All purpose news and politics thread part v: The quickening

[Tami]

It is pretty suspicious, especially with the irregularly scheduled "annual physical" excuse.

There's some hope that this is paving the way for a health-based resignation, or setting up that excuse. I don't think we'll be that lucky.

Honestly, he woudl be wise to leave office, one way or another. The risk is too high that he might end up like FDR or Warren G. Harding as far as his health goes.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Yeah, I could see a lot of Republicans quietly hoping for a health based resignation, as they could still say they backed him till the end, while at the same time getting him out of their hair. However I can't ever see Trump resigning of his own free will, the man is incapable of admitting to any type of failing or weakness on his part.

Trump would sooner die in the Oval Office than quit. He’s not going to give the world the satisfaction of knowing he’d been beaten and forced to leave before his time, the spite and vindictiveness in him is far too strong for that. And if Trump goes down, you can bet the mortgage and the kid’s college fund that he’ll take the GOP down with him.

[Dalak]

Lets' face it, he's got the physique of a bag of mashed potatoes, the stamina of a wilted cornstalk just before winter, and the eating habits of the Hamburglar. He also has the stress tolerance of plastic wrap over pasta sauce in a microwave oven. Which also describes his current situation.

Bottom line, I'm amazed he hasn't collapsed long before, not that I want him to.

Spite has a bizarre way of aging one prematurely yet allowing you to linger on long after you should logically be in the grave.

It is pretty suspicious, especially with the irregularly scheduled "annual physical" excuse.

There's some hope that this is paving the way for a health-based resignation, or setting up that excuse. I don't think we'll be that lucky.

Trump would sooner die in the Oval Office than quit. He’s not going to give the world the satisfaction of knowing he’d been beaten and forced to leave before his time, the spite and vindictiveness in him is far too strong for that. And if Trump goes down, you can bet the mortgage and the kid’s college fund that he’ll take the GOP down with him.

I agree, Trump's not going to resign and will bring everything down with him he can manage.

[Malvolio]

Honestly, he woudl be wise to leave office, one way or another. The risk is too high that he might end up like FDR or Warren G. Harding as far as his health goes.

Considering his, ahem, affairs, I'd bet on him dying like Harding more likely than dying like FDR.

[Tami]

A radio host who’s been critical of Trump says he was fired mid-show

The radio host says he’s still not sure exactly why he was fired mid-show Saturday, when he says his station switched abruptly to network news before a higher-up came in to tell him, “You’re done.”

Whatever the cause, the ouster underscored Craig Silverman’s growing unease with his conservative talk radio colleagues’ unswerving support of Donald Trump, he says.

Silverman, who has hosted his weekly show since 2014, alleges that his willingness to criticize the president he voted for in 2016 had long set him apart on Denver’s 710 KNUS, part of Salem Media Group, which promises conservative, Christian viewpoints and has a history of cutting ties with Trump critics. But nothing brought out Silverman’s tensions with others at Salem, he said, like the Democrat-led inquiry into whether Trump abused his office to secure a foreign investigation into a political rival.

“I heard my fellow hosts say, ‘It’s boring. It’s a sham. Bad for the country. A hoax,’ ” he told The Washington Post. “So many of these talk show hosts are doing the total bidding of Donald Trump. And I want to offer my contrary voice.”

Right-leaning talk radio is closely attuned to the Trump base, said media historian Brian Rosenwald, the author of “Talk Radio’s America: How an Industry Took Over a Political Party That Took Over the United States.”

“There’s an understanding now, given that all the Never Trumpers are gone, that if you work for a Salem company, you’re going to be pro-Trump,” Rosenwald said. “And where is conservative media? It’s where conservative consumers are, which is pro-Trump,” Rosenwald told The Washington Post.

KNUS and Salem Media Group did not respond to multiple inquiries Sunday to confirm Silverman’s account or explain his departure. The station appeared to have deactivated the website for “The Craig Silverman Show,” and some of the show’s archives have seemingly been removed.

[Jack Dracula]

Bottom line, I'm amazed he hasn't collapsed long before, not that I want him to.

I'd be ok with it.

[Gray Lensman]

I'd be ok with it.

Is it wrong that I want it to wait until the GoP's decision to eliminate most of the primaries comes back to haunt them by forcing them to run with the evil milquetoast Mike Pence?

[AnakinFlair]

Is something wrong with Trump?

You REALLY want to ask that?



Trump's visit to Walter Reed 'not protocol' for routine visit, source says

I'd be ok with it.

If he dies in office or is assassinated, hes' a martyr. I'd rather he get voted out of office; after that, he can die in the manner that he see's fit.

[Mister Mets]

Is it wrong that I want it to wait until the GoP's decision to eliminate most of the primaries comes back to haunt them by forcing them to run with the evil milquetoast Mike Pence?

If Trump were resigning for "health" reasons tomorrow, it would be difficult for any Republican to defeat Pence in the primaries.

The biggest risk for the party would be a vocal ally running by claiming he's closer to Trumpism than Pence, although Trump's background is unusual enough that it would be difficult for anyone to replicate his run or to enter with anything similar to the name recognition.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

If he dies in office or is assassinated, hes' a martyr. I'd rather he get voted out of office; after that, he can die in the manner that he see's fit.

Agreed. Not that it’s likely to happen, but if Trump were to die prematurely, that would galvanize his lemmings who’ve already been gorged on the false narrative that he’s THE most persecuted president in American history.

[Dalak]

I've always said I'd want Trump to die poor and in jail, he doesn't deserve the attention he'll get for dying in office should it occur.

[Tendrin]

Warning... Graphic images follow:
Bolivian security forces opened fire on Indigenous protesters Friday in the city of Cochabamba in response to demonstrations against the right-wing regime that forced democratically-elected President Evo Morales to resign on Sunday.
"This is what a dictatorship looks like," said attorney and activist Eva Golinger in a tweet sharing images of police forces opening fire on protesters.

https://www.commondreams.org/news/20...ous-protesters

[zinderel]

The lesson of the Impeachment Inquiry for the majority of us and those who live in reality is that the curtain is open now to see who these people really are. There is no more pretending the GOP cares about values, or family, or they are somehow more "patriotic" and pro military. They are oh so willing to get behind bashing distinguished career diplomats who have served us admirably and tried to carry out the jobs and mission of United States policy around the world.

They will not remove Trump we already knew that. Pelosi resisted impeachment until the corruption was just too in your face that people were willing to become whistle blowers to say hey this guy is using the power of America to strong-arm and personally bully our allies to announce sham investigations into debunked conspiracy theories for his own personal gain. With no thought to the national security of the country. GOP were never going to do the "right thing" for the country. They would do what they have always done. Hoard power, pander to their base, bend and break all rules, gerrymander, slander and lie to hold onto power.

They don't try to expand the base or reach out to all of Americans. They find it better to restrict access to voting, and representation and force their will on people regardless of the changing demographics of society.

If nothing else the impeachment is necessary to show that one side "talks about the constitution" when it suits them. We are supposed to believe all these inexperienced "conservative judges" they are shoving on every bench with an open spot are going to strictly interpret the Constitution. On the other hand we have the president saying that the actual text of the constitution "emoluments" is made up and a sham when its brought up against him.

And we have democrats who have witness after witness laying down the facts of corruption, and self dealing, and the denigration of our democratic process of diplomatic relations with corrupt shadow figures like Guiliani who are after personal gain. The hearing is more about putting the corruption on show for a call to vote in 2020 against this corruption. GOP are showing they don't care, they dont want to pay attention. They would rather chase conspiracy theories or tell you to not believe what you are seeing and hearing live even though none of it has been contradicted.

That's the crazy thing. There is no defense saying any of these witnesses have lied. In fact its all been corroborated by the president, his chief of staff, the release of these partial memos they think would help them. But, actually just lay bare the corruption. They have no substantive defense so they go with "partisan hearing". Where are any defenses to the substance of the testimony AT ALL?

People are not blind. When they see these GOP senators ignoring these clearly dignified career professionals who went out of their way to testify against pressure to warn Americans. They respond. He wont be removed because GOP bow down and are afraid of their base. But, what it CAN show is make clear the rest of the voting electorate need to get off their butts in 2020 and vote him out no matter what.

Man. I wish I had your optimism.

Personally, I think that, Impeachment or not, these trials clearly expose the GOP as corrupt to their core and incapable of coherent thought beyond, “What will give me power right now, long term consequences be damned?”

And it won’t matter. The GOP will still remain a viable party, because the majority of the electorate is numbed by reality TV, Netflix and chill, and propaganda that supports their bigotry and ignorance, because growing as a person is too hard when Real Housewives is on...

America isn’t going to recover. Trump may be removed, but the GOP has forced so many unqualified, partisan judges into lifetime positions that regressivism and bigotry will be the status quo for years to come, and with that degree of inherent obstructionism, nothing will change until it’s too late to matter. And everyone who supported the GOP in their quest for power at any cost? They’re as much to blame as the monsters and con men and man babies their party keep electing with the support of the money, influence and votes of supporters who choose party over the good of the public, whether they are never trumpers or not.

And they don’t care.

Because why should they care about the Constitution, or precedent, or rule of law, or human rights or basic decency at all when they have power, money, and a willfully undereducated base who will never stop supporting them, no matter what it costs them if they can ‘stick it to the libs’, no matter what filth and garbage they shovel up from behind the chickenhawk coop and call a valid candidate...?

[Iron Maiden]

Man. I wish I had your optimism.

Personally, I think that, Impeachment or not, these trials clearly expose the GOP as corrupt to their core and incapable of coherent thought beyond, “What will give me power right now, long term consequences be damned?”

And it won’t matter. The GOP will still remain a viable party, because the majority of the electorate is numbed by reality TV, Netflix and chill, and propaganda that supports their bigotry and ignorance, because growing as a person is too hard when Real Housewives is on...

America isn’t going to recover. Trump may be removed, but the GOP has forced so many unqualified, partisan judges into lifetime positions that regressivism and bigotry will be the status quo for years to come, and with that degree of inherent obstructionism, nothing will change until it’s too late to matter. And everyone who supported the GOP in their quest for power at any cost? They’re as much to blame as the monsters and con men and man babies their party keep electing with the support of the money, influence and votes of supporters who choose party over the good of the public, whether they are never trumpers or not.

And they don’t care.

Because why should they care about the Constitution, or precedent, or rule of law, or human rights or basic decency at all when they have power, money, and a willfully undereducated base who will never stop supporting them, no matter what it costs them if they can ‘stick it to the libs’, no matter what filth and garbage they shovel up from behind the chickenhawk coop and call a valid candidate...?

Reluctantly, I agree with you because the influence of Trumpism is so insidious I see it in my own family members and I am horrified. It's useless to bring up the subject of Trump to them because they read garbage websites rife with conspiracy theories. But if I counter in with something from Time magazine or some other legit news source, it's fake news. Trump and Fox News has done immense damage to this country and people are sheep. I'm convinced the GOP is evil and corrupt at its core. Well, maybe evil is a bit overboard but it's something pretty close.

[Gray Lensman]

Reluctantly, I agree with you because the influence of Trumpism is so insidious I see it in my own family members and I am horrified. It's useless to bring up the subject of Trump to them because they read garbage websites rife with conspiracy theories. But if I counter in with something from Time magazine or some other legit news source, it's fake news. Trump and Fox News has done immense damage to this country and people are sheep. I'm convinced the GOP is evil and corrupt at its core. Well, maybe evil is a bit overboard but it's something pretty close.

Both my parents have become unable to carry a conversation without taking hyperbolic shots at Democrats.