But whatever. Trump’s just blathering about the “valve” Make it stop. Please.
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Trump is too stupid and narcissistic to even vaguely understand or care what this man is up to. But it’s where the real action is going to be taking place. If he gets away with it the federal government will be turned into the corrupt patronage system that the oligarchs have always dreamed of. I wrote this about Vought many months ago: Over the weekend, the Washington Post’s Beth Reinhard published an excellent article about one of Donald Trump’s most visionary advisers, an obscure figure named Russ Vought. He was a boring Republican bureaucrat who served as director of the Office of Management and Budget from July 2020 until Trump left office. He previously served as deputy director and acting director at OMB and prior to his stint in the White House worked at Heritage Action, the activist arm of the Heritage Foundation, where he was budget director for the Republican Study Group in Congress.
Al Sussman chats with Bill King about his days covering popular music, as well as some of the big names that are featured in the book “LARGE TIME: On the Southern Music Beat, 1976-1986” (available on Amazon). For those who … Continue reading
It couldn’t hurt Andy Borowitz: Inauguration Forecast Shows Temperature and IQ in the Twenties Here with the wind chill, it’s like 2 deg outside. And still I think I’ll attend our local MLK peace march and rally (if it’s still on) rather than throw shit at my TV. I need a stiff shot of not-crazy. I just need to remember to leave the TV on tuned to Animal Planet. He’ll lie about his inauguration’s ratings anyway, but what the hell. Make the “blackout” meme trend. It’s like chicken soup…. I know several couples of means who’ve already fled the country. But for the rest of us, Brian Klaas (okay, from England) offers suggestions for surviving the next four years now that tweets about “shooting shoplifters without a trial and executing America’s top general” barely register, and the Saudis can now bribe Trump without needing “to pretend to stay at a Trump hotel.” Klaas, with a Ph.D. earned in studying authoritarian regimes, knows whereof he speaks. He offers a few suggestions: Never Doomscroll: Smarter Engagement, Real “Self Care” Stay informed, but not constantly.
I hope the American Prospect won’t mind that I am reposting this entire piece by Rick Perlstein from a while back. It’s really important on a day like today. (Be sure to click over to read all the other great stuff on the site all of which are equally important as we face the coming apocalypse.) What will you do if men in uniforms arrive in your neighborhood, and an immigrant neighbor gets a knock on the door and is led away in handcuffs? Or if the uniforms are not police uniforms, and there is not even a knock? What if the knock is for your daughter, and they’re coming for her because of a pill that she took? Will you open the door? Or if your teenage granddaughter, alone and afraid, calls you and begs you to drive her to a state where abortion is legal? Your governor has signed a bill making such “abortion trafficking” illegal, stipulating a penalty of 15 years. What will you do if you’re called to serve on the jury hearing the grandmother’s case? She is guilty beyond a hint of a reasonable doubt; no way around that. Do you vote to convict her, or do you hold out against 11 of your peers?
Billionaire Elon Musk gave what appeared to be a fascist salute Monday while making a speech at the post-inauguration celebration for President Donald Trump at the Capital One Arena. “Some elections are important, some are not. But this one, this one really mattered and I just want to say thank you for making it happen,” Musk said before putting his hand on his chest and then raising it in a salute that appeared similar to the “Sieg Heil” used by Nazis at their victory rallies. “It is thanks to you that the future of civilization is assured,” Musk said. I’ve just heard one Democrat after the other go on television and say that they will reach out their hands to work with Trump to lower prices and crime and illegal immigration (I’m not kidding) but they will oppose him if he goes over the line. Will they reach out their hands like Musk does above?
Instead of following the news, I’ve been watching The Equalizer. I like when complex problems are wrapped up in under an hour! I loved Leverage more, less killing. Leverage PREPARED for what the bad guys would likely say and do, then busted them harder when they did. The reveal at the end showed our heroes knew their mark and used it against them. They often got the mark in trouble in ways the legal systems wouldn’t. Today my friend Cliff Schecter talked about Pam Bondi’s hearing and how Adam Schiff prepared for her hearing and busted her. Cliff points out she was a lobbyist for Qatar in 2019, ( you know, Qatar where it’s illegal to be gay.) There were paying her a fee of $115,000 a month. Listen to Cliff point out all the problems with Bondi here. The exchange reminded me of a joke I wrote during the 1st Impeachment hearing. Pam Bondi says “Do you expect me to tell the truth.?” Adam Schiff, “No Ms. Bondi, I expect you to lie!” I posted this and someone said, “Goldfinger, right?” Correct! Here is the scene.
At least we know what’s expected. And it’s interesting that it’s not just votes, we have to give money to Republicans as well. Good to know.
This is a gift to the opposition if only they are smart enough to accept it.
Here is a typical blurb from the MSM in the last few days that I think is worthwhile to unpack. It’s from Semafor’s newsletter: US President-elect Donald Trump will begin his second term with political momentum, but his sweeping promises may come back to haunt him. His November victory was “by any historical measure… a squeaker,” wrote Ezra Klein in The New York Times, “but the vibes have been a rout.” Silicon Valley embraced him and the Trumpian right won social media, allowing Trump a “cultural victory” larger than his political one. But he needs to be careful: He has promised an end to inflation and a rapid economic boom, despite policies that economists think will actually accelerate price rises and slow rather than aid growth. Polling already finds Americans skeptical that he can fulfil those promises. It’s true that in the vibes economy (I can’t believe I’m writing that) Trump has been pretty triumphant during the interregnum. And yet many seem to think that the minute people realize that the price of eggs isn’t going down they will turn on him.