US Politics

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

2 hours ago, Tracker said:

   
Although former President Donald Trump has been gone from the White House for almost three months, many far-right Republicans in Congress continue to push an equally nativist "America first" agenda — and Punchbowl News is reporting that some of Trump's Republican allies in the U.S. House of Representatives are putting together an "America First Caucus" based on "Anglo-Saxon political traditions."

According to Punchbowl, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona are "distributing materials" calling for a caucus that would express a "common respect for uniquely Anglo-Saxon political traditions." Punchbowl reports that according to an e-mail invitation it has obtained a copy of, House Republicans who have been invited to join the America First Caucus include Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas and Rep. Barry Moore of Alabama.

(Racism by another name is still racism)

 

I think Dr. Seuss touched upon that one:

 

 

[Tracker]

Secret Facebook groups reveal America's top soldiers' racist beliefs, election lies and QAnon theories
   
A disturbing number of Facebook users who belong to America's military and other special forces have deep-rooted beliefs and views on racism and other conspiracy theories such as the QAnon movement and the falsehoods surrounding the presidential election.

NBC News has conducted an analysis of hundreds of social media posts shared in four secret Facebook groups for "current and former Rangers, Green Berets and other elite warriors. The publication notes that most of the politically charged content was shared within two groups—SF Brotherhood - PAC and US Special Forces Team Room.

Collectively, there are more than 5,000 Facebook users within those two groups with some users belonging to both private groups. Across the board, the U.S. Special Operations Command consists of approximately 70,000 personnel. Additionally, the special operations forces also have thousands more retired members. The highlighted Facebook posts cover a vast canvas of conspiracy theories.

For example, in one of the posts, a special forces member raised concerns about one conspiracy theory as he claimed "several aides to former Vice President Mike Pence were part of a 'Concerted effort by the thieves and pedophiles walking the hallowed halls of the people's government.'"

On Jan.7, just one day after the Capitol insurrection, a member of the U.S. Special Forces Team Room posted a message that read, "Trump was sabotaged once again!" adding, "trying to get to the bottom of the obvious election fraud now looks like it doesn't have a chance."

According to the publication's analysis, there are many disturbing posts that are relatively similar. The analysis has raised concern about the mindset of many members of the United States' lethally trained forces. Jack Murphy, a former Army Ranger and Green Beret recently voiced his concerns about radicalization within the special operations forces community.

Secret Facebook groups reveal America's top soldiers' racist beliefs, election lies and QAnon theories - Alternet.org

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

In case anyone wanted to see the ****** carlson take down on last week tonight:

 

 

[Tracker]

8 hours ago, wanna-b-fanboy said:

In case anyone wanted to see the ****** carlson take down on last week tonight:

 

 

Here in Canada, we have Ezra Levant and Rex Murphy. Same racist crap but in a slightly less obvious wrapping.

[Tracker]

Pro-Trump website 'TheDonald' confirms detailed plans to storm Capitol and kill members of Congress
   
If there were any lingering doubts as to the violent intentions and motives of those who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, those doubts may now be put to rest. From minute details, such as the most effective type of zip ties to restrain elected officials to the most effective methods of killing police officers, the rioters left a chilling and irrefutable electronic trail on a website dedicated to overturning the 2020 election on Donald Trump's behalf. Prior to Jan. 6, that website, "TheDonald.win," had generated over 1 million visits per day.

A research group called Advance Democracy, formed by former FBI analyst and Senate investigator Daniel Jones, collected thousands of messages posted by pseudonymous users of the now-defunct website in the days leading up to the insurrection. The posts were distilled into a report and provided to The Washington Post. Jones' group had previously focused on the online effort to mobilize the riot, and it soon became evident that this particular website served as one of the rioters' primary organizational hubs.

As reported by the Post's Craig Timberg:

"The website, TheDonald, played a far more central role in the January 6th Capitol insurrection than was previously known," he said. "There are thousands of posts — with tens of thousands of comments — detailing plans to travel to Washington and engage in violence against the U.S. Capitol. The ultimate end goal of this violence was, on behalf of Trump, disrupt the Congress and overturn the presidential election."
Because the posters on this site used pseudonyms, Advance Democracy could not identify them; the logical assumption is that the website and its contents are now being analyzed by the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to track the former users through more forensic means. As the Post explains, the website itself grew out of a Reddit forum that served for some time as a "safe space" for racists and conspiracy theorists. Eventually, chafing at Reddit's moderation rules, the forum became a standalone site, with its web address owned by an Army Veteran named Jody Williams. Williams disbanded the site after the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol.

The Post article cites a treasure trove of intensely violent comments and discussions on the site in the weeks leading up to the Jan. 6 assault. Many of those comments clearly go well beyond the aspirational fever dreams of "keyboard commandos," and involve meticulous and well-coordinated plans, including "shared diagrams of the tunnel systems beneath the Capitol complex," discussion of travel and funding resources, and most notably, proposed methods to inflict violence, some of which were then employed by the rioters.

Pro-Trump website 'TheDonald' confirms detailed plans to storm Capitol and kill members of Congress - Alternet.org

[Mark F]

33 minutes ago, Tracker said:

research group called Advance Democracy, formed by former FBI analyst and Senate investigator Daniel Jones, collected thousands of messages posted by pseudonymous users of the now-defunct website in the days leading up to the insurrection

one of Obama cowardly failures was the withdrawl of an analysis done by homeland security concluding that the worst threat in america was the right wing insurrectionists, with many cops and military involved. accurate report.

shouted down by fox, and withdrawn with abject apologies from Obama. 

what a spineless dud he was. and a phoney.

but he's wealthy now.

Edited April 18, 2021 by Mark F

[Tracker]

16 minutes ago, Mark F said:

one of Obama cowardly failures was the withdrawl of an analysis done by homeland security concluding that the worst threat in america was the right wing insurrectionists, with many cops and military involved. accurate report.

shouted down by fox, and withdrawn with abject apologies from Obama. 

what a spineless dud he was. and a phoney.

but he's wealthy now.

Obama was more show than substance, but he was hamstrung at every turn by his own party and a hostile GOP-controlled Senate.

[Mark F]

1 hour ago, Tracker said:

Obama was more show than substance, but he was hamstrung at every turn by his own party and a hostile GOP-controlled Senate.

showed he could twist arms when he felt like it.

"Traveling to the Cleveland area to make yet another major speech for passing health care reform into law, President Barack Obama chose as a travel companion one very skeptical lawmaker.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) is from the area where Obama is speaking. That would normally make his appearance on Air Force One Monday morning a non-event. But the Ohio Democrat also happens to be one of, if not the only progressive holdout in the House, on health care legislation. And he has hinted strongly that his vote, which could be the deciding margin, is firmly in the “no” camp.

The White House pool reporter on the trip did not get an immediate readout of any conversation between Kucinich and Obama."

 

Kucinich got stromg armed by Obama.

 

[17to85]

2 hours ago, Tracker said:

Obama was more show than substance, but he was hamstrung at every turn by his own party and a hostile GOP-controlled Senate.

Plus a black president getting tough on whitesupremecy would have been throwing gas on the fire.

[Tracker]

Hmmmm....history

 

                           

[Tracker]

Oath Keepers leader reveals militia are being trained by police in '60 Minutes' interview

   
In an interview with "60 Minutes" Sunday evening, Oath Keepers leader Jim Arroyo revealed that active-duty law enforcement is part of their movement and helping with militia training.

"Our guys are very experienced. We have active-duty law enforcement in our organization that are helping to train us. We can blend in with our law enforcement," he said.

Javed Ali, Towsley Policymaker in Residence at the Gerald Ford School of Public Policy, formerly served as a former NSC senior director and was a counterterrorism official at the FBI under the Trump administration. Speaking to CBS News, he explained that the Oath Keepers is "unique."

"Beyond the fact that they are a formal group with chapters all over the country, is that a large percentage have tactical training and operational experience in either the military or law enforcement," the domestic terrorism expert said. "That at least gives them a capability that a lot of other people in this far-right space don't have."

In August 2020, Michael German is a former FBI special agent who penned several reports on U.S. law enforcement failing to control the right-wing terrorists in their ranks. According to his findings, law enforcement officials are increasingly tied to racist militant activities in more than a dozen states since 2000. Updated research has revealed things are much worse.

His report explained that over the years, police had grown increasingly linked to militias and white supremacist groups in Alabama, California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.

Oath Keepers leader reveals militia are being trained by police in '60 Minutes' interview - Alternet.org

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

Ugh, finally.  Someone needed to point out that these GQP members criticizing other party members have NO credibility because of their own mess.

 

  

[Tracker]

Here's the insane amount Republican orgs spent buying GOP books to pad best-seller lists last election cycle
   
The problem with having a base that isn't particularly interested in reading anything more than a headline is that it is hard to sell books to those folks. You couple that with holding and promoting wildly unpopular positions on health care, foreign policy, economics, race, and justice, and a proclivity to act morally hypocritical and you are creating the kinds of conditions most book publishers would shy away from. Add to that most of the things you say are factually incorrect, a potential lawsuit in the waiting for a publisher, and it is a wonder how any of these conservative jokes get publishing deals in the first place.

However, the conservative oligarchy-bubble has figured a way around promoting an unpopular product—buy the perception that it isn't popular. For some time news outlets have reported on the self-dealing, bulk-book buying tendencies of campaigns and Republican committees, that help propel books by people from people like Sens. Mitch McConnell, Ted Cruz, and Tom Cotton, Rep. Dan Crenshaw, and cosmic embarrassment Donald Trump Jr., access to national best-seller lists. Being on a best-seller list—especially from one of the Republican proclaimed fake news sites like the Washington Post or the New York Times, can boost your sales further being the premiere advertisement for literature and nonfiction in the United States.

The Washington Post did a report on the shady-quality of this practice, pointing out that "Four party-affiliated organizations, including the Republican National Committee, collectively spent more than $1 million during the past election cycle mass-purchasing books written by GOP candidates, elected officials and personalities, according to Federal Election Commission expenditure reports." The practice is not simply deceitful in promoting a false sense of popularity for unpopular ideas, but because authors of books make serious money if they can get on best-seller lists off of royalties from hundreds of thousands of dollars in book sales.

One of the more well-publicized self-dealings in recent months was Texas's answer to intelligence, Rep. Dan Crenshaw, whose book got a $400,000 boost in sales from the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC). The NRCC defended its purchase of Crenshaw's book, saying that it had fundraised no less than three times the amount off of the book (signed copies, etc.), making it a legitimate purchase. But the Republican former Navy SEAL, who holds an elected office based almost entirely on the truly twisted Republican gerrymandering of a Texas district, was able to point to his best-seller status as proof of the popularity of his opinions.

Here's the insane amount Republican orgs spent buying GOP books to pad best-seller lists last election cycle - Alternet.org

[Tracker]

 

 

 

                                                 

[Mark F]

Former Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin has been found guilty on three counts of murder and one count of manslaughter in the May 25, 2020 death of George Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man who was handcuffed by police on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill. Chauvin then proceeded to pin Floyd onto the pavement, with his knee on Floyd's neck, for a full 9 minutes and 29 seconds.

 

salon

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

48 minutes ago, Tracker said:

Here's the insane amount Republican orgs spent buying GOP books to pad best-seller lists last election cycle
   
The problem with having a base that isn't particularly interested in reading anything more than a headline is that it is hard to sell books to those folks. You couple that with holding and promoting wildly unpopular positions on health care, foreign policy, economics, race, and justice, and a proclivity to act morally hypocritical and you are creating the kinds of conditions most book publishers would shy away from. Add to that most of the things you say are factually incorrect, a potential lawsuit in the waiting for a publisher, and it is a wonder how any of these conservative jokes get publishing deals in the first place.

However, the conservative oligarchy-bubble has figured a way around promoting an unpopular product—buy the perception that it isn't popular. For some time news outlets have reported on the self-dealing, bulk-book buying tendencies of campaigns and Republican committees, that help propel books by people from people like Sens. Mitch McConnell, Ted Cruz, and Tom Cotton, Rep. Dan Crenshaw, and cosmic embarrassment Donald Trump Jr., access to national best-seller lists. Being on a best-seller list—especially from one of the Republican proclaimed fake news sites like the Washington Post or the New York Times, can boost your sales further being the premiere advertisement for literature and nonfiction in the United States.

The Washington Post did a report on the shady-quality of this practice, pointing out that "Four party-affiliated organizations, including the Republican National Committee, collectively spent more than $1 million during the past election cycle mass-purchasing books written by GOP candidates, elected officials and personalities, according to Federal Election Commission expenditure reports." The practice is not simply deceitful in promoting a false sense of popularity for unpopular ideas, but because authors of books make serious money if they can get on best-seller lists off of royalties from hundreds of thousands of dollars in book sales.

One of the more well-publicized self-dealings in recent months was Texas's answer to intelligence, Rep. Dan Crenshaw, whose book got a $400,000 boost in sales from the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC). The NRCC defended its purchase of Crenshaw's book, saying that it had fundraised no less than three times the amount off of the book (signed copies, etc.), making it a legitimate purchase. But the Republican former Navy SEAL, who holds an elected office based almost entirely on the truly twisted Republican gerrymandering of a Texas district, was able to point to his best-seller status as proof of the popularity of his opinions.

Here's the insane amount Republican orgs spent buying GOP books to pad best-seller lists last election cycle - Alternet.org

Wait Wait wait wait.... so... you're telling me that Don jr. is not a legit New York Times best seller? That he cheated?

You're full of ****!

 

 

 

 

😁 😁 😁 😁 😁 😁 😁

[Tracker]

Revealed: Trump's DHS IG blocked a probe into the assault on Lafayette Sq. protest
   
The Department of Homeland Security's inspector general blocked an investigation into the role of the Secret Service in clearing Black Lives Matter protesters from Lafayette Square ahead of former President Donald Trump's controversial photo-op last June, according to internal documents obtained by the Project on Government Oversight.

Joseph Cuffari, a former adviser to Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey who was appointed by Trump in 2019, rejected career staffers' recommendation to investigate the Secret Service's involvement in the June 1, 2020, incident, when federal law enforcement used tear gas to forcibly clear peaceful protesters in front of the White House so Trump could take a photo holding up a Bible in front of a church that had been damaged by fire during an earlier protest. Department investigators argued that the probe was "essential" in upholding the duty of the office, according to The Washington Post, which first reported the documents.

The documents show that investigators pushed to probe whether the Secret Service violated its use-of-force policies in the clearing, noting that hundreds of protesters were hit with rubber bullets and chemical irritants. Cuffari shot down the proposed investigation a week later, suggesting that the Secret Service could review the episode themselves and taking investigators "aback," according to the report.

Revealed: Trump's DHS IG blocked a probe into the assault on Lafayette Sq. protest - Alternet.org

[Tracker]

"Don't register to vote": FL sheriff, standing beside Ron DeSantis, says don't "vote the stupid way" "Welcome to Florida. But don't register to vote and vote the stupid way you did up north," warned Grady Judd

During a Monday signing ceremony for Florida's new anti-riot bill (HB 1) backed by law enforcement all throughout the state, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd appeared alongside Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to remind Floridians of how the new legislation –– which grants civil immunity to motorists who crash into protesters –– will preserve the state they "know and love."

"There's a reason that this place is fun," the sheriff explained, holding up what appeared to be stock photos of multiracial families basking in the sunlight of Florida's beaches. "There's a reason why we have a 49-year-low crime rate. And the same people that don't think we should have an anti-rioting bill, or a rioting bill, are the same ones that think we ought to let more people out of prison."

He continued, "We're a special place, and there are millions and millions of people who like to come here. And quite frankly, we like to have them here. We only want to share one thing as you move in hundreds a day. Welcome to Florida, but don't register to vote and vote the stupid way you did up north, or you'll get what they got."

"Don't register to vote": FL sheriff, standing beside Ron DeSantis, says don't "vote the stupid way" | Salon.com

[Tracker]

Judge Emmet Sullivan cites Donald Trump's 'continued' election lies as reason not to release rioter
   
Federal Judge Emmet Sullivan this week cited former President Donald Trump's recent statements about the 2020 election as a reason not to allow the release of a man who allegedly took part in the failed insurrection of Jan. 6.

In a 39-page opinion filed on Tuesday, Sullivan explained why he was denying the release of Jack Wade Whitton, who is charged with eight felonies and misdemeanors relating to the Jan. 6 events. Whitton is accused of "brutally" assaulting officers who were guarding the U.S. Capitol.

"[T]he Court concludes that clear and convincing evidence supports a finding that no condition or combination of conditions will reasonably assure the safety of the community," Sullivan explains in the opinion. "Accordingly, the Court orders that Mr. Whitton be detained pending trial."

Sullivan goes on to cite recent statements made by Trump to bolster his point.

"Former President Donald J. Trump continues to make forceful public comments about the 'stolen election,' chastising individuals who did not reject the supposedly illegitimate results that put the current administration in place," the opinion states, noting that Trump had issued an April 4 statement about a "rigged" presidential election.

Sullivan adds: "As was true in Mr. [Jeffrey Sabol's] case, such comments reflect the continued threat posed by individuals like Mr. Whitton, who has demonstrated that he is willing and able to engage in extreme and terrifying levels of violence against law enforcement with a chilling disregard for the rule of law and the lives of law enforcement, seemingly based on mistaken beliefs about the illegitimacy of the current administration. In this regard, Mr. Whitton, like Mr. Sabol, is distinguishable from other Capitol Riot defendants who displayed a dangerous distain for democracy and the rule of law on January 6, 2021, but who did not engage in violence... or who did not direct their 'forceful conduct' toward inflicting injury."

"Accordingly, the government's motion for revocation of Magistrate Judge Cannon's release order is GRANTED. Mr. Whitton shall be detained pending trial," the opinion concludes.

[Tracker]

A Capitol Cop Allegedly Told Other Officers to Go After Only ‘Anti-Trump’ Rioters on Jan. 6

A member of the Capitol Police is under investigation for allegedly radioing fellow officers and directing them to only go after “anti-Trump” rioters on Jan. 6, the day a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol building, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) revealed Wednesday. Lofgren was summarizing an internal investigation as she questioned Capitol Police Inspector General Michael Bolton over the Jan. 6 attempted insurrection. The officer radioed “all outside units’ attention” to tell them they were “only looking for any anti-Trump” demonstrators and that they should not be “looking for any pro-Trump in the crowd.

-Reuters

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

You know what?

Biden has been a wonderfully pleasant surprise as POTUS. 

I was not a fan before... but yeah, I am now.  And it's not because he's better than the former guy- he's been remarkably more progressive than I could have imagined. 

[17to85]

1 hour ago, wanna-b-fanboy said:

You know what?

Biden has been a wonderfully pleasant surprise as POTUS. 

I was not a fan before... but yeah, I am now.  And it's not because he's better than the former guy- he's been remarkably more progressive than I could have imagined. 

I think democrats have realized that trying to reach across the aisle is fruitless so they are just doing popular things and telling Republicans to deal with it. 

[JCon]

11 hours ago, 17to85 said:

I think democrats have realized that trying to reach across the aisle is fruitless so they are just doing popular things and telling Republicans to deal with it. 

Yes, and the minority GOP is doing everything in it's power to turn the clock back and remove voting rights for non-whites. Very telling. 

[the watcher]

I'm not always the biggest fan of MSNBC as they certainly head into most stories with a predetermined opinion BUT the last 5 minutes of this are just crazy. 

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

Wow... seriously- this is all the GQP has left?

 

How does one even continue to be a republican at this point?