I totally agree. Today's announcement that Barr wasn't scheduled for testimony until March 31 is further evidence of the erosion of democracy and the Democrats' inability to wage war against authoritarianism. This is an excellent clinical perspective on why the Democratic leadership has been so slow to act: https://therealnews.com/stories/is-trumps-impeachment-merely-a-fight-within-the-us-ruling-class. We clearly need new leaders if any change is going to take place. I don't understand why younger and less entrenched Democratic MOC are so cowed by Pelosi and haven't clamored for her resignation. This is all hands on deck, and she's sipping Champagne with the iceberg. I can't help but wonder about what the Vichy government looked like at its inception.
You won't find a critique of Pelosi or Schiff in these quarters. They've played this about as well as it could be played, given the cards they were dealt. No way AOC or Seth Moulton would handle Trump better. It's not their fault the Senate wouldn't allow witnesses. Pelosi is also doing all the commander in chief things that a normal president would do, visiting NATO allies and our troops, etc. With that said, March 31 is an eternity away...I wonder if there is some motive that we don't know about yet. Remember, Pelosi and Schiff know EVERYTHING, a lot of which they are not at liberty to disclose.
Respectfully, I disagree. I think Pelosi could have started the impeachment process earlier and included many more counts, such as those from Mueller's report. She could have refused to give him funding for his wall/caged kids at the border. She could have insisted subpoenas be enforced. She could be more proactive, offering press conferences to counter the constant barrage of propaganda coming from the right, instead of constantly reacting after the fact. And let's not forget that we might not be going through any of this had she held the Bush/Cheney administration accountable at that time. Until I see evidence of 3D chess actually being played, I can't assume that's going to take care of all this mess.
For the record, I don't lump Pelosi and Schiff into the same category. Schiff did wonderfully at the trial and is a master orator. He's obviously between a rock and a hard place when it comes to his personal views, expressed early on in the Trump administration, and his marching orders from leadership. I certainly don't think AOC or Moulton could have led this charge either; but perhaps someone like Barbara Lee could have and with more fire than Pelosi brought to the fight (after saying she wasn't for impeachment and that Trump would self-impeach--not a thing).
Time will tell. Perhaps, indeed, Pelosi and Schiff know something we don't, although I think it's more likely to be threats of a grid hack or war than some new evidence that will finally remove Trump. We have plenty of evidence, but the GOP are all in. Trump could eat live babies in the Rose Garden every morning for breakfast, and they would shrug. Unless it's an ironclad indictment in the wings, nothing forthcoming will change things because there is no mechanism by which to do so.
I suspect Trump will refuse to concede in the face of a Democratic victory (or refuse to let a Democratic Congress sit if they win both chambers and he retains the WH). Then we'll see whether Pelosi fights or rolls over. My guess is the latter, based on past experience as the best predictor of future behavior. I hope on all accounts I'm proven wrong. This is one instance where I'd be happy to eat crow for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
THose are good points. I think it look her longer to come around than I'd have liked, but I think she HAS come around, and she knows what the endgame has to be. You shall eat the crow with fava beans, and a nice chianti? ; )
Speaker (Emeriti/Emeritus) Pelosi is the best at what she does. She learned it at her father's dinner table. As a child, younger than ten, she 'kept the books', so to speak, for her father, D'alesandro, Congressman and Mayor.
Just throwing this out here, but don't these bastards EVER want to just retire? Barr looks unwell...jowly, corpulent, pasty, and with that inappropriate smirk always on display. Don't they have gardens to tend and afghans to crochet? My God, I am so sick if them.
The weird thing about Barr...ONE OF the very weird things...is that he WAS retired. He's old, he has money, he has a family. He came in late, to go down with the ship. Very strange.
'His maneuvers at Justice have neutralized the Office of the Special Counsel, which Barr almost certainly shut down early, inoculating Trump and his minions from further investigation, despite the President’s numerous and egregious crimes.' (Greg Olear, article)
I totally agree. Today's announcement that Barr wasn't scheduled for testimony until March 31 is further evidence of the erosion of democracy and the Democrats' inability to wage war against authoritarianism. This is an excellent clinical perspective on why the Democratic leadership has been so slow to act: https://therealnews.com/stories/is-trumps-impeachment-merely-a-fight-within-the-us-ruling-class. We clearly need new leaders if any change is going to take place. I don't understand why younger and less entrenched Democratic MOC are so cowed by Pelosi and haven't clamored for her resignation. This is all hands on deck, and she's sipping Champagne with the iceberg. I can't help but wonder about what the Vichy government looked like at its inception.
You won't find a critique of Pelosi or Schiff in these quarters. They've played this about as well as it could be played, given the cards they were dealt. No way AOC or Seth Moulton would handle Trump better. It's not their fault the Senate wouldn't allow witnesses. Pelosi is also doing all the commander in chief things that a normal president would do, visiting NATO allies and our troops, etc. With that said, March 31 is an eternity away...I wonder if there is some motive that we don't know about yet. Remember, Pelosi and Schiff know EVERYTHING, a lot of which they are not at liberty to disclose.
Respectfully, I disagree. I think Pelosi could have started the impeachment process earlier and included many more counts, such as those from Mueller's report. She could have refused to give him funding for his wall/caged kids at the border. She could have insisted subpoenas be enforced. She could be more proactive, offering press conferences to counter the constant barrage of propaganda coming from the right, instead of constantly reacting after the fact. And let's not forget that we might not be going through any of this had she held the Bush/Cheney administration accountable at that time. Until I see evidence of 3D chess actually being played, I can't assume that's going to take care of all this mess.
For the record, I don't lump Pelosi and Schiff into the same category. Schiff did wonderfully at the trial and is a master orator. He's obviously between a rock and a hard place when it comes to his personal views, expressed early on in the Trump administration, and his marching orders from leadership. I certainly don't think AOC or Moulton could have led this charge either; but perhaps someone like Barbara Lee could have and with more fire than Pelosi brought to the fight (after saying she wasn't for impeachment and that Trump would self-impeach--not a thing).
Time will tell. Perhaps, indeed, Pelosi and Schiff know something we don't, although I think it's more likely to be threats of a grid hack or war than some new evidence that will finally remove Trump. We have plenty of evidence, but the GOP are all in. Trump could eat live babies in the Rose Garden every morning for breakfast, and they would shrug. Unless it's an ironclad indictment in the wings, nothing forthcoming will change things because there is no mechanism by which to do so.
I suspect Trump will refuse to concede in the face of a Democratic victory (or refuse to let a Democratic Congress sit if they win both chambers and he retains the WH). Then we'll see whether Pelosi fights or rolls over. My guess is the latter, based on past experience as the best predictor of future behavior. I hope on all accounts I'm proven wrong. This is one instance where I'd be happy to eat crow for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
THose are good points. I think it look her longer to come around than I'd have liked, but I think she HAS come around, and she knows what the endgame has to be. You shall eat the crow with fava beans, and a nice chianti? ; )
LOL, the chianti part sounds better, Dr. Lecter.
Speaker (Emeriti/Emeritus) Pelosi is the best at what she does. She learned it at her father's dinner table. As a child, younger than ten, she 'kept the books', so to speak, for her father, D'alesandro, Congressman and Mayor.
*D'A
Just throwing this out here, but don't these bastards EVER want to just retire? Barr looks unwell...jowly, corpulent, pasty, and with that inappropriate smirk always on display. Don't they have gardens to tend and afghans to crochet? My God, I am so sick if them.
The weird thing about Barr...ONE OF the very weird things...is that he WAS retired. He's old, he has money, he has a family. He came in late, to go down with the ship. Very strange.
By Greg Olear
'His maneuvers at Justice have neutralized the Office of the Special Counsel, which Barr almost certainly shut down early, inoculating Trump and his minions from further investigation, despite the President’s numerous and egregious crimes.' (Greg Olear, article)
Thank you