I dread deeply my cynicism. Yet, its existence has become inevitable. The best way nowadays for a criminal to avoid prosecution, or any form of accountability, is to be a politician. Like it or not, there ARE people who are above the law. And I hate the fact of knowing that has always been the case.
But, wouldn't it be monumental if finally the process works and they ARE held accountable? I believe that Ms. Willis and Mr. Smith intend to see that happen. I hope they succeed.
The same kind of threats and blackmail that turned Trump’s primary opponents and retired Justice Kennedy will be used on Willis and Smith, et al. They will have no choice. Trump is Mafia.
A few rare souls cannot be blackmailed or intimidated. Let it be so for both Willis & Smith.
On the other hand, Garland is still AG. And we know what former AG Barr did to the Mueller report. It remains to be seen whether or not Garland is one of those who can be blackmailed or intimidated or is so inclined not to bring to justice powerful Republicans.
Jaime Ramirez ; If he fails to do his job , the A.G. should have to , at minimum, return the 'earnings' he has been paid, and removed from his position.
Thinking back you must remember Mr. Whipple, the grocery store owner who couldn't keep his hands off of the Charmin. The disfunction Mr. Whipple suffered from was inherited from his great uncle Ebon Squeezer Scrooge.
Bill has established himself as a comedic personality that also has a political influence of some importance. His talk show airs on HBO every Friday night and has guests that give pertinent viewpoints on the various subjects affecting our society at the present time. Bill is a person that I would describe as an anti-hunter. I can understand his position on the subject but I disagree with his reasoning. As a species, we are carnivores by nature. Basically, we eat the flesh of the animals we kill. Every dish we fix that has meat in it contains the muscles of dead creatures we have killed. Whether they were dispatched through the use of a stun gun in a slaughterhouse or shot in the field by hunters the end result is the same, food on our tables. As to which method is the most humane, who is to say? We removed the apex predators from the environment, leaving people to control the herd's health and population size. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and Bill has his.
Bill has also taken the position of "Natural Immunity" when it comes to combating the covid virus. This idea of confronting the pandemic is debatable. To look down on a vaccine that works and saves lives is a kin to that thing ostriches do when they are confronted by the fear of the unknown. I just can't see Bill in that position. Natural immunity does exist but it is an unknown. Who has it? There is no way to tell who will be affected by a virus and who won't. Through the use of the vaccine, far more individuals are protected against what they can't possibly be sure of. We as a society have suffered 1.12 million deaths in this country, today almost everyone that dies from this disease is in the unvaccinated group. Where would we be if the accepted norm was to ignore the vaccine and just let the pandemic run its course? The projected deaths with that thinking in place would have been 6 times the current numbers tabulated. How Bill can take the position of non-compliance with respect to being vaccinated is beyond me. Why take the chance on natural immunity when the shot gives a far better chance of surviving the virus if contracted? We are a country that needs to have a degree of faith in the powers that attempt to keep us safe in just such an emergency. If our government advises us to get vaccinated there is a good deal of fact-based knowledge that suggests they should be listened to. The insane attitude of ignoring the FDA's recommendation to get vaccinated only adds in the spread of the virus. If we rely on a herd or natural immunity to fight a pandemic the harbinger of death might well be your next dinner guest.
As an adult that is a personal choice, but children need fat from an animal sources for proper brain development. The brain is 60% fat in its nature. Mothers milk is about 56% fat, giving the infant's brain the necessary growth medium through which to develop normally.
Yes, fat is essential to an overall healthy diet—especially for the developing brain. But NOT from animal sources (I don’t count a mother’s breastmilk as an animal fat btw). That is a societally-indoctrinated belief. Not so unlike how most people “get their religion:” from their parents. Katrina’s emoji is an avocado—one of the best sources of a healthy fat. Pass the guac please!
I want to believe that but the cynic in me says to wait until he does something. Smith hasn’t done anything yet that Mueller himself didn’t do. And the way these politicians are now FLAUNTING their defiance of DOJ and congressional subpoenas is beyond conscionable. Like has been said—you want to engage in accountability-free behavior, get elected to federal office. “By any means!” ~ George Santos.
Putin, what a mess, but is he the worst? We see Mother Russia in a negative light and have been since the cold war. Countries don't go to war it's the governments that control them that do. The common people do the bleeding while the powers in control reap the rewards if there are any. People are basically all the same, it's the governing bodies that control the people where we find the rub. The main problems come from countries without representative governments, where people are put into power without public elections. Countries that have governing bodies composed entirely of egocentric thugs who gained power through force and deception make up a dictatorship. Backed by a military the common individual can do little but obey. The birth of the foot shoulder throughout history has done nothing but water our fields with the blood of innocents. There was a movie from the 1960s entitled "Fail Safe," in the world in which we live, it should be required watching. What it does, besides the obvious plot, is it gives an insight into the men in subordinate positions and how their views on war can vary. If you're not familiar with the movie it deals with the possibility of nuclear war with non-other. In each camp respectively, the minds in control are hindered by subordinates who view war in a positive light. This is the crux of this post. Our view of Russia is based largely upon Putin and his agendas. We all know the nuclear threat Putin possesses. Where has it been and why hasn't he used it? The man has limits to which he will go in order to achieve his ends. Supplant Putin for an unknown and what do we get? Three possible results. One, is a military mind that shares Putin's thinking, and the status quo continues. Two, we find a mind amongst the many that see peace as the only path to follow. And third, the worst could happen. You can't tell me Putin is the most extreme mind over there. A hard-liner who makes Putin look like a boy scout is waiting in the wings. This new arrival views the use of nuclear weapons as a necessity and they should be used when the opportunity affords itself. I agree this is extreme but not out of the question. No matter how well we plan no scenario we come up with is "Fail Safe." Henery's struggle with Walter could only occur on 'Golden Pond." Where peace was a constant, to be enjoyed by all. Don't Ras-Putin. Meet him with equal force and intent, any attempt to get rid of him might lead to issues far greater than the ones currently on the table. His withdrawal must be voluntary not one promoted by force. We know there is decent in that Government, let us hope cooler minds prevail, there is a huge population of people over there like us, who just want peace.
Seriously, politics have now "evolved" into such "a harbor of criminality," that it's the safest place to "run to" to avoid prosecution! Used to be, you could just get away with criminal behavior while you were in Congress. Now, if your an "outsider/street" criminal, you better get your criminal ass elected to Congress for the best chance to avoid jail! Whaaa?😄
Martha Farmer ; And he is spying for those who paid him the money needed to get into his seat, while doing their bidding, instead of representing his constituents.
There's no telling what he is doing. Washington DC is most likely neck deep in black mail money. Peter paying Paul, one way or the other, to shut the hell up about what they all know on each other. Trump family fit right in. It's a Peyton Place, a cabal, a pit of vipers...If there are any good people there (and, I want to believe there are, but very few), they must do something to clean their house up from within! Constituents cannot vote all the criminals out, because we don't have all the info/truth; but, the good people do, and they must do something about it.
Gullible is an apt word for many of them. Indoctrinated is another. Deluded is yet another. Those that knowingly or willingly spread disinformation are propagandists.
I call them sad (I’d have used the word “deplorable” but that didn’t work out so well the first time.) Actually, they aren’t deplorable—there is more than a hint of sadness to them because they were given a brain, with an option to use it well, but they have elected to turn in their rational thinking option in order to blindly follow something sinister.
Dazed and confused. Easily incited because they know something is wrong when full time jobs will not put a roof over head nor food on the table. Of course, there are the rich ones who want tax breaks.
Martha Farmer ; Maybe there will be a welcome surprise and justice will actually prevail. It's "The perils of Pauline" and the train is coming down the tracks ; Our country is all tied up on those tracks and the whistle is blowing louder and louder...WHAT will HAPPEN NEXT? CHOOOO!
We know where the money came from. “Andrew Intrater and his wife each gave the maximum $5,800 to Santos’s main campaign committee and tens of thousands more since 2020 to committees linked to him, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. Intrater’s cousin is Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, who has been sanctioned by the U.S. government for his role in the Russian energy industry.” (From The Washington Post) https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/01/16/george-santos-andrew-intrater-columbus-nova/
It was an Russian oligarch who is probably in sync with others like him. Thank you for this. Still illegal, and harmful to our push for a real Democracy.
Martha Farmer ; Excellent idea! Candidates should be properly vetted because elections have consequences! I can't believe how much the MAGAs are getting away with! It makes me feel ill!
Reading this thread my own sarcastic "humor of sorts" wanted to find some one liners and failed miserably.
George Santos is known now as a complete fraud yet put on a committee to oust the Dem which is not unusual but what is, as I see it, is the T......way of totally dismantling well oiled departments by firing the experienced and putting in the totally unqualified. Greene and a few others also demonstrated lack of perspective or experience and they, too, are there. "Drinking the cool-aid" is a great spark to realize that once said over and over again, some feel it is saying what is may or may not be true. Fox could take a daisy and by the end of the day have a segment of this country believing it has hidden microphones in the yellow center and its petals the transmitters. (silly, I know)
Yet why? There has to be a way for our own party to fight for the education needed, like civics, American Government, how it was structured and ideally meant to work, and yet we see the lack of these offered and now education is on attack.
I have always felt, as a woman and how important I grew up when education for all was lauded, that don't teach critical thinking, don't teach history, etc and you can rule. When anyone, any group learns to read a whole world opens up.
Democrats need the language, etc. And don't get me started on how I feel about how the churches (especially small towns) fit in to the "WHY".
I am worried, and choose not to give into fear, yet the ship must begin to turn. It is a slow process which started 30 years ago and our language and information must be attuned to the Constitution, HIstory, and find the questions AND guidance to stand up and stand firm and demand more from out electorate. I don't believe I would have voted for several of these players if they were Dems.
Laurie, that’s what most people except for Rethugs believe but I’ve been told it’s not against the law to lie unless u are before a Grand Jury or other Court hearing! Only people with no moral compass will lie to get ahead or to save themselves from consequences & that truly describes Retrumplicans, all of them not just TFG!
I don't know why it "isn't" illegal for politicians to lie to get elected? (Or, even, after they get elected, they continue to lie, etc..) When they campaign, they are "selling" themselves to get elected; when they get elected, they are in a "paid" position. A public office that is being "paid for by taxpayers' money". When they campaign for office, if they "conceal truths, intentionally/negligently misrepresenting, or make false promises; I believe they are being fraudulent, committing fraud. Besides the crap about too hard to criminally charge politicians with lying; I think "taxpayers" (i.e., the voters who elected them, then found out they were fraudulent) could/should bring a "civil suit" against them for "fraud"; to "re-coup any money" (taxpayers' money) they have paid towards their salary! (money would go back to official budgets, etc.) When are these politicians (many blood-suckers) going to be held accountable for what they do and say?! And all this, we have to "wait for another election" to "fire" these people? We should be able to "call elections" like they do in other countries. If politicians don't do their job like they said they would do, their asses should be kicked out, asap!! I need a NY3 attorney!!!😄
Shirley Roberts ; I believe that statements made in the media should 'count'. This requirement that a suspect has to have their hand on a bible in a Grand jury hearing/trial in order for a statement to be real and subject to perury is just another technicality to help the perps get away.
That was less true in the past, although I think it has always been an advantage to be a politician with connections (which most have). It has become more & more true over the decades, & now they're practically invulnerable, especially since Trump. Merrick Garland could've done so much to change that, but this has been the greatest failing of the Biden administration.
I too have a deep cynicism overall TFG being held accountable! I chose #3, tRump indicted & convicted but not sent to prison because I believe Spec Counsel Jack Smith & the SDNY prosecutor will complete their investigations & that he will eventually be convicted on all charges & Special Counsel Smith will determine his sentence based on results of all 3 trials. Hopefully he will be placed on house arrest so he will be forced to appear for trial in all 3 cases. My hope is that his businesses will be forced into bankruptcy & dissolved & all fines will be paid along with back taxes. This could be the deterrent all politicians need to see so they think twice or three times before grifting off our government. I hope so at least! Then we need to get Congress to fix the loopholes in the taxation laws & return corporate taxation to the levels it was during Clinton’s Presidency. Biden promised in his campaign speeches to repeal the 2017 tax scam & I believe most people still want to see that happen. All we need is a Congress to work with him instead of against him if that’s even possible. It would be if Manchin & Sinema were gone or made irrelevant in the ‘24 election! What’s the chances of that becoming reality? The Retrumplican seditionists still in Congress also need to be dealt with along with that lying Santos that refuses to resign. Doesn’t it look suspiciously like TFG’s behavior has emboldened the seditionists in Congress to continue their bad behavior especially their decorum when speaking before Committee inquiries & during the recent SOTU address. Speaker McCarthy will never have any control over his people & the whole lot of them are a disgrace & embarrassment for our Country! 2024 can’t come soon enough for me but we have to rely on the voters in all those districts to vote somebody else into office if our DOJ won’t kick them out of office like should be done.
I’m trying to get a story to the world media and it concerns the corruption that the Australian government has done to me to protect guilty people from cruelty and torture of their animals and I’ve been to over 70 magistrates and magistrate’s breaking other magistrate’s court orders and I’m one of the most decorated civilians in Australian history and I’m even in the history book of Australia and I haven’t even got a speeding ticket in the last 35 years and I’ve got all the evidence to back me up on a USB stick so I don’t know how to use a computer much at the moment.I’ve even been put in prison for absolutely nothing just to gag me because these people are in the witness protection program and can do whatever they want even torture their animals and I’ve got it all recorded so if you want a good story from an Australian hero who has been victimised for trying to protect animals from cruelty and torture cheers Kevin Michael Hurley s.c.
Keep the faith, Kevin. Keep the faith! You are the voice of the voiceless—all beings, which includes animals, have Soul. Thank you, on their behalf, for your effort.
I hope that USB is kept safe & secure. You sound like one of those heroic whistleblowers that goes after the powers that be (PTB), who gang up on you to prevent the truth coming out. Ever heard of the case of Steven Donziger & indigenous Ecuadoreans vs. Chevron? So much injustice in the world! Hard to go against the PTB
As long as the Republican party can benefit from the voters who for god knows what reason, still think Trump is a "Bag of chips and all that", he will be free to spend the rest of his life spewing lies and threatening democracy.
As much as I wish to see Mr. Trump brought to the bar of justice, I think I and my fellow Trump-loathers need to reflect on one key aspect of this seemingly endless imbroglio: the difficulty of indicting, let alone convicting, someone is a POSITIVE feature of
No. I do not need to reflect on how hard it is to indict in order to remember that is a designed feature of the system. Because I know that. What I need to see is to the rule of law applied fearlessly to this case and all of its associated cases. And for meaningful campaign finance reform, ballot box access, and RankedChoiceVoting to create a substantive shift in the dynamics of our governance system. I need to see ethical behavior rewarded and consequences for criminal behavior.
But your point is taken. I do need to reflect on the importance of remaining civil despite the level of fury that I feel.
Thanks, Marilyn. I’m just getting used to commenting in Substack, so perhaps haven’t absorbed some community norms. I thought I had been civil. And I agreed with the guy’s point about the high bar for indictment in criminal matters being an important feature in our criminal “justice” system. I just don’t think that is what we are dealing with here. We’re dealing with authoritarians, wannabe oligarchs, and soulless corporate bullies who will do anything to protect their already obscene fortunes.
Didn't notice anything untoward in your remarks. The civility police on various forums can at times be quite overbearing. You said what you had to say. Good work.
DROP THE MIC, docpatti!!! Well said. Roger, I get your point too but I’m lucky to have white skin in the game, so it can be tempting for me to think that way as well and not come to a place where I know THAT America isn’t the one being experienced by my immigrant friends, my LGBTQ+ friends, or my friends of color, or those who live below the poverty line. And so I remain a cynic—you articulate ideals, but sadly we don’t live in that world. I’ll become less of a cynic when true accountability actually comes to those most deserving. Until then….
Kert - thank you for explaining what is meant by drop the mic. I had no idea that it is a compliment meaning “right on” or some such, so I wondered what it was I said that you didn’t like. I thought perhaps it was b/c I referenced my “fury” and that felt too aggressive to you. Or that you felt I came at the original poster too hard by just flat out saying, “no,” I don’t want to focus on that aspect of the system. Anyway, glad to straighten that out. 😊
I’m also finding it hard to navigate back to where a specific comment appears in Substack. If anyone has a hint, please share.
Thank YOU docpatti! I’m sorry things got sideways there ‘cuz that would never be my intention--especially among like-minded friends. I like what you have written here--it is said with passion and conviction.
Oh…wait a minute. Do you not know that the phrase “drop the mic” is a compliment meaning “so well said, nothing more need be said. So you can ‘drop the mic.’” THAT explains a lot if my phrase was not correctly interpreted.
Part II: our criminal justice system. Avoiding the horror of an innocent individual being indicted--and possibly convicted--is a critical aspect of our criminal justice system. That someone like Mr. Trump with unlimited funds and unlimited gall can manipulate that system is an unfortunate side effect of providing that protection to ordinary--and quite possibly innocent--citizens.
We need to remain focused on the efforts of various state and federal law enforcement agencies to bring this nearly uniquely clever miscreant to justice. I believe one or more of them will succeed. But in case this almost certainly guilty man escapes any meaningful punishment, we need to remind ourselves that the judicial provisions he has abused exist to protect the genuinely innocent as well. Trump may not care if he "only" loses all measure of respect and MOST of his political support. But we should regard that outcome as at least a partial victory, much as we might wish to see him lose his wealth and his freedom as well.
If we are to follow the tenets of our founding fathers (and mothers) Trump must either be hanged or die in prison. Remember that the threat of Capitalism is a replication of feudalism, based on the ownership of the principal sources of wealth. In the Middle Ages, it was land and the ability to pay a private army. If we aren't careful, it will recur as stock ownership and the ability to pay a private Congress with an attached army.
With the new realizations concerning the truths Fox chose to ignore, how will the average viewer feel about the lies that station spread in this country? Fox turned itself into a fake news outlet that feared losing a large percentage of its views to the truth. To give support to Trump and to maintain its public image, Fox promoted all the lies and conspiracy theories in an attempt to maintain its own position in the ratings game. The heck with what was good for the country Fox decided all the negativity and hoopla surrounding Trump and the big lie was good for business. They prayed on the public's ignorance and short-sightedness for no other reason than to main their market share of the viewing audience. They had no feeling of remorse or regret because of the content their news anchor were spewing over the airways. That station and all the idiots who helped spread Trump's lies should be tarred and feathered and run out of town on a fence post. The damage they did to this country was far more injurious than anything Trump could have ever done all by his lonesome. Trump screamed about the effects of fake news and all the while his entire persona was being promoted by the very deceptions he so vehemently objected to. Fake news oddly was a weapon Trump used to dilute the truth and at the same time, he used it to embellish his own political position. While studying criminology my professor stated, 2/3 of the greatest minds affecting our society are criminal in nature. Trust who you will but like Trump, the bad guys use the general public as stepping stones to get to where they want to be. These human manipulators house absolutely no feelings for the people they use and discard on their journey to achieving personal greatness. Trump is a weak fool who is easily manipulated and controlled by outside forces who play to his insecurities and petty dyslexic moods. How do you put an entire news outlet in jail, like forever? That is precisely where they belong. The first amendment, at times, can afford the bad guys a platform from which to launch their own spy balloons. How do we shoot those things down and still maintain our freedom of speech?
I doubt if our learned Supreme Court would say that there was anything wrong with lying in news reporting. Wrap the whole freaking thing around the first amendment. What’s next ,allowing people to shout fire in a movie theater? The Republican loonies are definitely in charge of the institution.
Are you allowed to yell gun in a crowded theater? Are you allowed to yell “I’ll shoot “in a theater.? What are the first amendment rights at this point in time? Can you yell gun to protect people or can you yell I’ll shoot to threaten people? What are the first amendment rights?
As a “constitutionalist” can you deny the public’s’ rights while insisting on individual rights to tread on others? Is that really what the constitution meant to protect?
That's when the FCC should step in. The Federal Communications Commission should have rules, regulations, and the ability to enforce those regulations. Apparently they see their only duty to be that of handing out licensing and collecting the fees The First Amendment DOES NOT allow for the spreading of lies in order to overrule the Constitution.
I dread my cynicism. Someone has to step up into the void of moral leadership and do the right thing—transcend the cesspool of power-politics. Where the HELL is THAT person?
Wouldn’t be as fun (did I just say this has been fun?). But at least the media wouldn’t cover him as often, if at all. No dirty diaper, no dirty laundry, no fun story.
Kert--I agree, a total media "black" out of the guy. Being dyslexic he needs a constant infusion the ego busting, to be ignored might drive the poor man nuts.
I see signs of that in various people -- Sanders, Warren, Merkley, Schiff, Tlaib, Khanna, Lee, Porter (why not mention all the contenders for Feinstein's seat?)... Recently Raskin has been on a tear! Get the best of all of these people in one, & what a leader we'd have! So good that person would almost surely be assassinated!
There have already been many attempts. That no assassination of a major political figure hasn't succeeded these last few years is pretty much miraculous.
Jaime, I totally agree. Every one you mention, when I have the chance to listen to them (their passion, knowledge, compassion, love of country, love of Democracy), I am thankful they exist and that they were voted into office. THANK GAWD for each of them. LOVE RASKIN! And I have such high, high hopes for Hakeem Jefferies—maybe he’s the one we’re waiting for. He had me at hello.
Hakeem would (dare I say "will"?) make an excellent Speaker. He's already given us a delicious taste of how it would be. Such a contrast to McCarthy! Imagine a President Raskin with Speaker Jeffries & Majority Leader Merkley, for example!
Fox is a subversive organization (so is the Republican Party). At 1 time in our past, government sanctions were applied to designated subversive organizations. Both verge on being terrorist organizations, too, mostly of the stochastic type.
Nikki Haley is the quintessential political empty shell. Lacking any sense of shame or moral compass, she is an accomplished masseuse of the truth. And she is terrifyingly good at side-stepping reality. She is sure to position herself as the voice of reason (between the crazy men, Trump and DeSantis) and many reasonable Republicans will listen, especially if the two men simply burn each other up.
We need to learn from the recent past: don't be too quick to dismiss the empty shells. Especially when they're attractive. People love to fill them with their own projections.
Autocratic systems need and promote empty shells to execute the orders of those "behind the curtain." With the culture of performance = politics, media types and attractiveness have replaced the nameless, faceless men behind the scenes.
...a republic in which our representatives are elected, not selected. It would work well if the electorate were better educated and motivated to take the responsibility seriously. Then there are the problems of both the Senate and the Electoral College, neither of which reflect any proportional representation that is logical in this day and age. Rank choice voting would be a start, but we need to abolish the Electoral College, and re-think the composition of the Senate.
Amen John! I think it was Robert himself who not too long ago articulated a way for states to come together to make the Electoral College irrelevant without a constitutional amendment. But all the Blue state officials would need the courage to carry it out. Oh that I should live to see THAT day!!! (And if God could make that happen, say, around November 2024, that would be nice too!).
One wonders what Dr. Franklin would think about our stewardship of this experiment he helped set in motion. “That Trump fellow did WHAT again? And what’s that Santos imposter guy doing there? You guys really do suck at this voting thing, don’t you.” ~ B. Franklin (imagined).
A former prosecutor here — Manhattan DA’s Office — and a stern critic of slothful/cowardly Garland, who brought in a Spec Counsel NOT as understood by the drafter of the SC rules, Neal Katyal, but to shield himself from the sloth and cowardice of the years of his tenure.
My hope lies with Smith, and even Alvin Bragg, who has apparently found his testicles (maybe), but most of all with the GA DA, who has more guts than Garland and Bragg combined.
He will not be eligible for bankruptcy. His assets will be seized and sold to satisfy his creditors. IMHO he could owe the State of NY a $billion, standing alone.
What I want to happen is for Trump to be tried, convicted and most importantly, after that to just be shunned! Sometimes the witch hunt turns up a real witch - or warlock in this case. . What I'm afraid will happen is that he will continue to spin his victim narrative and his base will continue to ignore any evidence to the contrary, no matter how compelling.
Yes Barb! The “worst” punishment for Trump would be to ignore him completely. To make him irrelevant—THAT would kill him. But, we know that ain’t gonna happen. In the words of the great philosopher Don Henley: “We need dirty laundry.”
...and yet we continue to talk about him. To the narcissist, even vilification is welcome attention. There's something to be said for refusing to speak the name.
I like it John. He shall forevermore be “he who shall not be named.” But it’s probably insulting to Voldemort to be associated with the new “he who shall not be named.”
Ruth, I had a manager once who had been diagnosed with cancer at a young age and who had chosen how she wanted to fight it. She won obviously as she was in her 40's when she was my boss. I will never forget, and do my best to live by her words: NEVER GIVE UP. Once you do, you might as well stop paying attention. Since you obviously, at 93, have NOT given up then I say keep focused and carry on. The alternative sucks.
Sadly, for most citizens, there is at least two layers of justice. For those mere mortals with just enough resources to have a job, perhaps a home and and strive to feed their families, there is swift, harsh judgement and punishment. For those well endowed, justice moves at a different pace and most often renders sparse punishment.
Trump is exposed to criminal charges but more importantly to billions in damages. He's been sending his largesse offshore and has close ties in the Arab world, especially with Saudi and Qatar. “Mr. Trump is a prolific and sophisticated litigant who is repeatedly using the courts to seek revenge on political adversaries,” Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida wrote this month in fining the former president and one of his lawyers nearly $1 million for filing a frivolous civil suit against Hillary Clinton and F.B.I. officials. “He is the mastermind of strategic abuse of the judicial process, and he cannot be seen as a litigant blindly following the advice of a lawyer.” This decision will be precedent in other cases. He has an April trial date in the E Jean Carroll sexual battery trial commences on April 24 in federal court in New York. and an October date in his civil New York damage case. brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/31/us/politics/trump-legal-tactics.html
Trump World Golf Club, Dubai, the second golf project to be built by DAMAC Properties and operated by The Trump Organization, is set within the prestigious 55 million square feet community of AKOYA Oxygen. The magnificent 18-hole Championship-standard course will be designed by the iconic golfing superstar Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods Design will bring the golfer's design expertise and worldwide playing experience to the development, and, when coupled with the Trump brand standard of excellence, will create a new luxury benchmark for golf in the Middle East. Stretching the limits of design, Trump World Golf Club will tick every box of today's avid golfer with a state-of-the-art club, world-class restaurants and a Golf Pro Shop. The course will be situated at the heart of the AKOYA Oxygen development, with some of the highest premium, residential developments in Dubai overlooking the course.
Haha! And sumtin tells me those UAEs, the Saudis,Qatar, Vlad, the baby killer were all invited to an afternoon at Mara.Largo for Big Macs and perusing tippy top secret docs !
I find it absolutely ridiculous that Trump and all the MAGAS in Congress have not been held accountable whatsoever for aiding and enabling an attempted violent overthrow of our country, and here it is over 2 yr later with MAGA traitors still in Congress (and still trying to wreak whatever damage they can upon our country), and treasonous Trump is still a free man. All these people would have been in jail a long time ago had this happened in another country, like Brazil, who moved immediately to charge all the people involved in their recent attempted coup. The DOJ is not doing their job when they let this much time pass before limply trying to appear like they are investigating Trump. Trump and all those who attempted the violent Jan. 6 coup are domestic terrorists and should be treated just as harshly as foreign terrorists because they pose much more of a threat to us and our country.
That Trump and his minions are sitting in Congress and he runs free for this long after the Jan 6 nightmare....that right there...is why I have lost total faith in our government. When we put this together with the insanity that is going on in places like FL and TX and other states....honestly I think it's already game over for the country called the United States.
Thomas Eagleton couldn't be VP because he had been treated for depression, but Trump could be elected President and run for a 2nd term. Trump's mental problems are 'way beyond depression in seriousness.
On the poll, I will repeat what I have been saying, trump will be indicted, convicted in Georgia, appeal - conviction upheld, appeal to not so supreme court, conviction overturned. trump indicted by DOJ, repeat. trump indicted by NY southern district, convicted repeat. No matter what, his minions will love him, send him money to fight and appeal. Worse yet, if this slimy con man gets reelected during this 3 round circular conviction-appeal upheld- appeal to scotus conviction overturned WE will pay for his defense.
Thank you for your encouragement and understanding of John Fetterman's clinical depression, the more we recognize that mental health is a disease like cancer, heart failure, diabetes, the more likely we are to see money spent on treatments an eventually on cures for the myriad diseases that fall under the category of mental health. Cancer and even diabetes were stigmatized for many people born before the 1930's. It takes understanding, treatments and cures to remove the stigma of disease.
It is to simplistic to blame money and ratings. The right is coordinating a take over. Some will profit, but those now are just tools. It is about authoritarian control. The pieces of the puzzle fit....media is a huge part of the. Coordination. And it is working! Not one major coordinator of Jan 6 has been brought to justice. And they will get rid of trump-DeSantis is the man.
I dread deeply my cynicism. Yet, its existence has become inevitable. The best way nowadays for a criminal to avoid prosecution, or any form of accountability, is to be a politician. Like it or not, there ARE people who are above the law. And I hate the fact of knowing that has always been the case.
But, wouldn't it be monumental if finally the process works and they ARE held accountable? I believe that Ms. Willis and Mr. Smith intend to see that happen. I hope they succeed.
The same kind of threats and blackmail that turned Trump’s primary opponents and retired Justice Kennedy will be used on Willis and Smith, et al. They will have no choice. Trump is Mafia.
Once in a while, the head mobster gets his just deserts. Let it be so for trump.
Amen.
We'll see.... i'm not optimistic
Why do women pilots object to having zippers in the crotch of their uniforms? That area has been deemed a "no fly zone."
i hope you are right
Remember what happened to Frank Nitti ..
A few rare souls cannot be blackmailed or intimidated. Let it be so for both Willis & Smith.
On the other hand, Garland is still AG. And we know what former AG Barr did to the Mueller report. It remains to be seen whether or not Garland is one of those who can be blackmailed or intimidated or is so inclined not to bring to justice powerful Republicans.
Jaime Ramirez ; If he fails to do his job , the A.G. should have to , at minimum, return the 'earnings' he has been paid, and removed from his position.
I certainly agree with your sentiment, but ... it's not gonna happen
Thinking back you must remember Mr. Whipple, the grocery store owner who couldn't keep his hands off of the Charmin. The disfunction Mr. Whipple suffered from was inherited from his great uncle Ebon Squeezer Scrooge.
Again, I dread my cynicism. But, from your lips (rather fingertips) to god’s ears Celeste. Please.
Bill Maher.
Donald Hodgins <silencenotbad@gmail.com>
12:02 PM (0 minutes ago)
to
Bill has established himself as a comedic personality that also has a political influence of some importance. His talk show airs on HBO every Friday night and has guests that give pertinent viewpoints on the various subjects affecting our society at the present time. Bill is a person that I would describe as an anti-hunter. I can understand his position on the subject but I disagree with his reasoning. As a species, we are carnivores by nature. Basically, we eat the flesh of the animals we kill. Every dish we fix that has meat in it contains the muscles of dead creatures we have killed. Whether they were dispatched through the use of a stun gun in a slaughterhouse or shot in the field by hunters the end result is the same, food on our tables. As to which method is the most humane, who is to say? We removed the apex predators from the environment, leaving people to control the herd's health and population size. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and Bill has his.
Bill has also taken the position of "Natural Immunity" when it comes to combating the covid virus. This idea of confronting the pandemic is debatable. To look down on a vaccine that works and saves lives is a kin to that thing ostriches do when they are confronted by the fear of the unknown. I just can't see Bill in that position. Natural immunity does exist but it is an unknown. Who has it? There is no way to tell who will be affected by a virus and who won't. Through the use of the vaccine, far more individuals are protected against what they can't possibly be sure of. We as a society have suffered 1.12 million deaths in this country, today almost everyone that dies from this disease is in the unvaccinated group. Where would we be if the accepted norm was to ignore the vaccine and just let the pandemic run its course? The projected deaths with that thinking in place would have been 6 times the current numbers tabulated. How Bill can take the position of non-compliance with respect to being vaccinated is beyond me. Why take the chance on natural immunity when the shot gives a far better chance of surviving the virus if contracted? We are a country that needs to have a degree of faith in the powers that attempt to keep us safe in just such an emergency. If our government advises us to get vaccinated there is a good deal of fact-based knowledge that suggests they should be listened to. The insane attitude of ignoring the FDA's recommendation to get vaccinated only adds in the spread of the virus. If we rely on a herd or natural immunity to fight a pandemic the harbinger of death might well be your next dinner guest.
😳. A least you know now why I’m vegan. Oh, and I still wear a mask when I go to the grocery store.
Now I know you're not in a vegetative state. Good common sense.
Look at China oh I’m
A vegetarian as well so….
As an adult that is a personal choice, but children need fat from an animal sources for proper brain development. The brain is 60% fat in its nature. Mothers milk is about 56% fat, giving the infant's brain the necessary growth medium through which to develop normally.
I disagree I had twins they are healthy beautiful and intelligent ADULTS raised vegetarian 🥑
Yes, fat is essential to an overall healthy diet—especially for the developing brain. But NOT from animal sources (I don’t count a mother’s breastmilk as an animal fat btw). That is a societally-indoctrinated belief. Not so unlike how most people “get their religion:” from their parents. Katrina’s emoji is an avocado—one of the best sources of a healthy fat. Pass the guac please!
Yes, Mr. Smith DOES appear to be above the cowardice of Robert Mueller and all the other corporate stooges! Let's hope it's not too good to be true.
I want to believe that but the cynic in me says to wait until he does something. Smith hasn’t done anything yet that Mueller himself didn’t do. And the way these politicians are now FLAUNTING their defiance of DOJ and congressional subpoenas is beyond conscionable. Like has been said—you want to engage in accountability-free behavior, get elected to federal office. “By any means!” ~ George Santos.
DISGUSTING, huh? HOPEFULLY once trumplicans are booted out in 2024 we can get some PROGRESSIVES in office that will DO SOMETHING.
Hidden minds.
Donald Hodgins <silencenotbad@gmail.com>
4:34 PM (0 minutes ago
Putin, what a mess, but is he the worst? We see Mother Russia in a negative light and have been since the cold war. Countries don't go to war it's the governments that control them that do. The common people do the bleeding while the powers in control reap the rewards if there are any. People are basically all the same, it's the governing bodies that control the people where we find the rub. The main problems come from countries without representative governments, where people are put into power without public elections. Countries that have governing bodies composed entirely of egocentric thugs who gained power through force and deception make up a dictatorship. Backed by a military the common individual can do little but obey. The birth of the foot shoulder throughout history has done nothing but water our fields with the blood of innocents. There was a movie from the 1960s entitled "Fail Safe," in the world in which we live, it should be required watching. What it does, besides the obvious plot, is it gives an insight into the men in subordinate positions and how their views on war can vary. If you're not familiar with the movie it deals with the possibility of nuclear war with non-other. In each camp respectively, the minds in control are hindered by subordinates who view war in a positive light. This is the crux of this post. Our view of Russia is based largely upon Putin and his agendas. We all know the nuclear threat Putin possesses. Where has it been and why hasn't he used it? The man has limits to which he will go in order to achieve his ends. Supplant Putin for an unknown and what do we get? Three possible results. One, is a military mind that shares Putin's thinking, and the status quo continues. Two, we find a mind amongst the many that see peace as the only path to follow. And third, the worst could happen. You can't tell me Putin is the most extreme mind over there. A hard-liner who makes Putin look like a boy scout is waiting in the wings. This new arrival views the use of nuclear weapons as a necessity and they should be used when the opportunity affords itself. I agree this is extreme but not out of the question. No matter how well we plan no scenario we come up with is "Fail Safe." Henery's struggle with Walter could only occur on 'Golden Pond." Where peace was a constant, to be enjoyed by all. Don't Ras-Putin. Meet him with equal force and intent, any attempt to get rid of him might lead to issues far greater than the ones currently on the table. His withdrawal must be voluntary not one promoted by force. We know there is decent in that Government, let us hope cooler minds prevail, there is a huge population of people over there like us, who just want peace.
They never seem to succeed, but if they did, it seems, it’s too little too late anyway
Cold hard fact! I mean, look at Santos!! 🤯
Seriously, politics have now "evolved" into such "a harbor of criminality," that it's the safest place to "run to" to avoid prosecution! Used to be, you could just get away with criminal behavior while you were in Congress. Now, if your an "outsider/street" criminal, you better get your criminal ass elected to Congress for the best chance to avoid jail! Whaaa?😄
Martha Farmer ; And he is spying for those who paid him the money needed to get into his seat, while doing their bidding, instead of representing his constituents.
There's no telling what he is doing. Washington DC is most likely neck deep in black mail money. Peter paying Paul, one way or the other, to shut the hell up about what they all know on each other. Trump family fit right in. It's a Peyton Place, a cabal, a pit of vipers...If there are any good people there (and, I want to believe there are, but very few), they must do something to clean their house up from within! Constituents cannot vote all the criminals out, because we don't have all the info/truth; but, the good people do, and they must do something about it.
And the Trumpster’s won’t listen or give in. I
Call them brainwashed but we need a better word for this
Drank the kool aid doesn’t do anything. Ignorant, ……?
Gullible is an apt word for many of them. Indoctrinated is another. Deluded is yet another. Those that knowingly or willingly spread disinformation are propagandists.
And FOX News anchors.
I call them sad (I’d have used the word “deplorable” but that didn’t work out so well the first time.) Actually, they aren’t deplorable—there is more than a hint of sadness to them because they were given a brain, with an option to use it well, but they have elected to turn in their rational thinking option in order to blindly follow something sinister.
Dazed and confused. Easily incited because they know something is wrong when full time jobs will not put a roof over head nor food on the table. Of course, there are the rich ones who want tax breaks.
Martha Farmer ; Maybe there will be a welcome surprise and justice will actually prevail. It's "The perils of Pauline" and the train is coming down the tracks ; Our country is all tied up on those tracks and the whistle is blowing louder and louder...WHAT will HAPPEN NEXT? CHOOOO!
I said it weeks ago. Santos isn’t here by chance.He’s a stooge for the very scary deep money.
We know where the money came from. “Andrew Intrater and his wife each gave the maximum $5,800 to Santos’s main campaign committee and tens of thousands more since 2020 to committees linked to him, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission. Intrater’s cousin is Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, who has been sanctioned by the U.S. government for his role in the Russian energy industry.” (From The Washington Post) https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/01/16/george-santos-andrew-intrater-columbus-nova/
Thank you for this info, James. I did not know this.
It was an Russian oligarch who is probably in sync with others like him. Thank you for this. Still illegal, and harmful to our push for a real Democracy.
Hey, let's place the blame for Santos squarely where it belongs: the voters of NY3.
Well, that's true, with the little info they had, or cared to research. Maybe we should have "early vetting", instead of "early voting"?!😬
Martha Farmer ; Excellent idea! Candidates should be properly vetted because elections have consequences! I can't believe how much the MAGAs are getting away with! It makes me feel ill!
Reading this thread my own sarcastic "humor of sorts" wanted to find some one liners and failed miserably.
George Santos is known now as a complete fraud yet put on a committee to oust the Dem which is not unusual but what is, as I see it, is the T......way of totally dismantling well oiled departments by firing the experienced and putting in the totally unqualified. Greene and a few others also demonstrated lack of perspective or experience and they, too, are there. "Drinking the cool-aid" is a great spark to realize that once said over and over again, some feel it is saying what is may or may not be true. Fox could take a daisy and by the end of the day have a segment of this country believing it has hidden microphones in the yellow center and its petals the transmitters. (silly, I know)
Yet why? There has to be a way for our own party to fight for the education needed, like civics, American Government, how it was structured and ideally meant to work, and yet we see the lack of these offered and now education is on attack.
I have always felt, as a woman and how important I grew up when education for all was lauded, that don't teach critical thinking, don't teach history, etc and you can rule. When anyone, any group learns to read a whole world opens up.
Democrats need the language, etc. And don't get me started on how I feel about how the churches (especially small towns) fit in to the "WHY".
I am worried, and choose not to give into fear, yet the ship must begin to turn. It is a slow process which started 30 years ago and our language and information must be attuned to the Constitution, HIstory, and find the questions AND guidance to stand up and stand firm and demand more from out electorate. I don't believe I would have voted for several of these players if they were Dems.
Partial blame, right? Those voters didn’t come to know until it was too late. But Santos knew.
Kert Lenseigne ; There should be jail time for Santos.
Laurie, that’s what most people except for Rethugs believe but I’ve been told it’s not against the law to lie unless u are before a Grand Jury or other Court hearing! Only people with no moral compass will lie to get ahead or to save themselves from consequences & that truly describes Retrumplicans, all of them not just TFG!
I don't know why it "isn't" illegal for politicians to lie to get elected? (Or, even, after they get elected, they continue to lie, etc..) When they campaign, they are "selling" themselves to get elected; when they get elected, they are in a "paid" position. A public office that is being "paid for by taxpayers' money". When they campaign for office, if they "conceal truths, intentionally/negligently misrepresenting, or make false promises; I believe they are being fraudulent, committing fraud. Besides the crap about too hard to criminally charge politicians with lying; I think "taxpayers" (i.e., the voters who elected them, then found out they were fraudulent) could/should bring a "civil suit" against them for "fraud"; to "re-coup any money" (taxpayers' money) they have paid towards their salary! (money would go back to official budgets, etc.) When are these politicians (many blood-suckers) going to be held accountable for what they do and say?! And all this, we have to "wait for another election" to "fire" these people? We should be able to "call elections" like they do in other countries. If politicians don't do their job like they said they would do, their asses should be kicked out, asap!! I need a NY3 attorney!!!😄
Shirley Roberts ; I believe that statements made in the media should 'count'. This requirement that a suspect has to have their hand on a bible in a Grand jury hearing/trial in order for a statement to be real and subject to perury is just another technicality to help the perps get away.
Other: I don't want to discuss ol' Tweety's case lest I disqualify myself as a potential juror! LOL!
That was less true in the past, although I think it has always been an advantage to be a politician with connections (which most have). It has become more & more true over the decades, & now they're practically invulnerable, especially since Trump. Merrick Garland could've done so much to change that, but this has been the greatest failing of the Biden administration.
I too have a deep cynicism overall TFG being held accountable! I chose #3, tRump indicted & convicted but not sent to prison because I believe Spec Counsel Jack Smith & the SDNY prosecutor will complete their investigations & that he will eventually be convicted on all charges & Special Counsel Smith will determine his sentence based on results of all 3 trials. Hopefully he will be placed on house arrest so he will be forced to appear for trial in all 3 cases. My hope is that his businesses will be forced into bankruptcy & dissolved & all fines will be paid along with back taxes. This could be the deterrent all politicians need to see so they think twice or three times before grifting off our government. I hope so at least! Then we need to get Congress to fix the loopholes in the taxation laws & return corporate taxation to the levels it was during Clinton’s Presidency. Biden promised in his campaign speeches to repeal the 2017 tax scam & I believe most people still want to see that happen. All we need is a Congress to work with him instead of against him if that’s even possible. It would be if Manchin & Sinema were gone or made irrelevant in the ‘24 election! What’s the chances of that becoming reality? The Retrumplican seditionists still in Congress also need to be dealt with along with that lying Santos that refuses to resign. Doesn’t it look suspiciously like TFG’s behavior has emboldened the seditionists in Congress to continue their bad behavior especially their decorum when speaking before Committee inquiries & during the recent SOTU address. Speaker McCarthy will never have any control over his people & the whole lot of them are a disgrace & embarrassment for our Country! 2024 can’t come soon enough for me but we have to rely on the voters in all those districts to vote somebody else into office if our DOJ won’t kick them out of office like should be done.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻Amen!!
I’m trying to get a story to the world media and it concerns the corruption that the Australian government has done to me to protect guilty people from cruelty and torture of their animals and I’ve been to over 70 magistrates and magistrate’s breaking other magistrate’s court orders and I’m one of the most decorated civilians in Australian history and I’m even in the history book of Australia and I haven’t even got a speeding ticket in the last 35 years and I’ve got all the evidence to back me up on a USB stick so I don’t know how to use a computer much at the moment.I’ve even been put in prison for absolutely nothing just to gag me because these people are in the witness protection program and can do whatever they want even torture their animals and I’ve got it all recorded so if you want a good story from an Australian hero who has been victimised for trying to protect animals from cruelty and torture cheers Kevin Michael Hurley s.c.
Keep the faith, Kevin. Keep the faith! You are the voice of the voiceless—all beings, which includes animals, have Soul. Thank you, on their behalf, for your effort.
I hope that USB is kept safe & secure. You sound like one of those heroic whistleblowers that goes after the powers that be (PTB), who gang up on you to prevent the truth coming out. Ever heard of the case of Steven Donziger & indigenous Ecuadoreans vs. Chevron? So much injustice in the world! Hard to go against the PTB
As long as the Republican party can benefit from the voters who for god knows what reason, still think Trump is a "Bag of chips and all that", he will be free to spend the rest of his life spewing lies and threatening democracy.
May that life come to an end soon.
Well put.
Not so much a matter of Trump "squirming out" as of the judicial system chickening out
As much as I wish to see Mr. Trump brought to the bar of justice, I think I and my fellow Trump-loathers need to reflect on one key aspect of this seemingly endless imbroglio: the difficulty of indicting, let alone convicting, someone is a POSITIVE feature of
No. I do not need to reflect on how hard it is to indict in order to remember that is a designed feature of the system. Because I know that. What I need to see is to the rule of law applied fearlessly to this case and all of its associated cases. And for meaningful campaign finance reform, ballot box access, and RankedChoiceVoting to create a substantive shift in the dynamics of our governance system. I need to see ethical behavior rewarded and consequences for criminal behavior.
But your point is taken. I do need to reflect on the importance of remaining civil despite the level of fury that I feel.
Excellent docpatti
Thanks, Marilyn. I’m just getting used to commenting in Substack, so perhaps haven’t absorbed some community norms. I thought I had been civil. And I agreed with the guy’s point about the high bar for indictment in criminal matters being an important feature in our criminal “justice” system. I just don’t think that is what we are dealing with here. We’re dealing with authoritarians, wannabe oligarchs, and soulless corporate bullies who will do anything to protect their already obscene fortunes.
Didn't notice anything untoward in your remarks. The civility police on various forums can at times be quite overbearing. You said what you had to say. Good work.
Totally agree with you, keep it up!
DROP THE MIC, docpatti!!! Well said. Roger, I get your point too but I’m lucky to have white skin in the game, so it can be tempting for me to think that way as well and not come to a place where I know THAT America isn’t the one being experienced by my immigrant friends, my LGBTQ+ friends, or my friends of color, or those who live below the poverty line. And so I remain a cynic—you articulate ideals, but sadly we don’t live in that world. I’ll become less of a cynic when true accountability actually comes to those most deserving. Until then….
Kert - thank you for explaining what is meant by drop the mic. I had no idea that it is a compliment meaning “right on” or some such, so I wondered what it was I said that you didn’t like. I thought perhaps it was b/c I referenced my “fury” and that felt too aggressive to you. Or that you felt I came at the original poster too hard by just flat out saying, “no,” I don’t want to focus on that aspect of the system. Anyway, glad to straighten that out. 😊
I’m also finding it hard to navigate back to where a specific comment appears in Substack. If anyone has a hint, please share.
Thank YOU docpatti! I’m sorry things got sideways there ‘cuz that would never be my intention--especially among like-minded friends. I like what you have written here--it is said with passion and conviction.
Kert Lenseigne ; "DROP THE MIC, docpatti!!!" Really?
Thanks, Laurie. I didn’t mind the rebuke as much as the exclamation points.
Oh…wait a minute. Do you not know that the phrase “drop the mic” is a compliment meaning “so well said, nothing more need be said. So you can ‘drop the mic.’” THAT explains a lot if my phrase was not correctly interpreted.
docpatti ; There is the matter of your right to speech, too. Seems like a few jive posters around on this thread today.
Part II: our criminal justice system. Avoiding the horror of an innocent individual being indicted--and possibly convicted--is a critical aspect of our criminal justice system. That someone like Mr. Trump with unlimited funds and unlimited gall can manipulate that system is an unfortunate side effect of providing that protection to ordinary--and quite possibly innocent--citizens.
We need to remain focused on the efforts of various state and federal law enforcement agencies to bring this nearly uniquely clever miscreant to justice. I believe one or more of them will succeed. But in case this almost certainly guilty man escapes any meaningful punishment, we need to remind ourselves that the judicial provisions he has abused exist to protect the genuinely innocent as well. Trump may not care if he "only" loses all measure of respect and MOST of his political support. But we should regard that outcome as at least a partial victory, much as we might wish to see him lose his wealth and his freedom as well.
Les Margosian ; That ,too! They know how easily the justice department can be played.
If we are to follow the tenets of our founding fathers (and mothers) Trump must either be hanged or die in prison. Remember that the threat of Capitalism is a replication of feudalism, based on the ownership of the principal sources of wealth. In the Middle Ages, it was land and the ability to pay a private army. If we aren't careful, it will recur as stock ownership and the ability to pay a private Congress with an attached army.
If this were the 1700s or 1800s, Bunkerboy would have been hanged on January SEVENTH after his "Liddle Insurrection." Sad.
You may be correct William; Putin has his own private army in the Wagner Group which is laying siege to Bakmut as we comment.
OMG! What a horrifying thought!
Donald Hodgins <silencenotbad@gmail.com>
10:20 AM (1 minute ago)
t
With the new realizations concerning the truths Fox chose to ignore, how will the average viewer feel about the lies that station spread in this country? Fox turned itself into a fake news outlet that feared losing a large percentage of its views to the truth. To give support to Trump and to maintain its public image, Fox promoted all the lies and conspiracy theories in an attempt to maintain its own position in the ratings game. The heck with what was good for the country Fox decided all the negativity and hoopla surrounding Trump and the big lie was good for business. They prayed on the public's ignorance and short-sightedness for no other reason than to main their market share of the viewing audience. They had no feeling of remorse or regret because of the content their news anchor were spewing over the airways. That station and all the idiots who helped spread Trump's lies should be tarred and feathered and run out of town on a fence post. The damage they did to this country was far more injurious than anything Trump could have ever done all by his lonesome. Trump screamed about the effects of fake news and all the while his entire persona was being promoted by the very deceptions he so vehemently objected to. Fake news oddly was a weapon Trump used to dilute the truth and at the same time, he used it to embellish his own political position. While studying criminology my professor stated, 2/3 of the greatest minds affecting our society are criminal in nature. Trust who you will but like Trump, the bad guys use the general public as stepping stones to get to where they want to be. These human manipulators house absolutely no feelings for the people they use and discard on their journey to achieving personal greatness. Trump is a weak fool who is easily manipulated and controlled by outside forces who play to his insecurities and petty dyslexic moods. How do you put an entire news outlet in jail, like forever? That is precisely where they belong. The first amendment, at times, can afford the bad guys a platform from which to launch their own spy balloons. How do we shoot those things down and still maintain our freedom of speech?
I doubt if our learned Supreme Court would say that there was anything wrong with lying in news reporting. Wrap the whole freaking thing around the first amendment. What’s next ,allowing people to shout fire in a movie theater? The Republican loonies are definitely in charge of the institution.
Nowadays, people bring assault weapons into crowded theaters.
And some psycho politicians want to bring their guns to their meetings. Must be scared of somebody? Oh! Just the people who disagree...
(I think I'm "off subject" now...🤔)
How about no guns at meetings rule why do we need guns at meetings? Are we going to kill deer or rabbits while we’re there?
I think the gun-packers are afraid of donkeys. You know, that little animal that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on...
Are you allowed to yell gun in a crowded theater? Are you allowed to yell “I’ll shoot “in a theater.? What are the first amendment rights at this point in time? Can you yell gun to protect people or can you yell I’ll shoot to threaten people? What are the first amendment rights?
As a “constitutionalist” can you deny the public’s’ rights while insisting on individual rights to tread on others? Is that really what the constitution meant to protect?
So far you're up 1 to nothing.
That's when the FCC should step in. The Federal Communications Commission should have rules, regulations, and the ability to enforce those regulations. Apparently they see their only duty to be that of handing out licensing and collecting the fees The First Amendment DOES NOT allow for the spreading of lies in order to overrule the Constitution.
There has to be a pathway where the truth can be heard above all else, and still satisfy the needs put forth by the first amendment.
I dread my cynicism. Someone has to step up into the void of moral leadership and do the right thing—transcend the cesspool of power-politics. Where the HELL is THAT person?
With our luck, probably still in diapers.
Wouldn't it be great if Trump was potty trained.
Well, wouldn't it. LOL
Wouldn’t be as fun (did I just say this has been fun?). But at least the media wouldn’t cover him as often, if at all. No dirty diaper, no dirty laundry, no fun story.
Kert--I agree, a total media "black" out of the guy. Being dyslexic he needs a constant infusion the ego busting, to be ignored might drive the poor man nuts.
LOVE IT, Donald! You made me laugh out loud—GAWD I needed that this morning! Now, back to crying.
Always glad to help.
There is really no way to make the blind gain sight if the people you wish to help have no vision.
I thought that went unnoticed. thanks.
It's gotten to the point that we might need an exorcist.
Martha, THAT is GOLD!!! Maybe more to the point—we are WAY past due for an exorcism.
I'll bring the Holy water, only every time I poke a hole in it the water rushes back in and fills it up again.
LOL! From a recovering Catholic, I resemble that remark!
Kert-- I had to laugh as well.
Twice
I see signs of that in various people -- Sanders, Warren, Merkley, Schiff, Tlaib, Khanna, Lee, Porter (why not mention all the contenders for Feinstein's seat?)... Recently Raskin has been on a tear! Get the best of all of these people in one, & what a leader we'd have! So good that person would almost surely be assassinated!
As far as assassination goes, nothing would surprise me. That’s what the one and done orange man has brought this nation. Nobodies shocked anymore.
There have already been many attempts. That no assassination of a major political figure hasn't succeeded these last few years is pretty much miraculous.
Oops! Double negative where there should be just one
Jaime, I totally agree. Every one you mention, when I have the chance to listen to them (their passion, knowledge, compassion, love of country, love of Democracy), I am thankful they exist and that they were voted into office. THANK GAWD for each of them. LOVE RASKIN! And I have such high, high hopes for Hakeem Jefferies—maybe he’s the one we’re waiting for. He had me at hello.
Hakeem would (dare I say "will"?) make an excellent Speaker. He's already given us a delicious taste of how it would be. Such a contrast to McCarthy! Imagine a President Raskin with Speaker Jeffries & Majority Leader Merkley, for example!
Perhaps bring back the Fairness Doctrine?
They did away with that when having grounds for divorce ended.
Fox is a subversive organization (so is the Republican Party). At 1 time in our past, government sanctions were applied to designated subversive organizations. Both verge on being terrorist organizations, too, mostly of the stochastic type.
Nikki Haley is the quintessential political empty shell. Lacking any sense of shame or moral compass, she is an accomplished masseuse of the truth. And she is terrifyingly good at side-stepping reality. She is sure to position herself as the voice of reason (between the crazy men, Trump and DeSantis) and many reasonable Republicans will listen, especially if the two men simply burn each other up.
We need to learn from the recent past: don't be too quick to dismiss the empty shells. Especially when they're attractive. People love to fill them with their own projections.
Autocratic systems need and promote empty shells to execute the orders of those "behind the curtain." With the culture of performance = politics, media types and attractiveness have replaced the nameless, faceless men behind the scenes.
We all know there are different outcomes for the rich.
Waste of time to expect justice.
This is a Democracy. WE can change that. We just need to focus.
This is a Republic. Therein lay one problem.
...a republic in which our representatives are elected, not selected. It would work well if the electorate were better educated and motivated to take the responsibility seriously. Then there are the problems of both the Senate and the Electoral College, neither of which reflect any proportional representation that is logical in this day and age. Rank choice voting would be a start, but we need to abolish the Electoral College, and re-think the composition of the Senate.
Amen John! I think it was Robert himself who not too long ago articulated a way for states to come together to make the Electoral College irrelevant without a constitutional amendment. But all the Blue state officials would need the courage to carry it out. Oh that I should live to see THAT day!!! (And if God could make that happen, say, around November 2024, that would be nice too!).
A democratic Republic "if we can keep it".
One wonders what Dr. Franklin would think about our stewardship of this experiment he helped set in motion. “That Trump fellow did WHAT again? And what’s that Santos imposter guy doing there? You guys really do suck at this voting thing, don’t you.” ~ B. Franklin (imagined).
A former prosecutor here — Manhattan DA’s Office — and a stern critic of slothful/cowardly Garland, who brought in a Spec Counsel NOT as understood by the drafter of the SC rules, Neal Katyal, but to shield himself from the sloth and cowardice of the years of his tenure.
My hope lies with Smith, and even Alvin Bragg, who has apparently found his testicles (maybe), but most of all with the GA DA, who has more guts than Garland and Bragg combined.
From your fingertips to God’s ears William. May that be so.
So far, Smith is Mueller II. GA may bring a case, bur it will be slow going.....
As set forth below, Trump's real vulnerability is civil. Bankruptcy will not save him.
For the mega-rich, bankruptcy is just another way to avoid accountability. “He who shall not be named” has been there and done that.
He will not be eligible for bankruptcy. His assets will be seized and sold to satisfy his creditors. IMHO he could owe the State of NY a $billion, standing alone.
From your keyboard to God’s ears Daniel. I wish I could believe that will happen.
What I want to happen is for Trump to be tried, convicted and most importantly, after that to just be shunned! Sometimes the witch hunt turns up a real witch - or warlock in this case. . What I'm afraid will happen is that he will continue to spin his victim narrative and his base will continue to ignore any evidence to the contrary, no matter how compelling.
Yes Barb! The “worst” punishment for Trump would be to ignore him completely. To make him irrelevant—THAT would kill him. But, we know that ain’t gonna happen. In the words of the great philosopher Don Henley: “We need dirty laundry.”
...and yet we continue to talk about him. To the narcissist, even vilification is welcome attention. There's something to be said for refusing to speak the name.
I like it John. He shall forevermore be “he who shall not be named.” But it’s probably insulting to Voldemort to be associated with the new “he who shall not be named.”
Sad but true, at least till we evolve a little more.
i am 93. i give up waiting for justice for all of us as to trump and an indictment all coments are right and predictable to all of us crime pays
Ruth, I had a manager once who had been diagnosed with cancer at a young age and who had chosen how she wanted to fight it. She won obviously as she was in her 40's when she was my boss. I will never forget, and do my best to live by her words: NEVER GIVE UP. Once you do, you might as well stop paying attention. Since you obviously, at 93, have NOT given up then I say keep focused and carry on. The alternative sucks.
Sadly, for most citizens, there is at least two layers of justice. For those mere mortals with just enough resources to have a job, perhaps a home and and strive to feed their families, there is swift, harsh judgement and punishment. For those well endowed, justice moves at a different pace and most often renders sparse punishment.
I have factual examples.
Trump will flee the country, probably to visit a “friend” abroad
Boing!
Other.
I am an optimist. I also wrote a couple of novels.
IMHO Trump will land in the UAE, United Arab Emirates, as an expatriate. His model is Juan Carlos of Spain, who absconded with the Spanish treasury in 2020 and who has not been extradited. https://english.elpais.com/spain/2021-08-03/the-life-of-spains-emeritus-king-juan-carlos-i-in-abu-dhabi.html
Trump is exposed to criminal charges but more importantly to billions in damages. He's been sending his largesse offshore and has close ties in the Arab world, especially with Saudi and Qatar. “Mr. Trump is a prolific and sophisticated litigant who is repeatedly using the courts to seek revenge on political adversaries,” Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida wrote this month in fining the former president and one of his lawyers nearly $1 million for filing a frivolous civil suit against Hillary Clinton and F.B.I. officials. “He is the mastermind of strategic abuse of the judicial process, and he cannot be seen as a litigant blindly following the advice of a lawyer.” This decision will be precedent in other cases. He has an April trial date in the E Jean Carroll sexual battery trial commences on April 24 in federal court in New York. and an October date in his civil New York damage case. brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/31/us/politics/trump-legal-tactics.html
There are numerous other pending and potential cases where Trump may stand liable for consequential and punitive damages. He is accused of scamming his own cult members Here's a list https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_lawsuits_involving_Donald_Trump
He potentially could be charged criminally. IMHO he will be able to delay most of the cases,.... IMHO he has tremendous financial exposure for some of his activities. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/02/12/after-helping-princes-rise-trump-kushner-benefit-saudi-funds/
Daniel Solomon
Writes Notes from Baghdad by the Sea
37 min ago
Trump World Golf Club, Dubai, the second golf project to be built by DAMAC Properties and operated by The Trump Organization, is set within the prestigious 55 million square feet community of AKOYA Oxygen. The magnificent 18-hole Championship-standard course will be designed by the iconic golfing superstar Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods Design will bring the golfer's design expertise and worldwide playing experience to the development, and, when coupled with the Trump brand standard of excellence, will create a new luxury benchmark for golf in the Middle East. Stretching the limits of design, Trump World Golf Club will tick every box of today's avid golfer with a state-of-the-art club, world-class restaurants and a Golf Pro Shop. The course will be situated at the heart of the AKOYA Oxygen development, with some of the highest premium, residential developments in Dubai overlooking the course.
https://www.trump.com/golf/trump-world-golf-club-dubai#:~:text=Trump%20World%20Golf%20Club%20Dubai%2C%20UAE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_International_Hotel_and_Tower_(Dubai)
Daniel Solomon : Boing! Thank you for all this info.!
Hmmm. Sad to say, think you're onto something here.
Haha! And sumtin tells me those UAEs, the Saudis,Qatar, Vlad, the baby killer were all invited to an afternoon at Mara.Largo for Big Macs and perusing tippy top secret docs !
Good job of reading the tea leaves, or should we say the "pins on the golf greens."
I use the plumb bob method.
I had a dream...Drump fled to Saudi Arabia. I liked my dream. The Saudis have swift🗡 and feudal punishments. And they don't have friends.
I find it absolutely ridiculous that Trump and all the MAGAS in Congress have not been held accountable whatsoever for aiding and enabling an attempted violent overthrow of our country, and here it is over 2 yr later with MAGA traitors still in Congress (and still trying to wreak whatever damage they can upon our country), and treasonous Trump is still a free man. All these people would have been in jail a long time ago had this happened in another country, like Brazil, who moved immediately to charge all the people involved in their recent attempted coup. The DOJ is not doing their job when they let this much time pass before limply trying to appear like they are investigating Trump. Trump and all those who attempted the violent Jan. 6 coup are domestic terrorists and should be treated just as harshly as foreign terrorists because they pose much more of a threat to us and our country.
That Trump and his minions are sitting in Congress and he runs free for this long after the Jan 6 nightmare....that right there...is why I have lost total faith in our government. When we put this together with the insanity that is going on in places like FL and TX and other states....honestly I think it's already game over for the country called the United States.
Thomas Eagleton couldn't be VP because he had been treated for depression, but Trump could be elected President and run for a 2nd term. Trump's mental problems are 'way beyond depression in seriousness.
Art Hopkins ; You have got that right! He is also a criminal who wants to be a tyrant!
On the poll, I will repeat what I have been saying, trump will be indicted, convicted in Georgia, appeal - conviction upheld, appeal to not so supreme court, conviction overturned. trump indicted by DOJ, repeat. trump indicted by NY southern district, convicted repeat. No matter what, his minions will love him, send him money to fight and appeal. Worse yet, if this slimy con man gets reelected during this 3 round circular conviction-appeal upheld- appeal to scotus conviction overturned WE will pay for his defense.
Thank you for your encouragement and understanding of John Fetterman's clinical depression, the more we recognize that mental health is a disease like cancer, heart failure, diabetes, the more likely we are to see money spent on treatments an eventually on cures for the myriad diseases that fall under the category of mental health. Cancer and even diabetes were stigmatized for many people born before the 1930's. It takes understanding, treatments and cures to remove the stigma of disease.
It is to simplistic to blame money and ratings. The right is coordinating a take over. Some will profit, but those now are just tools. It is about authoritarian control. The pieces of the puzzle fit....media is a huge part of the. Coordination. And it is working! Not one major coordinator of Jan 6 has been brought to justice. And they will get rid of trump-DeSantis is the man.
Prison is the only choice for Trump as a model of failed leadership and an example to anyone following poor choices.