McCamy Taylor
McCamy Taylor's JournalPentagon Threaten's Trump's Wall of Legal Immunity by Investigating Flynn's (Military) Crimes
Huge story. Surprised it isn't getting more discussion here.
Trump thinks he can not be touched. His appointed Attorney General, perjurer Jeff Sessions controls the DOJ, which means Trump can quash any attempt to prosecute him or members of his political team who might be persuaded to testify against him in exchange for immunity. And Congress is firmly under the control of Republicans who would not investigate one of their own even if they were not afraid of Russian blackmail. The press can publish damning information and the public can protest until they are blue in the face, but with the Department of Justice and Congress in his pocket, Trump is untouchable, like a Mafia mob boss---
Or so he thought. But now, the Pentagon has stepped in. Turns out the Flynn violated military law when he accepted money from a foreign country.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2017/04/27/top-pentagon-watchdog-launches-investigation-into-money-that-mike-flynn-received-from-foreign-groups/?utm_term=.64ebd927a527
The Pentagon has in the past advised retiring officers that because they can be recalled to military service, they are subject to the Constitution’s rarely enforced emoluments clause, which prohibits top officials from receiving payments or favors from foreign governments.
On Thursday, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (Md.), the top Democrat on the Oversight Committee, released an Oct. 8, 2014, letter in which a Defense Department lawyer warned Flynn upon his retirement from military service that he was forbidden from receiving payments from foreign sources without receiving permission from the U.S. government first.
Flynn received $45,000 to appear in 2015 with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a gala dinner for RT, a Kremlin-controlled media organization. He also worked as a foreign agent representing Turkish interests for a Netherlands-based company, Inovo BV, which paid his company $530,000 in the fall.
This begs the question, if Flynn is prosecuted by the military, can Trump pardon him in advance the way Ford pardoned Nixon? Maybe not. Here is a link about presidential pardons for those convicted of military crimes. If I read this correctly, such a pardon can be considered only after conviction---the president can not step in to pardon in order to stop a military investigation.
http://militarylawdefense.com/practice-areas/presidential-pardon-for-federalmilitary-conviction/
Recall recent revelations that "Deep Throat", Woodward and Bernstein's secret source was more than a single individual, and their group of sources included members of the U.S. military who had a bone to pick with Richard Nixon. And now try to imagine how unhappy career military officers who vow to defend the Constitution must be at having to support a POTUS who treats the Constitution like TP--and who is a traitor to boot.
Today, Sean "Melissa" Spicer responded to news of this investigation by claiming it was all Obama's fault. That will keep the (not too bright) Trump base happy for a while. But if the military decides that this is a court martial and strip of rank offense, even the base will have to sit up and take notice. And Trump may find his wall of immunity crumbling around him, before he can get around to building his Border Wall.
Will Trump respond the way he usually does, by declaring the Pentagon an "enemy of the state"? Maybe his friends in the defense industry can offer high ranking military officers high paying post-retirement jobs in exchange for quashing the investigation. Given how many leaks have come out of this White House, such efforts will inevitably be uncovered by the press, proving the truism "It isn't the crime, it's the cover-up." But when Trump is cornered, expect him to act like a cornered rat.
Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to compare Trump to a rat. Rat's are very intelligent, civilized creatures.
Abortion Rights: Why the GOP Wants Democrats To Stop Talking About It.
Not long ago, a major newspaper had an editorial about how the Democrats should stay away from the topic of abortion. The A- word is too dangerous, we were told by the Concern Trolls of the Mainstream Media. We should stop talking about abortion rights and concentrate on other, safer topics.
Well, I am here to say that Abortion has never been a safer topic for the Democratic Party. Thanks to the Zika Virus, preserving one's own reproductive rights is as timely now as it was in the 1960s, when an outbreak of rubella led many to rethink old prejudices against legal, safe pregnancy termination.
When women (and men) realize that members of the rabid religious right will take away their right to terminate a pregnancy in the case of a Zika infection--with the accompanying increased risk of birth defects like microcephaly---the GOP's platform of No Abortion, Never will suddenly seem like one of the worst ideas ever.
Whenever someone tells you "Cool it with the A--word!" ask yourself why that someone is so concerned. The Democratic Party has been the Pro-Choice for Decades. Why, suddenly, is Pro-Choice something to be concerned about? True friends of the Democratic Party will never tell us to give up the fight. True friends of the GOP, on the other hand, would like to talk about something else during the next couple of election cycles.
How Trump Lost His Base
They loved him when he closed our borders to refugees.
They cheered when he defunded Head Start.
They excused him for conspiring with the Russians---Hey. Putin's white. And Christian.
They did not seem to mind his narcissism or the nepotism.
They did not notice the misspellings.
But now, as the rockiest first 100 days of a U.S. presidency draw to a close, Trump's Base of Self Styled Rebel Outlaw Wannabees is finally turning on him. Why? Because he broke the Outlaw Code.
He defended the enemy.
Normal people saw Trump retaliate against an illegal nerve gas attack. But Trump's base saw him betray his pal Putin. They saw him defend a bunch of Muslim terrorists. They watched in horror as he gave up on his (implied) promise to take Obamacare from minorities and give Trumpcare to whites. Trump did what every other typical politician since the beginning of time has done when faced with plummeting poll numbers----he gave up on the economy and focused all his attention on making war----against the wrong people. Only a panty-waist liberal like Bill Clinton goes to war to defend Muslims! And then, to choose First Twink Jarad over right wing strong man Bannon----
The wrath of an outlaw base scorned is not pretty. I guess Trump did not read "Bandits". If he had, he would have known that betrayal of loyal supporters is the number one sin for a Bandit King.
Assad Was Played by Putin/Tillerson the Way Saddam Was Played by Bush Senior
Remember how the first Gulf War started? Bush Senior’s state department gave our “ally” in Iraq, Saddam the greenlight to invade Kuwait. Saddam took the bait—and we all know what happened to Saddam. And the price of oil.
Remember how the second Gulf war started? Bush Junior looked the other way while the Taliban blew up the World Trade Center. He then used this act of aggression by Sunni radicals as an excuse to take down Saddam’s secular regime---and raise oil prices again.
Remember what happened this week? Our Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson former head of Exxon and friend of Russia and Putin assured Assad that the U.S. had his back. Someone (more on who later) then set off nerve gas attacks against Syrian civilians. And now, suddenly Tillerson is pushing for an international coalition to force Assad from power. Shades of 1990. What are they gonna call this War for Oil? Desert Shit? Make no mistake, if the U.S. allows itself to be suckered into another ground war in the Middle East, it will be no cakewalk. Syria has a serious ally in Iran. If we go in, so does Iran. That shuts down oil production all across the Middle East---
And Putin saves the Russian economy by pumping a ton of oil that is suddenly worth more than its weight in gold. And a bunch of American soldiers will die. And even more innocent civilians. And our economy will go into the toilet once again when sky high oil prices take their toll on manufacturing, transportation and travel.
Now, more about the nerve gas itself. Check out this CNN report.
http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/07/world/syria-military-strikes-donald-trump-russia/index.html
The US is investigating whether Russia was involved in the chemical attack in Syria that prompted President Donald Trump to launch the first direct military assault against the Assad regime.
The Pentagon is looking for any evidence that the Russian government knew about or was complicit in the attack in Idlib province that killed at least 80 people and injured dozens more, a senior US defense official said.
Someone at the Pentagon does not buy the official Trump Party line which is that Assad went rogue all by himself. Someone at the Pentagon—which may soon be called upon to deploy soldiers in yet another shitty desert war---thinks the whole thing smells like a great big Russian rat.
And so do I.
Hey, here’s a great way to take out Assad. Let’s impose crippling economic sanctions against the country that props up Assad’s regime, the country that hacked out presidential election and blackmailed our elected officials. Assad will quickly fall to his own countrymen. And maybe we'll get Putin out of U.S. politics.
"Blame the Witch!" Is No Way to Run a Country
Trump got caught committing treason with Russia? Don't fix the problem---blame the witch!
At the moment, "the witch" is Susan Rice. Last fall, it was Hillary Clinton. When confronted with Syrian nerve gas attacks against civilians, Trump blamed "the witch" Obama.
Burning witches did not work out so well for Europe in the Middle Ages, and it is no way to run a modern country. If all our leaders can do in a crisis is point fingers, then they are gonna lose those fingers and we are gonna lose a lot more.
Spicer Calls Nerve Gas new "Political Reality" in Syria, Acknowledging that Trump is Putin's Puppet
But Sean Spicer, the White House spokesman, said the slaughter was unlikely to change the United States’ posture toward Mr. Assad because of the “political realities” in Syria.
“There is not a fundamental option of regime change as there has been in the past,” Mr. Spicer told reporters. “Somebody would be rather silly not acknowledging the political realities that exist in Syria. What we need to do is to fundamentally do what we can to empower the people of Syria to find a different way.
He added that “these heinous actions by the Bashar al-Assad regime are a consequence of the last administration’s weakness and irresolution.””
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/04/world/middleeast/syria-gas-attack.html
Why is there no longer an "option of regime change" ????
Answer, because Spicer's boss Trump answers to Putin and Assad is Putin's puppet.
Basically what Spicer said is "Obama should have knocked Assad out of power while he had a chance, because now Russia is in charge and Putin won't let the U.S. retaliate."
Spicer just admitted what we all know--Trump is Putin's Bitch. Sorry all you people in other countries yearning for democracy. Trump is gonna feed you to Russia with a silver caviar spoon.
Putin's Puppet Assad Uses Nerve Gas---Trump Blames Obama, When He Should Be Blaming Himself
Assad knew better than to use nerve gas openly on Obama's watch. He must be feeling pretty sure of himself now that Putin's other puppet, Trump is in charge of the US. That makes Trump the weak one. He is so weak that the entire U.S. military arsenal could not deter a minor middle eastern despot, Assad from committing a war crime--because Assad knew that Trump would never dare retaliate. Putin won't let him.
So, tell me, is the world a safer place with the Draft Dodger in Chief in Charge? He is pathetic. Can't do anything but try to blame someone else for his own weakness.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/04/world/middleeast/syria-gas-attack.html
Donald "The Don" Trump: Rule By and For Organzied Criminals
Forget rule " by and for the people". We have got rule by and for organized crime. A federal attorney general getting up your criminal ass? No problem. Donald "The Don" Trump will fire him. Just give him money and kiss his ring, and he will make all your legal troubles vanish.
Trump Base, do you really, truly think that this is what is good for your country? What happens when the criminal who sells your child the lethal dose of heroin asks Trump for a favor? Or the bankster who steals your pension? Those organized criminals are not going to be deterred by the Trump bumper sticker on your truck. If you have money--or a daughter that they want--they will grab it, the way that Trump grabs pussy. Because they can.
William Blake (from beyond the grave) on Trump
." Lo, a shadow of horror is risen
In Eternity! Unknown, unprolific!
Self-closd, all-repelling: what Demon
Hath form'd this abominable void
This soul-shudd'ring vacuum?--Some said
"It is TRUMP"'
snip
7." Lo! I unfold my darkness: and on
This rock, place with strong hand the Book
Of eternal brass, written in my solitude.
8. Laws of peace, of love, of unity:
Of pity, compassion, forgiveness.
Let each chuse one habitation:
His ancient infinite mansion:
One command, one joy, one desire,
One curse, one weight, one measure
One King, one God, one Law."
William Blake The Book of Urizen (updated for the 21st century)
Tom Paine (From Beyond the Grave) on Trump (not a Tweet)
"The powers of governing still remaining in the hands of TRUMP, he will have a negative over the whole legislation of this continent. And as TRUMP hath shewn himself such an inveterate enemy to liberty, and discovered such a thirst for arbitrary power; is he, or is he not, a proper man to say to these colonies, “You shall make no laws but what I please.” And is there any inhabitant in America so ignorant, as not to know, that according to what is called the present constitution, that this continent can make no laws but what TRUMP gives leave to; and is there any man so unwise, as not to see, that (considering what has happened) TRUMP will suffer no law to be made here, but such as suit his purpose. We may be as effectually enslaved by the want of laws in America, as by submitting to laws made for us by TRUMP. After matters are made up (as it is called) can there be any doubt, but the whole power of TRUMP will be exerted, to keep this continent as low and humble as possible? Instead of going forward we shall go backward, or be perpetually quarrelling or ridiculously petitioning.—We are already greater than TRUMP wishes us to be, and will he not hereafter endeavour to make us less? To bring the matter to one point. Is the power who is jealous of our prosperity, a proper power to govern us? Whoever says No to this question is an independant, for independancy means no more, than, whether we shall make our own laws, or whether TRUMP, the greatest enemy this continent hath, or can have, shall tell us “there shall be no laws but such as I like.”'
Tom Pain, Common Sense (for the 21st Century)
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/147/147-h/147-h.htm
This one is for you, Mineral Man.
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