New Developments III

[Sabin]

THE TWENTY-FIFTH AMENDMENT, ON THE OTHER HAND...

https://twitter.com/edokeefe/status/134 ... gr%5Etweet


NOTE:
Now this I have an easier time believing for really one simple reason. Mike Pence wants to be the President. All he needed to do was stay in Trump's good graces so he could be accepted by Trump's base if he needed to run in the future or if anything happened to Trump (and a lot of things could have). Up until two months ago, that plan worked perfectly. It really did seem like Mike Pence was largely embraced by GOP voters and Trump's ardent supporters. But that over now. Now, Pence is a disloyal traitor who won't help him overturn the election AND other GOP members of the Senate are completely on board with overturning the election which positions them to be simultaneously the future of the GOP and Trump loyalists. Mike Pence's chances of winning a GOP primary (and the Presidency) have seriously dropped in the last week and I'll bet he knows it.

So, here's my question: if I was Mike Pence and I knew that my plan was just shot to shit before my eyes, why wouldn't I invoke the 25th Amendment? His political career is probably over. Nobody really goes on from the Vice Presidency to, like, do any other jobs besides President, right? You get a Presidential pension of what, $250K/year for the rest of your life. Secret service protection which you will now need. Two weeks to pass whatever evil shit you want. Write a book. Tour the planet. And largely be regarded as performing an act of civic bravery that defines you for the rest of your life as President oof the United States for two weeks. That can never be taken away from him.

And in my heart... I know it's not going to happen because of who this spineless twit is and because of who all of these spineless twits are.

[Sabin]

Sonic Youth wrote
You've seen how many people are abandoning him, yes?

Define "abandoning."

He lost them the election by 7 million votes. He lost them the Senate. He's going to be gone in two weeks. And only some of them are still on board to challenge the validity of the election results.

Seriously, is this how far the bar has dropped? A friend shared me Rand Paul's tweet where he condemned the riots and came out against challenging the election. That doesn't mean he's going to do anything to get rid of the asshole.

[Sonic Youth]

Well, let's see what happens tonight, and if there are still objections to certifying the electoral vote, or if there are still any senators signatures on those damn things. Things may have changed in the interim.

You've seen how many people are abandoning him, yes?

[Okri]

I share Sabin's pessimism.

[Sabin]

Hope you're right.

By the way, I'd really love to hear why I'm wrong.

[Sonic Youth]

Sonic Youth wrote

OscarGuy wrote
He still won't be removed,

I'm not so sure.

How many times have we written out: "This is when the Republicans turn on him." This is the turning point." "This is the bridge too far."

Here's another question. Will Republican Primary voters turn on Trump? Significantly? We have sitting Republican Senators objecting to certification of Electoral College votes, including Josh Hawley whom I do not like but I thought was at least a rational individual. Why? Because they all recognize that the inmates are now in charge of the asylum. Anyone who wants an immediate future in Republican politics must be in some capacity Pro-Trump. Does anyone think after the events of the day that Ted Cruz (OR WHOMEVER) will go from "I am using a known stolen election as a precedent for my committee." to "You know what? On second thought, this is a bridge too far for me. I'm going to vote to impeach and remove." Really?

Yes.

[Sabin]

Sonic Youth wrote

OscarGuy wrote
He still won't be removed,

I'm not so sure.

How many times have we written out: "This is when the Republicans turn on him." This is the turning point." "This is the bridge too far."

Here's another question. Will Republican Primary voters turn on Trump? Significantly? We have sitting Republican Senators objecting to certification of Electoral College votes, including Josh Hawley whom I do not like but I thought was at least a rational individual. Why? Because they all recognize that the inmates are now in charge of the asylum. Anyone who wants an immediate future in Republican politics must be in some capacity Pro-Trump. Does anyone think after the events of the day that Ted Cruz (OR WHOMEVER) will go from "I am using a known stolen election as a precedent for my committee." to "You know what? On second thought, this is a bridge too far for me. I'm going to vote to impeach and remove." Really? This is the phone call and this is the riot that gets Republicans to stop caring about their voters and start caring about their country?

We might get (again) Collins, Murkowski, and Romney but we won't get -- I can't believe we're doing this dance again -- sixteen Republican Senators to turn on Donald Trump.

All it takes is one Antifa appearance and get ready for America's favorite game show: "Bad People on Both Sides!"

Mister Tee wrote
This is full-on insurrection, clearly egged on by the president as recently as a few hours ago. Dems have paid for decades for the anti-war left of 1968 (most of whom weren't even Democrats). The Republican party will bear this stain for years to come.

I agree with this statement. Here is my question: adjusted for inflation, how many millions of anti-war left were out there in 1968 vs. Trump's cult? Did they have a 24/7 media arm Jinning up their outrage? Let's say The Republican Party bears this stain for years to come. Does that mean they lose?

[Franz Ferdinand]

We in Canada are watching in disdain and are hoping for the best!

[Mister Tee]

He still won't be removed,

I'm not so sure.

Me either. The next 24 hours will have to see Trump do a 180, or impeachment/removal becomes an imperative. His tweet in the past hour doesn't suggest the first is likely.

[Sonic Youth]

He still won't be removed,

I'm not so sure.

ETA: I'll go further. I think he's gone by the end of the week, maybe tomorrow.

[OscarGuy]

Amazing how Trump Trash can utterly destroy the great feeling I had today of watching Warnock and Ossof become the first Dems elected Senator from Georgia since 2003 for Ossof (Max Cleland was the last Dem to serve after a long line of them. Republicans had never held the seat prior to Saxby Chambliss in 2003). On the other side, it was 2005 when Zell Miller retired and was replaced by Johnny Isakson. That seat had swapped back and forth since 1981 when Mack Mattingly became replaced Herman Talmadge. He was replaced by Wyche Fowler, who was replaced by Paul Coverdell. who died.

Then, the utter bliss was continued when Joe Biden nominated Merrick Garland as attorney general on the same day Mitch McConnell was confirmed to be minority leader.

All this bliss was overtaken by seditionists. Whether they are ever truly punished, we won't know for months.

As to articles of impeachment, Ilhan Omar is drafting them as I write this. He still won't be removed, but incitement to riot is a pretty compelling reason for removal, and if not removal, prevention from ever serving in elective office again.

[Sabin]

flipp525 wrote
Impeachment should start immediately (as I said a couple of days ago).

Sonic Youth wrote
How about now?

Congratulations to Joe Biden, the soon-to-be 47th president of the United States.

Sure, sounds good. I'm totally on board to impeach him.

Who are the sixteen Republican Senators who you think are likeliest to flip? They don't have to be sure things. I'm just trying to start a running total. I'll start:

Lisa Murkowski
Susan Collins
Mitt Romney

These ones are likely are off the table:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewsole ... 9761f81c3e

[Mister Tee]

You hold off posting a few hours, and everything you meant to say pretty much evaporates.

To briefly cover what I would have posted before the past hour...euphoric night in Georgia; Mitch McConnell can't believe HE had to suffer because of Trump; interesting political discussions to be had about whether this vote represents what the post-Trump era may be like: Dems still revved up to 100, but Pubs slipping back a bit because their hero isn't on the ballot.

But that can wait. This is full-on insurrection, clearly egged on by the president as recently as a few hours ago. Dems have paid for decades for the anti-war left of 1968 (most of whom weren't even Democrats). The Republican party will bear this stain for years to come.

And the sad part is, we can't even swear this is the bottom. We've thought that so many times before.

[flipp525]

Impeachment should start immediately (as I said a couple of days ago).

[Okri]

I doubt I'll ever be comfortable travelling to the United States again.