Retired Army Major General Gives Stunning Response to Trump's Request for a Military Parade

Source: IJR News

After the Pentagon confirmed Tuesday that it was planning a military parade at the request of President Donald Trump, one retired general wasn't having it.

In a statement for VoteVets, a progressive veterans group, retired U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton took the president to task for what he sees as a “worse example” of Trump's “authoritarian tendencies.”

“For someone who just declared that it was 'treasonous' to not applaud him, and for someone who has, in the past, admired the tactics of everyone from Saddam Hussein to Vladimir Putin, it is clear that a military parade isn't about saluting the military — it is about making a display of the military saluting him,” Eaton said.

Read more: https://ijr-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/ijr.com/the-response/2018/02/1062778-retired-army-major-general-gives-stunning-response-to-trumps-request-for-a-military-parade/amp/

Pawlenty departing Wall Street group as campaign rumors swirl

Source: The HILL

Tim Pawlenty is stepping down as the leader of the Financial Services Roundtable, the industry group announced on Tuesday, as speculation grows about his possible entry into the Minnesota governor’s race.

Pawlenty, a Republican who was named CEO of the trade association in 2012, will continue in the post until March.

Read more: http://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/business-a-lobbying/372530-pawlenty-departing-wall-street-group-as-campaign

Sessions calls for 'fresh start' at FBI

Source: CNN

Attorney General Jeff Sessions says he believes the FBI needs a "fresh start" following FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe's decision to step down.

"Well, I have believed it was important to have a fresh start at the FBI, and actually, it was in my letter to the President when I recommended (former FBI Director James) Comey's removal. I used the words, 'fresh start,' and the FBI director is Chris Wray, a very talented, smart, capable leader," Sessions told the Washington Examiner on the day McCabe left the bureau. The interview was published on Tuesday.

A clean slate, he said, "will give them an opportunity to go straight to the American people and say, 'We are gonna win your confidence,'" adding that those within the department "tend to be defensive."

"At this point in time, I think we need to go the extra mile to make sure that everything we do is not political," Sessions added. "Everything we do is based on law and facts. And, whether we like it or not, there's been erosion in some of the confidence of the American people at the FBI and Department of Justice."

Read more: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2018/02/06/politics/jeff-sessions-fbi-fresh-start-washington-examiner-interview/index.html

Seeds of Romneys Senate planted in Marriott meet with Hatch

Source: Boston Globe

One day last March, Mitt Romney and Senator Orrin Hatch sat together in a hotel suite on the top floor of the JW Marriott hotel in downtown Washington, a few blocks from the White House.

After eating lunch, Hatch revealed why he had called to meet with Romney, who happened to be in town to deliver a keynote address before an annual meeting of the American Apparel & Footwear Association. The seven-term Republican senator had been mulling retirement, and he had an idea: It was time for Romney’s political comeback.

“I told him it was likely I would retire, and I’d sure like to have him succeed me,” Hatch, a senator since 1977, said in an interview. “It would be good for Utah, it would be good for the country. And he could continue his life of public service in a way that would have great meaning"

Read more: https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2018/02/05/the-seeds-mitt-romney-senate-bid-were-planted-marriott-meeting-with-orrin-hatch/YfY1zZxVK49WBrZiaz6LSK/story.html

Gowdy: Memo has no impact on Russia probe

Source: The HILL

Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) said during an interview airing Sunday that the previously classified memo alleging abuse of government surveillance powers by the Justice Department has no impact on the ongoing Russia probe.

During an interview on CBS's "Face The Nation," Gowdy - the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee - was asked about the recent comments of President Trump, who claimed the memo "totally vindicates" him in the Russia probe.

"I'm sure the president is frustrated. You know, [Rep.] Adam Schiff [D-Calif.] prejudged the investigation before we interviewed the first witness," Gowdy, a former prosecutor, said during the interview.

"So I'm sure that that instructs some of what he said. I actually don't think it has any impact on the Russia probe for this reason."

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/372207-gowdy-memo-has-no-impact-on-russia-probe?amp&__twitter_impression=true

IMO - AL Franken should run for Sen. Fraken's seat

I know...it sounds crazy; but there are no precedents that says no.

Franken is a comedian; and he did a comic thing knowing a picture would be taken.

Compared to POTUS, Fraken is a saint.

By running for the seat he vacated, graciously, So Franken would be letting the people decide - whether or not - they are forgiving him.

Most assuredly, there will be no more bad faith acts.

Just sayin......

Michele Bachmann gets a NO asking G-d for okay to seek Franken's seat

The answer came swiftly

https://twitter.com/rissluna/status/959079116115988485

Fl. Fed Ct strikes down rigged system for restoring felons voting rights

Posted in - Citizens for Criminal Justice - by Ken Abraham, on Feb 3, 2018 in Featured, Other Issues

Ken’s Comments:

This is as it should be. Surely the U S Supreme Court will agree when it gets this case. Why are former inmates barred from voting in so many states? Because they know what goes on in our prisons and would “vote the rascals out” regarding those opposing prison reform!

G.O.P. Tax Cut Draining Treasury Faster Than Expected

Source: Vanity Fair

One of the many things confirmed by the great tax-bill melodrama of 2017 is that Republicans only pretend to care about “fiscal responsibility” when Democrats are in power and tax cuts aren’t on the line. With the opportunity to slash the corporate rate nearly in half, cries of “I won’t endorse a bill that adds one penny to the deficit!” evaporated, and tacking on $1.5 trillion became no big deal. Tax cuts, we will soon be reminded, don’t grow on trees, and the social safety net must be pared back in exchange. For now, though, Republicans are still in the trickle-down honeymoon phase, seeing in every corporate press release more confirmation that America has been made great again. Which makes it somewhat ironic that the Treasury is now burning through its cash reserves at an even more spectacular rate.

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the federal government will run out of money even sooner than expected, thanks to the new tax legislation, which is estimated to lead to a fall in revenue of $136 billion in 2018. A default on debts had originally been forecasted for late March or early April. But now, because of the new withholding tables, “withheld receipts are expected to be less than the amounts paid in the comparable period last year.” That, combined with the fact that the Treasury generally issues a high number of tax refunds in February and March, means that the $272 billion in cash the Department had on hand as of Tuesday will quickly dwindle. If the debt ceiling isn’t increased by the first half of March, the C.B.O. cautioned on Wednesday, “the government would be unable to pay its obligations fully,” and would be forced to delay payments, default on its debts, or both.

Read more: https://www-vanityfair-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/02/the-gop-tax-cut-is-draining-the-treasury/amp

Don Jr. slips up, admits FBI Deputy Director McCabe didnt resign he was fired

Source: Unite Blue

The official story that a top justice official — and key witness in the potential obstruction case against Trump — stepped down just got demolished by Trump's own son.

When it was announced last week that Andrew McCabe, deputy director of the FBI, was immediately stepping down from his position, questions were raised about the circumstances of his departure.

The Trump administration’s position was clear: they wanted McCabe gone. At the behest of Trump, Attorney General Jeff Sessions had reportedly been pushing for McCabe’s firing for months. That’s why many people were suspicious of the sudden and unexpected news that McCabe would be stepping down.



Read more: https://shareblue.com/don-jr-slips-up-admits-fbi-deputy-director-andrew-mccabe-didnt-resign-he-was-fired/#.WnOYSruLx0I.twitter