We’re living through an unprecedented breakdown in America’s ability to function like a normal country. ------>
Out here in flyover country....I see it differently. I'm what you might call "Joe Six-Pack" (albeit with a law degree) and I still see civic (and civil society) functioning; I see our courts (both the ones I appear in, and all others) functioning; I see the public schools that my office-mates' children attend functioning....while he is affecting the "tone and tenor" of the United States, I think we are still...functioning.
Excuse me if I'm wrong, as I'm not a US citizen, but it appears that McConnell is not doing his job. There must be something in his job description that spells out what he can, and should do, to ensure the proper functioning of government and which would eliminate the suffering of close to a million US citizens in a case like this.
Why is no one holding him to account and threatening to fire him, as any normal employer would do?
18
Ms. Goldberg, I may not always agree with you but.......Norma Desmond of authoritarians! Brilliant, pure brilliance!
6
I am proposing that we change the name White House to Grift House.
9
Please, let's not forget that the Republicans in both houses of Congress spent eight years of the Obama presidency saying "NO" to absolutely everything. Yes,Trump is awful, but the Republican professional politicians are even more vile. They are the true deplorables.
22
Whilst Trump is the immediate problem the much larger problem is the radicalization of the conservative base of the Republican Party and, by extension, of its congressional representatives. Both are unduly influenced by a highly destructive right-wing media machine that eschews truth and facts and instills or reinforces a sense of victimhood among its mostly white male audience.
A majority of Americans may hold Trump and Republicans primarily responsible for this shameful mess but the latter could not care less. As long as their extreme base is not only on board but ready to punish any show of weakness or compromise (to them the same thing), this dysfunction will continue.
10
Let's see. Unemployment is down. The Administrative State is being restrained. Wages at the low end are rising. In fact, they're rising so much that folks are clamoring to enter the country illegally -- never mind how racist and unaccommodating Progressives claim the country to be. Stock markets are up even after a "correction", and even after the NYT laureate economist Paul Krugman predicted that markets would crash and "never" recover. ISIS has been turned back, and efforts to finally get the US out of Afghanistan and Syria are in the works. Progress is being made with North Korea, and Iran is on notice. The world is a safer place than it was two years ago.
Meanwhile, something approaching the regular constitutional order of legislating has been restored. And, yet, the NYT clings to Russia-Russia-Russia and Trump-is-authoritarian-racist-etc.
You folks should feel lucky that you get paid to stamp out such mindless drivel. Are there no sentient adults over there? Are you all zombies?
2
boy, for a former Commie, that Putin is a shrewd investor!
4
Is anyone feeding the caged immigrant children?
6
If President Trump "gets his intelligence from Fox News," where does he get his stupidity?
10
Does McConnell refuse to stand up to Trump? It seems to me that he has his own agenda and that he agrees with and supports Trump.
5
As long as he's not thrown our before we can get Hillary's missing emails from Russia..
2
As usual, an incisive essay by Ms. Goldberg. These seem to get more challenging as the amorphous blob of incompetence, incoherence and anti-American activity in the White House grows beyond its cage. Much like Steve McQueen's The Blog, it is a sickening, growing, malignancy on the body politic.
McConnell and the vanished weenie, Ryan, are guilty of enabling this mess, meaning Trump, addressing the nation's challenges and the shutdown -- just to name three malignancies among an apparently endless number.
6
@Phil Carson--
No, McConnell and Ryan are NOT to blame for Trump.
Rather, blame an utterly tone-deaf, monomaniacal Democratic Party that nominated the ONE candidate whom Trump could defeat.
And blame the Democratic National Committee for helping Hillary to rig the nominating in favor of HERSELF, shutting out a REAL contender, Bernie Sanders.
If you want to find someone to blame for Trump, perhaps you should look in the mirror if you're a Democrat.
1
@Zee actually Hillary won with a 3 million majority,the electoral college for the second time went against a majority of the people and favored a Republican,,,
One of the reason for the existence of the electoral college is to prevent a complete moron from getting the presidency,,we now know how wisely it can 'prevent'
7
@P.Dion--
I don't believe that I was defending the electoral college, although as someone who lives out here in "flyover country," I can see its use as a defense against being governed ENTIRELY at the discretion of "The Left Coast" and "The Other Left Coast," neither of which understand--or even CARE about--the values of middle-America. Something that you might not understand as an apparent "urban (i.e., Montreal) dweller."
Yes, the electoral college can use some modifications--but so could the corrupt and moronic nominating systems of both parties, but especially that of the Democratic party.
Great work in electing this con man clown, Americans. Having fun yet?
2
Clown that he is, he's killing people... and I think he's enjoying the spectacle.
6
Dear NYT:
These recurring predictions of Trump's demise signal a deep and irrational fixation.
I fear that pumping out all this paranoid narrative every day is doing psychological damage to your readers, whose comments are becoming -- like your columnists -- increasingly hateful and desperate for a win against Trump.
“Gradually and then suddenly.”
That may also be how Goldberg and several other New York Times columnists finally melt down.
2
@Jorge--
"I fear that pumping out all this paranoid narrative every day is doing psychological damage to your readers, whose comments are becoming -- like your columnists -- increasingly hateful and desperate for a win against Trump."
You got that right!
Trump is sowing chaos, confusion, and loathing. His narcissism, coupled with GOP incompetence and malevolence toward the American middle class and immigrants, is wearing out the country. Everyone wants to see these swamp creatures fired by a military firing squad for treason, and they want the firing squad paid for doing their job.
4
The person benefiting the most from the government shutdown is Vladimir Putin.
9
Is the USA on the path to become a failed state?
7
I encourage you all to go to the Women’s March on Saturday. It’s so important to continue protesting the unethical and immoral words and actions of this president.
5
We have been surprised before at how the entire country has shrugged and yawned. What makes this any different. Theis lombada party presidency will just continue to see how low can you go and then yell MAGA!!!. Ugh. I cant wait until this show is over.
4
Hmm. Let them eat cake... and then heads rolled. The Guillotine might be an appropriate method after a speedy and fair trial. “Speedy” being the most operative word here. This will help us get America back on track. Next comes reconstruction. Wish us luck.
1
Late president Gerald Ford once said a great phrase.
Today's version is
Our long nightmare continues!!
Its funny to watch Pelosi and Schumer obstruct federal workers which is a constituency of their own base . The new deal Democrat party is dead.The Democrat Party that claims to be against trickle down economics but supports it via illegal immigration is alive and well. Sanctuary cities , open borders ,etc provide cheap labor to unscrupulous business people off the backs of John Q middle class american and Pelosi and Schumer are cool with it because their mega donors are cool with it. Goldberg as well as the democrat and republican establishment praetorian guard are a national disgrace and a national emergency that needs to be eradicated in the voting booth ASAP.
Do you live on Mars?
THe current occupant of the WH, who received 2M fewer total votes than his opponent is nothing more than a low brow con man. Nothing about him is real. Not his self made fortune, not his inaugural crowd, not his greatest cabinet ever assembled, not his tremendous growth inspired decrease in national deficit, not his peace with North Korea, on, and on, and on..
7
@Jim
The problem is your version of governing , is already tried and ended with horrific catastrophe.
It is called Cambodia 1976-79.
People massacred in thousands and all workforce reduced agrarian ( farming) level which even that didn't succeed.
I prefer a liberal, elite over a murderous semi illiterate any day.
4
Delusional. And fabulous grammar.
2
Yes, our national psychodrama is now 2-years old. The same psychological age of the man in the Oval Office. The nation desperately needs a diaper change from all the mire that's been thrown on others and on constitutional "rule of law."
2
Yes, we’ve become numb and exhausted. But maybe this shutdown, horrible as it is, will serve as a wake up call. The government or credit of the United States should never be used as a negotiating tool. That should be illegal, legislators show their weakness and lack of skills when they resort to that. It also awakens us to the cost of incompetence to every American. I hope we stay woke.
1
Best Sentence Award goes to:
"Trump has turned out to be the Norma Desmond of authoritarians, a senescent has-been whose delusions are propped up by obsequious retainers."
6
Now that we know that simply voting is not likely to restore our government, I would like to propose a Hail Mary solution: A massive letter-writing campaign to Vladimir Putin, asking him to give us back our government in exchange for not impeaching his agent in the White House. This really might work if the volume of mail is so overwhelming that the Kremlin cannot deny the impact of its closure of the U.S. government. I know that most Americans are reluctant to write to a government that has murdered dissidents and journalists, so I would urge writers to omit last names and addresses. I would also suggest that you wear gloves while writing and mailing the letters to avoid latent fingerprints. (We don't know for certain how much control the Kremlin has over the FBI). Also, use a damp sponge rather than your tongue to moisten the envelope flap to avoid leaving any detectable DNA. I know this is a long-shot, but Putin will not order Trump to reopen our government until he has something to show for it. We'll just have to hope the American voters have enough sense to elect someone loyal to the United States next time -- if there is a next time!
3
Trumps owns the shutdown, but why are the Senate Republicans keeping their heads buried in the sand, when they can help pass compromise legislation to bypass Trump and reopen the government. In my book, McConnell is as responsible as Trump is for the shutdown.
5
You are so right on, Michelle! The last two sentences are brilliant.
3
President Trump is ready for his closeup - in the Post Office! we Americans are left floating, dead and face down in the pool. the only possible saving grace to the Trump presidency will be such a backlash against the GOP that they will never again dominate the American government, and perhaps disappear as the Christian White People's Party.
5
Trump ordered the shutdown as a bargaining tool; yet he suffers non of the consequences of his actions. Like a plantation owner he placed the burden on the 800,000 public employees, pawns in his scheme. Using their suffering to get his autocratic way is a blatant attack upon our democracy. Tragic
4
I've used the Norma Desmond parallel myself: an insane person being kept ignorantly happy in a bubble of positive reinforcement by enablers. you remember how she ended up, being led by police to jail or the booby hatch. Trump's disastrous presidency will end the same way
5
"The Terrible Twos."
Like it could become more terrible ... but today's Barr confirmation hearings make it very clear ... it can, indeed, become more terrible.
May we find our way out of this wilderness, relatively intact.
4
It doesn't matter. After all, most federal workers "are democrats" and the republicans among them support him "100%"!
1
@Kanasanji
Don't thread on that idea too much.
also
ease on little bit conservatism.
The only thing that gives me hope is that there are people like Mueller, the FBI, the State Department and the CIA who have a lot more information on trump then we do and because of that they're keeping a very close eye on him. It worked in Argentina if not in Finland. As Politico reported:
"Cohen struck his plea deal Thursday with special counsel Robert Mueller, marking the second time the special counsel's office has made a major move in its probe just ahead of a planned Trump meeting with Putin. The special counsel previously indicted 12 Russian military officials just days before Trump met with Putin in Helsinki, Finland. The summit ended up mired in controversy after Trump publicly sided with Moscow over his own intelligence agencies and refused to condemn Russia for interfering in the 2016 election."
But he cancelled his meeting in Argentina which is something at least.
1
The shutdown is on both Trump and Pelosi/Schumer. Trump wants the wall and the Dems want the Dreamer situation resolved. Trump is apparently willing to negotiate on Dreamers but Dems unwilling to negotiate on wall. Funding for wall in exchange for resolution of Dreamers status seems like a win-win. I guess Dems think not.
1
Review the recent past. In 2017 Democrats offered $22mil in a Wall/Dreamer deal and Trump wouldn’t sign it. Try again.
3
American democracy is in extreme danger of collapsing. Wake up, folks
8
Living in a place known for longterm parliamentary paralysis like Belgium has taught me many things, but most relevant to America's kakocracy is that a country can survive almost any electoral idiocy as long as public services are maintained. Trump is too stupid to realise this basic fact. Squirm as they might, Trump and the GOP will wear it, which is a good thing, and at the same time folks may appreciate what they missed; that is those who aren't dead as a result.
51
@Angstrom Unit
Belgium is not the lone superpower that provides a security shield for most of the Western World and has the financial and economic heft to alter the economy of the entire world. Also Belgium doesn't have 2500 nuclear weapons that can be ordered to fire on any target in the world by a single individual's command that cannot be overturned.
As has been seen already, one bungling idiot in a couple of years can cause serious needless suffering for a vast number of people.
This country's fate affects the entire world and shrugging off the serious crisis of our democratic system is not a wise thing to do.
14
@LibertyLover
Not shrugging, waving. I was being ironic and somewhat optimistic. Yes America is super but it's sick right now and Trump is but a symptom. It's the idiots that voted for him that I'm afraid of and not ironically.
13
As a fan of 'Sunset Boulevard' I hadn't thought of the Norma Desmond comparison before, but it's very spot on.
My only question is who would be his 'Max von Meyerling'...
18
Barr, currently auditioning.
7
@Mikeweb Mitch McConnell
3
@Mikeweb
Lindsay Graham
2
Fascinated by the view on each side that they are 100% in the right and the other side is 100% in the wrong. Each side views those who side with the other side with complete contempt and utter disparagement. And don't think for one second that if either side blinks that the side that wins will do so graciously. This is clearly not about money but ideology. Meanwhile average citizens, hard working people are the only ones getting hurt by all of this. Both political parties are playing Nero while Rome burns and are too far gone and despise each other too much to find a way to compromise. Either we no longer have a silent majority that sits in the middle or they are all too tired of the parties falling to their respective extremes to care anymore.
1
@DC
Great! More false equivalence, but for 10 years the right has been 100% wrong 100% of the time.
6
"This [fight] is clearly not about money but ideology". trump already has his additional border agents (troops) and wall (tons of razor wire) when the Pentagon extended the border deployment to September. He solved the border problem by himself. But he wants complete capitulation (surrender) from his "enemy" because some people think he is old and weak. There's a Asian saying - "When whales fight, it is the shrimp that gets hurt." And we know who is the shrimp is.
1
Well said, Michelle. The only thing that keeps me from utter despair is thinking the "gradually" is almost over and the "suddenly" is on the horizon. Believing this is the only way I can sleep at night.
36
Do you realize what is really vile about all of this? Those at the very top, the wealthiest who pull all the strings, actually want this to happen. It serves their purposes, what ever they may be, and they don't care (because it doesn't impact them personally).
We are a nation ruled not by a single fascist-wanna-be imbecile. We are a nation ruled by amoral men who do not care if the world burns and millions of people suffer and die as a result of their greed-driven, unethical decisions.
77
@Van Owen To further your point, the wealthy want you to stop looking to the government as the protector it was designed to be. As society loses faith in the system people will be more and more at the whim and fancy of those that control wealth and with it power. If there isn't a strong government to demand rights for the people, a fair administration of laws and justice, and a standard to which we should aspire and expect, the wealthy will be able to take more for themselves and we, the people, will be at their mercy.
This is a real thing and not conspiratorial nonsense. All one must do is look at income inequality over the past 40 years - the years conservative ideology gained huge amounts of power through media and in our government - and understand that this was something that was designed and engineered. Income redistribution on that scale is not natural - it required laws and a concerted effort on many front to work as well as it did. The next step is to further dismantle and weaken the system which could rectify the situation which brings us to Trump and the Senate. The main job of Mitch McConnell now is to install conservative judges so when legal issues arise for the wealthy the judges will rule in their favor.
32
@Van Owen
They're killing the proverbial goose that laid the golden egg. Let us hope they realize it before it's too late.
5
As terrible as this president is, it's the Trump supporters who are truly dragging this country down.
12
@Kip Really ? So open borders democrats and republicans who gutted our country with lousy trade deals that sent all manufacturing and decent paying jobs to china and then over run it with cheap illegal immigrant labor because they didnt want to enforce the borders isn't the problem?The country has been dragged down by two corrupt political parties called the democrat party and the republican party. Politicians of both of those parties are owned lock stock and barrel by super wealthy big donors . Wealthy big donors who couldn't careless about the average american only internal interests that give them more power and wealth.
1
Would someone? (Bob Mueller!) please put this man (Benedict Donald) out of our misery already?!
3
After revelations in the NY Times and Washington Post concerning trump being a possible Russian asset, I view the shutdown in a much darker light. What if the shutdown was ordered by Putin? What if it is an attempt to cripple the federal government? What if it is an act of war? What is next?
Am I paranoid? Or are these possibilities?
A trump voter I spoke with wanted the president to blow up the "swamp". He was not concerned about trump campaign ties to Russia. He only wanted trump to stick it to the libtards and illegals. In concluding his remarks, he stated better to be Russian than a democrat. So if 30-40% of the voters holds this view, we are in serious trouble.
The war has begun.
16
Have you seen the illustrations circulating among the far right that show (among other things) Trump seated as his desk in the Oval Office, the ghostly image of Christ standing behind him, hand on Trump’s shoulder as legislation of some sort is being signed.
That is the delusional degree of sickness our country is up against. This iconography suggests that were Trump brought down by any means, a segment of our populace would embrace him as a martyr, just like Jesus. And damn near as divine.
This mindset is unassailable; I should know, most of my family are foaming-at-the-mouth Republicans, quoting Rush Limbaugh, stowing rifles under their beds to hold off anything resembling a new world order. Delighting in Trump's every utterance.
They are enablers who will fight tooth and nail to maintain the status quo – if only to thumb their noses at the intelligentsia, which is often what it boils down to, at least it seems that way to me.
It’s not just Trump, half the country is having a collective tantrum.
13
@Brian It's the religious right's way of forgiving him for the un-Christian person he is. They know his character, but to remain Republican, they forgive him. Yikes.
5
This is not about the money -- we spend about $750 billion for defense, much of it overseas. The $5 billion that the Democrats Schumer and Pelosi refuse to allocate and thus keep the government shut down is less than 1% of the defense budget.
Rather, this is about the rule of law and continuing a project that President Clinton first stated investing in: a wall between the US and Mexico.
Sadly, as of late, the Democrats have favored sanctuary cities and DACA, the rewarding illegal aliens (the correct and legal term) for breaking our US laws.
Yes, we are a nation of immigrants, and I know a number of them, but all of the ones that know of respect US laws and are either going to school or working here *legally.*
Not only do we need to build that wall, but we need to enforce employment of only people living here legally, through the e-Verify system first created 3 decades ago under Reagan.
I really, really want to see a Democratic Party that believes in the rule of law and puts Americans ahead of illegal aliens.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_(law)#Categories
"an illegal alien is any foreign national inside a country where he or she has no legal right to be.[7] It covers a foreign national who has entered the country through illegal migration.[8] In some countries it also covers an alien who entered the country lawfully but subsequently fallen out of that legal status.[9][10]"
2
@David MD You really need to stop looking at Fox and start looking at the Constitution. It is Congress' duty to determine how funding is determined. They pass bills and the President either signs or vetoes those bills. The House passed several bills that opens the government. The Republican Senate refuses to vote on those bills or to negotiate those bills because the President vowed not to sign them unless they give him what he wants - a border wall.
Trump and the Republican Senate is not following the Constitution which this government is founded upon. Stop demanding Democrats violate the Constitution because a bunch of people are engaging in misdemeanors which is what illegal entry in the country amounts to. It's the same as saying stop enforcing the Right to Assemble because people are parking illegally.
11
@Lucas Lynch
I don't watch Fox and in fact except for the rare sporting event, don't watch TV at all.
What I know is that Schumer and Pelosi are harming our federal workers including those in the military because they won't allocate $5 billion, less than 1% of the defense budget, to further extend an existing wall at our southern border with Mexico.
I also know the Constitution.
If one understands the concept of causality, then they understand this: if Schumer and Pelosi allocate $5 billion, less than 1% of the $750 billion defense budget, to extend the partially constructed wall at the southern border of the country with Mexico, then the federal employees including the military get their paychecks.
By not allocating the funds, Schumer and Pelosi are in effect punishing our federal employees and the military.
People don't have to watch Fox or any other media to work that out.
See: Causality:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causality
1
@David MD
Pelosi and Schumer are holding Chump to his word that he would make "Mexico pay for the wall." Chump didn't run on having us taxpayers pay for the wall and Mexico would repay us.
Giving into Chump now would set a precedent for future budget squabbles, allowing the bully to think he could always get his way with these tactics. He said Mexico would pay for the wall. No funding for his wall which, by the way, we have seen no cost estimate for how this money would even be spent. Only fools - and Republicans - do business this way.
2
It really all amounts to a couple of really simple questions:
What’s not getting done?
and
Who is benefitting from this chaos?
3
It will be an historical oddity that in the same period your POTUS is obsessed by a hard wall , the Brits are trying to Brexit without a hard wall separating Ireland.
There are parallels in the crises being inflicted on those least able to withstand them.
Both the US Senate and the Brits House of Commons are in Keystone Cops mode. Ignoring the outright dissembling of your POTUS, the current Trumpanero administration has reached a level of incompetence that is beyond imagination.
The beneficiaries of this chaos on both sides of the Atlantic are those on the extreme right and Vlad Putin for whom chaos provides opportunity.
I should add my own country is also in a mess and has led the western world on cruel treatment of refugees. We are led for the moment by a rather odd religious man who has taken to wearing baseball caps when out in public.
His rivals in his own Party include more extreme men akin to Brazil's new President. Baseball caps and stetsons as well as flag draping have become fashion items here on the right.
These are indeed grim times.
11
I think we did know how low we would fall, and, consequently, were scared. We continue to spiral downward. I fear for the lives of those who have most bravely opposed by Predator and, also, fear for all of us.
1
"F.B.I. agents aren’t being paid and the agency is being forced to triage investigations. "
another way to stymie Mueller??
drag the shutdown out until investigation has to stop?
24
And when you look at the Brexit effort, and the ongoing racial policies in Australia, you have to think that the governance of English speaking nations is in dire straits. History is upon us.
24
All this illustrates is that there are too many people depending on government for their livelihoods.
1
@Reg Wible
Yeah it is unfortunately my friend, this is not Luxembourg.
320 million America , need big Government.
What is your brilliant proposal, outsourcing air traffic control to drone racing teenagers.
2
In summary, it is time to recall Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. Add in campaigns to recall Mssrs. Grassley, Graham, Cornyn, Barasso. If these gentlemen realize that hiding and hanging on to power is a workable strategy, they need to be persuaded that it is not.
22
Will be following this space for anyone who can post positive steps one can undertake to remain sane throughout all of this.
(So far not a lot out there, now that the midterms are over. And don't suggest a Meetup stay-sane group either -- we had 348 RSVPs and an attendance of two.)
We had 100 show up for an organizing meeting in Southcentral PA on Sunday after 4” snow. This is a district that has NEVER elected a Democrat to Congress. We are determined to do that in 2020 a Democratic President. Don’t lose hope!
3
On the outside, and the inside, those who would do this country and its citizens harm....are watching, planning, and perhaps even salivating at this window of opportunity this president and his party have created. As a growning layer of anxiety and downright fear begins to overcome the masses, one can only pray that some real leadership emerges and these disgraceful politicians come to their collective sense that daily life is becoming scary for millions.
10
It becomes clearer by the minute that his 'endgame', insofar as he can think beyond his next tweet, is nothing less than the de-stabilization of society as we know it. Every action he takes seems calculated, likely by Putin, to cause the most disruption possible for the most people and to sow division and hatred in every possible way. He no doubt craves being aggrandized and 'worshiped', but that may just be an ancillary benefit of his treacherous actions. Oh, and anyone who can't see this or denies it is willfully blind or willfully ignorant.
20
@Jim You give Putin much too much credit. He has zero influence over the shut down and President. We have doubled our military presence in Norway (on the Russian border) and strengthened our presence in Poland under this President. Just a few examples of how this President has been tougher on Russia than the previous two Presidents.
1
Trump, McConnell, Graham all know that there is no price to pay with the recalcitrant republican base. The formula for re-election is to demonize your opponent and rely that the republican base are cultists who will drink the Kool-Aide when prompted by dear leader.
6
I remain somewhat befuddles as to why Ms. Goldberg is given
such a prominent position when much of what she writes is
over-reach and constant and continual "Plague on Trump and Anyone who supports him."
If the Landlord attempt to throw out those who rely upon
Federal Monies for their rent, they will face the various local
and State laws that demand 30 days or longer of redress.
Moreover, who will then rent those apartments...the landlords know they will be paid in due time.
As usual, no blame, at all, is apportioned to the Democrats, the fault is and always has been Trump's, which makes one wonder why, if the Democrats are all good, how Hillary was not elected in 2016.
It is not Racist to want to have secure borders.
Or does it make any difference if you are an American Citizen or not - anymore ?
The New York Times is turning into a Liberal Rag and
bordering on the "Yellow Journalism" that it pledged over
a century ago to rise beyond.
4
@John Brown You, Sir, are naive at best, a Russian troll at worst. Many (not all) of our landlords here in US wouldn't think twice about evicting tenants who cannot pay rent due to shutdown. They will worry about any illegality or consequences later as they know that poor tenants aren't so quick to be able to bring a legal action. Moreover, your stereotype that Democrats are equating a "secure border" with being "racist" is unfounded and illogical. Particularly after 9/11, all Americans want "secure borders." But not necessarily a wall which has not been studied and confirmed by anyone as the most effective method of border security. And you overlook Trump's repeatedly racist remarks in connection with his "wall" and that is what many are against. Trump has been asked to produce his study that shows a wall is the effective means to have border security and he has failed to do so. Remember, Trump acts on his "gut" instinct but the way to effective government is to consider many options, evaluate them, and have documentary support for actions.
11
@John Brown As you know this is not about 'secure borders.' It is about one specific proposal that none of our border protection professionals think is practical, timely, or helpful. A proposal meant to address a problem that we largely do not have right now.
Democrats and many Republicans back reasonable measures of border protection.
11
The company that Jared Kushner runs is notorious for kicking out renters at the drop of a hat in Maryland. If you think these predators on the poor will give anyone a break you should educate yourself about the reality of how these people make their money.
9
Did America elect its worst citizen to the presidency? How is it possible?
12
@Roland Berger Russian influence in many arenas, social media, computer hacking, using people as unwitting agents (by incentives), etc etc etc. This is what is already known to the public.
3
Love the witty headline
2
McConnell with his aggressive, calculated silence is protecting, enabling, and empowering Trump. With his silence he is encouraging Republicans to harden their support for Trump. With his silence he is endorsing the Trump lies, the Trump racism, the Trump fear mongering and the Trump barely concealed incitements to violence. Yes, Trump is feckless, undisciplined, dishonest, erratic, forgetful, barely in charge. But McConnell is a capable, loyal lieutenant who is scared to death of Trump's rabid cultish base. He is scared they will throw him out of the Senate. McConnell is able and willing to put the shiv into democracy. McConnell bears within himself a self-evident tendency to be hard, cruel, and spiteful. When I look at McConnell I think of Goebbels who also suffered from a lifelong deformity, and also looked out at the world without empathy, decency, compassion. How bad things have already become!
Ms. Goldberg writes:
"Trump has turned out to be the Norma Desmond of authoritarians, a senescent has-been whose delusions are propped up by obsequious retainers. From his fantasy world in the White House, he barks dictatorial and often illegal orders, floats conspiracy theories, tweets insults and lies unceasingly. But much of the time he’s not fully in charge. He has the instincts of a fascist but lacks both the discipline and the loyal lieutenants he’d need to create true autocracy."
8
If I were Putin, I’d be thrilled with the disarray the Trump shutdown has caused and will continent to cause. Trump’s “fascist instincts” have served Putin very, very well.
10
Michelle, your summary of Trump's trashing our country over the past two years makes one wonder if he is being mentored by Putin.
6
HE is a slow motion 9/11, and entirely self inflicted.
Thanks, GOP. 2020.
10
Is this an exaggeration? Me thinks No.
"an example of what the carnal side of man can come to, unrestrained by any inner norm, any lawfulness…Add to that the fact that he was cunning and intelligent, good looking, even somewhat educated, and not without abilities. No." says the narrator!", "better fire, better plague and famine, than such a man in society!"
Dostoevsky
10
“Imagine if you’d known then how far we’d fall.”
My aluminium hat has been replaced with an aluminium kippa; and I’m a non-believer. Speculating as to where we go from here simply causes me to vomit in my mouth.
L’chaim!
1
Sounds like Nirvana -if your name happens to be Putin, or Koch, or Mercer... or Trump. For Vladimir, America is focused exclusively inward and tearing itself apart. The damage that has been done these last 2 years will take far more time to heal. For the American oligarchs, roughly 1/4 of the U.S. government is finally shuttered! Even better, this includes the IRS!!! If you've got money to launder, some to sneak in from overseas, or just a simple multi-million dollar loan from your left hand to your right that is neither declared nor paid back --now is the time!
6
@Mr Jones - Not to mention the oligarchs (looking at Koch Brothers here...) can pollute without worrying about getting caught.
And not little wrist slaps with fines for the pollution and rule breaking. More profits, more pain to the little people.
3
Michelle, somehow my link didn’t reflect the paragraph pertaining to lowest unemployment in 50 yrs or lowest unemployment EVER for blacks and brown citizens or putting the Iranian economy in a tailspin or ending the reign of terror by ISIS or North Korea halting ballistic middle testing or GPD growing 50% faster in the past two years than the previous eight years. Keep working on that ‘traitor’ story, equates to another four years of #45 in ‘20. Your service to country is valued
1
@MTM
No links to Fox News propaganda are necessary; the Kremlin has that covered. The lies here are too many to refute, but are an example of what the conservative propaganda machine has done to truth in our once-proud country.
3
Yuck! All you Republicans ever think about is money. Just like Trump you have no souls. You will be written off down to your quarks.
2
@MTM
I favor BJ's troll theory even more now.
1
How refreshing to finally hear a journalist use the T word we all have been using for quite a while. Yes, even if he weren't a Traitor in collusion with a foreign government, he surely is a Traitor to the Constitution of these United States in a way we have never seen. We are in uncharted country these days, and I fear the darkness will go on for a while. Buckle up!
7
Michelle, you nailed it once again. What's even sadder than seeing the Trump administration litany once again, is growing old and, only now, understanding that the government has huge flaws in its construction without any ideas how to fix it.
4
Fifty years ago protests against the Vietnam war got to the level of finally getting us out of there. Have the young protesters of then become the so complacent Establishment of today, that the country falling apart before our eyes and this is met with a mixture of apathy and denial?
Certainly it's been the denial part that's prompted many people to vote Republican even though so doing promised them the pottage of a culture war victory at the expense of their long term economic security.
Trump doesn't know what he doesn't know, which in a way is not so bad. A Pence presidency would take us from the proverbial pan and right smack into the fire. Then, it would get worse.
10
@Patrick " Why would Pence be worse. He is an experienced politician and a good man, regardless of your position on the issues. Pence would be a return to a Republican professional like Bush 41. We need him now more than ever.
1
@Patrick Where are the protests at 1600 PA Ave? Until that occurs, in mass #'s, I fear we are in for far more trouble. Oh the troubles...
1
Kudos for using "senescent" to describe Trump. It's the perfect adjective for him. I'm guessing that one sentence sent his supporters running for their dictionaries.
5
How appropriate to start out the terrible twos, with a temper tantrum by the spoiled brat in residence of Presidential proportions.
The country suffers from this unrelenting child, as we await adult McConnell, to finally step forward and declare a time out.
2
Most commenters to these Times articles are clearly not now nor have they likely ever been Trump supporters ! We are basically talking to ourselves. I sure hope any T supporters who still feel supportive of this administration...I wish you would seriously consider all the hirings,firings,resignations ,and indictments surrounding this President! Consider also the diminishing of the United States standing in the World ! How there could still be any support for a President who would shut down the Gov't and put fellow American citizens in financial hardship ? It seemsis beyond comprehension. Please ...Trump supporters.Please rethink your loyalty to what can only be described as a troubled Presidency !! Surely we can agree...if not all of us.. at least as a majority ..,,can we agree that support for this Presidency was a big mistake ?? If after 2 years of this confusion we can't realize the mess we are in..well that doesn't say much about us as Americans ! It's been 2 years ... MAGA? I don't see it....do you??
7
@Dave I am still all in for Trump especially when HRC was the alternative. We have had significant criminal justice reform, tax reform and will hopefully withdraw from Syria and Afghanistan. Both parties are playing games with the shutdown but truth be told it hasn't effected my life or anyone I know. The economy is still humming along.....
1
@Ross I suppose you are unconcerned that an immoral character who acts only for his own glory and financial interests is running our country and making our divisions worse. There were plenty of men and one woman with integrity who would have accomplished the same political objectives you now laud without debasing our institutions and our democracy.
5
@Dave Look no further...from this comment section MTM:
'Michelle, somehow my link didn’t reflect the paragraph pertaining to lowest unemployment in 50 yrs or lowest unemployment EVER for blacks and brown citizens or putting the Iranian economy in a tailspin or ending the reign of terror by ISIS or North Korea halting ballistic middle testing or GPD growing 50% faster in the past two years than the previous eight years. Keep working on that ‘traitor’ story, equates to another four years of #45 in ‘20. Your service to country is valued'
1
Simply
US government has been shut down
Russian and Chinese Government open and running well.
That is the bottom line.
Millions of Americans left with misery.
What was it again?
Make America Great Again, like this.... seriously
11
What a good writer; thanks.
4
So so good. I totally love the Norma Desmond image. Michelle Goldberg, love your politics, love your writing.
3
The blame should fall on the GOP senators as well as Trump. Together they have created a libertarian minimum operating government. Let us demand they forego their salaries too, that would be truly libertarian.
11
The President's popularity is holding steady in Georgia. I attended a Bar function yesterday and the Trump supporters were standing by him. What New Yorkers and the media don't understand is that there are many people with advanced degrees who are supporting him. CNN would have you believe uneducated lower middle class folks are his base but I know many lawyers and doctors who support him too. I would vote for him over HRC again today and may vote for him in 2020 depending upon who is nominated to run against him.
1
@Ross I don't think it's advanced degrees. I think it is high earners among which are most doctors and lawyers.
8
@Ross, an advanced degree in the law or medicine does not confer wisdom, insight, a knowledge of history, empathy and compassion, or other traits that would prevent one from voting for the Grifter in Chief. All the evidence of his malfeasance has been on display for two years now, and in all the years leading up to the race, what more do you need?
9
@Ross I have to say that in my opinion, those who support Trump are unconcerned about integrity or morals or else they would have voted in the primary for one of the men or one woman running in the Republican primary in 2016 who would have accomplished the same conservative goals that you laud now.
4
Michelle, it seems as if this Trump-induced national emergency is co-shared by our GOP Senate and his rabid supporters who depend solely on FOX News or internet propaganda. I am writing this because I have just read a number of comments to get a pulse on how people think. Frankly, I am baffled..and scared. To quote one reader: "What exactly is Trump getting away with?" This was in reply to another writer's fear and dismay over his blatant corruption and dismissal of the tenets of a just and free (?) democracy. My point is: Please Michelle and informed journalists, continue to point out what Mr. Trump has been permitted to "get away with" at our expense...unprecedented historically, morally and ethically absent, and most crucially, a betrayal of our nation's principles.
8
In France ,they take to the streets with their grievances. Not advocating violence, but why are we taking this dimunition of our Democratic Republic and its institutions so passively? Every federal worker and conscientious citizen should "walk", and force enough disruption to get the republicans to pass the house bills and open the government.
10
@Marylee We are too fat and happy. We have cheap food, cable, and unlimited data so we can't be bothered to protest.
4
@Marylee In Spain and other western European democracies on the first day of the shutdown there would have been calls for a general strike, millions of workers and citizens in solidarity would have peacefully marched on the streets demanding a end to this outrage; in congress Trump, Mcconnell and the rest of the GOP accomplices would have at least endured "motions of censure" and possibly a vote of "no confidence" , a prelude to throwing the crooks out. Unfortunately in the US workers are gullible, easily intimidated and lack class consciousness. The system has done a good job of endoctrinating them into believing that the enemy is someone poorer than they are, and with skin darker than theirs. Breaking them up along racial and class lines keeps them from seeing the commonalities they have with other workers and keeps them from joining forces. Too bad!
1
@Ross, complacency will be our undoing.
2
"It could be worse." With the President's track record in mind, the word "could" should be replaced with "will" when describing just about anything he is connected with.
4
there is a lot of talk and a bill that was passed to insure that the 800k ppl receive full pay when the shut down ends. Seems to me that only people working without pay during the shut down should be paid when it ends. Why are the tax payers going to pay gov't workers for work they are not actually doing. If Trump and the R's want to shut the gov't down then shut it down, but let's not make the tax payer liable for work that isn't being performed. If gov't workers didn't expect to be made whole at the end then national outrage would be boiling over. As a private sector worker I don't get paid if I don't perform my duties.
1
@zak b Your private sector work does not affect the country. Government workers jobs do. Among the many services they provide are security at airports, processing social security checks, making sure your food is safely grown and processed, making sure the FBI is actively protecting the country against all enemies--foreign and domestic, etc.
The shutdown only aids our opponents, which Russia very much has been, whether you or trump believe it or not.
2
@Norma your response doesn't really address what I wrote. as you don't know what my private sector work is, you don't know how it does or doesn't affect the country.
my point is that we tax payers are paying for work that is not being done. As painful as the uncertainty is during this shut down for those workers, they have every expectation of being paid. If they did not have that expectation the pressure on our reps to avoid shut downs at all costs would be great. If Congress and the White House Staff didn't get paid during a shut down, they'd never occur.
My point is that it is outrageous that we the tax payers of this country are paying for services that we are not receiving bc Trump aided by the Senate has decided to use gov't workers as pawns. I want and support those people doing those jobs, I don't want to have to pay retroactively for them to not being doing those important jobs right now.
Trump is wasting our tax dollars on idk what exactly or why. If you pay your electric bill but then the power is turned off for a month but you're still charged the same amount for that time you didn't have power, you wouldn't be ok with that... Isn't that what Trump is doing to the American tax payers.
1
It would behoove the Evangelicals, the base of Trump, to dig into their deep pockets and give direct aid to the government workers, as well as call The Senate and Congress and their President to end this. Stop tithing and start giving, or Christianity will go the way of the ancient Roman and Greek myths and will always be remembered as Trump and Putin's religion. Another massive airline workers strike can be averted this way. I don't care which way the wind blows. Just giving free advice.
5
Many comments want the media to put Mitch McConnell under the spotlight. When will the NYT take the hints? Reveal all the obstructionists and what they believe and what they stand for.
Shocking article yesterday where a farmer Trump supporter said "I might lose the farm but I still want a wall." Schedule him for a follow up the year after he loses the farm.
12
@Aubrey I saw a different clip of a farmer on his tractor, saying "I don't care about the wall, I just want my [expletive deleted] loan so I can plant my crops."
I voted for Trump but would never do so again. He’s clearly over the top and seems to be doing more harm than good at this point. At the same time, I shudder to think what these last two years would be like with Crooked Hillary in office. A nightmare.
@1truenorth Oh sure, those emails were a real danger to this country.
10
@1truenorth Horrors. Hillary might let her hair grow long again.
I don't particularly like the woman but i did vote for her after seeing Trump on the republican ticket.
She would have made a good to perhaps an excellent president.
Independent
1
@1truenorth
Yeah, you and the rest of the sheep who bought into the Hillary hatred. You've lived through two years of Trump and you shudder to think of the alternative? You envision a nightmare greater than this? You mean with a compassionate, intellectual in the White House? Yeah, we'd be so much worse off with a crooked person in the White House, with a functioning government, with real policies and without Russian interference. Thanks for nothing; next time, do us all a favor and stay home.
3
Maybe some people have been living lousy lives for the last ten years or so. Or longer.
And they are happy to see whatever was good for the rest of us ... to see that end too.
1
Our national emergency sports an odd, vain hair facsimile.
2
Th real problem is that there is literally no captain at the helm of the ship right now - just a twittering figurehead that people are forced to listen to. How long before some bad actor makes a real move while we’re rudderless?
4
@Kathy Balles, 'How long before some bad actor makes a real move while we’re rudderless?', how do you know they are not already making a move?
1
@Kathy Balles I would say Putin has achieved his goal by getting trump elected. The next move should be for the spineless repubs in congress admitting it and working with the Democrats to remove trump. I somehow doubt they have the backbone to do it
1
We have, as of now, not only wasted two years of American progress, but have suffered such incredible insult to our Democracy at the hands of Comrade Trump.
Incompetence only begins to touch the surface of his reign. There is unbelievable criminality, denial of rule of law, probable treason, alienation of our lies, theft of more than $1.4 Trillion as a gift to his rich cabal with no benefit to those who paid for it, Market instability, political instability, failure of climate accords and international relationships built over decades, human rights abuses galore, violation of uncountable ethics laws and principles, etc.
THIS is our national emergency - a massive train wreck in slow motion, urged on by the new Trumplican Party. If ever we needed a Congress of reasonable people to band together and save this country from itself, NOW is the time. Actually, 2016 was the time but Americans were asleep at the wheel and unduly influenced by social media powers starter than them.
Have we learned? We will see in the next few months. Our emergency grows more severe and more acute and Trump is lavishing in the distraction.
9
@RealTRUTH
"insult to our Democracy at the hands of Comrade Trump"
Insult, sure...but, at some point, insult to democracy shifts into injury to democracy...
...and, as always in democratic politics, the insults and injuries follow from the rationalizing, at root approving, gaze of the right; the stunned, then finger-wagging gaze of liberals; and the desperate warnings and protest of the left...
...but I'm hopeful!
I keep asking myself, as probably many others do, when will this end? Will trump resign, be impeached or tried in court after his term expires? What more harm can he do?
3
@Jordan Davies Unless congress acts now, it will get worse. Waiting for his term to expire only gives Putin more control over the harm trump can do.
1
@Jordan Davies Impeachment is almost too kind. He should be indicted; he's a criminal, and probably a traitor as well.
1
President Trump claims that if the Democrats in the House of Representatives would just capitulate to his demands for $5.7 billion to fund his border wall, the government shutdown could be ended in 15 minutes. This only demonstrates Trump's complete misunderstanding of how the legislative process works, and more to the point, how democracy works. There are 235 Democrats in the House who were elected by their constituents in their congressional districts. Nancy Pelosi, as Speaker of the House, represents these 235 Democrats in negotiations with the President. The House representatives speak for their constituents and are not free agents who can make a 15 minute decision to buckle to the President's demands against the expressed will and desires of the people who elected them to office. In reality, President Trump would to convince each and every one of those 235 Democrats to surrender to his demands and therefore, betray their constituents. Speaker Pelosi cannot decide for them how they should vote on funding Trump's wall.
In effect, President Trump is attempting to bully the majority of the American people into submission by holding 800,000 government workers hostage as "leverage" since reason and persuasion are not working to get his way. Sadly, the Republicans in the Senate are enabling Trump's bullying rather than standing up to him. We must support the House Democrats in saying no to the Bully-in-Chief.
26
@Jenna Black
Trump and the GOP want to make the Democrats pay for getting elected. that is the driving force of Republican "policy" now. Two years to fund a wall and get building. But that wasn't on the agenda until they thought it might make democrats look bad. unfortunately, too many suckers, even here, buy into the conservative ruse time and time again. The GOP will never build the wall, or make abortion illegal, or legislate comprehensive immigration reform because it will deprive them of the red meat they need to throw out in every election cycle. [They won't do anything about gun violence because they are just plain pigheaded and in the pocket of the Russia-funded NRA.]
2
Yes, of course, Trump is egregious and a discreditable Republican party functions, by and large, as his cowardly enablers. However, that does not lead to the corollary that the right course is always to 100% oppose Trump on everything. After all, he is the current head of the executive branch of the federal government and we are a two-party system and one of these major parties is the Republicans. So they unavoidably wield a lot of power in how our government works.
In her column M. Goldberg asserts: "As of this writing, the president has rejected every way out of the government shutdown save full capitulation by House Democrats." I'm wondering how she defines "full capitulation". Speaker Pelosi has publicly stated that one dollar for the wall would be immoral. So does that mean that if in a final deal Trump was allowed $1 towards his wall that would amount to full capitulation by the House Democrats? My point here is that both Trump and Pelosi seem to be pretty much demanding their way or the highway remains closed.
A lot of new Democratic congress members were elected in tossup districts and many campaigned on fostering bipartisanship. If this partial government shutdown keeps dragging on, I would hope that both Republican and Democrat legislators will start pressuring their absolutist leaders to engage in the forgotten art of compromise for reasons both political and for the good of the commonwealth.
1
@RWeiss The real point, there was a deal that was considered not adequate by Ann Coulter, Fox and Rush Limbaugh. Trump then reneged from it. This has very little to do with the Democrats and everything to do with the lying Trump and racist right.
7
@RWeiss "
There you go again.
I'll make it simple for you.
You live in the United States of America.
Our democratic plan of government is named the Constitution.
It divides power between three branches of govt.
It divides power to prevent tyranny by..well...a tyrant.
Our Constitution invests its representative branch (aka Congress) with "power of the purse", i.e., spending.
Congressional spending decisions proceed from the House of Reps. to the Senate to the Executive branch.
But - over the course of U.S.A. history - there have inevitably been 'stalemates,' when citizens' desires have been divided so that no single spending plan could proceed.
This is one of those times.
At such times, it remains the duty of the representative branch to represent the predominant will of its electors.
At such times, it also remains the duty of the representative branch to reject extortionate demands by the Executive branch - even when a part of the representative branch (i.e., Republicans) is ready to trade democracy for tyranny.
Hope that helps!
3
Enough of Trump. It's time to shine the light on his Republican enablers and protectors and make them feel some righteous heat. Republicans have long claimed the mantle of patriotism by their perennial July 4th rhetoric, their exploitation of the flag, their belligerence and eagerness to go to war and stay, at any cost in human and monetary capital, and their profligate spending of the national treasure on the military-industrial complex. It's time "patriotism" got defined more broadly than military might and service. Make clear that there would not be a "United States of America" to fight for today without the institutions of our government and the honorable, competent and patriotic public servants doing their duty within them. They are the ones who "protect and defend" our constitutional "rights and freedoms" and our way of life every day, not just in time of war. Every member of Congress should be one of those patriots, putting country above party and career. Every cabinet member and federal judge should be. They should be willing to sacrifice something for their country, not exploit their positions for self-enrichment. Donald Trump has made clear that Republicans are not the patriots they claim to be. Hold THEM to account, Ms. Goldberg.
24
Trump tries to run the government the way he did his businesses: by stiffing people and by insisting on his own way. But a government is not a closely held business, so in the long run his approach won't work. In the short term, however, his way harms a lot of Americans. That apparently does not matter to Trump. He's in over his head and he knows it, to say nothing of the likely Russian conspiracy.
25
When all it would take at this point (and currently passed from the House) is the Senate to re-ratify the separate HR bills to re-open government agencies under the shutdown.
Then work on comprehensive immigration and border security reform. First, end the pain of this shutdown before it turns into a real national security tragedy.
McConnell states that he won't bring up any legislation that Trump has not agreed to sign AHEAD of any vote. This is an absurd performance by McC and the shutdown damage now lies in his lap. He should compromise this time.
22
@Richard
Mealy mouth McConnell is a national disaster.
This vileness that calls itself president of the United States can be stopped by Congress. What is needed are a few real Americans in Congress. To form the 2/3 majority that overrides the lunatic's veto are 51 house members and 13 senators willing to recognize the mendacity of trump and act in the interest of our country. I am unsure of how to deal with the utterly contemptible senate leader, McConnell. Possibly another reader may advise me.
30
@Pete Kantor
There is only one way to deal with McConnell, a man whose first and last love is power for its own sake. He can't be defeated at the ballot box. His state is so red it glows. He must have his gavel removed by flipping the senate to Democratic control. Yes, he will use that power in the nastiest way possible as well unless, unless....
How do we know that McConnell, along with Trump, is not in the Russia mess up to his eyebrows? He took money from the NRA. That organization laundered Russian money to become a "legitimate" political donation under Citizens United rules. McConnell is too much of a control freak not to know that fact.
When McConnell refused to release a statement in September, 2016 alerting the American people to the fact of Russian meddling in our election (something Ryan agreed should be done), who did McConnell protect? Trump's candidacy or McConnell's own involvement? Those choices are not mutually exclusive.
Get to the bottom of the Russian involvement, all the way to the very, very bottom.
6
This unending, metastasizing choas is surely making at least one person very happy: Vladimir Putin.
Heckuva job, Trump, Mitch, Lindsey, and the rest of the GOP gang!
47
@Sleater...Wow Unending...Metastisizing ...Chaos...Excellent description of the Dysfunctional Trump Administration that unfortunately too many of us chose to vote for! Now All of us are suffering! Putin must be Happy I'm sure! They must be having a good laugh at our expense! Just like the photo of the Russians in the White House laughing when Trump told them he had fired Comey and now the pressure was off him !!!
I disagree. He doesn’t seem less frightening to me. He is getting more and more incoherent every day. I believe the Mueller investigation is stressing him to the point of madness.
When animal is cornered they lash out. We have a primative, wannabe king who feels backed into a corner. He’s showing us his claws by flaunting his power. The shutdown has nothing to do with immigration. It’s his way of showing us that he’s still the pack leader. And, he’s certainly not going to be bested by a woman.
We’re headed for bad trouble. And, Trump doesn’t care if he takes our whole country down with him. He is getting more and more unpredictable and therefore more dangerous. We should be very afraid.
59
@Kathryn
Agreed. But it has become so difficult to live normally, to keep fear in check and to manage balance among the endless streams of outrage against all decency.
I'm exhausted, fearful and angry. And doing my best to maintain optimism and a plan. Not "woe is me," but "woe is us."
Thus I'm working on voter registration. It's all I can do to stay sane.
6
My dream is that we will at least learn a lesson from the Trump presidency-- this national disaster, this grotesque historical aberration.
The way we learn historical lessons, however, is by directly linking our leaders' horrid decisions with their inevitable dire consequences. But the arc of history is so broad, and the links between actions and consequences so tenuous, that those responsible usually have plenty of latitude to squirm out of their responsibility.
While I truly feel sorry for all the people who will suffer and have already suffered by the actions of this supremely corrupt and incompetent President and his abettors, I am convinced that the link between his decisions and their anguish will, in the end, be clear and indelible.
The President owns this shutdown. Attempts to cast blame on others, this time, will not work. But this is just one contributory factor on a long list that will be brought into evidence in post-mortem review.
17
@MarkW
I think Fox is telling Trump that the shutdown is a winner for him. His base loves it and that is all that matters.
Until the airlines get sick of the turmoil and the flying public flies in to a massive rage.
3
I hope we have learned that “on the job” training does not work for the Office of President of the USA.
33
Trump is done, and I think he knows it. But cornered animals are dangerous--he can still do a lot more damage before he's out.
Republicans know he has to go but they're looking for a way to avoid offending their Russian masters. If articles of impeachment are passed in the House, they will be cornered as well. It will be every senator for himself and I suspect that there are enough of them that feel self preservation dictates a vote for impeachment.
So we get Pence. But we get a weakened Pence that will have to devote a significant part of his time to answering the question of what he knew and when he knew it. And a chastened Republican Senate. And probably a few Republican congressmembers enjoying somewhat different federal accommodations.
Far from perfect, but better than we have now.
14
But the Democrats running against Pence might be a very different picture. He doesn’t have the track record of evil that Trump does and it might take a lot longer for the public to see through him.
1
Trump rejects suggestion to allow government to reopen temporarily while talks continue.
Such a logical and easy solution.
But it's is all about Trump inflicting pain on people.
It makes him feel alive and powerful!
13
How 'bout if NanChuck agree to pay $5B for border security in exchange for meeting notes for dRumpf's 5 private meetings with Russian oligarchs plus his taxes.
Yes, I am one of those Americans who is becoming more terrified every single day.
8
@Sue M
Unfortunately Trump hasn't taken any compromises offered so taking yours although offered wryly isn't going to fly either. The problem is he isn't willing to make any concessions to the Democrats. And I don't think he was prepared for the Democrats to stand their ground.
5
@Sue M I’m sorry to hear you’re affected to that extent. What’s coming will be even worse.
@sec He needs to learn that Pelosi isn't a small time New Jersey drywall contractor he can bully into submission.
1
"Trump has turned out to be the Norma Desmond of authoritarians..."
This made me laugh out loud which is not easy to do.
15
If staring down the critics of his treatment of Merrick Garland didn't shame Mitch McConnell, what possible assault on his character can move him to reopen the government?
He got the tax cut and the stream of reactionary judges. He thinks he will be the Taft or Vandenberg or Webster of our age.
Who will rid us of this troublesome administration?
25
"The Norma Desmond of authoritarians" is very good. May it attain wide currency.
8
One wishes that the republicans would just own up to the fact that Trump and Trump's consequences are exactly what they wanted rather than play the bashful suitor act that McConnell has mastered.
A name we haven't (thank God) heard recently is Grover Norquist who ,as one of the original architects of republican treason with Gingrich, famously said republicans want to shrink government until it can be drowned in the bathtub.
They must be really enjoying themselves now, Grover and Newt. Two traitors loudly professing their patriotism as their yellow minion undoes a couple of centuries of American greatness according to their plans.
22
How long can this continue? I don't see this waning. Because Trump loves nothing more than power and attention, he has proven he will go out of his way to get them, and right now he is drunk on both. The longer this shutdown lasts, the more attention paid to him, and the more powerful he feels. This is the only real power he has left, and in the face of failure, I fear he will go to any length whatsoever to maintain his grip.
5
This regurgitation of what we already know, without one mention of McConnell, is wasted space.
Can't some NYTimes journalists endeavor to press our elected representatives to go on record with what they are doing to end the shut down? Until this is resolved, what else can be accomplished? What a great way to start the new year, and I can hardly wait for the "State of the Union" address. One has to feel some sympathy for Trump's speechwriters; even their considerable ability to create new fiction must be stressed at this point.
Still can't believe that we have numerous deals on the table, NUMEROUS, and the art of the deal can't find one of these deals to make a deal. This shut down does explain to me how the Donald bankrupted a casino.
7
@Amanda Jones
There's a popular misconception that trump wanted to be in the casino business. The truth is that we wanted to be in any business that would allow him to suck wealth out of it and defraud his fellow investors. The casino business at the time just happened to be the easiest means to that end.
Yes Michelle. How many ways can you spell "autocrat"? Trade war by "Tariff Man" Trump, Trump Muslim travel ban, Trump trashing NATO, Trump leaving the Paris climate accord and then the Iran nuclear accord, Trump Syria pullout, and now his demand for The Great Wall of Trump with 800,000 of his employees being held hostage for a $5.7 billion ransom he's bullying Democrats to cough up to build it. Maybe the great Dealmaker-in-Chief should get China whom he prefers dealing with over Democrats to give him a few hundred, slightly used miles of their Great Wall if he'll end the trade war that's pushing them into recession while rattling our stock market and economy! In the meantime, what's become clear, except to most Congressional Republicans, is "our national emergency" resides in The Oval Office.
5
The president's primary function--as outlined in Article II--is to ensure that the country's laws are, quote, "faithfully executed." Enacting laws is the function--exclusively--of the legislative branch. Our president has shut the government down because the legislative branch has declined to pass legislation that he wants passed. He has stopped ensuring the laws are faithfully executed, in other words, because Congress has resisted his usurpation of their explicit powers. If that's not an impeachable offense, what is? Where ARE the self-styled "constitutional conservatives" who used to reside in the Republican Party?
17
I would remind people (strongly) that even if there is a sudden stop of any kind (even the next election sweeping in the largest Democratic victory/republican defeat in the history of the United States) the damage will have been done and will be still be ongoing. (at the hands of foreign actors and by the infrastructure left behind)
RIGHT NOW, there are continuous efforts by foreign actors to influence, brainwash and lie to potential voters, as well as voter fraud actually occurring. (isn't there still a house seat to be determined?) That will be ongoing until someone stops it, but we are too busy dealing with all the rest.
The President's/republicans' trade war is still ongoing (deciding losers in the economy - national and global) There have been many winners (especially in this administration) that have been hauling in millions at each end. (by shorting whole sectors of the economy and knowing which ones - insider trading)
Along the lines of trade wars, there also have been more inside winners and losers by renegotiating NAFTA, with now more pressure (roadblocks) on the southern border. Who is going to win if a wall is actually built, there is eminent domain (stealing land) and more controls (tariffs) on the southern border ?
Who wins, when wars wind down or end, and there is a power vacuum and a land grab in Syria and elsewhere in the middle east ?
Even if this administration is completely removed, there are lots of people running off with billions - pure theft.
9
Why doesn't anyone ask Trump how his $5 billion 200-mile wall, will "keep out criminals, murderers, rapists, immigrants and drugs", when the border is 2000 miles wide!
Surely immigrants and young families will walk another 200 miles around Trump's wall when they have already walked 1000 miles from Central America?
Using Trump's own logic, how difficult would it be to show the idiocy of his argument for a $5 billion wall?
51
@Joseph
It's not about the wall - it's about power over Congress, over republicans (to get in line) and over Democrats especially. (to take away from the investigations)
it is also about future control of the border and more tariffs, and control over the economy to siphon off profits to the top. One could also argue that billions spent on a structure, also takes away from more social programs, allowing space to decrease spending and leading to more privatization.
All related.
26
@Joseph
$5 billion for a wall that barely covers much of the border isn't Trump's strategy. As the Russia investigation continues to mount, especially with Democrats now controlling the house, Trump needs protection. His greatest protection is the human shields that are his base, and will support him all the way to the "last helicopter out of Washington (and to Russia)." If Trump is convicted, you're going to have a sizable, motivated and passionate segment of the electorate enraged - a segment inoculated by Fox News and right-wind media to actual facts. It may make parts of the country ungovernable. Thus, Trump is willing to sow deep societal and civil divisions on his way out - divisions that Russia or other countries (or Republican politicians working for elites) are too willing to exploit.
28
@Joseph
Although trump was sent to military school by his father (presumably to discipline him, and likely because no other schools would take him), he seems to have been absent the day they taught the lesson about the Maginot line.
13
We are being held hostage by the 40+/- percent of republican voters who are perfectly willing to vote against their own best interests in the service of a cult-like devotion to Trump, a man who does not care one whit about anything except what benefits himself. And then there's do-nothing-McConnell, who refuses to discharge his constitutional duties. One can't help but wonder who's actually calling his shots. Some billionaire donor perhaps?
19
@Jackson Good question. And here's a question in reply to your question: Why are said billionaire donors rarely if ever the subject of NYT reporting, editorial or op-ed pieces? I find it very curious, not to mention disturbing, that the journalistic/media spotlight continues to be trained almost exclusively on the puppets and not the puppet masters.
13
@Jackson Billionaire donors? HRC outspent #45 3:1. He’s not beholding to anyone other than the folks that’s voted for the change that you attest, ie lowest unemployment rate in 50 years, Iran deal gone, North Korea halting missle testing, GDP growing 50% faster than the previous eight years, wages growing faster than inflation. What’s yours point?
1
@Lora Excellent point.
It amazes me how many commentors believe that the Democrats should make some kind of concession to Trump.
This flies in the face of at least two salient facts. First, in December Trump said he'd assume the "mantle" of responsibility for a shutdown and wouldn't blame the Democrats. Second, while still in control of BOTH houses of Congress, the House AND Senate agreed, nearly unanimously, on spending bills that would have provided funds for border security and kept the government open.
In and of itself the latter was a remarkable feat in the face of polarizing partisan politics. However, Trump backtracked when faced with the "threats" from pundits with no official power, whose only purpose is to continue to stoke the baseless fears of an uninformed and willfully blind "base" that represents a significant minority of all voters.
Did the Republicans make concessions on health care, or Supreme Court nominees, or taxes? Can anyone here cite any examples of Republican concessions since they regained Congressional power in 2010? Did ANY Republicans stand up to denounce any of Trump's more egregious actions related to possible obstruction of justice or inhumane policies of child separation and detention or denial of basic health care benefits or selection of obviously conflicted Cabinet nominees?
I'll make it simple. No. They didn't, and they won't. Because.... Twitter. Fear of being publicly berated by an incompetent "leader."
Trump's offered nothing and should get nothing.
26
@SMKNC
"Did ANY Republicans stand up to denounce any of Trump's more egregious actions....No. They didn't, and they won't. Because.... Twitter. Fear of being publicly berated by an incompetent 'leader.'"
OK...but you leave out that - radically right wing as Republicans are - they're basically ok with Trump's "actions," no matter how "egregious" - especially when he helps deliver the legislation they want: 'So there's actually no border crisis? Shrug - his base rallies around him when he talks about his wall. Works for me...'
1
One of the problems that Democrats have is not that they are incorrect about the wall or any other policy, it is that they do not know how to communicate effectively their side of the argument. They need to speak truth to power and truth to us all. The current "crisis" of the border wall is really a crisis about our constitutional system and democracy. Democrats should say straightforwardly that the President has not presented any factual evidence for the need for a wall, that he refuses to compromise to improve overall border security (e.g., wall alternatives), and that he is holding Federal employees and others hostage until he gets his way. Indirectly, he is holding all of us hostage. If he succeeds, then he will use the threat of a shutdown at any time to do whatever suits his whims. Before the Republican-sponsored shutdowns that began in the 1990's, it was unthinkable that any group would be so stubborn and isolated that they would shut down the Government to get their way when they did not have the votes in Congress or approval by the President for their point of view. The job of politicians and parties is to get elected in sufficient numbers to do what they want, however ill-conceived. Until that happens, the President and members of Congress must observe the redlines of our democracy, one of which is to not shut down the Government over a policy or political difference when they don't have the votes.
11
@Richard
"Democrats should say straightforwardly that the President has not presented any factual evidence for the need for a wall, that he refuses to compromise to improve overall border security (e.g., wall alternatives), and that he is holding Federal employees and others hostage until he gets his way. "
Richard, if you're following the news, you should have seen Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi say exactly those things about Trump and the shutdown. I don't imagine you're a Fox-only viewer.
7
I believe that is exactly what Democrats are doing.
Actually, for those of us living outside the beltway and not employed by the federal government, it is surprising how normal everything is in the country. True, everyone talks about Trump but most of us are doing what we have always done, living, working, playing, going to school, etc. Take away the noise of the news media and we might be living in the age of Bush.
2
@JAM Just wait. Flying has already become even more hellish than it usually is, and will only get worse. Federal employees have so far missed one paycheck. As that number mounts, and as others lose their federal benefits like housing vouchers and food stamps, the broader economy will feel the effects, too.
12
@JAM
You won't Think that when the next big storm hits Florida.
People expecting quick IRS refunds won’t think that. Nor those trying to get new mortgages.
And what about the Coast Guard in Florida, now without pay?
10
@JAM
"Take away the noise of the news media and we might be living in the age of Bush."
Just war frenzy manufactured by fraudulent reports of WMD's, and body bags unloaded at military airports under cover of darkness, huh? I miss those days too, JAM.
1
It’s ALL up to Mitch McConnell and the Senators-all of whom are being paid while not doing their jobs. As opposed to the people forced to do their jobs without pay.
The Constitution sets up three co-equal parts of government. The way McConnell behaves I wonder why we even have a Senate.
18
Michelle has outlined Trump’s State of the Union address, or maybe the House response to Trump’s address.
More emphasis has to be given to McConnell who has turned over to Trump control of the Senate. No bill will be brought to a vote without Trump’s PRIOR approval.
That extraordinary abandonment of Mitch’s Constitutional duties requires examination. Most probably it is not deference to Trump, but implementation of orders from the billionaire Oligarchs running the GOP.
We need more light shone upon McConnell.
43
@John Brews ..✅✅ Yes, we do need to focus on McConnell. He and his oligarch owners want this shutdown to stretch on and on so they can justify cutting thousands of government jobs. They couldn't cut Medicare or Social Security honestly, so they cheated with a tax cut; now they're cheating with a shutdown to trim the government.
We need investigations of McConnell, and then we need the Democrats to defend the federal government. The government wasn't installed by aliens from the planet Zeptron-24. We created it; it's ours and we like how it protects us and guards our natural heritage for one among many many things.
We need at last to counter the toxic Reaganism-Gingrichism that has so blighted our country and defend the government, what it does and who does it. Get Michael Moore to do a bunch of informational videos on YouTube, say. But first, let's sit on McConnell and get him out of the way.
8
The true question is - will the people who voted for Trump and are now deeply impacted financially by HIS Government Shutdown to Build HIS WALL -- vote for him in 2020?
6
@Karen I know of a few personally...you can't break that hold. Trump has accomplished his goal with them, they disregard whatever evidence presented as false, claim the press is the enemy and praise him fully.
10
@Rob And one of the things that has occurred to me repeatedly over the past two years is that THEY are by and large the ones with the guns
2
In confidence man parlance, they are ‘marks’, ‘suckers’ that Trump has effectively swindled.
1
Human beings live by their core beliefs and not by abstract facts. The pain must come in a form much like the proverbial idea of hitting a stubborn mule with a 2 x 4 to get its attention. As one commenter pointed out, all TSA agents going on strike might do it, maybe after a week or two. Food disappearing from grocery shelves because it isn't inspected might also do it; or massive epidemics caused by the same.
Devastation of the immigration system and shut down of the asylum immigration courts isn't important enough.
However, I personally think that Democrats are playing a dangerous game of being just as obdurate as Trump. They need to provide a well documented alternative with proof that Trump needs only $1.6B for 240 miles of new barrier. Then go around Trump by selling it to the American people.
Otherwise, once the pain gets bad enough, there easily could be a reversal of polls from current Democratic support to a popular belief that Democrats MUST agree to eliminate the stalemate.
Either way, the stubborn stalemate is eroding confidence in our Government to do anything rational or constructive.
19
@dpaqcluck
I completely agree on the poor messaging of Democrats. It continues to be the greatest risk in 2020 as well. Why in the world can they not find the leadership to lay out their proposal in detail and in fact even ask for a bipartisan audit of the best use of border security funds with an aim to complete in 3 weeks (prerequisite being open the government first). Their head continue to be in the sand on what americans want from the opposition - its solutions not obstinance.
10
"I personally think that Democrats are playing a dangerous game of being just as obdurate as Trump. They need to provide a well documented altern-"
I "personally" think the Constitution invests Congress with the "power of the purse"...
...And that citizens who characterize this extortionate demand by the Executive as a struggle between Democrats and the Executive branch are - like the Republican Senate - prepared to yield up their form of government to de facto autocracy.
7
@Jackson The commenter was not denying Congress' constitutional power or arguing for compromise or capitulation, but arguing that the Democrats need better messaging to explain why their proposal provides for needed border security more effectively that Trump's wall.
2
The destruction of our nation is happening for only one reason: Trump voters. Trump's poll numbers should be well south of 20% by now. Instead, they remain from 40% to 45%.
For all those struggling to understand why the past Republican Congress and the current Republican Senate does not check Trump, all one needs to consider is those poll numbers.
Trump voters are driving this train -- not Trump, and not Congress. Trump needs his vicious, racist base to hold power, and thus he continues to go out on his campaign rallies, now nothing more than thinly disguised race-baiting sessions. He needs to continue to feed the beast.
And as for Congressional Republicans? They dare not cross Trump, or Trump voters will toss them out of office. The entire state of this nation -- all the damage that has been done both domestically and internationally -- in the past two years, may be traced to this one cause: Trump's base. That's it. It is really that simple.
So all the hand wringing we have been doing these past two years has been mis-directed. We do not need to stop Trump. We not need to stop Congressional Republicans. What we need to do is defeat Trump voters. This nation engaged in a Civil War to enforce the principle that none of our citizens could be owned. We are very much facing another civil war, now to enforce that none of our citizens should live in a dictatorship. And if a large minority wants this dictatorship? Then it's time to partition the country and go our separate ways.
32
@Nicholas Rush
I do marvel at the seeming power "Trump's base" holds on our country. As I read your remarks, you got me thinking about how he, through his "base" retains so much power.
The base is not an abstraction; it is people who turn out and vote, of course, but I think we need to come back to the trappings of power that has enabled the base to wield the power it does, which is through institutions and the elected and appointed leadership.
We are in our constitutional crisis because of the grip the GOP has on our nation. They control through the courts, gerrymandered districts, Citizens' United political campaign financing, two senators per each state, reversed Voting Rights, and so on.
Journalists have revealed the myriad ways that the GOP holds and retains power; and now the GOP is captive to Trump's base because of a cult following Trump has inspired.
I hope the crisis of Trump will inspire electoral reforms (ranked choice voting, and non-gerrymandered voting districts especially) among other reforms, so our country can avoid being held captive by an obviously compromised group of leaders.
13
@Nicholas Rush
A meaningful Federalism would be one form of partition without a complete breakup. As long as the Base cannot impose its will on the majority, Federalism would enable the country to survive as is. We will find out soon enough whether the Courts as remastered by Trump permit a meaningful Federalism. In the meantime, the hope is that the Base is defeated in swing States -- a defeat well underway in States such as Virginia.
4
@Nicholas Rush
Agree in principle. Jill Stein voters, Sanders voters and stay-at-homes are part of the problem.
Unfortunately in this country voters can only do so much. If Trump cultists all disappeared, we'd still have the GOP, Big Money, Fox and Russia exerting influence.
3
"Now he is cavalierly destroying American lives."
True, but it is scope rather than something new. He sent American soldiers to die in a hastily arranged, and subsequently botched raid within weeks of coming into office (illegitimately) because he wanted to have a raid to brag about.
Destroying lives is a hallmark of his life, not just his time in office. He infamously used everything he could to try to evict an elderly woman from her family home in Atlantic City. The reason? He wanted his limo to park a few feet closer to his casino (which folded up anyway)
He denied his own infant nephew born with cerebral palsy medical care as executor of his father's vast fortune just to spite his brother.
He mocked a disabled man at a public evet, "fat shamed" beauty pageant contestants, humiliated his wives with public affairs.
He tried to have ancestral homes torn down by his Scottish golf coursed because he did not like how they looked from the fairway
He has stiffed contractors, suppliers, caterers, workers, and investors for decades. He is so tied to organized crime that Australia refused to allow him to do business in their country
He even had a really horrible C list cable show that was entirely predicated on his being a jerk and firing people.
No one who knows what a vile person he is has an ounce of surprise that he remains the same
74
@John
Totally.
Good point, but the guy is a “ Stable Guinness”, I really think he should be working with horses.
8
@Birdman Or beer.
I almost never agree with Michelle,but Trump does lack the loyal entourage to become an actual dictator.
He hasn't learned loyalty is a two way street.
Hillary had a better shot at autocracy because she had that loyal and large entourage ready to go.
This was a lousy choice,but I am still glad she lost.
Trump is appointing judges recommended by the Federalist Society.
Hillary would have appointed far left judges in my opinion.
Trump appointed some good staff,but they didn't stay,and he doesn't seem to realize why.
Lastly,any dictator needs the military and ours won't support such a thing.
I served 50 years ago in Vietnam and recall no politics intruding at the time.
I think it's still the same,that our military leaders are professional.
Being the same age as Trump,don't expect him to change.
Besides his age,he is overly self centered and thin skinned.
If you think about it,he has no ideology at all.
1
@joe I'm sorry, but I'm old enough to have lived through Viet Nam as well and I can't agree with your comment that "no politics intruded" in military decisions at that time? Commanders continued to allow more than one president to go out in public and say we were "winning" that war. Their tacit support of completely dishonest political aims resulted in many more American and Vietnamese lives being lost than should ever have happened. Unfortunately, for good reasons and bad, the military operates largely on obeying the commander's orders- and right now they have an incompetent, unfit want-to-be dictator commanding them. This doesn't give me lots of confidence.
7
@joe: Thank you for your service, but you may want to freshen up your memory. The Vietnam War ended after massive political involvement by citizens taking to the streets. Innocent students at Kent State University died during one of those protests, shot by members of the military. Civil unrest was everywhere. Trump may be too incompetent to become an actual dictator, but believe me, there are plenty in the wings who are watching and learning.
3
Mass political protests against the Johnson and Nixon Administrations are what ended the Draft, the Vietnam War, and exposed the corrosive corruption of the Nixon Administration. May want to review-this.
Brilliant editorial, but one thing: Ms. Goldberg suggests that the midterms have weakened him. I go by the old adage that the most dangerous animal is a wounded one. Who knows what Trump will do to maintain his position? Pull out of NATO? Attack Iran? I think the next two years are fraught with danger.
23
Ahem. Is the Mueller team classified as an essential service and coming to work? Just asking.
4
@Allan Dobbins My understanding is that the Special Counsel's appropriation is set through the end of the fiscal year.
2
@Allan Dobbins Yes, the most essential service in the nations history.
2
@Allan Dobbins
They have alternate funding, specifically earmarked for the special prosecutor.
They are working!
1
I went from the Brexit article on the failure there to accomplish anything democratically to this one. It seems we have nothing but more of the same: an electorate incapable of elections a functioning government. It is unbelievable that this lying, treasonous, and incompetent president still has 40% support from voters.
17
Trump's 40 million followers constitute 12.12 +/- percent of the US population. Hardly a stunning plurality. Non-the-less a committed, organized( by talk radio and Fox News) minority can do immense harm.
12
@Steven Lee
I think the NAZI's stole the German government with even a smaller following; then they murdered the socialists and communists. (Terrible to draw this analogy, I know)
Fortunately, we don't live in such a period of time, nor does Trump have an ideology, the organizational skills, political acumen, and loyal following to carry out such a feat.
And yet, here he is, with all that we know about him, still running (in a bumbling and stumbling way) the country.
For decades the real gradual crisis was located in the do-nothing Congress which still maintains an approval rate that is half of Trump's. We elected Obama, the transformational president, in the hope of moving the country forward in a bipartisan way. Didn't happen. Trump was elected by the same voters that elected Obama. Why? Because Congress has been stuck in a party first mentality that has rendered them politically impotent. Trump is the monster Congress created by their dereliction of duty. Since Congress is a wasted effort, the only things that matter now are presidents and the Supreme Court appointments that come with them. That is what happens when one branch goes on holiday.
2
@dudley thompson
I heard a podcast explore the impact of "ranked choice voting" (choose first, second and third) and the point made was that this style of voting had the effect of breaking the extreme positions and engendered coalition building.
Maybe one lesson from all of this will be the imperative for a host of electoral reforms as a way to improve civil discourse and electioneering.
4
@dudley thompson To expect one man, Obama, to transform an entire society is asking for a bit much. It takes all of us.
1
“White House aides expressed regret that the president did not more clearly and forcefully deny being a Russian agent when asked by the usually friendly Fox News host.”......but, after a day to come up with a plausible lie, he said "I never worked for Russia." Of course he didn't. Russia worked for him.
5
Your Norma Desmond characterization is the most apt description of the situation I have read to date. It has enormous explanatory power, and is far simpler than a
bucker full of conspiracy theories.
It is also indicative of how Trump is likely to react when things
are explained to him (Norma murders the fellow). The Republicans in the House and Senate will eventually give up on protecting his "emotional sensitivity".
11
It is interesting how cheaply Putin has totally disabled NATO. The American commander-in-chief is a Russian agent and the majority of the U.S. Senate accepts that. From a military point of view Putin has essentially decapitated the United States. In fact, Putin has done even better than that - *he* is the Commander-in-chief.
18
Trump:
“The national emergency will be declared when I decide it’s needed.”
That is the essence of Trump. In one summation.
22
@TheraP
But he is the national emergency.
2
I'm afraid Trump does have "loyal lieutenants" their names are Mitch McConnell, Lindsey Graham and fill in the blank with most of the other spineless Republicans in the senate. They are abdicating their oversight at a time when the president is being investigated for jeopardizing national security by acting on behalf of the Russians. (That I have to write that sentence is unbelievable.) The fact that they are doing nothing while this is going on speaks volumes and makes me wonder how much Russian money is in their pockets. A quick search resulted in this: "The NRA spent $30 million dollars on Trump’s campaign in 2016 and another $40 million in various efforts to lobby and help elect Republicans. Much of this spending was dark money, making it difficult to trace the source and how it was spent." And that's just through the NRA. Makes you wonder what the quid pro quo may have been. I think it's starting to unfold before our very eyes. Feels like treason to me. I want my country back.
35
Michelle
I do not need to “imagine how far we fell!”
The second Kelly Ann Conway started her MSM
Tutorial on “ fake news” I knew we had fallen into “ 1984 via Brave New World and now Fahrenheit 451”.
7
This a "fake comment" because in trump's New World - 1984, Brave New World and Fahrenheit 451 doesn't exist. There is only one book in trump's presidential library and this article will someday be reduced to "magnetic ink".
1
You're right, imagine if he was a good fascist. He's already showed us that the Republican party is bankrupt of ideas, morals and courage, so imagine if he was an adept authoritarian. He's shown us that somewhere between 20 to 30 percent of the population embraces cruelty, hatred and racism, so imagine if he caught himself before he inflicted pain on them. The ignorance of his followers is historic, so imagine if he knew history. We already know he is a narcissistic sociopath, imagine if he was self aware enough to know that too and use it to his advantage. Since the government shut down his poll numbers are going down and he placed the blame squarely on himself but he, somehow, thinks he's winning the argument. Imagine how much trouble we'd be in if he only had a brain.
7
Why haven't McConnell and his cronies curtailed Trump?
The pundits have been claiming they are acting out of fear of Trump's base.
Perhaps they too are afraid of what Putin has on them. Perhaps they too are traitors.
36
@TechMaven
Spoken or not, they’re part of a conspiracy against We the People, our Republic.
Enabling a conspiracy makes you a silent partner in it.
@TechMaven
Perhaps?????
If you think that the norm is a two bit fascist dictatorship as is much of the third world then we have sunk to that and sinking further fast. If you think the US was ever a shining beacon for the world to emulate, that vision is as bankrupt as Reagan is dead and Obama out of office.
6
The pure audacity that Trump has and total disregard for the corner he has painted himself in. He is mentally ill and it's getting worse by the day, unfortunately, he is affecting millions of peoples lives...something needs to change soon before it all breaks down and the hole he digs is too deep...
9
@Judi
Anyone who has ever lived with a seriously mentally ill person knows that this person pulls the entire family down, seriously stresses everyone, and creates paralysis about what to do merely by being chaotic and unpredictable. Sounds familiar after two years?
3
I have gone to the edge, I am now hysterically laughing at Trump being asked by Fox news, shouting Judge Jeanie, I believe, asking Trump, with a laugh or snort if he was indeed a Russian agent. And of course, having been most probably warned by lawyers he would not answer directly. When mentioned in this opinion piece about his aids regretting his not saying stoutly no, I lost it!
But I must say Michelle is right, Trump is not smart enough to be a true dictator. It is just that everything he touches turns to dross. He manages to cause pain and suffering where ever he focuses. He is a danger to us all out of his stupidity and lack of any ability.
To have our country destroyed by a infantile bumbler is horrific and at the same time somehow ridiculous. A mad and sadistic comedy. Of course the real dictatorish villains are the gluttonous oligarchs, you know the Koch boys and their ilk and the GOP. They are letting this go on. The Dems seem to have gotten a bit of spine lately, let us hope they keep it up. 25th it is time for the 25th.
10
@cheerful dramatist
And let's hope Trump is not replaced by a smart dictator-wannabe. Russia, Fox News, the GOP and the rest of our enemies must surely be working for that.
2
If admitting on national TV that the person you fired, Comey, who headed an investigation about the president and Russia isn't obstruction of justice, what is??? Can I go out and fire the judge that is deciding my case, too? I don't think so. What more do we need to get rid of this destructive menace to humankind?
22
The worst of it all? This maybe what we deserve. This maybe as good as it now gets for America. maybe we are that bad. What if we actually are that weak? What if we actually all that shallow? What if we actually are all that rotten? If we always have the government we deserve, then perhaps we are.
12
@Richard Mclaughlin
Maybe these will be the "good old days," before the oligarchs, the base, Fox, the GOP and Putin put an intelligent, functioning dictator in place.
1
How many events that Trump has precipitated would Putin approve of? How many would he disapprove of? As far as I can tell Trump is batting nearly 100%, doing things to disrupt the economy, increase divisiveness in the country, endanger the national security, alienate and cripple the unity of the western alliance and is even talking about withdrawing the US from NATO.
Whether he's an actual stooge of Putin's or just a useful idiot, the effect is the same. He's kissing up to dictators and disparaging the institutions of democratic government. What's not to like for Putin? He's delighted. Trump is doing what the Russian Federation could never accomplish itself.
Which brings me to ask if everyone understands that this is an existential crisis for the US. Yes, it's that serious. We take our position in the world and the stability of our institutions, the vastness of our ecomony for granted. From two years of a bumbling idiot we have seen how easily the fabric of our Republic can be torn.
Intelligence officers of the FBI,CIA and NSA if you have the goods on Trump you need to expose him with the evidence now. Unless Mueller has already prepared a case against Trump that will force his resignation, your oath when taking office is to first and foremost defend the Constitution against enemies both foreign and DOMESTIC. Do your duty to your country, officers. The fate of our country is in your hands. History will forever remember you as those who saved the Republic. Do it NOW.
20
Michelle, you really brighten up my morning! Your description of DDT as a deranged Nora Desmond is for the history books!
I am saving it in my personal journal.
6
@Alfredo Villanueva
I too loved that reference. Glad someone Ms. Goldberg's age knew who Norma Desmond was!
1
Another rehearsal of Trump's incompetence and corruption. It is certainly a deep well from which to draw. But how bad would an elected president, or the government, or the state of politics or the media, have to be before pundits and voters started to realize that they themselves are part of a completely corrupt system? Do you imagine that, if Mr. Trump were safely behind bars, or in day care, that the Republicans would suddenly start acting honestly, negotiating in good faith and treating government as something other than an ATM for corporate & financial interests? That Fox and the rest of the right wing media would suddenly dust off the books of journalistic standards they don't have? That the Republicans on the Supreme Court will reflect that bribery and rigging elections are not what the framers "originally" meant by freedom after all? Mr. Trump is only a rather nasty symptom of our disease, that's all. In that, he's no different from the millions of Americans who support him (including virtually the entire GOP leadership), no different from the pundits & media who facilitate his idiotic click-bait celebrity.
10
I don't remember Ann Coulter or Laura Ingraham or Sean Hannity or Ms. Pirro or Rush Limbaugh being on the ballot, but they seem to be running the country. Fox Entertainment. Don't you dare call it news.
36
@Nancie That's Entertainment! Let's add some tap dancing and songs!
3
“the Norma Desmond of authoritarians”
This is priceless!
6
@DBinManteo
"I'm still big! It's the McNuggets that got small."
Michelle as with your colleague Paul Krugman it is easy to catalogue the litany of Trump lies,missteps,incompetence,mismanagement and his au contraire style of government. We know all that. Again I ask what should America do to get out of this mess?
3
@Milton Lewis
Journalists are reporters not oracles.
Trump is GOP accomplishment achieved by corrupting democratic, electoral, judicial process.
Change how elections occur, are financed, etc. and the mess will be cleaned up.
Don't hope for a new and better strong leader.
1
@Milton Lewis
And to wake up from this stupor.
Like it or not, it may be up to Nancy and Chuck to figure out a way out of this shutdown.
Here’s the problem. Trump is a bully and the usual way to deal with a bully is to call his/her bluff and then he/she folds. Bullies are almost always ego driven, but they usually also need something tangible and they bluff and bluster in an effort to get it. The other side usually figures out the motivation and the bully folds.
The problem with Trump is that he doesn’t need anything tangible. He does not care about those who are affected by the shutdown; he doesn’t care about the country or its reputation; he doesn’t care about the reputation of the Presidency; he just doesn’t care. Except about Trump. This is the biggest ego ever to occupy the White House. It’s all about him—always has been. And I mean always—from the time he was a toddler.
This is a Toddler Presidency and it is just so incredibly embarrassing. But he just might let the shutdown go for months, and we sure can’t expect Mitch McConnell to show any American bona fides. So, Nancy and Chuck might have to come back to the table—to save America.
4
@Huge Grizzly
If by "come back to the table", you mean capitulate to the bully, then I'm afraid that won't "save America". In fact, it will have the opposite effect...
2
No, Michelle, this American can not tolerate the uncertainty of knowing whether Trump is a traitor or not. This American can not tolerate it because Trump IS a traitor to our Constitution and to the laws of the land, of that I am certain. How many more nights must we lose sleep, how much more does this nation have to sustain and endure before it accepts that he is guilty because he has proven NOT to be innocent? What this man is getting away with is beyond unconscionable. It is deathly..to our rights as a democracy, to our health and livelihoods, to those refugees south of our border, to those innocent Yemenis and Syrians dying at the hands of tyrants whom Trump befriends. Our country is coming apart at the seams. How can anyone who keeps up with honest news become jaded or accepting of this status quo? Our two year old national emergency is in crisis. This crisis is of one man's making. We are in clear and present danger because of an unhinged narcissist, soulless and heartless. A criminal indeed.
24
"Senate Republicans could end the shutdown tomorrow, but the majority leader, Mitch McConnell, refuses to stand up to Trump."
Yes, control of the purse falls to Congress - and by bottlenecking debate and a vote, 'deferring' to the Executive Office in a matter of spending, McConnell gives up the powers and duties of Congress.
But, as I understand it, every Republican in the Republican-dominated Senate is giving up the proper role of Congress.
As David Leonhardt observed in the NYT last April, it has become "custom" for the Senate to defer to the majority leader re votes. But...in fact...Senators have the power to force a vote. As Leonhardt wrote:
"McConnell does not have the power to block a bill from being voted on. No senator does, not even the majority leader. Any senator can propose that a bill receive a vote. And if 51 senators want it to receive a vote, they can ensure that it does."
If this is true, then every Republican Senator owns the shutdown, owns the refusal to work out a bill with Democrats...
...the whole pack of them are in it together.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/27/opinion/mitch-mcconnell-mueller-bill....
cc: David Leonhardt, NYT
14
If this does not call for impeachment, I don't know what does.
The constitution of this nation has to be rewritten so this does not happen ever again.
Paraphrasing a wise old man with a bushy beard: First a tragedy, second time a farce.
8
"that Trump would try to exploit American intelligence capabilities against his personal enemies, but instead he gets his intelligence from Fox News."
Trump may be that stupid but others who have grabbed power under his cover are not. From inside the administration to foreign, or even the single psychopath with aspirations to create a disaster now possible on a scale up to now contemplated only in horror movies are now empowered to do their worst.
That TSA is not functioning alone exposes all of us to the significantly greater possibility of another 9/11.
The emergency isn't just Trump, it's that McConnell has rendered the Senate equally unable to function.
Both must be removed as constituting a clear and present danger to the people of America.
8
The Intelligencer quoted a White House official who said he hopes the government can be shut down indefinitely, so it cannot be restarted in its previous form. Remember Bannon said he was a Leninist and the goal was revolution. How long until you take such plain declarations seriously?
7
I dunno, maybe if the Koch brothers or Sheldon Adelson can't fly somewhere warm because the whole democracy experiment is falling apart, maybe things might change. But so long as it's just the rest of us who are impacted...pinch your pennies but don't hold your breath.
6
@democritic They have their own private jets, they probably also own their own airports.
1
Ms. Go!dberg's statement "Maybe Americans can tolerate uncertainty about whether the President is a traitor," is ludicros.
It could itself be traitorous.The Times story about the President being a Russian agent has been debunked six ways to Sunday.Jim
Baker, the source who might have divulged confidential Congressional testimony to the Times, along with McCabe, Strzok and Paige - all fired/resigned FBI members convinced the Acting Director to begin a counter intelligence investigation (CII) against POTUS with NO evidence, as the story indicates. They were all "upset" that their boss Jim Comey got fired by the President two days earlier.
Andy McCarthy indicated yesterday that this was a continuation of an investigation that had been going on for a year and the "CII" was just a paper transaction. Some here might remember a Strzok to Paige text that indicated "Let's get the insurance policy while Andy (McCabe) is still Acting Director." The insurance policy was the CII, and Ms. Goldberg should know it.
Today's Times article asserting that Trump is "seriously" thinking about a withdrawal from NATO has begun to make me believe there is a MSM coordinated effort to drive POTUS from office over nefarious Russian interests. First the Times agent theory, next day the WAPO hiding the transcripts, day 3 major public disclosure on Sunday TV shows and now Times NATO assertion?
All should know that Trump selling lethal weapons to Ukraine and US becoming energy independent - HURTS Russia?
2
Ten percent of American groceries are bought with Food Stamps! Think about that for a minute. What business can afford to take a 10% hit. When do those business's start laying off workers, etc. At what point does this impact you, whether you are on public assistance, or not?
While we're thinking about groceries, let's imagine what would happen if all the illegal migrant workers did get kicked out of the country. Who would pick our crops at sub-survival wages? Who would work in our processing plants? What would happen to the abundant supply of cheap food we all take for granted? Who would those self sufficient Republican farmers turn to to bring in their harvest?
Ya never know what ya got until it's gone. Or, be careful what you wish for you might just get it. Are you listening xenophobic, small government Republicans?
4
We all know what "the wall" and the shutdown is all about.
How about we let the billionaire donors pay the $5.7 billion he's looking for (with some for his contractors).
In Las Vegas alone, there are 3 billionaire casino owners. Gentlemen, each of you pitch in $2 billion and the crisis is over, and you have your wall, without hardly a dent in your net worth. Remember the huge tax break you got.
Surely, others who made billions from this administration's "accomplishments" can chip in a few billion themselves. Maybe even Donald J. Trump and his "hugely rich" family could donate a few dollars, too.
HUD, huh, huh.
2
"Norma Desmond of authoritarians" What a great description of trump!!
2
What we are seeing is nothing more and nothing less than the "deconstruction of the administrative state" in real time.
Nothing could please Trump and his puppetmasters more. Indeed, this manufactured 'crisis' played right into their hands. Does anyone still believe this is not deadly serious?
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/top-wh-strategist-vows-a-daily-fight-for-deconstruction-of-the-administrative-state/2017/02/23/03f6b8da-f9ea-11e6-bf01-d47f8cf9b643_story.html?utm_term=.d731d3f17172
3
@Laura Benton and deconstruction of the administrative state, at least in part, is bad because?
1
Don’t give in to the Big Creep! He will just push harder if he wins. Speaker Pelosi is doing the right thing. It’s McConnell that is the villain. Continuously.
4
Trump's multiple miserable failures, personal and business, from the tawdry to titanic bankruptcies we, everyone of us, knew about. And he told us and the world numerous times that, when elected, he was really gonna Shake Things Up. And boy, has he. His 42-plus-% Base are intractable. Who knows how far down they will have to descend before misery and malaise will sink their ship.
3
Americans made a not entirely unreasonable mistake when they elected Trump. But the checks and balances the Constitution specifies to rectify errors of this kind are not working because Republicans refuse to use them. And the fact that one person in the entire legislature, Mitch McConnell, has the power to stop Congress from doing its job and chooses to use that power is appalling. Trump is emotionally ill and ignorant. He can't be something he's not. The disgrace and the danger is that the GOP is enabling him in his madness.
5
Is this really about a wall? Or is it a coup of some kind.
8
@JL
The autocratic leanings, and the readiness of the right for a "strongman" to step in, seem clear...
2
"Shut them all down R2!" When Luke Skywalker spoke those words he was referring to garbage mashers on the Death Star.
For a libertarian, those words might be applicable to departments of the federal govt.
No one I know has even noticed the shutdown. Not many federal workers here so far from Mordor on the Potomac. Indiana doesn't have a big national park or a big tourism industry.
We don't miss the parts of the govt that are closed, and hopefully we will see how irrelevant the federal govt is to our daily lives.
So Shut them all down R2! And keep them shut for at least a couple years. 10 would be better.
@Suvarov
Right. Shut down farm subsidies, Federal funds to maintain highways, disaster relief after tornados and floods, etc. Then pull the plug on Social Security, SSI, Medicare and Medicaid. The see how irrelevant the Federal Government is.
7
Sad to think, as Michelle implies here, that the only things that keeps circumstances from being worse is that on the most fundamental level Trump is incompetent.
Which begs the question, what happens when this country is fooled into electing a competent autocrat? (Precisely the argument that many use to say Trump shouldn't be impeached, as they perceive Pence to be such an autocrat.)
But I, admittedly, am now more worried about Orange 45, or one of his Gang Of Idiots, doing something designed to distract from the current crisis--like "accidentally on purpose" bombing Iran and creating another crisis of the kind that makes people close ranks around the leader, no matter how horrible that leader might be.
Things CAN get worse.
3
Why do we remain silent?
4
Here's some useful data regarding the current "emergency"
January 2017 - GOP majority
January 2017 Wall not an emergency
February 2017 Wall not an emergency
March 2017 Wall not an emergency
April 2017 Wall not an emergency
May 2017 Wall not an emergency
June 2017 Wall not an emergency
July 2017 Wall not an emergency
August 2017 Wall not an emergency
September 2017 Wall not an emergency
October 2017 Wall not an emergency
November 2017 Wall not an emergency
December 2017 Wall not an emergency
January 2018 Wall not an emergency
February 2018 Wall not an emergency
March 2018 Wall not an emergency
April 2018 Wall not an emergency
May 2018 Wall not an emergency
June 2018 Wall not an emergency
July 2018 Wall not an emergency
August 2018 Wall not an emergency
September 2018 Wall not an emergency
October 2018 Wall not an emergency
November 2018 Wall not an emergency
November 2018 Democratic majority elected in House
January 2019 EMERGENCY!!!
19
Trump campaigned as "the candidate of law and order," but each day with him just becomes more lawless.
2
I remember the first time I was in deep water.
A swimming pool. During summer camp. I was about six.
I was never--NEVER!--so scared in my life. I CLUNG to the side of that swimming pool and never once relaxed my grip.
(I did get over this horror of deep water. But it took time.)
My point is: when badly scared or unsettled or insecure, you CLING to something. You CLING for dear life. Like the proverbial drowning man CLINGING to a straw.
Much good THAT would do, I suppose! But there it is.
Mr. Trump--
--aware that his friends are falling away like the hairs off a balding man--
--aware that, at home and abroad, he is being held up to merciless ridicule day and night--
--aware that even his Republican allies in Congress (and my! what a servile crew THOSE guys have been) are looking uncomfortable and eying the exits--
--CLINGS FOR DEAR LIFE TO HIS BASE.
The people that EXPLODED at him, should he once falter in that disastrous quest for a WALL. The Limbaugh's--the Coulter's--the Meadows'. Loud as all get out!--
--raising the roof as they perceived Mr. Trump's flagging determination.
"I can't lose THESE guys," our President must have told himself. "If I lose THESE guys--I'm SUNK!"
And here we are.
And my, Ms. Goldberg! We owe you thanks for laying out for us so unsparingly--
--this long, dismal record of plain malfeasance. Two years' worth. My oh my!
Pretty reading it ain't.
But it had to be done.
Thank you.
2
Somewhen, had mumbled to one of your colleagues there’re two simple steps to this...
1. Pence agrees not to run in 2024
2. The Senate GOP agrees to Romney as VP
...there still are
PS
Somewhen, Mitch Daniels will be smiling...
https://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/21/us/politics/republicans-concerned-over-state-focus-on-social-issues.html
“...Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana, a Republican who created a stir a couple of years ago with his suggestion for a “truce” on social issues, said in an interview that such issues are best handled at the state and local levels. They become more polarizing, he said, when people try to settle them nationally...
“...If we don’t address soon what I believe are the lethal threats of our debts, our unaffordable commitments, our slow-growth economy, and so forth, every other problem will seem small,” said Mr. Daniels...
Somewhen, he’d already become president of something...
Let's call this shutdown what it is: An impeachable offense.
4
One could argue that we have dodged a bullet here with an incompetent proto-facist. The real fear should be a version of the same who is both smart and competent.
6
Interesting that you bring up Spicer's infamous first appearance.
I literally got sick to my stomach listening to that, because I knew right then that we would right where we are now.
Nothing that has transpired since then has surprised me in any way.
Think about what it says about a newly elected president to send out a flunky to tell a demonstrable lie like that in his first public appearance.
It means that nothing he says can be trusted, ever.
This man will stop at nothing to protect himself, no matter the cost to the country or the people in it.
This shutdown isn't even about policy or ideology, it's strictly about his ego, and it's a national disgrace.
7
"The administration winks at foreign governments who kill journalists, but its own threats against the media are mostly empty." Calling the media the enemy of the people is *mostly* empty. It's the part that's not empty that gives me pause.
Saying that there are good people on both sides (of the Nazi/white supremacy/racist/will-not-replace-us stance vs. the rest of us) is also *mostly* empty and the part that isn't empty gives space for things like the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting. The dots may be far apart. It doesn't take a genius, stable or not, to connect them.
3
@Lennerd Tell me what has Trump done to the media? Has he had reporters investigated ala Obama? Has he shut down newspapers? Do the Times, WAPO, et. al. spew forth vitriol against Trump? Seems like press is still free and functioning, albeit their normal disfunctional selves. Get a grip.
"He has the instincts of a fascist but lacks both the discipline and the loyal lieutenants he’d need to create true autocracy."
Is that supposed to be a source of comfort ? If so, Its pretty cold.
It would be nice to think that the president's very incompetence is preventing him from really tanking the country. But what if there's some grand design, some scheme the president's been ordered to follow by none other than Putin?
That would make more sense than it might seem. I could see the president making the country so bad, brought to its knees so to speak, that forget the border, he declares a national emergency--maybe even martial law-- over the all-out chaos he himself has created.
Today I was astonished at how I'd missed a key tell when Trump told Lester Holt that he'd fired Comey to be rid of the Russia investigation. What if, this wasn't stupid candor but a deliberate cave to his benefactor, to say, hey Vlad, I really am listening and you're safe for now?
Stranger things have happened. But undoubtedly, not more dangerous ones.
Which is where we are now: a president quite possibly compromised and controlled by Russia as we watch a key Republican Senator launch vow to launch an investigation of ....the FBI.
How can things get worse, Michelle Goldberg?
369
@ChristineMcM: Even Putin couldn't get this loose cannon under control. Trump has no self-discipline or self-restraint. The fact that he's such a blabbermouth severely limits what he can do on Vlad's behalf. Announcing to Lester Holt that he fired Comey to end the Russia investigation got Robert Mueller appointed and made things much worse. Trump's every move is now watched closely and with suspicion. It's consoling to think how frustrated Putin must be, and how self-destructive Trump is.
58
@Carson Drew: if one accepts that Trumpnlives in fear of both Putin and Mueller, its not a stretch to think how many signals he sends to his handler.
Why else did he brag about firing Comey to a bunch of Russians he tried to keep secret from the world until Tass released that famous photo of them all laughing hysterically over the Comey firing (and the fact the president revealed classified information about an Israeli operation.
I still believe Trump's words regarding Russia are odd, strained, and contrary to the view of the United States. But by forcing him to push the Russian line, while Republicans do nothing, Putin knows this country better than we do and I'm sure is jumping for joy at how he's torn the US apart without launching a single weapon.
105
"How can things get worse, Michelle Goldberg?"
Individual-1's already saying "We'll see what happens!" as he shakes the nuclear football and wonders where its can opener and issue of Playboy (with his face on the cover of course) are hiding. Then putin will fire some missile or such at assad, it'll actually hit and kill assad (just a pawn in putin's game, really), and the occupant will use it as cover to blame the Yemenis, who he'll demonstrate (logically) are ISIS and weigh the same as a duck and are thus made of wood, and therefore terrorist witches. He'll bomb em.
(I wish I were in any way joking.)
Soon, "We'll see" it can get worse in MANY ways.
8
And yet, Trump has a 42% approval rating. What does that tell us?
It tells us that a large minority of the public is so heavily emotionally invested in Trump that they turn a blind eye to the horrible events listed here. These people have some kind of transactional relationship with Trump. He is blowing up the nation but they are getting their white nationalism in return. Trump is the resurrection of manifest destiny, 21st century style. The Almighty gave the New World to the European white man to use in any way he chooses, in order to spread devine Christian capitalism.
Except when in costs the 42% some serious hardships. Oh yeah, they say they will stick with Trump and they will. But there will come a time when things get so bad for them that their allegiance will falter. Family farmers are now teetering on the edge.
Trump supporters are in denial. How they respond to the polls may be more of a reflection of their hopes in Trump than their sensibilities. We will never hear them publicly stand up and refute their Messiah, but they may secretly abandon him at the ballot box.
All that has to happen is just enough of them say bye-bye to Trump to swing the Senate into Democratic hands. He may have a floor of about 30% who will never leave him, even if he is proved to be working for Russia. That can't be fixed. But this disaster must push enough over the line. If it doesn't, then our nation is truly lost. It can happen here.
374
@Bruce Rozenblit What does his approval rating mean? This is a repeat of the GWB years and the Iraq War. They lied to get us into that mess but Republican voters still stand by the party. But this just isn't about the Republican party it's about where they get their information from.
51
@Bruce Rozenblit
I believe that Nixon had an approval rating in the 30% range just before he left office so nothing about Trump's current ratings surprises me.
27
@vacciniumovatum
Well, Nixon may have been crooked, but he was intelligent and knowledgable. He may have been after power but was not just out to make a buck.
So it's within reason that he had some support.
16
Since thee 800,000 workers are Trump's hostage I of course began to think how can I help aside from making the necessary calls to Republican Senators but think about all the corporations who have remained totally silent but are able to help the workers. They have all benefited from Trump's astronomical corporate tax cut. Big Pharma who could provide free drugs for workers or banks provide mortgage deferments or even waivers for workers, the airlines making record profits could offer interest free loans for TSA and air traffic controllers. But no it is the average American and Canadian people who are trying to provide help for their neighbors. Neighbors who are Trump's hostages. Corporate American is silent cowering like the Republicans rather than doing the right thing and standing up to him. Shame.
8
Back in 1924, when the German economy collapsed into hyperinflation, the German-Jewish philosopher Walter Benjamin, responding to the many cries of "things can't go on like this!" made the prescient observation: "That things go on like this IS the catastrophe."
Trump is not an episode in American history, he's a stage in its extinction.
5
A brilliant column...Trump as the "Norma Desmond of authoritarians" particularly resonated with me. It's his "obsequious retainers" who are effecting his insanity, and hurting so many.
I suspect that Trump will soon declare his national emergency. It will suit his love of theatrics, and he lacks the discipline not to do it.
If McConnell allowed a vote,it would probably be the end of the Republican party as we now know it. A good thing if you ask me--but I doubt McConnell has the guts to do it.
4
Don't overestimate the impact of the government shutdown on Republicans.
The rich who fund the GOP's attack on America's institutions travel privately and most of the rural Republican voters travel mainly by car.
2
@Liz
And what about people who buy airplane tickets: Don’t you think many of them are Republicans?
It is senseless to try to claim that FAA, FDA, National Weather Service, Coast Guard and on and on don’t include many Republicans, too, among those being injuries by the shutdown.
The bankers who cannot complete mortgage applications during the shutdown: surely many of them aren’t Democrats.
We are all in this together! Regardless of party, the shutdown makes all of us less safe, and does severe damage to possibly a half million of those 800,000 plus federal contractors.
It is true to say that McConnell could end the shutdown by allowing a simple vote but there are others who share the blame. Hannity, Coulter, Fox and Friends goaded trump into taking this action, they share equal blame for the pain and suffering they have caused.
7
Why does Michelle Goldberg think enforcing U.S. immigration laws is racist? The law against crossing the border unlawfully applies to everyone, regardless of race. And about 50 percent of illegal immigrants are white. Most are Hispanics. Hispanics, or Latinos, can be of any race or combination of races, but most are white.
Accoedind to the Census Bureau, in the 2010 United States Census, 50.5 million Americans (16.3% of the total population) listed themselves as ethnically Hispanic or Latino. Of those, 53.0% (26.7 million) self-identified as racially white. The remaining respondents listed their races as: some other race 36.7%, two or more races (multiracial) 6.0%, Black or African American 2.5%, American Indian and Alaska Native 1.4%, Asian 0.4%, and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander 0.1%."
2
@William Case
A border wall is an impractical, inefficient, expensive and foolish way to deal with the issue of Illegal immigration. And it does nothing to deal with those who enter the U.S. legally and overstay their visa.
Universal ID for every resident of the USA followed by jail time for those who repeatedly employ or contract with undocumented workers would be much more effective. Those who have been in the USA for years and are productively contributing to our well being should have a path to citizenship.
This would be a fair and effective good faith way to begin the process of resolution. It certainly could include border security measures that are practical and effective. The wall is a sales job by a con man.
2
@William Case
Wonder if you're naturally obtuse or pursuing an agenda?
For the record:
"Last year the president sent nearly 6,000 active-duty American troops to the border based on racist propaganda about a migrant caravan".
This article is about the disaster that is trump. It touches on his racism only once.
Sending the troops to the border to stop a "migrant caravan", was a publicity stunt. The justification for this stunt, was that these 'latinos' were mostly "bad people, very bad people". (Psst: that's the racist part... when you denigrate a whole bunch of people based on the acts of one or two...in this case...alleged acts). AND, it is NOT illegal for anybody to present themselves at the border and ask for asylum. This is LEGAL. Makes no difference if people go to the border on their own or in a group.
Nobody thinks that enforcing immigration laws is wrong. Everybody - well except Senator King - knows that being a racist is bad. trump is a racist. Where do you fit in?
3
@Philip JW
The Border Patrol says portions of the border wall already built works. It also says an extended and improved border wall will work. However, I agree other measures are needded.
I keep wondering, Why aren’t there massive demonstrations and protests?
3
@Louise There have been plenty. But the media does not cover them. They instead repeat his inane nonsense, parse his tweets, let his liars on television to lie at us, and of course diligently try to do a "both sides" analysis of whatever horror he and Republicans are espousing any given day
3
Reading yesterday here about the Trump supporters in West Virginia who are suffering, yet continue to back him on the shutdown. As long as somebody is worse off than them, they're happy. Oh well, it worked during the Civil War, why not now?
4
@stan continople
That anecdotal sample of W.Virginia citizens was NOT a thorough sampling, and certainly not what would be considered a “statistically significant” (I.e, reputable) indication of what is happening to that state’s Trump voters now suffering economic effects.
I thought it was a “gee whiz” story about “look at what we managed to find”.
@stan continople
Actually, that need was what lead to the Civil War.
1
We don't need to be completely Trump-obsessed, but we do need to be Trump-concerned. While praising the intelligence of the American electorate, Trump secretly knows that they can be led around like bulls with nose rings - only instead of bullrings, he uses their beliefs and prejudices to lead them wherever he wants.
If DJT doesn't destroy our fragile democracy, he has published the blueprint and playbook for some other demagogue to do it later. If a democracy like America's is going to exist, there will have to be a paradigm shift in human thought throughout the world.
In the near future, we will program the human mind in the computer based on a linguistic "survival" algorithm, which will provide irrefutable proof as to how we trick the mind with our ridiculous beliefs about what is supposed to survive - producing minds programmed de facto for destruction. These minds see the survival of a particular belief as more important than the survival of all. When we understand this, we will begin the long trek back to reason and sanity.
See RevolutionOfReason.com
3
Michelle Goldberg expresses Democrat dreams that the Trump administration would surprise them and break down "suddenly". They're pushing as hard as they can, but what practical governing ideas do they have? Whatever the issue they immediately remove the discussion to some zone beyond political reality: Climate change can only be discussed against a backdrop of impending planetary disaster. The border wall issue goes at once to some imaginary responsibility for Guatemalans abused in their own country. The government shut-down is no less than an existential crisis of democracy, any compromise must entail the collapse of the American political system. Impeachment is necessary because Mr. Trump is beholden to a foreign power--evidence? None. Any executive actions he takes could be premeditated steps in a coup plot--evidence? None. What real solutions do Democrats have to any national problems except to raise taxes, balloon government spending, and throw money around like drunken sailors (no slight on sailors intended)? Why do they keep retreating into the realm of extremism and fantasy? Mr. Trump, for all his shortcomings, at least has practical ideas. Should we prefer that, or should we ride off with the Democrats into their dream-world of the wild, wild left?
2
@Ronald B. Duke
So democrats are "bad" for raising taxes, but Trump wanting 5 billion for a wall is ok? Where do you think that money is from? It's also hilarious to hear republicans bemoan all of this when it was that same party that thought 4 billion for healthcare was "too much."
3
Yesterday, I watched Sen. McConnell declare that the Speaker of the House had decided that opposing president Trump was more important than "border security".
That was an absurd lie, and it should serve to illustrate a point to what remains of a rational U.S. electorate: The Republican party has totally capitulated to Trump. It is the party of lies subordinated to a presidency which employs lies as its primary modus operandi. The GOP must not be allowed to divest itself from Trump when it becomes politically convenient for them to do so.
8
When Trump leaves office it will be difficult to decide which part of his behavior was his most endearing and had the most lasting impact on our nation; was it the vile and vulgar attacks against his fellow Americans including the free press and the intelligence community, was it his complete incompetence at all things governmental, maybe his financial corruption and back door dealings, or, maybe it is his criminal conspiracies with foreign nations. I guess we can each choose our own favorite part of the Trump administration.
2
My theory of all the Cabinet vacancies is that this is #traitorTrump's plan for avoiding removal by invocation of the 25th Amendment.
5
Please don’t allow Mitch McConnell to escape your notice, Ms. Goldberg. The president has absolutely no idea what he’s doing; but McConnell does. He’s exponentially worse than Donald Trump. He could end this stalemate but chooses to side with a man who can’t tie either his tie or his shoelaces.
The traitorous Republicans are finally about to grab the golden ring they have long sought: the complete destabilization of American government. It was all so easy because (a) 90-million voters stayed home out of boredom or ennui in 2016; (b) Donald Trump, a complete cipher, couldn’t possibly win; and (c) an unseemly, seething animus for all things Clinton.
The 40% that constitutes MAGA Nation remains static. There’s been no serious hemorrhaging of this president’s support during thi unnecessary enforced work stoppage. The wily McConnell has taken the pulse of America and has declared it on life support. Which is why he has failed to exercise his sworn Constitutional duty. There’s a great groundswell of anger but that doesn’t signal a massive popular Bastille-like uprising to shake the slippery hands that determine our way of life, deep in the heart of winter. Who does not see a Republican smirking?
4
"He has the instincts of a fascist but lacks both the discipline and the loyal lieutenants he’d need to create true autocracy.”
Great line.
Trump certainly owns the shutdown and bears sole responsibility for the damage it does, but only one group benefits from its continuance and that’s the Democratic Party.
After two years of his pettiness and insecurity they know there’s a better chance of Louis Farrakhan laying Tefillin than Trump backing down, and they’re finally using it to their advantage, but someone needs to be the adult in the room and end this mess. Give him his wall, call it border security and barter for something important in return, that’s what politicians do.
Allowing this to continue makes Trump look bad, but it doesn’t make Democrats look good, and it hurts a lot of hard working people. He's looking for a way out of this without losing face, that’s all he cares about. This is an opportunity for Democrats to prove they put people before party.
There are 800,000 paychecks being held hostage by pride.
Trump can't end the government shut down, because it isn't his to end. It belongs to his boss. This is Putin's Shutdown. I can only imagine how delighted he is, to have an American president as his personal puppet, and to read those reports about the chaos and deprivation he's bringing to the government's work force. Isn't this the stuff of which revolutions are made? Or at least third world countries.
5
Let's hope that it is true that 'it's always darkest before the dawn'.
Morning in America cannot come soon enough.
2
The Dem's are going to need to be careful here to walk and chew gum at the same time. They are dealing with a Republican Party which a) never itself vetted Trump, and b) has/is descending into madness, and that is a very dangerous combination. They are a bit like the Addams Family; a seriously demented (albeit authoritarian) cult of personality.
Lindsay Graham is nothing but a White House stooge; Devin Nunes is now implicated in pro-Russian activities. That list will probably grow of Russian involvement in the Republican Party, over and above the links to the NRA activities. Given that, expect a radical Republican Party to become increasingly unmoored.
In this increasingly uncertain environment, I would suggest sticking to the facts. Be aggressive, but leave the hyperbole to the Republicans. Conduct hearings in an open forum; under the klieg lights, not in secret. Those days are over. Subject those mobsters to a very professional, public inquisition.
Compile an incontrovertible file of record. And keep working on things that normal people want, like health care. Even in divided government, deals are still possible.
The shutdown has continued because Republican leaders want to convince people that government is bad; or that it is immaterial. They want to inflict the pain. Most Americans want government to work.
Dem's need to continue to make that case in a positive manner, while preventing the country from falling over the cliff with Trump. It is a delicate dance.
5
Neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have an interest in a prolonged shutdown and breaking up of American society and institutions. The question is: Who has? And, the USA's international stature has diminished to naught at present, that's where we have to look who would benefit from that. It's becoming more and more obvious that Trump is at best a Russian asset and possibly a traitor, and that Putin has dirt on, or corrupted, many Republicans as well, McConnell first of all. Either directly or indirectly through the NRA and Russian-related businesses and financiers.
1
The crisis posing the greatest danger to our country is not all the asylum seekers at our southern border, our country's greatest present danger is caused by just one man—Trump. We do definitely need a strong, unsurmountable wall though, not at the border, but around the White House.
2
Most people haven't thought about the fact that this is the first long budget shutdown created by a President. (Ronald Reagan did some half a day to one day, shutdowns.)
Think about what President-created shutdowns mean: if a President learns that they can win by doing them, congress becomes emasculated ... the President becomes a dictator.
Stopping this requires Congress to do veto overrides -- those are reasonably hard to do, particularly with a badly polarized political environment.
This won't end until Trump or the Republicans in the Senate feel enough pain to end it. The Democrats controlling the House will not end it for two reasons: (1) all the polls show that Trump's approval rating is dropping, that the public blames Trump for it. (2) This is like the school-bully demands your lunch money: give it to him once and you never eat lunch again.
Trump couldn't get this wall funding when the Republicans completely controlled congress ... he had two years.
4
It is time to wear Trump out.
He's done the same to us, now it is our turn to hold firm and watch him cave. He will, soon, as he becomes more unglued by the investigations and will want to change the news cycle focus to his brilliant new way out of the shutdown.
Trump will come up with a crazy excuse to reopen the government and tell all of us he's so tough, we don't actually require a wall. Because after all, we have him to fix everything!
2
Norma Desmond. Thank you for that, Michelle. It's little glimmers of light like that one that keep me going through all this mess.
3
Don’t worry about tanks in the street. The dictatorship of Trump would be enforced by paramilitary groups, heavily armed civilians turned out to terrorize the opposition.
Remember Trump himself floated the idea of assassinating Hillary Clinton if she won, at a rally, to cheers.
And that wouldn’t take a lot of energy or direction from Trump. It’s more like crowdsourced dictatorship where individuals and platoons just shoot at anyone who stands up in opposition.
4
Maybe attempting to start a war with Iran would be enough to precipitate a change. Pretty bad to have thoughts like that...
"Maybe Americans can tolerate uncertainty about whether the president is a traitor."
Yet another painfully sad sentence that was inconceivable just a few years ago.
BEST case is that we have a President in thrall to, and manipulated by, the ex-KGB officer / murderer / Russian President who has pulled off the greatest intelligence coup in history by helping place "the Norma Desmond of authoritarians, a senescent has-been whose delusions are propped up by obsequious retainers" in the Oval Office.
There has been appropriate hand wringing about what a trapped President Trump might do if faced with impeachment or electorial defeat before the statute of limitations runs out on his various misdeeds.
But Trump is not the only President whose actions we need to worry about.
What dark deeds will Putin do as the clock runs down on this administration? Trump is the kind of gift to our enemies that can't be expected to happen in 10 lifetimes.
Hard to see Putin passing up a final opportunity to create havoc or grab whatever he wants to grab in the inevitably chaotic final days of a Trump Presidency.
There is no bottom with Trump.
1
I fear our national emergency at year 2 will not end well no matter how many elections Democrats win. Trump will do anything to maintain power, even pretend (but not yet declare) that a national security crisis exists at our southern border when there's none. If Trump has no compunction about maiming America when he's just starting to feel the heat, what happens when he loses in 2020 and faces criminal charges? He'll use any pretext to actually declare a national emergency and stay in power.
Further, roughly 40 percent of the population backs whatever Trump does no matter how horrific. A host of articles and extensive interviews reveal Americans in areas that are over 90 percent white and Christian, nowhere near America's southern border, and devastated by Trump's government shutdown, are so convinced they'll be overrun by brown people that they'll jeopardize the lives of their own children if Trump tells them something must be done, like build his wall. (Just think of Johnson County, Ind., where children are dying of cancer thanks to Trump, but whose parents say they'll vote for him again).
Finally, while Trump "has the instincts of a fascist but lacks both the discipline and the loyal lieutenants he'd need to create true autocracy," he has something worth more, a malevolent ally. This person has everything Trump lacks; intelligence, strategic thinking, discipline, and host of G.O.P. lieutenants who work for him and, therefore, work for Trump. I speak of Mitch McConnell.
3
Michelle, you’re right on target. The real danger to our republic is that we ave become inured to ineptitude, to a crazed Captain Ahab, Queeg, at the wheel in his monomania for a wall or whatever else will destroy and demoralize this country.
Only Ishmael is left to tell the story of the Pequod because all the crew got tangled in the messianic mania of Ahab.
Like Queeg, measuring out sand to substitute for the stolen strawberries, a Trump is fixated on the wall.
Instead of accepting this madness, we should be demanding Trump’s removal from office and an investigation of the GOP’s complicity in aiding Trump in his destruction of Democratic norms. It is Mueller time and time for all good Americans to come to the aid of their country.
3
Well, you got your shtick and Don T has his. And they fit together very nicely. Two more years for both of you. Your problem is that you live on Manhattan Island and spend all your time staring at the White House. Kind of a narrow focus. Or obsession. I really don't see the point of such wild exaggerations as to the damage that President Trump has done to the USA. Seems most of the country is doing just great. Yes, Don T's act is a lot more appropriate for "reality" TV. As a matter of fact a lot of Presidential candidates should stick to running for President, rather than actually serving as President. I'm sure they will do a lot better on Twitter, etc. than actually being the US government's chief executive.
2
@Gordon Wiggerhaus
I'm guessing that you are not a farmer.
Or work in a factory effected by tariffs
Or live on an Indian Reservation
Or are trying to launch a new beer
Or work at a national science lab
Or work for the fed government in the weather dept
Or..
Or...
Or.....
3
The plain truth about president Donald Trump is difficult to convey. Media outlets are reluctant to speak plainly, for fear of sounding biased. Politicians fear provoking voters. Pundits fear scaring off media employers. Mediated comment sections restrict strongly worded denunciations. Everyone is tiptoeing around the issue, while the country slides downhill at an increasing rate.
What is the plain truth? Donald Trump is third rate conman who never should have made it anywhere near the presidency. He is a man with decades of public record that should have been instantly disqualifying. A real estate developer that no bank in North America would lend money to. An inveterate liar. A lifelong bully, a cheat, a philanderer, an incessant and transparent braggart. A man with no integrity and no honor.
If Donald Trump can legally become president, clearly the laws need to be changed. If over 40% of Americans still approve of his presidency, clearly something is desperately wrong with American democracy. The best solution I can come up with is an immediate, widespread and ongoing program of media awareness. Schools of all kinds must prioritize informing students about how to evaluate the trustworthiness of media sites. Confirmation bias must become a concept as readily understood by students as addition and subtraction. Until the country can at least agree on what observable reality is, hope is impossible.
6
@Rob - Rob I'm not sure what planet you inhabit, but I really don't see media outlets being reluctant to speak plainly. Have you watched CNN/MSNBC/CBS/NBC read the NYT, WAPO, LA Times etc.? Do you listen to Eizabeth Warren, Nancy Polosi, Shumer, et. al. The level of vitriol is amazing, and quite frankly more than a little humorous.
Mitch McConnell is getting off easy so far in his collaboration with Trump. Trump has broken so many political norms and yet who had enabled Trump more than McConnell ? Trump has made Republican party unrecognizable to true conservatives all with McConnell's backing. This shutdown would be over if McConnell wanted it to be.
Donald Trump is either compromised to the Russians, inept, corrupt, or off his rocker. That said, Mitch McConnell is enabling him to be a grave threat to this country and it's constitution. When Trump's day of reckoning comes, McConnell's should come too. I have my doubts it will.
5
"The Norma Desmond of authoritarians"
The best line of the year by a mile.
"I am big. It's the pictures (of my hands) that got small."
Trump is "cavalierly destroying American lives." And maybe the GOP? Of course, McConnell could also end this nightmare. But FEAR consumes the GOP. Not only are Republicans afraid of coal barons and the NRA and FOX and Limbaugh and Coulter, but they are afraid of the reactions of Trump's diehard followers. A vote with Democrats to open the government could be seen by Trump followers as being disloyal to their Washington "disrupter." FEAR dominates the GOP and we all pay for their lack of courage and desire to do what is best for one's political fortunes rather than the country.
"We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear." noted M.L. King, Jr. Though we grow weary with the constant lies and disruption, courage to continue challenging and fighting for justice is essential in the midst of so much diabolical fear.
2
A widely shared post on social media made the rounds last month, attributed to Trump during the October 2013 government shutdown during the Obama administration: "A shutdown falls on the president’s lack of leadership. He can’t even control his own party and get people together in a room. A shutdown means the president is weak." PolitiFact rates this statement HalfTrue.
Trump did say (September 2013 Fox & Friends phone interview):
"If you say who gets fired, it always has to be the top. Problems start from the top, and they have to get solved from the top, and the president’s the leader, and he’s got to get everybody in a room, and he’s got to lead. And he doesn’t do that, he doesn’t like doing that, that’s not his strength ... when they talk about the government shutdown, they’re going to be talking about the president of the United States, who the president was at that time. They’re not going to be talking about who was the head of the House, the head the Senate, who’s running things in Washington. So I really think the pressure is on the president."
And (Trump tweet November 8, 2013):
"Leadership: Whatever happens, you're responsible. If it doesn't happen, you're responsible."
Trump wants to own this shutdown: the woman who could go comatose in her sleep due to lack of insulin, violations of treaties with Native Americans, curtailed services at domestic violence shelters.
Let Trump own it. Let him fester with it. Let him erode away until we can finally be rid of him.
No, this national emergency started with the Reagan Restoration in 1980. Trump is just the latest - and the crudest - of a line of big-money, dereg acolytes in the White House - all Republicans though two masqueraded as "Democrats" - who enabled looting and kleptocracy.
The unwinding of the UK, the teetering of Western Europe and the utter devolution of US politics are all the logical denouement of Reagan/Thatcherism.
What's at the center of it? Greed.
4
Trump's presidency has been an exhausting ride. Every day we wake up to more disturbing news about this man and his entourage. The one positive constant has been Mueller. He is quietly, efficiently, making the case to remove Trump, while the president spews his daily rants about witch hunts and fake news. Mueller is the hero and Trump the villain. This reads like an Aesop fable, and will result in an Aesop-like moral: In the end, justice triumphs when the truth is revealed.
2
Reflecting back on the past two years, through the mist of Trump's incompetence, venality and desire to cause others pain, one picture comes into focus: Addison Mitchell McConnell Junior has assumed the position of a cowardly lapdog of Trump.
As Majority Leader of the Senate Addison Junior has placed his Republican Party at the feet of Trump ready to serve on bent knee. Instead of exercising the constitutional powers of the Senate to keep Trump from damaging our republic and hurting the American people Addison Junior has been an AWOL leader at best, a cowardly fool at worst.
Consider the international scene. What did Addison Junior have to say about Trump's secret discussion with Putin? What has he had to say about Trump's bashing of NATO, Canada and his praises for Kim Jung-un? How about tariffs which make Americans pay more for their goods?
How about the domestic scene. What did Addison Junior have to say about misusing our military as a political prop on the southern border? What did he do about caging babies? How about the Trump attacks on the Attorney General, the FBI, the Justice Department?
Consider the government shutdown. Addison Junior passed a budget in December which would have prevented the shutdown. That same budget was passed by the new Democratically controlled House. To end the shutdown the Senate must pass the bill again, but Addison Junior won't do it because Fox made fun of Trump and Addison Junior is afraid Trump will make fun of him. He fears Trump.
4
What we are witnessing on a national scale is the style that our very stable genius “President” employed while driving businesses into failure and bankruptcy. Deploying lies and hateful behavior in the face of negative and unflattering facts while unctuous toadies (Republican legislators at all levels) and fans (the “base”) cheer him on. Given the chance, Trump and his ilk will continue to degrade America.
3
Trump won with the mantra of Make America Great Again which really meant Make America White Again. Now with allegiance to the group that brought him to the dance he is willing to destroy America. Listening to furloughed Federal Workers say the still support building Trump's Great Wall is mind-boggling. The wall that would take decades to build is a symbol, not a deterrent. The symbol is Brown people we don't want you. More suspected terror suspects are stopped at our Northern Border. People are saying there are nice people who voted for Rep. King of Iowa the racist. Do Nice people vote for a racist? If we are not careful our embrace of racism may truly be the downfall of a Great Nation. America.
1
Trump is in no way, shape or form President of the citizens of America. He is just the president of the United Ego of Trump and of around 35% percent of the electorate who do not like to be confused by the facts. It is tragic and scary that 100% of the country is suffering from this madness.
2
With illegal immigration at a 46 year low, Trump should not be allowed to declare a state of emergency so that he can build a monument to himself. Our health care system is responsible for real emergencies everyday, moreso now than when he took office. Isn’t congress supposed to be wrangling this guy? More and more it looks to me like this is Mitch McConnell’s fault.
2
The only thing which has saved our institutions thus far is Trump's profound incompetence, and a critical mass resistance. A more savvy authoritarian could have succeeded in permanently destroying our democracy.
In the end the shiny object for Trump will be his greed and ego, and both seem to contribute to his exit, perhaps early. Much damage has been done, sadly.
1
We, as a nation, are in the grip of a sociopathic grifter.It seems that he views the presidency as the ultimate shakedown. There is no sense in seeking logical explanations for what this petty criminal does, because he is insane. We can thank Mark Burnett for building a myth around him that catapulted him into the position he now holds. Our national fabric is unraveling before our eyes, as this man holds our country hostage. As a lifelong New Yorker, I felt sure of his lack of character and ability, and now that he is POTUS, I have daily evidence of his immoral incompetence. I think the damage he has done to our country is in some ways irrevocable, but we must forge ahead and work to salvage our norms and principles.
3
@Robert D
No, the damage is revocable but requires massive electoral reform.
Chuck, the part that I think is irrevocable is the destruction of the norms of governance. I read your list of the ways that the GOP is impeding our electoral power and agree that massive electoral reform is necessary. I am having a hard time imagining how reform will happen when so many people are working so hard to prevent participation in our elections. I remain hopeful.
1
I think Americans need to come face-to-face with a few ugly truths.
First, Donald Trump does not care about the wall. Had it been important, he could have secured the funding for it when he had a Republican Congress and Senate. What he needed was someone to pick a fight with, which he got in the mid-term elections, and a reason to shut down the government.
Second, Donald Trump does not plan to re-open government any time soon. He doesn't care about the more-or-less middle class government workers. He doesn't care about people who depend on government services, seniors, the disabled, the poor. He doesn't care about TSA workers or the flying public. His plane will always be serviced and take off on time.
Third, Donald Trump does not care about his base. Oh, don't get me wrong. He 'loves' the 'poorly educated'. They keep him in power. But he won't do a thing to help them out when the time comes. He thinks they're chumps. And I am starting to agree with him on this at least. Why do they continue to believe in a man who has lied, cheated (not just in business but on everyone he's married), threatened and bullied? Why think he will tell them the truth or behave any differently towards them?
He certainly loves his mega-billionaire donors more although he has managed so far to keep from saying so publicly.
This shut-down will not end until McConnell goes against the President to end it.
How long will that take and how many people will be hurt before that happens?
3
By trying to drag the country farther left than half its population was willing to allow, the Left made Trump possible. By offering an arrogant, condescending, thoroughly corrupt candidate who made it completely clear she had no intention of acknowledging the interests and preferences of anyone not of the Left, the Left made Trump possible.
Trump is the backlash president. You created him. And by continuing to demand that the rest of the country conform to your largely-urban Leftism, you're just ensuring that, even if Trump goes, his replacement will to continue to play to a mass hatred of everything the Left stands for.
The country may, as you seem to think it does, revolve around New York City, but that doesn't mean that those in its orbit are would-be New Yorkers or will tolerate the imposition of urban Leftism. That the population of Manhattan Island exceeds the population of the state of Montana doesn't mean that Manhattan has a right, as many of you seem to think, to dictate the lives of those of Montana.
You're tearing the country apart, Left. The Right is perfectly willing to let you run your cities in any way that pleases you, but you keep trying to run the rest of the country too, and we're just not going to tolerate that.
1
@Henry Miller, Libertarian
You blame the leftists but it was a right wing conspiracy that brought about Citizens' United supreme court decision that forced Montana people to allow corporations to finance elections.
I'm a leftist and I respect Montana's history and constitutional practices, the right wing doesn't.
2
The backlash you speak of is rooted in a racist reaction to President Barack Obama's two terms in office. The birther conspirators challenged President Obama's legitimacy with dog whistle racism. Imagine, a black president. It was way too much for the GOP and it's constituents. Trump's MAGA should have been MAWA ( Make America White Again). The racist undertones of the GOP's rhetoric are unmistakable, and Trump capitalized on that immorality. As a result our country now suffers from the actions of the most corrupt individual to hold office since Boss Tweed.
Trump has now sewn the seeds of his own destruction. Long before Mueller can issue his report something will trigger his fall. Think about TSA going on strike and ordinary Americans joining in sympathy. Trump is committing impeachable offenses and while it would be great to wait for Mueller, we might not have time. Rumsfeld said, you don’t go to war with the army you wish you had, you go with what you have. We might have to go with the indictments we can have not those promised.
Two years ago we were younger and far more naive to believe that we could ever sink in esteem across the globe, the President would be throwing a tantrum worthy of a spoiled toddler and that we would be fed lies by this administration and the GOP on a daily basis if not hourly! To make matters worse, if there could be a worse, our President is just a puppet of Mitch McConnell and Putin. We're being held as hostages in the greatest kidnapping the world has ever seen! All because Putin wants to dismantle America from within and McConnell wants the reins. What's the payoff? Power.
I used to hope that someone would take away the President's phone. Now I just want someone to take him away, and all the others who are working to bring down America.
Write it, say it, shout it from the well, rooftops or airwaves, Trump is a sham. Take it from the beginning to the really awful current period with the specter of disaster like a fog over us. No, not good for flying w/o air traffic operators, or beef arriving and leaving from varying markets to the myriad ways a government needs cash to maintain all that it does. And we've got a big one. Unfortunately, we have a big mess with the GOP base, party, and its leader and the president in charge of the reckless situation where we find ourselves. 2020 seems too far away.
Three ways the shutdown could end: (1) Pelosi & Schumer capitulate completely; (2) Mitch McConnell stands up to Trump; and (3) Trump rescinds his requirement that the budget include $5.7bn for his self-monument-excrescence.
(1) would be profoundly and obviously wrong (Republicans have a very hard time acknowledging this; they are all mentally unwell). Fortunately there is no sign it might happen.
(2) and (3) would be reasonable. However, they are not going to happen for interlocking reasons. McConnell wants to play nice with Trump and get more ultra-conservative judges to further "burnish" his evil legacy -- plus it is somehow against his constitution to buck Trump; and both Trump & McConnell want to destroy the government: downsize it, with absolutely no concern let alone compunction for inflicting mass suffering and putting lives and security at risk. Oh, and chaos! Trump loves chaos. So why stop now? This is great for him (in his sick head).
Not clear how or when this ends. Impeachment, aggressively pursued as soon as is possible, would help.
1
Typical Republican plan: make a abject mess of everything so that the Democrats can come in and fix it by doing painful things that cost big bucks giving Republicans fodder to regain power again.
Turns "two" - feels like twenty, and Michele, to be fair, is five days short of the actual anniversary.
Trump doesn't work, never worked, uh, doesn't know any Russia, or Russians, or even people from close to over there, got it. Even if they provided half the extras at his sparsely attended, but very well, funded, best funded ever, inaugural event.
The next two years are going to involve trying to rescue our nation from a traitor, eventually removing him from office most likely by national election.
The next four years will entail repairing some of the worst damage of the last two years.
Trump and his clan not only need to be removed from office, they need to be tried and sentenced to jail for terms befitting treason, high crimes and misdemeanors too numerous to list here in the seven hundred additional words this comment space provides, whoops make that 609 word space.
Whether or not Mr. Trump is a Russian agent, he is ably accomplishing the Kremlin's objective of creating chaos in American domestic and international relationships.
I think it's time for Congress to restrain the President before he drives the United States off a cliff that will destroy the nation.
2
An horrific plane crash on the other side of the globe gets our attention for the 30 seconds during the news in which it is broadcast. Let me break my finger (or even its fingernail) and my entire day is ruined.
At some level, increasing widespread effects from Trump's shutdown are a good thing. We will all soon see him for the irredeemably evil force he is and we will ultimately join together to return him back to the swamp from which he arose.
Pray, let it be soon...
"For the moment he's backed off from the idea of declaring a national emergency, perhaps because many conservatives are afraid of the precedent it will set."
We, the people, should declare a national emergency. Trump and McConnell are systematically destroying this country and the lives of the citizens in every imaginable way.
Now is the time to march in the streets and protest against Trump and his minions who are hard at work at replacing democracy with kleptocracy.
1
Our National Emergency turns 2, and still doesn't act a day over 1.
(But please don't reward said ego-toddler with his own "era".)
The toddler in chief’s willingness to hold Americans hostage to his Wall Whim should be enough to alert his supporters to his dangerous narcissism. Yet they seem to think it is a sign of strength. While Trump plays Mr Tough in the comfort of the White house, federal workers stand in line at the foodbank. The fact that Trump is incompetent and a bumbler is small consolation given the fact a sizeable number of Americans applaud a president with clear and dangerous autocratic tendencies who would casually put them in harm’s way. That is scary.
'Our National Emergency Turns 2'
Hyperbole and hysteria only works on the gullible.
Keep in mind... 'I don't like what Trump does' ≠ 'National Emergency'.
HELP WANTED!
A Democrat that can win a national electoral college Presidential election in 2020 so we can be rid of Trump.
"For the moment he's backed off from the idea of declaring a national emergency, perhaps because many conservatives are afraid of the precedent it will set."
Also because red state Repubs don't want DJT diverting their FEMA funds etc to build his dopey wall.
Having come here after watching Lawrence Odonnell struggle to recall memorable complete sentences uttered by past presidents, I am reminded of one that he left out, and I paraphrase for relevance:
Are you better off now than you were four weeks ago?
“Imagine if you’d known then how far we’d fall.“
In fact, many did. Between Manafort and the rest of it, plenty was crystal clear even we’ll before the election.
Coincidence is no accident and they’ve been been pouring down hard for at least three years now. Our media is guilty of averting their gaze.
Many writers, Ann Applebaum, as one example, tried to Paul Revere the obvious truth, but.... many are called, few are chosen.
2
Trump and McConnell are clearly traitors to our country and our constitution. And, a host of Senate republicans seem to be trapped in that Putin compromised circle. How else to explain the travesties that occur daily now.
Pompus tells us the 'end times' are near. The absurdity of it all boggles the mind. So called Christians joining Murdoch and Fox News in their unrelenting support of Trump may just result in a massive revolt of the US electorate by 2020.
Trump, though, may not make it through 2019 as the 'law' closes in.
So simply stated...Senate Majority Leader, Mitch McConnell is the blockage in the sewage system called the trump administration.
If he would allow "House passed bills to reopen government" a vote on the senate floor it could force the president to publicly veto the bills or perhaps reconsider his intransigence.
I think it's long past time for Mitch and Donald to reread their job descriptions as outlined in the Constitution and stop abusing government workers and the American people with this foolish and unnecessary border-wall drama.
1
This country is a disaster...So much for the supposed greatest nation on the planet, home of the free and land of the brave.
Free to do what? Free to vote for this loser of a human being who is trashing everything around us and around the world?
Land of the brave? How brave are we when we can't even look right at whats happening to us and call it for what it is...a tragedy.
We are free alright. Free to be as deplorable as the Republicans are. Brave? Well, supposedly it seems one is brave when they stand firm while Rome burns.
This national emergency won't really be an emergency much longer because fixing an emergency requires two things...Quick or immediate action and an unforeseen combination of circumstances. We have seen this coming for two years or more, so it's not unforeseen, and there has been no immediate action taken.
Until Republicans take control of this situation and walk away from supporting this president we will continue to sink lower into the sewer they have sent us falling into.
He is doing what fanatical republicans wanted to do all along - get rid of the American governing apparatus. And Vladimir must be thrilled that Donald is doing his work for him.
We are in an accelerated decline as a democracy. We all know the results of this administration and the congressional enablers that created it.
The imperative now is action, not impotent reaction to our daily dose of nonsense. Our Senate leader needs to be removed and our country put back to work. Allowing Trump to remain as our president is a fool’s errand. Who in Washington will do the right thing?
Trying to figure out the support of Graham and McConnell's do-nothing performances as Trump brings down the country, my 5 am jogging partner and I have decided that they, too, must have connections to Russia. Money laundering? Investments? Deals? Why in the world would they support such a swampy mess of a president? Why would they want to own this disaster? It's either a guilty connection to Russia or hatred of our country. They've gotta go. The whole swamp - out of our White House. How dare they are allowed to walk around in there!
1
Living by an antiquated constitution that pretty much allows the president to say and do whatever he wants, and with a track record of three questionable wars under our belt, there is now no good that can come of this that will outweigh the damage that has already been done to this country by this ugliest of Americans.
Add a congress that abets this crime with silent acquiescence to feed their own thirst for power and money. Yes, money; it's a good paying job regardless of shutdowns for others, and a great retirement plan as well,including healthcare in perpetuity. Nice.
We will never again be able to claim the moral high ground. Scorn rather than admiration will greet us abroad.
Nice job america.
93
@Jay Stephen,
An constitution that gives the smallest states representation that far exceeds that of the most populous states is the crux of the problem.
13
@Jay Stephen
Antiquated Constitution: Now you’re cooking!
Address this and we have a chance to save our democratic values and ideals.
Fail to do so, and we deserve the Autocracy that’s ahead.
7
@TheraP We live in a Republic, not a democracy, and what would you be say the same thing in democrats were the ones living in in less populous states and the Constitution provided those states equal representation?
2
It's astonishing that Senate Republicans are not rebelling against McConnell. I expect that time is coming, however, once their constituents start calling. I wonder why McConnell is putting himself in such an untenable position? Does Trump have something on him? Haha.
5
The idea of gradual suddenness caught my eye. In a way it's been amazing to see how quickly our civil society collapsed, yet, we could see it coming. Personally I'd place the starting point with Johnson and Nixon pursuing the war in Vietnam. That was the trigger that set things off. Our distrust of government began then and since then other events and personalities contributed to the long slow slide to Trump.
5
Once the major donors for the GOP get tired of the shutdown, it will stop.
13
@Anthony and when , exactly, will they tire of it?
1
@Dra Probably when it affects their bottom line.
Thank you Michelle, for your clarity and your well founded indignation. We should all feel this! In addition, our Senator, Toomey, has now "Forbidden" access to my letters on National Security, since they continue to insist on his rethinking his support of the President and Mr. McConnell. There are many kinds of shutdown occurring here!
7
A cogent summation of where we stand with this presidency. Thank you.
28
The government shutdown nightmare illustrates at least three aspects of the emergency that is Donald Trump: his selfishness, his isolation, and his fear.
Trump's selfishness needs no further introduction. His isolation from the lives of ordinary people adds a layer of uncomprehending callousness and, on top of that, a fanciful notion that the people being hurt are the enemy: Democrats. He at least claims to think federal workers are, and he probably thinks anyone lowly enough to depend on government services is.
Trump's fear is the connecting thread from here on. He fears the horde of hollow-cheeked Democrats staring reproachfully at him through the windows of his privileged world. He fears the desertion of his base if he makes the slightest compromise on funding for a border wall. He fears the flood of contempt and denunciation that will follow that desertion, when no one any longer has an incentive to keep his secrets or feign respect for him.
Then he must fear downfall in some form, and those process servers whom he has always striven to stay a jump ahead of.
I can't say I'm free from fear myself. Two years into our spiraling national emergency, it's hard to see how it can end well.
25
This fight continues to be about political symbols -- it certainly is not about money. The proposed cost of the wall is 0.12% of the Federal budget, and the critics who say it will not stop illegal immigration have nothing to fear that it will inadvertently keep asylum seekers out. No, both sides think that being tough and not giving what the other side wants is to their considerable political advantage. So the shutdown continues....
1
@michaelf No. The Democrats in the House—with some Republican support—passed a bill identical to one passed overwhelmingly in the Senate. What stands in the way is Trump holding federal workers hostage—as well as the millions of Americans who depend on the services currently inaccessible—and Mitch McConnell enabling that hostage-taking by refusing to bring the bill the House passed to the floor again in the Senate. McConnell, of course, is trying to shield Trump from being put in the position of having to veto a bill passed by both houses of Congress.
The wall is a racist symbol and that $5 billion could be better spent on real needs in this country. Trump said Mexico would pay for the wall and yet he has launched a very real attack on the lives of Americans to extort $5 billion for the wall.
False equivalency in this case is a brief for hostage-taking and attacks on the American public.
2
@michaelf the chickens of the GOP obstruction of Obama have come home to roost and there is nothing that will lessen the Democrats' resolve.
@michaelf
Both sides are to blame? You are falling into the bothsideism trap. The Democrats want to open the government, Trump refuses to unless he gets his useless wall and McConnell is as feckless as they come.
2
I keep reading columns looking towards the day when Trump will no longer be in office. They consistently miss discussing the angry rump of 33-40% of voters that continue to support him even though he is clearly incompetent. Even if Trump goes, these voters aren’t going anywhere, will be enraged when their champion is voted out, and have enough political power in rural areas to obstruct a full return to normalcy. What’s the solution?
34
@Chris the right wing has always been part of the American landscape. In my youth it was the John Birch Society. Back then decent Republicans kept the far right under their rocks. Now the far right dominates the party but we'll see the pendulum swing the other way because that's the history of the USA.
2
@Chris don't be so sure they will follow a defeated champion.
@Chris
The solution is to quit trying to impose Left/urban values on millions of people who will never accept them and will never stop fighting the Left's demands that the entire country live by city rules.
"Now he’s [djt] cavalierly destroying American lives."
And trump truly does not care a whit. This is one of the saddest spectacles our country has endured, a president throwing temper tantrums because his whole life doing so has worked for him.
I hope Speaker Pelosi continues to hold her ground against this wanna-be tyrant
63
"As of this writing, the president has rejected every way out of the government shutdown save full capitulation by House Democrats."
Yes, he has. Meanwhile, "not a penny" Pelosi has rejected any possible outcoem save full capitulation by Trump.
So who is being hurt by this? Democrats sound like they feel it more. Still, they don't do anything remotely like compromise, any more than Trump.
So sure, say Trump won't compromise, and leave it at that.
3
@Mark Thomason
Actually, I don't think that the Democrats have "rejected any possible outcome save full capitulation". They have offered compromises for some funding, which has been heatedly rejected by Trump (including an attempt by Trump at bullying them before the cameras, and also storming out of a subsequent meeting because he couldn't get "his way")
So please, don't try any "both sides are at fault" here.
35
@Mark Thomason there are several good reasons for Democrats not to compromise on this:
- the principle of not negotiating with hostage takers -- it just encourages them to continue taking hostages as a strategy (Republicans who like traumatizing asylum seekers at the border as a deterrent strategy should get this)
- the wall is not a serious strategy to negotiate on: no one respected on immigration issues was discussing this before tRump brought it up; he only brought it up as a memory aid in rallies; he could have gotten it through in the 1st 2 yrs with republican congress but didnt try; it has huge issues including massive required private land-takings; the true cost is > $60b + maintenance so what is the point of spending the first $5.7b?
22
@Mark Thomason
Yep, fairly few of the Right are hurt by the shutdown; it's pretty much only the Left that cares. Why would people who hate "the swamp" care if the swamp shuts down? As far as a lot of us are concerned, the shutdown should be expanded and made permanent--if any of shuttered Washington was actually doing anything useful, the states can pick it up.
1
There's also the question of whether declaring a non-emergency an emergency is legal. No one really knows the answer to that question. We've never had to ask. Trump's reluctance on an emergency probably has more to do with his legal position than respect for conservative precedent.
Opinions vary but at least Trump appears to believe his chances are less than 50-50. Apparently he can declare emergency under the National Emergencies Act. However, appropriating funds from the ACE has a much higher legal hurdle. The relevant law is 10 U.S. Code § 2808, construction authority in the event of a declaration of war or national emergency.
2808 only applies if the emergency requires the use of armed forces. Similarly, the authority to construct ends when the emergency ends. How long does a wall take to build? Can an emergency requiring military intervention last that long without Congress? The logic is very circular.
Trump can declare in emergency but a wall will probably never get constructed as a result. He'll end up before Congress again eventually anyway. In the process, Trump will have alienated the ACE, conservatives, federal employees, his base, and everyone else who didn't want a wall in the first place.
Even if legally possible, the emergency exit is really not a good option for Trump in many ways. The Senate is probably the only way out of this mess. However, McConnell isn't going to take the fall before an irate base for Trump's mistake. Hence, we're stuck.
10
Perhaps we should start a go-fund-me campaign for the federal workers who are missing paychecks. The only qualification for donation would be to promise never to ever vote for any Republican. And we could claim the contributions as donations to a charity and claim deductions on our taxes. Works for me.
34
Remember how you felt that November night in 2016? Well, I do, and as profound as my sense of foreboding was, it was no match for this. By the day - no, by the hour - we are now being forced to come to grips with the inescapable fact that this is no longer about Trump, it is much deeper and far more serious. This is forcing our realization that this is no longer one nation, that our political system is now dysfunctional, made so by obscene money, and that our electorate is no longer up to the hard work required to sustain democracy. Trump will be one day be long gone, but our problem will remain. Because our problem is us. If it weren't, we wouldn't be enduring this, not for a minute.
95
@Michael
What the Left fails to understand is that the country is not a singular democracy, it's a republic made up of 50 near-sovereign democracies. When New York and California acknowledge that size and population don't give them the right to dictate to the rest of the country, the problem will go away.
1
@Henry Miller, Libertarian " made up of 50 near sovereign democracies."
Actually, it's not. We had a little kerfuffle in the 1860's to work that out, and the idea of "near sovereign democracies" lost. That's one of the reasons that federal law preempts state laws.
4
@Henry Miller, Libertarian
The problem is not New York and California. It's Ann Coulter and Rush Limabugh.
4
There is a multiplier effect that makes things even worse for communities. For example, when a family doesn't receive their food stamps, they suffer. And food stamp recipients are clustered in neighborhoods so that the local grocery stores then suffer, possibly causing layoffs or reduced hours for employees.
17
@Bill in - Oh only IF those neighborhoods had groceries easy to access. Many don't.
Aside from the daily barrage of Trump TV with its nonstop incoherence, the real danger has been the undoing of 50 years of environmental initiatives and laws, the dissolution of strong voter rights laws, and the packing of the courts with conservative judges. This was not wholly done by DJT, that would give him way too much credit, but by McConnell and his cabal of ultra conservative Republicans. It will take generations in some instances to repair the damage that has been done. DJT won't be in office that much longer, but the dark shadow on America that he has caused will be around for a very long time. Every Republican must be voted out.
62
The Democrats should start making offers to fund the wall... but each one tied to a bigger ask on progressive policies. "Okay, we'll give you $5.7 billion in exchange for you raising the top marginal income tax rate to 70%." No deal? "Okay, 5.7 billion for 75% rate and extend Medicare to people over fifty." No deal? "Okay wall, 80% tax rate and Medicare for all." Just offer deal after deal and let Trump be the one to keep the shutdown going while blocking widely popular initiatives.
71
@Tim Moerman
What incentive do any of us have to swallow that poison pill? Apparently you don't understand that about half the country would be perfectly happy to close the swamp down forever.
Trump is also too mentally lazy to make a good dictator. He is uninformed and prefers to stay that way.
As to what Americans can take, apparently Trump supporters who are also gov't workers are thoroughly willing to suffer for the wall and their savior, Donald Trump. I must admit to a bit of schadenfreude in their case. I wonder when/if they reach a breaking point...
21
@Anne-Marie Hislop
Loosing the family home to bankruptcy could be a tipping point for many. How many wives are willing to stick with a man like Trump (meaning their husbands) while the kids go hungry and have no place to call home?
We who think clearly and still believe our own eyes instead of what "Dear Leader" says, have been wondering for these past two years just what's it gonna take? What's it gonna take for Trump supporters to finally figure out and admit to themselves that they were wrong, they were duped. Until then the Country continues to further divide and be torn apart. I don't know where this ends. I believe it will come to an end eventually, but I fear that the way it ends, will go badly for all of us.
16
@Lawrence Kucher Do you really think evangelicals will somehow "admit to themselves that they were wrong, they were duped?" They're wrong about a fictional god that they believe controls their lives and the outcome of reality, yet they operate their entire lives on this false premise. Donald Trump the demagogue is the perfect epitome of their delusion, and they will NEVER let that go.
2
An emergency? I have every right and it's perfectly legal for me to call it an emergency. Lots of people want me to. But I think I'll just wait and see.
11
When Trump first got elected in talking to some friends we likened the future Trump presidency to a slow motion explosion. At first the damage seemed minimal but now we see the damage accelerating. When the explosion reaches it's apex and then we are faced with the clean up will we still have a functional democracy?
28
@Ed As far as I can tell, we don't have one now. And until Citizens United is gone, we don't have a chance.
2
How much worse will our national crisis -- which is causing dire economic anxiety and suffering to the American people -- get? Our president is usurping his executive power to bend our people to his will. While Mitch McConnell remains silent as a tomb to Trump's demented rants, Tweets and gobsmacking pressers on the White House Lawn. America is collapsing like the card house Trump has branded with his name in gilt and G.O.P. guilt. These first two years of Donald Trump's presidency, Act I, are over. Act II starts this week. With federal workers unpaid for almost a month why doesn't labor rise up against Trump's unlawful hostage-taking of innocents to build his wall on our southern border. It's the wall he wants, or bye-bye, Folks. America is no longer Forrest Gump's sweet world of people "getting along like peas and carrots!". We Americans of all stripes (our beloved country built by immigrants) are like captives in a tall New York City condo tower elevator. Heading down with no brakes. Are we scared yet?
27
Presidential vetoes are part of the Constitution’s system of checks and balances. When a president vetoes a bill, Congress must either muster the votes necessary to override the veto or present the president a compromise bill that he or she will sign or allow to become law by taking no action. But President Trump hasn’t vetoed any bills during his two years in office. The spending bill hasn’t reached his office. Until it does, Trump is not responsible for the shutdown.
The Constitution requires that all appropriations bills originate in the House of Representatives, but this doesn’t give the House absolute control of the budget. The Constitution’s “checks and balance” requires bills passed by the House to receive Senate concurrence before they go to the White House. This includes appropriations bill.
The Senate has rejected the spending bill sent it by the house. Since spending bills must originate in the House, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is obliged to present a compromise version of the bill to the Senate. She hasn’t done so. Until she does, she is responsible for the shutdown.
2
@William Case alt facts. The house has passed Senate Republican bills that would re-open the government. McConnell has refused to allow a new vote on bills his chamber passed last month. The President, meanwhile passed on $25 billion in border security funding coupled with DACA reform, and has bragged on national TV that he is proud to shut down the government. Trump and McConnell own this, and the American people see it that way.
77
@William Case
She did send a compromise bill with aprox 1.5 billion but it seems compromise is off the table with Trump on an issue, building the wall that most Americans according to polling do not want.
32
@William Case
In my (limited) understanding of Senate rules, there are two ways to bring a bill up for debate: Unanimous Consent (normally exercised by the Speaker after prior agreement among party leaders) and Motion To Process (a motion brought by any member to consider any eligible bill). I believe any Senator can request recognition by the chair simply by standing.
Obviously McConnell controls the UC, since any Senator can voice an objection and stop the UC.
Why doesn't Schumer use the MTP to bring up any of the budget measures passed by the House? If he is waiting for the GOP to completely destroy its credibility by supporting Trump's shutdown, he could accelerate the process by using the MTP to open debate (and possible filibuster by GOP members). If the bill is defeated, this would publicly show the GOP to be owners of the shutdown. If the bill passes by 3/4 majority, it will override a veto, ending the shutdown.
What are the reasons for Schumer's tactics so far?
5
A prolonged US gov't shutdown, together with the U.K. Brexit chaos will convince people in many other countries that the democratic model is not workable, and more autocrats like Erdogan, Orban, Bolsanaro will arise.
13
It’s not the long fall that hurts, it’s that sudden stop at the bottom. Prepare for impact.
35
Actually, Trump has already built a tall wall around himself. Some Republicans are standing next to him inside the wall. But as the shutdown continues, I believe they will start digging tunnels under the wall to get away from him because that wall is about to come crashing down on him.
18
Alas, the third consecutive winter of our discontent, yet something tells me things are feeling quite a bit warmer and cozier in Moscow about now. Mission accomplished.
41
@Guido Malsh
I lay in bed this morning, indulging in the ultimate conspiracy theory-that Putin was guiding Trump along every step of the way, including the shutdown until we reached anarchy or at least serious chaos. I'm not usually a conspiracy theorist, but it's becoming easier.
2
Everyone keeps missing the real story: Mitch McConnell is in charge. He's happy wait off-stage and watch Trump and the Democrats fight it out, but he could get the government and the Senate moving again. Someone needs to dig into what is driving McConnell.
156
@Clear Thinking Yes. Mitch likes power and he is preventing the possibility of a veto override but you have to ask if he wasn’t in the way could the senate muster the 67 votes?
24
@Denis Must be otherwise Mitch would give the POTUS a new toy, the sustained veto.
2
@Clear Thinking, Mitch McConnell was the subject of a very interesting article highlighting his ties to China and Russia yesterday. My guess is he’s being looked into by the Mueller investigation as well. He is an unethical, immoral hateful power hungry racist that stole a Supreme Court seat and he needs to LOSE his election so real governance can occur. He’s the major problem right now along with tRump baby. Most of us with a functioning frontal lobe knew exactly how bad it would get when the election was stolen by Russia and installed an illegitimate puppet in the WH. And here we are. Every bit as bad as we thought. Dog help us all.
11
With the bond yield inflection, tariff war continuing and stock market slide the real power, that is the very wealthy, will be calling their Republican representatives to inform them the donation train will end unless they stop the manufactured emergencies. Suffering of the masses are nothing compared to the suffering of billionaires.
34
I'll bet that Trump would end the shutdown in a minute--if the House Democrats would promise to stop investigating him and allow him to fire Mueller. Any takers? I thought not. Oh well, it promises to be a long winter.
8
My proposal to Chuck and Nancy is for them to organize a general strike of ALL federal employees in solidarity of those 800,000. Maybe Republicans then would create legislation to settle the current issue in a over-veto vote.
18
@Gordon Alderink That sounds like a suggestion from the GOP. Not a bad idea though, but it should be the AFL-CIO and other labor groups in a 24 hour general strike support of our federal employees.
10
@Gordon Alderink
"My proposal to Chuck and Nancy is for them to organize a general strike of ALL federal employees..."
We don't need a general federal worker strike. All we need is for unpaid federal workers to stay home. That would bring enough essential entities, such as airports, to a halt to bring this nonsense to an end.
Besides, witholding pay is a de facto lockout and, I believe, slavery is banned by the Constitution.
How about the House agrees to the $5B if Mitch agrees to raise taxes to pay for it. If it is so dang important, then let's pay for it. Raise the income tax rate on everybody 0.25%. Or instead of taxing everybody, increase taxes by 2% on the portion of incomes over $1.5M. Plus get legal status for dreamers. The deficit this year his bigger than ever, despite the claim by conservatives that growth would fund the deficit. Clearly not. Time to pay for the programs you want, Mr. President. Will Mitch have the guts to actually raise taxes to pay for things? Don't count on it. But, at least he will have had his chance.
82
@Tim The increase in taxes is the penalty the American
Public pays for not turning out to vote.
9
Excellent idea. A 2019 1% tax on all income of any kind above $1M per person, and a luxury tax on any boat > 32 feet, and any personal airplane of 10%. Do it today - “build the wall” tax
Action by the Republican Senate is the only sane way forward. Pass the funding bill without the wall and override the inevitable veto.
With the government open, proceed with bi-party negotiations with the House to formulate and pass border security legislation that can pull us together.
91
@Tom: You used the words "Republican Senate" and "sane" in the same sentence. This would be a new development, to be sure.
5
@Tom There is no issue with border security. The people trying to come over are fleeing conditions in their countries that more often than not have been the result of our priorities in their countries.
The only pictures I saw recently of the border near a segment of existing wall was a line of orderly people waiting to talk to the US Immigration folks seating at a table. They were not massacuring the natives, nor were they armed.
2
There have been a long series of government crises over the years. We have been at war. We have faced nuclear showdowns. American embassy workers have been kidnapped. We have illegally supported the Nicaraguan contras with Iranian funds. We have engaged in widespread acts of torture. And we have utterly failed to resolve the immigration problem.
Against this, Ms. Goldberg weighs such crises as the exaggeration of the inauguration crowd, unpaid federal employees and convicted members of the Trump administration who, so far, have been sentenced to a maximum of 3 months in prison. Ms. Goldberg tells us that the country is coming undone. But compared to past crises, she is drastically exaggerating the consequences of the government shutdown.
@michjas
You do know that several people have died (not those immigrant kids, but others directly affected) and that 800,000 people are not being paid, along with a large number of others, subcontractors, services, etc. that are affected. Many people live paycheck to paycheck (another consequence of government by tax cuts for the wealthy, removal of usury laws and consumer protections, and the general erosion of benefits that come from Republican policies of trickle-up which have flattened or lowered wages for the American worker while increasing top salaries by leaps and bounds).
You undermine your credibility when you belittle the sufferings of ordinary Americans. Farm country is hurting a lot. Plenty of specifics, and this is not a little thing that is being exaggerated.
If anything, we are just beginning to see the wholesale consequences of these cutbacks. One small example: my meteorological acquaintances inform me that weather information is less complete. Science is being undermined.
Courts are seriously understaffed in some areas. Border patrol and other security is working without pay and with cutbacks. Food assistance is cut back.
Not an emergency? Try again!
186
@michjas
I forgot all the lobbyists and industry insiders who have been put in charge of keeping our food safe, our education as good as possible, our air, water and earth free of toxins, our health care as good as possible. These go back before the shutdown, the steady erosion of all departments of government as looters and exploiters are put in charge. Their personal behavior isn't great either, but their agendas are about taking profits out of the common purse for themselves and their friends.
Not good for children or other livings things ...
80
@michjas
Fair enough. But those were mainly rare episodes that we dealt with with a sane and competent government.
If such an event were to be inflicted upon us now, with a chaotic and incompetent government in charge, how would we manage?
4
Our cowardly bully has taken hostages and is holding them for ransom.
Republicans, how can you be such traitors to your fellow Americans?
Time to wake up!
182
Just came across this tragic narrative from the field:
"My next door neighbor is Supervisor of the locally-based Hotshot firefighting crew. Currently furloughed, he has been going into work without pay anyway, working on hiring crew members for the coming season. Last year at this time, he had just returned home after working on the 281,000 acre Thomas fire. This is the kind of dedicated employee the guy in the White House deems non-essential."
163
Dear Michelle, thank you for writing this piece that brings stark reality to the "National Emergency" facing us all: Donald Trump!
I spent 47 years working in the nation's capital, beginning in 1969 as a broadcast journalist, then as an investigator for Senate and House committees, finally as a public affairs manager in federal agencies, and retiring from U.S. Customs and Border Protection in 2005. Never, in my ugliest nightmares, did I imagine that the federal government and its governance could ever devolve to the appalling and disgraceful reality we all face today. What price deliverance!
235
Many of us, I am sure, knew at about 9 PM election night that something was seriously amiss. The election was stolen - hacked - and as we turned off the TVs, drove home from friend's houses, or just crawled into bed, I suspect what we've seen transpire over the last two horrendous, surreal years appeared in our nightmares, and during difficult daydreams. It is trump, for sure - and all that entails and remains to be uncovered - but there are two other despicable parts to this most unholy trinity. There are the complicit republicans - many of them likely similarly compromised (and even if not, holding equally loathsome positions on issues), and the brainwashed cult whose brains have been rotted out by hate TV and hate radio. We are in a serious pickle, and I've no idea how we will escape.....we need heroes now to put country and its citizens ahead of party and politics and pitch in with the Democrats to help save the country.
247
@CSL
Remember the Republican senators who visited Moscow to grovel not long after the beginning of 2017? It was surreal at the time. Now, it is suspicious.
3
And yet President National Emergency was elected by the American people (and no, popular vote games don't matter, what matters is who gets to sit in the White House).
What does that say about the American voter?
What does does say about the fragmentation and especially bifurcation of American society?
And Ms Goldberg, the good news (or "good news") is that Mr. Trump still seems to be a viable candidate for 2020.
Voters don't vote logically. Even those whose lives may be destroyed today may "think" differently in two years.
23
It’s important to note in the context of your comment that 50% of eligible voters stayed home in 2016 (thanks Putin!) and thus enabled a minority vote to prevail in the Electoral College.
4
@Joshua Schwartz And what does this say about gerrymandering?
1
McConnell refuses to stand up to Trump or simply is happy having this useful idiot carry out his agenda? He can easily keep Trump in line - all he has to do is threaten to start investigations.
Here's what I think Democrats should do. They should say they would consider funding for a wall if A) it is paid for by a new tax on millionaires/billionaires/financial transactions and B) the tax also provides funding for much needed infrastructure and a green new deal.
They should propose that and let Republicans justify why they are not willing to raise taxes to pay for this wall and needed infrastructure.
53
@DebbieR
I think you should look at what McConnell has to say.
He is entirely complicity with Trump. It's not clear that Trump is more purposeful than McConnell.
I do think these guys should have to do without federal funds, and Trump's security detail and personal perks should be cut off as well.
50
@DebbieR "Restored tax on billionaires, millionaires, etc." please.
4
When things settle down, this Era of misrule needs to be laid out and examined, so that its like never happens again. There are so many examples of Trump's abuse of power but a few are egregious enough to stick out. 1. We must make it difficult or impossible to shut down the government, thereby eliminating the use of government as a Gingrich football. 2. Candidates for President and Vice-president show their tax returns for as many years as required. 3. Presidents put all business holdings in a blind trust not run by family members. 4. No Universal Ambassadors, or whatever his title, like Jared Kushner let loose. 5. No inexperienced family members to hold office, or, perhaps, no family members at all in positions over the people. Good people would not mind rules that encorage meeting ethical standards. It could be these need to be applied.
158
@sailor2009
And some sort of test, such as the citizenship test, to show the candidate knows what job he's applying for. And a background check. And a credit check. And some indication of lack of mental illness.
7
@sailor2009 - shutting down the government should be "unconstitutional", but it's not. Amendment Now!
1
I'm ready for the final, sudden melt-down of the Trump administration. Given the recent news, it may not be very far away now. However, I greatly fear the likely collateral damage.
48
The big question now is how much longer must we endure all of this? How much longer?
37
The Atlantic writer, George Packer, recently noted that Abraham Lincoln kept the gov't open despite a Confederate army threatening D.C. Lincoln was only four score & five from the establishment of gov't by and for the people and thought it critical, sacred, actually, to show people were capable of self-government.
How capriciously Trump treads on all things best in America. He certainly confuses honor with vanity. He cannot persuade through argument and the merits so willingly threatens his fellow citizens to get his way. He continues to measure his "toughness" by his willingness to cause others to suffer.
Pelosi can own the high ground at zero cost by simply declaring she will never shut government down to pass legislation she was unable to obtain on its merits. Just as she would not run out on a lunch check, she will honor government obligations, pay for services received for which payment was promised and never shut down government.
Trump burned the arch villain, McConnell, on the Dec. 18 vote. If McConnell allows a vote, Trump will blame him for the failure. McConnell will not call a vote.
Dems and a few Repubs should use the parliamentary procedure to force a vote so we can move forward on the next Trump farce that further diminishes America and harms the world.
As for me, I'm still pretty woriied about that caravan and can't wait to see what Melania will wear next.
55
Two years is too long for a "National Emergency". How about our "National Nightmare"? Trump controls the daily news cycle with his tweets and Fox interviews. It does not matter whether each day's Trumpian outrage is good or bad for Trump as long as it is all just about Trump. He prevents us from focusing on anything else.
When I get up in the morning I check the weather first and then the day's Trump feed. Then I go about my life. This is my new normal. This is not an emergency.
15
Michelle Goldberg is really a very perceptive writer. Her reference to a character in The Sun Also Rises is absolutely perfect.
37
@Mark Scher I think you meant Sunset Boulevard.
2
Ms. Goldberg, Everything expressed in this op-ed has already been said. You are preaching to the anti Trump choir. I for one however am worn out reading about each new disturbing episode of the Trumpian drama. I would welcome hearing more about what we as a people can effectively do to resist and permanently shut down this depressing reality show. That said, rest assured that I'll keep on reading your columns for the cathartic relief you provide letting me know that I am not alone in my despair.
79
@HMP Yes! We agree, trump is awful. Now what is the path forward?
6
@HMP -enough of the "choir" hasn't got the real picture yet. Keep on keeping on, Goldberg!
The Trump administration has been GRADUALLY eroding traditions, norms, civil discourse and conflict of interest.
Now, hopefully, it'll end SUDDENLY. Just like the an Ernest Hemingway character.
25
Trump has given Russia more moneys worth of free global publicity than the puny country even has in its entire GDP.
9
Until the Senate Republicans grow a spine and fulfill their duties as a co-equal branch of government, or (less likely) the 40% base revolts, nothing will change. Enough people have to hurt for the public to become unified against DJT.
28
@Tim Long. If the TSA and flight control employees go on strike, airports will stop in their tracks. Then we will see Republicans act because their doner base is upset at flight delays and all else.
27
@L'historien: I'm getting flashbacks of Reagan firing all the air traffic controllers.
The whole Republican Party is excess baggage.
4
oh Michelle, another spot-on analysis... i fear reading your pieces only makes me more heartsick that the end of this dreadful administration will come so late that it will take decades for us to recover.
however, i AM heartened by some new blood in the Democratic House (AOC, for one) and old blood leading them (Nancy Pelosi.) Will the women be our saviors??
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@Michelle Neumann. Historically, many women have in fact been the saviors.
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Because of the lack of sanitation, clean streets and parks will soon be overrun by rats and attendant vermin infestation, creating more health hazards for Americans all across the country. Food and drug inspections are on hold and the nation's airlines are crippled by delays and work cancellations. Complete chaos has descended on the lives of many Americans, yet the president fiddles why the country's fabric unravels with each passing day.
Lindsey Graham gave the president an out that he rebuffed just this morning. The president is waging war on his own citizens, with the aid and encouragement of Senator McConnell.
The Republicans and the president should remember that pride goeth before a fall. Mr. Putin must be very happy about how America is being humbled by its own president.
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Trump is showing us the extent that mental illness and venality corrupts the body politic in America. The instability of the American President has been on public display for two years and still he has a sizable (though a minority) of the public on his side. The venality on display is not just Trump's but most of the GOP leadership who kowtow knowing that it is the safest way to keep their jobs. I hope that a backlash is coming and that with that backlash will come some needed reforms....especially in shoring up our system of checks and balances.
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What amazes me most of all is that people still are blindly supporting him. I have no idea what it will take for that to end, but of all the bad stuff happening to this country, right under everyone's nose, the worst has to be the blind loyalty to Trump.
I really don't understand it one bit.
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@Rebecca
There's a left side to every Bell Curve.
Trump supporters reside there.
They are willfully uninformed, and stubborn.
They will not budge, regardless of what Trump does.
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@Rebecca Because turning against trump would be self-betrayal.
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You can join my club. I’m still astonished at how people will vote against their own best interests.
“Maybe Americans can tolerate uncertainty about whether the president is a traitor. Uncertainty about their next flight, next paycheck or next meal is another story.”
It may be another story but unfortunately the ending may not be different. As the Times reports today, in Trump country there are people who have been furloughed because of the government shutdown who are still drinking the Trump Kool-aid and supporting Trump and his position on the wall.
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@Jay Orchard
Flavor-Aid.
It was Flavor-Aid at Jonestown.
12
Answer is 'forever'. Trump does not care about anything beyond optics. And the optics on this say...'stand firm'.
As for those suffering...it isn't really his base is it? It is 'faceless bureaucrats. Despite the attempts to humanize this crisis with stories...the right wing will whine it isn't their fault.
It will probably end with a declaration of emergency powers, a federal injunction stopping implementation of wall building, and a government reopening sometime in early February.
But I agree. The damage of this kind of thing is not funny...nor is is only passing. It is real and incredibly offensive to our ideals....at least the ideals of half the country.
13
Let's just hope Chuck & Nancy hold firm on this so the nation can see how vulnerable, ineffective and incompetent this presidential office occupant really is. And then realize how vulnerable and chaotic the whole nation has become because of him.
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Years ago, the mantra was starve the beast. Drown in it the bathtub. The tax cuts are effectively starving the beast. Add to the strategy, just shut it down. That too, is being accomplished.
Wake up folks. There is a reason McConnell and the Senate Republicans are quite and acquiescing. While so many bang on about Trump's incompetence (which I am certainly not denying) and react to his every tweet, the government is being destroyed and decimated according to plan. The lower courts are being packed. Trump sows the confusion so McConnell et al. can quietly go about their planned tasks.
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@JR Yes. The Republicans are happy. They are getting what they want. McConnell is a very, very, very evil man, but spineless he is not. I think they rather like the coverup image of spinelessness because spinelessness, shameful as it is, is far less shameful than willfully aiding and abetting treason, to get what you want.
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@JR You are correct, but the weak point in their plan is the Republican rank and file, who truly need the government and its services. There will be a point when the stripping down of the government hurts them enough that at least some of them will turn.
2
Narcissists thrive on attention. Good or bad, it does not matter. They feel most alive when everyone is talking about them, focusing on them, making them the center of things. Current events also highlight two other narcissistic traits: complete lack of empathy for others, and a total inability to take blame or responsibility. If it feels like we are living through a nightmare that's only because it's true. We live now in the twisted distorted reality created by a leader with severe mental illness.
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It riles the mind to see how fast we've gone downhill and the hill doesn't seem to have an end.
It was two years ago -- two years! -- that Obama left office. What a brilliant, eloquent, deep thinking and feeling human being -- with such a beautiful family. Such class and elegance...
What do we have now? A con man, his two sons and daughter who are the best proof why the inheritance tax should never be abolished because they prove every day that enormous amounts of inherited wealth can cause children to have absolutely no sense of compassion, intelligence or kindness -- and the country is being run into the ground.
President Obama, we miss you. We miss you so so much.
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@Von Jones - I'm with you, but don't give up hope: If the Dems can keep the House and take the Senate and White House in 2020, not only could we stop the hemorrhaging in the Federal Courts, but a Secretary of State Barack Obama (the 22nd Amendment doesn't apply to cabinet members), could travel the world, assuring former allies that the long nightmare is over.
Keep hope alive, and vote.
2
@Von Jones I think you meant to say the inheritance tax should be abolished.
@v - i think he meant what he wrote. read it again, maybe, and think.
3
He's in stiffing mode. He's stiffing all of these affected federal workers, but he's also stiffing farmers - and production and yields will take big hits. He's stiffing workers and business owners who rely on the federal workforce for their own jobs and businesses. He's stiffing mothers and infants via the WIC program. He's stiffing national safety and security bigly.
So what I want to know is what Russia entanglements his Trump whisperers have: the Fox hate-talking heads, Fox executives, NRA spokes haters.
What he's doing is blowing up government, national security and civil society. He is tap dancing a complex pattern that could only be choreographed by Putin/Russia.
I wouldn't fly now at all. Air traffic controllers are past being stressed and could easily find other employment, there are NO SAFETY CHECKS on any commercial airplanes.
Any or all of these workers - think FBI, Secret Service, US Coast Guard, CBP for starters - are now potentially vulnerable to kompromat given their increasingly dire finances.
Trump and his sidekick, McConnell, are taking us all down in plain sight.
Somethings got to give, and dollars to doughnuts, it's going to be bloodied American lives.
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"makes him seem less frightening..." Speak for yourself. I'm terrified. The more he's backed into a corner the more irrational he's getting & I don't have faith that anyone would stop him from going nuclear - maybe not literally but really going off the deep end w/ something. And I agree, McConnell or Hannity could put an end to it instantly but what're the odds?
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I must admit when I read that furloughed Federal workers in West Virginia blame Speaker Pelosi and Minority Leader Schumer for their plight, when they believe Trump's lies that the opioids that are a plague on their state are coming across the border from Mexico, and that Trump's unbuildable wall will stop it, I have troubles of my own having empathy for them.
They vote for Trump by 40 points. They wanted him, and he did this to them, but instead of accepting their share of responsibility, they take his route and blame a scapegoat (or 2 scapegoats).
Republicans have long talked about people taking personal responsibility. How about it, West Virginians?
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@Dadof2: What can you expect from people who actually WANT to spend their lives digging up coal, polluting the environment and destroying their own lungs?
42
@Dadoftwo, People who are blaming Pelosi and Schumer, like many (possibly most) Americans don't understand the legislative process or how the government is supposed to work as per the US Constitution.
35
@Dadof2 As a friend of Irish Americans whose father died of black lung working in the coal mines of Western Pennsylvania, I have my doubts that my friends' father took much joy in digging up black gold. But it was 1947, before anyone thought that coal mining caused any health problem.
7
Trump appears to be a Russian asset. Putin will soon view Trump as a problem and dump intel on him to create even more chaos in this country.
13
@BB Fernandez: He can accomplish that by just releasing the pee tape.
14
@stu freeman - if it still exists, if ever, no one would believe it wasn't edited.
".. there haven’t been tanks in the streets." So far. Trump is, at heart, an autocrat, and we have little experience in dealing with those. If the government closure drags on interminably and Congress eventually sends Trump a spending bill with a veto-proof majority (not an outlandish possibility). is it certain he would acquiesce?
16
The republican party is also shut down. Who was surprised that the FBI is investigating Trump and his Russian connections. Trump hates our government, the Russians hate the government and so do republicans. Who is going to be surprised when it is revealed that the republicans are up to their eyeballs in Russian cash and connections.
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@Mark. Hi. Where's that federal investigation into Russia funneling funds (30 mil I read) to and thru the NRA to republicons election campaigns? When we are through with this slow moving train wreck will the federal bureau find time to go after this issue? All things considered "that issue" will be the ignominious end of the grand old party.
8
Trump will not go quietly into the night, no matter what the circumstances. His supporters will never admit they were wrong, no matter what the circumstances. How does reason prevail? By persistence in telling the truth, and by willingness to believe in love.
13
@Robbbb
It prevails with a massive voter registration drive, and a Democratic campaign platform tailored to improving healthcare, education, infrastructure, living wages, green energy, protecting the environment, voting rights, the rule of law AND a massive blue wave in 2020 to wipe the scourge of Russian-Republicanism off the face of the American political map and knock Trump's Deplorables back into the 19th century where they belong.
Punch back.
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@Socrates
Agreed, and they are not mutually exclusive. In fact, they are mutually required. One without the other will fail. Fight back, but don't lose sight of truth and love.
9
@Socrates I agree with you. But Florida doesn't look like a swing state anymore, seems more reliably red. 2020 may be another close one.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/13/us/politics/florida-democrats-2020-election.html
1
In Mr. Trump's presidency, we are all bearing witness to a kind of slow-motion 9/11 event, a national tragedy that few of us saw coming, or for which we were fully prepared. The chaos and destruction President Trump wreaks on our country could be stopped by Senate Republicans right now.
They have the power to stop the shutdown and enact intelligent border protection via veto-proof legislation, as well as the power to make sure the Mueller investigation and its subsequent public disclosure is protected. It's as simple as that. But I guess it's difficult to stand up for your principles if you don't have a backbone.
168
Not a prayer that sycophant McConnell will ever lead the Senate to do what is necessary to stop Trump from destroying the American system.
I keep wondering what his wife, Elaine , as a Trump cabinet officer, is all about as well. What monetary gains is she getting on the side, while Mitch stalls any steps to hold Trump to account?
Maybe this has as much to do with his wife as to the Senate ( and the country)?
41
@Kathy Elaine Chao comes from money, huge money, via her father's business. I am unable to conceive of any woman wanted to be near the physically and morally repugnant McConnell, but whatever makes her tick, I don't think it is about money per se. Perhaps the need to be adjacent to power?
6
@jrinsc Exactly and you know what's worse? There is no sign that anything under this administration is going to get better, only worse as has everything Trump has touched since Day 1. There is no hope with this man.
4
Sometimes it's useful to take a look back at the body of work of a person to grasp his essence...or lack thereof.
Here's the heart and soul of this brilliant business leader's anti-Midas touch
Trump Airlines - mismanaged into the ground
Trump Vodka - nobody bought it; it folded
Trump Mortgage - launched at the beginning of the mortgage crisis; it folded in a year
Trump: The (Board) Game - almost no one bought it
Trump Casinos - Taj Mahal, the Trump Plaza and the Trump Marina - bankruptcy galore with house money; workers, contractors, investors, bankers hung out to dry
Trump Steak - the “world’s greatest” steak turned out to be the world's worst steak; folded
Trump Magazine - mostly read by the Trump family members; folded
GoTrump.com (internet search engine) - an epic fail
Trump University (one of the larger consumer fraud cases in American history)
The Trump Foundation (a fake foundation shut down by the New York state attorney general for fraud)
He has some successful hotel and golf properties, and he's also believed to have paid little or no income taxes on them due to tax preferences (i.e. tax subsidies) and creative accounting unavailable to people who work for a living.
In short, much of what Trump touches turns to dirt, or it survives off of federal welfare.
Trump is as talented as Bernie Madoff, Bernie Ebbers and Charles Ponzi.
Let's hope Trump lands in the same type of federal prison as his peers.
Americans would be delighted to pay for his housing.
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@Socrates
The difference between Madoff and Trump is that the former is much smarter and better at his scams. He kept it going profitably (for him) for a very long time. Trump's attempts tend to crash and burn pretty fast. Sort of like his attempt to play president.
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@Socrates
Nobody can seriously debate the fact that Trump is unusual in that he is purely coldblooded, has no sympathy or empathy for anyone, is heartless, has no pity for anyone and cares only about himself to the extreme.
49
Don’t forget the Jersey Generals and the USFL
35
What surprises me is that Republicans, businessmen, executives, CEOs at heart, men and women who graduated from prestigious business schools like Harvard and the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, men and women that know how to run companies and make a buck, still roundly support Trump. Politics aside, Trump has to be one of the worst business executives to ever occupy the Oval Office. Basic management concepts taught to every business student, managing vs. leading, team building, negotiation, strategic planning, how diversity enhances innovation, decision-making, control of temperament, are daily ravaged and defiled by Trump. Can anyone imagine Trump running Amazon, Apple or Exxon or these company’s CEOs hiring Trump to run a division within their organizations?
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@Dave Thomas
Not surprising at all. Smart businessmen buy politicians like Trump to do things they want done, like limit regulation, open up public lands to oil drilling, reduce taxes, and control the voters.
What they WON'T EVER do is let a crook like Trump anywhere near their treasury or the control room of their own company. But they'll let him be 'president of the USA' so 'he can sign bills we pass'. The public square can be dirty as long as the private estate is well kept.
138
@Dave Thomas The single most important thing to remember, most of your talented business executives made their dough in an epic era of easy money. Talent is the least likely element they possess.
27
Donald J. Chaos & Co. are the party of wrong. Corporate profits at all time high, solution? Corporate tax cut. Result? Higher dividends and stock buybacks. Personal tax rates at historic lows. Solution? Tax rate cut. Result? More money kept in off-shore accounts and lower tax revenue. Innocent Black Americans being shot in the back on our streets. Solution? Rescind DOJ police reform program. Result? More innocent Black Americans being shot down in our streets. NATO strong alliance keeping the peace. Solution? Insult our allies and muddy our commitment to shared protection. Result? Russia is emboldened. Drugs entering our country at regular border crossings in Canada to decimate families and ruin lives. Solution? Build a big wall on our Southern border with Mexico. Result? No change in the river of drugs. Climate change causing extreme weather patterns. Solution? Suppress new government reports about climate changes. Result? Weather worse and worse. Mr. Mueller and his team cannot work fast enough for me. Blue Wave America, 2020.
29
If it had been President Obama grandstanding at the expense of a continuing shutdown, just to save face over a half-baked campaign rally of his, you can be sure Congressional Republicans would have a lot more to say about it than they do right now with Trump...
347
@NM - I know it's been said before, but just imagine how many (R)egressive heads would have exploded if Obama had done 1/10 of what Dunning-Kruger Don has?
7
Trump has no empathy, none at all, and therefore no concern about other people's misery. This was always true, but not evident to supporters who mistook reality show braggadocio for leadership. Republican members of Congress, surprised that he won, decided there was no down side for themselves to back him to the hilt. They got their tax cut for the wealthy, they got their business friendly Supreme Court Justices, and nothing and no one else mattered. The polls are sliding downwards now, with more and more Republicans expressing disapproval of Trump. When the Republicans in Congress feel the heat, watch out Trump.
50
@MEM Lack of empathy is a prerequisite for being a member of the Republican Party.
5
@CW; This implies that a good 35% of the American population delight in cruelty. Sad commentary on our society.
3
So, is this really the McConnell shutdown or the Ann Coulter shutdown? Inquiring minds want to know.
Either one of them could end it tomorrow, but they both are enjoying their sense of power over those suffering.
539
@nora m - I don't think anyone is enjoying any of this. McConnell is simply a coward. If you really want to know what he's thinking, ask his wife Elaine Chao, but I bet she's not talking...
3
I can't imagine that the framers of the constitution anticipated the possibility of a senate and senate leader who were unwilling to perform it's constitutional duty to the country, never mind collude with a possible, eighteen- reasons- why likely, agent of a hostile foreign power. But here we are. McConnell may go down as the man who destroyed the republic--by not acting to protect it.
746
@MikeO
Newt Gingrich started this mess so he should get some of the credit.
48
Unions are certainly more popular than Trump is. Even in red states, strikes have been supported by the majority of citizens. So I wonder what would be the reaction if the TSA went on strike? It should scare anyone that planes are not being routinely checked.
70
@Mal Stone
As much as I like this idea, I also fear that it would create the "national emergency" the present occupant of the Oval Office is looking for.
3
If TSA workers walked out en masse, the shutdown would be over. Of the 800,000 workers, their action would most immediately impact the general public and economy. Calls would flood into the offices of the spineless Republican senators and representatives and they would (at least temporarily) abandon Drumpf.
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@Slenow
Or the unpaid Secret Service.
49
@Slenow
They wouldn't all need to walk out - all it would take is closing down global entry and VIP security screening lines. This would only affect wealthier travelers - the only people trump and the republicans care about.
101
@Slenow. God I hope you are right!
14