 |
| DAYLEE PICTURE: Stormy Daniels edifying exhibition. From the New York Times. |
Sunday, March 11, 2018
TODAY'S BIG NUGGET: The Trump Presidency: "Worse Than I Had Imagined..."
It’s Worse Than We Thought (Josh Marshall) from Talking Points Memo
"While I’ve been following the Trump era for going on three years and long been a pessimist about the depth of his corruption – both venal and otherwise – the last two weeks has made me think the situation is significantly worse than I’d imagined. Let me refer very briefly to two points."
"While I’ve been following the Trump era for going on three years and long been a pessimist about the depth of his corruption – both venal and otherwise – the last two weeks has made me think the situation is significantly worse than I’d imagined. Let me refer very briefly to two points."
Trump, Now Liberated to Act on His Impulses... ?!
“Trump is Going for a Clean Reset": Fuming in the West Wing (Gabriel Sherman) from Vanity Fair
"Donald Trump was telling friends he was tired of being reined in. “I’m doing great, but I’m getting all these bad headlines,” Trump told a friend recently. A Republican in frequent contact with the White House told me Trump is “frustrated by all these people telling him what to do.” With the departures of Hope Hicks and Gary Cohn, the Trump presidency is entering a new phase—one in which Trump is feeling liberated to act on his impulses."
AH! So what we have seen so far has been the buttoned down, under-control Trump!!
"Donald Trump was telling friends he was tired of being reined in. “I’m doing great, but I’m getting all these bad headlines,” Trump told a friend recently. A Republican in frequent contact with the White House told me Trump is “frustrated by all these people telling him what to do.” With the departures of Hope Hicks and Gary Cohn, the Trump presidency is entering a new phase—one in which Trump is feeling liberated to act on his impulses."
AH! So what we have seen so far has been the buttoned down, under-control Trump!!
America: A Hapless Cartoon Character on the World TV Screen
Trump is Wile E. Coyote (David Ignatius) from the Washington Post
" When it comes to global diplomacy, America under President Trump has become something of a hapless cartoon villain, detonating bombs on itself and running into walls — while our nimbler adversaries dart away in a blur of dust. ... His strategy, if you can call it that, has been to disrupt America’s traditional economic and security relationships and commitments. He must imagine that this gives him new leverage, but mostly the result has been a series of self-inflicted wounds."
" When it comes to global diplomacy, America under President Trump has become something of a hapless cartoon villain, detonating bombs on itself and running into walls — while our nimbler adversaries dart away in a blur of dust. ... His strategy, if you can call it that, has been to disrupt America’s traditional economic and security relationships and commitments. He must imagine that this gives him new leverage, but mostly the result has been a series of self-inflicted wounds."
Time for Kushner's Close Up -- and It Isn't Pretty!
The corruption of Kushner (Ryan Cooper) from The Week
"Obviously, the Kushner situation is galactically worse than Trump simply hiring a relatively dim relative. Indeed, Kushner (who recently lost his Top Secret security clearance) is also up to his armpits in extremely shady business deals that reek of corruption. In a healthy democracy, law enforcement would already be closing in. ... Let's just run through just a few publicly known facts and see if we can't connect the dots."
"Obviously, the Kushner situation is galactically worse than Trump simply hiring a relatively dim relative. Indeed, Kushner (who recently lost his Top Secret security clearance) is also up to his armpits in extremely shady business deals that reek of corruption. In a healthy democracy, law enforcement would already be closing in. ... Let's just run through just a few publicly known facts and see if we can't connect the dots."
For Christians, After Trump, What Could They Ever Be "Public Witnesses" To?
The Last Temptation (Michael Gerson) from the Atlantic
"Loyalty to Trump has involved progressively more difficult, self-abasing demands. And there appears to be no limit to what some evangelical leaders will endure. ... The moral convictions of many evangelical leaders have become a function of their partisan identification. This is not mere gullibility; it is utter corruption. Blinded by political tribalism and hatred for their political opponents, these leaders can’t see how they are undermining the causes to which they once dedicated their lives. Little remains of a distinctly Christian public witness."
"Loyalty to Trump has involved progressively more difficult, self-abasing demands. And there appears to be no limit to what some evangelical leaders will endure. ... The moral convictions of many evangelical leaders have become a function of their partisan identification. This is not mere gullibility; it is utter corruption. Blinded by political tribalism and hatred for their political opponents, these leaders can’t see how they are undermining the causes to which they once dedicated their lives. Little remains of a distinctly Christian public witness."
Prince and Obstruction of Justice?
Erik Prince Might Want To Shift Investments To Private Prison Industry from Talking Points Memo
"Prince appears caught conducting clandestine business, which may not be criminal in itself (you can meet people in the Seychelles) but may or may not be part of a broader criminal conspiracy. But here he may be caught not only in a lie but a highly material lie and perhaps one that is so clear-cut and designed to impede a lawful investigation that he can be prosecuted for it."
Prince has been one of the more prominent war profiteering shit heels for many years. This couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!
"Prince appears caught conducting clandestine business, which may not be criminal in itself (you can meet people in the Seychelles) but may or may not be part of a broader criminal conspiracy. But here he may be caught not only in a lie but a highly material lie and perhaps one that is so clear-cut and designed to impede a lawful investigation that he can be prosecuted for it."
Prince has been one of the more prominent war profiteering shit heels for many years. This couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!
More Dangers in the Daniels Discolsures
One Night with Stormy Daniels, the Hero America Needs from Rolling Stone Magazine
""Penguins have terrible breath," she says. "How do you know penguins have terrible breath?" I ask. "They smell like they've been eating bad vagina. I got to pet one at a zoo – if you ever go to the zoo, the penguin habitat is the stinkiest one. It smells like a really bad porn set." ... this meeting began with one such message, promoting a "Make America Horny Again" tour date at a club on Long Island. The release was riddled with typos..."
Wow! Jennifer Flowers and Monica Lewinski look like really classy dames (like for real) compared to this one. The Donald sure can choose them!
On a more serious note, I think there is A LOT of danger to Trump in this Daniels business. I think it is inevitable that all the lurid details and photos (and accessories?) will come out. But the danger comes from (at least two fronts)-- fronts that go beyond what most reporters are talking about right now: first, that ALL of the women who have signed NDAs with Trump will go back and find that he didn't sign their agreements either -- and thus they would be free to speak. It is my sense that some of those cases go way beyond consensual affairs but deal with sexual harassment, rape, and worse. Second, if this stand alone sex case metastasizes into dozens involving much darker behaviors, at what point will this scandal cross the Russia probe -- where we ultimately confirm the worst allegations from the Steele Dossier with actual videos involving a range of characters and situations? It seems to me that law abiding people sign an NDA. More nefarious folks simply blackmail. I suspect Trump has had to deal with both types many times.
If you want to get a sense of the salacious aspects of his affair with Daniels, see THIS.
""Penguins have terrible breath," she says. "How do you know penguins have terrible breath?" I ask. "They smell like they've been eating bad vagina. I got to pet one at a zoo – if you ever go to the zoo, the penguin habitat is the stinkiest one. It smells like a really bad porn set." ... this meeting began with one such message, promoting a "Make America Horny Again" tour date at a club on Long Island. The release was riddled with typos..."
Wow! Jennifer Flowers and Monica Lewinski look like really classy dames (like for real) compared to this one. The Donald sure can choose them!
On a more serious note, I think there is A LOT of danger to Trump in this Daniels business. I think it is inevitable that all the lurid details and photos (and accessories?) will come out. But the danger comes from (at least two fronts)-- fronts that go beyond what most reporters are talking about right now: first, that ALL of the women who have signed NDAs with Trump will go back and find that he didn't sign their agreements either -- and thus they would be free to speak. It is my sense that some of those cases go way beyond consensual affairs but deal with sexual harassment, rape, and worse. Second, if this stand alone sex case metastasizes into dozens involving much darker behaviors, at what point will this scandal cross the Russia probe -- where we ultimately confirm the worst allegations from the Steele Dossier with actual videos involving a range of characters and situations? It seems to me that law abiding people sign an NDA. More nefarious folks simply blackmail. I suspect Trump has had to deal with both types many times.
If you want to get a sense of the salacious aspects of his affair with Daniels, see THIS.
When You Have No Shame, Scandals Don't Matter
The President and the Porn Star: A Story’s Slow Rise Above the Din (Matthew Flagenheimer) from the New York Times
"Here is a leader who crowds out scandal with more scandal, who tends to insist that the buck stops elsewhere, who boasted of sexual assault on tape and got to the White House anyway. It is not quite that nothing sticks to Mr. Trump; it is that so much sticks that nothing stays visible for very long. ... The moment touches several crosscurrents of the Trump age: an administration defined largely by its chaos; the #MeToo movement; and a news media still grappling, nearly three years after Mr. Trump declared his candidacy, with how to cover his excess of excesses. “Scandals run on shame. Trump is completely exempt from any shame,” Mr. Murphy said. “So instead of talking about the crime, we just score-keep.”"
"Here is a leader who crowds out scandal with more scandal, who tends to insist that the buck stops elsewhere, who boasted of sexual assault on tape and got to the White House anyway. It is not quite that nothing sticks to Mr. Trump; it is that so much sticks that nothing stays visible for very long. ... The moment touches several crosscurrents of the Trump age: an administration defined largely by its chaos; the #MeToo movement; and a news media still grappling, nearly three years after Mr. Trump declared his candidacy, with how to cover his excess of excesses. “Scandals run on shame. Trump is completely exempt from any shame,” Mr. Murphy said. “So instead of talking about the crime, we just score-keep.”"
No Staff -- No Problem
Devastating graphic featured by MSNBC’s Katy Tur destroys the White House spin on its staffing crisis from Raw Story
“President Trump does not treat his staff well, he publicly embarrasses them and undermines them,” noted former White House press secretary Josh Earnest. “So if you know you’re going to get criticized or undermined by your boss before you even get there, and once you get there you’re not likely to have influence on the process, then why would you even go?”
“President Trump does not treat his staff well, he publicly embarrasses them and undermines them,” noted former White House press secretary Josh Earnest. “So if you know you’re going to get criticized or undermined by your boss before you even get there, and once you get there you’re not likely to have influence on the process, then why would you even go?”
A Fully Automated McDonalds on the Horizon
Meet Flippy, the world's first burger-flipping robot from The Week
"Artificial intelligence is poised to enter yet another aspect of your life: fast food. After years of preparation, a burger-flipping robot named Flippy made its debut on Monday at the Pasadena, California, location of the restaurant chain CaliBurger."
"Artificial intelligence is poised to enter yet another aspect of your life: fast food. After years of preparation, a burger-flipping robot named Flippy made its debut on Monday at the Pasadena, California, location of the restaurant chain CaliBurger."
Sunday, March 4, 2018
TODAY'S BIG NUGGET: Trump Gradually Losing His Marbles
The great unraveling: Trump's allies are really worried about him (Gloria Borger) from CNN
"Not since Richard Nixon started talking to the portraits on the walls of the West Wing has a president seemed so alone against the world. One source -- who is a presidential ally -- is worried, really worried. The source says this past week is "different," that advisers are scared the President is spiraling, lashing out, just out of control."
"Not since Richard Nixon started talking to the portraits on the walls of the West Wing has a president seemed so alone against the world. One source -- who is a presidential ally -- is worried, really worried. The source says this past week is "different," that advisers are scared the President is spiraling, lashing out, just out of control."
The Emerging Landscape of Partisan Demographics
New Survey Shows Young People Are Staying Liberal and Conservatives Are Dying Off (Jonathan Chait) from New York Magazine
"... the fact remains that America is politically sorted by generations in a way it never has before. The oldest voters are the most conservative, white, and Republican, and the youngest voters the most liberal, racially diverse, and Democratic. There is absolutely no sign the dynamic is abating during the Trump years. If anything, it is accelerating."
"... the fact remains that America is politically sorted by generations in a way it never has before. The oldest voters are the most conservative, white, and Republican, and the youngest voters the most liberal, racially diverse, and Democratic. There is absolutely no sign the dynamic is abating during the Trump years. If anything, it is accelerating."
Chain Reactions for the Common Good
The Force of Decency Awakens (Paul Krugman) from the New York Times
"Political scientists have a term and a theory for what we’re seeing on #MeToo, guns and perhaps more: “regime change cascades.” Here’s how it works: When people see the status quo as immovable, they tend to be passive even if they are themselves dissatisfied. Indeed, they may be unwilling to reveal their discontent, or to fully admit it to themselves. But once they see others visibly taking a stand, they both gain more confidence in their dissent and become more willing to act on it — and by their actions they may induce the same response in others, causing a kind of chain reaction."
"Political scientists have a term and a theory for what we’re seeing on #MeToo, guns and perhaps more: “regime change cascades.” Here’s how it works: When people see the status quo as immovable, they tend to be passive even if they are themselves dissatisfied. Indeed, they may be unwilling to reveal their discontent, or to fully admit it to themselves. But once they see others visibly taking a stand, they both gain more confidence in their dissent and become more willing to act on it — and by their actions they may induce the same response in others, causing a kind of chain reaction."
Mueller ... Going Deep
Robert Mueller Has Trump and Family in His Crosshairs (Jonathan Chait) from New York Magazine
"One safe conclusion is that the investigation is probably not near done. Another is that Trump and his family are not safe. ... The big picture is that, after Trump burned enough creditors that American banks stopped dealing with him, he became deeply reliant on Russian capital. The Russian economy is deeply connected to Vladimir Putin, and uses its leverage to advance political goals."
"One safe conclusion is that the investigation is probably not near done. Another is that Trump and his family are not safe. ... The big picture is that, after Trump burned enough creditors that American banks stopped dealing with him, he became deeply reliant on Russian capital. The Russian economy is deeply connected to Vladimir Putin, and uses its leverage to advance political goals."
Trump's People Following the Watergate Play Book
Robert Mueller Doesn’t Need a Smoking Gun (Elizabeth Drew) from the New Republic
"The latest indictments suggest a pattern of behavior on the part of Trump and his associates—the kind of pattern that brought down Richard Nixon."
"The latest indictments suggest a pattern of behavior on the part of Trump and his associates—the kind of pattern that brought down Richard Nixon."
Russia Scandal: Biggest Political Scandal ... Ever
Collusion or not, Russia probe is worst political scandal in decades (Chuck Todd) from NBC News
"Whether or not Mueller ever finds a smoking gun that Trump and his campaign colluded with Russia, this is already the biggest political scandal in decades. And we are just more than a year into Trump’s presidency and nine months into Mueller’s probe. “Clearly the worst presidential scandal since at least Iran-Contra, but probably since Watergate,” said political scientist Jonathan Bernstein."
When it's all over, Watergate will look like the equivalent of Travelgate from the Clinton years! Biggest political scandal in US history! That's what we are looking at with Trump."
"Whether or not Mueller ever finds a smoking gun that Trump and his campaign colluded with Russia, this is already the biggest political scandal in decades. And we are just more than a year into Trump’s presidency and nine months into Mueller’s probe. “Clearly the worst presidential scandal since at least Iran-Contra, but probably since Watergate,” said political scientist Jonathan Bernstein."
When it's all over, Watergate will look like the equivalent of Travelgate from the Clinton years! Biggest political scandal in US history! That's what we are looking at with Trump."
Trump's Road Has No Rails
Trump Thought the Rules Didn’t Apply—and Now He’s Paying the Price (David Graham) from the Atlantic
"The Trump administration decided early on that many guidelines were either antiquated or punitive, and is belatedly discovering that they were there for its own protection."
"The Trump administration decided early on that many guidelines were either antiquated or punitive, and is belatedly discovering that they were there for its own protection."
Trump's Partisan Corruption Fairness Doctrine
Trump urges national unity, investigation of 'the other side' amid Russia probe from Politico
"Saying there were "no phone calls, no meetings, no collusion," President Donald Trump on Saturday pushed for an investigation of "the other side" amid the FBI probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election ..."
Left unattended, Trump always reveals what he really thinks. He thinks Sessions and the Justice Department needs to be investigating the Dems out of some warped version of partisan "fairness". In his world view, since he is under so much investigation, the DOJ should be investigating the Dems FOR SOMETHING! On his own, he couldn't come up with any real reason to -- but it should happen. Obama, Hilary, the party, whatever. Trump's view: invent something! -- Nuggetsman
"Saying there were "no phone calls, no meetings, no collusion," President Donald Trump on Saturday pushed for an investigation of "the other side" amid the FBI probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election ..."
Left unattended, Trump always reveals what he really thinks. He thinks Sessions and the Justice Department needs to be investigating the Dems out of some warped version of partisan "fairness". In his world view, since he is under so much investigation, the DOJ should be investigating the Dems FOR SOMETHING! On his own, he couldn't come up with any real reason to -- but it should happen. Obama, Hilary, the party, whatever. Trump's view: invent something! -- Nuggetsman
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)