Bill Oakley, former writer and show runner for the Simpsons wrote a piece in the Washington Post pointing out that the GOP’s defense of Trump is actually taken from one of the episodes of the famous animated series that’s been on televisions for 31 seasons.  Called the “Sideshow Bob” defense, it’s about a character in the show who mounts his own grass roots campaign to get himself released from prison so he can get elected mayor of Springfield, USA and continue his crime spree.  In his campaign, he argues on a Rush Limbaugh style show that being convicted of attempted murder is the same as being convicted of “attempted chemistry”, and therefor not a crime.  He succeeds, and installs himself as mayor, claiming that any white man in a tie and speaking with authority will convince 55% of the people. Long story short, he continues his crime spree as mayor and is eventually undone by Lisa and Bart Simpson.  During his trial, when asked why he did it, Sideshow Bob erupts into a confession claiming, “Because you need me, Springfield. Your guilty conscience may force you to vote Democratic, but deep down inside you secretly long for a coldhearted Republican to lower taxes, brutalize criminals and rule you like a king. That’s why I did this: to protect you from yourselves.”

Actual history is imitating animated comedy.  Such is the state of our country today.

Today, one of our readers reminded us of this post from October 7, 2017 about how Rex Tillerson was then opposing Trump’s support for doing away with US bribery laws.  In view of what we’re going through right now, we thought it would be timely to repost.  Here it is:

Moral Bankruptcy – October 7, 2017

One of the rising stories in the war between Trump and Tillerson has underlined the actual issue at the core of this administration – moral bankruptcy.  We all know that Trump is a complete waste of oxygen, a Grade A Shitbag, and every other pejorative one can conjure.  What is he, though, at his essence?  At his center, Trump is totally devoid of any decency or empathy and worse (if that’s even possible), he is morally bankrupt.  The case in point is the disagreement that has been simmering between Trump and Tillerson since the beginning of this train wreck; Trump’s desire to legalize bribery.

One of Trump’s core issues is a law that he wants reversed: the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.  The FCPA was passed in 1977 in an attempt for the United States to lead the world in reducing what was then blatant corruption and bribery in international business.  The law is enforced by the SEC and DOJ and has greatly reduced corruption because, under the law, business leaders are personally liable should their companies get caught paying bribes.  For years, Trump has railed against the law, calling it a “horrible law and it should be changed.” Trump says that not being able to pay bribes to foreign officials makes us uncompetitive.

Fortunately for us, but unfortunately for Tillerson, Rex disagrees with Trump.  In a White House meeting in February, Tillerson dared to do just that with Trump after he complained about the act, saying that bribery was key to success.  Tillerson stood his ground and even related a story to him about how he refused to bribe a Yemeni state official when he was CEO of Exxon.  The deal got done anyway.

What this story reveals is not only the importance of actual adults like Tillerson, Kelly, Mattis, and others to keep Trump in check, but the critical need that they do so.  Trump is the very definition of corruption.  He is so self absorbed and completely saturated by his corruption that he actually wants to weaken US policy so HE’LL make more money.  Just thinking about having this cretin at the levers of power sends cold chills down my spine.  This man is not only evil; his corruption is a cancer on our society.

This disaster can’t end soon enough; in the meantime, as much as I disagree with Tillerson on any number of policy issues, I also see his value as the last defense against Trump burning down what’s left of our republic.  He, and those like him owe it to the rest of us to stay in place until we can excise this disease from office by either criminal charges and/or resignation.

Y’all, Jared Kushner finally did something.  His crowning achievement is this —

Jared Kushner and other senior Trump administration officials are planning to set up web cameras to live-stream construction of President Trump’s border wall, going against objections from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and senior U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials, according to four people familiar with the White House proposal.

I kinda suspect it’s to give Republicans something to watch during the impeachment hearings.  I have some in-laws who we see once a year but I keep up with their kids on Facebook.  One of the rabid Trump supporters posted this morning.

I know this woman. She could not define “conservative” if her life depended on it. I think this is the Republican mega-message because all of her friends lamented that they were missing their daytime teevee dramas and so they are not watching it either.

But, if they can watch the wall get built – little problem in that it will never be finished – they can say that Trump is fulfilling his promise.  I am sure that Customs and the Army Corp of Engineers only oppose this because they are the deep state, right?

Look we already have a 24 hour a day Trump infomercial – and Sean Hannity runs it.

Deval Patrick, former Massachusetts governor and current co-chairman of Bain Capital (yes, that Bain capital), announced today is candidacy for Vice President of the United States.  Yes, I said VP.  Patrick knows that he has zero chance of being nominated president, especially at this late stage.  He’s positioning himself, in my opinion, to be the go to person for the VP slot.  He has all the qualifications, and would be the perfect running mate for Biden (and others, but especially Biden).  Think about it – Biden has the best chance of beating His Orangeness, but he’ll undoubtedly be a one-term president.  Therefore he’ll need a Veep who can take on the 2024 mantel.  That could very well be Patrick.  He’s experienced, worked closely with President Obama, and is well liked among Democrats and New Englanders.  He’s the perfect presidential candidate – for 2024.  I think that’s the play, but others believe that Patrick will try to take New Hampshire and go head to head with Biden in South Carolina.  That approach virtually guarantees a win in SC for Warren by splitting the African American vote between Biden (who’s very popular there) and Patrick.  That’s unwise, and I believe Patrick knows that.

I like Patrick in the mix, which makes the whole thing very interesting.  Biden/Patrick?  I like it.  A lot.

Syrian people? Not so much.

One of the lies Trump and his sycophants repeat ad nauseam is that simply because of him, the economy is “booming” and growing like “never before in US history”.  That’s complete bullshit of course, and NO economic performance number supports Trump’s boasting.   Trump’s greatest accomplishment has been fortunate to have followed Barack Obama who bucked huge political obstruction to kick start the economy by pumping billions into rebuilding industries and extending unemployment benefits to out of work Americans.  Anyone who has studied Economics 101 knows that a key tool for bringing an economy out of a downturn is INCREASING government spending to get people back to work.  Obama fought the Repubs tooth and nail, and succeeded.  Trump is the beneficiary of that courage, as our economy is simply on the same trend line established by Obama policy.  In fact, Trump is trailing behind some measures established by Obama because of his idiotic trade war.

Here are a few examples:

US GDP Growth

S&P 500

Job Growth

Remember when Trump promised 6% GDP growth?  To bring coal back? To increase manufacturing jobs?  None of those promises have been kept.  None.  Essentially, the economy has continued its up and to the right trend more in spite of Trump rather that because of Trump.

Even though it’s denied by Trumpists, truth does matter.  And the truth is that the economy left by Obama is strong enough to so far resist Trump’s destructive infestation of the White House.