Rob Portman just came out in support of DeVos. As far as I can tell, Murkowski and Collins are the only two Rs that have publicly stated they are voting "No" but there are upwards of 20 Rs that have not publicly stated their position. All we need is one pin, Rodney. Maybe this is where McCain will cast his Republican water buckets aside for a moment and be the renegade he once was.

The thing that pisses me off the most about Toomey is that this is the time that he could be the most caviler since he isn't up for re-election for another 6 years, but I guess he is just confirming his true colors.

i have no idea where he ever developed the 'moderate' tag. i guess the only thing people remember is that he was one of the few republicans in the federal government that sort of cared when a bunch of children were murdered. he was the head of the Club for Growth and on the board at the Commonwealth Foundation. He's R-Koch except fairly conservative socially, too. he's just smarter than Rick Santorum ever was.

thephan wrote:Pence could be the tie breaking vote for DuVos. Its never happened again, and would be a horrible outcome. I hope that another GOP member just says 'No'. Session has left his 'Yes' on the table.

I find it disturbing that the VP can cast a tiebreaking vote on nominations. That might've worked prior to the 12th Amendment, but it's asinine to allow the President's running mate a voice in a nomination (or in establishing chamber rules for that matter).

Here in Virginia, the Lieutenant Governor is elected separate from the Governor, but even still he/she cannot cast tiebreaking votes on budget bills, taxes, Constitutional amendments, or judicial nominations, and it's accepted wisdom that the LG cannot break ties on Senate rules or committee structure. Not sure about cabinet appointments, but I cannot recall the last time that issue even came up.

Trump apparently just relaxed sanctions on the FSB

an anti kremlin activist suffered sudden organ failure.

putin is a great leader. stronger than obama!

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38844292

US can now sell FSB infosec stuff under $5k ; Apple was mad that sanctions affected them

in other FSB news they've arrested cybersecurity experts

CalvinBall wrote:an anti kremlin activist suffered sudden organ failure.

putin is a great leader. stronger than obama!

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38844292

that's some bad fish!

CalvinBall wrote:an anti kremlin activist suffered sudden organ failure.

putin is a great leader. stronger than obama!

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38844292

He survived a suspected poisoning once already, not so great Putin.

CalvinBall wrote:an anti kremlin activist suffered sudden organ failure.

putin is a great leader. stronger than obama!

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38844292

I guess Democrats in Washington might want to consider brown bagging it from now on.

slugsrbad wrote:The thing that pisses me off the most about Toomey is that this is the time that he could be the most caviler since he isn't up for re-election for another 6 years, but I guess he is just confirming his true colors.

It does make great ad copy in 6 years though. "Toomey accepted 50k in campaign contributions in exchange for a vote confirming DeVos". Maybe 6 years from now people will forget all this, but it doesn't matter, because the key take away is campaign contributions for vote. Heck, might as well use the word bribe in there. "How is that different from a bribe?"

Ad writes itself.

Mixed reports on whether or not US warships are shelling Al Qaeda positions in Yemen. Yemeni officials say it's likely Americans, WH is denying. I have a hard time believing the WH right now though.

when you say Yemen do you mean Hadi or the rebels?

TenuredVulture wrote:

slugsrbad wrote:The thing that pisses me off the most about Toomey is that this is the time that he could be the most caviler since he isn't up for re-election for another 6 years, but I guess he is just confirming his true colors.

It does make great ad copy in 6 years though. "Toomey accepted 50k in campaign contributions in exchange for a vote confirming DeVos". Maybe 6 years from now people will forget all this, but it doesn't matter, because the key take away is campaign contributions for vote. Heck, might as well use the word bribe in there. "How is that different from a bribe?"

Ad writes itself.

That + his quote on the ban and his cowardice in refusing to support or denounce Trump until the last minute. He's done himself no favors for 2022, if we make it.

pacino wrote:when you say Yemen do you mean Hadi or the rebels?

Hadi I believe.

48% of Trump supporters think the airport protests were paid for by GEORGE SOROS

@youseff

pacino wrote:when you say Yemen do you mean Hadi or the rebels?

cbs news

Fighting and U.S. involvement has appeared to pick up since President Trump took office, with drone strikes and a surprise commando raid on al Qaeda militants. The Houthis also attacked a Saudi frigate in the Red Sea, killing two crew members and wounding three.

CBS News correspondent Margaret Brennan reports that, according to U.S. officials, the Houthis likely believed they were attacking a U.S. warship.

War is hella confusing.

Spicer just characterized the conversation with Australian PM Trumball as "cordial."

yeah, we deserve Trump.

i mean our role there is targeting AQ; the Houthis trying to pull us in would not be good. Can't really blame this on trump, but we CAN blame any response to it. Sometimes no response is the best response. A few months back we hit some targets and the Houthis didn't go after us again. Anything beyond that would not be good. Perhaps it's time to cut bait.

Being involved in a proxy war isn't going to go well (not that it's going that well now) when it seems our president doesn't even know what the two sides are or what they're fighting for. wiser people than me may know more what to do.