If there were a sequel to the movie, The Big Labowski, it would be called, The Bigly Trump. “The dude abides,” and he’ll keep going, just as he always has. Even if he were impeached and convicted, he’d say it was the best thing that ever happened—and he’d find a way to make another, personal billion dollars on it.
That’s why he is so popular with his fans. Many of them feel beat up and defeated. They love seeing someone keep plodding along, even with all the anchors he’s dragging. A lot of it depends on interpretation. If you have a terminally optimistic view, it’s hard to be stopped. He also benefits from the way he uses and manipulates people. Again, his fans love it, since they feel that they are the ones who have been used and manipulated in their lives.
One way Donald Trump does this is to hint and suggest things that he has absolutely no intention of doing. Currently, he’s trying to distract attention (“SQUIRREL!!”) from the firing of FBI head, James Comey, by talking about people who are being “considered” as a replacement. One of the first was Merrick Garland. Seriously? That would certainly shock Trump’s fans and befuddle his detractors. Of course, Garland is too smart to leave his position-for-life as a judge to sign up with someone who disposes of subordinates like chewing gum wrappers. Trump is addicted to the phrase, “You’re Fired.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell tried hard to get Garland to take the FBI job, according to Fox. It would ease McConnell’s conscience for the way he dealt with Garland, or rather, refused to deal with Garland, last year, when the judge deserved senate confirmation to the Supreme Court.
If McConnell wanted to impress someone, he would have pushed for Garland to take a hiatus from his current position to be a special prosecutor in the Russia investigation.
Despite the endorsements from powerful Republicans, Judge Merrick Garland is not interested in the job, sources told Reuters.
Garland, who was blocked last year by Republicans for a Supreme Court post, “loves his job and is “not interested in leaving the judiciary,” Reuters reported, citing two sources who know the judge.
Garland’s position as the chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is a lifetime appointment. An FBI director serves for 10 years.
Trump says he is also “considering” former Senator Joseph Lieberman, according to Breitbart.
President Donald Trump is interviewing FBI director candidates this afternoon, which include former Connecticut Democrat Senator Joe Lieberman. . .
Lieberman, a good friend of Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona was also the Democratic vice-presidential nominee in 2000 with Vice President Al Gore.
Trump thinks that would make Democrats happy, but Lieberman is held with the same level of regard among most Democrats as John McCain is held by most Republicans. Dino, meet Rino.
But the point is–no way. Trump “considers” a lot of things. Remember how he humiliated Mitt Romney, by hinting that Romney was being “considered” for Secretary of State. Romney swallowed his pride, his dignity, and some would say integrity, and crawled into Trump Tower, hat in hand, and probably on his knees. But the joke was on him. How could he not have seen that coming?
This “I am considering” gambit also goes for issues, noted the National Review.
Trump Is Considering [Insert Idea Here]
It is time for all of us to be a little more skeptical every time we see the headline, “President Trump Considering X.” In just the past two weeks or so, we’ve seen…
Trump Is Considering Breaking Up Big Banks
Trump says he’d consider increasing the gas tax
Trump considering breakup of appeals court that opposed him
White House considering order to withdraw from NAFTA
Trump administration still considering how to make it easier to sue the media,
Priebus says Trump considering laptop ban on some European flights
Trump Is Willing to Consider a Sudden Strike on North Korea
Trump says he could meet with North Korea’s leader Mulvaney:
Trump Willing To Sign Government Spending Bill Without Wall Funding
We get it. Trump is willing to consider a lot of things, particularly when the topic comes up in an interview with a reporter. . .His staffers, like Reince Priebus and Mick Mulvaney, are reticent to rule any option out. The result is a White House where nobody exactly knows what the philosophy is, what sorts of ideas and policies fit that philosophy and what ones don’t, and what issues and tasks take priority. The president’s perspective on an issue could be very different if the last person he spoke to was Jared Kushner or if it was Stephen Bannon.
And that’s why Trump will survive the current slew of crises. One, you can’t get him to admit to anything, and two, he is a moving target. Today’s excuse will be “inoperative” tomorrow. But, to be fair, at this moment, they ain’t got nuttin’ on him. And the fact that we have a “special counsel,” instead of an “independent prosecutor” means that the investigator will have to stick to this one issue. The special counsel can’t spend tens of millions of dollars, the way Ken Starr did, happily skittering from one inquisition to another, until he finally found a blue dress to use against Bill Clinton.
Trump actually enjoys fighting, and he enjoys being the center of attention. And it’s all to Trump’s advantage to lead every nightly news with stories of palace intrigue. For instance, while the media are focusing on Comey and Russia, pontificating Democrats and Republicans, talk of impeachment, secret tapes, transcripts, whether Bannon is in or out, and myriad meaningless details, did you notice that the diversion has allowed Trump to slash the education budget even more?
TRUMP WANTS A $3 BILLION CUT TO EDUCATION THIS YEAR: After proposing a $9.2 billion cut to the Education Department’s budget for next year, the President Donald Trump is now calling on Congress to slash nearly $3 billion in education funding for the remaining five months of this fiscal year, according to a document obtained by POLITICO. . .
— The Trump proposal seeks cuts across many federal agencies, but calls for the deepest reductions at the Education Department.
And at a time when middle class people are suffering under the weight of student loans. . .
The administration proposes $1.3 billion in cuts from the Pell grant program’s surplus this year — on top of the $3.9 billion proposed cut for next fiscal year. The CBO estimates the program will operate with a $10.6 billion surplus next year, but advocates for student aid and Congressional Democrats have blasted efforts to “raid” the Pell surplus and direct that money outside of financial aid programs.
And at a time when the science suggests that exercise is important for brain health. . .and when we are realizing that mental and emotional problems should be identified and treated early. . .
Also on the chopping block for elimination this year: A $47 million program that provides grants to school districts and other organizations to support physical education programs and a $49 million competitive grant program that provides money for elementary and secondary school counseling. The White House is also proposing to nix a $152 million program to boost math and science instruction and a $189 million program called Striving Readers that provides competitive grants to states to improve literacy instruction.
Other programs to be cut?
–National Institutes of Health
–NASA
–National Science Foundation
–State Department educational and exchange programs
Bet you didn’t notice any of that, did you? Trump will survive, because at any moment of the day, month, year, Donald J. Trump can recognize exactly what will benefit Donald J. Trump right now, in this precise moment. And when it comes down to it, this moment is all we ever have.
Nope. Trump ain’t goin’ nowhere. As we’ve noted several times, there is no question that Russia meddled in our election. Even the Trump Administration admits that. The Russians mapped out their plan to do so back in the twentieth century. And, yes, the beneficiary was Donald Trump. But so far, there is no evidence of collusion between Russia and the campaign. The fact that Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are so alike—power and publicity hounds—makes them the perfect pair, but that doesn’t mean they were plotting together, in fact, just the opposite. They take advantage of opportunities, they don’t “cooperate.” And the fact that Trump was so effusive in his praise of Putin makes a plot even more implausible. Likewise, neither Trump nor Putin trust anyone, so is it likely they’d work together? No.
After the investigation is complete, we’ll find that Russia tried many things, but Russia’s aid in bringing down Hillary Clinton was just a happy coincidence for Trump.
As for the Oval Office meeting with the Russians, Trump’s unmasking of Israeli intelligence was ego gone awry, and it’s damaging, but it’s not a crime, much less, a “high” crime. Richard Nixon was mostly right when he said, “if the president does it, it’s not illegal.” This is one of those times, so there will be more talk, but no real action against him.
The real danger to the nation is that Trump has packed his administration with military men, and given the generals a free hand to act as they please, such as dropping the largest non-nuclear bomb in history without having to ask permission. Now, the military and intelligence agencies can justify keeping him in the dark, much less consulting Trump, claiming that he can’t be trusted. Civilian control of our government is at risk. Not Trump’s hold on the presidency.
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