According to the Washington Post:
President Trump plans to revoke the security clearances of … former CIA director John Brennan; former FBI director James B. Comey; former CIA director Michael V. Hayden; former national security adviser Susan E. Rice; former director of national intelligence James R. Clapper Jr.; and former FBI deputy director Andrew McCabe.
“The president is exploring these mechanisms to remove security clearances because they’ve politicized and, in some cases, actually monetized their public service and their security clearances in making baseless accusations of improper contact with Russia or being influenced by Russia,” Sanders told reporters at a regular press briefing.
She added: “The fact that people with security clearances are making these baseless charges provides inappropriate legitimacy to accusations with zero evidence.”
The move came shortly after Trump met with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), who said earlier Monday that he planned to ask the president to revoke Brennan’s clearance. The former Obama administration CIA director last week used the word “treasonous” to describe Trump’s performance at his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, saying it showed he was “wholly in the pocket of Putin.”
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Thin-skinned little dickens isn’t he? And complaining about politization and monetization by former officials is so ingenuous as to almost defy belief. Anyway, just how is lifting security clearances a remedy a cure for the supposed problem unless a memory wipe goes with it?
If anyone’s security clearance is to be lifted, I would prefer it to be someone who seems more admiring and supportive of a foreign head of state than seems warranted by that head’s policies.
You may choose “remedy” or “cure.” I hadn’t quite made up my mind.
I don’t know what Paul and Sanders mean by monetize, but this was argued for by a former CIA case officer:
“Leaks of national security secrets with the intent to harm the Trump administration continue to bedevil our nation. Journalists often describe the sources of the leaks as “current and former officials.” There’s an important solution, and one that the Trump administration may not yet be aware of: Remove the “former officials” from the equation.”
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2018/07/ishmael-jones-a-modest-proposal-2.php
I think you mean disingenuous. Trump’s presidency has been an ongoing advertisement for Trump owned properties. The bigger picture is that Trump has an easily documented history of attacking others for what he himself is guilty of, and I can’t recall any president in recent times who has politicized the presidency more than he.
Given the philosophy of the mdern right that only blind obedience to the president is acceptable (only to white male presidents of course) this isn’t surprising. The fact that these folks were actually qualified for the jobs they held, while none of Trump’s appointees are remotely qualified, comes into okay as well. Add to this the sad fact that these petty decisions take attention away from the damaging changes to environmental laws and policies as well as the walking away of the US from supporting himan rights around the world. It seems nothing based on reason, integrity, or knowledge comes from this administration.
Another right wing conspiracy site mikeN? It’s easy to see where you get your conspiracies and fantasies.
Still mad they revealed Dan Rather used fake memos?
MikeN: You should read yourself some history. In many cases early adopters are the first against the wall.
“The president is exploring these mechanisms to remove security clearances because they’ve politicized and, in some cases, actually monetized their public service and their security clearances in making baseless accusations of improper contact with Russia or being influenced by Russia,” Sanders told reporters at a regular press briefing.
I guess what “monetized” means is that some of them (Clapper, Comey, Hayden, McCaul) have written books.
She added: “The fact that people with security clearances are making these baseless charges provides inappropriate legitimacy to accusations with zero evidence.”
If their charges are baseless, and have zero evidence, removing their security clearances won’t change anything. Otherwise, as Tyvor Winn pointed out, a memory wipe would be required. Too bad Beverly Crusher isn’t available.
Trump’s monetised his own office. He should have all of his security clearances revoked.
Quite aside from the fact that he invited senior Russians into the Oval Office, and habitually spills his guts with respect to classified information (eg, what’s known publicly…).
Shortly before Trump’s visit to Britain BBC’s Panorama aired ‘Trump: Is the President a Sex Pest?’
I don’t know how many of you will be able to view from this link but worth a go:
Trump: Is the President a Sex Pest?
“Still mad they revealed Dan Rather used fake memos?”
Still stunned by your preference for Nazis and “deep state” bullshit over reality and integrity.
Why should former employees be allowed access to
the employee’s cafeteria???
Oh, yes, in the leftist world, all things should be free and
available, which explains why health care and higher ed are
now so unaffordable.
Please send your extra “reality” and “integrity” to deanmoveon.org
fund raiser. Please, give generous as there is an acute shortage.
It is unfortunate that the concept of a free press and available access to accurate information seems to offend you. I guess you are comfortable with simply taking orders thoughtlessly, and you have chosen your preferred leader, a man who, as a child, threw rocks at a baby, cheats on his wives, stiffs his employees, declares bankruptcy repeatedly to avoid responsibility, associates with mobsters, launders money for the Russians, takes loans from the Russians,brags about sexually assaulting women, disparages American scientists and intelligence chiefs, divides the great peoples of our nation, and sides with multiple foreign tyrants. BillyR, in my eyes, you and the rest of the Republican flock are acting stupidly, pathetically, and treasonously, probably because you are incapable of looking past easy-to-swallow conspiracy theories, and don’t want to work hard to find the truth. Trying to make yourself look good by calling Americans who don’t agree with you “leftists”, and then buddying up to our Russian adversaries, is lame and Anti-American in my book. Treasonous even.
” health care and higher ed are
now so unaffordable.”
They are unaffordable because the right has been working for decades to make them that way. You scum seem to feel that after you use all of the social structures people who came before you paid to put into place you need to prevent anyone else from having the same opportunities so you can lie and claim “I made it on my own” and, more importantly, keep anyone who isn’t white or male from having the aids you did.
Why is Trump trying to constantly blind people to the truth? Why does Trump constantly lie? And why do his sycophants constantly come to his defense here?
Why did Trump want to keep out the free press out when he brought intelligence chiefs of an adversary nation into the oval office in 2017?
Why did Trump have a private meeting with Putin?
Why does Trump want to silence or “de-legitimize” highly vetted, highly honorable, highly decorated men who say he is a threat to democracy?
The trouble with authoritarians is that they will follow a leader blindly, against their own country’s best interests.
Trump looks like someone who is trying to stage a takeover of our entire government, IMHO. And the Republicans don’t seem to care one way or another. Authoritarians don’t mind a dictator, as long as it is their dictator.
Why do Republicans castigate the free press while slobbering over every pronouncement from FOX, Fossil Fuel, Faux news?
The Republican party has succumbed to the worst sadists in their midst, the people who want to have their freedom to pursue their form of happiness, which comes from hurting others. And they are getting it. Just watch the lip curl on Sarah Planaria when she talks about stripping former intelligence chiefs of security clearance. Or the smirky sneers of right wing pundits on TV. One of their big pleasures in life is causing pain to others. “Lock her up” says Michael Flynn, who has pleaded guilty about lying to the FBI regarding contacts with the Russian ambassador. And yet the Republican crowd cheers these Russian loving villains.
The majority of Republican voters appear to be comfortable with a leader who tells them they are predators, when in reality, they are acting like sheep. They seem to be incapable of reality checks.
If you had told any major Republican leader before the past two years, that a Republican president would be cozying up to a murderous Russian oligarch, favoring Russian intelligence chiefs over US intelligence agencies, or that Republican voters would be making excuses for their leader’s corrupt and treasonous behavior, they would probably have thought you to be out of your mind. But here we are. July 24, 2018, and the president of the United States is trying to dismantle the best parts of the nation, trying to divide our diverse peoples, and, basically , make us into a Trump Tyranny.
IOW a rightwing, gun-lickin’, flag-lovin’ race-hatin’ white male clown.
“It is unfortunate that the concept of a free press and available access to accurate information seems to offend you.”
SteveP, do you really mean a Demco controlled press which engages in
in “progressive” social justice activism?
” I guess you are comfortable with simply taking orders thoughtlessly, and you have chosen your preferred leader, a man who, as a child, threw rocks at a baby, cheats on his wives, stiffs his employees, declares bankruptcy repeatedly to avoid responsibility, associates with mobsters, launders money for the Russians, takes loans from the Russians,brags about sexually assaulting women, disparages American scientists and intelligence chiefs, divides the great peoples of our nation, and sides with multiple foreign tyrants.”
You should pass on your “intelligence” to the “very special persecutor Mueller”
for criminal referral.
“BillyR, in my eyes, you and the rest of the Republican flock are acting stupidly, pathetically, and treasonously, probably because you are incapable of looking past easy-to-swallow conspiracy theories, and don’t want to work hard to find the truth.”
Sorry, SteveP, but I am an independent, who is foremost a Constitutionalist.
You find it so easy to label someone whom you do not agree with as – treasonous.
Shame on you to make such inane charges!!
I am a truth seeker and not a deceiver.
Is there anything that The Donald has done correctly or do you just
parrot what the propaganda organs tell you??
” Trying to make yourself look good by calling Americans who don’t agree with you “leftists”, and then buddying up to our Russian adversaries, is lame and Anti-American in my book. Treasonous even.”
Tell the readers what your personal political dogma is. If it is not a leftist
then what would you call it??
Cite any “buddying” up to the Russians?? They are as fake as a genuine three
dollar bill, just like your fake claim.
So a Constructionist is both lame and Anti-American!?!? I guess we went to
different public schools. Your moral compass is broken and in need
of repair.
“SteveP, do you really mean a Demco controlled press which engages in
in “progressive” social justice activism?”
It’s a good thing nothing like that exists (other than the demented imaginations of the conspiracy minded folks).
“Your moral compass is broken and in need
of repair.”
If there were any evidence a scumbag like you had your own moral compass that would be a meaningful comment: given your history the only conclusion is that it’s simply you parroting something you’ve heard others say.
“If there were any evidence a scumbag like you had your own moral compass that would be a meaningful comment: given your history the only conclusion is that it’s simply you parroting something you’ve heard others say.”
k9dean, i know it is difficult for you but try to
elevate yourself from the gutter and excrement you live in.
Please keep posting your deranged and hate filled comments,
as more and more readers will leave your political company.
If you need assistance in doing so, I will contract Visiting Angels,
who can help you overcome your personal handicaps.
It’s always projection…
“Is there anything that The Donald has done correctly or do you just
parrot what the propaganda organs tell you??”
No reply from SteveP. No surprise, unless he is waiting
for written instruction from moveon.org or a personal phone
call from the Soros Brothers.
https://amp.slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/07/george-soros-criticizes-obama-and-calls-for-bipartisanship.html?via=gdpr-consent
Science. Psychology, Biology, Chemistry, Physics. Awesome.
Why are higher thinking centers in the brain shut down by the hormone cascades caused by fear and tyranny? Look at the behavior of Jason Spencer. Poor scared little man made a fool of himself because of his fears. He let himself be deceived by someone whom he considered to be an acceptable authority figure, and let himself be debased by said figure. Jason Spencer is the poster child of Trumpism in my book. A man running around half naked, butt first, screaming racial epithets is the perfect totem for the stupidity of letting Trump use fear of Muslims, Blacks, Liberals, and the Press guide your beliefs and actions.
IMO, any of you who think that people like Stephen Miller, Sebastian Gorka, Stephen Bannon, and Vladimir Putin should be the sires of your master race, should all shave your asses and run around backwards anyway. Oh wait. You are pretty much already are doing that, by supporting Trump!
Have a blessed day.
168 word manifesto from SteveP, but not a single word
addressing my question!!
You do not wish to have a civil conversation, just space for
your diatribes and sense of outrage.
May the Vox be with.
I have to laugh when I hear a ‘Constitutionalist’ defend a demagogue. And not just a demagogue but one who got into the White House as a result of a hostile foreign power corrupting American democracy.
One has to wonder which Constitution BillyR is supposed to be upholding.
You’ll find that “constitutionalist” is shorthand for the clowns who love themselves what they believe the Constitution says but are clueless about what is in it.
Look to the “sovereign citizen” movement along with the usual racist/white supremacist organizations and you’ll find them thick as fleas on a coyote — and just as disgusting.
Billy R,
Are you unfarmiliar with the concept of thinking for yourself? You really give yourself away there.
Why do you think that everyone has to get their ideas from a central authority? Is it because you are an authoritarian who can’t think for himself? Are you unable to discuss something without launching baseless accusations at others? Why do you hate moveon.org or the Soros Brothers? I wouldn’t know because I don’t have anything to do with them. Care to explain? Just lashing out again, trying to find a target, a soft spot? Fail!
The current Russian, Republican, Right Wing strategy seems to be totally dependent upon “marching orders” sent as tone poems from Fox News, RT, Alex Jones, and assorted other nut jobs. Time and again you bash the free press, just like the N**** did in the first part of the 20th century.
Regarding my trying to think of something good or “correct” that Trump has done….. If you are grading him on his dictatorship evolution, on his slow steady erosion of American values, his insidious power grabs and association with and admiration for dictators, and his disparagement of people who are good and loyal Americans, on his giving white nationalists a pass, then he is evolving quite nicely as a dictator. As a representative of the people of the United States of America, as a defender of the constitution, he is very near a complete zero.
He is creating a more perfect Union for sociopaths and family wreckers, he is thwarting Justice, he is fomenting unrest that does not insure domestic Tranquility, by damaging NATO he is working against the common defence [ ] , he is promoting the general Welfare of his wealthiest supporters, but not ordinary people, and I can’t see as he is doing anything to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity by kissing up to Putin. All the things that Trump is doing “correctly” seem to only be “correct” in terms of destroying the institutions of the United States.
I pointed out to a neighbor who voted for trump that the benefits stated for the tax cuts have no sign of materializing: companies haven’t increased pay but have paid bonuses to execs and engaged in stock buybacks. In real terms wages are lower now than when trump took office. (And, again, if you are stupid enough to believe that tax cuts have ever improved an economy, you haven’t studied history — or anything). To my surprise he agreed, and on his own said that he began to realize that trump’s policies are asinine when he began making bogus reasons for tariffs, with the first damage being Harley Davidson being forced to move production for their European market because of those tariffs. He had some other points as well: he despises the false claims about immigration and associated crime, and the failed work with North Korea.
“I’m beginning to think I’m an idiot for voting for him” was the first part of his conclusion, with the second part being “It won’t happen again.”
So there is hope — the set of Republicans still able to reason isn’t, as billyR, mikeN, and rickA make it appear, empty.
“President Donald Trump discussed classified information during an Oval Office meeting on May 10, 2017 with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov (Russian Spy Chief) and the Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak ( Local Russian Spy Chief) , providing sufficient details that could be used by the Russians to deduce the source of the information and the manner in which it was collected, according to current and former government officials. ” Right there he should have been impeached. But adolescent brained libertarians and Republicans didn’t have a clue what was going on, so they just played dumb. And they did it brilliantly.
Trump did not allow any American press into this meeting. But he did allow Russian propaganda organ RT into the room, with all their video technicians, aka, tech spies.
He didn’t even allow Fox Fake News in! Imagine!
If I had anything to do with it, I would have done an extremely thorough bug sweep immediately after that meeting and stripped the walls bare down to the studs. To deflect suspicion away from my incompetence in letting these bug masters into the nation’s main office, I might have been forced to do all this under the pretext of a redecoration effort!
Funny that the oval office was completely redecorated over the next couple of months in 2017, eh?
The way Trump and his supporters attack the press is just like the way his mentor did it back in the the day. Only his mentor called it attacking the Lügenpresse. Another one of his role models called it attacking the vragi naroda ( the enemies of the people).
I guess that people with no sense of history can idiotically attack the free press. But they are putting a Putin leash around their neck when they do so.
BTW, BilllyR, outrage? Do you think that I am expressing outrage? Jesus, you can’t get anything right can you! I am no more outraged than I would be by finding and squashing a squash bug. Just annoyed.
“I have to laugh when I hear a ‘Constitutionalist’ defend a demagogue. And not just a demagogue but one who got into the White House as a result of a hostile foreign power corrupting American democracy.
One has to wonder which Constitution BillyR is supposed to be upholding.”
After reading countless numbers of your posts, I had no idea you had
the ability to laugh, as they are filled with disdain and disillusionment !!
Love it when a Limey lectures an American about free speech, in a nation
where Tony Robinson is imprisoned for merely publicly demonstrating about
the dangers of Allah Akbar’s.
In a land wherein there bobbies spend or time investigating critics of Muslames
and throwing them in the nick house. Where Londonstan has become the
knifing capital of the world and where bowling lanes have been replaced
with Jihad bowling for humans. Vehicide, has become more popular than
lawn bowling.
BBD, hats off to your nation for balancing the national budget. All it took was a reduction of 600 bases points of your GNP in government spending. Ship us your
economists and we will send our Constitution and the bust of Obomba to the GB.
Make the Magna Carta Great Again, BBD!!!
You have really left any part of reality behind in favor of your ignorance. What a sad waste you are.
Love it when a part educated Yank tries to imitate British idiom and royally screws up whilst making a mess regurgitating on falsehoods.
Perhaps you believe that the moon is made of green cheese and the tooth fairy exists.
Our so called democracy is going through a tough time, having been buffeted to similar forces as yours. Yours is currently a shambles (I suggest you look up the meaning of that word many use it incorrectly or without thought).
In which a resident idiot:
– supports a neo-Nazi
– demonstrates total ignorance about the actual offence for which said neo-Nazi was correctly imprisoned
– repeatedly uses racist language
– doesn’t understand that the knife crime is drug dealers, nothing to do with Muslims (thereby making yet another racist slur against them)
Yet in all this cess, not one attempt to explain how a so-called ‘Constitutionalist’ can stand by while American democracy is hacked by a hostile foreign power enabling Trump’s election.
You should be howling with fury and demanding Trump’s impeachment in order to protect the Constitution. Instead, you are making excuses for the people actively wiping their arses with it.
You are a disgrace to your nation.
BillyR as in Russophile,
You are using too many words from the St. Petersburg misinformation lexicon. You give yourself and/or your motivational sources away by doing that. Also, with your decidedly unclever word plays disparaging non-white-non-conservative-non-christians you are playing to the Trump base, which, on this site, consists of you and about two others. Kind of like playing checkers at the chess club. The constant dehumanizing contempt of the narcissist for others is clearly apparent in your writing. But keep trying. Every one of your little screeds gives us another data point to think about.
LA “Love it when a part educated Yank tries to imitate British idiom and royally screws up”
Where? When? How? I would appreciate your kind
assistance in helping me overcome my deficiencies.
I will give you my five year old lorry but it is missing its
bonnet. It does have a back boot, however.
SteveP, not a single good word for Trump, eh.
Just an ongoing monologue how evil I be.
Yes, let’s ban ICE because good, old steveo is cold as ICE.
” I pointed out to a neighbor who voted for trump that the benefits stated for the tax cuts have no sign of materializing: companies haven’t increased pay but have paid bonuses to execs and engaged in stock buybacks. In real terms wages are lower now than when trump took office. (And, again, if you are stupid enough to believe that tax cuts have ever improved an economy, you haven’t studied history — or anything). To my surprise he agreed, and on his own said that he began to realize that trump’s policies are asinine when he began making bogus reasons for tariffs, with the first damage being Harley Davidson being forced to move production for their European market because of those tariffs. He had some other points as well: he despises the false claims about immigration and associated crime, and the failed work with North Korea. ”
K9dean, why can’t you treat your opposing posters with the same
deference?? Does anonymity give you the opportunity to demonstrate
your coarseness?
BTW, the neighbor’s wife is alarm by her husband interlude with you
and is now taking bids for the construction of a masonry wall; especially
after hearing her children chant, build that wall, build that wall.
“K9dean, why can’t you treat your opposing posters with the same
deference?? ”
Myneighbor, unlike you, is capable of thought, reason, and is a decent person. You, on the other hand, have never made an honest point, never posted anything supported by facts, and are, in general, not a decent person.
Want a civil conversation? Use facts and reason in your comments instead of your ignorance and dishonesty. It’ll be a huge life-style change for you, and probably won’t be easy, but it will be a huge improvement.
Trump has a knack for making gullible people think that he is on their side, along with a knack for threatening people who have the guts to stand up to him. He has a knack for vilifying people, for dehumanizing entire populations of people, and he loves revenge. This is classic bully or dictator demeanor.
He has enlisted an entire segment of the American population to think that he is their buddy, that he is looking out for their interests, that he is one of them. But to all three of those ideas there is very little supporting evidence. His base appears to be knitted together by things like constant soto voce racism, and the belief that this billionaire will make them rich and right all the horrible, terrible social injustices that have been foisted off on them, things like enforced civility, laws against cruel and inhumane behavior, and being forced to deal with the consequences of our behavior.
Maybe if people can ever learn to differentiate between a totally contrived false meme from the likes of Alex Jones, and an actual fact, we can make some progress in getting back together as a nation.
” doesn’t understand that the knife crime is drug dealers, nothing to do with Muslims (thereby making yet another racist slur against them)”
BBD, Muslames, are not a race, unless they are running in a
marathon.
I am reporting your gaff to the head master.
“Yet in all this cess, not one attempt to explain how a so-called ‘Constitutionalist’ can stand by while American democracy is hacked by a hostile foreign power enabling Trump’s election. ”
How did the russies do dat, Einstein?? You would think they would of hacked
for Hillary “uranium” Clinton. Would you not want the USA governed by someone
so stupid as to think that an amateur video kilt the US ambassador in Libya ?
Besides, everyone in the command center were wearing “I’m with her” hats.
I know what the FSB are thinking now – are all Fabians this ignorant?? If so, we can
reduce manpower by 50%.
Since the dividing line between racism and Islamophobia is so fine as usually to be invisible, you must be being disingenuous as well as doubling down on your racism.
And you are dodging. You still haven’t explained how a ‘Constitutionalist’ can stand by while American democracy is hacked by a hostile foreign power enabling Trump’s election.
Because you can’t. Because you aren’t a Constitutionalist at all; you are a disgrace to your nation. And you know it.
“Hillary “uranium” Clinton. ”
Of course, the entire “HRC gave away a bunch of our uranium” is pure bullshit — I’m not surprised you buy into it.
“Myneighbor, unlike you, is capable of thought, reason, and is a decent person. You, on the other hand, have never made an honest point, never posted anything supported by facts, and are, in general, not a decent person. ”
This is your own self-induced, indictment of radicalization. It will consume
you in its entirety. Shame, a mind is a terrible thing to waste.
“This is your own self-induced, indictment of radicalization. It will consume
you in its entirety.”
Thanks for confirming the point about your inability to make a coherent statement.
It’s always projection.
For K9dean, ANOTHER CASE OF TDS
https://boston.cbslocal.com/2018/08/01/hit-and-run-trump-bumper-sticker-hyannis/
Nice video of unhinged leftist. They all drive foreign cars.
This what leftist do. TDS and loud, vulgar, violence.(LVV)
“Since the dividing line between racism and Islamophobia is so fine as usually to be invisible, you must be being disingenuous as well as doubling down on your racism.
And you are dodging. You still haven’t explained how a ‘Constitutionalist’ can stand by while American democracy is hacked by a hostile foreign power enabling Trump’s election.”
Is the dividing line a Red one – Obomda style. Religion is not a race.
Please read my book – Racist for Leftist Dummies. It includes a free
dictionary so you can understand the meaning of the word.
“hacked by a hostile foreign power”, completely nonsensical description
of events, as no polling place(s) were ever hacked, as you so foolishly
alleged.
Being a Laborite means never to have to tell any facts or tell the truth.
Another victim of Russian Collision Delusion.