These are my notes for the political/news segment of the S4E01 Two Old Guys Drinking Beer podcast episode. There are always far more topics than there is time to discuss. Many of the below items have links to the underlying news reports. Remember, these are notes for a podcast, not fully fleshed out and edited ideas. There are also some format inconsistencies since this material is gathered from many sources over several days or weeks.
- Who are supporters of Dem candidates who have dropped out of the race migrating too?
- After the Soleimani killing, Pompeo kept dodging the question about whether we are safer today than before the killing. He said Trump is focused on the long term safety, not the short term. BS, Trump is incapable of thinking beyond the immediate.
- Trump ignores Puerto Rico as they suffer through earthquake damage.
- The Trumpers and GOP have become a gang of slogans. No real policies, plans, or ideas. Use memes to slur Dems.
- Who is running the country? Trump is either golfing or holding rallies.
- Coming up -
- 02/03 - Iowa caucuses
- 02/04 - State of the Union
- 02/07 - Democratic debate
- 02/11 - New Hampshire primary
- 02/19 - Democratic debate
- 02/22 - Nevada caucuses
- 02/25 - Democratic debate
- 02/29 - South Carolina primary
- 03/03 - Super Tuesday
National
- Trump lies - as of 01/20/20 - 16,241 in 3 years. 2017 - 1,999, 6/day. 2018 - 5,580, 16/day. 2019 - 8,155, 22/day.
- Trump approval rating - 53.6% disapprove, 42.2% approve
- Trump Golf - 244 visits in 156 weeks, 113 confirmed rounds of golf
- Trump spends over 30% of his time at his properties. About 250 rounds of golf.
- 538 Democratic projection model - Biden still leading
- Trump retweets a post that names the whistleblower and suggests he should be charged with perjury.
- There was no ONE DNC 2016 server. Their email and other systems were cloud-based and spread among numerous (140) local servers.
- It is time for media to stop trying to balance the coverage in the interest of being fair. If one side has no backing facts, it does not deserve equal or even any coverage.
- FCC approves a new 988 suicide hotline #.
- This whole impeachment mess needs the voice of John McCain, Harry Reid, and a few other sane and principled politicians.
- Trump can avoid impeachment conviction by as few a 17 senators.
- Why are we paying for GOP weekends at Camp David?
- Possible House ethics investigation of Devin Nunes.
- The Supreme Court will hear three cases over Trump’s finances and protection from investigations. Hear cases in March, rule by June.
- John Lewis (D-GA) has stage 4 pancreatic cancer.
- New emails, interviews, and documents show even more evidence that Trump was holding Ukraine hostage.
- Trump Org. continues to employ illegal immigrants when it suits them.
- 01/02 - Julian Castro drops out of the presidential race.
- 01/06 - Castro endorses Warren
- 01/03 - HUD proposes further weakening of fair housing laws.
- 01/03 - the US sends additional troops to the Middle East.
- 01/03 - New Trump rules would exclude climate change in infrastructure planning.
- United Methodist Church is likely to split over LGBT rights and acceptance.
- Will Trump take credit for the temporary employment bump brought on by hiring census workers for a census he didn’t want to happen or be accurate?
- 01/05 - The US suspends its fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
- 01/06 - John Bolton says he is willing to testify at the impeachment trial if he is subpoenaed.
- 01/06 - Pompeo will not run for the Kansas senatorial seat.
- Duncan Hunter (R CA), guilty of campaign funding violations, will resign from the House on 01/13.
- 01/07 - Iran fires missiles at two airbases in Iraq that houses US troops. No US casualties.
- 01/17 - Now the US says there were at least 11 casualties.
- Listening to US and Iranian officials after the dustup, I can not tell the difference between the two. All BS all the time.
- Iran has a woman VP. Wears hijab.
- 01/08 - Trump addresses the Iranian affair. Says no immediate retaliation. New sanctions.
- Blames Obama.
- 01/09 - Trump to ease even more environmental regulations.
- 01/09 - Certain GOP assholes said Dems “love” terrorists.
- 01/09 - DOJ investigation into Hillary finds nothing, again.
- 01/10 - the US adds 145K jobs in December, 139K to women. 3.5% unemployment. Women outnumber men in the workforce.
- A second Iranian general was targeted, this time in Yemen.
- Completely unhinged Trump rally.
- 01/10 - Marianne Williamson drops out of the presidential race.
- 01/12 - DOD secretary Esper contradicts Trump on Iranian threats.
- 01/13 - Cory Booker drops out of the presidential race.
- 01/13 - Trump to divert another $7.2 billion in military funds to build his wall.
- NAS Pensacola shooting ruled an act of terrorism. Again the Saudis strike the US. Any further punishment to Saudi Arabia?
- 01/14 - Democratic debate. Only 6 qualified.
- The Sanders - Warren dustup
- Not a fan of Warren going public or confronting Bernie
- Biden had the stumbles again.
- Buttigieg sounds very scripted. Kinda like when I ask Alexa or Google for information.
- Again devolved into a healthcare debate.
- Got a little chippy
- Steyer got hardly any questions. Apparently, the moderators are picking the favorites.
- 01/14 - New evidence emerges from Lev Parnas in the Ukraine impeachment case.
- 01/15 - More info from Lev.
- 01/16 - Parnas implicates Nunes.
- 01/15 - Pelosi names Democratic impeachment managers. Schiff to lead the team.
- 01/15 - A federal judge halts Trump’s refugee blockage policy.
- 01/15 - 2019 was the second hottest year, closing out the hottest decade on record.
- 01/15 - Trump and China sign not the greatest trade deal in history.
- 01/15 - The House votes to send articles of impeachment to the Senate.
- 01/16 - Ukraine opens investigation into the surveillance of Ambassador Marie Yovanovich.
- 01/16 - The Government Accounting Office finds that Trump broke the law by withholding Ukraine’s aid.
- 01/16 - The Senate passes USMCA
- 01/17 - Trump adds Ken Starr and Alan Dershowitz to his impeachment legal team.
- Being a regular on Fox News was a prerequisite.
- 01/17 - Trump has broken more promises than kept.
- 01/17 - Former Representative Chris Collins (R-NY) sentenced to two years in prison for insider trading.
- 01/17 - 83% of Blacks think Trump is a racist.
- 01/17 - New evidence shows Devon Nunes aide communicated with Lev Parnas about Ukraine mess.
- 01/17 - Trump to roll back Obama guidelines in school meals. They did it on Michelle Obama’s birthday. Coincidence, I don’t think so.
- 01/19 - The New York Times editorial board endorses Warren and Klobuchar for Democratic nominee.
- 01/20 - McConnell’s proposed rules for the impeachment trial.
- 01/21 - Hillary Clinton takes shots at Bernie Sanders.
- 01/21 - Impeachment trial opens.
- Schiff did a good job
- Pat Cipollone weak
- Patrick Philbin very weak
- McConnell changes rules before the vote
- Sekulow was the most effective Trump lawyer (a low bar). Very angry and yelling, over the top. Brought up Obama. Mostly just GOP talking points. Facts shakey.
- 12/26 - Netanyahu retains leadership of the Likud party.
- 12/31 - Kim Jong-un says North Korea will resume nuclear and rocket testing.
- Protestors attack the US embassy in Baghdad. Trump blames Iran.
- US airstrike at Baghdad airport kills Iranian commander of Revolutionary Guard.
- 01/01 - Netanyahu asks the Knesset for immunity.
- 01/02 - US airstrike kills Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani in Baghdad.
- 01/05 - Iraq Parliament votes to oust US troops from the country.
- 01/05 - Iran ends all commitments to the nuclear deal. No limits on uranium enrichment.
- 01/05 - Maduro takes over Venezuela’s National Assembly.
- 01/05 - Trump reiterates that he will target Iranian cultural sites. A war crime. Iran has 24 World Heritage sites.
- 01/10 - Iran admits it shot down the Ukrainian Airline plane.
- 01/10 - Trump refuses to leave Iraq at their request.
- Which is the bigger crisis for the UK? Brexit or the Harry/Megan dustup?
- 01/15 - Putin moves to stay in power past 2024. PM and cabinet resign.
- 01/31 - Brexit deadline.
- 03/03 - Israeli elections
- Texas Primaries - Early voting 02/18/20 - 02/28/20, Election Day 03/03/20. Last day to register - 02/03/20
- Presidential Primary (Super Tuesday) - 03/03/20
- Panther Island funding? Maybe news by February.
- Texas to stop accepting refugees.
- Federal judge strikes down the policy
- 01/16 - Biden addresses the National Baptist Convention in Arlington.
International
Texas
wjh
