the rich asshole administration OK leaving women out of drafting health care bill
JUNE 16, 2017
Republicans have locked out women from the secret health care bill they are writing, and the rich asshole administration doesn't care.
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
The way Senate Republicans are trying to push through their super secret bill to repeal health care is egregious for a number of reasons.
But their exclusion of women from the process is especially odious. The Senate version of the bill is being written in secret, by a group of 13 Republican men and no women. Even female senators from their own party have no voice in crafting the bill.
And that, according to Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, is just fine. In an exchange with Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), during an appropriations hearing, Price refused to denounce that terrible decision by his fellow Republicans, absurdly claiming it is not his “role to engage in the process.”
.@SecPriceMD refuses to say if women should have a seat at the table writing the Senate’s secret tax-cuts-for-billionaires #TrumpCare bill. pic.twitter.com/aLKBhkmVjB
SCHATZ: You’re a physician, you’re the secretary, you’re the former chair of the budget committee, you’ve worked on a bipartisan basis. So I’m just going to ask you a couple of questions related to your personal opinion around lawmaking. Do you think that that 13-person group would benefit from the perspective of a woman?
PRICE: As I said to another question that was asked, as a member of the Article II branch of the government, I will leave the Article I branch functioning to the Article I branch.
SCHATZ: You can’t answer the question of whether you think a health care discussion would benefit from having a woman involved or not?
PRICE: As I say, this is an internal issue for the legislative branch, for the Senate of the United States, and it’s not my role to engage in the process, the tactics that go on here in the legislative branch.
It is not a trick to question to ask whether women should have input on a health care bill that will affect millions of Americans and a sixth of the economy. Especially when male legislators are infamous for not understanding even the most basic facts about women’s health care — like contraception, pregnancy, and how to screen for breast cancer.
In March, for example, Republican Rep. John Shikmus asked why men should have to pay for prenatal care, and he’s hardly the first Republican to say out loud that men should be exempt from sharing the health costs of pregnancy and child birth.
In 2009, during the initial debate over Obamacare, then-Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona infamously claimed, “I don’t need maternity care, and so requiring that to be in my insurance policy is something that I don’t need and will make the policy more expensive.”
Michigan Democrat Debbie Stabenow righteously responded, “I think your mom probably did.”
And that is precisely why it is inappropriate and absurd to exclude women from the process of writing health care legislation. It should not be difficult for the rich asshole administration to admit that.
Given the administration’s handling of this effort to repeal Obamacare — pushing for draconian cuts to Medicaid, discrimination against people with pre-existing conditions, and kicking 23 million Americans off their insurance, all in secret — it’s no wonder that a new poll shows 66 percent of Americans, including a third of Republicans, don’t approve.
And the fact that the administration does not care whether women have a voice in the process only makes it look that much worse.
AUTHOR
Senior Editor
Kaili Joy Gray
Longtime progressive editor and writer and fierce feminist. Formerly Planned Parenthood, Wonkette, and Daily Kos. Follow her on Twitter @KailiJoy.
Looks Like the rich asshole Told Rosenstein To Fire Bob Mueller
June 16, 2017
Susie Madrak
Posted with permission from Crooks and Liars
Trump’s transition team is ordered to preserve documents in #TrumpRussia probe; sign of breadth of Mueller inquiry. nytimes.com/2017/06/16/us/…
Much informed speculation ensues!
Big: Trump just said Rosenstein told him to fire Comey.
This will be key to the obstruction probe. Here's how.wapo.st/2rkj52f
Noteworthy: @DonaldJTrumpJr retweeted this piece. Do not take for granted that Trump won't try to remove him. twitter.com/USATOpinion/st…
Yep. Rosenstein was in on the meeting with Sessions and Trump over Comey's fate. See me and @tribelaw here: wapo.st/2rkj52f twitter.com/mmurraypolitic…
In here, @tribelaw tells me meeting between Rosenstein, Sessions, and Trump just before Comey's firing will figure in obstruction probe: twitter.com/ThePlumLineGS/…
interactions between WH and Rosenstein last night/this morning must have been really something twitter.com/realdonaldtrum…
Next in line: Associate AG Rachel Brand, who is a conservative lawyer active in GOP and not a career prosecutor. Thoughts, @benjaminwittes? twitter.com/davidfrum/stat…
Trump appeared to attack the integrity of Rod Rosenstein, the top Justice official in charge of the Russia inquiry nyti.ms/2rnOalP
Well, the majority of people who are getting lawyers in the No45 administration is increasing. First no45, then Pence and now others as well. This is after no45's counsel told them NOT to get counsel. LOL
Obsessed the rich asshole randomly blurts out ‘I’m not under investigation’ in conversations with aides: report
President some rich asshole apparently admitted Friday morning that he’s under investigation, but he’s been obsessed for months with proving he’s not.
Administration officials and the president’s advisers are worried the rich asshole’s tweets and public statements about the Russia probe will trigger additional damaging leaks, but they said he cannot stop talking about the investigation, reported Politico.
The website reported that the rich asshole will sometimes interrupt conversations with associates to say, “I’m not under investigation.”
the rich asshole tweeted out Friday morning that his alleged campaign collusion with Russia had been investigated for months but no conclusive evidence had been found.
“After 7 months of investigations & committee hearings about my ‘collusion with the Russians,'” the rich asshole tweeted. “Nobody has been able to show any proof. Sad!”
After 7 months of investigations & committee hearings about my "collusion with the Russians," nobody has been able to show any proof. Sad!
The president watches hours of TV news coverage every day — especially morning shows, which he sometimes records and watches in the evening — and complains about the reports nonstop.
the rich asshole disputes the investigation as a “witch hunt” on Twitter, as he did both Thursday and Friday, and he does the same thing in private conversations, associates told Politico.
“It’s basically all he talks about on the phone,” said one adviser.
His aides try to change the subject when the president brings up Russia, and aides have tried to reassure him the probe will clear him of wrongdoing — but he remains obsessed by what he believes is unfair treatment.
the rich asshole aides have urged him to stop meddling in the investigative process, but law enforcement and intelligence officials have recounted how the president has asked them to push back against the probe or to publicly exonerate him.
The president is reportedly under investigation for obstruction after firing FBI director James Comey, and sources told Politico he’s privately fuming about special prosecutor Robert Mueller.
the rich asshole lashed out Friday morning at deputy attorney general Rod Rosenstein, who told lawmakers this week that he would not follow an order by the president to fire Mueller without “good cause.”
“He is totally in a box now,” one friend told Politico. “And it might make him want to fire Mueller more.”
Mueller Blindsides the rich asshole with 3 New Prosecutors, Worst Case Scenario For the rich asshole
Posted on June 15, 2017
Lawyers responsible for bringing down Richard Nixon, Enron and the mafia are lining up for a shot to prosecute some rich asshole for possible obstruction of justice or other crimes related to his treatment of the Russia scandal. Special investigator and former FBI Director Robert Mueller is assembling a prosecution team that should make some rich asshole and his team very, very nervous.
Mueller’s picks thus far are three former colleagues from his last position at the Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr law firm: Aaron Zebley, who also was Mueller’s FBI chief of staff; Jeannie Rhee, a former DOJ attorney; and Quarles, who got his start in Washington some four decades ago as an assistant Watergate prosecutor.
Politico explains:
But Mueller’s biggest hire to date was [Andrew] Weissmann, who is taking a leave from his current post leading the Justice Department’s criminal fraud section. The two men have a long history together at the FBI, where Weissmann served as both the bureau’s general counsel from 2011 to 2013 and as Mueller’s special counsel in 2005.
But Mueller’s biggest hire to date was [Andrew] Weissmann, who is taking a leave from his current post leading the Justice Department’s criminal fraud section. The two men have a long history together at the FBI, where Weissmann served as both the bureau’s general counsel from 2011 to 2013 and as Mueller’s special counsel in 2005.
Weissmann’s prosecution record includes overseeing the investigations into more than 30 people while running the Enron Task Force, including CEOs Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling. And while working in the U.S. attorney’s office in the eastern district of New York, he tried more than 25 cases involving members of the Genovese, Colombo and Gambino crime families.’
Again, this should make the rich asshole very, very nervous. These are very serious lawyers that have specialized in bringing down corrupt businessmen, politicians and companies. Sounds like a perfect storm in the works to bring this clown show crashing down.
GQ Magazine puts it this way:
Imagine being a president and a corrupt businessman who potentially is at the head of an immense conspiracy. Your life is full of paranoia. You don’t know whom to trust. The people around you are constantly trying to manipulate you. You’re out of your depth in most meetings. The media won’t stop talking about the scandal you’re at the center of, but you hope against hope that you’ll wake up tomorrow and it’ll just go away.
And then you find out the guys who are investigating you are people who have literally brought down presidents and corrupt businessmen. That’s the situation our president finds himself in now. And if we’ve learned anything from the past two years of some rich asshole’s political career, it’s that there’s nothing this guy handles worse than pressure. I have no doubt that we’re only days away from a Twitter rant about how these guys are losers who should be deported for being FAKE NEWS or something equally stupid.
This is a worst case scenario line up from the rich asshole. I hope he’s ready, because it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
THURSDAY, JUN 15, 2017 11:30 AM EDT
Groveling before the mad king: some rich asshole’s Cabinet of sycophants
Our president's cultlike craving for constant worship and validation has become the new normal. How do we escape?
On Monday, June 12, the 143rd day of his presidency, some rich asshole convened his first meeting with all his Cabinet members. As they sat in the West Wing of the White House, the rich asshole first complimented himself before asking them to praise his accomplishments as president.
the rich asshole’s Cabinet members dutifully responded, one by one. But White House chief of staff Reince Priebus’ groveling was perhaps the most pathetic: “On behalf of the entire senior staff around you, Mr. President, we thank you for the opportunity and the blessing you’ve given us to serve your agenda and the American people. And we’re continuing to work every day to accomplish those goals.”
This is not funny. This is not normal.
the rich asshole is vainglorious, a personality trait that can be compelling for a character in a Shakespearean tragedy or a Greek play, but disastrous when channeled by the leader of a country.
the rich asshole’s actions on Monday are but one more reminder that he is a plutocratic authoritarian with no regard or respect for basic norms of democracy or human decency. He leads a cult of personality whose members will not abandon him; he is backed by a political party that worships power and will abandon American democracy in order to advance its goals.
And the rich asshole has repeatedly shown that loyalty to him should supersede loyalty to the Constitution. As such, it appears more likely than not that the rich asshole committed impeachable offenses when he potentially obstructed justice by firing FBI Director James Comey for refusing to stop an investigation of whether the rich asshole’s inner circle had been infiltrated by Russian agents.
An independent judiciary and a democracy where the branches of government are separate from one another is a dire threat to an autocrat who wants unlimited power.
If so empowered, some rich asshole would rename the calendar in his name. Like any other petty dictator, he would festoon himself with medals and ribbons for imagined feats of bravery and strength. He would also order his own personal state-sponsored media in the form of Fox News, Infowars and Breitbart to play an endless loop of footage highlighting the Great Leader’s wondrous abilities and all the ways he is a gift to the American people and the world. There would be military parades at home and spectacles of violence abroad to distract the public from the country’s problems.
In the near-daily tsunamis of lies, cruelty, rumors, obfuscation and political theater that surrounds the rich asshole’s administration, there are important developments that the American people and news media often do not fully appreciate. This is understandable given that one of the primary tactics of an authoritarian is to bend reality to his or her will and by doing so to confuse the public so it is less able to resist.
Several weeks ago, some rich asshole withdrew the United States from the Paris climate agreement. In a report about this decision, The Washington Post offered the following detail:
But the president’s mind was largely made up: He would withdraw from the Paris accord.
If he needed a nudge, though, one came from France over the weekend. [President Emmanuel] Macron was quoted in a French journal talking about his white-knuckled handshake with the rich asshole at their first meeting in Brussels, where the newly elected French president gripped the rich asshole’s hand tightly and would not let go for six long seconds in a show of alpha-male fortitude.
“My handshake was not innocent,” Macron said. He likened the rich asshole to a pair of authoritarian strongmen — Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan — and said that he was purposefully forceful because he believed his encounter with the rich asshole was “a moment of truth.”
Hearing smack-talk from the Frenchman 31 years his junior irritated and bewildered the rich asshole, aides said.
A few days later, the rich asshole got his revenge. He proclaimed from the Rose Garden, “I was elected to represent the citizens of Pittsburgh, not Paris.”
the rich asshole has greatly diminished America’s standing and prestige among the nations of the world. He is literally willing to let the planet burn and flood because his fragile childlike ego and insecure manhood were slighted and diminished.
What is the rich asshole capable of doing when he does not get his way? To what extremes will he go for validation or revenge when his need for attention and hero worship is not satisfied? The potential answers should frighten all sane and intelligent people.
The 1994 film “The Madness of King George” offers the following warning: “We consider ourselves blessed in our constitution. We tell ourselves our Parliament is the envy of the world. But we live in the health and well-being of the sovereign as much as any vizier does the sultan.”
It is tragic how quickly this horrible state of affairs has become a new type of normal in the United States. In retrospect, it is now clear that our country’s democratic institutions and norms were far more fragile than even the most cynical critics had imagined. Who shall save us from the whims of some rich asshole? And is such a thing even possible anymore?
THURSDAY, JUN 15, 2017 03:46 PM EDT
GOP’s defense of the rich asshole reaches new low: Ignorance of the law is no excuse for obstruction of justice
the rich asshole is no toddler and Republicans should stop covering up for him
Last week, House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., suggested that President some rich asshole’s constant conversations with former FBI Director James Comey were excusable because he’s “new to this.” The senior Republican senator from Maine, Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee investigating possible collusion between the rich asshole campaign and Russia, also explained that “he just does not fully understand or appreciate the boundaries.”
Now, another Republican is using the same rhetoric about political inexperience to excuse the rich asshole’s possible obstruction of justice. After all, is it obstruction if you don’t know you’re actually obstructing?
“We have a president that’s not from the political class,” noted Rep. David Schweikert, R-Ariz., when asked by NPR whether he welcomed the rich asshole’s investigation at the hands of special prosecutor Robert Mueller. “The learning of the discipline use of language and what certain words mean in our context. If you’re not from this world, you may not have developed that discipline.”
Apparently, Americans are to believe that the man who knows things better than anyone else just doesn’t know what obstruction of justice is.
Schweikert suggested it was possible that the rich asshole’s actions — like, let’s say asking his FBI director to pledge loyalty to him — could turn out to be “absolutely innocent.” Schweikert said there were “layers of conspiracy theories and things that might or might not have happened” when it comes to the president meeting in private with his FBI director, talking about the Russia investigation, and asking Comey if he could “let this go.”
Unfortunately for Schweikert and the other Republicans desperately defending the rich asshole, ignorance of the law is no excuse for obstruction of justice. Americans overwhelming believe Comey and disbelieve the rich asshole.
With Wednesday’s revelation that the rich asshole may be under investigation for obstruction of justice, it’s understandable that Schweikert would like the whole thing to just end.
“There’s so much noise and information and misinformation and misunderstanding,” he said, “we’re almost at that stage where just look at it, let’s get through this, and let us get back to government.”
That would be a good idea for the GOP, wouldn’t it?
the rich asshole is no toddler. Republicans should stop covering up for him.
President the rich asshole Attacked Hillary Clinton Over Her Emails. Again.
Jun 15, 2017
Amid reports that he's under investigation for obstruction of justice, President some rich asshole said Thursday that investigators should examine unspecified “dealings” that Hillary Clinton and Democrats have with Russia, as opposed to his “non-dealings.”
He also brought up Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server and questioned whether her actions amounted to obstruction of justice.
“Why is that Hillary Clintons family and Dems dealings with Russia are not looked at, but my non-dealings are?” the President tweeted Thursday afternoon.
“Crooked H destroyed phones w/ hammer, 'bleached' emails, & had husband meet w/AG days before she was cleared- & they talk about obstruction?” he said in a second tweet.
Why is that Hillary Clintons family and Dems dealings with Russia are not looked at, but my non-dealings are?
Crooked H destroyed phones w/ hammer, 'bleached' emails, & had husband meet w/AG days before she was cleared- & they talk about obstruction?
Before the rich asshole was elected president, he often criticized Clinton — then his Democratic opponent — for the investigation into her use of a private email server while she was Secretary of State. However, the FBI cleared Clinton and recommended no charges in July 2016, and reiterated its position in November after the bureau discovered a new trove of her emails shortly before the presidential election.
the rich asshole's tweets came after a report from the Washington Post on Wednesday that said Special Counsel Robert Mueller has expanded his investigation of Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election to include whether the rich asshole has obstructed justice.
the rich asshole blasted the report earlier on Thursday, saying that investigators were looking into obstruction of justice because “they made up a phony collusion with the Russians story” and “found zero proof.”
Hannity Calls For Mueller, Rosenstein To Resign Because His Daddy Is Under Investigation
Sean Hannity is not having a good year. First, advertisers started fleeing his show because he just could not let go of the disproved theory that Hillary Clinton had something to do with the death of Seth Rich. Then, just yesterday, a report was released claiming that the president and man whose ass he has been kissing for months may be investigated for obstruction of justice. Should that investigation into the rich asshole and his cronies go forward, Hannity is going to look like a MAJOR idiot for standing up for him, and lose what little credibility has left.
During a mini freak out this morning in response to a report claiming special counsel Robert Mueller may seek obstruction of justice charges against the rich asshole, Hannity called for the resignations of Mueller and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who was made lead in the Russia investigation after Jeff Sessions had to recuse himself. Stated Hannity,
Mueller and Rod Rosenstein? Recuse themselves, resign immediately.
Hannity sited conflict of interest as a reason that Mueller should resign, saying that the former FBI Director who is respected by both Republicans and Democrats has “more conflicts of interest than we can count on this show” and stating:
Mueller and Comey have been close friends for a long time. Comey admitted he leaked the memo to The New York Times, to the press, hoping it would bring about a special counsel which, by the way, turned out to be his best buddy, his BFF Robert Mueller.
Grasping at straws much, Mr. Hannity? First you refuse to give up on some crazy conspiracy theory and now you are calling for people to resign just because they don’t agree with your buddy Donny? Your desperation is showing.
The embattled Fox News host gave zero reasons that Rod Rosenstein should resign. In his mind, it would seem that continuing to support a fair and independent investigation that may end up indicating Bigly Daddy Donald is reason enough.
Mueller Surprises the rich asshole On His Birthday With Special Investigation For Obstruction
some rich asshole reportedly thought he could intimidate Special Counsel Robert Mueller by floating the possibility of firing him. Instead, the Washington Post reports this evening that the former FBI director is investigating the president for possible charges of obstructing justice.
According to five sources who spoke to the Post, the investigation began just a few days after the rich asshole fired FBI Director James Comey. The story comes one day after Attorney General Jeff Sessions refused to answer key questions from a Senate committee about his role in the firing.
the rich asshole has since admitted to NBC’s Lester Holt and Russian officials that he fired Comey to squelch the investigation of his disgraced national security advisor Michael Flynn. Yesterday, Sessions once again tried to pin the firing of Comey on his handling of the Clinton email investigation during the 2016 campaign, a dubious explanation that seems designed to circumvent the terms of his recusal from all the rich asshole-Russia matters.
The unnamed officials tell the Post that Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, Director of the National Security Agency Adm. Mike Rogers, and a former deputy to Rogers have all agreed to be interviewed by Mueller’s team in the next week. Coats and Rogers raised eyebrows when they declined to answer questions from the same Senate committee, but both indicated they would be more willing to speak in private.
“The preliminary interviews scheduled with intelligence officials indicate his team is actively pursuing potential witnesses inside and outside the government,” the Post reports. Furthermore, “the interviews suggest Mueller sees the attempted obstruction of justice question as more than just a ‘he said, he said’ dispute between the president and the fired FBI director,” according to one official.
Mueller is in possession of memorandums that Comey wrote about his interactions with the rich asshole. He is investigating multiple lines of inquiry related to Russian influences in the the rich asshole campaign, transition, and administration.
According to the New York Times, the rich asshole seems to think “the possibility of being fired will focus the veteran prosecutor on delivering what the president desires most: a blanket public exoneration.”
To that end, his friend Christopher Ruddy appeared on PBS News Hour Monday night to tell host Judy Woodruff that the rich asshole was “considering” the move, while surrogates such as Newt Gingrich promoted the idea on Fox News.
But Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein threw cold water on those threats yesterday when he told a separate Senate committee that he would refuse to fire Mueller “without good cause.” Rosenstein, whose own role in the Comey firing remains unexplained, reassured Senators that the special counsel would have “the full independence he needs to conduct that investigation appropriately.”
the rich asshole could fire Rosenstein to get to Mueller, of course. That might feel satisfying, yet it would be like throwing gasoline on a fire in an attempt to put it out. After all, firing Comey has apparently led to the president being investigated for obstruction of justice in the first place.
Appearing before the Senate Select Intelligence Committee last week, Comey said that he expected Mueller would look into possible obstruction charges against the rich asshole. “That’s a conclusion I’m sure the special counsel will work toward, to try and understand what the intention was there and whether that’s an offense,” he said.
As indicated by Washington Post reporters tonight, the Office of the Special Counsel is confident enough to shrug off White House threats and vigorously pursue that investigation.
Mark Corallo, a spokesman for the rich asshole lawyer Marc Kasowitz, deplored the Post story as an “FBI leak of information,” calling it “outrageous, inexcusable, and illegal.” But he did not deny that the story was accurate.
Today is also some rich asshole’s birthday. No doubt he will want two scoops of ice cream to soothe his feels after hearing about this.
By ALAN FRAM
Jun. 14, 2017
https://apnews.com/b5383189b4dc4dea94890f13846c2639/AP-sources:-Trump-tells-senators-House-health-bill-'mean
WASHINGTON (AP) — President some rich asshole told Republican senators Tuesday that the House-passed health care bill he helped revive is “mean” and urged them to craft a version that is “more generous,” congressional sources said.
the rich asshole’s remarks were a surprising slap at a Republican-written House measure that was shepherded by Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and whose passage the president lobbied for and praised. At a Rose Garden ceremony minutes after the bill’s narrow House passage on May 4, the rich asshole called it “a great plan.”
President some rich asshole is again highlighting the stories of people whose health care premiums have skyrocketed as he tries to push a GOP replacement plan. (June 13)
The president’s criticism, at a White House lunch with 15 GOP senators, also came as Senate Republican leaders’ attempts to write their own health care package have been slowed by disagreements between their party’s conservatives and moderates.
the rich asshole’s characterizations seemed to undercut attempts by Senate leaders to assuage conservatives who want restrictions in their chamber’s bill, such as cutting the Medicaid health care program for the poor and limiting the services insurers must cover. Moderate GOP senators have been pushing to ease those restrictions.
Facing expected unanimous Democratic opposition, Republicans will be unable to pass a Senate bill if just three of the 52 GOP senators vote “no.” Alienating any of them could make approving the measure trickier for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who’s been hoping for a vote before Congress’ July 4 recess.
the rich asshole’s comments were described by two GOP congressional sources who received accounts of Tuesday’s White House lunch. They spoke on condition of anonymity to reveal a closed-door conversation.
Their descriptions of the rich asshole’s words differed slightly.
One source said the rich asshole called the House bill “mean, mean, mean” and said, “We need to be more generous, more kind.” The other source said the rich asshole used a vulgarity to describe the House bill and told the senators, “We need to be more generous.”
Two other congressional GOP officials confirmed that the general descriptions of the rich asshole’s words were accurate.
The sources say the president did not specify what aspects of the bill he was characterizing.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders declined to comment, telling reporters aboard Air Force One Tuesday evening, “We don’t comment on rumors or private conversations.”
The remarks provided ammunition to Democrats who have unanimously opposed the Republican effort to dismantle President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul.
“Americans won’t forget that @HouseGOP passed a ‘mean’ bill to rip healthcare from millions then celebrated @ the WH,” said Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md.
In an embarrassing retreat, Ryan had to abruptly cancel a March vote on the House measure after a revolt by Republican conservatives and moderates that would have ensured its defeat.
The measure’s final version reflected a compromise by conservative leader Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., and centrist Rep. Tom MacArthur, R-N.J. They agreed to language letting states drop requirements under Obama’s health care law protecting people with pre-existing medical conditions from higher premiums and requiring insurers to cover specific services like maternity care.
At the White House ceremony celebrating House passage, the rich asshole and Ryan praised the legislation as the fulfillment of campaign promises the rich asshole and GOP congressional candidates had long made to repeal Obama’s 2010 statute.
“Many of you have been waiting seven years to cast this vote,” Ryan said to the scores of Republican House members present. “Many of you are here because you pledged to cast this vote.”
Asked to comment on the rich asshole’s remarks about the House measure, Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong said, “Congressional Republicans, with President the rich asshole’s support, are working to repeal and replace this terrible Obamacare law that is harming Americans.”
Meadows, who chairs the conservative House Freedom Caucus, said, “I have no knowledge of the president characterizing the health care bill in any other way than to suggest that we need to lower premiums and” protect people with pre-existing conditions.
MacArthur’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the rich asshole’s description of the bill MacArthur helped resuscitate. Just last weekend, the rich asshole used his golf club in Bedminster, N.J., to hold a fundraising event for MacArthur that netted $800,000.
the rich asshole had not publicly criticized the House bill previously. But in a May 28 tweet that raised questions about his intent, he said: “I suggest that we add more dollars to Healthcare and make it the best anywhere. ObamaCare is dead - the Republicans will do much better!”
After the meeting with senators, the rich asshole flew to Wisconsin, where, for the second week in a row, he highlighted the stories of people whose health care premiums have increased — people the White House has dubbed “Obamacare victims.”
After meeting with two such couples after landing in Milwaukee, the rich asshole pointed to “millions of American families” he said “continue to suffer from Obamacare while Congressional Democrats obstruct our efforts to rescue them.”
the rich asshole did not discuss the House GOP health care plan in any detail, but said the Senate is getting ready to do something.
97 U.S. senators dare the rich asshole to veto sanctions against Russia
In a rare act of bipartisanship, a nearly unanimous Senate voted to sanction Russia for meddling in our election — all but daring some rich asshole to betray democracy with a veto.
While some rich asshole seems determined to make America best friends with Russia — handing over top secret intelligence and trying to lift sanctions against the country — a nearly united Senate is standing in his way.
On Wednesday, the Senate voted overwhelmingly, 97-2, to impose sanctions on Russia for interfering in the 2016 presidential election. Republicans Mike Lee of Utah and Rand Paul of Kentucky were the only “no” votes.
the rich asshole could veto the bill, but with that kind of bipartisan support, he would be unlikely to get his way.
The sanctions amendment, attached to a larger bill about sanctions on Iran, is a direct rebuke of the recent report that the rich asshole administration is seeking to lift sanctions that were imposed in December in direct response to Russia’s attempt to influence the 2016 election.
The vote also comes one day after a report that Russia orchestrated cyber attacks on voting systems in 39 states in an apparent attempt to alter or delete voter information.
In the last several weeks, the Senate has listened to testimony from current and former members of the intelligence community that Russia indisputably attempted to hijack our democracy.
Former FBI Director James Comey warned that Russia is “coming after America,” and will unquestionably continue to influence our elections in the future — through weaponizing social media, as it did in 2016, and through cyber attacks on the nation’s election infrastructure.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that at least on this issue — the need to impose sanctions on Russia — Democrats and Republicans can agree.
“Democrats and Republicans are joining together to warn the president he cannot lift sanctions without our approval,” the New York senator said.
While imposing sanctions is an important step, far more serious action must be taken in order to ensure our election system. Republicans in Congress have been reluctant to support a full and thorough — and most importantly, independent — investigation into exactly what happened during the 2016 election.
That they are willing to stand with Democrats in sending a message to the rich asshole about Russia is a good first step, but they must go much further, and support all necessary investigations, if they are serious about securing our democratic system from further attacks.
Jeff Sessions Almost Cried Trying To Answer Question During Testimony (VIDEO)
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With Attorney General Jeff Sessions now in the hot seat testifying in front of the Senate Intelligence Community, it’s pretty easy to see him squirming in his seat.
There was even one moment where Sessions got visibly upset.
Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) called Sessions out mentioning the fact that former FBI Director James Comey finds Sessions’ recusal problematic. Wyden wanted to know what the problematic matters were that Comey referred to. That’s when Sessions looked as though he were about to cry and threw a miniature temper tantrum denying any wrongdoing on his part.
Sessions whined back:
“This is a secret innuendo being leaked out there about me.”
Why so upset, Sessions? Everyone is lying about you? Everyone? A “secret innuendo”?!
Sessions should probably step down and resign before he gets himself into any more trouble than he’s already in. Denying wrongdoing as people are pointing out factual wrongdoing never looks too good on anyone.
The rich asshole administration is slowly crumbling, and if the rich asshole wanted his presidency to get the best ratings ever, well, he may very well be on his way. Just not for the reasons he’d probably like.
the rich asshole Makes Up Deplorable Lie About Obama During Hour Long Tuesday Meltdown (IMAGE)
June 13, 2017
In his ongoing effort to undo seemingly everything that President Obama did, some rich asshole has once again taken to Twitter to bash the Affordable Care Act and push highly charged propaganda designed to brainwash people in to thinking that the ACA is bad and anything the rich asshole offers is good. He tweeted:
2 million more people just dropped out of ObamaCare. It is in a death spiral. Obstructionist Democrats gave up, have no answer = resist!
People quickly jumped in to put the rich asshole in his place and remind him that the only thing in a “death spiral” is democracy, which appears to be dying in the hands of the the rich asshole administration. Filmmaker, Adam Best led the responses by tweeting a thread that checked the rich asshole on everything from the ACA to his failure as the so-called leader of the United States:
@realDonaldTrump Republicans haven't had any answers since at least Reagan. You are sabotaging Obamacare and blaming the Dems.
@realDonaldTrump Only thing in a death spiral is "liberty and justice for all." Trump's corruption has put US in a constitutional crisis.
@realDonaldTrump In the shadows, 13 GOP Senators writing a bill that will kick millions off healthcare. Using Trump's madness as a diversion
@realDonaldTrump And it takes some nerve to call Dems OBSTRUCTIONISTS after you, Trump, were elected due to McConnell's SCOTUS obstruction.
@realDonaldTrump The only thing we Democrats have no answer for is why Republicans won't finally admit that you were a YUUUUUUGE mistake.
One person simply reminded about how awful the rich asshole’s replacement for the ACA, really is:
@realDonaldTrump Your alternative is massively worse. You'll throw 24 million off healthcare and eviscerate medicaid. Truly sad.
Musician Val Broeksmit pointed out that essentially forcing people out of the ACA doesn’t equate to them “dropping out” as the rich asshole claims:
@realDonaldTrump They didn't drop out, they were forced out because of the Trump Monstrosity congress passed.#NiceTryTrump
@realDonaldTrump More of Trump's fake news...
Pricing 2 million people out of Healthcare, doesn't mean they 'dropped' their coverage.#NiceTryTrump
Pricing 2 million people out of Healthcare, doesn't mean they 'dropped' their coverage.#NiceTryTrump
Others simply called the rich asshole out on the general foolishness of his tweet:
@realDonaldTrump Just FYI, GOP controls Congress. Dems have no power to obstruct. This is just your excuse for your inability to legislate.
@KMacMusic @realDonaldTrump Exactly. Let's kill ACA and blame dems even though we are meeting in secret and won't let dems in.
Ridiculous how this man lies constantly.
Ridiculous how this man lies constantly.
@ThatsMorgan4U @KMacMusic @realDonaldTrump Never been so proud to be a progressive liberal. Trump has exposed Republicans for who they TRULY are.
@realDonaldTrump Why would this please ANYONE?! What's wrong with you that you celebrate people not having healthcare?!
It does seem like the rich asshole’s tweet is celebrating people not having health care. Because that’s nothing to be excited about, some rich asshole has once again show how vile, insensitive, and generally disgusting he really is.
REPORT: the rich asshole Tried To Pull His Own Saturday Night Massacre, WH Aides Said Hell No
some rich asshole has to be the most corrupt “president” America has ever seen. After his infamous firing of FBI Director James Comey over the investigation into his campaign’s ties to Russia, the rich asshole was reportedly infuriated that his racist elf of an Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, recused himself from all things related to Russia. Then, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein saw fit to appoint former FBI Director Robert Mueller as a Special Counsel to get to the bottom of the Russia matter. Now, it seems that Mueller, who enjoys broad bipartisan support and has an impeccable reputation in Washington, is now in the rich asshole’s crosshairs. In fact, it is now being reported that the rich asshole wanted to fire Mueller, and was only stopped by his own White House staff, because any thinking person knows that this would be a political – and potentially legal- disaster.
The rumors of the rich asshole’s intention to fire Mueller were first fueled by an interview that Newsmax CEO and close the rich asshole confidante Christopher Ruddy gave to PBS Newshour. In that interview, Ruddy said of what he knew of the rich asshole’s paranoid thinking on the matter:
“I think he’s considering perhaps terminating the special counsel. I think he’s weighing that option.”
Well, the rich asshole had better get that option out of his head; after all, even the GOP sycophants in Congress are saying that this is a bridge too far, and that the rich asshole needs to leave Special Counsel Mueller alone and let him do his investigation. Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), who is the Ranking Member on the House Intelligence Committee has already told the rich asshole that going after Mueller would be a waste of time, because Congress would intervene.
If President fired Bob Mueller, Congress would immediately re-establish independent counsel and appoint Bob Mueller. Don't waste our time.
the rich asshole is acting like Richard Nixon did toward the end of Watergate. If he starts trying to treat Robert Mueller like Richard Nixon treated Archibald Cox, it will not end well for him.
Let’s see you fire Robert Mueller, you orange buffoon. You’ll die in jail if the people who actually care about this nation have anything to say about it.
Internet lights up ‘snowflake’ the rich asshole after he demands apologies from the media in Twitter meltdown
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The internet didn’t respond well to President some rich asshole’s Tuesday morning Twitter meltdown.
In the wake of the news that the rich asshole might fire special counsel Robert Mueller, who is handling the Russian investigation, many believed the rich asshole was attempting to deflect attention from himself.
“The Fake News Media has never been so wrong or so dirty,” the rich asshole began. “Purposely incorrect stories and phony sources to meet their agenda of hate. Sad!”
The Fake News Media has never been so wrong or so dirty. Purposely incorrect stories and phony sources to meet their agenda of hate. Sad!
He then pivoted to accuse former Attorney General Loretta Lynch giving improper favor to former Secretary Hillary Clinton for the FBI’s investigation.
“A.G. Lynch made law enforcement decisions for political purposes…gave Hillary Clinton a free pass and protection,” the rich asshole tweeted. “Totally illegal!”
A.G. Lynch made law enforcement decisions for political purposes...gave Hillary Clinton a free pass and protection. Totally illegal!
He then demanded an apology from everyone for being treated unfairly.
Fake News is at an all time high. Where is their apology to me for all of the incorrect stories???
Here’s the hilarious backlash he earned from the internet:
@realDonaldTrump Where is your apology for trying to ban muslims, taking billions away from healthcare, destroying the environment, and betraying the USA?
@shashakaye @realDonaldTrump So this tweet just is meant to lower the standard & say that AGs can give 'free passes and protection' that is 'totally illegal!' Got it!
NOT FAIR! Why can't I be better than Hillary?! I won! I won! I'm good enough!https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/874608587473080320 …
@realDonaldTrump Like the time where they said Ms Universe had a sex tape and everyone should watch it even though it didn't exist?
@realDonaldTrump Or the time the Fake News said your birth certificate was a fraud--they STILL haven't apologized to you for that one! What gives?
@realDonaldTrump Where was your apology to President Obama for orchestrating such a vile, racist, FAKE birther conspiracy? Disgraceful.
@realDonaldTrump And news that is true that you don't happen to like is not 'fake'. You really do express dictatorial tendencies, 45. We see through it.
@realDonaldTrump Dude, you're not a sleazy New York real estate swindler anymore. Literally nobody believes you. Literally everyone knows you're a liar.
@realDonaldTrump Where is your apology to all the Americans you lied to repeatedly over the last six months?
@realDonaldTrump This is why old people and social media don't mix. At least he hasn't hit the CAPS LOCK yet.
@realDonaldTrump Are you really still talking about @HillaryClinton !? Come on!! 4 a 70 yr old woman with "low stamina" she sure rattles your shit!
Your father never loved you, did he? https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/874609480301936640 …
@realDonaldTrump hold on. so you're saying it's illegal to try to influence Justice and get them to do what you want? INNNNTERESTING
@realDonaldTrump That is so funny coming from someone who tries to obstruct justice and continually uses loopholes, and lies to get their way. HRC is not
@realDonaldTrump Unlike the @HouseGOP and @SenateGOP, the @HouseDemocrats and @SenateDems are prepared to investigate ALL accusations of malfeasance. #resist
Well, as predicted, the 9th Circuit did it again - Ruled against the TRAVEL BAN at such a dangerous time in the history of our country. S.C.
@realDonaldTrump They ruled against your travel ban because it is unconstitutional. Read the constitution. You might learn something
@realDonaldTrump They ruled against it because it is wrong. You may be used to bullying people into liking you,but that's not how things work. #TrumpRussia
'Nervous' Jeff Sessions' attempt at the rich asshole-like bravado falls flat
Analysis: In his Senate testimony on Russia, the attorney general’s default position was ‘can’t recall’ and vagueness was the order of the day
Jeff Sessions, center, testifies on Capitol Hill. Photograph: Jacquelyn Martin/AP
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Tuesday 13 June 2017 19.24 EDT
He started with a declaration well suited to old-school newspaper headlines, insisting that the claim he was involved in collusion with Russia was “an appalling and detestable lie”.
But Jeff Sessions’ testimony on Capitol Hill on Tuesday will be better remembered for a moment geared to 21st-century memes. Peppered with questions by the California Democrat Kamala Harris, Sessions, the former senator from Alabama with a troubled civil rights record, said: “I’m not able to be rushed this fast. It makes me nervous.”
Jeff Sessions calls accusations of Russia collusion an 'appalling lie'
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Was it because Harris is black, or a woman, or a former prosecutor, or all of the above? The Twittersphere will decide. But the incident illustrated how Sessions’ attempt at the rich asshole-like bombast and bravado – “Donald in a Dixie cup”, as the New York Times columnist Frank Bruni called him last week – had crumbled under fire.
The attorney general managed to avoid inflicting significant damage on his boss but, having got his soundbite out, failed to answer the most important questions during a teeth-grindingly frustrating afternoon. “Can’t comment” or “can’t recall” were his default positions. It was a filibuster without charm.
The evasive Sessions said he could not reveal whether he had spoken with the rich asshole about the Russia investigation. He refused to say whether the rich asshole ordered him out of the room so that the president could tell the then FBI director, James Comey, to go easy on Michael Flynn. He declined to say whether there was any discussion of a potential pardon for Flynn.
Although Comey also kept some cards close to his chest before the Senate intelligence committee last week, there was a stark contrast in tone. It would have been unthinkable for Comey to say the questioning made him nervous, or to become agitated and tetchy as Sessions did under cross-examination by the Democratic senator Ron Wyden, of Oregon.
Wyden pressed Sessions on why he had recused himself from the investigation into Russian interference, asking about issues Comey had said he was unable to address. The attorney general snapped angrily: “Why don’t you tell me? There are none, Senator Wyden, there are none. I can tell you that for absolute certainty. This is a secret innuendo being leaked out there.”
Wyden said the answer “doesn’t pass the smell test”.
A couple of senators pushed Sessions hard on his basis for refusing to answer. First he claimed that “consistent with longstanding Department of Justice practice, I cannot and will not violate my duty to protect confidential communications with the president”. Then he said that though the rich asshole had not invoked executive privilege, he may choose to do so in the future. “It would be premature for me to deny the president a full and intelligent choice about executive privilege,” he said. Few seemed satisfied with that.
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On Russia, vagueness was the order of the day. Yes, Sessions was at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, but no, he did not have a formal meeting with the Russian ambassador, Sergey Kislyak. “If any brief interaction occurred in passing with the Russian ambassador during that reception, I do not remember it.”
The investigations swirling around some rich asshole – a short guide
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Like the rich asshole, Sessions had betrayed a deep lack of curiosity about Russia’s interference in the presidential election, admitting he had never received an official briefing on it. Asked if Russia interfered, he replied: “It appears so.” Later, he mourned that “it’s really a tragic strategic event” that the US and Russia did not get along better.
The only figure more divisive than Sessions was the Republican Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, who made bizarre references to John le Carré books and James Bond and Jason Bourne films and argued the Russia allegations were the stuff of spy fiction. Sessions smiled: “Thank you for saying that, Senator Cotton. It’s just like Through the Looking Glass. I mean, what is this?” Washington had not seen such a display of sycophancy since the rich asshole’s cabinet meeting, an entire 24 hours earlier.
The rich asshole Continues To Take Credit For The Economy Built By President Obama
the rich asshole used to say the job numbers were "fake." The only thing that's fake is his continual taking credit for things that were achieved by President Obama.
JUN 13, 2017
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Barack Obama took office in January 2009 amidst one of the greatest economic challenges the country had faced since the Great Depression. He and what would be a short-lived Democratic majority in Congress went to work to try and get things back on track, passing a stimulus bill with almost no help from Republicans. That stimulus was the jolt that got the economy moving again and led to 75 straight months of job growth and a final tally of some 11.3 million new jobs.
And what did some rich asshole have to say about all that? He called the numbers "fake." According to him, true unemployment was at record levels. He even said it could be as high as 40 percent. But now that he has been in office for almost five months and the economic indicators continue to be strong, thanks in no small measure to the foundation that was built during the Obama years, suddenly the jobs reports are accurate and everything is coming up roses.
On June 12 the rich asshole noted that 1.1 million jobs have been created over the past seven months. That announcement gave pause to all of us who can count, since it meant that he was taking credit for job creation going back to his election, not just to his inauguration. And the simple fact of the matter is, according to economists, the rich asshole can't claim credit for any job creation numbers yet.
In March, Politico took a look at the employment numbers from the rich asshole's first full month in office. As part of that report, they talked to economists who shot down the idea that new job gains had anything to do with the rich asshole.
"I would say it’s a bit early to attribute much of the strength [to the rich asshole]," said Jim O’Sullivan of High Frequency Economics. "It’s not clear that the trend in employment growth has changed much since the election. I emphasize that it was already pretty strong."
And three months later, it's still too early to give the rich asshole any credit. Frances Donald, of Manulife Asset Management, explained to Politico how the job market works.
"One of the most important elements of analyzing labor market reports is that they’re lagging indicators so they tend to be a reflection of what has been happening in the economy in the prior six months to a year. The jobs numbers that we’ll see six months from now will probably be a better reflection of the new administration."
Ms. Donald made that observation in March, so the rich asshole still has at least three months before anything that happens with jobs and unemployment can be attributed to him or his policies. And her observation is borne out by the now-famous chart of job creation during the Obama presidency.
Some of the rich asshole's fans delight in referring to him as their "God-Emperor." That is apparently what he wants everybody to think that he is with his boasts about the fantastic economy that he has supposedly created. But other than bullying and browbeating a handful of companies to keep a few thousand jobs in the US, neither the rich asshole nor his Republican Congress has done a single thing about jobs. In fact, the only significant piece of legislation that has been passed by the House, the American Health Care Act, will likely cause job losses in health related fields. Many of those fields have been on a roll since the passage of Obamacare, with an estimated 240,000new, high-paying jobs created in medical fields. When all of those newly insured Americans start losing their insurance and stop going for care, job losses will be inevitable.
the rich asshole reminds me of what a gentleman I coached soccer with jokingly told me a few years ago: "When the team wins, it's always due to great coaching. When they lose, it's all the players' fault." When the steam runs out of the Obama economy in a few months, and the rich asshole still has done nothing except preen and take credit for things he didn't do, it will be interesting to see who he blames first -- his economic team, Congress, Democrats, or Obama. My money's on the black guy.
the rich asshole BLOCKS Stephen King After Writer Delivers This Particularly Brutal Mockery On Twitter
Acclaimed horror writer Stephen King is no fan of some rich asshole and has been calling him and his administration out on Twitter every step of the way. The scathing callouts have a tendency to go viral as people relish the no-nonsense way King approaches condemning the rich asshole.
Finally the rich asshole seems to have had enough of the mockery. He just blocked Stephen King on Twitter. King relayed the news to his fans with typical humor.
Trump has blocked me from reading his tweets. I may have to kill myself.
King has been outspoken about the rich asshole and his Republican enablers for years. He recently described the rich asshole’s presidency as “worse than any horror story I ever wrote.” What drove the rich asshole to finally block Stephen King? It appears to be this tweet, published shortly before King was blocked.
Trump's cabinet offers a postgraduate-level course in ass-kissing.
King was referring to a brutally awkward photo op the rich asshole held at the White House yesterday in which he forced his cabinet members to publicly praise him. The moment stunned journalists accustomed to living in a democracy where this sort of cult-like worship of a Dear Leader isn’t common.
This interminable cabinet spray, where everybody pays tribute to Trump, is one of the most exquisitely awkward public events I've ever seen.
The cabinet members, many of whom would be called upon to declare the rich asshole mentally incompetent under the 25th Amendment, one-by-one groveled before the rich asshole as he smiled and nodded. Reince Priebus, who is reportedly on the verge of being fired, laid it on thick by adding that it was a “blessing” to be working for the rich asshole.
the rich asshole also may have seen this previous tweet, published the day before, where King knocked Ivanka the rich asshole for disingenuously claiming her father is the victim of bullies in Washington.
If Ivanka Trump had grown up in farm country, like some of us, she'd know her father is reaping exactly what he sowed.
Whatever the reason, it is not a major surprise to see that Stephen King had finally been blocked. As his poll numbers continue to crater and whispers of impeachment grow louder, the rich asshole has gone on a blocking rampage. It’s his way of silencing his critics — and there are a lot of them. On the same day King learned he had been blocked, the rich asshole also blocked a veteran’s organization, apparently for advocating for gay rights.
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