Has U.S. Democracy Been Trumped?

[Winstonm]

Just returned last night from a trip to Tuscany to find little has changed in the world of Dennison: Paul Manafort has flipped and nominee Kavanaugh has been accused of being a rapist. It's good to see stable leadership at the top.

 

I was quite disappointed to find the Trastevere area in Rome has significantly declined over the past 4 years, with graffiti everywhere and panhandlers galore - it had turned quite seedy and no longer seemed the inviting and ingratiating place it was when last I visited. I don't know if this change is related to the populist movement spreading throughout Europe, but it made me recall the tour guide we had in 2014 who claimed many younger Italians were turning towards the lure of fascism due to extremely high unemployment within that younger group.

 

I certainly underestimated the numbers of Americans who would set aside common sense and logic in order to vote for a demagogue and con-man. The issue, though, is all about division. We have separated ourselves into two camps. Without finding again the common bond that helps us all feel prosperous and part of something larger than ourselves, we are in serious trouble.

 

It is not about making America great again but of making everyone's life good again.

[Al_U_Card]

I was quite disappointed to find the Trastevere area in Rome has significantly declined over the past 4 years, with graffiti everywhere and panhandlers galore - it had turned quite seedy and no longer seemed the inviting and ingratiating place it was when last I visited. I don't know if this change is related to the populist movement spreading throughout Europe, but it made me recall the tour guide we had in 2014 who claimed many younger Italians were turning towards the lure of fascism due to extremely high unemployment within that younger group.

 

I certainly underestimated the numbers of Americans who would set aside common sense and logic in order to vote for a demagogue and con-man. The issue, though, is all about division. We have separated ourselves into two camps. Without finding again the common bond that helps us all feel prosperous and part of something larger than ourselves, we are in serious trouble.

 

It is not about making America great again but of making everyone's life good again.

I spent 10 days in Rome last April. VERY expensive, very beautiful (Villa Ada was exquisite) and FULL of "undocumented" refugees camped out at every retail store and sidewalk, cup-in-hand, looking for handouts. Canada has taken in a lot of Syrian refugees but it was well done. They were "integratable" but the mostly black Roman refugees appear to be well-dressed but without hope of gainful (legal) employ. An eventual powder keg, I would expect.

[hrothgar]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna915566

 

How did Kavanaugh know in July that Ramirez was going to invent a false narrative in September?

[johnu]

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna915566

 

How did Kavanaugh know in July that Ramirez was going to invent a false narrative in September?

 

Maybe he had a vision when he was blacked out from drinking???

[cherdano]

Now just imagine it came out that Kavanaugh used a private email account for official business during his time in the GWB administration. Republicans would eviscerate him for it!! Right?

[Winstonm]

A suggestion I have read about the answer to why Kavanaugh? is SCOTUS docket: 17-646 Gamble v US. This is a case that challenges a 150-year-old exception to double jeopardy that allows prosecution by both state and federal governments as "separate sovereigns".

 

Any ideas about it?

[Flem72]

I just want to talk to the person who drove Dr. Ford home -- a 20 minute drive -- from the party. Can't be identified? Won't come forward? One of the FACTS that buttressed Juanita Broderick's allegations against Bill Clinton was that several people encountered her immediately after the event and were able to speak about her disheveled condition and distraught emotional state.

What happened to the two guys who contacted the WaPo saying they were the two who jumped Dr. Ford? Hoax?

As usual, we cannot have the discussion we should be having: Should teen age mistakes in the context of an exemplary legal and personal life -- one might say redemption in action -- bar someone from SCOTUS?

[Winstonm]

Should teen age mistakes in the context of an exemplary legal and personal life -- one might say redemption in action -- bar someone from SCOTUS?

 

No, but lying to Congress and evidence of an inability to control anger along with overt partisan bias should be enough, don't you think?

[barmar]

No, but lying to Congress and evidence of an inability to control anger along with overt partisan bias should be enough, don't you think?

Exactly. Kavanaugh's reaction to the allegations and the process surrounding it have shown his true colors. The bar for getting on the Supreme Court should be far higher than "not a sexual predator", it should be more like "has impeccable character and is able to judge things dispassionately and without personal bias".

 

Is that what we saw when he was shouting at Democratic Senators on Thursday?

[hrothgar]

 

As usual, we cannot have the discussion we should be having: Should teen age mistakes in the context of an exemplary legal and personal life -- one might say redemption in action -- bar someone from SCOTUS?

 

I prefer a much simpler discussion:

 

How many lies did Kavanugh tell during sworn testimony before the Senate on Thursday?

 

Plenty of time to discuss his teenage mistakes during his impeachment hearings.

[Flem72]

Exactly. Kavanaugh's reaction to the allegations and the process surrounding it have shown his true colors. The bar for getting on the Supreme Court should be far higher than "not a sexual predator", it should be more like "has impeccable character and is able to judge things dispassionately and without personal bias".

 

Is that what we saw when he was shouting at Democratic Senators on Thursday?

 

@Winstonn: I await the evidence supporting your allegations.

@barmar: Ditto, and I would've said that any person who cares about the role of English common law and the Constitution in the construction of our political discourse/process, who would not become angry at the blatant political hatchet job directed at him/her and his/her family and at destruction of his/her entire adult life-- which, one might note, has harmed Dr. Ford as well -- has not a shred of the kind of human understanding and fiber that one expects from a judge. Even an appellate judge, whose decisions are 98% relatively rarefied and far removed from the spit, crap and evil of a criminal trial court.

"Sexual predator" seems a stretch. Ask a survivor of criminal rape whether his/her assailant displayed any emotional behavior other than cold, power-driven intent.

 

[barmar]

@Winstonn: I await the evidence supporting your allegations.

Examples were given earlier when I asked about claims that he'd perjured himself.

 

Not to mention when he claimed during his hearing last week that various sexual references are actually drinking games. No wonder Trump likes him, they're both "pants on fire" liars.

[hrothgar]

@Winstonn: I await the evidence supporting your allegations.

 

Here's a pretty damn obvious example...

 

The following are direct quotes from the Kavanaugh hearing

 

ORRIN HATCH: When did you first hear of [Deborah] Ramirez’s allegations against you?

 

KAVANAUGH: In the last — in the period since then, the New Yorker story.

 

Here's the rub. We now know that:

 

In a series of texts before the publication of the New Yorker story, Yarasavage wrote that she had been in contact with “Brett's guy,” and also with “Brett,” who wanted her to go on the record to refute Ramirez. According to Berchem, Yarasavage also told her friend that she turned over a copy of the wedding party photo to Kavanaugh, writing in a text: “I had to send it to Brett’s team too.”

 

Bob Bauer, former White House counsel for President Barack Obama, said: "It would be surprising, and it would certainly be highly imprudent, if at any point Judge Kavanaugh directly contacted an individual believed to have information about allegations like this. A nominee would normally have been counseled to leave to his legal and nominations team the job of following up on any questions arising from press reports or otherwise, and doing so appropriately."

 

Further, the texts show Kavanaugh may need to be questioned about how far back he anticipated that Ramirez would air allegations against him. Berchem says in her memo that Kavanaugh “and/or” his friends “may have initiated an anticipatory narrative” as early as July to “conceal or discredit” Ramirez.

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/mutual-friend-ramirez-kavanaugh-anxious-come-forward-evidence-n915566

 

And, of course, the really big question is

 

"How did Kavanaugh know way back in July that Ramirez - someone Kavanaugh claims that he didn't know - was going to make up stories and release them in September?"

 

Eagerly awaiting your latest rationalization...

[ggwhiz]

"How did Kavanaugh know way back in July that Ramirez - someone Kavanaugh claims that he didn't know - was going to make up stories and release them in September

 

I'm not sure there is anything to this. Any number of reporters could have spilled these beans by nosing around one of his supporters.

[hrothgar]

I'm not sure there is anything to this. Any number of reporters could have spilled these beans by nosing around one of his supporters.

 

No doubt!

 

I have no problem believing that Kavaugh and his team knew way back in July that Rameriz might come forward with accusations.

 

The circle that I can not square is Kavanaugh's claim that he had no knowledge of Rameriz before the publication of the New Yorker article and an active counter measures campaign two months earlier.

[Winstonm]

No doubt!

 

I have no problem believing that Kavaugh and his team knew way back in July that Rameriz might come forward with accusations.

 

The circle that I can not square is Kavanaugh's claim that he had no knowledge of Rameriz before the publication of the New Yorker article and an active counter measures campaign two months earlier.

 

The only possibility I can think of is if the New Yorker approached Kavanaugh 2 or 3 months prior to publication seeking his comments on what they planned to print; however, I would think Kavanaugh would have said something to that effect had it occurred.

 

The question in my mind is why this guy? He has been shown to have an questionable record with the truth, about participating in the use of stolen Democratic computer records, and now accused of sexual assault and drunkenness while he responds like an angry frat boy trying to prove himself to his peers.

 

There must be 100 suitable judges with similar ideological conservative bent to nominate, none of whom would bring this kind of baggage.

 

So why Kavanaugh? Why aren't the Republicans quietly urging him to withdraw him nomination?

[hrothgar]

Interesting new piece in the Times

 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/10/02/us/politics/donald-trump-tax-schemes-fred-trump.html

 

TLDR:

 

1. Trump fraudulently dodged taxes on hundreds of millions of inheritance taxes

2. No chance of criminal penalties

3. Still vulnerable to civil penalties

[johnu]

Here's a pretty damn obvious example...

 

The following are direct quotes from the Kavanaugh hearing

 

 

 

Here's the rub. We now know that:

 

 

 

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/mutual-friend-ramirez-kavanaugh-anxious-come-forward-evidence-n915566

 

And, of course, the really big question is

 

"How did Kavanaugh know way back in July that Ramirez - someone Kavanaugh claims that he didn't know - was going to make up stories and release them in September?"

 

Eagerly awaiting your latest rationalization...

 

I want to defend Bart O. He started lying early and often when he was investigated before he was appointed to the appeals court. He continued lying during the Supreme Court hearings. I submit that it is completely unreasonable to blame Bart for failing to keep all the lies straight when there are so many of them to juggle.

[hrothgar]

@Winstonn: I await the evidence supporting your allegations.

 

 

Yo, Flem...

 

Still waiting a response to my earlier post about Ramirez...

 

If you prefer, here's another one:

 

Kavanaugh was directly asked whether his friends referred to him as Bart.

Kavanaugh replied "You'd have to ask him"

 

We now have copies of a letter that Kavanaugh wrote to his buddies.

He signed it "Bart"

[Winstonm]

@Winstonn: I await the evidence supporting your allegations.

 

 

Here is what I wrote:

No, but lying to Congress and evidence of an inability to control anger along with overt partisan bias should be enough, don't you think?

 

For the first, there is no absolute proof, but perjury is difficult to prove and prosecute because it is so difficult to prove. For the last two, all you need is a VCR.

 

Or, if you don't have a VCR, you have this:

 

WASHINGTON ― Two former law school classmates of Brett Kavanaugh’s who previously vouched for him wrote to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday to say they are withdrawing their support for him because of “the nature” of his recent testimony.

 

“Under the current circumstances, we fear that partisanship has injected itself into Judge Kavanaugh’s candidacy,” Michael J. Proctor and Mark Osler say in a letter to Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the committee’s chairman and ranking member, respectively. “That, and the lack of judicial temperament displayed on September 27 hearing, cause us to withdraw our support.”

[PassedOut]

Yo, Flem...

 

Still waiting a response to my earlier post about Ramirez...

 

If you prefer, here's another one:

 

Kavanaugh was directly asked whether his friends referred to him as Bart.

Kavanaugh replied "You'd have to ask him"

 

We now have copies of a letter that Kavanaugh wrote to his buddies.

He signed it "Bart"

 

Kavanaugh’s 1983 Letter Offers Inside Look at High School Clique

 

“I think we are unanimous that any girls we can beg to stay there are welcomed with open....,” he wrote, his ellipsis at the end leaving certain things unsaid. He noted that the boys should kick out anyone who didn’t belong: “The danger of eviction is great and that would suck because of the money and because this week has big potential. (Interpret as wish.)”

 

Judge Kavanaugh signed the letter: “FFFFF, Bart.”

What a guy...

[Winstonm]

Kavanaugh’s 1983 Letter Offers Inside Look at High School Clique

 

 

What a guy...

 

You know, I really don't care so much what a college guy did during drunken frat weekends - what I do mind is that he hasn't changed - we don't need a smart-ass drunken frat boy SC justice.

[Flem72]

Eagerly awaiting your latest rationalization...

 

Keep checking the updates on the story.

 

 

[hrothgar]

Keep checking the updates on the story.

 

need to be more specific. i've seeing plenty of attempts at slut shaming, but nothing that addresses the core of her claims.

 

Oh wait, I take that back, there's another corroborating witness backing the claims

 

[Flem72]

@PassedOut: "What a guy."@Winstonn: You know, I really don't care so much what a college guy did during drunken frat weekends - what I do mind is that he hasn't changed - we don't need a smart-ass drunken frat boy SC justice.

You both seem very certain of the conclusion that K is the same person now that he was in high school. Is it fair to conclude that you folks are the same persons now that you were in high school?

 

I would rather have had Barrett, Eid or Thapar in any case: K was a priori too much of a Yalie for me from the get-go. I think K was a serious twit, an immature prep school and Yalie jerk. He's also a top rank jurist, and there is nothing in any of this about his adult life--30-35 years after the "fact."