New York Times journalists Maggie Haberman, Charlie Savage, and Luke Broadwater yesterday reported that in a memo dated December 6, 2020, Trump lawyer Kenneth Chesebro laid out a plan to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election that he acknowledged was “a bold, controversial strategy” that he believed the Supreme Court would “likely” reject.
Please permit me to correct your language, Heather. There is no longer a Republican Party. There is in its place a cult of personality that has no basis in or respect for democracy. It is shameful and terribly sad that a party that used to have members with at least a modicum of integrity no longer exists.
Letters tonight correctly point out that the Republican Party as we used to know it doesn't really exist anymore, and certainly is not led by a Speaker who cares about restoring it to its former self. We, on the other hand, may I respectfully suggest, must take it upon ourselves to help remedy this unquestionable danger to our system of government.
You all undoubtedly have patiently endured my previous suggestions that we each have an obligation to help promote that remedy by clicking on www.turnup.us as soon as possible!
There you can view what these brilliant and effective Harvard students have been doing to register, and then will TURNOUT next year, hundreds of thousands--if not millions-- of 18 to 29s who live or go to college in truly competitive congressional districts and states! The Harvard students use hi-tech through SnapChat where the young potential voters "live" every day inasmuch as they do not watch TV where the federal politicians each waste millions of dollars of campaign contributions.
Nonpartisan "Turnup" focuses exclusively on protection of abortion rights, gun safety legislation and fighting climate change as the issue-oriented vehicles to alert the potential GenZ and Millenial voters that this coming 2024 election is their moment to protect themselves! These issues are not "policy" issues anymore but rather they are now "personal" issues which really matter to 18 to 29s! So please--please--do your part with respect to this critically important election to save our Democracy with a capital D!
Please click on www.turnup.us/ now and contribute generously! It is tax deductible inasmuch as turnup is a nonpartisan 501c3 charitable organization. Thank you on behalf of our entire society! This is really important.
I have posted this on my FB page in the past and thank you yet again Ira for alerting us as often as you care to, of it's significant existence. Thank you ~ Alas though, for my part I can't afford to contribute to them significantly. I am disabled, and only get compensation from SS disability only. I got injured on the job 6.5 years ago; they of course admit nor accept liability, much less responsibility. Hence, I and family languish, and it's our problem. Good news is that I yet have my life and wits (all strictly my opinion though, lol).
Injured on the job with no recourse, the world of repubs. Glad you get SSD, but too bad you don’t have chump’s money to sue their arses. Where was OSHA or had they been gutted by then. I have more limited resources than previously, but turn up is on my list to give.
After much deliberation in a very, very bad mental and physical state, I feared someone else getting hurt similarly and called Ohio OHSA in on the employer. I gave them detailed information to locate issues. My friends within reported to me that the inspector walked straight down and out as though he were on some vacation sightseeing tour; never stopped at designated detailed spots, no samples, not even conversation with other employees. Felt like the 'fix' was in from the start.
Thank you so much! You are a real patriot and I’m so sorry they have treated you so badly. What state do you live in? Did you consult any lawyers about your injury?
I'm in Ohio; an "industry friendly state." Yes, I did. They wouldn't touch it. The fortune 500 company is 'self insured.' They blathered about - but bottom line, not touching it. I reconsidered some time later and was told by a different set that under Ohio law, you have one year to report or file (?). I reported while I was still out of my mind owing to the injury; yet the law might find me deficient regards reporting / filing. It's all documented; on my side of the equation anyway.
Ira, you can't post this too many times or in too many places. I believe that Zev Shapiro (yes, lets' learn his name) may be recorded as one of the most important individuals of our political lifetimes. I have donated and will again. turnup.us is a critical tool for saving democracy. I wrote about this group here (and will again). https://billalstrom.substack.com/p/winning-with-youth
"The generational makeup of the United States is shifting dramatically. In 2024, Millennials and Gen Z will account for almost 45% of the electorate. Young people voted in historic numbers in 2018, 2020, and 2022 and were the determining factor behind the election results in each respectively. TurnUp organized by far the largest youth-led youth voter registration and turnout operation in the 2020 election, the 2022 midterms and the 2021 & 2022 Georgia runoff elections based on publicly available data.
Turnout increased 10 points among 18-29 year-olds in 2020. 2022 saw the second highest youth midterm voter turnout in history with particularly high turnout in key battleground states. In both Georgia runoff elections, young people cast many more votes than the margin of victory. More than 8 million young people turn 18 before the 2024 election. Young people’s increased participation at the ballot box correlates to an increase in progressive victories. Our generation will soon dominate the electorate and have the power to define the scope of our political priorities.
More than 4 million young people will turn 18 in 2023, with millions more becoming eligible to pre-register to vote depending on their state. Our goal is to register every newly eligible voter and pre-registrant in key states where the votes of young people can make the biggest impact in 2024. We are hiring students in key states to run voter registration drives at their high schools and to relationally contact each newly eligible student at their high school or college reminding them to register to vote. We are also utilizing our internship program and online tools to register voters.
All of our work is focused on targeting the key swing states where youth can make the biggest impact: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
Young people have shown us that with support from TurnUp's programs they will show up in droves and be the energetic changemakers that our democracy needs."
From me:
Zev and the team are finding young people where they live - on their phones! Political operatives should redirect their sometimes wasted TV ad dollars to this 45% of the electorate - many of whom have no relationship with old school cable TV.
Bill—wow! Many many thanks; yes, Zev is brilliant and very sweet and kind! Was actively involved in Elizabeth Warren’s campaign when he was 11 years old. She brought him to the State of the Union and introduced him!
exactly. I donated to the Eliz. Warren campaign back in the not so dark ages...and now, I am barraged by requests from every Dem. running anywhere. No more donations to politicians,...Sadly. I'd be happy to just give without their getting my cell #.
No problem with repeating your message! May I add that a recent clip from Beau of the Fifth Column regarding the Ohio vote--he mentions that near the university (I can't recall which one) 98% of the vote was NO!! 98%!! The young people get it!
Didn’t know about the work of the kids at Harvard, Ira. Good for them that they’re trying to be helpful to our democracy and good for our country if they contribute to what I believe will be a big democratic win in 2024.
Absolutely KD they are led by a remarkable young man named Zev Shapiro who devotes most of time to making it happen! What is fascinating is that he uses hi tech to accomplish in a day what I and my foundation did slowly and with terrific young over a year! We registered 104,00 young. High school students over 7 years and he registered 182,000 young women and men in one month online in 2022!
Many thanks; I really appreciate your participation in this very important defense of democracy! There are many, unfortunately, who do not recognize that the millions of GenZ who come of age to vote each day this year and next will directly determine the fate of the 2024 elections with respect to the preservation of reproductive rights and thus reject a threatened newly enacted nationwide ban in January, 2025; enactment of new and strong legislation to protect us all from gun violence by requiring effective background checks, etc. (not just a routine check to see if the buyer has been convicted of a felony); and a really comprehensive/immediate battle plan, plus enforcement, against climate change!
Thirty-four MILLION GenZ came of voting age since 2016 and by 2026, the combination of GenZ and Millenials will constitute A MAJORITY of voting age adults in the entire country! We proclaim that Republicans'/Evangelicans' insistence that their opposition to each woman's right to choose appropriate birth control together with her doctor is simply unacceptable in our "small d" democratic society! And by my use of the term "woman," I also mean the raped nine (9) year old who is now being compelled by Republican lawmakers in multiple states to carry her child to term, as well as those unfortunate women who are foced to carry to term the dead and dying!
So, once again, if you haven't done so yet, please go right now to www.turnup.us/ and cast your generous contribution to the protection of our Democracy (with a capital D)!! Thank you; thank you; and thank you! You will not regret it--I promise.
TURNUP.. a super valuable group that deserves our support in any way possible. Their ideas and energy have never been more important then now...right now!!
I keep reading your pleas to support Turn Up and ignoring them. At our peril. So today I woke up and Acted by throwing my money where it will truly make a difference. Thank you for your repeatedly reminding me of how to help our young people save our floundering Republic!
I'm thrilled by your support and your comment which I hope will motivate others to do the same on behalf of our "young people" at www.turnup.us/ Thanks again Bett! Your contribution will be put to very good use.
Ira, as an unflinching supporter of getting out the youth vote and taken a singular interest in promoting 'turnup', have you heard of and or support 'Alliance for Youth Organizing'?
'We are a nationwide network of organizations building political power of young people, and the premier youth vote vehicle in the United States.'
'We are local young people’s organizations joining together to make each other – and our entire movement – stronger.'
'We entice millions of young voters into our sweet democracy. Where young voters are unregistered, we register them. Where young people aren’t sure if they’ll vote, we convince them.'
'Every great social movement in history has depended on young leaders, and so do we. The Alliance has always been about more than young people voting. We’re about supporting and empowering the young people leading these movements.'
'Many of the 100+ staff and board members of the Alliance’s affiliates are serving on a board or working in a professional environment for the first time. The Alliance staff and board is committed to providing them with the support, training, and resources they need to succeed in their work and scale their campaigns. A huge portion of our work is dedicated to capacity building so we can empower strong leaders for the next generation.'
Rating: 4/4 · Review by Charity Navigator
'This charity's score is 100%, earning it a Four-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence. '
Alliance for Youth Organizing was awarded $1,500,000 between 2020 and 2021, including 2 grants in Equitable Recovery
'The Alliance for Youth Organizing educates young people about how to become involved in the civic and electoral process and how to organize and encourage their peers to do the same. It supports and scales the work of local organizations, building a movement of young people, by young people, and for all people. This award supports the Alliance’s charitable work with its network of independent affiliate organizations to educate and engage young people in Wisconsin about civic life and mobilization; to train and develop youth leadership skills; and to work on campuses, in high schools, and in communities of color across Wisconsin to build independent power for social, racial, and economic justice.'
'Equitable Recovery'
'Creating more resilient, inclusive communities to combat structural racism, inequality, and the COVID-19 pandemic.' The MacArthur Foundation
Meanwhile, House Republicans are moving to expounge Trump’s two impeachments and stating that Trumps actions that lead to the impeachments were free speech. There’s no way that I can see as a non-lawyer to erase the impeachments given that the senate is majority Democratic Party, but this is coming awfully close to IranContra behavior. It’s nuts.
My “outrage of today” is the focus of the media and commentators only on the sins of the co-conspirators rather than also what our society can should do to remedy these electoral outrages! My respectful suggestion is that these crimes should motivate the rest of us to help register and turnout millions of potential young voters for 24!
The very best way according to Forbes Magazine is that there is one nonpartisan organization that is the most effective in the country in registering young voters-- namely click on www.turnup.us/
Please contribute generously to a brilliant group of Harvard students who are using hi tech means on SnapChat to register and turn them out! Please go to www.turnup.us/ right now and see what they are doing with potentially millions of 18 to 29s.
Please help this nonpartisan 501c3 succeed--your donation is tax deductible! Thank you; this is really important and this group of Harvard students is very experienced and effective!
I put my $ where it is the most effective: journalism is number one. I "tithe" to my "religion" which is journalism. then there's a few others like TurnUp.
A parcel of rogues, selling our nation for filthy lucre and its less tangible equivalent, political power. As a nation we have to oust them all, from "Moms for Liberty" down to McCarthy and McConnell, and every rogue in federal and state government, followed by their useful/useless idiots (Susan Collins, looking directly at you).
How do you "oust" them? Whatever happened to the 1st Amendment, but does that only apply when you don't like what they're saying?
A democracy includes voices we don't necessarily want to hear, but our Bill of Rights covers even the most offensive ones. We fight back by speaking more loudly and making more sense.
The real danger posed by lying and vicious groups, of which "moms for liberty" (what a name!) is only one, is that their members often don't actually run for office, where their lies could be openly confronted and they could be voted against; instead, they work as eminences grises, pouring poison into the ears of the electorate, malforming and warping their understanding of reality. While they work on the ignorant and frightenable adults in their community, which is disgusting but probably allowed in our society, but when they start doing that to the children, that's where I draw the line.
Lying to children is vile. It is wrongful. It is intolerable. And the types of lies these "moms" tell are actively harmful to children. This is why "moms for liberty" must be ousted from all positions of authority or power they have over anyone except their own family - and heaven help those poor children. These "moms" oppose and are actively trying to interfere with the healthy growth, development and education of all the children in their bailiwick; this is intolerable. The 1st Amendment rights of these "moms" DO NOT trump (sorry for using blasphemy) the right of anyone's and everyone's children, except apparently their own, to grow and develop as healthy, informed individuals. If the "moms" want their children to be free from influences other than those they carefully curate, they can remove them from school and home school or religious-school them, or send them to some other private school. Public schools do not belong to "moms for liberty" exclusively, and the bastardization of public schools by this loudmouthed and vicious minority must not be tolerated. And now that they have been exposed for the pernicious group that they are, they can be weeded out of the body politic - yes, by free and fair elections, where those still exist for whatever positions they hold.
With respect to McCarthy and McConnell, their terms will come to an end, and they will be ousted by their voters. It will take hard work, as McConnell particularly is dug in, but the damage he has done to our country must be made plain to the people of Kentucky, and they must be motivated to vote against him by a landslide.
Moms for liberty is really organized. Where I live, they’re called something different but it’s the exact same idea. They’re all funded by the usual suspects.
The thing is, they focus on school boards. Most people really don’t focus on that sort of thing, they don’t really pay attention.
Where I’m at, they were shady as hell. They had to get their people on the ballot, so they lied to people about what they were signing in order to get more signatures. They became big time news because of that.
Which led to, thankfully, a very good organized response from parents who are Dems. In a small town, that’s pretty unusual.
Our particular batshit slate had only 2 wins, in very red areas. The majority of them were loathed by most parents regardless of political affiliation.
I can confirm that there are a bunch of orgs that are now putting money into making sure school board, clerk races, commission races, ect because these things are so important and so overlooked. They too, cost money.
I’m just thrilled that there’s now a focus on having a real resistance to these kinds of people.
This is why it's to important to look at all the positions that are up for election in the next cycle in your town, county, state, whatever political organization where you live, and vote BLUE in every single election and for every single position. If you find a position for which a red politician is running unopposed, or for which there are actually no candidates on the ballot (which can happen in smaller areas) it's imperative to convince the good BLUE people in your area to put up a candidate, because it's the red folks who are most susceptible to the filth espoused by "moms for liberty".
I think a lot of the garbage taught to adults and children comes from churches. Flyover country is notoriously religious and it is a big ingredient in the stew that is MAGA and the religious right.
The problem is in the Bill of Rights, which says these crackpots can teach their kids and spew in their communities all sorts of nonsense. It's only been happening for 240 years, but it's still the law of the land.
Betsy, you are absolutely right. Case in point: In Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis just removed a democratically-elected prosecutor (a Democrat) from office and replaced her with a MAGA Republican. The democratic process means nothing to them, power is everything. It probably didn't help that the prosecutor is a Black female who is bright, articulate and upholds the rule of law. Imagine, if you will or can, DeSantis as POTUS.
Yes, Orlando’s top prosecutor was replaced with a county judge who ranked LAST in a judicial qualification poll and of course, is a Federalist Society member.
DeSantisis’ campaign is in free fall. It will probably get worse for Floridians…before it gets better. We will WIN on abortion access ! Almost half-million signatures collected already while measure opposing has only ~16,000.
I have politely suggested to my son that he consider picking up and move his family out of Florida. I know that is not an easy thing to do but Florida is not a healthy place to raise children. Neither was Germany in the 1930s.
DeSatan has said he will “slit throats” on day 1 when he was in NH. It was the 2nd time he said it. People should believe the Hitler wannabe. He’s telling us who he is.
All of us need to be concerned and alert. DeSantis has virtually zero chance of being POTUS - he has been exposed for the Fascist/racist that he is. We need to go to work here in Florida to get Democrats elected to office to replace the MAGA Fascists. That's what they are.
I’m sorry to jump in this way, but Heather was indeed correct in still calling them the Republican Party.
Just as the Biden Administration has redefined the Democratic Party to better represent ordinary and much-abused Americans, and which is doing its best to negotiate a course over a heavily rigged and corrupt system predominantly benefiting wealthy White men and their industries, the Republican Party too has been redefined.
The Republican Party has gone from its largely quietly corrupt, cruel, and extensive maneuverings of Reagan’s Administration (probably thanks in part to the confidence Nixon’s pardon gave future Presidents), towards its current place thanks to the Trump Administration’s public embrace of corruption, selfishness, greed, hate, intolerance, misogyny, cruelty, and hypocrisy.
In my opinion, Nixon should never have been pardoned. He (and everyone who helped him) should have been tried and when/if found guilty, should have been punished severely enough to dissuade future offenders.
The Iran-Contra scheme which disregarded Congress rules should have gone to trial and if convicted, should have resulted in severe punishment.
I’m glad Trump’s actions will be tried in court. If he’s found guilty, all I can say is, if he’s found guilty of significantly heinous crimes, then his punishment should be the strongest one they would put anyone through.
Yes. Pardons of this nature only apply to federal crimes and it would have to be Biden who would pardon them. I don't think that would happen. But the charges in New York and in Georgia would be state crimes. I also read today that Michigan is looking more closely at crimes at the state level...we should keep an eye on that too!
Trump learned how to game the legal system at his father’s knee. So he’s had decades to hone the belief that he’s above the law and can’t be touched. The failed impeachment process undoubtedly added to his feeling of invulnerability. Nevertheless, the flurry of recent indictments against Trump have made me wonder how and in what ways Gerald Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon has made the legal system reluctant to prosecute an ex-president (much less a sitting president) for actions that are clearly illegal. Whether intended or not, Ford’s pardon certainly sent the wrong signal. Further, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has a continuing policy since the 1970s that sitting presidents cannot be indicted as it would unconstitutionally prevent them from performing their duties as the head of the executive branch. Thus if the impeachment process fails, a sitting president can act with impunity. Richard Nixon asserted, “Well, when the president does it, that means it is not illegal.” This has proven to be one of his enduring legacies. And that’s pretty much what has happened. Since the end of the Watergate era, the Executive Branch has operated with almost total extralegal impunity.
More than a decade and a half ago, I was observing to others that Trump was building a cult of personality and people laughed it off. I was blessed with the opportunity to travel in the Soviet Union and China as they opened up in the 80s. Because I had read their histories, I had read up on cult of personality. It was easy to spot.
The republican party has become the confederate states of America party. Reactionary, and in the pocket of the oligarchs. Their governing philosophy is to wreck, obstruct, distract, and let the country fall apart, polarize, and divide into fiefdoms a.k.a. states. The oligarchs can have their way and thinks to the ridiculous construction of the US Senate. They can gum up the works.
Republican is increasingly becoming an office-seeking party and vote-hunting party through unconstitutional means, with singular focus being to get hold of the office no matter what they use as long as they reach the destination. So, the means doesn't count much as long as the end is the target. The Party has deviated from it's founding principle which was rooted in economic prosperity, bipartisanship, respect of law, and catering for the general welfare of the society. What happens is that the party has exploited electoral blindspots where voters do not have an understanding and pursue or build their case along those line. In the theory of emotional appeal, Republican has capitalized on rational ignorance and increase emotional connection with its base via lies and selective laws. The key parameter here is that the only lens of seeing and judging the other party (in this case Democratic Party) is through its predetermined, extreme perspective that gives them an upper hand in the political space. To make electoral blindspots as large as possible, Republican Party has been using three methods which include secrecy, agenda control, and other institutional tools.
Secrecy. The party has been operating in secrecy whereby classified documents are shrouded in misery. Donald Trump and his allies have tried to hide important information from the public such as taxes.
Institutional tools. Republican understands that you pick a law expert who knows how to circumvent through the laws and win their argument in the public space (Gibson's law). During the 2020 elections after it was evident that Trump had lost, they had to use selective laws to armtwist the electoral system. For instance, Dr. HCR said that "Then, Vice President Mike Pence would take the position that he had the power not simply to open the votes but also to count them, and that the 1887 Electoral Count Act that clarified those procedures was unconstitutional. " In this regard, their argument was that this act would be applicable to their advantage. The public does know about this act, but the party will benefit from their support.
Agenda control. Republican would block even legislations that mostly rely on a must-have bipartisan approach. The key intention here is to dominate and ensure that the Democratic Party remains powerless to create a crisis. Though any party can do this, Republicans have been extremists by blocking military nominees and veteran benefits among others.
Meanwhile, i am requesting that you can kindly subscribe to my newsletter if you haven't to help me support underserved communities and be part of my mission.
I disagree strongly. This IS the Republican party. This is what it has morphed into. This is what being a Republican means. Anyone who is a Republican is dreaming about what it was, supporting this criminality and treason. They don't speak out, they continue to obstruct and vote for the most part in lock step.
But the Republican Party does exist. The "cult of personality" hasn't replaced it; it's merely become part of its character. To pretend otherwise, even to make a rhetorical point, is dangerous denial. If we fail to recognize this, and address the causes of this evolution, we will not be able to undo the damage and prevent its happening again.
Here's an exercise that might help clarify my point: Pick a time when the Republican Party as you understand it clearly existed -- 1974? 1981? Whatever year you pick, I can draw a line connecting that GOP to the GOP of today. I bet you can too. (If anyone wants a refresher, I recommend Dana Milbank's 2022 book THE DESTRUCTIONISTS: The Twenty-Five-Year Crack-up of the Republican Party. He gives Newt Gingrich plenty of [dis]credit, but Gingrich didn't come out of nowhere either.)
Those who once belonged to and/or voted with the Republican Party have an interest in arguing that the Republican Party (as they knew it) no longer exists. This enables them to evade or deny the fact that the seeds of the current GOP were firmly planted and grew to a considerable height in the GOP they supported. They need to reckon with that even if it makes them uncomfortable.
Why try to rehabilitate the name "Republican Party" from what it has, in fact, become? The Republican Party deliberately took up with white supremacists while growing cozier and cozier with the idea that the rich should have more say in our democracy than the rest of us.
Heather herself has laid out this history for us several times. My own political memory stretches as far back as Watergate, and the process was well underway by then. The party has been wooing conservative Christians for forty years, a project that is now bearing fruit: a base that idolizes an amoral brute who is fine with taking away rights from everyone else as long as he can lead these sheep, smiling up at him, into the abyss of his own misery. In the meantime, the party elite watch their bank accounts swell with blood money and the media give us 24-hour real-time coverage of the spectacle of collapsing empire.
This is the Republican Party today. They worked very hard to get here, while many of us were sleeping. Their bed and ours: getting out of it will require that we confront what they have been up to and why we were fine with it until very recently.
Perhaps you are wrong on both counts. Could you perhaps give a quote from Trump to clarify your point?
And when you say that I "choose not to admit it," you appear to be saying that you choose to BELIEVE that Trump lost. We can talk through the relevant evidence if you want.
My assessment, which I've stated before, is that Biden stole the Democratic nomination from Bernie Sanders. Whether he stole the election from Trump is a different question, and I haven't said that he did.
Give it up John. Pravda does not pay well enough to post lies and disinformation here and your BS will not affect people's thinking here.
Perhaps you should be posting to the Wall Street Journal's opinion "discussion" page where the weak minded who have no critical thinking skills will drink up your Russian propaganda?
Weak. Poorly written. False.
But your stuff is all legal to post here. Unlike in Russia where your money is coming from.
Good morning, Mike S--I'm not sure he is paid (might be) as much as I think his rants are the posts of an adult who was bullied as a child and somehow lives in a mind that thinks he is superior. He occasionally posts something written somewhat rationally, then if he gets blowback, he resorts to calling everyone "thugs" or my favorite "thugly"!! (LOL)
I know that he gets reported to the administrators here ALL.THE.TIME, and yet they don't remove him. I know they DO look at the reports--other trolls HAVE been removed over the years, thanks due to forum here. I wonder WHY the admin is watching him and not removing him? That thought ought to electrify his tin hat--why I can almost smell the sizzle already.
I usually ignore him, but I don't read his posts, but IF I see people reply to him and he resorts to his juvenile name calling, I make SURE to report each and every one of his posts. He'll get barred eventually. (Or the FBI show up at his door?) :-D
Miselle, all good points about Platform hygiene. I was directed to "The Economist" 11/26/22 Edition for a summary of Foreign state Troll tactics:
"Russian Trolls and foreign-language [Russian] state media have pumped out a flood of outrageous & contradictory lies to Western audiences hoping to undermine public confidence that no one is telling the truth" not to mention specificly targeted audiences like the Catalan conflict in Spain. I am engaged with Substack Inc on posting of "ru" state propaganda and personal attacks on Substack that may be considered civil wrongs commonly called torts like defamation. More later.
So being told by his advisors/lawyers in the White House that he lost, and losing court case after court case, doesn't count with you? On what basis do you believe he won and why do you continue to defend him?
Ann W, you falsely state that I "believe" that Trump won. And those court cases never proceeded to the "discovery" phase, which would have given Trump subpoena power to dig up evidence. There's more to it...
You also falsely state that I "defend" Trump. You act like an apprentice Spin Doctor.
John, the cases were thrown out because none of them met the prima facie threshhold of any facts. No facts. Nothing but allegations. The Rules of Evidence require authentication of claimed facts. The proponents had NONE. That's how bad their claims were.
I live in one of those states, and I can assure you that they were rejected here by a Republican judge because they had zero legal basis for filing. They literally had zero evidence to back up their claim. There had been a ton of audits done and they still had no evidence. If you can’t find a legal basis for your lawsuit, your lawsuit can’t continue.
The big thing here was the supposed lie that trump voters were kept out from observing the votes. That’s not what happened but it’s what I hear from them. What happened is that the people denied entrance to the venue in Detroit weren’t trained or acknowledged by the R party. Before you can even watch votes, you need to have training. To be in absentee which is what this was, you need to be trained by your county, period. To challenge votes, you should be trained by your party or else you’ll be ineffective.
There are rules for absentee that are universal. If you go in, you don’t leave until the vote is counted. Workers, challengers, poll watchers - you’re locked in.
And once the counting starts, no one is let in.
They demanded to be let in, after the counting had started. That’s illegal. They had zero training. There were already legitimate republicans in there as poll watchers, challengers, and counters. Those republicans were more MAGA than RINO.
Doesn’t matter though because one group of very loud, very disruptive idiots captured the R news cycle. It made perfect material, and absolutely none of what I said was mentioned. We both know why.
John, you are entitled to your opinion. You are not entitled to your own set of facts. Neither is Donald Trump or the Republican Party. Therein lies the rub.
Thank you for your polite reply. I appreciate your civility and that you didn't resort to labeling me or name calling. We see things very differently John but that doesn't make me a fascist or you a Russian operative. I do wonder what keeps you here as you often display disdain for Dr. Richardson as well as some commentators. Do you have a reason for wanting to be a member of this community? Is it a good fit for you? My replies to you are not intended to encourage or discourage your participation here. It's just that often your presence is disruptive. Is that your intent? If not, then perhaps you should be more mindful of not only what you say but how you say it.
Perhaps you can find a partial response to your questions in my replies to lin's post linked above.
I'm a trained historian and I like HCR's emphasis on history and often enough I have something to add.
I've had my share of exchanges with people who are inclined to engage with my views on political and social issues, and I imagine that will continue.
I see this place as a hybrid of well-meaning liberals and Biden partisans, some of whom might be better called Biden Bullies. I suspect that when Biden leaves the political scene, I'll get along better around here.
"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on." Pres. G.W. Bush, White House Correspondents' Dinner, 3/31/2001.
John, it never occurred to me until now that your intellectual assessment of a fact situation could be so influenced by feelings. I guess it goes to prove simply that you are human, too. For me, I'm not certain that the sun rises in the east, but I have no doubt but that Trump knew, beyond any doubt, that he had lost the 2020 election. Trump isn't the sharpest tack in the board, but he's not that dull.
Richard Sutherland, perhaps it would be better to hear me out before jumping to half-cocked conclusions about where I'm coming from. As time permits, I'll be responding to lin's post at:
Respectfully, John, you wrote: " HCR continues to peddle the groundless and baseless partisan propaganda insinuation that Trump knew that his accusations of election fraud were false."
There is absolutely no defense to this piece of "baseless partisan propaganda" on your part. None. I will rest my case. You have destroyed your credibility as an objective observer. You've exposed yourself. Did you have an irrestible impulse? Must have.
Saying so doesn't make it true, and doing the huff-and-puff without any reasoning doesn't improve your argument. If you want, you can hear me out on the other thread and then critique my case after I've made it.
John, the instances are somewhat rare when there is absolutely no doubt about the truth of a matter. Your claim about HCR's indictment of Trump as being anything other than dead right is beyond any doubt a totally and completely partisan claim. So, the question is: why? You're obviously not stupid. So, there's another reason. There are bright people who are MAGA Republicans. I have earlier made reference to the study conducted by two Univ. of Kansas professors entitled "The Anger Games, Who Voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 Election, and Why?" Why would an intelligent American support a known serial liar, a cheat in business and in his personal affairs, a man who tried to topple the lawful government of the U.S.? Why? Because he represents something more important to them than even the continued democratic system in the United States. How serious could those matters be that the lives of more than 1.3 million who have died fighting our wars to preserve our constitutional rights mean nothing to them? I think that I have at least an idea.
I like your expression “The power behind that group has always been at core a small confederation of crooks.” It’s ironic, Nixon’s famous quote comes to mind: “ I AM NOT A CROOK!”
Certainly a confederation of crooks. And often in families: the Bush crime family and of course the most criminal family of all: the death star crime family. Who knew that were so many crooks willing to serve death star. They all saw a golden opportunity until some of them found themselves under the bus. And referencing Lynn a few posts down....freedom in the mouths of these people is just another word for everything to lose.
Thank you for another Letter linking key elements of now and then,,,, How the crimes of Republican Presidents and their supporters have multiplied---without consequences. Really horrifying when totaled up. The Iran-Con events wrought horror upon horror in Latin America to the disgrace of this nation. We created the horrors people are now fleeing..
Agree! Thanks for tying the Reagan administration to the chaos in Central and South America which, in part, is responsible for the failure of small nations and the subsequent flood of migrants. Also at fault are climate issues resulting in failed crops and farms.
HCR’s concluding paragraph tonight neatly illustrates the problem America has had, at least through my long adult lifetime, and possibly throughout our entire short national history:
“Walsh’s warning seems to be coming to life. The Republican Party now stands behind a man whose legal troubles currently include indictment on 40 counts for taking and hiding classified national security documents and on four counts of trying to steal an election in order to stay in power. “
And yet most citizens here continue continue to swallow the myth that “no man is above the law” in this “exceptional” nation. We condemn other countries such as China for their records on human rights violations and yet we continue to demonstrate gratuitous systemic racism to the world at large. We condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine while the echoes of Viet Nam and Iraq still reverberate.
Two words spring to mind in the face of this righteous pontification: “arrogance” and “hypocrisy”. It’s easy to see why America is viewed with suspicion and disdain in so many parts of the world, in spite of the positive things we occasionally try to achieve. And it’s sometimes difficult to face this reality.
Well done. We have done good things for the world but hubris (and I would add Puritanism thinking of the Dulles brothers) has given US some terrible excesses to tarnish our reputation for giving.
Like many Americans, their “mistaken” actions outweighed their useful ones. Encouraging wars is high on the list of “get their names off our airport.!” The besetting American sin is greed run amok. The Dulles brothers probably had another problem: a sense of entitlement.
And they've gotten progressively worse with each one that weasels his way into office. McConnell aided and abetted by Traitor45 destroys SCOTUS, and then Traitor45 tries to overthrow the election and thereby what's left of our democracy! Surely they've reached the nadir by now!?
Grover, if we do not stop Trump and his minions, more Americans will be fleeing the US!!!It is frightening however, the people who actually believe this man's lies. I could never understand how so many of the great German people could believe Hitler or go along with his plans...until now!!!!
Are we paralyzed??? Is the truth so difficult to accept??? Are we too proud, or shocked, to shake ourselves into the reality that is being played out before us??? We are reading about and writing about and angry about the things that are happening before us....to the United States of America...."the land of the free....the home of the brave....."
What we are seeing now did not just happen!!! It is like the old "frog in the kettle story".....the frog does not even realize what is happening to it....gradually the water heats up and the frog dies without even realizing (or admitting) its life was/is at risk. The life of our country....our freedom.... is at risk!!!! Were WW1 and WW2 for naught???
Thanks to women like Heather and Joyce Vance who speak the truth from our history...from our legal system and to others whom I deeply appreciate, who help us understand what is happening within our country.
Thanks and prayers to the judges who are working for justice...God protect them and their families....may our laws stand firm!!!!
I was so grateful for the recent voting in Ohio....Americans CAN stand up for freedom...we CAN come to the voting booths .... we CAN make our voices heard!!!!
One of two things about Trump’s knowledge of his loss is true: he either knew and decided on a course of action to conceal that knowledge or he is truly stupid and clueless. You choose. I suggest it the former, what do you think?
A third possibility, and one which I think is most likely, is that January 6 Defendant #1078 knew Biden won the election fairly, but J6 D1078 is also stupid and vain, and considers that the law can't touch him, so chose to go along with "attorney" (that leaves a foul taste in the mouth) cheesybro (or whatever)'s "bold, controversial" strategy, suborning some Americans and lying to others to become false electors and then arm-twisting VP Pence into stealing the election. And if there are riots after millions of Americans votes were stolen? Well, to quote one of the as-yet unindicted (or indicted, but under sealed indictment) co-conspirators, "that's what the Insurrection Act is for", appealing to the internal mob boss persona of the disgraced individual which formerly infested our White House.
He "believed" what he wanted to believe, in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Just another ploy on his part to avoid responsibility for anything.
Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell make Richard Nixon and Barry Goldwater look sane and principled. Yikes.
The prosecutors have to convince the entire jury. The defense just has to convince one juror. And if it goes to the Supreme Court? Just how badly do the Reaganauts and clerical fascists want to destroy Federal government and democracy?
OMGosh. What a mess every voter who did not vote for Hillary Clinton has made. Many still don't get that voting is a strategic act of joining together to win power. Too many still seem to feel voting is an individual act of personal expression.
I supported Bernie to the end, but I voted for Hillary without qualms when she was all that stood between us and the subsequent Trump disaster. And I think she would have been a very good president. Talk about missed opportunities.,,,,
And if Al Gore had been declared the winner v. George Bush (remember, he won the popular vote, as did HRC) , what a different world we'd be living in -- without GWB and DJT causing death and destruction, benefiting billionaires at the expense of the deficit and social programs, attempts to lessen climate change, and the rest of the carnage they wrought.
I think of this often, I was so optimistic and crushed with the Fl debacle that was so obviously orchestrated. I blamed Cheney and James Baker, and of course, Rove. Hope those arses are happy with the demise of the “GOP”
Since they both won handily, I wonder why they haven't or can't pursue justice for this? To me, it seems huge, especially the debacle in Florida giving the electoral votes to Bush prematurely and erroneously.
They still played by the rules. Or - As Derek Delgaudio said on Twitter years ago “I used to rig card games for a living. I’d watch people sit down and lose everything, again and again. But they didn’t lose because they ‘played by the rules’ and we didn’t. They lost because it wasn’t a game. It just looked like one.”
The political game isn’t one anymore, it’s rigged, pure and simple, and out in the open these days.
When the GOP invited adamant white segregationists to the party, they brought their own racism, religious extremism, and gun culture - and their racist voter suppression tactics. All of which Republicans have amplified. It is all part of American politics.
So true-our politics have been ugly since the beginning of America the beautiful. The decision to establish race based slavery for the benefit of capitalists has diminished the power of labor. Divide and conquer has been the strategy all along. We're living with the result of political, economic and cultural decisions made long ago.
“In 1989, while still a Senator, Gore published an editorial in The Washington Post, in which he argued:
Humankind has suddenly entered into a brand new relationship with the planet Earth. The world's forests are being destroyed; an enormous hole is opening in the ozone layer. Living species are dying at an unprecedented rate.[6]
In 1990, Senator Gore presided over a three-day conference with legislators from over 42 countries which sought to create a Global Marshall Plan, "under which industrial nations would help less developed countries grow economically while still protecting the environment".
The Concord Monitor says that Gore "was one of the first politicians to grasp the seriousness of climate change and to call for a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases".”
Pretty sure if not for SCOTUS in 2000, he would have been assassinated. Greedy bturds wouldn’t have allowed him to remain in the Oval Office with this vision/plan.
Somewhat likewise David. Despite the fact that she 'allowed' her critics to 'get her goat' and responded with unwise cracks I'm sure she'd like to retract, and went along with our venture into Iraq as a U.S. senator, in the end I supported her bid and hoped she'd make a greater president than her hubby Bill, who I came to have deep regrets over. (no, not for his extramarital follies.)
I agree with you D4N. Despite being a bit too establishment for my tastes and voting in favor of Dubya's Iraq folly, no doubt as a consequence of domestic political considerations, Hillary is the sort of bright and calculating pol able to change course when that makes sense and inclined to reason her way to doing the right thing. No ideologue that Hillary.
Hillary was a crap candidate running a crap campaign.
But ... Trump - and Leonard Leo in the wings planning a racist right wing religious extremist Supreme Court. Right wingers held their nose and voted Trump. Left wingers sat on their hands or voted for Jill Stein et al.
Please accept my apologies for being rude and vague.
1. Hillary Clinton carpetbagged the NY senate seat from another woman who had served admirably in the House, was about to declare for the Senate, and who graciously stepped aside for the sake of party unity. While Hillary flaunted her privilege - she had never held office.
2. While in the Senate Clinton pursued a neoliberal agenda and realignment of the party - abandoning Main Street for Wall Street. Leaving behind the traditional Democratic coalition for hobnobbing with ... yup Donald and Melania. Et al. And then her vote for the Iraq war. I could go on.
3. Working with the DNC to ensure Her Turn, Clinton helped suppress the development of a deep democratic presidential primary bench. Something which still plagues the party. When Obama leapt the hurdles, the Clintons treated him with disdain that looked to border on racism. Alienating many Black voters and their allies. Clinton never worked to walk this back. It came back to bite her.
4. Clinton hyped up that she couldn't lose, arrogantly talking of building bridges in Texas while ignoring mending fences in Milwaukee and other swing states. Many voters who might have held their nose and voted for her, sat on their hands believing she didn't need their vote. She never took the threat Trump posed seriously. She underestimated how united the right was.
5. The Clinton campaign had no Electoral College strategy. They disdained Howard Dean's 50 state strategy. They had no ground game. In NYC they never got back to offers to volunteer by experienced people with expertise. Same in Wisconsin. Here in Maine, we could not even get yard signs - very important in rural areas. The local Dems spent months on collecting data, personal outreach, and building a GOTV strategy. At the last minute Clinton airlifted in ignorant and utterly inexperienced staff. They ignored our meticulously gathered data for their own whims, and alienated voters and volunteers alike ,while chatting about their outfits for the inaugural events.
I appreciate you taking the time to expand on your comment.
I stand by what I said. From my experience and understanding, Clinton had extensive experience, she is smart, she respects the information provided by experts. And the woman has a plan for everything.
In my opinion, she was the best of the field. (In my opinion Bernie would never be elected President. )
Had she been elected, we may well have been further along towards solutions for climate change and gun violence. And there is no doubt in my mind that our response to the Covid pandemic would have been faster, better, and less politicized. Fewer people would have died.
I respect your opinion based on your experiences and I hope you will respect mine.
I am bracing for hung juries. As you said, it only takes one diehard MAGAt to slip through and the jury is hung.
A hung jury is not an acquittal, but I am also bracing for it to be spun that way by the criminal defendant and his mouth pieces on Fox-not-the-News etc.
Sky 77 7– Outstanding analysis. I totally agree with you. And I like your expression zombie MAGAs. How about ghoulish MAGAs….a ghoul is a demon-like being or monstrous humanoid…..kinda reminds me of Trump.
Actually for double jeopardy to apply there has to be a verdict.
“When a hung jury occurs, it is up to the prosecution to decide if they want to retry the case or drop the charges. It's important to note that double jeopardy, the principle that prohibits trying a person twice for the same crime, does not apply in cases where a mistrial is declared due to a hung jury.”
Which rsises the question, What will Smith do with a hung jury?
My sense is that he will focus on the biggest and most important case: the most recent one out of DC. If he can get that one over the finish line, he may let the others go if the jury is hung. Then again, he may not.
My preference is that all the cases be prosecuted with vigor and resolve.
Well, I don't know about your first sentence, lin! Mitch McConnell has done every bit as much damage and possibly more. No way should he ever be let off the hook. But the rest of your comment, 100%.
Trump would have disputed the 2016 election had he lost. He was setting the stage for his loss before that election, too. Those of us who volunteered to make calls and knock on doors that year remember clearly talking to so many democrats who purposely did not vote in that election. I know if all
Democrats had voted that our history would be different now.
Lin-your definition of voting needs to be widely promoted: "voting is a strategic act of joining together to win power". Our only problem is that the Rs don't mind ignoring our votes-when Trump can cause all of the chaos we're facing now by denying our votes and DeSantis can remove duly elected officials and Ohio, North Carolina, Alabama can ignore legal rulings and voter suppression rules the day-where does that leave us? Is voting going to be enough to save us?
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
Damn these people as traitors to the United States, to democracy, to equality, and to the principle of equality before the law. May their names be forgotten, but their collective infamy be remembered forever.
"HCR continues to peddle the groundless and baseless partisan propaganda insinuation that Trump knew that his accusations of election fraud were false."
HCR continues to present details of and historical context for Jan 6 Committee testimony by Trump's inner circle who could speak directly to his knowledge that his accusations of election fraud were false.
There fixed it for you.
Of course, until they were under oath, they were known to peddle groundless and baseless partisan propaganda - in support of Trump. Bill Barr comes to mind.
No, you misrepresent what HCR has "presented" -- insinuations and spin that persuade Koolaid-drinking True Believers around here to falsely ASSUME that Trump knew that his claims were false.
You mention Bill Barr as an example. That's the best example you could pick, because of the blatant misrepresentations in the news media of what he said, going back to his statement that he hadn't seen any evidence of serious election fraud. (That got falsely spun as the bogus assumption that he conducted an investigation, which he never did.)
Regarding his more recent testimony, please provide a quote and we can discuss it.
And furthermore, Barr was never a Trump loyalist. He was an old-time Bush Leaguer and a leading proponent of the bogus "unitary executive" constitutional interpretation that would give the President unprecedented power over the department heads, etc. Of course Trump likes that one, but the word "president," in and of itself, implies an executive with limited power who is NOT a hands-on micro-manager.
Testimony from Alyssa Farrah to the J6 Comittee: “a week after the election was called in favor of Biden, Trump was watching Biden on the television in the Oval Office, and said: “‘Can you believe I lost to this effing guy?’” And from Cassidy Hutchinson: “Trump told Meadows: ‘I don’t want people to know we lost, Mark. This is embarrassing. Figure it out.’” Source: The Guardian
It doesn’t matter if Trump knew or believed he had lost, although as we can see from the quote above, he did know and believe he lost. It is irrelevant to the charges for which he is under indictment. Please stop beating a dead horse.
KR, I suspect that you are reading too much into what Trump said. His style of train-of-thought communication is famously unclear, and he is habitually scornful and sarcastic.
It would seem that, in both of the cases that you quote, the other-centered Trump was focusing his concern on what others thought (the collective presumption that Trump lost), as opposed to the question of what really happened when he went to bed comfortably ahead in the six swing states and then woke up to find that he lad lost all of them.
Yes. Barr made his GOP bones cleaning up after Iran Contra to give GHW Bush plausible deniability. So he was called back in as Za cleaner for Trump's messes. Evidently insurrection was a bridge too far even for Barr.
Sara and Marge - YES, please would everyone stop responding to this clown?? His taunts and responses to them are overwhelming this substack. Just let him speak into the void, please.
I suspect Mr. Schmeeckle has some difficulty interpreting social cues so I'm not sure ignoring him will make him go away. Perhaps the LFAA administrators can succeed where others have failed.
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
Yes, belief may play into intent. Or not. Belief almost by definition is not moored to empirical evidence or to reason. Persisting in an irrational belief - against all empirical evidence ... don't know how that will play out in court. But even one of Trump's crackpot conspiracist lawyers argued in her own defense that no reasonable person would believe the crap they were peddling.
Groundless? Baseless? Even a layperson like me finds you obnoxiously toxic & highly annoying. I’ve suggested it before, & will suggest it again: Since you love to counter & try to debunk our respected History, Professor, Dr. Heather Cox Richardson, why don't you just build your own Substack
HCR: I am so grateful for your intense focus and commitment not only to the study of history in general, but to witnessing and documenting this crucial period in U.S. history. You are providing a record for all to see, learn the facts, and see the truth for what it is. And you do it every day, earnestly fulfilling your commitment, and providing a priceless service to the rest of us. I am GRATEFUL GRATEFUL GRATEFUL.
Just keep reporting them when they turn up. They only appear from time to time, possibly with alter egos. Maybe if we report and otherwise ignore them, they'll go away.
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
Third time's a charm, they say, and we can only hope that THIS time, an unintelligent criminal who managed to became POTUS will face the full legal consequences of his attempt to stay in power, in addition to also hoping that karma someday may inflict upon him at least the same amount of misery and suffering that his decisions as POTUS have caused to millions of people.
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
'Agent Orange', ie Trump seems to be headed for a fall. And isn't it interesting that McKibben has formed a special group to target seniors who have leaned toward climate change denial. And they're beinning to shift. AS always, thank you, Heather for your time, dedication and insightful reports that help keep me apprised1.
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
In the August 9 Politico Playbook, Professor Richardson is listed as a member of the American Bar Association's new Task Force for American Democracy:
"DEMOCRACY WATCH — The American Bar Association is launching a new Task Force for American Democracy, which will examine how to improve civic understanding of and trust in election administration to bolster an essential, flagging element of democracy’s infrastructure. J. MICHAEL LUTTIG and JEH JOHNSON will co-chair the task force, whose members also include everyone from DICK GEPHARDT to BILL KRISTOL to HEATHER COX RICHARDSON . The full list of members: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/leadership/office_of_the_president/american-democracy/task-force/
We must remember that those voters and other citizens who are less than 50 years old do not necessarily know anything about what it was like for those of us who lived through the 60s or 70s or 80s. They DON’T KNOW. We must educate them and support their exploration of the world as it is today, but with wisdom that comes from a clear-eyed study of history. Professor Richardson is an amazing teacher and mentor, and we should all strive to carry her message to everyone we know, especially to young people, because they are now the ones who carry the terrible burden of creating the future.
Right, the younger generations don't know what life was like before Reaganomics. Many don't seem to understand the dangers of letting the private sector gain the upper hand.
Heather, I’m glad to see you get out the letter early enough to get a good night’s sleep.
Pardoning Nixon and then the Iran-Contra officials set a very bad precedent of “if you’re rich and powerful enough, you’re above the law”. Obviously, TFG and his supporters believe so.
I’m with Neal Katyal that, like the January 6 committee’s hearings, the trial needs to be televised. People who might not believe the written word may well believe their eyes and ears, forestalling a further fracturing of the country.
May we get the mafia boss behind bars and never again elect another. Question: why since DT and Nauta cannot speak about the case does the former have contact with the latter? Neither can be trusted not to talk.
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
We have not learned from our history. We have only learned how to repeat the past mistakes to enable high level lawbreakers to get away with their criminal actions.
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
I don't think he will stop until the FBI shows up at his door. Seriously, if tomorrow the national news reported that some crazed propagandist who considers himself the "expert on the Declaration of Independence" was arrested and his name was released, would you be surprised? Not many here would be.
Like others here, I am trying to get the guy some help---we all keep reporting him to the Forum Administrators. I suggest that, rather than reply to him. Definitely report him each and every time he gets riled and calls the readers "thugs".
One would think the Republican Party, after Nixon, Iran Contra, and now Big Orange Baby, would have learned a lesson, wouldn't one?? I think HCR's tacit message in recounting these other two Republican scandals after the latest revelation of the ongoing one might just be a simple reminder that the perpetrators/abettors of these previous two scandals got off without having to pay any price, and maybe THAT is a reason we're where we are today. If these criminals in positions of government are always allowed to walk after they commit crimes, where is the punishment? Where is the deterrent to keep committing such crimes? If they always get away with breaking the law, what's to make them ever feel like they should stop? If we're supposedly a democracy based on laws, laws that are supposed to be the same for everyone from the top on down, then when comes the retribution for betraying the laws and the Constitution? HCR seems to be saying, "In these other 2 cases, little to no punishment was exacted for people in government deceiving the American people. Are we going to make that mistake again??"
They did learn a lesson: that they still have a good chance of taking democracy down. With little chance of suffering the consequences of their illegal actions, they have no incentive to follow the law. T****, being the leader of this cult, must be brought to justice. And his penalty must fit the crime. I'm against the death penalty, on principle, but in this case I'd understand why it would be warranted.
I'd just like him to be put away so he couldn't do any more harm. I'm afraid, though, that his minions are still infesting our government institutions and will for a while, at least until he sheds his capacious orange mortal coil. I'm solidly against the death penalty, even in his case, as I think he has built up SO much negative karma, the universe will have to work overtime to repay it over countless lifetimes. To paraphrase the Rabbi's line in "Fiddler on the Roof": "May G-d bless and keep The Donald . . . FAR AWAY FROM US!!"
I thought, at the time, that they had learned a lesson. Silly me. At the same time, Roger Stone was getting his tattoo and others began plotting. How gullible was I…
Please permit me to correct your language, Heather. There is no longer a Republican Party. There is in its place a cult of personality that has no basis in or respect for democracy. It is shameful and terribly sad that a party that used to have members with at least a modicum of integrity no longer exists.
They are all cowards afraid of being primaried as the former President, now defendant said he would do.
Letters tonight correctly point out that the Republican Party as we used to know it doesn't really exist anymore, and certainly is not led by a Speaker who cares about restoring it to its former self. We, on the other hand, may I respectfully suggest, must take it upon ourselves to help remedy this unquestionable danger to our system of government.
You all undoubtedly have patiently endured my previous suggestions that we each have an obligation to help promote that remedy by clicking on www.turnup.us as soon as possible!
There you can view what these brilliant and effective Harvard students have been doing to register, and then will TURNOUT next year, hundreds of thousands--if not millions-- of 18 to 29s who live or go to college in truly competitive congressional districts and states! The Harvard students use hi-tech through SnapChat where the young potential voters "live" every day inasmuch as they do not watch TV where the federal politicians each waste millions of dollars of campaign contributions.
Nonpartisan "Turnup" focuses exclusively on protection of abortion rights, gun safety legislation and fighting climate change as the issue-oriented vehicles to alert the potential GenZ and Millenial voters that this coming 2024 election is their moment to protect themselves! These issues are not "policy" issues anymore but rather they are now "personal" issues which really matter to 18 to 29s! So please--please--do your part with respect to this critically important election to save our Democracy with a capital D!
Please click on www.turnup.us/ now and contribute generously! It is tax deductible inasmuch as turnup is a nonpartisan 501c3 charitable organization. Thank you on behalf of our entire society! This is really important.
I have posted this on my FB page in the past and thank you yet again Ira for alerting us as often as you care to, of it's significant existence. Thank you ~ Alas though, for my part I can't afford to contribute to them significantly. I am disabled, and only get compensation from SS disability only. I got injured on the job 6.5 years ago; they of course admit nor accept liability, much less responsibility. Hence, I and family languish, and it's our problem. Good news is that I yet have my life and wits (all strictly my opinion though, lol).
Injured on the job with no recourse, the world of repubs. Glad you get SSD, but too bad you don’t have chump’s money to sue their arses. Where was OSHA or had they been gutted by then. I have more limited resources than previously, but turn up is on my list to give.
After much deliberation in a very, very bad mental and physical state, I feared someone else getting hurt similarly and called Ohio OHSA in on the employer. I gave them detailed information to locate issues. My friends within reported to me that the inspector walked straight down and out as though he were on some vacation sightseeing tour; never stopped at designated detailed spots, no samples, not even conversation with other employees. Felt like the 'fix' was in from the start.
OSHA used to have clout. Guess chump fixed that. So a friend in instrument tech told me.
Thank you so much! You are a real patriot and I’m so sorry they have treated you so badly. What state do you live in? Did you consult any lawyers about your injury?
I'm in Ohio; an "industry friendly state." Yes, I did. They wouldn't touch it. The fortune 500 company is 'self insured.' They blathered about - but bottom line, not touching it. I reconsidered some time later and was told by a different set that under Ohio law, you have one year to report or file (?). I reported while I was still out of my mind owing to the injury; yet the law might find me deficient regards reporting / filing. It's all documented; on my side of the equation anyway.
Ira, you can't post this too many times or in too many places. I believe that Zev Shapiro (yes, lets' learn his name) may be recorded as one of the most important individuals of our political lifetimes. I have donated and will again. turnup.us is a critical tool for saving democracy. I wrote about this group here (and will again). https://billalstrom.substack.com/p/winning-with-youth
From the www.turnup.us website:
"The generational makeup of the United States is shifting dramatically. In 2024, Millennials and Gen Z will account for almost 45% of the electorate. Young people voted in historic numbers in 2018, 2020, and 2022 and were the determining factor behind the election results in each respectively. TurnUp organized by far the largest youth-led youth voter registration and turnout operation in the 2020 election, the 2022 midterms and the 2021 & 2022 Georgia runoff elections based on publicly available data.
Turnout increased 10 points among 18-29 year-olds in 2020. 2022 saw the second highest youth midterm voter turnout in history with particularly high turnout in key battleground states. In both Georgia runoff elections, young people cast many more votes than the margin of victory. More than 8 million young people turn 18 before the 2024 election. Young people’s increased participation at the ballot box correlates to an increase in progressive victories. Our generation will soon dominate the electorate and have the power to define the scope of our political priorities.
More than 4 million young people will turn 18 in 2023, with millions more becoming eligible to pre-register to vote depending on their state. Our goal is to register every newly eligible voter and pre-registrant in key states where the votes of young people can make the biggest impact in 2024. We are hiring students in key states to run voter registration drives at their high schools and to relationally contact each newly eligible student at their high school or college reminding them to register to vote. We are also utilizing our internship program and online tools to register voters.
All of our work is focused on targeting the key swing states where youth can make the biggest impact: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
Young people have shown us that with support from TurnUp's programs they will show up in droves and be the energetic changemakers that our democracy needs."
From me:
Zev and the team are finding young people where they live - on their phones! Political operatives should redirect their sometimes wasted TV ad dollars to this 45% of the electorate - many of whom have no relationship with old school cable TV.
I posted this above, I repeat to make sure you see it. In this clip, Beau talks about eh young voters in OHio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4FqqVzH8-0
Miselle,
Thank you! Beau is great. His observations here are spot on. And I love his T-Shirt. "More Hope, More Humanity". What's not to like?
This is hopeful. Thank to Kev Shapiro!
Lev Shapiro I think you mean.
It's Zev :)
Bill—wow! Many many thanks; yes, Zev is brilliant and very sweet and kind! Was actively involved in Elizabeth Warren’s campaign when he was 11 years old. She brought him to the State of the Union and introduced him!
Ira, please thank them for not barraging me with thousands of emails after I donated! It makes me more likely to donate again.
No they won’t do that! What the candidates do now 16 months before the election is disgusting and disgraceful— their consultants don’t give a damn!
exactly. I donated to the Eliz. Warren campaign back in the not so dark ages...and now, I am barraged by requests from every Dem. running anywhere. No more donations to politicians,...Sadly. I'd be happy to just give without their getting my cell #.
No problem with repeating your message! May I add that a recent clip from Beau of the Fifth Column regarding the Ohio vote--he mentions that near the university (I can't recall which one) 98% of the vote was NO!! 98%!! The young people get it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4FqqVzH8-0
I believe Ohio State but it may have been one other! Extraordinary isn’t it? They will save our Democracy in 24! Count on it!
Thank you, Ira!
I appreciate your support Alexandra!
Didn’t know about the work of the kids at Harvard, Ira. Good for them that they’re trying to be helpful to our democracy and good for our country if they contribute to what I believe will be a big democratic win in 2024.
Absolutely KD they are led by a remarkable young man named Zev Shapiro who devotes most of time to making it happen! What is fascinating is that he uses hi tech to accomplish in a day what I and my foundation did slowly and with terrific young over a year! We registered 104,00 young. High school students over 7 years and he registered 182,000 young women and men in one month online in 2022!
Done. Did it because you posted this again. Your posting and others comments inspiring and motivating. Thanks Ira and all.
Many thanks; I really appreciate your participation in this very important defense of democracy! There are many, unfortunately, who do not recognize that the millions of GenZ who come of age to vote each day this year and next will directly determine the fate of the 2024 elections with respect to the preservation of reproductive rights and thus reject a threatened newly enacted nationwide ban in January, 2025; enactment of new and strong legislation to protect us all from gun violence by requiring effective background checks, etc. (not just a routine check to see if the buyer has been convicted of a felony); and a really comprehensive/immediate battle plan, plus enforcement, against climate change!
Thirty-four MILLION GenZ came of voting age since 2016 and by 2026, the combination of GenZ and Millenials will constitute A MAJORITY of voting age adults in the entire country! We proclaim that Republicans'/Evangelicans' insistence that their opposition to each woman's right to choose appropriate birth control together with her doctor is simply unacceptable in our "small d" democratic society! And by my use of the term "woman," I also mean the raped nine (9) year old who is now being compelled by Republican lawmakers in multiple states to carry her child to term, as well as those unfortunate women who are foced to carry to term the dead and dying!
So, once again, if you haven't done so yet, please go right now to www.turnup.us/ and cast your generous contribution to the protection of our Democracy (with a capital D)!! Thank you; thank you; and thank you! You will not regret it--I promise.
AND, we have to get Fox "news" off military base T.V.s!! those are impressional young voters.
Done! Did it!
Ditto:-)
I like ditto in this context thank you Samm !
Terrific; I appreciate your response—action counts!
I agree Ira!
Me too
TURNUP.. a super valuable group that deserves our support in any way possible. Their ideas and energy have never been more important then now...right now!!
I keep reading your pleas to support Turn Up and ignoring them. At our peril. So today I woke up and Acted by throwing my money where it will truly make a difference. Thank you for your repeatedly reminding me of how to help our young people save our floundering Republic!
Not giving up, but Turning Up!
I'm thrilled by your support and your comment which I hope will motivate others to do the same on behalf of our "young people" at www.turnup.us/ Thanks again Bett! Your contribution will be put to very good use.
Ira, as an unflinching supporter of getting out the youth vote and taken a singular interest in promoting 'turnup', have you heard of and or support 'Alliance for Youth Organizing'?
'We are a nationwide network of organizations building political power of young people, and the premier youth vote vehicle in the United States.'
'We are local young people’s organizations joining together to make each other – and our entire movement – stronger.'
'We entice millions of young voters into our sweet democracy. Where young voters are unregistered, we register them. Where young people aren’t sure if they’ll vote, we convince them.'
'Every great social movement in history has depended on young leaders, and so do we. The Alliance has always been about more than young people voting. We’re about supporting and empowering the young people leading these movements.'
'Many of the 100+ staff and board members of the Alliance’s affiliates are serving on a board or working in a professional environment for the first time. The Alliance staff and board is committed to providing them with the support, training, and resources they need to succeed in their work and scale their campaigns. A huge portion of our work is dedicated to capacity building so we can empower strong leaders for the next generation.'
Rating: 4/4 · Review by Charity Navigator
'This charity's score is 100%, earning it a Four-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence. '
https://allianceforyouthorganizing.org/about/
I hope that you, Ira, and other subscribers recognize the importance of 'Alliance for Youth Organizing' and support it.
Alliance for Youth Organizing was awarded $1,500,000 between 2020 and 2021, including 2 grants in Equitable Recovery
'The Alliance for Youth Organizing educates young people about how to become involved in the civic and electoral process and how to organize and encourage their peers to do the same. It supports and scales the work of local organizations, building a movement of young people, by young people, and for all people. This award supports the Alliance’s charitable work with its network of independent affiliate organizations to educate and engage young people in Wisconsin about civic life and mobilization; to train and develop youth leadership skills; and to work on campuses, in high schools, and in communities of color across Wisconsin to build independent power for social, racial, and economic justice.'
'Equitable Recovery'
'Creating more resilient, inclusive communities to combat structural racism, inequality, and the COVID-19 pandemic.' The MacArthur Foundation
https://www.macfound.org/grantee/alliance-for-youth-organizing-10115275/
Thank you for reposting,Ira. I donated tonight. The young vote is such an important cohort to mobilize.
Absolutely true: many thanks for your support of these brilliant and effective Harvard students
Meanwhile, House Republicans are moving to expounge Trump’s two impeachments and stating that Trumps actions that lead to the impeachments were free speech. There’s no way that I can see as a non-lawyer to erase the impeachments given that the senate is majority Democratic Party, but this is coming awfully close to IranContra behavior. It’s nuts.
My “outrage of today” is the focus of the media and commentators only on the sins of the co-conspirators rather than also what our society can should do to remedy these electoral outrages! My respectful suggestion is that these crimes should motivate the rest of us to help register and turnout millions of potential young voters for 24!
The very best way according to Forbes Magazine is that there is one nonpartisan organization that is the most effective in the country in registering young voters-- namely click on www.turnup.us/
Please contribute generously to a brilliant group of Harvard students who are using hi tech means on SnapChat to register and turn them out! Please go to www.turnup.us/ right now and see what they are doing with potentially millions of 18 to 29s.
Please help this nonpartisan 501c3 succeed--your donation is tax deductible! Thank you; this is really important and this group of Harvard students is very experienced and effective!
been supporting!
Many thanks; very worthwhile and super effective
I put my $ where it is the most effective: journalism is number one. I "tithe" to my "religion" which is journalism. then there's a few others like TurnUp.
Turnup is so effective that it should be supported; thank you
Thank you Ira!
Thank you for this information. 👍
A parcel of rogues, selling our nation for filthy lucre and its less tangible equivalent, political power. As a nation we have to oust them all, from "Moms for Liberty" down to McCarthy and McConnell, and every rogue in federal and state government, followed by their useful/useless idiots (Susan Collins, looking directly at you).
How do you "oust" them? Whatever happened to the 1st Amendment, but does that only apply when you don't like what they're saying?
A democracy includes voices we don't necessarily want to hear, but our Bill of Rights covers even the most offensive ones. We fight back by speaking more loudly and making more sense.
The real danger posed by lying and vicious groups, of which "moms for liberty" (what a name!) is only one, is that their members often don't actually run for office, where their lies could be openly confronted and they could be voted against; instead, they work as eminences grises, pouring poison into the ears of the electorate, malforming and warping their understanding of reality. While they work on the ignorant and frightenable adults in their community, which is disgusting but probably allowed in our society, but when they start doing that to the children, that's where I draw the line.
Lying to children is vile. It is wrongful. It is intolerable. And the types of lies these "moms" tell are actively harmful to children. This is why "moms for liberty" must be ousted from all positions of authority or power they have over anyone except their own family - and heaven help those poor children. These "moms" oppose and are actively trying to interfere with the healthy growth, development and education of all the children in their bailiwick; this is intolerable. The 1st Amendment rights of these "moms" DO NOT trump (sorry for using blasphemy) the right of anyone's and everyone's children, except apparently their own, to grow and develop as healthy, informed individuals. If the "moms" want their children to be free from influences other than those they carefully curate, they can remove them from school and home school or religious-school them, or send them to some other private school. Public schools do not belong to "moms for liberty" exclusively, and the bastardization of public schools by this loudmouthed and vicious minority must not be tolerated. And now that they have been exposed for the pernicious group that they are, they can be weeded out of the body politic - yes, by free and fair elections, where those still exist for whatever positions they hold.
With respect to McCarthy and McConnell, their terms will come to an end, and they will be ousted by their voters. It will take hard work, as McConnell particularly is dug in, but the damage he has done to our country must be made plain to the people of Kentucky, and they must be motivated to vote against him by a landslide.
Moms for liberty is really organized. Where I live, they’re called something different but it’s the exact same idea. They’re all funded by the usual suspects.
The thing is, they focus on school boards. Most people really don’t focus on that sort of thing, they don’t really pay attention.
Where I’m at, they were shady as hell. They had to get their people on the ballot, so they lied to people about what they were signing in order to get more signatures. They became big time news because of that.
Which led to, thankfully, a very good organized response from parents who are Dems. In a small town, that’s pretty unusual.
Our particular batshit slate had only 2 wins, in very red areas. The majority of them were loathed by most parents regardless of political affiliation.
I can confirm that there are a bunch of orgs that are now putting money into making sure school board, clerk races, commission races, ect because these things are so important and so overlooked. They too, cost money.
I’m just thrilled that there’s now a focus on having a real resistance to these kinds of people.
This is why it's to important to look at all the positions that are up for election in the next cycle in your town, county, state, whatever political organization where you live, and vote BLUE in every single election and for every single position. If you find a position for which a red politician is running unopposed, or for which there are actually no candidates on the ballot (which can happen in smaller areas) it's imperative to convince the good BLUE people in your area to put up a candidate, because it's the red folks who are most susceptible to the filth espoused by "moms for liberty".
They should be called "Moms NOT for Liberty".
I think a lot of the garbage taught to adults and children comes from churches. Flyover country is notoriously religious and it is a big ingredient in the stew that is MAGA and the religious right.
The problem is in the Bill of Rights, which says these crackpots can teach their kids and spew in their communities all sorts of nonsense. It's only been happening for 240 years, but it's still the law of the land.
You "oust" them by calling our their lies and misrepresentations and voting. It's the only way.
Betsy, you are absolutely right. Case in point: In Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis just removed a democratically-elected prosecutor (a Democrat) from office and replaced her with a MAGA Republican. The democratic process means nothing to them, power is everything. It probably didn't help that the prosecutor is a Black female who is bright, articulate and upholds the rule of law. Imagine, if you will or can, DeSantis as POTUS.
Yes, Orlando’s top prosecutor was replaced with a county judge who ranked LAST in a judicial qualification poll and of course, is a Federalist Society member.
DeSantisis’ campaign is in free fall. It will probably get worse for Floridians…before it gets better. We will WIN on abortion access ! Almost half-million signatures collected already while measure opposing has only ~16,000.
Stay strong, Florida !😎
I have politely suggested to my son that he consider picking up and move his family out of Florida. I know that is not an easy thing to do but Florida is not a healthy place to raise children. Neither was Germany in the 1930s.
Hallelujah!!!!!
Hell NO. We don’t need another dictator want a be in the White Houe Acting, yes only acting like a president instead of For The People BY The People!
Rhonda Santis is much more entertaining.
DeSatan has said he will “slit throats” on day 1 when he was in NH. It was the 2nd time he said it. People should believe the Hitler wannabe. He’s telling us who he is.
The baffler did a wonderful deep dive into desantis’ time as a lawyer at gitmo.
It’s as horrifying as you’d expect.
Megalomaniac - a person who is obsessed with his own power.
Do you think that describes DeSantis? I do. He is a sick puppy.
Evil is the only descriptor that comes to my mind. But monster fits.
It terrifies me.
All of us need to be concerned and alert. DeSantis has virtually zero chance of being POTUS - he has been exposed for the Fascist/racist that he is. We need to go to work here in Florida to get Democrats elected to office to replace the MAGA Fascists. That's what they are.
They are now the disgraced RepubliQans, or Republicults (aka RepubliQults), or Republicons. I so agree with you, Betsy -- what a shame.
I call it the GQP.
They're Fascists. By any definition, that's simply what they are. Well, there are also the elements of racism, xenophobia, homophobia and misogyny.
That's True, Steve ! ....AMOK !!
( I guess, METH, is BETTER for Them, ...it FILLS, the PERFECT VACUUM! , That Used to be
PRESENT !!)
RapePublicans has been suggested
How about just the GQP on Meth. I know it doesn't really combine all three but it's close.
I’m sorry to jump in this way, but Heather was indeed correct in still calling them the Republican Party.
Just as the Biden Administration has redefined the Democratic Party to better represent ordinary and much-abused Americans, and which is doing its best to negotiate a course over a heavily rigged and corrupt system predominantly benefiting wealthy White men and their industries, the Republican Party too has been redefined.
The Republican Party has gone from its largely quietly corrupt, cruel, and extensive maneuverings of Reagan’s Administration (probably thanks in part to the confidence Nixon’s pardon gave future Presidents), towards its current place thanks to the Trump Administration’s public embrace of corruption, selfishness, greed, hate, intolerance, misogyny, cruelty, and hypocrisy.
In my opinion, Nixon should never have been pardoned. He (and everyone who helped him) should have been tried and when/if found guilty, should have been punished severely enough to dissuade future offenders.
The Iran-Contra scheme which disregarded Congress rules should have gone to trial and if convicted, should have resulted in severe punishment.
I’m glad Trump’s actions will be tried in court. If he’s found guilty, all I can say is, if he’s found guilty of significantly heinous crimes, then his punishment should be the strongest one they would put anyone through.
Thank heavens there are State trials where a Presidential pardon does not work.
Yes. Pardons of this nature only apply to federal crimes and it would have to be Biden who would pardon them. I don't think that would happen. But the charges in New York and in Georgia would be state crimes. I also read today that Michigan is looking more closely at crimes at the state level...we should keep an eye on that too!
Michigan will charge. We are a dem trifecta currently. Plus these idiots did plot to kidnap our governor.
I never heard of State trials where pardons of a ex President by a sitting President are not accepted. It’s a shame Nixon wasn’t tried.
Trump learned how to game the legal system at his father’s knee. So he’s had decades to hone the belief that he’s above the law and can’t be touched. The failed impeachment process undoubtedly added to his feeling of invulnerability. Nevertheless, the flurry of recent indictments against Trump have made me wonder how and in what ways Gerald Ford’s pardon of Richard Nixon has made the legal system reluctant to prosecute an ex-president (much less a sitting president) for actions that are clearly illegal. Whether intended or not, Ford’s pardon certainly sent the wrong signal. Further, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has a continuing policy since the 1970s that sitting presidents cannot be indicted as it would unconstitutionally prevent them from performing their duties as the head of the executive branch. Thus if the impeachment process fails, a sitting president can act with impunity. Richard Nixon asserted, “Well, when the president does it, that means it is not illegal.” This has proven to be one of his enduring legacies. And that’s pretty much what has happened. Since the end of the Watergate era, the Executive Branch has operated with almost total extralegal impunity.
More than a decade and a half ago, I was observing to others that Trump was building a cult of personality and people laughed it off. I was blessed with the opportunity to travel in the Soviet Union and China as they opened up in the 80s. Because I had read their histories, I had read up on cult of personality. It was easy to spot.
The republican party has become the confederate states of America party. Reactionary, and in the pocket of the oligarchs. Their governing philosophy is to wreck, obstruct, distract, and let the country fall apart, polarize, and divide into fiefdoms a.k.a. states. The oligarchs can have their way and thinks to the ridiculous construction of the US Senate. They can gum up the works.
Republican is increasingly becoming an office-seeking party and vote-hunting party through unconstitutional means, with singular focus being to get hold of the office no matter what they use as long as they reach the destination. So, the means doesn't count much as long as the end is the target. The Party has deviated from it's founding principle which was rooted in economic prosperity, bipartisanship, respect of law, and catering for the general welfare of the society. What happens is that the party has exploited electoral blindspots where voters do not have an understanding and pursue or build their case along those line. In the theory of emotional appeal, Republican has capitalized on rational ignorance and increase emotional connection with its base via lies and selective laws. The key parameter here is that the only lens of seeing and judging the other party (in this case Democratic Party) is through its predetermined, extreme perspective that gives them an upper hand in the political space. To make electoral blindspots as large as possible, Republican Party has been using three methods which include secrecy, agenda control, and other institutional tools.
Secrecy. The party has been operating in secrecy whereby classified documents are shrouded in misery. Donald Trump and his allies have tried to hide important information from the public such as taxes.
Institutional tools. Republican understands that you pick a law expert who knows how to circumvent through the laws and win their argument in the public space (Gibson's law). During the 2020 elections after it was evident that Trump had lost, they had to use selective laws to armtwist the electoral system. For instance, Dr. HCR said that "Then, Vice President Mike Pence would take the position that he had the power not simply to open the votes but also to count them, and that the 1887 Electoral Count Act that clarified those procedures was unconstitutional. " In this regard, their argument was that this act would be applicable to their advantage. The public does know about this act, but the party will benefit from their support.
Agenda control. Republican would block even legislations that mostly rely on a must-have bipartisan approach. The key intention here is to dominate and ensure that the Democratic Party remains powerless to create a crisis. Though any party can do this, Republicans have been extremists by blocking military nominees and veteran benefits among others.
Meanwhile, i am requesting that you can kindly subscribe to my newsletter if you haven't to help me support underserved communities and be part of my mission.
I disagree strongly. This IS the Republican party. This is what it has morphed into. This is what being a Republican means. Anyone who is a Republican is dreaming about what it was, supporting this criminality and treason. They don't speak out, they continue to obstruct and vote for the most part in lock step.
But the Republican Party does exist. The "cult of personality" hasn't replaced it; it's merely become part of its character. To pretend otherwise, even to make a rhetorical point, is dangerous denial. If we fail to recognize this, and address the causes of this evolution, we will not be able to undo the damage and prevent its happening again.
Here's an exercise that might help clarify my point: Pick a time when the Republican Party as you understand it clearly existed -- 1974? 1981? Whatever year you pick, I can draw a line connecting that GOP to the GOP of today. I bet you can too. (If anyone wants a refresher, I recommend Dana Milbank's 2022 book THE DESTRUCTIONISTS: The Twenty-Five-Year Crack-up of the Republican Party. He gives Newt Gingrich plenty of [dis]credit, but Gingrich didn't come out of nowhere either.)
That is pretty much what Judge Luttig said on an interview I watched this morning.
Those who once belonged to and/or voted with the Republican Party have an interest in arguing that the Republican Party (as they knew it) no longer exists. This enables them to evade or deny the fact that the seeds of the current GOP were firmly planted and grew to a considerable height in the GOP they supported. They need to reckon with that even if it makes them uncomfortable.
Why try to rehabilitate the name "Republican Party" from what it has, in fact, become? The Republican Party deliberately took up with white supremacists while growing cozier and cozier with the idea that the rich should have more say in our democracy than the rest of us.
Heather herself has laid out this history for us several times. My own political memory stretches as far back as Watergate, and the process was well underway by then. The party has been wooing conservative Christians for forty years, a project that is now bearing fruit: a base that idolizes an amoral brute who is fine with taking away rights from everyone else as long as he can lead these sheep, smiling up at him, into the abyss of his own misery. In the meantime, the party elite watch their bank accounts swell with blood money and the media give us 24-hour real-time coverage of the spectacle of collapsing empire.
This is the Republican Party today. They worked very hard to get here, while many of us were sleeping. Their bed and ours: getting out of it will require that we confront what they have been up to and why we were fine with it until very recently.
HCR continues to peddle the groundless and baseless partisan propaganda insinuation that Trump knew that his accusations of election fraud were false.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22143214
Trump has admitted publicly he lost, but you still choose not to admit it.
Dula Neyer Baker,
Perhaps you are wrong on both counts. Could you perhaps give a quote from Trump to clarify your point?
And when you say that I "choose not to admit it," you appear to be saying that you choose to BELIEVE that Trump lost. We can talk through the relevant evidence if you want.
My assessment, which I've stated before, is that Biden stole the Democratic nomination from Bernie Sanders. Whether he stole the election from Trump is a different question, and I haven't said that he did.
Give it up John. Pravda does not pay well enough to post lies and disinformation here and your BS will not affect people's thinking here.
Perhaps you should be posting to the Wall Street Journal's opinion "discussion" page where the weak minded who have no critical thinking skills will drink up your Russian propaganda?
Weak. Poorly written. False.
But your stuff is all legal to post here. Unlike in Russia where your money is coming from.
Good morning, Mike S--I'm not sure he is paid (might be) as much as I think his rants are the posts of an adult who was bullied as a child and somehow lives in a mind that thinks he is superior. He occasionally posts something written somewhat rationally, then if he gets blowback, he resorts to calling everyone "thugs" or my favorite "thugly"!! (LOL)
I know that he gets reported to the administrators here ALL.THE.TIME, and yet they don't remove him. I know they DO look at the reports--other trolls HAVE been removed over the years, thanks due to forum here. I wonder WHY the admin is watching him and not removing him? That thought ought to electrify his tin hat--why I can almost smell the sizzle already.
I usually ignore him, but I don't read his posts, but IF I see people reply to him and he resorts to his juvenile name calling, I make SURE to report each and every one of his posts. He'll get barred eventually. (Or the FBI show up at his door?) :-D
Miselle, all good points about Platform hygiene. I was directed to "The Economist" 11/26/22 Edition for a summary of Foreign state Troll tactics:
"Russian Trolls and foreign-language [Russian] state media have pumped out a flood of outrageous & contradictory lies to Western audiences hoping to undermine public confidence that no one is telling the truth" not to mention specificly targeted audiences like the Catalan conflict in Spain. I am engaged with Substack Inc on posting of "ru" state propaganda and personal attacks on Substack that may be considered civil wrongs commonly called torts like defamation. More later.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22147974
It’s nice of Heather to let you continue to post absolute bullshit on her pages. I wouldn’t be so nice.
So being told by his advisors/lawyers in the White House that he lost, and losing court case after court case, doesn't count with you? On what basis do you believe he won and why do you continue to defend him?
Ann W, you falsely state that I "believe" that Trump won. And those court cases never proceeded to the "discovery" phase, which would have given Trump subpoena power to dig up evidence. There's more to it...
You also falsely state that I "defend" Trump. You act like an apprentice Spin Doctor.
John, the cases were thrown out because none of them met the prima facie threshhold of any facts. No facts. Nothing but allegations. The Rules of Evidence require authentication of claimed facts. The proponents had NONE. That's how bad their claims were.
And why did the court cases not proceed to the "discovery" phase? Reading your posts is like rereading Alice in Wonderland.
PLEASE remove this troll!
I live in one of those states, and I can assure you that they were rejected here by a Republican judge because they had zero legal basis for filing. They literally had zero evidence to back up their claim. There had been a ton of audits done and they still had no evidence. If you can’t find a legal basis for your lawsuit, your lawsuit can’t continue.
The big thing here was the supposed lie that trump voters were kept out from observing the votes. That’s not what happened but it’s what I hear from them. What happened is that the people denied entrance to the venue in Detroit weren’t trained or acknowledged by the R party. Before you can even watch votes, you need to have training. To be in absentee which is what this was, you need to be trained by your county, period. To challenge votes, you should be trained by your party or else you’ll be ineffective.
There are rules for absentee that are universal. If you go in, you don’t leave until the vote is counted. Workers, challengers, poll watchers - you’re locked in.
And once the counting starts, no one is let in.
They demanded to be let in, after the counting had started. That’s illegal. They had zero training. There were already legitimate republicans in there as poll watchers, challengers, and counters. Those republicans were more MAGA than RINO.
Doesn’t matter though because one group of very loud, very disruptive idiots captured the R news cycle. It made perfect material, and absolutely none of what I said was mentioned. We both know why.
John, you are entitled to your opinion. You are not entitled to your own set of facts. Neither is Donald Trump or the Republican Party. Therein lies the rub.
Kamila Novicki,
lin gave a response to my developing presentation of my assessment that contains a lot of food for thought, here:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22147663
Thank you for your polite reply. I appreciate your civility and that you didn't resort to labeling me or name calling. We see things very differently John but that doesn't make me a fascist or you a Russian operative. I do wonder what keeps you here as you often display disdain for Dr. Richardson as well as some commentators. Do you have a reason for wanting to be a member of this community? Is it a good fit for you? My replies to you are not intended to encourage or discourage your participation here. It's just that often your presence is disruptive. Is that your intent? If not, then perhaps you should be more mindful of not only what you say but how you say it.
Disruptive of the LFAA Platform in contractual violation of Terms & Conditions of paying Subscribers.
Perhaps you can find a partial response to your questions in my replies to lin's post linked above.
I'm a trained historian and I like HCR's emphasis on history and often enough I have something to add.
I've had my share of exchanges with people who are inclined to engage with my views on political and social issues, and I imagine that will continue.
I see this place as a hybrid of well-meaning liberals and Biden partisans, some of whom might be better called Biden Bullies. I suspect that when Biden leaves the political scene, I'll get along better around here.
We have a connection in our appreciation of Dr. Richardson's emphasis on history. With that, I will say goodnight.
"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on." Pres. G.W. Bush, White House Correspondents' Dinner, 3/31/2001.
John, it never occurred to me until now that your intellectual assessment of a fact situation could be so influenced by feelings. I guess it goes to prove simply that you are human, too. For me, I'm not certain that the sun rises in the east, but I have no doubt but that Trump knew, beyond any doubt, that he had lost the 2020 election. Trump isn't the sharpest tack in the board, but he's not that dull.
Richard Sutherland, perhaps it would be better to hear me out before jumping to half-cocked conclusions about where I'm coming from. As time permits, I'll be responding to lin's post at:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22147663
Respectfully, John, you wrote: " HCR continues to peddle the groundless and baseless partisan propaganda insinuation that Trump knew that his accusations of election fraud were false."
There is absolutely no defense to this piece of "baseless partisan propaganda" on your part. None. I will rest my case. You have destroyed your credibility as an objective observer. You've exposed yourself. Did you have an irrestible impulse? Must have.
Saying so doesn't make it true, and doing the huff-and-puff without any reasoning doesn't improve your argument. If you want, you can hear me out on the other thread and then critique my case after I've made it.
I chose my words carefully, and I stand by them.
John, the instances are somewhat rare when there is absolutely no doubt about the truth of a matter. Your claim about HCR's indictment of Trump as being anything other than dead right is beyond any doubt a totally and completely partisan claim. So, the question is: why? You're obviously not stupid. So, there's another reason. There are bright people who are MAGA Republicans. I have earlier made reference to the study conducted by two Univ. of Kansas professors entitled "The Anger Games, Who Voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 Election, and Why?" Why would an intelligent American support a known serial liar, a cheat in business and in his personal affairs, a man who tried to topple the lawful government of the U.S.? Why? Because he represents something more important to them than even the continued democratic system in the United States. How serious could those matters be that the lives of more than 1.3 million who have died fighting our wars to preserve our constitutional rights mean nothing to them? I think that I have at least an idea.
You belong on Truth Social where all the liers live
What a thing to say.
Some folks skip over John posts. Often they are not worth reading.
I know I do. Except to report him. Who has time to waste on his nonsense or name-calling?
I like your expression “The power behind that group has always been at core a small confederation of crooks.” It’s ironic, Nixon’s famous quote comes to mind: “ I AM NOT A CROOK!”
Certainly a confederation of crooks. And often in families: the Bush crime family and of course the most criminal family of all: the death star crime family. Who knew that were so many crooks willing to serve death star. They all saw a golden opportunity until some of them found themselves under the bus. And referencing Lynn a few posts down....freedom in the mouths of these people is just another word for everything to lose.
Thank you for another Letter linking key elements of now and then,,,, How the crimes of Republican Presidents and their supporters have multiplied---without consequences. Really horrifying when totaled up. The Iran-Con events wrought horror upon horror in Latin America to the disgrace of this nation. We created the horrors people are now fleeing..
Agree! Thanks for tying the Reagan administration to the chaos in Central and South America which, in part, is responsible for the failure of small nations and the subsequent flood of migrants. Also at fault are climate issues resulting in failed crops and farms.
HCR’s concluding paragraph tonight neatly illustrates the problem America has had, at least through my long adult lifetime, and possibly throughout our entire short national history:
“Walsh’s warning seems to be coming to life. The Republican Party now stands behind a man whose legal troubles currently include indictment on 40 counts for taking and hiding classified national security documents and on four counts of trying to steal an election in order to stay in power. “
And yet most citizens here continue continue to swallow the myth that “no man is above the law” in this “exceptional” nation. We condemn other countries such as China for their records on human rights violations and yet we continue to demonstrate gratuitous systemic racism to the world at large. We condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine while the echoes of Viet Nam and Iraq still reverberate.
Two words spring to mind in the face of this righteous pontification: “arrogance” and “hypocrisy”. It’s easy to see why America is viewed with suspicion and disdain in so many parts of the world, in spite of the positive things we occasionally try to achieve. And it’s sometimes difficult to face this reality.
Well done. We have done good things for the world but hubris (and I would add Puritanism thinking of the Dulles brothers) has given US some terrible excesses to tarnish our reputation for giving.
I am glad to hear someone else bring up the the dull-is brothers. Assassins and creeps tarnishing Christian values.
Take their names off our airport!
Get all the tarnish off and polish our domains with young energetic Americans who will live with their accomplishments with pride.
Like many Americans, their “mistaken” actions outweighed their useful ones. Encouraging wars is high on the list of “get their names off our airport.!” The besetting American sin is greed run amok. The Dulles brothers probably had another problem: a sense of entitlement.
Well said and thank you. I love it when I read someone who can articulate my thoughts on subject.
Reagan was guilty of so much, I remember lying Oliver North, who went on to become worse than the Watergate crowd, just no tapes…
And they've gotten progressively worse with each one that weasels his way into office. McConnell aided and abetted by Traitor45 destroys SCOTUS, and then Traitor45 tries to overthrow the election and thereby what's left of our democracy! Surely they've reached the nadir by now!?
Don’t count on it. They still blather about civil war.
Exactly!
Grover, if we do not stop Trump and his minions, more Americans will be fleeing the US!!!It is frightening however, the people who actually believe this man's lies. I could never understand how so many of the great German people could believe Hitler or go along with his plans...until now!!!!
Are we paralyzed??? Is the truth so difficult to accept??? Are we too proud, or shocked, to shake ourselves into the reality that is being played out before us??? We are reading about and writing about and angry about the things that are happening before us....to the United States of America...."the land of the free....the home of the brave....."
What we are seeing now did not just happen!!! It is like the old "frog in the kettle story".....the frog does not even realize what is happening to it....gradually the water heats up and the frog dies without even realizing (or admitting) its life was/is at risk. The life of our country....our freedom.... is at risk!!!! Were WW1 and WW2 for naught???
Thanks to women like Heather and Joyce Vance who speak the truth from our history...from our legal system and to others whom I deeply appreciate, who help us understand what is happening within our country.
Thanks and prayers to the judges who are working for justice...God protect them and their families....may our laws stand firm!!!!
I was so grateful for the recent voting in Ohio....Americans CAN stand up for freedom...we CAN come to the voting booths .... we CAN make our voices heard!!!!
HCR continues to peddle the groundless and baseless partisan propaganda insinuation that Trump knew that his accusations of election fraud were false.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22143214
The evidence is there. The ONLY solution he would have accepted is that he won. Evidence be damned. Don't believe her? Do your own homework.
Rickey Woodey,
lin gave a response to my developing presentation of my assessment that contains a lot of food for thought, here:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22147663
One of two things about Trump’s knowledge of his loss is true: he either knew and decided on a course of action to conceal that knowledge or he is truly stupid and clueless. You choose. I suggest it the former, what do you think?
A third possibility, and one which I think is most likely, is that January 6 Defendant #1078 knew Biden won the election fairly, but J6 D1078 is also stupid and vain, and considers that the law can't touch him, so chose to go along with "attorney" (that leaves a foul taste in the mouth) cheesybro (or whatever)'s "bold, controversial" strategy, suborning some Americans and lying to others to become false electors and then arm-twisting VP Pence into stealing the election. And if there are riots after millions of Americans votes were stolen? Well, to quote one of the as-yet unindicted (or indicted, but under sealed indictment) co-conspirators, "that's what the Insurrection Act is for", appealing to the internal mob boss persona of the disgraced individual which formerly infested our White House.
Kathleen Reed,
lin gave a response to my developing presentation of my assessment that contains a lot of food for thought, here:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22147663
meh
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/13/trumps-election-fraud-claims-were-false-here-are-his-advisers-who-said-so-00039346
Heather Elowe, your source does not address the question of whether Trump BELIEVED that his claims of election fraud were true.
HCR also dishonestly avoids this point:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22143214
He "believed" what he wanted to believe, in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Just another ploy on his part to avoid responsibility for anything.
Ann, just like he “believes” he’s never done anything wrong despite glaring proof and numerous indictments.
John it matters not that Trump “believed” he won. He broke the law.
I believe I'm a millionaire-my belief doesn't make it so.
How do you know he believed it?
Gail Adams,
lin gave a response to my developing presentation of my assessment that contains a lot of food for thought, here:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22147663
I read it.
LOL.
Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell make Richard Nixon and Barry Goldwater look sane and principled. Yikes.
The prosecutors have to convince the entire jury. The defense just has to convince one juror. And if it goes to the Supreme Court? Just how badly do the Reaganauts and clerical fascists want to destroy Federal government and democracy?
OMGosh. What a mess every voter who did not vote for Hillary Clinton has made. Many still don't get that voting is a strategic act of joining together to win power. Too many still seem to feel voting is an individual act of personal expression.
I supported Bernie to the end, but I voted for Hillary without qualms when she was all that stood between us and the subsequent Trump disaster. And I think she would have been a very good president. Talk about missed opportunities.,,,,
And if Al Gore had been declared the winner v. George Bush (remember, he won the popular vote, as did HRC) , what a different world we'd be living in -- without GWB and DJT causing death and destruction, benefiting billionaires at the expense of the deficit and social programs, attempts to lessen climate change, and the rest of the carnage they wrought.
I think of this often, I was so optimistic and crushed with the Fl debacle that was so obviously orchestrated. I blamed Cheney and James Baker, and of course, Rove. Hope those arses are happy with the demise of the “GOP”
They are still hedging their bets they can maintain the appearance
of democracy enough to make money off it.
Exactly
Jeri, I feel ya. My goddess, to think of SCOTUS and Florida in the 2000 election - a harbinger of horrible things to come?
Since they both won handily, I wonder why they haven't or can't pursue justice for this? To me, it seems huge, especially the debacle in Florida giving the electoral votes to Bush prematurely and erroneously.
They still played by the rules. Or - As Derek Delgaudio said on Twitter years ago “I used to rig card games for a living. I’d watch people sit down and lose everything, again and again. But they didn’t lose because they ‘played by the rules’ and we didn’t. They lost because it wasn’t a game. It just looked like one.”
The political game isn’t one anymore, it’s rigged, pure and simple, and out in the open these days.
When the GOP invited adamant white segregationists to the party, they brought their own racism, religious extremism, and gun culture - and their racist voter suppression tactics. All of which Republicans have amplified. It is all part of American politics.
So true-our politics have been ugly since the beginning of America the beautiful. The decision to establish race based slavery for the benefit of capitalists has diminished the power of labor. Divide and conquer has been the strategy all along. We're living with the result of political, economic and cultural decisions made long ago.
this cult has amplified all previous efforts and they smell blood. They are going for broke
Electoral College.
That's my thought, too. It should be dismantled as it seems arbitrary to me. At the very least, it does not represent the true vote.
If SCOTUS had allowed Florida to finish the recount.....
Don’t forget Roger Stone, still not in jail for his many crimes, starting with 2000 (as far as I know; could have been earlier).
And remember TFF pardoned gum for at least some of his crimes.
This is what happens when voters don't pay attention. Now we're suffering the consequences.
And we've been paying for a while.
“In 1989, while still a Senator, Gore published an editorial in The Washington Post, in which he argued:
Humankind has suddenly entered into a brand new relationship with the planet Earth. The world's forests are being destroyed; an enormous hole is opening in the ozone layer. Living species are dying at an unprecedented rate.[6]
In 1990, Senator Gore presided over a three-day conference with legislators from over 42 countries which sought to create a Global Marshall Plan, "under which industrial nations would help less developed countries grow economically while still protecting the environment".
The Concord Monitor says that Gore "was one of the first politicians to grasp the seriousness of climate change and to call for a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases".”
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_activism_of_Al_Gore#:~:text=Gore%20has%20been%20involved%20with,toxic%20waste%20and%20global%20warming%22.
Pretty sure if not for SCOTUS in 2000, he would have been assassinated. Greedy bturds wouldn’t have allowed him to remain in the Oval Office with this vision/plan.
Somewhat likewise David. Despite the fact that she 'allowed' her critics to 'get her goat' and responded with unwise cracks I'm sure she'd like to retract, and went along with our venture into Iraq as a U.S. senator, in the end I supported her bid and hoped she'd make a greater president than her hubby Bill, who I came to have deep regrets over. (no, not for his extramarital follies.)
I agree with you D4N. Despite being a bit too establishment for my tastes and voting in favor of Dubya's Iraq folly, no doubt as a consequence of domestic political considerations, Hillary is the sort of bright and calculating pol able to change course when that makes sense and inclined to reason her way to doing the right thing. No ideologue that Hillary.
Hillary was a crap candidate running a crap campaign.
But ... Trump - and Leonard Leo in the wings planning a racist right wing religious extremist Supreme Court. Right wingers held their nose and voted Trump. Left wingers sat on their hands or voted for Jill Stein et al.
That Clinton was a crap candidate is your opinion. I disagree.
Please accept my apologies for being rude and vague.
1. Hillary Clinton carpetbagged the NY senate seat from another woman who had served admirably in the House, was about to declare for the Senate, and who graciously stepped aside for the sake of party unity. While Hillary flaunted her privilege - she had never held office.
2. While in the Senate Clinton pursued a neoliberal agenda and realignment of the party - abandoning Main Street for Wall Street. Leaving behind the traditional Democratic coalition for hobnobbing with ... yup Donald and Melania. Et al. And then her vote for the Iraq war. I could go on.
3. Working with the DNC to ensure Her Turn, Clinton helped suppress the development of a deep democratic presidential primary bench. Something which still plagues the party. When Obama leapt the hurdles, the Clintons treated him with disdain that looked to border on racism. Alienating many Black voters and their allies. Clinton never worked to walk this back. It came back to bite her.
4. Clinton hyped up that she couldn't lose, arrogantly talking of building bridges in Texas while ignoring mending fences in Milwaukee and other swing states. Many voters who might have held their nose and voted for her, sat on their hands believing she didn't need their vote. She never took the threat Trump posed seriously. She underestimated how united the right was.
5. The Clinton campaign had no Electoral College strategy. They disdained Howard Dean's 50 state strategy. They had no ground game. In NYC they never got back to offers to volunteer by experienced people with expertise. Same in Wisconsin. Here in Maine, we could not even get yard signs - very important in rural areas. The local Dems spent months on collecting data, personal outreach, and building a GOTV strategy. At the last minute Clinton airlifted in ignorant and utterly inexperienced staff. They ignored our meticulously gathered data for their own whims, and alienated voters and volunteers alike ,while chatting about their outfits for the inaugural events.
I could go on.
I appreciate you taking the time to expand on your comment.
I stand by what I said. From my experience and understanding, Clinton had extensive experience, she is smart, she respects the information provided by experts. And the woman has a plan for everything.
In my opinion, she was the best of the field. (In my opinion Bernie would never be elected President. )
Had she been elected, we may well have been further along towards solutions for climate change and gun violence. And there is no doubt in my mind that our response to the Covid pandemic would have been faster, better, and less politicized. Fewer people would have died.
I respect your opinion based on your experiences and I hope you will respect mine.
I am bracing for hung juries. As you said, it only takes one diehard MAGAt to slip through and the jury is hung.
A hung jury is not an acquittal, but I am also bracing for it to be spun that way by the criminal defendant and his mouth pieces on Fox-not-the-News etc.
The zombie MAGAt masses will eat it up.
And we'll know exactly what they are eating. Comes from the same unsavory dark place where Trump's head has been for most of his life.
Sky 77 7– Outstanding analysis. I totally agree with you. And I like your expression zombie MAGAs. How about ghoulish MAGAs….a ghoul is a demon-like being or monstrous humanoid…..kinda reminds me of Trump.
Ghoul is an apt description.
I am still gobsmacked that so many in this country have literally lost their brains!
Sky 777 – What if they lost their brains and it turns out they are POD People from Invasion of the Body Snatchers?
😂😂😂😂😂😂😲😳😵💫😵💫😵💫
My nightmare as well
Actually, if one diehard does not vote to convict, defendant goes free, and cannot be tried a second time - double jeopardy.
Actually for double jeopardy to apply there has to be a verdict.
“When a hung jury occurs, it is up to the prosecution to decide if they want to retry the case or drop the charges. It's important to note that double jeopardy, the principle that prohibits trying a person twice for the same crime, does not apply in cases where a mistrial is declared due to a hung jury.”
Which rsises the question, What will Smith do with a hung jury?
My sense is that he will focus on the biggest and most important case: the most recent one out of DC. If he can get that one over the finish line, he may let the others go if the jury is hung. Then again, he may not.
My preference is that all the cases be prosecuted with vigor and resolve.
Hang the Cheeto!
Interesting times.
If the jury is hung he can indeed be retried.
Well, I don't know about your first sentence, lin! Mitch McConnell has done every bit as much damage and possibly more. No way should he ever be let off the hook. But the rest of your comment, 100%.
"Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell make Richard Nixon and Barry Goldwater look sane and principled. Yikes."
Mitch McConnell has done great damage. That is why he makes Barry Goldwater look sane and principled.
Trump would have disputed the 2016 election had he lost. He was setting the stage for his loss before that election, too. Those of us who volunteered to make calls and knock on doors that year remember clearly talking to so many democrats who purposely did not vote in that election. I know if all
Democrats had voted that our history would be different now.
He did dispute.the 2016 election. He demanded audits in some states because he lost by the popular vote.
lin... The defense just has to convince one juror'. I would say the defense just has to INTIMIDATE one juror..
I think they are more into intimidating witnesses. And confusing jurors.
I lose sleep because I can't imagine the trial wrapping up before the 2024 elections.
Oh well said!
Yes to your last 3 sentences.
Yikes indeed!
Lin-your definition of voting needs to be widely promoted: "voting is a strategic act of joining together to win power". Our only problem is that the Rs don't mind ignoring our votes-when Trump can cause all of the chaos we're facing now by denying our votes and DeSantis can remove duly elected officials and Ohio, North Carolina, Alabama can ignore legal rulings and voter suppression rules the day-where does that leave us? Is voting going to be enough to save us?
Well said, lin+
I just screenshot your comment- because you’ve nailed it. Thanks!
Definitely true 👍
HCR continues to peddle the groundless and baseless partisan propaganda insinuation that Trump knew that his accusations of election fraud were false.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22143214
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
JohnM,
lin gave a response to my developing presentation of my assessment that contains a lot of food for thought, here:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22147663
Too many have tuned out, a lethal mistake. But MAGAts will always vote, young or old.
Damn these people as traitors to the United States, to democracy, to equality, and to the principle of equality before the law. May their names be forgotten, but their collective infamy be remembered forever.
HCR continues to peddle the groundless and baseless partisan propaganda insinuation that Trump knew that his accusations of election fraud were false.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22143214
"HCR continues to peddle the groundless and baseless partisan propaganda insinuation that Trump knew that his accusations of election fraud were false."
HCR continues to present details of and historical context for Jan 6 Committee testimony by Trump's inner circle who could speak directly to his knowledge that his accusations of election fraud were false.
There fixed it for you.
Of course, until they were under oath, they were known to peddle groundless and baseless partisan propaganda - in support of Trump. Bill Barr comes to mind.
I reported his comments. He’s a troll.
No, you misrepresent what HCR has "presented" -- insinuations and spin that persuade Koolaid-drinking True Believers around here to falsely ASSUME that Trump knew that his claims were false.
You mention Bill Barr as an example. That's the best example you could pick, because of the blatant misrepresentations in the news media of what he said, going back to his statement that he hadn't seen any evidence of serious election fraud. (That got falsely spun as the bogus assumption that he conducted an investigation, which he never did.)
Regarding his more recent testimony, please provide a quote and we can discuss it.
And furthermore, Barr was never a Trump loyalist. He was an old-time Bush Leaguer and a leading proponent of the bogus "unitary executive" constitutional interpretation that would give the President unprecedented power over the department heads, etc. Of course Trump likes that one, but the word "president," in and of itself, implies an executive with limited power who is NOT a hands-on micro-manager.
Testimony from Alyssa Farrah to the J6 Comittee: “a week after the election was called in favor of Biden, Trump was watching Biden on the television in the Oval Office, and said: “‘Can you believe I lost to this effing guy?’” And from Cassidy Hutchinson: “Trump told Meadows: ‘I don’t want people to know we lost, Mark. This is embarrassing. Figure it out.’” Source: The Guardian
It doesn’t matter if Trump knew or believed he had lost, although as we can see from the quote above, he did know and believe he lost. It is irrelevant to the charges for which he is under indictment. Please stop beating a dead horse.
KR, I suspect that you are reading too much into what Trump said. His style of train-of-thought communication is famously unclear, and he is habitually scornful and sarcastic.
It would seem that, in both of the cases that you quote, the other-centered Trump was focusing his concern on what others thought (the collective presumption that Trump lost), as opposed to the question of what really happened when he went to bed comfortably ahead in the six swing states and then woke up to find that he lad lost all of them.
My primary source is CSpan.
Google Bill Barr CSpan
Yes. Barr made his GOP bones cleaning up after Iran Contra to give GHW Bush plausible deniability. So he was called back in as Za cleaner for Trump's messes. Evidently insurrection was a bridge too far even for Barr.
Why do we continue to supply oxygen to John Schmeekle? It just feeds his repetitive misinformation.
Honestly, why do readers reply to him? Like most petulant children - ignore him and he will go away.
Sara and Marge - YES, please would everyone stop responding to this clown?? His taunts and responses to them are overwhelming this substack. Just let him speak into the void, please.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22159322
I suspect Mr. Schmeeckle has some difficulty interpreting social cues so I'm not sure ignoring him will make him go away. Perhaps the LFAA administrators can succeed where others have failed.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22159322
I’m tired of his trolling and reported him.
Sara Toye,
lin gave a response to my developing presentation of my assessment that contains a lot of food for thought, here:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22147663
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
JohnM,
lin gave a response to my developing presentation of my assessment that contains a lot of food for thought, here:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22147663
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/08/02/trump-lies-2020-election-fraud-indictment/
Heather Elowe, your source makes the groundless and baseless assumption that Trump did not BELIEVE that his claims of election fraud were true.
HCR also dishonestly avoids this point:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22143214
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
JohnM, with all respect, please do not respond to the agitator. You're giving him exactly what he wants.
JohnM,
lin gave a response to my developing presentation of my assessment that contains a lot of food for thought, here:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22147663
https://www.politico.com/news/2022/06/13/trumps-election-fraud-claims-were-false-here-are-his-advisers-who-said-so-00039346
Heather Elowe, your source does not address the question of whether Trump BELIEVED that his claims of election fraud were true.
HCR also dishonestly avoids this point:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22143214
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
Intent is the legal bar.
Yes, belief may play into intent. Or not. Belief almost by definition is not moored to empirical evidence or to reason. Persisting in an irrational belief - against all empirical evidence ... don't know how that will play out in court. But even one of Trump's crackpot conspiracist lawyers argued in her own defense that no reasonable person would believe the crap they were peddling.
lin,
There is another issue here that nobody has been talking about, except for that Krak-pot lawyer.
I'll be explaining my assessment, as time permits, in a rosponse to your longer post.
Groundless? Baseless? Even a layperson like me finds you obnoxiously toxic & highly annoying. I’ve suggested it before, & will suggest it again: Since you love to counter & try to debunk our respected History, Professor, Dr. Heather Cox Richardson, why don't you just build your own Substack
and leave us alone? In other words FK Off!
I caught HCR misrepresenting a source, and you want to support our respected history professor.
HCR: I am so grateful for your intense focus and commitment not only to the study of history in general, but to witnessing and documenting this crucial period in U.S. history. You are providing a record for all to see, learn the facts, and see the truth for what it is. And you do it every day, earnestly fulfilling your commitment, and providing a priceless service to the rest of us. I am GRATEFUL GRATEFUL GRATEFUL.
Thank you, I am in total agreement with your post.
Ditto!
Amen!
Yes! I agree strongly with everything you say so well here!
HCR continues to peddle the groundless and baseless partisan propaganda insinuation that Trump knew that his accusations of election fraud were false.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22143214
Troll.
Just keep reporting them when they turn up. They only appear from time to time, possibly with alter egos. Maybe if we report and otherwise ignore them, they'll go away.
Kool-aid addict.
I caught HCR peddling dishonest propaganda:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22143214
It has been well-established that Trump knew he lost the election. Accusing Heather of reporting propaganda is lazy at best.
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
JohnM,
lin gave a response to my developing presentation of my assessment that contains a lot of food for thought, here:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22147663
Third time's a charm, they say, and we can only hope that THIS time, an unintelligent criminal who managed to became POTUS will face the full legal consequences of his attempt to stay in power, in addition to also hoping that karma someday may inflict upon him at least the same amount of misery and suffering that his decisions as POTUS have caused to millions of people.
HCR continues to peddle the groundless and baseless partisan propaganda insinuation that Trump knew that his accusations of election fraud were false.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22143214
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
JohnM,
lin gave a response to my developing presentation of my assessment that contains a lot of food for thought, here:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22147663
'Agent Orange', ie Trump seems to be headed for a fall. And isn't it interesting that McKibben has formed a special group to target seniors who have leaned toward climate change denial. And they're beinning to shift. AS always, thank you, Heather for your time, dedication and insightful reports that help keep me apprised1.
Heather, I really appreciate your writings as they are terrific summaries!
I hope they can save the wild Mustangs before they are exterminated. (Remember the canaries in the mines)
Bravo fro McKibben! If you sourced this I missed it. I will do a search on this current action.
HCR continues to peddle the groundless and baseless partisan propaganda insinuation that Trump knew that his accusations of election fraud were false.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22143214
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
JohnM,
lin gave a response to my developing presentation of my assessment that contains a lot of food for thought, here:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22147663
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/08/02/trump-lies-2020-election-fraud-indictment/
Heather Elowe, your source makes the groundless and baseless assumption that Trump did not BELIEVE that his claims of election fraud were true.
HCR also dishonestly avoids this point:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22143214
NANANA-BOOBOO
In the August 9 Politico Playbook, Professor Richardson is listed as a member of the American Bar Association's new Task Force for American Democracy:
"DEMOCRACY WATCH — The American Bar Association is launching a new Task Force for American Democracy, which will examine how to improve civic understanding of and trust in election administration to bolster an essential, flagging element of democracy’s infrastructure. J. MICHAEL LUTTIG and JEH JOHNSON will co-chair the task force, whose members also include everyone from DICK GEPHARDT to BILL KRISTOL to HEATHER COX RICHARDSON . The full list of members: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/leadership/office_of_the_president/american-democracy/task-force/
The mission statement:
https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000189-d818-dc67-a1bf-f93d0b550000&nname=playbook&nid=0000014f-1646-d88f-a1cf-5f46b7bd0000&nrid=00000173-8353-d062-a5fb-8bfbdab60000&nlid=630318
Thank you Professor for your dedication to our democracy during one of our darkest hours.
Thank you for your expertise, your wisdom, your hard work, and your inspiration.
What company you keep, HCR
We must remember that those voters and other citizens who are less than 50 years old do not necessarily know anything about what it was like for those of us who lived through the 60s or 70s or 80s. They DON’T KNOW. We must educate them and support their exploration of the world as it is today, but with wisdom that comes from a clear-eyed study of history. Professor Richardson is an amazing teacher and mentor, and we should all strive to carry her message to everyone we know, especially to young people, because they are now the ones who carry the terrible burden of creating the future.
Right, the younger generations don't know what life was like before Reaganomics. Many don't seem to understand the dangers of letting the private sector gain the upper hand.
Heather, I’m glad to see you get out the letter early enough to get a good night’s sleep.
Pardoning Nixon and then the Iran-Contra officials set a very bad precedent of “if you’re rich and powerful enough, you’re above the law”. Obviously, TFG and his supporters believe so.
I’m with Neal Katyal that, like the January 6 committee’s hearings, the trial needs to be televised. People who might not believe the written word may well believe their eyes and ears, forestalling a further fracturing of the country.
Jess Craven lists a quick and easy Resisbot letter to send to Chief “Justice” Roberts !
⬇️
https://open.substack.com/pub/chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions/p/chop-wood-carry-water-810-48f?r=fqsxl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
May we get the mafia boss behind bars and never again elect another. Question: why since DT and Nauta cannot speak about the case does the former have contact with the latter? Neither can be trusted not to talk.
I thought the same when I saw them together recently!
HCR continues to peddle the groundless and baseless partisan propaganda insinuation that Trump knew that his accusations of election fraud were false.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22143214
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
JohnM,
lin gave a response to my developing presentation of my assessment that contains a lot of food for thought, here:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22147663
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/08/02/trump-lies-2020-election-fraud-indictment/
Alas! An idiot in the garden of critical thinking. Russian bots working overtime to defend "their boy."
Heather Elowe, your source makes the groundless and baseless assumption that Trump did not BELIEVE that his claims of election fraud were true.
HCR also dishonestly avoids this point:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22143214
So next year will be the fiftieth anniversary of Nixon’s resignation. That should be fun.
As long as Trump goes down.
Charles, !!!!!! Hadn't realized that.
Glad to see you able to turn in earlier tonight.
We have not learned from our history. We have only learned how to repeat the past mistakes to enable high level lawbreakers to get away with their criminal actions.
HCR continues to peddle the groundless and baseless partisan propaganda insinuation that Trump knew that his accusations of election fraud were false.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22143214
It would appear, John, that like tRump, you believe that repetition will make your assertions true, or at least that your repetitions will convince people of your assertions. I suspect that will not hold true in this forum. They HAVE succeeded, however, in annoying most of us.
I don't think he will stop until the FBI shows up at his door. Seriously, if tomorrow the national news reported that some crazed propagandist who considers himself the "expert on the Declaration of Independence" was arrested and his name was released, would you be surprised? Not many here would be.
Like others here, I am trying to get the guy some help---we all keep reporting him to the Forum Administrators. I suggest that, rather than reply to him. Definitely report him each and every time he gets riled and calls the readers "thugs".
JohnM,
lin gave a response to my developing presentation of my assessment that contains a lot of food for thought, here:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/august-9-2023/comment/22147663
Ironic echoes of August past . . .
One would think the Republican Party, after Nixon, Iran Contra, and now Big Orange Baby, would have learned a lesson, wouldn't one?? I think HCR's tacit message in recounting these other two Republican scandals after the latest revelation of the ongoing one might just be a simple reminder that the perpetrators/abettors of these previous two scandals got off without having to pay any price, and maybe THAT is a reason we're where we are today. If these criminals in positions of government are always allowed to walk after they commit crimes, where is the punishment? Where is the deterrent to keep committing such crimes? If they always get away with breaking the law, what's to make them ever feel like they should stop? If we're supposedly a democracy based on laws, laws that are supposed to be the same for everyone from the top on down, then when comes the retribution for betraying the laws and the Constitution? HCR seems to be saying, "In these other 2 cases, little to no punishment was exacted for people in government deceiving the American people. Are we going to make that mistake again??"
They did learn a lesson: that they still have a good chance of taking democracy down. With little chance of suffering the consequences of their illegal actions, they have no incentive to follow the law. T****, being the leader of this cult, must be brought to justice. And his penalty must fit the crime. I'm against the death penalty, on principle, but in this case I'd understand why it would be warranted.
I'd just like him to be put away so he couldn't do any more harm. I'm afraid, though, that his minions are still infesting our government institutions and will for a while, at least until he sheds his capacious orange mortal coil. I'm solidly against the death penalty, even in his case, as I think he has built up SO much negative karma, the universe will have to work overtime to repay it over countless lifetimes. To paraphrase the Rabbi's line in "Fiddler on the Roof": "May G-d bless and keep The Donald . . . FAR AWAY FROM US!!"
I thought, at the time, that they had learned a lesson. Silly me. At the same time, Roger Stone was getting his tattoo and others began plotting. How gullible was I…