It’s nut-cutting time up in the hizouse today, as the House votes to formalize the impeachment process. Here are the four arguments we will hear against impeachment
1. Trump did nothing wrong, it’s a witch hunt! (Hannity)
2. Trump may have done something wrong but nothing that rises to the level of impeachment (Susan Collins, John Thune)
3. Trump have done something impeachable but derp derp the Democrats haven’t prove it at all (Jonathan Turley)
4. Trump did something impeachable and the Dems’ case is airtight but they shouldn’t impeach because Applebee’s (Bobo
Not so different than the arguments against taking action against climate change
1. Climate change isn’t happening
2. Climate change is happening but it’s not because of human activity
3. Climate change is happening because of human activity but we can’t do anything about it
4. Climate change is happening and we should do something but Dems are doing cap-and-trade and a carbon tax would be better. Or, alternately, Dems are doing a carbon tax and cap-and-trade would be better.
This is why I’m skeptical of all nonsense about civil discourse and the marketplace of ideas. It’s all based on a faulty model of the human mind. In many, maybe most, cases, people decide pick a side first and then make up reasons why that side is the right one.
Anywho, let’s raise some money for the 17 most endangered House democrats incumbents. They may not all vote for the impeachment resolution today but you can be sure if they don’t it’s because Nancy told them they didn’t have to.
Update. Benny says Happy Halloween.
rikyrah
Hey…where’s our Halloween picture of the little one?
I bet he’s adorable in whatever costume he has :)
SFAW
My only quibble regarding your list re: so-called climate change is that #4 should be:
4. Climate change may be happening, but if it were such a big deal, why didn’t Obummer fix it when he had the chance? And, Al Gore is fat.
Another Scott
I heard a few minutes of the House stuff on C-SPAN radio this AM. The GOP is infuriating, as always:
“Madam Speaker, why oh why won’t the Democrats treat the President Fairly? They won’t give him the same rights as Clinton! Why oh why!!??”
“Madam Speaker, without objection I’d like to have the rules used for the impeachment hearings of the 93rd Congress for Richard Nixon included in the Congressional Record. We’re using the exact same rules here. Madam Speaker, without objection I’d like to have the rules used for the impeachment hearings of the 105th Congress for Bill Clinton included in the Congressional Record. We’re using the exact same rules here….”
Grrr….
I donated (again) last night. Thank you!
Cheers,
Scott.
DougJ
@SFAW:
That’s good too.
rikyrah
Cuccinelli open about Trump admin cruelty to ill immigrant kids
Rachel Maddow reports on acting director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Ken Cuccinelli, being open in his answers to Congress about the cruelty of the policy he implemented, threatening extremely ill immigrant kids and their families with deportation.
Sick immigrant kids left in limbo by cruel Trump policy flip
Rep. Mark DeSaulnier, member of the House Oversight Committee, talks with Rachel Maddow about the Trump administration’s erratic treatment of medical deferments for sick immigrants that has left families uncertain if they’ll face sudden, potentially life threatening deportation.
rikyrah
Trump’s Shameless Plan to Disqualify Every Impeachment Witness
He’s arguing that Congress can’t talk to anyone who heard directly from him, and can’t trust anyone else.
David R. Lurie
Updated 10.31.19 9:23AM ET / Published 10.31.19 5:35AM ET
rikyrah
Intel Cmte. member: There’s a ‘parade of patriots’ testifying to impeachment inquiry
Rep. Raja Krisnamoorthi praised the career civil servants who have come before the impeachment committees to describe the Trump admin’s issues with Ukraine. He says the latest individuals to testify made statements that were “completely consistent” with the narratives of others. Lawrence O’Donnell also discusses with Jill Wine-Banks and Evelyn Farkas.
Sam Dobermann
Pelosi will be on Stephen Colbert tonight and no other appearances. It ought to be really fascinating.
J.
OMG cutest puppy ever. :-)
guachi
Impeachment Resolution #1 passed the House. Now on to votes formalized the rules.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
BC in Illinois
The House passed the Impeachment Inquiry resolution, 232-196.
ETA – Or, what JFLiteralist said a minute ago.
Edmund Dantes
Is any of the donated money going to the 2 Dems that voted against the Inquiry?
MattF
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Just to note– it’s a ‘yea’ vote, not a ‘yay’ vote.
eric
@MattF: today it is a “yay” vote…for an effing change
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Edmund Dantes: nope, here’s the list
Just read a tweet that Godlen’s vote is tough for him and makes life harder for Collins. I have no idea how smart that person is, but here’s hoping. I’m in. ETA: That person was Josh Krashauer, aka Ron Fournier Jr. Oh well.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@MattF: “casted” made me raise an eyebrow, but I imagine they wanted to get the piece out fast
mrmoshpotato
@MattF: @eric: It’s a “Constitution, fuck yeah!” vote. :)
ETA – Aawwwww.
NOONE87
@SFAW:
I would think “Al Gore is Fat” works best as a reason for #1. Alternately, append to all items.
prostratedragon
That Benny’s a star, he is!
On the last day of the world, a Republican will finally do his or her duty.
khead
Actually, it’s based on the GOP wanting to be given the benefit of the doubt while making straight up bad faith arguments on….. everything.
arrieve
Okay, I probably would have donated anyway but the Benny picture definitely made it impossible not to. The cuteness!
Original Lee
Trumpistas on my FB feed are saying the Dems are committing suicide with the impeachment vote. I’m cutting two of them some slack because they are currently not Stateside and have no idea which news sources they have (if any). I’m calling the others idiots for not doing any work for themselves. They require me to source my claims, so IMHO they need to cite their sources. Since they’re pointing to the exact same video stream I am watching, I am feeling free to fail them on comprehension.
Amir Khalid
@BC in Illinois:
Is that, like, when they ask which way you’re voting, you just reply, “yay for the vote!” ?
brantl
If anybody was told that they didn’t have to vote for it, that was dumb
Enhanced Voting Techniques
DougJ, ever considered they are simply lying sacks of bovine end product and threw spew this nonsense rather than admit they are wrong?
dww444
Adorable kid. I bet he’s a joy to be around. Thanks for the pic.
grubert
Cut Colin Peterson some slack. Northern Minnesota has been blue-collar D for decades, but the salt-of-the-earth types up there went Reagan and hard for Trump. Would you rather that seat was filled by a Republican?
grubert
Since the vote was so lopsided anyway.
stinger
Happy Halloween, Benny! Love your costume, you little firehouse pup, you!
wanderer
The Democrats have treated the Office of the President very fairly. This impeachment is probably the first thing this President * has EVER earned on his own.
LongHairedWeirdo
You know what the real problem is? Our entire system of government is based on the assumption of good faith.
The GOP is entirely lacking in good faith – they have chosen sophistry instead. With enough “very serious” people repeating the same sophistry, it’s automatically reasonable, because otherwise, why would so many people of such seriousness say so? Ans: they’re not trying to make a good faith statement. They’re not even really *lying* in the sense of deliberately trying to convey a falsehood. They’re just trying to confuse things, and, of course, JAQcking off. (“Just Asking Questions” = JAQ and if you can’t understand the rest of the phrase, talk to your parents).
Jamey
Welp this took about a hot minute… Grist for the NYT Pitchbot Twitter: yahoo.com/news/impeachment-resolution-passes-along-partisan-lines-with-all-republicans-voting-agains…