[FRIAM] capitalism vs. individualism

[Prof David West]

Glen,

Your "larger point is that communities are 
> responsible for policing themselves. Everyone should *welcome* 
> challenges to their narrative. So, Obama should have welcomed 
> impeachment inquiries into his actions. Trump should welcome the 
> impeachment inquiry *and* that into Russian interference. All rational 
> people should welcome challenges to their words and actions."

is dead on, with a minor caveat: ... rational people should welcome rational challenges ...

What Schiff, and the 500-1000 people I am including in "They" is not rational - it is emotional and ego-driven.

Based on her questioning of several Trump admin witnesses, Ocasio-Cortez should be leading the impeachment effort  - quiet, informed, questions that clearly demonstrate the errors of the other side — rational challenges absent all the ad hominen rhetoric. It would quickly be obvious to the majority of the population why Trump should be removed. And, in the short run, it would give the Republicans the grounds for actually supporting impeachment and convicting — something that will never happen with  the toxic-partisan Schiff-led efforts.

davew


On Sat, Nov 9, 2019, at 3:49 PM, glen∈ℂ wrote:
> While I agree that your *narrative* is plausible, I'm always skeptical 
> of such narratives. The system is more complex than these stories we 
> tell ourselves. I didn't confidently support impeachment until Trump 
> released his readout of the Ukraine call. And most of my more 
> conservative friends didn't support impeachment until the whistleblower 
> came forward. Those who've been shouting for Trump's impeachment for 
> years were not in control of the process.
> 
> More importantly, I think Obama should have been impeached, as well. To 
> me, his drone strikes were very close to crimes against humanity ... 
> but, of course, crimes against humanity may not be crimes against our 
> country... I don't know. But the larger point is that communities are 
> responsible for policing themselves. Everyone should *welcome* 
> challenges to their narrative. So, Obama should have welcomed 
> impeachment inquiries into his actions. Trump should welcome the 
> impeachment inquiry *and* that into Russian interference. All rational 
> people should welcome challenges to their words and actions.
> 
> Think of impeachment like your friend telling you there's spinach in your teeth.
> 
> On 11/9/19 12:05 AM, Prof David West wrote:
> > "They" is a very small number of individuals who directly control/influence the existing impeachment effort — Schiff and 50+ percent of House Members, Hillary and her closest cohort, a finite number of columnists, pundits, and commentators.
> > 
> > In my opinion, both the Clinton and the Trump impeachment efforts were not motivated by, and did not actualize, a very necessary system of checks and balances. Both were motivated by personal and partisan animosity.
> > 
> > And, in the case of Trump, motivated by deeply bruised egos.
> > 
> > "They" cannot believe that 49% of the electorate and most of the  populace outside of the northeast, west coast, and enclaves like Santa Fe, could possibly disagree with them. Therefore, Trump supporters are certifiably: racists, deplorables, and/or uneducated fools. And Trump has to be illegitimate, and must be removed from office for no other reason than he is a symbol of "Their" failures.
> > 
> > Impeachment is the wrong tool, wielded by the wrong people, for the wrong reasons, at the wrong time.
> > 
> > Its inevitable failure will almost guarantee "four more years" and, far more importantly, devalue an essential check & balance tool to the point that future Houses will shy from its use and open the door to "really bad things."
> > 
> > There are so many other ways that the country could have been protected from Trump and his re-election made impossible. But those alternatives would require reason, effort, and, most importantly for "They," some "agonizing reappraisal." (Mao)
> > 
> 
> 
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