@hwiers asks⤵️
Mueller already said he will stay within the four corners of the report, and I’m sure he knows the DOJ directive doesn’t bind him, so I don’t expect the DOJ directive to make much difference.
These, from @neal_katyal are nice and crisp:
nytimes.com/2019/07/22/opi…
There WAS substantial evidence, so Mueller can say “yes” without saying “Yes, Trump committed a crime." (The standard for conviction is “beyond a reasonable doubt.”)
lawfareblog.com/what-i-would-a…
They'll try to:
💠Obscure the truth,
💠Focus on Mueller’s finding that he didn’t have enough evidence to charge criminal conspiracy, and
💠Undermine the investigation's validity & integrity.
Tribe is correct:
Mueller’s testimony might cause a 180 turn.
It also might not.
Trump and Barr managed to control the national conversation about the Mueller report, and most people don’t know what it contains.
Getting the truth out there should change the game (as with Nixon).
#1: During Nixon’s time, right wing authoritarians did not yet have complete control over the GOP. The GOP was still largely conservative.
For how the GOP changed since 1972, see👇
In Nixon’s era, the GOP was (largely) unwilling to stand by Nixon when his lawbreaking became public.
There were some Republicans in Nixon’s era who were. They were furious that Nixon didn’t continue fighting.
politico.com/magazine/story…
#2: Nixon didn’t have Fox News and right wing media.
Fox News was born because the far right wing thought Nixon could have survived if they had their own media.
theatlantic.com/politics/archi…
Two-part answer:
💠We have to lower our expectations that putting the truth out there will cause a 180 turn, and
💠We each have to work harder and be more productive.
About 52% seem to disapprove of Trump no matter what.
projects.fivethirtyeight.com/trump-approval…
The question is: Who are those others? Are they under a rock? Will Mueller’s testimony wake them up?
It might. It should.
But sometimes the message people get is “it absolutely will.”
(He also says, ‘not to contribute to unrealistic expectations . . .’ 🤷♀️)
From Clint Watts, former U.S. government intelligence analysts:
"The point of Russian active measures wasn’t just to get Trump elected, it was to . . .
pbs.org/newshour/show/…
When enough people lose confidence in democratic institutions, it’s all over.
You start thinking, “There’s nothing I can do—the future depends on factors I can’t control—so there’s no point doing anything.”
They may blame a Democrat (Pelosi, perhaps) or mainstream media.
In fact, the future takes the shape it does because of what we all do now.
Democracy (particularly one in trouble) needs lots of active involvement.
"But what can I DO?" you ask. See ⤵️⤵️⤵️
terikanefield-blog.com/things-to-do/ End/