Pence muzzles Dr. Fauci for contradicting Trump on the speed of making vaccine

By spocko, on February 28th, 2020%

During Trump’s press conference he said a vaccine would be developed “fairly rapidly” Then Dr. Anthony Fauci went to the podium and said we are moving fast, but it will still take a year to a year and a half for a working vaccine.

I watched Trump’s eyes narrow as he figured out that Dr. Fauci had just contradicted him. It doesn’t matter that Dr. Fauci is one of the country’s leading experts on viruses and the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. What mattered to Trump was it looked like he wasn’t in control.

With this White House it’s not about trying to figure out best how to stop the spread of the virus. It’s about how to stop the spread of “disloyalty” among people who work for Trump.

The next day in the New York Times we see how Trump punishes disloyalty, he told Pence to control the scientists and the message about the virus.

Pence Will Control All Coronavirus Messaging From Health Officials.

“Dr. Fauci has told associates that the White House had instructed him not to say anything else without clearance.”

Watch this video where Trump says the vaccine is . . . → Read More: Pence muzzles Dr. Fauci for contradicting Trump on the speed of making vaccine

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Trump Set Fire To Our Democracy. Maddow Tells Us To Act Now

By spocko, on February 23rd, 2020%

“This is not a warning. The dark days aren’t coming. The dark days are here.” Rachel Maddow. Feb 20, 2020

https://www.spockosbrain.com/wp-content/uploads/dark-days-no-rules.mp4

Rachel Maddow believed that the heroic thing was to sound the alarm and warn people of the direction the country is heading. But last week she realized we are past that. She tells journalists to stop describing what is happening with timid phrases like “appearances of impropriety”

The media must acknowledge what is happening, “The rules are gone. They will do what they want. The government will be turned against you if you stand against this President.” Trump has set democracy on fire. Now it’s a 4 alarm fire and we need to act. Watch the whole video here. (link)

Trump Set Democracy On Fire. McConnell Spread It

https://www.spockosbrain.com/wp-content/uploads/DZ7lNn7.mp4

Shown here is Mitch McConnell driving our burning Democracy though town to spread it. The media recorded the fire but they didn’t stop it.

Democracy is burning. Maddow has ideas on what to do but she’s not an activist or politician. She identifies first as a journalist. Their job is to report on the news, not make it. In the middle of the fire it’s hard for a reporter to . . . → Read More: Trump Set Fire To Our Democracy. Maddow Tells Us To Act Now

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5 groups that help the GOP avoid justice for their crimes

By spocko, on February 10th, 2020%

Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman was removed from his position at the White House on Friday. Today Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer asked that every agency inspector general investigate retaliation against whistleblowers who report presidential misconduct. (Politico) This is a good move by Schumer, but there needs to be a much bigger understanding of all forms of intimidation Trump and the GOP use constantly. Trump’s retaliation against his political enemies has hidden, delayed benefits to all the GOP.

When Dems win they are pushed to “look forward not backward” so legitimate investigations & prosecution of lawbreaking Republicans are stopped. We saw this from Obama following the George W. Bush years. I fear the same will happen after Trump is out of office. “We don’t want people to think we are like the Republicans and are retaliating.”

It will be essential to make it clear that investigating, arresting and convicting people for actual crimes is about justice–not retaliation.

Besides themselves, who helps the GOP escape justice for their crimes? 1) Moderate Democratic politicians 2) The mainstream media 3) The violent right: both real ones and the ones who bluster online 4) Concern trolls: both fake ones on the right and real ones . . . → Read More: 5 groups that help the GOP avoid justice for their crimes

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Defeating Bullies: Lessons from fighting Weinstein & Ailes

By spocko, on February 7th, 2020%

These last several weeks I’ve felt depressed, numb and angry. Only one thing inspired me during this time. Reading the Catch and Kill book and listening to the Catch and Kill podcast. It’s the story about the team that finally got Harvey Weinstein arrested for his multiple alleged rapes and sexual assaults.

There are a lot of lessons to learn from that book. What I needed to read and hear about were the historic failures and what the latest journalist to take on bullies, Ronan Farrow, learned from what happened in the previous attempts to expose Weinstein. One lesson is especially relevant now.

Bullies will continue to manipulated the system, media, public and victims to block a story and kill charges but the crimes at the core of the charges do not disappear.

There are also lessons to be learned from the take down of Roger Ailes. In both cases powerful men offered riches or fame to get what they wanted. If the victims fought back they used their money and power to silence them. When challenged they used threats to victims and the journalists who were trying to tell the story.

I know a bit about fighting powerful . . . → Read More: Defeating Bullies: Lessons from fighting Weinstein & Ailes

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