This Week In 45* World

The first couple of 121 items on this week's list.

Amy Siskind:

November 11, 2017

This week started and ended in chaos, with a respite in-between as Trump traveled to Asia and stayed on script. The length of this week’s list is a testament to how broad-based the attacks on and the erosion of norms and our democracy have become — well beyond Trump as the sole actor.

The Resistance that started as Trump took office has grown in both impact and power, as evidenced by Tuesday’s elections, which were a wipe-out for Republicans and an amazing display of diversity. A revolution around sexual assault and harassment is gathering steam, with offenders being outed daily.

All the while, the Mueller probe progresses. This week more ties between the Trump campaign and Russia were exposed, and questions surfaced as to the knowledge and engagement of senior people on the campaign, including Trump.

1) WAPO reported as the winter tourism season kicks in, Trump has secured 70 H-2B visas from the Labor Department to hire cooks, maids, and servers to work at Mar-a-Lago, despite urging the country to hire American.

2) Dallas Morning News reported GOP campaigns for Trump, Mitch McConnell, Marco Rubio, Scott Walker, Lindsey Graham, Kris Kasich, and John McCain took in $7.35 million in donations from Leonard Blavatnik, a Ukrainian oligarch with ties to Putin.

Good Guys Explained

Some slopes are more slippery than others

To Be Clear

Overheard on FB and Twitter:

"Conservative Evangelicals" are calling for a boycott of Keurig's products because Keurig's parent company is pulling its ads from DumFux News in response to Sean Hannity's on-air attempts to justify Roy Moore's sexual contact with under-aged girls.

They're against Keurig because Keurig is against PEDOPHILIA - this is who these people are.

Today's Tweet

I don't know exactly what "leadership" is, but since 45* took over, I know a lot more about what it isn't.

A reminder: change in confidence in US leadership from Obama to Trump
Germany: -75%
South Korea: -71%
France: -70%
Canada: -61%
UK: -57%
Australia: -55%
Japan: -54%
Russia: +42%
Source: Pew Research

— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) November 11, 2017

 

Today's Pix

Click a pic to start the show

Careful What You Ask For

The GOP movers-n-shakers have been pushing for a radically de-centralized system for a good long time - recently pimping a particularly self-destructive brand of conspiracy and paranoia.  Well, fellas, you got it. It's here. Is it workin' OK for ya?

WaPo:

Roy Moore’s refusal to bow out of Alabama’s special election for a Senate seat is the latest demonstration of the diminished power of congressional leaders and other, once-powerful institutions in Washington.

The Republican nominee, accused of sexual contact with a 14-year-old when he was a 32-year-old local prosecutor, brushed off calls for him to stand down as part of plot by establishment figures to “undermine this campaign” before the Dec. 12 ballot. Moore ignored the severing of financial ties by the National Republican Senatorial Committee for similar reasons.

He summed up today’s environment in a fundraising pitch to supporters Friday morning: “I will NEVER GIVE UP the fight!”

Moore is right — it might be entirely up to him when or if he will ever give up the fight. The tools available to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and other Washington figures to drive him out of the race either no longer exist or have been rendered impotent by the rise of a new political structure. From the media to big corporations to Congress, public distrust has grown across the board and made it easier for outlier figures such as Moore to thumb their nose at the so-called leaders.

Today's Today

Armistice - at the 11th hour, on the 11th day, of the 11th month

Roy Moore Pickup Lines

"Hey, girl - wanna see my little gun?"

"Want to go to dinner with me, darling? Kids eat free on Tuesdays." #RoyMoorePickupLines

— Arthur Vandelay (@Arthur_6985) November 11, 2017

Come back to my place and I'll show you a "little Moore"#RoyMoorePickUpLines pic.twitter.com/ap4jK6k6sy

— (((Paul Green))) (@bigsexy_tote) November 11, 2017

 

"On a scale from 1 to 10, how old are you?"#RoyMoorePickupLines

— Arthur Vandelay (@Arthur_6985) November 11, 2017

 

#RoyMoorePickUpLines

Don't you just love Ted Nugent?

— Doody Giuliani (@DoodyGiuliani1) November 11, 2017

 

American Capitalism

Unfortunately, this isn't new. I think we saw this several years ago. But no matter - when you'll sell armor plates to parents for their grade-schoolers' backpacks instead of insisting that lawmakers address the problem at its source, you have to stop pretending you're arguing against reasonable gun laws from any kind of principled position.

CNN:

A Miami private school is offering parents an unusual item for sale: bulletproof panels for their kids' backpacks. 

The Florida Christian School website has a list of items available for purchase. These include winter wear, red school logo T-shirts and ballistic panels. 

George Gulla, dean of students and head of school security at Florida Christian School, told CNN the bulletproof panels would add "another level of protection" to students of the pre-K through grade 12 school "in the event of an active shooter."

Any foolish claim you've made to the Moral High Ground is now forfeit.

And also too - nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste or intelligence of the American public.

The More They Stay The Same

Levittown PA in the 1950s.

"I have no prejudice against the coloreds, it's just that I wouldn't like to have one as a neighbor."