Bad and Getting Worse

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I’m out of metaphors to compare to Trump’s picks for his cabinet and administration. They’ve all been bad. But this afternoon, when I saw a headline that said Trump wants Matt Gaetz as attorney general and Tulsi Gabbard to be national intelligence director, I saw the English language itself surrender. There are no words.

Trump has been asking for the new Congress to go into recess as soon as it is sworn in, so that he can hire his people through recess appointments. No hearings; no embarassing questions, no votes. Right now I’m hearing some Republican senators say they are looking forward to hearings. Axios is reporting that Republicans are “stunned and disgusted” at the Gaetz appointment. Of course, that doesn’t mean they won’t fall in line and vote to confirm the appointment. He may not get his recess appointments, though. It’s possibly a good sign that John Thune will be Senate Majority Leader, and not Trump’s pick, Rick Scott. Scott had promised to give Trump everything Trump wants.

As far as Trulsi Gabbard is concerned, I second Fred Kaplan at Slate.

As for Gabbard, picked to oversee and coordinate the 18 U.S. intelligence agencies, not much need be said beyond “Holy shit!” If confirmed, she will replace Avril Haines, who had been—in contrast to Gabbard’s slim résumé—deputy director of the CIA and deputy national security adviser before President Joe Biden nominated her for the job. Haines also has degrees in law and theoretical physics.

If the Senate doesn’t dismiss Gabbard’s nomination as an insult to the enterprise of intelligence gathering and analysis, then we are in serious trouble as a nation. At the very least, one can expect hundreds of intelligence professionals to resign—which may be Trump’s intention. He wants to destroy “the administrative state,” as his erstwhile strategist Steve Bannon once put it. Putting Gabbard in charge of the intelligence apparatus is one way of doing that.

20 thoughts on “Bad and Getting Worse”

  1. The Congress has two major functions. First is to pass legislation. Second, it provides service to constituents. Maybe there's a better term for it but each member of the House (especially) and the Senate (to a lesser degree) has in their budget money to hire people and rent offices so the people can take a beef directly to their congressperson to investigate and facilitate a resolution. The staff can and does poke their noses into every corner of the federal system when a citizen in the district isn't getting the service from an agency that the law provides. (My congresswoman responded to my request to ask why I was sent to a high-security prison, I know she did because I had to sign a release of information from BOP to her office.)

    A letter from a congressperson causes people to review the case at hand, make immediate repairs, and reply. That will break down when the system is managed by partisans rather than career professionals. Congress is gonna be frustrated by being straight-armed and/or lied to, often by psychos from their own (GOP) party. Citizens who have major business which requires action by some agency will be stuck. It won't just be the poor schmuch at the bottom, either. 

    I'm not rooting for the system to fail – I want democracy and the Constitution to survive. I agree with Maha – competent people with expertise will bail out – they won't wait to be forced out. Others with some awareness how the system should work won't stick their necks out if they hope to survive (and maybe prosper) in the Trump regime. 

    This is gonna be a circus but the clowns won't be funny. They will be the scary ugly clowns who sometimes take center-stage in horror movies. Gaetz will try to move prosecutions forward against enemies, even without evidence of any crime. My guess is that the indictments (mostly) will be dismissed for lack of evidence as soon as the defendant can get the case in front of a judge – even if it's a Trump appointee.

    IMO, Trump will fail to use the military to round up immigrants – it's a violation of the law. Trump wants to do it that way because the military is under his direct control (constitutionally) where the police have constraints. But mostly, Trump does not want to ask Congress for the massive amount of money the purge will cost. Voters will see how much money is being wasted in persecution that could be spent to make their lives easier. If/when Trump asks for money, it will be AFTER Congress has passed a by budget reconciliation. If a bill that authorizes a civil (not military) Gestapo hits the Senate, the GOP does not have a supermajority. I'm not sure if/how the parliamentarian would decide if the creation of concentration camps can be passed solely by reconcilliation. 

    But the thing that I think will bite Trump on his formidable butt is his fondest faliccy – that he can fund the government through huge tariffs without huge inflation. IF.. (I said if) inflation is the thing that did Harris in, it will be just as inflammatory when it happens under Trump. From what I read, Trump is staffing to proceed – full speed ahead. As with concentration camps, no one knows if it will require a supermajority in the Senate. Trump will try to do it without.

    I have not seen anything specific re the new Senate leader on the subject of changing Senate rules to allow passage by a simple majority. McConnell resisted it for his entire tenure – probably because if the GOP does it, the Democrats will have no hesitation adopting the GOP rules (that McConnell screamed would be un-democratic.) Whenever Trump needs something passed that the Senate can block, Trump will demand an exception rule to be passed. It will be interesting.

    As I see it shaping up, most voters won't give a rat's fuzzy behind if Gaetz uses the DOJ for political persecution. And I think they will fail. I think Trump will have Constitutional issues with doing concentration camps with the military and tariffs by executive order. However, if Trump prevails, the result will be a political disaster.

    Strategicly, I hope the courts and Democrasts slow Trump down because the delay may allow the Constitution and elections to survive. If Democrats take power in 2028, protecting the professional civil service career professionals should be near the top of the list so the ranks of competent people in federal government can be replenished.

  2. Word is that in addition to Elon and ramadamadingdong heading up the new efficiency department MTG and Lauren Blowbart will share the role of first Lady!

  3. From what Ihave been reading the last few months there has been any number of witch hunts of Chinese–born scientists and technical people.  At the same time, China needs people like this and can offer comparative salaries, and living standards.  Scientists seem to be getting good funding in key STEM areas. 

     

    IF I were a Chineseq scientist in a good US university  and a good publication record, I'd be seriously job hunting in China.

    BTW' housing costs will likely go up. Deportations will likely ravage the construction trades.

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  4. We just have to make the best of it.  It is an antecedent, and an antecedent is the word or words for which the pronoun stands.  This is what you all remember from that English class you mostly slept through.  

    It is horror for sure.  It may be much more but horror it is.

    I know a bit about horror from the Rocky Horror Picture Show.  The Sword of Damocles was cut from the original but saved for us.

    Bing Videos 

    This is a British version with lyrics captioned.  The story of Damocles goes way back and explains more of the horror. 

    Bing Videos

    Ah yes.  We just have to deal with it.  And it is, in part, quite a horror at least.

    • Alex Jones will be Press Secretary.  That would be consistent with the absurdity of the picks Trump has made so far,

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  9. The real test is to see if T will get any pushback, how much, and will it be enough to derail any of these nutcases.

    I've been reading in the WaPo that Rs are shocked, shocked I say over some of these appointments, particular Matt Gaetz. What did they expect? Gaetz is the perfect guy to mete out retribution. The stupidity of these people is amazing all by itself.

    I canceled my WaPo subscription after they ran "Congratulations, Mr Trump!" on his victory. Timothy Snyder calls this "obedience in advance" – it's what media and business owners do in fascist regimes.

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  10. Some things are apparent.  The right leaning politically correct will supersede expert opinion based upon science.  Harsh measures and fascist techniques are to be used to indoctrinate and quash opposing points of view.

    This comment is one to read and heed:

    Locke Revere

    The parallels between 1933 Germany and today's America are stark and chilling. Trump, like Hitler before him, demands absolute loyalty while systematically dismantling democratic institutions. The playbook remains eerily similar: consolidate power through court control, suppress voting rights, and relentlessly demonize targeted groups – with their ultimate elimination seemingly part of the agenda.

    Consider the evidence: Both leaders mastered media manipulation – Hitler through Gleichschaltung, Trump through plutocratic allies who've systematically dismantled once-proud investigative journalism. These propaganda outlets now serve an anti-democratic U.S. oligarchy, pushing Orwellian conspiracies to destroy government of, by, and for We The People. Their agenda aligns with blue-bloods and power brokers who operate purely through quid pro quo, betraying American interests for personal gain.

    The ultimate irony? Trump's movement, claiming to "make America great," mirrors the authoritarian system America sacrificed so much to defeat in World War II. His learned behaviors – from Roy Cohn's ruthlessness to his stated admiration of Hitler's "efficiency" – reveal a man following the Nazi blueprint with precision: seize control of courts, regulate private lives, suppress minorities, and crush opposition through both legal manipulation and brute force.

    History's warning is clear: when leaders demand unquestioning loyalty while dismantling democratic safeguards, tyranny follows. We're witnessing the Nazi playbook adapted for modern America, complete with promises of greatness while destroying the very foundations of our republic. This direct assault on our Constitution demands action from everyone sworn to protect it.   

  11. Rudy's lawyers are trying to bail on him. The content of the motion is redacted, but I think Rudy is so far down the path of criminal Contempt of Court that his lawyers can't make excuses. The judge might also hold them liable for the former mayor's total refusal to comply. I see the judge ordering Rudy to appear and explain – and Rudy will not appear – the judge will issue an arrest warrant. Rudy is in FL, possibly expecting Governor Voldermort to protect him. 

    Alex Jones got his plug pulled by the Onion. 

    Bannon's turn in NY court is coming up soon. 

  12. Yeah, all good stuff here. Along the same lines with a couple of my own twists:

    a) So I gamed this out: Matt Gaetz… suppose he flops, then what?  Another hard right person gets named, maybe that person is too crazy also. Than what?  Another, and another, and does anyone really think there will ever be a nominee for AG that won't do Trumps bidding? Not gonna happen. Crazy thought, but maybe we'd be better off with Gaetz, rather than someone competent in govt but who will operate with the same goal: politicize the DOJ and neutralize its ability to use the law to constrain the autocrat cabal.

    b) There's probably value in having the Senate stand up to the administration and refuse to give up its advice and consent power. I'd support that approach even if eventually a toady gets in.  The point is to retain the power of the Article I branch and specifically the Senate. And there's some comeuppance benefit to subjecting the administration to delay, delay, delay.
    But this is up to the Senate.  All I can do is call my Senators and state my position. If I had to pick one appointment to fight tooth and nail over it would be Director of National Intelligence. After that DOD. Bottom line, unfortunately right now we are in a position where we have to hope that the institutions of our constitutional republic can stand up to this situation. We can support them, but it is the people in those institutions who need to defend the institutions.  I'll do what I can t help them, if I can figure out what that might be. (any suggestions?)  p.s. #2 on Timothy Snyder's list is "Defend Institutions".

    c) The Shiny Object. Own the Libs.  – – It feels like all of these appointments are motivated a LOT by Trump's desire to thumb Dems in the eye. And then have lots of laughs over watching Dems flip out over it. One of the interviewees this afternoon said something like, "Hey look, we don't want to get too spun up over this…"  I think that's a good point. Dispense with the hand-wringing. Point out the facts with clarity, bluntness and determination, and then get back to work on what we really need to focus on: protecting free and fair elections. 

    d) Elections going forward – – In the states that will matter in 2026, what can party operatives along with volunteers and state/local pols do?  Fight voter suppression measures. Promote laws that allow voter roll cleanup provided it is done 9 months before the next election and has robust transparency, notification and curing procedures. Hold town halls and focus groups soon to find out what voters want. These would also be opportunities to listen and also to correct misconceptions (eg. tariffs are not paid by foreign countries).

    d) We should turn Doug loose in the fever swamps of the right wing disinformation ecosystem; let him head up a totally volunteer army of dirty tricksters to create confusion in that world. 🙂

    e) We need to complete our "autopsy" and pull out the most important lessons. One thing that I think is pretty big is the college vs no-college divide.  I might be wrong but I think the Dem party is stuck with the brand of "elites".  And I don't think it's about wealthy elites, it's about the educated elites.  As hard as we may try to explain we're on their side, the non-college-educated folks feel talked down to and they resent it. And a con man like TFG can easily con them into thinking he on their side simply by talking and acting in a "non PC" way. Well, that's my hobby horse, but feel free to suggest some other top lessons from this recent electoral defeat.

    e) The Media.  Very daunting, but if we don't so something, it's only going to get worse. Maybe the Onion is a start. But I also think we need to stop calling the cult followers stupid. It doesn't change anything. Many of them might be dumb, but dumb people have the right to vote. 

    f) Let Trump screw up.  Let awful sh*t happen to our fellow Americans. In the next 2 years we need to focus on winning the next election, so outside of protecting the things which absolutely need to be protected, we should be working 7 days a week on the 2024 elections.        

     

     

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    • Did you not mean 2026 election in the final sentence?  Work now yes.  We need to first understand the problem we need to solve and who are on our side.  Not just nationally but internationally also.  Isolationism is our enemy in all probability.  In a split country we are very weak.  Yes, even those you and I might refer to as them. 

    • If Gaetz is confirmed and the J6 insurrectionists are pardoned and released, are the lawyers in DOJ going to roll over and do Trump's unethical and sometimes illegal bidding? Or will they resign and find work in the private sector? 

      I question the assumption that competent, ethical people will follow the direction of an unqualified toadie like Gaetz. Some of them, possibly many of them will find other ways to make a living in the field of criminal law.

  13. Got a link this morning from WaPo, and article about TFG campaign r*tf*cking.  Excerpts:

    • “The entire goal of the campaign was to push her numbers down,” said a top Trump campaign adviser, who like others interviewed for this story spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal strategy.
    • The effort worked in concert with a separate project by the Trump campaign to depress turnout for Harris — knowing that Trump would be unlikely to drastically expand his vote totals. In 2020, Trump received about 74 million votes to Joe Biden’s 81 million votes. In 2024, Trump received a little less than 76 million votes to Harris’s 72.6 million votes. In other words, Trump’s total went up slightly, while Harris dropped about 8 million votes.
    • Muslims in Michigan began seeing pro-Israel ads this fall praising Vice President Kamala Harris for marrying a Jewish man and backing the Jewish state. Jews in Pennsylvania, meanwhile, saw ads from the same group with the opposite message: Harris wanted to stop U.S. arms shipments to Israel.
    • “There is plenty of blame to go around for another election cycle riddled with misinformation online,” Priorities USA executive director Danielle Butterfield said in a statement. “Big Tech is still unwilling to hold bad actors accountable, Congress is unwilling to step in and write new rules for the 21st century, and Republicans will continue to slander and lie to voters to make their case. Because of all of this, Democrats lose, and we need to acknowledge this reality and figure out new ways to communicate with voters on today’s internet.”
    • Andrew Romeo, who led the creative strategy for Building America’s Future and also worked as a spokesman for Musk’s America PAC, said they decided to simply ignore their detractors during the campaign.

      “People were upset on both sides of the aisle on it, said it was dishonest, disingenuous, we shouldn’t be running ads that look liked Harris’s. But it worked and the numbers are undeniable,” Romeo said. “We had a ton of inquiries on these efforts from the media. We didn’t answer any of them. We just ran our strategy and we didn’t care what anyone said.

    Maybe we need our own r*tf*ckers.

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