The Friday Link for 6/30/17

I'm exhausted.  I had to be up early today to come back from my vacation, so short and sweet it is!

Conan O'Brien's Clueless Gamer is a pretty good bit.  When it's on, it's righteous.  Here's his latest with Will Arnett:



And here's what I think is the funniest one they ever did, the one for WWE 2K14:



Have a great weekend everyone and I'll post throughout the 4th of July weekend!

Updating the Old World View

I'm part of an ownership group of a family cabin in northern Minnesota, a cabin which has been in my family for over 100 years.  Initially it was my great grandfather's, but it's slowly moved down the family ladder, now partially landed in my lap, and the laps of my second cousins.  Eventually the ownership issue will be a mess, unless we can come up with a solution for all future families, or one of the ownership members wins the lottery.

Since it's only (at best) an April to September place, and since the owners who use it are scattered across the country, we've had to get a local from the area to be the official caretaker; someone to keep an eye on the place.  We've had numerous caretakers over the years, usually one of the few people who lived year round on the lake, and hence best positioned for the job.  It's hard to find a caretaker, mainly because up until the 1980's there just weren't too many people to choose from, so when we got one, it's generally been a lifetime position.

That being said, we've been lucky.  The locals we've found have been great.  Fifteen years ago and beyond, these guys were essential, having to come up with 'made from scratch' solutions for major plumping, electrical, erosion, tree, and heating problems.  These caretakers were from the area, with a never ending clever litany of local solutions for problems which would've easily be solved if the cabin was located in a medium size metro area.

Not that long ago, getting to northern Minnesota was an adventure.  Back then Hwy. 33 from Cloquet to US 53 was a simple logging road with attitude, and 53 was a glorified bog trail as you veered your way north.  Duluth was the nearest shipping point for any major repair item.  And it wasn't just the big items which were scarce. I remember when my mom would come into the Iron Range, go to three of the small local grocers, buying out their various inventories just so she could put together a menu for 12 people for three weeks.

Things today are different.  Highway 33 is a quality four lane road more akin to suburbia, and 53 soon will be four lanes all the way from Duluth to International Falls.  The lake community is no longer mostly seasonal cabins, having made the change with the expanded roadway to a more suburban locale for the residents of the nearby northern community.  Gone are the fishing shacks, replaced by 2000 square foot luxury homes.  The nearby town now has a major Target, Menards, two city style grocery stores and even a fine co-op for organic food; no need to haul to Duluth or make due with what you have.  We're ten miles from shopping more akin to Maple Grove, Woodbury and Eden Prairie.  And if we don't want to cook, there are at least five restaurants who'll deliver to our cabin today, and an even larger range of food options available for pick up (I still like cooking most of my own food, and with the fine grocery stores a hop, skip and a jump away, I easily can).

And there's the internet, in all it's stupendous glory, and insane demented psyche.  The days of begging a local to show pity and mercy on the 'out of their high end urban element' cabin owners desperately needing assistance are now limited.  Your cell phone provider is what helps you today.  Not only don't I need some jimmy-rigged Mesabi solution for my problem, I can pull up an online video series from the best people in any industry, "do-it-myself'ing" any problem I've got.

For larger issues, the service providers in the area, with the expanded population, are able to come fix their services quickly.  Large scale contractors from a 100 mile radius will bid on the larger projects we may have.

Which brings me to Boomer.  Boomer is our current caretaker, a flashback to the days of old, or at least he thinks he is.  Boomer is one of the dozens of now permanent residents of the lake.

Boomer treats me like I'm some sort of simpleton, labeling me a pathetic city brat who doesn't understand the difference between my ass and the hole in the ground.  This whole city verses local crap is pretty obnoxious.  One time, when we had a mouse problem in the cabin, I asked him if there were mouse traps in the cabin, or did I need to go buy some.  He took this as an opportunity to scold me for 'being naive,' my soft urban mind not understanding mice live in cabins in the north woods.  Rethinking what I had just asked him, I insisted I was only asking if I needed to go get some traps myself, adding it was no big deal since we had mice in our house in Spring.  He waved a hand at me and walked away, dismissing me further.

Boomer can't turn off the condescending attitude.  He grew up in a generation who despised the summer owners and hunting season visitors.  He wrapped himself in a false narrative; he didn't need anyone to bait his hook or fix a pump, unlike these soft visitors who invaded his lake every year.  If Boomer had his way, he'd have prevented all American foreigners from coming in, not grasping the Catch-22.  He and his family would've had to leave the Iron Range if they removed the money they got from seasonal patrons.  This isn't farming territory, we no longer offer a fine price for beaver pelts, lumbering your property offers a limited return on investment, and he doesn't have iron ore on his land.  Even being a fishing guide, the dream of most Northern Minnesota people, is dependent on the outsiders paying them, so without them, no guiding.

I respect Boomer, but it's as if he wants all seasonal visitors to come to his door, acknowledge how pathetic they are, heap praise on his nobel integrity, and wait for a thumbs up or down on whether thy can move into their cabins.

The hypocrisy of Boomer is how his life is no longer any different than Twin Cities metro life.  He applauded when the nicer stores opened (finally!).  The days of maintaining with bubble gum and prayers are long gone, as he no longer has to wait two weeks for a part or a screw to get mailed to him.  He has FAR more convenience and lifestyle options than he ever dreamed of having, along with digital cable and internet service.  Boomer might as well be in Bloomington.

And with the good comes the bad.  Small town America used to have a different type of society, not better, just different.  There was a different work ethic, child ethic, and local standards.  Those days are gone, with many small towns now having the same issues larger communities have:  unemployment due to downsizing, less active lifestyles creating more health problems, higher drug rates, homelessness, chronic alcoholism, violence and more.  In their quest to embrace modernism in an effort to convince the local kids to stick around after 18 and not move to the big city, they said goodbye to the "make due with what you had" lifestyle of the past.

I'm 48, mildly successful in my chosen career field, an Army veteran.  I've an amazing family, own my own house, where I do maintain and fix whatever I can.  I garden (quite well too) and I can fish with the best of them.  I've had adventures which would make you laugh, giggle, blush, gasp, passionate and envious, but...

I'm no better than anyone else.

We all have those things.  I'm no better being from the city than Boomer is being from the country.  If we continue to create fake boundaries built out spite, ignorance and jealousy which truly no longer exist on the existential plane, we'll never get ourselves out of the mess our country is in today.  Evil people with an agenda need the hollow walls between us to stay up, as it's the only way they can manipulate us to THEIR agenda.  We'll fail if we continue to propagate this nonsense.

I appreciate Boomer, even though he's massive pain in at the ass. I don't think he'll ever change, but maybe his granddaughter will, who I ran into the last time I was up north.  She just moved back to the Iron Range after finishing up college.  She was very cool plans, wanting to open up her own artist studio in town.  I was envious, but for the right reasons.  I offered to help her with my unique skill set anyway I can.  She gladly accepted.

We're keeping our rural/urban friendship secret from Boomer.  We don't think he'd approve.

The Friday Link for 6/23/17

Plain and simple with John Oliver.

From Last Week Tonight, it's his spectacular takedown of the coal industry and the foolish idea the USA can revive an energy sector based on a dying fuel source.  All hail Big Horseshoe!

The most stark statistic is the fact JCPenney has more employees nationwide than the entire coal sector, and no one is fighting to keep that dying business model alive.



How good is this.  Oliver is now getting sued by the Snowflake Coal CEO who he profiles.  My opinion, he has no case!

Enjoy on a Friday Night!

My Saving Grace

OH MY GOD!  DID YOU SEE THE YANEZ TAPE?  OF COURSE HE KILLED CASTILE!  HE LIED REPEATEDLY DURING THE TRIAL AND ADMITTED HE DIDN'T SEE A GUN.  AND HOW ABOUT ANOTHER RACE WHERE DEMOCRATIC LEANING VOTERS DECIDED HEALTHCARE, A SOLID ECONOMY AND RESPECT WERE NOT WORTH VOTING FOR?  ONLY 243,000 OF 445,000 REGISTERED VOTERS TURNED UP TO VOTE.  FOR GOD'S SAKE THE REPUBLICANS RAN ADS BLAMING THE DEMOCRAT OSSOFF FOR THE SHOOTING OF REP. SCALISE.  DEMOCRATS FAIL AGAIN AT ACTIVATING THE VOTING BASE!  AND TRUMP...AND TRUMP!!!

This is my saving grace.  Baseball.  I love the game, and not just the Twins and Red Sox.  I love watching good college baseball (Go Gophers!) and minor league teams (Go Saints!) too.  And man, do I love to watch my son play.

Baseball is how I keep my sanity.  I avoid talking politics there, even though many of the other family members know who I am and what I do.  They all agree with my leanings, but it's not important when the fields are green, the temperature is 72, and your team is winning.  This gorgeous field above is in beautiful St. Bonifacius.  

I'm taking a few day off, and even though I'm limited in my cabin time, I will be spending multiple evenings contemplating strike zones, marveling at a tremendous play, and rooting for the home 9.  I would rather be by the lake, but if not contemplating the walleye chop, let me be in the bleachers, enjoying the metro area's calmest locations...

See you in Eagan, and in Minnetonka, and in Edina, and in St. Michael, and at the Fort Snelling fields, and in Maple Grove, and at...

Apologies to Philando Castile

Since Friday, after what was clearly one of the worst jury decisions in our lifetime, a decision which found Police Officer Jeronimo Yanez not guilty of second degree manslaughter, a lot of head scratching is still going on.  Yanez was, and still is, guilty of second degree manslaughter, when, during a routine traffic stop, he unjustifiably shot wildly into Philando Castile's car, after Castile himself informed him he had a weapon on him.  Castile didn't threaten anyone with the weapon, a gun he had a legal carry and conceal license for, but that didn't stop Yanez from shooting him in the heart, coming millimeters from shooting Castile's girlfriend, and a few inches from shooting a four year old in the back seat.  The Not Guilty verdict on manslaughter is a crime itself, but the Not Guilty verdicts on the reckless discharge of a firearm charges are mind numbing.

Yanez, during the trial, insisted he saw a weapon, something neither his partner nor anyone else corroborated.  Yanez himself discredited his defense, in the immediate aftermath of the murder and during the interview the very next day, when he stated, bluntly, he never saw a weapon.

I do not care!  Regardless of what the stacked system and stacked jury said, Yanez is clearly guilty on all three counts.

There are a lot of apologies which need to happen.  Let me point them out:

Apology #1 - The failure of Police Departments' hiring practices and screening processes.  Given the Yanez verdict, it's clear Police Officers are legally able to commit murder.  This demands the screening process to determine who does and who does not become a police officer be stringent, with extremely high standards.  The current process doesn't even come close, with limited or no phycological screening required in some hires.  Racists are hired as cops, mentally unstable people are hired as cops, and individuals who lack the fortitude and composure to handle a MILDLY stressful situation are hired as cops.  Yanez, in my opinion, would've failed an evaluation on all three of those levels.

Apology #2 - Failed Police Officer training and routine mental screening.  When did police officers approaching an unarmed man start targeting the head and heart?  You know why you don't do that?  So you don't unintentionally murder an innocent man!!!  Police Departments should teach offers to take a non lethal shot to disable a suspect, IF NEEDED, not kill them and sort it out their stories before the trial.  Specifically in the Castile case, any training Yanez had in regards to dealing with an individual who has a legal weapon escaped his thought process that day.  This is why officers should be routinely tested and evaluated to make sure the training they've received is not immediately forgotten by a sub par officer at a routine traffic stop.  If an officer fails a training test or a routine phycological evaluation, they should be given desk duty, and their weapon removed, until the situation can be rectified.

Apology #3 - Jeronimo Yanez.  Yanez, in my opinion, is a murderer, a man who killed Castile because he was black.  The reason Yanez pulled him over was because he was black.  The reason he frantically started to shoot into the car was because he was black.  Castile was never threatening Yanez.  A man with honor and integrity would've admitted his mistake and taken the punishment accordingly.  Instead, Yanez was a coward, hiding behind a lie he himself contradicted.  There's no decency in Officer Yanez, and he owes Castile and his family an apology.  Instead, he's already made up a fictitious serious of events to make him far more noble than he EVER was.

Apology #4 - The Ramsey County Prosecutor.  There are many things the prosecution did during this trial which make the notion they were on Castile's side laughable, but I'll focus on three.  The first is the jury, a jury which was purposely stacked with pro-police stooges who had made up their minds before the trial began.  There were multiple jurors who should've been easily disqualified, but were allowed to be seated for the trial.  The second, was the decision to not introduce what was CLEARLY the most damning evidence against Yanez, his numerous admissions early on in the investigation he never saw Castile's gun.  That is jaw-dropingly unforgivable.  It would've torpedoed Yanez' defense before hand, so by not introducing that nugget, you let Yanez' team create the narrative of a noble cop killing a back man because he was scared.  The third thing is your reaction to the verdict.  You seem to be high-fiving more than Yanez' family.

Apology #5 - The Jury.  I know some people would find me including them to be out of line, but it's apparent enough of the jury themselves were out of line.  Multiple members of the jury went into this process with the goal of making sure a police officer was never found guilty for shooting a black man.  We know one person lied to get onto the jury, and we also know that same person had a private business relationship with a different police department.  How does the Prosector and Judge not immediately negate her from the jury?  Multiple jurors had implied they'd have a hard time finding a police officer guilty of a crime, but were included on the jury!  At the end, the biased members of the jury clearly ganged up on the two rational holdouts, forcing them to switch their votes.  And how the hell do you not at least convict him of the two counts of reckless discharge of a firearm when Yanez displayed a textbook example of reckless discharge of a firearm?  I won't give any member of that jury an out.  In the end, they all voted for one of the worst verdicts EVER!

Apology #6 - The Judge.  William Leary is responsible for some very pro Yanez behavior during this trial.  The aforementioned inclusion of ringers on the jury, the refusal to allow the prosecutor to bring in Yanez' own initial testimony which would've effectively contradicted Yanez' defense, the refusal to allow the jury to rehear the testimony of Yanez from the trial, and the near forcing the jury to make up their minds one way or another, all hint at a judicial ulterior motive which has caused even more valid distrust and skepticism of the legal system.

Apology #7 - The Police Union.  Not only did they rally around a man they themselves should've thrown to the wolves, they're now working with Yanez to give him the advice he needs to make sure the Castile family can't even collect on a civil trial verdict, a verdict which will undoubtedly find Yanez guilty.  Their financial trickery allows for the maximum suffrage. "Not only did our officer wrongly kill your family member, but we're going to make sure their finances are so hidden, you'll NEVER get a damn dime for pain and suffering!  IN YOUR FACE, VICTIM'S FAMILY!!!"

Apology #8 - The NRA.  Where are you guys?  The same organization which spent the last eight years riling up their members with straw-man, fake gun persecution arguments all the sudden became silent when a person was killed solely for mentioning to the police officer they had a legal carry and conceal weapon.  THIS was the case which proved all of their delusional paranoid fears, but yet they shied away from it.  Even the Yanez' defense was based on something the NRA should've ben livid about; the fear of the handle of the gun.  The same organization who encouraged it's kook members to walk around a Target store with a loaded semi-automatic weapon on their back, insisting it was wrong to look at the gun in a negative light, didn't say a peep when Yanez insisted seeing the handle of a pistol was grounds for an instantaneous death sentence.  Castile should have been the poster child for the NRA's fight against 2nd Amendment discrimination, but because he was black, they said nothing.

Apology #9 - One from non-African American Society.  We have societal and systemic racism towards African Americans woven into our culture.  It's an evil virus which has poisoned our humanity and health.  Why was Castile pulled over?  He was black.  Why did Yanez, AND EVERYONE ELSE, ignore Castile's attempt to inform the officer calmly of the weapon?  Because he was black.  Why are we okay with the thought of a panicking reckless officer nearly shooting an innocent passenger and a 4 year old kid in the back seat?  Because they were black?  Why was there such an attempt to character assassinate Castile in the months after he was murdered?  To convince white America that all black people deserve getting shot, regardless of the circumstance.  Why did they insist a non-violent man was on the verge of becoming violent?  Because it excused the unjustifiable actions of a police officer.  The end game has been achieved:  Castile was shot because he was black, Yanez was found not guilty because Castile was black, and white America shrugs its shoulders and moves on.

This is sad.  An under-trained, inferior police officer who should've NEVER been hired, stopped a car because of a broken tail light, and because the driver was black, administered an instantaneous death sentence because they were afraid something completely fictional MIGHT happen, had a biased judge, prosecutor and jury throw reality to the wind to ensure a guilty man's innocence, and not even the main advocacy organization for his cause would back him up.

I'm sorry to Castile, and to his family, and to the African American population.  This verdict was disgusting and should've never happened, but as long as a system is in place which makes sure police officers can legally murder someone, especially someone of color, nothing is going to change.

The Friday Link for 6/16/17

I'm so angry right now.  The Yanez verdict is inexcusable.

It's nights like this I really don't want to do anything, but then again, everyone deserves a smile, especially after such a crappy day.

For this week, I head back to the CinemaSins guys and 'Everything Wrong with...' for a breakdown of how bad Cars 2 really was, right before Cars 3 opens.  Cars 2 was by far the WORST Pixar movie ever made, and somewhat inexcusable, but the CinemaSins guys do a better job of destroying this mess.

I doubt I'll go see the third.  My kids are all past it now.

Warning, some bad words, but an exceptional breakdown of what is wrong with this film.





Try to have a great weekend everyone...

When Does Trump Go?

With Trump's swirling scandal cauldron filled with Russian/Obstruction/Urine soaked nastiness, a lot of Democrats are asking, "how long?"  How much longer do we need to wait before Trump is gone from office.  I think it's best we look at (what I think are) the most likely scenarios for Trump's removal.

But before I get to them, let me tap down expectations a little.  I don't think Trump will be gone prior to the Fall of 2017.  Clearly, the GOP has circled their wagons, making sure enough Republicans have Trump's back to where getting him out soon would be next to impossible.  Also, it's pretty clear Reince Priebus, Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, and the vast majority of the Republican leadership were well aware of 1) Trump and his campaign's ties to Russia prior to the election, and 2) Russia's coordinated attempts to infiltrate the Election of 2016.  We have evidence multiple people brought these issues to their attention, but their response was always the same; a Sergeant Schultz "I SEE NOTHING!"

Trump mocked a disabled man and bragged about sexually assaulting a woman on tape, and pretty much EVERY Republican voter still voted for him, even the "Christian" ones.  They're not going to turn easily.  That being said, it could happen quickly.

Trump Removal Scenario #1 - Trump is gone by October 2017.

For this to happen, an incredible piece of evidence would need to come to light, the most likely would be his tax returns, which are undoubtedly intertwined with Russian banks and business interests.  Also, if either the rumored Russian golden showers tape, the rumored tape of Trump's Campaign team talking about working with Russia to steal the election, or if indisputable evidence of the Trump team paying off the Russian hackers (as it's been rumored was the deal) comes to light, it would be very hard for Republicans to stop the beating of the drums.  85% of the country saying Trump needs to go would force the GOP's hand.  Doesn't mean a lot of Republicans wouldn't still steadfastly defend him.

Trump Removal Scenario #2 - Trump is gone by October of 2018.

This has far more to do with how Trump would impact the 2018 Elections.  If the Republicans are staring down historic losses, and public opinion is firmly against Trump, especially in white suburban areas of the country, the GOP will cut their losses.  The thought of such a 'tilted to the right' election system being usurped by public anger and record turnout would scare enough Republicans to either announce their retirement, or call for his removal.  If enough Republicans see defeat coming, especially in traditionally safe Republican seats, they'll make the call.  I expect a lot of Republicans to announce their retirement in the next year.

Trump Removal Scenario #3 - Trump is gone by January 1st, 2019.

I think this is a very likely scenario.  The Republicans, feeling obligated to dance with the President they came with, will head into 2018's election trying to avoid talking Trump.  In the rare case they're put on point, they'll insist they're just as outraged about the stink on Trump as the Democrats, 'promising' to investigate REALLY HARD if they go back for another term.  The public doesn't buy it, and the Republicans lose control of the US House, and/or (slightly less likely) the US Senate.  The clock starts ticking because the GOP knows the Democrats will formally investigate Trump with independent investigators when they take over.  The Republicans will remove the filibuster, and ram through as much legislation as they can in the lame duck session, and in the hours before the Democrats assume control, Trump will resign, probably with a handshake deal made with the outgoing Republican leadership to limit the scope of any further investigation into Trump (mainly that his taxes will never be released to the public).

Trump Removal Scenario #4 - He doesn't get removed and finishes out his one term in office

This is also a likely outcome.  Unless Democrats can get their ass in gear and start motivating voters to put down the Netflix, iPhones and video games, and win back the House, there will be nothing stopping Trump from serving out his entire term.  He will walk out of the White House, insisting his failures were all wins, basking in his self made glow.  If you think his arrogance is bad now... Pence has already formed his campaign committee and is on the road holding rallies.  When Trump leaves office, regardless of incoming Administration, all the evidence against him will disappear into the night.

Notice I never said Trump would be impeached.  The Republicans will outright refuse to do so.  If things get to the point where Trump needs to go, the GOP leadership will walk over to him, tell him the gig is up, and coordinate a resignation date.  Republicans would feel as if a President guilty of treason, collusion, profiteering, and obstructing justice being able to walk out of the White House cuff-free would be a HUGE victory, and they'd be right.  If Trump refuses to leave office, and 95% of the public is at the gates with pitchforks and torches, the Republicans would then allow the impeachment of Trump to happen.

This is why I'm already demanding quality Democratic candidates in every race in the country, NOW!  This is why I'm so critical of people who think posting Facebook and Twitter memes is actually doing something.  It's not.  It's why no seat goes unchallenged, no candidate goes unopposed, and no scandal gets dismissed.  It's why you need to IMMEDIATELY call every newspaper and radio station across rural America and demand equal time for Democratic candidates.  If they refuse, start protesting them.  You negate the Republican money advantage by knocking on doors, standing up for Democratic ideals when challenged, and getting people to the polls to vote!

As Americans, we need to do everything ewe can to stop Trump.  It's your patriotic duty!

President Trump, Week 20

Here's this week's list of ignorance, treason, buffoonery and incompetence coming from President Trump and his White House for the week beginning 2 PM Friday, June 2nd to 2 PM Friday, June 9th.  This is likely not all of the Trump team's transgressions, but it's most of them.

(THROAT POUCH!!!)

The disclaimer: this list is designed to point out the incredible double standard of the Republican party.  If the letter next to the President's name was a 'D' instead of an 'R,' everything on this list would've had at least warranted press conference condemnation from the Republicans.  Many of these issues would've started immediate Congressional investigations, and some would've VERY JUSTIFIABLY started impeachment proceedings.  The Comey testimony from Thursday alone would've ended the career of a Democratic Attorney General, Vice President and/or President.

But the shocking amount of silence coming from the ranks of the Republican Party is screaming the truth; most Republicans are trying to ensure no one ever throws this unqualified orange gorilla butt wart out on his urine soaked ear.

The Republicans are cowards with an agenda.  What they're saying is "of course we would've thrown out a Democrat for 1/100th of the violations Trump's done, but since he's our guy, and since we have no morality whatsoever, we don't care as long as there is an 'R' next to his name."

This is the US Presidency in human centipede form.  Prepare for the worst!  Onto the countdown!

• Trump son-in-law and Presidential Adviser Jared Kushner, and his supporters, are claiming his back channel communication to the Kremlin is nothing new, as they say Obama did the same thing with Iran.  The only problem with their story, it's not true
• Officers who served under National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster are begging him to quit, stating he's only being used by Trump "for the stars on his collar."  They say he's only dragging the US military through the mud to validate Trump policy
  
• Moronic spawn of Trump, Eric, is getting criticized for his promotion of Trump campaign merchandise, violating the separation Trump is supposed to have from his sons who are running the blind trust
  
• In a troubling story, as European leaders reject Trump and fear Putin, they've turned to a new ally to forge stronger trade relations, China
• The Special Counsel Robert Mueller has now expanded his Trump/Russia investigation to include Trump's Former Campaign Manager Paul Manafort and reports are it may eventually expand to include Attorney General Jeff Sessions
• Trump's Budget Adviser Mick Mulvaney apologizes for attacking the Congressional staff behind the Congressional Budget Office, and then proceeds to attacks them again for exposing his 2 trillion dollar math error in the latest Trump budget
  
• Jim Acosta of CNN openly called out EPA Chief Scott Pruitt, who was on the defensive after Trump withdrew from the Paris Agreement.  Pruitt, who insisted everyone who disagrees with him is a "climate exaggerator," was put on point by Acosta who asked, "what if you're putting your head in the sand on this?"  
  
• A new outright battle is waging in the White House as Trump son in law and Presidential Adviser Jared Kushner and First Daughter and White House staffer doing...something(?) Ivanka Trump are going head to head with Senior Presidential Adviser, walking septic tank, and man expected to be the real President of the United States at this point, Steve Bannon
  
• White House Spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway was being purposely coy when she implies Trump might not let the Former FBI Director James Comey testify before Congress on June 8th, even though the President doesn't really have the power to stop him without invoking an immediate lawsuit
• Rep. Devin Nunes, of the House Intelligence Committee, and a man with close ties to Trump, asked the US spy agencies to reveal the names of US Individuals and/or organizations contained in the classified intelligence on Russia's interference in the election, a process called 'unmasking.'  Nunes specifically and solely criticized former President Obama's Administration in his request.  Nunes was seeking the unmasking in late 2016
• George Conway has changed his mind and has now decided he doesn't want to take the position of head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division 
  
• Scott Pruitt quotes a now thoroughly debunked New York Times Column from a notorious anti-climate change zealot as the the justification for Trump's exit from the Paris Agreement
• Secretary of State Rex Tillerson states the US will continue to reduce carbon emissions even though we are no longer in the Paris Agreement, which leads to asking the question 'then why leave the Paris Agreement in the first place?'
• Trump and his Justice Department are threatening Inauguration protesters with 80 years of prison time for protesting, as they've added 'urging to riot,' 'conspiracy to riot' and 'destruction of property' to the heavy handed 'felony rioting' charge the protesters were already facing
  
• Trump's search for a new FBI Director is very weird.  The candidates are summoned to a White House meeting with Trump, Vice President Pence and AG Sessions.  Trump spends 10 to 20 minutes talking about himself, seeming distracted.  There's no process for potential interviewees, outside of random.  The entire process is being described as 'chaotic'
• Trump claims to be a Presbyterian, but a new story seems to expose his Christian faith is just an act.  Before the Inauguration, Trump met with two Christian leaders, both Presbyterian pastors.  Trump bragged about doing very well with Evangelicals in the polls, before asking the pastors "what are you then?"  They said Presbyterian, to which Trump asked, "But you're all Christians?"  Reminder, he claims to be a devout Presbyterian
  
• A group tied to the Trump Campaign, the Remembrance Project, a group raising money for families who had a family member killed by an undocumented immigrant, and used the family members to promote Trump's anti-immigrant agenda, has yet to deliver any of the funds they raised for the families they exploited
• Trump uses a terrorist attack on London as justification for his Unconstitutional Immigrant/Refugee/Muslim travel ban in the United States in the hours after the terrorist attack occurred
  
• Trump's team put together a "Pittsburgh not Paris" rally in support of Trump's insanely foolish withdraw from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.  The rally was held in Virginia(???), without Trump, who skipped the rally so he could go golfing for what is likely his 40th golf day since taking office  
• A great time to remind you how much Trump complained about the amount of time former President Obama golfed, which isn't even 5% of the time Trump has golfed
  
• More nooses are found outside of the MLK Memorial in DC, after Trump insisted the USA doesn't have a growing racism problem.  Trump has yet to condemn most of this blatant racism
• At the press conference where Trump announced his withdraw from the Paris Agreement, he touted his tax bill currently "moving through Congress."  There is no tax bill currently moving through Congress.  It's not clear if he thinks there is a bill moving through Congress, making him delusional, or he just made it up, so he's lying
  
• Another weekend, another series of large marches against Trump, as the #MarchForTruth was conducted in over 150 cities nationwide, a march geared to encourage approval of an independent investigation, not just a special counsel, for the Trump/Russia investigation.  Estimates are the marchers numbered in the six figures
  
• Former Republican Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg has stated he will front the 15 million dollars to cover America's financial commitment to the Paris Agreement, a direct condemnation of Trump's decision to withdraw from the Climate Agreement.  He also said he is willing to lead America in the continued fight against Climate Change, verse Trump, who likes to golf
• The church Trump allegedly attended when he was a child, First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica, Queens, has disavowed him
  
• It's reported the reason Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is not eager to fill roles in the State Department is that he's terrified of leaks.  He's incredibly undermanned at State, choosing to try to do everything via two assistants only
• In one of the more tasteless things Trump has done (not a short list either), Trump within 12 hours of a terrorist strike in London takes to Twitter to attack the Mayor of London for being too nice to Muslims, encouraging people to succumb to their anti-political correct hatred, and to start openly discriminating, "for our future"
  
• Trump also outright lied about what the Mayor of London said, criticizing the mayor for something he did not say
• The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan blows off Trump like he's blowing off an internet troll, which is actually all Trump really is
• While Trump is attacking London's Mayor after the terrorist strike, the rest of the world's leaders are sending their condolences
  
• A UK professor rips Trump's moronic response to the terrorist strike in London by stating (and I quote): "Were you genetically engineered to be stupid?"
• It should be pointed out Trump has said FAR more about the London terrorist strike in 12 hours than he did in the four days after the Portland, Oregon terrorist strike
  
• Senator Mark Warner of the Senate Intelligence Committee is asking the question many people should've asked by now, 'how exactly did the Russians know the best ways to help Trump during the Election of 2016?'
• Trump apparently applied for a 6 month extension on his taxes, with no explanation on why he needed it
• Late night comedian John Oliver, on his show Last Week Tonight, did something no-one else in US media has been able to do, take Trump's entire 'leaving Paris Agreement' speech, and exposed it as outright lies, dishonest numbers, and fraudulent statements
  
• John Oliver is also the only one who has pointed out France is directly taunting Trump by inviting US citizens to immigrate to France and make it their new home
  
• Trump apparently is desperate to fire White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, but he apparently can't find anyone who actually wants to take the job
• Deutsche Bank is refusing a Congressional request to hand over any information they might have in regards to Trump/Russia connections
• Trump's lack of urgency and inability to find willing candidates to fill Administration jobs is seriously jeopardizing American safety.  The lack of staff at State and the FBI is leaving gaping holes in our security net
  
• Senior Presidential Adviser Steve Bannon, and son in law and Presidential Adviser Jared Kushner's pet project, the Strategic Initiatives Group, a domestic think tank they dreamed up as their own version of the NSA, is no longer, as internal squabbling, lack of funds, and lack of competent staff has killed the project
• Trump, in a sign he's admitting his Unconstitutional Immigrant/Refugee/Muslim ban is going to lose at the Supreme Court, is now attacking his own Department of Justice for submitting the "watered down" and "politically correct" version of the bill for SCOTUS consideration.  This also points to what he and his staff have all been denying, but we've known as fact; the ban was always just meant as a way to discriminate against Muslims
• Trump's speech to NATO wasn't only a surprise for the world, but for for his own national security team, as Trump decided, on his own, to do some last minute editing prior to giving the speech, without telling anyone.  Specifically, Trump removed any reference to the Article 5 provision, an article which touts the commitment of member countries to help defend other member countries.  It'd be interesting to see if he'd had any contact with the Russians that morning...
  
• White House spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway criticizes media for covering Trump's Twitter tweets, when Trump himself has said it's his preferred method of communicating with the people
• The GOP is putting a plan in place to encourage social media, vocal, and even physical attacks on the news media in the USA, an attempt to turn them into the "real villain" for 2018.  They're strategy is it would allow their candidates to not have to address media questions about Trump
• Jared Kushner's family apparently owes Chinese investors 250 million dollars, and are having a hard time accumulating the funds.  US banks are very wary of leading to the Kushners.  Considering the Kushner's, to apply for a loan, would have to reveal their financials to the financial institution in question, and potentially their financial relationship to Trump himself, this should send up a million red flags
  
• A former Trump campaign staffer said some of the Trump aides are "probably too stupid" to know collusion with the Russians is illegal
• For goodness sake, will someone PLEASE take Trump's phone away from him!  After being rightly criticized for attacking the Mayor of London after the terrorist strike there, Trump doubles down 
  
• Major UK politicians from most of their political parties are insisting Trump be banned from entering the UK after his embarrassing and ignorant attacks on the Mayor of London, after the terrorist attack there
• Trump has decided to not use executive privilege to block former FBI Director James Comey from testifying in front of Congress, something which would have immediately drawn far more justified calls for a independent investigation
• Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders stumbles all over herself as she tries to explain how Trump didn't just undermine his own Administrations argument.  In legal briefings to defend Trump's Unconstitutional Immigrant/Refugee/Muslim ban, they're insisting it's not a travel ban, but in Twitter attacks on the Mayor of London, Trump himself is calling it a "travel ban"
  
• Trump blames the Democrats for blocking his nominees to Ambassadorships but he has yet to put forward names for the vast majority of them, making blocking them impossible
• EPA Chief Scott Pruitt, insisting the coal industry is hiring like crazy, touts how Trump has inspired the industry to hire 50,000 new workers since the beginning of the year.  The actual number is a few hundred, 586 to be exact
• Only 28% of the US population thinks it was the right decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.  Only 19% 'strongly agree' with Trump's decision
  
• Trump has decided to privatize the Air Traffic Controllers of America, something which will undoubtedly lead to much higher airline costs and far less safe airline travel
• The decision by Trump to privatize the Air Traffic Controllers will also likely mean the end to small rural airports, as the way you cut costs to a program like Air Traffic Controlling is to shut down the less profitable, or money losing, operations.  This means many of the same people who voted for Trump will likely have to drive hours to get to their nearest airport
• IN ANOTHER BOMBSHELL STORY, for the first time, the Russians are revealed to have targeted the election itself, as an NSA report stated the Russians targeted a US voting software supplier in 2016, although there is, as of yet, no evidence any votes were affected by the hacking
  
• It's also reported the Russians tried very hard to hack Elections officials in the days before the election in 2016.  How successful they were remains unknown
• Experts believe Trump's Twitter blabs where he called his Unconstitutional Immigrant/Refugee/Muslim ban a "travel ban" are equal to official Presidential Proclamations, and pretty much annihilate his case to get the ban reinstated
  
• The Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke had a swanky speaking engagement to Oil Industry Trade Group at a Trump Hotel, meaning his 'official' government meeting made money for Trump
• After a disastrous two days on Twitter, Trump's surrogates are all now insisting everyone shouldn't take Trump's tweets so seriously.  A reminder: Trump prefers Twitter, because it allows him to speak directly to his supporters
• In more funny counting news, the supporters of the "Million Canadian Deplorables March" have claimed 5000 people showed up to support Trump in Canada's capitol of Ottawa, but the local police officials dispute that, saying less than 100 showed up according to their unofficial count.  One things for sure, it was nowhere near 5000
  
• A new report out states Trump has already soured on his Attorney General Jeff Sessions, as he might be the next Trump appointee to get fired.  The main concern seems to be not whether to fire him, but how it'd be received with everything else that's going on
• It's now reported the Russians did indeed get some access to Illinois voter records, with up to 80,000 compromised to the Russians, this according to a member of the House Intelligence Committee
• David Rank, the Chargé d'Affaires at the US Embassy in Beijing has quit, due to Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement
  
• The Trump International Hotel in DC received over 270 thousand dollars from Saudi Arabia, part of a lobbying effort Saudi Arabia partook in to stop victims of terrorist attacks from being able to sue sponsors of terrorism
• A major Trump supporter in California stabbed an African American man to death after a political argument at a bus stop.  No condemnation from Trump
• The Wall Street Journal, one of the more conservative 'legitimate news' newspapers in the country, has called out Trump's insensitive and ignorant Twitter fight with the Mayor of London
  
• Rex Tillerson, the US Secretary of State, visited New Zealand, one of the more gentile countries on the planet, and it didn't go well.  According to Gardiner Harris, a correspondent traveling with the State Department, "I've been in motorcades for a couple of years now...I've never seen so many people flip the bird at an American Motorcade..."
  
• Ignorant spawn of Trump, Trump Jr., defended his dad attacking the Mayor of London using made up quotes by stating, "he's been proven right every time."  No, not even close...
• Have you ever wanted to punch a whale?  Well thanks to Trump, now you can! Trump is green lighting the process of seismic surveying, where they push loud bursts of compressed air through water, assaulting all marine life anywhere near the site.  The Administration is approving 5 Incidental Harassment Authorizations geared to allow drilling companies to "injure or disturb" ocean animals in their quest for oil
  
• IN ANOTHER BOMBSHELL STORY, apparently AFTER Michael Flynn was let go from the Administration for illegal contact with the Russians, Trump and his staff were still trying to find a way to ease unilateral sanctions on Russia's Oil industry, arguing a decrease in Russian oil production would be bad for the USA...(?)
• Moronic spawn of Trump, Eric, called the Trump/Russia investigation the "greatest hoax of all time," while at the same time promoting a new hotel chain venture under the Trump name
• The supposed Saudi Arabian 110 billion new arms deal is not real.  An investigation into the supposed arms deal states there are NO contracts, only letters of interest or intent.  Many are offers the defense industry thinks the Saudi's will be interested in eventually, but there's no actual contracts signed.  This means every statement Trump and his Administration made about the arms deal were lies
  
• IN ANOTHER BOMBSHELL STORY, Senator Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee says the Russian hacking of the election system itself in 2016 is much broader than the NSA leaked memo hints.  He also said a US election will eventually be hijacked by the Russians, because the attempts by Russia to infiltrate the US's elections system did not end in 2016
• In an amazingly short sided approach to trade, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin stated the Chinese trade policy will focus own specific issues, not an overall broader trade policy
• In one of the more stupid moves ever, Trump says he's going to live tweet the testimony James Comey will be delivering to Congress
  
• After a few Middle Eastern countries cut off diplomatic ties with Qatar, Trump tweeted his full support of the move.  Slight problem; the US currently has Al-Udeid Airbase in Qatar, with 11,000 American troops, a key launch point of attacks agains ISIS
• It also should be mentioned that during Trump's visit to the Middle East only a few weeks ago, he was trying to sell Qatar weapons, pitching "beautiful" US made military equipment
• Betsy DeVos, the Secretary of Education is refusing to state whether she would send tax payer dollars to schools who openly discriminate.  She clearly wants to say "Damn right I will" but she knows she can't, so she ends up sounding like a complete idiot trying to not answer the question from Sen. Jeff Merkley over and over again
• Apparently 4 law firms turned down Trump when he requested representation for the Russia/Trump affair.  They either were concerned he was guilty, concerned he wouldn't pay, or concerned he would refuse to listen to them
  
• In a statement I never thought I'd ever say, Canada is taking the lead from the USA.  Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada has issued a solid rebuke to Trump, the 'Trudeau Doctrine,' designed to strengthen NATO without the USA
• How Christian!  Charitable monies raised by the Eric Trump Foundation, money intended for children's cancer treatment, was in turn funneled not to dying children, but to Trump's businesses, and in turn Trump's pockets
  
• Trump told the GOP they could put solar panels on the border wall but only if they said it was his idea.  The idea of solar panels on our southern border has been an idea bandied about for years
• The new tactic for bullies in America's schools is to threaten their targets by invoking Trump's name
• It's reported Russia has hacked Qatar's state news agencies and planted a fake news story to increase tensions between Qatar and the US and it's Middle Eastern allies.  All it needed was Trump to take the bait (cue the sound of a fisherman trying to reel in the fish)
  
• In an attempt to clear up the confusion of whether Trump's tweets are to be trusted or not, Sean Spicer, the Press Secretary, says Trump's tweets are "official statements" by the White House.  This directly contradicts the numerous White House spokespeople who've been frantically insisting over the last three days everyone shouldn't take Trump's tweets seriously
• Attorney General Jeff Sessions offered to resign when he discovered Trump had soured of him.  Apparently the White House turned down his offer, probably because the list of people who'd be willing and qualified to become the new Attorney General would be limited
  
• Former FBI Director James Comey told Attorney General Jeff Sessions he no longer wanted to be left alone with Trump after Trump requested Comey drop the Flynn investigation, otherwise known as obstruction of justice
• Trump asked newly appointed Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coates to intervene and to curtail the FBI's Trump/Russia probe, during a meeting in March.  After discussing the conversation with others, Coats felt for him to intercede would've been inappropriate
• I want to point out, especially with the latest revelations from Comey and Sessions, and the lack of any US Attorneys, it's clear the Department of Justice under Trump has been a comically terrifying mess
  
• The Director of the US Patent and Trademark Office, Michelle Lee, has resigned her position
  
• First Amendment advocates have pointed out Trump blocking people on Twitter actually violates of the First Amendment of the Constitution.  Trump HAS TO make himself available to the public 
• A former Trump aide says Trump feels as if Twitter is his own personal newspaper, and Trump's incapable of being reigned in on it
• Sean Spicer will not confirm if Trump still backs Jeff Sessions as Attorney General
  
• James Comey is set to testify that even though he told Trump he wasn't under investigation, it was for specific elements (Russian urine tape), not overall.  This directly contradicts Trump's claims he told him there wasn't anything Trump did wrong.  Trump lied, again
• Former National Security Adviser and treasonous bastard, Michael Flynn, apparently had a super secret Twitter account, but before you get excited, he basically only used it to tell his idiot son to shut up
  
• In a sign the damage might already be too much to repair, the US Ambassador from Qatar is openly asking why Trump is attacking them with hate tweets on Twitter.  "We are surprised.  No one approached us directly"
• It's Infrastructure Week at the White House, where Trump's planning on announcing how he's going to promote trillions of dollars of infrastructure improvement while only leaving 200 billion in the budget for it. The answer, apparent after his Air Traffic Controllers solution, is privatization, with likely most Federal transportation projects sold off to the highest bidder, and turned into a for profit industry.  This will cost us more, will provide a far less quality product, and will not be updated regularly or with the proper budgets, because profit will become the most important thing
  
• Former Justice Department Communications Director Matthew Miller states Trump souring on AG Sessions likely points to Sessions rebuking a Trump request to oversee a coverup.  He pointed to what we already know as corroborating evidence
• IN ANOTHER BOMBSHELL STORY, apparently the head of the DNC in 2016 Donna Brazile was concerned by the evidence voter registration and absentee voting lists might've been sabotaged by hackers.  She warned the Department of Homeland Security, and informed the RNC's head at that point, Reince Priebus, the current Secretary of State, their party might have experienced the same problem.  She wanted to release a joint statement, but Priebus refused to sign it, our even acknowledge her concerns (!!!)
  
• The Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper states what we are seeing right now with Trump/Russia makes Watergate pale in comparison
• James Clapper went onto say, "of course" the intelligent assessments cast doubt on the "legitimacy of Trump's election." This would be the first time one of the former heads of the Intelligence Community openly questioned whether the Election of 2016 was legitimate
  
• Trump, clearly scared of the upcoming testimony against him, hastily summoned Republican Senators Marco Rubio, Cory Gardner, Tom Cotton, and Todd Young, and Representatives Lee Zeldin and Francis Rooney to a dinner at the White House the day before testimony begins.  The suspicion is that Trump was giving them marching orders on how to change the subject of Trump/Russia to Obama, Obama, Obama!
• It's announced Trump has picked Christopher Wray as the new FBI Director.  Wray is New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's lawyer from the Bridgegate scandal...you can't make this crap up
• Moronic spawn of Trump, Eric, states those who oppose his father are "not even people."  I think they are, I know I am.  This seems more like a sniveling little brat throwing a temper tantrum
  
• Jeff Sessions ends the Justice Department's practice of allowing settlements which called for third party payments, usually community organizations, saying all they are is a "slush fund" for special interests
• Seven states are suing the EPA for ignoring the science which shows a certain pesticide is directly linked to causing brain damage.  Scott Pruitt, the head of the EPA, thinks it appropriate to use, and even has undone labor rules, with Pruitt now allowing children to handle the pesticide
• When Trump pulled the USA out of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, he quoted incredibly misleading statistics which pointed to India and China being FAR worse than the US is at CO2 omissions.  The truth is the US is by far the biggest culprit, and India/China have committed to dramatically decreasing their dependence on fossil fuels.  India and China are now meeting to become the new guiding partners on climate change initiatives worldwide, while Trump praises coal, a fuel source which will never come back.  Trump's the guys who when he saw cars everywhere said "it's time to invest in big horseshoe!"
  
• Former FBI Special Agent Clint Watts stated the Russians likely didn't change any votes in the election, because they knew that would lead to war, a war they'd likely lose, but they definitely did everything outside of that, more to help Clinton lose, than to help Trump to win
• In blockbuster testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee, Dan Coats, the Director of National Intelligence and Mike Rogers, the NSA Director both refused to acknowledge if Trump had asked them personally to interfere or discredit James Comey's FBI investigation into the Trump/Russia scandal
  
• In blockbuster testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee, Dan Coates completely annihilated Trump's allegations that former President Obama ordered wiretaps on Trump.  "In the 10 years since the Freedom Act was enacted...there have been no instances of intentional violations of Section 702 (FISA)."
• It should be noted that both Coats and Rogers refused to answer unclassified questions in an unclassified hearing about their interactions with Trump, signifying they're trying to protect him politically
• First Daughter and White House staffer doing...something(?) Ivanka Trump had an Us Weekly cover where she talks about how much she disagrees with her dad.  Two points - first, she's clearly concerned about her own brand as her doing a cover story about this is clearly designed to distance herself from her dad.  Second, if she disagrees with him on stuff, she's sure quiet about it in the meetings she has with him
• People loyal to Jeff Sessions are livid Trump refuses to say if he still stands by the Attorney General
  
• When the Pentagon found out former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was trying to open up more back channels with Russia, they were aghast by his actions, namely because they were aware of the alleged interactions between the Russians and the Trump campaign in 2016
• During blockbuster testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Martin Heinrich was visibly upset about Coats, Rogers, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe refusal to answer if they even had talked to Trump bout Comey's investigation.  "I think your unwillingness to answer a very basic [non-classified] question speaks volumes." 
• Most of the FBI is outraged at Trump's out of the blue nomination of Christopher Wray as the new head of the FBI, actually calling it a "slap in the face"
  
• The Pentagon is openly distancing itself from Trump in regards to his comments and actions towards Qatar
• James Comey has released his opening statement in advance of his testimony to the Senate, and in it reiterated Trump's demand for loyalty from the Director of the FBI
• Comey reiterated that he felt pressured by Trump to drop the investigation into Michael Flynn
• Comey also revealed Trump brought up the Russian hookers story to him, on his own.  Trump insisted there was nothing factual involved with the story.  Comey said nothing
  
• Legal experts, going over James Comey's released testimony, say the pre testimony statements present enough evidence to be able to charge Trump with an impeachable offense, with some calling it the "most shocking single document" about a President since Watergate
• Apparently Trump's anger is reaching new, unexplored levels as this White House resembles a dumpster fire
• Trump has named Jeffery Clark to be the Justice Department's top environmental lawyer.  Clark was at one point a main lawyer for BP after they toxified the entire Gulf of Mexico with their oil rig
  
• As Trump was supposed to be delivering a speech about his self designated Infrastructure Week, he decided to instead spend most of his speech in Ohio bad mouthing Democrats in Congress for obstructing his agenda, an agenda which so far hasn't gone to Congress
• VP Pence abruptly cancelled his appearance on PBS NewsHour to talk about Infrastructure Week.  The cancellation was due to the release of the Comey opening remarks
• The New England Journal of Medicine states Trump is making America more hostile and more mentally ill, as part of their study of how Presidential Elections influence mental and physical health and behavior
  
• White House Spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway states Trump has confidence in Jeff Sessions, and is almost immediately contradicted by the White House on her claims
• Former Mexican President Vicente Fox openly taunts Trump over his love of taco bowls, stating "just eat a (blank-ing) taco"
  
• Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein declined to pledge full independence to the special counsel investigating the ties between Trump and Russia
• Even though the vast majority of his Administration remains unfilled, without even a nominee for most seats, Trump has already put forward his second group of Federal Judges to be approved, clearly signifying judges who sign his loyalty pledge are his biggest priority
  
• Do you remember when Trump and his supporters demanded there be no investigation into the legit requests of the Green Party to have computer security experts investigate election computer systems to see if there were signs of hacking?  I sure do!  The Right even went onto personally insult anyone who dared suggest looking into the security of our election computers, calling them sore losers and 'snowflakes'.  The latest NSA document not only shows the Green Party was correct in putting forward their request, but also was underestimating the real threat.  Russia did indeed extensively attack American Election computers
  
• Trump's nominee to be the new FBI Director Christopher Wray purposely misled investigations into deaths at Abu Ghraib prison in 2004
• Supposed Christian Trump mocks Iran, and it's terrorism victims, after a terrorist attack in their country.  He stated they brought it upon themselves
  
• In a direct dismissal of Trump policy, China and the state of California are working on their own climate agreement, outside of US Federal government influence
• North Korea, ONCE AGAIN, has launched missile tests, this after Trump, 10-12 missile launch tests ago, stated if they did one more, there would be consequences.  So far, nothing from Trump on ANY of the launches
  
• There have been numerous Republican based stories in the hours leading up to Comey's testimony which are either completely misquoting Comey (in an effort to say he's vindicated Trump), saying he's nothing (that it's a minor story), or outright attacking Comey as a political hack (only out to get Trump).  All of them are wrong
• A report out says the Native American Communities of the US would be hardest hit by the enacting of Trumpcare, reversing a positive trend which has only occurred due to ObamaCare
• IN BOMBSHELL TESTIMONY FROM FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY, he started off by calling Trump a liar.  After Trump had repeatedly expressed confidence in Comey, and initially said Comey was fired because he harassed Hillary Clinton too much, and then went public in multiple formats to say Comey was fired because of the Russia Investigation, Trump then settled on he fired him because he was running the FBI poorly. "Those were lies, plain and simple, and I am so sorry that the FBI workforce had to hear them and I'm so sorry that the American People were told them"
  
• IN BOMBSHELL TESTIMONY FROM FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY, Comey admitted the reason he was documenting his meetings with Trump was because he frankly did not trust him.  "I was honestly concerned he might lie about the nature of our meeting, so I thought it really important to document"
  
• IN BOMBSHELL TESTIMONY FROM FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY, Comey stated he felt his job as Director of the FBI depended on if he "demonstrated loyalty" to Trump.  Considering he was fired, it appears (from his perspective) he did put the USA's best interests ahead of Trump's
  
• IN BOMBSHELL TESTIMONY FROM FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY, Comey told the Senate Intelligence Committee he feels, after Trump repeatedly stated it, he was fired solely because of the Russia investigation.  "I take [Trump] at his word - I was fired because of the Russia Investigation
  
• IN BOMBSHELL TESTIMONY FROM FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY, Comey admits to leaking he details of an Oval Office meeting with Trump to prompt an independent investigation of the Russia probe.  "I needed to get that out into the public square"
  
• IN BOMBSHELL TESTIMONY FROM FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY, Comey states the investigation into the Russia matter showed Attorney General Jeff Sessions was compromised to the Russians.  When asked Comey refused to answer what specifics led the FBI to believe Sessions was compromised, he stated they knew Sessions was going to recuse himself anyway, so they felt the problem had a solution already (in regards to the FBI investigation)
  
• IN BOMBSHELL TESTIMONY FROM FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY, Comey affirmed he felt Special Investigator Robert Mueller will include a formal investigation into whether Trump attempted to obstruct justice as part of their overall investigation.  This, unintentionally, indicated the Special Counsel is indeed investigating Trump for obstruction of justice
  
• IN BOMBSHELL TESTIMONY FROM FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY, Comey confirmed that Former National Security Adviser Micahel Flynn was definitely under investigation for lying to the FBI in regards to his relationship with the Russians.  "That was the subject of the criminal inquiry"
  
• IN BOMBSHELL TESTIMONY FROM FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY, Comey specifically addresses Trump's Twitter claim that he had tapes of his meetings with Comey and he threatened to release them.  Corey's response: "Look I've seen the tweet about tapes.  Lordy, I hope there are tapes"
  
• IN BOMBSHELL TESTIMONY FROM FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY, one of the undeniable themes Comey put out was how even though the Russia probe wasn't currently targeting Trump personally, that could definitely change and change fast
  
• IN BOMBSHELL TESTIMONY FROM FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY, Comey very clearing implied the 36 page Steele Dossier contained "credible allegations."  The Dossier is full of allegations specific for Trump, and when Republican Senator Richard Burr asked about concerns about blackmail potential, Comey responded ""Yes if the FBI receives a credible allegation that there is some effort to co-opt, coerce, direct, covertly on behalf of American power, that's the basis...an investigation is opened."  He refused to answer anything further in open session
  
• IN BOMBSHELL TESTIMONY FROM FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY, when asked by Senator Tom Cotton whether he believed Trump colluded with Russia, Comey answered, "That's a question I don't think I should answer in an open setting"
  
• IN BOMBSHELL TESTIMONY FROM FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY, Comey states directly that Russia absolutely compromised our election on multiple levels, without a doubt, and warned the Russian will indeed be back to try to do it again
  
• IN BOMBSHELL TESTIMONY FROM FORMER FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY,  Comey cast doubts on Vice President Pence's story he was unaware of concerns about Flynn before he resigned.  He said, in response to whether Pence was aware of Flynn's issues, "My understanding is that he was.  I'm trying to remember where I get that understanding from.  I think from former acting Attorney General Sally Yates."
  
• Speaker Paul Ryan dismissed most of Comey's Bombshell testimony, stating since Trump's new at government, he deserves a mulligan.  WOW!
• The Republican strategy with Comey seems to be focusing the word "hope."  They want to ignore the rest of Trump's sentence, where he was clearly pressuring Comey into dropping the Flynn investigation.  They also want to overlook the time line, being the day after Flynn was let go.  They also want to avoid acknowledging the situation, with the extraordinary move of asking everyone else to leave the room, including the Attorney General, before talking about what Trump hoped Comey would do for him
  
• Trump is openly contesting two of Comey's claims; that he told him to let go of the probe of Michael Flynn and that he asked for Comey's loyalty
• Oh good.  I was wondering what a complete moron thinks...Ignorant spawn of Trump, Trump Jr., took to Twitter to condemn the Flynn investigation overall. "Flynn stuff is BS"
  
• Trump's new FBI Director Nominee Christopher Wray has ties to Russia himself.  Wray is a partner at King & Spalding, a law firm which represents Rosneft and Gazprom, two of Russia's largest state controlled oil companies
• In a major No-Duh, Trump might not have been aware of the 11,000 troops we have on the ground in Qatar, prior to bashing Qatar
  
• Senate Intelligence wants answers from Jared Kushner and they want them by next week
• Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders comes out with a rousing defense of Trump after Comey testified he's a liar.  "No, he's not!"  That's all she said
  
• At least 6 former US Attorney's feel as if the burden has been reached to charge Trump with obstruction of justice
• Trump's lawyer Marc Kasowitz's official public statement in defense of his client is littered with typos, including a misspelling of the word 'President'
  
• After the Comey testimony, Republicans are running scared in Washington DC, terrified of the media and constituents
• Many experts are expecting Jeff Sessions to be removed as Attorney General relatively quickly, especially after Comey's bombshell that he was compromised by the Russians
• The fallback defense of Trump seems to be what some are calling the 'Toddler Defense.'  it's a take off on what Paul Ryan was pushing, where the excuse for Trump's incompetence and crimes is "he's learning as he goes," like a toddler
  
• After Trump blabbed there were tapes of his conversations from the Oval Office, Sarah Huckabee Sanders refused to acknowledge is there is a recording system in place in the Oval Office/White House
• Trump's lawyer Marc Kasowitz is attacking Comey saying he had "unauthorized disclosures" of "privileged information" when he leaked his personal memos to the press.  Most legal experts claim Comey did nothing wrong
• Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is ignoring the governors of western states, including many Republican ones, and is trying to undo local conservation plans put into place when the Federal government failed to act
  
• It's pointed out the Republicans who dined with Trump were indeed Trump's staunchest supporters during the Comey testimony
• Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos defended her Departments slow response time to Democratic Politician inquiries.  A reminder, Trump has ordered all Federal agencies to openly ignore information requests from Democrats.  DeVos says her department is not doing that; it's just traditional mail is very slow
  
• IN ANOTHER BOMBSHELL STORY, in Britain, Teresa May and the Conservative Party lose big in the snap elections, going from having an outright majority to having the largest party, but not a majority.  Many people point to the insults from Trump (a May ally) directed at the Mayor of London, after recent terrorist attacks, as having soured the public to the May's party, the Conservatives
  
• Jared Kushner announces plans to meet with the Senate Intelligence Committee
• Trump finally took to Twitter after the Comey testimony and basically decided to take the "I know you are but what am I" defense.  He claims Comey lied the entire time, he was completely vindicated (?!?) and Comey is a leaker, the new worst thing you can be for a Republican.  Trump didn't seem to mind 'leakers' in the past...
  
• Numerous Republicans are now freaking out they have to campaign for their own seat while carrying the weight of Trump on their backs too
• Ignorant spawn of Trump, Trump Jr., states the Dow Industrial Average exonerates his dad from any crimes and criticism.  FYI, the Dow is where it's at due to Former President Obama, period
• Trump's attempted grandstanding over Comey's testimony could be more obstruction of justice.  If his lawyer follows through with his threat and Trump's tweets, filing a complain, the DOJ really has no authority over a private citizen.  If they take it to the Senate Judiciary Committee, they're technically filing an investigation because they didn't like someones testimony.  Legal experts clearly know Comey hasn't broken the law
  
• The Trump Administration has abstained from signing onto an international accord which would've combated tax evasion by companies operating in multiple countries
• Senator Chick Grassley, a Republican, blasted Trump and the White House legal team for attempting to limit Congress; ability to obtain information from the Executive Branch.  "This is nonsense"
• Reports are Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader, is trying to find some sort of 50 vote coalition to pass Trumpcare out of the Senate without public input or floor debate.  So far the reports are they have only 45-47 votes
  
• Trump is moving to reopen hundreds of deportation cases for undocumented immigrants who have deep ties to the United States, a group former President Obama had given reprieve 
• In another interesting note from Michael Flynn's amended financials is the fact he was working to get nuclear power plants built throughout the Middle East
• House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is stating she's actually concerned now about Trump's health
• The case Juliana v. the United States is going to trial after a federal judge denied the Trump Administrations appeal to drop the case.  In the case, the plaintiffs, a group of young people, are suing the government and the fossil fuel industry, saying through their actions and coordination, they've violated their right to a livable climate
  
• Forgetting the obvious impact to our climate, an issue Trump and his Administration do not care about, a study of Trump's cuts to the energy efficiency programs show it will indeed lead to lost jobs and decreased tax revenue
• Senator Marco Rubio insists he wasn't standing up for Trump during the Senate Intelligence Committee briefing, when he clearly was
• New York Attorney General is looking at investigating moronic spawn of Trump, Eric, after the revelations his charitable organization was feeding it's money back to Trump instead of to sick kids
• Trump is proposing slashing the budget for the US Holocaust Museum by 3 Million.  How anti-semitic of him...
  
• Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says he's not at all concerned the Federal Government is bringing in far less tax revenue than forecasted
• The House Intelligence Committee has demanded both a copy of the Comey memos of his meetings with Trump, and any recordings Trump may have of his interactions with Comey in the White House, "to the extent they exist"
• Trump's nominee for the US Treasury Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Joseph Otting, lied when he said he has a degree from Dartmouth College.  He actually has a certificate from a program that is offered for four weeks, over two years from the National Association of Credit Management, who leased some space from Dartmouth to hold their seminars years ago
  
• Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told Middle Eastern countries to back off it's escalation of aggression towards Qatar, and then 90 minutes later, Trump once again criticized Qatar publicly, slamming them in a press conference, contradicting his own Secretary of State
• After Trump claims he'd "never demand loyalty from anyone," CNN plays a tape of him demanding a loyalty pledge from a campaign audience
  
   
• Trump has said he is 100 percent willing to testify under oath about his conversations with former FBI Director James Comey.  Whether he actually would do so, or would be allowed to do so, remains a mystery
• White House Media Director Dan Scavino was informed he violated the Hatch Act when he tweeted to Trump supporters that they should help defeat Republican Justin Amash.  He's been reprimanded and trained further from the Office of Special Counsel.  He'd be getting prosecuted right now if he was a Democrat 
  
• Infrastructure Week this year was the worst EVER! To round it up, Trump held a press conference with some binders which he insists was an environmental impact study for a Maryland highway.  He insists it was worthless and could be done "better" with just a few sheets of paper.  He might have been drunk
  
• Trump tweets his approval of the House's dismantling of all of the banking regulations put into place after the economic crash of 2008, when greed nearly ruined this country
• The French President Emmanuel Macron is openly trolling Trump with an anti-climate change website, 'Make our Planet Great Again'
  
• Trump's diet is once again under scrutiny as it's revealed he was always eating fast food on the campaign trail, either McDonalds or Wendy's
  

How is this even possible???

At the same point in Former President Obama's first term, he was being attacked for made up political faults, such as his inability to pay down a deficit which exploded when W. Bush had the bills for two wars, Medicare Part D, and his tax handouts for the wealthy come due the day after Obama took office (THIS WAS ALL OBAMA'S FAULT, SO AND WHY HASN'T HE FIXED IT YET!!!), or for being unqualified (he was only a community organizer!).  The right was attacking Obama to scare people into believing any initiatives he accomplished would be massive failures (DEATH PANELS!  $10 A GALLON GAS!).  And Republicans had spent two weeks relentlessly attacking Former President Obama for putting dijon mustard on a hamburger, with a smug 'he's out of touch with us REAL Americans' bravado.

If Republicans cared about America as much as they scream it, Thursday would've been the end of the Trump Administration.  Instead, they're incompetent and corrupted to the core.  Remember that when the next Democratic President is being formerly investigated because of a handshake, or liking a Canadian beer, or a crime committed by the former son in law of the 2nd assistant for the lower office of soybean management at the Department of Agriculture (what did the President know and when did they know it?!?).

These 20 weeks of lists will serve as political record of the failure of our country; not only in the electing of such an unqualified idiot as President, but as a condemnation of how one political party has brainwashed themselves into being FAR more important than the beliefs and ideals of America. The Republican Party has placed themselves as the highest authority in the land, and their hatred of Democrats, their unwillingness to concede any ground to them, will be a scar on the history of this country.

I love the USA, the Constitution, and the principles the United States of America was built on more than I love any political party.  Republicans will label me as a fool.  I label them traitors.  

Which side are you on?

2018 is EVERYTHING!!!