Trump must be removed. So must his congressional enablers.
By
George F. Will
Columnist
June 1, 2020 at 3:18 p.m. EDTThis unraveling presidency began with the Crybaby-in-Chief banging his spoon on his highchair tray to protest a photograph — a photograph — showing that his inauguration crowd the day before had been smaller than the one four years previous. Since then, this weak person’s idea of a strong person, this chest-pounding advertisement of his own gnawing insecurities, this low-rent Lear raging on his Twitter-heath has proven that the phrase malignant buffoon is not an oxymoron.
Presidents, exploiting modern communications technologies and abetted today by journalists preening as the “resistance” — like members of the French Resistance 1940-1944, minus the bravery — can set the tone of American society, which is regrettably soft wax on which presidents leave their marks. The president’s provocations — his coarsening of public discourse that lowers the threshold for acting out by people as mentally crippled as he — do not excuse the violent few. They must be punished. He must be removed.
Social causation is difficult to demonstrate, particularly between one person’s words and other persons’ deeds. However: The person voters hired in 2016 to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed” stood on July 28, 2017, in front of uniformed police and urged them “please don’t be too nice” when handling suspected offenders. His hope was fulfilled for 8 minutes and 46 seconds on Minneapolis pavement.
What Daniel Patrick Moynihan termed “defining deviancy down” now defines American politics. In 2016, voters were presented an unprecedentedly unpalatable choice: Never had both major parties offered nominees with higher disapproval than approval numbers. Voters chose what they wagered would be the lesser blight. Now, however, they have watched him govern for 40 months and more than 40 percent — slightly less than the percentage that voted for him — approve of his sordid conduct.
Presidents seeking reelection bask in chants of “Four more years!” This year, however, most Americans — perhaps because they are, as the president predicted, weary from all the winning — might flinch: Four more years of this? The taste of ashes, metaphorical and now literal, dampens enthusiasm.
The nation’s downward spiral into acrimony and sporadic anarchy has had many causes much larger than the small man who is the great exacerbator of them. Most of the causes predate his presidency, and most will survive its January terminus. The measures necessary for restoration of national equilibrium are many and will be protracted far beyond his removal. One such measure must be the removal of those in Congress who, unlike the sycophantic mediocrities who cosset him in the White House, will not disappear “magically,” as Eric Trump said the coronavirus would. Voters must dispatch his congressional enablers, especially the senators who still gambol around his ankles with a canine hunger for petting.
In life’s unforgiving arithmetic, we are the sum of our choices. Congressional Republicans have made theirs for more than 1,200 days. We cannot know all the measures necessary to restore the nation’s domestic health and international standing, but we know the first step: Senate Republicans must be routed, as condign punishment for their Vichyite collaboration, leaving the Republican remnant to wonder: Was it sensible to sacrifice dignity, such as it ever was, and to shed principles, if convictions so easily jettisoned could be dignified as principles, for what? Praying people should pray, and all others should hope: May I never crave anything as much as these people crave membership in the world’s most risible deliberative body.
A political party’s primary function is to bestow its imprimatur on candidates, thereby proclaiming: This is who we are. In 2016, the Republican Party gave its principal nomination to a vulgarian and then toiled to elect him. And to stock Congress with invertebrates whose unswerving abjectness has enabled his institutional vandalism, who have voiced no serious objections to his Niagara of lies, and whom T.S. Eliot anticipated:
We are the hollow men
Our dried voices, when
We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
or rats’ feet over broken glass
Those who think our unhinged president’s recent mania about a murder two decades ago that never happened represents his moral nadir have missed the lesson of his life: There is no such thing as rock bottom. So, assume that the worst is yet to come. Which implicates national security: Abroad, anti-Americanism sleeps lightly when it sleeps at all, and it is wide-awake as decent people judge our nation’s health by the character of those to whom power is entrusted. Watching, too, are indecent people in Beijing and Moscow.
I usually don't listen to talking heads, but it's interesting to see a prominent conservative call out not only Trump, but his minion enablers.
One domino seems to have fallen: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/06/02/us/elections/results-iowa-house-district-4-primary-election.html
George Will is a very thoughtful guy and I always paid attention to what he says s as nd writes even though we are on different sides of the spectrum. I always lesrn something from him
So yes, I thought it spoke volumes when he left the GOP a few years ago
Likewise this piece and others written by people who were members of the GOP and worked in either Bush WH should be a wake up call.
I think Reagan would be turning over in his grave if he saw the behavior of members of his party
Also hosted a hell of a game show 😉
https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/george-f-wills-sports-machine/n9910
The sooner trump and his enablers are gone from power, the better off we are as a country.
Well then you better have a stronger candidate the creepy Joe
The sooner trump and his enablers are gone from power, the better off we are as a country.
Well then you better have a stronger candidate the creepy Joe
If Joe continues to rally everyone from every dumpster fire your hero Trump started, he won't have to work very hard.
[Edited on 6/3/2020 by porkchopbob]
The sooner trump and his enablers are gone from power, the better off we are as a country.
Well then you better have a stronger candidate the creepy Joe
If Joe continues to rally everyone from every dumpster fire your hero Trump started, he won't have to work very hard.
[Edited on 6/3/2020 by porkchopbob]
Your turn. "Do you read and recall any of the posts where I have stated support for President Trump"?
Typical, I am ant-Democrat, so therefore I must be a Trump guy. I will be voting for him in November only because I think Joe is the epitome of a Dumpster fire. This vote is hardly a show of support.
Your turn. "Do you read and recall any of the posts where I have stated support for President Trump"?
Typical, I am ant-Democrat, so therefore I must be a Trump guy. I will be voting for him in November only because I think Joe is the epitome of a Dumpster fire. This vote is hardly a show of support.
You defend criticism of him. You support his policies. You never criticize him or his action (or inaction). If you do ever disagree, you are silent. That is enabling. That is support. You may not have a bumper sticker or a red hat, but you are a Trump supporter.
I will be voting for him in November only because I think Joe is the epitome of a Dumpster fire.
Then you vote for White Nationalism to continue to stain the White House.
The sooner trump and his enablers are gone from power, the better off we are as a country.
Well then you better have a stronger candidate the creepy Joe
If Joe continues to rally everyone from every dumpster fire your hero Trump started, he won't have to work very hard.
[Edited on 6/3/2020 by porkchopbob]
Your turn. "Do you read and recall any of the posts where I have stated support for President Trump"?
Typical, I am ant-Democrat, so therefore I must be a Trump guy. I will be voting for him in November only because I think Joe is the epitome of a Dumpster fire. This vote is hardly a show of support.
The stench from the rotting corpse of your moral center comes through.
[Edited on 6/3/2020 by rmack]
I will be voting for him in November only because I think Joe is the epitome of a Dumpster fire.
Then you vote for White Nationalism to continue to stain the White House.
Once again, this is the liberal/Democratic answer to everything that does not go as expected..."It must be racism"!
I will be voting for him in November only because I think Joe is the epitome of a Dumpster fire.
Then you vote for White Nationalism to continue to stain the White House.
Once again, this is the liberal/Democratic answer to everything that does not go as expected..."It must be racism"!
Typical Old lady fart in a white trash bubble in the desert. " Racism doesn't exist!"
The stench from the rotting corpse of your moral center comes through.
Have a nice day!
I will be voting for him in November only because I think Joe is the epitome of a Dumpster fire.
Then you vote for White Nationalism to continue to stain the White House.
Once again, this is the liberal/Democratic answer to everything that does not go as expected..."It must be racism"!
Typical Old lady fart in a white trash bubble in the desert. " Racism doesn't exist!"
Of course it exists and that is sad, but you can't blame everything on that. You might, your choice.
You probably wouldn't vote for the guy endorsed by white nationalists if you thought it was that sad.
Your choice
I will be voting for him in November only because I think Joe is the epitome of a Dumpster fire.
Then you vote for White Nationalism to continue to stain the White House.
[url] https://www.salon.com/2020/06/02/twitter-shuts-down-white-nationalist-group -posing-as-antifa-after-donald-trump-jr-shares-its-tweet/?fbclid=IwAR1TO_cW ygBq_HqsgHcveODlbiUa-xE4LpiybtjasLrUH4EdCseSgqNUVkQ[/url]
Once again, this is the liberal/Democratic answer to everything that does not go as expected..."It must be racism"!
So yeah, clearly you didn't even read the headline of article I was referencing since you clipped it from the quote. I'll spoon feed you:
Twitter shuts down white nationalist group posing as Antifa after Donald Trump Jr. shares its tweet
Typical Trump supporter response - pretend it never happened and dismiss. Defends the cloth flag, doesn't actually know what it represents.
You probably wouldn't vote for the guy endorsed by white nationalists if you thought it was that sad.
You have to admit that this year's election does not present much of a choice....Your mind is made up as is mine. You think XXX about Trump and I can not vote for a man who does not remember where he is, what he has said, or what he has done.
Trump must be removed. So must his congressional enablers.
George Will was likely saying the same thing June 1 2017, June 1 2018 and June 1 2019. So it comes as no surprise he said it a June 1 2020. Maybe the difference now is the congressional enabler part.
You probably wouldn't vote for the guy endorsed by white nationalists if you thought it was that sad.
You have to admit that this year's election does not present much of a choice....Your mind is made up as is mine. You think XXX about Trump and I can not vote for a man who does not remember where he is, what he has said, or what he has done.
So you are NOT voting for trump?. 😛
That a perfect description of Trump. He can't even figure out where he lives. One minute it's Florida, the next day it's NY, and then it's Washington.
You probably wouldn't vote for the guy endorsed by white nationalists if you thought it was that sad.
You have to admit that this year's election does not present much of a choice....Your mind is made up as is mine. You think XXX about Trump and I can not vote for a man who does not remember where he is, what he has said, or what he has done.
fair enough. For many of us, Biden is not 1st choice.
Let's look at Trump
He wants to run this country the way Putin runs Russia
He's a pathological liar
He thinks he should have, or thinks he does have absolute power and authority. Unfortunately, his enablers in the Senate have given it to him
Not only hasn't he read the Bible he was holding, he never read the Constitution that he has sworn to defent
He has called the US military, OUR military (not his) against citizens of the US. This was a move called out by the current and immedeate past Sec of Defense, as well as a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs
I find it interesting that being told to wear a mask (a public health measure) upsets you, but you are willing to vote for someone who wants to be an Absolute Monarch
fair enough. For many of us, Biden is not 1st choice.
Let's look at Trump
He wants to run this country the way Putin runs Russia
He's a pathological liar
He thinks he should have, or thinks he does have absolute power and authority. Unfortunately, his enablers in the Senate have given it to him
Not only hasn't he read the Bible he was holding, he never read the Constitution that he has sworn to defent
He has called the US military, OUR military (not his) against citizens of the US. This was a move called out by the current and immedeate past Sec of Defense, as well as a former chairman of the Joint ChiefsI find it interesting that being told to wear a mask (a public health measure) upsets you, but you are willing to vote for someone who wants to be an Absolute Monarch
A good brief summary of Trump.
How has an entire thread about a column written by an erudite political analyst who abandoned the so-called GOP years ago become about how a forum member is going to vote 5 months from now? WTF cares?
You have to admit that this year's election does not present much of a choice...
Speak for your damn self.
How anybody can put a checkmark next to Drumpf’s name is beyond reason.
You have to admit that this year's election does not present much of a choice.
Yes, Biden isn't a lot of peoples' first choice, since the broken Primary process removed the choice from many voters.
Both candidates talk so much they trip over their own words.
Edge: DRAW (debates may be incomprehensible)
Both candidates have been accused of being inappropriate around women, but Creepy Crooked Trump has repeatedly made disrespectful remarks towards women on record and has more accusation on record.
Edge: BIDEN
After that, there has never been a greater gulf between two candidates in ability to lead people, assemble a competent team, knowledge of due process and checks and balances, and respecting and understanding the Constitution.
So yeah, not much choice.
You have to admit that this year's election does not present much of a choice...
Speak for your damn self.
How anybody can put a checkmark next to Drumpf’s name is beyond reason.
Fair enough to you. Count me among those who feel Joe Biden is the worst thing that can happen to this country...
You have to admit that this year's election does not present much of a choice.
Yes, Biden isn't a lot of peoples' first choice, since the broken Primary process removed the choice from many voters.
Both candidates talk so much they trip over their own words.
Edge: DRAW (debates may be incomprehensible)Both candidates have been accused of being inappropriate around women, but Creepy Crooked Trump has repeatedly made disrespectful remarks towards women on record and has more accusation on record.
Edge: BIDENAfter that, there has never been a greater gulf between two candidates in ability to lead people, assemble a competent team, knowledge of due process and checks and balances, and respecting and understanding the Constitution.
So yeah, not much choice.
Both candidates have been accused of being inappropriate around women, but Creepy Crooked Trump has repeatedly made disrespectful remarks towards women on record and has more accusation on record.
Translation; My Candidate (The BEST the Dems can find) is not as creepy as your guy.
There's a great plan!
You have to admit that this year's election does not present much of a choice...
Speak for your damn self.
How anybody can put a checkmark next to Drumpf’s name is beyond reason.
Fair enough to you. Count me among those who feel Joe Biden is the worst thing that can happen to this country...
Yeah, because what’s going on right now is simply awesome.
You have to admit that this year's election does not present much of a choice...
Speak for your damn self.
How anybody can put a checkmark next to Drumpf’s name is beyond reason.
Fair enough to you. Count me among those who feel Joe Biden is the worst thing that can happen to this country...
Yeah, because what’s going on right now is simply awesome.
And this is because perceived racism in Law Enforcement is the President's fault?
You have to admit that this year's election does not present much of a choice.
Yes, Biden isn't a lot of peoples' first choice, since the broken Primary process removed the choice from many voters.
Both candidates talk so much they trip over their own words.
Edge: DRAW (debates may be incomprehensible)Both candidates have been accused of being inappropriate around women, but Creepy Crooked Trump has repeatedly made disrespectful remarks towards women on record and has more accusation on record.
Edge: BIDENAfter that, there has never been a greater gulf between two candidates in ability to lead people, assemble a competent team, knowledge of due process and checks and balances, and respecting and understanding the Constitution.
So yeah, not much choice.
Both candidates have been accused of being inappropriate around women, but Creepy Crooked Trump has repeatedly made disrespectful remarks towards women on record and has more accusation on record.
Translation; My Candidate (The BEST the Dems can find) is not as creepy as your guy.
There's a great plan!
That has literally been your only defense for Trump for 4 years. He wasn't Hilary, now he's not Joe.
Thank you for proving the widely accepted theory that most Libertarians are nothing more than Republicans who don't want to self identify as Republicans.
You have to admit that this year's election does not present much of a choice.
Yes, Biden isn't a lot of peoples' first choice, since the broken Primary process removed the choice from many voters.
Both candidates talk so much they trip over their own words.
Edge: DRAW (debates may be incomprehensible)Both candidates have been accused of being inappropriate around women, but Creepy Crooked Trump has repeatedly made disrespectful remarks towards women on record and has more accusation on record.
Edge: BIDENAfter that, there has never been a greater gulf between two candidates in ability to lead people, assemble a competent team, knowledge of due process and checks and balances, and respecting and understanding the Constitution.
So yeah, not much choice.
Both candidates have been accused of being inappropriate around women, but Creepy Crooked Trump has repeatedly made disrespectful remarks towards women on record and has more accusation on record.
Translation; My Candidate (The BEST the Dems can find) is not as creepy as your guy.
There's a great plan!
That has literally been your only defense for Trump for 4 years. He wasn't Hilary, now he's not Joe.
Thank you for proving the widely accepted theory that most Libertarians are nothing more than Republicans who don't want to self identify as Republicans.
You are more than welcome.
