UPDATED 12-31-17
Nikki Haley sounded just like Trump today when she gave a harsh speech that could probably be called “Reverse Blackmail” aimed at the entire world. Some have said this illustrates that Trump wants blind loyalty. Others point to the vote where all but 9 UN member nations decided to condemn the US decision to move its Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, a place so safe and non controversial that the Israeli’s themselves do government business a Katyusha Rocket flight (and change) away in Tel Aviv.
That’s all true about loyalty, but Trump also has a lifelong pattern of simply not paying what he owes. Probably relates in some way to the inexhaustible reservoir of anger he has and his complete lack of empathy for others. The bottom line is that Trump is not a trustworthy himself, so he sees everyone as the shifty liar he is. There’s always a reason not to pay, even if it’s just something he thinks up that might happen in the future.
Art of the Deal famously talks about his boilerplate practice of simply refusing to remit. Sometimes he says the work was shoddy. It basically comes down to- he’s too cheap and petty to have lawyers on retainer and not have them sue back their salaries by using them as legal cannon fodder. Tying people down in court til there was no point continuing but honor has worked. It’ an awful way to do business and it’s probably the biggest reason he has to get his loans from Russian Mobsters instead of American Banks.
Now Trump’s petulance is US Policy. Don’t expect any concessions from the world. They’re just fine sucking up the vacuum in global leadership and they’re all having a good laugh. What the fuck do they care if the UN moves to the Hague? Old Amsterdam is even more fum than New Amsterdam, they’ll be fine.
And it’s not like Trump has any plans beyond maybe trying to acquire the UN site for luxury hotel space. He’s just doing the only thing he knows, playing to the loudest Right Wing Empty Barrels and attempt to curry favor with petty horrible people like himself. Is it any shock he gravitated to the Right Wing fantasies that regard withholding money?
Nikki Haley should be ashamed. Has she even considered Life After Trump? Does she really think if she becomes Secretary of State she will not be undermined and bashed by Trump the way he currently goes after Tillerson?
I haven’t said this before because I guess my pride forbid it; but it can’t be denied, Trump, by virtue of everything we see, is a powerful seductive voice. Yes, he mostly appeals to simple, angry people, but there’s a few who damn well should know better sprinkled in.
Trump’s cheap and petty traits are going to drag America through the mud as he uses the (now free) resources he has to soothe his angry ego by just cheating people. I think he gets off on it.
Trump’s predilection to use shifty legal manuevers to simply delay while he creates other fires has scary implications for the Mueller Investigation.
I predict the very idea he can fire Mueller or effectively neuter him with some maneuvering and strategic firing of others (hear that Rosenstein and McCabe?) is too much for Trump’s feeble mind.
Since the time of the Roman’s the best way to destroy a democracy outside outright war has been to simply install and inept leader who spends badly and otherwise stresses the state institutions, like the courts. Trump was appealing to his Russian handlers because anyone thinking about him being president for even a minute would realize he’s incompetent and flagrantly dishonest. He could stress the Institutions of State.
It’s pretty likely we’ll all be out on the streets protesting in the next couple of days. I just don’t see Trump as able to handle the power and hey, he KNOWS he’s guilty, so he’s going to fire Mueller. Probably sooner rather than later.
UPDATE- Mueller somehow came out of Christmas and looks to be ending the Nw Year with a job still. I still think ultimately he will be fired.
If that somehow doesnt happen (or un-happens) look for Trump to just use all tactics available to play for time. He has no problem being president of 35% and falling. He can take more Horrible than us.
His goal wont be to win in this either, just to kick the can every day with no real Frand Strategy outside the usual- some kind of Out fo Court Settlement where he steps away admitting No Guilt. As soon as he leaves office he has 19 or so Sexual Harrassment / Sexual Assault cases againsyt him that will take a lot of effort to avoid paying out in. On this one his strategy will be (unwittingly, of course) to kick the can til he dies.
#RESIST!
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