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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
, 3 tweets, 2 min read Read on Twitter
Be careful what you wish for. Wash Post book critic @CarlosLozadaWP read a load of recent publications on impeachment and has this summary of the dangers.
From this superb overview of the history, rationale and pitfalls of impeachment. It is inherently political. But, to succeed, mustn’t be partisan.

With today’s fierce division along party lines, is that really possible?
washingtonpost.com/news/book-part…
This also describes Robert Mueller, quite accurately, as “the Godot of the Trump era”.
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
This bit of text is important - the written justification for a national emergency.

Note the “longstanding” bit (which gets round stats showing no big recent change) and the “certain respects” bit (important given some indicators actially improving).
Also heavy emphasis on the ‘humanitarian’ aspect is interesting. That’s something Democrats agree with - concerns with overcrowding, child migrant detention etc. But Trump tends not to mention in speeches.
The inevitable court battle coming will revolve in part around the wording of this text - its accuracy, interpretation and significance.
Read 3 tweets
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
**DETAILS OF EMERGENCY DECLARATION**

$8bn for 234 miles of border barriers (approx)

- $1.375bn from Congress bill
- $600m from Treasury forfeiture fund
- $2.5bn from military counter-drugs funds
- $3.6bn from other military construction projects

1/
2/ Only last of these actually uses an emergency power. The first was approved by Congress. The next two to be done with regular executive powers.

Trump will also NOT be raiding cash for Puerto Rico and Texas disaster relief funds, as speculated.
3/ The cash is for what White House calls a “bollard wall” (i.e. steel barrier) rather than a concrete wall. Officials insist they accepted this definition for the wall months ago.
Read 6 tweets
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Ben Riley-Smith
@benrileysmith
Exclusive - America is working up plans to send the Isil Beatles to Guantanamo.

They fear time is running out to secure a US prosecution and are preparing backup options instead.

Details in a quick thread...
El Shafee Elsheikh and Alexanda Kotey are both detained in Syria and suspected members of the notorious 'Beatles' terror cell.

That group beheaded US journalists James Foley + Steven Sotloff and British aid workers David Haines + Alan Henning.
UK and US reached an agreement where they would be prosecuted in America. Britain would share evidence but not request the pair be spared execution. Justice through the courts would be done.
Read 13 tweets

Related threads

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ѵαɳ∂αɳα🇮🇳
@VandanaJayrajan
#History
In this interview, Dr Ambedkar speaks on M.K Gandhi.(BBC Radio)
He talks of the role of Bose too in the freedom struggle.
Sharing for people to know the history weren't taught.
(Due to video length limit sharing in 2 parts)
P. S : It's there in the public domain.
Part 2.
*we weren't
Read 4 tweets
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Joshua Matz
@JoshuaMatz8
In this article, @Sulliview argues that "talk of impeachment, all-but-taboo in Big Media’s coverage of Trump, [has] moved from the margins into the mainstream." She attributes that development mainly to a prominent essay in @TheAtlantic. That's not right. washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/styl…
There's no denying that #impeachment talk has accelerated over the past few months. But I'm not convinced that this past week was really such a Rubicon when considered in broader perspective, or that a handful of well-argued essays in liberal magazines are the drivers of change.
For starters, there's been no shortage of impeachment talk in mainstream publications since Trump took office. I've gathered quite a few such articles in this @ShallTakeCare database, which includes analyses tracing back to before Trump even took office. takecareblog.com/blog/impeachin…
Read 17 tweets
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Abhinav Agarwal
@AbhinavAgarwal
read
short thread on books I have read, starting with sometime late 2017...
1. The Asshole Survival Guide. @work_matters's sequel to his blockbuster bestseller, "The No Asshole Rule". A depressing read when you realize how toxic some workplaces can be.
2."Black Money and Tax Havens", by Prof @rvaidya2000 - a short, breezy window into the world of black money. Again, a somewhat depressing read when you realize how weak the intent and how inconsequential the efforts into rooting out black money have been.
#books #ReviewInATweet
3. "Aadhaar: A Biometric History of India's 12-digit Revolution", by @ShankkarAiyar
Perhaps the first comprehensive account of Aadhaar's birth & its midwives. Insightful a/c into how the world's largest & most intrusive, privacy-destroying scheme came to life.
#ReviewInATweet
Read 57 tweets
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James Patrick
@J_amesp
As to whether Article 50 is unilaterally revocable I don’t see how it can be for two reasons: 1) extension is by consensus so why would revocation require a lesser measure and 2) it’s inconceivable the law would be seen as intended to allow members to cause chaos for gain at will
The Lisbon treaty is a pretty straight read. And if you read it straight, it looks as though revocation leads to reapplication as set out in Article 49.

You know when you see someone else’s bright idea and wince really hard? The court case going to the ECJ makes me do that.
Not because it’s a bad thing to have settled but...

The government might have been relying on breezing revocation through in a pinch. However, if we end up with settled law saying it’s not unilateral - and bearing in mind we’ve pissed off the whole EU - the last brakes are off.
Read 5 tweets
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Scott Bayer
@Lyricalswordz
2018: My Year of Reading. A thread that follows my reading journey from January to December. Every book I've read with a 280 character review. Tagged a few folks who influence the shape of my literary life 📚 #THEBOOKCHAT #DisruptTexts #TeachLivingPoets 📚
1. Never Let Me Go; Kazuo Ishiguro: A supremely crafted narrative begins unassumingly, but quickly reveals a different notion of childhood innocence and coming of age. The conversational tone fooled me into thinking I was walking into a world I understood. Nobel worthy.
2. We Should All Be Feminists; Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: As an author who breathes eloquence, Adichie doesn't disappoint. This short book/long essay is insightful and logical and human. If we want to raise boys without the toxic masculinity, this is on the required reading list.
Read 61 tweets
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Ajay
@R_Ajay_
#History/#Art thread – From my recent trip to Madurai/Tirunelveli. On Jain sites (some with a rich history dating back to at least the 3rd cent. BCE), early Pandyan rock-cut cave temples (7th-8th cent. CE) & the amazing Vettuvan koil.

Pic: Mahavira (~8 cent CE), Kizhakuyilkudi
Before I start on the places, the history around all this is fascinating & splits opinion. Is it apt to call the script Tamili/Tamil Brahmi? Did it develop independently in the Tamil country/come with the Jain monks from the north? Were 8,000 Jains actually impaled in Madurai?>
>Were the Saivites overaggressive in promoting their faith? Shall only be happy to discuss on these separately (unless it gets too long/irrational). And I’m not posting every inscription from the places here, despite their importance. Again, shall be happy to discuss them.
Read 40 tweets

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