16 OTTOBRE

THE (DIS)GRACE OF AMERICA (Continues)

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from How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt:

"..we have developed a set of four behavioral warning signs that can help us know

  an authoritarian when we see one. We should worry when a politician 1) rejects, in words or action, the democratic rules of the game, 2) denies the legitimacy of opponents, 3) tolerates or encourages violence, or 4) indicates a willingness to curtail the civil liberties of opponents, including the media."

https://twitter.com/joyfulmoocher/status/1167879284003749888?s=20

Donald J. TrumpAug 31 Being scolded by failed former “Intelligence” officials, like James Clapper, on my condolences to Iran on their failed Rocket launch. Sadly for the United States, guys like him, Comey, and the even dumber John Brennan, don’t have a clue. They really set our Country back,....

 
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Donald J. Trump@realDonaldTrump
Aug 31
More....but now we are moving forward like never before. We are winning again, and we are respected again!

Sam Enderby

@joyfulmoocher

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Replying to @realDonaldTrump

No-we're not This is just Fake Twittering. The fake news would just call it lies. But all is not lost- If you really want to be re-elected do this ONE thing - Rescind that stupid decree to deport Isabel Bueso & others & then publicly apologize for causing so much unnecessary pain

12:18 PM - 31 Aug 2019

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HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL IN MONTANA

And in Montana they know a bison's ass when they see one

From the Billings Gazette, August 23, 2019

 




 Trump needs to be impeached

I for, the umpteenth time, see Marian Keller of Glendive bashing Democrats and protecting the racist scoundrel, in the illegitimate office of the president.

Number one, we will put back the State Department to its high level and be back in good grace with the world.

Yes the president in office right now needs to be impeached, to charge him with his “high crimes and misdemeanors” against our United States. We need to have him charged. He thinks he’s gotten away with his misdeeds. Not!

That disgrace on the 4th of July cannot be repeated, ever. No Roosevelt, Eisenhower and Kennedy ever put on a disgrace such as that.

Don’t bash older Americans, like she did Joe Biden. The man has served his country with honor and respect for a long many years. He is the person who can right the ship of state.

Older persons of the Republican Party will never vote for Trump, such as the Bushes and Teddy Roosevelt clan. This president gained power by using nastiness and a “sworn enemy of America” to gain access, for shame.

Nancy Wilson Coleman

Billings

HON. AL GREEN -REPRESENTATIVE FROM TEXAS RISES---YET AGAIN

 CALLING ON THE HOUSE TO IMPEACH THE PRESIDENT

CALLING ON THE HOUSE TO IMPEACH THE PRESIDENT; Congressional Record Vol. 165, No. 115

(House of Representatives - July 10, 2019)

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Green) for 5 minutes.

  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, still I rise. It has been some 84 

days since the Mueller report was made public, some 84 days now that 

the Chief Executive Officer of this country has been above the law, 

some 84 days that we are aware of since the Mueller report. But in 

truth and in fact, before the Mueller report was presented, we knew 

that the Chief Executive Officer was behaving in a fashion that would 

indicate that he thought he was above the law, 84 days above the law, 

84 days disrespecting the law.

  He disrespects the Supreme Court of the United States of America. 

After it makes a ruling on the Census, he decides to just simply 

disregard that. ``Maybe I will use an executive order.''

  The Supreme Court has already spoken. There was a time when the 

President of the United States of America would respect a decision of 

the Supreme Court.

  He disrespects Congress, encourages witnesses not to testify, and 

refuses to surrender proper documents after they have been properly 

subpoenaed.

  He has no respect for the Court and no respect for Congress.

  Eighty-four days above the law since the Mueller report was 

presented--as heartbreaking as that is, I would also add many days 

since these babies at the border were separated from their parents.

  What kind of country are we allowing ourselves to metamorphose into 

when we will allow this to go unchecked, when we will allow babies to 

be taken from their parents? What kind of a country are we 

metamorphosing into?

  We have a responsibility, a duty, and an obligation to ensure that no 

one is above the law. Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution is the 

law. We in this House have the responsibility to enforce that law. If 

we do not enforce that law, there will be no guardrails. A ruthless, 

reckless, and lawless Chief Executive will continue to disobey the law, 

knowing that he can do what he will and what he may and that we will 

not challenge him.

  But I do believe this: I believe that time is running out. I believe 

that there be will be a vote to remove this Chief Executive. Let me 

correct that: a vote to impeach.

  I don't know what the Senate will do, but I believe he will be 

impeached. I believe he will be impeached not because of but in spite 

of a good many people who hold public trust, I might add. In spite of 

them, he is going to be impeached. Because of some who hold public 

trust and in spite of some others who hold public trust, he will be 

impeached.

  The tintinnabulations of history, the bells of history, are sounding. 

History is starting to drive this, and history will drive some people. 

There are people who make history, and there are people whom history 

will make. History is going to make some people assume their 

responsibilities and take up the challenge that the Framers of the 

Constitution have afforded us.

  I believe that this is going to take place in the near future. I 

believe that this House is going to do what it is supposed to do, that 

we are not going to place the blame on others and that we will take up 

our responsibilities.

  I believe that when it happens, America is going to be on a proper 

course. We will set a proper course so that we will show that no one is 

above the law.

  Let the Senate do what it may, but the House will have taken up its 

responsibilities and placed an indelible stain on the Chief Executive 

Officer for his attempts to remain above the law and to abuse these 

children with policies that would separate them from their parents.

  No one is above the law, not even the Chief Executive Officer in the 

most powerful country in the world.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from 

engaging in personalities toward the President.

                          ____________________

A SUPPLICATION AND A HOPE

From the Congressional Record

RECOGNIZING JUNETEENTH

                                 ______
                                 







The Hon Antonio Delgado of New York Rises (another voice that will help redeem America's future )
in the house of representatives
                        Thursday, June 13, 2019



  Mr. DELGADO. Madam Speaker, today I rise to recognize Juneteenth, the 
oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United 
States.
   At its core, Juneteenth is a bittersweet celebration of deferred 
liberation.
   While the Civil War ended at Appomattox on April 9, 1865, it took 
more than two months for word of General Robert E. Lee's surrender to 
reach Texas. When General Gordon Granger, stationed in Galveston, heard 
the news on June 19th, he issued a proclamation that announced the 
freedom of 250,000 slaves in the state. By that time, more than two and 
a half years had passed since the Emancipation Proclamation took effect 
on January 1, 1863.
   Speaking at Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln had prophesized 
that the Civil War would bring a new birth of freedom to America. 
However, for the quarter of a million slaves in Texas that freedom 
would come much later. And for millions of black Americans, the end of 
slavery meant new forms of oppressive labor practices, racial violence, 
police brutality, and the Jim Crow era.
   While there have been tremendous strides for racial equality in the 
last 70 years including Brown v. Board of Education, the Civil Rights 
Act, affirmative action, and the election of our first black president, 
we know that we have a long way to go. We must continue to uphold our 
enduring commitment to equality and strive for a more just society for 
people of all creeds and colors.
   On Juneteenth, we remember the untold millions who suffered the 
horrors of slavery and celebrate the liberation of a people. We do so 
while keeping our eyes toward tomorrow, knowing that our best days as a 
nation are still ahead of us.

                          ____________________

"Hi-Yo, BILLY! A Blustery horse's ass with the speed of McConnell, a cloud of dust and a hearty sense of humor'... The Attorney General! With his faithful flunky companion, Rod-O, the daring and resourceful unmasked defender of Trump leads the fight for lawlessness

MEMO

To: Lorne Michaels, Eternal Producer, Saturday Night Live 

As you once so humorously tried to get the Beatles to reune on SNL the American Appoggiatura challenges you now to coax - for one memorable Saturday night - former Assistant Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to host your broadcast, perhaps with a generous bribe of $100 over whatever scale is these days, Of course you won't be able to restore whatever dignity this man may have once had but perhaps the allure of a duet with Ms Jones may entice.


from Time Magazine's recent "100 Influential People" issue:


"Now Barr returns to public service with a hearty sense of humor, a lifetime of wisdom and a valuable perspective about the Department of Justice. "

WILLIAM BARR by
ROD ROSENSTEIN

► Watch

The enthusiasm in and around the Department of Justice was palpable when President Trump announced his nomination of Attorney General William Pelham Barr. A brilliant and principled conservative lawyer, Barr brings unique experience to the challenge of working at the intersection of law and politics.During his first stint as Attorney General, from 1991 to 1993, Barr dealt with politically sensitive cases, appointed special and independent counsels, handled delicate national-security issues, and navigated contentious congressional oversight requests. He earned widespread respect for his integrity and professionalism, and he enhanced that reputation in the private sector.Now Barr returns to public service with a hearty sense of humor, a lifetime of wisdom and a valuable perspective about the Department of Justice. He knows the history, he understands the issues, he respects the employees, and he will defend the principles. With Bill Barr at the helm, the rule of law is secure.

LETTER FROM ALLIANCE FOR JUSTICE

January 9, 2019 

Dear Senator,

On behalf of the Alliance for Justice, a national alliance representing 130 groups committed to equal justice and access to justice, I write to urge you to reject the nomination of William Barr to be Attorney General of the United States.

William Barr’s nomination is not occurring in a vacuum; it must be colored by President Trump’s repeated attacks on the rule of law. The President has made clear he expects personalloyalty from those in law enforcement. He has tried to eviscerate any notion of an independent Justice Department, repeatedly demanded investigations into the media and political opponents, and consistently tried to undermine independent investigations of himself, his campaign, and his Administration. The President has attacked judges who have ruled against him. He has abused his pardon authority. He has repeatedly acted in ways struck down by courts.

President Trump fired Acting Attorney General Sally Yates because she acted independently, based on the Constitution. He fired Jeff Sessions because Sessions refused to quash the Mueller probe. He then replaced Sessions with Matt Whitaker, an individual whose most notable qualification was likely his public criticism of the Mueller investigation. And, Trump has now nominated William Barr, who also very likely threatens the independent investigation of thePresident, shares the President’s expansive views of unchecked executive power, and will not restrain the President’s attacks on the rule of law.

William Barr has a lengthy record of opposing independent investigations of the President, and in fact strongly considered firing Lawrence Walsh when Barr previously served as AttorneyGeneral. Barr also played a key role in George H.W. Bush’s controversial Iran-Contra pardons that the independent counsel at the time assailed as a cover-up.

It has been reported that President Trump has already asked if Barr would recuse himself from the Mueller investigation. Moreover, Barr is already on record minimizing the seriousness of allegations regarding President Trump and Russia. And, Barr already submitted a lengthy memorandum, shared with the White House, arguing that Robert Mueller should not be able to investigate President Trump for obstruction of justice. He is even on record opposing“congressional incursions” into the president’s power to fire officials, which would be preciselythe issue should Congress enact legislation to protect Mueller.

The Attorney General is critical for protecting the Constitution and rule of law. Yet, there is nothing in the record suggesting Barr will be an independent check on any illegality or untowardconduct by the President. For example, Barr heavily criticized Sally Yates’s decision to followthe Constitution when she directed Department of Justice lawyers not to defend the original discriminatory Muslim Ban (which was struck down by multiple courts). He sees nothing wrong with the president calling for an investigation of his political opponents. Barr reportedly played a role in approving a bulk data collection program and supported immunity for tech companiesthat helped violate Americans’ civil liberties. And, he pushed back on efforts by Congress toprohibit torture.

While our concerns with the Mueller probe and executive power are foremost, AFJ has othergrave concerns with Barr’s nomination.
Attorney General Barr will be the most influential figure in enforcing some our nation’s civilrights laws. Unfortunately, the Justice Department under Attorney General Sessions repeatedly took positions hostile to the rights of all Americans. The Department has attacked the rights of persons of color, women, LGBTQ Americans, persons with disabilities, and immigrants, and webelieve William Barr’s confirmation would also undermine equal justice under the law.

Barr has a troubling record on the protection of rights of LGBTQ Americans. He has spoken disparagingly of gays and lesbians. He led the effort to maintain a policy of preventing HIV- positive non-citizens from entering the country and was reportedly a proponent of keeping HIV- positive Haitians housed at Guantanamo Bay, even though they were approved for asylum. And,Barr praised Jeff Sessions’s decision to rescind guidance protecting transgender Americans.

Barr also has a troubling record on women’s rights; he has repeatedly called for overturning Roe v. Wade. As just one example, after the Supreme Court decided Planned Parenthood v. Casey,Barr said “I think Roe v. Wade should be overturned” and he reaffirmed that the JusticeDepartment “will continue to do what it’s done for the past 10 years and call for the overturningof Roe v. Wade in future litigation.”

Further, Barr has a troubling record with regard to persons of color. Barr served as attorney general during the so-called War on Drugs, which disproportionately impacted communities ofcolor. Notably, he wrote a report titled “The Case for More Incarceration.” In a 1992 speech, Barr said “The choice is clear. More prison space or more crime.” He defended laws that made prison sentences for crack cocaine much harsher than prison sentences for powder cocaine, which had a significantly disparate impact on communities of color. He opposed the bipartisan Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015 and applauded Jeff Sessions’s decision to revertto harsh charging policies.

Barr also has a disturbing record on the rights of immigrants. He supported President Trump’s discriminatory Muslim Ban. He has argued that “[o]ne of the biggest problems we have withimmigration . . . is the abuse of the asylum laws.” He tried to prevent Haitian asylum seekers from reaching the U.S. After the Rodney King riots in LA, Barr stated that “the problem ofimmigration enforcement – making sure we have a fair set of rules and then enforce them – Ithink that’s certainly relevant to the problems we’re seeing in Los Angeles.”
Finally, we do not believe a Barr Justice Department will truly ensure the Justice Department serves all Americans. At the same time that the Trump Justice Department has fought to have a

court declare the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional – taking away health insurance from millions of Americans – it is perhaps no coincidence that the President has nominated an individual who also challenged the constitutionality of the landmark law, filing a brief arguing the law was unconstitutional. Moreover, Barr, who received $10 million from Verizon when he left the company, has fought vigorously against critical consumer protections for internet users. He has opposed important protections for investors Congress put in place after the Enron and WorldCom scandals. He has opposed the False Claims Act.

Given all these concerns, and as detailed on our fact sheet on his nomination, which can be found at the following link, https://afj.org/reports/william-barr, the Senate should reject William Barr’s

nomination to be U.S. Attorney General.  Regards, Nan Aron President

THE ORANGES OF THE SPECIES

from  IN SEARCH OF MEMORY by Eric R. Kandel:

"....each mental function in the brain - from the simplest reflex to the most creative acts in language, music, and art -- is carried out by specialized neural circuits in different regions of the brain...all of these circuits are made up of the same elementary signaling units, the nerve cells. (These) neural circuits use specific molecules to generate signals within and between nerve cells...(And) these specific signaling molecules have been conserved - retained as it were-- through millions of years of evolution. Some of them were present in the cells of our most ancient ancestors and can be found today in our most distant and primitive evolutionary relatives: single-celled organisms such as bacteria and yeast and simple multicellular organisms such as worms, flies, and snails. These creatures use the same molecules to organize their maneuvering through their environment that we use to govern our daily lives and adjust to our environment.


Thus, we gain from the new science of mind not only insights into ourselves--how we perceive, learn, remember, feel, and act--but also a new perspective of ourselves in the context of biological evolution. It makes us appreciate that the human mind evolved from molecules used by our lowly ancestors and that the extraordinary conservation of the molecular mechanisms that regulate life's various processes also applies to our mental life.."


So after millions of years of evolution how is that all we have to show for ourselves is :

DEPORT STEPHEN MILLER

FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA 

As a word it can refer to a particular time and place (though as we’ve seen a wide variety of particular times and places), legally binding as a definite location but also as a quasi-mythical realm, and it can function as the grammatical intensifier of “America!” That process of the name being shouted out as mere orgasmic intensifier is what lends itself to being utilised in hawking beer under the brand name “America”, to the charlatan’s call to “Make America Great Again.” Used cynically, the word “America” is conceptualised not as that

undiscovered country yet to be born on maps yet printed, but rather it is to employ the word as simple superstitious talisman. They take the Lord’s name in vain.

Orthodox Jews write the name of “G-d” with a dash of negation, a type of apophatic punctuation that acknowledges that the written Lord is never the real Lord.

The stipulation on taking great care in writing the Hebrew letters of the Tetragrammaton was in part so that the pious were careful not to see mere crafting of ink and manuscript as replacement for ultimate reality. Without suggesting that “America” is an equivalently mystical word, I do wish to propose that it’s a term which endlessly defers and gestures towards something much greater than and beyond itself.

 “The United States” may be a country bound in history and time, and by space and geography, like all countries which exist before it and which will exist after it.

 

That “America” is in her title is a function of historical contingency, but we should be careful not to reduce that particularly mythic place to simply the nation which most prominently displays her in her title. Do not misread this as pedantic argument that the word “America” also encompasses a variety of other 

 places, for as true as that may be, it is not the focus of what I claim here. Rather it is that the word “America” may be decoration or adornment for the names of various historical polities, but the actual location of a place called “America” is in a Republic not of this world. There is the semantic meaning of the word, and then true to a four-fold hermeneutic there is an anagogic

meaning of the word. “America” may have first been printed on Waldseemüller and Ringman’s map, but its truest location in an atlas not available in our reality, for “America” is a place as mythic as the previously mentioned Eden or Utopia. But though she may not truly exist, this understanding of a New World that is full of equality, liberty and freedom is an Arcadian belief which not only can, but must structure our own yearnings towards a more perfect union. 

This America is not on any map, and yet necessity requires us to set our course towards her and sail in that direction regardless. 

 America may not be real, but we must always be in the process of discovering, and more importantly creating her.

---

About the Author:

Our text was joyfully mooched from Ed Simon, who was described at the time as a doctoral candidate in English at Lehigh University/