Lawless
Trump’s rejection of the rule of law is comprehensive: He’s upset that people suspected of crimes like shoplifting aren’t prosecuted, yet he’s also furious that he is himself subject to prosecution when accused of crimes. Earlier this month, he promised retribution for those members of the law-enforcement community who have tried to hold him accountable, “which will include long term prison sentences.” In other words: They would lose not only their pension or car, but their freedom. He also promises to pardon those who ransacked the Capitol on January 6, 2021. Policing is only for those Trump hates. He and his friends get a pass.
David A. Graham, Trump’s Dark Turn Toward Police Violence
Of promised retribution
Another person wrestling with it is Mitt Romney, who’s on his way out of the Senate and into an uncertain future. If ever there were a man teed up for a happy retirement, it’s him; he has money to burn and a famously big, loving family to enjoy. But he doesn’t sound happy. “How am I going to protect 25 grandkids, two great-grandkids? I’ve got five sons, five daughters-in-law—it’s like, we’re a big group,” he complained with exasperation recently to The Atlantic.
The person his kids and grandkids might need protecting from is the Republican nominee for president. Mitt is so worried about Donald Trump abusing executive power to harass the Romney family that it’s contributed to his decision not to endorse Kamala Harris, according to the Washington Post. When Trump talks about “retribution” against his political enemies, Romney takes him literally and seriously.
Should he? Is Trump’s “retribution” chatter an empty threat designed to motivate his fans to vote? Or is he bonkers enough to order a revenge campaign from the Oval Office?
“It doesn’t matter,” you might say, fairly enough. Whether Trump’s demagoguery is strategic or proof of insanity, he’s unfit for office either way. And American voters seem to agree that it doesn’t matter, as there seem to be enough of them who don’t care about either the question or the answer to reelect him. “Affectation or bonkers?” is a question for serious citizens, not ours.
Trump’s promises of retribution against his political opponents is classic autocratic behavior and utterly plausible, especially insofar as he plans to avoid having any “adults in the room” in his second term — only ass-kissers. Please do not vote for this monster.
Be it remembered
When he was governor of Indiana, Mike Pence was widely hated, and I couldn’t understand why, let alone share the hatred. Now, because he obeyed the law , instead of obeying Trump, on 1/6/2021, there’s a tendency to imagine him with a halo.
But until he apologizes convincingly for a preplanned stunt at taxpayer expense during his Vice Presidency, he’ll get no more than tepid support from me.
#hypocrisy #retribution #policing #Mitt_Romney #Mike_Pence #costly_stunts