Dance of the Scorpions
Here’s how this plays out:
Nothing changes.
The Memo has been Released, it’s being used as toilet paper by anyone not in the Treason Tank, and none of that matters. It might as well be a blank Doctor Who psychic card, open to whatever interpretation an enterprising traitor wishes to give it. Does it provide grounds to fire Rod Rosenstein and get at Robert Mueller? Sure, why not? Nobody ever took it seriously, starting with its authors. The Memo exists as a propaganda tool.
But you already knew this. A year in, we have achieved Groundhog Day, and we know how this plays out. It already has. Many times.
Just this week, Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan greenlighted the next turns of America’s Rolling Coup. Does Mueller need more legal protection? Of course not, said Mitch. Why would he? Mueller’s not in any danger, and Congress would certainly rush to his aid if he ever were. Meanwhile, Ryan said he was happy to see the FBI bear greater scrutiny of the kind the Magic Memo suggested. Who wouldn’t want more transparency in our government?
Heck, it’s not like either of them have ever expressed an interest in supporting and defending the Constitution. Why start now?
But let’s not bring personalities into this. Trump happily flouted a new law this week, passed by Congress with only five objections, when he declined to enforce increased Russian economic sanctions. You would think, and some did, that this would spark a Clash of Branches, but nary a word was heard from Republicans.
And why would they bark? The law was passed as a response to Russian meddling in our election. Turns out that was just a cheap vote for the record, with no expectations of enforcement. Who would want to stir the pot now, when Russia is preparing to help its Republican friends ride out the midterms? We know how that one plays out. Just like it did last time.
What about that other Defender of Liberty, the Fourth Estate? “A Call for Bipartisanship”, WaPo headlined its first-edition recap of Trump’s State of the Union speech. “Gridlock Deepens Under Trump”, fretted the Times. “Is Our Democracy at Risk?”
Yes, gridlock. Of course. The supreme threat to the Republic.
But that is not news, either: Despite their initial cries of independence at the dawn of this dismal Trump era, our nation’s two leading newspapers have settled into their accommodationist ways. There certainly are exceptions — we enjoy investigations and palace intrigue as much as anyone — but a handful of enterprising journalists cannot cover for the sins of their employers, and we’ve given up shouting at management about the responsibility they’re shirking. A year in, we know yet another empathetic profile of Trump voters can’t be far away.
So, how does this play out? Rosenstein gets shitcanned the moment Trump doesn’t think he’ll scorch his fingers. Much noise will be made, but no consequences will be felt. After a couple of weeks, the dust will settle, and new lines will be drawn in it, lines Trump dare not cross, lest he trigger a Constitutional crisis. A month from now, everyone will again be asking whether Trump has gone too far this time, and the month after that, because we’ve been living in the same goddamn cycle for a year, and we know how this works.
Nothing changes.
Except for everything getting worse.
And we’re off…
This memo totally vindicates “Trump” in probe. But the Russian Witch Hunt goes on and on. Their was no Collusion and there was no Obstruction (the word now used because, after one year of looking endlessly and finding NOTHING, collusion is dead). This is an American disgrace!
The memo exists, and that’s all that’s needed for it to be useful.
@nojo: The most offensive aspect of Devil Numbnutz’s Memo is that it didn’t tell us anything we haven’t already read a hundred freakin’ times over the last year.
I write these things in a trance, and man, my trances are getting depressing these days.
The Truth About The FISA Memo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sToAWZCO_8
@Ed: 1:14:55 seems like a lot of time to say that the memo is cherrypicked propaganda that undermines itself.
I really need to get in the habit of thanking Crooks & Liars for dropping by.
@nojo: Next time I do MBRU I promise to be more of a sycophant … and yeah – this is a case of the goal posts being moved by pretty much everyone. I’ve got nothing left in my tank.
Hi, C&L!
I’m for no more memos. Not even the Democratic one. Just quit it with the memos. The Rs won the news cycle for a couple of weeks, and then they blew themselves up.
People of conscience need to keep trying to get the business of the people done. Fake NooNez needs to be treated as the irrelevant piece of shit that he is. He’ll surface long enough to do some sort of self-inflicted damage. That is his nature. He’s balls deep into the Trump Tank, and he’s going to sink.
Sometimes taking the high road hasn’t seemed to serve Dems well politically, but just fucking take it. The nation is in peril, and the high road is the only road to take.
@JNOV: What she said
@SanFranLefty: Howdy,
punkin’ pie <3
Oh hey! We’re gonna get a Soviet/Chinese/N. Korean Missile Parade! Wait. A French parade? Whatever. He wants a goddamn parade.
I’d like to see him inflated and dragged behind Goofy.
@JNOV: Surely he’ll be N’PEECHd and/or stroked out by then, and it can be a liberation parade instead.
@¡Andrew!: I’m smiling!
@JNOV: I think that he will want to brag about crowd size again. “It was bigger that the Eagles Victory Parade.”
@DElurker: Or he’ll order Kristallnacht to top Philly.
@nojo: I heard a blurb on the radio that this is in lieu of the money cut from veterans benefits with the new tax bill. It’s supposed to calm the troops.
From WAPO.
“A senior White House official announced Wednesday he is resigning after allegations by his two ex-wives of physical and emotional abuse.
The official, Rob Porter, served as the staff secretary and often controlled the paper flow to President Trump’s desk, along with his daily schedule. ”
It could not have been too demanding of a job. How much paper can Trump tolerate?
A shame that Doonesbury is sort of on hiatus,. He ran a full week of strips just reciting the names of all of the folks forced out of St Ronnie’s administration. At this rate he would need 2 weeks for 4 years of Trump.
@nojo: HAHAHAHAHAHA!
@DElurker: I mean, they do background checks on these folks. Does Kushner still hold temporary clearance? Do they give you clearance even if you’ve kicked the crap out of your wives? I suppose there might be some sort of relevancy argument to be made, but why would you stick your neck out to have this kind of thug on the nation’s payroll?
I’m having a hard time understanding why everyone is Shocked! about John Kelly today when he already revealed himself to be a ruthless liar last October.
It’s not like I have some precious perspective here, like I hole myself with Glenn Greenwald as we divine the future. Kelly’s baldface lies about Frederica Wilson last October were in all the papers. How could anyone forget?
Oh, god. It’s not because she’s black, is it? Tell me everyone didn’t let Kelly’s lies slide because she’s black.
@nojo:
“These people are all scumbags.”
— (Auntie) Maxine Waters (D, Fierceness)
Oh, and the Dems caved on the Dreamers again. And after everyone insisted that Chuck was such a brilliant strategist the first time!
Well, it’s been another week that sure Could’ve Gone Better.
Srsly, the final declaration by every despicable toady in this illegitimate regime is “you can’t fire me–I quit!”
As we’re eagerly awaiting the firing-resignation of shameless, lying, racist, abuser-defending, and all-around pile of shit John Kelly, let’s enjoy this sweet, lovely story of two veterans falling in love and marrying at last.
THIS is what we’re fighting for.
FLYINGCHAINSAW • TRUMP: MACHINE GUNNING ORPHANAGES AND CONVENTS BY ME IS CONSTITUTIONAL AND SOMETIMES IT MAKES ME ERECT WITHOUT PHARMACEUTICAL ASSISTANCE! Sen. sENEMA has a career ahead of her in giving designer psychedelic enemas to trust-fund…
MANCHUCANDIDATE • TRUMP: MACHINE GUNNING ORPHANAGES AND CONVENTS BY ME IS CONSTITUTIONAL AND SOMETIMES IT MAKES ME ERECT WITHOUT PHARMACEUTICAL ASSISTANCE! @¡Andrew!: She thought three's company. Nope.
¡ANDREW! • TRUMP: MACHINE GUNNING ORPHANAGES AND CONVENTS BY ME IS CONSTITUTIONAL AND SOMETIMES IT MAKES ME ERECT WITHOUT PHARMACEUTICAL ASSISTANCE! Gawd hates SIN, specifically Kyrsten SINema.
¡ANDREW! • TRUMP: MACHINE GUNNING ORPHANAGES AND CONVENTS BY ME IS CONSTITUTIONAL AND SOMETIMES IT MAKES ME ERECT WITHOUT PHARMACEUTICAL ASSISTANCE! So long, Senatard Glitter-trash. I hope she knows how much everyone H8s her :0)
¡ANDREW! • TRUMP: MACHINE GUNNING ORPHANAGES AND CONVENTS BY ME IS CONSTITUTIONAL AND SOMETIMES IT MAKES ME ERECT WITHOUT PHARMACEUTICAL ASSISTANCE! The racist kleptocratic MSM is really gonna have to crank up the bread and circuses now that their…
FLYINGCHAINSAW • TRUMP: MACHINE GUNNING ORPHANAGES AND CONVENTS BY ME IS CONSTITUTIONAL AND SOMETIMES IT MAKES ME ERECT WITHOUT PHARMACEUTICAL ASSISTANCE! @¡Andrew!: Ted Kazinski Sec of Interior Only the DEAD are extreme enough to serve in DONNIE…
¡ANDREW! • TRUMP: MACHINE GUNNING ORPHANAGES AND CONVENTS BY ME IS CONSTITUTIONAL AND SOMETIMES IT MAKES ME ERECT WITHOUT PHARMACEUTICAL ASSISTANCE! @FlyingChainSaw: Department of Health & Human Services: Charles Manson Defense Secretary:…
FLYINGCHAINSAW • TRUMP: MACHINE GUNNING ORPHANAGES AND CONVENTS BY ME IS CONSTITUTIONAL AND SOMETIMES IT MAKES ME ERECT WITHOUT PHARMACEUTICAL ASSISTANCE! @¡Andrew!: Right, the administration's all star line up: Pres: Trump VP: Ted Kaczynski…
FLYINGCHAINSAW • TRUMP: MACHINE GUNNING ORPHANAGES AND CONVENTS BY ME IS CONSTITUTIONAL AND SOMETIMES IT MAKES ME ERECT WITHOUT PHARMACEUTICAL ASSISTANCE! @FlyingChainSaw: Actually, FDLE would be the first to admit it. The state banks on it with 'sue me…
¡ANDREW! • TRUMP: MACHINE GUNNING ORPHANAGES AND CONVENTS BY ME IS CONSTITUTIONAL AND SOMETIMES IT MAKES ME ERECT WITHOUT PHARMACEUTICAL ASSISTANCE! I cannot wait for the Republinazi MAGAt trash to DEMAND that $hitler be allowed to be president…