That is not dead which can eternal lie, and with strange aeons bring us some web forums whereupon we can gather
http://www.octopusoverlords.com/forum/
NYT: McConnell has made clear in private discussions that he believes now is the moment to move on the weakened lame duck, whom he blames for Republicans losing the Senate.
I honestly believe his delusions preclude him from making rational decisions like that.Jaymann wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 6:28 pm What will be interesting is if Agolf will rush to pardon himself (IIUC you can't be pardoned for impeachable offenses) before he can be removed from office, or rely on Pence, the man his minions tried to assassinate, to pardon him after he is removed from office.
I'm sure that he will pardon himself. The timing is tricky for him now, though - one worry is that self-pardon outrage makes it more likely for Senators to vote to convict him. But I think that's outweighed by the risk of leaving office without a pardon.Paingod wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 10:53 amI honestly believe his delusions preclude him from making rational decisions like that.Jaymann wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 6:28 pm What will be interesting is if Agolf will rush to pardon himself (IIUC you can't be pardoned for impeachable offenses) before he can be removed from office, or rely on Pence, the man his minions tried to assassinate, to pardon him after he is removed from office.
I'm certain he's currently fuming that the election was stolen from him and his tech accounts shut down. The world is against him and it's unfair. Little else matters. He's done nothing wrong in his mind.
He should pardon himself immediately and just not announce it until Jan 20th.El Guapo wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 11:17 amI'm sure that he will pardon himself. The timing is tricky for him now, though - one worry is that self-pardon outrage makes it more likely for Senators to vote to convict him. But I think that's outweighed by the risk of leaving office without a pardon.Paingod wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 10:53 amI honestly believe his delusions preclude him from making rational decisions like that.Jaymann wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 6:28 pm What will be interesting is if Agolf will rush to pardon himself (IIUC you can't be pardoned for impeachable offenses) before he can be removed from office, or rely on Pence, the man his minions tried to assassinate, to pardon him after he is removed from office.
I'm certain he's currently fuming that the election was stolen from him and his tech accounts shut down. The world is against him and it's unfair. Little else matters. He's done nothing wrong in his mind.
Yes. The Republican defense. How can you move too fast to protect yourself and the American people?Skinypupy wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 11:38 am Catching bits and pieces of the hearings this morning. The general gist seems to be the most Republicans aren't even bothering to defend Trump's actions, they're simply complaining about the "rushed" process or giving dire warnings that their supporters will get even more violent.
Unsurprising, really.
Then they're cowards. They won't stand up to vague threats in order to preserve the Constitution and rule of law? They send kids off to war for less.
Ah, that would make more sense then. I've only been catching soundbites between meetings, so I didn't have any broader context.
No one (to my recollection) has ever accused most of them of being good or brave. I wager very few (both sides) ever even served in the armed forces. I could be wrong. It'd be an interesting factoid to dig up.LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 12:35 pmThen they're cowards. They won't stand up to vague threats in order to preserve the Constitution and rule of law? They send kids off to war for less.
The number of military veterans in Congress will drop again next session, reaching the lowest levels of members with some military experience since at least World War II.
For now, 91 veterans are set to be sworn in as members of the 117th Congress in January, a decrease of five from the start of the 116th Congress in 2019. Of the group, 74 will serve in the House, and 17 in the Senate.
More than two-thirds of the veterans set to serve are Republicans. There are 16 newcomers: two senators (Arizona Democrat Mark Kelly and Kansas Republican Roger Marshall) and 14 House members (12 of whom are Republicans).
...
Since the start of the 93rd Congress in 1973, when 390 lawmakers (about 73 percent of Congress) had some type of military experience on their resumes, the number of veterans in Congress has declined steadily.
In 1993, 236 lawmakers were veterans, according to Congressional Research Service records. By 2001, that number was down to 168. In 2011, it was only 118.
The 91 veterans in Congress is set to be the lowest number since at least the end of World War II. Congressional records on veterans serving in elected office before then are incomplete.
Then that also reaping the fruits of their own stupidity. "Who knew that his gun I got to shoot other people could also shoot me?"Paingod wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 12:41 pmNo one (to my recollection) has ever accused most of them of being good or brave. I wager very few (both sides) ever even served in the armed forces. I could be wrong. It'd be an interesting factoid to dig up.LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 12:35 pmThen they're cowards. They won't stand up to vague threats in order to preserve the Constitution and rule of law? They send kids off to war for less.
They're not worried about Trump at this point. They're worried about disembarking from a plane and having some screaming death cultist make an example of them with a shiv. They've known they couldn't let go of this particular tiger since they latched onto it 4 years ago - but I don't think they realized it would physically threaten them past the duration of the presidency.
The plan is to vote today on impeachment, isn't it? Or is the actual impeachment vote going to be another day?
Not a profile in courage, that’s for sure, but I get the fear and think it’s probably well-founded at this point. The Trumpaloo mob appears to be even angrier at what they perceive to be RINOs than at Democrats. And, unlike AOC who boards a plane or hops on the Acela to return to adoring supporters in New York, many of these Republicans face returning to districts where their constituents literally want to kill them for their perceived betrayal of Trump.LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 1:04 pmThen that also reaping the fruits of their own stupidity. "Who knew that his gun I got to shoot other people could also shoot me?"Paingod wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 12:41 pmNo one (to my recollection) has ever accused most of them of being good or brave. I wager very few (both sides) ever even served in the armed forces. I could be wrong. It'd be an interesting factoid to dig up.LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 12:35 pmThen they're cowards. They won't stand up to vague threats in order to preserve the Constitution and rule of law? They send kids off to war for less.
They're not worried about Trump at this point. They're worried about disembarking from a plane and having some screaming death cultist make an example of them with a shiv. They've known they couldn't let go of this particular tiger since they latched onto it 4 years ago - but I don't think they realized it would physically threaten them past the duration of the presidency.
They certainly talked up the threat of the Antifa bogeymen to their personal safety.
McConnell has said that barring unanimous consent to alter the Senate schedule they couldn't start before the 20th. OTOH I saw an article the other day saying that Schumer is looking at some Senate authority that would allow them to start earlier with the consent of both major party leaders (Schumer + McConnell), though I don't know if McConnell would be on board with that.
That's a huge question. I've heard the House may hold back on sending it over to the Senate (who can't delay deliberation once it's in their hands) until after Biden/Harris gets settled in and makes some progress. IMO, that means it may not even be sent to the Senate for a few months.
I hate this plan. Feelings dull and memories fade. The horrible gets normalized. You can’t wait months on something like this. Unless you’re just in it for the quick, symbolic House vote on impeachment and don’t really care whether the Senate actually convicts, this plan is a disaster.The Meal wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 1:24 pmThat's a huge question. I've heard the House may hold back on sending it over to the Senate (who can't delay deliberation once it's in their hands) until after Biden/Harris gets settled in and makes some progress. IMO, that means it may not even be sent to the Senate for a few months.
This was a suggestion from Clyburn, who wanted to hold sending it to the senate until after Biden's first 100 days. I believe that idea has been rejected and they plan to send it over right away.The Meal wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 1:24 pmThat's a huge question. I've heard the House may hold back on sending it over to the Senate (who can't delay deliberation once it's in their hands) until after Biden/Harris gets settled in and makes some progress. IMO, that means it may not even be sent to the Senate for a few months.
Just got my hands on this petition which is calling for a special conference to oust the no 3 Republican for supporting impeachment.
What is the point, that they have a legitimate fear? Sure. Never disagreed with that.Kurth wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 1:23 pmNot a profile in courage, that’s for sure, but I get the fear and think it’s probably well-founded at this point. The Trumpaloo mob appears to be even angrier at what they perceive to be RINOs than at Democrats. And, unlike AOC who boards a plane or hops on the Acela to return to adoring supporters in New York, many of these Republicans face returning to districts where their constituents literally want to kill them for their perceived betrayal of Trump.LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 1:04 pmThen that also reaping the fruits of their own stupidity. "Who knew that his gun I got to shoot other people could also shoot me?"Paingod wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 12:41 pmNo one (to my recollection) has ever accused most of them of being good or brave. I wager very few (both sides) ever even served in the armed forces. I could be wrong. It'd be an interesting factoid to dig up.LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 12:35 pmThen they're cowards. They won't stand up to vague threats in order to preserve the Constitution and rule of law? They send kids off to war for less.
They're not worried about Trump at this point. They're worried about disembarking from a plane and having some screaming death cultist make an example of them with a shiv. They've known they couldn't let go of this particular tiger since they latched onto it 4 years ago - but I don't think they realized it would physically threaten them past the duration of the presidency.
They certainly talked up the threat of the Antifa bogeymen to their personal safety.
Think about the video of Graham being harassed in the airport the other day or of Correra being screamed at and threatened by Trumpists at Dulles.
Most congressional districts aren’t that big. When these people go home, they will be living next door to people who are vocally and publicly threatening them.
I get the fear.
(And, please, no responses about whether they deserve it or not or should have seen it coming. Not the point.)
Exactly. As Colbert put it earlier this week:LawBeefaroni wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 1:44 pmWhat is the point, that they have a legitimate fear? Sure. Never disagreed with that.
The fact that their reaction to the fear is to buckle and vote against impeachment solely on the basis of that fear (or using fear as an excuse), that's pretty damned relevant.
Well, except for the ones who have been actively conspiring to commit acts of insurrection but didn't make it to DC on the 6th.Little Raven wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 2:51 pm If you didn't storm the Capitol, you have nothing to fear from the FBI.
