YOU BREAK IT, YOU OWN IT

The Republicans have no real desire or interest in working with Democrats, obviously. But they want political cover for demolishing Obamacare. So they're reaching out (now, sort of). You can predict the Dem response

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/schumer-if-the-gop-repeals-ocare-without-a-replacement-they-own-it
Incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told the Washington Post that he will not help Republicans replace the Affordable Care Act if they follow through with a strategy to repeal the law immediately and then replace it down the road.  “We’re not going to do a replacement,” Schumer told the Washington Post. “If they repeal without a replacement, they will own it. Democrats will not then step up to the plate and come up with a half-baked solution that we will partially own. It’s all theirs."

More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/12/06/1608013/-McConnell-wants-Democratic-cooperation-on-repealing-Obamacare-Oh-yeah-Get-f-cked-buddy

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/12/07/1608273/-Senate-Republicans-fighting-on-Obamacare-repeal-Democrats-passing-the-popcorn

Heh

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/12/07/1608048/-The-GOP-s-total-takeover-of-Washington-looking-to-be-a-lesson-in-careful-what-you-wish-for
The GOP's total takeover of Washington looking to be a lesson in 'careful what you wish for'

How the Trump Gang got lobbied into the Taiwan phone call

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/bob-dole-taiwan-trump-lobbying

Two words

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/12/former-cia-officer-blasts-im-watching
"Clown Show!"

If you look at recent history, the biggest hawks, especially in Republican administrations, have been the civilians, not the generals (civilians who often did not serve themselves). Generals who know what war is like are generally a lot more realistic and cautious

http://www.vox.com/world/2016/12/7/13868622/trump-mattis-general-colin-powell-mad-dog-petraeus

Another general: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/john-f-kelly-homeland-security-trump
Trump Chooses Gen. John F. Kelly To Lead Department Of Homeland Security

http://www.vox.com/2016/12/7/13868692/trump-john-kelly-general-marine-homeland-security-dhs
Trump’s DHS pick is a retired general who warns Latin America could pose an “existential” threat to the US 

The Night of the Generals

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/this-is-not-normal
We now have three of the four top national and domestic security agencies of the government under the management of recently retired generals. (One might reasonably change the number to five if considered the DOJ which houses the FBI.) We could have a fourth if President-elect Trump chooses David Petraeus as Secretary of State.  . . .

More: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/war_stories/2016/12/trump_names_marine_gen_john_allen_to_head_the_department_of_homeland_security.html
Does Trump Want to Put Generals in Charge of Everything?

Trump's head of the Small Business Administration

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/12/wwes-linda-mcmahon-tapped-to-lead-trumps-sba.html
 
Head of the EPA? A climate change denier who hates the EPA, of course

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/scott-pruitt-environmental-protection-agency-trump
 
http://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2016/12/7/13873894/scott-pruitt-trump-epa

A union leader corrects Trump's inflated claims about the number of jobs saved at Carrier. Simple facts. Then Trump attacks him on Twitter. Then the phone threats start pouring in 

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/12/trump-attacks-union-leader-for-daring-to-fact-check-him.html

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/carrier-union-trump-attack-threats
One voice asked: What kind of car do you drive? Another said: We’re coming for you. . . “Nothing that says they’re gonna kill me, but, you know, you better keep your eye on your kids,” Jones said later on MSNBC. “We know what car you drive. Things along those lines.”

Trump will totally condemn this decision, right? Right?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/12/07/1608305/-Congressional-Republicans-sucker-punch-American-steel-workers-scrapping-Buy-America-provision
Under the backing of Paul Ryan, the GOP leadership stripped a provision from a water bill Monday that would have required American-made iron and steel products to be used in efforts aimed at fixing water infrastructure in Flint and elsewhere. . . .

[NB: Where are the tweets!!??]

Now we have a president with the power to help or punish a company with a single comment or tweet -- and who clearly intends to use it

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/07/donald-trumps-economic-plan-is-about-picking-winners-and-losers-and-corporations-are-a-bit-worried/
Donald Trump’s economic plan is about picking winners and losers — and corporations are a bit worried 

More: http://crooksandliars.com/2016/12/boeing-tweet-was-all-about-trumps-ego
If any person associated with Trump purchased Boeing shares today, that could be charged as a market manipulation called "stock bashing." [read on]

http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/12/7/13857994/trump-softbank-deal
Investors think Trump’s giving SoftBank regulatory favors in exchange for a nice press release

The Cesspool: it is looking more and more as if Trump WON'T totally divest himself of his business dealings at his big December 15th announcement (he doesn't think he has to)

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/12/shocker-trump-wont-completely-sever-ties-to-his-business.html
And what of Ivanka Trump, who the president-elect once said would run his company as part of a “blind trust,” though that is not how a blind trust works? Now she is said to be taking a leave of absence from the Trump Organization as well (she and her brothers are currently executive vice-presidents). Ivanka is also trying to figure out how to step away from her own brands, though, like her father, she named them after herself. She’s reportedly planning to hire a president to run the company’s day-to-day operations. That will free up Ivanka to continue meeting with world leaders . . .

The Cesspool: Trump now says he sold off his stock holdings in June. Here's why that's nowhere near good enough

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-faces-unanswered-questions-about-his-stock-portfolio

More: http://www.vox.com/2016/12/7/13875460/trump-stock-conflict-of-interest
Trump says he's sold his stock to avoid conflicts. He should prove it.

Who could have thought just a few months ago that we'd be talking about the impact of White nationalism on a president's policies?

http://www.vox.com/identities/2016/12/7/13802640/white-nationalists-alt-right-racism-bannon-spencer-trump

More: http://www.vox.com/identities/2016/12/7/13826074/alt-right-white-nationalism-new-york-times-associated-press

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/08/how-the-alt-right-became-racist-a-short-history-of-hate-part-1/
A short history of hate

Trump has been throwing his weight around on all sorts of issues as if he were already president. But when he doesn't want responsibility, he's quick to hide and run away

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-denies-divisions-today-show
Trump Denies Having Anything To Do With Dividing America: I'm Not President Yet!

Trump doesn't require his transition team to sign ethics or conflict of interest agreements, but boy they'd better sign the non-disclosures!

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-transition-non-disclosure-agreement

It's all a made for television production

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/mark-burnett-trump-parade
Trump Could Land At His Inauguration By Chopper

We assumed that Trump, if he lost, would launch a new media project ("Trump TV"). Is this a way of doing the same thing, indirectly?

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/07/trump-tv-announces-new-24-hour-network-will-get-access-to-white-house-press-briefings/

Can we talk about unions? Clearly organized labor has been the backbone of the Democratic party, in funding, organization, and get out the vote efforts. Clearly too, unions will be under assault during the Trump years. At the same time, this election showed that a lot of working class and union voters are not reliable supporters of the wider Democratic coalition, and could be pried away by a pseudo-populist like Trump. What does this mean, going forward?

http://prospect.org/article/how-trump-presidency-could-kill-american-union
Trump Presidency Could Kill Labor Unions

http://prospect.org/article/trump-union-busting-employer-will-now-dictate-nation-labor-policy
 Trump the Union-Busting Employer Will Now Dictate Nation’s Labor Policy

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/02/death-of-americas-labor-unions_partner/
Donald Trump’s election is the death of America’s labor unions 

http://washingtonmonthly.com/2016/12/07/the-rights-war-on-unions-will-finish-us-off/ 
The Right’s War on Unions Will Finish Us Off

http://www.salon.com/2016/11/26/the-union-revolt-no-one-is-talking-about-this-election-proved-that-you-overlook-the-labor-movement-at-your-peril/
The union revolt no one is talking about: This election proved that you overlook the labor movement at your peril

In other news . . .

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/12/07/1608253/-Bill-to-ban-abortions-once-heartbeat-is-heard-goes-to-Ohio-governor-s-desk
Bill banning abortion at six weeks goes to Ohio governor's desk

More: http://www.vox.com/identities/2016/12/7/13875488/ohio-abortion-ban-heartbeat-six-weeks
Ohio passed a “heartbeat bill” to ban most abortions. It won’t hold up in court.
 

Bonus item: No surprise -- Trump is chosen as Time magazine's "Person of the Year." Of course, he is a person of tremendous significance, whether that significance is good or bad (bad). See their choices for 1938, 1939, and 1942 for example

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/time-magazine-names-trump

The sad devolution of Time magazine covers: http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/12/7/13868966/trump-time-person-of-the-year

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sharing its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com) with others via email or social media.

Thanks for helping to spread the word!

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

JET SETTER

Trump trashes Boeing in a tweet, and its stock value plummets

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/did-boeing-get-out-of-line
"Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than $4 billion. Cancel order!"

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/12/trump-now-cancelling-military-contracts
Trump Now 'Cancelling' Military Contracts Via Twitter

http://washingtonmonthly.com/2016/12/06/trump-attacks-air-force-one-boeing-stocks-plummet/
Trump Attacks Air Force One, Boeing Stocks Plummet

Why did he do it? Ego, of course http://www.salon.com/2016/12/06/donald-trumps-boeing-mess-why-did-trump-blast-air-force-one-on-twitter/

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/12/06/1607952/-Trump-s-Air-Force-One-tweet-appears-to-be-retaliation-against-Boeing-for-hurting-his-fee-fees

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/12/stop-talking-about-air-force-one

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/12/06/donald-trump-s-air-force-one-math-doesn-t-add-up.html
“This isn’t Trump’s plane to do with as he pleases,” Brian Laslie, author of The Air Force Way of War, told The Daily Beast. “This is for the office of the president of the United States.”

More from the ME ME ME ME Show

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/12/06/trump-announces-japanese-bank-investing-50-billion-in-the-united-states/?utm_term=.bb7fc234ade8
President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that Japanese telecom and financial conglomerate SoftBank would invest $50 billion in the United States and create 50,000 new jobs, saying that the decision wouldn't have been made without Trump's election win.  Trump appeared in the lobby of the Trump Tower on Tuesday with Masayoshi Son, the chief executive of SoftBank, to announce the news, and later on Twitter claimed credit. . . "Masa said he would never do this had we (Trump) not won the election!"

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/12/what-did-donald-trump-promise-president-softbank
What Did Donald Trump Promise the President of Softbank?

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/12/trump-era-crony-capitalism-has-officially-started
The Trump Era of Crony Capitalism Has Officially Started

Setting policy versus flying by the seat of your pants

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/unwilling-focus-substance-trump-sidelines-policy-team
Before the election, Donald Trump and his team made a deliberate decision to avoid substance and policy details. One of the Republican candidate’s top policy advisers said after the conventions that the typical American voter would be “bored to tears” if the campaign focused on substance – a sentiment Trump himself endorsed in June when he said “the public doesn’t care” about public policy.  In May, Politico quoted a campaign insider saying Trump didn’t want to “waste time on policy.” The Trump source added at the time, “It won’t be until after he is elected … that he will figure out exactly what he is going to do.”  Well, the election has come and gone, and as Politico reports today, Trump still isn’t focused on what, exactly, he’s going to do. . . .

You knew it would start eventually: on several key issues, Trump and the congressional Repubs are not on the same page

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/06/gops-trump-coalition-shows-its-first-cracks-disputes-on-healthcare-and-trade-threaten-glorious-new-order/
GOP’s Trump coalition shows its first cracks: Disputes on healthcare and trade threaten glorious new order 

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/06/tea-party-republicans-already-planning-major-resistance-to-donald-trumps-obamacare-replacement-plan/
Tea Party Republicans already planning “major resistance” to Donald Trump’s Obamacare replacement plan 

http://washingtonmonthly.com/2016/12/06/is-the-trumpbannon-infrastructure-plan-off-the-table
Is the Trump/Bannon Infrastructure Plan Off the Table?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/12/06/1607890/-Paul-Ryan-suddenly-not-so-gun-ho-on-immediately-privatizing-Medicare
Paul Ryan suddenly not so gung-ho on immediately privatizing Medicare

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/06/paul-ryans-repeal-promise-nobody-will-be-worse-off-during-obamacare-transition/
Paul Ryan’s repeal promise: Nobody will be “worse off” during Obamacare transition 

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/12/06/1607648/-GOP-already-fighting-with-itself-over-the-budget-and-Trump-s-not-even-president-yet
GOP already fighting with itself over the budget ... and Trump's not even president yet

Trump's transition problems

http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/12/6/13823928/donald-trump-reality-transition-mitt-romney-apprentice
Donald Trump is turning his transition into a reality show, too. That’s an ominous sign.

Samantha Bee: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/12/06/samantha-bee-returns-to-rip-trump-s-chaotic-transition-you-thought-there-were-rules.html

He STILL can't find a Sect'y of State

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/06/sorry-romney-mike-pence-says-names-may-well-be-added-to-the-list-of-state-department-hopefuls/

More: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/shiny-object

The worst of Trump's cabinet appointments (so far)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/12/06/donald-trumps-most-terrifying-appointment/?utm_source=rss_plum-line&utm_term=.90ca9f8cdae3
Michael Flynn Sr.

More: http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/incoming-national-security-advisor-loves-his-conspiracy-theories 

Flynn's SON was part of Trump's transition team. Not any more

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/12/trump-fires-michael-flynn-jr
Trump Fires Michael Flynn Jr.

[NB: For reposting fake news stories! A standard Trump himself would fail.]

The law says you can't nominate a General to oversee the Dept of Defense. Trump has just done it. What now?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/12/06/1608000/-Republicans-threatening-to-shut-down-government-to-ram-through-Trump-s-defense-secretary-nomination

More: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/gop-includes-provision-to-expedite-confirmation-of-mattis-in-the-cr
Republicans tucked a measure intended to expedite the confirmation of Gen. James Mattis to be secretary of defense into a must-pass Congressional spending bill late Tuesday.  The measure would essentially limit debate on a waiver that is needed in order for retired Gen. Mattis to serve as secretary of defense. . . .

The Cesspool: it isn't going away

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/06/as-the-trump-familys-conflicts-get-more-outrageous-republicans-simply-dont-care/
The Trump family’s conflicts get even more outrageous

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/peter-thiel-wont-confirm-signed-trump-transition-ethics-agreement
Billionaire Silicon Valley investor Peter Thiel will not confirm that he’s signed an ethics agreement with President-elect Donald Trump’s White House transition team, raising red flags about conflicts of interest. . .

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/06/donald-trumps-washington-hotel-is-going-to-host-mike-pence-and-the-heritage-foundation/
Donald Trump’s Washington hotel is going to host Mike Pence and the Heritage Foundation

Did Trump lie about the Carrier agreement?

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trumps-claims-about-jobs-saved-carrier-come-question
“I will tell you that United Technologies and Carrier stepped it up,” he said, “and now they’re keeping – actually the number’s over 1,100 people, which is so great, which is so great.”  Is that true? Not exactly. WTHR, the NBC affiliate in Indianapolis, took a closer look and found that the agreement “may not have saved as many factory jobs” as Trump claimed.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/12/06/1607904/-How-many-manufacturing-jobs-did-Trump-s-Carrier-deal-save-A-lot-less-than-advertised
How many manufacturing jobs did Trump's Carrier deal save? A lot less than advertised.
 
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/12/06/he-got-up-there-and-lied-his-a-off-carrier-union-leader-on-trumps-big-deal/?utm_term=.cb8db5c82a73
‘He got up there and lied his a– off': Carrier union leader on Trump’s big deal

More: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/12/06/lets-be-clear-donald-trump-is-practicing-presidential-extortion-of-individual-companies-for-symbolic-political-gain/?utm_term=.83e3b3f70158
Let’s be clear: Donald Trump is practicing presidential extortion of individual companies for symbolic political gain

Two top Republicans say that Congress needs to exercise oversight of the Trump admin. Yeah, I'll believe it when I see it

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/12/06/two-top-republicans-just-vowed-aggressive-oversight-of-trump-yeah-right/?utm_source=rss_plum-line&utm_term=.88d9190cd88c

In other news. . .

How to build a new majority

http://www.vox.com/polyarchy/2016/12/6/13854668/six-factions-us-politics

Wow

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/12/poll-republicans-are-now-more-antifree-market-than-dems.html
Poll: Republicans Are Now More ‘Anti–Free Market’ Than Democrats

The state of the recount

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/12/06/1607803/-State-of-the-recount-Missing-ballots-in-MI-lawsuit-launched-in-PA-WI-counts-on-and-now-FL

Clinton now leads by 2% of the vote

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/12/hillary-clintons-popular-vote-lead-now-2
Aside from the obviously corrupt election of 1876, no winning candidate in the two-party era has ever done even remotely as dismally in the popular vote as Donald Trump.

Bonus item: We need the comedians, now more than ever

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-comedians-are-here-to-help-you.html

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sharing its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com) with others via email or social media.

Thanks for helping to spread the word!

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***

GETTING AWAY WITH IT?

Do most people just not care about Trump's conflicts of interest?

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/donald-trump-conflicts-republicans-232137

More: http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/gop-assumptions-about-trumps-conflicts-interest-put-the-test

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/see-it-for-what-it-is-folks

The Cesspool

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ivanka-trump-business-deal-during-japan-abe-meeting
Ivanka Trump was reportedly finalizing a deal with a Japanese clothing manufacturer whose parent company's largest shareholder is a state-owned Japanese bank when she sat in on her father's meeting with the Japanese prime minister in November. . . .

Blind trust? What a joke

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ivanka-jared-kushner-move-to-dc
Donald Trump's eldest daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, are reportedly searching for a house in Washington, D.C., amid talks that Kushner will serve as a White House adviser . . .

Will Trump apply his 35% tariff on products outsourced to other countries. . . . to Trump products?

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/05/donald-trump-tweets-support-for-high-tariffs-but-will-they-be-levied-on-trump-brand-products/ 

Trump's Taiwan phone call could mean three things -- none of them good

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/explain-trumps-taiwan-move-there-are-3-alarming-possibilities

Trump expands his list of potential Sect'y of State candidates -- but they all have three things in common

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/12/trumps-secretary-of-state-candidate-list-keeps-growing.html
Trump’s Secretary of State Candidate List Keeps Growing, With the Addition of More Old [White] Men
 
How the Dems plan to deal with Trump's cabinet nominees

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/trump-cabinet-democrats-senate-232136

More: http://washingtonmonthly.com/2016/12/05/both-siderism-argument-doesnt-work-for-trumps-extremist-nominees/
Both-Siderism Argument Doesn’t Work for Trump’s Extremist Nominees
 
What Ben Carson and Donald Trump said about each other during the campaign

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/05/ben-carson-who-trump-once-compared-to-a-child-molester-is-now-going-to-be-his-secretary-of-housing-and-urban-development/

More: http://crooksandliars.com/2016/12/crazy-ben-carson-named-hud-secretary

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/12/ben-carson-may-be-the-perfect-trump-hud-secretary.html
Ben Carson May Be the Perfect Trump HUD Secretary

Pay up, Mr, Trump!

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/05/new-york-city-mayor-bill-de-blasio-charges-white-house-35-million-to-protect-trump-tower/
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio charges White House $35 million to protect Trump Tower  

[NB: Unfortunately, the bill is going to Obama.]

Where Trump gets his "news" from

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2016/12/one-true-wingnut.html

How the Republicans sold their souls

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/12/05/republicans-are-actively-helping-trump-weaken-our-democracy-with-his-lies/?utm_term=.05418d1793b7
Republicans are actively helping Trump weaken our democracy with his lies

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/05/everythings-fine-republicans-are-whitewashing-donald-trumps-conflicts-of-interest/
Republicans are whitewashing Donald Trump’s conflicts of interest 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/12/05/republicans-are-already-making-it-clear-trump-can-do-whatever-he-wants/?utm_term=.edfd07b497a0
Republicans are already making it clear: Trump can do whatever he wants

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/12/how-republicans-justify-unlimited-trump-corruption.html
How Republicans Justify Unlimited Trump Corruption

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/republican-rhetoric-jobs-odds-data-reality
Republican rhetoric on jobs at odds with data, reality 

The Republicans are having a hell of a time fulfilling their one big vow: to get rid of Obamacare

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/12/obamacare-repeal-doomed-pre-existing-conditions
Obamacare Repeal Is Doomed
 
More: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/12/05/1607520/-As-Republicans-flail-on-Obamacare-Democrats-job-becomes-clear-Throw-them-an-anchor
As Republicans flail on Obamacare, Democrats' job becomes clear: Throw them an anchor

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/12/forcing-gop-ownership-destruction-aca
How To Make Republicans Own Their Destruction Of The ACA

Thanks for clearing that up

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/trump-lawyers-say-no-evidence-of-voter-fraud
Contradicting Their Boss, Trump's Own Lawyers Find No Evidence Of Voter Fraud

I don't always buy these arguments that everything is about "narratives," but see what you think about this analysis

http://washingtonmonthly.com/2016/12/05/getting-the-story-right/
Every election is a competition between two stories about America. . . .

Meet the people who were outraged about Trump's "grab her by the p---y" comment -- not the fact that he said it, but the fact that the media covered it

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/12/06/these-brave-souls-complained-about-pussygate-to-the-fcc.html

Kellyanne Conway's next gig?

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/308914-conway-may-lead-new-pro-trump-group

In other news. . . 

A tricky way the Dems could confirm Merrick Garland for the open Supreme Court seat (no, I don't think they'll do it)

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/12/senate-democrats-have-one-shot-saving

Bonus item: Pizzagate -- how a ridiculous fake news conspiracy almost turned into a real tragedy

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/12/gunman-dc-pizza-parlor-was-investigating
Gunman At DC Pizza Parlor Was 'Investigating' Right-Wing Conspiracy 'Pizzagate' Lie

More: http://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/12/5/13842258/pizzagate-comet-ping-pong-fake-news

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/12/right-wing-nazi-propagandists-turn-lie

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GROSS NEGLIGENCE

Trump hints that . . . he might not submit a budget after entering office. No I am not kidding

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2016/12/budget-what-budget.html 

Summarizing the Taiwan phone call

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/12/04/trump-team-scrambles-on-taiwan.htm
Others, like former top White House aide Dan Pfeiffer, said simply: Trump “got played like a fool.”

More: http://crooksandliars.com/2016/12/alex-castellanos-tries-convince-trump-has
I don't know if I could do it.  How is it possible for Alex Castellanos to go on television and make such laughably stupid assertions? . . . Castellanos actually insists that President-elect Trump taking a call from the president of Taiwan is more of that eleventy-dimensional chess for which they could never give credit to President Obama. Rather than a HUGE breach of diplomacy, it's a show of America's strength, donchaknow? 

No Sect'y of State in place yet, ignoring intelligence briefings, Trump picks a fight against China. Has he really thought this through?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/12/04/1607243/-China-launches-Sunday-Twitter-tirade-against-China-this-is-NOT-going-to-end-well
Trump launches Sunday Twitter tirade against China, this is NOT going to end well

More: http://washingtonmonthly.com/2016/12/05/did-trump-get-played-by-his-advisers-on-taiwan/
Did Trump Get Played By His Advisers on Taiwan?

Trump wants to impose a 35% tariff on companies shipping jobs overseas. But does he realize a president doesn't have the authority to just do that?

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/12/trump-release-twitter-white-paper-trade

More: http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2016/12/trump_plans_to_replace_governing_with_gimmickry_the_carrier_jobs_are_only.html

Trump is an "emoluments magnet"

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2016/12/trump-is-emoluments-magnet.html

More: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/trump-miscellany
I continue to believe we are collectively doing a disservice to the truth by speaking of 'conflicts' and 'complications that seems certain to persist.' There are no conflicts and complications. The Trumps are using the presidency to advance ... 'advance' is insufficient ... to warp drive their business to a realm it has never been in before and never would have been. We know they are currently advancing major new business ventures in numerous foreign countries, all of which need to manage a positive relationship with the United States and its head of state.  This was all but inevitable. But I confess I thought it would be something that was done a bit more secretly, something the details of which would need to be clawed out by investigators over months and years. It's not. It's completely open. 

After howling about Clinton's emails, the Trump team is trying to minimize Sect'y of State candidate David Petraeus's far worse behavior

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/12/dear-mike-pence-gen-petraeus-didnt-just

Ben Carson for Housing and Urban Development

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2016/12/05/trump-to-nominate-carson-to-lead-u-s-housing-urban-policy/?utm_term=.3fc16cee8a80

Kellyanne Conway is turning into Katrina Pierson

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/12/kellyanne-conway-defends-trumps-shameful
CNN host Jake Tapper questioned whether Trump's use of Twitter was "presidential behavior."  "Well, he's the president-elect," Conway shrugged. "So that's presidential behavior, yes." The former campaign manager's statement provoked gasps from the audience.  "So the things that Bill Clinton did in the Oval Office that you criticized, those were presidential?" Tapper interrupted. "You are saying if the president does it, it's presidential?" "I wasn't saying otherwise," Conway insisted, prompting laughter in the audience.

We are in an INSANE moment

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/12/stephanopoulos-rips-pence-defending-trumps
Vice President-elect Mike Pence asserted on Sunday that Donald Trump was "entitled" to say that millions of Americans voted illegally -- even if the claim was false. During an interview on ABC's This Week, host George Stephanopoulos reminded the future vice president of a recent tweet in which Trump declared that he lost the popular vote because of the "millions of people who voted illegally."  "That claim is groundless," Stephanopoulos pointed out. "There's no evidence to back it up. Is it responsible for a president-elect to make false statements like that?"  

Pence defended himself by pointing to an unrelated 2012 Pew Center study on outdated voter registrations. However, the study's author has said that he found no evidence of voter fraud. . . ."That statement is false," the ABC host pressed.  

"I think the president-elect just wants to call to attention the fact that there has been evidence over many years," Pence stuttered. "It's certainly his right."  

"It's his right to make false statements?" Stephanopoulos asked. . . . 

"I don't know that is a false statement and neither do you," Pence snapped. "There is historic evidence from the Pew Research Center that voter fraud has taken place."  "Can you provide any evidence to back up that statement?" the ABC host asked again.  

"He's entitled to express his opinion on that," Pence remarked. "I think the American people find it very refreshing that they have a president who will tell them what's on his mind."  

"Whether it's true or not," Stephanopoulos concluded.

How nice for him 

http://washingtonmonthly.com/2016/12/04/dick-cheney-celebrates-a-world-where-facts-dont-matter
Dick Cheney is thrilled with the election of Donald Trump. . . . 

Fareed Zakaria on how a billionaire reconstructed himself as a populist and a middle class girl from a small town became the elitist

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/democrats-need-to-focus-on-the-gut-not-the-head/2016/12/01/dfbe7782-b803-11e6-a677-b608fbb3aaf6_story.html?utm_term=.a2925f171ac0
The Republican Party has been able to profit electorally at so many levels because it has found a way to emotionally identify with working-class whites as they watch their country get transformed. Globalization, automation and immigration all generate enormous social change. Republicans signal that at a gut level, they are uncomfortable with this change and like America the way it was. That is why states with older, working-class white voters, such as Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin, all have Republican governors and statehouses. . . . [read on]
 
The Republican dilemma -- how to keep winning elections with less than a majority of the vote

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2016/12/a-gop-thing-winning-with-fewer-popular.html

More: http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-win-at-all-costs-party.html 

Keeping up the heat on Rep. Jason Chaffetz, chair of the Oversight Committee

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/12/rep-elijah-cummings-criticizes-rep-jason 

A new constitutional convention? The GOP (and the Koch brothers) are very close

http://www.cnn.com/2016/11/22/politics/constitutional-convention-explainer/

More: http://www.salon.com/2016/12/04/koch-brothers-protege-and-founding-father-wannabe-gov-greg-abbott-wants-to-amend-your-constitution-9-ways/

The future of journalism in the era of Trump

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/12/04/1605608/-How-should-journalism-function-in-the-age-of-Trump
How should journalism function in the age of Trump?

http://crooksandliars.com/2016/12/reliable-sources-brian-stelter-counsels
Reliable Sources' Brian Stelter Counsels Media On How To Cover Trump's Lies

More: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/trump-free-speech-and-why-journalists-must-be-activists

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/04/robert-reich-donald-trumps-7-techniques-to-control-the-media_partner/
Robert Reich: Donald Trump’s 7 techniques to control the media 

In other news . . .

Dakota Access Pipeline halted

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/12/report-construction-of-dakota-access-pipeline-halted.html
 
More: http://www.vox.com/2016/12/4/13836848/army-corps-blocks-dakota-access-pipeline

http://www.salon.com/2016/12/05/victory-for-the-sioux-dakota-access-pipeline-win-elicits-celebrations-and-a-sigh-of-relief/
 
A look at the governor races

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/11/29/1603482/-One-silver-lining-to-Trump-s-win-Democrats-could-win-key-governors-races-for-2020s-redistricting

Bonus item: Never forget. This is the guy who says he wants to shag his own daughter

http://hollywoodlife.com/2016/09/14/donald-trump-loves-kissing-ivanka-daughter-dr-oz/
Donald Trump Obsessed With Daughter Ivanka: ‘I Kiss Her As Often As I Can’

***If you enjoy PBD and support what we are doing, you can help by forwarding a copy of this issue to your friends (using the envelope link below) or by sharing its URL (http://pbd.blogspot.com) with others via email or social media.

Thanks for helping to spread the word!

I don’t get anything personally out of this project, except the satisfaction of doing it (I don’t run ads, etc.). The credit really all goes to the people whose material I copy and redistribute. But if I do have a “mission,” it is to get this information into the hands of as many people as I can.***