Dianne Feinstein versus Chuck Grassley

[AGBF]

Dianne Feinstein is not always very courageous, but she finally did something good: she defied Chuck Grassley, the Trump comforter from Iowa who has been a good Nazi for too long. She released the testimony of the Fusion GPS founder that shows him to be a serious person. Grassley and Trump's other dupes were charging that Fusion GPS and Christopher Steele (who uncovered Trump's collusion with Russia*) were the criminals. The criminals are Trump and his campaign staffers.

"WASHINGTON — Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, on Tuesday unilaterally released a highly anticipated transcript of the committee’s interview with one of the founders of the firm that produced a salacious and unsubstantiated dossier outlining a Russian effort to aide the Trump campaign.

The interview, with Glenn R. Simpson of Fusion GPS, took place last summer and was expected to shed light on the origins of the firm’s work, its concerns about the Trump campaign’s activities, and what the F.B.I. may have done with the information.

'The American people deserve the opportunity to see what he said and judge for themselves,” Ms. Feinstein said. “The innuendo and misinformation circulating about the transcript are part of a deeply troubling effort to undermine the investigation into potential collusion and obstruction of justice. The only way to set the record straight is to make the transcript public.'"


https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/09/...column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

*When I say that Fusion GPS and Christopher Steele "uncovered" the collusion, I do not want to take away from the role of George Papadopoulos, who of course was the very first to expose the collusion to Australia from within the plot. I just mean they were the first good guys to uncover it from the outside.

 

[t-c]

Thank you, Diane Feinstein! Way to call the Republicans' bluff.

 

[AGBF]

Did someone die as a result of The Steele Dossier? It seems likely. And yet Christopher Steele is being treated as the criminal by The Senate Judiciary Republicans. Lindsey Graham and Chuck Grassley should be ashamed. They are dishonorable men. I used to think far better of Lindsey Graham, particularly since he is a friend of Senator John McCain, whom I honor.

Link...https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fusion...-been-killed-because-trump-dossier-published/

 

[AGBF]

I posted an excerpt from the article below. If you cannot tell the good guy from the bad guy, let me know. I will enlighten you. I am sick of confused Americans. All one has to do is read the newspapers or, if one cannot read, turn on a television channel where the hosts are not imbeciles.

Deb


"Trump chides Feinstein, urges GOP to control Russia probes
President Donald Trump on Wednesday accused Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of being 'underhanded and a disgrace' for disclosing details of a dossier of allegations about his ties to Russia during the campaign. He also again lashed out at the investigations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election, urging Republicans to take control of the inquiries and repeating his claim that they are on a 'witch hunt.'

A day earlier, Feinstein, who faces a primary challenge in her re-election this year, released the transcript of the Senate Judiciary Committee's closed-door August interview with an official from the political opposition research firm Fusion GPS, which commissioned the dossier. She released the transcript of Glenn Simpson's interview over the objections of the committee's Republican chairman, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley. She is the top Democrat on the panel.

'The fact that Sneaky Dianne Feinstein, who has on numerous occasions stated that collusion between Trump/Russia has not been found, would release testimony in such an underhanded and possibly illegal way, totally without authorization, is a disgrace,' Trump tweeted. 'Must have tough Primary!'

In a second tweet, he repeated his claim that the investigations are the 'single greatest Witch Hunt' in the country's history.

'There was no collusion, everybody including the Dems knows there was no collusion, & yet on and on it goes,' he wrote in a separate Tweet. 'Russia & the world is laughing at the stupidity they are witnessing. Republicans should finally take control!'

Feinstein's release was not illegal because the information wasn't classified. And as the top Democrat on the committee, she didn't need authorization from Grassley to release it. Her staff helped conduct the interview with Simpson.

Still, the release bucked the two lawmakers' earlier attempts at bipartisanship on the committee's Russia investigation. Grassley said he was 'confounded' by the release and argued that it could undermine attempts to get additional witnesses.

Feinstein also sits on the Senate intelligence committee, which is conducting its own investigation into the Russian interference and whether Trump's campaign was in any way involved. Special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation is continuing, and his probe so far has resulted in charges against four of Trump's campaign advisers."

Link to source of article...http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/trump-lashes-feinstein-releasing-transcript-52258607

 

[t-c]

Re: "confused" people: maybe there should be a test on not just who can get into the US, but also on who can stay in the US -- including those born here. I mean Trump wants only the best people, right? And as he said, "Who can argue against merit-based?"

 

[Dee*Jay]

Re: "confused" people: maybe there should be a test on not just who can get into the US, but also on who can stay in the US -- including those born here. I mean Trump wants only the best people, right? And as he said, "Who can argue against merit-based?"

The words to the national anthem should be a part of that test.

 

[smitcompton]

Yes, we need a new test. A Pres, also must know what is being discussed at a bi-partisan meeting regarding vital subjects. He agrees with everyone. Understands very little. Sorry, I couldn't stop laughing last nite when they showed video of the meeting.

Thank Goodness for Sen. Feinstein. I too am very disappointed in Sen, Graham. Golfing with the Pres. made him a Trumpite. Things are not looking good.

Annette

 

[Tekate]

I give kudos to Senator Feinstein. Grassley is a terrible person. I read the whole report. It seemed to me as though the republicans are totally ignoring the Russian influence, what went down and are trying to squash the whole thing. Unpatriotic to say the least.

 

[AGBF]

Re: "confused" people: maybe there should be a test on not just who can get into the US, but also on who can stay in the US -- including those born here. I mean Trump wants only the best people, right? And as he said, "Who can argue against merit-based?"

I used to teach a class for immigrants who were studying for the citizenship test, just a year or so ago. The test was very difficult. I am a former high school history teacher and I co-taught it with a very intelligent female attorney. Both of us felt that we would have been unable to pass the test had we taken it unprepared before we had first seen it. In other words, even for educated American citizens who vote and pay attention to political issues, that test was not a piece of cake. Yet new immigrants were expected to be able to master the material contained in it. When our students passed it, we were always really proud of them. We knew they were dedicated as well as highly intelligent.

Deb/AGBF

 

[Dancing Fire]

I give kudos to Senator Feinstein. Grassley is a terrible person. I read the whole report. It seemed to me as though the republicans are totally ignoring the Russian influence, what went down and are trying to squash the whole thing. Unpatriotic to say the least.

No their not. They are looking into (HRC) Hillary Russian Collusion.

 

[OoohShiny]

I used to teach a class for immigrants who were studying for the citizenship test, just a year or so ago. The test was very difficult. I am a former high school history teacher and I co-taught it with a very intelligent female attorney. Both of us felt that we would have been unable to pass the test had we taken it unprepared before we had first seen it. In other words, even for educated American citizens who vote and pay attention to political issues, that test was not a piece of cake. Yet new immigrants were expected to be able to master the material contained in it. When our students passed it, we were always really proud of them. We knew they were dedicated as well as highly intelligent.

Deb/AGBF

I believe much the same is true of the British citizenship test - many of us born-and-bred Brits drop history around the age of 14/15 due to needing to cut down on classes to just those we want to take at GCSE-level at 16, yet IIRC the Citizenship test includes a lot of history questions that many people didn't learn (due to the above) or have just plain forgotten now (because the brain seems to dump info not needed as we get older!).

 

[Tekate]

No their not. They are looking into (HRC) Hillary Russian Collusion.

http://www.grammar-monster.com/easily_confused/there_their_theyre.htm

 

[AGBF]

I believe much the same is true of the British citizenship test - many of us born-and-bred Brits drop history around the age of 14/15 due to needing to cut down on classes to just those we want to take at GCSE-level at 16, yet IIRC the Citizenship test includes a lot of history questions that many people didn't learn (due to the above) or have just plain forgotten now (because the brain seems to dump info not needed as we get older!).

When I got married, my husband (who had done some studying in England) introduced me to this book. I have loved it and attempted to introduce it to people ever since then. It is based on the premise that Brits remember only two dates in history (research having been done at a football match, I believe). They are 55 BC and 1066. Therefore, all other dates in history are irrelevant. It is a fabulous book!

Deb

 

[Dancing Fire]

http://www.grammar-monster.com/easily_confused/there_their_theyre.htm

I didn't learnt good grammars b/c our school was broken down and below white standard located in a minority neighborhood. See, I know how to make excuses too for not attending classes.... The liberals here don't need to make any excuses for me.

 

[Tekate]

this can be very helpful: autodidact

look it up and become one.. self learning is part of life.

I didn't learnt good grammars b/c our school was broken down and below white standard located in a minority neighborhood. See, I know how to make excuses too for not attending classes.... The liberals here don't need to make any excuses for me.

 

[t-c]

I didn't learnt good grammars b/c our school was broken down and below white standard located in a minority neighborhood. See, I know how to make excuses too for not attending classes.... The liberals here don't need to make any excuses for me.

Wasn’t it the Republicans who cut taxes, thus school funding? It doesn’t matter. As the current occupant of the White House, who has had every advantage his entire life (including help from Russia), amply demonstrates: stupid is as stupid does.

 

[Dancing Fire]

this can be very helpful: autodidact

look it up and become one.. self learning is part of life.

Too late now. I started on the wrong foot.

 

[Tekate]

“It was never too late to learn something. The past is unalterable in any event. The future is the only thing we can change. Learning the lessons of the past is the only way to shape the present and the future.”

― Jim Butcher, Ghost Story

Too late now. I started on the wrong foot.

 

[Dancing Fire]

“It was never too late to learn something. The past is unalterable in any event. The future is the only thing we can change. Learning the lessons of the past is the only way to shape the present and the future.”

My English is bad, but my Chinese is worse. I can't read nor write in Chinese...

 

[redwood66]

“It was never too late to learn something. The past is unalterable in any event. The future is the only thing we can change. Learning the lessons of the past is the only way to shape the present and the future.”

― Jim Butcher, Ghost Story

Get 'em T. He's making excuses.

 

[Tekate]

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/no-time-like-the-present--there-s

My English is bad, but my Chinese is worse. I can't read nor write in Chinese...

 

[AGBF]

My English is bad, but my Chinese is worse. I can't read nor write in Chinese...

My daughter took all the Spanish classes offered at her community college. She cannot go to a higher level. Yet she really cannot speak a word of Spanish. She can, of course, read some Spanish and she knows the grammar, but she will not speak. She has also studied other languages (to a far lesser extent) and never wanted to speak them.

I used to shut my mouth in fear when I didn't know a language, but now I always try to speak someone else's language in his country or if he is having trouble with my language no matter how badly I do. I figure that the people of the country will just be grateful that I am trying (except the French). (The French will criticize you as you stand there speaking superb French just because your accent isn't Parisian French. They will also question you when you first open your mouth about your country of origin.)

My daughter used to feel that when Latino students who had grown up here but had spoken Spanish at home took classes with her that they were just looking for "an easy A". In some cases that might have been so. But in some cases, the students may never have been correctly taught the rudiments of Spanish grammar for reading and writing. If they did not attend school in Spanish-speaking countries, they would not have been taught proper Spanish grammar.

That is how I view you with your Chinese. How can you be expected to excel at reading and writing Chinese if half (or all?) your education was in the United States? I think it is remarkable that you are totally bilingual!

 

[kenny]

How can a student pass a Spanish language class without actually speaking any Spanish?
WFT is wrong with our school system?

Is requiring proof of learning something mean, or not PC enough?
Is it not kind to the sensitive snowflakes busy staring at their 'smart'phones?

In my three years of high school Spanish classes Mr. Martinez required each of us to stand up and recite that weeks' thingie ... in Spanish!
We were graded too ... oh horrors of horrors!

No wonder today's American fluffy voters voted for Trump!

 

[AGBF]

How can a student pass a Spanish language class without speaking any Spanish?
WFT is wrong with our school system?

Is requiring proof of learning something not PC enough?

In the olden days, students often did not speak the foreign languages they studied at all, kenny. Maybe there was some reading of Greek or Latin texts and conjugating out loud, but no conversation was expected. I very much doubt that when my parents studied French (which they both did, along with Latin) that they were expected to speak French!

 

[kenny]

How fricking stupid!
Why didn't you send her to a real school?

"Oh yes, I'm fluent is 12 languages. But you'll have to trust me because I can only actually ... speak ... English!"

I have a Ph.D in math too, but can't actually do any math.
The students at my university cried and texted their mommies when tested, so they decided to not be so mean to us.

WTF!
Quantum Education?

 

[redwood66]

In the olden days, students often did not speak the foreign languages they studied at all, kenny. Maybe there was some reading of Greek or Latin texts and conjugating out loud, but no conversation was expected. I very much doubt that when my parents studied French (which they both did, along with Latin) that they were expected to speak French!

I was very lucky to have a Berlitz instructor teach us in her home. One hour (or more) and nothing but German spoken. No English to be spoken at all. If you don't know it, look it up. Immersion works.

 

[AGBF]

How fricking stupid!
Why didn't you send her to a real school?

"Oh yes, I'm fluent is 12 languages. But you'll have to trust me because I can only actually ... speak ... English!"

I have a Ph.D in math too, but can't actually do any math.
The students at my university cried and texted their mommies when tested, so they decided to not be so mean to us.

WTF!
Quantum Education?

I do not think you really want to make this about my daughter, kenny. She was a wonderful, normal child until about 12 years old, when something went terribly wrong. I have posted about this at length. She made a very serious suicide attempt at age 15, the first of 5, and has been hospitalized psychiatrically at least 10 times. Although I saved for her college education, dreaming that my child would be normal, and therefore had the financial means to send her to a better school than the community college she attends, she cannot deal with such a school. She cannot leave me and even sleeps in the same bed with me when she is having a bad time. She was in special education since age 12 and I knocked myself out taking her to special schools-and even teaching at one to get get lower tuition-to try to get her through high school. Her problems with Spanish are the least of my worries.

 

[redwood66]

Some people are just effing rude Deb. Ignore it. I admire you for your tenacity and caring.

 

[monarch64]

Good news: kids are now learning to read, write, AND speak foreign languages beginning in preschool. My daughter’s preschool graduation featured songs sung in Spanish, a group recitation in Spanish (so cute—“bienvenudos a la esquala madres, y padres, y I can’t remember the word for grandparents nor the rest of the speech) and every day she would bring home papers she’d written out Spanish nouns and numbers. She is now in kindergarten and attends Spanish Club once a week in addition to learning a bit every day in class.

I’m hopeful this is being implemented in most schools in the States. We need to understand the languages of those countries in at least the same continent if not the rest of the world. I don’t give a rat’s patoot if DF knows which form of “there” to use and why; it’s important that we at least communicate with each other as best we can. Anyway he’s doing alright, as evidenced by his Octavia and expensive watch collection. Obviously those “trump” all other qualities. Ok now I’m being facetious...I’ll stop there.

 

[monarch64]

Also I will say we can’t place blame on the past as far as what was offered in schools and have unrealistic expectations for people who’ve already learned all they’re going to learn!