canflam

I'm curious to see what their new health care bill they're trying to pass will look like too. If it's similar to before then I don't expect it to get far. Strange how secretive Republicans are being about it.

I forgot to mention this, but did you hear Trump talk about the Panama Canal recently? If not here it is. Trump Panama Canal Comment Goes Viral With Internet Reactions

Come on man. Presidents or country leaders & rulers should know about stuff like this before they talk about it publicly at least I think. Holy cow. It's funny, because it seemed like Trump thought the Panama was just under construction. Of course Americans should be proud of the Panama Canal I think.

sunnykerr

I don't know what to make of this. On the one hand, as Trevor Noah encouraged us all to think, we should never accept that what Donald Trump does as a president is normal or acceptable. On the other hand... he's the guy who got picked for the job. So, you know, what else did anyone expect, really?

His whole family is proof positive that money can't buy you brains.

canflam

I guess. I'd like to think Kushner is at least smart though since he seems to be Trump's right-hand man, though reportedly his dad pledged $2,500,000 to Harvard shortly before Jared was admitted to that school. Of course his dad also got put in jail by Christie which is another story.

OK. So in another story to show how strange or dysfunctional perhaps this White House is, Steve Bannon was asked this week why there have been fewer press briefings & his response was about Sean Spicer. His answer was ''Sean got fatter.'' That's really what he said to a reported of The Atlantic. Geez.

Also the new Republican health care plan was released & it not surprisingly will if made into a law will lower taxes on the very wealthy & defund Planned Parenthood for 1 year at least.

Finally, I know that people blame Nanci Pelosi for John Osoff's loss, but come one. He was running in the deep south where a Republican has held that seat for decades. I'm glad she said she's not going to be scared into stepping down. People already are saying that Democrats are turning which I don't think is true yet at least. She was with Chuck Shumer & Ron Wyden today discussing how terrible this new healthcare law would be for people if passed. Remember there were tasteless ads in that Osoff/Karen Handle race connecting Osoff to Kathy Griffin's joke about Trump that got her fired from CNN. I don't know the effect that had on people in a Republican District, but Osoff likely wasn't going to win anyway.

What are all your thoughts?

sunnykerr

Being Trump's right-hand man doesn't make anyone smart, least of all Jared Kushner.

God, with every day that passes and ever new absurdity that comes out of that place, it sounds more and more like they've turned the White House into a frat house.

I did roll my eyes when I read that four Republicans could cause problem with their current opposition to the new health-care bill. At first, I thought, "finally, some common sense." But, of course, they oppose it because it's not hardcore enough, not because it's ludicrous.

Defunding Planned Parenthood is literally about pissing on poor people. It serves no other purpose. The portion of federal budget that goes towards it is so minute that it won't make any difference. And no one but poor people, poor women most of them, will be affected by it.

So these are my thoughts. Your White House is filled with grown men who think they're back at a frat house, only this time they're not the losers anymore, they're in power. So they've decided that there are less press conferences because the spokesguy has gained weight, that mocking the poor is hilarious, that lining their pockets is why they're there and that the only women worth their are Rhodes scholars like Kellyanne Conway, Meliana Trump and Ivanka Kushner.

sunnykerr

Republicans delay Senate healthcare vote

US Senate Republicans have delayed a vote on their healthcare bill until after next week's 4 July holiday.

The announcement by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is a setback to their plan to replace Obamacare.

Eight Republican senators have vowed to oppose the bill and the party can only afford to lose two votes to get it passed in the upper chamber.

US President Donald Trump invited Senate Republicans to the White House for a meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

Sitting alongside some of the party rebels, he said: "This will be great if we get it done. And if we don't get it done, it's just going to be something that we're not going to like. And that's okay, and I understand that very well."

A similar version of the bill has already passed the House, after facing a similar delay.

After Congress returns from the bank holiday, there will be a two-week window before the summer break.

Mr McConnell vowed to continue to try to find the votes, and would make changes to the bill if necessary.

Moderate senators say the bill will harm some of their vulnerable constituents, while conservatives say it has too much government interference.

The news of a delay comes just one day after the non-partisan Congressional Budgetary Office said the bill would strip 22 million Americans of health insurance over the next 10 years.

Good job, GOP. Good job.

canflam

What is up with Trump accusing Obama of collusion? Good grief. Trump Claims Obama 'Colluded' With Russia During 2016 Race

Sometime I wonder if Trump still knows he's President.

sunnykerr

Trump is a schoolyard bully?

He's under investigation for collusion (because there's actual proof of collusion) so his response is "Nuh-uh, you're the one who's colluding"? Only, that's too many words for him, so he sticks to "It's Obama."

canflam

Yep. Plus he acts like a jerk or worse: Donald Trump's Twitter tirade against journalist Mika Brzezinski draws strong criticism from Republicans

''Morning Joe'' is on very early on the West Coast, so I don't get to see it a ton, but I actually think Mika is poised & likable. Trump has incredibly thin skin, so yes he's going to to do or say things like this. It's in his nature it seems sadly.

Greta Van Susteren Exiting MSNBC

I will say that I watch MSNBC a lot & did watch Greta's show on that channel. Usually though on Demand, since it airs between 3:00 P.M. & 4:00 P.M. & not usually at home on weekdays during that time, but she seemed nice enough. Wish her well.

sunnykerr

Well, I don't watch U.S. specialty news channels, be it MSNBC or Fox News. Heck, I don't even watch the news on ABC, CBS or NBC.

So But I do know that Donald Trump seems to have an obsession with using references to blood to insult women. It's not a shock, though, since I've always known he's a misogynistic pig with no ability to empathize with others.



Anyway, great news out of Vancouver: Vancouver bans pet shop sales of cats, dogs and rabbits

I mean, other cities already have such a ban, but it's the first big city to have it. Now, if Montreal could get on board instead of supporting this lame-brain ban on pitbulls...

crazy_diamond

for Vancouver

Seriously does Trump know he's President

sunnykerr

Trump's too busy waging his own personal war against Obama, everything he stands for and his presence in the history books.

Anyway, the awesome thing about these laws to prevent pet sales through pet stores is that it's a direct move against puppy/kitty mills, you know? Because that's where those pet stores get their animals, most times.

And they're not saying they can have those types of pets in there. But now they have to get them from shelters. So more animals get adopted, too!

That is awesome.

sunnykerr

Chris Christie relaxes on beach he closed amid showdown with lawmakers

kiamay

I saw that on the news Very bad move

canflam

It would be a bad move if he gave a damn about what people thought or was running for reelection, but I think Chris Christie has lost all care just about at this point. Remember his approval ratings as Governor are if not the worst in U.S. history they are in the top 5 or bottom 5 depending on how you look at it.

sunnykerr

If people keep voting him in, then he literally doesn't need to care about public opinion either, does it?