mtutiger

All of this to what end? What does any of this do to make people's lives materially better? It's not even about the bigger macro picture, even on the micro, individualistic level.... what does this do to make your life better? Burr's absolutely spot on in focusing on this... if we are electing politicians who aren't even going through the pretense of trying to make people's lives better, than what are we doing exactly? Is all this **** just gladiator games?

At the risk of sounding like I'm downplaying, this reads like a temper-tantrum after the past week which, overall, didn't exactly play out like they would have wanted.

It's good to be reminded that you aren't alone when you live in a more red area.

Considering how much deference they give this administration, you know it's bad when the Times is calling it low-energy...

I rather enjoyed the announcer giving "special thanks to our sponsor... Coinbase" Idiocracy baby!

I've only seen clips, but it's striking how sloppy the whole production is... If a Russian parade were planned and it went off like this, one of Putin's associates would be throwing the organizer off of a balcony

300+ strong in Morris, IL today (decided to attend in person)... Impressive given how conservative it can be out this way

Has the administration blamed ANTIFA yet?

I'm sure there was lobbying involved by various industries, but it's also a monumental ****up on their part regardless

I'll believe it when I see it

The fact that they keep hauling off actual American citizens with impunity is an outrage

I think he's generally aware of what's going on, but from what was reported on during term one and what has been reported thus far (at least what I've read), I think he was much more involved in decision making during his first term and that he's outsourcing details much more this go around. The immigration stuff, in particular, is 100% Miller. It's still 100% Trump's responsibility (ie. The Buck Stops Here), but Miller is in the drivers seat on this stuff IMO

I think he's a 79 year old man who is losing the handle on his fastball. He ran for office to stay out of jail and for revenge, and that is primarily what I believe he is focused on or cares about. The details don't matter to him, there is no grand strategy, and the fact that any of it is effective is more of an indictment on the American public than it is attributable to him being a genius.

No New Wars! lol

What makes it really difficult to change is the tendency for Democrats to doom and be relentlessly negative all the time as well. The situation is clearly terrible and we all don't know what the future holds, but pushing back requires people to be able to set aside their anxieties and play on his level.

Agreed... two other things to consider as to why what Newsom is doing is effective: Trump isn't getting any younger, the contrast between the two is noticable. Including in energy levels (often the thing that the media uses to excuse concerns about Trump's age) Trump is a narcissist (not a clinical diagnosis, but clear from his personality); the best way to cut people like that down to size is through ridicule. I still can't stand the guy, but he's threaded the needle of expressing the seriousness of the situation while ridiculing Trump (and his subordinates) in a way that no D has so far. I have to credit him for that.

Miller is doing what Miller wants. Trump, given his statements yesterday about farm and hospitality labor, appears to have zero clue what he wants and is just coasting. Ultimately Trump bears the responsibility for what happens in his administration, but I don't think he's fully there TBH.

I'd go a step further to say that it isn't clear that even has much day-to-day control of his administration. On immigration in particular, seems pretty clear that Stephen Miller is the one calling the shots

I honestly don't know that they wanted Netanyahu to go in here, but it really doesn't matter. He was going in regardless, and all this supposed influence that he has is about as real was one of his Trump University diplomas

I continue to wonder, for all the authoritarianism, what exactly the payoff is supposed to be. Even his supplicant leaders don't give a crap about his influence

He told to leave? I didn't hear that. Hell, rewatching the video, I'm not sure more than six seconds lapsed from the moment he started speaking to federal officers laying hands on him. Seems pretty clear to me that federal officers escalated this situation and deserve the brunt of the blame. Says the guy saying that a federally elected representative from California, and someone who was born, raised and lived in Los Angeles, who dared to ask a question of an unelected federal bureaucrat who is carrying out a policy that his constituents largely detest, is the real bad guy here.

As much as we revere MLK today, a lot of what he did at the time was decried as being provocative and counterproductive. When I see people rant about "political stunts", that's what my mind goes to.