What the Democrats Must Do

Yes, what, exactly, the Democrats must do, at long last, to break the logjam that is the Republican Party in Congress currently. Then, once that's ended, we must pass the For the People Act so we end gerrymandering, get the dark money out of our elections and put ethics back in government. We must.

The For the People Act!

Know this, Americans. HR1 in the House of Representatives and S1, in our US Senate, are both the For the People Act. Here's what it is and what it means.

We have GOT to stop having or letting political parties gerrymander voting districts across our states and across the nation so results go their way instead of for us, the peole. We need to get the big, "dark money" out of our government and elections that's coming from who knows where. We need to get ethics back into our Federal Government. These bills go a long, long way to doing just that. Please phone your Senators and tell them to please support these very important bills. Thank you in advance.

Righting a Wrong for Washington, DC

Good to great news today. The House of Representatives in Washington passed statehood for Washington,DC today.

Could you imagine living in Washington, DC and paying taxes, everything but YOU HAVE NO REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS? Really? Greater population than Wyoming but zero representatives in Congress. So wrong. Obscene.Let's do this. #DCStatehood #DCStatehoodNow

What's In the For the People Act?

Know this, everyone! What the For the People Act does:

--Expands voting rights, --Limits partisan gerrymandering, --Strengthens ethics rules, and --Limits the influence of private donor money in politics. It's only bad for Republicans and the Republican Party. It is patently good to great for Americans and America. Please contact your Senators now and tell them to support it.

Quotes of the Day -- On Republicans and America

"The only thing Republicans are more scared of than facts are votes." --Middle Age Riot #VoteThemOut

"Instead of making it harder to vote...maybe Republicans should take a close look at whether they have bad ideas and people just don't want to support them." --Jen Psaki, White House Press Secretary

Mitch McConnell and the Republicans now suddenly want to protect minority voting rights in the Senate but not voting rights for minorities. Know this, America. #VoteThemOut

America Needs Common Sense Gun Reform Legislation

Yes, as the slaughter of 8 innocent Americans in Atlanta, Georgia this week shows, we, America need just that, common sense gun reform legislation. And Republicans need to get on board or get out of the way.

Question of the Day -- Self-Serving, Greedy Congress Edition

Members of Congress should not be allowed to buy and sell stocks. How is this even a thing? --Citizens for Ethics @CREWcrew

We know why it's a thing, of course, because they benefit from it. The question is, why is it still a thing? This is nuts. We should have put an end to this long ago, long before now. The $174,000 per year salary and all-inclusive, fully paid for health care all their benefits should be enough. It should be more than enough. We must demand an end to even the possibility of this self-serving greed and insider trading.

This Incredibly Bizarre Presidency Just Keeps Getting More So

I haven't been able to believe so much of what I've read and seen this past 4 years from this President, his presidency and administration. Now, today, there is this.

Pence Should Remove Trump From Office on Sunday

Here's the gist of what they're proposing.

"It may seem extremely unlikely that Mike Pence, who up to this point has been one of Trump’s most craven enablers, would even consider taking advantage of this constitutional power. But it’s always possible that, between now and January 20 when Trump’s term expires, the situation may become so extreme that he and eight other Cabinet members may find the modicum of personal courage and moral decency necessary to do the right thing.

Trump would put up a fight, but it wouldn’t matter this late in his presidency. Once Pence has transmitted the letter to Congress that makes him acting president, Trump may contest the vice-president’s actions via a letter of his own. Section Four, however, would give Pence four days to respond to this letter. After Pence did so, the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives could — by simple majority vote — decline to act on the substantive dispute for the remaining 21 days. (Meanwhile, Democrats could filibuster any action in the Senate.) Were it not the end of his term, Trump would return to office after 21 days if Congress failed to act.

This, in effect, means that Pence could become acting president on Sunday, December 27, and would remain in the position for the rest of the current administration’s term in office, as long as House Democrats acceded to the new status quo. For the good of the nation, he should do so this weekend."

So. Very. Bizarre.

Thanks, Republicans.

God help us.

Happy holidays.

Hopefully.

The Insane, Bizarre, Ugly and Now Dangerous World Into Which This President and HIs Political Party Have Brought Us

 I can honestly still not believe the things this Republican Party President keeps saying and doing. Now we're here:

2020 is the deadliest year in US history, with deaths expected to top 3 million for the first time

What the sorry excuse for "leadership" from this Republican Party President Trump and his political party has gotten us all, gotten the nation. Is it any wonder we wanted to vote him out and so badly? Thanks, Republicans. Thanks so very much. This man Trump and all he has wrought this last 4 years is on you, all on you---forever.  This last fact and statistic is the worst, of course, but it's followed by this beauty, too.

For the 40th consecutive week, Americans file more than a million claims for jobless benefits

Then this happened.

Trump Demands $2,000 Stimulus Checks, Imperiling Covid-19 

Forget that these negotiations have been going on in Congress for months and that Americans are hurting. Millions of us are going hungry, millions more are already facing possible eviction from their homes and consequential homelessness. Oh, yeah, forget all that. Republicans and Democrats finally hammered out a deal to get assistance out to us all and this President, at the last minute, decides the checks--at $600 to us schmoes out here--aren't large enough and the threatens to veto the whole thing. Things you can be sure of just now because of this move by the Trumpster:

1. Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats are rightly overjoyed and loving this President's insanity 
2. Mitch McConnell and the Republicans are about to pull their hair out because of their own President's wildly contradicting excuse for "leadership" on COVID assistance issue and
3. No one, no one still knows what goes on in Donald Trump's mind

Minutes ago, he, Trump, did this.

Trump Vetoes Defense Spending Bill

This took place 2 days ago.

House Republicans meet with Trump to discuss overturning election results

Forget that we voted. Forget that more than 50 different judges and their courts found zero proof of vote fraud. Forget that all those lawsuits by this President Trump and his attorneys were all thrown out. Forget all that. They want to overturn our vote, our votes, our election.

Naturally, it's Donald Trump so it gets worse.

As Trump meets with QAnon influencers, the conspiracy's adherents beg for dictatorship

Of course, they won't think of it as "dictatorship." They'll say they're just trying to reseat the current President because he won this election. Which of course he didn't.

At this stage, we are 27 days from Joe Biden's inauguration.

It can't happen soon enough.

I so hope this doesn't get crazier.

Or uglier.

On Trump Trying to Dismantle the USPS--and Likely Our Democracy. And Nation

So here is what's going on with this many-layered situation. First this.

USPS Removes Mailboxes

Followed, also, amazingly, by this.

Postal Service plans to remove 671 high-volume mail processing machines

An internal US Postal Service document obtained by NBC News reveals plans to remove 671 high-volume mail processing machines from postal facilities across the country. The document, circulated in June, is broken out by region and city/state.

Heck, our own Kansas City Star reported it did, in fact, happen here locally.

Postal Services removes mail machines in Kansas, Missouri

Can you imagine working for the Postal Service, walking in and seeing the mail sorting machine gone? Where does that happen? In what industry do they REMOVE automating equipment? Anywhere?

Then this came from the Orange Man's mouth himself.

Trump Admits He’s Trying To Stop Mail-In Voting With USPS Sabotage

Trump admitted that he is trying to stop mail-in votes from being counted with USPS sabotage during a Thursday Fox Business interview.

Once again, this President shows he wasn't/isn't smart enough, bright enough to even keep his mouth closed, keep quiet about his plans, nefarious and blatant as they are.

With all that, this is where we are now.

House Oversight Committee calls for 'urgent' hearing with Postmaster General

The House Oversight Committee is calling for Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to testify at an "urgent" congressional hearing later this month amid growing concerns about whether cost-cutting measures will leave the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) ill-equipped to handle a rise in mail-in voting.

It seems the Trump's Postmaster General may have some significant conflicts of interest.

Amid political controversy, postmaster general's stock holdings come under renewed scrutiny

USPS head Louis DeJoy reportedly owns millions of stock in mail processor

With this President trying to under-fund or de-fund the Postal Service and the House Democrats planning to have the Postmaster General this coming week, here are some things I'd like to ask the head of the Postal Service, that Postmaster General, just now:

• Do you deny that 671 mail sorter machines--or some number--have been ordered out of our postal service facilities across the nation?
• Why are they being taken out? 
• How does taking mail sorting machines out make any sense at any time but especially now when we need the postal service and all you do for this most killing pandemic in over 100 years?
• Why are post office mailboxes being carted away?
• How can anyone think this isn't to keep people from voting this Fall?
• Can you testify now, under oath, that you own no other investments that have to do with mailing or shipping of any sort in our nation?
• Can you testify here under oath that you would in no way benefit from having our United States Postal Service ceasing to exist?
• Can you testify here, now, under oath that it is not now nor will be in the future your goal or the goal of your boss, this current President, to end the existence of the United States Postal Service?

I hope someone asks them.

This, however, is how and where it gets difficult.

What Really Scares Voting Experts About the Postal Service

No matter what Trump says, the USPS has the money and the capacity to handle a huge surge in mail-in ballots. But new restrictions could disrupt the election.

President Donald Trump and his allies might well succeed in undermining the United States Postal Service’s ability to handle an expected surge in mail-in ballots this fall. But the biggest immediate threat to voting by mail isn’t blocked funding.

Trump acknowledged yesterday that he opposes a major stimulus deal with Democrats in part because he wants to stop an infusion of $25 billion to the Postal Service ahead of the election. “They need that money in order for the Post Office to work, to take in these millions and millions of ballots,” Trump said in an interview with Fox Business’s Maria Bartiromo. But the president doesn’t want more voting by mail, and he doesn’t want the Postal Service to have any more money to help with it. “If we don’t make a deal, that means they don’t get the money. That means they can’t have universal mail-in voting. That means they can’t have it.”

Democrats see the president’s comments as slam-dunk evidence of what they have been charging for weeks: that Trump is sabotaging the November election by purposely degrading the ostensibly independent Postal Service. They have assailed the appointment as postmaster general of a Trump donor, Louis DeJoy, who has moved rapidly to reorganize the Postal Service’s leadership and institute cost-cutting measures that have already resulted in slower mail delivery. Those service changes, rather than the congressional fight over funding, are what alarm advocates for mail-in voting the most. At stake is nothing less than the integrity of the election itself, which to a large degree rests on whether tens of millions of ballots can get into mailboxes and then back to their precincts in time to count.

Keeping in mind this, overall, from our own Constitution.

8 U.S. Code § 1701.Obstruction of mails generally

Whoever knowingly and willfully obstructs or retards the passage of the mail, or any carrier or conveyance carrying the mail, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 778; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(B), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2146.)

I would never have thought a President, even this one, would attack and try to dismantle, destroy our Postal Service.

Unreal where we are.

Then this President said this.

Trump says it could take 'months' or 'years' to know election results

Have we become, are we already some Third World banana republic backwater?

Are we going to tolerate this?

I'm sure as Hell not if I can do anything about it.

First, we can't respond to a pandemic---but all other nations can---and now this?

Oh, Hell no.

Once again, one more time, thanks, Republicans.

What's In Congress' Stimulus Package For This Pandemi

As said, here's what's in Congress' just-approved stimulus package to help the nation deal with this coronavirus pandemic.

Help for families

• The bill would provide direct payments of up to $1,200 for most individuals and $2,400 for most married couples filing jointly with an extra $500 for each child.
• Assistance would start to phase out for individuals earning more than $75,000 and for couples with more than $150,000 in income.
• Unemployment insurance benefits would be expanded, increasing the maximum benefit by $600 a week for up to four months. Benefits would be available to workers who are part-time, self-employed or part of the gig economy. People who are still unemployed after state benefits end could get an additional 13 weeks of help.
• Food assistance programs would get a boost as would programs to help low-income households avoid eviction and a program to improve internet access in rural areas.
• Homeowners with federally-backed mortgages would be protected from foreclosures for as long as 180 days.
• Students with federal loans could suspend payments until October.
• Students receiving Pell grants who have to drop out because of coronavirus would not be penalized. 

Help for small businesses

• The bill would give small businesses access to a nearly $350 billion loan program to cover monthly expenses like payroll, rent and utilities. The loans would not have to be repaid if businesses maintained their workforce.
• The eight weeks of assistance would be retroactive to Feb. 15, 2020 to help bring back workers who have already been laid off.

Help for corporations

• The package includes a financial lifeline to the hardest-hit industries, including passenger and cargo airlines. Another pot of money would be available to help other businesses for a combined $500 billion.
• Companies receiving assistance would be barred from raising the pay of certain executives.
• Any company receiving a government loan would be prohibited from buying back stocks while getting assistance as well for an additional year.
• Businesses controlled by the president, vice president, members of Congress and heads of federal agencies are not eligible for loans.
• Companies that kept on workers despite a significant loss of revenue could get a tax credit.
• The bill provides other tax relief to businesses by deferring tax payments, increasing deductibility for interest expenses and allowing immediate expensing of qualified property improvements, especially for the hospitality industry.

Help for health care providers

• Hospitals and medical centers would get billions to handle surging caseloads.
• Hospitals treating coronavirus patients would also get higher reimbursements form Medicare.
• Hospitals could request accelerated payments from Medicare.
• Across-the-board Medicare cuts that were part of a previous deficit reduction agreement would be temporarily halted.
• Extra funding for the Defense Department includes money to deploy the National Guard and use the Defense Production Act to help fast-track production of needed medical supplies to combat the coronavirus.
• Rules on using and paying for telehealth services would be eased.
• Funding would increase for federal agencies to speed work on therapies and a possible coronavirus vaccine, among other activities.
• When there is a vaccine, Medicare beneficiaries would not have to pay to receive it.

Help for state and local governments

• The package includes $150 billion to help state and local governments, which have had major unanticipated expenses while losing revenue. States would get a minimum amount and other funds would be allocated through a population-based formula.
• Disaster relief funding that state and local governments can access as well as a popular funding program for local governments would also be boosted.
• Child care programs would get a funding boost to help meet emergency staffing needs so health care workers and other critical workers will have child care.
• States, which have been postponing primaries, would get additional funds to make voting safer such as expanding early voting and the ability to vote by mail.
• Public transit agencies, which have lost ridership, would get $25 billion in assistance. Airports and Amtrak would also get billions of dollars of assistance.
• Schools and colleges could access nearly $31 billion to continue to teach students as schools are closed.
• State and local police and fire departments could get help paying for overtime and for medical items like personal protective equipment.
• The deadline for states to meet Real ID requirements for enhanced driver's licenses would be extended a year, to no earlier than October of 2021.

Help for the arts

• Museums, libraries and arts organizations across the country, which have been closing because of the pandemic, could get a boost from grants to state arts and humanities organizations.
• The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, which has been closed until May, would get $25 million so it can reopen its doors once the crisis is over.
• The Smithsonian Institution would get $7.5 million to help with teleworking, deep cleaning and overtime for security, medical staff, and zoo keepers.

Contributing: Nicholas Wu and Christal Hayes, USA TODAY.

Be careful, be safe out there, y'all and STAY HOME.

A Notable, Don't-Miss Speech From the Impeachment Proceedings Yesterday

House Representative Steny Hoyer (D-CA) said it all and said it so very well yesterday in the impeachment hearings. It shouldn't be missed by any adult, voting American.

Transcript of U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer’s speech on the articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump

“Madam Speaker, I’ve had the honor of serving in this House for over thirty-eight years. I’ve served during six presidencies. I’ve been here through moments of tremendous progress and terrible tragedy. I’ve seen periods of rank partisanship and patriotic bipartisanship. I’ve seen our two-party system work, and I’ve seen it break down.

“Never, in all my years serving in this great institution and the people of my district, did I ever expect to encounter such obvious wrongdoing by a President of the United States. Nor did I expect to witness such craven rationalization of presidential actions, which have put our national security at risk, undermined the integrity of our elections, and defied the Constitutional authority of the Congress to conduct oversight.

“We’ve heard from Republicans that this impeachment really has to do with policy differences or concerns about the President’s temperament or that we simply dislike the President. They’ve alleged that Democrats have been itching to impeach him since he first took office. The facts say otherwise.

“Throughout the Trump presidency, Democrats have resisted pursuing impeachment even as we watched with dismay and disgust at a pattern of wrongdoing. That pattern included ordering federal agencies to lie to the public, firing the FBI Director for refusing to end an investigation of his campaign, siding with Vladimir Putin over our intelligence agencies, taking funding away from the military to put toward an ineffective border wall, and setting policies that have led to the separation of families and the caging of children. We have, to be sure, deep disagreements with the policies and actions taken by this president. But they are not reasons to pursue what Chairman Schiff has called, ‘a wrenching process for the nation.’

“In fact, Democrats rejected that process emphatically in three specific votes. In December of 2017, Democrats overwhelmingly voted against pursuing articles of impeachment, including the Speaker and myself. We did so again in 2018, with over sixty percent of Democrats rejecting that path. Again, in July 2019, just days before the infamous July 25 telephone call, we did the same, with sixty percent of Democrats voting not to proceed.
“What I will do is remind Americans that the House provided President Trump every opportunity to prove his innocence. Instead, he ignored Congressional subpoenas for documents and for testimony by White House officials and ordered his subordinates not to cooperate. This itself is unprecedented. When Presidents Nixon and Clinton were asked to hand over documents and allow officials to testify, ultimately both complied. Because it is the law. Such actions of the President can be taken as further evidence of his obstruction and abuse of power. It is itself impeachable conduct, the subject of the second article in this resolution.

“These two articles before us concern two very profound Constitutional issues about the abuse of power in our republic. First, whether it is acceptable for the President of the United States to solicit foreign interference in our elections, undermining our national security and the integrity of our democracy. And second, whether it is permissible for the president to obstruct Congress and act as if he is above the law and immune from Constitutional oversight.

“On December 4, the Judiciary Committee heard the testimony of Constitutional law experts who weighed in on these points. One of them, Professor Noah Feldman, cautioned: ‘If we cannot impeach a president who abuses his office for personal advantage, we no longer live in a democracy. We live in a monarchy, or we live under a dictatorship.’

“The votes we are about to take concern the rule of law and our democracy itself. Let us not forget the words of the philosopher John Locke, so influential to the Founders of our republic. He warned: ‘Wherever law ends, tyranny begins.’

“This impeachment asks whether we are still a republic of laws, as our Founders intended – or whether we will accept that one person can be above the law. In America, no one is above the law, but only as long as we hold every person accountable for breaking the law – even a president. Especially a president.

“If the House does not act – if we wait and delay – we run the risk of allowing the President’s misconduct to be repeated at the expense of the integrity of our elections, our national security, and our Constitutional system of separation of powers. Democrats did not choose impeachment. We did not wish for it. But President Trump’s misconduct has forced our Constitutional republic to protect itself.

“These votes we are about to take – and the process that will follow in the Senate – are not only an assessment of the President’s commitment to the Constitution or to his oath of office. It is, as well, a test of our own. Damning evidence of the President’s high crimes has emerged. Nevertheless, Republican Members of this House and of the Senate have continued to defend a President whose actions and statements are indefensible.

“All of us feel a sense of loyalty to party. It’s what makes our two-party system function. It’s what helps hold presidents and majorities accountable. But party loyalty must have its limits. And as evidence of the President’s impeachable offenses has mounted, it has become increasingly clear that the limits of partisanship have been reached and passed.

“Now, Democrats and Republicans together face a test before our constituents, our countrymen, and our Creator.

“The New York Times on October 18 summarized the question now posed to House and Senate Republicans: ‘Compromise by compromise, Donald Trump has hammered away at what Republicans once saw as foundational virtues: decency, honesty, responsibility. …Will they commit themselves and their party wholly to Mr. Trump, embracing even his most anti-democratic actions, or will they take the first step toward separating themselves from him and restoring confidence in the rule of law?’

“Madam Speaker, we have seen Republican courage throughout our history, from the Civil War to the Cold War. In 1950, Margaret Chase Smith, the Senator from Maine, spoke bravely against the cancer of McCarthyism in her party, leading six of her Republican colleagues in a ‘Declaration of Conscience’ against their own leadership.‘We are Republicans,’ they declared, ‘but we are Americans first.’

“In 1974, one Congressman took the brave and principled step of becoming the first Republican on the Judiciary Committee to support impeaching President Nixon. He said to his colleagues and to the country: ‘…It isn’t easy for me to align myself against the president to whom I gave my enthusiastic support… on whose side I’ve stood in many legislative battles, whose accomplishments in foreign and domestic affairs I’ve consistently applauded. But it’s impossible for me to condone or ignore the long train of abuses to which he has subjected the presidency and the people of this country. The Constitution and my own oath of office demand that I bear true faith and allegiance to the principles of law and justice upon which this nation was founded. And I cannot in good conscience turn away from the evidence of evil that is to me so clear and compelling.’

“That Congressman’s name was Larry Hogan Sr. He represented the Fifth District of Maryland, which I now represent. His son is presently the second-term Republican governor of our state. When Larry Hogan Sr. died in 2017, every obituary led with praise for his great act of political courage. Who among us, many years from now, will receive such praise as a man or woman of courage? Who will regret not having earned it?

“When Rep. Justin Amash left the Republican Party, he admonished his colleagues that: ‘This president will only be in power for a short time, but excusing his behavior will forever tarnish your name.’ Rep. Amash, of course, is the only Member of this House who has no allegiance to either party. He is supporting both articles of impeachment.

“We need not ask who will be the first to show courage by standing up to President Trump. The question we must now ask is: who will be the last to find it?

“The pages of our history are filled with Americans who had the courage to choose country over party or personality. But, as President Kennedy wrote: ‘The stories of past courage …can teach, they can offer hope, they can provide inspiration. But they cannot supply courage itself. For this each man must look into his own soul.’

“I urge my colleagues in the House and in the Senate: look into your soul. Summon the courage to vote for our Constitution and our democracy. To do less betrays our oath and that of our Founders, who pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. Let us neither turn away from the evidence, which is so clear, nor from our good conscience, which compels us to do what in our hearts we know to be right. Let us not allow the rule of law to end or for tyranny to find its toehold."

A Big Day, Where We Are Now and Where Will We Go?

First, let's just say folks, today, that, not only was Republican party President Donald Trump impeached, ladies and gentlemen, but he was impeached bigly.

Trump was impeached with more votes against him than any other President

Yes sir and ma'am, he certainly does things "the best" as he promised he would. So much winning.

But let's be clear on this--

Impeachment isn’t Democrats vs. Republicans. It’s right vs. wrong.

Meanwhile, lots of us now know Mr. Trump can, will and does go ever lower. He said this last night at his political campaign rally.

After Trump suggests John Dingell is in hell, Rep. Debbie Dingell says: ‘My family’s still hurting’

He is stunning in his insensitivity, as he's shown in the past and repeatedly and now this. This is Rep. Dingell's and her family's first holiday season without their husband/father. It's just a matter of new lows for Mr. Trump.

Then, as if Trump and the Republicans aren't all bad enough and in enough of a bad situation, they got this support overnight.

Trump, Impeached in Washington, Is Defended by Putin in Moscow

Vladimir Putin Backs Trump, Calling Impeachment Charges 'Completely Made Up'

Russia's Vladimir Putin is practically, virtually making the Democrats' case for them here. Again. Stunning. You'd think President Trump and the Republicans would ask their buddy over there in Russia to clam up but hey, he's doing the Democrats' work them them. Thanks, Vlad, buddy!

This, however, is a disheartening, if not depressing thought.

To avoid removal, Trump only needs senators representing 7 percent of the country to support him

Fortunately, from the same article here, just above, is this: "The House vote, however, largely mirrored what Americans in those districts would have wanted."

Then there is the letter Mr. Trump sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi a few days ago, just before the impeachment vote in the House.

Fact check: Trump’s letter is littered with falsehoods

Meanwhile, today, Senator Schumer--and lots of us--have a question for Mitch McConnell and, yes, this President.

Schumer rips McConnell: Why are you afraid of impeachment witnesses?

Eric Swalwell, admittedly a Democrat, from California, makes an excellent point.

Eric Swalwell on Trump: Innocent people don’t intimidate witnesses

As for going forward, few days ago, famous Watergate attorney John Dean had what looks to be sage advice to and for Speaker Pelosi and the House after this impeachment.

John Dean: Pelosi can hold articles of impeachment in House

He's saying that since Senator Mitch McConnell has publicly said and declared he fully intends to work only with the President himself and his staff and attorneys on this impeachment. 

McConnell’s vow of ‘total coordination’ with White House on Senate impeachment trial

He's come to the conclusion, ahead of the trial, ahead of the evidence and facts, that this President is already innocent. To heck with the trial, the facts, the evidence---heck, to heck with the Constitution, nation and people. Full steam ahead!

I think Mr. Dean is correct. Hold the impeachment in the House from now until next November. Then, keep investigating. Keep getting yet more facts and information as it will inevitably come out. Let this President prove himself guilty as he most surely, clumsily, ignorantly will. It looks, rather hopefully, that Speaker Pelosi is taking that position, too, at least for now.

Pelosi says House may withhold impeachment articles, delaying Senate trial

What far too many Americans don't know is that the Republicans ending, killing the Fairness Doctrine in our government is what brought us to this hyper-partisan point in our nation, pitting Left vs. Right, Democrat vs. Republican. It was after Right Wing media like Fox was allowed to exist, we began having very slanted, one-sided, very ugly reporting in media, frequently filled not just with bias but with out and out untruths, misrepresentations and, honestly, lies.

What stuns and even frightens me is the ability of too many Republicans and Trump-supporters to blindly follow all things Republican and/or all things Trumpian.  Blindly. It is very concerning.

Anyway, here we are today. The third President of the United States has been impeached in our history.

Wither now, America?

An Unfortunate, Sad But Ultimately Necessary and Even Proud Day

Yes sir and ma'am, I think today is all that--an unfortunate, necessary, sad but ultimately proud day for our nation, for us all. We are voting to impeach the President of our United States today, on two counts--one for abuse of power and the 2nd for obstruction of Congress.

Herein, simplified, are the reasons and evidence:

• This President, Donald J Trump, asked the leader of a foreign nation to investigate a private American citizen and a citizen who just happened to be the son of his foremost political rival in the current campaign for the election for his very office.
• The President took it further, however, and people from his own administration testified it was clear he and understood that he, President Trump, proposed to and was, in fact, withholding approximately 400 million dollars in Congressionally approved aid to Ukraine in their effort to wrest away from the Soviet Union.
• Once this was all brought to light and the House of Representatives wanted to investigate these widespread and assumed allegations, the President blocked his own staff from his administration from responding to and answering subpoenas the House sent down.

Mr. Trump has insisted all along that the call of July 25 this year, wherein he and the leader of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky spoke was a "perfect call" and that he is completely innocent. In spite of that innocence, he blocked all from his administration from responding to those Congressional subpoenas.

If he is, in fact, so very innocent, why, then block these people's testimonies?

And when it comes to these current proceedings, the heck of it is, the impeachment hearings today on these two issues don't even begin to touch on the also-impeachable offence of this President virtually shattering the 25th Amendment of the Constitution, the Emoluments Clause, in his taking not just money but large amounts of it from foreign nations, no less, from his hotels in Washington, DC, Florida and elsewhere.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the right and true and just and correct thing is happening today.

Our own House of Representatives is voting to impeach Republican Party President Donald J Trump. And for only the third time in our nation's history.

As it ought.

God help and save the United States of America.

May justice be done.

I'm personally proud our nation includes a process wherein even the highest in the land are held accountable. That people in his own political party supporting him, because they don't want to lose political power in Washington and the nation, will go down in history as having been on the wrong side of justice and right and good and that very history.

This isn't about Democrats trying to undo the election of November 2016, not in any way.

None of us can be above the law.

One More Thing to be Thankful for This Year

On Impeachment: A "How To"

Thank you, Dr. Robert Reich.


Let's do this.

How Pathetic and Desperate--and Wasteful--This Republican Congress is Presently

The Republicans in Congress are so desperate to take the nation's attention off their/our bumbling President, they're resorting to old tricks. Nearly unbelievable. Check this out.



House Republicans launch new probes into Obama-era Uranium One deal, FBI handling of Clinton case


They investigated Hillary Clinton over and over in Congress, each time coming up with absolutely nothing, nothing illegal, wasting thousands of manhours and millions of dollars and still they want to do this all, one more time. Again.

But just yesterday, they did this.

Senate Overturns Rule That 

Helped Customers to Sue Banks

So they're legislating more and yet more for business, in this case, the banks, the big banks, and so, against the people, against you and me, "Mr. and Mrs. America", so to speak. They're also setting in motion yet more wasteful investigations. Then, trying to deflect our attention from the boob that is the defacto head of their political party, our President at the moment.

This is no way to run a nation.

What little they're doing, folks, is patently not for you and me and the nation overall.

Link:

The GOP Just Blocked Americans from Filing Class Action Suits Against Predatory Banks

Thoughts and Direction On This President

Millionaire Tom Steyer makes some great, important points, asks good questions and gives a good direction.

His site:

Impeach Trump: Add Your Name

And here's some great news:

Trump Is Just Six Senate Votes Away 

From Impeachment

More yet:

Trump Impeachment Is Most Popular Solution Among Americans

Link:

Tom Steyer backs $10 million campaign 

to impeach Trump

Republican Party Priorities

And note:  On the one with the most time and money spent on it, they found nothing.

Zero.

But a foreign nation? Ostensibly our arch-enemy? Attack our elections and election system?

The Time Has Long Since Come: Contact Your Congressional Representatives

Now we add Las Vegas, too, to the long, long list of cities and towns across the nation that's experienced more needless, avoidable gun and weapons violence and tragedy.

Please, contact your representatives in Congress. All three of them, your 2 Senators and one member of the House of Representatives. Tell them we need the following, at least.

--Background checks, required, for weapons purchases for criminal history, nationwide

--Background checks, again, required for weapons purchases for mental stability

--An assault weapons ban. Again. We did it once, we could do it again. There is no reason assault weapons are available and on our streets in this nation

These, above, are what we should have and do, at minimum and soon as possible. Some additional things we should do are:

--Passing an assault rifle ban 

--A high capacity magazine ban 

--Taxing ammunition 

--Banning convicted domestic violence perpetrators from owning or purchasing firearms for 5 years

--Not allowing people on the "NO FLY" list to purchase guns 

--Instituting a gun buy-back program that would pay people to give up their current assault rifles. 

And I get it. We won't. But we should.

At any rate, please, please do, again, contact your representatives in Congress. Tell them the time has come. Americans need to stop dying, and on our streets. These deaths and tragedies are avoidable. Completely avoidable.

Call Your Rep — 

Congressional Representative 

Contact Information

Please call.  Today.

And thank you, in advance.