Fear: Trump in the White House

[_DarkHelmet]

Looks like there's a new Deep Throat in town.

It's about time. I've been anxiously awaiting the sequel ever since I watched a grainy VHS copy of the original.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Looks like there's a new Deep Throat in town.

It's about time. I've been anxiously awaiting the sequel ever since I watched a grainy VHS copy of the original.

I'm glad someone else decided to swing on that pitch.

- Doc

[_MeDotOrg]

Looks like there's a new Deep Throat in town.

It's about time. I've been anxiously awaiting the sequel ever since I watched a grainy VHS copy of the original.

From Linda Lovelace to Stormy Daniels and back.

[_MeDotOrg]

So if Woodward's book is accurate and there is truth in the volumes of outrageous claims by liberals and democrats....theeen... isn't this just tremendous cause for concern that the office of President is simply, and finally, titular?
If Trump is senile, deranged, dangerous, and inept then how has the executive branch accomplished anything (and yes it has)?... If Trump isn't doing the President thing then "President" isn't an actual function beyond football photo ops with Biden; late night talk shows; and Twitter.

I've been thinking about the concept of 'deep state', but it is really the 'autonomic' state. The President has many working for him who believe in the Presidency as much as they believe in the President. They serve the President as long as he serves the Presidency, but when he begins to veer off-course some choose the Presidency over the President.

So for Trump to transform the Presidency further would require a group of true believers who would unquestioningly carry out his orders, and most Americans just don't have that kind of authoritarian mindset. I keep thinking of something Trump said in his inaugural:

At the bedrock of our politics will be a total allegiance to the United States of America. Through our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other.

Through our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other.

This is exactly the opposite of what is happening. People have discovered that loyalty to the country means sometimes standing in direct opposition to the President. And I think this is a great frustration for the President, because he feels this isn't the way things are supposed to work. The President understands loyalty to people a lot more than he understands loyalty to principles.

[Guest]

As sort of a coda to Woodward's book, the New York Times carried an essay from a senior member of the Trump administration that wished to remain anonymous. He said that while Trump had accomplished several good things during his Administration, they were in spite of and not because of his management style. Many of Trump's orders were left to quietly die.

The root of the problem is the president’s amorality. Anyone who works with him knows he is not moored to any discernible first principles that guide his decision making.

I think if there is an epitaph to the Trump Presidency, it might be Character equals destiny. The ironic thing is that a lot of Christians were willing to overlook his imperfections because he represented certain of their causes, but there comes a point where you have to have some amount of character to be an effective President.

The author calls the actions of those trying to keep the President away from his most self destructive tendencies the 'sane' state instead of the 'deep' state.

Extraordinary is ordinary in 2018. But I took comfort in this:

The bigger concern is not what Mr. Trump has done to the presidency but rather what we as a nation have allowed him to do to us. We have sunk low with him and allowed our discourse to be stripped of civility.

Senator John McCain put it best in his farewell letter. All Americans should heed his words and break free of the tribalism trap, with the high aim of uniting through our shared values and love of this great nation.

So I'm guessing the guy who wrote this isn't Stephen Miller...

Jimmy Kimmel's guess is Mike Pence. This makes a lot of sense because of the use of the word "lodestar", which Pence is known to use frequently. Pence would also be the most immediate and obvious beneficiary if Trump were ousted from office.

[_Gunnar]

dup

[_Jersey Girl]

Jimmy Kimmel's guess us Mike Pence. This makes a lot of sense because of the use of the word "lodestar", which Pence is known to use frequently. Pence would also be the most immediate and obvious beneficiary if Trump were ousted from office.

Or someone made it to appear to be Pence.

We should be deeply disturbed by this. Not only the insider reports about Trump's behavior but the fact that a group has formed (loosely or not) within our own White House to thwart the work of an elected official, our own President.

This sets a horribly dangerous precedent.

[_MeDotOrg]

Jimmy Kimmel's guess us Mike Pence. This makes a lot of sense because of the use of the word "lodestar", which Pence is known to use frequently. Pence would also be the most immediate and obvious beneficiary if Trump were ousted from office.

The Vice President is usually the President's bulldog, but Pence has been amazingly circumspect given all of the slings and arrows tossed at the President. But just think: If Mike Pence wrote this and later becomes President, it would really have the overtones of a coup d'etat. There would be a lot less political dynamite involved if the author were not in the line of succession for the Presidency.

[_subgenius]

I've been thinking about the concept of 'deep state', but it is really the 'autonomic' state. The President has many working for him who believe in the Presidency as much as they believe in the President. They serve the President as long as he serves the Presidency, but when he begins to veer off-course some choose the Presidency over the President.

So for Trump to transform the Presidency further would require a group of true believers who would unquestioningly carry out his orders, and most Americans just don't have that kind of authoritarian mindset. I keep thinking of something Trump said in his inaugural:

At the bedrock of our politics will be a total allegiance to the United States of America. Through our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other.

Through our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other.

This is exactly the opposite of what is happening. People have discovered that loyalty to the country means sometimes standing in direct opposition to the President. And I think this is a great frustration for the President, because he feels this isn't the way things are supposed to work. The President understands loyalty to people a lot more than he understands loyalty to principles.

Nice thoughts but they do not resolve the bedrock of our society, which is a respect for the rule of law. To usurp the President because you find him distasteful, or because you think him to be mean, or because you disagree....is more dangerous than Trump could ever be imagined as being.
You say "veer of course" as if the White House is staffed with seers and predictors...as if the course of the President is second hand to their own vision....the President was elected in a fair and legal election, it is not to be usurped because "gee, this guy's Twitter feed is horrible".
But your point about loyalty is earnest...but the thing about quotes is, they can be used to damn anything. Loyalty to our country is a convenient phrase that, under certain circumstances, is tantamount to "just following orders". Point being, the President is beholden to the People and they will ordain and dispense accordingly, as by design and by law.....but when a few "anonymous" people begin to take it upon themselves to know better, then we will have real fear.

[_Some Schmo]

Jimmy Kimmel's guess us Mike Pence. This makes a lot of sense because of the use of the word "lodestar", which Pence is known to use frequently. Pence would also be the most immediate and obvious beneficiary if Trump were ousted from office.

The Vice President is usually the President's bulldog, but Pence has been amazingly circumspect given all of the slings and arrows tossed at the President. But just think: If Mike Pence wrote this and later becomes President, it would really have the overtones of a coup d'etat. There would be a lot less political dynamite involved if the author were not in the line of succession for the Presidency.

Pence doesn't strike me as the kind of guy who is overly concerned about the direction of the country.

If Drumpf were gay, however... whoa momma.