Xtra News Community 2

General Category => General Forum => Topic started by: Kiwithrottlejockey on July 15, 2019, 12:03:33 am



Title: Trump must be getting sick of all that winning, eh? SNIGGER
Post by: Kiwithrottlejockey on July 15, 2019, 12:03:33 am

from The Washington Post…

Acosta is gone as Trump retreats again

Trump caves twice in a week.

By JENNIFER RUBIN | 10:59AM EDT — Friday, June 12, 2019

(https://www.washingtonpost.com/resizer/LB_9s5J94wrUH3_p7SVptRShIc8=/1484x0/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/XALFUZ7LXJGUPCMO3QYPCRMLMU) (https://www.washingtonpost.com/resizer/LB_9s5J94wrUH3_p7SVptRShIc8=/1484x0/arc-anglerfish-washpost-prod-washpost.s3.amazonaws.com/public/XALFUZ7LXJGUPCMO3QYPCRMLMU)
Labor Secretary Alex Acosta in 2018 in Washington D.C. — Photograph: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post.

SECRETARY OF LABOR Alexander Acosta and President Trump bowed to reality, the reality that retaining the man who cut a secret plea deal with a “monster” (as Republicans described him (https://www.foxnews.com/politics/christine-pelosi-jeffrey-epstein-democrats-faves-implicated)) sex offender was untenable. Acosta, as many anticipated after his heartless, soulless and entirely disingenuous news conference, stepped down on Friday (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/alex-acosta-resigns-as-labor-secretary-amid-intense-scrutiny-of-his-handling-of-jeffrey-epstein-case/2019/07/12/21954d50-a24b-11e9-b8c8-75dae2607e60_story.html) (or was pushed out).

This is a frequent pattern for Trump: A scandal-plagued Cabinet member or White House staffer comes under fire (e.g. Tom Price, Scott Pruitt, Ryan Zinke, Rob Porter). Trump insists the real victim is the accused, who is a “great guy” and doing “a great job.” Republicans mumble, fidget and insist there is nothing to see here, while Democrats lace into the malefactor and Trump. Democrats stress the spinelessness of Republicans who enable a president whose natural affinity is with those accused of corruption, self-dealing and abusive conduct. Trump blames the press, insisting the coverage is “fake news.” Then Trump dumps the guy, leaving the Republicans who insisted there was never any problem looking like spineless sycophants. Rinse, repeat.

In this case, the retreat comes the day after an even more humiliating walk-back (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-to-hold-news-conference-on-census-as-he-mulls-executive-action-to-add-a-citizenship-question/2019/07/11/c0eb7cb6-a3c8-11e9-b8c8-75dae2607e60_story.html) on the attempt to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census, which crushed the dreams of right-wing activists who actually believed Trump could jigger the census in Republicans' favor (https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/despite-trump-administration-denials-new-evidence-suggests-census-citizenship-question-was-crafted-to-benefit-white-republicans/2019/05/30/ca188dea-82eb-11e9-933d-7501070ee669_story.html).

“Top figures in the conservative legal community are stunned and depressed by President Trump's cave in his fight for a citizenship question on the 2020 Census,” Axios reported (https://www.axios.com/donald-trump-census-citizenship-question-conservative-reaction-5a2d3a27-ed8e-4a75-96ca-c89f68379a82.html). “Sources say Leonard Leo and other Federalist Society stalwarts were shocked and floored by how weak the decision was. ‘What was the dance … all about if this was going to be the end result?’ a conservative leader asked.” Imagine being so gullible as to think the president believes in any principle and so intellectually blinded as to think Trump's outrageous positions are going to past muster. If conservatives are still shocked when Trump betrays them and kicks their heroes to the curb, they must not have been paying attention — or, more likely, must be so intellectually and morally corrupted that they can no longer tell what is going to pass muster outside the Trump cult.

Meanwhile, the right-wing state media over at Fox News, which initially ran to the defense of whomever Trump was defending, is left with two options: ignore the results or whine about the big, bad media that apparently has more power over Trump than his defenders do.

Both Acosta and the census issue suggest the merits are rarely at issue with Trump. He's generally motivated by two things: inherent sympathy for men accused of mistreating women or other vulnerable people (make your own psychological evaluation) and the desire to inflame his base. The latter is achieved by appealing to their sense that women are aggressors, out to destroy the lives of men (especially white men), and that they are all victims of media elites who insist that men be held accountable for their conduct.

Trump is the most powerful man on the planet, a billionaire (https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/05/trump-rises-51-spots-on-forbes-billionaires-list-but-his-net-worth-stays-flat-at-3point1b.html) (we are told) or at least millionaire and head of a major national party. He's tough, a winner, a dealmaker — and weirdly is always a victim like his poor bedraggled advisers. Trump is both the perpetual victor and victim, which for any rational person would be ludicrous. Alas, we left rationality behind a long time ago.

All of the wailing and rending of garments on the right, however, should not obscure the truth in these incidents: When Trump and his accomplices' base mendacity is laid bare, the American people (even some of his supporters) cannot stomach it. The lesson therefore is simple: Expose, accuse, hammer and demand accountability. It doesn't always work, but it does now and then. When it does, truth, decency and our democratic system are vindicated.


__________________________________________________________________________

Jennifer Rubin (https://www.washingtonpost.com/people/jennifer-rubin) writes reported opinion from a center-right perspective for The Washington Post. She covers a range of domestic and foreign policy issues and provides insight into the conservative movement, the Republican Party and threats to Western democracies. Rubin, who is also an MSNBC contributor, came to The Post after three years with Commentary magazine. Prior to her career in journalism, Rubin practiced labor law for two decades, an experience that informs and enriches her work. She is a mother of two sons and lives in Northern Virginia.

__________________________________________________________________________

Related to this topic:

 • VIDEO: ‘This was him, not me’: Trump announces Acosta's resignation (https://www.washingtonpost.com/video/politics/this-was-him-not-me-trump-announces-acostas-resignation/2019/07/12/b30c54c6-bec5-42e3-a7e1-f3a28726824d_video.html)

 • Alex Acosta resigns as labor secretary, the latest Trump official to leave amid scandal (https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/alex-acosta-resigns-as-labor-secretary-amid-intense-scrutiny-of-his-handling-of-jeffrey-epstein-case/2019/07/12/21954d50-a24b-11e9-b8c8-75dae2607e60_story.html)

 • Helaine Olen: What Jeffrey Epstein's crimes say about our era (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/07/11/what-jeffrey-epsteins-crimes-say-about-our-era)

 • Randall D. Eliason: No, the Epstein prosecution is not a ‘redo’ (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/07/10/no-epstein-prosecution-is-not-redo)

 • Jennifer Rubin: Acosta does himself and Trump no good (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/07/10/acosta-does-himself-trump-no-good)

 • The Washington Post's View: The Jeffrey Epstein charges raise grave questions about Alexander Acosta (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-jeffrey-epstein-charges-raise-grave-questions-about-alexander-acosta/2019/07/10/a9855142-a287-11e9-b732-41a79c2551bf_story.html)

 • Jennifer Rubin: Alexander Acosta must go (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/07/09/acosta-must-go)


https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/07/12/acosta-is-gone-trump-retreats-again (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/07/12/acosta-is-gone-trump-retreats-again)