A Deeply Fractured US

[Lumber]

Anyway, the impeachment inquiry is theatre, senior republicans know it’s theatre, and everyone knows little to nothing will come of it. But if they must go about the charade, they’re free to.

Are you sure about that? I think I can count on more than a few people to believe that there is actual evidence and that there will be actual charges backed up by said evidence that will result in his impeachment and subsequent conviction.

 

[brihard]

Are you sure about that? I think I can count on more than a few people to believe that there is actual evidence and that there will be actual charges backed up by said evidence that will result in his impeachment and subsequent conviction.

Sadly you’re right, some people will likely actually believe that because some talking head told them to. But absent something earth shattering, odds of a Senate conviction, if this even passes an eventual impeachment vote in the Republican (barely) controlled House, are nil.

 

[TacticalTea]

Sadly you’re right, some people will likely actually believe that because some talking head told them to. But absent something earth shattering, odds of a Senate conviction, if this even passes an eventual impeachment vote in the Republican (barely) controlled House, are nil.

Or an interesting way to get Biden off the bus to make room for a new presidential candidate in 2024. Not saying that's what'll happen, but it's not entirely impossible for Democrats to consider this path either.

 

[Brad Sallows]

There is actual evidence; some people believe there's fire under the smoke* and some believe (at this point) that Hunter was selling Joe without Joe actually being for sale ("the illusion of access"). With or without the budget negotiations, expanding to "impeachment inquiry" in order to - supposedly - acquire some additional investigative powers has been on the menu for months.

Impeachment (passing of articles in the House) is unlikely. Conviction in Senate is practically impossible. The whole exercise is designed to keep the tap of evidence dripping.

Taking together Biden's age, propensity to fabulism, and the appearance of impropriety, Democrats should be looking hard for alternative candidates. Some, at least, are.

*Unlikely that any invoices will turn up with "Item : Bribe to Joe Biden; Quantity : 1"; closest anything is likely to come is "Item : Professional Services; Quantity : 1". It's not as if people engaged in graft are always too stupid to avoid leaving obvious trails.

 

[FJAG]

Impeachment (passing of articles in the House) is unlikely. Conviction in Senate is practically impossible. The whole exercise is designed to keep the tap of evidence dripping.

Wouldn't it be a hoot if all the Democrats voted in favour of impeachment at the last moment and Kamala Harris became President.

 

[KevinB]

Wouldn't it be a hoot if all the Democrats voted in favour of impeachment at the last moment and Kamala Harris became President.

Not funny.

 

[Halifax Tar]

Wouldn't it be a hoot if all the Democrats voted in favour of impeachment at the last moment and Kamala Harris became President.

Im not sure who would be worse for America; Biden or Harris...

For such a great nation they have, recently, been producing very shitty leadership options.

 

[Lumber]

Im not sure who would be worse for America; Biden or Harris...

For such a great nation they have, recently, been producing very shitty leadership options.

Which is crazy, because there are so many better options out there. It's a country of 350 million for Christ sake. I remember on an episode of Bill Maher (I think), back either just before our during the Trump administration, they had a republican governor (maybe Lt Gov) from some state on, and he wasn't pro Trump but was clearly not pro-democrat, but my god he was well spoken, polite, had what sounded like good ideas/stances on issues. I couldn't help but think at the time "this guy would be a way better Pres!".

 

[Brad Sallows]

I'll repeat myself: VP selection is the greatest weakness in the US political system. The candidate is usually chosen to appeal to some group of people not ordinarily attracted to the presidential candidate, and is chosen to be someone who isn't going to look more competent than the president. So the US ends up with a mediocre box-checker as next in line.

A vote for Biden could very much be a vote for Harris, either by expiration or by 25A. Similarly, a vote for Trump could very much be a vote for his running mate, possibly also by expiration but also possibly by one outrage too many (impeachment).

 

[Kirkhill]

And this is why I continue to struggle with national stovepipes...

From today's Globe and Mail

MONTREAL SUMMIT
Global progressive leaders join Trudeau at Montreal summit to discuss threats to democracy, human rights
Tony Blair, Jacinda Ardern are among the attendees of what is billed as the largest gathering of left-leaning leaders in 15 years

More via National News Watch

Global progressive leaders join Trudeau at Montreal summit to discuss threats to democracy, human rights​

By Will LeRoy — Globe and Mail — Sep 14 2023

Tony Blair and British Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer are among a group of global figures set to attend a summit with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Montreal this weekend, in what is being seen as a show of strength of the centre left.

Among the issues to be discussed at the 2023 Global Progress Action Summit, which will also be attended by former prime ministers Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand, Sanna Marin of Finland and Magdalena Andersson of Sweden, are the rise of the right around the world and threats to democracy and human rights, including women’s rights.

Justin Trudeau, Jacinda Ardern, Tony Blair, Keir Starmer, Sanna Marin and Magdalena Anderson. I would also expect to see Hilary Clinton, possibly Obama, and a functionary known as John Podesta in attendance.

Global Progress is an initiative of John Podesta's Centre for American Progress that hived off Canada 2020.

Global Progress

www.americanprogress.org

Home

www.americanprogress.org

Canada 2020

Canada's leading, independent, progressive think-tank

canada2020.ca

Inside the 'progressive' think tank that really runs Canada - Macleans.ca

How a small think tank called Canada 2020 gave rise to Justin Trudeau and became the country’s new nexus of power

macleans.ca

John Podesta

www.americanprogress.org

John Podesta - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Podesta has served on the board of directors of Bedford, Massachusetts–based energy company Joule Unlimited since January 2011.[32][33] He has also served on the board of the Portland, Oregon-based Equilibrium Capital. In 2013, Podesta earned $90,000 as a consultant to the West Chester, Pennsylvania-based HJW Foundation, a nonprofit group led by Swiss billionaire Hansjörg Wyss.[32] He was the U.S. representative to the UN High-Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.[34]

After the 2016 election, Podesta joined The Washington Post as a columnist.[35] Podesta also sits on the steering committee of the China–United States Exchange Foundation.[36]

On September 2, 2022, President Joe Biden appointed Podesta as senior advisor to the president for clean energy innovation and implementation.[37][38][39] In this role, Podesta will oversee the $370–783 billion climate investment authorized by the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which was passed the previous month.[40][5][6]

Clinton campaign head says Russian hacker indictments show crimes committed against US 'democracy'

John Podesta was the campaign chairman for Hillary Clinton in 2016.

abcnews.go.com

 

[Fishbone Jones]

And this is why I continue to struggle with national stovepipes...

From today's Globe and Mail



More via National News Watch


Justin Trudeau, Jacinda Ardern, Tony Blair, Keir Starmer, Sanna Marin and Magdalena Anderson. I would also expect to see Hilary Clinton, possibly Obama, and a functionary known as John Podesta in attendance.

His own little Davos.

 

[Kirkhill]

His own little Davos.

Same mob.

 

[Kirkhill]

Every now and then the world benefits from one of these...

The Anarchy - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Fishbone Jones]

or one of these.

 

[Kirkhill]

After the 2016 election, Podesta joined The Washington Post as a columnist.[35] Podesta also sits on the steering committee of the China–United States Exchange Foundation.[36]

The China–United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF) is a Hong Kong-based nonprofit organization whose stated aim is to encourage dialogue and exchanges between the people of the United States and China. CUSEF was founded in 2008 by Tung Chee-hwa, a billionaire, former Chief Executive of Hong Kong, and vice chair of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference,

The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC, Chinese: 中国人民政治协商会议), also known as the People's PCC (Chinese: 人民政协, listeni) or simply the PCC (政协), is a political advisory body in the People's Republic of China and a central part of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s united front system.

The united front[a] is a political strategy of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) involving networks of groups and key individuals that are influenced or controlled by the CCP and used to advance its interests. It has historically been a popular front that has included eight legally-permitted political parties and people's organizations which have nominal representation in the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).[3] Under CCP general secretary Xi Jinping, the united front and its targets of influence have expanded in size and scope.[4][5][6][7][8]

United front organizations are managed primarily by the United Front Work Department (UFWD)

The United Front Work Department (UFWD; simplified Chinese: 中共中央统一战线工作部; traditional Chinese: 中共中央統一戰線工作部; pinyin: Zhōnggòng zhōngyāng tǒngyī zhànxiàn gōngzuò bù) is a department of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) tasked with "united front work." It gathers intelligence on, manages relations with, and attempts to gain influence over elite individuals and organizations inside and outside China, including in Hong Kong and Taiwan.[2][3] The UFWD focuses its work on people or entities that are outside the CCP, especially in the overseas Chinese diaspora, who hold political, commercial, or academic influence, or who represent interest groups.[4][5] Through its efforts, the UFWD seeks to ensure that these individuals and groups are supportive of or useful to CCP interests and that potential critics remain divided.[6][7][8]

Wolf warrior diplomacy is confrontational and combative, with its proponents denouncing any perceived criticism of the Chinese government, its ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and associated policies on social media and in interviews, as well as using physical violence against protestors and dissidents.[1][5][6] As an attempt to gain "discourse power" in international politics, wolf warrior diplomacy forms one part of a new foreign policy strategy called Xi Jinping's "Major Country Diplomacy" (Chinese: 大国外交; pinyin: Dàguó Wàijiāo) which has legitimized a more active role for China on the world stage, including engaging in an open ideological struggle with the Western world.[7][8]

Useful idiots enter the chat...

 

[Kirkhill]

or one of these.

Excessive.

 

[Kirkhill]

Sheer speculation...

The day Joe Biden became America's Dowager Empress

Trump, Xi dine together while Syria strike underway​

CNN
Updated 11:47 PM EDT, Thu April 6, 2017

https://www.cnn.com/2017/04/06/politics/donald-trump-xi-jinping-china-mar-a-lago/index.html

Empress Dowager Cixi - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Century of humiliation - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Fishbone Jones]

Hunter Biden Indicted on 3 Firearms Charges​

https://www.newsmax.com/politics/hunter-biden-gun-indictment/2023/09/14/id/1134493/

 

[Brad Sallows]

Hunter Biden Indicted on 3 Firearms Charges​

Don't get too excited. His lawyers' position still seems to be that the diversion agreement is in force. If it stands, DoJ (Weiss) can shrug and say, "Well, we tried".

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

Im not sure who would be worse for America; Biden or Harris...

For such a great nation they have, recently, been producing very shitty leadership options.

Because what decent human being would put their, and their families, lives through the social media colonoscopy that exists nowadays??

Not even for a second would I.