I remember when I was younger. I studied Political Science and did internships in Washington. Perhaps I was too idealistic. But I believed that you went to DC to do good in and for the world. After graduation, I returned to DC but soon became disillusioned by the pursuit of power vs the pursuit of good. At this time, I was still young enough to be naive about corruption, but smart enough to say this wasn't for me. What I can't understand -- and maybe I am now to old to be naive -- is how so many people who believed lies spewed by a former President wanting to clean the swamp still believe and adhere to his even bigger lies. And maybe we need to change the vernacular. Government and policy over politics and partisanship. Let's face it. We need to make examples of men like those indicted, along with the top of the lying chain. Until their punishment matches their crimes against America and our democracy, this corruption, power-mongering and partisan games will continue. I'm glad Thomas Barrack is being held in detention.
I see the situation now as being one in which a number of people are trying to wrest open a giant fence. Behind it is a mountain of evil doings extending as far and high as the eye can see.
It is being tugged on energetically and periodically a piece of the refuse tumbles down and clatters to the ground within reach of those at the fence.
Yesterday the Barrack story clattered down. It will be parsed minutely, as it should be, with who knows what results.
The mountain heaves a bit and settles. But one day the fence will split open completely and the mountain of garage will pour down into view, rushing like a river. It may happen too late for any but the historians of the day to be there. Or sooner, when the investigators struggle for access and the evildoers quake.
Already though, we have seen enough to be (I fervently hope) astounded at the casualness of the last administration towards corruption. Usually corruption first gains a toehold and then spreads slowly. Here it was amazingly brazen and widespread from the very inception of his candidacy - the escalator walk to a crowd of cheering…actors.
In the handy jargon of the day, stench was a feature, not a bug.
Yes, and 'Dark Money' by Jane Mayer occurred to me. Have there been any books in the last few years of the back room deals and dealers influencing our foreign policy in significant ways? The insider deals by a Trump insider is a tiny peephole to a much bigger black hole.
Exactly, I have a dim memory of the Iran Contra Affair (secret arms deal), our dealings with Latin America... how little we know about how this has been affecting our policies, our lives and the lives of so many around the world -- ignorance is part of our terror. Ignorance is a devil.
I believe that we're more able to see some of the machinations today, and possibly the wave of disinformation is sewn to confuse and prevent the average citizen from understanding all of it. I didn't understand the blockade of Quatar, but failed to seek clarification, with all of the smoke that TFG was generating. I was also bemused by SIL Jared and TFG's brokering the "normalization agreement" between the UAE and Israel, and assumed there was more dirty work going on, but again was distracted by the upcoming election. Even if it's confusing, we all need to pay attention to what is in the news, then piece it together as time goes on.
When I was younger, I studied the "Milgram Experiments" of Yale Professor, Stanley Milgram, trying to understand the post-WWII position, "I was just following Orders" [authority]. The Nurenberg Principles required prosecuting the "top lying chain" & dismantling of the "power-mongering" chain of command.
I expect that when Mr. Barrack gets tired of sitting behind bars, he will squeal. Then it will be the ex porker-in-chief's turn to squeal. The film "Deliverance" comes to mind.
Or the "prisoner scenario" in classic Game theory in which the optimum solution for the criminals when the "police" have no real evidence is that they both resist temptation and don't rat on the other and thereby they both get off. Instead they both in isolation give evidence to the police about each other seperately in return for promises that won't be kept and both get done.....the worst outcome for the prisoners and the best for the police.
And so appalling that our government did not respond with outrage and sanctions. The "friendship" between murderous and repressive Saudi royal family members and US Presidents has always been about power and oil, never about human rights.
I still shiver every time I think of poor Khashoggi: what they did to him and how, to this day, MBS continues to weird power over SA, with the world at his feet. It's not just about a Saudi butcher, but a world who gives him respect -- a world that has failed to turn its back on him. May the Force be with us.
Evidently Jared Kushner peddled his influence within the [former president's] administration to get out from under his failed real estate schemes, and thus 50 of the our most advanced warplanes/weapons systems go off to the tiny, peace-loving, Israel's new best friend, (for the moment,) United Arab Emirates. Iran no doubt is looking on with interest.
The Middle East wasn't enough of a powder keg.
The former president and his family go through life leaving a trail of bankruptcy, failure, and general wreckage in their wake, and think of themselves as most clever withal.
Hallefreakinlujah!! Our DOJ is working!! So much we don’t see until it’s served up on a platter. Thank you again 81+ million voters. Time to have a mini celebration. 🎉🇺🇸 May Justice prevail.
I am so totally in your mini celebration party. It is difficult to be patient for the platter, but I’ve always prayed…do it right, keep it tight DOJ. I want to see the whole meal on the table that the former commanded be served up.
The unparalleled corruption within and surrounding the Trump administration was never a bug, it was and remains a feature. The failure to hold those at the top of their misdeeds, including Trump and his family members accountable will be remembered in history with shame. Likewise the trembling fealty of Republicans to Trump shows the moral failure of an entire political party. History will not forgivenorbe kind to them. There is no way to hide the truth of this era from history or erase it from memory.
Not even a "feature" but rather the "mission" and accomplished. We should be relentless in our quest for accountability. Continue to pressue in every way we can for a lawful government. This news uplifted me. That we do have leadership with integrity that understands the importance of accountability.
"Ms. Tyson’s letter was a response to a 2019 letter from Mr. Whitehouse and Mr. Coons to the F.B.I. director, Christopher A. Wray, posing questions about how the F.B.I.’s review of Mr. Kavanaugh was handled.
In an interview, Mr. Whitehouse said the F.B.I.’s response showed that the F.B.I.’s handling of the accusations into misconduct by Mr. Kavanaugh was a sham. Ms. Tyson’s letter, Mr. Whitehouse said, suggested that the F.B.I. ran a “fake tip line that never got properly reviewed, that was presumably not even conducted in good faith.”
Mr. Whitehouse and six of his Democratic colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee replied to the F.B.I.’s letter on Wednesday with demands for additional details on the agreement with the White House that governed the inquiry. They also pressed for more information on how incoming tips were handled."
My takeaway is that trump's erratic and excessively corrupt administration makes clear an inherent weakness in our nation's position in world politics. Rather than being seen as a stable ally tending toward democratic progress, any country looking to us for partnership has a clear example of how quickly our government can fall into the hands of a demagogic charlatan, vociferously supported by a large voter base of poorly informed and easily misled people. Who, by the way, are ardent supporters of their rights to brandish high powered weaponry and clearly are willing to violently disrupt the functioning of normal government processes. This is not a good look for the USA, and certainly will cause nations around the world to think twice and to always consider the potential of our loyalty turning on a dime before they enter into agreements with us. My mind reels.
Policy turning on a dime has been a feature of American politics for a long time. Our motto is, change is good. At least it is entertaining, which is what we crave. This has caused both allies, rivals, and minorities enormous difficulties, especially during long stretches when one-term presidencies were the norm. Foreigners have never known what to expect from the us. As for why much of the public goes along with trump, it’s a matter of emotion, which has always trumped being informed. You all remember, dances with wolves and “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Trump’s followers hate the rest of us, and he provides them the opportunity to express their hatred. Nothing else matters to them.
Fair point, but something shifted. There has long been a consensus that politics end at the water's edge. Whatever upset and contortions we may experience internally as a nation, there was a rough continuity in our foreign policy. There could be changes in emphasis or certain details, but the general aim was steady. That went out the window with trump, whose only policy goal was WIIFM - What's In It For Me. Namely, what fed his ego the most or gave him personal leverage over others. I get the feeling he's not familiar with the concept of a win-win negotiation. He can't feel a win unless he sees someone else lose.
I don't believe that "much of the public goes along with trump", but that their voices are loud, brash, and hard to ignore. We just need to get and keep the majority who don't go along out there voting, voting, voting.
How could any rational person trust the US after its electorate put three rank amateurs (an actor, a hapless playboy, and a mobster wannabe) in the presidency for 20 of the past 40 years?
I guess Curtis Lemay must have been an anomaly among top brass in the US military. Maybe Westy was a close second, but he was more in the duplicitous category than the fully bonkers category.
Yes, that little tidbit jumped out at me as well. No one "acquires" $70M of anything (much less bad debt) without expecting something in return. This was 11 years ago. What was going on then?
I’d misread this as during trump admin when 666 Fifth Av was needing balloon payment help, but according to Kirkpatrick NYT this was 2010. Why did Barrack take on $70 million of JK’s debt? Kirkpatrick says Barrack close to trump like Bebe Rebozo was to Nixon so was Barrack truly just helping JK because he could afford to, like a close uncle? This was years before trump’s presidency or even golden elevator descendance. Help here?
In truth it probably didn't cost him anything either as he would by the debt at a significant discount owing to pending bankruptcy zand would forget the amount of debt that the discount representing and thus lower Kushner's level of debt sufficiently to avoid the worst. The price that Kushner paid for this help is obviously the question and also who funded the debt purchace? Barrack himself or the Saudi/UAE money?
By taking tax loss now, and having possible resale potential to next in line tax loss taker? Or is needing a large tax writeoff this year only benefit, do you know?
Usually he is expecting either eventual repayment of the full debt after pressure though the courts...see recent Argentina government bond debt negotiations...or he thinks he can resell it to another. If both fail he turns it round as a business loss and wipes out his taxes for a number of years to come. ...see Trumps tax strategy with credits for losses.
If this isn't treason (Jared and Bannon meeting with UAE and Saudi leaders about Qatar without the knowledge of Sect of State Rex Tillerson, himself not qualified but a favor)--I don't know what is.
Our military brass fighting with our state dept, fighting with our executive branch, all being played by Russia and the Arabs. What a clusterf$%^. Over what. More millions for the millionaires.
I'll state the obvious - if every single one of these people that are involved in all the scheming, backroom dealing, and high crimes and malfeasance are not brought to justice, then it will all happen again and likely be much worse. Trump came to Washington to make deals that would personally benefit himself and his family and associates. He brought on people who were all too happy to enrich themselves at taxpayer expense. They sacrificed national security, trampled the rule of law, and abandoned the Constitution in order to hide their grifting and in the case of some, save them from financial ruin. They spent taxpayer dollars like it was their own to make deals that would enrich themselves and their wealthy benefactors. Then they gave the wealthy huge tax breaks to look the other way.
Don't even get me started on Covid! That was a financial boon for the wealthy - damn the half-million who were left defenseless against a raging pandemic. Keep those businesses open - damn the loss of human life. Not to mention that if we had a fully functioning national healthcare system, the impact would have been significantly less because it would have been largely out of the control of the politicians. As it was and is, living in a reckless and irresponsible Red State is frightening and demoralizing! Trump and the Republicans on the federal and the state level have been guilty of crimes against humanity!
We have only seen the tip of the iceberg in terms of the depth of corruption in the Republican Party, from the top down. Drain the swamp, Trump proclaimed. Behind him, he has a fetid swampland in the executive branch and in Congress which Biden is still struggling to drain. We will not know for years just how dearly we'll pay in lives and treasure for Trump's and the Republican's crimes and self-serving deals. Rest assured, in the Middle East, they have long memories - they won't forget whose side we took and why.
Meanwhile, Democrats seem set on putting this all behind as quickly as possible and uniting the country for the greater good. At any other time in history that would be a laudable goal, but today, we can't move forward until those who brought this country to its knees have been tried and convicted of high crimes and misdemeanors. It won't be pretty airing all our dirty laundry to the world, but if we don't, our standing in the world and all that is associated with that will be irreparably damaged. When I see what the Democratic leadership is doing, I have to say it doesn't look good at all. Biden's a great guy, but he's down a path that will not solve the bigger problems facing us. As HCR said yesterday, Republicans have it easy - they possess a proven ability to deny the Democrats every accomplishment.
What Republicans can't prevent would be a full-frontal attack by the Democrats - hearing after hearing, digging into all the high crimes and malfeasance. Republicans will be crying a blue streak. All Democrats have to do is say is, they are protecting national security, the integrity of the Constitution, and upholding the rule of law. To the people who want the Democrats to take the high road - I'm confident that history will record that saving democracy and holding the fascists/insurrectionists/traitors/terrorists accountable for all their wrongdoings will be taking the high road!
Keep your faith if you can in Nancy Pelosi, Don. We do not speak of her much on this forum but she is as shrewd and politically intuitive as can be. If anyone will keep the collusion front and center, it will be her. The committee will get to the bottom and top of it and what’s in between regarding the insurrection because we do not have to prove there was one, we all saw it! Obv the Repubs, all of them…even the fair ones….know their party is up Bullsh*t Creek and Nancy Pelosi is about to relieve them of their paddles!
YES! But first how do we prevent the fascists/insurrectionists/traitors/terrorists/scaredy-cat republicans from burying the truth? Starting with the Mueller Report, they have not just been lucky. Why does Fox “News” get all the attention except when something really amazingly stupid happens like Brian Killmeade’s interpretation of the Constitution that HCR wrote about yesterday or Ron Paul’s incredible rudeness toward Dr Fauci. We have to find a way to deal successfully with the bullies first.
I strongly suggest that we stop referring to swamps as bad things that need to be drained. This is not only ecologically unsound, it is a poor metaphor for holding politicians accountable. It's use to refer to the situation in DC may have originated in the fact that where our nation's capitol now stands there was once a vast swampland. Unfortunately, draining it in order to build the capitol may have resulted in the mistaken idea that swamps are evil, smelly, rotten places that need to be eliminated. Swamps, when allowed to perform naturally, do much to keep our water clean, acting as giant filters and as habitat to myriad flora and fauna. Draining them causes flooding, increased nutrient loads in lakes and rivers, decimation of indicator species, and so much more that an environmental scientist can explain much better than I.
Rather than using this poor metaphor for rooting out corruption in government, let's speak plainly and say we need to get rid of the criminals and profiteers who go to DC to enrich and grab power for themselves. We need to call out the lobbyists and elected officials who care nothing about the good of the country, the people, or the environment. We need to name and prosecute ALL of those who aided and abetted and actively organized the insurrection of January 6. We need to keep calling it the Big Lie.
I' ve been around awhile now and I've seen corruption in government before, but the Trump administration surely and literally takes the cake. Trump after all has been groomed all his life as a nihilist and authoritarian opportunist with delusions of significance. He's been an equal opportunity cheat stiffing even the smallest of contractors and "business partners". In a simpler day he would already have been "whacked" by someone he'd crossed. And that's the mystery to me. He's made so many of his willing accomplices take the fall and yet we have to rely on the winds of political change to try and get rid of this toxic slime ball. Can't he just end up in a river already?! Why do we have to use the coffers of our government to bring this scrap to the heap. Alright, I suppose that if it happens it would be restorative to a sense that our government is still in the business of upholding some ethical standards of behavior. But to have to do all this and still have people on the so called "right" supporting his delusions is too galling for words. America's Mussolini makes Mussolini look good! Yes I'll admit it I wouldn't be sad if ours came to a similar fate. Let the people have him!
He (the orange menace) has a knack for bringing out the worst in people. Sad to say, but I can't say I'd stand against him meeting some street justice.
You raise an interesting point when pointing out that in a 'simpler day,' crossing someone could result in 'whacking.' There are those who theorize that both Kennedy assassinations might have been such 'whackings' perpetrated by people who were 'crossed' by them, specifically organized crime. But we in the United States no longer live in that 'simpler day' although countries like North Korea, Russia and China still do and where 'whacking' still occurs.
I think that, in this forum, mention and discussion of "whacking," particularly in a positive context, is out of place, and can only encourage partisan viewpoints which would better be avoided.
None of us here, I would hope, condones taking the law into one's own hands ... and killing someone, allthough that is precisely what some of the January 6 insurrectionists were screaming about doing! If one side plays by the rules and the other doesn't, guess who wins.
Thanks Rob that was my intention. I don't think there's anything to be gained by becoming the enemy we seek to defeat. Someone else mentioned that Al Gore was likely actually cheated out of the presidency. What would have happened if our team had rioted and stormed the capital to overturn the election? Do we think those on the right would be so concerned with due process? It's great to be on the moral high ground as long as your not getting mowed down. Kent State baby!
I see the value in your comments regarding my use of the term "whacking" and perhaps the idea that it's incumbent upon those of us on the "left" to remain civil. However, I make no apology for the fact that I believe the crimes of this administration are fully deserving of any and all punishment. However, I'm pretty well convinced that Trump has no need to fear capital punishment or even being "whacked" while in the joint. Besides, if the Republicans have control of the government after 2022 they'll just send him to Mar A Lago to do his time. My point is that we seem to have lost the ability to answer his crimes at all. Consider what justice has been afforded the relatives, friends and family of those killed at the hands of the rioters Trump inspired. We can't afford to become toothless in the face of a conflict that may result in the collapse of our way of governance. I hope readers will forgive my "partisan" perspective.
For the first time in American history, a peaceful transfer of power after an election DID NOT take place. The former president has yet to admit defeat and instigated a violent riot to prevent the confirmation of the electoral vote in the Capitol with carefully chosen words. Andrew Jackson in 1824, Samuel Tilden in 1876 and Al Gore in 2000, all of whom had strong arguments against the legitimacy of the election's results, didn't stoop to pulling such a stunt and ultimately accepted them. Donald Trump did not. In some way, shape or form, he must pay for this in a manner which does not leave him looking heroic in the eyes of his misguided supporters.
I understand, Gilco. I am frustrated too, but we (you and I) must wait until 2022 to exact our revenge at the ballot box. Meanwhile, we can work for and support progressive causes, write, even rabble-rouse, but let's not sink to their level of lawlessness. It would likely be counterproductive.
Pete, I agree with you. I think that none of us actually want to see this happen - rather, I want justice to be served. For me, that means accountability, indictment, conviction, and prison. I believe this is necessary, not merely as punishment, but more importantly as showing the world that we are a functioning democracy, and to prove to future, possibly more competent autocrats, that we will not stand for this.
I agree, Kathy. We do not look like a functioning democracy at this point as long as those who would subvert it go free. They are still free and lying and working their corruption as if past transgressions and present conniving are not considered important. For the sake of democracy around the world, we need to set the example of holding Trump and his ilk accountable. Prosecution to the fullest extent of the law or others like him will follow and even be worse!
And among those who need to be prosecuted are members of the US Congress - that they have not already been removed is disheartening. However, it is my hope that when their villainy is laid bare by the committee, they will lose their seats, lose their Congressional pensions, go to prison, and never be allowed to run for any public office again (as should already have happened to TFG, purely on the basis of those things for which he was twice impeached, let alone the events of January 6).
Maybe we should consider crowd-sourcingnthe prosecution of Trumps band of enemies. Who else would be interested in seeing the list of anonymous contributors?
Reading this somewhat shocking bit of news both here and at NY Times today, I have one question:
Why has Jared Kushner not been arrested?
Kushner is a simple private citizen and apparently involved in taking money from Barrack, to avoid his failed business endeavor becoming bankrupt, with a clear goal to influence the President of the United States.
Has Trump managed to change the laws in the United States so that favored people escape arrest for criminal people?
It’s a delightful fantasy to imagine Barrack or Kushner spending time in prison, but it’s a fantasy nonetheless. Even a bad outcome for Barrack at his bail hearing would be a surprise.
“These arrests serve as a warning to those who act at the direction of foreign governments without disclosing their actions, as well as those who seek to mislead investigators about their actions, that they will be brought to justice and face the consequences.”
Doesn't this apply to Donald Trump, his family and every member of Trump's administration?
I've been reminded throughout my life that "ignorance is no excuse" when you break the law. Trump as President had every resource and responsibility to follow and uphold the law. Impeachment proceedings do not exonerate an official from breaking the law. It's time that Americans see our laws enforced at the highest levels of power. Not the Trump style "lock her or him up". But actual trials with facts, witnesses, juries without political agenda and guilty verdicts.
TRUMP is an outsized threat to the USA because he has an interest in messing with things that he does not have the capacity to understand. This guy should never have an opportunity to run for ANY office again EVER. Perhaps with the list of miscreants in today's letter we should finally empty the cells still occupied at Guantanamo. It appears there will be quite a cast of characters we are going to need a place for.
Or even my adult ESL students after we finished the chapters on Health Care in the US and Understanding Health Insurance policies. I was teaching the class, and I still don't understand most of it!
“I have joined the political arena so that the powerful can no longer beat up on people that cannot defend themselves,” said Donald Trump in the acceptance speech at his nominating convention. “Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it.”
What a great idea, we should use Guantanamo to house all of the scum that were part of the clown’s team, I don’t want to empty the place, the people that are there, are there for a reason, but there’s room for a lot more, and god knows there are a lot of candidates for those cells. What a happy thought 😎
Thanks Heather. I’m grateful for your attention to and articulation of these details. Emotionally, I’m exhausted by the endless shenanigans of the greedy and corrupt. May their liberties be tempered by justice.
As a semi-related question, exactly what was the relationship between the Bush family and the House of Saud? I've always heard that it was a close relationship, but I've never seen the contours explored. The class of oligarchs is not limited to Trump, he is merely one of the clumsiest and most brazen.
Once read that Papa Bush was on the board of a very influential financial firm which handled Saudi $$$$! Recall , little bush had bin Laden relatives in US on a plane shortly after 9/11 terrorist attack orchestrated by bin Laden! Why?? Follow the $$$$!
I'm pretty sure it's available from sources not serviced or owned by Jeff B's company. Ask your local bookseller - you can probably order it even if it's not on their shelves - without paying shipping, and without financing more billionaire junkets to "space".
It's been years since I read it. Basically, the Bin Laden family did not come from 'royalty' but had to work their way into a position of power with goods and services supplied. Osama was a bit of a zealot within the family and doesn't necessarily represent the views of his other family members.
I do remember hearing that even when all air traffic was shut down in the days following 9/11, all of the Bin Ladens in this country were flown out. Presumably for their own protection.
I remember when I was younger. I studied Political Science and did internships in Washington. Perhaps I was too idealistic. But I believed that you went to DC to do good in and for the world. After graduation, I returned to DC but soon became disillusioned by the pursuit of power vs the pursuit of good. At this time, I was still young enough to be naive about corruption, but smart enough to say this wasn't for me. What I can't understand -- and maybe I am now to old to be naive -- is how so many people who believed lies spewed by a former President wanting to clean the swamp still believe and adhere to his even bigger lies. And maybe we need to change the vernacular. Government and policy over politics and partisanship. Let's face it. We need to make examples of men like those indicted, along with the top of the lying chain. Until their punishment matches their crimes against America and our democracy, this corruption, power-mongering and partisan games will continue. I'm glad Thomas Barrack is being held in detention.
I see the situation now as being one in which a number of people are trying to wrest open a giant fence. Behind it is a mountain of evil doings extending as far and high as the eye can see.
It is being tugged on energetically and periodically a piece of the refuse tumbles down and clatters to the ground within reach of those at the fence.
Yesterday the Barrack story clattered down. It will be parsed minutely, as it should be, with who knows what results.
The mountain heaves a bit and settles. But one day the fence will split open completely and the mountain of garage will pour down into view, rushing like a river. It may happen too late for any but the historians of the day to be there. Or sooner, when the investigators struggle for access and the evildoers quake.
Already though, we have seen enough to be (I fervently hope) astounded at the casualness of the last administration towards corruption. Usually corruption first gains a toehold and then spreads slowly. Here it was amazingly brazen and widespread from the very inception of his candidacy - the escalator walk to a crowd of cheering…actors.
In the handy jargon of the day, stench was a feature, not a bug.
"The Art of the Deal," indeed.
Yes, and 'Dark Money' by Jane Mayer occurred to me. Have there been any books in the last few years of the back room deals and dealers influencing our foreign policy in significant ways? The insider deals by a Trump insider is a tiny peephole to a much bigger black hole.
I'm not shocked by any of this, but it's still stomach-churning. You're right, Fern, this is the tip of the iceberg, and has been going on forever.
Exactly, I have a dim memory of the Iran Contra Affair (secret arms deal), our dealings with Latin America... how little we know about how this has been affecting our policies, our lives and the lives of so many around the world -- ignorance is part of our terror. Ignorance is a devil.
I believe that we're more able to see some of the machinations today, and possibly the wave of disinformation is sewn to confuse and prevent the average citizen from understanding all of it. I didn't understand the blockade of Quatar, but failed to seek clarification, with all of the smoke that TFG was generating. I was also bemused by SIL Jared and TFG's brokering the "normalization agreement" between the UAE and Israel, and assumed there was more dirty work going on, but again was distracted by the upcoming election. Even if it's confusing, we all need to pay attention to what is in the news, then piece it together as time goes on.
Got that Eric, "cheering Actors"... $50 cash each" ... "T-shirts only".
Brutal eh?
Classic Canadian phrase. :)
But exactly what popped into my mind.
Damn Eric, you capture it so well
When I was younger, I studied the "Milgram Experiments" of Yale Professor, Stanley Milgram, trying to understand the post-WWII position, "I was just following Orders" [authority]. The Nurenberg Principles required prosecuting the "top lying chain" & dismantling of the "power-mongering" chain of command.
“Government and policy over politics and partisanship.” 🇺🇸Great bumper sticker!
Politics and partisanship are the only way (other than overthrowing the government) to get the government and policy you want.
Oh but that was a different swamp! He wasn't talking about his own swamp!
I expect that when Mr. Barrack gets tired of sitting behind bars, he will squeal. Then it will be the ex porker-in-chief's turn to squeal. The film "Deliverance" comes to mind.
Or the "prisoner scenario" in classic Game theory in which the optimum solution for the criminals when the "police" have no real evidence is that they both resist temptation and don't rat on the other and thereby they both get off. Instead they both in isolation give evidence to the police about each other seperately in return for promises that won't be kept and both get done.....the worst outcome for the prisoners and the best for the police.
Hear, hear!
Oh but that was a different swamp! He wasn't talking about his own swamp!
Out of the frying pan, straight into the fire.
Back in the 1950's Behavorial Study Professors called this type of experiment, "Abnormal Psychology"... "The Experiment requires that you continue".
And why they didn’t care one bit about Jamal Khashoggi.
Yes, as I read this I thought of that brutally murdered truth teller.
So horrifying!
And so appalling that our government did not respond with outrage and sanctions. The "friendship" between murderous and repressive Saudi royal family members and US Presidents has always been about power and oil, never about human rights.
I still shiver every time I think of poor Khashoggi: what they did to him and how, to this day, MBS continues to weird power over SA, with the world at his feet. It's not just about a Saudi butcher, but a world who gives him respect -- a world that has failed to turn its back on him. May the Force be with us.
Evidently Jared Kushner peddled his influence within the [former president's] administration to get out from under his failed real estate schemes, and thus 50 of the our most advanced warplanes/weapons systems go off to the tiny, peace-loving, Israel's new best friend, (for the moment,) United Arab Emirates. Iran no doubt is looking on with interest.
The Middle East wasn't enough of a powder keg.
The former president and his family go through life leaving a trail of bankruptcy, failure, and general wreckage in their wake, and think of themselves as most clever withal.
And then they get away with it...that is the sad part.
Got away with it so far. Kushner is young; there is still time for him to be able to follow his father into prison.
He’s the ass whole sold weapons to the Saudis so that they would lift his bad debt .. I despise him
Not yet. Stay tuned.
Hallefreakinlujah!! Our DOJ is working!! So much we don’t see until it’s served up on a platter. Thank you again 81+ million voters. Time to have a mini celebration. 🎉🇺🇸 May Justice prevail.
Now we need to get the IRS better funded and working!
I am so totally in your mini celebration party. It is difficult to be patient for the platter, but I’ve always prayed…do it right, keep it tight DOJ. I want to see the whole meal on the table that the former commanded be served up.
“Do it right, keep it tight” 😁👏🏼 ❤️
☝🏻Yes, Christy, this, and platter to whole meal❣️❣️
The unparalleled corruption within and surrounding the Trump administration was never a bug, it was and remains a feature. The failure to hold those at the top of their misdeeds, including Trump and his family members accountable will be remembered in history with shame. Likewise the trembling fealty of Republicans to Trump shows the moral failure of an entire political party. History will not forgivenorbe kind to them. There is no way to hide the truth of this era from history or erase it from memory.
Succinct and to the point, Bruce. Or as I’d say to a student making a persuasive argument in an essay….”Bam!”
Not even a "feature" but rather the "mission" and accomplished. We should be relentless in our quest for accountability. Continue to pressue in every way we can for a lawful government. This news uplifted me. That we do have leadership with integrity that understands the importance of accountability.
"Ms. Tyson’s letter was a response to a 2019 letter from Mr. Whitehouse and Mr. Coons to the F.B.I. director, Christopher A. Wray, posing questions about how the F.B.I.’s review of Mr. Kavanaugh was handled.
In an interview, Mr. Whitehouse said the F.B.I.’s response showed that the F.B.I.’s handling of the accusations into misconduct by Mr. Kavanaugh was a sham. Ms. Tyson’s letter, Mr. Whitehouse said, suggested that the F.B.I. ran a “fake tip line that never got properly reviewed, that was presumably not even conducted in good faith.”
Mr. Whitehouse and six of his Democratic colleagues on the Senate Judiciary Committee replied to the F.B.I.’s letter on Wednesday with demands for additional details on the agreement with the White House that governed the inquiry. They also pressed for more information on how incoming tips were handled."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/details-on-f-b-i-inquiry-into-kavanaugh-draw-fire-from-democrats/ar-AAMrpto?ocid=msedgntp
Mr. Whitehouse is very good for our country.
My takeaway is that trump's erratic and excessively corrupt administration makes clear an inherent weakness in our nation's position in world politics. Rather than being seen as a stable ally tending toward democratic progress, any country looking to us for partnership has a clear example of how quickly our government can fall into the hands of a demagogic charlatan, vociferously supported by a large voter base of poorly informed and easily misled people. Who, by the way, are ardent supporters of their rights to brandish high powered weaponry and clearly are willing to violently disrupt the functioning of normal government processes. This is not a good look for the USA, and certainly will cause nations around the world to think twice and to always consider the potential of our loyalty turning on a dime before they enter into agreements with us. My mind reels.
Policy turning on a dime has been a feature of American politics for a long time. Our motto is, change is good. At least it is entertaining, which is what we crave. This has caused both allies, rivals, and minorities enormous difficulties, especially during long stretches when one-term presidencies were the norm. Foreigners have never known what to expect from the us. As for why much of the public goes along with trump, it’s a matter of emotion, which has always trumped being informed. You all remember, dances with wolves and “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Trump’s followers hate the rest of us, and he provides them the opportunity to express their hatred. Nothing else matters to them.
Fair point, but something shifted. There has long been a consensus that politics end at the water's edge. Whatever upset and contortions we may experience internally as a nation, there was a rough continuity in our foreign policy. There could be changes in emphasis or certain details, but the general aim was steady. That went out the window with trump, whose only policy goal was WIIFM - What's In It For Me. Namely, what fed his ego the most or gave him personal leverage over others. I get the feeling he's not familiar with the concept of a win-win negotiation. He can't feel a win unless he sees someone else lose.
Stellar and insightful, Syd.
Then there's the fact that tRump is owned by Russia, UAE, and countless others who pulled his strings. What was in it for them.
Weaponry and leverage
I don't believe that "much of the public goes along with trump", but that their voices are loud, brash, and hard to ignore. We just need to get and keep the majority who don't go along out there voting, voting, voting.
Agreed, Syd…oh, the daunting damage control with which Biden is tasked.
How could any rational person trust the US after its electorate put three rank amateurs (an actor, a hapless playboy, and a mobster wannabe) in the presidency for 20 of the past 40 years?
Right. Further, consider that those unbalanced and insidious amateurs had access to an immense nuclear arsenal.
Yes. Lots if really bad stuff happened, but it’s a miracle it wasn’t even worse.
I guess Curtis Lemay must have been an anomaly among top brass in the US military. Maybe Westy was a close second, but he was more in the duplicitous category than the fully bonkers category.
Yep. Lemay was really in the bonkers category.
🤦♂️
Acquired 70 MIllIon of Kushner's debt. Think about it.
Yes, that little tidbit jumped out at me as well. No one "acquires" $70M of anything (much less bad debt) without expecting something in return. This was 11 years ago. What was going on then?
I’d misread this as during trump admin when 666 Fifth Av was needing balloon payment help, but according to Kirkpatrick NYT this was 2010. Why did Barrack take on $70 million of JK’s debt? Kirkpatrick says Barrack close to trump like Bebe Rebozo was to Nixon so was Barrack truly just helping JK because he could afford to, like a close uncle? This was years before trump’s presidency or even golden elevator descendance. Help here?
In truth it probably didn't cost him anything either as he would by the debt at a significant discount owing to pending bankruptcy zand would forget the amount of debt that the discount representing and thus lower Kushner's level of debt sufficiently to avoid the worst. The price that Kushner paid for this help is obviously the question and also who funded the debt purchace? Barrack himself or the Saudi/UAE money?
In many discount debt purchases the buyer actually makes a profit.
It's certainly his intention. Profit comes in all shapes and sizes.
By taking tax loss now, and having possible resale potential to next in line tax loss taker? Or is needing a large tax writeoff this year only benefit, do you know?
Right, thanks. For the gaggle in the back of the classroom, what benefit is there to buyer in purchasing another’s debt, please. Thanks.
Usually he is expecting either eventual repayment of the full debt after pressure though the courts...see recent Argentina government bond debt negotiations...or he thinks he can resell it to another. If both fail he turns it round as a business loss and wipes out his taxes for a number of years to come. ...see Trumps tax strategy with credits for losses.
And MBS also could be mortgage backed securities:)
Definitely something to look into!
If this isn't treason (Jared and Bannon meeting with UAE and Saudi leaders about Qatar without the knowledge of Sect of State Rex Tillerson, himself not qualified but a favor)--I don't know what is.
Our military brass fighting with our state dept, fighting with our executive branch, all being played by Russia and the Arabs. What a clusterf$%^. Over what. More millions for the millionaires.
Self-interested corruption.
I'll state the obvious - if every single one of these people that are involved in all the scheming, backroom dealing, and high crimes and malfeasance are not brought to justice, then it will all happen again and likely be much worse. Trump came to Washington to make deals that would personally benefit himself and his family and associates. He brought on people who were all too happy to enrich themselves at taxpayer expense. They sacrificed national security, trampled the rule of law, and abandoned the Constitution in order to hide their grifting and in the case of some, save them from financial ruin. They spent taxpayer dollars like it was their own to make deals that would enrich themselves and their wealthy benefactors. Then they gave the wealthy huge tax breaks to look the other way.
Don't even get me started on Covid! That was a financial boon for the wealthy - damn the half-million who were left defenseless against a raging pandemic. Keep those businesses open - damn the loss of human life. Not to mention that if we had a fully functioning national healthcare system, the impact would have been significantly less because it would have been largely out of the control of the politicians. As it was and is, living in a reckless and irresponsible Red State is frightening and demoralizing! Trump and the Republicans on the federal and the state level have been guilty of crimes against humanity!
We have only seen the tip of the iceberg in terms of the depth of corruption in the Republican Party, from the top down. Drain the swamp, Trump proclaimed. Behind him, he has a fetid swampland in the executive branch and in Congress which Biden is still struggling to drain. We will not know for years just how dearly we'll pay in lives and treasure for Trump's and the Republican's crimes and self-serving deals. Rest assured, in the Middle East, they have long memories - they won't forget whose side we took and why.
Meanwhile, Democrats seem set on putting this all behind as quickly as possible and uniting the country for the greater good. At any other time in history that would be a laudable goal, but today, we can't move forward until those who brought this country to its knees have been tried and convicted of high crimes and misdemeanors. It won't be pretty airing all our dirty laundry to the world, but if we don't, our standing in the world and all that is associated with that will be irreparably damaged. When I see what the Democratic leadership is doing, I have to say it doesn't look good at all. Biden's a great guy, but he's down a path that will not solve the bigger problems facing us. As HCR said yesterday, Republicans have it easy - they possess a proven ability to deny the Democrats every accomplishment.
What Republicans can't prevent would be a full-frontal attack by the Democrats - hearing after hearing, digging into all the high crimes and malfeasance. Republicans will be crying a blue streak. All Democrats have to do is say is, they are protecting national security, the integrity of the Constitution, and upholding the rule of law. To the people who want the Democrats to take the high road - I'm confident that history will record that saving democracy and holding the fascists/insurrectionists/traitors/terrorists accountable for all their wrongdoings will be taking the high road!
Keep your faith if you can in Nancy Pelosi, Don. We do not speak of her much on this forum but she is as shrewd and politically intuitive as can be. If anyone will keep the collusion front and center, it will be her. The committee will get to the bottom and top of it and what’s in between regarding the insurrection because we do not have to prove there was one, we all saw it! Obv the Repubs, all of them…even the fair ones….know their party is up Bullsh*t Creek and Nancy Pelosi is about to relieve them of their paddles!
YES! But first how do we prevent the fascists/insurrectionists/traitors/terrorists/scaredy-cat republicans from burying the truth? Starting with the Mueller Report, they have not just been lucky. Why does Fox “News” get all the attention except when something really amazingly stupid happens like Brian Killmeade’s interpretation of the Constitution that HCR wrote about yesterday or Ron Paul’s incredible rudeness toward Dr Fauci. We have to find a way to deal successfully with the bullies first.
apologies, it was Rand not Ron, but you knew that anyway. ;-)
I strongly suggest that we stop referring to swamps as bad things that need to be drained. This is not only ecologically unsound, it is a poor metaphor for holding politicians accountable. It's use to refer to the situation in DC may have originated in the fact that where our nation's capitol now stands there was once a vast swampland. Unfortunately, draining it in order to build the capitol may have resulted in the mistaken idea that swamps are evil, smelly, rotten places that need to be eliminated. Swamps, when allowed to perform naturally, do much to keep our water clean, acting as giant filters and as habitat to myriad flora and fauna. Draining them causes flooding, increased nutrient loads in lakes and rivers, decimation of indicator species, and so much more that an environmental scientist can explain much better than I.
Rather than using this poor metaphor for rooting out corruption in government, let's speak plainly and say we need to get rid of the criminals and profiteers who go to DC to enrich and grab power for themselves. We need to call out the lobbyists and elected officials who care nothing about the good of the country, the people, or the environment. We need to name and prosecute ALL of those who aided and abetted and actively organized the insurrection of January 6. We need to keep calling it the Big Lie.
Lanita, you bring up a very good point about swamps. Criminals and profiteers it is. Thank you.
Thank you! I absolutely agree!
Agree 100%. Thank you, Don.
I' ve been around awhile now and I've seen corruption in government before, but the Trump administration surely and literally takes the cake. Trump after all has been groomed all his life as a nihilist and authoritarian opportunist with delusions of significance. He's been an equal opportunity cheat stiffing even the smallest of contractors and "business partners". In a simpler day he would already have been "whacked" by someone he'd crossed. And that's the mystery to me. He's made so many of his willing accomplices take the fall and yet we have to rely on the winds of political change to try and get rid of this toxic slime ball. Can't he just end up in a river already?! Why do we have to use the coffers of our government to bring this scrap to the heap. Alright, I suppose that if it happens it would be restorative to a sense that our government is still in the business of upholding some ethical standards of behavior. But to have to do all this and still have people on the so called "right" supporting his delusions is too galling for words. America's Mussolini makes Mussolini look good! Yes I'll admit it I wouldn't be sad if ours came to a similar fate. Let the people have him!
Delusions of significance- perfect. This sums up the former guy’s entire existence.
Yes, a legend in his own mind.
Thanks Betsy I have to admit I liked that line myself eek I'm getting self congratulatory!
You earned it on that one!
Here we are, paying for his protection. At least as of this week, we’re no longer paying for security for his corrupt, complicit children.
Oh! Good.
He (the orange menace) has a knack for bringing out the worst in people. Sad to say, but I can't say I'd stand against him meeting some street justice.
You raise an interesting point when pointing out that in a 'simpler day,' crossing someone could result in 'whacking.' There are those who theorize that both Kennedy assassinations might have been such 'whackings' perpetrated by people who were 'crossed' by them, specifically organized crime. But we in the United States no longer live in that 'simpler day' although countries like North Korea, Russia and China still do and where 'whacking' still occurs.
And our ally Saudi Arabia
Exactly, Rob.
I think that, in this forum, mention and discussion of "whacking," particularly in a positive context, is out of place, and can only encourage partisan viewpoints which would better be avoided.
None of us here, I would hope, condones taking the law into one's own hands ... and killing someone, allthough that is precisely what some of the January 6 insurrectionists were screaming about doing! If one side plays by the rules and the other doesn't, guess who wins.
Karma!
I saw it as an Historical Reference:
"In a simpler day he would already have been "whacked" by someone he'd crossed."
Just a point of fact that is hard to understand why it hasn't happened by the number of ppl he has crossed and caused great damage.
Thanks Rob that was my intention. I don't think there's anything to be gained by becoming the enemy we seek to defeat. Someone else mentioned that Al Gore was likely actually cheated out of the presidency. What would have happened if our team had rioted and stormed the capital to overturn the election? Do we think those on the right would be so concerned with due process? It's great to be on the moral high ground as long as your not getting mowed down. Kent State baby!
Yes.
I see the value in your comments regarding my use of the term "whacking" and perhaps the idea that it's incumbent upon those of us on the "left" to remain civil. However, I make no apology for the fact that I believe the crimes of this administration are fully deserving of any and all punishment. However, I'm pretty well convinced that Trump has no need to fear capital punishment or even being "whacked" while in the joint. Besides, if the Republicans have control of the government after 2022 they'll just send him to Mar A Lago to do his time. My point is that we seem to have lost the ability to answer his crimes at all. Consider what justice has been afforded the relatives, friends and family of those killed at the hands of the rioters Trump inspired. We can't afford to become toothless in the face of a conflict that may result in the collapse of our way of governance. I hope readers will forgive my "partisan" perspective.
For the first time in American history, a peaceful transfer of power after an election DID NOT take place. The former president has yet to admit defeat and instigated a violent riot to prevent the confirmation of the electoral vote in the Capitol with carefully chosen words. Andrew Jackson in 1824, Samuel Tilden in 1876 and Al Gore in 2000, all of whom had strong arguments against the legitimacy of the election's results, didn't stoop to pulling such a stunt and ultimately accepted them. Donald Trump did not. In some way, shape or form, he must pay for this in a manner which does not leave him looking heroic in the eyes of his misguided supporters.
I understand, Gilco. I am frustrated too, but we (you and I) must wait until 2022 to exact our revenge at the ballot box. Meanwhile, we can work for and support progressive causes, write, even rabble-rouse, but let's not sink to their level of lawlessness. It would likely be counterproductive.
In trump's last days, how many death row prisoners were rushed to their executions?
Pete, I agree with you. I think that none of us actually want to see this happen - rather, I want justice to be served. For me, that means accountability, indictment, conviction, and prison. I believe this is necessary, not merely as punishment, but more importantly as showing the world that we are a functioning democracy, and to prove to future, possibly more competent autocrats, that we will not stand for this.
And that we have some institutions that continue to work.
I agree, Kathy. We do not look like a functioning democracy at this point as long as those who would subvert it go free. They are still free and lying and working their corruption as if past transgressions and present conniving are not considered important. For the sake of democracy around the world, we need to set the example of holding Trump and his ilk accountable. Prosecution to the fullest extent of the law or others like him will follow and even be worse!
And among those who need to be prosecuted are members of the US Congress - that they have not already been removed is disheartening. However, it is my hope that when their villainy is laid bare by the committee, they will lose their seats, lose their Congressional pensions, go to prison, and never be allowed to run for any public office again (as should already have happened to TFG, purely on the basis of those things for which he was twice impeached, let alone the events of January 6).
I heartily agree Pete, there is no place on this forum for any calls for death, seriously or in jest.
Maybe we should consider crowd-sourcingnthe prosecution of Trumps band of enemies. Who else would be interested in seeing the list of anonymous contributors?
Reading this somewhat shocking bit of news both here and at NY Times today, I have one question:
Why has Jared Kushner not been arrested?
Kushner is a simple private citizen and apparently involved in taking money from Barrack, to avoid his failed business endeavor becoming bankrupt, with a clear goal to influence the President of the United States.
Has Trump managed to change the laws in the United States so that favored people escape arrest for criminal people?
HCR alluded to an enticing portion of the detainment - that Barrack may flip. And Idjt won’t lift a pudgy finger to help Kushner.
"Hey buddy, we'll give you 1 year off your sentence for each 10 people you flip on..."
It’s a delightful fantasy to imagine Barrack or Kushner spending time in prison, but it’s a fantasy nonetheless. Even a bad outcome for Barrack at his bail hearing would be a surprise.
Don't forget- Barr...'nuff said.
“These arrests serve as a warning to those who act at the direction of foreign governments without disclosing their actions, as well as those who seek to mislead investigators about their actions, that they will be brought to justice and face the consequences.”
Doesn't this apply to Donald Trump, his family and every member of Trump's administration?
I've been reminded throughout my life that "ignorance is no excuse" when you break the law. Trump as President had every resource and responsibility to follow and uphold the law. Impeachment proceedings do not exonerate an official from breaking the law. It's time that Americans see our laws enforced at the highest levels of power. Not the Trump style "lock her or him up". But actual trials with facts, witnesses, juries without political agenda and guilty verdicts.
TRUMP is an outsized threat to the USA because he has an interest in messing with things that he does not have the capacity to understand. This guy should never have an opportunity to run for ANY office again EVER. Perhaps with the list of miscreants in today's letter we should finally empty the cells still occupied at Guantanamo. It appears there will be quite a cast of characters we are going to need a place for.
"Nobody knew health care could be so complicated."
Ha! Except everyone who has EVER worked on it!
Or anyone who has had to buy it!
Or anyone who has had to run any sort of insurance billing program...
Amen to that!
Or even my adult ESL students after we finished the chapters on Health Care in the US and Understanding Health Insurance policies. I was teaching the class, and I still don't understand most of it!
😂😂😂
“Messing with things he does not have the capacity to understand”. Well said!!
And the list of "things" is endless!
“I have joined the political arena so that the powerful can no longer beat up on people that cannot defend themselves,” said Donald Trump in the acceptance speech at his nominating convention. “Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it.”
https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2017/08/i-alone-can-fix-it-becomes-its-not-my-fault.html
“Nobody knows me better than me, which is why I alone will never try to fix it.”
What a great idea, we should use Guantanamo to house all of the scum that were part of the clown’s team, I don’t want to empty the place, the people that are there, are there for a reason, but there’s room for a lot more, and god knows there are a lot of candidates for those cells. What a happy thought 😎
Okay, but only if the official "interrogators" turn their attentions to the new guys.
Thanks Heather. I’m grateful for your attention to and articulation of these details. Emotionally, I’m exhausted by the endless shenanigans of the greedy and corrupt. May their liberties be tempered by justice.
I'm with you!
As a semi-related question, exactly what was the relationship between the Bush family and the House of Saud? I've always heard that it was a close relationship, but I've never seen the contours explored. The class of oligarchs is not limited to Trump, he is merely one of the clumsiest and most brazen.
Once read that Papa Bush was on the board of a very influential financial firm which handled Saudi $$$$! Recall , little bush had bin Laden relatives in US on a plane shortly after 9/11 terrorist attack orchestrated by bin Laden! Why?? Follow the $$$$!
Read "The Bin Ladens: An Arabian Family in the American Century" by Steve Coll
https://www.amazon.com/Bin-Ladens-Arabian-American-Century/dp/0143114816/
I'm pretty sure it's available from sources not serviced or owned by Jeff B's company. Ask your local bookseller - you can probably order it even if it's not on their shelves - without paying shipping, and without financing more billionaire junkets to "space".
Thank You. Can you also give us the Reader's Digest version? Cliff Notes?
It's been years since I read it. Basically, the Bin Laden family did not come from 'royalty' but had to work their way into a position of power with goods and services supplied. Osama was a bit of a zealot within the family and doesn't necessarily represent the views of his other family members.
I do remember hearing that even when all air traffic was shut down in the days following 9/11, all of the Bin Ladens in this country were flown out. Presumably for their own protection.
Thank You Stephen.
A billionaire in the graybar hotel on Terminal Island. I like it!
Gray bars, orange suit and a blank expression: Donald Trump in a state of nature.
His suit will be orange, but his face and hair will be gray.