Deeper into the Trump Abyss.

[Recusant]

Speaking of 'derp': "De-Derping the 'Un-Masking' Story" | Talking Points Memo

Why did Cohen-Watnick and Michael Ellis, a junior lawyer who used to work for Chairman Nunes, call Nunes late in the evening and have him rush over to the White House to see the 'smoking gun' information that supposedly validated President Trump's 'Obama wiretapping' tweets? Remember, this overnight cloak and dagger stunt was followed the next day by Nunes going and 'briefing' President Trump about the new information.

So the White House briefs Nunes in the middle of the night and then Nunes returns to the White House in the morning to brief Trump?

That never made sense.

But it makes perfect sense if Cohen-Watnick (Mike Flynn's protege, remember) got shut down by McGahn and then decided to backchannel his findings to Trump supporters on the Hill in order to do an end run around his bosses. It also explains why Nunes had to see the documents at the White House (likely at Ellis's or Cohen-Watnick's desk) rather than on Capitol Hill or at a relevant intelligence agency. Showing him the material anywhere else would have required letting others know what they were doing. Of course, it also explains why Nunes would need to brief Trump: because Cohen-Watnick probably wasn't allowed to do so directly.

This is, I grant, informed speculation. But it explains pretty much all the facts and mysteries about the Nunes overnight caper, his continuing inability to explain it in any clear or consistent way and his eventual refusal to discuss it with anyone else on his Committee.

[Dave]

Looks like Spicer is now the full public face of Trump Shite House incompetence. His incompetence peaked when he effectively said that Hitler had not used poisin gas against his own people. So there were no German Jews in the death camps? The Jews were not really Germans?

His rambling "appology" was not what one expects of a competent media secretary and only exposed more of his incompetence. He said that he "screwed up" and let Trump down, not for the first time though. Press secretaries should never get to the point of taking the brakes off their mouths with their brain in neutral.

As was said on the BBC Trump delights in outraging those who will never vote for him - he and his team seem to be doing a grand job of outraging some of his previous supporter groups.

[Dave]

I remember when, 1950s - 1960s, Brirain suffered a " Brain Drain" with lots of good people going to the States because of the scientific environment there. Then there seemed to be a steady influx of high quality Jaoanese, Korean, Indian and, more lately, Chinese and Russian scientists and research engineers grabbing a piece of the action over there. The States was the place to be to surf the leading edge of science and technology. Some took their experience back home again but a lot stayed longer.

What effect will Trump's unenlightened attitide towards critical sciences have I wonder? Computing and robotics will probably remain standing high but will "ecological" science, beyond just biological studies, and some medical sciences see an increased outward surge in the flow I wonder?

[Arturo]

I remember when, 1950s - 1960s, Brirain suffered a " Brain Drain" with lots of good people going to the States because of the scientific environment there. Then there seemed to be a steady influx of high quality Jaoanese, Korean, Indian and, more lately, Chinese and Russian scientists and research engineers grabbing a piece of the action over there. The States was the place to be to surf the leading edge of science and technology. Some took their experience back home again but a lot stayed longer.

What effect will Trump's unenlightened attitide towards critical sciences have I wonder? Computing and robotics will probably remain standing high but will "ecological" science, beyond just biological studies, and some medical sciences see an increased outward surge in the flow I wonder?

I'm probably going to leave if I can. Hopefully to Japan.

[Recusant]

Are you studying Japanese, Arturo?

[Arturo]

Are you studying Japanese, Arturo?

I am a little bit using a free resource. I chose it because they guy behind it says he's teaching everyday language. When most other resources teach more formal speak. I knew that from high school Spanish. So I thought this would be a fun alternative. And plus this guy has a YouTube channel where he goes around taking surveys in Japan.

Side note, he debunked the CNN story that said half of Japanese people are virgins. It turns out that only half of the younger population are virgins, because they are career focused. While older adults have more kids already.

[Icarus]

Our glorious leader has signed another of his executive orders. This one is to negate the Johnson Rule which prohibited churches from openly endorsing a particular political candidate. 

Some churches have ignored the original LBJ rule without any repercussions. With the new executive order the churches and their leaders may openly endorse or even provide financial help to a candidate or a party.  Church leaders are divided about the advantages of rescinding the Johnson rule. Some see it as a bad idea because it puts the church in an awkward position that could bring down the ire of opponents of the candidate or party that the church might endorse.

I count this as another display of show business on the part of the Donald. ....Or maybe Mike Pence has influenced the prez?

[Recusant]

The executive order asks Congress to repeal the Johnson Amendment, but it cannot negate it. What it does is direct the IRS to cease enforcement, while the IRS has only actually taken action against one or two churches since the Johnson Amendment became law. I agree that it seems likely that Pence was cheerleading this executive order, but Trump has other evangelical advisors, so it's probably not just Pence who was behind the decision. The article below describes another reason this isn't anything to be happy about.

"Trump's Churches Order Is a Nonsolution to a Nonproblem—With a Dangerous Side Effect" | Slate

Of course speech from the pulpit itself is not the only issue churches are worried about, because as professor Doug Laycock explains here, nobody actually goes after pastors for religious speech, and the amendment could certainly be tweaked to protect them more broadly under the First Amendment in any event. But, this whole fight is, as speech fights often are, probably just a proxy for a bigger fight about money. Which as you know is speech. Especially when you have buckets and buckets of speech to unload. As Laycock explains, as currently drafted, the Johnson Amendment serves an important function, because it currently prevents churches and other 501(c)(3)s from becoming "a huge loophole in the campaign finance laws" that would allow churches to participate more freely in pouring dark money into elections, without any fear of disclosure requirements. All of this comes with the added benefit that donations to churches or 501(c)(3)s are tax-deductible. The electoral consequences of giving special status to church money could be profound.

[Continues . . .]

[Dave]

The Trump Shite House gaffes again.

James Comey fired: Donald Trump sacks FBI Director
. . .

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement that Mr Comey has been "terminated and removed from office." Mr Trump was said to have acted on "clear recommendations" from Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, in a move that has shocked Washington.

However, Democratic Senators were quick to point out the constitutional crisis that has been created by Mr Trump removing a man in charge of investigating him. Senator Dick Durbin said on the Senate floor that the firing of Mr Comey raises questions "as to whether the Russian interference in the last presidential election... will also be investigated by the FBI."

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/james-comey-fired-donald-trump-fbi-director-russian-investigation-latest-news-updates-a7727236.html

But they are saying it is because of how he handled Hilary's email investigations, nothing to do with the Trump/Russia ones of course...

Yet Trump supported those email investigations - another about face! Spin Damage limitation is at full speed yet again.

[Dave]

Conspiracy theory:

Y'know, it's almost as if there are senior Republicans working to get Trump discredited and thrown out of office . . . Wonder why that might be?

[Davin]

His whole campaign looked like someone who didn't want to get elected. I don't see any difference.

What it looks like is that he doesn't want to be a president, he wants to be a dictator.

[Dave]

Seems that Flynn may claim defence under the 5th Ammendment. Though, according to the BBC, it seems he called this a tactic used by "mobsters" when Democrats relied on it during the Hilary emails investigation.

"Boot" and "other foot" come to mind.

As ever, politicians spin like tops. On steroids. The hypocricy is not at all surprising.

[Davin]

It's... I guess it's now very dampening.

Though I am amazed that so many people are still very much in support of Trump.

[Dave]

It's... I guess it's now very dampening.

Though I am amazed that so many people are still very much in support of Trump.

Sorry, Davil, but by repute it does not surprise me at all that there are so many bigotted dipshits over there. The behaviour on the Thinking Athiest forum convinced me tgat the literature about the great American Myth and the cultures it has generated is not a fantasy - just reality stretched a little. It is a happy thing that there are just about enough more rational people to balance things out. But by the narrow margin of the actual vote count only just it seems - however the loonies got in power even then.

When I ask myself if American politics can ever be the same after Trump I have to think it can, even your liberals tend to be conservative. Or you have to change the model of your democracy and its voting system. Or become a sort of Fascist-theocratic state? Or have another Civil War and split in two again?

The last two are jokes - I think...

[Sandra Craft]

. . .  Or become a sort of Fascist-theocratic state? Or have another Civil War and split in two again?

The last two are jokes - I think...

Maybe not.  We Californians have already picked a name for our independent nation if we secede from the U.S.  We're pretty sure Oregon and Washington state will come with us so we're calling the whole thing Pacifica.  Just in jest, for the moment.