The Progressive Wing

Tip jar for ususal suspects…

Thanks, Benny!

Def better than King:

Fighting for an economy that works for all of us, putting Main Street ahead of Wall Street on behalf of family farmers and working families

A health care system that is affordable and accessible for all of us to ensure that Iowans never again need to worry about healthcare as a barrier to living free, productive, and successful lives.

Putting Iowa values back at the center of public service by having a government that works for us, not corporate interests and mega donors.

Every stand I take in Congress will be in pursuit of these goals, and the needs of the people in Iowa’s 4th Congressional district.

I was going to make supporting M4A my defining measure of support, but some of these guys are so much better than their Republican opponent, I’d have to say yes. I feel for them, bc if they were a bit more progressive and inspiring, they’d have an even better chance (imho, of course).

Some of them may be persuadable, once they get in.

It’s hard for me personally, though, to send my little amounts to someone who’s not for M4A. Never say never.

Who are those 2 you are supporting, Benny, again?

James Thompson and ___________?

The 4 I’m looking at that aren’t being supported by the DCCC:

James Thompson, KS-04
Jamie Schoolcraft, MO-7
Jon Scholten, IA-04
Ammar Campa-Najjar, CA-50

Thanks! Def takes repetition for me. I finally put them on a green sticky, in purple ink, on my desktop. :O) Bold font.

AT&T-Time Warner appeal: How liberal judges could help the DOJ’s case

When the Justice Department sued to stop AT&T’s purchase of Time Warner, which has since been renamed WarnerMedia, it was taking an approach that liberals and progressive figures like Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren had called for. They argued that a huge phone, internet and TV provider buying a mega content creator — home of properties like Warner Bros, HBO, CNN and TNT — would hurt consumers.

“This proposed merger is just the latest effort to shrink our media landscape, stifle competition and diversity of content, and provide consumers with less while charging them more,” Sanders wrote in a letter addressed to the Justice Department days after the deal was announced in 2016.

The judge who heard the case, Judge Richard Leon, was appointed to the bench by President George W. Bush. In a blistering June decision, Leon ruled that the Justice Department had failed to meet its burden to prove that the merger would violate antitrust law by raising prices and harming competition. He said some of the Justice Department’s evidence was “gossamer thin,” and that their top expert witness’ economic model lacked “reliability and factual credibility,” and he noted that the government’s own witnesses at some points contradicted their own case.

The Justice Department’s appeal of Leon’s ruling will be heard by a panel of three judges from the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. According to the Circuit Court’s handbook, around thirty days before oral arguments a computer system randomly chooses the panel from the pool of the circuit’s available judges. The system takes into account schedules, possible recusals and sometimes, according to a former clerk to a judge on the circuit, factors like if two judges “don’t get along and refuse to sit together.”

With the appeal, the Justice Department doesn’t just get to make its case in front of more judges, it also gets a chance to be heard by judges whose views could make them more open to the government’s case.

Generally, the “liberal” view of antitrust law calls for more intervention in merger cases. The “conservative” view of antitrust law calls for a more hands-off approach, with the idea the market will work itself out.

“Although views on antitrust enforcement don’t necessarily fall neatly within one or another political viewpoint, conventionally, liberal judges are thought to be more pro-enforcement and conservative ones are thought to prefer to allow the market to correct issues, rather than government, wherever possible,” Jonathan Pitt, co-chair of Williams & Connolly LLP’s antitrust practice group, told CNN Business.

The circuit is currently down one judge, Brett Kavanaugh, who has recused himself from hearing cases while his nomination to the Supreme Court is pending. That gives the system its choice of 16 judges: 8 appointed by Republican presidents and 8 appointed by Democratic presidents.

Assuming all the judges are available and can sit with one another, there is a 40% chance that two of the three judges selected will be ones appointed by Democrats — and a 10% chance that all three will be. And assuming that a judge appointed by a Democrat would lean toward a liberal interpretation of antitrust law, that means there’s a 50% chance of the DOJ getting a panel predisposed to sympathy for its case.

“If you were DOJ lawyers you’d probably prefer a Judge (Merrick) Garland or Judge (David) Tatel,” the former clerk said, referring to two judges appointed to the circuit by President Bill Clinton.

“It’s certainly not good for the DOJ in this appeal if the judges on the panel bring to this issue skepticism about the wisdom of government intervention in business affairs,” said Jeffrey Blumenfeld, a former senior Justice Department antitrust attorney who is now a partner at the law firm Lowenstein Sandler.

Of course, there are no guarantees that a judge will rule one way or another based on their political background.

“It oversimplifies matters to say that liberal judges should want to undo the merger whereas conservative ones should want to permit it,” Pitt said. “On the other hand, to the extent anyone suggests that a conservative panel would be more likely to rule in DOJ’s favor because the administration that brought the case is a conservative or Republican one, I would certainly disagree with that. I have to believe that to the judges on the D.C. Circuit, the critical antitrust principles at issue here, and conventional judicial views about the clearly erroneous standard, would govern the decision—not politics.”

Bet we know how he would have decided this case.

Here’s “Something Bold” Democrats Can Do: Conduct the Kavanaugh Probe White House and GOP Refused to Have

With a thread on Twitter Friday evening, Briahna Gray, the senior politics editor for The Intercept and a contributing editor for Current Affairs magazine, laid out a plan of attack for Democrats that would rely not on hand-wringing over their Kavanaugh defeat, but instead focus on truth-telling and fact-finding that would put the Republicans, especially Collins, on the hook for the sham process they facilitated to ram him through. In the series of tweets, she wrote:

Instead of their reactive brand of politics, Democrats might consider doing something bold, like publishing the results of an independent investigation into all the sources the FBI neglected to question, & holding an hours long press conference at which those witnesses speak.

They’ve let Collins & the like get away with pretending like Ford’s is an isolated claim. They should ask the Princeton theology professor (we know how the right like’s credentials) to “corroborate” Ramiriez’s claims. And if she’s willing, she should give testimony too.

They should have all of the classmates who’ve been calling into the news shows and writing letters, including the clerks who have withdrawn their support, take the mic: Make visible the testimony that the FBI ignored, & make a spectacle of their mishandling of the investigation.

Even if Kavanaugh is confirmed, Collins should not be able to get away with the claim that it’s “more likely than not” that Kavanaugh is innocent of behaviors beneath the dignity of the court. It’s obvious to most of us, but it needs to be made more obvious to Maine voters.

Last point: Let’s not forget that we’re still waiting on these Kavanaugh documents, and Dems will look silly objecting to whatever eventually comes out if they act complacent now

Obviously, if they won’t turn Manchin, they aren’t likely to do this. Still, maybe Bernie and Warren could lead on something like this. We know people like Whitehouse would likely follow. Like M4A, just bc it doesn’t seem likely doesn’t mean we shouldn’t push for it and let our critters know what we expect.

wi60

Wouldn’t it be funny since since Murkowski plans to vote present and have her vote not count Manchin would change his mind and vote No thus Kavanaugh isn’t appointed–one can dream 🙂 🙂 Right now the R’s lose one vote due to his daughters wedding.

Murkowski’s voting “present”? People can stop thanking her.

wi60

as of last night anyway, that was a long time ago though

More and more Americans believe socialism will boost equity

And with it, Gallup is asking the question again. It’s found that the general view of socialism has evolved–at least somewhat–since they last checked in with the American people about it. The biggest difference between now and then, according to Gallup, is that in 2018, the number of people who define socialism as government ownership of everything has dropped by half, down to 17%. Around 6% still view it as modified communism, and another 6% had, according to Gallup, “non-specific derogatory opinions” about the term.

But generally, Gallup has documented a shift toward a “gentler, lighter” understanding of socialism. Around 23% of Americans now–an 11% increase from 1949–see socialism as a means toward greater equity among people, and 10% think it would bring about an increase in benefits like improved social services and universal healthcare. Another 6% think socialism means “getting along with people,” and 1% think it means a shift toward a more cooperative planning process.

While Gallup didn’t sort these latest findings by political orientation, it doesn’t take too much of a stretch of the imagination to guess from which side of the aisle the varying opinions come. Another recent Gallup poll found that only 16% of Republicans view socialism positively, and they’re vastly more likely to understand it as government control of the means of productions. Around 57% of Democrats, on the other hand, have a positive view of socialism.
As more socialist-leaning candidates on the left score political victories–bolstered in no small part by millennial voters, who also tend to question capitalism and view socialism more favorably–and as policies like universal healthcare and basic income grow in popularity, this poll could just be the latest sign that Americans are leaning into socialism as they learn more about it.

This excerpt is from Fast Company, which tends to focus on entrepreneurial companies. It raises the questions of how the business culture will respond to this trend and what will happen in Congress.

They should use the words “democratic socialism” in their poll. In a way, the poll, by it’s very question, is designed to inspire fear rather than thoughtfulness.

That’s true of our generation, PB4. But not scary to our grandkids, nieces, and nephews. 🙂

New Poll Shows Only 1 Point Between Rep. Hunter and Democratic Challenger

A new poll sponsored by Ammar Campa-Najjar shows the Democrat within one point to Rep. Duncan Hunter in the race for the 50th Congressional District in East County.

The poll of 400 likely voters by San Francisco-based Tulchin Research was conducted Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 after Hunter suggested Campa-Najjar is part of an effort by radical Muslims to infiltrate the U.S. government.

Campa-Najjar, a former Obama administration official, was raised in East County and is Christian. A paternal grandfather he never knew was Palestinian terrorist.

The new poll, which was released Thursday, showed Hunter with 45.1 percent of the likely vote to Campa-Najjar’s 44.4 percent.

“Our polling finds Republican Duncan Hunter in a statistical dead heat with his Democratic challenger,” Tulchin Research said in its report, noting “Hunter’s indictment for fraudulently spending $250,000 in campaign funds on personal expenses and his conduct since the indictment have taken a significant toll on his standing with his constituents.”

The pollsters said that among those voters who have heard about the indictment, more than two-thirds say it has made them feel “less favorable” toward Hunter.

I don’t know if it is a push pull of sorts. But it’s interesting.

‘Going, Going, Gone…’: Banksy Shreds the Richest 1% With Self-Destructing $1.4 Million Piece of Art

I love this.

Estes, Thompson clash over police records, character and abortion in fiery debate

Answering a question about increasing partisanship, Thompson blamed both parties for a deteriorating situation in Washington, as well as so-called dark money.

Thompson said he doesn’t take donations from corporate political action committees, but that Estes “takes an incredible amount.”

Estes responded by saying that corporate donations are illegal and that PACs are made up of individual workers at companies who make contributions.

A short time later, Estes said Thompson as an attorney is “supposed to be smart enough to know” that individuals, not corporations, donate to PACs.

“To call me a liar because of that is outlandish for him to do. That’s beneath the standards of someone who wants to be in Congress to represent us and to make sure that he can stand forth for the Fourth District and support us,” Estes said.

The fight between Estes and Thompson also turned personal when the topic moved to abortion.

Asked what legislation they would support if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, Estes said he would support bills that make sure “we protect life.” Thompson said he would support legislation that preserves women’s control over their bodies.

“I find it rich that my opponent would talk about the sanctity of life or protecting life when all he’s really concerned about is birth,” Thompson said. “He doesn’t really give a damn about a child after it’s been born. He doesn’t care the child doesn’t have healthcare or the child can’t get educated or that the woman can’t get childcare while she tries to find work.”

In response, Estes said Congress had passed anti-human trafficking legislation that protects men and women who are victims of sexual abuse and prostitution. And lawmakers had acted to strengthen mental health services, he said.

“To say we don’t care about people once they’re born, that we only care about the unborn, is false,” Estes said.

The debate was the latest clash between the two men, who have been political opponents since the early days of 2017, when they ran against each other in a special election to fill the House seat vacated by Mike Pompeo when he resigned to join the Trump administration.

Thompson gained national notoriety during the March 2017 election for an unusually strong showing against Estes in a district that is often solidly Republican. Estes defeated Thompson, 52.5 percent to 45.7 percent.

Thompson immediately vowed to again challenge Estes and has continued his campaign operation ever since.

This year, Sen. Bernie Sanders, the democratic socialist from Vermont, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a rising Democratic star who defeated an incumbent congressman in a New York Democratic primary, both campaigned for Thompson.

Estes’ campaign has turned on highlighting the nation’s strong economic performance while painting Thompson as a socialist.

In closing, Thompson called out a “do-nothing Congress” that includes Estes. In turn, Estes said Thompson wants a “big government with higher taxes.”

The aggressive remarks during Friday’s debate suggest the race will only intensify in the final weeks leading up to the Nov. 6 election.

Thompson can certainly counter with this last tax break, pushed through while Kavanaugh was on our minds.

Thompson, Estes trade jabs in TV debate

SW MO Speakers lining up for campaign events

Jamie Schoolcraft, Democrat challenger to U.S. Rep. Billy Long, will be the keynote speaker at the annual Eleanor Roosevelt Days banquet, set for Saturday, Oct. 13, at Missouri Southern State University, and U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt will be a featured speaker at a Republican ham and bean feed on Saturday, Nov. 3, at Neosho Middle School.

Schoolcraft, of Willard, is a physician’s assistant and member of the Army National Guard. Also speaking at the banquet will be state Rep. Crystal Quade, of Springfield, a member of the Missouri House Victory Team.

It’s Your Post Office. Keep It.
Take it from a postal worker: If the U.S. sells its public mail service, consumers will lose big time

The USPS has long been a concern of mine. Postal workers are protesting on Oct. 8th, with the chant, “U.S. mail is not for sale.”

“A bipartisan 2006 law, the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, law mandated that the USPS pre-fund future retiree health benefits 75 years into the future. That means we have to fund retirement benefits for postal employees who haven’t even been born yet.”

“[This Congressional mandate] drained $5.5 billion a year out of Postal Service funds and accounts for more than 90 percent of its losses. In fact, if it weren’t for this manufactured pre-funding crisis, the USPS would have reported profits in four of the last five years — all without receiving a dime of taxpayer money.”

“

These survivors saw “tears” well up in his eyes. Must be a crocodile.

West Virginia Survivors Say NO To Kavanaugh
For the sake of every survivor, and for and every one of us who will be harmed by the anti-democratic decisions Kavanaugh will make if he gets a lifetime appointment to the Court, it’s time for your conscience to be heard loud and clear

Here’s a Reality-Based Battle Plan for the Midterms and Beyond
It is imperative that Democrats win, and win big, in order to bring the Trump agenda to a screeching halt

There is a subconscious fantasy we are all carrying around inside our heads: that once the Democrats win the House, and maybe even the Senate, they will form a bulwark against all the efforts by Trump and the Republican Party to destroy the nation. The fantasy extends to the 2020 presidential race, when a Democrat will supposedly win the White House, and we will finally see every horrific undoing of our rights reversed. Departed federal staff will be reinstated, Environmental Protection Agency deregulations will be reversed, fuel-efficiency standards will be restrengthened, and the Paris Accord rejoined. Immigrants will be freed from detention, allowed to remain in the country safely, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency will be abolished. Future Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh will be impeached (and maybe even Clarence Thomas!), and so on and so forth. Such fantasies are a coping mechanism for the despair we are feeling.

But given the lack of fiery conviction among Democrats, none of those things will come to pass, and at best we can expect a holding pattern against worse damage. Democrats want to ride to victory on the wave of Trump hatred and resume business as usual. But nothing will change unless we push them hard to be so much more than simply “not-Trump.” Not only does the party need to actively undo Trump’s damage once it takes power, it needs to go well beyond what Obama achieved and address the very ills that generated the rise of Trump in the first place. Yes, it is a tall order. But then again, so much of our safety and security is at stake.

We have (sort of) been here before. During the last months of George W. Bush’s presidency, liberal and progressive activists, horrified by his regressive policies, poured all their energy into replacing Bush with anybody but a Republican like him. Once progressives met Obama, we were enamored by just how different he was from Bush on the surface, and, like a handsome boyfriend who gets away with abusive behavior by virtue of his attractiveness, we let Obama get away with far too much because we were carried away by the romantic notion of progress he offered, simply by being so different from his predecessor—articulate, brilliant, seemingly empathetic and compassionate. Ultimately, Obama helped make some modest gains toward a progressive future but fell short in so many ways.

If the past two years has taught us anything, it is that we must remove Republicans from power and do so with aggression and righteous anger. If that means replacing them with Democrats (or independents or third-party candidates), then that is our immediate task, first and foremost. Our next task is to hold Democrats’ feet to the fire with as much fervor as we demanded an end to Trump and Trumpism. It is imperative that we remember Democrats are politicians, not activists. They want power and have adopted lip service to the ideals of liberalism to get it. They are not inherently compassionate and progressive. It is we who are and we who must keep the fire under them alive.

Most of me is saying, “yes!” Another part of me is saying, “How do we elect Dems just because they are Dems AND hold their feet to the fire?”

Wichita Falls residents protest outside Senator Cruz rally

WICHITA FALLS, TX – There was no shortage of voters exercising their right to free speech ahead of Republican Senator Ted Cruz’s campaign stop with Donald trump Jr. in Wichita Falls.

Protesters held signs with phrases that read “Just say no to Cruz”. Others showed their support for the senator’s opponent Democrat Representative Beto O’Rourke.

Senator Cruz’s history with president trump seemed to be the biggest reason people were compelled to protest the rally.

Wichita Falls resident Lisa Goldsberg said, “He [President Trump] told lies about Mr. Cruz, called his wife terrible things, said terrible things. So I think that for Mr. Cruz to be standing out here with Donald Trump Jr. is basically a show that he’s got no spine.”

Wichita Falls resident Derek Knowles said, “Trump calling him, his family, his father names, and then now all of a sudden he’s going to be his favorite guy? I don’t think that that’s the way that things work.”

For younger protesters the midterms will only be their first or second time voting. They say the Senator’s stance on immigration is another reason they plan to vote him out of office.

20-year-old Joscelin Acevedo said, “When I was growing up I believed that America was a melting pot. I was always taught that anybody that had the American Dream that wanted to have a better life could come here and could do it. Now we’re talking about building a border wall.”

Wichita Falls isn’t exactly a liberal bastion which is why this story is noteworthy.

Back in Tarrant County! Energizing start to the morning with a visit to TCC. pic.twitter.com/3bIOw5bSgN

— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) October 6, 2018

A moral philospher and an attorney/law prof compare Kavanaugh and the Republicans to a criminal gang that has taken control of the nation:

What if in all evident respects the process and appointment to the highest judicial office of the land operates like a criminal conspiracy with a vice-grip on all three branches of government—in the words of Madison, the very definition of ‘tyranny’—with now the Supreme Court itself fixed to ignore and override basic issues of justice and morality for the next generation in a situation of cumulatively unprecedented social and environmental crisis?

We have already seen the unraveling of even the need to appear objective, disinterested, above the political mob mentality and thuggery of this ruling faction in one long train of abuses, false statements and lying with impunity under oath. The reckless and grasping nature of the Kavanaugh appointment, in short, shows an unbound faction of power treating its position of tyrannical rule as its personal property and right

His speech and actions under oath, to the US Senate, is enough for him to be disbarred and lose his law license.

That would set a precedent to have a SCOTUS judge that is disbarred. I don’t think there are any qualifications for the position, at least stated in the Constitution.

Presidential Election Is About a Fight for Democracy in Brazil
For the first time in decades, the threat of a military dictatorship is surfacing in Brazil. No responsible journalism should ignore this threat, nor legitimize the extremism that strengthens it.

I called Senator Sanders office to see if he was going to appear today on the Senate floor. His office said he gave his speech last night at 8:30 ET.

Here’s the YT of it:

One thing, about every 3 minutes there are ads if you aren’t a subscriber to YT Red (which I am not). But you can skip the ad within 5 seconds.

We can no longer accept being the least insured state in this country. Let's lead the way on guaranteed, universal, high-quality health care so every person can see a doctor. pic.twitter.com/6iljiZJUk3

— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) October 6, 2018

AOC: Our Job is to listen to Our Communities

orlbucfan

Hopefully, her head won’t swell up cos she’s becoming famous. T and R to the usual excellent TPW suspects!!

Kavanaugh accuser Deborah Ramirez blasts senators for "deliberately ignoring" evidence of sexual misconduct https://t.co/yDrSb5m5bm pic.twitter.com/L5Om9SSni2

— The Hill (@thehill) October 6, 2018

Flake planned to talk again with his Democratic buddy Chris Coons. Collins told a reporter that the F.B.I. had completed a “thorough” look at the allegations.

File under WTH?

Vote about to take place. Women in the gallery are screaming, “I am a Patriot” in the gallery. Pence has ordered for the Sgt at Arms to remove them.

Woman yells Shame! Shame! Shame! when Manchin votes “Aye.”

Sanders stands and gives a clear “NO”.

Chief Justice John Roberts' "decision not to immediately refer the cases to another appeals court has caused some concern in the legal community." https://t.co/Fzg5GZpcWJ

— Bleeding Heartland (@desmoinesdem) October 6, 2018

The Challengers: Can the New Sun Belt Progressives Defeat Conservatives in the Midterms?

I just started listening to this podcast from the New Yorker, Dorothy Wickenden and Ben Wallace-Wells. Starts off with Beto.

Gillum more progressive than Beto, sez Ben.

orlbucfan

Gillum may be slightly more progressive than Beto, but they are awfully close in their respective issue stands.

The White House now has proof of concept that it can control the scope of an investigation to assure a specific outcome, lie about it, and get away with it. https://t.co/TQbd6HS16m

— Brian Beutler (@brianbeutler) October 6, 2018

That’s another WTH. I didn’t know the WH could do that before. Apparently, neither did some ex-agents. Another great precedent.

Warren inches closer to just saying it.

The consequences won’t touch only Maine. This past Saturday, I attended a town hall with Elizabeth Warren in Holyoke, Massachusetts, where a schoolteacher asked Warren if she would be running for President. The surprise was not in Warren’s reply, in which she edged toward announcing her candidacy, saying that she would take a “long, hard look” at the race immediately after the midterms, but in her description of why she might run, which was all about Kavanaugh. “I watched eleven men too chicken to question a woman themselves,” she said. “I watched powerful men helping another powerful man. . . . I thought, Time’s up.’ ” Warren continued, “It’s time for women to go to Washington and fix a broken government, and that includes a woman at the top.”

Ben Sasse Is Sad. Ben Sasse Is a Hypocrite.
The Nebraska senator’s “cautious prudence” on Brett Kavanaugh might be worse than Mitch McConnell’s bulldozer politics

Maybe the Dems were trying to be “sober” compared to Kavanaugh, but the author is right: they could have asked much more dramatic, incisive and revealing questions.

Where was the senator asking “If someone says ‘boofing’ means anal sex and not flatulence as you claim and ‘Devil’s Triangle’ isn’t a drinking game as you claim under oath, but a reference to sex between two males and a female, would they be lying?” or “Amnesty International has recommended that your nomination be slowed since you could be involved in violations of international law. So, are you a war criminal?”

Such a senator was not to be found. Some senators laid the basis for showing Kavanaugh lied under oath. And perhaps they expect that he will be impeached once they get a majority. But who knows what happens between now and then.

In terms of making the case to the public in a way that could not be ignored, they at best fell short. The
best a few senators could bring themselves to do was mumble something about perjury when what was needed was to run down the litany of evidence he had lied under oath before the Senate.

[Kavanaugh] and Republican senators put on their act of moral outrage that should have come from the critics of Kavanaugh. Perhaps there was some of the genuine anger in the streets in protests against Kavanaugh—that seem to have come too little too late—but at best rarely from the committee hearing room.

And those optics largely prevailed—all part of the same scummy system.

magsview

I could not agree more.

Fifty-Thousand Come Together in Germany to Defend Ancient Forest and Fight Coal
“This rally is about demanding that the German government break the deadlock of a climate policy that has failed to reduce carbon emissions for nearly a decade now, but it also is about showing governments everywhere that a growing climate movement is demanding an end to dirty and outdated fossil fuels.”

Happy face.

If The Rule Of Law Means Anything, Kavanaugh Must Be Impeached
If a federal judge can get away with lying to Congress, why do we even have sworn oaths?
by Nathan J. Robinson

At this point, my position on Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination is quite simple: you cannot flagrantly violate a sworn oath and be placed on the Supreme Court. Someone who lies to the Senate in sworn testimony is not just unqualified to be a justice, but they should not be any kind of judge at all. Judges must take oaths seriously, because if they treat them as meaningless, then it’s unclear why they should mean anything to anybody. If Brett Kavanaugh lied to the Senate in his testimony, his nomination must be withdrawn, and he must be impeached and removed from office. Alger Hiss was sent to prison when he lied to Congress, Roger Clemens was prosecuted just for allegedly lying to Congress about baseball. I do not think there is much room for disagreement about this principle….

Arguing about the investigation’s scope obscures the clear message Democrats should be pushing to the public: Kavanaugh lied under oath about important factual matters related to a serious allegation. His nomination must be withdrawn, and he must be impeached. Republicans can muddy an argument about the FBI investigation; you say it’s shoddy, we say it’s thorough. It is far more difficult for them to respond to the very clear evidence of Kavanaugh’s false and misleading testimony. Ask them how they justify the vicious lie about Renate. The lie about the calendar, the lie about witness statements. And what about all the evasions? Remember, the oath is to tell the whole truth.

There is simply no way for any marginally honest person to support Kavanaugh’s confirmation. If he is placed on the bench, sworn oaths will be meaningless and the rule of law will be a joke.

My bold.

https://constitutionallawreporter.com/article-03-section-01/impeachment-of-federal-judges/

This might clear up a few things with regards to impeachment.

Introduction Important Cases
In the United States, the word “impeachment” is merely the term for the proceeding that begins the process of removing an official from the government. Thus, while this particular section of the Constitution sets the broad outline for what is expected of a federal judge (that he or she sit in “good Behavior”), other officials can be impeached as well, including the President of the United States himself (see Article II, Section 4). The process of what is colloquially known as impeachment contains two steps. The first step, the one that is technically the impeachment, is taken by the House of Representatives. By a simple majority, the House can vote to impeach a federal official. This process is akin to an indictment in an ordinary criminal proceeding. Then, once the official is impeached, the Senate holds a trial to determine if the official should be convicted, in which case the official is removed from office. The Senate, however, needs a two-thirds majority to convict. Very few federal officials have ever been impeached, and even fewer have been convicted and removed from office. By way of example, President Bill Clinton was impeached by the House of Representatives, but he was not convicted by the Senate. The impeachment of federal judges, in fact, is often an even more murky process than the impeachment of other officials. While Article II, Section 4 contains some vague guidelines for what warrants impeachment proceedings – and this section relates to federal officials in general – Article Three only explains that judges are supposed to remain in office only while in “good Behavior.” This is an incredibly open-ended standard. Only 15 federal judges have ever been impeached and only eight have ever been convicted and removed (most recently, Judge Thomas Porteous of Louisiana in 2010). But even then, the “articles of impeachment,” the list of misconduct the accused is on trial for, have described quite a wide range of inappropriate behavior.

I am guessing that this would also refer to Supreme Court Judges.

that 2/3 is a higher bar. i guess the stacking is looking better and better. (60 votes.)

Thanks!

Americans Maintain a Positive View of Bernie Sanders

Sanders’ name recognition was fairly low a month before he announced his run for president in 2015 — 76% of Americans had no opinion of him or had never heard of him. But today, that figure is down to 9%.

In the more than three years Gallup has tracked Sanders’ favorability, his favorable ratings have consistently outweighed his unfavorable ones — only twice were they tied. Since February 2016, shortly after Sanders’ victory in the New Hampshire Democratic primary, his positive ratings began regularly outpacing his negative ratings by double digits, and majorities of Americans have viewed him favorably since June 2016.

In Gallup’s most recent poll, conducted Sept. 4-12, Sanders has a much more favorable image than either of the other major contenders in the 2016 presidential election — Hillary Clinton (36%) and President Donald Trump (41%).

7-year study to remember when discussing women senators’ workloads: Despite small numbers, women senators are “introducing more bills..getting more out of committee and getting more bills enacted into law than their male colleagues in the U.S. Senate” https://t.co/82oye5y7MO

— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) October 6, 2018

a couple of tweets from Peter Douche. ( I fully understand the second one.)

Kudos to the DNC and Joe Manchin for boldly ignoring constituents!

Abortion rights aren't nearly as important as having more Dems to resist Bernie!

Show your support for @JoeManchinWV by signing & sharing this petition.#StillWithering?#LosingIsFine https://t.co/a2UOdNJXfj

— Peter Douche's Liaison (@SilERabbit) October 6, 2018

Taking a few days off of Twitter to recharge and avoid getting suspended for telling half of Twitter to get fucked.
✌️❤️

— Peter Douche's Liaison (@SilERabbit) October 6, 2018

good ones!

which reminds me–i’m going through another tech thing. if you don’t see me as much, starting next week, i’ll be taking a morning tech break, plus getting stuff done….

magsview

I had to avoid the internet over the weekend for my mental health.

Tonight and tomorrow and in the days that follow, I want you to know that we are going to meet this disappointment weighing on many of us with the power of people who want to make sure that our government represents all of us.https://t.co/2D1xt7Yz8U

— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) October 6, 2018

Let's use this moment of disappointment as a spur to renew our commitment in our Democracy, and making sure that it represents every single one of us. pic.twitter.com/M0vndMSytZ

— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) October 7, 2018

Golden Retriever Surprises Owner With A Baby Koala Whose Life She Just Saved

vis naked cap

I just checked out the Dem Senate twitter account.

Tweets by SenateDems

There a bunch of videos of Senators stating their displeasure with Kavanaugh.

You know what is missing?

A video of DINO Joe Manchin voting YES!

Too little too late. Hey that could be the new motto!

Seems like a pretty honest yard sign if you ask me.

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/410249-texas-police-yard-sign-depicting-gop-elephant-with-trunk-up-a
?itok=w3Flh54F

A Texas woman is speaking out after local police removed a yard sign she made in protest of Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court after multiple sexual assault allegations were brought against him.

Marion Stanford told The Washington Post in an interview released on Saturday she was forced by police to have a sign she made depicting an elephant, the Republican mascot, with its trunk up a girl’s skirt removed from her yard last week, otherwise she would face arrest.

“It is pornography, and you can’t display it,” Stanford recalled a police officer telling her on Tuesday. Stanford said she was told to either remove the sign, allow police to confiscate it or refuse and get arrested.

City officials denied to the Post that the officer threatened arrest.

Stanford said she made the sign last week after watching drama in the Senate surrounding Kavanaugh’s testimony and that of Christine Blasey Ford, a college professor who accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault while they were in high school.

“underlining by me”

This just dawned on me. Murkowski’s vote was not as honorable as it appears.

Here is why. By voting ‘Present” she assured a confirmation of Kavanaugh. Even if that lowlife Manchin voted against confirmation the vote would have been tied 49/49 with the deciding vote being caste by Pence.

In my view, it was a hedge vote in the event Manchin or Flake changed their votes. Murkowski has already been threatened by Trump and the GOP has the Trump flu. It’s a shame.

Trump’s threats mean diddley. He now campaigns for Cruz.

I think she wants to stay in the senate without the stigma of being a pariah.

https://www.facebook.com/senatorsanders/videos/1165502623601191/

I never know if the FB link will turn instantly into a real video clip, so here’s the link. It’s a former Apple engineer questioning Apple’s decision to use its abundant cash to conduct stock buybacks to artificially raise its stock prices (and to a certain extent, a move towards going private).

It was a hedge against Manchin or Flake in case they changed their votes. She got the Trump flu that all of the GOP and now Manchin has.

Something good for a change.

Thank you to @christineforvt @VTAttorneyGen @DaveZuckermanVT @PeterWelch and Representative Mike McCarthy for a great afternoon in Randolph, Vermont. Together, we can lead the fight in Vermont in the fight for social, racial, environmental and economic justice. pic.twitter.com/GevuvaJR82

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) October 6, 2018

Great rallies in Woodstock and Randolph today! Thank you @BernieSanders @WelchForVT @VTAttorneyGen @DaveZuckermanVT and all who joined us! pic.twitter.com/zVoPTwqubN

— Christine Hallquist (@christineforvt) October 6, 2018

Finishing off the day in Rutland!Thank you @BernieSanders for bringing us all together today, especially in light of the news out of DC. #vtpoli

— Rep. Peter Welch (@WelchForVT) October 6, 2018