The game 45 always wins
“He asked me to do some crazy shit.”
-Trump’s former legal counsel Don McGahn
Trump to former Deputy AG Jeffrey Rosen: “No, just say the Election was corrupt. I’ll take care of the rest, with the (help of) Republicans in Congress.”
These gentlemen, McGahn and Rosen, well-heeled and able lawyers in Trump’s gaze, balked at learning a new game, the perfidy of “public relations:”
Just say what you don’t mean… just say anything to move along the effect you want to make…your intentions will remain hidden because people don’t really listen.
This cynical attitude is…
DC Capitol Police go “political” to protect democracy
DC Capitol Police provide an object lesson in protecting democracy.
“Yes, this is political.”
-Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, during testimony before the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the US Capitol Complex, July 27
The question before the January 6 Committee — not ‘Commission’ — is not how “January 6” started, not how we prevent another “January 6,” but what we, as a “self-governing society,”are willing to sacrifice to protect democracy.
The DC Capitol police demonstrated heroism January 6. They are heroes.
They also committed a sacrifice…
This week in Texas: a pictorial essay
What’s with the Field Master’s hats?
(picture of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and members of Texas Law Enforcement plotting strategy to contain Democrats’ blockage of repressive voting legislation. Photo courtesy of The Manchester Guardian)
Redeeming the present by leveraging the future
Not an acceptable political strategy.
(Photo by Roy Muz for Unsplash)
July 15
Judging from the frown-like demeanor of White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre during a MSNBC video briefing, voting rights were erased today from the White House ‘to do’ priority list. The “dealmaking” would center now on getting the infrastructure bill passed. Across town: “Forget the filibuster,”reiterated bad-boy “DINO” Sen. Joe Manchin, exiting a meeting with Texan Democrats/voting suppression refugees at the Capitol on Thursday. Translation: Manchin won’t ‘move’ on voting rights legislation.
Thank you for serving as Trump’s prop
An assessment of the late “great” Vice President
One sure-fire way to get close to former President Trump is to become his prop. Ask former Vice President Mike Pence.
As Trump’s props go, we have the super-size red tie, the American flag, the golf cart with Sen. Lindsey Graham in tow, the slinkily dressed models and former one term Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. All have a shelf life — they’ve been objectified — including “Mike Pence.”
Except the breathing Mike Pence, unlike other props — Manafort, Stone and Giuliani to name a few…
A Midwest Trump Signage Road Trip
The ‘road to 2024’ is this traveler’s nightmare. From Chicago to Cleveland and back. Three states: Indiana, Michigan, Ohio.
Heh, that (Trump’s defeat) was six months ago. Get over it!
Not exactly.
How intelligent is the Supreme Court?
America has successfully “dumbed down” a branch of government.
Reader caveat: I am not a lawyer. My friends agree: ‘we are all spared.’ I am not a legal geek. Ari Melber’s hauteur nauseates me. I am an amateur political historian and a fan of social psych. I am a loyal citizen who loves country and whose opinions are well… opinions.
So prepare yourself: I think the US Supreme Court stinks. America deserves better. Here’s my argument.
Look at recent court decision history and their implications. Where are the socially transformative decisions? Shelby? Holder? Citizens…
The race for Michigan’s 8th Congressional District is important… yes, NOW.
Elissa Slotkin is running for a third term.
June 30
Who is Elissa Slotkin? Even the effort in answering this question is a problem for Democrats. Slotkin’s district is one of several House seats which must be won in order for Democrats to hold onto a majority in Congress.
The Michigan 8th is a district a majority of whose voters -by a 6.7% margin- voted to elect Donald Trump President in 2016. The following election, 2018, Slotkin, a Democrat, narrowly unseated Republican incumbent Mike Bishop. Slotkin fought off Paul…
Art of the Political
Biden’s public posture has evolved and this is a good thing. A five step process.
When Ted Levitt was talking about ‘nothing really happens until a sale is made,’ he was talking about managing the results, the “everything” that happens after a sale is made. In 1962 the year Marketing Myopia was published, this notion was quickly adopted by a managerial class waking up to a mature value-seeking consumer.
Sound familiar?
June 23, 2021: Why do Republicans think, once again- their third public attempt- that they dare challenge the Affordable Care Act? Because they can. Because…
Critical Election Theory
‘We’ are not ‘divided,’ which does not mean ‘we’ compromise.
The ‘thing’ about saying ‘as a nation, we are divided,’ or worse ‘more divided,’ or even worse ‘more divided than ever,’ is that we are missing the forest for the trees. We are so distracted by. a culture of ‘trolling and polling’ that our collective silence(s) on important matters has become deafening.
Birds know better.
What is the forest? The question remains that some of us are advocating for democracy and some of us are advocating for something else. Think of these as the two political choices…
Rodney Clough
Writer, essayist, dreamer.
