Let's not get too cocky. I think they do know what they are doing. They may not be as competent as a "normal" presidency, but they've gotten a lot (un)done, and there's still 3.5 years to go.
While a Democratic-majority congress will be able to stop any destructive legislation from getting through, they won't be able to do anything about Trump's executive orders unless they are unconstitutional. And it's extremely unlikely (actually I think it may be mathematically impossible) they'd have the 2/3 majority to impeach him.
Although, given that red states get more in federal funds than they pay and their Republican senators are getting nervous, it may not be a foregone conclusion that the votes wouldn't be there.
I agree. As things keep going downhill and assuming at least a House wipe out in the midterms, wouldn't be at all surprised if he were not only impeached for a third time but actually removed.
I’ve said it elsewhere on this platform: the enemy of your enemy is not necessarily your friend. Right now, the only action to take is making sure there’s sufficient butter on your popcorn. Watch, observe, take notes. Do not take a side.
That was not a rebuke, more of a succinct agreement. 47’s defectors in the past have sometimes been embraced for having seen the light or some such. There’s been muttering about Democrats doing so for Elon’s money. It is my personal opinion that it would be a mistake.
The break-up was inevitable from the start. Two bloated egos, thin-skinned and rooted in insecurity, and so in constant need of stroking and reassurance. Never admitting mistakes or wrongdoing. Never confessing to fault or culpability.
It was always just a matter of time before their relationship imploded.
You did not mention the 2024 plan. And Russell Vought doesn't seem to be stupid. The other factor is the role of the Christians fundamentalists who believe they should dictate/control all lives.
Russell Vought is the one to watch. He is smart. He keeps a low profile. He knows the weak points in the federal government and how to use them to his advantage. He is evil.
We are seeing the problem with narcissists here. When Trump needed Musk for (1) Money & (2) Cover to dismantle the “deep state”, Musk was useful for his Trump-centric schemes. When Musk needed Trump for (1) Government money for his great rocket to Mars & (2) Destroy the regulations that have tried to check SpaceX and Tesla as they recklessly endanger lives, Trump was useful for his Elon-centric schemes. But soon Musk was getting too much attention for Trump’s inflated ego, and Donald was getting too much attention for Elon’s inflated ego. So they had to attack each other viciously.
This is why we need to be afraid of the rumor that all this is smoke to hide a plot to remove Trump and replace him with Vance and usher in an age of real fascism. Trump et alia had a WRITTEN BLUEPRINT for the fascist takeover and still (mostly) failed at it. Vance can read. He will not fail.
I posted the graf about Musk, Leavitt, and Müller, er, Miller, to Twitter and BlueSky. Credited, of course. Hope you don’t mind. The David Low cartoon I remember is Stalin and Hitler greeting each other. Stalin: “The bloody assassin of the workers, I presume?” Hitler: “The scum of the earth, I believe?” Now *that’s* editorial cartooning.
I knew from the get-go that these two massively egotistical lunatics would come to blows, literally or figuratively. It was inevitable. My only mistake was that I thought the Great Break Up would happen sooner than 4 1/2 months in. I am surprised it lasted this long.
I must confess that the first thought that came to me when I first heard the news was "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" by Neil Sadaka.
Now I wonder how long it will be before the two of them reconcile. TACO Don has a long history of spats, breakups, and restoration of harmony with various and sundry of his hangers-on.
P.S.: That TACO Don and his various sycophants, flunkies, and underlings should all be committed to an asylum is a given. Stupid and crazy is not a winning combination.
“Or, if you want a reason to decline, it’s about $5,000 for 100 years.” Hate to burst your bubble, but the odds of me remaining a paying subscriber for even 50 more years are questionable.
I mean, I appreciate his optimism, and if having a subscription would make the difference I’d be happy to do it. That’s just not a claim even RFK Jr would make.
Has anyone thought through just how dumb it is to tease Trump about being the TACO? Backing down from his asinine tariffs is the one not-dangerous-and/or-stupid thing Trump has done in five months! Do we really want to talk him out of it and make sure he won't try to correct anything else? Just to point out that he's weak, incompetent, and breaks promises? He's given thousands of other examples, pick one of those!
I now wish I had gone public with the prediction I made, but only to myself, months ago that a partnership between two such over-inflated egos couldn't last. Not that anyone would have taken notice, because who am I, but it would be something to point to and fan the flames of my own ego.
While the infighting might be more vicious than usual in new administrations (I really don't know), Elon has raised himself above the lieutenants to presume a level equal to Donny. No monarch can allow this and remain a monarch. It's perversely amusing to imagine Donny Jr., a la Edward III, preparing to avenge his dad. Historian Ian Mortimer posits the possibility that Edward II was not murdered but exiled to an Italian monastery way up in the mountains. Imagine Donny lost in a contemporary Buddhist version of Skellig Michael if you want to cheer yourself up. If this administration earns a close comparison to the actual Nazi regime, shame on us for allowing or enabling it.
But there’s something to be said for incompetence. Just imagine what damage could be done if these folks actually knew what they were doing.
I feel as though we will live to regret cavalierly underestimating their competence at destruction.
We cannot yet accurately assess the damage they have already done, let alone laugh about how much worse it might have been.
While evil, Stephen Miller is not dumb. He know exactly what he's doing.
Right. The guy at the top may have all the neurons of a turnip, but malfeasants have been drawn to him and they’re steering.
Let's not get too cocky. I think they do know what they are doing. They may not be as competent as a "normal" presidency, but they've gotten a lot (un)done, and there's still 3.5 years to go.
Let’s hope it’s really only 1.5 years….the 2026 election is crucial.
While a Democratic-majority congress will be able to stop any destructive legislation from getting through, they won't be able to do anything about Trump's executive orders unless they are unconstitutional. And it's extremely unlikely (actually I think it may be mathematically impossible) they'd have the 2/3 majority to impeach him.
They can impeach. And with enough in the Senate, convict.
It would only take a majority in the House (218) to impeach him. The Senate requires two-thirds (67) to convict.
Although, given that red states get more in federal funds than they pay and their Republican senators are getting nervous, it may not be a foregone conclusion that the votes wouldn't be there.
I agree. As things keep going downhill and assuming at least a House wipe out in the midterms, wouldn't be at all surprised if he were not only impeached for a third time but actually removed.
Yes, that's what I meant.
I’m not holding my breath for either outcome. Can you imagine a JD Vance, Peter Thiel regime? The mind boggles.
With the example of a convicted Trump, Vance may decide to behave. Or it may go further down the line - just one buffoon at a time.
They still don’t let monkeys from the zoo loose in nuclear facilities.
I’ve said it elsewhere on this platform: the enemy of your enemy is not necessarily your friend. Right now, the only action to take is making sure there’s sufficient butter on your popcorn. Watch, observe, take notes. Do not take a side.
... and root for injuries.
I am not following, Sam.
That was not a rebuke, more of a succinct agreement. 47’s defectors in the past have sometimes been embraced for having seen the light or some such. There’s been muttering about Democrats doing so for Elon’s money. It is my personal opinion that it would be a mistake.
I think he means, Musk is not now an ally of Democrats, though he has turned on Trump. We should sit on the sidelines and watch MAGA implode.
Yes. I am not the professional wordsmith that Gene is, and if I muffed it then I am happy to clarify.
The break-up was inevitable from the start. Two bloated egos, thin-skinned and rooted in insecurity, and so in constant need of stroking and reassurance. Never admitting mistakes or wrongdoing. Never confessing to fault or culpability.
It was always just a matter of time before their relationship imploded.
You did not mention the 2024 plan. And Russell Vought doesn't seem to be stupid. The other factor is the role of the Christians fundamentalists who believe they should dictate/control all lives.
Russell Vought is the one to watch. He is smart. He keeps a low profile. He knows the weak points in the federal government and how to use them to his advantage. He is evil.
We are seeing the problem with narcissists here. When Trump needed Musk for (1) Money & (2) Cover to dismantle the “deep state”, Musk was useful for his Trump-centric schemes. When Musk needed Trump for (1) Government money for his great rocket to Mars & (2) Destroy the regulations that have tried to check SpaceX and Tesla as they recklessly endanger lives, Trump was useful for his Elon-centric schemes. But soon Musk was getting too much attention for Trump’s inflated ego, and Donald was getting too much attention for Elon’s inflated ego. So they had to attack each other viciously.
Now you have me humming “Himmler had something similar, but poor Goebbels …”
This is why we need to be afraid of the rumor that all this is smoke to hide a plot to remove Trump and replace him with Vance and usher in an age of real fascism. Trump et alia had a WRITTEN BLUEPRINT for the fascist takeover and still (mostly) failed at it. Vance can read. He will not fail.
I posted the graf about Musk, Leavitt, and Müller, er, Miller, to Twitter and BlueSky. Credited, of course. Hope you don’t mind. The David Low cartoon I remember is Stalin and Hitler greeting each other. Stalin: “The bloody assassin of the workers, I presume?” Hitler: “The scum of the earth, I believe?” Now *that’s* editorial cartooning.
I knew from the get-go that these two massively egotistical lunatics would come to blows, literally or figuratively. It was inevitable. My only mistake was that I thought the Great Break Up would happen sooner than 4 1/2 months in. I am surprised it lasted this long.
I must confess that the first thought that came to me when I first heard the news was "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" by Neil Sadaka.
Now I wonder how long it will be before the two of them reconcile. TACO Don has a long history of spats, breakups, and restoration of harmony with various and sundry of his hangers-on.
P.S.: That TACO Don and his various sycophants, flunkies, and underlings should all be committed to an asylum is a given. Stupid and crazy is not a winning combination.
“Or, if you want a reason to decline, it’s about $5,000 for 100 years.” Hate to burst your bubble, but the odds of me remaining a paying subscriber for even 50 more years are questionable.
I'll be very lucky to get 20.
What time is it?
I mean, I appreciate his optimism, and if having a subscription would make the difference I’d be happy to do it. That’s just not a claim even RFK Jr would make.
Has anyone thought through just how dumb it is to tease Trump about being the TACO? Backing down from his asinine tariffs is the one not-dangerous-and/or-stupid thing Trump has done in five months! Do we really want to talk him out of it and make sure he won't try to correct anything else? Just to point out that he's weak, incompetent, and breaks promises? He's given thousands of other examples, pick one of those!
So I guess giving Elmo Iceland wasn't enough.
I now wish I had gone public with the prediction I made, but only to myself, months ago that a partnership between two such over-inflated egos couldn't last. Not that anyone would have taken notice, because who am I, but it would be something to point to and fan the flames of my own ego.
Interesting history. Thanks for sharing this political cartoon and the story behind it.
Let’s be clear. What Musk wants is deeper cuts.
While the infighting might be more vicious than usual in new administrations (I really don't know), Elon has raised himself above the lieutenants to presume a level equal to Donny. No monarch can allow this and remain a monarch. It's perversely amusing to imagine Donny Jr., a la Edward III, preparing to avenge his dad. Historian Ian Mortimer posits the possibility that Edward II was not murdered but exiled to an Italian monastery way up in the mountains. Imagine Donny lost in a contemporary Buddhist version of Skellig Michael if you want to cheer yourself up. If this administration earns a close comparison to the actual Nazi regime, shame on us for allowing or enabling it.