Freak Out Friday – November 3, 2017

Let’s get right to it.

1). Politicizing a tragedy. I find it amazing when it’s permissible to politicize the tragic endeavors of a maniac. No, wait…I don’t. To anyone paying attention, it’s not amazing at all.

Within hours of a lunatic taking a Home Depot pick-up-truck to run over people in New York City, Trump immediately blasted Chuck Schumer over the immigration program that allowed the guy into the country, the Diversity Immigration Lottery program that is typically referred to as the Golden Ticket. The program was passed in 1990 and since its inception has allowed in about 55,000 people a year. That’s about 1.4 million people.

Now on the one hand, we could point out that one nut out of 1.4 million is staggeringly great odds. I don’t say that to diminish the tragedy. I say that to point out that 1.4 million people came to the United States and presumably have led their lives in legality. That makes them assets. The determination to end a program that has benefited that many people would seem to be a classic example of throwing the baby out with the bathwater, a term that I’m not sure I ever fully understood until this moment.

On the other hand, here’s the interesting thing: Chuck Schumer tried to do exactly that. Back in 2013, he and the bi-partisan Gang of Eight endeavored to undertake immigration reform, and the Diversity program was one of the programs that was slated to go away. It passed the Senate but naturally died in the GOP controlled house. So basically Trump is aiming snarky tweets at one of the guys who tried to do exactly what Trump said SHOULD be done.

But let us put aside whether he was justified at yelling at Chuck Schumer (he wasn’t). Instead let us point out that just a few months ago, when a White Supremacist killed a young woman with his car, Trump’s initial reaction was not to place blame. Who can forget his unwarranted defense of the White Supremacists, claiming that there was fault on both sides, equating protesting college students with marching Neo-Nazis declaring that Jews would never replace them? Let us further point out that the white Vegas murderer shot 500 people but Trump still does nothing to call for some curb on the laws that allowed him to buy his weapons. But one Muslim runs over people and he suddenly wants to make sure that no other Muslims can join him. I wonder if he’s considered the notion that maybe–and I have no idea, but maybe–this guy, who has been here since 2010, wound up becoming radicalized against us because he saw we elected a Muslim-hating white supremacist to the most powerful job in the world. When a white man shoots people, that is somehow never the time to talk about gun control and anyone who does is trying to politicize tragedy. But if a Muslim kills people, then let’s immediately open up a debate on making sure no others can enter the country.

Furthermore let us remember that the guy immigrated here from Uzbekistan. So even if Trump had his way with the Muslim ban, it wouldn’t have prevented the guy’s entry because he came from a country that was not on the list of places that were forbidden. But that simple observation didn’t stop Trump from declaring that the guy should receive the death sentence. That is a bit of idiocy that presidents are not supposed to do.. Nixon did it; hëll, even Obama did it in regards to a suspect in 9/11, and he’s a lawyer, for God’s sake. The problem is that when the POTUS makes a statement about a defendant, particularly a negative one, it poisons the ability of attorneys to find an impartial jury. Someone must have reminded the Commander in Cheeto of that and he subsequently tried to walk it back, stating that he wanted to send the guy to Gitmo. But the damage is already done.

2). THIS is the Secretary of Energy? Trump’s Secretary of Energy Rick Perry stated on Thursday that he is a major advocate of fossil fuel because it keeps lights on, which will in turn help to prevent sexual assault. “When the lights are on, when you have a light that shines, the righteousness, if you will, on those types of acts.” Between him, John Kelly declaring that the Civil War was caused by an inability to compromise (“Tell you what: give up 2/5 of your slaves and you can keep the remaining 3/5, just like the Constitution, That works, right?”), and the many discussions in D.C. inner circles about a post-Betsy DeVos educational landscape on the assumption that she won’t last, one wonders if Trump’s entire cabinet is filled with idiots. Wait, no. Sorry. Not really wondering at all.

3). SOP. . Trump and his supporters are doing exactly what everyone expected them to do: attacking Robert Mueller, trying to discredit him and claiming that he is listening to known liars in pursuing the Russian case. It’s hilarious to watch Trump, while accusing others of lying, claiming that George Papadopoulos was a coffee boy whom Trump didn’t even know. That’s the same Trump who months earlier referred to George as an “excellent guy” and introduced him to a mob at a rally. Plus both Paul Manafort and Rick Gates are being indicted as well, and the bottom line is that we’re all wondering the same thing: who’s going to be the first to finger Trump. Just like decades ago we all wondered who was going to finger Nixon.

Here’s what I think will happen: I think they’re going to be ready to nail one of Trump’s kids or relatives by marriage. And in order to shut it down, Trump will cut a deal with Mueller, to resign in exchange for not prosecuting his family. Then he can go around and tell people that he was actually innocent, but he threw himself on his sword in order to save his loved ones. His hardcore worshippers will naturally lap that up, and Pence will be pretty much guaranteed another term.

Did he do anything right? Not that I’ve noticed.

PAD