Today's Hearing

[H2O Man]

While watching today's House of Representatives' impeachment hearings, I am reminded of one of Minister Malcolm X's most important teachings. Malcolm taught that if you place a clean glass of crystal clear water next to a filthy glass of sludge, you can trust a thirsty person to make the right choice. It is apparent that the Democrats have that sparkling glass of water next to the republicans' sludge.

A friend on this forum noted that some people will view the hearings through the filter of Fox News. That is true. The Fox filter will add more toxins to the sludge these people consume. However, by definition, they are not the thirsty people who will be thinking about the hearings.

Rather, they are but one of the three groups who will be paying attention to the hearings. Fox News viewers are a minority within the republican party. Later for them. Much later. Another of the three groups that support the impeachment and removal of Trump are a larger group. The hearings can only reinforce their views.

It's the third group – those who are undecided, or have no firm opinion – who make up the thirsty people that Malcolm spoke of. By watching coverage of the hearings, they will learn that the Trump administration's “shadow” operation in Ukraine was more corrupt than the public knew yesterday. Thus, I am confident that they will support impeaching Trump.

[spanone]

1. K&R...👍🏼

Thank You

[H2O Man]

2. Thank you!

Last edited Wed Nov 13, 2019, 02:43 PM - Edit history (1)

While I enjoy the hearing on one hand, I find it so disturbing on the other.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

6. your statement contains its own proof of itself -- "distrurbing"

[H2O Man]

7. Yikes!

Spelling corrected to the best of my inability!

[Hermit-The-Prog]

8. I reserve the right to revise and extend my mistakes

[H2O Man]

12. I have a huge

collection of mistakes. No human being could possibly hope to correct them all!

[coeur_de_lion]

32. Well we spoke privately earlier so you know

that I wanted to jump through the screen and choke Ratcliffe, Gym Jordan and Nunes.

I am sick to death of all the screaming and absurd obfuscation. It pisses me off that some people will watch that and believe it. Okay so they are already numb/dumb from watching too much Faux News but it still bothers me.

When I'm finished choking Gym Ratcliffe and Nunes to death I want to march straight into the oval and bash the Mango Mussolini about the head and make him tell the truth on national television.

I hate the bald faced lies every day H.

But I am grateful for calm analysis like your OPs and of course also grateful that you listen to me ranting and raving and you still tolerate me.

I can't watch the hearings without having a stroke but I hope you'll continue your analysis. Thank you!

[H2O Man]

35. The republicans are

terrible failures in terms of human beings. Very few of them actually believe the Trump & Rudy show. But they will sink to any depth, and tell any lie.

What is great, though, is that the Democrats are doing an outstanding job. Today was a historic day, and as Corey just noted, this is the third set of impeachment-related hearings I've seen. Two were about serious offenses, one was bullshit, and there were two other investigations that should have resulted in at very least a VP being impeached: Bush in Iran-Contra, and Cheney in the Plame Scandal. So when the system is working -- which simply means following the Constitution -- it's a good thing.

I've already had two new essays in mind. And I'm loving lots of OP/threads here!

[guillaumeb]

3. Recommended, and very well said.

The Trump base cannot be reached by facts that do not support what they need to believe.

And after watching the hearings thus far, it is obvious that a neutral observer can only conclude that Trump indeed was extorting Ukraine with the promised aid as the bribe that would only be paid after the Biden investigation was announced.

[H2O Man]

9. Thanks!

At one point, I yelled at the tv while a republican was spouting shit. My dog, laying near me, lifted his head and started barking. Dogs are good judges of character. I trust most people will see the good character of these two witnesses, and the pathetic nature of the republican apologists.

[yonder]

19. Let me guess, it was John Ratcliffe.

He got to me a couple of times, more so than Gym.

[H2O Man]

23. How does he

ever get elected? Re-elected?

[yonder]

25. Dunno. The answer to that could empower the world.

[H2O Man]

39. Re-watching the hearing

has not helped me determine how he could win an election. What a pathetic excuse for a human being.

[Docreed2003]

4. K&R!

[H2O Man]

10. Thank you!

[Docreed2003]

13. I'd give even more recs if I could!

I always look forward to your thought provoking and sage posts.

[H2O Man]

22. Well, thank you very much!

That's very nice of you. I appreciate it!

[malaise]

5. Yes indeed

Well said

[H2O Man]

11. Thanks, Buddy!

Wouldn't you love to have Malcolm debate Trump?

[ChubbyStar]

14. Brother Malcolm would have the fucker crying in less than 5 minutes

The orange blob would melt.

[H2O Man]

15. True!

[lunatica]

17. OMG! I would LOVE to see that!

[H2O Man]

41. I think of that

frequentlt. I'd wager that at least three of my four kids would say they tire of my saying it. They, too, would love to see it though.

[lunatica]

16. You can mix filthy clothes with barely soiled clothes in the machine

But in the end it all comes out in the wash. The last rinse is clear.

[H2O Man]

18. Very good!

I'd like to dedicate this song to the republicans:

[lunatica]

21. Yup. All that noise and not a lick of substance

Just a flash flame that disappears in mid air.

[CatWoman]

20. Fuck Fox

[H2O Man]

24. Yep.

They'll be holding a "going out of business" sale in another 12 months.

[blm]

26. 🙏🏽 Waterman 🙏🏽

[H2O Man]

27. Thank you!

[Me.]

28. KR

[H2O Man]

31. Thank you!

I'm planning to re-watch today's hearing in a bit. Wasn't it fantastic?

[Me.]

38. It Was

They didn't let us down, despite all the pundit hand wringing

[H2O Man]

40. It was at least

as good as anything I've ever seen. Probably better.

[Me.]

42. Once Again, You Are 100% Correct

[Hekate]

29. KnR. I was saying to my husband a few nights ago that all those "broken norms" people blather about

...are really part of the Social Contract, which is not written down. It's based on trust and common agreement. I've known for quite awhile that the GOP has little use for the Social Contract -- or they read it substantially differently than the rest of us -- but Trump has smashed right through it.

I am watching this belatedly, with mynfinger on the fast-forward button.

[H2O Man]

33. Thank you!

Trump has spread the germs of hatred. His base was fertile ground to plant that hatred. I wish that a group of republican governots could lobby with their states' Senators, and say, "Do the right thing."

That would mean the rage isn't as strong outside DC. And that's questionable. I've noticed an increase among guys I went to school -- people who support Trump -- speaking about Democrats being "The Enemy," and posting all types of nonsense on the internet.

I suggest that they and the sane old friends (Democrats, all) drop the party identification, and talk shop as Americans concerned with the Constitution. And even discuss the Federalist Papers, especially # 65 and 66. And, for that matter, I have a huge book of Supreme Court decisions are their most important decisions on cases involving the Bill of Rights. Let's sit down as old friends and talk about things.

[ariadne0614]

30. Thank you for invoking the incandescent mind of Malcolm X.

In 1965, I was a junior in a lily white suburban Milwaukee high school. My English teacher assigned The Autobiography of Malcolm X to our class. It was a revelation for most of us, and to this day I credit the ignition of my critical thinking skills and political awakening to reading that book, and engaging in the classroom discussion that followed. Tragically, our brilliant teacher was taken down by outraged parents.

[H2O Man]

34. Wow!

a high school teacher recommended it to me. I knew who Malcolm was, because of his friendship with Cassius Clay/ Muhammad Ali. And I suspect the magazine my brother gave me with his obituary is still in the attic of my parents' house.(For some reason, I didn't keep it with my May 31, 1963 edition of Life, with it's interesting article "The Black Muslims.&quot

After his death, I was able to get LPs of his speeches, and more books about him. And became close friends with an old friend of Malcolm's. I have great respect for him. And, as I said elsewhere, I truly wish that it was possible to have Malcolm debate Trump.

[coeur_de_lion]

36. By far the best part of the hearing was this gem

I missed it live but just spotted it on twitter.

[H2O Man]

37. Definitely!

That is one for the history books!