The aftermath of Trump's acquittal in his second impeachment trial

[Sandy Shanks]

Brooks knows he is lying. It doesn't matter. He is not talking to rational voters. He is talking to the uninformed, intelligence challenged members of Trump's cult who dominate the GOP on the grassroots level.

Republicans are so pathetic they are incapable of defending themselves let alone their extremist political beliefs.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Republicans never cease making complete fools of themselves. The latest example is the contorted argument made by one of Trump's lawyers, Sidney Powell.

Little wonder as to why Republicans can't defend themselves. They get more ridiculous by the day. Where is their leadership?

CNN reports, "Right-wing lawyer Sidney Powell is claiming in a new court filing that reasonable people wouldn’t have believed as fact her assertions of fraud after the 2020 presidential election.

"The election infrastructure company Dominion Voting Systems sued Powell for defamation after she pushed lawsuits and made appearances in conservative media on behalf of then-President Donald Trump to sow doubt about the 2020 election results. Dominion claims that Powell knew her election fraud accusations were false and hurtful to the company.

"In a new court filing, Powell’s attorneys write that she was sharing her “opinion” and that the public could reach “their own conclusions” about whether votes were changed by election machines."

“Given the highly charged and political context of the statements, it is clear that Powell was describing the facts on which she based the lawsuits she filed in support of President Trump,” Powell’s defense lawyers wrote in a court filing on Monday."

In 60 court cases plus the Supreme Court, it was quite clear there were no "facts" to support her contention that the election was stolen from Trump. In addition to everything else, Powell and her attorneys are lying to the court.

“Such characterizations of the allegedly defamatory statements further support Defendants’ position that reasonable people would not accept such statements as fact but view them only as claims that await testing by the courts through the adversary process.”

That is positively amazing, unreal, even for a Republican.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Republicans never cease making complete fools of themselves.

Politico reports, "After two mass shootings within a week killed 18 people, the evenly divided Senate is no closer to agreement on any gun control legislation that could respond to the devastation.

"Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is vowing to force a vote on an expansive proposal on background checks for gun buyers, but three critical swing votes from both parties are resistant. Talks are ongoing on a bipartisan strategy that might steer gun legislation past political tripwires, but it's far from clear whether those negotiations could yield the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster."

That means Joe Manchin, the conservative Democrat from West Virginia, and Senate Republicans will not allow a vote on the bipartisan bill expanding background checks which was passed in the House.

Republicans will argue that the Democrats want to take our guns away, Ted Cruz as an example. Of course, that is a lie. Lying has become a common tactic used by Republicans during the Trump era. Trump used the tactic over 25 times a day. Compared to Trump, Cruz is a Boy Scout.

So what if there were two mass shootings within a week that killed 18 people. Obviously, Republicans don't care. They are far more concerned about the gun lobby. Members of Trump's cult actually believe the Democrats want to rescind the Second Amendment and take away their guns.

In actuality, the Democrats want to make it harder for murderers like Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa and Robert Aaron Long to get guns which enabled their rampages. Republican Senators see something sinister in that, but, then, they have been digging themselves a hole for the past four years.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Trump is doing his best to take the Republican Party down with him as his devoted followers remain silent.

Politico reports, "John Thune could eventually succeed Mitch McConnell as Senate GOP leader. But first the second-ranked Senate Republican has to decide whether to run for reelection — with Donald Trump prepared to stand in his way."

But his decision looms as the Senate GOP nears a serious crossroads, with five incumbents announcing their retirements and Trump waiting to engage in multiple Republican primaries as he tries to reshape the party’s Senate conference in his image. Several other senators are undecided on running again.

The Democratic Party is trying to defeat Trump's party of "NO!" on several fronts.

Politico continued, "Thune acknowledged that the state of the Senate has nosedived during his 16 years in the chamber, which began when he shocked the political world and defeated former Democratic Leader Tom Daschle in 2004. He fears that things could become only more miserable for the GOP minority if Democrats kill the filibuster."

“We’re losing a ton of talent, a ton of experience and expertise. And so, you know, you hate to see quality people leave. And if the Democrats pursue the course they’re on right now and try and do everything by pure majority rule, obviously, it won’t be a fun place to be,” he said. “It’s probably as challenging today as it’s ever been, given the political environment.”

"Trump’s vow to campaign against him doesn’t visibly ruffle Thune, a lanky former basketball player. “It’s not something I’m weighing heavily one way or the other,” the 60-year-old said. He’s laughed off Trump’s attacks on him, advising his party to avoid revolving around one person and focus on issues," Politico added.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

With Trump there was no shortage of stupidity, false steps, and incredulous statements. However, since Trump left office, the news has become rather boring. Here's why.

JACK SHAFER writes, "This time four years ago, the Trump administration had already burst its banks with sensational, revealing and damaging leaks. The Washington Post had reported the dodgy phone conversations between President Donald Trump’s pick for national security adviser, Michael Flynn, and Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak. An executive memo about reestablishing CIA “black site” prisons had appeared in the New York Times. Trump advisers candidly—though anonymously—gossiped with the New York Times about the president’s “impetuous,” impulsive ways and his reliance on “alternative facts.” And a confidential White House request that the FBI publicly discredit reports of Trump campaign connections to Russian intelligence seeped onto CNN.

"In comparison, the Biden White House has been as tight as an airlock on the International Space Station. This absence of leaks has fed the press corps’ hunger for a presidential press conference—a desire for him to say something, anything, to fill the silence."

We now have a President whose only desire is to do his job, no fanfare, no controversy, no conspiracies, and no mindless statements.

How boring.

 

[WEATHER53]

The witch hunters never got to burn him at the stake so they remain in a forever state of pique and tantrum.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

The witch hunters never got to burn him at the stake so they remain in a forever state of pique and tantrum.

Nave I gotten anything wrong?

I seriously doubt it. You are the first Trump follower in weeks to attempt to defend Trump. Unfortunately, you didn't say anything.

Who is throwing a tantrum? I have been having the time of my life.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Let's face, Donald Trump can be a real comedian. Last night he had a great routine on Fox.

Speaking of the Jan. 6 insurrection he incited, Trump told the Fox audience ...

It was zero threat, right from the start, it was zero threat, Look, they went in, they shouldn't have done it. Some of them went in, and they are hugging and kissing the police and the guards, you know, they had great relationships, and a lot of the people were waived in, and then they walked in and they walked out.

They don’t go after those people [BLM], but they go after people, I guess you would call them lean toward the right, and they wave American flags, in many cases, they are waving the American flag, and they love our country.

The riot led to more than 50 injuries and left five dead, including Capitol Police officer Brian Sicknick. threatened members of Congress and called for then-Vice President Mike Pence, who was in the Capitol at the time, to be hanged.

I don't know if Trump meant to be funny, but we do know his remarks were quite comical. We do know that, because his audience was Fox listeners, he was not speaking to the average American voter. He was speaking to the uninformed, intelligence challenged members of his cult. They believe everything Trump says, no matter how outrageous. They don't know any better.

Please note Fox is being sued by Dominion voting machines for its lies about voter fraud. See: Fox News sued by Dominion Voting Systems over election fraud claims

 

[Sandy Shanks]

With Trump there was no shortage of stupidity, false steps, and incredulous statements.

Chris Cillizza writes, "Donald Trump's presidency is now behind us. But the debate over how bad a president he was has only just begun.

"In 2019, Siena College released its latest rankings, the result of the combined views of 159 presidential scholars who rated each of the presidents on 20 different aspects of the job. (The categories range from "integrity" to "willing to take risks" to "luck.") In those rankings, Trump placed third to last -- behind only James Buchanan and Andrew Johnson.

"The other major recent study of best (and worst) presidents came in 2018 from Brandon Rottinghaus from the University of Houston and Justin S. Vaughn of Boise State University. (Known as the "Presidents & Executive Politics Presidential Greatness Survey," this one polled 170 members of the American Political Science Association.)

"Trump ranked dead last in this survey, trailing Buchanan, William Henry Harrison, Franklin Pierce and Johnson, respectively. Broken out by the relative ideology of the panel, Trump fared little better. Among self-identified conservatives, Trump was ranked as the 40th best president. (Buchanan was conservatives' choice as worst president.) Among moderates and liberals in the survey, Trump was ranked dead last."

Officially, I am a conservative Independent, according to the state of California. True conservatives are not represented by a political party. I was a Republican until Trump drove me out, much like many other conservatives.

It is far too early to decide how history will view the Trump Presidency. However, the experts have given us a clue.

We already know there will be no response on the issue from Trump's cult, although I am not ruling out a focus on me from one or two.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

It is far too early to decide how history will view the Trump Presidency. However, the experts have given us a clue.

We already know there will be no response on the issue from Trump's cult.

Donald Trump is back online.

CNN reports, "The former president and first lady, Melania Trump, have launched a website to serve their personal offices. The website, 45office.com, comes after Trump's ban from social media sites in the aftermath of the January Capitol insurrection.

"The site features a lengthy biography for the former president that starts, "Donald J. Trump launched the most extraordinary political movement in history, dethroning political dynasties, defeating the Washington Establishment, and becoming the first true outsider elected as President of the United States."

"It also includes more than a dozen pictures of himself, in which he is depicted boarding Air Force One, greeting North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un and, yes, kissing a baby."

See: Donald J. Trump 45th President

 

[Sandy Shanks]

"Trump ranked dead last in this survey, trailing Buchanan, William Henry Harrison, Franklin Pierce and Johnson, respectively. Broken out by the relative ideology of the panel, Trump fared little better. Among self-identified conservatives, Trump was ranked as the 40th best president. (Buchanan was conservatives' choice as worst president.) Among moderates and liberals in the survey, Trump was ranked dead last."

A righteous move by Facebook as Trump made a foolish attempt to get around the Facebook ban. The former President is banned from Facebook along with Twitter and Instagram.

Fox reports, "Facebook removed a video of an interview with former President Trump conducted by his daughter-in-law Lara Trump, saying any content "in the voice of Donald Trump" would be scrubbed from the social media platform.

"Facebook permanently banned the former president from their platform in January after the Capitol riot.

"On Tuesday, Lara Trump, a Fox News contributor, posted an image on Instagram of her sitting across from her father-in-law, urging followers to "Join us tonight!"

"A group of Trump officials were sent an email from a Facebook employee, warning that any content posted on Facebook and Instagram "in the voice of President Trump is not currently allowed on our platforms (including new posts with President Trump speaking)" and warned that it "will be removed if posted, resulting in additional limitations on accounts that posted it.'"

Little wonder as to why Trump's followers are avoiding Trump.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

NBC News reports, "The Pentagon on Wednesday scrapped restrictions on transgender troops imposed by the Trump administration, and unveiled new rules designed to end discrimination and provide medical care for those service members.

"The Defense Department’s new policy will permit troops to serve openly under their self-identified gender and will offer access to medical treatments for gender transition, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby told reporters.

"The move restores Pentagon policy on transgender troops to where it stood before Donald Trump entered office in 2017, Kirby said. The Trump administration largely banned transgender people from serving openly in the military."

 

[toobfreak]

The Republican Party has given a free pass to future Presidents for anything they might do in the closing days of their term of office. A former President incited an insurrection against our government during the closing days of his term of office. It doesn't get worse than that.

Yesbut you seem to be missing a few key points:

1. The Constitution doesn't allow for prosecuting an officer of the government when they are no longer an officer. That's a matter for the civil/criminal courts.
2. No president has done anything impeachable in their closing days.
3. It has been determined that Trump did NOT invoke an insurrection at the capitol, indeed, the revolt there wasn't any insurrection.
4. You can do a lot worse than protesting an illegal election; you can barricade behind 25,000 troops for no good reason then enact 45 executive orders the first week behind closed doors.
5. No matter how you try, we cannot forget that the 1/6 riot happened over an illegal election half the country agrees was not fair nor honest, not just because of a rally down the street that day.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

The Constitution doesn't allow for prosecuting an officer of the government when they are no longer an officer.

Show me that clause in the Constitution.

Don't look too hard. It isn't there.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

1. No president has done anything impeachable in their closing days.
2. It has been determined that Trump did NOT invoke an insurrection at the capitol, indeed, the revolt there wasn't any insurrection.

That is not true. You either made that up or you got it off of Trump's new web page.

Trump was impeached while in office. The Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnnell would not allow the Senate trial on his watch, which ended on Jan. 20.

It is not uncommon for Trump followers to lie in support of Trump.

 

[toobfreak]

The Constitution doesn't allow for prosecuting an officer of the government when they are no longer an officer.

Show me that clause in the Constitution. Don't look too hard. It isn't there.

You mean that part of the Constitution brought up 410 times at the impeachment hearing where it says that the Constitution gives removal from office all officers of the USA that you now need shown you a 411th time?

 

[toobfreak]

1. No president has done anything impeachable in their closing days.
2. It has been determined that Trump did NOT invoke an insurrection at the capitol, indeed, the revolt there wasn't any insurrection.

That is not true. You either made that up or you got it off of Trump's new web page.

WRONG on both counts! I got it right off the thread here pointing out that a large number of the people at the capitol revolt are coming up with only misdemeanor charges of trespassing with no jail time while DC, the media and the FBI all eat crow trying to explain what happened to their BS rhetoric that 1/6 "rocked our democracy."

It was just one more of countless protests that have gone on there.

Trump was impeached while in office. The Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would not allow the Senate trial on his watch, which ended on Jan. 20.

BULLSHIT, fuckwad. Nancy Pelosi refused to send over the articles of impeachment until the democrats took charge of the senate. By then, Trump was already out of office and the point was moot. Should have watched the impeachment hearings.

 

[kaz]

1. No president has done anything impeachable in their closing days.
2. It has been determined that Trump did NOT invoke an insurrection at the capitol, indeed, the revolt there wasn't any insurrection.

That is not true. You either made that up or you got it off of Trump's new web page.

Trump was impeached while in office. The Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnnell would not allow the Senate trial on his watch, which ended on Jan. 20.

It is not uncommon for Trump followers to lie in support of Trump.

It would be uncommon for Democrats to NOT lie about anything Trump said or did.

Let's pretend for a second that you care about this.

Well then, if you care, you won't protect your own party from the same thing.

So propose that Pelosi, Schumer, Schiff, Nadler and Waters be impeached since they were all worse to make your non-partisanship on this issue clear

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Show me that clause in the Constitution.

You mean that part of the Constitution brought up 410 times at the impeachment hearing where it says that the Constitution gives removal from office all officers of the USA that you now need shown you a 411th time?

I knew you couldn't show that a Senate impeachment trial could not take place if the impeached President had left office.

How did I know? There is no such clause.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

WRONG on both counts! I got it right off the thread here

No more needs to be said.

BULLSHIT, fuckwad. Nancy Pelosi refused to send over the articles of impeachment until the democrats took charge of the senate.

Did you get that off the thread, too?

Jan. 13, 2021, "Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday blocked a quick Senate impeachment trial for President Donald Trump." McConnell rejects emergency session for impeachment trial