The greatest exercise in futility in history is occurring right now..

[zulu1128]

It’s actually been a pretty awesome week, as usual lol. Anyway, thanks for getting around to kind of backing it up. Sorry that happened to you man. 😎

I wonder if I start complaining about it too, that people might stop doing it to me as well. Maybe a project for the new year, if my skin ever gets thin enough lol.  🤷‍♂️

[World Citizen]

20 hours ago, zulu1128 said:

It’s actually been a pretty awesome week, as usual lol. Anyway, thanks for getting around to kind of backing it up. Sorry that happened to you man. 😎

I wonder if I start complaining about it too, that people might stop doing it to me as well. Maybe a project for the new year, if my skin ever gets thin enough lol.  🤷‍♂️

I'm not sure if complaining works or not as I have not tried that.  But merely bringing it up has not stopped it.  And I wouldn't suggest getting thin skinned over it either but again I don't know how that would work.  

[badrouter]

How ugly will things get Wednesday?

[Rippers]

37 minutes ago, badrouter said:

How ugly will things get Wednesday?

Los spooning Concha in a tub full of GSB, Troll, Newbie and Block semen ugly.....

 

just sayin'...

[Belly Bob]

On 12/21/2020 at 2:39 PM, 15yds4gibberish said:

[...]

When it comes to the question of sanctions, I’m not sure what I have in mind yet (this also isn’t the best forum to be ‘not sure.’).  I do know that when lawyers and parties add their names to federal court signings they are supposed to have some law and fact on their side.  I also know courts can’t create new laws – legislatures do that.   

[...]

I've been thinking about this today. 

I don't know what can or should be done, but something should be done in order to try to repair our most fundamental political institutions. 

I still can't believe that has has happened and that people who could have done something about it let it go on for so long. They should've known better. I should've known better. 

What a terrible mess. 

[DownSouth]

22 minutes ago, Belly Bob said:

I've been thinking about this today. 

I don't know what can or should be done, but something should be done in order to try to repair our most fundamental political institutions. 

I still can't believe that has has happened and that people who could have done something about it let it go on for so long. They should've known better. I should've known better. 

What a terrible mess. 

Charge Ghouliani with inciting a riot.

25th Amendment and removal of Trump, Pence takes over for 2 weeks.

Figure out what the hell the cops were thinking in between the moment they were taking selfie’s and being buddies with everyone to the second they got walked over and let a siege happen.

That’s where I’d start.

- and punch Ted Cruz in the face...but I would’ve suggested that before today anyway.

[RedZone]

40 minutes ago, Belly Bob said:

I don't know what can or should be done

No need to worry about it much.

Nothing can be done, things are what they are and will NOT change until we totally self-destruct, BUT.......the donald's twitter and facebook have been locked and he's facing a lifetime ban if he continues losing his mind on both.

 

[RedZone]

28 minutes ago, DownSouth said:

and punch Ted Cruz in the face...

...what 4 years of serious trumpism does to a face.

Debate to Current.

[BUFORDGAWOLVES]

13 hours ago, RedZone said:

No need to worry about it much.

Nothing can be done, things are what they are and will NOT change until we totally self-destruct, BUT.......the donald's twitter and facebook have been locked and he's facing a lifetime ban if he continues losing his mind on both.

 

Ooohhh, insightful!

bgw

[15yds4gibberish]

21 hours ago, Belly Bob said:

I've been thinking about this today. 

I don't know what can or should be done, but something should be done in order to try to repair our most fundamental political institutions. 

I still can't believe that has has happened and that people who could have done something about it let it go on for so long. They should've known better. I should've known better. 

What a terrible mess. 

As you wrote elsewhere, yesterday was a very sad day in American history. We need to remember what it was like.  Very soon (already actually), someone will try to convince us it was different.

Prior to yesterday, I had been reading, listening, and thinking about this over the holiday’s myself.   

Setting aside the criminal/corruption aspect of the past 4 years (with the Senate gains yesterday, Biden announced Garland as his AG choice and McConnell can't block it so easily – Garland is a good choice, and Biden should leave the criminal stuff to him), and focusing on just the institutional corrosion, before we can properly fix anything we need to understand what happened. 

Historically, special commissions have played an important role in raising public awareness of what transpired, leading to important changes toward us becoming a more perfect union.  I think we need to establish at least 3, but today I’ll only suggest the one pertaining to Attacks on American Democracy and how to Reform the Presidency.

Almost exactly four years ago, I wrote here that American Democracy depends on both rules and norms, and that I had no faith this president understood any of it. Rules largely set the balance between majority power and minority rights.  Norms provide the informal cushioning that keep disagreements from becoming civil wars.   The erosion of rules and norms began before this presidency, but the erosion has been transformed into deliberate policy during this administration.   Yesterday was just one consequence, but there have been many.  It’s pretty clear now that some legal overhaul is required.

Here’s a link to a pretty decent FORUM interview (you may remember the Krasny show from your days at Cal)  with 2 authors discussing some proposed reforms to the Presidency that that I found informative (Note:  It's a 50 minute commitment, but works well during a walk, run, or drive).

On 1/9/2017 at 6:31 AM, 15yds4gibberish said:

... Democracies depend on a lot more than just law to properly function, which is why there are processes, procedures and accepted practices.  ...

There is no law for submission of tax returns, ....  Without the tax returns, we don't know what conflicts exist (for now), and it will haunt the presidency.  Given how Trump acts toward Russia and Putin, how do we know there isn't some large debt hanging over Trump's head or some other conflict, putting our whole country at risk?  We don't.  ...

Absolutely nothing in Trumps history, demeanor, or action convinces me that Trump has the judgement to understand which un-codified precedents and  formalities are crucial to a functioning democracy and which ones are just pomp and circumstance.  But just because not everything is not codified into law, does not mean it isn't important and essential.  ...

There's a big discussion to be had.  In light of what's at stake, here's to hoping we as a nation can have it in a sober way.  As always, I reserve the right to change my mind...

[RedZone]

1 hour ago, 15yds4gibberish said:

 

 

There's a big discussion to be had.  In light of what's at stake, here's to hoping we as a nation can have it in a sober way.  As always, I reserve the right to change my mind...

The only problems I see is what to do with donald and his disciples in the coming months/years....they are not going away and will remain a major thorn in the flesh. 

When the Biden crew takes over things will return to a somewhat normal "political state", but as long as the donald has twitter, a forum, sheep hanging on his every word and etc.......forget about any kind of normal social reality. 

It's never been about rep/dem to donald...he's been both and other things.

It's all about power and ego with donald and no amount of "what to do" can fix that.

[Ga96]

[RedZone]

..cryin' concha must be SO proud he's speechless.....

[15yds4gibberish]

On 1/6/2021 at 6:38 PM, DownSouth said:

...25th Amendment and removal of Trump, Pence takes over for 2 weeks.

Figure out what the hell the cops were thinking in between the moment they were taking selfie’s and being buddies with everyone to the second they got walked over and let a siege happen.

That’s where I’d start...

I keep thinking about this part of your post.  Basically save the President and 9 Supreme Court Justices, we had SOTU attendance in the Capitol at the time.  We are supposed to believe that clown posse of armed insurrectionists could take over what was once thought to be the most protected building in the world?  Most of the presidential succession was left that unprotected?

I suspect we’ll learn more over time, but already we’re seeing some early indications.  The Capitol Police twice turned down offers of federal help before Wednesday.  and DC Police claimed to have had no intel that a mob would try to storm the Capitol, which is odd, since Trump supporters spent the last few weeks in online forums openly saying “we are going to storm the Capitol.” 

• “We’re going to walk down to the Capitol and we’re going to cheer on our brave senators and congressmen and women and we’re probably not going to be cheering so much for some of them”  DJT just before the storming of the Capitol Jan 6, 2021 

As for the 25^th Amendment part of your post, should it happen?  Yes.  Will it happen? Probably not. Impeachment?  We would do well to remember there is often a cost to not doing the (very) difficult but right thing.  One year ago R’s had an opportunity to remove this guy and install Mike Pence who might have even been able to get re-elected, and R’s might even have retained the Senate.  Instead Senate R’s refused to hear the evidence and doubled down on corruption and incompetence. 

[Atticus Finch]

14 hours ago, RedZone said:

..cryin' concha must be SO proud he's speechless.....

He's still conjuring up ways to manipulate and lie about statistics.

He's only got 12 more days.

[DBP66]

5 minutes ago, GardenStateBaller said:

 

GSB...you should be ashamed of yourself!!..the whole world saw a bunch of crazy Trumpers like you destroy our country and kill people.....🤡

[Atticus Finch]

I wonder if Dr. Latina O'Crazio Cornpop has a blue check mark?

🤔

[Belly Bob]

17 hours ago, 15yds4gibberish said:

[...]

Almost exactly four years ago, I wrote here that American Democracy depends on both rules and norms, and that I had no faith this president understood any of it. Rules largely set the balance between majority power and minority rights.  Norms provide the informal cushioning that keep disagreements from becoming civil wars.   The erosion of rules and norms began before this presidency, but the erosion has been transformed into deliberate policy during this administration.   Yesterday was just one consequence, but there have been many.  It’s pretty clear now that some legal overhaul is required.

[...]

I'm starting to question whether people have lost touch with the conceptual basis of the system or whether they even believe in its basic concepts anymore.

If the problem goes that deep, it's not going to be fixed by legislation. 

[badrouter]

37 minutes ago, GardenStateBaller said:

 

Disgraceful. Also, who is this Bill O'Reilly guy? 

[badrouter]

26 minutes ago, Belly Bob said:

I'm starting to question whether people have lost touch with the conceptual basis of the system or whether they even believe in its basic concepts anymore.

If the problem goes that deep, it's not going to be fixed by legislation. 

As Mitch McConnell (still a scumbag) eloquently said in his speech Wednesday morning, if we go down this road, nobody will ever accept the results of an election ever again. In short, the original post in this thread was NOT hyperbole. Had they overturned the election, it *literally* would have meant the end of the republic. 

[Belly Bob]

2 hours ago, badrouter said:

Disgraceful. Also, who is this Bill O'Reilly guy? 

Dr. Latina said that?!

[Belly Bob]

2 hours ago, badrouter said:

As Mitch McConnell (still a scumbag) eloquently said in his speech Wednesday morning, if we go down this road, nobody will ever accept the results of an election ever again. In short, the original post in this thread was NOT hyperbole. Had they overturned the election, it *literally* would have meant the end of the republic. 

I've been happy with the Republican statements I've seen since Wednesday night. There's some redemption there. 

I just don't know why it had to take an event like that for them to finally speak up. 

[badrouter]

1 hour ago, Belly Bob said:

I've been happy with the Republican statements I've seen since Wednesday night. There's some redemption there. 

I just don't know why it had to take an event like that for them to finally speak up. 

Agreed. Too little, too late. The comments can be persuasive if clipped together, but the damage is done.

[Atticus Finch]

The exercise continues.

The G.O.P. Won It All in Texas. Then It Turned on Itself.

Based on his conversations with Republican voters, Paxton said, election integrity remains the party’s “most important” focus. And so he planned to investigate claims of fraud in Texas: “As long as we have evidence of fraud, and as long as the statute of limitations is out there, we’ll pursue whatever evidence we have.” The Houston Chronicle recently reported that Paxton’s office logged more than 22,000 hours working on voter-fraud cases in 2020 (twice as many as in 2018), resolving 16 prosecutions (half as many as in 2018), all of them involving false addresses and none of them resulting in prison time. Paxton told me he did not think this report, which was based on data from his own office, was accurate, but he also said he had not read it. He reiterated that these cases “take time to develop.” (Paxton’s office subsequently said the election-fraud unit “resolved prosecutions of 68 offenses against 18 defendants” in 2020, a majority of them having to do with the 2018 election.)

[BUFORDGAWOLVES]

56 minutes ago, Atticus Finch said:

The exercise continues.

The G.O.P. Won It All in Texas. Then It Turned on Itself.

Based on his conversations with Republican voters, Paxton said, election integrity remains the party’s “most important” focus. And so he planned to investigate claims of fraud in Texas: “As long as we have evidence of fraud, and as long as the statute of limitations is out there, we’ll pursue whatever evidence we have.” The Houston Chronicle recently reported that Paxton’s office logged more than 22,000 hours working on voter-fraud cases in 2020 (twice as many as in 2018), resolving 16 prosecutions (half as many as in 2018), all of them involving false addresses and none of them resulting in prison time. Paxton told me he did not think this report, which was based on data from his own office, was accurate, but he also said he had not read it. He reiterated that these cases “take time to develop.” (Paxton’s office subsequently said the election-fraud unit “resolved prosecutions of 68 offenses against 18 defendants” in 2020, a majority of them having to do with the 2018 election.)

Damn, just damn.... fucking loons.

bgw