Political Randomness

[ImLawBoy]

The idea that 2008 was in the beforetime when this action and response was adequate reminds me of my critique of the Mormon church: they were always lagging behind the mainstream when it came to larger issues like slavery and civil rights. It was only well after society condemned and outlawed these things did the church follow suit. Politicians like Hillary and Obama were the same way about same sex marriage and marijuana or in this case, sexual harassment. Hillary's solution was to move the woman away while slapping the wrist of the guy. Didn't the Catholic church do the same with pedophile priests?

Can we be honest and not misrepresent other peoples' arguments? Is that really too much to ask? If you ignore that the response to sexual harassment today is different than the response to sexual harassment in 2008, then you're ignoring context. The response today is more harsh than it was ten years ago - that's just reality. You can argue whether that's right or not, but the reality is that responses today are different.

So, was the response in 2008 not just different from what the response might be today, but inappropriate? From your post:

the faith adviser was punished by having his pay docked for several weeks, having his title changed and being required to undergo sexual harassment training.

Without knowing all the details of the harassment, was this really that inappropriate? If it's a first time thing, is a financial penalty and sexual harassment training wrong? Because, in many companies, the standard response would be just the sexual harassment training for a first time harasser. This person was docked pay, too (plus a title change, whatever that means). I'm not sure that's inappropriate punishment, but that would at least in part depend on whether this guy had a past history of harassment and what he was specifically accused of doing. Facts and context matter.

[Moliere]

Has anyone read what happened to the accuser? I know she was moved out of his office, but what does that mean? Was she punished for making the accusation? That's the context that I would find most interesting. Also, if this really was his first and only offense while on the campaign.

[Rip]

I love how all criticism of Hillary or Obama is somehow interpreted as giving Trump a pass. As a libertarian I can know my candidate will not win and therefore speak self-righteously condemning both sides as scumbag politicians who care more about winning an election than the people they purport to help.

I hate 'em all, too, but this thing about Hillary's advisor seems like much ado about very little. Assuming that this was the only incident known about, his punishment seems meaningful for a first offense. I think if it happened today, the guy would get fired immediately and be effectively blackballed from politics, but that's more the result of the current attitude. In 2008, that more was done than just sweeping it under the rug seems significant.

Its more than that right now though as it is being used as a screen to empower Trump. It is a "look how bad she was but ignore everything else". The only reason they even talk about HRC any longer is to distract the base from the huge disaster the current situation is. If they stop focusing on the Clinton's they might start to look at how Trump is actually going to impact them long term.

Well that and her writing a book, showing up at the grammy show, she is an attention whore. We are just giving her what she wants.

[Holman]

Well that and her writing a book, showing up at the grammy show, she is an attention whore. We are just giving her what she wants.

Yeah. I'll bet you're glad we didn't elect anyone like *that*.

[Zarathud]

LOL

She wanted to be President. Her reading a selection from that book about Trump (written by someone else) was objectively funny. It's also a shrewd and subversive comment on the politics in the entertainment industry. That it bothers Rip and Trump and Nikki Haley makes it hysterical.

[Moliere]

It's also a shrewd and subversive comment on the politics in the entertainment industry.

I know. I was shocked to find how subversive the left leaning actors, producers, directors, et al are in Hollywood. I'm glad Hillary had the courage to out them at their own awards show.

[Rip]

LOL

She wanted to be President. Her reading a selection from that book about Trump (written by someone else) was objectively funny. It's also a shrewd and subversive comment on the politics in the entertainment industry. That it bothers Rip and Trump and Nikki Haley makes it hysterical.

Doesn't bother me, I don't watch that crap anyway.

[GreenGoo]

Why are we still talking about her?

She must really be the boogeyman for some people.

[Kraken]

Do the Clintons and their organization still have an outsized influence on the D Party? I'm under the impression that the world has left them in the rearview mirror...but, as a Masshole, I probably have an exaggerated view of the influence of the Warren-Sanders progressive wing. Is Hillary still a torchbearer for the establishment?

[Moliere]

Do the Clintons and their organization still have an outsized influence on the D Party? I'm under the impression that the world has left them in the rearview mirror...but, as a Masshole, I probably have an exaggerated view of the influence of the Warren-Sanders progressive wing. Is Hillary still a torchbearer for the establishment?

Only the bitches.

[malchior]

Why are we still talking about her?

She must really be the boogeyman for some people.

It is especially amazing considering all the misdeeds that are *actually* being done by the people who actually are in power.

[Skinypupy]

They've been shrieking "BUT HILLARY!!" for so long that they literally have no idea what else to do when she's no longer a factor.

[Carpet_pissr]

But she’s a loyal opportunist! You can’t just ignore that.

[Zarathud]

It's also a shrewd and subversive comment on the politics in the entertainment industry.

I know. I was shocked to find how subversive the left leaning actors, producers, directors, et al are in Hollywood. I'm glad Hillary had the courage to out them at their own awards show.

The subversive satire is that Hillary would "have it in the bag" over the professional vocalists because of the alleged "left leaning" bias. What a way to both give a nod to and put into context what was going on.

[Smoove_B]

NJ's career politician Rodney Frelinghuysen is retiring. Good riddance, human garbage person.

Frelinghuysen, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, already had faced a tough road to a 13th term in Washington with Trump in the White House. Now it will be even harder for Republicans to hold the district during an off-year election when the party in power traditionally loses seats.

"There are a lot of other Republicans jumping ship at this point," said Krista Jenkins, a political science professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University and director of its PublicMind survey research group. "Rather than go down to defeat, walk away and maintain whatever legacy you've built for yourself."

Your legacy, Mr. Frelinghuysen, is that you'll be remembered as the giant sack of whale excrement that you truly are. While I wouldn't expect most of the nation to take note, the fact that he's fleeing NJ politics before being ousted is rather telling.

[LordMortis]

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/201 ... 071211001/

Who needs the EPA or the people whose jobs it was to keep the Great Lakes clean anyway. Ryan and Walker get jobs and Trump gets employment numbers.

[LordMortis]

Train carrying GOP members of Congress hits Garbage Truck.

Sounds legit...

[stessier]

Hawaii’s Governor Waited 17 Minutes to Tweet the Missile Alert Was a False Alarm Because He Forgot His Twitter Password

How hard is it to remember 123456?

The person responsible for the false alarm was fired.

It's worth reading the short article to see how crazy things got.

[stessier]

Holy cow.

A House committee is digging into opioid shipment to WV.

Combining data collected from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Miami-Luken, the House Energy and Commerce Committee dove into the situation in Williamson. Between 2006 and 2016, drug distributors collectively shipped 20.8 million hydrocodone and oxycodone pills to two pharmacies in the small city. Those pharmacies were located roughly four blocks apart from each other, the committee noted. Miami-Luken alone supplied 6.4 million of those pills to just one of the pharmacies between 2008 and 2015. And between 2008 and 2009, the company inexplicably increased the amount of pills it delivered by 350 percent. The committee pressed Miami-Luken to explain how a town of 3,191 people could require such massive supplies and why the increases didn’t raise alarms.

The letter also reveals that in Kermit, West Virginia, a town of just 406 people, the company delivered 6.3 million hydrocodone and oxycodone pills between 2005 and 2011. For just the year of 2008, the numbers work out to Miami-Luken providing 5,624 opioid painkiller pills for every man, woman, and child in the town, the committee notes.
Likewise, Miami-Luken also delivered 4.4 million hydrocodone and oxycodone pills to the 1,394-person town of Oceana, West Virginia, between 2008 and 2015. And in Beckley, West Virginia, the company didn’t hesitate to fulfill a string of orders for tens of thousands of opioid doses placed by one pharmacy in the span of five days.

[malchior]

Gowdy just announced his retirement. Yowza.

[gilraen]

Gowdy just announced his retirement. Yowza.

To which Lawrence O'Donnell tweeted: "The best lobbying jobs go to the ones who announce early ..."

[Remus West]

Holy cow.

A House committee is digging into opioid shipment to WV.

Combining data collected from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Miami-Luken, the House Energy and Commerce Committee dove into the situation in Williamson. Between 2006 and 2016, drug distributors collectively shipped 20.8 million hydrocodone and oxycodone pills to two pharmacies in the small city. Those pharmacies were located roughly four blocks apart from each other, the committee noted. Miami-Luken alone supplied 6.4 million of those pills to just one of the pharmacies between 2008 and 2015. And between 2008 and 2009, the company inexplicably increased the amount of pills it delivered by 350 percent. The committee pressed Miami-Luken to explain how a town of 3,191 people could require such massive supplies and why the increases didn’t raise alarms.

The letter also reveals that in Kermit, West Virginia, a town of just 406 people, the company delivered 6.3 million hydrocodone and oxycodone pills between 2005 and 2011. For just the year of 2008, the numbers work out to Miami-Luken providing 5,624 opioid painkiller pills for every man, woman, and child in the town, the committee notes.
Likewise, Miami-Luken also delivered 4.4 million hydrocodone and oxycodone pills to the 1,394-person town of Oceana, West Virginia, between 2008 and 2015. And in Beckley, West Virginia, the company didn’t hesitate to fulfill a string of orders for tens of thousands of opioid doses placed by one pharmacy in the span of five days.

[Isgrimnur]

Menendez jury deadlocked - I guess a hung jury. Not sure if DOJ will go for it again

Nope

The Justice Department Wednesday filed to dismiss its remaining charges against Sen. Bob Menendez, bringing the legal case that has hovered over the New Jersey Democrat for years to a close.

An 11-week trial last fall resulted in a hung jury. Prosecutors had accused the senator of accepting bribes from Dr. Salomon Melgen, a wealthy ophthalmologist in Florida, in return for political favors. The charges against Melgen were also dropped.

[El Guapo]

Menendez jury deadlocked - I guess a hung jury. Not sure if DOJ will go for it again

Nope

The Justice Department Wednesday filed to dismiss its remaining charges against Sen. Bob Menendez, bringing the legal case that has hovered over the New Jersey Democrat for years to a close.

An 11-week trial last fall resulted in a hung jury. Prosecutors had accused the senator of accepting bribes from Dr. Salomon Melgen, a wealthy ophthalmologist in Florida, in return for political favors. The charges against Melgen were also dropped.

I thought they had said a couple weeks ago that they planned to bring him to trial again. Did something change?

Either way, I wish Menendez would just retire. An open seat in NJ in 2018 should be pretty safe, I'd rather have a senator who has not been credibly accused of corruption, and politically Menendez seems more of a liability than an asset. Barring a new trial, though, seems like Menendez plans on running again.

[Carpet_pissr]

Gowdy just announced his retirement. Yowza.

Good riddance you lousy piece of crap.

For those who don't know, this is the key player in both Benghazi!!!!!!!gate and Hilary's emails!!-gate.

He is probably some sort of Republican hero I guess, just for those two "accomplishments".

I think it's even fair to say you can thank this douche bag for delivering our current President to us, at least indirectly.

[stessier]

Gowdy just announced his retirement. Yowza.

Good riddance you lousy piece of crap.

For those who don't know, this is the key player in both Benghazi!!!!!!!gate and Hilary's emails!!-gate.

He is probably some sort of Republican hero I guess, just for those two "accomplishments".

I think it's even fair to say you can thank this douche bag for delivering our current President to us, at least indirectly.

I was just coming to post this as he is my Rep. I'm happy but scared with who might end up there instead.

[Paingod]

We're now fond of saying "How could it get any worse" only so they'll show us.

Eventually we (Americans) will be trying to rationalize why we elected Pennywise the Clown, and debating the problems associated with eating children vs. just leaving them in a death-trance to float for eternity.

[LordMortis]

And you may ask yourself
Am I right? Am I wrong?
And you may say yourself, "My God! What have I done?"

[Isgrimnur]

Rep. Robert A. Brady (D-Pa.)

Eleven-term Rep. Robert A. Brady (D-Pa.) will not run for reelection, ending a long career in Philadelphia politics after being embroiled in scandal over an alleged payoff to a would-be challenger.
...
In October, two of Brady’s consultants — Donald Jones and Ken Smukler — were indicted in a probe of a $90,000 payment that Brady’s 2012 campaign made to challenger Jimmie Moore. The FBI’s probe ensnared Brady himself, though the congressman professed his innocence, even after Jones pleaded guilty last month to making false statements about the payoff.

Brady, who never faced a serious challenge in a seat gerrymandered to elect a Democrat, was already facing opposition on his left. Nina Ahmad, a Philadelphia deputy mayor and progressive activist, launched a primary challenge in November, telling the Philadelphia Inquirer that “we haven’t had a progressive voice here from this region” and that after decades of being represented by Brady, “people are ready for a change.”

As Brady’s problems mounted, more Democrats were discussed as possible challengers. Richard Lazer, the labor secretary under Mayor Jim Kenney, said this month that he was “seriously considering” a run. Omar Woodard, a local venture capitalist and activist, has also been discussed as a potential candidate. The progressive group Reclaim Philadelphia, which scored a major 2017 upset by helping elect Black Lives Matter lawyer Larry Krasner as the city’s district attorney, has been vetting potential candidates, offering campaign help to anyone with a credible left-wing record.
...
Brady’s retirement has also created the sixth open-seat contest in Pennsylvania in this cycle, creating competitive races in one-third of the state’s districts. Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Penn.) and Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Penn.) announced their retirements last year, while Rep. Lou Barletta (R-Penn.) vacated his seat to run for U.S. Senate. Two Republicans — Rep. Pat Meehan (R-Penn.) and former Congressman Tim Murphy — retired in the wake of sex scandals involving female staffers. Meehan will serve out his term, while Murphy’s resignation triggered a surprisingly competitive special election, which will be held on March 13.

[El Guapo]

Gowdy just announced his retirement. Yowza.

Good riddance you lousy piece of crap.

For those who don't know, this is the key player in both Benghazi!!!!!!!gate and Hilary's emails!!-gate.

He is probably some sort of Republican hero I guess, just for those two "accomplishments".

I think it's even fair to say you can thank this douche bag for delivering our current President to us, at least indirectly.

I was just coming to post this as he is my Rep. I'm happy but scared with who might end up there instead.

Mr. Stessier goes to Washington!

[Isgrimnur]

People still buy tobacco stock. At the end of the day, it's still a business decision. But when your job is tied to opposing it, you might want to shop for a different industry:

Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, resigned Wednesday, a day after Politico reported Fitzgerald's purchase of tobacco stock after she took the position at the nation's top public health agency.

Such an investment is obviously at odds with the mission of the CDC, considering cigarette smoking will result in the deaths of nearly half a million Americans this year. Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

The CDC's slogan is "24/7: Saving Lives, Protecting People." But Fitzgerald bet against that mission just one month into her tenure at the agency, when she purchased stock in a tobacco company -- one of the very drugs she is supposed to be leading the crusade against.

The news of her stock purchases was first reported Tuesday. According to that report, Fitzgerald "bought tens of thousands of dollars in new stock holdings in at least a dozen companies," including Japan Tobacco, one of the largest tobacco companies in the world.
...
The day after the purchase, Fitzgerald "toured the CDC's Tobacco Laboratory, which researches how the chemicals in tobacco harm human health," according to Politico.
...
Concerns about potential conflicts related to Fitzgerald's financial interests were already under the microscope.

Fitzgerald also invested in pharmaceutical companies Merck and Bayer, as well as health insurance company Humana, according to Politico.
...
Fitzgerald's resignation was accepted Wednesday morning by Secretary Alex Azar, who assumed that role just last week. Dr. Anne Schuchat will serve as acting director until a replacement is confirmed.

[El Guapo]

People still buy tobacco stock. At the end of the day, it's still a business decision. But when your job is tied to opposing it, you might want to shop for a different industry:

Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, resigned Wednesday, a day after Politico reported Fitzgerald's purchase of tobacco stock after she took the position at the nation's top public health agency.

Such an investment is obviously at odds with the mission of the CDC, considering cigarette smoking will result in the deaths of nearly half a million Americans this year. Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

The CDC's slogan is "24/7: Saving Lives, Protecting People." But Fitzgerald bet against that mission just one month into her tenure at the agency, when she purchased stock in a tobacco company -- one of the very drugs she is supposed to be leading the crusade against.

The news of her stock purchases was first reported Tuesday. According to that report, Fitzgerald "bought tens of thousands of dollars in new stock holdings in at least a dozen companies," including Japan Tobacco, one of the largest tobacco companies in the world.
...
The day after the purchase, Fitzgerald "toured the CDC's Tobacco Laboratory, which researches how the chemicals in tobacco harm human health," according to Politico.
...
Concerns about potential conflicts related to Fitzgerald's financial interests were already under the microscope.

Fitzgerald also invested in pharmaceutical companies Merck and Bayer, as well as health insurance company Humana, according to Politico.
...
Fitzgerald's resignation was accepted Wednesday morning by Secretary Alex Azar, who assumed that role just last week. Dr. Anne Schuchat will serve as acting director until a replacement is confirmed.

In her defense, she was no doubt inspired by the President's leadership on this kind of thing.

[Rip]

Gowdy just announced his retirement. Yowza.

To which Lawrence O'Donnell tweeted: "The best lobbying jobs go to the ones who announce early ..."

I heard he is going back to the justice system.

Next AG?

[El Guapo]

Fuck, Trump's going to name him as Deputy AG after he fires Rosenstein, isn't he?

[Rip]

https://nypost.com/2018/01/31/dems-offe ... ver-learn/

Meet the Democratic stars of 2020: a Clinton and a Kennedy.

Yes, the party of the people — the poor, the disenfranchised, the overworked and underpaid, the allies of Black Lives Matter and #MeToo — has two of its most entitled dynastic figures front and center.

Will they never learn?

Good piece.

[YellowKing]

This has always been the problem with Hillary Clinton: Nothing is ever her fault. She is congenitally incapable of saying the words “I’m sorry” — in fact, they are nowhere to be found in her Facebook post. She is somehow always the victim despite her own poor decision-making.

Hmmm, who does that sound like?

[Rip]

https://www.monmouth.edu/polling-instit ... US_013118/

Donald Trump's job approval rating has bounced back from the record low registered in last month's Monmouth University Poll , as more Americans now see the president as having achieved some legislative success. The poll finds that support for the recently passed tax reform plan has increased and Republicans have made gains in the generic House ballot test.

Pres. Trump's job rating now stands at 42% approve and 50% disapprove. While his net rating continues to dwell in negative territory, this is an improvement from his December low of 32% approve and 56% disapprove. The current results mark a return to the ratings he received in the late summer and early fall of 2017. Positive signs for Trump include an uptick in public opinion that he has been successful in moving his agenda through Congress and increasing support for the recently enacted tax reform plan.

A majority (55%) of Americans say that Trump has been at least somewhat successful at getting Congress to pass his legislative agenda, while 41% say he has not been successful. This marks a reversal from December - before the tax reform bill was approved - when only 42% said Trump had been successful with Congress and 53% said he had not been successful.

Opinion is currently divided on the landmark tax reform plan - 44% approve and 44% disapprove. But this marks a significant increase in public support from December, when just 26% approved of the bill and 47% disapproved. Perhaps more importantly, fewer Americans (36%) believe that their own federal taxes will go up under the plan than felt the same when the bill was in its final legislative stages last month (50%). Still, the number who believe that their taxes will go up (36%) outnumber those who believe that their taxes will go down (24%) or stay the same (32%) under the new system.

[Isgrimnur]

I believe my taxes will go down, and I’m still opposed to the tax plan.

[hepcat]

All that proves is that some people will sell their integrity for cash.

[msteelers]

I believe my taxes will go down, and I’m still opposed to the tax plan.

Same here. I'm seeing a $30 increase in my paychecks and I fully expect to see a difference when I do my 2018 taxes since my wife and I tend to take the standard deduction anyway, and we live in Florida so the loss of SALT doesn't hurt us.