The true reason CBS canceled the Late Show with Stephen Colbert is a matter of speculation, whether it was political or economic, but there no question that the President demonstrated his total lack of class when commenting on the end of an era:
Much less been written here than was intended originally. I’ve been in shock. Every time I’m about ready to write about some outrage, a bigger outrange comes along. Just read Truth Social.
I guess the worst is Trump murdering shipwreck survivors. And if Trump is personally not to blame, the is certainly to blame for not raising hell over it happening or making sure it doesn’t happen again. He trashed the Pope on Truth Social. He put his name on the Kennedy Center (illegally). He pardoned terrorists who smashed their way into the Capitol and assaulted police officers; that pardon was so broad that the recently-arrested pipe bomber is arguing that the pardon covered him too. Trump pardoned a drug kingpin responsible for 400 tons of cocaine bound for the US. And putting a nut job anti-vaxxer in charge of DHHS — with a measles outbreak now in South Carolina.
Today is the 8th Sunday after Easter, and Christians who use the Revised Common Lectionary may have heard the scripture lesson from the Gospel of John this morning, including these words:
[Jesus said:] I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.
John 13: 34-35 NRSV
A group of Lutheran bishops have produce a video titled “Insistent on Love.”
Insistent on Love
Trump followers promote the narrative that opposition to President Trump is grounded in hate. They, along with Trump himself uses the phrase “Trump hater” often, and his followers have long referred to political opponents as having “TDS” (Trump derangement syndrome). TDS became an almost automatic response for anything. And some who use that term also express a desire to “make liberals cry.” They have succeeded.
And indeed, there are people who resent the super rich, the privileged and the ones who seem to get away with things that would land anyone else in prison.
But Trump really seems to have blown a gasket or something. On Easter, when over a billion Christians worldwide are celebrating new life in Jesus, Trump took to Truth Social and offered an Easter greeting:
Happy Easter to all, including the Radical Left Lunatics who are fighting and scheming so hard to bring Murderers, Drug Lords, Dangerous Prisoners, the Mentally Insane, and well known MS-13 Gang Members and Wife Beaters, back into our Country. …
Context: Memorial Day was today (May 6), a national day of remembrance honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. This is Donald Trump’s Memorial Day Message on his social media platform, Truth Social, starting:
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY TO ALL, INCLUDING THE SCUM THAT SPENT THE LAST FOUR YEARS TRYING TO DESTROY OUR COUNTRY THROUGH WARPED RADICAL LEFT MINDS …
There’s something pathological going on. Normal people can put political differences aside for national observances like Easter and Memorial Day. It sounds either like consuming hate or incitement to hate. Is he really unable to let go for even a few minutes?
Noting good can come of this.
Update:
Sometimes, I would rather not be right. In Minnesota, a far-right individual murdered 2 and wounded 2 others in a politically motivated assassination. His manifesto named 70 individuals as targets, including Democratic politicians and abortion providers.
Trump made a big presentation about tariffs on April 2, held up a chart, and his administration later published a formula of how they calculated the tariffs. The short takeaways are:
The formula doesn’t calculate what it claims to calculate, and indeed obfuscates what they’re really doing. In reality, all the formula calculates is the percentage trade deficit we have with a country.
Trump is putting a 10% tariff on countries with which we have a trade surplus, just because.
On average, the US consumer will pay 10.25% more on everything we buy from other countries, from eggs to car parts.
I found two excellent videos explaining the math in some detail. The first, following, is from CBS News. I list it first because it’s more succinct and easier to follow. It also shows more plainly why the Trump formula is bogus and how two of its terms cancel each other out. They’re just for show.
The second video is from British math educator Matt Parker. It goes into more detail (sometimes a bit rambling) demonstrating the Trump formula is a gross oversimplification and points more specifically to government data sources:
I have a master’s degree in mathematics and I endorse these explanations, although the math is 4-function pocket calculator level.
Some people seem shocked at what Donald Trump is doing in his second term, but that may be because they forgot the first term. Here is my own list of reprehensible and scandalous things he did that I compiled in 2020:
Allowed deterioration of the US Postal Service
Appointed USPS Postmaster General who violated campaign finance laws
Attempt to illegally increase USPS shipping rates for Amazon
Appointed Michael Flynn national security advisor who lied to the FBI and the Vice President
Illegal executive order regarding Tic Tok
Cut Pandemic Early Warning program in 2019 and fired staff
Mismanagement at CDC over Coronavirus testing kits
Attempted to cut CDC funding each year of his administration
Deliberately underplayed dangers of COVID-19 leading to tens of thousands of excess deaths
Flawed deal in the Middle East that ignored fighting in Libya
Illegal air strikes in Syria, followed by…
Withdrew from Syria leaving the Russians in control
Tariffs started trade war with China resulting in disastrous problems for US farmers
Six TRILLION dollars added to the national debt in only 3 years
Administration lied to federal court in the attempt to block publication of John Bolton’s book
Revealed classified information to Russian ambassador
Muzzled employees from the EPA from speaking publicly about their work
Withdrew from Iran nuclear deal, resulting in their renewed nuclear weapons program
Went through 4 National Security Advisors and 5 Deputy National Security Advisors in less than 4 years
Undermined federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies, siding with Putin
Refuses to commit to leaving office if he loses election
Illegally attempted to halt the US census one month early
Tried to block AT&T – Time Warner merger to punish CNN
Six migrant children died in federal custody, compared to none in previous 10 years.
Trump illegally ordered the IRS to withhold his tax returns from a congressional committee
Refused to put his assets in a blind trust
The White House website had an advertisement for Melania’s jewelry line (since removed)
Repeatedly promised to announce replacement for Affordable Care Act, but did not
Illegal diversion of funds to build border wall
Shut down the government to get more money for the wall, but actually got less than the deal he was offered
Border wall progress almost nil.
Asking China to start a politically-motivated investigation of the Bidens
Illegal withholding of funds to “sanctuary cities”
Trump ordered fruitless raid in Yemen in which one Navy SEAL was killed, 5 American soldiers were wounded and 30 civilians, some of which were children died.
Trump rented space to at least two foreign governments in Trump tower
Presidential neglect and incompetence led to 3,000 deaths in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria
Multiple instances of obstruction of justice documented in the Mueller Report
Committed perjury in Mueller investigation when he denied discussing WikiLeaks with Roger Stone.
Pardons issued for political reasons, including Roger Stone, Dinesh D’Souza, Kristian Saucier and Joe Arpaio.
Trump removed environmental protections from mercury, a neurotoxin particularly dangerous to pregnant women and infants
Trump signed executive order reducing enforcement of the Johnson Amendment, which prevents tax-exempt religious institutions from taking political positions.
Rolled back plan to provide affordable internet access to low-income communities
Federal Elections Commission lacks quorum to bring actions against campaign law violations. Trump has not appointed replacement commissioners
Staff exodus at the Elections Assistance Commission, the organization that assists the states to keep their elections systems from being hacked
Trump staff turnover rate higher than 5 most recent presidents
Stopped funding for Social Security
Rescinded rule preventing conflict of interest in investment advice offered to retirement savers.
Illegal attempts to end DACA
Excluded health care workers and first responders from the Families First Coronavirus Relief Act (FFCRA)
Congratulated China on the 70 anniversary of the Communist takeover
Disrespect to fallen soldiers, and veteran amputees
Gave green light for Turkey to invade Syria and attack our Kurdish allies.
Took no action against Russian interference in US elections, which is still ongoing
Told police to treat suspects roughly.
Told supporters to boycott private US companies, like Goodyear
Threatened to “destroy the career” of a state senator in Texas because of his position on asset seizure.
Attempted to remove protections for transgender individuals
Appointed inexpert and ultimately disastrous secretary of housing and urban development, Ben Carson
Encouraged anti-vaxxers.
Stopped family planning funds for the UN
Falsely accused Obama of spying on him
Retweeted anti-Islam videos
Retweeted white supremacist videos
Said Democrats not applauding him was treason
Administration talked about totally fake recent “terrorist attack” in Atlanta.
White House counselor Kellyanne Conway promoted Ivanka Trump’s retail brand when speaking in her official capacity. Trump tweet negatively about Nordstrom for discontinuing the line
Stated that a CNN reporter wounded in the knee by a rubber bullet was a “beautiful sight.”
Attempted to coerce Ukrainian president to announce a sham investigation of the Bidens
There are some good sources of news and analysis. The remarkably unbiased Voice of America may be on the chopping block soon. In the meantime, here is a short list that may grow of news and analysis YouTube channels.
Richard Nixon’s “enemies list” was an informal compilation of individuals and organizations he perceived as political adversaries. It became public knowledge during the Watergate scandal and was part of a broader effort to use federal resources to target those who opposed his administration. One of those abuses of power was when the Nixon administration was directed to audit groups critical of Nixon’s presidency. Quite the infamous chapter in U.S. political history.
Candidate Donald Trump made no secret that if elected, he would exact revenge on his political enemies, “retribution” was the word he used. It certainly makes sense in hindsight that President Biden pardoned a long list of individuals that Trump might have targeted. Nonetheless Trump has started getting even:
Trump ordered security clearances removed from attorneys with the Perkins Coe law firm that formerly represented Hillary Clinton and paid for some of the work that went into the raw intelligence reports that became the “Steele Dossier.”
Trump ordered all security clearances canceled for attorneys with Covingt0n & Burling LLP, and is a reviewing all government contracts with the firm. They had had agreed to represent former special prosecutor Jack Smith pro bono.
Trump revoked security clearances for dozens of former intelligence officials who had criticized him.
He removed Secret Service protection for Anthony Fauci and John Bolton, despite death threats.
He sued CBS for the absurd amount of $20 billion, claiming they removed a few words to shorten an interview with Kamala Harris to fit the time slot.
Department of Justice employees related to the investigations of Trump were purged.
