Has U.S. Democracy Been Trumped?

[Winstonm]

Anybody making book on this (the last time part)?

 

I'll take that bet.

[johnu]

Seems there is more impeachment talk in the air:

Any actual impeachment should wait until after a Democrat is elected President. Frat boy Kavanaugh is unfit to be a Supreme, but an even worse candidate is sure to be appointed by the Criminal in Chief and confirmed by the Moscow Mitch Senate. Sure, use it as a 2020 campaign issue but there is no equity in removing Kavanaugh before a suitable replacement can be appointed.

 

There is also criminal liability for lying to Congress which will never see the light of day until there is a Democratic President.

[Winstonm]

Any actual impeachment should wait until after a Democrat is elected President. Frat boy Kavanaugh is unfit to be a Supreme, but an even worse candidate is sure to be appointed by the Criminal in Chief and confirmed by the Moscow Mitch Senate. Sure, use it as a 2020 campaign issue but there is no equity in removing Kavanaugh before a suitable replacement can be appointed.

 

I agree except what is really needed is a Democratic senate - a more difficult assignmnet.

[y66]

I'll take that bet.

$10 says you can't resist replying to the troll in question for 30 days.

[y66]

From Krugman:

 

Weird stuff going on in the repo market. Supposedly just technical, but worth remembering that a "run on repo" was at the heart of the 2008 financial crisis.

Story here by Liz McCormick and Alex Harris at Bloomberg.

 

The Federal Reserve took action to calm money markets, injecting billions in cash to quell a surge in short-term rates that was pushing up its policy benchmark rate and threatening to drive up borrowing costs for companies and consumers. The central bank also said it’s willing to spend another $75 billion Wednesday.

 

While the spike wasn’t evidence of any sort of imminent financial crisis, it highlighted how the Fed was losing control over short-term lending, one of its key tools for implementing monetary policy. It also indicated Wall Street is struggling to absorb record sales of Treasury debt to fund a swelling U.S. budget deficit. What’s more, many dealers have curtailed trading because of safeguards implemented after the 2008 crisis, making these markets more prone to volatility.

 

Money markets saw funding shortages Monday and Tuesday, driving the rate on one-day loans backed by Treasury bonds -- known as repurchase agreements, or repos -- as high as 10%, about four times greater than last week’s levels, according to ICAP data.

 

More importantly, the turmoil in the repo market caused a key benchmark for policy makers -- known as the effective fed funds rate -- to jump to 2.25%, an increase that, if left unchecked, could have started impacting broader borrowing costs in the economy. Because that’s at the top of the range where Fed officials want the rate to be, they are likely to make yet another tweak to a key part of their policy tool set -- something called the interest on excess reserves rate -- to try to get things back on track when they meet Wednesday to set their benchmarks.

 

But the central bank didn’t wait until then to do something, resorting to a money-market operation it hasn’t deployed in a decade. The New York Fed bought $53.2 billion of securities on Tuesday, hoping to quell the liquidity squeeze. It appeared to help. For instance, the cost to borrow dollars for one week while lending euros retreated after almost doubling Monday.

 

Late Tuesday, the New York Fed said it would conduct another overnight repo operation of up to $75 billion Wednesday morning.

 

For repo traders, hedge funds and others that rely on that market for financing, the intervention came none too soon.

 

“There’s been a sea change in markets, and it’s one the Fed needed to respond to,” said Lou Crandall of Wrightson ICAP. “In the current market environment, there is just not enough elasticity in the repo market to handle the big seasonal swings of the banking system. The Fed needed to come in now and alleviate the immediate problem, while it is also working on long-term solutions.”

 

The central bank has considered introducing a new tool, an overnight repo facility, that could be used to reduce pressure in money markets. No decision has been announced. Another long-term remedy would be growing the Fed’s balance sheet again to permanently increase reserves in the banking system. But for now, if the rate remains elevated, expect more temporary liquidity injections, Crandall said.

 

The New York Fed declined to comment on the events of this week.

 

Actions like the Fed took Tuesday were once commonplace, but stopped being so when the central bank expanded its balance sheet and started using a range of rates to implement its policy in the aftermath of Lehman Brothers’ 2008 collapse.

 

Securities eligible for collateral in the Fed operation include Treasuries, agency debt and mortgage-backed securities. In an overnight system repo, the Fed lends cash to primary dealers against Treasury securities or other collateral.

 

Surges in the repo rate normally occur only at quarter-end and sometimes month-end. This mid-month surge was attributed to a confluence of events that knocked cash reserves in the banking system out of balance with the volume of securities on dealer balance sheets: a corporate tax payment date, settlement of last week’s Treasury auctions, and last week’s bond-market sell-off, in which investors sold securities back to dealers.

 

This is certainly painful for firms that have to fund positions,” said Thomas Simons, an economist at Jefferies LLC. “So it’s difficult for the dealer community. But it’s not systemically threatening.”

 

Beyond the technical forces driving the spike in repo rates, the move is also a sign that excess reserves in the banking system are dwindling, according to Tom di Galoma, managing director of government trading and strategy at Seaport Global Holdings LLC.

 

“This made the repo market ripe for dislocation,” he said.

[Winstonm]

$10 says you can't resist replying to the troll in question for 30 days.

 

How about a cold drink? I hate to take all your cash. :)

[johnu]

I agree except what is really needed is a Democratic senate - a more difficult assignmnet.

It's not just about Kavanaugh. There are a number of justices that will retire or possibly die in the next 9+ years.

 

Thomas is 71

Ginsburg is 86

Breyer is 81

Alito is 69

Sotamayor is 65

Roberts is 64

 

All have reached an age where many ordinary people have been been retired for years. They'll be 8-9 years older in the next 2 presidential terms.

 

Kagan is 59

Gorsuch is 52

Kavanaugh is 54

 

are relatively young and would be expected to serve several more presidential terms than their older colleagues.

 

True, you may expect Moscow Mitch to obstruct the confirmation of a Democratically nominated Supreme in the last year of a presidential term. But 2 years? If he did that, there would be absolute warfare when the Democrats take back the Senate.

[y66]

How about a cold drink? I hate to take all your cash. :)

Okay. A beverage of choice the next time I'm in Oklahoma or you're in DC.

[kenberg]

Okay. A beverage of choice the next time I'm in Oklahoma or you're in DC.

 

Good plan. For example, at the Trump Hotel in D.C you can get a Smoke and Moss for $45. Plus tax and tip, I assume.

 

S and M: glenmorangie lasanta, glenmorangie nectar d’or, cocchi americanocarpano antica formula, ardbeg 10 mist

I have no idea what it means. Not another name for a gin and tonic, I assume.

[Winstonm]

 

Good plan. For example, at the Trump Hotel in D.C you can get a Smoke and Moss for $45. Plus tax and tip, I assume.

 

S and M: glenmorangie lasanta, glenmorangie nectar d’or, cocchi americanocarpano antica formula, ardbeg 10 mist

I have no idea what it means. Not another name for a gin and tonic, I assume.

 

Although my brother and my sister-in-law live just outside DC in Maryland, I don't plan on visiting DC until the current regime is gone - I don't want to catch anything.

[Winstonm]

Okay. A beverage of choice the next time I'm in Oklahoma or you're in DC.

 

September is great time to visit Tulsa - take today, it is only going to be 94 degrees but because no one here believes climate change is real the heat index is only going to make it feel like 102.

[Winstonm]

This is simply a comment from the emptywheel.net website but it struck me as compelling so I'm sharing some of it:

Robert Britton Jrsays:

September 18, 2019 at 12:44 pm

 

I worked as a Director of IT in Healthcare. Once for a Nursing home management firm. Once for a Home Care firm. And once for a non-profit / state wide Women’s health organization. I worked to implement all aspects of things: From Medical Billing, to EMR, to business processes, A/R Management, et al. I’m not an industry expert. But I’ve been inside the systems of these types of medical providers.

 

What was eye-opening was the consistent goal of PROFIT MAXIMIZATION and COST MINIMIZATION. Patient Care was at the bottom of the rung.

 

This is the root issue with health care costs: GREED, plain and simple.

 

I participated in numerous board/director level conversations where the goal was to get staff to increase the services rendered so as to maximize revenue and income. If a P/T patient who just had a knee surgery only needed a couple P/T visits…heck with that. BILL THE MAX! Change the forms to reflect that there’s a deeper, longer term need. Same with O/T. Run the tests! BILL BILL BILL!

 

One firm had a “personal pay” rate that seemed to more fairly charge appropriate fees when individuals had to pay out of pocket. But with any insurance provider, whether private, or Medicaid/Medicare, the goal was to UPSIZE THE CHARGE: Maximum billing.

 

GREED is the problem of so much in not just healthcare, but in private and public providers (payers/insurers) so many other aspects of healthcare.

 

Minimizing the profiteers by moving towards MEDICARE FOR ALL is a HUGE step in the right direction, IMHO.

 

Note: PT=physical therapy. OT=occupational therapy

[johnu]

Nothing more than a very amusing news headline

 

'THE FIRST FAMILY IS VERY ACTIVE IN WATER SPORTS'

 

If you aren't familiar with the details of the Steele dossier, you won't get the headline.

[rmnka447]

Your ignorance, biases, and lack of critical thinking skills I find too trying with which to bother. I will help you overcome your ignorance this one last time.

 

First, Kavanaugh under oath at his confirmation hearing categorically denied engaging in any sexually inappropriate behavior. He also denied that he drank excessively. Either of these would be enough to impeach if shown he knowingly lied about any sexually inappropriate behavior or any excessive drinking, including the new claim by the witness, Max Stier.

 

Second, the issue from the NYT is not the girl but that a reliable witness, Max Stier, claimed he witnessed Kavanaugh engaged in lewd behavior. That the girl says she doesn't remember has no bearing whatsoever on what Max Stier says he witnessed.

 

Again, no one knows for sure what happened. The FBI were not allowed to investigate thoroughly. That you exonerate Kavanaugh without question says way more about you than it does about the NYT, the girl in question, or Max Stier.

 

At the least, a critical thinker should be curious as to what the reality is about Kavanaugh.

 

Best of luck with your cancer - from a retired hospice nurse. Now back to your regularly scheduled brainwashing programming.

 

First of all, if the alleged victim can't even remember the incident and didn't want to come forth. That's a major problem for any "I saw" claims by a "reliable" witness. The alleged incident would surely make an impression of the victim. Third party claims need lots of confirmation if they are to be believed.

 

So, there are a lot of questions that the so-called witness needs to answer before one should accept his allegations:

 

When and where did this occur?

 

At this drunken frat party, what was the state of sobriety of the witness? It's been my personal observation that virtually no one at such parties was ever completely sober. So, if the witness wasn't completely sober then it's hard to put a lot of credence into any claims.

 

And, it's perfectly reasonable, to question how valid someone's memories of events from 35+ years ago are. The only way it wouldn't would be if the individual was one of those people with complete recall who are capable of recalling every thing they've done in their life.

 

That's looking at the situation critically.

 

But, hey, you're willing to accept any allegation about Kavanaugh as true because of politics. That makes you a locked mind progessive zealot. Certainly the constant stream of like minded extremely critical BS (opinion pieces, etc.) of President Trump you post doesn't reflect a discerning mind. And you look pretty small to me with the way you demean people you disagree with childish nicknames. I don't despise or hate you just recognize the whole schtick you have to put forward to salve your ego.

[andrei]

blah blah blah ... Last progressive post ... blah blah blah

 

Found it very strange there are no new progressive posts in this thread for over a day now.

 

Might this be because the self anointed progressive king (look North) is in trouble?

 

No interesting NYT/WaPo/Vox/Slate/HuffPost articles about JT?

[Chas_P]

First of all, if the alleged victim can't even remember the incident and didn't want to come forth. That's a major problem for any "I saw" claims by a "reliable" witness. The alleged incident would surely make an impression of the victim. Third party claims need lots of confirmation if they are to be believed.

 

So, there are a lot of questions that the so-called witness needs to answer before one should accept his allegations:

 

When and where did this occur?

 

At this drunken frat party, what was the state of sobriety of the witness? It's been my personal observation that virtually no one at such parties was ever completely sober. So, if the witness wasn't completely sober then it's hard to put a lot of credence into any claims.

 

And, it's perfectly reasonable, to question how valid someone's memories of events from 35+ years ago are. The only way it wouldn't would be if the individual was one of those people with complete recall who are capable of recalling every thing they've done in their life.

 

That's looking at the situation critically.

 

But, hey, you're willing to accept any allegation about Kavanaugh as true because of politics. That makes you a locked mind progessive zealot. Certainly the constant stream of like minded extremely critical BS (opinion pieces, etc.) of President Trump you post doesn't reflect a discerning mind. And you look pretty small to me with the way you demean people you disagree with childish nicknames. I don't despise or hate you just recognize the whole schtick you have to put forward to salve your ego.

 

The recent fiasco at the New York Times, which last weekend published the latest uncorroborated sexual assault accusation against Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, was a monument to hearsay and a travesty of journalistic ethics.

[PassedOut]

Found it very strange there are no new progressive posts in this thread for over a day now.

 

Might this be because the self anointed progressive king (look North) is in trouble?

 

No interesting NYT/WaPo/Vox/Slate/HuffPost articles about JT?

NYT: New Video Surfaces Showing Trudeau in Blackface, Compounding Scandal

NYT: Brownface, Blackface and About-Face. Is Trudeau Who He Says He Is?

WaPo: ‘This thing is a wildfire’: Trudeau apologizes again as campaign reels from racist makeup revelations

WaPo: Third incident of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau in racist makeup emerges

[johnu]

...

Moderator - andrei is literally begging for a participation award. Please award him one or he may start to cry.

 

andrei - In case you don't know, Canada is not part of the USA. A difficult concept to understand for some people I'm sure, but take it is a fact that this is true. I know that you are confused by the Fake News, but maybe in this case you could make an exception and actually do some research if you are unable to take my word for this. In case you are confused about where to find Canada on a map, it is right next to Greenland. And no, Greenland is not going to be the next US territory.

 

I also claim that the title of this thread is "Has U.S. Democracy Been Trumped?". If you want to dispute this, look at the title "Replying to Has U.S. Democracy Been Trumped?" in the red bar above the discussion, or the hierarchy of threads above that. Beyond that, I have no proof about what this topic is about :rolleyes: Now, here is where it is going to get very difficult for you.

 

1) Trudeau is the Prime Minister of Canada, not the USA

2) Trudeau doesn't really have anything to do with Putin's Puppet except in official government activities

3) Therefore, Trudeau doesn't have anything to do with this topic.

[johnu]

The Traitor in Chief is up to his neck in trying to cover up his traitorous behaviour.

 

Whistleblower Complaint Against Trump Reportedly Involves Ukraine

 

The Post first reported on an intelligence official’s complaint on Wednesday, writing that the official approached Intelligence Community Inspector General Michael Atkinson with claims that Trump had made troubling “promises” during communication with a foreign leader.

 

The Times then reported Thursday that the whistleblower’s complaint involves additional incidents about Trump.

The White House (i.e The Manchurian President), reportedly is actively trying to suppress the whistleblower's complaint from being reported to the House oversight committee which is required by law. The Grifter in Chief's government paid personal attorney is subverting the DOJ in also trying to suppress the whistleblower's complaint from being reported to Congress.

 

I just call this Article 205 (or are we into the 300's already) in the articles of impeachment that are being written up by the House.

[hrothgar]

Speaking for myself, I think that Trudeau has made a bunch of bad choices. However, the decision to wear brownface seems relatively minor compared to some of the real scandals.

 

The NYT has a good article documenting what's going on up North

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/19/opinion/trudeau-brownface-canada.html

 

I am paying far more attention to escalating fight over the Whistleblower issues:

 

I am curious how the MAGA contingent would feel if it turns out to be true that Trump tried to make foreign aid contingent on the Ukrainian government launching a investigation into family members of his political rivals....

[kenberg]

I have never understood why an adult would want to wear blackface (I didn't do it when I was 8 either), but when someone is found to have done so I think something like "I apologize, I just wasn't thinking" should suffice. Maria Callas dressed as a gypsy for Carmen. Of course her role was as a gypsy, but it was a stereotypical gypsy role. So do we have to stop performing Carmen? Maybe so, but really I hope not. Intent matters, at least some. Carmen was considered scandalous when it was first performed but not because of its insensitivity to Roma culture. I once took a date to a Halloween party who was dressed as a rather provocative cat. No disrespect to cats was intended. I realize that cats don't mind and people do mind, but a toga party (I have never been to one) is not meant as disrespect for Romans, either historically or modern.

 

 

So respect for other cultures is good, blackface seems, and to me always has seemed, really stupid but I think an apology, an acknowledgment of error, should suffice for us to then move on. And I don't know what should be done about Carmen, but I really like the music.

[Cyberyeti]

I have never understood why an adult would want to wear blackface (I didn't do it when I was 8 either), but when someone is found to have done so I think something like "I apologize, I just wasn't thinking" should suffice. Maria Callas dressed as a gypsy for Carmen. Of course her role was as a gypsy, but it was a stereotypical gypsy role. So do we have to stop performing Carmen? Maybe so, but really I hope not. Intent matters, at least some. Carmen was considered scandalous when it was first performed but not because of its insensitivity to Roma culture. I once took a date to a Halloween party who was dressed as a rather provocative cat. No disrespect to cats was intended. I realize that cats don't mind and people do mind, but a toga party (I have never been to one) is not meant as disrespect for Romans, either historically or modern.

 

 

So respect for other cultures is good, blackface seems, and to me always has seemed, really stupid but I think an apology, an acknowledgment of error, should suffice for us to then move on. And I don't know what should be done about Carmen, but I really like the music.

 

I've never done blackface and never would (a full beard makes it too messy) BUT:

 

Is there anything wrong with going to a fancy dress party as a figure from another culture ? And if you're going to do that, are you not supposed to adjust your skin tone to fit ?

 

To me there's a big difference between the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zwarte_Piet type blackface and impersonating a particular poc.

[andrei]

NYT: New Video Surfaces Showing Trudeau in Blackface, Compounding Scandal

NYT: Brownface, Blackface and About-Face. Is Trudeau Who He Says He Is?

WaPo: ‘This thing is a wildfire’: Trudeau apologizes again as campaign reels from racist makeup revelations

WaPo: Third incident of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau in racist makeup emerges

 

That's more like it.

Now the people around here can get up-to-date with the latest news.

[andrei]

I am curious how the MAGA contingent would feel if it turns out to be true that Trump tried to make foreign aid contingent on the Ukrainian government launching a investigation into family members of his political rivals....

 

If this is accurate, it is a damning assessment of the investigation into Kavanaugh. From the WaPo editorial board:

 

And if the stories about Ross are true, he needs to go. Working for Trump is a very destructive experience, Ross wasn't up for it, too bad, but he wasn't. It's my understanding that fewer and fewer people are willing to work for Trump, I cannot imagine why anyone would.

 

The expression of the week here.

 

The Traitor in Chief is up to his neck in trying to cover up his traitorous behaviour.

 

Whistleblower Complaint Against Trump Reportedly Involves Ukraine

 

Not for John though.

He has not doubts.

He knows everything.

 

Tell us John: what/when/with whom was discussed?

[kenberg]

I've never done blackface and never would (a full beard makes it too messy) BUT:

 

Is there anything wrong with going to a fancy dress party as a figure from another culture ? And if you're going to do that, are you not supposed to adjust your skin tone to fit ?

 

To me there's a big difference between the https://en.wikipedia...iki/Zwarte_Piet type blackface and impersonating a particular poc.

 

In theory, probably nothing wrong with playing at another culture, in practice, yes, or usually so. I grew up in the 1940s and 50s and I remember some of the movies. Wikipedia quotes Butterfly McQueen:

 

"I didn't mind playing a maid the first time, because I thought that was how you got into the business. But after I did the same thing over and over, I resented it. I didn't mind being funny, but I didn't like being stupid

 

Turner Classic Movies had Stormy Weather on recently. It's an all black cast but the writers were white. It is often spoken of respectfully, again going to the Wik we see "The film is considered one of the best Hollywood musicals with an African-American cast". God help us if that is so. Great dancing and like many movies with dancing and singing the script is pathetic, but in this it is also demeaning.

The history of such portrayals is such that any person with any sense at all should have no problem steering clear of blackface portrayals. There is just too much history for it to be ignored, it is completely predictable that offense would be taken even when none is intended. But I do think "I wasn't thinking, I apologize", if said honestly, should suffice.