russia interference, trump, collusion, etc

[Saz]

[exploited]

I tend to agree with Saz here. If Trump faces any sort of criminal proceedings (extremely unlikely), it will not be for "collusion," or treason, or anything else of the sort. It will be for money laundering or lying under oath or something along those lines.

It is very difficult to prove quid quo pro, especially when the President has a vested and authoritative interest in controlling foreign policy. And as far as I know, there is still no law requiring a President to give up interest or control over their private business prior to taking office, or showing their income tax statements, or proving that they are able to avoid financial conflicts of interest - which I think should be one of the primary legislative take-a-ways from this whole thing. While you're at it, Congressmen ought to have the same expectations, or at least be required to not vote on matters they will personally benefit from. No need for them to be making money on the side - the pay and pension is more than adequate for any patriot.

That said, the partisan origins and political nature of this investigation are irrelevant, as I now see it. This show will go on, and Trump has made himself brutally susceptible.

[Kane]

[Kane]

[exploited]

[Kane]

Stop being practical and rage.

[Philly]

Kane, I’m less interested in what Trump is or isn’t guilty of and more interested in what impact people think Russia’s shitty little Facebook brigading actually had on our election. I am concerned because it has been so absurdly blown out of proportion to the extent where people are casually blaming Russia for any outcome they don’t like. It’s not a crusade to preserve American democracy at this point. It’s just excusing America and it’s horrible system from any responsibility or ownership of the shitty outcomes it produces. It also shelters all the shitty technocratic centrists who you drool over from having to genuinely address criticisms of them and their shittiness, since critics are just bringing up divisive issues, and the Russians want to create divisions, so any critic must be an agent of Russia.

The good news is that most Americans really don’t give a shit about this nonsense and aren’t convinced by the scapegoating. The bad news is that Democratic Party elites are getting through to enough of the base that the Dems are at risk for actually centering their identity around all this horseshit and screwing up even more.

[Kane]

I think I’m just gonna chill. Watching The Looming Tower on Hulu now.

Anybody see Ben Carson’s $31k dining set?

[exploited]

You're such a queen.

[Kane]

You too baby. You too.