clearandpresentdanger.blog

Late last night, President Donald J. Trump shared on social media a deep fake video that appeared to be a clip from his daughter-in-law Lara Trump’s Fox News talk show My View. In the video’s split screen, Lara Trump, on the left, says: “President Donald J. Trump has announced a historic new healthcare system, the launch of America’s first MedBed hospitals and a national MedBed card for every citizen.” As she speaks, the video shows a building with the caption: “MEDBED HOSPITALS: THE NEW ERA IN HEALTHCARE.”

Then the video shows a clip of Trump saying: “Every American will soon receive their own MedBed card.” As the video shows what looks like a futuristic hospital, complete with what appear to be podlike beds, he continues: “With it, you’ll have guaranteed access to our new hospitals led by the top doctors in the nation, equipped with the most advanced technology in the world.”

The camera then goes back to Trump saying, “These facilities are safe”—the camera switches back to a hospital scene—“modern, and designed to restore every citizen to full health and strength.” The video then switches back to Trump, who says: “This is the beginning of a new era in American healthcare.”

Lara Trump takes over as a scene of people applauding Trump runs beside her. She says: “In this first phase, only a limited number of MedBed cards will be released. Registration details will be announced very soon.”

MedBeds are imaginary magical beds, sort of like a tanning bed, that diagnose or cure health problems instantly and painlessly. The idea is popular in QAnon forums, and believers claim that Trump is already secretly installing the beds in hospitals.

It is unclear why Trump posted an obviously fake video, touting an obviously fake product (of course, he has a track record of promoting fakery – Trump Steaks, Trump Water, Trump Airlines, Trump Charity, and on and on and on). The Democrats say they will not agree to the Republicans’ continuing resolution to keep the government open unless the Republicans agree to extend the premium tax credit that subsidizes health care insurance for people making between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty limit. Without that extension, millions of Americans will lose their health insurance, and healthcare premiums for everyone in the Affordable Health Care market will go up, often dramatically.

If MedBeds were real and “every citizen” could use them, as the deep fake video suggests, no one would need to worry about losing their healthcare insurance.

Someone took the video down from Trump’s timeline this morning.

 

 

Trump’s favorability ratings on a dozen issues are in free fall. True to form, he created new controversies to distract attention from the dumpster fire raging in the Rose Garden Club at the White House (formerly known as the White House Rose Garden).

In the face of his collapsing approval, Trump lashed out against his “enemies”—real and imagined.

Trump’s hand-picked newbie Acting US Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia somehow convinced a grand jury to indict James Comey on charges that will result in a “Not Guilty” verdict after trial (assuming they are not dismissed beforehand).

Trump also issued an executive order declaring that a non-existent “enterprise”—Antifa—is a “domestic terrorist organization.” See Executive Order, Designating Antifa as a Domestic Terrorist Organization. “Antifa” is a broad ideology based on historical opposition in Europe to fascist regimes. To the extent that anyone organizes, incites, or commits violence in the name of “anti-fascism” or any other ideology, such conduct is already illegal under dozens of US statutes. Trump’s executive order is purely performative, a carnival barker’s wild claims designed to deceive and distract.

Here’s the point: Trump’s actions on Thursday ooze desperation and weakness. The case against Comey will be a major embarrassment for Trump. The war on Antifa will go the way of Trump’s “invasion” of Chicago—i.e., nowhere.

Rather than cower in fear in the face of Trump’s bluffing, we should welcome the political fight. Bring it on! We will win!

The indictment of James Comey is a sham and a violation of law.

 The real lawyers in the US Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Virginia refused to bring an indictment against former FBI Director James Comey. Trump was forced to go to a third-string lawyer, Lindsey Halligan, who was willing to violate her ethical obligations by presenting misleading evidence to a grand jury to secure a weak-sauce indictment.

The entire indictment is set forth below:

 

Note that the indictment was signed by Acting Attorney General Lindsey Halligan—a tacit admission that no reputable attorney in her office would put their name on the indictment!

The core of the indictment is that Comey lied when he testified to the Senate that he did not authorize the anonymous disclosure of information to the Wall Street Journal.

The reason Halligan was forced to sign the indictment is that the DOJ Inspector General investigated Comey’s testimony, which forms the basis of the indictment, and concluded that there is no evidence that Comey lied. Instead, the DOJ Inspector General concluded that Comey’s subordinate, Andrew McCabe, was the source of the leak to the Wall Street Journal—and that McCabe lied to Comey about the leak!

The DOJ Inspector General’s report is here: Office of Inspector General, Report of Investigation of Allegations Relating to Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe.

The report says former Deputy Director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe, repeatedly lied to James Comey and to the Inspector General about his conversations with James Comey.

For example, the report concludes:

We found that, in a conversation with then-Director Comey shortly after the WSJ article was published, McCabe lacked candor when he told Comey . . . that McCabe had not authorized the disclosure and did not know who did. . . .

 We also found that on May 9, 2017, when questioned under oath by FBI agents from INSD, McCabe lacked candor when he told the agents that he had not authorized the disclosure to the WSJ and did not know who did. . . .

We additionally found that on November 29, 2017, when questioned under oath by the OIG in a recorded interview during which he contradicted his prior statements by acknowledging that he had authorized the disclosure to the WSJ, McCabe lacked candor when he: (a) stated that he told Comey on October 31, 2016, that he had authorized the disclosure to the WSJ;

The problem for the DOJ is that it cannot prosecute Comey without calling Andrew McCabe as a witness. And McCabe was interviewed on CBS 60 Minutes  and admitted that he misled James Comey about the leak to the Wall Street Journal.

During a conversation between Comey and McCabe after the leak, Comey stated his belief that Andrew McCabe would not have leaked the information to the WSJ. As McCabe explained to 60 Minutes, rather than speaking up to say, “Jim, I did leak the information to the WSJ,” McCabe said nothing to correct Comey’s mistaken belief.

As McCabe told 60 Minutes:

I should have corrected it. I should have spoken up and said, ‘Wait a minute, that’s not true.’

By failing to speak up to admit that he leaked the information to the WSJ, McCabe allowed Comey to labor under a mistaken belief about the nature and source of the leak. Comey relied on that mistaken belief (based on McCabe’s lie) when Comey testified to the Senate.

No jury will convict Comey of intentionally lying to the Senate. Indeed, no judge should allow the case to get to the jury after the prosecution rests. There is simply no credible evidence to support the charge.

Comey has come out swinging. Shortly after the indictment, he posted a video statement on Instagram, here: NBC News, Comey responds to indictment saying ‘I’m innocent’. (Be sure to unmute the sound.)

Comey said:

My family and I have known for years that there are costs to standing up to Donald Trump.

But we couldn’t imagine ourselves living any other way.

We will not live on our knees, and you shouldn’t either.

Someone I love dearly recently said, “Fear is the tool of a tyrant.” And she is right.

But I am not afraid, and I hope you are not either.

I hope, instead, you are engaged, you are paying attention, and you will vote like your beloved country depends upon it—which it does.

My heart is broken for the Department of Justice, but I have great confidence in the federal judicial system.

I am innocent, so let’s have a trial.

James Comey is entitled to a speedy trial under 18 U.S. Code § 3163, which is known as the Federal Speedy Trial Act. Generally, the government must bring the case to trial within 30 to 70 days after indictment. Those periods are extended for pre-trial motions. It is possible that Comey could force a trial in little more than two months.

Comey has at least one pre-trial motion that is likely to be granted. He can easily demonstrate that he was prosecuted for political reasons based on Trump’s numerous posts demanding his prosecution. Indeed, after the indictment, Trump posted that Comey was “one of the worst human beings this Country has ever been exposed to” and was “guilty as hell.” Trump has supplied all of the elements for selective or vindictive prosecution.

Trump and AG Bondi have made a huge mistake—in addition to committing obstruction of justice. The trial of James Comey will be Jimmy Kimmel 2.0 for Trump, so let’s bring it on!

Trump declares an ideology to be a “domestic terrorist organization.”

 Trump signed an executive order that declares “Antifa” to be a domestic terrorist organization. See Executive Order, Designating Antifa as a Domestic Terrorist Organization.

Trump’s order is purely performance, intended to stir up his base of ignorant mouth-breathing knuckledraggers as well as giving Fox something else to lie about.

The president has no authority to designate a group as a “domestic terrorist organization.” Notably, the order cites no legal authority for the president’s proclamation. To the contrary, the order says that it must be “implemented consistent with applicable law.”

There are plenty of laws on the books that prohibit the violent activities targeted by the order, i.e.,

armed standoffs with law enforcement, organized riots, violent assaults on Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other law enforcement officers, and routine doxing of and other threats against political figures and activists. Antifa recruits, trains, and radicalizes young Americans to engage in this violence and suppression of political activity . . . .

If the FBI or DOJ identify individuals or organizations that engage in violent activity or train others to do so, they are subject to the criminal laws of the U.S. Likewise, doxxing certain public officials and protected persons is illegal if done with the intent to threaten, intimidate, or incite violence.

Of course, what Trump is hoping to do is to dissuade Americans from engaging in protected political speech and supporting political organizations and parties. Political speech and support for political organizations are protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. Nothing in Trump’s order can or does prohibit those activities. Indeed, Trump’s order has no legal force.

Still, I understand that some readers may feel anxious about engaging in protected political activities. The bad news is that Trump will target some people. The good news is that he has a list, and you are not on it. The better news is that those on the list have access to great lawyers who will likely be able to have the cases thrown out on grounds of selective or vindictive prosecution.

Concluding Thoughts

Readers and grassroots activists are re-engaging and gearing up for the political fights to come. The victory over Disney / ABC / Trump by Jimmy Kimmel and millions of Americans was a morale boost. The overreach in charging Comey (and others to come, such as Letitia James, Adam Schiff, and John Bolton) will further invigorate the faithful as they continue the difficult work of defending democracy.

Two articles can help boost your confidence as we enter the next phase of the battle.

The first is by Jay Kuo, which smashes the myth that Republicans won by a “landslide” in 2024. See Jay Kuo, The Big Picture, The Myth of the MAGA Majority. This is an excellent article, and I highly recommend reading it from start to finish.

As Jay notes, the 2024 election was extraordinarily close. Trump did not win a majority of the popular vote. And measures that Trump uses to suggest that he won in a landslide—like the number of counties that voted for him—are irrelevant and misleading. There are thousands of counties in the US with tiny populations.

Meanwhile, the population of Los Angeles County is larger than the respective populations of 39 states!

Democrats frequently walk around with a dark cloud over their heads because pundits tell them the voters’ views about the “Democratic Brand” are at their lowest point ever. Who cares about “brand”? What matters are votes and seats in legislatures. By those metrics, non-Trump voters are the strong majority in America! Read Jay’s article for the details

True, we lost the presidency in 2024—but by the thinnest margin of any presidential election since 2000. We should not be walking with our heads hung in shame; instead, we should be planning how to make up those 300,000 votes in three states that would have swung the election to Kamala Harris.

Second, Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo talks about the fact that we have finally reached the point where we are having actual political fights with Trump—rather than watching a one-sided dismantling of the federal government. See Josh Marshall, Talking Points Memo, Let It Begin — The Real Fights Are Finally Coming Into View.

Marshall writes,

I have a growing sense of optimism about the political situation in the United States. But it’s not necessarily because I’m more confident about the outcomes, though I am that too.

It is more that on a number of fronts the actual fight is coming into the open. Who knows who wins or gets the better of it. But the things the Trump opposition is actually talking about are getting put on the table.

And they’re at the center of the table, with everyone watching. They’re fights to get attention and attention outside of the normal political space.

Trump is picking fights that he will lose because he is desperate. But even if he doesn’t lose every fight—like the latest round of tariffs announced on Thursday—the fights are monumentally unpopular. Trump just can’t help himself.

So, the renewed sense of optimism you are feeling is real—even as the going is getting tougher

 

Protest Photos

 

 

Earlier this month I spoke with the Highly Respected President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Today I want to congratulate President Mirziyoyev on signing a GREAT Deal with Boeing! Worth over $8 Billion Dollars, Uzbekistan Airways is purchasing 22,787 Dreamliners. This will create over 35,000 jobs in the United States. President Mirziyoyev is a man of his word, and we will continue to work together on many more items! Thank you for your attention to this matter.So, according to Trump, there are 22,787 Dreamliners being built for Uzbekistan, even though Boeing has built and delivered 1,215 total as of Aug. 31, and at $8 billion total, each plane will cost only about $351,000, according to his idiotic math. And given the supposed 35,000 new jobs it will take to build them, Boeing will achieve the incredible efficiency of 1.5 workers per plane!

No, none of that is real, of course. 

What obviously happened is that 14 planes plus an option for eight more equals 22. Someone must have passed Trump a note saying something like: “Uzbekistan is buying 22 787 Dreamliners.”

Dumbass added the comma where there should’ve been a space, and no one felt empowered or emboldened enough to actually say “sir” and point out the humiliating mistake. His brain certainly isn’t capable of doing the basic math that would immediately catch the error.

Oh, and the 35,000 jobs? They are not new positions. The order will be used to support existing jobs, the companies said, per the Wall Street Journal. In other words, by keeping the assembly line humming, 35,000 people won’t potentially get laid off. That’s good, of course, but Trump wants people to think that his policies are creating new jobs. And they’re not. 

Oklahoma State Superintendent of Schools Ryan Walters announced plans on Tuesday to establish chapters of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s right-wing organization, Turning Point USA, in every high school in his state, threatening to revoke school credentials if they don’t comply.

“Radical leftist teachers’ unions have dominated classrooms for far too long, and we are taking them back,” Walters wrote on X, announcing a partnership with the conservative activist group.

Walters’ announcement comes after Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, took over the organization following his fatal shooting at Utah Valley University. It’s unclear if the widowed Kirk will continue to echo her husband’s thinking against immigrants, Muslims and the LGBTQ+ community or will move the organization further to the right.

“We have seen the outpouring from parents, teachers, and students that want to be engaged in a meaningful work going on at Turning Point,” Walters said. “They want their young people to be engaged in a process that understands free speech, open engagement, dialog about American greatness, a dialog around American values.” In an interview with local Fox affiliate KOKH-TV, he warns there will be repercussions for schools that refuse to have a Turning Point USA chapter.

While Newt Gingrich and Limbaugh planted the seeds, it was really Sarah Palin who was the “canary in the coal mine” for the MAGA movement.

She checked all the boxes:

* Completely ignorant of basic knowledge about the world

* Hateful views wrapped in fake Christian values

* Hypocritically judgemental of others, while ignoring the mess in her own house

* Viewing your opponent (Barack Obama) as not someone with whom you disagree, but an evil enemy

* A child-like believe that America is always right

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today the United States of America became a joke for the rest of the world, thanks to the actions of one angry, stupid, demented old man.

 

Donald Trump spoke at the United Nations on Tuesday, delivering a speech that can only be described as embarrassing.

“In a period of just seven months, I have ended seven unendable wars,” Trump claimed, recycling his fact-free assertion that he is a global peacemaker. “They said they were unendable. You’re never going to get them solved.”

Trump continued with an attack on global environmental initiatives, echoing his administration’s dangerous stance on climate change. “If you don’t get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail. And I’m really good at predicting things. You know, they actually said during the campaign that I had the best-selling hat. ‘Trump was right about everything.’ And I don’t say that in a braggadocious way, but it’s true. I’ve been right about everything.”

However, Trump’s cruelest words came, as they always do, when speaking on immigration policies. “It’s time to end the failed experiment of open borders. You have to end it now. I can tell you,” Trump said. “I’m really good at this stuff. Your countries are going to hell.” 

And with those comments, Trump turned the rest of the world against the US.