Wednesday, May 12, 2021

And another day of the GOP telling you that two plus two makes five and you have to believe it comes to a close. The Republican Party is insane. Holy cow what a day. Let’s get to it:

“The vote to remove Liz Cheney is a vote to embrace the Big Lie.” — Dan Rather

“Liz Cheney’s ouster today is the latest milestone in the GOP’s transformation from a party that used to champion democracy to one that threatens our democracy. That is Trump’s poisonous legacy.” — Max Boot

“It is official. The only member of Congress to receive sanction over the Republicans attempt to overthrow an election and ensuing siege of the capitol is the woman who wouldn’t go along with it.” — Tim Miller

“You know, if you didn't know the TV footage was a video from Jan. 6, you'd think it was a normal tourist visit." — Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) (It’s a short video. Check it out.)

Deaths

US: 597,785 (+839)

World: 3,345,018 (+13,891)

Cases

US: 33,586,136 (+36,021)

World: 161,080,616 (+757,776)

In an extraordinary bow to former President Trump, House Republicans voted Wednesday to purge GOP Conference Chair Liz Cheney from her leadership post, punishing the conservative Wyoming Republican for daring to refute Trump’s lie that the 2020 election was stolen. The decision was made by voice vote, meaning there will be no tally of the lawmakers who voted to dump Cheney, or of those who wanted her to stay on. Sources inside the closed-door vote said it was an overwhelming vote against Cheney.

"I will do everything I can to ensure that the former president never again gets anywhere near the Oval Office. We have seen the danger that he continues to provoke with his language. We've seen his lack of commitment & dedication to the Constitution." — Rep. Liz Cheney

“The GOP expulsion of Cheney from leadership doesn't make me like her or her policies any better. But it concerns me deeply for the future of our country. Anyone who still thought Jan 6 was a one-off knows we face deep problems with a party that has thrown away truth for one man.” — Joyce Alene

Cheney is undergoing a GOP version of a Soviet show trial. She has not demonstrated full and complete obedience to the party leader, so she must be destroyed. This is Orwellian. As the author of 1984 wrote, “In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it.”...It is a good thing that a hardcore conservative like Liz Cheney has joined the opposition to the Trumpian authoritarianism that has fully infected one of the nation’s two major political parties. Most of the GOP base is beyond persuasion. A recent poll showed that 70 percent of Republicans believe Biden did not win the election legitimately. The denialists lost in the swamps of Foxlandia won’t be swayed by a Liz Cheney op-ed. But for conservative Americans who give a damn about Trump’s war on reality and the Constitution—unfortunately, a minority—Cheney’s current stance could boost their spirits and spine. And the fight to protect American democracy needs as many enlistees as can be mustered, on the left, in the middle, and on the right. Still, Liz Cheney deserves hardly a cheer, for it ought to be remembered that Trump is pushing his Big Lie in the wake of other big lies—and that Cheney, her father, and so many other Republicans not so long ago did much to blaze the path for the dangerous political villainy she now decries.

Before Elise Stefanik Became a Trump Cult Leader, She Said He Was Misogynistic and Soft on Putin. This marks the triumph of Trump-uber-alles fealty within GOP circles. A heretic is being excommunicated and replaced by a loyalist. It’s been noted that Stefanik entered the House as a moderate and now is being anointed as a top Trumper who has fully supported Trump’s Big Lie that the election was rigged against him. But Stefanik’s Trumpification stands out because only a few years ago—well into Trump’s presidency—she was speaking critically about him on key fronts. In fact, at times Stefanik sounded practically like a Never Trumper, as she called on Trump to recognize that Russia had attacked the 2016 election to help him, urged him to release his tax returns, and assailed him for his comments about women.

“Ousting of Liz Cheney, insane 'audit' in AZ, avalanche of GOP voter suppression bills all have same goal: to institutionalize Trump's Big Lie & rig future elections in their favor. GOP assault on democracy most important story in American politics today.” — Ari Berman

The Big Lie is the GOP’s one and only truth. Liz Cheney’s downfall shows the GOP threat to democracy is getting worse. This state of affairs — the culmination of years of Republican attacks on both the Democratic Party and the legitimacy of the electoral system itself — is dangerous. And it raises a disturbing question: Is the Republican Party even capable of treating a democratic president as legitimate? And if, not, are we heading for future electoral crises dwarfing even the disaster in 2020?

"Instead of seeking to examine the facts in a bipartisan fashion, Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats have politicized the January 6th attack." -- Rep. James Comer

Fact check: Republicans continue to push false narratives about January 6. During Wednesday's hearing about the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, House Republicans spent much of their time repeating a number of false claims about the insurrection as well as sugarcoating the actions of former-President Donald Trump and his supporters. In pushing their false narrative, GOP lawmakers attempted to downplay the events of January 6, suggesting Trump supporters may not have been involved in the attack and even questioning whether the attack should be called an insurrection.

67 killed in Gaza, 7 killed in Israel as UN warns conflict could turn into 'full-scale war'.

CDC advisory panel votes to recommend Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine for use in kids ages 12 to 15, a key step for middle and high schools to reopen fully by this fall.

World's Most Vaccinated Nation Is Spooked by COVID Spike. Instead, the company, which has made two varieties of coronavirus vaccines, is facing mounting questions about the inoculations. First, there was the lack of transparency with its late-stage trial data. Now, Seychelles, the world’s most vaccinated nation, has had a surge in cases despite much of its population being inoculated with Sinopharm. For the 56 countries counting on the Sinopharm shot to help them halt the pandemic, the news is a setback.

The United States' track and field team has canceled its pre-Olympics training camp in Japan out of concerns for safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic, local authorities announced, raising more questions about the holding of the Games.

Inflation rises at fastest rate in more than a decade as coronavirus rebound spurs demand. Most of April’s price increases were driven by areas of the economy hit hard by the coronavirus recession adjusting to a surge of new demand.

A Salt Lake City police officer faces a second felony charge for ordering his dog to bite someone, who prosecutors say wasn’t a threat. In this latest aggravated assault charge, Officer Nickolas Pearce allegedly lifted up his K-9, Tuco, so the dog could bite a woman who was in a suspected stolen vehicle.

Annual screening for ovarian cancer does not save lives, study finds.

Community College Goes Viral on TikTok. Can the social media platform help community colleges make up for enrollment losses during the pandemic?

Ellen DeGeneres plans to end her talk show in 2022.

Life’s short. Live, love, create, and help others.

Until next time, my friends. Stay safe and stay sane. Good night.