I tell everyone I know about the Contrarian and encourage them to subscribe, along with Democracy Docket which is doing a Herculean job of fighting Dumpy in the courts.
Thank you Lisa for supporting The Contrarianan. "When I was the Obama White House ethics czar during the Great Recession, I would not even allow the president to refinance his modest family home in Chicago." Their leader Jen and Norm are shining stars of American democracy in true sense.
Until now, the 2 most corrupt administrations have been considered to be Grant and Harding, but they're fundamentally different from the corruption of Don the Con. In both of those cases the corruption was among the president's associates and/or cabinet members, but the presidents themselves weren't corrupt, from what I understand.
Grant in fact was honest to a fault-- so honest, in fact, that he couldn't fathom the possibility that the people around him were not honest. So his fault was that he was gullible and naive.
Harding was a good ol' boy who freely admitted that he was in over his head as president, so in his limited intellect he managed to associate himself with a serious bunch of chiselers.
But in neither case did the President profit from the corruption in the executive branch.
Don the Con, OTOH is a different animal entirely. He is an active participant in corruption, and along with his family is turning his office into a personal and family cash cow. So while Grant and Harding were merely incompetent, Don the Con has blatantly crossed the "BRIBERY, treason and other high crimes and misdemeanors" needed to be impeached.
Ivan, you are indeed correct about Grant. Modern historians distinguish Grant's personal honor from his administrative failures, documenting that he did not personally benefit from the graft and that Grant himself was seen as honest and personally above reproach. The three best modern biographies of Grant are: Ron Chernow’s "Grant" is widely considered the modern definitive, comprehensive and deeply researched biography; Ronald C. White's" American Ulysses" for a balanced, engaging narrative, and Jean Edward Smith’s "Grant" for a masterful, highly readable account.
None of this surprising, nor, at this point, is the silence of Republicans in Congress. If and when a Dem president is elected again, All Dem congressman should be issued signs like auction paddles that say "Hush Piggy" to be held up anytime and every time a Republican begins to criticize the Dem president for anything at all.
Thanks for the weekly update. I would be curious to know how you and your team are anticipating Trump's dirty tricks that are sure to come in the mid-terms, and what you can do to stop him. I'm sure the lower courts will be a solid guardrail, but I worry about the Supreme Court, which has clearly been compromised.
What a complex and tangled financial web these criminals weave. Look also at Jared Kushner's company, Affinity Partners. There is at least a significant conflict of interest in his funds solicitations from countries in the Middle East while he's supposed to be a "peace envoy". What price is peace? He's working on that.
A fine roundup summary of other actions, Mr. Eisen. Keep up the good work, and thank you.
Today, I'll just briefly pick at the "Corruption" and "War Crimes" threads in The Contrarian essay. I say "briefly" because there's not much new to say about these perennial MAGA debaucheries. I only bother to reiterate these comments to make sure they don't get entirely forgotten--ever!
Corruption on the scale of Trump's MAGA kakistocracy is the logical result of hiring a career criminal to run your country: You get a thoroughly corrupt government. Full stop. If you didn't want a kleptocratic regime, you shouldn't have voted for a thief and con man for President, and you shouldn't have hired his sycophants as Senators and Representatives to collectively hold that mad dog's leash.
As for "War Crimes," that's what you get when you blur the lines between Church and State. You were warned! The very first Amendment to the Constitution requires separation of church and state (couched as freedom of religion). It is first because it was the most obvious and consequential of the ten amendments James Madison wrote to satisfy calls to limit Federal-Government intrusion into the affairs of individual citizens. It echoes Jesus of Nazareth's admonition to, "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and unto God that which is God's."
The doctrine is a lesson learned from five millennia of experimenting with civilization. That is, living in cooperating groups larger than a nuclear family. The reason blurring the lines between church and state leads to war crimes is that, without a robust independent spiritual authority, there is nobody to say "Naughty! Naughty!" when greedy government leaders decide to murder, rape, and pillage the neighbors.
I thoroughly enjoyed your line "Corruption on the scale of Trump's MAGA kakistocracy is the logical result of hiring a career criminal to run your country: You get a thoroughly corrupt government."
That's a bit over the top. It's more hateful how people represent themselves as "the word of God" - any god, and impress it's abuse upon others. The original intent of the 1st Amendment was to allow freedom OF and FROM religion. That second tenet is getting overlooked.
Yeah, I'm feeling over the top today. You're right regarding staying on topic. I'm correct in my preference for no religion, and particularly in connection with government of all people. Always glad to see you here, Steve.
While my sympathy with any investor in any orange dumpster related company has definite limits, most of the "investments" most likely came from the robber barons who are ripping off the poor to enrich themselves and their idol and/or court jester (whichever way they look at it).
As to any magas "investing" in these schemes, there's a sucker born every minute. So, if you bleed for your Fuehrer, you deserve it, since you voted for him and put us and the entire country into this mess.
His followers are indeed the suckers, and they voted for him. They are finding that his promises are easily forgotten and broken. Most refuse to believe that they were taken.
While I agree with you that most of his voters in the 2024 election were suckered into believing in him, again, it is we the people of the United States that are his ultimate suckers and victims with all of these blatant financial maneuverings the Administration's raping of our Treasury.
It's far more likely that the majority of the voters in the 2024 election (minus the 1.5% who actually voted for Trump) are less the suckers and more the victims. Those who voted for him knew, or should have, that Trump is notorious for breaking promises; promises that would have surely hurt them. They voted for him anyway. They were the real suckers AND victims.
Thank you for so much good information! HCR says we may be witnessing a shift away from the corruption and awfulness. We will need a New Reconstruction! (I didn't invent that idea.) I and so many others appreciate you and your colleagues, which is why we subscribe and why you are with me daily for my morning coffee!
I don't listen to Cox Richardson anymore because I don't find her insights fully couched in reality. So, what, pray tell, is evidence of a "shift" from corruption? I believe it is only growing, because wealth compounds wealth, as does corruption when sanctioned by the highest office in the land. Really--what is her argument in that regard? It sounds like wishful thinking to me. Tell me these billionaires are not making money off of an oil crisis, or any other opportunity, at our expense.
You all are the best! Thank you for your commitment and hard, hard work in preserving our democracy! I continue to write and call my representatives ... most recently urging them to urge others to invoke the 25th Amendment. We must get the Veep, whom I detest, to start the process.
Great work Norm. While I think that the 25th amendment applies to our current president, what about other options? what about Article 2, section 4? What about a way to force congress to do its duty, like vote on approving the war, or other issues where they are just not doing their jobs? Can someone sue or bring legal action against the House or the Senate for these types of things?
Thank you Norm for your dedication to integrity and the rule of law. Thanks for holding the sons of Witkoff and Trump to the SEC rules. What’s right is what’s right. The rules apply to everyone including the president and his family. I appreciate what you and Jen are doing to support and enable our democracy and democratic principles and institutions. If it were not for your tenacious convictions and those of DDF we would all be much worse off.
As the corruption gets paraded obnoxiously in our faces, it's so good to see that, along with everything else filed in the battle royale against the regime, Democracy Defenders leads the battle against ALTS. The corruption is nauseating and it seems like the Trump clan has their finger in every pie, thinking nobody notices. Or nobody cares. Or they'll get away with everything all the time. Stick it to 'em, Norm!!!
I also agree. It's awful to see so many crimes and negations of progress committed in our names, but to then see the malefactors profit from it all is the insult to injury. It's physically painful, and they know it.
BTW, I FINALLY had to become a paid subscriber after today's post by Norm- THANK YOU so much for your service!!!! (and love you Jen!)
I tell everyone I know about the Contrarian and encourage them to subscribe, along with Democracy Docket which is doing a Herculean job of fighting Dumpy in the courts.
Thank you Lisa for supporting The Contrarianan. "When I was the Obama White House ethics czar during the Great Recession, I would not even allow the president to refinance his modest family home in Chicago." Their leader Jen and Norm are shining stars of American democracy in true sense.
Until now, the 2 most corrupt administrations have been considered to be Grant and Harding, but they're fundamentally different from the corruption of Don the Con. In both of those cases the corruption was among the president's associates and/or cabinet members, but the presidents themselves weren't corrupt, from what I understand.
Grant in fact was honest to a fault-- so honest, in fact, that he couldn't fathom the possibility that the people around him were not honest. So his fault was that he was gullible and naive.
Harding was a good ol' boy who freely admitted that he was in over his head as president, so in his limited intellect he managed to associate himself with a serious bunch of chiselers.
But in neither case did the President profit from the corruption in the executive branch.
Don the Con, OTOH is a different animal entirely. He is an active participant in corruption, and along with his family is turning his office into a personal and family cash cow. So while Grant and Harding were merely incompetent, Don the Con has blatantly crossed the "BRIBERY, treason and other high crimes and misdemeanors" needed to be impeached.
Ivan feel enriched by your comments ✌🏼🇺🇸
Ivan, you are indeed correct about Grant. Modern historians distinguish Grant's personal honor from his administrative failures, documenting that he did not personally benefit from the graft and that Grant himself was seen as honest and personally above reproach. The three best modern biographies of Grant are: Ron Chernow’s "Grant" is widely considered the modern definitive, comprehensive and deeply researched biography; Ronald C. White's" American Ulysses" for a balanced, engaging narrative, and Jean Edward Smith’s "Grant" for a masterful, highly readable account.
None of this surprising, nor, at this point, is the silence of Republicans in Congress. If and when a Dem president is elected again, All Dem congressman should be issued signs like auction paddles that say "Hush Piggy" to be held up anytime and every time a Republican begins to criticize the Dem president for anything at all.
I love that idea! 💖
Thanks for the weekly update. I would be curious to know how you and your team are anticipating Trump's dirty tricks that are sure to come in the mid-terms, and what you can do to stop him. I'm sure the lower courts will be a solid guardrail, but I worry about the Supreme Court, which has clearly been compromised.
What a complex and tangled financial web these criminals weave. Look also at Jared Kushner's company, Affinity Partners. There is at least a significant conflict of interest in his funds solicitations from countries in the Middle East while he's supposed to be a "peace envoy". What price is peace? He's working on that.
A fine roundup summary of other actions, Mr. Eisen. Keep up the good work, and thank you.
The corruption is no longer even hidden. I’m looking forward to the day when all their assets are frozen, investigated and each convicted.
Freeze the assets and then claw them back to the U.S. Treasury, from which they came.
Today, I'll just briefly pick at the "Corruption" and "War Crimes" threads in The Contrarian essay. I say "briefly" because there's not much new to say about these perennial MAGA debaucheries. I only bother to reiterate these comments to make sure they don't get entirely forgotten--ever!
Corruption on the scale of Trump's MAGA kakistocracy is the logical result of hiring a career criminal to run your country: You get a thoroughly corrupt government. Full stop. If you didn't want a kleptocratic regime, you shouldn't have voted for a thief and con man for President, and you shouldn't have hired his sycophants as Senators and Representatives to collectively hold that mad dog's leash.
As for "War Crimes," that's what you get when you blur the lines between Church and State. You were warned! The very first Amendment to the Constitution requires separation of church and state (couched as freedom of religion). It is first because it was the most obvious and consequential of the ten amendments James Madison wrote to satisfy calls to limit Federal-Government intrusion into the affairs of individual citizens. It echoes Jesus of Nazareth's admonition to, "Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and unto God that which is God's."
The doctrine is a lesson learned from five millennia of experimenting with civilization. That is, living in cooperating groups larger than a nuclear family. The reason blurring the lines between church and state leads to war crimes is that, without a robust independent spiritual authority, there is nobody to say "Naughty! Naughty!" when greedy government leaders decide to murder, rape, and pillage the neighbors.
I AM ANTIFA!
I thoroughly enjoyed your line "Corruption on the scale of Trump's MAGA kakistocracy is the logical result of hiring a career criminal to run your country: You get a thoroughly corrupt government."
I'll say it: I hate god.
That's a bit over the top. It's more hateful how people represent themselves as "the word of God" - any god, and impress it's abuse upon others. The original intent of the 1st Amendment was to allow freedom OF and FROM religion. That second tenet is getting overlooked.
Yeah, I'm feeling over the top today. You're right regarding staying on topic. I'm correct in my preference for no religion, and particularly in connection with government of all people. Always glad to see you here, Steve.
While my sympathy with any investor in any orange dumpster related company has definite limits, most of the "investments" most likely came from the robber barons who are ripping off the poor to enrich themselves and their idol and/or court jester (whichever way they look at it).
As to any magas "investing" in these schemes, there's a sucker born every minute. So, if you bleed for your Fuehrer, you deserve it, since you voted for him and put us and the entire country into this mess.
His followers are indeed the suckers, and they voted for him. They are finding that his promises are easily forgotten and broken. Most refuse to believe that they were taken.
While I agree with you that most of his voters in the 2024 election were suckered into believing in him, again, it is we the people of the United States that are his ultimate suckers and victims with all of these blatant financial maneuverings the Administration's raping of our Treasury.
It's far more likely that the majority of the voters in the 2024 election (minus the 1.5% who actually voted for Trump) are less the suckers and more the victims. Those who voted for him knew, or should have, that Trump is notorious for breaking promises; promises that would have surely hurt them. They voted for him anyway. They were the real suckers AND victims.
Thank you Norm for your relentless determination to old this lawless administration accountable.
Thank you for so much good information! HCR says we may be witnessing a shift away from the corruption and awfulness. We will need a New Reconstruction! (I didn't invent that idea.) I and so many others appreciate you and your colleagues, which is why we subscribe and why you are with me daily for my morning coffee!
I don't listen to Cox Richardson anymore because I don't find her insights fully couched in reality. So, what, pray tell, is evidence of a "shift" from corruption? I believe it is only growing, because wealth compounds wealth, as does corruption when sanctioned by the highest office in the land. Really--what is her argument in that regard? It sounds like wishful thinking to me. Tell me these billionaires are not making money off of an oil crisis, or any other opportunity, at our expense.
I think she meant a shift from the people who are realizing the width and depth of the corruption, not that there is less of it.
Look what people are capable of noticing when they look away from their phones! Best wishes, friend.
You all are the best! Thank you for your commitment and hard, hard work in preserving our democracy! I continue to write and call my representatives ... most recently urging them to urge others to invoke the 25th Amendment. We must get the Veep, whom I detest, to start the process.
I seem to recall a horrifying huge statue of hump and an equally horrifying rendering of NEW GAZA CITY...glASS and chrome to blind the eye for miles
Great work Norm. While I think that the 25th amendment applies to our current president, what about other options? what about Article 2, section 4? What about a way to force congress to do its duty, like vote on approving the war, or other issues where they are just not doing their jobs? Can someone sue or bring legal action against the House or the Senate for these types of things?
Thank you Norm for your dedication to integrity and the rule of law. Thanks for holding the sons of Witkoff and Trump to the SEC rules. What’s right is what’s right. The rules apply to everyone including the president and his family. I appreciate what you and Jen are doing to support and enable our democracy and democratic principles and institutions. If it were not for your tenacious convictions and those of DDF we would all be much worse off.
I agree. We all feel powerless now, but a little less so with champions like Norm's team in court.
As the corruption gets paraded obnoxiously in our faces, it's so good to see that, along with everything else filed in the battle royale against the regime, Democracy Defenders leads the battle against ALTS. The corruption is nauseating and it seems like the Trump clan has their finger in every pie, thinking nobody notices. Or nobody cares. Or they'll get away with everything all the time. Stick it to 'em, Norm!!!
I also agree. It's awful to see so many crimes and negations of progress committed in our names, but to then see the malefactors profit from it all is the insult to injury. It's physically painful, and they know it.
NORM EISEN - Please read the post (below) by Robert Reich two days ago!
Trump is suing the IRS for $10B. This is related to disclosure of some of his tax filings. The NYT reported on them.
Reich notes that this all occurred when Trump was a private citizen. Reich believes therefore that Trump can be stopped by countersuing him.
https://robertreich.substack.com/p/how-to-counter-trumps-10-billion
Please review and discern whether Democracy Defenders or some other body can make a case.
Thank you so much. (I'm Canadian. so can only relay good ideas!)