Rootin Tootin Rudy Misses the Big Picture

 If you believe the 2020 presidential election was stolen by a nationwide network of democratic party operatives then you know who Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss are. They are the mother, daughter faces of the big steal. The two poll workers are rock solid proof Donald J. Trump was robbed not just in Georgia, but everywhere else he lost. They smuggled in suitcases of fake ballots, hid them under tables before counting them. They were in possession of a mysterious flash drive.  

How do you know this? Well Donald Trump and his lead attorney at the time, Rudolph Giuliani told you so. They told you over and over and over. Prior to January 6th, 2021, Rudy took the entire show on the road to the Georgia legislature and other disputed states, whipping the faithful into a frenzy. He even concocted a creatively edited video allegedly showing Freeman and Moss committing their dark and evil deeds. Giuliani and Trump called them treasonous. At one point Trump went so far as to hint stealing an election was just a side gig for Freeman--her main source of income was selling drugs.

When Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss testified in front of the congressional committee investigating the January 6th failed coup they both, under oath, swore their lives had been ruined.  According to Freeman she had lost, "her name and reputation." Moss said she had stopped going out, even to the grocery store because she was afraid someone would recognize her. Both mother and daughter have received death threats from Trump fanatics. 

Not quite two years ago they sued the former mayor of New York City for defamation. As these things do the suit has been roaming the halls of the court system ever since. 

Tuesday, on paper anyway, Rootin Tootin Rudy Giuliani basically said, "Oh, by the way, all that stuff I said about Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss--I lied."

According to the Giuliani camp this admission shouldn't be a cause for celebration around liberal home fires. Rudy came clean simply to save time and money in court. His lies, though they were premeditated, deliberate, and egregious, were free speech protected by the constitution. They were, in the end, viable political tactics. Besides, Freeman and Moss weren't hurt by them at all. 

We can argue that last point, certainly Freeman and Moss will. However, America's mayor seems to be missing a bigger picture here. In order to save a few bucks on attorney fees he just told millions of Trump cultists, hundreds of them now in jail, or on trial, they were cold bloodedly manipulated into believing a grotesque myth.  There was no election fraud after at all.   

Or, to paraphrase Tim Matheson in the movie Animal House, "Hey Flounder, you fucked up. You trusted us."

Of course, it remains to be seen how many of these dim bulbs will believe Giuliani's confession. None of them even blinked an eye when Sidney Powell told a court, "No reasonable person," would believe her contributions to the election fraud conspiracies.

And, let's face it, there is probably a whole chunk of them who won't even hear about it. It is doubtful Newsmax and OAN will mention it, much less dwell on the ramifications. After all, the people who believe Trump is still in charge, well, except when bad shit happens, aren't avid viewers of CNN, or MSNBC. 

It is also unclear how Giuliani's words will effect the case Atlanta DA, Fani Willis is bringing against not just him, but Trump and others as well. The charges of illegally trying to interfere with the election in Georgia look a lot more serious and real now. 

Why yes, Your Honor, we did try to overturn the results of a statewide election even though we knew it was legitimate. It was a matter of free speech.

Despite what has happened and is happening Donald Trump's traveling carnival and freak show rolls on. No matter what the evidence, no matter how gruesome the crimes the majority of republicans either don't care or are so frighted of his base they are paralyzed. The whole GOP seems in some sort of hypnotic trance--a bird mesmerized by the great orange serpent. To them, Rudy Giuliani is just another disloyal cretin cast aside by The Savior. 

Such is the current state of the party of Lincoln.

 

7-28-23

The Republican Process: AGs Gone Wild and Project 2025

 It began in Tennessee. The legislature there, a bunch of racist nitwits, passed laws making reproductive and gender affirming health care illegal. That in itself isn't unique. Legislatures controlled by Matt Gaetz wannabes across the land have been doing the same thing for months. In Tennessee, however, the Attorney General demanded Vanderbilt Medical Center give up the private medical records of all its patients and staff to his office. Let's face it, you never know what those liberal medicos are trying to put over on you.

Vanderbilt, which should have fought AG Johathan Skrmetti's order, caved in immediately. So now, if you've ever been treated for anything at Vanderbilt Medical Center Skrmetti's office has a record of the dates, meds prescribed, and the treatments you received. 

That isn't enough though for the all seeing conservative eye. Back in April the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services amended the HIPAA rules to ensure the privacy of patients traveling from, someplace like Tennessee to, let's say, Washington state where reproductive and gender care are perfectly legal.

In June the AGs of 19 states--Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah--sent the Biden administration a joint letter demanding access to the medical records of all their residents, no matter where they were treated.

In short, if you are a resident of The Great State of Texas, Texas can seize your medical records from any other jurisdiction in the nation without your permission, or even knowledge. Although chances are good you'd find out about it soon, Your first tip will be when the reincarnation of Bull Connor shows up at your door with an arrest warrant.

Yes, indeed, nothing says small government quite like forcing a woman to carry her rapist's fetus to full term and jailing someone for not breaking the law in another state. 

"But, wait," as the TV ad man says, "There's more."

After months and months of bellyaching about how democrats and Joe Biden have weaponized the Department of Justice, the right wing has found an answer. If Donald Trump is elected next year they are REALLY going to weaponize the DOJ. They aren't going to stop there either. 

The Heritage Foundation, a radical right think tank that has been around for decades, has a plan they've named, "Project 2025." As soon as DJT, or some other fascist loon is inaugurated Project 2025 will kick into effect. The groundwork is already being laid. According to one Russell Vought, "We are trying to identify the pockets of independence (within the federal government) and seize them." 

If you think that sounds a little like something Vlad Putin has done, you'd be right. Those deep thinkers at the Heritage Foundation have decided the only thing wrong with Don Trump's first four years was that not everyone in the government would do exactly what he wanted them to do. So, the idea is to make the DOJ, FTC and other semi-autonomous agencies political entities under the complete control of the President.

Among other things they want to make it easier to get rid of career diplomats at the State Department so they can be replaced by right wing loyalists with no experience, but a true zeal for all things Donald J. Trump. The same with the Office of Budget Management and other departments run by professionals, not political toadies. 

The entire plan is to consolidate as much power as possible in the Oval Office. According to Mr. Trump's second White House Chief of Staff, John Kelly, if Project 2025 is implemented, "It would just simply be chaotic because he (Trump) would continually be trying to exceed his authority, but the sycophants would go along with it. It would be a nonstop gunfight with the congress and the courts."

Well, what else should we expect when one political party goes all in on authoritarianism. After all, you can't create a dictatorship without some old fashioned intimidation and chaotic power grabs. 

Its's part of the process. Just ask the shade of Herr Hitler.

7-20-23

Ray Epps Learns the Nature of the Pack

 Ray Epps is a 6'4" former marine who loved Donald Trump and believed in the gospel according to Fox News. He lived with his wife Robyn on five acres of land outside Phoenix, AZ. They owned and operated a successful event center which specialized in weddings and receptions. By all indications they were living the dream. 

It is unknown why Ray Epps became convinced Don Trump was the nation's savior and redeemer. In the interview with 60 Minutes he didn't explain it. We don't know if Brother Epps was a xenophobe who became convinced the democrats were turning the country over to brown skinned people and communists. Or whether. he, like El Donald, is a big fan of Vlad Putin. We don't even know if Ray Epps was convinced Hillary Clinton was a traitor because she allegedly had classified documents and therefore should be, "locked up," or not.

What we do know is Big Ray was convinced the 2020 election had been stolen by a vast cabal of conspirators who operated with unerring perfection in Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and beyond. We also know he showed up in Washington D.C. the first week of January 2021 to stand with his man, Donald Trump.

There is all sorts of video evidence showing what he did there on January 5th and 6th and every bit of it can be interpreted in different ways.

On the night of the 5th he is seen urging a barely under control mob to enter the capitol building the next day. He used the word peacefully almost as an afterthought. His message wasn't well received. Some chanted, "No, no, no." Others accused him of being a, "Fed." The next day he is seen telling the crowd that after Trump finishes speaking, "We're going to march to the capitol." Then he is shown at the front line of barricades. When they went down, taking a cop with them, he appears to try to calm the advancing mob. Later, in front of the capitol steps he is shown helping an injured demonstrator away from the increasingly violent action.

According to Ray Epps he was in Washington during those days to do his patriotic duty by peacefully protesting what he and others considered a stolen election. When he saw it wasn't going to be peaceful he stepped away. He now says he was duped by Fox News, Donald Trump, and others who said the election was a massive fraud. 

That was only the beginning of his problems though.

Within days after the failed coup, rightwing media personalities and others began to say the whole riot was some sort of FBI sting operation. Indeed, the events weren't caused by Donald Trump, who had been screeching for weeks the election was rigged and that day told the crowd they had to take back their country with strength, Or Rudy Giuliani who earlier had said, "We need a trial by combat." Or by Fox News who was busily defaming voting machine manufacturers day after day. 

No. There wouldn't have been any violence at all if FBI undercover people like Ray Epps hadn't fomented it. 

Fox, in general, and the now unemployed Tucker Carlson in particular fixated on Epps and began to blame him for everything up to and including the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. As usual they had absolutely no proof whatsoever, but it didn't matter. They had Mr. Epps on video saying and doing things which now seemed suspiciously contradictory. In addition weeks later the FBI had dropped his photo from their wanted poster, proving something, or other. What they didn't say was Epps photo had been deleted only after he had been interviewed by the agency and they couldn't pin anything on him. 

As these things do, the conspiracy began to run wild in right wing circles. Ray and Robyn began receiving death threats via mail and phone. Their business collapsed as yokels with guns hanging out their car windows began to cruise by their home. They found empty shell casings strewn across their driveway. 

The heat became so bad they sold their business and home and now live out of a RV somewhere in the Rockies. Robyn says she uses her maiden name when dealing with people so they won't know who she and her husband are. They are also suing Fox and Carlson for a bazillion dollars, thus proving anonymity isn't nearly as comforting as a big payday. 

The Epps' story re-ignited last week when some GOP congressmen, all of them Joe McCarthy wannabes, grilled FBI Director, Christopher Wray. The director had to explain to each and every one of them that no, Ray Epps wasn't a FBI special agent and he had never been a paid asset for the Bureau., nor was he an unpaid informant. As could be expected it didn't appear any of those savage clowns believed him.

The left wing media is now portraying Ray Epps as a poster boy for far right hysteria--a perfect example of how the Trumpists terrorizes their opponents. 

Perhaps. In this corner however it is also easy to believe Ray Epps as just another Trump cultist. The monsters might have turned on him, but up until that moment he was proudly one of them.

Hey, when you eat with the beasts, sometimes they feast on you. It is, after all, the nature of the pack.

7-17-23

Fascist Follies: The Latest Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em Adventures of the American Republican Party

 There is an organization out there known as College Republicans United. Their annual national confab is scheduled to be held in Prescott, AZ at the end of July and it is being hosted by the Arizona State University chapter. After asking around the ASU students got three Arizona county republican committees to sign on as sponsors. In addition one of their speakers was scheduled to be, Jake Angeli-Chansley, aka the QAnon Shaman of January 6th fame. 

The other day College Republicans United put out an online flier advertising the event. The ad, for the first time, revealed the keynote speaker in Prescott. It was none other than Nick Fuentes, an avowed neo nazi and sometimes dinner guest of Donald J. Trump. 

The news proved too much for the three county republican organizations who immediately demanded their names be taken off the flier. Angeli-Chansley found Fuentes' presence so far over the line he canceled his appearance, saying the considered Fuentes, "disgusting." 

A spokesperson for the Maricopa County republican party said they sponsored the event only because the students, "had tricked," them. 

As Rachel Maddow pointed out last night, while the county parties had walked away from the event, College Republicans United remained all in. Fuentes remains on the bill. He will definitely speak to all those bright eyed young republicans on July 30th. Just to make sure everyone knows where these young conservative minds are at, Fuents' opening act will be one Ryan Sanchez who goes by the charming online alias, Culture War Criminal.

Back on July 1st Big Don himself showed up in Pickens, South Carolina for a rally. He and his people claimed there were 50,000, or more there. The Secret Service and other organizations put the crowd size at closer to 15,000. What ever the case , Maddow also reported many of them were handed fliers urging them all to form a new political party which would, "ensure a white majority," in American politics forever. No one seemed to object, probably because that's what everyone there dreams about anyway.

Speaking of all things white, Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville told a CNN reporter his definition of a white nationalist was, "an American." The exchange began when Kaitlan Collins asked the Senator if he stood by a statement he made on talk radio in which he said white nationalist should be allowed to serve in the military. Tuberville blathered on and on about he supported the military and he was all for any patriotic American serving in it. 

When Ms. Collins pointed out racism is a pretty important part of being a white nationalist, the Senator responded, "that's your opinion." 

Meanwhile, when he is back in Washington, Senator Tuberville has personally held up the promotions of over 200 senior military officers that require Senate confirmation. His reason for messing with the military he says he supports so much? He is opposed to a DOD policy which provides paid leave and travel expenses for female members of the armed forces who need to get an abortion. In other words all your fucking careers are stalled until I, Tommy Tuberville get what I want. 

Ah, quite the tactician.  

There is more of course. We haven't even touched on brawls between Michigan republicans where ribs were broken and kicks to the testicles were delivered. Or the Ohio GOP who is attempting to pass a measure requiring 60% of the voters to approve a  pro abortion referendum as opposed to the 50% which is the current statute. 

Yes, the current state of the Grand Old Party seems a tad chaotic. Not to mention fascist and delusional. 

Hey, need more proof?

The other day a reporter pointed out to Donald Trump republicans hadn't carried Nevada in a presidential election since 2004. Trump was asked how he planned to reverse the trend. The front runner for the party's nomination told the journalist, "Actually I won big in Nevada in 2016 and 2020, but the elections were rigged."

And some people wonder why I've never voted for these sons of bitches.

7-11-23

Ryan Walters Erases Racism in Tulsa--Sort Of

 Ryan Walters, the Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction graduated from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. Harding is the largest private university in that state with an enrollment of a 3,687. The school is ranked the 263rd best college in the United States, meaning it isn't the academic powerhouse Carlow State University is, but it does beat the hell out of Our Lady of the Lake University down in San Antonio, Tx. At last look 5% of Harding's undergrads are African American.

The information provided isn't necessarily an attempt to disparage the Superintendent's education., but rather part of an inquiry into why the guy is so bat shit crazy. 

On Thursday Mr. Walters, who bears a disturbing resemblance to former Oklahoma football coach, Lincoln Riley, spoke to a roomful of people in Norman. Someone asked him why shouldn't teaching a history of the Tulsa race massacre be considered a part of Critical Race Theory, a subject which drives Walters and other conservatives to the brink of apoplexy. The Superintendent answered by saying, in part, "So I would say to you be judgmental of the issue, of the action, of the content of the character of the individual, absolutely, But let's not tie it to the skin color and say that the skin color determined it." 

Now a reasonable person might interpret Mr. Walters' message as saying that while teachers can tell their students a lot of bad people did bad things in 1921Tulsa you shouldn't teach them race had anything to do with it. In some quarters this is known as erasing history. In others, rewriting it.

The reaction to the statement was swift, loud, and widespread. Our boy Ryan even managed to get condemned by at least one major cable news network analyst.  

To his dubious credit, Ryan Walters appeared to realize he had gone a race war too far. Yesterday he began a series of song and dances that would have made Bob Fosse proud. 

He had been misquoted he said. Then he was quoted by the OKC ABC TV outlet the media had twisted his words in order to manufacture a controversy. He told both KOCO TV and The Oklahoman newspaper the race massacre was an evil part of our history and race did play a part in it. He just didn't want kids now days to feel ashamed of the color of their skin because of it. Always the republican mouthpiece, The Oklahoman said he had clarified his remarks. Yes, yes you might have been on tape saying that stupid shit, but we understand what you really meant. 

Brother Walters isn't a stranger when it comes to saying or doing strange things. A while back he claimed Oklahoma public schools were stocking hard core pornography in their libraries which could be accessed by students. When asked to prove it, he sent out emails and had staffers hand deliver sexually explicit material to state legislators. Unfortunately, he never said which schools had the questionable literature on hand, leaving everyone to wonder if it really came from a library, or it was porn he had picked up at a Quickie Mart in Arcadia, Oklahoma. 

As of this date the question remains unanswered.

The Oklahoma Superintendent is also a big fan of an organization called, Moms for Liberty. So much so he was a speaker at their national "summit," last year. They cheered him wildly when he advocated for the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education. Moms for Liberty are so vociferously anti teacher, Critical Race, Theory and pro state/religion fusion the Southern Poverty Law Center has identified them as a hate group.

Well, you have to expect lunacy like this when the person you elect to oversee public education hates public education and the people who teach it. 

Before Ryan Walters got into politics, he was a history teacher at the McAlester, Ok high school. He was a finalist for the Oklahoma Teacher of the Year Award. After what we've learned about him the last few years it is now easy to believe that nomination says more about the academically corrupt leadership of Oklahoma's educational establishment than it does his ability. 

But hey, he still has that Lincoln Riley thing going for him.

7-8-23

The Supreme Court Says You Can Discriminate Even When No One is Around to Discriminate Against

 303 Creative is owned by Lorie Smith. Ms. Smith's company designs websites for businesses and individuals who pay for the service, much like you'd pay for a meal in a restaurant, a hammer in a hardware store, or a ride in a cab. In other words Lorie Smith is a business owner who runs a for profit operation that sells it's products to the public. 

Well, not all the public. Smith contends her religious beliefs prevent her creating wedding web sites for same sex couples. She is so convinced that somewhere in the bible--one presumes the Old Testament--it says you shouldn't design web sites for gays she hooked up with a bunch of hot shot lawyers from something called the Alliance Defending Freedom. 

Those crafty boys from the ADF took Smith's case all the way to the Supreme Court of these United States using the premise her work is art and therefore falls under the free speech clause of the first amendment to the constitution. 

Yesh, it seems like a stretch doesn't it. Although, one supposes it isn't any more of a stretch than the premise of Smith's suit in the first place. You see 303 Creative has never been contacted by a gay couple, who wanted, or needed their services. Lorie Smith's grievance isn't a real thing at all, This great fear of dealing with gays is simply in her head--a complete hypothetical. 

In short Ms. Smith wanted to hang a virtual sign in her store window which reads, "No Queers Allowed," but, before she did she needed to make sure no one could sue her ass because of it.

She and her lawyers picked the right court to make it happen. We know at least one third of the conservative super majority is bought and paid for by radical right billionaires. Both Clarence Thomas and Sam Alito are fully owned subsidiaries of Harlan Crow and Paul Singer. respectively There is also some inconclusive evidence Brent Kavanaugh has received iffy financial aid in order to pay off old debts.  

Both Kavanaugh and Thomas have histories of questionable sexual behavior. During Kavanaugh's confirmation he was accused of rape. During the Thomas confirmation law Professor, Anita Hill accused the future justice of repeatedly making unwanted advances. Both survived thanks to the GOP's unquenchable thirst for right wing judicial power. Morality, be it based in Christianity, or other faiths, takes a dim view of rape and sexual harassment. None of that came into play for the republican majority during either hearing.    

Neil Gorsuch, a Donald Trump devotee wrote the majority opinion for the decision. According to the Justice, the first amendment prohibits the state, or anyone else from, "...forcing a website designer ta create expressive designs speaking messages which the designer disagrees." He also wrote the constitution protects a person's free speech, "Regardless whether the government considers the speech sensible and well intentioned, or deeply misguided." 

So they can say what they want, but you don't have to write it down for them, no matter what your ad says you do for a living.

All of which is nice, but avoids the real issue at hand, which is no one fucking asked Lorie Smith to create anything she disagreed with. in the first place. Her lawyers and six members of the Supreme Court just wanted to make sure she and anyone else in this land of freedom and opportunity can discriminate against whoever they want, so long as it is in the name of their God. 

Next stop Muslims. You can count on it.

7-2-23