Category Archives: Politics

“The indictment is a reminder that Trump won a tainted election”

Mother Jones: Mueller’s Latest Indictment Shows Trump Has Helped Putin Cover Up a Crime. “By continuing to cast doubt on Russian involvement, the president is helping the Kremlin get away with its election attack.”

“This means that Mueller’s probe could yield additional information regarding the details and breadth of the Russian campaign to intervene in the election to assist Trump. The president, who has yet to say anything in public showing he is committed to preventing Russian meddling in this year’s election, can continue to dismiss such material as “fake news“ produced by a “witch hunt.“ (According to the Washington Post, in his first year as president, Trump said the Russia probe was a Democratic hoax 44 times.) Hours after Friday’s indictment, Trump issued a statement once again dismissing the Russia investigation for producing “outlandish partisan attacks, wild and false allegations, and far-fetched theories.“ But with this indictment—and possibly others—Mueller has demonstrated that Trump, by refusing to acknowledge fully the Russian assault of 2016, has been helping Putin cover up a crime. “

Link via dangerousmeta!.

The total number of school-children killed by bullets to date (as of February 1, 2018) is 218 school-children.

Add 17 to the total, which now rises to 235 (source).

Another school shooting in the USA. No need to link, it’s all over the internet. For this foreigner who has spent her whole life in a country were very few people have guns and where regulations are strict (and became even stricter after the Winnenden school shooting in 2009 in which 15 students were killed) it is still incomprehensible why the majority of US politicians (and citizens? voters?) still support the current status quo and the second amendment.

Garret proposes to take over the NRA. I wonder if that would work.

“We are a nation of second chances.” (President Obama)

Nation of Second Chances. “During his presidency, President Obama granted clemency to 1,715 people —
mostly nonviolent drug offenders serving sentences in federal prison — more than any other president in history. Through beautiful photos and powerful words, Nation of Second Chances tells their stories.”

Link via MetaFilter.

The “more than any other president in history” doesn’t seem to be quite correct though. Obama has granted clemency “more than any other president in recent history” is more exact, since Harry S. Truman pardoned, commuted or rescinded the convictions of 2,044 people, and before him Franklin D. Roosevelt granted 3,687 pardons in his four terms in office, while Barack Obama pardoned 212 people and commuted the sentences of a further 1,715 people, 1,927 people in all. (Source: Wikipedia, but the numbers seem to agree with those of the United States Department of Justice.)

“Gebt mir einen Job, keine Zeitarbeit!”

Deutsche Welle: “Gebt mir einen Job, keine Zeitarbeit!” “Mohamad ist Medizintechniker mit viel Arbeitserfahrung. Das ist derzeit auf dem Arbeitsmarkt gefragt. Eigentlich. Denn der Geflüchtete kassiert nur eins: Absagen. Das Protokoll einer systematischen Erniedrigung.”

“Mohamad will seine Chancen auf dem deutschen Arbeitsmarkt nicht endgültig verspielen. Deshalb will der 29-Jährige Flüchtling aus Syrien seinen Nachnamen nicht nennen. Was er über seine Jobsuche zu berichten hat, könnte nämlich einige verstören. Denn es wirft kein gutes Licht auf den Umgang deutscher Unternehmen mit Geflüchteten. Und es zeigt, was schief läuft bei deren Integration am Arbeitsmarkt. Derzeit kämpfen rund 500.000 anerkannte Flüchtlinge um einen Job. Die meisten vergeblich. So wie Mohamad.”

Watergate’s Legacy in the Age of Trump

Here’s the Think with Alec Baldwin: John Dean: Watergate’s Legacy in the Age of Trump. (Podcast, 58 minutes.)

“When John Dean found his conscience, America found its backbone and impeached a president. The Nixon Administration tried to undermine American democracy during the election of 1972 through now-legendary dirty tricks aimed at their Democrat opponents. They almost got away with it. Dean was Nixon’s White House Counsel, and participated in the cover-up of the Watergate break-in. Then he began cooperating with investigators, and blew the case wide-open. Dean is one of the most complicated and fascinating characters in modern American history. In a frank and funny conversation with Alec Baldwin in front of a live audience, John Dean opens up about how it all went down – and how it could go down now under Trump, who he says shares Nixon’s paranoia and authoritarian instincts.”