Patterico's Pontifications

8/7/2017

Trump Attacks Blumenthal Over Vietnam — While ObamaCare Remains Unrepealed

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 9:00 am



Already the John Kelly era has brought a certain calm dignity to the White House. The president now seems to be getting his information presented properly, rather than through television. Best of all, there have been no new Twitter rants. Perhaps this means we have opened a new chapter — one in which the White House concentrates on priorities like tax reform and repealing ObamaC– hello! What’s this?

There he goes again. It’s not the first Twitter rant of the morning, either. (Susan Wright covered the earlier one.)

I think people in the heartland aching for ObamaCare repeal might have a different judgment as to who defrauded voters.

It should be noted: Trump is right about Blumenthal, of course. As the #FAKENEWS!! New York Times reported in 2010, Blumenthal often said things like “We have learned something important since the days that I served in Vietnam” and similar breast-beating statements suggesting he had served in the war. But he did not. He received at least five deferments.

So Trump was right. But, speaking of five deferments from Vietnam, Mr. Bone Spurs is not exactly the right person to be making this argument.

Josh Hammer sums it up nicely:

Oh, and by the way? Not that you didn’t already suspect this from the first Trump tweet above, but just to hammer the point home: guess why Trump is talking about Blumenthal today? You guessed it: because Blumenthal was on the teevee.

Blumenthal appeared earlier in the morning on CNN’s “New Day.” During that interview, the senator said he was “concerned” the Department of Justice is “weaponizing” laws after it announced a crackdown on leaks.

So much for the John Kelly era of A New Maturity.

Over the weekend, I had a post titled Trump Is Not The Victim Of A Slow-Rolling Coup; He Is The Victim Of His Own Incompetence. If you missed it, I encourage you to read it now. It’s your friendly reminder that Trump is not addressing ObamaCare; he’s watching teevee and tweeting — and maybe that’s a big part of why he’s failing.

It’s time to acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, President Trump’s failure to date has been largely his own fault. Contemptuous of the notion of familiarizing himself with even a superficial level of policy detail, he can’t make the case for ObamaCare repeal the way Obama made the case for the law in the first place. Having created an absurdly chaotic White House by dint of his own lack of discipline and his obsession with television, praise, and his image, Trump is unable to fashion a legislative agenda that garners the votes he needs in Congress.

. . . .

[T]he media and the Deep State did not hold a gun to Trump’s head and tell him: “Do not learn about policy. Do not build a well-functioning White House. Instead, act like a narcissistic dummox. Watch television 24/7, tweet stupid nonsense as often as possible, and do your best to come off like a self-obsessed, amoral buffoon, so that your approval ratings tank and you can’t get anything done.”

Turn off the TV, put down your smartphone, and get to work, Mr. Trump.

[Cross-posted at RedState and The Jury Talks Back.]

163 Responses to “Trump Attacks Blumenthal Over Vietnam — While ObamaCare Remains Unrepealed”

  1. President Trump’s doing yeoman’s work and he’s 100% correct in calling out sleazy war hero Richard Blumenthal for his lies and deception.

    If you want to be mad at someone for obamacare I’d suggest filthy cowardly war hero John McCain – he did a vote recently (deciding vote) where he voted to do Obamacare all up in it for all eternity after LYING LIKE A PIG to the ignorant Arizona people who voted for him (he told them he was for repealing obamacare but he was LYING).

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  2. At 0255, Send in Gens. Kelly and Mattis and a buck 2nd Lieutenant to distract Mel, while the generals boot-stomp the presidential smartphone. Then Trump is handed a remanufactured Obamaphone in its stead.

    urbanleftbehind (166c3b)

  3. Republicans in Congress have no interest in repealing Obamacare. They like increasing government power and most are really in lockstep with the left.

    What would you suggest the President do to change that?

    NJRob (7f4bec)

  4. The 60th vote was Blagojevich appointed senator Roland Burris and Republicans did nothing to stop Burris’ confirmation as senator.

    Even after Burris was caught committing perjury in Blago’s impeachment trial!

    Truthbetold (1ab5c1)

  5. The IL Dems could have nominated blue dogs Glenn Poshard or Dan Lipinski, I still think even either of those 2 are vote #60. But then the IL-Rinos panicked over Oberweis (Trump before Trump), gave up on Jack Ryan, and did not even consider sending Mike Ditka to obedience school (Alan freakin’ Keyes was flown in for chrissakes!), so that ball rolled well before then.

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  6. As for myself, it’s my strong impression that Kelly has done wonders in influencing Trump to less extravagant tweeting. Hopefully in other ways he has also tended to successfully modulate or profitably redirect Trump’s naturally gaseous and flammable reactions to the news / events of political import. Kelly cannot be expected to turn Trump entirely away from his nature, however. Oftentimes the best that can be done with a “difficult” dog is to accept that from time to time he will eat the occasional road nugget or lap up his own vomit or fart in company. Provided he’s making progress in not biting elders or scaring children, and seems to be licking his own balls at least with somewhat less frequency or vigor, both the dog and the handler deserve praise. It’s good for Trump, and good for the country.

    Q! (267694)

  7. urbanleftbehind

    If the republicans held up Burris confirmation it would have created problems and exposed crimes that were being covered up involving Obama.

    Truthbetold (1ab5c1)

  8. That’s what Trump always says aoyt Senator Richard Blumenthal/

    As for John Kelly, he specifically aaid his job was not to control what the president said on Twitter. (but it is clear all that is unofficial)

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  9. 4. Truthbetold (1ab5c1) — 8/7/2017 @ 9:43 am

    The 60th vote was Blagojevich appointed senator Roland Burris and Republicans did nothing to stop Burris’ confirmation as senator.

    Senators don’t gte confirmed. they get appointed by the Governor.

    Are you saying that because anything Blagojevich did was suspect, any appointee of his should not have been seated by the Senate

    http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98918311

    There is one issue on which Maltz and most other experts appear to agree: A 1969 Supreme Court decision renders it almost impossible for the Senate to outright deny Burris entree to its august chamber.

    The case involved the House’s refusal to seat New York’s Adam Clayton Powell Jr. on issues of ethics. The high court held that the House could not deny a seat to a duly elected congressman who met constitutional age, citizenship and residency requirements for the office. The House could have seated Powell, the court found, and then expelled him with a two-thirds majority vote. But it couldn’t mess with the votes of the people.

    Blagojevich was carefl to appoint someone about which there could be no questions about whether the seat was “bought”

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  10. Sammy

    Burris was trying to buy the senate seat! He committed perjury to try to coover that fact up.

    Fitzgerald arrested Blago when he did to avoid having to arrest Jesse Jackson Jr. Fitzgerald’s explanation for the premature arrest was that he wanted to stop Blago from making an appointment.

    I know the circumstances well, Sammy. Save the procedure debate, it is irrelevant and a waste of time.

    Truthbetold (1ab5c1)

  11. NJRob (7f4bec) — 8/7/2017 @ 9:37 am

    “Republicans in Congress have no interest in repealing Obamacare. They like increasing government power and most are really in lockstep with the left.”

    What would you suggest the President do to change that?”

    There is nothing the President can do to change that. Patterico admitted as much in his post about the traitorous Republican senators that he’s going to primary as an Independent or whichever political party he now represents.

    You see, there is NO coup, NJRob. There is NOT an entire political party’s apparatus that is focusing solely on impeaching Trump. This political party’s “leadership” did NOT hatch such a strategy in the wee hours after Hillary’s humiliating defeat, before Trump was inaugurated. This political party’s leadership had NO troubling relationships with Russia, Iran, or other thugs around the globe. There are NO federal employees that are sabotaging the administration’s agenda. There is really NOTHING troubling about a special prosecutor being appointed to investigate a crime that has NOT been identified, and the probe has NOT devolved into a fishing expedition. FusionGPS is NOT the Democrat’s smear machine that tells media what to report – as Thor Halvorssen (a close colleague of Gary Kasparov’s) has alleged. You see, there is NOTHING to see here.

    As I’ve stated many times before, it has already been decided that Trump will be out of office before his term is up. And before anyone accuses me of defending Trump, I have also said that he’s a narcissistic buffoon. Yet, he was duly elected. Apparently his character excuses the extra-constitutional tactics being used to railroad him. (And the hissy fits being thrown by pundits.) And Trump’s more vociferous critics’ refusal to admit their hypocrisy is the least of our worries….. they actually condone the behavior of the establishment.

    As Glenn Reynolds repeatedly states “If you want more Trump, this is how you get more Trump”. Ask most Trump supporters what they think of Trump’s character, and they’re forthright, indeed horrified, about his major flaws. But they voted Trump to send a message to Washington, and if the message is not understood as seems likely, well, Trump will be a walk in the park compared to what comes next.

    Lenny (5ea732)

  12. What precisely would you have Trump do about the GOP vote split on Obamacare in the Senate?

    Any solution that brings Lee and Paul closer to supporting repeal drives Murkowski, Heller and Collins further away.

    There is no obvious path to 50 votes — McConnell tried outright bribery with billions of dollars for the states of the recalcitrant Senators.

    Give us some specifics about a path that Trump could take in vocalizing his support for repeal that brings the GOP to 50 votes.

    What would Patrick Frey recommend as Chief of Staff such that Trump could “make the case for ObamaCare repeal the way Obama made the case for the law in the first place.”

    What should he say that would bring either the conservatives or moderates on board without risking the loss of more than 2 votes, because that’s the margin of error he’s working with.

    The difference between Obama in 2009 and Trump in 2017 is that Obama had the benefit of a united Democratic party which had been working towards health care reform since 1993 when Clinton introduced HillaryCare. The concepts of the individual mandate, coverage for pre-existing conditions, and expansion of Medicaid had all been resolved by multiple Dem controlled House and Senate majorities for nearly 20 years. In 2008 they got Obama and 60 votes in the Senate.

    After the House passed its Obamacare version 220-215, it was up to the Senate to take up the issue. Rather than take up the House passed version, Reid chose to gut another House passed minor tax bill, and replace the text of that bill with the Senate’s version of Obamacare. Initially he lacked 60 votes, and there were months of wheeling and dealing by Reid with both Dem and GOP senators in an effort to get to 60 votes.

    But in April 2009 Arlen Specter became a Dem, giving Reid 59 votes. He was still one short because Al Franken’s victory in Minnesota was contested for several months. He was finally declared the winner and sworn-in on July 7, 2009. That gave Reid — and Obama — 60 votes. The Senate version of Obamacare eventually passed 60-39 along party-lines, and Reid didn’t have to make any compromises with the GOP.

    When Ted Kennedy died unexpectedly, shrinking their margin to 59 votes, the Dems could no longer ram through the Senate whatever they wanted because they were one vote short of being able to break a GOP filibuster. That meant that it was no longer possible for the two bills to go to conference where differences could be worked out, because the Conference Report would be subject to a GOP filibuster in the Senate where the Dems now had only 59 votes.

    Scott Brown then won Kennedy’s seat in a special election in January 2010, meaning the Dems would be blocked for the remainder of that Congressional session from reconciling the two bills through conference, and the only path to passage of Obamacare was for the House to take up the Senate bill and pass it with the exact language passed by the Senate. The House did so, based on the promise that a separate piece of legislation would be passed that addressed matters that they had expected to have changed in conference. But because those changes all involved aspects of Obamacare dealing with tax and spending aspects of Obamacare, they were subject to passage in the Senate by reconciliation, needing only 51 votes — with the Dems having 59.

    So, to suggest — as you did yesterday, and have now double-downed on today — that “President Trump’s failure to date [to repeal Obamacare] has been largely his own fault”, and comparing Trump’s “failure” to Obama’s “success” in 2009 is either an expression of ignorance about the difference in circumstances confronting the two new Presidents, or a purposeful re-writing of history to fit your desired personal narrative about Trump.

    History is an interesting thing — its written down in a lot of places, and not subject to change.

    shipwreckedcrew (9e5f20)

  13. The Republican establishment never wanted to repeal Obamacare.

    They to want to get to single payer. Obamacare was designed to get them there.

    Truthbetold (1ab5c1)

  14. Lenny @ 11:

    As I’ve stated many times before, it has already been decided that Trump will be out of office before his term is up. And before anyone accuses me of defending Trump, I have also said that he’s a narcissistic buffoon. Yet, he was duly elected. Apparently his character excuses the extra-constitutional tactics being used to railroad him. (And the hissy fits being thrown by pundits.) And Trump’s more vociferous critics’ refusal to admit their hypocrisy is the least of our worries….. they actually condone the behavior of the establishment.

    More truer words have not been written here.

    Trump is who he is, for better or worse.

    But who he is does not justify the unconstitutional efforts of other parts of the Government to subvert his Administration in an effort to drive him from office.

    shipwreckedcrew (9e5f20)

  15. Bone spurs are still disqualifying for military service.

    Still.

    Mike K (b3dd19)

  16. how would harvardtrash Ted the famous senate war hero be repealing all the obamacare if he’d gotten elected?

    what harvardtrash magicks would he bring to the table?

    would he be trading on the cachet and esteem he’d earned among his fellow scummy war hero senators in some way what is denied to President Trump, who is not himself a war hero?

    please to explain how things would be different with respect to doing repeals on the Obamacare if harvardtrash Ted had emerged victorious

    after that maybe we can think about how obamacare would look today if filthy war hero John Kasich had emerged victorious

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  17. 11 & 14.

    Bravo – well said.

    The last election is in danger of being overturned by people who think it’s OK because they know better.

    Trump and his lack of message discipline, incompetence and truly strange prioritization of what’s important are a real liability (notice incompetence and intentional destruction never hurt Obama with the Deep State, admistratice state or the media, only the voters) but to blame Trump exclusively for what’s going on is indeed claptrap.

    harkin (a7e08c)

  18. So called Harvard trash never made a promise to replace with a “better plan”, its very well possible he and whatever cohortitude in Congress do nothing and let the Ocare collapse take place very painfully.

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  19. thank you for your thoughtful reply

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  20. Turn off the TV, put down your smartphone, and get to work, Mr. Trump.

    He’s on vacation.

    Bedminster, New Jersey is lovely this time of year, too. Jackie Kennedy stabled and rode her horses around there- Far Hills and such. And Bernardsville’s favorite daughter was a cheerleader from them parts– Meryl Streep. Back in the day lived in the next town over – Basking Ridge – before 287 was completed and the area was completely gentrified.

    __________

    Today’s Beldar the Bitter ‘Watergate, Watergate, Watergate’ Words of Wonder:

    “The press is the enemy. The establishment is the enemy. The professors are the enemy.” – President Nixon discussing his ‘enemies’ in government, academia and the media on Vietnam policies and Watergate with Henry Kissinger, secret White House Oval Office tapes, December 14, 1972.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  21. People do forget the New Jersey thats not Joysey or some POC/ethnic hellhole.

    urbanleftbehind (5eecdb)

  22. Trump is correct about Richard Blumenthal.

    Trump also shouldn’t tweet like a piqued prepubescent schoolgirl.

    I’m not buying the bone spur story. Bone spurs can be healed.

    Huh huh. Get it?

    https://heelthatpain.com/heel-spur/surgery/heel-spurs-surgery/

    If you want to serve your country there are ways to do it. Bone spurs? Give me a break.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  23. @14. But who he is does not justify the unconstitutional efforts of other parts of the Government to subvert his Administration in an effort to drive him from office.

    The ‘non-denial denials’ are fairly easy to spot from that crowd. If/when he goes, it’ll be at is own hand and of his own doing, a la the Big Dick.

    “Therefore, I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon, tomorrow. Vice President Ford will be sworn in as President, at that hour, in this office.” – President Richard Nixon, resignation speech, August 8, 1974

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  24. wtf would anyone want to go to vietnam it was one of the sillier wars we’ve lost plus the mosquitoes were terrible

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  25. “The press is the enemy. The establishment is the enemy. The professors are the enemy.” – President Nixon discussing his ‘enemies’ in government, academia and the media on Vietnam policies and Watergate with Henry Kissinger, secret White House Oval Office tapes, December 14, 1972.

    DCSCA (797bc0) — 8/7/2017 @ 12:16 pm

    We also share over 90% of our DNA with Chimpanzees. Discuss.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  26. @21. South Jersey is heaven. Sandy Hook, the barrier islands, Island Beach, LBI down to Cape May. The beaches in California are pure crap in comparison.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  27. Bone spurs often plague boneheads. It’s been rumored that he believes in phrenology as a science and the orange DOO hides his bumps.

    Ben burn (12ab2c)

  28. @25. “The only way they learn how is to watch other pandas mate, you see…” – President Nixon in a phone conversation with a columnist for The Washington Star.

    Discuss.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  29. https://www.facebook.com/PaulHenryCarrMemorialFoundation

    Do you think Soldiers or Sailors get to pick their wars?

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  30. https://www.google.com/amp/s/thedisorderofthings.com/2016/11/02/against-the-new-phrenology-de-pathologizing-trumpism/amp/

    Science has unequivocally shown that the conservative brain has an exaggerated fear response when faced with stimuli that may be perceived as threatening. A classic study in the journal Science found that conservatives have a stronger physiological reaction to startling noises and graphic images compared to liberals. A brain-imaging study published in Current Biology revealed that those who lean right politically tend to have a larger amygdala — a structure that is electrically active during states of fear and anxiety. And a 2014 fMRI study found that it is possible to predict whether someone is a liberal or conservative simply by looking at their brain activity while they view threatening or disgusting images, such as mutilated bodies… So how does this help explain the unbridled loyalty of Trump supporters? These brain responses are automatic, and not influenced by logic or reason.
    Spirit, in other words, is a bone after all. And the phrenology of Trumpism has deeply worrying implications for politics.

    Ben burn (12ab2c)

  31. @DCSCA, you seem to think Richard Nixon was my friend and I’d like to know why.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  32. @29. Ask a civilian.

    “The only place where you and I disagree … is with regard to the bombing. You’re so goddamned concerned about the civilians and I don’t give a damn. I don’t care.” – President Nixon dismissing killing civilians in bombing raids he knew were ineffective w/Henry Kissinger, secret White House Oval Office tapes, 12/14/72

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  33. That was an amusing comment you wrote @ 8/7/2017 @ 12:57 pm. It’s funny how few liberals I served with, given the “fear response.”

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  34. Here’s the thing, Trump had a great point about Blumenthal, that he really should know better than to talk about integrity problems… But the way Trump communicates only makes him sound so confused about his own point… After all Trump complaining about Vietnam service is ridiculous. Trump lost the debate because he lacked self awareness, much as he’s lost so much momentum as president because he’s surrounded by company men and ego. I hope he starts to learn from his mistakes, but I also would like to see the gop overcome Trump.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  35. Richard Blunethall imitated a naval aviator,

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  36. Dustin:

    Excellent perspective, that.

    Self-awareness is a greater challenge now than it’s ever been. If we could, I mean ALL of us… cultivate a healthy skepticism as to our own limited field of view…whilst considering there may be alternatives to our love, it could lead to positive outcomes we hadn’t formerly given the courtesy.

    Ben burn (12ab2c)

  37. Well, that’s not fair. He imitated a combat veteran.

    http://www.navybook.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/1280px-USS_Stark.jpg

    If you want to burn your hands off he USN is a good place to do do it.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  38. Jeez…alternatives to our love s/b alternatives to our POV

    Ben burn (12ab2c)

  39. @6 … OK. It’s not looking as bright as I thought (/ hoped) it was. 11 out of 13 tweets over the past 12 hours or so, does not bode particularly well, where (as here) they are typically non-productive, negative, and scatter-brained . . . Just one week into Kelly’s tenure as CoS — which may well prove to have been a fair portion of its duration. Doggone it. And shame on me, silly old fool.

    Q! (267694)

  40. 39

    What is Kelly’s leverage? Surely there’s a double-action that’s cocked.

    Ben burn (12ab2c)

  41. Dustin:

    Excellent perspective, that.

    Self-awareness is a greater challenge now than it’s ever been. If we could, I mean ALL of us… cultivate a healthy skepticism as to our own limited field of view…whilst considering there may be alternatives to our love, it could lead to positive outcomes we hadn’t formerly given the courtesy.
    Ben burn (12ab2c) — 8/7/2017 @ 2:28 pm

    I’m curious to know what you think you know about me. I have studied catastrophic failure in excruciating detail. It boils down to, best as I can tell, failure to learn.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  42. Aside from tweets, which is a deal breaker..what’s the quid-pro-quo?

    Ben burn (12ab2c)

  43. Is a bull the victim of a slow rolling conspiracy by the picadors, toreadors and the matador? When the propaganda organs flash the cape before Trump in the sure and certain knowledge that he will paw the ground, snort and twitter charge – is any planning whatsoever even necessary?

    I wonder if telling Trump he closely resembles Pavlov’s dogs and Skinner’s pigeon in terms of his response pattern would make a difference? I suspect he would continue to drool and peck. His conditioning is obviously very strong, as well as being entirely disengaged from anything resembling thought.

    Rick Ballard (5f52bd)

  44. 41. I don’t understand the question. Make it simple for me.

    Ben burn (12ab2c)

  45. Aside from tweets, which is a deal breaker..what’s the quid-pro-quo?

    Ben burn (12ab2c) — 8/7/2017 @ 2:38 pm

    I never liked the guy.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  46. Kelly’s not trying to do anything about the tweets.

    One of them, last Friday violated some reguklation (which is actually outdated)

    From Rich Galen’s Mullings email/column

    * On Friday morning the government released the job report for July.
    The Wall Street Journal bulletin read:

    “U.S. employers added a better-than-expected 209,000 jobs in July.
    The unemployment rate fell to 4.3%, tying the lowest level of
    unemployment in 16 years.”
    * CNN added:

    “The United States has added 1.07 million jobs during Trump’s six
    months in office.”
    * President Trump Tweeted:

    “Excellent Jobs Numbers just released – and I have only just begun.
    Many job stifling regulations continue to fall. Movement back to
    USA!”

    * After which the LA Times took pains to point out

    “Trump’s tweet came 15 minutes after the release of the jobs
    report, which appeared to violate a federal rule prohibiting
    executive branch officials from commenting publicly on such data
    within an hour of its release.”

    I looked up that federal rule. It dates back to 1985 which, for
    those of us old enough to remember, was pre-Internet (as we know it
    today), pre-cell phones, pre-cable TV (as we know it today),
    pre-Trump and pre-Twitter.

    These announcements typically come at 8:30 AM Eastern Time. Jobs,
    Housing, GDP, etc. The markets officially open at 9:30 AM Eastern
    Time.

    It may be that the rule was instituted so that federal officials
    (who may have had advance notice of whatever the announcement was
    going to be) wouldn’t affect stock prices at the opening.
    Think about having insider knowledge of the orange crop as the
    major plot line in “Trading Places.”

    Well, there was CNN by 1981.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  47. But he’s a step up.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  48. Self-awareness is a greater challenge now than it’s ever been. If we could, I mean ALL of us… cultivate a healthy skepticism as to our own limited field of view…

    Indeed Ben. Or even just holding off from judgment until passions subside a bit. We’re all governed by our limited experiences and our emotional state, but we aren’t animals and can use patience where wisdom is trying to catch up.

    This, in a nutshell, is why Trump is not fit to be President. He lacks the mental health to even have a twitter account. This used to be debateable, but it’s not anymore. He’s not effective. He’s not getting much accomplished. And before his time is up, who knows what mistakes he will make, but we know they will happen.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  49. This, in a nutshell, is why Trump is not fit to be President. He lacks the mental health to even have a twitter account. This used to be debateable, but it’s not anymore. He’s not effective. He’s not getting much accomplished.

    I’m curious to know what exactly you want the government to accomplish.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  50. The government is pretty good at Gulags.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  51. Sammy, fascinating observation! If the one hour rule is obsolete, they should change it, and follow it until it’s changed. I actually think that’s a good rule and should be honored. Trump, if aware of the rule, made it a point to ignore it because he’s above the law. Same thing with his personal profit from his administration. He’s proud of this sort of thing.

    I agree Kelly is not trying to do anything about twitter. Not because he shouldn’t. It’s a problem for the United States on a number of levels, but Trump isn’t going to take orders from anyone. Because to Trump, he’s obviously doing something right so shut up.

    Kelly, like the rest, will not leave the administration with a smile on his face, and those who have been paying attention won’t feel that sorry for him. Working in this administration is a very strange decision for anyone to make.

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  52. Dustin:

    I have a concern about NorKs and the fog of pre-war. My youngest is in deployment queue for S.Korea deployment and chem/nerve artillery shells reach those with the gear in the rear. A Tonkin is not inconceivable.

    Ben burn (12ab2c)

  53. My understanding wrt Chinese is they recognize the threat, but it is overplayed. Apparently the little dictator sees missiles as toys. Once he sees it go up the thrill is gone. But they are a paranoid bunch and have prepared much conventional firepower on the DNA. Casualties in the south from a perceived attack will be overwhelming.

    Ben burn (12ab2c)

  54. No, you see Ben, a Tonkin is conceivable. My job was to keep your child safe. To keep your precious child safe. I was intel. To bring your child home.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  55. DNA should be DMZ

    Ben burn (12ab2c)

  56. I knew what you meant. And just so you know I spent enough time at Camp Casey to become eligible for entry into the VFW.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  57. http://www.2id.korea.army.mil/

    Second to none.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  58. @ 47 Kelly’s not trying to do anything about the tweets.

    Well, I think he set modulating the Trump tweet-storms as a goal from day 1 (whatever contrary news reports would have it) – as well he should have. Trump’s tweets are in general both an ocean of potential downsides substantively, as well as being symptomatic of one of his major flaws – near-to utter undiscipline.

    And recent reports indeed have Kelly attempting to exercise control a degree of control over this particular catastrophic aspect of Trumpworld. E.g., Google, generally, article x, article y . . .

    Since (apparently) Trump was all-but begging Kelly to take the position, one hopes that Kelly had the presence of mind to lay down conditions of his employment which would be crucial in order for him to have a fighting chance of being able to turn the farce into an actual adult-themed administration & presidency. Discipline is a major key, and one would think one which was immediately obvious to any observer of DJT, much less a Marine General. Conditions/Discipline broken? You have my resignation, Mr. President. Even Trump should be self-aware enough to recognize the catastrophe that that would be . . .

    Q! (267694)

  59. I just thought of this. If your kid wants them I have a pair of Fort Danner Boots that will polish up really nicely. For free.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  60. 8 1/2 D.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  61. Trump attacked a Democrat. Not a member of his own cabinet or staff. That’s progress. Yuge progress. Tremendous progress.

    nk (dbc370)

  62. Kelly’s our Lightoller aboard this ship of state.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  63. I think military or equivalent volunteer public service should be a prerequisite for elected office..

    This measure will be necessary, I fear, in light of the threats and intimidation that I see coming out of the White House these days,” Blumenthal said. “The special counsel legislation is all the more important in light of these bullying slurs… These tweets are part and parcel of the kinds of intimidation and threats that he has made against the special counsel and anyone who seeks to uncover the truth.”

    A reporter at the press conference Monday asked if they were, in fact, slurs, as Blumenthal has admitted representing his service record. Before and while running for his Senate seat, Blumenthal talked about having served in Vietnam, but in 2010, a New York Times investigation revealed the senator had never served in Vietnam.

    “He obtained at least five military deferments from 1965 to 1970 and took repeated steps that enabled him to avoid going to war, according to records,” the Times story said. “In 1970, with his last deferment in jeopardy, he landed a coveted spot in the Marine Reserve, which virtually guaranteed that he would not be sent to Vietnam. He joined a unit in Washington that conducted drills and other exercises and focused on local projects, like fixing a campground and organizing a Toys for Tots drive.”

    Ben burn (12ab2c)

  64. bloomy is a disgrace, but the republican senators who said nothing over the years is pathetic

    mg (31009b)

  65. Trump Is Not The Victim Of A Slow-Rolling Coup; He Is The Victim Of His Own Incompetence.

    Maybe. Or maybe not:

    http://nation.foxnews.com/2017/08/07/bill-kristol-form-committee-not-renominate-president

    Bill Kristol to Form ‘Committee Not to Renominate the President’

    “Lost in the hullabaloo over the New York Times article claiming that Vice President Mike Pence was secretly laying the groundwork for a 2020 run for the White House was this:

    In the wider world of conservative Trump opponents, William Kristol, editor at large of The Weekly Standard, said he had begun informal conversations about creating a ‘Committee Not to Renominate the President.'” “We need to take one shot at liberating the Republican Party from Trump, and conservatism from Trumpism,” Mr. Kristol said.”

    “I love the smell of napalm in the morning. You know, one time we had a hill bombed, for 12 hours. When it was all over, I walked up. We didn’t find one of ’em, not one stinkin’ dink body. The smell, you know that gasoline smell, the whole hill. Smelled like… victory.” – Lt. Col., Bill Kilgore [Robert Duvall] ‘Apocalypse Now’ 1979

    DCSCA (9d1bb3)

  66. How many times is going going to take. I don’t like him.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  67. Mr. nk made an interesting observation all you b!tches should observe it we talk more later

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  68. So, to suggest — as you did yesterday, and have now double-downed on today — that “President Trump’s failure to date [to repeal Obamacare] has been largely his own fault”, and comparing Trump’s “failure” to Obama’s “success” in 2009 is either an expression of ignorance about the difference in circumstances confronting the two new Presidents, or a purposeful re-writing of history to fit your desired personal narrative about Trump.

    Or, maybe I have a different opinion than you have. And have reasons for my opinion.

    But I don’t intend to waste my time explaining myself to someone who asserts that the only possible explanations for my opinion are that I am ignorant or lying.

    Patterico (fedbee)

  69. He’s on vacation.

    I know he is, DCSCA, but I’m holding him to his own statements.

    OK. Get to work, Trump.

    Patterico (115b1f)

  70. Washington Post copies Operation Garbo

    http://canadafreepress.com/article/washington-post-copies-operation-garbo

    Truthbetold (1ab5c1)

  71. But I don’t intend to waste my time explaining myself to someone who asserts that the only possible explanations for my opinion are that I am ignorant or lying.
    Patterico (fedbee) — 8/7/2017 @ 5:23 pm

    Indeed, sir.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  72. Although, those are possible explanations.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  73. I don’t know why anybody thinks Trump’s tweets are silly and juvenile – he’s got hundreds of important people talking about them so they must be meaningful. It took him two minutes to send those tweets and how many hours of discussion are we spending on them? He’s a troll. Stop feeding the trolls.

    Jerryskids (cfad51)

  74. i was kinda on vacation today too if we gone be honest

    i made vegetable stock and answered a few emails

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  75. Just not the only possible ones. You couldn’t possibly be a prosecutor and not know this.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  76. Trump and his lack of message discipline, incompetence and truly strange prioritization of what’s important are a real liability (notice incompetence and intentional destruction never hurt Obama with the Deep State, admistratice state or the media, only the voters) but to blame Trump exclusively for what’s going on is indeed claptrap.

    Fortunately, I didn’t do that, harkin. From the post:

    It’s time to acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, President Trump’s failure to date has been largely his own fault. Contemptuous of the notion of familiarizing himself with even a superficial level of policy detail, he can’t make the case for ObamaCare repeal the way Obama made the case for the law in the first place.

    If you can’t deal with my arguments accurately, I’m wasting my time talking to you.

    Note that the ObamaCare failure is not the only reason I judge his presidency to be something of a failure to date. I have in past posts said that Congress is primarily to blame for the failure to repeal ObamaCare, and I stand by that. But Trump can’t be let entirely off the hook. Obama worked tirelessly to promote ObamaCare for months — lying along the way, of course — while Trump can’t be bothered. Who’s to say what might be achieved by an all-out and sustained war on the hypocrites who voted for the 2015 repeal but refused to vote for the same bill in 2017? But I don’t even know if Trump understands that happened.

    This may be my only comment to you in this thread, harkin. I’ve made it clear that I don’t appreciate having my arguments misstated. You haven’t taken me seriously enough on that score. Please, deal with the arguments I actually make and not the ones you imagine me making, that are easier to refute. That’s cheating and it’s insulting.

    If you want me to expend more effort talking to you in this thread, you have to stop doing that. If I don’t respond to you again, it’s likely because you haven’t managed to do that. Again, my valuable time is reserved for people who respect me enough to argue against what I actually say.

    Patterico (115b1f)

  77. Although, those are possible explanations.

    Sure, theoretically speaking. But this is not theory. I’m right here. If you’re calling me a liar or a dolt to my face, why would I talk to you? It’s called giving the other person a little credit. I spend a lot of time tapping out these opinions, and have done so for years, and I’m entitled to that credit. If you don’t think so, then presumably you don’t want to interact with me any more than I do with you.

    The use of the word “you” here is general and not directed specifically at you, Steve57. I can’t tell whether your comments are meant to accuse me of being ignorant or lying, but it is possible to read them as not, and that’s how I choose to read them.

    Patterico (115b1f)

  78. you’re kinda falling into that Beldar shtick of i’m too good to talk to you

    that’s not really the spirit of the whole blog thing (imho)

    it can be light and fun you know

    like limoncello on a surprisingly cool summer day, garnished with a perfectly ripened and aromatic pear slice, and thoroughly debauched with muddled handpicked blueberries, and made all the more saucy by two shots of tito’s

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  79. say what you want about Mr. Goldstein

    he never did the I’m too good to talk to you thing

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  80. well he may have done it with me once or twice

    but i was special

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  81. The last thing I would call you is a liar, Pat. I’m shocked. Nor do I think you are ignorant. Is that what you think of me? No I think you are worthy of respect.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  82. Every man is my teacher.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  83. keanu is that you?

    omg i knew it

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  84. The last thing I would call you is a liar, Pat. I’m shocked. Nor do I think you are ignorant. Is that what you think of me? No I think you are worthy of respect.

    Thanks. I said I chose to read what you wrote as not accusing me of that, and I’m glad I was right.

    I was just confused by these two comments:

    First:

    But I don’t intend to waste my time explaining myself to someone who asserts that the only possible explanations for my opinion are that I am ignorant or lying.
    Patterico (fedbee) — 8/7/2017 @ 5:23 pm

    Indeed, sir.

    And then:

    Although, those are possible explanations.

    See how that succession might have thrown me?

    Patterico (115b1f)

  85. you’re kinda falling into that Beldar shtick of i’m too good to talk to you

    That’s kind of complete crap. I’m saying my time is too valuable to talk to people who misrepresent what I say and/or insult me as stupid or dishonest. Which is not the same thing.

    So, rather than get angry at people who do things like that, I’ll just take a break from them for at least a thread.

    Think I’ll do the same with you for the remainder of this thread.

    Patterico (115b1f)

  86. @70.Good. Agree 10,000%!

    But we both know holding him to any of ‘his statements’ is like trying to hold quicksilver and capture lightning in a jar at the same time. Nothing sticks; there’s zero accountability. He lives in the now– and yes, it’s aggravating– and terrifyingly… and entertaining. August 5th was then; today is August 7. Yesterday is gone. He lives for the moment; old tweets have all the viability of Access Hollywood tapes and randy phone banter w/Howard Stern. Yesterday is gone for him, what’s in front of him now gets his attention ’til bedtime– and tomorrow holds promise. It’s just insane.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  87. “That bill’s not going to pass,” lil roob roob told CBS 4 in an interview Sunday. “I think the White House knows that you don’t have 60 votes for that in the Senate.”

    – deep thoughts about meritocracy from a midget what married a Miami Dolphins cheerleader

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  88. Steve57. I can’t tell whether your comments are meant to accuse me of being ignorant or lying, but it is possible to read them as not, and that’s how I choose to read them.

    Patterico (115b1f) — 8/7/2017 @ 5:37 pm

    Don’t guess. Just ask. I don’t mean this as a slam.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  89. ok you’re the marketer i’m just the pikachu

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  90. ok you’re the marketer i’m just the pikachu
    happyfeet (28a91b) — 8/7/2017 @ 5:52 pm

    You make me laugh.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  91. Don’t guess. Just ask. I don’t mean this as a slam.

    Like I said, I just assumed you didn’t mean it as accusatory. But since you invited me to ask: what did that mean, after all?

    Patterico (115b1f)

  92. Golfing can be work, too; a summit on the 12th green could bring peace to the Middle East.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  93. a summit on the 12th green could bring peace to the Middle East.

    it’s a good thing i think to stop and re-evaluate what “the Middle East” really means in the grand scheme of things after an obama jarrett mcmaster nuclear genocide of israel has become a foregone conclusion

    you realize President Trump can’t stop it

    done and done

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  94. well…

    i suppose he could goad the pervy Saudis into a war with the filthy persians

    but neither of them are armed for such a soiree

    not yet anyway

    but he’d have to do it over rabidly anti-semitic US Army general HR McMaster’s dead and freakishly hairless body

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  95. My senator is not a midget, and Dolphin cheerleaders can be very intelligent women.

    And given the fact that the bill might not even get 50 votes in the Senate, he’s probably right.

    kishnevi (10c258)

  96. my bad

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  97. The Trump character is a habitual liar. The only person who has a shot at nailing the Captain with truths is Mueller. And if the family business is threatened, he’ll resign first to protect it and then blame the Deep State.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  98. that George W character

    habitual truth-teller that guy

    “Major combat operations in Iraq have ended” lol

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  99. If you can’t deal with my arguments accurately, I’m wasting my time talking to you.

    It’s almost like you never titled a post:

    trump-is-not-the-victim-of-a-slow-rolling-coup-he-is-the-victim-of-his-own-incompetence/

    Maybe choose better thread titles if they don’t reflect the content.

    harkin (a7e08c)

  100. Its fitting the fake marine would be carrying water for a fake scandal, he was also behind the gorsuch kerfluffle.

    Seriously you dint find scowcrofts Atlantic council whips sups at many if the same tables that red queen had their support of crowdstrike the dubious nature of fusion gps being the real story.

    narciso (d1f714)

  101. Patterico’s going end up giving himself an ulcer trying to hold Trump ‘accountable’ for anything Trump tweeted just a few days ago let alone anything he said a few years ago. Just ride it out– one way or another, he’ll be gone in time.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  102. OT to Narciso
    If you encounter a book called Silk Roads by a guy named Frangopan, throw it in the reject pile at once. He takes an interesting, possibly true idea and distorts it with enough crappy PC stuff to make it worthless.

    kishnevi (10c258)

  103. At least Trump won’t have to pump his own gas for the next three weeks.

    Pinandpuller (943389)

  104. You convinced Mr at frangopan

    http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/News/22054.aspx

    narciso (d1f714)

  105. CNN is airing this goofy ‘How Trump Won’ special and one of the first questions they ask is how did Hillary lose… too funny.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  106. Obamacare was passed thanks to the journolist the collusion with the cbo the varipud bribes to the Nebraska Louisiana and even Florida delegation

    narciso (d1f714)

  107. Did we forget all that, also the phone Stevens indictment the kerflufflw over Larry Craig the the Minnesota hustle, re the early example o Keefe uncovered part of that scam,

    narciso (d1f714)

  108. Here another example of inconvenient narratives:
    https://mobile.twitter.com/SeamusHughes/status/894608815831879680/photo/1

    narciso (d1f714)

  109. @109. Wider stance?

    [ ] Larry Craig

    [X] Willie Mays

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  110. It’s almost like you never titled a post:

    trump-is-not-the-victim-of-a-slow-rolling-coup-he-is-the-victim-of-his-own-incompetence/

    Maybe choose better thread titles if they don’t reflect the content.

    I did not see the word “exclusively” there. I’ll keep In mind that you don’t read posts but just titles, and interact (or not) accordingly.

    Patterico (676dac)

  111. Is the story that isn’t told about the spyrcing of this phone scandal is mire interesting that is put forth as narrative, because it reveals at best incompetence at worst active makuce

    narciso (d1f714)

  112. MSNBC is taking pleasure reporting a source inside the WH says Trump’s nickname is ‘the two-minute man.’ Melania may not feel quite the same way about it.

    Or maybe she does.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  113. That vote on the “Miller” bill ain’t happening without some horse trading of a bad sort.

    urbanleftbehind (3c804a)

  114. I see what you mean:
    https://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/sep/29/silk-roads-peter-frankopan-review

    What dies that tell you bulb about what the senates priorities. This is like the makings of a be social war

    narciso (d1f714)

  115. The deep state finds similAR targets at home and abroad
    thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/345685-israel-attorney-general-to-accept-indictment-suggestion-of-sara-netanyahu

    narciso (d1f714)

  116. The proportion of useful to useless commentary in this blog’s comments, alas for those who provide the former, has gotten so high that I no longer ever make any effort to read them all. It takes too long to skim down to the names so I can instantly identify those frequent commenters whose drivel I choose to skip.

    So now I typically do a word search on the names of a few commenters whose opinions consistently interest me, about a half dozen or so, plus I look for the yellow-background comments from our host, and last, I word-search on my own screenname, “Beldar.” If someone wants my attention, I presume they’ll use that name, and if they can’t be bothered to do that much, I can’t be bothered to care or to read their comment.

    That further explains why I specifically asked — and now repeat my request — that hatefulfeet just stop ever using my name here, because I don’t want to read his comments, and especially I don’t want to read anything he writes about me, because he methodically (while pretended to be brain-damaged and somehow “cute” because of it) misrepresents me. It makes me angry, and that’s a waste of time, because this individual’s thoughts and opinions about anything are of zero value to me.

    But I’m a guest here. I respect our host and his co-bloggers and the long-time commenters who show respect even for those with whom they disagree, including some who are politically left of center. I haven’t asked, wouldn’t ask, and don’t think it’s my business to ask, our host to start limiting anyone’s access to these comments to accommodate my wishes or distastes, or anyone else’s sense of propriety except his (our host’s) own. RTFM (Read the F****** Masthead)!

    I do consider it a privilege when someone I respect spends the time to engage me in thoughtful conversation and exchange. If it’s with someone who returns that respect, I’m willing to invest more time than otherwise. And for those whom I cannot abide, I’m willing to spend no time in conversation at all.

    If this makes me a snob, then I’m guilty of being a snob.

    Beldar (fa637a)

  117. pijachu doesn’t care about anything, who would willingly move from caludirnus into a bigger hell youth. It my query about defense against lawfare still stands.

    narciso (d1f714)

  118. you so poopy plus you has a law degree

    are you single baby

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  119. Minpin21

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  120. Beldar, I always appreciate your commentary and hope you don’t let feets drive you away from a blog you clearly enjoy.

    Ben, thank you for your youngest’s service in Korea. I was just barely out of high school when I first was deployed to Korea, about 12 km from the DMZ. Eye opening experience for sure. Though that’s not really travel, I consider travel to be one of the best ways to get beyond the politics of our time, which have become so frustrating to me. Last weekend I caught a shark and ate it fresh, with friends of all political stripes (the topic hasn’t come up between us in a long time). I wish engaging in politics was fruitful, but if it is, it’s only if we stay sane!

    Dustin (ba94b2)

  121. One cones back to question of authoritarian and totalitarian states. The former were capable of reform like undersenior general park and roe tae woo, beneficiaries of the coup against the formerm

    narciso (d1f714)

  122. Mr. Dustin get behind me brotha

    ain’t nobody what love dat sweet sweet Beldar commentary mo than me

    it so sticky sweet

    i lick

    it

    up

    cause that Beldar commentary it so good

    it be all legal and i tell you what

    it be so sticky-sweet Texan

    it brim with dat sweet sweet southern gravitas

    like one dem glasses o’ sugared-up sweet tea wit dat simple syrup and some blackberry reduction

    lickin mah lips

    ooh yessir Mr. Beldar

    #callme

    (drop da name o’ dat mister tillerson so i know it u)

    happyfeet (28a91b)

  123. @124. LOL – haven’t seen that much gas since Voyager swept over Uranus — or was it Remulac? 😉

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  124. you so poopy plus you has a law degree

    are you single baby

    Yup, that crosses the line.

    We are going to try A Week Without Happyfeet. Starting, oh, now sounds good.

    We’ll see if the place is better or worse without him.

    I think I know how Beldar will feel about it.

    Patterico (676dac)

  125. Neither here nor there:

    https://www.steynonline.com/8021/coup-detat-profond

    narciso (d1f714)

  126. I think that Blumenthal is a jerk. I continue to not understand people who judge others for things that they do themselves. The Vietnam business from Blumenthal was repulsive.

    Now, DJT didn’t serve in Vietnam. So in some ways, I wish he would have kept his twittermouth shut. But that is never, ever going to happen. What he wrote about Blumenthal is pretty true—though of course it set off the trolls, big time. So it all just gives ammunition for the Red Meat Brigade on either side.

    I just hope and pray we can have some decent people running the next time. Or will it get weirder….

    Simon Jester (bcb31a)

  127. What is the penalty for rampant abuse of the prosecutorial authority of this country Simon, btw I’m almost certain the fake marine was in the banya with kisyak because of the Rhodes road show, whose members seem unaccountable.

    narciso (d1f714)

  128. Fusion gps was behind the attacks on vanserslip and saleidsn isn’t that the point

    narciso (d1f714)

  129. 8/7/2017 @ 9:21 pm, I don’t think we can count on that.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  130. Just so you know, Simon, I was no one special.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  131. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDaB9H3VcvM

    SOMEONE SPECIAL – U.S. Navy Seals Recruitment Video 3367

    Back when they used to fly Hueys and F-14s.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  132. Steve, I don’t know if I have written something offensive. I haven’t meant to. When it comes to service in the Armed Forces, I try to be very careful. I’m not perfect. I never served. So maybe it is wrong of me to be angry with Blumenthal’s claims. Or irritable with Trump’s willingness to wade in.

    But I hope that I can respect the service of people if not their politics or their personal lives.

    My late father was as conservative as it is physically possible to be. But I remember him being very harsh with me when I would snark about McGovern’s *person* (as opposed to his politics) since he had done good service in World War II.

    Best wishes.

    Simon Jester (bcb31a)

  133. It’s kind of funny. How sensitive, my great and good friend, do you think you need to be around me.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  134. @114 DCSCA

    Is it still two minutes to midnight?

    Pinandpuller (1830bc)

  135. I forgot to set my watch.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  136. @137 Steve57

    0 Dark 30.

    Make it so.

    Pinandpuller (1830bc)

  137. Now

    Pinandpuller (1830bc)

  138. Host @ 69:

    You have another opinion? Why not put it in the post? Then we could debate your opinion.

    Whatever the opinion is, its unstated — until your comment. But even then it remains unknown.

    Yet in the post you compare Trump’s “failure” to Obama’s success, with no qualifiers or analysis of the differing circumstances.

    This has become a recurring issue now — you simply refuse to take up the challenge of defending your POV, and pick up some dodge related to how you are offended by the language of the challenge.

    shipwreckedcrew (65f4ca)

  139. Host at 77:

    Trump and his lack of message discipline, incompetence and truly strange prioritization of what’s important are a real liability (notice incompetence and intentional destruction never hurt Obama with the Deep State, admistratice state or the media, only the voters) but to blame Trump exclusively for what’s going on is indeed claptrap.

    Fortunately, I didn’t do that, harkin. From the post:

    It’s time to acknowledge that maybe, just maybe, President Trump’s failure to date has been largely his own fault. Contemptuous of the notion of familiarizing himself with even a superficial level of policy detail, he can’t make the case for ObamaCare repeal the way Obama made the case for the law in the first place.

    If you can’t deal with my arguments accurately, I’m wasting my time talking to you.

    Note that the ObamaCare failure is not the only reason I judge his presidency to be something of a failure to date. I have in past posts said that Congress is primarily to blame for the failure to repeal ObamaCare, and I stand by that. But Trump can’t be let entirely off the hook. Obama worked tirelessly to promote ObamaCare for months — lying along the way, of course — while Trump can’t be bothered. Who’s to say what might be achieved by an all-out and sustained war on the hypocrites who voted for the 2015 repeal but refused to vote for the same bill in 2017? But I don’t even know if Trump understands that happened.

    Example 2,368 of Patterico mixing in a single word or group of words as a caveat for use in later defending himself against from critics who take issue with the substance of the post.

    Because you inserted the word “largely” into one sentence, you claim any comment that fails to acknowledge your inclusion of the qualifier has misrepresented your argument.

    Disingenuous.

    But purposeful because you have done it so regularly in you Never-Trumper posts.

    shipwreckedcrew (65f4ca)

  140. wow, its almost like smart people choose their words carefully to force listeners to grapple with their actual arguments.

    Leviticus (c561db)

  141. SJ @ 8/7/2017 @ 10:11 pm, I hope you know we’re good.

    I know what your father meant. It’s why I always preface my comments about McCain by first thanking him for his service. Then go on to talk about what I really want to talk about. Such as, he’s on the armed services committee. Should he really have held up Bob Work’s appointment to Deputy Secretary of Defense because of all the projects that were over time and over budget?

    This happened on McCain’s watch.

    http://cdrsalamander.blogspot.com/2010/11/lpd-17s-xo-acquitted-at-court-martial.html

    A military jury found a naval officer not guilty Friday night in the death of a sailor aboard the trouble-plagued amphibious transport dock San Antonio – a case that pitted the Navy’s principle of holding commanders at sea accountable against the perception that the crew was being blamed for the vessel’s flaws.

    …”The true victors here are the sailors who served on, and continue to serve on, LPD-17-class ships,” he said, adding that they face struggles with the new design and are not getting the resources they need from the Navy.

    When asked why he refused administrative punishment, Kearns said: “Things needed to be made known…. Someone needed to stand up.”

    …”You’re going to learn a lot about the San Antonio, but I think I can sum it up,” he said, quoting from a 2007 internal Navy report that it remained “an unfinished ship.”

    “She was incomplete,” Czaplak said. “The Navy wanted Kearns and the crew to deploy with an incomplete ship. Now, it wants to court-martial him.”

    The lawyer described some well-known problems found on the San Antonio: 6,000 faulty welds, and loose bolts that caused the engines to misalign. He also revealed that it deployed without 40 percent of the technical manuals usually found on board.

    “The evidence is going to show that the government is grasping at straws, hoping you’ll see a haystack,” he said. “They’re not even going to come close to their burden” of proof…

    He was acquitted because the San Antonio class is designed in such a way that because of the curve of the hull no one on the bridge could possibly observe small boat operations. The XO’s duty station was on the bridge.

    This happened on McCain’s watch. How is this taking care of your Sailors? You would think, I would think, that due to his experience it would be possible to expect better. But what do we get? The LCS. The Navy says LCS stands for Littoral Combat Ship. The Sailors say it stands for Little Cr$^py Ship.

    The good news is that the Navy may give up on the LCS and select the USCG Bear class cutter as its new frigate, with a few modifications. A win for the Sailors. But what in the name of all that is holy was McCain thinking all these years?

    BTW, the US Army finally gave a man the MoH he so richly deserves.

    Attention to citation.

    http://themedalofhonor.com/medal-of-honor-recipients/recipients/mccloughan-james-vietnam-war

    Private First Class [James] C. McCloughan distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty from May 13th through 15th, 1969, while serving as a combat medic with Charlie Company, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry, 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division. The company air assaulted into an area near Tam Ky and Nui Yon Hill. On May 13th, with complete disregard for his life, he ran 100 meters in an open field through heavy fire to rescue a comrade too injured to move and carried him to safety. That same day, 2nd Platoon was ordered to search the area near Nui Yon Hill when the platoon was ambushed by a large North Vietnamese Army force and sustained heavy casualties. With complete disregard for his life and personal safety, Private First Class McCloughan led two Americans into the safety of a trench while being wounded by shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade. He ignored a direct order to stay back, and braved an enemy assault while moving into the “kill zone” on four more occasions to extract wounded comrades. He treated the injured, prepared the evacuation, and though bleeding heavily from shrapnel wounds on his head and entire body, refused evacuation to safety in order to remain at the battle site with his fellow soldiers who were heavily outnumbered by the North Vietnamese Army forces. On May 14th, the platoon was again ordered to move out towards Nui Yon Hill. Private First Class McCloughan was wounded a second time by small arms fire and shrapnel from a rocket-propelled grenade while rendering aid to two soldiers in an open rice paddy. In the final phases of the attack, two companies from 2nd North Vietnamese Army Division and an element of 700 soldiers from a Viet Cong regiment descended upon Charlie Company’s position on three sides. Private First Class McCloughan, again with complete disregard for his life, went into the crossfire numerous times throughout the battle to extract the wounded soldiers, while also fighting the enemy. His relentless and courageous actions inspired and motivated his comrades to fight for their survival. When supplies ran low, Private First Class McCloughan volunteered to hold a blinking strobe light in an open area as a marker for a nighttime resupply drop. He remained steadfast while bullets landed all around him and rocket-propelled grenades flew over his prone, exposed body. During the morning darkness of May 15th, Private First Class McCloughan knocked out a rocket-propelled grenade position with a grenade, fought and eliminated enemy soldiers, treated numerous casualties, kept two critically-wounded soldiers alive through the night, and organized the dead and wounded for evacuation at daylight. His timely and courageous actions were instrumental in saving the lives of his fellow soldiers. Private First Class McCloughan’s personal heroism, professional competence, and devotion to duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Americal Division, and the United States Army.

    McCloughan was a draftee. He didn’t volunteer to serve his country. But it would be wrong to say he didn’t choose to serve his country. He could have gone to Canada or otherwise dodged the draft. But he didn’t. Unlike a couple of Presidents I could name.

    But, yeah, SJ, I’m with your dad on this one. And if you think about it, and are inclined to partake, hoist a glass for those who serve in the less exalted but exceedingly necessary professions in the armed forces.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  142. http://acepilots.com/vietnam/cunningham.html

    Randy Cunningham
    F-4 Phantom Pilot, Navy Ace in Vietnam
    Now convicted felon, called “most corrupt Congressman ever”

    They don’t mince words, do they? Because they have to think, “Do I want to fly with this guy?”

    Similarly, once you’re a SEAL you remain in the SEAL database forever. Even if they’re not proud of you.

    I can respect someone’s service. It doesn’t mean they are beyond criticism.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  143. 142 — no, its a disingenuous form of argument to insert qualifiers into your post in order to dodge legitimate criticism of your thesis, and then refuse to engage on the substance based on the claim you’ve been “misrepresented.”

    shipwreckedcrew (65f4ca)

  144. 128, Simon Jester (bcb31a) — 8/7/2017 @ 9:21 pm

    I just hope and pray we can have some decent people running the next time. Or will it get weirder….

    We need to lif the limits on campaign contributions and/or make it very easy to raise large sums of money. We need lots of time, and esoexcially we need to make it easy for new candidates to jump in late in the game.`

    Trump could easily get re-elected, even with high negatives. We might get a 3-way race, though.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  145. Trump seems to think a tu quo que is a good argument.

    Mwanwhile he also tweeted about North Korea, maybe more because he wanted to show he accomplished something, than as a warning. It did get more coverage, but the Wall Street Journal is right in editoralizing that this is not going to work.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  146. Breaking- WaPO reports US intel concludes NK has sucessfully miniaturized nuclear warhead to tip a missile.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/north-korea-now-making-missile-ready-nuclear-weapons-us-analysts-say/2017/08/08/e14b882a-7b6b-11e7-9d08-b79f191668ed_story.html?utm_term=.be52a954c450

    The final phase is mastering reentry.

    Back in the day, Von Braun’s V-2 encountered similar problems in the last months of testing; the missiles were exploding prematurely due to pressures exerted reentering the denser air in the lower atmosphere.

    Much to the chagrin of the citizens of Antwerp and London, the problem was resolved.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  147. Back in the day, Von Braun’s V-2 encountered similar problems in the last months of testing; the missiles were exploding prematurely due to pressures exerted reentering the denser air in the lower atmosphere.

    Much to the chagrin of the citizens of Antwerp and London, the problem was resolved.
    DCSCA (797bc0) — 8/8/2017 @ 10:57 am

    Catastrophic failure consists of:

    1. Failure to adjust to changing conditions on the battlefield.

    2. Failure to learn from the lessons of the past.

    3. Failure to adjust to future.

    The last one is kind of tricky. It doesn’t mean you need a crystal ball. It means you know your enemy is working toward a capability. And you don’t underestimate his ability to achieve it.

    It’s possible to overcome one failure. Maybe even two.

    I may not be able to stay out of retirement.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  148. Most likely outcome: North Korea explodes an atomic bomb in the artmosphere around October or November. They need to test the trigger mechanism.

    Sammy Finkelman (02a146)

  149. https://www.amazon.com/Requiem-Battleship-Yamato-Bluejacket-Books/dp/1557505446

    I have a great deal of respect for the Japanese. As one of the JOs put it, the only hope the Japanese had in 1945 was to kill all the officers over 0-4 and start over. Thankfully, they didn’t do it.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  150. no, its a disingenuous form of argument to insert qualifiers into your post in order to dodge legitimate criticism of your thesis, and then refuse to engage on the substance based on the claim you’ve been “misrepresented.”

    A common leftist ploy, popular with philosophers and such. People who do real work, who are held to objective standards, cannot/will not play such “gotcha” type games. Well, they can. Until they either get marginalized or fired.

    CFarleigh (5b282a)

  151. Thanks for summarizing my point of view from a serviceman’s perspective, Steve. I think it is perfectly okay to respect a person’s bravery, or their good qualities, and detest what they did later. But every time I open my yap about the service, I worry that I shouldn’t—because I didn’t serve.

    I’m old enough to remember how vets were treated coming home from Vietnam. I saw it on campus with my own eyes. So that’s always in my CPU.

    And like I have said to Patterico about other people, I certainly can disagree with a person while respecting them. That’s our problem in society today: demonization and deification.

    And Steve, you are one of the people I am talking about when I say I have learned a lot from folks who post comments here. Thank you for all the background about folks who have done brave things, as well as those who have not.

    Simon Jester (c8876d)

  152. Thanks for summarizing my point of view from a serviceman’s perspective, Steve. I think it is perfectly okay to respect a person’s bravery, or their good qualities, and detest what they did later. But every time I open my yap about the service, I worry that I shouldn’t—because I didn’t serve…

    Since when hasn’t it been a free country?

    And it’s a volunteer service. Open your yap.

    Steve57 (0b1dac)

  153. Most likely outcome: North Korea explodes an atomic bomb in the a[r]tmosphere around October or November. They need to test the trigger mechanism.

    If they dare try, given the trajectories they’ve been launching, more likely straight up into space– but still, a nasty smudge to leave on the heavens.

    “If a nuclear weapon is exploded in a vacuum-i. e., in space-the complexion of weapon effects changes drastically: First, in the absence of an atmosphere, blast disappears completely. Second, thermal radiation, as usually defined, also disappears. There is no longer any air for the blast wave to heat and much higher frequency radiation is emitted from the weapon itself.”

    https://history.nasa.gov/conghand/nuclear.htm

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  154. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P764e7fW-UM

    Nuclear explosion in space, ICBM, USA, 1962.

    Party on.

    DCSCA (797bc0)

  155. Concern trolling the Bork threat is playing into certain hands. Ask yourself why China is non-plussed.

    Potemkin/Tonkin

    Ben burn (12ab2c)

  156. Yes. very very thanks for useful post.

    Epson Printer Help (cfcb2f)

  157. wow, its almost like smart people choose their words carefully to force listeners to grapple with their actual arguments.

    Leviticus,

    I appreciate the implicit compliment. Unfortunately, I don’t always choose my words as carefully as I would like.

    Which makes it especially infuriating to have my words totally ignored on the rare occasion that I do choose them carefully!

    If I argue that an issue is a very dark grey, but hasten to add that the issue is not one of pure black and white, I am happy to debate the proposition that the true picture is not as dark as I have painted it.

    But I will get annoyed if someone comes along and recharacterizes my opinion as arguing that the situation is indeed all black, when I have explicitly said it is not. This is a cheap, lazy trick that allows them to triumphantly claim that my assertion has been refuted — simply by the citation of any evidence of a whitish tinge to the mixture. If this lighting of a strawman is accompanied by insults such as accusations of dishonesty or ignorance, that is the cherry on top that communicates to me: this is not a person I want to spend time interacting with.

    So while your compliment may be overstated, for which I thank you, the essence of your comment is correct: people want to have discussions premised on the assertions they have actually made — not on some cartoonish recharacterized strawman version that has been stripped of nuance for the express purpose of making it easier to refute.

    That I require this is not just a matter of my demanding basic respect, although it is that. It’s also seeking to avoid pointless discussion that consists of “I didn’t say that” “I didn’t say that either” “Why do you keep twisting my words?” Conversations like that are not interesting to read, though they are very common on these here Internets.

    Patterico (d64fac)

  158. A common leftist ploy, popular with philosophers and such. People who do real work, who are held to objective standards, cannot/will not play such “gotcha” type games. Well, they can. Until they either get marginalized or fired.

    CFarleigh,

    As applied here, I am doing nothing more than demanding that people refute what I said, and not what they have twisted my words to say. My view is that it is the twisting of the words itself that is the true “ploy,” not the demand that one’s words not be twisted to begin with.

    Imagine a Trump supporter on this thread had said: “I’m not saying all Trump has to do is watch TV and tweet, but I think his Twitter refutations of mainstream media are a valuable way to communicate directly with the public.”

    It would be very dishonest of me to respond with something like: “Apparently you are so ignorant or dishonest as to believe that all Trump has to do as President is watch TV and tweet!”

    And if someone pointed out that the argument I am refuting is one the Trump supporter specifically disclaimed, it would not do for me to say: “That was a disingenuous caveat so I don’t have to pay attention to it.”

    There’s a reason that using strawmen is universally seen as a lazy and dishonest form of argument.

    Patterico (d64fac)

  159. Lets see mcturtle, tells us we had too High expectations re healthcare

    narciso (d1f714)

  160. Turn off the TV, put down your smartphone, and get to work, Mr. Trump.

    Making popcorn and watchin’ Trump pressers today.

    No difference.

    Patterico may wish he’d pick up the TV remote and smartphone again.

    DCSCA (797bc0)


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