The character of any board is determined by the posters themselves.
This place will be as good as you participants make it.
Please read the rules and behave accordingly.
With the exception of "The Back Alley", CIVIL DISCUSSION IS EXPECTED.
Any problems, you may email at cpd.monitors@gmail.com - Send private forum message - OR Ask A Question here
Any and all personal information will remain strictly confidential.
Click BOLDED FORUM TITLES to open each one.
For help navigating & posting on the forums using BBCode, Get Help Here
This forum is a "work in process" and we welcome constructive comments & suggestions from all members !
1 of 1- Amadeus
- Moderator
Offline 
- Registered: 2/17/2019
- Posts: 53
Duality Of Coverage, Duality Of Experience
MSNBC pointed out the obvious last night, and I am sure they have pointed it out before, but this time it was in relation to the Barr testimony before the Senate committee.
There were two very different narratives emerging. You can see it on Mondo's board if you go look at the posts about Barr. They all believe he crushed the hearing and made the Democrats look like idiots. The other narrative is that Barr spent most of the day dodging questions, answering combatively, sulking, and splitting hairs in such a way as to make any neutral observer incredulous.
Trumpsters crowed about their victory and vindication. Hannity on FOX was exulting in the upcoming investigations of everyone that Trump wants revenge on.
Meanwhile, even the Republicans and conservatives on MSNBC were scratching their heads about all that. They played relevant sections of the hearing, demonstrated Barr's misleading statements and outright lies, followed up by his rationalizations and excuses. They noted that Barr was putting himself in a position where he was in danger of being removed from office.
This disconnect is amazing to me and disheartening. Do I believe that MSNBC might have some bias? Sure. I know they do. But I watch MSNBC because they do a good job of separating facts from editorializing. I have no problem understanding what is reporting and what is speculative.
FOX, on the other hand, seems to have designed its shows for the reverse purpose. To confuse viewers.
What bothers me is that there are people somewhere who make decisions to do this. They make decisions about what to put on the air, how to present things, whether or not to report on various events or items of news. There are people behind FOX. They are doing this. It borders on evil.
Amadeus
- Siagiah
- Administrator
Offline
- From: New England, U.S.A.
- Registered: 2/16/2019
- Posts: 2,313
Re: Duality Of Coverage, Duality Of Experience
I, too, am bewildered by anyone suggesting that Barr did anything but make himself an easy target for serious charges of his own.
He looked and sounded like someone defiantly daring the Senate to do something about his abhorrent behavior as if he was certain that they can't do ANYTHING to him. He also sounded stupider than Rudy Guiliani, tRUMP's personal lawyer.
WTF ?? Does he NOT know that a rogue Attorney General can be jailed a la John Mitchell ??
Then saying he's going to defy the House subpoena to testify before them because he objected to "real lawyers" having a go at him ??
Barr apparently DID defy the subpoena and didn't show up. What a flippin' NERVE.
- Amadeus
- Moderator
Offline
- Registered: 2/17/2019
- Posts: 53
Re: Duality Of Coverage, Duality Of Experience
I listened to a discussion concerning the options of the House. They could pursue criminal contempt, but Barr controls the office that would handle it, so that is kind of a dead end. They could pursue civil contempt, but precedent shows that such cases tend to get locked up in court until the administration fighting them is out of office. So what is the point?
Lastly, they could send the Sergeant at Arms to arrest Barr and hold him in the "House Jail." First of all, I was not aware they had their own jail. Secondly, the commentators dismissed that as, "Of course, they wouldn't do that."
Maybe they should. And while he is there, impeach him. The common sense wisdom is that since Barr has a security detail, they would not allow his arrest. But I say, why wouldn't they? This isn't a banana republic. We still respect the rule of law. If the Sergeant at Arms cites the applicable law when he makes the arrest, and does not attempt to do anything stupid with guns, I could easily see cooler heads prevailing and Barr getting marched down to the House Jail.
If they do not do this, I do not see what options they have. It is why, I think, Nadler is still trying to negotiate a compromise with Barr to get him to appear. Nadler knows his options are slim and none.
But this is why Trump needs to be impeached. Look at what he has done to the government. Look at the level of dysfunction.
Amadeus
- •
Thread Starter- Siagiah
- Administrator
Offline
- From: New England, U.S.A.
- Registered: 2/16/2019
- Posts: 2,313
Re: Duality Of Coverage, Duality Of Experience
Amadeus wrote:
I listened to a discussion concerning the options of the House. They could pursue criminal contempt, but Barr controls the office that would handle it, so that is kind of a dead end. They could pursue civil contempt, but precedent shows that such cases tend to get locked up in court until the administration fighting them is out of office. So what is the point?
Lastly, they could send the Sergeant at Arms to arrest Barr and hold him in the "House Jail." First of all, I was not aware they had their own jail. Secondly, the commentators dismissed that as, "Of course, they wouldn't do that."
Maybe they should. And while he is there, impeach him. The common sense wisdom is that since Barr has a security detail, they would not allow his arrest. But I say, why wouldn't they? This isn't a banana republic. We still respect the rule of law. If the Sergeant at Arms cites the applicable law when he makes the arrest, and does not attempt to do anything stupid with guns, I could easily see cooler heads prevailing and Barr getting marched down to the House Jail.
If they do not do this, I do not see what options they have. It is why, I think, Nadler is still trying to negotiate a compromise with Barr to get him to appear. Nadler knows his options are slim and none.
But this is why Trump needs to be impeached. Look at what he has done to the government. Look at the level of dysfunction.
Amadeus
================
I find it VERY DISTURBING that the only options available to do something about a rogue official can't be done because that rogue official is in charge of the department that would have to take him to task. That's ABSURD.
HOW did our government get here?? John Mitchell was arrested and tried in court. He was the AG and in charge of the Justice Department. It was UNHEARD OF that he might defy congress and instruct his department to IGNORE a valid case against him. Nixon understood when the game was over and he resigned. tRUMP apparently not only doesn't understand the rules but he doesn't CARE either.
- Amadeus
- Moderator
Offline
- Registered: 2/17/2019
- Posts: 53
Re: Duality Of Coverage, Duality Of Experience
Republicans at the time saw what was happening and were not willing to be tainted by Nixon's crimes. Republicans now see what is happening and want to scrape every last bit of power out of their situation. They fully expect that in our polarized society, their base isn't going anywhere, since the opposition has been demonized within an inch of its life.
- •
Thread Starter