Geoff > Status Update

Nandakishore wrote: "Jibran, if you book in the Trump Hotel and tweet: "Going to US! Staying in President Trump's Hotel!! So excited!!!" you might even get diplomatic clearance."

Yeah. Or I might use my connections to hop on our prime minister's plane. This would guarantee entry into the US because Trump thinks Nawaz Sharif is a terrific guy.

Manny wrote: "I feel many people would be willing to take a few minutes to write a negative review of a Trump hotel on tripadviser"

If it gets viral, it'll help the cause. The collateral damage is minimal, and there's a certain joy in writing some negative review too. A virtual boycott :)

apropos hotels:
http://www.theninjaproxy.org/security...

Jibran wrote: "I need to pay a non-refundable deposit to the tune of USD 500 in a week or so for my planned trip to the US later this spring. I'm not sure if I should do that. Pakistan is not on the list of banne..."

Apologies don't go very far here, but I'm so sorry Jibran. Please believe me - the majority of Americans are ashamed and appalled by this illegal, unconstitutional, racist ban. And we're out there fighting it. But it's dark days here my friend - the darkest in my adult life - I'm not sure, if I were Muslim, I'd come here just now. But who knows, the response has been strong and Trump's approval ratings are falling, and people are lawyering up, so maybe this nonsense will be reversed soon.

Nandakishore wrote: "These are the New Year resolutions I have taken, based on the very disturbing shifts to the right at home in India and abroad.

1. I will not spend time arguing politics with right-wingers. They ar..."

Bravo to you Nandakishore! Every bit helps.

Since it seems the only thing the Right in America is moved by is money or personal violence, I would have to agree - supporting a BDS movement seems to be one way to go. Until the ban is lifted, or Trump is impeached and removed for violation of the emoluments clause (which he is clearly doing), destroy the economy. (Gonna be tough at my local farmers market though - maybe give those guys a pass and only boycott corporate America)

Some recommended reading .... (I got sent these, I haven't checked them out yet)

1) Indivisible: A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda https://www.indivisibleguide.com/abou...
Counterstrategies based on experiences with the Tea Party written by Congress staffers working/having worked for the Democratic Party

2) Masha Gessen, Autocracy - Rules for survival, New York Review of Books, http://www.nybooks.com/daily/2016/11/...

3) 20 Lessons from the 20th Century on How to Survive in Trump’s America http://inthesetimes.com/article/19658... by Timothy Snyder, professor of history at Yale University. He is also the author of Black Earth: The Holocaust as History and Warning

4) #LearnFromEurope The Authoritarian Regime Survival Guide http://learnfromeurope.org/
Experiences from Poland and Hungary, written by the Polish Committee for the Defence of Democracy, KOD, http://www.kod.ngo/kod-who-is-who/abo...

Really Donald? " the tears of Senator Schumer"? You are just going to keep upping the dickishness level aren't you...What a fucking pathetic piece of shit.

Chris wrote: "Some recommended reading .... (I got sent these, I haven't checked them out yet)

1) Indivisible: A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda https://www.indivisibleguide.com/abou...
Count..."

Thanks Chris, will definitely be checking these out.

Jonathan wrote: "Really Donald? " the tears of Senator Schumer"? You are just going to keep upping the dickishness level aren't you...What a fucking pathetic piece of shit."

This is what bullies do. Fragile weak ego motherfucker picks on people who show real humanity because he is so inhuman, and so aware how much this country fucking hates him. A truly low being.

Jibran wrote: "David wrote: Wereabouts in the states were you planning to be?

After a there-day conference in Chicago I'm free to go anywhere. Would have spent time with friends & relatives in DC and nearby. Wa..."

Hey Jibran, I'm very close to DC. Would love to meet you, even for a very short visit, if it could be worked into what would of course be a very busy schedule.

Geoff wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "Really Donald? " the tears of Senator Schumer"? You are just going to keep upping the dickishness level aren't you...What a fucking pathetic piece of shit."

This is what bullies d..."

Remember, Trump: "The sociopath." (The new title that the person who wrote The Art of the Deal for him would now give the book.) In The New Yorker several months ago. http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/201...

Jibran wrote: "I need to pay a non-refundable deposit to the tune of USD 500 in a week or so for my planned trip to the US later this spring. I'm not sure if I should do that. Pakistan is not on the list of banne..."

Jibran, I'm truly sorry. Someday, I hope to be able to shake your hand in happier times.

Ted wrote: "Geoff wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "Really Donald? " the tears of Senator Schumer"? You are just going to keep upping the dickishness level aren't you...What a fucking pathetic piece of shit."

This is ..."

Seriously. So I mentioned I went home this past weekend and my parents, Trumpists, had Art Of The Deal on the coffee table. They had no idea it was ghostwritten and had no idea how viscerally outspoken a critic Schwartz ended up being. Because, you know, Fox News doesn't report such things. Fairly sure they didn't believe me anyway.

The only mildly enjoyable thing is watching Trumps tweets which indicate nothing but that fact that he simply cannot deal with this type of protest. The spelling mistakes, nonsensical ramblings and general douchbaggery only serve to weaken his standing and his perceived "power" at the negotiating table.

I predict a full on mental breakdown in the next 12 months.

Jonathan wrote: "The only mildly enjoyable thing is watching Trumps tweets which indicate nothing but that fact that he simply cannot deal with this type of protest. The spelling mistakes, nonsensical ramblings and..."

could be. I do think he needs to be institutionalized.

Geoff wrote: "Ted wrote: "Geoff wrote: "Jonathan wrote: "Really Donald? " the tears of Senator Schumer"? You are just going to keep upping the dickishness level aren't you...What a fucking pathetic piece of shit..."

I'm sure Fox reported that Trump threatened to sue Schwartz, claimed he himself wrote the book. Nothing came of that as far as I know. (The publisher backed up Schwartz, saying Trump hadn't written a word of it.)

From this article in today's Guardian:

While some immigrants were released from detention, others weren’t even allowed to see volunteer lawyers who had showed up at airports around the country to provide free representation. Democratic congressman Don Beyer tweeted on Sunday afternoon: “We have a constitutional crisis today. Four Members of Congress asked CBP officials to enforce a federal court order and were turned away.”

As MSNBC’s Chris Hayes wrote: “$64,000 question is: are they being told to violate the court order by the White House?” If the White House is, in fact, directing DHS and CBP to violate a crystal clear court order, the rule of law has completely broken down and we are in a truly unprecedented situation here.

we were watching the coverage of the ban over the weekend and whether there could be legal relief. There's the temporary stay. But CNN interviewed a professor of law from George Washington University who explained that the expanding power of the Presidency has set a precedent that makes it harder to legally intervene. As an example, he cited Jimmy Carter's order of the deportation of Iranians in the wake of the hostage taking.

The prof did not use this term, but I have heard a reference to "The Imperial Presidency" for some years now. If your guy is in power, you might not mind because he is getting things done you agree with, but then if the same power is passed on to someone you don't like, Trump being a blatant example, then it's trouble.

It does seem to interrupt the system of checks and balances that the Constitution originally envisioned. This is, obviously, very concerning.

Geoff wrote: "Chris wrote: "Some recommended reading .... (I got sent these, I haven't checked them out yet)

1) Indivisible: A Practical Guide for Resisting the Trump Agenda https://www.indivisibleguide.com/abo..."

you're welcome Geoff

Manny wrote: "From an article in today's Guardian..."

i just read an article suggesting that the executive order was a deliberate test of our institutions, and now my chest hurts:

https://medium.com/@yonatanzunger/tri...

You might want to look at Charlie Savage's book Takeover: The Return of the Imperial Presidency and the Subversion of American Democracy . It was scary when I read it nearly ten years ago, and I do not get the impression that things have improved since then. Unfortunately, Obama was unable resist the temptation to use these powers and as far as I can see didn't do anything to roll them back.

Mike wrote: "Manny wrote: "From an article in today's Guardian..."

i just read an article suggesting that the executive order was a deliberate test of our institutions, and now my chest hurts:

https://medium...."

Unfortunately, it all comes across as pretty credible and consistent. Possibly excepting the Rosneft stuff, which I'm still having trouble believing. But it's just as hard to categorically reject it.

I have been calling my Senators (both Dems) they largely agree with me when I called over things like confirmation appointments and will vote the way I want but Dems have no power right now.

Ted & ATJG, let's hope the storm is over soon. Would love to meet you guys if I make it there.

Geoff wrote: "I'm not sure, if I were Muslim, I'd come here just now."

Friends in America are telling me to stay way until all this stuff settles down. The problem isn't even the extent or specifics of the official orders, whether or not ban would be extended to include someone like me, it is how they encourage officers on ground to act with impunity. But it's heartening to see so many protesters outside the airports, on the streets. It's quite unprecedented. I don't think any president has faced such protests in his first few days in office.

Mike wrote: "Manny wrote: "From an article in today's Guardian..."

i just read an article suggesting that the executive order was a deliberate test of our institutions, and now my chest hurts:

https://medium...."

As Manny said, all of this reads as credible. It sure feels like they're immediately testing what they can get away with and who will try to oppose them.

Geoff wrote: "Mike wrote: "Manny wrote: "From an article in today's Guardian..."

i just read an article suggesting that the executive order was a deliberate test of our institutions, and now my chest hurts:

ht..."

bannon has described himself as a leninist. we know how lenin treated his enemies.

Democrats have 46% of the power in the Senate, 43% of the power in the House, and 4/5ths the Supreme Court. That's not meaningless, just low.

Jibran wrote: "Ted & ATJG, let's hope the storm is over soon. Would love to meet you guys if I make it there.

Geoff wrote: "I'm not sure, if I were Muslim, I'd come here just now."

Friends in America are tellin..."

agreed about the protests. it's great to see- a reason for a shred of optimism. but i would say, yeah, be wary of traveling here for the time being. there's no telling what's going to happen.

If you're an evangelical who voted for Trump, remember that you're going to burn in Hell for all eternity for doing this. You might want to look at Canto XXIII of Dante's Inferno if you're curious about the details.

Manny wrote: "If you're an evangelical who voted for Trump, remember that you're going to burn in Hell for all eternity for doing this. You might want to look at Canto XXIII of Dante's Inferno if you're curious ..."

That only applies to Catholics I thought.

No, no, Hell is very inclusive. They really aren't too bothered about which sect it was whose teachings you were ignoring.

Thanks for the book link Manny. I ran my post by a retired lawyer friend of mine (a Harrvaaad law grad) before putting on GR and he agreed. The problem is that it's been expanded by Presidents from both parties. So the power has simply kept on increasing, now we find ourselves in this frightening situation because we have a crazy person who wants to really abuse it.

There were certainly a lot of warnings that this might happen.

It would be nice to see a few more Republican politicians distancing themselves from Trump's recent actions. Though I suppose we should be grateful that there are any at all.

Mike wrote: "Democrats have 46% of the power in the Senate, 43% of the power in the House, and 4/5ths the Supreme Court. That's not meaningless, just low."

That's right. They can filibuster some of his propositions. Not much of what he wants to do is really close to being done. Soon he will have to get things through congress.

Tom wrote: "That's right. They can filibuster some of his propositions. Not much of what he wants to do is really close to being done. Soon he will have to get things through congress."

It would be nice if that proved to be an obstacle, but I'm doubtful. Trump and Bannon really don't seem to have much respect for the rule of law.

I'm morbidly curious to see what formal excuse they come up with for ignoring it. Everyone's expecting a terrorist attack and following declaration of a state of emergency, so maybe they'll feel it looks better to try something different.

It would be nice if that proved to be an obstacle, but I'm doubtful. Trump and Bannon really don't seem to have much respect for the rule of law.

Well, if that happens, all is truly lost and it will be a matter of force against force. And we all know it's going to come down to this in the end anyway.

Well, one more crazy President of the U. S.

Mb wrote: "Well, one more crazy President of the U. S."

I know, let's look on the bright side. He could be the last one.

Idiot quotient is closer to 18%. Other 8% of the Trump coalition just really didn't like the alternative. Bigger problem is the 20-something percent of VAP who couldn't be bothered to participate.

Jibran wrote: "Wanted to visit california for a few days."

San Francisco has been likened to a city from Calvino, and is filled with scenic bike routes. If you ever get the chance to come visit, you can find a comrade in me ; )

I am currently reading The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany by William L. Shirer, and came across this:

The hard-pressed people were demanding a way out of their sorry predicament. The millions of unemployed wanted jobs. The shopkeepers wanted help. Some four million youths who had come of voting age since the last election wanted some prospect of a future that would at least give them a living. To all the millions of discontented Hitler in a whirlwind campaign offered what seemed to them, in their misery, some measure of hope. He would make Germany strong again, refuse to pay reparations, repudiate the Versailles Treaty, stamp out corruption, bring the money barons to heel (especially if they were Jews) and see to it that every German had a job and bread. To hopeless, hungry men seeking not only relief but new faith and new gods, the appeal was not without effect.

See anything familiar here, folks?

Manny wrote: "Mb wrote: "Well, one more crazy President of the U. S."

I know, let's look on the bright side. He could be the last one."

I wrote in my review of ¡Adios, America!: The Left's Plan to Turn Our Country into a Third World Hellhole that it will be really adios! if Trump becomes president. I sincerely hope that my words won't turn prophetic.

Nandakishore wrote: "I wrote in my review of ¡Adios, America!: The Left's Plan to Turn Our Country into a Third World Hellhole that it will be really adios! if Trump becomes president. I sincerely hope that my words won't turn prophetic."

I guess we will see over the next couple of weeks whether the US is willing to resist, or if it'll just tamely accept that it's been taken over by a Putin-allied soft coup. Seems to me like the Trump/Bannon team is already into the due diligence phase. Formally, rule of law still holds, but in practice you just ignore or fire the people who don't produce the desired answer.

Manny wrote: "Nandakishore wrote: "I wrote in my review of ¡Adios, America!: The Left's Plan to Turn Our Country into a Third World Hellhole that it will be really adios! if Trump becomes president. I sincerely ..."

Trump will be thrown into the dustbin the moment he has served his purpose. He's too much of a loose cannon for the fascists to trust. Possibly they may use the standard excuse - "failing health" - to put him out to pasture. Already, enough hype is being created show him as mentally unstable.

Well, I'm not sure it matters much whether Trump, Bannon, Flynn, Pence or some combination is running the show. They seem to be consolidating rapidly.

Manny wrote: "Everyone's expecting a terrorist attack"

Nandakishore wrote: "Trump will be thrown into the dustbin the moment he has served his purpose"

I’m sure it can be arranged so that those two birds get killed with one stone.

This is a list of Republicans who voted to confirm the fired acting Attorney General Sally Yates back in 2015:

Alaska: Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Yea
Arizona: Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Yea John McCain (R-AZ), Yea
Colorado: Cory Gardner (R-CO), Yea
Georgia: Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Yea David Perdue (R-GA), Yea
Illinois: Mark Kirk (R-IL), Yea
Indiana: Dan Coats (R-IN), Yea
Iowa: Joni Ernst (R-IA), Yea Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Yea
Kansas: Pat Roberts (R-KS), Yea
Kentucky: Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Rand Paul (R-KY), Yea
Louisiana: Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Yea
Maine: Susan Collins (R-ME), Yea
Mississippi: Thad Cochran (R-MS), yes Roger Wicker (R-MS), Yea
Montana: Steve Daines (R-MT), Yea
Nebraska: Deb Fischer (R-NE), Yea Ben Sasse (R-NE), Yea
Nevada: Dean Heller (R-NV), Yea
New Hampshire: Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Yea
North Carolina: Richard Burr (R-NC), Yea Thom Tillis (R-NC), Yea
North Dakota: John Hoeven (R-ND), Yea
Ohio: Rob Portman (R-OH), Yea
Oklahoma: Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Nay James Lankford (R-OK), Nay
South Carolina: Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Yea Tim Scott (R-SC), Yea
South Dakota: Tim Rounds (R-SD), Yea John Thune (R-SD), Yea
Tennessee: Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Yea Bob Corker (R-TN), Yea
Texas: John Cornyn (R-TX), Yea Ted Cruz (R-TX), Yea
Utah: Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Yea Mike Lee (R-UT), Yea
West Virginia: Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Yea
Wisconsin: Ron Johnson (R-WI), Yea
Wyoming: John Barrasso (R-WY), Yea Mike Enzi (R-WY), Yea

http://www.politico.com/blogs/under-t...

http://www.fireandreamitchell.com/201...

Just wanna know if it's still too early to cry "Fascism!!" Should I be concerned about Trump rolling over the Justice Dept or anything like that? Should I be concerned about what happened over the weekend. Or would I lose moderate voters?

Are we 'just as bad as the republicans' if we think the scotus seat oughtn't be filled 'til '20? Or is it normal for someone like Rump to put someone in a place like that? Would that be even sane?