Sophia4
Sophia4's JournalThe Russians were told to focus on swing states, on purple states.
The purple states are only so crucial because we have the electoral college.
Hillary won the majority of popular votes. If we did not have the electoral college, if the popular vote decided the election, if votes in populous states like California counted for as much as votes in less populous states like Montana, the Russians would have had a harder time gaming our presidential election. Their efforts would have been far more obvious.
Amend the Constitution to end the electoral college.
Why a person who commits domestic violence should not be allowed to deal
with secure information or national intelligence.
When a person hits another person, it is a sign that the hitter is impulsive, in other words, lacks self control.
We all are taught and know that we should not hit other people. At least, most of us are.
If the part of our brain that controls our conduct, the rational part that thinks about consequences or possible consequences of our actions, is in charge, we don't hit others. We talk to them. We might hold out our hands and hug them and say we are hurt, but we don't hit.
Sometimes that rational part of our brain is considered to be our conscience, maybe we refer to it as our ethical or moral compass or our consciousness of right and wrong, of socially correct or acceptable and not socially correct or acceptable behavior, is in charge of our body and ourselves, we don't hit other people.
But if we lose control, if our rational, conscious mind, if our conscience, if our love and compassion for others is momentarily or longterm not in charge of our behavior, we do the first thing that comes to us, and for some people, that is hitting another person or an animal out of anger, when that person is angry.
The hitting is a symptom of a bigger problem, lack of self-control, impulsiveness. We say the person lacks "judgment."
And it is this other problem, the indication that hitting others is a sign of impulsiveness and lack of self-control, a tendency to react irrationally to a challenging situation or a crisis or a threat to one's authority that is one of the major reasons that a person who has committed domestic violence or hit or shot at another person should not have access to highly classified information.
The hitting itself is a problem in and of itself. But the lack of self-control of a person who commits violence, especially domestic violence which is more common than you would think, indicates a lack of judgment. Such a person cannot be trusted to act rationally.
That is why we differentiate between violent acts in self-defense which we justify and assault and attacks and violence that is not in self-defense.
Please comment. I tried to say this clearly, but I don't know whether I succeeded.
We don't want people with questionable self-control being involved in our intelligence services. I say that as one who never worked in intelligence. But I think it would take supreme self-control and good judgment to have anything to do with it.
We hear a lot about the "deep state," but it is the fact that only the most mature among us qualify to work in organizations like the CIA and FBI that help to make it safe for us to have those organizations.
That is why Porter and others who have not passed security checks should not have access to classified information.
The Republican Party is the party of the past.
The make America great AGAIN gives them away.
AGAIN is a word about the past, not the future, not even the present.
Republicans don't want to move into the future. They don't want to think about what is needed now to prepare for that future.
Our challenge as Democrats is to talk about the challenges of the future and how Democrats will prepare our country to meet them. Higher population, climate change, the challenge of China and its huge population and industrial development. South America and all the promise and possibility of that part of our American hemisphere.
- - - -
There are so many positive things awaiting us in the future, but also so many challenges. And we Democrats have the answers for growth, peace, development and meeting the difficult challenges the future will bring.
Republicans are the party of the past. We are the party of the future, the party of progress, the party of promise.
That is the message we need to present and sell. Shouldn't be difficult since it is the truth.
Be sure to read Wikipedia on Page before the page on Page disappears.
I have a soft heart, and this page almost makes me feel sorry for Page.
Note that I say "almost."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carter_Page
It's pretty pathetic. He is a pathetic guy I think.
If the Republicans who have the majority and the power and authority in
Congress think that the FISA Court and the FBI and intelligence agencies overstepped in ordering the surveillance of Carter Page, they have the ability to change the laws that permitted that surveillance.
They could have already changed those laws, but they prefer to grandstand.
Grandstanding is much more exciting than the tedious work of actually writing and passing good laws.
Grandstanding and the drama of releasing memos is more gratifying to the egos of Republicans than is the work of governing.
Let's elect Democrats and charge them with insuring that the laws that govern our justice system from Guantanamo to the FISA court to the FBI to the Supreme Court protect our rights as stated in the Constitution.
I don't think the Republicans are capable of doing that.
Does anyone have a link to Maxine Waters' speech?
Joe Kennedy and Bernie were great, but what about Maxine Waters?
How to "table." I've done lots of it, but you will want to find your own methods.
In other words, I'm just telling you what I've done. You can find your own way to do this.
1) Buy a table that you can easily carry either under your arm of on a luggage cart.
2) Get some printed materials together. The really nice, printed, published ones are best, but if you can't get them, just print things from the internet -- articles and information you think voters would read and that support your candidate or point of view.
3) Under this topic, also take some things you can sell. Give the proceeds to your Democratic Club. Don't sell things and keep the money. Don't ever do that. Things you can sell are pins, hats, tee-shirts. Your Democratic Club may have a supply or order a supply for you to use.
4) Find a partner and go together. You may need a bathroom break, and in any event, you need someone to go with you in there is some emergency. Be careful not to take so many people that you need a demonstration permit. That will probably cost some money. Two - four people are enough.
5) If you cannot find a partner, just carry your printed materials, leaflets or information and forget the table. I've done this too. It's nicer if you have a table and can sit down, but then you can approach people more easily if you are on foot and not behind a table, so there are advantages both ways. I prefer to have a table.
6) Identify a location. Check your local ordinances to see what the rules are about where you can table. Some farmers' markets are great. But if you actually table in the farmers' market, they may want you to pay a table fee. Read your local ordinances so you can find places that are public and where tabling will be legal. Certain public spaces are good. Other spaces may not be. I like to table right on a wide, wide sidewalk just outside a farmer's market. But be careful. Don't block a sidewalk. I don't table inside because I would have to pay. It's nice if you can find an area to table where people are relaxed.
7) Identify a location. Part 2. I've walked around a park and talked to voters. You probably can't table or walk around a mall. At least that is not permitted in my area. Ask the director of the mall if you want to table there.
8) Be well informed about the issues. Read up before you approach voters.
9) Be sure you have the temperament to table and talk to voters. I'm less than 5'2" and like people. I smile a lot. People are not afraid of me and don't feel offended by me. But remember. Not everyone will agree with you. Rather than argue with someone who is difficult, just say you will have to agree to disagree. And say it with a big, forgiving smile on your face. Next time you see that person, smile again. Find areas in which you agree. And point out the advantages of your own point of view rather than focusing on the bad things about their point of view. Some people have opinions simply because they never thought about the other point of view or any other point of view.
10) Many people will agree with you. So have some sort of petition or something that you can ask people to sign. Then you can use the addresses to organize in the future. You can send invitations to them to come to your Democratic Club meetings.
It's really fun. You meet a lot of nice people as well as some real jerks. Take your sense of humor. And your love. Remember people who have changed their minds to agree with you may not want to admit it.
By tabling, you can really get a lot of voters excited about your candidate and/or issues. You can also help bring members to your Democratic Club who will volunteer when it is time to vote.
I've just thrown this together and probably forgotten a lot.
So if you think of something you can add, please post it here.
Tabling is old-fashioned, but a really warm, human way to wake up voters. And like with marching and other activities, it gives the people you talk to courage because they realize they are not alone.
And you learn a lot. You learn what people are concerned about, what issues are on their minds. It's very interesting.
I'd love to read about your experiences with tabling if you have tried it. This year, for the 2018 elections, tabling will be important. It could make the difference between winning and losing the November election.
Abraham, Martin and John
I'm sure this has been posted here many times, but never often enough.
And here is the Wikipedia page for the man who wrote this beautiful song.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Holler
http://www.dickholler.com/
Conspiracy -- explanations from various sources.
Well, there are basically 5 elements for the crime of Conspiracy. Those elements are: 1. You must have 2 or more persons who 2. Intentionally 3. make an agreement 4. to violate federal law or defraud the United states, and then 5. Commit some overt act in furtherance of the agreement. Based on these elements, we know that the crime of Conspiracy is a specific- intent crime. In other words Michelle, the government must prove that these 2 or more persons intentionally entered into an agreement to commit some criminal offense. This means that in proving that there are two (2) or more person involved, undercover officers and confidential informants would not count because they would not have the requisite criminal intent. Also, the overt act done in furtherance of the agreement must occur AFTER the agreement has been reached.
M. So, anytime 2 or more people are involved in a crime, there’s a Conspiracy?
J. Well, only if the government can prove that those involved entered into some agreement to commit the crime and that there was some overt act committed after the agreement was reached to help it succeed. Many times this “agreement” will be proven by circumstantial evidence. For example, if it can be shown that a participant is receiving some direct benefit from the illegal activity, this is a good indication that the person is a part of the Conspiracy. In addition, the overt act that follows the agreement doesn’t necessarily have to be an illegal act. It just has to be some act that demonstrates that the agreement is now being acted upon.
https://www.fletc.gov/audio/federal-conspiracy-law-mp3
If two or more persons conspire either to commit any offense against the United States, or to defraud the United States, or any agency thereof in any manner or for any purpose, and one or more of such persons do any act to effect the object of the conspiracy, each shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
If, however, the offense, the commission of which is the object of the conspiracy, is a misdemeanor only, the punishment for such conspiracy shall not exceed the maximum punishment provided for such misdemeanor.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 701; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/371
Also see 18 United States Code (USC) 2
Just to give a very skimpy understanding about how conspiracy is defined and what conduct might be viewed as a conspiracy in the law.
This is very incomplete. Really sketchy but basic.
Not predicting, but Trump may simply allow the government to shut down or shut it down himself.
This would accomplish a couple of (maybe more) nefarious purposes.
First, it would end the Mueller investigation.
Second, it would put Trump in an emergency situation in charge of the entire government. In other words, it would make of Trump a dictator.
Trump will expect us Democrats and others to go to the streets and scream and yell and demonstrate.
It would be very unwise of us to do that because if we do, he will send the military after us.
I realize that this sounds paranoid and absurd, but it is something that may happen.
If Trump shuts down the government, we need to remember that our government has three branches. We have to let our system work so that we do not make the situation worse than it is.
I hope that this possibility does not occur, but it is a possibility. Anyone familiar with European history knows that this is possible.
At this time, there is no desire on the part of Republicans in Congress to make the compromises that will enable a healthy budget for the coming year. That is the way I see it anyway.
The Republican Party is anti-government, not good-government oriented. They have flirted with shutting down the federal government for many years.
Sometimes people just have to learn the hard way. That goes for Republicans and Trump voters.
I hope I am very wrong, and I expect a lot of flack because of my post. Go ahead. Be my guest.
I am just posting this so that IF (and not when) it happens, we will have a roadmap to follow.
No matter how outraged we are, we must stay out of the streets and quietly assemble together in our homes and wait it out. The 30% of Trump supporters have to find out for themselves just how vital community and good government are for their and our well being.
I realize that my advice to stay out of the street runs counter to the advice of some other leaders. But, because of the balance of authority in our government, because of the authority of the judiciary and legislature, I do believe that a Trump takeover could be dealt with peacefully. Remember. Trump did not win the popular vote plurality or majority. The majority of voters will only support him if they think that is the only way restore or preserve order. So it is important that we show that we as citizens will keep the order in spite of Trump.
Trump has to go, but it should not be at the unnecessary cost of American lives.
Many, many Republicans will support a return to order without Trump if we hold together and do not panic.
I hope I am wrong about Trump's and the Republicans' shutting down the government and their plans.
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