Foreign diplomats are booking rooms at Trump's hotel to attempt to curry favor with, i.e. bribe, him

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Saturday November 19, 2016 · 3:19 PM PST

2016/11/19 · 15:19

Donald Trump, right, sits with, from left, Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Ivanka Trump during a ground breaking ceremony for the Trump International Hotel on the site of the Old Post Office, on Wednesday, July 23, 2014, in Washington. (AP Photo)

An article in the Washington Post yesterday details the thoughts of some foreign diplomats as they book rooms at Trump’s Washington hotel. Unsurprisingly, many of them view putting money directly into the pocket of the president-elect may be a good way to curry favor and influence policy.

Back when many expected Trump to lose the election, speculation was rife that business would suffer at the hotels, condos and golf courses that bear his name. Now, those venues offer the prospect of something else: a chance to curry favor or access with the next president.

Understanding Trump’s personality, some diplomats are planning to use the fact that they avoided his competitors as a way to suck up to the future president.

“Why wouldn’t I stay at his hotel blocks from the White House, so I can tell the new president, ‘I love your new hotel!’ Isn’t it rude to come to his city and say, ‘I am staying at your competitor?’ ” said one Asian diplomat.

Of course, they understand how all of this looks.

But several expressed concern that spending thousands of dollars on a Trump property could look like an attempt to buy access or favors.

“The temptation and the inclination will certainly be there,” said Arturo Sarukhan, a former Mexican ambassador to the United States. “Some might think it’s the right way to engage, to be able to tell the next president, ‘Oh, I stayed at your hotel.’ If I were still in government, I would discourage it, among other reasons because it can be questioned and looked at in a very poor light, as though you are trying to buy influence via a hotel bill.”

But according to the article, there isn’t currently a law preventing it.

And of course, he has a blind trust being run by his own children that isn't blind in the least.

He’s also been meeting with foreign business partners in Trump Tower while he’s transitioning into the presidency.

The corruption is already knee deep and he isn’t even in office yet.

Trump mainstreaming sexual assault may already be changing things. Cosby considering comeback.

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Friday November 11, 2016 · 7:30 PM PST

2016/11/11 · 19:30

According to a Vanity Fair article titled “Bill Cosby is Actually Considering a Comedy Comeback,” Bill Cosby is actually considering a comedy comeback.

Despite the fact that more than 50 women have come forward in recent years to accuse Bill Cosby of sexual assault, the comedian and sitcom star apparently plans to resume his career once litigation surrounding the many allegations made against him is finalized.

The article doesn’t mention Trump’s election or the multiple counts of women accusing the president-elect of sexual assault or of his caught-on-tape hot-mic bragging about committing those crimes, but it doesn’t take a genius to connect those dots.

On Tuesday, we came together as a nation to tell our country’s sexual assaulters, “hey, no biggie,” and now we get this. Well done America.

Trump previews what state run media may look like under his authoritarian regime

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Tuesday October 25, 2016 · 9:00 AM PDT

2016/10/25 · 09:00

Last night, via Facebook Live, the Trump campaign launched what some are calling a nightly news show that will broadcast on Trump’s Facebook page every night, presumably for the duration of the campaign.

Some news outlets are calling this a test run for the post-election Trump TV, which probably has merit despite the fact that Trump denies having any interest in such an endeavor.

Most of the people who inhabit what we like to call “the real world” understand that the odds of Trump being elected president are incredibly low, so it’s natural for us to view this with a point of view that says ‘well, this is what comes next for Donald.’ I’m not so sure Donald Trump inhabits the real world, so I ask this: what if this is a harbinger of more than just Trump’s plans for after he loses? What if this is his plan for altering the news media landscape after he wins?

It’s no secret Donald Trump like authoritarians. In fact, as Ezra Klein noted back in July:

It’s not just that Trump admires these authoritarians; it’s that the thing he admires about them is their authoritarianism — their ability to dispense with niceties like a free press, due process, and political opposition.

Starting a State News agency like they have in North Korea or Russia would certainly be in line with Trump’s stated desire to emulate what he seems to honestly believe is the ‘strong leadership’ qualities of authoritarian dictatorships.

This is how The Guardian described the broadcast:

A visible effort was made to mimic the look and feel of cable news, down to the hypnotic scroll of propaganda and stretched truths: the Las Vegas Review-Journal has endorsed Donald Trump! Don’t worry that the paper is owned by one of Trump’s biggest donors and that this is his only major newspaper endorsement!

...The actual program involved Epshteyn and Sims sitting at a table inside Trump’s campaign office, trading catchphrases and conspiracy theories – the liberal media is hiding the truth, drain the swamp, Twitter is an accurate accounting of the American electorate, Hillary sent people dressed as ducks to incite violence at Trump rallies – until the loose segments peter out and are replaced by clips of the orange candidate popping a blood vessel over Obamacare.

To me, that could easily describe the beginnings of a Trump administration state news agency.

Maybe the broadcast really is nothing more than an ephemeral attempt at propaganda that will end on election day. Maybe the broadcast is simply a test run for Trump TV when Trump, whose presidential bid has caused his brand to suffer dearly, finally loses the election and has to move on to another scheme. I hope that’s the case.

But if Team Trump really still think they have a shot at winning, the idea of this propaganda machine that Trump is now starting up takes on an entirely different meaning It is, as Hillary may say, horrifying.

"They let you do it."

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Saturday October 08, 2016 · 3:01 PM PDT

2016/10/08 · 15:01

Those words, the words in the title. Those are the words that makes this a different kind of thing.

I’m no stranger to political sex scandals and I daresay if you’re reading this, you aren’t either. I often weather them with emotions ranging from complete apathy to mild interest (if it’s something really sordid.) If one of the participants happens to be the type of politician who campaigns on his or her vision of strict sexual morality and virtue, I generally take more notice and make snarky disparaging comments, but I still don’t really care much.

This one is different for me though, and it took a while for me to figure out why. It’s because of those words: “They let you do it.”

Now, I know “grab them by the pussy” is getting most of the attention here, and that’s understandable, it’s quite a turn of phrase. But those aren’t the five words that truly makes Trump’s comments horrifying. “They let you do it.” Those are the words, and here’s why:

“They let you do it,” is not “they want you to do it.” In fact, “they let you do it,” reveals that Trump absolutely understands that they didn’t want him to do it, and that not only does he not care, he’s proud of it. This is the central part of what he’s bragging about.

“They let you do it” indicates that Trump really does understand that his actions are unwanted. He knows that what he’s doing is wrong (insofar as Trump comprehends things like right and wrong.) He realizes that he’s getting away with something when he gropes a woman or kisses her without “even waiting.” What ever “it” is, he gets to do it regardless of “their” feelings about it. Because he’s “a star.” So they let him. This is repulsive.

It took me some time to figure out why this one was bothering me so much more than the rest of the scandals that have barely registered with me over the years. As I read the transcripts of the conversation and saw those words “they let you do it,” I realized I wasn’t reading locker room banter like some have suggested. I was reading the completely self-aware yet callously nonchalant confession of a serial predator.

Revealing his utter ignorance, Trump threatens to default on U.S. debt and crash the global economy.

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Friday May 06, 2016 · 9:03 AM PDT

2016/05/06 · 09:03

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Yesterday, Donald Trump gave an interview to CSNBC in which, among other things, he described his approach to the national debt. And it’s awful. Just awful.

Trump said in a television interview Thursday that he might seek to reduce the national debt by persuading creditors to accept something less than full payment.

Asked whether the United States needed to pay its debts in full, or whether he could negotiate a partial repayment, Mr. Trump told the cable network CNBC, "I would borrow, knowing that if the economy crashed, you could make a deal.”

He added, "And if the economy was good, it was good. So, therefore, you can't lose.”

What’s happening here is Donald Trump is applying his knowledge of business to governmental affairs. Businesses view debt this way. A real estate developer, for example, may borrow money to invest in a project and if that project doesn’t pan out they could renegotiate a loan to pay back less than they owe so that at least the lender gets something. U.S. debt does not and cannot work that way. As Matt Yglesias at Vox explains:

Trump is a businessman, and in terms of thinking like a businessman his idea makes sense…

The United States of America, however, is not a real estate development company. If a real estate company defaults on its debts and its creditors lose money, that's their problem.

Every assessment of risk in the financial system is based on the idea that the least risky thing is lending money to the federal government. If that turns out to be much riskier than previously thought, then everything else becomes much riskier too. Business investment will collapse, state and local finances will be crushed, and shockwaves will emanate to a whole range of foreign countries that borrow dollars.

Remember 2008, when the markets went from thinking housing debt was low-risk to thinking it was high-risk, and a global financial crisis was the result? This would be like that, but much worse — US government debt is the very foundation of low-risk investments.

Donald Trump just kind of told people to vote for Democrats to make his tax plan better.

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Thursday May 05, 2016 · 1:22 PM PDT

2016/05/05 · 13:22

So I just saw this story about The Donald and his pivot toward the general election. In it, he’s now saying he isn’t “a huge of that,” that being his own plan to deeply cut taxes on the wealthiest Americans.

But that was the old Trump. Pressed by CNBC on Thursday as to how he could simultaneously brand himself as a populist who will take on wealthy elites while proposing sweeping tax cuts for billionaires, Trump backed away from his plan…

“I am not necessarily a huge fan of that,” he said. “I am so much more into the middle class who have just been absolutely forgotten in our country.”

Okay. Fine. He’s running a general election campaign now, so we’re shaking the Etch-A-Sketch, I suppose. But this next quote is really the thing that I found striking:

“You know, when you put out a tax plan, you are going to start negotiating,” he said. “You don’t say, ‘OK, this is our tax plan, lots of luck, folks.’ There will be negotiation back and forth. And I can see that going up, to be honest with you.”

If I’m reading this correctly, I think he's saying he needs to negotiate with someone to get the tax plan he really wants, which would be one that’s better for the middle class. Now, whom, I ask rhetorically, would be the someone President Trump would need to negotiate with in order to make his tax plan more friendly to the 99%? Would a Republican controlled House and Senate negotiate with The Donald to mitigate tax cuts for the rich while expanding them for the rest of us? That hasn’t really been their modus operandi lately, or ever, as far as I can remember. Trying not to drastically cut taxes for rich people has generally fallen to the Democrats. And by generally I mean solely for as long as I can recall.

As you probably know (though perhaps The Donald doesn’t), currently the Republicans are in the majority of both chambers of Congress. There’s little reason to believe this negotiation Trump is depending on would even be necessary if the Republicans held their majority. Ergo to even get a tax plan Trump would like, he needs voters to turn out in droves for Democrats this fall.

Merriam-Webster adds 'genderqueer' to the dictionary, then destroys detractors with an awesome tweet

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Monday April 25, 2016 · 12:56 PM PDT

2016/04/25 · 12:56

So Genderqueer is now a word in the dictionary and the usual culture warriors are tilting at the usual windmills.

To some of those upset about the word’s inclusion in the dictionary, Merriam-Webster had this to say:

People keep

1) saying they don't know what 'genderqueer' means

then

2) asking why we added it to the dictionary

I don’t have anything else to add, except to say well done, Merriam-Webster.

Man who called 911 on John Crawford may face charges

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Thursday April 07, 2016 · 12:39 PM PDT

2016/04/07 · 12:39

In August, 2014, police in Beavercreek, Ohio responded to a 911 call about a shopper threatening people with an assault rifle in a local Walmart. John Crawford was that shopper. He was carrying an Air Soft gun he picked up in the store and security video shows that he was not acting aggressively, but behaving normally, browsing through the store. The police, having been alerted of threatening behavior, arrived on the scene and shot and killed John Crawford within seconds.

According to an article on Huffington Post, Ronald T. Richie, the man who called 911 on John Crawford may face charges related to misleading the police in during the call. Unfortunately, the charges amount to a wrist slap and it’s still up to prosecutors whether or not to even pursue them.

Ritchie faces a potential charge of making false alarms for reporting threatening behavior that appears to have been misleading to police. The first-degree misdemeanor carries a maximum of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. It is now up to prosecutors to decide whether to officially indict Ritchie…

Root also ruled there was not probable cause to bring charges against Ritchie for inciting violence, inducing panic, involuntary manslaughter or reckless homicide.

I disagree with the judge, I believe there was certainly probable cause to bring charges for, at the very least, inciting violence and inducing panic.

Here is the 911 call audio synched with the store’s security video:

YouTube Video

The call begins at about 13 seconds in. Crawford is shot at about 5 minutes into the video. Anyone who wishes not to view the shooting should stop the video before then.

All military combat roles are now open to women, without exception

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Thursday December 03, 2015 · 2:31 PM PST

2015/12/03 · 14:31

Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced today that the Pentagon will be opening all military occupations to women without exceptions.

Carter said that there will be "no exceptions" — all combat roles will be open to women 30 days from now, "as long as they qualify" and meet the same rigorous physical and training standards as men. Military services have until April 1 to accommodate women in all roles…

Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta lifted the ban on women in combat on January 24, 2013, but the implementation has been ongoing. Panetta gave all branches of the military three years to study the potential impacts of the change and to request any exceptions from the new rule.

The Marines have been fighting full implementation and asked for a partial exemption. Before today, about 10% of positions in the military were still closed to women.

Here’s video of his announcement:

YouTube Video

Mitt Romney is now taking credit for Obamacare. Seriously. UPDATE: He'd still repeal it though. Ha.

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Friday October 23, 2015 · 11:43 AM PDT

2015/10/23 · 11:43

We predicted Republicans would be taking credit for the health care law someday. Someday arrived for Mitt Romney.

In the Boston Globe today, there's an article about the death of Staples founder Thomas Stemberg, who was a long-time friend of Romney.
According to the article:

Romney said that shortly after he was elected, Mr. Stemberg asked him why he ran for governor. Romney said he told him that he wanted to help people, and Mr. Stemberg replied that if he really wanted to help, he should give everyone access to health care, which Romney said he hadn’t really considered before.
“Without Tom pushing it, I don’t think we would have had Romneycare,” Romney said. “Without Romneycare, I don’t think we would have Obamacare. So, without Tom a lot of people wouldn’t have health insurance.”

Emphasis mine. Read More

A 4 year old girl was just shot and killed in Albuquerque

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Tuesday October 20, 2015 · 5:52 PM PDT

2015/10/20 · 17:52

It was apparently a road rage incident.

Albuquerque police have shut down westbound I-40 at Coors for a shooting investigation after a 4-year-old girl was shot in the head near I-40 and Unser.

Abq. Police Chief Gordon Eden had this to say:

We need to rise up as a community and say enough is enough

I haven't the words right now to say much else. This makes me sick.

UPDATE: School shooting at Roswell, NM middle school

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Tuesday January 14, 2014 · 9:17 AM PST

2014/01/14 · 09:17

This is breaking news. KRQE news is reporting that two children were injured and a 14 year old has been airlifted to a hospital in Lubbock, TX.

A total of 3 people have been injured. No deaths reported. The suspect has been apprehended.

I can't find any information on the suspect but State Police are planning to have a press conference this afternoon.

Republican Governor Susanna Martinez will attend the press conference.

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