We respond…
The walls are quite swiftly closing in on Der Kaiser Trump, only one year in. And one or both halls of Congress may well go blue by November 2018.
Finally — he is right that the would-be Trump/Ryan/McConnell tax package so suffers from a coherent principled focus, that it… isn’t fair to call it a “package” at all. And it too is likely to die before it is actually born.
You sure can pick ’em — Mr. Hinderaker. But it is good to see you facing reality. Finally.
Of course, this is not because the issue is a burning coal, in the palms of his sweaty wrinkled little hands.
No, he chooses this “issue” — the local Edina, Minnesota public school system (which he sees as “too liberal” in its approaches to instruction, assemblies and discipline)… precisely because he CANNOT write directly — about any of the more weighty national topics of the day. Topics which will shape this nation’s future.
He cannot, because if he is honest with himself, he is already FIRMLY on the wrong side of history — on almost all of them. He has so completely wed himself to everything Trump, that he cannot escape his own prior positions, without being branded a hypocrite, by his own Trumpian readers. The classic prisoners’ dilemma, that.
Positions aligning his reputation with that of a man very likely headed to either an indictment, impeachment or a 25th Amendment proceeding. Consider:
Roy Moore = Trump’s “pussy grab“. [Not even remotely equal, in fact — but there is no condemning the one, while dismissing the other as locker room talk by “boys” — (especially not when the “boy” is supposed to be the moral leader of John’s free world)… not, at least, in a logical, rational adult and moral Christian world; that’s John’s professed faith.] Oops.
Russian Meddlings = Trump has called his own fellow Americans and law enforcement professionals “liars and political hacks” — but hilariously he “believes” Putin’s (ex-KGB) preposterous denials of involvement in the 2016 US elections — with all his precious little heart. John cannot touch that topic, then. Nope.
TrumpCare = D.O.A. Simply can’t be revived — same with Obamacare repeal efforts. It’s dead. And John knows it. No hay to make there.
Uranium One Nuthin’ Burger = eight approvals, all in due course (by agencies with no conflicts of interest), fully vetted; no real HRC connection (she’s a private citizen, now anyway), let alone any putative crime — local mining kept all the uranium right here in the USA. Just usual federal interfaces. And even Fox TV news anchors are admitting as much, now. No fierce Hinderaker talking point there.
Tax Package = perhaps the only chance left… for even a tiny Trump 2017 achievement… and those chances just dimmed significantly, tonight with GOP Senator Johnson (WI) saying he cannot support either the House or Senate versions (that, along with deep skepticism from GOP Senators McCain, Murawski and Collins, and this one looks like it will fail, too). Thus I wager — and John rightly reckons — he cannot afford even one more Don Quixote-esque “#MAGA” cheerleading session (whip up those MAGA natives, to have it all once again go “poof”)… anything that meets a fiery end.
And so, John is reduced to be the quintessential caricature of an old retired fart — complaining about his own local public schools, and how much better they did it, in his day, in the rural Dakotas, of a half century past. Back when he was a callow youth.
It is sad, John — really. Grow a pair, and admit that you were… wrong. Trump is an idiotic tyrant — and his “policies” are pure banana republic. [Note he’s offered no recent defense of Muslim Ban 3.0, because John knows the Supremes will follow the 1965 Johnson Amendments to the INA — and strike almost all of the Ban 3.0. Poof, again.]
By 2018 mid-terms, your party is likely to have lost the Senate, and perhaps the House too. Then, how will history judge the (among other things) xenophobic 45? You know how. And you should slide away now — while you still can, with a shred of decorum.
Though I doubt the GOPe will take you back, son. Sucks for you.
Just a quick post: overnight, Mr. Hinderaker suggests that he cannot read the English language for comprehension.
Yep. That’s right. He complains that Special Counsel Robert Mueller III has far exceeded his mandate by — as John says — looking at people who lied about having connections, and fostering those connections, between the Trump 2016 campaign — and Russia.
In a fit of pique, John quotes the order’s language in his running screed, but then pretends he cannot read or understand the words on that page:
“…matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation….”
That means people who lied, or lie, to the FBI about what they were doing for Mr. Trump, on the campaign and after, as to Russian connections or influence… are dead in the middle of the fairway, of what makes up Mr. Mueller’s granted charter.
And they are starting to squeal — under the pressure of a threat of jail, themselves — squealing presumably on Messrs. Sessions and Kushner, DJT Jr., Ivanka…. and perhaps even 45 hisself.
So John pitches a transparently preposterous fit. Charming.
Bub-bye John. Again, you’ve beclowned yourself.
Here’s the bit — from Mr. Hinderaker, overnight — it is deliciously self-mocking:
“…So I am not impressed by the fact that the Democrats have turned their backs on Harvey Weinstein. He was, at the end of the day, a bit player. When they apply the same standard to Bill Clinton, the most popular and respected person in their party, I will conclude that the Democrats are finally making progress….”
Very well, then. Indeed — let us take the completely feckless John Hinderaker at his word: what standard does he NOW apply to… his own SITTING President? This is a man who — in his own words — is a repeated sexual predator and sexual assaulter and sexual harasser; with a decades long history of the same? He’s openly admitted it, on videotape. John? John… John?!
Riiiiiiiight. Crickets, about a (purportedly, at least) non-bit player — about a non-private citizen — about the purported leader(?) of the free world.
This is not some donor, or an ex-president, by two decades.
This is John’s boy. And “boy” is the right word. John is a P I G — precisely because he knows how utterly dishonest his posts are. Every one of them — for months on end now.
Out.
Overnight, Mr. Hinderaker posted what is perhaps his most desperate lie in a decade. [Of course, John’s 2017 M.O. has been to tell a whopper, whenever Trump looks cornered — which would be… now, as the heat increases on 45’s boy Manafort — due to a tightening “shock and awe” investigation (in the latest memorable NYT turn-of-phrase), around him, and 45 — by implication — all deftly run by Bobby Three Sticks.]
In a plainly comical and illogical effort to deflect, Mr. Hinderaker would have us believe that the US DoJ, acting under an independent federal court’s properly drawn and approved search warrant, under FISA, is a some form of “illicit” operation. But of course, whenever law enforcement acts, it must be wrongful, should it reflect badly on Agent Orange. Quoth the serial fabulist, now: “…this means that President Trump was right when he said that the Obama administration wiretapped his campaign….”
And so, he would have us believe that 45’s open and notorious lies about “Obama bugging” 45’s campaign… were in some completely unexplained way… true.
Well, John — this is sad, even by your preposterously low standards. You consider it “political bugging“, whenever the FBI and DoJ conduct a criminal investigation (likely into collusion with a hostile foreign power) — after obtaining independent FISA court approval, by means of a duly issued search warrant? Were all the FISA judges magically beholden to Mr. Obama, too, John? [You ought to be more cautious in your public remarks, and more circumspect about your lack of respect for the judiciary, and impliedly, your law license here, John.]
What were the 2004-era warrants 43 obtained against domestic terrorists, John? You are a lost soul — because you’ve sold yours to a small handed tyrant. And what of Nixon’s Watergate “criminal, no warrant, no color of lawful authority” plumbers… what were they (in your jaundiced eyes) John? How might you distinguish these cases, now? Oh. Right. It only matters whether you agree with the politics of those investigated.
But as to 45, his days in office are numbered — and when (not if) he is impeached, what will you say then John? What indeed? You will have only the white supremacists base (and Agent Orange and his family) as your readers… by then.
Best of luck, in that tiny rowboat — it is a deeply undulating, dangerously foaming and wide azure ocean out here, son.
…And Mr. Hinderaker — almost without fail — has remarked at length on every beauty pageant in the last 15 years. He’s quite the leering old white guy, it seems.
But it’s crickets only, this morning. This — even though, for the first time in the history of Miss America — she hails from the Dakotas. What gives?
Well — it seems Miss North Dakota (now Miss America 2018) has a mind of her own — about 45’s foolish decision on the Paris Accord, and climate change, more generally:
Gosh John — you are never above pandering on your spot, about womens’ looks — except when they express a view of their own — one not coached by the far right, right?
Right.
As she says (at about one minute in — where my clip ought to auto-start, if I did this correctly): “It doesn’t matter whether you believe climate change is real, or not — by withdrawing, we have lost our voice, our seat at the table, to discuss the issues…. It was a bad decision by Mr. Trump….”
I’d expect this woman will make a lasting mark on the planet. Wise beyond her years, indeed.
I’m out — again.
John Hinderaker (that transparently silly charlatan!) would tell the world that Mr. Obama was a less popular president than Mr. Trump.
To make this lie of his work (at least on paper), he (i) uses a badly skewed poll source (Rasmussen, long known to solicit for an anti-Democratic bias); (ii) compares Mr. Obama’s nadir (ignores the first four years) — with Mr. Trump’s “honeymoon” (i.e., completely different time spans); and (iii) ignores all the more sober analysis of fivethirtyeight.com. [And Nate Silver ignores Mr. Obama’s huge original popularity altogether — in fairness.]
Here’s reality — Mr. Trump is running even with Gerald Ford, post his pardon of Mr. Nixon (for crimes) — not even Mr. Clinton’s Lewinsky nadir period consistently approaches the level of unrelenting unpopularity of Mr. Trump (and Mr. Trump has essentially never had the support of even 45 per cent of all Americans — unlike any other President in modern recorded history):
That’s the current fivethirtyeight graphic. Mr. Trump is the green line. John Hinderaker lies about the most obviously disprovable matters. What a silly charlatan.
But John has to — he’s on the record as saying that Mr. Trump is “a serious President“. That is… frankly hilarious. You own the tool, John — and he’s a blunt-headed hammer — so everything looks like… a nail, to you (and him).
Drop mic. I’m out.
I think I may safely stop writing reviews or analyses of what the boys write, about one Donald Trump, at least.
This is so because the earnest tone in their voices has now been drowned out by his guttural laughs, as each of them defends his indefensible remarks and non-policy shifts — as is often the case, within 24 hours of making a given announcement — he takes the opposite side of his own policy. Seriously. Just look at DACA. What was he even thinking?
And though it is a serious issue, 45 is unable to muster even a hint of seriousness.
Which leaves all those “rule of law” folks at PowerLine looking even more foolish than usual.
So of course, I am pleased. [This is exactly as advertised. 45 showed each of these loons that he would act just like this, if elected — and the lemmings leap right off the cliff anyway.]
But I will be more pleased when the bi-partisan Dreamers’ legislation is passed.
And at least as, or more, pleased when Bobby Three Sticks (along with Mr. McConnell) delivers an indictment, followed by impeachment proceedings, shortly after Christmas.
I may fall silent until then. We shall see. These guys are clearly self-mocking now. No need to waste the electrons on it.
We will cue the crickets, now… as we wait (likely in vain) for Mr. Hinderaker to call the thing by its name. Mr. Hinderaker would tell us Mr. Trump was simply being even handed — and that he would be inundated — as it would be a full time job, if he was asked to call out every hate group. Well that is simply preposterous — as 45 certainly found time to label all the EU car-plowing incidents (half a world away) as “terror” immediately — yet when it happens at home, with people doing the killing ostensibly in 45’s name — not a peep. Because he’s too…. busy?! Damn. Just… damn, John.
No John, it was a white supremacist’s act of murder and domestic terrorism. Call it by its name.
To be fair, his fellow PL blogger Scott Johnson, did call it out — by its name. But another PowerLine fellow traveler, Paul Mirengoff, continued to call it a “tragedy” (accidents are tragedies; this was no accident — murders are “deplorable“)… and openly wondered what the problem was with 45’s “many sides” disgustingly disingenuous tweets — many many hours after it was clear it was a white supremacist’s act of domestic terrorism — and premeditated murder.
As I say, I don’t expect John to show even the modest amount of courage it would take to call the thing by its name, since so much of his readership (and thus revenue) is… composed of white supremacists. Just like with Dylan Roof, two summers ago now, though we will have John to thank — when the odious statue of Lee is down and gone. It is the indefensible defenses that John and Paul offer, so publicly, that ensure the demise of these racists.
Disgusting — and cowardly.
John tonight laments what he calls “dark days“.
John — seriously: this man; this administration; this whole sinking dung pile… it is EXACTLY what was advertised to you, when you imbeciles voted 45 in. Are you really this fatuous?
To 45’s smallish (ignominious) credit, and your shame — he showed you every single pimple — of these character flaws, openly.
And you cheered him on. So, shut the f- up (a la the comedic stylings of your “Mooch“), and ride the lightning baby. Me? I’ll say woke.
Here’s my health care flame out portion, of all of this, from earlier in the week — at another property I curate:
FINAL UPDATE — 07.28.17 @ 2:00 AM EDT: Sen. John McCain proved his speech on the floor of the Senate (including a few smaller policy matters with which I disagree — but primarily urging that the Congress do its job, for the people, in a more collaborative manner — and for a return to statesmanship, and away. . . from loudmouths like 45) of a few afternoons ago. . . was not posturing — and killed the so-called skinny repeal.
UPDATE: 07.25.2017 @ 2 PM EDT: Let us assume for a moment that Senator McCain votes to open debate. The GOP Majority Leader McConnell will then move to replace that bill with a MODIFIED House version, or any Senate version. Any Democrat will then make a point of order — and have the Parliamentarian rule (as she already has, correctly) that since the bill contains non-trivial changes to the deficit under the so-called Byrd rule (all of them do), then any additional votes to proceed will require. . . 60 votes. And the whole silly charade dies right there. No bill; no law; No Orange Care. Game over. [UPDATE Thursday at 1 PM EDT — there were lots of genuinely goofy GOP Senate maneuvers, but now even the “skinny repeal version” is dead. Told ya’.] I am still hopeful that Sen. McCain will make a speech and then vote it DOWN — as he ought to, and as he has said he would, on prior versions. Onward — roll-call vote on the floor of the Senate, in about 20 minutes.
UPDATE @ 11:25 PM EDT: It seems Senator McCain will travel to DC for the Senate vote, tomorrow. I am gratified to hear that he is well enough to travel. I still see the GOP as one vote shy of being able to even begin the process. But we shall see. [End, updated portion.]
Back in very early May, we laughed at the US House version of this nonsense.
With Mr. Trump once again issuing mind-bogglingly stupid (i.e., non-operative) threats, now it seems it is the Senate’s turn, as early as tomorrow, to yet again fail to bring any measure to the floor for any debate — on health care.
In order to even begin the process, the GOP Majority Leader McConnell needs. . . 50 votes. Senator McCain is (God bless him — we wish him a speedy and complete recovery!) being treated for an aggressive form of brain cancer, so he may will not be present, in DC tomorrow — count him out. That makes the math. . . one vote: and that one vote — Senator Collins (R, ME) just told the world she won’t vote for even opening a floor debate, in the Senate. The latest edition Kabuki show is DOA, once again. But threatening is all Mr. Trump can think of — he’s a one note Charlie. Per the New York Times, just now:
. . . .Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, appears all but certain to vote no on the procedural vote, regardless of what legislation Mr. McConnell promises to put before the chamber if the initial hurdle can be cleared. . . .
At least two other Republicans, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, have indicated they will not vote to proceed if Senate leaders plan to then put forth a bill that would repeal the health law without providing a replacement. . . .
And there is not even an operative draft of a replacement measure, in the Senate, now. Y A W N. So it goes — just as we said — no bill — no law, certainly, until after the 2018 mid-terms. And more likely — never. Obamacare will remain the law of the land. Have a great evening, one and all — I’m out!
नमस्ते
