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Netroots Nation, the activist left's largest annual gathering, arrives in Atlanta this year with its clearest focus in years: how to resist President Trump.

Former Vice President Gore will speak about the threats to the planet from a president who dismisses climate change as a hoax hatched in Beijing. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) will ring alarm bells about domestic policy. And 14 separate sessions will discuss the best ways to fight the White House and Republican Congress. Jon Ossoff, the Democratic star who narrowly lost Georgias special House election in June, will also show.

The last couple of years, much of the energy nationally was focused on social justice, said Netroots Nation spokeswoman Mary Rickles. This year, the focus for nearly 3,000 attendees was back on politics: How do we channel the energy of resistance into helping progressives win elections?

At more than 80 panels and training sessions, activists will get updates from the resistance groups like Indivisible founded after the 2016 election, or those that have multiplied their membership since then, like the American Civil Liberties Union. One panel will go over ways to challenge Trumps xenophobic NAFTA narrative, while another more relevant given news from North Korea will brainstorm ways to oppose Trump if a traumatic event causes people to rally around the flag.

[Trumps threats to North Korea were spontaneous and not drafted by advisers, officials say]

Hitler used the Reichstag Fire; Putin used the 1999 apartment bombings; and George W. Bush used 9/11, reads the online description of the panel, which will feature leaders of MoveOn.org and the ACLU. With Trump, [Stephen K.] Bannon and their allies in Congress, progressives must be prepared to fight back in the first hours and days of a national security crisis.

The conference, which began in 2006 as a spinoff from the elections-focused Daily Kos blog, transformed in the Obama years into a showcase for labor and civil rights movements. In 2007, it hosted every major Democratic candidate for president for a traditional question-and-answer session, and more than a hundred reporters swarmed the halls to see where the Democratic base was directing its energy.

But as soon as Democrats took power, an invitation to Netroots meant a decent shot of being heckled by activists who demanded results on LGBT rights, on National Security Agency spying, or the failings of the Affordable Care Act. In 2015, when Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley (D) took questions, they were interrupted by Black Lives Matter activists a scene that led to productive meetings between protesters and candidates, but unfolded awkwardly onstage. In 2016, Hillary Clintons campaign checked off the Netroots box with a three-minute video message.

There was a general concern that the conference would no longer be able to attract top names, celebrity politicians that everyone wants to see, said Chris Savage, founder of the Michigan-based Electablog. I am someone who is glad for that. This conference is best for me when the focus is on organizing and training and sharing best practices, and not focused on which famous politician is there.

Warren, who was the focus of a brief presidential draft campaign when she appeared at the 2014 Netroots, is the only potential 2020 presidential candidate on the conventions schedule. But organizers expect a record crop of down-ballot candidates looking for ideas and support. Both of Georgias leading Democratic candidates for governor, State Rep. Stacey Abrams and State Rep. Stacey Evans, will hit the convention with divergent theories of how the party can win in the South.

The sheer number of activists already stepping up to run as first time candidates is breaking records, said Carolyn Fiddler, the political editor of Daily Kos. I expect a lot of activists at the conference will be looking for ways to plug in not only to campaigns, but also to resources for potential candidates.

Randy Bryce, an iron worker running a buzzy long shot campaign against Speaker of the House Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), described a packed Friday schedule that would take him from meetings with the election-focused Progressive Change Campaign Committee, to an interview with Samantha Bees show Full Frontal, to a happy hour sponsored by the Howard Dean-founded Democracy for America.

Its about building up a network of people who have the same goals as you, and want to win some elections, said Bryce. Its going to be a big help.

The troubles of the Trump administration will shape the conference, too, as activists discuss how to make Republicans work even harder. The American Federation of Teachers will explain how a dedicated effort from educators, parents and the community made Education Secretary Betsy DeVos infamous, imperiling her nomination. Groups like Bend the Arc and Muslim Advocates will share how they actually defeated Trump nominees for other jobs, like Labor Secretary nominee Andrew Puzder.

For longtime convention attendees, its a bit of deja vu to the final years of a Bush administration that ground to a halt after a failed campaign to privatize Social Security.

The convention played a key role in forming the prospective policy ideas that came from opposing the Bush agenda, said ACLU political director Faiz Shakir, who previously attended Netroots as the editor of the liberal news site ThinkProgress. I think this year presents the same opportunity and challenge. Im anticipating a pretty thoughtful and engaged audience deliberating over what ideas could convert resistance into meaningful success.

Gina Cooper, the founder of the conference, said that she couldnt make it to Atlanta but saw plenty of parallels to the first Netroots gatherings.

Once again, the conference is a platform for the next generation of digital savvy progressive activists, said Cooper. The party apparatus and other operatives will have to decide if they want to harness this energy or just hope that it goes away. But it is not going away.

Read more at PowerPost

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Liberals gather in Atlanta to plot Trump resistance strategy - Washington Post

10 Aug 2017, 1:20 a.m.

Liberal MPs have stood by embattled Opposition Leader Matthew Guy as pressure mounted on him over his lobster dinner.

Senior Liberal MPs declared their support for embattled Opposition Leader Matthew Guy on Wednesday as he came under intense pressure over his lobster dinner with alleged Mafia boss Tony Madafferi.

However, some expressed concern that Mr Guy's decision to stay at the table after learning Mr Madafferi was there showed a lapse of judgment.

And some believed any further revelations could prove highly damaging for Mr Guy's leadership.

Mr Guy has repeatedly denied wrongdoing or discussing donations at the April meeting with, among other diners, Mr Madafferi and Mr Madafferi's cousin, long-time Liberal supporter Frank Lamattina, at the Lobster Cave restaurant in Beaumaris.

One senior Liberal MP said the party room was united behind their leader and so far there had not been any push for a leadership change.

"I don't get the sense that anyone genuinely wants change. It's a cohesive parliamentary party room," the MP said.

The MP said switching leaders was an "enormous risk", particularly with an election less than 18 months away.

"The party has to go through devastating convulsions to go there."

Mr Madafferi has never been charged with a criminal offence and denies any wrongdoing.

This week Fairfax Media revealed explosive secretly recorded phone calls in which a Liberal Party official discussed plans to offer undisclosed donations from the men who attended the dinner.

The official recorded in the phone calls, Barrie Macmillan, resigned from his party position on Wednesday.

The latest turmoil in Victorian politics is also facing scrutiny from Canberra.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, asked in Federal Parliament whether the Australian Federal Police had been asked to investigate the revelations, said, "Those reports will be carefully examined by federal authorities."

Despite the revelations, many Liberal MPs who spoke to Fairfax Media insisted Mr Guy retained their confidence.

Victorian Liberal Party president Michael Kroger told ABC Radio none of the dinner guests had made recent discloseable donations to the party or given smaller sums to his knowledge.

Labor ministers made repeated references to Beaumaris and accepting money from mobsters in question time at Parliament on Wednesday.

And Deputy Premier James Merlino released a list of 17 questions for Mr Guy, including asking exactly how many people attended the dinner and whether he would release all correspondence to the corruption watchdog.

Earlier in the week Mr Guy said he was so confident he had done nothing wrong he would refer the matter to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission for investigation.

Opposition spokeswoman for children Georgie Crozier said the parliamentary party was united and strongly behind Mr Guy.

She insisted the revelations did not undermine the Coalition's strong campaigning on law and order in Victoria. "I think this is just white noise," she said.

Another opposition frontbencher, Ryan Smith, said Mr Guy could not have been more open about the dinner.

"His team sees that," he said.

Following the Coalition's 2014 election loss, shadow treasurer Michael O'Brien contested the leadership.

But on Wednesday Mr O'Brien insisted he supported Mr Guy to stay in the top job.

"Matthew Guy has done a great job in taking the fight up to Daniel Andrews on behalf of Victorians neglected by Labor," he said. "He will make a great premier and has my full support.

On Wednesday morning Coalition MPs including shadow energy minister David Southwick??? and Kew MP Tim Smith all said Mr Guy had their full backing.

"I'm behind him 1000 per cent," Tim Smith said. "He has my absolute support and he's doing a fantastic job."

Mr Southwick also stood by his leader.

"Matthew Guy has made his comments very clear here in terms of what has gone on. The situation really is that we need to get on with the real issues that matter in Victoria," he said.

The story Senior Liberals stand by Guy first appeared on The Age.

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Senior Liberals stand by Guy - The Border Mail

Former British Columbia finance minister Kevin Falcon, who ran a close second to Christy Clark for the BC Liberal leadership in 2011, says the party might now be best led by a caucus outsider who could overcome criticisms of the party's record in government.

Mr. Falcon, whose name frequently comes up as a potential successor to Ms. Clark, says he's not interested in running, having retired from politics in 2013.

The BC Liberals are preparing for a leadership contest to replace Ms. Clark, whose resignation took effect last Friday. The campaign will likely focus on what factors reduced the Liberals to a minority in the provincial legislature, setting the stage for the NDP to take power, and what direction the party must go to recover.

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Mr. Falcon said it would be difficult for anyone from the previous government to take over the party. "That's going to be the challenge for candidates that are coming from the existing MLA cast," he said in an interview. "It's not impossible; it just makes it more challenging to be that change candidate. I think outside candidates probably have that advantage."

However, Mr. Falcon, an executive vice-president with the B.C. investment company Anthem Capital Corp., says he won't be seeking the job.

"I am not going to be a candidate for the leadership of the BC Liberal party and while I appreciate all of the calls, e-mails, texts and people stopping me on the street and encouraging me to run, my circumstances are similar to what led me to retire in the first place," Mr. Falcon said.

"I have two young daughters and a very satisfying career in the private sector."

Mr. Falcon quipped that his "days are being destroyed" by having to respond to all the people calling about a leadership campaign that is not going to happen.

"I'll never get any work done if I have to return all the calls and e-mails."

Among the calls have been outreach from the leadership prospects, largely members of the BC Liberal caucus, who have said they are considering leadership bids.

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Ms. Clark won the BC Liberal leadership with 52-per-cent support, compared with 48 per cent for Mr. Falcon, who had considerable support in caucus over the one MLA who backed Ms. Clark. Mr. Falcon had previously served as ministers of finance, health and transportation, as well as deputy premier. He spent a dozen years as a member of the legislature. Ms. Clark led the Liberals to a surprise win in 2013. Mr. Falcon did not seek re-election.

This past spring, the New Democrats and Greens joined together to oust the Liberals in a confidence vote, prompting the Lieutenant-Governor to ask the NDP to form a new government.

John Horgan is now Premier and the Liberals find themselves in opposition after 16 years in power.

As defeat in the legislature became a near certainty, Ms. Clark's beleaguered Liberals tabled a Throne Speech in June that offered a wholesale remake of the party's election campaign.

Mr. Falcon said that Throne Speech presents a challenge to the party.

"That recent Throne Speech was not helpful at all, to say the least," Mr. Falcon said.

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"By adopting the NDP-Green platform holus-bolus, it went against 16 years of largely principled policy leadership."

Ms. Clark, asked about that issue in a final news conference as leader, said the party's next leader would be free to break with the Throne Speech she presided over a point that others in the party have also made.

Mr. Falcon said integrity and transparency need to be front and centre for all candidates seeking the leadership, making specific reference to campaign finance reform and how government operates.

He also advised boldness in policy to address "legitimate issues" of affordability, especially in the Lower Mainland.

"That means really bold and new ideas in transit, in housing, in daycare all of those issues that are going to be important for urban-suburban voters."

He also said there needs to be a debate about how to raise government funds. "People talk often about how we spend government's money, but people need to focus about how we generate it.

BC Liberal caucus members Sam Sullivan, a former Vancouver mayor, former advanced education minister Andrew Wilkinson, ex-transportation minister Todd Stone, former education minister Mike Bernier and Jas Johal, a former TV reporter elected to the legislature this spring, have said they are considering runs for the leadership.

Outside the caucus, Iain Black, the former labour minister who is now president and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, has said he may run. Tory MP Dianne Watts, formerly mayor of Surrey, says she is being urged to run, but has not made any decision.

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BC Liberals' new leader should be an outsider, former politician says - The Globe and Mail

Televangelist Pat Robertson said it's possible Fox News host Eric Bolling, who allegedly sent lewd photos to colleagues, is a casualty in a liberal effort to take down Fox News.

Robertson said Monday on his Christian "700 Club" TV show he doesn't "have a lot of first-hand information" on the sexual harassment scandals rocking Fox but they could be the product of a conspiracy to "destroy" the network.

"I'm not a conspiracy theorist," he said, "but it's so easy to see what's being done."

Robertson said he was familiar with Bolling and considered him to be "a straight arrow" and "a dedicated Catholic."

Bolling was suspended by Fox last week after it was reported that some current and former colleagues claimed he had sent them text message photos of male genitalia, believed to be his own.

In the course of the last year, star anchor Bill O'Reilly and the late Roger Ailes, the network's founding CEO, were also terminated following allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior.

Bolling, O'Reilly, and Ailes all denied the allegations.

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Pat Robertson suggests Eric Bolling was framed by anti-Fox News liberals - Washington Examiner

Common Dreams

Liberals Strike Back... Against Single Payer Common Dreams In the name of political reality, some liberal pundits, politicians and policy wonks are scolding progressives to give up on Medicare for All. There are many ways to achieve "universal coverage," we're told. "Overhauling" the entire system is too hard ... and more »

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Liberals Strike Back... Against Single Payer - Common Dreams