The Trump Presidency: Part 21

[Ladewig]

They might not see themselves as "stupid" per se, but they see "intellectuals" as the enemy which sort of makes it a distinction without difference.

They see the fact that people who demonstrably and provably know more then they do about the topic in question disagree with them as a problem to be fixed. Call that what you will.

I question the assertion that they can identify people who demonstrably and provably know more than they do. A lot of these people talk as if they believe they know more about economics than economists and that they know more about foreign policy than any Democratic Secretary of State. If their leader is not capable of identifying people who demonstrably know more than he does, then why would they value that ability? In addition, The president tacitly claims that absolutely everything anyone needs to know about international trade with a country like China can be summed up in one or two tweets. That’s one of the reasons that his followers believe common sense is more practical an successful than intellectualism.

 

[Aridas]

Unfortunately, we've reached a point -- like we're back in the Gilded Age of the 1890s -- where a lot of well-to-do people only care about what's in it for them. They could care less about the rest of us.

Err... it's really been all along, of note. As a fairly normal part of human nature, those who are born and raised in families that have notably more money/power will tend to be less moral and more likely to commit crimes that are not directly related to survival. They've frequently been raised to believe that they're simply better than the common rabble, after all.

You are underestimating the Republican political machinery's ability to produce bad policy. The Republicans are in a spiral where only way to win the nomination is to be worse than what preceded them. It may take an election cycle or two for Republicans to find someone worse than Trump, but make no mistake, they will do so.

Mmm. Produce bad policy? Their policy is great for the very few people, relatively speaking, that it's actually intended to help. Tax cuts for the rich and diverting more money and power to rich business owners have been the core and only actually consistent real policy positions for the Republican party for a long time. The rest is just fluff to try to hold onto power and rile up their base that evolves with their propaganda decisions of the moment.

Of course, that also leads to crap like... Alaska legislator compares pandemic safety measures at Capitol to Nazi treatment of Jews

*facepalm*

Still, stuff like that is dangerous on multiple fronts. Not least because it thoroughly obfuscates whats actually worthy of condemnation and gives a frequently false defense to the Republicans when they're called out on the various actions that they've done that actually ARE firmly in line with the condemnation-worthy actions of fascists.

A bit like Trump's recent firing of yet another person for being insuffiently loyal and actually doing his job.

On Friday evening Trump committed yet another act of obvious abuse of power. Hoping to avoid media scrutiny, he quietly sent a letter to Congress indicating his intention to fire Steve Linick, the State Department's Inspector General. Linick just happened to been investigating misconduct by Trump's Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo.

The Inspector General's position is supposed to be an independent watchdog post to protect the integrity of government agencies. That's why Trump could not fire Linick outright, but had to give Congress a 30 day notice. Unfortunately, due to Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell's blind obedience to Trump, it is still likely that nothing will be done about this, at least from McConnell's perch.

This negligence on the part of Republicans in Congress is all the worse considering that this isn't the first time that Trump has fired an IG who was investigating his administration. Nor is it the second time. Or the the third. Linick's dismissal follows that of Inspectors General Christi Grimm (Health and Human Services), Glenn Fine (Defense Department), and Michael Atkinson (Intelligence Community). Each of these people were non-partisan career professionals who served administrations of both parties. Each of them were probing misconduct in the Trump administration. And all of this took place within a six week period.

Biden does have a poignant tweet on the subject, incidentally.

It seems the way to get fired by President Trump is not to commit wrongdoing, but to investigate it.

 

[turingtest]

Well, here's your chance to answer the question Trump can't, Bubba- exactly what crime is it they (or you) think Obama has committed? Of course, Trump's a ******* moron- can you do better?

I think you know all about it.

Wow. Exactly the same thing the ******* moron said. So I guess that answered my second question.

 

[Distracted1]

I understand that the wealthy tend to support Trump for very selfish reasons. What they care about is keeping their wealth and getting more. Republicans favor the wealthy with tax cuts and less regulations and fewer 'entitlement' programs while Dems favor higher taxes for more social programs and more regulations to protect consumers and the general population. That is why so many wealthy are Republicans whether Trump is in the WH or not.

The other end of the GOP spectrum we've discussed before regarding authoritarianism, fear of 'others', evangelicalism, etc.

My first lesson in politics as a child during Watergate:

Me: "Dad, what are Democrats and Republicans? "

My Dad: "Republicans are for rich people, Democrats are for the rest of us"

Hasn't changed much since then. Although one might add bigots to the list.

 

[JoeMorgue]

I question the assertion that they can identify people who demonstrably and provably know more than they do.

It's not like it's some grand, difficult to grasps distinction between, for instance, "Practically every scientist within a rounding error that works in the environmental sciences agrees that climate change is real and man mad" and "A vertical cell phone video on Youtube from one 'Mechanical Engineer' in Boise who says it isn't."

 

[phiwum]

I question the assertion that they can identify people who demonstrably and provably know more than they do. A lot of these people talk as if they believe they know more about economics than economists and that they know more about foreign policy than any Democratic Secretary of State. If their leader is not capable of identifying people who demonstrably know more than he does, then why would they value that ability? In addition, The president tacitly claims that absolutely everything anyone needs to know about international trade with a country like China can be summed up in one or two tweets. That’s one of the reasons that his followers believe common sense is more practical an successful than intellectualism.

A lot of what you say is apt, but there's a bit of a confusion between cause and effect. Trump voters already doubted that intellectuals know stuff. That's why they were attracted to Trump to begin with. He doesn't have flowery language and he uses no nuance at all. Everything is simple: illegal immigrants cause crime and a wall will stop them. China is ripping us off and trade wars are easy.

Of course, after they threw their lot in with a president who "governs", by tweets, the whole anti-intellectual tendency is reinforced. Intellectuals criticize my guy, so they are not to be trusted.

I loved Buttigieg. He is one of the clearest, most insightful speakers I can recall on the political scene. It would have been very refreshing to have him in the White House, but the very thing that made him a spectacular choice (not just eloquence but insight) would have been a liability in 2020, more so than his homosexuality I think.

I still preferred him to all other candidates, but he would've had an uphill battle in the general.

 

[phiwum]

Wow. Exactly the same thing the ******* moron said. So I guess that answered my second question.

It was an apt question, given your user name.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Donald J. Trump Retweeted

Katie Pavlich
@KatiePavlich
There’s going to be more to this story. Linick was under investigation by DOD last year for mishandling sensitive information.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump Tweets

Great Rally and fantastic job on @ffweekend this morning. It is all happening! #MAGA
Quote Tweet

Cara Castronuova
@CaraCastronuova
#LiberateNY @realDonaldTrump We need you!! Protesters March on Albany for New York to Open for Business & defend #CivilLiberties #ConstitutionalRights https://youtu.be/PaMmjvdysZs @POTUS

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump Tweets

Doing REALLY well, medically, on solving the CoronaVirus situation (Plague!). It will happen!

Thank you very much to our beautiful “boaters.” I will never let you down! #MAGA

OBAMAGATE!

 

[shemp]

Meanwhile:

Private jet company founded by Trump donor gets $27 million bailout

A private jet company founded by a donor to President Donald Trump received nearly $27 million in government funding under a program run by the Treasury Department, according to government filings.

Clay Lacy Aviation is a private jet charter company based in Van Nuys, California, and it appears to have received the largest grant of any private jet company on the list.

The vast majority of the other 96 recipients of government funding or loans on the list are major commercial airlines, regional carriers or support companies.

 

[Trebuchet]

I think the nation will survive Trump and his followers. The gun-toting idiots are big talkers, but as I said above, when faced with some lawmen with guns, most will back down. The ones who don't back down aren't capable of destroying this country. They are capable of terrorism, and I think we could see acts that end up killing innocent people. But as James Carville said, "It's the economy, stupid!" When people get hungry enough, they'll want steady jobs and a constant supply of food.

If I'm wrong, remind me of what I just wrote in November.

If you're wrong, I may not be able to. After Trump shuts down the news media and social media, forums where people criticize him will be next.

Ok, hyperbole I suppose, but I really fear for the country.

You are underestimating the Republican political machinery's ability to produce bad policy. The Republicans are in a spiral where only way to win the nomination is to be worse than what preceded them. It may take an election cycle or two for Republicans to find someone worse than Trump, but make no mistake, they will do so.

And it'll be one of his sons.

 

[Delphic Oracle]

Donald J. Trump Retweeted

Katie Pavlich
@KatiePavlich
There’s going to be more to this story. Linick was under investigation by DOD last year for mishandling sensitive information.

Nothing I saw in the article linked from that tweet mentions any such investigation.

Why would DoD investigate personnel from another agency? DoD is not the proper authority for such matters.

Seems it would be Information Security Oversight Office (under National Archives and Records).

Sounds like a random accusation that just grabs at an agency name to make it seem "Sooper (Dooper) Seeriyus."

 

[thaiboxerken]

I get the feeling that the graduation commencement shown last night has very huge ratings, probably the most of the week or month. If true, that'll make BLOTUS angry.

 

[Ladewig]

It's not like it's some grand, difficult to grasps distinction between, for instance, "Practically every scientist within a rounding error that works in the environmental sciences agrees that climate change is real and man mad" and "A vertical cell phone video on Youtube from one 'Mechanical Engineer' in Boise who says it isn't."

Then I’ll refine my post to say it applies to political issues.

Yes, if they have to choose between a bridge built by an engineer and a bridge built by a friend, a radio personality, or the president, they will choose the former.

But if they are looking to understand tariffs, they will certainly pick the friend, the radio personality, or the president over a non-partisan economist, a college professor, or a published author.

 

[slyjoe]

Nothing I saw in the article linked from that tweet mentions any such investigation.

Why would DoD investigate personnel from another agency? DoD is not the proper authority for such matters.

Seems it would be Information Security Oversight Office (under National Archives and Records).

Sounds like a random accusation that just grabs at an agency name to make it seem "Sooper (Dooper) Seeriyus."

If it's their information.
How does this Katie know anyway?

 

[shemp]

If you're wrong, I may not be able to. After Trump shuts down the news media and social media, forums where people criticize him will be next.

Ok, hyperbole I suppose, but I really fear for the country.



And it'll be one of his sons.

I fear for the country too, I don't want anyone to think I don't. I just think that at some point when enough **** has hit the fan, some of these people will realize that they don't have any money and nothing to eat, and that they're not willing to die for their political beliefs, and they'll pull back somewhat. I don't think they'll ever come back to common sense and decency.

 

[Delphic Oracle]

If it's their information.

How does this Katie know anyway?

Their liason would file complaint to ISOO to be investigated, not investigate it themselves. They have no instruments to compel personnel at other agencies to answer questions or surrender documents.

Sounds like NCIS logic.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Trump responds to Obama's commencement address by saying he "was an incompetent president. That's all I can say. Grossly incompetent."

 

[Stacyhs]

A lot of what you say is apt, but there's a bit of a confusion between cause and effect. Trump voters already doubted that intellectuals know stuff. That's why they were attracted to Trump to begin with. He doesn't have flowery language and he uses no nuance at all. Everything is simple: illegal immigrants cause crime and a wall will stop them. China is ripping us off and trade wars are easy.

Of course, after they threw their lot in with a president who "governs", by tweets, the whole anti-intellectual tendency is reinforced. Intellectuals criticize my guy, so they are not to be trusted.

I loved Buttigieg. He is one of the clearest, most insightful speakers I can recall on the political scene. It would have been very refreshing to have him in the White House, but the very thing that made him a spectacular choice (not just eloquence but insight) would have been a liability in 2020, more so than his homosexuality I think.

I still preferred him to all other candidates, but he would've had an uphill battle in the general.

I agree. Trump reduces everything to very simple black and white with no shades of gray. This simple thinking appeals to a lot of people who want quick and easy fixes on complicated issues: if we build a wall, immigrants won't come in, etc.

That people with college degrees and advanced degrees tend to be Democrats is also significant. Generally, people with more education have more knowledge of subjects and therefore understand that things are seldom simple and more complicated than those who only have a very basic understanding of a subject. The less knowledge one has of a subject, the more simple it looks and the more simple a solution appears.

As Americans become more educated, the GOP is moving in the opposite direction

Americans are pursuing higher education at growing rates, but those without a college education are increasingly finding a home in the GOP.

According to new data released by the Pew Research Center, higher educational attainment is increasingly associated with Democratic Party affiliation and leaning:

“In 1994, 39% of those with a four-year college degree (no postgraduate experience) identified with or leaned toward the Democratic Party and 54% associated with the Republican Party. In 2017, those figures were exactly reversed.”