It’s Friday, May 31, 2019, D&D day in the Kittencaboodle household, but there is always time to get you the news from Liberal Minded Ladies of Substance.
Tonight, I’m feeding the horde (there are 7 of us) nachos. It may be the last time I am able to have guacamole for a while since Trump’s tariffs are looming large on the horizon. I’m also trying to talk the husband into stocking up on tequila, since the price of that is going to go through the roof as well. I’m not terribly worried about tomatoes since I have 15 plants in my garden and they always have produced well in the past.
Also, the calls are rising for impeachment. Almost every serious candidate has supported moving towards impeachment, and whether or not the GOP agrees, I think it’s important to do so because of the sheer damage this kind of corruption has on the faith in these institutions. There was a certain amount of dignitas encapsulated in the roles of our government, and that prestige and honor has been eroded by the corruption and degradation of this Administration.
If we have any hope of saving ourselves, we need to stand up for those ideals. Or, we watch as Trump fiddles while we burn. I mean, great nations have tumbled before, their amazing works relegated to antiquity like Egypt and Rome. It’s not comfortable to be part of one while that fall happens though. Tell me how you feel about impeachment below.
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As always, there will be a thread below for new or breaking news. And please, share any thoughts you have below.
NEWS STORIES
Australian 'Egg Boy' Gives $69,000 To Families Of New Zealand Shooting Victims -- -- (NPR) The boy who egged a White Nationalist politician in Australia is donating all the money raised through crowdfunding on his behalf to a support fund for the families of the Christchurch victims. His parents have raised him well.
Trump announces tariffs on Mexico over immigration -- -- (The Hill) Think of all the food and goods we import from Mexico. Think of how much more things are going to cost now. Wages are stagnant, prices are rising, but Trump wants to hide behind his strong economy? Definitely not for regular Americans. Plus, how does he see this playing out? America and Mexico have a cooperative import/export relationship, with both countries receiving massive amounts of goods from either side. If Trump harms the Mexican economy, where does he think those people are going to go look for work?
Conservatives Stunned by Mueller Suggesting Trump Is Not Innocent -- -- (NY Mag) First, they decided to tell folks what the Mueller report said, even though they admitted they never read it. Now, they are SHOCKED and APPALLED that Mueller says that's not what his report says after all and are rushing to try and discredit Mueller so they don't have to do the hard work of admitting that their leader is a bad man who has committed crimes.
Sanders calls for an impeachment inquiry -- -- (The Hill) At this point, almost every serious candidate for the Democrats' Presidential ticket has called for an impeachment inquiry. Will Pelosi let it go through or continue to sit on her hands?
For the Record: Here’s the Email Telling the Navy to Hide the USS John McCain -- -- (Mother Jones) What do you know, it looks like White House officials and the Navy officials lied about not hiding the USS McCain. Trump is such a liability that the entire government is straining to stop him from attacking a dead man.
North Korea envoy executed over failed Trump-Kim summit: report -- -- (The Hill) It's easy to see why Trump admires the North Korean dictator. He can put to death anyone who disagrees with him and the controlled media will report it as the victim's fault. It's exactly what Trump wants for our country. Dissenters killed and the media completely adoring and under his thumb. I don't expect Trump will condemn this action.
Mike Pompeo was asked 3 weeks ago about Kim Jong Un executing his negotiators. His answer looks pretty macabre now. -- -- (The Week) Dear God. The entire administration is filled with sociopaths and criminals. 5 people were executed and Pompeo makes a JOKE about it? I wonder if he'd feel the same way if Trump could do that to anyone who displeased him at the moment.
Supreme Court alerted to 'new evidence' on Census citizenship question -- -- (ABC) Following yesterday's revelation about the late "Michelangelo of gerrymandering", the Supreme Court has been alerted to the recently uncovered evidence that directly indicates this has to do with the GOP being able to gerrymander districts to maintain power. We shall see if the Supreme Court feels the threat placed on our democracy by gerrymandering outweighs the need to know if people are citizens or not.
Revealed: Memo Shows Trump Officials Trying to Rig Elections for Whites -- -- (The Daily Beast) As a reminder, the whole reason they want to know which people are citizens and which people aren't is based solely in racial discrimination. The GOP wants to firm up the voting power of their base or, according to the documents, "non-Hispanic whites." This is systemic racism in action and is no different than the Jim Crow laws in the South. Gerrymandering is, at its heart, white supremacy.
For The Third Time In A Week, A Lone Republican Has Blocked $19 Billion In Disaster Aid -- -- (Buzzfeed) These funds are supposed to help the people who have suffered through natural disasters, an occurrence that will become increasingly common in the era of climate change. We've seen wildfires, massive flooding, and now vicious tornadoes rip through communities. Hurricane season is just about to officially begin, and we know more disasters loom on the horizon. And the GOP is content to delay a bill because they want to further a racist agenda for their racist boss. They have no honor.
UPDATE | Woman who made racist Obama post sentenced for embezzling flood benefits -- -- (WSAZ) Meanwhile, proud GOP members embezzle money meant for disaster victims. Pamela Taylor was the government official who posted a racist meme about Michelle Obama. It should come as no surprise to find out she lied to FEMA and took more that $18K while people who actually lost their homes lived in tents. Her punishment? 10 months in jail and a $10K fine. Not nearly enough if you ask me. So, while the GOP delays bills meant to help disaster victims, their people raid the bank.
Grassley slams Trump tariffs on Mexico: 'A misuse of presidential tariff authority' -- -- (The Hill) Grassley must be feeling the pressure to finally break from Trump on something. Trump continues to threaten trade with Mexico, blustering that he will increase the tariff amount by 5% each month until it reaches 25%. There is nothing to be gained from these tariffs, and all it does is harm international relations, the economies of both countries, and the average person who has to deal with the cost passed on to them. Someone needs to stop him.
Ready for More Expensive Guac, Beer and Cars? How Trump's Mexico Tariffs Could Affect You -- -- (Time) Time makes light of this, but it is true, many of our summer favorites are going to go up in price. What it glosses over are the impact that the tariffs are going to have on industry. Oil, cars, televisions, steel.. Heck, we import 5% of aluminum from Mexico, so the beers that were already going to go up in price are now going to go up even further. It is unsurprising that Trump's foreign relations policy shows all the signs of being a summer blockbuster disaster.
The recession hasn’t ended for gig economy workers -- -- (Vox) More and more companies are relying on freelancers to complete work, so they can avoid paying for benefits like insurance or unemployment. More and more people rely on that "gig economy" to make ends meet. I've taken part (and continue to take part) in those types of jobs because the money is necessary. I disagree with the characterization of it as "extra money." For the most part, people don't do these jobs because they want to go on vacation. They do these jobs because the job they have, their main source of income, DOESN'T PAY ENOUGH TO COVER EXPENSES. The "gig economy" is what popped up to fill in the gap between the greed of companies and the needs of workers.