I feel much the same. More than anything, the action by Manhattan just highlights the failure of previous prosecutors and especially our federal DOJ. It was obvious to me in 2016 (and 2006 and 1996) that Trump is a serial criminal - and now so much damage has been done by the failure to prosecute this man ages ago.
I worry a bit this prosecution gives Trump a bullhorn again. I worry we’ll have some limited terror incident(s). Not worried about Jan 6 style attack. Most important, some accountability under the law more than outweighs these risks and starts setting our system back on its tracks, hopefully.
I think the election of Trump may turn out to have been a blessing in disguise.
His nature and experience as a purebred con man, “criminal syndicalist,” and gifted carnival barker brought out into the open the deep disaffection of so much of the working and middle class and in America. He hitched this to a nihilistic agenda of self-dealing and cultivated a cultish adoration. He drew out into the open the links between the shadow networks and initiatives of America’s home-grown and global plutocrats as well as the thuggishness of . He attracted to himself and thereby introduced to us a despicable cabal of miscreants whose un-American activities are now in the spotlight.
He (mis)led hordes of his followers to think that the militant embracing of illiberalism and bigotry were solutions to their grievances; and, having not succeeded outright in his serious but clumsy attempt at re-election-by-insurrection, managed to get many of his most devoted acolytes and himself into considerable legal jeopardy.
The result of all of this malfeasance and outright “criminal syndicacy” is that Trump has revealed the cohort of Americans who are hurt, fearful, and now outright angry, and to whom a great deal of attention needs to be paid by all of us who care about protecting and promoting the future of democracy.
Let’s take the arrest and charging of Trump as the signal that we can and that we MUST go on the offensive to proactively confront the thuggish and seditionist Republican Party while simultaneously “centering” the wellbeing, economic and otherwise, of the working and middle class.
Ah, to see the humours crushed. Even dissipated in any respect at all. The humours are growing excessively think and dank, even as we get this spectacle. You get a little breeze now and again but then the next time it comes around it smells worse because we remember for a second what fresh air smelled like. People want to press the re-set button somehow but an indictment or even a guilty verdict is not going to do it. You are completely right nothing transformative will result for good or ill. it’s all reality show buildup. I don’t think a hockey victory, a national tragedy or even a war could press a reset button now. (Not that things did not suck before but there wasn’t the sense of a creature right behind us breathing down our neck like there is now.) Something could shake all this idiocy off of course, but it’s probably not anything we’d want to live through.
The way people are tired and unsurprised by what would have shocked them to their core is a bit like a post-war malaise. We seem to be going through the motions of our hysteria now. Through the Trump years, I cheered myself by thinking about how Spain shook off the stench of Franco eventually. The humours become a lot easier to live with when you get rid of the main character and the authoritarian dream loses its luster (thought Spain still has problems one can trace right back to that bastard.)
You allude to a couple of things here that I've been thinking about. One is that while I don't think Trump is being targeted for political reasons in the way conservatives mean it, I agree with you that it's political. It's political, AND Trump is guilty of crimes. Trump has been corrupt for decades, and there's no reason to think he hasn't been criming the whole time. He decided to run for president, which triggered an "oh shit" moment in a lot of people who could and should have gone after Trump's crimes before. Then he became president, triggering more people. It is weird that being president shielded him from investigations and prosecution, given that it's also the reason he finally became a target.
Two is that this just makes it even more depressingly obvious that there's a whole class of people who just commit crimes all the time with impunity. Powerful people can do whatever they want, as long as they stay in their lane.
Anything that puts yet more pressure on the ever more unhinged FPOTUS is a good thing. On one hand, there’s the statute of limitations issue. OTOH, we got the image of the court officer allowing the courtroom door almost smack into Trump’s ugly face.
In either case, the Statement of Facts released 4/4 is a work of art. (That’s a professional opinion.)
The bigger problem with the post is the silliness that pols should have let’s say explain to the masses why Trump was (and still is) per sé unfit for office. Democrats would be ignored or dissed by the establishment media, Republicans had their chance during the primary debates. (If like considering paranoid scenarios, this: How come only lame losers ran for the nomination in 2016?.}
No, the responsibility to call Trump was first and foremost that of the aforesaid media. But, you know, profits.
Solid piece, thank you.
I feel much the same. More than anything, the action by Manhattan just highlights the failure of previous prosecutors and especially our federal DOJ. It was obvious to me in 2016 (and 2006 and 1996) that Trump is a serial criminal - and now so much damage has been done by the failure to prosecute this man ages ago.
I worry a bit this prosecution gives Trump a bullhorn again. I worry we’ll have some limited terror incident(s). Not worried about Jan 6 style attack. Most important, some accountability under the law more than outweighs these risks and starts setting our system back on its tracks, hopefully.
I think the election of Trump may turn out to have been a blessing in disguise.
His nature and experience as a purebred con man, “criminal syndicalist,” and gifted carnival barker brought out into the open the deep disaffection of so much of the working and middle class and in America. He hitched this to a nihilistic agenda of self-dealing and cultivated a cultish adoration. He drew out into the open the links between the shadow networks and initiatives of America’s home-grown and global plutocrats as well as the thuggishness of . He attracted to himself and thereby introduced to us a despicable cabal of miscreants whose un-American activities are now in the spotlight.
He (mis)led hordes of his followers to think that the militant embracing of illiberalism and bigotry were solutions to their grievances; and, having not succeeded outright in his serious but clumsy attempt at re-election-by-insurrection, managed to get many of his most devoted acolytes and himself into considerable legal jeopardy.
The result of all of this malfeasance and outright “criminal syndicacy” is that Trump has revealed the cohort of Americans who are hurt, fearful, and now outright angry, and to whom a great deal of attention needs to be paid by all of us who care about protecting and promoting the future of democracy.
Let’s take the arrest and charging of Trump as the signal that we can and that we MUST go on the offensive to proactively confront the thuggish and seditionist Republican Party while simultaneously “centering” the wellbeing, economic and otherwise, of the working and middle class.
Queens as a borough really catches a stray in this one
I wanted to tell you that my ex-wife answered Trump’s phone for over a year in the 90s in case you’re interested for your book.
Ah, to see the humours crushed. Even dissipated in any respect at all. The humours are growing excessively think and dank, even as we get this spectacle. You get a little breeze now and again but then the next time it comes around it smells worse because we remember for a second what fresh air smelled like. People want to press the re-set button somehow but an indictment or even a guilty verdict is not going to do it. You are completely right nothing transformative will result for good or ill. it’s all reality show buildup. I don’t think a hockey victory, a national tragedy or even a war could press a reset button now. (Not that things did not suck before but there wasn’t the sense of a creature right behind us breathing down our neck like there is now.) Something could shake all this idiocy off of course, but it’s probably not anything we’d want to live through.
The way people are tired and unsurprised by what would have shocked them to their core is a bit like a post-war malaise. We seem to be going through the motions of our hysteria now. Through the Trump years, I cheered myself by thinking about how Spain shook off the stench of Franco eventually. The humours become a lot easier to live with when you get rid of the main character and the authoritarian dream loses its luster (thought Spain still has problems one can trace right back to that bastard.)
Well said Ahem.
“Good! This all should and will become even more boring.”
The real kryptonite for Trump is lack of attention, specifically media attention. Hopefully our esteemed Fourth Estate is will learn that (doubtful).
You allude to a couple of things here that I've been thinking about. One is that while I don't think Trump is being targeted for political reasons in the way conservatives mean it, I agree with you that it's political. It's political, AND Trump is guilty of crimes. Trump has been corrupt for decades, and there's no reason to think he hasn't been criming the whole time. He decided to run for president, which triggered an "oh shit" moment in a lot of people who could and should have gone after Trump's crimes before. Then he became president, triggering more people. It is weird that being president shielded him from investigations and prosecution, given that it's also the reason he finally became a target.
Two is that this just makes it even more depressingly obvious that there's a whole class of people who just commit crimes all the time with impunity. Powerful people can do whatever they want, as long as they stay in their lane.
Anything that puts yet more pressure on the ever more unhinged FPOTUS is a good thing. On one hand, there’s the statute of limitations issue. OTOH, we got the image of the court officer allowing the courtroom door almost smack into Trump’s ugly face.
In either case, the Statement of Facts released 4/4 is a work of art. (That’s a professional opinion.)
The bigger problem with the post is the silliness that pols should have let’s say explain to the masses why Trump was (and still is) per sé unfit for office. Democrats would be ignored or dissed by the establishment media, Republicans had their chance during the primary debates. (If like considering paranoid scenarios, this: How come only lame losers ran for the nomination in 2016?.}
No, the responsibility to call Trump was first and foremost that of the aforesaid media. But, you know, profits.
Omar Little : “You come at the king, you best not miss.”
Where we’re at: “Let’s throw things at him until something sticks. The potential downside he represents makes it worth the effort.”
I am afraid he will get away with his shenanigans again. He always has until now.