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Author: TriSec    Date: 10/30/2018 09:37:20

Good Morning.

Although the good people of Pittsburgh are not officially veterans of war, the community there has suffered an attack no less violent than any act of war. It would be a 'normal' thing for the President of the United States to visit and offer comfort and succor. Except this is not normal times.



PITTSBURGH — Still reeling from the horror and grief after Saturday’s massacre at the Tree of Life synagogue, Pittsburgh is now dealing with something else: the barbed politics of the 2018 midterms and widespread opposition to President Trump’s plan to visit here Tuesday.

Jewish leaders said that President Trump was not welcome in Pittsburgh and accused him of stirring up extremism.

Mayor William Peduto, who strongly rejected Mr. Trump’s suggestion that armed guards in houses of worship are the answer to violence, warned that the president would be a distraction from funerals taking place Tuesday.

Many in the Jewish community in Pittsburgh cited what they saw as the president’s divisive rhetoric, which they feel had a role in enabling the violence here, as well as other recent episodes including the mail bombs sent from Florida to prominent Democratic figures and what appears to be the racial killing of two black shoppers near Louisville, Ky. Interviews in Florida reflected a similar urgency and unease about the intersection of violence in American life and the looming midterm elections.

The incidents returned to a boil a long-running issue dating at least to the white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Va., in 2017, when Mr. Trump was widely condemned for equating neo-Nazis with demonstrators protesting them.

Now, one week before Americans head to the polls, criticisms that the president is sowing hurtful divisions in society have become an electoral issue, a turn of events that the White House and Republicans are vehemently pushing back on. Chants of “Vote! Vote! Vote!” broke out during vigils for victims of the synagogue shootings.


But that's not the only thing going on that is not normal. We chattered about this yesterday; the migrant caravan from Honduras is a whopping 1,200 miles from the southern border of the United States. But we will soon deploy 5,200 troops along the border with Mexico. If it was me, I would see this as an act of aggression and would be gravely concerned.


The U.S. military said it would send 5,200 troops to the southwest border in response to a caravan of migrants from Central America that President Trump has seized on as an issue in the Nov. 6 midterm elections.

The movement is the largest, quick deployment of active-duty U.S. troops since the response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, when thousands arrived within days, former officials said. It is a major escalation of the U.S. response at the border, which as recently as last week was planned for 800 troops. With 2,000 National Guard members already in place, it will exceed the combined U.S. military footprint in Iraq and Syria.

“Our first level of effort will be to harden the points of entry and address key gaps in areas around the points of entry,” said Air Force Gen. Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, commander of the U.S. Northern Command, which is responsible for the continental U.S.

With the balance of power in Congress up for grabs next Tuesday, President Trump has seized on the migrant caravan to rally his Republican supporters. Close U.S. Senate or House elections are being fought in the border states of Arizona, California and Texas.

“This is an invasion of our Country and our Military is waiting for you!” Mr. Trump wrote Monday morning on Twitter, without directly mentioning troop numbers.

Critics of the president said the use of active-duty troops is a political gambit and that the domestic deployment will degrade military readiness for defense abroad.

“When Donald Trump deploys troops for a nonexistent threat, that means troops are not training or preparing for the fights that could be on the horizon, for legitimate threats,” said Will Fischer, director of government relations for VoteVets, a pro-Democratic advocacy group. “This is a campaign ploy.”


Campaign ploy or not, it feels to me like we have taken a dangerous turn over the last few days. Violence and rhetoric is increasing, and being a student of history I can see parallels to the rise of other dictators throughout the world. I am less of a student of civil war history, but it's not hard for me to imagine a similar level of discordance in the runup to the elections of 1860, and we all know what happened when the Republicans won that particular cycle. I can only hope that history doesn't repeat itself.



 
 

37 comments (Latest Comment: 10/30/2018 20:05:22 by Raine)
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Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 13:05:59
good morning.

Just before I read the blog, I was reading this article and thought, it only took 11 deaths for them to do their job.



Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 13:09:56
I said that he was going to try this over a year ago.

Trump Says He Will Order Limits to Birthright Citizenship

Comment by wickedpam on 10/30/2018 13:16:52
Morning

Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 13:26:02
Woah, this seems like a big deal.





Comment by wickedpam on 10/30/2018 13:27:24
Quote by Raine:
I said that he was going to try this over a year ago.

Trump Says He Will Order Limits to Birthright Citizenship



Really don't see how its legal to do that, plus I have a sneaking suspicion Stephen Millers racisty fingerprints are on this too. I get that tRump is willfully ignorant but someone had to lead him to this.

Comment by wickedpam on 10/30/2018 13:29:05
Quote by Raine:
Woah, this seems like a big deal.






They are actually respecting the families and temples who are in the middle of making preparations for services which have to be done within a very tight time frame. Good on them.

Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 13:33:36
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Woah, this seems like a big deal.






They are actually respecting the families and temples who are in the middle of making preparations for services which have to be done within a very tight time frame. Good on them.
I agree with the good for them part, I am shocked that McConnell and Ryan are being bipartisan about it.


Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 13:34:21
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
I said that he was going to try this over a year ago.

Trump Says He Will Order Limits to Birthright Citizenship



Really don't see how its legal to do that, plus I have a sneaking suspicion Stephen Millers racisty fingerprints are on this too. I get that tRump is willfully ignorant but someone had to lead him to this.
pack the courts the way they are, I can see them doing it.

This is way bigger than just being unconstitutional.


Comment by wickedpam on 10/30/2018 13:38:08
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
I said that he was going to try this over a year ago.

Trump Says He Will Order Limits to Birthright Citizenship



Really don't see how its legal to do that, plus I have a sneaking suspicion Stephen Millers racisty fingerprints are on this too. I get that tRump is willfully ignorant but someone had to lead him to this.
pack the courts the way they are, I can see them doing it.

This is way bigger than just being unconstitutional.



Valid point about the courts.

Comment by Scoopster on 10/30/2018 14:02:11
Mornin' all! One week to go, and I just updated my tracking sheet again! So far for the competitive House races...

- 18 look certain to flip blue (AZ-2, CA-45, CA-49, CO-6, FL-27, IA-1, KS-3, MN-2, MN-3, NJ-2, NJ-11, PA-3, PA-4, PA-5, PA-6, PA-7, PA-8, and VA-10)
- 5 favor flipping blue, within the margin of error (CA-10, IA-3, NY-19, NC-7, MI-11)
- 21 are straight toss-ups (CA-39, CA-48, FL-15, FL-26, IL-6, KS-2, KY-6, ME-2, NJ-3, NJ-7, NM-2, NY-22, NC-2, NC-9, OH-12, PA-1, PA-10, TX-7, UT-4, VA-5, VA-7).
- 33 favor staying red, within the margin of error (AK-AL, AZ-8, CA-1, CA-4, CA-22, CA-25, CA-50, FL-6, FL-25, GA-6, GA-7, IL-13, IL-14, IA-4, MI-6, MI-7, MI-8, MO-2, MT-AL, NY-2, NY-11, NY-23, NY-27, NC-13, TX-10, TX-32, VA-2, WA-3, WA-5, WV-2, WV-3, WI-1, WI-6)
- 12 look certain to remain red (FL-18, IL-12, MI-2, NY-21, NY-24, OH-1, OH-4, OH-7, OH-10, OH-14, TX-23, WA-8)
- 2 are certain to flip from blue to red (MN-8, PA-13)
- 5 are tossups that could flip blue to red (AZ-1, FL-7, MN-1, NV-3, NV-4)

There's a lot of neutral ground here. Hopefully the generic ballot preference carries it home.

Comment by Scoopster on 10/30/2018 14:20:15
Here comes the Mueller smear campaign



Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 14:41:46
Quote by Scoopster:
Here comes the Mueller smear campaign


I am getting so damn sick and tired of this garbage.

Mostly sick.

Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 14:42:33
Quote by Scoopster:
Mornin' all! One week to go, and I just updated my tracking sheet again! So far for the competitive House races...

- 18 look certain to flip blue (AZ-2, CA-45, CA-49, CO-6, FL-27, IA-1, KS-3, MN-2, MN-3, NJ-2, NJ-11, PA-3, PA-4, PA-5, PA-6, PA-7, PA-8, and VA-10)
- 5 favor flipping blue, within the margin of error (CA-10, IA-3, NY-19, NC-7, MI-11)
- 21 are straight toss-ups (CA-39, CA-48, FL-15, FL-26, IL-6, KS-2, KY-6, ME-2, NJ-3, NJ-7, NM-2, NY-22, NC-2, NC-9, OH-12, PA-1, PA-10, TX-7, UT-4, VA-5, VA-7).
- 33 favor staying red, within the margin of error (AK-AL, AZ-8, CA-1, CA-4, CA-22, CA-25, CA-50, FL-6, FL-25, GA-6, GA-7, IL-13, IL-14, IA-4, MI-6, MI-7, MI-8, MO-2, MT-AL, NY-2, NY-11, NY-23, NY-27, NC-13, TX-10, TX-32, VA-2, WA-3, WA-5, WV-2, WV-3, WI-1, WI-6)
- 12 look certain to remain red (FL-18, IL-12, MI-2, NY-21, NY-24, OH-1, OH-4, OH-7, OH-10, OH-14, TX-23, WA-8)
- 2 are certain to flip from blue to red (MN-8, PA-13)
- 5 are tossups that could flip blue to red (AZ-1, FL-7, MN-1, NV-3, NV-4)

There's a lot of neutral ground here. Hopefully the generic ballot preference carries it home.

From your spreadsheet to the spirit in the sky's ears!

Comment by Scoopster on 10/30/2018 14:51:09
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Scoopster:
Here comes the Mueller smear campaign


I am getting so damn sick and tired of this garbage.

Mostly sick.

Hmmm.. seems like this is actually a hoax being pushed by RW douchebag Jacob Wohl.

Comment by BobR on 10/30/2018 14:55:57
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
I said that he was going to try this over a year ago.

Trump Says He Will Order Limits to Birthright Citizenship

Really don't see how its legal to do that, plus I have a sneaking suspicion Stephen Millers racisty fingerprints are on this too. I get that tRump is willfully ignorant but someone had to lead him to this.

The one concern is that tRump will push this, everyone will get outraged and push back, and then a "compromise" will be reached that requires both parents to be U.S. citizens.

Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 14:57:06
Quote by BobR:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
I said that he was going to try this over a year ago.

Trump Says He Will Order Limits to Birthright Citizenship

Really don't see how its legal to do that, plus I have a sneaking suspicion Stephen Millers racisty fingerprints are on this too. I get that tRump is willfully ignorant but someone had to lead him to this.

The one concern is that tRump will push this, everyone will get outraged and push back, and then a "compromise" will be reached that requires both parents to be U.S. citizens.

I am getting ready to read this from WaPo.

Comment by Scoopster on 10/30/2018 14:57:52
Quote by BobR:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
I said that he was going to try this over a year ago.

Trump Says He Will Order Limits to Birthright Citizenship

Really don't see how its legal to do that, plus I have a sneaking suspicion Stephen Millers racisty fingerprints are on this too. I get that tRump is willfully ignorant but someone had to lead him to this.

The one concern is that tRump will push this, everyone will get outraged and push back, and then a "compromise" will be reached that requires both parents to be U.S. citizens.

I don't see how there can be a compromise. This move is 100% unconstitutional, and I'm pretty sure doesn't give a shit anyways.

Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 15:06:57
Quote by Raine:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
I said that he was going to try this over a year ago.

Trump Says He Will Order Limits to Birthright Citizenship

Really don't see how its legal to do that, plus I have a sneaking suspicion Stephen Millers racisty fingerprints are on this too. I get that tRump is willfully ignorant but someone had to lead him to this.

The one concern is that tRump will push this, everyone will get outraged and push back, and then a "compromise" will be reached that requires both parents to be U.S. citizens.

I am getting ready to read this from WaPo.

The only place I read the comments is WaPo. HEre is one reason why, replies like this:
Trump doesn't propose to end birthright citizenship. He proposes a switch from “jus soli” (right of soil) citizenship o “jus sanguinis” (right of blood) citizenship. Under the present system, any baby born in the United States is a U.S. citizen by birthright. Under the propose system, only babies born to a U.S. parent would become U.S. citizens by birthright. As the New York Times points our, dozens of countries grant jus soli citizenship, but jus sanguinis citizenship is most common among developed nations.

The Citizenship Clause of 14th Amendment states” All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” Although legal precedent favors the jus soli interpretation of the 14th amendment, the Supreme Court had never made a definitive ruling on the meaning of “under the jurisdiction thereof.”

The authors of the 14th Amendment’s “Citizenship Clause” obviously did not intend to grant citizenship to babies born to foreign nationals on U.S. soil. The 14th Amendment was ratified in 1868 to grant citizenship to former slaves. Babies born within U.S. borders to Native American parents were not granted U.S. citizenship until the Indian Citizen Act was passed in 1924. The reason was that Native Americans were not consider as being under the full jurisdiction of the United States because of their allegiance to tribal governments. Foreign nationals visiting or residing in the United States are not under full jurisdiction of the United States today. The constitutional issue is whether the Citizenship Clause’s reference to “under the jurisdiction thereof” means full jurisdiction.

If Trump signs an executive oder ending jus soli citizenship, there will be a definitive ruling. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of the jus soli interpretation, we should make the switch to jus sanguine citizenship by constitutional amendment



Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 15:37:02




Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 15:55:40
Comment by Scoopster on 10/30/2018 15:57:43
Oh yeah, meanwhile on the Senate side of things...

- Florida: The last ten days of polling are pointing to a slim (1-4) point advantage for Bill Nelson.
- Indiana: Over the past month there's been a lot of shifting in this race. Right now it seems tied or favoring the GOP by the polls. Joe Donnelly is still favored tho.
- Missouri: Another really close one. McCaskill has pulled out very slim wins before tho.
- North Dakota: This race looks like a disaster for Heidi Heitkamp if you only read the poll. Every recent poll has her down, with 4 of the last five being a -10pt spread. There's certain things I've noticed tho, like how most of the polling in this race was done or sponsored by either Fox News & Co. or polling outfits that don't do phone calls. There's also the fact that the last time Heidi ran she overcame an 8-pt poll difference to win by 3,000 votes, thanks to the Native American population supporting her. The state attempted to disenfranchise those residents by claiming they had no fixed address or proper ID, and that was met with $500k in raised funds to pay for new IDs with assigned addresses on tribal land. She may still win.
- West Virginia: Joe Manchin's opened up a hefty & consistent lead.
- Tennessee: Since his comments about supporting Kavanaugh, the wind has kinda come out of Phil Bredensens sails. Some of the polls are still close, while others have him down 8 points or more.
- Arizona: This is another close one, but polling has been pretty consistent in showing Kirsten Sinema's small lead.
- Nevada: is also very close. However the state's latino population and workers groups have been really pushing hard to get this seat to flip along with several others, and their efforts seem to be paying off in this race and several others including the governor's race. If the voter turnout is there, Jacky Rosen will win.
- Texas: The polling seems to confirm that there's a firewall in place keeping Beto O'Rourke 4-5 points behind. Hopefully enough turnout will be able to overcome that.

and last but not least... Mississippi?!?!!? The state has instant runoff voting, so if no candidate reaches 50% the field gets tripped to the top two. That's the case right now, with Mike Espy running a little bit behind Thad Cochran's substitute, who's splitting the vote with a proudly open racist jackass. Unfortunately in the runoff stage, Espy isn't favored to win unless said jackass somehow manages to make it to the runoff.

Comment by TriSec on 10/30/2018 16:10:36
And mere moments after I posted today, the orange fucktard announced he was abrogating the 14th amendment.

Where’s Sam Adams when we need him?

Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 16:52:36
NBC has announced that Whitey Bulger has been found Dead in Prison.

Was just moved to the Prison. No confirmation about rumors that he was murdered.

Comment by Scoopster on 10/30/2018 16:58:32
Mueller's camp strikes back.



Comment by Scoopster on 10/30/2018 17:01:54
Quote by Raine:
NBC has announced that Whitey Bulger has been found Dead in Prison.

Was just moved to the Prison. No confirmation about rumors that he was murdered.

Okay that was unexpected news.

Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 17:16:10
Quote by Scoopster:
Mueller's camp strikes back.


SNAP.

He does not phu around!

Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 17:22:00
Quote by Scoopster:
Mueller's camp strikes back.


Smack!





Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 17:59:01




Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 18:11:54
the hell with them all.





Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 19:37:19
Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 19:45:09
Marine one('s) just flew over our house. It makes my stomach turn.

Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 19:53:37




Comment by wickedpam on 10/30/2018 19:56:34
Quote by Raine:
Marine one('s) just flew over our house. It makes my stomach turn.


Next years garden going to be in the form of a giant finger?


Comment by Scoopster on 10/30/2018 19:58:48
Oh my gawd.. the entire internet is laughing hard at Jacob Wohl right now.






Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 20:04:46
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Marine one('s) just flew over our house. It makes my stomach turn.


Next years garden going to be in the form of a giant finger?

OMG, I love that idea!

Comment by Raine on 10/30/2018 20:05:22
Quote by Scoopster:
Oh my gawd.. the entire internet is laughing hard at Jacob Wohl right now.





What a dumbass.


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