Yeah, but Perry is a Trump appointee and all round piece of shit. He hasn’t earned the benefit of the doubt.
He is an all around piece of shit, but managed to keep his head down even amongst the rest of these jackanapes and jagoffs. I'd argue that he earned an infinitesimal amount of benefit of the doubt. At least enough to cover from this specific fiasco.
Yeah, but Perry is a Trump appointee and all round piece of shit. He hasn’t earned the benefit of the doubt.
He is an all around piece of shit, but managed to keep his head down even amongst the rest of these jackanapes and jagoffs. I'd argue that he earned an infinitesimal amount of benefit of the doubt. At least enough to cover from this specific fiasco.
In the land of the clueless, the half-wit is Secretary of Energy.
I feel like the fatal flaw with trying to blame it on Perry is that literally no one believes he is savvy enough to mastermind a pancake breakfast, much less an international conspiracy.
Perry doesn't seem like the kind of person to take the fall for Trump, so this should make things interesting.
Especially because I suspect Perry pulling the rip cord on the Trump administration is him thinking he's got a shot at going back on the campaign trail for himself.
I could definitely see him running for Cornyn's seat.
Well, Cornyn's still running for it, so probably not for a while
Oh, for some reason I had it in my head that he was retiring after this term.
Whose job is it to make this actually happen? 'Cause I bet they could ignore the order and say nothing, and he'd forget about it within a week as long as nobody brought it up.
The reductions will primarily be carried out through attrition, as staffers return from assignments at the NSC to their home agencies, the people said. Many people who work at the council are career government professionals detailed from the Pentagon, State Department, and intelligence agencies.
I don't know if "firing" is the right word here. Just letting assigments expire.
I mean the effect is the same but the thought "oh firing govt people is hard" doesn't apply here and there seems to be little recourse, in that case.
Read the article, his new NSA is going to clean house anyway to run things how he wants. The article wants to connect the whistleblower to the NSC changes but there is no actual reporting to back that up, and Bolton just happened to depart pretty close to this whole impeachment thing.
No matter how likely the connection its important to state that the article doesn't actually report what Enlightenedbum portrayed it as reporting. And because there is a lot of staff involved and a passable cover story its not one of his halfhearted whims that's going to be ignored.
+3
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AbsalonLands of Always WinterRegistered Userregular
The fact that Trump will treat any republican that tries to strike a balance with some light scolding as leper outcast unclean makes it very difficult for them. They will have to choose between hiding, full-throated defense, or admit that "Yes, that is impeachable".
The fact that Trump will treat any republican that tries to strike a balance with some light scolding as leper outcast unclean makes it very difficult for them. They will have to choose between hiding, full-throated defense, or admit that "Yes, that is impeachable".
More and more this whole thing is solidifying to me that there really is no deeper level of cunning for trump. Even his corruption is petty, based more around stroking his ego than anything. He's lazy and remarkably incurious, even as he manufactures fake news he's also the biggest consumer of it, and he seems to keep believing in it even when it's not useful to him to do so.
He's still dangerous, in some ways more so because of his stupidity, but he's not, and had never been, any kind of criminal mastermind.
If anything, it entirely demistifies "criminal masterminds". Turns out, you can be a complete fucking idiot, all you need is to be the bigger bully. Trump should be politically eviscerated by anyone semi competent in politics and populism.
Hey so it turns out if you cut the guts out of the NSC in retribution for one whistleblower it just encourages the rest of the to go ahead and blow their own whistles. One lawyer and former CIA member has confirmed his firm are now representing several.
Also not going to be surprised when we start getting whistle blowers coming forward about scandals other than the Ukrainian one. Trump & co are about to find out that their little shit fit retaliation threats will have the opposite effect. It's safe to say a good chunk of what's left of the government employees likely didn't subscribe to Trump's shit, didn't want to get fired and figured they'd just weather the bullshit until he was out of office. Also figure once you get the 2nd or 3rd confirmed case of Trump clearly asking another foreign power, that isn't Ukraine, for favors in secret. You'll probably get some people on the domestic side of things, saying "fuck it, gonna blow my whistle on these matters because the rat fucker is going down and there is little he & his buddies can do in successful retaliation.
Should be fun to watch the GOP squirm because Trump is already really unhinged from the Ukrainian scandal. Watch him lose his fucking mind when a ton of shit goes off the rails for his corruption schemes. Also watch part of the public that hasn't soured on him starting souring and his support dipping below 40% consistently on the favorability ratings.
Yep, BBC have confirmed the second whistleblower has contacted the IG and Mark Zaid (the lawyer representing the first whistleblower.) Apparently this one has first hand knowledge of the infamous phone call too, so that’s that argument dealt with.
Hey so it turns out if you cut the guts out of the NSC in retribution for one whistleblower it just encourages the rest of the to go ahead and blow their own whistles. One lawyer and former CIA member has confirmed his firm are now representing several.
*edit* and yes, this comes about 40 minutes after ABC reported the lawyer representing the first whistleblower is now representing a second one.
It's weird.
When you beat the shit out of somebody for doing their job and shot on that organization for three years, the other people doing that same job working for the same organization, will sometimes go "Fuck it, I am Spartacus.".
And when multiple people do it, it becomes much harder for the person doing illegal acts to retaliate. Almost like there's a protection from being part of a group.
If only Republican legislators could figure that out.
After a jet carrying Attorney General William P. Barr touched down in Rome late last month, some diplomats and intelligence officials at the American Embassy were unsure why he had come to the Eternal City. They were later surprised, two officials said, to discover that he had circumvented protocols in arranging the trip, where he met with Italian political and intelligence officials.
Everything about the visit was unusual — perhaps most of all, the attorney general’s companion and his mission. Mr. Barr and a top federal prosecutor, John H. Durham, who is reviewing the origins of the Russia investigation, sought evidence that might bolster a conspiracy theory long nurtured by President Trump: that some of America’s closest allies plotted with his “deep state” enemies in 2016 to try to prevent him from winning the presidency.
How is all that investigation of enemies that requires violations of normal procedures not itself impeachable?
“The whistleblower has second-hand knowledge! Doesn’t count!”
“Oh you need firsthand knowledge? Hi, I was listening to the call.”
Fucking lolz.
"Not a Republican therefore biased!"
They mostly seem to be going with “Oh well that’s very convenient given the first hearsay account orchestrated by Schiff is falling apart, isn’t it?!?” There’s always going to be a cadre that just will not admit there’s any wrongdoing.
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AbsalonLands of Always WinterRegistered Userregular
edited October 2019
Now stuff is dropping on the weekend too. Used to be that candy was only handed out on Mondays and Fridays.
When even Meet the Press and Chuck Todd are standing up to Republicans you know the media smells chum. I'm on the phone right now, sorry.
SenRonJohnson
is asked why he winced & brings up a "conspiracy theory."
@chucktodd
: "I have no idea why we're going here. ... Can we please answer the question I asked you instead of trying to make Donald Trump feel better here that you're not criticizing him?"
Also not going to be surprised when we start getting whistle blowers coming forward about scandals other than the Ukrainian one. Trump & co are about to find out that their little shit fit retaliation threats will have the opposite effect. It's safe to say a good chunk of what's left of the government employees likely didn't subscribe to Trump's shit, didn't want to get fired and figured they'd just weather the bullshit until he was out of office. Also figure once you get the 2nd or 3rd confirmed case of Trump clearly asking another foreign power, that isn't Ukraine, for favors in secret. You'll probably get some people on the domestic side of things, saying "fuck it, gonna blow my whistle on these matters because the rat fucker is going down and there is little he & his buddies can do in successful retaliation.
Should be fun to watch the GOP squirm because Trump is already really unhinged from the Ukrainian scandal. Watch him lose his fucking mind when a ton of shit goes off the rails for his corruption schemes. Also watch part of the public that hasn't soured on him starting souring and his support dipping below 40% consistently on the favorability ratings.
The fact that there’s still a good chance Trump can get elected due to the way we count votes means that they can’t rely on the electorate. The federal workforce is under assault, and no one is sure anymore that they’ll last another four years.
They just have to look at the USDA’s research division. Nothing seemed safer and more bipartisan than to be an ag researcher, and they got gutted via forced relocation.
Phillishere on
+10
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ElldrenIs a woman dammitceterum censeoRegistered Userregular
SenRonJohnson
is asked why he winced & brings up a "conspiracy theory."
@chucktodd
: "I have no idea why we're going here. ... Can we please answer the question I asked you instead of trying to make Donald Trump feel better here that you're not criticizing him?"
I think every single time I've ever seen Chuck Todd he's pissed off at the president.
SenRonJohnson
is asked why he winced & brings up a "conspiracy theory."
@chucktodd
: "I have no idea why we're going here. ... Can we please answer the question I asked you instead of trying to make Donald Trump feel better here that you're not criticizing him?"
I think every single time I've ever seen Chuck Todd he's pissed off at the president.
Perhaps, but he has spent the majority of the last 2.5 years lobbing softballs to GOP legislators and staff while not taking Trump to task near as hard as he could've and still been in the clear with his bosses at NBC.
No matter where you go...there you are. ~ Buckaroo Banzai
The thing that gets to me about all of this is that Trump could have gotten away with all of this shit regarding Hunter if this had been relegated to a lower tier investigation by the justice and state departments; you could have gotten all that you wanted (whatever the hell that might be) without having to directly implicate yourself or your appointees.
But of course that's what someone who had any idea of how to work the system would do if they had like, a year's worth of expierience in government prior to being president.
Marco Rubio said essentially the same thing when asked by reporters about it. That Trump was trolling the media and it wasn't a serious request and they were all falling for it. I don't think I saw the reporters response to that answer (or if he even had one) but he should have then asked Rubio if that means people should just not believe anything Trump says.
"You can't impeach Trump because he was just kidding." doesn't' seem like a very strong defense.
Marco Rubio said essentially the same thing when asked by reporters about it. That Trump was trolling the media and it wasn't a serious request and they were all falling for it. I don't think I saw the reporters response to that answer (or if he even had one) but he should have then asked Rubio if that means people should just not believe anything Trump says.
"You can't impeach Trump because he was just kidding." doesn't' seem like a very strong defense.
Basically the same excuse from whatever asshole was on ABC this morning with George. Kept repeating “do you really think the president who’s been the toughest on China would seriously ask them for help?”
Marco Rubio said essentially the same thing when asked by reporters about it. That Trump was trolling the media and it wasn't a serious request and they were all falling for it. I don't think I saw the reporters response to that answer (or if he even had one) but he should have then asked Rubio if that means people should just not believe anything Trump says.
"You can't impeach Trump because he was just kidding." doesn't' seem like a very strong defense.
Basically the same excuse from whatever asshole was on ABC this morning with George. Kept repeating “do you really think the president who’s been the toughest on China would seriously ask them for help?”
Yes a hundred thousand times yes. Like this is the "do you think he was that stupid?" yes yes he fucking is. This is a guy direly wanting a win so he can stop having articles written about how much money he's giving to the midwest to pay for his absurd fuck up with these tariffs. If he can claim that win while getting damage on a political opponent? that's an actual win.
Trouble is china doesn't have shit on Biden because shockingly HE DIDNT FUCKING DO ANYTHING!
I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.
Just saw a Trump campaign commercial on CNN showing that clip of Biden talking about how he told Ukraine that they need to fire a prosecutor or they get no money, then some quote from said prosecutor claiming he was fired for investigating Hunter Biden, then a declaration that Democrats are trying to impeach Trump for simply asking Ukraine about it.
This is Biden's "her emails" moment and impeachment will be elevating it into the consciousnesses of every American household twisted by Trump's lies.
I'm so very glad that we have a large field vying to run against Trump this year, and we still have options with early frontrunners starting to look substantially vulnerable.
Marco Rubio said essentially the same thing when asked by reporters about it. That Trump was trolling the media and it wasn't a serious request and they were all falling for it. I don't think I saw the reporters response to that answer (or if he even had one) but he should have then asked Rubio if that means people should just not believe anything Trump says.
"You can't impeach Trump because he was just kidding." doesn't' seem like a very strong defense.
The issue is it's impossible to tell when he's just trolling and when he's serious.
Posts
Hah, make him do the firings in person.
That'll stop that.
He is an all around piece of shit, but managed to keep his head down even amongst the rest of these jackanapes and jagoffs. I'd argue that he earned an infinitesimal amount of benefit of the doubt. At least enough to cover from this specific fiasco.
In the land of the clueless, the half-wit is Secretary of Energy.
Oh, I absolutely believe Rick Perry avoided as many corrupt White House dealings as he could, Mr. Magoo-style.
These clowns were trying to rig elections and Rick Perry was busy installing a mini-basketball hoop in his office.
Oh, for some reason I had it in my head that he was retiring after this term.
Whose job is it to make this actually happen? 'Cause I bet they could ignore the order and say nothing, and he'd forget about it within a week as long as nobody brought it up.
I don't know if "firing" is the right word here. Just letting assigments expire.
I mean the effect is the same but the thought "oh firing govt people is hard" doesn't apply here and there seems to be little recourse, in that case.
Think of his love of NDAs for everything.
If anything, it entirely demistifies "criminal masterminds". Turns out, you can be a complete fucking idiot, all you need is to be the bigger bully. Trump should be politically eviscerated by anyone semi competent in politics and populism.
But there's no one.
*edit* and yes, this comes about 40 minutes after ABC reported the lawyer representing the first whistleblower is now representing a second one.
Should be fun to watch the GOP squirm because Trump is already really unhinged from the Ukrainian scandal. Watch him lose his fucking mind when a ton of shit goes off the rails for his corruption schemes. Also watch part of the public that hasn't soured on him starting souring and his support dipping below 40% consistently on the favorability ratings.
battletag: Millin#1360
Nice chart to figure out how honest a news source is.
It's weird.
When you beat the shit out of somebody for doing their job and shot on that organization for three years, the other people doing that same job working for the same organization, will sometimes go "Fuck it, I am Spartacus.".
And when multiple people do it, it becomes much harder for the person doing illegal acts to retaliate. Almost like there's a protection from being part of a group.
If only Republican legislators could figure that out.
“Oh you need firsthand knowledge? Hi, I was listening to the call.”
Fucking lolz.
"Not a Republican therefore biased!"
How is all that investigation of enemies that requires violations of normal procedures not itself impeachable?
They mostly seem to be going with “Oh well that’s very convenient given the first hearsay account orchestrated by Schiff is falling apart, isn’t it?!?” There’s always going to be a cadre that just will not admit there’s any wrongdoing.
When even Meet the Press and Chuck Todd are standing up to Republicans you know the media smells chum. I'm on the phone right now, sorry.
https://mobile.twitter.com/MeetThePress/status/1180837420285214720
SenRonJohnson
is asked why he winced & brings up a "conspiracy theory."
@chucktodd
: "I have no idea why we're going here. ... Can we please answer the question I asked you instead of trying to make Donald Trump feel better here that you're not criticizing him?"
The fact that there’s still a good chance Trump can get elected due to the way we count votes means that they can’t rely on the electorate. The federal workforce is under assault, and no one is sure anymore that they’ll last another four years.
They just have to look at the USDA’s research division. Nothing seemed safer and more bipartisan than to be an ag researcher, and they got gutted via forced relocation.
This is the line whether or not they are, in fact, a republican
cf Robert Mueller
The downside or rigid, aggressive tribalism is that it eventually turns everyone else into your enemy.
I think every single time I've ever seen Chuck Todd he's pissed off at the president.
Perhaps, but he has spent the majority of the last 2.5 years lobbing softballs to GOP legislators and staff while not taking Trump to task near as hard as he could've and still been in the clear with his bosses at NBC.
~ Buckaroo Banzai
Trump just now:
Of course he is serious.
Please, I'll be shocked if Trump even has 1.5B.
But of course that's what someone who had any idea of how to work the system would do if they had like, a year's worth of expierience in government prior to being president.
"You can't impeach Trump because he was just kidding." doesn't' seem like a very strong defense.
Basically the same excuse from whatever asshole was on ABC this morning with George. Kept repeating “do you really think the president who’s been the toughest on China would seriously ask them for help?”
Yes a hundred thousand times yes. Like this is the "do you think he was that stupid?" yes yes he fucking is. This is a guy direly wanting a win so he can stop having articles written about how much money he's giving to the midwest to pay for his absurd fuck up with these tariffs. If he can claim that win while getting damage on a political opponent? that's an actual win.
Trouble is china doesn't have shit on Biden because shockingly HE DIDNT FUCKING DO ANYTHING!
pleasepaypreacher.net
He might not have, but he's probably stolen at least that much.
It's nearly always 'billion'. Whatever the thing. Billions lost. Billions made. Billions stolen.
So...projection.
This is Biden's "her emails" moment and impeachment will be elevating it into the consciousnesses of every American household twisted by Trump's lies.
I'm so very glad that we have a large field vying to run against Trump this year, and we still have options with early frontrunners starting to look substantially vulnerable.
The issue is it's impossible to tell when he's just trolling and when he's serious.
Probably because he's always serious.