Dana Milbank speaks truth in the Washington Post today.  Highly recommended.

Things just get curiouser and curiouser…It turns out that retiring judge Anthony Kennedy is a lot closer to Trump than anyone really knew.  Justin Kennedy, Judge Kennedy’s son, led Deutschebank’s real estate division that loaned Trump $1 billion when no other bank would.  Because of that relationship, Trump and the father have apparently been VERY friendly, even exchanging pleasantries about his son at the State of the Union address this year.

So, a SUPREME COURT JUSTICE who has a close relationship with the President of the United States has been ruling in favor of that president in very controversial rulings, and may have even stepped down at this time to allow Trump to replace him before the mid-term elections threaten the control by the Republicans.

There is a place for anger, and THIS is it.

In a Commerce Department filing, General Motors said that if the new Trump tariffs take effect, the company will have to scale back operations and cut US jobs to survive. Whatever idiot is filling Trump’s orange head full of tariff bullshit needs to be run out of DC.  I’m not sure how much more “winning” we can stand.

There is a place for anger, and THIS is it.

That you, Jon Stewart. Enjoy and heed.

Hav a good weekend.

The mass shooting at the Capital Gazette office in Maryland yesterday was the result of the longstanding obsession of a lunatic with the staff of the paper.  His obsession with the paper started in 2011 after he had pleaded guilty to criminal harassment of a former Facebook friend.  The Gazette reported the story.  The shooter, who will remain unnamed, sued the paper for defamation.  The case was dismissed.  He appealed.  The case was dismissed again.  Then the threats started.  On social media and personally, the shooter threatened violence against the staff of the Gazette for SEVEN years.  Yesterday, he carried out those threats by murdering 5 people at their desks.  He’s being described on national media this morning as an “angry person” and an “injustice collector”, perpetually aggrieved about something, but obsessed with the Gazette.

There are two lessons to be learned here, in my view.  First, Trump relentlessly attacks the press,  even calling it the “enemy of the people” as recently as Tuesday in one of his self-worshipping rallies.  He regularly vilifies reporters, creating a hostile environment for members of the 4th estate just doing their jobs of bringing the news to the People.  This toxic rhetoric inspires violence, and is irresponsible coming from anyone, much less the President of the United States.

The second lesson?  How weak gun laws allow someone like this guy access to any firearms. He has threatened people for years.  He pleaded guilty to harassment.  His record of years of threats was well known to police, but didn’t cross the line, because the line is simply too high.  Criminals often plead felonies down to misdemeanors.  Misdemeanors generally don’t disqualify people from buying guns, even though those who are guilty are often dangerous.  Even if misdemeanors did disqualify, the loopholes to buy guns through private sales is gigantic.

These deaths, like tens of thousands a year, were completely preventable.  In a civilized society, there is no excuse for this kind of violence.  None.  Yet, the invertebrates in Congress and state houses all over the country take money from the NRA and bend to a small handful of gun nuts to not do their damn jobs.  I wish that just ONCE that Congressman would show the kind of anger against gun advocates that they showed against the good people of the FBI yesterday.  Just once would be refreshing.

There is a place for anger, and THIS is it.

Okay, so disgraced Congressvarmint Blake Farenthold, the closest thing to Jabba the Hutt we have in Texas, is in a spittin’ match with Governor Greg Abbott, the closet thing to Darth Vader we have in Texas.

But, instead of it being monumental, it’s like hair pulling in the second grade.

Darth Greg says to Blake the Hutt, “You should have to pay for the special election we’re having to have to replace you for the three months left in your term.”

Blake the Hutt says back, “No, you twit, you called this special election.  We didn’t have to have it. You made that choice so you pay for it.”

Meanwhile, the good folks on Alderaan, who were devastated by Hurricane Harvey and have zero money left in their coffers, are stuck with having to pay the $157,000 this special election will cost.

Additionally, Darth Greg wanted to have this special election so a Republican would win and get to run as an incumbent.  The Darth isn’t concerned with good government; he’s concerned with sounding like James Earl Jones.

So, there ya got it. They are both ten maturity points away from being socially acceptable in second grade. That’s how Republicans fight.

And, bygawd, Jabba the Farenthold is not going to pay back the $84,000 he owes us for sexually harassing his clerk because his lawyer said not to.  Oh yeah, Buddy?  Well, my hairdresser said I should kick your ass back to Washington, DeeCee, and dump you in the Potomac River.

Thanks to Pia for the heads up.