Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

“Squeaker” McCarthy

Good lord, these people are nuts.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Only Democrats have agency, apparently.

No one could have predicted…

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

Nancy smash is sick of your bullshit.

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

Technically true, but collectively nonsense

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

Take hopelessness and turn it into resilience.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll sit in a boat all day drinking beer.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.

Happy indictment week to all who celebrate!

White supremacy is terrorism.

Republicans do not pay their debts.

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

People are complicated. Love is not.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

Battle won, war still ongoing.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / WTF Is Going On?

Reader Interactions

183Comments

  2. 2.

    Baud

    Just realized that email from Crown Prosecutor of Russia went into the Baud! 2016! spam folder. I could have had a leg up on the competition.

    Thanks, Gmail!

  4. 4.

    Baud

    This is all a distraction to keep us from talking about how Hillary should have gone to Wisconsin.

  6. 6.

    Baud

    Question. As a Hillary supporter, will I ever get over this feeling of righteousness?

    I hope not.

  8. 8.

    Trentrunner

    I think what makes this crazy is the mismatch between the severity of the wrongdoing and the lack of widespread appropriate reaction.

    If you’re on a bus, and someone gets on and takes giant steaming dump in the aisle, and no one reacts…there is no pushback on the anti-social behavior. It is normalized, accepted. The RESPONSE and REACTION are everything.

    And since the GOP are the only actors who matter here, and they are focused on yanking healthcare away from millions to cut billionaires’ taxes and are dismissing ANYTHING Trump & Co do, it will continue to seem surreal to us that EVERYONE IN THE WORLD ISN’T RUNNING AROUND WITH THEIR HAIR ON FIRE.

    ETA: The leading Dems are also under-reacting severely. It’s very dispiriting. I’ve heard nothing from Warren, Harris, Clinton, Schumer, Klobuchar, Franken…

  9. 9.

    albertZ

    I think it’s time we returned to farcical aquatic ceremonies to determine political leadership.

  14. 14.

    different-church-lady

    @Baud: Great minds think alike.
    What that has to do with this thread, I don’t know…

  15. 15.

    ruemara

    We’re watching the slow motion coup pick up speed. The GOP will hit a point where they will outright have to condone treason and being a satellite state, or, suck up the loss of their jobs and their horrific, self-cultivated base and preserve the sovereignty of America. What maybe a week or two before Fox starts telling people that we should rename Congress to the Duma? Either way, I’m just gonna grab a drink.

    SATSQ

  18. 18.

    PhoenixRising

    here’s my question: Is it still a conspiracy if one of the members asks for another conspirator to complete the criminal act on live TV? Or does Dolt 45 skate on his role because he wasn’t hiding the request: Russia, please hack my opponent.

  22. 22.

    Raoul

    I always hated the Boris and Natasha cartoons as a kid. Just googled and one of Boris’s ‘identities’ was as Clarence Darronov, Attorney at Law.

    We’re at that level of idiocy with Don Jr, though, so maybe I shouldn’t hate the cartoons but rather watch them for survival tips.

  23. 23.

    different-church-lady

    Weeeelll… to exactly nobody’s surprise, Mueller will be taking Junior’s email into his investigations.

  24. 24.

    Yutsano

    As the immortal Berkeley Breathed put it:

    “The world’s still in wholescale higgledy-piggeldy and Cher got a new butt tattoo.”

  29. 29.

    Yarrow

    @Trentrunner:

    And since the GOP are the only actors who matter here, and they are focused on yanking healthcare away from millions to cut billionaires’ taxes and are dismissing ANYTHING Trump & Co do, it will continue to seem surreal to us that EVERYONE IN THE WORLD ISN’T RUNNING AROUND WITH THEIR HAIR ON FIRE.

    Maybe what’s needed is evidence of a treason by some of our esteemed GOP Members of Congress to be made public. Just to give the rest of them a little nudge to do the right thing.

  30. 30.

    Quinerly

    Meghan McCain just called VP Pence a liar on Fox. Reminds me to ask about that job with the Trump Adm that her mom wanted. Did she get it?

  31. 31.

    Chris

    @ruemara:

    The GOP will hit a point where they will outright have to condone treason

    Haven’t they basically done that at this point?

  32. 32.

    Raoul

    @PhoenixRising: Of all the fvking things, Chris hayes and GG were arguing this on the twitt-box this afternoon. GG of course was saying that Dolt45 making the ‘ask’ on TeeVee in front of g-d and all means it wasn’t ‘real’.
    FML. Nahh, on second thought, fvck GG.

  34. 34.

    Ian G.

    I can’t help but think that if someone had planned this presidency out to be the worst ever, “Springtime for Hitler” style, it wouldn’t look any different than it has for the past 6 months.

  35. 35.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    dried up old husk of a one-time mediocrity has an opinion

    MJ LeeVerified account @ mj_lee
    Sen. Hatch says the Don Jr. emails are not “relevant” and “all this stuff about Trump’s sons and daughter — it’s a bunch of bunk.

    ”
    Evan McMullin, your life is calling

    @Raoul: I appreciate GG working so hard to confirm my long time contempt for him

  37. 37.

    Bobby Thomson

    @PhoenixRising: covertness is not an element of conspiracy. Most conspiracies are covert because they are illegal and the conspirators, while not necessarily smart, are usually at least smarter than that dipshit Donnie Moscow.

  38. 38.

    different-church-lady

    @Ian G.: Well, yes, right down to the irony that the plan backfired and the play became an unintended hit.

  39. 39.

    bystander

    @debbie: Aviation with Captain Wrongway Peachfuzz. (My favorite was the ME sheik Sahara Vaughn.)

    Susan Glasser from Politico just did a litany of WH scandals like Watergate. She named the “Clinton fundraising scandal”. What the heck is that? Bothsidesdoit?

  42. 42.

    Raoul

    @Quinerly: This is probably the admin appointment holdup that has Yertle’s sand-filled undies in such a tight, painful bunch.

    (Frankly, if the appointment request is still active, Cindy should withdraw post haste. Or not, since I don’t give a rat’s ass if she gets mired in 45’s poo).

  44. 44.

    Yutsano

    @LAO: It would be the Saturday Night Massacre on steroids. Dolt45 would have to go through as many ADAs as he could find until he could find one to make up “cause” to dismiss him. Then Mueller could fight it in court while still working and the story would get even more absurd.

  46. 46.

    jl

    @PPCLI:

    ” when your opponent is self-destructing, sometimes it’s a good idea just to stand back and let them. ”

    Best help we can give is present the GOP with Total Fail on health care in Congress next week. And there will be side benefits, like prevention of tens of thousands of premature deaths and many more saved from pointless suffering.

  48. 48.

    ruemara

    @Raven Onthill: I’ve known that since before the election. They’re both doing the same thing.

    @Chris: Not outright. Now a few voices are saying it’s no big deal but those are small fry wingnuts. I’m waiting for the big dogs to slither in with a craven “collusion isn’t impeachable” and “We were always friends with Russia”.

  49. 49.

    Trentrunner

    @PPCLI: I thought of that, too, but this is beyond “my opponent is destroying himself.”

    This is colluding with a foreign adversary to undermine our democracy at the highest levels. NOTHING MORE CORRUPT HAS HAPPENED IN AMERICAN DEMOCRACY. EVER. It’s way beyond “Here, have an anvil, my opponent.” IMHO.

  50. 50.

    Trentrunner

    @jl: Indivisible is tweeting that McConnell is very close to a healthcare deal and is set for a Tuesday vote on motion to proceed, vote on bill shortly thereafter. (Assume that meant NEXT Tuesday, but Indivisible didn’t specify.)

    Aux phones, les citoyens!

  51. 51.

    Chris

    @Trentrunner:

    NOTHING MORE CORRUPT HAS HAPPENED IN AMERICAN DEMOCRACY. EVER.

    Yep.

    The only thing in our history that matches this was the Civil War, but even that wasn’t masterminded by a foreign enemy (though the Confederates would’ve been glad of the help).

  52. 52.

    jl

    @Quinerly: Good article. And regardless of other pros and cons of CIA and US IC, they didn’t bring us Iraq WMD. Cheney and Rummy dishonestly pried out enough from them so those two could bray lies about Iraq WMD. Setting the record straight on that also allows us to bring up the last GOP president, who was also a disaster, though a far better person, personally, than Trump. Illustrating that recently, GOP rule is one way slide down into the toilet.

  53. 53.

    bystander

    @Trentrunner: Just heard an attorney who specializes in election law say, “We’re treading on fresh snow. Nobody’s been here before.”

  56. 56.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @LAO:

    Anyone know the over/under for firing Mueller? 72 hours?

    Suppose Trump does fire him? The entire investigation wouldn’t just come to a screeching halt, would it? I’ve been assuming that one of the reasons Mueller’s been bringing such a fine array of agents and lawyers and investigators on board is not only for the expertise they bring, but also so that there are qualified people to take over the whole thing seamlessly should something happen to him. Trump may not know that, however.

  58. 58.

    jl

    @Trentrunner: Last I heard in the news, between 8 and 10 GOPers opposed to the bill. No one should think they can get some kind of satisfactory resolution in a GOPer, moderate or otherwise. Just need to call for thej oy of making their political lives miserable and keeping a small herd of hem afraid to commit. McConnell has too many goofballs to juggle at the last minute to get a vote, even with additional slush money.

    People should explicitly bring up Medicaid, which is still totally on the chopping block. That part of the bill has not changed. Explicitly tell your Congresscritter you won’t let them sell out for bogus symbolic chump change McConnell has stashed away.

  63. 63.

    PhoenixRising

    @Bobby Thomson: Thank you! I’ve been bugged by this all day. It seemed wrong that you could beat a conspiracy charge by being the mook who gives it all away first. Maybe that’s where the term ‘unindicted co-conspirator’ comes from–typically Lil Donnie would have talked to the DA & revealed that email after assurances that they’re going after bigger fish because he’s too stupid to be the mastermind.

  64. 64.

    JMG

    If McConnell has the votes for health care next week, why did he add two weeks to the legislative calendar? Seems contradictory to me.

  67. 67.

    Yarrow

    @jl:

    Despite August news a few hours ago, we are getting word McConnell is close to a deal. Vote on motion to proceed Tues/final vote soon after.— Indivisible Guide (@IndivisibleTeam) July 11, 2017

    It sounds like we will see bill text with and without Cruz amendment on Thursday. CBO score Monday afternoon.— Indivisible Guide (@IndivisibleTeam) July 11, 2017

    Time to ramp up the calls.

  68. 68.

    PhoenixRising

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    I’ve been assuming that one of the reasons Mueller’s been bringing such a fine array of agents and lawyers and investigators on board is not only for the expertise they bring, but also so that there are qualified people to take over the whole thing seamlessly should something happen to him.

    I’ve thought of it not as continuity for the project but as life insurance. A lot of folks who get crosswise with Putin seem to fall from windows or get a bad burrito or shoot themselves then lock their bodies inside suitcases and check themselves through to Buffalo after transcortical lead therapy so…

  72. 72.

    jl

    @JMG: So, need to keep it that way. Terrify enough moderate GOPers to keep a small herd of them from committing.
    Looks like they need to destroy Medicaid to find enough money to kick start their bogus tax reform, aka tax slash for rich, plans going. So, callers need to tell Congresscriters they won’t be fooled by some chump change McConnell throws around to try to fool the voters.

  74. 74.

    SatanicPanic

    @Trentrunner: This definitely is the most corrupt thing anyone in our lifetimes has seen. If I were a Democratic politician I’d be calling for resignation, but I imagine they’re just waiting to see how this plays out in the short term. I’m going to call my rep and demand they don’t run on “impeachment off the table” this time.

  75. 75.

    Adam L Silverman

    @bystander: No. Evidence based on US SIGINT capture indicated discussions from within the PRC embassy in DC of PRC officials discussing directing campaign donations through shell/front companies to the DNC. Within 48 hours President Clinton held a press conference where he publicly called for a Federal investigation, indicating it was fine if DOJ appointed a special prosecutor, though demurring that he wasn’t telling them what to do. An investigation was done and it was determined that no one at the DNC had any idea that the donations were originating with the PRC, but that the PRC did have this plan to funnel donations to the DNC.

  76. 76.

    Enhanced Voting Techniques

    @Trentrunner:

    I think what makes this crazy is the mismatch between the severity of the wrongdoing and the lack of widespread appropriate reaction.

    Maybe, we are all convinced Trump got Russian help and even we are dumfonded by the last two days. I can imagine anyone less sure likely is thinking they just had a stroke when they read about this in the news.

  77. 77.

    Gin & Tonic

    @PhoenixRising: So far, at least, only Russians and Ukrainians have had this run of bad luck. Having it happen to a US citizen would be a very dramatic change in the rules.

  78. 78.

    M31

    All those people who screechingly accused Al Gore of outrageously allowing China to illegally influence US policy after he attended an event at a Buddhist temple in the 90s–remember when they lambasted Trump for his Russia connections?

    Yeah, me neither.

  79. 79.

    jl

    @Baud: Trumpsters are setting very high bar for screwing things up. You’ll have to convince us you are up to the task. You’re going to have to outdo HRC in mindboggling galactic scale corruption, and outdo Trump is lying and screwing things up, and Bernie in endless bellowing

    Sorry, Baud, my faith is getting a little shaky.

  80. 80.

    Yarrow

    @JMG: To answer your question:

    Plan B if they can't get the votes next week: redo the bill and resend to cbo, which would require 2 more weeks, thus the recess delay.— Indivisible Guide (@IndivisibleTeam) July 11, 2017

    Also:

    This is a big deal. McConnell can't find the votes because of YOU. And threatening MoCs' vacation is BIG way to try to find them. More soon. https://t.co/q1MmUhxO8J— Indivisible Guide (@IndivisibleTeam) July 11, 2017

  82. 82.

    Adam L Silverman

    @debbie: I’m not saying they will. Neither is the author of that thread. His point is they are so far through their own grommets on this that they see no way out but through. Doing anything else would be completely self destructive in the personal sense of self.

  84. 84.

    ruemara

    @Adam L Silverman: oh, i’ve been where this guy is now and am selling souvenir t-shirts. The most peasceful, effective solution is to call the GOP the party of treason. Public shaming before we hit other, more public responses. Do not put it past conservatives to try the “arrest prominent liberals for a show trial” route. I don’t see why people are not getting that we are long past standard here and they are desperate, craven and willing to do anything.

  86. 86.

    M31

    Man, just did a google search on “Al Gore Buddhist temple fundraiser” and it’s all so quaint.

  89. 89.

    Jeffro

    I’ll tell you what’s going on from the looks of things Tim Kaine and Maxine Waters are giving the Republicans both barrels.

    And maybe reloading, too

  90. 90.

    Chris

    @M31:

    remember when they lambasted Trump for his Russia connections?

    The black humor in this is remembering all the NeverTrumpists who, in 2016, claimed that Trump wasn’t really one of them, and after he won, assured us that they’d be watching him very closely if he set a toe out of line. Needless to say, everyone is firmly on the “nothing to see here” train (favorite quote of the day was the idiot claiming that “I think Trump is letting this play out because he knows it ultimately will incriminate Podesta/the DNC”). Maybe it’s just the people on my Facebook Wingnut Barometer, but I doubt it. There is literally nothing Trump could do that they wouldn’t immediately excuse.

  91. 91.

    debbie

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Well, it will never come to this (from his thread):

    Maybe I’m wrong! But my prediction is GOP would agree with DJT if/when he says he’s canceling the 2018 midterms. THE END

    Maybe my snark meter is off, but this is absurd. There are too many “strict Constitutionalists” (or whatever they’re calling themselves) who would object to canceling the midterms.

  92. 92.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Manyakitty: I don’t think a suspension of the Constitution is in the cards, but I think the author’s larger point about being so far down the hole the only way up is to keep digging is accurate.

  93. 93.

    Yarrow

    @Gin & Tonic:

    So far, at least, only Russians and Ukrainians have had this run of bad luck. Having it happen to a US citizen would be a very dramatic change in the rules.

    The Muslim woman judge in New York (City, I think). The federal prosecutor in Florida. Maybe just accidents or unrelated. Maybe not.

  95. 95.

    Manyakitty

    @Jeffro: Good. Maxine Waters deserves a TON of credit for keeping up with the fight. It’s about time more people joined her.

  96. 96.

    jl

    @Yarrow: Calling Congress and your local news station should be fun now. Really fun. A fun hobby. We need a GOP healthcare constituent calling hobby blog.

    Hm…. what is the premier almost top 10,000 pet poop and family hobby blog?. There is one on the tip of my tongue. Can’t quite recall the name right now…

  97. 97.

    debbie

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Hmm. That got eated. I’ll try again:

    This may be too subtle to acivate my snark meter, but his prediction is just too much:

    Maybe I’m wrong! But my prediction is GOP would agree with DJT if/when he says he’s canceling the 2018 midterms. THE END

    Cruz et al. would never permit this.

  101. 101.

    M31

    @Chris:

    There is literally nothing Trump could do that they wouldn’t immediately excuse.

    As Trump understood long ago, with his shooting people on 5th Avenue comments.

  102. 102.

    Mike in NC

    Trump Junior has a 5 o’clock shadow that Nixon would have envied. Looks guilty to me.

  103. 103.

    schrodingers_cat

    I don’t doubt Rs would be willing to do anything to save their own skin, what I doubt is their ability. And that they will walk away from the ensuing disaster unscathed.

  105. 105.

    Adam L Silverman

    @debbie: This is what happens when you live in a single wide…

    I dug you and about a dozen others out of the trash folder and set you all free.

  107. 107.

    Jeffro

    @Adam L Silverman: I think he is correct for the half to 2/3 of GOP elected officials that are willing to ride this tiger all the way in. They really do see Democrats/liberals as evil and hopelessly corrupt, which justifies in their minds most any extreme measure they could think of or do. Most of them are also well past the point where they can rationalize away their support for Trump not only due to his behavior but now due to the collusion and treason.

    Fortunately there are a few – and it will only take a few – who will not jump into that abyss.

    And remember if we get to that point then every single Democrat who has been sitting in on the investigations, as well as the entire IC, has no reason to hold back anything anymore.

  108. 108.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Manyakitty: Nope. Not a single one actually gives a damn about the actual Constitution or the norms and traditions based on them. They do care about this thing they refer to as “The Constitution”, which they deploy as a weapon to bash everyone else and a shield to prevent anyone else from criticizing them.

  109. 109.

    ruemara

    @schrodingers_cat: They are a clown car cavalcade of fuckwittery. And yet, they managed to collude, connive and generally convince enough Americans to go along with it.

  110. 110.

    Jeffro

    @Manyakitty: did you see her latest tweet about the Senate staying on through recess to work on trumpcare?

    “Good… that should get the house about enough time to impeach ”
    LOL

  111. 111.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @debbie: I don’t know about that. If the investigation turns up real dirt on the National GOP, or black swan event happens, they might try it. Now, whether they would succeed is an open question. There’s too many of us for them to succeed. In fact, I think that’s why they might decide not to try that

  112. 112.

    Jeffro

    @Manyakitty: @Adam L Silverman:

    They would never suspend the constitution … it’s too obvious…they will keep doing whatever they want claiming that they are following the Constitution to the letter. It’s kind of what they’re already doing .

  114. 114.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @Adam L Silverman: They only care about the constitution when it advances their agenda. Otherwise they’re more than happy to shit on it

  116. 116.

    Chris

    @ruemara:

    @schrodingers_cat: They are a clown car cavalcade of fuckwittery. And yet, they managed to collude, connive and generally convince enough Americans to go along with it.

    That’s the thing: it does not and never has taken a Palpatinesque genius to make this sort of thing happen. A raving lunatic will do just fine, as long as he’s on a wavelength that communicates with enough other raving lunatics.

  119. 119.

    Yarrow

    Sen. Blumenthal on CNN said these emails are a textbook example and evidence of criminal intent. Said they are potentially a violation of the Espionage Act, and yes, treason. And we should begin looking for alarm lights flashing about possibly firing Mueller.

  122. 122.

    Baud

    I see we’re speculating again about all they ways they are going to hurt us.

    General Grant is spinning in his grave.

  126. 126.

    ruemara

    @Chris: I have to say, not even lunatics. You just have to hit the right desires and they’ll ignore your lunacy. I know some supposedly good, smart Republicans who were opposed to their party. And they voted for the Orange Pox. Sadly, i have no idea how they are doing now as I decided even claiming me as a connection was too close to being able to claim a black friend. oh well.

  127. 127.

    different-church-lady

    I want to offer a very serious thought related to the theme (such as is is) of Cole’s post.

    Trump is an emotional manipulator and a bullshitter. His primary power comes from his ability to screw with people’s minds. He dares you believe in your own reality over his bullshit.

    He does not lie — lies are for people who put some value in the truth. Instead he bullshits. And because he has utterly zero regard for the truth, his bullshit can be quite disarming to people who live in the rational world: “Certainly there must be some truth this outrageous statement is connected to in some tentative fashion!”

    He attracts people like himself and surrounds himself with people like that. And they have woven a spell over a great number of people. Enough people that one might begin to doubt one’s own sanity. He verges on superhuman: by making you doubt your own knowledge, he can destroy reality itself to the point where he gets to do whatever he wants in the remaining void.

    We are going to hear a lot in the coming days: “This means nothing!” “It never happened!” “Attacks by fake news!” The best of us have honest intent, and in the backs of our minds there will be a little voice saying, “Wait, what if they’re right? What if it is a lie? Or a false flag? Or there’s nothing illegal? What if the press has it wrong? What if it’s kerning all over again?”

    That little voice — that little thing that makes you a sane, fair-minded, decent person — that’s the weak spot the Orcs are going to try to penetrate.

    In 1984, the Ministry of Truth did not exist to lie — it existed to destroy the very idea that there was such at thing as objective truth. When you feel like you’re taking crazy pills, it’s because that’s how they want you to feel: so crazy you doubt your own mind.

    Don’t let them do it to you.

    P.S. I see that while I was composing my missive some other commenters had already started to pick up this theme.

  128. 128.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @Yarrow: They really want to go down in history like the NSDAP did. They want a single-party state so they can more efficiently and with impunity loot the government

  131. 131.

    bemused

    Mitch McConnell is putrid scum. He and all the other GOPers who have been trying to snuff out the Russian fires. Traitors all. They’ll just let our country be annexed by Putin and his merry gang of mobsters and throw everyone but the 1% into death care.

    I have to get away from the news for awhile.

  132. 132.

    Chris

    @ruemara:

    True, it’s not just lunatics: you need a good amount of enablers too, preferably among the wealthy and respectable.

  134. 134.

    the Conster, la Citoyenne

    @Baud:

    I’m taking loud “I TOLD YOU SO” in your face disgrace victory laps in the face of every Bernie and Trump supporter on my FB feed and twitter idiot I have time for. I feel like putting all of my posts, comments and tweets in a time capsule labeled “SUCK ON THIS ALL YOU CLUELESS GULLIBLE MOTHERFUCKERS”.

  137. 137.

    bemused

    @different-church-lady:

    He also knows who he can easily manipulate. I still despair at how many people were and still are so susceptible to him. How anyone couldn’t see almost instantly what he was will always be a mystery to me.

  138. 138.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @debbie:
    From my comment above:

    They only care about the constitution when it advances their agenda. Otherwise they’re more than happy to shit on it

    I don’t know about Mike Lee, but Cruz is an asshole that nobody really likes. He’s not a leader and no one would follow him, assuming he’s sincere about his patriotic constitutional talk.

    I included some other Republicans in the numbers that would resist the hypothetical suspending of the 1787 constitution, particularly ones in state governments. I’m assuming they wouldn’t like seeing disruptions in their power

  140. 140.

    smintheus

    So why has the threat of blackmail not been a bigger part of this story?

    It’s a pretty major point that none of the news reports seem to address. The fact that either Donald jr. nor any of the others who knew about the conspiratorial meeting reported it to government authorities made them subject to blackmail by the Russian government (and for that matter by everyone else who knew about it).

    According to Sally Yates the most dangerous thing about Michael Flynn, at the time of his firing, was that he was subject to blackmail by the Russians over his secret communications with them. And yet others in Trump’s inner circle continue to keep similar secrets that make them equally vulnerable.

    That is a basic point that Trump & co. would have a very hard time refuting or obscuring. He isn’t preserving and protecting the United States to the best of his ability if he’s made himself subject to blackmail or surrounded himself with people subject to blackmail.

  141. 141.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @Yarrow: Indeed, it won’t. As evidenced by multiple GOP controlled states refusing to hand over sensitive voter data. Enough of them care too much about preserving their fiefdoms and future political careers to establish an authoritarian state in that manner

  142. 142.

    jl

    I guess Donnie Trump The Middle, aka, our current presidenter, could claim that the Russian election interference never happened, since they never delivered. Low energy, didn’t bring their best people. In fact, he’s going to sue for non-performance. Worse than some of those lousy NYC contractors who couldn’t deliver on the fancy gew-gaws like they promised.

  144. 144.

    Yarrow

    @bemused: Agreed. He’s just so awful on every level. It’s hard to believe he moved beyond a joke candidate. People are dumb and easily fooled. He was also selling them what they wanted to hear–racism, big promises of fantastic jobs, back to their glory years.

  145. 145.

    Shell

    Haven’t you heard, its really all Obamas fault!

    Chris Christie on the radio the other day, said he was so glad that Trump was in the White House and not a criminal like Hillary.

  146. 146.

    the Conster, la Citoyenne

    @bemused:

    I still despair at how many people were and still are so susceptible to him.

    The other side of the white male supremacist coin is the other con man Bernie Sanders, which also works in this exact context.

  149. 149.

    debbie

    @Baud:

    Make that four. He was in the NYC news practically every day from the mid-70s through to when I left in 1995, and most people were on to him (and still are, judging by his poll numbers there).

  150. 150.

    ? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?

    @Roger Moore: The media is wise to Trump’s game at very least. It’s good ratings right now for the Russia scandal.

  151. 151.

    bemused

    @Yarrow:

    That’s what has kept me from doing much socializing unless it’s with people I know aren’t Trumpers. I just can’t even look at some people now after discovering they were so much more rightwing than I ever would have imagined in my worst nightmares.

  152. 152.

    the Conster, la Citoyenne

    @bemused:

    I have learned that most white people are white supremacists, but because they don’t wear white hoods and light crosses on fire, they deeply believe they aren’t. Hillary’s alt-right speech will go down in history as one of the most on point bravest displays of truth telling by a politician in American history.

  153. 153.

    bemused

    @Baud:

    I tried to avoid seeing much of Trump campaign rallies. The sound and cheers of the crowds made my hair stand on end. It was raw hate and evil I heard.

  154. 154.

    the Conster, la Citoyenne

    @the Conster, la Citoyenne:

    It should be coupled with Obama’s speech about race he gave in response to Rev. Wright. Everything else is noise.

    ETA: Nothing about 2016 can be understood outside of this context – that white people doubled down in reaction to Obama’s two landslide elections that sidelined whites/males as determinative. Rich white assholes found sharing the country with women and POC more distasteful than colluding with our decades old existential enemy.

  155. 155.

    Baud

    @the Conster, la Citoyenne:

    Hillary’s alt-right speech will go down in history as one of the most on point bravest displays of truth telling by a politician in American history.

    Agreed.

    @bemused:

    The word you are looking for is “deplorable.”

  157. 157.

    Seth Owen

    @PPCLI: My thought, too. Napoleon is quoted as saying “Never interrupt your opponent in the middle of a mistake.” We want Trump’s scandal in the news, not Hillary.

  158. 158.

    lamh36

    Ya’ll…following all this Jr mess, but still I’m wait for indictment announcements if/when they come before I even give it heavy thought.

    But I am following the drip drop…

  159. 159.

    bemused

    @Baud:

    I’ll add despicable and depraved. Pretty sure a lot are also deviants so they think Trump is one of them.

  161. 161.

    the Conster, la Citoyenne

    @bemused:

    53% of white woman ignored that and said “I’m white first, a woman second”. And now they’re going to find out the hard way they voted for their own 2nd class citizenship.

  162. 162.

    the Conster, la Citoyenne

    @lamh36:

    I think we’re beyond the drip drop – the dam has burst. If you’re involved in any of this, it’s a race to make a deal any way you can so the fancy lawyer bills stop.

  163. 163.

    bemused

    @the Conster, la Citoyenne:

    We have two amazing daughters-in-law and now two granddaughters, half black and half fish belly scandinavian white. Not a day goes by that I don’t worry about our grown kids/spouses and the grandkids futures and what kind of country they will have to live in.

    I’ll never understand why Republican voters don’t think of their kids and grandkids before party or tribalism or whatever fuck they cling to.

  165. 165.

    MCA1

    @Trentrunner: Jayzus. I mean, I considered myself the ultimate coffee snob, but even for a single origin pour over I don’t pay more than $4.50.

    That said, I did almost buy a hundred dollar cup of the famous civet shit coffee in Shanghai once.

  166. 166.

    TenguPhule

    @ruemara:

    The GOP will hit a point where they will outright have to condone treason and being a satellite state

    That was last week.

  167. 167.

    TenguPhule

    @Raoul:

    GG of course was saying that Dolt45 making the ‘ask’ on TeeVee in front of g-d and all means it wasn’t ‘real’.
    FML. Nahh, on second thought, fvck GG.

    Is it still considered wrong to wish for Drone strikes on him yet or does being a Russian Asset finally strip him of all immunity to the consequences of being our country’s enemy?

  169. 169.

    Humdog

    @different-church-lady:
    Thanks for this. I am really struggling with the “don’t let them do this to you part.” It feels like reality is shakey because so many do not agree on what is real. How do you resist that in your own head?

  173. 173.

    TenguPhule

    @debbie:

    There are too many “strict Constitutionalists” (or whatever they’re calling themselves) who would object to canceling the midterms.

    Name one on the GOP side who would not cave.

  175. 175.

    Brachiator

    @debbie:

    .Oh, come on. They won’t suspend the Constitution..

    Kinda already happened, beginning with Trump’s exemption from conflict of interest rules, etc.

    And again, the people who support Trump care less about the Constitution and more about getting even with perceived enemies.

  176. 176.

    Manyakitty

    @Adam L Silverman: Have you ever read John Scalzi’s essay about Leviticans? It’s people who cherry pick specific laws to apply to others. After reading your response, the current crop of republicans strike me as political Leviticans.

  178. 178.

    the Conster, la Citoyenne

    @smintheus:

    53% of white women voted for Trump, over 70 % of white men voted for Trump, in some counties up t0 90% of white men did.

  180. 180.

    Sherparick

    I think the fact that 58% of white people voting for an obvious moral monster last November 8 is pretty strong evidence of the value the majority of whites place on the comfort of white supremacy. But also, one should dismiss misogyny involved, the desire to create a Supreme Court that would turn the clock back to the 1950s regarding women’s rights, abortion, contraception, & being gay in the closet.

  182. 182.

    No One You Know

    @smintheus: The voter breakout cited in this very thread, for one thing. The length of time it took for the Civil Rights Act to pass. What it took for the Civil Rights Act to pass. The ratio of blacks in prison to blacks as a percentage of total population. The Southern Strategy and the Atwater dog whistles. The necessity of an Affirmative Action/EOE law.

    You can notice these things. It’s not all about a hot quote from a research study…although Pew Research does have them.

    I agree with the Conster. And while it’s good to ask for citations, we shouldn’t ask for things we could easily find ourselves. Very few people think a blog comment should look like a thesis being prepared for a defense. It’s not the right context, the typography won’t support it, and this is a conversation, generally.

  183. 183.

    No One You Know

    @No One You Know: I forgot to mention the attacks on Michelle Obama as a “gorilla in heels.”

    These anonymous slurs from the media, no-name court clerks, the whole notion of a pee tape and why someone would ask for such an event…

    Seriously. You might as well ask why African-American Studies exist, or why there was a Civil War.

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