Are there any GOP office-holders and Trump supporters who have a moral core? All is see is a deep belief in expediency, greed, power-seeking, and opportunism - and lies as needed. Pence's hypocrisy - re: his professed religious beliefs - is especially ugly.
Well, there were seven Republican US Senators who actually voted to convict Trump at his second impeachment. Of course, five were either retiring or were not facing re-election for six years. My God, it took an actual coup attempt for Elaine Chao and others to resign.
And then there's Bill Barr, who resigned in mid-December, when the shape of things to come was becoming clear. (The line "one step ahead of the shoeshine" popped into my head, so I'm now playing Simon & Garfunkel's "Keep the Customer Satisfied.") Trying to decide who was the *most* despicable member of the Trump administration is a challenge, but I keep coming back to Barr.
I'm voting with you. Barr is a disgusting piece of trash - the master of situational ethics. If we could obliterate his DNA from the gene pool, we would be doing humanity a favor.
His is the face I'd put on a punching bag if I had a punching bag. ;-) Not that there isn't plenty of competition, but there's something about his face that 100% matches what's inside his head. He's a master of situational ethics for sure, but if you trace his career back in time, the despicability is remarkably consistent.
Barr’s father was reportedly Jewish-- there’s some internal self loathing about his identity. Both Miller and others in administration under former guy were racist antisemitic and subscribed to fascist version of presidential power. Disgraceful and shameful. We must protect our democracy with truth justice and accountability.
The most important thing to King Donald was loyalty. He fired people left and right throughout his reign because they weren't the putty in his hands that he needed. By the time of the 2020 election all that remained of his administration were the desperate extremists who were inhaling conspiracy theories as though they were cocaine. They stayed with Trump because they had nowhere to go. Trump has literally formed the Party of Lunatics.
Pence sees a role as Preisdent as God's ordination for him. He will do much to protect his chances for a Presidential run. Fundamentalists like Pence put "God" before country. It is scary.
Not a lot of moral core, in the GOP office-holders indeed, but we did have in the Trump White House the wonderful Cassidy Hutchinson, and probably a few unknown others who desperately tried to hold the fort.
Also there was a really candid amusing comment from Pence after January 6th, with Trump not opposing his hanging, when he said, " After all I did for him", the candid assessment a mafia employee could make about his boss.
A man like trump should have never had access to tools that protect against criminality. He can’t be trusted with them. But he sure knows how to use them - executive privilege among them. And Pence is happy to hide beneath the corrupt skirts of the man he continues to cower from even if that man would have had him executed. Pence plays the folksy religious card as he lets others carry his water while trump plays the mob boss card. Neither is decent or patriotic. And both are self-serving. At this point It’s a game of delay, delay, delay in hopes that an R becomes president to let them off the hook. Justice has waited long enough and so has the country.
Joyce, thanks for the update. I agree totally that Mr. Pence has a DUTY to the country to testify, and it's only his ego to run for president, which anyone in their right mind knows he has a minuscule chance of winning the primary, much less the whole enchilada. I think he'll come out after testifying and go on FOX to explain why he HAD to testify, didn't want to hurt trump, but had no choice. It won't save him any face, but that ship sailed long ago. Peace. The end.
That SoB had a duty to testify before the J6 committee. Now, he (will have) has a legal obligation. He will ultimately comply, not because it is the right thing to do, but out of fear that he might sully the spineless reputation he believes he possesses. He is a hypocritical coward.
Pence is mistaken if he thinks he has any chance of becoming president. Democrats and independents will not vote for the trump sycophant and the loyal MAGAts will not vote for him for counting the electoral votes for Biden. So that leaves him with which voters? The evangelicals who don’t believe trump is the second coming?
About “setting a date” for Pence to testify I wonder if it’s at all possible he could meet with Special Counsel before Trump’s lawyers get a stay through the courts. Jack Smith doesn’t have to wait to hear from Trump I would think. Thanks for the info Joyce and enjoy building your new coop.
I think that pence was subpoenaed in part because he would not cooperate so I doubt there will be any secret meetings. For the reasons cited by Joyce, it is unlikely trump will get a stay. The heat is on!
Behind that stone face, it seems, is a man of granite, incapable of emotion... patriotism, trust, honesty, authenticity, caring of any kind... he doesn't even seem to have instincts like fear or hate. Even his mind seem ossified if he thinks he has a political career ahead. Only if citizens totally loose right to vote.
Hi Joyce. I too like the chick’s new coop update being given priority at the beginning of your newsletter. Do your chicks seem to know they are getting a new home? Does Pence get the sense that if he doesn’t testify he too might be getting a new home? I can’t make sense of Pence. Shouldn’t a noose for him on J6 be damage enough to shun the spotlight? Thanks for tonight’s newsletter. I appreciate your valuable time with all of us.
You’ve got such a point. When you have a small pack of merry pranksters yelling “Hang Mike Pence!” is that still a joke to everyone concerned? It is as if they all just walk away and say “Ahhhh... I’m only kidding.” And that is the way all of their supporters and financiers are still dealing with it. “You’ll know when to take us seriously.” (That is the line I am “divining” from the whole situation.) They did not succeed then, and they lack the discipline to organize at that level. Thank goodness.
I never can thank you enough for the succinct and pitch perfect writing you do on these “week ahead” posts. I actually do pray that Mike Pence can find something within himself, giving him the fortitude to fill the vacuum of ethics and personal morality that was basically drained - as a pristine swamp - from the Republican Party as тяump took over. I just cannot believe that someone as decent as he once was didn’t have to grow another personality, just to deal with being тяump’s VP. If Ivanka was moved to say “Mike Pence is a good man,” please let it be made transparent to all of us what she saw.
I don't believe that Pence was ever decent (maybe as a baby or young child). His actions while governor were atrocious for LGBTQ+ folks - he's as homophobic as they come, and fought same-sex marriage, and any other laws that might provide safety and security. He signed RFRA (the so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act), and - oh yeah - killed Indiana's economy. Nobody should confuse his mild-mannered ways or his fake religiosity for decency.
Sorry, Ivanka visions don't move me. Pence sold any soul he had to facilitate Trump's election and facilitate the implementation of a white, Christian theocracy. Period. He's another soulless anti-Christ., and deserves the Dustbin of History fate he'll achieve. A pox on him and his "mother."
Like your fonts Pamela. Creative. Let’s all remember Putin/Russian extraordinary and direct interference and psychological operation to put Donald into White House. Don’t forget.
Joyce, I continue to appreciate how much I learn from you! This is great insight into how it all works, or maybe will work. And I love how you set your priorities straight....the new chix 🐥🐣🐓 coop as lead story! Thanks for letting us share in the good news before the “rat” traps. 😁
"While there are reasons to appreciate how the former vice president conducted himself on January 6, he’s no hero."
Nope, but he did the right thing, consequentially, at the Capitol on January 6th. Which is the opposite kind of behavior of Colin Powell, a man of much more character, who failed terribly at his test, with disastrous consequences. I know that this is an inconvenient truth, but it is the truth. Powell had a worthy history of courage and integrity prior to his alliance with Bush/Cheney/Rove. Pence was never a distinguished public servant.
I was so sad and so hurt when I learned Colin Powell had essentially “sold his soul”. I had so much respect and admiration for him before that. And then poof, gone. It made me question every thing he did before then. It also made me question my ability to judge folks as honest and honorable. As you’ve stated, people like Trump and Pence exude sleaziness and so it’s easy to assess their character. But Colin Powell? He exuded competence and integrity. But he wasn’t an honorable man. How many others did I miss?
My question too. As much as I’d love to see Pence morph into John Dean V.2, my expectations for that particular sycophant are close to zero. It would be nice to be surprised, for once.
Remember that the 5th amendment only allows the witness to not answer the question if it tends to incriminate HIM. I am skeptical that Pence would admit by inference any criminal behavior. Also, the court can hold in contempt people who refuse to answer—so there is a strong enforcement mechanism. For me, the question is whether Pence will tell the truth or go down protecting the disgraced, twice impeached one term president.
I don't believe Pence's actions were criminal, especially in the context of this investigation. He's a material witness for sure, but only because he's the only one who can testify about what trump (and Eastman, for that matter) said to try to convince him to enter into the conspiracy.
Right. A President calling on a seditious mob to hang you and then Pence refering to it as "reckless" is not legally criminal. It is abject cowardice. That cowardice prevented Pence from stopping what he knew would happen. Pence is as guilty as dt bec Pence knew what dt was doing was illegal and insane during dt's presidency and did absolutely nothing. Pence refused to be moved by his own personal security detail. Pence could have made a public statement during the insurrection and or spoke against dt. That is complicity. Whether or not it is legally chargeable is not relevant. Pence will NEVER speak the truth against dt.
He could have avoided the time collision had he not resisted for so long. I don't get the strong impression that this was strategic on his OR SC Smith's part.
The question at this point in time might be for Pence whether he is less likely to be harmed by Trump's zealot followers if he testifies in a way that is harmful to Trump. My understanding is that part of the reason that all of them have caved to Trump is fear of bodily harm to themselves and their family. No one appears to be safe from these nut jobs. I do not trust the man to tell the truth. I trust none of them to tell the truth. I am not saying he will not tell the truth, I am saying I just don't trust him to do so.
Are there any GOP office-holders and Trump supporters who have a moral core? All is see is a deep belief in expediency, greed, power-seeking, and opportunism - and lies as needed. Pence's hypocrisy - re: his professed religious beliefs - is especially ugly.
Well, there were seven Republican US Senators who actually voted to convict Trump at his second impeachment. Of course, five were either retiring or were not facing re-election for six years. My God, it took an actual coup attempt for Elaine Chao and others to resign.
And then there's Bill Barr, who resigned in mid-December, when the shape of things to come was becoming clear. (The line "one step ahead of the shoeshine" popped into my head, so I'm now playing Simon & Garfunkel's "Keep the Customer Satisfied.") Trying to decide who was the *most* despicable member of the Trump administration is a challenge, but I keep coming back to Barr.
I'm voting with you. Barr is a disgusting piece of trash - the master of situational ethics. If we could obliterate his DNA from the gene pool, we would be doing humanity a favor.
His is the face I'd put on a punching bag if I had a punching bag. ;-) Not that there isn't plenty of competition, but there's something about his face that 100% matches what's inside his head. He's a master of situational ethics for sure, but if you trace his career back in time, the despicability is remarkably consistent.
Interesting how the news media kept his past under wraps.
His, and Kavanaugh's, and a few others. Surprising how many of them were connected in some way to Ken Starr's anti-Clinton witchhunt -- in the 1990s!
I think Stephen Miller is a close second.
Ooh, yeah. I just haven't seen his face as often lately as I've seen Barr's. He looks like an extra from one of the Nazi scenes in _Cabaret_.
Miller looks like mannequin in the costume department fitting room on the set of Schindler's List.
Barr looks like the old cartoon character, Droopy Dog.
Which is ironic, because he is Jewish, (albeit disowned by his family).
Barr’s father was reportedly Jewish-- there’s some internal self loathing about his identity. Both Miller and others in administration under former guy were racist antisemitic and subscribed to fascist version of presidential power. Disgraceful and shameful. We must protect our democracy with truth justice and accountability.
The most important thing to King Donald was loyalty. He fired people left and right throughout his reign because they weren't the putty in his hands that he needed. By the time of the 2020 election all that remained of his administration were the desperate extremists who were inhaling conspiracy theories as though they were cocaine. They stayed with Trump because they had nowhere to go. Trump has literally formed the Party of Lunatics.
Pence sees a role as Preisdent as God's ordination for him. He will do much to protect his chances for a Presidential run. Fundamentalists like Pence put "God" before country. It is scary.
Not a lot of moral core, in the GOP office-holders indeed, but we did have in the Trump White House the wonderful Cassidy Hutchinson, and probably a few unknown others who desperately tried to hold the fort.
Also there was a really candid amusing comment from Pence after January 6th, with Trump not opposing his hanging, when he said, " After all I did for him", the candid assessment a mafia employee could make about his boss.
Most excited about the chicken coop !!!
I never heard that comment before! LOL!!!!!
Really hilarious isn’t it ? It says a lot ! 😂
Republicans with a moral core, such as Schmidt and Rubin, left the party long ago
A man like trump should have never had access to tools that protect against criminality. He can’t be trusted with them. But he sure knows how to use them - executive privilege among them. And Pence is happy to hide beneath the corrupt skirts of the man he continues to cower from even if that man would have had him executed. Pence plays the folksy religious card as he lets others carry his water while trump plays the mob boss card. Neither is decent or patriotic. And both are self-serving. At this point It’s a game of delay, delay, delay in hopes that an R becomes president to let them off the hook. Justice has waited long enough and so has the country.
Does he get to bring “mother” with him?
This is funny! I am sure Mother will be nearby. Thank you for the laugh!
🐼❤️Billie Johnson
Mother is a must, especially if the prosecutor or any grand jury members are women!
Joyce, thanks for the update. I agree totally that Mr. Pence has a DUTY to the country to testify, and it's only his ego to run for president, which anyone in their right mind knows he has a minuscule chance of winning the primary, much less the whole enchilada. I think he'll come out after testifying and go on FOX to explain why he HAD to testify, didn't want to hurt trump, but had no choice. It won't save him any face, but that ship sailed long ago. Peace. The end.
That SoB had a duty to testify before the J6 committee. Now, he (will have) has a legal obligation. He will ultimately comply, not because it is the right thing to do, but out of fear that he might sully the spineless reputation he believes he possesses. He is a hypocritical coward.
More likely, he'll comply because otherwise he'll go to prison.
Pence is mistaken if he thinks he has any chance of becoming president. Democrats and independents will not vote for the trump sycophant and the loyal MAGAts will not vote for him for counting the electoral votes for Biden. So that leaves him with which voters? The evangelicals who don’t believe trump is the second coming?
He's an idiot.
About “setting a date” for Pence to testify I wonder if it’s at all possible he could meet with Special Counsel before Trump’s lawyers get a stay through the courts. Jack Smith doesn’t have to wait to hear from Trump I would think. Thanks for the info Joyce and enjoy building your new coop.
I think that pence was subpoenaed in part because he would not cooperate so I doubt there will be any secret meetings. For the reasons cited by Joyce, it is unlikely trump will get a stay. The heat is on!
So, let's see.
Executive privilege doesn't apply to requests from the executive branch.
And executive privilege is Biden's to invoke, not Trump's.
And executive privilege doesn't apply to requests in criminal proceedings.
And shouldn't executive privilege be denied when the communication was made to further a criminal purpose?
What in God blazes can the Trump "attorneys" argue here with a straight face?
They should be thrown out on their collective behinds and, along with Trump, sanctioned for wasting the court's time and money.
Isn’t waiver also an issue as Pence did discuss some details about Jan. 6 in his book???
Behind that stone face, it seems, is a man of granite, incapable of emotion... patriotism, trust, honesty, authenticity, caring of any kind... he doesn't even seem to have instincts like fear or hate. Even his mind seem ossified if he thinks he has a political career ahead. Only if citizens totally loose right to vote.
I don’t know what I am more excited about Pence grand jury testimony or seeing the picture of the finished chicken coop🤔
Hi Joyce. I too like the chick’s new coop update being given priority at the beginning of your newsletter. Do your chicks seem to know they are getting a new home? Does Pence get the sense that if he doesn’t testify he too might be getting a new home? I can’t make sense of Pence. Shouldn’t a noose for him on J6 be damage enough to shun the spotlight? Thanks for tonight’s newsletter. I appreciate your valuable time with all of us.
I’m curious where you got the coop! Looks largely pre-fab. Our coop is starting to fall apart, so would love info on where you got it!
And thank you for the rest of the update. I don’t have a lot of faith in Pence doing the right thing, but he surprised me on Jan 6, so who knows?
You’ve got such a point. When you have a small pack of merry pranksters yelling “Hang Mike Pence!” is that still a joke to everyone concerned? It is as if they all just walk away and say “Ahhhh... I’m only kidding.” And that is the way all of their supporters and financiers are still dealing with it. “You’ll know when to take us seriously.” (That is the line I am “divining” from the whole situation.) They did not succeed then, and they lack the discipline to organize at that level. Thank goodness.
Good luck and have fun building. Is Pepper the Project Supervisor?
I never can thank you enough for the succinct and pitch perfect writing you do on these “week ahead” posts. I actually do pray that Mike Pence can find something within himself, giving him the fortitude to fill the vacuum of ethics and personal morality that was basically drained - as a pristine swamp - from the Republican Party as тяump took over. I just cannot believe that someone as decent as he once was didn’t have to grow another personality, just to deal with being тяump’s VP. If Ivanka was moved to say “Mike Pence is a good man,” please let it be made transparent to all of us what she saw.
I don’t know if Pence was a good man or not but the fact that Manafort wanted him as VP has me doubting it.
If Manafort wanted him as his vp what are we missing here?
I do not believe any of us has ever known the real Pence. He seems deeply repressed within himself.
I agree Tutone...
I don't believe that Pence was ever decent (maybe as a baby or young child). His actions while governor were atrocious for LGBTQ+ folks - he's as homophobic as they come, and fought same-sex marriage, and any other laws that might provide safety and security. He signed RFRA (the so-called Religious Freedom Restoration Act), and - oh yeah - killed Indiana's economy. Nobody should confuse his mild-mannered ways or his fake religiosity for decency.
Sorry, Ivanka visions don't move me. Pence sold any soul he had to facilitate Trump's election and facilitate the implementation of a white, Christian theocracy. Period. He's another soulless anti-Christ., and deserves the Dustbin of History fate he'll achieve. A pox on him and his "mother."
I hear you.
Like your fonts Pamela. Creative. Let’s all remember Putin/Russian extraordinary and direct interference and psychological operation to put Donald into White House. Don’t forget.
Joyce, I continue to appreciate how much I learn from you! This is great insight into how it all works, or maybe will work. And I love how you set your priorities straight....the new chix 🐥🐣🐓 coop as lead story! Thanks for letting us share in the good news before the “rat” traps. 😁
"While there are reasons to appreciate how the former vice president conducted himself on January 6, he’s no hero."
Nope, but he did the right thing, consequentially, at the Capitol on January 6th. Which is the opposite kind of behavior of Colin Powell, a man of much more character, who failed terribly at his test, with disastrous consequences. I know that this is an inconvenient truth, but it is the truth. Powell had a worthy history of courage and integrity prior to his alliance with Bush/Cheney/Rove. Pence was never a distinguished public servant.
I was so sad and so hurt when I learned Colin Powell had essentially “sold his soul”. I had so much respect and admiration for him before that. And then poof, gone. It made me question every thing he did before then. It also made me question my ability to judge folks as honest and honorable. As you’ve stated, people like Trump and Pence exude sleaziness and so it’s easy to assess their character. But Colin Powell? He exuded competence and integrity. But he wasn’t an honorable man. How many others did I miss?
Joyce can't Pence just plead the 5th or only answer how he wants to? Won't his court date be 8mos from now?
My question too. As much as I’d love to see Pence morph into John Dean V.2, my expectations for that particular sycophant are close to zero. It would be nice to be surprised, for once.
Pence missed that opportunity, for the political reasons Joyce mentions.
Remember that the 5th amendment only allows the witness to not answer the question if it tends to incriminate HIM. I am skeptical that Pence would admit by inference any criminal behavior. Also, the court can hold in contempt people who refuse to answer—so there is a strong enforcement mechanism. For me, the question is whether Pence will tell the truth or go down protecting the disgraced, twice impeached one term president.
Ok thank you that is a helpful clarification.
I don't believe Pence's actions were criminal, especially in the context of this investigation. He's a material witness for sure, but only because he's the only one who can testify about what trump (and Eastman, for that matter) said to try to convince him to enter into the conspiracy.
Right. A President calling on a seditious mob to hang you and then Pence refering to it as "reckless" is not legally criminal. It is abject cowardice. That cowardice prevented Pence from stopping what he knew would happen. Pence is as guilty as dt bec Pence knew what dt was doing was illegal and insane during dt's presidency and did absolutely nothing. Pence refused to be moved by his own personal security detail. Pence could have made a public statement during the insurrection and or spoke against dt. That is complicity. Whether or not it is legally chargeable is not relevant. Pence will NEVER speak the truth against dt.
Right about the time he's running for President. Deliciouis.
He could have avoided the time collision had he not resisted for so long. I don't get the strong impression that this was strategic on his OR SC Smith's part.
I agree with you.
Hello over there in the magnificent Wallowas! Waving at you from Eugene.
Aww, thanks, waving back! I have a good friend there.
The question at this point in time might be for Pence whether he is less likely to be harmed by Trump's zealot followers if he testifies in a way that is harmful to Trump. My understanding is that part of the reason that all of them have caved to Trump is fear of bodily harm to themselves and their family. No one appears to be safe from these nut jobs. I do not trust the man to tell the truth. I trust none of them to tell the truth. I am not saying he will not tell the truth, I am saying I just don't trust him to do so.