Thursday 24 October 2019

Congress and This SCIF Action From Yesterday

Having built a SCIF or two in my life, I found this discussion of the Republicans and Democrats kinda interesting.  So the basic story....to keep all the hearings hush-hush....the Democrats moved the interviews to the basement SCIF of the capital building.  The Republicans got tired of the 'game' and stormed the SCIF.

So after looking at this, there's three observations I can make.

1.  Normally, the use of a SCIF is tied to use of Top Secret material.  Is there anything about this Trump investigation now deemed Top Secret?  The answer is no....unless this is really faked-up badly.  So the SCIF is being used in a bad manner?  More or less.

2.  Then we come to recording in a SCIF.  You can't record with any device.  So either they are taking hand-written notes, or they've broken the rules by bringing in a recording device.

3.  SCIFs are by design....fairly compact work areas.  You might have a single conference room big enough for 20-odd people.  Rarely do you find anything bigger than that.  So, is this just for a very small group?

For some reason, I've this funny reason that various hearings will be stamped Secret or Top Secret, and the impeachment paperwork will be deemed partially classified.  If this occurs, the public will never get a clear picture of the charges, or the statements by various people.  In simple terms....it's a worthless impeachment.

Mayor Pete and a "Handful'

Yesterday, Mayor Pete came out of one of his presidential campaign talks, and admitted that he'd used marijuana 'a handful of times' long ago....just barely hinting it was in his youth. 

So, what does 'handful' really mean?

Some folks would say more than twice, and less than ten times.  Some folks would say more than five times, but less than twenty times.  And there's some folks who'd go and say it's more than twice but could be less than two-hundred times.

I had a German neighbor once, who was a more-than-a-handful marijuana smoker, and probably smoked an average of five times a day, and had been doing that for a minimum of five years.  The math here, would suggest 9,125 occasions with a 'puff'. 

What I think of Mayor Pete's 'handful'?  I hate to say it, but he seems to be a pretty low-key and low-intense guy, and it's hard to suggest him being even more mellow than what he is already.  He's probably one of those folks who'd drink half-a-beer, smoke a joint and then fall asleep for twelve hours. 

Me worry about the comment?  No.  But this will scare Warren enough that she'll rush out in the next week to admit she smoked a handful as well....along with Bernie, Booker, and Robert Francis.  Only Joe Biden will continue on...saying his body is 'pure'. 

Hillary Chatter

If I were Hillary and thinking of a weakened field of candidates....then why not make a run at the last minute?

Winning the Iowa Caucus?  No.  In 2008 and 2016, she failed miserably with their system.

In fact, with NH, SC, and NV....I can only see getting into the NV primary.  But with Super-Tuesday that follows the first four....yes, it'd make perfect sense for Hillary Clinton to get back into the system and campaign. Odds of winning big in Super-Tuesday?  I think Hillary could easily win seven states minimum on that single day.

The question comes up....if she doesn't win more than twenty-five states....can she win in the Convention?  And is this all related to Donald Trump being either kicked out or weakened by the Impeachment?

If the Convention choice is Hillary or Warren....is that really much of a choice?

If Trump is removed, Hillary knows that she'd have the clear path ahead and no Republican could possibly beat her. 

So I don't think the Hillary era is really over (when it should be).  But if impeachment doesn't work....this is all wasted effort.

Meanwhile, Warren has to be sitting there at night....nursing a beer or two....wondering if she's got real competition brewing.