In a new poll, only 49% of Republicans and people who lean Republican said it was very important for American democracy that "news organizations are free to criticize political leaders."

The poll, which was published Thursday by the Pew Research Center, found that 76% of Democrats and Democrat-leaning respondents said the free press was an important part of maintaining a strong democracy.

See complete poll here:

[link:http://www.ibtimes.com/trumps-war-media-republicans-dont-think-free-press-important-new-poll-says-2501496|

take his wonderfully light-hearted and fun-loving long-time principal aide, Stephen Miller, with him.

And when you feel afraid
love one another
When you've lost your way
love one another
And when you're all alone
love one another
And when you're far from home
love one another
And when you're down and out
love one another
And when your hope runs out
love one another
And when you need a friend
love one another
And when you're near the end
love
We've got to love
We've got to love one another

A professional grifter just played the whole country with a "so-called" press conference.

If you aspire to be a con-man, watch and learn from the master.

Hustlers all over the world are laughing their asses off in admiration.

that devastated Chile, Argentina, and most of Latin America in the 1970s. Under the direction of Milton Friedman, the "Chicago Boys" (so-called because of their ties to the University of Chicago School of Economics), used South America as the petri dish to launch their first experiment with unregulated free-market capitalism. The resulting tax cuts, privatization of government services, and virtual elimination of the social safety net and public education resulted in massive inflation, rampant poverty, capital flight, despotic government, and the disappearance of thousands, all in robust economies that were led by socialists. The Pinochet coup and Salvador Allende's murder on September 11, 1973 (date ring a bell?) is the most outstanding example of what unrestricted free-market neoliberalism can do. Prominent republicans who have long promoted neoliberal economics under the guise of "free-market capitalism" include Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, Douglas Feith, and Richard Perle. Their activities during the Iraq War furnish some insight into what is happening today. Republican congressional support of these policies are a primary cause of economic devastation in this country.

in more dire need of a blowjob than any white man in history.

(thanks to Robin Williams, line from "Good Morning Vietnam."

the schools teaching our children that jesus had a pet dinosaur.

On a similar note, this thing about jerry falwell jr. being appointed to "revamp higher education" is just as frightening.

Within a generation, America will be a theocracy, fighting religious wars with theocracies like Iran. That's what they want.

they don't want anyone to have any "free shit" anymore," if I were to come upon trump and he was bleeding to death because of an auto accident on some lonely road, I think I would just keep my "free" medical skills to myself and move on.

for Wednesday, December 9, 2015, is almost the same picture, with a headline about how no one spoke up when he came for someone else, and finally got to you.

I have the pic but I don't know how to post it here.

Republicans gained 43 seats in the House of Representatives in the 2010 election, the largest swing in any midterm election since 1938. The gerrymandered redistricting that caused this packs Republicans into homogeneous districts and disperses Democrats into districts where they are a substantial minority.

In 2012, the Republicans created a disproportionate advantage in 10 states which renders the party balance in those states ineffective. In these 10 states, an average 7% vote in favor of Republicans translated into a 76% advantage for them in the number of Congressmen sent to the House. This is why even though 1.4 million more votes were cast for Democrats in the 2012 House elections, Republicans gained a 33-seat advantage.

We all know what happened in 2016. A natural progression.

The Tea Party representatives don't have to depend on mainstream Republican Party leaders for anything, they are almost assured of re-election in their mutant districts if they continue to have a heartbeat. Additionally, they threaten the seats of "moderate" Republicans simply because they have the freedom to challenge moderate views without consequence to themselves.

There's another census in 2020. That's only four years from now. Demographic projections for gains and losses affecting representation and shifts in the electoral college are already out there. Google Images "worst gerrymandering" and take a look at the psychotic, criminally discriminatory way our congressional districts are drawn. I call your attention specifically to FLA-5 and -22, MD-3, NC-12, and IL-4, which is split into two halves connected by an uninhabited highway median strip.

Nothing will change unless we take the redistricting power away from state legislatures and give it to independent commissions, like the one in California and only twelve other states...this needs to be made into a major issue in STATE elections.

All politics is local.

As much as we may fear and dislike Donald Trump, Steve Bannon et al., and their cabal now ensconced at the federal level, the only effective way to stop them is to use the tools of democracy we have at hand, and have always had.

Nothing will change otherwise. We are wasting our time.



Paraphrased with my personal opinions from the following excellent sites:

www.brennancenter.org/analysis/7-things-know-about-redistricting
mic.com/articles/68423/what-caused-the-2013-government-shutdown-redistricting
www.centerforpolitcs.org/crystalball/atricles/updated-2020-reapportionment-projections/
www.mapamendment.org