April 29, 2019

Be careful what you wish for...

Donald Trump has always had the capacity for self-destruction. Republicans are hoping and betting that their chosen one can make it thru another year and a half wirhout any major explosion. It is very likely there will be several damaging stories in the next several months, and some may be charges of criminality?

Republicans are likely to be in damage control mode for the rest of Trump's
term. Impeachment could look like a favorable option before the next election. They have chosen to defend him at all costs.

And it could be very costly for them. If his poll ratings go much lower, it could have a major impact in the next election. They could lose several seats in the Senate and a few more in House. If the Democrats take back the Presidency, it is possible that Republicans could find themselves in a long-term minority.

April 29, 2019

The lawless Party of Lindsey Graham - he just "doesn't care"...

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2019/04/28/lindsey_graham_the_idea_that_president_trump_obstructed_justice_is_absurd_its_all_theater.html

<snip>
Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation," Sen. Lindsey Graham dismissed accusations that the Mueller report implicates President Trump for attempting to obstruct justice.

"I don’t care what happened between him and Don McGahn," Graham said. "Here’s what I care about: Was Mueller allowed to do his job? And the answer is yes."

SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM: I think the idea that this president obstructed justice is absurd. He turned over a million documents to the special council counsel, almost everybody around him testified. I can’t think of one thing President Trump did to stop Mueller from doing his job. He never claimed executive privilege. My point of view, I have heard all I need to really know, and I want to look and find out how all of this happened...

I think it is all theater, it doesn't matter. I don’t care what they talked about. He didn’t do anything. The point is the president did not impede Mueller from doing his investigation...

I don’t care what happened between him and Don McGahn. Here’s what I care about: Was Mueller allowed to do his job? And the answer is yes.

April 29, 2019

What really happened?

Why did all of the Republican Party choose to believe William Barr over Robert Muelller? When Barr said there was no collusion and no obstruction, they chose to believe Barr over what Mueller wrote in his report. They were ready to believe what they wanted to believe. There was no need to go further or to read the report. Attorney General Barr had spoken.

AG Barr had spoken what Donald Trump wanted him to speak. That was why he was hired. He went to great lengths to get the job, including writing a 19-page memo, extolling the virtues of the Executive and how it was not possible to charge the Executive with obstruction.

Trump already had the word of Rosenstein that he would "land the plane". In other words, he meant he would end the investigation. When Barr came aboard, it became a reality. Rosenstein was willing to let Mueller finish his investigation. However, that was not in Barr's job description. Trump wanted him to fire Mueller immediately, in my opinion.

Together, Barr and Rosenstein informed Mueller to turn in his Report and end the investigation. They spread the rumor that Mueller's report was imminent. That was shocking news for Mueller and his team, in my opinion. Because, after the order from Barr and Rosenstein, it still took Mueller's team a few weeks to complete their report. They had to come out and report to the press that they were not ready to end that week or the next week.

But Barr had made his decision, with the support of Rosenstein. It was just a matter of time until Mueller had to end his investigation. Trump wanted it and Barr meant to make him happy.

The Mueller team was very frustrated and unhappy that the investigation was ending. There was a lot of work still to be done. However, once they turned it into Barr, he made a four-page summary available in less than 48 hours. It did not resemble the Mueller Report in the least.

Mueller refused to be photographed with them. He had seemingly divorced himself from the heads of the Justice Dept. He wanted nothing to do with Barr or Rosenstein. They had stopped the investigation prematurely just to please Donald Trump. The American people and the idea of justice were the losers.

Nobody knows what Mueller is going to say or when he is going to say it? It is a good bet that the White House has been in contact with him, trying to work out a compromise, to keep him from throwing shade on Barr and Rosenstein?

In my opinion, they believe they can persuade Don McGahn to not testify before the Congress. But Mueller is the missing piece to their puzzle. Without him, they do not have a complete cover-up.

April 28, 2019

I never watched one episode of Trump's reality TV show...

...whatever it was called?

But, I imagine he has fashioned his presidency after his reality TV show? To watch him in front of his adoring fans, is like watching some stand-up comedian doing a WWE skit. Any day now, I expect him to come out with a watermelon and a large wooden hammer and smash it all over the audience, a la Gallagher, comedian from '70s and 80s.

There is nothing serious or presidential about the guy. If I were one of his supporters, I would be ashamed to say that I voted for him. But, they stand and cheer, anticipating his next move or slanderous comment. Nothing would please them more than see him break a chair over someone's head.

Ignorance will kill us all. Looking at the Trump crowds, there is enough to start a world-wide epidemic. They all laugh and have a good time. But, I wonder if many of those are not nervous laughs? A reflex to hide their true emotions? Surely they don't find it funny?

April 28, 2019

Should Mueller hearing be in public or private?

There is not really much more that Democrats can do or say until they hear from Robert Mueller. Trump and his supporters are talking in the past tense, as if it is over. The "delusion illusion" is dead.

Every day that Mueller stays on the sideline, the more they believe it was all a "hoax". Trump is using this vacation time very effectively. He is defining the issue for his supporters. Two or three weeks from now, not much information will get through to them.

Until Mueller confirms or denies the comments of Barr and Rosenstein, there are not a lot of questions that Democrats can ask. They have to operate from facts.

Meanwhile, Trump continues his narrative, facts or not.

April 27, 2019

"...Trying for an overthrow...and we caught 'em.....we caught 'em."

Trump's comments speaking before the NRA yesterday.

What should we read in those comments?

It seems to me that he is ready for another investigation, as soon as he can talk Barr into it. That should not be hard to do.

Also, he has mentioned all the top names in intelligence, and Hillary Clinton, as people he would like to lock up. These are the words of an authoritarian, a dictator. We should take them very seriously.

It is unbelievably shocking that he says these things out loud, in public forums.

And even more shocking that the House and Senate do nothing about it.

These are not comments found in a functioning democracy.

April 27, 2019

Is it possible that Mueller will agree with Barr and Rosenstein?

It's an unsettling thought, to say the least.

But, Mueller is a Republican and few have been willing to break with their president and their Party.

Will they be able to turn Mueller the way they turned Rosenstein?

However, Mueller did not stand behind Barr at his pronouncement. His report said something totally different from what Barr said. Also, he knows the full story about Donald Trump. In the end, we have to believe that he will stand with his country over his Party. He will prove to be a profile in courage.

Mueller will contradict Barr and Rosenstein and that will be the catalyst that begins the process of impeachment. He will answer the call of history.

April 27, 2019

Democrats need to understand that we are at war with enemies foreign and domestic...

They must remain vigilant at all times.

There is little time for rest and relaxation. The enemy is on the offense all the time. They should not assume that Russia is no longer part of the picture. They probably have their sights set on the 2020 election.

Contrary to what Attorney General Barr stated, there was no "exoneration". That was only a message in their propaganda strategy. It has no significance as to how the Democrats should defend and protect our country and our laws.

There is no surrender. If there was an attempted "coup", as Donald Trump says, it came from Russia and their friend in the White House, it did not come from the Democrats.

Democrats will continue to look at the facts and go where they lead us. The threat has not disappeared.

The battle continues.

April 27, 2019

There are pitfalls in not impeaching.

It may seem politically implausible to impeach at this time but it may not be the safest way to go?

There is always the danger that something very bad may happen with an unstable leader in charge of our country.

There is also the possibility that many voters will give up on politics if Donald Trump is not held accountable in some way.

There is also the possibility that Democrats may lose the next election? It is not guaranteed.

If something terrible does happen in the next year and a half before the election, the Republicans will take no responsibility. All the blame will be placed on the Democrats. It will not be enough to say, "We didn't impeach because all the Republicans would have voted against us." Many Republicans would say, "Of course, I would have voted to convict, but the Democrats never had the courage to bring it up."

Also, it is not written in stone that the Republicans will win if Trump is acquitted in the Senate. That is not a proven assumption.

As we saw yesterday at the NRA, Trump is willing to go to no ends to persuade his followers that there was an attempted "coup" and he prevented it. How do the Democrats counter this for the next year and a half?

April 27, 2019

Tennessee Stud