Tag Archives: politics

Vote and Revote

19 Tuesday Dec 2017

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In an astounding act of accomplishment today the House voted, 227-203, to cut taxes. The Senate is expected to act shortly, likely with similar effect. However, based on what, exactly, the Senate votes for, the House may have to revisit the Bill tomorrow. It seems someone in the Senate objects – and I do not make this up – to the name of the legislation. Someone actually has a problem with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

Were the GOP just a tad smarter (ha!), then they would have named HR 1 the Civil Rights Act of 2017. Only Robert Byrd could have objected to that and he’s dead.

I understand this measure will result in slightly lower taxes, with mild simplifications, for the majority of people who actually pay incomes taxes to the Empire. That’s good. Note: I haven’t read the whole thing; I’m into eating glass right now. The danger is what else might be lurking within or closely associated with the cuts.

The last time we had such a sweeping tax overhaul, 1986 with Ronnie, we also saw a few tax increases, a little gun control, and amnesty for our enemies. The old saying, “nothing is safe while the legislature is in session,” was coined for a reason. But, as the old had once said, “we’ve got to pass it to see what’s in it.” Cold comfort.

Anyhow, we could have reform tomorrow, or maybe Thursday. Here’s the vote on HR 1, from today, Roll Call No. 692:

227, for; 203, against; 2 likely passed out drunk or molesting someone/thing.

How every single politi-critter voted:

(It just occurred to me that my pasting killed the cursory differentiation between Dems and GOPers, not that it really matters. If you think it does, just click the link for the original).

—- YEAS 227 —

Abraham
Aderholt
Allen
Amash
Amodei
Arrington
Babin
Bacon
Banks (IN)
Barletta
Barr
Barton
Bergman
Biggs
Bilirakis
Bishop (MI)
Bishop (UT)
Black
Blackburn
Blum
Bost
Brady (TX)
Brat
Bridenstine
Brooks (AL)
Brooks (IN)
Buchanan
Buck
Bucshon
Budd
Burgess
Byrne
Calvert
Carter (GA)
Carter (TX)
Chabot
Cheney
Coffman
Cole
Collins (GA)
Collins (NY)
Comer
Comstock
Conaway
Cook
Costello (PA)
Cramer
Crawford
Culberson
Curbelo (FL)
Curtis
Davidson
Davis, Rodney
Denham
Dent
DeSantis
DesJarlais
Diaz-Balart
Duffy
Duncan (SC)
Duncan (TN)
Dunn
Emmer
Estes (KS)
Farenthold
Ferguson
Fitzpatrick
Fleischmann
Flores
Fortenberry
Foxx
Gaetz
Gallagher
Garrett
Gianforte
Gibbs
Gohmert
Goodlatte
Gosar
Gowdy
Granger
Graves (GA)
Graves (LA)
Graves (MO)
Griffith
Grothman
Guthrie
Handel
Harper
Harris
Hartzler
Hensarling
Herrera Beutler
Hice, Jody B.
Higgins (LA)
Hill
Holding
Hollingsworth
Hudson
Huizenga
Hultgren
Hunter
Hurd
Jenkins (KS)
Jenkins (WV)
Johnson (LA)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson, Sam
Jordan
Joyce (OH)
Katko
Kelly (MS)
Kelly (PA)
King (IA)
Kinzinger
Knight
Kustoff (TN)
Labrador
LaHood
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Latta
Lewis (MN)
Long
Loudermilk
Love
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
MacArthur
Marchant
Marino
Marshall
Massie
Mast
McCarthy
McCaul
McClintock
McHenry
McKinley
McMorris Rodgers
McSally
Meadows
Meehan
Messer
Mitchell
Moolenaar
Mooney (WV)
Mullin
Newhouse
Noem
Norman
Nunes
Olson
Palazzo
Palmer
Paulsen
Pearce
Perry
Pittenger
Poe (TX)
Poliquin
Posey
Ratcliffe
Reed
Reichert
Renacci
Rice (SC)
Roby
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Rokita
Rooney, Francis
Rooney, Thomas J.
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Ross
Rothfus
Rouzer
Royce (CA)
Russell
Rutherford
Ryan (WI)
Sanford
Scalise
Schweikert
Scott, Austin
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shimkus
Shuster
Simpson
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (TX)
Smucker
Stewart
Stivers
Taylor
Tenney
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Tiberi
Tipton
Trott
Turner
Upton
Valadao
Wagner
Walberg
Walden
Walker
Walorski
Walters, Mimi
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Wenstrup
Westerman
Williams
Wilson (SC)
Wittman
Womack
Woodall
Yoder
Yoho
Young (AK)
Young (IA)

—- NAYS 203 —

Adams
Aguilar
Barragán
Bass
Beatty
Bera
Beyer
Bishop (GA)
Blumenauer
Blunt Rochester
Bonamici
Boyle, Brendan F.
Brady (PA)
Brown (MD)
Brownley (CA)
Bustos
Butterfield
Capuano
Carbajal
Cárdenas
Carson (IN)
Cartwright
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Chu, Judy
Cicilline
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Connolly
Cooper
Correa
Costa
Courtney
Crist
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Davis (CA)
Davis, Danny
DeFazio
DeGette
Delaney
DeLauro
DelBene
Demings
DeSaulnier
Deutch
Dingell
Doggett
Donovan
Doyle, Michael F.
Ellison
Engel
Eshoo
Espaillat
Esty (CT)
Evans
Faso
Foster
Frankel (FL)
Frelinghuysen
Fudge
Gabbard
Gallego
Garamendi
Gomez
Gonzalez (TX)
Gottheimer
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Grijalva
Gutiérrez
Hanabusa
Hastings
Heck
Higgins (NY)
Himes
Hoyer
Huffman
Issa
Jackson Lee
Jayapal
Jeffries
Johnson (GA)
Johnson, E. B.
Jones
Kaptur
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Khanna
Kihuen
Kildee
Kilmer
Kind
King (NY)
Krishnamoorthi
Kuster (NH)
Lance
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lawrence
Lawson (FL)
Lee
Levin
Lewis (GA)
Lieu, Ted
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Loebsack
Lofgren
Lowenthal
Lowey
Lujan Grisham, M.
Luján, Ben Ray
Lynch
Maloney, Carolyn B.
Maloney, Sean
Matsui
McCollum
McEachin
McGovern
McNerney
Meeks
Meng
Moore
Moulton
Murphy (FL)
Nadler
Napolitano
Neal
Nolan
Norcross
O’Halleran
O’Rourke
Pallone
Panetta
Pascrell
Payne
Pelosi
Perlmutter
Peters
Peterson
Pingree
Polis
Price (NC)
Quigley
Raskin
Rice (NY)
Richmond
Rohrabacher
Rosen
Roybal-Allard
Ruiz
Ruppersberger
Rush
Ryan (OH)
Sánchez
Sarbanes
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schneider
Schrader
Scott (VA)
Scott, David
Serrano
Sewell (AL)
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Sinema
Sires
Slaughter
Smith (NJ)
Smith (WA)
Soto
Speier
Stefanik
Suozzi
Swalwell (CA)
Takano
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Titus
Tonko
Torres
Tsongas
Vargas
Veasey
Vela
Velázquez
Visclosky
Walz
Wasserman Schultz
Waters, Maxine
Watson Coleman
Welch
Wilson (FL)
Yarmuth
Zeldin

—- NOT VOTING 2 —

Kennedy
Pocan

Look through those names. One may belong to you. Consider that 203 of them want you to keep a little less of your money. Heck, I’d imagine many would take more if they could. Remember that.

Developing…

nimbus-image-1513729125186

Best of the Worse; Why Conservatives Can’t Conserve

18 Monday Dec 2017

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As a rule, they have no ideology and no ideas.

A list of the 40 “best” conservative commentators:

40) Susan Stamper Brown
39) Larry Elder
38) Andrew Malcolm
37) Mollie Hemingway
36) John Ziegler
35) Karol Markowicz
34) Michael Brendan Dougherty
33) Erick Erickson
32) Mike Adams
31) David Harsanyi
30) Dan Gainor
29) Quinn Hillyer
28) Andrew Klavan
27) Rachel Alexander
26) Michael Barone
25) Kyle Smith
24) Megan McCardle
23) Ann Coulter
22) Matthew Continetti
21) Kat Timpf
20) Todd Starnes
19) John Stossel
18) Kevin McCarthy
17) James Pethokoukis
16) Dennis Prager
15) Walter Williams
14) Michelle Malkin
13) Rich Lowry
12) Byron York
11) Glenn Reynolds
10) Victor Davis Hanson
9) Ashe Schow
8) David Limbaugh
7) Kevin Williamson
6) Matt Lewis
5) David French
4) Kurt Schlichter
3) Matt Walsh
2) Jonah Goldberg
1) Ben Shapiro

No, I’m not jealous about the exclusion. My sad devotion to the ancient cigar religion turns off many; my free-firing at the GOP and the robots gets most of the rest.

There are a few respectable thinkers on the list, notably: Larry Elder; Mike Adams; ANN COULTER (how the hell is she not No. 1?); John Stossel; Walter Williams; Michelle Malkin; VDH (a liberal!), and; David Limbaugh. If this were an honest list and based on intelligent observations, then Coulter, Stossel, and Williams would be on top.

AND, where is Pat Buchanan? (This is a list of conservatives, right?!) Or Paul Craig Roberts? Taki? Vox Day? Oh, yes. They are of the real right, so not wanted in this mix.

If one clicks down amongst the older rankings, one finds a parallel ascendency/descendancy of sorts. Coulter was, rightfully, in the top spot. Mark Steyn was up that way once upon a time. Things change.

Speaking of changes, what, exactly has been conserved these, say, past 50 years? The government is larger than ever. The debt is insurmountable. The unfunded liabilities have become laughable. Half the populace recieves benefits without paying taxes. The economy rests upon paper, digits, and threats. The currency (what stands in for it) is worthless. Troops in just about every nation. Tens of millions aborted. An effective ban prices out of practicality the real Second Amendment arms. The average IQ falls. [________] inequality rises. The demographics, mostly, do not resemble The Posterity. America ceases to resemble America.

Good jobs, guys and gals! At least we all still agree on football, right?

Politicians in Peril: Send Money

16 Thursday Nov 2017

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Al Franken: He’s gropey enough, he’s grabbey enough, and doggone it, you’d better wear body armor if you fall sleep around him.

No doubt Mitch McConnell, Ivanka, the WSJ, and The Jeb will immediately call for his resignation. ……. Hahahahaha! No.

Anyway, Al probably needs money. Send money.

Roy Moore: I met Roy Moore (briefly) one time after he gave a speech. He did nothing untoward. I also had dinner one night with his former colleague, Hon. Harold See. I didn’t know who Moore was at the time and we did not discuss him or any alleged … proclivities. The man certainly failed to confide in me any rumors of strange mall walkings.

Anyway, Roy probably needs money. Send money.

Robert Mugabe: I’ve never met the man although I did once catch an ugly, cross-eyed flounder that kind of looked like him. His atrocities I have read about, maybe more extensively than the average. I still detest the filth. I am happy to learn he is under house arrest and “negotiating” his retirement.

HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — In the first round of negotiations over how President Robert Mugabe will leave power, the Zimbabwean leader met Thursday with the army commander who put him under house arrest and mediators, including South African Cabinet ministers and a Catholic priest.

Meanwhile, an emergency summit of heads of state of regional countries was called by the 16-nation Southern African Development Community and is expected to formalize the terms of Mugabe’s exit.

It takes a village to fire an idiot.

800

Almost as good as “Mugabe Under House.” AP.

A short preview of my forthcoming, Mugabe-centered piece (which will require necessary post-arrest revision):

Is is “Mugabe”? or “Mugaboo”? Mug – A – Boo. He mugs a lot of boos. All of them in fact.

Mugabe’s picture adorns Zimbabwe’s $100 Upmty-trillion Bill, currently sufficient to buy half a slice of bread.

UPDATE: Thanks to Mugabe’s stellar agricultural management, there is currently no bread in Zimbabwe. Save your money!

If not for periodic catheterization and his weekly prostate massage, Mugabe would have no social life at all. (Firehat, RIP!)

If Obama had a really haggard, crusty old grandpa, who wrecked a formerly prosperous nation and looks like he lives in the back of a garbage truck, he’d look a lot like Mugabe – but still not as bad.

Anyway, Robert probably needs money. Send rope.

leeann-airplane-pic

Grab ’em by the flak jacket! And why have I never heard of Leeann Tweeden before?! Purdy!! KABC.

Murray Rothbard on False Prophets, the Reformation, Pre-Marxian Communism, and Human Nature

01 Wednesday Nov 2017

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Surely Marx, Engels, and Co. were aware of this older episode of “Messianic Communism”. Rothbard’s masterful account deserves reading as a warning to Austrians, Christians, and everyone else.

…

The first mighty program of this rigid theocracy was, of course, to purge the New Jerusalem of the unclean and the ungodly, as a prelude to their ultimate extermination throughout the world. Matthys called therefore for the execution of all remaining Catholics and Lutherans, but Knipperdollinck’s cooler head prevailed, since he warned Matthys that slaughtering all other Christians than themselves might cause the rest of the world to become edgy, and they might all come and crush the New Jerusalem in its cradle. It was therefore decided to do the next best thing, and on February 27 the Catholic and Lutherans were driven out of the city, in the midst of a horrendous snowstorm. In a deed prefiguring communist Cambodia, all non-Anabaptists, including old people, invalids, babies and pregnant women were driven into the snowstorm, and all were forced to leave behind all their money, property, food and clothing. The remaining Lutherans and Catholics were compulsorily rebaptized, and all refusing this ministration were put to death.

The expulsion of all Lutherans and Catholics was enough for the bishop, who began a long military siege of the town the next day, on February 28. With every person drafted for siege work, Jan Matthys launched his totalitarian communist social revolution.

The first step was to confiscate the property of the expelled. All their worldly goods were placed in central depots, and the poor were encouraged to take “according to their needs,” the “needs” to be interpreted by seven appointed “deacons” chosen by Matthys. When a blacksmith protested at these measures imposed by Dutch foreigners, Matthys arrested the courageous smithy. Summoning the entire population of the town, Matthys personally stabbed, shot, and killed the “godless” blacksmith, as well as throwing into prison several eminent citizens who had protested against his treatment. The crowd was warned to profit by this public execution, and they obediently sang a hymn in honour of the killing.

A key part of the Anabaptist reign of terror in Münster was now unveiled. Unerringly, just as in the case of the Cambodian communists four-and-a-half centuries later, the new ruling elite realized that the abolition of the private ownership of money would reduce the population to total slavish dependence on the men of power. And so Matthys, Rothmann and others launched a propaganda campaign that it was unchristian to own money privately; that all money should be held in “common,” which in practice meant that all money whatsoever must be handed over to Matthys and his ruling clique. Several Anabaptists who kept or hid their money were arrested and then terrorized into crawling to Matthys on their knees, begging forgiveness and beseeching him to intercede with God on their behalf. Matthys then graciously “forgave” the sinners.

After two months of severe and unrelenting pressure, a combination of propaganda about the Christianity of abolishing private money, and threats and terror against those who failed to surrender, the private ownership of money was effectively abolished in Münster. The government seized all the money and used it to buy or hire goods from the outside world. Wages were doled out in kind by the only remaining employer: the theocratic Anabaptist state.

Food was confiscated from private homes, and rationed according to the will of the government deacons. Also, to accommodate the immigrants, all private homes were effectively communized, with everyone permitted to quarter themselves anywhere; it was now illegal to close, let alone lock, doors. Communal dining-halls were established, where people ate together to readings from the Old Testament.

This compulsory communism and reign of terror was carried out in the name of community and Christian “love.” All this communization was considered the first giant steps toward total egalitarian communism, where, as Rothmann put it, “all things were to be in common, there was to be no private property and nobody was to do any more work, but simply trust in God.” The workless part, of course, somehow never arrived.

…

This now seems like the same old song and massacre. The slightly more equal “leaders” lived in luxury while the slightly less equal peasants starved (or were executed). All in the name of religion. Some might still tell us of the righteousness – Romans 13 and all.

We’ve experienced many episodes of the like since, in God’s name and man’s. Yet, Someone warned us about this sort of thing long before.

Jan_van_Leiden_by_Aldegrever

John of Leiden, “King” of Munster and All the World, Communist, Murderer, Liar. Wiki.

A Few Thoughts on NYC Terror and the Criminal Politicians Behind It

01 Wednesday Nov 2017

Posted by in Legal/Political Columns, News and Notes, The Perrin Lovett Show

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My FP article de jure: the NYC Halloween Terror Attack:

Dying for Diversity (is it DIE-versity?)

For the full commentary, please download the App.

694940094001_5631934510001_5631920744001-vs

Thank you, Schumer, Celler, Kennedy, and Bush… Fox.

Probably done with this story. The event, the laws – all intractable. Hell with it.

The commentary video (trying to be calm):

Perrin Lovett/YouTube/FPTV.

Offended??? Goodbye Free Speech in America

31 Tuesday Oct 2017

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A perhaps fitting release for Halloween: An eye-opening, if slightly demoralizing study from Cato, finds Americans live in fear of words. (Carlin got this years ago).

Americans Say Political Correctness Has Silenced Discussions Society Needs to Have; Most Have Views They’re Afraid to Share

Nearly three-fourths (71%) of Americans believe that political correctness has done more to silence important discussions our society needs to have. A little more than a quarter (28%) instead believe that political correctness has done more to help people avoid offending others.

The consequences are personal-58% of Americans believe the political climate today prevents them from saying things they believe. Democrats are unique, however, in that a slim majority (53%) do not feel the need to self-censor. Conversely, strong majorities of Republicans (73%) and independents (58%) say they keep some political beliefs to themselves.

636440262810758416-863152614

If one loose cannon sets off a state of emergency in your state or at your “school,” you may have a worse problem that just him. Florida Today.

This kind of goes with the failing schools and falling IQs thing.

Americans used to bravely stare down bears, whales, and British troops. Now they recoil in horror and fear from pronouns, banana peels, and geometry.

Anyway, thank God nothing offensive ever appears at this site. For instance,

Nothing offensive about these Happy Halloween Tunes!

Happy Halloween, wimps…

Bonus:

Carlin of the euphemisms/YouTube.

The Return of Everyone’s Favorite Political Game – Whack-a-Bill!

30 Monday Oct 2017

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Where’s the Bill? Who got the Bill? Anyone seen it? There it is! Nope. Too late. You gotta be quick with the mallet.

This time it’s the GOP’s super secret tax legislation.

Rank-and-file House Republicans are increasingly alarmed by the secrecy shrouding the massive tax bill their party leaders plan to ram through Congress next month.

Just days ahead of the legislation’s release, GOP members of the House Ways and Means Committee are still in the dark on numerous details being ironed out by the powerful tax-writing committee’s chairman, Kevin Brady (R-Texas), and his staff. And they’re blaming the panel’s top-down approach for the uncertainty.

“There are a lot of open issues,” said Rep. Jim Renacci (R-Ohio), echoing comments made by several of his colleagues on the committee.

Heading into the weekend, question marks remained on at least two high-profile proposals to offset the cost of slashing individual and business tax rates: curbing federal deductions for state and local taxes and business interest as well as potential changes to taxing retirement savings.

The uneasy feeling among members extends to their tax aides, who’ve been excluded from a recent series of hours-long member meetings with Brady and his tax counsels.

Alarm? Exclusion? Ha!

An unnamed source tells me the Bill is currently held up in a vault in the Congressional basement, next to the Shrine to Baphomet.

Really, who needs details. These arch-conservative geniuses played Whack-a-Bill with the ObamaCare thing earlier in the year and that worked out just as planned. Nothing to worry about.

Whack-a-Bill™ is like the old Whack-a-Mole game at the county fair – except it’s legislation, your money and rights, instead of a fake plastic rodent.

140309-tomasky-whack-a-mole-tease_xawuvk

Older version seen here. The Daily Beast.

Whack-a-Bill™ reminds you that your vote counts…

Watch Your Guns and Your Politicians

03 Tuesday Oct 2017

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One might, just might, want the other.

Another seemingly narrative conforming mass shooting. Along with some other hallmarks of a false flag or crime of convenience, it’s interesting that the usual suspects immediately rolled out the gun control calls. Hillary and Tom Brokaw resumed the mantra at once, as if pre-planned.

There was another, perhaps less noticeable, but perhaps much more dangerous voice – Donald Trump’s. It was a little hard to hear over the noise.

According to the Washington Times, Trump praised the police response to the attack, saying on Tuesday the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police did an “incredible job.” He added, “How quickly the police department was able to get in was really very much of a miracle. They’ve done an amazing job.”

But after praising the police, Trump made clear a discussion on gun laws is coming:

During an October 2 press briefing, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders expressed the same sentiment. While dismissing calls to discuss gun control during the briefing, Sanders suggested there will be a time to look at gun policies. The Washington Post quoted her describing Monday as a “day of mourning.” She said, “There will certainly be a time for that policy discussion to take place, but that’s not the place that we’re in at this moment.”

Axios reports that Breitbart News’ executive chairman Steve Bannon observed that Trump’s voting base would react worse to gun control than to an amnesty bill. Bannon said that Trump’s support for gun control would “be the end of everything.”

A discussion. What on Earth would he mean by that? It may not be what you think or care to think.

I really like Trump and I want his (stated) mission to succeed – Make America Great Again, America First. However, a few issues aside, there seems to be a disconnect between what Candidate Trump said and what President Trump does:

Lock her up? We don’t need that.

Build a wall? DACA amnesty.

Repeal Obamacare? When???

Tax Reform? When???

Humble foreign policy? War, war, and more war.

Debt reduction and budgets? Not this term.

The Fed under the microscope? Telescope maybe.

103643514-GettyImages-494045244.530x298

CNBC.

Then there is that gun control question. Where does Trump really stand? And what is he willing to stand for?

I hinted around about this 18 months ago:

Trump says he’s pro-Second Amendment but he hasn’t said it loud enough or demonstrated anything beyond saying to convince me. Reagan was pro-2A and he handed us the GCA modifications of 1986.

A reporter once asked Trump if he owned a gun. He answered that he had a concealed carry permit. He never said if he owned a gun to go along with the permit. He said it was none of the reporter’s business whether he did. That is true but I found it a little wishy-washy. I was reminded of a GOP presidential debate a few years ago. There and then an audience member asked the field if any of them owned a firearm which required a tax stamp. The answer was uniformly “no” and it seemed to go over all their heads.

Do we want a wishy-washy politician with a developing track record of flip-floppery having this “discussion?”

We’re about to find out. I may be completely wrong, but…

Guard the guns anyway.

When the Identity Politics Calls

29 Saturday Jul 2017

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Unlooked for, unprovoked, and whether you like it or not.

Two (three) examples in the recent news headlines:

Muslim gang rampaged through Liverpool attacking strangers because they were white “non-Muslims”. Who would ever expect to find white non-Muslims (Christians) in a place like England?! This was probably a reaction to all that “privilege;” and at least it didn’t involve a machete:

Machete-wielding man ‘screaming Allahu Akbar’ kills one person and injures several others during rampage in Hamburg supermarket. I’ve been wondering when “Aloha Snackbar!” would return this summer… In places like Hamburg the bladed attacks have become so prevalent that the Polizei now sport chain mail armor (Sixth Century problem, Sixth Century solution). The motives for the attack may never be known…

Both of these stories illustrate that the new realities will come upon you, out-of-the-blue, just because you are you. It also happened in Alabama:

Lesbian mom asks Christian judge to recuse himself from divorce case. It’s funny that you have to bake the cake but you can’t hear the case. These rules… The preemptive demand (and appeal) have failed thus far.

Look around and you’ll start to notice more and more of these stories, perhaps even involving you. Doubtless you did not ask for it, but it’s here nonetheless.

Attackers

“British” “teens.” The Echo.

Two Takes on the D.C. Madhouse

29 Saturday Jul 2017

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I watch the practical politics a lot less, here, than I do for FP (the people gotta know, so I have to know). One thing I’ve noticed this year is that President Trump has probably the worst relationship I’ve ever seen – not with the Democrats – but with his own party and his own administration. It’s possible no one has seen anything like it before…

The Dems would love to sideline, impeach, or pretend Trump out of existence because Russia. (Seriously, someone please thump the record player.) But they’re out of power, out of ideas, and seemingly out of touch. And it doesn’t matter.The GOP is doing all the lifting for the uni-party this time around.

Take, for instance, the new Russia sanctions: Paul Craig Roberts did:

What is the Congress up to with their stupid bill that imposes more sanctions and removes the power of President Trump to rescind the sanctions that President Obama imposed?

Congress is doing two things. One is that Congress is serving their campaign contributors in the military/security complex by being tougher with Russia, thus keeping the orchestrated threat alive so that Americans denied health care don’t start looking at the massive military/security budget as a place to find money for health care.

The other is to put President Trump in a box. If Trump vetos this encroachment on presidential power, Congress and the presstitute media will present the veto as absolute proof that Trump is a Russian agent and is protecting Russia with his veto. If Trump does not veto the bill, Trump will have thrown in his hand and accepted that he cannot reduce the dangerous tensions with Russia.

In other words, the bill is lose-lose for Trump. Yet Republicans are supporting the bill, thus undermining their president.

He updated his position, the veto option becoming ultimately impossible:

The fig leaf Congress chose for its violation of diplomatic protocols and international law is the disproven allegation of Russian interference in behalf of Trump in the US presidential election. An organization of former US intelligence officers recently announced that forensic investigation has been made of the alleged Russian computer hacking, and the conclusion is that there was no hack; there was an internal leak, and the leak was copied onto a device and Russian “fingerprints” were added. There is no forensic evidence whatsoever that shows any indication of Russian hacking.

It is all made up, and everyone alleging Russian hacking knows it. There is no difference between the allegation of Russian hacking and Hitler’s allegation in 1939 that “last night Polish forces crossed our frontier,” Hitler’s fig leaf for his invasion of Poland.

That Congress uses a blatantly transparent lie to justify its violation of international law and intentionally worsens US relations with both Russia and the EU proves how determined Washington is to intensify conflict with Russia. Expect more false allegations, more demonization, more threats.

Pat Buchanan explains, through shades of Nixon, the in-house attempts to further sideline or eliminate Trump via Director Mueller’s witch-hunt:

Hence, where are we? Despite zero evidence of Trump or his aides colluding in the hacking, a counterintelligence investigation is evolving into a criminal investigation. Mueller is now hiring veteran investigators and prosecutors specializing in white-collar crime.

This is not a witch hunt. It is an Easter egg hunt on the White House lawn, where the most colorful eggs are likely to be the tax returns and the financial records of Trump, who built a real estate empire in a town where winners brag about how they gutted the losers.

Every enemy of Trump is going to be dropping the dime on him to Mueller. Moreover, there is no history of special counsels being appointed and applauded by the press, who went home without taking scalps.

Trump understands this. Reports of his frustration and rage suggest that he knows he has been maneuvered, partly by his own mistakes, into a kill box from which there may be no bloodless exit.

What Trump needs is a leader at Justice who will confine the Mueller investigation to the Russian hacking, and keep Mueller’s men from roaming until they hit prosecutorial pay dirt.

Consider now Trump’s narrowing options.

…

Others, Vox Day included, are confident Trump will manage his way out, steaming ahead with his America First agenda. I hope they’re right. The internal shake-up is already in motion.