Battling the Trump Cabinet Nominations

We are bloody but unbowed. Yesterday, after massive efforts of letter writing, phone calling, emailing, and petition signing, Betsy DeVos was confirmed as Secretary of Education by an historic tie-breaking vote by VP and Senate President Mike Pence.

Not long afterward, the effort to confirm Jeff Sessions, noted bigot, as Attorney General ran into an effort by Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to read a letter penned in 1986 by Coretta Scott King in opposition to Sessions being appointed a federal district judge in Alabama.

Senate rebukes Warren for reading from Coretta Scott King letter

By Matt Viser and Victoria McGrane Globe Staff  February 08, 2017

WASHINGTON — Senator Elizabeth Warren was ruled in violation of Senate rules late Tuesday night after quoting from a decades-old letter written by Martin Luther King Jr.’s widow — a rare rebuke that silenced Warren from further debate on the nomination of Senator Jeff Sessions as attorney general.
The striking 49-to-43 vote, which occurred along party lines, marked yet another setback for decorum in a chamber that has long considered itself the world’s greatest deliberative body. It also immediately made the Massachusetts Democrat a hero of the left, with a Twitter hashtag #LetLizSpeak quickly going viral.
Read more >>>>

We see how this is going.

Here are the Twitter hashtags.

"Silencing Elizabeth Warren"
#LetLizSpeak
#ShePersists
#ShePersisted

Here is the exchange on the Senate floor.

The swamp gases in DC are toxic.

Stay battle-ready. This is just the beginning.

Thank you, Liz!

Here is the letter.

My Senator, Cory Booker.

Sen. @CoryBooker: I start my remarks tonight aggrieved by what I saw happen to @SenWarren. #StopSessions #LetLizSpeak pic.twitter.com/erfYPuNX6M

— Civil Rights (@civilrightsorg) February 8, 2017

From Hillary Clinton:

"She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted."

So must we all.https://t.co/JXROGHPNkH

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) February 8, 2017

Happy Black History Month!

Cross-posted at The Department of Homegirl Security.

Secretary Clinton’s Remarks at the International Donors’ Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti

Reblogging this from March, 2010 because on MTP Mike Pence and then Hugh Hewitt insulted this effort to help Haiti.

Leaders from all over the world - government and NGOs - have convened to assist earthquake-stricken Haiti.

International Donors' Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

United Nations Headquarters

New York, New York

March 31, 2010

---

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you very much, Secretary General, and thank you for your leadership and your personal commitment to this international endeavor.
President Preval, to you and the members of your government, we thank you for the extraordinary work that you have done leading up to this point.
To former President Clinton, with whom I first went to Haiti many years ago about two months after we were married, thank you for taking on another assignment from the Secretary General.
And to all of the countries and international institutions represented here, thank you. Thank you for the immediate response to the overwhelming catastrophe that afflicted the Haitian people and thank you for your continuing commitment.
We have had over 140 nations working to support the Government of Haiti in delivering food, temporary shelter, and medical care to thousands of survivors. But the emergency relief is only the beginning of what will be a long road to recovery, as the Secretary General just pointed out; one that will require global support.
Some people wonder, “Why Haiti? Why this great outpouring of international humanitarian concern and commitment to Haiti’s future? Why is Haiti’s fate of such consequence to the region and the world that it deserves sustained help? Why should we hope that this time, with our collective assistance, Haiti can achieve a better future?” These are questions that deserve answers and I believe that this conference will begin to do so.
The humanitarian need, we know, is great. Therefore, as fellow human beings, we respond from a position of conscience and morality to help those who, but for the grace of God, we could be in a world where natural disasters are often unpredictable, inflicting great costs. Haiti was a country of 9 million people before the earthquake. Today, more than a quarter of a million of those people have died. More than a million are homeless. Hundreds of thousands live in temporary camps without enough food or sufficient access to sanitation. Nearly every government agency has been destroyed along with universities, hospitals, and primary schools, which we know are the foundations to a nation’s long-term progress. Close to a million young people were preparing to enter the job market within five years. Now their opportunities have crumbled while the need for jobs has multiplied.
Before the earthquake, Haiti was on a path to progress. The government, led by President Preval, had started enacting critical reforms. Haiti’s economy grew by nearly 3 percent last year. Two international chains launched new hotels, a sign of a rising tourism industry. New factories were opening and others had been contracted to begin production. But with the earthquake, the results of much of this hard work were wiped away. But the people of Haiti never gave up. As they mourn their losses, they gathered the resources they had left and began working around the clock to put their lives and their country back together. They relied on the strength and the spirit that have carried them through tough times before. But they need our help. They cannot succeed without the support of the global community, and we need Haiti to succeed. What happens there has repercussions far beyond its borders.
There are two paths that lie before us. If Haiti can build safe homes, its citizens can escape many of the dangers they now face and return to more normal lives. If Haiti can realize broad-based, sustainable economic growth, it can create opportunity across the country beyond Port-au-Prince so Haitians don’t have to move to their capital or leave their country to find work. If Haiti can build strong health and education systems, it can give its people the tools they need to contribute to their nation’s progress and fulfill their own God-given potentials. If Haiti can create strong, transparent, accountable institutions, it can establish the credibility, trust, and stability its people have long-deserved. And if Haiti can do all of those things with our help, it will become an engine for progress and prosperity generating opportunity and fostering greater stability for itself and for countries throughout the hemisphere and beyond.
But there is another path that Haiti could take, a path that demands far less of Haiti and far less of us. If the effort to rebuild is slow or insufficient, if it is marked by conflict, lack of coordination, or lack of transparency, then the challenges that have plagued Haiti for years could erupt with regional and global consequences. Before the earthquake, migration drained Haiti of many talented citizens, many of whom live in our country. If new jobs and opportunity do not emerge, even more people will leave.
Before the earthquake, quality healthcare was a challenge for Haiti. Now, it is needed even more urgently. Haiti has the highest rate of tuberculosis in the hemisphere, the highest rate of HIV, the highest rates of infant, child, and maternal mortality, one of the highest rates of child malnutrition. And with the public health system now shattered, those numbers will climb. The lack of sanitation services could cause outbreaks of lethal illnesses. And the lack of reliable medical services could give rise to new drug-resistant strains of disease that will soon cross borders.
Before the earthquake, hunger was a problem for Haiti. Years of deforestation had stripped the land of its rich topsoil and people struggled to grow or purchase enough food to feed their families. The riots over food that broke out in 2008 toppled Haiti’s government. Now, food is even more scarce, and people more desperate.
Before the earthquake, security was a challenge for Haiti, and a United Nations peacekeeping mission, MINUSTAH, helped promote the rule of law. Now the dedicated UN workers in Haiti have suffered terrible losses. So have the Haitian National Police, which were building their ranks and their capacity. With so much destruction and dislocation, security is even more tenuous. Drug trafficking is a half a billion dollar a year industry in Haiti. It thrives on political and social instability. Trafficking in human beings is also rampant. Tens of thousands of children are trafficked in Haiti every year, and now even more are vulnerable.
Now, each of these problems directly affects the people of Haiti, but they indirectly affect us all. And if they worsen, it is not only the people of Haiti who will suffer. Yet I have great confidence in the resilience of the people of Haiti. Their history has tested them and now they are being tested again. So are Haiti’s leaders, in whom I also have great confidence. So we are called to do better than we have in the past. Many countries here have helped Haiti in the past. Many NGOs have helped Haiti in the past. We cannot do what we’ve done before.
The leaders of Haiti must take responsibility for their country’s reconstruction. They must make the tough decisions that guide a strong, accountable, and transparent recovery. And that is what they are starting to do with the creation of a new mechanism that provides coordination and consultation so aid can be directed where it is most needed. And we in the global community, we must also do things differently. It will be tempting to fall back on old habits – to work around the government rather than to work with them as partners, or to fund a scattered array of well-meaning projects rather than making the deeper, long-term investments that Haiti needs now. We cannot retreat to failed strategies.
I know we’ve heard these imperatives before – the need to coordinate our aid, hold ourselves accountable, share our knowledge, track results. But now, we cannot just declare our intentions. We have to follow through and put them into practice. Therefore, this is not only a conference about what financially we pledge to Haiti. We also have to pledge our best efforts to do better ourselves – to offer our support in a smarter way, a more effective way that produces real results for the people of Haiti.
So let us say here, with one voice, we will pass this test for us. To that end, the United States pledges $1.15 billion for Haiti’s long-term recovery and reconstruction. This money will go toward supporting the Government of Haiti’s plan to strengthen agriculture, energy, health, security, and governance. We are committed to working with the people and organizations throughout Haiti, including civil society groups, private businesses, NGOs, and citizens. And I’m very glad to see so many of them represented here today.
We will also be looking for ways to engage our Haitian diaspora. Haitian Americans have much to contribute to this effort. And we will seek specifically to empower the women of Haiti. I’ve said this so many times that I know I sound like a broken record, but investing in women is the best investment we can make in any country. And investing in the Haitian women will fuel the long-term economic recovery and progress, not only for them, but for their families.
Over the years, all of our countries have learned many lessons, particularly from the tsunami that the United Nations was instrumental in leading the response to. Now, we must put those lessons to work in Haiti. I’m very excited and very committed on behalf of President Obama, the Government of the United States, and the people of the United States to help Haiti and to help the leaders of Haiti lead a recovery effort worthy of their highest hopes.
Thank you so much, Secretary General. (Applause.)

NEW YORK - MARCH 31: (L to R) U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Haitian President Rene Garcia Preval and former U.S. President and U.N. Special Envoy for Haiti Bill Clinton attend the opening session of the "International Donors' Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti" at United Nations headquarters March 31, 2010 in New York City. The United Nations and United States are jointly hosting the donors conference for the Haitian government which is seeking about $3.8 billion in funds to assist the country in recovery from the devastating January 12 earthquake. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (L) speaks as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (C) and Hatian President Rene Preval (R) listen during the International Donors' Conference meeting towards a "New Future for Haiti" at United Nations Headquarters, in New York, March 31, 2010. Some 120 countries, international organizations and aid groups are meeting at the United Nations in New York to pledge support for a Haitian government recovery plan that includes decentralizing the economy to create jobs and wealth outside Port-au-Prince, the capital of some 4 million people. REUTERS/Chip East (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS)

NEW YORK - MARCH 31: (L to R) U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Haitian President Rene Garcia Preval and former U.S. President and U.N. Special Envoy for Haiti Bill Clinton attend the opening session of the "International Donors' Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti" at United Nations headquarters March 31, 2010 in New York City. The United Nations and United States are jointly hosting the donors conference for the Haitian government which is seeking about $3.8 billion in funds to assist the country in recovery from the devastating January 12 earthquake. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon (L) speaks as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R) listens at the International Donors' Conference meeting towards a "New Future for Haiti" at United Nations Headquarters, in New York, March 31, 2010. Some 120 countries, international organizations and aid groups are meeting at the United Nations in New York to pledge support for a Haitian government recovery plan that includes decentralizing the economy to create jobs and wealth outside Port-au-Prince, the capital of some 4 million people. REUTERS/Chip East (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS)

Catherine Ashton, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs, speaks as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R) listens at the International Donors' Conference meeting towards a "New Future for Haiti" at United Nations Headquarters, in New York, March 31, 2010. Some 120 countries, international organizations and aid groups are meeting at the United Nations in New York to pledge support for a Haitian government recovery plan that includes decentralizing the economy to create jobs and wealth outside Port-au-Prince, the capital of some 4 million people. REUTERS/Chip East (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS)

French Minister of Foreign Affairs Bernard Kouchner speaks as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R) listens at the International Donors' Conference meeting towards a "New Future for Haiti" at United Nations Headquarters, in New York, March 31, 2010. Some 120 countries, international organizations and aid groups are meeting at the United Nations in New York to pledge support for a Haitian government recovery plan that includes decentralizing the economy to create jobs and wealth outside Port-au-Prince, the capital of some 4 million people. REUTERS/Chip East (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS)

NEW YORK - MARCH 31: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton (L) speaks as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon looks on during the opening session of the "International Donors' Conference Towards a New Future for Haiti" at United Nations headquarters March 31, 2010 in New York City. The United Nations and United States are jointly hosting the donors conference for the Haitian government which is seeking about $3.8 billion in funds to assist the country in recovery from the devastating January 12 earthquake. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton (R), a U.N. special representative for Haiti, speaks as Haitian President Rene Preval (2nd R), U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (2nd L) and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton listen during the International Donors' Conference meeting towards a "New Future for Haiti" at United Nations Headquarters, in New York, March 31, 2010. Some 120 countries, international organizations and aid groups are meeting at the United Nations in New York to pledge support for a Haitian government recovery plan that includes decentralizing the economy to create jobs and wealth outside Port-au-Prince, the capital of some 4 million people. REUTERS/Chip East (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS)

Hmmmmm... I thought helping Haiti was a good thing! Did you think so too? Why not chip in what you can to support our former secretary of state who was kind to a stricken neighbor on our behalf!

A Way-Cool Way to Support Hillary Clinton!

Hillary and her campaign have routinely taken recordings and video clips of Trump's outrageous statements and used them in ads that Pence called an insult-driven campaign. We agree. The words are insulting, and his running mate is the author.

A fellow in Portland, Oregon came up with a creative way of using the GOP team's words to support Hillary!  Take a Trump or Pence quote, buy it as a domain name, and redirect the URL to HillaryClinton.com!  Congrats to Danilo Alfaro for the coolest Hillary-support trick of the week.

Portland man buys thatmexicanthing.com, redirects to Hillary Clinton website

By Kale Williams | The Oregonian/OregonLive
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on October 05, 2016

Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine (L) and Republican vice presidential nominee Mike Pence (R) debate during the Vice Presidential Debate at Longwood University on October 4, 2016 in Farmville, Virginia. This is the second of four debates during the presidential election season and the only debate between the vice presidential candidates. (Photo by Andrew Gombert - Pool/Getty Images) (Andrew Gombert - Pool/Getty Images)

One of the few memorable moments from the otherwise tepid vice presidential debate on Tuesday night was when Indiana Gov. Mike Pence accused his rival, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, of "whipping out that Mexican thing again."
Pence was referring to the oft-referenced Donald Trump statement referring to Mexicans immigrants as criminals and rapists. Given the mild nature of the debate, at least in comparison to the previous week's presidential contest, the "Mexican thing" quote quickly took off on social media.
It also grabbed the attention of Danilo Alfaro, a Portland-based food writer who was in the midst of putting his son to bed as the two candidates repeatedly interrupted each other.
Read more >>>>

Here's how it works. When you type thatmexicanthing.com in the location bar and hit enter, the location immediately changes to HillaryClinton.com. Presto chango!  Right before your eyes!  How cool is that?

If you can't buy a domain name and perform a magic redirect, you can still be a hero for Hillary by chipping in what you can.

The VP Debate in VA on "Taco Tuesday!"

Former Virginia governor and current Senator, Tim Kaine, got an extra "luck of the taco" boost in the Vice-Presidential Debate at Longwood University since it occurred on National Taco Day - specifically Taco Tuesday.


Hillary sent her encouragement.

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton

Senator Tim Kaine ‏@timkaine 2h2 hours agoYou're never too old to invite your parents to your #VPDebate. Tune in to watch at 9pm ET.

.@TimKaine's spent his whole life fighting for working families, so I have no doubt he'll do the same tonight. Go get 'em, Tim. -H

 

 

“We trust her with the most important thing in our life: We have a son deployed overseas” —Tim on Hillary #VPDebate https://t.co/gOebYeetCE

— Senator Tim Kaine (@timkaine) October 5, 2016

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton

"Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine want to build on Obamacare." —Mike Pence Fact check: True. #VPDebate

Pence had no choice but to agree with Kaine on community policing.

Senator Tim Kaine ‏@timkaine

Trump stood on the debate stage last week and said not paying taxes “makes me smart.” Guess that makes all the rest of us stupid. #VPDebate

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton

"The policies of this administration have driven this economy into a ditch.” —Pence Nope. #VPDebate

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton

When Mike Pence says he and Donald Trump won't raise taxes, he's lying. http://hrc.io/2dCY53o  #VPDebate

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton

Implicit bias is real. It hurts Americans. Anyone who'd outright deny its existence is unfit for the White House. #VPDebate

Senator Tim Kaine ‏@timkaine

“People shouldn’t be afraid to bring up issues of bias in law enforcement...if you’re afraid to have the discussion, you’ll never solve

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton

.@timkaine just reminded Mike Pence of the bigoted things Trump has said about millions of Americans—and Pence couldn't defend it. #VPDebate

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton

Trump has called Mexicans “racists” and “criminals.” He’s called women “fat pigs.” This man has no business being president. #VPDebate

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton

Hillary Clinton Retweeted Donald J. Trump

Yes, Trump and Pence are running an insult-driven campaign. Donald's literally doing it right now. #VPDebate

Hillary Clinton added,

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump

"@Jnelson52722: @realDonaldTrump @Susiesentinel Kaine looks like an evil crook out of the Batman movies"

Senator Tim Kaine ‏@timkaine

"I cannot believe that Governor Pence would sit here and defend his running mate’s claim that we should have a deportation force.” #VPDebate

Senator Tim Kaine ‏@timkaine

“These guys…want to go to house-to-house, school-to-school and business-to-business and kick out 16 million people.”

Senator Tim Kaine ‏@timkaine

"Donald Trump can’t start a Twitter war with Miss Universe without shooting himself in the foot.” —Tim #VPDebate

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton

Wonder if Trump has shown Pence his "secret plan" to defeat ISIS. We’re still waiting. #VPDebate

Hillary Clinton Retweeted

Literally Trump ‏@literally_trump

Donald Trump said Putin is a better leader than President Obama. And his running mate agrees.

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton

Mike Pence claiming that Trump supports our troops and veterans when he insults them and probably doesn't pay taxes is laughable. #VPDebate

Senator Tim Kaine ‏@timkaine

“How can you support the troops if you won’t pay taxes?” —Tim #VPDebate

"If you mistake leadership for dictatorship and you can't tell the difference, ...  if you can't tell the difference,  you shouldn't be Commander-in-Chief."  - TK(O)

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton

Tim Kaine is right: We should stop praising Putin. #VPDebate

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton

Actually, @mike_pence, your running mate did say that. http://hrc.io/2dD2pQ9  #VPDebate

Senator Tim Kaine ‏@timkaine

The Clinton Foundation has an A+ rating from Charity Watch. Yesterday the Trump Foundation was ordered to stop fundraising in NY. #VPDebate

The Briefing ‏@TheBriefing2016

.@ClintonFdn spends 87% of its funds directly on charity. See for yourself: #VPDebate

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton

The Trump Foundation has spent "virtually every cent on charitable causes." —@mike_pence http://hrc.io/2dvyeIp  #VPDebate

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton

"We support Roe v. Wade. We support the constitutional right of American women to...make their own decision about pregnancy." —@timkaine

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton

"We support Roe v. Wade. We support the constitutional right of American women to...make their own decision about pregnancy." —@timkain

 Every time Kaine repeated Trump's words, Pence said "No way!"  Kaine said, "WAY!"  Here is an interseting Twitter review.

• Hillary Clinton Retweeted

  Adam Jentleson ‏@AJentleson 1h1 hour ago

  The disloyalty Pence demonstrated was astounding. He defended Trump on nothing. He created his own platform and defended it instead.

Support the Democratic ticket tonight!  Chip in if you can >>>>