Steve Thomas

Deleted Steve Thomas

Trump’s Fake Payroll Tax Cut Is A Big Mess “The president’s deferral of Social Security taxes for federal workers is creating administrative headaches with virtually no economic benefit.” By Arthur Delaney and Dave Jamieson https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trumps-fake-payroll-tax-cut-is-a-big-mess_n_5f903d12c5b6b005f5f198a8 “An FAQ memo from the Department of the Interior shows how little information employees have to go on. It says workers should plan on paying the money back through withholdings next year, but it’s sketchy on how much will be collected from each paycheck, and how tax penalties will apply: “As more information becomes available ... it will be shared with the workforce.” "Guidance from the Treasury Department warns that taxpayers affected by the deferral will have to pay the money back between January and April of next year “or interest, penalties, and additions to tax will begin to accrue on May 1, 2021.” The guidance doesn’t explain how the money would be paid back. A spokesperson for the Treasury Department referred questions to the White House Office of Management and Budget, which did not respond to a request for comment. Most private employers appear to have opted out of the scheme, citing its administrative difficulty, and so did the U.S. Postal Service. But Trump decided to force it on his own workers — more than a million employees of the federal government. Now, those civil servants must deal with the headaches of a loan they never asked for.” Steve Thomas

Giuliani: Even if Hunter Laptop Story ‘Isn’t Accurate,’ Americans ‘Are Entitled to Know It’ FACTS DON’T MATTER by Justin Baragona Oct. 20, 2020 https://www.thedailybeast.com/giuliani-says-even-if-hunter-laptop-story-isnt-accurate-americans-are-entitled-to-know-it?ref=home?ref=home “Trump personal attorney Rudy Giuliani argued on Tuesday that the American public deserved to see reports based off material from Hunter Biden’s laptop “even if it isn’t accurate.”” “They’ve set up an Iron Curtain so you can’t get out the New York Post story which I happened to know is 100 percent accurate,” Giuliani declared. “But even if it isn’t accurate, the American people are entitled to know it.” Steve Thomas

- Eric Trump - "“But every day we wake up we get punched in the face, and we go to bed and we get punched in the face.” I don't know. I think I'd look for a different wife. Steve Thomas

Deleted Steve Thomas

- Vito Corleone, er... Donald Trump - “It’s just crazy. I saw Shifty Schiff get up yesterday and say this is Russia,” Trump exclaimed, using his favorite nickname for Schiff. “He’s a sick man. He is so sick. We went through two and a half years of that, plus. This guy, he ought to be put away, or he ought to be, you know, something should happen with him.” Steve Thomas

2 More Funny Feelings About 2020 By TIM ALBERTA 10/20/2020 https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/10/20/alberta-two-weeks-2020-election-feelings-430238 “Generations of pollsters and journalists have fixated on the question of which candidate voters would rather have a beer with—a window into how personality translates into political success. Here’s the thing: Americans have been having a beer with Trump for the past four years—every morning, every afternoon, every evening. He has made himself more accessible than any president in history, using the White House as a performance stage and Twitter as a real-time diary for all to read. Like the drunk at the bar, he won’t shut up. Whatever appeal his unfiltered thoughts once held has now worn off. Americans are tired of having beers with Trump. His own supporters are tired of having beers with Trump. In hundreds of interviews this year with MAGA loyalists, I have noted only a handful in which the person did not, unsolicited, point to the president’s behavior as exhausting and inappropriate. Strip away all the policy fights, all the administrative action (or inaction), all the culture war politics, and the decision for many people comes down to a basic conclusion: They just do not approve of the president as a human being.” Steve Thomas

Biden Will Make America Lead Again We need a president with decency and a sense of respect. By William McRaven Oct. 19, 2020 https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-will-make-america-lead-again-11603127677 (Retired four-star Adm. William McRaven is the Admiral who led the raid that killed Osama bin Laden). ““This week I went to the polls in Texas,” wrote McRaven “Truth be told, I am a pro-life, pro-Second Amendment, small-government, strong-defense and a national-anthem-standing conservative.” Steve Thomas

This ruling may well just decide the election in 2020. Supreme Court Tie Blocks GOP Effort To Limit Mail-In Voting In Pennsylvania The 4-4 vote among the justices means the state can still count ballots received after Election Day. By Lydia O’Connor https://www.huffpost.com/entry/supreme-court-pennsylvania-mail-in-voting_n_5f8e1d8bc5b6dc2d17f9a58a The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a blow to Republicans on Monday with a split vote that effectively allows Pennsylvania to keep its extended mail-in voting period. The justices’ 4-4 tie leaves in place a lower court ruling that will let state officials count ballots received after Election Day unless there’s evidence they were sent after the deadline. Election officials have three days to count those votes, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court determined last month. Supreme Court splits 4-4, leaves Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision in place allowing more time for mail-in voting. Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh would have granted GOP request to block the Pennsylvania court’s ruling. pic.twitter.com/MfiQ9EKzSG — SCOTUSblog (@SCOTUSblog) October 19, 2020 Steve Thomas

Read the Trump Campaign's whiny and propagandistic letter to the Debate Commission complaining about the upcoming Debate topics: https://twitter.com/BillStepien/status/1318269143884435456/photo/1 Steve Thomas

Ballot Drop Box Catches Fire In Baldwin Park; Arson Investigation Underway https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2020/10/19/ballot-box-fire-arson-vote-election/ “It’s unclear exactly how the fire was sparked. It is being investigated as a possible arson.” Steve Thomas

I stopped believing in the Deep State a long time ago. That's all so passé. Yep. It's all the fault of the Cherokee Mormons. Maurice Symonette said so. https://theintercept.com/2020/10/19/blacks-for-trump-maurice-symonette-cult/ Steve Thomas

Tucson mayor demands Trump pay his 2016 event rent bill before he returns with a super-spreader rally https://www.rawstory.com/2020/10/tucson-mayor-demands-trump-pay-his-2016-event-rent-bill-before-he-returns-with-a-super-spreader-rally/ According to the mayor, a letter was sent to the president detailing conditions that need to be met before he appears there. “We’re asking the president that he please comply with CDC guidelines, that the city of Tucson has a mandatory mask ordinance, and that we ask him and his attendees to please comply with a mask and follow CDC guidelines,” she explained. “We do not want to see a super-spreader event.” “And the other point of the letter was to really ask the Trump campaign to pay their previous bills,” she added. “Back in 2016, he used the Tucson Convention Center and of course it is of utmost importance to us to protect the president of the United States of America in our city, but this is not an official campaign visit. So what we’re asking is that he pay back the Tucson taxpayers for the investment in security and the usage of our convention center in 2016.” Steve Thomas

Kirk, I asked about "anyone" pushing the email story. As an aside, people are saying that Donald Trump won his debate with Savannah Guthrie the other night and is preparing to win his upcoming debate with Kristen Welker on the 22nd. Steve Thomas

Deleted Steve Thomas

"Trump has even alluded to the possibility of leaving the country if he loses the election. During his rally in Macon, Ga., on Friday night, he mulled over the possibility of losing to Biden. “Could you imagine if I lose?” Trump said. “I’m not going to feel so good. Maybe I’ll have to leave the country, I don’t know.”" https://www.rawstory.com/2020/10/trumps-future-depends-on-this-election-see-the-legal-domino-effect-his-family-faces-if-he-loses/ Countries with no extradition treaty with US https://www.wsfa.com/story/22665099/countries-with-no-extradition-treaty-with-us/ July 31, 2015 at 4:00 PM CDT - Updated July 3 at 8:31 AM These countries currently have no extradition treaty with the United States: Afghanistan, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Armenia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, the Central African Republic, Chad, Mainland China, Comoros, Congo (Kinshasa), Congo (Brazzaville), Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, Macedonia, Madagascar, Maldives, Mali, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,Niger, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Samoa, São Tomé & Príncipe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, Vatican, Vietnam and Yemen. Which country or countries do you think would want a broke and disgraced Donald Trump to come and live in their country? Would he be of any use to them? I'd hate to see him wind up in some South Sea Island paradise. Somalia or Yemen perhaps? Steve Thomas

How long before Trump denies knowing who Rudy Giuliani is? Trump Unsure Who This Manafort Person Is | The New Yorker Trump denies knowing Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, https://www.newsweek.com/trump-line-rudy-giuliani-michael-cohen-1464674 https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/10/11/brief-history-trump-downplaying-his-relationships-with-politically-inconvenient-people/ “For President Trump, this is by now a familiar exercise. As of mid-October, Trump’s campaign manager, deputy campaign manager, first national security adviser, personal attorney, political adviser, a campaign foreign policy adviser, a former friend and two people working with his current lawyer had all been arrested, indicted or admitted to committing federal crimes. Over and over, we’ve heard a familiar refrain: I barely knew the guy!” Steve Thomas

One arrested in threat to kidnap and kill Wichita mayor over COVID-19 mask mandate By Chance Swaim, Dion Lefler, and Michael Stavola October 16, 2020 By Chance Swaim https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article246513655.html A Wichita man has been arrested on suspicion of threatening to kidnap and kill Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple over frustrations with the city’s mask ordinance, the mayor and police said Friday afternoon. Meredith Dowty, 59, was booked into Sedgwick County Jail at 6:05 p.m., Friday, booking reports show. Police confirmed he is the suspect and said he could face a charge of criminal threat. “He said he was going to kidnap me and slash my throat and he needed my address because I needed to see the hangman — me and everyone who, something about tyranny,” Whipple said. “It sounded like the person was very upset about pretty much mask mandates and he said something about not being able to see his mother because of COVID restrictions on elderly homes.” Dowty is a retired Wichita city firefighter who was honored by the Wichita City Council in 2008 for his role in saving the life of a Wichita police officer who was shot in the line of duty. Whipple has been an online target of local anti-mask activists after he pushed for the city to implement a citywide mask requirement as COVID-19 cases surged ahead of the Fourth of July weekend. He said he believes the man’s threat was credible and that he will have an increased security presence around his home to protect him and his family. “This wasn’t just some guy popping off on social media,” Whipple said. “He contacted someone that knows where I live that apparently he thought would give him my address.” Steve Thomas

Can the President be impeached between November 4, 2020 and January 20, 2021? House Should Impeach Trump to Keep Him from Running in 2024 by Barbara McQuade July 14, 2020 https://www.justsecurity.org/71411/house-should-impeach-trump-to-keep-him-from-running-in-2024/ “But even if Trump can’t be impeached and convicted today, how about on November 4? Even though Congress would still have the same party make-up until January, if Trump loses in a landslide, the rats are likely to run from the ship. Republicans who have feared the consequences of incurring the anger of a vengeful Trump may have a very different perspective after he loses the election. His juvenile derogatory nicknames will seem less harmful once he is defeated. With Trump a lame duck and unable to control the political fortunes of members of Congress, Senate Republicans may feel free to vote their own conscience, or even find themselves under political pressure to hold Trump accountable for his misconduct.” The new Senate will take office on January 3rd. If the Democratic Party takes control of the Senate, impeachment may also be one way to prevent him from conducting any mischief during his lame duck session. Steve Thomas

FBI Probing If Russia Involved In Hunter Biden Email Story Trump ally Rudy Giuliani gave The New York Post emails allegedly belonging to Joe Biden’s son, Hunter. But it’s still unclear if they’re real or if they were hacked. by Eric Tucker https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fbi-probe-hunter-biden-email-new-york-post_n_5f8a032ec5b62dbe71c2b067 “The unlikely account of how the emails surfaced raised immediate questions about Russian involvement, particularly because U.S. officials have warned that Russia — which backed Trump’s 2016 campaign through hacking and a covert social media campaign — is interfering again this year. The episode is being investigated as part of a possible Russian influence operation, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press to discuss an ongoing matter. It underscores the extent to which Giuliani, through his activities, is a risk to a White House that spent years shadowed by a federal investigation into whether Trump associates had coordinated with Russia. The authenticity of the emails remained unclear as of Friday, including whether they were hacked or possibly forged or both.” This leads one to ask of anyone who is pushing this email story; are you a witting, or an unwitting Russian asset? Steve Thomas

‘Sadistic and depraved’: Trump rejects California request for federal disaster aid to recover from catastrophic wildfires By Jake Johnson, Common Dreams October 16, 2020 https://www.rawstory.com/2020/10/sadistic-and-depraved-trump-rejects-california-request-for-federal-disaster-aid-to-recover-from-catastrophic-wildfires/ “After repeatedly downplaying the catastrophic wildfires that have ravaged California in recent months and falsely attributing the blazes to poor “forest management,” the Trump administration this week denied Gov. Gavin Newsom’s request for federal disaster assistance needed to recover from the destruction the fires inflicted across the state.” “Meteorologist Eric Holthaus tweeted that he “actually can’t believe this, and there’s been a lot happening lately. Trump must go.” “That a sitting president—of any party—would deny their own citizens help during their time of greatest need, amid literal hellfire raining down on American cities, is beyond shameful,” Holthaus wrote.” Evil lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Steve Thomas

Savannah Guthrie - "You're not somebody's crazy uncle". Mary Trump - "I beg to differ". Steve Thomas

Ron, We have to remember to be kind. There's going to be a whole lot of people that are going to need psychotherapy. (There's a jobs program for you). Psychotherapy with Former Cult Members by Patrick O'Reilly "A specialist in cults discusses a real-life example of a former cult member's struggle to recover from his traumatic experiences within the group, and offers treatment advice for this unusual and challenging population." https://www.psychotherapy.net/article/cult-members#section-follow-up:-a-slow-recovery PS: I took a look at your home page. Good going. Steve Thomas

What to do when your cult goes belly up. The original Heaven's Gate cult website is still online: https://www.heavensgate.com/ They respond to emails. Steve Thomas

"Sorry sunshine, wrong place" https://www.sbs.com.au/news/sorry-sunshine-wrong-place-watch-as-nz-s-deputy-pm-shuts-down-a-coronavirus-denier?ref=hvper.com&utm_source=hvper.com&utm_medium=website "New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters was taking questions after giving a speech in Tauranga when a man with a whiny North American accent demanded that the Deputy Prime Minister prove that the Coronavirus was real. Peters' response was recorded by SBS: "Where's your evidence that there's a virus that causes the disease?" the man said, before being interrupted by Mr Peters. "Sit down, sit down, sit down," Mr Peters said. "We've got someone who obviously got an education in America. 220,000 people have died in the US, where there are eight million cases to date. We've got 79,000 cases just today, probably in India, and here is someone who gets up and says 'the Earth is flat'. "Sorry sunshine, wrong place," Mr Peters said, to applause." Steve Thomas