TPM - Marshall gets it "Terrible, Terrible, Terrible"

[NRaleighLiberal]

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/terrible-terrible-terrible

This evening I turned on MSNBC and watched Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland express deep concern about whether his Republican colleagues were going to keep an open mind as jurors in the Senate trial of the President. At one point he went as far as to say that Mitch McConnell had “raise[d] serious questions whether he will be objective in carrying out the responsibilities of the Senate or whether he’s going to try to stack the deck in favor of the president.”

My point here is not to pick on Ben Cardin. This is one example of rhetoric you can hear from many Democrats and most Senate Democrats. It’s just the example that is ready at hand. But it is terrible and completely pathetic.


It is grievously irresponsible to be expressing “concerns” that Republicans may not do their job and uphold their responsibility as Senators. Republicans have made crystal clear that they understand the nature of the President’s abuses of power and that they will not only protect him from the consequences of his actions but, in an effort to do so, bend reality to pretend that it is in fact fine and even admirable for a President to use extortion to force a foreign power to intervene in a US election. To see Republicans do this in the open and not state that fact clearly is a total abdication of responsibility.

It’s like coaching a football team and not sending a wide receiver down field into an area the opposing team has for some reason decided not to cover. It’s like seeing an undefended flank in a battle and not exploiting it out of some misguided concept of fair play. But of course this isn’t a game at all. The constitutional order itself is entering a period of trial and danger.

Republicans have made their intentions crystal clear. It is an abdication of responsibility not to state this clearly. Republicans have already decided to protect a lawless President from constitutional accountability. They’ve betrayed the constitution and their oaths. This is a point to make consistently over and over and over again. Because it is true. If some Republican Senator decides to change his mind and the right thing they are welcome to do so.

Perhaps Cardin and others are too squeamish for that language or too wedded to Senate collegiality. I’m sure many Republican colleagues are amiable enough people when you meet them at the congressional gym. But language does not need to be hot to state clearly where the facts of the matter stand. There’s nothing to be “concerned” about. Senate Republicans have made very clear there is no level of lawless behavior from this President that they will not defend. The public needs to know that. It needs to be said over and over. To say anything else, to express hopes this or that doesn’t happen when it already has happened only signals a damaging, demoralizing and shameful weakness.

[tblue37]

1. Big K&R. nt

[pecosbob]

2. It is our House of Lords after all is said

I believe there are quite a few Senators that are fine with the status quo.

[paleotn]

14. Yep. The check on the "passions of the mob"

has become corrupt and complicit with what amounts to a coup funded and fomented by foreign interests.

[Kitchari]

3. "They've betrayed the constitution and their oaths" - from the article

This should be shouted from the rooftops: "Republicans have already decided to protect a lawless President from constitutional accountability"

[SaintLouisBlues]

4. OMG! How dare Josh criticize Democrats

Rah, Rah Democrats!

[NRaleighLiberal]

5. yeah, I'm waiting to see if it gets alerted here

[Lucky Luciano]

6. Yes it is ridiculous the way some people are.

Just as thin skinned to constructive criticism as fuckface himself.

[milestogo]

7. Its more like a football team that has decided not to comply with officiating that goes against them

them.

[Botany]

8. Republicans have already decided to protect a lawless President from constitutional accountability.

Trump is the biggest crook in American history and the rat fucking of elections and democracy
by both foreign and domestic players is the biggest crime in American history too.

[democrank]

9. Comity has its place, like when politicians gather 'round during a dedication ceremony

for a new bronze statue. But, the danger this country is facing because of dictator-wannabe Trump and his red-knee enablers requires a lunge for the throat. Ben Cardin needs to study a few Eric Swallwell videos.

[Eyeball_Kid]

10. Democrats have used a equivocation and hesitation regarding this tragedy for months and months.

They hesitate to call Trumpy a pathological liar who is a career criminal, and who continues to commit crimes in the present.

They hesitate to call out Republicans as the partners in crime that they are. They are accomplices.

They hesitate to accuse Republicans for shamelessly disavowing the Constitution, to align themselves with a foreign adversary just to curry favor with a lawless president.

They hesitate to clearly state that Trumpy is more aligned with Putin than the US Constitution. It doesn't take any investigative skills to come to that conclusion. If Democrats can read, they can get the facts.

The largest share of the despicable behavior goes to Republicans, who are actively promoting Trumpy's crime spree and who see Trumpy's overall behavior as harmless to the country even good for Republicans.

If the Senate acquits, our Constitution is dead. The Republicans will state that the governmental structures that define the United States are no longer functional because Trumpy is the autocratic dictator, as he proves every day of his term in office. On this last point, Democrats must be crystal clear. Yet virtually no one in the Democratic leadership is willing to admit this stark reality. This isn't about scaring the population. It's about telling the population what is really at stake.

"This ain't no party. This ain't no disco. This ain't no foolin' around."

[NRaleighLiberal]

11. great David Byrne quote!

I am tired of the Dems bringing butter knives to nuclear wars.

[Lucky Luciano]

29. Or bringing tuna casseroles to a gun fight etc...that's what I like to go with!

[Aquaria]

17. Well, except when...

They do call him a criminal:

https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/01/politics/maxine-waters-tweet-trump-solitary-confinement/index.html

When they do say that repukes don't stand for the Constitution:

https://theweek.com/speedreads/884003/rep-eric-swalwell-tells-gop-colleagues-defend-trump-democrats-defend-constitution

Or when they say that repukes align with a foreign adversary:

“This is not just about prior conduct,” Schiff said. “It’s not just about — although it would be more than enough — the president inviting Russia to interfere and then inviting Ukraine to interfere. It is about what is going on today as the president and his allies continue to try to invite foreign interference in our election.”"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/12/13/it-is-most-shameful-hour-schiff-rips-republicans-willfully-blinding-themselves-defend-trump-impeachment-hearings/

Or when they do say he is more aligned with Putin--to his face:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/pelosi-recalls-clash-with-trump-says-she-was-probably-telling-him-that-all-roads-lead-to-putin/2019/10/17/fdbde8d2-f0f2-11e9-8693-f487e46784aa_story.html

Funny, I didn't need to look hard to find any of those examples. Simple Google searches had them come up for me. So maybe the problem isn't the Democrats, ne?

[NJCher]

25. those were great

everyone should read them.

Eloquence from Adam Schiff, smiles from Maxine Waters, who we all know calls it like she sees it.

[Lonestarblue]

12. In some cases, Democrats are too polite.

I like that Democrats are not screamers or fit throwers. But sometimes, they talk around a subject to avoid throwing their Republican colleagues under the bus. That’s being thoughtful and nice, but their Republican colleagues have no such compunction when it comes to throwing Democrats under the bus. During the hearing, I kept wanting just one Democrat to respond to Republican lies. Just one could have said in response to claims of secret meetings in the basement that Republicans on the committee were part of the meetings and the meeting room has always been in the basement as the Republicans well know. But instead Democrats proceeded with their prepared statements and questions, leaving the Republican lies to stand because they were not directly refuted. If this happened, I missed it because I could not watch every hour of the hearings.

[Texin]

13. Rethugs are doing this because they face no real consequences. And they don't intend to lose.

In fact, it appears by their very actions that they aren't concerned about losing because the fix is already in. They NEVER intend to give up control. Not of the senate. Not of the presidency. Not of the courts, which McConnell is working 24/7 to pack with unqualified and right wing ideologues to maintain its control of the government - that which they alone will define and determine for the future. They never intend to give the reins of choice back to the American public. Well, that is, the "public" that would choose to run them out of office and out of their stranglehold of total control of their lives. I'm not sure voting will ever matter again. They're going to cheat and cheat and keep on cheating.

[azureblue]

15. every congress person takes the oath of office

to protect and defend the constitution

The Constitution requires that all members of Congress must take an oath of office to support the Constitution before assuming office. In order to comply with the Constitution, Congress has enacted federal laws to execute and enforce this constitutional requirement.

Federal law regulating oath of office by government officials is divided into four parts along with an executive order which further defines the law for purposes of enforcement. 5 U.S.C. 3331, provides the text of the actual oath of office members of Congress are required to take before assuming office. 5 U.S.C. 3333 requires members of Congress sign an affidavit that they have taken the oath of office required by 5 U.S.C. 3331 and have not or will not violate that oath of office during their tenure of office as defined by the third part of the law, 5 U.S.C. 7311 which explicitly makes it a federal criminal offense (and a violation of oath of office) for anyone employed in the United States Government (including members of Congress) to “advocate the overthrow of our constitutional form of government”. The fourth federal law, 18 U.S.C. 1918 provides penalties for violation of oath office described in 5 U.S.C. 7311 which include: (1) removal from office and; (2) confinement or a fine.

[dchill]

16. So exactly right!

What's "crystal clear" is that their real oath is to Putin.

[MagickMuffin]

18. And This: An Innocent Man Does Not Have Anything to Hide

This pResident is hiding all the docs that would prove his innocence. Weird ain't it?

Democrats should say this every chance they get, An Innocent Man Does Not Have Anything to Hide, so Why is the pResident hiding his innocence?

The documentation would clearly exonerate him and the rest of his shady cabinet.

[HissyFit]

19. Our democracy is crumbling.

It's quite obvious that Senate Republicans have willfully decided not to uphold their oaths of office. I see no way back from this complete abdication of their Constitutional Duty....

[Eliot Rosewater]

24. Sick Jack Tatum on them...

[mjvpi]

20. Impeach and hold. Don't give the articles to the Senate.

Keep the articles in play so that they can be used as a tool on the tools.

[NRaleighLiberal]

21. kick!

[Ferrets are Cool]

22. I've always HATED the phrase "If you ain't cheatin, you ain't trying"

But when it is applied to Congress members and affects MY life, its abominable.

[spanone]

23. K&R...👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[Hermit-The-Prog]

26. Moscow Mitch and Leningrad Lindsey have rigged the jury

[JoeOtterbein]

27. K n R ! Thanks for posting!

Chris Coons was just as lame. The act if it's no big deal.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

28. My friend, do you honestly think that this would

sway anyone? It should but everyone has already decided.

Half the people don't care. The other half are asking..why did you pick only one crime out of dozens, scores? If the other side doesn't bite...at least we go down in history with an accurate record
.