Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Breccia]

"Hatred is a dangerous thing"

Hold on, I'm not done stomping a mudhole in this stupid fucking argument Team Trump is making.

Paramilitant communications under close scrutiny in Capitol riot investigation, court records show

Two court filings Thursday in the Justice Department's efforts to keep in jail affiliates of the Oath Keepers, an extremist militant group, rely heavily on text messages and other communications between extremists.

Investigators have now cited direct quotes from the walkie-talkie app Zello as paramilitants coached each other -- talking about "executing citizen's arrests" and "everything we f--king trained for" -- inside the Capitol. They've found a text message from an alleged organizer among the Oath Keepers discussing an idea to bring weapons into Washington, DC, on a boat crossing the Potomac River. And they've acknowledged finding planning materials, including bomb-making documents, in multiple defendants' cases.

Extensive searches of homes, private messages and other data trails by investigators aren't unusual in criminal cases, though the number of arrests and criminal cases following the Capitol riots has become an almost unmatched dragnet among major federal national security investigations -- the sort of sprawling nationwide investigation that hasn't occurred since after September 11, 2001.

Except instead of whatever W did, probably strip-searching random Muslims, we're tracking these Trump terrorists by their self-posted evidence.

Comparing this to what Democrats have done is like arresting the Beastie Boys for Fight for Your Right. It's not their best song, but it's hardly inciting violence.

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There's an interesting take that tells us something about the Republican Party.

Even with acquittal, GOP sees trial ending Trump's shot at future office

From the viewpoint of some Republican senators, the compelling case presented by House prosecutors carries a silver lining: It means they likely won’t have to worry about Trump running for president again in three years, while at the same time eroding his influence in party politics more generally.

Several Republican senators became irate watching videos of the violence and chaos inside the Capitol on Jan. 6, including footage of police officers being called “pigs” and “traitors” and one officer screaming as he was crushed by rioters battering a police line.

The lawmaker suggested that Democrats may ultimately help the GOP by sidelining Trump.

"Unwittingly, they are doing us a favor. They're making Donald Trump disqualified to run for president" even if he is acquitted, the senator said.

Other Republican senators, even those who have indicated they will vote to acquit, say it would be a good thing if the impeachment trial helps distance the party from Trump, who has thoroughly dominated GOP politics over the past five years.

“I can’t imagine the emotional reaction, the visceral reaction to what we saw today doesn’t have people thinking, ‘This is awful,’ whatever their view is on whether the president ought to be impeached or convicted,” said another GOP senator. “What would stand out to my colleagues is there was no rescue, there was nothing that came to put an end to it.”

The senator said many constituents think “Trump is a huge problem for Republicans,” while acknowledging there are many GOP voters who think the former president has been “railroaded” by the establishment.

“This is very damaging to any future political race for President Trump, but I’ve been amazed at the amount of and intensity of support despite all the other things that have happened,” the senator added.

So here's the question: which of the following is true?

a) Kicking Trump out helps the Republican Party, because they can move away from everything from the blatant objective lies, the conspiracy theories, and especially the murderous insurrection, and get back to the GOP business as usual

b) Kicking Trump out hurts the Republican Party, because Trump's voters won't vote as often, choosing to stay in their bunker crying into their single scoop of ice cream.

Either way, of course, these passive, cowardly Republicans -- choosing to not just accept but defend Trump's behavior in public rather than lose votes -- hoping Trump will go away are just demonstrating how their morals and ethics are still compromised. They had chances to kick Trump out since 2015. They chose never to do it -- including when he's literally on trial for inciting a mob that tried to kill them.

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Gina Carrano picked up by Ben Shapiro.

I'm not kidding.

[Shadowferal]

If the GOP wants to believe it's in its best interests to humiliate...smear shit all over the name "Trump," ....well, I'm okay with it.

[Elegiac]

Gina Carrano picked up by Ben Shapiro.

I'm not kidding.

To paraphrase Twitter: cancel culture doesn't exist, it's just a combination of at will employment and the ability of people to reply to your social media posts with a picture of a pig crapping on its balls.

[Breccia]

If the GOP wants to believe it's in its best interests to humiliate...smear shit all over the name "Trump," ....well, I'm okay with it.

But that's the thing: they aren't doing that. They're hoping the impeachment does it for them while they still vote "This is completely normal".

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Sen. Thune suggests he'd be open to censuring Trump, rather than impeaching him. Goes towards that article I posted before, except instead of "does nothing" it's "wags finger with stern look".

[Xeones]

lol, LOL his defense team is playing a series clips of Trump saying "Law and order!" like it isn't a dog whistle when he says it.

[Breccia]

lol, LOL his defense team is playing a series clips of Trump saying "Law and order!" like it isn't a dog whistle when he says it.

"But Your Honor, what about all those people my client didn't murder?"

Trump isn't being impeached for what he did every day of his life, he's being impeached for starting a mob that killed someone.

[Sunseeker]

Gina Carrano picked up by Ben Shapiro.

I'm not kidding.

And the sad thing is, if it was that easy for her to go from "Famous actress with lousy political opinions." to "Ben Shaprio talking head buddy." It really just speaks even worse of her. And she'll only get worse from here. Without our Lord Disney to strike her down, her Twitter or whatever social media she uses will just fill up with this crap and be echoed by those sorts of Star Wars fans.

Really waiting for #RebellionCanceledtheEmpire

[Grapemask]

The Trump defense team today has been so ridiculously dishonest that I'm struggling to contain my rage.

I thought his defense in the first impeachment was dishonest in a kind of funny, goofy way. I mean, bad arguments, but they were brain benders. But this is the kind of stuff a real court wouldn't even allow on the floor. And christ, if they play that video a fifth time, I'll just shoot myself.

[Poopymonster]

And the sad thing is, if it was that easy for her to go from "Famous actress with lousy political opinions." to "Ben Shaprio talking head buddy." It really just speaks even worse of her. And she'll only get worse from here. Without our Lord Disney to strike her down, her Twitter or whatever social media she uses will just fill up with this crap and be echoed by those sorts of Star Wars fans.

Really waiting for #RebellionCanceledtheEmpire

#PalpatineDidNothingWrong

[beanman12345]

So, more election lies. yikes. well, this is what trump wanted. GoP is so fucked.

[Paranoid Android]

LOL! He is quoting Trump right now and as usual its a word salad. He is reading a transcript and I'm effin lost.

His favorite word is "Find".

Oh he somehow accuses just one county, Fulton County.

Twice in past 15 minutes they show clips with a soundtrack!

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Castor crying "Cancel Culture". Huh, wtf does that have to do with an Impeachment trial. Just buzzwords.

Oh the crying again of 74 million voters are not heard. They effin were and lost to 81 million people. We all know this is the dumbest argument ever cause every other election could be argued this way. They say this cause lets face it, Republican voters are stupid or at least brainwashed. This is the same of showing us a map of a red United States when there are less people living in a small populous state or the fact that people in red states voted Democrat. Anyways, you just have to convince the idiots I guess.

[beanman12345]

Did I hear right, the defense is done so the senate can pass covid relief? 3 1/2 hours, and they didn't even address really anything. are they gonna vote today?

[Edge-]

Did I hear right, the defense is done so the senate can pass covid relief? 3 1/2 hours, and they didn't even address really anything. are they gonna vote today?

They don't need to address anything. When the jury has already said how they'll vote, and you're actively meeting with multiple members of the jury, you don't need to do much more than act like Trump's Twitter feed for a few hours.

[cubby]

I was playing a drinking game with shit like them saying cancel culture but it was making me too drunk.

That kind of thing could kill you! Be safe - use the beer sip rule whenever dealing with Trump and his insane cult followers and a drinking game. People could die.

[Paranoid Android]

So Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin stated the Trump defense team blew the Dems out of the water and specifically the President has 1st Amendment rights.

So again, this is precedent. From now on anything Biden says that offends them is free speech. I would like to take this further but once again, the Republicans little secret is they know the Dems will never act like Trump. No the Dems are no angels and incredible political party. They are just not pieces of feces like the GOP.

So remember Trumpkins in the Biden/Harris thread, you cant criticize anything Biden says. FREE SPEECH!

[Breccia]

Did I hear right, the defense is done so the senate can pass covid relief?

Their defense was done weeks ago. The Capitol in which they were in at the time was rushed by people ready to kill them, and even as they huddled for safety and the SS discharged weapons, they said "Well let's not be hasty, this could be anyone's food poisoning murderous insurrection."

[beanman12345]

They don't need to address anything. When the jury has already said how they'll vote, and you're actively meeting with multiple members of the jury, you don't need to do much more than act like Trump's Twitter feed for a few hours.

you are right of course, I shouldn't be surprised, was expecting more than a few edited clips going and "no you" arguments, but now that I think about it, idk why I was expecting more. Ah well. Senate won't prevent him from running again, but seems like there are 2 district attorney's that are likely to prevent his ability to run again, I mean, I know some states allow it so some inmates have run for office, unsuccessfully, but not sure it would work for the presidency.

[Breccia]

So again, this is precedent!

So let it be done. Any Republican who objects to anything Biden says, it's "Free Speech" and they are henceforth against the Constitution.

Lucky for me, I'm not a Republican and am not bound by such rules.

[masterhorus8]

So Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin stated the Trump defense team blew the Dems out of the water and specifically the President has 1st Amendment rights.

So again, this is precedent. From now on anything Biden says that offends them is free speech. I would like to take this further but once again, the Republicans little secret is they know the Dems will never act like Trump. No the Dems are no angels and incredible political party. They are just not pieces of feces like the GOP.

So remember Trumpkins in the Biden/Harris thread, you cant criticize anything Biden says. FREE SPEECH!

That entire argument just makes me so unreasonably pissed off at any fuck who tries to use it.

Why the fuck are people that don't know how the basic Constitutional rights work allowed to be in these positions? Their shitty ass view points shouldn't be able to override how it works, yet here we are!

[Edge-]

Why the fuck are people that don't know how the basic Constitutional rights work allowed to be in these positions?

They know how it works, they just don't care.