Friday’s Forum
Steven L. Taylor
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Friday, August 22, 2025
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32 comments
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About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a Professor Emeritus of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
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BlueSky.
Well, after a fasciaotomy on my right leg, a skin graft, four or five transfusions (I lost count), and six weeks in the hospital, I’m on my way to rehab.
Just got back from walking the dogs where I have random thoughts on the issues of the day.
Is anyone surprised that we haven’t had any political violence yet? I am. You can feel the heat but nothing has exploded yet.
With the deployment of NG troops the Confederacy has finally taken the Capitol.
Is the crypto boom, legislation, etc. going to lead to a economic crash? Isn’t crypto another form of tulips?
@CSK: looked up your -otomy and yikes! Looks painful, but with a really good success rate,
Glad you’re still with us.
LOL
VA cancels plans for employee satisfaction survey this year
@CSK:
Glad to hear that you are on the mend.
@Scott:
Somewhat, but the political violence will come when someone in The Felon’s inner circle gives the OK to groups like the proud boys. The likely scenario would be a large protest against the deployment of NG, where a militia group is told to attack it. The protesters are blamed for the violence and The Felon orders law enforcement/the military to crush them, violently.
@becca: @Sleeping Dog:
Thank you! Your good wishes are much appreciated.
@Sleeping Dog:
I think the Proud Boys et al are the Brown Shirts. ICE will be the nucleus of the SS.
OTB is acting particularly hinky today.
Trump had John Bolton’s house raided early this morning. 47 said he is the Chief Law Enforcement Officer, too.
Jesus.
@Sleeping Dog: I can’t say you’re wrong. I do note that very recently someone (I think Vance?) mocked the DC protestors as “old”.
Now, these guys love looking good on TV. Does beating up a bunch of retirees look good on TV?
Meanwhile, we are spending lots of money parading NG vehicles around in highly visible areas, while they accomplish pretty much nothing.
Having been close to the Boss will not protect you from the power of the state. Actually, the closest get purged first. Bolton made some public statements that were critical of Trump, but we will soon see the police investigating people who didn’t smile enough or bow sufficiently deeply. I expect that Eric will get DJT, Jr. arrested soon, or the converse.
@becca: After Trump and Biden and Clinton, if any high ranking former official of any party hasn’t scrubbed their private papers, houses, or offices of even the most minor classified material, then they deserve to get what they get.
If Bolton’s house is clean, watch for the sleight of hand for accusations of having classified that are unmarked but that they should have known they are classified. Or no markings on coversheets but an overlooked classification on one sentence in a document. If I recall, that is what Hilary was caught on: what is called a portion marking.
@Scott: What if he has marble bathrooms full of bankers boxes with classified documents spilling out of them?
@Scott: If there are any legal folks here, I would like to know under what criteria (other than I don’t like the guy) can any federal law enforcement raid someone’s house? Does there have to be any evidence? Any liability for the one’s ordering the raid? Etc.
@Scott:
IANAL but they had a warrant signed by a Magistrate from Maryland. I do wonder what their probable cause was.
I agree with your other comment; If Bolton wasn’t squeaky clean then he deserves what he gets.
I do not put fabrication of evidence beyond this crew, though.
Your Friday fascist/authoritarian smorgasbord:
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The 1,2,3 rata-tat of Trumpian news is becoming the norm. Pathology writ large.
@CSK: That sounds awful. I hope the recovery continues to go well and that the whole thing is less awful than it sounds, at least going forward.
@Scott:
In mine-resistant armored vehicles, no less. It’s been said that you go to Adams Morgan with the National Guard you have, not the National Guard you might want…
Only when the Greater Fool supply dwindles, which, for crypto, may not be for quite some time.
@Slugger: I, for one, am actually kind of pleased we are into the “eating their own” phase. It’s a good warning to people attempting to ride the Trump Train that this will not go well for them. I hope he goes after Elon next.
It also builds the groundwork for a broad consensus that limits will have to be placed on the powers of the executive. Reconstruction is going to be a lot harder if it is seen as only benefiting Democrats.
Elon was working without a work visa years ago — he should be in Alligator Alcatraz, the Crocodile Concentration Camp in the swamp, and then be deported to Sudan. He’s African, it’s Africa, he’ll be fine…
@Scott:
Crypto serves a real need — money laundering and paying for CSAM — while tulips never had any use (other than planting and feeding to goats, and there’s better goat food)
There are very good reasons to want to be able to pay for ordinary things with crypto — the fake-money to real-money boundary is one of the spots where it is easiest to detect the money laundering, so normalizing it makes it much harder to detect, and makes it easier for assets to be owned by unknown entities — the wallet owns those children, but who owns the wallet?
And just on a practical matter of convenience — have you ever tried to carry around large amounts of cash when you cannot explain where it came from? Suitcases full of money are really bulky and heavy, cause immediate suspicion, and are bad for your lower back.
I think we should try to provoke Trump into overreach. I mean, more overreach. Next time Trump takes a shot at Gavin Newsom, for example, Newsom should challenge him. ‘You want to go full fascist, Mr. President? Why don’t you send your masked agents to arrest me?’ Anyone who is accused of anything by Trump should make that demand. Arrest me. Drag me off. Hold your kangaroo court.
I’m not trying to be funny. We know where Trump is going, but the frog hasn’t been heated up quite enough for Trump to start arresting opponents. Push him, provoke him, force him to either go for it, or reject the possibility. Take the initiative, force the battle before he’s ready.
For the Meanwhile, In North Korea…files:
Hegseth fires head of Defense Intelligence Agency, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Kruse
You know, we keep waiting for revelations to come out of this administration by the victims of it purges. But I remember that the most damaging information will be withheld by the reporters and even the victims so that they can sell books later on. National suicide on the altar of money.
There won’t be a J’Accuse…! in this day and age.
@Scott:
At least with tulips, you can plant them and get lovely flowers in Spring.
Crypto, not so much.
@CSK:
Wow. I have no words.
I’m sending along to you all the karma and best wishes that I have on hand.
@CSK:
Wow. I have no words.
I’m sending along to you all the karma and best wishes that I have on hand.
@Gustopher: @al Ameda:
Thank you both very much.
@CSK:
Oh my.
Really hope you are on the road to recovery.
Best wishes.
@CSK:
Oh my.
Really hope you are on the road to recovery.
Best wishes.
@CSK: I missed the diagnosis. Compartment syndrome of some sort? Chronic or acute?
@JohnSF:
Thank you, friend.
@Michael Cain:
Occlusion. Thank you for asking.
@CSK: Oh, wow. I hope rehab is short and effective and that you are back to feeling 100% soon!
@CSK:
Don’t watch The Pitt.