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honest.abe
honest.abe's Journal
honest.abe's Journal
June 18, 2020
https://news.yahoo.com/bolton-trumps-not-fit-office-doesnt-competence-carry-100155284--abc-news-topstories.html
Wow.
Bolton: Trump's not 'fit for office,' doesn't have 'competence to carry out the job'
President Donald Trump is not "fit for office" and doesn't have "the competence to carry out the job," his former national security adviser John Bolton told ABC News in an exclusive interview.
In an explosive new book about his 17 months at the White House, Bolton characterizes Trump as "stunningly uninformed," ignorant of basic facts and easily manipulated by foreign adversaries.
But his assessment that Trump is not "fit" to be president is among the most stunning indictments of a sitting president by one of their own top advisers in American history.
In an explosive new book about his 17 months at the White House, Bolton characterizes Trump as "stunningly uninformed," ignorant of basic facts and easily manipulated by foreign adversaries.
But his assessment that Trump is not "fit" to be president is among the most stunning indictments of a sitting president by one of their own top advisers in American history.
https://news.yahoo.com/bolton-trumps-not-fit-office-doesnt-competence-carry-100155284--abc-news-topstories.html
Wow.
June 17, 2020
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/06/15/why-democrats-have-an-extraordinary-opening/
I know Rubin is a conservative but I think this article is spot on.
I do wonder if Democrats will actually nuke the filibuster. That would be remarkable.
Rubin (WP): Why Democrats have an extraordinary opening (filibuster, reforms, etc)
Democrats have a once-in-a-generation opportunity, akin to the first civil rights era, to reorder our politics. In the 1960s, southern whites shifted to the Republicans, while nonwhite voters in cities and young voters went to the Democrats. Now the tectonic plates are shifting once more. NBC News explains what has happened to the two parties:
Many of those college-educated voters are the “suburban white women” you keep hearing about, who voted overwhelmingly for Democrats in 2018. That gender gap has widened into a canyon. (In 2015, Democrats had a 12-point advantage with women; now Democrats have a 18-point lead.) Simply put, the anti-science, white grievance, bully-boy politics of the Republican Party under President Trump turns off people who do not want to be viewed as uneducated, racist or mean. It turns out that is a very broad coalition.
<snip>
Republicans have actually grown their advantage among white voters who do not have a college degree. They now hold a 24-point party ID edge with that group. In 2015, the GOP held a 21-point lead with them.
But among whites with a college degree, the numbers have moved sharply in the other direction. Democrats and Republicans drew equal support among that group in 2015, 47 percent identified with each party. But in the latest data whites with a college degree leaned Democratic by 12 points.
Many of those college-educated voters are the “suburban white women” you keep hearing about, who voted overwhelmingly for Democrats in 2018. That gender gap has widened into a canyon. (In 2015, Democrats had a 12-point advantage with women; now Democrats have a 18-point lead.) Simply put, the anti-science, white grievance, bully-boy politics of the Republican Party under President Trump turns off people who do not want to be viewed as uneducated, racist or mean. It turns out that is a very broad coalition.
I suspect the Senate filibuster is on thinner ice than ever before. If Democrats win big (claiming the White House and the Senate majority), they will be in no mood to see an entire agenda stymied by a minority of senators from red states. I personally have grave reservations about doing away with the filibuster, but concern about minority rights is likely to be subsumed by enthusiasm for an aggressive agenda, one that might include some systemic changes in voting rights (automatic registration, voting by mail available in all 50 states, an end to voter ID laws, etc.) that would help Democrats down the road.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/06/15/why-democrats-have-an-extraordinary-opening/
I know Rubin is a conservative but I think this article is spot on.
I do wonder if Democrats will actually nuke the filibuster. That would be remarkable.
May 2, 2020
We went to a park today in Maryland to get some fresh air and have a picnic... BAD IDEA.
The picnic tables areas were all roped off and any other tables not inside the picnic area were turned upside down. Ok, so we had a blanket in the car and decided to just have a picnic in the grass. Nope... that was forbidden also. Not entirely sure the logic of that as there were all sorts of other folks there fishing and lounging around and kids playing. How could having a family picnic be more of a risk that all the other activities going on there??
The park ranger said we had to eat in our car. Ugh.
March 23, 2020
This affects both my office and my wife's office. This is getting real.
Maryland Gov. Hogan announces closure of non-essential businesses due to coronavirus pandemic
Source: Baltimore Sun
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced Monday he was ordering closed all non-essential businesses in the state, including retail stores that had been allowed to remain open.
Hogan said the additional step was necessary to "slow the spread of COVID-19 in Maryland." The order, which takes effect at 5 p.m. today, does not include essential or critical industries as defined by the federal government: health care, law enforcement, emergency workers, food, energy, water, transportation, public works, communications, government, critical manufacturing, financial services, chemicals and defense. Liquor stores are exempted from the order. Daycare centers are not required to close.
Big box stores will remain open, but Hogan said he has asked local law enforcement to help those retailers deal with crowd control.
Read more: https://www.baltimoresun.com/coronavirus/bs-md-pol-hogan-nonessential-businesses-20200323-mb5ltcvsjvbu3ihp236por2xvq-story.html
This affects both my office and my wife's office. This is getting real.
March 22, 2020
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/03/20/us-economy-deteriorating-faster-than-anticipated-80-million-americans-forced-stay-home/
It starting to feel like the cure might be worse than the disease. Seems like we lose no matter what.
I think our leadership needs to assemble the smartest people in the country (from both sides of the isle) to figure out how best to deal with this extraordinary situation. If this isnt handled correctly we could be headed for disaster. I hope Joe Biden will take the lead on this since the Idiot in the WH is hopeless.
NOTE: This article is behind WP paywall. I was able to access using incognito mode in Chrome.
WP: "economic decline will be sharper and more painful than during the 2008 financial crisis"
From the Washington Post..
The U.S. economy is deteriorating more quickly than was expected just days ago as extraordinary measures designed to curb the coronavirus keep 84 million Americans penned in their homes and cause the near-total shutdown of most businesses.
In a single 24-hour period, governors of three of the largest states — California, New York and Illinois — ordered residents to stay home except to buy food and medicine, while the governor of Pennsylvania ordered the closure of nonessential businesses. Across the globe, health officials are struggling to cope with the growing number of patients, with the World Health Organization noting that while it required three months to reach 100,000 cases, it took only 12 days to hit another 100,000.
The resulting economic meltdown, which is sending several million workers streaming into the unemployment line, is outpacing the federal government’s efforts to respond. As the Senate on Friday raced to complete work on a financial rescue package, the White House and key lawmakers were dramatically expanding its scope, pushing the legislation far beyond the original $1 trillion price tag.
With each day, an unprecedented stoppage gathers force as restaurants, movie theaters, sports arenas and offices close to shield themselves from the disease. Already, it is clear that the initial economic decline will be sharper and more painful than during the 2008 financial crisis.
In a single 24-hour period, governors of three of the largest states — California, New York and Illinois — ordered residents to stay home except to buy food and medicine, while the governor of Pennsylvania ordered the closure of nonessential businesses. Across the globe, health officials are struggling to cope with the growing number of patients, with the World Health Organization noting that while it required three months to reach 100,000 cases, it took only 12 days to hit another 100,000.
The resulting economic meltdown, which is sending several million workers streaming into the unemployment line, is outpacing the federal government’s efforts to respond. As the Senate on Friday raced to complete work on a financial rescue package, the White House and key lawmakers were dramatically expanding its scope, pushing the legislation far beyond the original $1 trillion price tag.
With each day, an unprecedented stoppage gathers force as restaurants, movie theaters, sports arenas and offices close to shield themselves from the disease. Already, it is clear that the initial economic decline will be sharper and more painful than during the 2008 financial crisis.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/03/20/us-economy-deteriorating-faster-than-anticipated-80-million-americans-forced-stay-home/
It starting to feel like the cure might be worse than the disease. Seems like we lose no matter what.
I think our leadership needs to assemble the smartest people in the country (from both sides of the isle) to figure out how best to deal with this extraordinary situation. If this isnt handled correctly we could be headed for disaster. I hope Joe Biden will take the lead on this since the Idiot in the WH is hopeless.
NOTE: This article is behind WP paywall. I was able to access using incognito mode in Chrome.
March 22, 2020
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/03/20/us-economy-deteriorating-faster-than-anticipated-80-million-americans-forced-stay-home/
It starting to feel like the cure might be worse than the disease. Seems like we lose no matter what.
I think our leadership needs to assemble the smartest people in the country (from both sides of the isle) to figure out how best to deal with this extraordinary situation. If this isnt handled correctly we could be headed for disaster. I hope Joe Biden will take the lead on this since the Idiot in the WH is hopeless.
NOTE: This article is behind WP paywall. I was able to access using incognito mode in Chrome.
WP: "economic decline will be sharper and more painful than during the 2008 financial crisis"
From the Washington Post..
The U.S. economy is deteriorating more quickly than was expected just days ago as extraordinary measures designed to curb the coronavirus keep 84 million Americans penned in their homes and cause the near-total shutdown of most businesses.
In a single 24-hour period, governors of three of the largest states — California, New York and Illinois — ordered residents to stay home except to buy food and medicine, while the governor of Pennsylvania ordered the closure of nonessential businesses. Across the globe, health officials are struggling to cope with the growing number of patients, with the World Health Organization noting that while it required three months to reach 100,000 cases, it took only 12 days to hit another 100,000.
The resulting economic meltdown, which is sending several million workers streaming into the unemployment line, is outpacing the federal government’s efforts to respond. As the Senate on Friday raced to complete work on a financial rescue package, the White House and key lawmakers were dramatically expanding its scope, pushing the legislation far beyond the original $1 trillion price tag.
With each day, an unprecedented stoppage gathers force as restaurants, movie theaters, sports arenas and offices close to shield themselves from the disease. Already, it is clear that the initial economic decline will be sharper and more painful than during the 2008 financial crisis.
In a single 24-hour period, governors of three of the largest states — California, New York and Illinois — ordered residents to stay home except to buy food and medicine, while the governor of Pennsylvania ordered the closure of nonessential businesses. Across the globe, health officials are struggling to cope with the growing number of patients, with the World Health Organization noting that while it required three months to reach 100,000 cases, it took only 12 days to hit another 100,000.
The resulting economic meltdown, which is sending several million workers streaming into the unemployment line, is outpacing the federal government’s efforts to respond. As the Senate on Friday raced to complete work on a financial rescue package, the White House and key lawmakers were dramatically expanding its scope, pushing the legislation far beyond the original $1 trillion price tag.
With each day, an unprecedented stoppage gathers force as restaurants, movie theaters, sports arenas and offices close to shield themselves from the disease. Already, it is clear that the initial economic decline will be sharper and more painful than during the 2008 financial crisis.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/03/20/us-economy-deteriorating-faster-than-anticipated-80-million-americans-forced-stay-home/
It starting to feel like the cure might be worse than the disease. Seems like we lose no matter what.
I think our leadership needs to assemble the smartest people in the country (from both sides of the isle) to figure out how best to deal with this extraordinary situation. If this isnt handled correctly we could be headed for disaster. I hope Joe Biden will take the lead on this since the Idiot in the WH is hopeless.
NOTE: This article is behind WP paywall. I was able to access using incognito mode in Chrome.
March 13, 2020
My office just sent out guidance to all staff to work from home until further notice.
We have no confirmed cases but we travel a lot internationally. We are also told not to travel as well.
This is really getting freaky and having a huge impact on everyone and everything. I suspect we are heading for recession no matter what.
March 11, 2020
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/03/11/michigan-romp-shows-biden-could-rebuild-democrats-blue-wall-vs-trump-125489
This is the big story of the night and of the primary campaign in general. Biden is bringing back those voters that we lost in 2016 that resulted in Trump in the WH. This is very good news obviously.
Politico: Michigan Romp Shows Biden Could Rebuild Democrats' 'Blue Wall' vs. Trump
Biden had a spectacular showing on Tuesday, winning every single county in Michigan and blowing Sanders out in three other states that voted, essentially sealing the nomination by leaving his lone rival no plausible path forward. But the big takeaway from the day’s big prize, Michigan, isn’t that Biden is a spectacular candidate. The big takeaway is that he doesn’t need to be.
Two things happened on Tuesday in Michigan. First, Democratic turnout exploded. Second, Biden performed far better with key demographic groups than Clinton did four years ago. If either one of those things happen in November, Trump will have a difficult time winning the state again. If both things happen, the president can kiss Michigan’s 16 electoral votes goodbye—and with them, more than likely, the electoral votes of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
There goes the White House.
Far-fetched? Hardly. Beating Trump in November does not require an electoral juggernaut. This is because Trump himself, despite his frequent boasts to the contrary, is no electoral juggernaut. The president won the Electoral College in 2016 by a whisker. He carried three states—Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania—by a combined 77,744 votes. Notably, in those states, Clinton won roughly 600,000 fewer votes than Barack Obama did in 2012. The reason: a failure to mobilize black voters, and dismal performances among both affluent suburbanites and working-class whites.
Two things happened on Tuesday in Michigan. First, Democratic turnout exploded. Second, Biden performed far better with key demographic groups than Clinton did four years ago. If either one of those things happen in November, Trump will have a difficult time winning the state again. If both things happen, the president can kiss Michigan’s 16 electoral votes goodbye—and with them, more than likely, the electoral votes of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.
There goes the White House.
Far-fetched? Hardly. Beating Trump in November does not require an electoral juggernaut. This is because Trump himself, despite his frequent boasts to the contrary, is no electoral juggernaut. The president won the Electoral College in 2016 by a whisker. He carried three states—Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania—by a combined 77,744 votes. Notably, in those states, Clinton won roughly 600,000 fewer votes than Barack Obama did in 2012. The reason: a failure to mobilize black voters, and dismal performances among both affluent suburbanites and working-class whites.
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/03/11/michigan-romp-shows-biden-could-rebuild-democrats-blue-wall-vs-trump-125489
This is the big story of the night and of the primary campaign in general. Biden is bringing back those voters that we lost in 2016 that resulted in Trump in the WH. This is very good news obviously.
March 11, 2020
Brian Williams: "Bloomberg may want to give a speech tonight"
LOL! Bloomberg getting a ton of votes from early mailins.
March 11, 2020
Missouri was the closest primary in 2016. Hillary 49.6 Sanders 49.4
Wow. Things have certainly changed and we can give the credit to Biden.
This is especially encouraging for the general showing that Biden can appeal to all voter demographics.
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