Someone finally took Donald Trump's phone away from him. This morning, his personal Twitter account was very obviously managed by someone else, trying to impersonate him but forgetting that he doesn't know big words like "excoriate". In an apparent attempt at humanizing him, a tweet used self-deprecation and humor, neither of which are concepts he can grasp, and a third tweet expressed concern over how his son Barron reacted to a particularly tasteless image in media. It's doubtful whether he cares enough about Barron, an estranged son living with his estranged wife, to look past himself in the midst of a scandal that is consuming him.
The person who manages @realDonaldTrump can just as well stop trying right now. Even if Donald Trump is somehow still in the loop while a responsible adult tweets in his name, his tweets are definitely no longer his own message, but the product of some coherent and lucid spin doctor. A managed, filtered Trump is a fake Trump, and while we may be better off without Trump himself tweeting at us, these innocuous, ersatz Trump tweets are just boring.
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
Running The Country Into The Ground
It's very obvious by now that President* Donald Trump is an absolute disaster on his job. Unfortunately, there are no quick and easy means for having him fired. It's a bit like with his family business: if the CEO is also the owner, and is so bad for the company that it suffers damage, there is nobody who can fire that CEO. Unless the CEO has enough insight to see the cause of the problems and voluntarily step down, or some advisors have enough courage and influence to speak up and provide an eye-opener, the ultimate remedy is that the company folds and another takes its place on the market. However, letting an entire nation experience bankruptcy, whether moral or financial or both, is a messy outcome which nobody wants.
Donald Trump is crazy, stupid, dishonest and damaging to USA. There ought to be a better way to get rid of him than just to wait and see while he dismantles the country.
*: Donald Trump is an illegitimate president, elected in a process which was heavily influenced by a foreign hostile power seeking to sabotage the US democracy. He is financially compromised, deeply corrupt and strongly influenced by Vladimir Putin's Russia. Furthermore, he is literally incapable of doing the job. Donald Trump is a pretender, an impostor, a fraud, not a real president. His term will be among the shortest and least effective ever, and history will forever present him as an embarrassment with a disclaimer, not as a real president.
Donald Trump is crazy, stupid, dishonest and damaging to USA. There ought to be a better way to get rid of him than just to wait and see while he dismantles the country.
*: Donald Trump is an illegitimate president, elected in a process which was heavily influenced by a foreign hostile power seeking to sabotage the US democracy. He is financially compromised, deeply corrupt and strongly influenced by Vladimir Putin's Russia. Furthermore, he is literally incapable of doing the job. Donald Trump is a pretender, an impostor, a fraud, not a real president. His term will be among the shortest and least effective ever, and history will forever present him as an embarrassment with a disclaimer, not as a real president.
Need. Brain.
Sir, there seems to be a problem with your brain being missing.This line, uttered by an outspoken friend and crew member to captain Mal in the TV series Firefly, needs to be said out loud in the White House. Donald Trump is woefully bad at his job and needs somebody to tell him that to his face. Someone he trusts, someone he won't just dismiss and fire or push to the sidelines.
Yes, Ivanka, we're looking at you. Before your father is too far gone to listen even to you, make him understand that his brain is going missing and that he has absolutely no business being the President.
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
At A Loss For Words
Donald Trump is losing his words. His vocabulary is significantly less rich than it was a decade ago, and his speech pattern resembles that of a child. He is even losing common words. When complaining about how he is treated by the press, he said "No politician in history, and I say this with great... surety... has ever been treated worse or more unfairly."
The statement is of course ridiculous. Plenty of politicians in history have been imprisoned, tortured and killed, and US presidents have been assassinated, which is definitely worse than being called out in the press for being a liar. However, his inability to find the right word is a lot more important here. Forgetting the common word "certainty" or "confidence" is a deeply troubling sign of dementia. A normal person with a clear mind just doesn't talk like that.
Donald Trump needs to have his head examined.
The statement is of course ridiculous. Plenty of politicians in history have been imprisoned, tortured and killed, and US presidents have been assassinated, which is definitely worse than being called out in the press for being a liar. However, his inability to find the right word is a lot more important here. Forgetting the common word "certainty" or "confidence" is a deeply troubling sign of dementia. A normal person with a clear mind just doesn't talk like that.
Donald Trump needs to have his head examined.
Monday, May 29, 2017
Self-deception Or Plain Lies?
Unofficial reports from within the White House tell of a President consumed by the Russia investigations, obsessing over "fake news", trying to discredit leaks and claiming that there is a conspiracy against him within the "deep state".
The thing is, that can't really be what he is thinking. Donald Trump can't reasonably be unaware and innocent in the middle of all this. So, what is the cause if his anxiety, then? Is he just worried that he will spend the rest of his life in jail, or is it possible that he actually feels some remorse over having sold out his country to a hostile power?
Or perhaps he is so far gone that he actually believes his own lies and thinks he can escape this mess without legal repercussions? His brain appears to be deteriorating at an alarming rate, and he might possibly not remember or understand that he and his minions conspired with Russia to rig the election in his favor.
In any case, the end is near for Donald Trump, and he knows it. It would just be slightly sad if he actually believes he's innocent. Not sad enough to pity him, though. He deserves nothing but contempt for what he has done to the United States and to the world.
The thing is, that can't really be what he is thinking. Donald Trump can't reasonably be unaware and innocent in the middle of all this. So, what is the cause if his anxiety, then? Is he just worried that he will spend the rest of his life in jail, or is it possible that he actually feels some remorse over having sold out his country to a hostile power?
Or perhaps he is so far gone that he actually believes his own lies and thinks he can escape this mess without legal repercussions? His brain appears to be deteriorating at an alarming rate, and he might possibly not remember or understand that he and his minions conspired with Russia to rig the election in his favor.
In any case, the end is near for Donald Trump, and he knows it. It would just be slightly sad if he actually believes he's innocent. Not sad enough to pity him, though. He deserves nothing but contempt for what he has done to the United States and to the world.
Sunday, May 28, 2017
Silent Treatment
Following the allegations that Jared Kushner asked the Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak for a covert back channel of communication with the Kremlin, the White House has adopted a new strategy for dealing with the Russia story: "No comments". They can't possibly hope to put a lid on the story, because the sources are not going to let them get away with treason. The only logical explanation for the "no comments" policy is that the Trump administration has now given up on trying to defend even the people in their inner circle. It's probably for the best. Their lies were becoming too obvious, and everything they said only made things worse.
Still, one cannot help but wonder what Trump is hoping to achieve by clinging to power for just a little while longer. With the very legitimacy and independence of the presidency being disputed, it would probably be better if he just resigned and prepared to face trial.
Still, one cannot help but wonder what Trump is hoping to achieve by clinging to power for just a little while longer. With the very legitimacy and independence of the presidency being disputed, it would probably be better if he just resigned and prepared to face trial.
Saturday, May 27, 2017
The Soft Spot
The investigations into the contacts between the Trump administration and Russia is now moving closer to Donald Trump's inner circle. Despite this, he is defiant and denies any contacts, or at least denies having known about any such contacts.
A suggestion for investigators: focus on Ivanka. While she appears to be only a minor player in the illegal activities, she is definitely dirty as well. Ivanka is Donald's favourite, and he would probably do anything to keep her out of jail.
A suggestion for investigators: focus on Ivanka. While she appears to be only a minor player in the illegal activities, she is definitely dirty as well. Ivanka is Donald's favourite, and he would probably do anything to keep her out of jail.
Friday, May 26, 2017
Turning Tricks
President* Donald Trump has a few cheap tricks in his playbook. The book is short and simple, because Donald Trump is barely literate, so the few tricks are being over-used, exposed and rendered ineffective as people learn to counter or avoid them.
The infamous "Trump power handshake" was effectively countered by Canada's Justin Trudeau a while back, but the move backfired hilariously when the newly elected president of France, Emmanuel Macron, shook hands with Trump at the NATO summit in Brussels on May 25. Macron used Trump's own trick, grabbed Trump's hand in a tight grip and shook it vigorously for way too long, maintaining eye contact. Trump visibly tried but failed to escape Macron's power grip, not just once but twice, and slipped into an increasingly uncomfortable grip completely dominated by Macron. There was a clenching of teeth and knuckles literally whitening, but Macron managed not only to render Trump's strange and disturbing handshake ineffective - he turned the table on him.
A handshake should not be a competition, but Trump certainly sees them that way, and he most definitely lost this one bigly. Being beaten at his own game was obviously disturbing for him. Macron later admitted that his handshake was "not innocent" but meant to send a clear signal that neither France nor Macron are going to bow down to Trump.
Macron later continued his not-so subtle humiliation of Trump by denying his outstretched hand and bypassing him to first greet Angela Merkel of Germany. This made Trump fume with rage and shake Macron's hand so hard it looked painful. However, the game was already over, and Trump lost.
We need Trump to be humiliated and ridiculed, because when he switches into fighting mode, he says and does stupid things that only make the situation worse for him. Make him mad and expose him for the fool he is, and we could hopefully be rid of him sooner.
The infamous "Trump power handshake" was effectively countered by Canada's Justin Trudeau a while back, but the move backfired hilariously when the newly elected president of France, Emmanuel Macron, shook hands with Trump at the NATO summit in Brussels on May 25. Macron used Trump's own trick, grabbed Trump's hand in a tight grip and shook it vigorously for way too long, maintaining eye contact. Trump visibly tried but failed to escape Macron's power grip, not just once but twice, and slipped into an increasingly uncomfortable grip completely dominated by Macron. There was a clenching of teeth and knuckles literally whitening, but Macron managed not only to render Trump's strange and disturbing handshake ineffective - he turned the table on him.
A handshake should not be a competition, but Trump certainly sees them that way, and he most definitely lost this one bigly. Being beaten at his own game was obviously disturbing for him. Macron later admitted that his handshake was "not innocent" but meant to send a clear signal that neither France nor Macron are going to bow down to Trump.
Macron later continued his not-so subtle humiliation of Trump by denying his outstretched hand and bypassing him to first greet Angela Merkel of Germany. This made Trump fume with rage and shake Macron's hand so hard it looked painful. However, the game was already over, and Trump lost.
We need Trump to be humiliated and ridiculed, because when he switches into fighting mode, he says and does stupid things that only make the situation worse for him. Make him mad and expose him for the fool he is, and we could hopefully be rid of him sooner.
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
When Reality Hits
Donald Trump has been living in a bubble of his own reality more or less since birth. Now, actual reality comes knocking and is impossible to ignore. How is he going to handle the situation? Blaming others has not worked. Distractions are not working. He is running out of lies. This is on him, and he must see it coming. Reports from White House staff say that Trump is becoming reclusive, irritable, depressed and embittered, but he keeps pretending that the Russia story is all fake, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
When the realization hits that he is a terrible, evil person who has caused severe, possibly irreparable damage to the country he is woefully incapable of leading, what will he do? Will he distance himself from reality altogether, will he try to apologize and face justice, or will he go completely off the hook and do something truly crazy?
Time will tell. Soon.
When the realization hits that he is a terrible, evil person who has caused severe, possibly irreparable damage to the country he is woefully incapable of leading, what will he do? Will he distance himself from reality altogether, will he try to apologize and face justice, or will he go completely off the hook and do something truly crazy?
Time will tell. Soon.
Core Meltdown And Fallout
Donald Trump is finally going down. Good riddance.
Then comes the aftermath. Too many people are dirty from the Russia scandal, and the effect will be devastating to the Republican party. For the sake of the country, USA needs to figure out how this could happen, and make sure it doesn't happen again.
This has been a scary, bumpy ride. Let's not do it again, OK?
Then comes the aftermath. Too many people are dirty from the Russia scandal, and the effect will be devastating to the Republican party. For the sake of the country, USA needs to figure out how this could happen, and make sure it doesn't happen again.
This has been a scary, bumpy ride. Let's not do it again, OK?
Monday, May 22, 2017
Unfit In Every Way
The first few days of Donald Trump's first trip abroad as president has revealed something troubling about him: he is weak, out of shape and easily exhausted. He has already cancelled several events on his agenda, which was already designed to allow some downtime between events, and his staff attributes the cancellations to exhaustion.
Donald Trump appears to be not only mentally unfit for his job. His performance in Saudi Arabia indicates that he is also physically weak, unfit to travel and unfit to be the President.
Donald Trump appears to be not only mentally unfit for his job. His performance in Saudi Arabia indicates that he is also physically weak, unfit to travel and unfit to be the President.
Sunday, May 21, 2017
Indefensible
In the midst of the current scandal around Donald Trump, it is strange to see some of his pundits not knowing when to quit and abandon the sinking ship. Fox News keeps trying to paint a rosy picture of a failing presidency, and many Republicans refuse to criticise him even as he does things that are unimaginably stupid and completely indefensible.
Why are so many people prepared to go down with a person who is so fundamentally unpleasant, dishonest and, quite frankly, insane?
Why are so many people prepared to go down with a person who is so fundamentally unpleasant, dishonest and, quite frankly, insane?
Friday, May 19, 2017
Deep Rot
The rot runs deep and wide around the Russian meddling in the US presidential election. Sealed indictments have been issued against Trump and several people around him, in his administration as well as in the Republican party. US Marshals are kept ready to move and make several arrests on cue from the Justice Department. The end of the Trump presidency is imminent.
In addition to Trump, it appears that both Mike Pence and Paul Ryan are implicated as well. Next in line in the order of succession is Orrin Hatch, and lately he has been given security briefings to prepare him for the presidency. This is real.
Will the arrests begin before Trump's trip abroad, or after? In any case, a storm is coming .
In addition to Trump, it appears that both Mike Pence and Paul Ryan are implicated as well. Next in line in the order of succession is Orrin Hatch, and lately he has been given security briefings to prepare him for the presidency. This is real.
Will the arrests begin before Trump's trip abroad, or after? In any case, a storm is coming .
Thursday, May 18, 2017
Fair Treatment
President* Trump has taken to whining again, complaining about how he has been portrayed negatively by media and saying that he has been treated "unfairly".
No, Mr. Trump. You are confused again. You have been treated fairly, but not nicely, and portrayed negatively but accurately. You are an incompetent fool, a bully, a liar and a fraud, and you are being treated accordingly. A fair treatment involves calling out your lies, exposing your corruption and criticizing you for your ineptitude and ignorance. You have been given more than a fair chance to prove yourself, but you have failed at every turn. You are a stupid man on a job that is so far beyond your capabilities that you deserve nothing but disrespect and ridicule.
I'm sure you will get a fair trial as well, but that doesn't mean that you can avoid going to prison. You have been very naughty, Mr. Trump, and you will be punished for it. That's fair.
No, Mr. Trump. You are confused again. You have been treated fairly, but not nicely, and portrayed negatively but accurately. You are an incompetent fool, a bully, a liar and a fraud, and you are being treated accordingly. A fair treatment involves calling out your lies, exposing your corruption and criticizing you for your ineptitude and ignorance. You have been given more than a fair chance to prove yourself, but you have failed at every turn. You are a stupid man on a job that is so far beyond your capabilities that you deserve nothing but disrespect and ridicule.
I'm sure you will get a fair trial as well, but that doesn't mean that you can avoid going to prison. You have been very naughty, Mr. Trump, and you will be punished for it. That's fair.
Tuesday, May 16, 2017
Intelligence Without Smarts
Hello, Mr. Russian guy, welcome to the Oval Office. This is where I get to sit when I make my important decisions. Because I'm the President, you know. It's true. I have a map that says so. I'm a great President. The best. That's Jackson there on the wall. He was a great President too. A great, great president. Tremendous.
I have great intelligence. Every day I get great briefings with great intelligence. You know what intelligence is? It's called "intel" by us in the know. Not many people know that, because it's secret, but I figured it out. My intel is the best. Last week I had intel about this laptop bomb thing from Isis. We got it from our contact in, well, it's secret where he is so I'll whisper it in your ear, OK? Bet you didn't know that, huh? Have I got the best intel, or what? That contact is so super secret even I don't know who he is, just that he's posing as a... not now, General, I'm talking to my friend Mr. Russian guy here. Anyway, this intel we're getting, we don't even have to get it ourselves, because we have great friends. This was given to us by the... stop interrupting, General, please.
I bet you didn't know that, did you? Nah, didn't think so. Anyway, our great friend told us this great secret in great confidence, and we're really, really smart because of all our great intelligence. I get it on these pages with bullet points and all. Like this one right here. See? There's that thing I just told you. And there's some other thing, and that thing. Yes, you can keep it, I'm sure they made copies. Bet you don't get your intel in bullet points, do you? My idea. Mine. I'm a great President. The best. It's true. Everyone knows it. General, what is it? Stop interrupting!
Mr. Russian guy, would you like a Coke? I just press this button and shout for one, and they bring it to me. It's great. Have you seen the photos from my inauguration? Huge crowd. The biggest ever. It's true. I'm so great. And my intelligence is the best.
I have great intelligence. Every day I get great briefings with great intelligence. You know what intelligence is? It's called "intel" by us in the know. Not many people know that, because it's secret, but I figured it out. My intel is the best. Last week I had intel about this laptop bomb thing from Isis. We got it from our contact in, well, it's secret where he is so I'll whisper it in your ear, OK? Bet you didn't know that, huh? Have I got the best intel, or what? That contact is so super secret even I don't know who he is, just that he's posing as a... not now, General, I'm talking to my friend Mr. Russian guy here. Anyway, this intel we're getting, we don't even have to get it ourselves, because we have great friends. This was given to us by the... stop interrupting, General, please.
I bet you didn't know that, did you? Nah, didn't think so. Anyway, our great friend told us this great secret in great confidence, and we're really, really smart because of all our great intelligence. I get it on these pages with bullet points and all. Like this one right here. See? There's that thing I just told you. And there's some other thing, and that thing. Yes, you can keep it, I'm sure they made copies. Bet you don't get your intel in bullet points, do you? My idea. Mine. I'm a great President. The best. It's true. Everyone knows it. General, what is it? Stop interrupting!
Mr. Russian guy, would you like a Coke? I just press this button and shout for one, and they bring it to me. It's great. Have you seen the photos from my inauguration? Huge crowd. The biggest ever. It's true. I'm so great. And my intelligence is the best.
Monday, May 15, 2017
The Lone Deranger
Donald Trump is blaming everyone but himself for his train wreck of a presidency. He is allegedly contemplating a "reboot" by firing basically everyone around him except his family: Ivanka and Jared.
True, most of his cabinet, as well as his advisers and mouthpieces, are doing a terrible job and would need firing. However, if we are to believe leaks from people working close to the president, what Donald Trump is looking for is not people with relevant skills and experience who would make his administration work. No, what he wants is people who "don't take up as much space for themselves" and who "praise him more". The amount of crazy it takes to think that will solve any problems is simply staggering. He is looking for a bunch of mindless stooges who won't question or criticize him. That is the MO of his great idol Vladimir Putin, but it won't help him get past the checks and balances that are, thankfully, still in effect in the US.
Trump seems to genuinely believe that he can do the job being the President. He very obviously can't. Besides, he should consider how difficult it has been to find people who are even willing to work for him, what kind of people he would get in a second attempt after a massive round of firing, and how big a chance he would stand getting those people approved by the Senate.
The problem is not with his associates. The problem is Donald Trump.
True, most of his cabinet, as well as his advisers and mouthpieces, are doing a terrible job and would need firing. However, if we are to believe leaks from people working close to the president, what Donald Trump is looking for is not people with relevant skills and experience who would make his administration work. No, what he wants is people who "don't take up as much space for themselves" and who "praise him more". The amount of crazy it takes to think that will solve any problems is simply staggering. He is looking for a bunch of mindless stooges who won't question or criticize him. That is the MO of his great idol Vladimir Putin, but it won't help him get past the checks and balances that are, thankfully, still in effect in the US.
Trump seems to genuinely believe that he can do the job being the President. He very obviously can't. Besides, he should consider how difficult it has been to find people who are even willing to work for him, what kind of people he would get in a second attempt after a massive round of firing, and how big a chance he would stand getting those people approved by the Senate.
The problem is not with his associates. The problem is Donald Trump.
Lying Not For Dummies
Donald Trump lies a lot. To be a successful liar, you need to be smart, have good memory and be able to sort of half believe your own lies while you are telling them, to make your body language say that you are telling the truth.
Donald Trump is not smart, and his memory seems to be working so-so. To make matters worse, he goes all in even on small and insignificant lies, which has quickly destroyed his reputation.
Somewhat surprising for a habitual liar, when he is lying he has plenty of tells which can be picked up on fairly easily by anyone. When Donald Trump says "believe me" or "it's true", you can safely assume that he is lying. His calling anything "fake news" is a pretty strong indication that the story is true, and embarrassing (incriminating) for him. Having such strong verbal tics makes you a very ineffective liar.
Donald Trump can't even lie properly. USA is run by a fool.
Donald Trump is not smart, and his memory seems to be working so-so. To make matters worse, he goes all in even on small and insignificant lies, which has quickly destroyed his reputation.
Somewhat surprising for a habitual liar, when he is lying he has plenty of tells which can be picked up on fairly easily by anyone. When Donald Trump says "believe me" or "it's true", you can safely assume that he is lying. His calling anything "fake news" is a pretty strong indication that the story is true, and embarrassing (incriminating) for him. Having such strong verbal tics makes you a very ineffective liar.
Donald Trump can't even lie properly. USA is run by a fool.
Stop Pretending
We all need to do what the retired Director of National Intelligence James Clapper did this weekend: stop pretending that Donald Trump is a legitimate president and going to great lengths to give him yet another chance at governing. He is failing miserably on all possible accounts and will obviously never be up to the task. On top of being completely inept he is also criminally corrupt, and should not be allowed to remain in office.
Now, if only Donald Trump himself could also stop pretending to be the President, we could all sleep easier.
Now, if only Donald Trump himself could also stop pretending to be the President, we could all sleep easier.
Friday, May 12, 2017
Adjectives
Lazy. Unfocused. Arrogant. Pompous. Ignorant. Stupid. Malicious. Petty. Vengeful. Dishonest. Deceitful. Criminal. Dictatorial. Delusional. Insane.
Those are not adjectives that should be appropriate to describe the President of the United States. Sadly, they are all appropriate for describing President* Donald Trump. How long will it take for the Republican Party to realize that they admitted a traitorous, venomous snake into their ranks and move for his impeachment? Every day with him in charge makes a brutal mockery of USA as a democracy and a free and civilized country.
There is simply no excuse. Donald Trump, his own band of thugs and the parts of the establishment that enabled him to hijack the country need to be thrown out of the political system so it can start working again. It wasn't perfect before, but recently it has turned to, using a crude but fitting word, shit.
There are plenty of reasons to fire him. You just need too look, and believe what you see instead of doubting your own eyes. The world does not want a President* Trump in it.
* : The title "President*" is used rather than the plain title because Donald Trump is an illegitimate and dysfunctional president who cheated and lied his way to power. He will likely go down in history with a disclaimer next to his name, stating that he was nothing but an international embarrassment to the United States, accomplished nothing and and was impeached shortly after taking office. President* Trump is a glitch, an anomaly, a sign of trouble and rot in the US democratic system in general and the Republican Party in particular, and he does not deserve the respect that usually comes with the title he holds.
Those are not adjectives that should be appropriate to describe the President of the United States. Sadly, they are all appropriate for describing President* Donald Trump. How long will it take for the Republican Party to realize that they admitted a traitorous, venomous snake into their ranks and move for his impeachment? Every day with him in charge makes a brutal mockery of USA as a democracy and a free and civilized country.
There is simply no excuse. Donald Trump, his own band of thugs and the parts of the establishment that enabled him to hijack the country need to be thrown out of the political system so it can start working again. It wasn't perfect before, but recently it has turned to, using a crude but fitting word, shit.
There are plenty of reasons to fire him. You just need too look, and believe what you see instead of doubting your own eyes. The world does not want a President* Trump in it.
* : The title "President*" is used rather than the plain title because Donald Trump is an illegitimate and dysfunctional president who cheated and lied his way to power. He will likely go down in history with a disclaimer next to his name, stating that he was nothing but an international embarrassment to the United States, accomplished nothing and and was impeached shortly after taking office. President* Trump is a glitch, an anomaly, a sign of trouble and rot in the US democratic system in general and the Republican Party in particular, and he does not deserve the respect that usually comes with the title he holds.
Thursday, May 11, 2017
Caution: Elephant
"Um... Mr. President, excuse me, but there appears to be an elephant in the room."
"No, there isn't."
"But, Sir, it's sitting right on top of you. It looks awfully inconvenient. And painful."
"Nonsense. You're falling for the obvious lies in Democrat propaganda and fake news."
"Very well, Sir. I'll take my leave, then. Is there anything you need?"
"Could you perhaps send in pest control for... large mammals?"
"Because of the elephant?"
"There is no elephant."
"Right. But still, wouldn't an animal handler be more appropriate?"
"Look, send anyone you like. Do whatever you can to get this elephant off of me."
"The elephant which isn't there?"
"Exactly. And please hurry. I'm being crushed here."
"Right on it, Mr. President, Sir!"
"Wait. Before you go, could you perhaps find something to cover it up as well?"
"It would still look suspiciously like an elephant, only under cover."
"Shut up. You're fired."
"No, there isn't."
"But, Sir, it's sitting right on top of you. It looks awfully inconvenient. And painful."
"Nonsense. You're falling for the obvious lies in Democrat propaganda and fake news."
"Very well, Sir. I'll take my leave, then. Is there anything you need?"
"Could you perhaps send in pest control for... large mammals?"
"Because of the elephant?"
"There is no elephant."
"Right. But still, wouldn't an animal handler be more appropriate?"
"Look, send anyone you like. Do whatever you can to get this elephant off of me."
"The elephant which isn't there?"
"Exactly. And please hurry. I'm being crushed here."
"Right on it, Mr. President, Sir!"
"Wait. Before you go, could you perhaps find something to cover it up as well?"
"It would still look suspiciously like an elephant, only under cover."
"Shut up. You're fired."
Cower Up
The Trump administration's attempts at cover-up of their traitorous dealings with Russia are now not only ineffective, they are backfiring. Anything the White House does to try to bury the story only puts more focus on it, and there seems to be a lot of dirty secrets at the heart of this.
The President has withdrawn from public view and is spending more time watching TV and yelling at reports and interviews he doesn't like. Yes, it has come to that: The President of the United States is an old man yelling at his TV.
The President has withdrawn from public view and is spending more time watching TV and yelling at reports and interviews he doesn't like. Yes, it has come to that: The President of the United States is an old man yelling at his TV.
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Hide the Cookies
Donald Trump is not going to grow up. His little grubby fingers must be kept as far away as possible from the proverbial cookie jar that is abuse of presidential power. Now is the time for Congress to appoint an independent investigator to handle the digging into the Russian interference with the US election and what part, if any, the Trump campaign played in it. Every action concerning the Russia investigations that Donald Trump and his stooges have taken to try to downplay, discredit or distract from the scandal has had the opposite effect: it has put a spotlight on the story and made the Trump camp look even more guilty and dishonest.
As for who would be suitable to lead an independent investigation, Sally Yates is looking for a job. She is a nonpartisan, honest person with a solid legal background. Her already deep insights into the Department of Justice and the FBI would let her hit the ground running and continue current investigations without unnecessary delay. For assistance, Preet Bharara is currently unemployed, and it would probably be a good idea to ask James Comey for help as well. Putting these particular three people in charge would also be poetic justice, showing Donald Trump that his dictatorial shenanigans cannot shield him from the law, and that his chilling attempts at obstruction of justice will only result in pushback and redoubled efforts from the legislative branch to get to the bottom of this.
We are watching the end of Donald Trump's brief, ineffective and fraudulent presidency. His incompetent gang of misfits and too close friends and family has had free reign of the White House long enough to prove that they are utterly unable to handle the responsibility. It is time for the grown-ups to step in, put an end to the party and do some much needed house cleaning.
As for who would be suitable to lead an independent investigation, Sally Yates is looking for a job. She is a nonpartisan, honest person with a solid legal background. Her already deep insights into the Department of Justice and the FBI would let her hit the ground running and continue current investigations without unnecessary delay. For assistance, Preet Bharara is currently unemployed, and it would probably be a good idea to ask James Comey for help as well. Putting these particular three people in charge would also be poetic justice, showing Donald Trump that his dictatorial shenanigans cannot shield him from the law, and that his chilling attempts at obstruction of justice will only result in pushback and redoubled efforts from the legislative branch to get to the bottom of this.
We are watching the end of Donald Trump's brief, ineffective and fraudulent presidency. His incompetent gang of misfits and too close friends and family has had free reign of the White House long enough to prove that they are utterly unable to handle the responsibility. It is time for the grown-ups to step in, put an end to the party and do some much needed house cleaning.
Borrowing Time
Contrary to what President* Trump would hope, today's firing of FBI director James Comey will not make the Russia scandal go away. It might delay an imminent indictment, and it might cripple the FBI by replacing Comey, who seemed reasonably willing to conduct an investigation of the Trump administration, with a puppet who will probably do nothing for a while, and then silently terminate all investigations into the matter. However, the story is a lot bigger than the FBI, and much too public for it to disappear. Several investigations are being conducted by Congress, and the President has no formal power over them. Investigative journalists are not going to back away either.
Firing James Comey now, when he appeared to be getting close in his investigation on Trump and Russia, is highly suspicious. The stated reason for his termination was alleged misconduct way back in July 2016. The real reason is more likely that FBI was on to something. Firing Comey for getting too close for Trump's comfort is an obvious obstruction of justice, and it only serves to borrow some more time before the Trump presidency comes to its inevitable, premature and dishonorable end.
Trump may have dodged a bullet this time, but there is a barrage of incoming fire ahead.
Firing James Comey now, when he appeared to be getting close in his investigation on Trump and Russia, is highly suspicious. The stated reason for his termination was alleged misconduct way back in July 2016. The real reason is more likely that FBI was on to something. Firing Comey for getting too close for Trump's comfort is an obvious obstruction of justice, and it only serves to borrow some more time before the Trump presidency comes to its inevitable, premature and dishonorable end.
Trump may have dodged a bullet this time, but there is a barrage of incoming fire ahead.
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Stop Digging
Donald Trump is frantically trying to make the media stop digging in his crooked dealings with Russia, and still claims that the entire investigation is based on a fabrication by the Democrats to deflect blame for their election loss. His pathetic excuses for defence, deflection and distraction are now getting comical in their absurdity, and his panic and desperation is becoming obvious. His feigned concern that the investigations are wasting taxpayer money is ludicrous, as he is wasting millions on his weekly vacation trips to rest up between his brief and failed attempts at doing his job.
Mr. Trump, you are in a hole, and you are only making it deeper for yourself. It is you who should stop digging, not the investigators and the journalists. If you are truly innocent, let the investigations run their course and have your name cleared. And if you are guilty, it's way too late now to put the lid on the story.
Mr. Trump, you are in a hole, and you are only making it deeper for yourself. It is you who should stop digging, not the investigators and the journalists. If you are truly innocent, let the investigations run their course and have your name cleared. And if you are guilty, it's way too late now to put the lid on the story.
Monday, May 8, 2017
Waiting For the Hammer To Fall
Today, we will finally hear former Attorney General Sally Yates testify about the warnings she sent to the Trump administration about Michael Flynn - warnings which were strangely ignored. Donald Trump and his inept minions are reading the Republican party playbook on how to dodge an inconvenient truth and are trying to paint her as a staunch Democrat (Yates has been an apolitical career official for 20 years), blaming everything on Flynn (he could hardly have acted alone on the foreign policy talks he had with Russian intelligence officials) and trying to put as much distance as possible between Trump and Flynn (who were often seen taking the stage together during campaign rallies, with Flynn warming up the crowd for Trump by leading anti-Hillary chants like "lock her up").
The walls are closing in on President* Trump, slowly but steadily. Watch Sally Yate's testimony on major news networks at 2.30 PM EST.
Update: Yates said what we expected. Flynn was dirty, compromised by Russia. The Trump administration was made aware of it on several occasions by several people, but hired Flynn anyway and kept him on for too long.
One particularly interesting exchange was when she was asked if she had seen direct evidence of collusion between the Trump administration and Russian operatives. Her answer was "My response to that would require me to disclose classified information". That is a "yes", but we will not hear about it in a public setting. We can expect the real dirt to come out in a follow-up closed session hearing.
Donald Trump should be very afraid.
The walls are closing in on President* Trump, slowly but steadily. Watch Sally Yate's testimony on major news networks at 2.30 PM EST.
Update: Yates said what we expected. Flynn was dirty, compromised by Russia. The Trump administration was made aware of it on several occasions by several people, but hired Flynn anyway and kept him on for too long.
One particularly interesting exchange was when she was asked if she had seen direct evidence of collusion between the Trump administration and Russian operatives. Her answer was "My response to that would require me to disclose classified information". That is a "yes", but we will not hear about it in a public setting. We can expect the real dirt to come out in a follow-up closed session hearing.
Donald Trump should be very afraid.
Friday, May 5, 2017
Not A Real President
Donald Trump, the buffoon who lacks an inner monologue and says seven stupid things before breakfast, said something unusually stupid even for him during the pathetic celebration of the House passing the evil Trumpcare bill. In yet another rant about the election, he said "Hey, I'm president" with a surprised smile. Sure, he was joking, but the joke says a lot about him.
No, Mr. Trump, you are not a real President. You just like to watch yourself playing one on TV. You might not know the difference, but everybody else does. Plus, even if we judge your performance in terms of being a TV president, your interpretation is unbelievably bad.
No, Mr. Trump, you are not a real President. You just like to watch yourself playing one on TV. You might not know the difference, but everybody else does. Plus, even if we judge your performance in terms of being a TV president, your interpretation is unbelievably bad.
Celebrating Nothing
Donald Trump treated himself to some cake at his 100th day as President, with basically no accomplishments to show. Apparently, he celebrated simply staying in power for 100 days, which is setting the bar terribly low. He did manage to get Judge Gorsuch into the Supreme Court, but that was only because Republicans blocked the nomination from former President Obama and changed the voting rules for Senate confirmation to not have to seek bipartisan support.
And still he got cake.
The Republican majority in the House were invited to a gathering in the Rose Garden at the White House to celebrate their accomplishment of passing a bill they wrote themselves. The bill is probably going to be voted against by the Senate, hence the premature celebration after the House vote. They know this was an empty gesture.
And still they celebrated.
The standard for what is worthy of celebration is set pretty low for this administration.
And still he got cake.
The Republican majority in the House were invited to a gathering in the Rose Garden at the White House to celebrate their accomplishment of passing a bill they wrote themselves. The bill is probably going to be voted against by the Senate, hence the premature celebration after the House vote. They know this was an empty gesture.
And still they celebrated.
The standard for what is worthy of celebration is set pretty low for this administration.
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Being Evil is Their Constitutional Right
The Republican Party is losing every ounce of self respect it might possibly have left. They just tried to buy a commercial spot on CNN in which they used the term "fake news" to refer to mainstream media. CNN called them out for it, saying that they will not run the ad unless that false information is removed. The GOP cried foul and claimed, get this, that their First Amendment right to free speech was violated.
First, a commercial is not protected speech. It's a business agreement to pay money to broadcast a message, and the network has every right to refuse to air content which they consider inappropriate. A message containing a slanderous lie about the network itself would certainly fit that description.
Second, trying to discredit the free press by lying to the public is vile and reprehensible, something that dictators do. Mainstream media in the US is definitely not "fake news". This is not something that is under dispute. Scholars and analysts agree that Donald Trump and his Republican pundits use the label as a derogatory slur, and anyone with a functioning brain and honest intentions would agree.
There is a word to describe the GOP quoting the First Amendment to defend their efforts to render that amendment ineffective. That word is "evil".
First, a commercial is not protected speech. It's a business agreement to pay money to broadcast a message, and the network has every right to refuse to air content which they consider inappropriate. A message containing a slanderous lie about the network itself would certainly fit that description.
Second, trying to discredit the free press by lying to the public is vile and reprehensible, something that dictators do. Mainstream media in the US is definitely not "fake news". This is not something that is under dispute. Scholars and analysts agree that Donald Trump and his Republican pundits use the label as a derogatory slur, and anyone with a functioning brain and honest intentions would agree.
There is a word to describe the GOP quoting the First Amendment to defend their efforts to render that amendment ineffective. That word is "evil".
Monday, May 1, 2017
Blame the Constitution!
One of the worst stupidities to come out of Donald Trump's mind was his claim the other day that the Constitution prevents him from getting anything done, and that the checks and balances that were carefully put into place are an "archaic system" which is "very, very bad for the country ".
That's right: the petulant man-child in the Oval Office just claimed that the Constitution he swore to uphold is preventing him from doing his job. In other words, he would prefer to do that job by breaking the law.
Donald Trump is a dictator wannabe who would rather not have to pass legislation through Congress and would prefer to be able to issue any kind of decree without being held accountable by courts. He is dangerously unfit for being the President of the United States.
That's right: the petulant man-child in the Oval Office just claimed that the Constitution he swore to uphold is preventing him from doing his job. In other words, he would prefer to do that job by breaking the law.
Donald Trump is a dictator wannabe who would rather not have to pass legislation through Congress and would prefer to be able to issue any kind of decree without being held accountable by courts. He is dangerously unfit for being the President of the United States.
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