Impeachment
1/4 Whether or not @realDonaldTrump used appropriate means to seek an investigation of @JoeBiden is a separate issue from whether or not the latter is corrupt, which is a separate issue from whether or not Burisma gave his son a cushy job to influence him. https://t.co/V3TGJCk5v8
— David Benfell, Ph.D. (@n4rky) January 28, 2020
2/4 @TheDemocrats’ emphatic refusal to even consider the latter two points, in combination with all the things they didn’t impeach @realDonaldTrump for, only strengthens my conviction that #impeachment is really about defending @JoeBiden. Principle be damned.
— David Benfell, Ph.D. (@n4rky) January 28, 2020
3/4 To imagine that Hunter Biden was hired for any reason other than to influence his father amounts to see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. To imagine we would be anywhere near where we are today with #impeachment had @realDonaldTrump targeted anyone else is the same.
— David Benfell, Ph.D. (@n4rky) January 28, 2020
4/4 The naivete is simply ludicrous. This is a @DNC #impeachment, meant to protect their preferred candidate, widely rationalized on a desperation to be rid of @realDonaldTrump. One can support the latter desire while being disgusted with the approach.
— David Benfell, Ph.D. (@n4rky) January 28, 2020
“Nine months left to go, the people should judge. We are a republic, we are based on the will of the people — the people should judge,” [Diane] Feinstein said Tuesday, after the president’s team finished a three-day presentation in his defense. “That was my view and it still is my view.”[1]
Diane Feinstein must have figured out that voting to acquit might be a bad idea after all:
The LA Times misunderstood what I said today. Before the trial I said I’d keep an open mind. Now that both sides made their cases, it’s clear the president’s actions were wrong. He withheld vital foreign assistance for personal political gain. That can’t be allowed to stand.
— Senator Dianne Feinstein (@SenFeinstein) January 28, 2020
Zachary Evans, “McConnell Tells Caucus They Lack the Votes to Block Impeachment Witnesses,” National Review, January 28, 2020, https://www.nationalreview.com/news/trump-impeachment-trial-mitch-mcconnell-tells-caucus-they-lack-the-votes-to-block-witnesses/
Molly O’Toole, Jennifer Haberkorn, and Eli Stokols, “Feinstein says she’s a maybe on acquitting Trump as his defense team ends impeachment arguments,” Los Angeles Times, January 28, 2020, https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-01-28/trump-team-wraps-impeachment-defense-with-an-elephant-in-the-senate-john-bolton
Israel
[Binyamin] Netanyahu’s announcement [withdrawing his request for immunity] came hours before the Knesset was set to form a committee to debate — and almost certainly reject — his immunity request.[2]
Palestinians will be tempted to reject plan outright but should resist temptation and agree to direct negotiations where they can advocate as they want. total rejection could undermine what modest hopes for two state outcome exist and pave way to annexations
— Richard N. Haass (@RichardHaass) January 28, 2020
Richard Haass’ tweet undoubtedly reflects what Donald Trump would have the Palestinians do. One question is whether a fair deal would be possible in such negotiations. Given the present players, I doubt it. On the other hand, the risk of annexation[3] is being realized.[4]
“Your peace plan…addresses the root cause of the conflict by insisting that the Palestinians will finally have to recognize Israel as the Jewish state,” [Binyamin Netanyahu] said.
“Second, it stipulates that Israel will retain security control on the entire area west of the Jordan River, thereby giving Israel a permanent eastern border to defend ourselves across our longest border. Third, your plan calls for Hamas to be disarmed and Gaza to be demilitarized. Fourth, it makes clear that the Palestinian refugee problem must be solved outside the state of Israel. Fifth, it calls for our ancient capital, Jerusalem, to remain united under Israel sovereignty. Sixth, your plan does not uproot anyone from their homes, Israelis and Palestinians alike.”[5]
Sheena Anne Arackal, “The ‘Deal of the Century’ is Apartheid,” Mondoweiss, January 28, 2020, https://mondoweiss.net/2020/01/the-deal-of-the-century-is-apartheid/
Times of Israel, “As peace plan rolls out, Netanyahu says he will annex Jordan Valley, settlements,” January 28, 2020, https://www.timesofisrael.com/as-peace-plan-rolls-out-netanyahu-says-he-will-annex-jordan-valley-settlements/
Times of Israel, “Trump unveils plan for ‘realistic 2-state’ deal, ‘undivided’ Israeli Jerusalem,” January 28, 2020, https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-unveils-plan-for-realistic-2-state-deal-undivided-israeli-jerusalem/
Raoul Wootliff, “Netanyahu indicted for corruption in three cases, in first for a sitting PM,” Times of Israel, January 28, 2020, https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-indicted-for-corruption-in-three-cases-in-first-for-a-sitting-pm/
Pittsburgh
Overall, Pittsburgh’s air seems to be improving.[6] This, of course, will be no surprise to my mother, who was here when the steel industry was pumping soot into the air at a ferocious rate.[7] Some of that soot can still, decades later, be seen on some retaining walls and on the sides of some buildings. But this[8] refers to more recent improvements.
Jamie Martines, “U.S. Steel to hold info sessions about Clairton, Braddock plant upgrades,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, January 27, 2020, https://triblive.com/local/pittsburgh-allegheny/u-s-steel-to-hold-info-sessions-about-clairton-braddock-plant-upgrades/
Kristina Marusic, “Pittsburgh’s air was unsafe to breathe for 3 months in 2018,” Environmental Health News, January 28, 2020, https://www.ehn.org/pittsburgh-air-pollution-unsafe-2644931105.html
- [1]Molly O’Toole, Jennifer Haberkorn, and Eli Stokols, “Feinstein says she’s a maybe on acquitting Trump as his defense team ends impeachment arguments,” Los Angeles Times, January 28, 2020, https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2020-01-28/trump-team-wraps-impeachment-defense-with-an-elephant-in-the-senate-john-bolton↩
- [2]Raoul Wootliff, “Netanyahu indicted for corruption in three cases, in first for a sitting PM,” Times of Israel, January 28, 2020, https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-indicted-for-corruption-in-three-cases-in-first-for-a-sitting-pm/↩
- [3]Michael Bachner and Jacob Magid, “Settler leaders call for West Bank annexation after US shifts stance,” Times of Israel, November 18, 2019, https://www.timesofisrael.com/settler-leaders-call-for-west-bank-annexation-after-us-shifts-stance/↩
- [4]Times of Israel, “As peace plan rolls out, Netanyahu says he will annex Jordan Valley, settlements,” January 28, 2020, https://www.timesofisrael.com/as-peace-plan-rolls-out-netanyahu-says-he-will-annex-jordan-valley-settlements/↩
- [5]Times of Israel, “As peace plan rolls out, Netanyahu says he will annex Jordan Valley, settlements,” January 28, 2020, https://www.timesofisrael.com/as-peace-plan-rolls-out-netanyahu-says-he-will-annex-jordan-valley-settlements/↩
- [6]Kristina Marusic, “Pittsburgh’s air was unsafe to breathe for 3 months in 2018,” Environmental Health News, January 28, 2020, https://www.ehn.org/pittsburgh-air-pollution-unsafe-2644931105.html↩
- [7]Mark Byrnes, “What Pittsburgh Looked Like When It Decided It Had a Pollution Problem,” CityLab, June 5, 2012, https://www.citylab.com/design/2012/06/what-pittsburgh-looked-when-it-decided-it-had-pollution-problem/2185/↩
- [8]Kristina Marusic, “Pittsburgh’s air was unsafe to breathe for 3 months in 2018,” Environmental Health News, January 28, 2020, https://www.ehn.org/pittsburgh-air-pollution-unsafe-2644931105.html↩