In a letter to Georgia Representative Barry Loudermilk (R-GA) this morning, the chair of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the U.S.
Yes,I agree.Also,I am mortified that a traitorous ex-POTUS is backing like-minded candidates in our primaries currently.It is beyond pale that this man’s approval is a plus and now these people have a chance to once again infiltrate our government.If Republicans in Congress would have done their duty and impeached and removed this man, none of this would be happening.
Of particular concern to me is the number of people who have said they will question the election, particularly secretaries of state. America must be extremely careful WHO is elected.
“Although we have now heard evidence from Trump’s attorney general William Barr, campaign manager Bill Stepien, White House lawyers, and even his own daughter, testifying under oath, that the 2020 election wasn’t stolen—and that such claims were at least in part a way to cheat small donors out of $250 million—insisting on the Big Lie has become a requirement for Republican candidates. Yesterday, Amy Gardner and Isaac Arnsdorf of the Washington Post laid out how more than 100 of the Republicans who have won primaries have signed on to the Big Lie, including eight candidates for the U.S. Senate, eighty-six House candidates, five candidates for governor, four for state attorney general, and one for secretary of state.”
Most who have come clean, up to and including Bill Barr, have done so to save their own skin. In Bill Barr's case, he wants to sanitize his badly stained reputation. Take what they offer, but don't forget what contribution they've made to this disaster.
Pam, thanks for this - it's perfect. We can't allow ourselves to forget that, without enablement by Barr and every other complicit Republican, TFG could never have done the amount of damage that has weakened our democracy.
Consider, Barr is surpassed as a grifter only by dopey don! His distortion of the Mueller Report reduced the years of investigation to a 30 second sound byte played over and over again! He was sending trump written advise before he was appointed AG, apparently auditioning for the job!
Too late bubba Billy, people died and dozens injured on Jan 6 while you watched from the sidelines!
I totally agree. I never trusted him, and his dismissal of Mueller's investigation cemented that dislike/distrust. Anything that he does now to clean up his image won't fool me.
Correct Louis - Barr is an evil man. What he did with the Mueller report should "live in infamy." Think about what might have been, had that report received its just due from him. We might have gotten Trump impeached right then, and maybe even indicted, which he fully deserved.
I never could stand him. His sanctimonious piety never fooled me. No truly pious person would have sullied himself by serving TFG. He was glad to serve as TFG's beard in order to climb the steps to the White House later.
This is why the committee started with Bannon knowing he would refuse to testify and now he will go to trial soon. The rest of them decided they didn't want to go to prison for contempt. It would be better to cooperate. They will perhaps not go to prison, but their slate will be covered forever with mire from the bottom of the swamp.
Sadly Michele, those whitewashing will have permanent stains and will be future fodder for Republican office holders. Until the Fox stranglehold on the voice of republicanism is dismantled we won’t see their rank and file voters start to recover from the cultism grip. Also much has yet to become common knowledge of the Reagan years putting together the dog and pony show that led directly into the Trump phenomenon. An entire new addition of the bedside book of bastards is now possible.
Interesting— going with Bannon first. I was disappointed with his trial date being so far out. Now I think maybe it will be effective to have it closer to the election. July, isn’t it? J6 committee will have had its public hearings, and Bannon’s trial will keep at least some public attention on the coup attempt.
On January 7th they were all asking to get on the 'pardon list'. John Eastman wasn't approved for the list, that's why he testified although he took the 5th on most questions.
I disagree. Respectfully. The short/selective memory span of the American people will come to the rescue, and Pence will still be around, perhaps even trying a presidential run. Pence is near the top of my destestometer list - he lies through his teeth almost as often as Trump. And justifies what he does or doesn't do with his hyper-religiosity. The shining example of hypocrisy.
But the thing about Pence - we often wonder just how low these Republican snakes will go, and for many of them we have not yet seen the bottom (Loudermilk the latest example), but we did see Pence's limit. To many, even on the left, that makes him a hero. Man is that a low bar or what?
James, I'm hoping that the January 6 hearings will help to change the "memory" thing. No, there will be no reaction from the rethuglican base, but even disgusted Democrats will be more viscerally affected. I knew that Loudermilk was lying from the beginning, but the surveillance tapes have made me even more convinced that all of them need to go, and it looks as though the "tourist" with the camera is ready to spill what he knows. I'm praying that Garland will take care of that - it looks as though he's ready to, and he's held his cards close to the vest until now.
I don't dispute any of what you say but any time Barr is even suggested for a position in government his complicity in the insurrection will come up in the press. The only way he avoids that is if the next couple of Presidents are Republican in which case we'll have bigger problems than a reconstructed Bill Barr.
Actually, although the hearings reveal infuriating backstories, most of it was information that was already out there, but not fleshed out. The presentations have been so thorough that I'd be surprised if they didn't encourage lackadaisical voters to come out, and energize those of us who are worn down by the last 6 years. Additionally, Garland is showing his hand more, so his intentions are much more encouraging. I'm hoping for accountability, finally.
Yes. If he had any integrity at all, after testifying to the truth, he would resign from that campaign, which is clearly running on lies he knows to be lies!😡
I spent 10 minutes googling that question last night. Got lots of announcements of his legitimate excuse to duck out of testifying, one fake birth report, and NO birth announcement.
I blame them all for not speaking up when it was happening. And, how did Trump manage to run for president to start out with. Are there no qualifications? Is there no one that oversees candidates. Any of the candidates. There are so many things he was that should have disqualified him and many that are sitting in the Senate and House currently.
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Judy Woodruff on PBS Newshour, interviewing Mitch McConnell, asked him point blank whether he (McC.) thought Trump was qualified to be president. McC's answer was, in effect, "the American people will decide that". Next time you fly somewhere, think about the possibility of the passengers choosing who will be the pilot.
America has been a One-Political-Party-Democracy ever since Moscow Mitch sold his soul to the Great Deceiver plunging the R's into the imagination of their own self-serving grandeur.
It is difficult, maybe impossible, for Americans (or most others) to understand that the danger today is far greater than it was in Berlin in 1933. Or at any time in history...
Now, in place of Stalin in Moscow and the military dictatorship in Tokyo, Putin's in Moscow, Xi in Beijing, and too many nuclear weapons, everywhere.
But the overriding danger is the enemy within the gates.
How so?
Because America's material power is so immense, her influence so overwhelming, that an ill-motivated fool in the White House can do damage Hitler could never dream of.
Many breathed a sigh of relief when trump was out of the WH and no longer had the nuclear code. I totally agree the set-up on the world stage is overwhelmingly dangerous. Putin has shown his side of abject evil and there are many others in the wings. Combine them with the thousands of nukes in the world (each one multiple times greater than Hiroshima) it is only a matter of time before there is a deliberate release or miscalculation from which there is no "winning" or recovery. The damage would be fatal.
That someone as unfit and criminally inclined as trump could be in the WH, not under arrest, now continuing to spew his venom, and people still rally around his insanity shows just how much the U.S. has lost.
“enemy within the gates” which became so visible on Jan 6th.
So correct, Peter. I always hold in mind a strong opinion of mine that in spite of the planning, strategy, the insane amount of money supporting the Republican organization, the treasonous intent, the fascist nature of everything “now Republican, there is an obtuse element residing in their inherent nature.
And, I believe, in short, that is what will contribute mightily to their downfall and disgrace.
In short, they underestimate and dismiss….we the people.
It seems always so…no matter how many times it is the people who ultimately dismantle the fascist minority.
I wouldn't worry. "I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat." Will Rogers. There are, at the very least, 3 parties.
And then there is this by Gore Vidal: “There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party … and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit stupider, more rigid, more doctrinaire in their laissez-faire capitalism than the Democrats, who are cuter, prettier, a bit more corrupt — until recently … and more willing than the Republicans to make small adjustments when the poor, the black, the anti-imperialists get out of hand. But, essentially, there is no difference between the two parties.”
Got it.. Not knowing, it was sort of like anitifa- a well-intentioned group whose name was co-opted by the right to vilify them. Thanks for the explanation.
I grew up in the NC in the ‘60’s. It was one party rule-Democratic rule at the time. We were encouraged to register to vote as high school seniors turning 18. I remember being told that if I registered Republican I could not vote in the primary because Republicans did not hold a primary.
When I registered to vote at 18, in my home state of South Dakota, my mother's employer (chair of the County Repubs) got a phone call. "Did you know that your employee's daughter registered wrong?"
When I registered to vote, my father stood over me. So I registered as a Republican to avoid the argument and knew damn well that I was not going to vote that way. Every time when I went to visit my father and stepmother, we had an argument about politics when it became clear what party I supported.
If we manage to destroy this criminal Party, another will spring up. Perhaps the former Republicans who have left that Party will continue to build upon their now nascent connections.
I agree with you that a one-party state is not a good idea. I hope that out of the ashes of a defeated Party of Trump a new party of reasonable conservatives will grow.
As long as Citizens United exists and the 1% are given tax havens the power in American democracy will continue to be controlled by dark money greed mongers...
Not all. Let’s not lump people into a good and evil structure. It does not help but only hinders this dire situation. I’m a democrat but I don’t believe everything they say but it pushes me even further to the left when a Republican bashes me for something I do not even believe in. Then I DO choose a side. There are many respectful, descent people from both parties. You see many republicans interviewed on PBS who are totally convinced Trump and his cohorts caused the insurrection and should be convicted. Let’s not divide us further than we already are.
Used to think the same way, and I try not to oversimplify or unduly characterize people I don't know. However - the Republican world view, or platform, is evil in and of itself. Example - any view that rejects man-caused global warming and refuses to do anything about it is just evil. That is my favorite example but there are more. So I have no room for any Republican in my life as a dear friend. Just too toxic anymore.
Yes James, I agree that the Republican Party has become a criminal conspiracy since it has been corrupted by Dumpsters. “Stop the Steal” and the “Big Lie” are delusions. The white supremacy traditionalists in the US want to stop diversity and social equality at any cost, at any price to the American system of democracy. They are deluded into thinking that their corrupt actions to support Republican politics are legitimate and patriotic. Fascist and corrupt now. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Republican party became sidelined, because it has become so obviously corrupted.
I'm not sure I agree that they are focusing on destroying the USA. I think we have a group of narcissists who seek power and money, but lack the intelligence to do it any reasonable way. They must use lies, "feelings," voting restrictions, and often false attacks to convince citizens to vote then into office. Sadly, those citizens either vote Republican because they always vote Republican or have a single need from them, or just aren't intelligent enough to figure out they are being bamboozled. It is the ease that they are allowed to lie, gaslight, and manipulate a large group of us that is mind boggling. And, GOP and supporters alike are white, low educated, fearful and gullible people. People who have no problem using aggression and violence and threats to intimidate those that oppose them.
Okay, while they are not focusing on destroying the USA, they are focusing on destroying democracy as we know it in the USA, replacing it with something else which they claim to be 'true' democracy ... but is closer to libertarianism.
I agree. I wish we could educate Democrats in Vermont not to vote again for our Republican Governor, Phil Scott. He is generally thought to have handled the Covid response well, but he has vetoed more bills than any previous Vermont Governor. Our legislators work long and hard, in addition to other jobs, to produce bills to benefit Vermonters, in vain at the stroke of a pen!
(I didn't know about his veto record-we have a governor that's even worse here in NH in many ways (When the House and Senate had a Dem majority, he vetoed 78 bills-and let's not forget his chumming up w/ the Free State Project folks-the "Republican" leader of the NH House is one of those.).
But what can we do about it? Arrest the millions of those involved in this 'criminal conspiracy'? Unlikely and probably impossible. The criminals would include, in addition to the defeated former president, many elected to Congress, judges, too many local officials to count, many in law enforcement, and their supporters. They believe the 'Big Lie' because it validates their opposition to democratic government of, by, and for the people for a variety of reasons. Where is it heading? Like the other banana republics in Central and South America, we will end up with a dictatorship that will ultimately be overthrown by a popular uprising, which will be too disorganized to have any permanance. Pick a country 'south of the border.' That's the story of all of them, and we are following that path. Is there any cause for optimism?
I say first of all, take a breath and get calm. I’m a big believer that if a person thinks the worst will happen then their energy is pushing in that direction. Look at whats right and what we can do instead of doom and gloom. It’s does not served any of us.
You can’t. I think we just need to stick together, keep the belief that we can do this. Remember, when people get threatened that they are losing their right to vote historically they come out in bigger numbers. We have to believe that intelligent reason will be stronger than the crazy antics of a few deranged criminals. When we fear them, they win. Stay strong!
I tuned into Fox News out of curiosity tonight and holy mole, what liars they are! They’re not even talking about the insurrection. They’re tearing down Joe Biden & his son Hunter. They’re denying the insurrection even happened! How is it possible they are allowed to run this propaganda tv station? It should be against the law!
Fox and News is an oxymoron! Tabloid journalism is more like it. I know it is the sort of thing my Scottish roommate in college liked to have along with Cadbury eggs to while away a nice summer day. There was a lot of stuff with Aliens, but I did not actually read the stuff myself. I still do not think that Rupert Murdoch should be allowed to own an American television station. He is basically a foreign agent even if he did purchase his citizenship.
Ronnie brought him in and allowed him free rein over our communications, timed almost exactly to Walter Cronkite’s retirement. Then immediately went after Dan Rather. Timing couldn’t have been better.
I often got a kick out of reading the headlines of the tabloids in the check-out lanes at the grocery store. My favorite was "FAMOUS PSYCHIC'S HEAD EXPLODES!" The current televised version is a lot less entertaining and a lot more dengerous.
It is the plan, man. Rupert edits the “news” for the ignorant, and the stupid. Aided and abetted by the evil. That this has gone on so long gives me little hope. He is our Goebbels and has been since the 80’s. Now Mr. Money himself (Musk) has joined the “rule by edict” crowd. My paltry donations are chump change.
This is so true in rural America. Growing up in small town East Texas, tv channels were limited, anything reported beyond local news was sparse and certainly not of front page importance, and useful discourse on national issues was nonexistent. References to “D.C.” were 99% negative no matter who was in the White House. Heard many times “those people in Washington are so far away, they don’t care one flip about us and our problems”. And the idea of getting involved or educated about anything other than how much zucchini is in the garden or how the “Mexicans” ( every brown skinned person is Mexican regardless of origin) are on every corner is viewed as strange and suspiciously motivated. Local newspapers may only be published once a week and headlines would never reflect a national event. These people respond to entertainment of any kind as a relief from the mundane and Trump’s delivery was that and only that. He made them laugh and said things they could understand and he was a “celebrity” who never claimed to be a politician and they loved that. The danger of voting for a candidate whose message was change and draining the swamp and nothing else was/is lost on them. It’s this kind of American who will continue to support Trump and follow him and his ilk down his chosen destructive path.
I think I must be older than you. When I grew up in East Texas, let's say, "outside of Palestine, TX at some undisclosed farm" , there was crop news in the morning and weather, and, then, later in the evening there was the normal news. I have no idea what was on during the day but I think my sisters sometimes watched "Days of Our Lives".
Sunday was TV preachers or real preacher.
BUT, at least in my small world, politics was never even thought of. Nobody cared who was President and almost nobody even knew who was President. IF the President, for example, fell out of an airplane and down the stairs, then, we knew that.
But, really East Texas was politics free for me and my somewhat large circle of friends over the years 1971 to 1978 as I grew to 18 years old.
AND, back then, the youth did all the work. Mexican imported labor had not yet found its way to my area anyway. OR, the adults were totally OK working us 14 hour days, which, I feel was absolutely the best preparation for everything I have done since.
My experience as a "half breed" with light skin in East Texas was good. Mostly. A few fights, one of them fairly serious, but, other than that, uneventful.....except for learning how to really work.
You, Mike, from “outside of Palestine”…me, from Palestine proper. What are the chances of our meeting on HCR! I agree, national and even state political references were non-starters. And I stand corrected…Immigrants had not yet arrived during my years there and youth did the work. High school guys baling hay, etc. all summer in that sweltering heat. No, I’m definitely older than you. I was long gone but the 70’s. I was a 17year old senior when JFK was killed. Now I’m that other kind of senior! Ha!!
Great to make your acquaintance. East Texas is what I think of as the best college preperatory area of the US.
I remember after spending so much time doing so much work going to Texas A&M and sitting in the air conditioned library thinking: NO WAY, all I have to do is read books, do some homework and all in air conditioning?
Our old farm house had zero air conditioning, our trucks did not nor our cars or tractors.
Biggest argument I got in with my room mate in the college dorms?
I wanted the window open so I could hear the birds. He was worried about "sweating".
A/C was definitely a godsend in that hotbox. I can appreciate what it felt like to find yourself in 24/7 air conditioning with the flip of a switch. It’s really a treat to know another from that town who escaped. I understand it’s totally Trump country now. Funny how the friends I’ve kept in touch with, all got an education, moved away and are progressives now. Funny thing what “ejication” will do to…for a person.
It keeps their perceived superior status intact. Then like Wyle E. Coyote in the shed on the railroad tracks with the train (of Climate Change) coming, they just pull the shade down and look the other way as if nothing will happen to them.
We can't even do one thing about a president that lies, and lies, and lies, and bullies, and attacks. He invented the norm for alternate facts, and the 1st Amendment allows it.
“How is it possible they are allowed to run this propaganda tv station? It should be against the law!”
Freedom of Expression. The First Amendment. Freedom of the Press. That is why.
Commonly known as the Chicago Statement. From the University of Chicago on the freedom of expression.
“The ideas of different members of the University community will often and naturally conflict. It is not the proper role of a University to insulate individuals from ideas and opinions they find unwelcome, disagreeable, or even deeply offensive. Deliberation or debate may not be suppressed because the ideas put forth are thought by some or even by most members of the University community to be offensive, unwise, immoral, or ill conceived.
It is for the individual members of the University community, not for the University as an institution, to judge the value of ideas, and to act on those judgments not by seeking to suppress speech, but by openly and vigorously contesting those arguments and ideas that they oppose.”
The Chicago Statement may be appropriate for an academic campus, where you don't have billions of dollars being spent on misinformation campaigns, but it is naive to think it applies to our mass media.
And why does this not apply to whatever you hear that offends you?
“…and to act on those judgments not by seeking to suppress speech, but by openly and vigorously contesting those arguments and ideas that they oppose.”
The 01/06 committee is “openly and vigorously contesting those arguments and ideas that they oppose.”.
I express opposition with my vote and my money. Not by gagging those I don’t agree with. No matter how rich they may be.
For a service that calls itself 'news,' taking an active , prominent role in a violent insurrection cannot be protected speech. How many current lawsuits are they defending? Murdoch has spread his cancer all over today's democracies.
NPR today reported on the couple whose son was killed and Fox staff created a narrative that maligned the young democrat to deflect news about Russian interference in the election. It went on for years with a pile on by Fox commentators and an effort to bug the family home. This isn't freedom of expression. It is reckless endangerment.
This is the responsibility of all, to discern fact from fiction using ideas and logic
However, the antidote for propaganda eludes us and the enemies of the state have infiltrated the opinions of enough citizens so as to have them believe the Murdochs and Musks of the world have their best interests in mind
How do you avoid succumbing to money and control in the hands of evil?
A thrilling action movie with plenty of guns and sex. It sneaks in what is known about propaganda techniques, what used car salesmen and advertisers know, how our psychological biases hamper our decision-making, in everything. There is a lot of research out there. It needs a movie.
I understand freedom of expression. However, the definition of news is something other than much of what is on Fox "News" so I have a problem with mislabeling. If you want to call lying freedom of expression, then the station is free to lie to people and pretend it is the truth. However, when people on the station are disseminating propaganda that supports interests that destabilize this country and lead people to want to overthrow and subvert the government, they are having undue influence. When you own a television station your influence is outsized that should require a higher standard than I feel Fox News is meeting. I see the lies as contributing to the destabilization of our government vis-a-vis encouraging people to armed conflict to overthrow the peaceful transfer of power. That is not what freedom of speech is for.
Depends on who gets to define "Truth, Justice, and the American Way". I'm skipping truth, it has a good dictionary definition. Justice is in the eye of the beholder as I have seen. The American Way, now... That is a belief in a construct that is based on the foundational assumption that white, heterosexual, cisgendered, Christian, property owning men would be in power, that women had no say in government, that the Indigenous Peoples had no right to the land, and that Black slaves were property.
We used ro have the fairness doctrine based on the idea that the people owned the airwaves. Of course now we have private cable, but maybe as it becomes astronomically more expensive, and the vast majority still get their news over the air, the fairness doctrine could make a comeback. At least the major networks still have journalistic values to a greater extent.
The Fairness Doctrine was removed from the law governing the media by the Federal Communications Act of 1996, if I remember correctly. ( Somebody correct me if that’s not quite right.) The repeal of the Fairness Doctrine allowed a channel like Fox “News” to spew propaganda bullsh*t with no corrections and no requirement to air “public service” announcements by people who opposed their incendiary propaganda. Then the rise of the internet in the 1990’s never got properly regulated. It democratized the media and gave a platform to a much wider diversity of views, but also removed all the barriers that used to prevent crazy cranks, conspiracy promoters, and extremists from spreading lies and hate. So now, the radicalized NRA has been able to indoctrinate close to half of Americans with the unprecedented and historically groundless creed that defending their “freedom” from “tyranny”requires unchecked civilian access to firearms. And there are no more laws to prevent Fox/Breitbart/4chan/parler et al from spewing QAnon and Dumpster’s Big Lie and any other loony crap they want under the very twisted and battered banner of “free speech”. Much of the blame for our current broken public discourse, radicalized right wing, public hate speech, and rise of authoritarian threats to our democracy traces straight back to the failure of Congress in the 1990’s to maintain proper regulation of all media to keep out lies, crazies, and hate ideologies. Sorry, y’all, preaching to the choir here, I know. End of useless rant.
I seem to recall that removed law, and it has as you have so eloquently pointed out, led to nothing but a heap of trouble. So much has been deregulated and as they say, it is hard to get the Genie back into the bottle. Can the USA ever catch up to the mess of all the things that have been deregulated under the Republican love of making money and not having government interfere with that? In the meantime everything is just a big old mess. Our infrastructure is falling apart, but we are used to roads with holes and bridges collapsing and not getting services, and moldy ugly schools, and school buses that look like they are from the 1940s. I am around people whose countries are older and yet they cannot believe how old our infrastructure looks. I wish we could just have had Build Back Better.
I am sick of those who continue to dismiss these truly frightening events as some sort of minor “dust up.” The people responsible for this need to do real prison time - and not at Club Fed, either.
Also, those referring to it as a scuffle or dust up must not remember that people DIED that day or as a result of that day. A school yard fight is a dust up.
I don't practice criminal law, but based on all the other lawyer work I've done in the last 42 years, this sure seems to fit the DOJ manual's criteria for one or more of
However, the problem is not absence of statutes that support the prosecution of crimes. There is no question there were crimes.
The problem is the United States of America is mostly primed and set up to arrest minority members of the the United States (blacks, mexicans, natives, etc.). Those arrests are encouraged and supported.
However, arresting the wealthy majority (white) members of America? That activity is nearly non-existent in American history. In other words: Taboo by unwritten agreement.
So, now we have multiple crimes committed by wealthy white men (the historical "rulers" of our society) and nobody seems to know what to do when a crime is openly committed by those members of American society.
If black folks had run the Jan 06 riot and lies they would all have been in jail the next day.
Indeed, the absence of arrests of the wealthy leaders of the Jan 06 coup is one of the very fundamental flaws in America:
--> The inability to punish illegal behavior by wealthy, white male members of society.
“If black folks had run the Jan 06 riot and lies they would all have been in jail the next day.” You give the system too much credit. They would have been dead.
However, this morning, on my local news station, I just saw a black man being walked into the jail house with cuffs on behind his back and two big deputies on each side.
Every.....single.....day.......in every town in America, the local news shows this scene.
It is a message.
But, you can go YEARS without seeing a white man similarly being perp walked out of a cop car into jail. In fact, I cannot remember if I have EVER seen that on my local TV station.
Those aren't the statutes, by the way, those are the parts of the US Department of Justice "Manual" on how to prosecute.
While I also lament the lack of arrests of those who planned and - at the ellipse on January 6 - led the insurrection, there are a lot of white, wealthy men who do get arrested for federal crimes. Most RICO prosecutions have focused on them, in fact.
It's true that the non-white population in federal prisons, just like state and local jails and prisons, is disproportionately high.
I don't disagree -- I also try my best not to overstate.
As a matter of terminology, white males aren't "immune" as much as the prosecutorial and police mindsets stereotype people of color as more likely to commit crime.
It's actually a vicious part of our history of building a country on the backs and shoulders of slaves and aboriginal Americans. It constitutes a significant part of "Critical Race Theory" as taught in law schools and graduate colleges.
FWIW, many RICO defendants are white, although you are completely correct that people of color hugely overpopulate both criminal court dockets, jails and prisons at every level in this country.
If you're interested in a very academic analysis of RICO applied to white gangs as opposed to gangs populated by POC, here's very good one - it definitely supports your point of view in a comparison of white vs non-white prison and street gangs.
Our family believes that was part of the plan. They were counting on counter- protesters who never showed up; they were going to use BLM as an excuse to declare martial law. Stupid. Why would we protest when we won? All the down ballot GQP have done just that.
I'm firmly for RICOing the lot of them, including Faux News. The penalties are awesome, and perfect for this. Seizure of assets, $ 100k per charge and 20 years in federal prison. That would keep most of them out of our hair long enough to help us adapt to climate change. RICO, baby, RICO. I promise you, this is the one that truly has them so frantic right now. Mr. Garland, the ball is in your hands, and I assure you, The Marmalade Mafia will continue to self-incriminate.
In my job as a physician, what I do is informed by impartial science, and delivered from quackery by the threat of malpractice. But the subjective nature of determining what constitutes malpractice, the disregard for physicians as imperfect humans who will inevitably make mistakes, and the reliance upon juries to sort through complicated medical cases all combine to undermine the credibility of the whole system. It has long been proposed that specialized medical malpractice courts be established to set transparent and consistent benchmarks, with compensation paid to those harmed regardless of blame, to make the whole system more fair to imperfect physicians and injured patients. We need to learn from our mistakes, constantly improve the system, and make those who are injured as whole as we can. But cases of harm so egregious and outside normal bounds of care would still be handled in courts of law, with exposure to criminal and civil penalties.
I see parallels here. Republicans who are on board with the conspiracy to overthrow our democracy and the rule of law have been allowed to drive so completely off the rails that they are willfully committing malpractice in their realm. Peddling proven lies, joining seditious acts, threatening and then being complicit with acts of violence through conservative media and in campaign ads, brandishing weapons, and stoking civil unrest and racial intolerance… our laws must be enforced here and now, and punitively. These are malicious slashes from an out of control surgeon, and the practice of American democracy, as informed by the hard won laws we’ve polished over the long moral arc of our freedom, must be protected from further harm. I give credit to Liz Cheney and Bennie Thompson in equal measure, regardless of their contradictory philosophies.
We would not let a doctor keep practicing medicine the way we tolerate these antidemocratic forces practicing leadership in a democracy.
Thank you for your perspective and thoughts, Dr. McCormick. They are clarifying and provide useful frameworks for identifying and assessing the damages caused by people "willfully committing malpractice within their realm."
Retired medical technologist here. At my medical center, we took mandatory in-services regarding mistakes, showing us examples of some famous mistakes happened. We were told that every one of us, from the lowliest in the room, could say "We need to have a time out" to stop whatever procedure was about to occur. This was emphasized to us all. Only once , in my career, did I call a time out (when assisting a physician on a bone marrow) when it was being stated for the record that the procedure was being done on the side that was not being prepped. It truly was just saying "right" when they meant "left". I was respected by the physician and those else in the room. People do make mistakes like that, but as I would be responsible for labeling the specimen and doing much of the processing, I HAD to make sure. what was being done.
I agree, with Dr McCormick, if every lowly staffer in government could call a "time out" to have all present re-evaluate what was going on, with an absolute backed guarantee that they would not be ignored or retaliated against, I think we'd never gotten to this place we are at!
Thank you Dr. McCormick, that was a splendid analogy and an excellent proposal to have a more specialized court for medical malpractice.
Now if we could just get some justice for this afflicted nation which is being severely injured by the purveyors and practitioners of political malfeasance!
Excellent analogy between an honest doc who made a (rare) mistake and a plastic surgeon who routinely inserts cheap chemicals into the body that are known to cause harm but, for example, make your lips appear like a baboon's lips AND charges $10,000 for the procedure.
Exactly like Trump, the plastic surgeon making money on fraud.
Why was the scrutiny of Rep. Loudermilk's tour of the Capitol with a large number of people and lasting several hours left to Police Chief, Tom Manager? Given the dangerous nature of the assault on 1/6, why wasn't the FBI in charge of evaluating the tour? Is there any reason to be concerned about whether Manager was influenced in his conclusion about the tour? Was Republican, representative, Rodney David, on the House Administration Committee, Manager's sole contact concerning this matter?
There is a RICO link above. I haven't checked it out. The most obvious thing about Manager is that he is a moron MORON. Look how far morons get in the USA.
"The January 6th Committee once again proved it has done its homework and has the goods on the coup plotters and liars attempting to evade responsibility for their unlawful actions on January 6th. In a dramatic development on Wednesday, the Committee released surveillance video taken on January 5th that showed GOP Rep. Barry Loudermilk giving a tour of the Capitol complex to a large group of “constituents.” One of those “constituents” took video and photos of tunnels and stairwells in the Capitol.
"The same “constituent” was in the crowd of rioters on January 6th as they advanced on the Capitol. Another insurrectionist described the “constituent” as “our fearless leader.” See NYTimes, Jan. 6 Panel Says Capitol Marcher Toured With G.O.P. Congressman.
"The video footage proves that Loudermilk, the House Republican caucus, and (sadly) the Capitol Police have misled the American public about the existence of “reconnaissance tours” led by GOP representatives on January 5th. The revelation reinforces the fact that the Committee is doing an outstanding job representing the interests of the American people and the Constitution. But it also highlights the dereliction of the DOJ, FBI, and Capitol Police. Each agency has been aware of the allegations for over a year but has failed to investigate or prosecute.
"The video reveals the audacious mendacity of the coup plotters and conspirators. After Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill reported that she saw reconnaissance tours led by Republicans on January 5th, Republicans issued the following string of denials, evasions, “corrections,” and lies. (It is helpful to know, as context, that the Capitol complex was closed to tours by members on January 5th because of Covid restrictions.)
* Republicans on the House Administration Committee (which includes Loudermilk) wrote a letter stating, “[t]here were no tours, no large groups, no one with MAGA hats on.”
* Rep. Loudermilk filed an ethics complaint against Rep. Mikie Sherrill for reporting on the existence of tours led by GOP representative on January 5th.
* Loudermilk denied that he led any tour of the Capitol complex on January 5th.
* Loudermilk then admitted he gave a tour of the Capitol complex “to a family with young children,” but claims that “to my knowledge” no one on the tour has been charged with crimes committed on January 6th “or entered the Capitol grounds.”
* Loudermilk also claimed that although some of his constituents attended the rally on the Ellipse before the attack on the Capitol on January 6th, “they turned away when they saw what was happening.”
"There are more lies, but you get the drift. See Business Insider, All the times GOP Rep. Loudermilk shifted his story about the Capitol tour he led a day before Jan. 6 attack. And remember this when evaluating Loudermilk’s explanations of why the tour was innocent: The Capitol complex was on Covid lockdown when Loudermilk gave the tour. That alone is ground for suspicion.
"The statement released by the Capitol Police was egregious and demonstrates ineptitude. In a letter to Loudermilk, the Capitol Police say that after reviewing the video of Loudermilk’s tour, they did not view “any of the activities we observed as suspicious.” The video is here:
... see if you see “anything suspicious” on the day before insurrectionists breached the Capitol.
"Here’s the point: Loudermilk could have cleared up the confusion and suspicion by telling the truth in the days following the insurrection. Instead, it took more than a year-and-a-half and a surveillance video release for him to admit the truth begrudgingly. By attempting to conceal the truth of January 6th, Republicans continue the slow-rolling coup that Trump started on November 7, 2020."
BOMBSHELL: January 6 Committee releases evidence of Republican tour of Capitol
VIDEO OF THE DAY: House 1/6 committee releases evidence of GOP rep. leading rioters on tour of Capitol
The stunning footage suggests that there may have been even closer coordination between the insurrectionists and Republican lawmakers than previously thought.
Good recapitulation of what went on. A consequence for our side in this dog fight is that Manger's reply will be played over and over distracting those who could be persuaded to our side. Meanwhile, the rabid dog will continue to attack everyone within reach while raising the stakes for our favored dog.
If I had access to the facts, I would broadcast everything true about Manger - far and wide, loud and clear - all the way down to the color of his underwear.
Interesting to note ... another name in today's global cast of characters implying biblical reference ... coincidence ...?
Manger is trying to save face and deflect any fault on his Department for sitting around while the Loudermilk tour was in progress. He is a unreliable source at best. And I agree Fern. Why wasn't an independent agency (such as the FBI) called to review the tapes? There definitely is more to this than meets the eye. Perhaps a Republican involved cover up.
My question to Manger would be: "Why didn't you stop this tour or at least stop the taking of pictures?"
Did he or any other member of the Capitol police observe the tour while it was taking place? What was the process of approval for it in the first place?
Alas, the proverbial smoking gun is in hand. Or I should say one of many smoking guns that have. been found. But this one — the creepy surveillance video of the Rep. Loudermilk-led tour — is definitive proof that the violent invasion of the Capitol was an inside job. How can the January 6 Committee not subpoena Loudermilk and perhaps others members of Congress rumored to have given tours?
The fact that Republicans in Congress still remain silent about the mounting findings tells us in the most chilling way possible that their sworn oaths to defend the Constitution were lies. They have implicated themselves through silence as at best passive supporters of the violent overthrow of democracy. Or in some cases, active participants.
The insurrectionists have an infantile sense of injustice, refusing to accept a loss much as a six-year-old would, and demanding a do-over. They're throwing their little tantrums, trying to flip the game board over. They need time-outs, in the range of 6 months to 20 years.
You are calling the scum of the earth children. I do not see the connection We would not do to children what needs to be done with these amoral, unconscionable, self-serving traitors.
Fern, you are right about the penalties for the lies of adults who exhibit a lack of moral and ethical development. Their cheating and lying. But we expect children to outgrow or mature these behaviors, to exhibit developmental stages and behaviors that are age appropriate. We know the stage of a child with ice cream on his face and don’t call him a liar. We model and teach. And understand “normal”development. The adult behavior and consequences are different. Maybe it’s a quibble with language.
Irenie, You understood that I don't like to see these criminals called children, and I also think that by calling them 'children' you make their crimes smaller. They deprived people of their rights, opportunities and human dignity as well as attempting to overturn democracy for personal game. These are truly bad characters. I think our use of language is important.
Thank you, Fern, I do understand the importance of our use of language. And that these criminals are truly bad characters, who exhibit arrested development, and the lack of ethical and moral values and development seems to be a characteristic of TFG and his MAGAs.
Thank you, Irenie. I am glad we walked through this together. It couldn't be more difficult to find a way for 'their' supporters to see through the sham. Even with the exemplary work by the committee, MAGAs' identity seem to be wed to the 'golden calf' and others are so indifferent --don't like either Trump or Biden and don't have the slightest idea what the stakes are. The last portion of HCR's Letter made the trouble clear. She's been spelling out day after day.
What's terrifying is the vast scale of the phenomenon, and how a few arsonists with matches are exploiting that to set off vast wildfires and keep them burning.
What do you mean 'Arrested development' says it all? Is that at the heart of your understanding of members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers who were charged with seditious conspiracy? Does it also explain the behavior of Trump, Giuliani, Eastman, et al. and a possible line of defense for them and others planning the overthrow of the government?
I agree with Fern on this Irenie. Words make a difference in this case. Calling them children diminishes the crime. This is way beyond lying and cheating. This was a coup d'etat against the United States of America.
Phil, your comparison of the insurrectionists to young children is spot on. Very young children who have the ice cream all over their face and dripping from their hands. And when cornered with the truth, the facts, they deny and lie. We give them a break, teach them to be honest. It’s too late for these repub deniers. Confront with the truth and they lie. Hurry up DOJ.
Hmmm. I disagree. These are anti-Democracy, cunning, lying, and dangerous people. Not child like in any way. At our own peril do we dismiss any insurrectionist as a child.
Yes, these people and the people who propagandize them with boldfaced lies are deadly. A majority of the American populace do not realize just how precarious the situation with our government is right now. We are hurtling down the road to fascism at breakneck speed with the outcome of the upcoming midterms basically determining what we will be. A democracy or a one-party rule autocracy.
A majority of white Americans are in favor of autocracy because they see it as the only way to preserve the systemic advantages that they have always had. One party will do its best to givem them what they want and the other won’t.
Thanks Phil, the fact is, we have "do overs" every 2, 4, or 6 years in this country. Something the insurrectionists seem to have lost sight of. They are not children. To believe that is to invite disaster. They are, however, being fed a steady diet of lies, denial, and justifications by an amoral leadership. Soon they will be left to their own devices. Then, I fear the REAL trouble may begin.
Worse in the sense that the violence will become even more random. Politics will become even more extreme. When the cynics are out, the zealots (the ones who actually believe all this crap) will take over. Real chaos may ensue, at least in some places such as TX and FL.
MaryPat, I am very happy to see you. Think of you and your niece, too. Whenever convenient, maybe preferable on TAFM, please don't hesitate to vent. I think of Steve as a very good subscriber pal. Cheers!
You have expressed what I have felt for the last three years. Hatred is not subtle nor are ar 15s. "It will be wild', Trump tweeted to party-goers gathering for January 6th get-together. Pathologies have been set free. Some Republicans testifying at the House Committee hearings know what has been unleashed. This country seems so broken, Steve, it appears too weak to straighten up. Liz Cheney is standing up to the BULLY. Will we see more? So far, a horrifying scenario of mammoth proportion. It is almost as hard to write as it is to contemplate.
Fern, this country has never been whole. The more I learn about the world, the more I see that this is true for most countries. Theft and usurpation are the norm. Coming to terms with this is the national occupation, weather we like it or not, weather we make up lies, blame others, or face it head-on.
How do we go on? By recognizing that 99% of any human experience is made of love. "Mother takes good care of her children" is not a headline, yet it is far more common, far more important, than any goon with a gun. If you look at the world and see no joy, then you are only looking at a very small part of the picture. Keep getting into good, joyful trouble Fern. I couldn't bear it if you didn't.
Greetings, Fern. I’m seeing 31 planning chaos in Idaho; certainly there are other groups and individuals filled with the rapacious propaganda of Rupert, et al, seeking to display their allegiances.
Trump was America's baying hound, now breathing his last, and soon to be a convicted felon...barred from running again for Federal office... .... but the fleas, by the hundreds have jumped off his skin and are attempting their own incarnation, like that Florida governor..... America needs a "Re-dedication to its Original Principals" Ceremony.. I am much more a Democrat than a Republican... but I get the chills just listening to Liz Cheney. Her courage and bravery is as extreme as that of any soldier who would jump on a hand grenade..to save his buddies... Will she have a future in politics.? I sure hope so.
She is exactly what is needed at this moment in time, but never forget her parents and the Machiavellian deeds done to get the U.S. into war from which they profited. If you never have, watch Vice - the film about Dick and Lynn.
Jack, thanks for the image of the fleas, and for your summation of Liz Cheney. Did I hear correctly that her dad was well received at one of the 1/6 hearings? This is all becoming more and more dreamlike....
I remember W grinning and saying 'What do you think of me now?' after 45 was in office for a while. Friends were preparing to move to Canada on W's watch, and that was back before Covid when we could actually pack up and go.
Her father succeeded with the Republican agenda, which has only gotten more blatant as it has become more evil. My hope is that she will go down in history for splitting the Republican Party in two - the tRumped DeSatanists vs. what we in Michigan call Milliken Republicans.
Govetnor Bill Miiliken served all of us Michiganders for 14 years, small business as well as large, and was a strong environmentalist and conservator of our Great Lakes and land. His wife Helen started Planned Parenthood in the state. Wonderful, good, caring people.
Yes. He lived here in Traverse City, and what a delight to chat with them in line for a movie at (Michael Moore's renovated) State Theater, or at one of our local restaurants. Gracious, good people, like Republicans here used to be. Sadly, before he died at 99, the Republican Party kicked him out.
He will see the inside of a Jury Verdict filled in with the word "Guilty"...Ban him from all possible endeavors. He has only ONE friend. Look at how he duped $250,000,000 from supporters of his defense.
I wonder if there is a Line on this in Vegas. ..... The "McLeaders"....... (McConnell and McCarthy) really understand that their GOOP is more viable with Donald in the clink...
I want to see him cop a plea bargain conviction with real barbed ankle bracelets to wear.
The country needs a "colonic cleansing" to get past Trump.
Thank you Heather for your immense historical insight and relating it to our current state. These trumpers/magas/ “1776ers” don’t have a clue about the American Revolution and 1776. Since the Reagan years and his Secretary of Education Bill Bennett decided Civics wasn’t important for our children to learn and removed it from the curriculum in public schools, the dumbing down of our country began. They don’t understand our history and don’t have a clue how our democratic government is supposed to work. Sadly, many can’t even name the three branches of government. Anyway, I went off on a tangent but the absolute stupidity and prejudice of these people is astounding.
Absolutely, Karen, you have it just right. As an educator myself (at the higher education level) I am consistently astonished to see how dumb—just plain ignorant of history and the importance of weighing evidence—more and more of this US population seems to be becoming over time. It’s very scary and will lead in the US to repetition of the kinds of disasters we have seen other once enlightened societies suffer historically, I’m afraid.
Corporatocracies and dictators do not like educated people. Thus, Betsy de Void was the perfect person to further destroy our educational systems to maintain white-privileged, private schools for the elite's children. And Duh Joyless to destroy our postal system so people cannot vote easily. I never heard about the Red Mirage until the Hearings. The republican deviousness is so deep, yet done blatantly in front of our eyes. It is good that this has taken so long to unearth all their evils—we have so much change and reparations to do. I can tell you, I had the most boring Civics teacher in high school. Yet, my foster daughter had the most dynamic civics teacher in her high school. He was brilliant and made it all come alive for students. They were so fired up that many of them volunteered for campaigns that year and held mock campaigns. Some became anarchists to see what would happen.
First, Civics and Responsibility needs to be taught with Critical Thinking Skills. Secondly, it needs to have meaning for young people. Like comparing democracies with dictatorships and other forms of governing. History of genocides and the holocaust. Human trafficking (slavery in our own country).. Brainwashing vs Freedom with Responsibility...
Freedom of Speech limitations need to be enforced:
Although different scholars view unprotected speech in different ways, there are basically nine categories:
Obscenity,
Fighting words,
Defamation (including libel and slander),
Child pornography,
Perjury,
Blackmail,
Incitement to imminent lawless action,
True threats,
Solicitations to commit crimes,
Some experts also would add treason, if committed verbally, to that list.
Plagiarism of copyrighted material is also not protected.
Yes, I think Sedition would cover/include a lot of these unprotected speech issues: Fighting Words, Obscenity, Incitement to imminent lawless action, True Threats, Libel/Slander and Solicitations to commit crimes.
We should include Malicious Lying and Propaganda machines, in all forms, against the country's well-being to be included.
Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States."
Here is a good read on the differences of sedition, treason and insurrection.
Betsy De Void. Thanks Pensa. Just forgot her real last name and I only live 130 miles from her house ( and have close friends in her neighborhood. Or at least one of her many homes).
Heather. This is so powerful and so frightening. The tie between information from the fearless committee and what these states are doing to overturn elections just yesterday is staggering. Thank you for your letters. You are a beacon to us all. God a s sanity and truth please save our democracy
I’m so glad there is evidence about the tours on the fifth. Somehow the tours seem especially creepy since they covered the possible escape routes for the politicians. As always, a big thank you to Heather!
The Trump coalition has a lasar focus on points of control in both vote casting and vote counting at the state and local level. Their detailed analysis and careful follow-through would be admirable were it not for their deeply nefarious purpose. American democracy is in serious trouble and can survive only through a nationwide, Abrams-level miracle in voter turnout in November. That turnout can only happen if there is a monumental get-out-the-vote effort. I have contributed time and money to such efforts steadily for the past few years but am far from optimistic, based on the level of activity that I’ve been able to observe, that what is being done is anywhere near enough.
A problem is that the keadersip of that staff will be training ghem to do fhe opposite: to intimidate and miscount. Also, there is the matter of organizing that grassroots movement. That takes hundreds of millions if dollars and professional leadershiip. Effective “grassroots” efforts don’t emerge from grass roots.
Well, if Justice were served soon enough, we could strike down all the oppressive moves against our voting rights, arrest all the seditious people in our employment, and shut down faux propaganda machines. Dreamy.
Thank you for the latest recap of repub lies and gaslighting. It’s all over the news, and the J6 Committee has the “goods” on these criminals. There must be consequences, prosecution. These criminals, including TFG, especially as the ringleader, who have violated their oath, cannot continue to refuse and ignore subpoenas, blatantly lie and remain in office and free. If they are not held accountable, we have no hope for the future of our country. Either the criminals are stupid in their denials or we are in allowing them to trample our laws and our Democracy. In plain sight.
After a week of “news rest,” I got back into it the last couple days. Good recap, Dr. Richardson. And the fox channels are stirring the distraction pots blaming Biden for inflation. It’s easy to step away from the real of fake news, and I’m not seeing the MAGA crowd learn anything. BUT, prosecutors are seeing plenty, and maybe these traitors won’t be on the final ballots after all. They’ll be under arrest awaiting trial for serious conspiracy, racketeering, etc.
One such candidate (Ryan Kelley) who is on the primary ballot for Michigan governor was arrested last week for trespassing on the property at the Capital on Jan 6, 2021. He was arraigned, and bonded out. As he walked out of the courthouse, he smiled and waved to a large group of supporters who were waiting for him. He had no shame and no regrets.
Right! I was going to mention him, but I couldn’t remember which state or his name. Certifiable jerk. Pretty sure it was MI but thought You’d remember! Thanks Cathy.
The Republican Party is a criminal organization bent on destroying the USA. To vote for any Republican candidate is to join in a criminal conspiracy.
Yes,I agree.Also,I am mortified that a traitorous ex-POTUS is backing like-minded candidates in our primaries currently.It is beyond pale that this man’s approval is a plus and now these people have a chance to once again infiltrate our government.If Republicans in Congress would have done their duty and impeached and removed this man, none of this would be happening.
Victoria - You shouldn't be mortified (i.e., humiliated); the Republicans should be. But they're not.
They're incapable of mortification-power is the only thing that matters to them-certainly not justice and fairness.
Of particular concern to me is the number of people who have said they will question the election, particularly secretaries of state. America must be extremely careful WHO is elected.
I wholeheartedly agree with you, James!
Thanks, James.
Your comment provided my impetus to find the USDOJ Manual for RICO crimes.
[linked in a nearby comment]
Sadly, James, that appears to be the case.
“Although we have now heard evidence from Trump’s attorney general William Barr, campaign manager Bill Stepien, White House lawyers, and even his own daughter, testifying under oath, that the 2020 election wasn’t stolen—and that such claims were at least in part a way to cheat small donors out of $250 million—insisting on the Big Lie has become a requirement for Republican candidates. Yesterday, Amy Gardner and Isaac Arnsdorf of the Washington Post laid out how more than 100 of the Republicans who have won primaries have signed on to the Big Lie, including eight candidates for the U.S. Senate, eighty-six House candidates, five candidates for governor, four for state attorney general, and one for secretary of state.”
And Stepien who testified is continuing to fuel the big lie by working for candidates who promote it, ie Harriet Hageman running against Liz Cheney.
Most who have come clean, up to and including Bill Barr, have done so to save their own skin. In Bill Barr's case, he wants to sanitize his badly stained reputation. Take what they offer, but don't forget what contribution they've made to this disaster.
This editorial cartoon says it all. https://www.arcamax.com/politics/editorialcartoons/johndeering/s-2688909?ezine=641&r=1o02Y-FWsha8xj0XX1jhwk7P14GQEhC5-pAo3eJq8WVDOjMwNTI2MDc0MTpKOjIxMjA4NzI6TDo2NDE6UjozMjUyNzQ6UzoyNjg4OTA5OlY6NDg
Pam, thanks for this - it's perfect. We can't allow ourselves to forget that, without enablement by Barr and every other complicit Republican, TFG could never have done the amount of damage that has weakened our democracy.
Great cartoons, but be careful your phone will blow up with unwanted notifications.
Well done.
Consider, Barr is surpassed as a grifter only by dopey don! His distortion of the Mueller Report reduced the years of investigation to a 30 second sound byte played over and over again! He was sending trump written advise before he was appointed AG, apparently auditioning for the job!
Too late bubba Billy, people died and dozens injured on Jan 6 while you watched from the sidelines!
I totally agree. I never trusted him, and his dismissal of Mueller's investigation cemented that dislike/distrust. Anything that he does now to clean up his image won't fool me.
Amen! He's such a snake... and once a snake, always a snake 🐍
Correct Louis - Barr is an evil man. What he did with the Mueller report should "live in infamy." Think about what might have been, had that report received its just due from him. We might have gotten Trump impeached right then, and maybe even indicted, which he fully deserved.
Pence should have spoke up to begin with. He always appeared like the Elf on the Shelf when he was being filmed. He was complicit!
I never could stand him. His sanctimonious piety never fooled me. No truly pious person would have sullied himself by serving TFG. He was glad to serve as TFG's beard in order to climb the steps to the White House later.
In his book he revealed that God disclosed to him that he should be president.
I agree!
This is why the committee started with Bannon knowing he would refuse to testify and now he will go to trial soon. The rest of them decided they didn't want to go to prison for contempt. It would be better to cooperate. They will perhaps not go to prison, but their slate will be covered forever with mire from the bottom of the swamp.
Sadly Michele, those whitewashing will have permanent stains and will be future fodder for Republican office holders. Until the Fox stranglehold on the voice of republicanism is dismantled we won’t see their rank and file voters start to recover from the cultism grip. Also much has yet to become common knowledge of the Reagan years putting together the dog and pony show that led directly into the Trump phenomenon. An entire new addition of the bedside book of bastards is now possible.
I bet anything that Bannon wrote the "1776" document mapping out insurrection ("read carefully") given to the proud boys....
Interesting— going with Bannon first. I was disappointed with his trial date being so far out. Now I think maybe it will be effective to have it closer to the election. July, isn’t it? J6 committee will have had its public hearings, and Bannon’s trial will keep at least some public attention on the coup attempt.
BTW, still waiting for those rebuttals tfg wants.
And the only people who won't be repulsed by this person will be the TFG's base.
On January 7th they were all asking to get on the 'pardon list'. John Eastman wasn't approved for the list, that's why he testified although he took the 5th on most questions.
It will be as difficult for Barr to sanitize his reputation as it would be to clean a used piece of toilet paper.
I disagree. Respectfully. The short/selective memory span of the American people will come to the rescue, and Pence will still be around, perhaps even trying a presidential run. Pence is near the top of my destestometer list - he lies through his teeth almost as often as Trump. And justifies what he does or doesn't do with his hyper-religiosity. The shining example of hypocrisy.
But the thing about Pence - we often wonder just how low these Republican snakes will go, and for many of them we have not yet seen the bottom (Loudermilk the latest example), but we did see Pence's limit. To many, even on the left, that makes him a hero. Man is that a low bar or what?
James, I'm hoping that the January 6 hearings will help to change the "memory" thing. No, there will be no reaction from the rethuglican base, but even disgusted Democrats will be more viscerally affected. I knew that Loudermilk was lying from the beginning, but the surveillance tapes have made me even more convinced that all of them need to go, and it looks as though the "tourist" with the camera is ready to spill what he knows. I'm praying that Garland will take care of that - it looks as though he's ready to, and he's held his cards close to the vest until now.
I don't dispute any of what you say but any time Barr is even suggested for a position in government his complicity in the insurrection will come up in the press. The only way he avoids that is if the next couple of Presidents are Republican in which case we'll have bigger problems than a reconstructed Bill Barr.
Thank you, Dave! That was a good laugh for me today! LOL. Oh so true!
Opus Dei needs a purge too.
As a Catholic, I agree. Opus Dei has been slimy from the beginning, their founder accused and found guilty of child sex abuse.
Thanks for your note. I'm not Catholic battering. Most of my friends are Catholic. Many of them feel betrayed by church admin
There is much housecleaning necessary in many quarters, many of which use religion as a means to control and befoul.
Amen!
(Chuckle)
Absolutely! I've been seething through these proceedings!
Actually, although the hearings reveal infuriating backstories, most of it was information that was already out there, but not fleshed out. The presentations have been so thorough that I'd be surprised if they didn't encourage lackadaisical voters to come out, and energize those of us who are worn down by the last 6 years. Additionally, Garland is showing his hand more, so his intentions are much more encouraging. I'm hoping for accountability, finally.
Yes. If he had any integrity at all, after testifying to the truth, he would resign from that campaign, which is clearly running on lies he knows to be lies!😡
Stand by my criticism of Septian the other day, just another lackey ‘unscrupulously chasing the Benjamin’s’ like a mercenary!
By the by, did Bill Stepien's wife have her baby yet?!🙀
I spent 10 minutes googling that question last night. Got lots of announcements of his legitimate excuse to duck out of testifying, one fake birth report, and NO birth announcement.
Oh, you're not suggesting that a Rethuglican would lie, are you?
I think they'd say it was a half truth.... 🥸
Surprise, surprise
Which goes to show that the gop are not about serving, only about power. The ones who are sitting by looking the other way are just as complicit.
And they've ignored the law and made up their own rules.
What title would you give those rules...
Macievelli?
Piracy? Where can I find that rulebook so I can subvert it?
"Ad Hoc". It will never be published, because they make it up as they go along.
I blame them all for not speaking up when it was happening. And, how did Trump manage to run for president to start out with. Are there no qualifications? Is there no one that oversees candidates. Any of the candidates. There are so many things he was that should have disqualified him and many that are sitting in the Senate and House currently.
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Judy Woodruff on PBS Newshour, interviewing Mitch McConnell, asked him point blank whether he (McC.) thought Trump was qualified to be president. McC's answer was, in effect, "the American people will decide that". Next time you fly somewhere, think about the possibility of the passengers choosing who will be the pilot.
Yikes!
That is a scary thought! Great answer!
Read about how Putin found Trump 20 years ago.
Timothy Snyder's book, The Road to Unfreedom, has an extensive discussion of this.
I am sure that is where the money came from. Look how many Russians purchased his properties!
Exactly!
Just remember, it’s the Primary! Now we can vote the worst of the worst OUT!!!🌊🌊🌊
We have not actually heard Stepian’s testimony. He was allowed to duck out because his wife had ‘gone into labor.’
Poor excuse. LOL
Still waiting to hear about the baby....
I tend to agree with you, although the idea of the USA as a one-party state is a pretty scary thought, too.
NEWS FLASH ... ... ... ... ...
America has been a One-Political-Party-Democracy ever since Moscow Mitch sold his soul to the Great Deceiver plunging the R's into the imagination of their own self-serving grandeur.
Not really. The former Republican, now Fascist Party is well-organized and well-funded. They wield a lot of power.
A republican one party state is frightening to the bone. Dems don’t have their killer instinct. Which would you prefer…
It is difficult, maybe impossible, for Americans (or most others) to understand that the danger today is far greater than it was in Berlin in 1933. Or at any time in history...
Now, in place of Stalin in Moscow and the military dictatorship in Tokyo, Putin's in Moscow, Xi in Beijing, and too many nuclear weapons, everywhere.
But the overriding danger is the enemy within the gates.
How so?
Because America's material power is so immense, her influence so overwhelming, that an ill-motivated fool in the White House can do damage Hitler could never dream of.
Many breathed a sigh of relief when trump was out of the WH and no longer had the nuclear code. I totally agree the set-up on the world stage is overwhelmingly dangerous. Putin has shown his side of abject evil and there are many others in the wings. Combine them with the thousands of nukes in the world (each one multiple times greater than Hiroshima) it is only a matter of time before there is a deliberate release or miscalculation from which there is no "winning" or recovery. The damage would be fatal.
That someone as unfit and criminally inclined as trump could be in the WH, not under arrest, now continuing to spew his venom, and people still rally around his insanity shows just how much the U.S. has lost.
What form of Orwellian Virus will it take to silence this GOP invasion?
It won’t be a virus that takes them down. It will be the designed and ultimate antidote….
We the People. Light infuses our determination to uphold the common good.
Salud, Dave! 🗽
“enemy within the gates” which became so visible on Jan 6th.
So correct, Peter. I always hold in mind a strong opinion of mine that in spite of the planning, strategy, the insane amount of money supporting the Republican organization, the treasonous intent, the fascist nature of everything “now Republican, there is an obtuse element residing in their inherent nature.
And, I believe, in short, that is what will contribute mightily to their downfall and disgrace.
In short, they underestimate and dismiss….we the people.
It seems always so…no matter how many times it is the people who ultimately dismantle the fascist minority.
UNITA, Peter! 🗽
Yes, We the people voted Biden in and TRump out.
I hope you're right.
👍🏼
Sad.... but true
I wouldn't worry. "I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat." Will Rogers. There are, at the very least, 3 parties.
And then there is this by Gore Vidal: “There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party … and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit stupider, more rigid, more doctrinaire in their laissez-faire capitalism than the Democrats, who are cuter, prettier, a bit more corrupt — until recently … and more willing than the Republicans to make small adjustments when the poor, the black, the anti-imperialists get out of hand. But, essentially, there is no difference between the two parties.”
Nope!
One party and one cult of crazies and an insignificant sprinkling of "Independents"
Perfect.
I like your comment although I think Republicans are going off the rails into Nazi territory.
You misspelled "have gone". They are so far off the rails as to be unrecognizable as anything other than a fascist mob.
Yes. Yes.
Yes.
Why "tend", Talia?
Yes, Peter. “Maybe” of any sort is not appropriate right now within any thinking of the insurrection or any attempt to dismantle democracy.
Surety and faith in the Light must prevail.
UNITA.
Sorry - what is UNITA?
Translation of “unita” is unite.
Translation of “unidad” is unity.
Writing it in all capital letters is my way of saying “JUST DO IT”!
Got it.. Not knowing, it was sort of like anitifa- a well-intentioned group whose name was co-opted by the right to vilify them. Thanks for the explanation.
"Unità" is "unity" in Italian.
"Unidad" is "unity" in Spanish.
And as you say, JUST DO IT! :)
I grew up in the NC in the ‘60’s. It was one party rule-Democratic rule at the time. We were encouraged to register to vote as high school seniors turning 18. I remember being told that if I registered Republican I could not vote in the primary because Republicans did not hold a primary.
When I registered to vote at 18, in my home state of South Dakota, my mother's employer (chair of the County Repubs) got a phone call. "Did you know that your employee's daughter registered wrong?"
When I registered to vote, my father stood over me. So I registered as a Republican to avoid the argument and knew damn well that I was not going to vote that way. Every time when I went to visit my father and stepmother, we had an argument about politics when it became clear what party I supported.
If you are not so very far from 18 now, I am not surprised. If you are my advanced age your story does shock me.
I am a boomer. South Dakota was established as a Republican state at its entry into the Union, in 1889, and its politics have not wavered much.
OH!
Exactly as do the R's today by deceptions, clever trickery, fraud, and bold absurdities...
By someone at the registration desk? Or the person who spoke at your school?
If we manage to destroy this criminal Party, another will spring up. Perhaps the former Republicans who have left that Party will continue to build upon their now nascent connections.
I agree with you that a one-party state is not a good idea. I hope that out of the ashes of a defeated Party of Trump a new party of reasonable conservatives will grow.
Reasonable Conservatives:
As long as Citizens United exists and the 1% are given tax havens the power in American democracy will continue to be controlled by dark money greed mongers...
True.
Not all. Let’s not lump people into a good and evil structure. It does not help but only hinders this dire situation. I’m a democrat but I don’t believe everything they say but it pushes me even further to the left when a Republican bashes me for something I do not even believe in. Then I DO choose a side. There are many respectful, descent people from both parties. You see many republicans interviewed on PBS who are totally convinced Trump and his cohorts caused the insurrection and should be convicted. Let’s not divide us further than we already are.
Used to think the same way, and I try not to oversimplify or unduly characterize people I don't know. However - the Republican world view, or platform, is evil in and of itself. Example - any view that rejects man-caused global warming and refuses to do anything about it is just evil. That is my favorite example but there are more. So I have no room for any Republican in my life as a dear friend. Just too toxic anymore.
starting with Liz Cheney.
And, we are under attack.
Yes James, I agree that the Republican Party has become a criminal conspiracy since it has been corrupted by Dumpsters. “Stop the Steal” and the “Big Lie” are delusions. The white supremacy traditionalists in the US want to stop diversity and social equality at any cost, at any price to the American system of democracy. They are deluded into thinking that their corrupt actions to support Republican politics are legitimate and patriotic. Fascist and corrupt now. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Republican party became sidelined, because it has become so obviously corrupted.
They are also deluded into thinking that they won’t be next!
I'm not sure I agree that they are focusing on destroying the USA. I think we have a group of narcissists who seek power and money, but lack the intelligence to do it any reasonable way. They must use lies, "feelings," voting restrictions, and often false attacks to convince citizens to vote then into office. Sadly, those citizens either vote Republican because they always vote Republican or have a single need from them, or just aren't intelligent enough to figure out they are being bamboozled. It is the ease that they are allowed to lie, gaslight, and manipulate a large group of us that is mind boggling. And, GOP and supporters alike are white, low educated, fearful and gullible people. People who have no problem using aggression and violence and threats to intimidate those that oppose them.
To quote Mike S. "The problem with America is Americans".
Exactly!!
Okay, while they are not focusing on destroying the USA, they are focusing on destroying democracy as we know it in the USA, replacing it with something else which they claim to be 'true' democracy ... but is closer to libertarianism.
I agree. I wish we could educate Democrats in Vermont not to vote again for our Republican Governor, Phil Scott. He is generally thought to have handled the Covid response well, but he has vetoed more bills than any previous Vermont Governor. Our legislators work long and hard, in addition to other jobs, to produce bills to benefit Vermonters, in vain at the stroke of a pen!
(I didn't know about his veto record-we have a governor that's even worse here in NH in many ways (When the House and Senate had a Dem majority, he vetoed 78 bills-and let's not forget his chumming up w/ the Free State Project folks-the "Republican" leader of the NH House is one of those.).
Oh, yes! Enough!
But what can we do about it? Arrest the millions of those involved in this 'criminal conspiracy'? Unlikely and probably impossible. The criminals would include, in addition to the defeated former president, many elected to Congress, judges, too many local officials to count, many in law enforcement, and their supporters. They believe the 'Big Lie' because it validates their opposition to democratic government of, by, and for the people for a variety of reasons. Where is it heading? Like the other banana republics in Central and South America, we will end up with a dictatorship that will ultimately be overthrown by a popular uprising, which will be too disorganized to have any permanance. Pick a country 'south of the border.' That's the story of all of them, and we are following that path. Is there any cause for optimism?
I say first of all, take a breath and get calm. I’m a big believer that if a person thinks the worst will happen then their energy is pushing in that direction. Look at whats right and what we can do instead of doom and gloom. It’s does not served any of us.
Maybe bar them from holding elected office?
But how to sway all the ignorant people who will vote for them anyway?
You can’t. I think we just need to stick together, keep the belief that we can do this. Remember, when people get threatened that they are losing their right to vote historically they come out in bigger numbers. We have to believe that intelligent reason will be stronger than the crazy antics of a few deranged criminals. When we fear them, they win. Stay strong!
And we have to get out the Democratic vote.
I tuned into Fox News out of curiosity tonight and holy mole, what liars they are! They’re not even talking about the insurrection. They’re tearing down Joe Biden & his son Hunter. They’re denying the insurrection even happened! How is it possible they are allowed to run this propaganda tv station? It should be against the law!
Fox and News is an oxymoron! Tabloid journalism is more like it. I know it is the sort of thing my Scottish roommate in college liked to have along with Cadbury eggs to while away a nice summer day. There was a lot of stuff with Aliens, but I did not actually read the stuff myself. I still do not think that Rupert Murdoch should be allowed to own an American television station. He is basically a foreign agent even if he did purchase his citizenship.
Ronnie brought him in and allowed him free rein over our communications, timed almost exactly to Walter Cronkite’s retirement. Then immediately went after Dan Rather. Timing couldn’t have been better.
He should be deported. I’d like to see that happen to him and his creepy sons.
I often got a kick out of reading the headlines of the tabloids in the check-out lanes at the grocery store. My favorite was "FAMOUS PSYCHIC'S HEAD EXPLODES!" The current televised version is a lot less entertaining and a lot more dengerous.
Faux Snooze
There should be a law against this. They are destabilizing society. It's really not much different that yelling "fire" in a theatre.
It is the plan, man. Rupert edits the “news” for the ignorant, and the stupid. Aided and abetted by the evil. That this has gone on so long gives me little hope. He is our Goebbels and has been since the 80’s. Now Mr. Money himself (Musk) has joined the “rule by edict” crowd. My paltry donations are chump change.
$$$ equal Votes. It’s the American Way.
Apparently, treason, sedition, and anti-government propaganda are welcomed by the American people.
I agree that there should be laws against something as blatantly false and propaganda like as Fox News.
However, apparently, where rich white folks are relevant (owners of Fox News) the USA is toothless to stop seditious content.
Plus, a near majority of Americans WANT to hear BS and lies all day every day. They run to it like a kitten runs to warm milk.
This is so true in rural America. Growing up in small town East Texas, tv channels were limited, anything reported beyond local news was sparse and certainly not of front page importance, and useful discourse on national issues was nonexistent. References to “D.C.” were 99% negative no matter who was in the White House. Heard many times “those people in Washington are so far away, they don’t care one flip about us and our problems”. And the idea of getting involved or educated about anything other than how much zucchini is in the garden or how the “Mexicans” ( every brown skinned person is Mexican regardless of origin) are on every corner is viewed as strange and suspiciously motivated. Local newspapers may only be published once a week and headlines would never reflect a national event. These people respond to entertainment of any kind as a relief from the mundane and Trump’s delivery was that and only that. He made them laugh and said things they could understand and he was a “celebrity” who never claimed to be a politician and they loved that. The danger of voting for a candidate whose message was change and draining the swamp and nothing else was/is lost on them. It’s this kind of American who will continue to support Trump and follow him and his ilk down his chosen destructive path.
Joan,
"Growing up in a small town in East Texas"!!
I think I must be older than you. When I grew up in East Texas, let's say, "outside of Palestine, TX at some undisclosed farm" , there was crop news in the morning and weather, and, then, later in the evening there was the normal news. I have no idea what was on during the day but I think my sisters sometimes watched "Days of Our Lives".
Sunday was TV preachers or real preacher.
BUT, at least in my small world, politics was never even thought of. Nobody cared who was President and almost nobody even knew who was President. IF the President, for example, fell out of an airplane and down the stairs, then, we knew that.
But, really East Texas was politics free for me and my somewhat large circle of friends over the years 1971 to 1978 as I grew to 18 years old.
AND, back then, the youth did all the work. Mexican imported labor had not yet found its way to my area anyway. OR, the adults were totally OK working us 14 hour days, which, I feel was absolutely the best preparation for everything I have done since.
My experience as a "half breed" with light skin in East Texas was good. Mostly. A few fights, one of them fairly serious, but, other than that, uneventful.....except for learning how to really work.
You, Mike, from “outside of Palestine”…me, from Palestine proper. What are the chances of our meeting on HCR! I agree, national and even state political references were non-starters. And I stand corrected…Immigrants had not yet arrived during my years there and youth did the work. High school guys baling hay, etc. all summer in that sweltering heat. No, I’m definitely older than you. I was long gone but the 70’s. I was a 17year old senior when JFK was killed. Now I’m that other kind of senior! Ha!!
Joan,
Great to make your acquaintance. East Texas is what I think of as the best college preperatory area of the US.
I remember after spending so much time doing so much work going to Texas A&M and sitting in the air conditioned library thinking: NO WAY, all I have to do is read books, do some homework and all in air conditioning?
Our old farm house had zero air conditioning, our trucks did not nor our cars or tractors.
Biggest argument I got in with my room mate in the college dorms?
I wanted the window open so I could hear the birds. He was worried about "sweating".
I still laugh today about that.
A/C was definitely a godsend in that hotbox. I can appreciate what it felt like to find yourself in 24/7 air conditioning with the flip of a switch. It’s really a treat to know another from that town who escaped. I understand it’s totally Trump country now. Funny how the friends I’ve kept in touch with, all got an education, moved away and are progressives now. Funny thing what “ejication” will do to…for a person.
It keeps their perceived superior status intact. Then like Wyle E. Coyote in the shed on the railroad tracks with the train (of Climate Change) coming, they just pull the shade down and look the other way as if nothing will happen to them.
Wait!
Perhaps they can learn from this frog I just put in a pan of water heating on burner?
:-)
We can't even do one thing about a president that lies, and lies, and lies, and bullies, and attacks. He invented the norm for alternate facts, and the 1st Amendment allows it.
“How is it possible they are allowed to run this propaganda tv station? It should be against the law!”
Freedom of Expression. The First Amendment. Freedom of the Press. That is why.
Commonly known as the Chicago Statement. From the University of Chicago on the freedom of expression.
“The ideas of different members of the University community will often and naturally conflict. It is not the proper role of a University to insulate individuals from ideas and opinions they find unwelcome, disagreeable, or even deeply offensive. Deliberation or debate may not be suppressed because the ideas put forth are thought by some or even by most members of the University community to be offensive, unwise, immoral, or ill conceived.
It is for the individual members of the University community, not for the University as an institution, to judge the value of ideas, and to act on those judgments not by seeking to suppress speech, but by openly and vigorously contesting those arguments and ideas that they oppose.”
Lies rule, in what universe. Well, Nazi world for one.
The Chicago Statement may be appropriate for an academic campus, where you don't have billions of dollars being spent on misinformation campaigns, but it is naive to think it applies to our mass media.
And why does this not apply to whatever you hear that offends you?
“…and to act on those judgments not by seeking to suppress speech, but by openly and vigorously contesting those arguments and ideas that they oppose.”
The 01/06 committee is “openly and vigorously contesting those arguments and ideas that they oppose.”.
I express opposition with my vote and my money. Not by gagging those I don’t agree with. No matter how rich they may be.
It’s not about agreeing. It’s about Lying!!! It’s about passing off lies as news on National television! It’s called Propaganda and is has to stop!
Agree. About the lying.
Media is the public square. Shouting fire in a theater is not free speech.
For a service that calls itself 'news,' taking an active , prominent role in a violent insurrection cannot be protected speech. How many current lawsuits are they defending? Murdoch has spread his cancer all over today's democracies.
NPR today reported on the couple whose son was killed and Fox staff created a narrative that maligned the young democrat to deflect news about Russian interference in the election. It went on for years with a pile on by Fox commentators and an effort to bug the family home. This isn't freedom of expression. It is reckless endangerment.
Netflix just dropped Web of Lies. This story is documented, and horrific.
This is the responsibility of all, to discern fact from fiction using ideas and logic
However, the antidote for propaganda eludes us and the enemies of the state have infiltrated the opinions of enough citizens so as to have them believe the Murdochs and Musks of the world have their best interests in mind
How do you avoid succumbing to money and control in the hands of evil?
Find the antidote
Education, including the ability to think critically. But we're failing there, hence TFG et al.
A thrilling action movie with plenty of guns and sex. It sneaks in what is known about propaganda techniques, what used car salesmen and advertisers know, how our psychological biases hamper our decision-making, in everything. There is a lot of research out there. It needs a movie.
I understand freedom of expression. However, the definition of news is something other than much of what is on Fox "News" so I have a problem with mislabeling. If you want to call lying freedom of expression, then the station is free to lie to people and pretend it is the truth. However, when people on the station are disseminating propaganda that supports interests that destabilize this country and lead people to want to overthrow and subvert the government, they are having undue influence. When you own a television station your influence is outsized that should require a higher standard than I feel Fox News is meeting. I see the lies as contributing to the destabilization of our government vis-a-vis encouraging people to armed conflict to overthrow the peaceful transfer of power. That is not what freedom of speech is for.
"FIRE!!!" Fox's freedom of expression ends when they create murderous bedlam in a fire they set.
Difference of opinion is fine, but what ever happened to “Truth, Justice & The American Way”?
Must be for Supermen only!
Depends on who gets to define "Truth, Justice, and the American Way". I'm skipping truth, it has a good dictionary definition. Justice is in the eye of the beholder as I have seen. The American Way, now... That is a belief in a construct that is based on the foundational assumption that white, heterosexual, cisgendered, Christian, property owning men would be in power, that women had no say in government, that the Indigenous Peoples had no right to the land, and that Black slaves were property.
“Freedom of Expression” in Florida…
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2022/06/06/draft-legislation-shows-desantis-plan-control-higher-ed
The sad fact is that the First Amendment cuts both ways, and we have not yet found a way to block propaganda, or at least neutralize it.
We used ro have the fairness doctrine based on the idea that the people owned the airwaves. Of course now we have private cable, but maybe as it becomes astronomically more expensive, and the vast majority still get their news over the air, the fairness doctrine could make a comeback. At least the major networks still have journalistic values to a greater extent.
The Fairness Doctrine was removed from the law governing the media by the Federal Communications Act of 1996, if I remember correctly. ( Somebody correct me if that’s not quite right.) The repeal of the Fairness Doctrine allowed a channel like Fox “News” to spew propaganda bullsh*t with no corrections and no requirement to air “public service” announcements by people who opposed their incendiary propaganda. Then the rise of the internet in the 1990’s never got properly regulated. It democratized the media and gave a platform to a much wider diversity of views, but also removed all the barriers that used to prevent crazy cranks, conspiracy promoters, and extremists from spreading lies and hate. So now, the radicalized NRA has been able to indoctrinate close to half of Americans with the unprecedented and historically groundless creed that defending their “freedom” from “tyranny”requires unchecked civilian access to firearms. And there are no more laws to prevent Fox/Breitbart/4chan/parler et al from spewing QAnon and Dumpster’s Big Lie and any other loony crap they want under the very twisted and battered banner of “free speech”. Much of the blame for our current broken public discourse, radicalized right wing, public hate speech, and rise of authoritarian threats to our democracy traces straight back to the failure of Congress in the 1990’s to maintain proper regulation of all media to keep out lies, crazies, and hate ideologies. Sorry, y’all, preaching to the choir here, I know. End of useless rant.
I seem to recall that removed law, and it has as you have so eloquently pointed out, led to nothing but a heap of trouble. So much has been deregulated and as they say, it is hard to get the Genie back into the bottle. Can the USA ever catch up to the mess of all the things that have been deregulated under the Republican love of making money and not having government interfere with that? In the meantime everything is just a big old mess. Our infrastructure is falling apart, but we are used to roads with holes and bridges collapsing and not getting services, and moldy ugly schools, and school buses that look like they are from the 1940s. I am around people whose countries are older and yet they cannot believe how old our infrastructure looks. I wish we could just have had Build Back Better.
Healthy place to rant.
:--)
Ask Rupert, the king of flim flam .
I am sick of those who continue to dismiss these truly frightening events as some sort of minor “dust up.” The people responsible for this need to do real prison time - and not at Club Fed, either.
Where are those FEMA camps the Conservatives have been so worried were being set up to imprison them, when you really need them?
I had forgotten about those FEMA camps! Little did we know back then how deep and wide the crazy would go ...
Also, those referring to it as a scuffle or dust up must not remember that people DIED that day or as a result of that day. A school yard fight is a dust up.
There was nothing in that terrifying visual evidence that could have been described as a dust up.
...Including TFG!!!
I don't practice criminal law, but based on all the other lawyer work I've done in the last 42 years, this sure seems to fit the DOJ manual's criteria for one or more of
1) RICO pattern crimes.
https://www.justice.gov/jm/jm-9-110000-organized-crime-and-racketeering
or
2) the mail and wire fraud crimes
https://www.justice.gov/jm/jm-9-43000-mail-fraud-and-wire-fraud
or
3) crimes of fraud against the government.
https://www.justice.gov/jm/jm-9-42000-fraud-against-the-government
. . . and there may be others.
IMO, this has been a RICO case from the beginning of his term until the present.
I can't disagree.
Everything about Trump is a fraud, a con and a grift.
Since he started the Birther Grift.
Steve,
Thanks for the links. Very useful reading.
However, the problem is not absence of statutes that support the prosecution of crimes. There is no question there were crimes.
The problem is the United States of America is mostly primed and set up to arrest minority members of the the United States (blacks, mexicans, natives, etc.). Those arrests are encouraged and supported.
However, arresting the wealthy majority (white) members of America? That activity is nearly non-existent in American history. In other words: Taboo by unwritten agreement.
So, now we have multiple crimes committed by wealthy white men (the historical "rulers" of our society) and nobody seems to know what to do when a crime is openly committed by those members of American society.
If black folks had run the Jan 06 riot and lies they would all have been in jail the next day.
Indeed, the absence of arrests of the wealthy leaders of the Jan 06 coup is one of the very fundamental flaws in America:
--> The inability to punish illegal behavior by wealthy, white male members of society.
“If black folks had run the Jan 06 riot and lies they would all have been in jail the next day.” You give the system too much credit. They would have been dead.
Perhaps. I cannot say that is unlikely.
However, this morning, on my local news station, I just saw a black man being walked into the jail house with cuffs on behind his back and two big deputies on each side.
Every.....single.....day.......in every town in America, the local news shows this scene.
It is a message.
But, you can go YEARS without seeing a white man similarly being perp walked out of a cop car into jail. In fact, I cannot remember if I have EVER seen that on my local TV station.
Sadly true.
😔
Those aren't the statutes, by the way, those are the parts of the US Department of Justice "Manual" on how to prosecute.
While I also lament the lack of arrests of those who planned and - at the ellipse on January 6 - led the insurrection, there are a lot of white, wealthy men who do get arrested for federal crimes. Most RICO prosecutions have focused on them, in fact.
It's true that the non-white population in federal prisons, just like state and local jails and prisons, is disproportionately high.
Thanks Steve. I am sure, once in a while, a rich white man gets on the wrong side of another richer white man and then is prosecuted.
But, mostly? They are immune from being charged as criminals even when they are openly criminal.
I don't disagree -- I also try my best not to overstate.
As a matter of terminology, white males aren't "immune" as much as the prosecutorial and police mindsets stereotype people of color as more likely to commit crime.
It's actually a vicious part of our history of building a country on the backs and shoulders of slaves and aboriginal Americans. It constitutes a significant part of "Critical Race Theory" as taught in law schools and graduate colleges.
FWIW, many RICO defendants are white, although you are completely correct that people of color hugely overpopulate both criminal court dockets, jails and prisons at every level in this country.
If you're interested in a very academic analysis of RICO applied to white gangs as opposed to gangs populated by POC, here's very good one - it definitely supports your point of view in a comparison of white vs non-white prison and street gangs.
https://repository.law.umich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1025&context=mjrl
But another shows how RICO can be used expressly to address white supremacist groups.
https://digitalcommons.law.umaryland.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1353&context=rrgc
They would not have been jailed the next day. They would have been slaughtered that day when they got to the steps of the Capitol.
Yes, A likely outcome.
Our family believes that was part of the plan. They were counting on counter- protesters who never showed up; they were going to use BLM as an excuse to declare martial law. Stupid. Why would we protest when we won? All the down ballot GQP have done just that.
May I insert… RICO is “Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act” passed in 1970.
Dust it off, DOJ. It fits to a “t”.
Salud, Steve.
I'm firmly for RICOing the lot of them, including Faux News. The penalties are awesome, and perfect for this. Seizure of assets, $ 100k per charge and 20 years in federal prison. That would keep most of them out of our hair long enough to help us adapt to climate change. RICO, baby, RICO. I promise you, this is the one that truly has them so frantic right now. Mr. Garland, the ball is in your hands, and I assure you, The Marmalade Mafia will continue to self-incriminate.
Wish I was a lawyer!
No, you really don't. I promise.
In my job as a physician, what I do is informed by impartial science, and delivered from quackery by the threat of malpractice. But the subjective nature of determining what constitutes malpractice, the disregard for physicians as imperfect humans who will inevitably make mistakes, and the reliance upon juries to sort through complicated medical cases all combine to undermine the credibility of the whole system. It has long been proposed that specialized medical malpractice courts be established to set transparent and consistent benchmarks, with compensation paid to those harmed regardless of blame, to make the whole system more fair to imperfect physicians and injured patients. We need to learn from our mistakes, constantly improve the system, and make those who are injured as whole as we can. But cases of harm so egregious and outside normal bounds of care would still be handled in courts of law, with exposure to criminal and civil penalties.
I see parallels here. Republicans who are on board with the conspiracy to overthrow our democracy and the rule of law have been allowed to drive so completely off the rails that they are willfully committing malpractice in their realm. Peddling proven lies, joining seditious acts, threatening and then being complicit with acts of violence through conservative media and in campaign ads, brandishing weapons, and stoking civil unrest and racial intolerance… our laws must be enforced here and now, and punitively. These are malicious slashes from an out of control surgeon, and the practice of American democracy, as informed by the hard won laws we’ve polished over the long moral arc of our freedom, must be protected from further harm. I give credit to Liz Cheney and Bennie Thompson in equal measure, regardless of their contradictory philosophies.
We would not let a doctor keep practicing medicine the way we tolerate these antidemocratic forces practicing leadership in a democracy.
Wonderful analogy on your part, Dr. Ryan!
Thank you for your perspective and thoughts, Dr. McCormick. They are clarifying and provide useful frameworks for identifying and assessing the damages caused by people "willfully committing malpractice within their realm."
Oh glory, a mind-bending, but appropriate perspective
Retired medical technologist here. At my medical center, we took mandatory in-services regarding mistakes, showing us examples of some famous mistakes happened. We were told that every one of us, from the lowliest in the room, could say "We need to have a time out" to stop whatever procedure was about to occur. This was emphasized to us all. Only once , in my career, did I call a time out (when assisting a physician on a bone marrow) when it was being stated for the record that the procedure was being done on the side that was not being prepped. It truly was just saying "right" when they meant "left". I was respected by the physician and those else in the room. People do make mistakes like that, but as I would be responsible for labeling the specimen and doing much of the processing, I HAD to make sure. what was being done.
I agree, with Dr McCormick, if every lowly staffer in government could call a "time out" to have all present re-evaluate what was going on, with an absolute backed guarantee that they would not be ignored or retaliated against, I think we'd never gotten to this place we are at!
I think those 'time outs' by staffers is why the committee has over 800 witness testimonies and a Mt Shasta of hard evidence.
Of which the DOJ has requested those interviews now, as of today.
Thank you Dr. McCormick, that was a splendid analogy and an excellent proposal to have a more specialized court for medical malpractice.
Now if we could just get some justice for this afflicted nation which is being severely injured by the purveyors and practitioners of political malfeasance!
Very apt comparison, Ryan. I see this as relevant to malpractice in other fields of common good such as public education.
“Learn from our mistakes.” Powerful yet so dismissed by so many humans who despise being wrong.
UNITA! 🗽
Excellent analogy between an honest doc who made a (rare) mistake and a plastic surgeon who routinely inserts cheap chemicals into the body that are known to cause harm but, for example, make your lips appear like a baboon's lips AND charges $10,000 for the procedure.
Exactly like Trump, the plastic surgeon making money on fraud.
Well said. Thanks.
Why was the scrutiny of Rep. Loudermilk's tour of the Capitol with a large number of people and lasting several hours left to Police Chief, Tom Manager? Given the dangerous nature of the assault on 1/6, why wasn't the FBI in charge of evaluating the tour? Is there any reason to be concerned about whether Manager was influenced in his conclusion about the tour? Was Republican, representative, Rodney David, on the House Administration Committee, Manager's sole contact concerning this matter?
How is it that Tom Manager is still in the job? He's either complicit or extraordinarily inept.
What a collection, aye!
Or trained to be literal. They did NOT go into the Capitol BUILDING or into the TUNNELS.
Sounds like the police chief was in on the heist. They will nail him I am sure. I need to learn more about RICO.
There is a RICO link above. I haven't checked it out. The most obvious thing about Manager is that he is a moron MORON. Look how far morons get in the USA.
Maybe he’s a “paid” moron, Fern. You know the type who just looks away…
Manger should have consulted an attorney before responding.
From Robert Hubbell - 6/16/22
https://roberthubbell.substack.com/p/five-months-is-an-eternity-in-politics?s=r
"The January 6th Committee once again proved it has done its homework and has the goods on the coup plotters and liars attempting to evade responsibility for their unlawful actions on January 6th. In a dramatic development on Wednesday, the Committee released surveillance video taken on January 5th that showed GOP Rep. Barry Loudermilk giving a tour of the Capitol complex to a large group of “constituents.” One of those “constituents” took video and photos of tunnels and stairwells in the Capitol.
"The same “constituent” was in the crowd of rioters on January 6th as they advanced on the Capitol. Another insurrectionist described the “constituent” as “our fearless leader.” See NYTimes, Jan. 6 Panel Says Capitol Marcher Toured With G.O.P. Congressman.
"The video footage proves that Loudermilk, the House Republican caucus, and (sadly) the Capitol Police have misled the American public about the existence of “reconnaissance tours” led by GOP representatives on January 5th. The revelation reinforces the fact that the Committee is doing an outstanding job representing the interests of the American people and the Constitution. But it also highlights the dereliction of the DOJ, FBI, and Capitol Police. Each agency has been aware of the allegations for over a year but has failed to investigate or prosecute.
"The video reveals the audacious mendacity of the coup plotters and conspirators. After Democratic Rep. Mikie Sherrill reported that she saw reconnaissance tours led by Republicans on January 5th, Republicans issued the following string of denials, evasions, “corrections,” and lies. (It is helpful to know, as context, that the Capitol complex was closed to tours by members on January 5th because of Covid restrictions.)
* Republicans on the House Administration Committee (which includes Loudermilk) wrote a letter stating, “[t]here were no tours, no large groups, no one with MAGA hats on.”
* Rep. Loudermilk filed an ethics complaint against Rep. Mikie Sherrill for reporting on the existence of tours led by GOP representative on January 5th.
* Loudermilk denied that he led any tour of the Capitol complex on January 5th.
* Loudermilk then admitted he gave a tour of the Capitol complex “to a family with young children,” but claims that “to my knowledge” no one on the tour has been charged with crimes committed on January 6th “or entered the Capitol grounds.”
* Loudermilk also claimed that although some of his constituents attended the rally on the Ellipse before the attack on the Capitol on January 6th, “they turned away when they saw what was happening.”
"There are more lies, but you get the drift. See Business Insider, All the times GOP Rep. Loudermilk shifted his story about the Capitol tour he led a day before Jan. 6 attack. And remember this when evaluating Loudermilk’s explanations of why the tour was innocent: The Capitol complex was on Covid lockdown when Loudermilk gave the tour. That alone is ground for suspicion.
"The statement released by the Capitol Police was egregious and demonstrates ineptitude. In a letter to Loudermilk, the Capitol Police say that after reviewing the video of Loudermilk’s tour, they did not view “any of the activities we observed as suspicious.” The video is here:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/06/15/loudermilk-tour-video/
... see if you see “anything suspicious” on the day before insurrectionists breached the Capitol.
"Here’s the point: Loudermilk could have cleared up the confusion and suspicion by telling the truth in the days following the insurrection. Instead, it took more than a year-and-a-half and a surveillance video release for him to admit the truth begrudgingly. By attempting to conceal the truth of January 6th, Republicans continue the slow-rolling coup that Trump started on November 7, 2020."
Your highlighting the DOJ, FBI and capital police doing nothing Ison’s of the most terrifying references I have read.
This is where politics becomes personal - very, very personal ....
From Bryan Tyler Cohen - 6/16/22
BOMBSHELL: January 6 Committee releases evidence of Republican tour of Capitol
VIDEO OF THE DAY: House 1/6 committee releases evidence of GOP rep. leading rioters on tour of Capitol
The stunning footage suggests that there may have been even closer coordination between the insurrectionists and Republican lawmakers than previously thought.
https://m.facebook.com/briantylercohen/videos/704794070813017/?refsrc=deprecated&ref=sharing&_rdr
*****
To tell the Department of Justice to charge Trump for defrauding his own donors, sign here:
https://odaction.com/trump-donors
((My comment: Even if politics is a game, government is not. Either way, we need to honor truthfulness, and dispose of deception.))
Good recapitulation of what went on. A consequence for our side in this dog fight is that Manger's reply will be played over and over distracting those who could be persuaded to our side. Meanwhile, the rabid dog will continue to attack everyone within reach while raising the stakes for our favored dog.
If I had access to the facts, I would broadcast everything true about Manger - far and wide, loud and clear - all the way down to the color of his underwear.
Interesting to note ... another name in today's global cast of characters implying biblical reference ... coincidence ...?
That letter of exoneration is exceedingly suspicious!
The enemy is on the inside, in ways that we will never be able to excise…
Darkness always is excised. Whether immediate or eventual, Light prevails.
UNITA!
Manger is trying to save face and deflect any fault on his Department for sitting around while the Loudermilk tour was in progress. He is a unreliable source at best. And I agree Fern. Why wasn't an independent agency (such as the FBI) called to review the tapes? There definitely is more to this than meets the eye. Perhaps a Republican involved cover up.
My question to Manger would be: "Why didn't you stop this tour or at least stop the taking of pictures?"
Did he or any other member of the Capitol police observe the tour while it was taking place? What was the process of approval for it in the first place?
Really good questions. We'll see.
It's obviously not going to stop with the Capitol police review. Don't worry.
Oh I am beyond worried. I walk around in a constant state of awareness that Democracy is teetering on the edge.
This doesn’t make any sense to me, either.
Bam. Corrupted, corrupt.
Expect answers coming. Finally, the truth of “tours on the 5th” is coming to Light.
Thank you, Fern.
Salud!
It won't be
Alas, the proverbial smoking gun is in hand. Or I should say one of many smoking guns that have. been found. But this one — the creepy surveillance video of the Rep. Loudermilk-led tour — is definitive proof that the violent invasion of the Capitol was an inside job. How can the January 6 Committee not subpoena Loudermilk and perhaps others members of Congress rumored to have given tours?
The fact that Republicans in Congress still remain silent about the mounting findings tells us in the most chilling way possible that their sworn oaths to defend the Constitution were lies. They have implicated themselves through silence as at best passive supporters of the violent overthrow of democracy. Or in some cases, active participants.
They were lies, just as the Justices' statements that they would leave Roe v Wade in place were lies, under oath.
The insurrectionists have an infantile sense of injustice, refusing to accept a loss much as a six-year-old would, and demanding a do-over. They're throwing their little tantrums, trying to flip the game board over. They need time-outs, in the range of 6 months to 20 years.
You are calling the scum of the earth children. I do not see the connection We would not do to children what needs to be done with these amoral, unconscionable, self-serving traitors.
Fern, you are right about the penalties for the lies of adults who exhibit a lack of moral and ethical development. Their cheating and lying. But we expect children to outgrow or mature these behaviors, to exhibit developmental stages and behaviors that are age appropriate. We know the stage of a child with ice cream on his face and don’t call him a liar. We model and teach. And understand “normal”development. The adult behavior and consequences are different. Maybe it’s a quibble with language.
Irenie, You understood that I don't like to see these criminals called children, and I also think that by calling them 'children' you make their crimes smaller. They deprived people of their rights, opportunities and human dignity as well as attempting to overturn democracy for personal game. These are truly bad characters. I think our use of language is important.
Thank you, Fern, I do understand the importance of our use of language. And that these criminals are truly bad characters, who exhibit arrested development, and the lack of ethical and moral values and development seems to be a characteristic of TFG and his MAGAs.
Thank you, Irenie. I am glad we walked through this together. It couldn't be more difficult to find a way for 'their' supporters to see through the sham. Even with the exemplary work by the committee, MAGAs' identity seem to be wed to the 'golden calf' and others are so indifferent --don't like either Trump or Biden and don't have the slightest idea what the stakes are. The last portion of HCR's Letter made the trouble clear. She's been spelling out day after day.
Thank you. "Arrested development" says it all.
What's terrifying is the vast scale of the phenomenon, and how a few arsonists with matches are exploiting that to set off vast wildfires and keep them burning.
Yes - so many wounded children - now grown - still bleeding, or worse, scarred and infected with wounds not healed ...
What do you mean 'Arrested development' says it all? Is that at the heart of your understanding of members of the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers who were charged with seditious conspiracy? Does it also explain the behavior of Trump, Giuliani, Eastman, et al. and a possible line of defense for them and others planning the overthrow of the government?
I agree with Fern on this Irenie. Words make a difference in this case. Calling them children diminishes the crime. This is way beyond lying and cheating. This was a coup d'etat against the United States of America.
Just a stage of self-interest that fits the insurrectionists to a tee. Not an indictment of toddlerhood
Agree 1000% with your response, Fern.
Phil, your comparison of the insurrectionists to young children is spot on. Very young children who have the ice cream all over their face and dripping from their hands. And when cornered with the truth, the facts, they deny and lie. We give them a break, teach them to be honest. It’s too late for these repub deniers. Confront with the truth and they lie. Hurry up DOJ.
Hmmm. I disagree. These are anti-Democracy, cunning, lying, and dangerous people. Not child like in any way. At our own peril do we dismiss any insurrectionist as a child.
Yes, these people and the people who propagandize them with boldfaced lies are deadly. A majority of the American populace do not realize just how precarious the situation with our government is right now. We are hurtling down the road to fascism at breakneck speed with the outcome of the upcoming midterms basically determining what we will be. A democracy or a one-party rule autocracy.
" majority of the American populace do not realize just how precarious the situation with our government is right now."
And to me this is the scariest part.
A majority of white Americans are in favor of autocracy because they see it as the only way to preserve the systemic advantages that they have always had. One party will do its best to givem them what they want and the other won’t.
"𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘦." Reminds me:
"𝘐𝘵 𝘞𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘐 𝘓𝘢𝘺 𝘋𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘰𝘯 𝘐𝘵" --Robert Fulghum "EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN" and the one with that title.
Love those time outs for tantrums. Leavenworth???
Well, personally, I’d like to see zip-ties around their wrists first. Then they can go to their individual cages.
Thanks Phil, the fact is, we have "do overs" every 2, 4, or 6 years in this country. Something the insurrectionists seem to have lost sight of. They are not children. To believe that is to invite disaster. They are, however, being fed a steady diet of lies, denial, and justifications by an amoral leadership. Soon they will be left to their own devices. Then, I fear the REAL trouble may begin.
Steve, 'REAL' trouble has begun. Am I correct in believing you are indicating that it will get worse - more widespread violence?
Worse in the sense that the violence will become even more random. Politics will become even more extreme. When the cynics are out, the zealots (the ones who actually believe all this crap) will take over. Real chaos may ensue, at least in some places such as TX and FL.
😦
MaryPat, I am very happy to see you. Think of you and your niece, too. Whenever convenient, maybe preferable on TAFM, please don't hesitate to vent. I think of Steve as a very good subscriber pal. Cheers!
You have expressed what I have felt for the last three years. Hatred is not subtle nor are ar 15s. "It will be wild', Trump tweeted to party-goers gathering for January 6th get-together. Pathologies have been set free. Some Republicans testifying at the House Committee hearings know what has been unleashed. This country seems so broken, Steve, it appears too weak to straighten up. Liz Cheney is standing up to the BULLY. Will we see more? So far, a horrifying scenario of mammoth proportion. It is almost as hard to write as it is to contemplate.
Fern, this country has never been whole. The more I learn about the world, the more I see that this is true for most countries. Theft and usurpation are the norm. Coming to terms with this is the national occupation, weather we like it or not, weather we make up lies, blame others, or face it head-on.
How do we go on? By recognizing that 99% of any human experience is made of love. "Mother takes good care of her children" is not a headline, yet it is far more common, far more important, than any goon with a gun. If you look at the world and see no joy, then you are only looking at a very small part of the picture. Keep getting into good, joyful trouble Fern. I couldn't bear it if you didn't.
I've considered several directions I could take with this response. If some serious convo brings out the love, we'll always play ball together.
Greetings, Fern. I’m seeing 31 planning chaos in Idaho; certainly there are other groups and individuals filled with the rapacious propaganda of Rupert, et al, seeking to display their allegiances.
kim, It's been a while. You know my ears are lean in your direction; on this media, it is open eyes. Please drop a line or more. Cheers!
Will have to ask my "proud" neighbor, Fern.
Trump was America's baying hound, now breathing his last, and soon to be a convicted felon...barred from running again for Federal office... .... but the fleas, by the hundreds have jumped off his skin and are attempting their own incarnation, like that Florida governor..... America needs a "Re-dedication to its Original Principals" Ceremony.. I am much more a Democrat than a Republican... but I get the chills just listening to Liz Cheney. Her courage and bravery is as extreme as that of any soldier who would jump on a hand grenade..to save his buddies... Will she have a future in politics.? I sure hope so.
She is exactly what is needed at this moment in time, but never forget her parents and the Machiavellian deeds done to get the U.S. into war from which they profited. If you never have, watch Vice - the film about Dick and Lynn.
War criminals
Yes, Vice…so good!
I watched it... I judge her by her bravery, and eloquence and effectiveness... I would not tar her by any sins of her father
Jack, thanks for the image of the fleas, and for your summation of Liz Cheney. Did I hear correctly that her dad was well received at one of the 1/6 hearings? This is all becoming more and more dreamlike....
Nightmare like. My memory is still good.
I remember W grinning and saying 'What do you think of me now?' after 45 was in office for a while. Friends were preparing to move to Canada on W's watch, and that was back before Covid when we could actually pack up and go.
May she make up for her father's failures.
Her father succeeded with the Republican agenda, which has only gotten more blatant as it has become more evil. My hope is that she will go down in history for splitting the Republican Party in two - the tRumped DeSatanists vs. what we in Michigan call Milliken Republicans.
What is a Milliken Republican?
Govetnor Bill Miiliken served all of us Michiganders for 14 years, small business as well as large, and was a strong environmentalist and conservator of our Great Lakes and land. His wife Helen started Planned Parenthood in the state. Wonderful, good, caring people.
Sounds like a good guy.
Yes. He lived here in Traverse City, and what a delight to chat with them in line for a movie at (Michael Moore's renovated) State Theater, or at one of our local restaurants. Gracious, good people, like Republicans here used to be. Sadly, before he died at 99, the Republican Party kicked him out.
Indeed.
ТЯцм₽ isn't necessarily headed for prison right away. TCinLA has posted an interesting piece on this:
https://tcinla757.substack.com/p/when-will-tfg-announce-hes-running?s=r
I say the odds that Trump ever sees the inside of a jail cell are:
10% or less.
He will see the inside of a Jury Verdict filled in with the word "Guilty"...Ban him from all possible endeavors. He has only ONE friend. Look at how he duped $250,000,000 from supporters of his defense.
Well, of course it is not a "necessarily".. thing
I wonder if there is a Line on this in Vegas. ..... The "McLeaders"....... (McConnell and McCarthy) really understand that their GOOP is more viable with Donald in the clink...
I want to see him cop a plea bargain conviction with real barbed ankle bracelets to wear.
The country needs a "colonic cleansing" to get past Trump.
jbarry
Thank you Heather for your immense historical insight and relating it to our current state. These trumpers/magas/ “1776ers” don’t have a clue about the American Revolution and 1776. Since the Reagan years and his Secretary of Education Bill Bennett decided Civics wasn’t important for our children to learn and removed it from the curriculum in public schools, the dumbing down of our country began. They don’t understand our history and don’t have a clue how our democratic government is supposed to work. Sadly, many can’t even name the three branches of government. Anyway, I went off on a tangent but the absolute stupidity and prejudice of these people is astounding.
Absolutely, Karen, you have it just right. As an educator myself (at the higher education level) I am consistently astonished to see how dumb—just plain ignorant of history and the importance of weighing evidence—more and more of this US population seems to be becoming over time. It’s very scary and will lead in the US to repetition of the kinds of disasters we have seen other once enlightened societies suffer historically, I’m afraid.
Corporatocracies and dictators do not like educated people. Thus, Betsy de Void was the perfect person to further destroy our educational systems to maintain white-privileged, private schools for the elite's children. And Duh Joyless to destroy our postal system so people cannot vote easily. I never heard about the Red Mirage until the Hearings. The republican deviousness is so deep, yet done blatantly in front of our eyes. It is good that this has taken so long to unearth all their evils—we have so much change and reparations to do. I can tell you, I had the most boring Civics teacher in high school. Yet, my foster daughter had the most dynamic civics teacher in her high school. He was brilliant and made it all come alive for students. They were so fired up that many of them volunteered for campaigns that year and held mock campaigns. Some became anarchists to see what would happen.
First, Civics and Responsibility needs to be taught with Critical Thinking Skills. Secondly, it needs to have meaning for young people. Like comparing democracies with dictatorships and other forms of governing. History of genocides and the holocaust. Human trafficking (slavery in our own country).. Brainwashing vs Freedom with Responsibility...
Freedom of Speech limitations need to be enforced:
Although different scholars view unprotected speech in different ways, there are basically nine categories:
Obscenity,
Fighting words,
Defamation (including libel and slander),
Child pornography,
Perjury,
Blackmail,
Incitement to imminent lawless action,
True threats,
Solicitations to commit crimes,
Some experts also would add treason, if committed verbally, to that list.
Plagiarism of copyrighted material is also not protected.
The Freedom Forum Institute https://www.freedomforuminstitute.org/about/faq/which-types-of-speech-are-not-protected-by-the-first-amendment/
Thank You for this! I would change "treason" to "sedition" though.
Yes, I think Sedition would cover/include a lot of these unprotected speech issues: Fighting Words, Obscenity, Incitement to imminent lawless action, True Threats, Libel/Slander and Solicitations to commit crimes.
We should include Malicious Lying and Propaganda machines, in all forms, against the country's well-being to be included.
Sedition does seem the proper format to be taken. The DOJ has requested all of the interviews today from the committee. Yippee!
"
"What does the constitution say about sedition?
Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States."
Here is a good read on the differences of sedition, treason and insurrection.
https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2021/01/treason-sedition-and-insurrection-whats-the-difference/#:~:text=Treason%2C%20Sedition%2C%20and%20Insurrection%3A%20What%E2%80%99s%20the%20Difference%3F
"Whoever incites."
Betsy De Void. Thanks Pensa. Just forgot her real last name and I only live 130 miles from her house ( and have close friends in her neighborhood. Or at least one of her many homes).
👍🏼
He did this: He LOST! He LIED! He LOOTED! 3XL!
Heather. This is so powerful and so frightening. The tie between information from the fearless committee and what these states are doing to overturn elections just yesterday is staggering. Thank you for your letters. You are a beacon to us all. God a s sanity and truth please save our democracy
I’m so glad there is evidence about the tours on the fifth. Somehow the tours seem especially creepy since they covered the possible escape routes for the politicians. As always, a big thank you to Heather!
The Trump coalition has a lasar focus on points of control in both vote casting and vote counting at the state and local level. Their detailed analysis and careful follow-through would be admirable were it not for their deeply nefarious purpose. American democracy is in serious trouble and can survive only through a nationwide, Abrams-level miracle in voter turnout in November. That turnout can only happen if there is a monumental get-out-the-vote effort. I have contributed time and money to such efforts steadily for the past few years but am far from optimistic, based on the level of activity that I’ve been able to observe, that what is being done is anywhere near enough.
As Stalin reportedly said, it’s not who votes, it’s who counts the votes.
In the mean time, maybe a grassroots effort to train local voting/polling staff and volunteers how to detect and report any evidence of fraud.
A problem is that the keadersip of that staff will be training ghem to do fhe opposite: to intimidate and miscount. Also, there is the matter of organizing that grassroots movement. That takes hundreds of millions if dollars and professional leadershiip. Effective “grassroots” efforts don’t emerge from grass roots.
Well, if Justice were served soon enough, we could strike down all the oppressive moves against our voting rights, arrest all the seditious people in our employment, and shut down faux propaganda machines. Dreamy.
The process of justice is picking up speed, and Justice is about to show his/her hand!
Thank you for the latest recap of repub lies and gaslighting. It’s all over the news, and the J6 Committee has the “goods” on these criminals. There must be consequences, prosecution. These criminals, including TFG, especially as the ringleader, who have violated their oath, cannot continue to refuse and ignore subpoenas, blatantly lie and remain in office and free. If they are not held accountable, we have no hope for the future of our country. Either the criminals are stupid in their denials or we are in allowing them to trample our laws and our Democracy. In plain sight.
After a week of “news rest,” I got back into it the last couple days. Good recap, Dr. Richardson. And the fox channels are stirring the distraction pots blaming Biden for inflation. It’s easy to step away from the real of fake news, and I’m not seeing the MAGA crowd learn anything. BUT, prosecutors are seeing plenty, and maybe these traitors won’t be on the final ballots after all. They’ll be under arrest awaiting trial for serious conspiracy, racketeering, etc.
One such candidate (Ryan Kelley) who is on the primary ballot for Michigan governor was arrested last week for trespassing on the property at the Capital on Jan 6, 2021. He was arraigned, and bonded out. As he walked out of the courthouse, he smiled and waved to a large group of supporters who were waiting for him. He had no shame and no regrets.
He's campaigning now as a "political prisoner."
no sh*t!
ARRRGGGHHH
Ugh ugh UGH! Those supporters are like people who are attracted to murderous prisoners!
Right! I was going to mention him, but I couldn’t remember which state or his name. Certifiable jerk. Pretty sure it was MI but thought You’d remember! Thanks Cathy.
Seems we grow the best and the worst here in Michigan.