I know we are all exhausted, but the outrages in this Trumpian sequel administration are even worse than the first. The Epstein stuff. The golden ballroom. The MBS stuff was just so downright evil that it made me sick.
I pray daily for Trump's removal from office and that he dies in prison. I know that won't happen in this timeline, but it's what I want to see.
This is NOT a criticism; it made me laugh. You do realize you're PRAYING for someone's death? I think that's something like an oxymoron! :-) But I certainly get the impulse.
On the favorable reception for MBS, I'm not going to push back on the interpretation that Trump is a wannabe dictator. I'm also not going to push back on him loving MBS and the rest of the Middle East as a place that embraces bribery and where Trump can make a fortune.
But another possibility that seems apparent is whether Trump has been compromised by Epstein and what Trump is doing with foreign policy to protect himself vs. what is in our national interest. In the recent Epstein File release is the email between Epstein and Wolf on leverage on Trump, that I'm surprised that this isn't getting more attention. How do we know Trump isn't already corrupted by whatever Epstein had on him and acting against America's interests? How do we know that Epstein didn't sell Trump pedophile videos to the highest bidder - Russia??? To the best of my knowledge, no one has gotten to the bottom of Epstein's wealth, but it sure seems like blackmail might be a key part of it.
Any and all of the reasons above for his embrace of dictators could be true, but none of them good for US interests.
As for "Obviously, there is no guarantee that Donald Trump’s attorney general will carry out these legislative instructions in good faith.", for me, I'll be stunned if she carries out the legislative instructions in good faith. No one in the regime operates in good faith. They're all corrupt lapdogs for trump.
Wouldn't it be funny if Trump's truly awful cabinet picks and special appointees were what brought him down? To wit, Pam Bondi and Lindsey Halligan. Blessed irony.
Bill, I have no trouble imagining and believing the worst of Donald J Trump and what he's done in any capacity. Sad, isn't it?
Just heard a recent comment by him - he thinks he's better than George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, and he leads the polls by 25 points. How the bloody hell can anyone in Congress bow down to an obviously demented "man"? The polls show POS under water by a lot. Why are Congressional Rs still bowing before him?
I think Trump is cooked by Epstein, no matter what. It seems unlikely that Bondi will cough up anything incriminating to Trump, in which case- what, the non-hardcore-MAGA public drops it? Doubt it. I also doubt they can stop the trickle of unflattering or incriminating information. In the meanwhile reporters will keep asking questions and Trump will continue flying off the handle.
I will believe the 14-point generic ballot poll from Marist when I see polls similar to it. Unfortunately, Marists' last poll on the subject was a year ago. That poll did show them even, but, again, that poll was a full 12 months ago. Hard to gauge movement when a pollster is polling 12 months apart.
Related to the Epstein files: will we get clarity on the bank records? Where did all the money go? Who was being paid and for what? I feel like Trump's real benefit was through laundering money for a host of corrupt organizations. Could the sex trafficking ring have been one of them?
Bravo re Epstein saga post. Apart from the absolute necessity of pursuing justice for the victims and exposure, censure and possibly justice for the perpetrators, there is another important point here. As Bill writes, people are raising this issue with elected representatives at meetings. This is an important signal. Anti elite politics in the US simply must be turned away from defenceless minorities and onto proper and useful targets. Despite what a lot of people think, a ‘purely economic’ message cannot succeed on its own. A moral dimension needs to be attached to any drive to rouse people.
The Epstein saga and its associated pathologies enables exactly that. May it be so.
I appreciate the work of The Bulwark! I have not read all 300 comments made so far today so it is likely that others are thinking and writing about my concerns. Trump has proven himself to be a vindictive, despotic, and dangerous infant (that might be a bad rap for infants!) I have been thinking about his ability to retaliate and divert our attention. Perhaps with the growing problems he could face in the Epstein investigations, he might distract us with a war in Venezuela and/or even more illegal treatment of people with brown skin and/or another deal that enriches Trump and his family financially while selling out US citizens and/or even more cutbacks on food and healthcare for people who have little or none.
The redistricting wars are certainly heating up. Last night, Texas immediately appealed its loss directly to the SC. Unfortunately, Alito is the first person there to start whatever the process. And R's in California took Prop 50 to federal court, immediately after voters passed it. Unfortunately, Trump's DOJ has now joined in on the side of the R's to undo P 50. Maybe the SC gets a crack at this case soon as well. The RD Wars of 2025. Heating up alright.
Why would there be classified information in the Epstein files? He didn't have a security clearance; did he email and cavort with those who did?
I know we are all exhausted, but the outrages in this Trumpian sequel administration are even worse than the first. The Epstein stuff. The golden ballroom. The MBS stuff was just so downright evil that it made me sick.
I pray daily for Trump's removal from office and that he dies in prison. I know that won't happen in this timeline, but it's what I want to see.
This is NOT a criticism; it made me laugh. You do realize you're PRAYING for someone's death? I think that's something like an oxymoron! :-) But I certainly get the impulse.
On the favorable reception for MBS, I'm not going to push back on the interpretation that Trump is a wannabe dictator. I'm also not going to push back on him loving MBS and the rest of the Middle East as a place that embraces bribery and where Trump can make a fortune.
But another possibility that seems apparent is whether Trump has been compromised by Epstein and what Trump is doing with foreign policy to protect himself vs. what is in our national interest. In the recent Epstein File release is the email between Epstein and Wolf on leverage on Trump, that I'm surprised that this isn't getting more attention. How do we know Trump isn't already corrupted by whatever Epstein had on him and acting against America's interests? How do we know that Epstein didn't sell Trump pedophile videos to the highest bidder - Russia??? To the best of my knowledge, no one has gotten to the bottom of Epstein's wealth, but it sure seems like blackmail might be a key part of it.
Any and all of the reasons above for his embrace of dictators could be true, but none of them good for US interests.
Very good point.
Excellent articles, thanks!
As for "Obviously, there is no guarantee that Donald Trump’s attorney general will carry out these legislative instructions in good faith.", for me, I'll be stunned if she carries out the legislative instructions in good faith. No one in the regime operates in good faith. They're all corrupt lapdogs for trump.
Interesting. Will be eager to see if a generic ballot poll turns out to be more valuable than John Nance Garner's observation of the vice presidency.
Wouldn't it be funny if Trump's truly awful cabinet picks and special appointees were what brought him down? To wit, Pam Bondi and Lindsey Halligan. Blessed irony.
Bill, I have no trouble imagining and believing the worst of Donald J Trump and what he's done in any capacity. Sad, isn't it?
Just heard a recent comment by him - he thinks he's better than George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, and he leads the polls by 25 points. How the bloody hell can anyone in Congress bow down to an obviously demented "man"? The polls show POS under water by a lot. Why are Congressional Rs still bowing before him?
“You’re a terrible person and a terrible reporter,” he told her, saying that ABC should have its broadcast license revoked.
And this is where ABC should step in and say, “Go ahead, have your goons revoke our license, see what Americans think of that!”
But ABC is owned by Disney, you see…
One thing you can say about Trump is that almost on a daily basis he rubs our noses in the parts of our democracy that are irretrievably corrupt.
I think Trump is cooked by Epstein, no matter what. It seems unlikely that Bondi will cough up anything incriminating to Trump, in which case- what, the non-hardcore-MAGA public drops it? Doubt it. I also doubt they can stop the trickle of unflattering or incriminating information. In the meanwhile reporters will keep asking questions and Trump will continue flying off the handle.
For a certain segment of MAGA-world, all the fuss about Trump's pervy past is just a corrupt effort to sabotage his godly moral purpose.
I will believe the 14-point generic ballot poll from Marist when I see polls similar to it. Unfortunately, Marists' last poll on the subject was a year ago. That poll did show them even, but, again, that poll was a full 12 months ago. Hard to gauge movement when a pollster is polling 12 months apart.
What’s next?
Related to the Epstein files: will we get clarity on the bank records? Where did all the money go? Who was being paid and for what? I feel like Trump's real benefit was through laundering money for a host of corrupt organizations. Could the sex trafficking ring have been one of them?
Bravo re Epstein saga post. Apart from the absolute necessity of pursuing justice for the victims and exposure, censure and possibly justice for the perpetrators, there is another important point here. As Bill writes, people are raising this issue with elected representatives at meetings. This is an important signal. Anti elite politics in the US simply must be turned away from defenceless minorities and onto proper and useful targets. Despite what a lot of people think, a ‘purely economic’ message cannot succeed on its own. A moral dimension needs to be attached to any drive to rouse people.
The Epstein saga and its associated pathologies enables exactly that. May it be so.
I appreciate the work of The Bulwark! I have not read all 300 comments made so far today so it is likely that others are thinking and writing about my concerns. Trump has proven himself to be a vindictive, despotic, and dangerous infant (that might be a bad rap for infants!) I have been thinking about his ability to retaliate and divert our attention. Perhaps with the growing problems he could face in the Epstein investigations, he might distract us with a war in Venezuela and/or even more illegal treatment of people with brown skin and/or another deal that enriches Trump and his family financially while selling out US citizens and/or even more cutbacks on food and healthcare for people who have little or none.
The redistricting wars are certainly heating up. Last night, Texas immediately appealed its loss directly to the SC. Unfortunately, Alito is the first person there to start whatever the process. And R's in California took Prop 50 to federal court, immediately after voters passed it. Unfortunately, Trump's DOJ has now joined in on the side of the R's to undo P 50. Maybe the SC gets a crack at this case soon as well. The RD Wars of 2025. Heating up alright.