General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe reason that Republican senators are protecting Trump: Everyone was in the loop.
We just have to see how Lindsey Graham slinked off with his tail between his legs when Bolton stepped out of the shadows.
This is a House of Cards and if one goes down, they all go down.
SCantiGOP
(13,869 posts)Step One: Include the person (like Lindsey Graham) in on a totally corrupt phone call or discussion.
Step Two: Inform that person that there is a tape of the event, and "If I go down, you go down with me."
Occam's Razor.
Baitball Blogger
(46,703 posts)I was a victim of fraud in the nineties. The older residents of my community were holding meetings behind our backs and already had agreement between themselves about how they were going to fleece our community, stripping it of our common grounds. They excluded us out of critical meetings with the new developer who was going to finish off the second phase of the development. They were told by a good ole boy with connections to the Mayor into believing that we had no power to stop the new developer because our community had not yet been turned over to us. So, they assumed our common grounds were up for grabs, and let us believe that was the situation. They thought that if they could cooperate with the developer, and support his plans that the developer would agree to transfer the common grounds around their property over to them. So they participated in a con-job, bullying and willfully spreading lies to the rest of us about the status of our community.
In the end, I figured out that the Mayor's friend lied to all of us. I found the papers he had signed ten years earlier that transferred the community over to us homeowners. In other words, we had all the rights to stop the new development, but the greed among the homeowners who wanted those common grounds interfered with a clear understanding of what happened.
I spent the last twenty plus years firming up the details to clearly see the extent of their evil machinations. I had to, because I knew I had been conned. You see, in order to cover up the extent of their conspiracy, they had to hold HOA meeting to make it look like they were on the up and up. I attended those meetings, which I call the Sitting Duck meetings. It was in those "legal" HOA meetings where they spread lies and misinformation in order to control what we knew, which then, limited the decisions we were able to make. We were being conned.
But, they must have felt pretty stupid because their con job blew up in their faces when the developer took over the property he wanted with a replat, and then told the crooks in my community thank you, but he didn't have the power to deed common grounds over to them. They must have been furious. They figured out that the good ole boy friend of the Mayor had lied to them. But they kept it to themselves and I believe they have been using the Association funds and common grounds to make themselves whole. It's those private meetings that they hold between themselves that turns this into a conspiracy, because they never stopped gaslighting.
And here is where I connect with your post: They told everybody outside of our community that we had approved every step of the decision making process because we attended the Sitting Duck meetings where they gave us an American Kabuki dance. It will always be a reflection of this horribly corrupt community, how they tried to spread their stink on us because we attended the "legally noticed meetings" where information was strategically spread to us.
I'll never forget how they kept pointing fingers at me, because I attended those meetings. I had to dig out of feelings of Christian guilt to understand that I was a victim of fraud. I tried to change things, but couldn't, because I learned like everybody else that comes across Shadow Governments, how resilient they are, because they are basically the status quo.
And that's why I have, for the last sixteen years, avoided the HOA meetings. In this community, legally noticed meetings are just the place where they spread misinformation and outright lies in an effort to control our decisions and perceptions. Should we dare to ask the right questions, the gaslighting and bullying just increases.
The only way to stop it is to expose the corrupting nature of this small town status quo.
Phoenix61
(17,003 posts)Only one gets to be a hero and publicly repent and beg for forgiveness. I can only imagine whats going on behind the scene.
RANDYWILDMAN
(2,672 posts)They are all in on it and if they aren't the other have something to blackmail them with. Damn thinking that McCain was the only half hero repub during this entire term and even then he only plugged a hole. He knew the scheme and didn't expose when he had the chance.
bluestarone
(16,927 posts)I've stated THIS many times!!
erlewyne
(1,115 posts)It does not wash off and the longer they live the
more people will see it. It does not go away ,,, ever,
marlakay
(11,457 posts)To win presidency this year, if they do Pence or anyone else they will lose really bad.
And they want Trump on ballot to reelect all the far right people they have in congress. His people might stay home for Romney or Pence not the religious ones but all the angry ones that have no problem with corruption.
Still In Wisconsin
(4,450 posts)Republicans in Congress know that Trump's MAGA base will turn on them in zero seconds flat if Trump tells them to. So, they do whatever Trump says. If a Democrat can win in Alabama then a Democrat can win in their state. None of them have enough of a backbone to dare oppose Trump. They're not all stupid but they are all self-serving.
Kurt V.
(5,624 posts)now the entire republican electorate.
Karadeniz
(22,513 posts)Would be threatening to primary rebels and withhold financial support.
OAITW r.2.0
(24,468 posts)reporting directly to crime boss Trump.....who reports to Putin.
For decades the GOP has cultivated political candidates that have known, political weaknesses. Comes in handy when ramming unpopular programs, taxcuts through the Legislative process. Now the are incapable of doing what's right for the country because they are also complicit in criminal activity.
lettucebe
(2,336 posts)They must think saving Trump saves themselves but I seriously doubt that is going to be the case.
paleotn
(17,912 posts)regardless, it's the *'s mob of magats they are all terrified of. They feel they're at even greater risk of being"Cantorized" due to the infestation of rabid magats in their own party. No one wants to end up like lonely Eric Cantor. On the bright side, their true loyalties are laid bare for all to see, and it ain't with the people, the Constitution or the country, as they don't give two shits about anything but themselves. THAT'S going to cost several of them their jobs in the end. I think Collins, Gardner, McSally and the Iowa pig castrator all "need to spend more time with the families."