Better Late Than Never Forum

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James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is a Professor of Security Studies. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. CSK says:

    Trump is raving on Truth Social that the California wildfires are caused by the fact that “Gavin Newscum” doesn’t have the forests raked.

    1
  2. dazedandconfused says:

    @CSK:

    From The Hitchhiker’s Guide:

    Personality​
    “ One of the major difficulties Trillian experienced in her relationship with Zaphod was learning to distinguish between him pretending to be stupid just to get people off their guard, pretending to be stupid because he couldn’t be bothered to think and wanted someone else to do it for him, pretending to be outrageously stupid to hide the fact that he actually didn’t understand what was going on, and really being genuinely stupid. He was renowned for being amazingly clever and quite clearly was so—but not all the time, which obviously worried him, hence, the act. He preferred people to be puzzled rather than contemptuous.

    ~ Trillian’s thoughts on Zaphod’s personality
    Zaphod appears to have narcissistic traits and is characterized by his deceptive stupidity and spontaneously mercurial interests. Zaphod is also incredibly excitable and hedonistic as well as uncaring yet charismatic, he’s almost always happy or at least content and enjoys fame and attention.

    9
  3. Jen says:

    @CSK: Ah, yes. We’re back to raking the forests again as a policy suggestion. Trump is bat-guano crazy, but we’re supposed to be apologizing for Biden, or something.

    14
  4. Lucysfootball says:

    Shocker of the day:
    President-elect Donald Trump’s team was given the questions asked by Fox News anchors at an Iowa town hall last January in advance by someone inside the network, according to a forthcoming book, in what would be a serious breach of journalism ethics.

    It’s not shocking that it happened. What is shocking is the idea that anyone would ever associate Fox News with journalism.

    8
  5. Kathy says:

    Lex “Turtle” Bezos’ space company has scheduled the debut launch of the New Glenn rocket for Friday Jan. 10.

    25 years from inception to orbital launch is faster than the Flash on speed, right? Meantime President Xlon has been feasting on delayed competition.

    What strikes me from the link (not worth reading) is all the systems and procedures Blue Origin will test, including things like telemetry, tracking, comms, etc., in addition to the rocket itself.

    Imagine if every time Airbus launched a new plane, they had to test such things as well as the plane. To some extent they test how they work with the plane, but not the systems themselves. You know, avionics, radar, black boxes, etc. The manufacturers of such things test them before selling them.

    So there should be a company, or better yet a bunch of companies, that make and sell tracking, telemetry, comms, and other systems to the space launch companies.

    BTW, long ago, Boeing operated an airline, Boeing Air transport. It merged with Pratt & Whitney to form the United Aircraft and Transport Corporation. Eventually antitrust laws were passed to prevent a plane maker from operating an airline. I wonder whether the same will happen with rocket manufacturers operating launch companies (I know, not in President Xlon’s term).

    1
  6. CSK says:

    @Jen:

    Trump is bitching about the mess he’s inheriting from Biden.

    2
  7. Scott F. says:

    @dazedandconfused: Douglas Adams knew such an absurd character as Zaphod Beeblebrox could become a President (of the Galaxy in ZB’s case). But, even in a fictional universe like that in Hitchhiker’s, Adams knew better than to give a position that could be won by such an absurd character as Zaphod any power. President of the Galaxy was a position designed to distract the People from those who truly were running things.

    Consider Adams’ prescience when you think about Trump and our tech bro oligarchic overlords.

    9
  8. Kathy says:

    @Scott F.:

    As I recall, Adams mentions several presidents of the galaxy were felons, and some even served in the office while in prison.

    also something about Zaphod’s family having had an accident involving a contraceptive and a time machine.

    3
  9. inhumans99 says:

    @CSK:

    Ugh…Biden has set up Trump to be able to do nothing but play golf for the next four years (and literally not do any actual work) and the country would still be in great shape four years from now.

    Someone should convince Trump to just take credit for everything that Biden did that made things better for Americans and once he gets all the credit he can go play golf and party at Mar A Lago for the next four years. This way, nothing he wants to implement (mass deportations, taking ownership of Greenland, Canada, Panama Canal) would come to pass, he ends up President for four years and the whole world is still in good shape at the end of this term.

    LGM folks think that Trump is still trying to get belittling nicknames to stick to Newsom because. he sees him as a threat in 2028.

    LGM, like me…is just not willing to not assume that Trump will agree to not run again in 2028, he thinks he is Putin so yeah…not going to take bets that he will be done Presidenting once his current term is up.

    The real question is four years from now you have to wonder if the GOP folks who want to succeed him will not be subtle about planting seeds that he his too old for another 4 year term and someone else in the GOP needs to have the opportunity to be the next President.

    If I were JD Vance, I would have that Trump is too old speech already written up and stored in a secure file somewhere so he can pull it out in 2-3 years time giving him enough time before people vote in 2028 to plant the seeds that he is young and should be our next President.

    At first I thought Trump was currently 82 years old, but only 78…still, as much love as the GOP has shown Trump he will be in his 80s in 2028 and they might be a bit leery about an 80 year old setting himself up as President for life.

  10. Joe says:

    @dazedandconfused:

    Hey, I’m just some guy, man.

    -Zaphod Beeblebrox

    4
  11. MarkedMan says:

    I do t get it. It’s so obvious that Trump is now literally off his rocker, whether from dementia, years of prescription drug abuse, or just going full-Kanye doesn’t matter. The guy is obviously nuts and I don’t understand why more people aren’t pointing it out, publicly and loudly.

    8
  12. Mikey says:

    @Lucysfootball:

    President-elect Donald Trump’s team was given the questions asked by Fox News anchors at an Iowa town hall last January in advance by someone inside the network

    Well that explains his repeated accusations his opponents have been fed questions ahead of time.

    EVERY. ACCUSATION. TRUMP. MAKES. IS. ACTUALLY. A. CONFESSION.

    11
  13. Scott F. says:

    @inhumans99:
    The MAGA base LOVES Trump, while the GOP as a party NEEDS Trump, or rather someone who can be as nuclear grade shameless and mendacious as Trump, in order to keep the MAGA mob in thrall. JD doesn’t have the chops nor do any Republican Presidents-in-Waiting I can think of. In the end, the GOP WANTS to maintain minority rule for their donor class and they don’t have the numbers without the pliant base.

    I expect the GOP will ride Trump until he dies or until the mob gets impatient with the price of groceries and the persistence of people of color at their favorite stores. Then, all hell will break loose. Republicanism without Trumpism is a vacuum that all sorts of debris will rush into when the time comes.

    4
  14. Mikey says:

    @CSK: He’s saying Newsom is somehow responsible because he didn’t let the water flow south because of an “essentially worthless fish,” the smelt.

    Now I know Trump isn’t from the Midwest, but he’s still a moron, when I was growing up in Michigan we had fried smelt every Friday and they’re fucking delicious.

    7
  15. Mikey says:

    @inhumans99:

    At first I thought Trump was currently 82 years old, but only 78…still, as much love as the GOP has shown Trump he will be in his 80s in 2028 and they might be a bit leery about an 80 year old setting himself up as President for life.

    Not a chance. The same Trumpies who were blasting Biden for 82 being too old to run in 2024, will be drooling out endless crap about how Trump’s alpha male energy means him being 82 in 2028 is absolutely no big deal and it’s vital that the 22nd Amendment be suspended so he can run again.

    3
  16. Just nutha ignint cracker says:

    @MarkedMan:

    I don’t understand why more people aren’t pointing it out, publicly and loudly.

    Maybe for the same reason that you believe that people here shouldn’t troll people you see as mentally unbalanced. And Trump, through the new, remodeled and vengeance-dealing FBI, has far more capacity to carry out threats than some rando on the internet.

    4
  17. Kathy says:

    @inhumans99:
    @Mikey:

    I’m 99% convinced the felon wants to run again 2028. The question is whether he’ll set up a reelection organization soon after taking office, as he did in 2017, or whether he’ll wait.

    The Crow and Leo Court will rule as the their benefactors tell them to rule. Assuming, that is, they don’t begin to receive bigger tips from president Xlon or other oligarchs. They’ll say it only applies to consecutive terms, or make something else up, or declare a part of the constitution to be unconstitutional.

    Remember the golden rule: who has the gold makes the rules.

    1
  18. Michael Reynolds says:

    @MarkedMan:

    The guy is obviously nuts and I don’t understand why more people aren’t pointing it out, publicly and loudly.

    1) The media are scared and going into a subservient crouch. 2) Trump is so obviously batshit people can’t process it. It’s like seeing an elephant strolling a supermarket aisle – you don’t believe your own eyes. 3) I think there’a bit of holding our breath, not quite believing what a lovely shitshow this transition has been. Kind of don’t want to interrupt an enemy when he’s self-harming.

    Notice the absence of the trolls on Greenland and Panama and Canada? I’ve been waiting for @Jack how this is all perfectly normal. Who else has disappeared? JD Vance. I assume he’s fetching Elon’s ketamine.

    9
  19. Liberal Capitalist says:

    “Your president-elect is out on bail”.

    That’s it, that is the comment. Anything beyond that disqualifying event is just additional more damning evidence.

    4
  20. Kathy says:

    @Michael Reynolds:

    It’s like seeing an elephant strolling a supermarket aisle – you don’t believe your own eyes.

    Classic

    2
  21. wr says:

    @MarkedMan: ” The guy is obviously nuts and I don’t understand why more people aren’t pointing it out, publicly and loudly”

    Perhaps I could refer you to a classic bit of literature… It’s called “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Emperor%27s_New_Clothes

    1
  22. wr says:

    @Michael Reynolds: “Notice the absence of the trolls on Greenland and Panama and Canada?”

    Personally I think Denmark should offer to trade Greenland for California. After all, it’s exactly the kind of losing deal Trump always makes and thinks he’s winning. And since California is already supplying half of Denmark’s budget — through Ozempic sales — it just keeps the money closer to the people.

    5
  23. gVOR10 says:

    @wr: From Volokh this morning, on the question of whether Trump would be justified in using military force to take Greenland.

    Mr. Bumble 7 hours ago
    No. I’d prefer trading California for Greenland.

    ducksalad 7 hours ago
    I believe the Greenlanders and Danes would only accept the deal if they got California without the current inhabitants.

    Mr. Bumble 7 hours ago
    …or at least Gavin Newsom

    I pointed out that Denmark is in NATO, if we invade Greenland we’re obligated to defend Greenland.

    1
  24. Rob1 says:

    Mexican president trolls Trump, suggests US renamed ‘Mexican America’
    At her regular morning press conference, Claudia Sheinbaum displayed a 17th-century world map showing North America as “Mexican America.”

    If it isn’t in Trump’s truncated knowledge base, it doesn’t count.

    4
  25. gVOR10 says:

    Digby has a piece on how RW and pro-GOP the FBI has always been. Do you remember there were actually three terrorism stories over New Years? Besides the New Orleans truck attack and the Cybertruck at Trump Las Vegas, there was a story that a week or two earlier the FBI busted a guy in VA with the largest arsenal of “finished explosive device” they’d ever seized, bomb building materials, and other weapons. Why didn’t the story appear earlier? I forget where I saw it last night, but apparently the FBI hadn’t done a press release or press conference on the case. It wouldn’t have come out if an independent researcher hadn’t found it while going through various records and tipped off reporters. Obvious speculation is that had the perp been brown the FBI would have splashed it all over the papers, but since he was a white RWNJ, they’d just as soon keep it quiet. Still pretending RW attacks aren’t the bulk of political violence in this country.

    Kash Patel isn’t going to have any trouble converting the FBI into an anti-d(and D)emocratic secret police Gestapo.

    4
  26. Rob1 says:

    Trump suggests he could use military force to acquire Panama Canal and Greenland and ‘economic force’ to annex Canada

    https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-suggests-use-military-force-acquire-panama-canal-greenland-econo-rcna186610

    J – I – N – G – O !
    J – I – N – G – O !
    And Jingo was his name, oh!

    2
  27. Rob1 says:

    @gVOR10:

    I pointed out that Denmark is in NATO, if we invade Greenland we’re obligated to defend Greenland

    I was thinking about that very thing. What a mess it would be:

    – Denmark being a NATO country, it would be the first time two NATO members warred against each other.

    – Of course Trump has made known his objection to our membership and would love to kick NATO to the wayside.

    – It would signal to Russia to proceed with its plan to annex Ukraine and China would be encouraged to take Taiwan.

    This moment resonates with the late stage imperialism of the three Axis powers during the 1930’s. Trump is channeling a me-too Mussolini, joining in on the land grab.

    Only this time, there’s no one to restraint three nuke super powers.

    People can dismiss concerns that Trump is in some sort of collusion with Putin. But seeing a concerted effort to upend NATO, put the European union in turmoil, and smooth the road for Russia, it’s self deluding to look at these developments as benign and unrelated.

    I can’t help thinking about all the folks looking at unfolding events throughout the early 1930’s and hoping for the best, without a clue as to what was coming.

    3
  28. Rob1 says:

    Mira of Kyiv @reshetz.bsky.social‬

    there’s this dense russian saying, roughly translates as ‘threaten your friends, so your enemies are scared’

    I mean, makes sense that it’s russian
    January 7, 2025 at 2:56 PM

    Mira of Kyiv ‪@reshetz.bsky.social‬

    And then there’s a Ukrainian saying “no enemy is as terrifying as a moronic ally”

    https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ziwbaudmnvykh7umblyyjlc3/post/3lf6jy4wzjs2q?ref_src

    2
  29. Mister Bluster says:
  30. Barry says:

    @Kathy: “25 years from inception to orbital launch is faster than the Flash on speed, right? Meantime President Xlon has been feasting on delayed competition.”

    Astoundingly slow.

  31. al Ameda says:

    @CSK:

    Trump is raving on Truth Social that the California wildfires are caused by the fact that “Gavin Newscum” doesn’t have the forests raked.

    This is an obvious and very easily fact-checked lie; we know that all wildfires in California are caused by Jewish Space Lasers.

    2
  32. Raoul says:

    @Kathy: I hate to engage in absurd hypotheticals but would under this theory Obama could run too? (I get it, the S. Ct. Would create an exemption to one but not the other).