January 6th Hearings

Scott Hardie | June 23, 2022
I'm tired of headlines saying things like, "Trump was told that not certifying the electors was unconstitutional but he pressed for it anyway," or "Trump aides informed him that he lost the election but he publicly insisted otherwise." Stop framing everything as if Trump's misbehavior only counts if he was warned about it. It was his sworn duty as president of the United States to uphold the constitution; qualifiers on his unconstitutional actions are unnecessary and infantilizing.

I'm also tired of people expressing doubt about the wisdom of prosecuting Trump. "It will tear the country apart!" Um, have you looked around lately? "It will give fuel to the other side in the 2022 midterms!" They're already hella fired up. "We have never prosecuted a former leader before!" Why not? Other countries do it all the time. Not prosecuting former leaders for corruption is one of those things like buying assault weapons, having a credit score, and going bankrupt for medical care that is so normalized in America that many people don't even realize happens nowhere else. (Other countries also prosecute current leaders, which we consider impossible too.) If we have any chance of avoiding a repeat attempt to overturn an election, it must happen through criminal trial and prosecution; mere Congressional hearings with their bipartisan politics won't accomplish squat.

What are your takeaways from the hearings?

Steve West | June 23, 2022
The testimony of advisors is negating his defense of plausible deniability. You knew and if not, you should have. Does the name Manuel Noriega strike a chord? We've prosecuted leaders of foreign countries, for God's sake! Invading them in the process, no less. Assassinated a few and attempted more. Civil war? How'd that work out for you last time, Texas? I feel like treating all of the insurrectionist minded people like bratty children and tell them to sit down, don't touch anything and keep your mouths shut. They're not only childish but child-like. Keep the hearings coming, folks. Then, DOJ, are you listening?

Samir Mehta | June 23, 2022
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Scott Horowitz | June 27, 2022
Throughout Trump's career, he's gotten away with figurative murder. He's been the teflon Don throughout everything. I don't know what the DOJ is doing, but I'm not a lawyer, but the evidence seems overwhelming that he attempted a coup. I'm worried that a conviction would martyr him in the MAGA eyes... but who knows?

During the first Primetime hearing, Fox News aired Tucker Carlson w/o commercial interruption... Right wing media isn't even carrying the hearings, so the people who need to see it, won't even tune in.

Scott Hardie | June 29, 2022
Trump has spent his entire life evading consequences for his actions, other than public embarrassment I suppose, so I expect him to continue doing so until he's in his grave. But I'd sure like to see him finally, finally, finally face serious charges after breaking the law in plain sight for so long. His impunity in the face of obvious criminality feels of a kind with his lying in the face of obvious facts, and together they're among the most maddening aspects of his political ascendancy.

Evie Totty | July 4, 2022
I believe the hearings are a waste of time in the fact that WE ALREADY KNOW. I feel like we are going through "it depends on what the definition of 'is' is" right now.

What I think needs to happen is ... how do I put this? There is so much chatter from people demonizing his followers so much that it's the "I told you so" dance x infinity if they admit they'd made a mistake by drinking the Kool-Aid.

In other words, we need to promote an atmosphere of it being ok to burn those flags. Stop putting them on the defensive. it could have happened to anyone - look at some of the folks it happened to - and folks going to AA meetings get treated with compassion.

As it is now, they are being forced to continue to live in La La Land.

Samir Mehta | July 4, 2022
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Evie Totty | July 4, 2022
Not all of them - but as long as they are being put on the defensive, it's only human nature to dig in.

Think of it like this - when you play a game with someone, who are you more apt to listen to? The winner who says "IN YOUR FACE, LOSER!" or the one who says"good game, can I give you some tips you can use the next time you play?"