eVille Times

Dec 4, 2017

Something Happened

Once upon a time, I thought Chuck Grassley (R-IA) was more or less a decent fellow, but something's gone horribly wrong. And I don't think it's all about my own political evolution - it seems pretty obvious that something short-circuited in that guy's head.

Grassley became one of the main peddlers of the Death Panel bullshit back when ACA was being debated.

He chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, and effectively blocked the Garland appointment simply by following Mitch McConnell's lead and announcing that he'd spend almost a year ignoring it.

Now we can add this one to the hi-lites:

The Hill:

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said he favors repealing the estate tax, which the Senate tax reform bill does not do, saying it "recognizes the people that are investing," The Des Moines Register reported Saturday.

“I think not having the estate tax recognizes the people that are investing, as opposed to those that are just spending every darn penny they have, whether it’s on booze or women or movies," Grassley told the newspaper.

It fits the pattern though. Faux Conservatives have preached the gospel of deprivation for decades. Mostly it translates for the rubes this way: "As long as those undeserving poor people (aka Black Folks, mostly) get less than me, I'm willing to make the sacrifice."

But there's something that's coming through louder and more clearly lately, and it grows out of that core belief that struggle makes you stronger.

We've become conditioned to believe great people are always made to suffer. We project that onto these upper crust individuals to the point where we simply assume a Donald Trump (eg) has suffered as well. Suffering makes you great. Trump is great. So Trump must have suffered. We don't see an Aristocracy of Inherited Entitlement at work here because that's not how we grow up understanding the American ideal.

The unintended lesson is that great people have been made to suffer, so it's the suffering itself that makes you great.

With that in mind, some folks end up going out of their way looking for "leaders" who promise them more suffering, thinking it gives them a shot at becoming great (ie: rich and powerful), when all that's really going on is that they'll get another chance to empty their pockets in exchange for feeling superior to all those moochers who just want free stuff.

"I've worked hard all my life - I ain't got jack shit, but by god I earned it"

Amy's List

Amy Siskind - keeping track of the shittier shit that lands on us every day we spend allowing Cult45 to continue.

December 2, 2017

This week marked further erosion to our failing democracy. Attacks on, and deconstruction of our free press is happening at an alarming rate, as conservative billionaires buy up media outlets, some of which are then precipitously shuttered. Republicans in the Senate passed a tax bill whose primary beneficiary will be people like Trump and regime members, without any debate, scoring, hearings, or even a chance for senators to read a bill which impacts one-sixth of the US economy.

This week Trump continued his bigoted attacks on marginalized communities, dividing us at home and embarrassing our country on the world stage. There was disturbing reporting on Trump’s mental health, including his continued belief in conspiracy theories. With events and his actions this week, Trump’s net approval gap (-29) matched an all-time low.

This week was the second bombshell in the Mueller probe, as Michael Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and agreed to cooperate. Flynn’s testimony in court documents ties in Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner, and Flynn’s ongoing cooperation will likely ensnare many higher-ups, including Trump.

1. Late Saturday, in retaliation for RT being told to register as a foreign agent in the US, Putin signed a law that allows the Russian government to list any foreign media operating in the country as a foreign agent.

2. Late Saturday, Trump tweeted Fox News is “MUCH more important” than CNN in the US, and “CNN International is still a major source of (Fake) news, and they represent our Nation to the WORLD very poorly.”

3. CNN Communications tweeted in response, “It’s not CNN’s job to represent the U.S to the world. That’s yours. Our job is to report the news.”

4. Former CIA and NSA Director Michael Hayden slammed Trump: “Until now it was not possible for me to conceive of an American President capable of such an outrageous assault on truth, a free press or the first amendment.”

-and-

72. Burr said Trump told him the investigation was overshadowing his first year and he wanted to see it come to an end. Burr also said committee members were approached by Trump, and shared their conversations.

73. Trump expressed these sentiments to Roy Blunt, who serves on the committee, while flying on Air Force One to Springfield, MO in August. Trump told Blunt he wanted “to wrap up this investigation.”

74. Trump complained to Mitch McConnell and Bob Corker, who is chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in phone conversations about the continuing investigations, and blamed McConnell as leader for not shielding him.

75. Trump called Sen. Thom Tillis, who in August introduced a bipartisan bill limiting the president’s power to dismiss special prosecutors, over the summer. Tillis said Trump “just asked me where my head was” on the legislation

Dec 3, 2017

Today's Today

Today's Tweet

All I want for Christmas is - well - quite a bit actually.

1. TRUMP GONE
2. THE DEMISE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
3. TRUMP FAMILY IN PRISON
4.DEMOCRACY RESTORED pic.twitter.com/FV35kVA0Wj
— Bonnie (@BonitaTeuben) December 3, 2017

Dec 2, 2017

Banging Our Heads

I was honestly thinking Collins and Flake (and maybe McCain) would hold out against this monumental fuckery dressed up to look like Tax Reform.

And maybe there's still some hope that it'll crap out in conference - but it's looking pretty sure that the "GOP moderates" are completely spooked now. They're finally hearing some very strong resistance from their Dem constituents, and putting that together with the usual shit they get from the wingnuts, they're finding out how toxically untenable the squishy middle can get.

Sometimes, there just aren't two sides.

Susan Collins said she was able to vote for the thing because she got assurances that no Medicare cuts would be triggered by the bill. Of course, there's nothing that says they won't just do it by other means. And there's nothing there about Medicaid or Social Security.

Flake said he voted for it because they promised him not to fuck with DACA, and he got a an $85 billion gimmick eliminated. Again - a promise? to guy who won't be in the Senate this time next year? And $85 billion - wow, almost one whole percent. Great. Way to go, Jeff. Way to hang tough on a Budget Neutral stance (that turns out to be nothing but posturing bullshit).

McCain's getting skewered with this kinda thing (that I've seen pop up on FB and Twitter several times in several iterations): "John McCain has his cancer treatment paid for by the people whose healthcare coverage he just voted to eliminate".

These are difficult decisions being made under ridiculous political circumstances, but unfortunately, these are not particularly honorable people.

Today's Tweet

Gotta make ya wonder

Folks, I think we need to start coming to terms with the idea that the rapture happened and only David Bowie and Prince made the cut.
— Andrew Thaler (@DrAndrewThaler) December 2, 2017