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A mural by Australian artist Scott Marsh is seen on a wall at the Botany View Hotel on November 11, 2020 in Sydney, Australia. The mural by Australian graffiti artist Scott Marsh was inspired by comments made by CNN reporter Anderson Cooper over Donald Trump's reaction to the U.S. election results and the current U.S President's refusal to concede to Joe Biden. (Photo: Jenny Evans/Getty Images)
Feel Uneasy. Feel Very Uneasy
Are we simply just stuck in the middle seat between a lunatic (Trump) and scumbag (McConnell) on an insane airplane ride.... or is it something much more sinister?
Nov 10, 2020
It's hard to rest assured. And that unease stems in no small part from the fact that it's almost impossible to ascertain Trump's true motivation ... at least, not with any certainty.
Is this just about a sadly insecure narcissist who cannot accept defeat? Are the sycophants and lawyers just placating his fragile ego? Are the Republicans simply going through the motions to avoid disturbing the sleeping dog of Trump's Twitter feed until he finally flees to Mar-a-Lago?
If so, is this cowardly clusterfuck really just about the GOP wanting to keep Trump's base from turning on them? Is it mostly about McConnell wanting Trump to keep them frothing at the mouth until Georgia's special election, so he can keep his iron grip on the throat of American politics?
Or is this about Trump's need for a second act? To wit, perhaps this is not just about grifting funds for his campaign's outstanding debt, but also about Trump positioning himself and his lucrative audience for the paydays he's gonna need to service that $900m debt he owes to a roster of shadowy creditors. If so, is this just Trump University writ large?
Frankly, if he and his GOP enablers are dragging us all through this embarrassing, messy divorce for any of those reason... or even for a combo of 'em... it would almost be reassuring. In fact, it would be understandable and, in the case of Trump, reflective of his limits as a human being ... as a pathetic man who is impaired by the gravity of his own shortcomings. It means he simply cannot help himself. And, therefore, we are just stuck in the middle seat between a lunatic (Trump) and scumbag (McConnell)... but the flight will end, and the plane will land, and we will make our connection to the next flight. We just have to be patient.
However... if none of those scenarios are the true motivation... but only ancillary benefits of Trump's conscious, devious plan to convince Americans that the Earth is flat, that up is down, and, therefore, to set the predicate for a move to usurp the will of the people as expressed in an historic election... and if the GOP is not just playing along until he does, but, instead, actively participating in a de facto coup... then the angst and agita we are all feeling right now is not nearly reflective enough of the dire moment we find ourselves in as a nation and a people.
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Jp Sottile
JP Sottile is a freelance journalist, radio co-host, documentary filmmaker, and former broadcast news producer in Washington, D.C. His weekly show, Inside the Headlines w/ The Newsvandal, co-hosted by James Moore, airs every Friday on KRUU-FM in Fairfield, Iowa, and is available online. Follow him on Twitter: @newsvandal.
It's hard to rest assured. And that unease stems in no small part from the fact that it's almost impossible to ascertain Trump's true motivation ... at least, not with any certainty.
Is this just about a sadly insecure narcissist who cannot accept defeat? Are the sycophants and lawyers just placating his fragile ego? Are the Republicans simply going through the motions to avoid disturbing the sleeping dog of Trump's Twitter feed until he finally flees to Mar-a-Lago?
If so, is this cowardly clusterfuck really just about the GOP wanting to keep Trump's base from turning on them? Is it mostly about McConnell wanting Trump to keep them frothing at the mouth until Georgia's special election, so he can keep his iron grip on the throat of American politics?
Or is this about Trump's need for a second act? To wit, perhaps this is not just about grifting funds for his campaign's outstanding debt, but also about Trump positioning himself and his lucrative audience for the paydays he's gonna need to service that $900m debt he owes to a roster of shadowy creditors. If so, is this just Trump University writ large?
Frankly, if he and his GOP enablers are dragging us all through this embarrassing, messy divorce for any of those reason... or even for a combo of 'em... it would almost be reassuring. In fact, it would be understandable and, in the case of Trump, reflective of his limits as a human being ... as a pathetic man who is impaired by the gravity of his own shortcomings. It means he simply cannot help himself. And, therefore, we are just stuck in the middle seat between a lunatic (Trump) and scumbag (McConnell)... but the flight will end, and the plane will land, and we will make our connection to the next flight. We just have to be patient.
However... if none of those scenarios are the true motivation... but only ancillary benefits of Trump's conscious, devious plan to convince Americans that the Earth is flat, that up is down, and, therefore, to set the predicate for a move to usurp the will of the people as expressed in an historic election... and if the GOP is not just playing along until he does, but, instead, actively participating in a de facto coup... then the angst and agita we are all feeling right now is not nearly reflective enough of the dire moment we find ourselves in as a nation and a people.
Jp Sottile
JP Sottile is a freelance journalist, radio co-host, documentary filmmaker, and former broadcast news producer in Washington, D.C. His weekly show, Inside the Headlines w/ The Newsvandal, co-hosted by James Moore, airs every Friday on KRUU-FM in Fairfield, Iowa, and is available online. Follow him on Twitter: @newsvandal.
It's hard to rest assured. And that unease stems in no small part from the fact that it's almost impossible to ascertain Trump's true motivation ... at least, not with any certainty.
Is this just about a sadly insecure narcissist who cannot accept defeat? Are the sycophants and lawyers just placating his fragile ego? Are the Republicans simply going through the motions to avoid disturbing the sleeping dog of Trump's Twitter feed until he finally flees to Mar-a-Lago?
If so, is this cowardly clusterfuck really just about the GOP wanting to keep Trump's base from turning on them? Is it mostly about McConnell wanting Trump to keep them frothing at the mouth until Georgia's special election, so he can keep his iron grip on the throat of American politics?
Or is this about Trump's need for a second act? To wit, perhaps this is not just about grifting funds for his campaign's outstanding debt, but also about Trump positioning himself and his lucrative audience for the paydays he's gonna need to service that $900m debt he owes to a roster of shadowy creditors. If so, is this just Trump University writ large?
Frankly, if he and his GOP enablers are dragging us all through this embarrassing, messy divorce for any of those reason... or even for a combo of 'em... it would almost be reassuring. In fact, it would be understandable and, in the case of Trump, reflective of his limits as a human being ... as a pathetic man who is impaired by the gravity of his own shortcomings. It means he simply cannot help himself. And, therefore, we are just stuck in the middle seat between a lunatic (Trump) and scumbag (McConnell)... but the flight will end, and the plane will land, and we will make our connection to the next flight. We just have to be patient.
However... if none of those scenarios are the true motivation... but only ancillary benefits of Trump's conscious, devious plan to convince Americans that the Earth is flat, that up is down, and, therefore, to set the predicate for a move to usurp the will of the people as expressed in an historic election... and if the GOP is not just playing along until he does, but, instead, actively participating in a de facto coup... then the angst and agita we are all feeling right now is not nearly reflective enough of the dire moment we find ourselves in as a nation and a people.
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