I agree with Bryan S. about the voting part. If a person refuses to vote over this they're acting against their own interests. I don't think brining a gun to a protest is stupid if you can legally carry. The stupid part comes in when you are carrying and proceed to confront a Federal officer. If confrontation is your plan, leave the gun at home.
Erick, you must know that snipping quotes out of context is awful. Pirro said:
“We find the disruptors and those committing the violence and we make sure those are the ones who are accountable, and you bring a gun into the District mark my words you’re going to jail….”
“Ya’ll Need To Shut Up.” At first, I thought you were talking to me. Hilarious, Erick. As my father used to say, “You tell ‘em, Cabbage. You’ve got the head!”
Trump himself and his most ardent supporters got him where he is, and are also among his biggest liabilities. They disdain the political realities at their own - and our- expense.
I agree with your assessment of the categories of voters. Please also remember there are groups/factions that only vote in presidential elections. While I was raised to cast my vote in every single election that is held, I'm around immigrants who've held citizenship in some cases for 30 or more years. And, they're the ones who ONLY vote in presidential elections. I've asked several of them why & one of the explanations was that DJT kept war from their former country. I see this as a possible consequence or feature of allowing dual citizenship.
Erick hit the nail on the head regarding the 2nd Amendment voters. I've been reading a lot of comments on line from 2nd Amendment guys in various pro-gun organizations who don't like it one bit that they're hearing the anti-gun tripe from the Party that's supposed to defend 2nd Amendment rights. Still, I think they'll prefer the GOP over any liberal.
Meh. I am a second amendment advocate and have a CCW. I also feel bringing a gun to a protest that can get violent is stupid. I also watched the Pirro interview and understood what she was saying. Everyone is so ready to be outraged. If someone refuses to vote over this they're idiots.
For two days, Erick has been hand-wringing about how Republicans are “blowing their chances” in this fall’s midterms. What he never explains is the obvious question: why he wants them to win at all.
Right now, the GOP is operating as a pseudo-authoritarian party that routinely ignores the rule of law, cozies up to dictators, and showcases its incompetence on a near-daily basis. It offers nothing of substance to working Americans while reliably serving wealthy donors, political flunkies, and ideological extremists.
The Messiah figure at the top is a criminal, a conman, and a conspiracy theorist whose decisions are driven almost entirely by personal enrichment and political whim. And Congress? It has functioned as little more than a rubber stamp, abandoning oversight and accountability whenever it matters most.
So the issue isn’t Republican messaging or campaign strategy. It’s much simpler: why would anyone want to elect another Congress whose sole accomplishment would be enabling corruption and protecting abuse of power?
A rubber stamp doesn’t fix a broken system. It just presses harder.
dan, I don't disagree with anything you say here. But you could literally write this same thing word-for-word sans references to Orange Jesus about the Bidens.
When in power, Democrats didn't show the authoritarian tendencies now on display in the form of a masked paramilitary on the streets of American cities, for example, or calls to "nationalize" federal elections in direct contravention of the Constitution.
Tucker, we're going to have agree to disagree (or perhaps disagree to disagree!) The Biden administration may have been ineffective in certain ways, but it respected the rule of law, maintained strong ties with America's democratic allies, and appointed competent, experienced individuals to most (not all, but most) key cabinet and governmental positions.
Second, and unlike Trump, Biden didn't rule by fiat. Trump makes crucial decisions with massive national and global implications based on nothing but his whims and his personal grievances, and he sows chaos on a daily basis. Moreover, he desires to be king of the world, demanding fealty as a prerequisite for MAGAs and foes alike.
As for personal conduct, I don't disagree that members of the Biden family used their influence for personal gain, but the comparison to the current levels of corruption by Trump, his family, and his toadies is nonsensical. The public bribery by the regime is unfounded, and the conflicts of interest are too extensive to mention here.
I know, deep down, that YOU know there is no comparison between Biden and Orange Jesus, either at the personal or the governmental level. From a psychological standpoint, however, concocting that comparison makes sense. How else can Republican-leaning Americans justify to themselves what their party has become?
I don't lean Republican any more than I lean Democrat, and I have a strong dislike for both. I lean conservative and lean into strict constructionism. I think DC is nothing more than the WWE and have said so many times on this forum, so don't pretend to know who I am or what I am. That said, you give Biden and those who covered up his mental inadequacies, including his "loving" wife, way too much credit; that you can crusade against Trump without the slightest concern over Joe's autopen is incredibly disingenuous and borderline hypocritical. That you can overlook his open border policies, his disastrous exit from Afghanistan, or his inability to find his way off a stage on his own speaks volumes. Fact is, both are pieces of crap who have disavowed the American people for their own interests. But why not?? WE keep electing idiots like this, and I'm sure they wonder why Nancy Pelosi should be the only one cashing in on that idiocy.
Tucker, again, we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one. From my perspective, Trump and his administration are unique in American history, and that includes both Republican and Democratic administrations. There has never been a regime in America that is so anti-democratic, lawless, untruthful, corrupt, and incompetent in the history of American politics, and their has never been a political discipleship that views their leader as a Messiah rather than simply a man. This makes Trump and the MAGA movement not only unique, but uniquely dangerous - for both American democracy and the global order.
dan, the very fact that you put "From my perspective" in your statement changes everything for me. This forum should be about exchanging ideas, and that's exactly what you did here. Thank you for seeing our exchange through to this point. Much appreciated.
Erick doesn't seem to understand taking one step back (losing with a corrupt autocrat) and taking 2 steps forward (getting back to a responsible Republican party).
Two thoughts come to mind: are republican voters that stupid that they don’t realize not showing up to vote during off year elections hurts them in the long run? All elections are important, local,state,national.
Secondly, does it really matter at this point? Washington is just one big uniparty. They’ve got us by the throats ( wallets), indicating that local and state elections are ever more important.
it still matters at this point. there are a few elected officials in Washington that care about us the voters. just need to continue and try to get more of them elected.
Good Morning People just another distraction so they can keep US in the dark and keep Stealing US blind. I just wonder if we will ever wake up. God Bless America
Republicans make lousy politicians, as a rule. While Democrats are happy to temporarily glaze over their individual pet issues and walk in lockstep (knowing that if they win, they will each be able to run the gamut of their own destructive wish lists, unimpeded by Republicans frightened of their shadows) while Republicans petulantly vote against their Party's... and the Nation's... best interests over their own individual personal gain and/or their pet peeves. I give you Rand Paul and LIndsey Graham, e.g., and the extreme example of my former Rep, MTG, "I'll just take my toys and go home!" Twit. (Excuse me; I feel physically bad today from stomach and heart issues and it's affecting my already grumpy disposition.)
Regardless of who is in the majority and regardless of the size of their majority, the Dem's will stay in charge; they will always be able to depend upon Republican defectors to vote with them and save their day. Because for Dems, it's observably about destroying anything good about the USA. For Repubs, most of them don't seem to care about the future of the USA, as long as they can keep their positions through the next election. We are, as a nation, in big trouble.
What I have seen in Marjorie Taylor Greene is one of the reasons why I keep coming here. She was once as zealous in her belief of the same views that are mostly on display here. However, basically being a decent person and not completely stupid, she came to a point where she could no longer ignore who Donald Trump really is. Most of the people commenting here are basically decent people and not at all stupid, and that gives me hope.
I'm loathe to point out a potential silver lining to Democrats winning in mid-terms but there are advantages to the Republicans. Do you really want the last two years leading up to 2028 presidential elections to look like this last year, with Trump leading a smash and grab kleptocracy? Selling our best chip technology and fighter jets to whichever Arab country paid him the most. Putting tariffs on a whim to any country that he perceives slighted him. Turning over Ukrainian peace talks to a couple of NYC real estate developers and a never ending list of other things
Or would you rather have the image of Chuck Shumers' snarky scowl be in the voters mind. 2028 will loom much larger than 2026, and we may still have a functioning democracy.
The chips sold were not our best. The top tier chips are still prohibited to be sold. 19 other countries already have possession of or orders in for the F-35's. Why shouldn't the Saudis have them? You sound like one of the proponents of the "expert class" in that anyone without your preferred credentials isn't possibly qualified to do a job. One thing arguably unique about DJT is that he shatters a lot of that myth as we have seen positive results from "unqualified non-experts". Of course only experts that are on the same side of the political spectrum matter as was exhibited during Covid right? How did that work out?
So you feel that a deal with the UAE was a bribe to allow Saudi Arabia to buy planes? Interesting. See, I look at it as the Saudis have actually been on our side more and more so why not allow our allies access to state of the art weapons so they can help us keep the middle east under control. It's not like they are even a remote threat to the US.
I comment fairly often actually, but it is fun pointing out the raw hypocrisy and nonsense the hate posters spew. You're welcome to block me if you can't hang. Enjoy your day.
What, Erick? No mention of Trump getting a half a billion dollar bribe from the UAE in exchange for our best AI chips? And you accuse the left leaning media of ignoring Biden’s shady dealings? Only a brief mention on yesterday’s show where you basically said “but Biden was corrupt too”? Maybe tomorrow? Your headline could be “Trump Caught Robbing Bank, But Biden Shoplifted.”
I think everybody is so used to Trump being a corrupt white collar criminal that any corruption is ok. "He does it out in the open!", " They all do it!" That's the defense, that's bs and it doesn't make it right.
Trump is defining deviancy down and we'll all pay the price in the long run.
So very true. With every departure from norms that have been respected in this country virtually since its inception, the next departure becomes easier for Republicans to accept. Moreover, the party that stood in opposition to an overly intrusive federal government now accepts a masked paramilitary on the streets of American cities, dictates to private universities, and calls to "federalize" state elections. Supporting Donald Trump is all that matters, no matter what he does.
Yeah, I listened yesterday and to EE's credit he did at least acknowledge Trump's blatant corruption - which is more than most conservative talk radio hosts would do. However it was the most flaccid condemnation one could possibly have and consisted of a couple of minutes of "I have some concerns" type weak sauce. Had the exact same situation happened, but with a democrat Pres. EE would have eviscerated him (multiple days of morning write ups, full on air segments, calling for impeachment, etc.). So no Erick didn't call for an investigation, didn't explain how damning the corruption is, didn't call on republican law makers to hold Trump accountable or nullify the bs chip deal, nada...
It's clear that EE has adopted a strategy of just tepidly mentioning Trump many unconstitutional acts in passing when they happen so that he can meet the bare minimum threshold necessary to claim moral high ground / objectivity in the future when a dems are in power and he turns back into an attack dog.
On one level I agree with both yours and Planter's comments about EE's handling of Trump's money grab for chips, BUT in defense of Erick what Trump did (culpable deniability) by having his kiddos run the crypto company that took the money is perfectly legal (I think), but it's politically stupid. I told my sister (the way-left-of-center-one) it is like Trump giving a big middle-finger to 'Merica. The fact that MSM gave the story a short section of their news is telling.
Yeah, Trump is usually smart enough to communicate in a vague way that masks the criminality of his intent. It's like a mob boss who talks about how it would be better if someone wasn't around and then one of his underlings kills the guy (the mob boss never explicitly said - "go kill this guy").
This is why people can look at what Trump did after the 2020 election and say he was just exercising his free speech. Meanwhile he is coercing Pence to crown him pres, organizing fake electors, coercing secretaries of state to throw him the vote (and later primarying those who don't go along), rallying a mob to the capital (and then pardoning ever single violent offender involved) but sure he was not stoping on the constitution / trying to overturn the election because he never said "hey - I am going to try to illegally remain in power"
In the Fl docs case he just got lazy and outright obstructed justice with no pretenses anymore.
As for the limited media coverage of this latest massive corruptions story - I think it's more a reflection on Trump corruption fatigue. It's not as exciting a squirrel to chase as Trump trying to take over elections or whatever else he uses as a distraction.
For the most part, I think Trump is an idiot. However, "flooding the zone" with so much corruption and so many abuses of power that it is hard to keep track of, much less push back against it all is evil genius. For example, ICE's excesses in Minnesota pushed the Epstein files right off the front page for a time and dampened the reaction to his insane talk of seizing Greenland.
the US Supreme Court would rule that "nationalizing" the elections be unconstitutional. Because of the 10th Amendment to the US Constitution, powers not granted to the federal government are reserved for the states. Beside the left has been pushing to "nationalizing" the past number of decades -So called "Motor Voter " Act comes to mind, to help them maintain control of power in Washington DC.
It's not just the 10th Amendment: there is explicit language in the Constitution vesting the authority to administer elections in the states. As I understand it, Congress can enact rules that the states must follow (such as Motor Voter), but the actual administration of elections lies beyond federal authority.
There are many powers that the federal govt has grabbed which violate the 9th and 10th Amendments, but SCOTUS has ruled "this is ok". There are three things they will twist to let the fed grab whatever they want: Interstate Commerce, Eminent Domain, or "to promote the general welfare".
How can we prohibit our elected "servants" from holding a single hearing until and unless they have first completed their actual duties, approving all budgets and spending for the year? For once, this is a "both sides" thing. Both parties just love the grandstanding of having a televised hearing on absolutely anything so they can show off, or show their ass. And yes, clearly those people are not making the right statements on guns or abortion. So between republicans giving in to democrats even when they are in the majority and saying stupid things, guess we will soon see how bad things can get.
I agree with Bryan S. about the voting part. If a person refuses to vote over this they're acting against their own interests. I don't think brining a gun to a protest is stupid if you can legally carry. The stupid part comes in when you are carrying and proceed to confront a Federal officer. If confrontation is your plan, leave the gun at home.
Erick, you must know that snipping quotes out of context is awful. Pirro said:
“We find the disruptors and those committing the violence and we make sure those are the ones who are accountable, and you bring a gun into the District mark my words you’re going to jail….”
https://x.com/redwave_press/status/2018435527901421632?s=46
“Ya’ll Need To Shut Up.” At first, I thought you were talking to me. Hilarious, Erick. As my father used to say, “You tell ‘em, Cabbage. You’ve got the head!”
Trump himself and his most ardent supporters got him where he is, and are also among his biggest liabilities. They disdain the political realities at their own - and our- expense.
I agree with your assessment of the categories of voters. Please also remember there are groups/factions that only vote in presidential elections. While I was raised to cast my vote in every single election that is held, I'm around immigrants who've held citizenship in some cases for 30 or more years. And, they're the ones who ONLY vote in presidential elections. I've asked several of them why & one of the explanations was that DJT kept war from their former country. I see this as a possible consequence or feature of allowing dual citizenship.
Erick hit the nail on the head regarding the 2nd Amendment voters. I've been reading a lot of comments on line from 2nd Amendment guys in various pro-gun organizations who don't like it one bit that they're hearing the anti-gun tripe from the Party that's supposed to defend 2nd Amendment rights. Still, I think they'll prefer the GOP over any liberal.
Meh. I am a second amendment advocate and have a CCW. I also feel bringing a gun to a protest that can get violent is stupid. I also watched the Pirro interview and understood what she was saying. Everyone is so ready to be outraged. If someone refuses to vote over this they're idiots.
“There go my people. I must find out where they are going so that I can lead them.” – Alexandre Ledru-Rollin, French Revolutionary, 1848
For two days, Erick has been hand-wringing about how Republicans are “blowing their chances” in this fall’s midterms. What he never explains is the obvious question: why he wants them to win at all.
Right now, the GOP is operating as a pseudo-authoritarian party that routinely ignores the rule of law, cozies up to dictators, and showcases its incompetence on a near-daily basis. It offers nothing of substance to working Americans while reliably serving wealthy donors, political flunkies, and ideological extremists.
The Messiah figure at the top is a criminal, a conman, and a conspiracy theorist whose decisions are driven almost entirely by personal enrichment and political whim. And Congress? It has functioned as little more than a rubber stamp, abandoning oversight and accountability whenever it matters most.
So the issue isn’t Republican messaging or campaign strategy. It’s much simpler: why would anyone want to elect another Congress whose sole accomplishment would be enabling corruption and protecting abuse of power?
A rubber stamp doesn’t fix a broken system. It just presses harder.
dan, I don't disagree with anything you say here. But you could literally write this same thing word-for-word sans references to Orange Jesus about the Bidens.
When in power, Democrats didn't show the authoritarian tendencies now on display in the form of a masked paramilitary on the streets of American cities, for example, or calls to "nationalize" federal elections in direct contravention of the Constitution.
Tucker, we're going to have agree to disagree (or perhaps disagree to disagree!) The Biden administration may have been ineffective in certain ways, but it respected the rule of law, maintained strong ties with America's democratic allies, and appointed competent, experienced individuals to most (not all, but most) key cabinet and governmental positions.
Second, and unlike Trump, Biden didn't rule by fiat. Trump makes crucial decisions with massive national and global implications based on nothing but his whims and his personal grievances, and he sows chaos on a daily basis. Moreover, he desires to be king of the world, demanding fealty as a prerequisite for MAGAs and foes alike.
As for personal conduct, I don't disagree that members of the Biden family used their influence for personal gain, but the comparison to the current levels of corruption by Trump, his family, and his toadies is nonsensical. The public bribery by the regime is unfounded, and the conflicts of interest are too extensive to mention here.
I know, deep down, that YOU know there is no comparison between Biden and Orange Jesus, either at the personal or the governmental level. From a psychological standpoint, however, concocting that comparison makes sense. How else can Republican-leaning Americans justify to themselves what their party has become?
I don't lean Republican any more than I lean Democrat, and I have a strong dislike for both. I lean conservative and lean into strict constructionism. I think DC is nothing more than the WWE and have said so many times on this forum, so don't pretend to know who I am or what I am. That said, you give Biden and those who covered up his mental inadequacies, including his "loving" wife, way too much credit; that you can crusade against Trump without the slightest concern over Joe's autopen is incredibly disingenuous and borderline hypocritical. That you can overlook his open border policies, his disastrous exit from Afghanistan, or his inability to find his way off a stage on his own speaks volumes. Fact is, both are pieces of crap who have disavowed the American people for their own interests. But why not?? WE keep electing idiots like this, and I'm sure they wonder why Nancy Pelosi should be the only one cashing in on that idiocy.
Tucker, again, we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one. From my perspective, Trump and his administration are unique in American history, and that includes both Republican and Democratic administrations. There has never been a regime in America that is so anti-democratic, lawless, untruthful, corrupt, and incompetent in the history of American politics, and their has never been a political discipleship that views their leader as a Messiah rather than simply a man. This makes Trump and the MAGA movement not only unique, but uniquely dangerous - for both American democracy and the global order.
dan, the very fact that you put "From my perspective" in your statement changes everything for me. This forum should be about exchanging ideas, and that's exactly what you did here. Thank you for seeing our exchange through to this point. Much appreciated.
Erick doesn't seem to understand taking one step back (losing with a corrupt autocrat) and taking 2 steps forward (getting back to a responsible Republican party).
Two thoughts come to mind: are republican voters that stupid that they don’t realize not showing up to vote during off year elections hurts them in the long run? All elections are important, local,state,national.
Secondly, does it really matter at this point? Washington is just one big uniparty. They’ve got us by the throats ( wallets), indicating that local and state elections are ever more important.
it still matters at this point. there are a few elected officials in Washington that care about us the voters. just need to continue and try to get more of them elected.
Good Morning People just another distraction so they can keep US in the dark and keep Stealing US blind. I just wonder if we will ever wake up. God Bless America
I think we're heading for a financial collapse and the Uniparty is doing everything it can to keep us all divided and distracted.
Republicans make lousy politicians, as a rule. While Democrats are happy to temporarily glaze over their individual pet issues and walk in lockstep (knowing that if they win, they will each be able to run the gamut of their own destructive wish lists, unimpeded by Republicans frightened of their shadows) while Republicans petulantly vote against their Party's... and the Nation's... best interests over their own individual personal gain and/or their pet peeves. I give you Rand Paul and LIndsey Graham, e.g., and the extreme example of my former Rep, MTG, "I'll just take my toys and go home!" Twit. (Excuse me; I feel physically bad today from stomach and heart issues and it's affecting my already grumpy disposition.)
Regardless of who is in the majority and regardless of the size of their majority, the Dem's will stay in charge; they will always be able to depend upon Republican defectors to vote with them and save their day. Because for Dems, it's observably about destroying anything good about the USA. For Repubs, most of them don't seem to care about the future of the USA, as long as they can keep their positions through the next election. We are, as a nation, in big trouble.
Amen!!
What I have seen in Marjorie Taylor Greene is one of the reasons why I keep coming here. She was once as zealous in her belief of the same views that are mostly on display here. However, basically being a decent person and not completely stupid, she came to a point where she could no longer ignore who Donald Trump really is. Most of the people commenting here are basically decent people and not at all stupid, and that gives me hope.
No, she's an embecile
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/02/marjorie-taylor-greene-real-time-bill-maher
Funny thing is Bill Clinton today would be marginalized and gutted from today’s Marxist Democrat party.
I'm loathe to point out a potential silver lining to Democrats winning in mid-terms but there are advantages to the Republicans. Do you really want the last two years leading up to 2028 presidential elections to look like this last year, with Trump leading a smash and grab kleptocracy? Selling our best chip technology and fighter jets to whichever Arab country paid him the most. Putting tariffs on a whim to any country that he perceives slighted him. Turning over Ukrainian peace talks to a couple of NYC real estate developers and a never ending list of other things
Or would you rather have the image of Chuck Shumers' snarky scowl be in the voters mind. 2028 will loom much larger than 2026, and we may still have a functioning democracy.
Andy Beshear is the closest to a modern-day Bill Clinton
Would love to see either him or Cooper run for Democratic nomination, but yes. Beshear is more charismatic.
The chips sold were not our best. The top tier chips are still prohibited to be sold. 19 other countries already have possession of or orders in for the F-35's. Why shouldn't the Saudis have them? You sound like one of the proponents of the "expert class" in that anyone without your preferred credentials isn't possibly qualified to do a job. One thing arguably unique about DJT is that he shatters a lot of that myth as we have seen positive results from "unqualified non-experts". Of course only experts that are on the same side of the political spectrum matter as was exhibited during Covid right? How did that work out?
Why shouldn't the Saudis have them? The fact that they basically bribed Trump before getting them is reason enough for me.
How so? The Qataris gave the US the plane. What bribe did he receive?
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/white-house-faces-questions-uae-royals-investment-trump/story?id=129774262&utm_source=copilot.com
So you feel that a deal with the UAE was a bribe to allow Saudi Arabia to buy planes? Interesting. See, I look at it as the Saudis have actually been on our side more and more so why not allow our allies access to state of the art weapons so they can help us keep the middle east under control. It's not like they are even a remote threat to the US.
My bad. Trump is taking bribes from so many Arabs that it is hard keeping track of them all.
And as for the Saudis being one of our "allies," do you remember a little something called 9/11?
Neil, you will find that replying to Bryan is a waste of time. He never comments himself but just trolls around trying to get in arguments.
I comment fairly often actually, but it is fun pointing out the raw hypocrisy and nonsense the hate posters spew. You're welcome to block me if you can't hang. Enjoy your day.
What, Erick? No mention of Trump getting a half a billion dollar bribe from the UAE in exchange for our best AI chips? And you accuse the left leaning media of ignoring Biden’s shady dealings? Only a brief mention on yesterday’s show where you basically said “but Biden was corrupt too”? Maybe tomorrow? Your headline could be “Trump Caught Robbing Bank, But Biden Shoplifted.”
I think everybody is so used to Trump being a corrupt white collar criminal that any corruption is ok. "He does it out in the open!", " They all do it!" That's the defense, that's bs and it doesn't make it right.
Trump is defining deviancy down and we'll all pay the price in the long run.
So very true. With every departure from norms that have been respected in this country virtually since its inception, the next departure becomes easier for Republicans to accept. Moreover, the party that stood in opposition to an overly intrusive federal government now accepts a masked paramilitary on the streets of American cities, dictates to private universities, and calls to "federalize" state elections. Supporting Donald Trump is all that matters, no matter what he does.
Yeah, I listened yesterday and to EE's credit he did at least acknowledge Trump's blatant corruption - which is more than most conservative talk radio hosts would do. However it was the most flaccid condemnation one could possibly have and consisted of a couple of minutes of "I have some concerns" type weak sauce. Had the exact same situation happened, but with a democrat Pres. EE would have eviscerated him (multiple days of morning write ups, full on air segments, calling for impeachment, etc.). So no Erick didn't call for an investigation, didn't explain how damning the corruption is, didn't call on republican law makers to hold Trump accountable or nullify the bs chip deal, nada...
It's clear that EE has adopted a strategy of just tepidly mentioning Trump many unconstitutional acts in passing when they happen so that he can meet the bare minimum threshold necessary to claim moral high ground / objectivity in the future when a dems are in power and he turns back into an attack dog.
On one level I agree with both yours and Planter's comments about EE's handling of Trump's money grab for chips, BUT in defense of Erick what Trump did (culpable deniability) by having his kiddos run the crypto company that took the money is perfectly legal (I think), but it's politically stupid. I told my sister (the way-left-of-center-one) it is like Trump giving a big middle-finger to 'Merica. The fact that MSM gave the story a short section of their news is telling.
Yeah, Trump is usually smart enough to communicate in a vague way that masks the criminality of his intent. It's like a mob boss who talks about how it would be better if someone wasn't around and then one of his underlings kills the guy (the mob boss never explicitly said - "go kill this guy").
This is why people can look at what Trump did after the 2020 election and say he was just exercising his free speech. Meanwhile he is coercing Pence to crown him pres, organizing fake electors, coercing secretaries of state to throw him the vote (and later primarying those who don't go along), rallying a mob to the capital (and then pardoning ever single violent offender involved) but sure he was not stoping on the constitution / trying to overturn the election because he never said "hey - I am going to try to illegally remain in power"
In the Fl docs case he just got lazy and outright obstructed justice with no pretenses anymore.
As for the limited media coverage of this latest massive corruptions story - I think it's more a reflection on Trump corruption fatigue. It's not as exciting a squirrel to chase as Trump trying to take over elections or whatever else he uses as a distraction.
For the most part, I think Trump is an idiot. However, "flooding the zone" with so much corruption and so many abuses of power that it is hard to keep track of, much less push back against it all is evil genius. For example, ICE's excesses in Minnesota pushed the Epstein files right off the front page for a time and dampened the reaction to his insane talk of seizing Greenland.
If Republicans would just sack up and do what Trump wants by "nationalizing" the elections the midterms would be easy peazy.
the US Supreme Court would rule that "nationalizing" the elections be unconstitutional. Because of the 10th Amendment to the US Constitution, powers not granted to the federal government are reserved for the states. Beside the left has been pushing to "nationalizing" the past number of decades -So called "Motor Voter " Act comes to mind, to help them maintain control of power in Washington DC.
It's not just the 10th Amendment: there is explicit language in the Constitution vesting the authority to administer elections in the states. As I understand it, Congress can enact rules that the states must follow (such as Motor Voter), but the actual administration of elections lies beyond federal authority.
There are many powers that the federal govt has grabbed which violate the 9th and 10th Amendments, but SCOTUS has ruled "this is ok". There are three things they will twist to let the fed grab whatever they want: Interstate Commerce, Eminent Domain, or "to promote the general welfare".
How can we prohibit our elected "servants" from holding a single hearing until and unless they have first completed their actual duties, approving all budgets and spending for the year? For once, this is a "both sides" thing. Both parties just love the grandstanding of having a televised hearing on absolutely anything so they can show off, or show their ass. And yes, clearly those people are not making the right statements on guns or abortion. So between republicans giving in to democrats even when they are in the majority and saying stupid things, guess we will soon see how bad things can get.