Coups and hoaxes and plots: Republicans are pushing the political language past the breaking point

In a Thursday interview, Sarah Huckabee Sanders once again brushed off the idea that Donald Trump was about to take action against the investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller.....
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/12/21/1726641/-Coups-and-hoaxes-and-plots-Republicans-are-pushing-the-political-language-past-the-breaking-point

Trump and the GOP Just Ensured that the 2018 Blue Wave Will Be Yuuuge

The race-baiting and misogyny and crude behavior were enough, but now with this tax bill, Trump and the GOP have sealed their fate.....
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-and-the-gop-just-ensured-that-the-2018-blue-wave-will-be-yuuuge

The tax bill is a giant permission slip for shipping profits overseas -- Vox

We tried one part of the GOP tax bill in 2004. It was a huge failure. ....
https://www.vox.com/2017/12/19/16791936/repatriation-holiday-republican-tax-bill-explained

Bannon mulls 2020 presidential run -- and thinks 'childlike' Trump has 'lost a step': report -- Raw Story

Former top White House political strategist Steve Bannon reportedly thinks that President Donald Trump has clearly "lost a step" -- and he believes that he might make a better choice to lead the country as the Republican nominee in 2020. ....
https://www.rawstory.com/2017/12/bannon-mulls-2020-presidential-run-and-thinks-childlike-trump-has-lost-a-step-report/

The Big Picture: How We Got Into This Mess, And How Get Out of It I Robe...

Robert Reich looks the rise of Big Money in politics, the decline of our democracy, and Trump's election.
https://youtu.be/gSlHVZpNxMM

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PRICE: EPISODE 1

In this five part original doc series exclusively on YouTube we ask the question, in a country where we are free to believe whatever we like, what is the cost of embracing an unpopular idea. In this episode we meet Dr. Robert M Price, a former minister and Evangelical Christian turned atheist who explains the events that challenged his faith.....
https://youtu.be/QqCuzBPkEJY

An Inmate Had Skin Cancer and Needed Radiation. This Prison Gave Him Tylenol -- Newsweek

Walter Jordan's is one of several deaths at the center of an ongoing legal fight over inmate health care in Arizona -- and a window into how states use private companies to handle medical services for prisoners in an age of cash-strapped budgets. ...
http://www.newsweek.com/inmate-had-skin-cancer-and-needed-radiation-prison-gave-him-tylenol-754723

OA121: A Theory Of Justice And The Social Contract (W/Guest Aaron Rabi Of Embrace The Void)

Today’s episode takes a deep dive into social contract theory, and in particular, one of the most influential works of modern philosophy, John Rawls’s A Theory of Justice, with guest philosopher Aaron Rabi, host of the terrific podcast Embrace The Void.

After the discussion, we end with the answer to Thomas Takes the Bar Exam Question #49. Don’t forget to following our Twitter feed (@Openargs) and like our Facebook Page so that you too can play along with #TTTBE!
Interview:
http://openargs.com/oa121-theory-justice-social-contract-wguest-aaron-rabi-embrace-void/

Race, Science, and Society: with Dr. Eugenie Scott (Seth Andrews, The Thinking Atheist)

Dr. Eugenie Scott, a former anthropology professor, is former executive director for the National Center for Science Eduation. She is a researcher, science communicator, and an outspoken critic of claims related to biblical Creationism and the broader claims of "Intelligent Design." Dr. Scott joins the show for a frank discussion with Seth Andrews about science, anti-science, race, evolution, "Intelligent Design," and more! Support our sponsors: The Great Courses Plushttp://www.thegreatcoursesplus.com/seth Harry'shttp://www.harrys.com/thethinkingatheist
Interview:
http://www.thethinkingatheist.com/podcast/race-science-and-society-with-dr-eugenie-scott

Sarah Kendzior on the ‘Oligarch Envy’ Haunting President Trump (Lindsay E. Beyerstein, The Breach)

Journalist Sarah Kendzior is back on The Breach to shine a light on the surprisingly coherent, and wholly anti-democratic, philosophy driving many of the choices of President Donald Trump.
Interview:
https://rewire.news/multimedia/podcast/the-breach-oligarch-envy-donald-trump/

Joy Reid rails against newest Trump administration move as "just insane" — and we agree -- Salon

MSNBC's Joy Reid is fed up with the Trump administration, and believes that while some of the administration's decisions are "awful," others are simply "just insane." ....
https://www.salon.com/2017/12/26/this-latest-trump-administration-move-is-being-called-just-insane/

23 Movies And TV Shows You Really Should've Watched On Netflix In 2017 -- BuzzFeed UK

Don't worry, though – you still have time to catch up. ....
https://www.buzzfeed.com/eleanorbate/best-of-netflix-2017?utm_term=.raQrEpPn9g#.lyyy07bVOW

This Guy Sent Trump's Treasury Secretary A Pile Of Manure For Christmas

For those of you who don't know, this guy is the US Treasury Secretary. His name is Steven Mnuchin and he helped formulate and pitch President Donald Trump's tax plan, which was recently passed by the Republican-controlled Congress and has come under fire for shortchanging the American middle class in favor of corporations.....
https://www.buzzfeed.com/briannasacks/this-guy-sent-the-person-behind-trumps-tax-plan-a-pile-of

5 things to know about Trump national security strategy - CNNPolitics

President Donald Trump unveiled his administration's national security strategy on Monday, outlining the foundation and priorities that will drive US foreign policy during his time in office. He touted the plan in a campaign-style speech that spared no words in criticizing the policies of his predecessors, even if it didn't get into detail about some of his administration's concerns about Russia.

Here are five things you need to know about Trump's national security strategy.....
http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/18/politics/5-things-to-know-about-trumps-national-security-strategy/index.html

55 Ways Donald Trump Structurally Changed America in 2017 -- New York Magazine

These are the concrete actions his administration has taken to alter how the country works. ....
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/12/55-ways-donald-trump-structurally-changed-america-in-2017.html

New Republican War Cry: Mueller Probe ‘Worse Than Watergate’ -- The Daily Beast

The conservative media got the memo: Whenever the Russia probe comes up, get outraged and say that it—as in the probe itself, not what it may be uncovering about Trump—is "worse than Watergate." After all, that's what Democrats have been saying for months about what the probe may be uncovering about Trump. The questions now are how did this become a talking point on the right, and what do they mean by "worse than Watergate?" ....
https://www.thedailybeast.com/new-republican-war-cry-mueller-probe-worse-than-watergate

Trump Has Put a Record Number of Dangerous Men on the Bench -- The Daily Beast

President Donald Trump entered office with a record 120 judicial vacancies, largely due to the unprecedented stonewalling of President Obama's nominees by the Republican-led Senate. Already, he has nominated 58 individuals (81 percent male and 91 percent white, by the way) to fill these life-tenure positions. And until very recently, it looked like all would sail through the process without a fight; indeed, not a single Republican had voted against a single judicial nominee. ....
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-has-put-a-record-number-of-dangerous-men-on-the-bench

‘Thanks Obama!’ The internet hoses Trump down with mockery for claiming credit for home sales

President Donald Trump claimed credit for unexpectedly high home sales — and social media users hurled scorn and mockery at him.

Sales of existing homes hit their highest level in nearly 11 years, after nearly stalling earlier in the year, as the South continues to recover from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Trump suggested his administration had encouraged the jump.....
https://www.rawstory.com/2017/12/thanks-obama-the-internet-hoses-trump-down-with-mockery-for-claiming-credit-for-housing-sales/

How African Students Became Pawns In Russia’s Election Trolling Scheme -- The Daily Beast

You may recall those wannabe YouTube stars Williams and Kalvin Johnson, two black bloggers who went after Hillary Clinton with a vengeance last year, claiming to offer "a word of truth" to black audiences in the United States. They called her, among other things, an "old racist bitch," and a "witch," and "sick in the head." ....
https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-african-students-became-pawns-in-russias-election-trolling-scheme

Republican Control of the Senate Hangs by a Thread -- POLITICO

A series of freak circumstances could change the course of politics in 2018. ...
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/12/21/republican-control-of-the-senate-hangs-by-a-thread-216156?cid=apn