This is the USA. Donald J. Trump is not the USA.

This is a country that doesn't disappear from the face of Earth, because, it is a great people that make the USA great. Great people endure history, just ask Benjamin Franklin, "A Republic, if you can keep it."

December 10, 2019
By Catherine E. Shoichet

New Haven - The principal's voice (click here) piped through the PA system at Wilbur Cross High School with a startling announcement.

ICE had detained a student.

"Everyone was worried and asking around," says Sandy Martinez-Paz, a 17-year-old junior at the school. "We wanted to know who it was."

Students later learned that Mario Aguilar, an 18-year-old who enrolled in the school last year, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at a nearby courthouse where he'd gone to face charges after a traffic accident.

It's the kind of case that unfolds frequently across the United States, but often goes unnoticed or quickly fades from view.

At Wilbur Cross, something different happened....

I thought he might have stopped in to make a deal for potassium iodide considering Russian's nuclear program is out of control.

December 9, 2019
By Shannon Pettypiece and Hallie Jackson

Washington - President Donald Trump (click here) plans to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the White House on Tuesday as the Democratic impeachment inquiry raises fresh questions about his relationship with that nation.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will also attend the meeting intended to "discuss the state of the bilateral relationship," a senior administration official said....

Supposedly, Pompeo asked Lavrov to stay out of the 2020 elections. From "Stars and Stripes:"

December 10, 2019
By Matthew Lee and Deb Riechmann

...Lavrov met earlier in the day with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, (click here) who warned against Russian interference in U.S. elections. Lavrov repeated denials of Russian interference, calling them “baseless." Special counsel Robert Mueller, who took over the Trump-Russia investigation from the FBI, determined that Russia interfered in the election in an effort to help Trump beat his 2016 Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.

“I was clear: It's unacceptable, and I made our expectations of Russia clear,” Pompeo said of election interference. "The Trump administration will always work to protect the integrity of our elections. Period. Should Russia or any foreign actor take steps to undermine our democratic processes, we will take action in response.”...

Something tells me the request by Pompeo didn't reach the Foreign Minister's ears, perhaps Trump's interpreter was in order.

The New York Times is reporting that Pompeo was discussing nuclear arms with Lavrov. I suppose miracles happen, but, in September 2019 Lavrov was stating "The West" is in decline.

September 28, 2019
By Edith M. Lederer and Sarah DiLorenzo

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, right, walks onto the stage to address the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters Friday, Sept. 27, 2019.

United Nations - Russia’s foreign minister (click here) took aim at the West on Friday, saying its philosophies are out of step with the times and that it is struggling to accept what he called its diminishing dominance in world affairs.

In his speech before the U.N. General Assembly, Sergei Lavrov blamed the countries that declared themselves winners of the Cold War between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union for the current challenges facing the world, and for the increasing fragmentation of the international community.

Who worries about that? No one worries about that. If there has to be a determination about the Cold War then it is easy to say, THERE IS NO MORE SOVIET UNION!

He pointedly scorned much of the “West,” a term Russian officials typically use to refer to the United States and its traditional allies in Europe. He accused them of manipulating their citizens, disseminating false information, and preventing journalists from doing their work — all charges that the West has long lobbed at the Russian government and its predecessor, the Soviet Union....

WHEN ARE THE AMERICAN PEOPLE GOING TO WAKE UP TO THE FACT RUSSIA IS AN ENEMY OF THE USA AND A PRESIDENT THAT ENTERTAINS THEM ARE EQUALLY A THREAT?

There is no meaningful discussion about a nuclear non-proliferation treaty. There never will be.

Everything Trump does is political and removes funding from the government infrastructure.

Is Director Wray nearing retirement? Sorry to tell Director Wray that Trump is scapegoating him, no different than any other FBI Director he could not get to play his game, as Barr does.

If I may?

The US House is currently and rightfully drawing up Articles of Impeachment. While the US House carried out an Impeachment Inquiry we heard how the DOJ Inspector General was preparing a document that would show how the FBI spied and sought to undermine the Trump campaign. 

That didn't happen. Now, Trump turns to pandering Barr and a US Attorney that is bringing information from abroad into the review of the agency. I can't help but speculate that the US Attorney what's his name? Durham? Dunham? Whatever, will carry the theme, "From Russia with love."

I fully expect there to be Russian information that implicates Ukraine in the 2016 campaign. That is the propaganda circulating through the Trump universe and it will be a bottom line to some of that information. What the US Attorney will have no CONTROL over is the acceptance of this information. While the DOJ would not NORMALLY accept foreign government information to taint determination of a review of the FBI, Trump wants this and Barr will demand it.

It is normal for international intelligence agencies to SHARE information, a foreign government is not a review participant. It is ridiculous to think about the lack of control the FBI would experience in trying to please the world instead of focusing on the USA's national security.

Barr will justify the tainting of the US Attorney's review because of a certain dossier and it's citation of information from Russia. It is childish to say the least and definitely political to seek retribution over an opposition research document.

So, while Director Wray is bending over backwards to prevent politics from tainting the agency, it won't matter and he will be scapegoated as lacking the ability to carry out the work of the FBI. 

It is not a legal process under Barr, it is a political process. Barr's history in the DOJ demands that assessment. He is living up to his past and at the same time in doing so is attempting to bury it. If Barr can deliver a "Deep State" for Trump he will also alleviate from and rewrite his past.

The document coming from the US Attorney is contaminated with corruption. Already. What valid investigation by a US Attorney would be made public before the fact?

I do believe Director Wray has a vital agency to run to protect the USA's security from enemies foreign and domestic. I wish him peace in his decisions.

I am happy because the unions have done well under this trade agreement.

It isn't easy in the year 2019 to have smiles on the faces of union leaders, but, Congressional Democrats did exactly that. 

Democrats – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) (click here) is also having a good day. Democrats get to show America that they are capable of doing things beyond impeachment. They also wielded a lot of leverage during the negotiations, forcing Trump -- as well as Mexico -- to accept more stringent enforcement of labor rights in the final deal. Pelosi is touting that Democrats helped make the deal “infinitely better,” a play to her base.

Labor – Labor unions, especially AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, really pushed hard here. Trump’s top trade negotiator consulted them frequently during the original USMCA deal in 2018, and unions stood their ground in 2019 to force even more favorable provisions to ensure U.S. jobs don’t flee quickly to Mexico. The result is USMCA is expected to create 176,000 new jobs in the United States and labor rights are poised to expand in Mexico. A committee will monitor Mexico’s progress and if the nation fails to achieve certain benchmarks, there will be punitive action.

US Unions are vital to the American Middle Class. I know for a fact they were involved with this trade agreement as they held public awareness initiatives through digital media. The union leaders in the USA made a difference. This is what it is all about, the Middle Class has its champions. 

Bill Barr is interested in hypotheticals and not facts. The facts are overwhelming and real. If Bill Barr applied himself to the facts we could better decide if he is actually interested in fulfilling his oath rather than loyalty to Trump.

There were excellent reasons for the FBI to investigate the 2016 elections, besides the hacking of the DCCC and Clinton Campaign.

November 2, 2019
By Kevin Poulsen

If the stories broadcast by the Trump-endorsed One America News Network (click here) sometimes look like outtakes from a Kremlin trolling operation, there may be a reason. One of the on-air reporters at the 24-hour network is a Russian national on the payroll of the Kremlin’s official propaganda outlet, Sputnik.

Kristian Brunovich Rouz, originally from the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, has been living in San Diego, where OAN is based, since August 2017, reporting on U.S. politics for the 24-hour news channel. For all of that time, he’s been simultaneously writing for Sputnik, a Kremlin-owned news wire that played a role in Russia’s 2016 election-interference operation, according to an assessment by the U.S. intelligence community....

"One America News" sounds like a Russian operative's idea of influencing Americans. It is also a goal by Donald J. Trump. He would like nothing more than one media outlet for the entire country and he would be in control of it.

Regardless of it's large corruption, it is still there. OANN (click here)

There is a lot of Russian propaganda at OANN. Lutsenko is one of the two Prosecutor Generals removed from office because of their willingness to be corrupt and ignoring corruption in Ukraine.

December 8, 2019

One America’s Chanel Rion (click here) has been tracking down Ukrainian witnesses as part of an exclusive OAN investigative series, which dismantles the baseless Adam Schiff impeachment hoax. She spoke with Ukrainian former Prosecutor General Yuriy Lutsenko, who said Yovanovitch perjured herself before Congress....

OANN is operating in the USA. Those that value the truth and want to end Russian propaganda in the USA should be demanding equal time. The reporting of this media outlet is very, very onesided in promoting Russian propaganda.

I can't even give brevity to the opinion section because there is no way of knowing if they are also Russian operatives or sympathizers. The commenters are simply wrong and quite possibly because they are reading a one-sided news media outlet. They have no facts from this news outlet to balance their ability to formulate a legitimate opinion. The commenters can't  be taken seriously.

Republicans say elections matter, well, here it is.

The people spoke. They don't trust Trump and they are proven correct in their assessment.

McCarthy is obtuse.

On November 6, 2018, (click here) 470 seats in the U.S. Congress (35 Senate seats and all 435 House seats) were up for election. The Democratic Party won control of the House, and the Republican Party retained control of the Senate.

Democrats gained a net total of 40 U.S. House seats, 17 more than the 23 seats they needed to win control of the House. Heading into the election, Republicans controlled the House with a 235-193 majority (plus seven vacancies). From 1918 to 2016, the president’s party lost an average of 29 seats in midterm elections.

Republicans gained a net total of two U.S. Senate seats. Heading into the election, Republicans held 51 seats, Democrats held 47 seats, and the remaining two were held by independents who caucused with Democrats. In 2018, Democrats defended 26 seats—two held by independents—while Republicans defended nine seats. Ten Democratic seats were in states that supported Donald Trump (R) over Hillary Clinton (D) in 2016....

The US House acts on their oath of office.

Articles of Impeachment

Abuse of Power - A misuse of power by someone in a position of authority who can use the leverage they have to oppress persons in an inferior position or to induce them to commit a wrongful act.

President Trump acted against President Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, in asking for a favor to open an investigation against a political opponent in the 2020 elections.  In addition, he stated to another authority in his administration that President Zelensky ONLY needed to announce the investigation. The investigation into Former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden wasn't valid in it's brevity. This was one of the worst abuses of power imaginable by Donald J. Trump. He wanted the president of Ukraine to pretend there was an investigation to secure his re-election in 2020.

I don't see how any US Senator can look the other way. What is next? A fictitious investigation into them by another country, like Russia, to bring about compliance to any demand by Russia? This cannot be ignored and swept under the carpet in additional corruption of our US Constitution.

Obstruction of Congress

Also known as Contempt of Congress.

I don't have to speak to this, Congress has already spoken.

Obstruction of Congress: (click here) A Brief Overview of Federal Law Relating to Interference with Congressional Activities
Charles Doyle Senior Specialist in American Public Law 
November 5, 2010

I have immense regard to the Whistleblower to end the abuse of power by Donald J. Trump. The Whistleblower, in great courage, has changed the course of history and protected the lives of innumerable people in Ukraine.

There is a peace process between Ukraine and Russia today because the Whistleblower acted and Ukraine is a strong and independent sovereign country. Ukraine must maintain it's strong profile to end a war with Russia.

The Whistleblower complaint was never about politics, it was always about the sovereign country, Ukraine. The US Congress cannot allow any such threat by a US president to continue.