""Former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday directly rebutted Donald Trump’s false claims that he somehow could have overturned the results of the 2020 election, saying that the former president was simply “wrong.”"
"“President Trump is wrong,” Pence said. “I had no right to overturn the election.”"
Pence is 100% correct.
He could recognise an objection(s) to a slate of electors and send it back to both houses of Congress for debate and a decision, but he could not unilaterally decide the election himself.
Why is Trump doing this, then? Why is he saying that Pence could have done something that he plainly could not do?
"In a statement Tuesday, Trump said the committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol should instead probe “why Mike Pence did not send back the votes for recertification or approval.” And on Sunday, he blasted Pence, falsely declaring that “he could have overturned the Election!”"
What is going on here?
I think there is some murkiness with respect to exactly how it all went down after the Capitol was breached, but it is pretty clear that enough members of Congress were whipped into line to allow the election results to be rammed through.
I do not think that Pence could have stopped it unilaterally.
What's going on?
Trump is lying to our face.
And this is not a unique example.
Trump has repeated over and over the false assertion that $85 billion in military equipment was left behind, abandoned, when Biden fled Afghanistan.
I know, you know, and Trump CERTAINLY knows that this is a ridiculous figure to quote.
$85 bilion is the total amount expended to equip, train, and support the Afghan army. The value of the gear left behind is a small fraction of the $85 billion figure.
Again, Trump is lying to our face.
In both instances, the lie is overt and far from subtle. A modest fact checking exercise will reveal the true nature of the $85b figure and the extent of Pence's constitutional powers.
What is Trump doing this?
I don't know.
I'm certain, however, that these lies are deliberate, purposeful, and a part of a well thought out plan.
Perhaps Trump wants to put some distance between himself and Pence because of how he intends to resolve the '20 election debacle.
Perhaps Trump is trying to muddy the water, so to speak, so his enemies cannot discern his true intentions vis a vis the '20 election.
Why the misuse of the $85b figure? Shock value?
I just don't know.
But if I can easily see patent untruths in Trump's rhetoric, I can be sure that he is doing it knowingly and purposefully.
Perhaps he is uttering obvious untruths in order to signal to us that there are many false statements, lots of dis- and misinformation being thrown around right now.
Maybe he is intentionally making easily seen false statements to let us know that we need to trust our own discernment and ability to see big picture trends for ourselves more than we trust ANY politician, leader, etc.
I take it to mean that Trump is signalling to us that we can rest assured that certain things he is saying right now are false, on purpose.
For example, if we see his statements about remedying (or not) the '20 election, about his return (or not) before '24,...
..., etc., as being out of character or inconsistent with the patters we see, then perhaps we should rely on our own judgement and not be swayed by sound bites from anyone, even Trump himself.
@PatelPatriot has offered his sense of reassurance regarding devolution. He says there is so much evidence for the existence of some sort of devolution (or whatever) that we may safely ignore some of Trump's rhetoric.
After all, if devolution (or whatever) is in play, Trump would HAVE to lie to us...
...about its very existence to preserve OpSec.
Perhaps Trump's overt lies are in their own way a form of devolution proof. Perhaps Trump is using these obvious untruths to wink at us and let us know the fix is in!
As with my take on Afghanistan, where I am trying to look at what is happening rather than trust inflammatory headlines to guide me, so to with Trump, the USA MAGA movement, the resolution of the '20 election, etc., I am going to rely on my ability to look at what is HAPPENING...
...and not worry about random sound bites or rhetoric.
Because HAPPENING it certainly is.
And I will take Trump's wink as a personal signal to me to take everything I hear, even from him, with a grain of salt as I use my own discernment to judge ongoing events.
MAGA
MEGA
We caught them all.
END
@Andre
I have reflected more on your elegant summary and thoughts after getting home. Need a little time to type up an educated spitball (hopefully) on this which I think is related to Trump taking sticks and stones for us.
I look forward to it!
@Andre
This may be the concluding line.
When Patriots say “it’s going to be Biblical” we all agree Trump is not Jesus.
However, I am guessing much of Trump’s behaviour is attributable to the principles in these scriptures.
Philippians 2:7-9
7 (A)but [a]made Himself of no reputation, taking the form (B)of a bondservant, and (C)coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and (D)became (E)obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Right on cue from Trump and @justhuman
I think this has a lot to do with the IMAGE Trump wants to portray to the other side and the world at large.
He wants them to think he is a strident buffoon with an inflated ego and a sore loser who has taken leave of his senses and has been abandoned by everyone even those loyal and close to him (Pence).
The hermit said that Trump’s secretaries did not go to see him off on AF1.
They therefore think he cannot be a threat.
I am awfully excited by what has transpired today.
Let's look at some objective facts.
Trump is very successful in business and in corporate America. He has a history of competence and collaboration to achieve outcomes.
Up until the time he announced his candidacy, no one painted a target on his back.
Trump even collobrated with some questionable characters -
They didn't go after him zealously then.
Yet from the moment he took the reins at the White House, Trump gave every impression of a ego-centric and dysfunctional Presidency.
Deliberately in my view.
A new Chief of Staff every so often.
Many Defense Secretaries.
Many hirings and rirings on a whim and a fancy (Chris Krebs for example)
Ranting against the fake news.
'Ranting' against North Korea's Kim.
Ranting against Jerome Powell.
Leaked stories of disorganised chaos (especially after the election).
Ranting about HRC (She belongs in jail)
Russia, Russia, Russia,
Allowing himself to be impeached
Ranting against China China China
Ranting against the China Virus
I could go on.
I suggest that Trump was content to take the slings, sticks and stones for us and let those who didn't bother to research believe that he was a buffoon, impossible to work for etc etc whom everyone was leaving or would forsake.
For all of his Presidency his loyal Vice President stood by him.
Patel Patriot has pointed to Pence's consistent and immense loyalty to Trump.
Until Jan 6, 2021 (or so Trump wanted the average person to believe).
Why?
Because Trump had a grand plan in my humble opinion.
A grand plan that included the most complex operations in American military history.
And one single person who has been abandoned and forsaken by all who served under him cannot implement a plan.
In the eyes of those who are asleep he is a sore loser, who has not conceded the election. He has turned on his most loyal Vice President (because his Vice President refuses to implement his/Trump's view of the law).
He is insulting the Republican leader of the Senate (McConnell) calling him an old crow amongst other things.
He is just a bitter and twisted old man who cannot get over November 2020 ....... and cannot get over the fact that people don't do his bidding.
I must reiterate that Trump is not Jesus and there is no comparison.
However if any human being were to do it "biblically", then Trump has become a person of no reputation to many (bad reputation actually).
He has been abandoned by all those close to him in his greatest hour of need.
He is squabbling with Pence.
And yet his foes are trembling ..... maybe they see the biblical parallels.
Trump hasn't had to take any positive action of an aggressive nature (that we can see) and yet the truth is dripping out.
His foes can see the writing on the wall (I am thinking of Dems that have chosen not to contest the mid-terms).
Victory in this manner would be lawful, Constitutional and truly biblical.
Addendum (as another thought comes to mind).
Perhaps it is far more simple and the Dems who have chosen not to contest the mid-terms and the Dems who are trembling SEE the marvellous turnout and spirit at each of Trump's rallies.
Just as Trudeau's ankles turned to jelly before the truckers, crowds of tens of thousands and the queues of those who cannot get in must have 'a dampening effect' on their enthusiasm for a fight.
Well done Patriots!!
@johnglavine @nchia @justhuman
I know, right!
Trump could pick any spot in the middle of Siberia, announce a rally, and the crowds would come in unprecedented numbers.
That scares the crap out of the Democrats.
They know he could do that ANYWHERE, even in a blue state, and blow them all away.
@Andre @johnglavine @nchia @justhuman If he ever did one in California it would shake them to the core. They have no idea how many here are Trump supporters!
@johnglavine @Andre @nchia @justhuman
He's Joseph of Genesis when he was dealing with his brothers who came to Egypt to buy bread from the house of Pharaoh.
Joseph's Strange Behavior toward his brothers was designed to bring them to the place of repentance so that God would not judge them.
That is what Trump is doing right now. He's Joseph putting his half-brothers in a place where they will have to see their misdeeds for what they truly are.
@akelm88 @johnglavine @nchia @justhuman
I use the analogy of how the German people were confronted with the truth of their complicity with the Nazi agenda.
Your analogy works very well too.
@Andre @johnglavine @nchia @justhuman
His life patterns the story of Joseph so much, so I keep coming back to it, over and over.
Like Joseph's time in prison=Trump's time as a FBI asset.
I can't help myself.....
@akelm88 @johnglavine @nchia @justhuman
The best analogies let you get deeper and deeper.
I have been extending the WW1 analogy drawn by by the Hermit.
I have intentions to take that analogy further yet.
And scripture works better yet. At least for those well versed (I am not).
@Andre @johnglavine @nchia @justhuman
Follow the Hermit's path....there's a lot to find there. He would be pleased to know people are making use of it!