Open Thread For July 16, 2017

Serious Infighting Over Ogletown Land Deal.  Some of our favorite elected officials sniping at each other. Depressing. Meet Cheryl Stanton: Trump's Choice To Enforce Federal Wage Laws.  Yes, she's stiffed…

Coons gets FBI Wray on the Record – Investigation Not a Witch Hunt

WDEL's Amy Cherry covered Coons questioning of FBI Director nominee Christopher Wray. Coons, opened by stressing the unique circumstances of the appointment:
"Let us not forget why we're having this hearing--your predecessor James Comey was not even at the half-way point of his 10-year term as FBI director when President Trump abruptly fired him without cause and without warning...so now more than ever, I believe it to be crucial that our next FBI director be prepared to be steadfastly independent," said Coons.
It sounds like Coons did a fair job. He got Wray on record stating that the investigations into Russian interference in the election is not a "witch hunt" contrary to the views of President Dumbfuck. Read more at WDEL.

Open Thread For July 13, 2017

Wilmington Ethics 'Watchdog' Disbanded. Nobody Noticed.  Correction: Those whose ethics were already in the sewer enabled the demise of the agency.  Purzycki's reconstituting it. Charles Pierce On The Christopher Wray…

Donald Trump, Christian?

If you are a Republican, you can like Trump. You are dumb, but I get it. You can't, however, go around thinking that he is a Christian. Not unless you are the dumbest dumbfuck in all of Christendom.

Abortions up in Texas as Planned Parenthood Defunded

Who could have predicted it? Actually, everyone except Republicans. The truth is, they are not concerned with the number abortions. They are concerned with punishing women for having sex. If anyone happens to know a so-called "pro-life" Republican who supports sex education and family planning, let me know. I'd like to shake that unicorn's hand.
NEW YORK ― Republicans are trying to find a way to defund Planned Parenthood as part of an overall effort to limit abortion in America. But doing so had the opposite effect in Texas, according to a new study based on research from Texas A&M University. The study, conducted by economics professor Analisa Packham (now at Miami University), shows that in the first three years after Texas Republicans slashed the family planning budget in 2011 and shut down more than 80 women’s health clinics, the abortion rate among teenagers in the state rose 3 percent over what it would have been had the clinics remained open. After cutting Planned Parenthood out of the state’s subsidized women’s health program, then-Gov. Rick Perry (R) said his “goal” was to “ensure abortions are as rare as possible under existing law.” But the move actually interfered with an overall downward trend in abortions in Texas. “This certainly isn’t the way to have fewer abortions,” said Dr. Diane Horvath-Cosper, an OB-GYN in Maryland and an advocate with Physicians for Reproductive Health. “The abortion rates nationally have decreased and are at a historic low. So for Texans to see an increase in adolescent abortions is really telling ― it seemed to have followed the national trend until these clinics were defunded.”

Open Thread For July 12, 2017

White House & Trump Concocted Phony 'Orphan' Cover Story For Fredon Jr..  BTW, they lied. D's Flip Two Legislative Seats in Oklahoma.  BTW, Okie Rethugs appear to be particularly perverted.…

Senate Trumpcare May Preserve ACA Taxes

Because the whole point of Trumpcare is to give a huge tax break to millionaires and billionaires, this seems highly unlikely. Nevertheless, it is a start. If McConnell's Senate somehow comes up with a program that 1) retains the ACA tax structure, 2) continues to ensure preexisting conditions are covered in a real way, and 3) doesn't cut or privatize medicare or medicaid - they might just get some Dems on board.

Trump sent this G20 tweet

‘Make America great again' - The Song. Just listen to it as pictures of Trump greeting Angela Merkel, Justin Trudeau, Narendra Modi and other world leaders fly past in a flurry of cross dissolves and zooms

Proof? I’m Still an Impeachment Skeptic

I'm a "Trump will be impeached" skeptic. for the following reasons: 1) The entire federal Government including the Supreme Court is in the hands of ideological Republican zealots, 2) At least half of the country is firmly in the "so what?" camp, 3) The Democrats, as ever, are fractured, weak-willed and pusillanimous, and 4) The 4th estate is a joke. That said, these new revelations about Donny Jr. turn the knob in the direction of something (not impeachment, but something) happening. Per Josh Marshall:
Donald Trump Jr. began this engagement with Rob Goldstone on the basis of this message. “This is obviously very high level and sensitive information but is part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr. Trump.” At a minimum Don Jr. and likely (though this is as yet unproven) all high level members of the Trump team knew about this more than a year ago. Ergo, all the total and aggressive denials about Russia’s role supporting Trump, law-breaking for Trump, etc. etc were all the most total and abject lies.