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crickets
crickets's Journal
crickets's Journal
April 26, 2024
Somebody should point this out to SCOTUS, to put it in the record and to make them think about what presidential immunity really means. Every time I remember of some of the arguments being made today, I turn into a sputtering mess. It's so upsetting.
Of course. The entire discussion is hypothetical, and this is not the first time today
that someone has made the same point:
https://twitter.com/AnnevanLeur/status/1783148558889242784
Annie van Leur
@AnnevanLeur
Jack Smith could stop Trump's immunity case COLD with one argument to SCOTUS
Joyce Vance:
[image text - "Why not take it a step further and tell the court that if Trump has the sort of broad immunity he claims he does, a president would be free to order the assassination of Supreme Court justices who disagree with him, and could not be prosecuted for doing that. Make the impact of Trump's argument unmistakeable."]
10:58 AM · Apr 24, 2024 · 50.8K Views
@AnnevanLeur
Jack Smith could stop Trump's immunity case COLD with one argument to SCOTUS
Joyce Vance:
[image text - "Why not take it a step further and tell the court that if Trump has the sort of broad immunity he claims he does, a president would be free to order the assassination of Supreme Court justices who disagree with him, and could not be prosecuted for doing that. Make the impact of Trump's argument unmistakeable."]
10:58 AM · Apr 24, 2024 · 50.8K Views
Somebody should point this out to SCOTUS, to put it in the record and to make them think about what presidential immunity really means. Every time I remember of some of the arguments being made today, I turn into a sputtering mess. It's so upsetting.
April 19, 2024
On a road trip today I heard Jessica
driving through the backwoods on the way to Athens. I remember thinking it had been a while. I so enjoyed it. The memory will be bittersweet, but more sweet than anything else.
Such a wonderful song.
April 11, 2024
*waves from GA* There are rural Democrats here. We've been here for decades, though until recently, we were written off by the party as an "unwinnable" state not worth bothering with in the national races. The author makes many great points about how the Democratic party (and much of the country in general) desperately needs to re-think its ideas about the rural US and the South. It's also a mistake to think that resentments reflected by voting trends in some states can be laid at the feet of only rural voters.
Article from the Atlantic often mentioned in the discussion:
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/04/white-rural-rage-criticism/677967/
Archive link: https://archive.ph/9r0Je
Thank you. I missed this article at the time
and it's a very good read, with interesting discussion in the thread comments.
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/04/05/white-rural-rage-myth-00150395
Perhaps the worst guilt-by-association error is found right in the title; even in the reddest of rural counties, 20 to 30 percent of voters — still largely white — routinely support Democrats. One might ask why, given all the supposed rage, are some rural Americans still voting for Democrats, election after election? You wouldn’t know it from the title or press tour, but Schaller and Waldman must frequently hedge their bets in the text, acknowledging that just a minority of rural residents often believe the most headline-grabbing factoid.
*waves from GA* There are rural Democrats here. We've been here for decades, though until recently, we were written off by the party as an "unwinnable" state not worth bothering with in the national races. The author makes many great points about how the Democratic party (and much of the country in general) desperately needs to re-think its ideas about the rural US and the South. It's also a mistake to think that resentments reflected by voting trends in some states can be laid at the feet of only rural voters.
Article from the Atlantic often mentioned in the discussion:
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/04/white-rural-rage-criticism/677967/
Archive link: https://archive.ph/9r0Je
April 1, 2024
ETA: a podcast called Mission Implausible put out a 30 minute piece called "Havana Syndrome, Part 1" on March 27, with another to come this weekend. They are taking this very seriously. I found their perspective fascinating and informative.
Yes. It's chilling. Link with video and transcript:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/havana-syndrome-culprit-investigation-new-evidence-60-minutes-transcript/A major medical study for the government was led by Dr. David Relman of Stanford University. In our 2022 report he told us…
Dr. David Relman: What we found was we thought clear evidence of an injury to the auditory and vestibular system of the brain. Everything starting with the inner ear where humans perceive sound and sense balance, and then translate those perceptions into brain electrical signals.
His study found, "directed pulsed (radio frequency) energy…appears to be the most plausible mechanism…" For example, a focused beam of microwaves or acoustic ultrasound. More than 100 officials or family members have unexplained, persistent, symptoms.
Dr. David Relman: What we found was we thought clear evidence of an injury to the auditory and vestibular system of the brain. Everything starting with the inner ear where humans perceive sound and sense balance, and then translate those perceptions into brain electrical signals.
His study found, "directed pulsed (radio frequency) energy…appears to be the most plausible mechanism…" For example, a focused beam of microwaves or acoustic ultrasound. More than 100 officials or family members have unexplained, persistent, symptoms.
ETA: a podcast called Mission Implausible put out a 30 minute piece called "Havana Syndrome, Part 1" on March 27, with another to come this weekend. They are taking this very seriously. I found their perspective fascinating and informative.
As former high-level CIA operatives, John Sipher and Jerry O'Shea would create fake conspiracies around the world. Now, with the help of experts, they execute their own fun and fearless investigation into conspiracy theories past and present to assess what's real. And how. And why.
March 31, 2024
Good luck to the Lafayette Square protestors with their criminal complaint. Go get him!
Let's not forget the military helicopters used to intimidate protestors.
This was some blocks away from Lafayette Square, but part of the same pattern of force being used in various parts of DC that day. It just blew my mind at the time; so dangerous (and illegal) with neither need nor excuse for it. I don't recall that anything concrete ever came of the 'investigation.'
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/investigations/helicopter-protests-washington-dc-national-guard/
Archive link: https://archive.ph/iNG3s
A low-flying ‘show of force’
Hemmed in by police on all sides, Camellia Magness feared that the military helicopter descending on downtown Washington might unleash a final assault on protesters.
It was June 1, nearly three hours after federal police in riot gear charged largely peaceful demonstrators as they gathered near the White House to protest after the killing of George Floyd. Magness and others had lingered downtown past a 7 p.m. curfew.
Military helicopters had been flying high overhead, seeming to track their movements. But shortly before 10 p.m., a Black Hawk swept low over protesters in Chinatown and held its position, producing gusts that snapped thick tree limbs and swirled the air with volleys of dust and broken glass, sending many running for cover in panic and confusion.
“I thought they were going to land,” Magness, 24, said, fearing soldiers would pour out and force protesters into waves of police.
Hemmed in by police on all sides, Camellia Magness feared that the military helicopter descending on downtown Washington might unleash a final assault on protesters.
It was June 1, nearly three hours after federal police in riot gear charged largely peaceful demonstrators as they gathered near the White House to protest after the killing of George Floyd. Magness and others had lingered downtown past a 7 p.m. curfew.
Military helicopters had been flying high overhead, seeming to track their movements. But shortly before 10 p.m., a Black Hawk swept low over protesters in Chinatown and held its position, producing gusts that snapped thick tree limbs and swirled the air with volleys of dust and broken glass, sending many running for cover in panic and confusion.
“I thought they were going to land,” Magness, 24, said, fearing soldiers would pour out and force protesters into waves of police.
Good luck to the Lafayette Square protestors with their criminal complaint. Go get him!
March 31, 2024
Thank you so much for sharing these memories, bigtree.
Your prose is so vivid I almost felt as though I were there meeting your family and friends. You were such a cutie as a child, and I love your mother's white gloves. You reminded me of so many of my own childhood Easters - the covered dish suppers at church on special occasions, and the unbelievably delicious Sunday lunch buffet we used to go to in town. My mother was a great cook, but these buffets were where we found all the amazing foods she didn't try to replicate but I so loved: cornbread dressing drenched in peppery white gravy thick with boiled egg bits and shredded chicken, the amazing butter beans that didn't quite taste the same at home, and the turnip greens I've never properly mastered either. So good! I remember my sister and I in matching Easter dresses with special hair ribbons and bobby pin curls, the little white hand gloves and white patent leather shoes with side buckles, and the neighborhood egg hunts and baskets full of jelly beans and chocolates. Thank you for a lovely trip down memory lane.
February 10, 2024
Pdf file Section D. Reports, p 2155 - surprising coming from Kavanuagh and definitely worth reading the additional page and a half.
DOJ needs an overhaul, along with the rules governing special counsel. Things seem to have been weaponized against Dems as far back as the Clinton years, with no improvement over time. It's obvious that "norms" have been rendered meaningless.
*sigh*
The author buries the lede far too deep into the article.
Gorelick said that under the circumstances it would have been “very hard not to” release Hur’s report, but that the better policy is for such reports to remain secret.
“I would say any report should be confidential,” she said. “You make a charging decision or not and that should be the end of it.”
“I would say any report should be confidential,” she said. “You make a charging decision or not and that should be the end of it.”
“As a general proposition, a public report is a mistake,” Kavanaugh wrote in a 1998 law review article. “It violates the basic norm of secrecy in criminal investigations, it adds time and expense to the investigation, and it often is perceived as a political act. It also misconceives the goals of the criminal process.”
Pdf file Section D. Reports, p 2155 - surprising coming from Kavanuagh and definitely worth reading the additional page and a half.
DOJ needs an overhaul, along with the rules governing special counsel. Things seem to have been weaponized against Dems as far back as the Clinton years, with no improvement over time. It's obvious that "norms" have been rendered meaningless.
*sigh*
February 10, 2024
https://twitter.com/lawofruby/status/1756092804172771458
https://post.news/@/MuellerSheWrote/2c8ji5RRUGOug0gGMgBnmel9R3y
Much more at the above link, but these were the most pertinent 4 paragraphs. Sounds like this will end up going back to the Eleventh Circuit, but in the meantime: delay achievement unlocked.
She is this cavalier about death threats? (edited)
Enough. Witnesses' lives are at stake. Whoever can pull the plug on her involvement in this case really should.
ETA
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1756092804172771458.html
Lisa Rubin @lawofruby
1h • 6 tweets • 2 min read • Read on X
NEW: In urging Judge Aileen Cannon to reconsider two orders that would, among other things, reveal the names of two dozen people who have participated in the Mar a Lago investigation, the Special Counsel's office filed a document available to Cannon and only Cannon. 1/
Specifically, the document -- in Smith's description -- "describes in some detail threats that have been made over social media to a prospective Government witness and the surrounding circumstances" & that "those threats are the subject of an ongoing federal investigation." 2/ [...more]
1h • 6 tweets • 2 min read • Read on X
NEW: In urging Judge Aileen Cannon to reconsider two orders that would, among other things, reveal the names of two dozen people who have participated in the Mar a Lago investigation, the Special Counsel's office filed a document available to Cannon and only Cannon. 1/
Specifically, the document -- in Smith's description -- "describes in some detail threats that have been made over social media to a prospective Government witness and the surrounding circumstances" & that "those threats are the subject of an ongoing federal investigation." 2/ [...more]
https://twitter.com/lawofruby/status/1756092804172771458
https://post.news/@/MuellerSheWrote/2c8ji5RRUGOug0gGMgBnmel9R3y
Jack Smith writes “First, the Eleventh Circuit has held that the compelling-interest standard applied by the Court does not apply to “documents filed in connection with motions to compel discovery,” which instead may be sealed or redacted simply upon a showing of “good cause.”
He says that given the evidence of online threats currently under federal criminal investigation, combined with the standard practice of NOT releasing protected discovery to the public as it would hinder this case, is well beyond the “good cause” needed to keep them under seal. So he has asked Judge Cannon to RECONSIDER her ruling, which contains a CLEAR ERROR on the law, and to stay the release of the witness information and evidence until she rules on the motion.
What stands out to me here is his citation of the Eleventh Circuit ruling that shows Cannon is wrong on the law - that the standard for sealing this information is “good cause” and not “necessitated by a compelling governmental interest narrowly tailored to serve that interest.” That’s a pretty clear signal that if Cannon doesn’t reverse her error, that Jack Smith will APPEAL this to the Eleventh Circuit - which has vacated her ruling on the special master in the past.
All of this protected discovery was going to be unsealed today, but early this morning, Judge Cannon issued a paperless order on the docket that she is extending this decision and giving Trump/Nauta/DeOliveira until 2/23 to respond. Keep in mind, this is wholly separate from the CIPA battle that’s happening behind closed doors at the moment, which is causing more delays.
He says that given the evidence of online threats currently under federal criminal investigation, combined with the standard practice of NOT releasing protected discovery to the public as it would hinder this case, is well beyond the “good cause” needed to keep them under seal. So he has asked Judge Cannon to RECONSIDER her ruling, which contains a CLEAR ERROR on the law, and to stay the release of the witness information and evidence until she rules on the motion.
What stands out to me here is his citation of the Eleventh Circuit ruling that shows Cannon is wrong on the law - that the standard for sealing this information is “good cause” and not “necessitated by a compelling governmental interest narrowly tailored to serve that interest.” That’s a pretty clear signal that if Cannon doesn’t reverse her error, that Jack Smith will APPEAL this to the Eleventh Circuit - which has vacated her ruling on the special master in the past.
All of this protected discovery was going to be unsealed today, but early this morning, Judge Cannon issued a paperless order on the docket that she is extending this decision and giving Trump/Nauta/DeOliveira until 2/23 to respond. Keep in mind, this is wholly separate from the CIPA battle that’s happening behind closed doors at the moment, which is causing more delays.
Much more at the above link, but these were the most pertinent 4 paragraphs. Sounds like this will end up going back to the Eleventh Circuit, but in the meantime: delay achievement unlocked.
October 21, 2023
Linked in the article: https://www.healthcare-brew.com/stories/2022/11/18/what-are-pbms
Much more explanation of PBMs in the article, but that was the lede buried in the last paragraph.
Eye-opening, and frustrating as hell.
Pharmacy benefit managers have an impact.
https://www.healthcare-brew.com/stories/2023/03/15/how-pharmacy-deserts-are-formedPharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) play a big role in pharmacy closures. They create pharmacy networks for insurers, which direct patients to visit specific pharmacies. Often, the closest pharmacy in a pharmacy desert is an independent pharmacy rather than a chain—and that independent pharmacy is often not part of pharmacy networks, Qato said.
“A patient really can’t go there to fill their medications unless they want to pay a higher price,” she added. “They actually have to travel even farther to get their medications filled, and then that pharmacy slowly ends up losing customers and patients. So, not only do they get paid less, but increasingly, now they have fewer patients coming into their doors because of the growth of narrow networks.”
PBMs also decide how much a pharmacy gets reimbursed for dispensing a prescription, and rates can be less than what it costs the pharmacy to dispense the drug. According to a 2021 study from Yale Law School, some pharmacies report that up to 80% of their reimbursements are less than what it costs to dispense the drugs. [snip]
It’s even harder for pharmacies to stay open in neighborhoods with large Medicaid populations, as pharmacies get the lowest reimbursements for filling Medicaid prescriptions. A disproportionate share of Medicaid enrollees are Black or Hispanic/Latino, so pharmacies in predominantly Black and/or Hispanic/Latino neighborhoods are more likely to face these reimbursement challenges.
“A patient really can’t go there to fill their medications unless they want to pay a higher price,” she added. “They actually have to travel even farther to get their medications filled, and then that pharmacy slowly ends up losing customers and patients. So, not only do they get paid less, but increasingly, now they have fewer patients coming into their doors because of the growth of narrow networks.”
PBMs also decide how much a pharmacy gets reimbursed for dispensing a prescription, and rates can be less than what it costs the pharmacy to dispense the drug. According to a 2021 study from Yale Law School, some pharmacies report that up to 80% of their reimbursements are less than what it costs to dispense the drugs. [snip]
It’s even harder for pharmacies to stay open in neighborhoods with large Medicaid populations, as pharmacies get the lowest reimbursements for filling Medicaid prescriptions. A disproportionate share of Medicaid enrollees are Black or Hispanic/Latino, so pharmacies in predominantly Black and/or Hispanic/Latino neighborhoods are more likely to face these reimbursement challenges.
Linked in the article: https://www.healthcare-brew.com/stories/2022/11/18/what-are-pbms
The PBM industry is dominated by three players—Caremark, Express Scripts, and Optum Rx—that control around 80% of the market. Also, they’re all owned by insurers, said Hauser.
Much more explanation of PBMs in the article, but that was the lede buried in the last paragraph.
Eye-opening, and frustrating as hell.
October 11, 2023
image:
Facebook used to be the propaganda boogeyman; now it's Twitter. Thanks to Elon, it's no longer trustworthy as a media source. This propaganda uses a Russian (perhaps soon Republican) talking point to attempt to discourage aid to Ukraine. It's slick, made believeable by spoofing trusted sources, and this type of misinformation will grow more common by the day. Be vigilant, especially regarding stories about Ukraine, and now Israel.
If you follow Beau of the Fifth Column, he has an excellent video out about this today:
https://democraticunderground.com/1017870244
MISINFO OPS: False weapons sale story using Bellingcat and BBC as sources
https://twitter.com/bellingcat/status/1711788647425409104Bellingcat
@bellingcat
We're aware of a fake BBC video circulating on social media falsely claiming that Bellingcat has verified Ukrainian weapons sales to Hamas. We've reached no such conclusions or made any such claims. We'd like to stress that this is a fabrication and should be treated accordingly.
12:59 PM · Oct 10, 2023
@bellingcat
We're aware of a fake BBC video circulating on social media falsely claiming that Bellingcat has verified Ukrainian weapons sales to Hamas. We've reached no such conclusions or made any such claims. We'd like to stress that this is a fabrication and should be treated accordingly.
12:59 PM · Oct 10, 2023
image:
Facebook used to be the propaganda boogeyman; now it's Twitter. Thanks to Elon, it's no longer trustworthy as a media source. This propaganda uses a Russian (perhaps soon Republican) talking point to attempt to discourage aid to Ukraine. It's slick, made believeable by spoofing trusted sources, and this type of misinformation will grow more common by the day. Be vigilant, especially regarding stories about Ukraine, and now Israel.
If you follow Beau of the Fifth Column, he has an excellent video out about this today:
https://democraticunderground.com/1017870244
Profile Information
Gender: FemaleHometown: Georgia
Member since: 2002
Number of posts: 25,979
