Week of 3/18

[jkjacq]

What will this week bring?

Maybe the Mueller Report?  Maybe more unhinged tweeting from the orange one?

There was a lot of news over the weekend.  Mostly ACTING CoS Mulvaney trying (unsuccessfully) to convince the public at large that the president isn't white supremacist. 

[dc2london]

House Financial Services is holding a hearing about the deadly and disastrous mismanagement of hurricane relief last year. It's next Tuesday morning, the 26th. I won't be able to watch bc I'll be at a Senate Judiciary ERPO hearing, but I thought some of you lot would want to listen in.

[byjove]

Hoping for good news this week! Any good news. I will not be picky.

ETA Minerva I drove by your 'hood this morning and waved

[jkjacq]

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/supreme-court-to-consider-whether-beltway-sniper-lee-boyd-malvo-deserves-new-sentencing/2019/03/18/b69cfc1e-0f9c-11e9-84fc-d58c33d6c8c7_story.html?utm_term=.dd6d64b78e23

Thoughts on this?  

I am unsure on changing his sentence.

[richard]

Hot mess express.

[richard]

Four-hundred and fifteen. Lolsob.

[dc2london]

so, re last week's reporting that Andrew Weissman is leaving Mueller's team.
We are coming up on two years, and they are done with Manafort.

One thing I learned in reading Lisa Page's testimony was that she agreed to join the Mueller team early on, but told him that she absolutely could not stay longer than 45 days. I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility that Mr. Weissman himself, or even his employer, placed conditions on how long Mueller could have him. Two years, or through the prosecution of Manafort, seems like a reasonable framework.

So I'm back to thinking Mueller still isn't wrapping up.

[dc2london]

Donna Brazile is joining Fox News as a commentator.

If you see my eyes roll past you will you please grab them?

[dc2london]

hahahahaha this will be good

[dc2london]

oh gosh Alan Krueger died this weekend

[ladybrienne]

Mar 18, 2019 10:57:19 GMT -6 dc2london said:

Donna Brazile is joining Fox News as a commentator.

If you see my eyes roll past you will you please grab them?

Good Lord. 

[dc2london]

HJC is planning hearings early next month on the rise of white nationalism and white supremacy. Officials from FBI and DHS are being asked to testify.

[elle]

Mar 18, 2019 10:57:19 GMT -6 dc2london said:

Donna Brazile is joining Fox News as a commentator.

If you see my eyes roll past you will you please grab them?

Oh. Ok. 🤨

[dc2london]

possible terror attack kills 3 in the Netherlands

[richard]

Just about every reporter I follow appears to be on - and bitching about online - the same "reply all" email. I'm laughing.

[richard]

How is capping federal student loans making college more affordable? Even if you have plans to do something about tuition later, why in a million years would you lead with this as your first push?

apnews.com/2714f2a2b11143cfad16493a2f07c82a?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter

[sheilathetank]

Mar 18, 2019 12:43:28 GMT -6 richard said:

How is capping federal student loans making college more affordable? Even if you have plans to do something about tuition later, why in a million years would you lead with this as your first push?

apnews.com/2714f2a2b11143cfad16493a2f07c82a?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter

Federal loans are already capped studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/loans/subsidized-unsubsidized 

But the theory behind capping them even further is that colleges will be forced to lower tuition because student's wouldn't be able to pay. Right now tuition rates are astronomical because colleges are guaranteed the amount through both federal and private loans. 

HOWEVER if this is to work both federal AND private loans would need to be capped. Just capping federal loans will cause students to seek out private loans to make up the difference and private loans have almost no borrower protections or payment relief.

[oreobitsy]

My in laws were in town, so I missed some things. Was Trump way more ranty than usual or was it his normal?

Any time I hear he is tweeting lots of nonsense I always hope it is because he knows something negative is about to come out.

[richard]

Mar 18, 2019 12:54:34 GMT -6 sheilathetank said:

Mar 18, 2019 12:43:28 GMT -6 richard said:

How is capping federal student loans making college more affordable? Even if you have plans to do something about tuition later, why in a million years would you lead with this as your first push?

apnews.com/2714f2a2b11143cfad16493a2f07c82a?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter

HOWEVER if this is to work both federal AND private loans would need to be capped. Just capping federal loans will cause students to seek out private loans to make up the difference and private loans have almost no borrower protections or payment relief.

Agreed! And that's why I don't get why you'd choose this to be the big public push of "doing something about college affordability" - especially with Ivanka as the face of it.  It's not good optics - or policy.

[jkjacq]

Mar 18, 2019 13:07:27 GMT -6 oreobitsy said:

My in laws were in town, so I missed some things. Was Trump way more ranty than usual or was it his normal?

Any time I hear he is tweeting lots of nonsense I always hope it is because he knows something negative is about to come out.

Well he was concerned about an SNL rerun and thinks the FCC should get involved.

So?

Also is anyone else uncomfortable with the George and Kellyanne thing?  He is going off about how her boss is a breathing rock and completely inadequate, then she gets asked about it.

I mean I think KA deserves anything that comes her way, I just would like the media to quit with the KA Husband George schtick

[richard]

This is rather bad ass.

[elle]

Mar 18, 2019 13:09:57 GMT -6 jkjacq said:

Mar 18, 2019 13:07:27 GMT -6 oreobitsy said:

My in laws were in town, so I missed some things. Was Trump way more ranty than usual or was it his normal?

Any time I hear he is tweeting lots of nonsense I always hope it is because he knows something negative is about to come out.

Well he was concerned about an SNL rerun and thinks the FCC should get involved.

So?

Also is anyone else uncomfortable with the George and Kellyanne thing?  He is going off about how her boss is a breathing rock and completely inadequate, then she gets asked about it.

I mean I think KA deserves anything that comes her way, I just would like the media to quit with the KA Husband George schtick

It's certainly a bizarre dynamic. I'm not sure how I feel about her being asked questions regarding him though, he's making very...strong and very public comments so it makes sense that people are curious.

[elle]

***three cheers for Katie Porter***

[ladybrienne]

Mar 18, 2019 13:07:27 GMT -6 oreobitsy said:

My in laws were in town, so I missed some things. Was Trump way more ranty than usual or was it his normal?

Any time I hear he is tweeting lots of nonsense I always hope it is because he knows something negative is about to come out.

He was rather unhinged regarding John McCain and the dossier, and his ACA vote again. It was........something. 

[sheilathetank]

Mar 18, 2019 13:08:57 GMT -6 richard said:

Mar 18, 2019 12:54:34 GMT -6 sheilathetank said:

HOWEVER if this is to work both federal AND private loans would need to be capped. Just capping federal loans will cause students to seek out private loans to make up the difference and private loans have almost no borrower protections or payment relief.

Agreed! And that's why I don't get why you'd choose this to be the big public push of "doing something about college affordability" - especially with Ivanka as the face of it.  It's not good optics - or policy.

If they really wanted to do something they'd 

a. lower borrower's interest rates to under 5%

b. make income based repayment 5% of your adjusted gross income instead of the 10-15% it is now. OR at least extend the 10% to all people currently on IBR instead of just those who borrowed after 2014. Like I rage about this one a lot. 5% is a lot of fucking money. 

c. Make loan forgiveness after 15 years or a certain period of time working (not just in specific fields) 

I should be the face of this fucking campaign. My God. 

[richard]

Yikes.

[jkjacq]

Holy crap.  They served the warrant on Cohen on April 9, 2018.  

CNN just ran the footage from potus talking about how bad that was. 

it wasn't even a year ago.

[Deleted]

Mar 18, 2019 12:54:34 GMT -6 sheilathetank said:

Mar 18, 2019 12:43:28 GMT -6 richard said:

How is capping federal student loans making college more affordable? Even if you have plans to do something about tuition later, why in a million years would you lead with this as your first push?

apnews.com/2714f2a2b11143cfad16493a2f07c82a?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_medium=AP&utm_source=Twitter

Federal loans are already capped studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/loans/subsidized-unsubsidized 

But the theory behind capping them even further is that colleges will be forced to lower tuition because student's wouldn't be able to pay. Right now tuition rates are astronomical because colleges are guaranteed the amount through both federal and private loans. 

HOWEVER if this is to work both federal AND private loans would need to be capped. Just capping federal loans will cause students to seek out private loans to make up the difference and private loans have almost no borrower protections or payment relief.

Yes this. Private student loans are so effing easy to get and most students aren’t educated about the consequences.

Although the student loan industry is such a mess, we really need to focus on controlling tuition before anything else.

[dc2london]

I just talked with my doctor and I have managed to have strep and bronchitis both at the same time.
We both agreed we blame climate change.

[ktg]

Mar 18, 2019 16:33:41 GMT -6 dc2london said:

I just talked with my doctor and I have managed to have strep and bronchitis both at the same time.
We both agreed we blame climate change.

Oh, honey. That sounds like fresh hell.