All Things Trump: Is it over yet?

[Brian Peacock]

We did this all on our own, honest! Barr's bootlicking Department of Justice is exploring ways to fuck with automobile companies that have agreed with California to improve fuel efficiency and emission standards.

'Feds Launch Antitrust Investigation Into Four Car Companies That Sided With California: Report'

The fight over cleaning up the nation’s fuel economy standards just got a whole lot dirtier.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the Justice Department has launched a preliminary antitrust probe into whether the four automakers that reached an independent agreement with the California Air Resources Board, an agreement which defied the Trump administration’s attempts to freeze fuel economy standards until 2026, violated antitrust law with cartel-like behavior.

From the Wall Street Journal:

Justice Department lawyers are seeking to determine if Ford Motor Co., Honda Motor Co., BMW AG, and Volkswagen AG violated federal competition law by agreeing with each other to follow tailpipe-emissions standards beyond those proposed by the Trump administration, the people said.

This report comes on the heels of another WSJ report yesterday that the EPA and Department of Transportation are working on ways to revoke CARB’s ability to set their own fuel economy regulations independent of the federal government’s.

A source involved with the investigation speaking to the Journal claim the Justice Department undertook this effort independently of the Trump administration. But this assertion that strains credulity considering the report from yesterday about the Trump administration’s direct efforts to undermine CARB and their agreement with the automakers. In either event, it sure is awfully convenient for the Trump administration that the Justice Department is trying to poke holes in the agreement as well.

It's simple. Cleaner air is #SOCIALIST air!

[L'Emmerdeur]

It's no problem to use the heavy hand of federal power when pursuing the president's feud with the nasty state of California. And now a word from our sponsor:

Troll the libs for only $15! Many people are saying it's a great deal.

'After #Sharpiegate, Donald Trump Is Selling 'Fine Point Markers' for $15 to "Set the Record Straight"'

Despite Sharpie-gate and a report that President Donald Trump himself altered a Hurricane Dorian forecast map to support his claim that the storm would hit Alabama, the president and his campaign have decided to sell official Trump markers — for a whopping $15.

"Buy the official Trump marker, which is different than every other marker on the market, because this one has the special ability to drive @CNN and the rest of the fake news crazy!" Trump campaign manager Brad Pascale tweeted on Friday morning along with the hashtag #KeepMarkersGreat.

Pascale included a link to the product on the Trump campaign website. The page states it is a set of five "Official Donald Trump Fine Point Markers" for $15, with Trump's signature printed in gold on the outside of the permanent ink fine-tip marker. The markers are "non-toxic" and "Proudly Made in the USA," according to the website.

"Set the record straight!" the product description states. "Get your set of Official Donald Trump fine point markers today!"

[Brian Peacock]

Imagine the Republican #OUTRAGE if Obama had sold branded underwear: roomy cotton briefs for the discerning gentileman with a lot to offer.

[L'Emmerdeur]

Imagine the Republican #OUTRAGE if Obama had sold branded underwear: roomy cotton briefs for the discerning gentileman with a lot to offer.

[Tero]

"To try to make his point, Trump has pointed to outdated storm maps — including one that someone doctored with a Sharpie — and slammed the “Fake News” for calling him out on a lie.

By the way, Trump’s approval rating in Alabama, according to recent polling, is higher than it is in any other state.

“The Fake News Media was fixated on the fact that I properly said, at the beginnings of Hurricane Dorian, that in addition to Florida & other states, Alabama may also be grazed or hit,” the president tweeted on Friday, a full six days after he first made the claim. “They went Crazy, hoping against hope that I made a mistake (which I didn’t).”

Alabama: 24% more approve than disapprove:
https://morningconsult.com/tracking-trump-2/

[Tero]

Trump as effect rather than cause. Poll finds 40% wanting to destroy American institutions. More detailed academic study:

https://psyarxiv.com/6m4ts/

seems it relies on studies of social media

[Rum]

As so often, America perceives itself as ‘the world’. America is however probably unique in having distrust of government and government institutions built into its very foundations. Much of the rest of the developed world sees them as necessary for the functioning of their societies, if perhaps a little grudgingly on times.

America, it seems to me, has a built in death wish, which it can’t now easily escape. If you add to that the consequences and contradictions of capitalism eating away at the middle classes and below it seems to me to be a pretty toxic mix.

Next up; China.

[Tero]

"built in death wish"
You would make a great professor.

[L'Emmerdeur]

Goddam liberal activist judges, blocking President Trump in his glorious work to Make America Great Again™ by stopping people from applying for asylum.

'Federal Court Reinstates Full Block on Trump Asylum Ban'

A federal court has reinstated a nationwide injunction blocking a Trump administration asylum ban that denied asylum to anyone at the southern border who had transited through a third country en route to the United States.

It follows a Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling last month that narrowed the scope of the injunction to that circuit. The American Civil Liberties Union, Center for Constitutional Rights, and Southern Poverty Law Center, were in court on September 5 seeking reinstatement of the nationwide injunction. U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar issued the ruling today.

[Seabass]

In today's Trump scandal news (well the ones that have come out by lunchtime anyway):

Wilbur Ross threatened to fire government officials if they didn't toe the line on Trump's Dorian/Alabama absurdity, and the CIA had to extract an asset who had access to the Kremlin because they were worried Trump might expose them. FFS, and Republicans accused the e-mail lady of being a national security risk.


Commerce Chief Threatened Firings at NOAA After Trump’s Dorian Tweets, Sources Say
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/09/clim ... tweet.html



Exclusive: Secret mission came as US worried about spy being exposed and President Donald Trump's handling of intelligence. CNN's Jim Sciutto has the details.

[Tero]

Boat loads of Mexican rapists and regular drug dealers wanting to come to the US from the Bahamas.

[JimC]

It's the irregular drug dealers you've got to look out for...

[Tero]

Trump's Twitter is like Hitler's one channel radio:
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019 ... 2CaldFZu8E

[Tero]

Millions siphoned away and not a mile of new wall
https://twitter.com/RWPUSA/status/1171195354609528832

[Tero]

I should stop.
https://mobile.twitter.com/P_Lepinkaine ... 1303664640
It just feeds him. He is a swamp monster.