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.
Mike Johnson, not that i expected much, but wow.
For whatever reason, a thought just surfaced. I wonder if, at some point, Trump has a severe gibberish moment in public, and it is recast by some as him speaking in tongues.
But back to the Speaker:
a.) this not the first time Trump has referred to American citizens as “the enemy within” or similar statements in contexts in which it could not be retconned as a handful of agitators or undocumented migrants.
Other high-ranking officials in his administration regularly make the same or similar claims, including the VP.
b.) To my knowledge, that wasn’t a characterization, it was what he said.
c.) I don’t believe for a second that Johnson did he did not see it. And even if I am wrong, and he did not actually watch it, there is no way he is not aware of what was said. And if somehow he is unaware of the content of Trump’s speech, he is unbelievably lazy, and has no business being a Rep., much less Speaker.
d.) I would think that a sitting President suggesting, even if it was in the vaguest terms, that the military should using cities as a general theater for training ops should concern everyone, in particular legislators.
Whether he is a liar or a coward or an authoritarian (or enabler), that man is a sorry excuse for a leader.
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I don’t care to look up whether Kehoe has ever used the “republic not a democracy” dodge, but the redistricting maneuver ain’t a hallmark of a republic either.
@Kurtz: I have a Mike Johnson decoder. He is very good at saying things that aren’t lies, but are misleading. I expect that he didn’t watch Trump’s speech. I didn’t watch Trump’s speech. So he now says, “I didn’t see it.” Which is truthful, and evasive.
When Johnson came on the scene, he negotiated, in good faith, an end to the shutdown that was happening then. With Biden and Democrats. He made a Ukraine aid package happen later on, in spite of Trump’s interference too.
More and more now, though, he is tied to Trump, who ruins everyone he touches.
And yes, that was a Kinsley gaffe. Quite remarkable.
I am fairly gratified by this:
I would guess that this includes, but is not limited to trans students. I am fine with this framing. As long as they hold to this, anyway. I do appreciate the worries that some trans people have because of the lack of a specific statement, as well.
Jimmy Fallon is an unserious, spineless, class clown ready suck up where ever, when ever necessary to maintain his platform. We need less Fallon and more Kimmel during this full on assault upon our democracy.
@Jay L. Gischer:
Agree that it is a Kinsley gaffe.
And yeah, that’s a solid characterization. He’s slippery.
@Jay L. Gischer:
Agree that it is a Kinsley gaffe.
And yeah, that’s a solid characterization. He’s slippery.
@Jay L. Gischer:
Agree that it is a Kinsley gaffe.
And yeah, that’s a solid characterization. He’s slippery.