I can’t help my feeling of schadenfreude for today’s various news items, but not just because I would like to see the last of all the bad actors who have dominated our attention. The main benefit of seeing justice done is to see Truth and Fact re-established as real and positive values, not as mere opinions. As an academic, of course I understand the purpose of intellectual deconstruction, the positive side of de-centering hegemony, of alternative ways of explaining political and social realities, but the Trump years have cheapened all intellectual endeavor—with disastrous moral and ethical consequences.
Your focus on the Common Good in your Concluding Thoughts express a positive value that can only be reached with belief in what we call an underlying fact or truth—a sustaining belief in people, in compassion, and in a degree of selflessness that is absent in cynical capitalistic nationalism. I imagine that one day when we will look back on this era of bad news and heartlessness, we will remember these columns that remind us of our better natures. I know I will always be grateful.
Rachel Maddow played a wonderful speech by Sen Warnack last night in which he eloquently discussed why the Senate should carve out an exception to the filibuster for the voting rights laws as they did for the debt ceiling. If they can change the rules for the economy,they can change the rules for democracy, he said. I wish the press would talk about that. His speech was remarkable for its reasoned approach, its passion and its plea to Democratic colleagues. His dismissal of "Bi-partisanship" was pretty interesting too.
Now here’s a thought. Perhaps someone can tell me why I’m full of shit, why this will inevitably fail, but bear with me. Someone should introduce a bill restoring the Fairness Doctrine. No way it passes the Senate and maybe not even the House, but let’s have the discussion. The point is this: it offers a valid legislative purpose for the Jan 6th committee to subpoena Ingraham, Kilmeade, and Hannity over their tweets to Trump on Jan 6, and the obvious disconnect between those and the bullshit story of antifa that they all coalesced behind a few hours later. If nothing else it puts Fox on the defensive. I suppose they’ll also call MSNBC unbalanced, but that’s a trade I’m willing to make.
Good idea, but the Fairness Doctrine was from the FCC, not statutory law. I grew up under it, and did some news reporting, and met a number of reporters from the networks during that golden age of news. Sadly, I foolishly thought that that was the way reporting would always be.
I guess my question is why can't the Select Committee subpoena these co-conspirators. Being a member of the press does not insulate you from being charged and convicted of Treason or Sedition. Were they exercising their right of free speech to the public in their communiques? Absolutely not! These were private communications, with the leader of the conspiracy, demonstrating their foreknowledge and fear that their seditious plan went astray.
The earliest sunset was on December 8th. (Here in Boston, 4:12 p.m.) Since then the afternoons have been getting longer, although mornings are getting later at a faster rate, so the length of the day shortens until the solstice. But today, a week after the earliest sunset, the set will still set at 4:12. So the lengthening of afternoons has been imperceptible. Nonetheless, it is happening. I raise this, because the erosion of Trump's personal and legal position, and of his allies', has also been happenng, although we may not see it yet. To me the most significant development has been the virtual declaration of war between Trump and McConnell. It's a fight I hope they both lose, but it bodes well for Democrats, and for democracy. The threat has not ended, and, indeed, it could grow, but there is more reason for hope now than there was a week or a month ago.
Thanks for the encouragement to efforts to Get Out the Vote. A small group that I belong to is trying to initiate civil discourse with neighbors to inform them about the dangers of DeSantis actions here in Florida. Even "nice" Democrats are not aware of the dangers to voting that he has established and plan to take action to make sure their votes can't be "uncounted".
just for a little while I'd like to see the major news networks actually treat this news as well as they treat a tornado or hurricanes - let's have the anchors on location in Washington asking the hard questions to republicans about what the hell is going on. As for democratic representatives - I think they are too "nice" to say much of anything lest they upset their republican friends who frankly don't give a damn. Damn the filibuster, full speed ahead!
Agreed. The filibuster is an anti-democratic layer added to an anti-democratic institution. The latter was a design feature in the Constitution; the latter is a rule that was created in a gentleman’s club known as the Senate so that entrenched and out-of-touch Senators wouldn’t bruise one another’s delicate sensibilities by passing laws on a majority vote.
I m done with the tornadoes. Awful awful awful as they are. Covid killed more in one day in the US than the tornadoes. Balance. The visual of the destruction is so dreadful that tv can't resist.
Carol I agree with you on the visuals. The scary thing about what the republicans are doing to eat at our democracy is that it’s hidden to most like a slow growing disease. I would have thought 1/6 would have brought it to a head but they are very good at convincing their tribe that it didn’t really happen- like what we actually saw with our own eyes wasn’t a coup attempt. Without the help of MSM we have a tough fight ahead of us. Where’s our Walter Cronkite? Yes I’m that old.
Chancellor and Cronkite yes. But it was our shared belief in what they said. We no long agree on the color of the sky....and, oh yes, it is changing due to fires etc. There is a piece in Salon today https://www.salon.com/2021/12/14/is-america-experiencing-mass-psychosis/ that helped me see a bit more of the structure of the thinking that brought us this mess.
Good morning: It's hard not to agree with all that has been said or comments that are shown below. And I believe that all negative feelings that are coming out referring to Trump's ability to avoid all that's been thrown at him and all the dastardly deeds he has performed keep us all wondering what will happen next. But Robert's unabashed OPTIMISM does continue to provide us all with hope going forward and I , for one, being a member of Optimist International for over 35 years, will follow this till the end....I hope.
First, the last two days have brought me a great deal of HOPE! We can now see the wheels of Justice turning, slowly, as JJMargolis points out below, and in political Kabuki-style theatre (thanks, Charles Glovsky for the reference). Time will tell but I at least have hope again that Justice will prevail and our Democracy will survive.
Second, Liz Chaney also raised the prospect of Trump being charged with "dereliction of duty" under United States Code Title 10, Section 892, Article 92. In time of war, this can result in the death penalty. While we all know that ain't gonna happen, Trump, would at least earn the dubious title of the first US President to be charged and (and hopefully) convicted under this code Section.
Third, when this whole process is over, Trump will have met his goal to secure a name for himself for all prosperity: he will be forever known as the WORST American president. Good!
Everything you commented on in your latest edition is fuel on the fire for those of us who believe Democracy is at risk but the average non college educated voter is focused not on what is happening in Washington DC but what is happening on Main Street. The key issues for them are inflation like higher food costs , healthcare for their families and their jobs or lack of good paying and safe jobs. Everything else is just conversations. The Biden Administration has done a lot but must communicate the benefits to all Americans.
Hi, Stephen. For the benefit of other readers, Stephen is a frequent correspondent. We agree on many things, and I agree with most of what you say above. But I disagree to the extent that you suggest that most Americans don’t care about what happens to those who attempted to overthrow the government. Tens of millions of Americans see no point in participating in the political process precisely because they see that wealthy, white criminals go free while their family members are jailed for broken tail lights. There is a legitimate, democratic, and just reason to keep the issues of Trump’s corruption at the forefront. Of course they care about bread and butter issues, but not to the exclusion of having an honest government.
Robert I believe most Americans care about our government and don’t want it overthrown. What I was saying is that Americans are tired of the drama coming out of Washington on almost everything and have lost faith in the governing process. Look at all the wonderful programs the Biden Administration has delivered to millions of Americans and yet his approval ratings are low and a perception has been created that does not line up with what has been delivered. Most Americans are fed up with politics.
The format of today's letter was excellent. Breaking down memorable sections of issues makes it easier to carry them forward and distill what the ongoing issues are as information is added down the road. Question: What is the timeline for ongoing court issues into 2022? If all charges or investigations are appealed up to the Supremes, don't we go way past the midterms? If the midterms change the party in charge, doesn't the Coup investigation end? What does that do to DOJ carrying out the contempt charges? How can this be sped up or can it?
If the GOP takes control of the House, the Special Committee will end. It will be a stain on the legacy of Kevin McCarthy that his first act as Speaker will be to give cover to people who tried to overthrow the U.S.
Adam Schiff has indicated that the Select Committee will issue its written findings after telling the story through public hearings before the House term expires. The members of the Select Committee, including Chaney and Kinzinger, understand and appreciate the need to expose those members of Congress who aided and abetted Trump's insurrection.
I read with interest this morning about the 2 1/2 year federal sentence just given to a Georgia man who threatened the life of Speaker Pelosi on January 7th. Not all of the sentences being given out in the wake of the January 6th insurrection are mere “slaps on the wrist.”
Yes; you are right, Rob. But of thousands of people who stopped an official proceeding of Congress, the overwhelming majority have been charged with parading without a permit. Anyone who threatens to kill the Speaker after having broken into the Capitol deserves strong punishment. Whether 2.5 years is strong enough is a judgment I will leave to others.
“The single best way to see the good that goes overlooked is to join in community with like-minded people who are working for the common good.” There are lots of organizations to join, and I’ve been looking at where I want to connect. It would also be nice to know some Hubbell readers here in St. Louis that would be open to getting together over coffee for discussion and support. Human contact is so important.
He is simply the wrong person for the job. If the readers who are DOJ alumni are correct, he is working to build “an airtight case.” But there is overwhelming evidence of Trump’s efforts to overthrow the 2020 elections—he did it in public and on the airwaves. In this instance, justice delayed may be justice denied.
I can’t help my feeling of schadenfreude for today’s various news items, but not just because I would like to see the last of all the bad actors who have dominated our attention. The main benefit of seeing justice done is to see Truth and Fact re-established as real and positive values, not as mere opinions. As an academic, of course I understand the purpose of intellectual deconstruction, the positive side of de-centering hegemony, of alternative ways of explaining political and social realities, but the Trump years have cheapened all intellectual endeavor—with disastrous moral and ethical consequences.
Your focus on the Common Good in your Concluding Thoughts express a positive value that can only be reached with belief in what we call an underlying fact or truth—a sustaining belief in people, in compassion, and in a degree of selflessness that is absent in cynical capitalistic nationalism. I imagine that one day when we will look back on this era of bad news and heartlessness, we will remember these columns that remind us of our better natures. I know I will always be grateful.
Thanks, Jim. I appreciate your comments. We are on the right side of history—if we have the determination to make the history we desire.
Rachel Maddow played a wonderful speech by Sen Warnack last night in which he eloquently discussed why the Senate should carve out an exception to the filibuster for the voting rights laws as they did for the debt ceiling. If they can change the rules for the economy,they can change the rules for democracy, he said. I wish the press would talk about that. His speech was remarkable for its reasoned approach, its passion and its plea to Democratic colleagues. His dismissal of "Bi-partisanship" was pretty interesting too.
Latest is that Schumer will push for a vote on voting rights before Christmas. Suggests to me that maybe he and Manchin have worked something out.
Let's hope so. But Manchin will need to work something out with Rs as well, unless they are going to carve out an exception to the filibuster.
Thanks, DeeDee. I will check it out. I missed it.
Now here’s a thought. Perhaps someone can tell me why I’m full of shit, why this will inevitably fail, but bear with me. Someone should introduce a bill restoring the Fairness Doctrine. No way it passes the Senate and maybe not even the House, but let’s have the discussion. The point is this: it offers a valid legislative purpose for the Jan 6th committee to subpoena Ingraham, Kilmeade, and Hannity over their tweets to Trump on Jan 6, and the obvious disconnect between those and the bullshit story of antifa that they all coalesced behind a few hours later. If nothing else it puts Fox on the defensive. I suppose they’ll also call MSNBC unbalanced, but that’s a trade I’m willing to make.
Good idea, but the Fairness Doctrine was from the FCC, not statutory law. I grew up under it, and did some news reporting, and met a number of reporters from the networks during that golden age of news. Sadly, I foolishly thought that that was the way reporting would always be.
I guess my question is why can't the Select Committee subpoena these co-conspirators. Being a member of the press does not insulate you from being charged and convicted of Treason or Sedition. Were they exercising their right of free speech to the public in their communiques? Absolutely not! These were private communications, with the leader of the conspiracy, demonstrating their foreknowledge and fear that their seditious plan went astray.
Not sure the committee has to. Just saw this tweet from Liz Cheney:
https://twitter.com/washingtonpost/status/1470855510605840391?s=20
Says it all, pretty much.
The earliest sunset was on December 8th. (Here in Boston, 4:12 p.m.) Since then the afternoons have been getting longer, although mornings are getting later at a faster rate, so the length of the day shortens until the solstice. But today, a week after the earliest sunset, the set will still set at 4:12. So the lengthening of afternoons has been imperceptible. Nonetheless, it is happening. I raise this, because the erosion of Trump's personal and legal position, and of his allies', has also been happenng, although we may not see it yet. To me the most significant development has been the virtual declaration of war between Trump and McConnell. It's a fight I hope they both lose, but it bodes well for Democrats, and for democracy. The threat has not ended, and, indeed, it could grow, but there is more reason for hope now than there was a week or a month ago.
Well said. Thanks!
Thanks for the encouragement to efforts to Get Out the Vote. A small group that I belong to is trying to initiate civil discourse with neighbors to inform them about the dangers of DeSantis actions here in Florida. Even "nice" Democrats are not aware of the dangers to voting that he has established and plan to take action to make sure their votes can't be "uncounted".
Good for you, Charles! Keep up the good work!
just for a little while I'd like to see the major news networks actually treat this news as well as they treat a tornado or hurricanes - let's have the anchors on location in Washington asking the hard questions to republicans about what the hell is going on. As for democratic representatives - I think they are too "nice" to say much of anything lest they upset their republican friends who frankly don't give a damn. Damn the filibuster, full speed ahead!
Agreed. The filibuster is an anti-democratic layer added to an anti-democratic institution. The latter was a design feature in the Constitution; the latter is a rule that was created in a gentleman’s club known as the Senate so that entrenched and out-of-touch Senators wouldn’t bruise one another’s delicate sensibilities by passing laws on a majority vote.
I meant to write that the “former” is a rule . . . .
I m done with the tornadoes. Awful awful awful as they are. Covid killed more in one day in the US than the tornadoes. Balance. The visual of the destruction is so dreadful that tv can't resist.
Carol I agree with you on the visuals. The scary thing about what the republicans are doing to eat at our democracy is that it’s hidden to most like a slow growing disease. I would have thought 1/6 would have brought it to a head but they are very good at convincing their tribe that it didn’t really happen- like what we actually saw with our own eyes wasn’t a coup attempt. Without the help of MSM we have a tough fight ahead of us. Where’s our Walter Cronkite? Yes I’m that old.
Chancellor and Cronkite yes. But it was our shared belief in what they said. We no long agree on the color of the sky....and, oh yes, it is changing due to fires etc. There is a piece in Salon today https://www.salon.com/2021/12/14/is-america-experiencing-mass-psychosis/ that helped me see a bit more of the structure of the thinking that brought us this mess.
Agreed!
Good morning: It's hard not to agree with all that has been said or comments that are shown below. And I believe that all negative feelings that are coming out referring to Trump's ability to avoid all that's been thrown at him and all the dastardly deeds he has performed keep us all wondering what will happen next. But Robert's unabashed OPTIMISM does continue to provide us all with hope going forward and I , for one, being a member of Optimist International for over 35 years, will follow this till the end....I hope.
Three things:
First, the last two days have brought me a great deal of HOPE! We can now see the wheels of Justice turning, slowly, as JJMargolis points out below, and in political Kabuki-style theatre (thanks, Charles Glovsky for the reference). Time will tell but I at least have hope again that Justice will prevail and our Democracy will survive.
Second, Liz Chaney also raised the prospect of Trump being charged with "dereliction of duty" under United States Code Title 10, Section 892, Article 92. In time of war, this can result in the death penalty. While we all know that ain't gonna happen, Trump, would at least earn the dubious title of the first US President to be charged and (and hopefully) convicted under this code Section.
Third, when this whole process is over, Trump will have met his goal to secure a name for himself for all prosperity: he will be forever known as the WORST American president. Good!
Everything you commented on in your latest edition is fuel on the fire for those of us who believe Democracy is at risk but the average non college educated voter is focused not on what is happening in Washington DC but what is happening on Main Street. The key issues for them are inflation like higher food costs , healthcare for their families and their jobs or lack of good paying and safe jobs. Everything else is just conversations. The Biden Administration has done a lot but must communicate the benefits to all Americans.
Hi, Stephen. For the benefit of other readers, Stephen is a frequent correspondent. We agree on many things, and I agree with most of what you say above. But I disagree to the extent that you suggest that most Americans don’t care about what happens to those who attempted to overthrow the government. Tens of millions of Americans see no point in participating in the political process precisely because they see that wealthy, white criminals go free while their family members are jailed for broken tail lights. There is a legitimate, democratic, and just reason to keep the issues of Trump’s corruption at the forefront. Of course they care about bread and butter issues, but not to the exclusion of having an honest government.
Robert I believe most Americans care about our government and don’t want it overthrown. What I was saying is that Americans are tired of the drama coming out of Washington on almost everything and have lost faith in the governing process. Look at all the wonderful programs the Biden Administration has delivered to millions of Americans and yet his approval ratings are low and a perception has been created that does not line up with what has been delivered. Most Americans are fed up with politics.
PS Why aren't there across the board charges to all the Coup mob for breaking and entering, destroying property, theft?
Merrick Garland.
Oh. My oh my.
The format of today's letter was excellent. Breaking down memorable sections of issues makes it easier to carry them forward and distill what the ongoing issues are as information is added down the road. Question: What is the timeline for ongoing court issues into 2022? If all charges or investigations are appealed up to the Supremes, don't we go way past the midterms? If the midterms change the party in charge, doesn't the Coup investigation end? What does that do to DOJ carrying out the contempt charges? How can this be sped up or can it?
If the GOP takes control of the House, the Special Committee will end. It will be a stain on the legacy of Kevin McCarthy that his first act as Speaker will be to give cover to people who tried to overthrow the U.S.
Adam Schiff has indicated that the Select Committee will issue its written findings after telling the story through public hearings before the House term expires. The members of the Select Committee, including Chaney and Kinzinger, understand and appreciate the need to expose those members of Congress who aided and abetted Trump's insurrection.
I read with interest this morning about the 2 1/2 year federal sentence just given to a Georgia man who threatened the life of Speaker Pelosi on January 7th. Not all of the sentences being given out in the wake of the January 6th insurrection are mere “slaps on the wrist.”
Yes; you are right, Rob. But of thousands of people who stopped an official proceeding of Congress, the overwhelming majority have been charged with parading without a permit. Anyone who threatens to kill the Speaker after having broken into the Capitol deserves strong punishment. Whether 2.5 years is strong enough is a judgment I will leave to others.
A fair point, although I understand that the man who was sentenced for threatening Speaker Pelosi had not actually been at the Capitol on January 6th.
Robert, thank you once again for your balanced, insightful, hopeful perspective. I wish more commentators had it.
Thanks, Rachel. I appreciate your kind words.
Thank you for persisting with the audio today! I do believe there is common good.
It was a comedy of errors. We recorded it 3 times with no sound!
“The single best way to see the good that goes overlooked is to join in community with like-minded people who are working for the common good.” There are lots of organizations to join, and I’ve been looking at where I want to connect. It would also be nice to know some Hubbell readers here in St. Louis that would be open to getting together over coffee for discussion and support. Human contact is so important.
I will put out the word!
Why fo you think Merritt Garland dragging his feet??
He is simply the wrong person for the job. If the readers who are DOJ alumni are correct, he is working to build “an airtight case.” But there is overwhelming evidence of Trump’s efforts to overthrow the 2020 elections—he did it in public and on the airwaves. In this instance, justice delayed may be justice denied.