Is it just me or does the guy on the right look like a smaller version of the guy on the left? I was confused for a second when they switched places at the mic.
I just heard the funniest and most desperate argument by a talking head to vindicate Trump and clear him of culpability in the riot.
To paraphrase, I can’t find the clip:
It’s ridiculous to say Trump incited the insurrection. Those people were armed to the teeth before Trump spoke. They came to the speech armed with guns, zip ties, tactical gear. This proves his innocence, why are you picking on him? 
Whatever, this is why I remain non Demparty.
Let him pay for his own security detail. The Secret Service becomes a kind of slush fund for him, because he gets paid by the government for hosting them at his properties.
By all means, feel free not to join the Dem party. Be an independent or other party. I’m not saying you can’t be a good conservative or independent, but you’re burying your head in the sand if you believe the republican party can be saved. It cannot. It is becoming the American Nazi party and I seriously doubt that there is anything that can save it now – not until it inflicts even worse disaster on the country.
I’m left feeling… meh. As the CNN analyst said afterwards, it’s astonishing that this is the first briefing, SIX DAYS after this happened, and that we’re not being given more comprehensive briefings every day by more senior people.
And I’m less interested in hearing about how they are chasing down chumps who vandalized lecterns and pooped on the floor than understanding how high level pro-Trump collusion enabled a plan to stand down security around the Capitol.
Jamelle Bouie has an opinion piece in the NY Times that disagrees with you. In it, he argues that Dems should pursue impeachment and other available punishments aggressively and avoid false calls for unity:
" There is no way past this crisis … except through it. The best way to push forward is as aggressively as possible. Anything less sends the signal that this moment isn’t as urgent as it actually is. And as we move closer to consequences for those responsible, we should continue to ignore the cries that accountability is “divisive.” Not because they’re false, but because they’re true.
Accountability is divisive. That’s the point. If there is a faction of the Republican Party that sees democracy itself as a threat to its power and influence, then it has to be cut off from the body politic. It needs to be divided from the rest of us, lest it threaten the integrity of the American republic more than it already has. Marginalizing that faction — casting Trump and Trumpism into the ash heap of history — will be divisive, but it is the only choice we have."
I agree with him. Right now, the outrage meter is high and momentum is moving against the Republicans who supported this coup (which is why many of them are now calling for a hollow “unity” without any accountability for their previous rhetoric and actions). Strike quickly while the iron is hot, while companies are withdrawing financial support, while the images of the capitol insurrection are still fresh. It’s well worth taking up a few days of the Senate calendar, even if the vote eventually fails.
An aside: Deutsche Bank announced their intentions to rid themselves of the scourge named Trump on Election Day. I remember it well.
The reason they gave was that Trump was tarnishing their brand. (Hilarious!)
We’re in agreement that there needs to be accountability; we’re just disagreeing over how to hold people accountable. It would be great if Democrats had the power to marginalize Trump and his enablers, but right now, they don’t – they might in time if we have more riots and unrest. But they don’t at the moment.
I don’t have a problem with Pelosi starting the impeachment, pressuring Pence to invoke the 25th Amendment and threatening to send it over to the Senate for a trial, but any trial in the Senate after Trump is already gone from office is really not going to achieve much, and I worry it’ll backfire. In fact the first impeachment backfired and made Trump look somewhat victimized.
The entire point of the election in November was that the people themselves wanted to be the ones to remove Trump, and remove him we did. That is why they didn’t support impeachment the first time, and I find it really hard to believe that they’d come out looking good during a pandemic and growing economic crisis by diverting time and attention away from these existential threats to deal with a political figure who’s no longer in power. Impeachment will make some of us feel good, but that’s it.
There are other ways to hold him accountable and those should absolutely be pursued, starting with Cyrus Vance and Merrick Garland.
I agree. Congress cannot let this moment pass without laying down a marker for history. What Trump’s supporters did at his behest is not acceptable – full stop.
The calculus can change fast. I found this interesting:
Might have an impact on how the Senate handles it, too.
Another in agreement: push this. It cannot be left unanswered, let alone swept under the rug and forgotten.
The million per year is for “travel and security” in lieu of Secret Service protection. One or the other. Wonder if there’s an open enrollment period each year?
It’s probably for the best if the Senate proceedings take place a few days after the inauguration, when the latest outrages are still fresh. After Trump pardons the rioters, and he will. And on top of whatever other stupid shit he pulls on his way out the door.
Senator Susan Collins, somehow unaware that a right-wing mob had come to DC to “Stop the Steal”…
“My first thought was that the Iranians had followed through on their threat to strike the Capitol…”
Honestly, she is beyond parody.
Today on Facebook I learned:
It was Antifa…
And it was also some of our Special Forces faking that they were Antifa. The Special Forces confiscated Nancy Pelosi’s laptop!
THAT is why she is FRANTIC and is trying to get Trump removed or impeached with only 11 days left in the current term.
She is going to GITMO for TREASON. She is soiling her petticoat.
Love this payback!
Apparently McConnell is [all for impeaching and convicting Trump](https://McConnell is said to be pleased about impeachment, believing it will be easier to purge Trump from the G.O.P.), and thinks it helps the GOP in the long run to get rid of him.
“Senator Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, has told associates that he believes President Trump committed impeachable offenses and that he is pleased that Democrats are moving to impeach him, believing that it will make it easier to purge him from the party, according to people familiar with his thinking. The House is voting on Wednesday to formally charge Mr. Trump with inciting violence against the country.”
But you have a problem. Your party has been radicalized.
I’m not talking about the non-insane Republican that are deeply disappointed their candidate didn’t win but understand that it happened. I’m not talking about your heart or your mind. I’m not talking about you if you fit the description.
I’m talking about the Republican Party as a business. The local and state GOP and RNC organizations. The “farm teams”, as it were. The loose affiliation of organizations that coordinate the campaigns and fundraising of candidates.
Groups that are putting out stuff like this in the wake of the insurrection.
A local Republican group in AZ responded to the violence by deciding to censure Cindy McCain. The text of the censure is embedded in the article and it’s just batcrap insane
If you want to stay Republican you need to get away from that.
Groups that are the reason there were 147 congressmen that made the entire Congress stay up all night after the mob attempted to kill them and put on a stupid little play where they pretended to vote for Trump.
You’ve got a problem because they own the business structure and fundraising platforms of the GOP and RNC, and they’re vetting the candidates.
It’ll be interesting to see how that plays out.
The link’s broken. Interesting development, if true.
If there is evidence that would suggest support for impeachment, I’d be for it; I just haven’t seen it yet. I’m also skeptical about the idea that Senate Republicans are done with Trump. If they were, there’d be greater urgency in removing him.
I just came in to post that link in response to Asahi. Dominoes may be starting to fall…
ETA: if that article is accurate, for sure none of that would be happening if Dems were not pushing as hard as they are.