Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

There are no moderate republicans – only extremists and cowards.

DeSantis transforming Florida into 1930s Germany with gators and theme parks.

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

A norm that restrains only one side really is not a norm – it is a trap.

Yeah, with this crowd one never knows.

… gradually, and then suddenly.

“Facilitate” is an active verb, not a weasel word.

I would try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

Wow, I can’t imagine what it was like to comment in morse code.

I don’t recall signing up for living in a dystopian sci-fi novel.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

If ‘weird’ was the finish line, they ran through the tape and kept running.

An almost top 10,000 blog!

Keep the Immigrants and deport the fascists!

Republicans got rid of McCarthy. Democrats chose not to save him.

The lights are all blinking red.

Hi god, it’s us. Thanks a heap, you’re having a great week and it’s only Thursday!

Humiliatingly small and eclipsed by the derision of millions.

People really shouldn’t expect the government to help after they watched the GOP drown it in a bathtub.

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

You are here: Home / Politics / Domestic Politics / Trump National Security Address In Philadelphia

Reader Interactions

109Comments

  1. 1.

    Gardenfli

    Adam, have you had a chance to watch Tim Kaine’s Nat’l Security address yesterday? The campaign build it up as a “major speech” but unfortunately, I’ve seen very little coverage of it. I haven’t had a chance to watch the entire thing yet, but it is on CSPAN in case you’re interested.

  2. 2.

    mapaghimagisk

    If he doesn’t self-immolate, he’ll be declared presidential.
    Luckily, it doesn’t seem like there’s too many takers for that line of bullshit.

    But I’ll cheer the smell of burning cheetos, nonetheless.

  3. 3.

    p.a.

    How many endorsements from retirees does tRump have, and what does that say about the upper echelons of the US military?

  4. 4.

    Miss Bianca

    somehow the words “Trump” and “national security” simply do not compute together. It’s one of those oxymorons, like “jumbo shrimp”.

  5. 5.

    mapaghimagisk

    @p.a.:

    1. How many are living?
    2. How many will validate they actually gave their endorsement?
    3. The rest, well, I got relatives in the military. Brains help, but like any other job, are clearly not mandatory.

  7. 7.

    Jeffro

    Whew good, I’ve been dying to hear Trump’s deep thoughts on national security. L to the OL

    In other news, the Kochs are retooling for perhaps their most foolhardy endeavor yet: to create a “…cultural shift of people being able to know what they want and how to talk to the people in their communities, so that in the future, when there are political leaders that want to demagogue free-market issues, they do hit resistance.”

    Yes, Kochs, that is exactly what happened…Trump’s GOP is mostly based on his demagoguing the free market…there’s nothing else to address before y’all can start winning national elections again.

    Ah well…all the additional Koch spending is at technically more stimulus for the economy…

  8. 8.

    PPCLI

    @p.a.: He has 88 (some clever Twitterer whose name I can’t remember observed that this was a very appropriate number.) Many are wackos, at least one was reprimanded by Bush for being too openly insane about Islam. As a benchmark, Romney had over 500.

  14. 14.

    PaulWartenberg2016

    We already know what Trump’s national security ideas are:
    1) Ban all Muslims
    2) Ban all Mexicans
    3) Ban all other immigrants that can’t work for him for next to nothing
    4) Bomb ISIS
    5) Have Pence do all the real work while he tweets GREAT THINGS

  18. 18.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Gardenfli: I saw clips. I thought the substance was good. I’m not sure it matters.

    The more I think about these things, I’ve reached the conclusion (and am trying to figure out not just how to write it up, but if I should as a post) that we’re watching four different things play out:
    1) The media campaign. By this I don’t mean the advertisements or even the televised rallies, speeches, and events – including the upcoming debates. What I mean is the campaign the media is running by framing the narratives and the candidates. The media has made a decision that Hillary Clinton is unacceptable and should not be president. I’m not sure they’ve decided that Donald Trump should be president, but they’ve clearly not realized that there is only a binary choice. If Hillary Clinton looses, Donald Trump wins. Despite what Tom L has written I think that this is a purposeful decision made by the NY Times. The NY Times made the decision that Hillary Clinton was sinister, corrupt, criminal, and must be opposed at all costs decades ago and has decided to stick with it. Other outlets follow their editorial and reporting lead. As for the TV news folks, I think their behavior and actions speaks for itself.
    2) The actual campaign on the ground has become a natural experiment. One campaign is running what is considered to be a campaign: GOTV, field offices, etc. The other isn’t. We will find out whether a campaign is actually a necessity, which has long been the thesis within political science and political sociology.
    3) My professional view (and I’m not an Americanist, nor a campaign/election specialist, but part of my PhD is in political science) is that the electorate has pretty much made up its mind. Those that support Hillary Clinton support Hillary Clinton, those that support Donald Trump support Donald Trump. There’s very little play left within the electorate and my impression is that the models used by Sam Wang and, to a certain extent, the 538 folks, are capturing this. The other polling isn’t designed to.
    4) If I was observing what I’m observing in this campaign in a foreign country, I would be writing analyses estimating significant increases in political violence – low intensity, localized/isolated, but increases nonetheless. I am frankly quite amazed that we have not seen more violence than we have so far.

  19. 19.

    PaulWartenberg2016

    Q: dear GOD why is this SOB polling EVEN to Hillary now?

    A: because the media hates Hillary and they want their f-cking horse race.

    Conclusion: we’re f-cked unless the Latino voter turnout jumps from the 49 percent of 2012 to 55 percent or higher this year. And women voter turnout remains adamantly opposed to Trump.

  20. 20.

    Adam L Silverman

    @p.a.: Most of those retirees are not the heavy hitters that endorsed Governor Romney in 2012 or Senator McCain in 2008. There are no service chiefs or geographic combatant commanders on those lists. I’m not sure there are many service component commanders, but I’m not going to look it up. And the majority of the endorsers are folks that didn’t make it past 2 stars – and they specifically didn’t differentiate the Rear Admirals into Upper Half (2 Stars) and Lower Half (1 Stars).

  21. 21.

    dmsilev

    I think I’d rather watch Apple explain to me that headphone jacks are obsolete and it’s time for all of us to get our iImplants.

  22. 22.

    Jeffro

    @Jeffro: btw folks there is so much unintentional comedy in the Koch article, you really have to read it…they present to their activists on topics like “The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels” and “The Left Is Highly Organized”. no, really…

    Most of the activists seem like they, um, well, they might only be around another election cycle, two at most, let’s put it that way. Great way to build a movement that lasts!

  23. 23.

    Adam L Silverman

    @srv: Those belong to the Union League. I’ve been there when I was assigned to USAWC for an event where I was part of the delegation representing the Commandant.

  24. 24.

    Adam L Silverman

    @mapaghimagisk: From what I’ve seen reported them a lot of them have been retired for a very long time. Apparently there are a lot of octogenarians on that list.

  28. 28.

    WereBear

    @Adam L Silverman: Apparently there are a lot of octogenarians on that list.

    We are making social progress faster all the time. I’m sad for people losing their older beloveds, but as the famous saying goes, “Science advances as scientists die off.”

  32. 32.

    JPL

    @PaulWartenberg2016: The Clinton campaign, and the Priorities USA pac are running ads in Spanish, to appeal to the community. I agree with you that Clinton needs a strong turnout, but the both sides that MSM spins, might suppress turnout.

  33. 33.

    Adam L Silverman

    Hey a discussion of the Army Force Generation/ARFORGEN cycle that he doesn’t understand. Of course I’m not sure Forces Command (FORSCOM) understands it either.

  34. 34.

    catclub

    @Adam L Silverman:

    The media has made a decision that Hillary Clinton is unacceptable and should not be president.

    Nope. Tell it to the Dallas Morning News. They endorsed Hillary. First Democrat they have endorsed in 75+ years.
    Not LBJ in 1964, not Truman. BFD.

  36. 36.

    germy

    I saw a headline in one of the major papers, marveling that he will appear at all three debates (!)

    Bar, meet low.

  38. 38.

    Betty Cracker

    @dmsilev: Me too. Hell, I’d rather hear a 45-minute Tasmanian devil shriek-a-thon than listen to one sentence from Orange Mussolini right now.

  39. 39.

    Adam L Silverman

    So the US Air Force isn’t mission capable because it has 87 fewer planes than someone at the Heritage Foundation thinks it should have? What exactly are those 87 planes going to do that the other 1,113 can’t?

  40. 40.

    Adam L Silverman

    @catclub: The Dallas Morning News is not a national news platform. It is not the paper of record. And it is not the network TV news.

  43. 43.

    germy

    NBC News: Trump’s List of Military Endorsements Seen by Some as Lacking Firepower by Jane C. Timm

    “There’s almost no name on that list that I recognized,” said retired four-star Gen. Barry McCaffrey, who added he was surprised in recognizing just a handful of names despite growing up with a father who was a three-star general, and despite spending decades in the service himself.

  44. 44.

    catclub

    @PaulWartenberg2016:

    A: because the media hates Hillary and they want their f-cking horse race.

    Kind of like picking up nickels in front of steamrollers – it seemed like a good idea at the time!

    I can imagine comedians ( with multiple passports) are thrilled at the idea of a Trump presidency.

  50. 50.

    Miss Bianca

    @LAO: Did you take note of this gem?

    “These men are cowboys, and given that the jury will be assessing their authenticity and credibility, they should be able to present themselves to the jury in that manner.”

    More like Christmas and April Fool’s Day rolled into one!

  52. 52.

    nonynony

    @germy:

    Katrina Pierson called the Dallas Morning News a liberal paper.

    R U Serious? The Dallas Morning News? They even start their editorial with this:

    This newspaper has not recommended a Democrat for the nation’s highest office since before World War II — if you’re counting, that’s more than 75 years and nearly 20 elections. The party’s over-reliance on government and regulation to remedy the country’s ills is at odds with our belief in private-sector ingenuity and innovation. Our values are more about individual liberty, free markets and a strong national defense.

    Yeesh. The bar for “liberal” has been set so low that this gets tagged as liberal.

    (They excoriated the New York Times in their endorsement to. Or at least that’s how I’m going to read their attacks on “political hyenas” who refuse to let the fact that she’s been cleared of doing anything wrong stop them in reporting on what she’s suspected of doing wrong).

  53. 53.

    catclub

    @Adam L Silverman:

    The NY Times made the decision that Hillary Clinton was sinister, corrupt, criminal, and must be opposed at all costs decades ago and has decided to stick with it.

    I am fully confident that if the editorial page has not endorsed Hillary yet. It will. Not Trump.

    For instance:

    Hillary Clinton for the
    Democratic Nomination

    Voters have the chance to choose one of
    the most broadly and deeply qualified
    presidential candidates in modern history.

    By THE EDITORIAL BOARD JAN. 30, 2016

  55. 55.

    hovercraft

    @p.a.:
    Yesterday when he was touting the 88, one of RMoney’s former advisors scoffed and said he had over 800, so it’s all relative. Also too, was the caliber of the endorsers, including the General who said that Iraq was a religious war, Boykin I think.

  57. 57.

    germy

    @nonynony: Katrina sort of says whatever she feels like saying without worrying if it makes sense. Like her boss. It’s reached a point where the hosts and other panelists laugh at her.
    More evidence that drumpf hires the “best” people.

  59. 59.

    MJS

    @Adam L Silverman: I don’t think you’ll see much violence because the Trump supporters who want to commit violent acts are deathly afraid of venturing into areas where they believe all Clinton supporters live, i.e., inner cities.

  60. 60.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @hovercraft: Boykin should have not been allowed to retire. He should have been discharged for the good of the service and stripped of his pension and all benefits. A total disgrace to the uniform he once wore.

  62. 62.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Cacti: Let me know when they get to the serious stuff:
    nydailynews.com/opinion/wayne-barrett-donald-trump-rudy-giuliani-peas-pod-article-1.2776357

    Rudy and Donald first got together in the late 1980s shortly before Donald became a co-chair of Giuliani’s first fundraiser for his 1989 mayoral campaign, sitting on the Waldorf dais and steering $41,000 to the campaign. A year earlier, Tony Lombardi, the federal agent closest to then-U.S. Attorney Giuliani, opened a probe of Trump’s role in the suspect sale of two Trump Tower apartments to Robert Hopkins, the mob-connected head of the city’s largest gambling ring.

    Trump attended the closing himself and Hopkins arrived with a briefcase loaded with up to $200,000 in cash, a deposit the soon-to-felon counted at the table. Despite Hopkins’ wholesale lack of verifiable income or assets, he got a loan from a Jersey bank that did business with Trump’s casino. A Trump limo delivered the cash to the bank.

    The government subsequently nailed Hopkins’ mortgage broker, Frank LaMagra, on an unrelated charge and he offered to give up Donald, claiming Trump “participated” in the money-laundering — and volunteering to wear a wire on him.

    Instead, Lombardi, who discussed the case with Giuliani personally (and with me for a 1993 Village Voice piece called “The Case of the Missing Case”), went straight to Donald for two hour-long interviews with him. Within weeks of the interviews, Donald announced he’d raise $2 million in a half hour if Rudy ran for mayor. Lamagra got no deal and was convicted, as was his mob associate, Louis (Louie HaHa) Attanasio, who was later also nailed for seven underworld murders. Hopkins was convicted of running his gambling operation partly out of the Trump Tower apartment, where he was arrested.

    Lombardi — who expected a top appointment in a Giuliani mayoralty, conducted several other probes directly tied to Giuliani political opponents, and testified later that “every day I came to work I went to Mr. Giuliani to seek out what duties I needed to perform” — closed the Trump investigation without even giving it a case number. That meant that New Jersey gaming authorities would never know it existed.

  66. 66.

    PPCLI

    @Cacti:

    Looks like the Florida AG’s purchase price to drop any Trump University trouble was $175,000. A $25,000 down payment from the Trump Foundation, then a $150,000 fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago after she scuttled the investigation.

    Something else in there I haven’t seen reported yet. (Maybe somewhere else is on it, and I haven’t seen.) I did read that Trump charged the Bondi campaign far less than what it charges itself. Not only does this give more evidence of what a scam Trump is running, but isn’t charging campaign X less than market value supposed to be *reported as a contribution to campaign X* of the difference between what is charged to campaign X and the market price. Did Trump report this as a contribution? I bet the answer is no.

  67. 67.

    nonynony

    @germy: Oh nononono – I trust you on this one! I don’t need to see it. Really. :)

    @hovercraft: I mean, the whole label of “liberal” gets devalued if anyone can be a hated liberal. I no longer feel like a unique target of right-wing spittle-flecked fury.

  68. 68.

    germy

    @hovercraft: She is quite a piece of work. I saw the clip the Daily Show unearthed of her reality show appearances where she was revealed to be a shoplifter.

    She had been criticizing other black women of being “lazy” and when they confronted her about her shoplifting, her excuse was that she was stealing clothes to get a job.

    She really believes she can talk her way out of anything.

  69. 69.

    themann1086

    Ugh, no wonder traffic in the suburbs was so terrible this morning: the orange ferret brain slug and its walking food source are in town

  71. 71.

    Adam L Silverman

    @PPCLI: Yes, he’s charging 140K or so for each of his events, but the Florida Republican Party or whoever was the official group for the Bondi fundraiser was only charged about $4,500.

  72. 72.

    nonynony

    @Peale: Combo of Sanders and Trump. They thought they could count on the right wing to protect them from the socialists, but this year Trump showed them that the right wing voters’ allegiance to Free Market ideology is only as deep as their hatred for people who aren’t like them. Those voters will vote for anyone who promises to load up all the people they hate into trains and ship them out of the country, no matter what the rest of their platform sounds like.

  73. 73.

    hovercraft

    @nonynony:
    Don’t worry we’re still special, we’re DFH, so we also get punched.
    @germy:
    I think she’s just dumb enough to think that what she’s saying makes sense.

  74. 74.

    Kenneth Kohl

    @Adam L Silverman: Adam, that pretty much describes where I am, particularly with your 3rd point. If I catch much of the Debates, it’ll be due to channel surfing. And, the political press can go f*ck itself; it offers absolutely no ‘value add’ to current political discussion on policies and the actual history of the candidates. Nice analysis, thanks.

  75. 75.

    nonynony

    @Adam L Silverman: So he’s either overcharging his campaign (and stealing money from his donors) or undercharging Bondi (and providing a campaign contribution that should be documented and restricted).

    I assume that for legal purposes he will insist that he’s overcharging himself. Since I don’t think that’s actually illegal rather than just being immoral, unethical and petty.

  76. 76.

    hovercraft

    @Adam L Silverman:
    To your point upstairs about the NY Times being the scum of the Earth:

    “Senate Democrats Block Zika Bill Over Planned Parenthood Provisions”:

    WASHINGTON — As Congress returned from a seven-week recess on Tuesday, Senate Democrats again stymied a $1.1 billion plan to fight the Zika virus, demanding that Republicans drop an effort to block Planned Parenthood from receiving money to combat the mosquito-borne disease.

    Democrats, who had essentially blocked the same legislation in late June, had enough votes Tuesday to prevent Congress from moving emergency funding public health experts say is desperately needed as they prepare for the possibility that Zika will spread to other states along the gulf coast. The vote was 52 to 46, and Republicans needed 60 votes to advance the bill.

  77. 77.

    Peale

    I wonder if we’ll have a second round of speeches on “Foreign Relations” and not simply “National Security”. National Security is about as far as Trump can evaluate anything. Its either a threat (and all threats are enormous threats) and the world is falling apart or its ignored. His whole immigration shtick is about the danger or crime and as long as there is crime, there’s no point in asking whether or not his thuggish approach isn’t perhaps a tad bit expensive for the threat. National security is ISIS ISIS ISIS and maybe “China” but otherwise dealings with foreigners is based on their level of respect for the US. There is not one single country (outside of Russia) where I could confidently state that will see improved relations with the US under trump since I don’t think he thinks the US gets anything out of foreign dealings with friendly leaders.

  78. 78.

    Adam L Silverman

    @nonynony: I honestly have no idea. I’m not a campaign funding/finance specialist. All I know is what I saw in the news’ report.

  79. 79.

    catclub

    This may also be relevant here:

    Nationalism and populism. And war.

    The terrible lesson of history

    Historically, resurgent nationalism has always led to war. I see no reason why this time should be different. We scared ourselves silly at the end of World War II: the memory of Hiroshima has kept the world in an uneasy peace (though with numerous local breaches) ever since. But as the memory fades, and old tribal loyalties reassert themselves, the world enters a new and dangerous phase.

    There is a fine line between nationalism and imperialism, and at some point, someone will cross that line. I don’t know who, or where, that will be. But when they do, there will be war.

    Happy thoughts!

  80. 80.

    Gelfling 545

    @PPCLI: As they are all retirees, I guessed that not a few might have retired to nursing homes, having since become non compos mentis.

  81. 81.

    Stan

    @nonynony: “I assume that for legal purposes he will insist that he’s overcharging himself. Since I don’t think that’s actually illegal rather than just being immoral, unethical and petty.”

    I don’t know about other states but here in New York it is illegal either way. Undercharging = disguised political contribution. Overcharging = using the campaign to illegally divert funds to personal use.

    Since this happened in the great state of Florida, who knows.

  86. 86.

    piratedan

    @hovercraft: yeah… no mention as to WHY the Dems blocked the bill… namely

    1) they didn’t want to cut PP funding, which was a big part of this bill
    2) didn’t want to allow the confederate flag to be flown at national cemeteries
    3) still wasn’t enough funding as requested

    funny how NONE of that made it into the article

  87. 87.

    Chris

    @Adam L Silverman:

    What I mean is the campaign the media is running by framing the narratives and the candidates. The media has made a decision that Hillary Clinton is unacceptable and should not be president. I’m not sure they’ve decided that Donald Trump should be president, but they’ve clearly not realized that there is only a binary choice. If Hillary Clinton looses, Donald Trump wins. Despite what Tom L has written I think that this is a purposeful decision made by the NY Times. The NY Times made the decision that Hillary Clinton was sinister, corrupt, criminal, and must be opposed at all costs decades ago and has decided to stick with it. Other outlets follow their editorial and reporting lead. As for the TV news folks, I think their behavior and actions speaks for itself.

    I think they’ve spent pretty much their entire career believing the notion that “both sides do it, but liberals are worse” (whether because they actually believe it or because all the conservative victories taught them to believe that’s what the country believes) and that the Clintons in particular are the lowest of the low.

    Trump was such a shock that hit them so quickly and so completely that this belief has been shaken, but ultimately, they can’t change who they are. They’ve been trying to fit Donald Trump into that worldview by going all-in behind the notion that, all right, Trump is bad, but Hillary Clinton is just as bad as him. They’re probably trying to convince themselves as much as they are the public.

  88. 88.

    Anoniminous

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Trump doesn’t have an “Official” paramilitary organization of former, war experienced, soldiers like the Sturmabteilung or Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale. Compared to historic fascist movements and the violence Hitler and Mussolini could and did command Trump asking random wankers to beat up the odd journalist or protester is rather pathetic.

  90. 90.

    Darrin Ziliak (formerly glocksman)

    That’s a nice shot of the podium.
    It’s probably the nicest thing on stage today :D

    I posted to facebook my simple rationale for backing Clinton.

    <a href=https://www.facebook.com/dziliak1967/posts/158091977968464

  91. 91.

    Darrin Ziliak (formerly glocksman)

    Bleh, couldn’t figure out how to post a link correctly in time.
    That’s what I get for assuming I can do it manually. :D

  92. 92.

    mike in dc

    America needs a larger military. Like the one we had in August of 1945. 12 million personnel, 95,000 aircraft, 99 aircraft carriers, 25 battleships, etc. We’ll pay for it by increasing visa fees or something.

  93. 93.

    Darrin Ziliak (formerly glocksman)

    @mike in dc:

    Well, we could roll the tax laws back to what they were in 1945.
    I’m sure the Reich-wing would back that because they’re all patriotic and stuff. :)

  95. 95.

    tobie

    My sister is my window into mainstream America–socially liberal but slavishly devoted to the idea that the free market knows best and that government is woefully inefficient–and she’s convinced that Bill and Hill play by their own rules, hold themselves above the law and repeatedly exercise bad judgment. She’s a lifelong Dem who will only grudgingly vote for Hill so it strikes me that CNN’s and the NYT’s character assassination has worked pretty well. Who owns CNN? Any idea of his/her political leanings? This is the network that strikes me as having undergone the most dramatic ideological swing in the past few years. Given their current line up of bozos, I actually miss Candy Crowley.

  97. 97.

    Jacel

    Is there any specific Heritage-authored paper that contains the numbers Trump is citing? Is there anything to back up why those higher numbers of weapons are needed, other than MORE GUNS GOOD?

    And is the relative modest upgrading of existing ships Trump was speaking of (one of the few actual details) something that the budget sequestering has pushed into the realm of deferred maintenance?

  99. 99.

    tobie

    @KithKanan: Thanks! I need to look into this more. Who’s responsible for programming decisions? Who decides the lineup? Who hires people like Jeffrey Lord and Corey Lewandowski? Who makes editorial decisions? Who advertises there? What demographic are they trying to reach? etc. Yes, Ted Turner’s departure has led to the organization’s astonishingly rapid decline. Looks like I’ve got some weekend homework to do.

  100. 100.

    Aleta

    I’d like to ask those who watch cable, and those who note who’s appearing on Fox:
    Are many or any of the former Bush Admin officials who support HRC appearing on the shows where her defense and security/intelligence records are attacked? From the Wa Po, here are some of the Rs who support her. Have they spoken out on the cable shows ?

    John Negroponte, director of national intelligence and deputy secretary of state under Bush, five-time ambassador and Reagan deputy national security adviser
    Richard Armitage, deputy secretary of state and adviser to Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush — Trump “doesn’t appear to be a Republican, he doesn’t appear to want to learn about issues. So I’m going to vote for Mrs. Clinton.”
    Brent Scowcroft, chairman of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board and adviser to three previous Republican presidents — “The presidency requires the judgment and knowledge to make tough calls under pressure. … [Clinton] has the wisdom and experience to lead our country at this critical time.”
    James Clad, deputy assistant secretary of defense — “There is no choice: In razor sharp contrast to her opponent, Secretary Clinton is ready, steady and prepared. With a proven preference for bipartisanship, she must win this election.”

  101. 101.

    Gravenstone

    @hovercraft:

    As Congress returned from a seven-week recess on Tuesday, Senate Democrats again stymied a $1.1 billion plan to fight the Zika virus, demanding that Republicans drop an effort to block Planned Parenthood from receiving money to combat the mosquito-borne disease.

    Is that just shitty editing (likely), or did the poison pill provision really just seek to block PP from getting money intended for Zika prevention?

  102. 102.

    Ruckus

    @Miss Bianca:
    Jumbo shrimp is not really an oxymoron. There really are shrimp that are jumbo compared to regular shrimp. There is no connection between Trump and “National Security”. None, zip, nada, nilch, etc, etc. Oxymoron.

  103. 103.

    Uncle Cosmo

    Serious questions here:

    1. Did Senate Democrats attempt to introduce an amendment to the GOP’s Zika bill that would have removed the “poison pill” provisions (PP defunding, Krackerhakenkreuz flyable in national cemeteries, have I missed anything?)

    2. If so, what happened to it? Was there a vote or was it just ruled “out of order”?

    3. If not, why the fuck not???

    Goddamnit, we have to call these bastards every time they try pulling a cockamamie maneuver like this!

  104. 104.

    Mnemosyne

    @Gravenstone:

    Planned Parenthood would need to be part of any Zika prevention plan because they provide contraception, prenatal care, and, yes, abortions. Cutting them out of the education effort would seriously undermine any anti-Zika efforts because so many low-income women (and men!) get their healthcare from PP.

  105. 105.

    CONGRATULATIONS!

    @Mnemosyne: you nailed it and I also just realized why Congress isn’t going to vote one dime for Zika: abortions. Because they’ll be needed as part of the plan for dealing with it. A lot of GOP voters will suddenly discover the value of abortion if they catch a case of Zika. Oh, they won’t vote in favor of abortions…but they’ll want access and denial won’t be acceptable.

  107. 107.

    gorram

    @Anoniminous: Arguably that’s one of the particulars of fascism that has to evolve into a different form this time around. Previously, in interwar Europe, while the threat of communism led to anti-state arguments (by fascists and non-fascists), there was generally a belief in the validity of the state as an institution that isn’t comparably held today in general and in the modern US in particular. That’s why, although he does reverse certain quasi-libertarian stances on free trade, Trump is state critical in ways that “classical” fascism wasn’t.

    Organized paramilitaries experience similar pressures. In the same way that interwar Europe was materially invested in (colonial, not to get into that part of it) state power, the modern US (and many other places) are materially invested in an availability and ubiquity of information technology that makes somewhat secretive paramilitary activity difficult to consistently harness.

    Hungary is a great case example of this, where the increasingly fascistic government has had to distance itself from a more classically fascist paramilitary (the Magyar Gárda) in favor of more detached relationships with technically unaffiliated militia organizations that sprang up from its ashes (namely the Civil Guard Association for a Better Future and the Hungarian National Defense Association). When it’s easier for your target to document the paramilitary violence and disseminate it because of technologies that didn’t exist in interwar Europe, you need a more buffered relationship between you and your paramilitary, for purposes of plausible deniability.

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