@Kurtster: The punishment or sanction for contempt of court is determined by the presiding judge. Merchan does not HAVE to jail Trump for contempt of court, much as Trump apparently wants that to happen—I guess because he wants to portray himself yet again as a victim.
Ah yes. Trump the mighty billionaire who can't cover the bonds without shady help. The owner of his own social media platform that's sinking like the Hindenburg on fire. He's a victim all right—of his own stupidity, rashness and senility.
But if I need to knock you over the head with a hammer... Trump would have been brought up on charges whether or not he decided to run. The election interference argument just plays well with his MAGA minions, willing and eager to look for any reason to excuse him for his actions and set him up as their personal martyr. But you know this already.
Yes indeed. We've been over this before. Investigations into Trump's actions were started before he declared his candidacy on November 15, 2022. For instance, the House Committee on January 6 had its first of 10 hearings in June 2022.
For those forgetting the timeline of relevant events, this summary is very useful:
Updated: The Trump indictments: a seven-year timeline of key developments
Just to clarify, I don't for a moment think that Trump is a Russian "asset" out of conviction or ideological persuasion. He also doesn't have the intellectual nous to be that complicit.
No, in a way, it is almost worse. He is an opportunist with a massively over-inflated ego that made him easy pickings for a Russian op. The idea of riding a wave of popular discontent to become the new Messiah / Führer / Mini-Dictator /Strongman or whatever else you want to call it was just soooo appealing to him.
That, coupled with a complete absence of any kind of moral compass or sense of loyalty were a fatal combination that brought us here to where we are today.
Absolutely.
And, as an increasingly dysfunctional society under pressure from within and without, a fertile soil it be for the seeds of our civil decrepitude. How else could it be? Cynicism alone?
But for a different possibility one might withdraw from humanity entirely. A possibility that doesn't rest on a foundation of material existence at all. Even though material existence is the way we have come to purely quantify and qualify our day to day lives, it does not ensure our survival nor the survival of our species. Knowledge does. Knowledge of interpretation. Of self. Of the power of the union of mind and heart. A knowledge of the yearning we commonly refer to as "God". Not belief or conviction or solemn duty. Those qualities are void of permanence. Not socio economics or investment stratagies or systems of wealth accumulation. Those continue to produce war. Knowledge of the power of one human individual to say no. That's enough. This must not be. It will not be. I will treat the next human being I see knowing that it will not be... "Should I die before I wake"
I don't care about someone giving a snowballs chance in hell. I will reject it all before I'll trade my soul. Of course, either way it will be hell to pay, but if that snowball gets big enough, the hell to pay won't be able to melt it at all before being drowned out in its own death and deception...
"Asset" may even be assigning more credit to him than is due. An "Asset" may well know the role he is playing in assisting Russia with the attempted destabilization of our democracy and erosion of our standing in NATO and with our allies.
I'm not sure Trump recognizes or understands this.
I would call him a Russian "Stooge" who was embedded at the highest level of our government... and may yet again be.
Just to clarify, I don't for a moment think that Trump is a Russian "asset" out of conviction or ideological persuasion. He also doesn't have the intellectual nous to be that complicit.
No, in a way, it is almost worse. He is an opportunist with a massively over-inflated ego that made him easy pickings for a Russian op. The idea of riding a wave of popular discontent to become the new Messiah / Führer / Mini-Dictator /Strongman or whatever else you want to call it was just soooo appealing to him.
That, coupled with a complete absence of any kind of moral compass or sense of loyalty were a fatal combination that brought us here to where we are today.
Bill doesn't want to be forgotten...so much so that he's now on Fox telling them that Biden is the threat to democracy. I guess the book tours and speaking engagements aren't what he thought they'd be when he spoke out... so go back to the cult and get paid.
But if I need to knock you over the head with a hammer... Trump would have been brought up on charges whether or not he decided to run. The election interference argument just plays well with his MAGA minions, willing and eager to look for any reason to excuse him for his actions and set him up as their personal martyr. But you know this already.
Don't forget that William Barr spent years trying to bury this whole thing. Even going as far as saying the prosecutor has resigned, while the prosecutor was publicly out saying "I HAVE NOT RESIGNED". That prosecutor was hanging on to place his successor so the case could continue in New York. That whole section of the story is just as wild.
This from the Trump justice department. While he screams that the Biden DOJ is corrupt. He only thinks it's corrupt because he knows it was when he ran it, and it's the only way he can see it operating. Why would anyone not use the DOJ to punish their enemies?
And I'll keep repeating it till it comes out your ears.. Trump, whether consciously or not, is playing by Russia's playbook for destabilising foreign governments AND seems to be doing everything in his power to help Putin in Ukraine AND erode credibility in NATO and stoke unrest at home in the United States AND erode trust in the law. AND.. jeez.. do I need to go on?
He's a Russian asset and is out to weaken the United States. Anyone still supporting him now after all that has gone down, is complicit in my view.
"Asset" may even be assigning more credit to him than is due. An "Asset" may well know the role he is playing in assisting Russia with the attempted destabilization of our democracy and erosion of our standing in NATO and with our allies.
I'm not sure Trump recognizes or understands this.
I would call him a Russian "Stooge" who was embedded at the highest level of our government... and may yet again be.
You answered my question with multiple questions instead of answering it.
And I'll keep repeating it till it comes out your ears.. Trump, whether consciously or not, is playing by Russia's playbook for destabilising foreign governments AND seems to be doing everything in his power to help Putin in Ukraine AND erode credibility in NATO and stoke unrest at home in the United States AND erode trust in the law. AND.. jeez.. do I need to go on?
He's a Russian asset and is out to weaken the United States. Anyone still supporting him now after all that has gone down, is complicit in my view.
You answered my question with multiple questions instead of answering it.
Sound familiar?
But if I need to knock you over the head with a hammer... Trump would have been brought up on charges whether or not he decided to run. The election interference argument just plays well with his MAGA minions, willing and eager to look for any reason to excuse him for his actions and set him up as their personal martyr. But you know this already.
So what exactly is the purpose of all of these prosecutions ?
To keep Trump off of ballots ?
To taint him to the point of unelectability ?
Or
To lock him up for his crimes, whatever they might be ?
I would like to think that it is the last one. The first two are clearly political election interference and anti democratic and are not working.
The last one is the only legitimate purpose as well.
So you have a bona fide chance to lock him up for criminal contempt. Take it. Do it. It is the goal. Yes or no ?
How about trump just not engaging in threatening justice workers and people in the jury? Yes, there is a two tier justice system and he is on the top tier, getting away with far more than most defendants would. If you want to be a politician, you can claim that anything opposing your actions is political, even if those actions include contempt of court. Just stop misbehavin
(And stop supporting people who rort the legal system)
I suspect his strategy is to set up a basis for drawing out the appeal process. "Holding me in contempt was unfair and should invalidate the trial" That is the scenario that the judge has to navigate.
Trump Supporter: âIt doesn't matter what he (Trump) does. I'm going to vote for him.â
Reporter: âEven if he had a political opponent killed?â
Trump Supporter: âAbsolutely.â
It's a cult.
If not in name, then in fact.
These Trump cultists have brainwashed themselves. They can't be reasoned with because they are not reasonable human beings. They are deeply unhappy people who've convinced themselves that they can only feel joy by inflicting pain and misery on others.
They can't lift themselves up, so they tear others down.
It is impossible for this ideology to create a better future (even for themselves) or to govern at a minimum level of competence. It's impossible. This ideology can ONLY destroy.
Hell, these people can't even live in peace with THEMSELVES, let alone the rest of us — and all you have to do is look at the current MAGA Republican House to see that.
You're not going to change their minds.
You can't.
Like alcoholism, they have to WANT to change first. And they don't. They enjoy this addiction, it makes them feel better about their own miserable existence. You can't save these people, but they can damn well drag YOU down with them.
You better show up.
You better do your duty, whether you want to or not, whether you like the choices or you don't. You better do your duty to the country, to the future, to yourselves.
Or you won't have a future.
