{"id":38825,"date":"2020-01-31T08:45:35","date_gmt":"2020-01-31T16:45:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/?p=38825"},"modified":"2020-01-31T08:45:35","modified_gmt":"2020-01-31T16:45:35","slug":"open-thread-1-31-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.politicsplus.org\/blog\/2020\/01\/31\/open-thread-1-31-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"Open Thread–1\/31\/2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s a muggy, tired day here in the CatBox.  I missed most of my nap yesterday, due to grocery delivery, and I\u2019m feeling really pooped.  TGIF!<\/font><\/p>\n

Jig Zone Puzzle<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

Today\u2019s took me 4:10 (average 5:54).  To do it, click here<\/a>.  How did you do?<\/font><\/p>\n

Cartoon<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

Short Takes<\/strong>:<\/font><\/p>\n

From Daily Kos<\/a>: Sen. Rand Paul has not been getting enough attention during this impeachment process, so he executed his predictable and promised stunt on the Senate floor Thursday afternoon, <\/font>submitting a question<\/a><\/font> to Chief Justice John Roberts during the Q&A session that presumably contained the name of the whistleblower. Roberts refused to read the question, so Paul left the floor to have an “impromptu” press conference (and probably hit the send button on a fundraising email).<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

CNN’s Manu Raju reports<\/a>, “At press conference, Paul says: ‘I can tell you my question made no reference to any whistleblower.’ Then Paul reads aloud his question which names a Schiff’s staff member and names the individual who has been reported as possible whistleblower\u2014and asks about their contacts.” This was an apparent effort to get the press to publish the name, since he seems intent on getting the whistleblower killed.<\/p>\n

It likely won’t work. One reporter asked<\/a>, “With all due respect, shouldn’t you be at the impeachment hearing right now?” Of course he should have been, and the sergeant-at-arms should be putting him in the Senate jail right now.<\/p>\n

Mitch (ours, not BBMMM) suggested a parade. For now, I’ll just remember his title: Idiot (Rand Paul), Son of Idiot (Ron Paul), Named after Idiot (Ayn Rand). Lock him up!  RESIST<\/strong>!!<\/font><\/p>\n

From The New Yorker<\/a>: The convicted drug lord known as El Chapo said on Thursday that he was \u201coutraged\u201d his 2019 trial had included witnesses. He also revealed that he was demanding a new trial without them.<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

Speaking from ADX Florence, a maximum-security facility in Colorado, the former drug kingpin complained that his trial would have resulted in a speedy acquittal had it not been for the irritating presence of witnesses.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I had to point to one reason why I was convicted of all of those crimes, it would have to be witnesses,\u201d he said. \u201cOnce the decision was made to include witnesses, things really went downhill for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Andy, El Chapo does make a valid point. If the worst criminal in US History, since Benedict Arnold, gets a trial with no witnesses or documents, fairness demands that witnesses be excluded from all trials. <\/font> RESIST<\/font><\/strong>!!<\/font><\/p>\n

From YouTube<\/a> (a blast from the past): Bob Dylan – Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door (Unplugged)<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n