What would be the downside ( if Robert's isn't in the tank for Trump) of proposing to

subpoena any witness who can provide RELEVANT evidence, with that relevancy determination to be made by CJ Roberts in open session? It seems to me this would rule out the Bidens and open up Bolton, Mulvaney, Pompeo, etc.

Merriam-Webster defines "relevant" as: a.) "having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand"; b.) "affording evidence tending to prove or disprove the matter at issue or under discussion."

I am not aware of any information either Biden could provide that would be legitimately relevant to either Article of Impeachment.

This would not have us "trading" witnesses and would not even require that any proposed witness be named. I'd love to hear a Republican justify turning down such an offer.

Addendum: I STRONGLY oppose any trade of either Biden or Obama or any other irrelevant witnesses, whether it is "one for one" or "one for ten".

The term "obsequious pettifogger" was MADE for Ken Starr. Feel free to drop it into any discussions

you may have with anyone who calls him a "respected attorney".

An oldie: What is brown and black and would look good on Sekulow?

A Doberman!

So---uh---are we ever going to hear ANYTHING that even begins to address the mountain

of evidence presented by the House Managers?

So far, the GOP "defense" amounts to "YADA, YADA, YADA!" Starr's presentation would have to get a lot better to even rate just "irrelevant twaddle".

One perspective: from "Mississippi Burning"---

Agent Ward ( Dafoe ): "Don't drag me into your gutter, Mr. Anderson!"

Agent Anderson ( Hackman ): "These people are crawling out of the SEWER, MR. WARD! Maybe the gutter is where we oughta be!"

Again, the hopeful speculation that maybe, just maybe, the "Bolton Bombshell" will persuade

some Republicans to vote for witnesses depends on them being too ashamed to ignore the manuscript quotes.

But, they are utterly shameless. It will not matter. They are COMMITTED to acquittal and the Second Coming would not deter them.

I would love to be wrong, but doubt I am.

It is just this simple: we should not abide a POTUS we FEAR. nt

We are fighting a "fire hose" and conventional wisdom that turns out to be naivete.

First, the fire hose is the---unprecedented---unbelievable---"OMG, this can't be bappening"---spew of lies, hypocrisy, arrogance, greed and shameless cruelty from Trump and his acolytes. In the course of most of our days recently, we hear of several new Trumpian outrages; outrages that our past experience tells us should be cause for widespread anger and criticism. And, yet, day after day, we see a mostly cowed media simply yawn and, occasionally, cluck disapproval.

As citizens, we are caught in the middle of the largest criminal conspiracy this nation has ever witnessed. What began as the manipulated elevation of a mentally unstable grifter has metastasized into a vile mass of unparalleled corruption that poses---truly--- an existential threat to us, our children, our grandchildren. WHAT to do---turn off the hose at its source---is obvious. HOW to do this is not and time is not on our side. We are willing to act but, currently, lack a leader to direct our outrrage.

Second, most of us---certainly me included---have, until recently, lived our lives within unspoken boundaries of decency. While it would be difficult to articulate exactly where decency ends and "something else" begins in all situations, a few of the guard rails are easily identified.

Most of the time, decent people don't lie; they are not cruel; they insist that the "rules of the game" be fair and that the refs be, like them, decent people. We do genuinely try to "treat others as we would like to be treated.

As mentioned, these "givens", these assumptions are largely unspoken, but probably control our behavior more effectively than all the laws on the books.

But, Trump and those like him are also aware of these unspoken boundaries. They, however, see them as foolish weaknesses and opportunities to deceive and plunder. Each time someone says something like "That can't be true. People just don't DO things like that!", the Trump folks smile and mutter "What idiots!"

I guess that's all I have. Somber thoughts on a sunny morning in southern Illinois.

Could someone explain why anyone should really care who Joe Rogan (who?) endorsed or

did not endorse and who accepted or should renounce his endorsement? At times, his name has been the most frequently mentioned in OP titles here for the past few days.

Seriously? He's a comedian, right?

Seriously, I urge Democrats with blood pressure problems not to watch or listen to

the lie-fest now taking place in the Senate. Your health is more important than participating in the outrage in real time. And, we need you.

I don't have blood pressure problems, but turned it off after 2 minutes because of a stomach problem--- I thought I was about to "hurl chunks".