US Politics, December 2019: Profound procedural deficiencies

I'm not crazy abt the attenuated impeachment terms but I don't think delaying the articles defeats the purpose of that strategy.

People are dumb and need to hear even the simple charges repeated and examined. The more time the better, esp. if MCConnell is pledging to rush through the trial.

And especially if Giuliani keep raising the stakes in real time, while more stuff leaks

i understand the thought behind tribe's idea, but they would also need to grapple with the very real possibility (even strong likelihood) that they would never send the articles to the senate. mcconnell isn't going to change anything. let's say a month has gone by in this fashion, with the articles of impeachment approved by the house but still not sent to the senate, and nothing has changed. What then? wait some more, until election day?

Tribe is seeking leverage to move McConnell in a direction McConnell doesn't want to go, but imo delay is unlikely to work. This is the man who was happy to sit on a Supreme Court nomination for ten months and who paid no price for that. A delay of the impeachment trial that he did not initiate, accompanied by Democratic demands he can dismiss as long as he wants, will not impress him.

Immediately after Gohmert finished speaking, Rep. Jerry Nadler, the Democratic chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, said, “I am deeply concerned that any member of the House would spout Russian propaganda on the floor of the House.”

This criticism triggered a heated response from Gohmert, who returned to the podium, shouting, but the microphone had been turned off.

Projection forever:

Here's video of Trump in 2014 saying what being impeached would do to Obama: "He would be a mess. He would be thinking about nothing but. It would be a horror show for him. It would be an absolute embarrassment. It would go down on his record permanently." pic.twitter.com/WctYjnjsP1

— andrew kaczynski🤔 (@KFILE) December 18, 2019

can i ask everyone to observe a moment of silent reflection

Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH) used his time to observe a "moment of silent reflection" for 63 million Americans -- Trump voters who, he said, would be “disenfranchised" by an impeachment vote. pic.twitter.com/KmWWdmcED0

— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) December 18, 2019

Delay seems useful for Giuliani to keep revealing more, and also if they're going to bother to add emoluments charges involving Trumps properties, businessess, and in-White-House children. The American media seems incapable of reporting his crimes as crimes, so this at least gets it read into the record.

Delaying just for procedural reasons makes the House dems look wishy-washy.

xp shouldn't it be a moment of silent reflection for the 300+ electoral college voters who got him elected

Exactly, if they want to delay, might as well bring more witnesses to the House

xp

God I listened to some of the hearings and the ping-ponging back and forth between milktoast Dems and the insanity of Republicans made me want to drive off the road.

The House has never heard such remarkable statesmanship.

The Dems sound fine to me.

swamp!
elitists!
hoax!
sham!

-Fear Factory

excited for trump's crucifixion

Oh leave the stone alone, (sha-la-la-la push-push)
Let it stay and let him moan. (sha-la-la-la push-push)

I keep checking in and these people are still talking. Could someone text me when it's time to vote

They're starting now, 15 minute vote on article 1.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKSgxJhVFcU

Reportedly a Republican voted yes? Or was that Amash?

there was a Republican "Yea" that popped up on CSPAN briefly but it seems that's been removed. Maybe a mistake?

Amash is the Independent vote I'm assuming

Tulsi votes “present”

dimwit

they immediately threw the Republican in the trash compactor so now he is no longer with us, no more vote

cannot believe how many people I knew riding for Tulsi.

impeached on both charges. well, the part we had any control over is over.

Congrats on executing trump

it's about to get really agonizing

yup

meanwhile Cillizza is writing about how this is helping Trump, based on his cherrypicking of one poll that does not match others that came out just yesterday.

that's why he makes the big money

As Chris Matthews just said (lol I know), given Trump is so obsessed with appearance, this means he will now do literally anything to get reelected.

Unlike before

I'm ecstatic right now.

I know it "means" shit.

Fuck you if you're not happy.

he will have a painting commissioned of his asshole and have it sent to everybody in Congress

i'm happy.

it's a day we never thought would come and it's here.

Trump has media lackeys he doesn't have to pay to carry his water for him, plus he has a massive war chest to buy media ads, making his 'case' which almost completely lacks a factual basis, but consists mostly on discrediting or denying every scrap of evidence, every word of testimony, and every Democrat in Congress as biased or malignantly motivated. Plus many total mischaracterizations of the evidence, endlessly repeated.

So, it is better to tune out the majority of it as nothing new. The only important part will be how the Senate rules get written and McConnell apparently can't ram through the exact rules he most wants enacted, so the real action will take place between him and Schumer. Uh, mmm, hurrah??

I'm happy because he's got to be so pissed. And now what will the GOP whine about, now that it's done and can't be undone?

oh fuck off Tulsi

“I am standing in the center and have decided to vote 'Present.' I could not in good conscience vote against impeachment because I believe President Trump is guilty of wrongdoing," Gabbard said in the statement. “I also could not in good conscience vote for impeachment because removal of a sitting President must not be the culmination of a partisan process, fueled by tribal animosities that have so gravely divided our country.”

Honestly asking: will anything of consequence happen because of this

xpost what a brave stand, voting "present" when you know the result is a foregone conclusion anyway

It's inspired a bunch of activists in South Florida I know for another round of voter registration.

So fuck off anyone who sez this was an empty gesture.

(I'm not addressing you, Simon).

xp trump goes in the historical hall of shame

This is meaningful and a good thing. More importantly it was the right thing.

Honestly asking: will anything of consequence happen because of this

Posited somewhere that that impeachment may give the usual suspects (Collins, lol, Mitt, double lol) some cover to say they don't want him removed, but can't absolve him without hearing from important witnesses like Bolton. Which likely would further not be good for his defense, not that it will nudge the needles of these psychos.

i'll be ecstatic when I can afford chemotherapy

are still fucking answering this question

this will make Republicans own the acquittal. drive up our own "get out the vote" initiative and get the turnout where it needs to be for 2020. fundraise off of this shit.

I like the headlines:

“Trump Impeached for Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress” (NYT)

and especially “TRUMP IMPEACHED:
Donald J. Trump is the third U.S. president to receive that sanction; he faces a trial in the Senate” (WP)