Pelosi is the most powerful and effective female elected official in US history. Accusing her of cowardice or stupidity is ridiculous. Maybe she’s not doing what we want on the schedule we want, but consider that she knows things we don’t.
I’m not accusing her of perfection. But she’s pretty damned good at what she does, and she has been for a very long time. Benefit of the doubt and all that.
ShivaX
3095
Your authoritarian appeals aren’t any more palatable than the other side’s.
A lot of these cops, I view as the security folks at the front of stage. Then Guns 'R Roses cancels the show and all hell breaks lose and it’s you four against the stadium.
Even the video, if the cops got an order to open the door from leadership, well, they open the door.
A lot needs to come out from the inevitable congressional investigations about this.
KevinC
3097
Yeah, I’m sure Pelosi is just goofing around and doesn’t take this all seriously so decided to wait until Monday because she wanted an early start to the weekend or something.
He is probably happy to get arrested to get away from the “Told ya so.”
And also forces Republicans in the House to out themselves as supporting the insurrection when they vote no on impeachment.
-Tom
One of at least 2 zip tie guys (with actual zip tie cuffs, not just zip ties) - armed, masked, etc.:
We got lucky. Imagine if the mob had gotten to Pelosi, Schumer, AOC and the squad, etc.
Well, no, as you can plainly see in some of the videos. But there was probably a point when they were told to stand down for their own safety.
-Tom
That seems like both a dumb and petty reply from you. I see his statement related to Meritocracy at work, not Authoritarianism.
Good point and absolutely it does.
And I have a feeling again, that there may be some senators eyeing 2024 who don’t want Trump’s nonsense on the campaign trail who may vote in the affirmative this time around.
They were overwhelmed. I have seen a lot of videos with a half-dozen or so cops against 100+ protestors. In that situation, preserving their own lives is going to be the priority. Escalating the situation with tear gas/ gunfire probably leads to more dead cops.
It’s also likely that sympathy for the right-wing crowd played a role. It certainly caused their command to underestimate the danger, and “selfie cop” needs a close look. Other, darker accusations like those from Rep Clyburn also need a look (he suspects someone may have directed rioters to his location). We all know that police forces have been infiltrated by right-wing extremists, and this probably includes the Capitol police.
But I’ve seen a bunch of vids of cops fleeing when faced with vastly superior numbers. Some of them may have been ‘in on it,’ but it’s clear that most of them weren’t. The main sin here is command assigning a token force in street clothes to defend the Capitol when everyone with an internet connection knew an angry mob was slouching toward it.
It seems to me that if White House staff refused to properly fill out the paper work before Jan 20, they could subvert Trump’s pardon. I think Trump is too lazy to actually type up his own pardon. Admittedly we are grasping at straws at this point.
Thrag
3106
Woman with Gadsden flag tramped to death by irony.
Daagar
3107
I thought a conviction in the Senate automatically made that a thing. Do they actually have to write that up, or are you saying that by writing it up in the articles then an impeachment in the House can enforce that to happen, even if Senate doesn’t convict?
(I don’t claim to know the rules at all - genuinely curious)
You should find it sinister because in Michigan their plan was to kidnap and assassinate the Governor Whitmer. Right wing lunatics were likely emboldened by the failure of Trump to condemn that plot and his continued attacks on the Governor in the wake of the plot.
Menzo
3109
Wait a sec. The idea that this guy might want to immobilize someone doesn’t seem sinister to you? Forget the context of there being widespread discussion about detaining and murdering anyone and everyone in their way, even just being immobilized by a crazed mob of people with guns and other weapons is pretty scary, isn’t it?
It’s hard not to think of Charlie Brown, though. Sure, this time they’re surely repudiate him after this if we play it their way.
If the senate votes to convict, that removes the President from office. A second is a vote to prohibit further office-seeking is allowed by the Constitution.
By making it a separate article, I guess Democrats are looking at what may be a more palatable conviction article, post presidency, for 67 votes (still a longshot).
In all fairness, that would not be the worst way to go out… In other circumstances obviously
Alstein
3113
Here’s a perp walk of a state legislator.
