Tales Of The New Crown: More Task Forces! More Chaos!

According to Wikipedia, a Task Force is:

A task force (TF) is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy,[citation needed] the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology. Many non-military organizations now create "task forces" or task groups for temporary activities that might have once been performed by ad hoc (designated purpose) committees.

When a nation has intentionally unraveled the social safety net, you are going to have a substantial increase in the population of "The Poors" (always said with clinched teeth), there is a very likelihood that the health care system is going to collapse, because it was not designed for those whose souls need to be salvaged, because the task forces have not signed the contracts with those glorious Public Private Partnerships, like they did in Detroit.

So, when there is a failure, or rather, implosion of the critical infrastructure, there is going to be chaos, where Emergency Manager Emperor Pence and his Procurement Consortia Task Force will be hard at work, scheduling venues for their conferences of Public Private Partnerships, for hotel rooms, catering, limos, you know, the stuff you need for a crackerjack task force to come up with a band aid solution to figure out how to pacify "The Poors" (always said with clinched teeth) with helicopter money, that will take a few weeks to get to the people, to buy more time to pitch the glory of another bailout, because they got away with it with TARP.

On the bright side, we finally are getting national health care.

In the mean time....

Coronavirus aid bill delayed for up to one week by Texas lawmaker

And, there is this....

Senate coronavirus vote delayed after Rand Paul pushes doomed amendment

And, there is this....

McConnell appoints task forces to negotiate 'at warp speed' on massive stimulus bill

Now, as for this "warp speed" we have a few, duly processed, legislative questions about the legitimacy to the slipping in of the "technical corrections".

The art of chaos is a beautiful thing to witness.

UAW, Detroit Three launch COVID-19 task force

Detroit — The United Auto Workers and Detroit's three automakers said Sunday they are forming a COVID-19/Coronavirus Task Force to implement enhanced protections for manufacturing and warehouse employees at all three companies.

Led by UAW President Rory Gamble, the move by the union, General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV comes as government entities and private businesses across the nation institute precautions to prevent further spread of the virus.

In the United States, there's a total of 1,629 cases and 41 deaths, according to the latest figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In bid to stabilize the economy, the Federal Reserve on Sunday slashed interest rates to zero percent.

The state of Michigan recorded 45 cases as of late Sunday. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Friday issued an executive order that temporarily prohibits large public assemblies of more than 250 people. Bars, restaurants and other establishments could face legal consequences if they violate the order.

Meanwhile, Michigan's auto assembly plants are still producing vehicles.

“Workplace health and safety is a priority for us every day. All three companies have been taking steps to keep the COVID-19/coronavirus out of their facilities and during this national emergency, we will do even more working together,” Gamble said in a statement. “We are focused on doing the right thing for our people, their families, our communities and the country. All options related to protecting against exposure to the virus are on the table.”

All three companies and the UAW are working to prevent the spread of the virus including enhanced visitor screening, increased cleaning and sanitizing of common areas and touch points and implementing safety protocols for people with potential exposure, as well as those who exhibit flu-like symptoms.

Automakers already have taken steps to ensure their manufacturing facilities are clean and clear of the virus. GM, for example, is making production adjustments to clean its facilities. The Detroit automaker canceled the third shift Saturday to clean its profit-rich truck plant, Flint Assembly.

Ford is shutting down its Spanish plant in the eastern region of Valencia for one week starting on Monday after three employees tested positive for coronavirus, according to Reuters. And Volkswagen AG is closing its Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant for a day on Monday for a deep cleaning of the plant, according to WRCB in Chattanooga.

FCA's Kokomo Transmission Plant in Indiana continued to operate as normal last week after one of their salaried employees contracted the virus. FCA cleaned the employee's area and the employee, as well as those who had direct contact with that person, are now in quarantine.

An FCA employee at its Windsor Assembly Plant was placed in self-quarantine after potentially coming in contact with the virus, but there were no confirmed cases of the virus in the plant, the automaker said. Out of concern for their health and safety, workers there walked off the job Thursday afternoon. Production there restarted at 3 p.m. Friday after Dave Cassidy, president of Local 444 for the Unifor Canadian labor union, urged members to stand down.

In a joint statement for the new task force,the CEOs of GM, Ford and FCA said:  “This is a fluid and unprecedented situation, and the task force will move quickly to build on the wide-ranging preventive measures we have put in place. We are all coming together to help keep our workforces safe and healthy.”

The joint task force will focus on reviewing vehicle production plans, additional social distancing, break and cleaning schedules, health and safety education, health screening and food service and any other areas that have the potential to improve protections for employees.

Gamble, GM CEO Mary Barra, Ford CEO Jim Hackett, Executive Chairman Bill Ford and FCA CEO Michael Manley will lead the task force. They will be supported by Terry Dittes, UAW vice president and head of its GM Department; Gerald Kariem, UAW vice president and head of its Ford Department; Cindy Estrada, UAW vice president and head of its FCA Department; and the medical staffs as well as the manufacturing and labor leadership teams at all three companies.

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Cocktails & Popcorn: John "Pookie" Brennan & Judiciary Jolly Jerry Coordinating Communications On Being Mean To Trump

Jolly Jerry & Pookie coordinating communication

Well, I truly do not have any idea of what venue Pookie will be offering his willingness to testify to congress, but you can bet your britches that I am routing for Judiciary!

That's right, boys and girls, it looks like Pookie and Judiciary Jolly Jerry have pre-emptively teamed up to stand their ground in being Meanies.

I wonder if their coordinated communications for this brilliant plan will be leaked before or during his congressional testimony.

I am going with afterwards simply for the fact that we can get more on the record from all the Members of Judiciary, you know, to use in the not so immediate future, like for a Constitutional Crisis, but hey, what do I know?

I know they were also mean to my Sweetie.

I also know they are "Legal Geniuses" (trademark pending).

BRENNAN SAYS HE’S ‘ABSOLUTELY’ WILLING TO TESTIFY TO CONGRESS TO REBUT TRUMP’S ‘COUP’ CLAIMS

John Brennan said Friday he is “absolutely” willing to testify to Congress to rebut President Donald Trump’s claims that the former CIA director took part in a “coup” to undermine his presidency.

Brennan said in an interview on MSNBC, where he is a contributor, that he would “welcome any type of continued investigation of what we did that period of time that we were in government.”

Republicans have called for investigations into the CIA and FBI’s activities in the run-up to the investigation of the Trump campaign. The FBI formally opened its investigation of the Trump team on July 31, 2016, but some GOP lawmakers have suggested that Brennan was working behind the scenes to gather intelligence on Trump advisers before that.

Trump listed Brennan along with other Obama administration officials he claims tried to “overthrow” his administration, in an interview Thursday with Fox’s Sean Hannity.

“This was a coup, this was an attempted overthrow of the United States government,” said Trump.

“These are sick people. These are sick, sick people,” he continued, adding: “Let’s see what happens with [former FBI Deputy Director Andrew] McCabe and [former FBI Director James] Comey and Brennan and [former National Intelligence Director James] Clapper, they were in on the act.”

Fmr. CIA Dir. John Brennan on Pres. Trump's comments on Fox News about the attempted 'coup' by the CIA to overthrow him: "I don't think it's surprising at all that we hear these sociopathic ramblings ... I've testified in front of Congress ... and absolutely I'll do it again." pic.twitter.com/V3Ac3Ab0Oo

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) April 26, 2019

Brennan testified before the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence on May 27, 2017, just 10 days after former FBI Director Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel of the Russia probe.

Brennan has had to walk back some of his bold claims about the investigation, which formally ended on March 22 with no charges related to conspiracy between Trump associates and the Kremlin.

(RELATED: Flashback: Brennan Predicted Additional Indictments In Mueller Probe)

Brennan claimed just two weeks before the end of the investigation that Mueller would issue a slew of indictments. He has also accused Trump of being treasonous.

Brennan also claimed Friday that Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul recently made “very specious allegations” about him “that have no basis in truth.”

Paul, a Republican, claimed on March 28 that Brennan tried to include portions of the infamous and unverified Steele dossier in the intelligence community’s assessment of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Paul has not provided any additional information to back up his claim.

Brennan took part in a Jan. 6, 2017 briefing of then-President-elect Trump regarding Russian meddling in the election. In a one-on-one meeting just after the main briefing, Comey informed Trump about the unfounded claim from the dossier that the Kremlin has blackmail material on him.

John Brennan and Jerrold Nadler ’78 Talk Trump

In a New York Times opinion piece last month, former CIA director John Brennan described as “hogwash” President Trump’s claims that there was no collusion with the Russians during the 2016 election. So it’s no surprise that Brennan, distinguished fellow at the Center on National Security, took Trump to task again at a September 4 event at Fordham Law.

Trump “seeks to delegitimize those things that make this country great,” Brennan said, later adding that the president, unlike previous chief executives whom Brennan has served, pursues his “own interests above all else.”

Brennan was joined by Fordham Law alumnus and congressman Jerrold Nadler ’78, U.S. Representative from New York’s 10th congressional district, who, like Brennan, has been outspoken in his criticism of President Trump for the past two years.

In response to a question about the future of the rule of law in the United States, Nadler, the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, stressed his belief that the “rule of law [is]imperiled” by Trump’s actions. Citing the 2018 book How Democracies Die, Nadler pointed to the ways in which authoritarian leaders eroded democracies in the past through attempts to silence the press and the questioning of election results. The parallels between the early stages of these crumbling democracies and the current state of Trump’s America, Nadler concluded, are striking.

Moderated by Karen J. Greenberg, the director of the Center on National Security, the conversation began with a 45-minute discussion that touched on topics such as cybersecurity, 2016 election meddling, and the future of American democracy. Brennan began by stressing his own nonpartisan status and maintaining the importance of allowing Robert Mueller’s investigation to come to a conclusion without interference. Nadler, a Democrat with a consistently liberal voting record in Congress, also voiced his support for the Mueller probe, while clarifying a few issues.

There was “clearly collusion in the election,” Nadler stated, giving the example of Donald Trump Jr.’s infamous Trump Tower meeting. The real questions, Nadler emphasized, have to do with provable, concrete violations of law and President Trump’s personal knowledge of any Russian collusion. If evidence were to come out that Trump was personally involved in any Russian collusion, Nadler said, “the most serious consequences” would be warranted. “All options would have to be on the table.”

When asked if Trump can rightly be called an outlier in the grand scheme of American political history, Brennan cited Trump’s frequent undermining of law enforcement agencies on Twitter, especially with regards to the ongoing Russian collusion investigation. Brennan called Trump’s actions a “break from past practice.”

Cybersecurity was another issue of concern, prompting questions from Greenberg, as well as several audience members. Nadler tackled the issue of electronic voting, admitting that the vulnerability of America’s electronic voting machines remains a significant problem. Brennan, for his part, called for the creation of an independent, bipartisan commission for the cyber environment.

In closing remarks, Nadler and Brennan each took the opportunity to address what they considered the most pressing issues for the United States to grapple with in the immediate future. For Nadler, a main concern is big money in politics, and the way it can break down a democracy that is supposed to give power to the everyman. “The power of money in politics today is a metastasizing cancer,” he said.

For Brennan, the issue of the day is polarization. As an outspoken critic of the current president, Brennan knows that it can be difficult to speak out against injustice in a way that will lead to practical results. “I have to remind myself not just to be critical, but to be constructive,” he said.

“[D]iscussions like this are very important,” Brennan said. “I think Congressman Nadler and other members of Congress should get together and speak openly and honestly about where we are right now in this country and the challenges we face.”

Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©

Day 232 - Hillary's Leakers Hackers and Henchmen: Awan & Intelligence Committees

George Goes to the House and Then to Senate Today 

 Senator Burr's Office from North Carolina

Senator Paul's Office.

 Senator Paul and the Senate Camera Bullpen.

 Senator Barrasso of Wyoming

Senator Al Fraken and Senator Tester

 Senator Manchin's Office.

Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©

To My Dearest Superfans...

STOP JACKING MY COMPUTER AND PHONE!!!

Now, that I have that off my chest and your undivided attention, listen to me very carefully...I will type extremely slow so you will not miss a single word of what I am about to state.

As a public figure and in the capacity of a really happy gal, I extend invitation to you.

Call me.

We shall set a date and time for you to come over and I shall walk you through my skill sets while I serve you home baked scones and high tea as I dazzle you with my passion.

Oh, what merriment we shall make.

Ciao bellos & bellas!

#DOJ

Conyers Considering Legislation to Curb Government Hacking

Dean of the U.S. House
of Representatives
John Conyers, Jr.

The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, Michigan Rep. John Conyers, is looking into joining Sen. Ron Wyden’s (D-Ore.) movement to reverse Supreme Court-approved changes to federal criminal procedure that could expand government-run hacking operations. The change would allow judges to grant warrants for computer and data investigations in any jurisdiction.

“Many in the House, both Democrats and Republicans, remain concerned about the investigatory techniques at the heart of this discussion,” Conyers said late Thursday. “We will continue to study the issue and, when appropriate, we hope to join Senator Wyden in his call to block the change.”

Wyden introduced a bill on Thursday to reverse changes to federal criminal procedure “Rule 41,” approved by the Supreme Court in late April. Upon the introduction of the bill, Wyden’s office indicated a House companion bill is expected soon to reverse what Wyden called “dramatic expansion of the government’s hacking and surveillance authority.”

“These rule changes will allow the government to search millions of computers with the warrant of a single judge,” Wyden added in a Thursday post on Medium.

Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) cosponsor the Senate measure.

The Department of Justice requested the changes after three years of negotiations, and have disputed privacy advocates’ interpretation of the rule change.

“The amendment would not authorize the government to undertake any search or seizure or use any remote search technique not already permitted under current law, and the amendment does not change any of the traditional protections and procedures, such as the requirement that the government establish probable cause,” a DOJ spokesman said in an emailed statement Thursday.

Voting is beautiful, be beautiful ~ vote.©

Intergenerational Ignorance

There comes a time when I reach my breaking point listening to political individuals who lack economic sophistication in understanding the need to master all facets of the argument with empirical fact and logical necessity.

Meet Rand Paul:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

To start, Medicaid fraud, waste and abuse prevails due to the continued moritoria on the rules.

Regulation of Medicaid falls upon the States for which the Medicaid Fraud Control Units were created.  These Units do absolutely nothing in ending Medicaid fraud in child welfare.

'Intergenerational welfare' is a code word for child poverty.  For the most part, private insurance companies do not cover for basic needs of physical conditions such as Autism, congenital birth defects or mental illness.  This leaves families who have exhausted their financial resources and at the 200% threshold and below of the federal poverty level no other recourse but to access Medicaid programs.

Failure to provide for the necessary needs of the child, even medical needs, is considered abuse and neglect. These policies perpetuate 'intergenerational welfare'.

The majority of child welfare programming has been privatized by the States.  Regulation of a state program is a state issue. Since there is a dearth of regulation of the child welfare/pediatric Medicaid programs (i.e.Targeted Case Management, SCHIPS) and scant opportunities for contractual debarment of these privatized agencies, fraud flourishes. Foster care is the most notorious for kiddy kickbacks, phantom programs, double-billing, fictitious billing, fraudulent reports ... oh, just peruse the National Archive On Child Welfare Fraud.

In the light of 'intergenerational welfare', youth who age out of foster care face a dismal future, forced reliance upon institutional welfare.  These former foster youth will have children and the cycle will continue with their children being placed in foster care on the basis of being poor.

This nation has a strong tradition of military history in families. TRICARE is the 'Medicaid' for military, serving Uniformed Service members, retirees and their families worldwide.  Is Rand Paul implicating that TRICARE is 'intergenerational welfare', also?  Does he wish to privatize TRICARE and make service members establish medical savings accounts?????

Rand Paul, along with his political colleagues, must cease his tactics of defaming the characters of the poor.  Just as the original participants of the Boston Tea Party disguised their tactics by blaming Native Americans, the current members of the National Tea Party need to immediately stop assigning blame of the Medicaid program to, no matter how subtle, historically and economically disparaged members of society.

Medicaid funds segments of the nation's public educational system.  Is Rand Paul advocating the demise of civic learning?  From his rhetoric as of late, it surely sounds as much.

The only major national issue Rand Paul has raised is the pervasive problems with 'intergenerational ignorance' of policymakers, such as himself and his colleagues.

Rand Paul says Medicaid has created 'intergenerational welfare'

The result is 'intergenerational welfare,' he contends

By Jack Brammer - jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Republican U.S. Senate nominee Rand Paul said Medicaid's lenient eligibility standards have led to "intergenerational welfare" in a discussion Monday with three members of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.

Paul later campaigned in Lexington with his GOP opponent in the spring, Secretary of State Trey Grayson, and asked why his Democratic rival, Jack Conway, does not enjoy strong backing from his primary election conquest, Lt. Gov. Daniel Mongiardo.

Conway's campaign responded by saying Mongiardo will appear with Conway Saturday night at a Democratic dinner in Louisville.

Charles Bertram

During Monday's rally at Fayette County Republican Party headquarters in Lexington, U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul, right, appeared with Secretary of State Trey Grayson, left, whom he defeated in the May GOP primary, and Urban County Council member Ed Lane.

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  News briefs from around Kentucky at 4:58 a.m. EDT

With less than a month to go in the U.S. Senate race before the Nov. 2 general election, Paul was interviewed on five issues by three chamber leaders.

On major changes in government, Paul said the country needs a balanced budget amendment and must better control spending on federal entitlement programs.

He focused on the high costs of Medicaid, a federal-state health-insurance program that covers about 800,000 poor and disabled Kentuckians and costs nearly $6 billion.

"When we have a government program to help those who are in need or who have unfortunate problems, let's help those truly in need," Paul said.

He contended that lenient eligibility standards have led to "intergenerational welfare."

Conway's campaign press secretary, John Collins, said Paul's comments were "troubling and show how far out of touch he is with life in Kentucky."

Sheila Schuster, who works with organizations that advocate for disabled Kentuckians, said the state does not have the most liberal eligibility standards for Medicaid and disputed that it has become a welfare system.

"It's a system of taking care of people with serious needs," she said, noting that she is not endorsing any candidate in the Senate race.

Schuster acknowledged there might be some people receiving Medicaid who shouldn't, but she does not think it's a large number.

"Any system will have some degree of fraud, but I recall how the administration of former Gov. Ernie Fletcher said it would get rid of waste, fraud and abuse and didn't turn up many who shouldn't be on the Medicaid rolls," she said.

During a segment dealing with education, Paul said Kentucky lost out on federal funding from the Race to the Top program this summer in part because its application did not include charter schools, which operate outside many of the rules of regular schools.

Kentucky had hoped to receive $175 million from the program designed by President Barack Obama's administration to reward innovative efforts to improve schools.

Paul said he favors charter schools and school choice, including vouchers to allow families to select the public or private schools of their choice and have all or part of the tuition paid.

He also said busing of students to schools two to three hours from home has not worked.

The candidate, a Bowling Green eye surgeon who is making his first bid for public office, stopped short of calling for elimination of the U.S. Department of Education, which he has done previously.

Concerning federal government spending, Paul said every agency should be scrutinized. He specifically criticized the U.S. Department of Commerce's use of jets to fly corporate officials "around the world looking for jobs," and said there is waste in military spending.

Paul has previously said the Department of Commerce should be eliminated.

On energy and the environment, Paul criticized "an out-of-control bureaucracy" of regulations, saying the nation's air is 30 percent cleaner than it was 30 years ago.

He emphasized the role of coal and said nuclear energy should be part of the country's energy strategy.

On health, Paul said the entire federal health care reform act backed by Obama should be repealed but acknowledged that would be difficult with the president's veto power.

He said the legislation might have to be changed piecemeal.

The law will increase insurance premiums and be burdensome to businesses, Paul said.

He said the legislation should have allowed more competition among insurance companies "to drive prices down" and should have encouraged more health savings accounts.

He also said he favors tax credits for employer-sponsored wellness programs.

The interview with Paul will be posted on the chamber's Web site later this week. Chamber president Dave Adkisson said Conway has been invited to participate in a similar discussion but has not accepted yet.

Conway spokeswoman Allison Haley said Conway intends to participate in the chamber's roundtable.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has endorsed Paul, but the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce will not be endorsing a candidate, Adkisson said.

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/2010/10/05/1464618/rand-paul-says-medicaid-has-created.html?mi_pluck_action=comment_submitted&qwxq=1142387#Comments_Container#ixzz11UVVbmG4