American Politics Impeachment: 2 fast? No, we're 2 furious

[Bahia Roja]

Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI) says he is “strongly considering” impeachment

I don't think it's something that requires "strong consideration". The President is not fit to govern, so, impeach him. As simple as that.

[Senkaku]

Rep. Peter Meijer (R-MI) says he is “strongly considering” impeachment

this country is in a years-long competition to see who can show me the most maddening spelling of the surname pronounced "MY-uhr," and I think this man is winning atm if I'm not mis-pronouncing it in my head

[Cannot think of a name]

Ah fuck, one of those comparison of the times things...remember how they made Obama take the Oath a second time because Roberts got an inconsequential part of the phrasing wrong and people used it to imply that Obama had not actually become president?

What are they trying to compare it to? Trump’s supposedly missing votes?

No they, me. When I was responding to someone suggesting delaying the ceremony I remembered that Obama had to retake the oath after the echo chamber seized upon it. It falls under the Great Tan Suit controversy any time a Trump supporter wants to pretend that Trump suffers undo scrutiny.

[Nakena]

They should cancel the ceremony. Given Covid-19 its anyways a bad idea.

I have a bad feeling about this. When even the DoD doesnt thinks the Units are reliable anymore then big shit is underway.

Reviewing to make sure there aren't infiltrators seems pretty different to me than worries over the reliability of the entire force.

(Yes, bad, but seems more like confronting a problem we all already knew existed, rather than revealing an even bigger problem that we weren't fully aware of.)

The fact that the DoD is concerned about the possibility of rogue elements inside the Military is already a sign of highest alarm in itself.

I wouldn rule out that trumpist/QAnon influenced elements of the security apparatus will attempt to prevent Biden from take office at this point. The events at the capitol are speaking for itself.

The ceremony is already taking in CDC recommendations regarding the pandemic, but especially in the face of the nature of these threats the ceremony needs to happen.

Given the current situation I would not recommand it, unless Trump is already being removed from office at 20th January at which point a fait accompli would have been established.

[Nattily Dressed Anarchists on Bicycles]

What are they trying to compare it to? Trump’s supposedly missing votes?

No they, me. When I was responding to someone suggesting delaying the ceremony I remembered that Obama had to retake the oath after the echo chamber seized upon it. It falls under the Great Tan Suit controversy any time a Trump supporter wants to pretend that Trump suffers undo scrutiny.

A couple nights ago, the Daily Show podcast re-ran their analysis of Latte Salute-gate. Makes one pine for the unspeakable government overreaches of yesteryear, for sure.

[Kowani]

Schumer looking at invoking emergency measures, to force the Senate to immediately take up the impeachment bill

Small problem: It needs McConnell’s approval

[Kexholm Karelia]

What are they trying to compare it to? Trump’s supposedly missing votes?

No they, me. When I was responding to someone suggesting delaying the ceremony I remembered that Obama had to retake the oath after the echo chamber seized upon it. It falls under the Great Tan Suit controversy any time a Trump supporter wants to pretend that Trump suffers undo scrutiny.

I mean, CNN did an entire piece on the way Trump eats food

[Kowani]

The Wisconsin State Capitol is being boarded up

[Freiheit Reich]

In mainland China, you are not required to wear a helmet when riding a bicycle and 18-year olds can drink beer. Also, you are allowed to smoke in your backyard there (unlike some places in California). In SOME aspects, the west coast is more totalitarian than mainland China.

To me, no helmets, a low drinking age, and universal backyard smoking are the most important defining characteristics of whether a society is free

These are just a few examples of how many liberals are quite totalitarian on certain issues but oddly OK with others. It is cool to use marijuana and join the army (and fight in foreign wars supported by fellow liberal war hawks like Biden and Hilary Clinton) but you can't ride a bike without a helmet or have a beer with your buddies in a bar or smoke a cigarette in your own backyard.

[Cannot think of a name]

No they, me. When I was responding to someone suggesting delaying the ceremony I remembered that Obama had to retake the oath after the echo chamber seized upon it. It falls under the Great Tan Suit controversy any time a Trump supporter wants to pretend that Trump suffers undo scrutiny.

I mean, CNN did an entire piece on the way Trump eats food

Oh no...

[Senkaku]

Reviewing to make sure there aren't infiltrators seems pretty different to me than worries over the reliability of the entire force.

(Yes, bad, but seems more like confronting a problem we all already knew existed, rather than revealing an even bigger problem that we weren't fully aware of.)

The fact that the DoD is concerned about the possibility of rogue elements inside the Military is already a sign of highest alarm in itself.

Is it? Right-wing infiltration of military and security forces is neither a new problem nor unique to the US; it seems like they think that making the announcement that they're actively taking these measures will calm people down and reassure us that they're aware of and responding to the threat.

I wouldn rule out that trumpist/QAnon influenced elements of the security apparatus will attempt to prevent Biden from take office at this point. The events at the capitol are speaking for itself.

That's always been a risk, but after what we saw over the summer with the decline of the Insurrection Act and then in the past few days with Trump basically being shut out even from our own nuclear chain of command (as word has it, anyways), are pretty reassuring-- the military command is willing to take active steps to stop him from seizing power, and there's no reason to believe the rank-and-file will disobey their commanders' orders en masse. Unless he seems to have influence over military high command or enough influence over the troops (throughout the entire military, but especially in the DC area) that it seems likely they would follow him over the Joint Chiefs in a coup attempt, I wouldn't be too worried. Elements of DHS are a bit more suspect, but they also won't be able to do much if they're facing off against regular troops.

[Kowani]

Acting DHS secretary Chad Wolf is stepping down

[Trollzyn the Infinite]

Schumer looking at invoking emergency measures, to force the Senate to immediately take up the impeachment bill

Small problem: It needs McConnell’s approval

Fuck McConnell. How does one man have that much power? It's insane.

[Bahia Roja]

I mean, CNN did an entire piece on the way Trump eats food

Politics aside, why would you put ketchup ON a steak? It's a steak! Not a burger!

[Kexholm Karelia]

To me, no helmets, a low drinking age, and universal backyard smoking are the most important defining characteristics of whether a society is free

These are just a few examples of how many liberals are quite totalitarian on certain issues but oddly OK with others. It is cool to use marijuana and join the army (and fight in foreign wars supported by fellow liberal war hawks like Biden and Hilary Clinton) but you can't ride a bike without a helmet or have a beer with your buddies in a bar or smoke a cigarette in your own backyard.

To be fair it’s not all liberals, the ones who actually care about liberty are agreeable and respectable people, but the SJW types who want to ban things because it hurts their feelings should be called out

[Senkaku]

To me, no helmets, a low drinking age, and universal backyard smoking are the most important defining characteristics of whether a society is free

These are just a few examples of how many liberals are quite totalitarian on certain issues but oddly OK with others. It is cool to use marijuana and join the army (and fight in foreign wars supported by fellow liberal war hawks like Biden and Hilary Clinton) but you can't ride a bike without a helmet or have a beer with your buddies in a bar or smoke a cigarette in your own backyard.

Totalitarianism is when the government tells you where you can smoke, and this makes sense, because "totalitarian" is also a synonym for "bad," and airports (with their many designated smoking zones) are pretty much the worst (and therefore also the most totalitarian) places on earth

[Andsed]

Schumer looking at invoking emergency measures, to force the Senate to immediately take up the impeachment bill

Small problem: It needs McConnell’s approval

I mean McConnell is reportedly really pissed at Trump right now. Is a bit naive to hope he might actually approve of this?

[Kowani]

Acting DHS secretary Chad Wolf is stepping down

He’s being replaced by…FEMA administrator Pete Gaynor?

[Omniabstracta]

Schumer looking at invoking emergency measures, to force the Senate to immediately take up the impeachment bill

Small problem: It needs McConnell’s approval

That the Senate Majority Leader is unironically the most powerful person in America really does make us the most stupidly organized, in-denial parliamentary democracy on Earth, honestly.

[Nattily Dressed Anarchists on Bicycles]

That's always been a risk, but after what we saw over the summer with the decline of the Insurrection Act and then in the past few days with Trump basically being shut out even from our own nuclear chain of command (as word has it, anyways), are pretty reassuring-- the military command is willing to take active steps to stop him from seizing power, and there's no reason to believe the rank-and-file will disobey their commanders' orders en masse. Unless he seems to have influence over military high command or enough influence over the troops (throughout the entire military, but especially in the DC area) that it seems likely they would follow him over the Joint Chiefs in a coup attempt, I wouldn't be too worried. Elements of DHS are a bit more suspect, but they also won't be able to do much if they're facing off against regular troops.

Yeah, I've gotten the impression from veterans I know and in my family that norms against the uniformed forces deploying domestically really for anything, never mind installing/removing a President, are so strong that even if, somehow, the DoD had been completely stacked with Biden/Harris sympathizers, and the halls of Congress filled with all their grandmothers, the DoD would have still dragged its heels to deploy the Guard on Wednesday.

Memories of Vietnam protests and the events of Kent State probably help.

**Normal warnings about selection bias and the like here.

[Vassenor]

These are just a few examples of how many liberals are quite totalitarian on certain issues but oddly OK with others. It is cool to use marijuana and join the army (and fight in foreign wars supported by fellow liberal war hawks like Biden and Hilary Clinton) but you can't ride a bike without a helmet or have a beer with your buddies in a bar or smoke a cigarette in your own backyard.

To be fair it’s not all liberals, the ones who actually care about liberty are agreeable and respectable people, but the SJW types who want to ban things because it hurts their feelings should be called out

You mean the ones the Rightists make up because they hate the fact that being casually racist isn't socially acceptable any more?

[Kowani]

Airbnb will be implementing its own security measures for the inauguration

[Kowani]

Schumer looking at invoking emergency measures, to force the Senate to immediately take up the impeachment bill

Small problem: It needs McConnell’s approval

I mean McConnell is reportedly really pissed at Trump right now. Is a bit naive to hope he might actually approve of this?

Apparently, they haven’t talked since…the 15th, irrc

[Washington Resistance Army]

I mean McConnell is reportedly really pissed at Trump right now. Is a bit naive to hope he might actually approve of this?

Apparently, they haven’t talked since…the 15th, irrc

Of December?

[Senkaku]

That's always been a risk, but after what we saw over the summer with the decline of the Insurrection Act and then in the past few days with Trump basically being shut out even from our own nuclear chain of command (as word has it, anyways), are pretty reassuring-- the military command is willing to take active steps to stop him from seizing power, and there's no reason to believe the rank-and-file will disobey their commanders' orders en masse. Unless he seems to have influence over military high command or enough influence over the troops (throughout the entire military, but especially in the DC area) that it seems likely they would follow him over the Joint Chiefs in a coup attempt, I wouldn't be too worried. Elements of DHS are a bit more suspect, but they also won't be able to do much if they're facing off against regular troops.

Yeah, I've gotten the impression from veterans I know and in my family that norms against the uniformed forces deploying domestically really for anything, never mind installing/removing a President, are so strong that even if, somehow, the DoD had been completely stacked with Biden/Harris sympathizers, and the halls of Congress filled with all their grandmothers, the DoD would have still dragged its heels to deploy the Guard on Wednesday.

**Normal warnings about selection bias and the like here.

That isn't what I was saying, but it does illustrate another danger-- that their aversion to engagement in domestic politics will lead them to permit a coup through inaction. If it was DoD as a whole sitting on the Guard on Wednesday (rather than, as has been reported, the President and perhaps the Acting SECDEF), that'd be indicative of this problem. A butterfly flaps its wings in Tanzania, and suddenly the Guard are arriving hours late to a building full of dead legislators as the coup is presented to the Joint Chiefs as a fait accompli-- and then what, do they initiate a counter-coup of their own volition? Do they swallow whatever the president is forcing on them? Do they continue to waffle?

Given that the military is one of the only institutions that still enjoys a high degree of social trust, I expect these are some of the political questions that the Joint Chiefs may be called upon to make during my lifetime, and I also expect there's an ambitious colonel or two out there somewhere, watching all of this go down and getting all kinds of ideas as a result...