Musings —05.12.2017 10:13 AM
—Donald Trump is a liar, a criminal, and a danger to all of us
…everyone who is sane knows that. He is a draft dodger. He is a racist. He sexually assaults women and brags about it. He violated the Cuba embargo. He has long been linked to organized crime. He condones violence against those who disagree with him. He’s had multiple bankruptcies. His ex-wife says he raped her, and treats his current one like dirt. He attacks press freedom. He has used the undocumented workers he maligns. He lies about his wealth, which is why he doesn’t release his tax returns. He hires anti-Semites. He steals. He discriminates against blacks in housing. And so on and so on.
Most of all, he is a liar who was helped by Russia to cheat his way into power. He’s a traitor to the United States and its allies.
So why – why, why, why – does his vote stay with him? That’s the question everyone is asking: his core voters can’t be that clueless, can they?
The talk we attended this week, by Professor Justin Gest, generated a lot of response here, on Facebook, and elsewhere on the Warren-related Internets. Gest was asked the same question a couple times by bewildered Canadians.
In answering, Gest distinguished between two kinds of Trump voters: the Nationalists, who are white supremacists, more or less, and who will never abandon Trump because they subscribe to his racist conspiracy theories. Then, there’s what he calls the Exasperated, who aren’t lifelong Republicans, aren’t necessarily racist, and who are just simply weary of politicians lying – and won’t stay with Trump if he continues to lie.
Here’s a synopsis of Gest’s response, taken from the huge thing he did in Politico:
See? There’s opportunity, however slim. Not with Trump’s bigots: they’re always going to stick with him, and who wants to coddle them, anyway? But the so-called Exasperated? They want to feel they are being listened to, and that change is possible. They’re gettable vote.
My personal advice? Shut down Washington until you get an independent prosecutor, properly funded. Fill the the streets. Take the momentum of the Women’s March and the science demos, and demand an independent prosector, now.
The best way to show Trump is a liar, with evidence, is to empower someone to find the evidence. So do it, America.
Problem is his critics are as big a hypocrites as he is and lack credibility. Here’s a list of some who previously wanted Comey fired and are now complaining that it was done. Note the Democratic Party politicians on the list.
Hillary Clinton blamed her entire election loss on Comey.
Senator Chuck Schumer said he does “not have confidence in [FBI Director Comey] any longer.”
Congresswoman Maxine Waters said “the FBI director has no credibility.”
Senator Bernie Sanders said it “would not be a bad thing for the American people” if Comey stepped down.
Former President Barack Obama jabbed Comey, saying the FBI should “not operate innuendo… or leaks.”
Former Senator Harry Reid turned the tables and called for an investigation into the FBI Director himself.
Congressman Steve Cohen wrote that “for the sake of the FBI, Comey should resign.”
Congressman Hank Johnson said that his “confidence in the FBI director’s ability to lead this agency has been shaken.”
Commentator James Carville said Comey worked for the Republicans.
Senator Tim Kaine compared Comey to Hoover taping MLK.
Senator Barbara Boxer said Comey’s public decision to investigate Huma Abedins emails was a “betrayal.”
Commentator Keith Olbermann said Comey needs to “resign immediately.”
Civil Rights Activist Willie Lee Davis demanded Comey be fired, while also slammed Republicans for firing Comey in the same day.
The Washington Post’s Editorial Board said Comey was “not doing his job.”
Famous Political Pundit Rosie O’Donnell
Forget about Comey, then, honey. Forget about him.
What about Yates? What about Preet Bharara? What about the 46 OTHER PROSECTORS TRUMP FIRED?
They were all fired because they were getting too close to the truth about your criminal hero.
Publish your Trump talking points elsewhere. They’re not welcome here.
More a comment on the hypocrisy of politicians, pundits and those who preach for their own choir, but then twist themselves into pretzels to take the opposite view when it suits.
Bill Clinton fired twice as many prosecutors……in ONE day. The MSM went apeshit about that, too. Clinton also fired William Sessions, his FBI Director. Today no one gives a shit.
This will either eventually fizzle out or people will tune out the shrill screaming from the Never Trumpers or NMP groups.
People have been screaming about Trump’s political demise for the last two years. Trump won’t be going anywhere, least of all at the hands of people agrieved by him.
Aongasha,
Hopefully, you aren’t among those who think that this double-talk is only confined to Democrats?
think his second comment included politicians, pundits and preachers of all kinds and persuasions.
JH,
I was in the minority camp on Comey. Very strong Clinton supporter who felt that Comey was in a no-win situation if he did or didn’t. I supported his moves.
Hillary blew it when she listened to Mook and others and avoided the Rust Belt states. What was the point of racking up huge pluralities in New York and California? Quite obviously, her strategists missed the Electoral College lessons of Bush vs. Gore in 2000…
I’m getting so sick of watching the United Shitshow of America.
It’s on every channel and everywhere I “click”. It’s driving me fucking crazy. But it’s addictive and I find myself sitting on the edge of my seat day in and day out waiting for that asshole to get what’s coming to him.
I know these investigations take time but I have this awful feeling in my gut that the longer it goes on the more chance there is the fucker will get away with it.
He’s done by the midterms. My concern is he blows up the planet in the meantime.
Warren,
For someone who doesn’t know Putin, the FSB and GRU sure know Trump. Go figure. They will broaden out their next round, to cover the Democratic Senate and House leadership.
Exactly. Remember Saddam Hussein’s (literal) scorched-earth approach with the Kuwaiti oilfields, when he knew the jig was up? Trump isn’t any more rational than Saddam, except Trump has nukes.
I’m a little more optimistic. I agree that the midterms should see a huge boost in Dem numbers and then they should be able to start impeachment/emolument/COI hearings.
The way I see it is that this will be a good thing for the democratic system. Think of it this way, most people don’t all of a sudden think “gees, my driving habits are unsafe” just out of the blue. Generally, they experience an accident or close call. Only then do they realize the risks and how they took a lot for granted.
Same here. Hopefully, after this is all over, both the RNC and DNC will see the errors of their ways (demographic disenfranchisement, echo chamber, etc) and come out stronger and more willing to listen to people and less to political insiders and operatives.
WestGuy,
But successful impeachment conviction is a roll of the dice with the odds stacked against you. The Senate has never voted to convict. See Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton. They view that prospect as extremely dangerous for the country.
Nixon resigned before a trial could start in the Senate. In Clinton’s case, wasn’t it 10 Republicans who voted to acquit?
I guess it is all kind of obvious. Basically, democracy works if it is working for the people, lest they inflict the likes of Trump upon the world out of desperation and spite.
Any ideas about how progressives should rebuild these connections? My first thought is that in America the answer was sitting on the ballot in the primaries, but the Democrats didn’t understand what they were doing and went with an eminently qualified but too ‘status quo’ candidate at the wrong time. I thought Sanders would do well because of this exasperated segment of the populate, as both he and Trump appealed in a populist way because of it. Who knows, maybe Sanders would have done even worse.
Anyway, my thinking is that the progressive side needs to get ahead of socioeconomic calamities that will attend the forthcoming surge in automation and artificial intelligence. A repeat of the industrial revolution is not going to be nice without forward-looking politicians doing something in advance. The technological advances are going to be as unstoppable as globalization has tended to be, and if they devastate employment without some plan in place to protect people from poverty, there’s going to be a pissed off population. I think a basic income sort of thing is going to be necessary, and our sense of purpose is going to need a serious adjustment to help fill the void of unemployment, or mental health problems will abound.
I heard Trump’s first state visit overseas is to Saudi Arabia. Really smart visit the only country in the world where women cannot drive, where both apostacy and being gay are punishable by death. He seems to like dictators and not liberal democracies. Cozy with Putin, has praised Turkey’s Erdogan, praised Le Pen who thankfully lost badly, and has invited Duterte to the white house and praised his drug war. And sadly most of his party except a few like John McCain (agree or not with him on policy, I admire the fact he has stayed true to his views) are sucking up to him. Forget about the GOP not being the party of Eisenhower which they stopped being years ago, they are not even the party of Reagan anymore as Reagan believed in working with liberal democracies not cozying up to dictatorships and Reagan was pro free trade not a protectionist.
Miles,
I would put it this way: Trump lemmings meet cliff.
Wish it were true but the dems will fuck it up in 2018. They have the status quo in mind – Booker and Pelosi take as much money as the repugs from the same places – it will come back to haunt them
Donald Trump is awesome! Name one other president who has done so much so quickly.
Almost every one of his executive orders will need to be passed by both houses to be fully implemented. His health care act will not pass Senate muster, not even close in its current form. Only dictators try to get so much done so quickly because they think they can; he still has to deal with the legislative branch unless he tries an executive order to fire all of them.
Franklin Roosevelt. Also, most of the others.
Doing something is a lot different than doing something meaningful. A trained monkey could sign hundreds of executive orders for random matters – it doesn’t mean anything of value is actually being done.
Doc,
You need to read a recent poll.