In light of GOP's evisceration of Impeachment, abdicating all responsibility, I did a thing:

An Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The elimination of impeachment of the Chief Executive and the establishment of the Office of Governor General as Chief Executive.

#Shock-#Rock GIF-collection, it happened back in January 2020, went on in Febuary, March, April, suddenly stopped sometime after May 2020. Do you remember the time? It all started in the chans...

Thread ⬇️-Music: Michael Jackson, Remember The Time:
https://t.co/PS6mVgbdcU

2/:

I don't know, bet you wanna try
Every time you see

3/:

Do you remember
When we fell in love?
We were young and innocent then
Do you remember

4/:

How it all began?
It just seemed like heaven, so why did it end?

5/:

Do you remember
Back in the fall?
We'd be together all day long
Do you remember
Us holding hands?
In each other's eyes, we'd stare
Tell me

We've been hearing this a lot: the House managers have successfully shown how horrible the January 6 insurrection was and also highlighted Donald Trump's vulgar comments. But they haven't really proven the connection between Trump's comments and the attack. This is nonsense. 1/

There is a criminal case to be made against Trump for his role in inciting the inspiration, and @CREWcrew has made that case in its criminal sedition complaint against Trump. But this is not a criminal case, and does not require that kind of proof.

On a basic level, this case is painfully obvious. Donald Trump spent weeks and months and years saying, falsely, the election would be fraudulent and then that it had been stolen. This primed his supporters to believe their democratic rights were being take away. 3/

Trump spent weeks and months and years fueling a sense of grievance among his supporters and hostility to any political opponents, as well as condoning violence or mildly condemning it with a clear wink and a nod obviously meant to encourage it. 4/

In the weeks after the election, he compounded his big lie that he had won with efforts to take bogus claims to courts and to pressure officials at every level of government to overturn the results. He portrayed the across the board rejections as further persecution. 5/

1/10 Today, 63 year ago, Prime Minister Indonesia, Mr. Djuanda, declared unilaterally the use of archipelagic baselines, for joining the outmost islands. The waters enclosed was then declared as internal waters (Deklarasi Djuanda 1957).

2/10 Most States protested the declaration as it was in breach of the law of the sea at that time. Such baselines also converted high seas within the Country into internal waters thus invited strong objection from maritime powers having strategic military interest.

3/10 Indonesia was not comfortable with the label of ‘breaker of international law”, and stood up for its defences by fighting for recognition in the UNCLOS making conferences. Indonesia was neither silent and nor keep it unresolved, but ready to talk and compromise.

4/10 A prominent international law scholar, Mochtar Kusumaatmadja,translated the declaration into a legal narrative,using the language of international law, thus understood by maritime lawyers. Then skillfull Diplomats i.a. Hasjim Djalal brought the texts to the diplomatic table.

5/10 Mochtar explained behind the unilateral Declaration: Indonesia has to ensure and safeguard its national and political unity as well as its territorial integrity, the very viability of Indonesia as a nation. He emphasized: seas shall connects instead of separate its islands

I wrote about the charges filed so far in connection to the assault on the Capitol, how they compare to those filed against J20 and BLM protesters, and the problem with things like over-broad conspiracy charges and felony murder.

A few thoughts.

Officials said that they are going to leave “no stone unturned” in the investigation, which they said is likely to last years. DC's acting US Attorney Michael Sherwin called this probe “unprecedented, not only in FBI history, but probably DOJ history.”

The @FBI said it’s investigating 170 people so far, and that number will likely “grow to the hundreds in the next coming weeks.”

And prosecutors say they’re considering a broad set of charges: from trespassing, to theft of mail, digital devices, and possibly national security information from the Capitol, and up to assault of a law enforcement officer, seditious conspiracy, and felony murder.

According to The Prosecution Project (@ProsecutionThe), 111 people were arrested or charged for actions connected to the Capitol siege as of Thursday — most with relatively minor misdemeanors like unlawful entry and curfew violations. 30 people were facing federal charges.

The DUP's Ian Paisley MP tells the NI Affaris Committee that the NI Protocol shd be "removed" and that Article 16 of the Protocol should be invoked. Describes it as an "unmitigated disaster... Those who advocated for the Protocol have some responsibility for that.

"The protocol is now an impediment to trade. We told you so."

Article 16 of the NI Protocol: "If the application of this Protocol leads to serious economic, societal or environmental difficulties that are liable to persist, or to diversion of trade, the EU or the UK may unilaterally take appropriate safeguard measures.

"Such safeguard measures shall be restricted with regard to their scope and duration to what is strictly necessary in order to remedy the situation. Priority shall be given to such measures as will least disturb the
functioning of this Protocol."

Mr Paisley then berates @Freight_NI for not demanding that Article 16 be invoked. Mr Leheny asks him what the alternative is. Mr Paisley says removing the Protocol is the alternative.

COMPETENCE NEEDED

Remember him? I don't want to hear shit about foregiveness, love & the blood of White Jesus. Dis mafucka should rot in hell. Any black pastor that does this to black people should be hung on an upside down cross & crucified. Real talk.

I absolutely detest this shit. As a preacher, I actually joked about starting the PBI or the Preacher Bureau of Investigation where I form a group that randomly investigates preachers. In many ways, I have felt some black churches have done great damage to black people.

We need our own investigatory agency that keeps preachers under surveillance. Not like J. Edgar Hoover but more like some "To Catch a Predator" w/Chris Jansen type shit. Its more of this shit going on than U think. What's sicker is how quick Negroes quickly 4give these mafuckas.

Black folk are in dire need of a new theology. This hyperfocus on forgiveness & love will be the end of us. We have perverted the ministry of Jesus Christ. Somehow Christians have gotten a monopoly on the understanding of Christ. There were a group of people who followed Christ -

for almost 100 years before Christianity was ever institutionalized as a religion. They didn't have no church, no choir, no pastor, no offering, or no nothing. They were just armed with a witness of a black man who led a protest against the Roman government & was executed for it.

The U.S. Attorney's office announced an update on charges related to the U.S. Capitol insurrection soon.

As I cover that, my colleague @ColinKalmbacher will live-tweet the Aaron Mostofsky hearing.

The briefing is about to begin.

FBI Washington Field office's Steven M. D'Antuono is up first.

"We have opened 160 case files, and that is just the tip of the iceberg."

D'Antuono:

We have received more than 100K pieces of digital media.

He solicits more at 1-800-CALL-FBI

D'Antuono:

He credits pre-siege intelligence to the arrest of Proud Boy leader Enrique Tarrio before Jan. 6

The Govt, the Opposition, and the real Opposition. Some thoughts on Govt, Labour and the ERG/CRG.

Thread. 1/16

This is a Govt which is interested in the pursuit, and retention, of power (see this blog). It aims for short-term popularity, and is acutely sensitive to the public mood.

Its policies on the 2 big issues of the day - Brexit and COVID-19 - have not been successful.

We have not secured an easy trade deal with the UK and are facing a very hard Brexit, deal or no deal.

Both deaths and the economic damage from the virus are world-beating. 3/

What is (to me) interesting, and I think unusual, is that the loudest voices against the Govt's position, come not from the Labour party and other opposition parties; but from the fringes of the Conservative party (backed by many in the media). 4/

The possibly emerging deal with the EU is attacked not for the economic damage it will cause and the barriers it will create for people and business, but on the grounds that it represents an unconscionable imposition on the UK's sovereignty. 5/

We need to talk about @senatemajldr Mitch McConnell and how he is MURDERING THIS NATION. And we need to talk about it RIGHT NOW. Yesterday he killed the only chance for a nation hanging on by a thread to receive ANY economic relief. HE MUST BE REMOVED FROM HIS POSITION (Thread)

Over his 30+ YEAR tenure in Congress, McConnell has used his power to turn the GOP into a cult of spineless obstructionists who spit on the American people. Who cover up and "acquit" criminal Republican Presidents while launching baseless illegal investigations into Democrats.

Who invent fake "precedents" to block black Presidents from appointing Supreme Court Justices and then revoke them when the table turns. Who pass no bills but pack the courts. Who care about nothing but MAINTAINING POWER AT ANY COST. Well the costs are too damn high, Mitch.

Over 341,000 Americans ARE DEAD because YOU refused to remove a blatantly guilty treasonous mobster criminal from office in early February. The economy that Obama and Biden recovered from the Bush recession lies in ruins. Millions are on the brink of eviction and bankruptcy.

And you couldn't even give a paltry $2000 to Americans? That was too much to ask? Billionaires got 2 TRILLION. You yourself are a multi-millionaire. The rest of us get NOTHING. So what can we do? HOW DO WE REMOVE THIS ABOMINATION? G-E-O-R-G-I-A. That's how.

1. - No Escape This Week?

01/15/2021 UK closing ALL travel

It's Presidents Day in the US and once upon a time I read a biography of every single US president so I may as well make use of that useless knowledge. Here is a thread of the wildest tweet-sized fact I know about each president:

George Washington: lost nearly all of his teeth, had terrifying spring-loaded 18th century dentures that were in constant danger of jumping out of his mouth. He mumbled through all of his speeches because he was afraid of opening his mouth too wide.

John Adams: everybody but everybody thought he was a prudish, entitled, arrogant little jerk, including all of the other founders and especially his closest relatives and *extra specially* Jefferson.

Thomas Jefferson: an asshole. Died completely broke after a lifetime of living on borrowed money way outside of his earnings. Tried to save things at the last moment by selling all his books to the state. Died the same day as Adams.

James Madison: wrote the constitution and the bill of rights. I don't care what you heard. His super power was giving his ideas of government to other people and making them think it was their idea, and letting them take credit. But he wrote nearly all of it.

SPOILS OF WAR

#2allthosewhothoughtIwascrazy:

"When I see Harris & her husband, I see us. Will more BW begin to see the same potential 4 romantic love w/white men? Harris' next 4 yrs in the WH could help provide an answer. The power of Harris'

Black men, you are officially expendable, at least have the media tell you. And black women, to hell w/black men. White people will reward you handsomely following Harris' lead. Never forget this country was founded on breaking up black families. I predicted this would happen.

Make Michelle Obama white & Barack Obama's campaign doesn't sniff an ounce of support from black women. The reason being was that the picture of an intact black family in power was a beautiful sight for black women & fulfilled their greatest dreams. There is nothing wrong w/this.

There is nothing wrong w/wanting to see black people in love together in power. It's a beautiful sight, but what of Harris? If the Obama's marriage communicated to black people the power of black love in power, what does Kamala Harris' marriage to a white man communicate?

That black men are expendable & that 2 rise in a white world, black men are baggage that U need 2 discard. Think I'm off kilter w/this? Consider the fact that many black women in powerful positions either say little of or attribute little of their success 2 their black fathers.

I know you’ve all been waiting for my thread on today’s @DHSCgovuk White Paper https://t.co/lrNsuFoCum
and the accompanying recommendations from @NHSEngland https://t.co/810SaS9euc Wait no longer 😀 1/9

2/9 I’m not trying to cover everything in the documents but here are some thoughts on things others might not focus on so much. Good to see consistent messages about the strategic roles of the voluntary sector and local government. Detailed work needed to bring that alive.

3/9 Very pleased to see issues core to @RichmondGroup14 priorities at the centre of the challenges the White Paper aims to address: namely the growing needs of people with long-term and multiple conditions, the role of mental health in that mix and the impact of Covid on that.

4/9 White Paper rightly acknowledges that a new legal framework is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for integration and improvement. Culture, behaviour, relationships and leadership will be what make the most difference, though a better governance platform will help.

5/9 Important clarity in both the White Paper and @NHSEngland FAQs document that voluntary sector provision retains a key role as part of the planned changes to competition and procurement.

Keir Starmer who worked with Theresa May as DPP said '“Whether you agree with her or you don’t, this was a woman broken who had tried to genuinely deliver on what she thought she had to do … I can’t pretend I didn’t feel something.”: #StarmerOut https://t.co/0NzX7Ouv2a

Sir Keir Starmer was elected as an MP for Holborn and St Pancras in 2015. Before that he worked with May as director of public prosecutions when she was home secretary. #StarmerOut #LabourLeaks #Collusion #CONLAB

May was someone who was always straight with him, who always phoned him to ask whether she could use something he had said. “A lot of politicians didn’t do that. She never double dealt. She said what she would do and she did what she said.” #StarmerOut #LabourLeaks

At the end of his term as DPP in 2013, she invited Sir Starmer to dinner at an Italian restaurant in Westminster to say thank you.
“It was a difficult 90 minutes. Both of us were pleased to see the hour and a half was up.” #StarmerOut #LabourLeaks

''Keir Starmer credentials as a former director of public prosecutions (2008 to 2013) placed Starmer a cut above the rest of Labour's frontbench in the eyes of many Conservatives.''. He became acquainted with several senior Tories.