Is the criminal enterprise behind Donald Trump stronger than our institutions?

[kentuck]

For all of our lives we have heard, "No man is above the law". That doesn't sound so concrete anymore.

Donald Trump and his "accomplices", some of them criminal, are thumbing their noses at our laws. They are challenging our institutions at every turn. They have no respect for our laws.

We keep assuring ourselves that Robert Mueller will get to the bottom of it and those that are guilty will pay the price. But, will they?

There are times that Mueller has been on the defensive, just struggling to keep his investigation alive. Almost daily, there are threats that he might be fired or his boss, Rosenstein, may be fired if he does not cooperate and give up all his information to Trump allies in the Congress. There is a world of pressure on Mueller and his investigation.

Although we may have our doubts, we have to believe that the rule of law will succeed in the end. Otherwise, we can kiss our asses goodbye.

[thucythucy]

1. I think Trump and his supporters

would rather see the destruction of all our most precious constitutional protections than surrender power, much less go to prison or otherwise suffer the consequences of their criminal actions.

Right now it seriously looks like it's Trump vs. the DOJ, the FBI, and the rule of law. It's frightening to think the Trumpsters might actually prevail.

[RKP5637]

5. I know this sounds outlandish to some, but I think the US is fully capable of

becoming Germany WWII if this man trump skirts all of this and the GOP remains in power. There are IMO highly dangerous people aligned with trump who would welcome the destruction of the US institutions.

It often seems the only people spear heading this effort for a full investigation of these criminals are Mueller and Rosenstein. I think in my lifetime it's possible all hell will breakout in the US. It's happen in other countries. If the US institutions fail it would seem probable it could happen in the US.

[notdarkyet]

28. If this happens, then we need to be France instead. Read any books on the revolution?

The people were starving and the rich ate cake. But Marie buying the hope diamond on an already poor treasury, kind of pushed things. People get fed up.

[RKP5637]

29. I was wondering today, just how much more of this bullshit are Americans going to take. n/t

[CrispyQ]

23. We are on a precipice & could topple either way.

My non-political friends think it can't happen here, even as it's happening before our eyes.

[malaise]

2. He will not prevail

Take that to the bank

[beachbum bob]

3. at this moment we have an entire political party in collusion with trump as well as

corporate media.....

only "We the PEOPLE" can save our country and its going to require more than just hand wringing in political forums

[Bleacher Creature]

4. No, not even close. But they're not the problem.

Trump, and everyone in his orbit, have always been buffoons. And shady and corrupt buffoons at that.

The problem is a Republican party that is too craven and shallow as to prevent our institutions and the justice system from holding Trump and his goons accountable for their crimes.

[RKP5637]

7. I think a lot now remaining in the GOP are quite similar to this person trump. n/t

[erronis]

20. Time to institute a "civil service" test to any federal elected official

I remember reading that dump didn't need to pass a background check --- because he was elected as president.

Just like every other real civil servant, there should be initial and periodic tests (every 2 years?) to:
- review mental capacity
- swear to the constitution
- check into financial situations (complete, not "less than $1M, more than $1M)
- require a new, thorough background check. This is important because withing 2 years of serving in the congress apparently an awful lot of critters get bought/blackmailed or otherwise lose sight of their elected purpose.

Some may argue that this is too arduous. Well, in round numbers there are 680 congress critters and several more such as presidents/VPs. Each year the federal government probably does 1,000,000 dives into applicants' and employees' security history.

Some may argue that the elected representatives have already been vetted by their constituents. This is so patently untrue on many fronts. But the major one is that the constituents (and the moneyed backers) aren't focused on federal security and background issues.

Sorry to put so much into a response to a reply to a post....

[shanny]

40. Um, 535 congresscritters, egzactly.

But I do think some of that should be codified. It would take an amendment, most likely, but after tRump many once-unthinkable things may come to pass.

[erronis]

43. So, we're both including the "esteemed" senators as well as the critters? And other elected offs?

[shanny]

45. 435 Reps, 100 Senators;

only other elected officials at the national level are Prez and Veep

[erronis]

47. Thank you, shanny. I'm not good with numbers or research.

[shanny]

48. S'okay

[erronis]

44. This has always been a bit confused, at least for me. Congress means the House and the Senate.

I know some tend to think if the vermin running around in the house as being different than those that occupy the senate.

AFAIK, "congress" means both houses, as does the "legislature". "Critters" means the same in both houses and on both sides of the aisle. As long as they skitter away from the light of transparency.

[Cosmocat]

24. THIS

Trump is a symptom, the cause is stage 1 stupid within the population at large.

[Hortensis]

6. No. Easyburger. Now, the rest of our new kleptocrats,

previously merely plutocrats, who've been increasingly embedding their agents and sympathizers into our institutions for 40 years are a different matter. But remember, our next Democratic administration, as has been done before, can let go or transfer appointees and employees where they can't do harm. That's a controllable problem. And starting this November a Democratic controlled congress can not just spike their guns but start going after them.

Btw, remember, in spite of Republican control of congress through most of his 8 years, Democrats under Obama managed to raise PERSONAL tax rates on the wealthy back to where they were before Reagan in 1980.

Ultrawealthy conservatives and Russia didn't fight ferociously to beat Hillary/Democrats in 2016 for no reason; they're the people who had real, existential reason not to "like" Hillary, and to fear what Democrats would do to them. If we'd elected Hillary and gotten a majority in the senate and a much better position in the house, that would have been only the start to much more in her first term alone. Our domestic sort would be the ones howling about "tax heists" and Putin would be worried about keeping power at home.

So, we start over... November 7.

[BlueJac]

8. It truly might be...

I am sad to say this, but insanity is running wild in this country along with violence and hatred! Trump mania is going no where, we have a furious fight ahead of us! RESIST!

[smirkymonkey]

9. My greatest comfort is the fact that he is mortal.

And he is a very unhealthy 71 year old.

[Merlot]

19. If he goes away tomorrow the repubs will continue without him.

So far they have supported everything he has done.

trumpft is the logical conclusion to the repub party.

[smirkymonkey]

37. Yes, they will, but I hate him in particular. Without him, I think the republicans

are basically toothless.

[Doodley]

32. His father lived to 93 and his mother to 88, so don't count on it!

[smirkymonkey]

38. His parents didn't subsist on a diet of KFC, McDonald's and Diet Coke.

Nor did they have the overwhelming stress that he is undergoing. I also don't think they had the hair-trigger anger problem he has, which is known to raise cortisol levels leading to high blood pressure, high blood sugar and suppressed immunity.

[Doodley]

39. True. I would love to wake up to some really good news!

[Snackshack]

10. I hope not.

We will find out.

What we are witnessing is IMO the most corrupt presidency in the history of the US. Our system of government is equipped to deal with this thru “checks and balance” but that only works when the congress does its job. However that is not happening. The republican majority appears to be actively aiding and abetting trump. Our system is not equipped to deal with that.

If trump and his accomplices get away with what they have done / are doing. If “rule of law” does not prevail, this country as we have known it and as our founders envisioned it is lost.

[kentuck]

11. If there is one lesson for America to learn...

...it is to not put Republicans in charge of our government. They are a threat to our national security. That should be stamped on the brain of every thinking American.

[Snackshack]

12. How many lessons does it take

For that to sink in? I thought/presumed that the last Republican administration that was unable to protect our country, started two wars (one based on lies), tortured people, spied on its citizens, allowed a city to drown and on the way out left a parting gift of economic disaster that brought the world to its knees financially would have been a lesson learned... obviously I was catastrophically mistaken.

[kentuck]

13. One would think, but....

.. I guess it takes the possible collapse of our democracy before people even notice what happened and who is to blame?

[Snackshack]

16. We hold...

100% of the blame for where we are now.

[Cosmocat]

25. Yep

There is no end to this country's need to indulge republican fuckwittery.

[wiggs]

14. Global criminal enterprise. Close call....and we are about to see. nt

[kentuck]

17. I have no doubt but that Russia is behind this attack...

...and Trump is their useful idiot.

[RKP5637]

30. Exactly! Trump is a useful stooge for an enormous push to overthrow the US. n/t

[shanny]

41. We got some info today that it is not just Russia

It is oligarchs everywhere. This is what we are fighting.

[kentuck]

42. And it has been reported that the Qataris were trying to bribe either Cohen or Trump.

And Kushner attempted to get a loan from them.

Avenatti caught the Qataris entering the Trump Tower by looking at some old C-Span footage.

They were being escorted by Michael Cohen.

It is a massive conspiracy. Christopher Wray should pledge to put the entire FBI behind Mueller in his effort to get to the bottom of it, in my opinion.

[kimbutgar]

15. It appears so at the moment

There are no consequences whatsoever for these criminals. Now president troll is trying to out a FBI agent tells me we are on a slippery slope to this country being overtaken by the corporate gop Russian criminal enterprise.

[Uncle Joe]

18. I don't believe so, they do prevent the greatest Constitutional challenge

since Civil War days but I believe the law will prevail.

If the Republican Party continues to countenance Trump's "above the law" premise while tearing down and corrupting our nation's justice system there will be hell to pay for them in November and Trump's days will then be greatly shortened.

Too much water has already passed under the bridge in regards to American consciousness of Trump and his ilk for the Republican Party to sweep this under the rug.

Trump is on the way out, it's just a question of how it happens impeachment or getting blown out in 2020 after being a miserable four year one term occupier of the White House.

Thanks for the thread kentuck.

[Kirk Lover]

21. Americans claim they were disgusted with being lied to about Vietnam...and then

Iraq came along and it happened again. Virtually nobody approves of this lying.

So in the end, when the truth is fully exposed....exposed so much that even the folks who have no idea what is going on, know what is going on...then this fuck and company - will be gone.

[RKP5637]

31. I've watched this sh** happen several times. There is a significant portion of the US either too

stupid and/or too ignorant to get what's going on. It's basically the SOS again.

[Hekate]

22. We are about to find out this year, and I just don't know which way it will go. nt

[ProudLib72]

46. Good God, I read that and felt a huge knot in the pit of my stomach

We are on the edge of oblivion, and it scares me to death!

[Hekate]

49. Sorry -- I generally try to keep those thoughts to myself...

...in order to keep from making people despair. And myself, too. We need to keep moving forward and resisting.

[ananda]

26. Looks like it to me!

nt

[sarcasmo]

27. We will find out in November.

[Doodley]

33. Trump isn't just an enemy to America. He's a threat to the whole world. Maybe a foreign

agency will take the appropriate action if America fails to deal with him.

[GusBob]

34. I have been thinking about the a lot recently

I have been reading about Sherriff Wilis McCall of Lake County Florida.

This man served as sherriff for like 30 years a few decades ago. He was corrupt as hell. He ran the KKK in central Florida and was just as evil as he was powerful

And he got away with it. He was investigated by the FBI and other justice departments many times. In some cases the governor protected him, in some cases judges, in some cases juries. In all cases his voters protected him. He reigned in terror for decades

I encourage everyone to read the books by Gilbert King

Devil In The Grove- 4 innocent black guys railroaded for the rape of a white woman.
Beneath a Ruthless Sun- an mentally retarded white guy is railroaded for the rape of a white woman that a black man confessed to. Why? You have to read the book

This guy and his followers remind me of Trump. He could do whatever he wanted with impunity. The FBI could not stop him even though they tried

[struggle4progress]

35. El Pueblo Unido

De pie, cantar que vamos a triunfar
Avanzan ya banderas de unidad
Y tú vendrás
Marchando junto a mí
Y así verás
Tu canto y tu bandera florecer
La luz
De un rojo amanecer
Anuncia ya
La vida que vendrá

Get up to sing that we will triumph
Flags of unity advance and you will come marching with me
and you will see your song and your flag bloom
The dawning light announces the world that will come

[BSdetect]

36. drumph takes his ideas straight from putin

I will not dignify their names with capital letters.

[McCamy Taylor]

50. Citizens United made those who buy the president exempt from our laws

because it allows a single wealthy foreigner to buy the US president. And foreigners are not bound by our laws. So yeah, they are now stronger than our laws.

[sellitman]

51. We have lost already

Wake the fuck up.

The Orange menace has total GOP support.

He is their wet dream.