US Politics

[Tracker]

How close did Trump come to attempting a military coup? Much too close

At the present moment, American democracy is like a tightrope walker attempting a crossing during a howling storm, and without a net. That democracy has thus far "survived" the Age of Trump and his regime's and allies' assaults — including an all-too-real attempted coup — is something like the luck enjoyed by fools and drunks. Joe Biden may now be president, but the perilous tightrope walk continues. Safety appears to be in sight, but that is a dangerous illusion: Most lethal falls during a tightrope walk happen during the last few feet when the performer believes they are safe.      

The flood of "revelations" about the Trump regime's attempts to overthrow American democracy continue.

Contrary to what the professional smart people with their "view from nowhere" and too many other members of the chattering classes have claimed, the dangers of a coup perpetrated by the Trump regime were not exaggerated or hysterical, and most certainly were not symptoms of "Trump derangement syndrome." The danger was clear and obvious for those who were paying attention to reality as it is, and not as others wished it to be.  

What do we now know? (And should have known already?) Donald Trump and members of his inner circle wanted to invoke the Insurrection Act in response to last summer's protests that followed the police murder of George Floyd.

As reported by CNN, Trump longed for the U.S. military to "crack skulls" and "handle" the protesters with great force. He reportedly wanted the United States military to "beat the **** out" of the protesters and even "shoot them." When told that such violence was illegal and inappropriate, Trump then suggested that the military could shoot protesters in the legs instead. 

It appears that Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper were able to stop Trump from ordering U.S. troops to act out his violent, psychopathic fantasies. 

ProPublica recently obtained emails revealing that the violence by Trump's followers on Jan. 6 by Trump's followers was predictable and in no sense unexpected. In their new reporting, Joshua Kaplan and Joaquin Sapien explain that they interviewed "more than 50 people involved in the events of Jan. 6" and reviewed months' worth of private correspondence: 

Taken together, these accounts suggest that senior Trump aides had been warned the Jan. 6 events could turn chaotic, with tens of thousands of people potentially overwhelming ill-prepared law enforcement officials.

Rather than trying to halt the march, Trump and his allies accommodated its leaders, according to text messages and interviews with Republican operatives and officials.

In other words, nothing about the coup attempt was spontaneous or random. It was part of a much larger plot and conspiracy previewed by Trump's repeated attempts to invoke the Insurrection Act during the George Floyd protests and other moments of his presidency. In addition, many questions remain unanswered about the Trump regime's embedding of its supporters in key national security positions and the military's delayed response to the Capitol attack. Let's not overlook that Trump did in fact want the National Guard deployed on Jan. 6 — to protect his followers as they gathered earlier in the day before marching on the U.S. Capitol.  Moreover, in a December 2020 Oval Office meeting with Donald Trump and other members of his inner circle, the disgraced former general and national security adviser Michael Flynn supposedly even went so far as to suggest that Trump should impose martial law in order to remain in power following his defeat by Joe Biden. 

How close did Trump come to attempting a military coup? Much too close | Salon.com

[Tracker]

Alarming survey finds American conservatives 'uniquely inclined' toward authoritarianism
   
An alarming new survey conducted by Morning Consult has found that American conservatives are "uniquely inclined" toward authoritarianism compared to conservatives in other English-speaking nations.

Morning Consult's poll was based on work done by researcher Bob Altemeyer, who defines right-wing authoritarianism as "the desire to submit to some authority, aggression that is directed against whomever the authority says should be targeted and a desire to have everybody follow the norms and social conventions that the authority says should be followed."

Alarming survey finds American conservatives 'uniquely inclined' toward authoritarianism - Alternet.org

[17to85]

2 hours ago, Tracker said:

As reported by CNN, Trump longed for the U.S. military to "crack skulls" and "handle" the protesters with great force. He reportedly wanted the United States military to "beat the **** out" of the protesters and even "shoot them." When told that such violence was illegal and inappropriate, Trump then suggested that the military could shoot protesters in the legs instead. 

And you know if he was actually smart enough to not **** talk the military maybe there would be a chance of them going along with it. Sadly when you have disdain for those people they aren't likely to go along with your coup. 

[Tracker]

2 minutes ago, 17to85 said:

And you know if he was actually smart enough to not **** talk the military maybe there would be a chance of them going along with it. Sadly when you have disdain for those people they aren't likely to go along with your coup. 

That was certainly not a sure thing. The evangelists have been working overtime to proslytize the American military- and particularly the officer corps.  If you are career military, you are very comfortable with obeying commands without question and have a need for rigid structure, so you are vulnerable to the message of a would-be despot like Trump and the evangelical movement as well. These people tend to see the world as black and white, us vs "them", not to mention the lingering mental instability of PTSS effects. And a lot of ex-military find their way into para-military organizations like...wait for it....police and fire departments.

[FrostyWinnipeg]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/mike-lindell-urges-scotus-to-immediately-reinstate-trump-and-get-rid-of-communists/ar-AALyFGi?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531

[iHeart]

I don't know why but I feel like they should be paying alot more than that

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/fox-new-human-rights-fine-roger-ailes-1235007621/

[Tracker]

3 hours ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/mike-lindell-urges-scotus-to-immediately-reinstate-trump-and-get-rid-of-communists/ar-AALyFGi?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531

This would be hilarious if there were not so many armed and angry lunatics ready to kill for Trump and all that he stands for. 

[Tracker]

TIME FOR HILARITY:

Noem Using A GOP Donor’s ‘Private Donation’ For Guard Deployment To Texas
The South Dakota governor and 2024 presidential hopeful says the troops are necessary to protect the southern border from migrants trying to enter the country.

WASHINGTON ― South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is using “a private donation” to pay for her deployment of state National Guard troops to Texas, in essence turning them into a mercenary force against migrants at the southern border.

“The border is a national security crisis that requires the kind of sustained response only the National Guard can provide,” the Republican governor said on the eve of former President Donald Trump’s visit to the Mexican border at Weslaco at the invitation of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R). “My message to Texas is this: Help is on the way.” 

It’s unclear under what legal authority Noem, a possible 2024 Republican presidential candidate, is accepting the money or whether she has the authority to send National Guard troops to another state for this purpose.

Noem Using A GOP Donor’s ‘Private Donation’ For Guard Deployment To Texas | HuffPost

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

This is very on brand for the GQP:

 

I am not even surprised, does this make me a cynic?

[Tracker]

1 hour ago, wanna-b-fanboy said:

This is very on brand for the GQP:

 

I am not even surprised, does this make me a cynic?

The American political system is polarized and broken, probably beyond repair. 

Fox News Fined $1 Million Following Sexual Harassment And Retaliation Investigation

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York City Commission on Human Rights has fined Fox News $1 million, the largest penalty in its history, for violations of laws protecting against sexual harassment and job retaliation.

As part of a settlement agreement announced Tuesday, Fox also agreed to mandate anti-harassment training for its New York-based staff and contributors and to temporarily drop a policy requiring people who allege misconduct to enter into binding arbitration.

The penalty stems from an investigation that began in 2017 following several reports of what the commission called “rampant abuse” at the popular news and opinion outlet.

The first indication of problems at the channel came in 2016 when former anchor Gretchen Carlson charged that now-deceased network chief Roger Ailes had made unwanted advances and derailed her career when she rejected him. Both Ailes and former Fox personality Bill O’Reilly lost their jobs over misconduct allegations.

Several other women have come forward with lawsuits and their own harassment allegations, including former Fox anchor Megyn Kelly.

The $1 million fine groups four separate “willful and wanton” violations that each carried a maximum penalty of $250,000. The commission would not identify the people involved in those cases, or whether there were more.

Fox News Fined $1 Million Following Sexual Harassment And Retaliation Investigation | HuffPost

White nationalist "groyper" leader doubles down on Jan. 6 Capitol riot, calling it "awesome"

With hundreds of felony criminal cases pending against Trump supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, you might assume most organizers of that day's events would express regret for what transpired, or perhaps simply stay silent. Instead two people in leadership roles on Jan. 6 have since struck a different tune, calling the riot "awesome" and floating the idea that it might have to happen again — perhaps bigger the second time.

"Stop the Steal" leader Ali Alexander, along with white nationalist Nicholas Fuentes, leader of the far-right "groyper army," have emerged from the aftermath of the Capitol riot unfazed, and with larger audiences than ever. 

On Friday evening, with his longtime friend and fellow white nationalist Tim Gionet (aka Baked Alaska) facing felony charges over breaching the Capitol building, Fuentes said how pleased he was the events of Jan. 6. 

"I am unapologetic. I thought the Capitol [riot] was awesome; it was awesome! And so was Trump. And Trump was awesome because he was racist. Trump was awesome because he was sexist," Fuentes stated. "The only thing Trump wasn't awesome for was being anti-semitic; he wasn't anti-semitic."

White nationalist "groyper" leader doubles down on Jan. 6 Capitol riot, calling it "awesome" | Salon.com

[the watcher]

If you have a bit of time to kill , Chris Hedges with a great bit on Corporate control of both parties in The USA and their society in general. 

 

[Mark F]

wmd rumsfeld dead.  maybe  the liars bush cheney, r. perl and the other trash will go soon.

Chretien said no to these creeps. Harper was all on board.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 30, 2021 by Mark F

[FrostyWinnipeg]

Day of Rage: An In-Depth Look at How a Mob Stormed the Capitol" https://www.nytimes.com/video/us/politics/100000007606996/capitol-riot-trump-supporters.html

[Mark F]

2 hours ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

Day of Rage: An In-Depth Look at How a Mob Stormed the Capitol"

really worth watching.

[Mark F]

starting to think.... they are too far gone to come back.

 

read today that biden has watered down his green climate action.

those people worked hard to get help  him elected.

betrayal they wont forget if its true.

Edited July 1, 2021 by Mark F

[Tracker]

Trump Organization and its CFO have been criminally indicted by a grand jury: reports
   
A Manhattan grand jury has criminally indicted The Trump Organization and its longtime Chief Financial Officer Allen Weisselberg, according to CNBC and The Washington Post.

The Post calls this indictment "the first from prosecutors probing the former president's business dealings," and says Weisselberg is expected to turn himself in to authorities Thursday morning.

 

[Mark F]

Biden big talk, no action. I guess not surprising. Democrats can be counted on to cave every time.

complete dud.

 

"The compromise proposes spending hundreds of billions of dollars on roads and bridges. But it abandons just about every major Biden idea for combating global warming. It lacks standards and tax incentives meant to push utilities to clean up electricity generation. It declines to phase out subsidies for fossil fuels. It largely forgoes meaningful investments for electric car infrastructure and public transit. It offers nothing for research and development on clean energy.

In announcing the deal, Biden appeared to want to do much more — the compromise, he said, would be paired with another spending bill that Democrats could try to pass under a parliamentary technique known as reconciliation, which would allow them to sidestep the Senate filibuster. That plan, he suggested, would include huge investments for the climate and the White House’s safety-net priorities. He promised not to sign the compromise without also signing the larger bill.

That seemed comforting — but then the president over the weekend walked back his promise. "

New York times.

Edited July 1, 2021 by Mark F

[FrostyWinnipeg]

 

[Tracker]

'This is very bad news for the Trump Organization': MSNBC host breaks down the huge 15-count indictment
-Ari Melber (MSNBC)

   
MSNBC's chief legal correspondent broke down the key take-aways after Manhattan prosecutors unsealed a 15-count indictment against the Trump Organization and its chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg.

"What has stood out to you so far from what you've been able to gather?" Ayman Mohyeldin asked Ari Melber.

"They have thrown the kitchen sink at the Trump Organization and Allen Weisselberg. This is very bad news for the Trump Organization because the D.A. has taken an aggressive tact indicting, the entire Trump Organization, in references to the payroll company and others. So, if you were the company hoping to pin this on the employee or get out of it, as far as the D.A. is concerned, game over there — they're going after the whole company."

"Highlight number two, there are 15 counts here," he said. "Now we have 15 counts, including larceny, tax fraud, false statements, filing false instruments, falsifying business records. They are taking, what the D.A. argues was a conspiracy to intentionally and habitually defraud the government, steal money and pay people off the books. That is the language of the indictment. They're alleging that went on for 15 years."

[Tracker]

Former cop arrested for Capitol riot who was told to stay away from guns went out and purchased 34 firearms
   
When Thomas Robertson was granted release by a federal judge in January, the decision was made under a number of very clear conditions. The judge made it clear that he "could not own any firearms, destructive devices or dangerous weapons while his case was pending."

If he owned any firearms, he was given two days to move them. However, Robertson has reportedly failed miserably in holding up his end of that agreement. According to The Washington Post, Robertson was prohibited from owning firearms but just days after his release, local authorities found approximately eight firearms at his home. He was given a reprieve for that occurrence but to no avail.

Former cop arrested for Capitol riot who was told to stay away from guns went out and purchased 34 firearms - Alternet.org

(In the cop business this is called "professional courtesy")

[Tracker]

CNN reveals that a man from the Capitol riot joined House Republicans on a border trip
   
Anthony Aguero, a far-right YouTuber and ally of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, was reportedly among the group at the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, though at this point he has not been charged with any crime related to the insurrection. And his proximity to the shocking attack, apparently, isn't preventing some House other Republicans from associating with him. According to CNN reporters Andrew Kaczynski, Em Steck and Drew Myers, Aguero "accompanied Republican members of Congress" on a visit to the U.S./Mexico border earlier this week and served as a translator for them.

"During his livestream of the Tuesday visit," the CNN journalists explain, "Aguero interviewed and chatted with Reps. Tom. Tiffany of Wisconsin, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Madison Cawthorn of North Carolina, Chris Jacobs of New York, Michael Cloud of Texas, John Rose of Tennessee, Ronny Jackson of Texas and Mary Miller of Illinois."

[bustamente]

The economy would never recouver and the stock market would tank, words of wisdom from the dumbest human being on the planet

Edited July 2, 2021 by bustamente

[Tracker]

GOP 2020 Senate nominee falsely claims the Equality Act will ‘illegalize Jesus Christ’
   
Right-wing activist Lauren Witzke appeared on "The Alex Jones Show" Thursday, where she warned that the Equality Act will "illegalize Jesus Christ" if it becomes law.

Witzke—the GOP's 2020 Senate candidate in Delaware and a flat Earth, QAnon-believing conspiracy theorist with ties to white nationalists and antisemites—appeared on Jones' program to discuss the fact that Wells Fargo recently shut down her bank account. While the bank insists its decision had nothing to do with her political views, Witzke asserted that it was done in retaliation for her opposition to the Equality Act, proposed legislation that would add sexual orientation and gender identity protections to federal civil rights laws.

GOP 2020 Senate nominee falsely claims the Equality Act will ‘illegalize Jesus Christ’ - Alternet.org

[bustamente]

As they say you can't fix stupid, how the hell doesn't someone tell him to STFU in light of what happen this past week

 

[Tracker]

HOT TOPICS >>GET OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER!THE RIGHT WINGRELIGIOUS RIGHTGO AD FREE!MAKE A ONE-TIME DONATION
   
Press freedom advocates on Saturday were encouraged by news that the U.S. Department of Justice has begun making arrests related to attacks on journalists at the Capitol on January 6, when hundreds of supporters of former President Donald Trump violently breached security measures to try to stop Congress from certifying the 2020 election results.

In addition to attacking some members of the Capitol Police—including one who later died of his injuries—and stalking lawmakers, some of those who attempted the insurrection targeted members of the media by damaging their equipment, assaulting them, and trying to chase them away from the Capitol.

Starting last week, the Washington Post reported Saturday, the FBI began arresting people who were violent towards journalists during the riot and who prevented them from reporting at the scene. At least five people have been charged so far, and authorities expect more arrests.

"The vilification of the media that we saw from the previous administration was incredibly concerning, and that played into a longer arc of rising anti-press sentiment across the country," Katherine Jacobsen, a researcher at the Committee to Protect Journalists, told the Post. "January 6 showed that what the administration says about the media does matter, words do matter, and can have very negative, very real [impacts] on reporters and their ability to do their jobs safely."

The Capitol rioters didn't just target Congress and cops — new evidence shows how they went after journalists - Alternet.org

They Were Not Tourists: The Radicals At The Heart Of The Capitol Riot.  On the six-month anniversary of the insurrection, Republicans are trying to convince America it wasn’t that big a deal..

In the six months since the dramatic conflict at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, large parts of the Republican Party, working alongside the right-wing media machine, have labored to make the case that what happened that day was no big deal. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) argued that it was not an insurrection, but a “largely peaceful protest.” Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) — who can be seen in photos from Jan. 6 looking horrified as he rushed to barricade the House gallery doors to stop the rioters from entering — called the riot a “normal tourist visit.” Fox News megastar Tucker Carlson has even asserted that perhaps the uprising was a false flag event orchestrated by the FBI.

There were indeed some people at the Capitol who were basically harmless and have claimed they didn’t realize what would happen. A 49-year-old Indiana woman was sentenced this week in federal court on a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge for being inside the Capitol for only 10 minutes, during which she didn’t break anything or assault anyone, prosecutors say. She won’t serve prison time. “I would have never been there if I had known it would turn out that way,” she said at her sentencing, while apologizing to the “American people.”

Later that day, however, another man pleaded guilty to far more serious charges. Graydon Young of Sarasota, Florida, faces up to 78 months in prison for conspiring with members of the far-right Oath Keepers militia to overrun the Capitol and stop electoral votes from being counted. He will cooperate with authorities in cases against his co-conspirators.

Young’s case points to a fundamental, terrifying fact about Jan. 6: A dedicated core of bad actors, from architects of the “Stop the Steal” rally to a wide range of extremists and militia members, came to Washington to derail the democratic process. And it almost worked.

On this half-year anniversary of that fateful day, it’s important to remember the horror of it, to retain our dwindling sense of shock, so that those who were complicit face justice ― and it never happens again.

They Were Not Tourists: The Radicals At The Heart Of The Capitol Riot | HuffPost