Nothing Trump says shocks me anymore. Or even mildly surprises me. It's obvious he's scared out of his wits by the legal train coming straight at him. But what a pathetic display from republican electeds. They could barely bring themselves to rebuke him for breaking bread with Neo-Nazis and anti-semites, and now stand silent as the grave as he calls for terminating the U.S. Constitution. And why? Because their freakish base is fine with both.
On the HunterGhazi front, can we get three cheers for Tim Miller's absolutely hilarious and devastating knife through the heart? 👏👏
One point I keep coming back to on the laptop story is one that gets overlooked in dishing about its contents: that laptop was stolen. The computer store owner claims he tried to get in touch with Hunter Biden but never heard back, so he assumed it was abandoned. As a born and bred Delawarean, I'm calling BS on that story. I know exactly where Mac Isaac's shop in Trolley Square was located. AND how close it is to the Biden's residence just a few miles away. If Mac Issac was a legitimate businessman, it would have been no problem for him to pick up the phone, call the Biden residence, and tell them he had Hunter's laptop and could somebody come pick it up please. But is that what he did? NO!
Republicans have been trying to make Hunter Biden into a Big Giant Scandal!!!! ever since. Nobody should fall for it. Hunter Biden is a private citizen. He not running for office, never has. He never worked in the former VP's office nor the current President's office, not even unofficially. The contents of his computer are nobody's damned business.
One final note: Hunter Biden is currently under federal investigation by the US Attorney's office in Delaware [a Trump appointee Joe Biden left in place, BTW]. If AUSA decides to bring charges, Hunter Biden should face the music just like anyone else. In the meantime, the contents of his personal computer are no one's business, and it should chill every last one of us that unscrupulous people could target a private citizen in this way.
Trust me, I know the answer to this question, but in his desperate attempt to maintain the spotlight, has Trump thought about what he has left for almost two years of escalation after he calls for the abandonment of the Constitution?
I'm not going to bet against him finding another level, 'cause as we all know, there is no bottom, but really, what's left? Is he next going to call on China to invade to re-establish him? Ask Putin to threaten nuclear war if we don't re-instate him? Openly call for government officials to be assassinated?
As concerns various Republicans, I think the question should be, "Which parts of the Constitution do you support suspending to install Trump into the Presidency?"
Trump (Tony Soprano) calling for the suspension of the Constitution to help heal his broken ego is like the scene in the Sopranos where Carmela (The GOP) goes to the old school psychiatrist (Liz Cheney, Adam K., Charlie) who dismisses all of her rationalizations about living with a Mafia don and tells her that no matter what happens from here if she decides to stay with him, "You can't say you weren't told."
Love the illustration today. Kudos to the art department.
I would be surprised if DeSantis says anything. He is busy keeping his head down until (he/his advisors) determine the moment is right.. also gauging the response of the base.
At most (at this time) there will be some sort of mild statement that is a non-statement.
DeSantis is praying like mad that the Trump implosion continues, opening his path to 2024 without him having to openly take on Trump. I still don't know if he is actually going to run or not. I am not sure that he knows yet.
My favorite quote of the day: "Someone should tell Trump the constitution is not like a spouse.You can't end it simply because it doesn't suit your purpose" DY
Much of the silence from R's on Trump is twofold - one they hope he will just go away if they ignore him and two, by not speaking up they hope the Trump base won't turn against them. They are as despicable as Trump.
Of course Ron will not make any denunciations of Don’s Constitutional faux pas; he hopes to be the destination of any voters for whom suspending the Constitution and Dinner With Adolph are just a bit much. “JesusMaryandJosephandtheweedonkey, Trump put it in writing” is probably what Mitch McConnell muttered to himself as he slumped into his chair upon reading Trump’s proclamation. He likely won’t say anything about it, either, for the same reason. If Fox”News” and right-wing media don’t mention it, either the base won’t find out, or we’ll find out just how strong that Trumpian charisma really is (But the Democrats!).
Trump seems well and truly to be losing it. The current batch of Republicans are like the family whose grandmother thought she was a chicken; they would’ve had her cured, but they needed the eggs.
Outrage can be tough to sustain over a period of years. I've discovered this as Trump repeatedly veered into the outrageous, and eventually my response to it just becomes less irate. My hope is that Trump's furious, misled base will soon punch itself out and exhaust itself from its own anger. Eventually people are going to start tuning out. Not all of them, but Trump is in a spot where he feels the need to say increasingly crazy things to stay relevant, or do crazy things like break bread with Nazis, and yet those crazy things are just going to exhaust more and more people.
Write to (hound) your R representatives to take a stand. My letter to editor draft to my local papers is below. (Also sent it directly to her office this morning for comment. Her staff must be regretting giving me their e-mail addresses.)
DRAFT LETTER TO EDITOR:
On Dec 3, ex-President Trump publicly called for the “termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, and even those found in the Constitution” to either declare him the winner of the 2020 election or to “have a new election”.
While nonsensical, it’s also an explicit call for a second attempt at a coup. It comes a few weeks after he made implied threats of mob violence should he be for indicted for federal crimes. For any elected official – including our Representative Spartz and Senators Young and Braun - sworn to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic”, any response to these statements short of explicit, full-throated condemnation is to abdicate that oath, and to continue to enable the seditious influence of the ex-President on the GOP and the nation.
The reluctance of elected Republicans to condemn him even after Jan 6, 2021, is largely based on the continued support and loyalty he has had from constituents in Republican districts and states. These elected representatives are understandably reluctant to speak out against him, and to the contrary have incentives to continue to show their support and/or to speak out against those who oppose him and would hold him accountable.
I call on all my fellow citizens of good faith to set aside partisanship and to implore our IN representatives to publicly condemn and reject Trump as the leader of the Republican party and as a candidate for President in 2024, and to support the lawful investigations into his actions.
I call on Rep Spartz and Senators Young and Braun to show leadership and courage, and to put country over party, in forthrightly explaining to the people of IN why Trump must be rejected and held accountable based on his abhorrent, seditious behavior.
We have many problems to address together as a nation. We are doomed if we must concurrently deal with the malign influence of a party leader and candidate for President who seeks to terminate the Constitution and the rule of law. It’s nuts that this even has to be said.
Did I mention the recent private dinner with vocal Hitler fan anti-Semites at his residence in FL?
Come on, Indiana Republicans, it’s time to do the right thing. It’s never been more obvious.
After reading Aftergut's article, I agree that TFG's weekend posts strongly bolster the prosecution's case. One thing I wonder, though, is whether trying to bring his steady stream of effluvia into the case will slow it down substantially; or is there a point after which his ravings don't matter much for the case?
I want as solid a case as possible against him, but in all honesty, at this point I'm just tired of reading about his childish tirades and the GQP's lack of spine regarding them.
With the truth social tweet or whatever one calls it, the truly discouraging part is all the likes and retweets it got. That's Trump's America. Those people are paying attention. Are they going to storm the prison that our pet Oath Keeper will live in? Will Trump lead them to that moat?
Between the retweeters and the MAGA, the truly remarkable bit is the elected republican members of Congress who quail before this pathetic toad. I will be most anxious to see just how big the margin of victory will be in Georgia after the remaining rational adults had had their say in the voting booth, It needs to be large.
He will definitely denounce Trump's anti-constitutionalism. 100% guaranteed. Just as soon as he sees the upside of that for him outweighing the downside. So, the question should actually be when, if ever, does *that* happen?
A brief shout out to Sarah and the good folks at RA-PAC...Any billboards near 310 First Street SE over there in DC that could accommodate a nice screen shot of the Donald's take on the Constitution? Perhaps in a spot where those employed at that address would have to see it every day as they come and go? Maybe get a deal on a long-term lease? Just askin'.
Nothing Trump says shocks me anymore. Or even mildly surprises me. It's obvious he's scared out of his wits by the legal train coming straight at him. But what a pathetic display from republican electeds. They could barely bring themselves to rebuke him for breaking bread with Neo-Nazis and anti-semites, and now stand silent as the grave as he calls for terminating the U.S. Constitution. And why? Because their freakish base is fine with both.
On the HunterGhazi front, can we get three cheers for Tim Miller's absolutely hilarious and devastating knife through the heart? 👏👏
One point I keep coming back to on the laptop story is one that gets overlooked in dishing about its contents: that laptop was stolen. The computer store owner claims he tried to get in touch with Hunter Biden but never heard back, so he assumed it was abandoned. As a born and bred Delawarean, I'm calling BS on that story. I know exactly where Mac Isaac's shop in Trolley Square was located. AND how close it is to the Biden's residence just a few miles away. If Mac Issac was a legitimate businessman, it would have been no problem for him to pick up the phone, call the Biden residence, and tell them he had Hunter's laptop and could somebody come pick it up please. But is that what he did? NO!
Republicans have been trying to make Hunter Biden into a Big Giant Scandal!!!! ever since. Nobody should fall for it. Hunter Biden is a private citizen. He not running for office, never has. He never worked in the former VP's office nor the current President's office, not even unofficially. The contents of his computer are nobody's damned business.
One final note: Hunter Biden is currently under federal investigation by the US Attorney's office in Delaware [a Trump appointee Joe Biden left in place, BTW]. If AUSA decides to bring charges, Hunter Biden should face the music just like anyone else. In the meantime, the contents of his personal computer are no one's business, and it should chill every last one of us that unscrupulous people could target a private citizen in this way.
Trust me, I know the answer to this question, but in his desperate attempt to maintain the spotlight, has Trump thought about what he has left for almost two years of escalation after he calls for the abandonment of the Constitution?
I'm not going to bet against him finding another level, 'cause as we all know, there is no bottom, but really, what's left? Is he next going to call on China to invade to re-establish him? Ask Putin to threaten nuclear war if we don't re-instate him? Openly call for government officials to be assassinated?
As concerns various Republicans, I think the question should be, "Which parts of the Constitution do you support suspending to install Trump into the Presidency?"
Trump (Tony Soprano) calling for the suspension of the Constitution to help heal his broken ego is like the scene in the Sopranos where Carmela (The GOP) goes to the old school psychiatrist (Liz Cheney, Adam K., Charlie) who dismisses all of her rationalizations about living with a Mafia don and tells her that no matter what happens from here if she decides to stay with him, "You can't say you weren't told."
Love the illustration today. Kudos to the art department.
I would be surprised if DeSantis says anything. He is busy keeping his head down until (he/his advisors) determine the moment is right.. also gauging the response of the base.
At most (at this time) there will be some sort of mild statement that is a non-statement.
DeSantis is praying like mad that the Trump implosion continues, opening his path to 2024 without him having to openly take on Trump. I still don't know if he is actually going to run or not. I am not sure that he knows yet.
It must still be early. I read weed donkey at first. Pretty familiar with the story, but thought maybe I’d missed a fourth wiseman or something.
On Earth 2.0 I assume Elise Stefanik has withdrawn her endorsement of Trump 2024.
My favorite quote of the day: "Someone should tell Trump the constitution is not like a spouse.You can't end it simply because it doesn't suit your purpose" DY
Much of the silence from R's on Trump is twofold - one they hope he will just go away if they ignore him and two, by not speaking up they hope the Trump base won't turn against them. They are as despicable as Trump.
Of course Ron will not make any denunciations of Don’s Constitutional faux pas; he hopes to be the destination of any voters for whom suspending the Constitution and Dinner With Adolph are just a bit much. “JesusMaryandJosephandtheweedonkey, Trump put it in writing” is probably what Mitch McConnell muttered to himself as he slumped into his chair upon reading Trump’s proclamation. He likely won’t say anything about it, either, for the same reason. If Fox”News” and right-wing media don’t mention it, either the base won’t find out, or we’ll find out just how strong that Trumpian charisma really is (But the Democrats!).
Trump seems well and truly to be losing it. The current batch of Republicans are like the family whose grandmother thought she was a chicken; they would’ve had her cured, but they needed the eggs.
Outrage can be tough to sustain over a period of years. I've discovered this as Trump repeatedly veered into the outrageous, and eventually my response to it just becomes less irate. My hope is that Trump's furious, misled base will soon punch itself out and exhaust itself from its own anger. Eventually people are going to start tuning out. Not all of them, but Trump is in a spot where he feels the need to say increasingly crazy things to stay relevant, or do crazy things like break bread with Nazis, and yet those crazy things are just going to exhaust more and more people.
Re: terminating the Constitution.
Write to (hound) your R representatives to take a stand. My letter to editor draft to my local papers is below. (Also sent it directly to her office this morning for comment. Her staff must be regretting giving me their e-mail addresses.)
DRAFT LETTER TO EDITOR:
On Dec 3, ex-President Trump publicly called for the “termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, and even those found in the Constitution” to either declare him the winner of the 2020 election or to “have a new election”.
While nonsensical, it’s also an explicit call for a second attempt at a coup. It comes a few weeks after he made implied threats of mob violence should he be for indicted for federal crimes. For any elected official – including our Representative Spartz and Senators Young and Braun - sworn to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic”, any response to these statements short of explicit, full-throated condemnation is to abdicate that oath, and to continue to enable the seditious influence of the ex-President on the GOP and the nation.
The reluctance of elected Republicans to condemn him even after Jan 6, 2021, is largely based on the continued support and loyalty he has had from constituents in Republican districts and states. These elected representatives are understandably reluctant to speak out against him, and to the contrary have incentives to continue to show their support and/or to speak out against those who oppose him and would hold him accountable.
I call on all my fellow citizens of good faith to set aside partisanship and to implore our IN representatives to publicly condemn and reject Trump as the leader of the Republican party and as a candidate for President in 2024, and to support the lawful investigations into his actions.
I call on Rep Spartz and Senators Young and Braun to show leadership and courage, and to put country over party, in forthrightly explaining to the people of IN why Trump must be rejected and held accountable based on his abhorrent, seditious behavior.
We have many problems to address together as a nation. We are doomed if we must concurrently deal with the malign influence of a party leader and candidate for President who seeks to terminate the Constitution and the rule of law. It’s nuts that this even has to be said.
Did I mention the recent private dinner with vocal Hitler fan anti-Semites at his residence in FL?
Come on, Indiana Republicans, it’s time to do the right thing. It’s never been more obvious.
Trump has always been a narcissistic bigoted moral degenerate.
Most of the Republicans who are silent don't have that excuse. They have sold their souls.
After reading Aftergut's article, I agree that TFG's weekend posts strongly bolster the prosecution's case. One thing I wonder, though, is whether trying to bring his steady stream of effluvia into the case will slow it down substantially; or is there a point after which his ravings don't matter much for the case?
I want as solid a case as possible against him, but in all honesty, at this point I'm just tired of reading about his childish tirades and the GQP's lack of spine regarding them.
With the truth social tweet or whatever one calls it, the truly discouraging part is all the likes and retweets it got. That's Trump's America. Those people are paying attention. Are they going to storm the prison that our pet Oath Keeper will live in? Will Trump lead them to that moat?
Between the retweeters and the MAGA, the truly remarkable bit is the elected republican members of Congress who quail before this pathetic toad. I will be most anxious to see just how big the margin of victory will be in Georgia after the remaining rational adults had had their say in the voting booth, It needs to be large.
RE: Exit question / DeSantis
He will definitely denounce Trump's anti-constitutionalism. 100% guaranteed. Just as soon as he sees the upside of that for him outweighing the downside. So, the question should actually be when, if ever, does *that* happen?
A brief shout out to Sarah and the good folks at RA-PAC...Any billboards near 310 First Street SE over there in DC that could accommodate a nice screen shot of the Donald's take on the Constitution? Perhaps in a spot where those employed at that address would have to see it every day as they come and go? Maybe get a deal on a long-term lease? Just askin'.
Constitution: I provide the laws and organization to manage this country for all citizens.
Trump/GOP: You ain't the boss of me.
Desantis will hold his tongue because...cowardice. The non-coward caucus of the Republican Party consists of Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger.