snafu

Thanks for posting this. Now I understand.

Is an "open air lifestyle center" for nudists? If it is, then no thanks. Most people who go shopping are pretty gross.

I do infrequently. On weekends when I have the time. Makes the best coffee. And to answer your other question, I don't like maxwell house. Chock Full Of Nuts French Roast, or some whole beans that I buy from the Arab store in Brooklyn.

Maybe that's what Obama was talking about. He didn't make it, someone else made it.

If Assad is actually going/gone then that was the longest, ugliest Arab Spring of all time.

By giving the Syrians and Russians time to move out of the way, whatever strike is coming will damage more things and fewer people -- as long as the US repeats an attack on military infrastructure. That is...if any attack is coming at all.

Yeah, I think Putin considers himself lucky that he almost lost his warm water, and miraculously got it back. Things weren't looking good for awhile. Maybe someone could save face by brokering a trade:. Tartus for Assad stepping down and retiring to Marseilles or somewhere. Either that, or bomb the hell out of the shipyard.

Maybe not WWIII, but Putin has gained a lot of influence with Iran, Syria, and Turkey. He's filled in the power vacuum nicely for himself. He's not going out of the region by way of an invitation.

That quote actually makes Schumer sound skittish. He may or may not be, but that's how it comes across.

I'd like to see that warrant.

I think Trump's bluster this time has to do with his "red line" regarding Mueller's mandate. Trump has been pretty clear about the fact that he's going to start shutting things down once the investigation touches his personal dealings. Going after his personal attorney, I'm sure, cuts pretty close to that. As Tom said in an earlier post, last time things got close to Trump's "line", Mueller came out and said that the President wasn't part of that line of action. I've speculated before that whatever personal indiscretions get swept up in the Mueller (and now other) probes will somehow be used as political leverage against Trump in the future. Just scuzzy politics 101. I think this is why many would suffer through the blowback of finding nothing in the Russia portion of the investigation.

Why didn't you draw the rectangles vertically intstead of horizontally in the middle diagram, don't you want red to have any wins? Nobody likes gerrymandering. It is obviously a transparent way for a seat to be held by one party or another, and both parties engage in it. But isn't what you're proposing (giving more congressional seats to cities and population centers which are obviously overwhelmingly "blue") a form of gerrymandering? I think it is. if you want better representation, then make representatives spend more time in their districts than out of them. There's no reason for a congressperson to spend much time in DC, especially in a digitally connected world. Have peoples' representatives listen to their constituents in-person, face to face, for a change.

Time will tell on that one. There's likely to be challenges coming I would imagine.

Well this point was buried in my first post in this thread on the third page. The warrant application AND the warrant should be specific. If it was, then only those materials should be taken. Seems, though, they took it all. Sorting and vetting in this particular case looks like it is ripe for abuse. And for someone to argue that the materials were likely to be destroyed, I doubt Cohen would have opened himself up to prosecution for obstruction -- let alone the likelihood that he'd be disbarred.

Don't be disingenuous. It makes people want to avoid engaging you in discussions. It is my opinion that the law (while apparently being followed) is not being enforced in a just or an equitable way -- at least not by reports of what they took from Cohen's offices and residences. To me, they're walking on the line, and possibly over it. I went over why I believe an overbroad search and seizure is wrong a few posts up. And a few pages back, I mentioned why this is a bad precedent. No need to rehash those opinions here.

There are many times when this saying applies: "just because you can, doesn't mean you should". In my opinion, this was one of those times. "All of Cohen's relevant materials" does not equal "all of Cohen's materials". See the difference?

It is a decent argument and it seems to be what happened. The reports are that they took everything and they're sorting out what's usable and what's not. How does that sound acceptable to anyone?

You mean like Mueller's predecessor, Comey, did?

If what's bolded is true, then they can't run in and take all of Cohen's files unless every file contains suspected evidence of crimes. That's overbroad and it isn't Constitutionally protected activity. How about the FBI goes to your lawyer's office because they think that person (not you) is committing a crime, and they sweep up your file and read your private - potentially offensive - matters because they're casting a wide net? Your lawyer would have a right to fight that overbroad warrant, and you'd be able to get any evidence thrown out if they came after you because of what they found. If their goal was just to squeeze your lawyer to turn over on some other target, then that's a crappy way of going about business. If they never use any of the information in Court, but just leak it out to smear rivals, then that's worse. It makes the President's political opponents look like the fascists.

I love the Progressive Box -- gotta admit. Other than that, I agree with the Original Post.

One phoney baloney testifying before an entire chamber of dogs and ponies.

I wonder what the American Bar Association's and the ACLU's reactions will be (soft-worded finger wag at best). How many clients does Michael Cohen have that would have triggered a Mueller referral? I get that there are procedures in place, and I get that these procedures were likely followed, but talk about a bad precedent. Anyone who who hates Trump and is crowing today should remember that the karma wheel comes around, and this weapon (if upheld) could and will some day be used against anyone. Recrimination is a B word. This smacks of an attack on the President, and it diminishes the office of the President no matter how odeous the officeholder is. The lack of restraint is remarkable, and this looks 100% like a fishing expedition against someone who is unliked because he's an ass. While it is indisputable that the President is an ass, it is not a reason to target him. It also isn't justifiable to continually try to take down an office-holder just because he doesn't share a progressive platform. The only thing that would get me to review my opinion that this is fishing for Trump is if the warrant listed individual clients, specific communications and actual files of clients of Cohen not named Donald Trump. Even so, attorney-client privilege is one of the most sacrosanct protections (husband/wife, Doctor/patient, clergy, attorney/client) against side-door entries by prosecutors. Even if Cohen's files are vetted into "privileged" and "not privileged", there's still a team of people reviewing communications that they've got no right to review. Otherwise, this is a sad, disappointing, day.

Yeah, just roll a big rock over the opening to the hole.

I'm not going to attempt # of games in each series. Just picking winners in the NHL playoffs is tough enough. Tampa Bay over New Jersey. I think the Devils are pretty good, but not good enough. Columbus over the Capitals. Bruins over the Maple Leafs. This one will be fun to watch. Can't pick Toronto until after they've won a series. Penguins over the Flyers because the Penguins know what it takes at this point. Nashville over Colorado. Nashville is pretty good and Colorado isn't in their class. Minnesota over Winnipeg (same reason as for the Leafs), though I can easily see the Jets winning this series and another. Kings over the Golden Knights. Vegas' magic ends in the first round. Sharks over Ducks.