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Reports of protests are overblown. A few incidents around the country, but nothing major.

5 (45.5%)

A few major incidents in capitals, but nothing much in DC.

5 (45.5%)

A major incident in DC, but nothing much around the country.

0 (0%)

More than 10 capitals have major upheavals, but nothing much in DC.

0 (0%)

A major incident in DC plus more than 10 capitals with significant upheavals.

1 (9.1%)

More than half the capitals around the country have problems with protesters, but DC is quiet.

0 (0%)

DC has major problems, while more than half the capitals around the country also have considerable trouble with protesters.

0 (0%)

Huge disruption to the day.

0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 9

Voting closed: January 19, 2021, 10:49:21 PM

[barton]

I'm smelling Stroganoff. 

And the Sealed v.  Sealed case is getting interesting...

https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/2018/12/19/18147495/mueller-grand-jury-mystery-country-a

Rosneft?   Douchebank?  VTB?   

[josh]

http://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/12/trump-law-collusion-court-public-opinion-mueller.html

But... but... he's the smartest, most knowledgeable (etc)!

[josh]

Breakdown of a story on something totally legal and routine:

- Trump has no business deals or relationships in Russia.  None.  Repeatedly stated.
- Trump may have briefly talked about a tower in Moscow, but what would you expect, he deals in international real estate.
- The talk ended way before Trump became a candidate.
- OK, the talk ended after election day.
- There was talk of Putin being gifted a $50 Million Penthouse in the tower, but that it was just talk, there was no deal in place.
- There may have been a deal drawn up, but it was never signed, and Trump didn't even know about it.
- OK, so there was a deal which Trump signed...

And while CNN shows the signed document, FOX News is debating the gender of anthropomorphized ginger cookies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKBjL8BgMQc

Sorry, not a debate, because "obviously they're men."

Guys...the Republican half of this country is completely out to snack.

Fixed it.

[josh]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/judge-strikes-down-trump-administration-effort-to-deny-asylum-for-migrants-fleeing-gang-violence-domestic-abuse/2018/12/19/61687d00-03b1-11e9-b6a9-0aa5c2fcc9e4_story.html?utm_term=.df0ca8f17b84&tid=sm_fb

We'll see if this holds up on appeal, but even if it does, expect the administration to drag its feet with regard to returning the falsely deported asylum seekers to the US.

[NeedsAdjustments]

So the US is planning a rapid and unexpected withdrawal from Syria, despite the objections from Trump's Generals (remember when he said he would listen to his generals?) abandoning the fight against ISIS there, and leaving the Kurds to fight off Turkey on their own. 

So in other words, this is bad, seemingly against US interests.

Why?  Haven't seen an explanation yet.  We know that Putin applauds the move.  We also know that Erdogan applauds the move, and may back off his accusations against Saudi Arabia for the killing of Khashoggi in response to the move.  We don't know that the decision is influenced by either of those factors, but given what we know we can't rule it out.

And that's a problem.

BREAKING — US official tells Reuters that US acting on the decisions taken by Trump during his call with Turkish President Erdogan, regarding the decision to withdraw the US troops from Syria.

Here is the full Reuters quote:

The decision came after a phone call between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan on Friday. “Everything that has followed is implementing the agreement that was made in that call,” the official said.

So what did Trump ask of Erdogan in order to get this troop removal?

[barton]

Turkish delight on a moonlit night.

Backing off on Saud accusations sounds like a good guess.   

[kiiidcarter8]

Keep imagining the story.....

Fun reading.

[LarryBnDC]

Russia knows the game is up for their American Executive asset.

Pulling troops from Syria benefits...

Right.

Pulling out of the nuclear agreement with Russia benefits...

Right.

Lifting sanctions benefits...

Right.

Quid pro quo. Putin is getting tremendous ROI...

https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/Documents/20181219_notification_removal.pdf

[josh]

Then:

"I tell you what, I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck, because the people of this country don't want criminals and people that have lots of problems and drugs pouring into our country. So, I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down. I'm not going to blame you for it. The last time you shut it down it didn't work. I will take the mantle of shutting down and I'm going to shut it down for border security."

Now:

On Wednesday morning, White House senior counselor Kellyanne Conway sounded a very different note, suggesting that if Congress passed a short-term resolution to keep the government open then Trump would "take a look at that certainly." Added Conway: "A short term [continuing resolution] -- or a CR that goes through February 8 keeps the government up and running but that doesn't mean the President is backing down from an essential promise, not a campaign promise, a promise as President of the United States and our commander in chief to keep us safe."

and

Trump himself sounded a similarly defensive -- and nonsensical -- note in a tweet on Wednesday. "Mexico is paying (indirectly) for the Wall through the new USMCA, the replacement for NAFTA!" tweeted the President. "Far more money coming to the U.S. Because of the tremendous dangers at the Border, including large scale criminal and drug inflow, the United States Military will build the Wall!"

Yeah, boy, those Mexicans are really gonna pay for that wall, now!

But, as he tweeted on March 23rd <https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/977166887493799936>:

"I am considering a VETO of the Omnibus Spending Bill based on the fact that the 800,000 plus DACA recipients have been totally abandoned by the Democrats (not even mentioned in Bill) and the BORDER WALL, which is desperately needed for our National Defense, is not fully funded,"

[josh]

4 out of 11 voters predicted McSally would be seated first in the Senate. She's been appointed, but as Kyl's resignation will be as of December 31, rather than immediate, the two will both be sworn in on January 3rd.

Ducey said Sinema will be sworn in first, making her the state's senior senator, followed by McSally. They will be the first women to represent Arizona in the Senate.

And that makes the Sinema voters right. Could have gone either way.

We will also be getting 5 elections in 5 cycles for Arizona senate seats, with 2016 (McCain wins), 2018 (Sinema wins), 2020 (McSally's seat), 2022 (Whomever wins in 2020), then 2024 (Sinema's seat). That's a lot of money going into those elections. Sure, it's only one more than the usual path, but it sure seems like more.

[josh]

The S&P500 statistically has an 86 percent chance of rising throughout the year if it experiences gains during the first five days of the year.

Looks like that won't apply to 2018.

How low can we go?

The last December this bad was 1929.

[josh]

https://theintercept.com/2018/12/19/first-step-act-criminal-justice-reform-bill/

The risk is that change will stop at this measure.

[facilitatorn]

The S&P500 statistically has an 86 percent chance of rising throughout the year if it experiences gains during the first five days of the year.

Looks like that won't apply to 2018.

How low can we go?

The last December this bad was 1929.

Trump just got his 7th rate hike.

The market isn’t so fond of his criminal organizations.

[luee]

---US pledges more than $10B in aid for Central America, southern Mexico so migrants can stay put---

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/us-pledges-more-than-10b-in-aid-for-central-america-southern-mexico-so-migrants-can-stay-put


Lib elites say no,no, no bring them here.

---Newly inaugurated President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador waxed poetic about the plan to provide jobs so people won't have to emigrate.

"I have a dream that I want to see become a reality ... that nobody will want to go work in the United States anymore," he said at a morning news conference before the announcement.

Ebrard previously suggested that about $25 billion in U.S. investment would be an appropriate figure for what Mexicans and Central Americans have dubbed "The Alliance for Prosperity" in the region.---

[whiskeypriest]

---US pledges more than $10B in aid for Central America, southern Mexico so migrants can stay put---

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/us-pledges-more-than-10b-in-aid-for-central-america-southern-mexico-so-migrants-can-stay-put


Lib elites say no,no, no bring them here.

Who specifically has said this? Quotes and links that relate to foreign aid to Latin america only please.