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You are here: Home / Politics / An Unexamined Scandal / Wonk shade

Wonk shade

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Dan Diamond brings together the wonderful health nerd traditional of #HealthPolicyValentines and topical commentary on the firing of the NSA for being compromised by the Russians.

I needed this laugh.

Open Thread

Reader Interactions

66Comments

  1. 1.

    rikyrah

    Obama’s ISIS Strategy Could Thwart Bannon’s ‘War on Islam’
    by Nancy LeTourneau
    February 14, 2017 2:48 PM

    Many of us have been concerned about how a Trump administration would respond to a terrorist attack in this country. Along with others in the administration, Steve Bannon seems particularly anxious to ignite a global war on Islam. An attack would provide just the fodder he is looking for.

    While something like that might still happen, this report indicates that it is much less likely that such an attack would be organized by ISIS.

    [ISIS], now confronting its own eventual fall, is devising a modified survival strategy that may involve surrendering control of its “caliphate” in Iraq and Syria but seeks to preserve a virtual version of it online…

    The plan reveals a level of desperation for a terrorist organization that has seen its territory shrink rapidly over the past year. But it also serves as the latest example of the group’s innovative approach to using the Internet and social media — first to draw recruits to the fight in Iraq and Syria and now to preserve the loyalties of its dispersed followers…

    Beyond losing territory under military pressure from the United States, Turkey, Russia, Syria and Iraq, the Islamic State has seen the flow of foreign fighters into its ranks plummet — from as many as 2,000 a month two years ago to as few as 50, according to recent assessments.

    The group began altering its propaganda themes last year to prepare followers for the collapse of the caliphate, depicting its mounting battlefield losses as ­noble and inevitable struggles, in contrast to the triumphant messages that had previously dominated its output.

  3. 3.

    efgoldman

    A fact that even Trump advisers can love: Unexpectedly losing your job qualifies you for coverage through the ACA

    The fact that he’s retired military means he’s got medical care for life anyway.

  4. 4.

    hovercraft

    @rikyrah:
    But that’s unpossible, everyone tells me that Obama failed to do anything about ISIL, he was weak an they grew stronger and stronger, and the only way to thwart them was to enforce the red line and invade Syria.
    That Obama guy seems to have understood the long game, I think history will look kindly on his tenure. That would have true even without his being succeeded by a poo flinging baboon.

  5. 5.

    sukabi

    @efgoldman: although, depending on the outcome of the military’s investigation of him, he could find his health coverage has been downgraded to what’s available for those residing at Leavenworth….

  6. 6.

    ? Martin

    NYT reporting that Flynn was interviewed by the FBI between the inauguration and the DOJ going to the WH. Sounds like Flynn lied to them. That’s jail time.

  11. 11.

    rikyrah

    Stephen Miller’s History of Bigotry
    by Martin Longman
    February 13, 2017 3:07 PM

    On the one hand, who cares what Joe Scarborough has to say? On the other hand, he was so alarmed and appalled by Trump aide Stephen Miller’s performance on the Sunday morning talk shows that he’s talking about impeachment.

    Scarborough said the White House is “embarrassing themselves by putting this guy up,” describing Miller’s “performance” as “horrendous” and “an embarrassment.” “That is the talk of a dictator, not somebody who is president of the United States,” Scarborough said. If Trump’s administration were to actually act based on Miller’s suggestions, “we could have impeachment proceedings within the next six months,” Scarborough warned.

    Meanwhile, Univision has tracked down some of Miller’s childhood friends, and the stories are a little unsettling. For example:

    Stephen Miller and Jason Islas grew up in sunny southern California in the late 1990s, united by their passion for Star Trek. But Miller stopped talking to his friend as they prepared to jump from Lincoln Middle School to Santa Monica High School.

    Miller only returned Islas’ phone calls at the end of the summer, to coldly explain the reason for his estrangement. “I can’t be your friend any more because you are Latino,” Islas remembers him saying.

    That’s cold. And it only got worse.

  12. 12.

    Miss Bianca

    @rikyrah: So this guy loved him some “Star Trek”, with its openly multiracial, mutlicultural (and multispecies!) cast o’characters, but couldn’t hang with his friend because friend was Latino?

    That’s not only cold…that’s cognitive dissonance on the molecular level.

  14. 14.

    PK

    What I don’t understand is what was the need to talk to the Russian Ambassador about lifting the sanctions? I mean they were going to come to power within two months. Talk then and lift the sanctions. I feel that I’d be a better traitor than this. In fact that’s what’s so scary. I’d be better at than anyone in Trump’s cabinet and I would be a far far better president than Trump. Heck even my teenage clueless son would be better.

  16. 16.

    Rasputin's Evil Twin

    Poor Putin, holding the most damaging “Kompromat” files ever compiled, at who knows what expense, and the Trump “administration” may implode before he can use it properly. Gotta feel a bit sorry for him.

  17. 17.

    Immanentize

    @PK: I don’t know if you are a troll or seriously asking, but acting on the second concept — the info. is that Flynn sent the message in the phone call(s) that Russia should not retaliate to the new sanctions for hacking the election by sending home US consulate officials, which is the normal Russian reaction. And after the call with Flynn, Russia weirdly did — nothing.

    So the call was to send the message to Russia that they should keep their powder dry because when Trump came in, everything would be golden. If the Russians had retaliated, that would have upped the pressure for more investigations into the Trump/Russia connection.

  18. 18.

    Gravenstone

    @rikyrah:

    I can’t be your friend any more because you are Latino

    Those words coming from a middle schooler is solely learned behavior. Kids that age aren’t typically stone bigots. The dude’s parents must have been wonderful influences.

  19. 19.

    Calouste

    @raven:

    Louis: Who’s that?

    Ordell Robbie: That’s Flynn.

    Louis: Who’s Flynn?

    Ordell Robbie: An employee I had to let go.

    Louis: What’d he do?

    Ordell Robbie: He put himself in a position where he was going to have to do ten years in prison, that’s what he did. And if you know Flynn, you know ain’t no god damn way he can do ten years. And if you know that, then you know Flynn’s gonna do anything Flynn can to keep from doing them ten years, including telling the federal government any and every motherfucking thing about my black ass. Now that my friend is a clear cut case of him or me. And you best believe it ain’t gonna be me.

  20. 20.

    Gravenstone

    @Immanentize: What is the benefit of accusing a questioner in good faith of being a fucking troll? As for the likelihood that Flynn’s call was meant to reassure the Russians that the sanctions wouldn’t persist, that should have taken all of 30 seconds.

    “Yeah, it’s Flynn. Yeah, I know Obama sucks and your guys will be inconvenienced with these bullshit sanctions. Don’t overreact, we’ll pull the sanctions first thing after inauguration. Sound good? Yeah, see ya. Give my best to your wife.”

  24. 24.

    Calouste

    @PK: Flynn was
    a) sacked for incompetence under Obama
    b) calling the Russian embassy on a standard telephone line, which anyone with even the most minimal knowledge of intelligence (Flynn’s supposed field of expertise) would have guessed that at least half of the 13 different US intel agencies would be listening in on

    Smart he ain’t.

  25. 25.

    Immanentize

    @Gravenstone: The question seemed so lacking in understanding that it was concerny in the extreme. Is that person “a questioner in good faith?” Is it your cousin or something? But I gave that fellow the benefit of the doubt and an honest answer. And I have no idea what the rest of your comment means….

  26. 26.

    ? Martin

    @PK: Frum actually gives a pretty straightforward rundown of it.

    We don’t know exactly their motivations – Russian intel on Clinton to win the election, leverage over Trump’s finances, white nationalist alignment, all of the above, but there’s enough potential motivations that it seems likely that at least one of them is correct, and all are suspicious.

    And I agree that if the contact was in the state interest, no real harm done. But given that it was about the sanctions that were just handed down, and he was apparently acting to undermine the efficacy of those sanctions, that’s a big problem. I also have to wonder a bit if those sanctions were used to set a trap for Flynn/Trump. If the Obama admin leaked incorrect information to Flynn and then intercepted that information on the Russian side, that would certainly be sufficient grounds to get a FISA warrant to tap Flynns calls.

  29. 29.

    Iowa Old Lady

    @Calouste: What I’d like to know is if he contacted the Russians before the election and offered them reduced sanctions if they continued to hack on Trump’s behalf. I know Obama imposed the extra sanctions after the election, but there still could have been some sort of quid pro quo proposed.

  30. 30.

    PK

    @Immanentize:

    I don’t know if you are a troll or seriously asking, but acting on the second concept — the info. is that Flynn sent the message in the phone call(s) that Russia should not retaliate to the new sanctions for hacking the election by sending home US consulate officials, which is the normal Russian reaction. And after the call with Flynn, Russia weirdly did — nothing.

    I actually had no idea that this was the reason. So much has happened since Trump has become president that I have trouble keeping up (assuming I knew this in the first place). It still seems like an incredibly risky move. But maybe they just assumed that nothing would happen even if they’re caught as we can see by the fact that congress is refusing to investigate despite mounting evidence.

  33. 33.

    Immanentize

    @Iowa Old Lady: I think sanctions were the least that Flynn was bargaining with. Acceptance of future acts is my guess — The other thing that happened right after these Russia/Trump people talks was the renewed offensive in Ukraine. Also, there is Lithuania and Estonia in Putin”s future plans…. That is why the lack of a recording of Trump’s talk with Putin is so egregious.

  34. 34.

    Ruviana

    @Gravenstone: Dunno where he got it since his parents seem to have been fairly typical upper middle class liberal Jews. Very typical of Santa Monica. RW media seemed to lead him astray.

  37. 37.

    Gelfling 545

    @Immanentize: I believe Putin would have already figured that out for himself, being a great deal better at this game than anyone on Trump’s team. Phone calls were unnecessary but generously gave Putin a slightly better grip on the Trump “administration”. Lucky for us Team Trump is so inept.

  39. 39.

    Gelfling 545

    @raven: I suppose it depends on how much stink the Republican Congress feel will stick to them. They may well sacrifice him if it becomes necessary. No honor among thieves.

  40. 40.

    West of the Rockies (been a while)

    So, one mo.eat. according to KAC, Flynn enjoys the complete confidence OF Trump. Hours later, Flynn “resigns”. More hours later, we hear that, no, Trump’s confidence in his NSA had been eroding for some time and Flynn was fired.

    Talk about the damn gang that couldn’t shoot straight.

  41. 41.

    PK

    @Gelfling 545:

    Lucky for us Team Trump is so inept.

    I went to a Christmas party after the election where of course the talk was all about Trump (thankfully zero Trump supporters). I met a Democratic official who’d worked for the Hillary campaign at the local level. He’s an elderly guy, been in the game a long time. He said that what will save us is that they’re “evil but completely stupid. they’re going to fight among themselves and go after other republicans”. At least the first part seems to be coming true. I’m hoping the second part starts soon. I’d rather the next 2 years are spent in internecine warfare followed by impeachment.

  45. 45.

    Gelfling 545

    @PK: “evil but completely stupid”
    I have felt much the same. Still, even I am amazed at how quickly they have been able to bring disaster on themselves. Amazed, yet pleased.

  51. 51.

    Thru the Looking Glass...

    @Gelfling 545:

    … but generously gave Putin a slightly better grip on the Trump “administration”.

    Yes, and it’s becoming obvious now exactly what part of the Trump “administration” Putin had a grip on…

  53. 53.

    Mai.naem.mobile

    @Gravenstone: in his Wikipedia page which I read during the campaign,it said his parents are liberal Democrats and that he became conservative after he read a book by Wayne LaPierre. I can’t be bothered to go look it up but I remember it said he read it in HS.

  54. 54.

    Mai.naem.mobile

    I think Pence is a closet case. I pretty much think this of all super conservative anti gay bigots.

  56. 56.

    trollhattan

    I know there are more (as in an infinite # of) substantive things to follow but gosh darn it, 10Y.O. Trump never ceases to distract me.

    Staffers buzz privately about who is up and who is down, with many eagerly gossiping about which poor colleague gets an unflattering portrayal on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.” For the past two weeks, it has been White House press secretary Sean Spicer. But aides said Trump was especially upset by a sketch that cast White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon as the Grim Reaper manipulating the president — who was ultimately relegated to a miniature desk, playing dolefully with an expandable toy.

  57. 57.

    hovercraft

    @West of the Rockies (been a while):
    Stop that, stop trying to understand the words and what you think they mean.

    Confidence = they speak on occasion and he knows who you are referring to.

    Resign = people won’t stop talking about you, so go away.

    Fired = dammit, they are still talking about you, so let’s show what a strong leader the boss is.

  59. 59.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @MomSense:

    “If we’re just going to replace Obamacare with Obamacare-lite..were we just against it because it was proposed by Ds?”

    Sort of. You oppose it because Democrats want it. You went completely apeshit about it because a black man gave you charity.

  60. 60.

    Redshift

    Paul Ryan says “I think we need to get all of that information before we prejudge anything,” hoping we don’t know that “getting all of that information” is the entire purpose of a congressional investigation.

    Rand Paul says “I just don’t think it’s useful to be doing investigation after investigation, particularly of your own party. We’ll never even get started with doing the things we need to do, like repealing Obamacare, if we’re spending our whole time having Republicans investigate Republicans. I think it makes no sense.”

    It’s appalling enough that they used government resources for purely partisan “investigations.” But somehow it’s even worse that they can’t conceive of any other purpose for a congressional investigation, even one they would conduct themselves.

  61. 61.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Redshift: Wait, is that a real Rand Paul quote? Because that’s fucking horrible. “We can’t do things like remove healthcare from a bunch of people if we’re investigating possible republican treason, so therefore we won’t do that.” Way to be a patriot, asshole.

  62. 62.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @MisterForkbeard:

    Way to be a patriot, asshole.

    I lived in Kentucky during Rand Paul’s election. ‘Asshole’ is pretty much is personality. He’s a more coherent Trump, stupid, absurdly corrupt, a liar who doesn’t even try to be consistent, racist, and the only thing he cares about beyond himself is hurting the weak.

  64. 64.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Frankensteinbeck: There’s a very weird trend going on. This kind of quote, where a republican nakedly puts Republican interests above clear and obvious dangers to the Republic, is accepted as normal and not remarkable by anyone other than the left. But god forbid the democrats say anything similar.

    I don’t know what to do about it.

  65. 65.

    Mnemosyne

    @Mai.naem.mobile:

    Sometimes they’re closet cases. Sometimes, frankly, it’s the convenience of convincing yourself that you’re “moral” for not doing something you’re not interested in doing anyway. It would be like me deciding that eating broccoli is immoral, and since I never eat broccoli, it’s easy for me to be more moral than everyone else.

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