Day 11 In Trump’s World
We’ll be keeping tabs on all of the (mostly alarming) shit that happens under Trump’s watch. Here’s a recap of the glorious eleventh day:
First order of business: You have until midnight to sign up for Obamacare if you haven’t done so already. As you know, things are moving swiftly these days.
Senate panel voted in favor of Betsy DeVos. That’s right, folks: A billionaire who has spent decades advocating for charter schools and taxpayer-funded vouchers is almost confirmed as Secretary of Education. Let us also not forget about her speculation concerning the use of guns in schools to combat grizzlies… A vote for final confirmation in the Senate has not yet been scheduled, but we know how this goes. At least Warren was fierce as usual in her attempt to derail confirmation process.
Trump’s announced his pick to fill Supreme Court vacancy and it’s Neil Gorusch. More tomorrow.
Who is Sally Quillian Yates? The former acting attorney general and longtime prosecutor from Atlanta with a moral compass to boot. Apparently, Trump fired her because she “betrayed the Department of Justice by refusing to enforce a legal order designed to protect the citizens of the United States.” The legal order in question is the controversial immigration order, which she ordered federal attorneys not to defend. The same order that has caused absolute turmoil at the DHS and State department with ‘people literally crying in the office’. Yeah. What a witch…
And who’s Sally going to be supplanted by? Jeff Sessions. That dude who defended Trump’s Muslim ban and unsubstantiated voter fraud claims. And the same one who persuaded Trump to hire Pence. Watch Sessions literally tell her to be ready to stand up to the president back in 2015. Bizarre. Our guess is as good as yours.
But don’t worry, for another few precious hours…Democrats managed to stall the appointment by one more day.
Spicer says Democrats are ‘frankly outrageous’ and calls the boycotting and filibustering ‘embarrassing’. This is coming from the same man who chews, and swallows, two and a half packs of cinnamon Orbit ‘by noon’.
Spicer continues to live up to our expectations by retweeting a video he thought was praising him from The Onion. The idiocy is truly impressive.
Trump replaced Daniel Ragsdale, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with Thomas Homan, ICE’s executive associate director on Monday night providing zero explanation as to why. Just another day in Trump’s toyhouse.
The 8-year-old daughter of Anwar al-Awlaki (the U.S.-born al Qaeda leader who was killed by U.S. forces five years ago) was one of the civilians killed in a US raid on al-Qaeda militants in Yemen. This is the first combat casualty of the Trump administration. While he lamented the death of an American service member, there was no mention of any civilian death. Shocker.
Trump continues to ‘make America great again’ by planning to keep his electoral promise of imposing tougher immigration rules on the H1B visa plans. This bill mandates minimum wages of H1B visa holders at $130,000, which is double the current limit and a total blow for Indian IT. Though it has only been introduced and has yet to go through US legislative process before it becomes a law, we’re not holding our breath.
For the sake of levity: Remember when Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks, announced that his company would commit to hiring 10,000 refugees at Starbucks locations around the globe? Isn’t that a lovely declaration? Some Trump supporters think not and instead inundate Twitter with #BoycottStarbucks. Some even pledge their new allegiance to Dunkin’ Donuts, while others have convinced themselves that immigrants are terrorist baristas.
US Senate Democrats are boycotting confirmation votes for two of President Donald Trump’s key cabinet nominees, Tom Price and Stephen Mnuchin, forcing the votes to be postponed. Trump says they’re disrupting the political process. Let’s see how heads roll when the all-mighty filibuster emerges.
So, there is photographic evidence of a convoy of military vehicles flying a Trump flag in Kentucky. That is all.
In more horrifying (and almost predictable at this point) news, Donald Trump met with pharma lobbyists and dropped his promise to negotiate drug prices. You know what he said about the ‘vibrantly competitive market’? ‘But we can increase competition and bidding wars, big time.’
Conway continues her feud with journalists. ‘We know their names,’ she said. Shudder.
A 70-year old retired army colonel, Ann Right, was arrested for protesting Sessions’ confirmation hearing. She was wearing a pink shirt that said ‘No Racism. No Hate. Codepink’. They literally pulled her arm and dragged her.
White House says Obama’s order on LGBTQ rights will stay in effect though…Let’s see about that U.S. Supreme Court Justice, shall we?
Also, if you’ve been wondering about white supremacist infiltration of law enforcement, check this out.
During trying times like these, we can’t promise any respite or refuge. But, there is always solidarity and catharsis. So, if you want to resist, check out this google doc of upcoming town halls for members of congress that has been circulated. And Warren and/or Sanders the hell out of it.
Remember everyone: There’s no room for two-party politics in hell.