Last Season- Trump Reality Show: 2020 The White House

[bodysong]

Goverment shutdown is looming ahead

December 27, 2020

If Trump has not signed the bill by Monday, Congress could seek to pass another
short-term extension of government funding. That course of action appeared unlikely
as of Sunday evening, according to multiple congressional aides.

As President Trump rapidly approached a Monday deadline to avert a
government shutdown, aides and lawmakers appeared flummoxed -
about his strategy, left to interpret musings from his Twitter feed while
he golfed and otherwise remained out of public view.

A large spending bill that Congress passed last week must be signed into law
by midnight on Monday in order to prevent many federal agencies from
dramatically scaling back their operations.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2020/12/27/trump-stimulus-shutdown-congress/

December 27, 2020

- Eric Martin Bloomberg

President Donald Trump risks being remembered for creating “chaos and misery”
at the end of his term if he vetoes the $900 billion stimulus passed by Congress
and triggers a government shutdown, Republican Senator Pat Toomey said.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/12...-be-one-chaos-misery-republican-senator-says/

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program expired on Saturday.

"While payments could be received retroactively, any gap would mean more
hardship and uncertainty for Americans who had already grappled with
bureaucratic delays, often depleting much of their savings to stay afloat
while waiting for payments to kick in."

Mike Pence Was Enjoying a Ski Vacation While Millions Lost Unemployment Benefits

Mother Jones

 

[RobDownSouth]

https://i.imgur.com/kfE24ib.jpg

 

[bodysong]

Must hand it to Trump's tech bros- They do know how to weave a narrative.

Something so simple, as the bald spots and bare spots on Trump's skull, are an argument.
Trump carefully planned his appearances in public, after the famous impromtu vertical hair-
style, provided by the wind. The fluffy nest on his head, revealed to be mere scraggly strands.

A recent high-definition photograph of Trump's hair revealed that he had smeared his
hair with his pasty makeup, until the strands were caked with it. His hair cannot be shifted
by the wind. A lonely strand carries a hundred times its weight in clay, which is stuck to skin
on his skull.

Another purpose, in using his pasty make-up, is that he can accuse the media of photo-shopping
bare spots onto his picture. Cameras that provide less pixels, may not provide a clear vision.

 

[bodysong]

"Cruelty is the point."

- Adam Serwer

Trump punished the people that did not vote for him.

December 28, 2020

- Aaron Blake

The dynamics of the whole thing were familiar. It wasn’t the first time Trump has hijacked
a deal after it was already agreed to by his own administration.

Nor was it the first time he made rather curious use of supposed leverage that didn’t actually
provide much leverage.

Trump’s obstinance has occasionally served him in such negotiations.

But the dealmaker in chief decided to deploy that obstinance in a completely nonsensical
way at a completely nonsensical time, and his incoherent strategy now leaves his party to
pick up the pieces.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/12/28/trump-caves-not-before-putting-gop-an-ugly-spot/

The President must immediately call on Congressional Republicans to end
their obstruction and to join him and Democrats in support of our stand-alone
legislation to increase direct payment checks to $2,000, which will be brought
to the Floor tomorrow.

— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) December 28, 2020

17 hours ago

 

[KeithD]

But . . . but . . . Trump punished those who DID vote for him--quite possibly more than those who didn't.

 

[bodysong]

Trump’s hesitation on relief bill will delay aid payments

If the bill had been signed Saturday, payments clearly could have restarted this week.

And it will likely take two to three weeks for states to update their computer systems
to resume the aid programs and pay out the extra $300, Michele Evermore, (a senior policy
analyst at the National Employment Law Project ) said, a process that could have started
earlier, after Congress first approved the bill about a week ago.

The delay will force those out of work to make hard decisions about paying for food,
medicine or rent.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/article248131895.html

Intelligencer ✓
Twitter › intelligencer

On Sunday night, after six days of delay, President Trump finally signed
Congress’s second coronavirus stimulus package

(link to NY magazine)
7 hours ago

AlterNet ✓
Twitter › AlterNet

McConnell faced with 'nightmare' scenario if Senate is forced to vote
on $2000 COVID checks: CNN via AlterNet

3 hours ago

House Democrats are ready, Trump Loyalists are reluctant, the Senate has not returned.

 

[KeithD]

Donald Trump is the perpetual screwup. A fitting mentor for the board Trumpettes.

 

[bodysong]

Finally, we see the purpose of the pretend argument between Trump
and Mitch McConnell over $2,000 the relief check

Intelligencer ✓
Twitter › intelligencer

Mitch McConnell is insisting on attaching the bigger checks
to demands Democrats won’t accept

21 hours ago

 

[bodysong]

Dec. 31, 2020

Vice President Pence late Thursday asked for a lawsuit that aimed to expand his power to use
a congressional ceremony to overturn the presidential election - be dismissed

- Mike Pence arguing that he was not the right person to sue over the issue.

The filing will come as a disappointment to supporters of President Trump, who hoped
that Pence would choose to set aside some of President-elect Joe Biden’s electoral college
votes when Congress meets next week to certify the November election.

Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) on Thursday called the effort to use the Congressional process
to reverse Biden’s electoral college victory a “dangerous ploy,” underscoring the challenge
President Trump faces in persuading even members of his own party to join it.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...da8dba-4b65-11eb-a9d9-1e3ec4a928b9_story.html

Jake Tapper ✓
Twitter › jaketapper

2 House Republicans tell me they expect as of now that at least 140 Republican Members
of the House will on Jan 6 object to and vote against the Electoral College results showing
President-elect Biden won

3 hours ago

 

[bodysong]

One Last Show of Loyalty to Trump- Buy a $1,000 Trump hotel ticket,
and support Trump in Public- Mar-a- Lago Masque of the Red Death 2020

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/01/us/politics/trump-new-years-eve-mar-a-lago.html

(bodysong comment- All of those missing injections of coronavirus vaccine
were given to Trump's hotel guests ? The world knows that that the exceptional
fetal cell-based coronavirus treatments are reserved for those that are able to
afford them. Mike Pence needed assurance from the Vatican Pope, that using
aborted fetus cells to survive, was OK with Jesus.)

As America nursed 2021 New Year's Eve hangovers, the thought of avoiding
the 500 guests who showed up for New Year’s Eve at the Donald J. Trump
Ballroom at Mar-a-Lago, is a comforting thought- not committed to attending
a Super Spreader Event.

There was no social distancing with guests seated 10 per table.
Hardly any guests wore masks as they shouted and sang along
with the entertainers.

Daily Kos

Trump made a last-minute decision to skip the event and return to Washington.

"US President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport
in West Palm Beach, Florida, on December 31, 2020, as he returns to Washington, DC,
after the Christmas holiday at Mar-a-Lago."

Trump is finally running out of time, to keep important promises to his backers,
and Trump must take every opportunity to nuture hope in his gremlin's hearts,
that Trump's Imaginary World will survive Trump's exile from the America
that is based on reality.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/12...ted-visa-ban-health-coverage-policy-advances/

 

[bodysong]

Eat, Dance, and Drink, and Be Merry, for only "the poors" shall die-

Video of Trump Loyalists Celebration at Mar-a-Lago

Before we get down to business-
Sergio Gor took his Instagram followers inside the gilded ballroom at Mar-a-Lago
for its New Year’s Eve dance party, and gave them a peek of the Covid denial that’s
defining the last throes of DONALD TRUMP’S presidency.

(dancing shoulder to shoulder, on the dance floor- no masks, no distancing)

SPOTTED dancing like nobody’s watching:
Rudy Giuliani, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Don Jr., Eric, Lara, Tiffany, MyPillow guy Mike Lindell,
Vanilla Ice, Mike Love of the Beach Boys, and Terri Nunn (formerly of Berlin) who sang “Highway to Hell.”

Don’t miss the finale with Gor and Don Jr. singing “Play That Funky Music (White Boy).”

https://www.politico.com/playbook

 

[bodysong]

Georgia Election Sideshow: Political Actors

Lindsey Graham Swipes at Republicans’ Election Stunt for
‘Not Effectively Fighting’ for Trump

January 3, 2020

In a statement Sunday, Graham reacted to the stunt Ted Cruz and others are engaging in
to object to the election results unless there’s an emergency 10-day audit beforehand.

Graham actually attacked them for not being more effective in fighting for the president,
saying this commission they’re calling for has “zero chance of becoming reality” and that
this looks to be a “political dodge.”

https://www.mediaite.com/tv/lindsey...stunt-for-not-effectively-fighting-for-trump/

Lindsey Graham ✓
Twitter › LindseyGrahamSC

Proposing a commission at this late date – which has zero chance of becoming reality –
is not effectively fighting for President Trump. It appears to be more of a political dodge
than an effective remedy.

(link to FOX TV info-tainment)

2 hours ago

The Washington Post obtained a recording of the conversation in which Trump alternately
berated Raffensperger, tried to flatter him, begged him to act and threatened him with
vague criminal consequences if the secretary of state refused to pursue his false claims,
at one point warning that Raffensperger was taking “a big risk.”

Throughout the call, Raffensperger and his office’s general counsel rejected Trump’s
assertions, explaining that the president is relying on debunked conspiracy theories
and that President-elect Joe Biden’s 11,779-vote victory in Georgia was fair and
accurate.

Trump dismissed their arguments.

“The people of Georgia are angry, the people in the country are angry,” he said.
“And there’s nothing wrong with saying, you know, um, that you’ve recalculated.”

Raffensperger responded: “Well, Mr. President, the challenge that you have is,
the data you have is wrong.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...5acb92-4dc4-11eb-bda4-615aaefd0555_story.html

“So look. All I want to do is this. I just want to find 11,780 votes,
which is one more than we have. Because we won the state.”

- Presiderp Donald, the First of His Name

 

[bodysong]

At about 3 p.m. Saturday, President Trump held an hour-long call with Brad Raffensperger
Georgia’s secretary of state- in which he repeatedly urged him to alter the outcome of the
presidential vote in the state.

He was joined on the call by White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and several
lawyers, including longtime conservative attorney Cleta Mitchell and Georgia-based
attorney Kurt Hilbert.

Raffensperger was joined by his office’s general counsel, Ryan Germany, and deputy
secretary of state Jordan Fuchs.

The Washington Post obtained a copy of a recording of the call.

This transcript has been edited to remove the name of an individual about whom Trump
makes unsubstantiated claims.

Trump's White House Chief of Staff Meadows:
So Mr. President, if I might be able to jump in and I’ll give Brad a chance.

Brad Raffensperger's General Counsel for Secretary of State, Ryan Germany:
There are things that you guys are entitled to get. And there’s things that under the law,
we are not allowed to give out.

Trump's attorney Kurt Hilbert:
To get to this issue of the personal information and privacy issue, is it possible
that the secretary of state could deputize the lawyers for the president so that we
could access that information and private information without you having any
kind of violation?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...68e0cc-4ddd-11eb-83e3-322644d82356_story.html

 

[bodysong]

Daniel Dale ✓
Twitter › ddale8

(graphic-
block of text from White House, affirming Trump's trip to Georgia "Victory rally")

Here’s Trump’s public schedule for tomorrow.

1 hour ago

oh, so sad

Trump did not talk his way into corrupting an election.

 

[bodysong]

Intelligencer ✓
Twitter › intelligencer

"Trump’s demand in this negotiation is very simple: 11,780 votes, enough to flip the state.
He doesn’t care what process or rationale Raffensperger employs to arrive at that bottom
line," writes @JonathanChait

(link to New York magazine)

7 hours ago

Jonathan Chait ✓
Twitter › jonathanchait

Trump's tone sounds like he is offering a pretext for Raffsenperger to submit to his pressure,
not that he truly believes he has found fraud

(link to Intelligencer)

8 hours ago

 

[bodysong]

Pence Welcomes Futile Bid by G.O.P. Lawmakers to Overturn Election

The New York Times

"The Vice President welcomes the efforts of members of the House and Senate to use
the authority they have under the law to raise objections and bring forward evidence
before the Congress and the American people on January 6th," the statement reads.

https://www.npr.org/sections/biden-...-plans-to-object-to-electoral-college-results

Biden election: Mike Pence 'welcomes' senators' bid to derail result

Mr Pence has stopped short of echoing allegations of election fraud.

But on Saturday, his chief of staff Marc Short said Mr Pence shared what he called
"the concerns of millions of Americans about voter fraud and irregularities".

https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-55517626

Top Republicans have said the Senate's role in certifying the election is largely
ceremonial and should not be an opportunity for further lengthy debate about
the result.

 

[bodysong]

Trump is on schedule to bring the Plague to Turnberry, in Scotland

Trump's flight from justice-
on a American military version of the Boeing 757 on January 19

There is a booking for an American military version of the Boeing 757 on January 19,
the day before the inauguration.”


Prestwick has been told to expect the arrival of a US military aircraft the day before
Joe Biden's inauguration

— The National (@ScotNational) January 4, 2021

Covid in Scotland: Scots ordered to stay at home in new lockdown

5 January 2021

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said new curbs would be introduced at midnight
in a bid to contain the new, faster-spreading strain of the virus.

New laws will require people to stay at home and work from home where possible.

Outdoor gatherings are also to be cut back, with people only allowed to meet one person
from one other household.

Places of worship are to be closed, group exercise banned, and schools will largely
operate via online and remote learning.

These rules will apply across the Scottish mainland until at least the end of January,
and will be kept under review.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-55531069

Prestwick Airport has been told to expect the arrival of a US military Boeing 757 aircraft
which has been occasionally used by Trump, on January 19 – the day before Mr Biden
takes over.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18984381.donald-trump-could-ditch-inauguration-turnberry-trip/

 

[bodysong]

US District Judge Denies Motion to Overturn Election

January 4, 2021

Federal judge rejects lawsuit seeking to overturn Trump loss

A federal judge on Monday rejected a lawsuit filed by two Republican Wisconsin lawmakers
voting rights groups and others seeking to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in
Wisconsin and four other swing states where Democrat Joe Biden defeated President Donald
Trump.

U.S. District Judge James Boasberg, in rejecting the lawsuit -
said it “rests on a fundamental and obvious misreading of the Constitution.”
The judge, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, also said
it was filed on behalf of plaintiffs without standing, in the wrong court and
with no effort to serve the defendants.

“It is not a stretch to find a serious lack of good faith here,” Boasberg wrote.


The case was brought against Vice President Mike Pence, Congress and the Electoral College.

It alleged a “cabal” of public-private partnerships broke the law to prevent Trump
from winning. It sought to have state legislatures approve the certification of elections.

In addition to Wisconsin-
other states targeted in the lawsuit were Arizona, Georgia,/ Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Wisconsin Republican state Reps. Jeff Mursau, of Crivitz, and David Steffen, of Howard,
were among those who brought the lawsuit filed in conjunction with Wisconsin Voters
Alliance.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...1cb176-4ec5-11eb-a1f5-fdaf28cfca90_story.html

Laurence Tribe ✓
Twitter › tribelaw

George Will is right. Cruz and Hawley represent two complementary flanks
of the New Fascism, the greatest domestic threat we have faced in at least
a century. They are evil incarnate partly because, unlike Trump, they can’t
plead ignorance or low IQ.

(link to Raw Story)

4 hours ago

 

[bodysong]

The remaining wild card would be for Pence to try to make the unconstitutional move
of ordering electoral votes for Biden disqualified.

As a last resort, Congress could suspend the counting of electoral votes until Pence relents
and abides by its decision. In that extraordinary case, Pence’s term would still end at noon
on Jan. 20. The counting would resume with the Senate’s president pro tempore in the chair.
Messy, yes, but Biden still would become president.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opin...nnot-intervene-trump-electoral-college-votes/

Mother Jones ✓
Twitter › MotherJones

Mike Pence is reportedly in distress over the Electoral College vote.

Boo-hoo.

5 minutes ago

 

[bodysong]

Mal-ania's escape to Turnberry, Scotland ?

"There is a booking for an American military version of the Boeing 757 on January 19,
the day before the inauguration," the anonymous source told The Sunday Post.
"That's one that's normally used by the Vice-President but often used by the First Lady."

The newspaper also noted that in November, U.S. military aircraft were positioned at
the Prestwick Airport and had been seen circling Trump's golf resort in Ayrshire,
the county southwest of Glasgow.

As Sturgeon took questions on Tuesday, she spoke from a lectern emblazoned
with her government's message during its lockdown: "Stay At Home."

https://www.npr.org/2021/01/05/9536...ldn-t-be-allowed-to-visit-under-pandemic-rule

 

[bodysong]

Daniel Dale ✓
Twitter › ddale8

The usual public schedule for Trump tomorrow:

“President Trump will work from early in the morning until late in the evening.
He will make many calls and have many meetings.”

1 hour ago

 

[KeithD]

Mal-ania's escape to Turnberry, Scotland ?

"There is a booking for an American military version of the Boeing 757 on January 19,
the day before the inauguration," the anonymous source told The Sunday Post.
"That's one that's normally used by the Vice-President but often used by the First Lady."

The newspaper also noted that in November, U.S. military aircraft were positioned at
the Prestwick Airport and had been seen circling Trump's golf resort in Ayrshire,
the county southwest of Glasgow.

As Sturgeon took questions on Tuesday, she spoke from a lectern emblazoned
with her government's message during its lockdown: "Stay At Home."

https://www.npr.org/2021/01/05/9536...ldn-t-be-allowed-to-visit-under-pandemic-rule

For a flight to Scotland on January 19th, with the inauguration the next day, no one in the old administration would be getting Air Force 1 for that trip. That would already be held in reserve for Biden. So, there's no evidence from this that it would be Melania--or Melania alone--taking the VP's usual plane anywhere.

 

[bodysong]

It is a very good thing that the Democrats decided to keep
Nancy Pelosi in office- She saved the day.

Despite the men taking credit for calling the National Guard in,
it was Nancy Pelosi that had the phone number.

She called the vital number, and the real discussion began.
The person with the power to say yes, freed the National Guard
to help.

It is easy to understand why the minimum was used to keep the peace, now that it is over.
No bloodbath. no heated blood in the Frankenstein's Monster that Trump & Alliance have
created and unleashed on America.

They cut it fine, and they operated almost too close.

As it is, the Shit Show is not as bad, as it could have been.

“It’s very bad,” the Republican senator said. “This performance with our friend
out in Phoenix is very hurtful to me,” McCain said. “Because what he did was
he fired up the crazies.”

John McCain
2015

bodysong comment- I am sick and tired of this "testing of boundaries."

 

[bodysong]

13 adults, elected to political office, took direct part in the DC domestic terrorist riots

Not talking about the three Arizona politicians that helped to plan the invasion
of DC federal buildings, these are !#$%* that took direct part in sending the illegal
civilian pretend militia into the federal building.

“I decided to resign for the betterment of the school,” Saccone told the Tribune-Review.
“I’ve been there 21 years. I didn’t want all this terrible media kerfuffle to tarnish the school.
I decided it would be better if I just resigned.”

In a social media post that was removed by early Wednesday evening, Saccone wrote:
“We are storming the capitol. Our vanguard has broken through the barricades.
We will save this nation. Are u with me?”

https://triblive.com/local/westmore...er-his-online-posts-about-d-c-trip-draw-flak/

Pa. senator’s presence at Trump rally that later turned violent leads to call for him to resign

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2021/...-violent-leads-to-call-for-him-to-resign.html

State lawmaker charged after entering Capitol with rioters

January 08, 2021

Evans, 35, appeared before a federal judge in Huntington, West Virginia, on Friday
afternoon after being arrested. If convicted, he faces up to a year and a half in federal
prison for two misdemeanors: entering a restricted area and disorderly conduct.

After pushing into the building, video shows Evans milling around the Capitol Rotunda
where historic paintings depict the republic’s founding, and imploring others to
not vandalize artwork and busts. Some of the pieces were later vandalized.

https://www.bradenton.com/news/local/health-care/article248379120.html

 

[bodysong]

As Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on Wednesday, attacking police
and eventually breaching the building where Congress was counting the
electoral votes to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory, lawmakers
were evacuated and herded into secure rooms to wait out the riot.

A video obtained by Punchbowl News captured one of those crowded
rooms, where a group of Republican lawmakers sat around without
wearing masks.

In the video, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) can be seen walking up
to a group of those lawmakers and offering them masks. The group, which
included Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a QAnon conspiracist, and Rep. Andy
Biggs (R-AZ), appeared to refuse.

Punchbowl News reported that “lots of members are worried they are at risk
of contracting coronavirus because Republicans declined to wear masks.”

https://www.mediaite.com/news/watch...-in-packed-room-during-capitol-riot-lockdown/