I left quite a while ago

[tavalon]

But I'm back today because, on this day of all days, I wanted to be with 10,000 other people celebrating their asses off.

And you should be celebrating. I'm sure many of you, like me, were calling Nancy Pelosi's office, calling your representatives for days (besides all of the other times we called), and are about to call again to push for a vote.

But, as Stephen Colbert said, this is a thing that turns out to be The Thing.

Finally!!!!!!!

[AirmensMom]

1. Welcome back!

I'm finding myself glued to DU today.

[tavalon]

7. Yeah

While I want to hang out (and my post count says I hung out obsessively, for years), I'm just dropping by, because there are things that really, really need to be discussed and they are not to be discussed here.

I'm just here long enough to enjoy this moment with 500 of my friends from the early days and 10,000 others.

Thank you kindly for the welcome but I won't be taking off my shoes. Diplomacy was never my strong suit, which worked when we all were united against a common enemy.

But even today, of all days, I see that there are enemies I can't mention. Dangers I can't point to, not here.

But fuck, isn't it just amazing that the Shitnerf (45) just impeached himself?! That is the craziest thing.

[Wounded Bear]

2. I'm not celebrating yet...

Yeah, it's good to see the progress, but I don't want to spike the ball on the 10 yard line.

[AirmensMom]

3. Once burned, twice shy?

Or in this case ... almost 3 years burned, forever wondering if the right thing will happen? (Doesn't exactly roll of the tongue, does it?)

[Pacifist Patriot]

4. That's how I feel.

I'm also not sure this is worthy of celebration. I'll celebrate when a Democrat sits behind the Resolute desk and the damage to our country is being repaired. In the meantime, I remain cautiously optimistic an end to the nightmare is in sight, but also fearful of what this administration could do when in full-scale panic mode. We may be entering the most dangerous period of his tenure in office yet.

[stopdiggin]

5. yep.

tuck that ball and keep a' runnin'
(there's a whole lotta' push and pull yet to come .. and the end result could still be .. 2020.)

[sarge43]

24. When I see him dragged kicking and screaming onto Marine One for the last time,

then I break out a chilled bottle of the good stuff and sing *Thank God and Greyhound you're gone...

[WhiteTara]

58. dragged out and dumped off at

Leavenworth for the rest of his miserable days. Or maybe a supermax in Crescent CA. But not just dragged out and left to his own devices ever again.

[Rabrrrrrr]

46. Yep. No Lambeau leapin' until the ball's in the end zone and the refs have watched the video

and the call is absolutely official.

[True Dough]

6. Glad you have resurfaced

What made you take some time away, if you don't mind me asking?

And, yes, it's great to see Donny potentially on the verge of falling from grace (not that he was ever graceful).

[tavalon]

8. You can ask

But I can't say. At least not with candor. I will now attempt diplomacy and fall on my face, no doubt.

This place gave me life during another terrifying time - the Cheney/Shrub years. Even during the Obama years, there were infuriating things with the obstinate Repugs.

Then came the time when honesty needed to be turned to the mote in our own eye. There was no tolerance of that and I was brought up short.

A friend had spent years criticizing this place for "lockstep issues" and I spent an equal number of years defending DU. I loved her and I have fond memories of those early days, even though we were fighting a losing battle, we fought with courage, determination and not a small amount of grit.

My friend was right, though, and when I saw it, it was time for me to leave.

I only dipped in for a bit today and I'm already twitchy AF. My celebratory mood is tempered by what I can't say.

These days, I follow various FB groups and remain a WRP follower. None of them are in any way as grand as the original Grand Dame, but there I can have conversations about all sides of the issues without getting sent to jury and having my posts deleted.

Choices.

Clear as mud, eh? I did my best, dancing around it.

[True Dough]

9. Well, I'm trying to read between the lines

I think I grasp the gist of what you're getting at. A good number of us have our challenges with the limitations here but you have to take the bad with the good... or not.

Be well either way! You're on the right team.

[tavalon]

10. I am and always will be a patriot

Just not here.

But, I am still fighting the good fight. I worked as hard as anyone here to get us to this point and will continue to fight to move this along.

And, as an aside, who the fuck thought tRump would end up impeaching himself? Odd bedfellow, or bedbug.

[GoneOffShore]

11. Glad to see you back.

Stick around.

Please.

[The Mouth]

12. I think a lot of us figured that his hubris

and arrogance and instability would be (the only thing that (could cause) his downfall.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

17. Come back! Non-conformists need all the help

we can get. Been a brutal couple months!

[Nevermypresident]

28. True, but we prevail...

[Laura PourMeADrink]

30. We did finally didn't we!!!

[jcgoldie]

33. Nancy Pelosi said in 2017 that Trump would "self-impeach"

That's who thought it.

[TommyCelt]

13. Good to see the post, but if I may ask...

I'm probably having a duh moment, but hey, I just passed the half-century mark:

What is WRP?

[tavalon]

34. WRP is William Rivers Pitt

the writer who caused me to show up here in 2002 or 2003. I stayed about six years longer than he did.

I am on his very long FB "friends" list. He can be as autocratic as here but in a different way. A way that I can handle at this stage of my political life.

[marlakay]

45. During his time here he came out

To San Francisco and a bunch of us met up with him. He is a nice guy.

I was living in bay area then.

[tavalon]

60. I met him twice

Once, early on, he signed his book for me. Another time, a sad time, was when we went to a memorial for a mutual friend and a friend of the early people here, Andy Stephenson. That time was a little celebratory but it was basically a funeral for a friend.

He is more personal on FB. His child is growing up beautiful and very opinionated. I cannot for the life of me figure out where she gets that! LOL

I love that man for his writing, for bringing me here and for being so human after so many years in the trenches.

[Arazi]

50. Me too. He's built a tremendous group on FB. PM me if you want to connect

I guarantee you'll be surprised

[jaysunb]

59. I really enjoy WRP's FB group. Lots of different voices. Nt

[tavalon]

61. I do too,

but it is highly amusing to see him wielding the whip when he chafed so under this yoke.

I like that I can say, "I hate you for this." and he just laughs. And I love that after every painfully awful political post, he posts personal and uplifting. It's like going from GD to the Lounge and back again.

[JGug1]

14. Celebration

I do not see that we have anything to celebrate over. I do think that Pelosi is doing the right thing. I also think that the path is full of dangerous curves. I think that the best course is watching and hoping.

[rurallib]

16. I agree - I think we need to be on our game more than ever

[tavalon]

39. But

you called her office, right? Like I did, over the weekend (mailbox full) and again on Monday, when her phone lines were busy (I haven't heard a busy signal in years) and then on Tuesday, when I steamrolled her office staff as they tried to say they would only speak to her constituents.

I don't watch and wait. I push. I push hard.

I use to have daily Twitter conversations with the Shitnerf (45) until he blocked me and I considered continuing when he had to reinstate me, but a conversation gets boring when it has no back and forth, ya know?

Yeah, watching and waiting is not how I roll.

[mrs_p]

15. You have been missed! nt

[Karadeniz]

18. Welcome back and don't be a stranger!❤

[lillypaddle]

19. Welcome back

it's always good when old DUers come back. Stick around for awhile, eh?

[johnnyfins]

20. This press conference is unreal

he is scrambling

[MissB]

21. Good day to come back

Welcome back

[swimboy]

22. Very nice to see you

and to celebrate together

[Ellipsis]

23. Welcome back.

[Autumn]

25. It's a great day to come back. nt

[tavalon]

36. Well,

It wasn't accidental. I came back to celebrate this one day before I put my nose back to this almost Sysiphian task.

Three days ago, "almost" wouldn't have prefaced that.

[Arazi]

51. Hmmm... are you thinking what I'm thinking? :)

[asiliveandbreathe]

26. Welcome back tavalon..today was exceptional at DU....

[hlthe2b]

29. Hey there! Why not hang around a bit!

There plenty of areas on DU to avoid too much conflict.

[tavalon]

38. I would need a forum called:

Let's talk about Democrats.

And the institutions that too many of them get life from.

I became too jaundiced. I loved, loved, loved this place for a very long time. There are still many humans here who nurtured and gave me life when I was figuring out shit. I have gratitude.

I also, now, have attitude. And that attitude includes attitude about people who are not the colleagues from the other side of the aisle. I lack the appropriate deference for certain people who are front and center in what is happening today.

[underpants]

32. Welcome back

TV PARTY TONIGHT!

[tavalon]

41. Yeah

[MuseRider]

35. I remember you

and I wish you would stay. Whatever, welcome back for this short time. It is good to see you again.

[tavalon]

40. I remember you, too!

Damn it, I needed to not see anyone I recognized. Now, I'm all sad.

[MuseRider]

47. It is easier to control

what you see here and who sees you. You might try it and see what happens. I am always just so thrilled to see someone I knew come back but I do understand. I was not posting hardly ever for a couple of years then started up again.

You have to do what is best for you but if you decide to stay and try it there will be a lot of happy old friends here.

[pnwmom]

37. Glad to see you back. Welcome! n/t

[Skittles]

42. tavalon!

STAY WITH US FOR THE BUMPY RIDE

[NCLefty]

43. I bet John Oliver will do his "We got him!" balloon drop again on Sunday. :p

And welcome back

[tavalon]

44. I can see him in my head

Doing the "We got him! We got him. We got him!"

[UTUSN]

48. Nope, no gloating or counting-chickens or "deference for certain people"!1

[malaise]

49. Welcome back

[MustLoveBeagles]

52. Welcome back

[blueinredohio]

53. When Trump AND Pence are impeached I'm going to be

dancing up and down my red street. In 2016 only one lonely Hillary sign. (Mine)

[Hekate]

54. Welcome back, glad you felt you could drop by & still had the address...

What a day. We are still a long way from this being over -- but this morning I had my best laugh in years just reading down the titles of the OPs on DU's home page. It was comedy gold. I had to step away feom the tv-machine for several hours, but will now check back in and hit play in the recording of The Rachel Maddow Show.

[femmedem]

55. Welcome back even if it's just for today!

You wouldn't know it from my post count but I've been here since the Bush years, so I remember you even though I probably never posted enough for you to remember me.


I'll admit, I'm intrigued you found a place where you can discuss more freely.

[ellie]

56. I remember you!

Welcome back!

[Maru Kitteh]

57. Welcome home.

And, if I could take this opportunity to say:

FUCK THESE FUCKING MOTHERFUCKERS!

Today, the day all the dormant worms began to turn.

. . . . . . . .

[PatrickforO]

62. We're sure celebrating!

Finally, House members are honoring their oath of office.

[Old Crow]

63. Let us hope.

Let's not count our chickens before they hatch. As others on these boards have observed, Trump has an almost superhuman ability to evade the consequences of his own bad behavior. With the Republicans seemingly willing to enable Trump indefinitely, getting this president out of office isn't going to be easy.

(By "The Thing," I'm assuming both you and Stephen Colbert mean "the thing that ends Trump's presidency." If you simply mean "the thing that results in his impeachment," yes, that seems reasonably certain.)