International Current Affairs (#BidenIn)

[wendybr]

2 hours ago, EmMac said:

A gamers perspective of the lure of QAnon

This is IMO, a pretty darn good analysis

https://medium.com/curiouserinstitute/a-game-designers-analysis-of-qanon-580972548be5

 

 

24 minutes ago, Cynth said:

That’s was an interesting take, very knowledgeable author. 

Was just going to say the same.

Thanks for posting Em.  

[Paul01]

And the Trump family is being cut off at the knees

New York City joins PGA, major banks in cutting ties with Trump Organization after Capitol riot http://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-14/nyc-pga-businesses-cut-ties-with-donald-trump/13056084

[Davo]

Trump impeached again. 10 House Republicans crossed the floor to vote with Democrats.

[sonar]

 

[Sithslayer1991]

23 minutes ago, Davo said:

Trump impeached again. 10 House Republicans crossed the floor to vote with Democrats.

It will probably pass through the senate this time because the old powers (Bush and Cheney) are pushing to get back against Trump to stop him comming back to take control of the party again.

[Carns]

Depends on when the trial happens. Lots of talk that they may wait 100 days into Biden's presidency to do it. That gives Biden time to pass Covid relief and other urgent action they want to take and doesn't muddy the waters whilst he's getting his cabinet sworn in etc. Dems control the House of Reps and decide when it goes to the Senate (currently Rep controlled).

If they wait 100 days they still need a 2/3rds majority for Trump to be convicted. The Senate will be 50/50 Dems/Reps with the incoming VP Kamala Harris having the deciding vote. It means they still need 17 Republicans to cross the floor in the Senate and find him guilty. A lot could happen between now and then but given 10 Reps voted today to impeach (which has never happened before) there may be a precedent for 17 Reps to cross.

[sonar]

As time goes by and with FBI and other agencies still doing a lot of investigations about the origins of the coup attempt and who was involved, the Democrats will have a lot more evidence on which to present.

This ( the riot) was planned by either the president or he was complicit in allowing others to do so and I firmly believe this will come out. As they say.....watch this space.

I also believe there will be many Republicans who want him gone and in prison.....not from any sense of justice but they want the MAGA votes and money.

[marron]

1 hour ago, sonar said:

As time goes by and with FBI and other agencies still doing a lot of investigations about the origins of the coup attempt and who was involved, the Democrats will have a lot more evidence on which to present.

This ( the riot) was planned by either the president or he was complicit in allowing others to do so and I firmly believe this will come out. As they say.....watch this space.

I also believe there will be many Republicans who want him gone and in prison.....not from any sense of justice but they want the MAGA votes and money.

If they drop him in it though they lose the MAGA votes.

 

You've basically got two wings of the republicans now - the one that will stick to the checks and balances and the one that won't. The first one is now happy to lose the MAGA votes but it will be interesting to see how many of them there are. The others are absolutely fine with taking power any way they can. Both are well aware they haven't had the popular vote for years.

[wendybr]

1 hour ago, marron said:

If they drop him in it though they lose the MAGA votes.

 

You've basically got two wings of the republicans now - the one that will stick to the checks and balances and the one that won't. The first one is now happy to lose the MAGA votes but it will be interesting to see how many of them there are. The others are absolutely fine with taking power any way they can. Both are well aware they haven't had the popular vote for years.

Am I right in thinking he can't run again if the impeachment process goes against him?

And if so, who does MAGA unite behind, if Trump is out of the picture?

[mack]

The Senate would need to convict him. It won't even start the process for another 4 months and it requires a 67-33 decision (or maybe 66-33 depending on some legalities regarding the Chief Justice or the Vice President). 17 or so Republicans would need to switch sides to vote for impeachment.

If found guilty he is removed from office, disqualified from holding any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States. But I really don't see an impeachment senate conviction happening. Would take the GOP's major backers to want him out of the picture and he'd still have an influence.

The redcaps will just find some other insane nutcase to rally behind.

[sonar]

1 hour ago, marron said:

If they drop him in it though they lose the MAGA votes.

 

You've basically got two wings of the republicans now - the one that will stick to the checks and balances and the one that won't. The first one is now happy to lose the MAGA votes but it will be interesting to see how many of them there are. The others are absolutely fine with taking power any way they can. Both are well aware they haven't had the popular vote for years.

If they split and then run against each other it would hand seats to the Dems. First past the post in a majority of House and Senate seats.

[Davo]

16 minutes ago, wendybr said:

Am I right in thinking he can't run again if the impeachment process goes against him?

And if so, who does MAGA unite behind, if Trump is out of the picture?

I believe it's a separate vote. The article of impeachment asks for "removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States." The senate decides whether he should be removed from office (kind of pointless when it won't happen until after he's gone anyway) and then they vote again as to whether he should be disqualified from future office. I read somewhere that while a President has never been removed from office through impeachment federal judges have. In those cases it needed a two thirds majority to find them guilty but only a simple majority to disqualify from future office once they've been found guilty.

[Davo]

Republican Lauren Boebert was just elected to the House of Reps and is a proper second amendment nut job who says she takes her gun into the Capitol "because it's her right". Interesting that she was tweeting updates of where everyone, particularly the speaker, was during the riot.

Congressmen have confirmed that the Sergeant of Arms told her multiple times not to make any social media posts for security reasons.

There's also this reply to one of her tweets.

 

[wendybr]

2 hours ago, mack said:

The Senate would need to convict him. It won't even start the process for another 4 months and it requires a 67-33 decision (or maybe 66-33 depending on some legalities regarding the Chief Justice or the Vice President). 17 or so Republicans would need to switch sides to vote for impeachment.

If found guilty he is removed from office, disqualified from holding any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States. But I really don't see an impeachment senate conviction happening. Would take the GOP's major backers to want him out of the picture and he'd still have an influence.

The redcaps will just find some other insane nutcase to rally behind.

 

1 hour ago, Davo said:

I believe it's a separate vote. The article of impeachment asks for "removal from office and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States." The senate decides whether he should be removed from office (kind of pointless when it won't happen until after he's gone anyway) and then they vote again as to whether he should be disqualified from future office. I read somewhere that while a President has never been removed from office through impeachment federal judges have. In those cases it needed a two thirds majority to find them guilty but only a simple majority to disqualify from future office once they've been found guilty.

Thanks guys.

I guess I mainly was wondering if anyone had any insights into who might be waiting in the wings to take over the MAGA leadership, if Trump were to be turned out.

Steve Bannon was the brains behind the MAGA movement, is my understanding???

But if Trump was to be ruled out, or if he decided to just go and play golf for the rest of his days, who might lead the hordes?

Assuming many wouldn't fall in behind traditional GOP leaders. Or would they?

Interesting times ahead. Hope they don't get too interesting (ie even more scary).

[sonar]

3 minutes ago, wendybr said:

 

Thanks guys.

I guess I mainly was wondering if anyone had any insights into who might be waiting in the wings to take over the MAGA leadership, if Trump were to be turned out.

Steve Bannon was the brains behind the MAGA movement, is my understanding???

But if Trump was to be ruled out, or if he decided to just go and play golf for the rest of his days, who might lead the hordes?

Assuming many wouldn't fall in behind traditional GOP leaders. Or would they?

Interesting times ahead. Hope they don't get too interesting (ie scary).

Make America Great Again started with Reagan. Trump and his minions just refined it and marketed it.

[sonar]

 

[Davo]

Pressley's chief of staff said her office's panic buttons 'had been torn out' before Capitol riot

From an interview with Democratic representative Ayanna Pressley's Chief of Staff Sarah Groh:

Quote

“I was deeply concerned. It felt like the heat was being turned up in terms of the rhetoric and Trump’s aims to incite violence,” she told the Globe. 

It wasn’t long after, however, that a pro-Trump mob overtook the U.S. Capitol as Congress was gearing up to certify votes by the Electoral College that affirmed his defeat in the presidential race. 

Around that time, Groh said, she discovered the office’s panic buttons had been removed while she and the other staffers were working to secure the office’s entrance using available furniture and water jugs. 

“Every panic button in my office had been torn out — the whole unit,” Groh said, despite noting she had previously used the buttons in that same office. Groh said in the interview that she did not know why the buttons had been removed.

 

[Carns]

48 minutes ago, wendybr said:

I guess I mainly was wondering if anyone had any insights into who might be waiting in the wings to take over the MAGA leadership, if Trump were to be turned out.

My guess would be Trump wants to keep it in house and would advocate for another Trump. Ivanka is his favourite and probably the front runner followed by Don Jr. It would mean that Trump would somewhat maintain control by proxy anyway.

[wendybr]

Just now, Carns said:

My guess would be Trump wants to keep it in house and would advocate for another Trump. Ivanka is his favourite and probably the front runner followed by Don Jr. It would mean that Trump would somewhat maintain control by proxy anyway.

Yes...that makes perfect sense.

[btron3000]

49 minutes ago, Carns said:

My guess would be Trump wants to keep it in house and would advocate for another Trump. Ivanka is his favourite and probably the front runner followed by Don Jr. It would mean that Trump would somewhat maintain control by proxy anyway.

Classic dictator/authoritarian move.

And another reason he needs to be thrown in the clink. None of this "it's better to leave him so we can move on" stuff. There needs to be consequences for this so others don't try it. 

[btron3000]

2 hours ago, Davo said:

Republican Lauren Boebert was just elected to the House of Reps and is a proper second amendment nut job who says she takes her gun into the Capitol "because it's her right". Interesting that she was tweeting updates of where everyone, particularly the speaker, was during the riot.

Congressmen have confirmed that the Sergeant of Arms told her multiple times not to make any social media posts for security reasons.

There's also this reply to one of her tweets.

 

It will not surprise if there are a few internal collaborators, including cops.

[Davo]

12 minutes ago, btron3000 said:

It will not surprise if there are a few internal collaborators, including cops.

Well apparently they cancelled public tours of the Capitol due to the rona, so the only outsiders allowed in are guests of members of congress and their staff. A bunch of congress members have written to the new house and senate Sergeants of Arms and the Capitol Police Chief to start investigations into why there were a suspicious number of guests on the day before the riot, and why the rioters seemed to know their way around the building so well, almost like they've been shown around before.

 

[sonar]

5 minutes ago, Davo said:

Well apparently they cancelled public tours of the Capitol due to the rona, so the only outsiders allowed in are guests of members of congress and their staff. A bunch of congress members have written to the new house and senate Sergeants of Arms and the Capitol Police Chief to start investigations into why there were a suspicious number of guests on the day before the riot, and why the rioters seemed to know their way around the building so well, almost like they've been shown around before.

 

They might also want to investigate why the leader of the Proud Boys was "invited" to the White House.?

A leader of the far-right Proud Boys group tried to suggest he had been invited to the White House ahead of a rally of President Donald Trump supporters on Saturday. “Last minute invite to an undisclosed location,” Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio posted on the conservative platform Parler along with a photo of the main entrance to the White House. He followed that up with another post that included a photo of the White House: “Never thought I’d be here…”

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/12/proud-boys-white-house-public-christmas-tour.html

[wendybr]

Great opinion piece from Wayne Swan.

https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2021/01/14/democracy-trump-morrison-australia/

[MartinTyler]

3 hours ago, Davo said:

Republican Lauren Boebert was just elected to the House of Reps and is a proper second amendment nut job who says she takes her gun into the Capitol "because it's her right". Interesting that she was tweeting updates of where everyone, particularly the speaker, was during the riot.

Congressmen have confirmed that the Sergeant of Arms told her multiple times not to make any social media posts for security reasons.

There's also this reply to one of her tweets.

 

She should expect a door knock from the FBI

[btron3000]

Y'know, we keep hearing from political commentators and the politicians themselves, is there anything out there from psychologists or anthropologists?

This is such a fascinating insight into the human psyche. How can people see one thing - like Trump supporters storming the capital - and believe something else - like it's antifa?

How can a Qanon dude claim that some celebrity is a child molesting cannibal and then, when confronted about having no evidence, say things like "you have no evidence he isn't" and just continue on as if they are right?

It just baffles me how many people are living in a world devoid of reality.

[wendybr]

23 minutes ago, btron3000 said:

Y'know, we keep hearing from political commentators and the politicians themselves, is there anything out there from psychologists or anthropologists?

It wouldn't matter to the sorts of people you are referring to.

[btron3000]

1 hour ago, wendybr said:

It wouldn't matter to the sorts of people you are referring to.

haha I couldn't care less what they think. It's just so interesting to me. 

Don't you wonder, how people can believe this stuff?

Like, how do you even try to reason with them, or talk to them? They're totally brainwashed. It's amazing.

And do Trump's advisors sit in the background perfecty manipulating this, or is he just some kind of flukey lightning rod that draws them in?

This **** will be studied for years.

[sonar]

26 minutes ago, btron3000 said:

haha I couldn't care less what they think. It's just so interesting to me. 

Don't you wonder, how people can believe this stuff?

Like, how do you even try to reason with them, or talk to them? They're totally brainwashed. It's amazing.

And do Trump's advisors sit in the background perfecty manipulating this, or is he just some kind of flukey lightning rod that draws them in?

This **** will be studied for years.

Yep. It's going to be fascinating watching the fallout and repercussions. What turns a normal person into a total dumbass or a terrorist. ? Like the woman in a vid I posted who seemed surprised she got maced. "It's a revolution....we're here to storm the capitol." like it was an everyday normal thing. I've been listening to quite a few podcasts on this. Repeat a lie often enough and it then becomes someone's truth regardless of whether it is correct or not. Mix that lie up with some percieved grievances in other areas such as covid is a hoax,,,,,wearing a mask isn't warranted and abuse of your freedom, lockdowns are abuse of your freedom......and combine them with the lie. Repeat repeat repeat.  Have those non truths re-enforced by media.....social and main stream or other platforms and the lie is eventually embedded as fact. You end up with "Stop The Steal " .

The truth may finally hit these people when they're staring down the barrel of 20 years in prison and honestly I feel only that may make them wake up.

 

 

Edited January 14, 2021 by sonar

[wendybr]

1 hour ago, btron3000 said:

Like, how do you even try to reason with them, or talk to them? They're totally brainwashed. It's amazing.

Yep...it's scary.

I have seen it up close...even here.

Having been convinced that the mainstream media cannot be trusted means they get zero balance, turn only to "approved" sources of "information" and will not contemplate any alternative views to those of their cult-like fellow believers.

The "Coronavirus is all a hoax" is something I can't even discuss with a close family member.

I cannot remember having lived through anything like this embracing of disinformation. And I don't know where we end up with it.