Day: January 10, 2021

Impeach But Don’t Convict

Impeach But Don’t Convict

1/10/2021

By Ron Munden 

I checked the news shows on several networks this morning.  All had Republicans and Democrats on air saying that President Trump committed an impeachable act on January 6, 2021. 

There were a variety of viewpoints about whether he should be impeached with only 10 days left in office.  The  “no” and “yes” answers did not break along party lines.  Those that said “no” said it was time for the country to move on.  Others thought it was important to demonstrate that the President of the United States is not above the law.

Senator Mitch McConnell has said that if the House impeaches President Trump the trial in the Senate could not start before 20 January. The Senators are on a needed vacation.

It appears to me the solution is simple.

This week the House of Representatives should take up the question of impeachment.  I understand that the vote on impeachment could come as early as Wednesday.  Every Representative can cast a vote. This will let the voters know  whether the Representative supports Donald Trump or  the Constitution and the rule of law in the country.  By Thursday Donald J. Trump could be Impeached.

This would give Trump a slap on the wrist for trying to destroy democracy in the United States.

The Constitution does not specify when the Speaker of the House has to send the articles to the Senate so she should hold them as long as she wants.  She should hold the Impeachment paper.  Mitch has said that the Senate cannot take impeachment up until after 20 January so there is no need to clutter his desk with Impeachment papers.

If Trump is a good boy for the next 10 days she could decide to just never forward the Impeachment papers.  If Trump is a bad boy and acts up as expected by many, she could send the papers over after deciding if additional articles should be added.

The new Democrate Majority Leader of the Senate could schedule the Impeachment trial if required.  Let’s all hope that it will not be required.

***********************************

GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK.  CLICK ON “COMMENT” TO TELL US WHAT YOU THINK or use one of the alternative methods for providing feedback.

Click here to submit feedback.  Let us know what you think.

click here to CLOSE THIS PAGE

CORONAVIRUS INFO PROVIDED BY DR. JIM HARRIS – 01/10/2021

1/10/2021

Current Texas Data only intermittently available these days. 

J. Harris: I think, on the basis of the currently available information,  the vaccines will cover the mutations. I feel more comfortable that two injections are better than one. Some of the information below is understandable. 

Current Mutation Info from Hopkins:

EMERGING VARIANTS Information and analyses continue to emerge about newly identified SARS-CoV-2 variants, most notably B.1.1.7 (first identified in the UK) and B.1.351 (first identified in South Africa). Both variants appear to be more transmissible than the variants that circulated earlier in the pandemic, including those that are still circulating widely in most places around the world, but research is ongoing to fully characterize them. Perhaps the biggest concern is the potential that these variants could be less susceptible to newly authorized vaccines or therapeutic drugs. Preliminary research (preprint), conducted by researchers at Pfizer and the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), provides evidence that the Pfizer vaccine is efficacious against both the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants. The study was conducted on blood specimens collected from vaccinated individuals, as opposed to data collected from clinical trials in humans, but it does provide initial confidence that the vaccine will remain a capable tool against the new variants.

Another study published recently (preprint) by researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle, Washington, US), analyzed the effects of various mutations on the virus’ susceptibility to antibody treatments. The researchers found that variants with the E484K mutation, such as the B.1.351 variant, “have greatly reduced susceptibility to neutralization by the…serum antibodies of some individuals.” In fact, they observed decreased neutralization on the order of 10-fold or greater for variants with this mutation. They believe this is a result of changes to the receptor binding domain, which stimulates the majority of the antibody response. Notably, the researchers found that the N501Y mutation present in the B.1.1.7 variant “is unlikely to greatly affect neutralization by most human sera,” an encouraging indication. Further research is needed to better characterize the effects of these and other emerging variants—including their effects on disease severity, transmissibility, and susceptibility to medical countermeasures —but these studies provide insight into the potential impact these variants can have on the COVID-19 pandemic.

How will coronavirus variants affect the US? 6 considerations

J. Harris: Readable review of some mutants

Genetic Variants of SARS-CoV-2—What Do They Mean? 

Extensive review.

***********************************

GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK.  CLICK ON “COMMENT” TO TELL US WHAT YOU THINK or use one of the alternative methods for providing feedback.

Click here to submit feedback.  Let us know what you think.

click here to CLOSE THIS PAGE