One big lesson from Trump's presidency was that many of the rules we thought constrained politicians were only "Gentlemen's Agreements." They held up because everyone agreed to abide by them. When Trump walked in, refused to abide by them, and wasn't immediately struck by the political equivalent to lightning from heaven, all the politicians on the right decided that they could toss those pesky rules aside also.
I'd call it a "flawed democracy." The ideals behind it were sound, but the execution left much to be improved upon. And we've made many improvements (though we still have a ways to go).
Still, even a flawed democracy is preferable to Dictator Trump.
I want to say "Well, the military won't comply with those commands" and maybe they wouldn't, but if we even get into that position we're in deep trouble.
"I'd totally murder people, but that evil federal government would lock me up for murder? Can you believe the audacity?!!! I really want to murder these people, but they won't let me. Total government overreach! Whatever happened to states' rights?"
Big strong men come up to him, with tears in their eyes, saying "how do you do it, sir? How do you lose so many lawsuits?!!!"
Jail time in such a contempt is usually issued as "suspended" meaning that it's ordered, but if the person doesn't fuck up for a period, and obeys the final order, then they don't actually have to go to jail.
So all Trump would need to do would be good and not act up?
He's going to prison!
My guess (also not a lawyer) is to render the verdict as appeal proof as possible. If he wasn't allowed to speak, he would have claimed that his rights were violated and if he had been allowed to give the closing remarks himself, he would have been found totally Innocent.
Engoron let him talk relatively briefly, cut him off when it was clear he wasn't staying on topic, and closed off this appeal argument.
In many of the cases that Republicans refuse abortions for, there is no baby at the end. If a woman is at risk of dying and the fetus has such severe abnormalities that it will breathe twice and die, then what's the argument against an abortion? It could save the woman's life and wouldn't "kill a baby" (even if I accepted that abortion killed a baby - which I don't).
But the Republican line seems to be that a woman needs to be actively dying before they'll even start to consider allowing her to have a life saving medical procedure.
Also, it is easy to say "I'm not voting for Biden, I want someone else" right now. There aren't any consequences.
But come November and suddenly the consequences become more immediate. Many more people say they will vote third party than actually do it once in the voting booth.
I knew I recognized that expression.
"Are you pooping?"
"Nnnnnnoooo?"
"You're pooping aren't you?"
"Not anymore!"
I long for the day when someone mentions Trump and I respond: "Oh yeah. That guy. Last I heard he was sent to prison. That was years ago. Anyway, changes subject away from Trump..."
As I posted it, I wondered if I had missed it happening. There's so much that it's easy for one to slip by.
To steal a line from Trump: They aren't sending their best!
The only way I'd vote for Trump would be if I was on a jury and the judge asked "Who deserves prison time?" Then, I'd vote for Trump so quickly that big, strong men would have tears in their eyes!
How long until a "protect the kids from groomers" member of Moms For Liberty is busted for grooming kids?
It's because half of the Republicans don't want democracy anymore. Democracy means that the other side might have power if the right's views aren't popular enough. That's unacceptable to Republicans. They want a system where they are always in charge and nothing so minor as "our policies are highly unpopular" can stop them. They want a dictatorship with them in charge.
At best, maybe they're willing to have a "democracy" where you have the choice of which Republican you want leading you. (It would sort of be as if the Republican primaries were really determining who would be President - not who would be the Republicans' candidate for President.)
And before that, one of the Democrats (I forget which one) pointed out that the chair of the committee said that Hunter could choose to testify in public or private as long as he testified. Hunter chose in public. The chair disputed this and the Democratic Representative said "I really don't want to play the video, but I have your exact words here."
The guy was trying to change the offer after the fact from "public or private, your choice" to "you can testify publicly, but only after you testify in private."
What are Republicans scared of that they don't want Hunter to testify in public? Of course, we all know the answer. They're afraid that their imagined giant conspiracy theory will be revealed to be based on nothing. (Well, revealed even more than it currently is.) They're also afraid that they can't misquote Hunter if his actual quotes are on public video. It's a lot easier to say "Hunter replied 'my dad used his influence to get me a job'" when there's no video showing that his answer was actually "at no point did my dad use his influence to get me a job."
Or they'll split among horrible people with MAGA Group A fighting against MAGA groups B, C, and D. Their political relevance would wane, but they might get even more violent.
Even the border situation falls into this pattern. Republicans love to complain about how horrible the border is, but when Democrats propose more money for the border or fixing our immigration system, the Republicans balk. They'd rather give border agents no equipment and then blame Democrats for undocumented immigrants flooding over the border.
They asked for 3 extensions and were granted them. They asked for a 4th and it was denied. Now Trump's claiming that it's so totally unfair.
He's like a spoiled toddler. If anything isn't 100% of what he wants in that moment, he'll cry about how unfair everyone is acting towards him. If only we could put him down for timeout and a nap like we might with a toddler. Perhaps he needs a diaper change? (Not it!)
How to handle the erasure of your 'digital legacy'?
I've been struggling with something for a while now and ironically a sitcom from the 80's finally helped me pinpoint the problem. My TV was on for background noise and I noticed that it was an episode of Family Ties. In the episode, Elyse Keaton was having a problem. A prominent building that she designed was being torn down and replaced by a cookie cutter mini-mall. She was struggling with her "legacy" - her mark on the world - disappearing. After the building was gone, what evidence would there be that Elyse Keaton was there?
I'm facing a similar issue. I don't like getting into my day job too much online (for various reasons), but suffice it to say that applications that I developed for decades are being sunset/replaced. I've developed quite a lot over the decades, but eventually it would all be replaced. Once it is, what will I have as "proof that TechyDad was here"?
How do you handle the existential crisis of our works being digital and transient versus having an actual, physica
A long-time assistant to former President Trump told investigators that Trump wrote to-do lists for her on documents that were marked classified, sources say.
One of former President Donald Trump's long-time assistants told federal investigators that Trump repeatedly wrote to-do lists for her on documents from the White House that were marked classified, according to sources familiar with her statements.
As described to ABC News, the aide, Molly Michael, told investigators that -- more than once -- she received requests or taskings from Trump that were written on the back of notecards, and she later recognized those notecards as sensitive White House materials -- with visible classification markings -- used to brief Trump while he was still in office about phone calls with foreign leaders or other international-related matters.
The notecards with classification markings were at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate when FBI agents searched the property on Aug. 8, 2022 -- but the materials were not taken by the FBI, according to sources familiar with what Michael told investigators.
When Michael, who was not present for the search, returned to Mar-a-L
Donald Trump Wishes ‘Liberal Jews’ a Happy New Year by Accusing Them of Destroying America
The leading Republican presidential candidate took to Truth Social to joke that he is “the greatest Anti Semites of our time”
Donald Trump decided to take time during Rosh Hashanah — the start of the Jewish High Holy days and the celebration of the New Year — to blame “liberal Jews” for voting to destroy America and Israel.
“Just a quick reminder for liberal Jews who voted to destroy America & Israel because you believed in false narratives!,” he wrote on Truth Social on Sunday, presumably referring to the American Jewish support for Joe Biden in the 2020 election. “Let’s hope you learned from your mistake & make better choices moving forward!”
The leading Republican presidential candidate then shared what appeared to be a flyer boasting of Trump’s record on Israel and pro-Jewish causes. “Wake Up Sheep. What Nazi / Anti Semite ever did this for the Jewish people or Israel?” the flyer reads. The flyer goes on to crow about moving the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem (“no other president had the balls to do it”) and endorsing “Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights” and “over settleme
A report from the Royal United Service Institute said Russian soldiers are likely being sent to "skirmish until killed' while on drugs.
Russia has taken to chemically lowering its soldiers' inhibitions to guarantee these ill-trained civilians and convicts continue to fight no matter the odds in the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to a UK defense think tank.
Dewey, letting his dad pet him at the vet
We took Dewey the Parakeet for his annual vet appointment. He was nervous during the car ride, but handled it well all things considered. (I tried to keep the ride as smooth as possible, but turns, stops, bumps, etc were inevitable.)
While waiting for the vet, he let his daddy (my son) scratch his face. There were a few loud dogs but Dewey took it in stride.
Dewey only really got nervous when we went in the room. I think he remembered last time in that room. Sure enough "towel lady" (the vet's assistant) grabbed him with a towel and held him still. This doesn't hurt him, but he was not amused.
The doctor checked him out and was very happy with his plumage and how healthy he looked. His nails didn't even need to be trimmed because apparently Dewey has learned how to keep them trim all on his own. Then, Dewey was weighed (which he really didn't like). He's no longer a 35 gram bird. Now he's a big boy at 43 grams! (All muscle, though. Not fat.)
After a quick trip home, Dewey relaxed
