As usual whenever he speaks, TrumPutin lies and he is wrong, this time when he says the cure is worse than the disease. However, there are other things that are worse than the Coronavirus: The White House initial response, particularly the opinion by epidemiologist TrumPutin that the Coronavirus was a flu -- definitely worse than the virus; The revised response, stating that the Coronavirus was not, after all, simply a flu, but that TrumPutin knew it was serious, and knew it to be a pandemic far earlier than anyone else -- such nonsense is worse than the disease; The daily briefings that substitute for the mindless rallies that TrumPutin is used to having -- absolutely worse than the virus; Mnuchin's pandering for the corporate elite, including Boeing, which suffered so badly that it could offer its disgraced former CEO only a $60 million payout; and cruise lines, which license themselves in foreign countries to avoid U. S. taxes, but which line up for U. S. taxpayer bailouts -- worse than the disease; The parade of corporate shills at the daily briefings, performing like trained seals so that they are not left out of the stimulus money that TrumPutin and Mnuchin are earmarking for their friends -- truly a scar on the nation and far worse than the disease; Pompeo's idiotic talk of the Wuhan virus, carrying the xenophobic and nationalist ball for his lord and master -- despicably worse than the disease; GOP reluctance to pay for sick leave and unemployment, until shamed into doing so, and Moscow Mitch's reluctance to have any oversight until forced to -- worse than the disease. TrumPutin's hunch that the virus will be subdued, his hunch that we have plenty of ventilators, his hunch that the economy is more important than people's health -- all politically motivated responses worse than the disease; The country will survive, recover, and thrive -- despite the lies, selfishness, and greed of the TrumPutin elite that currently governs. Thank God for Speaker Pelosi and the good sense she shows in leading an intelligent response to the crisis.
Out of the Mouth of a Toddler
TrumPutin says, "I don't want to give a bailout to a company and then have somebody ... use that money to buy back stock ... and then get a bonus. So I'm a Republican, but I don't like that." Yes, it is Republican dogma to give money to corporations under the guise of public benefit, and then watch as the oligarchs use the public largesse to enrich themselves and their cronies. Republicans have believed in that selective socialism for 100 years or more, and it is refreshing to hear the leader of the current regime acknowledge it. In his defense, he probably is not aware that that is what he has done. And he will probably draw the line at disallowing the Mar-muy-Largo estate and the TrumPutin Properties from using the public money to prolong themselves. After all, power comes with the right to abuse it -- if he has taught the electorate anything, it is that basic principle of deal-making. And since the Large Orange One is not at ease with truthful statements, it is unlikely that he does not like "that." It is rather the opposite. He intends to practice the art of taking government funds and enriching himself, and then disavow any notion that it is bad form. The original words were, after all, spoken by an unrepentant liar (I felt it was a pandemic long before it was called a pandemic), a toddler who screams his lies and demands that the sycophants who surround him attest to his truthiness.
Eloquent and Believable – the Myth
The Obese Orange went on national television to comfort and reassure a nation. How could he fail? Let us count the ways. First, his speech was written by Steven Miller and Jared Kushner. Miller, trying to qualify as a human being but failing every test except the one that gives him credentials in the TrumPutin regime, wrote the part about "foreign" virus and travel bans. Kushner, trying to qualify as an adult but failing in every regard except toadying for his dad-in-law, wrote the other incoherent parts, presumably including the "moment in time" nonsense. Second, TrumPutin can't read and looked like an imbecile trying to pronounce complex words like "country." Third, TrumPutin exhausted himself trying to look sincere, and was winded by the time he was halfway through the speech. He tried to manage sincerity, but could only get to grotesque. Fourth, he has never told the truth, so the speech was ruined even before it began. Fifth, he's an idiot. Sixth and so on, see above.
Poor, Poor, Pitiful Me
Poor little rich girl. Unappreciated for the selflessness and devotion her life requires. The world reels from a virus -- death, illness, uncertainty, economic distress. And Melania, in her hard hat, standing out all by herself and her servants and spokesperson, supervising the construction of a tennis pavilion. Why won't the world appreciate her? Why do her detractors not see the burden she carries? Her dress so close to real dirt, her shoes liable to scuffs, her brow very nearly almost sort of sweaty. The pain of watching labor, without even a limo nearby to take her to a safer place with central heat and hors d'oeuvres prepared by three or four different European chefs. Life is hard, and no thanks does she get. But apparently the world thinks that tennis pavilions build themselves. Oh, well, Be Best, or whatever. Melania, we don't really care. Do you?
Loyalty uber Alles, Mick
Mick Mulvaney -- he tried so hard, so faithfully, so pathetically, so painfully. Lying, sneering, believing in the fables that the TrumPutin cadre put forth, and sincerely groveling in his faithfulness to his leader. But, Mick accidentally told the truth and that done him in, it did. He lost everything. Acting power over the White House staff, the Consumer Financial Protection Whatever, OMB -- all gone. Because Mick forgot that the credo of the TrumPutin regime is to put full faith in the lie, to never admit that the lie is not the truth. Mick admitted there had been a quid pro quo. Everyone knew it was so, but Mick said it. And for that moment of truth, Mick is now the envoy to Northern Ireland. Unless TrumPutin decides to build a golf club there, Mick will never be seen again among the grifters toadying up to the Obese Orange. Mick, we hardly knew ye -- but that was enough.
Yeah, but No
Maybe I have a natural ability. Spoken as though the idiot believed what he said. Holding a paper with what he thinks is a Coronavirus molecule, or Hurricane Dorian, with Alabama somewhere in the picture, Trump Guy gloats like a two-year-old drunk on his own brilliance. He does have a natural ability, but not to understand anything. His natural ability is to make a fool of himself, to embarrass the country, to make his entourage of lickspittles cringe at the pain of having to suffer his ego. He has no natural ability to do anything worthwhile, only to enrich himself at the expense of others. And then to call himself a businessman. As if. Soon the bloated image will go away, along with the red hat, the Mussolini imitations, and the coterie of drooling sycophants longing to have their very own natural abilities. Yeah, but no.
One Word
Total Acquittal. The one word that, according to TrumPutin, best describes the impeachment outcome. A better single word is Total Assholes, one word that describes him, his administration, and the Republicans in Congress who suffer his foolhardiness gladly. Or maybe Total Partial Innocence, the same verdict from Mueller, who found him guilty but protected by the DoJ cult led by Barr. Total Partial Innocence of impeachment, the official line descending from a perfect call and read the transcripts to no perfect call, definitely a quid pro quo, fear of witnesses and testimony, read the part of the transcript where Total Partial Innocence is plausible. The cream rises never rises in TrumPutin's world. Or maybe Total Lies, the centerpiece of his administration, as well as his life. Not a stable genius, definitely a complete coward, not a businessman, yes a racist, and always a blowhard. Make America Whatever... etc etc etc
Stealing an Election the Right Way
The Republicans are adamant that the House didn't do its job, and that the investigation into TrumPutin and Ukraine is an attempt to steal the 2016, or the 2020 election, or both. Of course, they forget that the 2016 election was already stolen, the Electoral College already taking the election out of the hands of the voters and giving it over to a handful of states where the Orange One used the slimmest of popular votes to take all electoral votes. Now, that is the right way to steal an election, and more constitutional, according to them, than having to have the Supreme Court validate a dodgy outcome. Besides, they can use the Senate non-trial to illustrate how an effective quid pro quo really works: their votes to acquit a guilty leader in exchange for his stupid acquiescence to deregulation, travel bans, fine people in white nationalist thuggeries, drilling rights in the Arctic, fracking in North Dakota, Christian sharia ala Pence, etc. etc. etc. All TrumPutin has to do is wander around the country, inciting hate at his rallies, and let the Senate do its legislative work, making the world safe for autocrats, oligarchs, tax evaders, defense and wall contractors, and, of course, nepotism. Make America Whatever, on a red hat.
No Need to Say It
So Lindsey Graham had an interview to say that he was not going to be a fair juror. At least he was true to that statement, but ... Lindsey, why do you think you needed to say that? Why not have an interview and tell the world that you've decided not to be an unrepentant ass? Now, that would be news. It was obvious, from the time of your conversion from one who viewed TrumPutin as inadequate to the task of being even a pseudo-president, to one one who shrieks in support in order to secure golf dates with Rick Perry's chosen one, that you were never going to be a fair juror. Crazy Lindsey, Moscow Mitch, Toadying Ted, Demented Darin, Red-Faced Rudy, etc. etc. etc. TrumPutin's defenders queue up to tell the world what an almost-innocent man looks like, if only he didn't do things that were against the law. And now they have Alan the Clown, Jay the Idiotic, and Pat the witness/attorney to back up their sycophancy with constitutional nonsense. Never were the Republicans more devoid of character, logic, courage, or sense. Since yesterday, that is. Every day is a new record for stupidity for them.
A Witch Hunt Witch Hunt
The Republican search for TrumPutin's innocence has become the real witch hunt, and their explanations of his bribery is the real hoax. They are unable to see a quid pro quo, but are facile enough that they can fashion pseudo-innocence out of guilt without the slightest hint of shame. The greatest witch hunt in history is actually a hunt for TrumPutin's integrity. It is a fool's errand, which is why it is a task particularly well-suited for Graham, Moscow Mitch, Jordan, McCarthy, Nunes, et al. Those cheerleaders lead the call for the GOP and the base to shut their eyes and scream that they see no evidence. They offer no exculpatory evidence, and mock those who testify. If the cheerleaders and sycophants could offer testimony that proves TrumPutin's innocence, they would. Instead, having no evidence, they whimper and whine that Democrats are unfair and are endangering future corrupt presidents who want to subvert the Constitution and lie about it. TrumPutin bellows witch hunt, and leads the charge to cling like a barnacle to conspiracy theories. As TrumPutin presses the witch hunt canard, he instills fear in any Republican who refuses to echo his nonsense. The GOP dutifully abets their boss, claiming with a straight face that there is no collusion, the proof being that TrumPutin and his team are too stupid to collude. Their innocence is based on the legal grounds that his plan to obstruct was incompetently executed, therefore invisible. The GOP are not able any longer to say out loud that there was no quid pro quo, and rather than plead the Fifth, they plead ignorance. How comforting for the nation.