The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age

    McConnell: Trump a Dead Man Walking

    By NCD on Wed, 10/07/2020 - 1:20pm |

    Josh Marshall agrees with the perverse, Party over nation "scorched earth" GOP plan (behind paywall, Of Self-Sucker Punches and Bust Outs) - I have mentioned numerous times. McConnell sees Trump losing, the GOP losing the Senate. It will be back to obstructing Biden and the Democrats, crying "deficits" for a comeback in 2022.

    What he doesn't mention is how this will play out to return Republicans to the White House in 2024.

    McConnell's plan to return the GOP to power, is - No more stimulus Bills, no action to help cash starved states or cities,no action to help the unemployed or the evicted or eviction threatened -  leave Biden scorched earth, a divided adrift frustrated impoverished and angry nation, with unaddressed economic collapse, high unemployment, permanent job extinction for hundreds of thousands and a unconstrained pandemic.

    This is a reason why Biden must ditch the filibuster, otherwise necessary Bills, programs or policy needed by the nation will not pass the Senate.

    Another threat however is the right wing Supreme Court that could tie up and put injunctions on Biden tax programs, civil rights initiatives, corporate regulations and green environmental regulations. Think "how long has Trump tied up his tax returns from Congress" and realize, progressive programs could be tied up for a full four years by the SCOTUS.  That is even with Democrats having control of the Senate and having erased the filibuster. A 'conservative' Supreme Court that will rule progressive legislation as subject to injunction, call it likely unconstitutional, tying Biden's hands for his entire term, and sinking Democratic Party chances in 2024.

    It's why packing the current court may be essential to achieve anything substantial, and sustain it, if there is a Democratic victory in 2020. SCOTUS "textual interpretations", anti-administrative state ideology, could send progressive laws and regulations to oblivion.  Then the outcome, a Biden record with little accomplished that anyone notices on main street, held up by judicial or Senate obstruction. By 2024, lefty/progressive voter apathy will herald the return of the GOP into power by 2024.

    Comments

    There's certainly something like this going on! Really appreciate you sharing what you think.

    Didn't find enough to read yet about what actually happened with the Drumpf blowup over stimulus talks--I mean the real dirt on it. I have a gut feeling he really just wants to see money handed out allover the place with his name on it and could easily be convinced of any deal that Mnuchin said was okay as long as his name was on it.

    And I sort of don't get the deal about all the stories about Pelosi and Mnuchin negotiating and they never mention McConnell/Senate, as if they weren't that important. Is it that if Mnuchin okays it, McConnell goes along? At least in the past?

    To go back to Drumpf, on this sort of thing, I imagine--and it's just imagining that's all--Mnuchin working with Jared to humor and manipulate Trump. I.E. "it's gonna be great, will send a letter to everyone that they are getting checks becase of you!"


    by artappraiser on Wed, 10/07/2020 - 7:31pm

    Good points. Trump thinks if he agrees with Pelosi, she wins, he loses. His long range plans never extend past the day's headlines. McConnell on the other hand, has only one goal, power, Party first, nation be damned.


    by NCD on Wed, 10/07/2020 - 9:41pm

    Drumpf tells Rush he wants bigger stimulus surprise So wacked out on drugs he doesn't know who he's talking to? On the other hand, without drugs, he probably thinks Rush is in charge of something:


    by artappraiser on Fri, 10/09/2020 - 8:55pm

    McConnell ain't listening, and McConnell's wife won't let Mitch go into the super spreader zone at the White House, she's smarter than him.


    by NCD on Fri, 10/09/2020 - 11:01pm

    yeah i saw where Mitch is Mr. Covid Conscious all of a sudden. I laughed. But then I also thought of The Church Lady character from Saturday Night Live saying how convenient that you can't visit the White House right now! It's a twofer, keep wifey happy, and be able to claim you have nothing to do with Drumpf.


    by artappraiser on Sat, 10/10/2020 - 12:14am

    It's the "bigger package" innuendo - once they get Trump thinking about his dick, he's like jello - any slight brain function disappears.


    by PeraclesPlease on Sat, 10/10/2020 - 1:18am

    New Bob Costa piece, went out and got a lot of quotes from many and sundry GOP, including some anonymice, conglomerated them, reader decides:

     


    by artappraiser on Wed, 10/07/2020 - 10:57pm

    It is revealing that the president of the United States spent part of the day claiming that his predecessor, his last opponent and his current opponent conspired in a treasonous plot against him—and it barely registered. The country largely ignored it and went on with their day.

    — Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) October 8, 2020

    Also I just remembered that this was already a story back at the end of July

    MCCONNELL SIGNAL TO REPUBLICAN SENATE CANDIDATES: DISTANCE FROM TRUMP IF NECESSARY

    By artappraiser on Fri, 07/31/2020 - 6:30pm |


    by artappraiser on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 1:10am

    Interesting vision different from McConnell, retweeted by Lincoln project, from author of "It Was All A Lie: How The Republican Became Donald Trump" I worked in 5 R. presidential campaigns. This is my account of how the R Party became Trump. Not a book i thought I’d write but a book I felt I had to write:

    All my Republican friends who still don’t get it: @vp is the past. Odds are good @KamalaHarris will dominate American politics for the next decade. You had a chance to fight for a decent version of conservatism and you failed. Now you’ll live with the consequences.

    — stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) October 8, 2020

    by artappraiser on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 1:42am

    He seems like an interesting old Republican. Wrote a book on traveling in Asia. He makes "the consequences" seem very bad.

    What is bad is having the likes of the Handmaiden, Alito and "my wife says Jewish tailors could have defeated Hitler" Thomas ruling on what "Constitutional" is , and thus what our country can do to survive and prosper this century of increasingly rapid climate disruption/sea level rise.

    On the perversities of the Supreme Court which will likely rear their ugly head again with this court:

    The right wing "textualists" judges in the 1800's up into the 20th century gamed the First Amendment noting it begins "Congress shall make no law ...freedom of speech, assembly, etc" saying the text tells them it's Ok for states, counties, companies, individuals etc to violate those principles because they aren't Congress, which is "the text".

    The legal use of the 14th Amendment ("no state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens...") - cynically used by GWB to stop the vote counting in Florida in 2000 - was almost immediately used after it passed post-Civil War, in the 1865-1871 period, for white supremacists defense of violating any federal , state or local law or regulation that they didn't like.


    by NCD on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 9:09am

     bad feelings and backstabbing, mutual all around! I.E., Barr and Pompeo: BAD!

    Down in the polls and yearning for an October surprise, Trump lashes at his most loyal allies

    Analysis by Aaron Blake @ WashingtonPost.com, Oct. 8

    There was much about President Trump’s Thursday morning interview with Fox Business host Maria Bartiromo that reeked of desperation and an incumbent president fighting for his political life. He decided to go down the “unlikable” path with Sen. Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) and called her a “monster.” He said he wouldn’t participate in a virtual debate with former vice president Joe Biden next week. He suggested he might win heavily blue New York state. He even cast doubt on polls showing him down by double digits — by pointing to boaters and truck owners who support him.

    But perhaps nothing in the interview reflected his precarious position quite like what he said about some of his most loyal allies. And the theme of each was the same: These people aren’t doing enough to further his political goals by linking his prominent foes to crimes.

    Less than 12 hours earlier, Trump’s loyal vice president, Mike Pence, won plaudits from conservatives for his debate performance against Harris. But Trump hijacked the debate news with an interview that included targeting arguably his two most loyal Cabinet members — Attorney General William P. Barr and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo — along with FBI Director Christopher A. Wray.

    Trump built upon tweets this week suggesting Barr needs to start indicting people tied to the Russia investigation, while explicitly citing President Barack Obama and Biden.

    “Unless Bill Barr indicts these people for crimes — the greatest political crime in the history of our country — then we’re going to get little satisfaction, unless I win,” Trump said, adding that [...]


    by artappraiser on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 5:32pm

    Trump will be "singing" to NY AG Vance eventually. Turning on his co-conspirators.

    Trump in orange prison garb, cuffed, yelling to the press as he is led out of courtroom, "Giuliani should be on trial here, not me! People say Ukraine was paying him and Bannon big, very big, huge deals, millions!"


    by NCD on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 5:57pm

    you really need to submit your C.V. to be on the screenwriting team for the Trumpco miniseries


    by artappraiser on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 7:13pm

    he's already halfway there:


    by artappraiser on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 9:49pm

    NYTimes version of same story by Peter Bakker & Maggie Haberman:


    by artappraiser on Thu, 10/08/2020 - 11:58pm

    Expect Trump to inflict suffering on weak, desperate or innocent people he can screw over, somewhere. It's what he does when he needs to feel powerful. 

    Perhaps if the election can't be stolen for him he'll order a precipitous withdrawal from Afghanistan. It would threaten the women who have gotten some independence there, and he hates women.


    by NCD on Fri, 10/09/2020 - 1:52am

    NCD, I did not forget your Afghanistan comment. I am now pleased to report to you that The Taliban just endorsed him for that reason!


    by artappraiser on Sat, 10/10/2020 - 5:27pm

    Trump is asking Pompeo if ballot boxes from Afghanistan can tally votes from not only US "losers and suckers" in uniform, but Trump's Taliban fanbase.

    "Many, very many, most of these very patriotic people like winners, like me, would love to vote for me, if that were possible, it may be possible, is it possible, I think it could be and it would be great..."


    by NCD on Sat, 10/10/2020 - 6:51pm

    TalibanforTrump.com website up and running!

    The Taliban endorsed Trump so please enjoy our new website https://t.co/P1mhG3rBTB.

    — MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) October 10, 2020

    by artappraiser on Sat, 10/10/2020 - 7:22pm

    Are those the ones cheering in New Jersey on 9/11? Trump has a Big Tent campaign these days.


    by PeraclesPlease on Sun, 10/11/2020 - 3:29am

    Yglesias wrote about how a President Biden gets around Senate obstructionism 

    How Joe Biden can rescue the economy in the face of Republican obstruction

    A fast, giant reconciliation bill could set the stage for a successful presidency. Oct 8, 2020, 12:00pm EDT

    and Chait endorsed

     


    by artappraiser on Fri, 10/09/2020 - 6:20am

    geez what hold does Drumpf have over remaining cabinet members that they would humiliate themselves like this, pandering to his latest steroid-induced fixations:

    Here’s Mike Pompeo on Fox News saying he has Hillary Clinton’s emails (unclear which ones) and plans to publicly release them before the election. pic.twitter.com/TQjfksQd3u

    — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 9, 2020

    makes McConnell look brave comparatively!


    by artappraiser on Fri, 10/09/2020 - 3:09pm

    Fun related joking:


    by artappraiser on Fri, 10/09/2020 - 3:22pm

    The emails that might have shown she was making illegal profits while in office or under the sway of a foreign government, or accidentally letting critical top secret info fall in the hands of the Russians?

    Fortunately we no longer need emails to prove such treachery and treasonous behavior - in 2020 it's all overt. Thank God for transparency. From Bromance with Vlad, MbS and Rocketman to pedophilia pizza resorts with Giselle and Epstein, to millions flowing to Trump properties for troops and Secret Service and golf trips and whatever investments rise and fall on Donald's unhinged announcements... They told me if I voted for Hillary I'd get child trafficking, corrupt family business, and rampant destruction of the Constitution, but I voted for her anyway - and they were right, that's what we got. Shame on me for not listening..


    by PeraclesPlease on Fri, 10/09/2020 - 3:33pm


    by artappraiser on Fri, 10/09/2020 - 5:40pm


    by artappraiser on Sat, 10/10/2020 - 3:22pm

    Senator Schatz has a piquant comment on that:


    by artappraiser on Sat, 10/10/2020 - 5:21pm

    Claire McAskill:


    by artappraiser on Sat, 10/10/2020 - 9:51pm

    Sounds like he's gonna have a vote on a penurious plan to cover their asses and say they voted for something and tell Trump to go fuck himself if he complains:


    by artappraiser on Tue, 10/13/2020 - 8:49pm

    Wolf vs Pelosi - blech

    should CNN be carrying Trump's water?

    Could Wolf at least read the bills?


    by PeraclesPlease on Wed, 10/14/2020 - 12:43am

    A well informed citizenry with an efficient, competent and accountable goverment is TV News greatest nightmare. No controversy, fear, hate, scandals, fiascoes,  entertainment or big money in gaming that.  Boring.

    Its why CNNs Zucker made Trump a star and then president. TV inventor Farnsworth concluded TV was mostly worthless trash as early as the 50s.


    by NCD on Wed, 10/14/2020 - 1:19am


    by artappraiser on Fri, 10/16/2020 - 5:30pm


    by artappraiser on Fri, 10/16/2020 - 5:33pm

    free access to a new NYTimes article on topic (aside-I have found this guy is a discerning news junkie who is really good at getting around paywalls)


    by artappraiser on Fri, 10/16/2020 - 10:12pm

    Lie, just lie:


    by artappraiser on Sun, 10/18/2020 - 12:44am

    McConnell to Trump: You should have died of COVID!, or at least got put in a coma!:

    As McConnell advises White House against pre-election stimulus deal, Pelosi and Mnuchin make headway in talks.


    by NCD on Tue, 10/20/2020 - 6:41pm

    more rats fleeing sinking ship:


    by artappraiser on Sun, 10/18/2020 - 3:32pm


    by artappraiser on Sun, 10/18/2020 - 3:44pm