It is fascinating to see the effect of putting Trump in front of a jury of ordinary people. This is the jury of his peers. He shrivels up into an ordinary person, too, no longer the great leader. Some say it exposes him as the emperor who has no clothes. I think it exposes him as no emperor at all. Merely a bloviating narcissist in a costumey suit and shoe lifts, a girdle and orange make up.
That's exactly what I called him after the disgusting way he treated John McCain during the debates the last election cycle. How people believe anything that comes out of his mouth just amazes me. He is arrogant and thinks he knows everything and has the right to insult and intimidate anyone he chooses to. Now he is the poster child for "caught with his hands in the cookie jar". We can only hope they can prove their case and he will not be able to harm any of those very brave jurors!
You raise a good point. The jurors are regular people like the rest of us. Standing up against a bully takes courage. The courage of ordinary people should not be underestimated. We all need to do that. Trump is a really nasty man and we need to take our country back.
Yes, surely, part of the reason. Plus Hillary was a very polarized figure. With a lot of baggage of her own and badly wounded by Bernie Sanders in the primaries.
Yes. We look at him an understand why he had to pay for sex and why he had to pay to keep that a secret. Sad.
My prediction is that he drops out of the campaign giving some version of “its so unfair. How can I campaign from a court room” ( I might be dreaming). But with the vote to arm Ukraine it looks like there are many Republicans in congress who realize that Biden will win and don’t want to go down with Trump. I don’t blame them. Fear is what kept them with him and the fear is gone. It’s a shame. The Blue candidates were so ready to roll over them.
What gets me is that there still seem to be so many folks who worship this boob.But then, I have never found Trump to be anything other than an arrogant narcissist. He’s always been a bully and I have finally realized that some people like to.
A step toward accountability is good. But I, too, am struck by how sad it is that we as a nation are in this place. I'm even more sad that so many people have bought his lies and grifts hook, line, and sinker. It's hard to see how the huge rifts he has caused will be mended.
I doubt the damage will be undone in our lifetimes. It will take a generation and we are lucky if it only takes that long. He has stolen a lot of joy from our lives.
when he got elected my oncologists said "well now there will be a lot more cancer" from all the stress he creates. And so many people gained weight for comfort eating as trump was ruining our country & brainwashing gullible people listening to the lying newscasters on fox
My brother was in the hospital with very low blood pressure after a small stroke. They needed to get his pressure back up so he told them to constantly mention Trump. What do you know, it worked! The nurses thought that was hilarious, but as you said he causes so much stress and people will be needing treatment for everything.
several of us who got breast cancer during his term blame it on the stress he caused. Thank God your brother made it. We are all in this together. Keep praying for trump to be taken to prison & convicted of felony at least & therefore not allowed to run for office. The electoral vote needs to go as well.
I do agree. Donald Trump and all he represents is joyless and mindless. It gets discouraging but we cannot let is destructive being rob us of joy because that is what bullies want.
Please don't forget, we've been in this crazy place, with the ship of state rocking forward and backward, especially the latter, so many times before. But at 82 I'm sure we'll make it through AGAIN. (And again and again and again and.....)
You have to have lived thru Nixon’s Watergate scandal and its legal proceedings to have any comprehension of how really bad the current situation is. Nixon was bade to the core, and so isn Trump. Did we not learn anything from Watergate?
I have a thorough knowledge of Watergate. That was child's play, compared to the Trump era and the courts will prove this several times over. Trump is finished. The stress may even do him in.
Sure. Donnie learned that you should destroy the tapes. But he didn’t know Cohen had tapes. He learned that you shouldn’t resign or admit to doing anything wrong & how to cover his tracks. (He and Nixon were pen pals.) Nixon had followers who never accepted his guilt. My mother was one. Nixon never told his to protest or get wild to defend him. Donnie learned that after Jan 6, his are too afraid of it being a law enforcement.
I wonder how the Nixon Library feels about the highlights for the 2020 exhibit now.
As a man who disgraced the presidency Nixon was not allowed by the Congress to lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda when he died. Hopefully the same fate awaits tTump after he’s done a number of years of hard time in the big house.
I agree and have said it before. It would be improper for a man who instigated a seditious attack on the Capitol to be allowed to lie in state, to further desecrate the rotunda. Let us hope that Trump follows Nixon at the order of Congress.
Also, Republicans turned on Nixon when it became apparent he was guilty. Trump’s “Republicans “ are defending him against all odds and in spite of the evidence.
Unfortunately this is nothing new. In the lead up to World War II, America had many shameless Nazi sympathizers, such as Charles Lindbergh. It was only through the courageous efforts of FDR and the righteous people in government that lead us in the right direction.
And never forget the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. It took a monumental struggle to get those laws enacted. Talk about darkness in America! Hate ruled a huge area of our country for 100 years after the conclusion of the Civil War.
Much hate will continue for this generation. We must simply control it and hold everyone accountable for their actions. The MAGA folks have an awful lot of guns. That is not going away any time soon. But Trump is.....
Just to add a note of added reality there are among us highly respected scholars of the likes of Professor John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago and former USA diplomat Chase Freeman among others who know that added money for bombs, bullets and drones etc for Ukraine is a bad idea. It is a respectable view with careful reasoning establishing it. Of course it runs counter to the imperialist view and motivation that Biden preaches and is parroted by corporate media. Check out Biden’s long history of always opting for more war.
Prssident Biden is an EXCELLENT President of the United States. He inherited, God bless him, a country in shambles because of Trump, who has NEVER won the popular vote. Trump became POTUS in 2016 because MAGA Republicans in the Electoral College voted against the will of the people in their states.
Personally, my husband and I view Trump as a traitor. We don't think life in Federal prison for the remainder of his days is enough. Although we are peace-loving people, we believe his crimes against American democracy merit the death penalty by whatever means.
I understand there are many who can easily overlook a USA President actively supporting the slaughter, or genocide of an entire people (Gazan Palastinian)and of pouring lots and lots of the citizens' tax monies into the Ukraine War, a proxy war imperially designed to strangle Russian's power, that has netted Ukrainian casualties of 444,000 Ukrainian killed and wounded.(Wikipedia) and produced "Nearly 6.5 million refugees from Ukraine have been recorded globally (as of February 2024). Approximately 14.6 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in 2024." (www.unrefugees.org)"The war has caused more than $56.4 billion in damage to the environment. There has been widespread chemical contamination of air, water, and soil, and 30% of Ukraine has been contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance.Jan 5, 2024" (Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology (https://occup-med.biomedcentral.com)."The war has caused more than $56.4 billion in damage to the environment. There has been widespread chemical contamination of air, water, and soil, and 30% of Ukraine has been contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance."(bio-medical.com)
The US is primarily sending Weapons made in the United States. We are sending weapons in our stock then using the money to replenish our weapons stockpile. Yes - war is environmentally messy. Do the Russians car? Hardly - they were firing on the largest nuclear power facility in Europe (which was located in Ukraine). The Russians don’t CARE! Putin wants to re-establish the former Soviet Union borders which means going through NATO countries. That will trigger another World War - then we are all out of luck.
I understand how you feel. But the Ukrainian people have a right to defend their country from Putin’s aggression. There has to be a better way of resolving conflicts other than blowing each other up. Eleanor Roosevelt thought war was stupid and spent much of her life advocating for alternatives. But she also realized you had to hit back hard against bullies.
In the big picture, this is peanuts. I’m way more concerned about the cost to democracy if he’s re-elected.
However, there’s a bill to stop secret service protection for felons in prison. I doubt it will get far. Who wants to feed the idea this is all a plot to kill him? But you can call your congressperson and give them an earful.
I totally agree he should not be reelected. However if put in prison without secret service, he is a dead man. I can see others wanting the price on his head as theirs. While I do not like him one tiny bit that might make him a bigger martyr to his following
Janine, I agree with you 100%. I think he is a traitor to our American democracy. As such, I think he deserves to face a firing squad -- and I'm a peace-loving woman. But I believe him to be a traitor.
It's true that the unbelievable did happen, even after totally cratering in debates and making a disgraceful and debauched fool of himself in just about every way possible, but I'm happy to see this slimebag on trial. It actually makes me glad, even though there's a good chance he'll ooze away from responsibility for his actions, because the judicial system is doing its best to make that a realty. The people of the State of New York deserve justice, everyone who pays their fair share of state and Federal taxes deserves justice, and as a US citizen, I DEMAND justice. Let it be served!
At this point, I have far more faith in the justice system than I do in Trump's lawyers. Judge Merchan isn't buying their illusions, believes in the law, and the constitution, and with the evidence will bring Trump to deserved consequences.
I am very concerned about what his followers may do. They do not appear to be people that can be reasoned with, they seem to have one track minds when it comes to Trump, and that’s that he’s always right and anyone who doesn’t agree is the enemy! I think these people have been waiting for a Trump like figure aka Hitler a leader they think, mistakenly cares about the common man. Trump and for that matter Hitler never cared about “The People “ these kind of people are incapable of caring for anyone but themselves. And when he Fails, just like dictators always do, he will blame it on others, never himself just like Hitler did! These Cowards always blame others for their failures.
Hitler’s last orders were to flood the subway system where German were hiding from the Allied advance. The trump sends his delusional minions to the Capitol Building with instructions to overturn the election and hang his Vice President. Thousands of them could have been killed and it was truly a miracle and cooler heads that prevented mass death. Republican support of him is mass insanity.
Two of a kind! Trump admires Hitler all the more reason he’s so dangerous! No doubt in my mind that Trump would order something similar to harm us if he decided we failed “ him”!
All of them need to be put in jail whoever breaks the law intimidates causes insurrection needs to be in jail. And they need to start with the GOP and SCOTUS
Fear of what Trump's followers might do must not sway the course of justice. In Hitler's time, the followers and abettors were treated to the trials in Nuremberg. Should Trump's cowardly (but noisy) followers try anything, they will be dealt with as those of the attack on the Capitol were.
Absolutely! These followers seem to be completely blind to his intentions and don’t realize how very dangerous he may be. The Republicans don’t even seem to understand what they are dealing with! They will give him too much power and come to deeply regret it! He must never be allowed to get in the Oval Office again. He has no intention of following the Constitution!
Don't worry about his followers. His big attraction is that he is will to say what they don't have the courage to say because even they know it is vile. They'll crawl back under their pews when all is done.
Trump is on trial, but so too is our system and our society. This is just like a chain, which has integrity only if each and every link holds. The links are:
1. Will the overwhelming and multi-layered evidence of Trump’s guilt be competently presented to the jury?
2. Will the jury as finders of fact find the defendant guilty of both records falsification and the fact that the falsification was in service of keeping damaging information from the public during an election campaign, or will a holdout juror or two practice nullification and hang the jury?
3. If found guilty will Trump receive more than a slap on the wrist as punishment?
4. Will the voting public in swing states successfully reject a convicted felon, and not send him back to the White House for a second term?
These are the four crucial links that must hold, to keep our society intact.
A house filled with stolen documents is hard to prosecute? Inciting a riot on the capital is hard to prosecute? The NYC case is complex and hard to prosecute - but look who is getting it done. Outcomes matter. Trump's assault on our democracy is the most important thing this country has faced in many a decade. Garland treaded water for more than two years. I'm not sure he would have done anything had the Jan 6 committee not done so much critical work...
Yes. It is complicated to get a conviction. Obviously you have been paying attention to all the diversions the Trump legal team have employed.
What may seem obvious to you and I, actually proving the crime in a court of law is a tremendous burden. My preference is they get it right, not done “fast”.
I guess I have limited empathy for the complexity argument. I spent a career dealing with complicated situations. We had a much, much shorter time course for decision making and action, but were expected to perform perfectly or we could be sued or have our credentials rescinded. I get that the wheels of justice turn slowly. The point is, though, that Garland understood this too and took little or no action for a couple of years. This has essentially allowed trump to run the clock out. Do we really believe his trials will go on if he is elected? If he is not elected, frankly, it won't matter any more—he will either finally disappear or make so much of a public nuisance of himself that he can be directly arrested and dealt with. Garland knew there was a compressed time course. We all knew it, but had to watch helplessly as nothing was done for years. When it comes to a situation of supreme national importance, such as a traitorous/quasi-fascist candidate for presidency, outcomes matter. If trump makes it to the election without having been prosecuted in court for his crimes against the nation, we have already lost. In my book, Garland is an utter failure, if not worse.
Yes, it is complicated. The system is not built for speed. AND you forget Donnie left his plants in the department. They and others who feared retribution did not want to prosecute.
I for one am glad he chose Jack Smith to be over this.
I guess I have limited empathy for the complexity argument. I spent a career dealing with complicated situations. We had a much, much shorter time course for decision making and action, but were expected to perform perfectly or we could be sued or have our credentials suspended. But I get that the wheels of justice turn slowly. The point is, though, that Garland understood this too and took little or no action for a couple of years. This has essentially allowed trump to run the clock out. Do we really believe his trials will go on if he is elected? If he is not elected, frankly, it won't matter any more—he will either finally disappear or make so much of a public nuisance of himself that he can be directly arrested and dealt with. Garland knew there was a compressed time course. We all knew it, but had to watch helplessly as nothing was done for years. When it comes to a situation of supreme national importance, such as a traitorous/quasi-fascist candidate for presidency, outcomes matter. In my book, Garland is an utter failure, if not worse.
Welcome to the American justice system. Victims of some crimes frequently - not once in a while but frequently - have little to no legal effective recourse. Any branch of the system (like law enforcement) can scuttle investigations of its own bad behavior or that of an ally. (Eileen Cannon? SCOTUS) Witnesses who won’t testify or contradict themselves. Interference or intimidation by friends, families, strangers or the ‘influential.’
These are issues in jurisdictions from the top to the bottom. The flip side is how to fix it without destroying the rights of defendants because there are cases where defendants are not guilty & the ‘evidence’ or testimony is false.
No argument from me. I would argue our elected officials must be held to higher standards of behavior and legality not lesser. They are not monarchs. They serve at the will of We the People. We seem to forget this all the time.
Juries are not infallible. The need for speed is balanced by the need to succeed. There is no 2nd chance to bring a case. Lose and he is vindicated and empowered. That is a worst case scenario.
The decision to go after ‘low level’ offenders of Jan 6 first is argued as a good or bad decision. Regardless, the minions got the message. That’s a win. We know because he continues to call for them to show up and protest at his trials & they do not. It doesn’t get splashy headlines and attaboys. In our state we don’t miss the guys with rifles storming our state legislature / capitol; hanging the gov in effigy outside the mansion; showing up at our polling places, etc.
There are too many bungled cases, cases never brought; quashed investigations & whimsical judicial decisions for me to say we lose if DOJ does not follow a timetable outside of the law. DOJ is well aware that their own survival is at stake & that this fact is not admissible in court.
It's hard to wrap my brain around the fact that so many people, including those in my family, feel that Trump is being persecuted, and that it's all a "witch hunt." The truth is that he has brought this all on himself. He grew up spoiled and privileged with the mindset that he is above the law, and he has gotten away with a lot. Well, no one is above the law. It's about time that he learns that he has to face the music!
Maybe they like what they see. Maybe that angry scowl is what they came for.. A joyless, humorless celebrity who makes them feel loved and heard as long as he is throwing somebody else under the bus.
Great article of what I will call Day One of Don’s (I’m sure he hates to be called that) first trial and his slide down the ramp to places that resemble middle earth and beyond.
You are right no Hollywood film company would believe it. But I bet some of our better thriller writers could have penned a nice best seller.
As a Manhattanite I had to take a trip down there just to see the scene. Massive reporters and photographers of all ilks and massive security. And note, the security in Manhattan has been extra heavy but I’m sure part of that has to do with the Israel/Palestinian situation and the start of Passover.
Let’s hope Judge Merchan keeps up the gallop pace that he has started with and manages to keep everyone involved safe, secure and sane.
And all this happening on Earth Day….the planet that Don Trump is trying to destroy.
It is fascinating to see the effect of putting Trump in front of a jury of ordinary people. This is the jury of his peers. He shrivels up into an ordinary person, too, no longer the great leader. Some say it exposes him as the emperor who has no clothes. I think it exposes him as no emperor at all. Merely a bloviating narcissist in a costumey suit and shoe lifts, a girdle and orange make up.
That's exactly what I called him after the disgusting way he treated John McCain during the debates the last election cycle. How people believe anything that comes out of his mouth just amazes me. He is arrogant and thinks he knows everything and has the right to insult and intimidate anyone he chooses to. Now he is the poster child for "caught with his hands in the cookie jar". We can only hope they can prove their case and he will not be able to harm any of those very brave jurors!
And a very big cookie jar it is. And the judicial rat trap at the bottom of the jar caught him in the act.
You raise a good point. The jurors are regular people like the rest of us. Standing up against a bully takes courage. The courage of ordinary people should not be underestimated. We all need to do that. Trump is a really nasty man and we need to take our country back.
He is still arrogant but it's not working for him
Honestly, can’t believe we, not me, elected him President. In all candor, mainly because Hillary couldn’t get over the emails.
Thoroughly incompetent and unfit for the job. Besides being morally bankrupt, of course.
Thank you
He was elected (I was an election worker) because voters didn't want Bill Clinton back in the White House!
Yeah, because things were so terrible when Clinton was President!?
Yes, surely, part of the reason. Plus Hillary was a very polarized figure. With a lot of baggage of her own and badly wounded by Bernie Sanders in the primaries.
IMHO, thanks
Good call
And don’t forget the diaper!
Yes. We look at him an understand why he had to pay for sex and why he had to pay to keep that a secret. Sad.
My prediction is that he drops out of the campaign giving some version of “its so unfair. How can I campaign from a court room” ( I might be dreaming). But with the vote to arm Ukraine it looks like there are many Republicans in congress who realize that Biden will win and don’t want to go down with Trump. I don’t blame them. Fear is what kept them with him and the fear is gone. It’s a shame. The Blue candidates were so ready to roll over them.
I don't believe it was about sex as much as about power and privilege or even look at me, look at me
I hope he doesn’t drop out Nikki Haley is a much stronger adversary. Youth alone is her strong point.
Your comment on Ukraine …(with all do respect). THIS:https://rumble.com/v4qyjtr-exposing-ukraines-secret-police-and-mission-to-exterminate-christianity.html
What gets me is that there still seem to be so many folks who worship this boob.But then, I have never found Trump to be anything other than an arrogant narcissist. He’s always been a bully and I have finally realized that some people like to.
Well said! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
YES!
I love your description of him. Spot on.
precisely.
Your next President - better buck up.
Exactly the response that one would expect from a person who names themself Unsteady.
It has taken far too long for Trump to get where he is today, but I doubt even convictions here will change the views of his rabid followers.
May justice be served, and may NO ONE be harmed now or later for being in the courtroom or for being related to someone in the courtroom.
As for his personal life, I hope Trump is finally, FINALLY up against a situation he can’t squirm out of.
Well said Jeanne
Our hair splitting legal system being what it is that can turn any criminal charge on its head, he may squirm out of this one yet.
While, I do understand that, I do remain hopeful…
Roger, that is a legitimate concern, case and point OJ Simpson.
100% agree. Comeuppance, may your fate and justice roll and do its’ duty for all people of goodwill.
From your mouth to God’s ears 🙏
A step toward accountability is good. But I, too, am struck by how sad it is that we as a nation are in this place. I'm even more sad that so many people have bought his lies and grifts hook, line, and sinker. It's hard to see how the huge rifts he has caused will be mended.
I doubt the damage will be undone in our lifetimes. It will take a generation and we are lucky if it only takes that long. He has stolen a lot of joy from our lives.
when he got elected my oncologists said "well now there will be a lot more cancer" from all the stress he creates. And so many people gained weight for comfort eating as trump was ruining our country & brainwashing gullible people listening to the lying newscasters on fox
My brother was in the hospital with very low blood pressure after a small stroke. They needed to get his pressure back up so he told them to constantly mention Trump. What do you know, it worked! The nurses thought that was hilarious, but as you said he causes so much stress and people will be needing treatment for everything.
several of us who got breast cancer during his term blame it on the stress he caused. Thank God your brother made it. We are all in this together. Keep praying for trump to be taken to prison & convicted of felony at least & therefore not allowed to run for office. The electoral vote needs to go as well.
Agreed 💯
I do agree. Donald Trump and all he represents is joyless and mindless. It gets discouraging but we cannot let is destructive being rob us of joy because that is what bullies want.
Please don't forget, we've been in this crazy place, with the ship of state rocking forward and backward, especially the latter, so many times before. But at 82 I'm sure we'll make it through AGAIN. (And again and again and again and.....)
From your lips to God's ears....
That is a good reminder to all of us. Maybe we should go out, take a walk, and smile. Eventually this will be behind us.
You have to have lived thru Nixon’s Watergate scandal and its legal proceedings to have any comprehension of how really bad the current situation is. Nixon was bade to the core, and so isn Trump. Did we not learn anything from Watergate?
I have a thorough knowledge of Watergate. That was child's play, compared to the Trump era and the courts will prove this several times over. Trump is finished. The stress may even do him in.
Hope springs eternal.
Sure. Donnie learned that you should destroy the tapes. But he didn’t know Cohen had tapes. He learned that you shouldn’t resign or admit to doing anything wrong & how to cover his tracks. (He and Nixon were pen pals.) Nixon had followers who never accepted his guilt. My mother was one. Nixon never told his to protest or get wild to defend him. Donnie learned that after Jan 6, his are too afraid of it being a law enforcement.
I wonder how the Nixon Library feels about the highlights for the 2020 exhibit now.
https://www.nixonfoundation.org/2020/09/unseen-correspondence-between-nixon-and-trump-on-display-in-special-exhibit-at-the-nixon-library/
As a man who disgraced the presidency Nixon was not allowed by the Congress to lay in state in the Capitol Rotunda when he died. Hopefully the same fate awaits tTump after he’s done a number of years of hard time in the big house.
I agree and have said it before. It would be improper for a man who instigated a seditious attack on the Capitol to be allowed to lie in state, to further desecrate the rotunda. Let us hope that Trump follows Nixon at the order of Congress.
AMEN, Roger!
Also, Republicans turned on Nixon when it became apparent he was guilty. Trump’s “Republicans “ are defending him against all odds and in spite of the evidence.
Unfortunately this is nothing new. In the lead up to World War II, America had many shameless Nazi sympathizers, such as Charles Lindbergh. It was only through the courageous efforts of FDR and the righteous people in government that lead us in the right direction.
And never forget the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. It took a monumental struggle to get those laws enacted. Talk about darkness in America! Hate ruled a huge area of our country for 100 years after the conclusion of the Civil War.
Much hate will continue for this generation. We must simply control it and hold everyone accountable for their actions. The MAGA folks have an awful lot of guns. That is not going away any time soon. But Trump is.....
Hate still rules in many hearts, against all that is different, from skin color to political philosophy. "We shall overcome."
I totally agree with you🥰❤️🙏
What Trump has broken democracy can mend.
The judge needs to throw Traitor Trump in prison for violating the gag order. No one is above the law.
And yes, Trump is a traitor. His attempt to stop Ukraine aid is more proof. https://www.dworkinsubstack.com/p/trumps-desperate-bid-to-stop-ukraine
That charge must come before his legal road is complete, and then Federal Prison.
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PERCENT TRUTH!!!
Just to add a note of added reality there are among us highly respected scholars of the likes of Professor John Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago and former USA diplomat Chase Freeman among others who know that added money for bombs, bullets and drones etc for Ukraine is a bad idea. It is a respectable view with careful reasoning establishing it. Of course it runs counter to the imperialist view and motivation that Biden preaches and is parroted by corporate media. Check out Biden’s long history of always opting for more war.
If Russia takes Ukraine, they will go after all of Europe. Saving Ukraine is critically important.
Plse see my reply for some reason appearing before instead of after your comment.
I read it. The Ukraine War is worth supporting, regardless of your view of Biden as an imperialist.
We can send Zelensky all the bombs we have, but he’s running out of fresh meat to send to the grinder.
The average age of the Uke army is now 45. All because NATO played them for fools.
Prssident Biden is an EXCELLENT President of the United States. He inherited, God bless him, a country in shambles because of Trump, who has NEVER won the popular vote. Trump became POTUS in 2016 because MAGA Republicans in the Electoral College voted against the will of the people in their states.
Personally, my husband and I view Trump as a traitor. We don't think life in Federal prison for the remainder of his days is enough. Although we are peace-loving people, we believe his crimes against American democracy merit the death penalty by whatever means.
I understand there are many who can easily overlook a USA President actively supporting the slaughter, or genocide of an entire people (Gazan Palastinian)and of pouring lots and lots of the citizens' tax monies into the Ukraine War, a proxy war imperially designed to strangle Russian's power, that has netted Ukrainian casualties of 444,000 Ukrainian killed and wounded.(Wikipedia) and produced "Nearly 6.5 million refugees from Ukraine have been recorded globally (as of February 2024). Approximately 14.6 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in 2024." (www.unrefugees.org)"The war has caused more than $56.4 billion in damage to the environment. There has been widespread chemical contamination of air, water, and soil, and 30% of Ukraine has been contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance.Jan 5, 2024" (Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology (https://occup-med.biomedcentral.com)."The war has caused more than $56.4 billion in damage to the environment. There has been widespread chemical contamination of air, water, and soil, and 30% of Ukraine has been contaminated with landmines and unexploded ordnance."(bio-medical.com)
› articles
The US is primarily sending Weapons made in the United States. We are sending weapons in our stock then using the money to replenish our weapons stockpile. Yes - war is environmentally messy. Do the Russians car? Hardly - they were firing on the largest nuclear power facility in Europe (which was located in Ukraine). The Russians don’t CARE! Putin wants to re-establish the former Soviet Union borders which means going through NATO countries. That will trigger another World War - then we are all out of luck.
I understand how you feel. But the Ukrainian people have a right to defend their country from Putin’s aggression. There has to be a better way of resolving conflicts other than blowing each other up. Eleanor Roosevelt thought war was stupid and spent much of her life advocating for alternatives. But she also realized you had to hit back hard against bullies.
So sacrifice Ukraine is your choice Callous, cold, cruel. Irrational. The prof and the diplomat are either misquoted or naive at best.
A night or two in Rikers could tip him over the edge on which he lives.
Would be nice if this gag order were actually enforced!
I do hope our impartial jurors can agree on a unanimous outcome.
No one should be above the law.
If he refuses to stop threatening, attacking and slandering participants in the trial, prison time would be too good for him.
He's a LIAR and a LOSER, a grifter, a carnival barker, a circus ringmaster.
He's UNFIT for political office.
If he went to prison would the secret service still have to guard him, At our expense!!!!
They are working to remove the secret service
Who cares his security is being paid for anyway. He definitely deserves jail! And good riddance!
In the big picture, this is peanuts. I’m way more concerned about the cost to democracy if he’s re-elected.
However, there’s a bill to stop secret service protection for felons in prison. I doubt it will get far. Who wants to feed the idea this is all a plot to kill him? But you can call your congressperson and give them an earful.
https://democrats-homeland.house.gov/news/legislation/ranking-member-thompson-introduces-legislation-to-ensure-no-secret-service-protection-for-convicted-felons-sentenced-to-prison
I totally agree he should not be reelected. However if put in prison without secret service, he is a dead man. I can see others wanting the price on his head as theirs. While I do not like him one tiny bit that might make him a bigger martyr to his following
He is responsible for an uncountable number of deaths from covid, Jan 6, etc. . Should he die in prison, so be it.
He is unfit to be FREE
Janine, I agree with you 100%. I think he is a traitor to our American democracy. As such, I think he deserves to face a firing squad -- and I'm a peace-loving woman. But I believe him to be a traitor.
Oh yes. And he would and does deserve it.
He was unfit for office from day one.
And yet, he will be reelected.
‘Bout damn time!
It's true that the unbelievable did happen, even after totally cratering in debates and making a disgraceful and debauched fool of himself in just about every way possible, but I'm happy to see this slimebag on trial. It actually makes me glad, even though there's a good chance he'll ooze away from responsibility for his actions, because the judicial system is doing its best to make that a realty. The people of the State of New York deserve justice, everyone who pays their fair share of state and Federal taxes deserves justice, and as a US citizen, I DEMAND justice. Let it be served!
At this point, I have far more faith in the justice system than I do in Trump's lawyers. Judge Merchan isn't buying their illusions, believes in the law, and the constitution, and with the evidence will bring Trump to deserved consequences.
Amen,
YES!
YES!!!!
I am very concerned about what his followers may do. They do not appear to be people that can be reasoned with, they seem to have one track minds when it comes to Trump, and that’s that he’s always right and anyone who doesn’t agree is the enemy! I think these people have been waiting for a Trump like figure aka Hitler a leader they think, mistakenly cares about the common man. Trump and for that matter Hitler never cared about “The People “ these kind of people are incapable of caring for anyone but themselves. And when he Fails, just like dictators always do, he will blame it on others, never himself just like Hitler did! These Cowards always blame others for their failures.
Hitler’s last orders were to flood the subway system where German were hiding from the Allied advance. The trump sends his delusional minions to the Capitol Building with instructions to overturn the election and hang his Vice President. Thousands of them could have been killed and it was truly a miracle and cooler heads that prevented mass death. Republican support of him is mass insanity.
Two of a kind! Trump admires Hitler all the more reason he’s so dangerous! No doubt in my mind that Trump would order something similar to harm us if he decided we failed “ him”!
I am praying that more and more Republicans are waking up. Not the cultists, but the others.
All of them need to be put in jail whoever breaks the law intimidates causes insurrection needs to be in jail. And they need to start with the GOP and SCOTUS
Cults require deprogramming, chump bragged about blaming others. In 2005, he said if you do something bad, never, ever blame yourself.
Fear of what Trump's followers might do must not sway the course of justice. In Hitler's time, the followers and abettors were treated to the trials in Nuremberg. Should Trump's cowardly (but noisy) followers try anything, they will be dealt with as those of the attack on the Capitol were.
Absolutely! These followers seem to be completely blind to his intentions and don’t realize how very dangerous he may be. The Republicans don’t even seem to understand what they are dealing with! They will give him too much power and come to deeply regret it! He must never be allowed to get in the Oval Office again. He has no intention of following the Constitution!
Don't worry about his followers. His big attraction is that he is will to say what they don't have the courage to say because even they know it is vile. They'll crawl back under their pews when all is done.
It’s a short trip from the courthouse to Rikers Island 👍
Trump is on trial, but so too is our system and our society. This is just like a chain, which has integrity only if each and every link holds. The links are:
1. Will the overwhelming and multi-layered evidence of Trump’s guilt be competently presented to the jury?
2. Will the jury as finders of fact find the defendant guilty of both records falsification and the fact that the falsification was in service of keeping damaging information from the public during an election campaign, or will a holdout juror or two practice nullification and hang the jury?
3. If found guilty will Trump receive more than a slap on the wrist as punishment?
4. Will the voting public in swing states successfully reject a convicted felon, and not send him back to the White House for a second term?
These are the four crucial links that must hold, to keep our society intact.
Indeed, our American society is on trial.
Well said
But Dan, had Garland done his job, this creature would have already been through the far more critical trials.
These crimes are complex with multiple players. Mob bosses are difficult to successfully prosecute. In this aspect, Trump is the same.
A house filled with stolen documents is hard to prosecute? Inciting a riot on the capital is hard to prosecute? The NYC case is complex and hard to prosecute - but look who is getting it done. Outcomes matter. Trump's assault on our democracy is the most important thing this country has faced in many a decade. Garland treaded water for more than two years. I'm not sure he would have done anything had the Jan 6 committee not done so much critical work...
Yes. It is complicated to get a conviction. Obviously you have been paying attention to all the diversions the Trump legal team have employed.
What may seem obvious to you and I, actually proving the crime in a court of law is a tremendous burden. My preference is they get it right, not done “fast”.
I guess I have limited empathy for the complexity argument. I spent a career dealing with complicated situations. We had a much, much shorter time course for decision making and action, but were expected to perform perfectly or we could be sued or have our credentials rescinded. I get that the wheels of justice turn slowly. The point is, though, that Garland understood this too and took little or no action for a couple of years. This has essentially allowed trump to run the clock out. Do we really believe his trials will go on if he is elected? If he is not elected, frankly, it won't matter any more—he will either finally disappear or make so much of a public nuisance of himself that he can be directly arrested and dealt with. Garland knew there was a compressed time course. We all knew it, but had to watch helplessly as nothing was done for years. When it comes to a situation of supreme national importance, such as a traitorous/quasi-fascist candidate for presidency, outcomes matter. If trump makes it to the election without having been prosecuted in court for his crimes against the nation, we have already lost. In my book, Garland is an utter failure, if not worse.
Yes, it is complicated. The system is not built for speed. AND you forget Donnie left his plants in the department. They and others who feared retribution did not want to prosecute.
I for one am glad he chose Jack Smith to be over this.
I guess I have limited empathy for the complexity argument. I spent a career dealing with complicated situations. We had a much, much shorter time course for decision making and action, but were expected to perform perfectly or we could be sued or have our credentials suspended. But I get that the wheels of justice turn slowly. The point is, though, that Garland understood this too and took little or no action for a couple of years. This has essentially allowed trump to run the clock out. Do we really believe his trials will go on if he is elected? If he is not elected, frankly, it won't matter any more—he will either finally disappear or make so much of a public nuisance of himself that he can be directly arrested and dealt with. Garland knew there was a compressed time course. We all knew it, but had to watch helplessly as nothing was done for years. When it comes to a situation of supreme national importance, such as a traitorous/quasi-fascist candidate for presidency, outcomes matter. In my book, Garland is an utter failure, if not worse.
Welcome to the American justice system. Victims of some crimes frequently - not once in a while but frequently - have little to no legal effective recourse. Any branch of the system (like law enforcement) can scuttle investigations of its own bad behavior or that of an ally. (Eileen Cannon? SCOTUS) Witnesses who won’t testify or contradict themselves. Interference or intimidation by friends, families, strangers or the ‘influential.’
These are issues in jurisdictions from the top to the bottom. The flip side is how to fix it without destroying the rights of defendants because there are cases where defendants are not guilty & the ‘evidence’ or testimony is false.
No argument from me. I would argue our elected officials must be held to higher standards of behavior and legality not lesser. They are not monarchs. They serve at the will of We the People. We seem to forget this all the time.
I respect every member of the January 6 Committee. They were courageous and conducted themselves with civility and respect during a most uncivil time.
indeed
I don't blame Garland. These cases are highly complex.
Understood, but outcomes matter and there is nothing more serious facing us than trump's many crimes against the nation.
Losing is more serious.
IF trump gets to the election without being prosecuted before a jury for his crimes, we HAVE lost...
Juries are not infallible. The need for speed is balanced by the need to succeed. There is no 2nd chance to bring a case. Lose and he is vindicated and empowered. That is a worst case scenario.
The decision to go after ‘low level’ offenders of Jan 6 first is argued as a good or bad decision. Regardless, the minions got the message. That’s a win. We know because he continues to call for them to show up and protest at his trials & they do not. It doesn’t get splashy headlines and attaboys. In our state we don’t miss the guys with rifles storming our state legislature / capitol; hanging the gov in effigy outside the mansion; showing up at our polling places, etc.
There are too many bungled cases, cases never brought; quashed investigations & whimsical judicial decisions for me to say we lose if DOJ does not follow a timetable outside of the law. DOJ is well aware that their own survival is at stake & that this fact is not admissible in court.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/194213/crime-clearance-rate-by-type-in-the-us/
I wish I had your faith
Jail!! Now how is taking his phone away going to help? He'll just confiscate another one from his flying monkeys.
Then put them in jail too
It's hard to wrap my brain around the fact that so many people, including those in my family, feel that Trump is being persecuted, and that it's all a "witch hunt." The truth is that he has brought this all on himself. He grew up spoiled and privileged with the mindset that he is above the law, and he has gotten away with a lot. Well, no one is above the law. It's about time that he learns that he has to face the music!
When did so many decide to admire the worst bully to come down the pike.
Jeri, I honestly don’t know. I never, ever understood that one.
Fox’s 24/7 propaganda is a good start.
Me too Gerry. People in my family are blind to the evil he is
He does look like a sedated old geezer. I keep wondering if the evil demeanor is in my image of him or if his supporters see what I see.
We all see what you see..except his loyal followers they all have blinders on.
Maybe they like what they see. Maybe that angry scowl is what they came for.. A joyless, humorless celebrity who makes them feel loved and heard as long as he is throwing somebody else under the bus.
No, they see a cheap Jesus
In the picture, he looks like a defeated loser.
Sometimes I wonder if the press works to choose the most unflattering photo of the day. He does look like a loser. We all hope the jury help him lose.
I see wickedness...
Great article of what I will call Day One of Don’s (I’m sure he hates to be called that) first trial and his slide down the ramp to places that resemble middle earth and beyond.
You are right no Hollywood film company would believe it. But I bet some of our better thriller writers could have penned a nice best seller.
As a Manhattanite I had to take a trip down there just to see the scene. Massive reporters and photographers of all ilks and massive security. And note, the security in Manhattan has been extra heavy but I’m sure part of that has to do with the Israel/Palestinian situation and the start of Passover.
Let’s hope Judge Merchan keeps up the gallop pace that he has started with and manages to keep everyone involved safe, secure and sane.
And all this happening on Earth Day….the planet that Don Trump is trying to destroy.
There is no way to see where this will lead or end. Too many possibilities. One slight possibility is that justice will be done. 🤞