Treason Season??

[robkelk]

Trump and his administration have failed to realize something I think. Sure, a lot of the civil service are just in it for the paycheck, but there's a not to be disregarded chunk of the bureaucrats that joined up because they are idealists. And a lot of those guys rise to the top because they are driven by those ideals. And these ideals aren't political; their political stance influence it, but they're in it because they believe in the country they serve more than they believe in a given administration.

And these people?

They will receive that message and conclude 'fuck this administration, they're a threat to the nation's well being' and act accordingly.

Quoted for truth.

Any competent civil servant could earn more money in the private sector. The ones who rose through the ranks and made it to the top that way aren't in it for the money... and that's something that somebody who is in business only for the money (like Trump) cannot possibly understand.

There are ways to work around a dangerous boss - especially when the boss is a short-timer, only in place for a maximum of eight years.

[DHBirr]

It seems Mike Huckabee tweeted to express his pleasure at the McCabe firing.

Gov. Mike Huckabee
✔
@GovMikeHuckabee
Breaking Wind from CNN!  Andy McCabe offered deal for lying to FBI and won’t get pension but will get passage in overhead bin on United flight to Oakland to work for scofflaw mayor.

5:33 AM - Mar 16, 2018

An obvious reference to the puppy killed by United Airlines.  Y'gotta love those "Christian" Southern Baptist Johnny Reb traitor filth clergy like Huckabee; they know dead puppies are funny as all hell. 

It'd be kind of karmic if the family whose puppy died were to expand the lawsuit I suspect they've filed against United — sue "Reverend" Huckabee too, for thinking their pain is a good joke.  

-----
I'm a very forgiving person ... on Lord Vader's terms.  "Apology accepted, Captain."

[Labster]

At this point, it's pretty clear your government's become a kakistocracy. The bureaucracy isn't supposed to function.

Not sure what a kakistocracy.  Is it rule by Kakifly?  I could go for a government where they have afternoon tea-time every day, and occasionally play some wicked riffs on Elizabass.

It seems Mike Huckabee tweeted to express his pleasure at the McCabe firing.

I Huckabees.

Trump does realize that the bureaucracy is fighting him; he's not completely clueless.  But they have this theory about the Deep State which is this sort of Obama-Hillary-Pelosi conspiracy to keep him from doing the people's governing.  This plays very well with his base, so he thinks it's a good thing to talk about.  He makes a lot of comments that that criticize his own government that sound crazy unless you're viewing the government through this lens -- that somehow, as president, he's outside the real inner power circle of the government.

Though by his own actions, he's proving the lack of this sort of state-within-a-state in the American government.  While we do have a military-industrial-intelligence complex, it's clearly not ironclad.  I mean, someone let him into the White House.  What we have is more of a lack of a conspiracy -- just bureaucrats doing their best to resist orders that the President made while he was sundowning.  There's no control structure here, because the bureaucrats are just individual Americans are just making choices they think will best protect the republic.

The real risk here is that enough of the good bureaucrats will decide enough is enough, and move into industry.  But if Trump thinks bullshit firing threats like his are going to scare people into submission, he's got no idea what he's doing.  Well, it's just as true if you lose the first clause on the last sentence.

[Matrix Dragon]

A kakistocracy is when a system of government is run by the worst, least qualified, or outright incompetent people possible, often deliberately.

[Pyeknu]

The Peter Principle, in other words.

[Matrix Dragon]

The Peter Principle, in other words.

To some extent, but the Peter Principle is usually about people who show talent in certain areas being promoted into a field no one realizes they're ill suited for, or at worst, moving an idiot you can't get rid off into a position where they can't do much damage. In this case it's being done deliberately, with the intent of destroying the system for their own ends. You have a coal mining minion in charge of the EPA, you have the patron demon of student loans in charge of education, your President is threatening government employees on twitter and trying to influence witnesses, the list goes on. This isn't just incompetence. It's malice, greed and a desire for destruction I don't think your government has ever experienced, and given how your politicians have spent the past few decades dropping to their knees before the altar of 'Campaign Contributions', aka open bribery, I am legitimately terrified you're not going to pull out of your death spiral.

And when you go down, you're going to flail about and possibly take the rest of us with you.

[robkelk]

...
And when you go down, you're going to flail about and possibly take the rest of us with you.

All the more reason to find other trading partners, get a full copy of the Internet Archive based outside of the USA, promote non-Hollywood entertainment (and thus not export American values abroad), and do whatever else it takes to minimize our reliance on them to the largest possible extent.

This, of course, means that the USA dropping out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership is a good thing.

[robkelk]

Associated Press: Trump is not planning to fire Mueller, White House says

We all know what that means, right?

(Oh, and check the photo of Trump at the beginning of the article. I think the press photographers are trying to make him look silly on a regular basis... not that he needs the help.)

[DHBirr]

...
And when you go down, you're going to flail about and possibly take the rest of us with you.

All the more reason to find other trading partners, get a full copy of the Internet Archive based outside of the USA, promote non-Hollywood entertainment (and thus not export American values abroad), and do whatever else it takes to minimize our reliance on them to the largest possible extent.

This, of course, means that the USA dropping out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership is a good thing.

"Isolationism" takes on a whole new meaning:  quarantining a sick country so its soul-destroying disease doesn't spread.

[Labster]

"Isolationism" takes on a whole new meaning:  quarantining a sick country so its soul-destroying disease doesn't spread.

reminds me of:

You are the children of a dead planet, EarthDeirdre, and this death we do not comprehend. We shall take you in, but may we ask this question--will we too catch the planetdeath disease?

   Lady Deirdre Skye, "Conversations With Planet"

Moving on, I'd like to note that Trump called up Putin to congratulate him on his electoral victory.  I'm sure it included phrases like "I look forward to working for with you for the next six years" and "Did you see the map of how big my election victory was?  The whole map was red!"  We know national security briefing for Trump included the phrase "DO NOT CONGRATULATE" in allcaps which to Trump is like a giant pushable red button.

[DHBirr]

We know national security briefing for Trump included the phrase "DO NOT CONGRATULATE" in allcaps which to Trump is like a giant pushable red button.

"Above all, Mr. President, it is most important that you must not, under any circumstances, snort this entire bottle of Drano® as if it were a line of finest-quality cocaine."

*****
I'm a very forgiving person ... on Lord Vader's terms.  "Apology accepted, Captain."

[robkelk]

(blows dust off thread)

CBC Analysis: Why Manafort's trial matters for Trump — even if it has nothing to do with Russian collusion

This isn't something that should have a tl;dr given for it - please go read the article.

[Dartz]

The thing that needs to be added.

Mueller is likely aware of the consequences of failure here. It's like the raid on Cohen's office.

This thing's only being pushed ahead with because it's as close to certain to succeed as it's possible to be. The fact that somebody's already seen the case against him and ratted is damning enough.

[Dartz]

Meanwhile, it looks like Trump is ready to talk to Mueller To explain how it's all a massive witchhunt and that the investigation should be just called off, you see... despite his Lawyers telling him not to.


Otherwise known as "Trump to incriminate himself in police interview"

[hazard]

Only reason he's not going to get arrested on the spot is because only Congress has the authority to do anything about a sitting congresscritter, president or (IIRC) federal judge.

[robkelk]

Hazard, lawyers don't have power of arrest.

[classicdrogn]

Apparently, only the Nacho in Chief is allowed to make unfounded and outrageous allegations, wild outbursts on the internet and television. Certainly not former Obama appointees who've criticized him!

Assosciated Press article about former CIA Director Brennan getting his clearance stripped for political unreliability.

[robkelk]

Apparently, only the Nacho in Chief is allowed to make unfounded and outrageous allegations, wild outbursts on the internet and television. Certainly not former Obama appointees who've criticized him!

Assosciated Press article about former CIA Director Brennan getting his clearance stripped for political unreliability.

Hang on a minute there.

What kind of mickey-mouse organization lets former employees keep their security clearance? Is this something that the current administration goofed on by not taking the clearance away the minute the person was no longer in their employ, or is this a mistake that the previous administration made as well?

Either way, the error that allows ex-employees to keep security clearance (as opposed to security rating) should be fixed ASAP, and security clearance removed from everyone who doesn't currently need it.

EDIT: Defining terms. Security rating is what you qualify for, and in a properly-run organization is granted by a particular employer - there is no government-wide security rating. Security clearance is what you need in order to carry out the duties of your current position; it's possible to have a Top Secret rating but only a Restricted clearance. (So, no position means no duties means no need for security clearance of any sort.)

[Rajvik]

The thing is that for the last 50-75 years we (the US) have allowed officials in certain fields like intelligence and the State Department to retain their clearance so that later administrations are able to call on their experience.

Edit: Just learned per CBS that the CIA re-vets security clearances every 5 years for the directors that have been replaced. They are required however to continue to act as if they are still employed by the Agency. 

In short, they are, like active military, required to only voice any disagreement with the current administration through the ballot box.

[robkelk]

The current situation shows how well that works...

[DHBirr]

Oh, Rudy, tell me you didn't say that!  On Meet the Press, too!

What is truth?, said jesting DHBirr, and would not stay for an answer.

[hazard]

Yeah, we're getting into 1984 Newspeak territory.

Oh who am I kidding, we've been there for years, if not decades.

[classicdrogn]

I think we were pretty solidly there at "truthiness" myself. And goddammit 'fox, why is that a word in your dictionary!?

[Rajvik]

What he said is accurate because what the truth is to me, may not be the truth to you. This is why archaeologists work with facts
Truth can be philosophical at the best of times and when you are dealing with politicians and professional paper pushers in government, on either side, the truth is a thin and haggard thing.

[robkelk]

The general public has a belief that "truth" and "facts" are synonyms, though (thanks to mass media) - and, as much as people like to joke otherwise, they expect from their politicians Truth or Consequences (again thanks to mass media).

(Fair disclosure: I am a "professional paper pusher", but not for the US government.)