After what happened last week... President Trump won't attend the inauguration...but VP Pence will. (Why this would be a surprise to anybody is beyond me. Trump is not the first one to boycott his successor's installation; three other former Presidents have done so.)
With all the problems of the U.S. facing the House, not to mention the Senate, the (barely) Speaker of the House has to focus on someone she loathes. Even with little more than a week bef ore he's gone. Of course, Mrs. Pelosi's billing this as for the Good of the Country -- not hate or revenge. And it has nothing to do with the fact that if Trump is impeached, he is handily prevented from running for President ever again. (Maybe for any kind of public office -- not sure.)
Pence isn't cooperating, 25th Amendment-wise. I admire this man's courage in not caving again to incredible pressure... this time from the opposite side. No doubt it's irritating Pelosi, but she's insisting on continuing legislation for impeachment. It would be all but impossible. to conclude a trial in time through Congress. If you'll remember, the first impeachment trial seemed to take forever. But hey, bring it on! So much easier -- and more fun -- than dealing with Covid issues.
I laughed out loud, reading the House's plans -- there's going to be a full House vote Tuesday, THEN they'll decide on the article of impeachment. Then came this sentence in the article:
However, House Democratic Whip James Clyburn said on Sunday that the party might wait until after President-elect Joe Biden’s 100 days to deliver it to the Senate.
Let me get this straight. They're going to try and impeach President Trump AFTER he's no longer in office?? One of the experts quoted in this article does have the grace to point out that "a post-term impeachment is one driven by politics, and is not mandated by the Constitution." Really??? What a surprise. As Arlo Guthrie would say, "Thass America."
Update: Mike Pence said no to invoking the 25th Amendment, in a letter to Nancy Pelosi:
Pence wrote that “last week, I did not yield to pressure to exert power beyond my constitutional authority to determine the outcomes of the election, and I will not now yield to efforts in the House of Representatives to play political games at a time so serious in the life of our nation.”
Pence said that the 25th Amendment was designed to address presidential incapacity or disability, not “a means of punishment or usurpation.”
More from his letter to Madame Pelosi:
"Just a few months ago, when you introduced legislation to create a 25th Amendment Commission, you said, [a] President’s fitness for office must be determined by science and facts'," Pence wrote. "You said that we must be very respectful of not making a judgment on the basis of a comment or behavior that we don’t like, but based on a medical decision.
"Madam Speaker you were right," the vice president added.
What an amazing man. (And here's a reasoned argument for why Pence's decision is a wise one. Although I don't believe that his strategy is to fuel a presidential campaign of his own, like this writer does.)
Update to the update: The House voted 232 - 197 on Jan. 13 to impeach Trump -- again. From the article:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will decide when to transmit the article to the Senate, which must either dismiss the charge or hold a trial. At least 67 of the 100 senators are needed for conviction which would require Trump’s removal from office.
My guess, based on her hatred of Trump: she'll be sprinting to the 'transmit' button.
Ok. Enough of that. Snow came on Saturday, but our powerful sun has reduced it to a scraping. No matter -- more will come soon. A few more items to finish up, and we'll start to think about heading south.
The 1776 Commission. Heard about this? (I hadn't.)
One of Colorado's most popular ski counties (with multiple resorts) may have to shut down temporarily. Not sure yet...but it's not looking good.
Pretzel buns (laugenbrot). Nice -- and easy. (From Foodtalk)
Iowa -- the pack goat helping keep Colorado's trails clean.
Yep, 2020 is the worse year in history. Well, except for that year -- oh yes, that one was bad, too. And that...
The Babylon Bee's got some new predictions for 2021, as well.
An extensive look at dress prints in portraits. (From Brackman's Civil War Quilts) For textile study -- this is a very good look, close up, at early 19th century fabrics.
Listverse has a treasure threesome that's fascinating:
Ten legendary treasures still waiting to be found
Amazing lost treasures no one can find
Ten more missing treasures you can find
How to watch a celestial triple conjunction of three planets that's coming. (Next viewing: just before Valentine's Day.)
Close up and personal with a hungry humpback whale.
"If you had $7 and had to feed yourself for a week...what would you get?" Another fascinating batch of answers from Quora.
Lazy egg salad -- an unusual one from a new blogger I've just started reading: Cooking with Stellaaa.
Fish collars -- what they are, why they're cheaper -- and how to cook them. From no less than Bon Appetit.
A ramen noodle upgrade -- from no other than Martha Stewart. Weird.
Apple crepes with caramel sauce -- the perfect thing to use up the half-bushel of apples we've got hanging around. (From Poor Girl Eats Well)
A slideshow of very funny yard signs.
A flight passenger punches a woman whose kids keep kicking her seat. Been there and had that happen. (I didn't punch anybody, but sure was thinking about it.)
A homeowner is surprised as all getout to suddenly find a Banksy mural painted on his outside wall. Plus:
Weird things hidden INSIDE walls.
Prince's estate was undervalued by $80 million...by the company acting for the estate. Oh really...
Have a great week. Stay warm...and at arm's-length from politics. (I plan to.)
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