Steve Stranov

@sstranov

Creator of the Article Five audio drama. Retired engineer. Now it's old Jeeps, outdoors, Tai Chi & martial arts, campfire musician, family man. And, oh yeah, writing.

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Steve Stranov@sstranov· 9h

12/ Story P5 END

Phelps: Thanks for that. When you think about it, if he’s tried before the end of the session, he’ll face a pretty entrenched GOP majority. They may be swayed by their Epstein positions, but their terror of Trump may win out. In the new Senate, the Blue Wave may bring in a Dem majority. And a few GOP who aren’t part of the old guard might not want to start their term with an Epstein albatross hanging around their necks. I like our chances.

Secret Agency Lawyer: Well, good luck with all that.

Phelps: Thanks, but right place, right time makes its own luck.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· 9h

11/ Story P4

Phelps: We’ve also got to keep the pressure on for public evidence. Need to see about any more committees calling Blanche as a witness. We need to start putting together sound and video snippets of Blanche lying and stalling about Epstein and get them on the web. We need to see if there’s any low-hanging fruit about the Ghislaine Maxwell prison move. Come to think of it, I’ll give Katie Phang a call. She’s got a cool lawsuit going against Blanche and the DOJ. I’ll bet there’s a ton of stuff there that can be worked into a campaign to support his impeachment.

Phelps: You know, I wouldn’t be much of a secret agent if I didn’t think about contingency plans. What if Trump sees the walls closing in and fires Blanche? What if we do get an impeachment at the end of the year and don’t have time for a trial before the new Congress? I need to call our Secret Agency Lawyer!

Secret Agency Lawyer: On your first question, there are several precedents for impeaching a former officer for misconduct while in office, including Trump 2. Trump 2 got sticky because Senate Republicans claimed that it was unconstitutional to convict because the penalty for conviction is removal, but that was a political excuse. There is a further penalty that applies: disqualification from holding future public office. If Trump fires him, just keep going and get it done. The second question is also no problem. If Blanche is impeached in the House, his trial will still proceed in the Senate. The only thing that won’t survive adjournment is the appointment of any House managers; they would have to be re-appointed.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· 9h

10/ Story P3

Double Agent: Sure. The first thing we had to do is called politics. We had to get the public and most of the Dems on board before we could try to pry away the half-dozen votes we needed from the GOP to impeach. For Noem, we already had 80 co-sponsors when the resolution was introduced. Yeah, it went to committee, but we kept gathering co-sponsors until we had half of the caucus signed up. When the Minority Leader saw the bus pulling away from the curb and he wasn’t on it, he issued a strongly worded letter that actually threatened impeachment and that took away the roadblocks to the rest of the caucus. By the end, we had 88% of the caucus for co-sponsors, including Nancy Pelosi. The next step would have been a discharge petition to break the resolution out for a floor vote.

Phelps: So what happened then?

Contact: Trump saw the handwriting on the wall. If impeachment was a real threat, we could turn around and use it on him! He fired Noem; our job was done, and we had a few beers to celebrate.

Phelps: Wait a minute…this time almost all of the GOP has already signed onto the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Shouldn’t that make a difference in lobbying?

Contact: Oh yeah, dude! I would lobby the GOP just as hard. And publicize anybody that says no. Make them explain how they can do one without the other. And don’t forget the midterms! Bye, gotta go!

Phelps: Don’t forget the midterms? … Oh, right. If there’s a Blue Wave, there will be a lot of GOP Congressmen out of work that won’t have any reason to fear Trump anymore. They can still vote! … I wonder if we could supercharge the process of getting co-sponsors and votes? Maybe get some of the impeachment advocacy groups like Citizens Impeachment and Free Speech for People to protest at Congressional offices of both parties or do phone campaigns or something.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· 9h

9/ Story P2

Steve Stranov@sstranov· 9h

8/ Story P1

Right Place, Right Time
By Steve Stranov

Narrator: Good morning, Mr. Phelps. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to prove out a system for impeachment, raise awareness of it among good guys and bad, and prepare to apply it to Trump. You have to complete the impeachment mission by the end of the year. You’ll receive an extra bonus and a modern audio recorder if the unredacted Epstein files freed-up by this effort reveal behavior of Trump so heinous that he’ll be unable to continue in office.

Phelps: I’ll do it! I can set up an operation to impeach and remove one of the minions. The ideal charges would be for crimes that are obvious, easy to describe, and already public. It would be helpful if the public were already infuriated on the subject. And (going for a total unicorn) there is already a bipartisan consensus that should easily yield the half dozen GOP Reps needed to impeach. Since time is short, selecting a minion who has already testified under oath on the subject is crucial. Gee, where would we find something and someone that toxic? Subject: Epstein. Target: Todd Blanche.

Phelps: Now I need a sponsor. It should be someone who has the best possible relationship with the current Dem leadership team and the caucus. Since that Jeffries guy is antagonistic to impeachment and is likely to be even more so in the face of the midterms, we can’t expect his help. But maybe he’d agree to stand aside and let the process take its course. Seems to me someone already negotiated a deal like that with Jeffries on the Noem impeachment. That’s it! Agent: Rep. Robin Kelly.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· 21d

Article: "Engineering an Impeachment" coming up soon.

Woman: The Democrats say they want to stick to kitchen table issues. Man: I agree. Getting rid of this centerpiece should be at the top of the list. Centerpiece is miniature grinning Donald Trump.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· May 29

This is a snippet of dialog from my Article Five audiodrama, making the point that the Founders believed it is was only good fortune that allowed them to write the Constitution they did, and that it probably would never happen again.

Alexander Hamilton wrote that it was
utterly improbable that another
convention would have circumstances
as favorable as the first. James
Madison wrote that a new convention
"would be courted by the most violent
partisans on both sides" and "it
seems scarcely to be presumable that
the deliberations of the body could
be conducted in harmony, or terminate
in the general good." Even back then,
he said "I should tremble for the
result of a Second, meeting in the
present temper of America..." Those
words have never rung truer than
today.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· May 1

Another view. There are 11 agents visible in the active perimeter. 2 are tearing down one of the magnetometers, blocking 3 more from the suspect. A 6th is distracted and partially blocked. It looks like the agents are arrayed on both sides, in each other's field of fire. These are Secret Service?

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Apr 28

Trump has run his biz & the gov't by the same playbook since he learned it from Roy Cohn 50+ years ago. Every time the plays are run people seem surprised. Not worried about discovery, will drop the case. Conviction is optional. Flip this around to see why he fears impeachment w/o votes to convict.

3. Use the legal system as a weapon, not a recourse for justice. Cohn taught Trump that lawsuits were instruments of intimidation, not vehicles for dispute resolution. He filed cases not to win—though winning was nice—but to punish, to harass, and to silence. The expense and stress of litigation was the point, not the legal outcome. Trump would eventually be involved in over 3,500 lawsuits—an unprecedented number for any American businessperson or politician—using the courts not to seek justice but to exhaust opponents with fewer resources.

4. Manipulate the media ruthlessly. Cohn was a master at planting stories, cultivating journalists, and creating controversy to serve his ends. He understood that perception trumped reality, that bold claims often went unchallenged, and that most people would remember the accusation but not the retraction. Trump elevated this approach to an art form, calling reporters using pseudonyms like “John Barron” to plant favorable stories about himself, staging pseudo-events to attract coverage, and later, using Twitter to bypass media filters entirely and inject his unfiltered messages directly into the public consciousness.

Source: https://ideas.bkconnection.com

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Apr 19

An 10-minute play about application of the 25th Amendment to a President who still shows occasional signs of consciousness.

THE 25TH AMENDMENT IN ACTION
Today the sycophantic Vice President and a majority of the sycophantic cabinet had a change of heart. Despite never, ever standing up to Trump since he came to power, they’ve just sent a DECLARATION to the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader that Trump is UNABLE TO DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF HIS OFFICE BECAUSE HE IS MENTALLY INCOMPETENT.
It’s curious. They did this in spite of the fact that they are terrified of Trump. They did it knowing that if unsuccessful in disqualifying him, they would be out of a job, lose any prospect for a pardon for their malfeasance in office, be burned in effigy by the Republican Party, and tarred and feathered by the Trump Cult. Here’s what happens next:
********************** The Next Day*******************
The VP and the turncoat cabinet enter the oval office. Trump is eating a Big Mac and trying to spell “covfefe” on his phone. He ignores them as they line up and wait 10 minutes in silence until he finishes the burger.
VP: Mr. Trump?
Trump: Yeah.
VP: We’ve all gotten together and decided you aren’t mentally competent to lead the country.
Trump: Really? You are all standing there in your Florsheim shoes that don’t fit and you’re telling ME, the greatest and most powerful President who ever lived that I’m not competent? You’re all fired!

VP: Uh, sir. We don’t think you can fire us because you’re not the President, I am the Acting President.
Trump (roars): What are you talking about!! I won the election by landslides and hundreds of percents. I had the wealthiest inauguration in history!! I live in what’s left of the White House!! I’m President and you’re fired!! Pammy? Where’s Pammy?
Tod: You fired her, Mr. President. I’m your acting AG.
Trump: Tell these guys right now that I’m still President.
Tod: Can’t, Sir. According to the 25th Amendment, the VP is Acting President until you respond to Congress on this.
Trump: And say what?
Tod: Whether you have the mental competence to run the country.
Trump: Of course I have competents. I’ve got more competents than anyone who ever lived. Big strong men hard hats and tears in their eyes stop me on the street and tell me how grateful they are for the competents I gave them since the election I won by landslide percents.
Tod: Well, you have to tell that to Congress in a declaration.
Trump: Ok, Suzy take a letter.
Suzy: Ready, Mr. President.
Trump: Dear Congress, I, Donald Trump, declare that this is bullshit and I have plenty of competents and I still want to be President.

********************** Hours Later *******************
Tod: We got an acknowledgement back from Congress that they received your Declaration. You’re President again.
Trump: Good. Hand me my phone. I’m sending a Truth that all of the traitors are fired and under investigation for mortgage fraud.
Tod: Well, that’ll work for most of them, but you can’t fire the VP.
Trump: A technicality. We’ll get him tomorrow.
Meanwhile, for reasons, the same sycophantic VP and the remainder of the sycophantic cabinet send ANOTHER DECLARATION to the Speaker of the House and the Senate Majority Leader that Trump (who they are now even more terrified of) is UNABLE TO DISCHARGE THE DUTIES OF HIS OFFICE BECAUSE HE IS MENTALLY INCOMPETENT.
*********************Next Day***************************
In the Oval Office.
Tod: Sir, the VP and the other half of the cabinet sent another notice to Congress and you’re not the President anymore.
Trump: Wait a fucking minute! I may be nuts but this is truly crazy! We just did this yesterday! SUZY!
Suzy: Yes Sir.
Trump: Send another letter to Congress, just like yesterday!
Suzy: On its way, Mr. President.

*******************Three Weeks Later********************
The VP is at the Resolute Desk, very busy. Trump and Tod walk in smiling.
Trump: Well, JD, the House got to the two thirds majority to disable me, but the Senate only got 53 votes.
VP: OK, Mr. President. I guess you’re the President again. There’s no more cabinet to fire, so I guess that’s that. Let bygones be bygones?
Trump: Or sure JD. By the way, I’m sending you on a diplomatic mission to the Heard and McDonald Islands. We have very good relations there after we got the tariff stuff straightened out. Marine 2 is warmed up and waiting. Oh, and take some warm clothes.
VP: Thanks, Mr. President. I knew we’d be OK after that little misunderstanding. What’s on the Heard and McDonald Islands?
Trump: Penguins, JD. Lots of penguins.
JD exits.
Trump: Suzy!
Suzie: Yes Mr. President.
Trump: Making deals makes me hungry. Add another Big Mac to the order!
END

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Apr 9

Posting, for no particular reason, an addendum originally attached to a letter I sent to my Representative @georgewhitesides.bsky.social on 1 May, 2025.

NEED FOR IMPEACHMENT ACTION IS URGENT
Weak support among some Trump constituencies are an opportunity
Wreckage of Constitutional government & imposition of authoritarian rule show urgent need
Popular opposition & razor thin House majority are opportunity.
TRUMP’S SUPPORT AMONG HIS ELITE BASE IS WEAKENING
Economists say that Trump’s policies are likely to be disastrous
Financial supporters are splitting with him over tariffs that threaten their interests
Corporate CEOs can't manage in uncertainty and chaos
TRUMP’S SUPPORT AMONG HIS POPULIST BASE IS ERODING
His polls for popularity & issues are at record lows
He has alienated core constituencies (such as Boomers and Veterans)
Collapse of supply chains & inventory in the next few months will lead to recession or stagflation
May 1 numbers show that the economy is contracting
THE OPPOSITION NEEDS A SIMPLE DEFINED GOAL
The Hands Off protests, rallies, absentee town hall meetings, etc. need a clear, non-violent political goal.
An Impeachment Petition Effort would provide a goal
WITH THESE DYNAMICS, IMPEACHMENT IN THE HOUSE BECOMES POSSIBLE
Wobbly Republicans will be forced to take a stand
WAITING FOR THE MIDTERMS COULD BE DISASTROUS
Destruction of government, entrenchment of autocracy, destruction of foreign policy, & Constitutional violations become harder to remedy when left unchecked.
Violent demonstrations may result in the President invoking emergency powers & using the Armed Forces to crush dissent.
CONVICTION IN THE SENATE IS NOT NECESSARY
The impeachment process will interfere with the President’s autocratic designs and unconstitutional methods by distracting, consuming resources, & changing the narrative
IF THERE IS A CONVICTION, VICE PRESIDENT VANCE WOULD BE AN IMPROVEMENT
He does not have a cult-like following
He won't have the same control over Republicans in Congress
Coming into power as a result of impeachment will show limits of executive actions
Vance does not show signs of dementia or psychopathy

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Apr 7

Time to write what I intended to write this morning. What can we learn from the Noem impeachment effort? This chart is a timeline of the effort, with the daily number of co-sponsors & the resulting percentage of the Dem caucus, by day. Sorry about appearance. Looks fine to an engineer.

It's a timeline of the Noem impeachment effort, with the daily number of co-sponsors and the resulting percentage of the Dem caucus, plotted by day.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Mar 27

I looked at those and my first thought was of somebody making stickers with that image to be applied to every urinal in the US.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Mar 24

I do a lot of historical research and have found AI to be very helpful. It's not terribly accurate, but it often leads to search results that would have taken hours to find. Useless for analysis - case in point also relevant to AI targeting of weapons:

PROMPT:
This is another building in Prague in 1942
. . . What is this building?

RESPONSE: Based on the visual evidence, the building in your photograph is likely Schloss Deutschkreutz (Deutschkreutz Castle) in Burgenland, Austria…Although your prompt notes it was taken . . . in Prague in 1942, this specific structure matches the courtyard and architectural features of this historic Austrian castle…

PROMPT:
The openings on the upper floor of the original photo are rectangular. The Schloss Deutschkrauss upper floor arches are curved.

RESPONSE: You are absolutely right to point out that discrepancy. While Schloss Deutschkreutz is famous for its curved arches on both the ground and upper floors of its main courtyard, the building in your photo features a distinct mix: curved arches on the ground floor and rectangular openings on the upper floor. Based on this specific architectural detail and the dilapidated state shown in the photo, the building is actually Leskovec Castle . . . in Slovenia.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Mar 10

Well, not entirely true. Here's the record. And I understand that Rep Thanedar has now introduced articles against Hegseth. Rep Al Green and a couple of others should get praise & credit for bucking their useless leadership. But they all know that any single representative can force a floor vote.

Impeachment Resolutions against President Donald Trump

H.Res.353 (April 28, 2025): Introduced by Rep. Shri Thanedar, this resolution details seven articles including abuse of power, obstruction, and the unlawful creation of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) involving Elon Musk.
H.Res.415 (May 15, 2025): Introduced by Rep. Al Green, alleging a movement toward authoritarianism.
H.Res.537 (June 24, 2025): Introduced by Rep. Al Green regarding alleged usurpation of war powers, which was tabled the same day.
H.Res.939 (Dec. 10, 2025): Introduced by Rep. Al Green, citing abuse of power through intimidation of judges and threats against lawmakers.

Impeachment Resolutions against Administration Members

H.Res.996 (Jan. 14, 2026): Targeted Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem for alleged obstruction, misuse of force, and self-dealing regarding a $200 million contract.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Feb 26

But today's answer is to use the emergency stop method they gave us in the Constitution. Keep the faith.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Feb 22

Me and Google had a conversation. Tl;dr: One strongly worded announcement. One strongly worded letter. And they are "reviewing" the exact same horrifying videos that every person in America with eyes open has already seen. 187 members, 39 days, and this is the best they could come up with!

Committee Leadership Activity

Democratic "Shadow" Inquiry: Ranking Member Jamie Raskin announced on January 27, 2026, that if Chairman Jim Jordan refuses to launch a formal probe, the committee's Democratic minority will partner with the Homeland Security and Oversight committees to conduct their own oversight and impeachment inquiry.
Demands for Hearings: Committee Democrats sent a formal letter to Chairman Jordan on January 27 demanding a public hearing with Secretary Noem to address "Operation Metro Surge" and constitutional violations.
Evidence Collection: Members have been reviewing and publicizing video footage of the Minneapolis shootings, which they claim contradicts Noem’s public statements labeling the victims “domestic terrorists”.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Feb 22

Edsel & Cyber out to pasture.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Feb 12

IMHO, someone with better graphic design skills than mine should put together a site with a Hall of Resistance Heroes. Portland Frog, the Preacher, Sandwich Guy, Scooter Guy, Tear Gas Guy,the lady who survived attempted ICE murder and the martyrs that didn't, & many more that I can't think of . . .

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Jan 28

I guess having a resolution where almost half of his members sign on as co-sponsors risked him leading from the rear.

Hat with 2 bills: I'm their leader, which way did they go?

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Dec 20

Here's Andrew Johnson's impeachment resolution text, in the handwriting of Rep John Covode, who introduced it (later modified to add the words "while in office"). This was voted on and resulted in Johnson's impeachment. Articles came after. Trump Imp 3.0 could be done in days.

Resolved that Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, be impeached for high crimes and misdemeanors.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Dec 12

Here is the Impeachment Resolution For Andrew Johnson in all of its infinite complexity. You're going to love it. First is copy hand written by John Covode. Second is written record. Don't know why there were a couple of extra words.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Dec 12

1/ Jeffries' statement is the only one I've seen by Dem leaders justifying their opposition to impeachment. My review: "Impeachment is a sacred constitutional vehicle designed to hold a corrupt executive accountable for abuse of power, breaking the law and violating the public trust." ✔️

Impeachment is a sacred constitutional vehicle designed to hold a corrupt executive accountable for abuse of power, breaking the law and violating the public trust. The effort traditionally requires a comprehensive investigative process, the collection and review of thousands of documents, an exacting scrutiny of the facts, the examination of dozens of key witnesses, Congressional hearings, sustained public organizing and the marshaling of the forces of democracy to build a broad national consensus. None of that serious work has been done, with the Republican majority focused solely on rubber stamping Donald Trump’s extreme agenda. Accordingly, we will be voting “present” on today’s motion to table the impeachment resolution as we continue our fight to make life more affordable for everyday Americans.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Dec 4

Receipts: Dem Congress approval. Whatever Dems are selling, nobody's buying. Any further down would be the X-axis. Disagreement with leadership can't make it worse. Trump's approval is 9X this. If they want off the X-axis, they need a plan to stop the regime now, freely using the Impeach word.

Graph showing congressional approval over time, with Dems at 4%.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Dec 2

Political loser? Seriously Mr. Rep, are you going to take advice about what is a loser from people who poll like this? How is it possible to have approval that's 1/9 as high as the ignorant, demented, criminal President? Is that where you want to be at the midterms? Your voters want you to impeach.

Chart showing Dem Congressional approval at around 4%.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Nov 15

Here's my sign. As I walked past a group a woman called out, "Wait, stop! Let me see your sign." I did. She reached up and smacked the IMPEACH button, then said "Thanks!"

Sign says NO DICTATORS and has a big red button that says "In case of emergency IMPEACH".

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Nov 6

The photo is tiny and tells the story by itself, so here's a clearer picture. "Reagan seated at left; presumably back of Bolan's head seen center left; Rupert Murdoch seated center right; Roy Cohn standing at right." 01/18/1983 (Wiki Commons) Roy Cohn trained young Trump in the Dark Arts.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Nov 4

I looked around for a calendar that showed days worked in the House. The official ones look like there's business every day, and we all know that isn't true. So I constructed my own, using an icon for all those extra recess days.

Calendars for Sept Oct Nov with an icon of Trump and Epstein holding hands on the non-working days. Brought to you by Congressional Republicans.

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Oct 29

For 7 months I’ve been posting my support for impeachment. I tell stories, so I’ll tell you one about our current situation and the likely near future. This is to set the scene for re-introducing the impeachment subject. In our story . . .

The time for effective use of impeachment has almost passed. Although Drump is still weak, his secret police grows stronger by the day. It’s only the regime’s incompetence that delays their firm entrenchment into the states. Once that happens (or SCOTUS allows deployment of the military), it’s game over.
Write your own story of an election under martial law with a demented dictator. It’s not hard to picture ICE rolling up on black and brown people lined up to vote, or invading state offices to arrest “dissident” officials, or terrorizing election volunteers. Picture the FBI knocking at my door because I wrote this post or your door because you liked it.
Some succumb to the “Wait for the midterms” delusion. In the 9 months since Drump became Pres, he nearly destroyed the rule of law, neutered the legislative branch, promoted terror in the cities, formed and uncaged a secret police, and gleefully looted the US Treasury. It’s 12 more months until the midterms.
SCOTUS won’t stop him, except in narrow economic ways if he runs up against the oligarchy. Lower court rulings won’t stop him. At some point he’ll decide that they are too much of a nuisance and will start ignoring them completely. All of the people with guns work for him. Why should he listen to a bunch of lawyers?
There are only three forks for Dem peaceful power. 1) The shutdown, which has power while the Rs think that someday they will be the minority (will need the filibuster). With rigged elections, they won’t be in the minority. Dems demand only healthcare with this power, so other Drump plans can continue. 2) The Epstein files must contain political kryptonite, given how far they’ve gone to cover them up (e.g. shutting down the House). Undoubtedly, there’s an army working to scrub Drump from these files. 3) Impeachment . . . Wait, you ask, what about mass demonstrations? What if we hit the magic 3.5%? - That won’t result in a Tooth Fairy rescue in this story. Drump is itching to unleash his dog…

Steve Stranov@sstranov· Oct 19

Everyone who protested yesterday should write or call their Rep and urge them to support impeachment. I sent an email to my Rep today that takes a different tack. See what you think. What will it take? @citizensimpeachment.com @fsfp.bsky.social @georgewhitesides.bsky.social