I’m hurrying to finish as much work as I can, before WWWendy arrives. This afternoon, I’ll meditate on the Holy Ellipsoid Orb. I’ll be rooting for the Chiefs in deference to one, who shall remain Nameless. I’ll also prepare tomorrow’s articles in advance, except for the puzzle.
Jig Zone Puzzle:
Today’s took me 2:55 (average 4:12). To do it, click here. How did you do?
Cartoon:
In case you forgot, RepubliCare is the Republican Reich plan to replace ObamaCare.
Short Takes:
From Alternet: …Trump’s cold sweats are significant, because everyone who has been following this case knows that the Senate will acquit him. Not because he’s innocent — no one who has actually consulted the evidence is foolish enough to believe that — but because Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and the Republicans who control the Senate decided long ago that they would cover up for their shamelessly corrupt president no matter what he does. With such an assured outcome, Trump’s fears seem overblown and silly, even for someone crippled by sociopathic narcissism and its accompanying paranoia.
But it’s also true that high-profile travesties of justice, such as the one Senate Republicans are currently preparing to commit, can often provoke major political backlash. Getting a jury to acquit the obviously guilty can, as history shows, cause a public that’s already outraged about the crime to get even more furious. That, I suspect, is what Trump is sweating.
What the Senate is about to do is akin to the practice of jury nullification. That’s where a jury decides that either they don’t think the crime should be a crime at all, or that they believe people like the defendant should above the law, and so refuse to convict no matter how guilty the defendant is. This something that in theory, and sometimes in practice, can be used for good as when a jury refuses to throw someone in prison for a low-level drug offense, or refuses to enforce a law restricting free speech. But historically in the U.S., jury nullification has tended to be used to uphold injustice and reinforce racist or sexist systems of power….
As I so strongly implied yesterday, the Republican Reich is prepared to goose-step behind criminal Fuhrer Trump* into political extinction. RESIST!!
From YouTube (CNN Channel): Senator makes prediction ahead of impeachment trial
Coons is spot on that testimony from Jon Bolton and Lev Parnas is both relevant and probative, while testimony from Joe and Hunter Biden is neither. Coons’ argument would be valid, if this were a legal trial. It is not. Bought Bitch Moscow Mitch and the Republican Reich set the rules. They can would our objections to Joe and Hunter as an excuse to disallow all witnesses. So if Joe and Hunter appearing is what it takes to get us the real witnesses, bring them on! RESIST!!
From YouTube (a blast from the past): Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
Ah… the memories! RESIST!!
Vote Blue!!
11 Responses to “Open Thread – 1/19/2020”
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Cartoon: Of course!
AN: Under ‘normal’ proceedings, imho…he’s be picking up trash on the prison compound. I find it frustrating that ‘nothing’ w/be done with re: to this id. He deserves justice, and hopefully, (a glimmer of hope) his day is coming. And..yes..that ‘his worse fears come true’. (that would be glorious! imho).
CNN: Good info. Sickening behavior from grown men (R’s), who grovel to their Fuhrer. Yeah, the R’s have their blinkers on, but don’t know the difference between R or L in following their leader…ugh.
BFTP: Loooved this one….played over and over….
Hi, Wendy. Hope that you enjoy the game, and have a good day. Take good care, and Thanks, Tom.
This just in: “New court filings reveal that Rosenstein was going out of his way to sabotage Special Counsel Robert Muellar and the FBI all along. Once again, Maxine Waters words are the mantra…applicable to all R’s. “They are all scumbags.” ~ Maria H. ~
2. “The ‘occupant’ is trying to play petty with the food our Babies eat. Add it to the list affirming that the cruelty is the point with this WH.” ~ Ayanna Pressley ~
3. Nunes – “Guy who accuses Ukrainians of meddling in a US election.” Sought Ukrainians to meddle in a US election. ~ Larry M. ~
Thanks – KCMO appreciates any and all support!
4:56 Brrrr.
Cartoon – Yup.
AlterNet – It is absolutely correct that jury nullification has been, historically, dramatically MISused. We are so accustomed to the phrase “a jury of his [sic] peers” that I don’t believe I have ever heard anyone question it – but I think I would like to question it. It originally referred to social class – and that is a useful distinction to make, especially in a society in or close to class wars. It’s not being executed that way. But in a more specific sense, do we actually WANT people tried by juries of their peers? Orange Judas is a crook, a mob boss, a liar, an abuser of power, even a traitor. What we are seeing is that he will be tried by a jury made up more than 50% of crooks, mob bosses, liars, abusers of power, even traitors. You can’t argue that that is not a jury of his peers. But is it what we really want?
CNN – Our House Managers are all smart, seasoned fighters. Corruption may very well still win. But, “if they can’t do it, nobody can.” Once again, I find myself glad I’m old.
Past – Of course I remember the Temptations, but not this cover.
Hi, TC! Good to ”see” you. We won’t discuss the puzzle..I’m woefully out of practice. HAPPY NEW YEAR!
pam
PAM!!!! We have missed you!!
First of all: GO CHIEFS!
What a game! And I’ve never seen a continuous confetti fest like when they were awarding the Lamar Hunt Trophy. It went on and on and on and on and …
The Lamar Hunt Trophy goes to the winner of the AFC Championship game. And interestingly enough, Lamar Hunt was the owner and founder of the Kansas City (formerly Dallas Texans) Chiefs – so it’s come full circle.
Personally, I’m not convinced *Rump’s legal team actually want Joe and/or Hunter Biden as witnesses. It’d make Donnie & his cult followers happy, but will do nothing for the actual defense and most likely not sit well with the “undecideds”. Plus they have absolutely NO relevance to *Rump’s trial … NONE!
And even if you believe there might be reason to investigate Joe & Hunter Biden WRT Ukraine, the Impeachment Trial is NOT the proper venue to do it. Congress (NOT *Rump) should use law enforcement funds properly allocated for such purposes. And certainly *Rump should NOT have used foreign aid money as his own personal piggy bank as leverage to force a foreign government to do it for him.
You simply cannot investigate the possible corruption of others by engaging in corrupt self-dealing yourself.
It’s Ted Cruz who initially proposed the “reciprocal witness calling” idea:
But I’m quite fond of humorist Betty Bowers’ rejoinder to his idiotic suggestion:
So I suppose your boys will be visiting a superb owl mo’ skosh’ How nice!
Cartoon: Sad but so true.
AN: It’s really going to get interesting starting Tuesday when his impeachment circus starts. I hope the Democrats come out with some strong evidence that tRump’s clowns can’t get away with annulling the whole case like mItch the bi*ch wants.
CNN: Still feel the R’s are going to face a real battle.
BFTP: Great group. They had so many great hits.
Hope you had a nice day. Enjoyed your visit with Wendy and you both got everything taken care of.
Good luck tomorrow.
Take care. Thanks TomCat
Take it easy today, TomCat. Save your strength.
2:57 Pretty landscape.
Cartoon: Not even that, not those who are cremated.
Alternet: Amanda Marcotte certainly is spot on with the jury nullification historically “has tended to be used to uphold injustice and reinforce racist or sexist systems of power” but I doubt if it has been so brazenly predetermined earlier. But it is unlikely that this is the reason for Trump’s sweating. That is giving the man too much credit for thinking that far ahead. No, it is the Narcissistic Personality Disorder, further exacerbated by his dementia, that is causing Trump sleep loss.
CNN: I’ve already had a belly full before the show has started.
BFTP: Sorry, I’m drawing a complete blank here. I’ve heard of the Temptations, though.
If the yellow-bellied wusses in the Senate keep toeing the party line and refuse to prosecute tRump instead of doing what they know deep inside is right, we could see a serious political bloodbath in 2020. Some pissed-off voters will cast ballots for Democrats out of sheer spite. I am looking forward to seeing a lot of seats in the House and Senate flipped to blue – as well as the Oval Office!
Thanks and Hectic Hugs to all!