What is wrong with Alabama?

The inexplicable has happened in Alabama. According to the polls, alleged pedophile and confirmed alt-right and bigoted celebrity Senate Candidate Roy Moore has rebounded. Hopefully, this is an aberration and Doug Jones will still prevail. However, if Moore does eke out a victory on December 12, what would that say about the majority of people in Alabama who put their version of decency over probable criminal, racist, and perverted behavior? At least the majority of the American People voted against Trump and a plurality picked Clinton over him. The Electoral College gave us President Trump. The people of Alabama will have no one to blame for this catastrophe but themselves. Hopefully, there are more decent people in Alabama than the polls are revealing.


https://news.vice.com/story/roy-moore-says-lgbtq-people-are-behind-the-molestation-allegations-against-him

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2017/senate/al/alabama_senate_special_election_moore_vs_jones-6271.html

Are we getting closer to impeachment or use of the 25th Amendment or formal charges?

Revelations surfaced this evening that the President may have crossed the obstruction of justice line by attempting to strong arm Senators into finishing their Russian meddling investigations. If this was Hillary Clinton or Barrack Obama who committed all that Donald Trump has, the Republicans would have already had the impeachment vote and encouraged their base to storm the White House. Putting impeachment aside, does the Presidents preoccupation with unfounded conspiracy theories warrant consideration of the 25th Amendment's disability clauses. Are tax cuts for the one percent, which hit a snag today because the Senate Parliamentarian will not allow a trigger to raise taxes under the reconciliation process, really worth subjecting the country to this experience? Think about it.


https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/30/us/politics/trump-russia-senate-intel.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

https://www.vox.com/2017/11/30/16517022/impeachment-donald-trump

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/11/29/trump-suggested-the-2001-death-of-a-joe-scarborough-aide-is-an-unsolved-mystery-it-isnt/?utm_term=.89128c35f404

http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/30/politics/senate-tax-bill-vote-snag/index.html

Editorial Poster courtesy of Arizona Center for Economic Progress

Editorial Poster courtesy of Really American

Editorial Poster courtesy of The Other 98%

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of American Reformers

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Adam Zyglis

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Jimmy Marguiles

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Phil Hands

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Walt Handelsman

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Patrick Chappatte

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Steve Breen

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Tom Stiglich

Another reason we have to do away with the Electoral College

Today the President again showed why he lost the vote of the people to Hillary Clinton. Early this morning he tweeted pictures/videos originally from a fringe British group ironically called Britain First that showed "Muslims" committing bad acts against Westerners and Christian Objects. The former leader of the KKK (remember they endorsed Trump) David Duke applauded the move. British Prime Minister Theresa May issued a stern rebuke. I wonder who the President will be texting with tonight. Some of the content has been debunked long before the President shared it. This is another example of how he and his staff (led by his press secretary) do not have the character and temperament for the job. The majority of the American People knew this when they voted for former Secretary Clinton and other candidates. This is why we need to get rid of the Electoral College. Twice in the last 16 years, it has allowed the poorest of the Presidential Candidates to claim the Presidency. We know how the Bush Presidency turned out. We have seen how the Trump Administration has fared with almost a year of governing. We need a constitutional amendment to get rid of the Electoral College.


https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/29/us/politics/trump-anti-muslim-videos-jayda-fransen.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-retweets-british-far-right-leaders-anti-muslim-videos/ar-BBFUnqj?ocid=sf

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/362316-david-duke-praises-trump-for-re-tweeting-british-far-right#.Wh7-xWY5m0k.facebook

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/president-trump-retweets-anti-muslim-videos-posted-far-right-u-n824836

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Steve Benson

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Mike Luckovich

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of David Fitzsimmons

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Jack Ohman

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Clay Bennett

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Matt Wuerker

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Steve Sack

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Walt Handelsman

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Mike Luckovich

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of RJ Matson

The Republicans still have not put Poor Children first before the One Percent

I know that the contents of this blog have spent many posts on the Children's Health Insurance Program. I feel it is necessary because a nation is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens. If we were grading our current government, they would be failing with flying colors. In their zeal to pass a tax cut that will reward wealth over innovation and fairness, the leading members of the Republican Party in the Senate are postponing a vote on the Children's Health Insurance Program (C.H.I.P.) so they can take care of the top one percent. This is wrong morally and policy-wise. The One Percent can afford to wait for a tax cut.  Poor Children and their families can not afford to wait. Unlike the tax cut bill, there is a need for C.H.I.P. Unlike the tax bill, the renewal of C.H.I.P. will move the country forward. Please contact your Senator and tell them to put poor children ahead of the One Percent.


http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/childrens-health-program-imperiled-republican-tactics

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/28/colorado-wars-money-for-childrens-health-program-will-run-out-soon.html

http://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2017/11/28/childrens-health-insurance-program

http://www.cnn.com/videos/cnnmoney/2017/11/27/trump-wants-this-tax-cut-it-was-a-disaster-in-kansas.cnnmoney

Pelosi and Schumer had better not back down to the Bully Trump and the Obstructionist Master McConnell.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer did the right thing in telling the President in diplomatic terms "to shove it" after his antagonistic tweet this morning accusing the duo of wanting illegal immigration, a crime wave, and higher taxes. They did the right thing by not going to the White House today. It was also amusing to hear Mitch McConnell, the master obstructionist, cry foul and then claim he never missed a meeting with President Obama. It took a millisecond for the fact checkers to debunk that claim. IT IS IMPORTANT now that Pelosi and Schumer not back down. They are dealing with a bully and the way to deal with a bully is to make him back down and squirm. Pelosi and Schumer have to hold their ground and make Trump blink first. This is actually a pivotal moment on how the President's relations with Congress will move forward. Pelosi and Schumer need to play their hand well. 


http://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/11/28/president-trump-pelosi-schumer-meeting-response-sot.cnn

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/28/us/politics/trump-democrats-government-shutdown-pelosi.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=b-lede-package-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

Editorial Poster courtesy of Living Blue in a Red State

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Steve Breen

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Patrick Chappatte

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of RJ Matson

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Clay Bennett

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Rob Rogers

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Chris Britt

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Steve Benson

The Republican Tax Plan is a weapon aimed at the future of the United States

China is taking the place of the United States in leading the fight for renewable energy while the Trump Administration and the Republican Congress are pushing a tax plan that hurts plans for clean energy, promoting infrastructure projects, and the overall health of the American People. It is as if the Republicans were sleeper agents woken up by Russian and Chinese handlers who wanted to refight the Cold War. This tax plan, along with other Trump and Republican initiatives like pulling out of TPP, the Paris Climate Treaty and deregulating sectors that take us back in time only serve the interests of our adversaries that have waited decades for American Decline. Please contact your  Senators and urge them to put America forward and not vote for this tax plan.


https://www.facebook.com/worldeconomicforum/videos/10154933301296479/

http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/27/news/economy/senate-gop-tax-bill-poor/index.html

http://www.governing.com/topics/transportation-infrastructure/gov-republican-tax-bills-impact-infrastructure.html

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/27/16704664/senate-republican-tax-bill-health-cut-poor

A question of character: Two more examples this White House is occupied by people of low character including the current tenant and his Press Secretary

In the climax of the 1995 film The American President, Michael Douglas is at the podium in the Press Briefing Room commenting that the Presidency is totally about character. It is obvious that President Trump, evidenced by his acts statements, and tweets has never seen that movie. For that matter, a case could be made that the President and some of his people (especially those who have been indicted and others who are waiting their turn) know nothing about character. Today's racial slur about Senator Elizabeth Warren in a ceremony with Navajo Code Breakers and the dim witted excuses offered by his press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders further illustrate how the President and some of his staff are people of low character. The American People could do better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zemrWBIc_hE

https://www.facebook.com/vicenews/videos/920039061489378/

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/27/us/politics/trump-elizabeth-warren-pocahontas-navajo.html

Editorial Poster courtesy of We did not Vote for Trump

Editorial Poster courtesy of The Other 98%

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Kevin Kalluagher

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Mike Luckovich

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Clay Bennett

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Jimmy Marguiles

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Rob Rogers

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Kevin Kalluagher

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Steve Sack

The President trying to circumvent (let's call it break) the law again

In the statute regarding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, it clearly states that if the Director leaves the position, the Deputy Director assumes the leadership role until the President's pick to take over is confirmed by the Senate. Well, the President is ignoring that one little clause and is trying to make Budget Director Mick Mulvaney the acting head. If the President succeeds in getting away with breaking the law, another government agency will be headed by someone who has stated that this organization should go away. This is not what good competent government is supposed to be about. This bureau has helped the American people since its creation in helping safeguard their rights in connection with financial institutions ranging from banks to credit cards. The President and the Republican-led Congress have been trying to undermine it since January 20, 2017, in order to protect their friends in the financial sector. This is another reason for people to stay motivated for the elections in 2018 and beyond.


http://money.cnn.com/2017/11/25/news/wall-street-elizabeth-warren-consumer-financial-protection-bureau/index.html

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/09/01/mick-mulvaney-omb-trump-budget-profile-feature-215546

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/24/us/politics/consumer-financial-protection-bureau-cordray-leader-trump-mulvaney.html?smid=fb-share

Remember when the President said he was too busy to play Golf?

Remember when the President said he was too busy to play golf? I guess we should file that in the cabinet where he said he knew how to make deals, he knew how to build things, and the people would get cheaper and better health care than Obamacare.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWvO2g2b4ho

http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/25/politics/trump-golfing-record/index.html

This Week in Science and Technology courtesy of Futurism

https://futurism.com/images/this-week-in-tech-nov-18-24-2017/

Documentary on Netflix

Robert Reich's Saving Capitalism. It is not as good as Inequality for All but it is an okay followup.

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Taylor Jones

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Dave Granlund

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Jimmy Marguiles

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Ken Catalino

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Joe Heller

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Pat Bagley

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Rob Rogers

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Mitt Priggee

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Pat Bagley

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Tom Toles

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of John Cole

Editorial Cartoon courtesy of Jeff Danzinger