Capitol

Saturday November 16, 2019

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday November 16, 2019

Trump impeachment: Stunning scenes as witness applauded after seeing off real-time ‘intimidation’ by president

Career diplomat Marie Yovanovitch received a rare, emotional standing ovation after she testified about Donald Trump’s threatening intimidation over Ukraine, and fended off in real time a stunning Twitter attack from the president.

November 2, 2019

As Ms Yovanovitch delivered her testimony on Capitol Hill, providing a damning portrait of a “smear campaign” against her led by Rudy Giuliani, Mr Trump’s personal lawyer, Democrats accused the president of seeking to intimidate witnesses, and said his words could be included in any articles of impeachment.

At the conclusion of Ms Yovanovitch’s evidence, congressman Adam Schiff, the Democratic chair of the House intelligence committee underscored the historic nature of the day. He said Mr Trump’s attack on the diplomat had been “just appalling”.

“But as we have observed so often, appalling in this administration is not the least bit surprising,” he added. “Nonetheless, she endured the attack and went on. We are grateful for that.”

April 13, 2018

Asked about suggestions from several members of his party that the president’s tweet could form part of an article of impeachment, he said they were “part of a pattern to intimidate witnesses. It’s also part of a pattern to obstruct the investigation”.

For her part, Ms Yovanovitch received loud applause from many of those watching, when she concluded almost five hours of testimony. In unusual scenes, spectators spontaneously started clapping when Mr Schiff gavelled the hearing closed, then stood and cheered for her as she left the room.

Ms Yovanovitch, 61, was not considered the Democrats’ star witness. As Republicans pointed out, the party first chose to call William Taylor and George Kent to deliver the opening public testimony on Wednesday.

The two men, like Ms Yovanovitch long-time career professionals who had served presidents of both parties, detailed how Mr Trump apparently placed his own political needs ahead of the security of Ukraine, by making military aid and a state visit to Washington dependent on Kiev announcing an investigation into Joe Biden and his son. Republicans have long accused the Democratic former vice president of improperly using his position to oust a prosecutor who threatened the business interests of his son, though there is no evidence to support the claims.

January 20, 2017

Ms Yovanovitch’s manner and demeanour were similar to those of her colleagues – methodical, logical and stressing service of country over partisan politics. She reminded her audience that diplomacy was not just about cocktail parties, and that US diplomats had died while working to represent the nation, most recently in the 2012 attack on a compound in the Libyan city of Benghazi.

Yet, the words of Ms Yovanovitch, who was recalled in May from her position as the US ambassador to Ukraine at the behest of Mr Trump and Mr Giuliani, carried more power for several reasons. Firstly, in her prepared remarks, she referred to discovering the president had been using been discussing her removal. (The Independent) 

 

Friday March 31, 2017

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday March 31, 2017

US President Donald Trump keeps getting tripped by checks & balances

Will Donald Trump transform the US in his first 100 days through executive orders and new laws? Will he wreak protectionist, anti-immigrant and anti-minority havoc? Relax. The US Constitution is designed to hobble presidents. It divides power between the president, US Congress and the judiciary, giving no branch an overriding authority. Each is subject to checks and balances.

Neither legislators not judges feel inferior to or obliged to kowtow to the president. He has to negotiate with even minor Congressmen for legislative support. If instead he tries to bludgeon his way forward, he suffers humiliating setbacks. Trump has proved that repeatedly. Again and again he has charged forward with high-volume rhetoric and been tripped up. With every trip, he looks less fearsome, and sometimes comical.

His latest humiliation has been the forced postponement of his Bill repealing Obama’s healthcare scheme, something central to his platform. His own Republican Party’s right wing refused to go along, saying Trump’s changes were not radical enough. Trump says Obamacare will implode anyway. But the world now knows that the Republican majority in Congress has a mind of its own — as was true of Democratic majorities when Democratic presidents were in power. Trump will have to wheedle and cajole, not bludgeon. He may have to dilute or abandon many proposals. (Source: Times of India) 

 

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Wednesday, November 5, 2014Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator, Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Obama facing lame duck status as America goes to midterm polls

American voters head to the polls on Tuesday looking likely to take out their frustration with Barack Obama on his Democratic allies and hand control of the US Senate to his Republican opponents.

Polls show the American people have soured on their president after six years and are preparing to use today’s congressional midterm elections to give vent to their anger.

In the ten battleground states that will decide control of the Senate, Republicans are leading in seven and a number of Democrat senators are facing the prospect of being turfed out of office.

A Republican victory would give them complete control of Congress and doom Mr Obama to “lame duck” status in his final two years in the White House.

The President, whose poor approval ratings have largely kept him off the campaign trail, made a final appeal to black voters last night to turn out and prevent a Republican surge.

“It will make a difference in the lives of you, your family, and your community,” Mr Obama told an African-American radio station. “You’ve got that responsibility: live up to it.”

Mr Obama will watch the election unfold from the White House on Tuesday night.

Get some lame duck swag here

Get some lame duck swag here

Polls begin closing on the East Coast at 7pm (Midnight GMT) and will soon offer the first indication of what kind of night Democrats can expect.

Strategists in both parties will be closely watching the results in North Carolina and New Hampshire, two states currently held by Democrats and where the President’s party has maintained slim leads.

If either or both states fall to the Republicans it will be taken as a sign that Mr Obama’s party is in real trouble and potentially facing an electoral rout. (Source: Daily Telegraph)

 

SIGHTINGS

MinutemenNews.com

Friday January 20, 2012

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hmilton Spectator – Friday January 20, 2012

Wikipedia limits service in anti-piracy act protest

Some of the best-known sites on the internet, including Wikipedia, are limiting access today in a “Dark Wednesday” protest against legislation before the U.S. Congress intended to curb copyright infringement that critics say will limit the scope of the web and adversely affect legitimate websites.

Popular Canadian sitesjoining the protest include Tucows, a Toronto-based site that hosts free software for download, Identi.ca, a social microblogging service and the blog of University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist, an oft-cited expert on copyright issues.

There are two similar bills addressing protection of intellectual property online currently being considered by Congress: the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), which is before the House of Representatives judiciary committee, and the Protect Intellectual Property Act (PIPA), which is to be voted on by the Senate next week.

Last weekend, the White House signaled its opposition to the bills, which are supposed to make it easier for copyright holders to go after “foreign rogue websites” suspected of facilitating infringement of copyright.

Under the current draft of SOPA, courts could order credit card firms, online payment companies like PayPal and advertising networks to stop doing business with those websites. They could also order search engines to stop linking to them and internet service providers (ISPs) to block their customers from accessing them, although in recent days, the lead sponsor of SOPA, Republican congressman Lamar Smith, has backed off the ISP provision. PIPA was also being revised to address some of the concerns voiced in recent days. (Source: CBC News) 

 

Friday May 25, 2001

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday May 25, 2001

Jim Jeffords hands Senate power to Democrats

President George W. Bush went on the defensive yesterday after a senator bolted Republican ranks, tipping the balance of power in Washington.

In Cleveland, a sombre Bush was swift to defend his policies and his view of himself as a conciliator. He said he respected Vermont Senator Jim Jeffords, whom he called a “distinguished United States senator.”

“But respectfully,” he added, “I couldn’t disagree more (with his views). Our agenda for reforming America’s public schools and providing tax relief for every taxpayer represents the hopes and dreams of main-street America. Our agenda for reforming our military . . . represents the best hope for peace.”

“I was elected to get things done on behalf of the American people and to work with both Republicans and Democrats,” Bush said, “and we’re doing just that.”

It was Bush’s right-wing agenda that Jeffords could not stomach and which triggered his actions. In rebelling against his party, Jeffords ensured himself a place in the political history books.

His move to become an Independent marks the first time in U.S. history that the defection of one congressman switched the balance of power on Capitol Hill.

No later than June 5, Democrats will assume control of the Senate and the political agenda in this country in what amounts to a colossal blow to Bush’s plans.

What had been a 50-50 Senate controlled by Republicans with Vice-President Dick Cheney’s tie-breaking vote now becomes a 51-49 Democratic majority with Jeffords’ support. (Hamilton Spectator)