Didn't figure it was worth it's own thread - thoughts on Megxit?

Everyone is acting so shocked and disappointed, but isn't it obvious?  The Obama's signed book deals worth $50M, and a Netflix deal worth tens of millions.  Prince Harry has a net worth of @ $40M.  It's greed, pure and simple.  That, and Meghan probably doesn't want to do the crown functions that don't interest her.

posted by gut

Didn't figure it was worth it's own thread - thoughts on Megxit?

Everyone is acting so shocked and disappointed, but isn't it obvious?  The Obama's signed book deals worth $50M, and a Netflix deal worth tens of millions.  Prince Harry has a net worth of @ $40M.  It's greed, pure and simple.  That, and Meghan probably doesn't want to do the crown functions that don't interest her.

I'm not sure I understand the whole thing.  It sounds like they didn't want to participate in royal events and didn't want anymore public funding.  If they have enough dough to live on without that, more power to them.  I wouldn't want anything to do with being a royal - it seems awful.  Why shouldn't they be free to do what they want?

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

I'm not sure I understand the whole thing.  It sounds like they didn't want to participate in royal events and didn't want anymore public funding.  If they have enough dough to live on without that, more power to them.  I wouldn't want anything to do with being a royal - it seems awful.  Why shouldn't they be free to do what they want?

Apparently, what they "gave up" in public funding amounts to office expenses.  Less than 5% of the income, simply a reimbursement for expenses for official events.  He'll still get his royal stipend from the crown assets.  The interesting thing, as I understand it, is she - errrr, they - can now pursue their own projects....and keep all the money to themselves.

Meghan knew what the deal was.  Guess she wanted to be a princess but do her own thing.  I really couldn't care less about the royals, but I think she probably deserves all the scorn and vitriol coming her way.

Who cares.  The royal family is like the Kardashians..... famous for nothing.

posted by gut

Didn't figure it was worth it's own thread - thoughts on Megxit?

Everyone is acting so shocked and disappointed, but isn't it obvious?  The Obama's signed book deals worth $50M, and a Netflix deal worth tens of millions.  Prince Harry has a net worth of @ $40M.  It's greed, pure and simple.  That, and Meghan probably doesn't want to do the crown functions that don't interest her.

I stopped giving a fuck about that country since 1776.

I do find it funny (amongst other reasons) when brits try to ridicule the US, meanwhile their taxes fund the royal family that has 0 power.

Anyone follow the VA gun rights rally yesterday? Surprising no one, the media and the Twitter blue check brigade decided to frame it as a racist, white nationalist event. Meanwhile, the event went off without a hitch. People of all color were in attendance (yes, it was predominately white), joined together in the common goal of opposing the newly proposed, and absolutely worthless, gun control laws. And, after the event, they cleaned up after themselves. I saw video of people peeling stickers off of pavement as to leave no trace behind.

posted by like_that

I stopped giving a fuck about that country since 1776.

You're so cool. 

posted by justincredible

Anyone follow the VA gun rights rally yesterday? Surprising no one, the media and the Twitter blue check brigade decided to frame it as a racist, white nationalist event. Meanwhile, the event went off without a hitch. People of all color were in attendance (yes, it was predominately white), joined together in the common goal of opposing the newly proposed, and absolutely worthless, gun control laws. And, after the event, they cleaned up after themselves. I saw video of people peeling stickers off of pavement as to leave no trace behind.

Yep. NBC reporter called it a white supremacy rally. Hilarious that other media are like why aren't there cops in riot gear? Well  bc these people aren't rioting and the whole thing was peaceful with no arrests. Governor black face is trying to destroy their 2nd amendment rights, lol and called it a state of emergency for the protest.

You don't have to worry about anyone trying to take your guns they say....

I guarantee they're upset that nothing violent happened. 

A Denver Post columnist says he was fired after disputing the idea that there are more than two sexes.

Jon Caldara, president of the libertarian Independence Institute, announced that he has been fired from the Post, chalking it up to "a difference in style" that his editors found "too insensitive."

"My column is not a soft voiced, sticky sweet NPR-styled piece which employs the language now mandated by the victim-centric, identity politics driven media," he said in aFacebook post. "What seemed to be the last straw for my column was my insistence that there are only two sexes and my frustration that to be inclusive of the transgendered (even that word isn’t allowed) we must lose our right to free speech."

Caldara criticized an Associated Press directive saying that sex and gender are not binary. "There are only two sexes, identified by an XX or XY chromosome. That is the very definition of binary. The AP ruling it isn’t so doesn’t change science. It’s a premeditative attempt to change culture and policy. It’s activism," he wrote on Jan. 3. In a column two weeks later, Caldara also railed against a 2019 Colorado law that required elementary school children to be instructed in transgender ideology.

https://freebeacon.com/politics/denver-post-columnist-fired-after-arguing-there-are-two-sexes/

The left has lost its mind.

Haha Dems are crying about an "expedient" trial.  Upset that long days are going to limit the ability to grandstand (as if all the good soundbites won't play continuously on cable news, any way).

Now I'm waiting for McConnel to come out and say an expedient trial is desirable so a number of Senators can get back on the Presidential campaign trail....I'm sure Bernie Sanders would feel things were rigged, again, if he was forced to spend 2 months on an impeachment trial.

posted by justincredible

I guarantee they're upset that nothing violent happened. 

I saw someone say those who came armed and didn't go inside the fenced area were terrorists, because they brought guns "to intimidate."

posted by O-Trap

I saw someone say those who came armed and didn't go inside the fenced area were terrorists, because they brought guns "to intimidate."

Push red-flag laws. Label gun owners terrorists/white supremacists.

And they wonder why people might oppose something like that?

The Virginia governor rationalized his declaration by saying that there was a "credible" and "imminent" threat on the web regarding the rally with no further explanation.  Sounds about as solid as the reason we all of a sudden had to take out that Iranian general a couple of weeks ago.  

And then he had the nerve to come out after the rally to credit himself for de-escalating the violence. He's an absolute dunce of a man.

posted by justincredible

And then he had the nerve to come out after the rally to credit himself for de-escalating the violence. He's an absolute dunce of a man.

I mean, if he wanted to prove they were all racist killers, then he should have proven it by attending in black face.  AmIrite?!?

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

The Virginia governor rationalized his declaration by saying that there was a "credible" and "imminent" threat on the web regarding the rally with no further explanation.  Sounds about as solid as the reason we all of a sudden had to take out that Iranian general a couple of weeks ago.  

Huh? The FBI arrested three guys earlier this month which was the reason for the declaration. 

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/fbi-arrests-alleged-members-of-white-supremacist-group-the-base/2020/01/16/ae8c01d4-386b-11ea-bf30-ad313e4ec754_story.html

The declaration was also in response to the shit show that was Charlottesville, which is still fresh on the minds of everyone in VA.. I'm not in favor of many of the proposed gun laws in VA, but I'll give them and the people that protested credit for being a peacefull and uneventful day.  

I did laugh at some of the fat guys in full tac gear. It's like dude, you look like an idiot. 

posted by ptown_trojans_1

Huh? The FBI arrested three guys earlier this month which was the reason for the declaration. 

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/fbi-arrests-alleged-members-of-white-supremacist-group-the-base/2020/01/16/ae8c01d4-386b-11ea-bf30-ad313e4ec754_story.html

 

The declaration was also in response to the shit show that was Charlottesville, which is still fresh on the minds of everyone in VA.. I'm not in favor of many of the proposed gun laws in VA, but I'll give them and the people that protested credit for being a peacefull and uneventful day.  

I did laugh at some of the fat guys in full tac gear. It's like dude, you look like an idiot. 

I'm sure there are always threats from someone that can be pointed to.  Probably every single gathering over a certain size gets "threats" from people.  Most of these are nut job things.  

Pretty rich after listening to Schiff run around talking about "overwhelming evidence" now today arguing before the Senate that the President is withholding key, vital evidence. 

posted by majorspark

Pretty rich after listening to Schiff run around talking about "overwhelming evidence" now today arguing before the Senate that the President is withholding key, vital evidence.

I'm still really unsure if there is an actual basis for impeachment.

But I really despise Schiff.  No POTUS has ever done this?  Ummmm, what about Obama and "Russian Collusion"?

And then you say you have proven your case, that you have the evidence....But you must have more witnesses and evidence?!?  And I may be mistaken, but aren't affidavits and video testimony often used in trials?  Why the need to call witnesses you already heard from?

The thing that really struck me though is if Trump asserts privilege, as is his right, then Schiff is making a claim that he can't be acquitted because he can't prosecute the case.  Mueller said something like this when he refused to rule on Obstruction, that basically if Trump couldn't be indicted then it would be wrong to charge a crime he can't defend himself in trial.  So I'm tempted to say this should be dismissed until the Dems have all the evidence they need to proceed with a trial.

Also, one of Schumer's amendments includes materials related to Hunter Biden, Burisma, DNC and Ukraine interference.  Why do I get the feeling that the Dems wouldn't be upset if some stuff damaging to Quid Pro Joe were to surface?

I really wonder.  Obviously first and foremost they want to hurt Trump.  But would hurting Biden be a welcome bonus?  If you sink Biden, do you clear a path for Bloomberg....or - gasp - Hillary?

I just can't believe how witnesses are threatened with perjury, but members of Congress can lie their ass off while "testifying" for witnesses.

Schiff lies almost as much as Trump, but I keep hearing Republicans claiming they weren't allowed in the closed-door hearings, didn't have witnesses, Trump wasn't allowed to defend himself, etc...and I think that's all bullshit.

How are we to believe in fair and just Congressional hearings when the politicians lie with impunity?

Its all BS, there was never a "whistleblower".....it was a plant.  Schiff had this set up since day 1.

So, you've got members on one side who say they've been working on drumming up an impeachment for the last 2 1/2 years, while you've got members on the other side who have stated that their mind was made up before the hearings even began.

Does anyone actually believe any of this is being done in good faith?

posted by O-Trap

Does anyone actually believe any of this is being done in good faith?

4 Repubs, especially Romney, are practically Independent and certainly no friend of Trump....and they're voting behind Mitch.  The House vote was almost purely partisan.

This is all political.  It's not impeachable.  And while, IMO, it's an abuse of power that SHOULD be impeachable, I have a feeling that happens under every administration but only TDS causes a whistleblower to come forward with the subsequent pursuit of shenanigans.

Effectively what Trump did is not materially different from Hillary funding the Dossier at arms length.  But Hillary shielded herself from illegality while Trump....may have committed a campaign finance violation?  The horror.  That's a slap on the wrist and not remotely close to an impeachable offense.

And the sad part is, if Biden becomes POTUS he's going to be investigated by the Repubs for 4 years!!!!

Point of contention:  The House proceedings weren't exactly brief or secretive, so I'm not that bent over people already having a conclusion.  Especially considering how weak the charges are.