Old Baltimore movie theaters

I took these pictures in the 1970s.  The only one open then, the Boulevard at 33rd and Greenmount, is no longer a theater.  The McHenry Theater building in Federal Hill (Gino’s in the photo) is now the Blue Agave restaurant.

Trump and Congressional Republicans are damaging US intelligence agencies

Trump’s attacks on US intelligence agencies can do a lot of harm.  People in the US will not trust them and confide in them.

Foreign countries will also not trust the US with intelligence information.  There are other reasons for that.  Trump told Russians confidential intelligence provided by another country.  Do you think “shithole countries” will want to help the US now?

Comey’s firing did not go over well in the FBI.

Now, intelligence agencies may not want to provide confidential information to Congress because of the Nunes memo politics.  Trump and Congressional Republicans have done lasting damage.  Sad!

Trump is sabotaging the State Department

“Many senior diplomats have found themselves isolated or ignored by the White House. Some have resigned, and others have been pushed out, leading to reports of an “exodus” of senior staff. Those who remain have complained about the poor morale. A proposed 30 percent budget cut, hiring freezes, and the secretary’s slow reorganization of the department have further stoked consternation and fear.”

This article, quoted above, notes that there is now one career ambassador left at the State Department.  There have also been layoffs.  State Department employees have hired lawyers because they are concerned about “political retribution”.  Sad!

The Supreme Court ruled against Pennsylvania gerrymandering

The Supreme Court declined to block a Pennsylvania Supreme Court order to redraw congressional districts.

Here’s a history of how the gerrymandering was accomplished.

The current map developed by Republicans heavily favors them even though the last time before 2016 that the state voted Republican in a presidential race was 1988.

Now the Republicans don’t want to comply with the court order and one representative even wants to impeach the judges!

Sad!