Stuff

Throughout the impeachment drama, Republicans decried the “partisan whatever...”  This line of faulty logic typically follows a path of partisan election stealing, partisan Trump hating and/or a few other choice topics of widely recognized POTUS dissatisfaction.  So when the chips fall, a decision on the most fundamental question to appear before a deliberative body, perhaps ever, will be decided along party lines.

Talk about setting a dangerous precedent:  A trial without witnesses.  A trial indeed, with widely known evidence suppressed.  Witness the behavior of top officials, berating and abusing journalists in a mashup of starkly divided media lines.  In retrospect, it seems inevitable.  The Trump administration has gone rogue.

It is utterly astounding to me how Philbin can stand there and deny the assertion of crimes not instantiated as such in the articles, in total deference to the litany of crimes in the who, what, where, and why contained in overwhelming evidence supporting those articles.  Just astounding.

Pam Bondi did a great job embarrassing herself, responding to what seemed to me to be an incomprehensible question:  “What did Hunter Biden do for Burisma?”  More to the point IMHO, who cares?  The pause determining who would even answer the call was telling.  Later pauses looking up basic facts obviously irrelevant to anything in question was even more telling.  The defense team does not appear to be up to speed on the trivial details of their own case.  I was given to believe the whole false Biden/Burisma narrative was central to the defense?

Distracted by your own pernicious distraction.  Almost as bad as Philbin responding to being called out on the subpoena authorization line of bullshyt.  Ignore the real fact, repeat the alternate fact.  Derschowitz is a master of circular reasoning, railing against the framer’s vague generality stance while denying any potentially as yet unknowable acts by this or any future President should be considered impeachable – based on precedent(?).  Well, they never did that before – must be OK! 

The left sends compelling oratory with Demings, Jeffries and Schiff.  The right stumbles to define any semblance of a coherent case.  Their evasive responses grow tiring.  Utterly disgraceful.

Interesting how the senator’s questions can be answered in literally opposite ways, depending on which side it is directed to.  For example, “Isn’t it the President’s responsibility to conduct foreign policy?”  The answer is yes, of course.  But in the same vein, foreign policy is not a tool for criminal electioneering.  

OTOH, the same question could be posed as “Isn’t it the President’s responsibility to guard against foreign interference in our elections?  The answer is yes, of course.  But in the same vein, politics is incidental to foreign policy on many levels, therefore irrelevant to the charge(s).

Just depends on how you like your reality defined, I suppose.  I prefer mine grounded in truth – at least to whatever extent objective reality presents itself.

Language as the art of influence.  What a concept.  These mutherfuckers are trying to gaslight the whole goddamn country.  Hang on tight Mr. President – your grip on reality is slipping fast.

Failure and scorn are strong motivators.  Not sure what he has to be afraid of, but we will soon find out.  One way or the other Mr. Cory Gardner, GOP senator from Colorado, will cast perhaps his first vote in that chamber that doesn’t just cross party lines.  Perhaps not.  Here’s the advice he got from me:

“Everyone understands the witness vote is a no-win situation – for you. Blame your GOP roots on an accident of birth, if that helps. In any event, the only thing that matters in your upcoming senate vote is how it affects the country. Don’t follow your POTUS’ example, and do damage control on your own time/dime.”

Impartial justice will be served.  Only question is upon who will it’s full weight be felt?

Based on Mr. Philbin’s performance opening the so-called Trump impeachment defense, it seems many rats have already jumped the sinking Trump ship.  If he’s the best they can put on stage at this juncture, I’m afraid the writing is on the wall.  A more monotonous, repetitive, rambling course of snooze material is hard to recall.  They didn’t even attempt to address the charges or evidence, presumably because no plausibly exculpatory comment is possible.  Rather, the GOP rhetoric and innuendo stream meanders through administrative and he-said she-said trivia and propaganda, repeated endlessly for the media.

Sipollone’s weak closing after such a brief, substance-less opening is telling.

One of my favorite local pundits Mike Littwin, did another great job embellishing the details of our failed government’s foibles in his Senate Impeachment Day Three article.  He summed up his piece with this somber warning:

“Right does matter. Truth does matter. And we have been lost. The question is whether — and how — we will find our way back.”

I wouldn’t go that far.  I’d say it is more akin to the part “after” being lost, walking along in the wrong direction, where at some point finally realizing where you are.  It’s not where you thought you were, and it definitely is not where you want to be.

I’m liking The Chief Justice’ comportment and poise, right out of the gate.  Isn’t this peculiarly American, politically inflammatory contrivance really the big game for aspiring Pettifoggers everywhere?