Discussion How likely is it that the Russians are blackmailing Barr, other republicans?...

[Synomenon]

#tinfoilhat

I don't understand why so many Republican politicians (and Barr who is in a position that's supposed to be non-partisan) defend Trump the way they do even when they all see the corruption and crimes he's caused and committed while in office.

Could it be that some larger force (like the Russians) have something on each and every one of them and have threatened to release that if they don't defend and follow Trump to the end?

 

[thilanliyan]

I don't think it's that sinister. I think it's just they know his base can get THEM re-elected as well, so they pander to them. Notice how the ones "retiring" have been the only ones to really push back against him.

Politicians are mostly worried about their own backsides. Very few genuinely care about PUBLIC service.

 

[ivwshane]

#tinfoilhat

I don't understand why so many Republican politicians (and Barr who is in a position that's supposed to be non-partisan) defend Trump the way they do even when they all see the corruption and crimes he's caused and committed while in office.

Could it be that some larger force (like the Russians) have something on each and every one of them and have threatened to release that if they don't defend and follow Trump to the end?

The mind of a sycophant is completely foreign to me but for those that support trump, I don't think it's a matter of blackmail. It certainly could be a quid pro quo. For example;


https://www.esquire.com/news-politi...-kentucky-aluminum-mitch-mcconnell-rand-paul/

However, I think it's more primal than that and I believe the party that has conditioned its members to put party before country has simply normalized such behavior that they aren't even aware of their swampyness.

 

[sandorski]

Very unlikely.

 

[Indus]

It's quite simple really. All these antics are designed to frustrated enough people that it becomes either a minority control country or a country divided where they can retain control over parts like the Balkans.

And Russia will no doubt endorse it as a weaker America means more Russian influence. Trump will endorse it because he wants to be loved. And there are enough Russian billionaires contributing to the GOP cause.. just look at the sanctions removed for investment in Kentucky.

If Dems were smart, they'd just pass a quick law legalizing secession from the Union. And Russia will win.

Instead they hang on to an illusion of a country so broken, so divided, it can't be glued together again even with super glue.

 

[DrunkenSano]

I highly doubt Russia is involved in whatever Barr is doing. Right now, it's just a blatant power struggle at the top and Barr will do whatever he can do back Trump. He knows that if something happens to Trump, he and a lot of other people in power are screwed. There is really no chance of any sort of reconciliation between those currently in power and the ones that want to oust them. That is why the divide is so glaringly wide. They are no longer doing what they feel is best for the country, misguided or not, but what is best for themselves.

 

[Jhhnn]

I don't think it's that sinister. I think it's just they know his base can get THEM re-elected as well, so they pander to them. Politicians are mostly worried about their own backsides. Very few genuinely care about PUBLIC service.

Bothsides so soon? The simple answer to the OP's query is that the politicians who back Trump are themselves corrupt, one way or another. That's not Democrats.

 

[dainthomas]

The two worst offenders are McConnell and Graham. McConnell is all about being a partisan hack and greed (see above deal). Graham I could definitely see someone having something (that's obvious to everyone) on him. How else to explain such a drastic 180? Not like they'd primary him for expressing occasional criticisms (see Romney).

 

[ivwshane]

I highly doubt Russia is involved in whatever Barr is doing. Right now, it's just a blatant power struggle at the top and Barr will do whatever he can do back Trump. He knows that if something happens to Trump, he and a lot of other people in power are screwed. There is really no chance of any sort of reconciliation between those currently in power and the ones that want to oust them. That is why the divide is so glaringly wide. They are no longer doing what they feel is best for the country, misguided or not, but what is best for themselves.

I think for Barr, its more personal and he's trying to prove/implement the theory of a unitary executive. The GOP has actually been pushing this for decades (going back to the cheny days under Bush Sr and possibly Regan).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitary_executive_theory

 

[thilanliyan]

Bothsides so soon? The simple answer to the OP's query is that the politicians who back Trump are themselves corrupt, one way or another. That's not Democrats.

No doubt IMO the GOP are way more corrupt and beholden to special interests. I am equally sure that in general very few politicians these days care about public service...Democrats also take money from corporate donors and it is impossible to stay completely unbiased once they do that. Massive donations really need to be limited/eliminated from politics...lots of these current issues can be fixed if that is done away with.

 

[ivwshane]

No doubt IMO the GOP are way more corrupt and beholden to special interests. I am equally sure that in general very few politicians these days care about public service...Democrats also take money from corporate donors and it is impossible to stay completely unbiased once they do that. Massive donations really need to be limited/eliminated from politics...lots of these current issues can be fixed if that is done away with.

Democrats are and have been continuing to put forth legislation to limit money in politics.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Not likely with Barr.

 

[Jhhnn]

No doubt IMO the GOP are way more corrupt and beholden to special interests. I am equally sure that in general very few politicians these days care about public service...Democrats also take money from corporate donors and it is impossible to stay completely unbiased once they do that. Massive donations really need to be limited/eliminated from politics...lots of these current issues can be fixed if that is done away with.

Dems are obviously willing to move in that direction with HR-1. McConnell calls it a power grab. He's right, too, because it would take power away from the GOP's big money donors, the true Bush constituency. They've been winning at top down class warfare for nearly 40 years & they have no intention of backing off now.

Vote GOP if you're enjoying your economic ass kicking. They'll give you more if you let 'em.

 

[thilanliyan]

Democrats are and have been continuing to put forth legislation to limit money in politics.

That's commendable and I hope it gains some more traction.

Unfortunately with the current administration and GOP in power, it isn't going to change anything anytime soon. I'm not saying give up by any means....however, I think the first step is for the Dems to take back the presidency and/or the Senate. Then maybe they can really put some weight behind that type of legislation.

 

[ivwshane]

That's commendable and I hope it gains some more traction.

Unfortunately with the current administration and GOP in power, it isn't going to change anything anytime soon. I'm not saying give up by any means....however, I think the first step is for the Dems to take back the presidency and/or the Senate. Then maybe they can really put some weight behind that type of legislation.

They need to do both and they need to take both back overwhelming. The first order of business should be preventing what has happened from happening again. The next order of business should be restoring the house to a pre Gingrich era. The final step should be removing all of those who enabled trump or who were hired by trump sycophants. The supreme court can either be packed or Neil Gorsuch resign and garland can take his place.

Then normal business can continue.

 

[sandorski]

They need to do both and they need to take both back overwhelming. The first order of business should be preventing what has happened from happening again. The next order of business should be restoring the house to a pre Gingrich era. The final step should be removing all of those who enabled trump or who were hired by trump sycophants. The supreme court can either be packed or Neil Gorsuch resign and garland can take his place.

Then normal business can continue.

Something to consider is removing Presidential Pardon. Too much Power in one hand. Expand it out, if there's some value to it, but don't let 1 person use it as a Political Weapon, especially a self serving one.

 

[cytg111]

#tinfoilhat

I don't understand why so many Republican politicians (and Barr who is in a position that's supposed to be non-partisan) defend Trump the way they do even when they all see the corruption and crimes he's caused and committed while in office.

Could it be that some larger force (like the Russians) have something on each and every one of them and have threatened to release that if they don't defend and follow Trump to the end?

Rule #1, anything the Vlad Man can corrupt and thus gain kompromat on, HE DOES.

Rule #2, see Rule #1

https://whowhatwhy.org/2019/04/29/the-mueller-report-alfa-bank-and-the-deep-state/

Since the election, Trump has also acted in ways that will protect Alfa Bank from criminal investigations. In July 2018, Brian Benczkowski was narrowly confirmed as head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, despite Democratic concerns over the fact that he had previously, while a lawyer at Kirkland & Ellis, represented the Alfa Bank in the investigation of whether its computer servers had contacted the Trump Organization.

And William Barr, now attorney general, also worked at Kirkland & Ellis during the Bank Alfa investigation, leading Newsweek to ask a week ago whether he should not now recuse himself from matters affecting the Mueller report.



- Not saying its nothing, not saying its not nothing either.

I think a lot of them portrays behavior that would suggest that someone has their family hostage in a basement somewhere.

 

[interchange]

It's possible, but really such speculation gets us nowhere without evidence. The simpler alternative is that turning against Trump risks dividing the Republican party and massive political power losses both in the near and far term. I think some Republicans were caught off guard by the rise of an organized alt-right and are still surprised at just how bad Trump is but feel things will normalize when he loses power. Few among the mainstream Republican politicians supported Trump or took him seriously as a contender to win either nomination or general election. They didn't want him either but misjudged his chances.

 

[Moonbeam]

I believe if the Russians ever told the American people how they supported the worst scum we had to offer and how successful and gleeful at what they accomplished and how much they were able to sucker the average American to shoot him or herself the ass they were, the lives of Republican politicians would be in danger, and that is why they cling tightly to their Trump life raft and why they would do anything to keep that truth of what monsters and traitors they are from coming out. As long as they work against the real interests of the American people and maintain control, they will be safe from the people they have fucked and the Russians will remain silent.

 

[woolfe9998]

The two worst offenders are McConnell and Graham. McConnell is all about being a partisan hack and greed (see above deal). Graham I could definitely see someone having something (that's obvious to everyone) on him. How else to explain such a drastic 180? Not like they'd primary him for expressing occasional criticisms (see Romney).

But there is a specific explanation for Graham. He's well known in DC for doing whatever he thinks politically benefits him most at a given time. What kept him from backing Trump was that McCain, for understandable reasons, despised Trump, and he couldn't break with McCain. But right after McCain passed, that's when Graham did his 180.

 

[Maxima1]

But there is a specific explanation for Graham. He's well known in DC for doing whatever he thinks politically benefits him most at a given time. What kept him from backing Trump was that McCain, for understandable reasons, despised Trump, and he couldn't break with McCain. But right after McCain passed, that's when Graham did his 180.

i think he drifted to Trump before McSame passed. Shee-it, he allowed the Republicans to beat up on McSame over the dossier, despite Graham's claim that he told McSame to take it to the FBI.

 

[Jhhnn]

I believe if the Russians ever told the American people how they supported the worst scum we had to offer and how successful and gleeful at what they accomplished and how much they were able to sucker the average American to shoot him or herself the ass they were, the lives of Republican politicians would be in danger, and that is why they cling tightly to their Trump life raft and why they would do anything to keep that truth of what monsters and traitors they are from coming out. As long as they work against the real interests of the American people and maintain control, they will be safe from the people they have fucked and the Russians will remain silent.

Shee-it, Sherlock. Trumpsters would instantly believe it was some kind of fake news. It's the Dunning-Kreuger effect in action where the people whose minds are affected most strongly believe it didn't happen to them. Because they're too smart. Because of the MAGA. Because it feels so good when Trump twiddles their dials.

 

[Bitek]

Don't over complicate it. It's a craven desperation play to hold onto power.

That is the one central theme in all modern Republican actions and policy.

With or without Russians, they would be doing the same thing. Only the tools change.

 

[Moonbeam]

Shee-it, Sherlock. Trumpsters would instantly believe it was some kind of fake news. It's the Dunning-Kreuger effect in action where the people whose minds are affected most strongly believe it didn't happen to them. Because they're too smart. Because of the MAGA. Because it feels so good when Trump twiddles their dials.

If Democrats told them, but it would be another thing, I believe, if the Russians showed them exactly how they were manipulated.

You should know, also, that the thing conservatives fear is the projection of their own hate.

 

[Indus]

They need to do both and they need to take both back overwhelming. The first order of business should be preventing what has happened from happening again. The next order of business should be restoring the house to a pre Gingrich era. The final step should be removing all of those who enabled trump or who were hired by trump sycophants. The supreme court can either be packed or Neil Gorsuch resign and garland can take his place.

Then normal business can continue.

Holy shit. Someone else that thinks like I do.

Unfortunately I think we're gonna have kick some people and maybe states away to be able to do that. The cancer in this country has metastasized and it needs surgery. But there is a healthy chunk still alive and doing well.. I don't know for how long though.