It's really amazing how fast the federal government completely collapses once one party realizes they can get away with anything if they don't experience shame.
Like that's my take away from this shit show; trump is doing stuff that no other president would have even considered because of how fundamentally wrong it was, but the fucker is effectively able to ignore any consequences for his actions and stuff the most ridiculously corrupt people imaginable into places to help facilitate it and the seante blitely stands by and let's it happen.
Political norms are important but they are also weak in the face of a lack of social mechanisms to enforce them.
And it's pretty clear by now that the electorates in democracies are simply utterly incapable of enforcing any sort of adherence to those norms or values. They care too much about their side winning.
It's really amazing how fast the federal government completely collapses once one party realizes they can get away with anything if they don't experience shame.
Like that's my take away from this shit show; trump is doing stuff that no other president would have even considered because of how fundamentally wrong it was, but the fucker is effectively able to ignore any consequences for his actions and stuff the most ridiculously corrupt people imaginable into places to help facilitate it and the seante blitely stands by and let's it happen.
Political norms are important but they are also weak in the face of a lack of social mechanisms to enforce them.
And it's pretty clear by now that the electorates in democracies are simply utterly incapable of enforcing any sort of adherence to those norms or values. They care too much about their side winning.
I hope America still has democrat elections after a few months of Trump unleashed. Because it looks like all checks and balances are gone.
The blatantly obvious dismantling of government institutions and brazen corruption of these offices and courts are most definitely a feature and not a bug with this administration. Trump's base elected him to do these exact things to stick their thumb in the eye of deep state big government and pwn the libs, because it's awesome and it means their tribe is winning to the detriment of everyone else.
Part of the Southern Strategy is unifying those people who are upset that The North won. They will absolutely continue to move in the direction that essentially reverses that outcome.
It's really amazing how fast the federal government completely collapses once one party realizes they can get away with anything if they don't experience shame.
Like that's my take away from this shit show; trump is doing stuff that no other president would have even considered because of how fundamentally wrong it was, but the fucker is effectively able to ignore any consequences for his actions and stuff the most ridiculously corrupt people imaginable into places to help facilitate it and the seante blitely stands by and let's it happen.
It's two parts. The party to not feel shame, and the electorate to not give a damn.
Don't give a shit if it's media narratives, people being more shitty than once thought, or just general apathy. Fact is, they wouldn't be doing so if they didn't have the implicit support of 40+% of the country, and in enough areas to make sure they've got ~50%+1 of the voteshare in government.
It's really fucked that a country founded on, and proud of*, the ideals of democracy and the rule of law, has more than an insignificant minority of people who will flagrantly shit on those ideals when it benefits them to do so.
donald trump: Congratulations to Attorney General Bill Barr for taking charge of a case that was totally out of control and perhaps should not have even been brought. Evidence now clearly shows that the Mueller Scam was improperly brought & tainted. Even Bob Mueller lied to Congress!
donald trump: Congratulations to Attorney General Bill Barr for taking charge of a case that was totally out of control and perhaps should not have even been brought. Evidence now clearly shows that the Mueller Scam was improperly brought & tainted. Even Bob Mueller lied to Congress!
So out of control it... successfully convinced twelve peers of Roger Stone's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
donald trump: Congratulations to Attorney General Bill Barr for taking charge of a case that was totally out of control and perhaps should not have even been brought. Evidence now clearly shows that the Mueller Scam was improperly brought & tainted. Even Bob Mueller lied to Congress!
So out of control it... successfully convinced twelve peers of Roger Stone's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Clearly they were all in on it.
That's not a joke. If I were a juror on that case, I would legit be concerned for my safety as this escalates.
Edit: hell, typing "roger stone trial juror" has a Washington Post piece by one of them, presumably under their real name.
Forar on
First they came for the Muslims, and we said NOT TODAY, MOTHERFUCKER!
"Susan Collins is very, very disappointed."
- Millennial Politics is a progressive YouTube channel.
And that really troubles her.
You own this, Senator Collins. You and the other 51 Senators of your party who chose to give this fucker carte blanche (no surprise he's grabbing it with both hands) to do what he wants. And the 195 Republican Congresspeople who did so too.
I just wish you would receive even a fraction of the suffering that Trump is going to inflict on people, especially if he's gifted (because he doesn't fucking deserve it) a second term.
+51
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FiggyFighter of the night manChampion of the sunRegistered Userregular
Collins should have just become a school librarian. At least then the level of emotion she portrays would meet the crimes she witnesses.
You know, like not paying the $0.25 fee when printing off your homework.
People should stop asking Collins if she’s disappointed and start asking her if she made a mistake not voting for witnesses or for voting to acquit. Really make her own it.
People should stop asking Collins if she’s disappointed and start asking her if she made a mistake not voting for witnesses or for voting to acquit. Really make her own it.
They should really ask something like "Given the gravity of your error, when do you plan to apologize to the American people? When can we expect your resignation?"
Also on Steam and PSN: twobadcats
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Librarian's ghostLibrarian, Ghostbuster, and TimSporkRegistered Userregular
Collins should have just become a school librarian. At least then the level of emotion she portrays would meet the crimes she witnesses.
You know, like not paying the $0.25 fee when printing off your homework.
As a school librarian I take offense at this post. She would be an absolutely terrible school librarian and we do not make students pay to print anything.
Collins should have just become a school librarian. At least then the level of emotion she portrays would meet the crimes she witnesses.
You know, like not paying the $0.25 fee when printing off your homework.
As a school librarian I take offense at this post. She would be an absolutely terrible school librarian and we do not make students pay to print anything.
She is a Republican so would presumably "fix" that problem
Collins should have just become a school librarian. At least then the level of emotion she portrays would meet the crimes she witnesses.
You know, like not paying the $0.25 fee when printing off your homework.
As a school librarian I take offense at this post. She would be an absolutely terrible school librarian and we do not make students pay to print anything.
I wouldn't trust her with interlibrary loan, let alone admin rights to OCLC.
Giuliani was also critical of philanthropist George Soros, a Holocaust survivor who has found himself at the center of many political conspiracy theories including his alleged level of influence over the FBI and the U.S. State Department.
"Don't tell me I'm anti-Semitic if I oppose him," Giuliani said. "Soros is hardly a Jew. I'm more of a Jew than Soros is. I probably know more about—he doesn't go to church, he doesn't go to religion—synagogue. He doesn't belong to a synagogue, he doesn't support Israel, he's an enemy of Israel. He's elected eight anarchist DA's in the United States. He's a horrible human being."
Giuliani also claimed that Soros installed former Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch. "[Soros] put all four ambassadors there," Giuliani said. "And he's employing the FBI agents."
Giuliani also said he trusted his former associates Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman who were arrested trying to leave the country in October because they looked like "Miami people."
"I know a lot of Miami people that look like that that are perfectly legitimate and act like them. Neither one of them have ever been convicted of a crime. Neith one. And generally that's my cutoff point, because if you do it based on allegations and claims and—you're not gonna work with anybody. Particularly in business," Giuliani said.
Clinton-era DOJ IG notes that the judge is now well within her rights to drag the DOJ before her and demand an explanation:
The remedy is that it’s completely within Judge Jackson’s power to call a hearing and find out what the hell is going on. She now has two sentencing memos that conflict with each other. If I’m the judge, I want to know what explains this irregularity.
Odds are she'd just get told (especially as a woman and an Obama appointee), "STFD, STFU, and do as the Boss commands, or you're gone too."
She's a Federal judge. I'd have to check but I'm pretty sure she'd need to be removed via impeachment and nobody has the 60 votes for that. She is fairly insulated.
Trump can commute the sentence and there isn't much she can do about it but he can't fire her.
Odds are she'd just get told (especially as a woman and an Obama appointee), "STFD, STFU, and do as the Boss commands, or you're gone too."
She's a Federal judge. I'd have to check but I'm pretty sure she'd need to be removed via impeachment and nobody has the 60 votes for that. She is fairly insulated.
Trump can commute the sentence and there isn't much she can do about it but he can't fire her.
Yep. This is basically why they're lifetime appointments... monarchs used to do this shit all the time.
Odds are she'd just get told (especially as a woman and an Obama appointee), "STFD, STFU, and do as the Boss commands, or you're gone too."
She's a Federal judge. I'd have to check but I'm pretty sure she'd need to be removed via impeachment and nobody has the 60 votes for that. She is fairly insulated.
Trump can commute the sentence and there isn't much she can do about it but he can't fire her.
Yep. This is basically why they're lifetime appointments... monarchs used to do this shit all the time.
It's why the GOP has been focusing on installing their judges to maintain their influence despite a declining base.
Edit:
Changed for clarity
GONG-00 on
Black lives matter.
Law and Order ≠ Justice
ACNH Island Isla Cero: DA-3082-2045-4142
Captain of the SES Comptroller of the State
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AthenorBattle Hardened OptimistThe Skies of HiigaraRegistered Userregular
Odds are she'd just get told (especially as a woman and an Obama appointee), "STFD, STFU, and do as the Boss commands, or you're gone too."
She's a Federal judge. I'd have to check but I'm pretty sure she'd need to be removed via impeachment and nobody has the 60 votes for that. She is fairly insulated.
Trump can commute the sentence and there isn't much she can do about it but he can't fire her.
Yep. This is basically why they're lifetime appointments... monarchs used to do this shit all the time.
It's why the TOP has been focusing on installing their judges to maintain their influence despite a declining base.
Odds are she'd just get told (especially as a woman and an Obama appointee), "STFD, STFU, and do as the Boss commands, or you're gone too."
She's a Federal judge. I'd have to check but I'm pretty sure she'd need to be removed via impeachment and nobody has the 60 votes for that. She is fairly insulated.
Trump can commute the sentence and there isn't much she can do about it but he can't fire her.
Yep. This is basically why they're lifetime appointments... monarchs used to do this shit all the time.
It's why the TOP has been focusing on installing their judges to maintain their influence despite a declining base.
TOP? A typo?
Trump's Own Party is more accurate.
Black lives matter.
Law and Order ≠ Justice
ACNH Island Isla Cero: DA-3082-2045-4142
Captain of the SES Comptroller of the State
Odds are she'd just get told (especially as a woman and an Obama appointee), "STFD, STFU, and do as the Boss commands, or you're gone too."
She's a Federal judge. I'd have to check but I'm pretty sure she'd need to be removed via impeachment and nobody has the 60 votes for that. She is fairly insulated.
Trump can commute the sentence and there isn't much she can do about it but he can't fire her.
67 votes in the Senate. After Pelosi decides to draft Articles against her. Which... there aren't enough laughing emoji on the internet to express myself adequately to that suggestion
The main problem with yesterday's events wasn't that Roger Stone is going to get off with likely very few consequences. The problem is that this demonstrates that criminal proceedings are a purely political affair henceforth
The main problem with yesterday's events wasn't that Roger Stone is going to get off with likely very few consequences. The problem is that this demonstrates that criminal proceedings are a purely political affair henceforth
I don't understand why though.... Can't he just have issued a pardon? Won't he be doing that anyway?
The main problem with yesterday's events wasn't that Roger Stone is going to get off with likely very few consequences. The problem is that this demonstrates that criminal proceedings are a purely political affair henceforth
I don't understand why though.... Can't he just have issued a pardon? Won't he be doing that anyway?
The GOP desires one party rule and the dismantling of government
The main problem with yesterday's events wasn't that Roger Stone is going to get off with likely very few consequences. The problem is that this demonstrates that criminal proceedings are a purely political affair henceforth
I don't understand why though.... Can't he just have issued a pardon? Won't he be doing that anyway?
Yes. Issuing a pardon to someone crime-ing on your behalf is a huge problem and abuse of the pardon power. It's also a lot more reassuring in comparison to making DOJ an extension of the Republican Party.
moniker on
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Mx. QuillI now prefer "Myr. Quill", actually...{They/Them}Registered Userregular
Also accepting the pardon carries an admission of guilt.
Trump and Barr giving him a Get Out Of Jail Free card, while corrupt as fuck, doesn't carry the same caveates.
Also accepting the pardon carries an admission of guilt.
Trump and Barr giving him a Get Out Of Jail Free card, while corrupt as fuck, doesn't carry the same caveates.
Does admitting guilt actually matter if conservatives don't care? It's not like it's going to prevent him from doing what he's been doing. Frankly, the only way I can see to stop him from going and committing more crimes is to put in in jail.
The main problem with yesterday's events wasn't that Roger Stone is going to get off with likely very few consequences. The problem is that this demonstrates that criminal proceedings are a purely political affair henceforth
I don't understand why though.... Can't he just have issued a pardon? Won't he be doing that anyway?
Because Trump was able to successfully demonstrate his control of the criminal justice system, which is a pretty significant expansion of direct Presidential power. The point is power. And money.
+6
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Drake ChambersLay out my formal shorts.Registered Userregular
The main problem with yesterday's events wasn't that Roger Stone is going to get off with likely very few consequences. The problem is that this demonstrates that criminal proceedings are a purely political affair henceforth
I don't understand why though.... Can't he just have issued a pardon? Won't he be doing that anyway?
A pardon involves the one being pardoned accepting responsibility and admitting guilt. Not sure we can check those boxes off with Stone.
There's a real distinct possibility that Judge Jackson shrugs all this off and says, "Whatever, eight years." Then Trump can commute the sentence to 0 days.
The main problem with yesterday's events wasn't that Roger Stone is going to get off with likely very few consequences. The problem is that this demonstrates that criminal proceedings are a purely political affair henceforth
I don't understand why though.... Can't he just have issued a pardon? Won't he be doing that anyway?
A pardon involves the one being pardoned accepting responsibility and admitting guilt. Not sure we can check those boxes off with Stone.
There's a real distinct possibility that Judge Jackson shrugs all this off and says, "Whatever, eight years." Then Trump can commute the sentence to 0 days.
Before this bullshit started, like last Thursday, I saw lawyerly speculation that Jackson would feel some pressure to be lenient because she had clashed with Stone during the trial over twitter use and such like. Pretty safe to say all that is completely off the table now.
All of which was because Stone wouldn't stop fucking around.
And now we see, none of them will.
(Well, we knew that, but it's been thoroughly confirmed.)
Posts
Political norms are important but they are also weak in the face of a lack of social mechanisms to enforce them.
And it's pretty clear by now that the electorates in democracies are simply utterly incapable of enforcing any sort of adherence to those norms or values. They care too much about their side winning.
I hope America still has democrat elections after a few months of Trump unleashed. Because it looks like all checks and balances are gone.
It's two parts. The party to not feel shame, and the electorate to not give a damn.
Don't give a shit if it's media narratives, people being more shitty than once thought, or just general apathy. Fact is, they wouldn't be doing so if they didn't have the implicit support of 40+% of the country, and in enough areas to make sure they've got ~50%+1 of the voteshare in government.
It's really fucked that a country founded on, and proud of*, the ideals of democracy and the rule of law, has more than an insignificant minority of people who will flagrantly shit on those ideals when it benefits them to do so.
* to the point of obnoxiousness sometimes.
So out of control it... successfully convinced twelve peers of Roger Stone's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Clearly they were all in on it.
That's not a joke. If I were a juror on that case, I would legit be concerned for my safety as this escalates.
Edit: hell, typing "roger stone trial juror" has a Washington Post piece by one of them, presumably under their real name.
"Susan Collins is very, very disappointed."
- Millennial Politics is a progressive YouTube channel.
You own this, Senator Collins. You and the other 51 Senators of your party who chose to give this fucker carte blanche (no surprise he's grabbing it with both hands) to do what he wants. And the 195 Republican Congresspeople who did so too.
I just wish you would receive even a fraction of the suffering that Trump is going to inflict on people, especially if he's gifted (because he doesn't fucking deserve it) a second term.
You know, like not paying the $0.25 fee when printing off your homework.
They should really ask something like "Given the gravity of your error, when do you plan to apologize to the American people? When can we expect your resignation?"
Also on Steam and PSN: twobadcats
As a school librarian I take offense at this post. She would be an absolutely terrible school librarian and we do not make students pay to print anything.
She is a Republican so would presumably "fix" that problem
I wouldn't trust her with interlibrary loan, let alone admin rights to OCLC.
Just in case it wasn't obvious enough to anyone yet that these folks think everyone else needs to be bound by the law, but that they get to ignore it.
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
https://www.newsweek.com/giuliani-calls-ny-prosecutors-assholes-idiots-who-are-motivated-jealousy-says-my-attitude-1478930 So what other criminals is he working with?
again, I can't ironically awesome that. jfc.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/02/12/trump-openly-corrupts-doj-former-insider-sounds-alarm/?outputType=amp
With sentencing scheduled for next Thursday (20 Feb), one imagines that would happen soonish if at all.
She's a Federal judge. I'd have to check but I'm pretty sure she'd need to be removed via impeachment and nobody has the 60 votes for that. She is fairly insulated.
Trump can commute the sentence and there isn't much she can do about it but he can't fire her.
Yep. This is basically why they're lifetime appointments... monarchs used to do this shit all the time.
3DS: 0473-8507-2652
Switch: SW-5185-4991-5118
PSN: AbEntropy
It's why the GOP has been focusing on installing their judges to maintain their influence despite a declining base.
Edit:
Changed for clarity
Law and Order ≠ Justice
ACNH Island Isla Cero: DA-3082-2045-4142
Captain of the SES Comptroller of the State
TOP? A typo?
Trump's Own Party is more accurate.
Law and Order ≠ Justice
ACNH Island Isla Cero: DA-3082-2045-4142
Captain of the SES Comptroller of the State
67 votes in the Senate. After Pelosi decides to draft Articles against her. Which... there aren't enough laughing emoji on the internet to express myself adequately to that suggestion
I don't understand why though.... Can't he just have issued a pardon? Won't he be doing that anyway?
The GOP desires one party rule and the dismantling of government
Yes. Issuing a pardon to someone crime-ing on your behalf is a huge problem and abuse of the pardon power. It's also a lot more reassuring in comparison to making DOJ an extension of the Republican Party.
Trump and Barr giving him a Get Out Of Jail Free card, while corrupt as fuck, doesn't carry the same caveates.
Does admitting guilt actually matter if conservatives don't care? It's not like it's going to prevent him from doing what he's been doing. Frankly, the only way I can see to stop him from going and committing more crimes is to put in in jail.
That doesn't really matter, aside from Appeals. He was convicted as guilty and is currently a felon.
Because Trump was able to successfully demonstrate his control of the criminal justice system, which is a pretty significant expansion of direct Presidential power. The point is power. And money.
A pardon involves the one being pardoned accepting responsibility and admitting guilt. Not sure we can check those boxes off with Stone.
There's a real distinct possibility that Judge Jackson shrugs all this off and says, "Whatever, eight years." Then Trump can commute the sentence to 0 days.
Before this bullshit started, like last Thursday, I saw lawyerly speculation that Jackson would feel some pressure to be lenient because she had clashed with Stone during the trial over twitter use and such like. Pretty safe to say all that is completely off the table now.
And now we see, none of them will.
(Well, we knew that, but it's been thoroughly confirmed.)