Adam Serwer’s article makes it pretty simple, even as so many of us see it as the kind of despotism that is perfectly understandable in a crony capitalism that captured the reins of one superpower state.
There are not many Trump scandals. There is one Trump scandal. Singular: the corruption of the American government by the president and his associates, who are using their official power for personal and financial gain rather than for the welfare of the American people, and their attempts to shield that corruption from political consequences, public scrutiny, or legal accountability.
The president’s unwavering commitment to this ethnonationalism persuades his followers that he is incorruptible, despite his use of his own powers for personal gain and profit. “You know, I tried to talk about good roads and good schools and all these things that have been part of my career, and nobody listened,” the segregationist George Wallace once said of his rise to power. “And then I began talking about niggers, and they stomped the floor.” (These days, they stomp the floor for “son of a bitch” or “animals.”)
Any effective hustle persuades the mark that they’re the ones profiting.
For those Americans unmoved by such appeals, the ongoing corruption of the official powers of the U.S. government on behalf of ego, avarice, and impunity should not be seen as separate stories. They are the same story, and it is the story of the Trump presidency.
www.theatlantic.com/...
And there are so many examples of how the Trump brand’s value is as flimsy as its licensing, and represents his baser instincts.
"Vagina Is Expensive"
and there’s today’s examples of self-dealing, self-preservation of power
With each passing day, President Donald J. Trump’s defense of his rumored Kremlin ties demonstrates this reality, while constituting a mounting exercise in what mental health professionals term projection. That is, rather than admit his own misdeeds, Trump merely passes them on to his accusers. Whereas the president for more than a year insisted there was “NO COLLUSION” with Moscow, of late he has taken to accusing Special Counsel Robert Mueller and those investigating him—particularly the Federal Bureau of Investigation—of being the “real colluders,” as O. J. Simpson might put it.
“Blame the other side for what we’ve actually done” isn’t just an exercise in psychological projection, it’s the espionage modus operandi of the Russian spies whom the Trump campaign had so many odd, unexplained dalliances with on their way to the White House—which, after all, is the subject of Mueller’s now-year-old investigation. It merits asking whether these similarities between Russia’s and Team Trump’s strategies are coincidental.
Background on the FBI informant story:
- Trump has been tweeting about an FBI "spy," bolstered by House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes.
- The Justice Department had been working with White House Chief of Staff John Kelly to ensure the identity didn't leak out.
- The Daily Caller first reported the suspect's name as Halper in March. The Washington Post and New York Times reported on the informant last week, providing multiple identifying details, but did not name the suspect.
- NBC News reported last week that Halper met with Page and Papadopoulos, but said "no evidence has surfaced publicly indicating that Halper was acting as a government informant."
- The Wall Street Journal named Halper as the suspected informant on Sunday.
- The Washington Post reported last week that the suspected FBI informant has been a U.S. intelligence asset for years.
- The suspected FBI informant first reached out to Trump campaign staffer George Papadopoulos in the summer of 2016, and subsequently met with Trump campaign officials Carter Page and Sam Clovis.
- Halper, 73, is an academic and veteran of three Republican administrations. He worked at Cambridge University until 2015.
www.axios.com/...
the president has been almost singularly focused on the pageantry of the summit
“I think that Trump imagined he would go into this meeting and be able to have a historic breakthrough with a deal, but it’s clear he’s starting to realize it won’t be as easy as he imagined,” said Jean Lee, director of the North Korea program at the Woodrow Wilson Center and a former Associated Press bureau chief in Pyongyang.
- Trump, who has pitched himself as the ultimate negotiator, has focused on ambitious deals as president but has struggled with the fine print.
- He just hit the pause button on his threatened trade war with China, announcing an agreement to reduce America’s trade deficit with China — but few details.
- He recently withdrew the U.S. from the international Iran-nuclear deal — without outlining a path forward with his allies.
- And his Middle East peace plan, which he deputized his son-in-law to lead, is months overdue and facing a more skeptical audience than ever.
Going into the North Korea meeting, senior administration officials say, the president has been almost singularly focused on the pageantry of the summit —including the suspenseful roll-out of details. He has not been deeply engaged in briefing materials on North Korea’s nuclear program, said three people with knowledge of the White House efforts. They were not authorized to speak publicly.
Given the summit represents somewhat of a gamble for the two leaders, it might be worth them taking a chance on this integrated resort owned by casino tycoon Sheldon Adelson, the boss of Las Vegas Sands, especially given its glamorous reputation and iconic architecture framing the Singapore city skyline.
“MBS will allow the Singapore skyline to be broadcast into the homes of viewers the world over. If it is picked as the venue, the two leaders could have their boardwalk at the Sands Skypark, which has an excellent view of Singapore,” said SMU’s Tan.
But the perceived lack of neutrality would probably turn off Pyongyang, even if Washington is keen.
Kim’s paranoia will be heightened by fears of bugging in an establishment under the charge of Adelson, a well-known Trump supporter.
More interesting is that one needs to remind oneself of what Trump fears, and one person is a Trumpist supporter, Roger Stone.
Former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara asked Haberman, on Twitter, "Donald Trump is afraid of Roger Stone?"
"For years", Haberman replied.
Stone told the Palm Beach Post the "drunk/drugged up loser" description was "Not a reference to me." Meanwhile, Nunberg told CNN, "I have no idea who POTUS is talking about so I have no response."
Stone later told the Washington Examiner in a brief exchange that Trump "has no reason to be afraid of me -- I am his most loyal supporter."
www.washingtonexaminer.com/...