On this veterans day week there are a few things we rarely discuss. One is the separation of the military from civil governance. We are lucky as a nation, for the most part the military stays out of politics. While Trump has made that difficult and I will always respect those who err on the side of caution. It is a serious decision.
From , The Atlantic
The Slow-Boil Revolt
Retired senior military officers are growing more concerned that the Trump administration doesn’t want their advice—and they’re struggling with how much they can say publicly.
Say nothing as norms shatter around you, and you’re implicitly enabling a president who some of your former colleagues believe is threatening national security. Speak up, and you risk destroying the balance of power that protects American democracy.
“For the U.S. military, being apolitical is a critical element of civilian control of the military—an absolute in a democracy,” the retired four-star general Joseph Dunford told us in his first extensive comments since leaving active duty. “The alternative is a military dictatorship.”**************
The dilemma for retired senior officers now is whether the oath they took to the Constitution in military life requires deference to the sitting president—as, for example, Mattis has argued—or whether the president himself is such a danger to the Constitution that upholding the oath actually demands discarding the apolitical norm, as McRaven and Hayden have done. Brooks said that commenting on any politician in an ad hominem way represents the crossing of a Rubicon, and that he didn’t know what might force him to do so.
Kathy Gilsinan and Leah Feiger
But, he said, “silence itself, like being overly aggressive, can undermine the Constitution.”
more post mortem on opening night at the House from the guardian this a.m. waxing punny:
Forget quid pro quo, when there’s a drag queen in town you’ll get quip pro quo. And there was no doubt in Washington on Wednesday – there was a drag queen in town.
Performer Pissi Myles, of New Jersey, sashayed into the congressional building where the first public impeachment hearing in the Trump-Ukraine scandal were taking place.
In her scarlet dress and stilettos, flawless blonde hair to the heavens, Myles cut a fierce figure on Capitol Hill. She was there to cover the hearing for Happs, a live news startup, and could be seen broadcasting live from a pink smartphone.
Getting through security was touch and go, but Myles made it to the heart of the action, alongside the hundreds favoring somber suits and conservative coiffure.
“Tensions are high, and the bar for who’s allowed in the Longworth House is very, very low,” she told NBC News.
In a broadcast posted to Twitter she described the effect she’d had: “It’s pretty crazy. I’m apparently being referred to as the lady in red, I’ve been called Ruby Giuliani. It’s a little offensive to me that they would assume I took a side in this conversation.”
[…]
She also told NBC News that “It’s a crazy day in Washington!” Funny, that’s just what acting ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor said (more or less) when he heard that the Trump administration was holding up military aid to the country in order to pressure it to investigate Donald Trump’s American political rivals.
Illinois Democratic representative Jan Schakowsky, who happened to be a sartorial congressional standout in her brilliant red suit when she bumped into Myles, quickly tucked herself under the towering and ecstatic queen’s wing and shared the resulting picture on Facebook.
“So glad Pissi Myles and I were matching!” she wrote.
Whether the hearing matched up to expectations is a whole other question. It was certainly a Pissi contest and the only sure winner was Myles.
also from the guardian:
Fox News covers impeachment hearing by defending Trump and gaslighting viewers
As first public hearing begins, president’s favorite network seeks to exonerate him with onscreen banners and Muppet ads
faux news & trump perfect examples of “gaslighting”
psychology today article:
You didn’t hear what you heard. What happened did not happen. Up is down and black is white. The Bizzaro administration is propped up by elected officials wearing Trumpsky brand piss-colored glasses.
Clearly, there is not a patriotic American nor a real Christian siding with Trump in DC.
Devin Nunez seems to have ties to Russia, and they don’t call Yertle “Moscow Mitch” for nothing. I wonder what kind of dirt they have on Linsey Graham to keep him behaving like a ball-less wonder? It’s absolutely disgusting, and, I’ve spoken with quite a few staunch Republicans down here who are fed up. I doubt they’d vote Dem, but they’ve said they might just stay home next time.
wapo:
Congress can seek eight years of President Trump’s tax records, according to a federal appeals court order Wednesday that moves the separation-of-powers conflict one step closer to the Supreme Court.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit let stand an earlier ruling against the president that affirmed Congress’s investigative authority on a day when the House was holding its first public impeachment inquiry hearing. Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow said in response to Wednesday’s decision that the president’s legal team “will be seeking review at the Supreme Court.”
The D.C. Circuit was responding to Trump’s request to have a full panel of judges rehear a three-judge decision from October that rejected the president’s request to block lawmakers from subpoenaing his longtime accounting firm.
[…]
The court’s order does not mean Trump’s tax records will be turned over to Congress immediately. The D.C. Circuit previously said it would put any ruling against the president on hold for seven days to give Trump’s attorneys time to ask the Supreme Court to step in.
Sekulow in a statement cited the “well reasoned dissent” in Trump’s decision to go to the Supreme Court.
Trump’s attorneys also are planning to ask the high court as soon as Thursday to block a similar subpoena for the president’s tax records from the Manhattan district attorney, who is investigating hush-money payments in the lead-up to the 2016 election. The New York-based appeals court ruled against Trump this month and refused to block the subpoena to his accounting firm, Mazars USA.
The D.C. Circuit case centers on a House Oversight Committee subpoena from March for the president’s accounting firm records — issued months before the beginning of its impeachment inquiry, related to Trump’s alleged efforts to pressure Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden.
[continues]
let’s hear it for the cows!
wapo:
The only way to get to Cape Lookout National Seashore, a 56-mile chain of undeveloped barrier islands in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, is by boat. It’s not uncommon for visitors to spot bottlenose dolphins, or even the occasional seal. But last month, park officials stumbled across some unexpected new inhabitants: A trio of bedraggled-looking cows making themselves at home on the sandy shores.
Though only the cows know for sure exactly how they ended up on an island located several miles offshore, B.G. Horvat, the park’s spokesman, has a theory. Most likely, he told the Charlotte Observer, they swam at least four miles to get there after Hurricane Dorian crashed into North Carolina’s coast in September, sweeping them out to sea.
“Who knows exactly, but the cows certainly have a gripping story to share,” he said.
Horvat told the paper that the bovine interlopers appear to belong to a herd of feral “sea cows” that previously roamed Cedar Island, a laid-back fishing community connected to the mainland by a causeway. On Sept. 6, Hurricane Dorian blasted the island with Category 1 force winds and rain, creating what locals described as a “mini tsunami.” The low lying marshlands were soon inundated with an estimated 8 feet of water.
Dozens of wild horses drowned. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, Woody Hancock, who manages the herd, told the Carteret County News-Times that he believed many of the community’s beloved wild cattle were dead, too. Roughly 20 cows had freely roamed on private land on the island, and they were all gone.
[continues]
Taylor testified that a member of his staff overheard Trump on a phone conversation with Gordon Sondland in which the president asked about “the investigations,” with Mr. Sondland responding that Ukraine was “ready to move forward” with them.
“‘Unexplainable, illogical, crazy’ — that’s the description Bill Taylor gave of Trump’s actions. It’s also the title of Trump’s new memoir. Same thing, yes. [Imitating Trump] It’s my full story and it’s a coloring book, folks. You’re gonna love it.” — TREVOR NOAH
“O.K., this is just unbelievable. Trump’s people were discussing their Ukrainian plot in public in a restaurant — that’s what he’s saying. I mean, first of all, that is rude. You are in a restaurant, you put your phone away; you engage.” — TREVOR NOAH
“A good criminal would call and say, ‘Are you alone?’ Trump would say, ‘Are you alone? If not, go find some people to stand next to. Put me on speaker phone — this is a doozy.’” — SETH MEYERS
“So this staffer overheard Trump asking about a foreign nation investigating his political opponent. That’s like if they had a picture of Nixon breaking into the Watergate.” — STEPHEN COLBERT
So Mertle (or at least some of his Gooper colleagues) want to hold an extended trial of SFB to fuck with the Dem primary process? Let’s say they follow through with that. Wouldn’t that be the height of irony? The Repugns extend the trial in the Senate to prevent sitting senators from participating in the early primaries, which will benefit … drum roll please … JOE BIDEN, who we know SFB is so concerned with that he engaged in acts to try and get Ukraine to investigate him to take him out of contention for the Democratic nomination.
I say GO FOR IT!!!
Ah, from my high school daze, “Two cows mildly mooing, no bull, nothing doing.” Ogden Nash
isn’t it more likely that nikki haley is auditioning for sec of state (replacing Pompeo when he begins his run for senate) appointment rather than as a veep replacement? such a move sets her up to run with pence in 2024 or be named as veep if trump is removed and pence becomes prez prior to that.
pat, I think you may be onto something there.
new lizzie ad reported by the hill:
Jennifer Rubin’s take on yesterday’s festivities:
Sit back Jennifer, they will find a way to justify the unjustifiable – once again.
Nikki is grasping for whatever she can snag, bless her heart…….
pogo, looks like the gopers are trying to argue that even though constitution lists bribery (as well as treason or other high crimes & misdemeanors) an impeachable offense, it doesn’t include mere attempt of same since they made big deal yesterday that aid was eventually released plus zelensky never announced the biden investigation.
so not sure if Nancy will make much headway convincing them with her latest statement
raw story:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on Thursday explained why President Donald Trump could be guilty of attempted bribery.
At a press conference, Pelosi pointed out that bribery is named in the U.S. Constitution as an impeachable offense.
“What is the bribe?” the Speaker was asked.
“The bribe is to grant or withhold military assistance [from Ukraine] in return for a public statement of a fake investigation into the elections. That is bribery,” she explained.
SFB and his generals are on the outs now he relies on captains that do nothing but carry out orders
I was opposed to Haley as she was working up to her candidacy and I opposed her election. I started to take a second look when she sent he husband, a junior warrant officer, along with his ANG unit to the Middle East. At the same time she allowed her daughter to take a part-time job selling do-dads in the souvenir stand in the Statehouse rotunda (so long as she didn’t develop an attitude and it didn’t interfere with her grades.) It became apparent to me that her ethic modeled that of so many other hardworking Americans of Indian heritage.
Her performance post-Charleston speaks for itself. So did the job she did as Ambassador to the United Nations and de facto Secretary of State. She got/gets along with SFB, brava! IMO she would get along with 90-pct of our population. I will support her for president should she choose to run and declines the senator from Moscow’s endorsement.
And, for KGC, I would ask Ms Scoppe about her, but she was canned by The State a year ago August. Her departure was keenly felt by our community.
Scoppe writes for the “Post and Courier”, now.
pat, attempted bribery would likely be considered a high crime, and if not, certainly a misdemeanor. And certainly conspiracy to commit bribery (Oh, Rudy … where are you?) would also be considered a high crime unless i am sadly mistaken. (And I don’t believe I am).
Trump and his administration actively seek to undermine the Constitution and the Rule of Law, and EVERYBODY knows it. Anybody supporting, defending, or apologizing for Trump and his administration is actively seeking to undermine the Constitution.
What Bink said
I am a member of our armed forces for the rest of my life. I am bound by oath:
“a) Enlistment Oath.— Each person enlisting in an armed force shall take the following oath:
I, (state name of enlistee), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. (So help me God).”
Thankfully, you take your oath more seriously than Trump and Haley do theirs.
nikki is touted as a star. She was a decent governor and seems to have been the only clean trump cabinet member other than Gen. Mattis.
I’m not convinced that she is actually Mattis-clean. Can anyone so seemingly good get anywhere in a political party so steeped in deception, pollution, machismo, crime, corruption, racketeering, racism, sexism, rape, classism, ignorance-ism, violence, able-ism and outright cruelty ? It would seem to me that if she does get another nomination, she must certainly be dirty.
According to the regulations and the Code. The Universal Code of Military Justice. So help me God.
The Code is a noble document.
Mis Nikki had survived her first go round as a trumper mostly unscathed. (there is always some Trump stink) She could have easily sat back and waited. Then run drawing support from both Pro and Never Trump Republicans, She seem to be the only one out their who could. Now this? It just doesn’t make sense unless she knows Trump is dumping his VP. Nothing less(ex SOS) would be worth the risk. After all as Pense has proven the VP can just fade into the back ground, all the other jobs they expect you to do something.
So Flatus, last week you might have convinced me about Haley but that was last week. A Life time ago in Trump years.
Jack
But then there is Lil Lindsey, Putin has something serious on that boy something worse than the “in bed with a dead girl , live boy” standard.
Now Nikki, so it could be something in the water.
Jack
pompey has been shrinking away from Ukraine. Maybe nikki wants to be SoS before she fights Ukraine-failed pence for the VP spot.\
Or, maybe she intends to fight pence, gymn jordan, graham, cruz, marco, Weld, rmoney, kasich, nunes, and runt pol for the puguglican presidential nomination, after trump commits suicide, goes to prison, or defects to russia or saudi Arabia.
Since the racist rapist russophile likes waterboarding, let’s use this ‘president-approved’ tool on julieannie, barr, pompey, mnuchin, perry, stone, manafort, sondland, lev, igor, pence, nunes, junior and trump to establish which details of which stories are true. If the obese guys die of heart attacks during questioning, or if the physically fit drown accidently, we can rest assured that they sacrificed themselves on the altar of Truth. Let’s rest assured.
Lock Them Up ! Waterboard Them ALL !
”maybe she intends to fight pence, gymn jordan, graham, cruz, marco, Weld, rmoney, kasich, nunes, and runt pol for the puguglican presidential nomination ”
That would have been last week and there is not one on that list that she wouldn’t have mopped the floor with. As I said she had perfect position. Right now the VP slot is the best ticket to become President. At least on the Republican side. Probably for a wannabe Democrat too. If you are a forty something With Biden as a Democrat and Trump the Republican…….
Might be the easiest path.
Jack
jack, positioning for veep is in my opinion why deval Patrick jumped into race. he even said in interview yesterday he first called biden & warren before signing up and was very very effusive about biden
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