Misdirection overload

Misdirection overload

Posted on by Jack

I think all the news and tweets coming out of President Trump’s administration is misdirection overload. About a month ago I wrote about misdirection here in a post called While we were being misdirected.

In the past month the news about President Trump, both real and fake, has just accelerated. I think this is not only misdirection but information overload so we are not only misdirected but we forget some of the bad stuff.

And it is hard to know what bad stuff is just bad stuff they want us to forget or bad stuff to distract us from what they are doing. The misdirection continues. And the information overload continues.
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Nonpartisan investigation on Russian influence

Nonpartisan investigation on Russian influence

Posted on by jack

We need a nonpartisan investigation on Russian influence on the presidential election of 2016, the Trump campaign, and President Trump’s administration.   There are so many unknowns but there is highly suggestive evidence for at least the election and campaign.  I think it also reasonable to look into the possibility that this Russian influence may extend into the administration as many of the same individuals are involved.

There is little doubt that Russia intervened in our election in favor of candidate Donald Trump.  There are reports that Trump campaign aides had contacts with Russian intelligence but this is disputed by  President Trump’s administration.  For a good review of the situation see the PBS story which is now a few days old.
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Are we ready for an independent investigation yet?

Are we ready for an independent investigation yet?

Posted on by Jack

Is it time for an independent investigation on Russian influence in the election and the Trump administration?

According to a story titled Trump administration sought to enlist intelligence officials, key lawmakers to counter Russia stories Which was published a few hours ago in the Washington Post, the Trump administration has tried to compromise the FBI, Senate, and House investigations and succeeded in getting the chairs of the Senate and House committees to speak to the press on their behalf.

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Is the immigration ban still important?

Is the immigration ban still important?

Posted on by Jack

About 2 weeks ago I wrote about President Donald Trump’s immigration ban wondering why if it was so important that he might get to it next week. If it is so important, why the delay?

At that time the the parts of the ban had been blocked by judges in specific areas followed by a nation-wide ban.

When the acting attorney general told him the immigration ban was unconstitutional, President Trump did not fix it. He fired the acting attorney general.
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Repeal but not replaced

Repeal but not replaced

Posted on by Jack

I don’t understand why Republicans oppose these plans. But they have voted to stop them, “repeal but not replaced” .

Last year the Department of Labor made 2 rules to help people save for their retirement if their employer did not. You’d think Congress would want to encourage that but they repealed the rules and haven’t offered any substitute. So it was a repeal without the replace that many would hope to see.

Maybe they will get around to the replace part but I haven’t heard anything yet. So for now it is “repeal but not replaced”.
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This could be big, maybe even bigger than Watergate

This could be big, maybe even bigger than Watergate

Posted on by Jack

The news about the Trump administration brings Richard Nixon to mind. I am wondering if news on Russian influence could lead us to something even bigger than Watergate.

I don’t think is reasonable to expect Republicans to investigate Republicans and do much of a job. You can see all the party-line votes occuring in Congress in the past weeks.
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Republicans investigate Republicans

Republicans investigate Republicans

Posted on by Jack

Republican Senator Rand Paul has said the is no need to investigate former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and it would not make sense having Republicans investigate Republicans. I partly agree.

I think his implication was the there was too much for the Republicans to do and they should not waste time on investigations into each other. But my agreement comes not from thinking Republicans are too busy or that they have important things to do but because I think this is a issue could be very important and if Republicans investigate Republicans they seem unlikely to look very hard. I think the investigation should be as nonpartisan as possible and look at some of the wider problems of Russian influence rather than be limited to the problems of one former official.
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Save science, Canadian-style

Save science, Canadian-style

Posted on by Jack

The Trump administration seems intent on muzzling science, at least in federal agencies. How can we save science in our government? There are those of us who believe health, environmental, and other rules should be based on the best science possible.

But the Trump administration and many Republicans seem to believe otherwise. Why should rules be based on science? Why even consider reality? Why not base rules on wishful thinking, political theories, works of fiction, etc. How can we save science in this “party of ignorance” environment?

The answer may be a simple as looking north. The Canadian federal scientists faces a similar situation not too many years ago. So this could be a good model to examine.

A Canadian scientist has published a short article giving some of the specifics. When Canadian Scientists Were Muzzled by Their Government is well worth reading if you are a scientist or merely an interested party, such as those who may drink water or breathe the air.

Special prosecutor or commission on Russian influence

Special prosecutor or commission on Russian influence

Posted on by Jack

This is potentially really big. Is it time for a special prosecutor or commission on Russian influence in the election and the government in general?

With the resignation of Michael T. Flynn from his post as National Security Adviser, the near certainly on Russian influence on our election, and other possible problems with Russian influence, is it not time to appoint a special prosecutor or high-level indedendent commission on Russian influence on our government.

There are several ongoing and completed investigations on some aspects of this but should we look at the big picture in a nonpartisan way ?

Should severe mental illness be a factor in gun background checks?

Should severe mental illness be a factor in gun background checks?

Posted on by Jack

The House of Representatives passed a bill earlier this month to overturn an Obama administration rule which would have the Social Security Administration send records of some beneficiaries with severe mental illness to the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System. The bill may go to the Senate this week where it can be passed simple majority and soon thereafter sent to President Trump.

If you think this information should be available to the FBI during background check (or not), you may want to contact your Senator and President.

The anti-choice forces are ahead with PA SB 3

The anti-choice forces are ahead with PA SB 3

Posted on by Jack

The anti-choice forces in the Pennsylvania are ahead. The Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee approved Senate Bill 3 which was quickly passed in the state senate. Those anti-choice folks sure move quickly.

Senate Bill 3 would criminalize abortion in cases where the fetus is older than 20 weeks. It would also outlaw a safe and medically accepted technique (dilation and evacuation) which is called “dismemberment abortion” in the bill. In either case the doctor performing the abortion commits a felony of the third degree. i’m not sure what that means since I am not a lawyer but it does sound good.

There are other provisions in the bill as well providing exceptions and additional requirements. In my original post on Senate Bill 3 which was written before on the bill went to the judiciary committee I gave a link to the text of the bill.

The bill goes to the House next. Although Governor Wolfe has indicated he will veto it, the anti-choice forces in the state legislature may be able to override the veto. Therefore it is important that you let your legislators in both the Senate and House know your opinion. The House does vote next and the Senate has already voted but if there is a veto, both may be voting again. You might also want to share your opinion with Gov. Wolfe

Here are 2 links, another article on this and an easy way to look-up your Senate and House members:

So important that he might get to it next week

So important that he might get to it next week

Posted on by Jack

President Donald Trump thinks it is so important that he might get to it next week.

President Trump issued his now famous executive order “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States.” on January 27, 2017. Within hours, there were mass demonstrations. Several federal judges blocked parts of the order.
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A new job for Kellyanne Conway

A new job for Kellyanne Conway

Posted on by Jack

Kellyanne Conway has a new job – Saleswoman, Presidential branch. She is probably feeling under-worked in her main job as counselor to the president. She needed an additional job to keep her busy

The Ivanka Trump brand was having a bit of trouble. The ordinary sales staff just could not succeed and they lost the Nordstom account and a few others. A sales boost was needed.

And what better way to increase sales than by diversifying a bit by opening a Presidential branch. And who better to head it than the stylish mistress of misdirection. A new job for Kellyanne Conway.

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Shutup and sit down or #LetLizTalk

Shutup and sit down or #LetLizTalk

Posted on by Jack

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not say to shutup and sit down but that was the result of his objection to Senator Elizabeth Warren’s speech. Twitter quickly came alive with people saying #LetLizTalk

Senator McConnell used his power to silence an opposing voice in a confirmation hearing. He invoked Senate rule 19 which in part says
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Pennsylvania Senate Bill 3, express your opinion

Pennsylvania Senate Bill 3, express your opinion

Posted on by Jack

Pennsylvania Senate Bill 3 would criminalize abortion in cases where the fetus is older than 20 or 24 weeks. There are other provisions in the bill as well providing exceptions, additional requirements, criminalization of a specific type of abortion (at any gestational age), and additional reporting requirements.

It is a bit hard to tell which way it will go now. The bill is before the Judiciary committee today and both numbers are in the bill online. I think that means that one number is current law and the other is in the bill.
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