The Epstein list... When will it be released?

[Suckrates]

17 minutes ago, Goober said:

Is there any available information online that explains exactly how Epstein was able to commit suicide? It would have taken some time to prepare the sheet and tie it to the bed post. It's reported he died from asphyxiation (lack of oxygen), not from a broken neck. That also would take some time to reach the point of no return. He must have known, or at least suspected, there were cameras in his cell. Did he know they weren't working or that the guards were asleep? I suppose it's possible he committed suicide, but it doesn't seem very probable.

Check with the DEEP STATE.....   They have all the DEETS......😬

[Stable Genius]

 

Are we ignoring the obvious?

[Suckrates]

59 minutes ago, Stable Genius said:

 

Are we ignoring the obvious?

Do you REALLY think Trump supporters would be reviled , repulsed and revolted IF it was reported HIS name was in the Epstein files and he supposedly had sex with underage girls ?     You give those people way too much credit.    It didnt bother them when Gaetz did it,  and Trump is their GOD......   

GOD does what he wants without judgement !   

[Stable Genius]

It's fascinating to me that--of everything Trump has done--this in particular is what his followers have latched onto as problematic. That said, I'll take it.

And from the way Trump is behaving, it's fairly obvious he's all over the Epstein files.

[Stable Genius]

[Goober]

Will donOLD's administration's mishandling of the Epstein files and subsequent flip-flop be the crack in MAGA support causing the dam to burst and the floodwaters come rushing through? Even if there's no "client list" there are documents that could be released. How stupid does donOLD think his supporters are???

[Suckrates]

18 minutes ago, Goober said:

Will donOLD's administration's mishandling of the Epstein files and subsequent flip-flop be the crack in MAGA support causing the dam to burst and the floodwaters come rushing through? Even if there's no "client list" there are documents that could be released. How stupid does donOLD think his supporters are???

Well, MAGA hats ARE on the menu at the bar-b-que...🤣

   

     Better than S'mores

 

Lets just hope the MAGA dogs "hold on to"  this bone for a long time.......

 

[Goober]

Will trump have Ghislaine Maxwell killed, too, before she can squeal on him??? What kind of "suicide" will he arrange?

[stevenkesslar]

 

House Speaker Johnson joins growing number of Republicans pressing Trump administration for more transparency on Epstein case

And now the Louisiana pedophile has revealed himself as the Judas that he is.

I knew it all along.  I looked at that sweet innocent face and thought this is an evil man with something to hide.  Pedophile!  Judas!

Johnson is obviously trying to distract attention from his own pedophilia and evil by parading around as some kind of Christian do gooder.

President Trump is trying to restore SAFETY and THE SPIRIT OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST to public life.  And now this betrayal?

This disloyal worm does not belong in GOD FEARING Louisiana.  Not even a shit hole like California.  Deport him to a real shit hole like Brussels of El Salvador!

[Suckrates]

1 hour ago, stevenkesslar said:

 

House Speaker Johnson joins growing number of Republicans pressing Trump administration for more transparency on Epstein case

And now the Louisiana pedophile has revealed himself as the Judas that he is.

I knew it all along.  I looked at that sweet innocent face and thought this is an evil man with something to hide.  Pedophile!  Judas!

Johnson is obviously trying to distract attention from his own pedophilia and evil by parading around as some kind of Christian do gooder.

President Trump is trying to restore SAFETY and THE SPIRIT OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST to public life.  And now this betrayal?

This disloyal worm does not belong in GOD FEARING Louisiana.  Not even a shit hole like California.  Deport him to a real shit hole like Brussels of El Salvador!

The GOP are 2 faced creatures....  They will say things publicly, BUT when it comes time to vote,  they turn to "DADDY" for direction, and then do as they are told !

Case in point - Josh (insurrection Sprinter) Hawley...... who voted for Trumps BBB, but now says in public he will introduce legislation to overturn parts of it.

These FRAUDS want it both ways,   they want peace with their constituents, and with Trump....   Cant have it BOTH ways boys......

Mike johnson has always given me "serial killer" vibes,  and has always been a total Trump boot licker,   I dont expect his current stance will evolve into anything different ?

And RELIGION and JESUS has always been the curtain they hide behind,  but evil is EVIL and it always shines thru.  

Rogan seems to me to be the ONLY person that has had a TRUE revelation about Trump.....   All the others that seem to have strayed are doing so to cause "HOT" traffic on their podcasts.   I doubt their outrage is serious ?  

[stevenkesslar]

1 hour ago, Suckrates said:

Rogan seems to me to be the ONLY person that has had a TRUE revelation about Trump..... 

Rogan is a sad case.  I'll say two things that are completely contradictory.

I'm a pragmatist.  There has been this debate about whether the left needs its own Joe Rogan.  I like what Charlemagne The God, who is also a pragmatist, said.  "No, we need to go talk to Joe Rogan."  Rogan obviously has a broad audience, although I am not part of it.  He did back Sanders in 2020.  It was a mistake for Harris NOT to make him and White guys like him a priority.  White guys like him cost Harris the election.   So we should talk to Joe Rogan.

That said, and here's the flip flop, I have no idea what Rogan believes in or stands for, if anything.  The fact that he could flip from Sanders to Trump says it all.  And he of course is not alone.  There are millions like him.

And this Epstein thing  is the kind of thing he seems to feed on.  I have never watched his full podcast, for the same reason I'm not a Tik Tok fan.  So I am not the best one to judge.  But I have watched lots of snippets.  He was an Elon fan boy earlier this year. And he had a hard on for how Elon was trying to open the coffins at all these government agencies so we could finally see all the vampires inside.  Meanwhile, back in reality, Elon was cutting AIDS funding in Africa.   So this is exactly the kind of thing I would expect Rogan would lose faith over.

Personally, I would rather believe in the America of Allan Lichtman.  His whole keys theory is built on the premise that voters are mostly smart.  And they make reasonable judgments based on issues like war and peace and the economy, stupid.  I still believe that.  Lichtman has been mostly right.  In 2024 I think his big mistake is he misjudged the impact of inflation on the economy, stupid.  They threw the bums out all over the world.  Mexico was a huge exception to the global trend, because AMLO specifically governed FOR the working class. 

This is from 2020, when Sanders got pushback because Rogan praised him and Sanders touted that:

Quote

Sanders’ strategic targeting of young, unaffiliated and working class voters often takes him to places, and onto platforms – like Twitch – that most Democratic candidates rarely venture. But that practice, when it brings a figure like Rogan into the political spotlight, also carries the risk of alienating parts of a liberal base that, especially in the Trump era, has become increasingly cautious about the company it keeps – and what that signals to marginalized communities.

So if Rogan likes the working class it seems like he should be pushing someone like AMLO.  Which Bernie kind of is, but too old and too lefty for America.  Rogan seems to have no idea what he stands for or what he believes in.

What it all boils down to to me is that we need someone like AMLO who can win.  And that ain't easy.  Sanders came close.  But it seemed clear his democratic socialism was a bridge too far.  It's not clear yet that Mandani will be able to get elected in a blue city like NYC.   The best we can probably hope for is someone more palatable than Sanders emerges in 2028 so that Rogan and guys like him can say, "Yeah, that guys real.  That guy stands for something.  That's a guy I like."

That may sound sexist or racist or homophobic or whatever.  But I am with Charlemagne on this, who was a Harris fanboy.  In part because she talked to him.  Do we want to win, or not?

[lookin]

Gotta say, I was amazed to read Trump's Truth Social post this morning in which he starts out railing against The Radical Left Democrats and then turns on his own base.

 

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this “bullshit,” hook, line, and sinker. They haven’t learned their lesson, and probably never will, even after being conned by the Lunatic Left for 8 long years. . , ,  Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don’t even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don’t want their support anymore! Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

 

He's throwing away not only his political toadies but also many of his followers who have stuck with him through thick and thin, but who are starting to question their leader on this one issue.  That seems like a big move and I'm looking for a precedent of an authoritarian leader telling a large number of his followers to get lost.

Hitler did it, but only in the final days of World War II when he was surrounded by Russian and American troops and blamed the German people for not fighting harder.  He committed suicide soon after.

Jim Jones arranged for his followers to commit suicide, which he did too, but only when he concluded that the American military was on its way to round them all up.

But, as far as I know, Trump isn't at the end of his rope just yet.  So why would he think it's OK to cut off a significant part of his base?  Perhaps he thinks he can bully them back into line.  Or perhaps he thinks he now has enough power to turn his followers into subjects with no ability to resist.

I didn't think he had that much power yet but, after watching Frontline's Trump's Power and the Rule of Law last night, I'm thinking a little harder.  🤔

[Suckrates]

1 hour ago, lookin said:

Gotta say, I was amazed to read Trump's Truth Social post this morning in which he starts out railing against The Radical Left Democrats and then turns on his own base.

 

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this “bullshit,” hook, line, and sinker. They haven’t learned their lesson, and probably never will, even after being conned by the Lunatic Left for 8 long years. . , ,  Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don’t even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don’t want their support anymore! Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

 

He's throwing away not only his political toadies but also many of his followers who have stuck with him through thick and thin, but who are starting to question their leader on this one issue.  That seems like a big move and I'm looking for a precedent of an authoritarian leader telling a large number of his followers to get lost.

Hitler did it, but only in the final days of World War II when he was surrounded by Russian and American troops and blamed the German people for not fighting harder.  He committed suicide soon after.

Jim Jones arranged for his followers to commit suicide, which he did too, but only when he concluded that the American military was on its way to round them all up.

But, as far as I know, Trump isn't at the end of his rope just yet.  So why would he think it's OK to cut off a significant part of his base?  Perhaps he thinks he can bully them back into line.  Or perhaps he thinks he now has enough power to turn his followers into subjects with no ability to resist.

I didn't think he had that much power yet but, after watching Frontline's Trump's Power and the Rule of Law last night, I'm thinking a little harder.  🤔

As Trump grows stronger with every WIN, he makes Bold moves since he knows hes basically "untouchable".  He's playing the reverse psychology game with his base, and figures if he "throws them out"  they will beg to get back in....   Its hard to understand the mind of a Madman.     But its pretty clear Trump has no plan, and just flys with the seat of his pants to see how much he can get away with.   Trumps actions re: the Epstein case are making him look very guilty,  his base gets that.....At best this episode with cause a break with the base, at worst he'll lose a few thousand of them.   Either way it weakens him and thats a good thing, I suppose ?

[stevenkesslar]

1 hour ago, lookin said:

Gotta say, I was amazed to read Trump's Truth Social post this morning in which he starts out railing against The Radical Left Democrats and then turns on his own base.

 

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this “bullshit,” hook, line, and sinker. They haven’t learned their lesson, and probably never will, even after being conned by the Lunatic Left for 8 long years. . , ,  Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don’t even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don’t want their support anymore! Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

 

He's throwing away not only his political toadies but also many of his followers who have stuck with him through thick and thin, but who are starting to question their leader on this one issue.  That seems like a big move and I'm looking for a precedent of an authoritarian leader telling a large number of his followers to get lost.

Hitler did it, but only in the final days of World War II when he was surrounded by Russian and American troops and blamed the German people for not fighting harder.  He committed suicide soon after.

Jim Jones arranged for his followers to commit suicide, which he did too, but only when he concluded that the American military was on its way to round them all up.

But, as far as I know, Trump isn't at the end of his rope just yet.  So why would he think it's OK to cut off a significant part of his base?  Perhaps he thinks he can bully them back into line.  Or perhaps he thinks he now has enough power to turn his followers into subjects with no ability to resist.

I didn't think he had that much power yet but, after watching Frontline's Trump's Power and the Rule of Law last night, I'm thinking a little harder.  🤔

There was a nice Politico article today gaming out what might really be going on here. 

I think the simplest explanation is that Trump and Kash Patel and Co. started a fire they knew was fueled by bullshit to gain power.  And they are now learning that bullshit is more combustible and durable than they thought.  What a shocker! 

But I'm beginning to wonder whether the even darker scenario is true:  the piece of shit rapist felon is all over whatever they got.  And so Trump has to cover it up to avoid an even bigger scandal.  As you note, authoritarian leaders are always more than willing to throw their authoritarian followers under the bus to preserve their own authoritarians asses.

Has anybody seen Mike Johnson's decapitated head on a stick, hung outside the US Capitol?  Or maybe Mike Pence hanging from a noose?  Point is, I said using satire above that Johnson should be deported.  If this were Hitler, or  even a wannabe like Putin, that would be way too nice.  Johnson would be dead outside the Reichstag in a pool of blood.  The fact that we are seeing Republican leaders break with Trump in real time probably does tell us something about the limits of his power.  There is no evidence that they are willing to go down with the ship.   But we'll see.

I do think my Sister In Cock is correct.  Trump is deranged, and only getting worse.  We should not underestimate how bad he can get.  And how much shit he may try to break.

That documentary you referenced looks great @lookin.  I only watched about 15 minutes to get the jist of it, and will watch the rest later.

But it just confirms one thing I know, and several posters here have discussed.  There is a bad guy in this picture who fucked up badly and every Democrat in America should despise as the worthless incompetent piece of shit that he is.  His name is not Donald Trump.  It is Merrick Garland.  Garland had four fucking years to prosecute Trump.  

Quote

An overwhelming majority of Americans—including, crucially, nearly two-thirds of independents—want former President Donald Trump to stand trial in the Justice Department’s 2020 election case before the 2024 election.

That poll is from 2023.  For four years there were endless polls that said the same thing.  It's not that the rule of law failed.  It is that it wasn't really tried.  In the end, I think a lot of voters basically said, "You ain't got shit.  You are all talk.  Don't keep preaching about democracy and the rule of law.  You clutched."

That said, my own opinion is that Trump, an idiot and felon, is now doing a reverse Biden.  Biden and Democrats overplayed the democracy card.  In the end a lot of people voted for Trump because of prices, not noble ideas.  And his promises on prices. 

So maybe Trump thinks as long as he is breaking shit, his authoritarian followers will be happy.  And as you know, @lookin, many of them will be happy.  But we are seeing his coalition fall apart in real time.  Some of it is whackos who are more interested in conspiracy theories, anyway.   But the price of electricity is up 9 % so far this year, homes are unaffordable.  And health care and food will soon be for lots of Trump voters.  Sorry.  But that shit just ain't gonna fly.

Biden was no AMLO.  But neither is Trump.  It worked for AMLO because he actually knew that working class people are not stupid, and they know when they are better or worse off.  Trump didn't get that memo.  Like in 2018 and 2020, I think he will reap the consequences of his greed, narcissism, and stupidity.  

Trump may think he can be King.  He actually could be that dangerous, as my Sister In Cock says.  So we'll see.  But mostly what I see is a very fragile coalition that could not get 50 % of the vote in even one election slowly dying by sinking into its own bullshit.

[Suckrates]

29 minutes ago, stevenkesslar said:

There was a nice Politico article today gaming out what might really be going on here. 

I think the simplest explanation is that Trump and Kash Patel and Co. started a fire they knew was fueled by bullshit to gain power.  And they are now learning that bullshit is more combustible and durable than they thought.  What a shocker! 

But I'm beginning to wonder whether the even darker scenario is true:  the piece of shit rapist felon is all over whatever they got.  And so Trump has to cover it up to avoid an even bigger scandal.  As you note, authoritarian leaders are always more than willing to throw their authoritarian followers under the bus to preserve their own authoritarians asses.

Has anybody seen Mike Johnson's decapitated head on a stick, hung outside the US Capitol?  Or maybe Mike Pence hanging from a noose?  Point is, I said using satire above that Johnson should be deported.  If this were Hitler, or  even a wannabe like Putin, that would be way too nice.  Johnson would be dead outside the Reichstag in a pool of blood.  The fact that we are seeing Republican leaders break with Trump in real time probably does tell us something about the limits of his power.  There is no evidence that they are willing to go down with the ship.   But we'll see.

I do think my Sister In Cock is correct.  Trump is deranged, and only getting worse.  We should not underestimate how bad he can get.  And how much shit he may try to break.

That documentary you referenced looks great @lookin.  I only watched about 15 minutes to get the jist of it, and will watch the rest later.

But it just confirms one thing I know, and several posters here have discussed.  There is a bad guy in this picture who fucked up badly and every Democrat in America should despise as the worthless incompetent piece of shit that he is.  His name is not Donald Trump.  It is Merrick Garland.  Garland had four fucking years to prosecute Trump.  

That poll is from 2023.  For four years there were endless polls that said the same thing.  It's not that the rule of law failed.  It is that it wasn't really tried.  In the end, I think a lot of voters basically said, "You ain't got shit.  You are all talk.  Don't keep preaching about democracy and the rule of law.  You clutched."

That said, my own opinion is that Trump, an idiot and felon, is now doing a reverse Biden.  Biden and Democrats overplayed the democracy card.  In the end a lot of people voted for Trump because of prices, not noble ideas.  And his promises on prices. 

So maybe Trump thinks as long as he is breaking shit, his authoritarian followers will be happy.  And as you know, @lookin, many of them will be happy.  But we are seeing his coalition fall apart in real time.  Some of it is whackos who are more interested in conspiracy theories, anyway.   But the price of electricity is up 9 % so far this year, homes are unaffordable.  And health care and food will soon be for lots of Trump voters.  Sorry.  But that shit just ain't gonna fly.

Biden was no AMLO.  But neither is Trump.  It worked for AMLO because he actually knew that working class people are not stupid, and they know when they are better or worse off.  Trump didn't get that memo.  Like in 2018 and 2020, I think he will reap the consequences of his greed, narcissism, and stupidity.  

Trump may think he can be King.  He actually could be that dangerous, as my Sister In Cock says.  So we'll see.  But mostly what I see is a very fragile coalition that could not get 50 % of the vote in even one election slowly dying by sinking into its own bullshit.

WHAT is the worst thing about Trump that could be in the Epstein files ?   We have already seen MAGA forgive EVERY terrible thing Trump has done, includoing sexual assault,  so I dont really believe a realization that he sexually assaulted MINORS is the thing that MAGA cant/wont accept.   They will forgive him that also.   They just want to HEAR the truth at this point.   And truly,  if Trump admits to them that he lied,  they will just scurry away with wagging tails.... REALLY....    Trump creating all this espionage surrounding the case is the thing making it worse.   But, does Trump KNOW HOW TO TELL THE TRUTH ?    That might be the problem here ?  

[stevenkesslar]

On 2/20/2025 at 11:52 AM, bucknaway said:

We have a new FBI director here in the USA and it has long been said that once he is confirmed the Epstein list of clients would be released to the American public. So the countdown begins and we will see if this will be a promise kept. 🤔

 

[stevenkesslar]

On 2/20/2025 at 4:32 PM, bucknaway said:

 

 

[stevenkesslar]

On 2/20/2025 at 4:34 PM, bucknaway said:

 

 

DO NOT LET TRUMP TURN YOU INTO TRUMP STEAKS.

YEAH YOU'RE A DUMB DOG BUT I LIKE DOGS.

DO NOT LET TRUMP TURN YOU INTO TRUMP STEAKS.

HE WILL DROP YOU IN A HEARTBEAT.   POOR THING!

HERE IS A TREAT NOW BE GOOD BUT BE CAREFUL.

 

[stevenkesslar]

14 minutes ago, Suckrates said:

WHAT is the worst thing about Trump that could be in the Epstein files ?   We have already seen MAGA forgive EVERY terrible thing Trump has done, includoing sexual assault,  so I dont really believe a realization that he sexually assaulted MINORS is the thing that MAGA cant/wont accept.   They will forgive him that also.   They just want to HEAR the truth at this point.   And truly,  if Trump admits to them that he lied,  they will just scurry away with wagging tails.... REALLY....    Trump creating all this espionage surrounding the case is the thing making it worse.   But, does Trump KNOW HOW TO TELL THE TRUTH ?    That might be the problem here ?  

As that PBS documentary @lookin posted argued, we have been here before.  Nixon dug his own grave.  The coverup is worse than the crime.

You and I keep talking about two different audiences. 

The MAGA folks are basically a lost cause to me.  Including my own niece, who I love.  The only question is how many of them will actually go vote to defend their hero.  This will not help Republicans in the midterms.  Which is why Mike Johnson is speaking up.  He knows if these people lose faith in the cause he will be Minority leader.  Or MAGA will toss him, even.

I'm most interested in swing voters.  And your point is right.  They never should have voted for Trump.  But I would rather they vote for my team in 2026 and 2028.  

My premise is that most Americans care about the rule of law.  I think that is true.  That PBS documentary spelled it out, in the words of some of Trump's own most ardent media supporters.  They considered him dead meat in 2021 and 2022.  The lawfare narrative was able to fill the void in part because Garland did pretty much nothing.  And Fanny had an affair. 

I don't think the fact that Trump is a felon helped him.  At least not on balance.  I do think it was the prices, stupid, in a close race.  Had Trump gone to trial and been convicted by a jury, I think it would have hurt him.  In a 49.8 % race,  probably enough to tip the race.  We'll never know.

 

[lookin]

7 minutes ago, Suckrates said:

As Trump grows stronger with every WIN, he makes Bold moves since he knows hes basically "untouchable". . . .  But its pretty clear Trump has no plan, and just flys with the seat of his pants to see how much he can get away with.

You may be right that Trump himself has no plan but, according to that Frontline piece, those around him sure do.  It's called the 'unitary executive theory' and argues that the Constitution gives the President sole authority over the Executive Branch.  That means, for example, Trump doesn't have to let the Justice Department do its job impartially but can tell them that they now work directly for him and he will tell them whom to prosecute and whom to let alone.

Nixon tried that, going so far as to say that it's legal if the President does it.  There was a lot of blowback against Nixon and subsequent administrations moderated their quest for power.  Trump, and those around him, are making up for lost time.

5 minutes ago, stevenkesslar said:

That documentary you referenced looks great @lookin.  I only watched about 15 minutes to get the jist of it, and will watch the rest later.

I'm really glad, and will look forward to your take on it.

I was surprised by how conscious the effort is to implement the 'unitary executive theory' and how far along the path the Trump administration has travelled.  Steve Bannon keeps popping up in the documentary saying there's no stopping them.

Getting rid of seventeen Inspectors General two weeks into his term, and without the required notification of Congress, took away Congressional oversight of the State Department among others.  According to the Frontline piece, Congress has already been hobbled, and it's unclear if the Judicial Branch has much power left.  Trump has already signaled that he may just ignore judicial rulings and it's not clear how the justices would enforce their rulings.

I sure hope there's some way to maintain three independent branches of government, as the country's founders intended, but I'm not sure who has the willingness, authority, and power to make it happen.  Whoever it is will have to get busy before too much longer.

 

[Suckrates]

16 minutes ago, lookin said:

You may be right that Trump himself has no plan but, according to that Frontline piece, those around him sure do.  It's called the 'unitary executive theory' and argues that the Constitution gives the President sole authority over the Executive Branch.  That means, for example, Trump doesn't have to let the Justice Department do its job impartially but can tell them that they now work directly for him and he will tell them whom to prosecute and whom to let alone.

Nixon tried that, going so far as to say that it's legal if the President does it.  There was a lot of blowback against Nixon and subsequent administrations moderated their quest for power.  Trump, and those around him, are making up for lost time.

I'm really glad, and will look forward to your take on it.

I was surprised by how conscious the effort is to implement the 'unitary executive theory' and how far along the path the Trump administration has travelled.  Steve Bannon keeps popping up in the documentary saying there's no stopping them.

Getting rid of seventeen Inspectors General two weeks into his term, and without the required notification of Congress, took away Congressional oversight of the State Department among others.  According to the Frontline piece, Congress has already been hobbled, and it's unclear if the Judicial Branch has much power left.  Trump has already signaled that he may just ignore judicial rulings and it's not clear how the justices would enforce their rulings.

I sure hope there's some way to maintain three independent branches of government, as the country's founders intended, but I'm not sure who has the willingness, authority, and power to make it happen.  Whoever it is will have to get busy before too much longer.

 

Trump has pretty much solidified the fact that there is now only ONE branch of govt, and he is the Ruling head of that branch..... All the other "jenga" pieces have been pulled and disposed of,  and the govt is pretty much Authoritarian.  I am not sure why people keep saying "we are on the brink",  when we are ALREADY THERE..?

Trump has a "girl in every port"  as the saying goes,  now meaning he has cronies and bootlickers in every govt office whose main job it now is to just sit and wait for HIS orders, do his bidding, and rule in his favor....  Thats THEIR job now, make Trumps wishes come true.....   So for all those tippy toeing  around the danger and Progress of Trumps agenda,  I have news for you..... STOP tippy toeing.....  Trump is Americas Dictator Ruler.....   Now,  will Trumps perceived betrayal by MAGA crack his "pedestal",  and if so how log before Trump topples ?    I dont see that happening.    There will be plenty more Trump scandals in his remaining 3 1/2 years, but the question is,  WHO will his base and supporters be ?     Its always the voters that "make you or break you".   Trump needs MAGA but they dont necessarily need him, especially if they cant TRUST him..Theres always another MAGA authoritarian  "in waiting"....

[Goober]

Give donOLD some credit. He's not wrong about everything. He thinks his supporters are stupid, and no one can argue with that.

[stevenkesslar]

3 hours ago, lookin said:

I sure hope there's some way to maintain three independent branches of government, as the country's founders intended, but I'm not sure who has the willingness, authority, and power to make it happen.  Whoever it is will have to get busy before too much longer.

As you note, it is the unitary executive theory.   Not the unitary government theory.

That said, my Sister In Cock is right that it is a de facto unitary government now.  For the most part, the legislative branch and SCOTUS are willing to go along with whatever Trump wants. The caveat is that right now the House and Senate are Republican run.  Check back with me in 2027.  So the biggest check right now is constant articles about some judge somewhere who actually puts some limit on Trump.  At least until SCOTUS says, "Oh, no.  Do whatever you want."

And it's worse than you think. 

John Mearsheimer is one example of a smart person saying on foreign policy Trump can do anything he wants.  He is systematically destroying alliances that took a century or more to build.  On Ukraine at least he is surrounded by Republicans who mostly despise Putin and want to sanction him.  So that part of the GOP is still breathing. 

Then there is the GENOCIDE JEW!!!!!!!! show.  The United States and Israel are increasingly associated with genocide.  As in, "Want food? Okay.  But let me kill you instead."  It's happening every day.  Mearsheimer argued Trump can pretty much do anything he wants.  Bombs away, if Bibi and Trump agree.  Which they seem to.  And, yes, I know.  That's Israeli Jews, not American Jews.  Then we get into the Israel Lobby in the US, which Mearsheimer wrote a book about and is all too happy to talk about.  So right now there is only one proudly Jewish nation in the world, and it is having a genocide spree.  And the US is paying for much of it.

Oh, and did I mention Trump has his finger on the nuclear button?

The solace in this is that the reaction is clearly growing, just like it did in 2017 and 2018.  Can Trump cancel the midterms?  Hope not.  The polls show even Republicans say they don't want Trump to be King.  Mostly they feel democracy is alive and well, though.  Trump won fair and square, and they like what he's doing.  Although even with that there are more and more Republicans saying they DO NOT like tariffs, or his cruel immigration policy.

My conservative Romney-ite nephew who basically supports Trump's policies is a really good read for me on this.  A month or so ago I said I'm not even sure if people care about democracy anymore.  I don't believe that, but I was curious what he would say.  "I think they care about democracy.  They just want change."  he replied.  I agree with him.  That is what Trump acolytes said loud and clear, and correctly, in that Frontline video.

So the question on the table now is, "is this the change you wanted?"  The verdict is out.

I will say this about the unitary executive theory and executive orders.  Bipartisanship and "meeting in the middle", which I know is what my conservative nephew and I deeply agree on and favor, has been dying for a long time.  Obama increasingly used executive orders because it was the only way he could get shit done.  As that video shows, Trump took out a lot of Biden's executive orders on Day One. 

So Trump is taking out all the guard rails, for sure.  But he is symptom, not cause.  What happens is that every election since 2016 people vote for change.  Then they don't like it.  And then they vote for change again.  My money is on them doing it again in 2026 and 2028. 

But I do miss the 80's and 90's which were a great time for meeting in the middle and getting big shit done.  Win the Cold War, perhaps?  Budget surplus, anyone?  😀  Ain't gonna happen with this hot mess. 

So it's on Democrats, next time they get a shot,  to see if they can deliver the kind of change people actually want.  At least something like 51 % of them in at least enough states to get a majority of US Senators.

[Goober]

I think donOLD's name is profusely peppered throughout the Epstein files, enough to cause even many MAGAts to recoil. Not so much that he actually participated in illegal and perverted activities with teenage girls, but enough to suggest he knew what was going on and did nothing about it; basically, condoning it. As donOLD so famously said "When you're a star they let you do it" --- I think he was referring to both the victims and the authorities.

[Pete1111]

Remember when the NY times and Washington Post did their job?