Impeachment 3: The MF Has Been Impeached! The Trial Has Begun!

[fraurosena]

 

[GreyhoundFan]

 

[fraurosena]

Moo?

 

[scoutsadie]

48 minutes ago, fraurosena said:

BEC alert.

Who is that bloated toad with the *pink* tie sitting behind the trumplican lectern? 

Don't know, but about 30 minutes ago, I said to my husband (about that dude), "Why does that guy have money very obviously sticking out of his pocket?"

15 minutes ago, fraurosena said:

Moo?

 

Excellent points (love Rachel!!) - thanks for sharing.

3 hours ago, thoughtful said:

The two old white women in this house say "fuck you" to all of them. My Mom and I characterized the Republicans' behavior as "adults having toddler temper tantrums." Just like their orange leader.

 

This middle-aged white lady and her middle-aged husband cosign your "fuck you."

[HerNameIsBuffy]

7 minutes ago, scoutsadie said:

Don't know, but about 30 minutes ago, I said to my husband (about that dude), "Why does that guy have money very obviously sticking out of his pocket?"

I am not watching it - but all republicans have become Mr. Bucksly for me after these last 3 years...

 

 

[GreyhoundFan]

How many Rs can whine the exact same crap? I think it's rich that many of them are crying that the Dems don't want to get anything done. Um, the two years the Rs ran the house during this sham administration weren't exactly a model of hard work and legislative success.

[scoutsadie]

21 minutes ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

 

That's him! (Actually, the asshole spoke - he's from Missouri - and somebody must have clued him in, because the money was no longer sticking out of his pocket.)

Also, a kid I went to high school with - Mike Waltz, of Florida - is queued up to speak on the GOP side. He was a member of the Young Republicans back then. I wish our government teacher would call and shame him.

Edited December 18, 2019 by scoutsadie

[GreyhoundFan]

"Trump’s impeachment is like Jesus’ crucifixion, the Salem witch trials and Pearl Harbor all rolled into one"

Spoiler

With hours of debate to fill before President Trump is impeached and only a minute or two for each member to make an impact, there is a premium on getting your point across.

Hence, a series of vivid metaphors.

Republicans, in particular, have set about comparing Trump’s impeachment to all manner of historical atrocities. Trump got the ball rolling Tuesday by comparing his treatment unfavorably to the Salem witch trials. “More due process was afforded to those accused in the Salem Witch Trials,” he wrote.

But his GOP colleagues believed they had some even better comparisons.

Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.) decided that Trump was denied even the feeble due process that Pontius Pilate granted Jesus before his crucifixion.

“When Jesus was falsely accused of treason, Pontius Pilate gave Jesus the opportunity to face his accusers,” Loudermilk said. “During that sham trial, Pontius Pilate afforded more rights to Jesus than Democrats have afforded this president in this process.”

Rep. Fred Keller (R-Pa.) invoked Jesus’ crucifixion — specifically when Jesus, on the cross, asked God to forgive those who had wronged him.

“So I want Democrats voting for impeachment today to know that I’ll be praying for them,” Keller said. “From the Gospel of Luke, the 23rd chapter, verse 34: And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ ”

There are, of course, problems with these comparisons. One is that the accused witches in Salem were systematically violated — including physically — and that, while they were afforded at least some theoretical ability to defend themselves, they were essentially required to prove a negative while the evidence against them was accepted at face value. The argument with Jesus is apparently that Trump hasn’t been able to confront the anonymous whistleblower who first brought the Ukraine scandal to light. But the gospels of Matthew and Mark suggest Jesus was essentially found guilty before the trial began. He was also crucified, while the alleged witches were hanged, so the punishment involved there is on a slightly different level. Trump, by contrast, will have a trial in which the rules will be determined by his allies and he will be allowed to remain as president.

Shortly after Loudermilk spoke, Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.) offered his own comparison, saying Trump’s impeachment was more like Pearl Harbor. Here are his comments:

In addition to Christmas being something we celebrate, the Boston Tea Party took place in December, but also on December 7, 1941, a horrific act happened in the United States. And this one that President Roosevelt said, ‘This is a date that will live in infamy.’ Today, December the 18th, 2019, is another date that will live in infamy — when just because you hate the president of the United States and you can find no other reason other than the fact that you’re so blinded by your hate that you can’t see straight that you’ve decided the only way we can make sure this president doesn’t get elected again is to impeach him.

Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) offered his own vivid imagery without going for historical metaphors.

“I have descended into the belly of the beast. I have witnessed a terror within,” he began. “And I was committed to oppose the insidious forces which threaten our republic. America has been severely injured by this betrayal, by this unjust and weaponized impeachment brought upon us by the same socialists who threaten unborn life in the womb, who threaten First Amendment rights of conservatives, who threaten Second Amendment protections of every American patriot, and who have long ago determined that they would organize and conspire to overthrow President Trump."

Democrats certainly spoke in stark terms about the harm Trump has done and about the danger of allowing what he has done to go unpunished. But they were generally focused on appearing solemn.

At one point, though, Rep. Cedric L. Richmond (D-La.) did compare what Trump is doing to shooting the Constitution.

“Donald Trump recently said I can do anything I want. He also bragged that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and get away with it,” Richmond said. “Well, he’s shooting holes in our Constitution on Pennsylvania Avenue.”

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) also responded to GOP arguments that Democrats were unnecessarily dividing the country by comparing this moment in history to abolishing slavery and Jim Crow and to giving women the right to vote.

“There are some who cynically argue that the impeachment of this president will further divide an already-fractured union,” he said. “But there is a difference between division and clarification. Slavery once divided the nation, but emancipation rose up to clarify that all men are created equally. Suffrage once divided the nation, but women rose up to clarify that all voices must be heard in our democracy. Jim Crow once divided the nation, but civil rights champions rose up to clarify that all are entitled to equal protection under the law. There is a difference between division and clarification."

My eyes are rolling at the hyperbole.

[scoutsadie]

4 minutes ago, GreyhoundFan said:

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) also responded to GOP arguments that Democrats were unnecessarily dividing the country by comparing this moment in history to abolishing slavery and Jim Crow and to giving women the right to vote.

“There are some who cynically argue that the impeachment of this president will further divide an already-fractured union,” he said. “But there is a difference between division and clarification. Slavery once divided the nation, but emancipation rose up to clarify that all men are created equally. Suffrage once divided the nation, but women rose up to clarify that all voices must be heard in our democracy. Jim Crow once divided the nation, but civil rights champions rose up to clarify that all are entitled to equal protection under the law. There is a difference between division and clarification."

  Hide contents

 

 

I did love Rep. Jeffers's comments about "clarifications" - but yeah, the GOP hyperbole is vomit-inducing.

19 minutes ago, scoutsadie said:

That's him! (Actually, the asshole spoke - he's from Missouri - and somebody must have clued him in, because the money was no longer sticking out of his pocket.)

Also, a kid I went to high school with - Mike Waltz, of Florida - is queued up to speak on the GOP side. He was a member of the Young Republicans back then. I wish our government teacher would call and shame him.

My husband just reported that Reddit says that the bill was a $45 bill with Trump's face on it. ?

[fraurosena]

Yeah, that’s not gonna happen.

 

[scoutsadie]

Hey, that punk Devin Nunes, who call records indicate spoke to Guiliani and the OMB's office numerous times this summer, has decided to show his face.

[GreyhoundFan]

3 minutes ago, scoutsadie said:

Hey, that punk Devin Nunes, who call records indicate spoke to Guiliani and the OMB's office numerous times this summer, has decided to show his face.

I stepped away to fix dinner and came back to the Milk Dud yammering. I had to mute him. Luckily he has slithered away.

[scoutsadie]

2 minutes ago, GreyhoundFan said:

I stepped away to fix dinner and came back to the Milk Dud yammering. I had to mute him. Luckily he has slithered away.

I admit that I am muting every GOP speaker. I just can't with them.

At least our kittens have climbed up on our laps. And this is still in the world:

https://i.imgur.com/AYR4nnb.gifv

Edited December 18, 2019 by scoutsadie

[GreyhoundFan]

This tidbit is in the WaPo's live updates.

Quote

White House legislative affairs staff made an unusual delivery to lawmakers Wednesday: large White House Christmas cards together with copies of the president’s six-page letter to Pelosi railing against the impeachment process.

Some bemused members of Congress shared photos of the unexpected deliveries on Twitter.

“Thanks for this card & your 6 page impeachment screed,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said in a tweet. “Bizarrely delivered together. Happy Holidays & best wishes for the coming year!”

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said he, too, received one of the packages.

“True story: there is a White House staffer going around the Senate delivering to each office, as a package, the incoherent, scathing Pelosi letter AND … wait for it … a giant 16x12 White House Christmas card (along with, implausibly, a second smaller Christmas card),” he said, adding: “What a day.”

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) tweeted that members of the House received deliveries of Trump’s letter to Pelosi, too — but no Christmas cards.

“They’re coming into the House, too. (No Christmas card here — but no coal, either),” she said.

 

[JMarie]

At least Gym Jordan decided to wear a blazer today.

[fraurosena]

What an accurate description.

 

19 minutes ago, scoutsadie said:

I admit that I am muting every GOP speaker. I just can't with them.

Good to know I’m not the only one who did that!

I’m not watching now as it’s 1.15 over here and I’m in bed following along on my phone- insomnia has hit once again 

Are they voting yet?

[Dandruff]

9 minutes ago, fraurosena said:

Are they voting yet?

No, it looks like they're still at it.

[scoutsadie]

12 minutes ago, fraurosena said:

What an accurate description.

 

Good to know I’m not the only one who did that!

I’m not watching now as it’s 1.15 over here and I’m in bed following along on my phone- insomnia has hit once again 

Are they voting yet?

Not yet. Still "debating." I think maybe it's coming soon, tho. A few minutes ago, Collins asked Schiff if the Dems were done, and Schiff said there were "a few more speakers." And Collins has yielded the minority whip five minutes, so I think the GOP has run through most of their peeps.

My husband is getting cranky about the proceedings, but I have to say, I am loving the diversity of the Democrats. Looks more like America than the GOP!

Edited December 19, 2019 by scoutsadie
More info

[fraurosena]

Darn, now I have to wait till morning to see it.

 

[GreyhoundFan]

29 minutes ago, JMarie said:

At least Gym Jordan decided to wear a blazer today.

I believe they are required on the house floor.

Yes, he had no choice.

Spoiler

Everyday fashion on Capitol Hill doesn’t look like much from afar. Our attention is inevitably diverted to the most famous and powerful people, and only when their outfit choices are especially bizarre, heavy with meaning, or expensive in an inflammatory way. What we know of everyone else’s style tends to come from the pictures at the top of articles about hearings and State of the Union addresses. What it looks like is indistinguishable suits and blazers in dark colors.

Naturally, things are more complicated than that in a town where optics count for a lot (and in any town, for that matter). People who work on the Hill say that it’s full of its own dress codes and particularities — they just exist in shades of business casual. I spoke to four Hill staffers about how they dress for work, where they shop, and how they do it on a government salary. (Proximity to power doesn’t guarantee a big clothing budget.) They didn’t all have identical experiences, but Republican or Democrat, they did agree on a few major points.

Jen*, a staffer working for a Democratic senator: Every individual senate office is like its own small business. The tone when it comes to vacation policy and office hierarchy and dress code is set by every office independently. I have the benefit of working for someone who is really pragmatic about dressing and would prefer that people are in comfortable shoes as opposed to stylish shoes. I think there are other offices that put more of a premium on presentation, so their dress codes are stricter.

That said, Congress is an institution, and it’s an arcane institution. There are rules about what you can and can’t wear on the senate floor. Men have to be in suit and tie. For women, if you’re wearing a dress, you have to have your shoulders covered. If you’re wearing slacks, you have to wear a jacket. One day I was in slacks and a sweater and I tried to swipe onto the floor and the sergeant at arms said, “You can’t be out there, you don’t have a jacket on.” My boss was with me and was like, “Really?” They were like, “Unfortunately, she can’t accompany you.”

In recess, some offices will say you can only do jeans if the member is out of town for the full week. In some, you can’t wear jeans if you’re a front office staffer. Others say you can wear them if you’re not taking meetings with outside individuals.

Kate, who works for a House Republican: I think the lines are a lot more blurred on the Hill than in a corporate setting, because every office is different, but you’re still in the same building. You might see someone wear something and it’s appropriate for their office, but not yours. That’s where it gets confusing: Everyone has a different standard and yet we’re all in the same Dunkin’ Donuts.

I don’t think people realize that we change what we wear, depending on whether members are in town or not.

Emmanual, a staffer on a House committee: When we’re in session, we’re wearing suits. If you’re like me, you don’t want to wear the same suit every day or the same outfit combinations. I like to change it up: I wear knit ties, regular skinny ties, bow ties, pointed bow ties. Different colors, stripes, prints, all sorts of things. Make it fun! Sometimes I change my shoelace colors according to my outfit. I think I have at least 16 shoelaces.

Heather, a staff member for a House Democrat: When we’re in recess, I wear jeans and a sweater. I sleep in an extra 30 minutes.

Kate: A lot of people don’t realize how little Hill staffers make, so they probably don’t realize what a struggle it is to find clothes that you’re able to wear to work and that are still acceptable. I’m just trying to make rent! I make $65,000, but I know some staff assistants that make $25,000.

I shop at Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, and Nordstrom Rack — I go to the Nordstrom in the mall, and then I go to the Rack and find the same stuff. I would never pay full price for something. On birthdays and Christmas, I try to get as many clothes as I can.

Heather: I typically shop at Marshalls and Nordstrom Rack. I still shop at H&M, but some of their stuff is more expensive and wears out quickly. I’ll only shop at J.Crew Factory and Banana Republic Factory if it’s something that I love and fits me really well. Otherwise, I won’t splurge on it. Anthropologie is where I wish I could shop if I had that kind of money, but I don’t.

I won’t spend more than $80 on one particular item of clothing, unless it’s a coat. For dresses, I won’t go over $70 unless I love it. Tops I like to be $20 to $30. Pants and shirts, $40.

Emmanual: I love me a good J.Crew suit. I think most of my suits are from there. Suit Supply in Georgetown also has good suits that I think are great. I do have a blazer from Banana Republic. You can go to the outlet mall and you can get a nice suit there that’s not too expensive. As long as it fits your body, you can wear a suit that costs not even $300 and it can look like you spent over $1000.

In a place like this, with a lot of powerful people, you want to sprinkle in items that do cost a lot of money. I’ll wear a Burberry scarf with an overcoat; I carry a Tumi bag. If they see items on you that they can recognize and that they know the value of, they then assume that [everything you’re wearing] is expensive, when little do they know you got your suit for under $300 and your shoes were on sale for $50.

Heather: I have an emergency blazer in my desk that I can whip out if I feel I need to, and then an extra pair of flats in my desk. You do so much walking in DC that flats wear out really quickly. I’ll keep Band-Aids and Neosporin in my desk, too, for when I’m breaking in a pair of shoes. I’ll get new flats every four months — I’ll just go to Marshalls and get what’s on sale.

Jen: I’m a big fan of having a lot of jackets that I keep in the office. You never know what day you’ll need to go staff your boss on the senate floor. Jackets that you can put on regardless of whether you’re wearing slacks or a dress or a skirt and a top — I think that’s one of the easiest things to keep on hand. Then I have a black sweater, because these buildings can be terribly temperature controlled.

Jen: I definitely splurge on clothes that don’t require dry cleaning because those costs add up. That’s a major hit, especially in the summer months. [DC] is literally just a swamp. You walk outside and you feel like you need to take another shower. I would say I spend $100 to $120 a month on dry cleaning in the summer.

People keep their suits in the office and change into them here so they don’t have to do so much dry cleaning in the summer. Especially in my first year here, I’d walk to work in shorts and a T-shirt and change when I got here.

Emmanual: All of the shirts I get are non-iron shirts. That’s a key to the budget: buying stuff you don’t have to take to the dry cleaners. I take my suits to the dry cleaners once a year. I wash my shirts in cold water and hang them to dry. And you want to steam everything — it keeps everything looking like it went to the dry cleaners.

*Name has been changed.

 

[scoutsadie]

Really glad that Steny Hoyer (yay Maryland!) brought up the fact that Dems in the House rejected proceeding with impeachment three times before this effort. Lends credibility to this proceeding. This was not a whimsical or capricious decision.

[GreyhoundFan]

Collins (R-Screeching) is now on again. I have the sound off, but it looks like he's either being electrocuted or has to go to the restroom.

[GreyhoundFan]

Now McCarthy (R-Jerkwad) is saying, in the saddest voice possible, that the Dems are doing this impeachment "just hours before Christmas". I'm expecting him to haul out Tiny Tim to proclaim, "God Bless Us, Everyone".

[JMarie]

24 minutes ago, GreyhoundFan said:

I believe they are required on the house floor.

Yes, he had no choice.

  Reveal hidden contents

Everyday fashion on Capitol Hill doesn’t look like much from afar. Our attention is inevitably diverted to the most famous and powerful people, and only when their outfit choices are especially bizarre, heavy with meaning, or expensive in an inflammatory way. What we know of everyone else’s style tends to come from the pictures at the top of articles about hearings and State of the Union addresses. What it looks like is indistinguishable suits and blazers in dark colors.

Naturally, things are more complicated than that in a town where optics count for a lot (and in any town, for that matter). People who work on the Hill say that it’s full of its own dress codes and particularities — they just exist in shades of business casual. I spoke to four Hill staffers about how they dress for work, where they shop, and how they do it on a government salary. (Proximity to power doesn’t guarantee a big clothing budget.) They didn’t all have identical experiences, but Republican or Democrat, they did agree on a few major points.

Jen*, a staffer working for a Democratic senator: Every individual senate office is like its own small business. The tone when it comes to vacation policy and office hierarchy and dress code is set by every office independently. I have the benefit of working for someone who is really pragmatic about dressing and would prefer that people are in comfortable shoes as opposed to stylish shoes. I think there are other offices that put more of a premium on presentation, so their dress codes are stricter.

That said, Congress is an institution, and it’s an arcane institution. There are rules about what you can and can’t wear on the senate floor. Men have to be in suit and tie. For women, if you’re wearing a dress, you have to have your shoulders covered. If you’re wearing slacks, you have to wear a jacket. One day I was in slacks and a sweater and I tried to swipe onto the floor and the sergeant at arms said, “You can’t be out there, you don’t have a jacket on.” My boss was with me and was like, “Really?” They were like, “Unfortunately, she can’t accompany you.”

In recess, some offices will say you can only do jeans if the member is out of town for the full week. In some, you can’t wear jeans if you’re a front office staffer. Others say you can wear them if you’re not taking meetings with outside individuals.

Kate, who works for a House Republican: I think the lines are a lot more blurred on the Hill than in a corporate setting, because every office is different, but you’re still in the same building. You might see someone wear something and it’s appropriate for their office, but not yours. That’s where it gets confusing: Everyone has a different standard and yet we’re all in the same Dunkin’ Donuts.

I don’t think people realize that we change what we wear, depending on whether members are in town or not.

Emmanual, a staffer on a House committee: When we’re in session, we’re wearing suits. If you’re like me, you don’t want to wear the same suit every day or the same outfit combinations. I like to change it up: I wear knit ties, regular skinny ties, bow ties, pointed bow ties. Different colors, stripes, prints, all sorts of things. Make it fun! Sometimes I change my shoelace colors according to my outfit. I think I have at least 16 shoelaces.

Heather, a staff member for a House Democrat: When we’re in recess, I wear jeans and a sweater. I sleep in an extra 30 minutes.

Kate: A lot of people don’t realize how little Hill staffers make, so they probably don’t realize what a struggle it is to find clothes that you’re able to wear to work and that are still acceptable. I’m just trying to make rent! I make $65,000, but I know some staff assistants that make $25,000.

I shop at Marshalls, T.J. Maxx, and Nordstrom Rack — I go to the Nordstrom in the mall, and then I go to the Rack and find the same stuff. I would never pay full price for something. On birthdays and Christmas, I try to get as many clothes as I can.

Heather: I typically shop at Marshalls and Nordstrom Rack. I still shop at H&M, but some of their stuff is more expensive and wears out quickly. I’ll only shop at J.Crew Factory and Banana Republic Factory if it’s something that I love and fits me really well. Otherwise, I won’t splurge on it. Anthropologie is where I wish I could shop if I had that kind of money, but I don’t.

I won’t spend more than $80 on one particular item of clothing, unless it’s a coat. For dresses, I won’t go over $70 unless I love it. Tops I like to be $20 to $30. Pants and shirts, $40.

Emmanual: I love me a good J.Crew suit. I think most of my suits are from there. Suit Supply in Georgetown also has good suits that I think are great. I do have a blazer from Banana Republic. You can go to the outlet mall and you can get a nice suit there that’s not too expensive. As long as it fits your body, you can wear a suit that costs not even $300 and it can look like you spent over $1000.

In a place like this, with a lot of powerful people, you want to sprinkle in items that do cost a lot of money. I’ll wear a Burberry scarf with an overcoat; I carry a Tumi bag. If they see items on you that they can recognize and that they know the value of, they then assume that [everything you’re wearing] is expensive, when little do they know you got your suit for under $300 and your shoes were on sale for $50.

Heather: I have an emergency blazer in my desk that I can whip out if I feel I need to, and then an extra pair of flats in my desk. You do so much walking in DC that flats wear out really quickly. I’ll keep Band-Aids and Neosporin in my desk, too, for when I’m breaking in a pair of shoes. I’ll get new flats every four months — I’ll just go to Marshalls and get what’s on sale.

Jen: I’m a big fan of having a lot of jackets that I keep in the office. You never know what day you’ll need to go staff your boss on the senate floor. Jackets that you can put on regardless of whether you’re wearing slacks or a dress or a skirt and a top — I think that’s one of the easiest things to keep on hand. Then I have a black sweater, because these buildings can be terribly temperature controlled.

Jen: I definitely splurge on clothes that don’t require dry cleaning because those costs add up. That’s a major hit, especially in the summer months. [DC] is literally just a swamp. You walk outside and you feel like you need to take another shower. I would say I spend $100 to $120 a month on dry cleaning in the summer.

People keep their suits in the office and change into them here so they don’t have to do so much dry cleaning in the summer. Especially in my first year here, I’d walk to work in shorts and a T-shirt and change when I got here.

Emmanual: All of the shirts I get are non-iron shirts. That’s a key to the budget: buying stuff you don’t have to take to the dry cleaners. I take my suits to the dry cleaners once a year. I wash my shirts in cold water and hang them to dry. And you want to steam everything — it keeps everything looking like it went to the dry cleaners.

*Name has been changed.

 

His jacket has its own Twitter account

https://twitter.com/JJordansJacket

[scoutsadie]

18 minutes ago, GreyhoundFan said:

Now McCarthy (R-Jerkwad) is saying, in the saddest voice possible, that the Dems are doing this impeachment "just hours before Christmas". I'm expecting him to haul out Tiny Tim to proclaim, "God Bless Us, Everyone".

Just like the GOP did in 1998?

Edited December 19, 2019 by scoutsadie