Trump and the Giant Impeachment. Trump thread 97

[AcrossthePond55]

With credit to Stephen Colbert (and Roald Dahl) for the title.

Vote taken, public House hearings to begin. Here we gooooooo!!!

Wish us luck; I got in from the Labour office here about an hour ago, and I live in a marginal constituency with a Big Tory Bug in the seat so there's a lot to play for here. I just hope that enough people vote tactically for the vote not to be split between Labour and the Lib Dems so that he is let in again.

And I am hoping that if we do well in the UK, it will be an omen for the US, and the Republicans may finally see what they have done to themselves and to their country and vote Trump out next November. I don't think successful impeachment would necessarily be the answer unless Pence goes too,because President Pence might get re-elected....

Your last point - will depend on whether the Dems play their wild card.

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/dec/09/trump-seoul-evacuation-north-korea-book?CMP=share_btn_tw

'Donald Trump called for the population of Seoul to be moved during an Oval Office meeting when tensions between the US and North Korea were at their height, according to a new book about the president’s relations with the US military.

In Trump and his Generals: The Cost of Chaos, the national security and counter-terrorism expert Peter Bergen also gives new details of Trump’s demands that the families of US service members in South Korea be evacuated, which the North Korean regime would have interpreted as a clear move towards war. In both cases, Trump’s impetuous diktats were ignored by his top officials.'

Rachel had a piece on the 'move Seoul' thing. My jaw hit the floor.

Let me test my knowledge:
Hung Parliament = no one party has the clear majority of members.
Coalition= 2 parties combine their members to get the number needed for a majority. They then select the PM together and try to come to a compromise in policies.

I wish the UK electorate had as good a grasp of UK politics as you do, Across/Carcass. One of my colleagues who will be working at a polling booth today was telling me they've had people asking why they can't find Boris Johnson on the list. Er, that'll be because this is not his constituency. Eh? What's that?

Thanks Annie. It took me a bit to understand the differences (like those voters, at one time I thought the UK elected the PM 'directly'). There are plenty of subtleties I'm sure I still don't get.

The idea of a coalition govt is pretty interesting. Can't you just see the current GOP and Dems trying to form a bipartisan coalition? It just wouldn't be possible. I can see two somewhat similar parties hammering out an accord, but not two so diametrically opposed.

If no party gets the number and a coalition can't be formed, does that mean another election?

The cost of chaos book sounds very interesting, I'd like to describe Trump as a bull in a china shop but to do so would be insulting the intelligence of the bull🐮

If no party gets the number and a coalition can't be formed, does that mean another election?

God only knows Carcass...

I am enjoying the Orange One's pissed-offness at Greta Thunberg being named Person of the Year - SURELY the folks at People must know that there is no greater Person than himself?!

Wait.....is Scrotus making negative comments about Greta?

Maybe he needs Melania to read him the riot act and tell him that "He should be ashamed of her his very angry and obviously biased public pandering, and using a child to do it" and then tell him to 'Be Best'.

GOP still at it, I see.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/dec/11/nhs-us-health-care-trade-deal-uk-election

Sorry it wasnt People but Time. I may have made People up, all I can claim is GE stress!

This explainer just now from the BBC election coverage:

And what if there isn't an outright winner?
If none of the parties commands a majority, we'll be faced with a hung Parliament. In that case, as the prime minister in power before the general election, Boris Johnson will stay in office and be given the first chance to form a government.

He'll have a few options:

• Forming a coalition government - forming a partnership with another party.
• Making a confidence and supply agreement - asking for occasional help from another party.
• Establishing a minority government - where the party doesn't have a majority in the Commons but governs anyway.

If the previous prime minister fails to form either a coalition or an agreement with another party, they are usually expected to resign. They will recommend that the leader of the largest opposition party gets the chance to form a government.

If the opposition party also fails, then Parliament will be dissolved again and there will be another election.

Thanks Perking. We're really learning about each other's political systems during these troubling times.

Hands across the water. 🤝🤝

To be honest I have paid more attention to the US than the UK.

Could the UK stay without an elected government for some time, like some years ago with Belgium and more recently with Spain? They seemed to cope fairly well. I mean, nothing bad happened, like them leaving the EU or anything like that.

Never mind learning about each other's systems: I'm learning about the UK system.

It's pretty unusual to have a hung Parliament or coalition: usually one party gets an overall majority. It's also really unusual to have a sitting Prime Minister who has no shame in behaving as though the law doesn't matter.

So we're on the edge of territory I've never seen before (although the law may cover it).

If there's a Tory majority, we'll still be in unfamiliar territory because of Johnson's flagrant disregard for the law and for norms.

We may need that hand across the water – when you've got rid of your own narcissistic demagogue, or course... 🤝

Handy chart:

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/election-results-outcomes-how-many-seats-win-hung-parliament-majority-when-polls-close-a9242391.html

The other thing to note is that Boris Johnson's seat isn't as safe as he'd like it for be, apparently - only 9 points in it last night and that was split between the Lib Dems and Green... It's unlikely, but BJ could be the first Prime Minister not to win his seat if they all voted red (bliss!)

Fingers crossed!

Well, if the exit polls are anywhere near correct, the narcissistic demagogue has got a thumping majority.

If so, we have a new and more dangerous world.

What chance that Russia report gets published now, eh?

Gov. Mike Huckabee
@GovMikeHuckabee

'I'll be on @seanhannity 2nite @FoxNews at 9pm ET and will explain how @realDonaldTrump will be eligible for a 3rd term due to the illegal attempts by Comey, Dems, and media , et al attempting to oust him as @POTUS so that's why I was named to head up the 2024 re-election.'

That Huckabee statement doesn't surprise me one bit. We've been expecting it in one form or another. Scrotus is not going to 'go quietly into that dark night'.

I'm hoping that today's general election result doesn't mean that the UK is entering the realms of 'Trumpism'.

House Judiciary Cmte has been in session for 12.5 hours. The GOP members have been throwing in everything but the kitchen sink to try to delay the proceedings and delay a vote. It is now 10.13 pm EST. It Is expected that they will vote sometime tonight to send the Articles of Impeachment to the House for a full vote.

I don't think so. Trumpism is not the same as Johnson plus Brexit.