I never said it made any sense. I quit trying to make sense out of all the contradictions in the Christian Bible and the "Christian" teachings I was getting a long time ago. But I agree with you, I'd like more time rather than less.

Thanks for the explanation. I see now where you were going with that.

GeorgiaMa'am i found your remarks interesting and they made me think of my own history...i spent a lot of time in my youth pursuing religious truth..thru catholicism, southern baptist, presbyterian, and church of god...and studied other parts of Christianity..i don't regret it and honor the gods however they present themselves ..but i've been a devotee of the goddess for many years..i find many parts of Christianity puzzling..i'm sure that is why i was so restless for a long time...the gods have given us many paths and i am grateful..:candle:

Religion has long been an excuse for attacking other cultures. I prefer the rational approach to life without religious belief and the wars that ensue.

Yes, I dead seriously want a revolution and believe that the US is as ready as it's ever been. The country is angry, polarized, and could very well ignite into civil war. Instead of internal conflict, the anger needs to be redirected to revolution against this regime which is why some adept organizers need to emerge. With the assistance of other socialist countries, the angst should be directed toward socialism.

Indeed, I would take up arms for the revolution I've been waiting for most of my life. Having become a socialist in my early teens after beginning a course of study in the history of the USSR and Marxism which is ongoing.
It is, IMHO, the only reasonable course of action. We need social and economic justice for all of the disenfranchised poor who deal with the
disparity on a daily basis.

Billionaires running to be the Democratic nominee, how absurd can it get?

Remember the Weathermen
 

Fantasy to have lived during the time of the Weathermen... and been a part of their group. Wait a minute... reality check! They failed. I think I saw that on TV. Waste of energy.

Lev Parnas - Interviewed by Rachel Maddow
 

I am presently watching Part 2 of Rachel Maddow's interview of Lev Parnas (associate of Giuliani). I saw the 1st part yesterday.

Thank goodness for Rachel Maddow and other journalists who are making such facts accessible to us.

OMG, what corrupt lawyers associated with Trump! Parnas had to fire the lawyers that Trump (through his lackeys) dumped on him, because they urged him to refuse to cooperate.

These people, all those associated with Trump are so corrupt, so evil, it's incredible.

The Republican controlled Senate will undoubtedly refuse to find Trump guilty, because they are all so corrupt. I hope they all lose their seats. Of course, considering how corrupt a large sector of American voters are, there is always a possibility that Trump may even get re-elected; and this time, I would not be surprised if that happens.

Maddow has also pointed out that the Federal watchdog Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that the (OMB - White House's Office of Management and Budget) violated law by withholding Ukraine aid, in other words, Trump broke the law.

These politicians who cover for Trump all lack integrity - in other words, they will use any and all means to realize their agenda. There are way too many people like that in the world. The world has become a very dark place.

I sit quietly and safely in another country, and watch in horror.

So, the impeachment trial is about to begin.

If you recall your New American Left history, the Weathermen group was not completely dissolved until the mid-2010s. Well after they had reiterated their policy of non-harm to human life. The objective of the Weathermen was damage to property in keeping with their anti-capitalist values. No Socialist or Communist group that I am aware of has, as a primary goal the killing of people, it's antithetical to the praxis of Communism.

For a 1960s-70s revolutionary group, they were quite successful and outlasted most of their genre. Definitely, not a movie of the week event. The Weathermen accomplished most of their goals from anti-Vietnam War actions to the Brink's armored car heist spanning some fifty years.

~
 

Yes Charley WE KNOW ALL ABOUT IT !! and WE will take care of it ~ now pay attention just in case YOUR country has a bad leader ! I also adore Rachel Maddow. I think that's all I have to say :)

Now,~ocean, do you really think a situation like we have would happen in Canada? Maybe I'm wrong, but they seem less hot-tempered and more level headed. We've always had our Second Amendment re-interpreting militia types, unlike many other more stable countries.

Even Canada has its "III% ers" and "The Base" with wacko militia extremists. Crazies and (in even larger numbers, I think) misguided, poorly educated people live everywhere. Of course, ours in the U.S. seem to be coming out of the woodwork lately, since we have the Pied Piper of Crazies at the helm (for the moment).

Ok, Canada has a few extremists, but compared to us, they live on Walden Pond.
"Misguided poorly educated people live everywhere," I agree, but the US has had problems with them since it's inception. We conquered the native people since the Mayflower. The US is built on invasion and conquest, the European arrival, the (1st) American Revolution, conquest of the western native lands, War of 1812, Civil War, lists go up to the present century.

US men, yes usually men, have always had violent love affairs with their firearms to the point that they've misinterpreted our Second Amendment in order to continue the Wild West violence in our modern-day streets. Doubt many other places have as embarrassing a history in this short amount of time.

Alt-Right Groups & Politics
 

This is an interesting subject, and I recently saw (last week) a program on the Documentary Channel - "Ben Fogle: Return to the Wild", 2nd episode in the series (2018), which documented the lives of Bill and Bob (genetic twins) - two old guys (in their 70s) living in Utah in a hidden/secret location in the Utah desert. I won't go into all the details, but there was an interesting admission during the show, wherein they said how they listened more to things on air that had to to do with "survival" techniques, and at a point, one said, without them saying that they had voted for Trump, that they were well prepared just in case there was an assassination attempt on Trump... (cough) !!!

Later in the show, one bro showed his locked storeroom to Ben which was completely stocked with large locked metal cases and what appeared to be dangerous substances (munitions/arms/god knows what...etc.).

What really struck me about their lives was their absolute conviction of "license"/"freedom", the "freedom" to live their lives exactly as they desired. (I must say here that their idea of freedom has absolutely nothing to do with what I have understood from meditation - i.e. psychological freedom from the past.) It seems to me that this is the key - the core - of all alt-right groups, and why such people support Trump. Now, I might be mistaken, I am no expert, lol. Of course, hatred is an emotion that tends to go hand-in-hand with this belief.

So, this is also, it seems to me, the reason that pro-lifers and some religious groups, etc. also support Trump, this "freedom" to choose to adopt a position, that identifies them in one way or another.

Now, while there are always disaffected young loners attracted to alt-right groups, whether in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Europe, etc., this show really made me understand that Bob and Bill's attitude to life was based entirely on a form of licentiousness (I am not talking of sexual amorality or wantonness), but more of what they believe is licit and has developed into a form of a philosophy and approach to life. And, it also seems to me that it is this very position which lies at the foundation of what is happening in the White House as well.

Waves from Walden Pond, at anyone who reads this, (grins).

The Impeachment "trial"
 

I zoned out watching the "trial"... zzzzzzzzz I will catch the summaries on the news later, much later. No documents produced, nor witnesses testifying. It just seemed like a lot of judicial foreplay, with a lot of legalese mumbo-jumbo from the Republicans that I didn't understand, and the Democrats just re-verbalizing the charges, and in between, more procedural legalese. I don't even understand why they are calling it a trial. It was more interesting when Pelosi was holding back on sending the charges to the Senate; I almost wish she never sent them, and that the impeachment would just hang there, like some albatross hanging over Trump's head.

I think in a way it sort of is. I mean before this trial even began, there were those threatening, or promising, I guess it just depends what side you're on, if they didn't win this round they might try and impeach him again for other things. Maybe. And the way I understand it, he doesn't even have to still be in office for them to impeach him so when does it all end?

2020 U.S. Presidential Election Countdown Tracker
 

The procedural legalese is boring, except to illustrate how reluctant the Republicans are to let any witnesses or evidence be shown. If they weren't afraid of the evidence, why not let it come out so they could refute it?

It's really not so much a trial - even though technically it is one - as an opportunity for the Democrats to list out all the details of what people did or saw that was wrong, by explaining why they should be called as witnesses. Even if the Republicans don't let the witnesses testify, now the Democrats have an opportunity to explain exactly why and what it was that Trump did that was illegal (not to mention idiotic, crass and not interested in the American public's welfare). I think that's why the Democrats thought it would be worthwhile to go through the process of impeachment, even if they could never get an impeachment past the Senate.

i'm reviewing Adam Schiff's presentation...so far it's incredibly good, measured..with brilliance...enjoying..w tea

I wonder if anyone who saw the documentary, Dark Waters (Corporate Malfeasance committed by DuPont et al) will see a similar parallel to the life long pattern of corporate malfeasance committed by the T---p family. Just like Teflon is toxic and is practically in everybody's system (same as plastic copolymer products which never 'die', it's impossible; it's got its own brand of toxicity) and branded as non-stick product, it's my opinion that T---p is as toxic as Teflon. I personally feel that his proverbial sins will be exposed for the treachery behind all things T---p and that his brand of corporate malfeasance is only the tip of the iceberg of the many 'Cardinal Sins' this horrible monster has committed, over and over again, since a very young age.

Just like King David committed his treachery of murder in plain sight, so it is with the many treacheries committed by T---p.

That's what I have been thinking about, lately.

I also think that anybody running for POTUS should undergo a psychiatric exam, to make sure they don't have some out of control narcissism or some sort of sociopathy which is not only a danger to those afflicted by it, but a serious danger and threat to society as a whole.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this!

Beware you spineless politicians, the Lincoln Project is calling you out..

Just in case you're unfamiliar with the Lincoln Project.......

DOOMSDAY CLOCK

The keepers of the Doomsday Clock on Thursday moved the symbolic countdown to global disaster to the closest point to midnight in its 73-year history, citing “existential danger” from nuclear war and climate change.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, which was founded after the creation of the atomic bomb during the Second World War and focuses on the greatest threats to human survival, said it moved the clock from two minutes to midnight to 100 seconds to midnight – a 20-second advance.

The decision was made by the group’s science and security board, in consultations with its board of sponsors, which includes 13 Nobel laureates.

In a statement accompanying the clock’s advance, the organization said the nuclear and climate dangers “are compounded by a threat multiplier, cyberspace-based information warfare that undercuts society’s ability to respond.”

“The international security situation is dire, not just because these threats exist, but because world leaders have allowed the international political infrastructure for managing them to erode,” it said.

Rachel Bronson, president and CEO of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, said: “We are now expressing how close the world is to catastrophe in seconds – not hours, or even minutes.”

Come out of the woodwork all you Ignorant Trump Voters. Defend your votes and your support of him.

You owe us at least this much as you supported that horrible, greedy, shortsighted craven fool who will try to protect his ugly, venal, grasping family in underground bunkers while the rest of us try to survive the annihilation of ourselves, our children, and whatever generations might have come but will not.

yes, yes..i know you have the right to vote as you will...but look at the dreadful deadly mess you've created...and frankly, i don't even think you got a fair trade ...maybe a job that will be short-lived, maybe a few pennies more per hour long as the job lasts, and then a world you wont be able to afford enough gas masks to live in.

bump...hate to see a thoughtful post get drowned.

Why don't you address the Boris Johnson voters? He won in a landslide. You're living in a Commonwealth country. Or the voters in Brazil or Australia or Israel or India?

As far as psychiatric exam goes, though I think it's worth the effort, I don't know how effective it would actually be. Sociopaths, psychopaths many of them are very skilled, adept, accomplished and proficient liars. Especially the more organized ones. Very good at acing those type of tests, cunning people.

FINALLY FINALLY something worthwhile from the pundits!!
 

Last night on MSNBC they discussed the ramifications that the senators who vote against calling witness will face when Bolton's book is released and in fact if it does contain some very damaging info that should of been heard before the impeachment proceedings.

Of course there has not been a release date set for his book but I have a hunch it's going to be out well before election time.

It is well known I am not a fan of the talking heads ESPECIALLY when they talk over whatever person is the focus of an event they are covering! And well, when they succumb to hash over what senator is drinking milk, IMHO it's WAY past time to shut up, say goodnight, and sign off!

As a US citizen I hate to say that this election seems to be similar to the last one in that I find myself not being inspired to vote for anyone and will likely just vote against the hated one (in my case against Trump).

I wish our political system could produce legislators who would legislate and presidential candidates who could work with them to get things done, actual law making beyond the reaches of just signing in and out with executive letters every time the political winds change direction.

In my opinion the extreme "all or nothing" stances results in more nothing than anything else.

The United States is certainly not alone in the poorly chosen and elected leaders camp, the globalization of bad choices seems to be upon us.

Chief justice's admonishment followed a note from Susan Collins...
 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts' admonishment of House impeachment prosecutors and President Donald Trump's defense team followed a handwritten note by Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine. Collins penned a note after House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler's comment about a “cover-up” by Senate Republicans for Trump, her spokeswoman confirmed. Senate rules ban senators from impugning each other.

Now IF only she pays as close attention to the facts offered up during the hearings!

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo unleashed a profanity-filled tirade at NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly in a private room after the “All Things Considered” co-host asked him about former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch during a routine interview, NPR reported.

Kelly explained on “All Things Considered” on Friday night that, after the interview, she was led to a private room near his office. Pompeo then yelled at her, using the “F-word and many others” over her questions on Ukraine.

“I was taken to the Secretary’s private living room where he was waiting and where he shouted at me for about the same amount of time as the interview itself,” she said. “He was not happy to have been questioned about Ukraine.” Pompeo also asked Kelly if she could find Ukraine on a map, and she said she could. He called on his aides to bring an unlabeled map so she could show him, according to Kelly.

Kelly, a longtime national security reporter with a master’s in European studies from Cambridge University, said she successfully pointed to the country on the map. Kelly described the bizarre tirade after airing the full interview with Pompeo on “All Things Considered.” The aide who brought Kelly to Pompeo did not say that anything would be off the record, the NPR host said.

She explained:

[Pompeo] asked, “Do you think Americans care about Ukraine?”

He used the F-word in that sentence and many others.

He asked if I could find Ukraine on a map. I said yes, and he called out for aides to bring us a map of the world with no writing. I pointed to Ukraine. He put the map away.

He said, “people will hear about this.”

NPR’s “Morning Edition” released a portion of Kelly’s interview with the secretary of state earlier Friday, highlighting the moment Pompeo became frustrated with Kelly after she asked him if he owed Yovanovitch an apology for her ouster. Pompeo deflected the question as Kelly continued to push him on it until the secretary appeared to cut the interview off.

Read the full transcript of Kelly’s interview with Pompeo on NPR.

IMHO Senators/Politicians never acted as rude and disrespectful before Trump came along...

It seems many have taken a page right out of his playbook!

So now Trump has attended the March for Life, something no other U.S. president has ever done. He spent a lot of time talking about God - Whom I think he has no interest in - and "unborn children" - whom I think he doesn't give a rat's a** about. He was clearly just pandering for votes.

Those delicate little GOP Senators.......
 

GOP Senators Incensed By Schiff's 'Head On A Pike' Remark!



They are incensed by this but not so much by all of Trumps shenanigans???

Another bombshell from a source Trump hardly knows???
 

ABC News has reviewed a recording of what they say “appears” to be President Trump speaking about wanting former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch fired. On the tape, the voice that appears to be Trump can be heard saying of Yovanovitch, “Get rid of her! Get her out tomorrow. I don’t care. Get her out tomorrow. Take her out. OK? Do it.”

The report goes on to cite sources who say the recording was made by Igor Fruman during an intimate dinner in 2018 at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C. Both Fruman and Lev Parnas were indicted for campaign-finance violations in October 2019 and are former associates of Trump’s personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani.

the republican's have NOTHING I'm sitting here listening to garbage so called opening arguments ~ this is obnoxious
I am embarrassed for them .To think people even think this ignorantly.

I'd give Trump Ukraine if he and his administration just get the Hell out of the Arctic.

"In May 2019, ( Mike) Pompeo acted against environmental protection at the Arctic Council. He refused to sign on to a joint statement addressing the need for protection of the Arctic region from the threat of rapidly melting ice unless all mentions of climate change were removed from the document. He stated "climate change is actually good for the Arctic, since melting ice caps are 'opening up new shipping routes' and thus making it more economically viable to expand oil drilling in the region."

Wikipedia. (Not the Bible but probably a reasonably accurate source on this one.)

Levitz, Eric. "Trump Thwarts GOP Plot to Pretend His Climate Agenda Isn't Idiotic". New York Intelligencer. Retrieved June 3, 2019.

McKibben, Bill (May 8, 2019). "The U.N. Report on Extinction vs. Mike Pompeo at the Arctic Council". Retrieved May 8, 2019.

I guess someone did do their homework for their Wikipedia entry.

I think Mike Bloomberg should put up one ( or two ) of his billions as a prize to be paid to the first person identifying any of the women paid or forced by Trump to have an abortion...maybe even including all his family members whose names end with an "a". This prize might be extended to protect anyone willing to break a non-disclosure agreement.

Come on Mike. You can do this.

Today Pompeo came out and accused Kelly lying to him twice! Once was about a portion of the interview supposedly being "off the record", I'm assuming it's the part where he uses such unnecessary foul and nasty
language.

So who shall I believe, a respected NPR journalist or one of Trump's mouthpiece who's been caught in lie after lie?

Over 24 hours later and some of these poor delicate flowers are still whining and carrying on over this!