Blog Credo

The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.

H.L. Mencken

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Paralysis

Yesterday, Nancy Smash once again got under Trump's skin. He staged a tantrum in front of Democratic leaders and then reiterated that tantrum in the Rose Garden. Trump's refusal to engage in an infrastructure bill negotiation until Congress stops investigating him is typical Trump stupidity.  As Jon Chait points out, an infrastructure bill would be the only thing that might get Trump's job approval rating over 41%, He ran as a master dealmaker, but he has been unable to close any deals - with Iran, with the EU, with North Korea or with Democrats in Congress.  His negotiation style as a businessman was to withhold payment, sue and declare bankruptcy.  That won't wash at the presidential level.

Trump's inability to govern doesn't hurt Democrats.  It hurts Trump. As court ruling after court ruling goes against him, he will lash out more.  Meanwhile, Pelosi's decision to slow roll impeachment will drag this process out into the summer and fall.  I'll peg impeachment hearings as beginning after the August recess and before the Christmas recess.

Meanwhile, Trump will continue is Twitter ragegasms and we will all cringe.

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