Post Ajp5zcPy94JLy7RBGS by jik@federate.social
(DIR) More posts by jik@federate.social
(DIR) Post #Ajp35M13jvnmyTpTou by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-07-11T13:32:03Z
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"Corruption without consequence infects all it touches." - Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) in address to Congress introducing her articles of impeachment on July 10, 2024Most people are talking about how this will not pass. Or they say "how is this better when Republicans do the same thing?" But *is* it the same thing? I am sincerely frustrated by the flagrant, obvious disregard for the integrity of the court. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFUw4Oo_7ak
(DIR) Post #Ajp3ZUONA8Npdj6TVA by richpuchalsky@mastodon.social
2024-07-11T13:37:33Z
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@futurebird "It won't pass" is the important problem. Each new attempt at Mueller Time encourages people to wait for officials or politicians to do something and discourages them from doing anything on their own. When these attempts are guaranteed to fail, they are nothing but a way to keep people pacified.
(DIR) Post #Ajp4Dm5cmZee6xXm5Y by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-07-11T13:44:47Z
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@richpuchalsky I don't really know what you mean by "Mueller Time" --isn't Mueller another one of those justice department men who was so concerned with making the justice department seem non-partisan that he repeatedly muddied the waters confusing the public? Rather like Garland?
(DIR) Post #Ajp4mBxF7kw4Aw2DIW by richpuchalsky@mastodon.social
2024-07-11T13:51:00Z
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@futurebird "Mueller Time" is a disparaging reference to the Mueller investigation (page linked below) and the liberal response to it. For years liberals tuned in to MSNBC which told them that Mueller was going to bring Trump down, and the widely used phrase "Mueller Time" (a play on the "It's Miller Time beer saying) was supposed to represent when the report would come out and Trump would fall. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mueller_special_counsel_investigation
(DIR) Post #Ajp56hsG9okWxpUC80 by michael_w_busch@mastodon.online
2024-07-11T13:54:38Z
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@futurebird I submit that anyone who would pretend that impeaching & removing people who are quite publicly taking bribes while acting without regard for law or fact is in any way equivalent to trying to impeach & remove people for no reason is not acting in good faith.
(DIR) Post #Ajp5D9dtpOw4p7qNHM by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-07-11T13:55:55Z
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@richpuchalsky I never really got why so many people thought Mueller was some kind of hero who would take down Trump. He was very reluctant to be in that position, and probably the partisan cheerleading only made him less effective. And he and Garland have been ineffective. They are very worried they will be "seen as political" and let that fear along with a fear of powerful men put them off doing their jobs in a timely manner.
(DIR) Post #Ajp5Xlz0zLBvWhYHce by richpuchalsky@mastodon.social
2024-07-11T13:59:36Z
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@futurebird People thought this because there was a major news network that specifically pitched itself to liberals telling them so.At any rate, to bring this back to why I commented in the first place, the push to impeach Supreme Court justices is sure to be ineffective. When people support it, do they know this?
(DIR) Post #Ajp5lqEPzPdikzSthA by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-07-11T14:02:09Z
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@richpuchalsky I think most people are very aware that it's not going anywhere. Have you seen anything that says otherwise?
(DIR) Post #Ajp5zcPy94JLy7RBGS by jik@federate.social
2024-07-11T14:04:39Z
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@futurebird 1) It's not the same thing because they're wrong and she's right. That matters.2) Regardless, the GOP strategy of engaging in apparently fruitless performative actions HELPS THEM RILE UP THE BASE AND WIN ELECTIONS, and it would be a smart tactic for the Democrats to copy even if it WERE "the same thing" (which it isn't).You have to win elections in order to have power. Doing what it takes to win elections is part of the fucking job.
(DIR) Post #Ajp68kTPZ3N7YhOvD6 by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-07-11T14:06:19Z
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@richpuchalsky I want to add that this foot-dragging and ineffectiveness have ultimately hurt Republicans too. The republican party, if there is anything left of it, needed to have the criminal elements removed so they could rebuild. And what might they have created with a fresh start. Instead they have this liquidator with a Jesus complex who has all their people enchanted. And to criticize him is to turn into "the enemy."
(DIR) Post #Ajp6XPjDpZWYSVYddI by richpuchalsky@mastodon.social
2024-07-11T14:09:59Z
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@futurebird I don't think that anyone has been brazen enough to say that it will succeed, but I've seen plenty of people urging others to call their representatives about it. That is a direct misuse of people's energy, diverting them towards yet another loss that is supposed to be symbolic or reveal something.
(DIR) Post #Ajp6rh6Owdx88P4OmG by BlueWaver22@genomic.social
2024-07-11T14:14:21Z
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@futurebird She introduced the articles on the floor this morning I believe...there's a you tube video of it.
(DIR) Post #Ajp6wk9l17cH3S2zxo by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-07-11T14:15:19Z
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@richpuchalsky I don't agree. (Having just called Torres about this.) In some future date there may be some path to accountability, but we have seen that many in power will do anything to avoid it unless they know the public cares. For example, there could be some new ethics rules for the court going forward. This could also influence the type of people appointed to the justice department.
(DIR) Post #Ajp80phmQeCHNOTWIi by stargazer@tanztee.social
2024-07-11T14:27:15Z
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@futurebird what frightens me most, is the complete silence, they even don't come up with the usual "ah, come on, it's only a few bad apples...".Nope, just crickets....@richpuchalsky
(DIR) Post #AjpDzBdoV2duYVDa2i by Lyle@cville.online
2024-07-11T15:34:11Z
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@futurebird we should be better than this
(DIR) Post #AjpECemtRf32iSt7ce by richpuchalsky@mastodon.social
2024-07-11T15:32:49Z
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@RnDanger This is what I dislike about "optimism of the will". No matter how much AOC wants to do that work, she is unable to do it. Forceful calls to action that can not succeed are a sham.There are many things that AOC could do that just get the word out to people using her bully pulpit. For instance, she could tell people to talk to their relatives in the army and police and ask them to refuse orders to shoot people.@futurebird
(DIR) Post #AjpECgUX6tYA06JUHY by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-07-11T15:36:37Z
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@richpuchalsky @RnDanger "For instance, she could tell people to talk to their relatives in the army and police and ask them to refuse orders to shoot people."I was curious to see what you'd suggest but this is pretty wild. The wider Democratic party would disown her for this. Which kind of defeats the purpose of her work. And who is going to help these people when they are taken to military court?
(DIR) Post #AjpEIQ3D9JDwkSGh7Y by richpuchalsky@mastodon.social
2024-07-11T15:37:39Z
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@futurebird "And who is going to help these people when they are taken to military court?"I don't care. It's better than them shooting people.@RnDanger
(DIR) Post #AjpEbxKncpqdTgoLAG by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-07-11T15:41:12Z
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@richpuchalsky @RnDanger You want me to encourage a working class guy in the army to defy order and can't even offer a plan to help when he gets in trouble?For what it is worth I warn people off joining the cops or army. But that's because if you do join? Your moral options are very limited. But why do people sign up for ROTC? Seems more realistic to find better options for those people. Unless you want to have a plan and a legal fund for the not following orders stunt.
(DIR) Post #AjpEoZnCStDUEE7408 by richpuchalsky@mastodon.social
2024-07-11T15:43:26Z
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@futurebird Someone will have a legal fund, which probably won't work. I do think it's wild that in a Kent State kind of situation you think that our sympathies should be with the National Guard because what would happen to them if they didn't murder people.@RnDanger
(DIR) Post #AjpFOYmHiP6bVRqKoa by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-07-11T15:50:01Z
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@richpuchalsky @RnDanger My dad was in the National Guard stationed on a bridge at Kent State, my mom was a student there (not protesting)My dad saw a lot of things in the national guard. Here is a story of one of those things:https://sauropods.win/@futurebird/109415211709190649
(DIR) Post #AjpFYNaeAKeZhi58j2 by palin@mastodon.social
2024-07-11T15:50:52Z
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@futurebird And where are the rest of the stand up Dem's ?
(DIR) Post #AjpG2QHwhJeklCf0j2 by Jackiemauro@fosstodon.org
2024-07-11T15:57:12Z
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@futurebird I think this is such an important and smart move. We have let too many things slide in the name of “well it’ll never pass”. It normalizes criminal behavior. Obama never should have “moved forward” without accountability for bush and Cheney and their band of torturers, for instance. If no one in power acts like these crimes are serious, people forget they’re serious. And they escalate.
(DIR) Post #AjpGV9HV0cXQPZ9InI by richpuchalsky@mastodon.social
2024-07-11T16:01:52Z
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@futurebird Yes, very bad things are done to people out of a combination of military discipline and racism. My dad was a chemist as well who was drafted into service for the Korean War and put to work on nerve gas. He did it because it was "defensive" work. Later on for the Vietnam War he (at a commercial company) was asked to work on napalm. He refused. Sometimes people have to refuse to kill other people even when it is going to cost them.
(DIR) Post #AjpMNIWLNAGqTWjRuC by richpuchalsky@mastodon.social
2024-07-11T16:04:37Z
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@RnDanger If her life (probably literally) depend on it, then choosing a completely ineffective means doesn't help. Nor does it help for people to think that they are doing something against fascist takeover by this means if that is what they are concerned about.@futurebird
(DIR) Post #AjpMNJi4x1FgADEKps by liferstate@mas.to
2024-07-11T17:00:24Z
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@richpuchalsky As you haven't offered any suggestion for dealing with a lawless court that you believe would be effective, I'm gonna go ahead and assume you're part of the Do Nothing Loudly caucus. Yes, articles of impeachment are a stunt. But keeping the court's corruption in the public eye builds political will for big change (e.g. expansion).@RnDanger @futurebird
(DIR) Post #AjpMNKM8Y5IKARyKH2 by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-07-11T17:08:12Z
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@liferstate @richpuchalsky @RnDanger There are some people who really really don't like that people seem to like politicians like AOC. Because she isn't a radical. She's a Democrat. So there is always some more radical thing (often a thing that would end her opportunity to have any influence at all) that she didn't do. There is a real danger in thinking that voting and politicians can save you. They can't.But nor can one just ignore politics and expect anything to be possible.
(DIR) Post #AjpMfjSdwpSfF2n8KG by liferstate@mas.to
2024-07-11T17:11:31Z
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@futurebird @richpuchalsky @RnDanger A lot of people liked AOC until the moment she became well-known and influential. Now they think she's a sellout. I don't take these people seriously because they've shown they don't actually want political power.
(DIR) Post #AjpMiSRPgRtVKAW2N6 by TruthSandwich@fedi.truth-sandwich.com
2024-07-11T17:12:00Z
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@futurebird It's not the same thing, but it's still empty pandering.
(DIR) Post #AjpN0khaWqdTAiny1Q by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-07-11T17:15:18Z
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@TruthSandwich I think you might be one of the most conservative people I talk to regularly. It's interesting that one of the more left-leaning people exactly agrees with you:https://mastodon.social/@richpuchalsky/112768579628372990
(DIR) Post #AjpNS019h4rUUVwwVs by richpuchalsky@mastodon.social
2024-07-11T17:19:57Z
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@futurebird We’ve been through this before. I’m an anarchist and so I don’t like AOC or any other politician. That doesn’t equate to “doing nothing.”Liberals are at the same time extremely worried about fascist takeover and extremely unwilling to do anything about it, even ask cops not to shoot them.@liferstate @RnDanger
(DIR) Post #AjpNWyC7toe6HjS3NI by TruthSandwich@fedi.truth-sandwich.com
2024-07-11T17:21:06Z
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@futurebird With all due respect, I'm left of center among Democrats, so I wouldn't call myself any sort of conservative. I'm well to the left of Obama, Clinton, and Biden, for example.Opposition to AOC comes from many directions. There are extremists on the very far left who've decided that she's impure and branded her a traitor.I've always opposed her because she was the tip of the spear in the DSA attempt to take over the DNC.Anyhow, thanks for responding.
(DIR) Post #AjpNyXnncREqXTDlrc by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-07-11T17:26:09Z
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@richpuchalsky @liferstate @RnDanger People you don't like can still sometimes do things that are good. That the rule of law stuff alarms liberals just shows how extremist the right has become. As for "asking cops not to shoot you" when I asked what plan you had for when the people taking your advice were court martialed you literally said "I don't care" I was kind of shocked by that response. Why work with people who don't care about you?
(DIR) Post #AjpO35nBBeIn7D6G36 by futurebird@sauropods.win
2024-07-11T17:26:58Z
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@TruthSandwich OK well maybe you can be friends then? IDK.
(DIR) Post #AjpRvnJPte4fadxDd2 by TruthSandwich@fedi.truth-sandwich.com
2024-07-11T18:10:25Z
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@futurebird I certainly can't be friends with Rich because he's not allowed to even see my posts: he's on mastodon.censored.
(DIR) Post #AjpXrqUkiinC1nkyrw by richpuchalsky@mastodon.social
2024-07-11T19:16:58Z
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@futurebird I was suggesting something liberals could do. You are free to care. You will quickly find out that there is no really effective help you can give, though, because of laws that you passed.@liferstate @RnDanger
(DIR) Post #AjqOQY4yNQnsfFZErw by lufthans@mastodon.social
2024-07-12T05:05:53Z
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@futurebird The cases against Thomas and Alito have actual evidence, that's the difference and advantage to AOC using her position to highlight the documented corruption of Supreme Court justicesThe only evidence the Republicans have provided is the incompetence of their lawyers who are getting disbarred ( bye bye Rudy )Both Thomas and Alito have admitted to taking inappropriate "gifts" before they ruled that bribery can't be prosecuted
(DIR) Post #AjqfCqvtBKiMIuNDuq by nazokiyoubinbou@mastodon.social
2024-07-12T08:13:53Z
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@futurebird Trump speaks, I struggle to keep my lunch down. AOC speaks, I want to clap. This is what a politician should sound like.And I agree. Putting aside that it's not the same thing as the stuff the Republicans do just to make a show for their base, I think this has to be done regardless. It MUST be on the record. Even if it fails, it must be a stain on their records that they committed crimes -- even if it says only that they got caught.