impeachtrump

Yogurt Milk?

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

It’s Friday and it’s past time to lighten up a little.  But, BBR cannot just yet.  There’s work to do till the whistle blows (ask the Whistleblower if you can identify him or her).  And, Elizabeth Warren is up for the task at hand no matter how long it takes as well.

She said as much in an interview yesterday.  The esteemed Senator from the great state of Massachusetts is willing to skip the Iowa Democratic Primary in order for our Senate to do its job.  It’s job should be to hold a fair trial she said about the impeachment.  Fair enough.  In order to do so we need to call witnesses from both sides she went on.  Balanced.

Heck, she’s even willing to skip New Hampshire if it drags out that long to do the “right thing.”

The interview by a CNN reporter didn’t inquire into if it might benefit the Democrats to smear the presumptive Republican nominee, President Donald J. Trump, a bit further before he is acquitted of the two articles of impeachment.  But, in fairness, she did hint at it.  The reporter also failed to ask if it would help Warren directly if she were to gain the Democratic nomination and run against Trump as he was weakened by the process.  And, finally, the reporter failed to ask if it might be right for a Senator running for the highest office in all the land to recuse him or herself due to perhaps some obvious prejudice in the matter.

“It’s our duty to uphold the Constitution.” she concluded.

And, if you actually lasted the entire 7:03 of the interview you learned that she’s been enjoying some “yogurt milk that’s like the buttermilk I grew up on” during the endless Schiff and Nadler presentations.   That’s the balanced part of her diet to go along with the balanced interview.

Fair and balanced.

Lefty and Shorty-Trials, Tribulations, and Turtles

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Way way back in 1966, or 1967 Lefty and Shorty were the amiable service station attendants.  Well, that’s what they were called back then as every pump was full serve.   Boom Boom interacted with them as they checked the oil, washed the windshield, pumped the gas, and took the money.

Lefty sat to the left of Shorty.  Imagine that.  Shorty sat on the shorter of the two “halves” of the 55 gallon drum. Imagine that.  Each were cut down to size and retrofitted with a soft cushion top.

They were funny. They always had a back and forth to their banter.  If they were alive last night might have gone like this.

Lefty- It’s nearly midnight and it’s cold. Nobody’s buying gas at this hour.  Why are we sitting here?  Shorty- So we can flip back and forth between the impeachment trial and the Kansas St. versus Kansas basketball game.   Lefty- The Senate Trial is still going on at this late hour?  Shorty- Speaking of this late hour I’ve got this last car that pulled in.  They are good tippers. Lefty- Fine.

Five minutes later.

Lefty- You missed it!  Shorty- What?  Lefty-  They tried to hit the man with the chair.  Shorty- They tried to hit Chairman “Pencil Neck” Adam Schiff?  Lefty-  No. No. It was in the game.  Shorty- Oh.  Why did he do that?  Lefty- I guess he was tired of watching his opponent try to drain threes.  Shorty- I thought maybe they were tired of watching Schiff and Nadler obstruct Trump trying to drain the swamp.  Lefty- Jeez.

Shorty- What’s Trump on trial for again?  Lefty- It’s for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.  Shorty-  Obstructing this Congress seems like a good idea.  Lefty- What?  Shorty- Doesn’t Mitch McConnell look like a bug eyed swamp fly that we clean off of windshields all day long?  Lefty- Please.  The irreverence.  Shorty- And Nadler, he looks like a snapping turtle.  I wouldn’t get between him and a late lunch.

Silence filled the air again.  Lefty, after some deep breathing and reflection, and against his better judgment, gave it one more go.

Lefty- What do you think the final outcome will be?  Shorty- It was 81-60 Kansas, remember.  Lefty- NO!  The outcome of the trial.  Shorty- I’m not sure.  The right is screaming “four more years” and they control the Senate.  Lefty- And?  Shorty- And the left is screaming “lock him up” but don’t have the votes.  It seems bogged down like a swamp.  And, America is running out of patience.    Lefty-  I know the feeling.  Maybe the chair will be useful after all.  Shorty- Schiff?  Lefty-  I’ll lock up.

Peace Through Strength

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

The year was 1980.  The month was November.  The day was the 4th.  That evening Ronald Wilson Reagan defeated sitting president James “Jimmy” Earl Carter to become the 40th President of the United States.  Reagan actually won in an electoral and popular vote landslide.

Some things have changed quite a bit in the last 40 years.  Other things have stayed the same.

Reagan was a Hollywood actor and former union leader turned Republican.  He served the great state of California as a Republican Governor for two terms that ended in 1975.  Carter was a peanut farmer, Georgia Governor, then as the Democratic nominee was elected as the 39th President in 1976.

Can you imagine a Californian Republican Governor today?  Arnold “the Govenator” Schwarzenegger aside there hasn’t been one in 24 years.  Can you imagine a Georgia Democratic Governor today?  There hasn’t been one in 20 years.

Carter was viewed as incompetent and weak in the year leading up to the election.  Fifty-two American diplomats and citizens were held hostage for 444 days from November 4, 1979, to January 20, 1981, after a group of Iranian college students who supported the Iranian Revolution, took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran.  During a daring helicopter rescue effort one of the helicopters crashed into another leaving eight Americans dead.  The attempt failed from the go.

Reagan took office on that same January 20th day of 1981 that the hostages were freed.  Coincidence?  Sam Donaldson, ABC White House reporter, famously stuck his microphone between Marines holding their swords high to create the “roof” along the red carpet as the new President and First Lady strode back to the Capitol Building.  “Mr. President, Mr. President, there is a report that the hostages have been freed.   Do you care to comment?”  Reagan cocked his head as he was often want to do and uttered, “Well, God Bless America.”

Perhaps the Iranians knew there was a new sheriff in town.  He often acted in Hollywood movies as the sheriff who corralled the bad guys.  Maybe they wanted no part in a real life documentary with the same script.   Reagan later coined the phrase “Peace Through Strength.”

And, 40 years later Donald Trump the 45th President, and another actor, warned Iran that any loss of American lives would result in appropriate retaliation.  They decided to cross over The Apprentice’s line drawn in the desert sand.  And Trump didn’t say “you’re fired,” rather, he fired.  Soleimani was dead.  Iran was incensed, or so they said.  Just a few days later they retaliated sending several missiles at American bases in Iraq.  Word is they gave advance warning of the missile strikes and the strikes all but missed their targets.  No lives were lost, but inside of Iran face was saved.

Trump addressed America yesterday and all but said that now was a time to strongly consider peace rather than escalation.  He all but said that as if he read the diplomatic tea leaves that Iran wants no more.  He crowed about the 2.5 trillion spent to bolster the U.S. Military.  Peace Through Strength all over again?

Cali won’t vote for Trump in 2020 like they did for Reagan in 1980.  Georgia won’t vote for the Democratic nominee in 2020 like they did for Carter in 1980.  But Iran, 40 years later, understands that when lines drawn in the sand are in ink, not pencil, that it’s time to stand down.

 

Meathead Slays a Whopper

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

President Trump traveled back from Battle Creek, MI last evening after another one of his pep rallies and newly impeached.  The two Articles of Impeachment were voted on and were slated to travel over to the other side of our distinguished House of Representatives.  Madame House Speaker Nancy Pelosi contemplated holding them back for a few days to “insure a fair trial” over in the Senate.  And, the entire BBR staff is traveling this AM.  With all of this holiday travel going on, we’ll keep it very brief today.   

Nancy Pelosi and friends went from prayerful and solemn during the process to asking members of the House to not celebrate or gloat afterwards.  Apparently with both coasts very much in favor of Impeachment, the wise owl Majority Leader’s words of wisdom from the east didn’t resonate all the way over to the west, and times two in Hollywood.

Take a look and read the attached to see for yourself.  Noted academicians, scholars, constitutionalists, and deep thinkers ranging from Michael Moore to Alyssa Milano weighed in. Even “Meathead” himself Rob Reiner got even with the old, prejudiced Archie Bunker.  They all did a Twitter dance or two filled with glee.  One even called the President a MF.

The First Amendment guarantees them their right to do so.  Apparently from some of the tweets, though, that right doesn’t extend to “angry, old, white men” who “were the only ones” expressing the opposite side.

Like ordering a Whooper, it’s a great country we live in.  Especially if You Can Have It Your Way!

Hold the pickle, hold the lettuce, special impeachments don’t upset us.

Ridiculous

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Yesterday in the hallowed halls of the U.S. Congress Madame Speaker Nancy Pelosi was asked to comment on the six page letter sent to her by the 45th President of the United States Donald J. Trump.

“No comment,” she said while walking hurriedly to her next meeting.  “It’s ridiculous,” she continued.  Trump’s letter was a head strong opinion of all that he felt is wrong with the Impeachment process. “I haven’t read it, ” she continued, “we’ve been very busy today.”

We wonder.  She said that she had no comment.  But, she did call it ridiculous.  That sounds like a comment.   She said that she hadn’t read it.  But, she did call it ridiculous.  How would she know that it was if she hadn’t read it?  Ridiculous, that is.

Last night the House Rules Committee was working well into the evening(earning the people’s business) to determine the exact proceedings for today’s full House hearing prior to two separate votes.  At 10PM or so EST they decided that there would be six hours of hearings on the most important vote any of them will make in their lifetimes.  Six hours for 435 representatives equates to 50 seconds per member.  It sounds like many, many will only actually have time to say “yea” or “nay.”

A few years and biscuits ago.

At least they concluded their meeting with finality in their decisions.  Late last week Jerry Nadler, Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, decided to suspend that committee’s meeting as the evening had grown too late.  It was nearly the same 10PM.  He reconvened in the AM for the world to see the adoption of the two Articles of Impeachment.  Grandstanding.  Or, perhaps Jerry needed a late night snack.  Ridiculous.

Meanwhile, yesterday the FISA Court in a rare public expression, came out in a strongly worded opinion against the FBI’s now exposed abuse and likely criminal behavior in obtaining warrants to surveil the Trump Campaign to begin with.   Ridiculous.

The Johnny on the Spot FBI wanted everyone to know that they were going to quickly make changes.   “As [FBI Director Christopher Wray] has stated, the inspector general’s report describes conduct by certain FBI employees that is unacceptable and unrepresentative of the FBI as an institution,” the bureau responded in a statement Tuesday night. “The director has ordered more than 40 corrective steps to address the report’s recommendations, including some improvements beyond those recommended by the IG.”

A quick THREE years later it’s time to change.  And, more than 40 corrective steps were ordered!  So, illegally obtained warrants designed to surveil for possible illegal activity provided all the cover needed to continue the FBI’s illegal surveillance.  Got it.  Ridiculous.

Wall St seems totally unfazed.  Since the Impeachment Inquiry was formalized just seven weeks ago in the House the Dow is up 6%, the S&P 8%, and the NASDAQ 10%.  They know that this is going absolutely nowhere.  Perhaps we should impeach more Presidents.

All of which brings us to today.  The full House will convene, and after six hours of burning the retreads off of tires that long ago should have been retired, they will vote almost 100% down party lines.  The Democrats will say “yea” more times than the Republicans can say “nay.”  Then the “yea’s” will have it, and presto, Trump will be impeached.   Is it even possible for two power hungry sides to see things, or at least pretend to see things, so clearly differently?  Ridiculous.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is preparing for the possibility of a January month long Senate Impeachment Trial(circus).  Though just yesterday he hinted at an immediate dismissal vote after the Impeachment Articles are formally entered onto the Senate floor.

Hopefully he won’t be too busy to read the articles while walking in front of all of his staff members down the hallowed halls like the Madame Speaker was yesterday.  If so, he’ll likely have “no comment,” just like Pelosi did, or did not.   Ridiculous.

Keep hope alive!

 

 

 

Ten Piece Nuggets-Kitchen Sink

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

It’s cold outside this morning regardless almost of where you are.  Time to make a pot of soup, or a Ten Piece Nuggets.  What do you want in it?  Everything but the kitchen sink sounds good.  So, we’re going deep in the panty to give you ten random thoughts, in no particular order, and covering no particular subject matter, though sports and the political madness are the roux.  If we cook them slow enough maybe they’ll all come together.  If they don’t we’ll go get an Impossible Burger later.

  1.  How long is the list before you get to Drew Brees as the greatest all time QB in NFL history?  It’s hard to measure this objectively.  Different periods of football, rules changes, differences in the order of importance of the metrics?  How important are Super Bowl wins?  For the sake of argument let’s afford him one more before he goes.  Where would you put him then?  We’d go with third best ever.  Tom Brady has to get the nod given the Super Bowl performances and wins.  Joe Montana would be second for much of the same plus his accuracy.  Peyton Manning and John Elway aren’t far behind.
  2. What fundamentally changes after Donald Trump is impeached, tried, and acquitted? The Republicans did a nice job of digging in and combating the Trump named “witch hunt.”  Democrats insisted on a ready, fire, aim approach.  They sure have a lot of bullets, but we aren’t sure that any hit a bullseye unless you don’t like him to begin with.  Dislike doesn’t rise to the level of high crimes and misdemeanors, hence America’s collective yawn.  If you were for it or against it before this started, you still are from whence you came.
  3. The college bowl season gets underway this weekend.  Forty one bowls are on tap in all.  Eighty teams in all as two will play two games including the last one for the biggest prize.  If you win as many regular season games as you lost or win one more, you’re in.  If you are already feeling college football withdrawals, you might tune into something named the Bahamas Bowl brought to you by Meineke Mufflers featuring Idaho St. v.  William and Mary.  Or, you might not.
  4. Coincidence or not?  Elizabeth Warren’s polling numbers peaked in late October.  They’ve slid since.  The collective pharmaceutical stock prices slid until her numbers peaked.  The stocks have been sharply higher since late October.
  5.  For the first time since 2010 Alabama did not have a first team All American named.  Injuries, graduation and youth played a role.  But at Alabama injuries, graduation, and youth hasn’t ever got in the way before.  Is this the beginning of the end of the greatest 10 year run in college football history?  Or is it a one year aberration?  If you don’t think Nick Saban is working well into the evening to insure it’s the latter, they you don’t know much about his work ethic and burning desire to achieve.
  6. Joe Biden is apparently the clear front runner again in the race to face the man with the orange face.  It’s been nearly a week since Sleepy Joe has mixed up the decade that we are in or the state that he is in.  He’s been in Iowa for two weeks straight.  So, that part might be a bit easier for him.  Trump needs no one to tell him how to run a race for President.  But, he’d be wise to challenge Biden to more than the usual number of debates if Biden gets the nomination.  Anyone remember how tired Hillary Clinton was at the end of it all?  How tired was she?  Glad you asked.  She was so tired that she forgot to make a concession speech the evening of the election.
  7. The NBA season is nearing a third complete.  League viewership ratings are down significantly.  Questions abound and answers need to be found.  Have the early season matchups coincided with marquee players injuries making the matchups less interesting? Sure.  Have the number of people who have cut the cord (no more cable or satellite tv) made it harder to find the games?  Sure.  Will the end of the football season have the ratings go up for the NBA?  Sure, but it always does.  Is the NBA concerned?  Damn sure.  Did the NBA turn off the fan who supports the freedom protests in Hong Kong?  Sure, but to what degree and for how long?  Did the NBA fan appreciate the LeBron lecture on China and all that is right with it?  Not sure.
  8. It seems like the persona that James Comey wanted you to know and feel with his testimony, tweets, Trump attacks, book, and book tour might have taken a hit in the last week.  Even Comey himself was forced to admit on Chris Wallace’s Fox News Sunday Show that the FISA process (the keys to the engine that drove the “Russian interference” investigation in the 2016 election) was rife with problems as the proper process was not followed.  That’s being kind to the process actually.   Criminal proceedings, maybe not against Comey, will result after AG Barr has his final say.  The investigation, like the deep state that caused it, goes deeper now.
  9.  MLB calls this time of the year “The Hot Stove League.”  It’s been hotter than Hades for one team.  The Houston Astros lost game seven of the World Series in late October.  Since then they have lost Gerrit Cole, three major league scouts, the team President Reid Ryan (son of Nolan), advisor Nolan Ryan (dad of the President),  and significant credibility.  The investigation into the allegation that they were stealing signs electronically after being warned repeatedly to not do so continues.  When it’s complete astute league followers expect suspensions of manager AJ Hinch, GM Jeff Luhnow, and perhaps others.  Fines in the millions and lost draft picks are almost a certainty as well.  It was a model franchise in the eyes of many not long ago.  No more.  The mess must be dealt with, and dealt with strongly.  It’ll be late February or early March of 2020 before the investigation is complete we are told.
  10.  Their is an age old saying in politics.  People vote their wallets.  The Dow Jones Industrial Average crossed 28,332.74 on Monday, meaning it has rallied 10,000 points, or more than 54 percent, since Trump’s election victory on November 8, 2016.   There are 11 long months to go till we find out.

I’ll have the Impossible Burger, no mayo please.

It’s a Marathon, or Two.

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Have you ever run a marathon?  It’s quite a feat to cross off of your bucket list we assume.  Accomplished runners will tell you that the only thing worse than the physical grind is the mental grind.  Surely you’ve heard of hitting the wall around mile 20 or so and having to really dig deep to will yourself to the finish line.

Did you feel like the impeachment marathon had at least reached the proverbial wall earlier this week when Nancy Pelosi (CA) stepped up to the podium to provide the encouragement needed for Adam Schiff (CA) and Jerry Nadler (NY) to get the articles drafted?  It worked.  Amazingly, just a day or so later, flanked by more two more New Yorkers and two more Californians, Schiff and Nadler announced that President Donald J. Trump’s high crimes and misdemeanors would be headed to a congressional vote.

If the Democratic Party controlled House vote has a majority in the “yea” column, the marathon concludes in the Senate in a full trial.  It seems like it’s taken forever to run this race.  It’s started on The Hill and has slowly wound it’s way to just six point two miles now from the very bottom.  The race is unique as each mile either shares a name with another or has a unique one all to itself.

Let’s refresh your three year, first 20 mile by mile memory.  1.  Tax returns.  2. The Steele Dossier.  3.  Session’s Recusal.  4.  Russian Collusion,  5.  Putin’s Turn,  6.  Obstruction (the toughest mile).  7.  More Russian Collusion.  8.  Obstruction of Justice.  9.   Schiff’s Got Proof.  10.  Comey, My Comey.  11.  Peter Strzok.  12.  Lisa(Lover’s Lane) Page.  13.  The Mueller Report (the slowest mile).  14.  The Whistleblower(you can not see the fans cheering you on, but you can hear them).  15. Ukraine.  16.  Quid Pro Quo.  17.  Bribery.  18.  Solemn and Prayerful (candles line each side of the road).  19. Abuse of Presidential Power.  And, whew, 20.  Obstruction of Congress.

With just six point two miles left the Senate joins the race.  Has America hit it’s own wall yet?

But just yesterday we learned that we might need to start training for yet a second marathon.  A second one wasn’t anywhere on the bucket list.

Rep Karen Bass (CA) said if Trump is reelected in 2020 there might be a second impeachment.  Here’s what she said.  “Because even though we’re impeaching him now, there’s still a number of court cases, there’s a ton of information that can come forward. For example, we can get his bank records and find out he’s owned 100 percent by the Russians.  The only thing I’d say slightly different is that it might not be the same articles of impeachment because the odds are we’ll have a ton more information.”

Californians and New Yorkers want to do away with Donald Trump and the Electoral College.  The middle of America wants to reelect Donald Trump and do away with Californians and New Yorkers.

At least all fifty states don’t want another impeachment marathon, do they?  It’s crossed off of their bucket list, isn’t it?

 

A Different Disappointment From Coast to Coast

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Yesterday we began our NCAA football series examining disappointments from coast to coast.  Overnight our Washington Bureau won over our editor.  Because of that, today we put our series on hold to bring you a different disappointment from coast to coast.  It’s time to check in on the US House Intelligence (misnomer) Committee Impeachment Inquiry hearings that’s put our nation on hold.

We know.  We know.  It’s hard to digest.  That’s why we’ll feed our observations to you in our Ten Piece Nuggets format.  It’s easier to swallow this way.

  1. If you haven’t watched any or much of this charade, good for you.  In a word it’s been incredibly “boring.”
  2. How boring is it?  We are glad you asked.  It’s so boring that CBS yesterday made the programming decision to cut from the live broadcast of witness testimony to bring you their regularly scheduled soap opera programming.  It’s all about ratings in TV land you know.  CBS must have figured that you have had enough of the soap opera on Capital Hill.
  3. CBS might also have been short staffed to execute the programming any way.  When last we checked in on the network they were doing a fast and furious job of finding the “no Epstein video leaker” and firing her even though she wasn’t the most wanted “no Epstein video leaker.”  They fired the wrong person as you likely heard.
  4. Probably approaching 50% of America despises Chairman Adam Schiff.  The Republicans are doing their own fast and furious search for the Washington whistle blower. But, we give Schiff a lot of credit.  Staring in his own soap called #SchiffShow, ole Adam has stared straight into the cameras and proclaimed that he has no idea who that person is.  Funny thing is yesterday when Devin Nunez, playing bad cop, wandered into questioning that got a little to close to one particular Intelligence Department ole Adam stopped the questioning for fear of the whistle blower’s identity being revealed.
  5. The witness before the committee at that moment was one Lieutenant Colonel Vindman, who played, at least in his mind, a key role in all matters Ukrainian.  Vindman quickly corrected Nunez when addressed as Mr. Vindman.  When asked later why the sensitivity to wanting to be addressed as Lt. Colonel not Mr. Vindman stated that while dressed in a freshly pressed, full military uniform that it was proper.  Vindman said he didn’t know who the whistle blower was either.  However, he essentially took the fifth around this line of questioning. Therefore, this linked Vindman as the source to the whistle blowers second hand reproted concerns.  The casting department was concerned with this sensitivity on stage, but wardrobe was “oh so proud.”
  6. Does every single congressman or congresswoman have to thank every single government worker for their service every single time they begin their five minutes of time allotted to them?  Of course they do, it’s a show you know.  And this show yesterday stretched all of the way into east coast prime time.  Get ready for more as seven witnesses have come before the committee and there are expected to be seven to ten more before the final curtain is closed.  Thank you for your service.
  7. The pursuit of Donald J. Trump began with Russian collusion three years ago.  Until this week it centered on quid pro quo in his dealings with Ukraine and specifically in the now infamous “perfect phone call” and transcripts of the same.  But the Democrats stopped with the “quid pro quo” and renamed the episode “bribery” just this week.  It’s smart on their part as the word bribery is more easily understood by the masses that watch too many soaps to begin with.  The thinking goes like this “Russian Collusion” sounds like “abortion,” while “quid pro quo” sounds like “a woman’s right to choose” while “bribery” sounds like “woman’s wellness.”  Feel better?  Maybe not, but it’s something that focus groups said is an easier sell.
  8.  So did Trump cross the line on the line when he asked for a corrupt company and one of it’s board members (some dude named Hunter Biden) to be investigated by the new regime in Ukraine?  Add to that the withholding of foreign aid, though no one has testified that the two were “give to get,” at least not yet.  Ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, might do just that this AM.  Will anyone be watching?  America has to go to work this morning.  Congress should take note.
  9. We ask again, will anyone be watching?  And if they do, will anyone watching not have already made up their mind on whether they think Trump is guilty?  Or, asked differently, will anyone who is watching hasn’t made up their minds on his fate?  Will any member of the House vote differently for or against impeachment than when they voted for or against initiating the impeachment inquiry?  Maybe a few of the Democrats who won a seat in congress from a Trump carried district will.  It’s cover for the next time they run.  Otherwise, it’s a rerun shown from a slightly different camera angle.  Isn’t it?
  10.  It’s hard for America to find a new star when all they see are reruns.  America elected the star of the hit show “The Apprentice” to be it’s President three years ago.  At the end of each show, the now President fired someone.  The House would like the Senate to fire the now President. They want a new star for the 2020 season. The plot is easy to follow.  It’s just the acting that is so bad.

But on with the show we must go.  And, tomorrow on with the NCAA football disappointments we go.  We must have picked the University of Washington for a reason.  Because from Washington the state to Washington the District of Columbia this has been a disappointment from coast to coast.

Blowing Smoke and Whistles Too

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Once upon a time smoking cigarettes was all the rage.  Later it was tolerated.  Now it’s downright frowned upon.  America does change it’s collective mind over time.  Smokers.  What to do?  What to do?

Well, it seems like we have come to another of those crossroads.  This one isn’t about blowing smoke however. This one is about blowing whistles.  Whistleblowers.  What to do?  What to do?

Yesterday your tax dollars were hard at work as the Intelligence (misnomer) Committee of the US House convened and began it’s Impeachment Inquiry hearings.  Chairman Adam Schiff began the hearings by recognizing himself and launched into his narrative as to why they were indeed convened and what the findings would be as witnesses were paraded in front of the esteemed members of the body.

But not one minute into his diatribe he was interrupted.  “Point of order, point of order!”  When recognized, one Republican malcontent, Jim Jordan asked the chairman when the committee might be able to interview the whistleblower who broke this latest scandal of many scandals against Donald J. Trump.  After all Rep Jordan said, ” the chairman and his staff are the only ones who have had a chance to talk to him.”

Schiff said that he had not talked to him and did not know who he was.  And, he said he would do everything possible to protect his identity.  Late yesterday the Washington Post awarded Chairman Schiff “Four Pinocchio’s,” the highest (lowest) score for an outright lie the paper gives.  Oops.

Meanwhile, Project Veritas put a video out last week that showed an ABC News Anchor caught on a hot mic and a hot camera.  You can see that here.  In two minutes she told the story of how she had all of the dirt on dirtbag Jeffery Epstein years ago.  Yet, she continues, ABC squashed the story fearing that the Royal Palace would rain (reign) down on their head as allegations of illegal dalliances on the fantasy island included Prince Andrew.

ABC was so outraged at this development that they alerted CBS of this inexcusable leak of this video pirate and whistleblower.  Why?  ABC thought they knew who the leaker (a producer who moved to CBS) was and they wanted action.  CBS took action.  They fired this whistleblower faster than any termination on the hit show The Apprentice.  Apparently the industry wanted this person “outed.”  The only problem was that it turns out that they fired the wrong person.  Oops.

The search continues.  The very media that is carefully protecting the identity of the Washington whistleblower of the withholding of the Ukrainian aid, quid pro quo, Hunter Biden, we got Donald this time, blah, blah, blah has put their industry’s whistleblower on the Ten Most Wanted List.  Get your pitchforks and lanterns.  Impeachment is one thing, but protecting Jeffery Epstein’s reputation is quite another for some reason.

Meanwhile, in the world of sports, the World Series losing Houston Astros were accused of cheating once again.  The claim that they were stealing opposition pitching signs with electronic help flared up in the World Series against the Washington (home of the unidentified whistleblower and Schiff confidant) Nationals. After denying the accusation once more the WS came and went.

But.  The story broke Tuesday that they may have indeed been stealing signs in 2017, the year they actually won the WS.  Citing four sources Major League Baseball has begun it’s investigation.  It’s similar to an Intelligence Committee we assume, but likely more intelligent.  The Astros announced that they were joining/cooperating with MLB in the investigation.

Except this one is different.  Sometimes where there’s smoke, there’s fire.  There is no Trump, no Epstein, but there is a fire.  Mike Fiers pitched for the Astros in 2017 and he came straight out and said that they were cheating. Fiers now pitches for the Oakland Athletics, close competitors of the Astros, much like CBS is a close competitor of ABC.  Fiers, as one of the four whistleblowers, put himself right out there.  Oops said GM Jeffery Luhnow.

Three whistleblowers are at the center of three major stories all at the same time.  One remains anonymous (sort of) and has big brother on it’s side.  One is on the run even though he/she isn’t running and has the media on the hunt.  And one put his name right on the dotted line.

As they say, “Only in America!”  Smoke em if you got em!

 

We the People

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

The original, unedited, wonderfully written Constitution begins  “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

Now, nearly 250 years in, it has stood the test of time.  It’s what the nation’s forefathers hoped it would do.

It’s strongest part might be it’s first three words, “We the People.”  It’s very beginning suggests that a group met and collectively decided on a course.  That course took a brand new nation, now independent, from it’s birth to opportunities, freedom, safety, wealth, and health the likes of which have never been seen before on this earth.

Today, “We the People” are a very divided group.  Are we the most divided in our nation’s history?  Probably not.  And, despite the histrionics advanced, it’s probably not even close.  “We the People” were more divided before, during, and after the 1861-1865 Civil War.  And, the civil rights movement of the 1960’s was worse to significantly much worse than today.

Today’s “we” are three “we’s” and counting.  We love the disruption that Trump has brought to the status quo in Washington and when, where, and how the U.S. acts on the world stage.  Or, we are disrupters known as “never Trumpers” and we hate (yes hate) Trump.  A third, but growing we, embraces socialism, or even communism. Talk about disruption personified.

Don’t believe the socialism or communism part?  A published poll last evening on one of the major networks showed 27% of American millennials favored communism over capitalism.  These kids borrowed for college.  They owe a lot of money.  They believe that an entry level job isn’t a just reward for doing so.  They want a refund.  And they want it now.  The 1% crowd might be their ATM so they think.

We cannot even rejoice in the elimination of the top leader of ISIS, Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi.  Minutes went by and either the Democrats were offended for not being told prior, or Trump was acting like a bully about it on the bully pulpit, or the Washington Post was eulogizing the savage who ordered the killing of thousands as a austere religious scholar.

The never Trumpers, regardless of party affiliation, have embarked on a three year old campaign to unseat the man who ran the most unconventional campaign the country has ever seen to win the highest seat in all of the land.  That campaign won’t stop all the while Trump’s campaign for reelection is full steam ahead.   Hide in a basement, interview a self created whistleblower, scream “quid quo pro” enough times, and eventually impeach.  That’ll get some of the “We the People” on your team.

Meanwhile, surely it’s time to gas up Air Force One and rile up the base in a red state near you soon.  Stand in line, wear a red MAGA hat, and yell at the other side for 90 minutes.  That’ll make you feel better.  And, that’ll get some of the “We the People” on your team.

Meanwhile, Bernie and Elizabeth are promising those millennials the farm.  The farm might not have much left if Trump doesn’t solve the China trade wars, but we digress.  The farm might not have much left if Trump doesn’t fix that ole existential crisis of climate change, but we further digress.  The farm includes free healthcare, free tuition, tuition debt forgiveness, free flow of immigration, free healthcare for immigrants legal or otherwise.  Free, free, free.  That’ll get some of the “We the People” on your team.

The only problem is that makes for three teams.  It takes four teams for a good playoff.  How about Team Biden?  He’s the head coach of what’s left of the old Democratic Party.  He’s the head coach of what’s now right of the new Democratic Party.  He’s promising to, well, we’re not sure.  Ah yes, he’s promising to beat Trump, platform TBD.  Surely that’ll get some of the “We the People” on your team.

“In order to form a more perfect union” follows right after “We the People” in the Constitutions’ first sentence.  The problem is we don’t know who to follow right now in order to form a more perfect union.

Oh, and one more thing.  Nothing is free, not even freedom.  Nothing.