Well, for what it’s worth, The troubled son does grab attention, but his perverse nature and actions for the most part are not really that relevant to things. However, if there is something to the rumors that he and his position on any kind of Chinese energy company helped facilitate oil from our strategic petroleum reserve to China and that he and maybe other family members benefited from that is definitely worth looking into and should, if it has merit, lead to impeachment proceedings. Unfortunately, McCarthy is weak and will likely push the wrong things and kill anything substantial to help make himself the “shiny object/good guy” 🤦♂️
I agree yet I disagree. There are elements of the Hunter Biden saga that should not be let go. Him roaming the world picking up bags of cash for access to the American Political hierarchy cannot be left alone. Hunter Biden the crack and hooker addict is the persona that must be pushed to the side. That is where Joe Biden can be pitied.
The selling of influence needs to be thoroughly investigated and spineless Republicans need to be forced into corrective legislative action. There are people licking their chops for their turn at the trough. Sadly, I think Kevin McCarthy will show himself to be of that ilk. This influence peddling is endemic to the political class on both sides. If the dragnet pulls in some republicans as well, so much the better.
There are many elements related to this. Things like insider trading. PCAOB style independence rules must be instituted by law. The investing "prowess" of Mr Pelosi and Mr Feinstein needs to be stopped. Those rules do not only apply to the lawmakers themselves, but immediate family as well.
If the Republicans roll in and replace Adam Schiff hearings with ones chaired my Margorie Taylor Greene, its all failure theater.
The Republicans need to have a reel plan. Thacher and her party had a plan when they took office and it saved England from Socialism. Like Neut Gingrich or not the Contract with America was very effective. Don't seek revenge save the republic.
I agree with Erick that the Republicans are more likely than not to spend the two years after regaining the House focused solely on investigations of, as he said, "shiny objects". This will not bode well in 2024. I wrote to both Congressional leaders the other day asking that they develop an agenda that focuses on accomplishments rather than investigations. My message was that they should "turn the other cheek" this time rather than continuing to hold pay back hearings. I don't care about Hunter Biden and I sure don't care about the election 2020. I do care about the rule of law, and the individual rights outlined in Bill of Rights and they should demand that our laws be followed. The Fifth Amendment provides that citizens have the right against self-incrimination and cannot be imprisoned without due process of law (fair procedures and trials.). That applies to everyone including those who broke laws on Jan 6th.
Unfortunately, Erick is correct about how the media and politicians will use the Hunter laptop stories as a source of distraction when they are actual proof that there is crime and corruption within our political elite. The laptop proves the U.S. has been sold out to China, Russia, and Ukraine, and the American citizens need to wake up to that fact.
Focusing on the "shiny objects" like this always leads to Republicans getting caught with their pants down. An example is when Trump won in 2016. None of the Republican establishment and Never Trumpers (Paul Ryan.....and unfortunately Erick) thought Trump had any chance of winning. As a result, Republicans had no plans prepared for healthcare or anything else that would have passed since they had the majority. So, they quickly cobbled together a dumpster fire of a plan that McCain famously made a show of voting thumbs down to make a point that he hated Trump. America was thrown under the bus. Our representatives should be constantly working on bills and plans to help the U.S. Instead, they sit on their hands at work and spend their time enjoying the DC social scene with lobbyists planning their multimillion dollar gigs after retirement. No wonder Trump is hated. He exposed Rhinos like Paul Ryan for what they are....insider elitists that only care about themselves. U.S. citizens be damned.
It was important before the election, not after. Everyone is getting the feel that Biden is not who he said he was and he is getting the appropriate feedback (low 30's approval and that's with the media helping him out as much as possible)
Yes! I couldn't care less about what Hunter did or didn't do. Generally speaking, politicians family members have been off limits. I'm ok with that. If you are really concerned about Hunter Biden are you also concerned about the influence Ginny Thomas has. Just because you like the politics of the family member, the rules shouldn't change.
The Biden CCP ties should be investigated along with Mayorkas/border, DOJ/Garland, the Wuhan Lab, the ill-preparedness of the CDC during the early stages of Covid. Discovery here will weave a narrative that could well wake 90% of America up.
I'm a libertarian and I care. You have a crackhead son taking 10% of his payouts for the Big guy, Petey Pedo or whatever other alleged nickname he calls his dad and that's not important?? Biden just sold a million barrels of oil to freaking China FFS. The oil was sold to Sinopec which received a $1.5 billion investment from a company that Hunter was a partner in. And we're supposed to think that's all just a coincidence.
But you're right, the republicans will do nothing but put on a kabuki theater and at the end of the day nothing will happen. The office of the President appears to have been compromised and it's politics as usual.
Biden left 85 billion dollars worth of our military weapons and equipment for the Taliban, sent 60 billion to Ukraine and is selling oil from the SPR all over the world.
Absolutely agree, and I have been saying this for years. Simply hammering topics like this is not an effective long-term strategy to win elections. You win elections by giving the voters a clear choice, not by focusing on the flaws on the other side.
I have this conversation regularly with a good friend of mine. The Republicans are poised to take control of Congress in the fall with good odds to take the White House in 2024. But rather than rise to this opportunity and develop a platform that lays out a Clear Vision of what the party wants to do, they seem to be convinced that simply not being Democrats is enough to win right now. And that may be true in the very short term, if they want to get power. But it won't help them hold power once they have it, that requires a plan. And the refusal to let Donald Trump go when there are far better options is a big part of the problem.
Anyway, my conclusion is that Republicans are going to find a way to screw it up. They are going to take Congress in the elections this fall with no clear Vision or agenda. They will probably try to pass Federal legislation protecting guns and banning abortion because they see those as wins in the short-term.
It is sad, because Republicans really do have an opportunity to become the dominant party. A little sanity and the party could find themselves with a majority support among Hispanics.
The way I demonstrate my point is to ask my conservative friends...what is the GOP plan on healrhcare? What is their plan on immigratiom? What about the plan to reform SS? No one knows.
So there is either a plan in the GOP is just doing a terrible job marketing it, or there is no plan. Either way, it creates a perception that there is no plan.
I will continue to vote third party until the Republicans have a plan I can vote for. They count on people voting against the Democrats oh, but that is not how I operate. I vote for something. So once they have a plan for these big issues maybe they will earn my vote.
Finally!! Nothing will happen here - our government will continue to chase its tail and do nothing for the citizens as long as it fixates on the extremes. And I am glad you stated this Erick. Now, if only you will stop talking about the "Big Red Wave" and work towards motivating people to get engaged and double down on issues before the upcoming mid-term elections. The more I hear about the "Wave" the more concerned I become that people will believe you and figure that since the wave is SOOOO BIGGG that they won't need to be involved because others are, won't need to vote because others will, and we will hand over Georgia to the Democrats because they are engaged and becoming more energized. Time to stop saying how great it will be and start pushing to make certain it is!
Well, for what it’s worth, The troubled son does grab attention, but his perverse nature and actions for the most part are not really that relevant to things. However, if there is something to the rumors that he and his position on any kind of Chinese energy company helped facilitate oil from our strategic petroleum reserve to China and that he and maybe other family members benefited from that is definitely worth looking into and should, if it has merit, lead to impeachment proceedings. Unfortunately, McCarthy is weak and will likely push the wrong things and kill anything substantial to help make himself the “shiny object/good guy” 🤦♂️
I agree yet I disagree. There are elements of the Hunter Biden saga that should not be let go. Him roaming the world picking up bags of cash for access to the American Political hierarchy cannot be left alone. Hunter Biden the crack and hooker addict is the persona that must be pushed to the side. That is where Joe Biden can be pitied.
The selling of influence needs to be thoroughly investigated and spineless Republicans need to be forced into corrective legislative action. There are people licking their chops for their turn at the trough. Sadly, I think Kevin McCarthy will show himself to be of that ilk. This influence peddling is endemic to the political class on both sides. If the dragnet pulls in some republicans as well, so much the better.
There are many elements related to this. Things like insider trading. PCAOB style independence rules must be instituted by law. The investing "prowess" of Mr Pelosi and Mr Feinstein needs to be stopped. Those rules do not only apply to the lawmakers themselves, but immediate family as well.
If the Republicans roll in and replace Adam Schiff hearings with ones chaired my Margorie Taylor Greene, its all failure theater.
The Republicans need to have a reel plan. Thacher and her party had a plan when they took office and it saved England from Socialism. Like Neut Gingrich or not the Contract with America was very effective. Don't seek revenge save the republic.
I agree with Erick that the Republicans are more likely than not to spend the two years after regaining the House focused solely on investigations of, as he said, "shiny objects". This will not bode well in 2024. I wrote to both Congressional leaders the other day asking that they develop an agenda that focuses on accomplishments rather than investigations. My message was that they should "turn the other cheek" this time rather than continuing to hold pay back hearings. I don't care about Hunter Biden and I sure don't care about the election 2020. I do care about the rule of law, and the individual rights outlined in Bill of Rights and they should demand that our laws be followed. The Fifth Amendment provides that citizens have the right against self-incrimination and cannot be imprisoned without due process of law (fair procedures and trials.). That applies to everyone including those who broke laws on Jan 6th.
Yep.
Unfortunately, Erick is correct about how the media and politicians will use the Hunter laptop stories as a source of distraction when they are actual proof that there is crime and corruption within our political elite. The laptop proves the U.S. has been sold out to China, Russia, and Ukraine, and the American citizens need to wake up to that fact.
This is why we can't have nice things.
Focusing on the "shiny objects" like this always leads to Republicans getting caught with their pants down. An example is when Trump won in 2016. None of the Republican establishment and Never Trumpers (Paul Ryan.....and unfortunately Erick) thought Trump had any chance of winning. As a result, Republicans had no plans prepared for healthcare or anything else that would have passed since they had the majority. So, they quickly cobbled together a dumpster fire of a plan that McCain famously made a show of voting thumbs down to make a point that he hated Trump. America was thrown under the bus. Our representatives should be constantly working on bills and plans to help the U.S. Instead, they sit on their hands at work and spend their time enjoying the DC social scene with lobbyists planning their multimillion dollar gigs after retirement. No wonder Trump is hated. He exposed Rhinos like Paul Ryan for what they are....insider elitists that only care about themselves. U.S. citizens be damned.
It was important before the election, not after. Everyone is getting the feel that Biden is not who he said he was and he is getting the appropriate feedback (low 30's approval and that's with the media helping him out as much as possible)
Yes! I couldn't care less about what Hunter did or didn't do. Generally speaking, politicians family members have been off limits. I'm ok with that. If you are really concerned about Hunter Biden are you also concerned about the influence Ginny Thomas has. Just because you like the politics of the family member, the rules shouldn't change.
The Biden CCP ties should be investigated along with Mayorkas/border, DOJ/Garland, the Wuhan Lab, the ill-preparedness of the CDC during the early stages of Covid. Discovery here will weave a narrative that could well wake 90% of America up.
I'm a libertarian and I care. You have a crackhead son taking 10% of his payouts for the Big guy, Petey Pedo or whatever other alleged nickname he calls his dad and that's not important?? Biden just sold a million barrels of oil to freaking China FFS. The oil was sold to Sinopec which received a $1.5 billion investment from a company that Hunter was a partner in. And we're supposed to think that's all just a coincidence.
But you're right, the republicans will do nothing but put on a kabuki theater and at the end of the day nothing will happen. The office of the President appears to have been compromised and it's politics as usual.
Biden left 85 billion dollars worth of our military weapons and equipment for the Taliban, sent 60 billion to Ukraine and is selling oil from the SPR all over the world.
He's working for everyone except the USA.
Absolutely agree, and I have been saying this for years. Simply hammering topics like this is not an effective long-term strategy to win elections. You win elections by giving the voters a clear choice, not by focusing on the flaws on the other side.
I have this conversation regularly with a good friend of mine. The Republicans are poised to take control of Congress in the fall with good odds to take the White House in 2024. But rather than rise to this opportunity and develop a platform that lays out a Clear Vision of what the party wants to do, they seem to be convinced that simply not being Democrats is enough to win right now. And that may be true in the very short term, if they want to get power. But it won't help them hold power once they have it, that requires a plan. And the refusal to let Donald Trump go when there are far better options is a big part of the problem.
Anyway, my conclusion is that Republicans are going to find a way to screw it up. They are going to take Congress in the elections this fall with no clear Vision or agenda. They will probably try to pass Federal legislation protecting guns and banning abortion because they see those as wins in the short-term.
It is sad, because Republicans really do have an opportunity to become the dominant party. A little sanity and the party could find themselves with a majority support among Hispanics.
Everything you wrote. Yep. Ditto.
The way I demonstrate my point is to ask my conservative friends...what is the GOP plan on healrhcare? What is their plan on immigratiom? What about the plan to reform SS? No one knows.
So there is either a plan in the GOP is just doing a terrible job marketing it, or there is no plan. Either way, it creates a perception that there is no plan.
I will continue to vote third party until the Republicans have a plan I can vote for. They count on people voting against the Democrats oh, but that is not how I operate. I vote for something. So once they have a plan for these big issues maybe they will earn my vote.
Correct !
Finally!! Nothing will happen here - our government will continue to chase its tail and do nothing for the citizens as long as it fixates on the extremes. And I am glad you stated this Erick. Now, if only you will stop talking about the "Big Red Wave" and work towards motivating people to get engaged and double down on issues before the upcoming mid-term elections. The more I hear about the "Wave" the more concerned I become that people will believe you and figure that since the wave is SOOOO BIGGG that they won't need to be involved because others are, won't need to vote because others will, and we will hand over Georgia to the Democrats because they are engaged and becoming more energized. Time to stop saying how great it will be and start pushing to make certain it is!
So true and so frustrating!