so are you for supporting him.

Please--do what's right for your constituents and for ALL Americans. STOP Neil Gorsuch!!!

...and don't forget to call them (Manchin: 202-224-3954; Heitkamp: 202-224-2043; Donnelly: 202-224-4814; Bennett: 202-224-5852) every day before the vote!

-- Dot Calm's shadow
 
***

From Color of Change--CALL Senate Republicans and TELL them to change the nominee, not the rules!

This week, the Senate is going to vote on whether to confirm Donald Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court. That’s right, even after weeks of bombshell revelations about the ties between the administration and Russia and Gorsuch dodging vital questions during his hearing, many of our elected officials are still willing to push through a man who will put into law Trump’s agenda for the next 30 years. Thankfully, Senate Democrats have the votes required for a stand down. They are willing to force Republicans to “go nuclear” and change 200-year-old Senate rules in order to force Gorsuch through. We need your help to ensure this nominee is defeated.

Today, will you join us in putting pressure on shaky GOP Senators by calling and telling them that it’s time to change the nominee, not the rules?

- Arisha and the rest of the Color Of Change team

P.S. If you are unable to make a call, try out this new Facebook tool that lets you email and message your Senator right from your phone or computer!

***
Join us.
Add your name: tell the Senate to reject Judge Gorsuch's nomination.

***

Tell Paul Ryan and the House: DUMP NUNES NOW!!!!!
CREDO action
We need the truth about Trump and Russia
The petition to House Speaker Paul Ryan and House Republican leadership reads:
“The independence of Rep. Devin Nunes – Donald Trump’s lapdog – as chair of the House Intelligence Committee is compromised. You must remove him from his position and help ensure an independent and transparent investigation of all credible allegations concerning the relationships between Donald Trump and the Russian government.”
Add your name:
Sign the petition ►

***


Hi there,

This week, ATTN: teamed up with Arnold Schwarzenegger to highlight the problematic nature of gerrymandering. In case you are unfamiliar with gerrymandering, it's the practice used by politicians and political parties to draw legislative district maps that favor their own re-elections. To see the effect of gerrymandering, we only have to look back a few months to the November election. In the U.S. House of Representatives, 387 incumbents were up for re-election. In those races, only eight seats changed party hands.

Encouraging our elected officials to interact with constituents from the opposite party, however, would make our political system more accountable, forcing them to work harder for our votes. As Schwarzenegger illuminates, California took the power of drawing district lines away from politicians and gave it to non-partisan independent commissions. If you believe more states should follow California's lead, share our video.

Other Stories Worth Your Attention This Week:

+ This Patient Was Denied a Kidney Transplant Over Medical Marijuana
+ Founder of Project Semicolon Dies at Age 31
+ Liberal Redneck Trae Crowder on Drug Testing Unemployed People
+ Al Gore on These Irregular Weather Events
+ What the Collapse of This Highway Teaches Us About Poor City Planning
+ A Body Language Expert Analyzes Trump's Inexplicable Meeting Habit
+ These Two Words Describe What Russia Allegedly Did to Help Trump
+ Addiction is Not a Crime; It's a Disease
+ Microfibers From Our Clothes Are Poisoning the Ocean

Talk to you soon,
Matthew

***

Justice Democrats


A few days ago we launched a petition to pressure Congress to support Medicare for All legislation currently before them. Guess what? It’s working. HR676 has a surge of new cosponsors thanks to you.


 


We’re writing, first, to say THANK YOU for adding your voice to the more than 56K who’ve already signed. We also want to give you an update on what you helped us accomplish the last few days, and what we need you to do next.


 




 


Our petition garnered coverage from Vox, HuffPo, and several other outlets. And all your traffic on social media definitely caught the attention of some members of Congress.


 


Because of you, TEN new House Dems joined their 72 colleagues in support of Conyers’ bill HR676 to expand Medicare coverage to all!. Some of their names aren’t reflected on the official site yet, but we have confirmed the following have signed on as co-sponsors since Monday:


 


Donald Payne Jr. (NJ-10)


Nydia Velazquez (NY-07)

Frederica Wilson (FL-24)

Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02)

Peter DeFazio (OR-04)

Kathy Castor (FL-14)

David Price (NC-04)

Gene Greene (TX-29)

Jimmy Panetta (CA-20)

David Cicilline (RI-01)

 

While we’re up to 82 cosponsors, unfortunately, there are still 111 House Democrats who haven’t publicly committed to Conyers’ bill. Click the image below to view full size.

 

DemsNot_4.1a.jpg

 


 

Republicans are signaling they’re ready to take another vote on Trumpcare as early as next week. House Dems need to fight for health care as a human right or know that we are coming for their seat in 2018.

 

You’ve already done a lot by adding your voice to the petition. Now we’re calling on you to do two things:

1.
Forward this email to 5 people and ask them to sign the petition as well. We will hand deliver the signatures to Congress and we want a BIG number to send a BIG message.
2.
If your representative still hasn’t supported HR676, call them and ask them to get on board. You can find their number quickly by searching this website with your zip code. Here’s what you say:

“I’m a constituent and I’m calling to ask the Congressman / Congresswoman’s support for HR676, Rep. John Conyers’ bill for Medicare for All. More than 80% of Democratic voters support a Medicare-for-All system, and 41% of Republican voters do, too. The GOP wants to gut health care. I believe health care is a human right and I want my representative to fight for universal coverage.”

 

Thank you for helping us move Congress to recognize healthcare as a human right. Our work is just getting started. Let’s keep the heat on Congressional Democrats to take a stand and fight for Medicare for All!

 

Yours for the revolution,


The Justice Democrats



***



Help us educate Sen. Scott Wagner

Keystone Progress used to do an annual April Fool’s Day prank news release each year, but things have gotten too bizarre in the era of Trump and “alternative facts.” We just can’t make up things that are crazier than what the right wing is doing in reality

Case in point: Pennsylvania State Senator Scott Wagner (R, York) said this last week, talking about why climate change is happening:

"I haven't been in a science class in a long time, but the earth moves closer to the sun every year--you know the rotation of the earth. We're moving closer to the sun." [WITF-FM, Harrisburg, 3/28/17] 

Then he added another original theory:

"We have more people...you know, humans have warm bodies. So, is heat coming off?”

The only thing that is true in what he said is that he hasn’t been in a science class in a long time. 

Help us give Wagner a good basic education.

We’re going to send Wagner back to school.  We’ve identified some good basic science classes at his local community college.   And we’re going to offer to pay his tuition and buy his books.

 

Will you help us send Wagner back to school? Chip in $5 or more.

If he doesn’t accept our offer, we’ll find other ways to make sure he gets an education on climate change and other issues. We’ll call him, send him emails, visit his office and take other direct actions. 

Will you help us get Wagner educated?  Click here to chip in $5 or more. 

Together we will win,

Michael Morrill
for the Keystone Progress Team

***

Logo

Our Social Security system has survived more than 80 years of threats from big business interests intent on destroying its promise of economic security for all Americans. While Social Security Works has been focusing on preventing cuts to Social Security benefits through legislation, 80 years ago a series of challenges were decided in the Supreme Court which cemented Social Security’s constitutionality, putting it on its successful path. We have successfully defended Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid from cuts in Congress. But the determined ideologues who have been trying for nearly a century to destroy these programs will use any means necessary to achieve their goals. Judge Neil Gorsuch was nominated to a vacancy created by a Congress utterly undeterred by popular disapproval. Republicans in the Senate, led by Mitch McConnell, refused to even hold a hearing for Merrick Garland, President Obama’s nominee.

Confirming Gorsuch to the Supreme Court would be an endorsement of a corporations-before-people ideologue who is nominated by an illegitimate President. It would send a message of approval for the scorched-earth tactics of a Republican party who has shut down the government and repeatedly threatened to breach the debt ceiling in their quest to slash our earned benefits. It would reward bullying, obstructionist behavior. And it would say that Donald Trump, who is under investigation by the FBI for his coordination with Russia before the election, is more legitimate than President Obama.

And today, with critical issues under constant attack by the right-wing including workers’ rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, voting rights and more, we must fight back.

Right now, the fate of the Supreme Court hangs in the balance. And Republicans are ramming through a hard-right ideologue in Judge Neil Gorsuch nominated by an illegitimate President who is under FBI investigation.

Because this is not immediately about expanding and protecting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, we want to ask you: Should Social Security Works oppose Neil Gorsuch’s confirmation to the Supreme Court?



Recent reports indicate that some Democratic senators are considering striking backroom deals with Republicans to confirm Neil Gorsuch, Trump’s extreme-right wing pick for the Supreme Court.

If we can stop this--the time is now.

Judge Gorsuch’s positions on a range of issues from Citizens United―which has opened the flood gates for secret corporate money in our elections―to Hobby Lobby―which allows employers to deny women birth control coverage―are far outside the mainstream.

If we do not stop Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, it will have far reaching consequences for generations to come.

But, this is about more than policy. It is about right and wrong.

Thank you for your input.

Michael Phelan
Social Security Works

***

CREDO action
Stand with Sen. Sanders: We need Medicare for All.
Petition to Congress:
"The problems with American health care are caused by predatory insurance companies and monopolies, not the Affordable Care Act. It's time to expand the most popular and efficient health care program in the country by passing legislation to provide Medicare to all Americans. "
Add your name:
Sign the petition ►

*****
 
Political Cartoons by Nate Beeler
 
*****

Headlines

Choo choo time

American NewsX: Trump Social Media Director Under Fire For Violating Federal Law; Rifts In Republican Party Widen

Mindy Fischer, Writer: Judge Green Lights Lawsuit Against Trump For Inciting Violence At Rallies -VIDEO

Bill Moyers: Forget Fascism. It’s Anarchy We Have to Worry About.
...Friends, be sure to click through and read this article. Bill is an honest broker who knows his stuff.

Think Progress: Even Fox News slams EPA chief’s climate denial: ‘All kinds of studies contradict you’
...“What if, in fact, the earth is warming, what if CO2 causes dramatic climate change and we as humans are contributing to it?" "Simple question, what if you are wrong?” "The UN assessment of climate change is that humans are responsible for all of the warming we have suffered since 1950! Every major government in the world signed off on this finding." ...Holy cannoli, Batman--FUX NOISE actually admits that climate change exists and is caused by h00mins! ...I'll bet my Tea Party Christian friend no longer watches FUX because of this--I'll bet he thinks the "libtards" took over his fave-o-rite "n00z"--I'll bet he now refuses to watch anything other than Infowars and Breitbart videos (he only reads marginally better than his orange idol).

Politicus USA: Fact Checkers Obliterate Trump As 70% of His Statements Are False
..."His (Trump's) track record has not improved. He’s still on our scale earning about 70% of mostly false, false, or pants on fire," Angie Holan of PolitiFact said of President Trump's continued record of inaccurate statements.

BuzzFeed: BuzzFeed News on Twitter: "Facebook Is Watching You. Here's One Thing You Can Do For Privacy"

The Guardian: Mike Pence doesn't eat alone with women. That speaks volumes
...I'm tellin' ya, friends--these Tealiban jihadis live in fear...total, abject, screaming-running-unthinking fear....

The Guardian: Here's how to protect your internet browsing data now that it's for sale
  
VICE: So, Wait, Who Should I Blame For This, the IOC or the NHL?

Two items from Randi Rhodes's website ICYMI:

--Homework 02-07-17 Trump’s Latest Media Attack Is Very, Very Dangerous; Terrorist Attacks The Media Didn’t Cover – White Men Planning Attacks Against Muslims

--The Moscow Project

Lastly for today--the anniversary of MLK Jr's "Beyond Vietnam" speech at the Riverside Church in NY in 1967 and his untimely assassination a year to the day later, both occurring on 4 April, here's a link to the "Beyond Vietnam" speech. In it, Dr. King outlined the triple threat of militarism, materialism, and racism. They were related then, and they're related now. Think about it: American society lives and breathes militarism--violence is our first-choice solution for all problems, foreign and domestic. Don't believe me? Here are some gun statistics that will give you a nasty hit of instant sober:

Graph 1

***

Image may contain: 1 person

***
Mike Huckabee is GAY
...
You can tell because Huckster thinks
calling Miss Lindsey Graham "gay"
is an insult to Miss Lindsey's rightful
(if too seldom)
criticism of tRump
...
Miss Lindsey Graham is a hypocrite

...
He roundly denied Merrick Garland
an up or down vote while demanding
an up or down vote for Neil Gorsuch
I know...
maybe Mike Huckster and Miss Lindsey Graham

should get married!
It would be a match made

in Tealiban heaven!!
***

Image may contain: one or more people and text

***

Daily Kos, AlterNet, and Democracy Now!

Daily Kos Recommended



Daily Kos Recommended



Daily Kos Recommended



Daily Kos Recommended



Daily Kos Recommended



***
 
Image may contain: 1 person, text
 
***
 
By Sarah Lazare, AlterNet
Coalition ties military spending to crises of climate change, poverty and violence. READ MORE»


By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
The "Late Show" host sounds off on the GOP's threat to kill the filibuster. READ MORE»


By Heather Digby Parton, Salon
Angela Merkel isn't worth his time, but the leader of a murderous coup gets a warm White House reception. READ MORE»


By George Joseph , The Guardian
New documents reveal officers posed as protesters amid unrest following the death of Eric Garner. READ MORE»


By Travis Gettys, Raw Story
The third installment in its four-part series is not to be missed. READ MORE»


By Ryan Bort, Newsweek
According to federal law, even when marijuana is legal, it's actually still illegal, Oliver notes. READ MORE»


By Onomastic, DailyKos
The defunding of the United Nations Family Planning Agency will wreak havoc across the globe. READ MORE»


By Jen Sorensen, AlterNet
Don't let the affable exterior fool you.  READ MORE»
By Kali Holloway, AlterNet
Despite the president's ludicrous boasts, American companies have not slowed in exporting jobs. READ MORE»


By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
Financial statements show Bannon, Conway and others have made a fortune off right-wing politics. READ MORE»


By Kasia Kovacs, International Business Times
His approval rating is only 40 percent. READ MORE»


By Heather Digby Parton, Salon
As Nunes becomes White House errand boy, Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz sings a different tune. READ MORE»


By David Sirota, International Business Times
But what Justice Department will really do remains unclear. READ MORE»


By Jefferson Morley, AlterNet
The government agency offers the best and worst of science. READ MORE»


By David Edwards, Raw Story
“The independence of our judicial branch has never been more threatened or more important,” the senator declared. READ MORE»


By Chris Hedges, Truthdig
The United States consumes 80 percent of opioids used worldwide. READ MORE»


By Jason Stromer, Salon
Reality television may be in O.J. Simpson’s future following his release from prison. READ MORE»


By Valerie Wilson, Janelle Jones, Economic Policy Institute
Black women in particular bear the brunt of the burden. READ MORE»


By Lisa Song, ProPublica
The president’s budget calls for ending an environmental program that had supported climate efforts in his and several Cabinet members’ backyards. READ MORE»


By Ingrid Anderson, The Conversation
The recent outpouring of anti-immigrant and anti-Semitic sentiment is troublingly reminiscent of the years between the two world wars. READ MORE»
By Jacob Sugarman, AlterNet
A report from Durant, Oklahoma, hints at a growing weariness among his most loyal supporters. READ MORE»


By Don Hazen, AlterNet
In the first installment of a four-part series, the LA Times challenges the president in language so strong it takes your breath away.  READ MORE»


By Ilana Novick, AlterNet
The New York Times columnist takes apart an incoherent trade policy. READ MORE»


By Matthew Rozsa, Salon
Trump needs a win badly, but he lacks many allies outside of his immediate circle. READ MORE»


By Erin Keane, Salon
The veep is mocked for staying away from booze and solo dinners with women. That part's not the problem. READ MORE»


By Brad Reed, Raw Story
Co-President Bill Shine allegedly "aided and abetted" the harassment.  READ MORE»


By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
The hapless House Intelligence Committee chair gets the "Last Week Tonight" treatment. READ MORE»


By Brian McFadden, AlterNet
Born on third base, thinks he hit a home run.  READ MORE»

By David Gibbs, AlterNet
Noam Chomsky discussed Trump, Russia, history and the future at the University of Arizona. READ MORE»


By Alfred W. McCoy, Tom Dispatch
Around the world, a new generation of nationalist leaders have suddenly emerged from the margins to win power. READ MORE»


By Erin Keane, Salon
Unpaid labor and a vague title never looked so glam! Here are 5 tips for blazing a White House trail of your own. READ MORE»


By Matt Gertz, Media Matters
The reason O’Reilly has been untouchable is simple: He makes Fox News a lot of money. READ MORE»


By Melissa Kravitz, AlterNet
The junk food giant said it would cut a fifth of the calories in their drinks by 2025. READ MORE»


By Bill Scheft, Salon
Got whiplash from the rapid news cycle? Find yourself asking "who?" Here's the deep dirt on this week's newsmaker! READ MORE»


By Arwa Mahdawi, The Guardian
Has capitalism turned feminism into a meaningless lifestyle choice we can all buy our way into? READ MORE»


By Anis Shivani, AlterNet
The pernicious legacy of Clinton's 1996 immigration reform—and how progressives can begin to fight back. READ MORE»


By David Ferguson, Raw Story
"A lot of people don’t want to talk about" impeaching Trump—but she does. READ MORE»


By Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!
Like Medicare, only it would have no copayments, no deductibles for covered services, no participation by the private health insurance industry. READ MORE»


By William Astore, Bracing Views
As America’s designs are frustrated in the Middle East, generals cast about for new countries to blame―and to attack. READ MORE»


By Thom Hartmann, AlterNet
If the media really wants to fight Trump, they can start by reporting on climate change and inequality.  READ MORE»


By Kate Raworth, Chelsea Green Publishing
As long as GDP growth is the primary economic goal, achieving prosperity for all within the means of what the Earth can provide simply isn't possible. READ MORE»

By Sarah Lazare, AlterNet
A new coalition emerges. READ MORE»


By Neal Gabler, BillMoyers.com
Fascism requires a program and unity of purpose. READ MORE»


By Andrew O'Hehir, Salon
It's tempting to believe that Trump's an idiot and Flynn's testimony could bring him down. Have we learned nothing? READ MORE»


By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
Will they alienate their older white base as 2018 midterms loom? READ MORE»


By Rajan Menon, TomDispatch
The defense budget will be bigger, but it won't make us any more safe. READ MORE»


By Vijay Prashad, Jadaliyya
Attribution bias is a familiar theme in the literature of modern psychology.  READ MORE»


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Colorado's legal marijuana industry is providing options for young workers.  READ MORE»


By Tom Boggioni, Raw Story
Flynn is currently under investigation for possible connections to foreign interests. READ MORE»


By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
On the outskirts of Phoenix, Marla Wentz has been documenting Trump's presidency through a surreal new photo series. READ MORE»


By Kaela Bamberger, YES! Magazine
In Kansas, a new matchmaking service is helping transition small businesses to new hands. Could it be a model for the rest of rural America? READ MORE»


By Erin Coulehan, Salon
The Pleasure Pledge assumes an orgasm is more important than a nap, maybe women's priorities aren't all aligned. READ MORE»



By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
A more volatile global era is taking shape. READ MORE»


By Sarah Lazare, AlterNet
New research reveals a shocking development in America's major suburbs. READ MORE»


By Marty Kaplan, AlterNet
He’s spent a lifetime banging his highchair and blaming the dog for his mess. READ MORE»


By Amanda Marcotte, Salon
Climate-change denialists were already terrible, but they've grown bolder and more bizarre in the age of Trump. READ MORE»


By Olivia Solon, The Guardian
The number of mobile phones being searched at the U.S. border is exploding, but certain steps can help secure your privacy. READ MORE»


By Peter Buffett, YES! Magazine
Since the president sees himself foremost as a negotiator, perhaps it’s time for a negotiated revolution. Not to break us apart, but to bring us together. READ MORE»


By Brad Reed, Raw Story
"There seems to be no ballast of seriousness or sober mindedness to right the ship." READ MORE»


By Ilana Novick, AlterNet
If we can't dance, it's not our revolution.  READ MORE»


By Rachel M. Cohen, The American Prospect
The national battle over vouchers and charters is going full tilt in Maryland. READ MORE»


By Kira M. Newman, YES! Magazine
Five reasons why the quest for constant happiness is misguided. READ MORE»


By Lane Windham, The American Prospect
Today's feminism has the power to change not just politics, but the nation's economic landscape, too. READ MORE»


By Phillip Smith, AlterNet
A trio of bills introduced Thursday points the way toward the end of federal marijuana prohibition. READ MORE»


By Himanshu Goenka, International Business Times
Can you say "terpene synthase gene"? READ MORE»

By Jacob Sugarman, AlterNet
The New York Times columnist debunks the notion that West Virginians hope to recrown King Coal. READ MORE»


By Kali Holloway, AlterNet
UPDATE: A congressional source says there's no such deal on the table. READ MORE»


By Jessica Valenti, The Guardian
It's all part of his deeply retrograde world view. READ MORE»


By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
"Can we put up a White House chore wheel?" READ MORE»


By Ben Norton, AlterNet
The Jewish Defense League took credit for the assault in a video posted to Facebook. READ MORE»


By Matthew Sheffield, Salon
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By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
"If you find it hypocritical for so-called small-government conservatives to support such a far-reaching measure, you're not alone..." READ MORE»


By Gabe Ortiz, DailyKos
Republican Rep. Jodey Arrington turns the other cheek on the varied circumstances of SNAP users. READ MORE»


By Tom Tomorrow, AlterNet
Dear Diary: Breitbart says Obama is tapping my phones.  READ MORE»


***

Good tealiban jihadi penis pence

is afraid of his own penis!
Not only, like tRump,

does he have NO self control,

but he's gay, too--

that's why he has to make

such a big stink

about having to have his mother-wife

by his side all the time!

***
FOX News is the Bill Cosby of Corporate America
***

Stories


Seventy-five days ago today, Donald Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States. Trump has expanded U.S. military operations in Iraq, Syria, Yemen ... Read More →

Since Trump's inauguration, his presidency has been engulfed by a media scandal and investigations into whether the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to ... Read More →

Over the first 75 days of the Trump administration, the White House has taken multiple steps to escalate the possibility of a U.S. war with Iran. Trump included Iran ... Read More →

President Trump will be meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday at his Florida resort Mar-a-Lago. Ahead of the meeting, Trump said in an interview with ... Read More →

President Trump threw his weight behind the Republican plan to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. But he failed to muster enough support to ... Read More →

Naomi Klein has called the Trump administration a "corporate coup." The Washington Post reports, "86 percent of Trump counties make less in a year than 27 ... Read More →

Many have accused President Trump of trying to scapegoat immigrants and refugees in order to distract the American public from the fact that he will be unable ... Read More →

Headlines →


Stories


Last week, North Carolina lawmakers repealed the anti-LGBT law HB 2, known as the "bathroom bill." But the new law that replaces HB 2 is facing widespread ... Read More →

Tuesday marks the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King's groundbreaking speech against the Vietnam War at New York City's Riverside Church. He delivered the ... Read More →

President Trump is to meet with Egyptian President General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi at the White House today, even as el-Sisi faces widespread criticism for human ... Read More →

Last week, North Carolina lawmakers repealed the anti-trans law HB 2. But the new law is also facing criticism for discriminating against the LGBT ... Read More →

Headlines →


Stories


Are immigration agents targeting undocumented organizers for their political work? That is the question many are asking after three prominent immigrant rights ... Read More →

As U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visits Turkey this week, we look at how he has failed to raise concerns that the country may be sliding toward a ... Read More →

In the 10 weeks since President Trump was sworn in as the nation's 45th president, he has faced a growing crisis over allegations his campaign colluded with ... Read More →

Headlines →


*****

Image may contain: text

*****
SCROTUS and TURDleman
agree:
NO SCOTUS for SCROTUS
because 
it's SCROTUS's LAST YEAR &
SCROTUS IS CAMPAIGNING! 
*****

Image may contain: 1 person, meme and text
...Actually, I'd say that
tRump is tossing PEWtin's salad...!
*****

M00bies

ICYMI--friends, these are really important, so don't miss them this time!



Here's the new scht00f for today:

 
 

Here's the link to the CSPAN video Randi mentions:
https://www.c-span.org/video/?426227-1/senate-intelligence-panel-warned-russians-play-sides

You know what? No matter what Comey "wanted" or what he does now, he still skr00ed the p00ch by handing the election to tRump. It's still this traitorous asshole's fault. Just sayin'.



This will make your blood boil. Orange twAtler is selling out the future of the species for 35 fucking jobs. Gawd, I'd love to be in the same room as tRump so I could punch him in his fake teeth.

This will also make your blood boil. tRump makes O'Bama look as though he did deserve his Nobel Peace Prize, which he won for not being chimpie.



Not that chimpie was or is anything other than a lying heartless, cruel, callous, vindictive war criminal himself...

I love tRump's trAmp stamp of PEWtin...!

Thanks, David, for clearing this little mystery up!

This will make your blood boil!!!!! Chaffetz and his rich, entitled, powerful ilk are the very assholes who NEED oversight for rampant corruption--not the poor! The poor commit far fewer crimes than the rich, duh! Why? Because they DON'T feel entitled!

Mike Huckster can't attack Miss Lindsey Graham on principles because Huckster knows he's wrong, so he has to go for the ad hominem cheap shot.... Like I said, you can always tell a gay Christian--they're the ones putting everyone else down for being gay!

penis pence's Sharia-style behavior of not eating alone with women. So! Is penis pence a rapist? Is he gay? Is he a gay rapist? Inquiring minds want to know!

I wouldn't have guessed that the student loan crisis would be the next bubble, but, hey--we all know that, with Teathuglikkkants in control of the government, the financial crash is imminent...! Grrrrr.


Here's something you'll never hear on FUX Noise...



tRump panicking? GOOD. About Russia? GOOD!


And here, friends, is where it gets interesting: it-snot because the SCOTUS seat in question has been stolen from Merrick Garland; it-snot because tRump is under FBI investigation and thus in his last year in office (the current Teathuglikkkant excuse not even to hold hearings for a SCOTUS nominee); no, it's because Gorsuch is a complete douchenozzle whose abysmal record--which includes the anarchy of the signing statement--speaks loudly and clearly for itself. That's right, dear ones--Dems aren't voting "no" on Gorsuch for any political reason whatsoever...they're voting "no" because GORSUCH SUCKS ASS.


Russia: "Lift the sanctions, or the babies get the gas!"...as if Republicans would care about gassing babies!


Susan Rice leaked nothing to nobody. Can we get back to the story that matters most now--tRump's treason?!??

Although the media is still ignoring Bernie, he's going viral!!!!! FEEL THE BERN!!!!!


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

  
Michael Moore's FB page -- go here first and do whatever activism he suggests
Daily Kos
AlterNet
Democracy Now!
Democratic Underground
Boing Boing
Vox
Conservatives are Destroying our Future
Conservative Clown Car
God, the Good Lord Above
...skip the media outlets in the boycott list unless you want trump propaganda. And TELL their advertisers WHY you are boycotting those media outlets!

On the lighter side:
McSweeney's Internet Tendency
      
And check out these great channels:
...or, if you just want something mindless and fun, try Tested

Peas, friends. Take care of yourselves for me. Trust me--you're worth it! And go have a Fireball and some chocolate while you still can, will ya? Time is short now that the mouth of trump hell has opened...
  
- 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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SOPROUD: TDL
(Save Our Planet--Resist Orange Ugly donald: To-Do List)
    
Until further notice, the purpose of this blog is to provide tools to help protect and preserve our rights, our liberties, and our country from the wrinkled fat orange clusterfuck that is Donald "dickless LOSER" trump. As I track down more information, I will continue to refine these tools.

If you value my work, please support me on Patreon: just point your browser to https://www.patreon.com/ and type "Dot Calm's shadow" into the search box at the top--thank you! Even a dollar a month from 20 people would really help right now--it would cover part of my Internet. Show me that there's more out there than just a lonely chorus of crickets!
    
Action List

PROTECT yourself financially, reproductively, and medically.

1. If you need a loan, get it NOW--rates have already gone up; they went up at least three times the first week or two after the election. MOVE your retirement out of the stock market and into a stable fund that is guaranteed NOT to lose your principal--if you're not risk averse, keep your money in stocks until after the inauguration...but move it out ASAP afterward because, once chump and the teathuglikkkants deregulate Wall Street, we are in for a bust that makes chimp's Great Recession look like O'Bama's recovery. Thom Hartmann, Randi Rhodes, and their guest speakers agree that the Rethugs and chump will crash the economy by deregulating the stock market so quickly our haids will spin. The boom-bust cycle repeats every 80 years or so--as long as it takes for the last people who remember what a depression was like and fight the greedsters to die off. We're phuqued.

2. If you're a woman of reproductive age or a man who knows and loves women of reproductive age, stock up on as much "Plan B" (the "morning after" pill) as you can afford NOW. Plan to take one pill either immediately after unprotected sex or the morning after unprotected sex, and plan to take another pill 24 hours later. No matter what else you do, STOCK UP NOW on Plan B because even the best contraceptives fail, and you won't be able to get an abortion once chump and the teathuglikkkants take over. Men, get yourself snipped while you still can, too.

3. If you're a woman of reproductive age and don't already have an IUD or contraceptive implant, get yours NOW. Mirena has progestin, not estrogen, and can reduce your period; the copper ones without hormones (like Paragard) can cause cramping and heavy bleeding that doesn't go away until the device is removed (think having the second day of your period for a year at a clip). Of these two IUDs, women seem to prefer Mirena, but the device can still fall out. Cosmopolitan has a great discussion on these and other IUDs, what's involved with getting one (not a big deal, but you'll bleed for at least a week afterward), what's involved with having one removed (also not a big deal, but you'll bleed for at least a week after). "Managing Contraception" has an article on Mirena (not scary). If I were you, I'd skip the Skyla--it only lasts 3 years, so you wouldn't even be done with the orange fuckwad's first term if you get one. Planned Parenthood has a video about contraceptive implants and great information about all forms of contraception. And if you think you might need a do-it-yourself abortion some time in the future, go talk to Planned Parenthood NOW and see if you can stock up on mifepristone now--the options for DIY abortions at home using substances like vitamin C seem promising to desperate women but don't have any scientific backing. You can also try womenonwaves.org and womenonweb.org.

4. Don't take any new drugs approved after 2016 without doing your own research into whether they're safe and effective. Republicans are weakening the FDA to the point that it will no longer be able to verify that new drugs will work and not harm us.

Now, do your daily actions, make your daily calls, and do the rest...

DAILY ACTIONS!

Go to Michael Moore's FaceBook page and do whatever is on his to-do list:
https://www.facebook.com/mmflint/

Here's a list of short-term actions you can take right now!

1. If you can, sign up for the 29 April 2017 People's Climate March. I called into the telecon Monday evening and found it very useful. Two things stuck out: People's Climate Movement is rather new, so it's small and not yet well funded. However, they're working with the other climate organizations to build the movement and fight trump's disastrous Big Oil, Big Destruction, Big Money, Big Death agenda.

2. If you can't make the climate march but can come out a week earlier--Earch Day, 22 April 2017--then please sign up for the March for Science. The climate telecon had nearly a thousand callers-in, some of whom lamented that it would be really difficult to attend both marches. I know it took me a week to recover from the Women's March, and I'm local. PCM suggested combining with the science march, but the science march wasn't interested, seeing the protection of science as a separate issue. I disagree in the sense that we have trump's disastrous Big Oil, Big Destruction, Big Money, Big Death agenda BECAUSE of all the climate SCIENCE DENIAL. So, I'll be one of the many PCM callers-in contacting the science march people to try to get them to combine with the climate march.

3. Go help NASA archive their data--wiki wiki! (Read about it here and click through to the links if you're too lazy to check the archive of this blawg for a direct link.)

4. Go call trump's businesses and make them pass along your comments to him! Here's the link: https://whitehouseinc.org/...have fun, kidz!

5. Contact Nordstrom's and Neiman Marcus and THANK them for dumping trump! Amazon may be caving, too, to pressure to ditch Breitbart, so keep bugging Amazon and the rest of 'em to do what's in EVERYONE's best interests--not just in the best interests of white supremacists, haters, bigots, and racists--by signing this petition and boycotting the offending advertisers:  https://actions.sumofus.org/a/amazon-stop-investing-in-hate/?source=taf

6. If you haven't already, go check out the Indivisible guide: https://www.indivisibleguide.com/. As always, the very best thing you can do is GO IN PERSON to your elected officials' offices and TALK to them. Failing that, PHONE them. If you can do neither, then FAX them--better, if it-snot urgent, then WRITE them a personal, signed letter. Failing all of those, then e-mail them. The guide has moar ways to get involved and stop trump the chump!

DAILY CALLS!

CALL your U.S. Senators and Representatives DAILY at their LOCAL offices. SHOW UP in person if you can. Call each day with ONE issue--and KEEP CALLING. The staffers track your calls by issue, so don't give in to the temptation of giving them the whole laundry list all at once. Here is our list of demands:

0. Call your members of Congress now and demand they block trump's cabinet of swamp monsters in its entirety (from The New York Times):







































Senior Adviser to the President

Appointed
A senior member of the White House staff who serves as a confidant in the president’s inner circle.
Jared Kushner Mr. Trump has named his son-in-law to a senior White House role. The appointment of Mr. Kushner, a major real estate developer in New York who is married to Mr. Trump’s daughter Ivanka, could test anti-nepotism laws. He's being/been pushed out by Alcoholic anti-Semite Steve Ban'em, and we hear he's pretty pissed about being denied the reins of power....Wait a tick, folks--as of April 2017, now that President Kushner has been appointed by a confused, fat, old retiree squatting in the White House, it looks like ban'em is getting pushed around, if not out--he's officially OUT of the National Security Council. Thank Atheist God for small favors. That said, who thinks that this inheritance-baby who's no batter than his pappy-in-law at finding his nuts with his own two hands?!??

Director of National Intelligence

Requires Senate confirmation
The person who holds this post is the president’s principal adviser on intelligence and oversees the entire military and civilian intelligence apparatus. The coordination between the intelligence agencies of the military and civilian wings will be vital for the war on the Islamic State.
Dan Coats Mr. Trump has picked the former Indiana senator. Mr. Coats, who served on the Senate intelligence and armed services committees, would be stepping into a position that some in Mr. Trump’s orbit believe is superfluous.

U.S. Trade Representative

Requires Senate confirmation
The president’s chief trade negotiator will have the odd role of opposing new trade deals, trying to rewrite old ones and bolstering the enforcement of what Mr. Trump sees as unfair trade, especially with China.
Robert Lighthizer Mr. Trump has chosen the international lawyer who served as a trade official under President Ronald Reagan. Mr. Lighthizer has been harshly critical of China, and in a 2010 Op-Ed article in The New York Times, he presaged some of Mr. Trump’s talk on trade.

Homeland Security Adviser

Appointed
A position that will be equal in status to national security adviser, it will focus on homeland security and counterterrorism.
Thomas P. Bossert Mr. Trump’s choice was a top national security aide to President George W. Bush. Mr. Bossert runs a risk management consulting firm in Washington and is a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council research institution, working on its Cyber Statecraft Initiative.

Counselor

Appointed
A close adviser who will help set the president’s agenda and formulate his message.
Kellyanne Conway Mr. Trump’s choice is his former campaign manager, confidante and spokeswoman. Ms. Conway also has a pollster background and therefore may rely on this skill set to keep tabs on public sentiment. --Sewer Rat Propaganda Barbie looks like a barely-revived corpse lately...all that lying must be taking a toll on what little is left of her dying humanity.... Have you heard anything from here lately? Me neither!   

Director of Trade and Industrial Policy

Appointed
A new position that will oversee trade and industrial policy in the White House and direct an internal council that will run alongside the National Security Council, the National Economic Council and the Domestic Policy Council.
Peter Navarro Mr. Trump’s choice is a professor at the University of California, Irvine, who holds a doctorate from Harvard and is the only credentialed economist in Mr. Trump’s inner circle. Mr. Navarro has been a staunch critic of current Chinese economic policies.

Special Adviser on Regulatory Reform

Appointed
This new position will oversee the president’s promised effort to unwind as many regulations on business as he can.
Carl Icahn Mr. Trump has appointed Mr. Icahn, a billionaire investor and famed “corporate raider” who buys large stakes in companies and then forces policy changes to benefit shareholders. Mr. Icahn, who was an economic adviser during the campaign, is a longtime friend of Mr. Trump.

Press Secretary and Special Assistant to the President

Appointed
The press secretary is the face of the White House and representative for the president, framing messaging, responding to stories of the day and briefing the press.
Sean Spicer Mr. Trump chose the longtime spokesman for the Republican National Committee and top aide to Reince Priebus, who is the incoming chief of staff and pressed for his selection. While Mr. Spicer will be the face of the communications team, he will work with Jason Miller, director of communications, and Hope Hicks, director of strategic communications. --Spicey Sphincter (owie!) will never live down the fact that we'll only ever think of Melissa McCarthy whenever we see his mug, hehe!     

Secretary of State

Requires Senate confirmation
Whether Mr. Trump picks an ideologue or a seasoned foreign policy hand from past Republican administrations, his challenge will be that the State Department is the centerpiece of the post-1945 experiment of alliance-building and globalism, which Mr. Trump said he would dismantle.
Rex W. Tillerson Mr. Trump’s choice is the president and chief executive of Exxon Mobil, whose ties with Russian President Vladimir V. Putin may draw scrutiny during the confirmation process. --We MUST PRIMARY Senator Mark Warner and all the other fascist DINOs who voted TO CONFIRM this fascist piece of shit! He's doing everything in his power to DESTROY the State Department!       

Interior Secretary

Requires Senate confirmation
The Interior Department manages the nation’s public lands and waters. The next secretary will decide the fate of Obama-era rules that stop public land development; curb the exploration of oil, coal and gas; and promote wind and solar power on public lands.
Ryan Zinke Mr. Trump has selected Montana’s freshman representative, a former Navy SEAL commander who was an early supporter of the president-elect and ran for office largely on a national security platform.

Energy Secretary

Requires Senate confirmation
Despite its name, the primary purview of the Energy Department is to protect and manage the nation’s arsenal of nuclear weapons.
Rick Perry Mr. Trump has selected the former Texas governor, who in 2011 proposed scrapping the Energy Department while he was seeking the Republican nomination for president. --What a mor00n! Will someone please tell this jerk that glasses do NOT make him c-a-t smart?!?? If you're not abjectly terrified that THIS gormless buffoon is in charge of the nuclear arsenal, you should be!!!!! Especially now that HE'S on the National Security Council...!      

Labor Secretary

Requires Senate confirmation
The Labor Department enforces rules that protect the nation’s workers, distributes benefits to the unemployed and publishes economic data like the monthly jobs report. The new secretary will be in charge of keeping Mr. Trump’s promise to dismantle many Obama-era rules covering the vast work force of federal contractors.
Andrew F. Puzder Mr. Trump’s expected choice is the chief executive of CKE Restaurants — and a donor to his campaign — who has criticized the Obama administration’s labor policies. HAHA, PUZDER YOU LOSER! We won, you lost! You DON'T get to fuck with American workers and give OUR hard-earned money to your richie-rich asshole buds, Puzder you gutter slime! Too bad you're such a hateful abuser. I'm glad for your ex-wife that she kicked your sorry ass to the curb, asshole. I'm only sorry you felt the need to be such an abusive bully about it, you stinking asswipe shitstain. Good riddance!!!       

Small Business Administration

Requires Senate confirmation
The agency guarantees loans for small businesses, helps them get government contracts and supports their interests on Capitol Hill.
Linda McMahon Mr. Trump has selected the former chief executive of World Wrestling Entertainment to lead the agency. Ms. McMahon, a failed Senate candidate from Connecticut, was with her husband, Vince, one of Mr. Trump’s biggest donors.

E.P.A. Administrator

Requires Senate confirmation
The Environmental Protection Agency, which issues and oversees environmental regulations, is under threat from the president-elect, who has vowed to dismantle the agency “in almost every form.”
Scott Pruitt Mr. Trump has selected the Oklahoma attorney general, who is a close ally of the fossil fuel industry. --These greedy fucking idiots think that their money will somehow protect them from the wrath of a hurting, angry planet trying to get itself back into balance... 

Homeland Security Secretary

Requires Senate confirmation
The hodgepodge agency, formed after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has one key role in the Trump administration: guarding the United States’ borders. If Mr. Trump makes good on his promises of widespread deportations and building a wall, this secretary will have to carry them out.
John F. Kelly Mr. Trump has named the retired four-star Marine general, whose son was killed in combat in Afghanistan.

Defense Secretary

Requires Senate confirmation
The incoming secretary will shape the fight against the Islamic State while overseeing a military that is struggling to put in place two Obama-era initiatives: integrating women into combat roles and allowing transgender people to serve openly. Both could be rolled back.
James N. Mattis Mr. Trump announced at a rally that he had selected General Mattis, who led a Marine division to Baghdad during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and led the United States Central Command from 2010-13. General Mattis, now retired, has been a critic of the Obama administration. He would need a waiver from Congress to lead the Pentagon because he has been out of uniform for less than seven years. --Being arguably the best of a bad lot isn't saying much. Mattis committed WAR CRIMES. They call him "mad dog" for a reason, duh.     

Treasury Secretary

Requires Senate confirmation
The secretary will be responsible for government borrowing in financial markets, assisting in any rewrite of the tax code and overseeing the Internal Revenue Service. The Treasury Department also carries out or lifts financial sanctions against foreign enemies — which are crucial to President Obama’s Iran deal and rapprochement with Cuba.
Steven Mnuchin Mr. Trump has selected Mr. Mnuchin, who served as his campaign finance chairman. Mr. Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs executive, has deep roots in Hollywood but no government experience. --Hey, trumpkins--how's that swampy drainy thing working for ya?       

Transportation Secretary

Requires Senate confirmation
The next transportation secretary will oversee Mr. Trump’s campaign pledge to increase infrastructure funding to rebuild America's roads, bridges, airports and transit systems.
Elaine L. Chao Mr. Trump has selected Ms. Chao, the labor secretary under President George W. Bush. Ms. Chao, who is married to the Senate majority leader, Mitch McConnell, has been a fixture of the Republican establishment in Washington. --Way to bribe/blackmail TURDleman, preznit ban'em--just give his wifey a plum job!       

Health and Human Services Secretary

Requires Senate confirmation
The secretary will help Mr. Trump achieve one of his central campaign promises: to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. The department approves new drugs, regulates the food supply, operates biomedical research, and runs Medicare and Medicaid, which insure more than 100 million people.
Tom Price Mr. Trump has selected Mr. Price, a six-term Republican congressman from Georgia and orthopedic surgeon who has led opposition to the Affordable Care Act. Mr. Price has said the law interferes with the ability of patients and doctors to make medical decisions. --If you ever had any doubt that orange twAtler hates women, sick people, and poor people, Tom Price is your answer. If you ever had any doubt that hair furor [sic] is corrupt, Tom Price and his infamous insider trading is your answer. Friends, we MUST PRIMARY ANY Democratic senator who voted to confirm this--or any other of orange twAtler's--piece of shit nominee!       

White House Counsel

Appointed
As the president’s adviser on legal matters, the White House counsel may have an unusually daunting job in the Trump administration, given Mr. Trump’s far-reaching business empire and potential conflicts of interest.
Donald F. McGahn II Mr. Trump has chosen Mr. McGahn, who served as general counsel for the Trump campaign. Mr. McGahn, a Washington lawyer who pushed to deregulate campaign finance and election laws, served on the Federal Election Commission for five years.

Commerce Secretary

Requires Senate confirmation
The Commerce Department has been a perennial target for budget cuts, but the secretary oversees a diverse portfolio, including the census, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Wilbur Ross Mr. Trump has selected Mr. Ross, an investor whose fortune is estimated by Forbes to be $2.9 billion. Mr. Ross has said the United States must free itself from the “bondage” of “bad trade agreements,” and has advocated threats to impose steep tariffs on China. --PRIMARY Senator Mark Warner and all the other fascist DINOs who voted TO CONFIRM this fascist piece of shit!       

Education Secretary

Requires Senate confirmation
Mr. Trump has said he wants to drastically shrink the Education Department and shift responsibilities for curriculum research, development and educational aid to state and local governments.
Betsy DeVos Mr. Trump has selected Ms. DeVos, a former chairwoman of the Michigan Republican Party and an education activist who is a passionate believer in school choice, as his nominee. --If you ever doubted that the BEST way to get a job in cheeto benito's so-called administration is to BUY it and all the Republican senators on the committee, this mor00n is proof. There's a rumor that chump, spicy sphincter, and the rest of the blithering idiots were all home schooled by this brainless god-botherer.No wonder they're all inarticulate and illiterate...no wonder chump can't read! (Hehe!)  For some humor that's almost too true to be funny, go check out...this: https://www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/betsy-devos-delivers-the-morning-announcements

U.N. Ambassador

Requires Senate confirmation
Second to the secretary of state, the United States ambassador to the United Nations will be the primary face of America to the world, representing the country’s interests at the Security Council on a host of issues, from Middle East peace to nuclear proliferation.
Nikki R. Haley Mr. Trump has selected Ms. Haley, the governor of South Carolina, as his nominee. The daughter of immigrants from India, she was a prominent and frequent critic of Mr. Trump early in his run.

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Requires Senate confirmation
The secretary oversees fair-housing laws, the development of affordable housing and access to mortgage insurance. As a real estate developer, Mr. Trump is attuned to the tax breaks for housing development.
Ben Carson Mr. Trump has selected the former neurosurgeon and presidential candidate to be his nominee to lead HUD. Mr. Carson had previously said he did not want to work in government. --Good ol' Indiana Carson, who thinks that the biblical Joseph built the pyramids to store grain during the famine and who said himself that he's NOT qualified for a cabinet post! What on FSM's green earth made him think he'd be qualified to be PRESIDENT if he knows he's too st00pit to run a lowly cabinet?!?? Not to mention...Carson's a total hypocrite for denying his JEEzus by acting as if the brain is the seat of thinking and emotion when the bible CLEARLY says that it's the HEART. And what a hypocrite for going against his God's will that people suffer and die as punishment for their and their parents' and ancestors' sins (don't believe me--read the goddamned bible for yourself). At least Carson's not a hypocrite in one sense: he's a true Republican in that, once he got HIS help from the system, he now wants to burn the ladder behind him so that no one else who needs such help can get it. Friends, these people are cruel, hateful pieces of shit...no matter how pious they pretend to be.       

C.I.A. Director

Requires Senate confirmation
Mr. Trump takes over at a time of diverse and complex threats to American security. The new C.I.A. director will have to decide whether to undo a C.I.A. “modernization” plan put in place this year by Director John O. Brennan, and how to proceed if the president-elect orders a resumption of harsh interrogation tactics — critics have described the tactics as torture — for terrorism suspects.
Mike Pompeo Mr. Trump has selected Mr. Pompeo, representative of Kansas and a former Army officer, as his nominee. Mr. Pompeo is a member of the House Intelligence Committee and was a sharp critic of Hillary Clinton during the congressional investigation into the 2012 attack on the American diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya.

Attorney General

Requires Senate confirmation
The nation's top law enforcement official will have the authority for carrying out Mr. Trump's “law and order” platform. The nominee can change how civil rights laws are enforced.
Jeff Sessions Mr. Trump has selected Senator Sessions, of Alabama, as his nominee. Mr. Sessions is a strong proponent of strict immigration enforcement, reduced spending and tough-on-crime measures. His nomination for a federal judgeship in 1986 was rejected because of racially charged comments and actions, which are very likely to become an issue as he faces another set of Senate confirmation hearings. --I wonder what all the actual Blacks who voted for chump think about this. Are they glad that chump was the last vote they'd ever be allowed to make? 

National Security Adviser

Appointed
The national security adviser, although not a member of the cabinet, is a critical gatekeeper for policy proposals from the State Department, the Pentagon and other agencies, a function that takes on more importance given Mr. Trump's lack of experience in elective office.
Michael T. Flynn Mr. Trump has selected the retired Army lieutenant general and former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency. General Flynn has been outspoken about his view of the threat posed by Islamist militancy and was an ardent supporter of Mr. Trump during the campaign. This TRAITOR, who sold America out to PEWtin, was fired/resigned IN SCANDAL and DISGRACE, February 2017!!! And more filth is trickling in on this piece of shit, who apparently was a foreign agent for Turkey but LIED during his confirmation hearings about it...oops. Being fired is too good for this TREASONOUS TRAITOR--LOCK HIM UP!!! STRING HIM UP!!!!! And then LOCK UP AND STRING UP trumppence, who both knew about all of it all along!       

White House Chief of Staff

Appointed
The chief of staff manages the work and personnel of the West Wing, steering the president's agenda and tending to important relationships. The role will take on outsize importance in a White House run by Mr. Trump, who has no experience in policy making and little in the way of connections to critical players in Washington.
Reince Priebus Mr. Trump announced on Nov. 13 that he had chosen Mr. Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee. --Many people call him "rancid penis." That works for me. If you're in a more polite mewd, you can call him "blather, reince, repeat."       

Chief Strategist

Appointed
Stephen K. Bannon was also considered for chief of staff, but Mr. Trump instead named him chief strategist and senior counselor in the White House, saying that he and Mr. Priebus would be “working as equal partners” in the administration.
Stephen K. Bannon Also on Nov. 13, Mr. Trump announced the appointment of Mr. Bannon, a right-wing media executive and the chairman of the president-elect’s campaign. Many have denounced the move, warning that Mr. Bannon represents racist views. --Ah, yes...alcoholic voldemort himself. Many people are saying that ban'em, as the actual acting president, is PEWtin's American puppet master pulling the strings of the fat-assed, loofah-faced orange shit-gibbon marionette. At least, as of April 2017, he's off the National Security Council. Thank Atheist God for small favors!       


1. DEMAND they support Barbara Boxer's bill to ABOLISH the Electoral College--popular vote only. DEMAND paper ballots only, and DEMAND audit trails be published in local papers. DEMAND they LET ALL Americans vote (undo voter roll purges and other Black voter suppression) and MAKE Election Day a national holiday for all. And STOP gerrymandering.

2. Demand that your elected officials FILIBUSTER ALL trump's SCOTUS appointments. Supporting Citizens United or opposing the rights of women, immigrants, non-whites, non-Christians, LGBTQ+, and the poor are UNACCEPTABLE. This is NON-NEGOTIABLE.

3. DEMAND trump's impeachment--DEMAND he be investigated NOW for corruption and conflict of interest. DEMAND to see his taxes. trump has already committed impeachable offenses, so DEMAND that he be held accountable NOW.

4. REMIND them THEY'RE FIRED if they don't obstruct, obstruct, obstruct trump and the Republicans from Day 1. If they resist, REMIND them that Hillary WON the popular vote by nearly 3 million.

5. DEMAND restoration of the Fairness Doctrine--DEMAND fair, fact-based, accurate media free from the false equivalencies and unchecked free coverage that foisted trump on us.
    
6. DEMAND that they UPHOLD AND EXPAND on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Dodd-Frank legislation. BRING BACK Glass-Steagall!
 
7. DEMAND that trump undergo psychological evaluation for fitness for office. Known narcissist, Dr. Sam Vaknin, explains that trump is a narcissist--and that DISQUALIFIES him for the presidency--in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5he5hXp-rU.
    
8. DEMAND a SPECIAL PROSECUTOR to investigate FBI director James Comey and Donald trump for interfering with the election.
 
9. DEMAND the Army Corps of Engineers go to Flint to dig up and replace all the poisoned pipes.

10. PRIMARY ANY AND ALL fascist Democratic DINOs who vote FOR ANY of chump's nominees. NO EXCEPTIONS!!!!!

AND THE REST!!

SIGN UP for daily headlines from Daily Kos, AlterNet, and "Democracy Now!" SIGN petitions. ATTEND town halls and protests. The Guardian is independent news you can use; Jeremy Scahill's publication "The Intercept" is another high-quality resource of investigative reporting you'd be hard pressed to find elsewhere. GET INFORMED and GET INVOLVED!

If or when trump really does set up his Muslim registry, SIGN UP! Trevor Noah suggested this to be funny, but it's gone viral because the racist bigoted assholes can't deport us all, now can they? If I can do it as a proud anti-theist atheist, then so can you as whatever religion or lack thereof that you are. Keystone Progress has a page where you can pledge to sign up: Pledge to register as a Muslim if Trump creates a registry.

VOLUNTEER for and DONATE to all the organizations that D. LOSER trump is targeting. Get on their mailing lists and donate as much time and money as you can to Planned Parenthood, NRDC, American Civil Liberties Union, and causes that matter to you. Change your cell phone carrier to CREDO, which is a Sprint re-seller that supports blue causes. Planned Parenthood is especially important to support right now--women will die if we don't. You can also donate to WomenOnWeb, who help women get safe abortions online.

ORGANIZE to TAKE OVER the Democratic Party: FIGHT trump and the Republicans, CLEAN UP Democratic Party failures, WIN the midterms, and apologize to Bernie and America for failing. Today, that means signing up for the JUSTICE DEMOCRATS and volunteering and donating whatever time and money you can!

PROTEST all media that inflicted trump on us--BOYCOTT their advertisers and TELL them why. This includes FUX Noise.

GRAB the pussy-in-thief by the wallet: BOYCOTT businesses that sell trump products and TELL them why.
   
JOIN SOPROUD by joining organizations working to protect our future! SIGN UP at http://workingfamilies.org/ and find an emergency meeting near you! DOWNLOAD and FOLLOW the Indivisible Guide for instructions how best to resist trump by interacting with your elected officials in ways that will get their attention.

And don't forget to SUPPORT those in The Resistance who support YOU (like me)! If we all chip in a buck o' five, WE CAN DO THIS THING!!!!!
    
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Boycott List

Boycott media!

Don't bother with these media outlets any more unless you want trump propaganda--these media outlets have whored themselves out to trump for access for the low, low price of "fancy" cocktails and a "fancy" dinner, consisting of Donald's shriveled orange acorn dick, at chump's "fancy" (aka FAKE PLASTIC, just like everything else about trump and his FAKE PLASTIC family) "resort" in Florida. What an upstanding, responsible response to trump's denying press conferences since 27 July 2016...retch. So much for comforting the afflicted, afflicting the comfortable, and speaking truth to power to keep that power reined in and in check...!
  • Axios
  • Bloomberg
  • Breitbart because duh--according to AlterNet, Howard Dean Lends Voice to Consumer Activist Group Hitting Breitbart in the Wallet—And It's Working
  • CNN
  • FOX because of course
  • MSNBC (includes Joe Scarborough, but Rachel Maddow and Chris Hayes may still be OK as long as their corporate overlords allow it)
  • NBC (they also have the reality TV show conflict of interest--and they just hired a couple of FUX Noise escapees, so beware a hard swing to the far, far right)
  • POLITICO--their top editor(s) went and paid to party with trump, so now more and more trump propaganda has been showing up there, to my infinite disgust
Don't forget to contact these media outlets and their ADVERTISERS and TELL them all why you're boycotting them! So what if we spend a little less money overall? The money we save now may give us enough breathing room to jump ship before trump crashes the economy.

Boycott vendors that support trump, sell trump shit, and otherwise pander to hate!

Boycott Victoria's Secret--they kick out shoppers who are guilty of shopping while Black!
   
Here's a twofer: let's save our money for when dump tanks the economy and grab the trumpussy grabber-in-thief where it hurts most--by his wallet!

Want to boycott trump? There's an app for that!

And here's a list of trump companies.

There's also a spreadsheet of trump supporters and vendors that carry trump merch that includes the vendors below.
Don't forget New Balance, who praised and supported trump: 1 (800) 595-9138.

Here's the list from Mindy Fischer, featuring 28 vendors that sell trump merchandise. BOYCOTT them all and TELL them why!

6pm
Contact info: (888) 676-2660, HQ- (702) 943-7777
cs@6pm.com

Amazon--pressure them to DUMP BREITBART, while you're at it!
Contact info: (888) 280-4331 HQ- (206) 266-1000
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/contact-us/general-questions.html?skip=true

Belk
Contact info: (866) 235-5443 HQ- (704) 357-1000
http://www.belkfeedback.com/(X(1)S(sbbxm3z11e1guxbtctk2wdkc))/Index.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

Bloomingdale's
Contact info: (800) 777-0000 HQ- (212) 705-2000
http://survey.medallia.com/?blm-tuwyt-com

Bluefly
Contact info: (877) 258-3359 HQ- (212) 944-8000
flyrep@bluefly.com

The Bon-Ton
Contact info: (800) 233-7626 HQ- (800) 937-5449
http://investors.bonton.com/contactus.cfm

Bed Bath and Beyond
Contact info: (800) 462-3966 HQ- (908) 688-0888
https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/selfservice/ContactUs?…

Burlington Coat Factory
Contact info: (855) 355-2875 HQ- (609) 387-7800
http://www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com/contactus.aspx

Carson's
Contact info: (800) 945-4438 HQ- (317) 971-6200
http://investors.bonton.com/contactus.cfm

Century 21 department store
Contact info: (877) 350-2121 HQ- (888) 221-2551
https://www.c21stores.com/contact

Dillard's
Contact info: (800) 345-5273 HQ- (501) 376-5200
http://www.dillards.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ContactUs

DSW Shoes
Contact info: (866) 379-7463 HQ- (614) 237-7100
http://www.dsw.com/dsw_shoes/customer_service/send_email.jsp

Hudson’s Bay
Contact info: (800) 521-2364 HQ- (800) 521-2364
https://www.thebay.com/webapp/wcs/stores…

HSN
Contact info: (800) 284-3900 HQ- (727) 872-1000
https://www.hsn.com/cs/email_us/default.aspx

Jet
Contact Info: (855) 538-4323 HQ- (844) 538-2255
help@jet.com

Joss & Main
Contact info: (866) 263-8325 HQ- (617) 532-6100
https://www.wayfair.com/help/faq.php

Lord & Taylor
Contact info: (800) 223-7440 HQ- (212) 391-3344
https://www.lordandtaylor.com/webapp/wcs/stores…

Macy’s
Contact info: (800) 289-6229 HQ- (513) 579-7000
http://survey.medallia.com/?mcy-tuwyt-com

Marshalls and TJ Maxx
Contact info: (888) 627-7425 HQ- (508) 390-1000
https://www.marshallsonline.com/contact-us

Neiman Marcus WE WON! Needless Mark-up DUMPED TRUMP, w00t!
Contact info: (888) 888-4757 HQ- (562) 463-9333
https://www.neimanmarcus.com/assistance/contactUs.jsp

Nordstrom WE WON! Nordstrom DUMPED TRUMP, w00t!
Contact info: (888) 282-6060 HQ- (206) 628-2111
https://nordstrom.custhelp.com/app/ask/incidents.c$sent_queueid/12

Overstock.com
Contact info: (800) 843-2446 HQ- (801) 947-3100
https://help.overstock.com/app/ask

Perfumania
Contact info: (866) 557-2368 HQ- (800) 228-3489
http://perfumaniaholdings.com/contact

Saks Off Fifth
Contact info: (877) 551-7257 HQ- (212) 320-4700
https://www.saksoff5th.com/contactus

Stein Mart
Contact info: (888) 783-4662 HQ- (904) 346-1500
http://ir.steinmart.com/contactus.cfm

Wayfair
Contact info: (866) 263-8325 HQ- (617) 532-6100
https://www.wayfair.com/help/faq.php

Winners
Contact info: (514) 788 4949 HQ- (905) 405-8000
https://www.winners.ca/en/contact

Zappos
Contact info: (800) 927-7671 HQ- (702) 943-7777
https://secure-www.zappos.com/contact

Zulily
Contact info: (877) 779-5615 HQ- (206) 724-0500
http://www.zulily.com/contacts

OK, friends--let's get busy!