The Impeachment Process Has Officially Begun (2 Viewers)

[Andrus]

By Laura Bassett

After months of internal arguing among Democrats over whether to impeach President Donald Trump, the dam is finally breaking in favor of trying to remove him from office. The Washington Post reported that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would announce a formal impeachment inquiry on Tuesday, following a bombshell report that Trump illegally asked Ukraine’s government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, one of his political opponents. (He essentially admitted to having done so over the weekend.)

“Now that we have the facts, we’re ready,” Pelosi said Tuesday morning at a forum hosted by The Atlantic. At 5 p.m. the same day, she was back with more. "The actions taken to date by the president have seriously violated the constitution, especially when the president says Article Two says I can do whatever I want," referring to the segment of the Constitution that defines the power of the executive branch of the government. Pelosi's message was that checks and balances of those branches are just as central to the Constitution. And one more thing: "Today, I am announcing the House of Representatives is moving forward with an official impeachment inquiry," she said at a conference broadcast on Twitter by the Huffington Post. ...

Read the Full Story - InStyle

 

[Lazybones]

So, I got busy and I never got a chance to respond to some of you all's replies. I never intended this to be a thread jack, and I don't want it to continue to be, so I will make this my final thoughts on the subject. I have read through the thread and saw some others have responded but I didn't want to leave my thoughts open-ended.

First, I do recognize you didn't mean to use the term maliciously which is why I didn't approach it aggressively. I used a fragmented sentence asking that we not "go there" and provided a reason why. My thoughts and who I am as a poster are fairly well known, I assume, so I'm confident in stating that my initial statement was mild. Your responses to it are telling however. It seems you all were offended.

I'm guessing that is why you felt the need to attempt to insult me with all the "sensitive" SJW stuff. I'm unbothered with all of that and it doesn't register with me. My request was small and it stands. Lynching is not only overly hyperbolic but it is in poor taste. We want the MCB to open for everyone, right? We want persons of all backgrounds and cultures and ideologies to not only participate but feel welcomed, right? Well, as a black man, the last thing I want to read or hear is that the President is enduring a lynching. He's not. It's just wildly inappropriate to say. I'm not clutching my pearls or crying my eyes out over it, which is always the extreme you all like to take it to, in a false attempt to somehow shame someone for being soft. Quite frankly you all come across as soft by your responses to it.

The Clinton thing is a red herring but I'll address it. It's wrong. Full stop. He wasn't being lynched anymore than Trump is. And if those persons posted here and made such a statement, I would tell them so. In response to BHM, my reason for bringing it up is simple. It's on my mind and it makes the reference doubly as cringey. It's like a Christian saying something blasphemous around or during Christmas. I'm sure blaspheming is wrong all of the time but doing it around that time seems doubly offensive. That feels like common sense to me. The need to twist it into "it's not offensive unless it's BHM" seems like more trolling to me.

I realize Black History Month* doesn't mean the same to everyone but a little societal awareness is good for everyone (*FYI--I type BHM for the same reason I type POTUS or MVP or GOAT. Sometimes I'm on a phone and a few less punches not only saves time but, for me, some sanity.) "Trade rape" was a term I used to use, shamefully. I certainly didn't mean it maliciously. I definitely wasn't trying to offend anyone. Was just talking sports and the phrase was common. It wasn't something I would publicly say, usually just in private circles. No one suggested I stopped using it. But, there was a moment when I realized the phrase was just inappropriate, publicly or privately. I would like to think the volunteer work I did/do at a women's shelter aided that decision. Perhaps I just grew up.

If you felt I was taking shots, I wasn't. Just requesting that you use a different phrase that is more appropriate. No one in politics is being lynched. It's an easy thing to do to find another appropriate phrase. You obviously will do what you want. As will I. The MCB is better off when we can respect each other perspectives. C'est la vie.

I’m not offended, and I stopped reading after that. I am not apologizing or changing what I say, because someone might get offended.

The things with SJW’s, they alienate people who actually are on their side by trying to find racial overtones in everything said. Heck your response to me is no different that the people who are saying that mayor Pete’s use of Heartland was insensitive.

by the way the first 2 things that made me not take what you said serious are very simple.

1. using an acronym for “Black history month” to me is disrespectful

2. saying that using the word lynching the day before black history month is insensitive. (Using this to frame your point highlighted to me that you are looking for a reason to cry foul). What’s the difference if I would have said it in June. If you found insensitivity in my words, why did you have to frame it with the start of Black History month?

 

[insidejob]

I had a vintage t-shirt with him and this saying on it. Traded it to a friend for an awesome Saints superbowl shirt.

 

[cuddlemonkey]

I’m not offended, and I stopped reading after that. I am not apologizing or changing what I say, because someone might get offended.

The things with SJW’s, they alienate people who actually are on their side by trying to find racial overtones in everything said. Heck your response to me is no different that the people who are saying that mayor Pete’s use of Heartland was insensitive.

by the way the first 2 things that made me not take what you said serious are very simple.

1. using an acronym for “Black history month” to me is disrespectful

2. saying that using the word lynching the day before black history month is insensitive. (Using this to frame your point highlighted to me that you are looking for a reason to cry foul). What’s the difference if I would have said it in June. If you found insensitivity in my words, why did you have to frame it with the start of Black History month?

If you had read the entire post, you would have seen where point #2 was addressed. You also would have seen that FTP stated that he's just trying to bring a measure of respect to the board.

Instead, you made a public showing of how you were intentionally disrespectful to the guy. It's definitely a jerk move and not in the spirit of what Andrus intended.

 

[RegularChuck]

I’m not offended, and I stopped reading after that. I am not apologizing or changing what I say, because someone might get offended.

The things with SJW’s, they alienate people who actually are on their side by trying to find racial overtones in everything said. Heck your response to me is no different that the people who are saying that mayor Pete’s use of Heartland was insensitive.

by the way the first 2 things that made me not take what you said serious are very simple.

1. using an acronym for “Black history month” to me is disrespectful

2. saying that using the word lynching the day before black history month is insensitive. (Using this to frame your point highlighted to me that you are looking for a reason to cry foul). What’s the difference if I would have said it in June. If you found insensitivity in my words, why did you have to frame it with the start of Black History month?

Blah blah, shut my ears, something something, too busy being defensive to consider anything, blah blah.

 

[MT15]

He calls himself an anarchist. His screen name says he's "fifth column." So, in my book, he's a purveyor of propaganda.

Regarding "far left" websites, look it up yourself.
Go to Google. Type Beau of the Fifth Column Daily KOS. The whole first page is nothing but folks at Daily KOS telling people to watch his video. He's a media darling there.
If there's a more "far left" website than Daily KOS, I'm not aware of it. Media Bias Check calls it "extreme" Left.

So, let's skip straight to the Media Bias Check for Beau of the Fifth Column
- misleading reports
- omits reporting of information that may damage liberal causes
- mixed rating for factual reporting
- use of poor sources.

Say, where did you come across this propaganda video in the first place?

So, the Fifth Column site is a compendium of various authors and points of view. They are not any one person. They have all sorts of different authors purporting all sorts of ideas. It’s probably more left than right, maybe, I haven’t really read it, just the FAQ after you kinda went crazy about it, and since one of their main reasons for being is to promote freedom of speech, you would have to assume there are a few crackpot ideas contained on their site.

Isn’t the Fifth Column also a newspaper term? I’m not sure but I figured you would know that.

It’s a logical fallacy to say that the video I posted is propaganda just because someone at Daily KOS liked what he said. I’m not sure they would be all that fond of his 2nd Amendment views, hmmm, maybe they are more accepting of different viewpoints, or able to take each little video and let it stand or fall on its own merits?

Why are you so afraid to watch a 5 minute video that speaks common sense? It’s not reporting, he’s giving a short simple point of view. You can then tell me all about how he is evil and show me exactly where what he says goes wrong. Or not, your call.

 

[MT15]

I


It was listening to Demtocrats, not Trump, that motivated me to reconsider my position on Trump. I have no choice but to support the President.

I took this at face value at first, but then I really considered it. Respectfully, I don’t think you listen to Democrats, do you? I would guess that, rather, you listen to carefully packaged representations of what the packager wants you to think the democrats said.

I have fallen for the same, myself, with Republicans. I’m trying to get better about it, but it can be difficult to wade through the divisiveness. Democrats don’t really want open borders, nor are they wanting full on Socialism. Not even the Social Democrats. I know this to be true. They don’t want to stifle free speech.

Republicans don’t really want a white nationalist state, do they? They don’t really want to keep black and brown people from being fully enfranchised citizens, right?

So, it makes sense that the stuff you believe about Democrats is just as false as the stuff you can hear about Republicans.

 

[Dadsdream]

So, the Fifth Column site is a compendium of various authors and points of view. They are not any one person. They have all sorts of different authors purporting all sorts of ideas. It’s probably more left than right, maybe, I haven’t really read it, just the FAQ after you kinda went crazy about it, and since one of their main reasons for being is to promote freedom of speech, you would have to assume there are a few crackpot ideas contained on their site.

Isn’t the Fifth Column also a newspaper term? I’m not sure but I figured you would know that.

It’s a logical fallacy to say that the video I posted is propaganda just because someone at Daily KOS liked what he said. I’m not sure they would be all that fond of his 2nd Amendment views, hmmm, maybe they are more accepting of different viewpoints, or able to take each little video and let it stand or fall on its own merits?

Why are you so afraid to watch a 5 minute video that speaks common sense? It’s not reporting, he’s giving a short simple point of view. You can then tell me all about how he is evil and show me exactly where what he says goes wrong. Or not, your call.

Uh, Beau of the Fifth Column is the "handle" for the journalist named Justin King, a writer from Florida who describes himself as an anarchist.

So far, you've posted two videos from this guy on two different threads. Where did you first hear about this guy?

No, it's not a newspaper term. It's a political term.

'Fifth column' - the meaning and origin of this phrase

The meaning and origin of the phrase 'Fifth column'.

www.phrases.org.uk

Not watching these videos doesn't mean I'm afraid. It means I don't waste my time on an anarchist's propaganda.

 

[Beach Friends]

I took this at face value at first, but then I really considered it. Respectfully, I don’t think you listen to Democrats, do you? I would guess that, rather, you listen to carefully packaged representations of what the packager wants you to think the democrats said.

I have fallen for the same, myself, with Republicans. I’m trying to get better about it, but it can be difficult to wade through the divisiveness. Democrats don’t really want open borders, nor are they wanting full on Socialism. Not even the Social Democrats. I know this to be true. They don’t want to stifle free speech.

Republicans don’t really want a white nationalist state, do they? They don’t really want to keep black and brown people from being fully enfranchised citizens, right?

So, it makes sense that the stuff you believe about Democrats is just as false as the stuff you can hear about Republicans.

I actually listen to quite a few people who describe themselves as "on the left" if not "Democrats." Eric Weinstein, Brett Weinstein, Sam Harris, Krystal Ball, Jimmy Dore and the list goes on. Just this past week I listened to Stephen Kotkin - I have no idea where exactly he falls on the political spectrum generally but I can say for sure you would have been cheering him on when he was discussing his views on Trump. (the videos were from a couple of years ago and I would really love to hear if some of his views, especially about the Trump's concerns about the media and the intel community have changed).

I watched a fair amount of the Democratic debates but could not sit through the whole thing on any evening.

I don't think Democrats should be for open borders. That runs counter to the interests of who was supposed to be their constituents, the American worker. If you listen to their policies they sure do seem to be inviting mass immigration. It's an area that I wish the parties could have reasonable discussions on.

I am not blind to the fact that you have some big businesses and fat cats like the Koch brothers who love the idea of a steady stream of cheap labor to exploit.

 

[MT15]

Democrats are not for open borders. At least the vast majority of them, there may be a few on the fringe. Republicans have those too, right? We do need to have a reasonable discussion about immigration. Not possible with Trump, though, with him saying what isn’t true all the time.

My theory is that Trump feels like he has to paint Democrats as extreme on immigration, which they are really not, to distract from his own extreme policies about immigration. He wants it ended, or at least Stephen Miller does. That would be a grave mistake, IMO, the hunger and drive of immigrant families has fueled our economy for decades. Without them, we will suffer economically. At least IMO. Go listen to Reagan on immigration sometime.

Yes, there needs to be consideration of the labor market, but at the same time we need to acknowledge that new immigrants will eagerly take jobs that neither we nor our children will take. My own grandmother scrubbed floors all day as a maid, and then took the laundry home to do at night. All so my dad and his brother could have the things she couldn’t. And it worked. My dad won a scholarship, and was the first in his family to attend and graduate from college.

 

[MT15]

Uh, Beau of the Fifth Column is the "handle" for the journalist named Justin King, a writer from Florida who describes himself as an anarchist.

So far, you've posted two videos from this guy on two different threads. Where did you first hear about this guy?

No, it's not a newspaper term. It's a political term.

'Fifth column' - the meaning and origin of this phrase

The meaning and origin of the phrase 'Fifth column'.

www.phrases.org.uk

Not watching these videos doesn't mean I'm afraid. It means I don't waste my time on an anarchist's propaganda.

The “of the Fifth Column” refers to the web site. It’s the title of a Hemingway book as well, and comes from the Spanish Civil War. The web site is where he was published, when he wrote more.

Youre way off on this guy, btw. It’s actually a little bit funny.

 

[Dadsdream]

Youre way off on this guy, btw. It’s actually a little bit funny.

It's actually a bit funny, what Media Bias Check says about this guy.

Beau of the Fifth Column
Left
- misleading reports
- omits reporting of information that may damage liberal causes
- mixed rating for factual reporting
- use of poor sources

 

[MT15]

Good lord, that’s the web site that he used to write on, he doesn’t write as much now. Not him, the web site. Lol

You seem so concerned about “propaganda“ yet you consistently misstate the rating.

 

[Taurus]

ma’am, I’m an alpha male of Italian decent. I fear God, my Italian wife and my Italian mother and that’s it.

would you care to espouse more of why you think I need to watch something about fear more so than most on here?

Because you use the term 'alpha male' to describe yourself.

 

[Lazybones]

Because you use the term 'alpha male' to describe yourself.

Don’t be jelly

 

[Saintamaniac]

ma’am, I’m an alpha male of Italian decent.

Right.....you're a badass as long as you outnumber your opponent. Tell tale sign of a weak individual.

I fear God, my Italian wife and my Italian mother and that’s it.

You fear God yet you support a godless criminal and justify it. You only think you fear God. If you did, there is no possible way you could break so many of the tenants of whatever religion you practice that is Christianity-based. Hollow words.

would you care to espouse more of why you think I need to watch something about fear more so than most on here?

You and the rest of trump supporters stink of fear. You fear the truth and because you fear the truth you allow yourself to eagerly support a corrupt, weak individual.

Alpha Male....this doesn't mean what you think it means.

 

[Taurus]

Just stop with your nonsense. How do you figure I will only stand up when the nbrs are on my side? I’m here aren’t I?
Take this drivel to the mud pit and I will happily hash it out.

 

[Saintamaniac]

Just stop with your nonsense. How do you figure I will only stand up when the nbrs are on my side? I’m here aren’t I?
Take this drivel to the mud pit and I will happily hash it out.

People who self identify as alpha males typically are anything but that. Followers and supporters of DJT like to see themselves in him because they identify him as alpha male when in reality, he is the biggest of cowards. He ends up being a perfect mirror for them. It's a lot easier to deny hard truths than acknowledge facts and that is exactly the strategy of trump and his supporters.

Real alpha males have the fortitude to stand up in public and admit mistakes. Real alpha males cringe at the thought of leading followers on the wrong path. Real alpha males, if they have a religion, follow the tenants of that religion and help guide those who stray from that path. There is a reason for the saying that truth hurts. Trump and his supporters avoid that pain with the sweet elixir of lies. There is nothing alpha about that. And we had no better example than that set by the Republican senators who cowered to a bully rather than standing up to their responsibilities.

This drivel that you refer to is nothing but a mirror and its showing you a truth that hurts and the lies you willingly allow yourself to believe will one day catch up with you. They always do.

 

[Burtifus]

A few Republicans have admitted that Trump was guilty, but the problem is that the vast majority still claim that the evidence is not strong enough because it is second hand, although Sondland's was supposedly first hand. The people with the vast majority of the knowledge still haven't testified. As long as the majority of Republicans don't admit that Trump was guilty, Democrats have to continue to pursue subpeonas to convince the Republicans that can't connect the dots.

Even if the rest of the Republican Senators come around, Rubio & Alexander have given them an easy pivot. They'll just say it was wrong but it doesn't rise to impeachable behavior and/or an election is 9 months away. This was never going to end with removal from office. It was always about putting the information before the electorate and moving quickly to the election.