Nine or ten presidents did the right thing!

MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2019

Would Donald J. Trump follow suit?
For better or worse, it will be (at least) another week before the new year starts at this site.

Our new year will focus on "Aristotle's error." But for at least one additional week, the excitement will have to wait.

For today, we'll direct your attention to Michael Tomasky's column in today's New York Times. He lists the downsides to impeachment. On balance, we agree with his point of view.

We met Tomasky once or twice many moons ago; we liked the cut of his jib. That said, we think he skips an important point today. The problem is lurking here:
TOMASKY (1/14/19): While impeachment is clearly a valid exercise of power, so is another method of removal, also prescribed by the Constitution: an election. This is how Americans like to ditch presidents and parties they don’t like—presidential power has changed hands 44 times in this country’s history.

In addition, nine incumbent presidents have lost re-election, including three in the last half-century, and all have peacefully (if not always gracefully) yielded power. In contrast, only two presidents, Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton, have been impeached by the House, though both were acquitted in the Senate. Richard Nixon, facing certain and imminent impeachment, resigned.

That’s a historical record that suggests that an electoral outcome will be much more widely accepted.
Mr. Trump’s partisans will whine about the unfairness of it all in either case—they’ll blame “voter fraud,” or George Soros, or the “fake news media.” But if the voters have rebuffed the president, the whining will sound to most Americans like just that.
We strongly agree with Tomasky's main point. Absent some devastating finding by Mueller—we refer to a demonstrated finding, not to a sensible allegation—impeachment would be deeply divisive, whether it was followed by removal from office or not.

A Trump defeat in 2020 would be a whole different barrel of worms. But here's the point we thought we saw Tomasky skip past:
Nine incumbent presidents have lost re-election and all have peacefully yielded power...Richard Nixon, facing certain and imminent impeachment, resigned.
Just for the record, Nixon was also facing likely removal.

Nine or ten presidents did the right thing. That said, do you feel certain that Donald J. Trump would follow suit?

We don't feel sure about that at all! Whistling past the question of possible mental illness/disorder, Tomasky fails to wonder or ask.

If Trump is facing electoral defeat next September, what might he choose to do? What if he's facing electoral defeat in a situation where leaving office might subject him to prosecution?

What could a president do, you might ask. A president with mental illness problems could do many things! Most obviously, he could start a war, then attempt to postpone the election.

You might say that the second part wouldn't work. That leaves the president starting a war—in the vernacular, wagging the dog. Meanwhile, how about if he starts a war next June to avoid falling behind in the polls? It might not work, but everyone knows that the country has tended to rally behind a president at the onset of war.

In Donald J. Trump crazy enough to do these things? We have no idea. If you feel sure that he isn't that bad, we'd like to take a big long gulp of the artichoke milk shake you're on.

We like the cut of Tomasky's jib. That said, as we read his column today, it almost seemed that he started to raise this point, then decided to hurry on past it.

How disordered is Donald J. Trump? In a very serious pinch, what sorts of things might he do?

This time last year, the Times said we mustn't discuss Trump's mental health. The rest of the press fell in line.

During 2017, Yale psychiatrist Bandy Lee had tried to raise these points of concern. Just like that, she got disappeared.

A note concerning our sources: We've consulted on these questions with the gloomy group we've long described as "future anthropologists huddled in caves." They communicate via a strange "time travel" technology born in the blasts of the conflagration they describe as Mister Trump's War.

The analysts report that Cassandra keeps raising these same points with them, always quite late at night. It sounds us like these earnest young people have simply been having bad dreams.

19 comments:

  1. "Nine incumbent presidents have lost re-election and all have peacefully yielded power."

    What? Nine fellas lost re-election, and a half-dozen (or so) got termed-out, since after the war.

    All of them peacefully yielded power, and I don't see any reason to think that losing re-election is somehow a more dubious rationale to step down than hitting the (rather arbitrary) two-year term. Quite the contrary, in fact.

    Yeah. This particular dembot, Michael Tomasky, is as braindead as any resident dembot in these here comment threads...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. TDH keeps pushing the idea that Trump is "mentally disordered" or even mentally ill. I suppose in some sense you could say that about everybody, few have it completely together. (I'm beginning to question TDH's mental orderliness as he obsessively keeps pounding on his off the wall concerns about Wittgenstein and Goedel and the 'logicians'). You might consider Trump nuts from the layman's standpoint, but medically I don't see it. He seems to be quite shrewd, he more or less functions, as far as pursuing his goals, though I think it was bizarre and very unfortunate that he was able to get elected. Also, impeachment is a terrible idea (unless say Mueller comes up with something that hasn't surfaced yet). The libs salivating for this seem deluded. Nothing will be accomplished by this and it'll do more harm than good. This reinstitution of the cold war is over the top irrational. The way to go is to win in 2020, and to do that it will help to be smart.

      Delete
    2. Impeachment won't happen, because GOP votes are needed to make it happen.
      Democrats should push for it anyway. Let's get the GOP on record with being fine with bribery and treason against the United States of America. (For the last remaining dead-enders, who still claim the GOP is a political party, and not a criminal enterprise).

      Delete
    3. "Most obviously, he could start a war, then attempt to postpone the election."

      Yes, Bob, we all know how your zombie-cult worships wars.

      See here, for example:
      As Democratic Elites Reunite With Neocons, the Party’s Voters Are Becoming Far More Militaristic and Pro-War Than Republicans

      But hopefully your warmongering zombie cult will fail again...

      Delete
    4. So we're not supposed to notice Trump picked John "I never met a war I wouldn't want to send my doorman's kid to fight" Bolton as his National Security Advisor?

      Troll harder, clown.

      Delete




    5. No matter how old you are, family history is important. While you might not think so at the time, as you get older there will be things you and your grandchildren will want to know. Most of us don't realize it until the older generations are gone and you can't replace first hand comments. Don't just put in about the good times, add in the harder times and how you overcame those trials. Another thing to remember is what caused the deaths of those you loved. There are many things that have been found to continue into future generations that knowing it runs in the family can be helped with now or possible in the future. prevention starts with knowing where to start. I wish someone had taken the time to write these things down for mew to be able to go back to. My Grandmother and my mother told us many stories of what things happened in their lives and about the people in their lives. I now wish someone had written those things down since both have passed now. But I never thought at that busy point in my life that I would one day want to remember all those things. So much family history is lost when the older generations are gone. Please pass it on to your family while you can. You can even just do it digitally so it can be accessed by family later on.Family pictures are something to cherish also. Just be sure to write down who is pictured in them, where they are taken and when. I have found family pictures that no one now even knows who is in them.

      AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com
      or
      call/whatsapp:+2349057261346
































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































































      No matter how old you are, family history is important. While you might not think so at the time, as you get older there will be things you and your grandchildren will want to know. Most of us don't realize it until the older generations are gone and you can't replace first hand comments. Don't just put in about the good times, add in the harder times and how you overcame those trials. Another thing to remember is what caused the deaths of those you loved. There are many things that have been found to continue into future generations that knowing it runs in the family can be helped with now or possible in the future. prevention starts with knowing where to start. I wish someone had taken the time to write these things down for mew to be able to go back to. My Grandmother and my mother told us many stories of what things happened in their lives and about the people in their lives. I now wish someone had written those things down since both have passed now. But I never thought at that busy point in my life that I would one day want to remember all those things. So much family history is lost when the older generations are gone. Please pass it on to your family while you can. You can even just do it digitally so it can be accessed by family later on.Family pictures are something to cherish also. Just be sure to write down who is pictured in them, where they are taken and when. I have found family pictures that no one now even knows who is in them.

      AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com
      or
      call/whatsapp:+2349057261346

      Delete
  2. What we already know about Trump would be more than enough for Republicans to impeach, were he not a Republican.

    Trump in his own words:

    "Russia, if you're listening"

    "When I decided to just do it I said to myself I said you know this Russ-er thing..."

    Trump actions:

    "Donald Trump disclosed highly classified information to the Russian foreign minister during their meeting last week"

    "People connected to Russia or former Soviet republics have paid cash for 86 Trump-branded properties, a total of $109 million, with many of them using shell companies"

    These are just a sample of the smorgasbord of Trump's corruption.

    The fact is, no matter how damaging the Mueller report is, nothing will get the Republicans to impeach one of their own.

    Trump will get trounced in 2020 and will become a footnote at best; that said, no progressive policy will get passed due to the makeup of congress.

    ReplyDelete
  3. “Absent some devastating finding by Mueller—we refer to a demonstrated finding, not to a sensible allegation—impeachment would be deeply divisive, whether it was followed by removal from office or not.”

    I disagree. Why is the Mueller investigation the sole determinant? If House Democrats uncover evidence of impeachable offenses independent of Mueller, why would they not be justified in pursuing impeachment? Sure, elections can remove people from office. But why allow actual crimes to go unpunished? Why have an impeachment clause in the constitution at all, if you decide it’s always too politically divisive to use it?

    The Democrats, like Schiff, Nader, even Pelosi, are not backing a rush to impeachment, nor would they decide to do it, if warranted, for some frivolous reason like the GOP did with Clinton.

    Yes, it’s unlikely the Senate GOP would vote to convict. But if a case for impeachment needs to be made because of evidence of grave crimes, I think that case should be made, politically divisive or not. Not everything should be reduced to political calculations.

    At the very least, there are matters that warrant investigation that have been ignored or stonewalled by Republicans for too long.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This kind of speculation seems nutty to me. On DU there were people who swore that Bush was never gonna leave office, and there are probably some there who still want him prosecuted - for doing what? Violating international law, I guess.

    The idea that a former President, voted out of office, would be prosecuted seems un-American to me. About the only way I could see that happening would be if he refused to step down.

    Right now I do not see who could be him, but Clinton and Carter sorta came out of nowhere too (and both sorta barely won).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So, If a president commits crimes, it’s “un-American” for him to pay for those crimes?

      I guess that would make the American president more untouchable than British kings.

      Delete
  5. It’s odd that Somerby thinks that Trump is seriously mentally impaired, but that we all just need to wait for an election to *maybe* remove Trump. If Trump is that far gone, one wonders why the 25th amendment wasn’t activated. Would Somerby support some sort of forced psychological examination of Trump, to be followed by a PR campaign by the Dems to remove Trump that way? Because it’s not clear that they can remove the president for unfitness on their own.

    But how can we survive two more years if Somerby’s theory is correct? If Trump really does start a war to distract or grab more power, is that not an abuse of power, and therefore impeachable? Or would it be even *more* politically divisive at that point? Would it be too late at that point for the House to do anything?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And it should be noted that Somerby's fear are not unwarranted, Trump has already shown an interest in war:

      Trump Wanted To Attack Iran But Defense Secretary Mattis Shut Him Down

      Delete
  6. I'm afraid Bob is suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome. He claims Trump might start a war just to try to win re-election. That's a very serious accusation. Bob wrote, "If you feel sure that he isn't that bad, we'd like to take a big long gulp of the artichoke milk shake you're on."

    What a terrible argument for someone as smart as Bob. His evidence that Trump is apt to "wag the dog" is
    if you don't agree with me, you're crazy.

    For the record, during his tenure as President, Trump has started no wars and is (or claims to be) in the process of getting out of two wars.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Will Trump Derangement Syndrome be something Republican voters get, like Bush Derangement Syndrome?

      Delete
  7. Hey everyone!
    I'm so excited. My ex-boyfriend is back after few months of breakup, I’m extremely happy that will are living together again. My boyfriend of 4yr just broke up with me and am 30 weeks pregnant. I have cried myself to sleep most of the nights and don’t seem to concentrate during lectures sometimes I stay awake almost all night thinking about him and start to cry all over again. Because of this I end up not having energy for my next day’s classes, my attendance has dropped and am always in uni and on time. Generally he is a very nice guy, he ended it because he said we were arguing a lot and not getting along. He is right we’ve been arguing during the pregnancy a lot .After the break up I kept ringing him and telling him I will change. I am in love with this guy and he is the best guy I have ever been with. I’m still hurt and in disbelief when he said he didn’t have any romantic feelings towards me anymore that hurt me faster than a lethal syringe. He texts me now and then mainly to check up on how am doing with the pregnancy, he is supportive with it but it’s not fair on me, him texting me as I just want to grieve the pain and not have any stress due to the pregnancy.
    I was really upset and I needed help, so I searched for help online and I came across a website that suggested that Dr Ahmed can help solve marital problems, restore broken relationships and so on. So, I felt I should give him a try. I contacted him and he told me what to do and I did it then he did a spell for me. 17 hours later, my bf came to me and apologized for the wrongs he did and promise never to do it again. Ever since then, everything has returned back to normal. I and my bf are living together happily again...
    All thanks to Dr Ahmed if you have any marital, relationship or divorces problem contact Dr Ahmed now and I guarantee you that he will help you.
    Here’s his contact.
    Call/what’s-app: +2348160153829
    Email: Ahmedutimate@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have been casting spells for many years and I have helped many people, I might be able to help you too. I am honest, and I genuinely care for all the clients who choose me to cast a spell for them.


    If you have any questions about Love, Money, curse, protection, bad luck, divorce, court cases, or about me please call or email me. I really want you to feel comfortable before moving forward with any spells, or other services. I will take the time to explain things to you and provide you with honest advice, to what is best for your situation. I will not pressure you into having a spell cast, I will leave that decision up to you, and when or if you decide to move forward, I might be able to help you.
    I will respect your Privacy. I will not seek to obtain any of your personal information beyond what you might voluntarily offer and all information you might give me including emails, phone numbers and photos will remain private and confidential.
    I perform my Rituals only at night between the hours of 0.00 - 0.59 (South African time) lasting 1 hour but of course, this depends on the nature of the ritual, some rituals might take hours and can also become necessary to be performed at specials places like; flowing streams, cemeteries and other places dictated by the gods.
    I do not want anyone to be under any illusions about my spells and its numerous rituals. Real and effective Voodoo is no child's play, it is expensive because, after the rituals, I will have to destroy all the materials involved by fire and the ashes scattered over a flowing stream or river.
    You will get what you seek.But please understand this might take a lot of time and that individual results may vary. contact +27663492930, greatogudugu@gmail.com

    Herbal cure for Following DISEASES,this is not scam is 100% Real.

    -HPV
    -DIABETES
    -PENIS ENLARGEMENT AND WEAK ERECTION
    -VIRGINA PROBLEM
    -WHOOPING COUGH
    - HEPATITIS B
    -FORDYCE SPOT
    -COLD SORE
    -ALS
    -LOWER RESPIRATORY INFECTION
    -LOW SPERM COUNT
    -MRSA(METHICILLIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS
    -ZIKA VIRUS
    -HIV
    -STROKE
    -IMPOTENCE
    -PILE
    -HYPERTENSION
    -LOW SPERM COUNT
    -MENOPAUSE DISEASE
    -ASTHMA
    -CANCER
    -BARENESS/INFERTILITY
    -PCOS
    -SHINGLES
    -VIRAL HEPATITIS/HEPATITIS B
    -FIBROID
    -ASTHMA
    -SICKLE CELL
    -TINNITUS
    -BARENESS/INFERTILITY
    -DIARRHEA and so on...

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank you Dr.Ogudugu for the great work you did for me when my lover broke my heart. Dr.Ogudugu was able to bring my lover that left for about 2 months back to me within 48 hours of me contact Dr.Ogudugu. Contact Dr.Ogudugu on greatogudugu@gmail.com or better still you can give Dr.Ogudugu a call onWhatsApp +27663492930 for a better understanding for what i just said about him..

    ReplyDelete
  10. Would Donald J. Trump follow suit?

    ReplyDelete