When our Congress heard that Trump was pondering a “military option” on the bond market, the 25th amendment should have been trotted out right then and there. This man is certifiable, dangerous, and needs to be removed from office. Our puling Congress gives us…crickets. Where is the outrage? I am sick to death of “We are tired of being lectured by them”, and am waiting in vain for these milquetoasts to start yelling and demanding. Believe me that if the president were a Democrat, the Republicans would be pounding this 24/7.
I wish people would stop talking about the 25th Amendment. The core reason Donald created the most corrupt and grotesque Cabinet in US History was to proof himself against the very possibility of the Amendment being invoked. Who in that pack of grifters, scoundrels, fanatics and democracy-haters is going to stand up for the United States and exercise its power to save our country and our people from a delusional and unfit president?
Bobby Kennedy? Pete Hegseth? Rubio? Bessent? Blanche?
There's no conceivable situation in which these lot would step up and do the right thing. Donald could order nukes to rain down on Chicago and they'd be on Fox, grinning and praising him for his greatness.
“I wish people would stop talking about the 25th Amendment. The core reason Donald created the most corrupt and grotesque Cabinet in US History was to proof himself against the very possibility of the Amendment being invoked.”
You are correct. We did see this coming and now it’s here - Trump has succeeded in shielding himself, his family and his lapdog lieutenants drooling with greed from attack. While he is deteriorating mentally over time he is still vital enough to do harm. And he does do harm, every day. No, the 25th amendment is not the answer and it’s a waste of time and energy to stress about it. The only legal, non-violent way out is a huge electoral win in the midterm elections that reclaims progressive majorities in both houses. Sadly, SCOTUS is handing Trump yet more authority to manipulate the outcome via mail-in ballots and the postal service. That hurts - really hurts. Without a huge electoral beat-down of Republicans in November we will be left with only dangerous and violent options. Some folks are already saying “Luigi got the wrong guy.” (Have you seen any of the Luigi-inspired merch currently available?) I’m not advocating violence and I’m not threatening anyone. What I am saying is that the longer Trump remains in power and unchecked, the more likely it becomes that violence will erupt.
Hubert, the fascist wing of the former Republican Party had been hard at work for nearly 40 years to get to control and the power they enjoy now. Billions of dollars invested into planning, dry runs and elections at every level were spent. They won't give up all they had "accomplished" because of one "stupid election". They'll use every trick in the book to cheat even if blood runs on the street. Power and money, the more the better, it's their drive and motivation. Very dark times are coming, and I hope I'm terrible wrong 😞.
Thank you for bringing forward this prescient quote! I will also share it. In truth, though many are frightened about our future, my intuition is that we are much farther down the "lost highway" than people comprehend.
Right wing regimes thrive on that kind of violence, indeed often creating the conditions for it (or creating the violence itself if needs be) in order to create a public demand for law and order.
Nothing could be more indicative of how radically our democracy has been hollowed-out than Luigi merch and other such expressions of violent, anti-social, despairing rage all abetted, it must be said, by the tech oligarchs who have discovered the revolutionary utility of the algorithm.
Poison a few million young brains with social media and the possibilities are infinite; especially when a major political party stands to gain unprecedented power when violence breaks out and society breaks down. The Republicans are on the cusp of total power, if things get ugly enough.
and doesn't the 25th amendment also require a hefty majority vote in both houses of Congress? So even harder than an impeachment. Won't happen... waste of mental space thinking about it.
Sorry, but that's incorrect. If the President contests his removal, it gets complicated, and John Gregory is right that another Cabinet vote PLUS a 2/3 vote of both houses would be the only way to remove him in that case.
Section 4 of the 25th Amendment:
Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.
True as far as it goes, but my point is that the Cabinet would have to initiate this action, and Donald has strategically cobbled together a Cabinet that will NEVER exercise its power to remove him. Congress cannot initiate the 25th Amendment.
I am frustrated by the endless chatter about 25th amendment, impeachment, trumps health/mental state, the crazy Human Binky. Like any current politician has the guts and a majority to do meaningful action. I do not have any suggestions although I’ve lived in other countries under terrible dictatorships with state sponsored violence against its own people and monumental corruption. I’ve seen extreme ongoing violence by students/protesters; dogged, daily, non-violent marches by mothers and grandmothers in white scarves; country-wide strikes; and military coups to remove dictators. None of these will happen here; FFS we schedule protests for a few hours every several months! I am not suggesting violence. So far a handful of lawyers (Norm Eisen, Katy Phang,Marc Elias) and lower courts seem to be the only ones actually doing anything to at least slow down the administration’s deplorable actions, and they should be supported. I’m not dissing anyone’s efforts: protest, letter writing, sending money to worthwhile resistance…and huge kudos to HCR, Robert Reich, Krugman, The Contrarian, Joyce Vance, and others keeping us informed at great personal cost. But I agree with those who have said people don’t realize just how far down the terrible authoritarianism road we are. WTF is it going to take? We’re hanging our hats on a Blue Wave in midterms and, if elections even happen and go without a hitch, it will probably happen. But then we still have 2 more years and unless we elect super star, very smart and savvy, aggressive, unafraid Representatives and Senators we’ll be right back in timid, “our colleagues across the aisle”, trying to find “common ground” with crooks, Merrick Garland-esque ground again.
Because Daniel, the trump's family wouldn't make any money out of those moves. War in military terms opened the door for them to funnel a lot of money out of the Pentagon into their pockets. If you don't believe me, ask Eric and Junior...🤑
A logical Treasury Department would demand sanctions (as opposed to tariffs) for wrongdoing. Domestically we can expand refinery capacity. Canada has 10 refineries and Mexico 2. If all were in lockstep, cheap oil prices would lock up not only Iran but also Russia.
If we retire gas guzzlers rather than treasury bills and notes, we'd increase oiur standing, politically and economically.
Keep on dreaming Daniel. Your writing hand is connected to your brain but we are living in a parallel universe were common sense doesn't exist. Hope all this is temporary and fixable.
Even worse: Trump's bonkers statements about North Korea! He likes the murderous regime there better than Canada??? That should have been the limit and brought on the 25th Amendment.
Are the Republicans hypocrites? Yes. Are they the puppets of the selfish wealthy? Yes. Are they also well-steeped in Machiavellian manipulations that stand to enhance their staying power? I think it likely. Every time they are in office the debt increases and cuts are made to social support programs, leaving the Dems in the next administration having to spend much of their time cleaning up the mess, and so hampering them from achieving much that they would other wise achieve. THIS administration has expanded that ploy to include our health system, our agricultural sector, our decades-long international relations as well as whatever the hell is going on behind the curtain with our historical rivals and enemy nations. WTF???
And while the Democrats are cleaning up the messes created by the Republicans, the public blames the Democrats for creating the mess. So they vote the Republicans back in!
Thank you for this, Jen. What galls me is that our debt is owned-- generally-- by the very rich around the world, and here in this country. So, they don't pay their fair share of taxes, but they get our hard-earned tax dollars in the form of interest we pay on the debt.
It's just another way that the GOP has been moving our money into the pockets of the rich, along with the Big Ugly Death Bill. It's immoral, disgusting and deeply damaging, to the very fabric of our society.
It’s too bad voters were unaware of trump’s history of one business failure after another. He continues the pattern, including his consistent bullying of those who call attention to his incompetence. Before voting, educate yourselves about the character and track record of those running for office. Then, VOTE.
Anne, they are compounding distractions with more malfeasance. The list of things they try to cover up is long. And yet, we persist in shining the light on those glaring examples of corruption, abuse, incompetence.
Thank you Jen. We are now a country run by the worst among us, for the worst among us. They ‘ll bankrupt our nation and stuff their own pockets while they work to deny our right to vote. It’s not surprising that Trump’s tech buddies live in guarded compounds.
Well, we have front row seats to the biggest Kakistocracy + Kleptocracy in world history. We The People will need to usher in America 2.0. The breadth and depth of the chaos, cruelty, corruption, and incompetance is breathtaking.
And how do we do that when half our country doesn't vote? When people don't join the protests? We should be protesting every day. And now the Supreme Court has started the process of repressing the right to vote by mail. We the People? More like We the Sheeple.
Would it be worse if we harkened back to some significant words written a while back? I'm not so sure it would be.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
On Saturday Prime Minister Carney’s addressed the Canadian people concerning the reasons that Canada rejected the Trump tariff deal. It was a highly rational, calm and respectful response to the apparently bulling and dysfunctional aspects of those negotiations. What PM Carney said across the course of his press conference:
“We’ve recognized from the start that America has changed,” “We recognize that sometimes, its signature is written in pencil.”
To understand the precarious state that Trump and his minions have placed us in, these negotiations, as outlined by the press conference and subsequent reporting, are a quick tutorial in why we are in the unstable condition we are in now. The duplicitous way that Trump conducts himself in international interaction, guarantees, if not immediate failure, is laying the groundwork for ultimate resentment and dispute, the fracturing of relationships. Listening to Carney, our next door neighbor, once our most trusted ally, outlined our devolution and in his measured and coherent speech he subtly indicated the trajectory of the shift between our two countries. Canada, by holding true to its sovereignty and integrity, is ascending, moving forward to a better future. The United States, now held to be untrustworthy by even our most long term allies, steeped in disunity and unable to stay on the path towards a more perfect union, is on the road to descension.
A somewhat different take on his threat to use the military to settle the bond crisis. He lost his train of thought and reverted to his standby threat. Showing that he really is not well, he could not connect two thoughts and his mouth kept running while his mind was elsewhere.
It does not take much of a mind to be reactive, which is how Trump plays the game. Anything that happens, he reacts with revenge, lies and/or cries of victimhood.
not to mention the mythical 'debt ceiling' that prevents paying even legally incurred debt if the payment goes above a prescribed line. The debt ceiling is like Brigadoon, it appears only when a Democrat is in the White House.
"When confronted with Bessent’s face plant, Trump lashed out, fulminating on the failed bond market gambit: “The ultimate intervention is our military. And if we have to use that, we will.” At best, one can say Trump is shockingly ignorant; at worst, he is so crazed as to imagine the military can storm the bond markets. In any sane political universe, the 25th Amendment should be seriously considered."
Sometimes a deep, loud belly laugh helps to drown out my screaming into a pillow.
Thanks, Ms. Rubin.
We are living in absurd (but still dangerous) times.
People who believe the USA will pay its debts will continue to lend US money. What will happen is they will demand ever higher rates of interest to do so.
Imagine what would happen if we defaulted on our debt. No more money. No more investment. No more capitalism. No more rich people making more money. So, you see our debt is the second most critical payment, right behind the military.
But who, at this point, believes the USA will repay its debts? Or maybe it isn't about that at all: It's about having the power, the leverage, over a country that can't repay its debts. Your thoughts?
There are no concerns the US can't pay its debts. 120 percent of GDP isn't in that territory. Even 200 percent isn't. The problem is that it drags down the investments we need to make as a country in our people, infrastructure, and the industries of the future.
Scott Bessent is just one of the cabal of clapping seals that make up the sociopathic lunatic's compliant Cabinet. It is written in each of their job descriptions that their primary job is to massage the Dear Leader's fragile ego. To do otherwise would result in them being banished from this kangaroo court.
And the emperor continues to fiddle while American goes up in ashes.
Maybe Trump didn't hear the question, and thought someone was asking about what he would do if (insert name of small country here) didn't do what he wanted. The even more worrying possibility is that he did hear the question, but thinks the US military, which he treats like a set of tin soldiers, could force investors to accept lower interest rates. Time for the 25th Amendment.
We are talking about a man who uses the presidency as a personal piggy bank and managed to bankrupt his own casino when he was a private citizen. Now, in addition to bankrupting the United States, his economic ignorance and incompetence are creating a fiscal hole that will be impossible to recover from, while making the country an isolated pariah on the world stage. To paraphrase Jen, in any sane political universe, the 25th Amendment would have been have been implemented long ago.
When our Congress heard that Trump was pondering a “military option” on the bond market, the 25th amendment should have been trotted out right then and there. This man is certifiable, dangerous, and needs to be removed from office. Our puling Congress gives us…crickets. Where is the outrage? I am sick to death of “We are tired of being lectured by them”, and am waiting in vain for these milquetoasts to start yelling and demanding. Believe me that if the president were a Democrat, the Republicans would be pounding this 24/7.
I wish people would stop talking about the 25th Amendment. The core reason Donald created the most corrupt and grotesque Cabinet in US History was to proof himself against the very possibility of the Amendment being invoked. Who in that pack of grifters, scoundrels, fanatics and democracy-haters is going to stand up for the United States and exercise its power to save our country and our people from a delusional and unfit president?
Bobby Kennedy? Pete Hegseth? Rubio? Bessent? Blanche?
There's no conceivable situation in which these lot would step up and do the right thing. Donald could order nukes to rain down on Chicago and they'd be on Fox, grinning and praising him for his greatness.
“I wish people would stop talking about the 25th Amendment. The core reason Donald created the most corrupt and grotesque Cabinet in US History was to proof himself against the very possibility of the Amendment being invoked.”
You are correct. We did see this coming and now it’s here - Trump has succeeded in shielding himself, his family and his lapdog lieutenants drooling with greed from attack. While he is deteriorating mentally over time he is still vital enough to do harm. And he does do harm, every day. No, the 25th amendment is not the answer and it’s a waste of time and energy to stress about it. The only legal, non-violent way out is a huge electoral win in the midterm elections that reclaims progressive majorities in both houses. Sadly, SCOTUS is handing Trump yet more authority to manipulate the outcome via mail-in ballots and the postal service. That hurts - really hurts. Without a huge electoral beat-down of Republicans in November we will be left with only dangerous and violent options. Some folks are already saying “Luigi got the wrong guy.” (Have you seen any of the Luigi-inspired merch currently available?) I’m not advocating violence and I’m not threatening anyone. What I am saying is that the longer Trump remains in power and unchecked, the more likely it becomes that violence will erupt.
Hubert, the fascist wing of the former Republican Party had been hard at work for nearly 40 years to get to control and the power they enjoy now. Billions of dollars invested into planning, dry runs and elections at every level were spent. They won't give up all they had "accomplished" because of one "stupid election". They'll use every trick in the book to cheat even if blood runs on the street. Power and money, the more the better, it's their drive and motivation. Very dark times are coming, and I hope I'm terrible wrong 😞.
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."
~ John F Kennedy
Thank you for bringing forward this prescient quote! I will also share it. In truth, though many are frightened about our future, my intuition is that we are much farther down the "lost highway" than people comprehend.
Right wing regimes thrive on that kind of violence, indeed often creating the conditions for it (or creating the violence itself if needs be) in order to create a public demand for law and order.
Nothing could be more indicative of how radically our democracy has been hollowed-out than Luigi merch and other such expressions of violent, anti-social, despairing rage all abetted, it must be said, by the tech oligarchs who have discovered the revolutionary utility of the algorithm.
Poison a few million young brains with social media and the possibilities are infinite; especially when a major political party stands to gain unprecedented power when violence breaks out and society breaks down. The Republicans are on the cusp of total power, if things get ugly enough.
and doesn't the 25th amendment also require a hefty majority vote in both houses of Congress? So even harder than an impeachment. Won't happen... waste of mental space thinking about it.
No, the 25th is up to the Cabinet: Congress has nothing to do with it.
Sorry, but that's incorrect. If the President contests his removal, it gets complicated, and John Gregory is right that another Cabinet vote PLUS a 2/3 vote of both houses would be the only way to remove him in that case.
Section 4 of the 25th Amendment:
Whenever the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive departments or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President.
Thereafter, when the President transmits to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives his written declaration that no inability exists, he shall resume the powers and duties of his office unless the Vice President and a majority of either the principal officers of the executive department or of such other body as Congress may by law provide, transmit within four days to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue, assembling within forty-eight hours for that purpose if not in session. If the Congress, within twenty-one days after receipt of the latter written declaration, or, if Congress is not in session, within twenty-one days after Congress is required to assemble, determines by two-thirds vote of both Houses that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall continue to discharge the same as Acting President; otherwise, the President shall resume the powers and duties of his office.
True as far as it goes, but my point is that the Cabinet would have to initiate this action, and Donald has strategically cobbled together a Cabinet that will NEVER exercise its power to remove him. Congress cannot initiate the 25th Amendment.
I am frustrated by the endless chatter about 25th amendment, impeachment, trumps health/mental state, the crazy Human Binky. Like any current politician has the guts and a majority to do meaningful action. I do not have any suggestions although I’ve lived in other countries under terrible dictatorships with state sponsored violence against its own people and monumental corruption. I’ve seen extreme ongoing violence by students/protesters; dogged, daily, non-violent marches by mothers and grandmothers in white scarves; country-wide strikes; and military coups to remove dictators. None of these will happen here; FFS we schedule protests for a few hours every several months! I am not suggesting violence. So far a handful of lawyers (Norm Eisen, Katy Phang,Marc Elias) and lower courts seem to be the only ones actually doing anything to at least slow down the administration’s deplorable actions, and they should be supported. I’m not dissing anyone’s efforts: protest, letter writing, sending money to worthwhile resistance…and huge kudos to HCR, Robert Reich, Krugman, The Contrarian, Joyce Vance, and others keeping us informed at great personal cost. But I agree with those who have said people don’t realize just how far down the terrible authoritarianism road we are. WTF is it going to take? We’re hanging our hats on a Blue Wave in midterms and, if elections even happen and go without a hitch, it will probably happen. But then we still have 2 more years and unless we elect super star, very smart and savvy, aggressive, unafraid Representatives and Senators we’ll be right back in timid, “our colleagues across the aisle”, trying to find “common ground” with crooks, Merrick Garland-esque ground again.
If these moves are supposed to checkmate Iran, why didn't they make them last February?
To checkmate, one needs to be engaged in a game of chess. They are playing Duck Duck Goose…..
Because Daniel, the trump's family wouldn't make any money out of those moves. War in military terms opened the door for them to funnel a lot of money out of the Pentagon into their pockets. If you don't believe me, ask Eric and Junior...🤑
It was a rhetorical question.
A logical Treasury Department would demand sanctions (as opposed to tariffs) for wrongdoing. Domestically we can expand refinery capacity. Canada has 10 refineries and Mexico 2. If all were in lockstep, cheap oil prices would lock up not only Iran but also Russia.
If we retire gas guzzlers rather than treasury bills and notes, we'd increase oiur standing, politically and economically.
Keep on dreaming Daniel. Your writing hand is connected to your brain but we are living in a parallel universe were common sense doesn't exist. Hope all this is temporary and fixable.
We have to clear everything with Natalie
Harp.
Even worse: Trump's bonkers statements about North Korea! He likes the murderous regime there better than Canada??? That should have been the limit and brought on the 25th Amendment.
Are the Republicans hypocrites? Yes. Are they the puppets of the selfish wealthy? Yes. Are they also well-steeped in Machiavellian manipulations that stand to enhance their staying power? I think it likely. Every time they are in office the debt increases and cuts are made to social support programs, leaving the Dems in the next administration having to spend much of their time cleaning up the mess, and so hampering them from achieving much that they would other wise achieve. THIS administration has expanded that ploy to include our health system, our agricultural sector, our decades-long international relations as well as whatever the hell is going on behind the curtain with our historical rivals and enemy nations. WTF???
And while the Democrats are cleaning up the messes created by the Republicans, the public blames the Democrats for creating the mess. So they vote the Republicans back in!
Got it!
Thank you for this, Jen. What galls me is that our debt is owned-- generally-- by the very rich around the world, and here in this country. So, they don't pay their fair share of taxes, but they get our hard-earned tax dollars in the form of interest we pay on the debt.
It's just another way that the GOP has been moving our money into the pockets of the rich, along with the Big Ugly Death Bill. It's immoral, disgusting and deeply damaging, to the very fabric of our society.
Many of the billionaire class oligarchs made their fortunes by borrowing money. So they think that's cool....unless Democrats are in power....
When you have an insane, demented kleptocrat supported by a herd of venal, corrupt sycophants, what else can you expect?
Codependents.
None dare call him Krasnov. Make Russia Great Again.
It’s too bad voters were unaware of trump’s history of one business failure after another. He continues the pattern, including his consistent bullying of those who call attention to his incompetence. Before voting, educate yourselves about the character and track record of those running for office. Then, VOTE.
Too many knew about his business failings, but supported him anyway because he's a con man who can talk a good game. That's ALL he can do is talk.
Could this be yet another way to distract from the unreleased Epstein files?
Anne, they are compounding distractions with more malfeasance. The list of things they try to cover up is long. And yet, we persist in shining the light on those glaring examples of corruption, abuse, incompetence.
Of course.
Everything he does is.
"
It’s too bad voters were unaware of trump’s history of one business failure after another"
Baloney, It was well known and documented. Some people chose not to listen.
the 30+% who live and breathe on Fox had no reason to suspect it.
True. FauxNoise wouldn't have reported negatively on Trump then and they rarely do now.
I blame NBC for creating and fostering the myth of Trump, the fabulously successful businessman.
The Apprentice has a lot to answer for (though I believe the producer has apologized...)
The producer's apology can hardly unring a bell, now can it? There's an equivalency to shutting the barn door after the horse has run away.
Everyone knew about Trump's business failures and boorish behavior well before Trump 1.
everybody in New York - which is why he got about 10% of the vote there in 2016.
Everyone, Ellen?
Thank you Jen. We are now a country run by the worst among us, for the worst among us. They ‘ll bankrupt our nation and stuff their own pockets while they work to deny our right to vote. It’s not surprising that Trump’s tech buddies live in guarded compounds.
Well, we have front row seats to the biggest Kakistocracy + Kleptocracy in world history. We The People will need to usher in America 2.0. The breadth and depth of the chaos, cruelty, corruption, and incompetance is breathtaking.
And how do we do that when half our country doesn't vote? When people don't join the protests? We should be protesting every day. And now the Supreme Court has started the process of repressing the right to vote by mail. We the People? More like We the Sheeple.
It would be awful if we ended up in a totalitarian dictatorship because of voter apathy.
Would it be worse if we harkened back to some significant words written a while back? I'm not so sure it would be.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
And, if that (quoting dangerous revolutionaries) doesn't get me onto somebody's list of malcontents, I don't know what will.
that's how we got here, that and racism
after 250 years america never grew up
To the Democrats in Congress:
On Saturday Prime Minister Carney’s addressed the Canadian people concerning the reasons that Canada rejected the Trump tariff deal. It was a highly rational, calm and respectful response to the apparently bulling and dysfunctional aspects of those negotiations. What PM Carney said across the course of his press conference:
“We’ve recognized from the start that America has changed,” “We recognize that sometimes, its signature is written in pencil.”
To understand the precarious state that Trump and his minions have placed us in, these negotiations, as outlined by the press conference and subsequent reporting, are a quick tutorial in why we are in the unstable condition we are in now. The duplicitous way that Trump conducts himself in international interaction, guarantees, if not immediate failure, is laying the groundwork for ultimate resentment and dispute, the fracturing of relationships. Listening to Carney, our next door neighbor, once our most trusted ally, outlined our devolution and in his measured and coherent speech he subtly indicated the trajectory of the shift between our two countries. Canada, by holding true to its sovereignty and integrity, is ascending, moving forward to a better future. The United States, now held to be untrustworthy by even our most long term allies, steeped in disunity and unable to stay on the path towards a more perfect union, is on the road to descension.
We the people do not consent.
A somewhat different take on his threat to use the military to settle the bond crisis. He lost his train of thought and reverted to his standby threat. Showing that he really is not well, he could not connect two thoughts and his mouth kept running while his mind was elsewhere.
It does not take much of a mind to be reactive, which is how Trump plays the game. Anything that happens, he reacts with revenge, lies and/or cries of victimhood.
I remember all those National Debt billboards during the Obama years courtesy of the Republican party. Where are they now?
not to mention the mythical 'debt ceiling' that prevents paying even legally incurred debt if the payment goes above a prescribed line. The debt ceiling is like Brigadoon, it appears only when a Democrat is in the White House.
Great column….once again,…Ms. Rubin! Very incisive! Thank you.
“The solution to the crisis begins in November, with a Democratic Congress……”
So true…..this is our one chance for our country to stop digging an ever-deepening hole of ruin. I hope…..and pray……it happens.
Vote Blue!
"The federal debt has ballooned because government spending is outstripping revenue, forcing the U.S. to borrow more money to cover the shortfall...."
Question: Who are we borrowing this money from? Who is willing to lend money to an entity that is so deeply in debt?
I simply don't understand economics at all.
"When confronted with Bessent’s face plant, Trump lashed out, fulminating on the failed bond market gambit: “The ultimate intervention is our military. And if we have to use that, we will.” At best, one can say Trump is shockingly ignorant; at worst, he is so crazed as to imagine the military can storm the bond markets. In any sane political universe, the 25th Amendment should be seriously considered."
Sometimes a deep, loud belly laugh helps to drown out my screaming into a pillow.
Thanks, Ms. Rubin.
We are living in absurd (but still dangerous) times.
People who believe the USA will pay its debts will continue to lend US money. What will happen is they will demand ever higher rates of interest to do so.
Imagine what would happen if we defaulted on our debt. No more money. No more investment. No more capitalism. No more rich people making more money. So, you see our debt is the second most critical payment, right behind the military.
But who, at this point, believes the USA will repay its debts? Or maybe it isn't about that at all: It's about having the power, the leverage, over a country that can't repay its debts. Your thoughts?
There are no concerns the US can't pay its debts. 120 percent of GDP isn't in that territory. Even 200 percent isn't. The problem is that it drags down the investments we need to make as a country in our people, infrastructure, and the industries of the future.
There's can't and then there's won't.
My thoughts are that when we stop payment on our debt we will go into foreclosure and will be liquidated.
Trump has bankrupted every one of his businesses: He will bankrupt the country too.
As they say in the casino business 'he's on a roll' :-)
And a total collapse of the world economy that would make the Great Depression look like a Sunday School picnic.
Scott Bessent is just one of the cabal of clapping seals that make up the sociopathic lunatic's compliant Cabinet. It is written in each of their job descriptions that their primary job is to massage the Dear Leader's fragile ego. To do otherwise would result in them being banished from this kangaroo court.
And the emperor continues to fiddle while American goes up in ashes.
Maybe Trump didn't hear the question, and thought someone was asking about what he would do if (insert name of small country here) didn't do what he wanted. The even more worrying possibility is that he did hear the question, but thinks the US military, which he treats like a set of tin soldiers, could force investors to accept lower interest rates. Time for the 25th Amendment.
trump needs to be 25th ammendmented and so do a lot of voters !!
I know, but it seems like a good idea.
Remember the line about making the government small enough they could drown it in the bathtub? Republicans have settled on a plan.
We are talking about a man who uses the presidency as a personal piggy bank and managed to bankrupt his own casino when he was a private citizen. Now, in addition to bankrupting the United States, his economic ignorance and incompetence are creating a fiscal hole that will be impossible to recover from, while making the country an isolated pariah on the world stage. To paraphrase Jen, in any sane political universe, the 25th Amendment would have been have been implemented long ago.
two casinos, and four other businesses. Trump is such a rule-breaker that he even undercut the number one rule for casinos: the house always wins.
Or changed it to: The White House always wins :-)