Trump Thread

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

Yes, but he is still just a symptom. The next one won't be as dumb as him.
Tell me how you feel on the odds of the US politics remaining:
* Democratic
* Inclusive
* Liberal

I think the US has only been these things a few times: During Reconstruction Post-Civil War and when the Democrats generally controlled the Government pre-Reagan.

Since Reagan the Congress has been increasingly Partisan whilst the Presidency has been increasingly captured via a cult of personality. Clinton and Obama both appealed to essentially the same hopeful and yourhful demographic using "Star Power" whilst Bush Jnr and Trump both appealed to an electorate frustrated by inequality and frightened of outside influence.

[Montmorency]

I think the US has only been these things a few times: During Reconstruction Post-Civil War and when the Democrats generally controlled the Government pre-Reagan.

Since Reagan the Congress has been increasingly Partisan whilst the Presidency has been increasingly captured via a cult of personality. Clinton and Obama both appealed to essentially the same hopeful and yourhful demographic using "Star Power" whilst Bush Jnr and Trump both appealed to an electorate frustrated by inequality and frightened of outside influence.

Bush Jr.'s appeal being on the basis of an electorate "frustrated by inequality and frightened of outside influence" sounds anachronistic. What makes you say this?

Speaking of Bush and anachronism, for Seamus: McCain ran against Bush in the GOP primaries in 2000. Bush's attacks on McCain were not much less intense and scurrilous than Trump's. What was the media's coverage of this at the time? Cuz there certainly was little evidence of institutional memory in scandalized coverage of Trump's whining and sniping. I guess McCain dropped the issue for the sake of internal politics and the team, so everyone stopped caring (assuming they ever cared)?

(Most notoriously the smear against McCain that he fathered a mulatto bastard, lol)


Also, Trump admin trying to kill ACA again, rejecting the Take Care ("that the laws shall be faithfully executed") clause of the Constitution.

[Strike For The South]

I mean wasn't Bush Jr. appeal "I'm going to cut taxes and expand medicaid" i.e. "compassionate conservatism".

The attacks seemingly get more bizzare each cycle. From inventing the internet, swiftboat, all the slander about, Obama, emails.

[Greyblades]

Do I get to say "I told you so" yet?

[Montmorency]

Someone talk about purges

Funny is, Hitler purged the SA because leadership was unscrupulous and bad for PR among German public and elites. Trump on other hand cares least about PR, and always just wants to skip to the point where formal government institutions are replaced by personal fiat. Fortunately, it is further evidence that he is too stupid and inept to properly consolidate power to himself. (Miller is just a Himmler cosplayer.) Unfortunately, it is the new slippery normal. As always, things will only grow worse, and the worst outcome is the likeliest outcome.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Someone talk about purges

Funny is, Hitler purged the SA because leadership was unscrupulous and bad for PR among German public and elites. Trump on other hand cares least about PR, and always just wants to skip to the point where formal government institutions are replaced by personal fiat. Fortunately, it is further evidence that he is too stupid and inept to properly consolidate power to himself. (Miller is just a Himmler cosplayer.) Unfortunately, it is the new slippery normal. As always, things will only grow worse, and the worst outcome is the likeliest outcome.

Not really a "night of the long knives" thing, Monty. No murders, no show-trials, etc.

OTOH, it really does make this administration look like some kind of train wreck. We are more than two years into this administration and Trump still cannot find a full executive team who will continue to work with him and enable/work for his policy goals (in part because too many of his policy goals are out and out troll-like). There is a lesson in that. Most of the administrations in the developing world are currently more stable than ours. Sad.

[Strike For The South]

So I guess they have dropped the pretense of any sort of policy and goal. The administration has doubled down on lashing out to keep the base good and riled.

The proposal to "release" illegal immigrants into sanctuary cities is truly bizarre. I suppose, like everything else that comes out of the white house, it is a wink and a nod to Trump supporters rather than something coherent. These people would show up in these cities, pay more in taxes than they get in services, and commit less crimes than the natives. Generally speaking, sanctuary cities are sanctuary cities because of the high number of people living in them. Many of these places were probably destinations in the first place. Granted, if this comes to fruition, I hardly think the administration will ask them where they want to go.

The much more serious matter is the threats against Rep. Omar. The president juxtaposing her comments with the terror attacks is pretty much textbook incitement. I don't think it is a stretch to say it me be the most brazen thing he has ever done. The "milder" comments by Crenshaw are in a way, worse.

Omars comments are clearly a critique of the Islamophobia that has come out of 9/11. It is a critique of painting all of Islam with the same brush. You can not watch the (real) video and come away with any other conclusion. So Crenshaw is doing the same thing as Trump just in a more pernicious way. Unless of course he doesn't understand the video. If thats the case, he may have bigger problems.

Haberman pointed out that Trump and co. are centering Omar like they have with AOC. This attempt to paint them as leaders of the Ds is an effort to rile the base in the worst way possible. Desperation? Bigotry? Stupidity? Probably a combination of all thee.