US Politics

[Tracker]

12 hours ago, bustamente said:

Sounds like Turtle's wife might be in a bit of trouble

Apparently no less than four of Trump's secretaries (equivalent to our ministers) were identified as potentially having committed illegal acts during their tenures and were referred to the Department of Justice but the DOJ under Bill Barr declined to prosecute. These cases are being reviewed now.

[the watcher]

So it's March 4th.  Has Trump been inaugurated as President and the clone been tossed from office yet ? Honestly who the hell makes this crap up and what's in the water that people actually believe it ? It would be completely hilarious and entertaining if they didn't have nuclear weapons.  The rest of the world needs to take them away like a parent takes sharp scissors away from a kid. 

[Tracker]

Three Republicans accused of ethics violation after they attempted to alter colleague’s votes
   
Something strange happened in Congress last night that may tag three Republican members with an ethics violation.

The House held an overnight session so that they could avoid the U.S. Capitol amid the fears of another attack on the building from militia members and conspiracy theorists.

Punchbowl News' John Bresnahn explained that during a vote for HR 1280: The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021, Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX) cast a vote for the bill. His Republican colleagues freaked out, saying that it needed to be changed. Three of them protested, attempting to change the vote in with the Tally Clerk.

When members vote they have a card they can insert into voting stations and cast their vote. If they want to change their vote they can do so at any time, but if they want to change the vote in the last five minutes of the count, they have to go to the Tally Clerk and take a "red card," sign it, and hand it to the Clerk. At no point did Gooden use the red card option, but three other Republicans attempted to, signing Gooden's name to it.

According to Bresnahn, "The cards were rejected by House clerks. A possible ethics violation by [Reps.]Louie Gohmert (R-TX), Randy Weber (R-TX) and Kelly Armstrong (R-ND)."

Reporter Jamie Dupree went back to CSPAN to look at the tape seeing a man in a blue suit racing down the center aisle of Congress. "That person keeps running past the dais, but reaches out with his right hand and leaves a Red voting card for the clerk," said Dupree. "That person continues running past the dais - a very unusual way to vote - and heads toward the Speaker's Lobby door upper left in the photo. The voting clerk picks up the Red card - you can clearly see it in his hand - as the person who left it exits the chamber upper left."

Three Republicans accused of ethics violation after they attempted to alter colleague’s votes - Alternet.org

[Tracker]

Here's why the Pentagon lied about Michael Flynn's brother's role in the Capitol riots response: report
   
In the aftermath of the insurrection on the U.S. Capitol, many questions loomed about the Pentagon's delayed response as a mob of angry Trump supporters stormed the federal building. In fact, one aspect that really raised concerns was the fact that the Pentagon lied about Lt. Gen. Charles Flynn's involvement in the military's response.

At the time, Flynn, also the brother of former United States National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, was said to not have been involved in the decisions made amid the Capitol riots. So why would the Pentagon lie about this? On Wednesday, March 3, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow provided answers.

On Wednesday, March 3, security officials testified before the joint Senate Committee where they were asked about the disturbingly slow response to the Capitol riots. One day prior to the Capitol insurrection, security officials had received intelligence warnings of possible civil unrest in the wake of the Electoral College certification and expressed the desire to employ a "quick-reaction force in the event of an attack."

But despite the warning, security officials were informed that the D.C. National Guard would still need special permission directly from the Secretary of the Army, himself, in order to receive backup. When civil unrest did erupt at the Capitol on Jan. 6, the military refused to give that special permission which contributed to the federal building being overrun for more than three hours.

The hearing also revealed that Lt. Gen. Flynn was one of the officials who fielded the call for the National Guard's special request and opposed the idea of the National Guard being deployed. Pressed by Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Maj. Gen. William J. Walker confirmed that Lt. Gen. Flynn and Lt. Gen. Walter Piatt were more concerned about the "optics."

"It wouldn't be their best military advice to send uniformed guardsmen to the Capitol because they didn't like the optics," Walker said, adding, "And they had also said that it could 'inflame' [the protesters]."

The Pentagon previously claimed that Flynn had no role in the Jan. 6 military response.

Here's why the Pentagon lied about Michael Flynn's brother's role in the Capitol riots response: report - Alternet.org

[JCon]

1 minute ago, Tracker said:

Here's why the Pentagon lied about Michael Flynn's brother's role in the Capitol riots response: report
   
In the aftermath of the insurrection on the U.S. Capitol, many questions loomed about the Pentagon's delayed response as a mob of angry Trump supporters stormed the federal building. In fact, one aspect that really raised concerns was the fact that the Pentagon lied about Lt. Gen. Charles Flynn's involvement in the military's response.

At the time, Flynn, also the brother of former United States National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, was said to not have been involved in the decisions made amid the Capitol riots. So why would the Pentagon lie about this? On Wednesday, March 3, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow provided answers.

On Wednesday, March 3, security officials testified before the joint Senate Committee where they were asked about the disturbingly slow response to the Capitol riots. One day prior to the Capitol insurrection, security officials had received intelligence warnings of possible civil unrest in the wake of the Electoral College certification and expressed the desire to employ a "quick-reaction force in the event of an attack."

But despite the warning, security officials were informed that the D.C. National Guard would still need special permission directly from the Secretary of the Army, himself, in order to receive backup. When civil unrest did erupt at the Capitol on Jan. 6, the military refused to give that special permission which contributed to the federal building being overrun for more than three hours.

The hearing also revealed that Lt. Gen. Flynn was one of the officials who fielded the call for the National Guard's special request and opposed the idea of the National Guard being deployed. Pressed by Sen. Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.), Maj. Gen. William J. Walker confirmed that Lt. Gen. Flynn and Lt. Gen. Walter Piatt were more concerned about the "optics."

"It wouldn't be their best military advice to send uniformed guardsmen to the Capitol because they didn't like the optics," Walker said, adding, "And they had also said that it could 'inflame' [the protesters]."

The Pentagon previously claimed that Flynn had no role in the Jan. 6 military response.

Here's why the Pentagon lied about Michael Flynn's brother's role in the Capitol riots response: report - Alternet.org

Protesters were white, so they didn't want to inflame them.

They, of course, sent the National Guard to the peaceful BLM demonstrations.

Fascism. 

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

The ******* worst.

 

 

[Tracker]

11 minutes ago, wanna-b-fanboy said:

The ******* worst.

 

 

All this crap makes me wonder if the American political system and society can be salvaged or whether change can only come with a massive uprising and bloodshed.

[Mark F]

1 hour ago, the watcher said:

?It would be completely hilarious and entertaining if they didn't have nuclear weapons. 

Trump..... is an example one of the many reasons for the elimination  of nuclear weapons. 

Not just A Trumpmproblem, Nixon wanted to nuke Vietnam. 

43 minutes ago, Tracker said:

hree Republicans accused of ethics violation after they attempted to alter colleague’s votes
   

that is some crazy ****.

not aware of a revolution or civil war with violence that improved anything. 1920 russia,iran, egypt. zimbabwe, angola, vietnam, 

agree, the goings on in the US are bizarre and disturbing.

Edited March 4, 2021 by Mark F

[the watcher]

They are a non- functional democracy and teetering on a non- functional Country. 

 

Edited March 4, 2021 by the watcher

[Tracker]

58 minutes ago, Mark F said:

Trump..... is an example one of the many reasons for the elimination  of nuclear weapons. 

Not just A Trumpmproblem, Nixon wanted to nuke Vietnam. 

that is some crazy ****.

not aware of a revolution or civil war with violence that improved anything. 1920 Russia, Iran, Egypt. Zimbabwe, Angola, Vietnam, 

agree, the goings on in the US are bizarre and disturbing.

Revolutions improved life for people in France, Viet Nam,Cuba,  the US (arguably) and in Russia- for a time. The problems occur when one side or the other (sometimes both)  is being used to fight proxy wars

Edited March 4, 2021 by Tracker

[Mark F]

53 minutes ago, Tracker said:

Russia

no. just read a book on that, definitely a major humanitarian disaster. cannibalism.

orlando figes. "a peopls tragedy". lenin had zero regard for human life. french revolution ? 

the terror? Robespierre? nope.

I think younhave been reading chris hedges articles maybe?

 

Edited March 4, 2021 by Mark F

[Tracker]

Georgia Republicans push a draconian bill to criminalize giving food and water to people in voting lines
   
On Monday, the GOP-controlled Georgia House passed, by a 97-72 margin, a voter suppression bill that would greatly restrict absentee voting, early voting, weekend voting and ballot drop boxes in that state. And on top of that, North Carolina law professor Carissa Byrne Hessick notes in a Twitter thread, the bill "makes it a crime to give food or water to anyone standing in line to vote."

Hessick, who teaches criminal law at the University of North Carolina, tweets, "The idea that this should be a crime is completely outrageous."

The bill states that at voting places, "No person shall….. give, offer to give or participate in the giving of any money or gifts, including but not limited to, food and drink, to an elector."

Georgia Republicans push a draconian bill to criminalize giving food and water to people in voting lines - Alternet.org

[JCon]

3 minutes ago, Mark F said:

no. just read a book on that, definitely a major humanitarian disaster. cannibalism.

orlando figes. "a peopls tragedy". lenin had zero regard for human life. french revolution ? 

the terror? Robespierre? nope.

I think younhave been reading chris hedges articles maybe?

 

Reign of Terror has such an uplifting feel to it. 

1 minute ago, Tracker said:

Georgia Republicans push a draconian bill to criminalize giving food and water to people in voting lines
   
On Monday, the GOP-controlled Georgia House passed, by a 97-72 margin, a voter suppression bill that would greatly restrict absentee voting, early voting, weekend voting and ballot drop boxes in that state. And on top of that, North Carolina law professor Carissa Byrne Hessick notes in a Twitter thread, the bill "makes it a crime to give food or water to anyone standing in line to vote."

Hessick, who teaches criminal law at the University of North Carolina, tweets, "The idea that this should be a crime is completely outrageous."

The bill states that at voting places, "No person shall….. give, offer to give or participate in the giving of any money or gifts, including but not limited to, food and drink, to an elector."

Georgia Republicans push a draconian bill to criminalize giving food and water to people in voting lines - Alternet.org

Honestly, it should be against the law to provide anything to anyone in line. Keep everything clear and without influence. 

But it should be criminal is to design a system that forces anyone, and especially minorities and those vulnerable, to line up to vote. They design the system to make it difficult or impossible for minorities to vote. 

The GOP is a criminal organization. They are terrorists. 

[Tracker]

3 minutes ago, Mark F said:

no. just read a book on that, definitely a major humanitarian disaster. cannibalism.

orlando figes. "a peoples tragedy". Lenin had zero regard for human life. French revolution ? 

the terror? Robespierre? nope.

 

Things under the Tsars were at least equally dire. For a brief period, Russia was a democracy and things improved until Lenin seized on Marxist philosophy and altered it to fit his agenda. The cannibalism and such was under the Stalin regime. The western democracies very briefly supported the "white Russians" but quickly decided that they didn't want to be in the middle of another war. Did you know that the US actually landed troops in Russia at that time? Lenin decided that democracy was too slow and beyond the understanding of the peasants and chose to exterminate anyone who disagreed with him and Trotsky. 

Again, in France, the revolution initially produced a wave of optimism but all too soon it went from liberty, equality and fraternity to revenge. We humans seem to be overly fond of revenge for offences real or imagined. 

[the watcher]

16 hours ago, Tracker said:

Things under the Tsars were at least equally dire. For a brief period, Russia was a democracy and things improved until Lenin seized on Marxist philosophy and altered it to fit his agenda. The cannibalism and such was under the Stalin regime. The western democracies very briefly supported the "white Russians" but quickly decided that they didn't want to be in the middle of another war. Did you know that the US actually landed troops in Russia at that time? Lenin decided that democracy was too slow and beyond the understanding of the peasants and chose to exterminate anyone who disagreed with him and Trotsky. 

Again, in France, the revolution initially produced a wave of optimism but all too soon it went from liberty, equality and fraternity to revenge. We humans seem to be overly fond of revenge for offences real or imagined. 

I always figured you could blame communisms failure  on Lenin' s Vanguard Party idea.  Which may be comparable to what the US has now with their 2 parties. Here in Canada we have a long history of new parties springing up both Federal and Provincal that change the political scene and the county's mindset . And don't forget what the great philosopher Shrek   said " Change is good donkey "  Parties like, CCF/ NDP , THE BLOC, Reform, Social Credit, the Quebec Sepratists have made huge changes to our society even when they don't hold power. The US has lost that ability to foster new ideas. It is basicly a bunch of people ( mostly old white men ) clinging on to power and wealth at any cost including the failure of their country.

Edited March 5, 2021 by the watcher

[Tracker]

 

Trump aide with top secret clearance beat officers with riot shield at Jan. 6 Insurrection: report
   
A Trump-appointed State Dept. aide allegedly beat officers at the U.S. Capitol with a stolen riot shield, used it to force open a Capitol Hill door, verbally engaged with police, and led insurrection rioters into the building, shouting, "We need fresh people, need fresh people."

These new details come from The Washington Post, after Politico Thursday night broke the news that the State Dept. aide, Federico Klein, appointed by Trump in 2017 after working on the Trump campaign, was arrested by the FBI in connection with the deadly January 6 insurrection.

The New York Times adds Klein was arrested on charges "including unlawful entry, violent and disorderly conduct, obstructing Congress and law enforcement, and assaulting an officer with a dangerous weapon."

Klein was "seen in video footage and other images dressed in a red 'Make America Great Again' hat, slacks and a dress shirt as he tries to break past a line of Metropolitan Police officers in a tunnel near the west terrace, according to the [court] document."

Klein, 42, previously worked as a researcher for the anti-LGBTQ hate group Family Research Council, according to Politico. That group's president, a close informal religious advisor to President Donald Trump, was appointed to the the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom by then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. He served as chairman and later vice chair.

"Klein was still employed at the State Department as a staff assistant on Jan. 6 when he joined a mob in a tunnel leading into the U.S. Capitol, the FBI said," The Washington Post reports. "Then he allegedly 'physically and verbally engaged with the officers holding the line' at the building's entrance, according to the complaint. After ignoring officers' orders to move back, he assaulted officers with a riot shield that had been stolen from police, the complaint said, and then used the shield to wedge open a door into the Capitol."

Trump aide with top secret clearance beat officers with riot shield at Jan. 6 Insurrection: report - Alternet.org

[JCon]

9 minutes ago, the watcher said:

I always figured you could blame communisms failure  on Lenin' s Vanguard Party idea.  Which may be comparable to what the US has now with their 2 parties. Here in Canada we have a long history of new parties springing up both Federal and Provincal that change the political scene and the county's mindset . And don't forget what the great philosopher Shrek   said " Change is good donkey "  Parties like, CCF/ NDP , THE BLOC, Reform, Social Credit, the Quebec Sepratists have made huge changes to our society even when they don't hold power. The US has lost that ability to foster new ideas. It is basicly a bunch of people ( mostly old white men ) clinging on to power and wealth at any cost including the failure of their country.

They've turned politics into sports. You may not always like the players but you always support your "team". It's kind of gross, pathetic and definitely anti-democratic. 

We have it to a degree in Canada but it's not institutionalized like it is down south. There are plenty of partisans that would never vote any other way than for their "party". 

[Tracker]

Paul Gosar Spoke At A White Nationalist Conference. The GOP Doesn't Care.

Last week a sitting U.S. congressman delivered a keynote speech at a white nationalist conference in Florida. 

“Wow, what a group,” Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) said as he took his place behind a podium emblazoned with the letters “AFPAC” — an acronym for America First Political Action Conference, the second annual gathering of the white nationalist “groyper” movement. 

After speaking about “cancel culture,” Big Tech’s supposed censorship of right-wingers, and the need for a big border wall to keep “America First,” Gosar said goodbye to the AFPAC crowd, who’d traveled from across the country to attend the secret gathering inside the Hilton Orlando. 

“May God bless you,” Gosar said. “And may God bless the United States of America.”

The crowd — a motley crew of unabashed racists and anti-Semites — broke into a chant of “Gosar! Gosar!” to which the congressman responded with a wave, a smile and what looked like an earnest, heartfelt “Thank you.” 

Paul Gosar Spoke At A White Nationalist Conference. The GOP Doesn't Care. | HuffPost Canada (huffingtonpost.ca)

[the watcher]

17 minutes ago, JCon said:

They've turned politics into sports. You may not always like the players but you always support your "team". It's kind of gross, pathetic and definitely anti-democratic. 

We have it to a degree in Canada but it's not institutionalized like it is down south. There are plenty of partisans that would never vote any other way than for their "party". 

And the demonization of the other party is killing them. Its pretty easy now to look at the Republicans and do that but it is that hate of the other side by both parties that got them there.  The very fact that Trump came close to winning again and during the pandemic should shake he Democratic Party to its core. But it won't.  

I see similarities ( not as extreme ) in Canada. We elected a Prime Minister based on his name and looks because of the demonization of Harper.  I had a relative that called him a Nazi and a Dictator when he porogued parliament yet was perfectly happy when Truedeau did it. It's never a good thing to get that view. I struggle not doing it with our current Federal Gov.  but I keep working on it. 

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

Well, that seems to be a solid work around Ronanon's obstructionism.

 

 

 

 

EDIT: Here is the moment when Ronanon's obstructionism gets slapped aside..... 

 

LOL:

"Is there objection?" and without missing a beat, "there is no objection..."

 

 

Edited March 5, 2021 by wanna-b-fanboy

[the watcher]

32 minutes ago, Tracker said:

Paul Gosar Spoke At A White Nationalist Conference. The GOP Doesn't Care.

Last week a sitting U.S. congressman delivered a keynote speech at a white nationalist conference in Florida. 

“Wow, what a group,” Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) said as he took his place behind a podium emblazoned with the letters “AFPAC” — an acronym for America First Political Action Conference, the second annual gathering of the white nationalist “groyper” movement. 

After speaking about “cancel culture,” Big Tech’s supposed censorship of right-wingers, and the need for a big border wall to keep “America First,” Gosar said goodbye to the AFPAC crowd, who’d traveled from across the country to attend the secret gathering inside the Hilton Orlando. 

“May God bless you,” Gosar said. “And may God bless the United States of America.”

The crowd — a motley crew of unabashed racists and anti-Semites — broke into a chant of “Gosar! Gosar!” to which the congressman responded with a wave, a smile and what looked like an earnest, heartfelt “Thank you.” 

Paul Gosar Spoke At A White Nationalist Conference. The GOP Doesn't Care. | HuffPost Canada (huffingtonpost.ca)

I've been a history/ religion/ political buff all my life. I find it fascinating,  especially the story behind everything . But when I read things like this I don't know if the US survives it. At least the US we know now. In all what's happened since November the crucial point was the vote to impeach in the Senate. They had their chance to say the country is more important than me. And they failed. They had a chance to step back, to pull their country back from the precipice and they chose power and money. I really believe they are f##ked.  I suppose I should still hold out hope for them because when I grew up I would never have thought that the violence in  Ireland could reach some sort of settlement . But the US has a long way to go. Crap like you just posted ( not your posting if you know what I mean  )  shows just how far they need to travel. 

[Mark H.]

43 minutes ago, the watcher said:

And the demonization of the other party is killing them. Its pretty easy now to look at the Republicans and do that but it is that hate of the other side by both parties that got them there.  The very fact that Trump came close to winning again and during the pandemic should shake he Democratic Party to its core. But it won't.  

I see similarities ( not as extreme ) in Canada. We elected a Prime Minister based on his name and looks because of the demonization of Harper.  I had a relative that called him a Nazi and a Dictator when he porogued parliament yet was perfectly happy when Truedeau did it. It's never a good thing to get that view. I struggle not doing it with our current Federal Gov.  but I keep working on it. 

Exactly this.  I was in Ottawa for a week in 2016 - the anti Harper hype was ridiculous

Trudeau and his flowery speeches were definitely the order of the day

If you asked any contrary questions, the media was more than ready with their 'bad Harper stories.'

[Mark F]

1 hour ago, JCon said:

 

We have it to a degree in Canada but it's not institutionalized like it is down south. There are plenty of partisans that would never vote any other way than for their "party". 

a wild card in canada might be Quebec, they seem to vote for whatever party seems to be ready to something for them. smart, and maybe saves the rest of us now and again.

uninformed opinion, just my impression.

[bustamente]

Can't wait for some of these committee's to subpoena some of Trump's administration in terms who was doing what and what direction was coming out of the WH during the coup.

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

14 minutes ago, bustamente said:

Can't wait for some of these committee's to subpoena some of Trump's administration in terms who was doing what and what direction was coming out of the WH during the coup.

Yeah, me too. The questions and the way these two asked asked them, you'd think something is up...