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friendly_iconoclast
friendly_iconoclast's Journal
friendly_iconoclast's Journal
February 14, 2021
The massive GOP betrayal of our democracy requires a forceful Democratic response
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/02/13/massive-gop-betrayal-our-democracy-requires-forceful-democratic-response/...Now that the vast majority of Senate Republicans voted to acquit former president Donald Trump of inciting violent insurrection, as we all knew they would, Democrats should immediately respond as follows:
1. Pass H.R.1 and S.1 with all deliberate speed.
2. Be prepared to nuke the legislative filibuster if and when Republicans obstruct it in the Senate.
3. Get the package into law as quickly as possible.
Those are the House and Senate bills that would expand voting rights, make voting easier in numerous ways and place limits on GOP counter-majoritarian tactics, which Republicans are cheerfully escalating in numerous states.
Here’s what the moment requires, above all: Democrats must accept the full implications of the GOP’s ongoing and intensifying radicalization. And they must be prepared to act upon them...
1. Pass H.R.1 and S.1 with all deliberate speed.
2. Be prepared to nuke the legislative filibuster if and when Republicans obstruct it in the Senate.
3. Get the package into law as quickly as possible.
Those are the House and Senate bills that would expand voting rights, make voting easier in numerous ways and place limits on GOP counter-majoritarian tactics, which Republicans are cheerfully escalating in numerous states.
Here’s what the moment requires, above all: Democrats must accept the full implications of the GOP’s ongoing and intensifying radicalization. And they must be prepared to act upon them...
February 8, 2021
Gov't Mule feat. John Scofield (Sco-Mule) - Afro Blue
February 7, 2021
https://newrepublic.com/article/161266/qanon-classism-marjorie-taylor-greene
The mentioned NYT article, and a dead-on criticism of same from the comments:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/technology/biden-reality-crisis-misinformation.html
The Democratic Party Has a Fatal Misunderstanding of the QAnon Phenomenon
Their belief that this surreal conspiracy has arisen because of the poor education of its adherents is based in classism, not realityhttps://newrepublic.com/article/161266/qanon-classism-marjorie-taylor-greene
On Thursday, the House voted to strip Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of her committee assignments, putting an end to one chapter of what’s sure to be an ongoing saga in the chamber’s Republican caucus. In a meandering nonapology in the hours before the vote, Greene, who has endorsed an impressive array of conspiracy theories, including QAnon and claims that Hillary Clinton had raped, mutilated, and consumed the blood of a child, characterized negative coverage of her as—surprise, surprise—more “cancel culture” run amok. While Greene’s rise bodes poorly for the country, some have already decided her newfound celebrity is good news for the Democratic Party’s electoral prospects. On Tuesday, Politico reported that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee intends to focus on QAnon in its messaging, ahead of the 2022 midterms, in the hopes that the specter of more Greenes in Congress will push more people away from the GOP. “They can do QAnon, or they can do college-educated voters,” DCCC Chair Sean Patrick Maloney said. “They cannot do both.”
Actually, they can. Trying to tether the GOP more tightly to the extremism it’s cultivated makes sense, and the strategy may help prevent some moderate suburbanites from returning to the party’s inordinately big tent. But polls have shown few differences on QAnon between voters with and without college degrees—Civiqs’s latest survey, for instance, registers 72 percent opposition and 5 percent support for the theory among graduates. The split is 71 to 5 among nongraduates and 78 to 3 among postgraduates. And, notably, Americans without college degrees are less likely than graduates to have heard of QAnon in the first place. If this is a surprise, consider the fact that Greene herself went to college. And when she runs for reelection next year, she’s sure to enjoy the support of many college-educated Republicans who, whether they personally believe in QAnon or not, want to keep as many right-wing firebrands as they can in Congress. Those who think such voters will inevitably doom the party would do well to remember the 2010 midterms—despite the Tea Party’s rhetoric and antics, Republicans took the House in a historic wave.
Of all the “big lies” distorting our politics, one of the largest and most popular—back in 2010 and now—has been the notion that our political divisions are the product of under- or miseducation. The Republican Party’s flight into lunacy, it’s often suggested, has a fairly simple cause. The unwashed aren’t getting The Facts in school or from their media sources, and it’s up to the enlightened to shower The Facts upon them—perhaps, as some “disinformation” experts recently suggested to The New York Times, with a “reality czar” at the White House manning the hose. This was the explanation many turned to as the Trump era began, and it was the explanation many turned to for how it ended...
...This week, The Atlantic published what amounted to a rebuttal. According to court records and media coverage reviewed by the University of Chicago’s Robert Pape and the Chicago Project on Security and Threats’ Keven Ruby, a full 40 percent of the 193 people charged with breaking into the Capitol grounds were business owners or white-collar workers. “Unlike the stereotypical extremist, many of the alleged participants in the Capitol riot have a lot to lose,” they wrote. “They work as CEOs, shop owners, doctors, lawyers, IT specialists, and accountants.”...
Actually, they can. Trying to tether the GOP more tightly to the extremism it’s cultivated makes sense, and the strategy may help prevent some moderate suburbanites from returning to the party’s inordinately big tent. But polls have shown few differences on QAnon between voters with and without college degrees—Civiqs’s latest survey, for instance, registers 72 percent opposition and 5 percent support for the theory among graduates. The split is 71 to 5 among nongraduates and 78 to 3 among postgraduates. And, notably, Americans without college degrees are less likely than graduates to have heard of QAnon in the first place. If this is a surprise, consider the fact that Greene herself went to college. And when she runs for reelection next year, she’s sure to enjoy the support of many college-educated Republicans who, whether they personally believe in QAnon or not, want to keep as many right-wing firebrands as they can in Congress. Those who think such voters will inevitably doom the party would do well to remember the 2010 midterms—despite the Tea Party’s rhetoric and antics, Republicans took the House in a historic wave.
Of all the “big lies” distorting our politics, one of the largest and most popular—back in 2010 and now—has been the notion that our political divisions are the product of under- or miseducation. The Republican Party’s flight into lunacy, it’s often suggested, has a fairly simple cause. The unwashed aren’t getting The Facts in school or from their media sources, and it’s up to the enlightened to shower The Facts upon them—perhaps, as some “disinformation” experts recently suggested to The New York Times, with a “reality czar” at the White House manning the hose. This was the explanation many turned to as the Trump era began, and it was the explanation many turned to for how it ended...
...This week, The Atlantic published what amounted to a rebuttal. According to court records and media coverage reviewed by the University of Chicago’s Robert Pape and the Chicago Project on Security and Threats’ Keven Ruby, a full 40 percent of the 193 people charged with breaking into the Capitol grounds were business owners or white-collar workers. “Unlike the stereotypical extremist, many of the alleged participants in the Capitol riot have a lot to lose,” they wrote. “They work as CEOs, shop owners, doctors, lawyers, IT specialists, and accountants.”...
The mentioned NYT article, and a dead-on criticism of same from the comments:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/02/technology/biden-reality-crisis-misinformation.html
"If President Biden wants to bring extremists and conspiracy theorists back to reality, he can start by making that reality worth coming back to."
Simplistic and Pollyanna. The overwhelming majority of the people who stormed the Capitol could afford to travel. They could afford plane tickets and to stay in hotels in one of the most expensive cities in the country. They could afford fancy weapons and ammo, which they were happy to brandish as they were threatening people's lives.
These are not the great dispossessed of the country. These are not the underserved and underprivileged. And they aren't uneducated. On the contrary. They are spoiled, malevolent, sociopathic brats who have been fed a diet of lies and quack theories by a former president and a GOP only too happy to whip them into a frenzy. Some of them are military vets or current military members, trained to kill and looking for an outlet for their violent impulses.
They are a danger to this country. And unless we call them out for what they are and punish them severely -- including their enablers in the GOP -- they will come back to bite us again and again and again and again.
Simplistic and Pollyanna. The overwhelming majority of the people who stormed the Capitol could afford to travel. They could afford plane tickets and to stay in hotels in one of the most expensive cities in the country. They could afford fancy weapons and ammo, which they were happy to brandish as they were threatening people's lives.
These are not the great dispossessed of the country. These are not the underserved and underprivileged. And they aren't uneducated. On the contrary. They are spoiled, malevolent, sociopathic brats who have been fed a diet of lies and quack theories by a former president and a GOP only too happy to whip them into a frenzy. Some of them are military vets or current military members, trained to kill and looking for an outlet for their violent impulses.
They are a danger to this country. And unless we call them out for what they are and punish them severely -- including their enablers in the GOP -- they will come back to bite us again and again and again and again.
February 6, 2021
More here:
Inside the case: Watch testimony behind the Phoenix protest gang charges
https://www.abc15.com/news/local-news/investigations/protest-arrests/inside-the-case-watch-testimony-behind-the-phoenix-protest-gang-charges
Politically Charged: Officials create 'fictional gang' to punish Phoenix protesters
Long, but well worth a read. This is Putin-style bullshit that'll spike your blood pressure...
https://www.abc15.com/news/local-news/investigations/protest-arrests/politically-charged-officials-create-fictional-gang-to-punish-phoenix-protesters
Amy Kaper promises she is not a gang member.
The 29-year-old graduate student does not run drugs, traffic guns, or work in any organized crime ring.
But, she did protest police violence last year.
For that, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and the Phoenix Police Department are aggressively prosecuting Kaper — and a group of 17 other defendants, including three minors — for being part of a criminal street gang following an October 17 protest in downtown Phoenix.
In fact, officers and prosecutors allege the group is as dangerous — and in some ways more dangerous — than notorious gangs like the Crips, Bloods, and Hells Angels...
The 29-year-old graduate student does not run drugs, traffic guns, or work in any organized crime ring.
But, she did protest police violence last year.
For that, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and the Phoenix Police Department are aggressively prosecuting Kaper — and a group of 17 other defendants, including three minors — for being part of a criminal street gang following an October 17 protest in downtown Phoenix.
In fact, officers and prosecutors allege the group is as dangerous — and in some ways more dangerous — than notorious gangs like the Crips, Bloods, and Hells Angels...
More here:
Inside the case: Watch testimony behind the Phoenix protest gang charges
https://www.abc15.com/news/local-news/investigations/protest-arrests/inside-the-case-watch-testimony-behind-the-phoenix-protest-gang-charges
February 6, 2021
More here:
Inside the case: Watch testimony behind the Phoenix protest gang charges
https://www.abc15.com/news/local-news/investigations/protest-arrests/inside-the-case-watch-testimony-behind-the-phoenix-protest-gang-charges
Politically Charged: Officials create 'fictional gang' to punish Phoenix protesters
Long, but well worth a read. This is Putin-style bullshit that'll spike your blood pressure...
https://www.abc15.com/news/local-news/investigations/protest-arrests/politically-charged-officials-create-fictional-gang-to-punish-phoenix-protesters
Amy Kaper promises she is not a gang member.
The 29-year-old graduate student does not run drugs, traffic guns, or work in any organized crime ring.
But, she did protest police violence last year.
For that, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and the Phoenix Police Department are aggressively prosecuting Kaper — and a group of 17 other defendants, including three minors — for being part of a criminal street gang following an October 17 protest in downtown Phoenix.
In fact, officers and prosecutors allege the group is as dangerous — and in some ways more dangerous — than notorious gangs like the Crips, Bloods, and Hells Angels...
The 29-year-old graduate student does not run drugs, traffic guns, or work in any organized crime ring.
But, she did protest police violence last year.
For that, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and the Phoenix Police Department are aggressively prosecuting Kaper — and a group of 17 other defendants, including three minors — for being part of a criminal street gang following an October 17 protest in downtown Phoenix.
In fact, officers and prosecutors allege the group is as dangerous — and in some ways more dangerous — than notorious gangs like the Crips, Bloods, and Hells Angels...
More here:
Inside the case: Watch testimony behind the Phoenix protest gang charges
https://www.abc15.com/news/local-news/investigations/protest-arrests/inside-the-case-watch-testimony-behind-the-phoenix-protest-gang-charges
February 4, 2021
Wonder which TLA it was...
Harry Dunn: Suspect Anne Sacoolas 'worked for US intelligence'
Source: BBC
The woman accused of killing Harry Dunn was working for a US intelligence agency at the time of the crash, a court has heard.
Mr Dunn, 19, died when his motorbike was in a crash with a car near RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in 2019.
Suspect Anne Sacoolas returned to the US, claiming diplomatic immunity, and an extradition request was blocked.
A court in Virginia has heard her work was "especially a factor" in her leaving the UK...
...Speaking after the hearing, family spokesman Radd Seiger called on the UK government to "urgently reinvestigate" whether Mrs Sacoolas had diplomatic immunity, given "the admission in open court by Mrs Sacoolas's counsel that she was employed by US intelligence services at the time of the crash".
Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-55927568
Wonder which TLA it was...
January 19, 2021
That will get more than a few people thinking hard about the prisoner's dilemma...
Subpoena the pardoned/commuted, give them 'use immunity', and start asking hard questions...
...about pay-to-play schemes. Stuff like:
Giuliani associate told ex-CIA officer a Trump pardon would 'cost $2m’ – report
John Kiriakou, who was jailed in 2012 for identity leak, said his pursuit of a pardon came up in a meeting with Giuliani last year
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/17/rudy-giuliani-associate-john-kiriakou-trump-pardon
Some background:
Use immunity is codified in 18 U.S.C. § 6002
https://casetext.com/statute/united-states-code/title-18-crimes-and-criminal-procedure/part-v-immunity-of-witnesses/chapter-601-immunity-of-witnesses/section-6002-immunity-generally
Whenever a witness refuses, on the basis of his privilege against self-incrimination, to testify or provide other information in a proceeding before or ancillary to-
(1) a court or grand jury of the United States,
(2) an agency of the United States, or
(3) either House of Congress, a joint committee of the two Houses, or a committee or a subcommittee of either House,
and the person presiding over the proceeding communicates to the witness an order issued under this title, the witness may not refuse to comply with the order on the basis of his privilege against self-incrimination; but no testimony or other information compelled under the order (or any information directly or indirectly derived from such testimony or other information) may be used against the witness in any criminal case, except a prosecution for perjury, giving a false statement, or otherwise failing to comply with the order...
(1) a court or grand jury of the United States,
(2) an agency of the United States, or
(3) either House of Congress, a joint committee of the two Houses, or a committee or a subcommittee of either House,
and the person presiding over the proceeding communicates to the witness an order issued under this title, the witness may not refuse to comply with the order on the basis of his privilege against self-incrimination; but no testimony or other information compelled under the order (or any information directly or indirectly derived from such testimony or other information) may be used against the witness in any criminal case, except a prosecution for perjury, giving a false statement, or otherwise failing to comply with the order...
That will get more than a few people thinking hard about the prisoner's dilemma...
January 17, 2021
Forget any 'Neville Chamberlain' nonsense. There can be unity only with the repentant...
...and that means on their part, acknowledging that:
1) Joe Biden is the duly elected 46th President of the United States of America.
1) Trump and his crew were/are running a criminal enterprise.
2) Those who committed crimes on the behalf of said crew need to do time.
Do that, and we'll talk- and not a moment before.
January 17, 2021
What you want is a nice idea. What we'd actually *get* is Reconstruction 2.0
Remember how the original one turned out?
I'll give "a little acceptance" to the ones who make amends.
The rest need to suffer the well-earned consequences of their own actions
January 16, 2021
Major NRA donor to challenge gun group's bankruptcy over alleged fraud
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/16/nra-donor-bankruptcy-dave-dellaquila-wayne-lapierreComplaint could stop top NRA executives from discharging a substantial portion of the organisation’s debts
A major donor to the National Rifle Association is poised to challenge key aspects of the gun group’s bankruptcy filing, in an attempt to hold executives accountable for allegedly having defrauded their members of millions of dollars to support their own lavish lifestyles.
Dave Dell’Aquila, a former tech company boss who has donated more than $100,000 to the NRA, told the Guardian on Saturday he was preparing to lodge a complaint in US bankruptcy court in Dallas, Texas. If successful, it could stop top NRA executives discharging a substantial portion of the organisation’s debts.
It could also stop Wayne LaPierre, the NRA’s controversial longtime chief executive, avoiding ongoing lawsuits that allege he defrauded the pro-gun group’s members to pay for luxury travel to the Bahamas and Europe and high-end Zegna suits.
LaPierre has denied the allegations of financial impropriety, insisting in a letter to NRA members that the group is “well-governed, financially solvent and committed to good governance”.
A major donor to the National Rifle Association is poised to challenge key aspects of the gun group’s bankruptcy filing, in an attempt to hold executives accountable for allegedly having defrauded their members of millions of dollars to support their own lavish lifestyles.
Dave Dell’Aquila, a former tech company boss who has donated more than $100,000 to the NRA, told the Guardian on Saturday he was preparing to lodge a complaint in US bankruptcy court in Dallas, Texas. If successful, it could stop top NRA executives discharging a substantial portion of the organisation’s debts.
It could also stop Wayne LaPierre, the NRA’s controversial longtime chief executive, avoiding ongoing lawsuits that allege he defrauded the pro-gun group’s members to pay for luxury travel to the Bahamas and Europe and high-end Zegna suits.
LaPierre has denied the allegations of financial impropriety, insisting in a letter to NRA members that the group is “well-governed, financially solvent and committed to good governance”.
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