[Silencer]

Modgod notice of you all need a day or two to chill out, step back, remember that people can have differing opinions without being "the enemy", "stupid", or whatever other dehumanizing or insulting pejorative you care to throw at them. I don't care which side of the American political divide you fall on, or perceive others to fall on, you need to stop painting such broad strokes about any sides.
Thread locked until you've all taken the time to reflect.

[Vengeance]

No personal attacks. I know this is heated but keep it civil.

[Malankazooie]

I've got my emotional armor full plate mail on now. My thick skin wasn't cutting it. I think I should be good now.

Come at me bro!

[Vengeance]

It isn't just people who are posting on here. It is the people reading as well.

[Aptorian]

To those reading these posts I would like to apologise for the posts Malankazooie makes. We're all in this together.

[worry]

[Slow Ben]

KaBoom!

[Aptorian]

Anonymous Trump Official Behind Times Op-Ed Is Writing a Book.

“A Warning,” by the White House official who wrote an essay for The New York Times last year, is expected to be published in November.

https://www.google.c...p-book.amp.html

Oh boy, this gonna be good. Untrustworthy but highly entertaining.

This is from the author who said he was a part of a resistance inside the administration.

Comes out November 17. Right smack in the middle of the impeachment hulabaloo.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 23 October 2019 - 04:21 AM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

'John Roberts Won't Let Mitch McConnell Derail a Trump Impeachment Trial

Mitch McConnell indicated that he is aiming for a rapid process that might start around Thanksgiving and end by Christmas. [...]

The Constitution explicitly states that the chief justice, in this case John Roberts, "shall preside" [...] In order to prevent the vice president, who formally presides over the Senate, from refusing to allow the chief justice to play his constitutional role, the Senate rules governing impeachment require the vice president to swear in the chief justice immediately after the House's charges are announced on the floor. The rules then explicitly empower the chief justice to "direct all the forms of proceedings" during the trial. The Senate, in contrast, is granted the "power to enforce obedience" to all these rulings.

[...] The current rules are not written in stone. The existing Senate could change them before the trial begins. But it is unlikely, to say the least, that McConnell could gain the majority support required for a revision. Because all Democrats would oppose this move, only three Republican defections would stop the majority leader in his tracks. From his public statements, it's already clear that Sen. Mitt Romney would never go along. Similarly, Sen. Susan Collins has already said that senators should refuse to voice any opinions on the current battle between the House and the president "since they will be jurors" during the trial. On Friday, Sen. Lisa Murkowski also expressed disapproval of some of the president's reported actions. Given these positions, it is implausible to suppose that these three senators would support any rule change that, in Williams' words, would make the chief justice into a "figurehead" for blatant partisan politics.

[...] Given his deep commitment to professionalism, John Roberts can be counted on to deflect any behind-the-scenes pressures for speed.'

https://slate.com/ne...ment-trial.html



Trump has already started his charm offensive by ranting about 'you people with this phony emoluments clause'....

https://www.thedaily...oluments-clause

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 23 October 2019 - 04:39 AM

[Morgoth]

It seems a little weird for a member to describe his "opposition" as clones and in the same breath decry the lack of understanding and nuance amongst members of the forum.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

About two dozen House Republicans not on the authorized committees have illegally forced their way into the closed depositions and are refusing to leave in protest. 'The source says the Capitol Police and sergeant at arms have been consulted as members refuse to leave the room, and lawmakers say there are ongoing negotiations about how to end the standoff.'

Time for pepperspray and tasers? What did their hero say... 'I love the old days—you know what they used to do to guys like that when they were in a place like this? They'd be carried out on a stretcher, folks.'

https://www.cnn.com/...o-st=1571851183

Meanwhile: 'Trump Lawyer: Nothing Can Be Done if He Shoots Someone'

https://www.thedaily...avenue?ref=home

As Trump continues remaking the federal judiciary in his image: 'Trump nominated his fifth judge rated "not qualified" by the American Bar Association this week. She's never tried a case'

https://slate.com/ne...vist-trump.html

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 23 October 2019 - 05:34 PM

[QuickTidal]

They also brought their cell phones in and live tweeted from inside a secure SCIF room...breaking the law and documenting it with their own tweets.

the whole shebang led by Matt Gaetz...surprising exactly no one...that guy is dumber than a bag of wet hair.

They also tried to tweet a half hour or more later that it was actually staff tweeting outside the room, and not the reps in question to try to pretend they didn't break the law...but that's easily proven false. These people are fucking mental cases the lot of them.

[QuickTidal]

And Schiff just told the Sergeant at Arms to break up the protest and eject the interlopers.

I believe that means they get arrested if they don't comply.

[QuickTidal]

Someone who was on the scene said that when the 30 R's arrived they OVERWHELMED the security guard because they walked by him en masse and he could not prevent them in such numbers.

I'm super amused that they are like "The Republicans should be present! Dems are trying to get one over on our president!".....meanwhile 49 Republicans were already in the closed session....just not them...

This is insanity.

[Tiste Simeon]

Republicans are a special breed of vile and stupid aren't they?

[Tiste Simeon]

Reading somewhere now that Trump coordinated with them to invade the hearing. Might be conjecture at this point but not surprising in the slightest if true.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Tiste Simeon, on 23 October 2019 - 08:05 PM, said:

Reading somewhere now that Trump coordinated with them to invade the hearing. Might be conjecture at this point but not surprising in the slightest if true.

Guess he can preemptively pardon them.... (At least for federal crimes. But the House could/will punish them somehow hopefully?)

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 23 October 2019 - 08:22 PM

[worry]

I was reminded elsewhere of the stunt a few months back by Oregon GOP senators, when they fled the state so they wouldn't have to vote on a climate bill, and some even threatened to shoot police who came to bring them back...not surprisingly, Dems in the state caved. I'd be absolutely shocked if there were any non-verbal consequences to this.

[worry]

[Primateus]

worry, on 23 October 2019 - 09:42 PM, said:

Sheesh, at this point he should really just admit that he won't stop people from maliciously lying about other people as long as they give him money.

But, that's why it's one dollar, one vote.