On today’s BradCast: He’s a mean one. But you already knew that. So, we’ll try not to let him ruin Christmas, at least if we can help it. [Audio link to today’s show follows below.]
As Christmas nears, why not become even more of a pariah to the rest of the world by literally threatening friends and foes alike at the United Nations over Trump’s unpopular plan to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to the divided city of Jerusalem? That’s what UN Ambassador Nikki Haley did on Thursday, and it wasn’t taken kindly — by friend or foe. She also repeatedly lied about support from Americans for the dangerous scheme. (They’re strongly against it, including a plurality of American Jews, though Trump and the GOP’s big donors are in favor of it.) The move is just the latest by this Administration to cause U.S. standing in the world to plummet even further since taking office. So much for making American “great again”.
But, there is some good news today for Americans who favor health care, as the Administration is forced to admit that sign-ups for the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”) this year were nearly as high as they were under President Obama last year, despite the Trump Administration defunding advertisement and assistance for the Open Enrollment period, cutting its length in half, and Trump’s repeated lies that is Obamacare is “dead”, “gone”, “imploding”, etc. In the bargain, as many Americans now favor government-run healthcare as those who prefer a private healthcare system. That, after Americans had previously preferred a private insurance system by nearly 30 points in the same poll back in 2010, before Obamacare was initially enacted.
And more good news before the holidays: another completely unqualified nominee for a lifetime appointment to the federal bench has withdrawn, though the GOP is still jamming similarly unqualified nominees through the Senate confirmation process at a record pace.
Next, Desi Doyen joins us for another busy Green News Report with some discouraging news, with the passage of the GOP tax bill, for the pristine Alaska National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and for victims of our quickly increasing climate-fueled natural disasters, but also some encouraging news elsewhere in the world.
And, finally, since it’s Desi and my last show before Christmas — (Though not the last BradCast before Christmas! Angie Coiro sits in for tomorrow’s show with her exclusive interview with AL GORE!) — it seems only fitting today to end today with a dramatic holiday reading of How the Trump Stole America.
Merry Christmas, Bedford Falls!…
CLICK TO LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD SHOW!…
[audio:http://bradblog.com/audio/BradCast_BradFriedman_JerusalemEmbassyUNLies_ObamacareSuccess_HowTheTrumpStoleAmerica_122117.mp3]
(h/t Mark Fiore for today’s logo graphic!)
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And speaking of stealing, have you seen this?
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/12/25/1727552/-Election-Shenanigans-Happening-Right-Now-in-Virginia-Please-Help
Marvin –
For the record, we covered that issue in some detail at the top of one of our shows last week here: https://bradblog.com/?p=12414
Thanks, Brad. I had read it, but the whole idea of having an election come down to a coin flip or picking a number out of a hat fit with the Grinch metaphor. GOP–Getting Outright Petty.
Marvin –
Well, for what it’s worth, a coin flip (or something like it) is generally how electoral ties are settled everywhere. But, of course, usually such a tie is not forced as this one was, based on an extremely questionable ballot.
So, Brad, will the coin flip be televised?
Hey, Brad–
Well, we won. Republicans are now in favor of free and fair elections and want to follow Federal law regarding the same. Oh, that applies to Alabama where they lost. And my, my, the reason is “Voter fraud.” And, of course, the fact that the complaint is made against Jefferson County where the minority population is approximately 49% is pure coincidence.
Anyway, there has been a revision of TR’s maxim: Speak quickly and interrupt often.
https://youtu.be/dAi_jcB0pks
Marvin @5:
Don’t know if it’ll be televised or not (presuming it ultimately happens.) I’d be shocked if it wasn’t. I’d presume it will be a very open process.
For the record, it won’t be a coin flip. It’ll be two plastic film canisters with names in them, both placed into a 19th century pitcher. One election official judge (from one party) will pick one out and read them of the “winner”, and the other election official (from the other party) will then take the other one out and read the name of the “loser”. That’s the scheme, as I understand it.
As to Alabama, yes, it’s amusing to see Republicans suddenly give a damn about “election integrity” and ballot images, isn’t it? The woman in that video is still a bit confused about how vote counting on computers works (no, it doesn’t happen in Omaha, but I appreciate what she thinks she’s getting at.) And, of course, they still don’t know the difference between election fraud and voter fraud. But give me another decade and I’ll get them straightened out…
Well, Brad, in regard to the coin toss, I was being flippant.
“in regard to the coin toss, I was being flippant.”
Well, I see what you did there! 🙂