[Oldmanmatt]

Dan Rather:

"At some points words fail, or they are starting to fail me. We have an Administration in freefall. Have we passed through the circle of chaos? Are we at the circle of havoc?

The real Donald Trump has stood up, once again. Let no one ever be fooled. Let there be no doubt. The man who sends out a twitter tirade accusing a former President of crimes for which he provides no evidence, the man who doubles down when everyone with any sense pushes back, that man is our Commander in Chief. Every one who normalizes Mr. Trump now, or has in the past, will have to answer to future generations for their acquiescence, silence or sophistry—if, indeed, not outright cowardice.

How hollow do all those pundit plaudits (including from many progressives) sound now for an average and disingenuous speech of someone else's words read from a teleprompter to Congress and the nation a week ago? A "presidential" Trump is a punchline to a joke no one wants to have told. Conspiracy theories are corrosive in society at large. When they dictate national policy, they can be lethal.

This is a man who challenged the citizenship of President Obama, with lies, innuendo, and no evidence. This is a man who claimed widespread voter fraud with lies, innuendo, and no evidence. This is a man who has taken a rhetorical blowtorch to our Constitutional principles with lies, innuendo, and no evidence. Those who rose in Congress to applaud his turns of phrase bear responsibility. Those who cynically use his presidency to push forward unpopular giveaways to the rich and well connected bear responsibility. Those in the press who meet insults with explanations bear responsibility.

Even the most grounded of presidents must fight to keep themselves moored to the real world. The Oval Office can be a bubble. Power attracts sycophants and cynics. But I have never seen anything like this. The sheer level of paranoia that is radiating out of the White House is untenable to the workings of a republic. I have a real question if President Trump actually believes what he is saying. Even Richard Nixon, the most paranoid president to date, ruled for years with a relatively calm hand. This Administration has been an off kilter whirlwind since the inauguration, and news reports suggest that seething anger from Mr. Trump is only getting worse. There is a growing consensus that the President may be "unhinged." It's a serious allegation, but even if it is not the case, Mr. Trump only has himself to blame.

To call a drama Shakespearean or operatic is usually an overreach. But I imagine artists of the future, and even the present, will find ample inspiration in our moment in history. Doesn't Steve Bannon strike you as an Iago whispering in the ear of an Othello-like Trump, consumed by jealousy and paranoia?

As the questions mount around Russia, as the circles of defense begin to falter, the determination to create diversions will escalate. But if the President hoped he could create a distraction, I think he misjudged the will of the American people. We have woken. We are paying attention. And we love our country too much to let it falter without a fight."

[Oldmanmatt]

Team Trump!

Because this is so much better than actually having a fucking clue what you are doing...

https://www.thelocal.de/20170307/germany-rebuffs-us-attempt-to-start-trade-talks-saying-speak-to-eu

[SA Chris]

http://edition.cnn.com/videos/politics/2017/03/06/us-new-travel-ban-entire-announcement-tillerson-sessions-kelly-sot-ath.cnn

I find it really hard to take Jeff Sessions seriously - watch from about 3:30. Sounds like he should be asking how much gas you want in your vee-hicle.

[Oldmanmatt]

I knew Donny was a twat. I didn't realise he was a Pimp!
I wonder if Congress will approve this, what with them all being such good Christians n'all...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/china-donald-trump-branded-without-us-congress-permission-trademarks-spas-escort-services-hotels-and-a7619136.html?cmpid=facebook-post


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[Oldmanmatt]

Quick!
Unplug your Microwave! Obama might be watching you!

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kellyanne-conway-donald-trump-barack-obama-spying-through-microwave-claims-a7626826.html?cmpid=facebook-post

Scientifically illiterate?

No.

Just plain, old, fucking brain-numbingly, illiterate.

[Oldmanmatt]

So, now we are the enemy.
That bodes well for future trade negotiations.

Britain's GCHQ agency denies wiretapping Donald Trump
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39300191

[Oldmanmatt]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/fbi-director-james-comey-donald-trump-team-russia-links-us-presidential-election-2016-house-a7639686.html




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[mrjonathanr]

 Well that is interesting. I wonder why he didn't choose to reveal the existence of a 4+ month investigation into Trump's possibly treasonous links to Russia just before the poll but felt honour-bound to mention a one week only reopening of the investigation into Hilary's emails? 

[Oldmanmatt]

Cue "Pink Panther" theme...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-will-resign-soon-dianne-feinstein-senator-senate-judiciary-committee-a7639341.html?cmpid=facebook-post

[Oldmanmatt]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/03/20/ivanka-trump-given-west-wing-office-security-clearance-expanded/

[andy popp]

Is Trump about to enter a death spiral? It's far from inevitable, but its looking ever more likely.

We're glued to screens as the attempt to repeal and replace AHA unravels before our very eyes. At the moment, they are insisting a vote will go ahead in 90 minutes, but it looks increasingly doomed either way. This is a massive and very much self-inflicted wound and failure will significantly damage both Trump and the GOP. The GOP has signally failed to come up with a meaningful plan over the last seven years. They are the Emperor in new clothes. The hard right Freedom Caucus looks insane and ungovernable. And Trunp, who has made this very much his in the last few days (watch him blame Paul Ryan when it fails though) looks weak and fails to deliver a key campaign promise. The great deal closer is a loser. Credibility and authority ebb away making it harder to get other parts of the agenda passed. How he will take public failure on this scale, who knows, especially coming after the instant blocking of the second travel ban (which he has been surprising quiet on. Maybe he's simply lost interest?).

At the same time, he only becomes ever more embroiled in the questions surrounding ties to Russia. The attempt to distract through the Obama wiretapping claims are another backfire and he doesn't seem to have the sense to know when to stop digging. Moreover, his refusal to stop digging forced Devin Nunes, Republican Chair of the House Intelligence Committee, into a massive error on Wednesday as he attempted to give Trump cover by revealing to the press and the President but not the committee he chairs some very flakey information about Trump associates being surveilled (in fact, it was foreign entities that were being entirely legally surveilled). In doing so he squandered all his credibility in terms of leading a neutralt bipartisan enquiry into Trump-Russia connections, making a genuinely independent investigation much more likely just as more and more evidence emerges of links between Trump and Russia (though smoking gun proving collusion yet). Of course, this follows hard on the heels of Comey's acknowledgement on Monday that the FBI is investigating the same issue.

They are embattled on every front right now. The question is, is America sick of winning yet?

Re: the point made a couple of weeks ago about the mood turning to one of resignation, in my experience there is still no sign of that happening. This is kind of exhausting but people are still angry and active. People sense that now is not the time to let up. One thing I've been impressed with is how participatory American democracy can be. For example, thousands upon thousands spend time every single day ringing congressmen and senators to voice their opposition as directly as they possibly (my wife is literally on the phone now to our representative about Nunes). And it works. Our local representative (R Charlie Dent, 15th district PA) on Wednesday committed to voting against the healthcare bill no doubt in part because of constituent pressure. I attended a small demonstration outside one of Dent's local offices and staffers came out to listen to the crowd. Elected politicians are compelled to attend public town hall meetings and are ridiculed and spotlighted when they refuse to meet citizens face-to-face. Of course there are also the big head line demonstrations as well. Its true the turn out at the election was shamefully low, but the day-to-day, grassroots participatory activity has impressed me. Despite everything we hear about politicians being bought the Americans I know demand accountability from those who represent them.

[erm, sam]

Thanks Andy, it is really interesting to get your perspective.

[andy popp]

So they just abruptly stopped the debate and pulled the bill minutes from when the vote was due. I'm over the moon, but ideally I would have liked to see it go to a vote and lose. They should be forced to own this colossal fuck up rather than scurry away. They are spineless shits.

[Oldmanmatt]

Hmmmm... [emoji57]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/house-leaders-cancel-vote-obamacare-repeal_us_58d54cdde4b03692bea5563e?

[Oldmanmatt]

Mind you, the Dump's threat was "Vote Friday or move on", so, dead?

[andy popp]

Possibly. Let's see. For the moment he's saying he doesn't blame Ryan but how long will that last? Donnie's going to be in a bad mood tonight. Melania must be thanking her lucky stars she lives in New York.

[Oldmanmatt]

I have to say, this "I don't think I'm going to win, so you don't get to vote" version of democracy seems a bit off.
Possibly miss understanding the US system, but that's how it reads?

[andy popp]

I have to say, this "I don't think I'm going to win, so you don't get to vote" version of democracy seems a bit off.
Possibly miss understanding the US system, but that's how it reads?

Absolutely, they're a bunch of completely spineless shits. They needed to face the vote and own this bill.

[Oldmanmatt]

Dan Rather:

"Stunning. A complete defeat that I don't think anyone would have predicted in the manner that took place. Donald Trump promised to repeal and replace  Obamacare on day one of his presidency. He promised a health care nirvana of lower premiums, choice and better care. The GOP have been demonizing the Affordable Care Act for 7 years and yet here we are. The Affordable Care Act remains the law of the land. Who knew healthcare was hard?

The morass of blame is only beginning. As he just told New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman, this is "the Democrats fault."  We'll see how that plays with the public and with history. Mr. Trump is wounded and he will try to do his usual two step of taking credit for everything and blame for nothing. It is a dance that I think was already old for a majority of Americans. And if recent polls are to be believed even some of his voters are getting weary. And let's remember we are just over two months into his presidency.

I have never seen such a staggering loss so early in a term. We have long left charted waters with this administration. And our ship of state bobs amidst ominous waves.

The damage isn't limited to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Many Democrats never understood Paul Ryan's golden boy wonk status. But that aura has also been deeply and perhaps irrevocably tarnished by this health care failure. And the difficulty was expected to be in the Senate.

Meanwhile, the Russian shadow continues to darken."

Any idea of the connotation of "Wonk" to our dear cousins?
Sounds good...

[mrjonathanr]

I'd always understood it as 'geeky expert' as in 'policy wonk' but in America could be different...

[Oldmanmatt]

I'd always understood it as 'geeky expert' as in 'policy wonk' but in America could be different...

Apparently a studious and diligent worker.

Or an incompetent sailor / Naval cadet.

I think the second is the more apt.

Even fellow conservatives seem to be glad/unsurprised (for a given value of "glad").
I'm always surprised by the depth and breadth of the chasms that separate the factions of the Right:

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2017/03/the-republican-waterloo/520833/?utm_source=atlfb

[TobyD]

I have to say, this "I don't think I'm going to win, so you don't get to vote" version of democracy seems a bit off.
Possibly miss understanding the US system, but that's how it reads?

Did you hear Trump on the news saying how "we've learnt so much, including some very, very arcane rules". He appears to have misunderstood that he lives in a democracy (!) not a totalitarian state. He must be wondering how Putin just does what the hell he likes. Lets hope it takes more than 4 years for him to work that one out...

[andy popp]

I'd always understood it as 'geeky expert' as in 'policy wonk' but in America could be different...

Yep, geek/nerd.

[Oldmanmatt]

?......

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/legal-expert-explains-michael-flynn-immunity-request-trump-links-russia-investigation-a7661531.html?cmpid=facebook-post

[moose]

Possibly well known to all you polical mavens but I recently stumbled across "Pod Save America" and really recommend it.  In the episode I heard, what really struck home was not the aspect of grand corruption, more the ongoing omni-shambles of an admistration made up of peope who just cannot cope and do not understand the situation they are in.  Hosted by ex-White House staffers - so they know how things usually are.   

https://getcrookedmedia.com/here-have-a-podcast-78ee56b5a323

also, for those who like to see a graph or two - I recommend the 538 (Nate Silver, like everyone else might have predicted a Clinton win, but at least he had Trump at around 30%, rather than the <1% most did!)

https://fivethirtyeight.com/