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http://rudepundit.blogspot.com/2019/11/note-to-democrats-call-gops-bluff.htmlThe Rude Pundit
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11/25/2019
Note to Democrats: Call the GOP's Bluff
Oh, it would be a shit show of open sewer proportions, for sure. It would be a scuzzy circus on top of a cheap zoo covered with crazy sauce. But House Democrats should call the bluff of the increasingly divorced-from-reality Republicans and hold hearings on all the fuckery they claim has been going on. Like fuckin' all of it. Like let's attempt to blow this shit up once and for all.
Just tell Republicans at different committees, "You wanna go? Let's go, motherfuckers. Call your witnesses. But everyone has to go under oath. Every fucking witness."
Start with one bullshit conspiracy and then move on to the next. You wanna prove that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election, Republicans? Fine. Look at one of Devin Nunes's repetitive mad rants during the impeachment hearings and see who they might want to testify. Alexandra Chalupa? Groovy. How about all the Ukrainians that Republicans claim know shit about Hunter Biden or the 2016 election? Awesome. Bring 'em all in, Valeriy Chaly, Viktor Shokin (that'll make you shit blood, eh, Devin?), and more. And, sure, why not, let's get Hunter Biden. Do it up.
However, Democrats get to invite witnesses, too. Lev Parnas and Serhiy Leshchenko, perhaps. Hell, bring in Joe Biden.
Let's get it all out there. "Black book" and "Steele dossier" are still involved in this madness. So call back in Glenn Simpson, along with Peter Fritsch, two of the founders of Fusion GPS, who can explain one more goddamn time about the Republican origins of the Steele dossier and about how they have no connection to Ukraine and how deeply, deeply Trump is in with Russia.
snip//
We can't go on like this, as a country where there are two completely different versions of reality, one based in facts and one based in fantasy, especially when the fantasy side has built up a web of doubt against facts. If we had a functional news media (and no Fox "news" ), it could do the job. But we don't, and we now have the party that controls the executive branch, most of the judiciary, and half the legislative branch actively seeking to replace facts with fantasy. The kick in the ass is that most of them know it's a fantasy and don't give a shit as long as they maintain power.
It's an odious fucking task for Democrats. But while they have the ability to tear at that web through hearings, they need to do it until the goddamn thing snaps enough to make a difference. Or we're all gonna get trapped in it.
dalton99a
(81,380 posts)"'I understand you think I spent a lot of time in Ukraine?' Mr. Simpson inquired.
"'You did spend some time in Ukraine,' Mr. Giuliani replied.
"'Did I?' Mr. Simpson asked as he waved his phone in front of Mr. Giuliani, signaling that he was recording the encounter. 'What if I told you I have never been to Ukraine in my life?'
"'Well,' Mr. Giuliani replied with equanimity, 'O.K. I will find out if thats true or not.'"
Essentially, the GOP has become a machine to back up whatever insanity is coursing through Donald Trump's shrinking brain or whatever lie has been concocted to cover up the latest crimes. It's like if you're a Republican member of Congress, you must wake up and get a text message from your leadership that says something like, "Okay, we no longer trust the entire intelligence apparatus of the United States. We have to say no one knows anything about who might have the DNC server," and you might want to text back that there really isn't a "DNC server" that can be sent around and hidden like Napoleon's penis. But you know better because Trump has gotten in his head that some acid-washed black box is sitting in a room in Kyiv, and that's the GOP's belief now, even if it's bugnuts insane.
Why do this? Why give them the freak show that they so claim they want? It won't change many minds. People who don't live in reality tend not to give a flaming monkey fuck if you show them facts. So screw them. But so many elections these days, especially on the state and national level, are a matter of a percentage point or two. And if hearings can nudge that one or two percent by demonstrating that Republicans are full of shit, Democrats have to hold their noses and do it.
And it'll also solidify the narrative that so many of us know is true. That Donald Trump was the beneficiary of election interference from Russia, almost certainly knowingly, and that he openly sought election interference from Ukraine, warping U.S. foreign policy in order to assure his reelection. It's not that complicated. It's all about greed and power and madness.
Hugin
(33,032 posts)If they want to try this thing in the court of public opinion... Give it to them.
malaise
(268,640 posts)I agree 100%
Cirque du So-What
(25,907 posts)Expose the madness from the right.
DENVERPOPS
(8,787 posts)Hell fire, the witnesses can't even be forced under subpoena to even appear, much less testify under oath.......
NewJeffCT
(56,828 posts)it will just be more of the same - the Republicans giving sound bites to Fox News and ranting and raving how the Democrats are unfair
calimary
(81,085 posts)The one overriding fact is - nobody wants to have to admit they were wrong.
Nobody wants to own up. And recognize openly that they were wrong. Especially when most of em have made bank on standing firm on their cockamamie belief in all the bullshit. Theyve stood firm arguing with their neighbors, arguing on TV, arguing in Congress, putting their names and faces and reputations large and small - on this. And theres really no easy way to save face. Its hard to admit you were wrong. Nobody likes it. Nobody really wants to. And now, there are jerks like Rick Perry bringing God into it. Kinda hard to collapse that crazy-in-the-head construct when youve gone around all over everywhere claiming that God willed this.
Theyre clinging to this alternate world for dear life.
This is the ultimate Wish Sandwich. As they said in The Blues Brothers, a Wish Sandwich is where you have two pieces of bread and you WISH you had some meat. Its not there, but you can wish it was, all day long. And somehow, magically, it becomes true!
But in the end, no matter how hard you wished or how fervently you believed, it turns out you still didnt have any meat. None. Not even a microns worth.
As the saying goes, facts are stubborn things.
Phoenix61
(16,992 posts)How simple it would be to tell Mitch, Nunes etc pop off at the mouth one more time with Russian talking points and its game on.
Magoo48
(4,697 posts)bucolic_frolic
(43,026 posts)Hollywood's been doing it for more than a century. So has Wall Street. Delusion is a form of social control. Abe Lincoln did it. Freedom meant a different thing to common folk than to his backers, the northern manufacturers and railroad barons he did business with. Something similar is going on here, in modern times. We're being duped into submission so they can steal everything. It's probably about the value of the US Dollar, but hell, what do I know.
usaf-vet
(6,161 posts)Keep Nunes sitting there and listening. Keep a video camera focused on him. Watch for the cringe tells. Who's lying who is not.
F**k him is he can't take a joke. As my drill sergeant used to say.
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)librechik
(30,673 posts)ardently. And Fox will be happy to blow it all out of proportion
Kitchari
(2,165 posts)2naSalit
(86,307 posts)that there should be truth and reconciliation trials of a sort to go one after the elections because it's going to take a while to get all these criminals to trial. So I agree with the concept, though it will take time. We need to get the impeachment/removal over with then we can go deeper into the sewer to clean it out. Those assholes will still be out there after we decapitate this russian monster, we need to extinguish it as completely as possible.
malthaussen
(17,175 posts)The people might lose faith in their government.
-- Mal
eleny
(46,166 posts)RainCaster
(10,815 posts)But which group should take it up? Intelligence or Oversight?
maxsolomon
(33,232 posts)Dems don't need to give russian propaganda credence. half of its effectiveness is making flibberdigibbet voters tune out and push the "both sides" button.
besides, the GOP has the Senate. we're getting this bullshit whether we want it or not.
Dark n Stormy Knight
(9,760 posts)Trump's cult is impervious to facts. The only hope would be if there are enough people who voted for Trump but are not Cult45 who could be convinced by the truth.
Is there a Conspiracy Theory Committee?
Alpeduez21
(1,749 posts)Im all for it. Fuck them. Dems are way too staid and nice. I say when they go low kick the everliving fucking shit out of them
BigmanPigman
(51,560 posts)It would be delay, delay, delay to the Nth degree.