Adam Schiff Delivers Performance Of A Lifetime - But It Mostly Fell On Closed Minds, Deaf Ears

Even as we learned Trump yesterday tweeted 142 times (141 of them outright lies)  we  got to see and hear the stirring words of Adam Schiff ringing loudly and clear in the Senate Chamber:

“You are left with no choice but to demand to hear from each witness with firsthand knowledge” of Trump’s pressure campaign, A fair trial requires nothing less.”

The historic trial, only the third of its kind in U.S.  risks devolving into a farcical Potemkin sham unless the 53 Republicans pull their collective heads out of their asses and attend to the case and the arguments presented by those like Schiff.   They ought to be reminded they are also on trial  - along with Trump - as history suffuses the chamber including the presence in the room of John Roberts, the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme court.

Just after 1pm, Adam Schiff stepped to a lectern between the tables to narrate the sordid story of Trump’s wrongdoing. Schiff and the other 6  House impeachment  managers laid out their case in stages, to powerful effect.  (At least for anyone of normal sentience - as opposed to the Repuke kool aid drinkers and Dotard asslickers like Lindsey Graham).  In meticulous detail they presented Trump’s corrupt scheme in narrative form, with a factual chronology and video of past witness testimony, to move thereafter to a description of the constitutional framework for impeachment.

But Schiff's presentation blew everyone away with its powerful combination of appeal to the Constitution, Senators' moral conscience and the future welfare of the nation.  At a break in the trial, the minority leader, Chuck Schumer, called Schiff’s performance “a tour de force”.  He said:

“I think a good number of my Republican colleagues for the first time heard the argument against the president – powerfully, succinctly and completely– and I hope that can begin to change minds,” 

Both wifey and I concurred that Mr. Schiff delivered an argument for the ages, in clear, concise terms given he had to bring all the evidence to bear on Trump's extortion of the Ukrainian president and his subsequent obstruction. Hell, the orange, pus-filled maggot even bragged while still in Davos of his crime, keeping the materials hidden, e.g.

• Trump brags: ‘We have all the material, they don’t’                         

Polling released on Wednesday by the Pew Research Center indicated public backing for the Democratic call for witnesses and found that 70% of respondents said Trump “definitely or probably acted unethically” while 51% said Trump “should be removed from office”.

“We’re trying this case over two juries,” Schiff said. “The Senate and the American people.”

But have any Republican Senators been moved to action?  Hardly!

“I didn’t hear anything new today,” said Republican Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.

 Errr... were you really conscious then, Toomey, or on an MJ candy high?

“I haven’t heard any evidence in there that the president’s done anything wrong,” said Josh Hawley of Missouri. 

Then you need to take remedial American Government classes again, Hawley, with emphasis on Article 1 of the Constitution.

Lisa Murkowski, (R-Alaska) then reportedly chafed at Jerry Nadler's remark that any Senator who refuses to allow witnesses is effectively assisting Trump in the "cover up".  Miffed at any such suggestion, Murkowski whined: "I am very offended!  I took it as very offensive since I am listening attentively and working hard to ensure a fair process."

Spare me the faux offense, Senator. If you are not prepared to allow witnesses - especially relevant ones to this supposed trial - then all you're doing is posturing for FOX News zombies.   And that also means, logically, you are assisting in Trump's obstruction!  Which also means collaborating in the cover up. (See news link above how he bragged about withholding materials.)

Meanwhile, Lindsey Graham yelped about a "crusade" by the Dems to get his master, Dotard.  After seeing this dishonorable puke  cry, bark and barf,  one had to wonder if he was missing his latest Trump ass lick fix.  Or maybe he's on some kind of brain -frying junk, given he also congratulated Schiff on a "job well done".  Which is it, Lindsey?

With the majority leader, Mitch McConnell, having succeeded the night before in winning approval for a speedy trial, the House prosecutors have limited time in which to plant seeds of doubt in Republican minds about the conduct of the president.  But for realists, the odds of getting any such seeds planted are about the same as Tau Ceti aliens abducting Dotard before he leaves bellows another lie.

There is also the issue here of Mitch McConnell's "rules" which appear to have any force at all.  One often beheld the Senate Repukes visibly frustrated at the long hours of the trial, appearing at times to be on the verge of mild mutiny, openly flouting rules requiring them to remain at their desks and instead circulating in a cloakroom off the Senate floor. They drew no rebuke from Roberts.  My take? Roberts correctly saw the truth was gradually infiltrating their neurons risking about one trillion neural embolisms - so gave the Reeptards a break.

The seven House managers selected to present the articles of impeachment have about 16 remaining hours spread over two days to present their case to convict and remove Trump from office. Then the Dotard team has its opportunity to rebut the charges.   Translation:   Jay Sekulow and Co. will strain to see how many lies and concocted bullshit they can come up with (mainly using Russian tropes) to  appease their master, Dotard - and to hell with the Constitution and country.

Trump of course is not expected to appear at his own trial.  He bragged in Davos he'd like to come, but of course those are the empty words of a con man.  You take everything this twit says or tweets with less than a National Enquirer headline.

 Moderate Republican senators (e.g. Susan Collins, Murkowski, Cory Gardner, and Mitt Romney )  have made cooperative noises and also expressed discomfort with rushing the proceedings.  But this is likely all political posturing - especially for those up for re-election -  like the weasels Gardner and Collins.  Point:  none of the "moderates" voted with Democrats on several motions on Tuesday that would have cleared the way for new witnesses and testimony.  Clearly, Trump has their brains and spines locked up firmly in the remote recesses of his fat behind - never to see the clear light of day.

Winding up his oratory, Schiff warned that democracy was on the line. “Our future is not assured. A fair trial, with impartial consideration of all of the evidence against the president, is how we keep our republic.”

As Ben Franklin once told a woman who asked what kind of government we had: "A Republic, if you can keep it."    Right now it appears that owing to the cowardice of the Republicans, and their placing party over nation, we may not keep it - but lose it to an authoritarian Trumpocracy.

See also:

Adam Schiff

Adam Schiff: A True Hero for Our Times

And:

• Lindsey Graham goes into hiding just before Jerry Nadler calls him out—with receipts 

And

Impeachment | Mitch McConnell | Senate

Impeachment in Wonderland: First the Trial, Then the Evidence.

And:

Impeachment | Republicans

Republican Senators Are Betraying Their Oaths and Embarrassing Themselves Before Our Eyes

And:

Donald Trump

Trump Is Abusing His Power and Obstructing Congress Right Now While Impeachment Trial Continues

Another Reich Wing Loser Roused To Febrile Ruminations Of Retribution - And Busted Just In Time

Robert Bowers (top left) who committed the Spring Hill Synagogue massacre last October, and Trump and Hitler - two authoritarians of a feral kind.  Below:  Christopher Hasson, the White Nationalist who plotted the latest domestic terror - but which the DOJ let out nary a peep for a week.

"To hear the Republicans you'd believe all these violent acts are just spontaneous events like some weird meteorological event. All of a sudden strange things happen, sun changes  positions with the Moon, floods appear, tornadoes erupt.....as if there is no coherent explanation for the mass killings, the hate crimes. It's incredible!"  - Julia Ioffe, October 29  on 'Morning Joe', after the Spring Hill massacre.

"It's not to say Trump's words cause crazy people to be crazy. It's to say his words have impact and they have particular impact on people who are mentally unbalanced or who have an inclination to violence.  The other problem is that Trump personally has lied over and over to convince us that Muslims from outside the U.S. are the greatest threat to Americans. And in fact it is domestic terrorism. He's lied about this, lied about it to Congress and it's about time we have some oversight hearings from Jerry Nadler and others to really explore why we have not taken domestic right wing terror more seriously."  - Jeennifer Rubin, speaking on All In Wednesday night, following the arrest of Christopher Hasson for a domestic terror plot..


In October,eleven people were killed and six wounded in the worst ever massacre of Jews in U.S. History. The slaughter  - at a synagogue in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood of Pittsburgh -   was the work of a hate -drive, right wing psycho named Robert Bowers, a  46 y/o truck driver and Pittsburgh resident.  There was no doubt Bowers held far-right views.   After all he was a committed poster on "Gab"  then the  'go to' haven for Nazis, White Nationalists, Aryans and other extremists - oh, and plenty of Trump supporters too. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, the local CBS affiliate KDJA reported that a “white male [with] a beard …walked in yelling ‘All Jews must die’.”

The latest sick-MAGA -ized whackjob is Christopher Hasson, fortunately busted before he could mount a terrorist slaughter using a stash of weapons, e.g.

Prosecutors said Hasson was a “domestic terrorist” and that he should be detained. He was arrested last week on drugs and weapons charges. Incredibly (and inexplicably) there was no DOJ alert or news release - as if the agency sought to contain the news that this bad guy was not a Muslim,  But as noted by David Cay Johnston on 'All In' Wednesday night, after Jeff Sessions came in as AG, cases involving  right wing domestic terror were "downgraded", i.e. shuffled to the backburner.     In the case of Hasson, we needed  the help of an astute university prof (Seamus Hughes) to expose the bust.  For nearly a week after Hasson's arrest there was complete radio silence from the FBI, from the investigators, from the prosecutors, from the Justice Department - not to mention the White House. Why? Likely because busting these turds would puncture the main tropes and narratives, propaganda of MAGA country.  In Johnston's words:

"Big surprise given Sessions background and Donald Trump's race baiting through his campaign. Trump had been giving aid and comfort to these people, many of whom are mentally unbalanced. These people are being encouraged by Donald to act on their impulses not just fantasize about them."

That still doesn't excuse the top law agency in the nation  remaining silent on the terrorist perp for over 5 days (We already knew Adolf 'Dotard' Drumpf would, duh!).  As former DOJ spokesperson  and Justice analyst Matt Miller put it last night on All In:

"There are good law enforcement reasons why this case and similar ones should be publicized. I mean this isn't the only white nationalist, domestic terrorist out there. These cases are on the rise and by publicizing this case you send the message it will be taken seriously and you let other people who might be around these domestic terrorists know the warning signs, like stockpiling guns, reading right wing manifestos. Those are warning signs that it's time to call the FBI. It makes our country less safe by not publicizing these cases."

Miller went on to note this isn't the first time the DOJ has sat on such a case. He cited a Nebraska incident last January in which white supremacists tried to take over an Amtrak train, but was subdued by the crew and passengers. Again, the DOJ put out no press release and the public only learned after a beat reporter was coming court filings and happened to come across it. As Miller added: "It makes no sense. It's not the way we did things when I was there. I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt but find I just can't do that."

But it is the way things are done in an administration that wants to protect itself against the charge it's stirring up hate with its vile rhetoric and often praising neo-Nazis and other filth.

The toxic change since Trump's arrival has also been documented and verified by the SPLC .  The organization (to which I belong) has found the number of U.S. hate groups hit a record high last year at 1.020.  Most appalling, the number has jumped 30 percent since 2014, and followed three consecutive years of decline following President Obama's time in office.  The center also noted: "The rise in hate movement coincides with President Trump's campaign and presidency."

Anyway, we now know Hasson - who incredibly reached the status of Lt. in the Coast Guard-  intended “to murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country”, according to a filing to federal court in Maryland. Law enforcement officers seized 15 guns and 1,000 rounds of ammunition from his home.

The POS had Democrats in his sights and his online targeting materials read like a 'Who's Who' of liberal media stars and politicians.  The filing acknowledged  Hasson to be a fan of the Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik, and that he had compiled a spreadsheet of targets, including:  Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer, Joe Scarborough, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris,  Cory Booker and Ilhan Omar, as well as Chris Hayes ('All In') and CNN anchor Chris Cuomo.  

Sound familiar? Recall back in October another Trumpie dirtbag named Cesar Sayoc was also planning a mass assassination of the current liberal-progressive leadership. Sayoc - picture din the image below at a rally with his red MAGA cap,

mailed out pipe bombs to a slew of Dem legislators.  NY and federal  investigators all made it clear they were damned dangerous, even equating them to IEDs. The one that ended up at Robert DeNiro's place, for example, could have blown his eyes out or fatally injured him had the mail not been intercepted by a former NYPD detective.  TO remind readers of Sayoc's similar terror tactic, see:

Broad-Daylight Fascism and the Bombs of October

The demented loser Christopher Hasson also  clearly was infected with  Trumpist racial tropes and hateful mind viruses.  The wack job evidently searched online for “civil war if trump impeached” and “what if trump illegally impeached”, according to investigators.  This again, shows me all the more reason to impeach the Dotard and bring the rest of these rats and roaches out of their rotted woodwork.

Incredibly,  Hasson’s  terror plot was first noted by Seamus Hughes, the deputy director of George Washington University’s program on extremism and a former US anti-terrorism official.  It was, as I said, not put out there by the DOJ.   We also now know this rabid dog  had been stockpiling weapons in his cramped basement apartment in Silver Spring, Maryland - probably for months in anticipation of his Nazi-spawned bloodbath.

After all, the court filing quoted emails recovered from Hasson’s account in which he spoke about “dreaming of a way to kill almost every last person on the earth”. He  also mused about biological attacks (using plague) to foul the food supply,  along with bombings and shootings.

Most incriminating - not just for Hasson but the whole White Nationalist cancer invading the nation -  he used far-right slogans spread in recent years by other supporters of Donald Trump as well (like Synagogue killer Bowers) ,   The same sorry tune was sounded, i.e. warning that “liberalist/globalist ideology” was destroying white Americans and discussing conspiracies by “((((People))))” – a styling frequently applied online by the far right to the names of Jews.  Also used by Robert Bowers, the Synagogue killer

I know the average American has the attention span of a gnat, and even less memory of recent political events, far less historical ones. But it shouldn't be too much of a stretch or mental demand  to recall the incendiary words of the Swine-in-chief  often just before major massacres or displays, including before the Synagogue massacre by Bowers. 

Is Trump partly responsible for triggering these murderous misfits? Is the Sun a star?  Does a bear shit in the woods? Is gravity real (or fake news)? Dotard has regularly called reporters "enemies of the people" and encouraged his zombies to "knock the crap out of protesters".

A good summary of Trump's rhetoric, in speeches and ties to Neo-Nazis, appeals to White Nationalists can be found here.
https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2018/2017-year-hate-and-extremism

 In the wake of the Squirrel Hill Synagogue massacre one onlooker was heard to say, in regard  to the viral hate issuing from Trump:

“I can’t believe it has spread out this far,”.

But so long as Trump is rallying his crazies, it will.   The fact this pissant could have condemned the attack on the synagogue  but instead  turned around and heaped attacks on his critics. All of which shows his words are empty as far as any condolences. They're merely a pause before he launches the next hate screed on the media, the caravan, the Democrats, you name it.

Meanwhile, we will have to keep a watchful eye out for entitled, bat shit  Nazi goons like Christopher Hasson - convinced their whiteness gives them license to murder, plunder and destroy with impunity.  All of that merely to try to resurrect some long dead "ideal" that never truly existed in the first place. Like Lance Morrow's fanciful "Neverland" of the Saturday Evening Post 1950s - when blacks were still being lynched and burned if still out at sundown. And using a white water fountain in Mississippi got them two months behind bars.    

All of which points to the essential necessity of ousting Trump and his entire administration next year, given it must now be considered an existential threat. As former Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal  put it on MSNBC  'All In' two nights ago:

"All the accounts together show that Trump is engaged in a serial murder of the Constitution and rule of law. He fires anyone investigating him who wants to seek the truth,  whether it's McCabe or whether it's Comey or even Jeffrey Sessions. He puts in place constitutional jokes like Matthew Whitaker.  He tries to discredit and destroy investigations.  He dangles pardons at people who could help him out in any trials. He declares national emergencies without warrant. He discredits judges. All together  this is someone who is unfit to discharge his duties as our chief executive officer."

Like a metastasizing cancer all of the toxic tentacles of Trumpism will need to be eradicated, eviscerated from the nation's memes and political processes as far as humanly possible - especially the odious white supremacy.  We must also hope there are no more hoax incidents of racial victimization such as concocted by Jussie Smollett in a desperate bid to grab more fame than he probably deserves. At least in Smollett's case there will likely be judicial retribution, unless he pleads temporary insanity or that he was on a strong medication  that affected his brain.  But no one ought to believe for one nanosecond that Smollett's pathetic stunt relieves Trump and MAGA country of all the racist transgressions and hate crimes committed under his banner!

See also:

Conservatives and the Right

Report: In 2018, Hate Groups Are More Popular Than Ever

by Ilana Novick | February 22, 2019 - 7:42am | permalink

The Moral From Yesterday's Oval Office Squabble? Don't Get Into A Debate With A Swine

                                                          
The  72-  year old bully brat buffoon who vowed to shut down the government yesterday.

In case you haven't seen it yet, check out the squabble that transpired yesterday in the Oval Office, between Dotard and the two Dem leaders, Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi:

Trump Argues With Schumer And Pelosi On Border Security - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-CuAbbZUoI

The spectacle immediately drew multiple takes from the Neoliberal-dominated media, including this morning on CBS Early Show when anchors John Dickerson and Gayle King declared: "This was no way to behave in the Oval Office and it doesn't look good for either side".   Well, duh.  But what would you have had the two Dems do, sit stone silent like VP Mike Pence?  As former Florida GOP congressman Dave Jolly put it last night: "Both Schumer and Pelosi deserve applause for standing up to Trump and refuting each of his lies." 

Bingo!  But as usual, the Neolib media always plays the "two sides" baloney to try to appear non-partisan. It doesn't work and it never has because anyone with an average IQ can see right through it.  For once we actually have a cross check on this boisterous buffoon, and he doesn't like it,  so prefers to throw a fit for the cameras as he postures like a crazed baboon.  He knows in his puerile heart that starting next year the D-House will go into every nook and cranny of his sorry reign. But in the meantime a word of advice for the Dems:   It may be best not to engage in any discussions on anything regarding policy - because in the end it's not about policy - whether a border wall, immigration in general, the national debt....or whatever.

All of which elicits the question of what yesterday's fracas was all about. I tend to agree with political commentator Ezra Klein who insisted last night ('Last Word') it was never about any border wall, but rather about Trump being in a fight and enjoying a fight. Recall, as the late conservo columnist Charles Krauthammer, David Brooks, Dave Jolly, the WSJ's  Dan Henninger and many others have observed, this is a guy that "likes to punch back".  If one reduces the altercation to this meme, the whole event becomes fairly transparent: it was all about the "Trump Show" and a "terrible day for America" - to use Klein's description.

Why a terrible day?  Because if Trump goes through with his vow to shut down the government on December 21st, 400,000 federal employees will be sent home, another 350,000 will be furloughed. Many agencies will be short-staffed and unable to do the people's business. AS for HUD, nearly 87 % of its 7,800 staff will be sent home meaning the poor in need of Sec. 8 housing will not get it.

As Klein elaborated on the reasons for this farce:

"Give Pelosi and Schumer credit for putting him in a corner, What struck me so deeply about that meeting is that Donald Trump doesn't himself want the wall.  That is not the meeting you want if you want the wall. The difference in what he wants in funding and what he's currently got in funding is about $3.7 billion.  That is nothing in the federal budget. 

If he wanted that wall he would not have put that meeting in front of the cameras, and he'd be willing to give them something for it.....But the thing about Trump is he doesn't want the wall, he wants the fight over the wall. So I don't think they exactly know what to do about a president who doesn't want his policies because he doesn't care about policy. What he wants to do is have fights with Democrats about policy or about policy ideas or words that sound like policy ideas. And have those fights on camera.

The fact those fights don't redound well for him, the fact he's not in a popular position doesn't seen to really bother him. Trump runs his presidency as if the ratings on the television show he's starring on are good and the punches are seen. And today was a good day in the Trump Show."

And as even the CBS personnel noted correctly, it distracted from Trump's problems in finding someone to replace John Kelly as chief of staff, and his multiple legal troubles.

The best takeaway from all this for the Democrats in the House,  when they take the reins next year?  George Bernard Shaw's famous quote:


In other words, don't engage in any more bizarre reality "shows" with this septuagenarian toddler - especially in the Oval Office with cameras running. Instead deftly use subpoenas and complement Mueller's probe with your own investigations. In other words, stolidly and solidly - without fanfare- do the work the Repukes wouldn't.   The American people, at least the non-Foxite sentient set, will thank you for it!

See also:

Donald Trump

An Unstable Dolt

by P.M. Carpenter | December 13, 2018 - 7:49am | permalink

And:

Elizabeth Preza

Article Tools E-mail | Print Comments (0)

Chuck Schumer | Donald Trump | Nancy Pelosi

Pelosi And Schumer Corner Trump As He Spews Lies About The Border Wall — And Insists He’s ‘Proud’ To Shut Down The Government

Why This Government Shutdown Could Last Weeks

Sign for closure placed outside a gov't bldg.
One of the favorite depictions seen on signs of women marchers.

"As Lindsey Graham has been reporting, a 32-year old aide (Stephen Miller) is telling the President of the United States what to do.  Trump gives Minority Senate leader Schumer a number for agreement, Schumer accepts it - then it's blown up when Miller sees it. ...The real damage is that leaders across the world are seeing how weak, how pathetic  this President can be. He has to be the weakest in allowing a 32- year old to lead him around by the nose, and actually undercut him in negotiations with Senate leaders." - Joe Scarborough on MSNBC this morning


As the shutdown continues, most sentient beings in the capitol agree that if anyone apart from the Dotard gets the blame it is the 32 year old proto Nazi and Joseph Goebbels look-alike Stephen Miller, e.g.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgypWo0DCps

Miller's cynical manipulation of Trump was pointed out by Senator Lindsey Graham yesterday and repeated by Joe Scarborough in his statement this morning. Miller, the Goebbels wannabe, has had Trump's ear and been blowing up deal after deal, amendment after amendment - including an amendment proposed by Sen. Claire McCaskill to deliver emergency  funding to the military. But just as Dotard signaled possible agreement and an end to the shutdown, "Goebbels Junior"  nixed it. In other words, he barks "Jump!" and Dotard - like a beaten whelp- asks "How high?"  As Scarborough added:

"Would Barack Obama ever let a 32-year old staff member undercut him? Never! Never in a million years. Barack Obama was a strong leader. What we have here is a weak, weak uninformed leader - Michael Wolff was right.  We have such a weak leader that he lets 32 year olds lead him around and undercut him on negotiations."

This is why Scarborough could say that leaders across the world are seeing what a weak. pathetic putz we have for a leader. What a spineless, contemptible Pillsbury doughboy - all flab and no brain.

How is this germane? Because as long as Jr. Nazi Miller is driving Dotard, there will be NO deal, no end to the shut down. Further, the toxic rancor and rhetoric will accelerate.  How can it be otherwise when the man who purportedly should lead an end to this miasma doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground and has to consult a 32 -year old jackoff Nazi punk on when to take a dump.  For example, the tweet shown on Scarborough's show this morning had all the earmarks of a dumb puppet having his feeble brain "strings" pulled by Obersturmfuhrer Miller, e.g.

"The Democrats are turning down services and security for citizens in favor or services and security for non-citizens. Not good!"

But as Scarborough pointed out for the more feeble minded,  unsure of who to blame:

"Anybody who watched TV this weekend (e.g. C-SPAN) and saw the Senate in session saw that Claire McCaskill tried to pass an amendment that would allow for full funding of the military - Republicans stopped it. They tried to pass funding for the CHIP program, Republicans stopped it.  Tim Kaine tried to re-open the government for three days to get them the space to negotiate this week, but Republicans stopped it. Then Schumer and Trump came together on a deal for DACA - but Miller and the staff stopped it."

And so it's gone and so it goes. But do not look for daylight, as long as extremists are dictating terms to the alleged "leader of the free world" and his GOP cohort.

Let's not candy coat it: things are getting ever nastier in the home of the brave and the land of the free. The ongoing shutdown, itself a sign of the current levels of polarization and division,  descended to new lows over the weekend. This followed the incessant lies from the Trumpies- fanned by Miller and  his Right wing hack allies and followers.. Not to mention putting out a despicable TV ad released on Saturday, which said Democrats were: “complicit in every murder committed by illegal immigrants”.  You think the Dems will be inclined to deal with these asswipes now? Including agreeing to a short term (3 week) CR by noon today? If so you probably also believe in unicorns.

This is how low the current shutdown dialogue has taken us and it is bound to go to ever lower depths as the shutdown continues. And yes, this could last for weeks even as the mainstream media continue to breathlessly gasp about the "blame game".

Look, there is no "blame game" other than in pundits' feverish brains.  Graham and Scarborough nailed WHO is to blame and the Dems have nothing to do with it. As I posted previously this is all on the Repukes (wifey hates that term, but too bad, I'm sticking with it until they prove they can cease "re-puking" unworkable positions.)  -as The Denver Post reported yesterday (p. 11A) have now fully lined up with the extremist Right anti-immigration faction to try to disparage DACA  and the Dreamers. 

The Post didn't mention it but Lindsey Graham did later, that Stephen Miller is the extremist "avatar" keeping Trump on the path to refusing every offer made by the Dems -including even providing significant funding for his goddamned stupid wall.  These extremists are the ones pushing the GOP to yield no ground for any compromise - say to put DACA on the table - for any continuing resolution (CR) or other bill to break the shutdown logjam. 

This is why NO deal will manifest today, so don't hold your breath. The Dems - as part of any short term CR (until Feb. 8th) insist that the DACA issue be integrated into any future bill. The Democrats, in contrast to Trump, have consistently  made it  clear there can be no deal without DACA included. This is given 800,000 kids or young adults would otherwise be sent back to countries they've never lived in by March.  Further, the Democratic base and resistance is fully behind this stance. To cave now, or show cowardice in any form,  will definitely earn the Ds  resounding midterm losses as the base abandons them in November. So, they had better stay strong  and avoid bringing a mere knife to a gun fight. We want Uzis or AK-47s!

How low have things gotten in the meantime? Just look at that reprehensible ad released on Saturday, which said Democrats opposing Trump's hardline immigration agenda were “complicit in every murder committed by illegal immigrants”.  Marc Short, the White House director of legislative affairs, told NBC’s Meet the Press “that ad was produced by an outside group and not those of us in the White House”unfolds"   Never mind, Trump still approved of it, including  a picture of Dotard giving two thumbs up and his voice saying: “I’m Donald Trump and I approve this message.”

Bernie Sanders condemned the ad, saying, on CNN’s State of the Union on Sunday:

“It is really unbelievable and so sad for our country that we have a president of the United States who says such nonsense and such outrageous statements,”

You own it, fat boy, so deal with the fallout, which is primarily bad faith, lack of trust. The Dotard, with his balls locked up by the extreme Right, can't be expected to broker any reasonable end to the shutdown. Indeed, yesterday this turd tried to short circuit the process by appealing to his Repuke tribe to use the "nuclear option".  Such a move would allow Republicans to pass legislation without Democratic support, by lowering the majority needed to pass a bill to just 51 votes.

What was especially gratifying to see, was all the News shows  yesterday that repeated Fox and Friends footage from 2013, when Republicans in Congress drove the last government shutdown, over healthcare reform.  There, captured for posterity, was Donnie Dotard himself, bloviating:

“Well, if you say who gets fired it always has to be the top.  I mean, problems start from the top and they have to get solved from the top and the president’s the leader. And he’s got to get everybody in a room and he’s got to lead.”

Donnie Dotard thought at the time he was too clever by half, given his critique took a shot at then President Obama.  But he couldn't have known that 4-plus years later his words would apply to him. I mean HE is now the guy at the top, or is supposed to be. HE is the one who is supposed to make the hard decisions to solve the shutdown - not let Right wing crazies bend his ears to keep it going.

As Sen. Chuck Schumer said in a Senate floor speech Saturday,  he had “essentially agreed to give the president something he wants” – funding for a border wall – “for something we both want”, status for Dreamers. Adding:

"It was now up to the president to end what he repeatedly called “the Trump shutdown."”.

But see, given Dotard's balls are in hock to Herr Miller and the extreme Right, he can't. He is essentially a political eunuch - having neutered himself - by ceding so much power to his junior aide Miller and the FOX et al crazies. Crazies (like John Birchers) who, merely 50 years ago, were rightfully scorned and relegated to the margins of American political status. While today, idiotic voters - hankering for an authoritarian white Master - have given them center stage.

So much for being the leader. Flush this presidential turd down the political toilet as numerous depictions portrayed in the Women's marches across the nation. 

What's even more incredible than a U.S. President being led by the nose by a proto-Nazi punk?  Well, the answer is how many - who were ready to disown "the Donald" and  toss his fat ass into a mine shaft three months ago - are now prepared to follow him into hell over this shutdown and his anti-immigration stance.

Again, don't look for anything to come of the D-R confab a few hours from now, to try to get a 3 week reprieve. . Until and unless the Repukes detach themselves from the Right wing extremists - especially Stephen Miller - there will be no end to the shutdown.

See also:

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/bruce-ticker/77340/blame-only-republicans


Update: 2: 20 p.m. MST

As per the latest news it appears a temporary agreement - for a 3 week reprieve on the shutdown  - has been reached after all. This was after the Republicans made a "pledge" to consider DACA as part of any new spending bill. Before anyone gets all hyped up and overly positive let's bear in mind we've been down this road before - in December -, when Dems got a similar "pledge" from Bitch McConnell,  then were stabbed in the back. (Why many Left groups are saying the Dems caved.)  Personally, my bet is we will be right back where we are now come Feb. 8th. I could be wrong, and pigs could also fly and unicorns frolic in Rocky Mountain National Park..

Bottom line is there is a window to work things out during which the U.S. government will be open for business. But this depends on the good faith of the GOP (and especially Dotard and 'Mitch the Bitch')  to see the DACA aspect through and not screw over the Dems again. If I were a gov't worker, I'd start salting away money from now in case you face a much more prolonged furlough after February 8th.

On the actual positive side, the CHIP program as a result of today's CR vote, gets funding extended for another six years. Maybe that is worth caving for now.

DOE Defiance of Trump Witch Hunt Shows Charles Blow Is Correct: That Resistance Is Needed

The news yesterday that at least one federal agency, the Department of Energy (DOE),  is resisting pressure from the Trumpists is music to the ears of many. As most may recall, the Trump team had issued orders to the brain trust at DOE to name all those who attended any meetings about climate change. However, those at the agency (mainly scientists) have now declared 'No way!' and they will not cooperate, given this is an obvious witch hunt - analogous to when Hitler's goons demanded the names of all sources who had been spreading "lies" about the Fuhrer to the non-German media in the 1930s.

As ABC's Brian Ross reported last night:

"At the Department of Energy tonight, fears by employees and scientists had spread that they would be targets of witch hunt by a new President who has repeatedly insisted climate change is a scam. Concerns came to a head when the Trump team sent a list of 74 questions to the Department of Energy.  In particular question 27:

Can you provide us a list of all Department of Energy Employees or contractors who have attended any interagency Working Group meeting on the Social Cost of Carbon?"

But now they have refused to comply, the first act of many of multiple resistance which will be needed by courageous citizens under a fascist Trumpista regime. Anthony Reardon, President of the National Treasury Employees Union, gave the reasons in a segment for the same news piece:

"They are scared about the ability to carry out their duties, their work, their research, with integrity. But also with independence."

This is indeed critical, because without independence research teams become merely rubber stampers for whoever is in power.

As Ross at ABC further reported, "In a show of defiance the DOE  responded to the letter and questions: ''We received significant feedback from our workforce  We will be forthcoming with all publicly available information. We will not be providing individual names...' "


This is because individual names are not part of publicly available information. Hence, the Trumpists are not entitled to it and all they really merit is what the DOE is prepared to give, publicly available material.  This also comes as the asshole- in - waiting announced as head of the DOE none other than Reeptardo Rick Perry, e.g.
 
This is the ignorant yokel who in a 2011 Reepo debate could not recall the name of the DOE, which was one of the federal agencies he wanted to eliminate. Process that for a bit!

All of which shows that Trump and team of abominables is merely out to troll decent and rational citizens, and why - more than ever- the Hamilton elector movement must succeed in preventing these degenerates from reaching power. Especially in the wake of Trump's own attack on the intelligence agencies who now - by any register - ought to be willing themselves to take him down.


To put it another way: putting Rick Perry in as Secretary of the Department of Energy is like putting Bozo the Clown in charge of the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.    To firm up that analogy, the ignorant dope Perry who couldn't even remember the name of the DOE in 2011, will now take over an office held by....wait for it!....a nuclear physicist!

Despite this, the Trump team and its paid hacks continues to spread offal and false information, like one dimwit bloviating from Trump Tower a few days ago that: "There used to be an overwhelming science that the world was flat". Actually attempting to analogize flat earthers to global warming scientists in a clueless display of astounding ignorance as well as low IQ.

In fact, as far back as 240 B.C. it was known by the much more enlightened Greek astronomers, in particular Eratosthenes, that the Earth was spherical, not flat. This was opposed to the primitive flat Earth perceptions (NOT science!)  embraced by the sheep herder tribes of Judea, many of whom scribbled down their Bronze Age myths in the Bible.


This is all very relevant now as we can expect to hear, as Trumpistas take office, more and more lies try to justify jettisoning existing climate science. But it also alerts us of the need to resist.

NY Times columnist Charles Blow hit the nail on its head in his recent piece that we are obligated as citizens to defy a Trump presidency. Granted, 62 million odd knuckle draggers and imps voted this turd into power but that doesn't mean we have to respect it, or kowtow to their insane impulsive choice. As Blow writes:

"It is not the job of the defiant to conform to a future president who makes them completely uncomfortable. The burden of unity lies with Trump, not his detractors."

Bingo!

“Just wait and see.” “Give him a chance.” But what if what you’ve already seen is so beyond the pale that it’s irrevocable? What if Trump has already squandered more chances than most of us will ever have?

What if Trump has shown himself beyond doubt and with absolute certainty to be a demagogue and bigot and xenophobe and has given space and voice to concordant voices in the country and in his emerging Legion of Doom cabinet? In that reality, resistance isn’t about mindless obstruction by people blinded by the pain of ideological defeat or people gorging on sour grapes. To the contrary, resistance then is an act of radical, even revolutionary, patriotism. Resistance isn’t about damaging the country, but protecting it.

Blow is also spot on when he writes:

"Furthermore, the emergence of Donald Trump as a political figure has threatened to kill many of the ideals that we hold dear: decency and decorum, inclusion and empathy, truth and facts themselves.

Trump and his agents of idiocracy are now engaged in an all-out crusade to exaggerate the scope of his victory, rewrite racial history, justify their vendettas and hostilities and erase the very distinction between true and false.

At a fiery exchange during a panel at Harvard, Hillary Clinton’s communications director, Jennifer Palmieri, rightly accused the Trump campaign of emboldening “white supremacists and white nationalists.”

The Trump campaign manager, Kellyanne Conway , tried to defend this idiocracy but what would you expect. This harridan is a member of it.  As Blow pointed out, truth and facts are now under major assault, i.e.  "everybody has a way of interpreting them to be the truth or not true.”

He continued, quoting Conway: “There’s no such thing, unfortunately, anymore of facts.”  And Blow added:

"Folks, Dimwit-ism is a disease easily spread and denigrators of the absolutism of truth are its vectors.This is why resistance isn’t only principled, but essential and even existential. We are not in an ordinary postelection period of national unity and rapprochement. We are facing the potential abrogation of fundamental American ideals. We stand at the precipice, staring into an abyss that grows darker by the day."

Already, at a meeting this week of climate scientists in San Francisco there is outrage at what is happening. How Trump and his band of appointed assholes are clearly ready to dismantle all progress on global warming research leaving us all for the high jump.  The scenes last night on ABC showed the scientists with signs "Stand up for science!" and shouting "Stand up, fight back!"

This is advice we all need to heed as we lurch ever nearer to zero hour and being hurled back decades in critical climate science and other work. It means we also have to be prepared to resist as the climate scientists and columnist Charles Blow have admonished us to do and forge a consistent and unified means of obstruction. This means never accepting Trump or his administration as our own, and fighting in whatever form we can,  every step of the way. Especially by refusing to swallow the media rot that tries to normalize this swine or that we must now "all come together". No, absolutely not! And we have to hope - if the Hamilton elector movement fails - the Dems grow some balls too (especially Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi) and refuse all enticements to "bipartisanship".  Recall former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-TX) famously said, "Bipartisanship is another name for date rape."

We must be every bit as obstructionist and uncompromising as the Repukes and their followers were after Obama was elected.  Sorry, folks, this is now the Divided States 0f America and it cannot now be otherwise!

See also:

http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/richard-eskow/70295/by-picking-tillerson-and-perry-trump-s-pretty-much-just-trolling-us-now