In Japan on Memorial Day, Trump criticized the Navy, IN FRONT OF THE NAVY, for replacing the old steam powered catapults that launch aircraft with new electric catapults.  In excoriating the Navy for cost overruns in the new system, he announced:

“I think I’m going to put an order,” the president continued. “When we build a new aircraft carrier, we’re going to use steam. I’m going to just put out an order: We’re going to use steam. We don’t need — we don’t need that extra speed.”

Drawing on his deep experience in maritime architectures and aeronautical engineering, Trump continued that steam is much more reliable than “digital”, even saying, “What is digital?” “What is digital?”  Wait…back in January when riffing on border security Trump proclaimed,

“The only [way] you’re going to have border security – there’s only [one] way. You can have all the technology in the world. I’m a professional at technology. But if you don’t have a steel barrier or a wall of some kind – strong, powerful – you’re going to have human trafficking; you’re going to have drugs pouring across the border; you’re going to have MS-13 and the gangs coming in.”

So, the president who is a professional at technology doesn’t understand what digital means?  Trump once again causes whiplash by simply freelancing when he’s in front of an audience and the cameras are rolling.  He doesn’t have a goddam clue what he’s even talking about, and I can just imagine how Navy personnel is receiving the message from the president of the United States when he is telling them their leadership is stupid.

But we all know who is stupid.

Remember earlier this month we were talking about John Bolton banging on the war drum and Trump moving military forces into the Persian Gulf?  There were ominous warnings about Iran’s aggression and our bases being put on high alert in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Remember, too, how no other country saw the threat and dared to say so? Well, just as quickly as the threat appeared, it also disappeared, ending when Trump, standing in the West Wing door, said, “I hope not,” when a reporter shouted the question about going to war with Iran.

Now we know what all that was about – arms sales to Saudi Arabia.  Trump has made some backroom deal with MBS and the House of Saud to sell weapons to them, along with the UAE and Jordan.  The trick?  By declaring a another fake emergency, Trump can bypass Congress, which approves arms sales to other countries.  Since MBS had journalist Jamal Kashoggi brutally murdered (and Trump didn’t do anything about it) Congress has refused to support the Saudi attacks on Yemen or to approve arms sales to them.  So, Trump just ignored Congress, again.

This is how Trump operates.  When the invertebrates in Congress occasionally stand up, or when the courts step in, Trump just disregards the law and acts unilaterally to do what he wants.  The strength of our system of government is also its greatest weakness.  The Founders designed a system of checks and balances to keep power in check.  The problem with that system is that they never dreamed that each of the branches of government would be simultaneously corrupt; they anticipated a Trump-like president, so gave the Congress co-equal power to control or remove him/her if necessary.  If the Congress is also corrupt, the system collapses, and this is exactly what’s happening.  Trump does what he wants, lines his own pockets, destabilizes entire regions of the world, and is making the US an unstable oligarchy with widening social injustice and gaping income inequality.  When Congress does makes some lame effort to slow his corruption, His Orangeness just doubles down and does what he wants.  McConnell and company just shrug, since they’re busily packing the courts with radicals and weirdos while Trump infests the WH.

At least we now know why the fake concern over a fake threat from Iran so Trump can declare a fake emergency to funnel weapons to his fellow oligarchs who are differentiated from him only by their garb, language, and hair style.

In the furor over the Mueller report in April, many Americans, included yours truly, missed Turtleneck McConnell rolling out the Republicans’ new campaign slogan for 2020 on Fox Noise.  Was it his overseer’s idiotic Make America Great Again mantra? Nope. It’s worse.  A lot worse.  When asked if the American people were going to get Medicare for all, McConnell said, “Not as long as I’m majority leader.  It ought to be called Medicare for NONE.”  And there you have it…not only do the Republicans want to kick millions of Americans off of the ACA, they want to kick another 58 million, 50 million of whom are over 65, off of Medicare.  Let’s think about that a minute.  Before the ACA, there were about 44 million Americans without healthcare.  That number today is about 27 million, not lower because of the GOP’s sabotage of the plan in the states.  That’s not good enough for McConnell, though.  He wants to take healthcare away from all those people and the 58 million on Medicare.  Doing that would cost millions of lives and untold billions of dollars.

Let’s be blunt – The GOP is now fully under the control of criminals, political radicals, and the profoundly corrupt.  They already have lifetime control of our only safety only net, the judicial branch; because of this, voters simply cannot allow them to control both houses of Congress and the WH again.   Believe it or not, McConnell is more dangerous than Trump for two reasons – he has zero regard for the Constitution, rule of law, or common decency, and he’s using Trump as a blunt instrument to reshape America into his radical vision of every person for themselves and his social program, Fuck the Poor.

So, while you’re hyperventilating over Trump’s latest outrage, keep in mind the real goals of McConnell and the rest of the Republicans – destroying the US as we know it.  Also remember their new campaign slogan –

GOP 2020 – Medicare for NONE

Here are today’s headlines in Trumpland:

What the Trade War will Cost You – CNBC

Trump Gets White House Witnesses to Testify to His Calm Demeanor – WSJ

Kushner Gets $800 Million Federally Backed Loan – Philly.com

Pelosi – “Stable Genius” Needs an “Intervention” – MSNBC

Republicans Spend More than $4 Million at Trump Properties – The Hill

Judges Fast Track Court Fight Over Trump Financial Records – Politico

Pete Buttigieg Slams Trump’s Decision to ‘Fake a Disability’ to Avoid Serving in Vietnam – Towleroad

OK, that’s enough; otherwise I’ll start day drinking.

One more:

Kelly Anne Conway Accuses Pelosi of Treating Her “like a maid” – Politico

LOL.

This came up on MoJoe this morning, where the regulars were laughing about an analogy brought up a couple of years ago by John Mulaney on Colbert.  He describes Trump in the WH house as being like a horse loose in a hospital.  It’s hilarious.

US District Judge Edgardo Ramos has just ruled that Deutsche Bank can turn over Trump’s personal financial records to Congress.  Trump’s lawyers had argued that the subpoenas had no “legislative purpose” which is the latest bullshit claim to stonewall the House and obstruct justice.  Judge Ramos said no to that.  It’s not a good week for His Orangeness.