Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

Yeah, there’s a lot of political stuff swirling the various news feeds.  However, it’s worth watching the CNN debate tonight between Tom Perez and Keith Ellison for DNC Chairmanship.  The actual DNC voting will take place on Saturday February 25th.
The long term future of the Democrat party is being fought amid two distinct constituencies.  The establishment wing of the Democrat Party, represented by Perez; and the more insurgent wing of the party apparatus represented by Ellison.
UPDATE: Video Added
https://youtu.be/LqC9OFNkK5A?t=10m

While there is a considerable amount of cross-over between the two ideological camps, essentially the direction the Democrat party will take in the 2018 mid-term election is the most visible issue.  Political junkies will be able to identify what direction is chosen by seeing which candidate the DNC selects for Chair. (more…)

Today, as CPAC begins, there is an auspicious breaking of ‘I-told-ya-so’ sunlight…

On February 17th (five days ago) we posted a research and discussion outline surrounding an interview between Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and Fox News Sean Hannity.   Within the outline I emphatically stated:

Firstly, no-one who has deep understanding of political constructs trusts Paul Ryan.  PERIOD.  This interview doesn’t change that valid and central truism one iota.  There are Trillions of dollars at stake.
Paul Ryan is setting up the groundwork in his preparation to orchestrate the financial legislative priorities of Tom Donohue, Wall Street and the U.S. CoC.   It’s a con. If you don’t grasp that basic foundation, you’ll be entirely lost for the remainder of the year. -link-

I went on to outline how Sean Hannity was accepting a construct of legislative lies from House Speaker Paul Ryan.
(more…)

Oh man, the winning is getting almost too exponential today.  Mexico’s Foreign Minister Videgaray states his government will not allow President Trump to deport illegal Mexican aliens back into Mexico.  He’s setting himself up for a big problem, here’s why.

What no one noticed yet was Trump administration immediately postponed the release of the new immigration policy executive order (until next week).  Remember, part of President Trump’s expressed policy outline was an immigration rule that explicitly invalidates any reciprocity Visa process from any nation that does not accept repatriation of it’s own citizens.
The ‘repatriation-tied-to-visa-program’ principle, was generally directed toward nations like Yemen, Somalia (or any others) etc. who are part of the larger immigration policy, and who have refused to accept the return of their own criminal citizens.
However, if Mexico also takes themselves into this tenuous position then Mexico could also lose non-restrictive travel authority into the United States; and simultaneously blow up the former NAFTA agreement which is their only lifeline toward any semblance of economic leverage.
(more…)

We’ll look for expanded video of the visits today by Secretary Kelly and Secretary Tillerson to Mexico and South America.  In the interim thanks to DaveNYviii for this segment of a press conference in Guatemala.
Woo doggies,…. DHS Secretary General John Kelly drops an absolute truth bomb in a joint press conference earlier today.  Speaking with Interior Minister Francisco Rivas the severity of Secretary Kelly’s words are a stunning reflection of the change in approach.
Minister Rivas’s jaw was visibly quivering as every frightened synapse went simultaneously into apoplectic shock mode.  [Pinch me, I’m in heaven.]
Must watch. No, really… MUST WATCH:

John Kelly’s message to Guatemalans (and others)
Your journey north is going to be brutal.
IF you make it you’re going to be returned fast. pic.twitter.com/AN2XSpq4cH

— TrumpTracker (@DaveNYviii) February 22, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Guatemala City (AFP) – US plans to deport millions of Central American migrants and regional security issues dominated US Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly’s visit to Guatemala on Wednesday, his Guatemalan counterpart said.
Interior Minister Francisco Rivas said he and Kelly discussed those issues after the US official, who arrived late Tuesday, held private talks with Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales.
(more…)

No single aspect to the President Trump policy agenda will more specifically, and consequentially, impact the swamp draining process than the creation of a prioritized federal budget.
The last federal budget was signed into law in September 2007 (for fiscal year 2008) by President George W. Bush.  As a strategic political maneuver, since ’08 every aspect of federal spending has been by the vehicles of baseline budgeting, continuing resolution, omnibus spending bills and raises in the debt ceiling.  Our nation has been through almost a decade without a federal budget.

In December of 2015 Speaker of the House Paul Ryan and a republican controlled congress eliminated the debt ceiling in a massive $2+ trillion Omnibus spending bill that carried and authorized federal spending through to April 1st of this year.
Fiscally, their decision highlighted how the DC UniParty operate.  The 2015 decision by Ryan/McConnell was the final sunlight needed to prove beyond any question that Republicans never held any intention to reduce the size, scope and reach of government.
President Donald Trump has appointed, and the Senate has confirmed, Mick Mulvaney as OMB Director.  The Office of Management and Budget actually creates the White House budget proposal based on the policy and instruction of the President.
(more…)

White House press secretary Sean Spicer delivers the press briefing for Wednesday February 22nd, 2017

(more…)

Yesterday white house correspondent April Ryan (American Urban Radio) made a stunning accusation against the Trump administration by claiming President Trump “said things like, you know, ‘We made this country,’ meaning white America, not necessarily black.”
When Press Secretary Sean Spicer denied he had said any such thing, Ms. April Ryan insisted: “No, no, no. He said that. I heard him say that.” She later stated on twitter it was during a March 2016 campaign rally. The campaign speech Ms. Ryan references is the one just after the cancelled Chicago rally where Bernie Sander activists turned violent.
This is an actual accredited White House reporter claiming to have personally heard President Trump saying white people made this country.   Well, it appears Fox News has the tape:

More FAKE NEWS from WH ‘reporter’?Time to take her seat & give it to someone else. This has got to stop. pic.twitter.com/NRjPL05EAO

— Boston Bobblehead (@DBloom451) February 22, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
(more…)

In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sean Spicer Twitter @PressSec

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †