Rasputin Lives
For time and immemorial, the standard playbook for dealing with a disgraced former leader has been the same. You let them ride off into the sunset and everyone forgets about him or her. This even includes the criminals. I have always been taught and always believed that criminalizing political behavior would lead to bad ends. The last guy has taught those of us in that camp that we shouldn’t politicize criminal behavior.
Polling data indicate that he’s gaining for 2024. No, he would not win an election if it were held today, but it’s certainly close enough to make people nervous. What seems more outrageous historically is that he is in front of the entire GOP pool. What’s more, when someone loses by eight million votes the normal course is for all of the next candidates to fall over themselves convincing us that they aren’t that guy. Except, every blasted one of them is doing the exact opposite.
I’d say things will change once the indictments start rolling in, but I think it will take him actually wearing an orange jumpsuit for there to be a dent. Even then, it would just be a dent. I don’t know how many times I can say the word “normally” before we all realize that normal will just be one of those quaint words we don’t use anymore. They will convince themselves that it’s all a sham like my mother in law who convinced herself that Joe Biden was resigning. This one is going to take a few election cycles to clear.
I am beginning to wonder when and IF the indictments will ever begin to roll in. Once again, it looks like Teflon Don is going to walk. I am so anxious to see him in prison that I have lost patience with the process. That guy was so destructive to this country that he needs to pay.
1I agree with Grandma K. C’mon SDNY, the DOJ, Georgia, whomever–get on with it! We can’t afford to let the Former Guy get away with wrecking the country. If we do, somebody smarter is going to set it on fire, next time.
2Yikes! I’m about to read your column, NIck, but it’s “time immemorial”. Sorry. I got stopped dead in my tracks on that one.
3Well, for one thing, I had professors in undergrad school who predicted Trump. We all thought they were crazy. Would like to personally apologize to any of them still alive.
For another thing, Rasputin died violently despite his attempts to regain the power he once had. Ya know that old saying about the wheels of justice etc. etc.?
4I’m with Grandma on this. WTF is taking so long? I have a hard time believing investigators don’t have enough to indict already. It feels like someone in the loop is slow walking with the excuse “we need just one more piece of evidence” to move the case from 90% to 98% before they proceed.
Unless, of course, the premise that he is actually convict-able of anything to begin with. It is possible, but even if not convicted I want to see fat orange on the witness stand getting cross-examined nonetheless.
Same applies to the four scions, but I suspect Jared is too slippery. How he got away with that 666 5th avenue deal is just astounding.
5I’d be happy to see him start losing his money and property. Especially the golf courses.
6Even if he ever is indicted, I fear that won’t be the end, or even the beginning of the end, of this matter.
The violence of 1/6 will be at least repeated if not topped. His true believers will never be persuaded that he is a criminal let alone the fact that he always has been. They’ve not only been duped but willingly duped and will be more than happy to make the rest of us pay for their gullibility.
I fear for our country.
7The Old Pretender, just like most of the GOP, is an abuser who is grooming his victims – the GOP base – to do his bidding. Those people believe deep down that they should work for low wage jobs, no healthcare, vaccines and masks are for non-believers, guns give them power. It’s really getting scary!
8Your points are valid Nick, but we’re still a long way out from the next election. We tend to underestimate the biggest factor in politics, the fickleness of the American voter. The 2008 the early frontrunners were Hillary Clinton & Rudy Giuliani. In 2012 Herman Cain.
I’ll start worrying about Trump in 2023 or 2024 if he hasn’t faded from memory by the time the primaries take place, like leader of the pack for 1992 Jerry Brown. Bill Clinton started polling for that election in single digits.
9I’m with those saying trumpf will never be indicted even though there’s a long list of indictable offenses he’s committed. He’s going to continue feeding the rumors of a 2024 run because that would make indictments look like Democrats are just going after a political foe, something trumpf tried to do more than once.
10As for repugnanticans allowing trumpf to run again, that’s all they have. They’ve long been chasing away voters as the demographics of this country have changed. Now they’re in a corner where they have no other options but trumpf because the base wouldn’t support another candidate, at least in the next presidential election cycle. We can only hope that base continues to shrink, IMHO.
Now don’t insult Rasputin like that. Rasputin was literate and could think and speak coherently.
11There’s likely going to be a 2d amendment solution, or health issues. Trumpf will never be indicted. Fear of civil war.
12Or maybe the mu variant can get him. That would be perfectly appropriate considering trumpf, his followers and repugnanticans are as responsible as anyone for getting the pandemic to its ever mutating state.
13DiaperDon45 will most likely get away with everything.
14There is no organization that fleeces the people more then congress & the prez. 4 years of doing nothing good and they retire with benefits and the prez even has a permanent armed guard to service him…WHY?
Wasn’t 2016 grand? The slave owner first president of 1789 and the slave owners who followed him to office had some redeemable features. Then came Reagan, Bush1, Bush2 and the ***king moron taking bigotry and stupidity to levels never before seen.
Rasputin? Meh. Idi Amin Dada had nothing on ‘Cons post Eisenhower. Donnie tRump? History should reward him as the Pol Pot of Pandemics. Dayum. If Lincoln could “see” those calling themselves ‘The Party of Lincoln,’ he’d shoot his ownself in despair.
15Well, James Michael Curley served his last term as Mayor of Boston from prison. He also had one term as Governor of Massachusetts, and 2 terms as a Representative in the US House of Representatives. So, yeah, it is possible that Trump could run again and win. I tremble with fear even at the thought however.
16I wasn’t going to say anything, but when I refreshed the page it looked like you changed it, and it is still wrong. It is time immemorial. Not that that’s super important, I’m just really bored and really depressed.
17For those of you still having trouble envisioning the possible return of the utterly corrupt lying Rufous Ratbastard to our White House, I give y’all a sample of his fervently devoted worshippers.
I periodically watch certain of the Rethug traitors teevee shows [haven’t bothered with radio since the early Limpballs show].
This weekend I happened to catch the latter ~3/4 of the Talibangelical Rev. John Hagee’s tv sermon [I must have sinned grievously for a penance like that].
Hagee went through his usual litany of touting the activities of himself, kin, and minions, and his Cornerstone church, with the usual Israeli/CUFI tie-ins [a whole ‘nuther topic].
The summary: Hagee’s Cornerstone audience went stark-raving batshit when the Rev. finally invoked the name of their new god, Trump.
Hagee had effusive praise for all things Rethuglikan, and heaped scorn on the ‘tools of the devil’, the never mentioned-by-name Democrats and the ‘personification of evil’, President Biden.
Hagee made several comparisons between the present and former president, not naming them as he worked his enthralled audience up [I use audience, not congregation, as this is a mega-million$ business].
Hagee finally got to a string of ‘accomplishments’ he attributed to the god-like Mr. Trump.
Upon hearing their savior’s name finally uttered, the Cornerstone audience went into a howling raving frenzy of adulation, the likes of which one seldom ever hears [even accounting for the idiotic yowling of sports fans].
In observing the broadcast’s camera panning shots of Hagee’s audience, it was downright scary to think that those thousands people roam the streets of San Antonio, and influence many thousands more.
Let alone those millions of others out there eagerly awaiting a chance to restore their savior to his throne.
https://www.jhm.org
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18Like @7, twocrows says: “I fear for our country.”.
Just a reminder that though they are loud and unrelenting in their cultish pronouncements, the followers of the loser of the last Presidential election are a distinct minority of the population. So never underestimate the point of “enough!” to wake the majority. The Arab Spring began after one street vendor set himself on fire in Tunisia to protest the situation there. And the streets in the US (and worldwide) were filled with people protesting the murder of George Floyd, despite the pandemic.
What will happen between now and the next Presidential election is unfolding, not predictable.
19Those hagee cult events look like superspreader events with masks strongly discouraged and vaccines frowned upon. Just gessin
20G Foresight @19, But that Rethug minority has thoroughly rigged the electoral system, and packed the judiciary. So they’re playing to win, despite what might appear as bad odds. And I don’t think that the odds are nearly as bad as you do. Just check out the paradoxical inroads the Rethugs have made with Hispanics in Texas and elsewhere.
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Steve from Beaverton @20, Good point that I meant to cite and forgot to include. I didn’t see one mask in the crowd, was thinking that maybe the program was an old rerun, but the references were contemporary. Another thing I’ve noticed is that the Hagee operation selectively targets a middle class and above demo, which is where the tithing bucks are, like business owners etc.
Yeah, I’ve studied this hyper-dangerous godbotherer for many years [had a corp apartment right across the Olmos Creek from the old C Church decades ago].
They have carefully built a very controlling cult, with very subtle techniques; and specific substantial financial ‘obligations’.
Hagee’s ‘throwweight’ with US and Israeli politicians and leadership both civilian and military is far greater than most realize. The Hagee clan is a huge peril to our nation, with a mission to install a theocratic authoritarian regime, even to a theo-fascist one.
21Of course the trumpf cultists in hagee’s flock believe they’re protected from covid by either of their gods- the old one or the orange big ass one. Good luck with either. Ignorance is NOT bliss you covidiots.
22For those doubting Trump will face trial: ABA Ethics clarify:
“(a) A prosecutor should seek or file criminal charges only if the prosecutor reasonably believes that the charges are supported by probable cause, that admissible evidence will be sufficient to support conviction beyond a reasonable doubt, and that the decision to charge is in the interests of justice.
“(b) After criminal charges are filed, a prosecutor should maintain them only if the prosecutor continues to reasonably believe that probable cause exists and that admissible evidence will be sufficient to support conviction beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Then consider: in a nation with a citizenry split ~30% leaning Republican/Trumpist; 33% leaning Democrat; 3% committed to various minor parties; and 34% not voting, what sort of evidence will sway a selection of citizens on a jury to a unanimous verdict “beyond a reasonable doubt”????
23It almost makes you wonder if they could pull an ole “indicted coconspirator A” and conduct the whole trial that way. Have him either not in attendance or with a paper sack over his head. Present the evidence, have a verdict, and then reveal who they actually convicted.
24Sandridge 21: Exactly on target about the “work the referees” strategy to own those that call the shots in many cases, like judges, election officials and even school boards. And how many people, like the Hispanics you cite, continue to vote against their self-interest is puzzling, though a grudging tip of the hat to the 24/7 propaganda media R strategy to keep people stuffed with disinformation.
The reminder was that the future is unknowable and some spark could conceivably break the R minority rule tactics. People in South Africa once thought apartheid was forever.
The goal of politics is, in the end, power. The Rs play to power exclusively. Democrats no so much overall. But Ds giving up is not an option if Democracy is the goal, not the N. Korea, Kim Jong Un “dear leader” outcome favored by autocrats.
25Re 25: The Rs play to power exclusively. Democrats no so much overall. Typo, should be: “not so much”
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