In retrospect, yes, I obviously should have included links to threads. Not sure what I was thinking, other than it was late and I was tired. In any case, I didn't and I'm not going to look again. We can agree to disagree or whatever.
Kurieuo wrote: ↑Sun Sep 29, 2019 12:46 amI see you're not really denying that all this stuff to do with Trump is just hysterics?
Again, I'm not sure why I wouldn't be denying that. Late and tired again, I guess.
Anyway, yeah, I absolutely, categorically, 100% reject the notion that the response to the whistleblower's complaint is even remotely hysterical.
As I told Abe, I don't get my information from editorials written by partisan pundits or from YouTube videos produced by conspiracy-peddling cranks. I think that there's something to the whistleblower's report because I read the report and looked at the evidence that it contained, read the IG's letter saying it was credible, read the partial transcript that the Trump Administration released (and saw what looked like a shakedown), read up on the widely debunked Biden story that Rudy's been trying to sell and the laughably absurd conspiracy theory that Ukraine hacked the DNC and still has their servers stashed somewhere, took note of the fact that the Administration didn't release the actual transcript of the call as the law requires them to do, read the Acting Director of National Intelligence's testimony that the whistleblower behaved impeccably and did the right thing, and then decided, all on my own, that there just might be something to this. Since then I've read about Rudy's prior actions in Ukraine, about the state of Ukrainian internal politics prior to these events, and about the firing of the US Ambassador to Ukraine, and now I think it looks even worse for Trump.
This story is absolutely legitimate and it's absolutely a really big deal. The House Dems' decision to open an impeachment inquiry is a logical, measured response to the information that we've been given. All of the people crying about how the facts aren't out yet are trying to distract us from reality. The inquiry isn't impeachment proceedings, its an investigation into whether or not impeachment is appropriate. Of course the facts aren't all out yet. That's why the Dems are opening an investigation - to get all of the facts out before making a decision on how to proceed. When you see a towering column of smoke it's sensible to look for a fire. That's not hysteria, it's diligence. It would be irresponsible not to look.
At this point it's possible that Trump will be impeached, but it's not guaranteed. It's completely possible that the Dems are just looking to make sure that Trump can't sweep this scandal under the rug before everybody gets a good, long look at all the corrupt, illegal, anti-American details. It's also possible that this is just a pump fake to see if Trump panics and makes his own position worse. It could be that the Dems will make the political calculation that either the President is so obviously guilty that the Senate GOP will have to convict, or that the President is so obviously guilty that when the Senate GOP chooses Party over Country it will cost them the next few elections. In that instance, and only that instance, will they open impeachment proceedings.
So yeah, it's blindingly obvious that an investigation is appropriate, it's equally obvious that the Administration doesn't want an investigation, and the Dems' decision to move forward is the obvious, responsible thing to do. They're constitutionally charged with oversight of the Executive Branch, for Christ's sake. You really don't have a leg to stand on here.
If you disagree here's a simple thought experiment:
Read all of the relevant information, but replace the name "Trump" with "Obama." Then come back and tell me if an impeachment investigation seems "hysterical."
