Remember

[H2O Man]

The most important thing about today's testimony is that it opens the door for the Democrats in the House to have the federal courts compel "fact witnesses" to testify.

[coeur_de_lion]

1. Yes even though Mueller couldn't

Answer many of the questions doesn’t mean we can’t get the answers from other witnesses.

[H2O Man]

2. Right.

Don McGahn will be next. And he doesn't go by DOJ guidelines.

[H2O Man]

3. I think that

Rep. Adam Schiff -- who was simple outstanding today -- had made that clear a few days ago.

[Kid Berwyn]

4. Nice.

Thank you for the kind reminder, H2O Man. Like the Picture of Dorian Drumpf, the best is yet to come.

[H2O Man]

6. I, like many others,

hoped that Mr. Mueller would ride into the hearing a large, loud motorcycle, wearing a black leather jacket and mirror shade, with a spliff hanging out of the left side of his mouth. I'd even have been satisfied, if not happy, if the spliff was on the right side.

But I also recognized that we are dealing with reality. And that Congress follows a process, that often seems frustratingly slow. And this was an important part of the process.

Nice cartoon! Thanks!

[Kid Berwyn]

8. Anytime. Hey, you like donuts?

The work of Eric Joyner

“…the constitution is the guide, which I will never abandon.”
George Washington to The Boston Selectmen, July 28, 1795

[H2O Man]

10. Rock 'em sock 'em robots!

Always loved them. Of course, the Great Sport has been a major part of my life.

[Kid Berwyn]

12. The Sweet Science

I remember your writings about Hurricane Carter, your family, the sport.



For when you need a laugh: The artist Eric Joyner realizes many of the great things in life: science, art, consciousness, the birds and the bees, AI, robots, flying saucers, justice, freedom, democracy, the Good Fight.

[malaise]

5. Ding ding

and that is what matters - on with the impeachment investigations

[H2O Man]

7. Right.

It is all about process. The Founding Fathers intended Congress to move slowly. Sometimes that seems better than others. Those same Founding Fathers intended Congress to impeach corrupt presidents.

[spanone]

9. We have ALL we need to start an Impeachment Inquiry. Now.

[H2O Man]

11. I agree.

[H2O Man]

13. ......

[StarfishSaver]

14. But the Democrats didn't badger Mueller into blurting out that he ordered the Code Red

so the hearing was a failure.

Right?

[H2O Man]

15. I liked it. A lot.

And I'm loving it as I watch it the second time.

[Hekate]

16. Good to know

[H2O Man]

19. Thanks!

Rep. Adam Schiff had talked about this a few days back, when he said that Don McGahn would be next. It is a slow process, but yesterday's hearing was an important step.

I watched the two hearings twice. The second time,I picked up on a significant number of good things that I hadn't while watching it live.

[Awsi Dooger]

17. Remember that best case scenario versions don't play out that way

I'm glad I'm not a sucker. There has been one assertion after another around here. CompuBox is resting at all zeros.

Hillary will win by double digits. Trump won't make it through 2017. He's 38% approval now but just wait until it's below 30%. Mueller to the rescue. If not Mueller it will be New York.

And so forth. I'm sure I'm forgetting plenty. Not sourced by this OP but by the same mentality. I have no idea how anyone has the patience for it. Wrong time and again yet let's line up for some more.

This party is totally clueless regarding situational influence. Every time there's a landmark ahead nobody ever bothers to sit back and envision how it will play out. Instead it's like Ralph Kramden bang zoom to the moon.

Oh yes, I just can't wait for those fact witnesses. The term Perry Mason moment will be redefined and renamed. All my oddsmakers buddies right now are just waiting to shift the odds 25% or 50% based on those fact witnesses. Trump is mocking tonight but he'll be trembling then. Nothing can dent those fact witnesses.

I'll stick with what I have posted since early 2017: The system is not designed to deal with an atrocity like this. None of the historical precedents mean squat. None of the fanciful remedies have a fleck of a chance. Incumbent presidents do not leave office and incumbents whose party have been in power only one term are hellish to defeat. If we defeat Trump in 2020 it will be by desperate whisker.

Right now Republicans are quietly scheming to suppress votes. They have undertakings that we will be totally clueless about until long after election day. That's what happens when we continue to fight yesterday while the other side chuckles away in those dark scheming rooms. When Trump was stuck at sub-40% approval we had amazing opportunity to prioritize registration drives at every locale yet we whined and wasted while fixated on yesterday, and the latest rescue mission.

Every time I visit this site there's a new rescue mission to derail the Trump presidency. Meanwhile in the real world nobody cares. The shock factor is long gone. But for people who hang around this site hour after hour I guess they are forced to believe it is still a fluid situation. Tune in Rachel Maddow at 9 PM and she'll emphasize fact witnesses also. And then the next road to nowhere. Grinning all the way.

I'm just glad it's not me

[H2O Man]

20. I was in a

sour mood last week, and so I suspect that you would prefer my last OP to this one. Perhaps it's a good thing we are not both grumpy on the same schedule, or we would risk depressing anyone who reads our posts.

Where I'd agree with your well-written and interesting post is that our system isn't geared for having outside influences such as the Russians involved in our domestic cammpaigns. Call me "old fashioned" if you will, but I do not believe that our system intended for us to have engaged in influencing other nations' elections, or other means of selecting their leaders. Yet, as our mothers told us, two wrongs don't make a right.

Where I respectfully disagree is about if the system is geared to deal with the election of an individual who is financially influenced by a foreign power. The writings of the Founding Fathers shows that this was their #1 reason for including the process of impeachment. Thus, I would hold that what they didn't anticipate was what the republicans in Congress have become -- cowards who are unwilling to fulfill their oath of office, by impeaching a monster such as Trump.

One could also hold that advances in technology-- specifically the internet -- has resulted it in becoming a much more difficult process. Everything moves at a much faster pace today ....which is curious, as it would seem that would increase the pace in which we could remove a turd like Trump. Yet, it is said that everything is the exact opposite of what it really is. And there is certainly a lot of truth in that false statement.

I am not okay with the pace that things are moving. I like some of our representatives better than others. But it is what it is. I'm curious if you have a suggestion of how those of us at the grass roots level can improve the system? Or do you believe that we are mere victims of circumstance?

(PS: I don't think Pacquiao should fight either Spence or Crawford. Just my opinion.)

[Lars39]

18. I really wanted to hear from Zebley, too.

I’m guessing that he can now be called to testify in the future.

[H2O Man]

21. Oh, yes!

I did, too. I anticipate that we will hear from him soon.

[Lars39]

22. Did I hear correctly that he was the actual day to day organizer?

[H2O Man]

23. Yes.

He was.

[Lars39]

24. Almost sounds like he was formally introduced for the next hearings. :-)

[H2O Man]

25. Sure did!

[cilla4progress]

26. It's a process.

It must play out.

We are all impatient.

[H2O Man]

28. Right.

Trump is a terrible human being. We all want him gone. But the process moves at what seems like a very slow process. But with patience, even the smallest creature can climb the highest mountain.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

30. ITTMFA

(Just substitute "impeach", "arrest", or "imprison" for "kill" in the above)

[H2O Man]

33. Ha-ha-ha!

You know, I had thought of that earlier! Thank you for it!!!

My question is: can we combine the two?

[emulatorloo]

27. You are correct. Kick and Rec

[H2O Man]

29. Thank you!

Appreciate it!

[kentuck]

31. I think Mueller's assistants should be called to testify also....

....after some time has passed and more people have been questioned.

[H2O Man]

32. Absolutely!

That is key.There are some who will provide background, despite Barr's demands for silence on certain issues.