The Wall

[Vrede too]

ADD YOUR NAME: Congress must revoke Trump’s emergency declaration immediately.

TV news speculates that this MIGHT even happen, though almost certainly not with a veto-proof majority. It would still be humiliating for POSPOTUS.

[neoplacebo]

Mike Pence is the biggest argument in favor of not filing articles of impeachment against Trump. It's like trading Fire Marshal Bill for Ernest T Bass.

He could be ousted, too. If not also for collusion, for the obstruction and coverup. If not, he would still be an impotent caretaker POTUS until departing 1/20/21.

Possible, but I figure if it came to that, he'd plead ignorance and get away with it. No one would be able to question it.

[Vrede too]

Possible, but I figure if it came to that, he'd plead ignorance and get away with it. No one would be able to question it.

Donald Trump has declared a #FakeNationalEmergency—an illegal power grab from an unhinged man to push his racist, dangerous policies.

We're mobilizing rapid-response events on Presidents Day—Monday, 2/18—against Trump's fake crisis and racist deportation force and to stand with immigrant, Muslim, and Black and brown communities to stop Trump's dangerous and illegal power grab.

Events will be at noon local time, or a time selected by hosts.

Join a #PresidentsDay protest to fight Trump’s fake crisis and racist deportation force. Use the search tools to find an event near you and RSVP.

[Vrede too]

Trump’s most hypocritical quotes on unilateral executive action

... Let’s recap some of Trump’s more applicable comments to the situation we find ourselves in.

Nov. 20, 2014:

Repubs must not allow Pres Obama to subvert the Constitution of the US for his own benefit & because he is unable to negotiate w/ Congress.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 20, 2014

...

November 2014 on “Fox and Friends”: “It should absolutely not pass muster in terms of constitutionality, but it depends on what these justices do. . . . I mean, I think certainly he could be impeached, and certainly they could shut down the government.”

Trump doesn’t explicitly say Obama should have been impeached for the DACA executive order, but he doesn’t shy away from that possibility....

April 18, 2015: “Whether it’s Benghazi, whether it’s IRS, whether it’s any of the many things that you see that are going wrong with our country. The executive orders are an outrage. We have a president that can’t lead. He said the hell with it. I’m not going to do this anymore. I want to rest and I want to do other things, including going out to play golf. . . . But he signs executive orders because he’s given up. He can’t convince anybody to do anything, so he’s given up, and he signs on immigration and on other things.”

Trump spent two months and a 35-day partial government shutdown trying to persuade Congress to go along with his border wall. “He can’t convince anybody to do anything, so he’s given up, and he signs on immigration” sure seems to apply today.

Aug. 25, 2016: “He signs his executive orders all over the place, because he doesn’t want to meet with people and try and convince them to do what the right thing to do is. No, he’s not playing by the rules. No, I do play by the rules. I will play by the rules, too.”

Jan. 14, 2016: “He doesn’t want to get people together, the old-fashioned way, where you get Congress. You get the Congress, you get the Senate, you get together, you do legislation. He just writes out an executive order. Not supposed to happen that way.”

And Sept. 24, 2015:

JOE SCARBOROUGH: Are you going to be willing when your law that you pass through Congress rests on a congressman from Boise, Idaho, who you’re going to have to fly out and sit in his house and hang out with him and beg him and give him whatever he wants in the appropriation bill to get his vote? I mean, are you going to be willing to do that sort of, sort of slogging?

TRUMP: Well, I am. And, you know, Obama has not been willing to do that, Joe. That’s why he signs executive orders all the time....

Nov. 11, 2015: “But the whole concept of executive order — it’s not the way the country is supposed to be run. He’s supposed to go through Congress and make a deal and go and talk to people and get the guys in there and, you know, whether you’re Republican or Democrat, is supposed to all get together. He’s supposed to make a deal, but he couldn’t make a deal because it’s not his thing.”

“He couldn’t make a deal because it’s not his thing.”

May 18, 2016: “But I want somebody that can deal with Congress, can deal with the Senate, can deal with our Congress people so that we can get something passed. You know, Obama signs his executive orders all day long because he can’t get along with anybody. It’s not the way it’s supposed to work.”

“He can’t get along with anybody."

And finally, some more:

March 29, 2016: ″You know, it’s not all about signing executive orders because this is something that came in — that wasn’t the way our founders thought that this country was going to win. You have to get — now, I’ll make great deals. I’ll make conservative deals. I’m going to make wonderful deals but you have to do it the old-fashioned way like Ronald Reagan did with Tip O’Neill.”

July 29, 2014:

Watch – Obama will not fix the illegal immigrant loophole. Instead he will sign another executive action giving more amnesty.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 29, 2014

Aug. 29, 2014:

Obama once said he “would be ignoring the law” by granting amnesty through executive action. Now he’s about to do it. What will Congress do?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 29, 2014

Indeed. What will Congress do about a president who once cautioned against executive overreach who then engages in stretching the powers of the presidency himself?

Rare Footage of Arizona Ocelot Shows What Could Be Lost by Border Wall

Feline conservation group Conservation CATalyst released what it says is the first-ever trail camera footage of an endangered ocelot in Arizona on Sunday, at what the group said on its Facebook page is a "critical point" in the species' conservation.

That is partly because of President Donald Trump's proposed border wall, which would restrict the ability of Sonoran ocelots to cross between the U.S. and Mexico in search of food, mates and territory.

"One of the greatest single threats to ocelot recovery in the United States is the proposed expansion of the U.S.-Mexico border wall," conservation CATalyst senior researcher Chris Bugbee said on the group's Facebook page. "If there was ever a solid physical barrier that spanned the entire border, as is planned by our current administration, it would be 'game over' for both jaguar and ocelot recovery in this country. Such a fate is unacceptable." ...



...

(9th Circuit) Court Allows Trump to Bulldoze Environmental Laws For Border Wall



Tell Congress: Revoke Trump's national emergency declaration

[Vrede too]

Block Trump's National Emergency Declaration (letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi)

[Vrede too]

Trump’s border wall will not work ‘no matter how high’, scientists warn

... Around the world at least 70 sizeable walls currently exist along borders, despite their limited role in providing security or stopping the flow of people....

In the US case, around 65 per cent of people illegally staying in the US in recent years have been “visa overstayers” – those who enter legally only to remain longer than they are technically supposed to.

“Trump’s wall, no matter how high it is, is not going to keep out the visa overstayers because they fly in, they come in legally, and then they become illegal,” he said.

Of the 11 million undocumented immigrants currently living in the US, the sociologist said currently around two fifths are thought to have entered this way.

As for the remaining portion, he said evidence from border crossing around the world suggest even an expanded wall would not stop people finding their way over, under or around.

He added that far from being the rapists and murderers described by the president, undocumented migrant communities tend to have some of the lowest rates of crime.

“No matter how good a wall is, any wall in the world is gotten around or over or under because those migrants want to get there, there’s selection of migrants – they are the most motivated, often the smartest,” he said....

Not that science, history, real world evidence or common sense will ever matter to POSPOTUS or his Trumpettes.

[O Really]

Some of the better-known writers should make it clear that Trump doesn't care whether his "wall" actually keeps anybody out, because it is there only as a symbol of exclusion and non-welcoming. Like many gates in gated communities - sure you could get around them easily, but the message they give off is "you're not welcome here - you don't belong." But in Trump's little lizard brain, he can't say "you're not welcome" unless there's a big wall making a big permanent statement.

[GoCubsGo]

All those big, beautiful wall prototypes turned to rubble.....

#buildthewall

http://time.com/5540409/border-wall-pro ... emolished/

[Vrede too]

All those big, beautiful wall prototypes turned to rubble.....

#buildthewall

http://time.com/5540409/border-wall-pro ... emolished/

Idea for a 2020 Dem campaign or victory poster:

[Vrede too]

Senate votes to block Trump's 'emergency' at border; veto looms

The Senate voted Thursday to block President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency intended to allow funding of a border wall, with a dozen GOP senators going against the White House. Trump said he would veto the measure, which passed the House by a large margin last month.

The final margin was 59-41. Republican senators voting for the resolution and against Trump were Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Rob Portman of Ohio, Marco Rubio of Florida, Jerry Moran of Kansas, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, and Mitt Romney and Mike Lee of Utah.

Trump spent Thursday morning on Twitter attempting to pressure Republicans to back him on the issue....

Bigger margin than predicted. Is a veto override theoretically within reach? Almost certainly not, but I can dream.

It's a sad and disturbing day when we have to rely on Utah to unanimously do the right thing among Repubs.

[GoCubsGo]

Senate votes to block Trump's 'emergency' at border; veto looms

The Senate voted Thursday to block President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency intended to allow funding of a border wall, with a dozen GOP senators going against the White House. Trump said he would veto the measure, which passed the House by a large margin last month.

The final margin was 59-41. Republican senators voting for the resolution and against Trump were Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Rob Portman of Ohio, Marco Rubio of Florida, Jerry Moran of Kansas, Roger Wicker of Mississippi, and Mitt Romney and Mike Lee of Utah.

Trump spent Thursday morning on Twitter attempting to pressure Republicans to back him on the issue....

Bigger margin than predicted. Is a veto override theoretically within reach? Almost certainly not, but I can dream.

It's a sad and disturbing day when we have to rely on Utah to unanimously do the right thing among Repubs.

Thom Tillis, quite the scared pussy is he....

[neoplacebo]

At least one of mine, Alexander, voted against trump. I had no doubt the wingbat shithead Marsha Blackburn would never vote against trump; she'd vote for piss in a bucket if trump wanted her to.

[Vrede too]

At least one of mine, Alexander, voted against trump....

I put his name bold in order to credit YOU for frightening him into doing the right thing. Thank you for your service.

Thom Tillis, quite the scared (pansy) is he....

As is Burr, despite knowing more about Dolt .45's treason than perhaps any other Repug senator.

[neoplacebo]

At least one of mine, Alexander, voted against trump....

I put his name bold in order to credit YOU for frightening him into doing the right thing. Thank you for your service.

Thom Tillis, quite the scared (pansy) is he....

As is Burr, despite knowing more about Dolt .45's treason than perhaps any other Repug senator.

Actually I've never written to Alexander; I'm not on his mailing list. But thanks for the honorable mention. I am glad he had enough ethics to vote the right way. It would be cool if they can override the trump veto but I don't think that will happen....meanwhile I will strive to be Marsha Blackburn's least favorite constituent and also the remarkably incompetent Phil Roe, my "representative" who I also often "urge" to actually represent me. If I saw Marsha and Phil standing on the side of the road, I'd give them both the one finger salute.

[Vrede too]

Actually I've never written to Alexander; I'm not on his mailing list. But thanks for the honorable mention.

Your reputation precedes you.

I am glad he had enough ethics to vote the right way. It would be cool if they can override the trump veto but I don't think that will happen....

If not, Dictator POSPOTUS will then have to persuade the courts that he has the power to override congressional budgeting by declaring an imaginary emergency.
Then, private property rights-hating Putin's Agent Orange will have to win hundreds or thousands of lawsuits over his use of eminent domain.
Then, planet-hating Putin's Agent Orange will have to win multiple environmental lawsuits.
Then, Dolt .45 will have to win in 2020 despite historically low approval ratings.

meanwhile I will strive to be Marsha Blackburn's least favorite constituent and also the remarkably incompetent Phil Roe, my "representative" who I also often "urge" to actually represent me. If I saw Marsha and Phil standing on the side of the road, I'd give them both the one finger salute.

Keep both hands on the wheel . . . or maybe not.

[neoplacebo]

Actually I've never written to Alexander; I'm not on his mailing list. But thanks for the honorable mention.

Your reputation precedes you.

I am glad he had enough ethics to vote the right way. It would be cool if they can override the trump veto but I don't think that will happen....

If not, Dictator POSPOTUS will then have to persuade the courts that he has the power to override congressional budgeting by declaring an imaginary emergency.
Then, private property rights-hating Putin's Agent Orange will have to win hundreds or thousands of lawsuits over his use of eminent domain.
Then, planet-hating Putin's Agent Orange will have to win multiple environmental lawsuits.
Then, Dolt .45 will have to win in 2020 despite historically low approval ratings.

meanwhile I will strive to be Marsha Blackburn's least favorite constituent and also the remarkably incompetent Phil Roe, my "representative" who I also often "urge" to actually represent me. If I saw Marsha and Phil standing on the side of the road, I'd give them both the one finger salute.

Keep both hands on the wheel . . . or maybe not.

Reminds me of the old Doors song "Roadhouse Blues"......"keep your hands on the wheel, your eyes upon the road......the future's uncertain and the end is always near." Let it roll baby,roll....

[Vrede too]

... meanwhile I will strive to be Marsha Blackburn's least favorite constituent and also the remarkably incompetent Phil Roe, my "representative" who I also often "urge" to actually represent me. If I saw Marsha and Phil standing on the side of the road, I'd give them both the one finger salute.

Go for it, cops, too:

Court: Middle finger protected by the constitution

Keep both hands on the wheel . . . or maybe not.

Reminds me of the old Doors song "Roadhouse Blues"......"keep your hands on the wheel, your eyes upon the road......the future's uncertain and the end is always near." Let it roll baby,roll....

Reminds me of the old Doors song "The End":
"Phil / Yes son? / I want to kill you / Marsha, I want to ..." (with the next words screamed out unintelligibly)
Or something like that.

[neoplacebo]

... meanwhile I will strive to be Marsha Blackburn's least favorite constituent and also the remarkably incompetent Phil Roe, my "representative" who I also often "urge" to actually represent me. If I saw Marsha and Phil standing on the side of the road, I'd give them both the one finger salute.

Go for it, cops, too:

Court: Middle finger protected by the constitution

Keep both hands on the wheel . . . or maybe not.

Reminds me of the old Doors song "Roadhouse Blues"......"keep your hands on the wheel, your eyes upon the road......the future's uncertain and the end is always near." Let it roll baby,roll....

Reminds me of the old Doors song "The End":
"Phil / Yes son? / I want to kill you / Marsha, I want to ..." (with the next words screamed out unintelligibly)
Or something like that.

Yeah, that would be a good one, too. "The killer awoke before dawn; he put his boots on. He took a face from the ancient gallery and then he walked on down the hall." Marsha? Phil?

[1 CAT FAN]

Would it be cheaper to invade Mexico and make it part of America, cockroaches don’t care about man-made walls.

[Vrede too]

Congress must scale back the White House's emergency powers (Petition)