Here's Your Republican Party

Carnal_Flower said:

House weighs Republican bill easing gun restrictions


And let's not forget the RNC now officially backing pedophile Roy Moore again.

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Rightguide said:

They're actually laughing at the credibility represented by your AV pic.

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Actually they are laughing at the gullibility of low income whites who think tax cuts for the rich will lead to more and better paying jobs for them.

Have They No Sense of Decency?

In the “shithole era,” the Republican U.S. senators who object to the president’s vulgarity have a choice to make.

“Have you no sense of decency?” It’s the question that the members of the Republican majority in the Congress—51 senators, 239 representatives—might bear in mind, in the “shithole” era.

If only two of those senators would stand up against Donald Trump, with their votes rather than just their tweets or concerned statements, they would constitute an effective majority.

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No, they have no decency. Pols (especially Gups now) can't be shamed into decent behavior. Threaten their jobs and maybe they'll move. Some follow an old rule: The honest pol (or cop) is one who stays bought. Many just sell themselves to whatever, and at a bargain rate, globally.

Political whores can't be shamed. Welcome to the Gup-controlled Congress.

Has this been updated?

Official Republican Party Rape Advisory Chart

[edited on request]

Last Tuesday at the White House, for example, Trump seemed to wander close to agreeing to an immigration deal with Democrats, without any caveats, to protect thousands of young undocumented immigrants known as “dreamers” from deportation. McCarthy jumped in quickly to head things off: “Mr. President, you need to be clear, though. . . . You have to have security,” he said, prompting Trump to retreat.

McCarthy’s ability to leap in without provoking Trump’s ire visibly relieved Republicans in the room.


Is Tonald Drump (Drumpf) a trained seal ?

McCarthy, Trump’s Number One Bootlicker, noticed that the president took special pains to pick out only the red and pink Starburst candies

Days later, the No. 2 Republican in the House — known for his relentless cultivation of political alliances — bought a plentiful supply of Starbursts and asked a staffer to sort through the pile, placing only those two flavors in a jar. McCarthy made sure his name was on the side of the gift, which was delivered to a grinning Trump, according to a White House official.

From talks about the midterm elections at Camp David to a strategic interjection at a bipartisan immigration meeting, McCarthy, 52, has sought to position himself as Trump’s indispensable man in Congress, an easygoing Republican who gets him — and likes him.


When other Republicans were publicly criticizing Trump or wary of forging any kind of relationship with him, McCarthy would call Trump to update him on the latest tidbits from Congress and offer advice about the political map. Trump began to refer to him as “my Kevin,” a person he could trust. At one point last year, White House aides said, he was a favorite to replace Reince Priebus as chief of staff.

McCarthy said the gift was obvious, as Trump enjoys small gestures as well as grand ones. “He remembers everything,” McCarthy said. “Of course I put my name on the jar.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...85626af34ef_story.html?utm_term=.bb1d2820a4f3

https://theslot.jezebel.com/ugggghh-trump-and-i-have-something-in-common-1822101343

Republicans

"...meanwhile, have waltzed so far down the path of moral degradation in recent years that they are no longer expected to maintain the appearance of propriety. Democrats (rightly) feel pressure to clean their house of sullied lawmakers from John Conyers to Al Franken; Republicans can grudgingly come to terms with the idea of an accused child molestor in the Senate."

"Because the GOP has adopted a mantra of shamelessness, it can continue to claim the virtuous high ground while simultaneously contradicting its its own words at every turn. Yet much of the political class and media has internalized this strange dichotomy as a fact of life, to the point that it is hardly questioned anymore."

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligence...-shining-example-of-republican-hypocrisy.html

Gups may find in the midterms just how much or little their shamelessness will cost. Will a Blue Wave really wash them away? In the state races, probably not, and that's where Dums are weakest, not having nurtured grassroots resources.

IMHO it's most likely that Dums will take the House, Gups will keep the Senate, and many words will fly with little result. But Gup factions will keep the states. Factionalism and polarization will continue to clog the machine.

Ancient Chinese curse: "May you live in exciting times!" Here we are.

January 29, 2018

FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe Opts for Early Retirement


McCabe was widely expected to retire in March, when he would ostensibly become eligible for full pension benefits. But according to CNN’s David Wright, McCabe’s decision to bow out early — using his accumulated unclaimed leave time to hit the threshold for retirement benefits in absentia — was a surprise to his


(Tonald Drump/Drumpf) had attorney general Jeff Sessions ask FBI director Christopher Wray to fire McCabe. Wray threatened to resign if McCabe was pushed out.)

Hadas Gold
@Hadas_Gold
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3h
Spicy NYT comment here: “We published the story as soon as our reporters were able to confirm the facts. 'Fox & Friends' should try it sometime



David Wright
David Wright
@DavidWright_CNN
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1h
News: Associate Deputy Director of the FBI David Bowdich has been appointed to Acting Deputy Director of the FBI, replacing former Deputy Director Andrew McCabe



David Wright
@DavidWright_CNN
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2h
FBI Director Chris Wray brought in his executive assistant directors and told them McCabe was leaving -- effective noon today, a different source said. McCabe has left the building already, CNN is told

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligence...-andrew-mccabe-opts-for-early-retirement.html


McCabe’s departure isn’t surprising on its own, as he had already been planning to retire in mid-March—when he became eligible for his full retirement benefits—after more than a year of Republican attacks against him. Monday’s announcement, however, raised the question of whether McCabe decided to leave early of his own volition. Media reports so far differ on the issue, but pressure from the president appears to have played a role regardless.

McCabe had angered many Republicans when he told the House Intelligence Committee that FBI Director James Comey, his former boss, had told him of his conversations with Trump in which the president demanded his loyalty.

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/01/andrew-mccabe-steps-down-as-fbi-deputy-director.html


NBC News is reporting that Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe has moved up plans to retire and will leave his post today:

NBC News adds, “Trump was asked on Monday whether he knew McCabe was stepping aside and he did not answer.”

Soon after NBC News posted its story on McCabe, CBS News and the New York Times confirmed McCabe’s departure, with CBS News noting that, according to a source, McCabe had indeed been urged to step down.

The president’s son Don Jr. quickly tweeted the report and complained about McCabe’s pension.


Donald Trump Jr.
@DonaldJTrumpJr
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3h
So they will keep him on till then despite all this to make sure the American tax payer is stuck paying him for the rest of his life


https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/01/fbi-deputy-director-andrew-mccabe-stepping-down/

Wray replaced Jim Rybicki last week. Baker was reassigned in December. And McCabe is gone

2018/01/29


McCabe was the last senior member of FBI remaining from the time of Director James Comey. Trump has now overseen the departure of the entire FBI leadership team—all while Republicans continued to paint the FBI as somehow part of a “deep state” conspiracy.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/1/29/1736891/-McCabe-didn-t-retire-he-was-removed

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/01/the-defenestration-of-andrew-mccabe/551771/


NBC News also reported Monday that after Comey was fired, Trump called McCabe, furious that Comey had been allowed to return home from Los Angeles on a government plane. McCabe reportedly told the president that he had not been asked to approve the flight but would have done so:


The president was silent for a moment and then turned on McCabe, suggesting he ask his wife how it feels to be a loser — an apparent reference to a failed campaign for state office in Virginia that McCabe’s wife made in 2015.

McCabe replied, “OK, sir.” Trump then hung up the phone.

Both the White House and the FBI declined to comment on the call.

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/do...-s-politics-comey-n842161?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma

"The nation is likely to get more information about McCabe’s exit in the coming hours and days, but official answers on this deserve even more than the usual dose of skepticism. Having lied to the public once, the Trump administration’s explanations for any further moves are automatically suspect."

McCabe became deputy director in 2016 following earlier jobs running the FBI’s Washington field office and serving as head of its national security branch.

He took over as acting director following Trump’s May 9 firing of Comey, and was among the officials interviewed for the position, which ultimately went to former Justice Department official Christopher Wray.

Two days after Comey’s firing, McCabe pushed back at a congressional hearing against White House assertions that Comey had lost the support of the FBI workforce, telling lawmakers at a hearing, “I can tell you that the majority, the vast majority of FBI employees, enjoyed a deep and positive connection to Director Comey.”

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/fbi-deputy-director-andrew-mccabe-leaving-post-early


Trump went after McCabe in public and reportedly complained about him to aides in private. Much of the criticism ties back into McCabe's role overseeing the Clinton and Russia investigations.


Trump has repeatedly questioned why the FBI isn't looking into the Clinton matter and has also publicly faulted Attorney General Jeff Sessions and others for not prosecuting Clinton.

The Justice Department's inspector general is looking into its handling of that case and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein says it will issue a report when the process is complete.

GOP plotting to read secret memo on House floor without declassifying it to limit FBI rebuttal: report

MSNBC’s Pete Williams reported on Thursday that House Republicans could read a controversial classified memo on the House floor without declassifying it to prevent the FBI, which has opposed the disclosure, from giving a full-throated rebuttal.

“If the president puts it out, declassifies it, that might loosen the reigns on the FBI a little bit,” Williams explained. “But if the House puts it out, that doesn’t declassify it.”

“The House rules say they can disclose publicly any information that’s been classified,” he continued. “That doesn’t declassify it technically. It just makes it public. Only the executive branch can declassify. So, the FBI’s hands would be tied in terms of how they can respond.”

According to NBC News correspondent Mike Memoli, the most likely scenario involves reading the memo on the floor of the House, where legislators are protected from prosecution if they spill government secrets.

“The House has to be in session,” he pointed out. “And they would either read the full memo, it’s four pages long, from the floor of the House or they would read it into the Congressional Record. And the reason you would do that is because it’s a crime to disclose classified information.”

“But there is the debate clause in the House which gives member immunity from breaking laws if they do it from the House floor,” Memoli remarked.

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JackLuis said:

GOP plotting to read secret memo on House floor without declassifying it to limit FBI rebuttal: report

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What's to prevent a Dum rep from reading the Dum counter-memo into the Congressional Record? And why can't Gup Congressional staffers be arrested for revealing classified info? Reps may be immune but their minions aren't.

Can we stop pretending Republicans care about cutting spending now?

n Wednesday, Congressional leadership seemed united behind a budget deal that looks truly awful — at least if you care about the country’s financial future. The bipartisan deal blasts through budget caps and could return the U.S. to trillion-dollar deficits in short order. Right after getting historic tax reform passed, politicians apparently seem content to toss a huge future tax hike onto the next generation. After all, the bills will eventually come due.

And they are serious bills indeed. The proposed deal would include a one-year debt limit suspension, while raising defense spending by $80 billion and non-defense expense by $63 billion. The budget for 2019 would see similar increases, and over the 10-year window, this Chuck Schumer-Mitch McConnell budget could result in $1.5 trillion more added to the national debt.

It’s long been standard for Republican lawmakers to insist on offsets for any new spending — at least in name only — but as the bipartisan watchdog group Taxpayers for Common Sense points out, “the vast majority of this package is not offset. Not even sham offsets.”

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When the Chinese stop buying our bonds, the shit will hit the fan.

JackLuis said:

When the Chinese stop buying our bonds, the shit will hit the fan.

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When we default on debt payments, who will repossess?

How the GOP used a two Santa Clauses tactic to con America for nearly 40 years

Odious history of Republican duplicity!

(Hypoxia:
Please delete the charts in #103 and use a link on them. They really screw up the thread.)

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43164741

Missouri Governor Eric Greitens charged over nude photo

Missouri Governor Eric Greitens has been charged with felony invasion of privacy in connection with an inquiry into his extramarital affair.

The woman alleges that he tied her up, photographed her and threatened to release the image if she ever revealed their trysts.

The Republican, who was taken into custody on Thursday, maintains his innocence, said his lawyer.

Mr Greitens admitted last month he had a relationship with his hairdresser.

Critics have called his alleged actions "revenge porn" and blackmail.

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phrodeau said:

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43164741

Missouri Governor Eric Greitens charged over nude photo

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He should have remained true to his sister. Now that it's out of the family, it's trouble.

https://nypost.com/2018/02/22/ted-cruz-compares-gop-to-homer-simpson/

Ted Cruz compares GOP to Homer Simpson

Republican Sen. Ted Cruz compared the Democrats to brainy Lisa Simpson and the GOP to her bumbling father Homer.

“The Democrats are the party of Lisa Simpson and Republicans are happily the party of Homer, Bart, Maggie and Marge,” the Texas lawmaker said, referring to the fictional cartoon show “The Simpsons.”

Cruz, who during the 2016 campaign said Donald Trump reminded him of Biff Tannen, the buffoon character in “Back to the Future II, ” was discussing gun control at the Conservative Political Action Committee and broke the party’s stands down to characters on the long-running Fox show.

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Former RNC chair Michael Steele says GOP is ‘clearly’ more racist: ‘How quickly they revert to race as a weapon’

During the Ronald Reagan dinner at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) conference Friday night, Ian Walters, the communications director of the conference, attacked former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele.

“We elected Mike Steele as chairman because he was a black guy, that was the wrong thing to do,” Walters said in a comment reportedly met with gasps, according to Jonathan Levine, of The Wrap.

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Keep digging that hole, CPAC!

Steele told MSNBC’s Joy Reid he was shocked by the

“Of course I had one of those moments where you just go, what the?” Steele said. “So, yeah, a little shocked, a little disappointed. Surprised that people still in the party feel this way and look at the contributions that anyone would make to the party through the principle of race. It’s unfortunate, it’s stupid, it’s immature. And I’m waiting to speak to [conference chair] Matt Schlap about it.”

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Times change.

Gup motto:

Gup view of Obama presidency:



Yummy:



Looks like Gups are pre-mixed, too. All white. Bleached, like Wonder Bread, and just as nutritious and flavorful.

‘the Republican mind has lost its Party’ ???

‘It’s crazy’: Morning Joe panel agrees CPAC debacle proves ‘the Republican Party has lost its mind’

MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” hosted former Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele to discuss his feud with Conservative Political Action Conference organizers.

CPAC communications director Ian Walters said Steele was picked to lead the RNC from 2009 to 2011 because “he was a black guy,” and CPAC chairman Matt Schlapp excused his remarks as “unfortunate.”

Steele called out Schlapp during a Sirius XM radio program, saying Walters’ remarks were “stupid” — and he told “Morning Joe” that the entire episode was alarming.

“I’ve known Matt a long time, too, (and) we’ve been, as I said at the beginning of that interview, we’ve been through a lot of wars together,” Steele said. “But that was a moment among many in that interview, and those nine minutes in which I saw Matt not just drink the Kool Aid but take the IV and plunge it into his arm, and it was stunning and disappointing.”

Host Joe Scarborough was shocked that conservative columnist Mona Charen was escorted out of CPAC for her own safety after challenging GOP support for politicians accused of sexual misconduct.

“Mona Charen used to be something that liberals would have contempt for because she was so conservative, she was a Reagan conservative,” Scarborough said.

MSNBC’s Mike Barnacle said the GOP had gone completely around the bend.

“It’s as if the Republican Party has lost its mind,” he said.

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Remember when France was defined as not worthy of association with the USA ? French fries became Freedom fries. Now, Republicans embrace the Extremist Right Wing of France- Marion Maréchal-Le Pen is embraced by the American Extremist Right Wing.


Matt Schlapp Defends Le Pen Speech At CPAC: 'Voice That Resembles A Lot Of Conservative Voices Here'

Schlapp defended Le Pen, explaining that just because her grandfather had abhorrent positions doesn't mean she does. Except she does, as he goes on to explain after touting her as a "new voice in France." (She is actually an echo of a very old voice)

"She's a voice that resembles a lot of conservative voices here," Schlapp explained.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...nservative-conference/?utm_term=.b2d6a9ea5dbb

Trump was 'too controversial' for CPAC in 2016. Now a Le Pen will address the conservative (CPAC) conference

The multicultural model defended by our elite is a model that doesn't work,” Maréchal-Le Pen told The Post's James McAuley. “This model is at the source of the development of terrorism and radical Islam.”

She described a feeling that French culture is being eroded by immigrants and said that “so many young people have the impression of paying a lot to welcome all of the miserable of the world, when they themselves are already struggling to find a job.”

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