I just finished reading Debra Steidel Wall’s letter. She sets out the complete history of the attempts to regain the documents stolen by Donald Trump. What nefarious plans he had in mind will, with time, come to light. He’s a traitor. As Heather said in her talk today, if any of us had even one page, we would be in prison. The wait will …
I just finished reading Debra Steidel Wall’s letter. She sets out the complete history of the attempts to regain the documents stolen by Donald Trump. What nefarious plans he had in mind will, with time, come to light. He’s a traitor. As Heather said in her talk today, if any of us had even one page, we would be in prison. The wait will be long, but I try to have confidence that the rule of law will take the day.
You are too kind! Dishonest is too mild. He is a liar and a thief. He is brazen not diffident, and he is hardly didactic. His lessons are to be criminal. Is he Fagin or Monks or Bill Sykes from Oliver Twist? He is teaching his followers to lie, cheat, threaten and steal. In fact he commands it. If they do not follow these commands they are punished. He is extremely dangerous. He is evil. I would say Trump is a combination of the three of them.
Linda Weide, I heartily agree with your assessment of Trump. This "man-baby" is extremely dangerous and evil. He literally told us ALL about himself before he was elected. But TOO LARGE a chunk of our population didn't believe him when he did and showed his true self. He HAS to be locked up - for OUR safety.
Many MAGA voters were backing the man they watched on TV for 12 years, the man who was always the smartest guy in the room. The rest of them voted with an extended middle finger to the people who never helped them. And most importantly this candidate made bigotry and intolerance acceptable.
“The people who never helped them”…. No, just the libtards that Rush spent decades reviling, and Rupert spent decades slandering at 90 decibels. As for trash TV, it’s still out there making heroes of the less than mediocre. And dumbing down the masses of asses. Your last sentence is totally on target for many MAGAts, but power and greed explain why those with two brain cells hopped on board. Then there are the Pharisees…
As far as being the smartest in the room is concerned, they were watching Reality TV, and failed to notice that it was NOT reality. Anyone over 25 with a grain of sense knew exactly what this charlatan was. He never hid his base character. I agree that he opened Pandora's Box and gave everyone permission to act out their real or imagined grievances. All of this was made possible by our resident oligarchs, who are the sole beneficiaries of our country's decimation.
"How does Satan manipulate us? He lures. He lies. He disguises evil for good. He promotes death. He separates. He divides. He steals. He works in darkness. He destroys. He shames. He hates. He decieves. He wiles. And, he persists." Ron "Wille" Williams from Lost and Found along The Way.
Preaching to the choir, great minds think alike comes to mind. Thank you. I had never heard of thom hartman, nor willie williams but am glad to now have found them both. Thanks.
Amen and my so called Christians friends said Obama was the antichrist and some of them unfriended me. I will never forget when they did that! Up until that time I respected them!
You know what I'm beginning to think, Jeri. The really bad news is that he's Donald Trump. He is certainly not worse than your list and probably not even as bad. He is, however, more dangerous because he is different. Sui generis. He is Donald Trump, a particularly American model of evil for which we have no outline for comparison. We have to start from scratch in trying to stay ahead of this poison, and there is so little time. If Biden maintains speed in his current push in the spirit of full speed ahead and damn the torpedos, we might have a chance.
Yes I mean DANGEROUS! Like if he take over this country again through his proxies and they bring the USA down, as they most certainly will, unless everyone who has a grain of sense is brave enough to collectively rise up against them and as they bring the USA down the planet is likely to be brought down with them. Let us face it. The USA with the second most Nuclear weapons run by people who would be in cahoots with Putin who has the rest of the NUKES holding the rest of the planet for ransom. There will be no climate agenda except to accelerate the destruction of the ozone layers and to heat us up in even more extreme temperatures at an even faster rate, leading to more floods, drought, famine, food insecurity, disease, fighting over resources, illness, and despair. THAT IS WHAT TRUMPS FOLLOWERS EMBRACE AND WANT TO SHOWER ON THE REST OF US.
The plans are known, but so far, still in place. Making evil legal is what Hitler did. And no, I don’t apologize for making that comparison. They say it out loud now.
YES! AND CONTINUE TO DIE! All of those who witlessly followed his Covid proscriptions of not getting a vaccine, although he did, and using non drugs, although he got the best treatment with real evidence based medications that money could buy.
Why would Putin even want Drumpf in his country let alone offer asylum? Drumpf is no longer in power--thus of no use to Putin--and everybody knows what a rotten, treacherous buffoon he is--including a large percentage of his congressional supporters (opportunists, every one of them) except his brainwashed MAGA base. Drumpf's assets will be forfeit and his cash flow depends on his rallies and begging letters proclaiming his victimhood.
T L , my take is he has already sold the documents to Putin or what other dictator who wanted them. Least we forget, he had 4 years of unfettered access to documents.
I agree...but if that is so, then why did he risk taking those classified documents with him to Mar-A -Largo?
I think he probably--long since--sold some secrets to both Putin (remember Helsinki!) and the Saudi's; I also think he took more classified information with him to use as a possible get-out-of -jail card to play when all his legal issues came knocking--or to pay off Deutsche Bank. It's hard to tell what--if any--pseudo-thoughts squirm around in what passes for his mind.
Russia already has the bomb and Saudi Arabia doesn't but sure would like to have it because of Iran. My guess is trump needs the money and a place for his family so when he runs it will be to Saudi Arabia. Besides the Russians all drink to much and he really worries about poisoning more than a bone saw.
I think Jarred may have sold some secrets to the Saudis for the $2b "investment" with his new fund (these dots were connected by another LFA member last week, I don't have that kind of acumen - yet :)
Yes, I think Jared and Ivanka are the ruthless and calculating ones to watch. Their faces, in common with another real monster, Mr. Facebook, have absolutely no affect. It would seriously not surprise me to find out that they are all experiments in Artificial Intelligence.
Who the hell has he sold it to, is the question. And the really big question is who told him WHAT to sell, since we know he is illiterate, ignorant and and a complete asshole. There, I feel better. Who is that real traitor?
Thats the real point here. One reporter said tRUMP was reading all the documents. BULLSHIT!! We know his reading level and what woyld be the point as a lot of the nuclear stuff is scientific that he wouldn't have a chance to understand. I am sure he had Jared ans a bunch of experts check ecery page in the year and a half he's had them, filter out what could be sold, shipped them right ti the Saudis, Iran, and Russia ans collected enough money so Little Donnie can pay his huge debt to the Russian mafia and still have some leverage to affect American elections for quite awhile.
The wait cannot continue to be dragged out. The crimes committed by trump and many of his minions are blatant and a continuous and deliberate attempt to take over the government. When he occupied the WH, the visual that kept me going was he eventually would be dragged out in a strait jacket. Missed that timing but let's get moving ASAP to get him dressed in prison orange! It is astounding that the corruption remains deeply embedded throughout the so-called republican party (IMO it is a terrorist cult) and those evil congressional dwellers do and say absolutely nothing. I won't dwell on what I think of people who are so devoid of any ethical and moral character that they continue to "rally around their leader". Evil and sick.
On Tuesday, I listened to an hour long interview of retiring Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) on NPR. His book "The Road Taken" has just been released. "In his landmark memoir The Road Taken, Patrick Leahy looks back on a life lived on the front lines of American politics. As the senior-most member and de facto dean of the chamber, Senator Leahy has been a key author of the American story. Leahy established himself as a moral leader and liberal pioneer over four decades spanning nine presidential administrations."
Obviously, the collegial atmosphere in Congress has gone down the poop chute (my words - he is much more articulate!) and while he noted he is generally an optimistic individual, he is more pessimistic about today's governmental situation. He doesn't hold back on what he thinks of trump.
Yes, politicians like Leahy, and there are many, prove that honorable politicians do exist. It is worth reminding ourselves that Trump inherited a corrupted party that began with Nixon’s Watergate, Reagan’s Irangate Conspiracy , Buchanan’s Pitchfork revolution followed by Gingrich’s disruption of Congress and his bogus Contract With America. Before Trump came the Tea Party. Trump’s attempt to overthrow the “peaceful transfer of Executive Power” was just the nuclear options no Republican before him had the courage to try. Now the young radical like Cruz, Hawley, Rubio and more than a few governors like DeSantis wait silently to show that a man with a brain and Trump’s obsession to be Emperor can succeed. Unless the corrupted Republican party dies and is resurrected this country will soon see another autocrat make his, or her, move.
Trump’s Stop the Steal was a much expanded and less effective version of Roger Stone’s original Stop the Steal that interrupted Florida’s vote count and led to the Supreme Court appointing George W Bush as president in 2000. It worked the first time...
Joan, Though I understand the precedent, in my view, we can’t escape the fact, regardless of how corrupt, that the legitimately aggrieved party in 2000 put country, the rule of law, and the orderly transfer of power above all else. And that made all the difference.
I suppose my point is that never before did it seem conceivable that by 24 a party plausibly could attain control of Congress, win the White House, and conceivably launch both the fatal weakening of American civic institutions and also a Presidency eager and able to consolidate power, wherein the rule of law could be subjugated to an individual.
You know the path to chump well. He was drawn to the republicans like a moth to a flame, and he, in turn, attracts the evil that oozes from his every orifice. I would throw W in between Newt and his contract on America, and the tea party crazies.
Nine administrations...wow! When I worked up on the Hill back in the seventies, Senator Leahy was one of my favorites; not speaking politically, just as a human being.
We had a short-lived experiment to see if a deputy could insert a "meow" into a report and get the report approved. I was very successful at that (I generally wrote pretty good reports) and quit when another deputy (thankfully) was testifying in a trial and the defense attorney asked him just what a "tow truck called for meow a disabled vehicle" actually meant. That particular case was a simple impound that ended up being related to a pretty serious assault. Sigh.
Janet, I shared your Straight Jacket _prayer_ for years! (Even posted a photo of one on Facebook.) Still do! It's never too late, because he is still clearly crazy and more and more dangerous by the day/hour/second.
(Sigh mixed with frustration). Another day talking talking talking about trump. About who he is and who he is not. And what to do about him.
I prefer any discussion we can muster about Professor Richardson’s closer…. “The Biden administration is reasserting the rule of law in the United States.”
I’ll start. Regardless of how long we talk about “the documents” which can be years ahead before any indictments happen, I celebrate that President Biden and his administration, against heavy odds, are passing legislation, reasserting rule of law, and acting in the interests of the people…all of the people. I’m going forward looking at issues that I can influence. For example, public education and the attempt to “cancel” the institution. And talk to any voter that wants to engage.
My preference is to “catch the wind in the sails”, as another Substack author suggests, as we move towards November election. Why waste momentum on losers?
Thanks for the cudos for Biden - he is an amazing, wise, and still powerful force for good in our country. The ridiculous low approval ratings trumpeted by the media in opinion polls are just that: ridiculous. We must help Americans appreciate President Biden for the job he's doing. But I think we must chew gum and walk at the same time: convince voters of the imperative of a Democratic (and democratic) administration at this time, while continuing to pursue all the avenues being tried to defeat the power-hungry, hypocritical, undemocratic forces the Republican party has spawned, both in the courts and at the ballot box.
From your mouth (keyboard) to the goddess's ear, Linda. According to The Guardian this morning (Wednesday), TFG's lawyers are trying to talk him into conceding that he broke the law because they are getting very nervous indeed. This could be his Al Capone moment. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/23/trump-illegal-documents-fbi-mar-a-lago
We Homo sapiens may share 99% of our DNA with chimpanzees, but at times, our social instincts seem to more closely model the social organization of baboons. I agree that it may, indeed, prove to be the undoing of our species.
Your comment made me think of Dana Milbank’s column this morning about the brilliance of Trump’s typical pick, Herschel Walker: He was able to disprove Darwin’s theory of evolution by observing that “there still [are] apes that have not turned into humans.”
Linda If John Grisham had sought to write a fiction book about Trump’s super-classified-documents caper, his publisheR would have rejected such clap trap. It defies any reasonable analysis. Even for this False Fact Phony, thE scenario is bizarre. Can it be explained by his ‘l’etat est moi’ mentality? He once said about the documents “They are not theirs. They are mine.”
For someone who didn’t even read books that he ghost wrote, the idea that he was retaining documents for his ‘autobiography’ is preposterous. That he actually perused these documents and decided to retain some is factually accurate, though I am gobsmacked thinking of what he might do with them.
When I am stymied as an historical analyst, I seek insight from movies. In this case, Jerry Lewis in THE JERK.
Yes, and all his soldiers! We must strengthen our dedication to values upon which we hoped this country was founded. Some of these might be: truth...via commitment to high quality public education. We must endeavor to support only an incorruptible and "blind" judicial and legal system and, (oh my, I can't help myself. the American way through securing election integrity with a secure election process!
HCR mentioned Barry Seid's $1.6 BILLION "tax deductible" "donation" the other day. I found this a staggering piece of news. Going Leonard Leo's non profit, the Marble Freedom Trust, can this be anything but a blaring fire alarm for democracy? Can such a free "gift" of this magnitude be be anything but a corrupting form of influence peddling? How does "democracy" long stand up against such a force? Citizen's United was the death knell. Jailing tfg is just a bon bon, sweet tho is might be.
Although former Attorney General Barr succeeded in watering down the facts which the Muelller Report contained, lessening its impact, many observers concluded that the Russians, specifically Vladimir Putin, had something on the defeated former president, and that influenced his sometimes inexplicable behavior as president. I believe that the DOJ knows more about this than they are talking about and that such opportunities for exerting leverage on him continue even now. That might be the reason for their resorting to legal action to retreive the classified documents the defeated former president illegally had in his possession. If it can be determined that information from them has already been digitalized or communicated to those who should not have it, existing laws must be fully and immediately enforced. If not, what are laws for?
Like Heather, I’d really like to know “[j]ust why the Trump camp leaked the letter.” How are they planning to use such a damning document to their advantage -- unless, of course, they want to pretend how candid and honest they are being ...
“Just why the Trump camp leaked the letter is unclear because it is a damning revelation of the extent of the stolen documents and Trump’s refusal to return them.”
Why we continuer to let that recalcitrant child repeatedly escape justice is beyond me. HCR was right...if any one of us had even one page of any of those documents, we would be in prison. Why is this any different?
I have worked with archivists, in various circumstances over many years. I even have a cousin who was a state archivist. And I am confident that when Mr. Trump is finally in direct conflict with Ms. Wall, he will be begging to trade her for the entire legal and law enforcement force of the US.
Dean, I have spent the last 40+ years conducting research in archives and have worked in libraries and collaborated with librarians and archivists since I was 19 years old (including as a tech services assistant and as a preservation specialist). Many of my dearest friends are librarians and/or archivists and many of my students go on from working with me to becoming librarians and archivists. My recommendation is never to f**k with a librarian or an archivist. They will hurt you. 🤣
Why is the military industrial complex Eishenhower warned us about still in sway in this country? I love my country, but I do not love that we do not learn from history….we know how that ends.
Rest assured that he will be indicted. I wrote a letter to Merrick Garland reminding him that trump would stop at nothing illegal, even condoning murder, to prove that he's not a loser, as losing is an existential threat propagated by his father. Besides, my prayers are very powerful. The moment I found out that trump was going to be president, I prayed: Please, let the GOP self-implode. That's happening. During the first impeachment I prayed with all my heart: Please, let him go broke and go to prison. From what we've seen from Weisselberg the trump org is toast. And trump will find it difficult to raise money from his jail cell...mark my words!
Perhaps 45’s lawyers agreed to leak this letter because it demonstrates that he cannot distinguish right from wrong. In which case, they could make the cases that he never intended to break the law. If that is the case, why the leak? That argument just undermines the impression of his fitness for office. So maybe the calculation is that it’s better to risk a future run for office than life in prison. Or worse, if he has already delivered documents to a hostile foreign government. Just a thought.
Jim With Trump rational analysis serves no useful purpose. What about phrenology? As for where ‘his’ documents were sent—check with Putin, MBS, and Kim.
I just finished reading Debra Steidel Wall’s letter. She sets out the complete history of the attempts to regain the documents stolen by Donald Trump. What nefarious plans he had in mind will, with time, come to light. He’s a traitor. As Heather said in her talk today, if any of us had even one page, we would be in prison. The wait will be long, but I try to have confidence that the rule of law will take the day.
I think it impossible Trump has not sold some of this information.
Trump is a didactic, diffident, dishonest whore.
You are too kind! Dishonest is too mild. He is a liar and a thief. He is brazen not diffident, and he is hardly didactic. His lessons are to be criminal. Is he Fagin or Monks or Bill Sykes from Oliver Twist? He is teaching his followers to lie, cheat, threaten and steal. In fact he commands it. If they do not follow these commands they are punished. He is extremely dangerous. He is evil. I would say Trump is a combination of the three of them.
Linda Weide, I heartily agree with your assessment of Trump. This "man-baby" is extremely dangerous and evil. He literally told us ALL about himself before he was elected. But TOO LARGE a chunk of our population didn't believe him when he did and showed his true self. He HAS to be locked up - for OUR safety.
Many MAGA voters were backing the man they watched on TV for 12 years, the man who was always the smartest guy in the room. The rest of them voted with an extended middle finger to the people who never helped them. And most importantly this candidate made bigotry and intolerance acceptable.
“The people who never helped them”…. No, just the libtards that Rush spent decades reviling, and Rupert spent decades slandering at 90 decibels. As for trash TV, it’s still out there making heroes of the less than mediocre. And dumbing down the masses of asses. Your last sentence is totally on target for many MAGAts, but power and greed explain why those with two brain cells hopped on board. Then there are the Pharisees…
As far as being the smartest in the room is concerned, they were watching Reality TV, and failed to notice that it was NOT reality. Anyone over 25 with a grain of sense knew exactly what this charlatan was. He never hid his base character. I agree that he opened Pandora's Box and gave everyone permission to act out their real or imagined grievances. All of this was made possible by our resident oligarchs, who are the sole beneficiaries of our country's decimation.
Oh they believed him alright. He's exactly who they wanted.
He has made it a badge of honor to be openly cruel to cheat to lie.
He has made it a badge of honor to be uneducated and violent. He is an ignorant coward.
"How does Satan manipulate us? He lures. He lies. He disguises evil for good. He promotes death. He separates. He divides. He steals. He works in darkness. He destroys. He shames. He hates. He decieves. He wiles. And, he persists." Ron "Wille" Williams from Lost and Found along The Way.
I suggest you read yesterday’s Thom Hartmann.
Preaching to the choir, great minds think alike comes to mind. Thank you. I had never heard of thom hartman, nor willie williams but am glad to now have found them both. Thanks.
Oh my, this sounds so much like the evangelicals in the book I am reading, "Jesus and John Wayne". They gets crazier in each chapter.
Oh come on, he is Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini rolled into an ugly, evil visage of the vilest human.
the antichrist
Amen and my so called Christians friends said Obama was the antichrist and some of them unfriended me. I will never forget when they did that! Up until that time I respected them!
You know what I'm beginning to think, Jeri. The really bad news is that he's Donald Trump. He is certainly not worse than your list and probably not even as bad. He is, however, more dangerous because he is different. Sui generis. He is Donald Trump, a particularly American model of evil for which we have no outline for comparison. We have to start from scratch in trying to stay ahead of this poison, and there is so little time. If Biden maintains speed in his current push in the spirit of full speed ahead and damn the torpedos, we might have a chance.
Yes or worse!
Linda, yes, Dangerous. The best description, especially for those who think he can be ignored.
Yes I mean DANGEROUS! Like if he take over this country again through his proxies and they bring the USA down, as they most certainly will, unless everyone who has a grain of sense is brave enough to collectively rise up against them and as they bring the USA down the planet is likely to be brought down with them. Let us face it. The USA with the second most Nuclear weapons run by people who would be in cahoots with Putin who has the rest of the NUKES holding the rest of the planet for ransom. There will be no climate agenda except to accelerate the destruction of the ozone layers and to heat us up in even more extreme temperatures at an even faster rate, leading to more floods, drought, famine, food insecurity, disease, fighting over resources, illness, and despair. THAT IS WHAT TRUMPS FOLLOWERS EMBRACE AND WANT TO SHOWER ON THE REST OF US.
The plans are known, but so far, still in place. Making evil legal is what Hitler did. And no, I don’t apologize for making that comparison. They say it out loud now.
Many of us many be gone but I have a 9 year old granddaughter that I worry about! What kind of life will she have.
American Citizens have DIED because of his actions!!! So I would add KILL to lie, cheat, threaten and steal!
YES! AND CONTINUE TO DIE! All of those who witlessly followed his Covid proscriptions of not getting a vaccine, although he did, and using non drugs, although he got the best treatment with real evidence based medications that money could buy.
Yup, over one million of us.
He is a traitor. Period.
And Voldemort.
Love the Oliver reference! Thank you for the smile.
❤️👍🏼👌🏼
That's really not fair to prostitutes.
True. They can generally be counted on to do at least a few hours of honest work a day.
Maybe two minutes if Trump was their client.
True
I can hear Lin Manuel Miranda writing a new song!
And Randy Rainbow?
Yes-he's good @ that; Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wT5kafhG3Qw
Oh, yes, Barbara! If I had to pick a RR favorite, this one would be way, way up there. hakarat ha’tov - giving thanks!
Poor prostitutes, Penfist, they don’t deserve being dragged into tfg’s maleficent characteristics nor his swamp of abominations and iniquities!
Didactic??
You had a good thing going with the "d's" end with dick and keep the full alliteration.
Well said Penfist!
I’m not sure “didactic” is what you meant autotype to leave in the wake of your fingertips :)
I suspect some of it was for money from MBS (Jared's $2B payment) and some of it was to buy asylum in Moscow.
Why would Putin even want Drumpf in his country let alone offer asylum? Drumpf is no longer in power--thus of no use to Putin--and everybody knows what a rotten, treacherous buffoon he is--including a large percentage of his congressional supporters (opportunists, every one of them) except his brainwashed MAGA base. Drumpf's assets will be forfeit and his cash flow depends on his rallies and begging letters proclaiming his victimhood.
T L , my take is he has already sold the documents to Putin or what other dictator who wanted them. Least we forget, he had 4 years of unfettered access to documents.
I agree...but if that is so, then why did he risk taking those classified documents with him to Mar-A -Largo?
I think he probably--long since--sold some secrets to both Putin (remember Helsinki!) and the Saudi's; I also think he took more classified information with him to use as a possible get-out-of -jail card to play when all his legal issues came knocking--or to pay off Deutsche Bank. It's hard to tell what--if any--pseudo-thoughts squirm around in what passes for his mind.
Anyone besides me think there are more purloined documents still tucked away down there?
But the documents.
Russia already has the bomb and Saudi Arabia doesn't but sure would like to have it because of Iran. My guess is trump needs the money and a place for his family so when he runs it will be to Saudi Arabia. Besides the Russians all drink to much and he really worries about poisoning more than a bone saw.
Moscow won't want him - he'd be of no further use to them, but I was thinking just this morning that "Jared's" $2B was never intended for Jared.
I think Jarred may have sold some secrets to the Saudis for the $2b "investment" with his new fund (these dots were connected by another LFA member last week, I don't have that kind of acumen - yet :)
Yes, I think Jared and Ivanka are the ruthless and calculating ones to watch. Their faces, in common with another real monster, Mr. Facebook, have absolutely no affect. It would seriously not surprise me to find out that they are all experiments in Artificial Intelligence.
This makes enormous sense!
And yet Republicans continue to loudly and proudly defend him. There is nothing that he has done that they won't defend.
Who the hell has he sold it to, is the question. And the really big question is who told him WHAT to sell, since we know he is illiterate, ignorant and and a complete asshole. There, I feel better. Who is that real traitor?
Thats the real point here. One reporter said tRUMP was reading all the documents. BULLSHIT!! We know his reading level and what woyld be the point as a lot of the nuclear stuff is scientific that he wouldn't have a chance to understand. I am sure he had Jared ans a bunch of experts check ecery page in the year and a half he's had them, filter out what could be sold, shipped them right ti the Saudis, Iran, and Russia ans collected enough money so Little Donnie can pay his huge debt to the Russian mafia and still have some leverage to affect American elections for quite awhile.
That possibility really concerns me...as that is consistent with his previous behavior...
Ummm… not sure why any logical person would question your statement:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-revealed-highly-classified-information-to-russian-foreign-minister-and-ambassador/2017/05/15/530c172a-3960-11e7-9e48-c4f199710b69_story.html
More evidence to put him in prison where he and his ilk belong!
May the librarians and archivists take the tRump down❣️🌈😉
The wait cannot continue to be dragged out. The crimes committed by trump and many of his minions are blatant and a continuous and deliberate attempt to take over the government. When he occupied the WH, the visual that kept me going was he eventually would be dragged out in a strait jacket. Missed that timing but let's get moving ASAP to get him dressed in prison orange! It is astounding that the corruption remains deeply embedded throughout the so-called republican party (IMO it is a terrorist cult) and those evil congressional dwellers do and say absolutely nothing. I won't dwell on what I think of people who are so devoid of any ethical and moral character that they continue to "rally around their leader". Evil and sick.
On Tuesday, I listened to an hour long interview of retiring Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) on NPR. His book "The Road Taken" has just been released. "In his landmark memoir The Road Taken, Patrick Leahy looks back on a life lived on the front lines of American politics. As the senior-most member and de facto dean of the chamber, Senator Leahy has been a key author of the American story. Leahy established himself as a moral leader and liberal pioneer over four decades spanning nine presidential administrations."
Obviously, the collegial atmosphere in Congress has gone down the poop chute (my words - he is much more articulate!) and while he noted he is generally an optimistic individual, he is more pessimistic about today's governmental situation. He doesn't hold back on what he thinks of trump.
Yes, politicians like Leahy, and there are many, prove that honorable politicians do exist. It is worth reminding ourselves that Trump inherited a corrupted party that began with Nixon’s Watergate, Reagan’s Irangate Conspiracy , Buchanan’s Pitchfork revolution followed by Gingrich’s disruption of Congress and his bogus Contract With America. Before Trump came the Tea Party. Trump’s attempt to overthrow the “peaceful transfer of Executive Power” was just the nuclear options no Republican before him had the courage to try. Now the young radical like Cruz, Hawley, Rubio and more than a few governors like DeSantis wait silently to show that a man with a brain and Trump’s obsession to be Emperor can succeed. Unless the corrupted Republican party dies and is resurrected this country will soon see another autocrat make his, or her, move.
Trump’s Stop the Steal was a much expanded and less effective version of Roger Stone’s original Stop the Steal that interrupted Florida’s vote count and led to the Supreme Court appointing George W Bush as president in 2000. It worked the first time...
I imagine this was a plan suggested and furthered by Roger Stone
Definitely.
Joan, Though I understand the precedent, in my view, we can’t escape the fact, regardless of how corrupt, that the legitimately aggrieved party in 2000 put country, the rule of law, and the orderly transfer of power above all else. And that made all the difference.
I suppose my point is that never before did it seem conceivable that by 24 a party plausibly could attain control of Congress, win the White House, and conceivably launch both the fatal weakening of American civic institutions and also a Presidency eager and able to consolidate power, wherein the rule of law could be subjugated to an individual.
You know the path to chump well. He was drawn to the republicans like a moth to a flame, and he, in turn, attracts the evil that oozes from his every orifice. I would throw W in between Newt and his contract on America, and the tea party crazies.
Nine administrations...wow! When I worked up on the Hill back in the seventies, Senator Leahy was one of my favorites; not speaking politically, just as a human being.
My wife and I have always loved Leahy. Sterling individual.
And Sherrod Brown!
It’s actually “chute,” not shoot. But I have to say the visual of a “poop shoot” made me laugh.
LOL!! It was "late" or "early" when I wrote that although Heather never makes those mistakes!!! But, I also like the visual of a poop shoot :)
Let's make those words interchangeable for your purposes, Janet!
Works for me! When I did meeting minutes for various town boards, sometimes I would slip in some nonsense to see if anyone was reading! 😎
We had a short-lived experiment to see if a deputy could insert a "meow" into a report and get the report approved. I was very successful at that (I generally wrote pretty good reports) and quit when another deputy (thankfully) was testifying in a trial and the defense attorney asked him just what a "tow truck called for meow a disabled vehicle" actually meant. That particular case was a simple impound that ended up being related to a pretty serious assault. Sigh.
LOL! Brave scribe, you were!
Janet, I shared your Straight Jacket _prayer_ for years! (Even posted a photo of one on Facebook.) Still do! It's never too late, because he is still clearly crazy and more and more dangerous by the day/hour/second.
(Sigh mixed with frustration). Another day talking talking talking about trump. About who he is and who he is not. And what to do about him.
I prefer any discussion we can muster about Professor Richardson’s closer…. “The Biden administration is reasserting the rule of law in the United States.”
I’ll start. Regardless of how long we talk about “the documents” which can be years ahead before any indictments happen, I celebrate that President Biden and his administration, against heavy odds, are passing legislation, reasserting rule of law, and acting in the interests of the people…all of the people. I’m going forward looking at issues that I can influence. For example, public education and the attempt to “cancel” the institution. And talk to any voter that wants to engage.
My preference is to “catch the wind in the sails”, as another Substack author suggests, as we move towards November election. Why waste momentum on losers?
Let’s navigate. We’ve got the wind at our backs.
Unita! 🗽🏄🏽♀️⛵️
Thank you Christine. President Biden has done an amazing job despite terrible odds.
Thanks for the cudos for Biden - he is an amazing, wise, and still powerful force for good in our country. The ridiculous low approval ratings trumpeted by the media in opinion polls are just that: ridiculous. We must help Americans appreciate President Biden for the job he's doing. But I think we must chew gum and walk at the same time: convince voters of the imperative of a Democratic (and democratic) administration at this time, while continuing to pursue all the avenues being tried to defeat the power-hungry, hypocritical, undemocratic forces the Republican party has spawned, both in the courts and at the ballot box.
I sail with one hand on the rudder and one on the jib line. It coordinates forward movement.
See. I love the expertise on this forum. Thanks for sailing tip. Wind at our backs!
Salud, Mary. 🥂🗽⛵️
Excellent points Christine. Love let's navigate.
We've got the wind, at our back!
Yes!
From your mouth (keyboard) to the goddess's ear, Linda. According to The Guardian this morning (Wednesday), TFG's lawyers are trying to talk him into conceding that he broke the law because they are getting very nervous indeed. This could be his Al Capone moment. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/aug/23/trump-illegal-documents-fbi-mar-a-lago
Yes, it certainly could be
Gods, I hope so! I thought the DoJ was brilliant to go after charges that simply involved the physical acts of mishandling classified documents.
Author: The Guardian's Hugo Lowell at 2 am Eastern.
Given tfg’s history, I’m not holding my breath. Still… 🙏🏻
Idiot gods abound in human history.
Way too many humans have an odd and dangerous proclivity to follow aggressive sociopaths. It may prove the undoing of our species.
We Homo sapiens may share 99% of our DNA with chimpanzees, but at times, our social instincts seem to more closely model the social organization of baboons. I agree that it may, indeed, prove to be the undoing of our species.
Your comment made me think of Dana Milbank’s column this morning about the brilliance of Trump’s typical pick, Herschel Walker: He was able to disprove Darwin’s theory of evolution by observing that “there still [are] apes that have not turned into humans.”
Linda If John Grisham had sought to write a fiction book about Trump’s super-classified-documents caper, his publisheR would have rejected such clap trap. It defies any reasonable analysis. Even for this False Fact Phony, thE scenario is bizarre. Can it be explained by his ‘l’etat est moi’ mentality? He once said about the documents “They are not theirs. They are mine.”
For someone who didn’t even read books that he ghost wrote, the idea that he was retaining documents for his ‘autobiography’ is preposterous. That he actually perused these documents and decided to retain some is factually accurate, though I am gobsmacked thinking of what he might do with them.
When I am stymied as an historical analyst, I seek insight from movies. In this case, Jerry Lewis in THE JERK.
LOCK HIM UP.
Yes, and all his soldiers! We must strengthen our dedication to values upon which we hoped this country was founded. Some of these might be: truth...via commitment to high quality public education. We must endeavor to support only an incorruptible and "blind" judicial and legal system and, (oh my, I can't help myself. the American way through securing election integrity with a secure election process!
HCR mentioned Barry Seid's $1.6 BILLION "tax deductible" "donation" the other day. I found this a staggering piece of news. Going Leonard Leo's non profit, the Marble Freedom Trust, can this be anything but a blaring fire alarm for democracy? Can such a free "gift" of this magnitude be be anything but a corrupting form of influence peddling? How does "democracy" long stand up against such a force? Citizen's United was the death knell. Jailing tfg is just a bon bon, sweet tho is might be.
Although former Attorney General Barr succeeded in watering down the facts which the Muelller Report contained, lessening its impact, many observers concluded that the Russians, specifically Vladimir Putin, had something on the defeated former president, and that influenced his sometimes inexplicable behavior as president. I believe that the DOJ knows more about this than they are talking about and that such opportunities for exerting leverage on him continue even now. That might be the reason for their resorting to legal action to retreive the classified documents the defeated former president illegally had in his possession. If it can be determined that information from them has already been digitalized or communicated to those who should not have it, existing laws must be fully and immediately enforced. If not, what are laws for?
Like Heather, I’d really like to know “[j]ust why the Trump camp leaked the letter.” How are they planning to use such a damning document to their advantage -- unless, of course, they want to pretend how candid and honest they are being ...
“Just why the Trump camp leaked the letter is unclear because it is a damning revelation of the extent of the stolen documents and Trump’s refusal to return them.”
Why we continuer to let that recalcitrant child repeatedly escape justice is beyond me. HCR was right...if any one of us had even one page of any of those documents, we would be in prison. Why is this any different?
I have worked with archivists, in various circumstances over many years. I even have a cousin who was a state archivist. And I am confident that when Mr. Trump is finally in direct conflict with Ms. Wall, he will be begging to trade her for the entire legal and law enforcement force of the US.
Dean, I have spent the last 40+ years conducting research in archives and have worked in libraries and collaborated with librarians and archivists since I was 19 years old (including as a tech services assistant and as a preservation specialist). Many of my dearest friends are librarians and/or archivists and many of my students go on from working with me to becoming librarians and archivists. My recommendation is never to f**k with a librarian or an archivist. They will hurt you. 🤣
Why is the military industrial complex Eishenhower warned us about still in sway in this country? I love my country, but I do not love that we do not learn from history….we know how that ends.
Rest assured that he will be indicted. I wrote a letter to Merrick Garland reminding him that trump would stop at nothing illegal, even condoning murder, to prove that he's not a loser, as losing is an existential threat propagated by his father. Besides, my prayers are very powerful. The moment I found out that trump was going to be president, I prayed: Please, let the GOP self-implode. That's happening. During the first impeachment I prayed with all my heart: Please, let him go broke and go to prison. From what we've seen from Weisselberg the trump org is toast. And trump will find it difficult to raise money from his jail cell...mark my words!
Perhaps 45’s lawyers agreed to leak this letter because it demonstrates that he cannot distinguish right from wrong. In which case, they could make the cases that he never intended to break the law. If that is the case, why the leak? That argument just undermines the impression of his fitness for office. So maybe the calculation is that it’s better to risk a future run for office than life in prison. Or worse, if he has already delivered documents to a hostile foreign government. Just a thought.
Jim With Trump rational analysis serves no useful purpose. What about phrenology? As for where ‘his’ documents were sent—check with Putin, MBS, and Kim.
A narcissist doesn’t recognize right from wrong.
I hope we live long enough for it to all come out! I would think there is enough on him to send him away for life plus 100 years!