All buttoned up…

Great, two idiots sabre-rattling about the size of their “nuclear buttons”, sigh… :-(

This weeks’ sobering recap from the New York Times of the childish back-and-forth between Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump is definitely worth a read.

Jeez, I wonder if John F. Kelly will attempt to slip one of these onto Trump’s desk?

Heck, based on excerpts from Michael Wolff’s book, “Fire and Fury”, I wouldn’t be surprised if several White House staffers give this method a try! …better than nuclear annihilation, right? And I’m not the only one who thinks this might work. On Thursday, New York Times columnist, Michelle Goldberg, points out:

…the book confirms what is already widely understood — not just that Trump is entirely unfit for the presidency, but that everyone around him knows it.

Yup, we’ve got a mentally ill president* who’s edging ever-closer to a total breakdown and the babysitters at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue aren’t exactly doin’ their job, are they? Sad.

And yet these people continue to either prop up or defend this sick travesty of a presidency.

When the Whacko-in-Chief™ is impeached, (and it’s not if, but strictly when), all of his enablers should be incarcerated as well.

No (de)bate, just switch(es)…

Republicans have been busy reconciling the House and Senate versions of the GOP tax bills recently, and the final version released on December 15th is the perfect Christmas gift for corporations and the wealthy. The GOP has stooped to new lows with their efforts to secure sufficient Republican support to guarantee passage when this piece of legislative crap comes up for a vote, pandering to senators Susan Collins, Bob Corker and Jeff Flake, in particular.

Historic political/procedural norms be damned – this travesty is the moral equivalent of a “smash and grab” committed by Republicans, all of which should be summarily ejected from office at the earliest opportunity. Can you say 2018 mid-term elections?

I’ll start with Paul Krugman’s opinion piece in today’s New York Times, where he questions the motivations, claiming:

…politicians willing to add a trillion dollars to the debt can hand out enough goodies to make their plans popular, at least for a while.

The New York Times Editorial Board agrees with Mr. Krugman, noting:

The tax bill’s generosity toward real estate titans stands in stark contrast to its stinginess toward the average wage earner as well as its very real damage to taxpayers in high-cost states.

Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin justifiably lambasts Senator Bob Corker’s and Senator Susan Collins’ feeble attempts to rationalize their flip-flop on the tax bill, explaining why they’ve both capitulated:

We can speculate on the reasons — political peer pressure, self-interest, keeping a political future alive, the potential absence of two GOP senators due to health concerns, etc.

The Editorial Board at the Washington Post opines as to Corker’s specious claim he was unaware of the benefit neatly inserted to garner his vote, asking:

Is it the suggestion by critics that a key senator dropped his opposition because of a last-minute change that would benefit him personally? Or is it his defense that the provision didn’t influence his support for the legislation because he never actually read the entire bill before changing his position?

Meanwhile, over at the Wall Street Journal, Theo Francis puts a happy, smiley face on this hot mess with the buzzy tagline, “Last-minute changes to the tax-overhaul bill dropped key provisions that most worried companies while raising other costs slightly…” …slightly? Uh, yeah, sure Theo, you really nailed it, huh?

The headline “Middle Class to Get 23% of Tax Cuts for Individuals Under GOP Bill” in the online edition of the Wall Street Journal pimps the proposed middle-class tax cuts, whereas the authors’ enthusiasm seemed a tad muted with the print edition’s headline ‘Tax Cuts’ Impact Assessed.’ for the very same article. ‘droids…

…yup, gotta chase those oh-so-precious middle-class eyeballs, right?

Link to a .PDF version of today’s poster here.

Thief-in-Chief™

Well, it seems the Thief-in-Chief™ decided to disregard the law on Monday and announce his intent to arbitrarily shrink the size of two national monuments in a highly-politicized, yet completely illegal maneuver, while visiting Utah.

I mean why not fly two-thirds of the way across the nation to stick your thumb in Mitt Romney’s eye? Heck, while you’re at it, why not just go ahead and drop a steaming pile in the laps of tribes claiming portions of both of these monuments as sacred?

The lawsuits filed by multiple groups were almost instantaneous, (as expected), and early indications are the plaintiffs have a pretty good chance of winning in court.

Link to the Thief-in-Chief™ poster is available here.

In other news, the Cheeto-in-Chief™ thought it best to offer his full-throated support of accused child molester Roy S. Moore, claiming it’s more important for Republicans to retain control of the Senate than to condemn some sleazebag who’s been slinking around Alabama shopping malls trolling for adolescent girls since the 1970’s!

Of course, this is the same person who claims the voice on the now-infamous “Access Hollywood” tape isn’t his own. Yeah, kinda like the voice heard calling into various New York City radio stations decades ago wasn’t his either! …what a f*cking idiot!

Let’s face it folks, the bloviating doofus confirmed by the Electoral College in January has suffered a psychotic break and needs to be removed from office. …like, NOW!

Link to the “…he’s one too!” poster is available here.

…the sound of silence…

Don’t you find it interesting how quiet potus* has been with respect to serial sexual predator, (and Republican candidate for United States Senate), Roy S. Moore? I mean the silence is – in the words of Washington Post columnist Aaron Blake – absolutely deafening.

…unless, of course, the topic has to do with his own accusers! Then this wretched excuse for a human being goes full-tilt-crazy! Need proof? Take a gander at what the Grabber-in-Chief™ has said about various and sundry sexual assault allegations in the past right here.

And Moore’s tormented history with the truth continues to make headlines.

No, I’m not cutting Senator Al Franken – a Democrat – any slack either. This clown gets tossed on to the pile of countless men who over-played their male privilege cards way, way, waaaaaay too many times. Shame, shame, shame on Senator Franken for thinking his own documented sexual assault was anywhere within a million miles of humorous, comedic or funny.

It’s not, ever.

Franken deserves whatever punishment – and public humiliation – comes his way.

Link to a .PDF version of today’s poster here.

Dirty [money] Laundering

The Washington Post article published on Monday described charges brought by special prosecutor Robert S. Mueller III against three former Trump campaign officials as part of the ongoing investigation into Russian meddling during the 2016 election cycle. Money laundering. Income tax evasion/fraud. Lying to investigators.

…and this is just the beginning!

Meanwhile the Whiner-in-Chief™ continues to cower in the White House, launching volley after volley of truly pathetic pleas via Twitter to his truly pathetic base. “Oooh, don’t forget about Hillary! Oooh, what about Comey? Emails! Emails! Emails!”

Like I said, pathetic.

Be sure to check out Jennifer Rubin’s opinion piece in the Washington Post where she asks:

…if Trump is this hysterical now, one wonders what he’ll be like…

when the inevitable stream of indictments related to those oh-so-inept/illegal campaign tactics emerge! Yes, I said inevitable. …yup, lots and lots of very dirty laundry1, folks!

The .PDF version of today’s poster available here.

1With profuse apologies to Donald Hugh Henley.