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Evening Shade---Resistance Rising---Friday [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-02-21
(Or NOT As the CASE MAY BE)
YOU WILL FIND in the DIARIES a LOT of POLITICS
THE PERSON who MAKES the FIRST COMMENT WILL GET TWO CRITTERS
EVERY PERSON WHO COMMENTS WILL GET A CRITTER
RULES IN THE DIARY
WHEN YOU FIND SOMETHING in the DIARY that you LIKE
YOU CAN REPOST IT AS COMMENT in the DIARY
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You don't think your little actions matter? Watch this. EVERY little bit helps.
x I’m telling you @hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social, please watch this. This is the energy. Not egg prices and book tours and strongly worded letters. It’s time to take the gloves off.
[image or embed] — Mueller, She Wrote (@muellershewrote.bsky.social) February 21, 2025 at 9:21 AM
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Pushback - Nationwide protests, overflowing town halls, and Republican cold feet indicate that Trump’s aggressive actions are finally facing a public reckoning. statuskuo.substack.com/…
It’s been 30 days of turmoil, chaos and fear. We’ve seen headspinning executive orders; ICE raids and cruel deportations; brazen, illegal takeovers of our federal payment and computer systems by Elon Musk and his DOGE hackers; mass firings of federal workers; and shutdowns of entire programs and agencies. But this week, we also saw Trump’s assault on our democracy begin to falter. I’m not just talking about the scores of lawsuits now pinning down the Justice Department and revealing to the federal judges just how haphazard, dangerous and incompetent the new administration is. The pushback has come from ordinary Americans all around the country, and it’s starting to have a noticeable effect. ✂️ Trump’s allies are wavering A wave of personal stories, both narrative and in video form, has flooded social media. Fired federal workers are telling their stories and dominating the public narrative. And that is having an effect, even upon some of Trump’s closest allies. Jesse Watters of the Fox Network surprised his co-hosts when he complained that a friend, who was a long-serving veteran, was now afraid for his federal job. On Wednesday's episode of popular show called "The Five," Watters spoke about a 20-year military veteran whom Watters had first met at a shooting event. Watters described him as "one of the guys who has killed a lot of bad guys. Put his life on the line. He punched out after 20 years of working for the Pentagon. And he's only been there a few months, so his probationary period, he just found out he's probably going to get laid off." It was a near perfect FAFO moment. “I thought they were only supposed to fire the DEI folks!” Watters didn’t seem to appreciate the karmic nature of what was happening. He went on to say of his kill-the-bad-guys, gun-loving veteran friend, “He's going to get DOGE'd. He texted me and said: 'Jesse, this isn't good. I'm upset. This is really sad.' This guy is not a DEI consultant. This guy is not a climate consultant. This guy is a veteran. So when you're talking about DOGE-ing people, veterans should get priority. Because if you're going to go out there and kill enemies, put your life on the line for this country, you shouldn't be in the same category as people that are doing DEI."
Read the whole thing. Its long, but worthwhile.
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'King of what?’: Pelosi smacks Trump as he targets her for latest act of 'retribution' www.rawstory.com/…
A new presidential order that takes aim at a San Francisco achievement Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was instrumental in seeing through opened up a fresh clash between President Donald Trump and the former House speaker. A new Trump executive order takes aim at a 1,500-acre national park set on a former military base that boasts sprawling views of the Golden Gate Bridge, according to Politico. The order calls for funding to be ripped from the Presidio Trust, the agency that oversees the historic landmark's scenic grounds. ✂️ "We’re here to talk about Medicaid, Mr. President,” Pelosi said, according to Politico. “We will not be distracted with other things. He called himself a king the other day. Really? King of what? Anyway, the emperor has no clothes as far as I’m concerned.”
damn, now I've got this earworm stuck in my head.
And now, so do you.…
BRAIN CLEANSE!!
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Latest updates on the attempt by the DOJ to drop charges against Eric Adams. I found several articles, threads and flutters. There's some overlap, but they all provide useful information,
x This is such a savvy move by Judge Ho. It’s not just that Clement has impeccable (conservative) credentials; he was the Solicitor General from 2004–08, and even Acting AG briefly, so he can participate with quite a bit of perspective as to the proper role of the Department of Justice.
[image or embed] — Steve Vladeck (@stevevladeck.bsky.social) February 21, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Here's more info.
x Clement, for those who don’t know, is arguably the most well-known Supreme Court litigator of the 21st Century. He’s appeared before the court dozens of times—and, as @kovarsky.bsky.social notes, has lots of credibility with the court’s conservative wing. bsky.app/profile/kova...
[image or embed] — Anna Bower (@annabower.bsky.social) February 21, 2025 at 10:02 AM
x To explain: Judge Ho has said, "I'm canceling the trial for now, eliminating one thing DOJ was complaining about, and instead I've asked a super conservative judge who can argue this to SCOTUS successfully to argue against the govt for me." Brilliant move.
[image or embed] — emptywheel (@emptywheel.bsky.social) February 21, 2025 at 10:10 AM
More detail from Marcy Wheeler. The comments also include some additional information. Dale Ho Brings in the Conservative Cavalry. www.emptywheel.net/…
Wow. Judge Dale Ho came up with a remarkable approach to deal with DOJ’s request to dismiss the Eric Adams prosecution. First, he canceled the trial for now, taking away one of DOJ’s major claimed problems with the case against Eric Adams. He also said that Adams doesn’t have to show up at any hearings for now. Then, he asked Paul Clement — as opposed to the several people who offered to serve as an amicus to help him consider the issue — to address the following questions. 1) The legal standard for leave to dismiss an indictment under Rule 48(a); 2) Whether, and to what extent, a court may consider materials other than the Rule 48(a) motion itself; 3) Under what circumstances, if any, additional procedural steps and/or further inquiry would be appropriate before resolving a Rule 48(a) motion; 4) Under what circumstances, if leave is granted, dismissal should be with or without prejudice; 5) If leave were denied under Rule 48(a), what practical consequences would follow, including whether dismissal would nevertheless be appropriate or necessary under other rules or legal principles (e.g., for “unnecessary delay” under Rule 48(b) or under speedy trial principles, see United States v. N.V. Nederlandsche Combinatie Voor Chemische Industrie, 453 F. Supp. 462, 463 (S.D.N.Y. 1978)); and 6) Any other issues the parties or amicus consider relevant to the Court’s resolution of the Government’s motion. Clement was George W Bush’s Solicitor General and has argued a slew of cases before the Supreme Court. Like we assume Danielle Sassoon and Hagan Scotten will someday be, he’s a right wing legal superstar; Clement was, like Sassoon, an Antonin Scalia clerk. As several people have noted, the language Ho used to justify appointing an amicus is language that invoked Clement’s appointment in another important case, by name. Accordingly, to assist with its decision-making via an adversarial process, the Court exercises its inherent authority to appoint Paul Clement of Clement & Murphy PLLC as amicus curiae to present arguments on the Government’s Motion to Dismiss. See Seila L. LLC v. Consumer Fin. Prot. Bureau, 591 U.S. 197, 209 (2020) (“Because the Government agrees with petitioner on the merits of the constitutional question, we appointed Paul Clement to defend the judgment below as amicus curiae. He has ably discharged his responsibilities.”) So one of Joe Biden’s most liberal appointees hired one of the most prominent conservative lawyers in the country.
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Associated Press sues White House over ban from Oval Office and Air Force One. www.independent.co.uk/…
The Associated Press has filed suit against three White House officials responsible for banning the organization’s reporters from the Oval Office and other spaces including the president’s aircraft in retaliation for the wire service’s refusal to fully acquiesce to President Donald Trump’s push to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. On Friday, attorneys for the AP filed papers asking for an emergency hearing in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and accusing the White House of having “ordered The Associated Press to use certain words in its coverage or else face an indefinite denial of access,” thereby violating the First Amendment. In the complaint, which names White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Deputy Chief of Staff Taylor Budowich, and Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt as defendants, the wire service’s lawyers wrote that the purpose of the lawsuit is to “vindicate” the AP’s First Amendment rights and to “prevent the Executive Branch from coercing journalists to report the news using only government-approved language.”
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x NEW: Trump’s DoJ Chief of Staff has filed a complaint against Judge Reyes because she bench slapped their bigoted asses into the sun three days ago.
[image or embed] — Mueller, She Wrote (@muellershewrote.bsky.social) February 21, 2025 at 3:25 PM
I'm getting the sense that these judges (especially the ones who had to put up with this crap the first time around) have no more forks left to give.
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AOC shows how to fight back and stand strong. www.publicnotice.co/…
Democrats in recent weeks have struggled to figure out how to respond to Trump’s torrent of unconstitutional lawlessness. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have been derided for their at times lackluster efforts to counter MAGA authoritarianism. Comedian Jon Stewart, for example, was deeply unimpressed when Schumer tried to illustrate the harms of Trump’s trade war by holding up a beer and an avocado. (Other late night hosts roasted him as well.) Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, however, has offered a more productive and inspiring approach. Earlier this month, she posted an almost hour-long webinar titled “Know Your Rights With ICE.” The video, in partnership with the Immigrant Defense Project, offers advice on how to handle interactions with ICE, and informs citizens, legal immigrants, and undocumented immigrants alike of their constitutional rights. AOC’s video — a fairly straightforward exercise in constituent services — enraged Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar/thug, who rushed to Fox News to threaten her with prosecution. “It’s like AOC and others don’t want ICE to enforce the law that they enacted,” he said. “I’m working with the Department of Justice and finding out. Where is that line that they cross? So, maybe AOC’s gonna be in trouble now.” Homan’s effort to use the power of the federal government to intimidate and silence political opponents is both dangerous and par for the course for the Trump administration. But it also demonstrates MAGA’s weakness. For Homan, and Trump, free speech and solidarity are dangerous. Prominent figures standing up for immigrants and treating them as neighbors can undermine the climate of fear and xenophobia that ICE and MAGA rely on to impose terror. AOC’s stand for her constituents, and her public refusal to be intimidated, are models of resistance that other Democrats would do well to imitate.
Read the rest, it's really good.
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Minn. Lt. Gov. Flanagan Makes It Official; She's running for U.S. Senate. nativenewsonline.net/…
Native Vote. Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (Ojibwe), a Democrat, officially announced her candidacy for the open U.S. Senate seat in Minnesota on Thursday with the launch of the Peggy Flanagan for U.S. Senate website. Last week, Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that she would not seek reelection in the 2026 midterm election. On the same day, Flanagan expressed her intention to run for the open seat. Then, on Friday, February 14, she formally filed her candidacy for the Senate. On Thursday, Flanagan issued the following statement on social media: I’m officially launching my campaign to represent Minnesota in the U.S. Senate! Growing up, my family relied on government assistance programs like Section 8 housing and free and reduced lunch — even though my mom worked full-time in healthcare. My lived experience has informed my belief that we should wrap our arms around our neighbors in need. That’s why on the school board, in the state house, and as lieutenant governor, I’ve championed kitchen-table issues like raising the minimum wage, paid family and medical leave, and free school meals. Now, I’m running to take Minnesota values to D.C. — but I need your help. A Native American woman has never won a seat in the U.S. Senate before. I believe we can change that. Are you with me?”
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Holy crap.
x I can’t just sit by and pretend I’m not seeing what I’m seeing So, like, the Nazis are in charge now huh? I literally just watched multiple WWII documentaries over the past few months. It’s not funny, it’s not a joke. Like WTF. Grandparents & ancestors who fought this rolling in their graves now
[image or embed] — Kieran Meadows (@kieranbluesky.bsky.social) February 20, 2025 at 8:42 PM
When you've gone too far for even the French Right Wing. France far-right leader cancels U.S. speech after 'Nazi gesture' by ex-Trump aide. www.rawstory.com/…
France's far-right leader Jordan Bardella said Friday he had cancelled his speech at a right-wing meeting in Washington after a "gesture alluding to Nazi ideology" by conservative firebrand Steve Bannon. The president of France's National Rally (RN) party, who is in the US capital, said he was not present when Bannon -- one of the masterminds behind US President Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign -- made a gesture that has been described as a Nazi salute on Thursday at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). ✂️ "I had been invited... to make a speech on the links between the United States and France, as well as the recent electoral dynamic of patriot parties in Europe," Bardella said in a statement. "Yesterday, while I was not present in the room, one of the speakers out of provocation allowed himself a gesture alluding to Nazi ideology. I therefore took the immediate decision to cancel my speech that had been scheduled this afternoon," he said.
Hey rethugs in congress. This is how you respond to fascism. I want more, but hey, baby steps. And Bardella shows more spine than all of you as shats combined.
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x It was always Rand Paul’s destiny to be the last man to board the political Titanic and the first one to shove a woman out of the way to take the last seat on a lifeboat.
[image or embed] — Ron Filipkowski (@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social) February 21, 2025 at 4:50 AM
Never mind that it was Susan Collins who got the shove.
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This is not from The Onion.
x Mitch McConnell passes the baton to the next generation of Republican leadership in the Senate as Jim Justice rolls on by.
[image or embed] — Ron Filipkowski (@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social) February 21, 2025 at 7:21 AM
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Ouch!
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George Takei nails it!
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I'm ending the week on a hopeful note. They Are a Minority. Get your mind right. www.hamiltonnolan.com/…
For many politically minded people who are not fascists, the weeks since Donald Trump’s inauguration have felt like an unstoppable whirlwind of doom. By plowing ahead with plans to shutter entire federal agencies, cut tens of thousands of federal workers, and generally govern by decree in bold defiance of written laws, Trump and his allies are inculcating in their opposition the feeling of being overwhelmed. I have already heard entirely too much despair creeping into the tone of those who should form the backbone of the political opposition to what is happening right now. Without minimizing the potential for the utter destruction of the rule of law in this country—a genuine possibility!—I want to make two basic points that may be helpful in restoring a little fire to everyone who does not care to live in a fascist state. First: the political faction carrying out the Trump-Musk agenda right now does not have the support of the majority of the public. Far from it. And second: the fraction of the public that is happy with the agenda currently being enacted is going to get smaller for the foreseeable future. ✂️ When you brush away the chaotic bombardment of daily outrages and look at the actual base of support for these policies, you will see that that base is a significant minority of the public, and that it is going to shrink as the impact of the policies begins to be felt in the real world. In other words: We, the opposition, are the majority. Take heart. Let me hasten to add here that the fact that we are the majority does not mean that we are automatically going to prevail. No. That is going to take a lot of work. It is going to take a lot of organizing, and it is going to take a lot of mass communications, and it is going to take the creation of political coalitions between groups that do not care for one another, and it is going to take level of bravery and resoluteness from the Democratic Party that they have not yet displayed. But it is important to recognize all of these tasks as things that exist within the realm of possibility, and not as some sort of far-fetched dream. How do regimes manage to impose minority rule on enormous populations? By getting the majority to give up. Don’t do that. ✂️ So stop moping around. We have the people! We have to bring them together. The numbers are on our side. Trump and Elon Musk are like two guys with six-shooters trying to hold a thousand people hostage. They only win if everyone thinks they are too strong to rush.
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Evening Shade Seekers! Happy Yukon Heritage Day!
Happy National Boiled Peanuts Day!
Happy Card Reading Day!
Card Reading Day is a fun and meaningful holiday that encourages people to read and send greeting cards. It’s a perfect time for diving into the collection of cards received over the years, bringing back memories, and reliving the emotions captured in those messages.
Happy National Grain Free Day!
AND Happy National Sticky Bun Day!
Tomorrow is National Cook A Sweet Potato Day and National Margarita Day. Enjoy!
[END]
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