I do not believe the American people have come to grips with what is heading our way.

[shockey80]

What is coming our way will be historic. It will rock our country to its core. This is about one of the greatest espionage operations ever. What Putin pulled off was amazing. He had a lot of help from Americans, Republicans. This is about Trump, his administration being traitors. This is about the Republican party protecting traitors.

Hang on tight, we are in for a rough ride.

[shockey80]

1. Whatever happens remember this;

The Trump voters are responsible.

[YessirAtsaFact]

6. Hate radio, RW blogs and Fox created Trump voters

Along with Russian social media.

It's the brainwashing that caused this.

[certainot]

32. agreed. it was not the economy, nor was it cyclic, or sunspots

that base lives in an alternate reality and should not be considered legitimate constituencies for anything democratic - they were created to enable and intimidate on behalf of the world's billionaires and their think tanks and corporations.

media and politicians need to be alerted they don't represent 'popular opinion' and guys like limbaugh need to start getting much more credit for their parts in amplifying that racist ignorant minority

and dem/left continued ignorance of talk radio, as the only major medium with no political counterpart, means republicans are going to be able to force a lot more compromise than they deserve, pollute a lot more jury pools, intimidate/enable a lot more judges, slow down a lot more investigations..

it's the same old playbook - they're going to obstruct everything dems try to do then get people all over media like chris mathews etc to agree with the cons that dems aren't getting anything done because of their investigations and obsession with trump. then the trolls and political newbies will believe it and dems will stay home in 2020 like it happened in 2010.

[lancelyons]

48. This kind of thing has been going on for a long time.. Its a long time in the making

Go read the politico piece thats there now on ex congressman Larry McDonald and the Western Goals. this was a perfect lead into the problems in the GOP today.

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/12/02/larry-mcdonald-communists-deep-state-222726

[certainot]

64. that's what democracy was designed to deal with. the difference is the last 30 years -

after reagan killed the fairness doctrine in 87 they bought up 1500 radio stations, coordinated them, and then lied as much as they wanted in 40 states with 80 senators because democrats and liberals ignored them

there is a direct correlation in timing with this decline, record partisanship, and the rise of ALEC, which had been struggling until then.

they have been able to create their own reality with the only major medium with no competing political alternative - and they couldn't have without it, or if dems had not ignored it

[Tumbulu]

85. So true!

Well said- I watched/ listened to it happen.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

88. Agreed. n/t

[TrogL]

96. It was bad before the end of the Fairness Doctrine

I remember TV stations allowing a right wing commentator their say, then for the “liberal” response would put on some utter idiot.

[certainot]

99. but there was nothing so coordinated, blanketing 40 states w/80 senators with

the exact same think tank propaganda and messaging from a few hundred liars following the limbaugh lead

[ronatchig]

65. What a fascinating read

on the history of the fascist underbelly in this country.

[pangaia]

87. We should not use the term alternate reality. It is fantasy.

[SammyWinstonJack]

41. Pretty sure if I could stomach listening/reading that crap, I wouldn't come away

believing any of it. Those who believe, want to believe, need to believe. Sad, really.

[scarytomcat]

43. we also need to get rid of fake news.....fox news

the public needs to be informed if they are not they will make the wrong choices
rethugs have been the wrong choice for a long time

[lancelyons]

50. It should be more than that. These people need to be inoculated. They need treatment

It should be more than that. These people need to be inoculated. They need treatment.

If they dont get reprogramming, I am not sure they should be left out in society as good citizens

[Grasswire2]

70. we may have to offer them a corner to themselves. A reservation.

Seriously.

I'm talking about the base who remain disaffected and dangerous.

Give them Arizona and part of Texas. Something like that. Wall them in "to keep migrants out."

Otherwise, they're going to shoot things up.

[lagomorph777]

95. AZ and TX might have a thing or two to say about that - look at the 2018 results!

I propose a leper colony on the far side of the Moon as the next home for the Reptilian Party.

[Charlotte Little]

7. Agreed

And every time my mother disagrees with me (because my father voted for Trump and she wants to keep peace), I remind her that they were in fact privy to two things pre-election - 1) Trump bragged about sexually assaulting women; and 2) Trump made fun of a disabled reporter.

No matter what excuse/reason Trump voters give for voting for him, at the end of the day, those two reasons alone were enough to convince any decent human being not to vote for Trump.

I love my father, he's the only one I'm ever going to have, but I'm not lying when I say that a tiny part of me admiring him is gone for good. Especially since both of his daughters were raped in their teens and one of his daughters is on disability for a mental disease.

[Squinch]

13. AND he repeatedly said that latino people were all murderers and rapists. And continually

threw out dog whistles against black people.

[better]

14. And well beyond those already adequate reasons

He advocated killing people for being related to terrorists, and crowed that our troops would obey unlawful orders (and commit war crimes) if he gave the orders, because he's "a strong leader".

Far above and beyond having demonstrated himself to be unethical and morally bankrupt, he outed himself as an aspiring dictator, and that's not even a little bit hyperbolic to say. He did it at a televised debate, into cameras he did know were rolling.

[world wide wally]

20. He is a proven fraud.

Americans must think that qualifies him for president.

[tblue37]

25. And he insulted McCain for being a POW, and went after Gold Star parents. nt

[sprinkleeninow]

37. That's what came to mind also. Desecrating and disparaging

Gold Star families. The Khans. * got a helluva nerve. But *'s hellish, so what to expect.

[dem4decades]

28. I saw George Lopez at a comedy show and he said that he didn't want to

Get political.

Then he said to the audience of several thousand.

"Fuck Trump "

"And Fuck You if you voted for him"

I agree.

[True Blue American]

69. Such a shame

That people are not willing to see what Trump and Republicans really are. That it actually harms family relationships. I am sorry for what you are going thrugh.

I have one family member who argues that Trump and Republicans are no worse than Democrats. I simply mention who gave us Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Upset about Insurance costs, blaming it on Obamacare. I simply sent an email that Democrats first priorities are fixing the ACA and offering Medicare for all. I received no answer.

[Charlotte Little]

72. Thank you, True Blue

It's tough. I can't lie. My father isn't the only one in my family who voted for Trump. Not by a long shot.

I have white trash relatives - and I mean white trash as it's meant. They are racist and willfully ignorant. They aren't poor and they don't live without access to the internet. They just think they are superior and no matter how much anyone tries to provide them facts, they scream FAKE NEWS! I have two male cousins who literally drive around with confederate flags on their pickup trucks. It's embarrassing, to say the least. Needless to say, I don't have much to do with those family members. Dad's an exception.

[Oppaloopa]

77. I am so sorry

[uponit7771]

82. They justify this by saying to themselves that he is "trolling" ... They need to ...

... be conscience shocked to change that and the Russia Tower thing during the election is a good start.

At the same time he's making a deal with Russia that'll require the reduction of sanctions he approves of the reductions of Russian sanctions in the GOP platform.

[PatSeg]

94. Also his business failures and bankruptcies

were public record. People in New York knew who and what Trump was for decades.

Meanwhile, as he was running for president, he was being sued for fraud (Trump University).

If people just used Google, they could have known what kind of man he was in ten minutes.

[elocs]

9. How about voters on the Left who chose not to vote,

or voted for a 3rd party instead of Clinton in battleground states?
Are they not responsible as well because what exactly did they do to help Clinton win?

[lostnfound]

12. Half. Exactly half as much, as individuals. But...there are exceptions.

In solid blue states, or solid red states for that matter, not so much.

I didn’t do that, obviously, but the voters in purple states who make those choices are far more responsible than those who live in states where those votes makes no difference.

[elocs]

17. You mean like here in Wisconsin where Jill Stein

received as many votes as what Trump won the state by? There had to been at least that many who didn't even bother to vote because they bought the Big Lie that there was no difference between Clinton and Trump, that one was as bad as the other.
The same thing goes for Michigan and Pennsylvania as well.

[barbiegeek]

103. Speaking the truth! 👏👏👏👏. Thank u

[barbiegeek]

102. YES!!👏👏👏👏👏👏 Damn straight!!!

[Cosmocat]

23. T H I S - and held responsible

They set the ground for 45, decades of wild eyed, deranged partisanship.

And, the media owns a BIG part of it, too. For having two standards - one where they nit pick democrats endlessly, and one where they normalize right wing fuck wittery.

And Dems own a part of it, too. For being too passive, and allowing republicans and the media to frame every issue.

[louis c]

40. And the people who knew better, but voted 3rd party or stayed home...

...let's not let the Stein voters or the Bernie write-ins in the General Election off the hook.

Anyone who is of voting age who doesn't know what a binary choice is, is at least half as complicit as a Trump voter.

[Hamlette]

42. and that is why they will continue to support him, they voted for a monster and can't admit it

or don't want to admit it. Think, all those educated people have been putting them down their whole lives. Trump comes in and puts down those (us) people making in clear he will support the deplorables in their fight against the elites. Now they find out the elites were right all along and he (and by extension all who voted for him) really is deplorable.

Sure, a few will pull off and explain they had a reason for voting for him (he was an outsider, a businessman, blah blah) but most of them need to continue to support him against the people they consider to have bullied them all their lives.

[barbtries]

75. republicans.

totally abandoning their oaths. trump voters, non voters, hillary haters, russians. lots of blame to go around. but it boils down to republicans imo

[Dustlawyer]

80. There are many causes for creating Trumpers.

The root cause is the very real propaganda that “programs” their viewers to ignore reality and blame who they are told constantly for any perceived problem.

Of course the main tools the propagandist use is fear, racism, false patriotism and hate. A certain percentage of the population is willfully ignorant, which has to include all Trumpers at this point.

I have a little compassion to the ones growing up in home with Fox and RW media on and nothing else. I reserve the worst condemnation for the ones behind the propaganda and the hosts who produce this crap.

The rest of the Trumpers and those that voted Trump simply for the promised tax cut can kiss my...

[PCIntern]

2. I agree in toto. nt

[McCamy Taylor]

3. The News what is coming our way. Watergate 2.

Only this time it will not be limited to pre-emtpting soap operas and the evening news. This time it will be 24/7 on at least two different networks (MSNBC and CNN), not counting CSPAN and FOX. If it is big enough, ABC and CBS may launch their own 24 hour news organizations. NYT and WaPo will see their already rising subscription rates rise even more.

[90-percent]

34. Lets upgrade that

I'm hoping for Nuremberg 2.

-90% Jimmy

[GoCubsGo]

46. Yep. Watergate is going to look like a petty shoplifting, in comparison.

I hope everyone has their Hazmat suits ready for when the shit hits the fan, because it's going to be just as ugly as Nurenberg was.

[True Blue American]

71. But you know Trump

Backers are still saying Mueller has no proof,or that happened a long time ago.. This investigation is not just in the US anymore. They raided Duestch bank for money laundering. Raiding Attorney offices.

[summer_in_TX]

86. Even these many years after Nixon's resignation,

some 29% still support his presidency and believe the outcome was wrong, John Dean pointed out in an interview I heard this weekend.

So Trump will continue to have similar support, I feel sure, no matter the evidence, and maybe more because of the mighty propaganda system the Republicans built up after getting rid of the Fairness Doctrine.

The ride will undoubtedly be bumpy.

[xmas74]

79. CBS News has a 24/7 streaming app

It's free. I have it on Roku.

[YessirAtsaFact]

4. I hope that this revelation is so shocking it causes people to get out of the RW echo chamber

Because they realize that the RW echo chamber made the treachery possible by creating so much political division in the country. The division caused people to ignore issues and just vote for party labels.

[Scarsdale]

24. I for one, know

that NOTHING about tRump or his family & administration will shock me. He is depraved, unethical, classless, clueless, low life scum. A disgrace that has made the US a laughingstock worldwide. Thanks to Putin and the gop traitors.

[GoCubsGo]

49. My fear is that the ones in the echo chamber will hear nothing but the RW echos.

They'll just deny it all, and call it "fake news", as they have been trained to do. And, that will lead to even bigger problems. Think Tim McVeigh, and the RWNJs who have their own arsenals. Brain-washed people who are armed to their eyeballs. Not a good combination, especially if they see Dear Leader and his crime syndicate being led off in handcuffs. Going to be a deadly shitshow.

[PJMcK]

101. Perhaps you give the RWNJs too much credit

If Trump & Co. are arrested, who are the nutcases going to go after? With the state of our Homeland Security, Timothy McVeigh would probably not have been able to pull off his attack. But do you think that these armchair warriors are going to go up against the U.S. military and police forces? Or would the attacks be isolated groups acting individually?

I understand that there could be some violence. Hell, we have horrific weapons-related killings every day in our country. But the level of coordination, infrastructure and political support needed to mount a revolt just isn't there. The vast majority of people don't want their lives uprooted.

Perhaps I'm too much of an optimist.

[GoCubsGo]

104. They're not going to go after the government.

They're going to go after civilian "enemies", such as you and I. And, they don't need to be coordinated. They just need to hear Alex Jones or some other lunatic spewing their bullshit in order to act, and they'll act on their own, as some have already been doing. We'll see many more like the kook that shot up the DC pizza parlor while looking for Hillary's alleged pedophile ring. Probably lot more of them running their pick-up trucks through crowds of protesters, too.

[marybourg]

5. We haven't even come to grips with what's right in

front of us, let alone some future visions.

[empedocles]

11. What the trumpsters are counting on, is that many people have not yet begun to begin

to recognize, much less come to grips with, what is right in front of us.

[manor321]

8. I agree! And it's the media's fault!

Other than isolated places on MSNBC, the press has not informed the public of how bad it is. And I'd say no one at all on TV news has said how bad it really actually is.

[Hoyt]

10. We'll see if it is enough to draw GOPer outrage. What's been known since 2017 should have

been enough, but not yet. Actually, what we knew about trump before November 2016 should have been enough to elect Clinton.

[Grasswire2]

15. I keep thinking about Diane Feinstein white faced after that first briefing..

...and that was when only a small portion was known.

[llmart]

61. In reading through this thread so far...

that was the first thing that came to my mind. I've always wondered what made her and others have that ghostly look on their faces.

[Grasswire2]

67. reading on twitter is even more devastating

Everywhere you look, someone has links to more evidence.

Investigators used to term the Bush connections "octopus." This is more like a far, vast galaxy of treachery and ...well, no word describes it.

[Ponietz]

16. These RICO fuckers will try to start a war with Iran to hide from justice

[BamaRefugee]

45. BINGO. "YOU CAN'T IMPEACH A WARTIME PRESIDENT!!!". guaranteed

[VOX]

92. 100 percent on the money. Guaranteed.

No doubt in my mind that war with Iran is coming. There are noises about it already.

[elmac]

18. There will be a constitutional crisis and an economic crash happening at the same time

that I am sure of.

[Grasswire2]

68. Schiff told us to buckle up. nt

[ToxMarz]

19. I have never looked forward to a rough ride before

I'm eagerly awaiting this one!

It has to happen

[dlk]

21. We Shouldn't Underestimate the Role of the Pervasive Hate Media Empire with Enabling this Debacle

At some point, dealing with the consequences of so much hate media will require our time and attention, if we wish our country to survive and not become an authoritarian oligarchy.

[catbyte]

22. I wish I had your faith. I'm feeling so cynical about fully half of this country that they

will forgive these people anything. Il Douche enjoys a +80% approval rating amongst Republicans. They're so deluded and brainwashed that they won't believe any indictments that come down & I don't have any faith in the DOJ or the Senate to do anything anyway. The House can't do it all. And now that SCOTUS has been corrupted, I don't hold out much hope there, either. I really hope I'm wrong.

Debby Downer signing off.

[The Liberal Lion]

27. You're not a Debbie Downer

You are a realist seeing things exactly as they are, and dare I say as they will become. Finally, your assessment is far from wrong. It is IMHO, spot on.

[The Liberal Lion]

26. You are right on all counts

Republicans are NOT just going to roll over and allow themselves to be exposed publicly for what we all know among ourselves, namely: they are traitors.
Those who voted for this tyranny knew exactly what they were doing. They voted to subjugate those who disagree or to go to war with them if the same would not bend the knee. I for one refuse!
Finally, there are those on our side, perhaps the most dangerous of the bunch, who remain in denial, who think our savior is merely an election away. I actually have sympathy for these folks as they will be turned because they right now have not the fortitude to handle what is actually happening and place their hope in mirages instead of in themselves and their ability to do what needs to be done.

Our only ray of sunshine right now is that we have a tool to fight with, namely the House. We can not stop them with the House, but we can cripple them and expose them. With the House we can show many who are already reasonable people just what danger we face so they too can prepare and be ready for what is coming. Truth be told, government no longer has our solutions, only we the people do.

[AllaN01Bear]

29. i personally feel that this situation has been brewing for 20-30 years

however , i feel that america is stronger than one thinks. as the poster said please put your seats and traytables in an up and locked position and fasten your seatbelts, its going to be a very bumpy ride .

[Power 2 the People]

30. +1

Let's hope there's no cover-up denying us all of the facts in order to "protect us."

I want the world to know everything that orange son of a bitch,his family and the Republicans did.

[ancianita]

31. Rough ride, indeed. Yet, it's a problem made by humans, and it will be solved by humans.

Two things Chris Hedges teaches me:

1. more movements.

We don't need leaders. We need movements. There can never be too many. It is always movements that keep leaders in check.

2. Make power frightened of us, never trust in power. We build movements to pit power against power. As Franklin Roosevelt said, "We gotta give up something or we're going to get revolution..." It was those old movements -- not Roosevelt himself, not his fellow elites -- that pushed Roosevelt to help unions, workers, elderly, widows and orphans.

We must commit to the power of the invisible witness that The Good draws to it the Good.

[Texin]

36. It's a ride I'm not sure America will survive intact. At least the U.S. Constitution.

This country was torn asunder once before, and it managed to survive but not without obscene bloodshed and thousands upon thousands of American deaths, but it was because the country was led by an extraordinary man at the helm. We are not lucky enough to have such a leader today nor anyone with the real power to stop him from tearing the constitution completely to shreds and eating it bit by bit. The quislings in the Senate, led by the evil and duplicitous McConnell (who is more guilty by his assent to treason as Shitler himself is by his actual participation in it). It will only be by those in the senate who rise against McConnell to stop him, and I've seen no such person to genuinely do that. The very fact that the Senate has the votes to protect Mueller's continued probe and they refuse to act against McConnell proves they don't have the mettle it takes to do that.

[ancianita]

39. We differ on how this can work. You say leaders. I say movements. Movements keep leaders in check.

It's exactly what the blue wave of voters did this past year.

Sticking to your OP, that's what I think America is coming to grips with, and that's how I trust it will survive.

A couple of other items. First, McConnell is in legal jeopardy with Mueller, and a few of his quislings are getting a conscience over medicare prescription drug prices, so it's not time to worry about the Senate yet.

Second, I want a modernizing of the Constitution, too, but the way things work these days, our current problems not only NOT get addressed at an Article V convention, but "we" will end up with a constitution like Pinochet's, created by Kochists and the Mont Pelerin Society, who believe that democracy has failed, untethered capitalism is the answer. So they will establish a perfectly legal "constitutional" system of minority rule. Something they've been calling "revolution."

A good look at who would runs an Article V constitutional convention will tell you that, until our three branches of government are more representative, you will get even more darkness. Less open source anything. More modernity for the rich, less modernity for the rest of us. Once any current crop of reps hit the convention, all bets are off for The People.

Let's wait until after 2020 for talks on major constitution changes. I'll go for the ERA re-ratification before that, though. That there involves over half the country.

[ananda]

33. I am SO ready!

And I know lots of people who are also ready!!!

[kimbutgar]

35. Was reading the Daily Mail website on last nights SNL especially The Mueller song at the end

IF the comment section is any indicator of orange maggot supporters. No matter what devastating news comes out against him his supporters will walk off the cliff with him and will still think what he did was all lies.

I am especially angry hearing that he offered Putin a condo for 50 million for his help to win the election. That is some treasonous Benedict Arnold traitor shit.

[antirepugvoter]

38. Be aware ?

The Democrats will be blamed for the coming apocalypse !!!

[BamaRefugee]

51. Of course they will. Then they will spend the next few years cleaning up the mess, at which point

the Republicans will sweep into victory again to SAVE AMERICA FROM LEFTIES.

It's an endless cycle

[pdsimdars]

44. I just hope they use that word, traitors. That is what it is.

And I hope they punish them accordingly or there will be a next time and it will be worse. That is always the way it is if you don't stop it.

[Ponietz]

47. One wonders where we'd be today if Robert E. Lee, et al., had been tried for treason

[pdsimdars]

59. Amen to that. It would at least make them think twice. But now, there's no dis-incentive.

[fescuerescue]

63. Probably the same place

Robert E Lee is dead. He just died a few years later than he would have if there was a trial for him.

I mean. We had an -entire war-. If a war didn't change the course of history, a trial that ended an old mans life wouldnt make much more difference.

There would just be different excuses.

[Ponietz]

66. Maybe, but that's not my thinking

I tend to think Nuremberg was every bit as important as WWII.

[Garrett78]

52. What will make the ride rougher is that most Republicans (in Congress and the electorate)...

...will continue to minimize, obfuscate and defend. There is so much polarization and ignorance that I'm afraid many of us will be angered by how few real consequences Trump and Republicans end up facing. Election losses in the short-term but they may not suffer much more than that.

[blue-wave]

53. This will shake America

like never before. I also believe that the corruption goes deep into every local community across I our great land. I'm hoping our law enforcement can weed out those traitors on the lower rung of the traitor ladder too.

We will never be the same country after this, hopefully much stronger with the vast majority of American voters actually digging deep into researching candidates before they vote.

[cilla4progress]

54. Just remember

2 out of 3 American adults you see OPPOSE trump.

[GETPLANING]

55. Close, but it is actually worse -

Let's add a little context.

A Republican presidential campaign, along with Republican Congressional leadership conspired with a foreign government to defraud the American people and steal a presidential AND congressional election. Putin merely helped them.

[Catch2.2]

56. I hope the Dems.....

I hope the Dems don't let the Repugs off the hook. When Mueller's investigation concludes, I hope the Dems remind the public that republicans protected Traitor Trump. Email your Rep or Senator and demand they hold them accountable!

[rufus dog]

57. Agree almost completely,....but

we have to be prepared that some Dems may be on the list.

We need to be careful of two things. Not to support Dems that may be compromised AND not to fall for the both sides do it.

For example, Jill Stein, enough circumstantial evidence already. (not a Dem I know) Any Dem that spends a shitload of time on Fox News promoting the 'both sides" and "whataboutism" should be viewed suspiciously. Media personnel who play similar games, same thing.

Now what the repukes will do is take a couple of these people, then pour through donations and find a russian backed business who donated $500 to a Dem candidate and smear that person. They will go on and on about the plutonium deal. Then they will get 'left" media to play the both sides do it. Demand purity, and try to get the focus on the 1 to 5% of Dems, demand resignations of the Dems. (Think Franken)

We can't fall for that bullshit, we have a Dem with an issue, when the 95 to 99 repukes step down, then we demand the dem to step down. Assuming these are minor circumstantial cases. Now the ones with direct collusion, they need to go.

I do agree, the list will be huge, some being long term assets and others being a part of the cover up.

[sellitman]

58. I'm another Debbie Downer

Until we do to the Senate exactly what we did to the House the Orange Anus will be President.

They will protect him until they lose the power to do so.

[Kaleva]

60. There's going to be massive social & economic upheavel and possibly large number of deaths

Climate change is going to make the Trump presidency look benign.

[fescuerescue]

62. If it's truly the worst episonage operation ever

Then not much will happen, and we'll never hear the details except through conspiracy chat.

The biggest espionage breaches always have the greatest coverup - from both the victim and recipient.

Intelligence agencies do not like their failures their be well known, and god forbid, the details of of those failures. Otherwise those failures will be exploited again before they can be closed.

But it may be something less than the worst.

[wiggs]

73. There may be some on both sides of the aisle, TPTB, who are working to get through

this without the chaos, disruption, vulnerability, and embarrassment that would come with full knowledge all at once that our elections have been hacked for years, that we aren't a beacon of democracy, that our president is illegitimate, and we aren't the world leader we thought we were...we are just like a lot of countries where the oligarchs and permanent wealth run the show.

[Locrian]

90. my thoughts exactly

That's why I hope they're also looking at the financial side - the money laundering, etc.
The whole "treason" thing is real, but I think TPTB will not allow it "for the good of the country" to be brought to full light.

[barbtries]

74. i totally agree.

we're on the precipice and until he is gone our democracy is at great risk in my opinion. been beating this drum forever it feels like but for the vast majority of Americans life does go on, they're making a living or trying to, not paying a whole lot of attention, and confident that we'll pull out of it. I hope we do.

[SayItLoud]

76. tRUMP will deny, lie and start a war or two

Venezuela (like Grenada) or Iran along with Saudis and Israel. Just sayin....he' ain't going out quietly.

[Soph0571]

78. I was a member of newsvine for years

It was different from here in that people of all political stripes were members. It was predominantly liberal but we had many conservatives also. In the old days it was about serious debate and we worked in that fashion. In the latter days things changed and one of the biggest changes was how suddenly Russia was great.....it was fucking unbelievable how quickly they turned. If the vine was sill alive I am quite sure they would be doubling down.

[TwistOneUp]

81. I am afraid that you are correct. nt

[Pa-Kid]

83. So McDonald

was a modern day Republican ahead of time. He would fit in with no problem with todays insane Republican Party

[YOHABLO]

84. I don't really know whether we still have a Democracy. Who runs the show?.... Corporate America.

[jimlup]

89. I think you are correct but ...

The news will be so big and the Repubs so deep in denial that we may be stuck with a traitor president for several more years.

If written as fiction no one would publish it because it would be too unbelievable and extreme.

[VOX]

91. The Republican Party will refuse to acknowledge their lawlessness.

As of January, the new Republicans in the senate are stronger supporters of Trump. The Corkers and the Flakes will be gone. The battle of democracy vs. autocracy will be pitched.

They have fabricated an alternate narrative where there has been “no collusion,” where Trump’s “getting the job done,” and where “the Deep State is destroying the presidency and the country.”

When one ponders what’s coming, and who has (or has not) come to grips with it, there is a much darker side that I fear is on its way: utter lawlessness in the highest offices (already well under way and on exhibit) and unbridled authoritarianism (we’ve seen glimpses, and have heard it from Trump himself). The new alt-right-nationalist-neo-nazi-Republicans will likely circle their figurehead and fight to protect him. They will refuse to submit to the law, and to evade it and pivot away, they will make war with Iran, as sure as the sun rises in the east. There are noises about it already.

Cults (make no mistake, Trumpists are a cult) never go down easily. There is always something lost or destroyed.

[PBass]

93. I remember the 9/11 commission, so I don't believe there will be major consequences.

It's not the business of the FBI and Justice Dept. to disrupt the US government.

Also, our divided government, media and electorate will probably result in a softened impact.

I hope I am wrong, and you are right.

Seems to me, this is like hoping that Bush and Cheney would go to jail for war crimes. What's right and what actually happens are rarely the same thing.

[Poiuyt]

97. I agree that not much will happen

There are different rules for the rich and powerful.

[calimary]

98. I have NEVER seen Vladimir Putin so ebullient in public!

Not EVER. I ‘be seen him smile and be cordial. But NEVER like this. Beaming so broadly his cheeks puff up nearly to the point that his eyes are nearly shut. High-fiving a suspected cohort. In public. Vigorously, too. They did everything but pop champagne corks, set off fireworks, and take off their shirts and tummy-bump each other.

Although for all we know, the champagne service, at least, wasn’t far away.

[ck4829]

100. Kick