Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Another victory for The Resistance--small but significant! And now...calling all community organizers: we need a general strike and GOTV NOW!

29 June 2017 update:

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

Walp, it's time for Michael Moore, Scott Dworkin, and whomever else can help us set up two very important events:

1. A general strike NOW

2. A drive to get poor people state IDs, registered, informed, and to the polls

You may well be saying, "Wuuuuuuut?"

Let me explain.

1. We need a general strike because, as Keith Olbermann says, there's no way in hell we should be appeasing tRump--we should be shutting the entire country down NOW.

Friends, WE are the engine that drives the economy. WE are the workers whose productivity makes the rich rich. WE are the ones who spend the money that keeps the economy strong. WE are the real maker class; the rich are the real taker class--hoarding everything, contributing nothing.

The power to bend the government to our will is OURS--if only we stand up and use it! The Democrats can't, and the media won't, so, dear ones, it's up to us. Every single one of us has to get out in the streets NOW.

2. We need the voter drive because, as Bill Moyers says, poor people do not vote. They need to.

Poor People Aren't Involved in Politics. Can Activists Change That?

We also have to fight Republican voter suppression like all unholy hell is breaking loose...because it is. Just ask Greg Palast about voter suppression: some 300,000 Democratic district votes went uncounted in 2016...and tRump "won" by a mere ~70,000 votes.

The No-BS Inside Guide to the Presidential Recount - Greg Palast

Racist voter suppression also likely cost Ossoff Georgia...ouch.

On top of that, if Kris Kobach ever gets his slimy hands on the sensitive voter data he wants, he'll crosscheck yet another 2 million voters off the voter rolls without even batting an eyelash. And that's on top of the millions of voters already illegally disenfranchised.

This is A. Very. Big. Deal.

Since we can't do anything about it until we get Dems into office, the only solution I see is to overcompensate for electronic Jim Crow and recruit at least two registered Democratic voters for each Republican.

And we all know that Republicans vote...even if they have to hold their noses, they vote.

...

Both of these efforts will take community organizers to mobilize everyone.

I'm sure we can stand up another general strike, but, this time, it has to be everyone...and I mean EVERYONE.

We have to show the bastards who want to kill us all with their death care and tax breaks for the rich that we won't back down--that we will do what it takes to protect our friends, families, loved ones, and the vulnerable among us.

We have to show the bastards what democracy and true patriots look like by fighting for this country instead of handing it over to PEWtin and his oligarchs...and our oligarchs.

But the general strike is the easier nut to crack.

The voter drive is going to be more of a challenge.

Friends, think of it this way.

How much of your bandwidth do you spend on politics every day? Every week?

Aren't you really much more interested in just going about your daily life?

Or, maybe, you're in survival mode--you wish you could get involved, but you don't have the time, money, energy, ....

If you're in either of these categories, how concerned are you that tRump is gutting the State Department and perhaps permanently destroying our ability to conduct diplomacy instead of war?

Shutting out and shutting down our media?

Waging war against reality?

Waging war on science and education?

Waging war on our allies while rewarding PEWtin, our attacker?

Waging war on us with pollution? Global warming? Poison food, water, air, and medicine? Denial of health care by pricing insurance out of reach?

Making it increasingly likely that we won't even be allowed to vote for president in 2020 because tRump is working overtime to destroy our democratic institutions from the inside and out, including inviting PEWtin in and giving him all the passwords to our democracy while locking us--America's rightful owners
--out?

If you're middle class and are operating in survival mode right now, imagine how much harder it is for those among us with less money, fewer resources, and virtually no support.

And yet, with our help, we might all be able to band together to make life better for everyone.

Together, we can get big money out of politics, first and foremost, so that we can establish a living wage, evidence-based education, science-based policy, humane health care for all, free and fair elections, restored accountability, and a government that serves all Americans rather than just the top 1%.

This is why we need to organize and go door to door, as a community, and get people interested and involved by enabling them to understand the stakes and to work and to vote for positive change.

To make this happen, friends, we are going to have to get up close and personal with those who need our help most.

We will have to do some serious volunteering and fund-raising to make this happen.

We are going to have to make clear what the stakes are--the challenges we face to Make America Progressive Again--and the risks if we fail.

And we are going to have to go in armed and ready to compensate people for their time because, in America, we make it as hard as possible for citizens to do their civic duty and vote.

If you're working 80+ hours a week and don't get paid to go to the polls--who does anymore?--then we need to GoFundMe and replace your lost wages, maybe even help babysit your kids or bring potluck for dinner, so that you can go vote in peace.

Getting involved so that we can enable the poor to vote is the only shot we have at restoring a livable society and stanching the damage being done to our democratic institutions on a daily basis by tRump and his junta.

It-snot gonna be easy, dear ones, but what choice do we really have?

I know I'm in--I hope you are, too.

Onward!

- Dot Calm's shadow

 
*****
Here's Mika's perfect response
to tRump's asinine tweets this morning
(of which he was apparently Very Proud):
Apparently, Mika pissed tRump off earlier
by commenting about his fake TIME cover,
saying that he covered his hands
because they're "teensy."
*****

Choo choo time headlines

Newsweek: Wikileaks Documentary Makers Accuse Assange of Censorship
...I know DN! lurves them some Assange and Wikileaks, and I'm all for whistleblowers, but have ya ever noticed that Assange only ever attacks Western democracies?

MSNBC: Trump-Russia probe hits bottleneck with requests to Treasury
...If we don't get Dems into office in 2018, we will be stuck with Republican foxes "guarding" the democracy henhouse.

Medium: Republicans Aren't Talking About The Biggest Contributor To Rising Health Care Costs 
...Spoiler: it's the dearth of resources spent on prevention. Treating, say, cancer costs a crap-ton more than preventing it. But we in America forget the old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and go straight for penny-wise, pound-foolish. Or, in tRump's case, 300-pound foolish.

Brennan Center: Presidential Transparency: Beyond Tax Returns
...We need tRump's tax returns, yes, but they won't tell the whole story of where he "gets" his money from and how much he owes whom.

Quartz Media: Sally Yates says the US needs more than a special counsel to get to the bottom of the Trump-Russia affair

Inc.com: Here's How Warren Buffett Thinks We Should Fix American Health Care
...It's basically a flat tax to give us Medicare for all. I saw "8%" bandied about in the article.

WSJ: ObamaCare's Victims Need Relief Now
...They're bitching about few-to-one-to-no providers in some remote areas of the country. They should be bitching about Marco Rubio's 2015 poison pill to the insurers that forced them out of the exchanges by reneging on the government's agreement to subsidize the high risk corridors. They should also be bitching that tRumpcare won't fix the problem--in fact, it'll probably make it a whole lot worse. I personally think that tRumpcare would shut down the health insurance industry entirely--who's going to want to pay through the nose for non-insurance that won't cover anything anyway? Not me--I'd rather take my chances and use my own money my own way instead of just handing it over to some greedy insurance company that has no intention of ever giving back a dime. I suspect a lot of Americans feel the same way--they won't buy crap insurance once they realize it's crap. What would they gain? Being one of the cool kids what haz insurance? I don't think so.

ProPublica: Facebook's Secret Censorship Rules Protect White Men from Hate
...In short, FB protects white males but not anybody else from "hate speech." And Twitter won't close tRump's account no matter how abusive he is. Friends, we really need our general strike and GOTV--it's time to establish and enforce consequences on these assholes and their dick moves.

The Guardian: Authorities to investigate Jay Sekulow nonprofit after 'troubling' revelations
...I think it's a riot that Christian televangelist--I shit you not--Jay Sekulow is as much of a grifter as the tRump family and that, like the tRumps, Sekulow siphons money out of charities into his own family's pockets. Grift must be a mandatory skill to have on your resume if you ever want to work for tRump. I'll say this, though--it's a "good" thing for Sekulow that he is as unethical and crooked of a thief as he is because it's the only way aside from fleecing his Christian teevee viewers for donations that he'll ever assuage his greed--there's no way in hell tRump will ever pay him a dime.

The Guardian: Climate scientists just debunked deniers' favorite argument

WaPo: Guns and religion: How American conservatives grew closer to Putin's Russia

USA Today: NRA video declares war on liberals, critics say
...This chilling ad stops just short of declaring a new civil war. And the GOP has the gall to pretend it's liberals calling for violence!

Macleans.ca: Waiting for death in Thunder Bay
...Heartbreaking story of a hate crime and its tragic consequences--a hater threw a trailer hitch out of a car, deliberately targeting a young Native American mother. Now, her teenage daughter and best friend is watching her slowly waste away and die from the injury...on top of having to watch her mother go through dire suffering, the poor girl now faces life without her mother and best friend. Dear FSM, what have we as a species become?

New Republic: Conservatives' Excuses for Kicking Millions Off of Health Care Don't Make Any Sense
...For a tiny percentage or two's worth of income to the top 0.04%, Republicans are willing to murder 20+ million Americans. Dunno about you, but I'm gobsmacked.

NBC News: FBI Interviews Employees of Russia-Linked Cyber Security Firm Kaspersky Lab
...Do you believe that our government has actually been using Kaspersky products on official government systems?!?? Can you say PEWtin's back-door--and we've been using it voluntarily for years? Can you say woefully unprepared for the next Russian cyber attack? I knew you could!

The Hill: Sally Yates: Trump administration behavior 'should be alarming to us as a country

Bill Moyers: All of Donald Trump's Lies

CNN: Officials struggle to convince Trump that Russia remains a threat
...Hellz, I'm shocked they admit it!

Mic: EPA chief Scott Pruitt met with Dow Chemical CEO. Then the EPA changed course on a pesticide ban
...ZOMG--now they're not even pretending to be pro-fetus!!!!! Or maybe they've decided that fetuses are pests...?

AlterNet: Robert Reich: This Is the Message Democrats Have Been Searching For
...How do you get everyone on board, energized to work together, organize, and vote? Medicare for all!

WaPo: A top Trump ally admits Russia will try to strike again. Does Trump care?

Stonekettle Station: Death for Fun and Profit
...Jim Wright's brilliant piece on what you get when you let oligarchs run health care.

Vox: It turns out the liberal caricature of conservatism is correct
...Yup--Republicans are just as sick, sad, greedy, cruel, heartless, cold, callous, and sadistic as liberals portray them. Yup.

MoJo: Former NATO Ambassador Shoots Down Republican Attempts to Blame Obama for the Russian Election Hack

Blue Dot Daily: Money Trail Ties Trey Gowdy to Bribes to Investigate Hillary, Then Later to Protect Trump

WSJ: GOP Operative Sought Clinton Emails From Hackers, Implied a Connection to Flynn
...This is the first solid allegation of tRump-Russia collusion, friends. There's evidence that a political operative sought stolen HRC e-mail from Russia and implied he was working with Flynn. And intel shows Russian operatives discussing how to steal Hillary's e-mails and get them to Flynn. There's a lot more in the article. But, hey, now, at least, we all know why Republicans have spent this week claiming that it-snot a crime to work hand-in-glove with a foreign government in order to steal an election for yourself.

The Daily Beast: White House Asked to Probe Top Ethics Official for Ethics Violations
...Not shocking at all that tRump's top ethics official is grossly unethical.

Just Security: Trump Definition of “Family” Is in Contempt of Supreme Court Travel Ban Ruling

Politicus USA: Trump Accused Of Dereliction of Duty As Russia Scandal Gets More Dire for Republicans 

*****

Links you can use

Tell Congress: Oppose ATC Privatization - Action Network

Ciao, Chaffetz! - Kathryn Allen for Congress
...There's going to be a fundraiser benefiting Dr. Kathie Allen to celebrate Jason Chaffetz's last day.

*****

DKos, ANet, and DN! headlines

Use the links down by the peas, please. I'm already up way past my beddie-bye time.

*****

Moar m00bies!













 
*****
A Resistbot fax I sent to my MOC & newspaper:
 
I get that democracy isn't a spectator sport.
 
I vote in primaries and mid-terms, even though
the government clearly doesn't want me to
(they'd make it easy if they wanted us to vote).
 
I've been writing to my elected officials
as needed through the years.
It used to be simply to weigh in with an opinion.
Then, it became about saving the environment
or not starting unnecessary wars.
But now...?
 
Now, We the People are literally begging our government,
"Please don't kill us."
 
There's something very wrong with this picture.
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

27 June 2017 post: 
Greetings, fellow Dot Calm Readers, Freedom Fighters, and Truth Crusaders!

Dear ones, we've had a small but significant victory today: TURDleman was forced to delay the vote on the tRumpcare death bill--woo hoo...whew.

As a result, Republican Senators must now face their constituents during the 4th of July recess.

I doubt they'll have the balls to hold town halls, but don't let that stop you--KEEP CALLING, e-mailing, tweeting, Resistbot'ing, and showing up at their offices.

Friends, WE did this.

OUR calls, faxes, e-mails, and persistence WORKED.

We got through to enough Republican senators to keep TURDleman from having enough votes for an easy victory.

And, as you know, the tRumpcare death bill stinks--it's been likened to a rotten fish that only stinks worse over time.

In other words, the more time our congress-critters have to read it, the more convinced they'll be that passing it will get them booted out at the voting booth.

But, like I said, this is no time for complacency. We MUST keep the calls, e-mails, tweets, and faxes pouring in. We MUST show up at these people's offices and tell them how harmful this bill is.

Public outcry is the only measure left to us to fight for our lives from this evil bill--literally.

Onward!

- Dot Calm's shadow

*****

Choo choo time headlines

Reuters: Under pressure, Western tech firms bow to Russian demands to share cyber secrets

WaPo: Obama's secret struggle to retaliate against Putin's election assault
...Friends, this is a 20+-page article we all need to print out and read...maybe memorize. *sigh*

NY Times: President Trump's Lies, the Definitive List

Playboy: Donald Trump Doesn't Care About Young People
...Yeah, yeah...everyone reads it for the articles. Well, this article, anyway.

WaPo: Making America scared again won't make us safer

LA Times: The Senate GOP hid the meanest things very deeply in its Obamacare. We found them.

The Independent: Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny barred from standing against Putin

If You Only News: A Man Just Stood Up To Trump's Latest Outburst – And America Is Cheering Him On

Bloomberg: Prince Was a Secret Patron of Solar Power

CBS News: Bernie and Jane Sanders, under FBI investigation for bank fraud, hire lawyers 
...OMG OMG OMG!!!!!

Business Insider: Evidence is mounting that Russia took 4 clear paths to meddle in the U.S. election

ShareBlue: Unbelievable hypocrite Mitch McConnell survived polio because of a publicly funded program 
...Not sure this is true...I haven't Snopes'ed it yet, and you and I both should...but it seems so unbelievable that I could almost believe that TURDleman would do it.

Medium: Our problem isn't 'fake news.' Our problems are trust and manipulation

Mindy Fischer Writer: Time To Make Our Voices Heard! A Complete List Of Contact Info For Senators And Reps

AP News: Analysis indicates partisan gerrymandering has benefited GOP


The Toronto Star: Donald Trump has said 337 false things as president. Here are all of them.

The Guardian: Trump lawyer's firm steered millions in donations to family members, files show
...tRump is a hypocrite, liar, and grafter who only hires and associates with hypocrites, liars, grifters.

ProPublica: 'International Man of Mystery' Linked to Flynn's Lobbying Deal

The Independent: Former Republican judge calls for Donald Trump to be 'impeached': 'Each new day is a nightmare'

Buffalo News: Stock Collins bought and touted collapses after drug trial failure
...Rep. Chris Collins touted Australian biotech Innate Immunotherapeutics stock, which promptly tanked in stock trading. The drug was supposed to enter FDA clinical trials. The unusual trading activity points to the use of insider information. The Office of Congressional Ethics may be interested in Collins's activity...and in that of Tom Price, whom Collins tipped off.

National Geographic: Deepest Dive Under Antarctica Reveals a Shockingly Vibrant World
...Beautifully written, engaging story. Click through and read it--you'll enjoy it. It reminds me of this:


...Doncha wish Republicans felt the same way about the world we do? *sigh*

*****

DKos, ANet, & DN! headlines

Daily Kos Breaking News

Breaking news from Washington:



Daily Kos Recommended



Daily Kos Recommended



Daily Kos Recommended



Daily Kos Recommended



Daily Kos Recommended



Daily Kos Recommended



Daily Kos Recommended


***

The World's Confidence in the United States Has Plummeted Since Trump Took Office
By Lauren Kaori Gurley, AlterNet
Poll finds nations now have more faith in Putin to "do the right thing regarding world affairs." READ MORE»
CNN Panel Turns Ugly When Robert Reich Calls Trumpcare Exactly What It Is
By Noor Al-Sibai, Raw Story
"This Republican bill is not a health care bill—it’s a tax cut for the wealthy." READ MORE»
Stephen Colbert Takes Down Trump's Maniacal New Attack on Obama
By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
The president will blame his predecessor for anything, even if it means contradicting himself. READ MORE»

The GOP Has a Sinister Solution to Finding the Votes They Need for Their Health Care Bill
By Mark Sumner, DailyKos
Mitch McConnell and the White House plan to offer Republican holdouts a smorgasbord of "side deals." READ MORE»

Elizabeth Warren Issues a Bold New Rallying Cry for the Democratic Party
By Taylor Link, Salon
The Massachusetts senator says the time has come to call for universal health care. READ MORE»

This Trump Lawyer's Business Dealings Are as Slimy as His Most Famous Client's
By Jon Swaine, The Guardian
A new report reveals Jay Sekulow used a Christian charity to steer more than $60 million to his family. READ MORE»

Seth Meyers Savages Republicans' 'Cartoonishly Evil' Health Care Bill and Trolls Trump All in One Segment
By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
The "Late Night" host responds to the Congressional Budget Office's damning new report. READ MORE»

AlterNet Comics: Brian McFadden on the Amazon Economy
By Brian McFadden, AlterNet
Next up, a Dash button for union busting. READ MORE»

GOP Health Care Plan Crushes Working-Class Blacks and Whites, but Not the Middle-Class Whites Who Elected Trump
By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
Contrary to the media narrative, wealthier whites, not poorer ones, formed the GOP’s 2016 voter base. READ MORE»

Seymour Hersh Casts Doubt on Reported Syrian Gas Attack
By Jefferson Morley, AlterNet
Claims Trump ignored U.S. intelligence reports of a conventional attack while ordering meaningless military action. READ MORE»

Cops Killing Blacks Has Come to Be Expected
By Celisa Calacal, AlterNet
The law seems to operate on behalf of police officers rather than the people they are sworn to serve. READ MORE»

Why Isn’t Big Pharma Paying for the Harm It Caused Like Big Tobacco?
By Martha Rosenberg, Intrepid Report
They got their claws in the opioid crisis and are milking it for all it's worth. READ MORE»

America in Crisis: Is a Second Civil War in the Making?
History News Network
One of the most demoralizing things about America today is the feeling that we are separating into “two nations." READ MORE»

The 10 Most Contaminated Foods in Your Fridge You Need to Trash Right Now—and Healthier Alternatives
By Annie B. Bond, AlterNet
Reduce your exposure to harmful chemicals by replacing some of the toxic foods lurking in your fridge. READ MORE»

As Recycling Declines and Centers Close, the Homeless Are Really Screwed
By Anna Sanford, AlterNet
People who redeem recyclables as their source of income are in a difficult situation. READ MORE»

Settlements: The Real Story
By Gershom Gorenberg, The American Prospect
Fifty years after the Six-Day War, a mistaken account of how settlement began still plagues Israeli politics. READ MORE»

Would You Believe It? TSA Is Requiring You to Pull Out Every Piece of Paper in Your Bags
By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
The ACLU believes the policy likely violates passengers' First Amendment rights. READ MORE»

Latest DeVos Worry: Ignoring Anti-Discrimination Laws Protecting LGBTQ Students
By Jeff Bryant, Education Opportunity Network
Department's new civil rights chief also has "denounced feminism and race-based preferences.”  READ MORE»

World of Winless War: U.S. Special Ops Forces Already Deployed to 137 Nations in 2017
By Nick Turse, TomDispatch
We're dealing with a political and military establishment that often appears bereft of strategic vision and hasn’t won a major war since the 1940s.  READ MORE»

Legalizing Marijuana Dramatically Reduces Traffic Stop Searches
By Phillip Smith, AlterNet
When weed is legal, cops have one less reason to search. That's one less opportunity for a potentially lethal confrontation.  READ MORE»

Can Tiny Qatar Keep Defying Its Powerful Neighbors? It May Be up to Washington
By Nader Habibi, The Conversation
Apart from President Trump’s tweet burst, the U.S. government has given diplomatic breathing room to Qatar. READ MORE»

Here Are 5 Things You Should Know About the Trial for America's 'Toughest Sheriff' Joe Arpaio
By Sarah K. Burris, Raw Story
He could end up in jail for six months unless Trump pardons him. READ MORE»

More Than 100 Federal Agencies Fail to Report Hate Crimes to the FBI’s National Database
By A.C. Thompson, Ken Schwencke, ProPublica
The gaps in data damage efforts to understand the nature and scope of violence driven by racial and religious hatred. READ MORE»
 
John Oliver Tries Desperately to Talk Some Sense into Anti-Vaxxers Before It's Too Late
By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
The "Last Week Tonight" host warns they're putting us all at risk. READ MORE»
Trump Is Reportedly 'Struggling to Stay Calm' as the Russia Investigation Deepens
By Hunter, DailyKos
A new investigation finds the president is consulting with his legal team daily.  READ MORE»
Donald Trump's Demented New Attack on Barack Obama Won't Save Him
By Heather Digby Parton, Salon
Now he's blaming his predecessor for the Russian hacks he insists didn't happen. READ MORE»

Trump's Racist Fans Turn on Each Other over 'Pathetic' Weekend Rally
By Sarah K. Burris, Raw Story
White nationalist Richard Spencer lashes out after a meager gathering at the Lincoln Memorial. READ MORE»

Ivanka Trump Is Really Making This Claim About Her White House Job with a Straight Face
By Martin Pengelly, The Guardian
The first daughter desperately wants you to believe she's not as heartless as her father. READ MORE»

'Morning Joe' Reveals How 'Crazy and Jealous' Trump Fell for Obama's 'Jedi Mind Trick'
By Travis Gettys, Raw Story
"He got him to admit that the health care bill is mean." READ MORE»

Trump Ditches White House Tradition of Celebrating End of Ramadan
By Louise Nordstrom , France 24
The president isn't even masking his Islamophobia. READ MORE»

AlterNet Comics: Keith Knight on the Brutal History of Lynchings in the United States
By Keith Knight, AlterNet
A harrowing peek at the town halls of yesteryear. READ MORE»
6 Trigger Points: How the Conflict Between the United States and Iran Is Fast Escalating Toward War
By Jefferson Morley, AlterNet
The United States' next ground war in the Middle East might erupt without warning. READ MORE»
Trump, With a Vicious Temperament, Seems Eager to Hasten the Doomsday Clock
By Vijay Prashad, AlterNet
Climate catastrophe and the threat of war, make the future very dark, indeed READ MORE»
A Bare Majority of White Voters Are the Only Ones Happy With Trump
By Kali Holloway, AlterNet
Thanks to dissatisfied nonwhites, Trump’s low approval numbers have reached historic depths. READ MORE»
Soda and Fast Food Lobbyists Push State Preemption Laws to Prevent Local Regulation
By Rob Waters, AlterNet
Big food has a lot of power, is willing to use it, and cares about profit, not America's health. READ MORE»
Journalist Patrice O'Neill Wins Danny Award for Tireless Fight Against Hate Crime
By Rory O'Connor, AlterNet
O'Neill has fostered a network of community activists, leading anti-hate media campaigns in hundreds of communities nationwide.  READ MORE»
Manufactured Illiteracy and Miseducation: A Long Process of Decline Led to President Donald Trump
By Henry A. Giroux, Salon
A deep-rooted crisis in education, and a long cultural and political decline, is what got us here. There's hope!  READ MORE»
Authoritarianism Is Making a Comeback—Here's the Time-Tested Way to Defeat It
By Maria J. Stephan, Timothy Snyder, The Guardian
Tyrants’ tactics require the consent of large numbers of people. The first lesson, then, is not to obey in advance. READ MORE»
Trump Appointee Is a Saudi Government Lobbyist
By Carrie Levine, The Center for Public Integrity
Richard Hohlt is earning six figures from the Gulf kingdom bent on influencing Trump. READ MORE»
Jared Kushner’s Meeting with Mahmoud Abbas Went So Badly that Trump Is Reportedly Considering Pulling Out of Talks
By Tom Porter, Newsweek
Abbas was allegedly furious when Kushner relayed a set of demands from Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu. READ MORE»
Surprising Ways to Beat Anxiety and Become Mentally Strong— According to Science
By Olivia Remes, The Conversation
Find purpose in life by helping others.  READ MORE»
12 Healthy Foods That Help You Burn Fat
By Franziska Spritzler, Authority Nutrition
Several natural foods and beverages have been shown to increase metabolism and promote fat loss. READ MORE»
Could Weed Be Used to Treat Period Pain?
By Luisa Dillner, The Guardian
New York legislators are about to approve marijuana to treat period pain. The evidence is unclear, but that doesn’t mean the drug can be ruled out. READ MORE»
How Corporate Media Enabled the GOP's Audacious Plan to Steal Health Care Coverage from 23 Million Americans
By Adam Johnson, AlterNet
Corporate media is finally talking about Trumpcare. It’s too little too late.  READ MORE»
Why the Right Wing's War on Facts Is Driving the Divide in America
By Sophia A. McClennen, Salon
Forget red state vs. blue state. Now the line of separation runs between those who prefer facts to fantasy. READ MORE»
John McCain and Paul Ryan Hold 'Good Meeting' With Veteran Ukrainian Nazi Demagogue Andriy Parubiy
By Ben Norton, Max Blumenthal, AlterNet
Two of the GOP’s most powerful figures gave a PR boost to violent neo-Nazi forces rampaging across Ukraine. READ MORE»

Federal Judge Orders Ivanka Trump to Testify Over ‘Knockoff’ Shoe Design
By Bob Brigham, Raw Story
Ivanka’s public statements undermined her lawyer’s defense.  READ MORE»
ATMs in Churches Across the US? Why Cash Is Considered Sacred
By James Hudnut-Beumler , The Conversation
ATMs began appearing in churches providing a way for people to come up with ready cash to give to God and their church. But why was cash necessary? READ MORE»
Who the Heck Is Michael Cohen? Everything You Were Afraid to Ask about this Suddenly Important Person
By Bill Scheft, Salon
Can't keep up with who's lawyered up in the White House? Here's the deep dirt on Trump's personal counsel. READ MORE»
Can This Progressive Ironworker (and His Mustache) Swipe Paul Ryan's Seat?
By Adam Gabbatt, The Guardian
Randy Bryce’s campaign is offering a boots-and-denim alternative to Washington’s elite. Can he take on the most senior Republican in Congress? READ MORE»
10 Sustainable Fashion Brands That Will Keep You—and Planet Earth—Looking Good
By Mary Mazzoni, AlterNet
Before you refresh that summer wardrobe, consult our list and spend your dollar where it counts. READ MORE»
Senior Israeli Rabbi Calls for the Mass Execution of Palestinians
By Celisa Calacal, AlterNet
Shmuel Eliyahu has a long history of hate speech. READ MORE»
Here’s What Nobody Ever Tells You about Lasik Eye Surgery
By Chris Riotta, Newsweek
"It’s totally painless," I remember being told. READ MORE»
Why You Should Take a Real Lunch Break
By Jill Suttie, Yes! Magazine
According to a new study, we concentrate better and feel less stressed when we fully detach from work and enjoy a real breather. READ MORE»
Seth Meyers Catches Trump in One of His Most Brazen and Egregious Lies to Date
By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
"Trump has actually signed none of the major legislation he promised." READ MORE»
Trump's Deranged New Conspiracy Theory Already Has Staffers Dreading the Backlash
By David Ferguson, Raw Story
"F*ck my life." READ MORE»
The Truth About Domestic Terrorism the Right Stubbornly Refuses to Acknowledge
By Mirren Gidda, Newsweek
One group is responsible for an overwhelming majority of attacks, and it's not Muslim extremists. READ MORE»
Your Health May Be in the Hands of This Republican Senator, and That's Terrifying
By Neal Gabler, BillMoyers.com
Susan Collins is often presented as a moderate, but will she buck her party when it counts? READ MORE»
Bernie Sanders' Wife Is Facing Bank Fraud Charges
By Pritha Paul, International Business Times
The Vermont senator believes she's being targeted by a close Trump associate. READ MORE»
Could This Iron Worker and Union Organizer Unseat Paul Ryan in 2018?
By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
Wisconsin's Randy Bryce is attempting the "almost impossible." READ MORE»
Trump Floats Possibility of Removing 'Very Bothersome' Special Counsel Robert Mueller
By Travis Gettys, Raw Story
The president aired his grievances during an interview with "Fox & Friends" Friday. READ MORE»
Obama Rips Republican Health Care Bill as 'Massive Transfer of Wealth' to the Rich
By Sabrina Siddiqui, The Guardian
"If you might get sick, get old, or start a family, this bill will do you harm." READ MORE»
AlterNet Comics: Jen Sorensen on the Tragedy of School Lunches
By Jen Sorensen, AlterNet
God forbid poor children need to eat. READ MORE»
Is Trump Under Federal Investigation - or Not?
By Jefferson Morley, AlterNet
Either way, the evidence is mounting that the president obstructed justice. READ MORE»
GOP's Cruel 'Health Care' Bill Goes After Children, the Poor and Veterans
By Steven Rosenfeld, AlterNet
“The ACA is not repealed. Health care for poor people, kids, the disability community and seniors is."  READ MORE»
Obscene: Bill Cosby Planning To Tour Country Teaching About Sexual Assault
By Kali Holloway, AlterNet
Just what we need.  READ MORE»
Jim Hightower: Trump's Puny Poll Numbers Are About to Crash into His Ego
By Jim Hightower, AlterNet
Trump's greatest failure is that he has no understanding of grassroots democratic idealism. READ MORE»
Meet MSNBC's New Toxic Right-Wing Pundit
By Matt Gertz, Media Matters
The Trump supporter puts an intellectual shine on partisan hackery. READ MORE»
The ACLU Is Suing D.C. Police for Their Brazen Mistreatment of Inauguration Protesters
By Celisa Calacal, AlterNet
The lawsuit says police officers made unconstitutional arrests and used excessive force against demonstrators. READ MORE»
What's More Frightening Than an Evil World Leader? A Stupid One
By Oliver Burkeman, The Guardian
What makes stupid people so dangerous is that you can’t refer to their own self-interest to predict or explain their actions. READ MORE»
How America's Idiotic Drug Prohibition Helped Kill Philando Castile and Give the Policeman Who Killed Him an Excuse to Walk Free
By Phillip Smith, AlterNet
Drug war madness strikes again. READ MORE»
Is Coconut Oil Healthy or Not? There's a Lot of Misinformation Out There
By Jill Richardson, AlterNet
If there's one thing we've learned in recent decades, it's that fat is not just fat. READ MORE»
Jeff Sessions' Ideas About Crime Are Totally Wrong—and the Consequences Can Be Tragic
By Sophia Tesfaye, Salon
Sessions hates consent decrees with local police and keeps claiming crime is way up. Evidence doesn't back him up. READ MORE»
Fourth Grader Makes Heartbreaking Video About Racist Classmates Calling Her 'Nutella' and 'Servant'
By David Ferguson, Raw Story
She said she appealed to teachers for help and they did nothing. READ MORE»
Elizabeth Warren Excoriates Senate Republicans for Financing Their Tax Cuts with 'Blood Money'
By Alexandra Rosenmann, AlterNet
"People will die." READ MORE»
New Report Exposes Direct Israeli Support for Al Qaeda-Allied Forces in Syria
By Aaron Maté, The Real News Network
Beirut-based journalist Nour Samaha has uncovered extensive Israeli government support of anti-Assad forces in southern Syria. READ MORE»
How to Handle a Toxic Relationship
By Christine Carter, Yes! Magazine
When a relationship is causing you stress and suffering, follow these five steps to find peace for yourself. READ MORE»


***
 

Stories

Twenty-two million Americans would lose their health insurance under the Senate Republicans' healthcare bill over the next decade. That's according to the ... Read More →

The U.S. Supreme Court has announced it will allow for the partial implementation of President Donald Trump's temporary ban on travelers from six Muslim-majority ... Read More →

On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that taxpayer-funded grants for playgrounds could not be denied to a church-run school in Missouri. In an oral dissent issued ... Read More →

On June 19, the Supreme Court reversed a federal appeals court ruling that former high-level Bush administration officials may be sued for their roles in ... Read More →

Supreme Court reporter Dahlia Lithwick examines the new make-up of the court and the rumors that Justice Anthony Kennedy might resign. Neil Gorsuch joined the ... Read More →

Headlines →
 

Stories

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to meet with President Donald Trump in their first face-to-face meeting. The meeting comes as Lockheed ... Read More →

We speak with renown Indian writer Arundhati Roy on the rise of Hindu nationalism and the pressures she experienced as the "face of the new India," which came ... Read More →

We end the show today in Jackson, Mississippi, where just one week from today social justice activist and attorney Chokwe Lumumba will be sworn is as the city's ... Read More →

Headlines →
 

Stories

After weeks of secret deliberations, Republican senators released a healthcare proposal that would remove millions of low-income and disabled people ... Read More →

The healthcare bill proposed by Senate Republicans would reduce key benefits for millions of Americans and defund Planned Parenthood for a year, making breast ... Read More →

Health experts say, given the shortcomings of both the Affordable Care Act and Republican proposals, now is the time to move forward with a simple Medicare-for-all ... Read More →

An ethnic cleansing campaign carried out by the South Sudanese government has triggered one of the biggest refugee crises in Africa. The United Nations has ... Read More →

Headlines →

Stories

Human Rights Watch and the Associated Press have just published explosive new reports on a secret network of prisons in southern Yemen run by the United ... Read More →

As the U.S. moves ahead with a massive arms deal with Saudi Arabia, Saudi's king has deposed his nephew as crown prince and has replaced him with his son—the ... Read More →

More than 10,000 people have died amid the ongoing U.S.-backed, Saudi-led war in Yemen, which has also destroyed the country's health, water and sanitation ... Read More →

Protests are continuing in London over last week's devastating apartment fire that killed 79 people. On Wednesday, around 200 protesters, including survivors ... Read More →

Headlines →

Stories

In the most expensive congressional race in history, Republican Karen Handel has defeated Democrat Jon Ossoff in a special election in Georgia. We go to Atlanta ... Read More →

As Senate Republicans draft their repeal of Obamacare behind closed doors, we speak to The Nation's Katrina vanden Heuvel about secret bills, single-payer ... Read More →

As we continue to look at Tuesday's special election in Georgia, we speak to Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor and publisher of The Nation and columnist for The ... Read More →

A new piece in The New Yorker titled "Fighting for the Immigrants of Little Pakistan" looks at how a predominantly Muslim neighborhood in Brooklyn is ... Read More →

Headlines →

Stories

In Minnesota, protesters took to the streets Sunday for a third straight day after a St. Anthony police officer was acquitted Friday in the killing of a black motorist he shot ... Read More →

Black Lives Matter protests are continuing in the Twin Cities after a Minnesota police officer was acquitted Friday in the killing of Philando Castile, an African- ... Read More →

Six members of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS have resigned over President Donald Trump's handling of the HIV epidemic. In a joint article published ... Read More →

In Egypt, seven men are facing imminent execution based on confessions that human rights activists say were extracted under torture. Six of the men are recent ... Read More →

In Egypt, dozens of activists have been arrested in a series of sweeping raids in recent days. The arrests came as Egyptians took to the streets to protest an ... Read More →

Headlines →

*****

M00bies


















 
*****
 
Well, friends, that's it for today. Until we meet again, don't forget to RESIST with Resistbot:

text "Resist" to 50409

And check out the Electronic Frontier Foundation's website so you can protect your online privacy:
https://www.eff.org/

Remember to boycott all the tRump shills on the boycott list below and tell them why.

And don't forget to read Dot Calm's shadow's favorite independent sources of news and information:
  
Randi Rhodes's Homework page
DCReport.org
Open Secrets
Democratic Coalition Against Trump
MaddowBlog
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 below 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 YouTube channels:
...or, if you just want something mindless and fun, try Tested

Also, don't forget to add these to your Twitter feed if you haven't already:
@joyannreid
@georgetakei
@malcolmnance

And now you can add me, too!

@dotcalmsshadow

And don't forget to follow

@AlexJonescopy

unless, as he says, you're a total globalist. "It's not a parody account--it's performance art!" He also urges us to retweet everything he says unless we want the globalists to win. (Srsly, friends--he's a riot. Don't drink coffee while reading his tweets.)

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
      

*****


*****
     
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!

posted by Dot Calm @ 8:00 PM