Deadlnes and Distractions

Thursday, May 9, 2019, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

As each deadline passes for the House investigations of Trump, it is apparent that Trump will continue to stonewall all inquiries. So while we wait for the drama to play out, Trump continues to grab headlines with threats against Iran, Venezuela and China. This is "Wag the Dog" on multiple fronts.

The story is still unfolding, so I will wait another day to select the videos for the meeting. But here are two videos that summarizes the events so far. They could be old news by the time we meet on Thursday.

• Trump administration trampling government norms
• Iran, Venezuela and China: Finalists for America’s Next Top Battle

------------------------------------ Updated 6/10/19 --------------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• Senate Leaders Address Mueller Report
• What Congress Can Do When A President Ignores Its Subpoenas
• NYT Report on Trump’s Taxes & Massive Losses May Prompt Fraud Investigation
• Iran, Venezuela and China: Finalists for America’s Next Top Battle
• Trump on Kentucky Derby & Tiger Woods

New Zealand to Sri Lanka to California

Thursday, May 2, 2019, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

The live streaming of the New Zealand shooter last month may have worked. The bombings in Sri Lanka, two weeks ago, may have been in retaliation. This week a shooting in San Diego and a foiled plot in Los Angeles were also inspired by the New Zealand shooting.

We can hope that another New Zealand phenomenon will also spread, the rapid passing of gun control laws. Maybe the recent disarray at the NRA will help.

Here are the videos for the meeting:

• New Zealand gunman streamed mosque shooting
• ISIS claims responsibility for Sri Lanka bombings
• Attack on San Diego synagogue leaves 1 dead
• Afghanistan war vet plotted to bomb white nationalist rally
• New Zealand gun law reforms
• Reports Show NRA in Crisis

------------------------------------ Updated 5/2/19 ---------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• Synagogue shooting suspect appears in court
• Anti-Semitic assaults doubled the U.S. in 2018
• Alleged gunman sat in class for 10 minutes before opening fire

Mueller Report Fallout

Thursday, April 25, 2019, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

For the next meeting. we will cover the release of the redacted Mueller Report and its aftermath. The aftermath is still playing out, so I will still be reviewing videos until the night before the meeting. But the immediate reaction to the report is capture in the following video:

• Mueller Report: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

-------------------------------- Updated 4/25/19 -----------------------------------

Here are the videos shown at the meeting:

• The Mueller Report Has (Mostly) Been Released
• Everything You Need To Know About The Mueller Report
• US Democrat Nadler subpoenas full, underacted Mueller report
• Mueller Report Reveals Links Between Russian Government, Trump Campaign
• Should Democrats push for impeachment?
• Debate over impeachment heats up after Mueller report
• Trump says he would take any impeachment attempt to the Supreme Court
• Trump sues to fight subpoena for his financial records
• House panel wants to hold Carl Kline in contempt

Trouble for Boeing and FAA

Thursday, April 18, 2019, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

The investigation into the Ethiopian Airlines crash on March 10 has led to a serious credibility problem for Boeing and the FAA. For our next meeting we will see how the story unfolded from the crash, to the groundings, to the investigations, to the hearings, to the assignment if blame, and to the lawsuits.

Before you come to the meeting, please watch this video which explains the underlying problem with the Boeing 737 max. We probably not have time to watch it during the meeting.

• The real reason Boeing's new plane crashed twice

----------------------------------- Updated 4/18/19 --------------------------------------------

Here are the videos that were shown at the meeting:

• Several airlines ground Boeing 737 Max 8 planes after deadly crash
• Lion Air Crash Scenario Wasn't Covered In Boeing 737 MAX Manual
• Dozens of airlines halt Boeing 737 Max 8 flights after crash
• FAA says evidence begins to connect Boeing 737 Max 8 crashes
• When 'psycho' automation left this pilot powerless
• FAA’s consent to let Boeing ‘self-certify’ raises concerns, calls for investigation
• Audit ordered for Boeing after Ethiopian Airlines crash
• FBI and Pentagon inspector general joining Boeing investigations
• Boeing Introduces New 737 Max Software In Wake Of Crashes
• Ethiopian Airlines pilots reportedly followed Boeing's emergency procedures before crash
• What we know about the Ethiopian Airlines crash investigation

Meanwhile in Israel

Thursday, April 11, 2019, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

Today is the Israel Knesset elections which will determine if Netanyahu continues to serve as Prime Minister. The early exit polls shows a close race as expected. We may not know the winner when we meet on Thursday.

This is a good time to catch up on the events in Israel, not only the election but also the how Trump has emboldened Netanyahu to move further to the right concerning Gaza, the West Bank and the Golan Heights in spite of his legal troubles. We will also explore Israel's recent rise as an global power in energy and technology.

I am still selecting the videos for the meeting.

--------------------------------------- Update 4/11/19 --------------------------------------------

Here are the videos shown at the meeting:

• What 'total victory for Netanyahu' means for Israel and beyond
• Israeli PM Netanyahu seeks another term in high-stakes election
• Is Israel in the Hands of Radicals
• What does Benny Gantz stand for
• What is the Golan Heights
• An Oil BOOM in ISRAEL

Tea Party of the Left

Thursday, April 4, 2019, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

AOC is not backing down from anything in the Green New Deal as seen HERE in an MSNBC town hall meeting. She insists that the "socialism" part of the GND is essential to her plan. She rejected the characterization of leading a Tea Party of the Left, because of the morality of her movement.

The GND was just one of several partisan battles that flared this week. We also saw the renewed battle to repeal Obamacare, the border crisis and the fight to release the Mueller Report. All this played into the narrative of Howard Schultz, who said that the two parties have become too radical and will run as a centrist third party candidate if the Democrats nominate someone like Bernie Sanders. This became more likely this week with the problems of Joe Biden.

For the next meeting, we will discuss if AOC is indeed leading a Tea Party of the Left and if Howard Schultz will enter the race and insure Trump's reelection. The AOC town hall is too long for the meeting so I will try to create a shorter version.

Here are the videos for Schultz and Biden:

• Howard Schultz: The Green New Deal is fantasy
• What Biden controversy could mean for a potential campaign

------------------------------- Updated 4/3/19 ---------------------------------

Here is the shortened version of the AOC town hall on the GND:

• Tea Party of the Left

------------------------------- Updated 4/4/19 ---------------------------------

Here is the other video shown at the meeting:

• Pelosi and House Democrats Introduce Climate Action Now Act

Mueller Report and the Green New Deal

Thursday, March 28, 2019, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

This was a bad week for Democrats. Over the weekend, the Mueller Report cleared Trump on collusion with the Russians. Then, on Tuesday, the Dems were forced to vote on the Green New Deal. They planned to all vote "Present", but three Dems and one independent voted with the Republicans to defeat the Green New Deal, 57 to 0. The six Dem Senators running for president, had cosponsored the Green New Deal.

I am still collecting videos for the meeting, but HERE is a debate on the Mueller Report, Glenn Greenwald vs. David Cay Johnston. This video is almost 40 minutes long, so we will not have time to show it at the meeting, but we will discuss it.

---------------------------------------- Updated 3/30/19 ---------------------------------------

Here are the videos shown at the meeting:

• Mueller Finds No Trump-Russia Coordination
• All the Other Reasons Trump Is a Bad President
• McConnell believes climate change is real
• Republican solution to climate change
• Real climate change fix is to have more kids