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NanceGreggs

(27,813 posts)
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 01:49 AM Feb 2019

It's GOT to be BIG

Last edited Fri Feb 15, 2019, 02:46 PM - Edit history (1)

I don’t know what the Russians have on Republicans currently in Congress, but it must be some really nasty shit. It’s got to be mind-bogglingly corrupt, astoundingly vile, and immoral beyond all imagining.

There is no other explanation for their behaviour. The GOP has always worked against the best interests of the nation and its citizens. But for the past two years, they have been working against the best interests of their own party – in fact, they’ve done things that have undermined the image it took them decades to carefully craft.

The party of “fiscal responsibility” is now the party of out-of-control debt. The party of “Christian principles” is now the party of an adulterous, self-proclaimed pussy-grabber who lies on a daily basis. The party of “family values” is now the party that takes children from their parents and locks them in cages – and/or simply loses them.

As dense as some – okay, most Republicans in office can be, a lot of them can actually read. They’ve seen the same poll numbers we have. They’ve read the same Tweets, the same newspapers, the same websites – so they know that Trump is costing them voters, and can’t possibly be legitimately re-elected. They’ve heard some of their most respected former colleagues publicly denounce their party membership and speak out against them.

So why would any Republican senator or congressman/woman persist in protecting this “presidency”? Why would any power-that-be in the GOP persist in kissing the Russian traitor’s ass – knowing that while it may please “the base”, that base isn’t big enough to keep The Dotard in office past 2020?

Why would any Republican go-along-to-get-along with a “pResident” who is leading their party down the path of political destruction – by going against everything that party has worked so hard to pretend to stand for?

There is only one explanation for so many elected Republicans being willing to undermine their own party – and, in many cases, their own future political aspirations.

There is only one explanation for certain Republicans having gone from he’s a kook! to unabashedly kissing his rear-end.

And the explanation is so simple, even a Republican could understand it. There are a LOT of dirty people in the GOP – and the Russians have the evidence to prove it.

The question now is what skeleton could these Republicans possibly have in their closet that is worse than what we already suspect is there?


(Edited to fix typo)

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It's GOT to be BIG (Original Post) NanceGreggs Feb 2019 OP
The Russians didn't just hack the DNC, they hacked the RNC and got YEARS of emails. RockRaven Feb 2019 #1
Yep. volstork Feb 2019 #49
K&R Jeffersons Ghost Feb 2019 #2
Lock the Russiapublicans UP! Hermit-The-Prog Feb 2019 #3
They have Kompromat on a bunch of them Jarqui Feb 2019 #4
Might be this pic found in his yearbook. Funtatlaguy Feb 2019 #39
I wonder what method the KGB lets the R's know that they are compromised. erronis Feb 2019 #42
In Lindsey's case, a 63 year old man with no significant other ever ... Jarqui Feb 2019 #53
That's what I mean by ... NanceGreggs Feb 2019 #60
I agree. I suspect he's much more concerned with being put in a closet with bars on it or Jarqui Feb 2019 #70
Or world wide wally Feb 2019 #5
10- ROGER! Mopar151 Feb 2019 #20
gops are all sex crazed animal lovers. trueblue2007 Feb 2019 #6
The dirt the Russians have on them is the only thing that makes any sense at all. Grammy23 Feb 2019 #7
What the Russians don't know about, Delmette2.0 Feb 2019 #16
It sounds like they're playing an RPG. Initech Feb 2019 #57
some of them yes but as a party they've always followed their pied piper, afraid to cross certainot Feb 2019 #83
Either that or they're terrified pnwmom Feb 2019 #8
OR.. Fuzzpope Feb 2019 #10
Sad, Dan Feb 2019 #41
Follow the money DownriverDem Feb 2019 #63
I think that might be the next major indictment. We've had Butina, we've had Erickson, pnwmom Feb 2019 #64
Hey Nance crazytown Feb 2019 #9
Hopes of becoming the new billionaire safeinOhio Feb 2019 #11
As putine's current coterie would say: Fat Chance, Yankees. erronis Feb 2019 #43
GOP: going against everything that party has worked so hard to pretend to stand for ffr Feb 2019 #12
+2. But could you make that cretin's image a lot smaller. Fit it on a piece of dung? nt erronis Feb 2019 #45
Wait, you mean that isn't a piece of dung? FiveGoodMen Feb 2019 #50
It's dung all the way down Midnightwalk Feb 2019 #77
You just spoke my mind. There is something so crazy illegal going on, that it's scary. C Moon Feb 2019 #13
Think about the time line and it doesn't make sense. BigmanPigman Feb 2019 #14
Like the TV show, The Americans, the Russians have had highly trained assets here for decades. Mr. Evil Feb 2019 #15
It takes evil to know evil Pluvious Feb 2019 #21
So very true. The only immigrant that should be deported is Rupert Murdoch. Mr. Evil Feb 2019 #24
Amen to that! Mickju Feb 2019 #52
The russkis are known for chess playing - many moves before denouement. erronis Feb 2019 #46
I believe Comrade McConnell is a Russian* asset... Raster Feb 2019 #28
So, does that mean that Moscow Mitch is profiting from his wife's family's side business Mr. Evil Feb 2019 #56
I think he's using his in-laws ACCESS to money to cover... Raster Feb 2019 #61
Maybe Mueller can use the money trail to charge him with conspiracy Mr. Evil Feb 2019 #62
I think it goes even deeper. Scruffy1 Feb 2019 #71
What ungodly EVIL lurks in the hearts of republicans? Achilleaze Feb 2019 #17
Its not like we just suddenly realized how corrupt they are, or did we? BSdetect Feb 2019 #18
I think we have known for a while bdamomma Feb 2019 #38
Putin controls trump and the GOP Gothmog Feb 2019 #19
I worry we might not even know the outcome of Mueller's investigation...... a kennedy Feb 2019 #22
Here's another possibility Brawndo Feb 2019 #23
Sorry, not buying. n/t NanceGreggs Feb 2019 #26
I sincerely hope I'm wrong. Brawndo Feb 2019 #29
Yeah, that's what I think, too happybird Feb 2019 #36
Half-right krkaufman Feb 2019 #66
Food for thought matt819 Feb 2019 #25
Of course their corruption is of their own making. NanceGreggs Feb 2019 #32
Cherchez la femme underpants Feb 2019 #27
Jeez. Totally non-PC. Let's change it to "Suivez la puissance et l'argent" erronis Feb 2019 #48
It was a song! BumRushDaShow Feb 2019 #68
I try to bring literature up in here and I get jumped on 🙄 underpants Feb 2019 #75
K&R! gademocrat7 Feb 2019 #30
They are stuck between a rock and a hard place, as shown by Mark Sanford and Jeff Flake marylandblue Feb 2019 #31
K&R dewsgirl Feb 2019 #33
I think GOPers are just Aholes. If Ruskies had something on 200 Congresspeople, someone would speak Hoyt Feb 2019 #34
There are things in this world ... NanceGreggs Feb 2019 #35
Maybe. I think they are just greedy racists sticking together to Make America White Again. Hoyt Feb 2019 #37
I think it's that Russia gave them a lot of money, and they took it. Honeycombe8 Feb 2019 #40
K&R smirkymonkey Feb 2019 #44
Russians hacked the DNC and RNC Miigwech Feb 2019 #47
Hell, it is common knowledge now MCconnell 3 million from russia Eliot Rosewater Feb 2019 #51
Ditto. n/t ariadne0614 Feb 2019 #54
Yep. It must be something big Sancho Feb 2019 #55
The repugs have always gotten away with being evil sob's... Ferrets are Cool Feb 2019 #58
Or, it could be much simpler than the Russians. Stonepounder Feb 2019 #59
Misconception krkaufman Feb 2019 #65
Pedophilia. Those fuckers like'em young. Hotler Feb 2019 #67
That's what I suspect. 2naSalit Feb 2019 #79
Pizzagate, payoffs from enemy countries, anything they project onto Dems is likely IronLionZion Feb 2019 #69
Just so it's not another of those things that gets covered up dflprincess Feb 2019 #72
I'd like to see this question answered by: Haggis for Breakfast Feb 2019 #73
Putin's payroll is growing The Wizard Feb 2019 #74
Lordy there are tapes - videotapes Apollyonus Feb 2019 #76
The RNC and DNC were both hacked but only emails from the DNC were released. Do the math. LonePirate Feb 2019 #78
from Malcom Nance Gothmog Feb 2019 #80
Whether or not the Russians have anything on Republican Congress-bots, they are motivated only by a Nitram Feb 2019 #81
If they are only motivated ... NanceGreggs Feb 2019 #82
I just told you. Two SCOTUS appointees (and the possibility of a third), suspending regulations Nitram Feb 2019 #84
The GOP ... NanceGreggs Feb 2019 #86
Follow the $ B Stieg Feb 2019 #85
yep - everyone is overthinking things Locrian Feb 2019 #87
Well said! B Stieg Feb 2019 #88

RockRaven

(14,872 posts)
1. The Russians didn't just hack the DNC, they hacked the RNC and got YEARS of emails.
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 01:57 AM
Feb 2019

Given how corrupt the GOP is, what could the Russians do with years of their internal communications? Oh, just destroy the careers, and possibly implicate in felonies, most of the Repukes in Congress.

erronis

(15,155 posts)
42. I wonder what method the KGB lets the R's know that they are compromised.
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 06:18 PM
Feb 2019

Obviously a TXT/SMS wouldn't be good enough - not enough in-your-face and probably traceable.

Probably not a piece of paper in a waterproof container in a tree trunk along the Potomac Canal.

Guessing a visit to a spouse, lover, child, friend by a smiling stranger with some pictures and some quietly stated words.

Jarqui

(10,118 posts)
53. In Lindsey's case, a 63 year old man with no significant other ever ...
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 07:03 PM
Feb 2019

Find out who changes his oil and film it. Or set up an underager to do it and film it.

Someone could bump into him on the street with a video on his phone ...
Email from a public library or stolen laptop on a bicycle that hacks their way into someone's home wifi ... untraceable.

They did something like that to him. He couldn't stand Trump.

NanceGreggs

(27,813 posts)
60. That's what I mean by ...
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 07:52 PM
Feb 2019

... it's got to be something BIG - and outing Lindsay isn't all that big.

People have assumed for years that he's a closeted gay man - no one would be shaken by that news. I'm sure most Republicans have assumed it, too - but as long as he doesn't flaunt it in their faces, they're willing to ignore what seems to be obvious.

Unless we're talking about under-age boys ...

Jarqui

(10,118 posts)
70. I agree. I suspect he's much more concerned with being put in a closet with bars on it or
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 09:54 PM
Feb 2019

having to resign than coming out.

About 25 years ago, I had a dust up with a Russian owned business next door to ours. They'd gassed us chronically and acutely - made all employees sick - ambulances - some very sick. Had to get lawyers because the employees could sue me, the owner, as well. We had professionals gather evidence, etc. The Russians didn't like it. They broke into our office. They broke into our home while we were sleeping with my wife and little kids. They threatened us. Followed us around. Police got involved. I had to buy a bunch of weapons for protection. We moved and physically made ourselves disappear. They had hurt us - we didn't do a thing to them except follow the law and we were the ones who had to hunker down.

They do not have the same regard for life we do. They'd cut your throat for five dollars. That doesn't apply to all Russians. But there appears to be a significant section/faction of them who can be pretty ruthless, heartless and brutal. The police and lawyers echoed that opinion. We dropped the lawsuit. Wasn't worth getting my kids or wife hurt.

If they ruined Lindsey Graham's life or killed him, that group wouldn't lose a second of sleep over it. When you have a leader like Putin murdering to keep his position - that has a trickle down effect. Read the texts Manafort's daughters wrote about him or look closely at the history of Roger Stone - these are not nice people - they're fucked up sociopaths - like the Russians they hang with.

The decadent fat cats in congress, drown-proofing in dark lobbying dough, are sitting ducks for people like that.

world wide wally

(21,733 posts)
5. Or
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 02:26 AM
Feb 2019

Maybe Russia has assured them the fix is already in and as long as they go along, they will be reelected to continue their scam.

Mopar151

(9,973 posts)
20. 10- ROGER!
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 01:00 PM
Feb 2019

Like most crooks, the pugs ain't very good at it! So they leave an E-trail that, digitally, looks like the Secaucus Landfill.

Grammy23

(5,810 posts)
7. The dirt the Russians have on them is the only thing that makes any sense at all.
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 02:29 AM
Feb 2019

We’ve talked about this until our tongues have hung out dry. We’ve floated every explanation that could help explain why they have taken no action against tRump who is clearly messed up in the head and compromised in some telling ways.

They are up to their necks in the dirty tricks and dirty money. When it all comes out (and it will some day) people will have to be shown the evidence because they won’t believe it. Our nation’s Constitution is experiencing its biggest challenge ever in the history of the country. And we are witnesses to it all. I just hope I Live to see the big reveal.
 

certainot

(9,090 posts)
83. some of them yes but as a party they've always followed their pied piper, afraid to cross
Sat Feb 16, 2019, 08:50 PM
Feb 2019

limbaugh

Why would any Republican go-along-to-get-along with a “pResident” who is leading their party down the path of political destruction – by going against everything that party has worked so hard to pretend to stand for?


limbaugh has spent every day since inauguration ranting that the russia story is a hoax. any republican who takes it as valid will be tarred and feathered.


if americans want GOP senators to vote for impeachment just start boycotting the crap out of limbaugh and all the other rw blowhards and all their advertisers, protesting all those stations, and the universities that broadcast sports on them. without rw radio there's nothing to keep them, the ones not kompromised, in line.

pnwmom

(108,950 posts)
8. Either that or they're terrified
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 02:35 AM
Feb 2019

that they ore their loved ones will be blackmailed, poisoned, thrown off a building. Whatever.

 

Fuzzpope

(602 posts)
10. OR..
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 02:53 AM
Feb 2019

We have yet to see the real drop kick assault that makes it a total coup.

They may be sticking around on the promise of being someone in what is inbound if they succeed with this "plan" they have been protecting at all costs, which I am 100% certain none of us knows what that plan actually is in its entirety.

This has been some serious, serious shit.

You don't just hand control back after the four years are up.

I don't believe that they intend to step down at all.

We had better be prepared for that, if and when it hits.

Dan

(3,536 posts)
41. Sad,
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 05:44 PM
Feb 2019

When you’re in the military, there is always the chance that some day, you might be required to put your life on the line. You do this for lots of reasons, mostly because it’s your job, you do this for your fellow soldiers, you unit and for your nation. The ultimate price you might pay is your life. The pay is not necessarily the best, but you do what you have to do...and you have to be willing to pay the price.

Now, what you are saying is that we have our congressional representatives cannot put the country first, because they might lose an election. The nation, the Constitution means nothing.

We really need term limits - and elimination of politicians defining who will vote for them.

DownriverDem

(6,223 posts)
63. Follow the money
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 08:26 PM
Feb 2019

The NRA is being investigated for laundering Russian money. It's been out there that the money went to the repubs' campaigns. That lends itself to a whole lot of blackmail.

pnwmom

(108,950 posts)
64. I think that might be the next major indictment. We've had Butina, we've had Erickson,
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 08:40 PM
Feb 2019

so how can we not have the NRA?

safeinOhio

(32,620 posts)
11. Hopes of becoming the new billionaire
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 03:15 AM
Feb 2019

Russian oligarchs. They will get to divide up the big corps and take over, what was, government institutions.

Very Wealthy future or death and prison.

erronis

(15,155 posts)
43. As putine's current coterie would say: Fat Chance, Yankees.
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 06:21 PM
Feb 2019

If the repuglicons are hoping to have a fair deal when dealing with putine/kgb/fsb they haven't every cracked a history book.

ffr

(22,663 posts)
12. GOP: going against everything that party has worked so hard to pretend to stand for
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 03:17 AM
Feb 2019


Because it was all a pretend game. All about the facade of image, do-as-I-say, not-as-I-do.

The skeleton is greed, envy, & lust, but you are correct. We may have just scratched the surface of the unimaginable unpatriotic evils this derailed GOP has wrought on America.

C Moon

(12,207 posts)
13. You just spoke my mind. There is something so crazy illegal going on, that it's scary.
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 03:38 AM
Feb 2019

Nancy Pelosi is being VERY brave and brazen, so I think she knows what's about to come down.
God I hope McConnell is about to go down. I faux punch his face often.

BigmanPigman

(51,551 posts)
14. Think about the time line and it doesn't make sense.
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 04:01 AM
Feb 2019

When all of the candidates were running in 2016 GOP Senators and Congressmen all said that tRump was an idiot, not a real Repub, a bad businessman, etc. Then after he won but lost the popular vote the GOP House started to kiss his ass. The GOP Senate waited about 6 months to do so.

If they knew Putin has dirt/Kompromat on them from their emails why didn't they kiss his ass from the start instead of waiting so long? Did they think we would never find out about all the Russian donations to the RNC, the NRA giving them big bucks (probably even more than we are aware of and possible connected to Russia) and their individual campaign PACs?

Mr. Evil

(2,808 posts)
15. Like the TV show, The Americans, the Russians have had highly trained assets here for decades.
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 04:51 AM
Feb 2019

No one in their right mind would put anything personally compromising in an email. Especially an official government email account where all that information will reside on an official government server for as long as is deemed fit aside from multiple copies that are archived.

So, these assets seem to be regular Americans. They know our history, our customs and most anything else we blithely take for granted. What they do to get compromising information is to get into darker aspects of arrogant, powerful, self-serving people (which happens to be mostly republican white men). The asset is usually installed into some bureaucratic operation or hired as an aide and works their way up, etc. He or she gains the trust of the mark and there you have it. Years of information. And it could very well be anything your imagination can come up with. I put nothing past these people.

Lindsey Graham did a complete 180. Why would he do that so easily? I'm guessing in his personal world there is something to protect that is more important than this country. What about Mitch McConnell? There have been rumors since the late 1960's regarding his Army discharge. Or maybe he's just greedy beyond the pale. Mitch may have bit off more than he can chew because he has always been cold and calculating, not a gambler. His cavalier statement that the next president should choose Antonin Scalia's replacement and his refusal to hold a vote until almost a year later and an unlikely republican winner made Mitch almost look prophetic. Or, he knew the fix was in play and took something in return for his actions (or inactions, as they were). Or, maybe Mitch is a Russian asset.

It's not just the Russians either. The Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, the second-largest shareholder of Fox News' parent company News Corp. That makes it easy to see why Trump and other republicans love Saudi Arabia. It also makes it very easy for Jared Kushner to be an accessory to the grisly murder of Jamal Khashoggi and get away with it (so far). The one weakness the Russians and Saudi's know that American politicians (especially republicans) cannot resist is money. Just offer piles of it along with compromising information and they have all the weapons they need to further corrupt the US.

All we can do for now is be patient and hope that Robert Mueller's reputation for being a man of the highest integrity and diligence is true. He is definitely patient, methodical and meticulous. For he happens to be one of our greatest assets.

Pluvious

(4,303 posts)
21. It takes evil to know evil
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 01:03 PM
Feb 2019

Great observations Mr. E.

For Putin, the Cold War never ended.

The Psyops have never stopped.

They're playing the long game.

And half our country remains either blissfully, or willfully ignorant.

Sad.

erronis

(15,155 posts)
46. The russkis are known for chess playing - many moves before denouement.
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 06:26 PM
Feb 2019

The americans are known for instant gratification. Just look at their porn (or better yet, don't.)

I doubt that the "executive" branch has any on-staff chess players. They are instructed from elsewhere.

Raster

(20,997 posts)
28. I believe Comrade McConnell is a Russian* asset...
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 02:54 PM
Feb 2019

...when he first entered Congress he was worth maybe a million and change. He is now worth almost 30 million, much of which is attributed to "gifts" from his father-in-law. Gifts from an inlaw that is not a US citizen or resident would not be subject to IRS scrutiny, as they would have no authority, thus the perfect way to pay illicit funds without arousing legal suspicion.

Mr. Evil

(2,808 posts)
56. So, does that mean that Moscow Mitch is profiting from his wife's family's side business
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 07:17 PM
Feb 2019

of trafficking in cocaine? Say it ain't so. Trump is just a spoiled rotten imbecile that Putin can control with a few prostitutes and a stack of 100's but, Mitch is supposed to be smart, cold and calculating. I would love nothing more than to see that sanctimonious asshole go down (and not the way he used to in the Army).

Raster

(20,997 posts)
61. I think he's using his in-laws ACCESS to money to cover...
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 07:55 PM
Feb 2019

...up dirty money flowing into him from dirty sources. He doesn't have to pay taxes on the money because it is termed as a gift to him. While it's plausible that maybe her family is truly gifting millions and millions to him, they are not US citizens and therefore can't be compelled to give testimony to the IRS and/or other officials. They can continue to "give" Comrade McConnell* millions and millions of dollars with no real way to question its lawfulness.

Mr. Evil

(2,808 posts)
62. Maybe Mueller can use the money trail to charge him with conspiracy
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 08:25 PM
Feb 2019

against the United States. That would be a great day for this country and a great day for the advancement of humanity.

Scruffy1

(3,251 posts)
71. I think it goes even deeper.
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 10:17 PM
Feb 2019

No mobster would invest money in a politician unless he had assurances that they would stay bought. So a crime or some other carreer ending event has to be held over them.

bdamomma

(63,773 posts)
38. I think we have known for a while
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 03:34 PM
Feb 2019

it's a combination of power and greed that will take them down, or in this case their own sick aspirations, and their dismissal of their Constitutional oath to the country the serve and its citizens.

They should be gathered up and justice must be served.

a kennedy

(29,602 posts)
22. I worry we might not even know the outcome of Mueller's investigation......
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 01:19 PM
Feb 2019

with this Barr now being the AG. Keeping fingers crossed.

Brawndo

(535 posts)
23. Here's another possibility
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 01:23 PM
Feb 2019

I think we're giving them too much credit assuming that there's kompromat on them. They've made a calculation that they wont have to be ultimately accountable because they are going to do away with democracy period. tRump will not willingly let go of power, no matter what the results of the election are. I think they're banking on permanent power led by a king. My opinion of them is that low.

Brawndo

(535 posts)
29. I sincerely hope I'm wrong.
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 02:55 PM
Feb 2019

Have you witnessed an overabundance of fealty to the letter of the law from this maladministration? Once tRump is no longer a sitting president he can be indicted, charged and likely imprisoned. He knows this and I believe he will use any and all tactics to avoid that fate, up to and including starting a war, or calling on his supporters to rise up and defend him. This doesn't end pretty.

happybird

(4,583 posts)
36. Yeah, that's what I think, too
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 03:24 PM
Feb 2019

Really hope we are wrong.

I worry a lot about Bolton (and Netanyahu) whispering in his ear, and pushing "wartime presidents always get reelected."

krkaufman

(13,433 posts)
66. Half-right
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 08:55 PM
Feb 2019

I don't think it has anything to do with the Russians (for the GOP, generally; Trump, certainly).

I just don't think the Republicans have a great fear of long-term consequences for their actions. Their propaganda machine has 35+% of the population locked-in; and conventional gerrymandering, Constitution-defined gerrymandering (Senate, Electoral College), plus money in elections will often net them enough electoral pluralities to maintain power.

matt819

(10,749 posts)
25. Food for thought
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 02:41 PM
Feb 2019

Nance, you are a national treasure.

Just sayin'.

You may be right. You probably are right.

However. . . it's entirely possible that Republicans are mind-bogglingly corrupt, astoundingly vile, and immoral beyond all imagining without the leverage of Russian pressure. After all, these are largely the same Republicans - in Congress - who took us into decades-long wars whose beneficiaries have been Republican-led defense contractors. And many of these same Republicans carried out decades-long attacks on Bill and Hillary Clinton. And, yes, some of these Republicans were around, in other capacities perhaps, at the start of the Reagan years, which started us on the road to where we are today.

So, maybe they are mind-bogglingly corrupt, astoundingly vile, and immoral beyond all imagining on their own. That said, I won't be surprised to learn that Russians and Chinese (McConnell/Chao) have capitalized on this corruption, vileness, and immorality in what will probably go down as the most comprehensive and long-term intelligence operations in history.

NanceGreggs

(27,813 posts)
32. Of course their corruption is of their own making.
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 03:09 PM
Feb 2019

But being blackmailed over it by the Russians is a whole 'nother thing.

I can understand getting behind Trump at the beginning - they had to make the best of things, and put on a united front for the good of the party.

When he started going off the rails - bigly - they could have reined him in. But they didn't, even though they could see his statements and actions were losing them voters.

I cannot think of any reason why GOP senators, congress-people, and the PTB in the upper echelons of the party are standing by idly while he undermines the party itself, unless the threat of exposure is hanging over their heads.

And like I said, whatever kompromat exists, it's got to be something BIG. Republican politicians have sleazed their way through all kinds of scandals and survived politically - so whatever they're afraid of being revealed would have to be more damaging than we have photos of you with a woman who's not your wife.

erronis

(15,155 posts)
48. Jeez. Totally non-PC. Let's change it to "Suivez la puissance et l'argent"
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 06:35 PM
Feb 2019

A bit sarcastic only because most of the power resides with the XY bunch and they really like money.

marylandblue

(12,344 posts)
31. They are stuck between a rock and a hard place, as shown by Mark Sanford and Jeff Flake
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 02:58 PM
Feb 2019

The base may not be enough to win, but they also can't win without the base. If they criticize Trump, the base immediately abandons them, their numbers drop and they get primaried. If they don't criticize Trump, their numbers stay stable and in red states, that may be enough to get re-elected.

 

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)
34. I think GOPers are just Aholes. If Ruskies had something on 200 Congresspeople, someone would speak
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 03:13 PM
Feb 2019

out to cover their rears.

Even if it is only a handful that the Ruskies have something on, the handful would have to plead with the others to keep it quite. Someone -- probably several someones -- would be using it to beat a political foe or gain favor. They wouldn't do it for the country.

And like you say, what could it be we don't already suspect?

NanceGreggs

(27,813 posts)
35. There are things in this world ...
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 03:24 PM
Feb 2019

... that no politician can "cover their rears" over - especially if proof exists, and it's in the hands of someone who won't hesitate to expose it.

I've no doubt that the guiltiest parties have convinced others that their own political survival depends on everyone being "on the same page". This would be a particularly potent threat to use on the party up-and-comers who have aspirations for higher office - "If you don't stick with us now, the party won't support you when you want to move up the ladder."

 

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)
37. Maybe. I think they are just greedy racists sticking together to Make America White Again.
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 03:32 PM
Feb 2019

But, there are definitely things/people in this world that are hard to understand and evil.

Honeycombe8

(37,648 posts)
40. I think it's that Russia gave them a lot of money, and they took it.
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 05:06 PM
Feb 2019

That's all that's necessary to blackmail them or control them.

But the Republicans were hacked just a few months ago, if you recall.

 

Miigwech

(3,741 posts)
47. Russians hacked the DNC and RNC
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 06:33 PM
Feb 2019

RNC stuff is being used to blackmail repubs ... and trump has that information ... Muller needs to investigate that

Ferrets are Cool

(21,101 posts)
58. The repugs have always gotten away with being evil sob's...
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 07:44 PM
Feb 2019

I hope the chickens come to roost. And shit on their heads.

Stonepounder

(4,033 posts)
59. Or, it could be much simpler than the Russians.
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 07:44 PM
Feb 2019

It could be the National Enquirer that has all the dirt on the Republicans. (Only about half kidding.)

krkaufman

(13,433 posts)
65. Misconception
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 08:50 PM
Feb 2019

Just because the Republican Party put themselves forward as a given thing didn't make it true, ever.

They got their tax cuts for the wealthy, and that's all they really care about; the rest is just about maintaining control of their base and relying on money in elections to net them enough votes from the mindless middle to win electoral pluralities.

2naSalit

(86,280 posts)
79. That's what I suspect.
Sat Feb 16, 2019, 10:57 AM
Feb 2019

I mean, where have they been getting their young victims from since they aren't able to get with the pages in the House and Senate? And where are all those children taken from their parents? And just how is it that so much illegal stuff, including humans in containers, get onto cargo ships overseas and make it here?

There's a major, global human trafficking network and these bastards are in it up to their ears by either profiting financially or by participating directly. I think Lindsey has been involved in this network for a long time and there's probably plenty of proof, and I bet AMI has it in that "safe" and I wouldn't be surprised if Roger Stone has backup files. Which brings us around to Epstein and the Miss Universe contests and it just keeps going.

There's so much there there that it boggles a sane mind.

IronLionZion

(45,380 posts)
69. Pizzagate, payoffs from enemy countries, anything they project onto Dems is likely
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 09:51 PM
Feb 2019

Dem emails have scandalous things like risotto recipes and the DNC influencing primaries to help one candidate over another.


GOP emails probably have some House of Cards type crimes documented that would result in hard prison time. And many on their side have been indicted, charged, and plead guilty to crimes already. I bet it goes really deep.

Haggis for Breakfast

(6,831 posts)
73. I'd like to see this question answered by:
Fri Feb 15, 2019, 11:51 PM
Feb 2019

1) Malcolm Nance

2) Michael Hayden

3) James Clapper

4) John Brennan

5) Richard Clark

6) Bill McRaven

Nitram

(22,749 posts)
81. Whether or not the Russians have anything on Republican Congress-bots, they are motivated only by a
Sat Feb 16, 2019, 05:48 PM
Feb 2019

desire for power. They already got two SCOTUS appointments, and might get another. Regulations have been rolled back across the board, leaving the environment and the economy open to serial rape. They are a pack of craven traitors.

NanceGreggs

(27,813 posts)
82. If they are only motivated ...
Sat Feb 16, 2019, 06:05 PM
Feb 2019

... by a desire for power, why are they enabling a "pResident" who is losing them voters - ya know, the people who can put you in power in the first place?

Nitram

(22,749 posts)
84. I just told you. Two SCOTUS appointees (and the possibility of a third), suspending regulations
Sat Feb 16, 2019, 11:36 PM
Feb 2019

across the board, etc. etc. Did you actually read my post?

NanceGreggs

(27,813 posts)
86. The GOP ...
Sun Feb 17, 2019, 01:18 AM
Feb 2019

… would have gotten all the things you’ve mentioned no matter which Republican wound up in the WH. Conservative justices, judicial picks, reversal of regulations, tax cuts for the wealthy – all of it. And had the prez been anyone other than Trump, they wouldn’t be having to deal with scandals on a daily basis.

He is being detrimental to the Republican party. They knew they were going to lose big in the midterms (which equals a loss of power), and yet they continued to stand behind Trump when they knew what he was saying and doing were going to cost them that loss. They saw the disapproval ratings going up, just like we did.

So why stick by Trump when it leads to losing power rather than gaining it? The Repubs will lose in 2020 – mostly due to their continued support of a “pResident” whose disapproval ratings keep going up. And once that power is gone, their won’t be any more conservatives appointed to SCOTUS, etc. – and many of their treasured gains will be undone under a Democratic president.

So again the question is: Why are certain, very influential Republicans more than willing to undermine their own political positions and ambitions, and risk losing even more bigly in 2020?

As I said, this isn’t about pics in the Enquirer of a congressman in bed with a dead girl or a live boy. This is about money having changed hands, it’s about treason – and knowing there are people who have the evidence to prove it is pretty strong motivation.

Locrian

(4,522 posts)
87. yep - everyone is overthinking things
Sun Feb 17, 2019, 10:07 AM
Feb 2019

They've been **selected** to behave just the way they are. They aren't leaders or anything like it - they're loyal followers of the donors / rich/ whatever you want to call it.

The fact that trump has ripped the curtain away doesn't mean the corruption etc wasn't there in the first place. Now they have no skills to do anything else except bumble along. They have no stones to be able to find their way out of this so they're doubling down.

I'm just glad that a lot of the dems seem to have woken up and are truly in the fight now. But it remains to be seen what will actually be revealed to the public - because I think it's gigantically evil and I can see them "not wanting to scare the public" (ahem, cough, affect the markets) with the reality.

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