trump impeachment watch thread

[Chris]

I'm down with MSNBC tbh tho

Of course you are

[RandomGuy]

Who says it isn't working out? And cultists seldom realize they're in a cult.

Chris

1. The leader is the ultimate authority
If you’re not allowed to criticize your leader, even if the criticism is true, you’re probably in a cult.
Cults begin with a charismatic leader who claims some supreme knowledge. They may call themselves a prophet, messiah, messenger, or an enlightened teacher. They can also be CEOs, military officials, politicians, and self-help gurus.
Cult leaders convince members to forfeit their critical thinking ability in return for a sense of belonging, authority, and purpose. To members, it doesn’t matter what the evidence or logic may suggest, the leader is always right, and their misdeeds are always justified. Criticism of the leader is forbidden.

[RandomGuy]

Who says it isn't working out? And cultists seldom realize they're in a cult.

Chris

2. The group suppresses skepticism
If you’re only allowed to study your organization through approved sources, you’re probably in a cult.
Cults view critical thinking as an infectious disease and every effort is made to suppress it. Doubting members are encouraged to isolate themselves from outside influences and focus solely on the doctrine of the cult.
Criticism is forbidden. People who contradict the group are viewed as persecutors and are often given labels like “anti,” “apostate,” or “suppressive person.” Members are discouraged from consuming any material that is critical of the group.

[RandomGuy]

Who says it isn't working out? And cultists seldom realize they're in a cult.

Chris

3. The group delegitimizes former members
If you can’t think of a legitimate reason for leaving your group, you’re probably in a cult.
Because the cult considers itself the ultimate authority on truth, it can’t imagine anybody leaving it with their integrity intact. Thus, it has to perpetuate a false narrative that former members were deceived, proud, immoral, or lazy.
If former members speak out, they are dismissed as bitter, angry, dishonest or evil. Cults often impose some kind of shunning to shame former members and prevent them from infecting other members with the truth.

[RandomGuy]

Who says it isn't working out? And cultists seldom realize they're in a cult.

Chris

4. The group is paranoid about the outside world
If your group insists the end of the world is near, you’re probably in a cult.
Cults position themselves as the sole refuge from an evil outside world that is intent on their destruction. Cults thrive on conspiracy theories, catastrophic thinking, and persecution complexes.
In an effort to draw in more paying members, cults are often very aggressive in their recruitment efforts which are usually justified as “saving” people from the evil world. Those who reject the cult’s message are unelect, prideful, evil, or stupid.

[RandomGuy]

Who says it isn't working out? And cultists seldom realize they're in a cult.

Chris

5. The group relies on shame cycles
If you need your group in order to feel worthy, loved, or sufficient, you’re probably in a cult.
Cult leaders trap members in shame cycles by imposing abnormally strict codes of conduct (usually prescriptions about diet, appearance, sex, relationships, media), guilting members for their shortcomings, and then positioning themselves as the unique remedy to the feelings of guilt which they themselves created.
Cult members are made to believe they are insufficient or unworthy on their own and that the only way to become worthy is to confess their shortcomings to the group or leader. The leader then becomes the meditiator of worthiness and the foundation of the member’s self esteem.
Leaders who can make followers feel bad about anything can use shame to manipulate followers into doing anything, even if it’s against their own self-interest or better judgment.

Only one that is iffy to me so far.

[RandomGuy]

Who says it isn't working out? And cultists seldom realize they're in a cult.

Chris

6. The leader is above the law
If you’re held to a different moral standard, specifically in regard to sex, you’re probably in a cult.
A prevalent idea among cult leaders is that they are above the law, be it human or divine. This idea allows them to exploit their followers economically and sexually without repercussions.
When confronted, they do not confess, but create justifications for their impropriety. Sexual grooming of members is common. Loyal cult members will perform any amount of “mental gymnastics” to justify or ignore the leader’s behavior.

[RandomGuy]

Who says it isn't working out? And cultists seldom realize they're in a cult.

Chris

7. The group uses “thought reform” methods
If your serious questions are answered with cliches, you’re probably in a cult.
Indoctrination or “brainwashing” is the process through which a cult slowly breaks down a person’s sense of iden y and ability to think rationally. Behaviors like excessive fasting, prayer, hypnosis, scripture reading, chanting, meditation, or drug usage can all be used to increase a person’s vulnerability to the leader’s suggestions.
The hallmark of indoctrination is the use of thought-terminating cliches. Pla udes like “follow the leader” or “doubt your doubts” are regurgitated over and over so that members don’t have to critically analyze complex issues.

MAGA....

[RandomGuy]

Who says it isn't working out? And cultists seldom realize they're in a cult.

Chris

8. The group is elitist
If your group is the solution for all the world’s problems, you’re probably in a cult.
Cults see themselves as the enlightened, chosen, and elect organization tasked with radically transforming individual lives and the entire world.
This elitism creates greater sense of group unity and responsibility centered on a united purpose. However, this sense of responsibility is often manipulated by cult leaders who coerce members into risky financial behavior, sexual favors, free manual labor, or heightened recruitment efforts in order to “further the cause.”

Another mildly iffy one. Trumpism is co-opting traditional conservatism, though.

[RandomGuy]

Who says it isn't working out? And cultists seldom realize they're in a cult.

Chris

9. There is no financial transparency
If you’re not allowed to know what the group does with their money, you’re probably in a cult.
A group that refuses to disclose its finances is a huge red flag. Ethical organizations have nothing to hide. Cult leaders tend to live opulently while their followers are required to make financial sacrifices. Members are often encouraged to pay their offerings even if it means putting their families at risk.

Tax returns... cough cough...

[RandomGuy]

https://medium.com/@zelphontheshelf/...t-1921eb5a3857

[DarrinS]

If your group insists the end of the world is near, you’re probably in a cult.

[koriwhat]

how dare you!

[spurraider21]

acting like a global scientific consensus is just a group

[LkrFan]

SDNY is a Pecker Checker

[koriwhat]

SDNY is a Pecker Checker

that dude is all talk... been claiming 's in his little safe for yrs now.

[DMX7]

but do Dems have will and legal pit bulls to go after them all.

The high and wide level of corruption and criminality could overwhelm the legal efforts to punish.

Stupid to impeach Trash only, leaving all his full compromised, guilty gang untouched.

My guess is the Dems will blow it

Dems don’t even have the votes in the senate to get trump out of office.

[RandomGuy]

2. The group suppresses skepticism
If you’re only allowed to study your organization through approved sources, you’re probably in a cult.
Cults view critical thinking as an infectious disease and every effort is made to suppress it. Doubting members are encouraged to isolate themselves from outside influences and focus solely on the doctrine of the cult.
Criticism is forbidden. People who contradict the group are viewed as persecutors and are often given labels like “anti,” “apostate,” or “suppressive person.” Members are discouraged from consuming any material that is critical of the group.

Tell me again, which news outlets are "fake".

[RandomGuy]

Dems don’t even have the votes in the senate to get trump out of office.

Should be done regardless. It is, simply, the right thing to do.

[koriwhat]

Should be done regardless. It is, simply, the right thing to do.

what a pussy

[boutons_deux]

Schiff passes impeachment work to House Judiciary committee

Adam Schiff just explained
what’s next in the impeachment inquiry

Impeachment investigators will complete a report after Thanksgiving — then it’s on to the Judiciary Committee.

he was “open to the possibility that further evidence will come to light,”

either through do ents or new witnesses.

But he said, basically, that they’d found enough already.

https://www.vox.com/2019/11/25/20982442/impeachment-report-schiff-letter

Nadler hasn't impressed me. Is he up to the task?

[djohn2oo8]

[Spurs Homer]

If only Dems had enough balls to compel all the traitors to testify...

Pompeo. Mulvaney.Julie-yanni. All of them.

They don't.

[boutons_deux]

Huge loss for Trash, but I expect McGahn to say nothing to Congress

[RandomGuy]

Wow. McGahn has the goods on the obstruction of justice cases outlined in the Mueller report that TSA and Darrin won't read.

Going to surprise the out of them, if he doesn't plead the 5th. Sondland was big... but this has the potential of being much, much worse.