May Hope and History Rhyme (Trump#116)

[lionheart]

With thanks to Seamus Heaney for inspiring the President Elect.

"History says, don't hope
On this side of the grave.
But then, once in a lifetime
The longed-for tidal wave
Of justice can rise up,
And hope and history rhyme."

This is strangely cheering.

www.comicsands.com/amanda-chase-plexiglass-box-mask-2649613849.html

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime

Would it be possible to appoint McCabe to the position of acting FBI chief for a week, or even just a day, so that he got his pension? Whatever I may think of him as a person, he did work for that pension over many years, and such a mean-minded bit of cheapskatery ought not to be allowed to stand.

Govt pensions are a combo of salary deductions + Govt contributions. When you're fired from Govt service you get your contributions back (but not Govt contributions). So even if McCabe was reinstated he still wouldn't be eligible based on his prior service as he'd no longer have any contributions 'in the pot'. In essence, he'd be starting again at 'taw'.

Plus, being fired 'for cause' normally bars rehiring. Of course at that high a level the rules may very well be different regarding rehire. But not refund of contributions.

If you voluntarily leave you have the choice of withdrawing your contribution or leaving your contributions in place if you plan to return to service at a later date or are already vested but don't meet age.

That's a shame. It means he has been defrauded of what he was properly owed, and has no redress.

www.politico.com/news/2020/12/24/democrats-fundraising-records-georgia-senate-runoffs-450440

Spoke to BIL today - Georgia resident. He said he's voted already and he's so sick of political ads everywhere.

Good to get it done.

www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-23/trump-could-finally-testify-under-oath-in-lawsuit-filled-2021?utm_source=twitter&utm_content=business&cmpid=socialflow-twitter-business&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/12/how-abuse-presidential-pardon/617473/

I just watched Don Jr and Kimberley Guilfoyles Christmas video. Someone has very red eyes and is very nasty and mean about his significant other.
Maybe her girlfriend contract is up.

Yes I saw that Sunni. Awful. There's nothing like bigging yourself up by doing down your partner.
"I've managed to maintain a very low bar with Kimberley"
Nice.

Also seen another vile video. DonJr's children opening a truly obscene amount of presents. I felt quite grubby watching it.

@SunniCameHomeWithAVengeance that video is awful. He's so horrible.

Hopefully the whole rotten family end up in prison.

@Roussette

Yes I saw that Sunni. Awful. There's nothing like bigging yourself up by doing down your partner. "I've managed to maintain a very low bar with Kimberley" Nice.

Also seen another vile video. DonJr's children opening a truly obscene amount of presents. I felt quite grubby watching it.

Yes, I watched that too.

Conspicuous consumption and totally insensitive at this particular time.

Don Jr. has issues, as you'd expect.

'Issues' is one way of putting it.
I think he'll be burnt out in the not too distant future.
The difference physically between him when Trump was pitching to be President... and now... is startling

You know when a picture says 1000 words

I didn't like to delve too much into his particular pathology, Roussette.

Thinking about Trump Senior's head has been hard enough.

More reaction to Blackwater pardons:

eu.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/12/23/trump-pardons-american-war-criminals-undermines-rule-law-column/4026014001/

Got any links to those videos?

twitter.com/i/status/1342931207613513730

twitter.com/i/status/1342885209054785540

Those children look haunted. Their poor little faces make my soul very sad.

The truly awful thing about the Blackwater murderers being pardoned is that the message it sends to huge numbers of citizens from other countries is, "So? What's new? We've always known the Americans were not really civilized, look at the way they treat people in their own country" (and on, pointing to executions and prison conditions and the large proportion of Americans in prison as against other Western nations and the treatment of black men on arrest and the number of people shot by policemen for the crime of walking in the street and and and)

And they will go to Wikipedia and point out that the United States has the highest number of people incarcerated per 100,000 of any country (of whom more than 20% are being held without having had a trial) recording the data in the world, and say "told you. Told you all along. Not civilised."

It's unfair on a great nation that one man can so easily do so much harm to how it is seen elsewhere. Time to change the power of the President to issue random pardons without any process at all.

"It's unfair on a great nation that one man can so easily do so much harm to how it is seen elsewhere."

The problem is... I do not think it is "one man" - over 70M people voted for him (thankfully LESS than voted for Biden, but still). As such, it is something in US society that makes his attitude and actions acceptable to them.

Are we perfect? Dear God no!!! But I still maintain that we (the UK) are a more just, marginally more moral and inclusive society than the US

I think the main thing to remember is that while 71 million people voted for Trump, that means that 225 million did not vote for him. I find that comforting.

Sorry, 259 million -- I looked in the wrong place for the estimated population 2020.

In other news, I accidently turned off my MIL's freezer.