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Nov 2023 Mod notice:


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Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

RisingStar Since: Nov, 2016
#171301: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:18:23 PM

This feels like a good time for another group roundup of places to donate to or volunteer with, and other ways to help.

First, aside from everything else, the ACLU and anything similar is the big one right now. That's the kind of thing carrying the fight in the short-term, to help people survive.

But there's more to it than just survival. Most of my research lately has been put into finding ways to spread education to places that don't normally get a lot of attention, in hopes of breaking the disinformation bubbles and helping people thrive by helping them learn to think critically, and learn to seek out and weigh information, at an early age. Places like Reader to Reader ( http://readertoreader.org/ ) have been doing some good work, from what I can tell, and there's also First Book ( http://firstbook.org/ ) and Pajama Program ( http://pajamaprogram.org/ ), although I haven't researched those as much. I like Reader to Reader because they also build computer labs and provide other resources; First Book has a lot of donation-matching incentives from corporate sponsors.

Anyone else?

EDIT: Pfft, got ninja'd about the ACLU. That's really heartening, though.

edited 30th Jan '17 6:19:40 PM by RisingStar

Eschaton Since: Jul, 2010
#171302: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:19:33 PM

(Actual) conservative David Frum has written up his vision of the future, and how autocracy will happen. In his view: "The benefit of controlling a modern state is less the power to persecute the innocent, more the power to protect the guilty.”

It's notably more optimistic than what some of us here see, myself included, though it's still not a pretty picture.

In particular, I think the reaction to the current protest movement(s) will be a deciding factor in whether his assessment is accurate. According to Frum: "Civil unrest will not be a problem for the Trump presidency. It will be a resource. Trump will likely want to enflame more of it." I am more inclined to fear that it will be the opposite.

edited 30th Jan '17 6:19:40 PM by Eschaton

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#171303: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:19:55 PM

Man, its only a matter of time before Trump tries to crackdown on the ACLU.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#171304: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:23:30 PM

Uh...

Trump just fired Sally Yates for "betraying the Department of Justice.

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#171305: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:26:01 PM

I hope Tiny Hands realizes that he means that he can't issue certain orders until he gets a new, confirmed AG in place.

Now is the time for the Democrats to strike.

edited 30th Jan '17 6:28:40 PM by Rationalinsanity

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Draghinazzo (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: I get a feeling so complicated...
#171306: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:28:00 PM

I doubt it. Trump doesn't care about technicalities.

RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#171307: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:28:37 PM

He's already appointed one. Dana Boente is now acting Attorney General—keeping the seat warm for Darth Sessions.

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
kkhohoho (4 Score & 7 Years Ago)
#171308: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:29:18 PM

[up][up][up]Except they already got one; Dana Boente, former Us Attorney of the Eastern District of Virginia. So that sucks.tongue

[up]Also what he said.[nja]

edited 30th Jan '17 6:29:44 PM by kkhohoho

Raddishes Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
#171309: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:32:08 PM

Jesus, I got no idea how the appointment of A Gs works, since I'm an outsider....but isn't that a little too fast for to simply appoint one straight after firing one?

Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#171310: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:35:50 PM

We already know who he appointed. We've known for weeks. One of Obama's people was just filling in until Trump's was cleared.

edited 30th Jan '17 6:36:01 PM by Kostya

Rationalinsanity from Halifax, Canada Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: It's complicated
#171311: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:36:29 PM

I believe that an acting AG has limited authority, at least as far as the law is concerned.

Politics is the skilled use of blunt objects.
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#171312: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:37:36 PM

So who is next in line to be acting AG and what position makes them next in line? Because Trump's appointment hasn't been confirmed yet have they?

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#171313: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:38:38 PM

Dana Boente has been made acting Attorney General by the hand of Trump. Presumably he will yield the seat if and when Sessions is confirmed.

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
HextarVigar That guy from The Big House Since: Feb, 2015
That guy
#171314: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:40:29 PM

So Darth Hairpiece is making his big move now.

Your momma's so dumb she thinks oral sex means talking dirty.
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#171315: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:40:33 PM

And I take it there's zero chance of this person upholding the ruling.

Raddishes Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
#171316: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:42:24 PM

Ah, alright. But damn, I couldn't remember a president that acted this fast straight away immediately after getting to President. Usually, they would just learn the ropes, explore, or something like that before laying down orders....

I do plan on visiting my family in the US sometime this year but I'm pretty scared to because of his ban....

RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#171317: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:43:24 PM

If he was going to do that, he would never have been made acting AG, so no.

Still, it's worth remembering that Yates surely knew that she would be fired when she gave that order. This should honestly come as no surprise to any of us.

[up] If you're of a nationality or ethnicity that might be targeted by the new administration, I'm sorry to say it but I'd recommend giving us a wide berth for the foreseeable future. (And remember, that applies to more than just the seven countries the Muslim ban applies to. Mexicans on the southern border have been detained and questioned as well, according to reports.)

edited 30th Jan '17 6:44:44 PM by RBluefish

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#171318: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:45:09 PM

Unless Trump misjudged the person's bigotry but that's unlikely.

DingoWalley1 Asgore Adopts Noelle Since: Feb, 2014 Relationship Status: Can't buy me love
Asgore Adopts Noelle
#171319: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:46:07 PM

Yeah, Dana Boente is another Obama pick. He'll probably not follow through with the Muslim Ban either, but he probably won't say out loud that he won't do it.

However, Jeff Sessions is probably going to get voted in as Attorney General tomorrow. If your a Straight White or Black Man (and maybe Woman) in the USA, Sessions won't suck that much for you. Other then that, he's going to be Trump's lackey and definitely enforce Illegal Immigrant Crackdowns, Muslim Bans, and any Anti-LGBT law that Trump creates (though maybe he won't touch Gay Marriage and Abortion if we're lucky).

[down] At worse, he'll be neutral towards most of them and hostile towards BLM. The man hired and promoted Blacks when he was AG of Alabama, and actively persecuted Klansmen in the 80's. I know a lot of people view Sessions as Racist towards Black People, and I don't blame them, but I'm not sure if he's an active Racist towards Black Citizens of the USA.

edited 30th Jan '17 6:49:56 PM by DingoWalley1

iflewaway someone from somewhere Since: Dec, 2016
someone
#171320: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:46:58 PM

[up] I'm not so sure about black men being safe. I suspect any pretense of being a "reformed racist" will go out the window once he's in power.

edited 30th Jan '17 6:47:43 PM by iflewaway

something
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from A handcart to hell (4 Score & 7 Years Ago) Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#171321: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:47:29 PM

Wait wait, why can Trump just appoint an acting AG? Shouldn't it just go down a line of succession within the department? What's the point of confirmation being required if Trump can appoint anyone to be the acting AG without them needing to be confirmed?

“And the Bunny nails it!” ~ Gabrael “If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we.” ~ Cyran
Kostya (Unlucky Thirteen)
#171322: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:51:30 PM

If Dana is another Obama pick then I hope Trump's attempt to enforce the ban by appointing new acting A Gs turns into this.

Raddishes Since: Dec, 2014 Relationship Status: watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
#171323: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:53:11 PM

@R Blue Fish: Ah... Might as well cancel my plans and settle down via video chat/social site with them for two years. (Four tops, if he somehow got approved to go full term).

iflewaway someone from somewhere Since: Dec, 2016
someone
#171324: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:58:03 PM

[up][up][up] From the NY Times:

Mr. Trump has the authority to fire Ms. Yates, but as the top Senate-confirmed official at the Justice Department, she is the only one authorized to sign foreign surveillance warrants, an essential function at the department.

"For as long as I am the acting attorney general, the Department of Justice will not present arguments in defense of the executive order, unless and until I become convinced that it is appropriate to do so,” she wrote.

He can fire her, but she's the only one authorized to do the job.

Also, this

One of Mr. Trump’s top advisers condemned the decision as an illustration of the politicization of the legal system. “It’s sad that our politics have become so politicized that you have people refusing to enforce our laws,” Stephen Miller, the senior policy adviser, said in a televised interview.

It goes without saying here, but fuck these guys.

edited 30th Jan '17 7:02:36 PM by iflewaway

something
RBluefish Since: Nov, 2013
#171325: Jan 30th 2017 at 6:59:10 PM

@Dingo Walley 1: Are you serious? Of course he's a racist. He said that he thought the KKK were all right until he found out they smoked weed, and was deemed too racist to be a judge in Alabama in the Reagan era. Do you know how racist you have to be to be too racist for Alabama in the Reagan era? MLK's wife even wrote a letter begging for him not to be appointed as a judge. The man's a nightmare.

Also, I don't have a link offhand (this is still breaking news), but I saw somewhere that Dana Boente is going to uphold the Muslim ban. Again, he wouldn't have been appointed if that weren't the case.

[up][up] Approved for a full term? Doesn't work that way. He's in it for the full four years unless he's actively removed somehow.

edited 30th Jan '17 7:00:10 PM by RBluefish

"We'll take the next chance, and the next, until we win, or the chances are spent."

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