This is very bad news for the Republicans.

And ... she was quite informative...

Trump has lost the farmers in this very red area

They are furious and are done with him ..

One very (now former) Republican has denounced them on FB and has declared no one should support the GOP in any way ... posts frequently about all of the hypocrisy... from the evangelists to the farmers ... to every single issue ...

This should get interesting

Just south of the Iowa border

They voted 80% for trump in 2016

I was the owner/editor of our local newspaper for 10 years ...

Lately, the number of those who come up to me and tell me how much they miss me has increased by 3x ...

At this point, I think my absence has actually been a plus, as they no longer have to argue their silliness...

It is more ... subtle ... they want me to know they are understanding what I tried to tell them.

(Edited to fix auto incorrect)

That your efforts or even the lack of them is getting through to them and they now can better see reality. Like, hmmm, maybe he/she was right all along.

Often, it's one person at a time and you never know when your efforts might take effect, even years later.

Although, in this case, my silence seems louder than my words ...

For that, I am grateful...

They no longer feel the need to fight with me, they are now fighting with themselves

A good many of them anyway, their sense of entitlement threatened, they're always being so put upon by those mean ........< fill in the blank there.

probably accidentally typed loval.

My IPad Spell check can kill my posts!

Very few typos get past me, and it was increasing my proofreading time a hundredfold by creating errors where none had been.

When I saw "oval paper" I knew.

To some of the nics n the board.

😂

Cannot count the times I was addressed as “Sir” in letters to the editor...

Am thinking that even though my name featured prominently in the paper, folks just have a hard time thinking a woman is running the show

A coworker who was a trumper and a vet told me that he was upset with trump and Ukraine. He nearly floored me when he said that. South central Missouri

I have people on both sides of the Missouri River.

Worth county is right on the Iowa/Missouri border

My former county in NC went 78% for IQ45. 2nd highest in the state. I feel your pain.

we still have a bunch of stupid ones in West St. Louis County.

Nearly 3 years in, and the farmers are waking up to the realization that Trump is not their friend.

with help from their russian and other oligarchs (US-made also.)

I fear that the red states will wash their hands of trump and go back to supporting that party of crooks, again.

Of course they will go right back to supporting and voting for the Republican Party, despite the factual proof in front of their very own eyes showing that it in reality was the entire Republican Party and Administration that was screwing them to the wall, not just Trump

On election night after Trump was declared winner, I was watching the talking heads/pundits.

James Carville? (Democrat) was laughing his hideous laugh. The Republican talking heads were asking him what he was laughing about......Trump won..... He smiled and said: Boy, are those Trump voters gonna learn the hard way that their votes have consequences............

So do I pity that all the farmers, ranchers, blue collar workers are all getting screwed? A little bit, but not so much........

will see and hear for themselves. Impeachment inquires do not happen very often.

Not sure if this a good or bad scenario for republicans as people will take from it usually based on their own filters

of the hearing on public radio) and was surprised at how empty the parking lot was. What else could it be? Nice day and the lot is usually pretty full.

So I walked over to the coffee and cookie area where there was a smaller TV tuned to NBC and asked that they turn up the volume. A service rep came over and seriously pumped it up. Brought a few people over, and we were all critical of Trump, but we were just a slim minority. I had to drive home passing houses with those huge Trump 2020 flags in their yards. Saw a couple of the big black and white ones flying on boats while on the water in St. Pete, FL last weekend. And of course they were hogging the channel like true assholes. What is up with the giant Trump yard flags?

No matter how big the flag you wave is, if the person or party you are supporting is actively helping Putin and Kim at the expense of America, your "patriotism" is an exercise in foolishness.

But I remember the level of propaganda they are being subjected to and especially blame FOX, Rush, and the decades of systematic brainwashing they have allowed themselves to fall prey to. Fools, but they've been targeted, manipulated, and I consider their culpability less than that of Murdoch, the Mercers, Kochs, Roger Ailes, Roger Stone, etc.

Now that I think about it, it was more full than usual. We had to sit on the glassed in porch, but could still hear the tv.

Maybe people really are paying attention. People not paying attention is my fear because after 2016 I'm so traumatized that I have absolutely no faith in the American people anymore.

It doesn't seem like it.

But they were so riveting, lunch would have to wait.

Republicans. Theyhuddled, decided they better tone it down.

On your own devices.

However, there are about 10 tv channels you can watch for free. MSNBC is one.

That said, it will glitch from time to time, but you can watch.

It was the topic of conversation. Normally, we don't discuss politics because of lack of interest.

I think the networks need to give up on the "we went back to regular programming because no one wants to watch" BS.

What gives?!?!?

I bet interest will build next week especially in the “people are talking” department.

Nobody watching this week? Okay, fine.

HOWEVER, there’s been enough “sexy” stuff, “noisy” stuff, and “gee whiz” moments to gain attention.

It was the big news of the day, nationally. Which means the local news in the evening, late night, and following-morning catch-you-ups. There are video clips galore. And probably plenty of accompanying punditry, as well as audio clips on the radio will carry water. If it made noise it’s gonna get talked about. And the news is gonna pick up on it.

We’re now getting details from witness testimony in the Saturday hearings. There are reporters reading or repeating highlights. And there will be a follow-up appearance in the open hearings next week. Because by then more people will have heard the highlights and are eager to hear more.

So cue the videos and the reporters’ standups outside the hearing room and the building. That inevitably will fire up the curiosity factor. I’d bet the viewership will increase by Tuesday.

PLUS (#1): tempting tidbits have been revealed AS WELL AS lots of preview commentary and chatter about the hapless Gordon Sondland, who already had to revise his testimony once after being caught in a lie regarding other witness testimony since he last talked. I bet there’s increasing interest or at least more curiosity about what he’s gonna have to say for himself next Wednesday when it’s his turn on the hot seat. And don’t forget, there’s already speculation based on what new things we’ve just learned - that he’s going to have to amend his testimony YET AGAIN. Remember: NOW, we’ve heard about his phone call to trump from the restaurant in Ukraine. There were two others who were on hand and have already described hearing trump’s voice in n the other end of the phone and how loud it was.

At least one of those bystanders is set to testify about it, in upcoming open hearings.

And PLUS (#2): next Tuesday, that Lt. Col., Alexander Vindman, is set to testify. He’s the wounded warrior with the Purple Heart and a chestful of other medals hard-won. From his years of hard experience on the battlefield, literally bleeding for his country. He’ll be there in full military uniform. Nothing like a man in uniform. It’s the “hero costume.” It is a POWERFUL visual. Especially knowing his whole backstory which has already gotten a ton of press attention, revealing him as an extremely sympathetic character.

When Oliver North walked into the Iran/Contra hearings, wearing his Marine Corps uniform, he up-ended everything. He was assumed to be a villain, going in. And he hadn’t been in uniform for years by then. But by Jove America took one look at him and melted into little puddles. All those crimes and offenses and law-breaking - forgiven and forgotten. Washed away. He was the talk of the town and gave himself a 180 image re-do that was talked about for days! Completely short-sheeted the wrong-doing he was there to answer for.

He’s coming up on Tuesday. Opening day of the new week’s adventures. Which means a LOT of news coverage on Monday will focus on him to tease the following day’s hearing.

And what usually happens in the night-before coverage? Cue the video! Quite often a rehash if what led up to this, with tons of tape and visuals of the hearings the week before, when this particular chapter of the story began. So it won’t be avoidable. Even those who vowed not to watch Taylor and Kent or Yovanovitch two days later will get at least some of the gist of what they said.

And, on top of all that, in the meantime, this has gotten people talking. People are talking. You didn’t see it? Okay, but your nextdoor neighbor did. Or your sister and her husband in another city. Or at the shop. Or the store. Or the coffee room or lunch room at work. Or some of the mothers volunteering at school. This will be inescapable.

Everybody will have heard at least a little bit of it. Whether they wanted to or not. It won’t open everybody’s eyes. But I bet it WILL reach a few people. Maybe more than a few. We already see the republi-CON talking points steadily ground to powder day-by-day as more evidence mounts.

And all we have to do is nudge the numbers to help that along. We’re never gonna teach ‘em all. But we CAN nibble at the edges, wear down the rough spots, underscore and spread and repeat the REALITY and start encouraging the disgruntled to splinter away. And anything we can do to help that along, to find those weak spots and zero in on ‘em.

We can turn enough of this around that impeachment will be easy, and the Senate trial will no longer be a firewall for trump. Doubt. Sow doubt. About trump. It’s doable. At best, he’ll be removed. Short of that, he’ll be damaged goods going into the election and perhaps we’ll reach a critical mass of disgruntled voters. Or encourage same. All we need is just enough - of those who realize that by now, they’ve seen enough that the guy can’t be allowed a second term.

GAK - sorry this was so long!

there are 40 states with 80 senators that will hear limbaugh's take on monday explaining as usual it all as part of the 'deep state coup' - the guy can rationalize anything and on 600 radio stations reaches 12-15mil idiots who then can't call him (because the call screeners are too busy with kremlin callers) so they call the other 1000 stations and make sure the local blowhards are all on the same page, or else.

a radio host in coloraado was just pulled off for dissing trump

that the American people have an innate sense of fairness and decency.

I believe that when people see the truth, when the truth finally comes out, they will go in the right direction.

Trump really has nothing to do with conservatism versus liberalism in the old Republican and Democratic sense. He is vulgar. Indecent. Corrupt. Ignorant. Mean. Stupid. Racist.

And he is a TRAITOR.

Now, people are seeing this. OUR INSTITUTIONS ARE HOLDING!!!