Robert Reich: "This morning I phoned my old friend, a Republican former member of Congress...."

[steve2470]

https://www.facebook.com/RBReich/posts/1729852823693973

screenshot below

[steve2470]

1. if this conversation doesn't terrify and infuriate you, I don't know what to say.......

Last edited Thu Oct 12, 2017, 02:31 PM - Edit history (1)

I'm not upset with Reich in the least. At Republicans in Congress, yes, I am.

on edit: I'll change the word "terrify" to "concern". Infuriate stays the same. We should not be discussing this sort of stuff. Hate to say it, but with Bush, we never did. Other horrible stuff, yes, but nothing about nukes.

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

58. Then why mention it...

...? eom.

[lagomorph777]

61. I find it encouraging.

There actually does appear to be some limit on how much insanity they will tolerate. Seems that limit is the possible vaporization of the entire world (starting, most likely with their homes in Washington DC). President Turd will be booted out the instant that he frightens enough of the Reputin Party.

[steve2470]

66. yes, I can see the encouragement angle, thanks nt

[whathehell]

76. Me too.

Last night, Chris Hayes and his guests surmised that leaking Tillerson's "Tump is a moron" comment, (which occurred last July) together with all the "Trump is crazy" reports are deliberately being timed to act as a "prelude" or "warm up" to s plan to remove Trump on 25th Amendment.grounds...

Hearing that has made me feel better than zi have since the election..Things seem -- finally -- to be coming to a head.

[Dustlawyer]

79. I will believe it after it happens, maybe!

They have no right to call each other, "...the HONORABLE (shit-head) from _____." There is nothing honorable about them, only self-interest. They are playing with tens of millions of lives just to keep their seat of power that they can turn around and sell out to the big donors!

[whathehell]

81. I'm not stating it as fact, just as possibility..

but I certainly understand your anger at congress and your "wait and see" attitude.

[DFW]

86. Remember KFC's "Colonel" Harlan Sanders testifying before Congress

I forget what he was there for, but that's not the fun part, anyway.

One Congressman noted that he went by the title of "colonel," asked him if he was truly a colonel. Sanders slyly retorted that the Congressman went by he title of" Honorable," and asked him if he was truly that.

[lagomorph777]

91. Oh, OUCH!

[DFW]

84. Don't count on their toleration of insanity having a limit. They draw the line at one thing only:

If they see their majority in either house of Congress in serious jeopardy of being lost, THEN they will get active and do something.

Not before.

[certainot]

90. if limbaugh signaled it was okay, they would drop him.

many would be fine not having to actually govern and think again.

i think their real fear is limbaugh and his 300 turd-pellets on the radio. limbaugh was still standing by his man yesterday 'explaining'/rationalizing that the real insane ones were the liberals and there's nothing wrong with trump.

there's a real chance limbaugh has been getting money to support trump, maybe russian money, and since the primaries.

if americans want to see him gone the easiest way is to boycott and protest talk radio and protest the universties that broadcast sports on them until the r-cons most important enforcer and intimidator fell apart.

[cilla4progress]

2. I have only disgust

For those who didn't see this coming.

[Perseus]

64. Of course they saw it coming

they just don't have principles, the saw a way to beat Hillary, a way for them to get back in power. Anyone who reads other things besides road signs knew this guy is crazy, and must have seen the consequences of having him as president.

BUT DON'T BE FOOLED...the republicans are not waiting for the tax failure that is coming, they are just busy screwing up everything Obama fixed, they are doing their dirty work behind the scenes, take out Trump and all you get rid of is the daily circus because Pence is as bad as Trump, just quieter.

There is a saying "ignore the dog that barks, be very aware of the one that doesn't." Trump is the dog that barks every five minutes, Pence is the dog that is quietly doing the damage with the other quiet dogs, Ryan, Graham, McConnell, etc.

The problem is bigger that what most people think, there is a big swamp in the White House, they all have to go because when the one that makes noise leaves, the swam monsters will still remain, and those are very dangerous too.

[Girard442]

3. In 2016, nobody could have foreseen that Trump's control of nukes would be problematic.

Except, of course, everybody with a brain.

[steve2470]

4. +1 nt

[Afromania]

6. +2

[cstanleytech]

29. Actually anyone with more than two functional brain cells could have seen it which of course

says alot about the Repugnant voter base as well as alot of the self proclaimed independents.

[Afromania]

5. so they are willing to risk nuclear Armageddon for a bullshit giveaway to the rich?

Am I reading that right?

[HopeAgain]

13. It doesn't surprise you, does it?

[Afromania]

51. yes and no, I get just how insane these fuckers are, but you'd think the lines would be drawn

at nuclear Armageddon. I thought for sure that the line would be drawn at nuclear fucking Armageddon but it's not!! Fat lotta good that tax cut is going to do anybody when the whole world is a wasteland.

[Enoki33]

21. Exactly my reaction.

[Nay]

32. Of course they are. They're Republicans. Rs have been batshit for 25 years at least. nt

[dawnie51]

7. We all knew.....

it's all about the tax cuts. Republicans will blow up everything in order to get their damned tax cuts. That is how despicable and craven they are. We knew this. Nice to have it confirmed.

[steve2470]

8. +1 nt

[HopeAgain]

15. It's deeper than tax cuts

It's a desire to be part of an unfettered wealthy 1%. We look at third world countries and we see poverty and oppression. They look at them and see a tiny majority holding all the wealth and benefiting from all the oppression. They would be okay with that.

[Irish_Dem]

9. So they are only worried about damage to themselves.

Their re-election changes and damage to the GOP.

[DK504]

10. This is another example of Yertle's psychopathic

behavior and not caring about anything other than himself and his masters.

I hope the some what saner of the Senate do come out and slam him and make the Cabinet understand the 25th is the immediate solution and let Mueller continue to investigate, then he can prosecute him after he is out.

[genxlib]

11. Don't you just love

How even this nameless person who has his eyes wide open STILL sees damage to the party as the central issue.

Oh yeah...nuclear annilation...yeah I guess that's a problem too.



This is emblematic of the problem. As long as these people see things through the lens of party-over-nation, then all of this talk is just bullshit.

[steve2470]

12. excellent points nt

[LittleGirl]

17. oh yeah, that. of course! n/t

[Eyeball_Kid]

43. Nuclear war: if youre not dead or terminally

impaired, you’ll have to deal with a dead power grid. We have a nice preview of that with conditions in Puerto Rico. No juice, no water. And no TV, folks. It’s back to hunting and gathering, maybe voodoo.

Shartcannon wants the power. He can become all-powerful by punching in the codes. He doesn’t give a shit if the grid goes down, if millions die. The more who die, the greater his importance. That’s the thinking of a lunatic. He’d still have the power.

[DetlefK]

14. They thought, Trump would be merely be a harmless figurehead.

Now it turns out, the raging maniac indeed is a raging maniac.

[cilla4progress]

16. I've never seen evil so starkly

in my lifetime. What has become of us?

[Eyeball_Kid]

44. Money is God.

[vlyons]

83. You got that right!

Money is their only god. Even their religion is a prosperity religion. If you get baptized in their church and vote Republican, god will prosper you.

[LudwigPastorius]

18. They're really willing to risk nuclear war in order to get a tax cut.

Maybe that's the Great Filter that a global civilization has to get past to avoid its extinction - greed.

[PatSeg]

19. "Trump could be the end of the republican party"

It is far worse than that. His behavior indicates he could be the end of humanity on the planet.

These jerks who put their political careers ahead of our survival deserve a special place in hell.

[olegramps]

28. The Republican Party has only one concern their own welfare.

Reagan put the nation on this road to ultimate destruction by creating an impenetrable division between the parties. He is responsible for making the nation's motto "e pluribus Unum" (Out of Many One) totally inapplicable to our present situation. The nation has become a virtual "Lord of Flies" playground for the plutocrats. Good Luck America-you will need it when the millions can't even be bothered to get informed and vote.

[PatSeg]

30. But sadly they are destroying

the world that they live in. The lack of foresight is stunning.

[UCmeNdc]

20. Trump thinks a war will help his popularity. He will go to war just for that reason alone.

The Republicans need to have a draft with no deferments if that happens. China is telling Dotard Trump to cool it before he starts WW3.

[DownriverDem]

23. Yep

I bet trump checked out how W's numbers went up with war.

[DownriverDem]

22. It doesn't matter if that repub is still there.

If trump starts a nuclear war, we are all doomed. However impeachment is done in the House. It doesn't appear that the House would do it. Now what?

[nini]

24. Pence would sign that tax bill

That's not the reason.

I hate them.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

31. Yep. The actual reason is that they don't want to totally alienate their base of crazies. n/t

[mopinko]

55. or have them camped out in their offices.

[nini]

65. yep

scary how much power the crazies have right now.

[Enoki33]

25. Those whom the gods wish to destroy they

first make mad". William Anderson Scott (1813–1885).

[Hekate]

54. Damn right

[LongTomH]

26. Go to Prof. Reich's page today. He's letting Trump have it with both barrels.

https://www.facebook.com/RBReich/

[Duppers]

27. Please copy some of his posts.

I really don't want to open FB.
Thx.

[niyad]

33. just about everything with an "r" after its name is a gutless, craven coward.

[irisblue]

48. ☝☝☝☝☝

This

[awesomerwb1]

34. I hope it is the end of the GOP, but like cockroaches.....

And really you treasonous pieces of shit didn't see this? You knew about Russia you motherfu---s, Ryan's on tape saying so. You knew the guy was a racist.

I don't feel any sympathy at all for these assholes. NONE.

They wanted their tax cuts, they have been desperately trying to minimize the perceived damage to their party since day 1. Party over country.

[stevenleser]

35. Phew, its a good thing the JPR types saved us from status quo by voting Trump or Stein

Or writing in Bernie.

They can take their enabling of Trump and their crappy website and stick it where the sun doesn’t shine.

[steve2470]

36. + a billion! nt

[saidsimplesimon]

37. Thank you steve and Robert Reich

I am in recovery from a two week exposure to a sibling who says "I would have voted for Hillary" (not Mrs. Clinton, or former Secretary of State or Senator) if he "knew" about the Russian interference. He pushed my buttons until I exploded (bad form) into public, raging anger, just short of suggesting he get a hotel room.

The dude claims women have treated him badly and stole his fortune, two failed marriages must be "her" fault. I have decided to "divorce" all family members who still support the Rethuglicans.

[steve2470]

38. my pleasure

I never call my congresscritters but THIS.... made me call them.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

39. He needn't worry about the Republican Party. The "Democrat" Party is going to splinter too. n/t

Republicans have made their number one priority to paint the Democratic Party a dung heap that no conservative of any kind would join. And to be honest Democrats need high functioning candidates who understand economics and can easily explain climate change and the practicality of gun laws in a dispassionate way. IMHO.

[mnhtnbb]

40. Greedy SOB's. Willing to blow up the country--and the world--just for more $$ in their wallets

Are these a$$holes so fu*king omnipotent they don't realize they can't take it with them when they've been obliterated?

[fierywoman]

41. Is there any way the military could change the nuclear codes behind FM's back?

[stevenleser]

42. Only problem with that is that Putin would find out, and who knows

what he would do if he somehow learned the US couldn’t launch a retaliatory strike.

[defacto7]

63. I understand there are multiple connections after the code

consisting of confirmation by other individuals who have their own input. It all depends on loyalty to the President and military authority. It's not a code where Trump pushes a button and they take off. Any of these confirmation points could break down depending on loyalty. Someone else may pick up the chain but it could throw a wrench in it... or not.
How loyal are the cabinet members and military leaders under Trump who confirm the act? Will they mindlessly confirm just because he's President or will they blink? I think that is what we should be concerned about. But it's possible the chain is already broken. We can't know any of this; we can only hope for reason to win over blind action.

[Big_K]

71. Unfortunately I am depending on the tackling ability...

... of the Generals. That's the only thing that might save us.

[dlk]

45. The GOP Has Always Known What Trump Is--They Made a Calculated and Cynical Choice

And now that choice is coming back to bite them. Too bad, so sad. The trouble is, they make take all of down in the process.

[Scarsdale]

46. No democratic candidate

as dumb as tRump would have made it into the lineup. We prefer INTELLIGENT leaders. Imagine if tRump WERE a (D) ? He would have been impeached months ag

[sprinkleeninow]

62. Our household knew 'he' was a (fill in with your word of choice)_____

while even before campaigning, but the evening of the debate with HRC. Holy God.

Here's dirtbag: "Wrong." "Wrong." "Wrong." as he leans into the mic.

Then stalking her so close behind while she was speaking to the audience group in front of her.

There was a thread, I think, regarding what she said/wrote regarding her demeanor/response to jackhead that nite if she had whirled around and verbally bit his head off.

Yeah, in hindsight, she and we wished she had done that. If we collectively only knew she wouldn't become Our Rightfully-So CiC. She would have had nothing to lose.

[ellie]

47. That's not at all alarming

/s

[Smitty63nnn]

49. And now the SOB just gutted the ACA

Its time for 45 to get the 25.

[LudwigPastorius]

72. "Its time for 45 to get the 25."

...before we're all 86'd!

[sandensea]

50. 'Do we balance the tax bill against nuclear war?'

Today's GOP in a nutshell.

[SummerSnow]

52. So if the tax bill does not pass then they'll impeach him?

That is so stupid. Won't be anyone alive to benefit from any tax bill. WTF? Rethugs have blood on their hands right now

[Hekate]

53. The GOP deserves to die -- but I don't think the rest of the world does...

Me (in a heartfelt voice): Gods damn them to hells.

[Grins]

56. My favorite line: "But now it's personal."

My favorite line: "But now it's personal."

Now? Now? Party over country strikes again.

Corker, McCain, Flake, publicly and gleefully shitting on a Gold-star family, the blatant misogyny, abuse of teenage girls in pageants, Michael Flynn and his idiot racist son, Russia, Obama's wiretaps, assaults on immigrants, assaults on courts and judges, Jared Kushner's links to Russia and the Saudi's, Jared's deceptions in his security clearance forms, his idiot son meeting Russian agents, almost all his staff having to lawyer-up over possible treason, his embrace of the evil that is Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Philippines, Egypt, his compromising Israel’s intelligence sources, his alienation of Australia, Mexico, Germany, Great Britain, France, Belgium, North Korea, South Korea, Japan, China, the budget, the wall, arms sales to the Saudi's, kicking NATO to the curb, the CIA, the Pope, Comey - but only now "it's effing personal"?

Jesus holy fuck-balls! What the hell does it take for you to open your eyes and see the Republican Party is a toxic, ideological wasteland; a vast mob of traitors, cowards, madmen, bigots and imbeciles? What does it take to convince you the Republican party has gone completely barking mad? Willfully?

Eff these guys.

They're willing to hold their breath over a nuclear holocaust from this rancid, orange bag of meat for - tax cuts.

[LiberalLovinLug]

59. + 1000

"Yeah. Others are thinking about doing what Bob did. Sounding the alarm."

yawn.


No they are thinking about the $ they will get, and their big donors will get once they shovel through this new tax cut for the wealthy. May......be after that. Depends on if they think they can squeeze out a few more turds while he is the distraction.

[steve2470]

60. excellent post! nt

[benld74]

57. GOPGovernment of Putin

DONT forget

Mercer and Bannon will be funding ANY GOP candidate in the future,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[zentrum]

67. Didn't think I could hate Republican

....leaders any more than I already do......until now.

[bucolic_frolic]

68. Boxed in

It would take Pence to invoke any mental health challenge. He's more loyal than Sessions.

There is no way out except impeachment. It's good that Democrats floated the bill yesterday. It shows there is a
case if any Republicans have the courage to embrace it before all is destroyed.

John Dean used the famous analogy, 'a cancer on the Presidency'. This is 100 times worse. It includes everything
our democratic system stands for, and all are afraid to stand up for America. Even some of our Democrats would
hesitate if they were in the majority, because that's when something has to be done.

[steve2470]

69. good post nt

[7962]

89. I think if Pence saw that a large majority would back him, he'd move on it.

IMO, he's sitting there, quietly watching everyone around him and what they say and do. He knows the presidency is his if he just bides his time. Move too fast, and he's out

[tiptonic]

70. Putin

Putin must be just loving this. I bet it's turning out better, than even he, thought it would. God help us all.

[Texin]

73. I think they believe a tax bill will give them more leeway to ditch him.

I believe they feel this is their "cover" for dumping him. It's totally baffling to me that they don't realize that they could get their damn so-called 'tax reform' done with Pence in place just as easily (if not more so) as they with could with Twitler. Actually, the cabinet members could alone bring about the invocation of the 25th Amendment. Congress's craven behavior in the midst of this chaotic, demented depravity running amok would be staggering if it wasn't so infuriating. This guy is nuts. They may not have fully realized what a big bag of hair 'rump is, but they clearly do now. I believe they thought they could keep him leashed and muzzled for the most part by WW staffers, but this guy is a rogue agent and a psychopathic one to boot. His stupidity is almost unbelievable and matched only by his total lack of humanity. I don't put anything, and I mean anything past this guy at this point. He doesn't give a shit about the rest of the world (or for that matter, about US citizens), and I think he believes he'll just crawl into some secured underground bunker and just wait out the nuclear mushroom clouds believing that when he emerges everything won't have been totally destroyed with a nuclear winter coming. Bye bye Mar 'a Lago.

[catbyte]

74. "He" is full of shit. It's not about the tax cuts, they're scared of The Cult. Pence would sign

a tax bill just as fast as that orange nightmare. They're all spineless cowards.

I call bullshit.

[chaking53]

75. He's not crazy or stupid - He's doing exactly what Putin wants!!!!!!!

[Honeycombe8]

77. Wow. You think this is on the up and up? Real? nt

[mgardener]

78. Republicans. Party over country

They want a tax bill to save Their job.
Don't care about Puerto Rico or California.
Don't care about million without health care.
Don't care there is a crazy man that could start a nuclear war.

I knew Trump was crazy just by following him for years and paying attention during the campaign.
What excuse does the Republicans party have?
Oh yes. PARTY OVER COUNTRY.

[Efilroft Sul]

80. So GOP senators are upset that Trump kicked a fascist little puppy named Jeff Sessions?

And they'll impeach or try to have the cabinet invoke the 25th Amendment after a nuclear war starts?

Good gawd, these stupid shits have misplaced their priorities right up the hole in which they inverted their craniums.

[ThoughtCriminal]

82. They are probably actually calculating

that the war will be limited to Korea and maybe Japan.

With the right "insider trading", they see the profit potential.

We are not just dealing with greedy incompetent sociopaths, they are ALL fucking morons.

But... BENGHAZI!

[JHB]

85. I've long said they're willing to burn the whole country down for tax cuts...

...and there's as much open confirmation as you please.

But he's wrong about "all the ignoramuses he(Trump)'s stirred up". They're your ignoramuses, Mr. Republican former member of Congress. The voter base conservative Republicans fostered over the last 50 years, particularly the last 30.

They're the people your team radicalized in order to break up the New Deal coalition. They're the audience for conservative media, they're the people who cheer when someone rails at the "lying liberal media". They're the ones your team has been dog-whistling to.

Your people voted for this despicable, unhinged, unstable, fucking moron. And they knew what he was when they did it. It was WHY they did it.

You want to salvage your party, pal, you and your chickenshit fellow Republicans need to pull out all the stops right now and bring him down.

[steve2470]

87. excellent post! nt

[Highway61]

88. What good are tax cuts

When all that's is left is cinders! Priorities are fucked up like always....