Surrender

 Richardson lays out - in her usual concise and clear way - the ways in which Donald Trump is surrendering America's ideal to the Kremlin. As I've said here before, the firing of Black people and women, the corruption, the degradation of public service and public services: all of these are fixable with time. We've had a Gilded Age government before, and we changed it. The damage done to America's standing in the world is largely irreversible. The repercussions of "but muh eggs" will echo for decades through global affairs. The world is less safe, because American bypassed a strong woman for a Strong Man.

All of this gibes with Rauch's description of Trump as a patrimonialist. He hates Ukraine, because Zelensky won't bend the knee, because his first impeachment was over his shakedown of Ukraine in defiance of Congress. He loves Putin, because Putin is a fellow patrimonial leader. Game recognizes game.

What is fascinating is that almost every single measure that Trump is taking makes us weaker as a country. Abandoning or alienating alliances; embracing fraud as a governing practice; selling out our government to the Musk Melon. This is the great irony of Strongman politics: it makes a country weaker. 

I have high hopes that Democrats win the House in 2026. Hell, I have slim hopes they win a few special elections and win control before then. It would be the beginning of checking Trump's depredations in domestic policy. However, even if Democrats win control of both houses in 2026, there are far fewer ways to influence foreign policy from Capitol Hill.

I will never forgive the cruel, the callous and the indifferent who foisted the very worst American on us. Twice.