Today began the second impeachment trial for former president Donald J. Trump, this time for incitement of insurrection against the American government. Still, the people who are really on trial are the 50 Republican senators judging Trump’s guilt. The impeachment trial today covered whether it is constitutional to try a former official. This angle was designed to get Republican senators off the hook: if not, they could avoid voting on the article of impeachment.
246 years ago, a people risked and lost life and fortune to free themselves from the tyranny of a despotic ruler. Against all odds, they succeeded in liberating themselves from that ruler and created a representative democracy in which their leaders derived authority from the will of the citizens through periodic elections. Since George Washington took the oath of office on April 30th, 1789. There have since been 45 peaceful transfers of Presidential power. Not once has a President attempted to overturn an election illegally through deceit to retain power for himself. Until now. This has been done publicly, out in the open for all to see. The facts are clear, they are recorded in the phone call to Georgia and the multitude of videos of the President himself as well as all his enablers spreading his big lie. The insurrection itself played out on live TV for the whole country to see and was personally witnessed by every member in this chamber.
So, the question is not “did he do it?” The question is “what are we going to do about it?” A year ago, we asked the same question and the answer we gave was “yeah, he did it. But there is an election coming up, let the people decide” How did that work out? The American people know, the world knows, all of us in this room, we all know what Donald Trump did. He tried to end 234 years of our representative democracy. A democracy that many hundreds of thousands of Americans have died to defend over that 234 years. Today it is our turn to defend it. What will we risk? Will we risk our lives? No, not our lives. We will risk our jobs. Conventional wisdom has it that Republicans will vote to acquit Donald Trump not because he is innocent, but because to vote to convict him will be political suicide. You might lose your job. When the moment comes, and your name is called and you must choose between defending our republic or saving your job, the world will be watching. And History will remember.
“the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke
Excellent highlighting of the actual decision Republican senators will be making. So very important that the truth behind this is made clear to the American public.
Do they even have a concept of the difference? They’re so self-consumed, inhaling nothing but their own breath, they are lost boys (apologies to the girls amongst them) following Peter Pan...
Yes, well said. If this and other well founded arguments do not result in conviction, I think America has to ask if impeachment and trial in the Senate serves any purpose?
It does. It places a marker saying that in a democratic society, certain behaviors must always be challenged. And it makes blatant the disregard for democracy many Republican senators have. Both are useful; not decisive, but useful.
The House prosecutors did a superb job yesterday. Trump’s team failed.
Yet only six Republicans voted to allow the trial to proceed. Their complicity is maddening, but it is also deeply saddening. The Republican party has lost whatever semblance of a soul it might have had prior to Trump. Its soul is now dead – and this trial needs to be the nail that seals the coffin.
If I were giving the summation in the Senate trial:
In 2019, this body had the opportunity to put an end to one of the most corrupt and divisive chapters in American Presidential history and instead, voted to allow it to continue.
And a result of that choice, we find ourselves here today, one month after an attempted Coup that cost the lives of seven Americans and will forever haunt this this nation, this city, and the very room in which we are assembled today.
Donald J. Trump must not be allowed to hold elective office ever again. The Senate will be held accountable if it fails to hold accountable, the person most responsible for the events of January 6, 2021.
We may be forgiven by history for failing to act in 2019, but neither history, nor the America people, will forgive us if we do it twice.
And their faces and names will be plastered everywhere from now until midterms and the next POTUS election. Meanwhile, President Biden continues to make choices that take immediate care of suffering American people. The stark difference between the traitor Republicans and the Biden efforts to date couldn’t be more significant. And the drama vs quiet resolve.
One of the great short speeches in American political history: "Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?" Joseph Welch
Can't you just see that being delivered at Ted Cruz? I can.
There will be no coffin for the GOP, far from it. Granted, they are anti-democratic and amoral, but they are not stupid. They don’t sweat little things like corruption, or attempted coups. What matters to them is seizing and holding on to power. They see backing Trump as a winning strategy. They control the Supreme Court. They control 26 state houses, where they will happily strengthen their gerrymandering strongholds. It’s likely they will take Congress (Senate and House) in 2022. There will be more Marjorie Taylor Greene’s, while Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger will lose their primaries. The lunatics are close to critical mass, and they’re not backing down.
Arizona Republicans are not going to sit by and let their state go blue ever again. They are also getting rid of any “never Trump” Republicans. They even censured Cindy McCain. Let that sink in, they censured the Republican widow of the war hero who was one of the most revered and long-serving Republicans in Arizona history.
Arizona will be redistricted by an independent commission. Republicans may lose control, certainly lopsided control, of the legislature. The time of Republican control of Arizona politics is coming to an end.
Figuring out what works is the challenge. We can’t end gerrymanderng. The Supreme Court ruled it’s up to the states, they wouldn’t declare it illegal. We could try to pass a law to end it, but that would take 60 votes in the Senate (unless we end the filibuster). There’s no way to break the media feedback loop to reach Republican voters, Fox, Newsmax et al have that locked down. The one successful model we have is Stacey Abrams, and her work in Georgia (which GA Republicans are working to erase). We need a Stacey Abrams in Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Arizona, etc. The one advantage we have is voter registration, and then turnout. It’s a slog...
Yes, I am hoping there is work being done by Fair Fight to establish leaders in these states to duplicate her efforts. This and pushing our elected officials to pass HR 1, For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Enhancement Act.
Perhaps democrats in those states could send young intern trainees to study under her while assisting her, and then return home to carry the lessons to their states. There was a very interesting program on NPR maybe two years ago (?) about how a group of wealthy Republicans set up an organization to fund radio shows in rural areas in central America which often became the only real news sources those areas had. It was referring to the region as a news desert and discussed how the effect of that was exactly as one would imagine. We need a group of wealthy Democrats to do likewise or even perhaps for the Lincoln Project to do likewise. Education and access to alluring but truthful sources of information are going to be vital to turn the nation around.
Stacey is a force of nature, and I believe her vision is much broader than simply Georgia. I'm sure she would be on board with your suggestion. This country is in desperate need of a reset!
Of course it will be a slog - so was the Revolution, but we wore the British down and prevailed. What we can't allow to happen is being demoralized. We have the numbers; Stacey Abrams and FairFight will not allow Kemp and Raffensperger to fortify voter suppression, and there are plenty of Stacey clones in this nation who have been emboldened by her example. There are two things, in my opinion, that we need to accomplish. One is refusing to give in to a defeatist attitude, and the other is to understand the powerful majority that we possess, thus becoming a bit less "democratic," and be unwilling to compromise when compromise weakens our cause. Meet in the middle when we can, but smile and persist in our goals when it isn't profitable to do otherwise. We can't afford to have tunnel vision and see only the obstacles.
Cynthia, I believe we will fight. This dystopian forecast doesn't make sense. Yes, the republicans control a disproportionate amount of real estate, but they gained that control with t***p's bullying and a majority in the Senate that enabled his criminality. The tide is turning, and many of us adhere to R Dooley's vision of the future. There are more of us than them, and we're discovering that by refusing to bargain with terrorists we can win - and I believe we will.
With respect, I disagree with your threshold premise, that embracing corruption, insurrection and lies is somehow wise. “Smart Like a Fox” – perhaps, but otherwise devoid of integrity, intellectual or otherwise.
This trial affords the people an unfiltered and graphic display of what can and did happen when a Republican President and his accomplices in the party, fully exercised their will. We can’t expect the willfully ignorant to embrace the truth of what is on display, but not everyone who voted for the former president is evil or ignorant or undemocratic. They may not embrace our policies, but they do not want to burn the Constitution in the public square.
With its current majority, Congress can pass the “We The People Act” that would dramatically enhance the ability of all citizens to have their voices heard. It also addresses extreme gerrymandering.
I would encourage everyone to look at the link below from the Brennen Center for Justice that breaks down the provisions of the Act, and if you agree with its aims, to actively advocate for immediate action to pass it.
As you said, the lunatics are not backing down. I agree – and neither should we.
Thank you for the link, RD. I share your vision. This country is imperfect, but sane people outnumber the cretins. I believe we will prevail, and we can't be defeatist to accomplish victory.
I'm not sure the Ds can get much past the filibuster. We have to bear in mind that a majority does them little good if they can't bring some of the Rs along.
77 million people voted for a crude, misogynistic narcissist who bears direct responsibility for hundreds of thousands of coronavirus deaths. 77 million. If the Rs can find a slightly less insane, slightly more attractive white supremacist authoritarian, the American people have demonstrated their willingness to vote for him. We cannot afford to be complacent for even one second.
Reid, I agree that we dropped the ball when Trump was elected, and also that he still has a fan club, and complacency would be disastrous. However, I don't see that we're being complacent at this point. Our country's problems existed before Trump took center stage, and anyone with a brain got a wakeup call - thus the 8 million votes for Biden over and above T***p's appalling 77 million. We do need to be worried, but I really can't get on board with your gloomy prediction at this point. With all due respect, Biden is doing a good job of righting the ship in the mere 22 days he's been in office. We all must keep an eye on our course, and if it falters, must do what we can to get back on track, but I'm encouraged by Biden and his stellar cabinet appointments.
I certainly agree that Biden is making all the right moves, in particular with his cabinet appointments. I also think getting on with making the lives of average people better is both a moral and a political victory.
But I don't see that this country has changed much from 2016, and Rs around the country are becoming far more sophisticated about voter suppression. Many of them feel it was Rs who were asleep at the switch in 2020, and they won't let that happen again. And it's worth remembering that in a year we elected a Democratic president, we actually LOST seats in the House. A very bad augury.
“Still, the people who are really on trial are the 50 Republican senators judging Trump’s guilt.” There is a Winnie the Pooh meme about this. Piglet: “ If they don’t convict him does that mean he is innocent? Winnie the Pooh “ No piglet, that means they are all guilty. “
I think it's important to remember that impeachment is a political process, not a criminal one. (Hopefully the criminal process will come a little later.) Trump isn't being judged by an impartial jury of his peers who look at all the evidence and hear all the arguments before drawing a conclusion. Impeacment is a political process where all the players make judgements based on their own political calculations and prejudices. There are no rules of evidence or discovery. Each side can present or ignore evidence as they please. There is no judicial precedent bearing on the process except as a political point of debate. In the end, all that is required are votes.
Senate Democrats have all made a rather easy political calculation; convict. Many Senate Republicans have a much more difficult calculation before them, one many will do their best to avoid. Democrats will do well to put those Republican "feet to the fire" and keep them there.
The Republicans who voted against the constitutionality of impeachment and will surely vote against impeachment itself, are making a simple political calculation. They fear Trump and his mob more than the damage he has done to the country and its institutions.
They could vote to cut this cancer from the body of the Republican Party as some like Chaney and McConnell would like to do. That would be painful and risk losing the mass of voters for whom Trump is god.
So they won’t. Even after seeing that mob come after them.
What you say is true, but for some Republicans that Trumpista mob is shrinking and as more evidence and testimony is presented it may be shrinking more. There needs be only seven or eight more Republican Senators to convict, and less if some fail to show up on the day the vote is taken. I think Trump will likely be acquitted, but Republicans are going to have to defend their votes in 2022 and 2024 when the political landscape may be very different. Every one of them is mindful of that.
I am going to work or support others in anyway I can that can get out the youth vote in 2022 and 2024. Those teenagers may be really angry at the Republican party for doing nothing about fighting COVID-19. The result has greatly impacted their high school and college years.
Good approach, Meemoo. Our Youngers hold the key to a brighter future, but many haven't yet developed the habits of voting and staying politically informed. Both are essential for them to have an effective role.
The former pResident tRump will end up hurting the Republicans. Just as we voted in landslide fashion against him in 2020, we will vote against him again in 2024. If the Republicans don’t repudiate him now he will be their candidate. It gives me no great joy to have him continue to rest in our consciousness. And the choice for the old school Republicans should be a no brainer. They will truly have lost the fight against Steve Bannon if they do not convict. Steve through tRump will have succeeded in ripping Republicans apart. This will be the death knell of the GOP!
I for one feel mid terms will start as soon as the impeachment process is done. Unless Hit by a bus most of us will be here to vote. Sure some of us are older but the goal should be “never forget.”
The party in the White House almost always loses seats in the House during mid-terms. And we must never forget that Senator Warnock must run again in 2022 (because he is completing the term of a senator who resigned). The flurry of voter suppression legislation in Georgia is aimed directly at him. If we don't keep our eye on the ball, it could well be we will only have a majority in the Senate for two years.
Evidence that Republicans are shrinking, though I doubt it’s Trumps Cult that cares. One might hope this fine democratic display of a very necessary historical, however political government process will peel off a few more minds from whatever it is that attracts them to the GOP.
I wonder how many Trumpsters there actually are, what %, of Rs? Because I think they are a small, very vocal minority. And when the rest of the Rs peel away... they won’t be able to do very much and will be passed by... at least I can hope.
But, weren’t you stunned that McConnell voted as he did? Has he just given up? This is the GOP’s last chance to excise Trump from their midst. I refuse to believe that it is too late. For over 4 years they have allowed this runaway train to spew lies, sew chaos and whip up a base they can barely recognize let alone control. They owe it to all of us to at least try to put out the fire. It seems they aren’t willing to even pretend to try.
Unfortunately, Trump's defence team is creating the impression that impeachment is a criminal process. The less informed/knowledgeable of his base will latch on to that falsehood and use it to fuel their furor against all things anti-Trump in the same way they've latched on to all of the previous lies.
Morning, all!! Morning, Dr. R!! I received an email from "my" Senator, Mark Warner (D-VA) asking, among other things, to rate the importance of the impeachment proceedings going forward. Of course I rated it as "Very Important."
Of note (to me at least) is that each speaker had unfettered access to the floor, even if their remarks were not on point to the question of jurisdiction.
Though I do not remember particular names, it was "entertaining" to hear Congressman Neguse (D-CO) reference who in history had sat in the same chairs that some Senators now occupy.
Lead Manager Raskin (D-MD), in my estimation, was beyond awesome in his presentation.
Agreed! How could anyone not be moved, humbled, and remorseful for their appalling indifference to the reality of January 6th? His personal experience, his honesty and openness, and the powerful metaphor of his own tragic loss and the loss of the soul of our nation were almost too painful to witness. I wanted to confront each of those evil, selfish, walking/talking/doodling bastards and slap them across the face and scream ‘What is wrong with you!?’ They are empty suits, empty people, beyond disgusting. I will do everything I can to work against them. I hope that you all feel the same!
Those spineless GOP who voted no, how can they even look at their fellow members of Congress! They were searching for the Vice President, the Speaker of the House, and peers such as AOC? The only way I can see that they can sit there so disrespectful is they must be involved to be so callous. Just watching that video made me sick. When they said the protestors were in the building and members of Congress were being escorted out, who were all the calm ones, looking at their phones, not worried about the “protestors”. They should not be allowed to vote and should have been questioned by the FBI, unless Trump still has his people running it.
Another indication of how much inside work went on with this coup attempt was that the panic buttons in my Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley's office were disabled. We know that VP Pence and Speaker Pelosi were specifically targeted, but there were more. I want to see not only a guilty verdict of Trump but also these treasonous members of Congress who remain a danger to their colleagues and continue to undermine democracy.
Vs my two scumbag senators rubio and Scott who do not even have a label for impeachment in their lists of "why are you contacting me" choice of topics. I checked national security, then went on to explain what a threat trump was, is and will be to our democracy.
Revised, marco now has an impeachment button to check, Scott, still have tell him I'm concerned with homeland security issue. I hope everyone is dropping a note to their senators this morning, well, at least the spineless repugnant ones.
I’m sure my senator, Marsha Blackburn, is whom Sen. Chris Coons was referring to when he said a senator sitting near him was reading a book. She did the same last time.
I wonder if the senators not paying attention would have a different approach if the crazies had these senators' photos next to an armed whacko saying better dead than red?
These are my disgraceful, Repugnants also. I am appalled by them. There is even a photo of Rick Scott standing beside a Proud Boy, smiling. It’s disgusting. I have called and emailed a few times about impeachment also and the fact that it feels like I am talking to dead people, certainly soul-dead people, is deeply sad.
I received a mailer from the League of Women Voters, and they suggest that when contacting a politician of the opposite party, you should never identify yourself as anything but a constituent. Otherwise, it goes to the circular file. I sometimes follow their advice, but there are times I let them know my stripe and that they are "repugnant" in my view. Depends on the day.
On Sunday I had to use National Security for my email to Todd Young and Other for Mike Braun. I was hoping Young might have a shred of decency but have no hope the Braun.
Morning, L!! Our impeachment managers did well, and they're just warming up. It's a tough uphill struggle to drag GOP senators across the line, but they must try. In its own way Impeachment 2 is as fateful an event as the insurrectionary coup itself.
BTW, I have several relatives in the northern VA suburbs of DC. Yearly visits in the last decade have enhanced my appreciation for the state and for US history. Which part of VA is yours?
Hey, TPJ. IMHO these managers are defending the Rule of Law, and that's enough for me. Note the lone person standing in the well of the Chamber with a stenotype machine harnessed to their body. They switch out every ten minutes. They are court stenographers who are reporting the remarks of the speakers. Years ago as a stenographer, I covered mostly Senate committee and subcommittee hearings providing daily transcripts of the day's proceedings. Never on the floor but felt I did make a contribution to our country's movement forward.
Now retired, I make my home in western Loudoun County in the section of Virginia that is actually NORTH of Washington, D.C.! We are about 20 miles from the West Virginia border.
I visited Harper Ferry in fall 2019. It is stupendous. Mighty rivers bursting through towering mountain ranges; austere white in winter, dazzling green in summer, riotous colors in fall; peaks and cliffs looming over all. And then there's the awesome human history .... Every American should visit sometime.
I found Jamie Raskin's clarity, intensity and depth of feeling absolutely inspiring. I do not believe the remaining 44 Republicans are cowards. They are co-conspirators who will ride this pony as far as it can go. They believe in authoritarianism and they believe they will retain their power.
That works until the dictator, be it Trump or anyone else, finds them disloyal. Have they not been paying attention?
"On March 1, 2006, during a Maryland State Senate hearing regarding same-sex marriage, Raskin was noted for his response to an opposing lawmaker: "Senator, when you took your oath of office, you placed your hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution. You did not place your hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible."
You establish a meaningful dichotomy: they are either cowards of co-conspirators. Their votes on impeachment will be the proof of each member's culpability.
56 to 44 is astounding! I’m honestly speechless on this vote and has me very concerned for the outcome. Now it is called a trial, but the rules are so different from a court trial. Members of Congress who will vote blatantly profess they will vote to acquit before the trial even starts, they do not have to be in attendance or pay attention to what is presented, yet they are still allowed a vote if they show up at the end. They don’t have to base their vote on evidence or lack of evidence presented. Why are their no basic rules for this. This is their job and they are openly thumbing their noses at our Constitution and democracy. They are not serving the people they are only working to keep themselves in power. Why are their no immediate consequences for members of Congress who fail to do their jobs or uphold their sworn oats?
I’m disappointed that no more mention has been made of the numbers of those arrested that never even voted! Maybe it’s barely a dozen, but it is a telling point.
I'll keep this short since the proprietress has laid this out so succinctly.
"The goal behind impeachment....is to guarantee accountability and stop corruption."
So impeachment IS a valid political process, not a politicized process. The major flaw of that process, which the GOP is attempting to exploit, is the vagueness of what constitutes an impeachable act. Please refer back to Richard Zebel's piece in WaPo least week, which points out that Congress did nothing to codify specific actions and penalties for what January 6th really was: Domestic Terrorism.
"The defense lawyers’ problem, of course, is that they are being asked to defend the indefensible. They know it; we know it; Republican senators who have been defended Trump know it."
What Trump did wasn't a one-off loss of control that unfortunately went awry. We've known since before his election that much, or most, of what Trump has done is indefensible. His business practices, his treatment of women, his disdain for blacks, his claims of accomplishments, his lack of empathy, his "business acumen," his propensity for lying. Anyone who hoped he'd "pivot" was whistling past the graveyard. We have no right to be surprised. And those who have rationalized ANY of what he's done are delusional and/or manipulative and/or compromised, but they themselves are indefensible.
"During the video of the insurrection, Trump supporters Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) looked at papers on their desks, Rick Scott (R-FL) looked at papers on his lap, and Rand Paul (R-KY) doodled."
In more coarse vernacular, "Man the f--- up!!!" You've got some serious issues. Rubio, a child of immigrants, overcame Trump's personal insults during the 2016 debates and supported Trump's vile treatment of families just like his. Think he cares about the American dream? Cotton, Ivy educated and combat veteran, advocated using the US military against its own citizens. Think he cares about the law? Rick Scott, another veteran and former governor, ran a company they committed massive Medicare fraud, resulting in 14 felony counts, almost $2B in fines, was fired, and walked away with $300M. Think he cares about his country?
"This big lie...is the rallying cry for a movement to destroy American democracy."
Trump's just had the loudest megaphone when he began complaining about rigged elections in 2016. The GOP isn't a party of "conservatives" who believe in limited government and personal accountability. It has been trying for years to structurally rig the system to ensure they'll maintain power even if they're in the minority. Any time they say they're looking to make America better, they're referring only to monied white Christians who don't give a second thought to denying others the American dream.
"Now, they are arguing that impeachment is a partisan attack on the part of Democrats."
Of course they are. They have no short term memory. They have no sense of irony. They have no fixed moral bearings. They have no problem projecting their own misbehavior onto others. They have no problem changing the rules as they go. And they absolutely no qualms about lying through their teeth. So yeah, sure it's a political act. They're just mad they haven't been able to dig up any real corruption or criminal behavior on the Dems in the last 50 years. Keep dreaming.
I can't repeat it enough: Rick Scott pled the 5th 75 times during his deposition in the Medicare Fraud case against Columbia/HCA. It was filmed. Ads showing him squirming during deposition were not enough to save Florida from this vulgar man.
I know. It’s unbelievable. The rich and powerful want their goodies, no matter what criminal they have to put in office to get them. The Florida Republican legislature is now putting forward a bill to affect education in schools, colleges and universities even more, so that they can counter topics such as Climate change and civil rights information, and allow white supremacists to speak at colleges. The information came from Florida Indivisible. I will try to find the link and post it.
As much as I try to avoid generalizing about a class of people, Republican leadership tests that in me. They are despicable. Best to be done with the entire lot.
By what I watched today, it beyond my comprehension how the vote wasn’t unanimous. But then I remembered who/what we were dealing with. Thank you Professor for always putting the days events into a concise, readable format...for us non scholars!
... And yet, this time I am not afraid. I can't un-see what I saw, or un-know what I know. The truth is having its day. For me the verdict is clear. There's really not a lot to discuss.
There is footage of he and his family watching the seditionist riots. DJr.'s girlfriend, the Screaming Banshee was dancing, and I do not remember if Jr. was dancing with her. It was stomach turning. The whole family are a bunch of sickos leading a bunch of brainwashed people. I agree with Kim Wallingford, there is not a lot to discuss. We are dealing with 30% of this country who follow a crime family and a party of crime. Most appear to have suffered partial lobotomies in critical thinking skills surrounding Truth and Reality thanks to the bigger criminals responsible such as the Mercers, Kochs, Murdochs, Putin, Miller, Bannon, Conway, Hannity, Pirro, Cruz, Paul, Giuliani, Nunes, McNinny, Moscow Mitch....and on and on, ad nauseam who brainwashed Americans.
I understand TCinLA's brutal dream of "hung, drawn and quartered" feeling-wise. However, we need to demonstrate for the world that we are civilized people and that our laws, our maturity, will prevail. If there is a God, it is time to intervene and put this old white patriarchy of madness away so we can deal with our pandemic, our dead, our dying, and our jobs and our economy. If the Trumplican party is this cruel and cowardly, let them eat cake. We need to move on with a very harsh reality that is not waiting in the wings.
Seditionists should be "branded" with an "S" on their foreheads via tatts and not allowed any public servant roles, to write books or to give interviews. They are people without a country. If I had power, I would deport all of them.
This very thing sticks in my craw. They are not impartial jurors, and as such are oathbreakers. The easy out for them would be, at the end of the trial, to recuse themselves because they are not impartial, and therefore cannot break their oath(s). Won't happen, of course, because not a one of them understands the responsibility of an oath, which is not pro forma but a promise.
Penelope, I totally agree with your assessment that "Most appear to have suffered partial lobotomies in critical thinking skills surrounding Truth and Reality thanks to the bigger criminals responsible such as the Mercers, Kochs, Murdochs, Putin, Miller, Bannon, Conway, Hannity, Pirro, Cruz, Paul, Giuliani, Nunes, McNinny, Moscow Mitch....and on and on, ad nauseam who brainwashed Americans." However, I want ddt and his criminal family and craven cronies and insurrectionists to be imprisoned, not deported where they can incite more chaos from abroad. Accountability for their crimes calls for imprisonment.
What an obscenity. A most shameful moment in American history. Partying BECAUSE the country's future is teetering on the brink. Is this really what people voted for in 2016 and 2020? If there's any justice in the world, let there be enough for the entire crass, immoral family.
i think i read somewhere that someone in the room, said DT was upset that the rioters did not look more intelligent.... or something like that.. (during the riot)
Is there no way to make this point? Someone wrote that there are no rules for evidence in the impeachment. Perhaps hearsay would be appropriate? Probably a poor idea but who knows in a trial without rules. Perhaps anything goes.
Is it possible to fight the gerrymandering that will continue as red states redraw districts to marginalize people the best they can? This seems disconnected from the topic, but ten more years of Republicans in power because of unfair districting and voter restriction laws will keep the circus going.
H.R. 1 (For the People Act) requires the establishment of an independent redistricting commission (IRC) in each state, responsible for developing and enacting congressional redistricting plans, as well as voting rights, transparency and ethics. One source for info is
HR 1 is a tsunami of legislation that could bring the country out of the darkness and into the light. It may take a while to get it passed, like it does all norm shattering ideas, but this one's time has come. #ofbyforthepeople
In PA there is a constitutional amendment in the works to create Judicial districts for the upper appellate state courts. This state is horribly gerrymandered and it took the State Supreme Court’s ruling to break up what had been done to the US Congressional districts. That was only a temporary fix. Changing the process for drawing districts (statewide and federal), has a high level of support from voters, democrats, republicans and independents. But this state does not have a means of citizen-initiated referendum, so legislation to adopt an independent district map commission, that does not have personal interest in job security and party power, has been continually blocked. I joined Fair Districts Pa after the 2016 election. It has been quite an educational experience. The work continues, in spite of the road blocks.
Campaign Legal Center, which I mentioned above, has been working with the League of Women Voters on redistricting. This event linked below is Thursday, February 11, 2021 from 1-2 p.m. Eastern Time, online. LWV has state and local chapters in 50 states plus DC. I joined with my local group last year. I hope to support redistricting efforts and voter registration.
Depends on what state you live in. Here in California we have a new citizen-led board chosen over a couple of years. This will be its first redistricting, and I'm interested to see how it goes.
Try looking on Ballotopedia or call your state elections board or local legislator to see what methods your state uses. Usually, it's an up or down vote in the lawmakers' body so if your state is majority R, the gerrymandering will benefit them. If you find that you have little or no influence, at least let them know you're watching.
That is better than an explicit ruling supporting gerrymandering. It can be revisited in future, though the conservative majority doesn't inspire confidence in a favorable ruling.
Thank you, Heather --a concise and insightful synopsis with value added. I was struck by your saying:
'Still, the people who are really on trial are the 50 Republican senators judging Trump’s guilt.'
So true. And consider the ramifications if those weak vessels do their pusillanimous computations and vote cult over country:
1. Trump is acquitted and possibly could run again. Maybe foolishly, I'm not so bothered by this. The man is despicable and lazy to boot and will be easier to defeat without the trappings of incumbency.
2. Some more dangerous, smarter, and equally or more charismatic (yes, we have to recognize that, though it's incomprehensible to our community, Trump is adored by a large number of our fellow citizens) president will take a lesson from this trial. A better organized attempt to push the Big Lie and overturn a lost election is within the realm of possibility. Like Jamie Raskin, I too would have thought, of course it's safe, it's the Capitol. His reminder that members of Congress were calling loved ones and removing their Congressional pins is absolutely chilling and needs to be repeated.
3. The worst presidency in our history -- inept, corrupt, malign, regressive, and utterly toxic to what should be American values -- becomes normalized. Our standards and expectations fall to those of a failed third world state.
I'm worried. I'm holding out hope that the House managers will present such a compelling case that public opinion will overwhelmingly swing to conviction and even the most pathetic and right wing members of the party of Q will choose to be absent for the vote. We know they can still count even if they no longer have the vestiges of principle.
So, thanks again Heather. I know whatever happens, I'll have your brilliance to lend context and clarity to the coming days. And thanks, too, for this community of kind and articulate voices for whom you've provided a platform.
I keep hearing rumblings that the national political tide is turning against tRump. Those Republican state houses, however, are not, and they are doubling down on their intent to manipulate elections that they cannot win without cheating.
Excellent summary as you caught the findings of today’s trial. Our impeachment managers did not disappoint. As Cassidy stated, they were “prepared and organized”. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised to see that a good ole Southern Republican boy from Louisiana sided with the Democrats.
Castor and Schoen were grasping at straws because that’s all they had but boy, they sure did a lousy job! One was a babbling brook while the other came out like an angry defeated cat.
More to be revealed tomorrow. Glad we all have front row seats.
I took great joy in the use of the mute button on my remote. I organised photos of the Inauguration, surprised that Schoen would go on so long with nothing to say. But not surprised, after all!
Tim Miller at the Bulwark said the second defender would have been better if he had been a filter of a regal kitten. I didn't catch the meaning of that till I saw the "I'm not a cat" meme running around today. After seeing it, yes, he was right about the guy. A cat filter would have been an improvement.
That video gave me the absolute comic relief I needed yesterday. Given my current role of Courthouse Security, I have seen a few of those teleconferences in the courtrooms. I bet I see "I am not a cat" in some judge's chambers before next week.
Heather writes: “Trump is not trying to win just this trial: he is trying to win control of the Republican Party and, through it, the country.”
The preceding statement implies that, like the fictional Spectre of James Bond fame, Trump is the mastermind behind a monstrous plot to destroy our democracy and become dictator for life. This begs the question: Is Trump really capable of masterminding anything, let alone a plot on that scale? I don’t think so: he’s not that smart. The story of his life is that he’s never been good at anything but self-promotion on a petty scale. But the plot to destroy our democracy is real, so if Trump is not the mastermind, who is? Lindsey Graham? Mark Meadows? Vladimir Putin? All of the above? A cabal? I welcome your thoughts.
I don’t believe in the existence of a right wing conspiracy/cabal. I think we sit at the confluence of incredibly powerful forces, and Trump is a figure whose skills play to the moment. He is a demagogue and he is literally a genius at manipulating the moment for his own benefit. The social justice movement, the (hopefully) final collapse of Reagan’s voodoo economics and the pandemic frighten many for a lot of reasons. Most of us here would say they are poor reasons, but a large group in our society nonetheless feel disadvantaged by them. Rather than offering leadership to the nation, Trump sought to stoke those fears and present himself as the sole solution who could protect them — which of course he can’t. He is supported internally by politicians who know that when they are forced from power, the game they have played for generations is over. Similarly, monied interests who have manipulated that system for private gain are equally fearful of the end of their private gravy train. Trump is abetted from abroad by figures who have a deep seated fear and hatred of western democracy as it threatens the thousand year autocracy they wish to continue to impose on their societies. In the end many powerful forces come together to produce a Trump but I don’t think it is a organized cabal. I am reminded of the Chinese curse “May you live in interesting times.”
And I would add to this the knowledge from Jane Mayer's "Dark Money" that the Koch brothers's network has spent 13 billion dollars on subtly sophisticated propaganda from teams of political operatives... over 2000 think tanks and organizations, over 5000 professorships at universities around the country, bankrolling Fox news celebrities to push their agenda...
Great point. I think the right-wing efforts to legitimize propaganda through paid conservative “scholarship”, foundations and “think tanks” over the years is an often overlooked part of the story.
And now the remaining Koch brother is having 2nd thoughts about what they wrought. I get infuriated when I hear "good" Republicans yelling, "but it's gone too far!", as if going a little bit corrupt and inciting small armed riots is okay, just not big ones.
What Fred said. We live in a time that is on the cusp of major change in humankind's belief systems. All that 'civilized' people have trusted and believed in to guide them through life is being challenged and found to be wanting in the reality of the 21st century. Except, perhaps some native, indigenous cosmologies. Think about it. We now have the ability to alter our basic DNA structure; travel to and perhaps 'colonize' off-planet places, and found that our "Gods" can't seem to agree on basic moral matters such as 'right' and 'wrong'. A change is a'comin' and a whole passel of folk are not going to really like it. Bucket up buttercup. Actually, I feel quite lucky to be alive and conscious of trends and events. I'll be able to tell my grandchildren about the 'before times'.
I agree with all you and Fred have said here. I also feel fortunate to witness the paradigm shift I've been watching for 25 -30 years with the privilege of having reached maturity and a well formed understanding of the world prior. We are ripe for the massive change needed to sustain modern lifestyles on the limited resources available to us on our planet.
And there lies the rub. While there may or may not be a coordinated global cabal of entities manipulating levers of power for their own benefit, I get the sense that there is an undercurrent of thought that if the full truth was widely understood about the environmental precarity of the underpinnings needed to maintain our civilization - the dwindling of fresh water, productive soils, ozone protection - that a violent and unpredictable reckoning is a strong possibility. Which leads to the situation we are living through now, where them that's got keep them that ain't in the dark and fighting among themselves. Or maybe it's just my imagination.
Yes I do agree with your comment and also am in a place of wisdom and understanding of current events. I listen to my very young adult children and they are so confused with our country and world state of events. There’s a disconnect. When I try to teach them or help them understand I sound like an alien.
Regarding resources and lifestyle, I seem to be obsessed with waste and opulence and the huge footprints on this earth. I already live a very minimalist lifestyle but I’m seriously considering early retirement at 62 but limited income with that option, selling my too big home and living in an airstream for the rest of my life.
I agree with you, Fred. To make more meaning out of all of this is just building another conspiracy theory. I do appreciate disclosing the Dark Money selfish big-whigs who help stoke the fires. Selfishness and insecurity all around lie beneath so much mayhem. Progressive programs and initiatives that address the underlying insecurities and undermining and marginalizing people has been shown to turn things around over and over in our history, here and abroad. Mental health support begins with enough food, shelter, and opportunity, for example.
It doesn't get much more "interesting" than Jan 6. I'm daily more pessimistic about the impeachment trial, and that Trumpsky will escape yet again (AGAIN!). But there's much more grounds for hope with the criminal prosecutions. FBI and DOJ's mills of justice grind slow but exceedingly fine. We can already see a number of small fry being remorselessly crushed, and it will flow uphill to organizers and officials.
I am so tired, and approaching the cranky stage. I feel like I have had enough. That the brilliant work being done by Jamie Raskin and his team is like pearls before swine. I don’t even know if I want to listen to any of their bull s... tomorrow or the next day.
I have to get out of this house, breathe, walk, think about nothing. It’s all so taxing.
I was doing ok until the little clown fish, Mike Lee, popped up at the end tonight and gurgled whatever.
I had almost forgotten. And there are so many more dumb fish in the sea.
I can’t bear the thought of looking and listening to them.
I will hold off tomorrow until I can’t any longer... but I am going up on the roof a a manner of speaking! (Apologies to James Taylor)
Don’t underestimate Trump. His IQ is unimpressive, and his business track record is a series of train wrecks. But he’s filled with seething ambition and unlimited self-regard. His contempt for the law and tradition leaves him free to do whatever he chooses. He’s a master manipulator of the media (there’s a kind of genius in that). And he knows how to ensure the loyalty of the sycophants around him. Would he be an even bigger threat if he was also a master strategist? Certainly. But does he possess enough of the ingredients necessary to be an autocratic despot and destroy our democracy? Yes he does.
He is a puppet allowing his strings to be pulled so he can look the part of strong man and feel the power given to him as the figurehead of those propping him up. His handlers are getting their agenda in the spotlight.
None of them are anywhere close to being a Mastermind. Yet Trump came close to winning. Democrats lost something like 14 seats in the house. Why is that?
Partly gerrymandering, partly Republican voters tending to gravitate towards dislike of the other.
I was active in the 60's against the Vietnam war and for civil rights and now thinking back on how we acted then, we could have been more effective if we weren't so righteous.
We came very close to losing our democracy on Jan. 6th and that is still a possibility.
If we on the left do not allow for moderation and different opinions we will only help people like trump.
It is one thing to argue for moderation and compromise, but that ability rests on people acting in good faith and reason. The Quabal that has come to exist in the modern Republican party seems to tie two things together quite well; the desire for authoritarianism and power along side the absolute fantasy world of conspiracy theories. How do you expect a democratically elected body to "allow moderation" when faced with someone who believes that the opposition eats children and runs pedophilia rings? There is a tried and true absolute: you don't negotiate with terrorists. Label them what they are, and let those within that "group" (today's Republican party) oust their own extremists. Then, we can come to the table and be more moderate.
I am saying that we should act with moderation and openness with rational people, even if they're views don't always align with mine. I agree you cannot talk with people who are not only irrational but will threaten violence like q anon or Al qaeada if you don't agree with them. I think groups like these are a serious threat and we should do all we can to fight them. I also think we can be mistaken at times and our actions(like the riots over the summer) can actually help trump and company. Those riots came close to getting trump reelected. And I am not saying we should give up on a progressive agenda. We should go forward with that and not shoot ourselves in the foot.
Just to make a point, the "riots" you talk about were 93% peaceful. The propaganda, however, is that "they" destroyed entire cities. A closer read reveals the pleading nature of the voices of the marchers for peace in their neighborhoods, for safety and justice.
Please! How do we find these moderate people? Who are they? Can you name them? If you find them can we trust them? Are they Bernie supporters? How are there view points different from this group here? Why aren’t the media bringing them forward? How can we converse if we can’t find them? Are we the moderates?
A lot of wacko white conspiracy theorists who have a lot of dark money (Mercers, Murdochs, Kochs, Putin, oligarchs. Essentially a cabal of global criminals with too much money (= power). We need to boycott all their enterprises and squeeze their power dry.
I agree. I think he’s got smarter people manipulating him. All you have to do is flatter him. (I worry about making my own conspiracy theories ... jeez.)
That’s a very good point. Dark-money people have a lot to gain and either have the smarts or can pay for the smarts. Dark-money folks are oligarchs already but want to be oligarchs-squared.
The GOP has been rendered asunder courtesy of Steve Bannon. Putin has his eyes on rending the United States of America asunder. The rest of the idiots are just playing their zero sum games which allows this country to be picked apart.
Excellent link. "Finding 17 Republican senators to convict Trump is a Herculean task, not least because many of them joined him in feeding the lie that brought these people to the Capitol in the first place. In that regard, this trial is unique for having members of the jury who are not just not impartial, but are both witnesses and accomplices to the crime." -- Sarah Longwell in The Bulwark.
And "So now, while those arrested for the Capitol attack are—rightly—facing hard time, the Republicans and members of Conservatism Inc. who filled these thugs’ heads with poison and pointed them toward the Capitol are “moving on,” their campaign funds flush with the millions they raised claiming they were going to “stop the steal.” She nailed it. They should all be impeached and convicted along with tRump.
It is indeed outrageous that Senate jurors are also witnesses and, in several cases, should be defendants on trial for their own crimes. All Senators who voted against certifying Biden's victory should be removed from jury service.
Trump is not that smart, but he’s canny and greedy and manipulative. He was also “used “ by others smarter and more wealthy and more powerful. Now I just hope if that’s true, those “others” will figure out how to get rid of (i don't mean murder!) him as he is a liability.
Agreed-he is not that smart. He is a pathological liar and has the behaviors of a psychopath or sociopath. I am not a mental health professional, but have experience in education/health. This is only one reason why he is a danger.
I agree. I’m a retired middle school special educator and case manager for students with mild/moderate learning disabilities and behavior disorders. I was educated for but did not have direct experience with those pathologies.
School nurses are indispensable! I remember when my district tried to take them out of schools and just have “aides”. They backtracked on that decision a year later.
Peasant cunning. And he could well be murdered, especially if/when he's imprisoned, because he knows things. It can be hard to stay alive in prison. Cf. Jeffrey Epstein, Whitey Bulger.
The prosecution is making its case to the American people, who will remember it in 2022 when the ads come out hanging 1/6 around the neck of every Republican running for election/re-election. 75% of the country would be happy to see those people hanged, drawn and quartered for their treason. (an event for which I would be happy to provide the rope, wield the knife and whip the horses)
I’m with you on that. The horrors we’ve witnessed around the world our entire lives is something that left me so proud knowing that we all stood for such higher standards. I am absolutely crushed. I started following Dr. Richardson’s letters a year ago, then started reading her books, beginning with ‘How the South Won the Civil War’, the title was fascinating and a real mystery to me. My loss of innocence was a landslide and watching yesterday’s proceedings was like the film version of Heather’s summation of our history and that which is in the making.
Can you please look into your crystal ball and tell us that we are on the verge of turning some corner? That we will be alright? That the worst is behind us?
Despite the delay in the certification of President Biden‘a win, I was jubilant! So much joy filled my soul. And yet the insanity has prevailed. David and Goliath on hold.
They keep moving the finish line and I am fighting sadness and exhaustion every day. Please! Will we ever have even a hint of a happy ending?
I feel like I was misled for so long, and now these loops of Groundhog Day are like a bad dream.
The little kid in me looks at our country and repeatedly says, ‘what a dirty trick’!
I feel the same way. And I keep hearing Obama say 'democracy is messy, it's fragile, it takes hard work by all ..' and I wish so very much that I would have participated in more civic actions in my life. In the midst of struggling with mental health issues my entire life, divorce, raising children on my own, and trying to keep my professional life up to speed, I haven't had much energy to roll up my sleeves and do my part for democracy. And not that I have time and energy and selected causes that I follow, I'm just saddened and exhausted by what I hear and see every day. It's such a slog. And there seems to be little to no happiness in any of it.
As Bismarck said, people should not view politics up close for the same reason they shouldn't visit a sausage factory.
However, we should all thank Trump for reminding some of us, re-educating others and educating yet others that The Important Stuff is worth the effort of defending, which we had taken for granted for far too long.
You all put me to shame. I've had Outlander and Harry Potter on repeat for a while now. Comfort food for the mind. I just started When Christ and His Angels Slept, Sharon Kay Penman, which I like but not loving the narration on Audible.
They even have a "hanged, drawn and quartered" scene of the captured fighters after the Battle of Culloden. (I think - it could be earlier in the series, don't hold me)
Tricia, I've never seen the movies, or even read the books, although I've tried. I've been saving the movies, but I think I'm going to watch them soon now.
I’m so excited! Always looking for good books! Were you the pal that suggested ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’? OMG! Not a fantasy nor fiction, but no book has come so close as curling up with my Mom listening to her soothing words reading to me! Definitely listen on Audible! I will start these as soon as I finish ‘Vanishing Half’, my current selection!
Those are both excellent. I liked all of MZBs books. Ambrose too. "Citizen Soldiers" about the last (and bloodiest) year of the war following D-Day is excellent.
Perhaps not to the taste of all the readers here, but my Pacific War trilogy (soon to be a quadrilogy in May, but then completed) "I Will Run Wild," "Pacific Thunder" and "Tidal Wave" is a good account of difficult times overcome. (and they're well-reviewed, so they are to the taste of many). Available at "best'seller" prices at Amazon, also on Kindle.
The above is an entirely self-serving personal advertisement, since writers must never allow an opportunity to sell a book pass by unused.
Yes you must promote your books! And it so happe ns I have a good friend who surely will appreciate all 3 (then a 4th). His father fought in the Pacific theater, and with his company got stranded on a small island. They dug 2 bunkers on opposite sides of the island, and hunkered down, half in each, as they knew the Japanese were coming. My friend's dad was ordered to run to the other bunker to give them a message. When he was almost there, the Japanese attacked, and destroyed the bunker he had just left. He ran back: they were all dead. Then the plane came back and bombed the other bunker, all dead. How that man remained sane and became such a wonderful father I will never know. And, in light of today's impeachment trial, how could a U.S president belittle and desecrate those who served and serve.
Try Eric Sevareid, Not so Wild a Dream. It's from 1946, mostly on his WW2 experiences. It conveys a marvelous sense of a united, purposeful and optimistic America. A far cry from today.
Brings to mind, "Fly boys" (i forget author, oops but book sure left an impression) ww2 navy pilots and pows (including pres hw bush as young navy pilot).
The Dark Heavens series by Kylie Chan is an Urban Fantasy series; it has 9 main books and a few offshoots on minor characters. It drew me in immediately, and is great escapism without being too over the top.
It was asomewhat messy process and requires a little skill in butchery....get a big apron....and sometimes the horses had "dificulty".The spectacle was to the least more than a little horrific and reflected the barbary of those times.....when life was short and often violent. Have we gone back to that.....some have when you look at the Senatorial Orks and what they would impose on the people....reflection of the good King John.....or is it Henry V111 perhaps!
I never understood why people could be so barbaric as to "draw" someone's guts out and torture them grotesquely, inducing long, nasty, complete agony, then with one breath remaining, hang them. Obviously I understand now.
I'll never understand that kind of inhumanity to man, in the past or now. That was a blood lust since the Dark Ages, a time when life was dear, government and religion were one, and the atrocities were mind-boggling. You could be burned at the stake for a difference of opinion over a religious belief. Those are the kinds of events our founding fathers were trying to protect us from.
For that, we don't have to go all the way back to the Middle Ages. It's classic American lynching, which declined a few short decades ago but still persists in vigilante and police killings today.
Yes, LOL, something so "cleanly" and immediately satisfying about the draw, quarter, hang method!! The urge to do so lurks in our DNA probably. I am thinking that urge comes to the surface in direct proportion to our feeling that our current tools for accountability are not working!
In 1933, German conservatives thought they could use a minor political figure to bolster their coalition. They humored him and he turned on them, leading to the worst genocide in history. Hitler rose to power through violence and intimidation. In the last free election in Germany, the Nazi Party garnered only 38% of the vote, showing that a minority can gain control through tyranny.
I am not comparing Trump to Hitler. Like you, and many others, I am pointing the finger at who's on trial this week. The GOP and particularly the Republican Senators are the defendants in this proceeding. Those senators who vote to acquit the perpetrator of the most violent attack on American democracy will not be voting on the facts or the merits of the case, those are glaringly convincing. Rather, they will cast their vote out of fear of Donald Trump.
Their lack of courage will embolden future autocrats, who will take a page from both men's playbook to mount their assault. That is why we must hold Donald Trump accountable, to send a message to those future miscreants that violence and intimidation will not be tolerated, and will be dealt with swiftly and harshly. Our future depends on it!
Any one of them who supports a vote to acquit ensures that the Trump Insurrection continues and gives aid and comfort those who participated. I dearly wanted one of the House managers to say some form of this yesterday. Fingers crossed they'll get to it in the coming days.
We must call and email every Republican in the Senate as well as those in our local government, from school board to town council to state legislator. Our silence is complicity.
My closing arguement on Thursday:
246 years ago, a people risked and lost life and fortune to free themselves from the tyranny of a despotic ruler. Against all odds, they succeeded in liberating themselves from that ruler and created a representative democracy in which their leaders derived authority from the will of the citizens through periodic elections. Since George Washington took the oath of office on April 30th, 1789. There have since been 45 peaceful transfers of Presidential power. Not once has a President attempted to overturn an election illegally through deceit to retain power for himself. Until now. This has been done publicly, out in the open for all to see. The facts are clear, they are recorded in the phone call to Georgia and the multitude of videos of the President himself as well as all his enablers spreading his big lie. The insurrection itself played out on live TV for the whole country to see and was personally witnessed by every member in this chamber.
So, the question is not “did he do it?” The question is “what are we going to do about it?” A year ago, we asked the same question and the answer we gave was “yeah, he did it. But there is an election coming up, let the people decide” How did that work out? The American people know, the world knows, all of us in this room, we all know what Donald Trump did. He tried to end 234 years of our representative democracy. A democracy that many hundreds of thousands of Americans have died to defend over that 234 years. Today it is our turn to defend it. What will we risk? Will we risk our lives? No, not our lives. We will risk our jobs. Conventional wisdom has it that Republicans will vote to acquit Donald Trump not because he is innocent, but because to vote to convict him will be political suicide. You might lose your job. When the moment comes, and your name is called and you must choose between defending our republic or saving your job, the world will be watching. And History will remember.
“the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing.” – Edmund Burke
Perhaps sir, you could forward this to Jaime Raskin?
Better yet, we should forward to Republican senators.
Amazing and articulate final argument!!
Excellent highlighting of the actual decision Republican senators will be making. So very important that the truth behind this is made clear to the American public.
Well done Steven. For me the question is, "What do we do if the Republican senators choose their party over the Constitution?"
Do they even have a concept of the difference? They’re so self-consumed, inhaling nothing but their own breath, they are lost boys (apologies to the girls amongst them) following Peter Pan...
The key to everything is in that last Edmund Burke quote and the two words: "good men". Everything.
And good women.
Too bad they've already made up their minds.
And that makes them complicit, not to mention shirking their duty as jurors.
I know that, and it makes me want to scream... again.
You and me both. I was screaming at the TV yesterday.
May I quote and post on FB
Sorry David, I do not post political content on Facebook.
Understood. I am glad I asked. I won’t quote and
I won’t paraphrase either, but you certainly wrote a beautiful argument for a closing. My compliments.
Excellent.
Excellent challenge
Yes, well said. If this and other well founded arguments do not result in conviction, I think America has to ask if impeachment and trial in the Senate serves any purpose?
It does. It places a marker saying that in a democratic society, certain behaviors must always be challenged. And it makes blatant the disregard for democracy many Republican senators have. Both are useful; not decisive, but useful.
Well said.
The House prosecutors did a superb job yesterday. Trump’s team failed.
Yet only six Republicans voted to allow the trial to proceed. Their complicity is maddening, but it is also deeply saddening. The Republican party has lost whatever semblance of a soul it might have had prior to Trump. Its soul is now dead – and this trial needs to be the nail that seals the coffin.
If I were giving the summation in the Senate trial:
In 2019, this body had the opportunity to put an end to one of the most corrupt and divisive chapters in American Presidential history and instead, voted to allow it to continue.
And a result of that choice, we find ourselves here today, one month after an attempted Coup that cost the lives of seven Americans and will forever haunt this this nation, this city, and the very room in which we are assembled today.
Donald J. Trump must not be allowed to hold elective office ever again. The Senate will be held accountable if it fails to hold accountable, the person most responsible for the events of January 6, 2021.
We may be forgiven by history for failing to act in 2019, but neither history, nor the America people, will forgive us if we do it twice.
We will remember the 44 Republican Senators who voted on 2/09/2021 against the Constitution.
https://twitter.com/sethabramson/status/1359265868383928323?s=21
They are actually Seditionists.
And their faces and names will be plastered everywhere from now until midterms and the next POTUS election. Meanwhile, President Biden continues to make choices that take immediate care of suffering American people. The stark difference between the traitor Republicans and the Biden efforts to date couldn’t be more significant. And the drama vs quiet resolve.
And add something about, "have you no sense of decency!?"
One of the great short speeches in American political history: "Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?" Joseph Welch
Can't you just see that being delivered at Ted Cruz? I can.
And the answer would be “No.”
Of course said question is rhetorical and does not depend upon an answer.
Or simply reply......"then, in that case, where is yours Mr Cruz?
And Cruz’s answer would be “Decency’s for chumps”.
He would look right through you and walk away.
There will be no coffin for the GOP, far from it. Granted, they are anti-democratic and amoral, but they are not stupid. They don’t sweat little things like corruption, or attempted coups. What matters to them is seizing and holding on to power. They see backing Trump as a winning strategy. They control the Supreme Court. They control 26 state houses, where they will happily strengthen their gerrymandering strongholds. It’s likely they will take Congress (Senate and House) in 2022. There will be more Marjorie Taylor Greene’s, while Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger will lose their primaries. The lunatics are close to critical mass, and they’re not backing down.
I should have added, “(They control 26 state houses) where they will also strengthen voting restrictions and increase voter suppression.”
Some of those 26 state houses are already taking some draconian measures. Witness what Arizona is doing.
Arizona Republicans are not going to sit by and let their state go blue ever again. They are also getting rid of any “never Trump” Republicans. They even censured Cindy McCain. Let that sink in, they censured the Republican widow of the war hero who was one of the most revered and long-serving Republicans in Arizona history.
Arizona will be redistricted by an independent commission. Republicans may lose control, certainly lopsided control, of the legislature. The time of Republican control of Arizona politics is coming to an end.
From your lips....
Off the rails bonkers.
My ‘like’ , once again is a ‘grrr’.
I will go down fighting against that! We all should.
Figuring out what works is the challenge. We can’t end gerrymanderng. The Supreme Court ruled it’s up to the states, they wouldn’t declare it illegal. We could try to pass a law to end it, but that would take 60 votes in the Senate (unless we end the filibuster). There’s no way to break the media feedback loop to reach Republican voters, Fox, Newsmax et al have that locked down. The one successful model we have is Stacey Abrams, and her work in Georgia (which GA Republicans are working to erase). We need a Stacey Abrams in Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Arizona, etc. The one advantage we have is voter registration, and then turnout. It’s a slog...
Yes, I am hoping there is work being done by Fair Fight to establish leaders in these states to duplicate her efforts. This and pushing our elected officials to pass HR 1, For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Enhancement Act.
Perhaps democrats in those states could send young intern trainees to study under her while assisting her, and then return home to carry the lessons to their states. There was a very interesting program on NPR maybe two years ago (?) about how a group of wealthy Republicans set up an organization to fund radio shows in rural areas in central America which often became the only real news sources those areas had. It was referring to the region as a news desert and discussed how the effect of that was exactly as one would imagine. We need a group of wealthy Democrats to do likewise or even perhaps for the Lincoln Project to do likewise. Education and access to alluring but truthful sources of information are going to be vital to turn the nation around.
Stacey is a force of nature, and I believe her vision is much broader than simply Georgia. I'm sure she would be on board with your suggestion. This country is in desperate need of a reset!
Of course it will be a slog - so was the Revolution, but we wore the British down and prevailed. What we can't allow to happen is being demoralized. We have the numbers; Stacey Abrams and FairFight will not allow Kemp and Raffensperger to fortify voter suppression, and there are plenty of Stacey clones in this nation who have been emboldened by her example. There are two things, in my opinion, that we need to accomplish. One is refusing to give in to a defeatist attitude, and the other is to understand the powerful majority that we possess, thus becoming a bit less "democratic," and be unwilling to compromise when compromise weakens our cause. Meet in the middle when we can, but smile and persist in our goals when it isn't profitable to do otherwise. We can't afford to have tunnel vision and see only the obstacles.
Cynthia, I believe we will fight. This dystopian forecast doesn't make sense. Yes, the republicans control a disproportionate amount of real estate, but they gained that control with t***p's bullying and a majority in the Senate that enabled his criminality. The tide is turning, and many of us adhere to R Dooley's vision of the future. There are more of us than them, and we're discovering that by refusing to bargain with terrorists we can win - and I believe we will.
Only if we allow it. It's dicey, but not preordained.
Kinzinger was on Anderson 360 last night talking about the first day of trial last night. It is worth a listen.
With respect, I disagree with your threshold premise, that embracing corruption, insurrection and lies is somehow wise. “Smart Like a Fox” – perhaps, but otherwise devoid of integrity, intellectual or otherwise.
This trial affords the people an unfiltered and graphic display of what can and did happen when a Republican President and his accomplices in the party, fully exercised their will. We can’t expect the willfully ignorant to embrace the truth of what is on display, but not everyone who voted for the former president is evil or ignorant or undemocratic. They may not embrace our policies, but they do not want to burn the Constitution in the public square.
With its current majority, Congress can pass the “We The People Act” that would dramatically enhance the ability of all citizens to have their voices heard. It also addresses extreme gerrymandering.
I would encourage everyone to look at the link below from the Brennen Center for Justice that breaks down the provisions of the Act, and if you agree with its aims, to actively advocate for immediate action to pass it.
As you said, the lunatics are not backing down. I agree – and neither should we.
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/policy-solutions/congress-must-pass-people-act
Thank you for the link, RD. I share your vision. This country is imperfect, but sane people outnumber the cretins. I believe we will prevail, and we can't be defeatist to accomplish victory.
I'm not sure the Ds can get much past the filibuster. We have to bear in mind that a majority does them little good if they can't bring some of the Rs along.
They are also quite likely to take the White House in 2024. The omens are not good.
What?!!!!
77 million people voted for a crude, misogynistic narcissist who bears direct responsibility for hundreds of thousands of coronavirus deaths. 77 million. If the Rs can find a slightly less insane, slightly more attractive white supremacist authoritarian, the American people have demonstrated their willingness to vote for him. We cannot afford to be complacent for even one second.
Reid, I agree that we dropped the ball when Trump was elected, and also that he still has a fan club, and complacency would be disastrous. However, I don't see that we're being complacent at this point. Our country's problems existed before Trump took center stage, and anyone with a brain got a wakeup call - thus the 8 million votes for Biden over and above T***p's appalling 77 million. We do need to be worried, but I really can't get on board with your gloomy prediction at this point. With all due respect, Biden is doing a good job of righting the ship in the mere 22 days he's been in office. We all must keep an eye on our course, and if it falters, must do what we can to get back on track, but I'm encouraged by Biden and his stellar cabinet appointments.
I certainly agree that Biden is making all the right moves, in particular with his cabinet appointments. I also think getting on with making the lives of average people better is both a moral and a political victory.
But I don't see that this country has changed much from 2016, and Rs around the country are becoming far more sophisticated about voter suppression. Many of them feel it was Rs who were asleep at the switch in 2020, and they won't let that happen again. And it's worth remembering that in a year we elected a Democratic president, we actually LOST seats in the House. A very bad augury.
Amen.
You have my vote for Senator, R.
“Still, the people who are really on trial are the 50 Republican senators judging Trump’s guilt.” There is a Winnie the Pooh meme about this. Piglet: “ If they don’t convict him does that mean he is innocent? Winnie the Pooh “ No piglet, that means they are all guilty. “
I love the Pooh meme. So to the point. May I share with friends?
Of course. Wish l could paste the cartoon into this reply
Excellent!
I think it's important to remember that impeachment is a political process, not a criminal one. (Hopefully the criminal process will come a little later.) Trump isn't being judged by an impartial jury of his peers who look at all the evidence and hear all the arguments before drawing a conclusion. Impeacment is a political process where all the players make judgements based on their own political calculations and prejudices. There are no rules of evidence or discovery. Each side can present or ignore evidence as they please. There is no judicial precedent bearing on the process except as a political point of debate. In the end, all that is required are votes.
Senate Democrats have all made a rather easy political calculation; convict. Many Senate Republicans have a much more difficult calculation before them, one many will do their best to avoid. Democrats will do well to put those Republican "feet to the fire" and keep them there.
The Republicans who voted against the constitutionality of impeachment and will surely vote against impeachment itself, are making a simple political calculation. They fear Trump and his mob more than the damage he has done to the country and its institutions.
They could vote to cut this cancer from the body of the Republican Party as some like Chaney and McConnell would like to do. That would be painful and risk losing the mass of voters for whom Trump is god.
So they won’t. Even after seeing that mob come after them.
What you say is true, but for some Republicans that Trumpista mob is shrinking and as more evidence and testimony is presented it may be shrinking more. There needs be only seven or eight more Republican Senators to convict, and less if some fail to show up on the day the vote is taken. I think Trump will likely be acquitted, but Republicans are going to have to defend their votes in 2022 and 2024 when the political landscape may be very different. Every one of them is mindful of that.
Thank you for commenting on my post.
I am going to work or support others in anyway I can that can get out the youth vote in 2022 and 2024. Those teenagers may be really angry at the Republican party for doing nothing about fighting COVID-19. The result has greatly impacted their high school and college years.
Yes! And we need to hammer that point home!
Good approach, Meemoo. Our Youngers hold the key to a brighter future, but many haven't yet developed the habits of voting and staying politically informed. Both are essential for them to have an effective role.
The former pResident tRump will end up hurting the Republicans. Just as we voted in landslide fashion against him in 2020, we will vote against him again in 2024. If the Republicans don’t repudiate him now he will be their candidate. It gives me no great joy to have him continue to rest in our consciousness. And the choice for the old school Republicans should be a no brainer. They will truly have lost the fight against Steve Bannon if they do not convict. Steve through tRump will have succeeded in ripping Republicans apart. This will be the death knell of the GOP!
Hopefully we are around to appreciate that advantage in 2022 or that there will be mid-terms in a world that is getting more chaotic than ever.
I for one feel mid terms will start as soon as the impeachment process is done. Unless Hit by a bus most of us will be here to vote. Sure some of us are older but the goal should be “never forget.”
They have already started, in the form of R state legislatures introducing over a hundred bills aimed at reducing voting.
Most of us will never forget. I believe many of us will be actively involved through volunteer efforts to make sure nobody forgets.
The next campaign always starts on election night. Don't let the other side get a head start.
The party in the White House almost always loses seats in the House during mid-terms. And we must never forget that Senator Warnock must run again in 2022 (because he is completing the term of a senator who resigned). The flurry of voter suppression legislation in Georgia is aimed directly at him. If we don't keep our eye on the ball, it could well be we will only have a majority in the Senate for two years.
Evidence that Republicans are shrinking, though I doubt it’s Trumps Cult that cares. One might hope this fine democratic display of a very necessary historical, however political government process will peel off a few more minds from whatever it is that attracts them to the GOP.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/10/us/politics/republicans-leaving-party.html
Hope!
HOPE! Let's pass that on!
I wonder how many Trumpsters there actually are, what %, of Rs? Because I think they are a small, very vocal minority. And when the rest of the Rs peel away... they won’t be able to do very much and will be passed by... at least I can hope.
Didn't Nixon have around 40% still backing him? I assume an equal percentage are trumpers.
I am so depressed
Sadly, their calculation is that in 2022 and 2024 this stance will help them get re-elected, and they are probably right.
But, weren’t you stunned that McConnell voted as he did? Has he just given up? This is the GOP’s last chance to excise Trump from their midst. I refuse to believe that it is too late. For over 4 years they have allowed this runaway train to spew lies, sew chaos and whip up a base they can barely recognize let alone control. They owe it to all of us to at least try to put out the fire. It seems they aren’t willing to even pretend to try.
Basket Of Deplorables
Unfortunately, Trump's defence team is creating the impression that impeachment is a criminal process. The less informed/knowledgeable of his base will latch on to that falsehood and use it to fuel their furor against all things anti-Trump in the same way they've latched on to all of the previous lies.
Mr LA’s words do not comport with your view.
Morning, all!! Morning, Dr. R!! I received an email from "my" Senator, Mark Warner (D-VA) asking, among other things, to rate the importance of the impeachment proceedings going forward. Of course I rated it as "Very Important."
Of note (to me at least) is that each speaker had unfettered access to the floor, even if their remarks were not on point to the question of jurisdiction.
Though I do not remember particular names, it was "entertaining" to hear Congressman Neguse (D-CO) reference who in history had sat in the same chairs that some Senators now occupy.
Lead Manager Raskin (D-MD), in my estimation, was beyond awesome in his presentation.
Agreed! How could anyone not be moved, humbled, and remorseful for their appalling indifference to the reality of January 6th? His personal experience, his honesty and openness, and the powerful metaphor of his own tragic loss and the loss of the soul of our nation were almost too painful to witness. I wanted to confront each of those evil, selfish, walking/talking/doodling bastards and slap them across the face and scream ‘What is wrong with you!?’ They are empty suits, empty people, beyond disgusting. I will do everything I can to work against them. I hope that you all feel the same!
Those spineless GOP who voted no, how can they even look at their fellow members of Congress! They were searching for the Vice President, the Speaker of the House, and peers such as AOC? The only way I can see that they can sit there so disrespectful is they must be involved to be so callous. Just watching that video made me sick. When they said the protestors were in the building and members of Congress were being escorted out, who were all the calm ones, looking at their phones, not worried about the “protestors”. They should not be allowed to vote and should have been questioned by the FBI, unless Trump still has his people running it.
Well said. I suspect that their level of involvement in the insurrection precludes their ability to serve as an impartial juror.
They don't look at their colleagues. They just turn and walk away hurling epithets, like Rep. Stripped Of Her Assignments from GA.
Another indication of how much inside work went on with this coup attempt was that the panic buttons in my Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley's office were disabled. We know that VP Pence and Speaker Pelosi were specifically targeted, but there were more. I want to see not only a guilty verdict of Trump but also these treasonous members of Congress who remain a danger to their colleagues and continue to undermine democracy.
I agree. The smugness is beyond belief.
I'm with you, Cynthia!
So am I!
I thought Neguse did a terrific job - and he is a freshman. I expect we will see great things from him.
Yes! He really grabbed me!
Neguse's name means "reign," by extension king or ruler, in Northeast Africa where his family is from.
He’s our future... love him!
Interesting. I believe we'll see a lot more of him, and there are many more of his type just waiting in the wings.
Correction: Rep. Neguse is now serving his second term in the House.
Vs my two scumbag senators rubio and Scott who do not even have a label for impeachment in their lists of "why are you contacting me" choice of topics. I checked national security, then went on to explain what a threat trump was, is and will be to our democracy.
Revised, marco now has an impeachment button to check, Scott, still have tell him I'm concerned with homeland security issue. I hope everyone is dropping a note to their senators this morning, well, at least the spineless repugnant ones.
I’m sure my senator, Marsha Blackburn, is whom Sen. Chris Coons was referring to when he said a senator sitting near him was reading a book. She did the same last time.
You know, most employers would discipline an employee for non performance of their work assignment, up to, and including, dismissal.
But remember, her work assignment is to obstruct.
Well, "bless her heart!"
I wonder if the senators not paying attention would have a different approach if the crazies had these senators' photos next to an armed whacko saying better dead than red?
These are my disgraceful, Repugnants also. I am appalled by them. There is even a photo of Rick Scott standing beside a Proud Boy, smiling. It’s disgusting. I have called and emailed a few times about impeachment also and the fact that it feels like I am talking to dead people, certainly soul-dead people, is deeply sad.
I received a mailer from the League of Women Voters, and they suggest that when contacting a politician of the opposite party, you should never identify yourself as anything but a constituent. Otherwise, it goes to the circular file. I sometimes follow their advice, but there are times I let them know my stripe and that they are "repugnant" in my view. Depends on the day.
Yes, I always identify myself as a constituent. Thanks.
national security does it nicely, Lynn!
On Sunday I had to use National Security for my email to Todd Young and Other for Mike Braun. I was hoping Young might have a shred of decency but have no hope the Braun.
Morning, L!! Our impeachment managers did well, and they're just warming up. It's a tough uphill struggle to drag GOP senators across the line, but they must try. In its own way Impeachment 2 is as fateful an event as the insurrectionary coup itself.
BTW, I have several relatives in the northern VA suburbs of DC. Yearly visits in the last decade have enhanced my appreciation for the state and for US history. Which part of VA is yours?
Hey, TPJ. IMHO these managers are defending the Rule of Law, and that's enough for me. Note the lone person standing in the well of the Chamber with a stenotype machine harnessed to their body. They switch out every ten minutes. They are court stenographers who are reporting the remarks of the speakers. Years ago as a stenographer, I covered mostly Senate committee and subcommittee hearings providing daily transcripts of the day's proceedings. Never on the floor but felt I did make a contribution to our country's movement forward.
Now retired, I make my home in western Loudoun County in the section of Virginia that is actually NORTH of Washington, D.C.! We are about 20 miles from the West Virginia border.
You did contribute, thank you.
I visited Harper Ferry in fall 2019. It is stupendous. Mighty rivers bursting through towering mountain ranges; austere white in winter, dazzling green in summer, riotous colors in fall; peaks and cliffs looming over all. And then there's the awesome human history .... Every American should visit sometime.
As a boy, we lived in Virginia Beach - it was a long time ago - Alan Shepard was a neighbor. A great place to grow up.
So was Greenwich CT. We lived in the less affluent, Democratic part. My family has opposed the Bushes longer than most Americans.
I lived in Lynnhaven in the late '50s. Segregated schools, Jim Crow rampant.
I found Jamie Raskin's clarity, intensity and depth of feeling absolutely inspiring. I do not believe the remaining 44 Republicans are cowards. They are co-conspirators who will ride this pony as far as it can go. They believe in authoritarianism and they believe they will retain their power.
That works until the dictator, be it Trump or anyone else, finds them disloyal. Have they not been paying attention?
Love Raskin! This from Wickipedia:
"On March 1, 2006, during a Maryland State Senate hearing regarding same-sex marriage, Raskin was noted for his response to an opposing lawmaker: "Senator, when you took your oath of office, you placed your hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution. You did not place your hand on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible."
Great comment!
You establish a meaningful dichotomy: they are either cowards of co-conspirators. Their votes on impeachment will be the proof of each member's culpability.
Just look at Pence.
56 to 44 is astounding! I’m honestly speechless on this vote and has me very concerned for the outcome. Now it is called a trial, but the rules are so different from a court trial. Members of Congress who will vote blatantly profess they will vote to acquit before the trial even starts, they do not have to be in attendance or pay attention to what is presented, yet they are still allowed a vote if they show up at the end. They don’t have to base their vote on evidence or lack of evidence presented. Why are their no basic rules for this. This is their job and they are openly thumbing their noses at our Constitution and democracy. They are not serving the people they are only working to keep themselves in power. Why are their no immediate consequences for members of Congress who fail to do their jobs or uphold their sworn oats?
They are the swamp
Those darned sworn “oats.” You could choke on them. They did.
Oaths, good Grief not oats!
Thanks M&M, I like both spellings.
I’m disappointed that no more mention has been made of the numbers of those arrested that never even voted! Maybe it’s barely a dozen, but it is a telling point.
It may come out during the trial. Yesterday was just "Is the trial constitutional?"
I'll keep this short since the proprietress has laid this out so succinctly.
"The goal behind impeachment....is to guarantee accountability and stop corruption."
So impeachment IS a valid political process, not a politicized process. The major flaw of that process, which the GOP is attempting to exploit, is the vagueness of what constitutes an impeachable act. Please refer back to Richard Zebel's piece in WaPo least week, which points out that Congress did nothing to codify specific actions and penalties for what January 6th really was: Domestic Terrorism.
"The defense lawyers’ problem, of course, is that they are being asked to defend the indefensible. They know it; we know it; Republican senators who have been defended Trump know it."
What Trump did wasn't a one-off loss of control that unfortunately went awry. We've known since before his election that much, or most, of what Trump has done is indefensible. His business practices, his treatment of women, his disdain for blacks, his claims of accomplishments, his lack of empathy, his "business acumen," his propensity for lying. Anyone who hoped he'd "pivot" was whistling past the graveyard. We have no right to be surprised. And those who have rationalized ANY of what he's done are delusional and/or manipulative and/or compromised, but they themselves are indefensible.
"During the video of the insurrection, Trump supporters Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Tom Cotton (R-AR) looked at papers on their desks, Rick Scott (R-FL) looked at papers on his lap, and Rand Paul (R-KY) doodled."
In more coarse vernacular, "Man the f--- up!!!" You've got some serious issues. Rubio, a child of immigrants, overcame Trump's personal insults during the 2016 debates and supported Trump's vile treatment of families just like his. Think he cares about the American dream? Cotton, Ivy educated and combat veteran, advocated using the US military against its own citizens. Think he cares about the law? Rick Scott, another veteran and former governor, ran a company they committed massive Medicare fraud, resulting in 14 felony counts, almost $2B in fines, was fired, and walked away with $300M. Think he cares about his country?
"This big lie...is the rallying cry for a movement to destroy American democracy."
Trump's just had the loudest megaphone when he began complaining about rigged elections in 2016. The GOP isn't a party of "conservatives" who believe in limited government and personal accountability. It has been trying for years to structurally rig the system to ensure they'll maintain power even if they're in the minority. Any time they say they're looking to make America better, they're referring only to monied white Christians who don't give a second thought to denying others the American dream.
"Now, they are arguing that impeachment is a partisan attack on the part of Democrats."
Of course they are. They have no short term memory. They have no sense of irony. They have no fixed moral bearings. They have no problem projecting their own misbehavior onto others. They have no problem changing the rules as they go. And they absolutely no qualms about lying through their teeth. So yeah, sure it's a political act. They're just mad they haven't been able to dig up any real corruption or criminal behavior on the Dems in the last 50 years. Keep dreaming.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/02/02/domestic-terrorism-federal-crime/
I can't repeat it enough: Rick Scott pled the 5th 75 times during his deposition in the Medicare Fraud case against Columbia/HCA. It was filmed. Ads showing him squirming during deposition were not enough to save Florida from this vulgar man.
Right? What is with folks voting for crooks all while whining about the swamp?? Baffling.
Because, in each case, the swamp is delivering their personal Christmas list.
I know. It’s unbelievable. The rich and powerful want their goodies, no matter what criminal they have to put in office to get them. The Florida Republican legislature is now putting forward a bill to affect education in schools, colleges and universities even more, so that they can counter topics such as Climate change and civil rights information, and allow white supremacists to speak at colleges. The information came from Florida Indivisible. I will try to find the link and post it.
Bravo! This should be carved in stone, then attached to the walls of the legislature. Every point is true and fair.
As much as I try to avoid generalizing about a class of people, Republican leadership tests that in me. They are despicable. Best to be done with the entire lot.
Was not always that way.
Unlike oppressed minorities, Repugs choose their own despicable path.
paywall
I know. I used the last of articles. Here's the piece from Charles Pierce of Esquire Politics that referenced Zebel's column.
https://link.newsletter.esquire.com/view/5bdcb9237e555461d7255846dmbrn.2ic/d9378974
By what I watched today, it beyond my comprehension how the vote wasn’t unanimous. But then I remembered who/what we were dealing with. Thank you Professor for always putting the days events into a concise, readable format...for us non scholars!
... And yet, this time I am not afraid. I can't un-see what I saw, or un-know what I know. The truth is having its day. For me the verdict is clear. There's really not a lot to discuss.
"The truth is having its day." You're right. I only wish there could be witnesses who would recount DT's glee during the riot.
There is footage of he and his family watching the seditionist riots. DJr.'s girlfriend, the Screaming Banshee was dancing, and I do not remember if Jr. was dancing with her. It was stomach turning. The whole family are a bunch of sickos leading a bunch of brainwashed people. I agree with Kim Wallingford, there is not a lot to discuss. We are dealing with 30% of this country who follow a crime family and a party of crime. Most appear to have suffered partial lobotomies in critical thinking skills surrounding Truth and Reality thanks to the bigger criminals responsible such as the Mercers, Kochs, Murdochs, Putin, Miller, Bannon, Conway, Hannity, Pirro, Cruz, Paul, Giuliani, Nunes, McNinny, Moscow Mitch....and on and on, ad nauseam who brainwashed Americans.
I understand TCinLA's brutal dream of "hung, drawn and quartered" feeling-wise. However, we need to demonstrate for the world that we are civilized people and that our laws, our maturity, will prevail. If there is a God, it is time to intervene and put this old white patriarchy of madness away so we can deal with our pandemic, our dead, our dying, and our jobs and our economy. If the Trumplican party is this cruel and cowardly, let them eat cake. We need to move on with a very harsh reality that is not waiting in the wings.
Seditionists should be "branded" with an "S" on their foreheads via tatts and not allowed any public servant roles, to write books or to give interviews. They are people without a country. If I had power, I would deport all of them.
The entire process – the world of it – is numbingly frustrating.
That Cruz, Hawley, Paul et al are even permitted to sit in judgement is mind boggling. They are his co-conspirators.
This very thing sticks in my craw. They are not impartial jurors, and as such are oathbreakers. The easy out for them would be, at the end of the trial, to recuse themselves because they are not impartial, and therefore cannot break their oath(s). Won't happen, of course, because not a one of them understands the responsibility of an oath, which is not pro forma but a promise.
Penelope, I totally agree with your assessment that "Most appear to have suffered partial lobotomies in critical thinking skills surrounding Truth and Reality thanks to the bigger criminals responsible such as the Mercers, Kochs, Murdochs, Putin, Miller, Bannon, Conway, Hannity, Pirro, Cruz, Paul, Giuliani, Nunes, McNinny, Moscow Mitch....and on and on, ad nauseam who brainwashed Americans." However, I want ddt and his criminal family and craven cronies and insurrectionists to be imprisoned, not deported where they can incite more chaos from abroad. Accountability for their crimes calls for imprisonment.
I believe the video of dt’s family dancing and celebrating was taken of them before the rally, not during the insurrection.
You are correct, it was just before the storming of the Capital. Nevertheless, it is still nauseating.
What an obscenity. A most shameful moment in American history. Partying BECAUSE the country's future is teetering on the brink. Is this really what people voted for in 2016 and 2020? If there's any justice in the world, let there be enough for the entire crass, immoral family.
Penelope, the video you mention occurred before Trump spoke to the gathering.
But surely they could have ‘read the room’?
I assume that's what they were doing.
Trumpsky's family are accessories to his grotesque dereliction of duty.
i think i read somewhere that someone in the room, said DT was upset that the rioters did not look more intelligent.... or something like that.. (during the riot)
They said he was disappointed that the rioters looked "low-class".
He best be careful about his language now. He might run into some of them in prison.
Prison is my current wet dream. One can only hop that Donald spends th rest of his life there. Or the rest of his money trying to stay out of it.
I just wish they would shave his head! Just call me Delilah!
Either works.
Or some of the folks he decided not to pardon.
Which is hilarious since so many came dressed up in expensive para military gear. And flew in, and stayed in nice hotels or drove brand new vehicles.
yes!!!! thank you
I am feeling cruel this morning...but, am guessing the great Narcissus has not looked in the reflection pool...
Good guess.
That would be rich indeed.
I think he want the rioters to look classier.
Jeez, and he wears suits and ties that look like they're from Dollar General.
Hmm, more like the mountebanks traveling with their magical tonics...
Mountebanks. Cool. Literate is cool!
I have heard that a lot..?!
Is there no way to make this point? Someone wrote that there are no rules for evidence in the impeachment. Perhaps hearsay would be appropriate? Probably a poor idea but who knows in a trial without rules. Perhaps anything goes.
Is it possible to fight the gerrymandering that will continue as red states redraw districts to marginalize people the best they can? This seems disconnected from the topic, but ten more years of Republicans in power because of unfair districting and voter restriction laws will keep the circus going.
H.R. 1 (For the People Act) requires the establishment of an independent redistricting commission (IRC) in each state, responsible for developing and enacting congressional redistricting plans, as well as voting rights, transparency and ethics. One source for info is
https://campaignlegal.org/update/how-hr-1-will-help-us-achieve-government-people
HR 1 is a tsunami of legislation that could bring the country out of the darkness and into the light. It may take a while to get it passed, like it does all norm shattering ideas, but this one's time has come. #ofbyforthepeople
Bury the filibuster permanently. It prevents so much necessary progress.
In PA there is a constitutional amendment in the works to create Judicial districts for the upper appellate state courts. This state is horribly gerrymandered and it took the State Supreme Court’s ruling to break up what had been done to the US Congressional districts. That was only a temporary fix. Changing the process for drawing districts (statewide and federal), has a high level of support from voters, democrats, republicans and independents. But this state does not have a means of citizen-initiated referendum, so legislation to adopt an independent district map commission, that does not have personal interest in job security and party power, has been continually blocked. I joined Fair Districts Pa after the 2016 election. It has been quite an educational experience. The work continues, in spite of the road blocks.
That issue went to the Supreme Court last year who said it had no role. Stunning.
Supreme Court says federal courts don’t have a role in deciding partisan gerrymandering claims
By Robert Barnes
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/supreme-court-says-federal-courts-dont-have-a-role-in-deciding-partisan-gerrymandering-claims/2019/06/27/2fe82340-93ab-11e9-b58a-a6a9afaa0e3e_story.html
Exactly. Is there something citizens can do? Districts drawn will be in place 10 years.
Campaign Legal Center, which I mentioned above, has been working with the League of Women Voters on redistricting. This event linked below is Thursday, February 11, 2021 from 1-2 p.m. Eastern Time, online. LWV has state and local chapters in 50 states plus DC. I joined with my local group last year. I hope to support redistricting efforts and voter registration.
https://campaignlegal.org/update/virtual-event-how-ensure-redistricting-fair-open-and-accessible
Depends on what state you live in. Here in California we have a new citizen-led board chosen over a couple of years. This will be its first redistricting, and I'm interested to see how it goes.
Try looking on Ballotopedia or call your state elections board or local legislator to see what methods your state uses. Usually, it's an up or down vote in the lawmakers' body so if your state is majority R, the gerrymandering will benefit them. If you find that you have little or no influence, at least let them know you're watching.
Same in Michigan via ballot proposal passed by voters in 2018.
https://beltmag.com/michigan-independent-redistricting-commission-gerrymandering/
That is better than an explicit ruling supporting gerrymandering. It can be revisited in future, though the conservative majority doesn't inspire confidence in a favorable ruling.
https://beltmag.com/michigan-independent-redistricting-commission-gerrymandering/
Thank you, Heather --a concise and insightful synopsis with value added. I was struck by your saying:
'Still, the people who are really on trial are the 50 Republican senators judging Trump’s guilt.'
So true. And consider the ramifications if those weak vessels do their pusillanimous computations and vote cult over country:
1. Trump is acquitted and possibly could run again. Maybe foolishly, I'm not so bothered by this. The man is despicable and lazy to boot and will be easier to defeat without the trappings of incumbency.
2. Some more dangerous, smarter, and equally or more charismatic (yes, we have to recognize that, though it's incomprehensible to our community, Trump is adored by a large number of our fellow citizens) president will take a lesson from this trial. A better organized attempt to push the Big Lie and overturn a lost election is within the realm of possibility. Like Jamie Raskin, I too would have thought, of course it's safe, it's the Capitol. His reminder that members of Congress were calling loved ones and removing their Congressional pins is absolutely chilling and needs to be repeated.
3. The worst presidency in our history -- inept, corrupt, malign, regressive, and utterly toxic to what should be American values -- becomes normalized. Our standards and expectations fall to those of a failed third world state.
I'm worried. I'm holding out hope that the House managers will present such a compelling case that public opinion will overwhelmingly swing to conviction and even the most pathetic and right wing members of the party of Q will choose to be absent for the vote. We know they can still count even if they no longer have the vestiges of principle.
So, thanks again Heather. I know whatever happens, I'll have your brilliance to lend context and clarity to the coming days. And thanks, too, for this community of kind and articulate voices for whom you've provided a platform.
I keep hearing rumblings that the national political tide is turning against tRump. Those Republican state houses, however, are not, and they are doubling down on their intent to manipulate elections that they cannot win without cheating.
Excellent summary as you caught the findings of today’s trial. Our impeachment managers did not disappoint. As Cassidy stated, they were “prepared and organized”. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised to see that a good ole Southern Republican boy from Louisiana sided with the Democrats.
Castor and Schoen were grasping at straws because that’s all they had but boy, they sure did a lousy job! One was a babbling brook while the other came out like an angry defeated cat.
More to be revealed tomorrow. Glad we all have front row seats.
It was difficult to watch. My buddy called me and said even his cats left the room when Schoen was speaking!
I took great joy in the use of the mute button on my remote. I organised photos of the Inauguration, surprised that Schoen would go on so long with nothing to say. But not surprised, after all!
Difficult to watch is an understatement.
Listening to Schoen felt like watching a Tr***p rally, like another round of abuse. So mostly I did not.
It was so bad that I don't even own cats!
A NYT livestream reporter asked while Castor was speaking, "Is this a Senate filibuster?". :-)
Tim Miller at the Bulwark said the second defender would have been better if he had been a filter of a regal kitten. I didn't catch the meaning of that till I saw the "I'm not a cat" meme running around today. After seeing it, yes, he was right about the guy. A cat filter would have been an improvement.
That video gave me the absolute comic relief I needed yesterday. Given my current role of Courthouse Security, I have seen a few of those teleconferences in the courtrooms. I bet I see "I am not a cat" in some judge's chambers before next week.
That was hilarious!
Heather writes: “Trump is not trying to win just this trial: he is trying to win control of the Republican Party and, through it, the country.”
The preceding statement implies that, like the fictional Spectre of James Bond fame, Trump is the mastermind behind a monstrous plot to destroy our democracy and become dictator for life. This begs the question: Is Trump really capable of masterminding anything, let alone a plot on that scale? I don’t think so: he’s not that smart. The story of his life is that he’s never been good at anything but self-promotion on a petty scale. But the plot to destroy our democracy is real, so if Trump is not the mastermind, who is? Lindsey Graham? Mark Meadows? Vladimir Putin? All of the above? A cabal? I welcome your thoughts.
I don’t believe in the existence of a right wing conspiracy/cabal. I think we sit at the confluence of incredibly powerful forces, and Trump is a figure whose skills play to the moment. He is a demagogue and he is literally a genius at manipulating the moment for his own benefit. The social justice movement, the (hopefully) final collapse of Reagan’s voodoo economics and the pandemic frighten many for a lot of reasons. Most of us here would say they are poor reasons, but a large group in our society nonetheless feel disadvantaged by them. Rather than offering leadership to the nation, Trump sought to stoke those fears and present himself as the sole solution who could protect them — which of course he can’t. He is supported internally by politicians who know that when they are forced from power, the game they have played for generations is over. Similarly, monied interests who have manipulated that system for private gain are equally fearful of the end of their private gravy train. Trump is abetted from abroad by figures who have a deep seated fear and hatred of western democracy as it threatens the thousand year autocracy they wish to continue to impose on their societies. In the end many powerful forces come together to produce a Trump but I don’t think it is a organized cabal. I am reminded of the Chinese curse “May you live in interesting times.”
And I would add to this the knowledge from Jane Mayer's "Dark Money" that the Koch brothers's network has spent 13 billion dollars on subtly sophisticated propaganda from teams of political operatives... over 2000 think tanks and organizations, over 5000 professorships at universities around the country, bankrolling Fox news celebrities to push their agenda...
Great point. I think the right-wing efforts to legitimize propaganda through paid conservative “scholarship”, foundations and “think tanks” over the years is an often overlooked part of the story.
As Mayer notes: "They have established a Republican Party in which donors, not elected officials, are in charge."
And now the remaining Koch brother is having 2nd thoughts about what they wrought. I get infuriated when I hear "good" Republicans yelling, "but it's gone too far!", as if going a little bit corrupt and inciting small armed riots is okay, just not big ones.
I hit the ‘like’ button but I wish there was a ‘grrr’ button!
Grrr!
Yes! Incredible book, one of my first ‘eye openers’ when I awoke from my naïveté.
And they got more than they bargained for.
What Fred said. We live in a time that is on the cusp of major change in humankind's belief systems. All that 'civilized' people have trusted and believed in to guide them through life is being challenged and found to be wanting in the reality of the 21st century. Except, perhaps some native, indigenous cosmologies. Think about it. We now have the ability to alter our basic DNA structure; travel to and perhaps 'colonize' off-planet places, and found that our "Gods" can't seem to agree on basic moral matters such as 'right' and 'wrong'. A change is a'comin' and a whole passel of folk are not going to really like it. Bucket up buttercup. Actually, I feel quite lucky to be alive and conscious of trends and events. I'll be able to tell my grandchildren about the 'before times'.
I agree with all you and Fred have said here. I also feel fortunate to witness the paradigm shift I've been watching for 25 -30 years with the privilege of having reached maturity and a well formed understanding of the world prior. We are ripe for the massive change needed to sustain modern lifestyles on the limited resources available to us on our planet.
And there lies the rub. While there may or may not be a coordinated global cabal of entities manipulating levers of power for their own benefit, I get the sense that there is an undercurrent of thought that if the full truth was widely understood about the environmental precarity of the underpinnings needed to maintain our civilization - the dwindling of fresh water, productive soils, ozone protection - that a violent and unpredictable reckoning is a strong possibility. Which leads to the situation we are living through now, where them that's got keep them that ain't in the dark and fighting among themselves. Or maybe it's just my imagination.
Yes I do agree with your comment and also am in a place of wisdom and understanding of current events. I listen to my very young adult children and they are so confused with our country and world state of events. There’s a disconnect. When I try to teach them or help them understand I sound like an alien.
Regarding resources and lifestyle, I seem to be obsessed with waste and opulence and the huge footprints on this earth. I already live a very minimalist lifestyle but I’m seriously considering early retirement at 62 but limited income with that option, selling my too big home and living in an airstream for the rest of my life.
Nope, not your imagination.
Thanks. (I think?)
no right wing conspiracy but monied interests manipulating the system...abetted from abroad...powerful forces coming together...
sounds a bit cabalish
love the interesting times, although I often think of it as a prayer to the universe
gung hay fat choy
I agree with you, Fred. To make more meaning out of all of this is just building another conspiracy theory. I do appreciate disclosing the Dark Money selfish big-whigs who help stoke the fires. Selfishness and insecurity all around lie beneath so much mayhem. Progressive programs and initiatives that address the underlying insecurities and undermining and marginalizing people has been shown to turn things around over and over in our history, here and abroad. Mental health support begins with enough food, shelter, and opportunity, for example.
Brilliant.
It doesn't get much more "interesting" than Jan 6. I'm daily more pessimistic about the impeachment trial, and that Trumpsky will escape yet again (AGAIN!). But there's much more grounds for hope with the criminal prosecutions. FBI and DOJ's mills of justice grind slow but exceedingly fine. We can already see a number of small fry being remorselessly crushed, and it will flow uphill to organizers and officials.
I am so tired, and approaching the cranky stage. I feel like I have had enough. That the brilliant work being done by Jamie Raskin and his team is like pearls before swine. I don’t even know if I want to listen to any of their bull s... tomorrow or the next day.
I have to get out of this house, breathe, walk, think about nothing. It’s all so taxing.
I was doing ok until the little clown fish, Mike Lee, popped up at the end tonight and gurgled whatever.
I had almost forgotten. And there are so many more dumb fish in the sea.
I can’t bear the thought of looking and listening to them.
I will hold off tomorrow until I can’t any longer... but I am going up on the roof a a manner of speaking! (Apologies to James Taylor)
https://youtu.be/tDqS1d7tE8o
Don’t underestimate Trump. His IQ is unimpressive, and his business track record is a series of train wrecks. But he’s filled with seething ambition and unlimited self-regard. His contempt for the law and tradition leaves him free to do whatever he chooses. He’s a master manipulator of the media (there’s a kind of genius in that). And he knows how to ensure the loyalty of the sycophants around him. Would he be an even bigger threat if he was also a master strategist? Certainly. But does he possess enough of the ingredients necessary to be an autocratic despot and destroy our democracy? Yes he does.
He is a puppet allowing his strings to be pulled so he can look the part of strong man and feel the power given to him as the figurehead of those propping him up. His handlers are getting their agenda in the spotlight.
True.
None of them are anywhere close to being a Mastermind. Yet Trump came close to winning. Democrats lost something like 14 seats in the house. Why is that?
Partly gerrymandering, partly Republican voters tending to gravitate towards dislike of the other.
I was active in the 60's against the Vietnam war and for civil rights and now thinking back on how we acted then, we could have been more effective if we weren't so righteous.
We came very close to losing our democracy on Jan. 6th and that is still a possibility.
If we on the left do not allow for moderation and different opinions we will only help people like trump.
It is one thing to argue for moderation and compromise, but that ability rests on people acting in good faith and reason. The Quabal that has come to exist in the modern Republican party seems to tie two things together quite well; the desire for authoritarianism and power along side the absolute fantasy world of conspiracy theories. How do you expect a democratically elected body to "allow moderation" when faced with someone who believes that the opposition eats children and runs pedophilia rings? There is a tried and true absolute: you don't negotiate with terrorists. Label them what they are, and let those within that "group" (today's Republican party) oust their own extremists. Then, we can come to the table and be more moderate.
I am saying that we should act with moderation and openness with rational people, even if they're views don't always align with mine. I agree you cannot talk with people who are not only irrational but will threaten violence like q anon or Al qaeada if you don't agree with them. I think groups like these are a serious threat and we should do all we can to fight them. I also think we can be mistaken at times and our actions(like the riots over the summer) can actually help trump and company. Those riots came close to getting trump reelected. And I am not saying we should give up on a progressive agenda. We should go forward with that and not shoot ourselves in the foot.
Just to make a point, the "riots" you talk about were 93% peaceful. The propaganda, however, is that "they" destroyed entire cities. A closer read reveals the pleading nature of the voices of the marchers for peace in their neighborhoods, for safety and justice.
I would love to get some hard facts on that. I’ve had so much thrown up in my face and I need some solid numbers to refute the bogus accusations.
Here are a lot of Google pages for you. https://www.google.com/search?q=blm+93%25+peaceful&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS505US519&oq=blm+93%25+peaceful&aqs=chrome..69i57.9568j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Please! How do we find these moderate people? Who are they? Can you name them? If you find them can we trust them? Are they Bernie supporters? How are there view points different from this group here? Why aren’t the media bringing them forward? How can we converse if we can’t find them? Are we the moderates?
A lot of wacko white conspiracy theorists who have a lot of dark money (Mercers, Murdochs, Kochs, Putin, oligarchs. Essentially a cabal of global criminals with too much money (= power). We need to boycott all their enterprises and squeeze their power dry.
I agree. I think he’s got smarter people manipulating him. All you have to do is flatter him. (I worry about making my own conspiracy theories ... jeez.)
That’s a very good point. Dark-money people have a lot to gain and either have the smarts or can pay for the smarts. Dark-money folks are oligarchs already but want to be oligarchs-squared.
The GOP has been rendered asunder courtesy of Steve Bannon. Putin has his eyes on rending the United States of America asunder. The rest of the idiots are just playing their zero sum games which allows this country to be picked apart.
Sarah Longwell has a very good piece in The Bulwark that partly speaks to this. https://thebulwark.com/hold-them-all-accountable/
Excellent link. "Finding 17 Republican senators to convict Trump is a Herculean task, not least because many of them joined him in feeding the lie that brought these people to the Capitol in the first place. In that regard, this trial is unique for having members of the jury who are not just not impartial, but are both witnesses and accomplices to the crime." -- Sarah Longwell in The Bulwark.
And "So now, while those arrested for the Capitol attack are—rightly—facing hard time, the Republicans and members of Conservatism Inc. who filled these thugs’ heads with poison and pointed them toward the Capitol are “moving on,” their campaign funds flush with the millions they raised claiming they were going to “stop the steal.” She nailed it. They should all be impeached and convicted along with tRump.
It is indeed outrageous that Senate jurors are also witnesses and, in several cases, should be defendants on trial for their own crimes. All Senators who voted against certifying Biden's victory should be removed from jury service.
Putin owns him, and plans to own us. tRump is a perfect puppet.
Trump is not that smart, but he’s canny and greedy and manipulative. He was also “used “ by others smarter and more wealthy and more powerful. Now I just hope if that’s true, those “others” will figure out how to get rid of (i don't mean murder!) him as he is a liability.
Agreed-he is not that smart. He is a pathological liar and has the behaviors of a psychopath or sociopath. I am not a mental health professional, but have experience in education/health. This is only one reason why he is a danger.
I agree. I’m a retired middle school special educator and case manager for students with mild/moderate learning disabilities and behavior disorders. I was educated for but did not have direct experience with those pathologies.
Thank you for your work with middle schoolers! I am a retired school nurse.
School nurses are indispensable! I remember when my district tried to take them out of schools and just have “aides”. They backtracked on that decision a year later.
Peasant cunning. And he could well be murdered, especially if/when he's imprisoned, because he knows things. It can be hard to stay alive in prison. Cf. Jeffrey Epstein, Whitey Bulger.
The secret service will be there to protect him even in jail. May he rot there.
The prosecution is making its case to the American people, who will remember it in 2022 when the ads come out hanging 1/6 around the neck of every Republican running for election/re-election. 75% of the country would be happy to see those people hanged, drawn and quartered for their treason. (an event for which I would be happy to provide the rope, wield the knife and whip the horses)
I’m with you on that. The horrors we’ve witnessed around the world our entire lives is something that left me so proud knowing that we all stood for such higher standards. I am absolutely crushed. I started following Dr. Richardson’s letters a year ago, then started reading her books, beginning with ‘How the South Won the Civil War’, the title was fascinating and a real mystery to me. My loss of innocence was a landslide and watching yesterday’s proceedings was like the film version of Heather’s summation of our history and that which is in the making.
Can you please look into your crystal ball and tell us that we are on the verge of turning some corner? That we will be alright? That the worst is behind us?
Despite the delay in the certification of President Biden‘a win, I was jubilant! So much joy filled my soul. And yet the insanity has prevailed. David and Goliath on hold.
They keep moving the finish line and I am fighting sadness and exhaustion every day. Please! Will we ever have even a hint of a happy ending?
I feel like I was misled for so long, and now these loops of Groundhog Day are like a bad dream.
The little kid in me looks at our country and repeatedly says, ‘what a dirty trick’!
I feel the same way. And I keep hearing Obama say 'democracy is messy, it's fragile, it takes hard work by all ..' and I wish so very much that I would have participated in more civic actions in my life. In the midst of struggling with mental health issues my entire life, divorce, raising children on my own, and trying to keep my professional life up to speed, I haven't had much energy to roll up my sleeves and do my part for democracy. And not that I have time and energy and selected causes that I follow, I'm just saddened and exhausted by what I hear and see every day. It's such a slog. And there seems to be little to no happiness in any of it.
As Bismarck said, people should not view politics up close for the same reason they shouldn't visit a sausage factory.
However, we should all thank Trump for reminding some of us, re-educating others and educating yet others that The Important Stuff is worth the effort of defending, which we had taken for granted for far too long.
You and I could be sisters Cynthia, although I'm indulging in fiction works during this living history.
You all put me to shame. I've had Outlander and Harry Potter on repeat for a while now. Comfort food for the mind. I just started When Christ and His Angels Slept, Sharon Kay Penman, which I like but not loving the narration on Audible.
I love the Outlander series; it's so richly and beautifully written!
They even have a "hanged, drawn and quartered" scene of the captured fighters after the Battle of Culloden. (I think - it could be earlier in the series, don't hold me)
Monsieur Forez did tell Claire in great detail about it, in Dragonfly in Amber, but I don't recall a scene where it was actually performed.
I love Lord of the Rings. It may be time to watch it again.
"the Return of the King" was the story of 2020.
Tricia, I've never seen the movies, or even read the books, although I've tried. I've been saving the movies, but I think I'm going to watch them soon now.
Lynn, I need a recommendation! Book thread?
My absolute favorite historical book (well, so far, Heather's are still on my list):
Undaunted courage, Ambrose.
And of course, I have to mention Marion Zimmer Bradley Mists of Avalon (surely everyone's read this oldie but goodie?)
I’m so excited! Always looking for good books! Were you the pal that suggested ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’? OMG! Not a fantasy nor fiction, but no book has come so close as curling up with my Mom listening to her soothing words reading to me! Definitely listen on Audible! I will start these as soon as I finish ‘Vanishing Half’, my current selection!
Nope, but ty for these recommendations!
Those are both excellent. I liked all of MZBs books. Ambrose too. "Citizen Soldiers" about the last (and bloodiest) year of the war following D-Day is excellent.
Thx TC, I'm making a list!
Perhaps not to the taste of all the readers here, but my Pacific War trilogy (soon to be a quadrilogy in May, but then completed) "I Will Run Wild," "Pacific Thunder" and "Tidal Wave" is a good account of difficult times overcome. (and they're well-reviewed, so they are to the taste of many). Available at "best'seller" prices at Amazon, also on Kindle.
The above is an entirely self-serving personal advertisement, since writers must never allow an opportunity to sell a book pass by unused.
Yes you must promote your books! And it so happe ns I have a good friend who surely will appreciate all 3 (then a 4th). His father fought in the Pacific theater, and with his company got stranded on a small island. They dug 2 bunkers on opposite sides of the island, and hunkered down, half in each, as they knew the Japanese were coming. My friend's dad was ordered to run to the other bunker to give them a message. When he was almost there, the Japanese attacked, and destroyed the bunker he had just left. He ran back: they were all dead. Then the plane came back and bombed the other bunker, all dead. How that man remained sane and became such a wonderful father I will never know. And, in light of today's impeachment trial, how could a U.S president belittle and desecrate those who served and serve.
His attitude is that of a coward who won't admit the fact, so he has to make others as "small" as he knows in his heart he is.
Mistborn trilogy, Sanderson. Old series, refreshing fantasy!
Thanks! My daughter is hooked on Sanderson. She’s taken over my Audible account!
My son turned me onto that series, "here Mom, try some fantasy for a bit"
Try Eric Sevareid, Not so Wild a Dream. It's from 1946, mostly on his WW2 experiences. It conveys a marvelous sense of a united, purposeful and optimistic America. A far cry from today.
Brings to mind, "Fly boys" (i forget author, oops but book sure left an impression) ww2 navy pilots and pows (including pres hw bush as young navy pilot).
Good rec, thanks Lynn.
The Dark Heavens series by Kylie Chan is an Urban Fantasy series; it has 9 main books and a few offshoots on minor characters. It drew me in immediately, and is great escapism without being too over the top.
Fantasy series "Chronicles of Alsea" by Fletcher DeLancy. Available on Amazon. A 10 volume cracking good story.
Yayyyyyyy ty
I wish I could, but when it comes to forecasting the future, the best I can do is what I recently told my nephew: "Life is hard, and then you die."
Wow TC, I told my son the exact same thing recently! Uh oh.
It was asomewhat messy process and requires a little skill in butchery....get a big apron....and sometimes the horses had "dificulty".The spectacle was to the least more than a little horrific and reflected the barbary of those times.....when life was short and often violent. Have we gone back to that.....some have when you look at the Senatorial Orks and what they would impose on the people....reflection of the good King John.....or is it Henry V111 perhaps!
I never understood why people could be so barbaric as to "draw" someone's guts out and torture them grotesquely, inducing long, nasty, complete agony, then with one breath remaining, hang them. Obviously I understand now.
I'll never understand that kind of inhumanity to man, in the past or now. That was a blood lust since the Dark Ages, a time when life was dear, government and religion were one, and the atrocities were mind-boggling. You could be burned at the stake for a difference of opinion over a religious belief. Those are the kinds of events our founding fathers were trying to protect us from.
How about beating, burning, then lynching, followed by hacking off body parts for souvenirs?
Yes
For that, we don't have to go all the way back to the Middle Ages. It's classic American lynching, which declined a few short decades ago but still persists in vigilante and police killings today.
I don't understand why a certain commenter here repeatedly expresses enthusiasm for such barbarity.
Yes, LOL, something so "cleanly" and immediately satisfying about the draw, quarter, hang method!! The urge to do so lurks in our DNA probably. I am thinking that urge comes to the surface in direct proportion to our feeling that our current tools for accountability are not working!
Good one!
I’m with you on all of that, except for whipping the horses😉
No death penalty for any crime, anywhere, any time.
Give it a rest.
Figuratively I hope, not literally.
In 1933, German conservatives thought they could use a minor political figure to bolster their coalition. They humored him and he turned on them, leading to the worst genocide in history. Hitler rose to power through violence and intimidation. In the last free election in Germany, the Nazi Party garnered only 38% of the vote, showing that a minority can gain control through tyranny.
I am not comparing Trump to Hitler. Like you, and many others, I am pointing the finger at who's on trial this week. The GOP and particularly the Republican Senators are the defendants in this proceeding. Those senators who vote to acquit the perpetrator of the most violent attack on American democracy will not be voting on the facts or the merits of the case, those are glaringly convincing. Rather, they will cast their vote out of fear of Donald Trump.
Their lack of courage will embolden future autocrats, who will take a page from both men's playbook to mount their assault. That is why we must hold Donald Trump accountable, to send a message to those future miscreants that violence and intimidation will not be tolerated, and will be dealt with swiftly and harshly. Our future depends on it!
Any one of them who supports a vote to acquit ensures that the Trump Insurrection continues and gives aid and comfort those who participated. I dearly wanted one of the House managers to say some form of this yesterday. Fingers crossed they'll get to it in the coming days.
We must call and email every Republican in the Senate as well as those in our local government, from school board to town council to state legislator. Our silence is complicity.
Why not compare Hitler to Trumpsky?