President Donald Trump’s war on opioids is beginning to look more like a war on his drug policy office.
White House counselor Kellyanne Conway has taken control of the opioids agenda, quietly freezing out drug policy professionals and relying instead on political staff to address a lethal crisis claiming about 175 lives a day. The main response so far has been to call for a border wall and to promise a "just say no” campaign.
A border wall? Isn't oxycontin manufactured in North Carolina? Are they building a border wall around Raleigh-Durham?
The characters in this saga who are currently the most interesting to me, mainly because I can't get a solid sense of WTF they are really up to, are Carter Page, Devin Nunes, and James Fucking Comey. Those are the three that I think I'll understand much better later down the line from the perspective of history.
A few weeks ago, someone posted something about why Comey released that October letter about Clinton. I can't find it right now, but the gist of it was that it tied to some major corruption at the NY bureau of the FBI. I wish I could remember the details, but the theory made perfect sense, lined up with everything we already knew, and explained Comey's motivations perfectly. It definitely links back to Guiliani.
Kellyanne Conway’s 'opioid cabinet' sidelines drug czar’s experts
I am so HOT about this that I can barely even verbalize my rage. First- putting KAC in charge?! WHA?!? 2. Why is her primary move cleaning out anyone who knows about anything?!? (Rhetorical 😡) 3. When I hear #45 speak of this country’s horrible opioid addiction problem at his “rallies” to great cheers for his efforts to fix, i have to turn the station or turn the TV off every time.
It’s not just that he’s done nothing to fix the issue; on the contrary, he’s installed pharmaceutical kingpins who are stripping rules & attempting to do the opposite of solving the problem! Money from pharmaceutical and insurance companies (Cough, lobbyists) is their only interest. Sickening.
The characters in this saga who are currently the most interesting to me, mainly because I can't get a solid sense of WTF they are really up to, are Carter Page, Devin Nunes, and James Fucking Comey. Those are the three that I think I'll understand much better later down the line from the perspective of history.
A few weeks ago, someone posted something about why Comey released that October letter about Clinton. I can't find it right now, but the gist of it was that it tied to some major corruption at the NY bureau of the FBI. I wish I could remember the details, but the theory made perfect sense, lined up with everything we already knew, and explained Comey's motivations perfectly. It definitely links back to Guiliani.
I heard about that, but it still puzzles me why he'd do the letter thing and keep mum about there being any issue at all with 45's campaign when he clearly knew at that time that there were hugely serious concerns. The Carter Page FISA application was less than 2 weeks before that letter. I don't know, it just doesn't seem to fit together right for me and I still feel like there's a lot missing from the story.
A few weeks ago, someone posted something about why Comey released that October letter about Clinton. I can't find it right now, but the gist of it was that it tied to some major corruption at the NY bureau of the FBI. I wish I could remember the details, but the theory made perfect sense, lined up with everything we already knew, and explained Comey's motivations perfectly. It definitely links back to Guiliani.
I heard about that, but it still puzzles me why he'd do the letter thing and keep mum about there being any issue at all with 45's campaign when he clearly knew at that time that there were hugely serious concerns. The Carter Page FISA application was less than 2 weeks before that letter. I don't know, it just doesn't seem to fit together right for me and I still feel like there's a lot missing from the story.
My theory is that Comey genuinely thought Clinton was going to win and wanted to come out looking good. I wonder if he was worried that the disgruntled NY agents would somehow make his life a living hell if she won and would spur congressional investigations about whether the FBI was in the tank for Clinton. (Oh, if only he'd known...)
Of course, the Worldly (podcast) episode about the FBI basically discussed how fundamental cultural issues at the FBI, including the environment that allows these NY agents to leak/exert this kind of pressure, hasn't been resolved.
Post by turnipthebeet on Feb 6, 2018 16:44:28 GMT -5
Regarding the democratic response memo, RM was talking last night about how the house voted unanimously to release, and now the WH is reviewing. She made it sound as though one reason they may have done that was so that the WH could have further visibility into details of the investigation(s) to help him prepare rebuttals. And of course he will not block the release of the memo.
The characters in this saga who are currently the most interesting to me, mainly because I can't get a solid sense of WTF they are really up to, are Carter Page, Devin Nunes, and James Fucking Comey. Those are the three that I think I'll understand much better later down the line from the perspective of history.
A few weeks ago, someone posted something about why Comey released that October letter about Clinton. I can't find it right now, but the gist of it was that it tied to some major corruption at the NY bureau of the FBI. I wish I could remember the details, but the theory made perfect sense, lined up with everything we already knew, and explained Comey's motivations perfectly. It definitely links back to Guiliani.
One argument that the F.B.I gave in response was that now that the circle had become much bigger, including agents in New York, the probability of a leak was high and would only increase once the request for the warrant was filed. “Yes, it was absolutely explicit that one reason for the letter was that the agents in New York would leak it,” says a Justice Department source.
Which is why it's so telling that the Trump team can't seem to get their story straight with him. If these people had their hands clean, they could easily say that CP was a loose cannon and then wanting to get to the bottom of his dirty tricks. But they are running around like crazy trying to distance themselves but also defend him at the same time, and they all change their stories about his role and who knew him.
I saw a Twitter thread that has Carter Page being a double agent. It made my head hurt. But at this point, nothing would surprise me.
Which is why it's so telling that the Trump team can't seem to get their story straight with him. If these people had their hands clean, they could easily say that CP was a loose cannon and then wanting to get to the bottom of his dirty tricks. But they are running around like crazy trying to distance themselves but also defend him at the same time, and they all change their stories about his role and who knew him.
I saw a Twitter thread that has Carter Page being a double agent. It made my head hurt. But at this point, nothing would surprise me.
Naveed Jamali said something about this possibility on AM Joy this weekend, but his line of thought required Carter Page to actually not be stupid, so I wasn't sure I could buy in to that. I do think there's more to the story with him and that he's likely been in touch with 45's team on an ongoing basis; no way that actually ended in September 2016 like they claim. The fact that they're trying to turn him into a martyr of an unfair FBI investigation does make me wonder what they think the FBI found while listening in on him. Lordy, I hope there are tapes!
I saw a Twitter thread that has Carter Page being a double agent. It made my head hurt. But at this point, nothing would surprise me.
Naveed Jamali said something about this possibility on AM Joy this weekend, but his line of thought required Carter Page to actually not be stupid, so I wasn't sure I could buy in to that. I do think there's more to the story with him and that he's likely been in touch with 45's team on an ongoing basis; no way that actually ended in September 2016 like they claim. The fact that they're trying to turn him into a martyr of an unfair FBI investigation does make me wonder what they think the FBI found while listening in on him. Lordy, I hope there are tapes!
This is the thread
It is Seth-level long.
WRT Page not being an idiot, he says Page graduated in the top 10% of his class at The Naval Academy.
The cast of characters in this saga is really something else. Everyone is kind of dumb, desperate to look important, and messy AF. A novel of this drama would be dismissed as unrealistic.
People have said since last summer that the story of this presidency & its Congressional sycophants would be turned down as a screenplay by even the most superficial production companies as too unrealistic.
#Winning
Or it would be turned into a movie/broadway hit a la "the producers"
I cannot wrap my head around a world in which Carter Page is an FBI informant.
It's not so much that he's an idiot. He's got a PhD and a couple of masters. His IQ is probably quite high. But it's easier to believe he's an over-educated batshit grifter desperate for power and attention than it is to believe he's been pulling off an Academy Award winning performance for two years running. =
I mean this:
Sorry, dude. It's far more likely to me that there were two energy businessmen sharing binders with Russians than it is that Carter Page's appearance on Chris Hayes was all some kind of mind-jedi trick orchestrated by Mueller.
Agreed ESF. It is too far fetched to believe Carter Page is an FBI informant. I bet the FBI informant knows Page though and that's why Page has FISA warrants.
Which is why it's so telling that the Trump team can't seem to get their story straight with him. If these people had their hands clean, they could easily say that CP was a loose cannon and then wanting to get to the bottom of his dirty tricks. But they are running around like crazy trying to distance themselves but also defend him at the same time, and they all change their stories about his role and who knew him.
I saw a Twitter thread that has Carter Page being a double agent. It made my head hurt. But at this point, nothing would surprise me.
That could explain why he feels he does not need a lawyer.
I wonder how many of the people pushing for Veteran's Day for the military parade are really just pushing it as far back as they can in the hope that something stops it before it happens.
I heard about that, but it still puzzles me why he'd do the letter thing and keep mum about there being any issue at all with 45's campaign when he clearly knew at that time that there were hugely serious concerns. The Carter Page FISA application was less than 2 weeks before that letter. I don't know, it just doesn't seem to fit together right for me and I still feel like there's a lot missing from the story.
My theory is that Comey genuinely thought Clinton was going to win and wanted to come out looking good. I wonder if he was worried that the disgruntled NY agents would somehow make his life a living hell if she won and would spur congressional investigations about whether the FBI was in the tank for Clinton. (Oh, if only he'd known...)
Of course, the Worldly (podcast) episode about the FBI basically discussed how fundamental cultural issues at the FBI, including the environment that allows these NY agents to leak/exert this kind of pressure, hasn't been resolved.
Back in December Seth Abramson posted a megathread about how anti-Clinton agents in the NY FBI office were on the verge of leaking to a conservative blog called True Pundit. Obviously take it with a large nugget of salt, but I think it’s plausible.
(Sorry, I posted the WP military parade story before refreshing after being interrupted) These parades can (& certainly will for Trumplethimskin) run in the MILLIONS! I definitely agree with aurora’s theory some may be pushing for Nov for a reason... I’m just imagining protests that will almost definitely transpire, which will turn into “Why do you hate our troops?!?”. Frankly- just thinking of the possible ramifications exhausts me.
Agreed ESF . It is too far fetched to believe Carter Page is an FBI informant. I bet the FBI informant knows Page though and that's why Page has FISA warrants.
I was skimming a Politico article about Carter Page's links to Russia. One of the things the article said was that Russia had spies here in the US make contact with him and try to build a relationship in order to try to turn him into a Russian informant....but then Russia decided that he was "too scatterbrained" to be useful.
I wonder how many of the people pushing for Veteran's Day for the military parade are really just pushing it as far back as they can in the hope that something stops it before it happens.
I was thinking this as well. However even if Dems take the House in the Nov elections those people will not be in office yet. I am not optimistic that this Congress will do anything. However if Mueller figures out a way to take him out in handcuffs that would be good.
I remember all that too and that’s long been my theory. The dates laid out plus the NY field office/Giuliani connection make a pretty good case with circumstantial evidence. It smells bad to me.
How about we actually spend money on something that benefits many Americans instead of stroking the ego of a crybaby with baby hands? Like healthcare.
OMG this. THIS. And not just the money, although the amount of it is appalling especially when you consider the number of Americans who are food insecure, or don't have heat in the winter, or are homeless, or don't have healthcare, or..... Think of all the military man hours that will be spent planning this event, the troops who will have to travel here and spend their day marching....if you are really concerned about military readiness, why don't you let them DO THEIR JOBS instead of diverting them for this??