After watching Rachel last night...

[macwriter]

...I am getting this sinking feeling that Trump and his crime family are going to get away with everythng. Think about how we will all feel if Mueller comes back and either clears Trump or he makes referrals that are DOA in Congress. Then, this whole year has been nothing but an elaborate circus to keep us hopeful about turning this around. For many of us this has been the only thing keeping us going. That and participating in the resistance with our donations and our actions. Imagine what a gut punch this will be if it's all for naught == worse than election night.

How about some encouragement before I figuratively step off the ledge? Tell me it's going to get better. Anybody?

[samplegirl]

1. I mentioned this earlier today.

Rachael gave me not much hope!

[rainin]

2. Here's my source of hope.

The leaders are deep into this. A handful of Republicans in the house and in the Senate are all in.

At the end of the day, will all the Republican congress betray their country? I don't think so, especially if the country mobilizes and makes our voices heard. We don't have to convince every Republican to do the right thing. We just need to make it uncomfortable for them to remain silent.

[AJT]

6. They will all betray this country. As much as they use patriotism and wave the flag

they have no real love of this country and they despise democracy.

[rainin]

7. Yep, that's true.

When I think they won't all take us over the cliff, it is my source of hope. It's not really even strong enough to be a "belief", it's a very weak "hope", but I cling to it when I need to breathe, or sleep.

It's hard to know how this thing will turn out because it's hard to know who is compromised, who is paid off, and who might still care about constituents. I hope because I need to.

[samplegirl]

16. They will do the same as they did during the WMD

Debacle! They all lied and they all walked.

[elleng]

3. Gotta change the House and the Senate,

that's all folks.

LOTS of hard work.

[uponit7771]

11. +1, overwhelming votes cast is the reason why I think Red Don didn't think he'd win on Nov 8

... and one of the reasons I think they're going to try and get rid of Mueller but will fail there too.

I'm keeping hope somewhere

[pnwmom]

4. Don't let one show discourage you. The November elections are key. And Mueller is not going

to betray us with a sham investigation.

He and several members of his team left multi-million dollar salaries to work on this investigation. Some of them were Democrats. Do you think they made that sacrifice to run an "elaborate circus"?

A man like DT goes against everything Mueller stands for. Mueller is the real thing. DT is the ultimate poseur.

http://beta.latimes.com/nation/la-na-pol-trump-mueller-20170517-story.html

Mueller, who took over the FBI a week before the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, had a relentless style of management that began with 7 a.m. briefings each day. He avoided the spotlight and was credited with transforming the FBI and its mission.

SNIP

During the Vietnam War, he served as a Marine, led a rifle platoon and won a Bronze Star. He became chief of the FBI's criminal division under President George H.W. Bush and served as a federal prosecutor in San Francisco and Boston.

Northern California criminal defense lawyer Cristina Arguedas, who represented defendants in federal court in San Francisco, told the Los Angeles Times in 2001 that Mueller and the FBI were "the perfect marriage of a man to a job."

"He's a law enforcement advocate to his bones," Arguedas said. "He lives it and breathes it."

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/12/how-scared-should-trump-be-of-mueller-ask-john-gotti-or-sammy-the-bull

HOW SCARED SHOULD TRUMP BE OF MUELLER? ASK JOHN GOTTI OR SAMMY “THE BULL”

[OnDoutside]

18. Not much he can do if Mueller is reassigned to washing dishes in the FBI canteen

That's my fear about Mueller, not that he wouldn't do a great job if he remains as SC.

[pnwmom]

20. That particular fear is unlikely since Mueller would just quit.

He has no reason to stay in a meaningless job, when he can make millions in private practice.

[OnDoutside]

26. I was being flippant but if Sessions is replaced by a Trump lackey, that

thug could defund the investigation, order certain areas to be avoided and/or forced Mueller to reassign staff. Death of the investigation by many cuts. That then gives republicans the out that Mueller wasn't fired, so no crisis....move along nothing to see here. No better liars to carry this out.

[pnwmom]

28. I very much doubt that Mueller would put up with a sham investigation,

OR a death by a thousand cuts. He has better things to do.

Five things to know about Mueller:

1) He was willing to let a man with 19 murders off easy in order to get a conviction of the mob kingpin John Gotti.

2) He headed the FBI the first and only time in history when the FBI got a search warrant and raided the office of a Congressman. The Congressman was convicted of bribery.

3) In 2004 Comey called Mueller to join him in John Ashcroft's hospital room, and the two prevented anyone from getting an ailing John Ashcroft to reauthorize a surveillance program that the Justice Department had determined was illegal. Afterwards, Comey told Bush that if the Bush administration reauthorized the program, then Mueller, the FBI director, would resign. (Along with others.)

4) Mueller volunteered for the Marine Corps during Vietnam, and earned a Bronze Star with Valor, two Navy Commendation Medals, the Purple Heart, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry.

5) In the articles I've read about him, the worst other lawyers had to say about him was that he was a "martinet."


The article below may give you a better feeling about how seriously Mueller is taking his responsibility. I don't think we could have a better person in the job.

https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/05/18/james-comey-trump-special-prosecutor-robert-mueller-fbi-215154

During one of his rare public appearances as FBI director, he laid out his position on the tyranny of the law: “We live in dangerous times, but we are not the first generation of Americans to face threats to our security,” he explained. “Like those before us, we will be judged by future generations on how we react to this crisis. And by that I mean not just whether we win the war on terrorism, because I believe we will, but also whether, as we fight that war, we safeguard for our citizens the very liberties for which we are fighting.”

[OnDoutside]

30. That's not the point I'm actually making. You're 100% right in what you say

about Mueller, he is a rock.

My point is that if Sessions is forced to resign, and Trump appoints a compliant weasel who effectively depowers Mueller's investigation, but doesn't fire him, Mueller can stay or go, it doesn't matter. At that point the Republicans will do as they are doing now i.e. lie through their teeth that there's nothing to see here...the president didn't fire him, Mueller found nothing, blah blah blah.

What can Democrats do then ? What is to stop the republicans rigging the November elections ?

That's the fear I have. The democratic institutions are hanging by a thin Mueller thread.....the house and senate have failed to put a check on the White House, and now the DOJ, FBI and with Pompeo at Camp David, the CIA are falling in line. There's not much left.

[pnwmom]

32. And my point is that Mueller wouldn't stay on as a figurehead. He would resign.

And now that he knows all that he does about Trump and Russia, he wouldn't quietly slink away. He would go down fighting.

[OnDoutside]

33. The key phrase you've written is, "He would resign", he wouldn't have been fired. Trump and the Reps

would have used the system to get rid of their greatest adversary. They will spin like hell that Mueller resigned because he found nothing, and anything he might say would be trashed by Fox and RWNJ radio. If Mueller were to use any classified information, HE would be the one going to jail.

Whether Mueller stayed on as a figurehead or resigned, is only by the way, because the Republicans will spin it that Mueller investigated it, he found nothing about Russian interference etc (otherwise he would have brought charges), so we are going to SAVE TAX PAYER MONEY (!!!) and shut it down.

IMO, the only hope at that point is that Western Intel community starts leaking the audio and video they have, and even then .... FAKE NEWS FAKE NEWS FAKE NEWS.

The only thing that can save American Democracy is that there are 11 Republican Senators, if they exist, who would stand up for Democracy. I wouldn't be betting my last shirt on that eventuality. Sorry for being so negative, but there has never been an attack in the institutions of American Democracy like this. On the positive side, IF you can come through these dark days, there is so much that could be rectified (laws/rules/regulations bolstered), that it would be hard to see another such attack in our lifetimes. Things like depending on the decency of people are clearly not worth the paper they're not written on, when you have pyschos like Donnie.

[pnwmom]

34. We shall see. But I continue to believe you are underestimating Bob Mueller. n/t

[OnDoutside]

40. The joy of pessimism is never being disappointed ! I genuinely hope you are right, but we've gone

through a year of bit by bit chipping away at democracy by Trump and his Republican henchmen. Each time we think a corner is turned, it turns out to be another straight highway of corruption. It worries me that so little light has been shone on Congressional Republicans, enough to make them back off Mueller. Instead they push on, and on. On the optimistic presumption that they won't be able to fix the November elections, there's a long 12 months before anyone can breathe somewhat easier. An awful lot can happen in that time.

[Dem2]

5. I've learned over the years to expect nothing

from investigations - there's no way to know what the outcome will be.

Besides, rump has destroyed his own credibility and will hopefully be the reason we win back Congress. Making him a martyr might not be as good as we think once the initial giddiness wore off.

[Phoenix61]

8. I think that was the worst case scenario

I have to believe there are true patriots lurking in the FBI and CIA and Mueller's team. They will do the right thing.

[uponit7771]

10. +1

[SusanaMontana41]

38. Yup.

[uponit7771]

9. First they have to fire Mueller, if they don't they don't get away with crap and the state AG's can

... still prosecute him.

If they do not fire Mueller and Nunez uses classified info to slow investigation then he can be presecuted too

They fire Mueller then we're all screwed

[Control-Z]

12. I could have written this word for word.

I have felt more depressed today than I have since the first few months right after election night.

When Rachel says that the republicans are making headway I believe there is reason for concern.

[global1]

13. After Listening To Rachel Last Night I Had A Sleepless Night....

I've been feeling very demoralized. Just read another post here on DU where Jeffrey Tobin says the Camp David meeting discussed the 2020 election and will put whomever the Dem Candidate will be under an FBI Investigation in order to defeat the Dems. Now I'm even more demoralized.

[Control-Z]

15. They cheat right out in the open anymore.

I sometimes wish we had that dark state or shadow government or whatever it is the republicans go on about. I am so beaten down right now. I want something hopeful to pop up in the news. I look for it daily.

[SusanaMontana41]

39. I am exhausted too. We all are.

But people WILL go to prison.

I think Jared will flip on Trumpf.

[lancelyons]

14. It has to be done with voting and if we can't win in 2018

If we can't take back the house or senate then it will be a long time. We need to win both if we want to impeach him.

Vote

[oasis]

17. GOP may abandon their responsibility, but the MSM will continue

to cover every false move of the Trump cabal.

I await 2018. Dems will gain control of congress with the help of millions of disenchanted independent voters. Trump will be stripped of power. He'll go completely bonkers.

[OnDoutside]

19. Investigative journalism needs to come through on the GOP Republicans. Too much

work is being done on Donnie

[oxbow]

21. Gotta find a place of neutrality in all this.

Nobody knows what the future brings. VA state legislature was lost by 1 vote... if 1 more person had voted dem the state would been 50-50. We don’t know the effects of what we do now, or whether what we look at as a challenge today will turn out to be a gift tomorrow. I see a sea change happening in political awareness in response to this administration. We only need to do our part to bring in people who can hold them accountable...even if it’s just 1 more vote that we bring about, it could still make a difference.

Given all the people Mueller has flipped, I think that the truth will come out. Serious charges also seem likely to me, as it seems like the t-rump family finances are fair game. You know theyve done some shady shit, just by looking at DT’s reaction to the idea in that NYT interview. He has had enough lawyers and money and grit to get away with doing terrible and illegal things in the past, as a private citizen, but this is a whole nother level of jeopardy. The real issue is whether congress and the American people enable him to continue living like he is above the law - as a rich, entitled person. Taking back congress is a good focus, as that will make it more likely that they are all held accountable.

[donkeypoofed]

22. Demoralizing,isn't it?

After watching Rachel's 1st block 2x.last night, I can't seem to shake the ominous gloomy feeling I have. All day I have been trying to find a hopeful sign to hang onto, but so far, nuthin'. Somebody do something!!

[GallopingGhost]

23. I have my dark, defeatist moments

for sure, but I still find it hard to believe that with the team Mueller's got, the work he's doing and the length of this investigation that it will all be for naught.

[pnwmom]

24. I agree. And we also have the intelligence services of Britain, Australia, Europe

that have info on Russia and Trump and don't want Russia to succeed.

[GallopingGhost]

42. Yes.

Much or all of it in Mueller's possession, I'm sure.

[diva77]

25. You can contribute to/join organizations helping to fight the rethug destruction going on

ACLU, Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund, Rainforest Action Network, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Democracy For America, MoveOn.org, etc. Just a few ideas.

[Thekaspervote]

27. Mueller is way too smart to let them all go free

He sharpened his teeth on crime families like dotards. I'm sure from the very beginning he has been making contingency plans if he were to be fired. He knows what they are up to. Just like flynn's plea deal, it clearly states that he may have to face state and local charges if so deemed. If they axe mueller, NY AG Schneiderman will pick up with RICO charges. Especially dotard himself.

Stay strong... we are in this for the long haul

[Mike Nelson]

29. Correct assumption...

...presently, they do get away with everything. The chances that Trump will be removed are close to zero. His cabinet and the Congress are on board. Even if the cabinet removed him, they are the same... Pence? The same or worse. Even if the Democrats take the Senate, conviction needs a super-majority... look at what happened to Lindsay Graham. Trump would be cleared - and, then stronger.

Occupy the voting booths... nobody stays home in 2018. Run for something, round up people. Register people. We have the people. Hillary won the vote. Stronger together is the correct message... don't listen to the media and look for the "lost" coal miner vote in rural PA. We have to turn out a bigger vote than the Republicans in order to win because it's rigged. But we can still do that.

No matter how progressive Obama or the Clintons are, they can't do much if we elect them, then sit home and do nothing. They need help in the off years, or they're going to govern as moderates.

Voting is only one day a year. Being an activist is work... but it's worth the effort and gets easier.

I think there are a lot of new activists out there!

[leftynyc]

31. Alabama was hope

So was Virginia. We've flipped a bunch of Searts and they've flipped none-that tells you they are not growing beyond their deplorable base. We need to stick to a message, that Democratic ideals are just simply better for the vast majority of Americans, that Donnie is not fit to even lead his family much less the country. Let Mueller do his job-he certainly has the kind I'd credentials I have faith in. Also have faith in Eric Schneiderman - this NYer can attest he's a bulldog.

[JustAnotherGen]

35. November 2018

One Tuesday in November this year will determine if the Kremlin Bunch gets away with it.

That's all I've got.

[bearsfootball516]

36. GOTV in November

With the current makeup of Congress, the chances Trump is removed from office is virtually zero. So get out there and vote in November, and then do it again in 2020.

[SusanaMontana41]

37. Mueller will nail Trumpf's ass to the wall.

I can’t see it ending any other way.

Money laundering if nothing else.

[GallopingGhost]

43. This will be the main charge.

And not just Trump.

[macwriter]

41. thanks everyone

I hope I can be there for any of you when this gets to you the way it got to me. I was in a dark place and you showed me there may be a light at the end of the tunnel -- that's not an oncoming train! Yesterday, I made a round of donations to some of the groups and campaigns recommended that support democratic ideals.

I will continue to stay alert and active politically and socially.

Keep hope alive and thanks again. I needed that.

[McCamy Taylor]

44. Oh lookey! The GOP is holding a fund raiser! Even Rachel says that Mueller will fail!

Hurry and give money to the GOP now, all you wealthy rich suckers!

Please post responsibly.