It's Been an Open Secret All Along

[babylonsister]

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/01/it-was-an-open-secret/549653/

It's Been an Open Secret All Along
The scandal of Michael Wolff’s new book isn’t its salacious details—it’s that everyone in Washington has known its key themes, and refused to act.
James Fallows
Jan 4, 2018 Politics


snip//

But what Wolff is describing is an open secret.

Based on the excerpts now available, Fire and Fury presents a man in the White House who is profoundly ignorant of politics, policy, and anything resembling the substance of perhaps the world’s most demanding job. He is temperamentally unstable. Most of what he says in public is at odds with provable fact, from “biggest inaugural crowd in history” onward. Whether he is aware of it or not, much of what he asserts is a lie. His functional vocabulary is markedly smaller than it was 20 years ago; the oldest person ever to begin service in the White House, he is increasingly prone to repeat anecdotes and phrases. He is aswirl in foreign and financial complications. He has ignored countless norms of modern governance, from the expectation of financial disclosure to the importance of remaining separate from law-enforcement activities. He relies on immediate family members to an unusual degree; he has an exceptionally thin roster of experienced advisers and assistants; his White House staff operations have more in common with an episode of The Apprentice than with any real-world counterpart. He has a shallower reserve of historical or functional information than previous presidents, and a more restricted supply of ongoing information than many citizens. He views all events through the prism of whether they make him look strong and famous, and thus he is laughably susceptible to flattering treatment from the likes of Putin and Xi Jinping abroad or courtiers at home.

snip//

They know what is wrong with Donald Trump. They know why it’s dangerous. They understand—or most of them do—the damage he can do to a system of governance that relies to a surprising degree on norms rather than rules, and whose vulnerability has been newly exposed. They know—or should—about the ways Trump’s vanity and avarice are harming American interests relative to competitors like Russia and China, and partners and allies in North America, Europe, and the Pacific.

They know. They could do something: hearings, investigations, demands for financial or health documents, subpoenas. Even the tool they used against the 42nd president, for failings one percent as grave as those of the 45th: impeachment.

They know. They could act. And they don’t. The failure of responsibility starts with Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan, but it doesn’t end with them. Every member of a bloc-voting majority shares responsibility for not acting on their version of the open secret. “Independent” Republicans like Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski share it. “Thoughtful” ones, like Ben Sasse and Jeff Flake. Those (in addition to Flake) who have nothing to lose electorally, from Bob Corker to Orrin Hatch. When they vote as a majority against strong investigations, against subpoenas, against requirements for financial disclosure, and most of all against protecting Robert Mueller and his investigation, they share complicity in the open secret.

We are watching the political equivalent of the Weinstein board paying off the objects of his abuse. We are watching Fox pay out its tens of millions to O’Reilly’s victims. But we’re watching it in real time, with the secret shared worldwide, and the stakes immeasurably higher.

[Stuart G]

1. k and r....great post, thank you for posting.

[olegramps]

34. That he didn't have the knowledge or temperament for the job was acknowledged by top Republicans.

He won the Republican's regrettable endorsement the same way that he prevailed in business, by a little more than blackmail. He told them flat out if they failed to endorse him he would run as a independent assuring Clinton the presidency. When he was confronted by those he bilked in business he threatened them with costly litigation that would bankrupt them forcing them to settle for far less than he had contracted for. He was and remains a corrupt con man without a shred of decency. A soulless creature who the American Banks refused to do business with. He had problem dealing with the Russia mafia to finance his so-called empire. His constituency is comprised of evangelical end timers, billionaires, homosexual haters, racists and outright ignoramuses. The deplorable of the deplorable.

The major question is can the nation survive this despicable beast and his cadre of hucksters?

[riversedge]

2. The OP reminds of the sexual harassment scandle-an open secret with Repugs doing nothing

about it

[tanyev]

3. Yep. Trump is awful, but the GOP lawmakers' refusal to do their duty is horrifying.

[Frustratedlady]

4. DU knew, but notifying our congresscritters didnt bring a resolution to the matter.

The items I've read so far were the same outcome of much speculation on DU. I'm pretty proud of how the DU members would fall upon an issue with Trump and, aside from some comical comments, eventually figure out what Trump was up to. Of course, we weren't encumbered by the laws of the land and could treat him as some egomaniac in love with himself.

We may be a bunch of peons, but we'll never allow Trump to get by with peeing on us. March, Donnie Boy!

[Scarsdale]

8. The explanations are plain to see.

The gop took their majority status, along with Russian intervention and money, and ran with it. They want control of the country in the worst way. Well, tRump IS the WORST way they could do it. Once all social programs like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps and unemployment insurance are destroyed, they will consider their jobs done. Despicable people. Being paid by taxpayers while they line their pockets and all retire as millionaires. They can fool the uneducated, but we see right through their schemes. Unfortunately for us, there is not much we can do. Or is there?

[Frustratedlady]

10. Well, one thing we can't do is wait for the 2018 election.

All their dirty work will be done by then. With all these secret meetings of Ryan and McConnell, not to mention the Republican-Only meetings that ban Democrats from offering their input, we don't know when the iron will strike. They simply can't be trusted...particularly now that so much is coming out. They should be shaking in their boots. Mueller has them in a corner...a crowded corner from the looks of things, and you know what happens when a frightened animal is trapped.

Pardon me while I dash to the grocery for more butter for this popcorn.

[bdamomma]

25. Good post

this is not business as usual. Also this is not normal what is happening. This is not a movie either or reality TV show, the GOP are accomplices to tRumps crimes and there are crimes.

The GOP are putting at risk millions of people for their own selfish greed. The November 2018 election is a long time away, anything can happen between now and November 2018.

There is a lot of frightened animals who are putting us at risk.

[gvstn]

37. I've always found it shocking

That politicians sell out millions of people for a few maximum campaign contributions. Might be several thousand dollars but just how cold can one be? How do they sleep at night?

[Gabi Hayes]

50. The coup will not be televised

Not by our mainstream media

First October surprise

Second October surprise

Iran contra

The hunting of the president

Bush v Gore

911

WMDs

Iraq

2016

[alfredo]

46. Its A soap opera.

Last edited Sat Jan 6, 2018, 12:32 AM - Edit history (1)

[olegramps]

35. This has been their intent. Destroy FDR's humane policies and recreate the Robber Baron's society.

[alfredo]

41. Reagan went after the FLSA

Fair Labor Standards Act

https://www.dol.gov/whd/flsa/

[Gabi Hayes]

51. They tried to stage a COUP almost immediately after FDR got in

Smedley Butler

[SunSeeker]

5. Yup. The real scandal is GOP complicity. nt

[njcpa1978]

6. O'Reilly reference

Right on, 100%

[The Wizard]

7. He's a thief

hiding behind a wall of bullshit.

[MoonRiver]

9. Thank you!

[NewJeffCT]

11. what is scary to me is even if Trump is led out in handcuffs

and Pence, Jared, Ivanka, Miller, and others go down with him is that he was obviously temperamentally unfit for the job and intellectually unqualified as well. Yet he still managed to get 63 million votes. I mean, every poll had Clinton crushing him 2:1 in each debate and he still managed to get 45% of the total vote. Most Republican analysts were shaking their heads at how poorly Trump did in the debates, but people put that aside and still voted for him.

What will happen in the future if somebody that is actually competent and intelligent comes along and tries to do similar?

[Fred Sanders]

16. MSM. Corporate media wanted a horse race. Handicapped Clinton. Now too proud to admit it

and would rather lead us all to ruination. They got theirs....$$$$.

[iluvtennis]

30. Indeed

[uponit7771]

38. +1, empirically there was more coverage of Clinton emails than her policies

[keithbvadu2]

22. "if somebody that is actually competent and intelligent comes along and tries to do similar?"

Pence

[whathehell]

33. He got 29% percent of the vote..

maybe a point or two more and was outvoted in popular terms by close to 10 mil, Libertarians & Stein voters plus Clinton. This was mainly about the Electoral College.

[Farmer-Rick]

12. But it makes you wonder how it could get this way

How could Putin so easily manipulate our voting system? How come the rich people behind each of those RepubliCON legislators are just fine with a crazy man's finger over the nuclear bomb button just to get another load of loot? How come when the majority voted for Hillary we ended up with Trump? How come Russian money is dictating our democracy?

[Sophia4]

40. How come when the majority voted for Hillary we ended up with Trump?

That one is easy. Because, in spite of all the amendments we have passed to the Constitution that rid us of the horrible institution of slavery, we have still not ridden ourselves of the electoral college.

We need to abolish the electoral college.

It negated 3 million votes in the 1916 election. It needs to go. It's time.

[Farmer-Rick]

57. Yeah, it seems so

Someone is making money off the electoral college, otherwise it would have been changed long ago.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

13. Yah but, R party complicity has been an open secret all along too - starting with why they

didnt get rid of him at the R convention. The chaos and scandal serves a very useful function for them - its distraction from the implementing of the rw agenda (ie looting of public assets, wrecking social safety nets, etc)

[alfredo]

42. How many top GOP lawmakers were actively involved in the crimes?

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

45. "accessory after the fact" is a crime nt

[alfredo]

58. True.

[NCjack]

14. When DEMs get control of govt, McConnell and Ryan must be charged and tried for treason. nt

[Fred Sanders]

15. #AllofUs are being molested by Trumpism. Many literally. The MSM is also complicit.

[safeinOhio]

17. Appeasement.

Turned over all of our security to Putin and turned DC into Moscow on the Potomac.

[dchill]

18. Russian money. Rubles. The Rublepublican Party.

Come on, media! COME ON!

[2naSalit]

19. K&R!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

20. Trump is going to get an official medical exam this month. Hope it include cognitive assessment. .nt

[babylonsister]

21. We'll never get the real results; you do know that. nt

[dalton99a]

23. Everyone in Trumpworld Knows He's an Idiot

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/04/opinion/fire-fury-wolff-trump-book.html
Everyone in Trumpworld Knows He’s an Idiot
Michelle Goldberg JAN. 4, 2018

One of the more alarming anecdotes in “Fire and Fury,” Michael Wolff’s incendiary new book about Donald Trump’s White House, involves the firing of James Comey, former director of the F.B.I. It’s not Trump’s motives that are scary; Wolff reports that Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner were “increasingly panicked” and “frenzied” about what Comey would find if he looked into the family finances, which is incriminating but unsurprising. The terrifying part is how, in Wolff’s telling, Trump sneaked around his aides, some of whom thought they’d contained him.

“For most of the day, almost no one would know that he had decided to take matters into his own hands,” Wolff writes. “In presidential annals, the firing of F.B.I. director James Comey may be the most consequential move ever made by a modern president acting entirely on his own.” Now imagine Trump taking the same approach toward ordering the bombing of North Korea.

Wolff’s scabrous book comes out on Friday — the publication date was moved up amid a media furor — but I was able to get an advance copy. It’s already a consequential work, having precipitated a furious rift between the president and his former chief strategist, Steve Bannon, who told Wolff that the meeting Donald Trump Jr. brokered with Russians in the hope of getting dirt on Hillary Clinton was “treasonous” and “unpatriotic.” On Thursday the president’s lawyers sent a cease-and-desist letter to Wolff’s publisher, Henry Holt, demanding that it stop publication, claiming, among other things, defamation and invasion of privacy. This move would be fascistic if it weren’t so farcical. (While some have raised questions about Wolff’s methods, Axios reports that he has many hours of interviews recorded.)

There are lots of arresting details in the book. We learn that the administration holds special animus for what it calls “D.O.J. women,” or women who work in the Justice Department. Wolff writes that after the white supremacist mayhem in Charlottesville, Va., Trump privately rationalized “why someone would be a member of the K.K.K.” The book recounts that after the political purge in Saudi Arabia, Trump boasted that he and Kushner engineered a coup: “We’ve put our man on top!”

[PatrickforO]

24. An open secret.

At the expense of the American people.

[LittleGirl]

26. Remember when he slurred those

words, gawd bless the United states of America?
Pence was standing right behind him and didn't even flinch. I did when I heard it but Pence? Not one bit.
He knows. He's just waiting for the hand off. We're doomed.

[Auggie]

27. Adam Schiff, last Spring: Republicans (Corporatists) will back Trump until they get what they want

So far:
• Tax cuts for the rich
• Sabotaged funding of the ACA (couldn't kill it outright so they'll starve it to death)
• Built foundations for privatizing Social Security and Medicare
• Reversed/cancelled many Obama environmental protection policies
• Slowed green energy initiatives

Corporatists is my word. Schiff doesn't say it in the interview. But it's the same thing as Republican.

Not much more for Republicans (Corporatists) to harvest from Trump, is there? And hanging on to him any further will severly hurt them in the mid-terms, if it hasn't already. I think they're about to ready to cut him loose. Hope the revelations in this book are the beginning of the end.

[world wide wally]

36. And then they will try to blame it all on Himalayas they distance themselves from it all.

[OnDoutside]

56. What have you seen, that I haven't, which makes you think they are ready to cut him loose ?

[extvbroadcaster]

28. What really scares me

is Trump and the military. Who are the soldiers, the families, that have to follow this man into war? A war that he brings on by being incompetent? Just as Trump exposed how fragile the democracy is, he will expose how things can get worse. Will the GOP wait until it is too late to act? If the American people are not scared, they should be.

[hay rick]

29. K&R

[Raastan]

31. K + R

[nolabear]

32. In the wake of that smooch fest after the tax bill this is delicious.

We KNOW it’s true. It’s been clear all along. He may be an idiot but they’re not. They’re avaricious opportunists who will put the fate of every one of us on the line to get what they want.

Remember. Remember!!

[gvstn]

39. Hillary was wrong to appolgise

But was right about half of Trump's fans being deplorable. She could have said half of Congress belongs in that basket. They are providing that every day.

[oasis]

55. +1,000,000

[Kimchijeon]

43. They will do nothing about it, keeping him ensures

The oligarchy gets to freely pillage with unfettered abandon. This book, randos bitchin' online, some celebs insulting him, whatever = all a big pile of nothing.

Sorry, bit of a bummer I know. Mandatory dumb pic included for hearts & farts & rainbows

[pecosbob]

44. This is a watershed moment

It's about whether we let the new robber baron class drive us all off a cliff as a species in the next century. Whether we let them continue to hide their wealth all the while they use that wealth to covertly corrupt governments all around the world. Wells Fargo ripped off millions of their customers because they knew they could get away with it. It didn't start with Citizens United. It's about busting up all the unions and intentionally destroying the unique balance we had between business and labor. It's about a semi-skilled laborer making the same wage they made in 1980, but a loaf of bread costs five times what it did then. That's why those Marie Antionette moments like Mnuchin and Ivanka have given us recently strike such a raw nerve.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

47. Id love to know how *we* stop them, since protests, petitions,

emails and calls aren’t changing the repukes.

Dump is a freak show, but McCONnell and Ayn Ryan, Hatch, Flake, and the rest of the GOPee-ers are lifelong corrupt politicians. And nothing WE do matters to them.

[VOX]

48. To anyone who questions the value of Wolff's book: THIS is proof that it serves a purpose.

The book was a figurative solid blow to Trump's fleshy jaw; and when other writers/pundits comment on it, it's like a flurry of body blows. Maybe not enough to make Trump "eat canvas," but at least he's badly staggered in this round.

(Apologies for the extended boxing metaphor, I was reading a biography of Muhammad Ali.)

[martigras]

49. Why are the Democratic leaders not screaming about this?

Democrats have been AWOL in the past few days in dealing with Trump’s mental health (demand a Walter Reed assessment!). Or the FBI handing sensitive material in the investigation over to the Republicans? Or the money wasting investigations of the Clinton Foundation, Uranium deal, and now the bloody emails (again). I am a Democrat but I am growing tired of the endless parade of Republicans on Tv. Once again, there is no push back, no fight.

[yonder]

52. K&R, thanks

[mr_lebowski]

53. What's funny about all this to me is that Tony Schwartz told us basically all this shit in mid-2016

There's almost NOTHING, at a 30K-foot level here, that's any sort of 'new revelation' ... an NYT article written by a female reporter who interviewed him back then ... spelled out ALL THIS well before the election.

And frankly I'd be shocked as hell if Wolff hadn't read the article (and possibly even spoken to Schwartz) well before he stepped foot in the WH.

In fact, everything I've seen so far sounds like it was written by someone who walked in the door expecting to see a certain thing, based on that foreknowledge ... and proceeded to have it all confirmed, in spades.

Thankfully the f***ing Corporate Media is covering it, thanks to Bannon's own ego and need for attention, and a major publishing house putting out a book about it.

But the original NY Times article should've been spread FAR AND WIDE back when it actually came out. MAYBE we wouldn't be in this fukcing mess today.

[Pepsidog]

54. I like your post. One comment, there are no reasonable republicans. They all fold and vote with

the majority or take the cowards way out and retire. Flake yea I loved some of the things he said in his book about Trump but he and Corker are enablers. I give them no credit. McCain introduced us to Palin and her kind so screw him, Maverick my ass. Collins and Murkowski get hailed as heros for their ACA vote then screw us over with the tax cut. They are all just morally bankrupt. An awful lot the bunch of them. They are presiding over the dismantling of the country and history will it be kind to them.