EPA head Scott Pruitt says he cannot fly commercial because people are mean to him.

Courtesy of Time: 

The head of the Environmental Protection Agency has broken months of silence about his frequent premium-class flights at taxpayer expense, saying he needs to fly first class because of unpleasant interactions with other travelers. 

EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt spoke about his flight costs on Tuesday in a pair of interviews in New Hampshire, following a first-class flight to meet with the state’s Republican governor and tour a toxic waste site. 

Pruitt told the New Hampshire Union Leader he had some “incidents” on flights shortly after his appointment by President Donald Trump last year. 

“We live in a very toxic environment politically, particularly around issues of the environment,” said Pruitt, who confirmed to the newspaper that he had flown first class from Washington to Boston before continuing on to New Hampshire. “We’ve reached the point where there’s not much civility in the marketplace and it’s created, you know, it’s created some issues and the (security) detail, the level of protection is determined by the level of threat.”

The article goes on to remind us that Pruitt is the first EPA chief to have 24 hour security, and that he spent $25,000 on a soundproof booth so that nobody can listen in on his phone calls, and is spending $3,000 to have his office swept for listening devices.

Okay I do not want to hear one more slack jawed conservative calling liberals "snowflakes" ever again.

This guy is essentially afraid of his own shadow.

Just a warning this is how United Airlines removes you from a plane when they overbook a flight.

@United overbook #flight3411 and decided to force random passengers off the plane. Here's how they did it: pic.twitter.com/QfefM8X2cW

— Jayse D. Anspach (@JayseDavid) April 10, 2017

To repeat, United stmt. to NBC News confirms the flight was overbooked & the passenger refused to leave. Doesn't explain that kind of force. pic.twitter.com/uMeEkrmeOH

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) April 10, 2017

Courtesy of Raw Story: 

United Airlines is coming under heavy criticism after it had security officers forcibly remove a passenger from an overbooked flight. 

A series of videos posted on social media show security officers asking a passenger who was on a Sunday United flight from Chicago to Louisville to leave the plane. 

When the man refused, the officers reached in and did something to cause the man to shout out in pain. Afterward, the officers dragged the man off the plane as horrified passengers yelled that there was no need to resort to such force. 

In a statement provided to NBC News, United explained that the plane’s crew initially looked for people to leave the flight voluntarily because the flight had been overbooked. When no one volunteered, they chose a passenger to be removed, and he refused to cooperate, which forced the crew to call law enforcement officials. 

The airline apologized for overbooking the flight but did not apologize for having security drag the passenger off the plane.

The man claimed to be a doctor who had to see patients in the morning as his reason for refusing to leave the aircraft, and really who can blame him for refusing?

Ultimately it seems that the man returned to the plane looking disoriented and with a bloody face, which really makes no sense whatsoever.

I have to admit that currently I have no interest in flying anywhere with the TSA acting like the Gestapo and demanding that people give up their laptop and cell phone passwords.

But once I do decide to fly again you can bet it will NOT be on United Airlines.

Despite being "schlonged" by the Palin curse in Iowa it appears that Donald Trump has not yet learned his lesson. Update!

Courtesy of the Trump Rump Kisser-in-Chief's Facebook page:

Tonight = America wins, the permanent political class does not, and that is good! To restore Constitutional government the status quo has got to go; the Iowa caucus proves many Americans feel the same. The top three candidates, fueled by our independent, grassroots tea party movement, take 70% of the vote in this unique Iowa caucus. Now this healthy, hearty competition moves to NH, SC and beyond. Those of us proud to be on Team Trump thank Iowa supporters and look forward to forging ahead to make America great again with the candidate proving a record of success and strength that is so needed. The tangible Commonsense Conservative solutions requiring a doer, not a talker, will restore American exceptionalism. Onward and upward, America!

Oh so now she is officially on "Team Trump" is she?

Personally I think this is her official job.

As it turned out one Bernie Sanders supporter made an interesting observation about Palin's participation with Team Trump: 

I spotted Trump’s highest-profile surrogate, Sarah Palin, in Terminal A at the Minneapolis airport Sunday, waiting for Flight 3651 to Des Moines, a short flight on a very, very un-Trump-like plane. 

There were no first class seats. Cramped, not much legroom. Only water was served, and the seat belts weren’t coated in gold — more likely germs. Two seats across, maybe 20 rows. Cattle, compared with riding in Trump style.

Wow, seems kind of odd that a member of "Team Trump" has to schlepp herself across the country in a glorified cattle car while the rest of the team flies in style on Trump's private plane.

Don'tcha think?

As for Trump there is increasing evidence that his campaign is nothing more than a long con on the American people.

This courtesy of Salon: 

According to the report, Trump was approached two years ago by GOP operatives who wanted him to run for governor of New York. To their surprise, he declined but added that they would be useful when he ran for president. “I’m going to walk away with it and win outright,” Trump told the group, “I’m going to get in and all the polls are going to go crazy. I’m going to suck all the oxygen out of the room. I know how to work the media in a way that that they will never take the lights off of me.” 

Trump knew all along that his celebrity and media savvy were sufficient to support his campaign. Although they didn’t believe him, Trump told the Republicans in that room in 2013 that he would dominate the race without spending much on paid advertising. From the report: 

“’You can’t run for president on earned media,’ one attendee recalled telling Trump. The billionaire looked up, and paused for a long moment. ‘I think you’re wrong,’ Trump said. ‘Are you going to do all those little events at the Pizza Ranches?” another person asked, referring to the Iowa fast food franchises that are a staple of presidential campaign stops. ‘Maybe a little,’ Trump replied. ‘But it’s really about the power of the mass audience.’” 

Trump was right. The ability to control the narrative, to dominate the coverage, is all it takes. Trump’s amorality coupled with his gift for self-promotion has turned the Republican presidential race on its head. He’s made the race about him, and anytime he isn’t the main story, he lurches back into the headlines with an outrageous comment about women or Muslims or Mexicans or disabled people – anything to win the news cycle.

Well now it all makes sense.

Why wouldn't a phony grifter have the queen of phony grifters around to help him pull a fast one on the media and voters of this country?

Of course the answer to that question is because she is a politically poisonous albatross who destroys everything she touches.

Of course in this case that might not be a bad thing.

Update: Just in case anybody wants to argue that Palin is probably with Trump on his private plane now, and that the first flight was an anomaly.

Sarah Palin at Des Moines International Airport. Trump's plane was full, apparently. pic.twitter.com/ImhqMh6Qb8

— Brendan Bordelon (@BrendanBordelon) February 2, 2016

Nope.