The House prosecutors did a superb job yesterday. Trump’s team failed.
Yet only six Republicans voted to allow the trial to proceed. Their complicity is maddening, but it is also deeply saddening. The Republican party has lost whatever semblance of a soul it might have had prior to Trump. Its soul is now dead – and this trial needs …
The House prosecutors did a superb job yesterday. Trump’s team failed.
Yet only six Republicans voted to allow the trial to proceed. Their complicity is maddening, but it is also deeply saddening. The Republican party has lost whatever semblance of a soul it might have had prior to Trump. Its soul is now dead – and this trial needs to be the nail that seals the coffin.
If I were giving the summation in the Senate trial:
In 2019, this body had the opportunity to put an end to one of the most corrupt and divisive chapters in American Presidential history and instead, voted to allow it to continue.
And a result of that choice, we find ourselves here today, one month after an attempted Coup that cost the lives of seven Americans and will forever haunt this this nation, this city, and the very room in which we are assembled today.
Donald J. Trump must not be allowed to hold elective office ever again. The Senate will be held accountable if it fails to hold accountable, the person most responsible for the events of January 6, 2021.
We may be forgiven by history for failing to act in 2019, but neither history, nor the America people, will forgive us if we do it twice.
And their faces and names will be plastered everywhere from now until midterms and the next POTUS election. Meanwhile, President Biden continues to make choices that take immediate care of suffering American people. The stark difference between the traitor Republicans and the Biden efforts to date couldn’t be more significant. And the drama vs quiet resolve.
One of the great short speeches in American political history: "Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?" Joseph Welch
Can't you just see that being delivered at Ted Cruz? I can.
There will be no coffin for the GOP, far from it. Granted, they are anti-democratic and amoral, but they are not stupid. They don’t sweat little things like corruption, or attempted coups. What matters to them is seizing and holding on to power. They see backing Trump as a winning strategy. They control the Supreme Court. They control 26 state houses, where they will happily strengthen their gerrymandering strongholds. It’s likely they will take Congress (Senate and House) in 2022. There will be more Marjorie Taylor Greene’s, while Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger will lose their primaries. The lunatics are close to critical mass, and they’re not backing down.
Arizona Republicans are not going to sit by and let their state go blue ever again. They are also getting rid of any “never Trump” Republicans. They even censured Cindy McCain. Let that sink in, they censured the Republican widow of the war hero who was one of the most revered and long-serving Republicans in Arizona history.
Arizona will be redistricted by an independent commission. Republicans may lose control, certainly lopsided control, of the legislature. The time of Republican control of Arizona politics is coming to an end.
Figuring out what works is the challenge. We can’t end gerrymanderng. The Supreme Court ruled it’s up to the states, they wouldn’t declare it illegal. We could try to pass a law to end it, but that would take 60 votes in the Senate (unless we end the filibuster). There’s no way to break the media feedback loop to reach Republican voters, Fox, Newsmax et al have that locked down. The one successful model we have is Stacey Abrams, and her work in Georgia (which GA Republicans are working to erase). We need a Stacey Abrams in Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Arizona, etc. The one advantage we have is voter registration, and then turnout. It’s a slog...
Yes, I am hoping there is work being done by Fair Fight to establish leaders in these states to duplicate her efforts. This and pushing our elected officials to pass HR 1, For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Enhancement Act.
Perhaps democrats in those states could send young intern trainees to study under her while assisting her, and then return home to carry the lessons to their states. There was a very interesting program on NPR maybe two years ago (?) about how a group of wealthy Republicans set up an organization to fund radio shows in rural areas in central America which often became the only real news sources those areas had. It was referring to the region as a news desert and discussed how the effect of that was exactly as one would imagine. We need a group of wealthy Democrats to do likewise or even perhaps for the Lincoln Project to do likewise. Education and access to alluring but truthful sources of information are going to be vital to turn the nation around.
Stacey is a force of nature, and I believe her vision is much broader than simply Georgia. I'm sure she would be on board with your suggestion. This country is in desperate need of a reset!
Of course it will be a slog - so was the Revolution, but we wore the British down and prevailed. What we can't allow to happen is being demoralized. We have the numbers; Stacey Abrams and FairFight will not allow Kemp and Raffensperger to fortify voter suppression, and there are plenty of Stacey clones in this nation who have been emboldened by her example. There are two things, in my opinion, that we need to accomplish. One is refusing to give in to a defeatist attitude, and the other is to understand the powerful majority that we possess, thus becoming a bit less "democratic," and be unwilling to compromise when compromise weakens our cause. Meet in the middle when we can, but smile and persist in our goals when it isn't profitable to do otherwise. We can't afford to have tunnel vision and see only the obstacles.
Cynthia, I believe we will fight. This dystopian forecast doesn't make sense. Yes, the republicans control a disproportionate amount of real estate, but they gained that control with t***p's bullying and a majority in the Senate that enabled his criminality. The tide is turning, and many of us adhere to R Dooley's vision of the future. There are more of us than them, and we're discovering that by refusing to bargain with terrorists we can win - and I believe we will.
With respect, I disagree with your threshold premise, that embracing corruption, insurrection and lies is somehow wise. “Smart Like a Fox” – perhaps, but otherwise devoid of integrity, intellectual or otherwise.
This trial affords the people an unfiltered and graphic display of what can and did happen when a Republican President and his accomplices in the party, fully exercised their will. We can’t expect the willfully ignorant to embrace the truth of what is on display, but not everyone who voted for the former president is evil or ignorant or undemocratic. They may not embrace our policies, but they do not want to burn the Constitution in the public square.
With its current majority, Congress can pass the “We The People Act” that would dramatically enhance the ability of all citizens to have their voices heard. It also addresses extreme gerrymandering.
I would encourage everyone to look at the link below from the Brennen Center for Justice that breaks down the provisions of the Act, and if you agree with its aims, to actively advocate for immediate action to pass it.
As you said, the lunatics are not backing down. I agree – and neither should we.
Thank you for the link, RD. I share your vision. This country is imperfect, but sane people outnumber the cretins. I believe we will prevail, and we can't be defeatist to accomplish victory.
I'm not sure the Ds can get much past the filibuster. We have to bear in mind that a majority does them little good if they can't bring some of the Rs along.
77 million people voted for a crude, misogynistic narcissist who bears direct responsibility for hundreds of thousands of coronavirus deaths. 77 million. If the Rs can find a slightly less insane, slightly more attractive white supremacist authoritarian, the American people have demonstrated their willingness to vote for him. We cannot afford to be complacent for even one second.
Reid, I agree that we dropped the ball when Trump was elected, and also that he still has a fan club, and complacency would be disastrous. However, I don't see that we're being complacent at this point. Our country's problems existed before Trump took center stage, and anyone with a brain got a wakeup call - thus the 8 million votes for Biden over and above T***p's appalling 77 million. We do need to be worried, but I really can't get on board with your gloomy prediction at this point. With all due respect, Biden is doing a good job of righting the ship in the mere 22 days he's been in office. We all must keep an eye on our course, and if it falters, must do what we can to get back on track, but I'm encouraged by Biden and his stellar cabinet appointments.
I certainly agree that Biden is making all the right moves, in particular with his cabinet appointments. I also think getting on with making the lives of average people better is both a moral and a political victory.
But I don't see that this country has changed much from 2016, and Rs around the country are becoming far more sophisticated about voter suppression. Many of them feel it was Rs who were asleep at the switch in 2020, and they won't let that happen again. And it's worth remembering that in a year we elected a Democratic president, we actually LOST seats in the House. A very bad augury.
The House prosecutors did a superb job yesterday. Trump’s team failed.
Yet only six Republicans voted to allow the trial to proceed. Their complicity is maddening, but it is also deeply saddening. The Republican party has lost whatever semblance of a soul it might have had prior to Trump. Its soul is now dead – and this trial needs to be the nail that seals the coffin.
If I were giving the summation in the Senate trial:
In 2019, this body had the opportunity to put an end to one of the most corrupt and divisive chapters in American Presidential history and instead, voted to allow it to continue.
And a result of that choice, we find ourselves here today, one month after an attempted Coup that cost the lives of seven Americans and will forever haunt this this nation, this city, and the very room in which we are assembled today.
Donald J. Trump must not be allowed to hold elective office ever again. The Senate will be held accountable if it fails to hold accountable, the person most responsible for the events of January 6, 2021.
We may be forgiven by history for failing to act in 2019, but neither history, nor the America people, will forgive us if we do it twice.
We will remember the 44 Republican Senators who voted on 2/09/2021 against the Constitution.
https://twitter.com/sethabramson/status/1359265868383928323?s=21
They are actually Seditionists.
And their faces and names will be plastered everywhere from now until midterms and the next POTUS election. Meanwhile, President Biden continues to make choices that take immediate care of suffering American people. The stark difference between the traitor Republicans and the Biden efforts to date couldn’t be more significant. And the drama vs quiet resolve.
And add something about, "have you no sense of decency!?"
One of the great short speeches in American political history: "Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?" Joseph Welch
Can't you just see that being delivered at Ted Cruz? I can.
And the answer would be “No.”
Of course said question is rhetorical and does not depend upon an answer.
Or simply reply......"then, in that case, where is yours Mr Cruz?
And Cruz’s answer would be “Decency’s for chumps”.
He would look right through you and walk away.
There will be no coffin for the GOP, far from it. Granted, they are anti-democratic and amoral, but they are not stupid. They don’t sweat little things like corruption, or attempted coups. What matters to them is seizing and holding on to power. They see backing Trump as a winning strategy. They control the Supreme Court. They control 26 state houses, where they will happily strengthen their gerrymandering strongholds. It’s likely they will take Congress (Senate and House) in 2022. There will be more Marjorie Taylor Greene’s, while Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger will lose their primaries. The lunatics are close to critical mass, and they’re not backing down.
I should have added, “(They control 26 state houses) where they will also strengthen voting restrictions and increase voter suppression.”
Some of those 26 state houses are already taking some draconian measures. Witness what Arizona is doing.
Arizona Republicans are not going to sit by and let their state go blue ever again. They are also getting rid of any “never Trump” Republicans. They even censured Cindy McCain. Let that sink in, they censured the Republican widow of the war hero who was one of the most revered and long-serving Republicans in Arizona history.
Arizona will be redistricted by an independent commission. Republicans may lose control, certainly lopsided control, of the legislature. The time of Republican control of Arizona politics is coming to an end.
From your lips....
Off the rails bonkers.
My ‘like’ , once again is a ‘grrr’.
I will go down fighting against that! We all should.
Figuring out what works is the challenge. We can’t end gerrymanderng. The Supreme Court ruled it’s up to the states, they wouldn’t declare it illegal. We could try to pass a law to end it, but that would take 60 votes in the Senate (unless we end the filibuster). There’s no way to break the media feedback loop to reach Republican voters, Fox, Newsmax et al have that locked down. The one successful model we have is Stacey Abrams, and her work in Georgia (which GA Republicans are working to erase). We need a Stacey Abrams in Ohio, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Arizona, etc. The one advantage we have is voter registration, and then turnout. It’s a slog...
Yes, I am hoping there is work being done by Fair Fight to establish leaders in these states to duplicate her efforts. This and pushing our elected officials to pass HR 1, For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Enhancement Act.
Perhaps democrats in those states could send young intern trainees to study under her while assisting her, and then return home to carry the lessons to their states. There was a very interesting program on NPR maybe two years ago (?) about how a group of wealthy Republicans set up an organization to fund radio shows in rural areas in central America which often became the only real news sources those areas had. It was referring to the region as a news desert and discussed how the effect of that was exactly as one would imagine. We need a group of wealthy Democrats to do likewise or even perhaps for the Lincoln Project to do likewise. Education and access to alluring but truthful sources of information are going to be vital to turn the nation around.
Stacey is a force of nature, and I believe her vision is much broader than simply Georgia. I'm sure she would be on board with your suggestion. This country is in desperate need of a reset!
Of course it will be a slog - so was the Revolution, but we wore the British down and prevailed. What we can't allow to happen is being demoralized. We have the numbers; Stacey Abrams and FairFight will not allow Kemp and Raffensperger to fortify voter suppression, and there are plenty of Stacey clones in this nation who have been emboldened by her example. There are two things, in my opinion, that we need to accomplish. One is refusing to give in to a defeatist attitude, and the other is to understand the powerful majority that we possess, thus becoming a bit less "democratic," and be unwilling to compromise when compromise weakens our cause. Meet in the middle when we can, but smile and persist in our goals when it isn't profitable to do otherwise. We can't afford to have tunnel vision and see only the obstacles.
Cynthia, I believe we will fight. This dystopian forecast doesn't make sense. Yes, the republicans control a disproportionate amount of real estate, but they gained that control with t***p's bullying and a majority in the Senate that enabled his criminality. The tide is turning, and many of us adhere to R Dooley's vision of the future. There are more of us than them, and we're discovering that by refusing to bargain with terrorists we can win - and I believe we will.
Only if we allow it. It's dicey, but not preordained.
Kinzinger was on Anderson 360 last night talking about the first day of trial last night. It is worth a listen.
With respect, I disagree with your threshold premise, that embracing corruption, insurrection and lies is somehow wise. “Smart Like a Fox” – perhaps, but otherwise devoid of integrity, intellectual or otherwise.
This trial affords the people an unfiltered and graphic display of what can and did happen when a Republican President and his accomplices in the party, fully exercised their will. We can’t expect the willfully ignorant to embrace the truth of what is on display, but not everyone who voted for the former president is evil or ignorant or undemocratic. They may not embrace our policies, but they do not want to burn the Constitution in the public square.
With its current majority, Congress can pass the “We The People Act” that would dramatically enhance the ability of all citizens to have their voices heard. It also addresses extreme gerrymandering.
I would encourage everyone to look at the link below from the Brennen Center for Justice that breaks down the provisions of the Act, and if you agree with its aims, to actively advocate for immediate action to pass it.
As you said, the lunatics are not backing down. I agree – and neither should we.
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/policy-solutions/congress-must-pass-people-act
Thank you for the link, RD. I share your vision. This country is imperfect, but sane people outnumber the cretins. I believe we will prevail, and we can't be defeatist to accomplish victory.
I'm not sure the Ds can get much past the filibuster. We have to bear in mind that a majority does them little good if they can't bring some of the Rs along.
They are also quite likely to take the White House in 2024. The omens are not good.
What?!!!!
77 million people voted for a crude, misogynistic narcissist who bears direct responsibility for hundreds of thousands of coronavirus deaths. 77 million. If the Rs can find a slightly less insane, slightly more attractive white supremacist authoritarian, the American people have demonstrated their willingness to vote for him. We cannot afford to be complacent for even one second.
Reid, I agree that we dropped the ball when Trump was elected, and also that he still has a fan club, and complacency would be disastrous. However, I don't see that we're being complacent at this point. Our country's problems existed before Trump took center stage, and anyone with a brain got a wakeup call - thus the 8 million votes for Biden over and above T***p's appalling 77 million. We do need to be worried, but I really can't get on board with your gloomy prediction at this point. With all due respect, Biden is doing a good job of righting the ship in the mere 22 days he's been in office. We all must keep an eye on our course, and if it falters, must do what we can to get back on track, but I'm encouraged by Biden and his stellar cabinet appointments.
I certainly agree that Biden is making all the right moves, in particular with his cabinet appointments. I also think getting on with making the lives of average people better is both a moral and a political victory.
But I don't see that this country has changed much from 2016, and Rs around the country are becoming far more sophisticated about voter suppression. Many of them feel it was Rs who were asleep at the switch in 2020, and they won't let that happen again. And it's worth remembering that in a year we elected a Democratic president, we actually LOST seats in the House. A very bad augury.
Amen.
You have my vote for Senator, R.