We Resist: Day 258

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One of the difficulties in resisting the Trump administration, the Republican Congressional majority, and Republican state legislatures is keeping on top of the sheer number of horrors, indignities, and normalization of the aggressively abnormal that they unleash every single day.

So here is a daily thread for all of us to share all the things that are going on, thus crowdsourcing a daily compendium of the onslaught of conservative erosion of our rights and our very democracy.

Stay engaged. Stay vigilant. Resist.

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The administration planted a bunch of bullshit stories with the stenographers of the political media this morning about how Donald Trump is on the outs with Rex Tillerson. Then, having raised speculation that Tillerson might resign, it was announced that Tillerson would make a statement. His statement turned out to be a bunch of ass-kissing about how much he loves Trump and isn't going anywhere.


Why today? Well:


Trump was probably quite worried about this announcement:


Which just goes to show you how clueless he really is, since there was never anything about which to worry, as the Republican Congressional majority continues to carry water for their president.


Insert an epic eyeroll and a great heaving sigh here. P.S.


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In other news...


Esme Cribb at TPM: The Most Jaw-Dropping Remarks from Trump's Puerto Rico Trip.
On his way out of the White House on Tuesday, Trump incorrectly claimed that roads on Puerto Rico have been cleared and congratulated himself on doing what he dubiously claimed was "a great job."

Then he called on residents of the hurricane-pummeled island — many of whom lack electricity, access to water and sewage treatment after a Category 4 storm hit nearly two weeks ago — to give the federal government a hand.

"We need their truck drivers," Trump said. "Their drivers have to start driving trucks. We have to do that, so at a local level they have to give us more help."

A U.S. labor union told CNN on Saturday that the island is facing not only a shortage of diesel fuel, a necessity for powering the trucks, but also a possible shortage of the vehicles themselves. "It is unclear if there are trucks available to move the containers, fuel to operate the trucks, or road access to the distribution centers," the Teamsters union said.

When he landed on the island, Trump informed Puerto Ricans that the federal relief effort to rebuild their shattered infrastructure is coming out of government coffers.

"I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but you've thrown our budget a little out of whack, because we spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico, and that's fine," Trump said. He then compared Hurricane Maria to Katrina, which he called a "real catastrophe."

...Then, during a tour of the devastation, he told survivors to "have a good time."

"Great to see you," Trump added.

During a later appearance where he handed out supplies, the president "tossed rolls of paper towels into the crowd," according to a White House pool report. "There's a lot of love in this room," he said. "Great people."

Trump later claimed that "most of the hospitals" on Puerto Rico were open. He said "the job that's been done" on the island "is really nothing short of a miracle." As of Friday, of Puerto Rico's 69 hospitals, only one was fully operational, according to FEMA.

"Flashlights," Trump said to the crowd, handing out the items at an aid center. "You don't need them anymore!" As of Monday, Reuters reported, the U.S. Energy Department said about 5.4 percent of customers had power restored.
What a colossal jerk he is.


What have you been reading that we need to resist today?

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