February 2015 - Page 7 of 10

Half of New York Lawmakers Might Be Corrupt

February 11, 2015February 11, 2015 Buck Banks

I hope it’s not half. I mean, there are a lot of people who go into public service and are in for the right reasons and to do the right thing. But it–it’s an unfortunate percentage.

— U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, quoted by the New York Observer, on the portion of New York state lawmakers who are corrupt.

Volunteers Continue to Join ISIS Despite Bombing Efforts

February 11, 2015 Buck Banks

3,400

Number of foreign fighters flocking to join the Islamic State and other extremist groups from Western nations, among 20,000 from around the world, U.S. intelligence officials say in an updated estimate of a top terrorism concern,” the AP reports.

GOP Wary of Giving Obama War Powers

February 11, 2015 Buck Banks

You go to war with the president you’ve got, which would give us all pause.

— Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL), quoted by the New York Times, on President Obama seeking war powers to fight the Islamic State.

McCaskill Says It’s Not ‘Manly’ to Take Insurance Away

February 11, 2015 Buck Banks

I don’t think you prove your manhood by kicking folks off their health coverage.

— Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), responding to State Representative Mike Moon, Republican of Missouri, who introduced a bill in the Legislature urging the state’s congressional delegation to push for the Affordable Care Act’s repeal with “manly firmness.”

The Zealotry Prayer

February 10, 2015 Buck Banks

Here’s one from the archives:

Lord, save us from the Islamists,
And while you’re at it, the Christianists.
And save us from the Jews
And the holy rollers, too,
For we are humble zealot-fearing atheists, Amen.

Four Orgies Per Year Is Not ‘Out of Control’

February 10, 2015February 10, 2015 Buck Banks

When you read the criminal complaint you get the impression it was this frenetic activity. But it was four times a year, not more than that. It wasn’t this out-of-control activity.

— Former IMF President Dominique Strauss-Kahn, quoted by the Financial Times, on the sex parties he helped organize between 2008 and 2011.

Why the Media Cover Donald Trump

February 10, 2015 Buck Banks

One simple reason that media organizations cover Trump is that stories about him generate Internet traffic. In part, that’s because Trump is the star of a successful reality television show. But the casino magnate has also built up an impressive 1.65 million Facebook friends and another 2.7 million Twitter followers, about twice the combined total for the rest of the Republican field. That’s enough potential eyeballs to make the case that is is never OK not to cover him.

— Bloomberg.

Clinton Charity Accepted Millions from HSBC Clients

February 10, 2015 Buck Banks

$81 million

Amount the charitable foundation run by Hillary Clinton and her family has received from wealthy international donors who were clients of HSBC’s controversial Swiss bank, the Guardian reports. “Leaked files from HSBC’s Swiss banking division reveal the identities of seven donors to the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation with accounts in Geneva.”

Christie Will Be the Pawlenty of 2016 Campaign

February 10, 2015February 10, 2015 Buck Banks

It’s about the worst 30 days I’ve seen of any candidate. In his first couple of years, he had a lot of promise. But people who a year ago thought he was viable now say he’s not. He’ll be the Tim Pawlenty of this election cycle.

— GOP strategist Ed Rollins, quoted by the Newark Star Ledger, on Gov. Chris Christie (R).

Louisiana Lawmaker Says Obama Defended ISIS

February 10, 2015 Buck Banks

I was very disappointed, although not surprised. The president has said many things that just seem so unpresidential, and this was no exception. … Not only did he vilify Christianity, but he actually made a case to defend radical Islam, that’s killing people around the world. He actually defended what they were doing, and tried to draw some sort of twisted equivalency, moral equivalency, between what they’re doing today and what Crusaders did 800 years ago. It really, it was really weird.

— Rep. John Fleming (R-LA), asserting that President Obama’s speech to the National Prayer Breakfast last week in which he drew a historical comparison between atrocities committed by Islamic State fighters and past “terrible deeds in the name of Christ” were “unpresidential” and actually defended ISIS, BuzzFeed reports.

I hope it’s not half. I mean, there are a lot of people who go into public service and are in for the right reasons and to do the right thing. But it–it’s an unfortunate percentage.

— U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, quoted by the New York Observer, on the portion of New York state lawmakers who are corrupt.

3,400

Number of foreign fighters flocking to join the Islamic State and other extremist groups from Western nations, among 20,000 from around the world, U.S. intelligence officials say in an updated estimate of a top terrorism concern,” the AP reports.

You go to war with the president you’ve got, which would give us all pause.

— Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL), quoted by the New York Times, on President Obama seeking war powers to fight the Islamic State.

I don’t think you prove your manhood by kicking folks off their health coverage.

— Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), responding to State Representative Mike Moon, Republican of Missouri, who introduced a bill in the Legislature urging the state’s congressional delegation to push for the Affordable Care Act’s repeal with “manly firmness.”

When you read the criminal complaint you get the impression it was this frenetic activity. But it was four times a year, not more than that. It wasn’t this out-of-control activity.

— Former IMF President Dominique Strauss-Kahn, quoted by the Financial Times, on the sex parties he helped organize between 2008 and 2011.

— Bloomberg.

$81 million

It’s about the worst 30 days I’ve seen of any candidate. In his first couple of years, he had a lot of promise. But people who a year ago thought he was viable now say he’s not. He’ll be the Tim Pawlenty of this election cycle.

— GOP strategist Ed Rollins, quoted by the Newark Star Ledger, on Gov. Chris Christie (R).

Poetic Justice

Verbatim

“If you are committing fraud against the American people, all of us in public leadership should be trying to stop it and throw you in prison for enriching yourself off the American taxpayer.”

— Vice President JD Vance, on Fox News.

“Your generation has a great bullshit meter, because you’re fed bullshit online all day. And the Democratic Party brand right now is so bullshit.”

— Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed (D), quoted by The Atlantic, speaking to college students.

“We are done, Americans are done with endless conflict in the Middle East, spending trillions of dollars, American lives… this is insane and we have to call it for what it is.”

— Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO), on CNN.

Numerati

+175,000

“The U.S. State Department announced on Monday that it has revoked more than 175,000 visas during President Donald Trump’s administration so far,” Fox News reports.

$4,600

11

30%

A new American Research Group poll finds just 30% of Americans say they approve of the way Donald Trump is handling his job as president and 67% say they disapprove.

61% to 35%