Opening indictments

From the analytical, scholarly, objective LawFare (link):

This is only Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s opening salvo. As opening salvos go, it’s a doozy. . .  

We will say this: Mueller’s opening bid is a remarkable show of strength. He has a cooperating witness from inside the campaign’s interactions with the Russians. And he is alleging not mere technical infractions of law but astonishing criminality on the part of Trump’s campaign manager, a man who also attended the Trump Tower meeting. 

Any hope the White House may have had that the Mueller investigation might be fading away vanished this morning. Things are only going to get worse from here.  

"John Kasich Is Already Running"

Please.  Link.

New chapter - first indictments

Nine months from inauguration, the first "criminal" shoe drops.  The next year is going to suck worse than the last one for the country.  Count 1: "Conspiracy against the United States".

Pdf of indictment here.

UPDATE:  From Facebook.

Keep an eye on the ball

From LawFare: "The (Ir)relevance of the Trump “Dossier” 

"One important point is sometimes lost in the discussion.  The dossier itself played absolutely no role in the coordinated intelligence assessment that Russia interfered in our election."

GOP reckoning

The reckoning within the GOP has momentum, thank goodness.  Silent or otherwise complicit Senate Republicans are now all Trump Republicans.  Link.  The crazies must be defeated.    

Flake quits

Flake announces retirement as he denounces Trump

If Flake's floor speech — and retiring Republican Sen. Bob Corker's scathing criticism of the president earlier Tuesday — was any indication, Trump could be in for a long year of vocal opposition from prominent members of his own party before they leave the Senate. 

Flake will be treated kindly by the history books.  He never endorsed Trump, and later wrote a book repudiating everything Trump.

More Corker

Corker continues his assault on Trump this morning.

"I think the things that are happening right now that are harmful to our nation, whether it's the breaking down of . . . relationships we have around the world that have been useful to our nation," he said. "But I think at the end of the day, when his term is over, I think the debasing of our nation, the constant non-truth telling, just the name-calling ... I think the debasement of our nation will be what he'll be remembered most for, and that's regretful."

"Debasement of our nation."  That sums it up perfectly.

UPDATE: NY Times. "Mr. Corker, who supported Mr. Trump in the 2016 presidential election, told CNN on Tuesday that he would not do that again."

McCain and Corker v. Trump

Senator McCain and Senator Corker, both liberated of any reelection concerns, have opened a two-front Republican battle with Trump on terms that Trump understands - personal digs.

McCain essentially called Trump a coward with his recent comments about deferments during Vietnam for "bone spurs" without mentioning Trump by name.

Corker went further.

Same untruths from an utterly untruthful president. #AlertTheDaycareStaff

— Senator Bob Corker (@SenBobCorker) October 24, 2017

Now there are at least two in open revolt against Trump in the ranks of Senate Republicans. When will it be 10? 20? The sooner the better, for the sake of the country.

End of blog hibernation

My last post here was more than 3 years ago. That post (just below) shared information about the incredible growing menace of ISIS. Just last week, the retaking of Raqqa marked the end of ISIS' territorial "Caliphate".  A lot can happen in 3 years.

The next 3 years are going to have incredibly lasting historical significance. Trump is a runaway train and it seems to me that complete derailment is almost inevitable before 2021.

The blog is open again, and for at least the next 3 years.