The GOP is Trump’s party; Trump’s party is the GOP.
Which is to say that the grifter in chief (the one title he did not surrender on 1/20), as we here know full well, is not some aberration, but is rather the personification of the Republican Party in its current state of devolution. Trump never cared about politics as it is commonly understood; he was in it as he was in everything that preceded it, for the attention, and above all, to dip his beak.
So it was no surprise to learn recently that Trump’s campaign systematically and intentionally looted their own supporters, surreptitiously ensnaring contributors into doubled amounts and weekly repeats of attempted one-time donations–at a point in the fall when his election effort was running out of cash. That became a mini-scandal only in the last couple of weeks, and it seemed a perfect postscript to the most corrupt presidency in memory. Of course, Trump would rip off his people, because they weren’t his people: they were just the nearest and easiest marks.
The story broke finally, and it turns out that all that fund raising around the “stop the steal” treason was actually a way of refilling the tank to refund anyone who got round to complaining (while pocketing the spoils of those who never figured out the theft). And perhaps, in a kinder, more innocent age, that would have been that. A scumbag ran a con for a while, got caught, and that particular scam would be put to be for at least a bit.
I confess I thought something like that would happen. Even now, it seems, I don’t fully credit the degeneracy of the GOP:
The political arm of House Republicans is deploying a prechecked box to enroll donors into repeating monthly donations…
The language appears to be an effort by the National Republican Congressional Committee to increase its volume of recurring donations, which are highly lucrative, while invoking former President Donald J. Trumpās popularity with the conservative base. Those donors who do not proactively uncheck the box will have their credit cards billed or bank accounts deducted for donations every month.
Even better, and by better I mean worse, the leg breakers ate the NRCC warn their victims ofĀ consequences if they don’t make the big each week:
The Republican program as articulated by McConnell et al. is itself a bust-out operation, run on the entire country–cut every tree, lease every well, let out as many no-bid contracts as possible to Friends of the Party–so it’s no surprise that the Family runs all of its operations on the same lines.
They are who they say they are; and because I think that non-political-junky-types can get the nastiness of this kind of petty cheating better, in some ways, than the grand con that the Congressional caucus hopes to run on us all, I hope we hammer home every instance of “You Just Can’t Trust A Republican” every chance we get.
And with that, I hope I’m back in more regular rotation here at the home of fine mustard and better cats. I make no promises–it’s been a tough several months for me here in the Hub of the Universe, and while I think there’s light at the end of the tunnel, I’m not quite sure. But here’s hoping, and a couple of images to express my felines about this fine flock of jackals. (Do jackals flock?)
That’s enough.
This thread: it is open.
Image: Louise Moillon, Market Scene with a Pick-pocket, first half of the 17th c.
Roger Moore
I believe that like most canines, jackals come in packs.
Major Major Major Major
@Roger Moore: a group of foxes is a skulk.
Mike in NC
Trump infamously doubled the fee to join his shitty Mar-A-Lago property after the Russians put him in office. I bet he’s still charging double after we kicked his fat ass to the curb. Grifters never change.
FelonyGovt
That NRCC pre-checked box promotion is really something. Too bad most of the unsuspecting MAGats they have caught with this technique haven’t publicly complained, and if they have, haven’t turned on Trump and the Republicans – yet.
ant
Ann Althouse has shut down the comments on her blog.
She got tired of their shit.
Indeed it was a cesspool over there.
Her thing is to always try to have an unusual perspective on whatever it is. A contrarian. So having a blog with no feedback makes for a rather boring place.
It’s her own fault for not ever calling out TFG, or any Republicans for their shit. She allowed the comments to just be an echo chamber of pro bullshit gaslighting. And they were constantly attacking her. For being pro gay marriage back in the day. For voting for Obama. For avoiding Covid and getting vaccinated. For everything they could.
She also does a lot of misdirection, and fundamental dishonesty with her posts. She doesn’t like getting called out on that either.
Whatever.
Mary G
Little Champ isn’t that little any more. Just put this in the last thread – you are all on a streak this week now that we aren’t staring into the void that is TFG 24/7.
rikyrah
dmsilev
@FelonyGovt: The original story describing the scam had a quote from one of the victims, something along the lines of āI feel scammed, yet I still support TFG entirely’.
Scientology is amateur hour by comparison to the Cult of MAGA.
dmsilev
@rikyrah: I wonder whether he still thinks he can ‘work with’ and ‘find common ground with’ the GOP?
Dorothy A. Winsor
Anyone still donating to these people is begging to be fleeced.
JanieM
“Give me money or I’m telling Daddy!”
The mind boggles.
The first time that checked box was linked here at BJ, it had a mate right below it that looked similar but said that the checked box meant your credit card would be charged $100 on April 15.
Uncle Omar
While I don’t speak cat, I understand it well.Ā The feline in the first photo is saying, “Fcuk off, over-sized vermin, this is my chair.”
Mary G
Here’s a bear in a house (you can ship the first minute when the bear is just smelling things in the kitchen):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSTzUZZEDTk&t=96s
debbie
Tikka is terrifying.
NotMax
OT (although falls under the grift umbrella).
I’d like that schadenfreude sundae with extra crushed nuts on top, please.
Liberty University shake-ups continue as Falwell Jr.ās son leaves post as VP
Baud
@NotMax:
Jr. Jr. left?
Baud
@debbie: You’re terrifying.
Tom Levenson
@debbie: Tikka is a pussycat!
Adam L Silverman
@ant: Isn’t she drunk all the time?
Adam L Silverman
@rikyrah: Good. Especially given her statement today that she just made up the number on the spot as a talking point.
Brachiator
The sad thing is that Trump’s base are happy to be squeezed for their dough. The best marks are those who continue to be marks, and who defend and support their grifter.
Poe Larity
I realize thereās nothing in The Lexicon about bright lights so you need to write a book about Quasars or Blazars.
Hope you are doing better soon.
craigie
I feel like adding cats to this post somewhat muddies the water…
debbie
@Baud:
?
debbie
@Tom Levenson:
Iām not sure Tikka would like that to be known.
mrmoshpotato
Booga booga!Ā We’re gonna tell the orange shitstain on yoooooooouuuuuuu!!!!!!!!
ETA – And fat, orange, fascist Dad will have a fat, orange, fascist MAD!Ā and will go cry to, and suck the ass of, his daddy Vlad!
Ruckus
@dmsilev:
I knew people in Scientology. Scientology only sells to the willing. And they have a bit of competition for their grift. But yes the grift really is about the same. Everything they can get from you with absolutely nothing positive in return, and other than some cheap lies that drag the unsuspecting morons in and convince you that you made the right choice. republicans OTOH, want to sell you racism, and guns to make sure that your racism is accepted and the grift keeps on giving them a profit.
geg6
Tikka skeers me! Ā And wow, has Champ grown!
I hope TFG takes these idiots for every penny they have. Ā They deserve to end their lives destitute and shunned. Ā May it come to be.
Villago Delenda Est
The GQp is the party of treason, of grift, of larceny, of racism.
danielx
@Tom Levenson:Ā ā
Tikka appears to be mobile, agile and hostile.
mrmoshpotato
Roar! These grocery bags are MINE!
Or
Yawn! This looks comfy!
Tom Levenson
@danielx: actually, not as much of the first two as he was in his younger days, but that last?
Most definitely.
sab
Six weeks into tax season ( working remote at home this year) I finally have my cat trained. Walk around the computer not across its keyboard. You have to nap on that end of the bed not this end. Yes you can nap all day if you stay out of my files. No, do not nuzzle the computer. Do not sleep on those files. Also, do not taste them. You can sleep here as long as you want but be quiet if you wake up. Yes I am still working. No amount of meowing or pawing will make me stop. This room has a door. I can shut you out.
danielx
@sab:
And this actually works? What’s your secret?
Tom Levenson
@sab: Tikka has me totally cowed. He owns the turf between my keyboard and my screen. My students have grown used to my lifting him out of the way of my Zoom call.
sab
@danielx: The door is my ultimate weapon. Be a complete asshole cat for too long and I will banish you for at least half an hour. Much longer if you are a recidivist. You must meet my low standards.
VOR
The term of art in user interface design for the Trump fundraising trick is “dark patterns”. Here is an article about it. http://www.theverge.com/2021/4/3/22365952/trump-dark-patterns-trick-supporters-recurring-donation-winred-gary-coby
stinger
Am I the only one who hears Tikka and Champ singing in French?
Matt
TBH, I’m torn: on the one hand, this is scammy AF. On the other hand, these are people who have decided to donate to Republicans, so I hope the NRCC takes every dollar out of their accounts and they starve.
oldster
“…the leg breakers ate the NRCC warn their victims of consequencesĀ if they donāt make the big each week”
I’m thinking you’ve got two typos there?
“ate” for “at”, and “big” for “vig”?
columbusqueen
Tikka is really, really pissed off at Champ. And here I thought my Athena was the bitchiest senior cat along.
columbusqueen
Tikka is really, really pissed off at Champ. And here I thought my Athena was the bitchiest senior cat around.