Bullseye on Turner. Another frightening piece of evidence of Republican subservience. Loved David Frum's summary: "knew too much, too patriotic, had to go."
The language of purge is interesting, as every great authoritarian movement begins with a purge of internally suspect people. Germany, Russia, China, and Iraq all went that route.
The open question is whether Trump is as cutthroat as those authoritarians were, and will order the summary executions that he's long called for and calls the mark of a true leader. There is no question Miller, Hegseth, and Bondi will rush to comply, and no question SCOTUS' ruling has emboldened him to act quickly and with force.
Conservatives dismantled every electoral and legal guardrail, allegedly in the quest to overturn Roe. Now they have handed absolute power to Trump, who is not shy about doing harm to those who he feels slight him.
Bondi has the veneer of competence and professionalism that give better cover for her Trumpy pursuits whereas Gaetz would have a bright spotlight on him based on his inexperience, character and past antics.
If I was a Senator, I doubt that I would have many, if any questions for these people. My opening would be along the line of, you appear to be absolutely unqualfied for this position. Convince me that you are qualified.
Then I sit in wait for them to provide me with the opportunity to make them look stupid, or just a flat-out tool, which I am pretty sure they will give me.
Perhaps the most poignant summary I’ve seen recently was encapsulated in Malinowski’s thoughts on the situation in Gaza. “Biden believed in our values but not in our power; whereas Trump believes in our power, but not in our values.” I think that applies more broadly - far beyond Gaza. Those actively trying to dismantle our democracy already have the measure of Trump. I’ve been watching the sorry spectacle of the confirmation hearings. In proving their fealty to the felon-in-chief, his enablers who are certain to be confirmed by a spineless majority show the same disturbing lack of moral compass. How long will it take our allies to realize that in a purely transactional world we (the U.S.) are not the good guys? Representatives of some countries have already made the pilgrimage to Trump’s throne to perform the kowtow. We’ll see how far that gets them.
That quote jumped right out at me, too. It sums up the difference between the two men and tfg has now surrounded himself with lackeys who will aid and abet him.
Barr, Bolton, Haley, Turner, et al, loyal republicans all. Yet they didn't publicly exhibit the fealty that is required to remain in Trumps good graces. Yes, It Has Begun. And there will be blood.
When I read something like this article from the London Review of Books (from December) I’m embarrassed for our country, and that hurts! I am trying hard to look for the positive in the incoming administration, but there is nothing positive. All the worst fears and coming true.
Trump is deliberately choosing people who will eviscerate our institutions so that nothing will compete with his personal power - or he's too stupid to understand the qualities of competent leaders.
Nothing new to see here. Trump has gone down hill since day one of his first term. He actually hired some capable, but conservative, people to start, but quickly ran them off. He will now get worse; our best hope is that he and his billionaire accomplices are motivated to not tear it all up so they can continue robbing the rest of us.
The only real question for our democracy is if Trump can get total control of the media. We have seen the owners accommodating Trump since before the election. Will honest reporters and columnists be able to hold out? When Trump inevitably creates conditions that lead to bad, dangerous, and catastrophic outcomes, will anyone but the most diligent news junky know what really occurred? That will decide if our democracy continues.
I don't CARE if they EAT members of the party that has covered for the Felon ad nauseam. They did't stand up when it was essential to do so and now they will reap what they have sown. Try to lay a hand on one Democrat and it will be a different story.
MAGA apologists are all on board with Trump putting personal fealty above all else, because they've written a mythology in which sinister "corrupt" forces have sabotaged and persecuted him just because they're opposed to "putting America first."
Most of those apologists are smart enough to understand that he is an aggressively selfish person with no regard for ethical boundaries and scant respect for legal restraints on his action. But as long as he's serving their ideological agenda, they'll keep packaging his sociopathy as a special kind of heroic patriotism.
Thank you, Jim Swift, for that heartfelt summation of Biden's farewell speech and his presidency.
Why this man is leaving with such a bad approval rating is beyond me. I'm stupefied by the fact that millions of people forgot what we went through in the Pandemic. Forgot that so many people lost their income, faced all kinds of shortages (toilet paper anyone?), businesses closed, hospitals overwhelmed by all the sickness and death, family members dying without their loved ones near to comfort them. How do you forget that? What makes people think that everything can be made normal by a flip of a switch?
The only thing I can think of is the American people are so bored by competent leadership. I'm old, so I've seen the economy decline and deficits grow under republican leadership and stabilized under Democratic leadership. Too many times, and no one pays a price but the American people. You'd think we'd learn by now.
Well, we're in for 4 years of non-stop circus, and very little bread.
If they are anything like me, many folks may blame Biden for not setting a stronger table in the battle against the former (and unfortunately future) guy. Biden did not step down after one term as he led us to believe he would, opening the way for a public referendum on the future of the Democratic Party. He did not conduct strong messaging straight to the people throughout his term via press interviews, addresses etc. He hugged BiBi and did not inch off that position even the slightest despite inhumane atrocities against the women, men and children of Gaza. Domestically, he conducted the nation’s business in the quaint gentlemanly way of yesteryear, even though every single thing had changed.
Yes, he did some phenomenal work for the people. But to what end result? We will see how much of that work survives the next four (plus?) years.
I have to agree with what you say. But I don't think that trump supporters were paying attention to that - many left liberals were.
I mean if you can, in your own mind, make the Pandemic, the scandals, the Insurrection, taking classified docs and storing them where every somebody could see disappear like poof, then I really think maga voters aren't paying attention to foreign diplomacy. Just an opinion.
The Turner defenestration is blood-curdling. How does this country rebound from this culture of fear? It feels like a death spiral to me.
I thought Biden's farewell address was very powerful and memorable, especially his use of the word Oligarch and the adjective Crumbling when he described the press. How pertinent when the staff of WaPO summoned Bezos to a meeting to discuss the paper's transparency and management decisions. I wonder if more staff will quit or if Bozo will just fire them all.
Pam Barbie, I mean Bondi, is what the people of the United States deserve at this stage of the game. My popcorn is ready and I am ready for the shitshow to begin.
Bullseye on Turner. Another frightening piece of evidence of Republican subservience. Loved David Frum's summary: "knew too much, too patriotic, had to go."
The language of purge is interesting, as every great authoritarian movement begins with a purge of internally suspect people. Germany, Russia, China, and Iraq all went that route.
The open question is whether Trump is as cutthroat as those authoritarians were, and will order the summary executions that he's long called for and calls the mark of a true leader. There is no question Miller, Hegseth, and Bondi will rush to comply, and no question SCOTUS' ruling has emboldened him to act quickly and with force.
Conservatives dismantled every electoral and legal guardrail, allegedly in the quest to overturn Roe. Now they have handed absolute power to Trump, who is not shy about doing harm to those who he feels slight him.
I'm not sure Bondi is any better than Gaetz. 🤔
Bondi has the veneer of competence and professionalism that give better cover for her Trumpy pursuits whereas Gaetz would have a bright spotlight on him based on his inexperience, character and past antics.
Smart blond women should be pissed at her being AG.
Hakeem Jeffries definitely needs to make sure congressman Turner knows he would be welcome to join the democratic caucus as an independent.
WRT these hearings:
If I was a Senator, I doubt that I would have many, if any questions for these people. My opening would be along the line of, you appear to be absolutely unqualfied for this position. Convince me that you are qualified.
Then I sit in wait for them to provide me with the opportunity to make them look stupid, or just a flat-out tool, which I am pretty sure they will give me.
Perhaps the most poignant summary I’ve seen recently was encapsulated in Malinowski’s thoughts on the situation in Gaza. “Biden believed in our values but not in our power; whereas Trump believes in our power, but not in our values.” I think that applies more broadly - far beyond Gaza. Those actively trying to dismantle our democracy already have the measure of Trump. I’ve been watching the sorry spectacle of the confirmation hearings. In proving their fealty to the felon-in-chief, his enablers who are certain to be confirmed by a spineless majority show the same disturbing lack of moral compass. How long will it take our allies to realize that in a purely transactional world we (the U.S.) are not the good guys? Representatives of some countries have already made the pilgrimage to Trump’s throne to perform the kowtow. We’ll see how far that gets them.
That quote jumped right out at me, too. It sums up the difference between the two men and tfg has now surrounded himself with lackeys who will aid and abet him.
Barr, Bolton, Haley, Turner, et al, loyal republicans all. Yet they didn't publicly exhibit the fealty that is required to remain in Trumps good graces. Yes, It Has Begun. And there will be blood.
Trump doesn't demand loyalty, he demands fealty.
When I read something like this article from the London Review of Books (from December) I’m embarrassed for our country, and that hurts! I am trying hard to look for the positive in the incoming administration, but there is nothing positive. All the worst fears and coming true.
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v46/n24/eliot-weinberger/incoming?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20241216early&utm_content=20241216early+CID_eda93657ff8be73eb2a4031a671a7533&utm_source=LRB%20email&utm_term=Read%20more
Trump is deliberately choosing people who will eviscerate our institutions so that nothing will compete with his personal power - or he's too stupid to understand the qualities of competent leaders.
Or both.
Query: Did all those Germans really live Adolph? Or had they just given in?
Nothing new to see here. Trump has gone down hill since day one of his first term. He actually hired some capable, but conservative, people to start, but quickly ran them off. He will now get worse; our best hope is that he and his billionaire accomplices are motivated to not tear it all up so they can continue robbing the rest of us.
The only real question for our democracy is if Trump can get total control of the media. We have seen the owners accommodating Trump since before the election. Will honest reporters and columnists be able to hold out? When Trump inevitably creates conditions that lead to bad, dangerous, and catastrophic outcomes, will anyone but the most diligent news junky know what really occurred? That will decide if our democracy continues.
Four more years! Of chaos, blatant lies, despair. America the Free will be pummeled under, and the Trump fortune replenished exponentially.
I don't CARE if they EAT members of the party that has covered for the Felon ad nauseam. They did't stand up when it was essential to do so and now they will reap what they have sown. Try to lay a hand on one Democrat and it will be a different story.
MAGA apologists are all on board with Trump putting personal fealty above all else, because they've written a mythology in which sinister "corrupt" forces have sabotaged and persecuted him just because they're opposed to "putting America first."
Most of those apologists are smart enough to understand that he is an aggressively selfish person with no regard for ethical boundaries and scant respect for legal restraints on his action. But as long as he's serving their ideological agenda, they'll keep packaging his sociopathy as a special kind of heroic patriotism.
Thank you, Jim Swift, for that heartfelt summation of Biden's farewell speech and his presidency.
Why this man is leaving with such a bad approval rating is beyond me. I'm stupefied by the fact that millions of people forgot what we went through in the Pandemic. Forgot that so many people lost their income, faced all kinds of shortages (toilet paper anyone?), businesses closed, hospitals overwhelmed by all the sickness and death, family members dying without their loved ones near to comfort them. How do you forget that? What makes people think that everything can be made normal by a flip of a switch?
The only thing I can think of is the American people are so bored by competent leadership. I'm old, so I've seen the economy decline and deficits grow under republican leadership and stabilized under Democratic leadership. Too many times, and no one pays a price but the American people. You'd think we'd learn by now.
Well, we're in for 4 years of non-stop circus, and very little bread.
.
If they are anything like me, many folks may blame Biden for not setting a stronger table in the battle against the former (and unfortunately future) guy. Biden did not step down after one term as he led us to believe he would, opening the way for a public referendum on the future of the Democratic Party. He did not conduct strong messaging straight to the people throughout his term via press interviews, addresses etc. He hugged BiBi and did not inch off that position even the slightest despite inhumane atrocities against the women, men and children of Gaza. Domestically, he conducted the nation’s business in the quaint gentlemanly way of yesteryear, even though every single thing had changed.
Yes, he did some phenomenal work for the people. But to what end result? We will see how much of that work survives the next four (plus?) years.
I have to agree with what you say. But I don't think that trump supporters were paying attention to that - many left liberals were.
I mean if you can, in your own mind, make the Pandemic, the scandals, the Insurrection, taking classified docs and storing them where every somebody could see disappear like poof, then I really think maga voters aren't paying attention to foreign diplomacy. Just an opinion.
The Turner defenestration is blood-curdling. How does this country rebound from this culture of fear? It feels like a death spiral to me.
I thought Biden's farewell address was very powerful and memorable, especially his use of the word Oligarch and the adjective Crumbling when he described the press. How pertinent when the staff of WaPO summoned Bezos to a meeting to discuss the paper's transparency and management decisions. I wonder if more staff will quit or if Bozo will just fire them all.
Pam Barbie, I mean Bondi, is what the people of the United States deserve at this stage of the game. My popcorn is ready and I am ready for the shitshow to begin.
Pam Barbie. Good one, Jane! Pam's righteous indignation at being questioned by Democrats was something to behold.