The Editorial Board writes, " ... this is exactly how Mr. Trump likes it: He drags people down to his level, forcing them to choose between retaliation and silence."
This reminds me of the well-know quote often attributed to Mark Twain: "Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience."
In Trump's case, I fear both are appropriate ...
18
All the spineless life forms in the swamp also contribute to the disease that is eating away at democracy - and slow decline of an uninformed electorate isn't helping. As Andrew Sullivan wrote in the Books section the other day:
Franklin was blunter in forecasting the moment we are now in: He believed that the American experiment in self-government “can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people become so corrupted as to need despotic government, being incapable of any other.”
7
What would it take to shut down the Fox News propaganda machine?
19
So if the problem is the leaders of the Republicant Party, let's all have a moment of silence for the incredibly people of Wisconsin and Kentucky who keep re-electing these two wonderful bastions of Liberty.
7
Both McCONnell and Ryan have demonstrated many times their utter lack of ethics and turbocharged cynicism. Getting and keeping power is Mitch's reason for living. No matter what. Ryan follows along. Together with the many spineless republican hypocrites in congress who continue placing their rotting Party above the Country.
He who pays the piper calls the(ir) tune. Mercer's, Koch's, Adelson and the right wing "think" tanks and guys like Grover Norquist personify the intention of Citizens United.
The GOP march in lock step to their donor class' desires. We ALL suffer for it. The World is watching and is justifiably disgusted at what is becoming of the USA.
VOTE Them OUT
20
As long as Mr. Trump allows Congressional Republicans to pass inane laws, they will support him, or at least keep quiet, no matter how outrageous his words and behavior. There seems to be little or no sense of propriety or integrity left in these people.
7
Republicans in power are terrified that our reckless president will share and dirt he has on them. They sit in silence in order to maintain power.
7
I suspect Republicans are tired of the NYT editorial board telling them what to do
5
"When the full extent of your venality, moral turpitude and political corruption becomes known, you will take your rightful place in the dustbin of history." -- John O. Brennan
Best biography of Trump of Trump ever written.
13
They won’t ever. What evidence of his naked self-interest, of his children’s self-regard in international affairs, of any vulnerability to blackmail, of a temperament incapable of contemplation and synthesis of ideas, facts and other people could yet surface that is somehow worse to their minds that would bring any of this cabal to a reckoning? None. The only thing that matters to them is to destroy or at least disable institutions, laws and practices of ethical governance and humane economics that have restrained the capitalist nation and world of their dreams, regardless whom it leaves behind, disavows as foreign or pretends we did not bring here in chains or slaughter in their own homes.
7
It's not that the "wrong" people are criticizing Donald Trump, it's that the people who should be criticizing him are not.
16
Hello, the majority of Americans come down on the side of our U.S. intelligence community who has been under attack since Trump and Hillary were told about the Russian hacking during the 2016 campaign. They should not come under attack for their jobs and unless McCabe betrayed his country he is deserving of his retirement earned during a 22 year career of serving his country. Trump only serves himself, and that is usually 2 hamburgers and a double scoop of ice cream.
Trump should not be allowed to attack or tweet against our intelligence community, our judicial system, or our DOJ. When he makes these attacks he is attacking America and EVERY American.
As soon as Trump, Jr. and Kushner learned about the Russians interference they sought them out and tried to establish a back channel and lied to the public and the FBI about all their Russian money ties, calls, emails, contacts, and meetings. They lied and denied until public exposure happened.
Every American, every member of our Congress needs to stand by Mueller and our democratic institutions. They all need to put their country above Trump.
11
The premise that the FBI and Justice department framed Trump , made by his new lawyer is an obscene travesty . Another morally challenged lawyer joining a morally challenged team , is par for the course , they fight dirty gouging eyes , biting ears off rendering the general public blind and deaf to the irascible vengeful bully in the White house. Agree that the public becomes immune to responses made by the accused , but if they don't make a stand who will and what does that say about a country whose citizens become bystanders who do nothing ? I would say ripe for the taking by the wily Putin.
6
I don't understand the logic in this piece. You want Republican Party leaders to stand up to Donald Trump, but at the same time you criticize people, like Andrew McCabe, who are standing up to him. No one is criticizing his personal appearance, or ethnic heritage, which would be stooping to Donald Trump's level. Instead, they are addressing how he is conducting himself as president of this country.
Completely legitimate and well-deserved criticism.
You say that Trump forces people who confront him to "choose between retaliation and silence." If those are the only choices, couldn't Ryan and McConnell be feeling that way too?
And what about retaliation? Stormy Daniels, and now a second woman, are standing up to Trump despite threats of retaliation. Are you going to claim they are "covered in mud" for doing so?
Donald Trump has made serious mistakes in his life, and continues to do so. And his strategy of using assorted handlers and legal enforcers to clean up his messes with threats, payoffs, and intimidation seems to be unraveling.
5
I've noticed the Resistance is barely talking anymore about Trump "colluding with the Russians". Now you're all dying for him to fire Mueller to prove he's guilty. Don't hold your breath.
3
To expect anyone of the current GOP members of Congress to denounce or stand up to Donald J. Trump is foolishness of unparalleled magnitude. Having passed that huge tax cut which stole money from middle-income people to give to the wealthiest and doing nothing - NOTHING - to investigate foreign influence in our electoral process, they give new credence to that old saying (of Mark Twain's) that there is no distinctly American criminal class....except Congress.
11
The "Trump problem" is not all a question of politics. The problem is that he is a very emotionally sick and unstable person who does not have rational control over what he says or does. He has an extreme NPD, Narcissistic Personality Disorder that make him unfit for any position which involves dealing with others. He could not pass the pre-employment tests for a job as a janitor.
The American Psychiatric Association defies a person with NPD as having the following traits:
Grandiosity with expectations of superior treatment from other people
Fixated on fantasies of power, success, intelligence, attractiveness, etc.
Self-perception of being unique, superior, and associated with high-status people and institutions
Needing continual admiration from others
Sense of entitlement to special treatment and to obedience from others
Exploitative of others to achieve personal gain
Unwilling to empathize with the feelings, wishes, and needs of other people
Intensely envious of others, and the belief that others are equally envious of them
Pompous and arrogant demeanor
5
The reason why Republicans in Congress have kept silent might be, as recently characterized by a long time friend since college, with whom we have agreeably shared opinions on writers, books, movies and music, tho contrary on politics, until he told me:"They're all gutless wonders!"
4
Democracy is ugly. Welcome to the world!!
3
This editorial renewed my enthusiasm of being a NYT subscriber.
5
If, because they look the other way on Trump, if they profited from Cambridge Analytica research and presidential election coat tails, if they got the tax bill through for their largest donors, if they weakened healthcare for most Americans (again, for their largest donors), If (and especially if they knew) Russian money came to them through the NRA donations they accepted to help them get elected/reelected, if they were in on any of the Russian conspiracy details and aided it for any reason, and if their largest donors want them to attack Social Security and Medicare as adding to the deficits their tax bill has ballooned (again to support the requests of their largest donors), it's now very hard to call out Trump and have to answer the questions related to all those ifs.
7
Trump's actions fit perfectly for someone who ran as an angry demagogue and who applauds autocrats like Vladimir Putin (whom he congratulated on his "victory," Victor Orban, Xi Jinping (whom Trump admired for his becoming leader for life), and the murderous Rodrigo Duterte. Trump too fashions himself an elite autocrat, and feels that verbally bludgeoning everyone from his hand-picked Attorney General and (former) Secretary of State to lower level staff like Andrew McCabe is appropriate for a great leader like himself. As a fan of a real leader in Ronald Reagan, I wish for the old GOP that used to stand up to autocrats instead of embracing... or electing... them.
6
There are NO wrong people who criticize Trump, because he's always wrong!
7
Jeff Sessions did the right thing when he recused himself after realizing that he could not, presumably due to his conscience, do what Trump wanted at the beginning of the Mueller investigation. However, he has caved in to Trump by firing McCabe. As Gowdy said, if Trump is truly innocent in this matter, why is he acting like a man who is guilty. An honorable man would let the investigation proceed unless there is clear and convincing evidence that the investigation is intentionally framing the outcome. Frankly, there is no evidence of that and plenty of evidence that some of Trump's minions have acted inappropriately. Moreover, honorable legislators would speak up and act to protect Mueller and the investigation. This is what honorable Republican legislators did when Watergate occurred and evidence began to appear of obstruction on the part of President Nixon.
6
The Republicans have removed the veil that covered their deceit and hypocrisy by standing by an allowing this scourge on the Presidency and our democracy rise to, and then continue to, hold power. They are moral cowards, not fit to lead, and in the absence or leadership, chaos foments. Out of chaos slithers the siren offer of peace and tranquility if only we accept a tyrant. That is how authoritarian regimes are born, and we are witnessing that happen right before our eyes.
My only hope is that enough true Americans, regardless of party or philosophy, forcefully stand up to this bully and bloody his nose, and then chase his sycophants out behind him.
12
Why would you expect the GOP or the for that matter the feckless democrats to "protect democracy"? It sounds like something from the Onion.
Anyone can see that the GOP has been openly against our democracy for quite some. From the right wing sessesionists to the corporate takeover of our nation, the GOP has openly stood strongly for oligarchy, plutocracy, theocracy, and kleptocracy for at various times during the 21st century.
9
The three greatest Americans: Mueller, McCabe and Comey. They have no vices. They can do no wrong.
6
No, Democrats should be pushing back on themselves.
2
When provable facts become labeled as lies, our reality is being subverted. It's unacceptable for any public leader in this country to lie to the extent Trump lies. It's unacceptable for government employees to manipulate the public for their own personal benefit or implementation of vindictiveness. To intentionally gaslight the Canadian PM (our ally) by repeatedly insisting that Trudeau has his facts wrong and then brag about it, serves no useful political purpose our nation can be proud of.
Trump should be removed from office, not because of his damaging political beliefs, but because of the damage his NPD had on bending and distorting public reality and public institutions. Trump is a one man national health hazard. Trump's craziness infects everything he's involved with. It's time to admit that whoever we thought Trump was, it's not who he is. It's evident that his mental disorders make him unsuitable and unfit for the office he holds. His NPD alone provides sufficient grounds of his unfitness for public office. Trump should be removed immediately before he can do any further damage to our country. It's time to admit the mistake, grab the hook, and pull him offstage.
9
This goes way beyond being a bully. Trump is unfit to be President . He is a clear and present danger. Why won’t Congress pass the bill protecting Mueller and take a stand? No guts that is what is going on here
13
If Vlad "The Impaler" Putin can choose which 'offenders' of his values to execute in Great Britain with the simplest of tools (an injection or "just a little pinprick," - Roger Waters, Pink Floyd) maybe some more worrying and silence are because he has become the real leader of the Republican Party, congratulated just today by its titular (pun-intended) head-of-state, the President.
5
Taking a page from Trump, there is no Republican Party and its purported leadership doesn't exist.
3
According to latest Gallup poll, close to +82% of self identified Republicans support this incompetent President. The real underlying problem are the repugnant spineless Republicans serving the plutocrats. Nothing good can come from them. We the people need to exercise our democratic rights by voting, else we are the enablers of massive societal corruption.
10
So all the spineless GOPers are sitting by and watching the three ring circus...
Which story will ultimately be responsible for Trump's removal?
Mueller, Stormy, Flynn, McDougal, Gates, Cambridge Analytica?
Or are there even more waiting in the wings?
6
Interesting how people can have diametrically opposed perspectives. From where I stand, it's not Trump who is the bully, but his progressive opponents who are using Alinsky tactics-- to bully your opponent, then turn the tables on them, accusing THEM of the bullying. See https://sytereitz.com/2018/03/negotiating-wonderland-or-restoring-sanity...
3
Just read any of his tweets. These are not bullying?
6
this is indeed curious. from where i stand, virtually every fracas trump is involved in has been self-inflicted. he's done something or said something that draws a lot of uproar--cf the comey firing. he's his own worst enemy. the progressives have very little to do with it.
5
Rather than waiting on the arrival of a conservative Godot, we’d be better served by accepting, once and for all, what has happened to this country over the last few decades and getting on with the urgent discussion of what we, collectively, are going to do about it. The GOP is a corrupt, immoral, and illegal kleptocracy, ruled by a few ultrarich families: Koch, Mercer, DeVos, Murdoch. Trump is the culmination of their work and vision. They DO NOT CARE about - or for - liberal democracy.
Across the board, they own the Republican leadership. Trump won because they allowed him to. Helped him to. Colluded with him. They aren’t going to stand up to him. He’s their man. Stop with the wishful thinking and accept it so we can move on to urgent conversation we all should be having.
Stop deflecting blame to Russia. Our country has undergone a coup from inside, by oligarchs who do not care for our democratic traditions, institutions, or rule of law. Full stop.
What are we going to do about that?
12
Prosecute, Convict and Threaten to Send Trump to Federal Prison. That's how we get to the Oligarchs and Technology/Data Miners who are destroying the American Democracy to feed their insatiable need for greed, money and power. It's true that pigs like to wallow in the mud but they also love to SQUEAL!!! You watch how fast Trump rolls out the facts after he's arrested.
4
For those Republicans seeking re-election, the current calculation is that speaking out against Trump now will cost them substantial votes in the primaries, and probably cost them the party nomination.
After the primaries the calculus will likely change as Republicans have to consider the generic Democratic advantage (currently 8-10 points), Trumps disapproval rating (currently -13), and their specific constituents.
Then, if/when Mueller issues more indictments, Republicans may actually say something,
Tell then, their political futures depend on covering their eyes, ears, and mouths.
4
The fear of the Trump base combined with the drive towards tax cuts, the long standing goal of the GOP, has gotten them in deep, too deep to retrench with November looming
6
Worst case scenario..or next season of "HOMELAND."
Trump does NOT fire Mueller but he does fire Rosenstein and appoints Giuliani, who says that he looked at the evidence Mueller has accumulated and that there is no evidence of a crime and that he is closing the investigation and keeping its findings sealed. Republican Congress reacts by opening an investigation into the corruption of FBI and Mueller's Special Council Office , oh, and re-opening hearings on Hillary's eMails. Mass demonstrations ensue which are met by violence from counter-protesters and provocateurs. Police and army get involved. Hundreds dead by second week and Trump declares a National Emergency. Government secretly begins to use massive database of election records and social media trove gathered by 2016 hackers to target "liberals" for "undermining the Government." As a "bi-partisan" gesture, passes "Gun Control" laws that allow for confiscation of guns from "dangerous" individuals. "Undermining Government" passes as presenting "danger to others," and liberals lose their guns. November elections suspended. Congress and Senate pass a Bill ending Presidential term limits. Show trials begin for those who attempted the Deep State "coup" of 2017/18.....
3
This is nonsense, tantamount to suggesting people should allow themselves to be quietly railroaded because it's good for the country.
Our government is failing to protect, failing to enforce due process, failing to protect our electoral systems, and, stunningly, failing to protect us from foreign depredations. Suggesting that those victimized by a runaway administration should quietly march to the gallows seems a bizarre instruction.
The Times has it right that those who are being attacked in a cascade of self-serving defamation ought to be vigorously defended, and made immune to such roistering. The Times could start by strengthening its own editorial policies and begin referring to obvious lies as "lies."
13
So accurately stated.
Trump drags people down to his level, forcing them to choose between retaliation and silence. And Trump loves it when he forces folks to wrestle in his pig mud.
Republican Congressmen and Congresswomen need to serve the interests of the people of the U.S., not someone who willingly violates the Constitution by obstructing justice and by proceeding on courses of action that do not address his multiple conflicts of interest.
Republican Congressmen and Congresswomen need to do what is best for America, not best for a bully who is President of the U.S.
Republican Congressmen and Congresswomen need to consider what has happened and what will happen to them in the next election cycle if they do not serve the interests of the people of the U.S.
4
THIS is why the GOP should never simultaneously control the House, Senate and White House. It's a conflation of the legislative and executive branches. Now both the GOP Congress and President are failing to perform their Constitutional duties.
Disgraceful.
10
Is there really an issue with them defending themselves? If it 'feeds the narrative' of bias, then what is the purpose of the special counsel? The American people will not stand for Mueller's dismissal. And millions of us wait patiently for its result. What we won't do is wait for the GOP to have the moral certitude to speak out against the travesty.
3
Isn't it clear that bully Trump has every GOP member of Congress scared out of their wits? If starts tweeting any of them, what else will come out?
7
Trump provides the circus to distract the populous as the wealthy overlords gather up the bread meant to just barely satisfy the masses leaving but a few crumbs.
Critique Trump as much as you want but in doing so you end up ignoring the insidious damage done by the bureaucracies he has loaded with corporate minions.
6
The Congress should take inspiration from the Parkland students. If "minors" can ignore retaliation from "adults" and powerful business, academic and media interests because a moral stance screams for fearless people, elected officials are overdue to stand up against behavior that demeans America's purpose. Sen. Flake should part of a chorus and not a lone voice in the forest.
3
It may end up being the cynicism of McConnell and Ryan that saves us: as with everything else their loyalty to Trump is only about themselves. Eventually their calculations will shift as the pressure to dismount the crazy train becomes too much.
5
In the coming elections vote a straight Democratic ticket at every government level; vote as if the fate of your family depends on it -[because it does].
Republican politicians and the Republican party must be crushed at every level, in every state in the hopes that out of those ashes a new party can arise [not peopled by the same old faces] so we can once again have a robust two part system in America and have meaningful and important debates about policy and law!!
9
The GOP is no more mature and responsible than its leader.
5
While I appreciate your Editorial I do disagree on one very important level and that is the public statements by the FBI and CIA targets of Mr.Trump's rage and bluster.
It is right and proper that these individuals speak out and publicly address what they see as a corruption of the Presidency. Yes we can wish to wait for a forum with attorneys, rules of order, questions and answers, the right to confront one's accusers and with time, we may see that in full view of the public and press. But until that time, I applaud the blowback and the public outrage in the media and in social media over the rule by whim of self-proclaimed monarch in chief. Mr.Trump has trampled not only civility and all concepts of diplomacy, he has bent and broken the laws (Federal Code and Oath of Office) many times over and the Republican majority in Congress has joined in the feasting on the body of America.
It requires both the legal processes and the public exposure to make Democracy work. Such public exposure and debate at least pushes hard on the desire of some to just be complacent and hope it all goes away.
8
And what say you to the independent internal review processes at the FBI that recommended he be fired? Should Sessions have ignored that recommendation? Why?
3
Sessions is supposed to be recused from dealing with any of this. That in itself is a big problem.
5
What is really sickening here is that repubs present themselves as the true defenders of democracy while at the same time they stand idly by and watch Trumpians devalue and destroy it. Democracy, patriotism and American values are little more than tools of convenience for them to use as needed. The rule of law is important only when it does not apply to them. They are Americans in name only. True Patriots they are not.
22
Sorry, I don't agree with you. Criticism has to come from upright people, real patriots who have worked tirelessly under the radar to protect our country. If high ranking people like ex-FBI chief James Comey and ex-deputy director, Andrew McCabe don't speak out about the truth now, then it'll be too late. Expecting the truth from this President and these Republicans is asking for the moon. Truth has become such a rare commodity. Maintaining protocol and silence with these lying Republicans and the worst lying President would be enabling these liars. Time for real transparency, real truth from real, uncompromised chiefs with real evidence.
13
How easily they got into the mud, too. Rather telling, I think.
4
I'm baffled. Don't Republicans realize that the majority of Americans consider Trump unfit? That the only path to maintaining their unfortunate control of the Legislature is to stand up for our democracy? That their "base" is too small to generate the votes they need? And I'm leaving out their acting on behalf of what is morally and ethically necessary in the face of Trump's cruelty, lying and maliciously ignorant behavior.
Congress, stop for a minute and imagine that Trump was unrestrained by any part of our "administrative state" and the good people in it.
Try to grasp that " deconstructing the administrative state" really means " tearing the American government apart." And remember who built the government: "We the People." Trump is stripping it of its true function as a democracy: to ensure the common good of all of us, to stop America from slowly sliding into the sea.
11
They only care about what their contributors think and how they can manipulate those who do bother to vote, in numbers large enough to keep them in office.
2
Laurie Ellis,
I too find it baffling that Republicans aren't responsive to the majority. Until I remember that gerrymandering and vote suppression and foreign meddling and psychographically targeted fake news make a monster out of their tiny base. We're already "sliding into the sea."
The GOP in Congress is merely clinging on to protect their own turf. There are not enough punditry jobs on FAUXNews should they be voted from office for being political cowards.
6
The GOP will not help fight Trump. They are his co-conspirators. They are bad guys too. America is a morality play now. Perhaps the Democrats are not always good. But Republicans are straight up evil.
21
"Meanwhile, Mr. Comey, Mr. McCabe and the others who face Mr. Trump’s taunts and provocations should remember the old warning about wrestling a pig. You only get covered in mud — and, besides, the pig likes it."
To compare Trump's behavior with any living organism is an insult to the living organism.
17
"Meanwhile, Mr. Comey, Mr. McCabe and the others who face Mr. Trump’s taunts and provocations should remember the old warning about wrestling a pig. You only get covered in mud — and, besides, the pig likes it."
OK, so what do you do in a society where silence or reasonable behavior looks weak to so many people, or looks like you accept the accusations and have no defense?
11
I am curious why this editorial does not mention the two names who are most directly responsible for McCabe being fired:
1. Michael Horowitz, the current head of the Inspector Generals Office, was appointed by President Barack Obama and is a former career Justice Department lawyer.
2. Candace Will, appointed by Director Robert Mueller to head the FBI’s Office of Professional Responsibility.
7
I believe they can only recommend that action. The orchestration of the firing by the president and the carrying out by Sessions at that particular time and in that manner reeks more than any pig pen.
Regardless of whatever truth lies behind the OPR recommendation, it is obvious there was no consideration of any balance brought by Mr. McCabe's years of exemplary service. This was and is a political act.
4
I'm still laughing about the pig wrestling joke. The Editors are pretty clever, although I wonder how they know so much about pigs in a sty - kindred spirits, perhaps?
Anyway, just curious about the comment that the firing of Mueller - a long running script that the Editors keep spewing across my monitor - COULD strain our institutions past their breaking points.
Huh?
I know the Editors want to keep their day jobs down at the National Enquirer, but why on earth, other than click-bait or stupidity, would they make such a comment?
If our institutions are so fragile that somebody firing somebody leads to a collapse of the American Experiment, then the Experiment needs to be ended sooner rather than later so that a decent infrastructure can be concocted.
In other words, wipe the lipstick off the pig and make some pork sausage and bacon from the carcass.
2
Well, that’s the point. Nobody seems to be able to do that.
3
Those whom you say should call out Trump never will, so it’s good someone is.
9
Pass a law prohibiting the firing of Mueller now
11
Pass a law that Mueller rule over us — Now and Forever!
2
I, for one, find the comparison to pigs to be offensive. A pig has more integrity than our current POTUS. For one thing, they don't try to pretend to be something they're not.
10
I agree with you, it is not only offensive but cruel to involve poor animals to this,so human a circus.The human race will destroy this planet the way we are going, so lets animals enjoy the life that GOD gave them before the end.
Oh how things have changed. the Republican party was once the party of the elite, intellectual, William Buckley-ish, wealthy patrons.........not only have they lost their identity but they've lost their souls. they seem to enjoy graveling in the swamp.
9
Dear Editorial Board,
If you can point to one instance where taking the high road actually had any effect on the popularity of DJT with his base, other than to make the base even more belligerent about their backing of him, I wish you would publish it. So far as I can see, it doesn’t matter which road you take in response to his truculent vileness, so why not “punch back?”
10
We are faced with daily catastrophes, a cornered rat with his paw on the nuclear button, morally corrupt Repub cowards in congress and behind-the-scenes billionaire enablers who have already drained the Treasury...I hope we can limp through to November without a constitutional crisis which will be ignored by repubs. If we survive till November, please remember to vote.
12
The republicans who 'run' Congress are cowards, to enamored with power to do anything to reign in trump and his excesses.
Sycophants and rogues, none of whom should be reelected in 2018
9
My Mom always said "you can't argue with a fool". Congress needs to pass the bill. Ryan and McConnell are useless.
7
Trump hates FBI and all other intelligence agencies like CIA, NSA etc. But why the Republican leaders are so quiet and why the GOP voters also hate all the law enforcing agencies except ICE? Paul Ryan is very timid and also very cruel. McConnell's only goal in politics is winning at any cost by hook or by crook.
9
It turns out that Kompromat and dark money will buy a great deal of silence from GOP 'leadership.'
13
On this date in 1854 an anti-slavery party was formed in Ripon, Wisconsin: the Republican Party. From a courageous moral stand then to today's grasping greed for wealth and power. What a decline.
17
Are Democrats in power less enthralled by money ? As always , we have a two party system that goes where the money is . For example, your average congressperson needs to collect 10,000 a week to run for re-election . ((Calling NRA,AIPAC , Goldman Sachs ,etc)
There are many bums that need to be thrown out .
4
**Or** we could overhaul our campaign finance laws and get 'Citizens United' overturned.
I'm not 100% sure which party would be more likely to do that when they're in power, but my money is on the current minority party.
11
What quislings the Republicans in Congress, and the GOP as a whole, have become.
8
"it’s hard to think of an American public figure right now with less credibility than the president"
Duh, Hilary?
4
Those who voted for Trump are just as bad. His vileness was made crystal clear during the election by a wide cross section of people.
3
"Duh, Hilary?"
You mean she who is a private citizen?
To answer the original question. There is no one alive or dead less credible than trump.
3
Thank Heavens the Times isn't wholly written by the Editorial Board. And thank Heavens they're not advising our children when they're bullied at school. The children would all be getting beaten up mercilessly as we are each day by the Republicans and Donald Trump. And they'd be sent to another horrible war like the Iraq War which the Editorial Board unethically supported.
4
NY Times op ed. "Stand up for the bureaucrats and against those that are elected"
3
Rarely has the Times shown its moral lethargy and indomitable profit-minded zeal more clearly than in this misguided editorial. No matter how valuable the news-gathering side of the Times is at this critical national juncture, the paper continues to force a spirit of normalization on the Times- brand. The Times is a profitable product, after all, and a life-goes-on aesthetic is deemed essential to keep their right-of-center readership intact, and their stockholders satisfied. Money talks, nobody walks. But to say that the brave, well-chosen, erudite words of John Brennan are in the same mudslinging league as the inane, ethics-free fascist ravings of Trump, and therefore represents a self-sabotaging and politically unseemly maneuver... what nonsense! An editorial board that truly understands what the dangers are in America at this ugly moment would never conflate the verbal tactics of Brennan and Trump. With the Times, the profit motive consistently overrides the moral stance. It is the same seeming "largess" that gives a right-wing maniac like Daniel McCarthy front-page on-line space to expound the view that Trump's cabinet should "let Trump be Trump." (According to McCarthy, the vast majority of Trump’s ideas should be supported advisors simply because he's the Prez and they aren't.) The Times has been giving valuable space to the blindest of right-wingers for years.
For all its hard-won role as national sage, The Times fully needs to realize these are not normal times.
5
Mitch McConnell is an old geriatric fossil. He cares only about his own self interests. He essentially broke the rule of law when holding Obama's pick for Supreme Court. Please show this feeble, cowardly hack the door in 2018
8
Aside from the disgusting actuality of Trump himself, perhaps the most discouraging thing about the Trump era is the searchlight it shines on 40% or so of our fellow citizens (Republicans and Independents) who voted for this bloated fool and seem to enthusiastically support him. It is pretty clear that Trump offers his supporters a license to hate, discriminate and scapegoat both the elites and the most vulnerable of our society. The eagerness of his followers to rejoice and wallow in this ugly and visceral Trumpian pig fest is a very worrisome measure of our values as a nation.
7
And don’t forget the Evangelicals!
One wonders how far Trump needs to go before the Republican members of congress respond. He has disgraced the office of president and diminished our standing in the world community. His lies and ad hominem attacks draw no response from the majority leaders of the house and senate. He is unethical, ignorant and incurious. His unhinged behavior should frighten the Republican majority as much as it frightens the rest of us. Isn't that enough?
5
When will the New York Times use the word that starts with “t” and ends with “r” to describe congressional Republicans? Isn’t it about time?
5
Trump suffered from " bone spurs"; Congressional Republicans suffer from " lockjaw".
2
I fail to see how defending yourself, and your good name, against attacks by a bully "drags yourself down to his level." Brennan's rhetoric is extreme, to be sure -- he's not the keeper of the dustbin of history. But Comey and McCabe have a right to defend themselves, and I for one am glad to see them doing it. They are doing it temperately.
6
For those of us who feel helpless in the morass of the President's amoral and lawless pronouncements and policies, it is clear that Robert Mueller, his team and Rod Rosenstein are the guardians of our legal institutions. They literally hold the lifeline and safety net for the rescue and recovery of our democracy.
6
The silence of the honorable pillars of our society is thunderous. The grand progress our country has made, (at least in the eyes of most Americans) has come to a screeching halt.
Intellectually, we know that the only way to "fix," this is by voting the bums out. However, Trump has done irreparable harm to our Circuit Courts by many of his appointees, made us less safe by his bigotry and xenophobia, and made us a less humanitarian country by his cruel treatment of refugees, and separating children from their mothers as they plead for asylum from ravaged countries.
The Trade and Tariff "solutions," the weakening of our Consumer Protection Bureau including giving banks the wink and nod to go ahead and get back to iffy practices, and the list goes on.........We are no longer No.1 in leadership throughout the world. Trump's idea of MAGA is lost on me.
5
It should come as no surprise that contemporary Republicans, errand takers for the wealthy, blindly support Trump no matter what. The logic is pretty simple. "Does he support lowering taxes on the wealthy, eliminating Medicare/DD, and increasingly burdening everyone not wealthy? If yes, the president, not matter what, has my support."
4
i have two comments:
1) 40% solid support for Mr. Trump - who are those and how can you ignore them? They enable Mr. President for such irrational approach to the prsesidency. what is their interests? swamp the DC. Unfortunately, these 40% may not have right intellectual ability to grasp that the President is draining water from the smaller swamp to a bigger swamp surrpounded by his close circle. In addition, Mr. Trump is making the family and friends richer at the cost of those 40%.
2) GOP congress and senate also enable Mr. President for demeaning all people who do not support him. what is their interests? Getting GOP policies of tax cuts, deregulations, pro-life agenda, etc. through the congress and the president. Merits of GOP policies may not be judged now but could haunt the 40% supporters later.
We had months and months ... and months ... of investigations into the nonsense about Benghazi, which to this day Republican voters think was a cover-up that should've landed pretty much the entire Obama administration in prison; yet when there is something real, something dangerous to the entire country, namely the links between the Trump campaign and Russia, and the subverting of our democracy, we instead see the temerarious shutting down of the investigation simply because the president is Republican. When we investigated Watergate and the Iran-Contra affair, we did so openly and the entire country could see the facts.
Not all of the Republican Party wants to sweep this under the rug and move on, but far too many of them do. The opening up of their primary process permitted this man to become president in the first place, and now that they have allowed a demagogue to garner the loyalty of their voters, they aren't too interested in offending him and them, for self-evident reasons. What Comey and Clapper said was true, but it's a questionable display of judgement that they said it. ... At this point, the number one priority should be stripping the GOP of its majority and defeating the president in two years' time, assuming evidence doesn't turn up that provides grounds for impeachment.
For someone who so roundly professes innocence, Trump acts so guilty. It's sad to say, but one of the greatest threats to America is the man who leads it.
5
There should be a public address system placed out in front of the capital to broadcast to both the senate and house, a recording of Aaron Copeland's "Lincoln Portrait" ( I prefer the Henry Fonda narration).
wikipedia link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Portrait
"Fellow citizens, we cannot escape history. We of this congress and this administration will be remembered in spite of ourselves. No personal significance or insignificance can spare one or another of us. The fiery trial through which we pass will light us down in honor or dishonor to the latest generation. We, even we here, hold the power and bear the responsibility. (Annual Message to Congress [since the twentieth century, State of the Union], December 1, 1862)
The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew. We must disenthrall ourselves and then we shall save our country. (Annual Message to Congress, December 1, 1862)
That from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion. That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain. That this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth. "
3
To explain the 'moral absence' of Congressional republicans you have to look no further than trump's approval ratings, which have stubbornly, and defying any logic, hovered in the 35-40% range for the last year.
Most members of the GOP don't like trump, but they are scared to death of this base of voters who in all likelihood aren't going to desert him anytime soon - if at all. Go too hard against their standard-bearer and your already slim chance of holding on to your seat in the face of mobilization from the left goes completely out the window.
Is it any surprise that the most vocal ones have already announced their decision not to run in 2018?
2
Trump, Cadet Bone Spurs, is making his push right now to make the Justice Department his own personal tool to attack and bring down anyone who opposes him. The republicans are aiding and abetting him in this effort. If the effort is successful, he will have many of the same powers as his hero, Putin and will be able to jail his opponents by using false charges.
2
I recently came across someone comparing Trump to the fake writer Ayn Rand's James Taggart in Atlas Shrugged. Since it's been so long since I read anything by Rand I did a quick search and was surprised at how similar our fake POTUS was to Rand's fictitious creep.
As per Wikipedia: The President of Taggart Transcontinental and the book's most important antagonist. Taggart is an expert influence peddler but incapable of making operational decisions on his own. He relies on his sister, Dagny Taggart, to actually run the railroad, but nonetheless opposes her in almost every endeavor because of his various anti-capitalist moral and political beliefs. In a sense, he is the antithesis of Dagny. This contradiction leads to the recurring absurdity of his life: the desire to overcome those on whom his life depends, and the horror that he will succeed at this. In the final chapters of the novel, he suffers a complete mental breakdown upon realizing that he can no longer deceive himself in this respect.
Is the Republican 'moral absence' the very reason Trump is President in the first place. For years, the Republican party has been courting the extreme right under the belief that they could 'manage' them. They stood by and allowed Trump to be their candidate under the belief that they could 'manage' him. They keep silent because they are still under the delusion that they can 'manage' him. But, if reports are correct, Trump is about to show everyone how 'unmanageable' he is. Let's hope, for the sake of America and the rest of the world, that Republicans grow a spine before it is too late.
1
"Even better, they should pass legislation protecting Mr. Mueller from being fired without good cause. The need for such a law grows more urgent daily."
Or they could just switch parties. Taking away the majority from republicans, even temporarily, would put some kind of muzzle on t rump.
But I don't see that happening, just as I don't see McConnell and Ryan growing a spine any time soon.
3
No one is the "wrong" person to criticize Trump. He must be universally criticized and condemned. And please remember that the Republicans who criticize Trump want Pence to be president-- the liar's supporter and hard rightist.
6
Between the White House, the Capitol and the Security Agencies, it all seems to me we are witnessing the first deliberations in choosing the kind of Constitutional Crisis they can all afford.
The argument that Trump is firing shots at Muller because he is very nervous and worries at what Muller might find is flawed I believe. Muller may very well find something or Trump or his campaign or he may not.
Trumps reaction the the special counsel investigation stems primarily from his hatred of people questioning his authority or not respecting him as president or not congratulating him on winning the election. In Trump' s eyes we should all be bowing and scraping. He may well know that attacking Muller is a bad ploy but perhaps he simply can't help himself. It's misguided anger stoked by an astronomical ego that may well be behind his lashing out.
1
The primary problem is that of the Republican Party...period. They simply are not credible people. It’s my fervent hope that, in the end, Democrats can use the reluctance of the do-nothing Republican Congress to put country ahead of Party against them. The GOP has gleefully and hand-in-hand walked in-tow of the most embarrassing example of a practicing adult, much less leader of the free world, known to American history. In terms of appropriateness, etiquette, stature and ability...comparing the prior worst, W, to Abraham Lincoln would be a closer comparison than to Trump - but in the world of Republican...all is fine so long as another conservative judge can be appointed before it all burns down.
1
"the G.O.P. could take action to protect democracy"?
Don't you get it, after all that's happened over the last 9 years? (or longer)
The (party formerly known as) "GOP" DOESN'T CARE about democracy, good government, protecting our elections and legal system, and democracy! The party has been taken over by right-wing extremists.
All THEY care about it power and control -- obtained in any way possible (including the dirtiest, sleaziest, most collusive manner! -- and clung onto in any way possible!
Until all the decent people in the nation recognize, accept, and take account of this basic fact, NOTHING will change! At least for the better, in terms of democracy and rule of law!
If not, we're headed down the slippery slope to despotism, illegal government which nobody has any real faith in (in terms of legitimacy or even decency!), and increasingly oligarchic kleptocratic misrule.
3
Mr. McCabe defending himself is not feeding "the dynamic" Mr. Trump is trying to set up. It is wrong to criticize someone for standing up for themselves and their families against injustice. McCabe being silent doesn't make things any better.
It is shameful that the Republican leadership is leaving him, and other targets of Trump's bullying, to stand alone. McConnell has never made a moral stand that didn't directly benefit himself so we shouldn't hold our breath for that to change anytime soon.
2
Mr Mueller should be given the space to complete his investigation of the election interference.
Mr McCabe should stand up to the Justice Department and FBI and fight for his rights of his career and fight his dismissal if he has been wronged.
Mr Comey needs to do the same.
If crimes are committed by anyone in government at any and all levels, the people of this country deserve better and those guilty should be punished.
If Mr Trump has committed a crime in his election process let the cards fall where the may.
The people of this country deserve truth. The people of this country need an end to all these secret documents and secret testimonies.
The Justice Dept and FBI shouldn't take 2 years to investigate anything. I was under the impression these are the best investigators on earth.
The American people deserve to have confidence in all our government institutions.
Everyone needs to stop all this twitter nonsense. Everyone.
1
Does anyone remember the days when leaders refused to comment on on-going investigations?
They protected our democracy by respecting the separation of powers, even in public comments.
4
The problem is not that the wrong people are criticizing Trump. The problem is that not enough of the "right" people are joining the chorus. But don't hold your breath. Do you remember the last time that Mitch McConnell, rather than mindlessly grasping at some petty partisan advantage for the GOP, actually displayed courage and honor by taking a stand that benefited our country as a whole? Me neither.
3
In my mind I'm beginning to visualize Republicans in Congress as a cluster of prey with the predator (Trump) circling, forcing the prey to band even more tightly together for protection. If one of them veers off (aka: speaks truthfully and rationally), he becomes the next victim of Trump's callous insults and Twitter haranguing. The prey seem to just want to keep their heads down, hoping the predator (in human terms, the bully) doesn't single them out and pounce. I for one am alarmed that we are in this place, having to watch the silencing of our democratically elected congressional leaders.
1
The only explanation I can come up with is that Congressional Republicans are so terrified of Trump's base, which so far has proven impenetrable to facts, evidence and reason, that they will do absolutely nothing to cross the president. The only remedy would seem to be the voters, who must kick these Republicans out in November if we are to survive the damage being done by Trump. But the last poll numbers I've seen about Trump's approval rating - rising to 43% - are totally disheartening.
2
No matter what we see and hear about Trump, it always turns out to be worse than we thought. Remember that effort by Trump’s election fraud commission to scoop up election information? I wonder who got copies of what they received. Bannon? The Republican Party? Valuable info, no?
And all of this mess can start being fixed on Nov 6, 2018...vote to wall off trump from doing more damage.
1
Yes, Congress is morally bankrupt, they have proven it many times as we are well aware. Fellow Americans, we have nothing to be proud of with this Administration and this hollow Congress.
Having been fired for misleading federal investigators and making unauthorized media leaks, McCabe has no credibility anyway.
2
I appreciate this editorial completely ignoring the lying by McCabe. Why would it matter if law enforcement lie to investigators?
1
I'm reminded of the Watergate scandal, when Nixon top advisor John Ehrlichman told the lawyer John Dean to let L. Patrick Gray "twist slowly, twist slowly in the wind" while the Senate Judiciary Committee stalled Gray's nomination for FBI director. Except this time it is Congress who is letting all the top FBI people— not just Comey and McCabe but the other very top FBI officials who have been let go— twist slowly in the wind. The GOP congress people are without scruples and acting as co-conspirators with the president (to borrow another Watergate phrase), starting with my Iowa Senator "we'll take it under advisement" Grassley and going from there.
Of course Mitch McConnell is silent. With his past self-declared aims of destroying the Obama presidency, he implicitly or explicitly led the way to Trumpism with Putin's well-known help, McConnell may just be smarter than his Trump protégé about making Putin ties so overt and being silent about it. And, why should McConnell say anything? He's been selling political nostrums long enough to know that when you're closing the sale, you just shut up and let your customers sign the order . . . or check the ballot. If the competitors then stay silent, the McConnell's of the world will just finish closing the deal.
So, having been in competitive marketing environments for a few decades, my experience says that if the most credible competitors of the sort that the Times Editorial Board recommends be silent, don't speak up right then, the snake oil salesmen will lock in their flim-flam and spread it like the virus it is.
Will those most credible competitive leaders lose some of their personal above-the-fray glow by stepping into the pig pit with the McConnell types or the hanger-on Ryan pseudo-intellectuals? Of course. But, those leaders will have time to recover their reputations if they apply full resources to stopping the Ebola of politics let spread by the dangers of the increasingly widely distributed snake oil.
3
No, it's not the Republicans, Fox News, Facebook, or any other external pressure that keeps Trump in office. It's The AMERICAN PEOPLE. Full stop. Americans are simply acting very human. Look around the world. The same thing happens in every civilization and country - nepotism, bribery, lies, dark money, influence peddling, etc. Every continent's history is full of corruption, just like ours.
Hopefully, we can overcome the dangers of human nature on a larger scale, but it's an eternal fight. This is just one of those fights.
1
I agree that it is the American People but, unlike you, I do not forgive them.
2
If we follow the money, he will fall.
2
Mr. Trump today tells us that he called Mr. Putin to congratulate him for his election victory. Moreover, he said he plans to meet with Putin at the first convenient time.
I cannot believe that Trump does not know that the Russian election was rigged. Putin forced his only viable opponent out of the election. Putin imprisons or assassinates political adversaries. How dare Trump endorse the Russian election!
This is no longer merely troubling and baffling. In the present climate, how can he carry on like this? I do not believe he is merely tone deaf. His every waking thought appears to be on undermining the investigation.
Is Trump so complicit and so compromised that he has no choice but to do whatever Putin asks of him?
4
The GOP members of Congress don't stand up to Trump because they want the Russians to help them get re-elected in November.
2
It is a very sad day when there are two sides in a controversy and both of them are dyed in the wool liars. (Sounds just like the election contest between Trump and Clinton, doesn't it?) This whole thing is an intramural fight between the usual supporters of those in power (to the proven detriment time and time again of the American people) and a President that looks more like a punishment from God than a chief executive. And for anyone who thinks the FBI is good or even OK, I suggest you research its Cointelpro program, which tried to demonize Martin Luther King, and today's attempts to undermine supposedly "extremely dangerous" black activists.
Perhaps the rank and file in the FBI do more good than harm, but its leaders have a long history of leading the way in trying to suppress dissent in this country. In any case, one good thing can be said about Trump, beside torpedoing the vile TPP, is the fact that he does show how rotten he is, he actually hopes some of us will love him for his racism, bigotry, xenophobia, sexism, economic royalism and his general charlatinism, because he is shaking up much more stealthy evildoers.
As to Mr. McCabe, I still think his biggest regret is very similar to that of Cardinal Wolsey, quoting Shakespeare:
"Had I but served my God with half the zeal I served my King, He would not in mine age have left me naked to mine enemies."
1
Great article, as usual. Yet, the last line, about the pig and the wrestling, might be debated. Indeed, almost anyone will lose against the president in the court of public opinion--he may be the true Teflon President. But they may be going up a more formidable porcine foe in his cadre of high-priced lawyers.
Our justice system is probably the best in the world. But sometimes the color of justice is green.
2
Repubs put party before country. Trump's past shows how little he cares about fairness and equity. He is a psychologically damaged person. Snubbed by NY elites he is driven to win at ANY cost. And he taps into middle class fears while doing little for their economic concerns. He wants to be an autocrat to enjoy payback for anyone not loyal to his often distorted views of the world.
This is spot on, but sadly the GOP as a whole left behind patriotism and decency some time ago..
This time bomb will keep ticking...
Very good editorial. I agree that striking back at Trump may feel good, but there is danger in descending to his level. My greatest concern is the lack of moral leadership by the Republican leaders in Congress. They should be putting their constitutional responsibilities far ahead of their partisan interest, but they are not. I am old enough to remember the Republicans in Congress forcing Nixon to resign They were led by men of integrity like Howard Baker. I have never expected anything good from Mitch McConnell and he has sadly lived up to my expectations. I thought Paul Ryan was a talented rising star with some integrity, but now I don't see any evidence of integrity and real leadership in a crucial situation. He disappoints me the most.
1
You don’t criticize Trump if you believe him to be right. Clearly, that is the Republican position.
But sooner or later, its base, the millions who worship at Fox and thrill to #45, deluded into believing that white is right, and cheer at the dismantling of government will discover what many already know -- the American experiment in democracy is hanging by a thread since the institutions that for 240 years we have relied on to insure our way of life are at this point, nothing but empty shells; political props with nothing of substance inside like those boarded up windows in abandoned neighborhoods painted with flower pots to give the impression that there is life where none exists.
Desperation will surely come to the Fox crowd when there's no healthcare, decent schools, lost Social Security and Medicare, and a middle class realizing that it is paying all of the taxes with money they don’t have and will ever owe the IRS. They will run for help to a government they helped destroy. They will cry for clean water, safe food, protection from financial predators, and a way out. And what will they find? Courts that habitually side with corporations, wealth and property, a White House that exists only for personal enrichment, and a Congress sold to the Mercers, Kochs and the Oligarchy.
Without a massive sea change in voting in 2018 and 2020, this is the horror towards which we are being propelled by hatred and greed. The ballot was our first, and now, our only hope.
4
It's hard to contain the impulse for instant gratification by instant retaliation. But rather than continuing to scream at DT, it might be more effective to become very very quiet.
Americans need to play the medium-to-long game. November 2018 has the potential to drag us back from this bottomless brink.
2
Most of the current GOP is not really interested in protecting the constitution as much as rewriting it to reflect their conservative Christian views. The constitution has been the single most effective deterrent to the GOP agenda and will be until it's been suspended. This may actually happen now that a walking constitutional crises is holding the White House.
6
The only thing that will get the majority of Republicans to speak up is if they start losing elections because of the president.
14
Contemporary Republicans, especially as representatives in our USA House and Senate, see our democratic system as a means to an end. What end? Their own individual pecuniary interests. If, in evolving towards a more just and equitable society it begins to fail at that narrow set of interests, their support for democracy wains, perhaps as with the President, even reverses.
11
The pig is a pig but you don’t let the pig destroy your house.
118
Or your Senate. In November, remember, there are no good Republicans in the era of Mad King Trump.
2
Does the NYTs think it has any credibility on any issue? After its 'refusal to criticize President Obama's Administration on its many scandals all pretense of objectivity was lost.
5
Name one as bad as what is going on now.
It’s as if the editorial board of the New York Times has willfully covered its eyes and ears to the truth about the conspiracy perpetuated by the Obama FBI and Justice Department. Listen to Gowdy, the man you site in the article, speak about the horrifying behavior of Comey, Strozk, Page, McCabe et al. These people were engaged in a predetermined effort to diminish Trump should their preferred candidate (Clinton) lose. Yes, I know, I am going to be criticized by the extremists who read this publication for my prior statement. But, many credible people have the same view as I do, including Dershowitz, Turley, Mukasey, etc. Do you think Kimberly Strassel from the Journal is unhinged? Oh please.
4
Doug
I suggest you read the bios of Trump, Obama, and Hillary Clinton and compare their life stories and their values, as evidenced by their conduct. What values have each of them chosen to serve throughout their lives?
Give me one good reason to trust or respect Donald Trump.
12
Thank you, Doug, for offering your opinion. Your reading the Times shows your effort to factor in other viewpoints, perhaps. Though I strongly disagree with you, I wish others would pry open their minds so far.
1
If these people have done something illegal — as opposed to merely holding contrary opinions — Trump can investigate them and fire them for cause. Congress can investigate, too. I note they have not. Are they complicit, too? Or is the conspiracy theory just hogwash?
Comey, you say. Whom Trump praised and fired for the same ostensible reason: his handling of the Clinton investigation.
The simple explanation is that the Trump campaign and organization has ties to Russia. Repeatedly those ties have been denied and then proved. Is there any reason to think there's nothing more to learn, that Trump has nothing to fear? He's not acting like it.
You may get covered in mud wrestling a pig, the pig may like it - but at the end of the day there is ham at dinner and in the morning bacon at breakfast. This porker will be brought to the table in the Halls of Justice, along with the rest of the swine in his crime family. Just expect muddy boot tracks on the floor.
16
I don't mind that the Times rarely prints my comments (for whatever reason, as I never use profanity). There are enough sensible people writing here who know that you need to stand up to a bully (Trump and the Republicans), that is obvious that the only ignoramuses are the editors at the NY Times. I forgave them for their support of the Iraq War, but if they don't get some nerve and drop the Gandhi strategies, I may have to drop them again for another decade.
2
Wow! What moralizing claptrap!!! The NYT has always been on the wrong side of history. Those who speak up against the evil wrought by this president and his minions will inspire the silent millions to rise up and peacefully force these blackguards out of power. Pithy aphorisms will not help us NYT. You dishonor pigs and no pig has engaged in the level of corruption, debasing, and demagoguery as this president has over the past 15 months in power. At every turn, we must speak up against him. And to hope that the GOPers will join or lead in outrage against him is to be blind to their roles in enabling this misery and their active participation in looting our country and bankrupting us morally, more so than ever.
5
Please. Do not insult pigs by claiming that Trump is one. He's just a bubbling bath of primal slime.
5
Because the"Republicans" are pro republican and anti American. Can we not find a way to disband this ridiculous party that touts antiquated beliefs and lines its own pockets? For that matter, can we do the same with the idiot democrats who know nothing about the people they claim to represent. Oh wait, sorry, can we get rid of the whole ridiculous government that is ruining this country by providing no strategy and no clarity and is just bound up in infighting like some bad reality show. Oh... Sorry.. It is a bad reality show.
Must do some digging to see what the Editorial Board had to say about Citizens United. I wonder if any of you realize you've been outmaneuvered by the Koch's and Mercers? Maybe you should hire Cambridge Analytica to help manage your editorial position next election.
2
Paul Ryan you coward. Resign: you have failed our great country.
7
This is just a witch hunt perpetuated by Donald Trump enemies and the New York Times!
3
There you go again, comparing Donald with a pig. Pigs deserve better.
12
Congress is killing our Constitution!!!
4
Of course, typical of the Editorial Board's extreme left-wing bent...no examination is necessary into what got McCabe fired. He broke long-standing FBI guidelines, concerning leaking information to the media--and then lying about it.
But of course, the NY Times will play it to the best advantage of the Democrat Party--"nothing to see here folks...except for a government employee unfairly terminated".
5
Have you really lost your minds to the point you have no sense of reality, or at the least can discern real facts. McCabe LIED to the FBI. His firing came from the FBI. It wasn't the result of pressure from Trump, or what he said the previous year. Yet you elevate McCabe and Comey and any other anti-Trumper to sainthood, even when the facts are SCREAMING at you. And as for predictable gloating by Trump, could he be that he was right all along? Yet the Times, which is supposed to take an objective looking at everything, puts the blinders on. I'd fire every member of your editorial board for incompetence.
5
The current Republican "leadership" has been AWOL ever since the election results, and well before. It's easy to imagine Mitchell, Ryan and their cohort cowering in their trenches while the idiot-in-chief continues to defile the Constitution and reputation of what should be the moral beacon of an increasingly demagogic and autocratic world. Thankfully, real leaders are finally beginning to stand up, speak out and be counted. May many more follow John Brennan's example. The only one who must continue to remain silent is Mueller.
C'mon real Americans! The free world needs to hear you.
6
McCabe was fired based on the recommendation of the FBI's internal Office of Professional Responsibility. That group is not comprised of political appointees, but rather life long FBI employees.
It seems ironic, that McCabe, accused of misleading investigators, is accused of the same crime as Michael Flynn, whom this paper views as a master criminal.
Somehow we are to believe per this paper, that the Flynn prosecution by career FBI man Mueller was not political, but the McCabe firing by career FBI OPR officials was political.
Please get real. As always, the Times can twist the story to fit its narrative.
"All the news that's fit to print (that fits our narrative)".
4
The final recommendation to the A.G. to fire McCabe was actually from a man nominated by Mr. Obama. Ironic, huh?
1
How about a GoFundMe campaign to buy Fox News? Bill Gates and Warren Buffet to be co-CEOs
7
Trump is a pig alright, and loves the stinking mud he tries to drag down any and all that denounce his 'criminal' behavior. But if we can keep a respectable distance and place classic music (a morally relevant truth based on evidence), it will likely annoy the swine and perhaps think twice before enhancing his culpability with his provocations and insults and, lest we forget, lies whenever he opens his big mouth...so to remove Mueller from nailing him for collusion with the Russians and for obstructing justice. In Spanish we say "por la boca muere el pez" (fish do die through their mouth), and Trump is working overtime to speed up his fall from grace. And the republic shall be better by ousting this obnoxious con man. Where are you hiding, complicit G.O.P., irrelevant in helping save this democracy?
3
The hyper-religious moral vacuum that is the Republican legislative contingent in Washington, will not step forward with any action beyond the wet-noodle lashings delivered by Flake, Gowdy and Graham. They don't have to worry about putting any muscle behind their words because a bill even vaguely resembling something like the Editors describe as necessary will never be introduced in either House, not by a Republican, including the three just named. Any such legislation proposed by a Democrat is not just dead but buried before the words are put to paper.
Greedy cowards, wimps, acolytes, bootlickers, ring kissers and several other descriptive words and phrases verboten in the NYT are inadequate to fully illuminate the swamp that is the Republican Party in America today, in particular those in that party elected to positions of power. They will use that power, but only as a means to accomplish their greedy goal of even more power.
Would anyone be surprised if Trump tries to cancel the mid-term election? Surely a guy who believes he can kill a stranger in cold blood on 5th Ave with no repercussions might just think he has the power to do the former.
5
"The pig like it."
Harsh words for a sitting president.
McCabe and Comey should remember that when you mud-wrestle a swine, you both get covered in ... it -- and the swine enjoys it.
1
I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it. - George Bernard Shaw
1
This pig is nearly cooked.
2
Trump is a liar ans the silent Republicans have enabled him. Trump can hire Mr. diGenova is a sham; let's follow the money. Make Trump release his financials and let's see just how much he's in Putin's pocket. The F.B.I. have more credibility than Trump everyday of the week. Period.
5
The credo of the Republican Party is "PARTY OVER COUNTRY." The G.O.P. has devolved into a treasonous cabal intent on protecting the Criminal-in-Chief and executing his plan to discredit the F.B.I. and the free press. Once upon a time there were some things that were sacrosanct for them, but as they have cozied up to neo-Nazis and white supremacists, as they have sold out to the N.R.A. and the evangelical bigots, as they have gleefully dismantled the social safety net and trashed the environment, as they have kowtowed to big business and the 1%, they have morphed into an enemy of the people. If there is any justice, this despicable band of craven hypocrites will come crashing down.
4
McCabe's firing was recommended by the FBI's own ethics committee.
Print that.
2
When do we acknowledge that there is a domestic terrorist in the White House who terrorizes millions of Americans daily. When does the GOP do their jobs to protect us from domestic terrorism? When????
1
why has the NYT failed to acknowledge that McCabe is gone due to the FBI IG's report and findings. And there is more to come.
why does the NYT ignore the FBI IG? Is the NYT EB playing politics, as usual? Not in line with the narrative the NYT wants to promote?
why don't you all get down to some serious reporting and analysis. Once again the justification to fire McCabe came from the FBI IG, a bush/obama appointee. Is this so difficult to report on, honestly?
It would be much better for the country if you honestly report on this so we can put it behind us rather than year on year rugby scrum.
2
One hopes that this will be the downfall of a GOP leadership that so often puts political victory above public service. We need new leaders who are able to apply conservative principles to a rapidly changing world — not those who cling to the imagined glories of an earlier time. The silence of Ryan, McConnell and the rest makes them complicit in the destruction of the very ideals the are sworn to uphold.
6
Is there no legal recourse for dereliction of duty? Those that have remained silent should be held accountable. At what point is it aiding and abetting?
8
We need to alter rules that prevent the president from being indictment. As long as he feels free from prosecution. he will continue to see himself as above the love and reap havoc. Is Congress afraid? I want some prominent Republicans to at least say why they are saying nothing, making no comment. McConnell? Ryan? Collins? Hatch? Rubio? Cruz? C'mon Rand Paul. Why the silence? And media? Let's start asking some questions, the right questions, and to the right people.
3
I'm no fan of Paul Ryan, but in fairness to him his defense of the Mueller investigation today was not "milquetoast." From CNN Today: "The special counsel should be free to follow through with his investigation to its completion without interference," the Wisconsin Republican said during a House GOP leadership news conference on Capitol Hill. "Absolutely, I am confident that he will be allowed to do that."
He continued, "I have received assurances that his firing is not even under consideration. We have a system based upon the rule of law in this country. We have a justice system and no one is based [sic] on that justice system."
Unfortunately. the democrats in Congress did the same thing by defending Clinton or keeping silent. In a democracy everyone has the right t say things or to keep quiet. Apparently, moral courage is not a characteristic of most Congressmen.
3
Yes, Trump and his Republican enablers are all pigs. What's McConnell's excuse going to be this time for not even bringing to the floor legislation that would protect the special counsel? Put up, Mitch, or go down with all the others who aid and abet Trump and obstruct justice.
4
The Republican silence, as their incompetent, unqualified, vulgar, serial philandering, adulterous, narcissistic, lying buffoon continues to embarrass our country at home and abroad, while making the world a more dangerous and unpleasant place, seems incomprehensible.
Is it possible that some of the money the Russians gave the NRA wound up in their pockets?
6
Mueller should refuse to go, make whatever gendarmes who have the authority drag him out to the street in front the media cameras.
Republicans should...but they don't. They have descended from the Party of Lincoln to the Party of Collaboration (as in Quisling and Pierre Laval).
1
Don't underestimate white supremacy. The republiclown party will not be extinguished without a fight. Vote.
4
Morally absent, pandora's box
1
McCabe was called out for lying to Congress by an Obama appointment. Doesn't the DOJ (and the NYT) want an honest FBI working for the country?
1
Let's try again, backstage "free speech" advocates:
If you really want "bully", read the NYT when Neo-Marxist Obama was in the White House with his extortionist Secretary of State, Hillary and husband, flying around the world doing deals with the Kremlin and the Saudis.
But to suggest that Trump is somehow "bullying"--cultural Marxist attack word like the word "racist" to shutdown debate--our democratic principles is to suggest that Obama wasn't undermining our democracy using Rice and the FBI to manipulate the FISA Court to spy on citizens to help in the DNC Politburo's efforts to get Hillary into the White House.
McCabe's crimes are greater because he knew exactly what he was doing, abusing his power, and made the wrong bet--believing Trump getting into the White House was impossible.
Surprise--the American constitution handed him his head, not Trump. But keep up the bullying with daily abuse Editorial Board--it's all you got.
2
This is silly. Does the Times not realize that the FBI itself investigated McCabe, found that he had leaked information and, more importantly had lied to the FBI about it? They, including the Obama holdover there, recommended he be fired. That recommendation was vetted within DOJ and ultimately approved by Sessions. McCabe and his supporters, like this newspaper, are trying to pretend that his ouster was witness tampering?? Or part of a "war on the FBI"? By the time the FBI's IG's scathing report comes out, and a second special counsel is appointed (this time by Sessions), and a grand jury gets enpaneled to explore how Comey and his crew mishandled the Hillary investigation and it's aftermath, McCabe will be very lucky to lose just his pension.
1
McCabe, Comey, Brennan, and every other member of the intelligence community understand quite well that there are risks to speaking out publicly. All of them know very well that calling Trump's moves a war will be divisive, and may indeed make it easier to credibly claim that they oppose the president or that they have from the start of his administration.
What does it tell you that they are choosing to speak up anyway? I think they understand that the stakes are high and the outcome is by no means certain. They are sounding the alarm here. Will we listen?
6
Even better, they should pass legislation protecting Mr. Mueller from being fired without good cause.
------------------------------
How naive! Any bill passed by the Congress must be signed into law by the president and how likely is it Trump will do so if the Congress defies his authority?
You are right on the money when you say that people like Brennan and Comey should keep their mouths shut. It is not helping if they engage in a Twitter war with this president who feels and suggests that the deep state was out to get him from get-go.
2
Comparing the President of the United States of America to a PIG??? In this case, that's rather unkind to the pig, do you not think?
8
The editorial board has a point. But I wonder if when we worry about the pig liking it we miss something . This not just about the pig, but it is more importantly about American Democracy, the rule of law, and truth telling in troubled times. I am deeply grateful for former CIA director , John Brennan's frank , hopefully prophetic, words. He is no longer in Government and there is no reason his highest values should not be standing for American truth rather than standing for being impartial. You say it encourages Trump supporters , which may be true, but what about some encouragement for those fighting against the bastardization of American life by Trump? Holding fire may be fine for those still remaining in government but I for one would like some fire power on my side, also.
155
When someone talk about "bastardization of American life by Trump" that person is not any better than Trump. I see the Media (Press) which protected under American Constitution is not fair to all people as it pretends it be. This is why we have these problems today. Media likes to point fingers at the politician, especially those who don't fall in line of its philosophy, but Media (Press) which suppose to be neutral, objective, and fair about it work end up pick side with certain social, economical, political, and religious institutions. When Media picks side, it commits unforgivable sin and thus cease to be the media that protect under the American constitution. Free Press is the foundation of the striving democracy; however, if the Press (Media) commits itself to certain segment of society, it is no longer a free press. It is just a mouth piece of that segment of that society. Democracy is only can strive when there is free press which it is free from itself.
In a choice between good and evil we all should be taking sides. Either with good or with Trump.
2
Protect democracy? What does the termination, fair or not, of some politically connected (up the wazoo, as they say) apparatchik who got his comeuppance have to do with "our democracy?"
1
As long as we have these new rules...Throw the Mercers in the pen! Give their money to the poor!
Teddy told us to, "Speak softly and carry a big stick." Don the Con would rather tweet loudly. From what we've seen in the past, he has never been a big stick kind of guy. Instead, he has been more than ready to cut and run whenever things look bad for him. The problem is that he is more than willing to let things crash and burn behind him.
2
There is obvious political calculus in the Republicans' public reticence to speak out against their president. Trump controls the constituency necessary to their political survival, and political survival, as always, is the most basic drive of every politician. Unless and until we reach a clear point where public opprobrium outweighs the danger of alienating their base, only Republicans who aren't at risk - because they're not running again or are gravely ill - will speak publicly. The rest will either remain mute or - one might hope - reserve their criticism for private lines. And of course they will rationalize their behavior as being necessary to save the state from the even-more-destructive prospect of Democratic control.
1
Has the editorial board been paying attention the last 15 months? What alternate universe or news cycle have they been accessing. The Republican Party, it's members and leadership have turned over the keys to the kingdom to the man in the White House. Any principles that they have held or professed in the past have been suborned to support this President. Control and power of the branches of government are so addictive that they have effectively abandoned the norms and accepted standards of governance. This plea for decency and responsibility is being made against an on-going display of blind partisanship. Save your editorial section for thoughts on something that could happen.
7
Trump from day one has set about to attack and destroy our government and its institutions particularly law enforcement. If he isn't acting on behalf of Putin then how do you explain his anti American behavior? Trump is a traitor!
3
I've heard the saying before about "wrestling with a pig" but I particularly liked reading its usage today. From the get go, when Donald Trump came on the political scene, the term "pig" describes him perfectly. A greedy, dirty pig at that. That's all I have to say today.
2
I can only hope that the silent Republicans do consider the actual firing of Mueller by Trump as the red line that will cause them to finally stand up to him. For now they are putting off the inevitable by letting "the usual suspects" (Graham, Flake, et al) do the standing up. We shall see.
Silence from Congress in the face of threats to Democracy from any White House is unacceptable, and partisan interests are no excuse. As a Republican voter, I'm deeply disappointed in the lack of statesmanship in the GOP today. As the Party of Ronald Reagan, the GOP would have stood firm against tyranny from abroad or from within. The now passive Party of Trump not only accepts tolerance of autocrats by a president (Putin, Duterte, Xi, Orban, etc.) but also acquiesces when that same president acts in authoritarian ways against the U.S. Justice Department, his own Secretary of State, etc. A truly strong leader like Reagan wouldn't recognize (or accept) the new Party of a weak but dangerous leader like Trump.
1
Reference to another opinion piece, they are zombies, what do you expect. Get out and work hard on the mid-terms.
2
“The wrong people are criticizing Trump.”
Don’t you mean “The right people are not criticizing Trump.” ?
5
Trump is willing to sacrifice the whole country to protect himself and his family from the discovery of his illegal activities in his business “empire”. He knows that once discovered his family “fortune” will evaporate from lawsuits, loss of business, and criminal convictions. He was arrogant and stupid enough to think that the most public person in the world (the president) would be able to avoid scrutiny so he is definitely capable of destroying the country.
3
Why do I get only half the truth and a biased side of the story from the editorial board of the NY Times? The endorsement of presidential candidates who lost was unjustified and the prediction that Hillary Clinton will win in the 2016 presidential elections was a total absurd and the editorial board has lost all credibility. Unless the NY Times has better evidence than the internal investigation by the FBI and the inspector generall, it should stop defending McCabe.
2
Dear Mister So-Called President:
If you are so innocent of all wrong-doing, why don't you ACT like it?
If you have nothing to hide, why does it always appear that you are hiding something?
If you have nothing good to say, why bother saying it at all??
2
"You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"
1
The NYT should look in a mirror. Reading you I get the same feeling I had before Iraq when it was clear you had misread the threat. The GOP's culpability is clear but you have not called them out. Do so.
1
And the pig likes it, NO he loves it!
Time to contact the Mob. Do them a favor, they’ll do us a favor. Problem solved.
1
I was wondering , at this point in President Obama’s first term how many defense lawyers had he hired... oh that’s right ...... none
3
MIchelle O'Bama said to go high when they go low
How did that work for Mike Dukakis when Lee Atwater smeared him (which he later regretted doing)
Or John Kerry in the face of the swift boat attacks? when he was the only one to have served in Vietnam?
Going high does not work for Democrats against a morally bankrupt GOP
at least we should go out swinging! (my Jersey roots are showing)
5
Wasn't the career FBI IG that said McGabe lied and should go? Trump had nothing to do with this. He's just able to smile and say I told you so.
DRAIN THE SWAMP!
1
Nancy Pelosi is filthy rich, worth $30 million. The money was earned by her venture capitalist husband. Her wealth is a product of naked capitalism, which she repeatedly attacks. I call that hypocrisy. And there are plenty of other Democrat hypocrites. Attack the Republicans for their own hypocrisy, but don't pretend that Democrats are holier than thou.
1
"The usual suspects"? You commit the same fault that you lay to the FBI and intelligence officials. Resist the glib!
1
Today's GOP leaders are the least patriotic, least trustworthy, least honorable men in America. That is why we are forced to endure the crime of a narcissistic sociopath in the White House. These deceitful GOP leaders have the power and authority to remove the sociopath, but they are pleased with the current situation.
3
Where are the Democrats - they should be one voice, calling this unqualified abuse out every single day.
Great ending except you forgot to mention the old Wall Street adage about what happens to pigs.
1
Trump is a moral and ethical superfund site and more than likely a traitorous tool of Putin but that’s not enough to turn the Congressional Republicans against him. All the more reason to swat down as many of these cowards as we can in November. Trump’s depravity has infected the entire Republican Party, MAGA.
5
Are we to not believe that the Inspector General for the FBI found wrongdoing on McCabe's part, lack of candor( in short dishonesty), and conflicts of interest and that FBI human resources persons who were in place under the Obama administration recommended his termination? If the foregoing is correct, Mr McCabe should have been terminated just as he was.
1
We have a hateful,racist president who believes he has the divine right to be stupid at every turn. Anyone who is attacked verbally by this traitor president has the right to defend themselves. It is not there fault that they are hundred times smarter than he is and that the world looks at him as something from a foreign planet. Trump has done this to himself and the spineless GOP refuse to do anything while the whole world is watching. A GOP president who is a tool for the Russians and this mythical base is happy which is happy with this abnormal behavior. Trump is the swamp and Jeff Sessions has the nerve to talk about anyone else, when he has been a racist from the day he was practicing so called law. Jeff Sessions passing judgement on anyone else is part of the regular comedy act of this administration.
The American people are proud of Mr. Comey, Mr. McCabe and Mr. Brennan. The mud remains on Mr. Trump, and his ridiculously corrupt administration.
Trump campaigned on "draining the swamp." Actually he has transformed an already decaying Republican party into a bottomless sewer.
1
I must disagree with your analysis of Mr. McCabe. It should never be the case that speaking truth to illegitimate power feeds that power. And it is YOUR job, NYT Editorial Board, to be the loudest voice proclaiming this truth. Step up to the plate!
1
President Trump is not going to fire Mueller--he's going to discredit him and taint the information he has gathered. Congress should pass legislation to safeguard the work that Mueller has done to keep it from being destroyed. Maybe they good put a gag order on Trump, fining him a million dollars for every tweet, statement, speech, and leak that disparages Mueller's work. Now there's a debt reduction plan!
2
Please, please run an editorial about ending the Electoral College. Then run another one. Then run another one. And so on. And so on. Until representative democracy is restored to us. All other commentary just confers a faux legitimacy.
2
The Republicans, who assiduously pursued Hilary Clinton for decades -- finding nothing -- suddenly don't have the stomach to pass legislation to enable Mueller to do his job unmolested? Suddenly, the Republicans have nothing to say? When Trump is finally discredited, which he will be, his Republican apologists will not be covered in glory.
When you have a U.S. senator like my Jim Inhofe from Oklahoma there's nothing to expect in terms of him doing the right thing. He puts the Republican party ahead of the USA and the majority of people in his state at every opportunity. Trump is an oil patch guy and Inhofe is too, so forget the likes of Jimmie Inhofe doing anything but protect the president.
1
Not convinced. A significant percentage of the population believes in the "deep state" and that the leaders of the FBI and Justice are political hacks, out to destroy the president and de-legitimize his election.
The suggestion that the majority view be suppressed in order to avoid engagement is too Neville Chamberlain-y for my tastes.
Trump is making lying normal. The same civic ignorance that got him elected will certainly end badly when the full scope of the charges against him are revealed by the Mueller investigation.
It is the obligation of the media and of our public figures to challenge Donald every time he lies and to express a vision of America that is rapidly fading.
3
Seems a wise editorial to me, and very sad for what it says about the grave state of affairs. I think the Time's recent survey of what all the most key Republicans had to say about the threat to Mueller's work gives powerful substance to the generalities this editorial makes about Republicans. I recall Goldhagen's grim book about the way ordinary Germans mostly all fell in behind a terrible tyrant, and I think more recently about how today's Germans have really distinguished themselves by more fully coming to terms with their own grim history than maybe any other country today. We would really be deluding ourselves if we didn't see the present situation with Mr Trump and all his enablers being very very dangerous for us all. The potential for disappointing behaviour almost defies limits.
2
I am not sure why you are uncomfortable about who criticizes Trump and the reasons. From his past actions, he is vulnerable to much more criticism than has been offered so far. Just be patient enough, and hope that Mueller is not fired, and then you will feel "underwhelmed" by how gently you treated a scoundrel.......to use an old-fashioned word that still fits the man.
The GOP speak up? That would require integrity, which seems to be in short supply these days.
1
Because it has power to check many of Trump’s abuses as president, e.g., enactment of a bill to protect the Special Counsel; publicly condemning him for his lies; removing Mr. Nunes as chair for acting in concert with Mr. Trump on matters construed as obstruction of justice, the Congress (Republicans in both houses) are more contemptible by their silence and inaction, in my view, than the President. They know better and I once thought they were patriots.
1
What needs to be repeated over and over is how much money from Russians was funneled into Republican coffers and key organizations. It appears that money has bought their silence.
Some of these were exposed in mid December, 2017, by the Dallas Morning News, and republished March 19, 2018.
(https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2017/12/15/putins-proxies-...
For example, before becoming Trump Campaign finance chairman and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin was a partner with Len Blavatnik in a Hollywood financing company. His partner owns a 21-percent stake with Viktor Vekeselberg (one of the top richest men in Russia) in RUSAL, the world's 2nd largest alumunium operation based in Russia. (Oleg Deripaska, one of Putin's favorite oligarchs, holds a majority stake in RUSAL.)
Together they donated millions to campaigns and PACs through Access Industries and Al-Altep Holdings. Personally Blavatnik gave $3.5 million to Mitch McConnell's PAC; another $1.5 to the Senate Leadership Fund PAC through Access Industries and another $1 million through Al-Altep. In addition, Access Industries gave $1 million to Trump's Inaugural Committee.
This is only a tip of the iceberg of Russian money infiltrating into Republican campaign coffers -- and companies, such as Facebook, Twitter and Cambridge Analytica, as well as organizations like the NRA.
3
The GOP has been driven firmly into Trump's personal arms ...
Do not forget the Republican Congressional incumbents who have been cowed by the threat of a primary from the right and Tea Party candidates. These folks have toed the far right line despite knowing that their constituents generally fall much closer to the middle.
So, craven cowardice is what we see ... a desire to preserve personal position with the minimal amount of effort, avoiding standing up to the anti-democratic (small "d") forces that wish to turn our fair country into a fascism-touched oligarchy.
Not very honorable in my book.
2
When it comes to Republicans from 1980 onward, what is a good term for the opposite of the Greatest Generation?
2
Agree completely, but as they say, where is McConnell? where is Ryan? They have left others, including the besieged to defend themselves from the “pig” I’m sorry they jumped into the mud, but it’s understandable considering no one came to their defense. Please hurry up Mr. Mueller!
1
I say, anyone who has concerns about this 'president' and our country needs to step up and voice their concerns. I'll march, you write to congress or to newspapers, but whatever you do, make your voice heard. And most of all, VOTE
The news media is complicit. You only talk about the outlandish behavior of our Republican politicians. We know that already. Where is the pressure from journalists to put Ryan and McConnell on the record. Where is the in your face reporting? Instead, I see them get away with saying nothing, not taking sides, happy to let our democracy die. They are morally bankrupt and with no consequences. There should be a front page story every day on how their silence on a specific issue ties them to Trump's lies. Make Ryan and McConnell accountable for supporting him.
2
like your old uncle who blusters into conversation in progress, the times here is clueless...the betrayal of two distinguished (ok, flawed but earnest) services by a number of its leaders is a work in progress long before trump took his oath to defend the constitution (one that the mccabe, comey, et al. fifth column has chosen to abandon in favor of a political cause).
the bleat over mccabe's "last minute" firing is characteristic of the blathering uncle, who, when he was in his prime, would not have countenanced a second's delay, much less a few months in nabbing the soviet moles, american citizens, whose subversive efforts were also wrapped in years of "distinguished service."
however you spin it, the mccabe's "lack of candor," verified by DOJ and FBI inquiries, demands dismissal.
go after trump and republicans as you will, no sympathy here, but keep a check on your own candor lest you lose the respect of the people who have - endowed fourth estate freedoms.
Little question: the Republican Party today is little more than a criminal organization that follows much the same code as the Mafia. The oaths its government officials have taken to protect this nation and its constitution are viewed as simply camouflage for what they are doing, which is very little. The silence from this side of the aisle is outrageous when the current administration is carrying out a Russian-inspired plan to disrupt America.
"The problem is that a vast majority of the people in the best position to put weight behind such a response, Republicans in Congress, have kept silent."
There is no such thing as an 'Honorable Republican' in the United States. Donald Trump is the brain and the body of every republican today. And every republican is the same lying, cheating brat that Donald Trump is. They are all the same.
2
Mr. Trump is a spiteful bully who has cowed those in the Congress who could stand up to him and for the people.
There are so many other more descriptive and choicer words I could use, but your paper won't print them, unless of course, Mr. Trump starts using them in his Twitter feeds.
1
For over a year I have been screaming at my TV for someone to ask the GOP: “Your organization was also hacked by the Russians, what did they get?”
I bet a trillion rubles that this is why the GOP doesn’t criticize Trump nor Russia!
1
"Cynical as ever, Mitch McConnell, the Senate majority leader, has said nothing in the face of the president’s degrading tweets and renewed attacks on the Mueller investigation. The House speaker, Paul Ryan, sent a spokeswoman out to issue a milquetoast defense of the special counsel." The equivalent of their responses to school shootings. "Thoughts and prayers ..." but no real action to the obvious problem of easy availability of high rate of fire, high bullet capacity weapons. Can't afford to offend the Trump base or the NRA.
3
Rather be an employed honest deplorable than a retired dishonest untouchable, any day.
2
"McCabe— '[firing] part of an effort to discredit me as a witness.' He’s right"
The NYT knows better. McCabe discredited himself. That's why FBI/DOJ fired McCabe & why lying is an automatic firing offense. Being a credible witness is an essential part of a G-man's job.
"Comey & McCabe" works better on TV—2 G-men gone bad—Comey, a Cagney-esque character w/ clownish cast—McCabe, a seemingly straight-laced sidekick & foil.
McCabe is delusional; Comey, insufferable.
Comey knows where all of McCabe's bodies are buried, & vice versa.
Each one has been captured under oath contradicting the other one, most notably about the leaks to the WSJ/NYT, which means at least one of them has lied under oath to the FBI &/or to Congress.
McCabe has threatened the entire cabal. (“If I go down, I'm taking everyone down with me.”)
Thus, the omnipresent Mob tension: How to be the rat-fink to save your own neck before another potential rat-fink beats you to the punch.
The Comey & McCabe m.o. is to collude & coordinate, witness their wont to "memorialize" their conversations with the prez. A waste of time: they are FBI-discredited liars &, via Strzok-Page emails, documented coconspirators to take out Trump.
Both sabotaged the presidency & damaged the country. They are headed for the slammer. In post-Weinstein America, 2-tier justice will not stand.
If the pilot doesn’t sell, Comey & McCabe can always do punditry from prison. You can call it their CNN pension. I call it poetic justice.
7
The sabotage of the presidency is all on dt. Notice how NYers didn’t vote for him. They know all too well what he is and what he isn’t.
G-men?! I wish there were facts to back up these bit like claims
There is a Bias against the President. People that know facts are biased against the President. Those that choose not to see remain noncommittal.
The President Obstructed Justice.
He colluded with the Russians via the NRA.
He hired High Tech Thugs that use Blackmail Prostitutes and stolen Data to conduct "Informational Warfare" against American citizens.
The Laffer Curve is Bunk ( Just ask Kansas)
Ronald Reagan Raised Taxes.
More Guns lead to More gun Deaths
IS IT MY FAULT THE TURTH HAS A LIBERAL BIAS????
8
Trump rarely helps, and more often hurts, himself with his tweets. But that shouldn't obscure the fact that McCabe's firing was recommended by career bureaucrats in the FBI, not by Sessions or any political appointee. And the information he leaked to a reporter hurt Clinton, not Trump. In another world, Democrats would be cheering his dismissal.
5
We haven't seen the report, so we don't actually know what's in it. The Inspector General now wants to reinterview several witnesses. Who knows what that means? McCabe was authorized to approve agent's speaking with reporters - he was fired for a "lack of candor" when asked about it during an investigation. As I said, who knows what this means until the report is published, but DJT began lobbying for this last year right after McCabe corroborated Comey's testimony. This fits a pattern, no? Walks like a duck...
Yep. Same with Comey. Trump or Clinton. Wouldn't matter. Comey deserved to be fired regardless who became President.
We said it before and we will say it again:
The Republicans in Congress are willing to prostitute themselves if it means that they will be able to achieve their agenda of (i) cutting taxes for the wealthy, (ii) cutting programs for the poor and (iii) de-regulating industry to the point of destroying our environment and more.
What is it that people don't understand that they an immoral, lying, cheating, stealing pack of thieves? What are you missing??
10
What kind of a Country America has become when a long time FBI senior official is stripped of his pensions a day and half before his retirement and the president is celebrating.
I am waiting for the word of John O. Brennan, to come true.
trump be stripped off his Presidency by Bobby Muller and American triumphs over corrupt demagogue.
12
Why should we care if an honest and much-needed defense of the national security institutions that we need to make us safe gives the Trump apologists another of their so-called arguments?
The most truthful thing Trump has said is that he could shoot a man on Fifth Avenue and his supporters would still support him. So now they want to say that anyone defending himself from attack is "biased"?
Whatever. The Trump supporters are unpatriotic malcontents and I don't care what their pathetic excuses for arguments are.
8
Shameless abdication of leadership, oversight and ethics from McConnell, Ryan and almost all congressional Republicans.
But, why should we be surprised?
They’ve always been bereft of morals...
8
While I tend to agree, ultimately the responsibility rests with the voters. As long as they can get away with it, the unscrupulous and unrelenting GOP will act as the arm of the oligarchy. They continue to push the envelope via Trump, and then look out to the public to see if they have really gotten away with it. Then they push it a little further.
3
???????????
Has the Times lost its mind? Do you guys actually read the Tweets rather than just keep score on who sent it?
I think Comey trolling Trump is one of the greatest joys going and Brennan's tweet is downright iconic for its eloquence.
These people are defending themselves in a way Hilary Clinton never did. You cannot allow someone like Trump to besmirch your name without rebutting. Rubio, for example, rebutted with false sarcasm and misdirected wit. These gentlemen are dignity personified. To not rebut is to allow Trump to define the narrative. To rebut with class and eloquence is to stop that bully' fist in mid air saying "enough!"
7
Yes, where are all the other Republicans in Congress? I guess protecting their own selfish interests, trembling behind closed doors. McConnell, Ryan the weakest of weak. Shocking that we aren't hearing from more of them. Notice they don't even speak up in his defense, they just remain silent, I guess that says it all......... NO COURAGE NO BACKBONE!!!!!!!!
4
McConnell, married to a billionaire heiress, has nothing to worry about personally no matter how far "south" everything goes. And rumor has it that Ryan is retiring to a high paying job from the Koch brothers.
Tthey and the Mercers, Adelsons, etc can all run to some tropical island or New Zealand and use their off-shore funds to live a high life while those of us who don't have those options have to live in the detritus of their self-centered behaviors.
3
The despicable McConnell and Ryan are holed up in their offices with their usual "do nothing" agenda. You are complicit in this destruction of our democracy and history will make sure that your self-interested silence will haunt your sick and sad legacies. Good riddance to two arrogant men who do not deserve to serve in the US Congress. Waiting for your departure as soon as possible. Who do you work for now? (Mercer, Koch, etc.)
8
This is really not a surprise. Republicans are making $ bank on the Trump administration’s policies. Anything that threatens this plan is bound to create push back and corruption either of commission (“Let’s have a Special Counsel to investigate the FBI!” to discredit the Mueller investigation),or omission as this article points out. The silence is deafening from the Republicans to denounce bad behavior, lying, and—in short—the destruction of democracy in this country.
So McCabe is fired mind you for not being honest...let that sink in one of our most powerful FBI figures is not honest and a non partisan board of FBI career officers who rarely do this recommended his termination. And this is what is getting people upset? Now you have a supposedly distinguished ex CIA boss who now looks like the partisan hack he claims to be against (Trump). You guys don't realize Trump is winning, and the daily attacks from places like this only make it easier for him. How people can stick up for McCabe is beyond me, we should never tolerate dishonest security officials especially at the highest level. Trump is for wrong for his dumb tweets but lets leave them as is dumb tweets. No need to justify and cover them 24/7.
1
Nonsense, trump is not winning. Not by a long shot.
What is happening however is he is being exposed (on a daily basis), for the pathological liar he is. The man is a fraud, a grifter who is using the office for the personal gain for himself and family, nothing more.
He is a failed TV talk show personality who now lives in a house of mirrors. And he can't hide anymore...
1
Why are so many people trying to protect the lying, corrupt, partisan, incompetent McCabe?????? The Democrats are despicable in their rush to hire him to protect his fabulous pension - the same Democrats who didn't want the rest of us to have a tax cut. Who care if he has notes (supposedly) from his few meetings with Trump. Why would anyone believe him?
3
And this pig has a lifetime of experience in mud wrestling. Big, beautiful MUD. The Best mud. I'm telling you, the best. Trump Brand Mud.
If your neighbor let his vicious dog loose and it bit you, would you blame your neighbor or the dog? Don't blame Trump. He's a vicious dog and he will always bite; it's just his nature. Blame those who unleashed him on the rest of us.
4
The lack of courage by these republican do-nothing cowards is just STUNNING!
They have chosen $$$$ donations to their personal campaigns over defending the SECURITY of our NATION.
Daily tweets are proof of Trump's efforts to "obstruct justice". His family's lies and illegal financial dealings with foreign entities for personal enrichment are headline news.
And what the h+)) is wrong with our GOPers leaders who took an oath to defend our country but still take no action to protect our elections from another foreign attack.
What will it take GOP? Russia wiping out our power grid?
"Conspiracy Against the United States".
1
McCabe is no hero and no symbol of American democracy. He was sure the De,s and HRC will win so he bent the rules for them knowing he won't get caught and he will be rewarded with the top post once HRC won.
1
Everyone should speak up against the dreadful occupant of the Oval Office. There is no right or wrong person to sound an alarm about the astronomical unfitness of the current president of the U.S.
4
Republicans are clearly only interested in maintaining their own power at the expense of the country. They have completely abrogated their responsibility to defend the Constitution. Anyone who supports Trump and supports Republicans in any office is doing so against the best interests of America.
3
Perhaps McConnell silence has to do with the fact that his wife, Elaine Chao, is a member of Trump's cabinet and would probably get fired if he criticized Trump. Sad. More conflicts of interest that are badly damaging our country.
7
History will not treat Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell well. This all happened on their watch, with nary a peep about the treasonous behavior of their president. They are co-conspirators. They should be held accountable.
3
The GOP has enabled Trump all along. As long as they get their tax breaks for their rich benefactors, they do not care that Trump lies, cheats on his wife with porn stars, continues to run his businesses, and spends so much time golfing and watching TV. Don't forget, this is the same GOP that refused to do its sworn duty to fill a vacant Supreme Court seat in the name of politics, and the same GOP that continually puts party above country. Trump is not the cause of the GOP mendacity, he is only a symptom. They all need to go.
3
For our entire history we have relied on presidents being decent, honorable and protective of American democratic institutions. This self-policing has now clearly come to an end. Trump has violated every expectation we ever had about decorum, dignity and adult behavior. He throws tantrums, he exacts revenge over petty slights, and insults anyone and everyone who doesn't kowtow to him with flattery and sycophancy. It is a sickening display
But as the article points out, almost worse are the Republican enablers who will do nothing, absolutely nothing to curtail this behavior. They mumble and bumble at every outrageous act and let Trump continue on his rampage.
We truly have an out-of-control megalomaniac who rivals the worst medieval potentates in his vicious defense of his own ungoverned egomaniacal behavior. The chaos at the core of the administration begins and ends with Emperor Donald the Dumb and Destructive.
4
You know, the people directly responsible for putting Trump, filth like Ryan, McConnell et. al. in their positions of power?
They would believe you in large swaths if you, NYT, did the right thing. Like not support people whose moral authority is questionable. Like not support people like Schumer and Pelosi whose sale to corporate America has been complete well before they stepped foot in the people’s chamber.
Until then, your righteous condemnation notwithstanding, most of us hear just chin music.
2
The NY Times, Obama appointees, and congressional democrats are already flooding the airwaves with criticism of Trump. What more needs to be added?
1
Hats off to Lindsey Graham, Jeff Flake, and Trey Gowdy, the only 3 Republicans in Congress with spines. It's stunning how many are willing to sell their souls to protect the Republican "brand." Spineless cowards. That's the brand.
1
'Love that last sentence. It's not just true of his political actions; it's true of everything about him from his eating habits to his endless lies to his behavior with women. The only thing that's different is that pigs are actually pretty smart.
1
Are you do you suppose that any dirty Russian money made it into the RNC? And that’s why GOP is so craven?
When we begin to see that those who have not retired from Congress after serving 2, 6 yr. terms in the Senate, or 6, 2yr. terms in the House are the problem, as decent men and women would willingly step down to let others serve, rather than fall under the not so subtle influence of holding the power. For many, many decades, Congress has not taxed for all legislation that they felt the need to pass, but borrowed for it, now amassing $21 trillion in debt, promised trillions in entitlements that they haven't figured out how to pay for, they have voted for trillions for wars for almost 2 decades that have only made more enemies, cost millions of lives, left millions of refugees on the doorstep of western Europe, failed to put in a paying single payer health care system, basically they have done little of importance, so why would we expect them to take action, now? That isn't their MO(Modus Operandi), now or in the future!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1
The Republicans in Congress are straight up cowards. They'd rather watch their country die than risk their positions of privilege.
They are useless and I pray they will be given their due come November.
2
No one really cares if the swamp circles the wagons. Every institution has been politicized; seroiusly, no one is above the fray. A special prosecutor without a crime? An email investigation that starts and stops and starts? FISA warrants from snooping on Americans? Political campaigns collecting your cat video likes? We're Balkanized, and we keep moving apart.
1
When I was active in my professional career, there was a always quiet discussion when after misbehaviors the c punishment didn’t the misbehavior. We used to say that whoever did the misbehavior must have had pictures on the manager in charge of making the decision. I believe the Russians have pictures on the president. And it makes me wonder with the spineless GOP if the president has pictures of the GOP leadership currently in the Congress.
Editorials are mere rhetoric. Criticism means little. A twitter response is even more evanescent than a letter to the editor. The rule of law with respect to the Presidency has been diminished almost to a point. Impeachment is a near impossibility even in the face of a litany of high crimes and misdemeanors. There is only one thing that matters and that is the ballot box.
I do believe "silence" is perceived in these crazy hour as "meekly complying" what president via his tweets is saying.
Its sad to see the Lincoln's Republican party has now become Trump's party with russian support !
Why does the President on America ever has to vouch in so may ways "there was no collusion" ! why does it not work the first and only one time he says so! Why is he hiring so many lawyers with sio much money .. he needs to defend his actions .. what actions if there was no collusion ! Just Sad.
We hopefully will know if GOP got a man in WH with russian help and pretty soon.
Asking the GOP to reign in Trump is like asking the Russian Parliament to reign in Putin. How is that going?
The Republican leadership is complicit in all the outrageous actions of Trump and the American people must show them the door from the voting booth.
What I don't get on these Republican Congressmen and Senators is why they have no backbone. I get they do not want to get the Trump base all riled up. But they trade in their moral values for that! I mean how important is getting re-elected to them and don't they realize they will gain more moderate votes and even some democrats if they stand up to Trump?? Look at Senator Flake...he could probably now run as an independent or democrat given his anti Trump stand and get more votes then he losses to that base. And lastly these politicians are all lawyers or most of them are. Can't they get another job if they did get voted out!? I mean the job they have now does not pay that much! Stand up to Trump and you will be rewarded in the next life!
If the "right people" don't stand up to someone, then those who have been attacked or abused must speak out or people will only hear the side of the abuser.
Despots like Trump, have been and always will be, part of our world and its history. While we can get our civilian voter minds around someone like Trump, what most of us are struggling to understand, what leaves most of us stunned and baffled, is the utter moral and ethical failure of the Republican Congress and the Republican leadership.
But we are slowly coming around to an accurate understanding of who they really are. They've made it clear. They've showed us. They show us every day.
The Republican party, along with it sub-groups like the evangelicals, have strategized themselves into irrelevance. They are now in their death throes and are very dangerous. But as far as for the long game, once this stuff plays out, they are done for a generation.
Their leaders need to be held politically, ethically, morally, and especially criminally accountable. It will be this nation's primary responsibility in the years to come.
1
Republicans getting honest after they decide to leave politics demonstrates their weak spines and reminds me of past party members like Arlen Specter and Lee Atwater who both atoned after bouts with cancer. Atwater died, Specter survived and changed parties.
Brennan's prophesy concerning Trump will likely prove true in some shape or manner. Trump is a demagogue and many other things unbecoming a president. Nevertheless, Trump has legitimate complaints against tainted law enforcement and intelligence officials. McCabe, Brennan, and Comey do not have clean hands. As members of the Obama Administration, they participated in efforts to spy on the political opposition and/or to protect Hillary Clinton from rightful prosecution. During the election season, Loretta Lynch order Comey to mislead the American people regarding the Clinton investigation (or matter, if you lack ethics), and Comey complied. Comey then usurped the authority of the entire Department of Justice and publicly cleared Clinton, after whitewashing the fact that she had been grossly negligent in handling Top Secret Special Access materials, a clear crime under the statute. Then in early 2017, Comey left the impression with the public that Trump was under investigation, which was patently false, and he refused the president's request to clarify the matter. Brennan has repeatedly lied about knowing about spying on Americans, including under oath before congressional committees. He lied about his knowledge and use of the Steele dossier. McCabe was fired after a review by the Inspector General showed that he had made unauthorized disclosures and lied about it under oath, presumably selectively leaking in a manner to hurt Trump.
1
The people who vote for these enabler Republicans almost never read the NYT or any there legitimate news and op-ed sources so there is no pressure for these self interested and spineless so called representatives to do anything.
They have no qualities to stand shoulder to shoulder with any of their forebears. At least none of the qualities that we have painstakingly sketched out in those from our collective past. They are valueless people who molded themselves to accepting this pathetic man who holds this office, temporarily.
1
We are witnessing a very fortunate back-up system: as congress is abdicating its role as gatekeeper of democracy, law enforcement is stepping in to defend us and our democracy. Thank God! The FBI could become Trump's own Gestapo, but fortunately those life-long public servants never forgot what makes America great. These men speaking out are protecting our sacred institutions and will be known as heroes in our history books.
To expect the Republicans in Congress to do the right thing is like expecting a hippopotamus to fly. The Republicans are Trump without the complete insanity. But they're liars, like Trump, they're immoral, like Trump, they're cowards, like Trump, they're greedy, like Trump, most are racist, like Trump, most are white supremacists, like Trump, and they all worship money above all else, like Trump. It's truly not realistic to expect the Republicans to do the right, decent, patriotic, moral thing, for they're incapable.
The Republican party leadership is as conscience-free as Trump. All they care about is their own power and the money they are all making with their backroom deals. We are in real trouble here - I feel constant anxiety about our Constitution and our democracy because these people are dismantling every single institution in our country that protects the people, the land, and our rule of law. Not good. Not good at all. I despise the Republicans. They are as bad as the liar-in-chief. Worse.
McCabe's dismissal was directed by the FBI's Office of Professional Responsibility. He, Comey and other senior FBI officials who were complicit in covering Hillary's backside and in doing all they could to bring down President Trump need to be fired and, most likely, prosecuted. Note that McCabe is not denying any of the charges against him, rather, he is trying to blame his firing on Trump.
1
"You only get covered in mud — and, besides, the pig likes it."
Beautiful and apt metaphor. Sad for the United States to be led by someone wallowing in filth.
1
Last December, the Republican-Right-Wing-Network passed their Number One Legislative Priority - "Tax Breaks For The Rich".
Permanent. Substantial. Irreversible.
"Tax Breaks For The Rich".
It had been the goal that they had been working towards, for decades.
And they had passed it pretty easily.
So easy, that even they were stunned by their own success.
There are other things on their Legislative "To Do" list.
Gutting Medicaid. Gutting Medicare. Gutting Social Security.
After all, someone has to pay for their "Tax Breaks For The Rich" scheme.
So they figure that since they're probably going to get clobbered in the mid-terms anyway, they might as well see what else they can get out of the current administration before it goes down in flames.
That is why they're not standing up to Trump.
That is why they are not criticizing the Moron-in-Chief.
They feel that they still have use for him.
But after November, when they do not need him anymore ...
I have read the most popular readers' picks and the question that comes to my mind about the loss of credibility trap facing Trump's victims is who the jury shall be. Will be some sort of a criminal trial or will the jury be an impeachment before a Republican Congress, which will never occur with this gang of fascists. No. In the end the jury will be the American voters who having slept for far too long are now wide awake, Arguments that Mueller is a Democrat or that Hillary plotted with Russia or that he is Trump is not guilty as sin will get a horse laugh and the Republican pigs running for office will not be wearing the usual lipstick. Decent people hate cowards and back stabbers.
Wrong people are criticizing trump? And the right people are who? The GOP who have soiled themselves?
Stormy Daniels? Maybe. It will take someone who is willing to dig in the dirt.
Yes, the pig likes fighting in the mud. But maintaining a prim and proper distance will allow the pig to run wild without restraint. If wresting in the mud keeps him within the ring, he must be wrestled there.
Politicians would be wise to study the ways of pro-wrestling. That is the politics of this era. To succeed in politics today you need to be good at mud wrestling with pigs.
Party OVER Country EVERYTIME.
1
For a guy who keeps proclaiming his innocence, our boy-king Donald sure has a lot of lawyers to defend him against the possibility of impeachment.
Currently, the only group more dangerous to our fragile democracy — even after more than 220 years — it the Republican Party. They protect this shallow fraud while he debases our country here and abroad. It is been a daily feature of the fact-checking web sites to rebuke Trump's constant stream of lies; but, to actually hear him brag about lying to the Prime Minister of Canada regarding trade between our two countries reminded me of the video shot at a Florida fundraiser for Mitt Romney when he demeaned "the 47 percenters."
I know we will never retrieve the tiny-brained folk who steadfastly support the kleptocrat-in-chief, the business fraud, maniacal liar and self-confessed sexual predator. But, there are millions of voters who were convinced by the right-wing media gasbags to vote "for anyone but Hillary." And given the grab bag of misfits and blowhards that crowded the stages at the Republican primary debates, Hillary should have beaten any any one of them.
Yet, now we know that, not only did the Russians meddle in our electoral processes, it was white nationalist Stephen Bannon and his ultra-conservative billionaire funder, Richard Mercer, who created Cambridge Analytica, the company, it has been discovered, that bought the data of 50 million Facebook members to promote Trump's campaign.
TeamMueller will be very busy.
Silence is evil's dependable ally. The GOP have put their self interest and their political survival before country. Their mindset is simple; better stay in power under a despot then be out of power under democracy loving president. When we had Obama who actually put the nation first through programs and policies that benefited the middle class, that was a bridge too far for the GOP. And they went on the record of wanting to oppose him every step of the way since day one. We get a potential autocrat who puts his business interests before the nation, we get a political party that aided and abetted the president from day one. The only time they showed any spine was when Trump mentioned implementing punishing tariffs that would effect their rich donors which they saw as a red line. Strip away Obamacare, give away the most generous tax cuts to the top 1%, and be in bed with Russia then all we get is silence from the GOP. If they do speak up it will be too little to late. Having the moral and political courage to do the right thing may damage your political career but at least you will be remembered.
1
Could you perhaps mention in an article describing McCabe's current activity and predicament why he got fired and what improprieties or illegal acts he may have committed (for which he got fired)?
2
We are at war as consequential as our war of independence, our civil war to free us from the enslavement of our fellow human beings and our international wars seeking to defend the freedom and dignity of our fellow citizens across the globe. The poison of inequity fashioned in citizens united is perhaps the center of our fatal slide into demagogic rule. Missing in action are men of integrity on both sides of the political aisle. Democrats are muted while the right is silent. Tyranny and amorality is careening across our Nation. Our president seeks social and economic justice not for the marginalized and disadvantaged white uneducated men reassured by the right to own and use guns in defense of a Nation invaded by 'other'. Rather, Trump epitomizes our moral malaise, the 'me too' world of self indulgence and disintegration of community amidst the commercialization of religious belief. Morality is not a commodity. It is the assertion of love for one another amidst common cause, the fight for liberty and justice for all. We have lost our way in the great blizzard of profit first and justice now dust in the wind. We will all vanish from our beloved America now but a myth, a memory, a dream once fashioned to be a beacon of hope for all who came to our shores in search of a life with promise and peace the outcome. We must rise, you and I, for our Nation is in peril. We must fight to restore the dream, the hope that we can be a shining light of freedom in a world at war. Do it now!
The GOP won't stand up to Trump. They are far too cowardly and many are also drooling toadies, hoping for engagement opportunities with the top dog to enhance careers.
Self interest and cowardice rule the GOP these days.
Lots of people with hurt feelings it seems.
The McCabe Investigation was demanded by the Democrats, started under Obama, and conducted by an IG appointed by Obama.
And remember Director Wray removed McCabe from his job, offered him another position, which McCabe declined and decided to ride out vacation time to retire at 50.
He is not a victim.
"You only get covered in mud - and, besides, the pig likes it." No truer words were ever spoken. This is the classic behavior of a malignant narcissist; they love the chaos and all the attention it creates; "the pig likes it." This president is mentally not fit to serve and must be removed. Should never have cleared the primaries. Unbelievable.
The writer assumes that the case against Trump will be determined by personalities ( the President included) . It will not. It will be the reams of documents that the special counsel will uncover. Just like in the case of Maniford, in today’s world you cannot avoid leaving electronic breadcrumbs that lead right back to the witch. That is the true witch hunt the President is afraid of.
1
The GOP "leaders" aren't speaking out because around 80% of Republicans actually approve of Trump, incredibly, because the only ongoing conversation about Trump GOP voters listen to is Fox News. Instead of being cowardly by allowing Fox News to obliterate reality on a daily basis, the GOP could be standing up and speaking the truth about Trump to their voters, the truth they only whisper about behind closed doors. They have the microphones....more than Fox News does...but they just refuse to use them, and let their voters swallow the lies and conspiracy theories spun by Trump TV a/k/a Fox News. It's despicable.
Too many people have been keeping quiet for too long. It is long past time to speak out, to refute the lies. The current occupant of the White House (one avoids the term "president") has been relying on people's silence. A few good people speaking up now is a good contrast to most Republicans' toadying acquiescence to the serial liar in the Oval office.
Trump's extortion methods and mantra create shake down opportunities for every member in the republican party. We can be like every other thugogracy in the world- This is their view of a modern American republic keeping pace with growing right wing order.-in order to to do that you need 'Loyalists' in the FBI and CIA so there is no bar between you and the law.....Will corp. America agree? They made 'easy money in the global system and for them it may be the cost of doing business -since they have been handed a tax bonus....
1
Republicans are not going to push back on Trump. They've abdicated their responsibilities and their reputations. They only care about hanging on to their power for as long as we'll let them. They have debts to pay to their wealthy donors, corporations and individuals. They intend to push through as much as they can before this all blows up (2018 & 2020).
If Obama ever spoke of republicans the way Trump does about democrats, he would have been lynched by the very people who remain silent. Wisconsin 1st district voters and Kentucky voters need to oust these failed leaders, Ryan & McCain. They are the ones calling the shots. And the rest of their congressional comrades happily follow. They will never oppose him. And, they should NEVER be re-elected!
We were attacked by Russia. It was an act of cyber warfare. That makes congressional republicans, who do nothing to protect the integrity of our elections and refuse to hold the Russians accountable, Traitors!
I suggest the NYT Editorial board read "On Tyranny."" Perhaps then they will see how futile their expectation of republicans speaking up really is!!!!
Say it over and over, 'till you get it: "It's not about Trump. It's about Christian/Republicans." It's all about the GOP! Trump is the logical extension of the GOP. It's rich money used to mislead America's most gullible, for the favor of the wealthy.
It's been class war all my adult life, and I'm 72. When will the 99.9% wake up? It's not Trump, it's the GOP.
People are biased against trump. So what?When you believe in and practice the rule of law, pointing out facts about someone like trump, does not mean he won’t be judged fairly.
Anyone in his or her right mind should be biased against tromp he is a vile trader destroying our country. However, no matter what trump says or does, the lunatic fringe he calls his base, will never abandon him.
Wrong headline: The Wrong People Aren't Criticizing Trump.
1
This is nonsense. There's no question that the Republican leadership should be speaking up to protect the Mueller investigation. But it's ridiculous to blame McCabe or Comey for defending themselves against Trump's smears. They've been fired: they no longer have any obligation to remain "above the political fray," and their silence would be construed--by those determined to think that way--as guilt just as readily as their words in their own defence might be.
2
If our only hope is action by the Republican Congress, then, it would seem, we are witnessing the end-days of our Democracy. Sounds dramatic, but, if taking down this demagogue depends on the action of his cronies in Congress, then we are powerless!
Depressing? Pessimistic? You bet! But what, if anything, can be done?
2
God help us we are going to need it! When will we ever learn by now that the Trumpster is destroying our descent federal agencies who defend and protect our democracy. He has already abused his power! Republican senate and congress your all cowards for not doing something about this abuse. We are in a constitutional crisis!
1
Standing up to a bully is hard. And the biggest 'bully' in America is money (like most of this world). The Republicans are truly the party of money. The only major piece of legislation they and their vainglorious leader, Trump, have passed is a tax cut for the wealthiest of Americans. This is how a 'modern' bully works.
Forget all the horrible and corrupt things this liar-in-chief has done; he has given the rich a big tax cut. Everything else is small potatoes. No, it is getting harder and harder for Republicans to claim some mantel of 'morals' or 'values'. They still try to hide behind the issues of guns, abortion and religion; but fewer people are being fooled. Money runs this land and this land is run by Republicans.
So glad that some people are standing up for America. The hateful, right-wing media has created a monster of division. This is exactly what they want. The very same thing as before, say, trying to turn the black and white sharecroppers against each other. Make sure the common enemy is never, ever money & it's concentration into the hands of a few.
My degree is in Political Science and I know Trump is our very worst President because he is the epitome of what we should never become: vain, hateful, bullying, lying, corrupt, traitorous, money-laundering, serial-adulterer, serial-bankrupter, agent of destruction.
Skips Vietnam, calls McCain and POW's not really 'heroes', professes he's 'Christian'?
The evangelicals support him? Well, they're bullies, too.
3
Oh come on.. the GOP all have their daggers fully sharpened.
The minute Trump stumbles, they'll all plunge their daggers into his back and each will claim their dagger was the first to pierce the beast..
1
Notwithstanding the sentiments of this Editorial, those who have criticized Trump have done so for good reason. Trump NEEDS to be held to account. And as this Editorial has pointed out the Republican Party point blank refuses to do so.
It really is extraordinary and difficult to fathom. They are treating a renegade President as business as usual. Meanwhile Trump is like Godzilla, destroying and Attacking the very institutions that have, not only made America Great, but he is attacking the very institutions that the world's economic and political institutions are based upon.
For some extraordinary reason today's Republican Party is completely indifferent to a corrupt fool who is literally destroying everything America Stands for.
Rather than castigate John Brennan, I say, "Bravo Mr. Brennan! At least somebody in a position of power and influence is taking this threat seriously!"
And by the way, it doesn't matter what Brennan, Comey or McCabe say or do. Donald Trump will lie and tweet no matter what they do.
This is a President that has gone totally rogue and doesn't care who or what he destroys in the process.
1
This president has the credibility of a bucket of "clean" coal.
1
And Democrats? Their failure to stand up to Trump is worse than the Republican silence. This editorial is laughable. It says nothing about Democratic Party cowardice and failure to frame the narrative.
Aye, that's the rub! "Honorable men" is the key term here. All Federal elected officials are sworn to uphold the Constitution of the United States, NOT the insane ramblings of Dotard-in-Chief. When Trump, as always, functions outside the law and in direct opposition to our democratic principles and statutes, ALL elected officials should be censuring him. The Republicans have become a pathetic, spineless, partisan group of sycophants who fail to uphold their responsibilities to US, the citizens of this once-great and respectable country (until Trump).
The undeniable result of this inaction and misdirection is that these men are far from "honorable". I would not trust them with my laundry, let alone my life. The very idea that they consider Trump a viable President is a disgrace to our Democracy and to them as individuals tasked with preserving it. They are a cult of cowards, either afraid to do what is right or so corrupted that they cannot extricate themselves from their malfeasance. By now EVERYONE knows that Trump is a pathologic liar and narcissistic sociopath; there is no doubt. The Legislative Branch of our government, supposedly formed as a check to Executive abuse, is not doing its job. The fate of our country is at stake here.
1
When the history of the shameful Trump maladministration comes to be written, the silent, compliant, complicit, pathetic GOP Congress will not fare well.
As the saying goes, the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Many of those in the GOP are not good men or women but their silence enables someone who is even worse.
Shame, shame, shame.
2
No surprise here I'm afraid. Republicans have flirted with fascism and/or authoritarianism for decades. Now they have someone who just comes out and says what they all say behind closed doors at the club over a bourbon when the help are out of earshot. Far from an abberation, Trump is the apotheosis of the GOP. He is as Republican as the rest of his party, which can only win elections through gerrymandering, voter suppression and intimidation, and outright cheating, which they've perfected as a tactic since 2000. Republicans are and have been for many years - since that hypocrite fiend Newt Gingrich - shameless in their pursuit of raw power; the ends always justify the means. Nothing is off the table, including, as we see now, treason. We don't want to work with the Republican Party. We don't want to reach across the aisle, find common ground, or reach a consensus with the Republican Party. We want Republican liars, thieves and traitors removed from every office they hold, from dog catcher to the White House. We want commissions, investigations, indictments, arrests, trials, convictions and long jail sentences for 40 years of crooked deals, lies, and numerous attempts - up to and including their treasonous collusion with the Russians in 2016 - to subvert and destroy our democracy and reduce the American people to serfs on behalf of their plutocratic and corporate owners.
November 2018. November 2020. NO MORE REPUBLICANS! NONE! NOT ONE!
1
How can a pragmatic Republican not slither away from Trmp confrontation if the midterms are so clearly at risk for their to hold onto power. They surely rationalize that a little Trump flailing, nonsense and paranoid delusions are worth dodging if they can finagle some wins in November.
Unprincipled, cowardly, selfish, unpatriotic...McConnell & Ryan are careerists above all. Too bad. A bipRtisan sanity commission would protect both parties from the slash & burn tactics Trump uses to protect himself above all.
(Requiring staff to sign PDAs makes them like his hookers.)
1
Cry me a river. GOP leadership is more than happy to ignore Trump’s treasonous actions. Their supporters are to stupid to understand what is going on, and the democrats have little power and no real leader to drive any meaningful outcome.
Only one thing can save us from the grifter Trump and his family, friends, and hangers-on: VOTE 2018.
I believe that the Mercers and the Kochs think that everything is going swimmingly.
3
"The pig likes it"
Think for a moment how low Mr. Trump has brought us . The New York Times calls the President of the United States a "pig" and it's not only apt, it's an understatement.
Hey, at least Senator Lindsey Graham and Jeff flake came out with strong statements. I’m praying that a lot of republicans are waiting quietly for payback time for all the nasty things our president said about them. A lot of republicans probably doesn’t include Mitch McConnell. He’s just a nasty old man.
Here's Ryan's phone number, (202) 225-3031. Call him. Pass it on.
Maybe we can wake him up.
1
By now, why would anyone look to the GOP and its leaders McConnell and Ryan
to do or say anything to protect American democracy and its institutions?
They have no interest in doing so. They want more tax cuts. They want to completely dismantle Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare.
Trump in spite of his behavior remains their useful idiot. They will keep their King in the Oval Office until the Koch Brothers tell them otherwise.
The GOP Congress is bought and paid for. They know it and serve their masters well.
You can write a hundred articles and try to come up with explanations for the why's or why not's for the things that the Republicans in Congress either do or do not do. You can dance and tiptoe around reasons and explanations but one thing just seems to stand out in my view. Quite simply, they are cowards. trump loves nothing more than destroying someone. He loves to be top pig. When things are calm he even resorts to goading people into a fight. He tried that with Oprah a week or two ago. To her credit she just shrugged him off. And there is Stormy Daniels. How hilariously ironic that the two people seemingly unconcerned by trumps pathetic nature are women. They and John Brennan make Mitch McConnell look all the more feeble and pathetic.
Republicans in Congress and Facebook executives have something in common - not speaking up for what was right - and doing something about it - when it mattered.
History will not judge either well at all.
3
My dear, departed mother used to say to me when I was a youngster, in response to my wish I would grow up faster, "Don't wish your life away!"
Good advice, but I'm not going to follow it now. I can't wait for November 2018.
5
This editorial makes very good points.
What it doesn't address anywhere near adequately is why the GOP leaders in Congress are giving Trump a pass.
Yes, Comey, McCabe, and Brennan shouldn't be defending themselves against POTUS' public attacks and denigrations -- and it's equally true that they shouldn't have to.
What's the media's role in all of this? Surely, it goes beyond editorializing.
I would suggest that the offices of McConnell, Ryan, and other GOP leaders in Congress should be swarming with reporters asking in-your-face questions all day long.
If/when the doors to those offices are locked, I would suggest that neither McConnell, nor Ryan, nor any other GOP leader in Congress, nor any of their respective employees, be allowed to leave those offices (for so much as walk to the cafeteria) without having to confront a reporter asking in-your-face questions.
The media should, in the service of this nation, so pester those who, by their silence, condone POTUS' wholly inappropriate, rabble-rousing tweets and the various misdeeds of his tax-payer supported lackeys, that the GOP's daily working life effectively is ground to a halt, as a result.
41
Republicans have no compelling incentive to criticize Trump. The GOP will continue to shield and insulate him, as they have from the beginning, because no other president would ever permit them to enact their entire agenda completely unchecked. Trump is the supreme fulfillment of Republican politics, not an anomaly of Republican politics – and they’re going to milk the next three years for everything they can.
305
Which is why it's so important that those that oppose thus agenda VOTE. in 2018 / 20
4
Well said and all perfectly true. For the GOP the ends justify the means...
1
Absolutely agree - as long as Ryan, McConnell and the GOP believe (quite correctly) that DT will support their demolition of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, they will continue to avert their eyes and hold their noses.
For 8 years proud Democrats like myself listened as everyone who had a microphone or email or social media criticized President Obama for transgressions real and imagined. Even his citizenship and therefore his legitimacy was challenged. Those bullies yelled so loudly and persistently that their leader is now in the White House.
I don’t think it’s possible for the “wrong people” to criticize President Trump.
My concern is that people will refrain from criticism because they want to seem sane and measured.
In the age of Trump, sane and measured criticism is passé.
Criticize loudly, softly, rationally, irrationally, but criticize.
22
The Republican party needs to know that we'll remember in November.
24
This editorial is right on target when it calls out the Cowards in the Republican Congressional Leadership for standing mute. It makes one wonder if they actually know their oath is the constitution, and not to Donald Trump and their craven attempt to hold a grasp on power regardless to the cost and damage to this country.
These are the same members of congress who were apoplectic when President Obama came off of Air Force One with a cup of coffee, as being disrespectful, no one could have made this hypocrisy up.
This Republican Leadership is ignoring the most incompetent, insulting, divisive, degrading and repulsive man to ever inhabit the oval office. History will not be kind to this President or his enablers in the Republican congress, and now we have Republican Trump flunkies in the congress voting for a second special investigator to investigate the investigator, this is like nursery school nonsense.......2018 needs to come quickly and flip both the house and senate, because it is clear that the Republican's don't know how to govern.
26
The editorial board can’t seem to make up its mind whether it’s better to stay above the fray or better to defend oneself. Dear editors, there is no above the fray. Above the fray presumed functioning institutions. We don’t have them. Th White House is inhabited by a raving, malignant demagogue. Congress is controlled by craven opportunists terrified of their electoral base (Republicans) and a neo liberal gerontocracy (Democrats) without the courage to offer real programmatic solutions. The Supreme Court has been dominated by Republicans who threw the rule of law under the bus in the Bush- Gore election. We the people are left with no choice but to fight back on every front
25
"Declarations like these may be important to make and gratifying to read, but they really shouldn’t be coming from those whose integrity depends on them remaining outside the political fray, even in these insane times. For starters, they make it easier for Mr. Trump and his defenders to argue, as they already do, that crucial witnesses in the investigation by the special counsel, Robert Mueller, into the Trump campaign’s possible ties to Russia are biased against the president."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Indeed, but yet there comes a point where the issues are so egregious, those in responsible positions have to speak out.
trump has, so far, relied upon the silence and restraint of those in such positions and as a result, his base IS empowered (though be it, with fox, Breitbarf & InfoWars...), Their silence also enables gutless republican legislators an out from having to take a stand on what is obvious - being a patriotic American.
The ONLY way to quiet a loudmouthed bully is to have a response that is more forceful and direct. Call trump for what he is and stop the fraud dead in his tracks.
That is the only way to save America from this lying, grifter-fraud.
20
Instead of pushing to impeach and punish Trump and his family for treason against the United States, I think we should forgive them and "just let it go". Sure, he and his sons sold the country out to the Russians. Sure, every step he has taken in office had the effect of enriching him and his family to the detriment of the non 0.001%. Sure, he has disassembled decades of progress in civil rights, education, economic fairness. Sure, he has supported racist and white supremacists. Sure, he has undermined the 1st Amendment. But these are small, unimportant things compared to the PRIDE he has given certain Americans. he has indeed made America Great Again: a great promoter of racist and fascist ideals, a great place for the top 0.001% to enjoy the spoils of the "labor", he has shared America's wealth with the middle class - giving them $7 per week more than before. These are HUGE and important accomplishments. I can forgive the small stuff. Can you?
12
You are being facetious, right?
Expecting the GOP to do whats good for the country, right, or moral is a waste of energy.
13
Great article, the ending even better..."the pig likes it." Let the pig roll in the mud. Enjoy the show!
8
Facts: Trump did not fire McCabe, the FBI internal affairs did-his fellow agents. Trump fired Comey, exactly as the Democrats had wished Obama had the guts to do when Comey fouled up the Clinton campaign. Comey admitted to leaking FBI documents to get a "special counsel" appointed against Trump. FBI agent Peter Strzok's texts with Lisa Page prove their bias against Trump and he was the head of the anti-espionage unit.
How many more evidence points does this ed board need to see around or over their bias?
1
Texts from a couple of agents who saw trump for what he is and you claim it's a "bias" instead of just an opinion shared between to Americans who happen to work for the FBI.
What I don't understand is why do conservative claim "bias" whenever folks recognize the obvious about trump and report it? They even bleat out "fake news" whenever trump is quoted!
Naw... what the real issue is has to do with being held accountable for the actions of a madman and THAT is what frustrates republicans. Accountability.
Actually, you're wrong. Sessions fired McCabe, based on incomplete information from a review that normally takes weeks. But, Trump wanted him fired before McCabe's birthday (pension) because Trump is spiteful, without concern for our nation, yours and mine.
1
No, Sessions fired McCabe, at Trump's demand. Internal Affairs did conclude disciplinary action was warranted, but it was Sessions who ran with that. By demanding McCAbe's ouster for months, along with constant attacks on the FBI and CIA for the past 10 years Trump has tainted any action he takes, even when not illegal.
1
Not gonna happen. It’s all about the Benjamin’s now.
1
f the unwarranted assaults on your integrity. Enough is enough. Unfortunately Mr Trump only understands language similar to his. Too long reputed people have kept quiet.
It’s time that Senior George Bush, Carter, Obama called in a Press Conference and announce what us going on must stop for the good of the nation
8
Why are the GOP silent? Possibilities 1) they are racists like him and agree with his actions and ignore his faults 2) they are paid off (bribed) by the corporate and NRA lobbyists and if Trump goes they see their funding go and they lose the next election 3) they realize Trump is a rogue POTUS but they don't want to get their hands dirty so they are just letting the situation (that Trump is obviously a crook, illegitimate POTUS and colluded with Russia) play out 4) like 2 they are paid off, bribed and are fat cats, they feel so confident in their base that all the chaos Trump is creating just allows them to make more money through bribes, using the government for their own
So just like Trump's base which I really think is smaller than the media makes out I think there is a faction of legislators that are racists so they support Trump no matter his rogue ways.
However, I think there is a majority of legislators who are fooling themselves that things will play out and they don't want to get their hands dirty. Every legislator that has not said anything to acknowledge that Trump is a rogue POTUS who is a danger to this country is guilty of being complicit. They will feel it in the next elections.
The GOP has lost credibility, they are the party of the NRA, of taking bribes for silence, of only caring about money and that is all, of using religiion to excuse moral depravity. By not speaking up against Trump now shows just who they are and it is pretty ugly.
13
When the pig poses a threat to a nation, it is honorable for good men to wrestle it into the mud.
10
People such as McCabe, Brennan, and Comey have no other option but to speak out. In the light of the lack of any response whatsoever by the spineless cowards in the GOP led House and Senate, these people have no other avenue to let the country know what is happening. At any other time, in any other administration, these men's opinions would be respected and listened to, but with IQ45 and his minions at the helm, all "typical" responses have flown right out the window. He gets no pushback whatsoever from the GOP, so it is up to everyone else with skin in the game (including us voters) to make our voices heard.
7
When will we acknowledge that the REAL culprits in this travesty are the anchors of FOX News???? Until they are silenced or adopt some level of decency themselves, it doesn't matter who else speaks out or what they say. FOX is driving the entire narrative in this country. THEY are the traitorous ones, as are the people who pay them.
12
Congress, controlled by Republicans, has essentially abdicated its role as a body that leads, and its members have become almost exclusively focused on their power, perquisites and pleasure. It is more highly politicized than ever, and less prone than ever to engage in serious policy debate and problem solving. That its members are well-paid with taxpayer dollars makes their grifting even more outrageous. Their relative silence on all outrageous matters of Trump is stunning.
With that abdication, it becomes more important than ever that Americans engage in the most fundamental act of citizenship by voting incumbents out of office in the upcoming mid-term elections, and sending a message to incumbents that their days of self-serving glory are over.
It may, indeed, be that the wrong people are criticizing Donald Trump. As important, however, is that a wholly insufficient number of the right people are criticizing Congressional Republicans. Whether We the People actually do something about that, come November, remains to be seen.
4
Expecting Trump's victims to remain silence because not remaining silent makes them less credible is absurd. At least SOMEONE'S speaking truth to power. God knows Congress isn't doing their job.
8
McConnell is pretty much the root of all our current evil, and although I really hate to give him that much credit for anything, I don't think I'm being hyperbolic. He lies almost as much as Trump but sounds oh-so-Southern-gentleman when he does it. He's a cynical traitorous apparatchik.
There's no way he'll speak out because, you know, tax cuts, and Republican power.
4
I'm sure behind the scenes, Republicans are criticizing Trump. However, this just shows their cowardice, as well as hypocrisy. Aren't there a few more McCains or Flakes who can show some backbone? We need those kinds of people in order to feel secure, since out president, clearly, is improvising his way to disaster.
4
Judy Woodruff mentioned last night on the News Hour that an internal FBI investigation found McCabe's "lack of candor" under oath to be a violation of FBI standards and recommended that he be fired. Judy Woodruff's guests are not concerned by this. While I judge this guy to be ethically challenged, at the least, the dominate media in America seems to going out your way to over look his "lack of candor." I expect his guy is going to a witness about "collusion?" but he startsout tainted.
"lack of candor" = Jeff Sessions
"Meanwhile, Mr. Comey, Mr. McCabe and the others who face Mr. Trump’s taunts and provocations should remember the old warning about wrestling a pig. You only get covered in mud — and, besides, the pig likes it."
While that maxim has a ring of truth to it, and while the gist of this editorial is spot on in theory (where IS the GOP's voice in all of this?), it is important to fight fire with fire.
Trump is a schoolyard bully. How do you handle a schoolyard bully? You can ignore the problem and stay above the fray, or you can take a stand and risk getting hurt.
When I was a boy I witnessed a schoolyard bully, a very large boy, holding court in the yard and taunting a much smaller boy with insults, even pushing the boy hard. What did the smaller boy do? He stood his ground and swung a well-aimed punch that landed right on the bully's nose. It stunned him - he wasn't expecting that at all - and immediately backed down. This happened over 60 years ago and I remember it as if it happened yesterday.
Yes, you'll get muddy if you wrestle a pig. But sometimes you just have to get down in the mud pit and take a stand. As Jim Thorpe once told his football coach when he was asked why he sometimes charged through a defensive line rather than running around it: "Sometimes, you just have to sting 'em, Coach."
6
Understand the psychology at work here: vilify those that carry the torch for a true democracy by attacking their leadership. Then let that tainted leadership 'accusation' be cast across all the staffers. This is a Greek tragedy playing out before our eyes.
All the right things are being said about the president by those who love our democracy and the Republicans - who may believe the same - don't have to say a word.
Then later, if anything blows-up, the Republicans can say, "hey, you were told and you didn't do anything about it!" That's right, the truth is out there and the Republicans didn't have to get dirty.
The GOP is in wait-and-see mode because they want to get through the mid-terms without hurting their political base. Party over country.
Anyone that does not vote is complicit.
1
The Republicans have no shame, no limits to their willful ignorance and no impetus to turn off the money faucet for themselves and their handlers. The answer is to flip the legislative branch to Democratic. Perfect? No, but like it or not we have a two-party system. Those at either extreme of the political spectrum err when their zeal allows perfection to become the enemy of the doable good.
5
To Americans who voted for this atrocity for whatever reason, be it "he's not a politician" or not being able to stomach a Clinton Restoration, one hopes that you are sufficiently outraged to restore a check to the unfolding tragedy. Perhaps you voted so only because you think his judiciary will overturn Roe v. Wade. (That will never happen. The last thing the GOP wants is to awaken that sleeping giant. You have been rolled.) It is time to oust the congress that is acting like loyal servants in a parliamentary democracy. And the legions of Republicans who are watching this play out are nothing less than immoral, if that word means anything anymore.
6
The Apostles Creed warns about sins of commission AND those of omission, adding "there is no health in me."
In the Republican Party we have all three manifest in greed and cowardice.
2
RE: "the G.O.P. could take action to protect democracy."
The GOP wouldn't do so because, as it's actions have so remarkably demonstrated, they don't care about Democracy. They only care to be in power.
This is evidenced in so many ways. There is obvious in-your-face gerrymandering. There are underhanded election tactics and convicted fraud. There is the refusal by GOP leadership in the House and Senate to fulfill constitutional obligations.
The GOP has gone beyond "elections have consequences", "hard ball politics" and "they both do it" to something that is not only corrosive to our democracy but threatens it and our way of life all the while claiming to protect our freedom.
7
We voters are helpless now to do anything about this failure of the Republican leaders and members of Congress to protect and defend the Constitution against Donald Trump's many abuses.
But our time to act will come in the forthcoming political primaries and the mid-term elections. Then, we can turn control of Congress to the Democrats and begin the process of purging our government of the worst President in our history.
This pig and his brood may like today's muddy chaos, but they are certain to hate what comes next when Justice is rendered by an outraged nation.
3
The most frightening thing will be the reaction of the unpatriotic Trump supporters who will take the whole "Trump's been framed" conspiracy and run with it. I'm sure Fox News is probably already all over it.
The title is wrong. It should be "The right people aren't criticizing Donald Trump"
1
Leaving the Russian Question out of this discussion as to Trump’s fitness to occupy such an esteemed office, we need look no further than his denigrating actions and words regarding women, minorities, people most in need along with his locker-room gloating public vulgarity. These, in conjunction with his needy ego which is the main focus of his presidency, are reason enough to regard him as a poor example of the dignity and example that our country deserves in our leader. Our children will continue to pay the price of the devastation and destruction of the principles upon which our nation is built.
1
Congressional Republicans will not criticize Trump for one single reason - the forty percent of voters who are still in lockstep with him. Their support remains rock solid, some fifteen months into one of the most disastrous presidencies in our nation's history. Trump knows this and his supporters know this. And as long as he's in office, they'll never leave his side. There is no depth to which he may fall in his conduct or behavior that would persuade them to leave him. None.
And why would they continue to support such a man? Because he is a reflection of who they are -- bigoted, ignorant, xenophobic people who want to lay blame on everyone else but themselves for their own problems.
So we really don't need a column calling out Congressional Republicans. What we really need to see are columns calling out Trump voters, because without them, Trump would not be where he is, more than one year on. Congress would have started impeachment proceedings had his poll numbers started to tank. It's time to take the gloves off when talking about Trump voters. They are the worst among us. They are bigoted, willfully ignorant people who have no problem with trashing our country and its international standing. They're proud of Trump's worst traits -- their traits, too. And it is clear that their views will never change.
So spare the criticism of Congress. It is Trump voters who need to be called out for the damage they've done to this country - every single one of them.
7
But what if the bully is the liberal press, still shocked and dazed by an election they thought they had in the bag ?
What if it is the liberal press that did not give Trump one moment of respite, what happened to the traditional honeymoon period all incoming Presidents receive.
Who would have thought that the former President would travel overseas and criticize the current President. Who would have thought the past presidential nominee of the losing party would travel overseas and belittle half the vote rs of the opposition party, overseas, come on now, let's get real the Democrats have been horrible to this administration.
Not only horrible in acts but harmful to our country in general.
Yes, NYTimes, the press can be the bully also. So don't think all of us are gullible enough to buy your bias and hurtful action. Your New York and West Coast fans may believe it but those of us who have been around the block realize how badly our country has been injured by the bias of the media.
Your editors and writers wear the stain of deceit.
2
@Meg . . . I think your observation is very insightful and something all should ponder.
No need to wait for the these dreary soulless men to step forward.
I think Melania Trump should totally occupy Trump Tower. Turn the huge grotesque apartment where she lives into a sanctuary for a family of immigrants who are the target of her husband's wraith. She should open up the space for meetings of Black Lives Matter as well as to be a crash pad for students coming to the city to rock the foundations of abusive murderous patriarchal power. There will be women's groups and celebrations as each new letter is added to the list of those searching and discovering their sexual selves. Trump Tower need not be an ugly blight on the city. It can become a pulsating center of life emerging from the wasteland of power, greed and violence. And she herself can be transformed in the process into someone greatly admired and loved.
Yes, they are covered in mud and yes, the pig likes it.
The same can be said about editorial boards and "news" vendors across the country. You fall over yourselves to comment on every venal tweet that comes out of the man in the oval office. Meanwhile real news winds up on page 9.
Perhaps if you were to follow your own advise you could stop feeding the beast.
This is one of the most absurd commentaries I've ever read. After his dismissal one of the things Andrew McCabe said was that he had suffered an entire year long campaign of insults and smears to his reputation from President Donald Trump without being able to respond, because he felt professionally obligated to appear above the fray. Now that he's under no such obligation and can speak in response to Trump's smears, here's the New York Times telling him that he should have continued to stay silent because now he seems "biased".
Yes, condemnation of the increasingly obvious crimes and corruption of the Trump Administration should be coming from Republicans in Congress, and their refusal to do so will go down as one of the most shameful stories in our history. However it should be coming from all citizens, including James Comey and Andrew McCabe. The NYT "warning" them that they appear too biased and should remain silent is a sad surrender to conservative framing, but then the NYT has been surrendering to that a lot lately.
5
Trump presents an unprecedented threat to our country. EVERYONE needs to speak out against his efforts to undermine our republic.
2
This comes as no surprise since the Republicans have shown no backbone throughout the entire Trump spectacle dating from the launch of his candidacy. They sacrificed our nation's standing, their own integrity and that of their party over a loud mouthed bully with a Twitter account. Why expect change now?
What's interesting is how Trump is ramping up his defense team despite increasing proclamations of his innocence. Clearly he is fearful that
Mr. Meuller is onto something that will soon mute those claims.
1
The wrong people criticize because everyone is scared. Either they think they will lose something or they're basically just scared of confrontation. Such cowardice sadly crept into American society a decade or two ago. In this instance, though, with the Republicans, I think they might be losing their only chance of being reelected. If a few Republicans stood up like short-timer Flake has done, they actually might preserve their seats, because they are many Republican voters desperate to vote along their lifelong ticket, but won't because of Trump. So, Republicans, show us exactly how brave you really are, and not just how brave you portray yourselves to be.
Yes, "Republicans should be pushing back on Mr. Trump," but they will not do so. Now or ever. They are, each one, so afraid of irritating this irrational occupant of the Oval Office and becoming the subject of his childish, Fox News-driven, early morning tweets - thus becoming the enemy of his low-information subjects - and, of course, of losing their cushy government jobs and perks, that they will never, ever say anything of substance.
The low-intellect-low-information-do-not-give-me-details childish bully we elected will continue "maraud across our American democracy." We and what is left of our democracy and world respect are in trouble and there is nothing we, the choir, can do about it...except start looking for a new church.
2
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” —Edmund Burke
While it may seem that those such as John Brennan should stay out of the political fray, it is far more important that any honorable, respected person with a wide enough audience speak out.
Trump is corrupt and abusing his position of power. He is profiting by being president. He has turned the highest office in the land into a joke. He is a wannabe dictator installing unqualified family and friends in positions of power in our government. There is no place for that in the USA. The Republicans in Congress are doing little to nothing, so I appreciate those who care about our country enough to speak out whoever they are. It may make the difference that lets us keep our Republic in the long run.
2
I believe it was Abraham Lincoln who said: To stand in silence when they should be protesting makes cowards of men.
You don’t cower from a bully, you aim back at their proverbial nose. If only more spoke up in Germany in the 30’s.
3
Time for Graham, Flake, McCain and Collins to put country above party, become Independents, caucus with the Democrats, and thriow MCcConnell out. Until they actually act, they are all just empty suits.
Trump is right. Both Comey and McCabe have committed crimes and they need to be held accountable, as does Hillary Clinton. Trump fired Comey for good reason and the FBI fired McCabe for similar reasons. They were untruthful under oath and as the FBI's office of Professional Responsibility said in recommending McCabe be fired, "‘all FBI employees know that lacking candor under oath results in dismissal and that our integrity is our brand.’
The Obama/Comey FBI was a rats' nest of political intrigue during and after the last election. It's now being cleaned up.
A response of silence is the only clever response to this manipulative mad man, particularly because not providing any response not only angers him further because he hates being ignored. Certainly preserving the integrity of their ability to bear witness against this mad man is primary.
"Meanwhile, Mr. Comey, Mr. McCabe and the others who face Mr. Trump’s taunts and provocations should remember the old warning about wrestling a pig. You only get covered in mud — and, besides, the pig likes it."
Sound advice to Messrs Comey and McCabe. Brennan too. You've all done your service to King and Country. Now others need to step up. Until they do, let the pig (with his tiny fingers) play with himself.
I don't think it's so much that the people you wish would criticize the President are unnaturally restraining themselves, as much as they just simply don't hate him like you do. Hate is a strong, destructive emotion and it must be embellished by the holder in order to have power. By high-fiving each other on pages like this for the last 18months you have given it that power. Don't blame the rest of us for ignoring you.
I am thankful that at least some people do speak out.
If only it was as simple as wrestling a pig. Because as we know, the pig eventually gets caught, and eaten. The men who wrestled it, normally, would just wash the mud off. No harm there.
If you think about it, this editorial should have been about the people who are not speaking out. Our elected officials, who we've put in charge of our country. They are a bunch of spineless, gutless creatures. It's really heartbreaking to see that these men and women who are our legislators lack the basic courage to stand up to a bully like Trump. They also lack the courage to stand up to the NRA.
I am also thankful our next generation seem to have the quality of courage in abundance. I am speaking of the students from Parkland. Our legislators are not even fit to hold a candle in their presence.
The only ones who dare to speak out are the ones not running for re-election. How ironic is it to hear Trey Gowdie finally speak up? But he is leaving Congress. Same with Senator Flake and so on. If the only way they can find courage is when they are no longer legislators, I say we should help them get to that point fast. Let's vote them out!
1
McCabe’s firing is related to the Hillary Clinton investigation, not the Russian investigation. During a probe requested by congressional Democrats, the Justice Department’s Inspector General found allegations of misconduct by McCabe in his handling of the Hillary Clinton investigation. The IG forwarded it findings to the FBI’s Office of Professional Responsibility. Both the IG and OPR concluded that McCabe “lacked candor” when he testified under oath about the Clinton investigation. Both the IG and OPR—not Donald Trump—recommended that McCabe be fired. “Lack of candor” is a euphemism for lying. The FBI bring criminal charges against individuals who lie to its agents; so McCabe got off lightly. People should wait for the IG report to be made public before assigning McCabe martyrdom status.
1
“Moral results can only be obtained through moral restraints.”
— Mohandas Gandhi
Editorial Board: you have recently given space to a Trump double downer and a kid that loves guns. Are you still seeking common grounds with the heart of darkness? Your editorial suggests you are not aware of what is happening to our nation. Why?
Note to Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan...what will your grandchildren think of you when they read historical accounts of your complicity and lack of integrity? How will you defend your lack of honor?
It's much about moving money around the Beltway... and protecting our way of life.
The other component in "protecting our way of life" is the competition for the resources that support existing and emerging technologies. So before the flaming liberal leadership gets too heady about Mr Putin's suppression of homosexual or transgender rights, examine where the majority of iridium and palladium are found.
Then perhaps one will better understand that our businessman of a President has it right by keeping his friends close and his enemies closer.
And dear sheeple, it's money not Kumbayah makes the (square) world go round.
Your lead-in line's right up there with...
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/13/hillary-clinton-without-comey-letter-i-w...
"...Hillary Clinton opens up about President Trump's firing of former FBI director James Comey, telling NBC's "TODAY" show "he was fired for the wrong reason...
As far as Republicans who've spoken out - the usual talking heads...
With one exception...
Like Trey Gowdy as much as I liked Sam Ervin...
But - apparently - John Grisham wants his truer-than-life and better-than-we-currently-deserve protagonist back South...
To paraphrase my other favorite wild-haired Joker regarding life inside the beltway...
"...Decent people shouldn't work here - they'd be happier somewhere else...
Perhaps the GOP can gerrymander me into the 4th SC district...
When Grisham's writing the story - anything is possible...
1
Aww, don't pick on those nice smiling Republicans.
Patriots, do-gooders, the compassionate, the nurturing, the well intentioned, get some leeway (at the very least!).
Wait a minute. Republicans aren't any of those things. You know what: go ahead. Pillory them.
1
Rubbish. Of course they should speak out. They are respected members of our society even if Trump doesn't treat them that way and it's good for the public to hear them speak truth to power. Nothing, apparently, is going to change the venal, corrupt silence of the Republicans anyway.
I see the Republican majority congress, specifically its leaders, as being complicit of Donald Trump's reckless, immoral and illegal behavior. The only one's that dare show a spine are those who plan to retire at the end of their term. The rest are gutless rubes and have no business being in an elected role.
Human survival on this planet has now become a battle between two systems of thought and governance; one the American now under President Trump and the Republican Party in combination with a form of Evangelical Christianity based on Western Neo-Liberalism and the other the Chinese under Premier Xi Jinping based on a restating of Marxist Socialism in combination with a form of Confucianism. The implications for the future of human civilization are profound. In competition with the American are 1.388 billion Chinese citizens as well as those in Asian nations outside of China. Additionally there are the so called “Belt and Road Initiative” nations. As this battle of ideas is unfolding, globally American power militarily and by extension its “Western” value system is diminishing. One reason is that the American Neo-Liberal system of belief gives full rein to the dark neurotic psychotic side of the human impulse. That impulse is in a sense driven by narcissism. Also, it has the force of religious belief. A serious drawback is that it is ethically problematic. Those who adhere become blinded to the suffering of the downtrodden. That includes the suffering that will follow as we continue to do ecological harm to our planet. At the other end of the spectrum is the Chinese form of thought which on the surface would appear to counteract the American human weaknesses. It does not look good for the future of the American nation.
www.InquiryAbraham.com
1
“When the full extent of your venality, moral turpitude, and political corruption becomes known, you will take your rightful place as a disgraced demagogue in the dustbin of history.” [John Brennan]
In the mean time, flipping the majorities in the U.S. Congress and a few, if not a slew, of state legislatures and governor's mansion's this November would go a long way towards limiting the damage that could be wrought in the interim.
Of course you are referencing a Democracy in your article. Unfortunately America is now divided between a coral of citizen/cattle circumscribed by gerrymandered fences vs a bunch of mean spirited ranch hand/donors.
And the donors seem to have all the phone lines into the party in office.
25
When this all comes t light that is that this investigation is completed and the Trumpster is removed and or resigns. All the GOP leaders and supports should be held accountable by being voted out of office as they have been in dereliction of duty. This should never happen again in our lifetimes.
35
Problem is that the deplorables like what Trump and the repubs are doing. They are not true Americans so do not care if their representatives are not obeying their oath to uphold the Constitution. Republicans are simply not Americans any longer.
Norman Ornstein and Thomas Mann wrote an outstanding book several years ago called "The Broken Branch." It was spot on. The GOP is ceding its duties as one of the three branches of government. And as the authors titled their next book, 'It's Even Worse Than It Looks." All members of Congress need to read these excellent political science tomes. Otherwise, why does Congress exist?
13
Repubs don't care about constitutionality. All they care about is maintaining their power. Nothing else matters. They gave up being Americans many dedades ago, so don't really care about silly things like the Constitution.
Since the right people, Congressional Republicans, aren't criticizing Donald Trump, then it's perfectly correct for those he is vilifying to speak on their own behalf.
And why shouldn't they speak truth to power especially when the power is a liar, grifter and thug? Let these men also speak on our behalf since elected representatives remain silent and are willing to place political party over country. They too are as vile as Donald Trump, and perhaps even traitors.
22
A porn star gets 130k to keep a secret and a Deputy Director at the FBI gets his pension docked for speaking the truth.
Our grandkids will never believe it.
37
So should a top law enforcement agent not be punished for lying? What should his punishment be?
2
Are you referring to the top cop, Jeff Sessions, and his consistent lying to Congress? YES. He should be punished.
2
The only "top law enforcement agent" who has, on record, lied, is Jeff Sessions. He should probably get a federal prison cell next to Trump.
2
President Trump was enabled by the Republican Party. It is not too much of a stretch to see that they have a stake in defending him.
10
They should be defending the constitution and our democracy, as they were elected to do. Right now, defending a president who has ridden all over both is indefensible.
It goes without saying that President Trump leaves much to be desired personally and professionally, but it is discouraging to see his opponents use the institutions of his own government against him, particularly a highly politicized FBI. The constant state of internecine warfare that characterizes our government lately (the last 20 yearsor so) weakens us in the world and empowers our enemies.
They're sneaky about it, too, what with Comey, McCabe and Mueller all being Republicans.
The reason they are using the instruments of government against him is because he is utterly corrupt and already known to be doing illegalities (such as profiting off his position - proven fact already). It is proper to use government law enforcement to take down a corrupt president. That is how it is supposed to work. Your claim is just proof you don't wish to uphold the constitution.
The FBI is not politicized. It just gathers facts and gives the facts to the justice department. Nothing more. Too bad you think facts are "political."
It becomes a lot easier to understand the behavior of Mitch McConnell and the GOP leadership and strategists when you recognize that they are firm in their conviction that they are absolutely immune to electoral consequences.
They are willing to countenance a scenario in which Trump fires Mueller while they themselves stand by (yes, the "usual suspects" will squawk a bit but no action will be taken) and then face the electorate in November. By any rational political calculus, this Thelma & Louise drive over the cliff can't end well. Why then have they joined hands and hit the gas?
For the most plausible answer, look to how we continue to count our votes: in the partisan, proprietary, pitch-dark of cyberspace. Concealed, computerized vote counting has been the talisman of the Right, the GOP's rabbit's foot. With it swinging from the rear-view mirror, they have every good reason to believe their car can fly.
13
Brilliant. Do not forget how the CEO of Diebold, the voting machine manufacturer, said he would deliver the 2004 election to Dubya (remember when poor ol' W was the worse president we ever had?) Remember that the exit polls and the election results in certain states and counties differed wildly in 2004 FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER? Remember how no poll showed Trump winning or even competing in 2016? Have all our tried and true polling methods suddenly become suspect or is someone tampering with our votes? You make the call....
1
GOP, please pass a law to prevent the firing of Mr. Mueller. Hopefully such legislation will halt (or at least temper this senseless tweeting.) Let the investigation conclude that the Trump campaign is completely innocent -- as the president contends -- or not.
9
C'mon Dems!
We are already standing knee deep in his filth.
Put on the hip waders and stride into the muck.
We can get clean after the pig is spitted and the apple is firmly implanted!
The fall back and MO is self aggrandizing and going high when they hit low.
And that has gotten us....???!!!!???!!!!
Come out swinging and take your country BACK!
17
"Meanwhile, Mr. Comey, Mr. McCabe and the others who face Mr. Trump’s taunts and provocations should remember the old warning about wrestling a pig. You only get covered in mud — and, besides, the pig likes it."
***************
Trump has bragged about how he likes chaos, how he likes having people at each other's throats supposedly to hear different versions of an issue. But since this has always been his way of acting, and the history of bad decisions and bankruptcies and attempts at destroying reputations does give ample proof that "the pig likes it" when anyone is provoked enough to get into the mire with him.,
The more Trump goes after Mueller, the more he hires lawyers that make absurd accusations, one has to wonder WHY. If he isn't guilty of something, they why struggle so hard, so viciously to prevent the truth coming out?
12
"Even better, they should pass legislation protecting Mr. Mueller from being fired without good cause."
Um... if they did, who would have to sign it into law, and do you seriously think that person would?...
3
Congressional veto-override.
You can override a veto if you have the votes.....
For heaven's sake! What a mealy mouth column. At what point does the public and those unjustly attacked have a right to respond to calumnious and mendacious attacks by this pretend president? Are we to continually turn the other cheek when the branch of the government, whose constitutional duty requires it to act as a constraint, refuses to do its duty? At what point is enough, enough?
21
Oh, wow, how well said. Thanks a lot for this.
Look folks. this man has a long history of being super retaliatory.
He has stooped to conquer sp many times and everone knows.
Let's face it the GOPers are shills for his con because they fear him.
Despot tyrants in the making grind little fish down to convince the bigger fish they mean business.
And with rughead it's all mean business. The GOP knows that and only hope to survive.
They will be found to be guilty as acomplices in November and it will be new game on.
21
What this editorial opinion is missing is that there are consequences to letting a tyrant expand his power unchecked, including his power to injure others materially or verbally with tweets calculated to tear down their reputations. Trump is using powerful propaganda techniques to induce in the public distrust, contempt and fear of the only agencies and the only investigator capable of defending the country from Trump. Hitler said that a lie told often enough will be believed, especially a big lie, and he proved his point. When allegations in the public forum are not refuted, they are believed by much of the public. I don't think we can afford to have Trump's smear campaign galloping along while the victims remain silent. And I wonder why in the world the NYT would think that Comey, McCabe and Brennan pushing back against the false claims made about them personally, or about the organization they worked for, would in any way derogate the credibility of these men as witnesses. On what basis? Is Mueller going to have any less interest in the facts because they tweeted? I don't think so. It's a long way til Mueller's report, and the Republican Congress is not going to respond to anyone's pleas. I, as an American citizen, am comforted that people on the inside who know much about the events that have taken place behind the scenes, are at least letting us know where they stand. That's all they have done, and I applaud it.
35
Call, write, email, text Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell...Flood them with complaints. Even if they are not your representative, as Speaker of House and Majority Leader they must accept messages from all congressional districts.
Yes, where moral outrage should be prevalent there is silence. In that silence, GOP members provide an example of adaptation in nature. When London's atmosphere was polluted, the moths more frequently picked off tree trunks by birds were light in color, easier targets against the sooty bark. When Londoners cleaned up their air, and trees became cleaner, darker moths topped the menu for birds. The moth survivors bred, like from like. For generations, since the push-back against school integration and the demands of African Americans for civil rights, Republicans have adapted to the wishes of traditionally dominant voters. The humanity of the GOP was bred nearly to extinction. The Party game of “hunt the RINOs” further “purified” the membership. Spines are made of gelatin, and guts are for purely digestive functions and are full. And with all that, faux philosophers explain why the rights of one person, the “individual,” are more important than the rights of two people or of two million people. The mythical American individual trumps the mob.
7
It has began. The level of deceit at "deep-state" Department of Justice and all of the initialed agencies will be staggering when it is all uncovered.
3
The republicans went on a retreat. They wanted everyone on the same page. What did they do to get the loyalty? Or is it like getting beat out of a gang?
3
Your noble assertion that one should not wrestle with a pig would make more sense if you and others in the media would give Trump’s demagogic pronouncements and gloating less attention. Are Brennan, McCabe, other admirable public servants supposed to sit still in the face of Trump’s constant scurrilous lies? In view of his obvious obstruction of justice, it is high time that he was removed from office.
15
Again, McCabe was fired for being dishonest (see lying) to the Feds. So let's be careful here, the attorney general received a recommendation from career officers at the agency itself which is extremely rare to have him terminated. So pretty sure this is justified many reasons to go after Trump not sure if McCabe is the right example here.
Perhaps the "bully" is our corporate media? Ex parte news is the rule, not the exception. Personnally, I prefer believable facts.
2
With a few exceptions, Republicans in Congress are spineless political hacks. Their leaders, McConnell and Ryan are, because of their positions, the worst of all. Both of these useless individuals know that Trump is a disaster, but they don't have the guts to say it. The worry about keeping their jobs without a care for the country and its people. Why are they in office? Clearly, they care about nobody but themselves.
17
Agreed.
Congress: it is quite simple, if you want the US to be more than a Soviet satellite, if you love your country, you will pass a law to protect Robert Mueller III's investigation.
12
If the republicans who control the majority had a shred of decency or an ounce of loyalty, they'd have removed Trump by now. We must judge people by their actions and the republican failure to remedy this crisis is tantamount to complicity with Trump.
How would we judge a cop who stood by quietly and allowed crimes to be repeatedly committed? The repubs are no better. They have a sworn duty to this country and by any reckoning, they have failed miserably.
But the repubs are not done wrecking this country. They are well aware that the midterms will wrest control away from them so even while Trump continues his aimless carnage of long term relationships with allies and gross mismanagement of all aspects of administration, the Rs are preparing another tax giveaway. My guess is they believe they have nothing to lose so go for the Hail Mary pass.
Despicable, utterly despicable.
4
The GOP does not respond because they are cut from the same cloth: a hatred for inclusiveness and a complete and utter greed
People ask why they don’t try to be reasonable and rein in the crazy tin hat dictator. How can they? They believe what he believes but they aren’t as rude. They think what he thinks but they don’t bother saying it.
This is what their clan wants and what they vote for each and every time.
7
Spot on, NYT. While most of us reject the existence of a "deep state" that works behind the scenes to frustrate the will of the people, it got harder to defend our position over the weekend. When the people who ran our vast and powerful law enforcement agencies are promising big reveals that will bring down a President, they sure sound like members of the deep state. Law enforcement MUST, as you say, remain "above the fray" or else we're all in trouble.
4
Who stands for Truth and Justice? The New York Times and the Washington Post? What would happen if Trump ordered federal law enforcement to close them down? Probably no one, since cowardice runs deep in the American body politic today. Right now the premier news outlets in the United States, through drips and drabs, released information concerning Trump's mendacity, but look how long it took to reach that point. Trump lies on a scale never seen before in our politics. How long did it take for them to call a lie a lie? Trump attacks the media as purveyors of fake news. He wages personal vendettas against individual Americans, something we have never seen before. Now I ask, who stands up to Trump? The New York Times editorial board? I don't think so. There are no Edward R. Murrows there that are willing to draw the line in the sand and say enough and defend truth, justice, and the American way, other than the men deliberately attacked by Trump on a daily basis. What happened to Andrew McCabe could happen to all of us. Who then would have the intestinal fortitude to counter Trump? That's the $24,000 dollar question.
6
Stormy Daniels may be our only savior... that is if the crowd fund can cover her legal obligations.
Let's see, worst case scenario...$20 million? Why that's pocket change for a handful of billionaires who are also flush with a few extra million from Trump's tax cuts for the rich.
1
It is reprehensible the Republicans will not confront Trump whatsoever. I have figured out their calculus. Let the Mueller investigation proceed. If Mueller finds Trump guilty of something, the Republicans can all yell "We knew there was something nefarious going on ". If Trump is exonerated, they can just walk away, saying absolutely nothing and their political souls are left untarnished. In other words, Republicans are spineless people. They are willing to let Mueller do the dirty work for them. And, in their view, they come out smelling like a rose. No matter what happens. It's the McConnell way: be a snake in the grass. So you are not seen or heard. But you are still reviled.
1
As they say when something doesn't make sense, follow the money.
It's always about money. And millions are flowing freely from the billionaires. The GOP fulfilled their promise, so is the receiving HUGE campaign donations from those new tax cuts for the rich.
The billionaires want their GOP (Greedy Old Party) to stay in power and will do ANYTHING including finance any activity legal or not (Mercer & Cambridge Analytica) to do so.
Nice try, but these feckless upholders of the White/Christian hegemony, corporate greed and economic inequality won't budge until they are drowned in a wave election. They've received too much money from the elites to betray the hand that feeds them. Sad to watch such an obvious drama unfold; our only power is at the ballot box. Vote.
5
It is so disturbing that so many people are willing to express such intense criticism when the actual facts gathered by the Inspector General and the Office of Personal Responsibility have not yet been released to the public. This takes the Editorial Board down a few pegs in my view.
It is also disturbing that left leaning folks want to prevent any government employee from ever getting fired. Obama wrote the book on how to reward bad actors in government (Lois Learner, probably Eric Holder, and Loretta Lynch, et al).
Doesn't that just send a message that it is okay to act in any way you choose without regard to your job responsibilities or even the law?
3
Wishing won't make is so. The GOP has it's full display of political cowardice there for all to see. The one and only thing to which they will pay any attention, will be the results of the 2018 midterms.
Trump is doing their bidding and they are loathe to criticize him. Flake, Corker, and McCain may occasionally speak out against him, but they vote in lockstep with his policies.
2
I agree entirely with the characterizations of Trump and the Republicans, but have genuine sympathy for those, like Andrew McCabe, who are forcefully speaking out against the President. Robert Mueller is being far too deferential to a blatantly corrupt President who has openly obstructed justice. Sending the President's lawyers the questions Mueller and his team want to ask him is ridiculous. Mueller needs to send a subpoena to the White House immediately, requiring Trump to testify before the Grand Jury in this matter. He needs to do it now. Then let the litigation begin and let it rise to the Supreme Court, again like in the Nixon era, and we can all then finally enjoy a little bit of justice when the decision is that the President, in fact, must appear before the Grand Jury and give his testimony. Mueller is wrestling with a pig as well, yet doesn't seem to know it.
1
I've thought it all along that if people, including the Times, would give Trump the silent treatment, his outbursts would get more frequent and more delusional. His MO is to create discord. If no one responds, he is a lone, crazy voice. His ego can take being ignored. Leave him alone and he will do himself in. Give him a week, maybe two. Just try it.
You can do a full recap and fulfill your obligation of reporting later. Better yet, announce that you are doing it. He won't be able to control himself.
3
I disagree. Trump's insanity should be front and center headline news. GOPers need to be reminded of, and required to stomach, this nightmare they are supporting as president.
There are nuggets proving obstruction of justice in those rambling rants. They will all be part of the evidence in the final case against Trump and others.
So many readers’ comments urge people to vote in November. Nothing is more important than voting. But I worry sycophant republicans and immoral erratic Trump will rig the elections. Nothing I’ve seen in these unethical people gives me any confidence in an honest election. I detest them.
4
If Russia has the capability, as reported, of taking out our entire power grid, manipulating our electronic voting systems is a piece of cake.
We re now -- rightfully -- cheering someone like Trey Gowdy for his moral leadership. OMG, what have we come to, what have we descended to, for this to be true?
2
I can't expect congressional trumpicans to say much beyond the
pathetic murmurs of discontent uttered by people such as
graham or ryan. Some have elections to finance, and we all
know how much money they'd not be able to pocket if they
actually said anything that their minister would be more than willing
to say for them, if only he were asked.
But I really wish some group of
senior republicans with gravitas (Romney? Schultz? Baker? McCain? a group of
former corporate titans?) would publicly and in no uncertain terms remind tweeter in chief that he has bought all this suspicion upon himself by his
complete and absolute refusal, even to this day, to publish his tax filings, from which most of the doubt that he's acting in the country's best interests springs.
Tens of millions of doubters have more than good reason to believe
that he has profited handsomely from the laundering of oligarch
and other Russian mafia money. His bending over backwards
when it comes to any outrage of the reelected despot of Russia could
be plausibly explained by identifying the list of probable
launderers once his credit lines justifiably dried up from the fourth bankruptcy.
But since this list is not forthcoming the deep skepticism this created
inevitably led to Meuller's appointment.
It would really help the country to think clearly about the current morass if this point were clearly made by such senior figures who do not have to worry about financing an election campaign.
2
The only solace that keeps my sanity intact in these turbulent times is this:
That I'm watching a Mad Max movie where Donald Trump, the bully with the largest motorcycle, is leading his band of evangelicals, oligarchs, NRA-fans, and the dim-witted deplorables into complete and thorough destruction of a whole nation; however, in the last fifteen minutes, the rebels against the evil will succeed and the Truth Will Out.
Popcorn, please!
1
Billy Bob Clinton called Special Council Ken Starr's investigation a "witch hunt" and "a vast right wing conspiracy". Sound familiar? It was. A blue dress with no connection to any of the original so-called charges caused the impeachment of a President. While Rome burned. Memos. Grand juries. Indictments. Cover-ups. Sound familiar? Tricky Dick. Yup. Rome burned. What has it all gotten the American people? Not so much. Lots of lawyer hours and media pundits cashing in. Book deals. Movies. It's all rich. For the few. Sound familiar? Meanwhile. Rome still burning.
2
There are more than one pig (in the White House) the GOP leaders who remain silent are implicitly join the mud fight, dismantling our institions, discrediting honorable public servants.
2
But the pig had already submerged McCabe in the mud. McCabe was stoically silent for as long as Trump started to attack him and, Sessions is repented for recusing himself from the Russian investigation.
As it permeates from your article, the loudest are not the victims of Trump's provocations but the silence of the GOP that enables the pig wrestling.
Not only does the pig like it, he's got no bottom to how low he'll go. People like McCabe may defend themselves but their inner moral compass and sense of integrity leaves them at a disadvantage when grappling with the apprentice of Roy Cohn, who perceives no limits when it comes to dirty infighting. No lie is too big or too far-fetched, no innuendo too nasty, and no tactic too repugnant to be used. Our system of checks and balances was predicated on people having some sense of civic responsibility and shame, and it's buckling without those. Republicans are sadly willing to enable the degrading of our democracy to stay in power. Voters will remember in November.
1
Excellent article. The cowardice of Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan in the face of the threat to America just illustrates how morally bankrupt these two leaders of Congress really are. But I can understand why someone without a moral weathervane would act this way. A close look at the poles shows Trump's popularity not slipping at all. He still stands at 42% of expected voters. They are trying to hide until Trump does himself in. By remaining aloof, they will stay in the good graces of this GOP base. They have created this grotesque Republican electorate through the last few decades, and they have to play along with it. When Trump goes down, they can step forward as saviors of the GOP without having turned on one of their own. Loyalty to the GOP is as important to their base is as important as it is to Trump. Moral judgement and loyalty to America means nothing to them. Everything is party.
We are the frog in the pot of water. The Founding Fathers were very aware - over 200 years ago - of the tyranny of the majority. Madison was very clear about this. 40% of the people don't care enough to vote, and lots of those who do vote get their information from either talking heads on TV that exploit confirmation bias, or, as God is my witness, Facebook. There is an old adage that people get the leaders they deserve. It has never been truer than now. And to expect the GOP to act in any organized way about Trump is nonsensical. They don't even act that way about routine the governmental affairs they were elected, and paid, to do. Let's hope the next demagogue we elect (and we will elect another cartoon character) is as dumb as Trump, or we are in real trouble. Posit what we would be looking at right now if Cruz had won in 2016, because it is very likely we will do worse in 2020. The NYT should spend more time reporting on the corrosive impact money in elections, the outright sale of our governing bodies to the highest bidder, and the blatant transfer of tax money to the richest among us. Instead you waste your resources on the titillating details of a known philanderer, womanizer, and common thief. Trump will pass, one way or the other. But what will be left??
Just because former intelligence officials (Brennan, Comey, etc) hit back at Trump does not prove that they are out to get him. Their disdain of him has merit. One, Muellers investigation has so far been productive in discovery of criminals in his campaign. Secondly, Trump is attacking their institution, a ploy obviously meant to obstruct. Any Trump reference to how honorable the rank and file is will not sway the rank and file: this is an attack on them too. Part of his deep state paranoia should include those civil servants, because like their management, will see Trump for who he is.
1
Unfortunately, a large percentage of the GOP seems to actually believe the crazy "deep state" conspiracy theories and fake news found in places like Breitbart, Newsmax and Fox. To these people, the entire Obama administration is still seen as a criminal conspiracy that continues to pull the strings behind the scenes.
1
Trump will likely fire Mueller by summer and will definitely start some kind of a war before the November elections. The GOP Congress and other Trump Cult followers will eat it up.
1
Lawyers with innocent clients routinely protest their clients innocent, and they routinely ask for charges to be dropped. Muller has a history of prosecuting the wrong suspects. As the Los Angeles Times has noted, “Mueller has a record that shows a man of fallible judgment who can be slow to alter his chosen course. . . And his tenacious yet linear approach to evaluating evidence led him to fumble the biggest U.S. terrorism investigation since 9/11.” As FBI director, Muller personally led a seven-year investigation that focused on an Army virologist he wrongfully accused of mailing letters containing anthrax spores to news media outlets and congressmen, killing five people. The virologist, whose name was leaked to the news media after Muller assured Congress in a closed-door hearing that the virologist was guilty, successfully sued the FBI for $5 million when new evidence led to the actual culprit.
http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-mueller-record-20171122-story....
Mr McCabe has been accused of lying, or 'not enough candor' about some of his statements. This opinion piece doesn't refute this. So what is the journalistic valor of this piece? If Mr McCabe lied than that is the reason why is has been fired. Not President Trump being a bully. Why does the NYT does not address the accusations against Mr McCabe? It is the most important part of the story.
It is quite clear that the GOP will not speak out against Trump for 2 reasons: 1) they fear Trump's base of voters; 2) they have been instructed by their corporate bosses / wealthy donors not to do so-- as yet. Group #2 overrules #1 in this scenario. When the money boys instruct Mc Connell and Ryan to dump Trump, that's when impeachment will happen, and not until then. The GOP, again as is most obvious, abandoned the constitution and the rule of law ages ago. Thus the "corporatocracy" we live in, with its attendant lip-service to "democratic values" and "ethics.". Globalization is an efficient creator of tinpot dictators.
Perhaps Mitch McConnell will speak out when his wife gets fired by Trump....and maybe that's why he isn't speaking out. If he did, then she would have to go, and it would affect his/her retirement pay. It is a conundrum for him. As for Paul Ryan, he is a milquetoast hiding behind a façade of being a "wonk". The other rank-and-file GOP congressmen act like cowards...maybe an exception can be made for a few, but so far no one has seemed to take up the mantle of protecting the US and its Constitution.
I don't agree with this opinion piece at all. Taking the high road and not fighting back might work in the movies but not in real life. In reality, if a lie is repeated often enough people exposed to it start believing it is the truth. After all, perception is reality. I have observed this dozens of times. The only way to shut up a bully is to stand up for yourself and fight back, ESPECIALLY if the truth is on your side.
Trump supporters will never believe the truth anyways, so who cares about them? They are brainwashed daily by FOX and the Breitbarts of this world, and they find all of this funny and call us snowflakes because we insist on the truth. But the swing voters need to be educated, and you don't do that by being quiet and allowing your political enemies to slander you.
1
McCabe lied to the FBI and revealed confidential information to the press without authorization. He was not some lowly misguided agent, he was an assistant director, a politically savvy operator who bet on the wrong horse.
It is absurd to even suggest that firing someone who attempted to subvert the democratic process is a threat to democracy.
What Americans need to be assured of is that the politically corrupt leadership that was created under Obama have been removed from government.
I would recommend watching the Netflix Series called “Wild, Wild Country”. Fascinating. But one of the take home messages for me is that it “takes a village” (to coin a phrase) to raise a demagogue. The people directly around the personality, who protect, advise, defend in public and do his bidding are just as responsible, if not more, as the leader of the cult. Trump is a cult figure. The entire GOP and current Congress is responsible for him and the damage to our institutions that may or may not recover.
How long will it take for the NY Times and others to face up to the facts about the Republican Party?
Despite all the talk about "moderates" etc., the GOP at all levels is one massive corruption. The Libertarian Right owns the Party and as long as the president does their bidding, Charles Koch and those in his cohort are going to allow him to behave any way he wants.
If and when the morally bankrupt -- Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, etc. do something about the president it will only be because Koch, the man who pulls their strings, has decided the Donald Trump has outlived his usefulness.
Where are the Republicans in the mold of Lowell Weicker and Howard Baker of Watergate fame that spoke out publicly in an attempt to find the truth and let the chips fall where they may?
Most Republican Congressmen & Senators are honest & patriotic people & yet, when it comes to President Trump's venality , moral turpitude, & constant lying they as a body remain silent. No not a whimper or groan of discord. Do they know something nobody else knows or understands? Or are they are enamored by his wealth ?
They all stand silent as this man is gnawing at the roots of our democracy.
And, Let's not forget the evangelicals, which we must include when we criticize the Republicans in Congress. Along with them, these people have bolstered this man, knowing full well his lack of credentials in the Christian hall of fame. But, then, who are we to judge if their god forgives him, and enables him to accede to their godly demands, i.e., changing our laws regarding abortion, putting their god in schools and public places, restricting choices among individuals about what they do with their bodies, whom they choose for sex mates. But, another important issue, is the disregard of science in favor the their Bible. Let's put scientific facts aside in the quest for
adherence to the black and white written word in the....Bible. To an evangelical, science is theory and the Bible is fact. Am I still supposed to free my slave after 7 years? How many wives is my father allowed? Ah,
that's the First Testament, they say, Jesus brought a new covenant. But,
when it's convenient, let's quote that other testament. These people have
become the anti-Christians of their own book, and they go unscathed, loving this man who is everything they should despise, yet he'll justify the means
by meeting their ends. A theocracy bodes ill for all, even the evangelicals.
1
“When the full extent of your venality, moral turpitude, and political corruption becomes known, you will take your rightful place as a disgraced demagogue in the dustbin of history.”
I don't think he understands any of this - it would have been more effective if you said he had small hands.
As an American Expat it is truly embarrassing and moreover shameful that our great country has put forth the vindictive, evasive and obviously guilty Executive branch that it has. America on the international stage has become a laughing matter. The President is widely perceived as an ignorant fool who is blundering into high seas the likes of which he has never imagined. The Republicans have a chance now as the tide of justice rises to turn the tables on the nepotism, cronyism and criminal actions that are now implicit. The tar and feathering of Mr. Mc Cabe is not just a red herring, it is part of a pattern of obfuscation and lies, a pattern of discrediting critics and honourable public servants doing their jobs. The end of the party is nigh for Trump et al. I fear, and it will be with justifiable certitude that the law of the land prevails over the most perverse and degraded president in our history.
Why shouldn’t those who are wronged speak out? Should they merely sulk in silence while others defend them? That can’t be right. We should call out evil when we see it, not behave as though telling the truth was a social faux pas. The proper response to Trump is definitely not to wimp out and shut up.
As Solzhenitsyn said, “A submissive sheep is a find for a wolf.”
The GOP - all hat and no backbone. Just waiting for the Mueller shoe to drop so they don't have to take the blame for anything.
Trump may be a bully and he is certainly bringing unnecessary chaos to the White House. With regard to McCabe's firing i'm not sure why the mainstream media fails to report that the inspector general assigned to investigate this matter was assigned by the previous administration. Also the office of professional responsibility investigator is an internal department of the FBI assigned by Mueller. The FBI recommended McCabe's termination and the AG carried out their recommendation as he should. Why is that fact being ignored. Furthermore, why should the tax payers be expected to subsidize the retirement of a dirty FBI agent?
Please proceed, GOP. Continue your craven collaboration. You can hide in your bunkers, but November is still Coming. And YOU will be going, Permanently. Prison is what you all deserve, but I'll settle for your defeat and unemployment. Also, sending my thoughts and prayers.
1
The republicans are not criticizing trump because trump tactics are republican tactics. republicans lied us into war in Iraq to achieve their own personal goals. They have been dismantling state government protections that favor voting by minorities and cutting back on social programs. republicans nominated, supported and voted for trump. For republicans, to the victor go the spoils. And, there are no rules in war and they are at war with democracy in the US.
It is time for the NY Times to realize this and stop publishing puff pieces about how they should act. The republicans are acting the way they do because they agree with trump. They are authoritarians at heart and in their policy. It is time to bring out the big arsenal against the republican unpatriotic acts rather than trying to reform them.
Vote the republican Bums out of office.
"'pears as though y'all gonna get what y'all deserve." ,,,and I mean y'all's and not the dictator trump. Dictators thrive on the fear of the populace to act.
The Republicans who continue to blindly support this charlatan, either actively or by their silence, do so at their own peril. November 6th is coming!
1
I will be walking in support for the next generation on Saturday, holding a sign that says "Never Again" and during the 2018 election I will carry a sign that says "Never Forget". The Republicans are cowards and traitors, and we can never forget what they have done.
1
Once again I have to laugh at the howls coming from the Left over McCabe's firing reflecting a serious defecit in critical thinking. Trump did not fire McCabe. He was fired on the recommendation of the FBI's OPR and IG, BOTH Obama appointees, for lying. An offense for which 17 FBI personnel were terminated in 2017.
1
Don't take the bait, gentlemen. Leave it to the professionals like Elizabeth Warren, or Aunt Maxine to hit back with zingers on Twitter.
These silent, self-dealing cowards will pay the ultimate price for their cowardice. VOTE them out, in their next elections. Hint: ALL of the House of Representatives is up for reelection, in November.
It's not a binary, Manichaen line between honor and dishonor.
Messrs. Trump, McConnell, Ryan are not just dishonorable. Remarkably, Mr. Brennan's statement is not hyperbolic.
Mr. Trump leads by showing he is not only a bully, but is actually sadistic. It is horrific to imagine mean men who delight in the pain of others as our leaders.
McConnell and Ryan stand by, as they did when Obama was maligned with lies. They say nothing in order to preserve their power while America is attacked and people in power step on the throats of those less powerful. Their character is clear.
Trump is without a moral compass and appears to have psychological problems that limit his ability to see what he does as wrong. He is a disgusting man. Ryan and McConnell know what they do and know it is wrong and are willing to repeatedly sell their souls, nothing less, to maintain their position.
Power and position is a pathetic need. Not just the "dustbin of history." They will probably live long enough to see their friends and families' shame. We should not be judged by our worst acts. But their acts are ongoing and fundamental to who they are. A vile and disgusting life's accomplishment that ultimately merits not our respect, but our pity.
2
The President did not fire McCabe. Democracy has not been threatened other than the slew of disinformation disseminating throughout the web and media. We have a separation of powers and any attempt to disrupt or contradict that is a complete partisan ploy.
3
No, and Richard Nixon did not break into the Watergate building. Only the most facile assessment can parse things down to such a literal conclusion. I do agree, though, that what is going on is "a complete partisan ploy". Ten-to-one, however, that you and I disagree about who the partisans are.
1
You don't believe the absolutely corrupt and lying president issued the orders to him minion Sessions to figure out how to fire McCabe? You are deluding yourself.
1
Both McConnell and Ryan are contemptible, two "deadbeats" that receive a generous salary, at taxpayer expense, and can count on a rich benefit package to provide them with health, welfare, and retirement benefits, while not doing anything to advance the public/common good for the American people.
Those counting on these two slugs to prevent a constitutional crisis do not have a grasp of reality.
I do not mind paying taxes, and think it is a patriotic thing to do, but I very much resent paying taxes that provides a generous compensation package to elected sluggards not doing their job.
526
100% Agreed. From the supposed "president' down - they've completely forgotten (or choose to ignore) that they are our (we citizens) employees.
3
I have same exact feelings about my taxes. Normally I take pride in paying them. This year however, it would seem patriotic NOT to bankroll this disgraceful slow motion train wreck and those responsible for it.
5
Everything about this reflects exactly what I have been thinking.
Everything.
Talk about deplorable.
3
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and so many other honorable US former presidents must be turning over in their graves.
5
For longer than any American has been alive, tilting the table toward the already-wealthy has clearly been the primary collective objective of the GOP. The flood of boodle set flowing by the recent, mainly-midnight tax boondoggle both backslid on decades of old GOP deficit spending pledges and fulfilled the party's actual organizational goals for years to come. Whatever disarray the new wealth brings will be worth it, at least to the wealthy.
7
Except that Trump didn't actually fire McCabe. I know you want to tag him but stick to the facts.
3
C'mon -- Sessions delivered the message but he knew that his own job was at risk if he didn't. El Trumpo fired McCabe.
While what you say is technically true, it ignores the facts to which you want the rest of us to adhere. Trump has been calling for McCabe's firing for some time now. He has slandered him using his greatest skill: lying. McCabe's firing and Trump's behavior/speech leading up to the firing, brings the question of obstruction of justice clearly into focus. Same thing he did to Comey! Then he went on record with Lester Holt that his motive was "the Russia thing." He boasted to Russian officials that he relieved the "pressure" on himself by firing Comey!
Anyone who cannot see what is going on and how wrong it is has to be a Trumpster republican. Our illustrious dictator is nothing if not transparent! We now KNOW he asked the white house counsel to fire Comey. It isn't rocket science to figure out that he's done the same here. So yes, by all means let's stick to the facts. You're missing a few.
1
The article never said that he did. It said that he gloated over the firing. Read the article thoroughly.
Standing up to a bully like Trump is not something McConnell and Ryan feel is necessary as long as they are not targeted. The GOP is fine when Trump’s Target is career law enforcement officials. They fail to understand that if Trump is not reigned in it is only a matter of time before they too will become a target. The GOP is spineless and will be in the dustbin of history right beside Trump.
7
The vast majority of republicans are gutless and unpatriotic. To expect the likes of McConnell and Ryan to speak out is fantasy. As the republican party is now constituted, it exists, along with its president, as the greatest threats to freedom and democracy in the United States.
17
So the Donald has hired another lawyer to say that he is being framed. What does this mean? The evidence against Mr. Trump has not been fully released. Is Trump issuing a presumptive defense of what is about to be released? Is this Trump's way of saying that he is not a crook before the facts are fully revealed? Trump is obviously very nervous about Mr. Mueller's investigation. But if he is innocent as he constantly proclaims why should be afraid of the facts that will be revealed?
Mr. Comey and Mr. McCabe are part of the Republican fold who have been praised for their honesty. Mr. Trump is a confirmed liar and con man who has bilked people out of millions in his scams. The Republicans who do not defend their own and hide themselves from Trump's attacks are as dishonorable as the bully they avoid and show this most clearly when they are willing to throw their own law enforcement officials under the bus.
282
Totally agree, Robert, but I believe you meant to say "preemptive defense", not "presumptive defense".
the best defense is a strong offense.
Who is paying for all of these lawyers? Trump or you and me?
This is a very misguided and dangerous editorial. Comey, McCabe, and Brennan are private citizens and have every right to speak out. And let us not forget, silence is taken for assent. The Republicans have been silent and are therefore supporting and encouraging Trump's actions. We need public figures, especially those with some ethical and moral stature, to call out Trump's abuse of power and authoritarian tactics. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing".
I sincerely hope the Times will rethink this editorial.
11
And please don't forget Retired 4 Star General Barry McCaffrey: "Reluctantly I have concluded that President Trump is a serious threat to US national security. He is refusing to protect vital US interests from active Russian attacks. It is apparent that he is for some unknown reason under the sway of Mr Putin." It is essential that every leader speaks out. Silence, like nearly the entire GOP from top to bottom, equals complicity.
19
It’s more than just cowardly republicans in Congress who don’t stand up to the polarizing president.
Last week was an incredible display of the lies, bullying and autocratic tendencies of Trump and his administration to do harm to our democratic institutions.
What do we see as a result? Trump’s polling numbers go up to 43%; still low for a president at this point in office but after last week’s mind blowing proof that he is unfit for public office, he gets rewarded by at least some of the people.
Sure, republicans in Congress are afraid of being primaried by someone to the right but this editorial should also be asking, Who are we as a people?
3
What you continuously fail to realize is that Trump speaks to a more than modest element of the american people. You are torn between telling people what to think and that pesky liberal ideal of freedom of thought.
Trust me - err on the side of freedom of thought - the other path leads to fascism and the best fascists in the world are liberals.
"Liberal institutions cease to be liberal as soon as they are attained: later on, there are no worse and no more thorough injurers of freedom than liberal institutions. One knows, indeed, what their ways bring: they undermine the will to power; they level mountain and valley, and call that morality; they make men small, cowardly, and hedonistic"
Nietzsche: Twilight of the Idols (1888)
You do a great disservice to suggest no one should respond back to this vindictive man. More men and women of character in leadership of all areas of government and public life should stand up and loudly and clearly express concern over the horrific behavior of this wannabe autocrat. I hope leaders all around the world express the destructive impact this cowardly bully is having in every arena. With few exceptions the Republicans are showing they lack backbone, courage, and basically no protective desire to preserve our country. It is stunning how quickly we have fallen into this abyss. The people are impotent-- as our representatives do nothing. And the man in the White House grows more dangerous every day.
10
Jeff Flake, Lindsey Graham and Trey Gowdy are all mouth and no action. Like trump (only to a different line) they spout out words and then do nothing. They have no intention of confronting trump. They are spouting those words because they fear that trump will fire Mueller, but they will not have enough courage to back up their words.
If they had, trump would have been long gone.
1
Words are powerful. What they are trying to do is coax others out. However, those others seem to be hiding or afraid. Shameful!
Politicians don't protect Americans they protect themselves.
8
Yes, but...these persons made a solemn promise to us via the oath the swore upon accepting appointments to office. How should they honor that promise, if not by speaking out against those among us who would destroy what we have come to take as granted?
Republicans in Congress may be silent because they've allowed themselves to be set up for failure. Oust Trump, they find Pence; Oust Pence, they find Ryan. Neither of those men, given their clearly stated positions on values and governance, may be more effective, yet no more popular, ultimately, than Trump. Believe on our Constitution, and what has come out of it? Maybe we should defend it.
1
It seems the only person who is standing up to Donald Trump now is Stormy Daniels. She's got more guts than anyone in Congress. I'd like to nominate her to be Speaker of the House.
14
GOP leadership has become an oxymoron in the wake of Trump's election. His few critics run around wringing their hands and resigning from seats they've held too long while Ryan, McConnell, Graham, Hatch and the rest of the boys say "that's not very nice" and "if you don't stop that, we'll put you in time out" to a president who is incompetent and out of control Everytime I think we've reached the nadir, we sink lower.
GOP, how much was an ill-advised tax cut and a SCOTUS seat worth? The integrity and global status of what used to be the first of first-world nations? I'm appalled.
6
The GOP's own shady relationship with truth and our democratic principles makes them the natural home for a man who uses data mining and tampering by foreign trolls to first appear electable and then actually win a slim victory in our electoral college.
The Democrats are better than this but only marginally. It took the work of both sides to give our Already Haves such an over-sized portion of the national income. 1960's $1/hr minimum wage, when grown with GDP, is over $33/hr. Our current average hourly wages is $5/hr below that.
The entire nation needs a 'come to Jesus' moment regarding what democratic principles actually are, how best to summon the opinion of all the citizens and how to reduce the influence of money in our politics.
Or we could just change the anthem to 'the land of the poor and the home of the checkbook'.
1
Brennan and McCabe are criticizing Trump.
The NYT complains that these are the wrong people to criticize Trump.
It is hard to disagree with this logic.
Two of the leaders of the conspiracy to frame Trump for being a Russian stooge and that led the effort to thwart justice and ensure Hillary did not face actual legal consequences for her criminality are absolutely the last people that should be criticizing anybody.
2
Ken NH in the face of all the lies money to Cambridge the chaos daily we live with you say this amazes !
Carol,
Let me guess. Product of the public schools?
1
As this dumpster fire clown car of an Administration careens closer to the edge of the cliff, at some point a Ryan has to start looking for a soft spot on the side of the road to jump out. McConnell, however, will continue in his toxic self-interest, muttering about conservative values, and the when it goes sideways, he’ll blame the voters. The Republican leadership in Congress finds themselves in a tough spot.
They have a constituency that largely embraces Trump despite his obvious and odious flaws. And despite their demonstrable inability to craft legislation (apart from tax cuts for their benefactors) they see Trump as an ally who will rubber stamp whatever they put on his desk. For them, they either stick with Trump and count on his narrow band of dark red voters (yet risk getting tarred with the same brush), or break toward the middle, facing revolt and handing control to the Left.
We’re about to see how sturdy our Constitutional checks and balances are. Mueller’s potential demise would be the biggest test in a generation.
3
Is a witness to a murder biased against the murderer because he saw him commit the crime?
6
The Republicans are enabling a run amok president, and complicit in destroying our government institutions and undermining our confidence in those institutions. It's truly disgusting. Their behavior while Obama was president was no less abhorrent. Under one administration they obstructed to the point that it made the job of governing the country nearly impossible, and now they are enabling a mad man to unleash his worst impulses. The Republicans just need to go, especially Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan.
4
Trump is not "of" a political party. Parties did not elect the Donald...angry Americans did. The idea that any DC politico has credibility as a beacon of ethical behavior that can hold sway over American public opinion by "what they say" is (at best) unrealistic. This is particularly true of Republicans who made a deal with the devil (and the radical wing of their party) in the most cynical power consolidation in the name of "governance".
Dealing with Trump is not a "say" event...it is a "do" event.
The NYT needs to stop providing oxygen to what Donnie "I can be as ignorant as I want" Trump says...and focus on what he does.. When Mueller is fired...that is news. When the HR findings that led to McCabe's firing are known...that is news. Trump's tweets of misinformation simply control news cycles...and you (news outlets) are a sucker for it every time.
We are on the precipice of a budget shutdown. That this work is not complete is substantive news...as is DAACA and a host of other work tasks that the President and Congress have not resolved and/or completed. Let Donnie and his cohorts respond to that.
In the meantime, American citizens please continue what you do. Write to your representatives (every where), vote with your ballot, vote with your wallet...and be ready to get rid some very bad people who stay in power by pandering to our basest instincts.
2
If these compromised Republican Congressional cowards keep responding to their leader's brazen assaults on the rule of law with closed lips, the odds of Democrats seizing control of both legislative Houses will go from possible to probable. This historically unprecedented display of blind, undemocratic partisanship will dramatically blow up in their collective faces. The electoral furies will be unleashed. Very, very bad move McConnell, et al.
For sometime I have wondered where the people in the legislation have been so silent. How can they not be using the voice that they have? Where are the people who have some power? I'm beginning to be as angry as I am at their boss. Trump can't possibly have all of them held hostage, Republican or Democrat. We are so beyond whining about partisanship, we are in grave danger and the elephant in the room is still being ignored. The school kids are putting them to shame using their voices. DO WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO...GOVERN! I have lost so much respect for the majority of the Congress and Senate who sit by while this madman destroys everything in his path. You have a voice! I hope you have a conscience. Use it.
1
I feel exactly the same!
I'm beginning to wonder if the Congressional Republicans (at least the leadership) are in bed with Cambridge Analytica. Nothing seems to outlandish to wonder about in these dark days.
Sorry, McCabe and Comey were fired for cause. In the Case of McCabe, we have the Obama Era Inspector General recommending his firing. Comey put his finger on a scale against Hillary in October 2016 and now he is selling books. Mr. Brennan Calling Trump names, even those he probably deserves, is a cheap attempt to reflect sainthood by comparison.
1
Just note the name of the two parties and that says everything. Democrats thik of Democracy and Republicans think of Republic. Go back to Socrates and Plato an understand the meaning of the two words. We must remember that the "Founding Fathers" did not call their county Democratic Union of America - they called it a Republic. Because they believed that democracy would mean that everyone = yes EVERYone woul have equal say and that might lead to anarchy. They believed that only those worthy enough to be able to think and have a stake in the government should hav a say. This means OLIGARCHY nicely termed Republic. What we now have is a confused mix of democracy (every one, even women and non-whites have equal voice" and a Republic that is controlled by the oligarchs like Kochs and Mercers Devoses and .... May be, we should redefine our country with each state had equal land area, and term limits for every one (two terms for senators, four terms for House, supreme court with term limits, etc). And since now we have an industrial nation with modern physical and informational communication, modify voting from pastoral convenient date in winter to summer, like the July 4, the true Independence Day. We need a Redefinion movement.
1
I disagree completely.
We could wait for the cows to come home and McConnell and Ryan, incapable of even bad leadership, would say nothing meaningful to bring respectability and honor back to our country. They are in fact complicit in our decline with their silence.
I am relieved that these honorable people are speaking back loudly. What must the rest of the world think as we all sit by silently day after day, while this disgraceful excuse for a president humiliates us and destroys our reputation?
4
How much more evidence is needed?
1
Just in case you thought there were ANY Republican senators who were sane, moderate, or not entirely bought -- think Susan Collins, Johnny Isakson, Lisa Murkowski, or whomever you prefer -- their silence in the face of Mr Trump's outrageous conduct tells you all you need to know.
Imagine any other arena in which the target of an investigation has the power to get the prosecutor fired. Mr. Trump, if you really have nothing to hide, stop hiding it. Answer the questions. Show your tax returns. Be transparent.
2
The Editors make a very good point about being dragged down into the muck where Mr. Trump lives and operates and engaging him undermines others' credibility. Everyone gets dirty when they throw mud. On the other hand, not speaking out and correcting the record risks appearing to accept and condone the lies swirling around Trump and his Administration. Look at most Republicans and especially their Congressional leadership who are abjectly silent about the destruction taking place day by day.
I am of two minds on this topic. On the one hand, I think the media gives too much air time to Mr. Trump and his enablers. So many lies and distortions are written about endlessly and they divert attention from real, underlying dangers of creeping libertarianism and authoritarianism. On the other, if the full extent of attacks on democracy are not documented, we run the risk of minimising what is happening and providing a substantive and forceful record of the opposition to the actions of this tiny band of usurpers.
There needs to be focus, incisiveness and balance in reporting and discussion so the main problems, risks and opportunities remain before people. For example, much reporting about the Cambridge Analytica scandal refers to it as Mr. Trump's analytics firm, whereas this is something his campaign may have benefited from but it appears unlikely he was directly involved in. Giving him this credit does not further arguments he is corrupt and unfit, while it does soften credibility.
1
I just wonder what their thoughts will be after they are kicked out in November? I also anticipate the partisan gerrymandering that so vast disproportions the Republican representation will be tossed out by the Supreme's this summer. The coming census will reveal the continued decline of population in red states. American conservatism has been destroyed by Trump. The Republicans have nothing to run on in November. I shake my head in wonder
I wonder what the cost on severance is for the tax payer. Mr Rex Tillerson who left a good job . I can't wait for his book about life under T.
We are likely to find that McCabe lied to the FBI - exactly what led Martha Stewart to prison and to General Flynn's indictment. But somehow the elites think it's ok for McCabe. Why not fire him before he gets his pension? When the IG report is finally released we'll find that McCabe should be in prison.
Without proof it is only speculation. Speculation based on the words of a person that seems unable to stop lying. If this were anyone else other than Trump that behaved this way would you still believe?
The Republican congress is complicit and worse than Trumf (his real last name). They wish to rule, not govern.
2
McCabe, Comey, et al., are biased about a monster, soon (oh, please soon) to be revealed as such and without any real harm to the investigation, except from people who will try to distort anything. Not to respond because of this threat is to cave in to terrorists. So, it's not the "wrong" people, it's the people *in addition* to them who should also be speaking out, as the article indeed identifies. While keeping from interfering with an investigation, it's the duty of every honorable and patriotic citizen to speak out, as more should have done so in the early 1930s in Germany. “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer
1
Republicans in Congress and the conservative "media" are conducting a substantially successful effort to destroy America from within while pointing the finger at outside threats.
2
Just what is "good cause" for a firing? What about the very same offense the person being fired recently himself fired one of his employees for. Would that perhaps be a valid measure?
I never thought I would live to see the day when the GOP would contort itself into impossible positions in order to pretend that Trump and his cohorts didn't accommodate Russian interference in our democratic processes. This country has spent massive amounts of money combatting Russian aggression over the years--during the Cold War and after. Now us patriotic types have to witness formally tough-talking Republicans playing stupid now that they have the reins of power. Military-industrial complex indeed. Yikes.
I call my congressman's office frequently, good ol' Bill Cassidy, to ask his office workers questions like "Hey, why is he pushing to legalize gun silencers when there's a mass shooting problem already, and, hey, won't that make law enforcement's job 100 times more difficult than it already is?"
His phone jockeys patronize me, of course, and then get off the phone as soon as possible.
But I guess my new question will be, "Why does the senator pretend that what everyone else sees--the clearly troubling affinity Trump has for Putin and his thugs, and the alarming number of connections between his campaign and Vlad's boys--is not a real thing? Why is my senator remaining silent?"
What will your GOP senator's office have to say? Get on those phones and hassle their lackeys! What else can you do before November?
In 8 years the Democrats in Congress found next to nothing to criticize Obama about. I guess that’s different, though, since Obama was perfect.
In eight years there was no end to criticism of Obama, most of it undeserved. Suddenly when it is one of their own doing mischief they have fallen silent.
That is demonstrably UNTRUE. And Obama behaved like a professional and with dignity at all times, unlike this boor we have now.
Read "The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump" - sub-title "27 Psychiatrists & Mental Health Experts Assess a President" - Editor: Bandy Lee (M.D., M.Div.) - Thomas Dunne Books / St. Martin's Press -- for an insight & commentary on the mental / emotional psyche of Pres. Trump - which underpins his atrocious "governance" in just a year+ in office - and portending great calamity in the future. I voted for neither of the extremely flawed candidates of Hillary and "the Donald" - but wrote-in Gov. (GOP) John Kasich - the only person as of now I'd vote for in 2020 - hopefully he runs. Most of Congress (both parties) is dysfunctional - and I abhor what often seems to me to be a "mindless" allegiance to Trump (hopefully off-the-scene in 2020 under various scenarios!), and a "distorted" admiration of Hillary Clinton (is this congenital liar, prone to criminality, running a 3rd time in 2020?). America deserves & warrants better in these dangerous times.
Interesting retort from Brennan who in May 2017 testified he knew nothing of the source of the "dossier". when in fact the DOJ and FBI were well versed almost 12 months prior.
The swamp is vast.
The older I get the more I appreciate the vision of NM.
“When you disarm people, you commence to offend them and show that you distrust them either through cowardice or lack of confidence, and both of these opinions generate hatred.”
“The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him.”
Niccolo Machiavelli
1
The idea that officials being publicly thrashed should 'not feed the dynamic' by publicly rebutting the President is just silly. These are not normal times, and allowing a serially dishonest President to set the narrative, which is already about bias against him (just like the election was rigged), is not helped by allowing that narrative to go unchallenged. The people who are normally apolitical are apolitical because the partisanship usually masks public officials who are doing their level best to steward the country. I think it is self-evident that Trump is not such a politician, and it makes no sense to simply let him take a wrecking ball to our institutions because he behaves like a child that thinks everyone is out to get him so he'd better destroy everything before it gets him first. Trump decided to try people in the court of twitter, it only makes sense to rebut his fiction with facts in public.
Disagree with your editorial. These folks should fight back against the horror in the White House. You cannot let a bully get away with it without fighting back. Hopefully, this nightmare will end with impeachment or resignation.
1
For me, the two really key points are 1) That the United States is now hostage to one man's ego, and a profoundly unhealthy ego at that. I don't believe this is talked about enough, how Donald Trump doesn't fight dirty because he believes strongly in some platform he wants for the country or the American people. No, it is about his ego, over which even he has no control but rather which controls him. Donald Trump's ego suffocates everything around it; our democracy is struggling under the weight of this ego. How did we get here? How can so many Americans, esp. Congresspeople, be allowing megalomania to take hold and grow roots? The second is that, we are seeing what America looks like under Republican control. This is a party of bullies and thugs, power abusers, and jackals. Sound like anyone? No wonder Trump ran as a Republican. He knew he'd be appreciated over there, even need to run as an R if he wanted to win. Starting with the Era of Lee Atwater, the GOP has been nothing but a bunch of thugs, hiding behind a bogus curtain of "Christian, moral, and family values", which is what guilty people and scoundrels always yell loudly in the hopes that people will buy it. What is sad is how many Americans have bought what the GOP and Donald Trump are selling.
1
There's a giant gaping void where Republican respect for propriety once stood. Their inaction is like a hole in the ocean where everyone knows we should find water. Actions give tell to the lie. The G.O.P. outrage during the Obama years was always a fraud. Republicans are now showing the public just how big a fraud they committed.
The hypocrisy extends far beyond Trump. Mitch McConnell is wise to keep his mouth shut. He's worthy of a lynch mob more than an FBI investigation. There's absolutely nothing he can say to regain public credibility. Paul Ryan isn't far beyond. The rest of the G.O.P. are bunch a toadies following orders. If Congress were sent to the cage in Nuremberg, the Republican defense would sound suspiciously in-sync.
With regards to Trump though, Republican inaction is even more perplexing. Their silence doesn't even make sense politically. The 2016 election isn't reversed even if Trump is removed from office. A Republican would remain in the White House. There's not much to gain by allowing Trump to reign untethered. It's not like he's going to veto the oligarch agenda put forward by Republican leadership. Check his power and move on.
Republicans failed to do this early in the Trump administration. Now they seem to have lashed themselves to a sinking ship's mast and refuse to cut loose. When the ship goes down, we'll know where that hole ocean came from. Whether this election or the next, the 115th Congress are all going to drown eventually.
While the proverbial “pig” may well enjoy the “mud,” it probably enjoys even more just being a “pig.” In that case it wouldn’t make any difference who its critics were, attention being the goal. The point is that though critical comments (in the non-pejorative sense) are often crucial in mature settings in pursuit of what’s right and wholesome, we don’t have setting with this president. “Talk” in the setting we have, is not only cheap, it seems to make matters worse.
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The office of special counsel are like a band of invisible Native Americans in the wild west attacking the Trump wagon train. Even though the cowboys in the White Wagon Train House can't see them, they're circling the wagons and firing their guns hoping to hit something. Now adding McCabe, the president's actions and the new Facebook/Cambridge Analytica/Bannon/Mercer element to the mix, it's looking more and more like that vast right wing conspiracy is real and not imagined. This will never end, nor should it, until we are all satisfied that the truth has been fully exposed and justice is rendered.
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Yes, Hillary Clinton was right. There is a vast right wing conspiracy out there. With Donald Trump they are getting what they have dreamed of.
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Hilary wasn't kidding when she said that back in the 1990's. Read "Blinded by the right" by David Brock. he details all of the slimy stuff that the GOP and their corporate owners did to the Clintons back then to make their lives miserable when he was president. The GOP and their owners have only gotten more bold and crazy since then.
Perhaps perhaps an appeal to a different group. Republican governors. The R executive in the White House is diminishing the standing of R executives, and likely presidential aspirants in the future. If you want to be seriously considered as a presidential candidate speak up now, clearly and loudly against this presidential disaster.
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Comey, McCabe, Brennen, Clapper, Lynch and FBI agents who were removed by Mueller were internal actors working against our democracy like the external actors like Russia. They were trying to influence elections for the benefit of one candidate against the other. McCabe was fired by DOJ based on an internal investigation, but such investigation is not possible against other individuals. So, probably we need another special counsel. Trump's criticism of these individuals is valid and his public statement that Mueller should end his investigation soon is not extraordinary. NY Times' editorial is one sided criticism trying to declare those individuals as innocent and Trump as guilty, when the evidence so far is to the contrary.
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And pray tell, assuming what your claim is accurate - which I seriously doubt given the source - what were Republicans attempting via their various scheme to suppress votes? Were they attempting to hijack our elections, as it turns out, in an effort to elect the President that historians widely agree is likely the worst in American history?
Even Republican-leaning historians place Trump as low as 40th out of 45 - bottom of the proverbial barrel. Once independents and Democratic-leaning historians weigh in, he's #45 with a negative bullet, the lowest of the low, headed straight for historical hell.
But it's all a conspiracy - by Comey, Mueller (former Marines who did more for their country in a hour than Trump did in a lifetime), McCabe, all strongly rumored registered Republicans.
The FBI has historically been a Republican-leaning institution - but suddenly it is corrupt when it attempts to defend the rule of law against the lowest of the low, a career grifter, coward, racist, and demagogue.
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Silence from the Republicans enables Mr. Trump's aggression.
The tumor is now a full blown malignancy requiring intervention.
1) There is full abuse of presidential powers. 2) There are no real checks.
3) And in the House, no oversight. 4) The Republican Senate is not up to the task. 5) His conduct is unreasonable.
What could be the motive? Why the reticence?
Obstruction of justice is evidenced in verbal attacks by presidential tweet.
Clearly this president is dangerously unfit.
And now fully adrift in day to day television viewing and abusive commentary on Twitter. Aides admit it's all he does.
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I believe the reason for the reticence is that Trump's popularity among GOP voters is still quite high. If they go against Trump, they will not be re-elected.
Republicans have the tiger (Republican Primary Voters) by the tail and they can't let go!
"What could be the motive? Why the reticence?"
Retention of Power. Period.
"... people in the best position to put weight behind such a response, Republicans in Congress, have kept silent". True. But then again, people in the best position not to put weight behind Donald Trump's tweets, such as serious newspapers, have.
The force of these tweets is in their spreading. Don't participate in the spreading, and the suffering for the victims wronged and insulted will decrease. Of course it is a risk for a newspaper, because all this controversy sells, and some readers might go elsewhere. Furthermore these tweets are consequential, so normally they should be reported. But these are not normal times, values and principles are tested, and they should be defended properly by each citizen or will vanish.
So my dear New York Times, as you ask Republicans in Congress to take risks and intervene, you should yourself take risks, assert your values, your principles and your conduct, and stop participating in the spreading of these damaging tweets.
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