Bill Barr and his October Surprise

[elemental]

Originally Posted by Craig4

I have to wonder if Barr has every tried a criminal case to verdict.

From what I understand he has never tried a case at all.

[Skeptic Ginger]

Barr has mostly been in administrative and consulting positions according to Wiki.

Quote:

Barr did corporate legal work for GTE and its successor company Verizon Communications, which made him a multimillionaire. From 2009 to 2018, Barr served on the board of directors for Time Warner.

Everything about him drips corruption and partisanship.

Quote:

On December 11, 2019, former Attorney General Eric Holder, who had served under President Obama, wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post claiming William Barr is "unfit to be attorney general"[258] for his "naked partisan[ship]", "attempts to vilify the president's critics", his attacks on the inspector general and his comments on ongoing investigations.[258]

[Hlafordlaes]

Originally Posted by Ziggurat

Is he wrong? What intrusion on civil liberties has been greater than the lockdown?

Neolithic Revolution Governance is based on accepting community over tribal strife and warfare. Results in, gee, civilization. The Encyclopedia Britannica is full of discussion of all those things one can learn when civilized. Recommended.

What greater willful misunderstanding of freedom than that of the savage who cannot accept rational behavior as a restraint to enable survival of the community he benefits from?

Please, don't make it so easy.

[varwoche]

Originally Posted by Gord_in_Toronto

Universal draft? You don't have to stay home instead you are forcefully rounded up and sent off somewhere to be maimed or killed.

I appreciate, in a way that's not entirely mature, how this smacked down the inane (implied) claim you replied to. My contribution wasn't so bad either.

[DetectedMotion]

Originally Posted by Ziggurat

Is he wrong? What intrusion on civil liberties has been greater than the lockdown?

really?? What Liberties have you lost on the lockdown? The freedom to contract the Coronavirus during a pandemic??

[Bob001]

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

.....
Everything about him drips corruption and partisanship.

According to multiple reports, he's been a thug all his life.

Quote:

Childhood bullies have a predisposition to become adult bullies, research shows, and, sure enough, it seems Attorney General William Barr was a teenage bully more than 50 years ago.

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/us/op...ly/ar-BB15fZCJ

He also thought the President could declare war by executive order:

Quote:

Billy said, ‘All the president needs to declare war is an executive order. That is all!’

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019...g-william-barr

[Safe-Keeper]

Originally Posted by DetectedMotion

really?? What Liberties have you lost on the lockdown? The freedom to contract the Coronavirus during a pandemic??

Imagine Trump being president, and the trumpkins citizens, of Britain during World War II.
"The "world war" is a hoax from my political opponents! It's just one plane coming in from Germany! They Nazi troops in Poland will go away like a miracle! I don't wanna stop the blitz because the counties voting for my opponent seem to be hit the hardest! I visited Germany and Hitler gave me a soccer ball!"

"We're supposed to do blackouts? Rationing? Blinding curtains? MY RIGHTS!"

[Stacyhs]

Originally Posted by Bob001

According to multiple reports, he's been a thug all his life.

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/us/op...ly/ar-BB15fZCJ

He also thought the President could declare war by executive order:

https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019...g-william-barr

Doesn't surprise me.

[Craig4]

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

Barr has mostly been in administrative and consulting positions according to Wiki.

Everything about him drips corruption and partisanship.

In addition to being an overt threat to our democracy, it's just embarrassing that we have an AG who would suggest charging people with sedition. I don't want to tell anyone how to do their job here, but it's pretty basic that you charge the crime you've got, not the crime you want. Any US or AUSA who went before a judge with a protestor and charged sedition would be publicly humiliated.

[DetectedMotion]

Originally Posted by Safe-Keeper

Imagine Trump being president, and the trumpkins citizens, of Britain during World War II.
"The "world war" is a hoax from my political opponents! It's just one plane coming in from Germany! They Nazi troops in Poland will go away like a miracle! I don't wanna stop the blitz because the counties voting for my opponent seem to be hit the hardest! I visited Germany and Hitler gave me a soccer ball!"

"We're supposed to do blackouts? Rationing? Blinding curtains? MY RIGHTS!"

Sadly, I can see that as his actual response in that scenario.
And, just as sad, many of the Making America Go Anarchy" crowd will suck up Barr's analogy as gospel.

[varwoche]

Originally Posted by Ziggurat

What intrusion on civil liberties has been greater than the lockdown?

Originally Posted by Gord_in_Toronto

Universal draft? You don't have to stay home instead you are forcefully rounded up and sent off somewhere to be maimed or killed.

I'm not a fan of when posters fail to own their bull ****.

Originally Posted by Not Zig

Good point. I hadn't considered that. I got wrapped up in right wing talking points and lost perspective. There wasn't even a federal lockdown! That shows just how far off the mark I was. Thanks Gord!

[Mader Levap]

Originally Posted by varwoche

I'm not a fan of when posters fail to own their bull ****.

I don't think you can expect that from rethuglicans. If they were capable of things like admitting to mistake (like saying utterly silly thing out of touch with reality), they wouldn't be rethuglicans in first place.

[Safe-Keeper]

First "greater intrusion on civil liberties" I can think of is police telling citizens to stay home because there are protests in the city, and firing paint bullets on families legally standing in the doorways of their own homes. Policemen beating up peaceful protesters. Policemen using tear gas to clear a crowd for a president's photo op. The countless (100+) attacks on journalists just doing their jobs, some of whom have sustained lasting injuries. The incarceration and abuse, including ******* sterilisation, and separation of families for just seeking asylum. Widespread voting suppression in Democrat-leaning areas. The widespread corruption in the police force and justice system. The more things I list, the more things I can think of.

But it's being asked to wear a mask and stay home to save lives during a ******* pandemic that's upsetting. Why should Ziggurat and the others care what happens when their political opponents demonstrate, and the MSM reports on the protests? Why should they care what happens to foreigners or brown people?

If you're going to widen it to all of American history, it becomes even more ridiculous. The incarceration of all Americans with Japanese descent during WWII? Institutionalised slavery (as was mentioned)? The Bush regime punishing dissenters by putting them on no-fly lists? The kidnapping and torture of people during the same regime? The treatment of Indians, and African-Americans throughout US history?

Heck, I'd even say that large-scale evacuations are a pretty big infringement on civil liberties. A perfectly justified one in most cases, but still a dramatic thing to be asked to do, whether it's due to weather phenomenon, 9/11, or other threats.

Sort of OT, but important:
A significant amount of trumpkins have voted for the Leopards Eating Peoples' Faces Party, imagining that the leopards are only ever going to eat their opponents' faces. They won't.

[theprestige]

Originally Posted by elemental

From what I understand he has never tried a case at all.

Neither has Barack Obama. Somehow he's one of the nation's top jurists, tho.

[Stacyhs]

Originally Posted by theprestige

Neither has Barack Obama. Somehow he's one of the nation's top jurists, tho.

Has Barack Obama ever been appointed to a "top jurist" position? Or nominated to one?

[Safe-Keeper]

Originally Posted by Stacyhs

Has Barack Obama ever been appointed to a "top jurist" position? Or nominated to one?

Is there any question or comment that can't be answered with "butbutobama" ? Either they really can't stand the guy, or they think we all adore him to death and hold him up as some sort of saintly idol of how a president should behave. Or both.

[Bob001]

Originally Posted by theprestige

Neither has Barack Obama. Somehow he's one of the nation's top jurists, tho.

What do you think "jurist" means? Obama is a Constitutional law scholar who taught at Harvard Law. That makes him a jurist.

Quote:

A jurist is a person with expert knowledge of law; someone who studies, analyses and comments on law.[

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jurist

Somebody who hears traffic cases in municipal court is a judge, but that doesn't make him a jurist. A city prosecutor who puts street criminals in jail tries cases, but that doesn't make him a jurist either.

[Roger Ramjets]

Originally Posted by theprestige

Neither has Barack Obama. Somehow he's one of the nation's top jurists, tho.

Deplorable.

[Norman Alexander]

Originally Posted by theprestige

Neither has Barack Obama. Somehow he's one of the nation's top jurists, tho.

Incorrect, Obama HAS tried cases. Granted, not many.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-...al6-story.html

[Hlafordlaes]

Originally Posted by Roger Ramjets

Deplorable.

[AnonyMoose]

Originally Posted by Ziggurat

Is he wrong? What intrusion on civil liberties has been greater than the lockdown?

Well trolled...

Toss out the bait, then sit back and enjoy the show. "Triggering liberals" and all that.

Well trolled indeed.

The Orange One has trained his minions well.... although it's such a shame how he's turned otherwise fairly intelligent people (or so we thought) into his servitude pack of drooling lumpens.

[JoeMorgue]

So yet again we're pinning all our hopes on some new, future scandal/drama that will finally break Trump's completely steady approval rating even though all the previous scandals/drama didn't?

Yet another "This time will be different and this time we mean it..."

[uke2se]

Originally Posted by JoeMorgue

So yet again we're pinning all our hopes on some new, future scandal/drama that will finally break Trump's completely steady approval rating even though all the previous scandals/drama didn't?

Yet another "This time will be different and this time we mean it..."

I think we're pinning our hopes on the polls being correct and that every non-fascist is fired up enough about the danger US democracy is in to go vote.

[Segnosaur]

Originally Posted by uke2se

I think we're pinning our hopes on the polls being correct and that every non-fascist is fired up enough about the danger US democracy is in to go vote.

Polls that should be noted, have been incredibly static for the past few months, only fluctuating a few percent here and there.

As this thread implies, it is the Republicans who are hoping for something dramatic to cause a change in the status quo (hence the idea that Barr might manufacturer some scandal via the Durham report.)

Sent from my LM-X320 using Tapatalk

[lomiller]

Originally Posted by Ziggurat

What intrusion on civil liberties has been greater than the lockdown?

Since when have actions that endanger others been protected civil liberties? You may as well be trying to argue that every law is an intrusion of civil liberties, because all of them restrict some people from taking some action.

Laws preventing you from harming or endangering others is where civil liberties come from in the first place, without such laws there is no freedom for the vast majority of the population.

[theprestige]

Originally Posted by Bob001

What do you think "jurist" means? Obama is a Constitutional law scholar who taught at Harvard Law. That makes him a jurist.

Yep. Not complaining about Obama's status as a jurist, even a highly regarded jurist.

Same with Barr. I'm not sure having tried cases is an important metric - or at least the only possible important metric - here.

Anyway, it turns out that Barack Obama has tried a case or two:

Originally Posted by Norman Alexander

Incorrect, Obama HAS tried cases. Granted, not many.

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-...al6-story.html

Thank you for the correction.

[Suddenly]

Originally Posted by theprestige

Same with Barr. I'm not sure having tried cases is an important metric - or at least the only possible important metric - here.

Arguing an appeal would be way more relevant as to being a jurist. If by that we mean having an understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of the law.

Trying a case is like being an athlete. Appeals are like being a coach. Some very good trial lawyers are complete muppets when it comes to any sort of deep legal analysis because it so rarely comes up.

[Donal]

Originally Posted by AnonyMoose

Well trolled...

Toss out the bait, then sit back and enjoy the show. "Triggering liberals" and all that.

Well trolled indeed.

The Orange One has trained his minions well.... although it's such a shame how he's turned otherwise fairly intelligent people (or so we thought) into his servitude pack of drooling lumpens.

http://www.internationalskeptics.com...62fdf206a5.gif

It would help if people stopped taking the bait.

[Segnosaur]

Related to Barr and his attempts to dig up (imaginary) dirt...

From: The Hill
The Department of Justice’s probe into the origins of the Russia investigation is also looking into how the FBI handled allegations of political corruption at the Clinton Foundation, sources told The New York Times.

I guess its not too suprising... When you run into so many dry wells as the republicans in their quest to find dirt on the Democrats, they go to their default "but Clinton..." (even though that will likely be just as fruitless)

[The Great Zaganza]

I see Barr declare certain Blue Cities in Red States as "anarchist jurisdictions" and give local election officials the backing to discount votes from them.

[jerrywayne]

Barr's dead end.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...?ocid=msedgdhp

[The Don]

Originally Posted by jerrywayne

Barr's dead end.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...?ocid=msedgdhp

The report concludes that there was no substantive wrongdoing but doubtless President Trump and his cronies will insist that this is clear evidence of the greatest political conspiracy of all time.

edited to add....

He could still release a heavily edited version of the report which gives the impression that there was wrongdoing but that the Deep State were able to cover it up successfully

[jerrywayne]

Originally Posted by The Don

The report concludes that there was no substantive wrongdoing but doubtless President Trump and his cronies will insist that this is clear evidence of the greatest political conspiracy of all time.

edited to add....

He could still release a heavily edited version of the report which gives the impression that there was wrongdoing but that the Deep State were able to cover it up successfully

Wonder how Hannity and Fox will scheme this dud.

[dasmiller]

Originally Posted by jerrywayne

Barr's dead end.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/polit...?ocid=msedgdhp

Originally Posted by jerrywayne

Wonder how Hannity and Fox will scheme this dud.

Easy peasy. From the article you linked:

Quote:

Bash and his team reviewed unmasking practices as well as whether officials at the time improperly leaked information to reporters. Bash reportedly turned over his findings to Barr, whose office chose not to publicly release them. The findings did not rise to the allegations Trump and his allies have made about wrongdoing, according to the report.

. . . etc

[Ziggurat]

Originally Posted by Hlafordlaes

Neolithic Revolution Governance is based on accepting community over tribal strife and warfare. Results in, gee, civilization. The Encyclopedia Britannica is full of discussion of all those things one can learn when civilized. Recommended.

What greater willful misunderstanding of freedom than that of the savage who cannot accept rational behavior as a restraint to enable survival of the community he benefits from?

Please, don't make it so easy.

Huh. I had no idea that was part of American history. Learn something new every day.

[Craig4]

I think Barr's October surprise will be when he gets a smack-down from a judge for trying to enforce a private NDA signed by an aid to the FLOTUS. I don't expect this ruling to be kind to Barr or the person who hold his leash.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/13/polit...ump/index.html

[Trebuchet]

Originally Posted by Craig4

I think Barr's October surprise will be when he gets a smack-down from a judge for trying to enforce a private NDA signed by an aid to the FLOTUS. I don't expect this ruling to be kind to Barr or the person who hold his leash.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/13/polit...ump/index.html

WTF is the justice department doing in a civil matter? Oh, wait, I forgot, Barr's job is to be Trump's personal lawyer.

[timhau]

Originally Posted by Trebuchet

WTF is the justice department doing in a civil matter? Oh, wait, I forgot, Barr's job is to be Trump's personal lawyer.

Is he like a public defender for Presidents who are too cheap to pay their legal bills?

[SuburbanTurkey]

Bill Barr's October surprise may just be surviving covid. Has he made any public appearances since his exposure to the super spreader pod in the White House?

[The Great Zaganza]

My sauces inside the Trump Campaign have told me that the October Surprise will be a calendar featuring full-nudes of Trump and his cronies.