Delicious Irony

I believe that the Universe / the Dharma / Wakan Tanka sometimes uses trenchant humor to teach us.

In 1998, Alan Dershowitz, a recent addition to Donald Trump's impeachment defense team, believed:

1. no explicit crime is needed to justify impeachment
2. even in the absence of criminal activities, an individual can be impeached
3. abuse of power qualifies as a high crime and misdemeanor as identified in Article II Section 4 of our Constitution, and can therefore be a legitimate basis for impeachment

 Yet today, Mr. Dershowitz feels that anyone who corrupts the office of President is impeachable.

And don't get me started on the humanitarian then-Representative  Lindsay Graham's changes of heart from 1998 to today ...

Who's Zoomin' Who?

The members of Donald Trump's defense team show no more adroitness with facts, semantics, or veracity than does their client.

The most glaring example yesterday (during the opening of Donald Trump's impeachment trial)?  Jay Sekulow insisting that Republicans were barred from seeing any of the results of investigations into Donald Trump conducted by the House of Representatives.

To date, Mr. Trump has logged nearly 14,000 false or misleading statements since taking office in 2017.  That makes his daily average of bullpuckey nearly 14.  When one compares averages rather than aggregates, Messrs Sekulow and Cippollone are on a trajectory to outstrip their client.

And why haven't we yet seen two of the best-known members of the Trump team - Alan Dershowitz and Ken Starr?

Live-Blogging

Those defending Donald Trump in the impeachment trial today have called the entire process a ridiculous charade.

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black ...  But at least the adults in the chamber (AKA Democratic Senators) were able to wrangle some concessions from Mr. McConnell.  He abruptly changed the rules for the trial to allow for questions and arguments across three days, rather than the originally-mandated two.

Wow - how generous, Mitch.

Defying Rational Thought

Mitch McConnell (R - KY) , the majority leader in the Senate, said, a few days ago, that the rules under which that body would conduct the impeachment trial of Donald Trump would be identical to the rules under which Bill Clinton's trial was organized.  Then, identical became nearly the same.  Today, it became modeled on.

The Republican Senate majority have adopted rules slavishly obsequious to Mr. Trump.  Shame on them.

Legal Briefs

Merriam-webster defines a legal brief as a formal written presentation of an argument, that [illustrates its main points] with supporting precedents and evidence.  According to The Atlantic, the brief filed by the House Managers (AKA prosecutors) was an organized, well-put-together legal document.

The publication had no such kind words for the brief filed by Donald Trump's reality-TV-style defense team.  The Atlantic compared that second brief to the scream of a wounded animal.

God's Politics

I've long believed that one's political positions evolve from one's philosophical and even religious sentiments.  Despite being a long-lapsed Catholic, I have nothing but admiration and respect for folks like Jim Wallis (the title of one of whose books I borrowed for this post), and Rev. William Barber.

Learn about Bishop Barber and his recent efforts in this manifesto.  Learn about his organization The Poor People's Campaign   Discover some of Rev. Wallis' most recent works.

Then ponder what you've seen, and let it color your own politics.

One Profile In Courage, One Not

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D - MA) showed real courage in publishing this video; it  relates to the question of women in politics and government.

Organizers of a pro-gun rally in Virginia showed not only no courage but also no class.  They scheduled the gathering for Martin Luther King Jr Day.