November 9, 2018 7:24 AM
HomePoliticsMorning Reads for Friday November 9, 2018

Morning Reads for Friday November 9, 2018

By  Politics  54 Comments

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Ginny

Get off my lawn.

54 Comments
  1. Will Durant

    Even White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders tweeted the Infowars doctored video of Acosta as “justification” for his press pass revocation:

    https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1060374680991883265

    “We stand by our decision to revoke this individual’s hard pass. We will not tolerate the inappropriate behavior clearly documented in this video.”

    Just more lying support by Ms. Sanders for the Liar in Chief. (Since taking office he’s now up to more than 7,000 documented ones by the Washington Post).

    • davidmac

      I’m really confused as to why this got so many downvotes. “Liar-in-Chief” is inflammatory, sure, but no more so than other posts here. And it’s got source material.

      In fact, I’m confused as to what the purpose of the thumbs-up and thumbs-down is – as a point of vanity, I posted a long, (IMO) very informative analysis to Noway’s question. I gave him a thumbs-up for the question, as it was relevant, pointed, and a good discussion topic. I got no responses to my post and no votes. Now, prominent figures including John Yoo and George Conway are also picking up on the same topic, and coming to similar conclusions.

      So basically, I’m perplexed by why we even have this rating system, if people are only going to use it for partisan purposes instead of informative. But I am happy that there’s a bit more moderation than before.

      • Dave Bearse

        I pay thumbs up or down little mind. I doubt I would have noticed the large negative but for you bringing it attention. It’s not the sort of thing I feel any need to try to counter with a thumbs up.

        It’s a poor measure of how many read what you commented and not a very good measure of how it influences them, so don’t let scores deter you.t

    • Dave Bearse

      It’s only going to get much worse as the technology to doctor videos improves and becomes more user friendly. Within a decade there will be totally fake videos.

      • TheDeepDark

        Totally fake videos… like movies?

        • Dave Bearse

          My initial thought was to respond yes, except that the faces on the characters will have been pasted onto the bodies of others, and will be given dialogue that they did not utter.

          Bus on second thought no. Fiction is different than fake, and so is dramatization.

          • TheDeepDark

            Yes, just like movies…

            Also, check the definition of fiction. Here, I’ll help: invention or fabrication as opposed to fact.

          • Dave Bearse

            Fiction is quite distinct from counterfeit or forgery.

          • TheDeepDark

            Not anymore…

          • Dave Bearse

            Speaking for yourself, or Republicans?

      • Ellynn

        The issue is not fake vs. real… The problem in the very near future is technology is now getting so good it’s getting hard for exerts to figure out it’s a fake.

    • Will Durant

      I will grant that the Liar-in-Chief is inflammatory but stand by that statement. The exaggerations, equivocations, and plain old false statements that come out of this administration and this president should be called out. Suppression of a member of the press trying to get a genuine answer to a valid question should not be tolerated. The president adding editorial asides before the question is even finished and getting personal with the questioner only further demeans the office he holds and belittles himself. Then the press secretary whose job should be disseminating truth uses one of the ultimate sources of “fake news” to justify an obvious suppression of the press. The message is clear, act as a sycophant or get banned.

      As to the thumbs down thing. I just see it as how many people, who like Sorkin’s Colonel Jesup, can’t handle the truth, and also have no valid counterpoint they can express in writing.

    • Will Durant

      Yanno’ I really don’t like Acosta, he’s too, I dunno’, Geraldo to me, I just strongly believe in Madison’s Bill of Rights. In the meantime let’s see how many thumbs I get for the Министр пропаганды:
      https://imgur.com/a/xHnQw5g

  2. xdog

    The people I know who don’t recognize satire don’t recognize a lot of other things too.

    I doubt Bodied is more fun than Bulworth. Check it out. “The populace is unaroused.”

    • Ginny

      Nuanced sarcasm is lost of most people these days. Such a shame for those of us who consider it a life skill.

      • Ellynn

        Where I grew up it’s a one on one sporting event.

  3. Noway2016

    Magoo possibly back to AL to challenge for his old seat…
    https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news-campaigns/415845-sessions-considering-run-for-old-alabama-senate-seat

    • Noway2016

      As an aside, I never have understood why a senator from a safe state would ever give up his seat for a cabinet post. Unless he’s gonna run for Prez, that is.

      • Noway2016

        I hear you. Wouldn’t be for me though. Me? I’d be dug in to the senate seat like toenail fungus! I’d leave on a metal gurney.

        • Ellynn

          Prior to the senate, he was the Alabama AG and really really really wanted to be on the federal bench, which he was voted down in his senate hearing in the 80’s.

          Here’s a thought, he could run for the Alabama Supreme Court… or since he has his 20 years at a full senate pension just retire.

  4. Noway2016

    What do you guys think of Christie for new AG?

    • Enjoy the Silence

      Borrowing from something I saw: “That would be a bridge too far.”

    • davidmac

      The only logical progression from Sessions is to Shirley Phelps-Roper.

      • Benevolus

        Ouch! Don’t even say that!

    • Noway2016

      Speaking of Gowdy, I do not understand why he’s left a safe seat. He hasn’t clued us in on his next career yet. He’s said he doesn’t want politics. What’s left? College Pres? Major SC law firm as rainmaker? Surely not a lobbyist!?

      • Benevolus

        Professional hair stylist?

      • FreeDuck

        I’m confused by this too. He complains a lot about how bad the politics are, but have you seen him in a hearing? I mean, he certainly looks like he enjoys the politics. Maybe he has a hard principle that the president is stepping on. Speaking of… did the Republicans hold Sanford’s seat?

        • xdog

          Nope. Score -1 for Trump.

        • FreeDuck

          Good. I liked Sanford, and this result appeals to my sense of justice. Primarying reasonable Republicans for lack of loyalty to the King should always carry the risk of losing the seat outright.

          • Benevolus

            Glad to see you are getting into the spirit of “Nuanced Sarcasm” day!

      • Ellynn

        Private sector, Run for gov. in 2022

    • Ellynn

      He was with the campaign… so he would he not have to recues himself from any Mueller or Mueller like investigation?

    • alpha male

      From an intellect/ experience/integrity standpoint it definitely should be Gowdy. But no way that happens. After watching Trump continually trash Sessions it is apparent potus desires a Holderesque ally as AG. Gowdy is not that guy. Trey has not been lockstep with Trump and in fact has contradicted him on the Mueller probe several times. Christie is more what potus wants imo. Plus Christie wants it, Gowdy does not. Gowdy is sick of politics and much prefers the South Carolina upstate to DC. Trey may be looking to finally make some real money, but his true passion is prosecuting bad guys. I would be shocked if Gowdy accepted that gig from Trump and I would be even more shocked if Trump offered it.

      That said, look for Gowdy to reluctantly accept the AG position in the future Nikki Haley administration. He would not turn her down.

  5. armanidog

    From a Chinese tech show today.
    Will there be robot politicians to talk to robot news anchors?

  6. Dave Bearse

    Bran Kemp will be Georgia’s next Governor. He made the partisan statement that the Russians didn’t try to influence the 2016 election and then said he didn’t need any voting system security help. Meanwhile his office’s incompetence served up the voter database on silver platters to everyone that asked. That not being a wake-up call, he exposed the complete voter database to simple hacks in two different ways and times. His office did nothing for six months when notified of the security flaw, then hid its occurrence for another three months. Kemp lied by accusing Democrats of a hack when informed of the second one for the purpose of hiding his yet again incompetence in furtherence of his political career.

    Kemp incompetence and partisan career self-serving actions in fulfilling non-partisan SoS duties cast him not as a Republican Governor, but the Republicans Governor.

    Kemp record has made clear he’s not going to represent any Georgia Democrat. I’m a Democrat—he’s not my Governor. Does that mean I’ll oppose him on all counts? Of course not. What it does mean is that I’m cognizant that Democrats’ views matter not one whit to him, except as it is beneficial to Republicans or his own career.

    In the vein of a comment I made yesterday, Kemp, like all Trumpers is a win-lose guy. Those Dems counting on win-win in “working across the aisle” are situating themselves to more likely be the loser in a win-lose game. Again, that doesn’t mean don’t work across the aisle. It means that win-win is an aspiration, not a central strategy. Trumpers can’t be won over in a win-lose contest and they will continue to prove that every chance they get.

  7. Noway2016

    Not bad idea. I think Lewis, however, will be the new Claude Pepper. Like I mentioned if I were a Senator, they’ll take Lewis out in an ambulance.

    As for Kasim, Stacey would beat him in a Dem primary. He’s got too much baggage from his Mayor’s tenure.

  8. FreeDuck

    Politics isn’t my strong suit, but I see her as much more suited to the senate seat than Reed. Agree with Noway that Reed has too much baggage. Abrams is also smarter than Reed and less of a prick. Does taking a safe house seat assure a rise up the ranks? If so, why is Lewis still there?

  9. Benevolus

    I could easily see Lewis retiring soon. He knows there are several who would want that seat. It would be a great fit for Stacey.

    It’s funny, when Kasim was in the state Senate and running for mayor, I wondered if he had the right temperament for executive branch. Now we wonder if he has the right temperament for legislative.

    • xdog

      Did y’all see the footage of Lewis dancing at the Abrams event last week? The man still has some moves.

  10. davidmac

    Continuing the discussion on the Acting AG appointment.

    Reading Katyal and Conway’s column in the NYT today, they have a stronger case than I first assumed that Whitaker cannot Constitutionally be appointed to the AG position, and the FVRA 3345 (a)(3) is unconstitutional as applied to Department heads that require Senate approval.

    Freytag v. Commissioner, quoting Buckley v. Valeo:

    “[A]ny appointee exercising significant authority pursuant to the laws of the United States is an ‘Officer of the United States,’ and must, therefore, be appointed in the manner prescribed by § 2, cl. 2, of [Article II].”
    Buckley, 424 U.S. at 424 U. S. 126.

    Scalia, concurring in Freytag:

    Officers that are not “inferior Officers,” however, must be appointed (unless the Constitution itself specifies otherwise, as it does, for example, with respect to officers of Congress) by the President, “by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate.” The obvious purpose of this scheme is to make sure that all the business of the Executive will be conducted under the supervision of officers appointed by the President with Senate approval; only officers “inferior,” i.e., subordinate, to those can be appointed in some other fashion.

    So what is an Officer, and what is an “inferior officer”?

    Edmond v. United States

    “Generally speaking, the term ‘inferior officer’ connotes a relationship with some higher ranking officer or officers below the President: Whether one is an ‘inferior’ officer depends on whether he has a superior. It is not enough that other officers may be identified who formally maintain a higher rank, or possess responsibilities of a greater magnitude. If that were the intention, the Constitution might have used the phrase ‘lesser officer.’ Rather, in the context of a Clause designed to preserve political accountability relative to important Government assignments, we think it evident that ‘inferior officers’ are officers whose work is directed and supervised at some level by others who were appointed by Presidential nomination with the advice and consent of the Senate.”

    All this to say – the Courts will have to decide whether the FVRA can apply. Court precedent suggests that it cannot, but it has not been tested directly.

    • Ellynn

      President pleads ‘Whataboutism’ on senate confirmations…

      https://www.axios.com/trump-whitaker-mueller-senate-confirmation-doj-a5734863-9426-47bb-9501-c93d53b76333.html

      • davidmac

        Heh, even Thomas agrees:
        Justice Clarence Thomas, concurring in NLRB v. SW General:

        Appointing principal officers under the FVRA, however, raises grave constitutional concerns because the Appointments Clause forbids the President to appoint principal officers without the advice and consent of the Senate.

        Footnote 1: That Solomon was appointed “temporarily” to serve as acting general counsel does not change the analysis. I do not think the structural protections of the Appointments Clause can be avoided based on such trivial distinctions. Solomon served for more than three years in an office limited by statute to a 4-year term, and he exercised all of the statutory duties of that office. 29 U. S. C. §153(d). There was thus nothing “special and temporary” about Solomon’s appointment. United States v. Eaton, 169 U. S. 331, 343 (1898).

        • Gregs

          Who has standing to sue and why haven’t they done so? Seems like an easy way to settle a crises created by the President.

          • davidmac

            I don’t think anyone’s yet suffered an injury-in-fact that is remediable under Article III Courts.

            But the moment Whitaker takes any official action (and we know what it was) that injures someone’s rights, e.g. fires someone, issues a guidance, etc., then there’s a live case or controversy.

  11. bethebalance

    Did anyone post this yet?
    The satire of the gov election is now officially fully nationalized.
    https://politics.theonion.com/georgia-gop-demands-stacey-abrams-step-down-as-candidat-1830342619

    • Benevolus

      I am confident there are people who would honestly consider that a legitimate idea.

  12. Dave Bearse

    Trump nomination of a inadequately examined partisan liar on record with statements indicating he’s likely to protect Trump to the Supreme Court was successful.. It’s only logical to elevate a partisan stooge to AG without any examination? It will MAGA.

  13. Dave Bearse

    A midday laugh is always good:

    “Despite losing control of the House, our president took a victory lap last night. He called the results ‘very close to a complete victory for Republicans.’ Yes, in the same way the World Series was very close to a complete victory for the Dodgers. Other than games 1, 2, 4 and 5, they crushed it.”
    —Jimmy Kimmel

    • Sally Forth

      Yeah, as usual in mid-terms, the president’s party lost the majority in the House. With such an unexpected (wink-wink) Democrat win, where are the conservatives who are supposed to be out raging in the street, smashing windows out of buildings, setting cars on fire, wearing black masks and attacking left-wing rallies…. stuff like that?

      All the boring conservatives have attacked is the mall this weekend.

      • Dave Bearse

        Where are the conservatives? At home preparing for the imminent arrival of the caravan invasion, the most important thing facing the country, at least until the polls closed. Give yourself credit for remembering the nothing-to-it point about leftists mobs and trying to make hay.

        Meanwhile the left will focus on healthcare and other Democratic campaign issues.

  14. Noway2016

    “The Gift”! It’s better than my Other Term! Oh, thank you, thank you! Lol!
    https://www.wsj.com/articles/hillary-will-run-again-1541963599

    • Sally Forth

      This has gotta be a joke! Surely she won’t humiliate herself like that. Especially if Mueller ever reports out the real Russia collusion in 2016 was that she colluded with them, not Trump. Hillary and her campaign chairman Podesta funneled money through Fusion GPS (the P for Podesta) and hired former British spy Christopher Steele to work with Russian operatives and create a phony dossier against Trump, calling it “oppositional research.” If ever prosecuted for that, she might not be available to run in 2020.

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