US Politics January 2018: "You All Just Got A Lot Richer"

Hail us.

i think it is to tell caesar not to tax the rich because we're going to help the poor because jesus probably said to do that somewhere without too much of an escape cause built in

If Prez declines toilet Saatchi Gallery should offer him Damien Hirst formaldehyde shark

Matthew 22:21 "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's; and to God the things that are God's, " alternately "give unto Berkshire Hathaway carried interest deduction, and go fuck yourself"

xp: presenting Jesus as apathetic and tractable. While perhaps true of the Christ of Paul, its wholly unrepresentative of the historical Yeshua. The sanhedrin regularly punished heresy with public stoning, but crucifixion was a Roman punishment reserved for sedition.

"he never said Roman soldiers should turn the other cheek in battle or that Caesar should allow all the barbarians to be Roman citizens or that Caesar should tax the rich to help poor."

what's extra confusing and sad about this is that all of these appear on first glance to be positive things that romans SHOULD do! but when you look closely, it's clear that he's trying to say that these three things are BAD or ridiculous things that caesar never would have been expected to do. falwell might concede that jesus wanted people to turn the other cheek, but that's why he specifies in battle, where turning the cheek would be unreasonable. by "barbarians" he's referring to immigration, insinuating that today's refugees and immigrants from the parts of the world that aren't norway are like the barbarians of caeasar's time, and so it's understandable that we should want to shut them out too.

at least i think that's what he's trying to say? i mean, is jerry falwell jr a strong proponent of pacifism, increased immigration, and taxing the rich to pay the poor? it's disorienting because that's what it seems a christian would be for, but i'm pretty sure the falwell family got to where they are today by adopting their views to fit conservative beliefs, which would be the opposite of all those things, right?

While perhaps true of the Christ of Paul

I don't think so.

He is, rather strangely for a supposed Christian, likening the USA to the Roman Empire, isn't he?

Like back then, there was Jesus and his followers and, although we like them because we're Christians, they were kind of out there and ahead of their time with some of their beliefs and then there were the Romans, who were non-believers but they were in charge and had all the money and power so they must have been good guys to some extent, then there were barbarians, if you catch my drift.

we're all one race - the human race... except for the carthaginians, those guys are freaks man

"no homo" will be in the Bible within the next 3 new editions

https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/25/politics/white-house-immigration-framework/index.html

President Donald Trump is proposing giving 1.8 million young undocumented immigrants a pathway to citizenship in exchange for $25 billion for his long-promised wall and a host of other strict immigration reforms, according to a White House framework proposed Thursday.

In what the White House framed as a "dramatic concession" and "compromise," Trump would accept a path to citizenship not just for the roughly 700,000 undocumented immigrants were covered by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program when it was ended. But the proposal would also cover those undocumented immigrants who meet the DACA criteria but did not sign up and even more who would be newly eligible under the proposal's timeframe requirements -- giving legal status and a pathway to citizenship to about 1.8 million people.

In return, the White House would like to see a $25 billion investment in a trust for border infrastructure and technology, as well as more funds for personnel, and an end to family migration beyond spouses and minor children. The diversity visa lottery would also be abolished, though the visas would be reallocated so that the backlog of people already waiting for family visas and high-skilled immigration green cards would be processed.

In what may end up being the most contentious piece of the proposal, the White House is also looking to close "legal loopholes" that will allow it to deport more immigrants, specifically as it relates to undocumented immigrants from countries that don't border the United States -- which would likely include changes in immigration enforcement authority that would be virtually impossible for Democrats to swallow.
The White House official sold the plan as a "compromise position" that it believes would get 60 votes in the Senate -- a point White House officials underscored multiple times on Thursday -- and then could be "sent over to the House for additional improvement and modification."

oh fuck
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/25/us/politics/trump-mueller-special-counsel-russia.html

...the president began to argue that Mr. Mueller had three conflicts of interest that disqualified him from overseeing the investigation, two of the people said.

First, he claimed that a dispute years ago over fees at Trump National Golf Club...

Him and his stupid fucking golf courses

ha, can mueller cite "you tried to fire me" as evidence of obstruction?

he needs his lawyer to fire somebody for him? whassa matter donald?

xpost yes he can, and will

xp as matt yglesias (sorry) pointed out on twitter, "It seems like Mueller’s job was saved by the fact that Trump isn’t really the president."

Very OT aside to Tom D: I think its likely the "INRI” on the crucifix wasn't mockery, but an accurate description of the historical Yeshua's crime. The canonical gospels date from after the sacking of Jerusalem in 70 AD, and devastation of the early Jesus movement that had been led by James, brother to Jesus. Arguably, the historical Yeshua would have only recognized its remnants in the the Ebionite/Nazarene heresy of the Trans-jordan and Hijaz. The movement that ascended to orthodoxy took its theology from Paul, and Bob Eisenman argues that Paul was a member of the Herodian family (Romans 16:11, parallels with a Saulus who was "kinsman of Agrippa" in Josephus), with its pro-Roman sentiments. One can argue that much of the pro-Roman sentiment in the gospels (presenting Pilate as respectful of local sentiment, blaming the crucifiction on Jews, etc) stems from the influence of Paul, and gentile "God-fearers" that attended synagogues throughout the Empire.

Very OT aside to Tracer Hand: Absolutely. Carthaginians [were monsters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Carthage#Child_sacrifice).

"it is easier for a camel to fit through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to go to heaven" = a nice sentiment but sorry it's outweighed by all the other places jesus condemns abortion and gay marriage

Wondering if one of the President's sentries being outed for having a spine, and facing him down, will have a better chance of permeating the FOX forcefield than anything that's come our of the investigation so far, including Flynn/Manafort indictments etc.

Like, is stuff beginning to move now?

our = out

Fox News not picking up this story surprisingly

It’s over.

I’m calling it.

I have refused to make predictions all this time about what was going to happen.

There will be a recommendation in Mueller’s report that Congress consider impeachment proceedings. It’s going to happen. https://t.co/8US0FkCeTq

— Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) January 26, 2018

So we've got his lawyer threatening to quit, Wray threatening to quit ...

The Dems should just threaten to quit, and they can get what they want out of him.

I don’t know, I’ve never gotten past the fact that Trump admitted to firing Comey because he was investigating his campaign yet afterwards evidence of obstruction was still being seeked out for some reason. My understanding is thr defense of how that wasn’t obstruction amounted to “he’s allowed to commit obstruction” so I’ve basically had no hope.

It's a legal process. You don't just cry "obstruction!" and then lock him up. They have to gather evidence, make a case for his mindset and intent, and then there is a trial. The same goes for any (esp. white collar) crime. Like, Flynn, Manafort? That stuff will be going on for months.

Pointed out elsewhere, but man, Trump tried to fire him in *June.* That's just a month after Mueller was brought on board but *before* news came out of Don Jr.'s meeting with the Russians in Trump Tower. Why did Trump want to fire him so soon, so quickly?

Because he was innocent. Duh.

Does this leak effectively mean there's no way he could do it now?

This feels huge

Huge, because Mueller is totally going to exonerate him. That's why Trump didn't fire him, duh.

because golf fees

Resign. You can blame us broh.

If I understand correctly, that lawyer-threatening-to-quit showdown was in June, right? An eternity ago in Trump time. Before Kelly was brought in as the "grownup."

Yea but it was "their lil secret" til now

pic.twitter.com/sd6qt77rdC

— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) January 26, 2018

Reported FBI/Special Counsel activity to date

01/2018 Jeff Sessions -Private interview
01/2018 George Nader -Private interview [2]
01/2018 George Nader -Private interview [1]
01/2018 Steve Bannon -Subpoena
12/2017 Robert Arakelian -Private interview
12/2017 Don McGahn -Private interview
12/2017 Hope Hicks -Private interview (2)
12/2017 Hope Hicks -Private interview (1)
12/2017 J.D. Gordon -Private interview
12/2017 Michael Flynn -Guilty plea
11/2017 Michael Flynn -Criminal charge
11/2017 KT McFarland -Private interview
11/2017 Jared Kushner -Private meeting
11/2017 DOJ -Request for documents
11/2017 Stephen Miller -Private interview
10/2017 Rick Gates -Arrest
10/2017 Paul Manafort -Arrest
10/2017 Rick Gates -Indictment
10/2017 Paul Manafort -Indictment
10/2017 Sam Clovis -Private interview
10/2017 Sam Clovis -Grand jury testimony
10/2017 Matt Tait -Private interview*
10/2017 Sean Spicer -Private interview
10/2017 Trump campaign -Subpoena
10/2017 Reince Priebus -Private interview
10/2017 George Papadopoulos -Guilty plea
10/2017 Simona Mangiante -Private interview**
10/2017 Simona Mangiante -Subpoena (withdrawn)
09/2017 Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg -FBI questioning
09/2017 Facebook -Search warrant
09/2017 Jason Maloni -Grand jury interview
09/2017 Michael Flynn -FBI questioning
Fall/2017 Ann Donaldson -Private interview***
Fall 2017 Jared Kushner -Request for documents
Fall 2017 Cambridge Analytica -Request for documents
08/2017 Paul Manafort's PR executives -Grand jury subpoenas
08/2017 General Services Administration -Request for documents
08/2017 Melissa Laurenza -Grand jury subpoena
08/2017 Jason Maloni -Grand jury subpoena
08/2017 General Services Administration -Request for documents
08/2017 Rinat Akhmetshin -Grand jury interview
08/2017 Rick Gates Bank records -Grand jury subpoenas
08/2017 Paul Manafort bank records -Grand jury subpoenas
07/2017 People involved in Trump Tower meeting -Grand jury subpoenas
07/2017 George Papadopoulos -Arrest
07/2017 Paul Manafort’s home -Search warrant
07/2017 Sally Yates -Private interview
07/2017 Ekim Alptekin -Grand jury subpoena
06/2017 Mike Rogers -Private interview
06/2017 Dan Coats -Private interview
06/2017 Sphere Consulting -Subpoena
06/2017 Rod Rosenstein -Private interview
Summer 2017 Nancye Miller Woolsey -FBI questioning****
Summer 2017 James Woolsey -FBI questioning
Summer 2017 Christopher Steele -Private meeting
Summer 2017 Trump Organization -Request for documents
05/2017 Ekim Alptekin -Private interview
05/2017 Mike Pompeo -Private interview
05/2017 James Comey -Private interview
04/2017 M. Flynn business associates -Grand jury subpoenas
03/2017 Carter Page -FBI questioning
02/2017 George Papadopoulos -FBI questioning
01/2017 George Papadopoulos -FBI questioning
01/2017 Michael Flynn -FBI questioning
01/2017 Paul Manafort storage unit -Search under FISA
12/2016 Regarding Paul Manafort -Grand jury subpoenas
09/2016 Christopher Steele -Private meeting
09/2016 Paul Manafort -FISA warrant
Summer 2016 Carter Page -FISA warrant

* Cybersecurity expert
** Fiancee of George Papadopoulos
*** White House Counsel Chief of Staff
**** Wife of James Woolsey

MORE theology!

All the clowns commenting on my tweet below with their bowels in an uproar can relax b/c the other side of the coin is Jesus never told Caesar he shouldn’t tax the rich to help the poor either. You can be a good Christian whether you vote conservative or liberal! https://t.co/T3skE1Ewwo

— Jerry Falwell (@JerryFalwellJr) January 26, 2018

Very Church of Trump. Lots of clowns in the parish.

where did the giant list come from?

xpost, “You have heard that people were told in the past, ‘Do not commit murder; anyone who does will be brought to trial.’ But now I tell you: if you are angry with your brother you will be brought to trial, if you call your brother ‘You good-for-nothing!’ you will be brought before the Council, and if you call your brother a clown you will be in danger of going to the fire of hell."

"As for the rest: antacids."

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2017/politics/russia-investigations/

This Hannity moment from tonight is so perfect and funny

Sean Hannity: The New York Times is trying to distract you. They say Trump tried to fire Mueller, but our sources aren’t confirming that!

Sean Hannity, minutes later: Alright, yeah, maybe our sources confirm Trump wanted to fire Mueller. But so what? That’s his right. Anywho... pic.twitter.com/yUIt7Un56d

— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) January 26, 2018

haha

i was wondering how they'd deal with that tonight. i love that he seamlessly changes subject to a high speed car crash video

pic.twitter.com/sd6qt77rdC

— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) January 26, 2018

it’s 2018 and people with the last name falwell haven’t been laughed out of polite society

polite society can kiss my ass