Twitter Twit Of The Day: All Hat, No Cattle

Apparently disgraced wingnut former "sheriff" David "Uncle Ruckus" Clarke lacks an irony gene:

.@realDonaldTrump calling Frederica Wilson “whacky” is putting it mildly. The woman is a buffoon. Look at her. https://t.co/GlpIyCTAqY pic.twitter.com/ov3gFCtmjC

— David A. Clarke, Jr. (@SheriffClarke) October 20, 2017

Here's his Twitter photo enlarged:

Buffoon says what?

BONUS:

Buffoon also has an accessory for running down desperadoes in ... Milwaukee -- a horsey!

Papers Please, Chad Edition

As the investigation into the deaths of four Green Berets in Niger begins, there is a focus on moves earlier this year by pathological liar and sociopath Donald "Rump" Trump that may have led to the conflict that caused their deaths.

The fight in the nations of Mali, Niger and Chad against jihadist organizations like Boko Haram has been ongoing for years. Of the nations we're allied with in the region, Chad is the best equipped to engage the common enemy: their army and special forces, trained by French and U.S. military, is a seasoned and well-equipped force that's had considerable success in the fight. Chadian troops were deployed to Niger to clean out pockets of Boko Haram forces when Rump announced the latest Muslim travel ban that included our ally Chad. Apparently, the ban was justified by Chad's shortage of the specialty paper that its passports are printed on, making them forgery resistant.

When the ban was imposed, Chad pulled its forces out of Niger, requiring more direct use of U.S. special forces in the area where our four Green Berets were ambushed. Former U.S. officials and diplomats were stunned at Rump's decision to place Chad on the Muslim travel ban list, given its key role in counterterrorism in the region.

It's little wonder that Rump declined to release a statement earlier this month regarding the ambush in Niger: the trail leads back to his reckless, incompetent, and deadly decision to place Chad on the Muslim travel ban list.

Tweets Of The Day - Kelly Makes It Uglier (UPDATED)

So, White (Supremacist) House Chief of Staff John Kelly came out this afternoon to defend moron narcissist Donald "Rump" Trump's call to the family of fallen Army Sgt. La David Johnson, and to slam Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL), who mentored Johnson as a young man and criticized Rump's insensitive call to Johnson's widow. He also took time to lament what's "not sacred" anymore in this country. How did that go?

Area man who works for Donald Trump laments that we don't respect women anymore pic.twitter.com/3XbPuk5Mdd

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 19, 2017

John Kelly: ‘“When I was a kid, a lot of things were sacred in our country. Women were sacred and looked upon with great honor. ’

Trump: pic.twitter.com/h8d55x7Txy

— The Baxter Bean (@TheBaxterBean) October 19, 2017

Before Kelly was Chief of Staff, he was the DHS secretary defending Trump's travel ban and overseeing mass deportations.

— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) October 19, 2017

Kelly isnt just an enabler of Trump. He's a believer in him. That makes him as odious as the rest. Dont be distracted by the uniform.

— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) October 19, 2017

Kelly, who listened in on call, is attacking Rep. Wilson for doing the same? At the family's behest? Fuck that shit https://t.co/W03WnvSLsO

— David Nir (@DavidNir) October 19, 2017

This experiment of inviting career military men to supervise and control a disrespected president may be even riskier than first thought…

— David Frum (@davidfrum) October 19, 2017

Gen Kelly assails Rep. Wilson for "politicizing" the death of Sgt. La David Johnson but doesn't hold POTUS accountable for exact same thing.

— Jacqueline Alemany (@JaxAlemany) October 19, 2017

Kelly bashed a grieving friend of a fallen soldier, ignored the offended family of soldier, ignored the WH that used his dead son as a prop

— Asawin Suebsaeng (@swin24) October 19, 2017

The only good thing Kelly did today was confirm that Trump was lying.

— Dana Houle (@DanaHoule) October 19, 2017

Trump: this story can't get any uglier

Kelly: hold my beer

— Eric Boehlert (@EricBoehlert) October 19, 2017

UPDATE: Here are some lies Kelly told that went largely unnoticed at the time. Looks like Trump's pathological dishonesty has rubbed off on him, too.

Today's Cartoons

(click on images to enlarge)


(Chris Britt, Illinois Times)


(Steve Sack, Minneapolis Star Tribune)


(Jim Morin, Miami Herald)


(Matt Wuerker, Politico)


(Jeff Bagley, The Salt Lake Tribune)

Puerto Rico's Existential Crisis: One Month In (UPDATED)

While an unfit and dangerously narcissistic man- baby sits in the Oval Office tweeting about the NFL, Hillary Clinton, and (this morning) the infamous pee pee tape dossier, over 3 million Americans in Puerto Rico are still suffering the effects of Hurricane Maria one month in. As CNN reports, 80% of the island is without power, and one million still have no drinkable water. Roads and bridges have been destroyed and are impassible, particularly across the central, rural areas of the island. Tens of thousands of homes had their roofs and walls blown away, and are making do with tarp and whatever materials can be salvaged from the rubble. Many communities have yet to see a FEMA or military presence one month after the disaster. And these are Americans. Among all states and territories, Puerto Rico ranks 29th in population, higher than Iowa, Nevada, Kansas, New Hampshire, etc. Imagine the administration's response if this were happening in those states.

There is an increasing out-migration of Puerto Ricans to the mainland, either temporarily or permanently, as a result of Maria. The pattern of relocating to the mainland has caused Puerto Rico's population to decline from 3.8 million to 3.4 million in recent years. That depopulation has brought on a sinking tax base for local government, a spiral in the local economy and the increased burden of debt. It's allowed vultures on Wall Street to extend credit to the desperate island on predatory terms.

The recovery effort will be a very long haul, and it hasn't started well in the least, thanks to a bigoted, incompetent and disinterested sociopath in the Oval Office. You can help -- and we urge you to do so -- by contributing whatever you can to these organizations.

UPDATE:  The man- baby still thinks "he" deserves a "10" for the federal response. On a scale of 100, maybe. What a delusional, dangerous sociopath.

NFL Player Donates Entire Year's Salary To Educational Foundation For Underserved Youth

While we're talking about the NFL, fighting inequality and respect for our country, here's a player who's walking the walk:

Chris Long is donating the rest of his year's salary to increase educational equality.

The Philadelphia Eagles defensive end already gave up his first six game checks to provide two scholarships for students in his hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia. Now, he's using the next 10 to launch the Pledge 10 for Tomorrow campaign. 

"My wife and I have been passionate about education being a gateway for upward mobility and equality," Long told the Associated Press. "I think we can all agree that equity in education can help effect change that we all want to see in this country." [snip] 

The charitable initiative encourages people to make donations to improve equal education opportunities. 

Long's foundation has selected four organizations whose missions focus on making education easily accessible to underserved youth while also providing students the support they need to develop strong social and emotional character. 

The four organizations are based in the three communities in which Long has played during his NFL career. The city that raises the most money during the season will receive an additional $50,000 donation.

Long is the son of Howie Long, NFL Hall of Fame inductee and Fox Sports analyst, and brother of Kyle, who plays for the Chicago Bears.

Tweets Of The Day - Political Football

News item:  NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has decided he wants the player protests against inequality and police violence to end, but won't force players to stand for the national anthem. That made one Special Moron unhappy, and he let it be known on his dog whistle bullshit horn:

The NFL has decided that it will not force players to stand for the playing of our National Anthem. Total disrespect for our great country!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 18, 2017

Said the Distracter- in- Chief whose very existence shows total disrespect for our great nation.

Some had another perspective:

Shorter Goodell: We respect the players and what they are doing with protests and will also do everything possible to make them stop ASAP

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) October 18, 2017

There's something monstrous about Roger Goodell and the NFL taking cues on patriotism from a @POTUS who insults families of dead soldiers.

— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) October 18, 2017

Maybe Colin Kaepernick should call families of fallen soldiers instead of DT, as CK's never actually insulted any troops. #SgtLaDavidJohnson

— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) October 18, 2017

Beauregard Stonewalls About Conversations With Trump, Contacts With Russians

A nervous and defensive Confederate States Attorney General and evil elf Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III appeared today before the Senate Judiciary Committee to answer a range of questions, including followup questions about his knowledge of Russia's involvement in the 2016 elections. After lying in his confirmation hearings last winter by saying he had no contact whatsoever with Russian officials during the campaign, Senators were skeptical about Beauregard's assertion today that he conducted "no improper discussions" with Russians during the campaign. Intelligence intercepts showed that former Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak reported to the Kremlin that he and Beauregard had held substantive discussions last year about the campaign's Russian policies, as reported last July. In today's hearing, Beauregard claimed he couldn't recall the specifics of that conversations. Then he ran out the clock on his nemesis, Sen. Al Franken (D-MN).

Beauregard stonewalled the Committee when he refused to divulge conversations between him and Putin pal and sociopath Donald "Rump" Trump concerning Russia's involvement in the elections, a clear sign that they have something to conceal. Let's hope that the net that Special Counsel Robert Mueller is weaving will ensnare the dishonest, colluding hack Beauregard.

BONUS:  In short,

Sessions just redefined "I did not have contact with Russians" to "I did not have a continuing  exchange of information" with the Russians.

— Julian Borger (@julianborger) October 18, 2017

(Image: "Ah say, the treason is in my blood, suh!")

Today's Cartoons

(click on images to enlarge)


(Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Journal-Constitution)


(Jack Ohman, Sacramento Bee)


(Tom Toles, Washington Post)


(Matt Davies, Newsday)

Republicans Selling Their Tax Cuts For The Rich: "Lies, Lies, Lies..."

As we continue to be distracted by the puerile antics of the moron Man- Baby and his Republican Party enablers, those same "comforters of the comfortable" are in a race with the legislative clock to pass their upward wealth- transferring tax plan. Of course, as Republicans do, they're lying about it.

As a reference, Paul Krugman has 10 of the most obvious lies Republicans tell about their latest attempt to line the pockets of corporations and the one percent at the expense of the rest of us. Please go to his article for the fill- in details; these are just the enumerated lies:

Lie #1: America is the most highly-taxed country in the world
Lie #2: The estate tax is destroying farmers and truckers
Lie #3: Taxation of pass-through entities is a burden on small business
Lie #4: Cutting profits taxes really benefits workers
Lie #5: Repatriating overseas profits will create jobs
Lie #6: This is not a tax cut for the rich
Lie #7: It’s a big tax cut for the middle class
Lie #8: It won’t increase the deficit
Lie #9: Cutting taxes will jump-start rapid growth
Lie #10: Tax cuts will pay for themselves

Senate Republicans are expected to vote later this week on the 2018 budget. If they pass the proposal (not 100% certain due to solid Democratic opposition and a few ostensible Republican deficit hawks), they'll then be working to resolve differences with their fellow stooges in the House.  If and when that's happened, they can pass Man- Baby's tax proposal with a simple majority in the Senate, though the bill is still being drafted and there are a welter of pending issues piling up waiting for resolution (appropriation bills, DACA, Iran nuclear agreement, salvaging Trumpcare (yes) cost- sharing reduction payments, etc.).

A main motivator for these plutocrat lickspittles is the threat from their donor base that not passing their wealth- transferring tax plan will result in the money spigot being turned off, or be re-directed to primary opponents under Bannon banner in 2018. All the more reason to want this piece of sociopathic mischief to fail.

Mid-Week Berry Song

Legendary rocker Chuck Berry, who passed away last March, would have celebrated his 91st birthday today. A true pioneer of rock and roll music, Berry influenced every major rock musician that followed him, from the Beatles, Beach Boys and Rolling Stones, to Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's inaugural class, received the Grammy Awards Life Achievement Award, and the Kennedy Center Honors. He performed his hit, "Sweet Little Sixteen," at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1958, the clip of which we've chosen today (also note the contemporary quality and style of the exceptional color film).

Soulless Trump To Army Widow: "He Knew What He Signed Up For" (UPDATED)

As a sociopath and malignant narcissist, Donald "Rump" Trump doesn't relate to the suffering of others (one of the symptoms of his narcissistic personality disorder is the "inability or unwillingness to recognize the needs and feelings of others"). Unfortunately, this was on display once again yesterday when he (finally, under pressure) called the widow of Army Green Beret Sgt. La David T. Johnson, one of the four American soldiers killed in Niger two weeks ago. The privileged moron with 5 Vietnam deferments for "bone spurs" then did this:

Trump told his widow, who was in a car heading to the airport with her family and U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Miami Gardens, that “he knew what he signed up for … but when it happens it hurts anyway,” according to Wilson, who heard the call on speakerphone in the car. 

“I think it’s so insensitive. It’s crazy. Why do you need to say that?’’ Wilson asked. “You don’t say that to someone who lost family, the father, the breadwinner. You can say, ‘I’m so sorry for your loss. He’s a hero.’ (our emphasis)

Well, what else should we expect from this classless moron? He's a malignancy we hope to survive as a nation for however long it takes to excise him from the office he demeans every second he's there.

For those wishing to help Sgt. Johnson's family, there's this:

There's a GoFundMe campaign set up to pay for college for the children of Sgt. La David T. Johnson. https://t.co/R79wATYSBy

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 18, 2017

UPDATE: The mother of Sgt. Johnson was in the car listening to the call on speaker phone, and confirms Rep. Wilson's account.

Tweet Of The Day - Citizenship 101

The people of #PuertoRico & #USVI are #OurFellowAmericans. We created this cheat sheet as a helpful reminder to @POTUS @realDonaldTrump. pic.twitter.com/AqOtGr9c5d

— Rep. Ted Lieu (@RepTedLieu) October 17, 2017

Today's Cartoons

(click on images to enlarge)


(Jeff Darcy, Cleveland Plain Dealer)


(Patrick Chappatte, New York Times)


(Chris Britt, Illinois Times)


(Rob Rogers, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)


(Nick Anderson, Washington Post Group)

Half-Baked, Spurious Nationalist Responds As Half- Baked, Spurious Nationalist Would

In accepting the National Constitution Center's Liberty Medal yesterday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) made the following pointed observation:

“To fear the world where we have organized and led for three-quarters of a century, to abandon the ideals we’ve advanced around the globe, to refuse the obligations of international leadership and our duty to remain ‘the last best hope of Earth’ for the sake of-some half baked, spurious nationalism cooked up by people who had rather find scapegoats than solve problems is as unpatriotic as an attachment to any other tired dogma of the past that Americans have consigned to the trash heap of history.”

Of course, half- baked, spurious nationalist Il Douche immediately related to McCain's description of "half- baked, spurious nationalism" finding "scapegoats" for failures ("Hey, that's me!"), and responded in his trademark mature and statesmanlike manner (hahaha no):

“People have to be careful because at some point I fight back,” Trump told WMAL radio host Chris Plante. “You know, I’m being very nice. I’m being very, very nice. But at some point I fight back and it won’t be pretty.”

Yes, "nice" Rump is well known for his patient level- headedness and preternatural cool, among other "presidential" attributes (hahaha no).

Fortunately, McCain wasn't interested in being "nice" to half- baked, spurious nationalist Il Douche:

In response to Trump's threat, McCain had this blunt response: "I’ve faced far greater challenges than this" https://t.co/nFo24e0dDe

— Dan Merica (@danmericaCNN) October 17, 2017

BONUS: 

Guy who got 5 deferments to avoid a war he supported warns POW McCain that at some point he might start fighting.

— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) October 17, 2017

Now a final word from someone with class and intelligence--

I'm grateful to @SenJohnMcCain for his lifetime of service to our country. Congratulations, John, on receiving this year's Liberty Medal.

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 16, 2017