June 26 Open Thread: Orange Pig Attacks Noisy Hogs

Filed in National by on June 26, 2018

By which I mean Trump attacked Harley Davidson for moving some of its production to Europe in response to retaliatory tariffs imposed in Trump’s trade war. This, naturally, prompted a wildly disproportionate and misinformed Twitter attack, as America’s orange pig ranted against the maker of America’s iconic-because-purposely-obnoxious motorcycles. This puts H-D in a tight spot, because most of its declining American customer base is fat old white guys who voted for Trump.

For a while now I’ve thought I heard echoes of summer 1974. The Watergate fervor had cooled since spring, until — blam! — the biggest asshole America elected president in the 20th century was flying home in disgrace. There’s no sign Trump will do that, but there are portents that something big is coming on the Russia probe. The most blatant was Sen. Mark Warner, who sits on the Senate intelligence committee, telling a gathering to “buckle up” because big news was on the way.

Nancy Pelosi must be really worried about keeping her post. When Rep. Maxine Waters said that people should harass and shun all Trump appointees (hard to do both at once, isn’t it?), Pelosi was quick to criticize her. Remember, most of Pelosi’s antagonists in the House are not more liberal than her, they’re more conservative, and they don’t want to run against her “liberal San Francisco values.” This sounds ridiculous to most Democrats, who see her as an establishment centrist, but the fact is she’s being challenged from her right, so I think she’s trying to appease the suburban corporatists she thinks will win her back the Speaker’s job.

Here’s a little reminder that con artists and snake oil peddlers come in all shapes, sizes — and genders. I haven’t followed the Theranos scandal very closely, so while I was unaware the company was caught faking the accuracy of its blood testing results, I didn’t know they were trying to cover their asses by sending samples out to a legitimate blood-testing outfit. That’s the reason CEO Elizabeth Holmes, who fooled a lot of Democratic politicians eager to tout her success (looking at you, Barack and Hillary), is being charged with fraud.

Let’s stop pretending that Trump and Trump alone is wrecking political norms. “Justice” Neil Gorsuch occupies his position on even more illegitimate grounds than Trump, and remember, that was all Mitch McConnell’s doing. At the time, he didn’t even think Trump would be the nominee let alone the president. What did he get for swinging one of the mauls wrecking the Republic? An arrogant prick who suffers from the Dunning Kruger effect and used a shoddily written dissent to try to undermine the court’s interpretation of the 4th Amendment. He’s right about what’s wrong, but wrong about how to set it right, which, perhaps not ironically, is also true of Karl Marx.

It’s looking like EPA poobah Scott Pruitt might have crossed the line between ethical disgrace and criminal. Newly released emails show a likely quid pro quo deal with the lobbyist from whom he rented a penthouse at flophouse rates.

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  1. Homesteader says:

    I’m feeling very pessimistic today about my country, or at least what used to be my country. The SCOTUS just issued a series of rulings backing everything Trump and the GOP have done so far. They now control everything. I doubt I will live to see the day that USA returns to being a country I can be proud of again.

  2. Alby says:

    Everything they have done so far hastens the destruction of that they seek to defend, which is depressing, since it’s our country, too, and last time they voted on it, we had 3 million more on our side than they did on theirs. It’s infuriating because we see a minority controlling a country in which the majority is supposed to set the course. But remember, every “victory” in their fight is a pyrrhic one, because their every action and instinct destroys the thing they claim to love.

    The way to fight this is to follow RE Vanella’s lead and take to the streets.

  3. RE Vanella says:

    It’s going to get worse, friends. Very sorry to say. We knew it would get bad and it has. It shows no sign of slowing, especially now. The sooner you all jump in the fight the better. Maybe we can stave off some suffering ahead of the fall elections.

    All this hand wringing about civility and tactics and political manoeuvring misses the point. We’re way past that. Stake out a strong opposition position, dig in and fight. At least you’ll know you did everything you could. History will look kindly on you and yours.

    Audere est facere.

  4. Alby says:

    Saturday, 10 a.m., Cool Springs Park, 10th and Van Buren. Wear walking shoes.

  5. RE Vanella says:

    Marching from Cool Springs to the State Building downtown. Easy flat stroll. Make a clever sign.

  6. nathan arizona says:

    Taking to the streets is a good idea. Sheer numbers might show how much of a minority Trump supporters are. That in turn might lead disengaged/non-political potential voters to get off their asses and help. (The Trump base will never be persuaded.) Besides, it would embarrass Trump since he’s so impressed by crowd size. But it wouldn’t be good if the large crowds broke into splinter groups, each worried only about its own grievance niche, as often happens with movements on the left. A fragmented movement can’t always get the momentum it needs. All of this IMO, of course.

  7. Alby says:

    Credit where it’s due: Sarah Sanders managed to release a squirrel the media couldn’t resist chasing. She turned getting booted from that restaurant into lemonade.