Among the Republican shenanigans behind the curtain is their repudiation of Hunter Biden's plea deal that will be settled today. For all the Republican cries of injustice for the deal that is arguably more harsh than other similar defendants might face, they conveniently forget that TFG rewarded many of his criminal supporters with pardons for their crimes. Hunter Biden will get no such relief. Republicans decry Hunter Biden's deal as a double standard. You bet it is! One where Dems mete out justice while Republicans wipe it out.
I don't know if this is a good idea or not, but assuming the plea deal goes thru, I'd like to hear President Biden address the elephant in the room with something like:
"I'm going to address something of a personal nature and then I will speak of it no more. Today, my beloved son, Hunter, pleaded guilty to crimes he acknowledged he committed. In taking responsibility, he's doing the right thing.
"Jill and I are very proud of our son for his courage and his strength. As his father, I forgive him for his behavior. As President, it is within my power to pardon him, but I will not do so. I believe in our justice system, and will not use it to my personal advantage.
"I hope the American people will understand the difficulties Hunter has faced and will allow him to move forward with his life. I also hope everyone will recognize the scrutiny Hunter has endured because he's my son, and will respect our family's privacy. Thank you."
I apologize for apparently jinxing the deal. I can't believe how it fell apart. Seems like somebody screwed up royally, and has given the MAGAts a gift of undeserved oxygen. What should have been a perfunctory proceeding has turned into prolonged agony. It appears that the judge did her best, but the attorneys did not. I was hoping this would be put to bed.
What confuses me is that a report I heard is that the judge wants to be certain that the plea deal is Constitutional.
What on earth could this mean!?! Plea deals, based on much previous reporting of the Hunter Biden charges, are very common for such charges, and often the sentencing is less than is being suggested for Hunter B.
I think her issue was that the deal put her in the position of deciding if Hunter is in violation of the agreement on the gun charge if something happens later. She felt that was the prosecutor's job and was concerned about separation of powers.
I think there was also a dispute over whether the deal absolved him of other crimes that Republicans have accused him of. I don't know if it was supposed to, but apparently the words, "in perpetuity" were troublesome.
Some analysts seem to think it's fixable, and was just sloppy. For something under such scrutiny, this is inexcusable.
I remember when watching the two Trump impeachments on TV how Jordan and others ignored subpoenas and how the White House refused to provide critical documents, but imagine the outrage by the GOP if we were ever to do the same. Also when the Dem team were presenting evidence many of the other side fiddled with phones or other distractions and even walked out. They had no interest in hearing evidence against Trump so how was that a fair hearing and ultimate acquittal./
Democrats should have prepared and aired a video of Republican Senators’ studied inattention to the impeachment trial, with appropriate commentary about Republicans’ behavior. But then, they’re Democrats, never missing an opportunity to miss an opportunity. (Apologies to the memory of Abba Eban.)
Yes, Michael, it would have been a powerful visual message for sure. The introduction could have read "When the Republicans can't handle the truth they avoid it like the plague" (Not as good as Abba Eben's quote but g has some merit :)
Rachel Maddow (as usual) gave an excellent background segment on the Emmett Till tragedy.
President Biden proclaimed THREE sites in two states for a national monument honoring not only the victim = a CHILD - but his MOTHER. Black women have done more to promote making the founding ideals of the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution fact rather than theory than any group ever.
"Till," a movie about the events of 1955, is available. Have you seen it? If you have ANY trepidation about watching this film, ask yourself why? Perhaps the answer lies in we DO KNOW it is about actual incidences of racial hatred. Jane Elliott has been addressing these issues since the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968.
A typical question she poses is "if you white folks want to be treated the way Blacks are in this society, stand. (No one stands.) No one is standing here. That says very plainly that you know what is happening. You know you don't want it for you. I want to know why you are (so) willing to accept it or allow it to happen for others."
I read HCR’s column first this morning and was so buoyed up by the inspiring and intelligent speeches by Biden and Harris that I completely forgot that Donald Trump existed. What a relief it is to have competent leadership. Let’s push these spineless, graceless, clueless Republican morons back into the cesspool where they belong. But thank you for keeping us up to date on the stupid club.
Elon Musk has done more to destroy a means of rapid global communication and connection than "anyone of all time" (in the phrasing 45 loves to use when catastrophizing on any issue.)
The blue bird apparently has been shot and killed.
The silly twits of the GOP think that baseless lawsuits and ominous innuendos constitute governance. May they learn very soon that competence and good faith are also required.
Jul 26, 2023·edited Jul 26, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
Get down, Robert. "The opportunities include giving skilled lawyer-legislators like Jamie Raskin, Dan Goldman, Adam Schiff, and Zoe Lofgren the ability to defend Joe Biden from the well of the Senate as they torch the incoherent yammerings of vapid culture warriors whose only strategy is to stamp their feet and shout." Psychologists tell us that the productive expression of anger is a necessary and liberating release of energy that has been cooped up becoming viscerally toxic. We are angry. We are frustrated. And, I am sorrowful that it has come to this. Yet, despite my sympathetic yearnings for normalcy, cooperation, civility, and discourse, now is the time to scream from your window, shout at the top of your lungs, holler from the rooftops. Repudiate. Call them out. Do not let our feelings get bottled up. "This insanity must stop." Then, get to work. I stand with you, Robert.
Propaganda works especially well when the peer group messengers are supplying it. Even Trump was booed for suggesting people get vaccinated. Go figure. “The Science” became a hated authority figure for the “You can’t make me!” crowd. No masks for us, we don’t care about protecting other people, the damn things are uncomfortable, my kid hates them and I do what my kid tells me.
A doctor I know said at the outset of the pandemic tht "A pandemic is evolution's IQ test: are you intelligent enough to listen to the information and take the actions that will maximize your chances of survival?"
I only wish COVID had killed more of the wingnut morons.
“Counterproductive clown show” seems an apt characterization of virtually every proceeding of the MAGA controlled House Committees. It is my sincere hope that the 2024 elections will return the House to Democratic control in order that it returns to conducting the people’s business.
The GOP is making up "crises." Yet I don't see them DOING ANYTHING to actually address all the dystopian disasters of the nation and the globe - in fact, I see a LOT they are doing to make it worse!
"It would require forensic experts to say that additional folders were created on Hunter Biden's laptop after Giuliani obtained it, and months after the FBI got a copy." Is it possible to be specific about the time when these folders were added and to determine who had custody of the laptop when the files were added?
The Washington Post received a copy of the hard drive from Steve Bannon, via Rudy Giuliani's lawyer, Robert Costello. Here is what WaPo wrote based on its analysis of the drive:
What the experts found
In their examinations, Green and Williams found evidence that people other than Hunter Biden had accessed the drive and written files to it, both before and after the initial stories in the New York Post and long after the laptop itself had been turned over to the FBI.
Maxey had alerted The Washington Post to this issue in advance, saying that others had accessed the data to examine its contents and make copies of files. But the lack of what experts call a “clean chain of custody” undermined Green’s and Williams’s ability to determine the authenticity of most of the drive’s contents.
The last 5 minutes of this clip from last nights Lawerence O"Donnell's show is a beautiful thoughtful response by poet Caroline Randall Williams to O"Donnells question...."What are your thoughts on what would have been Emmett Tills 82nd birthday"
I just watched this piece, Ron. Thank you so much for recommending it. This is the very best, most moving moment regarding both the denialism of the Republicans and how to honor not only Emmett Till and his mother, but all black people who have been mistreated by our country and hateful individuals in the past and those who are still enduring it in the present!
Twixter! Perfect! I shall keep on calling it Twitter as long as I can, and as long as the icon on my phone remains the tweetybird. But if that scary x that reminds me of the Nazi swastika and the Russian Z (which never made sense to me because it in turn reminded me of Zelensky) becomes the icon, I shall switch to calling it Twixter.
I'm sure part of the frantic flurry on the part of Republicans is not just gaseous distraction for their idiotic base, but also to give Biden yet another headache. These people are beyond useless; they are simply infantile.
Among the Republican shenanigans behind the curtain is their repudiation of Hunter Biden's plea deal that will be settled today. For all the Republican cries of injustice for the deal that is arguably more harsh than other similar defendants might face, they conveniently forget that TFG rewarded many of his criminal supporters with pardons for their crimes. Hunter Biden will get no such relief. Republicans decry Hunter Biden's deal as a double standard. You bet it is! One where Dems mete out justice while Republicans wipe it out.
I don't know if this is a good idea or not, but assuming the plea deal goes thru, I'd like to hear President Biden address the elephant in the room with something like:
"I'm going to address something of a personal nature and then I will speak of it no more. Today, my beloved son, Hunter, pleaded guilty to crimes he acknowledged he committed. In taking responsibility, he's doing the right thing.
"Jill and I are very proud of our son for his courage and his strength. As his father, I forgive him for his behavior. As President, it is within my power to pardon him, but I will not do so. I believe in our justice system, and will not use it to my personal advantage.
"I hope the American people will understand the difficulties Hunter has faced and will allow him to move forward with his life. I also hope everyone will recognize the scrutiny Hunter has endured because he's my son, and will respect our family's privacy. Thank you."
Beautifully stated. May it be so.
I apologize for apparently jinxing the deal. I can't believe how it fell apart. Seems like somebody screwed up royally, and has given the MAGAts a gift of undeserved oxygen. What should have been a perfunctory proceeding has turned into prolonged agony. It appears that the judge did her best, but the attorneys did not. I was hoping this would be put to bed.
What confuses me is that a report I heard is that the judge wants to be certain that the plea deal is Constitutional.
What on earth could this mean!?! Plea deals, based on much previous reporting of the Hunter Biden charges, are very common for such charges, and often the sentencing is less than is being suggested for Hunter B.
I think her issue was that the deal put her in the position of deciding if Hunter is in violation of the agreement on the gun charge if something happens later. She felt that was the prosecutor's job and was concerned about separation of powers.
I think there was also a dispute over whether the deal absolved him of other crimes that Republicans have accused him of. I don't know if it was supposed to, but apparently the words, "in perpetuity" were troublesome.
Some analysts seem to think it's fixable, and was just sloppy. For something under such scrutiny, this is inexcusable.
Thx
It looks like a really strange combination of events, including a "brief" filed by a House member who has no connection with the case except animus.
Was it an Animus Brief? Yes, a very strange (and unfortunate) turn of events. I'm anxious to hear Robert's view and Joyce Vance's analysis.
I remember when watching the two Trump impeachments on TV how Jordan and others ignored subpoenas and how the White House refused to provide critical documents, but imagine the outrage by the GOP if we were ever to do the same. Also when the Dem team were presenting evidence many of the other side fiddled with phones or other distractions and even walked out. They had no interest in hearing evidence against Trump so how was that a fair hearing and ultimate acquittal./
Interesting. News to me.
Democrats should have prepared and aired a video of Republican Senators’ studied inattention to the impeachment trial, with appropriate commentary about Republicans’ behavior. But then, they’re Democrats, never missing an opportunity to miss an opportunity. (Apologies to the memory of Abba Eban.)
Yes, Michael, it would have been a powerful visual message for sure. The introduction could have read "When the Republicans can't handle the truth they avoid it like the plague" (Not as good as Abba Eben's quote but g has some merit :)
Rachel Maddow (as usual) gave an excellent background segment on the Emmett Till tragedy.
President Biden proclaimed THREE sites in two states for a national monument honoring not only the victim = a CHILD - but his MOTHER. Black women have done more to promote making the founding ideals of the Declaration of Independence and US Constitution fact rather than theory than any group ever.
"Till," a movie about the events of 1955, is available. Have you seen it? If you have ANY trepidation about watching this film, ask yourself why? Perhaps the answer lies in we DO KNOW it is about actual incidences of racial hatred. Jane Elliott has been addressing these issues since the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968.
A typical question she poses is "if you white folks want to be treated the way Blacks are in this society, stand. (No one stands.) No one is standing here. That says very plainly that you know what is happening. You know you don't want it for you. I want to know why you are (so) willing to accept it or allow it to happen for others."
https://youtu.be/XZQO13605rQ
If only it were as simple as The Golden Rule - if you don't want to be treated like that, don't treat others that way, either.
Historical note:
Beverly Falls’ rendition of the “Golden Rule”, with “don’t” is the formulation attributed to the great Rabbi Hillel about a century before Jesus.
C:\Users\bhfal\OneDrive\Documents\Golden Rule Interfaith.jpg
Wishing Bronny James the best in his recovery and life going forward.
I read HCR’s column first this morning and was so buoyed up by the inspiring and intelligent speeches by Biden and Harris that I completely forgot that Donald Trump existed. What a relief it is to have competent leadership. Let’s push these spineless, graceless, clueless Republican morons back into the cesspool where they belong. But thank you for keeping us up to date on the stupid club.
Elon Musk has done more to destroy a means of rapid global communication and connection than "anyone of all time" (in the phrasing 45 loves to use when catastrophizing on any issue.)
The blue bird apparently has been shot and killed.
X doesn't look long for this world either.
https://1drv.ms/i/s!ArZI-5Ch2Ugbpjk781zwILmVnNOd?e=dbeCWB
Yes Beverly, shot and killed. Now after death, being mutilated by owner who paid Billions to possess it.
People are saying hair implants cause myocarditis. And smoking marijuana causes lung cancer. Many people.
The silly twits of the GOP think that baseless lawsuits and ominous innuendos constitute governance. May they learn very soon that competence and good faith are also required.
Get down, Robert. "The opportunities include giving skilled lawyer-legislators like Jamie Raskin, Dan Goldman, Adam Schiff, and Zoe Lofgren the ability to defend Joe Biden from the well of the Senate as they torch the incoherent yammerings of vapid culture warriors whose only strategy is to stamp their feet and shout." Psychologists tell us that the productive expression of anger is a necessary and liberating release of energy that has been cooped up becoming viscerally toxic. We are angry. We are frustrated. And, I am sorrowful that it has come to this. Yet, despite my sympathetic yearnings for normalcy, cooperation, civility, and discourse, now is the time to scream from your window, shout at the top of your lungs, holler from the rooftops. Repudiate. Call them out. Do not let our feelings get bottled up. "This insanity must stop." Then, get to work. I stand with you, Robert.
after the Covid vaccine became available in 2021, excess deaths among Republican voters in Florida and Ohio were 43% higher than in Democratic voters
Further proof that Republicans are members of the other hairless biped species, Homo Sap, the biped lacking opposable thumbs and frontal lobes.
Propaganda works especially well when the peer group messengers are supplying it. Even Trump was booed for suggesting people get vaccinated. Go figure. “The Science” became a hated authority figure for the “You can’t make me!” crowd. No masks for us, we don’t care about protecting other people, the damn things are uncomfortable, my kid hates them and I do what my kid tells me.
A doctor I know said at the outset of the pandemic tht "A pandemic is evolution's IQ test: are you intelligent enough to listen to the information and take the actions that will maximize your chances of survival?"
I only wish COVID had killed more of the wingnut morons.
They have probably already reproduced. I wish COVID had educated more of them, so they could spread a little truth to their posse.
“Counterproductive clown show” seems an apt characterization of virtually every proceeding of the MAGA controlled House Committees. It is my sincere hope that the 2024 elections will return the House to Democratic control in order that it returns to conducting the people’s business.
Bidenomics is working.
The GOP is making up "crises." Yet I don't see them DOING ANYTHING to actually address all the dystopian disasters of the nation and the globe - in fact, I see a LOT they are doing to make it worse!
It's a "how low will they go?" question.
there is no bottom.
"It would require forensic experts to say that additional folders were created on Hunter Biden's laptop after Giuliani obtained it, and months after the FBI got a copy." Is it possible to be specific about the time when these folders were added and to determine who had custody of the laptop when the files were added?
The Washington Post received a copy of the hard drive from Steve Bannon, via Rudy Giuliani's lawyer, Robert Costello. Here is what WaPo wrote based on its analysis of the drive:
What the experts found
In their examinations, Green and Williams found evidence that people other than Hunter Biden had accessed the drive and written files to it, both before and after the initial stories in the New York Post and long after the laptop itself had been turned over to the FBI.
Maxey had alerted The Washington Post to this issue in advance, saying that others had accessed the data to examine its contents and make copies of files. But the lack of what experts call a “clean chain of custody” undermined Green’s and Williams’s ability to determine the authenticity of most of the drive’s contents.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/30/hunter-biden-laptop-data-examined/
Thank you.
"...incoherent yammerings of vapid culture warriors....." Love it!
The last 5 minutes of this clip from last nights Lawerence O"Donnell's show is a beautiful thoughtful response by poet Caroline Randall Williams to O"Donnells question...."What are your thoughts on what would have been Emmett Tills 82nd birthday"
https://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/caroline-randall-williams-remembering-emmett-till-is-a-radical-act-of-freedom-189277253757
I just watched this piece, Ron. Thank you so much for recommending it. This is the very best, most moving moment regarding both the denialism of the Republicans and how to honor not only Emmett Till and his mother, but all black people who have been mistreated by our country and hateful individuals in the past and those who are still enduring it in the present!
Everyone should watch this clip!
I always listen closely when she is on.
Thank you. So powerful.....
Twixter! Perfect! I shall keep on calling it Twitter as long as I can, and as long as the icon on my phone remains the tweetybird. But if that scary x that reminds me of the Nazi swastika and the Russian Z (which never made sense to me because it in turn reminded me of Zelensky) becomes the icon, I shall switch to calling it Twixter.
I'm sure part of the frantic flurry on the part of Republicans is not just gaseous distraction for their idiotic base, but also to give Biden yet another headache. These people are beyond useless; they are simply infantile.