This morning, as everyone gears up for what’s on track to be a momentous week for people who love democracy, there’s a small, but positive, sign that the rule of law is finally ready to take on Trump. It might not seem significant, but it’s important. I want to make sure you see it.
I am disheartened by the rhetoric from Republiqans today. Calling for an investigation of the New York “corrupt” DA’s office, calling the possible indictment a “far left witch hunt”, Pence 🤮 making excuses for the blatant corruption that is TFG. I’m overwhelmed and so sad about the political atmosphere in our country today, but at the same time I’m hopeful that “we” can right this ship.
I wouldn't expect anything less from the gqp. Don't forget Maya Angelou's apt saying, "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." I'm on overwhelm mode and have been for what feels like a long time. I think at this point if someone isn't, they need to bottle it and sell it to the rest of us.
We moved to PA five years ago and I thought this country was going to blow itself up back then which is why we left the south land of confederate flags to land in the north land of confederate flags, as we learned.
My husband and I moved from TN to NM in late 2021. No confederate flags that I know of. Letters to the editor that we can agree with. People we vote for actually get elected.
That totally confuses me. It's so confusing, it's hard to type because my brain is short-circuiting. Can you enlighten me or is it just playing on what fascists do - keep us in a perpetual state of confusion :) ?
I'm hopeful if we all get out and convince everyone we meet to stop voting for CHARMING, the first PRETTY FACES that bats its lashes at us, SONS OF, BS ARTISTS. We need wise, steady, experienced people with the highest moral character in our government.
Trump certainly is not a pretty face yet he pitched a line of BS that 30 + million people ignorantly bought into and now his lies dominate the political landscape still!
Your piece has me thinking about Trump actually going to prison and how that would be different for him than anyone else since he has secret service security assigned to him for life. What would it be like to have an inmate in prison with his own secret service security detail? That would be the stuff of books. What would the rules be on this? Does he keep this security detail for life if he is convicted for treason? As a taxpayer I am not enamored of paying for people who try to bring down my government.
There are a lot of interesting questions here. Not the least of which is whether the New York charges will be a misdemeanor (up to a year in custody if convicted) or a felony.
I hope so. IMO he is responsible for every death and disability that resulted from January 6. He lunged at his Secret Service driver in the car. This is unheard of. I don’t think he’ll go to jail, but I think he should have been there long ago.
If Trump is sentenced to jail it will be house arrest with an ankle bracelet on. There is no way he would be put in with a prison population - think of the state secrets he could blab. And he remembers them. Took them home to study. The man’s dumb act is just that - an act. He is an evil genius (right brain).
Thanks Sharon, good points. There are many kinds of intelligence. Tfg is a manipulative social genius. He is too spoiled and lazy to have developed any other kinds of intelligence. In my opinion.
I worked in Attica prison for several years. Believe me, they can house him. NY does not sentence convicted felons to house arrest except during pandemics. He'll go to prison and be placed in protective custody where he will not have contact with other inmates, for his own protection. PC is in reality a form of solitary confinement.
There is somewhat of a precedent (for the blabbing). In the early part of this century, the strongest and most powerful KKK was not in the south but in Indiana, run by a man named D. W. Stephenson. Every state politician was in his pocket. He thought he was untouchable until he murdered a white schoolteacher who had spurned him. There was too much outcry and he had to be prosecuted and he warned if he were imprisoned he would bring down the entire Indiana govt. The jury did convict and he was sentenced. Even though he didn't get a normal life sentence and was released in a few years, he didn't want to go to prison at all. And he did blab and even the US Senator became embroiled with accusations. There is an interesting (fictional novel) about Stephenson called " K is for Killing" where Charles Lindbergh sets up an American autocracy with Stephenson as Lindbergh's Himmler. Of course Stephenson was never put in with the general population, nor would Trump be. But would Trump blab from prison, almost assuredly, he can't stop blabbing. And would he attempt to blackmail his way to freedom, well Michael Cohen said the documents at Mar-a-Lago were an insurance policy. I imagine Michael is correct, but he probably will wait for a longer sentence than NY, but he has not very much self-control, so who knows. But I think convicting him is better and when he blabs he'll tell everyone just what he did to endanger the country and he'll reveal who was aiding him. If we become intimidated of him we will let him succeed, so let him talk and we'll know more of the damages he has already committed. And then we'll have a clearer idea how to correct any security leaks.
I could picture a kind of house arrest that is far more closely monitored than usual. And with a house that's adjusted to allow for supervision and other special measures. If he is ever convicted of national security crimes, does this allow for closer supervision than usual? I mean, we have convicted a few foreign and domestic spies, so maybe there's a lesson in that?
Maybe the law needs to be changed so that in the event of indictment and conviction, an ex-president looses all the perks: secret service, retirement income, etc.
I say put him in solitary confinement. No need for a security detail. Maybe one person assigned to inspect and deliver his meals. Michael Cohen could give him a few pointers on how to survive in solitary. :)
I just hope it won't be like the prison scene from Goodfellas, where the prison guards bring in cases of lobster and steaks for the mobsters to cook, and their only concern is the direction from their boss, Paulie: "Don't put too many onions in the sauce!"
If trump I sentenced to prison, will some poor secret service agent be forced to be his bunk mate? Or will the agents be rotated in for eight hour assignments. Will he be forced to eat prison food—no hamburgers or steaks? Will trump, famous germiphobe, be forced to use toilets used by other inmates?
To the best of my knowledge, if Trump is convicted he will lose Secret Service protection. It would be a total waste of taxpayer money. Instead, he would be placed in protective custody.
I daydream about whether a small prison might even be built for him or a wing of a current prison vacated and repurposed for him because of such unusual needs/circumstances. But so many jurisdictions could potentially try and seek to incarcerate him! Who gets to do so first? Then who has the honor of readying his new home? Joint effort, maybe?
When I would like to see a prison be created on an island in the Arctic, one of those uninhabited ones that could be rented from the country it belongs to.
LOL. Most foreign governments probably wouldn't want to have that kind of problem or controversy on their hands, but maybe some of their citizens would convince them to offer something! BTW did you know that Greenland isn't quite a country?
Greenland "belongs" to the Realm of Denmark, but as the show Borgen depicts, would like to belong to itself, the indigenous people would like to have their country back and not be run from a European nation. I was thinking of all of the uninhabited Islands that Russia has in the Arctic. Canada has some too. Might be easier to rent from Canada than Russia at this point. Russia is known for using these Arctic islands for prisons though. Not a new idea. Different climate from Guantanamo.
the American public seems to want the sprint or the 'done-in-60-minutes-tv-drama'. I see it on FB posts. my answer is always 'better to take time to have an air-tight case, than rush and lose'
We have another election which will gum things up or permanently land us in a dictatorship and that is where I've seen this country going for years. Statute of Limitations is always a concern. Violence is a concern. So, yes, I'm concerned that we'll run out of time. I don't expect miracles, though.
I’m looking forward to your balanced, careful and informative analyses of the events about to unfold regarding TFG and the security of this democracy. Thanks, as always, for sharing your thoughts and expertise.
Two years ago I had tee shirts made up. On the front breast area the black bold letters read TRUMP about 2.5” high. On the rear were bold black letters - 3 times bigger - that said: INDICT CONVICT IMPRISON. As an alum of the Manhattan DAs Ofgice I’m very proud it will be our office to accomplish this.
It will be good if tfg does what his attorney says. I don't think that's assured. We've had much experience watching him use his attorneys like everyone else. I'll bet he decides moment to moment regardless of what his attorney said. Yes, wonderful to see the law and common sense winning.
He has already said he will oblige but calls on all his followers to protest. And that does not sound good. I wonder how law enforcement will handle it.
TFG's post told his supporters to "Protest". I translate that as a call for armed rioting among the faithful. He has learned nothing from the J6 riot he provoked. He doesn't care that those tasked with keeping him safe may be killed.
The last time he called for that, nobody showed up. Maybe a month ago? When he didn’t get a ruling he wanted or some such thing…he wanted protests, and there were supposed to be people everywhere and nobody showed up? Maybe this will be the same.
Going to be interesting to see how this plays out. Washington Post said armed supporters have vowed to surround Mar a Lago to prevent TFG from being arrested. Manhattan cops and Secret Service have developed a plan to coordinate personnel at the courthouse. Down to the detail of which door to use, who is allowed in the building, plan for back up if all hell breaks out. Makes me sick to think law enforcement who are protecting TFG may be injured or killed.
I agree with you. But unlike J6 at least we have a justice system that isn't being hamstringed by TFG. Remember, he put people in place to stop that from happening. I don't remember the name of who was put in charge of that.
However, McCarthy seems to be making it his business to aid and abet Trump at every turn and subvert the process of justice. He has created committees whose sole existence is to hamper any justice from happening when it comes to Trump or the Republican party.
I did see that. But I also see the many cracks in TFGs supporters now as opposed to before J6. There will always be a segment supporting TFG until all of the indictments come down. This is only the beginning. McCarthy has proven how weak he really is to let MTG and Bobert be his mouthpieces. Patience will be stretched until it is frayed. Prayers are still needed🙏🏼😨
I'm sure the upcoming weeks and months will have many infuriating moments. Trump will encourage violence because threats and intimidation have worked for him in the past. Any failures he had he has ignored and forgotten. He's incapable of changing. So stay calm, listen to the experts like Joyce for the explanations and wait for justice.
As Nivalny puts it to the Russian people, “Giving up is not an option,” which you can view on his recent award winning documentary at the Oscars in Hollywood and I encourage everyone to see it.
I have a feeling that when you face death and torture for the sake of your principles and for the love of country, which means for the sake of other humans , it may very well make you look at others in a different way.
Bill Browder’s book, Freeze Order gives interesting insight into the Russian psyche.
From a social psychological point of view two things are very evident: first, the former president is a stochastic terrorist. This means that he communicates in a way that increases the likelihood that another individual or group will commit a terrorist act. Second, we are witnessing what is referred to as recursive narcissism. We all understand well that the former president cannot handle the humiliation of being indicted. And so what we see from his cult and political supporters is the exact same thing. They prematurely proclaim his innocence because they can’t handle the indignity that the indictment represents.
To illustrate this more clearly, the former president transmits his narcissism to his followers, and they in turn retransmit narcissism back to him. This is a feedback loop process of wounded narcissism that unsurprisingly becomes malignant and results in violence.
Beautifully said. I trust and pray that Justice will plan thoughtfully with Enforcement to make the process safe and dignified.
Understanding the gravity of this moment will be important to what follows. The horror of what the mob destroyed must be met with the full weight and glory of Democracy restored.
Thanks Joyce. It is comforting that his lawyer is saying there will be no standoff. What I’m hearing about the chatter in magaland is more unsettling. Let’s hope it stays peaceful..
I am disheartened by the rhetoric from Republiqans today. Calling for an investigation of the New York “corrupt” DA’s office, calling the possible indictment a “far left witch hunt”, Pence 🤮 making excuses for the blatant corruption that is TFG. I’m overwhelmed and so sad about the political atmosphere in our country today, but at the same time I’m hopeful that “we” can right this ship.
I wouldn't expect anything less from the gqp. Don't forget Maya Angelou's apt saying, "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." I'm on overwhelm mode and have been for what feels like a long time. I think at this point if someone isn't, they need to bottle it and sell it to the rest of us.
We moved to PA five years ago and I thought this country was going to blow itself up back then which is why we left the south land of confederate flags to land in the north land of confederate flags, as we learned.
My husband and I moved from TN to NM in late 2021. No confederate flags that I know of. Letters to the editor that we can agree with. People we vote for actually get elected.
I saw a Confederate Flag there in rainbow colors.
That totally confuses me. It's so confusing, it's hard to type because my brain is short-circuiting. Can you enlighten me or is it just playing on what fascists do - keep us in a perpetual state of confusion :) ?
I agree!! I am hopeful “we” can right this ship!! No one is above the law and it is time we prove that.
I'm hopeful if we all get out and convince everyone we meet to stop voting for CHARMING, the first PRETTY FACES that bats its lashes at us, SONS OF, BS ARTISTS. We need wise, steady, experienced people with the highest moral character in our government.
Trump certainly is not a pretty face yet he pitched a line of BS that 30 + million people ignorantly bought into and now his lies dominate the political landscape still!
45 is counting on emotion and that his followers don’t check facts or follow sources that are not in alignment with his lies.
disheartened is such a gentle word...
Your piece has me thinking about Trump actually going to prison and how that would be different for him than anyone else since he has secret service security assigned to him for life. What would it be like to have an inmate in prison with his own secret service security detail? That would be the stuff of books. What would the rules be on this? Does he keep this security detail for life if he is convicted for treason? As a taxpayer I am not enamored of paying for people who try to bring down my government.
There are a lot of interesting questions here. Not the least of which is whether the New York charges will be a misdemeanor (up to a year in custody if convicted) or a felony.
Yes. And, I assume the NY charges are the beginning not the end.
I hope so. IMO he is responsible for every death and disability that resulted from January 6. He lunged at his Secret Service driver in the car. This is unheard of. I don’t think he’ll go to jail, but I think he should have been there long ago.
And a whole lot of the ones that came from Covid.
45 has cost us so much ...he should lose all rights if he is convicted including his retirement income.
He is considered, shocking I know, a first time offender. I'm surprised he was indicted (if that's true).
First time caught.
Yes, but that doesn’t count in the judicial system
Do not ignore what a horrible punishment it is to lose one’s liberty in a free country. This is what he likely deserves.
Imagine if he threw a tantrum and nobody was there to see it? That would certainly be a punishment for him.
Mentally and emotionally, Trump is about 10 years old. A child in a man's body. So tantrums are frequent with him.
If Trump is sentenced to jail it will be house arrest with an ankle bracelet on. There is no way he would be put in with a prison population - think of the state secrets he could blab. And he remembers them. Took them home to study. The man’s dumb act is just that - an act. He is an evil genius (right brain).
Thanks Sharon, good points. There are many kinds of intelligence. Tfg is a manipulative social genius. He is too spoiled and lazy to have developed any other kinds of intelligence. In my opinion.
even lizards are intelligent, after a fashion.
Adapted for a unique niche in the overall scheme of things? lol
Almost verbatim, that is what I say when asked about the matter. Uncanny!
I worked in Attica prison for several years. Believe me, they can house him. NY does not sentence convicted felons to house arrest except during pandemics. He'll go to prison and be placed in protective custody where he will not have contact with other inmates, for his own protection. PC is in reality a form of solitary confinement.
I wouldn’t call him a genius, rather a madman heretic.
There is somewhat of a precedent (for the blabbing). In the early part of this century, the strongest and most powerful KKK was not in the south but in Indiana, run by a man named D. W. Stephenson. Every state politician was in his pocket. He thought he was untouchable until he murdered a white schoolteacher who had spurned him. There was too much outcry and he had to be prosecuted and he warned if he were imprisoned he would bring down the entire Indiana govt. The jury did convict and he was sentenced. Even though he didn't get a normal life sentence and was released in a few years, he didn't want to go to prison at all. And he did blab and even the US Senator became embroiled with accusations. There is an interesting (fictional novel) about Stephenson called " K is for Killing" where Charles Lindbergh sets up an American autocracy with Stephenson as Lindbergh's Himmler. Of course Stephenson was never put in with the general population, nor would Trump be. But would Trump blab from prison, almost assuredly, he can't stop blabbing. And would he attempt to blackmail his way to freedom, well Michael Cohen said the documents at Mar-a-Lago were an insurance policy. I imagine Michael is correct, but he probably will wait for a longer sentence than NY, but he has not very much self-control, so who knows. But I think convicting him is better and when he blabs he'll tell everyone just what he did to endanger the country and he'll reveal who was aiding him. If we become intimidated of him we will let him succeed, so let him talk and we'll know more of the damages he has already committed. And then we'll have a clearer idea how to correct any security leaks.
I could picture a kind of house arrest that is far more closely monitored than usual. And with a house that's adjusted to allow for supervision and other special measures. If he is ever convicted of national security crimes, does this allow for closer supervision than usual? I mean, we have convicted a few foreign and domestic spies, so maybe there's a lesson in that?
Maybe the law needs to be changed so that in the event of indictment and conviction, an ex-president looses all the perks: secret service, retirement income, etc.
He should definitely lose SS, etc. if convicted of anything.
YES!
That is a good idea.
I say put him in solitary confinement. No need for a security detail. Maybe one person assigned to inspect and deliver his meals. Michael Cohen could give him a few pointers on how to survive in solitary. :)
Because of the pandemic, Cohen served most of his sentence on house arrest.
I just hope it won't be like the prison scene from Goodfellas, where the prison guards bring in cases of lobster and steaks for the mobsters to cook, and their only concern is the direction from their boss, Paulie: "Don't put too many onions in the sauce!"
If trump I sentenced to prison, will some poor secret service agent be forced to be his bunk mate? Or will the agents be rotated in for eight hour assignments. Will he be forced to eat prison food—no hamburgers or steaks? Will trump, famous germiphobe, be forced to use toilets used by other inmates?
To the best of my knowledge, if Trump is convicted he will lose Secret Service protection. It would be a total waste of taxpayer money. Instead, he would be placed in protective custody.
He already is a waste of taxpayer money 😈
Would they have lunch together. Would they be just outside his cell? I wonder what all would it entail?
Who could one ask?
Nobody knows the answer because it's never been a problem before.
I daydream about whether a small prison might even be built for him or a wing of a current prison vacated and repurposed for him because of such unusual needs/circumstances. But so many jurisdictions could potentially try and seek to incarcerate him! Who gets to do so first? Then who has the honor of readying his new home? Joint effort, maybe?
When I would like to see a prison be created on an island in the Arctic, one of those uninhabited ones that could be rented from the country it belongs to.
I'll bet Trump would request to see if Greenland were available.
But, it is not!
LOL. Most foreign governments probably wouldn't want to have that kind of problem or controversy on their hands, but maybe some of their citizens would convince them to offer something! BTW did you know that Greenland isn't quite a country?
Greenland "belongs" to the Realm of Denmark, but as the show Borgen depicts, would like to belong to itself, the indigenous people would like to have their country back and not be run from a European nation. I was thinking of all of the uninhabited Islands that Russia has in the Arctic. Canada has some too. Might be easier to rent from Canada than Russia at this point. Russia is known for using these Arctic islands for prisons though. Not a new idea. Different climate from Guantanamo.
Well, given that he coldly manipulates people into violence, hatred, racism, etc...
And the embargo of course! Here might be a place to start.
https://www.privateislandsonline.com/region/canada
Your remark brings to mind Devil's Island in the tropics, where the French send criminals they wanted to forget about.
Typo: Sent, not send. That was a long time ago.
Yes it would be called Mar Al LOCK Oh No!
the American public seems to want the sprint or the 'done-in-60-minutes-tv-drama'. I see it on FB posts. my answer is always 'better to take time to have an air-tight case, than rush and lose'
We have another election which will gum things up or permanently land us in a dictatorship and that is where I've seen this country going for years. Statute of Limitations is always a concern. Violence is a concern. So, yes, I'm concerned that we'll run out of time. I don't expect miracles, though.
But I do expect miracles.
That's cool. I wish I could.
I’m looking forward to your balanced, careful and informative analyses of the events about to unfold regarding TFG and the security of this democracy. Thanks, as always, for sharing your thoughts and expertise.
Two years ago I had tee shirts made up. On the front breast area the black bold letters read TRUMP about 2.5” high. On the rear were bold black letters - 3 times bigger - that said: INDICT CONVICT IMPRISON. As an alum of the Manhattan DAs Ofgice I’m very proud it will be our office to accomplish this.
It will be good if tfg does what his attorney says. I don't think that's assured. We've had much experience watching him use his attorneys like everyone else. I'll bet he decides moment to moment regardless of what his attorney said. Yes, wonderful to see the law and common sense winning.
You have a good point. He loves surprises that gain attention.
Agreed, but if he is a scared as is portrayed in the media that may not happen., IMHO.
He has already said he will oblige but calls on all his followers to protest. And that does not sound good. I wonder how law enforcement will handle it.
Do you believe him????
A situation ripe for unintended consequences, of both stripes, on both sides.
It’s just what he said. We all know he intends to insight a serious protest or riot. We all know what he is capable of.
Surely the "blue" deplores this type of behavior.
Thanks as always. Even though attorneys are indicating peace the public rhetoric calls for a riot! I am concerned.
TFG's post told his supporters to "Protest". I translate that as a call for armed rioting among the faithful. He has learned nothing from the J6 riot he provoked. He doesn't care that those tasked with keeping him safe may be killed.
How ever this plays out, it's going to be ugly.
The last time he called for that, nobody showed up. Maybe a month ago? When he didn’t get a ruling he wanted or some such thing…he wanted protests, and there were supposed to be people everywhere and nobody showed up? Maybe this will be the same.
I wonder if barricades will be put up like after J6 to protect the capitol.
Going to be interesting to see how this plays out. Washington Post said armed supporters have vowed to surround Mar a Lago to prevent TFG from being arrested. Manhattan cops and Secret Service have developed a plan to coordinate personnel at the courthouse. Down to the detail of which door to use, who is allowed in the building, plan for back up if all hell breaks out. Makes me sick to think law enforcement who are protecting TFG may be injured or killed.
I agree with you. But unlike J6 at least we have a justice system that isn't being hamstringed by TFG. Remember, he put people in place to stop that from happening. I don't remember the name of who was put in charge of that.
However, McCarthy seems to be making it his business to aid and abet Trump at every turn and subvert the process of justice. He has created committees whose sole existence is to hamper any justice from happening when it comes to Trump or the Republican party.
McCarthy, weasel extraordinaire.
And what is up with that. Sickening to witness those who voice illogical views and promote violence.
That brings up an interesting question as to how the insurrectionists in Congress will come to 45’s rescue.
It seems like McCarthy is already doing that.
I did see that. But I also see the many cracks in TFGs supporters now as opposed to before J6. There will always be a segment supporting TFG until all of the indictments come down. This is only the beginning. McCarthy has proven how weak he really is to let MTG and Bobert be his mouthpieces. Patience will be stretched until it is frayed. Prayers are still needed🙏🏼😨
patience? more like numb with exhaustion.
What does TFG stand for?
The former guy.
Thanks
I'm sure the upcoming weeks and months will have many infuriating moments. Trump will encourage violence because threats and intimidation have worked for him in the past. Any failures he had he has ignored and forgotten. He's incapable of changing. So stay calm, listen to the experts like Joyce for the explanations and wait for justice.
True True 👏
For a variety of reasons, I wish Georgia was going ahead of NY. Your thoughts?
I hope the time had come to hold Trump accountable for his crimes! I'm a little tired of being hopeful and then disappointment follows.
As Nivalny puts it to the Russian people, “Giving up is not an option,” which you can view on his recent award winning documentary at the Oscars in Hollywood and I encourage everyone to see it.
Extraordinary person.
@Erica, He’s probably not too much antisemitic now. Empoisonnements and Russian special prison makes you think.
So you are saying he had a true change of heart or it’s a political stance to stave off opposition?
I have a feeling that when you face death and torture for the sake of your principles and for the love of country, which means for the sake of other humans , it may very well make you look at others in a different way.
Bill Browder’s book, Freeze Order gives interesting insight into the Russian psyche.
I wouldn't hold Navalny up as some bastion of altruism. He's anti-semitic, anti-LGBTQ, etc. He's just the lesser of the two lousy options.
From a social psychological point of view two things are very evident: first, the former president is a stochastic terrorist. This means that he communicates in a way that increases the likelihood that another individual or group will commit a terrorist act. Second, we are witnessing what is referred to as recursive narcissism. We all understand well that the former president cannot handle the humiliation of being indicted. And so what we see from his cult and political supporters is the exact same thing. They prematurely proclaim his innocence because they can’t handle the indignity that the indictment represents.
To illustrate this more clearly, the former president transmits his narcissism to his followers, and they in turn retransmit narcissism back to him. This is a feedback loop process of wounded narcissism that unsurprisingly becomes malignant and results in violence.
Thanks !
Beautifully said. I trust and pray that Justice will plan thoughtfully with Enforcement to make the process safe and dignified.
Understanding the gravity of this moment will be important to what follows. The horror of what the mob destroyed must be met with the full weight and glory of Democracy restored.
Unworthy - the best description of The Former Guy EVER.
Let’s get on with it.
Thanks Joyce. It is comforting that his lawyer is saying there will be no standoff. What I’m hearing about the chatter in magaland is more unsettling. Let’s hope it stays peaceful..
We heard the chatter before J6 too. I wonder what kind of steps are being taken ahead of time to circumvent another uprising.
Thank you Joyce, I needed to hear this. I have been so discouraged but you helped and YES WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER. 👏👏👏☀️☀️❤️❤️