Dan Rather: JUDGE - 'All who abetted, normalized, & rationalized his actions share responsibility'

[Soph0571]

They cannot be allowed to get away with what they have tried to do...

[malaise]

1. This

Get thee to the greatest page

[Skittles]

2. they ARE getting away with it

exactly WHO is going to stop them?

[Soph0571]

3. 2020 is just around the corner...

[Skittles]

4. and who exactly is going to stop Russia from helping the Greedy Old Pig party again?

[Lonestarblue]

16. So far, no one is stopping Russia.

We have some hope with North Carolina redistricting, but what’s to stop all Republican governed states from deregistering minority voters, programming some voting machines to default to a certain candidate (Mississippi, Texas, and North Carolina that have been reported), moving or closing voting locations just to make it difficult for minorities to vote, holding new voter registrations until after the election, etc., etc. Republicans have been cheating for years, and they will do it in 2020. We need Democrats and Independents to turn out in droves to overcome their cheating.

[CrispyQ]

26. Somebody better have a Plan B.

I don't think anyone does, though.

[sharedvalues]

28. Plan B: impeachment hearings. And Canvass. Organize. Vote.

Also make sure we run a candidate for president that understands the GOP must be defeated and broken if we want to save our democracy.
Dem pres must beat the GOP 2020-2024, not just win in 2020.

[certainot]

47. offense. destroy the RW talk radio monopoly w/market demand - it's not enough to vote, GOTV, donate.

artificial intelligence makes it easy, cheap to digitize talk radio - the ad industry will do the work once they become aware of how easy it is for activists to record, transcribe, and list advertisers with hardly any listening required.

talk radio is the only unique advantage they have and at $1000/hr 1200 stations x 15 hrs/day is worth about $5BIL/year FREE to them - and the kremlin trolls piggybacking it.. they know how important it is and democratic and media leadership clearly think it's irrelevant. ad it should not be considered part of the free speech spectrum as long as it is a well protected and coordinated monopoly. destroying the talk radio propaganda operation will help on every level, every issue, every election.

it wouldn't take much activism for the ad industry to get the message it has to start asking radio ad clients if they REALLY want to support the global warming denial, racism, hate, and ignorance

RW has perpetuated the myth that the monopoly is a reflection of the market demand for hate and lies ---advertisers will head for the hills and many stations will have to change programming to stay alive

and it wouldn't hurt for students and communities to start protesting anything trump at the 88+ universities that broadcast sports on 260 limbaugh stations

and going back to rather's point - no one helped trump and the russians more than limbaugh and a few hundred other lying blowhards. AND thosse stations have set up the whole "deep state" defense and polluted a lot of jury pools

[crazytown]

5. The impeachment hearings begin next week.

[Skittles]

6. I have been hearing that for some time

[crazytown]

7. Will be following 1974 Watergate precedent

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. House Judiciary Committee (will)o vote next week on a resolution laying out the procedures for its investigation now that it is actively considering moving to impeach President Donald Trump, a major step toward formalizing its sweeping probe, according to multiple sources familiar with the effort.

The vote, which is expected to occur on Wednesday, will lay out the ground rules for conducting hearings now that the committee has publicly announced it is considering recommending articles of impeachment against Trump. It is expected to follow the precedent set in 1974 over the committee's procedures during then-President Richard Nixon's impeachment proceedings.

https://www.kvia.com/news/el-paso/house-judiciary-committee-taking-formal-trump-impeachment-steps-following-el-paso-field-hearing/1118266895

[Hortensis]

10. Umhm. And Nadler discussed a possible time line for them.

WaPo:

The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee said Monday that the House could launch impeachment proceedings in the late fall — but warned that it would depend on public support.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), who declared his personal support for impeachment last week, said on MSNBC Monday that the House “can’t let the election calendar dictate” when or if they launch a formal impeachment inquiry in his committee. But he guessed that if the panel waits for court decisions — which Nadler guessed would come in “by the end of October” — and schedules other planned hearings in September and October, they could be ready for impeachment soon after.

“If we decide to report articles of impeachment, we could get to that in the late fall … or the latter part of the year,” he said. ...

Recent polls show 37 percent of Americans are in favor of impeachment proceedings. Nadler said Monday that the Democrats’ first challenge would be winning more people over to their side in the coming months.

[crazytown]

11. If they are voting on the procedure for the hearings on Wednesday

I would expect them to be underway in October. The Administration has blocked every single request for information and testimony from witnesses ... Nadler expects the first court orders first week in October, and is hoping for appeals to be denied month end.

[Farmer-Rick]

25. Most people don't know what they want.

"Fifty-seven percent of respondents said it is time to have a new president, according to a Monmouth University poll released Thursday. However, only 35 percent said they think Trump should be impeached.

Democrats overwhelmingly backed impeachment, at 72 percent. Only 39 percent of independents and 8 percent of Republicans agree, based on the poll."

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/458530-poll-majority-want-trump-out-but-not-through-impeachment

If you don't impeach him how are they going to get a new president?

It's those independents that are against impeachment. (Most major polls didn't even track independents until about 2004, weird.) But voting may not get them the new president they want.

Russia is going to be messing around in our elections again....they have already started. Traitor Trump keeps saying he wants to be president for life. We'll see....

[sharedvalues]

30. There's no such thing as an independent

Research has shown that most “independents” today have a partisan lean but say they are independent to dissociate themselves from their party.

In 2019 when you read independent, think “Republican”.

[Chitowncutie]

31. There's no such thing as an Independent

I think you're right Independent = Closeted Republican.

[sharedvalues]

32. Yup. "Myth of the Independent Voter"

https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-on-politics-column-20180301-story.html

[MyMission]

54. This proud Independent is an underground Democrat

Who has always been an independent, for 40 years, since I registered at age 18. Pleased to meet you!

I joke that I am from a mixed marriage; Mom was a Democrat and immigrant while Dad was a republican and racist. They both voted in primaries and general elections, and took me with them. I know many independents who lean and vote for Democratic party candidates. As a child, prior to elections, mom would get a visit from the Democratic canvasser, and dad would get one from the repuglican. I considered joining the socialist party at 18, opted to remain independent.

I vote in primaries...but as an independent I have sometimes voted in the repug primary, to vote against a candidate. In 2016 I voted democratic in general election, but voted in the repug primary, against Trump, against Meadows, and against the authoritarian incumbent sheriff who had a repug challenger but no democratic challenger. That sheriff did lose the primary, which ensured his Challenger would be the new sheriff since he ran unopposed.

I may vote in the repug primary next year, to vote against frump, meadows and tilis, and screw with their numbers. I lean towards Warren, hope she will have enough support by then. That's still TBD.

And I WILL vote for any Democratic candidate for president. I always have!

[stopdiggin]

35. independent also means disengaged

people that attempt to keep "all of that stuff" at arms length. I generally believe them when they say things like that .. and I strongly suspect they don't vote (in most instances).

(most "independents" have no clue who Bernie Sanders is .. and democratic socialism will get you a blank stare)

[sharedvalues]

36. Not in general

a lot of voting partisans identify as independents because of embarrassment to because they know it gives them more persuasive power.

When a pollster calls and asks a Republican about their party identity, they’re reasonably likely to say “independent” because they’re embarrassed even though they will vote.

[stopdiggin]

37. the "independents" I meet .. have probably never voted in a primary (nt)

[Hortensis]

41. Pews research says you're both right. Indies can be

unwilling to identify with a party out of embarrassment or feelings of disaffection and/or because they just don't care as much about politics as those do who commit to a group trying to further their ideology. They typically vote in lower numbers, and their strength of commitment to the issues they claim tends to be weaker.

Pew and others do say there's almost no such thing as a true independent. Indies virtually all lean either left or right and vote that way when they do vote. The small remainder are all too likely to be the kind of basket cases who tell pollsters on general election days that they're still undecided.

Not caring enough of course leads those on both left and right to be poorly informed, but it especially causes left-leaning indies to be vulnerable to hostile RW and far left propaganda about Democrats. And thus they can claim proudly to be independent, as if it indicates some higher morality, when they really should be embarrassed about that and ashamed of themselves.

[Ms. Toad]

52. Really? Allow me to introduce myself.

As to me, your first statement is partly accurate (I do have a partisan lean). The rest of the post is inaccurate.

Generally I lean Democratic - generally farther left that most of the Democratic candidates - and 99% of the time or more I vote for Democratic candidates. But I have voted for a few Republicans (local races where they were the best candidate on for a job where my differences with their broader political beliefs would not play a role (or would play a minimal role & once or twice for judges I have worked closely enough with to trust their integrity - when the Democratic candidate was less qualified). I have withheld my votes from Democrats when I believed neither the Democratic nor Republican candidates were qualified for office. I got burned by voting for an idiot who happened to be a Democrat (counting on him to vote the party line) over the Republican with brains - and we have at least one law, sponsored by Mr. idiot which I find immoral.

I'm not trying to dissasociate myself from "my party." But at times "my party" has done things to disassociate itself from me, making it impossible for me to support individuals - or party positions. Immigration is a long-standing issue, as are LGBT rights (think Clinton & DOMA)

I vote for the candidate who (1) shares the most of my values/positions - ranked for priority and (2) is electable. That generally means that I'm stuck wtih the two major parties - since (at least at this point) no one in the other parties is electable, and I'm not going to vote for a 3rd party candidate I like better if doing so will help put the least desirable of the two who will almost certainly win in office.

But your assumptions about independents are pretty far off base as to me, and other independents I know. As far as I'm concerned, being an independent means I think carefully and make an individual decision about each person and each race, regardless of party affiliation, before filling in the bubble for that candidate.

[sharedvalues]

55. Thanks. You're on DU.

I appreciate your post.
And your post makes the point of the article:
You call yourself an independent and you vote with Dems 90% of the time.



The point is important for political strategy. Should parties try to persuade independents or not? In your case, the GOP has almost no chance of persuading you to vote for them. That’s the point— we shouldn’t think about persuading independents at the expense of doing what the Dem base worked for in 2018. Because energy in the Dem base matters, and trying to persuade independents who are going to vote GOP is not worth it if it means avoiding what the base wants

[Ms. Toad]

59. There's a difference between spending time and energy trying to persuade

people who are going to vote Republican the majority of the time, and asserting that independents are republican, not independent, disengaged, etc.

The former is a strategy - The latter I find offensive, since it denies the reality of my political reality - and lumps me in with closet republicans.

I truly do make each decsision about each candidate based on the merits of the candidate (and whether I can vote for the candidate most aligned with my views without helping put the candidate least aligned with my views in office). While it is accurate that most of the time that means I vote for democrats, taking my vote for granted would be a mistake - especially if we ever move to a three-party system in which the Democrats are in the center.

[sharedvalues]

60. Yes apologies

If I said independents are Republicans that was my mistake. I should have said “independent voters very often vote with one party, Republican or Democrat”.

I also in some ways consider myself an independent. It’s just that the GOP has become a party of liars, autocrats, oligarchs, and racists, so any independent evaluation of candidates makes me vote for Dems. (Thats even true for Charlie Baker, who does fundraising with national Republicans. I’d never vote for him simply because of that.) I think it’s ok to say that: we hate the GOP justifiably, so we vote Democratic even if we used to be independent.

I was a Rockefeller Republican back in the 1970s.

[MyMission]

56. Me too

Was typing my reply as you were posting yours, so didn't see yours til mine got posted.
Pleased to meet you, Ms. Toad!

[Skittles]

44. laying out the ground rules

well I suppose that would be a start.......it is long past ridiculous now

[Tipperary]

12. Ha.

[crazytown]

13. Ha Ha

The vote, which is expected to occur on Wednesday, will lay out the ground rules for conducting hearings now that the committee has publicly announced it is considering recommending articles of impeachment against Trump. It is expected to follow the precedent set in 1974 over the committee's procedures during then-President Richard Nixon's impeachment proceedings.

https://www.kvia.com/news/el-paso/house-judiciary-committee-taking-formal-trump-impeachment-steps-following-el-paso-field-hearing/1118266895

[pangaia]

17. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[crazytown]

18. Do you ever read down thread?

[pangaia]

20. Yes. I read the entire thread.

But, may I ask, why did you ask if I EVER read down thread?

[crazytown]

21. Because the Judiciary Committees upcoming vote on Wednesday

to adopt the Watergate precednts for their Impeachment hearings is not exactly zzzzzzz in my book.

[pangaia]

22. That's fine. We can have different opinions.

For one thing, this situation is NOTHING at all like Watergate.

[crazytown]

24. "this situation is NOTHING at all like Watergate"

No, it's not. It is an order of magnitude worse.

[pangaia]

39. yup!!

nixon wasn't an insane traitor, just a greedy lying crook.
of course, he was a republican

[crazytown]

40. I can't see what the problem was, diverting all those military transports to Scotland.

Every President does it.

[Skittles]

45. because that's just THE LATEST in his outrageous behavior

in a long, LONG list

[crazytown]

42. "of course, he was a republican"

Indeed. The Southern Strategy is when the racist rot really set in.

[cstanleytech]

8. I think part of why Trump keeps making so many statements is also to take the focus off his enablers

like Moscow Mitch and the rest of the the Republicans in the House and Senate that are supporting him.

[Hortensis]

9. + 1000.

[Chemisse]

14. More responsibility, in a way. Trump can't control himself. n/t

[Scarsdale]

15. Anyone who does not see the need for this

needs a mental examination as much as tRump does. He blatantly breaks all the rules and laws. Emoluments Clause? That only applies to democratic presidents. He is making money from all angles, and the gop is not only enabling him, but helping with it. Bill Barr knows a law is being broken when he books the hotel in DC for a Christmas party. What the HELL is going on here, that they flaunt this in our faces? Barr should be removed. Either he does not know the law, or he does not care. If he does not care, then why? What does he know that the rest of us do not yet know? Is the next election fixed just like the last one was?

[pangaia]

19. I (and many others here) have been saying this forever.

Who listens to us ?

maybe We should have a newspaper job.. or a blog with a gazillion followers...

[dalton99a]

23. Kick

[dchill]

27. "...the rot of complicity."

Yes.

[smirkymonkey]

29. K&R

He is right. But the fat, orange bastard will get away with it and continue to do worse. I am afraid that only death will stop him.

[pandr32]

33. Could happen!

He is obese, out of shape, with heart disease, and shows signs he is stressed all the time.
Consider his diet and poor habits as creating a hospitable environment for cancer and other potentially fatal diseases besides a heart attack.
The man-baby is toxic sludge.

Every morning I get up and hope to read about his demise or that he has become too ill to continue
. Putin, too, but at least he takes care of himself so we have to hope for an open window with him.

[Nasruddin]

34. People like this

Live forever - Satan doesn't like competition

[Blue Owl]

38. Yes indeed!

K&R

[RainCaster]

43. Sadly, we have to add the USAF to that list now

I can no longer say that I served there. More fuckin embarrassing than you could understand.

[Skittles]

46. I hear you, RainCaster

I am disgusted.

[splunge63]

48. He's not wrong

that's for sure

[demigoddess]

49. they are trying to install a dictatorship

may they fail, because we beat them back.

[McCamy Taylor]

50. Deep Throat. where are you?

[apkhgp]

51. I watch this stuff on television

And the sewer stinks to the high heavens. Just today I heard on "Face The Nation" one of the panelists said that 45 can do and say what he wants. Certain supporters will begin to see the light and turn against him. All I say is Glory, Glory, a miracle.

[TexasBushwhacker]

53. Isn't Dan just the best?

He is one journalist I will truly miss when he's gone. I got to know his sister, Pat, back in the 80's. We taught at the same high school.

[B Stieg]

57. Tattoo "tRump" on every GOP butt!

This is their legacy. Let Republicans wear it proudly until the end of time.

[NCLefty]

58. He posts good stuff on Facebook too.