Trump - Going Forward

[jclay]

Fintan O’Toole, Irish Times, Dec 26, 2020: "Trump has unfinished business. A republic he wants to destroy still stands. Donald Trump will continue to unleash racism, nativism and a fear of government"

https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/f...ands-1.4435655

Fintan O'Toole nails it like nothing else I've read. Where I have to content myself with merely noting that Trump is fundamentally an extremely corrosive, destructive autocrat who would enjoy burning the nation down to cement his dominance, O'Toole is able to parse his behaviour into finer grain sizes and render sharper focus on the broader fetid cesspool that is Trump's mind.

Having just read it, I am seething and not particularly hopeful for our future; a future that will be monstrously difficult to navigate even with the most well intentioned and capable leaders. That some 70 million people, who populate the spectrum from those energized by the worst, most base of human instincts, through those short sightedly focused on cultural/religious wedge issues, to people who are ideologically blindered and/or intellectually lazy, and finally to those who just aren't very bright, chose to vote for someone who relishes in destruction as obviously as Trump does, is maddening and worrisome for our future.

Decorum, clinging to the precipice by it's fingernails, prevents further comment.

[Too Tall]

With all due respect Jay I'd like to not talk about the dark one after Jan. 6 prognostication prior to this date not withstanding. Just sayin'.

PS I'm VERY hopeful for our future.

[Scott G.]

For a field guide to Strongmen type rule.

A professor of Italian History, worthwhile listen.
Remember Berlusconi was re-elected.

https://www.c-span.org/video/?478171...ruth-ben-ghiat

[vertical_doug]

Don't confuse Trump with the Office of the President. Once he leaves office, he is just plain old Trump.
I believe he gets crushed in court.

Even the NYPost turned on him today.

[ides1056]

Donald is no strongman. Berlusconi is no strongman.

Putin is a strongman.

What Doug said. He'll be bled out by litigation.

[Too Tall]

donald is no strongman. Berlusconi is no strongman.

Putin is a strongman.

What doug said. He'll bled out his followers by litigation.

fify

[AngryScientist]

PS I'm VERY hopeful for our future.

hell yes.

[Peter Polack]

Thanks for posting the article. It was a good read with valid points.

[DJB]

I've been accused of whistling past the graveyard in my life but I am optimistic that we will find our way through this disgraceful period. Here are a few ideas.

The economy won't collapse. The US consumer, the great driver of our economy is, on average, in good shape. The average credit score is up to 711 and the percent of disposable income going to debt service is at a 40 year low. (9.4% vs the high in q4 of 2007 of 13.2%) After the economy continues to go well, some of the Trump supporters will find their way to the middle.

Anti- gerrymandering rules will start to work in the next couple of years; this will help moderates succeed.

There are enough moderates in the Senate to get bills passed no matter what happens in Georgia.

The country is talking about race and justice in a more productive way.

The premise in the article, that Trump approached his role with an intention to change/destroy government I disagree with. I suggest that his disinterest and lack of attention coupled with his staff never knowing when they would step on a booby trap and set him off explains quite effectively his administration's lack of effectiveness and ultimately his removal from office. His removal is an indication that the system works. This nonsense about fraud creates an image of Trump grabbing a grenade off his chest, pulling the pin with his teeth and then spitting the pin at us. He will blow himself up.

[jclay]

PS I'm VERY hopeful for our future.

Really?

Please excuse the stream of consciousness rant (and I guess my massive and surprise expansion of the topic....but it's all connected), but I haven’t the time nor temperament this morning to write in a more disciplined fashion; and this, of course, goes way beyond Trump but the reactions and behaviors of his 70M supporters, never mind the other MOL well meaning peeps who will be hopping on airliners at the first opportunity for an “eco-vacation”, paints a pretty dismal picture for the future of the planet.

When you look at the global picture of the ever accelerating human destruction of habitat and running species to extinction, unsustainable levels of resource consumption, climate change, pollution, trashing the oceans, over fishing, killing everything in our paths; insecticides, rodenticides, herbicides in every household; fueling a US infrastructure, standard of living and expectations which require staggering amounts of oil/energy/resources, then add on the social/religious/economic issues stressors, like how will we structure an economy and address wealth distribution in an era when we don’t have decent paying jobs for the entire spectrum of society, and on and on and on…..you feel hopeful?

Balls. We are killing this planet.

If every human being was in 100% agreement as to the problems, the need for immediate redress and even the entire spectrum of specific changes, we’d be hard pressed to turn this around. I don’t need to say that we aren’t anywhere near that galaxy.

I’m glad Biden got elected; I hope the GA run-offs favor the dems; I hopeful that some good can come of it but if you open the windows to our contentious little room you’ll see the glow of an inferno just over the horizon.

Cheers. I'm off to light the torch on a CX frame.

[ldamelio]

As others have said, Trump is no strongman. He has been coddled his entire life and failed in anything he has done himself. He is weak, and he will spend the rest of his days sulking, occasionally entering our consciousness as the 24 hour media amplifies his tweets to gain clicks or viewers. The real concern is not Trump, but rather that his ideology gets packaged in a more 'presentable' candidate to fool a greater proportion of the citizenry and further the vile far right agenda.

PS: I'm with Toots on the optimism. But good things don't happen passively. Remain involved. Vote, work for and donate to the right causes, etc.

[monadnocky]

... The real concern is not Trump, but rather that his ideology gets packaged in a more 'presentable' candidate to fool a greater proportion of the citizenry and further the vile far right agenda.

Calling Senator Cotton... 2024 awaits.

[monadnocky]

Like John, I do not share others' optimism. Admittedly, I realize I have a tendency to view things through a lens darkly, but we're facing a situation that, if everyone on the planet agreed to do the sensible thing, we'd still be in a heap of trouble; as it stands, this planet will become increasingly uninhabitable for future generations. That's not pessimism. That's the facts.

Am I a wailing Cassandra? Perhaps. But let's recall something about that myth: She was right, it's just that nobody wanted to hear it.

[AngryScientist]

Optimism for the future isnt a black/white, yes/no sentiment. while it is important to stay focused on the big picture, it's ok to celebrate small victories, won battles and a trend in the right direction.

of course it's not nearly everyone, but a majority of americans have decided to remove the lunatic from office who has rolled back every environmental regulation he could get his hands on and actively fought for social inequality. that's a win!

[monadnocky]

Optimism for the future isnt a black/white, yes/no sentiment. while it is important to stay focused on the big picture, it's ok to celebrate small victories, won battles and a trend in the right direction.

of course it's not nearly everyone, but a majority of americans have decided to remove the lunatic from office who has rolled back every environmental regulation he could get his hands on and actively fought for social inequality. that's a win!

Yes... a win absolutely, and worth celebrating.

[ides1056]

I sent a Holiday text to a friend and he replied from somewhere near Tahiti, not the Bay Area where he lives and last I talked with him was in deep lockdown.

I read a fbook post by a woman who rode down and across and back up the USA after her business folded.

Meanwhile some of us stayed home and tended to our garden. Though once the snow disappeared I am driving to trails I can ride, given the road is off-limits due to temperature and an abundance of salt up here in the hills.

Climate change is a demand problem, from my perspective, not a supply problem. There will never be enough green energy given the consumption of Google, Bitcoin, et al.

I plan to travel by bicycle as soon as I can for as long as I can because I expect the opportunity won't last forever.

[Too Tall]

Cheers John, I hear yah. I'll keep it short as well. Leadership matters.

[thollandpe]

The premise in the article, that Trump approached his role with an intention to change/destroy government I disagree with. I suggest that his disinterest and lack of attention coupled with his staff never knowing when they would step on a booby trap and set him off explains quite effectively his administration's lack of effectiveness and ultimately his removal from office.

While I agree with many points in the article linked above, I also agree with this.

The short-timer in the Oval Office is first and foremost a malignant narcissist. While the conflict and destruction may have other functions, it is primarily there to serve the needs of the narcissist. The deception, shattering of norms, weaponization of communication, lack of boundaries, and negative messaging are all part of the blueprint. As is maintaining a bullshit narrative that obscures the dysfunction.

If you have ever had the misfortune of dealing with such a person, it is incredibly difficult and frustrating. A strategy that works is to expect nothing, disengage, and ignore if possible. Because those expectations are used against you.

One thing I’m interested in seeing is what happens to the golden child in this dysfunctional relationship. The Republican Party and its base has been remade in the narcissist’s image and set upon their siblings. Hopefully the indifference he has shown since losing the election, blind to anyone’s plight but his, is a bridge too far for a few more. There have been a shitload of bridges since 2016, so call me an optimist. Or just another sucker for my own expectations.

Once tee-Rump stops “winning” the daily news cycle, when more and more of us see him as the serial loser and hopeless grifter that he is, that lack of attention will be like throwing water on the Wicked Witch. Or maybe he goes on the run to evade prosecution, and as our first ex-pat ex-prez he fades from view and loses his voice.

[vertical_doug]

I think 35% of America is in an alternative news universe which it's own set of 'facts' which are made up.

I don't see that changing. Trump's need for attention is like a drug. He will just raise the stakes to whatever it takes to remain in the news cycle.
Will the mainstream media ignore him? Unfortunately not if they can make money. I always laughed when CNBC had Trump on to comment on the markets.
They might as well just have one of us on to play pretend market prognosticator. But the reality is it was just a pretense and the real point was marking 'The Apprentice'.

When the news organizations became 'for profit', it was the end. We just didn't realize it.

D

[Tom]

I think Cohen was right when he said Trump is going to start a subscription "news" service. $5 a month times however many dummies are willing to pay is a lot of money.