sunnykerr

I'm guessing that, if they have the same schedule they had for Comey's testimony, then I'll be at work again.

I'm not entirely sure what Old Man Sessions can say on the matter that can be credible, though. The man is a throwback to the 1950's, and not in a good way. Like, if he hadn't been born before either J. Edgar Hoover or Joseph McCarthy had passed away, I'd be thinking he's one of them's reincarnation.

You'll have to let me know what he has to say, but I'd be completely shocked if he recognized that all kinds of evidence has been found to support the collusion between Russia and Trump's electoral team and that Russia manipulated the election results.

Of course, since that's pretty much a known and established fact, they're hopefully gonna focus on how he straight up lied during his confirmation hearings about his own collusion with the Russians.

canflam

Well it's likely that Trump knew what he was going to say before his testimony. Of Course Trump apparently would testify under oath, which I doubt will happen as his lawyer would I'd think not let him do that.

Anyway Bob Mueller hired Michael Dreeben who is regarded as the best criminal prosecutor in the business, which means that their is I think there isa a big criminal conspiracy he's going to have to investigate. I'd like to be wrong. We'll see.

Deputy AG Rosenstein Says He's Seen No Reason to Fire Mueller

Of course President Trump could still have Rosenstein fire Mueller, though I'd expect plenty of protests if that day comes.

sunnykerr

Apparently, Trump's defense for breaking the law and violating the Constitution is already "I'm too dumb to know better," so I have no doubt that, under oath, he'd lie or do his usual "word vomit" response.

See, there is a criminal conspiracy. Russia fiddled with your elections. It's been proven. Members of the current administration were talking to the Russians while that was going on. That has also been proven.

Troubling enough as that is on its own, the bigger problem is that you have an administration that is not, at any level, incentivized to make sure that Russia (or any foreign government, really, take you pick) can never do that again. Which means that Russia (or any foreign government) has no reason to stop doing it.

canflam

Yeah. It does seem like Trump doesn't care much about whatever the Russians did during last November's election sadly. Anyway I did seem some of Sessions' testimony yesterday & it was disappointing. Most of the questions he didn't answer. Sessions also stated that Comey is a total pro, knew his stuff & Sessions didn't need to be in the room with him & Trump while they talked. Sessions though also said that he talked with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosentein about removing Jim Comey as F.B.I. Director before either of them were confirmed to their positions.

OK. Donald Trump said himself that the reason he fired Jim Comey was because of the Russia investigation. Everything else is as they say ''post-action spin''. Sessions also didn't answer a bunch of questions yesterday under oath. So ridiculous that we can't get straight answers out of these people. Hopefully Bob Mueller will somehow.

sunnykerr

I'm not surprised. This is an Administration that hasn't had to face any consequences of any real weight (yet) for doing whatever the heck they want in blatant violation of ethics, law and the Constitution.

And, let me be clear, I'm probably never gonna like the GOP. But I'm also not an American, so this isn't about partisanship for me. Most of your Democrats come off as dodgy to me as well.

So, really, my disdain for the current administration is not about personal preference. I'm just observing that, while we may all give the side-eye to the United States once in a while, it's been comforting to know that the most powerful country in the world was a democracy. And that's what seems to be in jeopardy right now.

I have nothing against Russia and even less against Russians. But that country's political model is NOT one that a democracy should look to as inspiration. So I find it troubling that Russia seems to be in charge of who wins elections in the United States now, and that the people in charge of the United States don't seem to be bothered by that.

canflam

Democrats are more tolerable generally to me I think. We're seeing firsthand what it's like to have Republicans hold congress & the Presidency & it's not looking good from the outside I think, but others are welcome to disagree. Like Newt Gingrich for example pushing this Bob Mueller conspiracy. Republicans make me shake my head with more of their outlandish statements too. For example here is a clip of on the FOX News Channel yesterday of Newt Gingrich giving his take on the shooting in Alexandria yesterday.

Gingrich Chided on Outnumbered After Blaming Shooting on ‘Hostility on the Left’

sunnykerr

I don't find the Democrats all that better, personally. Just marginally more likely to support legislation that actually supports the "little guy," which is where my values are at. The problem, as I see it anyway, is that it takes so much money to even run in elections, so that increases the likelihood that people will have dubious or shifting loyalties.

Look at President Trump. In theory, his independent wealth should have meant that he had more independence. In fact, it's only meant that he's using this gig to make more money for his businesses, one way or another. And that's not the point of public service, as far as I see it anyway.



Over the last 30+ years, I have learned one thing about the GOP is that, generally speaking (because there are exceptions), the more they are a "big deal" or "big cheese" or whatever, the more you have to take what they say and take the exact opposite to be the truth.

So, while politicians from both parties have gone out of their way to have a bipartisan response to this unacceptable shooting, you get a Newt Gingrinch bleating about "left-wing hostility." When a guy walks into a black church and shoots up the place, it's mental health. When a brown army guy shoots up his army base, it's terrorism. So, naturally, when a guy shoots at GOP politicians, it must be left-wing hysteria, right?

canflam

You could be right about what Republicans say to be the opposite to be true. I think it would seem like less of a circus in the White House at this time if Clinton or Sanders had won the Presidency or perhaps even another Republican. Like what the President did today about U.S. citizens visiting Cuba. A lot of the things that he is doing like with climate change or others it just seems unnecessary. And I don't think for certain that Clinton would've fired Jim Comey & certainly not the way Trump did. That was unprofessional. Also just about anyone else would've released his or tax returns I think if they at least became U.S. President which if Trump would've done that instead of lying about this audit then that would have helped. This is I think many would agree the least transparent White House in a very long time & things don't look like they'll change soon with next year's election looking like it's going to lead the Republicans way again in their races for the House & Senate.

sunnykerr

I'm always going to be of the opinion that Hilary Clinton was the most singularly qualified presidential candidate your country has ever seen. That doesn't mean I think she is without skeletons in her closet. But, in terms of the presidency being about public service and juggling all of the competing interests that come with the job, I think she would have been the best person for the job since the job was created.

We can't go back in time, though, and try to figure out what she would have done with Comey. Inasmuch as he was appointed by a Democrat president, I think we already know that professionalism was already a part of that relationship. But it's just impossible to know what would have happened there.

And everybody else has released their tax returns. That's what made Trump's candidacy so unique. He's the one who didn't in... someone else had figured out how long, but basically in a very long time. As I said at the time, the tax returns, in and of themselves, aren't a big deal. It's the sum total of all that's shifty and unethical about Trump that is a problem.

Even as a businessman, this was a man who was known for his unethical practices. Is it such a surprise that he just keeps acting unethically?

canflam

U.S. officials in favour of lifting Sudan sanctions: report - Sudan Tribune:

What are your thoughts on this? Trump is worried about Cuba's citizens apparently while Sudan has a worse human rights record than them.

sunnykerr

I think it would be more interesting to have the opinion of a U.S. citizen, no?

From the outside, it just looks like more of Trump administration stupidity and nonsense. Of course, if history is anything to go by, there will come a point sooner or later (or as soon as Trump declares war on any given country) where the rest of us won't be able to say something like that without being called anti-American.

canflam

Your country also has sanctions on Sudan. Would you be against them deciding to lift them some day? Of course many Canadians travel to Cuba regularly, but in this country that's now apparently going to be more difficult to do. See, travel restrictions are a big infringement on freedom I think. Now there are dangerous countries of course, which is understandable why the U.S. wouldn't want it's citizens traveling to them, but Cuba isn't 1 of them & there are oppressive governments that U.S. citizens can travel to their countries that are as bad as Cuba if not worse. Trump is also going to maintain Obama's policy on Cuban refugees that bars them from coming to the U.S.

Jared Kushner gave his first public remarks today, though if you go on YouTube you can find him being interviewed if people want to here him talk that much.

Jared Kushner to travel to Middle East

I wish him well with getting peace in the Middle East. No one seems to have been able to that yet.

sunnykerr

Sorry, it seemed to like you were asking people's opinions on the U.S. lifting sanctions on Sudan. So I didn't realize you meant Canada as well.

I have no problem with my country lifting any economic sanctions. Typically, the types of countries on which sanctions are imposed are the types of countries where only the poor and non-dangerous portions of the population are affected by said sanctions.

In the case of Sudan, and bearing in mind what I just said, "our" sanctions are tied to specific individuals. Now, that's not necessarily a brilliant idea if we remember that mistaken identity happens quite a lot. But, in light of the ongoing conflict in that region, I would hope that the specific individuals whose assets have been targeted are not the kind of people I would feel too bad about having their assets compromised. Presumably, they have way more than one way around that particular legal quandry.

As for Cuba... Well, Lord knows there was a time the fear of Communism was something to behold, but it must be the generational gap or something, but the idea that Cuba is somehow scary now or has even been scary in any capacity is mystifying to me. I just plain don't understand what was supposed to be accomplished by putting an embargo on Cuba and I can't for the life of me understand what the appeal of going back to that would be.

As for Jared Kushner solving the Middle-East crisis on his own... Well, we've tried sending in intelligent people, maybe an idiot is what we haven't thought of before. Do you think he realizes that part of the problem is U.S. involvement in local politics?

canflam

Well he's not going their apparently alone, but it will be without Trump this time. I will say I feel better about Kushner going their than I would if let's say Steve Bannon or perhaps Trump even. Also this gives Jared a break from D.C. I don't expect him to get a peace deal done between Israel & Palestine, but I think it's worth a shot.

sunnykerr

I just think it's a good thing that there are not a finite amount of shots, because it would be such foolishness to waste them like this.

Meanwhile, I kinda can't wait to see what Trump's long-boasted-of super-secret new Heatlh Care plan is, because apparently no one knows what it is: Secretive Republican healthcare bill sickens Democrats

I may be proven wrong. In fact, I hope I am proven wrong. But, if the GOP sticks to their usual script, the rich and the (in this case, health-care insurance) corportations are about to get richer, and the rest of the country is about to pay for that added wealth.