I keep thinking that Trump's...uh...trump card is that if Elon gets too out of line he can just start canceling/neutering his government contracts while holding the guillotine of a treason charge over Musk's head.
Iran-Contra was Ronald Reagan's moment of treason. He should have been so tried. He knowingly sold weapons to Iran, which was officially designated at the time as an American enemy. Reagan was the 1980s Benedict Arnold. Except Reagan lied about it. This was just one of Regan's reprehensible acts as President. It's amazing he got away with being a traitor. Because he told good jokes?? He should have been condemned, not lionized. But, America loves its rueful rogues. Did forgiving Reagan's treachery lead to a First Felon?
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. American foreign policy since the French helped us win that war against the British. But always play both sides if you can. That is also the American way.,
Trump's first term will look serene and coherent compared to version two. As there will be no third term, I think, the pigs at the trough will be fighting for every bit of slop they can get. There will be an aging, imbecilic, easily swayed leader with no interest in policy, an administration of liars, cheats, and grifters each out for riches and relevance, a bevy of oligarchs and corporate leaders currying favor in order to maximize share prices, federal judges overturning decades or centuries of legal precedent to please their benefactors and facilitate their receipt of favors and cool vacations, a compliant legacy media straining for relevance in an information environment driven by micro-dopamine hits, a comprehensive attack on the social safety net, the destruction of NATO, a laissez-faire posture in the face of Russian and Chinese expansionism, and essentially a subversion of the entire post-war, rules-based international order.
If it wasn't so tragic, it would be fun to watch these ghouls consume each other, to watch each of them advocate for positions based solely on their own self-interest, and to witness the inevitable serious internal conflicts that arise. We can only hope that these conflicts will minimize the ability of the Trump administration to upset the status quo too much. One thing I am pretty sure of is that the Democrats will not figure out how to be an effective opposition party any time soon, so MAGA self-destruction is our only hope.
Iran-Contra wasn't probably illegal, JVL...it *was* illegal. Love the Boland Amendment or hate it, it was the law at that time, and the Reagan Administration was violating that law.
This is a bit after the fact JVL, but worth noting that Israel was Iran's largest military arms supporter during the Iran-Iraq War (hence the US using Israel as a cutout during Iran-Contra), so it wasn't just the NorKs that Tehran had on their side:
"Because no battle is ever won he said. They are not even fought. The field only reveals to man his own folly and despair, and victory is an illusion of philosophers and fools..."
"MAGA vs. MAGA......" This really isn't new. For over a year, the Colorado Republican Party has been in such a civil war with even mild MAGAs making it onto the real radicals' "RINO Wall of Shame." The Rs did flip the one competitive US House race and got three marginal seats back in the State House. But the Rs still trail badly in seat numbers in both Houses of the Legislature.
"...Musk, who started paying attention to politics five minutes ago and has decided that he should be god-emperor of the solar system." God-emperor of the solar system: best description of Musk, among the many you offered up. This one made me laugh out loud. Thx from windy and fire scorched SoCal. I needed that.
I keep thinking that Trump's...uh...trump card is that if Elon gets too out of line he can just start canceling/neutering his government contracts while holding the guillotine of a treason charge over Musk's head.
I agree with...Bannon? 2025 is too weird so far.
Iran-Contra was Ronald Reagan's moment of treason. He should have been so tried. He knowingly sold weapons to Iran, which was officially designated at the time as an American enemy. Reagan was the 1980s Benedict Arnold. Except Reagan lied about it. This was just one of Regan's reprehensible acts as President. It's amazing he got away with being a traitor. Because he told good jokes?? He should have been condemned, not lionized. But, America loves its rueful rogues. Did forgiving Reagan's treachery lead to a First Felon?
The enemy of my enemy is my friend. American foreign policy since the French helped us win that war against the British. But always play both sides if you can. That is also the American way.,
"Vaguely psychosexual desires" Love that phrase! Can you expand on it?
In the fight between Bannon and Musk, I'm rooting for the fight. The more time they spend on their infighting, the better off the country will be.
Trump's first term will look serene and coherent compared to version two. As there will be no third term, I think, the pigs at the trough will be fighting for every bit of slop they can get. There will be an aging, imbecilic, easily swayed leader with no interest in policy, an administration of liars, cheats, and grifters each out for riches and relevance, a bevy of oligarchs and corporate leaders currying favor in order to maximize share prices, federal judges overturning decades or centuries of legal precedent to please their benefactors and facilitate their receipt of favors and cool vacations, a compliant legacy media straining for relevance in an information environment driven by micro-dopamine hits, a comprehensive attack on the social safety net, the destruction of NATO, a laissez-faire posture in the face of Russian and Chinese expansionism, and essentially a subversion of the entire post-war, rules-based international order.
If it wasn't so tragic, it would be fun to watch these ghouls consume each other, to watch each of them advocate for positions based solely on their own self-interest, and to witness the inevitable serious internal conflicts that arise. We can only hope that these conflicts will minimize the ability of the Trump administration to upset the status quo too much. One thing I am pretty sure of is that the Democrats will not figure out how to be an effective opposition party any time soon, so MAGA self-destruction is our only hope.
I hate that I agree with everything you've said. Nice job wrapping it all up, though.
Iran-Contra wasn't probably illegal, JVL...it *was* illegal. Love the Boland Amendment or hate it, it was the law at that time, and the Reagan Administration was violating that law.
This is a bit after the fact JVL, but worth noting that Israel was Iran's largest military arms supporter during the Iran-Iraq War (hence the US using Israel as a cutout during Iran-Contra), so it wasn't just the NorKs that Tehran had on their side:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israeli_support_for_Iran_during_the_Iran%E2%80%93Iraq_war#:~:text=Israeli%20arms%20sales%20to%20Iran%20totaled%20an%20estimated%20%24500%20million,parts%2C%20artillery%2C%20and%20ammunition.
Great article JVL. It may be time for "the enemy of my enemy ........"
Practically, I don't like any of them! It's just too bad that we , lately, have to rationalize between bad and worse! They are both bad, period!
"Because no battle is ever won he said. They are not even fought. The field only reveals to man his own folly and despair, and victory is an illusion of philosophers and fools..."
--William Faulkner, The Sound and the Fury
Fools for sure, but why philosophers?
"MAGA vs. MAGA......" This really isn't new. For over a year, the Colorado Republican Party has been in such a civil war with even mild MAGAs making it onto the real radicals' "RINO Wall of Shame." The Rs did flip the one competitive US House race and got three marginal seats back in the State House. But the Rs still trail badly in seat numbers in both Houses of the Legislature.
Stalin over Hitler. Eventually the Soviet Union came to an end.
Four words I never thought I’d say, I agree with Bannon
"...Musk, who started paying attention to politics five minutes ago and has decided that he should be god-emperor of the solar system." God-emperor of the solar system: best description of Musk, among the many you offered up. This one made me laugh out loud. Thx from windy and fire scorched SoCal. I needed that.