Sent to US Senators Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska this a.m.:
"D.O.J. Hands Trump, His Family and Businesses Immunity From Tax Investigations" - NYT Headline
Based on your record, I have absolutely no doubt that you will vote to confirm Trump's next nominee for Attorney General, a nominee who will endorse this immunity along with the oh-so-patriotic $1.776 billion dollar slush fund. Your moral bankruptcy is so complete that the impulse to ask you to not support such a nominee, and to block the immunity and the slush fund, is obviously ridiculous and exercise of that impulse would just be pissing into the wind. Trump's actions are an obvious middle finger to all your constituents who believe in the ideals that are the bedrock of constitutional and democratic governance. Your enabling of all this has earned you a middle finger from me.
Nice. But just as obviously, their constituents actually don't believe in the ideals that are the bedrock of constitutional and democratic governance. So the biggest middle finger of all should go to the people all around you in Nebraska who voted for this and will continue to vote for this.
Yes the voters are the problem. But, as Bill Kristol's excellent piece demonstrates, an elite blessed with the capacity to understand the rot they are participating in surely deserves extra scorn.
Though I could understand it, I disagreed with Biden's decision to pardon his family members prophylactically. This goes one step farther, from pardoning to not investigating. Who has ever settled a case involving the government including a promise not to enforce the law?
If they don't have to file, they are saving 10's of millions of dollars across his family and all his corporations by not having to pay for tax accountants and lawyers. This is another grift at our expense.
I never disagreed with the pardon. Comey has had to spend a lot of money defending himself once, only to have to do it again. That is what Felon Trump does; bankrupt people with frivolous law suits, only now he has his pets at the DOJ working for him and we pay the bill.
And when an experienced prosecutor quits, an opening occurs for an incompetent prosecutor to take the job, and….. fail to secure an indictment. A race to the bottom in the DOJ!
Totally disagree. Fox plays it up bigly when an announcement of a prosecution happens. Nary a whimper when the case is dropped or dismissed. The rubes only hear about the first headline. Never the second one.
Biden's pardons covered only offenses up to the date the pardons were signed. This is effectively a pardon for any tax fraud Trump (and family) has ever committed or will ever commit. Remember being taught that nobody in America is above the law?
Not so sure about the future. I haven't read the memo and I've heard it both ways from commentators. Even if the application is only up to and including the 2025 tax year, the Trump clan will save hundreds of millions of dollars at least
Yesterday I saw Michael Fanone on Deadline White House. What he said broke my heart. He’s getting more death threats from crazed MAGAts who are now convinced Trump will pardon and pay them for their murder. This is deeply disturbing and so very sad.
Trump would pardon them and pay for their murder. They're the ones who understand what time it is. All those guns we have, they sure stop tyranny, don't they?
Sandra, those were my thoughts exactly. What Michael said about his realization of who the American people are was so heartbreaking. And I thought his call to action for all those who work in the DOJ texting him apologies (do something productive and make a statement...quit the DOJ) was spot on.
He is very right to feel that way. Republicans feel invulnerable right now and I’m sure there are plenty of Republicans who would offer to be a hit man for Trump.
The same people who wanted to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law possible a guy who threw a hero sandwich at a federal officer also want to make sure that the people who beat cops with hockey sticks and metal poles are examined on a case by case basis for potential reparations to the tune of millions of dollars. Get it?
Just read that Harry Dunn and Daniel Hodges, both of whom defended the Capitol on J6, have filed a lawsuit to stop this slush fund from ever happening. Good for them!
I've been saying that that's the message Dems should send: "People who tried to kill cops on J6 are being paid [insert made up number here] dollars by Donald Trump BECAUSE they tried to kill cops." They can have a short clip of J6rs screaming, "Kill him!".
And then what do we do when people still vote Trump? Because they (they meaning the American public) all know this. And they still vote for him. They know he sent people to kill cops, and we know they support his slush fund paying violent criminals to stand back and stand by. We know they want violence.
I don't know, I feel like when we say "Trump rapes people," they say "Rape is good now actually." And when we say "Trump is racist," they say "Racism is biblical and great now actually, and also science." When we say "Trump is rewarding people for attacking the police," I'm pretty sure I'm not going to like the American public's response.
I'm just here to share my joy at the use of the verb "dragoon." It's one of my favorite rather obscure words. I use it more often in my day to day life than one might imagine and it always is good for a little amusement to the listener.
I almost can’t contain my rage at how MY tax dollars will be paying off violent insurrectionists who brutalized police officers, vandalized our Capitol building, literally shit on the walls of governance, and threatened the lives of lawmakers. The injustice of this causes me physical pain and I feel helpless to stop it. What do we do with our anger?? Shouting into the digital realm may be momentarily soothing but I need to feel like I’m taking practical steps to prevent this from standing. Also, when they absolve the Trump “family” from ever facing IRS scrutiny, how far does that go? Grandkids? In perpetuity? This has to end!
Don’t fret about the IRS thing. It was signed by Trump’s personal attorney who is Acting AG - there is no way this is actually legal. Functionally the Epstein Class was always exempt from audits. None of this is in any way binding unless we let it. When we are back in power, we just ignore it and prosecute them anyways.
Yep. They want us distracted with Trump’s thievery. What’s another 1.8 billion on top of everything else? Add it to the list of crimes and keep calm. We are on tracks at this point, destination civil war.
It seems to me that, for the short term at least, Trump has created several lame duck enemies in Congress, and they can come back to bite him. Even a duck has teeth. Sort of. Bill Cassidy already helped the Senate rebuke the president on the Iran war, and Thomas Massie is now completely free to join the president's opponents in the House. Let's see some pushback, guys!
And now there is Cornyn. I'd love it if they declared themselves independent and caucused with the Dems. Trump isn't the only one who can indulge in some payback.
I have never been so happy that I don't pay US taxes anymore (I live in Europe) as I am today. My hard-earned is not supporting the war in Iran and it's not going to be given to insurrectionists. Halleluia! It's almost as if I emigrated for a good reason.
I am not sure how you have gotten out of the net that is cast over all citizens of the United States without going through the horrific problem of renouncing citizenship. I do know people who have done this, but it has been a complex and expensive process. My husband and I moved to the UK years ago and were never able to get out of filing returns and we did become UK citizens. We have moved back to the US after 30+ years, but my daughter who is a US citizen, although she was born in London, and still lives in the UK is having a terrible time right now. She is a student and she is paying between getting tax advice and paying for assets that are UK tax exempt more money than her annual income. I know I am rambling, but as a person that has always paid what I owe I cannot describe the fury I feel that my money will be going to criminals who support a criminal regime.
Well, I didn't say I don't have to file US tax returns. Matter of fact I said I am still obligated to file every year. But because my Dutch taxes are higher, I never have to pay anything to the IRS.
I have no US holdings, no property, no stocks or bonds.
I will be renouncing my US citizenship eventually because I cannot have Dutch citizenship if I am a citizen of another country. But I don't qualify for a few more months. A recent US court case has significantly reduced the cost of renouncing US citizenship. You should look it up.
Just curious... if you've maintained your citizenship, you are obligated to file tax returns with the IRS and pay taxes on income. There is that $130,000 Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, though. 🤔
It occurs to me that if this heist is allowed to take place Trump will appoint committee members--possibly including himself--who will conclude that given all of the "facts" about DoJ weaponization, Donald J Trump should get most of the money. Who can argue that he had the most charges leveled against him, the most defense lawyers, the most legal fees, and the greatest affront to his magnificence?
No. The plan is to stall out payments until December 2028. At that time the money goes to Felon Trump himself to dole it out. Just like his Save America Pac, it will just go to him!
Yup, the plan is to dangle the money over people's heads as if they are donkeys with carrots. Get violent enough for Trump and you may be rewarded. Nobody will actually be rewarded, just like those ICE signing bonuses that never materialized. All the money will go to lawyers.
Yes. Start with Michael Flynn and Roger Stone, then go onto more than a thousand 1/6 cases and bogus elector cases--that's a lot of work for a little ol' six person committee... .And it would be unfair to dole out any money until they are all evaluated....
Insightful comment by Massie, and it adds more weight to the observation from Rob Flaherty earlier this week: "In reality, today’s swing voter is choosing between “change” and “burn it all down.” People just didn’t trust our ability to make a difference in their lives."
The people who live in the bottom stroke of the K-shaped economy are not idealogues. They're angry and willing to listen to just about anyone who codes as willing to smash/destroy the existing order. In other words, perfect marks for Trump.
It only took losing for Massie to see the truth. And he voted WITH the craziest SOB in the bunch 95% of the time. But he was too loud about that pesky 5%.
He was too loud about Epstein. I really think this is Trump's biggest fear and primary focus. Nothing will crater Trump's standing among "his" people than something really bad coming out of the files. I think he fears this day and night.
I think Trump used the belief that he actually cared about the Epstein Files as a way to ensure people who said they cared about them to vote for him. I now think people said they cared about the Epstein Files to give them a rationale for voting for Trump. Neither actually cared. Trump 2.0 has made me a cynic.
I see what you did there, Andrew..."All these guys are rotten, but there’s something about Vance’s shtick of couching his own utterly cynical amorality..." Slipping 'couch' and Vance together. ;-)
Out of all the enraging corruption, the slush fund is the one that really puts me into a state of white hot rage. But here is a thought on it: all of the people who truly have had the DOJ weaponized against them in the last year and a half should make a big public shows of applying, and then contrasting their denials with the presumed payouts given to people like the J6 child molester. James Comey, Letitia James, Jerome Powell, Mark Kelly, etc, etc., please do this!
Maybe I did not like Thomas Massie. I certainty respected and admired him. His comment on Cheap Shots was right on. My only hope is that he and those who are still concerned about those girls abused by Epstein and his criminal cronies continue the fight this year and get those files redacted and published. Felon Trump is killing the moderate conservatives and has renamed the GOP as the Party of Trump. Is this the year where Felon Trump finally got enough rope. Orban did. Let’s go for two this year. Putin could be the third!
Welp, Massie was my litmus test of whether the Trump fever is over or not. It's not over.
Hard day, folks. Everyone I know has nightmares every night now. Businesses no longer seem to care if their employees show up. Just slap a sign on the wall telling customers not to attack workers physically, understaff dangerously, and call it a day. If the business loses money, blame AI and take a tax writeoff, or ask Trump for a bailout. Hell, just claim to be at January 7 and get "free money," the likes of which the people on site at the World Trade Center on September 11th could only dream of.
Oh, I know that money is far from free. I wouldn't take that blood money for all the riches of the world. It's just sad that instead of having a democracy to hand my grandchildren, I have no democracy, no grandchildren, and no hope of retirement. What advice would I give to young people? Leave the country, I guess. Learn to speak Polish. I wish I could help our kids more. They don't deserve what we've done to them, and it's really making me depressed how America treats our next generations so poorly.
You and me both. This is a turning point, all the messaging, all the rage farming, all the efforts by the Dems and the Never Trump ecosystem, the fever still holds, and that should temper all the chicken counting for the fall elections and the future.
I fear that the nation is numb, and just ignoring what is happening in front of their eyes.
I wish it were numb. That would be the comforting assumption. Nope, everyone is paying attention. Americans prefer fascism. They prefer Trump to having a health care system. They are removing vaccines and fluoridated water without the slightest prompting from the federal government. They are banning books with glee. They are thrilled that Black people won't be sending reps to Congress anymore, although they may get a few surprises there.
I should have been clearer. Those who have protested, fought against the insanity in Trump I are getting numb, and as you mention, the nation **wants** this.
The reversal of the Civil Rights is complete. We are in the era of the Lost Cause 2, this time it is the myth of the stolen election.
Perhaps a few "normie" Republicans clinging to the hope that the Republican Party is not a Trump cult will learn the lesson from Massie, Cassidy, Indiana State Senators, etc that the party is more cultish than ever.
Massie's take on the libertarians in congress is very good. I could be generous and say the Southern GOP voter was looking for 'contrarians', but 'craziest' fits better because Trump isn't a contrarian. He's insane.
“This is @realDonaldTrump’s Republican Party. The rest of us get the privilege of living in it.”
I swear to God, when I read that sentence the yogurt I just had for breakfast curdled in my stomach.
Your yoghurt may have curdled, but he is not wrong in what he said. But Trump is old and infirm and very poor at planning. He has the party by the balls in a vice-like grip, but once that grip is gone who knows what might gush up. What happens to the party of Trump once he’s gone.
It was the 'privilege of living in it' that did the curdling.
The GOP will probably splinter into multiple factions, the Christian Nationalists, the broligarchy, the white supremacists, the MAHA contingent, and the die hard Trump only cultists. I don't know who could possibly herd all those hissing and spitting cats.
Once again, Andrew knocks it out of the park! This part really jumped out for me: "Vance’s shtick of couching his own utterly cynical amorality in a posture of faux-earnest aw-shucks folksy reasonableness...bothers me even more than the no-pretense in-your-face corruption." 💯
He has! I've had to resist spamming everyone I know with Morning Shots lately because my texts are like "Egger's best writing ever!!" except I say that every single time 😂
Sent to US Senators Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska this a.m.:
"D.O.J. Hands Trump, His Family and Businesses Immunity From Tax Investigations" - NYT Headline
Based on your record, I have absolutely no doubt that you will vote to confirm Trump's next nominee for Attorney General, a nominee who will endorse this immunity along with the oh-so-patriotic $1.776 billion dollar slush fund. Your moral bankruptcy is so complete that the impulse to ask you to not support such a nominee, and to block the immunity and the slush fund, is obviously ridiculous and exercise of that impulse would just be pissing into the wind. Trump's actions are an obvious middle finger to all your constituents who believe in the ideals that are the bedrock of constitutional and democratic governance. Your enabling of all this has earned you a middle finger from me.
Nice. But just as obviously, their constituents actually don't believe in the ideals that are the bedrock of constitutional and democratic governance. So the biggest middle finger of all should go to the people all around you in Nebraska who voted for this and will continue to vote for this.
Yes the voters are the problem. But, as Bill Kristol's excellent piece demonstrates, an elite blessed with the capacity to understand the rot they are participating in surely deserves extra scorn.
Not that it needs mentioning, but the abandonment of "character" and "principles" by people who claimed they owned those things is also infuriating.
Though I could understand it, I disagreed with Biden's decision to pardon his family members prophylactically. This goes one step farther, from pardoning to not investigating. Who has ever settled a case involving the government including a promise not to enforce the law?
It's a get out of taxes free card. They won't even have to bother filing.
Really. There won't even be a jail to get out of.
Why would an honest person fear an audit? What if John Wayne Gacy had an order forbidding the police from ever looking in his basement?
If they don't have to file, they are saving 10's of millions of dollars across his family and all his corporations by not having to pay for tax accountants and lawyers. This is another grift at our expense.
Hadn’t even thought of that. Is it only because of banks that they’d even need to keep books then?
Yep, and to hide other fraudulent acts because they would still be liable to state jurisdictions and their tax codes.
I never disagreed with the pardon. Comey has had to spend a lot of money defending himself once, only to have to do it again. That is what Felon Trump does; bankrupt people with frivolous law suits, only now he has his pets at the DOJ working for him and we pay the bill.
But every time a fresh prosecutor fails to secure an indictment, Trump's stock goes down.
And when an experienced prosecutor quits, an opening occurs for an incompetent prosecutor to take the job, and….. fail to secure an indictment. A race to the bottom in the DOJ!
Totally disagree. Fox plays it up bigly when an announcement of a prosecution happens. Nary a whimper when the case is dropped or dismissed. The rubes only hear about the first headline. Never the second one.
Biden's pardons covered only offenses up to the date the pardons were signed. This is effectively a pardon for any tax fraud Trump (and family) has ever committed or will ever commit. Remember being taught that nobody in America is above the law?
I never heard of a "Pre-post facto" law, but I bet Roberts and Co. will find it OK.
It's like Minority Report without the consequence. Tom Cruise can see the pre crime but do nothing about it.
Not so sure about the future. I haven't read the memo and I've heard it both ways from commentators. Even if the application is only up to and including the 2025 tax year, the Trump clan will save hundreds of millions of dollars at least
A commenter on Meidas last night linked to this Substack post. It details the MANY ways this slush fund and agreement are illegal, but it also suggests (near the end) ways it can be fought by ordinary people. https://mitchthelawyer.substack.com/p/trumps-1776-billion-anti-weaponization
Holy cow, this scheme violates every law on the books and every ethical requirement for officials! Breathtaking.
Nice! I'm a Nebraskan and support this message to our feckless Senators
Yesterday I saw Michael Fanone on Deadline White House. What he said broke my heart. He’s getting more death threats from crazed MAGAts who are now convinced Trump will pardon and pay them for their murder. This is deeply disturbing and so very sad.
Trump would pardon them and pay for their murder. They're the ones who understand what time it is. All those guns we have, they sure stop tyranny, don't they?
Sandra, those were my thoughts exactly. What Michael said about his realization of who the American people are was so heartbreaking. And I thought his call to action for all those who work in the DOJ texting him apologies (do something productive and make a statement...quit the DOJ) was spot on.
He is very right to feel that way. Republicans feel invulnerable right now and I’m sure there are plenty of Republicans who would offer to be a hit man for Trump.
The same people who wanted to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law possible a guy who threw a hero sandwich at a federal officer also want to make sure that the people who beat cops with hockey sticks and metal poles are examined on a case by case basis for potential reparations to the tune of millions of dollars. Get it?
Good lord, that's beyond awful.
Just read that Harry Dunn and Daniel Hodges, both of whom defended the Capitol on J6, have filed a lawsuit to stop this slush fund from ever happening. Good for them!
Re Of Slush Funds. Is this a Freudian slip by Mr Egger? Vance “‘couching’ his own utterly cynical amorality?”
Given our Andrew’s deft writing skills and memory, I highly doubt a Freudian slip.
Leave it to Andrew to chaise down this story.
Your spell-check has quite the sense of humor. ;)
Was just coming to the comments section to tell Mr. Egger we see what he did there......
Cushioning the blow?
I’m sofa king tired of JD Vance
SCOTUS actually made Trump above the law, and Blanche got his marching orders.
The corruption in plain sight is almost too much to bear. OUR MONEY IS BEING GIVEN TO PEOPLE WHO VIOLENTLY BEAT POLICE OFFICERS.
My God.
This is the bad place.
Not only is our money being handed to people because they attacked the police, the police support giving them the money!
We are officially past the sanity mark. This culture is insanely sick.
I've been saying that that's the message Dems should send: "People who tried to kill cops on J6 are being paid [insert made up number here] dollars by Donald Trump BECAUSE they tried to kill cops." They can have a short clip of J6rs screaming, "Kill him!".
And then what do we do when people still vote Trump? Because they (they meaning the American public) all know this. And they still vote for him. They know he sent people to kill cops, and we know they support his slush fund paying violent criminals to stand back and stand by. We know they want violence.
I don't know, I feel like when we say "Trump rapes people," they say "Rape is good now actually." And when we say "Trump is racist," they say "Racism is biblical and great now actually, and also science." When we say "Trump is rewarding people for attacking the police," I'm pretty sure I'm not going to like the American public's response.
Corruption has replaced the Constitution.
None of that matters anymore. We are on a path where SCOTUS’ say is irrelevant. We are headed to civil war 2.0 where everything will be reset.
Where does the guy who got over-charged for throwing a hero sandwich at federal agents go to get his payout? How about the Pretti and Good families?
And the girls and women who Azar threw under the bus in Florida!
I'm just here to share my joy at the use of the verb "dragoon." It's one of my favorite rather obscure words. I use it more often in my day to day life than one might imagine and it always is good for a little amusement to the listener.
This made me laugh and after that column, I needed one. Nothing like using obscure vocabulary to brighten the day!
I almost can’t contain my rage at how MY tax dollars will be paying off violent insurrectionists who brutalized police officers, vandalized our Capitol building, literally shit on the walls of governance, and threatened the lives of lawmakers. The injustice of this causes me physical pain and I feel helpless to stop it. What do we do with our anger?? Shouting into the digital realm may be momentarily soothing but I need to feel like I’m taking practical steps to prevent this from standing. Also, when they absolve the Trump “family” from ever facing IRS scrutiny, how far does that go? Grandkids? In perpetuity? This has to end!
Don’t fret about the IRS thing. It was signed by Trump’s personal attorney who is Acting AG - there is no way this is actually legal. Functionally the Epstein Class was always exempt from audits. None of this is in any way binding unless we let it. When we are back in power, we just ignore it and prosecute them anyways.
Yeah, that clause might as well be worded "we're owning the libs, ha ha ha." Of course, these days, that's Supreme Court worthy jurisprudence.
Yep. They want us distracted with Trump’s thievery. What’s another 1.8 billion on top of everything else? Add it to the list of crimes and keep calm. We are on tracks at this point, destination civil war.
I can't help wondering what the national debt is going to be. If we're ever informed.
As long as Trumplicans run the DOJ it’s legal, which is why they’re trying to make sure they don’t lose the midterms or any other election.
It seems to me that, for the short term at least, Trump has created several lame duck enemies in Congress, and they can come back to bite him. Even a duck has teeth. Sort of. Bill Cassidy already helped the Senate rebuke the president on the Iran war, and Thomas Massie is now completely free to join the president's opponents in the House. Let's see some pushback, guys!
And now there is Cornyn. I'd love it if they declared themselves independent and caucused with the Dems. Trump isn't the only one who can indulge in some payback.
I don't care if they lash out at him out of pure, petty malice. Whatever works for democracy in the long run!
I have never been so happy that I don't pay US taxes anymore (I live in Europe) as I am today. My hard-earned is not supporting the war in Iran and it's not going to be given to insurrectionists. Halleluia! It's almost as if I emigrated for a good reason.
Hard jealousy...
It wasn't easy. I have questioned if it was worth it many time since 2018 when I left. These past months have confirmed it.
And don't be too jealous. The majority of my family's income comes from US customers, and when you guys suffer economically, we suffer too.
I am not sure how you have gotten out of the net that is cast over all citizens of the United States without going through the horrific problem of renouncing citizenship. I do know people who have done this, but it has been a complex and expensive process. My husband and I moved to the UK years ago and were never able to get out of filing returns and we did become UK citizens. We have moved back to the US after 30+ years, but my daughter who is a US citizen, although she was born in London, and still lives in the UK is having a terrible time right now. She is a student and she is paying between getting tax advice and paying for assets that are UK tax exempt more money than her annual income. I know I am rambling, but as a person that has always paid what I owe I cannot describe the fury I feel that my money will be going to criminals who support a criminal regime.
Well, I didn't say I don't have to file US tax returns. Matter of fact I said I am still obligated to file every year. But because my Dutch taxes are higher, I never have to pay anything to the IRS.
I have no US holdings, no property, no stocks or bonds.
I will be renouncing my US citizenship eventually because I cannot have Dutch citizenship if I am a citizen of another country. But I don't qualify for a few more months. A recent US court case has significantly reduced the cost of renouncing US citizenship. You should look it up.
Just curious... if you've maintained your citizenship, you are obligated to file tax returns with the IRS and pay taxes on income. There is that $130,000 Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, though. 🤔
Yeah, I file with the IRS every year, but my Dutch tax burden exceeds my US tax burden, so I don't have to pay US taxes.
Good to know! Thanks!
No problem!
It occurs to me that if this heist is allowed to take place Trump will appoint committee members--possibly including himself--who will conclude that given all of the "facts" about DoJ weaponization, Donald J Trump should get most of the money. Who can argue that he had the most charges leveled against him, the most defense lawyers, the most legal fees, and the greatest affront to his magnificence?
No. The plan is to stall out payments until December 2028. At that time the money goes to Felon Trump himself to dole it out. Just like his Save America Pac, it will just go to him!
Yup, the plan is to dangle the money over people's heads as if they are donkeys with carrots. Get violent enough for Trump and you may be rewarded. Nobody will actually be rewarded, just like those ICE signing bonuses that never materialized. All the money will go to lawyers.
Yes. Start with Michael Flynn and Roger Stone, then go onto more than a thousand 1/6 cases and bogus elector cases--that's a lot of work for a little ol' six person committee... .And it would be unfair to dole out any money until they are all evaluated....
Given Ts honesty, I think he probably will try to get that money for himself one way or the other.
It's like nesting Russian dolls. Corrupt schemes within corrupt schemes.
Insightful comment by Massie, and it adds more weight to the observation from Rob Flaherty earlier this week: "In reality, today’s swing voter is choosing between “change” and “burn it all down.” People just didn’t trust our ability to make a difference in their lives."
The people who live in the bottom stroke of the K-shaped economy are not idealogues. They're angry and willing to listen to just about anyone who codes as willing to smash/destroy the existing order. In other words, perfect marks for Trump.
It only took losing for Massie to see the truth. And he voted WITH the craziest SOB in the bunch 95% of the time. But he was too loud about that pesky 5%.
He was too loud about Epstein. I really think this is Trump's biggest fear and primary focus. Nothing will crater Trump's standing among "his" people than something really bad coming out of the files. I think he fears this day and night.
I think Trump used the belief that he actually cared about the Epstein Files as a way to ensure people who said they cared about them to vote for him. I now think people said they cared about the Epstein Files to give them a rationale for voting for Trump. Neither actually cared. Trump 2.0 has made me a cynic.
I see what you did there, Andrew..."All these guys are rotten, but there’s something about Vance’s shtick of couching his own utterly cynical amorality..." Slipping 'couch' and Vance together. ;-)
Out of all the enraging corruption, the slush fund is the one that really puts me into a state of white hot rage. But here is a thought on it: all of the people who truly have had the DOJ weaponized against them in the last year and a half should make a big public shows of applying, and then contrasting their denials with the presumed payouts given to people like the J6 child molester. James Comey, Letitia James, Jerome Powell, Mark Kelly, etc, etc., please do this!
Maybe I did not like Thomas Massie. I certainty respected and admired him. His comment on Cheap Shots was right on. My only hope is that he and those who are still concerned about those girls abused by Epstein and his criminal cronies continue the fight this year and get those files redacted and published. Felon Trump is killing the moderate conservatives and has renamed the GOP as the Party of Trump. Is this the year where Felon Trump finally got enough rope. Orban did. Let’s go for two this year. Putin could be the third!
Welp, Massie was my litmus test of whether the Trump fever is over or not. It's not over.
Hard day, folks. Everyone I know has nightmares every night now. Businesses no longer seem to care if their employees show up. Just slap a sign on the wall telling customers not to attack workers physically, understaff dangerously, and call it a day. If the business loses money, blame AI and take a tax writeoff, or ask Trump for a bailout. Hell, just claim to be at January 7 and get "free money," the likes of which the people on site at the World Trade Center on September 11th could only dream of.
Oh, I know that money is far from free. I wouldn't take that blood money for all the riches of the world. It's just sad that instead of having a democracy to hand my grandchildren, I have no democracy, no grandchildren, and no hope of retirement. What advice would I give to young people? Leave the country, I guess. Learn to speak Polish. I wish I could help our kids more. They don't deserve what we've done to them, and it's really making me depressed how America treats our next generations so poorly.
You and me both. This is a turning point, all the messaging, all the rage farming, all the efforts by the Dems and the Never Trump ecosystem, the fever still holds, and that should temper all the chicken counting for the fall elections and the future.
I fear that the nation is numb, and just ignoring what is happening in front of their eyes.
Sucks, but that is the safe assumption
I wish it were numb. That would be the comforting assumption. Nope, everyone is paying attention. Americans prefer fascism. They prefer Trump to having a health care system. They are removing vaccines and fluoridated water without the slightest prompting from the federal government. They are banning books with glee. They are thrilled that Black people won't be sending reps to Congress anymore, although they may get a few surprises there.
I should have been clearer. Those who have protested, fought against the insanity in Trump I are getting numb, and as you mention, the nation **wants** this.
The reversal of the Civil Rights is complete. We are in the era of the Lost Cause 2, this time it is the myth of the stolen election.
There is no easy path back
"It's not over."
Perhaps a few "normie" Republicans clinging to the hope that the Republican Party is not a Trump cult will learn the lesson from Massie, Cassidy, Indiana State Senators, etc that the party is more cultish than ever.
I can't even imagine there's a such thing as a normie Republican after the last decade. I'd be more likely to spot a mosasaur in Loch Ness.
Massie's take on the libertarians in congress is very good. I could be generous and say the Southern GOP voter was looking for 'contrarians', but 'craziest' fits better because Trump isn't a contrarian. He's insane.
“This is @realDonaldTrump’s Republican Party. The rest of us get the privilege of living in it.”
I swear to God, when I read that sentence the yogurt I just had for breakfast curdled in my stomach.
Your yoghurt may have curdled, but he is not wrong in what he said. But Trump is old and infirm and very poor at planning. He has the party by the balls in a vice-like grip, but once that grip is gone who knows what might gush up. What happens to the party of Trump once he’s gone.
It was the 'privilege of living in it' that did the curdling.
The GOP will probably splinter into multiple factions, the Christian Nationalists, the broligarchy, the white supremacists, the MAHA contingent, and the die hard Trump only cultists. I don't know who could possibly herd all those hissing and spitting cats.
Once again, Andrew knocks it out of the park! This part really jumped out for me: "Vance’s shtick of couching his own utterly cynical amorality in a posture of faux-earnest aw-shucks folksy reasonableness...bothers me even more than the no-pretense in-your-face corruption." 💯
Andrew's been feelin' it lately!
He has! I've had to resist spamming everyone I know with Morning Shots lately because my texts are like "Egger's best writing ever!!" except I say that every single time 😂