We Resist: Day 854

One of the difficulties in resisting the Trump administration, the Republican Congressional majority, and Republican state legislatures (plus the occasional non-Republican who obliges us to resist their nonsense, too, like we don't have enough to worry about) is keeping on top of the sheer number of horrors, indignities, and normalization of the aggressively abnormal that they unleash every single day.

So here is a daily thread for all of us to share all the things that are going on, thus crowdsourcing a daily compendium of the onslaught of conservative erosion of our rights and our very democracy.

Stay engaged. Stay vigilant. Resist.

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Late yesterday and earlier today by me: An Observation and A Sixth Child Died in U.S. Custody and Primarily Speaking.

Here are some more things in the news today...

Let me start with some GOOD resistance news and by saying once again that I love Stacey Abrams! Jonathan Easley at the Hill: Abrams: 'Identity Politics Is Exactly Who We Are and Exactly How We Won'.

Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams on Wednesday urged Democrats to embrace identity politics, at a time when the issue has become a source of debate within the party.

Speaking at the Center for American Progress's Ideas Conference, Abrams warned that the term "identity politics" had been twisted by those aiming to silence emergent minority voters seeking political power for the first time.

"The notion of identity politics has been peddled for the past 10 years and it's been used as a dog whistle to say we shouldn't pay too much attention to the voices coming into progress," Abrams said. "I would argue that identity politics is exactly who we are and exactly how we won."

The Georgia Democrat argued that identity politics had "brought new folks to the process," and that a failure to focus on racial differences would give minority voters the impression "they have no reason to engage and no reason to show up."

"When I hear Democratic candidates, progressive candidates, American candidates decrying the identity of their voters, I'm deeply worried for our democracy," Abrams said.

Me too, Stacey Abrams. Me too.

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Lots of pieces like this today...

Jennifer Rubin at the Washington Post: Pelosi Goads Trump into Another Temper Tantrum.

John Bresnahan and Burgess Everett at Politico: Why Pelosi Is So Good at Infuriating Trump.

[Content Note: Video may autoplay at link] Glenn Thrush at the New York Times: Pelosi Pushes Go-Slow Strategy on Impeachment as She Goads Trump.

Great. Yes. Sure. Nancy Pelosi is absolutely the best at getting under Donald Trump's skin. I agree wholeheartedly with that! Except, as I tweeted yesterday:

Honestly, I do not understand the argument it's a "win" if Pelosi, Schumer, or anyone else can successfully bait Trump into behaving like a villainous wreck.

WE ALREADY KNOW HE IS A VILLAINOUS WRECK. No more evidence is required.

Now it's (beyond) time to do something about it.

— Melissa McEwan (@Shakestweetz) May 22, 2019

That tweet quickly went viral, and, as of this writing, has more than 1,600 retweets and 8,600 likes.

I find it very interesting that Pelosi specifically used the word "villainous" in her press conference today after that tweet went wide yesterday and this morning. And did so while pointedly not addressing the criticism I was making.

At the presser, she also continued to defend her decision to not pursue impeachment at this time:

Speaker Pelosi: “I do think that impeachment is a very divisive place to go in our country. And what we can get the facts to the American people through our investigation, it may take us to a place that is unavoidable in terms of impeachment — or not. But we’re not at that place” pic.twitter.com/oupFdoG9LN

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) May 23, 2019

CNN's Manu Raju: Yesterday you said that the president may have engaged in impeachable offenses—

Pelosi: Yeah.

Raju: —yet today you're saying you're not on a path to impeachment. Can you explain why you're imposed to launching an impeachment inquiry, as many of your members want to do?

Pelosi: Let me be really very clear: The president's behavior, in terms of his obstruction of justice, the things that he is doing, it's very clear; it's in plain sight; it cannot be denied. Ignoring subpoenas, obstruction of justice — yes, these could be impeachable offenses.

But I intend not— [stammers] If— Where the facts— We— There are three things— You might understand it better if you remember these three things: We want to follow the facts, to get the truth to the American people, with a recognition — two — that no one is above the law, and — three — that the president is engaged in a cover-up. And that is what my statement is.

Now how we deal with it is a decision that our caucus makes, and our caucus is very much saying, whatever we do, we need to be ready when we do it.

And I do think that impeachment is a very divisive place to go in our country. And what we can get the facts to the American people through our investigation, it may take us to a place that is unavoidable in terms of impeachment — or not. But we're not at that place.

I just really disagree with this strategy. I firmly believe that every tool in the toolbox, including and especially the enhanced investigative powers of an impeachment process, because every day that Donald Trump is unconstrained with the immense power of the office he holds, empowered and protected by his party, is a dangerous day. Not just for the United States, but the world.

I mean:

Dan De Luce, Courtney Kube, and Abigail Williams at NBC News: Senate Dem. Warns Trump Could Push Through Saudi Bomb Deal without Congressional Approval.

Adrienne Mahsa Varkiani at ThinkProgress: Senate Committee Rejects Proposal to Require Congressional Approval before U.S. Strike on Iran.

Reshma Kapadia at Barron's: The Trade War Jeopardizes a Potential Global Economic Recovery, IMF Says.

Et cetera ad infinitum. How much longer are we supposed to wait? Donald Trump's presidency is pretty fucking "divisive," too.

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Zachary Cohen and Caroline Kelly at CNN: Tillerson Told Lawmakers Putin Was More Prepared Than Trump in Germany Meeting. "Former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told lawmakers that Russian President Vladimir Putin was more prepared than [Donald] Trump for their meeting in Hamburg, Germany, putting U.S. officials at a disadvantage, a Democratic House Foreign Affairs committee aide told CNN Wednesday." Yeahhhhh I don't think Putin's and Trump's respective "preparedness" was the primary thing putting U.S. officials at a disadvantage there.

Casey Michel at ThinkProgress: New Indictment Says Manafort's Banker Tried to Bribe His Way into Trump Administration. "A bombshell indictment released Thursday from the Justice Department detailed how banker Stephen Calk tried to use his financial ties to former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort to bribe his way into the Trump administration. According to the indictment, Calk has been charged with 'financial institution bribery' for trying to use his position as the head of the Federal Savings Bank of Chicago, which issued 'millions of dollars in high-risk loans' to Manafort, to obtain 'a senior position' for himself within the Trump administration." Sounds about right.

Leigh Ann Caldwell and Alex Moe at NBC News: Wells Fargo, TD Bank Have Already Given Trump-Related Financial Documents to Congress. "Wells Fargo and TD Bank are the two of nine institutions that have so far complied with subpoenas issued by the House Financial Services Committee demanding information about their dealings with the Trump Organization, according to the sources. ...Wells Fargo provided the committee with a few thousand documents and TD Bank handed the committee a handful of documents, according to a source who has seen them. The committee, led by Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., is especially interested in the president's business relationship with Russia and other foreign entities." Get him!

Speaking of Rep. Maxine Waters...

Rep. Maxine Waters: "My position on impeachment is what it has always been and that is the president of the United States of America needs to be impeached." pic.twitter.com/oRG4LnbRzB

— The Hill (@thehill) May 22, 2019

From your lips to Nancy Pelosi's ears, Rep. Waters!

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[CN: War on agency. Covers entire section.]

Ari Bee at Rewire.News: Georgia Democrats: Police 'Stifled Dissent' During Near-Total Abortion Ban Debate.

Heavy police presence defined the legislative battle at the state capitol around Georgia's near-total abortion ban, with pro-choice legislators calling the police presence and tactics "intimidating," charging that Republican legislative leadership used law enforcement to squelch pushback against the extreme measure.

...Rep. Renitta Shannon (D-Decatur) said she witnessed an increase in police presence at the capitol over the past two legislative sessions. But the level of police activity surrounding any debates on HB 481 was strikingly different. She told Rewire.News that police were used to "stifle dissent," and that this sent a clear message.

"Anytime the general public comes to the capitol to say how they feel about a bill, if it's not something that Republicans agree with, they [Republican leadership] immediately sic the police on them," she said.

Rage. Seethe. Boil.

Cameron Joseph at TPM: North Carolina GOP Looks to Ram Through Anti-Abortion Law.

North Carolina state Rep. Sydney Batch (D) had planned to take off work this week as she recovered from a recent mastectomy procedure to treat her breast cancer. Instead, she spent it at the statehouse, making sure Republicans couldn't come up with enough votes to pass new abortion-related restrictions into law.

North Carolina Republicans have been pushing to pass a "born alive" bill that would make it illegal for doctors not to help babies that somehow survived abortions. They're just a handful of votes away from being able to override a recent veto from North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D). Republicans put the bill on the legislative calendar for Monday. When it became clear they didn't have the votes, they decided to shelve it and force Batch and the rest of the legislature to return day after day until they have the numbers.

"I was hoping to take three weeks off to recover, but unfortunately I did not have that ability," Batch told TPM about the GOP's latest effort. "When I realized that Monday, [Republicans were] planning to hold the vote it was worth physical sacrifice and pain to come in to vote. It was extremely important for me to vote."

Her presence was needed. Republicans already overrode Cooper's recent veto in the state Senate, and believe they are just three or four votes away from being able to do the same in the state House. If enough Democrats hadn't shown up, they would have been able to ram through the legislation, since all their members attended session on Monday — a rarity in a chamber where members on both sides regularly miss votes.

...Democrats are furious about the bill itself — and accuse North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore (R) of trying to take advantage of their ailing members to grind down the Democrats until they pick off enough members to pass the legislation.

What horrible fucking people Republican legislators are. JFC.

In some positive news...

Beth Mole at Ars Technica: Anti-Abortion Clinics That Try to Trick Women Face New Google Ad Policy. "Google will roll out a policy next month to crack down on deceptive advertisements dealing with abortion — a topic rife with misleading and false health information. ...Google will now require all advertisers in the United States, Ireland, and the United Kingdom who run abortion-related ads to submit to a pre-certification. The process is intended to identify the types of services that the advertisers provide. All of their subsequent advertising will then be automatically and clearly labeled with either 'Provides abortions' or 'Does not provide abortions.'"

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[CN: Extreme weather; death] Staff at the BBC: Tornadoes Kill at Least Seven People. "Tornadoes have killed at least three people in Missouri, bringing the death toll from twisters across the U.S. Midwest in recent days to seven. ...Those who work in Jefferson City were urged on Thursday to stay at home due to dangerous road conditions in the aftermath of the storm, including toppled trees and power lines. Earlier the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) issued a rare 'high warning' for severe storms in the region. It said at least 29 tornadoes had been reported in the last 24 hours and more than 170 since Friday. The NWS described the tornado over Jefferson City as 'large and destructive.'"

Many people are without power, are injured, and/or are displaced from their homes. As always, please feel welcome and encouraged to suggest ways to help in comments.

What have you been reading that we need to resist today?