Rick Wilson: Pelosi's Strategy Is Working, and Trump Is One Step Closer to Being F*cked

[babylonsister]

DON’T DESPAIR
Pelosi’s Strategy Is Working, and Trump Is One Step Closer to Being F*cked
Democrats who want impeachment yesterday aren’t paying attention. Between McGahn, the ruling on taxes, and Cohen, the Resistance has had a banner week.
Rick Wilson
05.21.19 4:05 PM ET

snip//

“But damn it, Wilson, why can’t we get on with fucking Trump? Doesn’t he deserve it? Haven’t we waited long enough?”

I feel your pain and frustration, but unless you convict him in the Senate and destroy his political future, you’re not fucking anyone; you’re just enjoying a masturbatory revenge fantasy. Democrats are making an argument on the impact of impeachment hearings based largely on magical political thinking.

This isn’t the Watergate era. Not a single Republican vote beyond Justin Amash can be guaranteed in the House, and the Senate landscape is entirely bleak. Until you can get to two-thirds of the Senate for a conviction, impeachment means nothing.

For all that, the Democrats chomping at the bit to hold Trump to account are having a good week already, whether they know it or not. It’s so good, they’d be fools not to keep doing the things that are starting to work—the exercise of congressional power, the use of the courts to uphold the law, and the momentum building in the public mind for an accounting of Trump’s full-spectrum lawbreaking, contempt, obstruction, and corruption.

The Pelosi-Nadler strategy is starting to shift that political battlefield, and the legal landscape is breaking in their favor. The judicial branch isn’t yet a wholly owned subsidiary of Trump, Inc. Yet. Trump’s own mistakes are helping move the investigation strategy forward and are beginning to ensure that when Congress does start getting testimony and documents from the White House and Department of Justice, Trump will have painted himself into a corner he can’t tweet his way out of.

Even without impeachment proceedings on deck yet, here’s why this week is shaping up well for the Resistance.


more...

https://www.thedailybeast.com/pelosis-strategy-is-working-and-trump-is-one-step-closer-to-being-fcked

[Iliyah]

1. Some Republicans are getting more

uneasy about how embarrassing shithole is and the fact that he may tarnish their goal for total power while continuously ripping the USA's working class off. Seriously, that is their only concern while stacking courts and other positions with crazy RWers.

[Javaman]

12. and next year being an election year from many of these repukes...

things will certainly get interesting.

[DownriverDem]

13. Some folks that lean left

need to relax. Pelosi is a master at what she is doing. Why folks don't know that, is beyond me. Have a little faith folks.

[OliverQ]

28. Where are you seeing that? Because other than Amash,

not a single Republican has called Trump out. They're the ones pushing Trump to start weaponizing the intelligence community.

[watoos]

2. Holding an impeachment inquiry carries more clout

with the courts than a regular hearing has. The best example is that under an impeachment inquiry, Barr will not be able to refuse or delay the release of grand jury information. Anyone who thinks that not having grand information won't make a difference isn't paying attention.

If we are waiting for 20 Republican Senators to commit to impeaching Trump then we need to be honest with the American people, impeachment is off the table.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

7. Exactly. By opening it up to every time dick or harry

Weighing in on impeachment and dragging this out makes us look so indecisive. His actions from the report are hardly even mentioned now. What it is all about to begin with.

[DownriverDem]

14. No one is waiting

for 20 Senators. Where did you get that? Relax. Pelosi's got this.

[redstateblues]

29. So what if he refuses to appear like he does now?

Nothing changes

[PJMcK]

3. We live in strange times

Thanks for posting the link, babylonsister. Rick Wilson makes an excellent real-politik argument that the trends are against Trump and that things are actually moving in the right direction for Democrats to bring Trump o heel.

On the other hand, it's really weird when I, a life-long liberal Democrat, find insight from a life-long Republican and political opponent. Rick Wilson has never been a friend of Democrats and yet we find ourselves in an alliance against Trump.

Strange times.

[NewJeffCT]

6. Wilson sincerely hates Trump

He was one of the original never Trumpers, but I think i remember reading how after he came out against Trump, his teen daughter was stalked & threatened by a Deplorable.

[bronxiteforever]

4. Kick and recommend. His taxes must really be something bad.

He has decided to die on that hill since his 2016 campaign. Wilson calls the taxes his “kryptonite” and I agree. It’s black letter law that he has to turn the returns over. There is no wiggle room and even the Treasury’s attorneys filed an internal memo agreeing with that point.

The taxes must hold incredible bad stuff. Clinton tried to force the subject but “her emails.”
Justice was delayed but it will not be denied.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

8. Yes...but no one will care after a day of coverage?

Once they come out. Unless he owes a lot of $$ to Russia but they probably wouldn't even show that, would they? Hell Dems don't even summarize his past behavior when they get a chance on air. Wish we would stick with what Mueller itemized on obstruction and repeat every single day.

[watoos]

10. I understand and agree with what you are saying.

The M$M is not our friend, even msnbc. The M$M is complicit with the far right in controlling the narratives. There are good reporters on all of the networks but only a couple stray from the narratives. I only watch Nicolle and Rachel.

I bring this up because it directly relates to your point. We don't have many Democrats who have the ability to change the right wing narrative. AOC is one who has that ability, that is why the right and some on the left have attacked her. Al Franken could change the narrative, that's why they got rid of him.

Speaker Pelosi has the ability. She should be calling more press conferences because when she does they will come and cover her. Democrats need to do what Republicans are good at doing, stick to talking points, stick to code words and phrases. People relate to sound bites over long diatribes.

Trump appears to be scared shitless once again, he was sniffling again in the Rose Garden. Now is the time for Democrats to keep the pressure on Trump, he is not a strong person, put the boot to him. Keep the pressure on Barr and Mnuchin and the rest of his cronies.

If you hear the word "overreaching" that is Republican code word, it means that Democrats are getting closer to exposing the Trump criminal enterprise.

[DeminPennswoods]

18. Dems have been very good at sticking to their talking points

since they assumed power in Jan.

[roscoeroscoe]

19. Keep the faith!

The only way to do it is the right way. Obstruction of justice becomes more clear with every effort to deny and delay.

[bronxiteforever]

21. Let's see how far Mnuchin will go.

There is clear law on this. I will take Mnuchin being jammed up for an appetizer. Harriet Tubman gets her revenge beyond the grave too.
The facts are Trump has fought this issue more than any other. He is acting like the taxes are evidence of a crime. If the rule of law means anything, Congress gets to see them.

[JHB]

22. This is what the lack of a genuine liberal media/messaging apparatus costs us

The right-wing noise machine (talk radio, conservative websites, newsletters, pundits, FOX, Sinclair, many religious broadcasters, etc.) can be counted on to keep thumping the drum and repeating the talking points (even when those are BS), often pushing the news cycle rather than following it.

The MSM respond to conservative criticism by never saying anything negative about conservatives without reaching for a "both sides" that blames Democrats too.

There's nothing comparable on our side that will keep up a sustained argument and put the reminders in front of people every day.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

25. Here's a thought

..Dem leaders meet each morning and come up with a clear and cogent message that everyone repeats all day to any news outlet out there. It's a start.

[oasis]

5. "If it's what you say, I love it"

[MrModerate]

9. One thing older politicians are generally good at . . .

Is patience.

[NurseJackie]

11. I trust Nancy Pelosi's judgement on this. She knows what she's doing.

[pazzyanne]

16. As do I!

Nancy knows how to play for the endgame. Republicans have been doing the endgame scenario for years. It is now time for Democrats to do the same, and Nancy is the right leader at the right time!

[avebury]

15. I was one of those who had reached the point of the Demos starting the impeachment process, but

I have backed off of that thought.

As long as the Democrats make progress in the Courts, continue to pass bills in the House, continue their hearings they will drive Trump totally nuts.

The Democrats need to using two narratives:
1. We are doing the work of the people and it is Trump and McConnell who aren't doing their job; and
2. We are capable of multi-tasking and we will continue to investigate the President.


Democrats have to be busy little bees drafting and submitting as many bills to the House as they can that benefit the masses and then let the Senate and Trump torpedo everything. Message - we are working for the people, what aren't the Republicans and Trump?

Democrats need to keep chipping away at Trump, his crime family, and Rethug enablers to for proof of their miseeds and they need to make their findings very public.

In other words, the Democrats need to make life totally hell for Trump and the Rethugs. Trump has to be pushed into overwhelming demonstrating his unfitness for office to a degree that everyone (but the bat shit crazy Trumpistas) will support the Democrats against him. He needs to be tied so tightly to the Republican Party that he drags them right down the drain with him. Only when you get overwhelming support of the people to throw him out would it be possible that impeachment might work.

[DeminPennswoods]

17. No Dem knows the world of Republicans as

well as Rick Wilson. He has credibility here and we Dems would do well to listen to what he has to say.

[JHB]

23. Some of it.

Let's not forget Rick spent his career whipping up bile at Democrats in order to get conservative Republicans elected, the fruit of his labors being a Republican base that loves Trump. And he's not doing much to try to undo that damage.

There are some tactical points and nuances that are worth listening to, an he's usually good for anti-Trump zingers, but there are limits to paying attention to a conservative activist telling us how to run our party. Especially when he's not so mouthy about how he intends to fix his own party.

[DeminPennswoods]

24. Wilson knows Republicans and conservatives and how

they think and act. I'd listen to him before the liberal talking heads who are all hot for impeachment.

[emmaverybo]

27. Only we can lose this--election and the struggle for the soul of this nation. Patience is a

virtue. As one interpretation of the iChing says, the truth goes a long way underground, and then it emerges.
Impatience, frustration, aggression never gets us so far as cunning.
Pelosi is cunning.

[yaesu]

20. I like her strategy so far, and she is not only fighting a corrupt administration, she also is

fighting an unfriendly MSM who will not hold tRump accountable while disregarding the good coming from our party.

[emmaverybo]

26. Thanks for posting this sane analysis. Yes,we are forging ahead and winning. nt